The day after this, Kurt appeared late in the morning, looking troubled.

"What's wrong?" Rogue asked him.

"Yeah, you look blue," Jubilee said. "I mean...uh, you know what I mean."

"It's nothing," Kurt said. "Just a restless night, that's all."

Shine looked up and bit her lip.

"You think?" Wally asked in a low tone.

She nodded.

They followed Kurt--who didn't eat any breakfast--out into the sitting area. He seemed restless.

"What's really wrong?" Shine asked.

"It's nothing," Kurt repeated.

"Something, I think," Shine said. "You can tell us. We won't laugh."

Kurt put his hands together. "I have a peculiar dream, that's all."

Wally rubbed his head. "Oh, one of those, huh?"

"Was it about someone?" Shine asked. "Or some thing?"

"That vas the odd part," Kurt said. "I have never had a dream about this person...but it vas my brother."

"Creed?" Shine said.

"How did you know?" Kurt asked. "I could have meant anyone."

"I thought you wouldn't say it like that if it wasn't him," Shine said. She looked sober. "What about him? Was he attacking you?"

"No, no, quite the opposite," Kurt said. "He vas in distress. I can't explain exactly how. He vas yelling, but that is all I remember. If there vas more, it's faded now."

He looked at his hands. "Creed hates me and all mutants. I cannot imagine he vould ever ask for help from one of us. That is why it vas strange. I have not thought of him more than to pray occasionally for some time."

"Mind if I ask--how long ago was it you saw him?" Shine asked.

"Just a month or two," Kurt said, "vith Rogue, and Logan, also Jubilee. Ve don't know vat happened to him after, or if he vas alive."

"That scum." Logan had apparently followed them unnoticed. "Let's hope not."

"He's a very troubled man," Kurt said.

"Yeah, troubled in the head!" Logan said. "He's twisted. 'Course it's not surprisin'. He's the son of that scum-sucking Sabretooth."

"Nice alliteration," Wally said.

Shine tugged her hair. "Kurt, do you often dream like this?"

"No," Kurt said.

"I think perhaps Creed is in trouble, then," Shine said.

"You don't believe in that garbage?" Logan sniffed. "And if he was, good riddance. One less for us to worry about."

"I'm sure he'd say just the same of a mutant dying," Shine said, a bit sharply. "Are we stooping to that level now?"

"I ain't stoopin' to no level, lady. Creed is a menace," Logan said, "even to other humans, if you're particular about yer own kind."

Shine flinched.

"Even so, I vouldn't know where to find him," Kurt said. "And he vould not vant me to. It might be hopeless. All I can do is pray."

Shine looked at Wally. He nodded.

She looked at Kurt. "What if I knew where to find him?"

Logan looked up sharply. "What?"

"Not exactly," Shine said, "but I know where he was, at least, after he ran from you.... The Friends of Humanity ejected him from their organization. He's alone now.... At least he would have been alone...but they decided to deliver him, gift wrapped, to his most attentive father."

"Sabretooth?" Logan said.

"The one and only," Wally said, grimacing. "I don't like Creed, but that's a fate worse than death...almost, anyway."

"I don't know if he's still there," Shine said, "but that is the last place he was. That was months ago, you say? Logan, would Sabretooth keep someone alive that long?"

"To toy with 'em? I don't know. Maybe he likes tormenting his no good son. They're made for each other," Logan said. "And if you're even thinkin' about lookin' for him, lady, you're crazier than he is. If we're lucky, they'll both leave us alone."

"I remember Creed hated his father," Kurt said, "and our mother.... I can't say I'm sorry ve don't share both parents. Sabretooth sounds rather fearful...but if he is still alive and in some kind of distress...he is still family."

"You don't need to consider the likes of him family," Logan said. "If Sabretooth has him, he can keep 'im!"

He drew his claws out. "Trust me, he'd not thank you for yer concern."

"Sometimes we're told to do things that do not make sense," Shine said. "It all depends on what Kurt thinks he is supposed to do."

Kurt rubbed his chin. "Can you find the same place?"

"Give us one hour," Shine said. "We'll find it."

"How?" Logan said skeptically. "Ya can't use Cerebro. You know where that furball lives, and ya didn't say anything until now?"

"I don't have an address, Logan, more like an...unsigned postcard, if you will." Shine put a hand to her head. "But it's enough to find him if that is, in fact, still where he is. If Creed is also there...well, he may not be in one piece, but it sounds as though he is alive."

"And you'd be wastin' your time!" Logan sounded actually concerned. "Even if it wasn't suicide, Creed is one of the biggest enemies to the X-Men. You do this, and you forfeit your probation, lady!"

"But...it's only been a week..." Wally said mournfully.

"I don't remember rescuing people being part of the things we couldn't do," Shine said tightly. "But we're not doing anything yet. Kurt?"

Kurt looked torn.

"In...vell, in one part of me I have no vish to do anything for him," he said, "but I am afraid that is just my sinner's heart talking. The right thing to do...it vould be to help him, vouldn't it? That is what Gott vould do."

"God would know better," Logan said.

"Dude, crossing a line there," Wally said.

Shine tossed her hair. "If you want to go, Kurt, we'll find him for you. Like I said, give us an hour.... If you want to ask for back-up in that time...well, go ahead."

Kurt nodded.

"Excuse us," Shine said. 

She headed out the front door. Wally followed.

"One hour to track down two of the most despicable degenerates I know of," Logan said in disgust. "Well, don't ask me for help, Preacher. Ya want to stick yer neck out for them, ya can do it on yer own this time."

"Of course...I couldn't ask you to help," Kurt agreed.

"Help with what?" Rogue joined them.

Storm, Gambit, and Jubilee did also.

Hank was at the office again that day, and the Professor had a meeting in Washington DC. Scott had gone with him for protection, so it was just them and Jean at the house today.

"Preacher here wants to go and rescue Grayton Creed from the clutches of Sabretooth!" Logan said scornfully. "If he even can actually find 'em! And yer new friends are just dyin' to help 'im."

"Dat be madness," Gambit said emphatically. "Dem is the worse sort of men."

"Yeah, Kurt, I don't know," Rogue said.

"I feel I must," Kurt said. "I don't expect you to understand."

"This is like before, but worse," Jubilee said. "Creed hates us. He's not just like a bad mom, he's evil!"

Kurt sighed. "I know."

"So why are you gon' help him?" Gambit said. "You get us all killed most likely."

"I don't see how it vould involve you," Kurt said.

"This is crazy!" Rogue said. "Kurt, please." She came up and grabbed his shoulder. "You can't do this. He'll kill you! Or both of 'em will. And what if you don't find 'em? What if you find more Friends of Humanity? They'll kill you too!"

"I may be able to escape them, but even if not, I must do the right thing," Kurt insisted. "Perhaps I can show grace to my brother, and he vill be moved, as my mother was."

"As your mother?" Gambit said. "Who? Mystique? That crazy woman done tried to off us a few times too."

"Shut up," Rogue said. "She's still his mother."

She sighed. "Kurt...I'm afraid this compassion of yours is gonna get you killed one of these days."

"Still, I understand it," Storm said. "Family ties are deep.... Are you going alone?"

"I can't ask for help from you," Kurt said. "You all hate Creed, and he has caused you enough problems."

"Ya got that right," Logan said.

"Not for Creed's sake, but for yours," Storm said. "I believe you're misguided, but you mean well. And we'd hate to see you harmed. If you want, I will join you."

"What?" Rogue said.

"I want to keep Nightcrawler safe," Storm said.

"You're too kind, Fraulein, but you don't need to--" Kurt began.

"Well, heck, if you put it that way, I'm comin' too," Rogue said.

"What?" several people said.

"We're family," Rogue said. "I can't let you do this alone...even if it is plumb crazy. Anyway, I guess we can handle old Sabretooth and Creed if it's just the two of 'em."

"You all outta yo' minds," Gambit said.

"I'll come," Jubilee said.

"No, this is no place for you," Kurt said. "You're still young."

"Why does everyone always say that?" Jubilee said.

Shine reentered at this moment.

"Good news," she said, "we found the place."

"It's been 5 minutes," Logan said.

"Yeah, it took way less time than we thought," Shine said.

"What did ya do? Use a divinin' rod? Ya didn't have time to go anywhere," Logan said, "unless you found a map growin' out of the moss of a tree."

"Ha ha," Shine said. "We don't have to leave right way, but whenever you're ready. Wally has our route planned already.... Of course, I have no idea how to get us there so easily.... Any of you coming?"

"You're crazy," Gambit repeated, pointing at her. "You're encouragin' this. It could be the death of all of y'all."

"I think you're overestimating how dangerous Creed is at this time," Shine said. "And Sabretooth will be outnumbered, if he is even around."

"I get the feeling Scott would not approve of this," Jean mused, "but in his absence, Storm has the final say...and she's agreed, so I won't argue. But are you sure?"

Storm nodded.

Logan scowled.

"Fine," he said. "I don't think ya should rescue Creed...but any chance to get a jab at my old enemy Sabretooth is good enough for me. I'll come."

"But you said--" began Kurt.

Logan gave him a look.

"Well, is that it?" Shine said.

"We're comin' too," Rogue said, "for Kurt.... But why're you encouragin' this? Likstar, it's dangerous."

"I know that," Shine said, "but Kurt thinks he should, and I'm not willing to ignore a direct sign. Are you?"

"A what now?" Rogue said.

"I think we should leave at once," Kurt said. "I feel an urgency now that we've decided. We may not have long."

Wally came in. "We good?" he said.

* * *

Everyone but Jean and Jubilee ended up coming, Gambit's whole reason being he wanted to see how it played out.

Probably he wanted to make sure they were okay, but he wouldn't admit it.

The Blackbird was gone, though, so it seemed they'd have to find another way.

Kurt glanced at Shine.

Shine sighed. "I can get us there," she said.

"You can...what?" Storm said.

"I mean, we could just fly too," Shine said. 

"How could you get us there?" Rogue asked.

"Let's play a game," Wally said. "You all can fly, and we'll run, and we'll see who gets there first."

"Dis some kind of trick," Gambit said. "You'd never beat us dere."

Wally shrugged.

"We can fly," Storm said. "Is it far?"

"Far enough to need rest stops," Wally said. "But it's cool. I found a place where we can ride a boat along the way too. Meet you guys there. It's called Little River's, by the way."

"Wait, where you going?" Rogue asked.

Wally and Shine were walking away.

"We're going to go on ahead," Shine called. "See you there in an hour or so."

"And what are dey gon' do, sprout wings?" Gambit asked.

"How'd they get here at all?" Logan said. "They answer no questions. I say we leave 'em."

"Ve need them to find Creed," Kurt said. "I think I vill follow them. You all meet us vere they said."

He poofed away.

"I get the impression they may be trying to shake us," Storm said. "We'd best hurry to where they said, though I cannot imagine they could beat us there."

* * *

However, all three of them were sitting there waiting when the X-Men flew up.

"H-how did you?" Rogue puzzled.

"There you are," Wally said. "We already asked--they said they'll give us a lift down stream. Just a few miles from here ought to do it."

"Closer than I thought," Logan said.

"Well, Sabretooth gets to your town so often to cause problems," Shine sipped some water, "it makes sense he's not that far away. Bet you'll be able to smell him soon."

"Ya think you're real cute, don't you, lady?" Logan sniffed. "You're up to somethin'."

Shine rolled her eyes in the most "done with it" way imaginable.

"Right, are you all ready?"

"Born ready." Gambit was slowly getting more irritated with her breezy way of handling this. "Are you?"

"Born ready," Wally said. "Ditto."

* * *

One boat ride down the river had them out in the wilds of Canada.

Kurt seemed nervous now. He muttered prayers and crossed himself.

Shine paced the deck a little.

"You people sure about this?" the boatman asked. "There's not much to here. Could be miles before you find a town."

"We'll be fine," Storm said. "Perhaps if you could circle back this way on your route home..."

Rogue peered at the forest on the side of the bank.

"I can't see nothin' in there but trees," she said.

"Or do you see the forest?" Wally said. "Get it?"

Rogue gave him a look. 

Logan suddenly straightened. "I smell 'im," he said warily. "Guess yer little hunch was right, Likstar."

Shine tilted her head. "Who said it was a hunch?"

"This'll do. Let us off," Logan said. "Ah, forget it."

He jumped the rest of the way to shore.

The others picked up and flew or teleported there.

"I de only one who wonder why Creed would even be anywhere near his mutant father still?" Gambit asked.

"Maybe he didn't have a choice," Kurt said. "Miss Likstar, you said his organization abandoned him here? Why vould they do such a cruel thing?"

"Creed disappointed them too many times," Shine said, as they walked into the woods, following Logan's nose. "Having two mutant parents and then failing to deliver them his mutant brother and mother, well, it was too much. They cared more about punishing him than they did nabbing Sabretooth in the end, I guess. One thing people like that can't stand is one of their own not being...pure, shall we say. As I understand it, Creed has somehow been the biological improbability and not been a mutant. Rare for people with two mutant parents but not impossible, I take it."

"Truthfully, we've never met anyone else with two mutant parents," Storm said. "I didn't even know Creed had them, until I heard about what happened."

"I wonder how that worked," Wally said. "I mean...Sabretooth and Mystique.... When did they even meet?"

Shine shot him a look. "I've been trying not to go there, Wally, please."

No one else commented. It was too weird to think of.

"Well, I know one thing," Rogue said. "Momma ain't never had much time for her own kin. Seems like she couldn't bear takin' care of even a normal person."

Shine tugged her hair. "I don't know. Sabretooth can't have really cared about that. Why would she abandon Creed also? Maybe she left for a different reason. Probably just didn't want to hang around his father."

"Can you blame 'er?" Logan said. "What self-respectin' woman would even get near that oaf?"

"Things looks different to desperate people, you know," Shine said. "And she's a survivor, isn't she?" She tapped her chin. "But Creed hates his father far too much to have been abandoned by him. He must have raised him for several years at least, which is more responsibility than I'd expect of Sabretooth, but with his rage and hatred, he can't have been any kind of role model. Their relationship puzzles me, though. Creed loathes him, but Sabretooth has not killed him, despite his many crimes against mutants. If I had to guess, Sabretooth is fully aware that it is his own fault."

"Sabretooth doesn't have feelings," Logan said, "or a conscience. You're wasting yer time tryin' to figure him out. Even the Professor couldn't do that."

"I'm not the Professor," Shine said, so strangely that they all glanced at her in some surprise.

"You ain't thinkin' about talkin' to Sabretooth, are ya?" Rogue said.

"I doubt I'd get the chance," Shine said. "But my analysis of him could still be useful. It has been many times in the past. If you understand your opponent, you know what he'll do, and you can act before he does it."

"I know what he'll do just fine," Logan said. "Slash, slash, and snarl. Nothin' more complex than that goes on in his brain. Ya just leave 'im to me if we find 'im."

"Perhaps she has a point, Logan," Storm said. "Do you think Sabretooth is holding Creed? If so, would he turn him over to us without a fight?"

"No way, just to spite us," Logan said.

"You really think the worse of him, huh?" Wally said.

"If you knew 'im as well as I do," Logan said.

"Well...we know he stabbed you in the back," Wally said.

"Almost killed Jubilee," Shine said.

"And he had his memory taken by the same people who took yours," Wally added.

The X-Men did all stop now to gawk at them.

"You've been sniffin' about," Logan said.

"Nothing one of you couldn't have told us," Shine said, "if you chose to do so. But we know more than that. I also know that Sabretooth was once put in a cage by humans and poked with sticks, treated like a zoo animal. I'm sure some of you know what that feels like."

Kurt lowered his head.

"That's no excuse!" Logan said. "So he had it rough. All of us did. He's a monster!"

"Sure he is," Shine said. "But he was once human, just like the rest of us, wasn't he? You can't get anywhere with a monster, Logan."

"You'd be wasting your time trying to get anywhere wid him," Gambit told her roundly, "or Creed. Far as I'm concern, we take him, we turn him into de authorities. Maybe he'll go to prison."

"For the dam he would," Rogue said, "and that's the most we can hope for. You feel bad leaving him with his daddy, if he even is there, which he might not be, but there ain't much better for men like him."

"I only vish it vere different," Kurt said. "Even Sabretooth, he must have suffered greatly. To be so bitter and angry and treat your own son that vay...it's a tragedy."

"Ya got that right," Logan sniffed. "And as usual, it comes back around to humans treatin' us mutants like animals."

"Cruelty knows no bounds," Storm agreed.

Shine and Wally glanced at them all, then started walking faster.

"Perhaps you should stop saying such things around them," Kurt said quietly. "It's not their fault, but I can't help but vonder if they think you're including them in your criticism."

"Even if dey ain't like dat, dey still never had to deal with it," Gambit said. "Dey can't act like dey understand people like Sabretooth better dan us."

Rogue bit her lip.

"Perhaps it is just their vay of showing compassion," Kurt said. "I do not think it matters if they understand his experience. They just know that he has been hurt, as ve all have, and he hurts people because of that, as ve all do, when ve do not allow Gott to lift our anger and give us grace."

"You can keep sayin' dat all you want, but it ain't gon' change da facts," Gambit said. "De animal is a dangerous killer, and dem two is walking right toward him. And we all doin' this for a man who'd as soon shoot us hisself as help us. It don't make no sense." He huffily walked away.

"What's bitin' him?" Rogue asked.

"The Cajun is the same as me, this time," Logan said. "Can't figure out why we're riskin' our necks for such a schmuck. I think we're all bat crazy." He forged ahead also.

"Even so, we got this far, and it's no time to turn back," Storm muttered. "I hope we can keep our composure long enough to finish this."

* * *

Logan led them through the trees to a small cabin, where he stopped abruptly.

All they saw was a small cabin, ordinary looking.

"This is it?" Wally said. "I thought we'd see a cave or something."

"You've already seen it," Shine said.

"I know. I was waiting till we got here to make that joke, so someone would be there to appreciate it," Wally said.

Shine snorted a half laugh, half sigh.

"Maybe no one home," Gambit offered hopefully.

Kurt poofed up to the window. "I see no one inside. I'm going in there."

"Kurt, don't!" Rogue hissed.

"Right behind you," Wally said.

"Take me," Shine said to Kurt, joining him. "I can help if he's in here. He...won't listen to you."

"He may be very angry, Miss Likstar. I can't promise he von't lash out at you," Kurt said.

Shine nodded. "But better me than any of them. He'll know all them on sight."

Kurt nodded and poofed, taking her with him.

Wally slipped around the house, trying the other door.

"We could break in," Logan said.

"No, Logan." Storm grabbed him. "If Sabretooth is not here, then it would be better to leave no trace of us."

"He'll smell us anyway," Logan said. "I can smell him all over the place here. He's not gonna be far."

"Where'd he go, then?" Rogue asked nervously. "We can handle him, but I don't like him sneakin' up on us."

"Maybe to get firewood." Storm pointed at the chimney. "It's cold up here."

There were signs of firewood around the house.

* * *

Inside the cabin was dark, even with a fire on. 

Kurt and Shine peered around. They heard Wally rattling the window and doors.

Shine flipped on a light switch. A single dim bulb lit up the room.

Empty.

"There's only a few rooms in here, I'd say," she said. "If he's not here...I think we'll have to ask Sabretooth himself.... That would be fun."

"Hardly," Kurt said seriously. "I'm...afraid, Miss Likstar. I don't know what to do either vay. I lack faith."

"No, Kurt," Shine said. "You have tons of faith to come here at all. It's just that right now we're so busy thinking of the situation, we can't focus on our faith, and that's when we feel afraid. When it comes time to face it, you'll be fine, trust me."

She opened the door and went between rooms. "Well, here's the main room. At least the fire's lit in here...almost out though.... Old food sitting out, so someone has been living here a while."

Kurt tried a different door. 

This door led to a room that was dark and had the window sealed shut from the look of it.

Kurt found a light switch, and, finally turning it on, he saw Creed...

What was left of him. He was much thinner than before and tied up. He was huddling in a corner, looking nearly dead.

But he looked up and made some muffled sound of terror.

Kurt couldn't have felt fear then, even had he had time to. It was much closer to shock.

"Frau, I found him!" he called.

Shine was there in a moment, "Oh...good gracious..." she said. "I thought...wow..."

"You...you mutant!" Creed finally croaked. "What, are you here to kill me now? Please, put me out of my misery."

"He's been locked here for months," Kurt said to Shine. "Why?"

"Why?" Shine said. "Why do you think, Kurt? Hold on." She came in and got on the floor.

"Grayton Creed II," she said. "I'm Shine. I'm a human. I'm here to rescue you."

Creed blinked. "It's a trick," he said.

"No trick," Shine said. "You can test it later if you like. For now, would you prefer we leave you here with your father, or would you like us to take you away? I'm going to assume you'd rather anything than be here."

Creed's eyes went from side to side. "Get me out of here," he said.

"He'll come." Shine looked at Kurt. "You might be mutant, but you're not the one he's most scared of."

"I'd hope not." Kurt managed a little bit of humor.

"Shine?" Wally tapped on the window. "Hey, Logan says Sabretooth isn't far off."

"He'll come back!" Creed started freaking out. "He'll never let me leave here alive! Save me from him! I'm not like him! I'm normal, I tell you."

He tried to get up.

"I'll have to untie him," Shine said. "It's too hard to carry him like this."

She suddenly had a sword.

"When...when did you get that?" Kurt asked.

"I always had it, Kurt, it's just invisible," Shine said. She cut through the ropes on Creed's arms. His wrists were raw from trying to get out of them himself.

Creed grabbed at her. "Don't let the mutants take me!" he said.

"Listen, they came here to save you," Shine said, "like it or not, and I need their help."

"Mutant lover!" Creed suddenly turned angry. "Traitor!" He yanked at her arm. "They're evil, animals, do you understand? All of them!"

Kurt flinched.

"I know you've been treated horribly," Shine said, "but if you want to escape here, you'll have to cooperate with them. Your call. Now get up." She stood, yanking Creed up. Apparently he wasn't strong enough to do much to her even though he was much bigger.

"You're not really her, are you?" Creed asked, warily. "Mystique..."

"I can't really prove I'm not Mystique," Shine said, "but I'm not Mystique."

"Please, brother," Kurt said, "ve came to help you. She is a human, see? Trust her if you can't trust anyone else."

"Stay away from me!" Creed snapped.

"Don't take it personal, Kurt, " Shine said. "Even if he didn't already hate mutants, he'd not be in his right mind anyway after being here."

"I know," Kurt said meekly. "Let us just take him avay, then Gott will show us what to do."

He grabbed both of them, though Creed didn't care for it, and teleported back outside of the house.

Of course...

Outside, Sabretooth was waiting.