Jean stood behind him, her hands on his shoulders. She released him and turned to Professor Xavier. Wolverine still held Star's hands. Her body was rigid, her hands ice cold. She shuddered and then, slowly, collapsed, her body loosing its tension as if her bones were indeed made of ice that was melting. He lowered her gently to the floor.


"Professor," Jean knelt beside their mentor. "Professor, can you hear me?"

"Yes, Jean," Xavier answered, opening his eyes.

"Are you all right?"

"Yes. I will be fine." Cyclops righted the wheelchair. "What about the child?" the Professor asked as Jean helped him back into his chair.

"She is unconscious," Jean looked at Star for a moment. "Professor, what happened?"

"I underestimated the depth of her fear. I only hope the damage I have caused is not irreversible," he paused for a moment. "Wolverine, are you ..."

"I'm fine," Wolverine interrupted. "The kid don't look so good, though."

"Bring her, quickly." He turned his chair toward the door as Wolverine lifted the girl's inert form from the floor. Wolverine followed the Professor to his ready room.

"Put her there, Wolverine," Professor Xavier indicated a chair, reminiscent of a dentist's chair. Wolvering gently placed Star in it.

"She ain't breathing, Chuck."

"Heartbeat?"

"Real slow."

"Jean, keep her alive." Xavier placed the helmet link to Cerebro on his head. "Scott, help Jean. Lend her your strength." He turned to Star, lying pale and unmoving in the chair, her chest rising and falling only as Jean willed it to. "Wolverine, she has turned to you twice now. I may need your help."

"Sure thing."

"Quickly, Charles. I've taken over her heart, but other systems are beginning to fail," Jean spoke sharply.

"Here, Wolverine," the Professor indicated a standard chair, pushed up against the wall. Wolverine pulled the chair up next to Star and Xavier as Xavier began his Psi probe.


Xavier and Wolverine were standing on a sloping plane, enveloped in a fine mist. Wolverine raised an eyebrow at Xavier.

"One can do many things on the astral plane, Wolverine. Come. We must find her, and quickly. Jean cannot maintain an unoccupied body for long." Together, they turned and walked down slope. The grade grew steeper until it became difficult for them to maintain their footing. Suddenly, the black whirlpool appeared as a wall before them. They approached cautiously. Professor Xavier put out his hand, intending to reach through the whirlpool, but the surface was solid. He concentrated, drew back his fist, and struck. To no avail.

"Let me give it a shot," Wolverine stepped forward, claws extended, and slashed at the surface of the whirlpool. He met no resistance and nearly fell through. Professor Xavier steadied him, then tried again. The surface was still solid for him.

"Looks like it's up ta me, don't it?"

"Wolverine, wait!" but Wolverine had already leaped into the darkness.


After a moment of searing pain, Wolverine found himself in a lab. There was no mistaking the odor, even if the equipment was unfamiliar. The wall at the back of the large room was transparent. On the other side was a cage, there was no other word for it. It included a toilet and shower cubicle, a table and chair, and a small bed. On the bed was Star. She was turned away from the wall, curled in on herself as she had been after he had released her from the sensory deprivation tank just the day before.

"Hey, kid! He called to her as he approached the wall. She turned toward him, then sat up on the bed.

"What are you doing here?"

"I came ta get ya out."

"Go away."

"'Fraid I can't do that, darlin'. Seems the door I came through ain't there no more." She just looked at him.

"What is this place, anyhow?" he asked.

"It is my place," she answered with a shrugh.

"What's the matter? Ya didn't like the mansion?"

"I do not belong there."

"Why not?"

"Your Professor brought me back here."

"He didn't mean for you ta stay, ya know."

"I know," she whispered. "But when he went through the barrier, it hurt him." She leaped to her feet, her hands clenched at her sides. "I am tired of hurting people! That's all I do!. All I'm good for!"

"Professor Xavier ain't hurt, kid. He's right outside," he moved closer to the clear surface between them. "C'mon, I'll show ya." He raised his hand to slash an opening in the cage wall.

"Logan! No!" Star cried, but it was too late. When his claws hit the transparent wall, there was a clap of thunder and a shower of sparks. Wolverine was thrown back.

He sat up after a moment, shaking his head.

"What was that?"

"Forcefield."

"How do I shut if off?"

"The controls are over there. Are you all right?"

"Jus' fine, darlin'." He shut down the forcefield. "Now, can we get outta her?"

"I ... I can't."

"Look, kid, if ya stay here, you're gonna die."

"Perhaps that would be best."

"I don't wanna hear no more o' that, you hear me?!" Wolverine snarled. "Jean's out there, wearing herself out ta keep your body alive so's you have a place ta come back to. An' the professor's on the other side o' that barrier thing, probl'y worried sick 'bout both of us. You are comin' back with me, right now! Is that clear?" Star cringed, cowering away from him, but didn't say anything.

"Now, am I gonna hafta cut a hole in this wall, or are you gonna show me the door?" The wall he had come in through shimmered, and a door appeared.

"That's more like it," he turned back to Star and held out his hand. "C'mon, kid."

"I'm afraid," she said as she took his hand.

"If ya ain't a little afraid, now and then, how ya gonna know you're alive?" He pulled her to her feet, and they moved toward the door. He opened it. On the other side was the dark barrier. She clung to his hand like a lost child. Together, they leaped.


Again, the fire turned the moment of passage through the barrier into an eternity that could only be endured. They landed in a heap at Professor Xavier's feet. As Wolverine got to his feet, he said to Star,

"See, I told ya." He helped her up and turned to Xavier, "Can we get outta here?"

"Not yet. Star, we must block this off. When you are ready to deal with it, we will try again. I apologize for hurting you, child. I did not realize how deeply your had been traumtized." Wolverine growled softly, but didn't say anything. Xavier took Star's other hand, she had not released Wolverine, and together they built a wall around the swirling black whirlpool so Star would not have to fear her own mind. Then the three of them turned and started up the slope. The journey out did not take as long as the journey in.

Star gasped, and began to breath on her own. As her heartbeat steadied, Jean slowly withdrew her control. She nearly collapsed as Wolverine and Xavier both opened their eyes. Scott put his arm around her to support her.

"Wolverine," Xavier said, "One day, your rash actions will be the death of you."

"Probably," Wolverine answered with a grin. "But you ain't in no position to talk." He turned to Star, "How's the kid?"

"She's asleep, Wolverine. She came back to a body exhausted by her, shall we say, absence. She'll be fine," Xavier answered after checking on Star. "Have someone put her to bed."

"Yes, Professor," Jean nodded to Cyclops and he gently lifted Star from the chair. Cradling her in his arms like a child, Cyclops followed Jean from the ready room. As the door opened, concerned X-Men scattered, making way for Jean, Cyclops and their newest charge. Jean closed the door behind them, and fended off anxious questions.

"Is everything OK?"

"Jean, what happened?"

"Everything is fine. As to what happened, I really don't know, but I believe that she is ..." Jean paused for a moment, "far stronger than the Professor expected. Now, we must put the child back to bed. She should be fine after she has rested." She turned to follow Cyclops to Star's room, but stopped again as Jubilee tugged at her arm.

"Jean? What about Wolvie? Is he OK?" Jean peered into Jubilee's concerned face, then smiled reassuringly.

"Wolverine is fine, Jubilee," she looked back at the door of the ready room. "I believe he wished to speak to Charles in private for a few moments." She cupped Jubilee's check with one hand. "Don't worry, dear one. He'll be out soon." Then she turned away, following Cyclops. Jubillee sighed, then chose a place where she could surreptitiously watch the door to the ready room.


Wolverine leaned back in his chair, crossed his arms, and just looked at Professor Xavier.

"All right, Wolverine," the Professor said. "Go ahead."

"What happened, Chuck? Ya nearly got yerself killed."

"I know, Wolverine. And I nearly killed my patient as well." He turned his chair, placing the helmet back in its storage compartment. "Truthfully, I am not certain." He turned back to Wolverine, "Star has a great deal of conscious control over her powers. However, when she is frightened or under stress, her powers seem to ..." he paused, looking for the correct words, "increase on a nearly exponential scale. She doesn't seem to have much control at all when that happens. When she broke away from me, I do not believe she had reached her peak."

"You sayin' she's stronger than you?" Wolverine asked in disbelief.

"I'm saying that I believe she can be as strong as she needs to be. We shall have to be very careful with this one, Wolverine. Very careful indeed."


When the door to the ready room opened, Jubilee nearly knocked her chair over trying to get up.

"Hi, Wolvie."

"Hey, Jubilee. How's my favorite X-Man?"

"Doin' fine. Listen, um, lunch is sorta catch as catch can. You wanna go inta town and grab a burger?"

"Sure thing, darlin'. Lemme get ma hat."


"So, what d'ya think of our newest addition?" Jubilee asked, around her hamburger.

"Who? Star?" Wolverine shrugged. "Kid's got guts, ya gotta giver 'er that."

"So she's, what, a telepath?"

"'Parently. Chuck says she's got a heck of a lot of push, too."

"Do you think she's pretty?"

"What?"

"Well, you know, Rogue and I picked out her clothes and stuff, and I just wondered if ..." Jubilee was paying a lot of attention to her shake, "well, you liked the way she turned out, is all."

"She don't hurt the eyes to look at, if that's what you mean." Wolverine resisted an impulse to ruffle Jubilee's hair. "But then, neither do you, half pint." Jubilee couldn't decide whether to take that as a compliment or an insullt, so she didn't answer.

"Listen, long as we're here, you wanna catch a matinee, or somethin'?"

"That'd be great! There's a new action movie playin' that I've been dyin' to see! It's all about ..." Jubilee chattered on, happy to be with her friend.

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