Cecily stood beside Charles, her gaze fixed on the floor, weighed down by guilt.

"You said he wanted me," Logan said, frustration evident in his voice.

"I made a terrible mistake," Charles admitted. "His helmet was designed to block my telepathy. I couldn't see what he was after until it was too late."

Logan turned toward the door, his jaw set with determination, but Cecily remained rooted in place, a sense of uselessness gnawing at her.

"Where are you going?" Storm asked, concern in her tone.

"I'm going to find her," Logan replied, his voice resolute.

"How?" Storm pressed.

"The traditional way: I'll look for her," he said, determination etched on his face.

Storm followed him out, with Cecily deciding to trail behind. "Logan, you can't do this alone," Storm insisted, her voice firm.

"Who's going to help me? You?" Logan retorted, his frustration palpable. "So far, you've all done a bang-up job."

"You won't find her like that," Cecily said from the staircase, her eyes still cast downward. Logan looked up at her, puzzled.

"What do you mean?" he asked, his brow furrowing.

"I saw it," Cecily replied, her voice barely above a whisper.

"You saw what?" Logan pressed, confusion evident in his tone. "You said you read minds and moved things. What do you mean you saw it?"

"I don't know how else to explain," she admitted, her voice shaking slightly.

"That's not good enough," Logan said, turning toward the door with frustration etched on his face. Cecily, at a loss for words, could only watch as he opened it.

Just then, a man collapsed in the doorway, gasping for breath. "I'm looking for Dr. Jean Grey," he managed to say before falling unconscious.

∘₊✧──────✧₊∘

Cecily stood beside Logan as Jean and the professor entered the room.

"Senator Kelly," Charles said, and a wave of recognition washed over Cecily. That's who he was. She had known he looked familiar but couldn't place him until now.

"I'm Professor Charles Xavier," Charles continued.

"I was afraid that if I went to a hospital, they would—"

"Treat you like a monster?" Cecily interjected, her tone sharper than intended.

"Cecily," Charles admonished.

"He was taking too long to say it," she replied, crossing her arms defiantly.

Charles chose to ignore her and turned to Senator Kelly. "We're not what you think. Not all of us."

"Tell that to the ones who did this to me," Senator Kelly shot back, and Cecily barely restrained a scoff.

"Senator, I want you to try to relax," Charles said, his voice calm but firm. Cecily rolled her eyes. Why did they have to help this man of all people? "I'm not going to hurt you," Charles added, though Cecily's own impulse was to do just that.

This situation was dragging on, and her impatience grew by the second.

∘₊✧──────✧₊∘

"The machine emits radiation that triggers mutations in ordinary human beings," the professor explained, his voice steady.

Cecily gazed out the window, her mind elsewhere, barely listening to the discussion. "But the mutation is unnatural. Kelly's body is rejecting the changes," Jean continued. "His cells began to break down almost immediately."

"What effect does radiation have on mutants?" Scott asked, concern lacing his tone.

"There seems to be none. However, I fear it will harm any normal person exposed to it," Charles replied, his brow furrowing in worry.

"So what does Magneto want with Rogue?" Logan's question hung heavy in the air, making Cecily frown. She instinctively began picking at the skin of her fingers, a nervous habit that revealed the weight of her perceived failure.

She had been meant to be an X-Man, a hero, but now she couldn't even protect one person. Useless. Useless. Useless.

"Cyclops, Storm, and Cecily prepare the jet," Charles directed, his gaze sweeping over the group. Everyone's attention shifted to Cecily, still standing by the window, lost in her own turmoil.

"Cecily?" Scott's voice broke through her thoughts. She looked up, but avoided meeting anyone's eyes. "If it's alright with you, Professor, I'd like to stay behind this time," she said quietly.

"Very well," Charles agreed, his tone understanding. "I'm going to find Rogue. Jean, get Logan a uniform."

Scott immediately stood up, his voice rising in protest. "Wait a minute. He's not coming with us, is he?"

"Yes, he is," Charles replied, his tone firm.

"I'm sorry, Professor, but he'll endanger the mission, and—"

"I wasn't the one who gave the station a new sunroof, pal," Logan interjected, crossing his arms.

"No, but you were the one who stabbed Rogue through the chest," Scott shot back, his eyes narrowing.

"You'll need him," Cecily said softly, feeling the weight of their collective gaze. "I've seen it," she added with a shrug, hoping to quell the tension.

Before she could elaborate further, Storm burst through the door. "Senator Kelly is dead," she announced flatly, her expression grave.

"I'm going to find her. Settle this," Charles said, determination etched on his face, the urgency of the situation pressing heavily upon them all.

∘₊✧──────✧₊∘

"Magneto is at Liberty Island," Scott said, pointing to the location on the table. "His goal seems to be to mutate the world leaders at the summit on Ellis Island."

"He's likely unaware that his machine is lethal," Storm added, her voice steady but urgent. "If Magneto has given Rogue enough power, he could potentially wipe out everyone in New York City."

"Alright," Scott continued, "We can insert at the George Washington Bridge. We'll circle around the bank just off Manhattan and land on the far side of Liberty Island. Here."

"What about harbor patrol and radar?" Logan asked, a hint of skepticism in his tone.

"If they have equipment capable of detecting our jet, then they've earned the right to catch us," Scott replied, his voice laced with defiance as he stood his ground, ready to face whatever challenges lay ahead.

∘₊✧──────✧₊∘

Cecily stood by the window, her gaze lost in the vastness of the sky. The sound of approaching footsteps drew her attention, and she turned to find Logan standing behind her.

"You really not going to come along?" Logan asked his tone a mix of concern and curiosity.

"No," Cecily replied, shaking her head resolutely. "Someone has to stay here."

"What happened on the train wasn't your fault," he said, trying to reassure her.

"No, but I was there and did nothing. I was supposed to protect her, and I failed," she admitted, turning away and avoiding his gaze.

"It doesn't matter anyway. I don't go on missions anymore," she added quietly, stepping closer to him. "But I will warn you: be careful. If you're not, something terrible will happen."

When she was finally face-to-face with him, Logan asked, "Care to elaborate?"

Her eyes met his, filled with uncertainty, and she shook her head. "No. I never see it clearly enough."

A while later, she watched as the jet took off, her heart heavy with a mix of worry and helplessness. As it disappeared into the distance, she mumbled something incoherent under her breath, a silent prayer this was a time the future could be changed.

∘₊✧──────✧₊∘

Cecily stood beside the professor as he slowly opened his eyes. "Welcome back. Took you long enough," she said, her smile warm and bright.

"How did we do?" he asked, his voice weak but curious. Cecily's smile faltered as she stepped aside, revealing Logan lying on a table next to him.

Jean was occupied with other matters, so Cecily had been asked to check on Logan. She didn't mind. Gently lifting the bandages, she was surprised to find the wound completely healed. Her hand brushed over the spot where the injury had been, marveling at how quickly he recovered.

Suddenly, Logan's hand shot out, grabbing hers. "Oh, that tickles," he said with a grin.

Cecily smiled, her heart skipping a beat. "Hey."

"Hey," he replied, his voice softer now.

"How are you feeling?" she asked, genuinely curious.

"Fantastic," he answered with a smirk.

Cecily chuckled softly. "Brave thing you did out there."

"Did it work?" Logan asked, his eyes searching hers.

"Yeah. She's fine. She even picked up some of your more charming traits for a while," Cecily teased, laughing lightly. "But they made it through. She seems... a little taken with you."

Logan's smirk widened. "Well, you can tell her my heart belongs to someone else."

Cecily's smile wavered, her heart unexpectedly fluttering. "What?" The words stirred something in her that she didn't expect.

Before she could respond, Logan changed the subject. "How's the professor?"

Cecily blinked, caught off guard, then quickly recovered. "He's good," she replied, her voice steady.

"Good," Logan said, still holding her hand. He lifted it to his lips and kissed it gently, sending a warmth through her that brought her smile back, this time brighter than ever.

∘₊✧──────✧₊∘

Cecily stood by the window, a soft smile playing on her lips as she watched Logan speed off on Scott's bike. In the fading light, the roar of the engine faded into the distance, but she didn't feel sadness, only certainty. Their paths would cross again soon—she had seen it.