Wildfire: Rise of the Phoenix

A week past since Hailie arrived at the mansion and she was completely and utterly bored out of her mind. Professor Xavier had allowed Hailie to use the training room to practice her powers and how to control them. She always went back to her room tired and exhausted. She would take a shower and then fall right to sleep without a care in the world that her hair was sopping wet. It normally dried really fast anyway, especially if she had nightmares right when she closed her eyes and they were pretty constant too.

When Hailie woke up from her slumber she felt refreshed. She was still stressing over the upcoming battle, but there was no helping that until it came and went. She got dressed for the day and then walked around the mansion. She had to wait two weeks until she could brief the X-Men on their next mission. Hailie found the kitchen and made some breakfast. It consisted of eggs, bacon, sausage, and some toast. She poured a glass of Sunny Delight, since she despised regular orange juice. She brought her plate of food to the table and began to eat.

When she was done she cleaned up the kitchen and then toured the mansion some more. Things had changed a little since the last time that she had been there. She remembered some good times while being here though and she knew that she would never forget them. She had gone on a few missions with the X-Men in the past, but that was way before people started attacking the mansion to get to her.

The reason that she had gone to live in Montana the first time was because of those attacks. Xavier couldn't find a way to stop them so he hid her instead. Hailie found herself walking back up the stairs and towards the room that she was staying in. She had to meditate for the day because she couldn't think of anything else to do while she waited.

Hailie sat down in the middle of the floor of her bedroom. She closed her eyes, but before she could even try to escape the world around her to start meditating a voice interrupted her.

Hailie, come to my office

Hailie opened her eyes and glared. No one was able to see the glare, but she still glared. She let out a heavy sigh of frustration. She stood up and then made her way downstairs again. She found the office with ease and then knocked on the door.

"Come in," Xavier's voice answered.

Hailie pushed the door open and stepped into the office. The office was quite full with people though. Hailie looked closer and noticed one to be Logan. He, of course, was the one that looked bored out of his mind already.

"Hello Logan," Hailie smiled.

Logan's head shot up since he had his head down and his eyes were slightly closed. He focused on Hailie's figure in the back of the room.

"Hailie," he asked astonished.

"Yep, that's me," Hailie smiled warmly.

She turned her attention to Xavier.

"I thought you said I had to wait two weeks," Hailie asked her eyes slightly narrowed.

"They came back a lot sooner than I expected that would," Xavier answered.

"I see, well then can I brief them now or you debriefing them from their last mission," Hailie asked.

"Hailie, when did you arrive," Scott asked from behind her.

"I arrived two weeks ago and I came for a reason because I'm not staying," Hailie answered matter-of-factly.

"You belong here though," Storm said gently.

"No, I belong with my adopted family, who at this very moment are worried sick about me," Hailie countered getting slightly angry.

Hailie closed her eyes and took some deep breaths to calm down. When she opened her eyes she could feel them changing back to their normal ice grey color.

"Hailie is everything alright," Storm asked concerned.

"Fine, just trying to keep my anger under control," Hailie answered tightly.

"Alright, everyone in this room needs to get some rest. Hailie you can brief them all tomorrow if that works for you," Professor Xavier said.

"That's fine with me, now if you all will excuse me, I have some things to take care of," Hailie said.

She left before anyone else could talk to her. She made it up to her room and then closed her door rather quickly. She sat down in the middle of the room again and closed her eyes. Her anger levels were still rising and she needed to meditate in order to calm down. Something bad was going to happen if she didn't. Hailie let the world wash away and she felt herself beginning to slowly calm down. Things were looking better for her and she felt better too. She continued to meditate until she knew that her anger levels were completely and utterly in control. When she opened her eyes it was quite dark outside.

Her stomach growled quite loudly and she held onto it before standing up. She left her room and then headed down to the kitchen. She found it quite full with students and staff of the house.

"Hailie, can we talk," Iceman, or Bobby asked from behind her.

Hailie turned her head and looked at him. She nodded her head and then followed him out of the kitchen and into an empty room.

"What's up," she asked once the door was closed.

"Why did you leave," he asked.

"I left because Professor Xavier didn't know how to stop the attacks against the mansion. I was a danger to everyone here and as much as I have the right to resent him for making me go away I don't resent him one bit. If he hadn't sent me away then I wouldn't have had the chance to meet the family I live with now," Hailie answered.

"I see, Rogue misses you though," he said.

"She wasn't in the office this afternoon, how come," Hailie asked.

"She didn't want to be. She's up in her room though," he answered.

"I thought those after mission meetings were mandatory," Hailie wondered.

"They usually are, but Rogue was completely wiped out. She overused her power during the mission and the Professor didn't want to make the matter worse, so he gave her an exception," he said.

"I see. How was she after I left," Hailie asked.

"It was hell. She cried and she didn't have a smile on her face for quite some time. It was like she lost a part of her when you left. She doesn't know you're back and if she did, I'm sure she would immediately use her gift on you out of anger," Bobby said.

"Where's her room, I need to talk to her then," Hailie said.

"Upstairs, same floor as you, but on the opposite side," Bobby said.

"Thanks, we'll talk again later," Hailie smiled and then left the room.

Despite how hungry she was at the moment, she knew that she had to talk to Rogue about why she had left in the first place. Things were left really rocky between the two and Hailie had to set them straight. They had been really close because they both felt like outcasts. In fact, Hailie was part of the reason that Rogue was still alive. If it hadn't been for Hailie's fast reflexes when Rogue was kidnapped, then Rogue could have died at the top of the Statue of Liberty. Logan was a big help in that as well, but initially it was Hailie that save her and Rogue kept telling her that she would repay her one day.

Hailie found Rogue's room and knocked gently on the door.

"Go away," a voice mumbled from inside.

"It's me Logan," Hailie mimicked Logan's voice.

"I don't want to talk to you Logan," the voice responded.

Hailie thought awhile and then came up with a great idea.

"Rogue, please open the door. I need to talk to you," she mimicked Bobby's pleading voice.

"Fine," the voice said and then Hailie heard footsteps coming towards the door.

She quickly climbed the walls and stood above the door looking down at the floor. She had been really excited when Katiya had explained that Phoenixes could defy gravity to some level. The door opened and Hailie had to refrain from giggling. Rogue peaked her head out of the door and it was open wide enough for Hailie to sneak in fast enough before she got caught.

Rogue looked around and didn't see Bobby anywhere. Things between the two of them weren't the best since Rogue couldn't exactly kiss or touch him without hurting him. Rogue scowled as she closed the door to her bedroom. When she turned around she saw a figure standing by the window.

"Who are you," Rogue asked.

"A long lost friend," the figure replied.

"How the hell did you get in here," Rogue asked.

"The window," the figure simply said.

"Get the hell out," Rogue demanded.

"Not until we talk," the figure said stepping into the dim light.

"Hailie," Rogue asked shocked.

"In the flesh," Hailie smiled.

"It can't be though; the people who you were living with were killed. There was no mention of you being there or anything. We thought you died," Rogue said.

"Nope, I survived because truthfully I wasn't even in the house when the attack happened. I came home to the house covered in blood and when I saw that, I ran and never looked back," Hailie said.

"I see. Why didn't you come back here then," Rogue asked.

"I didn't want to put anyone of you in danger," Hailie admitted casting her eyes down to the floor.

"I missed you so much Hailie, you have no idea," Rogue said walking towards her.

Hailie looked up just in time to see Rogue open her arms. Hailie stepped in and hugged her best friend and her sister. When Rogue first showed up at the mansion she felt alone and distant, but then she met Hailie and found out that they were so similar, that they ended up doing everything together like sisters. Hailie missed her to and found herself wondering how she was doing. The rest of the night the two girls sat catching up about what happened through the years that they were separated.

The next morning Hailie woke up in Rogue's room. They had both fallen asleep on the floor after spending the night talking about everything that happened. Hailie groaned when her stomach had growled quite loudly. She forgot to eat dinner last night since she got caught up in a conversation with her best friend. Hailie stood up to find the room completely empty. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

When she opened her eyes she left Rogue's room and went down the hall. She freshened up and changed her clothes. When she was done changing she went downstairs and into the kitchen. It was full just like last night, so it must have been early enough for the other students to be eating breakfast.

"Hey Hailie, sorry I left. You looked so peaceful sleeping and I didn't want to wake you," Rogue smiled from behind the island counter.

"That's fine. My stomach woke me up," Hailie lied.

In truth she had a nightmare about the upcoming battle. She knew that she had to get back to her family. The battle was approaching fast and she wanted to get it over with in order to live her life without constantly looking over her shoulder to fend off attacks. Being kidnapped over and over again was getting old and quite annoying and she just wished that it would stop for good. Hailie went to the stove and made herself some breakfast. It was initially the same breakfast she made during the first week she was at the mansion.

The briefing will happen this afternoon. I need to see your powers are truly under control as you say they are.

Hailie rolled her eyes at the intrusion from the Professor, but understood his concern. She finished her breakfast and then went upstairs to change into some workout clothes. She switched her jeans for a pair of cut off sweats, and her T-shirt for a tight tank top. She pulled her long dark red locks into a ponytail to keep it out of her face while she fought with the simulator downstairs. She did a few stretches so as not to tear or pull any muscles. She sat down in the middle of her room to get her mind in battle mode. Even though she had been kidnapped by Katiya's men to initially be killed in the end Hailie had paid attention to the lessons that Katiya had taught her. One thing that she taught Hailie was to focus on the task at hand so that she could have maximum control of her powers during a battle. Hailie focused as hard as she could, but her focus was somewhat lost by the interruption.

We are waiting Hailie

Hailie's eyes snapped open in anger. She took a few deep breaths to tamp down the beast within her and keep it tamed. It was hard considering she didn't have full control until her twenty-first birthday, which was two months to the day. Hailie took two more deep breaths before leaving her room and heading down to the training room. When she walked through the door she could see everyone up in the control booth. She turned to look at them all after walking to the center of the room and then nodded her head. The professor pushed a single button on the control panel, since he already set things up, and Hailie was thrust into a simulated battle scene.

Hailie immediately closed her eyes and let her senses enhance completely. Breathing deeply she jumped into the make shift battle and destroyed every sentinel that came her way. Everyone up in the control booth was surprised and amazed at her abilities. She threw fireballs, she ran quite fast, and the sentinels couldn't even sneak up on her. They wished that she could have stayed with them because she would be a huge asset to the team, but they knew that her mind was made up already.

Hailie was breathing deeply when the room finally became the blank white walls it was before. She was coated in a thin layer of sweat and proud of how well she managed to control the raging beast within her. It just meant that her control of it was getting stronger since her birthday was getting closer. Hailie started stretching her legs and arms again so that her muscles wouldn't tense up and hurt for days on end. When she was done she met everyone up in the control panel. Rogue gave her a bottle of water and she downed it in five gulps. She was still breathing as if she had just ran a marathon, but her breathing was beginning to slow down.

"Hailie, that was impressive. Where did you learn all of that," Storm asked completely amazed how well Hailie handled herself.

"Before I managed to get here, I had been kidnapped. I managed to escape and did a few more errands before coming here. The point though, is that while I was being held captive my captor taught me how to control my powers and handle myself when it came to battles. I paid strict attention to everything so that I knew how to handle myself for the future," Hailie answered.

"Hailie it is time to brief them all now," Xavier said curtly.

Hailie nodded and followed him out of the room. The others followed as well. When they reached the briefing room Hailie told them everything that happened to her since the people she had been living with were killed. She asked for their help even though Xavier already allowed it. She wanted them to understand that they could possibly lose their lives if they were not careful and told them that they would have to leave shortly if they were to make it back in time for the battle that was going to start in two months time.

"I'm in," Logan said gruffly with a smirk on his face.

Everyone announced that they were in. Hailie sighed in relief. She was glad they agreed to help. They were her secret weapon. She told them of her plan and that they had to stay hidden until she told them otherwise. They agreed and then asked when they were leaving. Hailie said that they had to leave soon, but she had to send one last letter first.

Hailie went up to her room and packed everything that she came in. She gave her backpack to Rogue who took it onto the jet. She went down to the secret locker rooms and changed into her designated X-Men uniform. She didn't miss it, but she felt comfortable in it all the same. Hers was the only one that was different because it had her name on the back. She was special and everyone knew that. They all got ready, but unfortunately their journey to where they were headed was held up by an unsuspected visitor.