Did it feel to anyone else that The Last Stand wasn't over? I feel like I've only watched half a movie, so much more that could have been done. And without excessive character death. Yes, if I continue this, Scott and the professor will come back.

Movieverse, changing parts of X3. Will try to draw off comics. As of writing this I've only seen the movie once (darn Chemistry exam to study for!) and if I'm notified of any mistakes I'll come back and fix them.

"Jean... it's over."

She felt a hand squeeze her shoulder. Her whole body was cold, and she didn't know how long she'd been standing there. A hot wind blew suddenly into her face, and the stink of hot metal and burning rubber made her eyes tear.

"Jean?" Logan tightened his grip on her shoulder, brow creasing with concern.

She let out a breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding. Inhaling slowly, she realized she didn't know what to say. She swallowed. "Logan?"

His face broke into a tired, relieved smile. "I knew it... Jean..." He shook himself mentally. "Look, we've gotta get out of here. The jet's alright, Storm's just rounding up the kids..."

Logan broke off. Jean was staring at a point behind him, transfixed, where Magneto lay motionless on the charred ground, still staring at the needles protruding from his chest. The cure. Jean's eyes were wide with shock.

Oh, shit. She doesn't remember. Logan grasped her hand tightly. "I'll explain later, Jean, I promise. But we have to leave now."

He started to steer her towards the Blackbird. She resisted for a moment, looking confused, but then wordlessly followed.

Ororo walked quickly around the jet once more for a final inspection. Everything certainly seemed fine, and if things weren't – well, there wasn't much she could do about it now. Turning to leave, something crunched delicately under her boot. She glanced down. It was a half-full cartridge of cure syringes, peeking out from the splintered plastic remains of a soldier's gun.

She glanced up sharply, catching sight of a flash of red – Logan was helping Jean back into the jet. Jean didn't seem to be fully aware of what was going on.

Ororo looked down again. She'd only broken one...

"Come on!" Logan yelled, motioning for her to hurry before disappearing inside the Blackbird.

Bending down, Ororo deftly scooped up the syringes and pocketed them before taking off at a run.

They were in the top drawer in her wardrobe. She hadn't looked at them since she'd stowed them away in there, just yesterday. Four shots.

Ororo couldn't sit still. Not while knowing Jean was in the mansion – just a couple of rooms down from hers, actually. How could Logan have wanted to bring her back? After everything she'd done...

Ororo realized the drawer was open and she was turning a syringe over in her hands. Now I'm going crazy. The professor would've had to warn her again about the dangers of letting her mind wander like that.

But now he's dead. Him, and Scott...

Her fingers closed around the syringe and she got up. With fast, determined strides down the hallway, she found herself at Jean's door.

Suddenly feeling oddly embarrassed, Ororo knocked lightly. No answer.

She opened the door. Jean lay in the bed, asleep under a pile of blankets. No movement.

Just staring at the back of Jean's head was making Ororo jittery. Nervously, she took a few steps closer to the bed and waited. Her hand was shaking. Not good.

Ororo bared the needle and took another step towards the bed, holding her arm steady.

"Nothing to cure, eh?"

Ororo nearly jumped out of her skin. She spun around. Logan was leaning against the frame of the door, one eyebrow arched.

"Don't sneak up on me like that!" she snapped, realizing how stupid she sounded, but anger rushing in to cover her surprise.

"Nothing's wrong with us," Logan mimicked, sneering. "There's nothing wrong with us, is there? So what're you trying to cure?"

"You saw what she did," Ororo hissed. "Her mutation's out of control. She's dangerous."

"She can learn control. That's what this school was built on." Logan looked her squarely in the eye. "Just because someone can't control her gifts doesn't mean you take them away from her."

"The professor thought he could teach her control," Ororo shot back. "He was her mentor since she came to this school, and even he knew he would have to keep a hold on her. And look what happened to him."

"But that wasn't Jean. Not the Jean we know."

Ororo tensed. "Jean was like a sister to me. We shared some times you could never understand."

"And I know Jean's still there. Please," Logan said, holding her gaze firmly, "let me talk to her. She'll come around."

Ororo was still holding the syringe poised in her hand. "I don't know, Logan. I'm no telepath. If I knew some other way..."

Logan put a hand on her shoulder. "I'll talk to her when she wakes up. Put the cure down."

Sighing, Ororo set the needle down on the bedside table. Beside it were the ruby-quartz glasses Scott used to wear when he was asleep. She held them up.

"Remember..."

"I know, Ororo," Logan said heavily. He opened the door and nodded meaningfully towards the hallway. With a last wary glance at Jean's still form, Ororo walked out of the room.

Jean waited until she heard the click of the lock before she let out the shuddering sob she'd been holding onto since Ororo had knocked on the door.