A/N: Well, here we are. The last chapter of part one. When I started this story, I had no idea it would have such loyal fans or that it would become as long as it has. Part Two will pick up almost exactly where this one leaves off. I expect chapter one of the next part to be posted in the next week or so. Thanks to everyone for their encouragement and support. Much love to you all!
Twenty minutes later, Jenny was sweating up a storm. Chylea, Gambit and Rogue were in the room with her. The battles were getting progressively harder. Jenny felt her powers change again, but she knew this one. With a cry, she changed into a form that Tommy recognized. He had seen the fireball form before. As he watched, she flew through the practice drones, disabling them as she went. The last thing he expected to hear from Scott was, "Uh-oh."
Tommy turned away from the glass to see Scott and Storm frantically pushing buttons. "What's wrong?" he demanded.
"Her power surge just jumped the program level."
Tommy paled and turned back to the glass. He watched as dozens of drones poured into the room. He could barely hear what was being said in the other room.
Jenny realized the problem at the same moment as the others. It had happened before, but not this badly. She shouted directions to the others. "Chylea, get in the corner and curl up as small as you can! Gambit, cover her and Rogue, you cover both of them! NOW!"
The others raced to do what she said. As soon as they were all huddled tightly in the corner, she flew to the center of the room. As she hoped, the drones all headed for her - the only threat left in the room. She waited until the last possible second and exploded - literally.
When the light dimmed back to normal levels and the haze cleared somewhat, Tommy was searching frantically for Jenny. Scott and Storm had shut down the program. The other three in the Danger Room stood up from the corner and stared at the destruction. Mounds of drone parts lay everywhere and there was no sign of Jenny.
Chylea, Gambit and Rogue began picking through various piles as the people in the control room raced down to help. Jubilee, Scott, Storm and Logan headed for various piles. Logan knew he couldn't sniff her out until the acrid smell cleared out of the room. Tommy headed for the place where he had seen her last and began throwing metal aside.
No one spoke as they searched. Tommy moved a large piece of metal and froze. Jenny's hand was sticking halfway out of the pile. He found his voice and called the others. "I found her!"
Scott called back, "Hang on, we're coming! Don't move anything else yet! We don't want to hurt her more if we don't have to!"
Tommy knelt down and gently grasped her fingers. "Hang on, baby. We're coming."
Scott began directing the efforts of the others. After several other pieces were moved, Tommy could see Jenny's face under a tangle of wires. Her face was dirty and her eyes were closed. Logan grabbed a handful of wires and yelped.
"Careful" he gritted out between his teeth. "Some of those wires are still live."
Tommy winced in sympathy. Having a metal skeleton and getting zapped by electricity could not be a good combination. Chylea grabbed the wires telekinetically and tossed them in the corner with the other discards. Jenny opened her eyes and locked on Tommy. She answered his unspoken question.
"I'm okay, but my legs and my other arm are pinned so I can't move." Tommy relayed this information to Scott. Swiftly, they threw debris aside. Finally, everything was uncovered except her arm which seemed to go straight down into the pile. She tugged gently and frowned.
"Something is locked around my wrist and I can't get free" she told them. She smirked. "Can't do anything the easy way."
"Always the hard way with you" Logan commented.
"Like you should talk!"
"Enough" Scott said firmly. "Free Jennifer first, then banter."
By now, Hank and Bobby had joined them. Several minutes later, Jenny was freed from the rubble and being ushered to the Medlab for an evaluation. Tommy followed and paced outside as he waited. Twenty minutes later, Jenny emerged. She smiled at Tommy.
"I'm fine. I just need a shower and clean clothes" she told him. Tommy exhaled in relief and hugged her. He walked her back to her room.
"If you're not downstairs in thirty minutes, I'm going to come check on you" he said.
Jenny nodded and entered her room while Tommy headed down to the rec room to wait. Twenty minutes later, she had showered, dressed and combed her hair. She stepped back into her bedroom and was startled at who she found there.
Gateway sat above her bed. "Geez, Gateway, you are the sneakiest old man I've ever seen."
She caught the solemn look on his face and narrowed her eyes. "What's going on? We aren't going back until tomorrow, right?"
Slowly, the Aborigine shook his head. "Is something wrong back home? Something with the Rangers?" Nod. "When do we have to leave?" Gateway picked up her bedside clock, pointed at the twelve, then trailed his finger around the numbers and stopped on the six.
"Thirty minutes?" Nod.
"I'll tell Tommy." Jenny headed for the door, but stopped as another idea struck her. "When we get there, can you leave the portal open a little for a short while? I have the feeling I might need my powers." Gateway grinned and nodded. Relieved that she had understood the old man, Jenny raced out of the room and down to the rec room. Tommy was there with Bobby and Scott.
"I was just about to come looking for you" he greeted her. Then he noticed the look on her face. "What's wrong?"
"If there is anything here that you want to take with you, pack it. Everything else can be stored with my things in my room."
"Wait a minute." Tommy jumped off of the couch and crossed over to her. "What's going on?"
"We don't have 'a minute'. In less than thirty minutes, Gateway is taking us back. We're needed at home."
Tommy's jaw tightened. He nodded and headed out of the room. Jenny turned to follow him and then stopped. She turned back to the other two men. "If you think that the others should know that we're leaving, you'll have to alert them. I don't have time."
As Jenny walked away, she knew she sounded bitchy and like she didn't care. Nothing was farther from the truth. She did care, probably too much. She made her way back to her room and began packing rapidly.
Fifteen minutes later, Tommy knocked and came in. He had thrown a few things in a small backpack. The rest was thrown over his arm. Without a word, Jenny opened an empty dresser drawer and the closet door. Jenny tossed two large backpacks on the bed next to Tommy's and helped him put away the rest of his things. They grabbed their bags, headed downstairs and out the back door. Tommy wasn't surprised to see that all the X-men had come to see Jenny off. He smiled as Jubilee said, " You didn't think we'd let you leave without sayin' goodbye, didja?"
Logan approached Tommy as the others said goodbye to Jenny. "You take care of her, you hear? We might just decide to check up on her from time to time, so I'll know if she's not happy."
"I plan to do everything I can to make sure she is happy. You watch out for Jubilee - and yourself."
The two men shook hands as Jubilee came over to them. "Thank you for coming - I wish it had been for better reasons."
"I got to save the woman I love. What better reason is there?"
"Vacation?" suggested Logan.
"You know what I mean" Tommy laughed.
Jubilee just hugged him and said, "Thank you again for saving my friend."
"My pleasure." Jubilee released him and stepped back as Jenny approached. Logan stepped in front of her, locked gazes and spoke quietly.
"I like him" Wolverine said. "I warned him - again - not to hurt you. Now, I'm warning you. He's a good man and he loves you. Don't hurt him or you and I will have a problem."
Jenny raised an eyebrow and nodded. She knew what he meant. She was impressed. Getting Logan to like anyone was no easy feat, but Tommy had done it in a short period of time. Which meant that his threat was not to be taken lightly. Jenny smiled and hugged the feral man. "Take care, my brother" she said softly. "And we do expect to be invited to the wedding."
"Count on it" he said as he released her. "We do too."
Jenny blushed as she turned to Tommy. "Let's go."
Jenny had noticed that Gateway was waiting patiently a short distance away. When they were close enough, she addressed him. "Thank you for checking on the Rangers while we were here and letting us know that we're needed. We're ready."
Gateway nodded and swung his bullroarer. It spun faster and faster and the portal opened. Jenny turned and waved to the group one last time then held out her hand to Tommy. He took it and together they stepped through.