My heart hammers against my ribs as I sprint through the mansion's front doors, not even bothering to wipe my feet on the welcome mat. The second Firestar mentioned Emma might be hurt, everything else just... stopped mattering. Magik could barely finish her demon business fast enough before I was begging her to portal me here.
"Slow down, Jack!" Firestar calls from behind me, but her voice sounds distant, underwater compared to the blood rushing in my ears.
I skid around the corner into the main hall, nearly colliding with Scotty, who steps back just in time to avoid getting bowled over. She's in full X-Women leader mode today, uniform pristine, those ruby-quartz glasses gleaming under the mansion's chandeliers.
"Oh hey, Jack," she says, casual as anything, like I haven't just burst in here looking like I'm running from a fire. "What's up?"
"Where's Emma?" The words tumble out breathless and desperate. I can't even pretend to be cool about this. My hands are shaking, and I shove them into my pockets so Scotty won't notice.
Her expression shifts, just a fraction, but it's enough to make my stomach drop. "She's in the med bay."
"What happened to her?" I demand.
"Well, it's complicated."
Firestar and Xorna catch up to me, Firestar breathing hard from trying to keep pace.
"Hey, Firestar," Scotty says with a nod of recognition before turning her attention to the seven-foot metal helmet beside her. "And you must be Xorna."
"Yes." Xorna raises one hand in an awkward wave.
"Hi, I'm Scotty. Nice to meet you," she says, extending her hand, which Xorna stares at for a beat too long before finally shaking it.
I'm already moving past them, heading for the corridor that leads to the lower levels. I don't have time for introductions or explanations. Emma's hurt, and I might be the only one who can help her. If I don't she might end up like Jubilee.
I take the stairs two at a time, my boots clanging against the metal steps as I rush down to the med bay. The mansion's familiar hallways blur around me. What happened? Is she okay?
As I get deeper into the sublevels, the sterile white corridors give way to polished metal, and I start to hear voices echoing off the walls. Emma's voice, sharp and irritated.
"For the last time, stop trying to chip pieces off me! I'm not your science experiment, Beast!"
"But we really should test it though," comes Beast's frustrated reply, her cultured voice strained with scientific curiosity. "The molecular structure is probably fascinating!"
I round the corner and burst through the med bay doors.
Emma is sitting on the examination table, but she's... different. Her entire body has transformed into what looks like pure, flawless diamond. The overhead lights catch on her crystalline form, sending rainbow prisms dancing across the walls.
Her eyes widen when she sees me, genuine surprise flashing across her transparent features. "Jack?"
"Are you hurt?" I blurt out, crossing the room in three quick strides.
"No," she says, her voice unchanged despite her crystalline state. "I turned into a fucking diamond though."
The relief hits me like a physical wave, making my knees weak. I let out a breath I didn't even realize I was holding, a massive sigh that seems to empty my lungs completely. She's okay. She's alive. Different, but alive.
A slow, wicked smile spreads across Emma's face, those familiar eyes glittering with something that looks suspiciously like delight.
"You were worried about me," she says, not even trying to hide her satisfaction.
I move closer to her bed. "I was terrified, Emma."
Her smile widens, and even in diamond form, I can see that predatory gleam I know so well. She turns toward Harriet McCoy, who's hovering nearby with scientific instruments and a barely concealed look of frustration.
"Fur ball," Emma says imperiously, "leave us be."
Beast huffs indignantly but gathers her equipment. "I'll be right outside when you're ready to be reasonable," she mutters, shooting Emma a glare before stomping out of the med bay.
As the door slides shut behind Beast, a hush falls over the med bay. It's just me and Emma now, her new diamond form glittering under the harsh fluorescent lights. Even transformed like this, she's gorgeous.
"You missed me, didn't you?" Emma asks, her diamond lips curving into that smug smile I know so well.
"Yeah, Emma, I did. I had fun with you in Genosha, and you were there for me when Jubilee died... in a way nobody's ever been there for me before." I swallow hard, my throat suddenly tight. "You're incredibly important to me."
Her diamond features soften slightly, but then that predatory gleam returns to her eyes. "So here you are, crawling back to me," she purrs, leaning forward on the examination table.
"Is this permanent?" I ask ignoring her question while gesturing at her body.
Emma's crystalline shoulders rise in an elegant shrug. "I don't know."
As if responding to her uncertainty, the diamond sheen fades. The transformation ripples across her skin like water, leaving behind her normal porcelain complexion. She blinks rapidly, looking down at her now-human hands with genuine surprise.
"Apparently not," she murmurs, flexing her fingers experimentally.
"Can you turn it on again?" I lean forward, unable to hide my curiosity.
"Hold on." Emma's brow furrows in concentration. She grunts slightly, her jaw clenched with effort, then exhales sharply.
The transformation happens in an instant, her entire body shifting to flawless diamond again.
"Yup," she says, examining her glittering arms with obvious pride. "Seems... easy enough, actually."
I watch in amazement as she switches back and forth a few times, the transformation becoming smoother with each attempt. Human to diamond and back again, like flipping a switch.
"That's so cool," I breathe, genuinely impressed.
"I'm super strong when I'm a diamond," she says, her voice carrying that familiar smugness. "Nearly indestructible, in fact."
"Really?"
"Yes," she nods, shifting back to human form momentarily before going diamond again. "And what's even better, Gene and Xavier couldn't sense my mind like this. Complete telepathic immunity."
"Whoa, that's so awesome!" I exclaim, my mind racing with the implications. "So you're basically invulnerable and mentally untouchable?"
Emma's crystalline features soften slightly. "You're genuinely happy for me, aren't you?"
"Of course I am." I step closer to her. "This is amazing."
Emma's diamond form shimmers one last time before melting away, back to her human self sitting on the examination table. Her ice-blue eyes study me carefully, something vulnerable flickering across her perfect features.
"You're not angry with me?" she asks, her British accent more pronounced than usual. "About what happened the last time we saw each other? That kiss in my office?"
I blink, caught off guard by her sudden shift in tone. Is Emma Frost actually worried about my feelings? The memory of that forced kiss flashes through my mind, her taking control of my body, the desperation in her eyes, the way she held me there against my will.
"Is the stunning Emma Frost actually apologizing to me?" I ask, unable to keep the surprise from my voice.
Something changes in her expression. Her eyes narrow, growing tight around the edges. There's an intensity there that sends a chill down my spine. Something almost unhinged lurking behind that perfect face.
"No, Jack," she says, her voice dropping to that dangerous purr I know so well. "I'm not. I stand by what I said to you, and I stand by my actions."
I take an involuntary step back. "Emma…"
"I wanted you to stay with me," she continues, rising from the examination table with fluid grace. "I still do. But I am growing impatient. I'm not sure how much longer I'll wait before just making you be mine."
"I don't believe you," I say, shaking my head. "You wouldn't force me to…"
Something shifts in my brain like a light switch being flipped, cutting my words off mid-sentence. A warmth spreads through my chest, radiating outward until it consumes every part of me. My feelings for Emma have always been complicated, a tangled mess I could never fully unravel, but now...
Now they burn with perfect clarity.
Now she's all I can think about.
I stare at her, and to my complete shock, I feel tears welling in my eyes from the sheer overwhelming force of emotion. My love for her is endless, boundless, consuming everything else. How could I have ever considered leaving her side?
"Emma, I…" My voice breaks as I try to express the depth of what I'm feeling.
Then, just as suddenly as it came, the intensity recedes like a tide pulling back from shore. The burning certainty dims, leaving me gasping slightly as my normal thoughts return. Emma's eyes are locked on mine, her expression unreadable as she releases her telepathic grip on my mind.
I blink rapidly, trying to process what just happened. Did she just...?
"That was a demonstration," Emma says coolly, crossing her arms. "A taste of what I could do if I truly wanted to."
My hands are shaking. I clench them into fists at my sides, trying to hide how rattled I am. "You messed with my head."
"I just highlighted what you already believe, darling." Emma's voice cuts like crystal, precise and sharp.
I stand there, my whole body feeling heavy. The anger I want to feel keeps getting tangled up with all these other emotions, relief that she's okay, confusion about what just happened, and this weird sense of defeat.
"I'm glad you're not hurt, Emma," I finally say, my voice coming out quieter than I intended. "But I'm going to leave now."
"The clock is ticking, Jack. Remember that."
I turn away. "And stop spying on me," I mutter without looking back, pushing through the med bay doors.
Outside, Firestar and Xorna are standing with Beast, whose massive blue-furred hands are gesturing animatedly at Xorna's helmet.
"Is everything alright?" Xorna asks, the blue glow from her eye-slits pulsing slightly brighter as she turns toward me.
I rub the back of my neck, trying to shake off the lingering echo of Emma's telepathic touch.
"Let's just go back to the apartment," I say, already walking toward the elevator.
Firestar catches up to me, her copper-red hair flickering with tiny flames that match her concerned expression. "Jack, wait… What happened in there? Is Emma okay?"
"She's fine. Perfect, actually." I jab the elevator button harder than necessary. "She can turn into indestructible diamond now."
"That's... new," Firestar says, exchanging a worried glance with Xorna, who's lumbering along behind us.
"Yup."