This is the sequel to my story Iceman's Promotion and takes place immediately following the events therein. Please read that story first. This is the second story in a series I have tentatively named Days of Past's Visions but I'm not sure if I am satisfied with that title. It could change at any point, so don't panic.

1

"New discoveries were made today in Egypt, as a U.N. taskforce of military and scientific minds continue to examine the stronghold of the mutant named Apocalypse. Though much is still a mystery, recent finds made in one of the anti-chambers sheds new light on both Apocalypse and the mutant phenomenon. Head of the U.N. scientific unit Dr. Nathaniel Essex had this to say:"

"Several days ago we discovered a series of burial chambers off of the main chambers of the complex. Today genetic testing was completed and it was discovered that the mummies within did in fact possess an archaic form of the X-gene found in modern mutants. This is a fascinating discovery and lends credibility to the theories based off of the translated hieroglyphics that the mutant fashioning himself as Apocalypse could indeed be the ancient pharaoh En Sabah Nur, resurrected or possible awoken from some form of suspended animation, as well as creating some new mysteries to explore regarding the origin of the mutant species."

"Dr. Essex assured reporters that further genetic work would be forthcoming on the mummified soldiers found in the tombs. Meanwhile, military forces continue to search for signs of Apocalypse, though nothing has been found in the month since the Apocalypse Incident to prove either Apocalypse's death or survival. Head of the taskforce, U.S. intelligence operative Valarie Cooper, assures the citizens of the world that the threat of Apocalypse has been neutralized, and that the cause for alarm has ended. Cooper refused to comment on the U.S. military's alleged involvement in the Incident.

"In Washington, a new batch of bills calling for mutant registration was introduced to the Senate, the writers citing the dangers revealed in the Apocalypse Incident call for—"

The TV switched from the attractive twenty-four hour news anchor to a crowd of screaming teenagers demanding their favorite music videos.

"Hey, we were watching that!"

"What's the point, it's just the same stuff that was on yesterday, and the day before that, and the day before that."

"You never know Ray, there could be something new!"

"I highly doubt it Amara."

"Who cares you guys! Sparky, turn this garbage off before I blow up the TV."

Ray quickly hit the off button to avoid any more arguments, knowing full well that Tabitha was perfectly willing to follow up on her threat. Most of the New Mutants were currently in the rec room, it being too cold outside for a swim plenty of time left in the weekend to put off homework. Tabby, Ray and Amara were sitting on a couch, now staring at the blank television. Rahne, returned to the mansion not long after Apocalypse, was lounging on a couch reading a book, while Jamie and Roberto argued over their pool game.

"You cheated!"

"I did not! I knocked that ball in three turns ago!"

"No you didn't, you just nudged it in with your elbow!"

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"I'm young, not stupid!"

Rahne looked up over the top of her book at them. "Would ya two shut up? Ye're making me wish our Danger Room session hadn't been canceled."

"Come on Rahne," Jamie said, "we're not that bad. Hey, why don't we have Danger Room? Mr. McCoy never said."

"Who cares," Ray said as he turned the TV back on and began flicking through the channels. "Don't look them there gift horse in the mouth, as Sam would say."

As if called, Sam burst into the room and quickly shut the door behind him.

"Whoa, you see the ghost or something Sam?" Jamie asked. The others might make fun of him for it, but he was convinced the mansion was haunted.

"Nah, ah just heard Jean and Rogue talking. Some big stuff went down this morning!"

Tabby jumped out of her seat and turned to hang over the back of the couch to better see Sam. "Spill it Hayseed! What's going on around here that's got everyone's panties in a bunch?"

Sam pulled up one of the chairs by the pool table. "From what ah can piece together, they tried to test Bobby to see if he's going to be an X-Man, but he went ballistic or something and tried to kill Scott, then stormed off and no ones seen him since."

"Maybe that's why Kitty was crying so much," Amara said, mostly to herself.

"What!" Tabby said, turning to look at her friend.

"Well, I was walking by her room and she was crying, and I was going to try and see what was wrong but Dani was already there with her, so I came downstairs."

"People, you have to let everyone know this sort of stuff! They don't tell us anything around here 'cause they think we're a bunch of kids, so we have to keep each other in the loop. I don't know how you survived without me."

There was a round of muttering, some apologies to her, some just a verbal rolling of the eyes. Either way it satisfied her. "Okay, so Bobby tried to kill Scott. Seems a little crazy for the Popsicle, but I don't really blame him if he did. Kitty's upset about what happened, but that's still not the whole story. We can do better than this."

"I heard something," Jamie spoke up.

"And you're just now saying something? You're our main info source Multiple!"

"Sorry, I just remembered something I heard when some of my clones was getting us some drinks yesterday after school. Rogue and Scott we talking with Beast about some test and Rogue was saying how it was way too hard and that it was going to kill someone, I just thought they were talking about something Scott had to do at college. Maybe it was about what happened to Bobby."

"It probably was," Dani Moonstar said as she walked into the room and grabbed a seat in one of the recliners.

"How's Kitty doing?" Rahne asked.

"Better," said the young Cheyenne girl. "She's really upset about what they did to Bobby this morning. I guess Jean and the Professor clouded his mind or whatever and brought him to the Danger Room, where they had some program running where Sentinels attacked and captured everyone but him, and then he had to fight his way through an army of them and then something about Magneto and Bobby thought he was going to die right before they ended the program. They tried to tell him how great he did and that he was on the team but he just got angry at everyone for what they did and punched Scott."

"All right Frosty!" Tabby said.

"And then he took off and no ones seen him since."

The teens were all sitting in a circle with the same sort of shocked look on their face, all attention on Dani.

"That's not what Aye signed up for when Aye came here," Rahne said, breaking the silence. "They better not do that ta me."

"Seriously," Dani agreed. "I just want to learn how to control my powers and feel safe from all these mutant haters. I don't want to be put through crazy test to see how I handle dying. I don't want to be an X-Man!"

"Man, I always wanted to join the A-Team," Ray said, "but I really don't want to have to go through something like that."

"Poor Bobby," Amara said, "I probably would have melted Scott if he did that to me."

"Totally," Roberto added. "I woulda punched his head right off."

"Bobby did really want to be an X-Man though," Jamie said. "And he was probably excited he made the team."

"Yeah, but he did run way after the test," Amara said, "who knows if being and X-Man is what he still wants. I mean, would you really want to be on the team if they made you do that?"

"I'm just saying that if he decides to join the team we should congratulate him and stuff."

"Scott might have kicked him off though, if he really did punch him," Tabitha said, looking at Dani.

"Oh yeah, Kitty said he was laid out flat."

"So maybe he would kick Bobby off. I wouldn't be surprised since it sounds like he was the one who put the thing together. I knew the guy was crazy gung-ho about being a superhero and all, but putting someone through something like that as a test to see if they can join is just.." Tabby struggled to find the words.

"Crazy?"

"Messed up?"

"Stupid?"

"How about all of the above?" came a voice from the door. They turned and saw Bobby standing there. He was wearing a typical X-Men uniform, yellow shoulder pads, gloves and boots. But the black bodysuit had a lager blue section that ran down part of his chest and legs, as well as down the side of his arms.

"Seriously though, how awesome am I in this uniform?"

The New Mutants in the room bombarded the new X-Man, the guys patting him on the back and punching him on the shoulder, the girls hugging him (except for Tabitha, who punched him in the arm and messed up his hair.) All of them were telling him how sorry they were he had to go through what he did, and asking if he really joined the X-Men after all of that happened. He managed to get everyone back to their seats and took one himself.

"Yeah, I'm an X-Man now, just got done talking to the Professor before I changed."

"He really okayed the test?" Ray asked.

"Yeah, he helped organize and run it. And before you ask, yeah, I'm pretty mad about, and I told him he should never ever try anything like that again, on me or on any of you. I think he agreed, but you know how cryptic he can be. But I understand why he did it, and I guess I'm okay with it."

"What's so important to be putting ya through something like that?" Rahne asked. "Ya almost died."

"Yeah, I did, but I can't really talk about the whys. The Professor will tell you when he thinks you need to know."

"Great, you get out of the New Mutant uniform and you suddenly stop helping us get the lowdown? You stop dressing like us and you're suddenly no fun!" Tabby yelled at him.

"You haven't worn a New Mutant uniform since you came back, you keep wearing the Siren's one you made," Jamie said.

"Shut up Short Fry, that's not the point. The point is he's an X-Man now, no more fun Bobby Drake. It's only the Iceman, complete with frozen stick up his butt."

Bobby laughed at her. "Lighten up Tabby, I'm still the same guy. Now that I've made it on the team I can stop sucking up so much and we can bring back Joy Ride Tuesday."

Sam and Jamie, the only other two left who had regularly gone on the joy rides shared a high five, spilling several Jamies into existence. He quickly pulled himself back together.

"Whatever, Cyclops Jr.," Tabby said, but with the hint of a smile in her eyes.

"Speaking of Scott, what does he think about you being on the team after punching him like that?" Ray asked.

"Dunno, I've managed to avoid them all since this morning."

"Then you probably don't know Kitty's pretty upset," Dani said.

"She is?" he asked, knowing full well his actions after the test had probably really hurt her.

"She was crying pretty bad, but I calmed her down. Jean came by too, they were talking about it. She really doubted herself for what she helped do to you."

"I wasn't exactly nice to her after everything happened," he said, sitting back in the chair. He could feel everyone shift uncomfortably, and he could feel Tabitha's eyes boring holes into him. He looked over at her, and she continued to glare back. He shrugged, and gave her an obviously confused look.

"UGH! Men! Go up there and fix it you big idiot!"

Bobby shot up out of his chair. "Duh, right, sorry. I'm on my way. See you guys later!" He ran out of the room.

Tabitha sat back with an irked huff, crossing her arms over her chest. "Seriously, how did any of you survive without me around?"

-------------

While Bobby was down talking to the New Mutants, Jean Grey was trying to figure out what exactly was bothering Kitty.

"Kitty, I know you're still upset about all of this, but there's nothing more you can do. You can't change what happened. And the Professor assured us it had to be done, and promised that we wouldn't do it like that again. Even Scott is getting over what happened this morning. You can't keep beating yourself up over this. It's not like you planned it all out yourself."

Kitty frowned, and hugged her stuffed dragon closer to her chest. She was sitting cross legged on her bed while Jean sat in the desk chair. "It's just that we hurt him so much. What if we ruined him or something? You know, like, broke him inside, and he doesn't want to be on the team? What if he wants to leave the mansion and it's my fault?"

"Kitty, for the last time, he just got done talking to the Professor and he's joining the team, why are you so worried?"

"Ugh, it's just the way he was in there, you know. He was so... awesome. He totally trashed those Sentinels and rescued me and you saw the way he caught me, I really did faint there. Forge made the Danger Room too good. But he was so fast and right there catching me, it was all so, um, impressive, yeah, lots of good skill and you know, we could really use that type of skill on the team and all. 'Cause it's important, and like, we have to have a good team. He proved himself, right? Yeah, he's always been kinda immature, but most of the time it's a good immature, a fun immature. But he's more serious now, what with everything, he's still fun but knows when to be serious and mature. That's good for the team too. So of course we want him around more. For that. But then he went and treated me so bad after he punched Scott, it reminded me of Lance."

Jean suddenly realized something. She had been doing her best to not to read her friend's mind, like the Professor she hated to invade people's privacy. But she began to pick up something Kitty was starting to project around her mental shields. "This isn't about the test is it?"

Kitty didn't hear her, continuing to talk. "I mean, he wasn't nearly as bad as Lance was, and he was angry but managed to stay cute. I mean composed! He was angry and lost his temper but didn't completely go off the deep end. He just punched Scott. Lance would have torn down the mansion. But he just punched Scott and who hasn't wanted to punch Scott from time to time? Even you did after that whole car chase mess that lead to the Siren's right?"

"Well..."

"So that was kinda cool of him to do. But we did something wrong, I did something wrong, and maybe I screwed up the whole thing, you know? Maybe he's going to leave and I'll never see him again and then how am I going to feel? And I bet he looks real good in his new uniform."

"Kitty."

"I mean, he's going to look good being an X-Man. He's a good member of team, who cares what he looks like in the uniform; he'll be iced most of the time, right?"

"Kitty."

"But he's gotta stay, you know? Just the way he kept risking his life to save me, and the way time stood still after he caught me, it was so, like—"

"Kitty!" Jean grabbed her shoulder and shook her. "Do you realize what you're saying?"

"Huh? I'm just getting some stuff off my chest, sorry, it's been a real rollercoaster of a day, you know? Oh, I slipped back into the likes again, didn't I? I'm really trying to stop that, but sometimes I just get going and it's, I don't know, my brains way of slowing me down maybe. I know it gets on everyone's nerves. Bobby teases me so much about, and it really bugs me but I dunno, the way it shows he's listening, staring with those blue eyes—"

She froze, her eyes getting larger then Jean ever imagined they could.

"Oh no I'm crushing on Bobby Drake!" She flopped down onto the bed, burying her head into her pillows.

Jean smiled. "Glad you finally caught on."

"He's younger than me, and a sophomore," came out through the muffle.

"By a month at most, not everyone skips grades like you do."

"He's so immature."

"He's much better now, you admitted it yourself. Besides, Lance was the shinning example of maturity?"

Kitty looked up at her, glaring at the redhead. Jean just smiled bigger.

With a groan, Kitty buried her head in her pillows again. "This is so embarrassing. Don't tell anyone."

"I won't."

"I mean it, I'll phase your brain right out of your head if you do!"

Jean laughed, "I won't tell anyone! So what are you going to do?"

"Hide until it goes away?"

"Bobby is a good guy. No reason to hide from your feelings. And he thinks you're cute."

"I'm sooo not ready for this."

"Look at me and Scott. You never know when love is going to come."

Kitty sat up again. "Love! Now we're talking about love!"

Jean just smiled. "All I'm saying is you really shouldn't hide when opportunity knocks."

There was a knock on the door. "Kitty? It's Bobby. Listen, I want to apologize for earlier. Can I come in?"

With a yelp, Kitty phased through her bed. "Tell him I'm gone, tell him I'm in the Danger Room, I'm visiting my parents, I moved to China, I was abducted by aliens, I have the flu, my head exploded, just get rid of him!" came an excited whisper from under the bed.

Rolling her eyes, Jean got up, wondering what story she should tell Bobby.

-------------

In a warehouse in New York, there was a different type of meeting taking place. Waiting for his contact, the young man sitting on a pile of old pallets reached into his long jacket and pulled out a playing card. With uncanny skill, he began to twirl it in his hand, flipping it across the backs of his fingers in different directions, the face and the red backing blurring in even his acute vision.

A creak behind him caused him to jump, the card suddenly dropping between his thumb and forefinger and igniting in a blazing orange and yellow glow. He landed in a crouched position, his black and red eyes scanning the darkness for the source of the sound.

"Relax my friend, it is only me."

The card in the young man's hand lost its glow and returned to its normal state. He deftly slipped it back into a pocket inside the jacket. "You certainly know how ta give a man a fright, homme."

"My apologies Gambit, I merely—"

"Non don't worry 'bout it. Dis whole ting makin' me a little jumpy, dat's all. Magneto finds out I'm workin' behind his back and I'll be lucky if dere's enough left o' me ta throw into da swamp."

"I too do not want Magneto to find out about this."

"Not sayin' dat you do homme."

"Have you found what we're looking for?"

"Not yet, non, but I tink I have it narrowed down to just two possibilities."

"Should we act?"

"No, we only gunna get one shot at dis homme, I need to make sure we hit da right place at da right time."

"True, there is too much at risk for mistakes."

"I got some contacts in da area, might get us a floor plan or two. We'll have a better chance wit' dat."

"Agreed. But I do not think we have much more time."

"Don't worry, mon ami. We'll be ready in a few days, and by da time we're done dey won't know what hit dem."