After the harrowing events of last issue, Storm lays
in a bed at Eagle Plaza, unmoving. Forge comes to check on her, trying to make
her eat, but Storm doesn’t say a word, lost in her depression. Forge
frustratedly leaves the room and brings up a holographic projection of Storm,
appreciating how beautiful she was, and still is. Forge runs through the events
of last issue, watching via his holographic projection how Storm was shot with
the neutralizer, ridding her of her powers. Storm arrives at that moment, saying
that saving her from the ocean was not a kindness, and that Forge should have
let her drown. Back at Xavier’s School, Professor Xavier finds that he cannot
locate Storm with Cerebro, which concerns both him and Nightcrawler. Kurt asks
if this means that Ororo is dead and Xavier has no answers and decides to
search for Rogue instead.
Storm has similar worries, asking Forge if there’s
been any word on Rogue. She mourns the loss of her powers, feeling that all she
has now is a hollow existence, without really being able to live. Forge and
Storm go for a swim, which is when Storm discovers Forge’s metal leg. He tells
about how he lost it fighting in Vietnam, but that he still feels lucky, having
at least made it home when many others didn’t. He admits he felt how Storm does
now, but wants to assure her that there’s always hope, and so refuses to give
up on her, even if he’s harsh with his words. Elsewhere, Valerie Cooper meets
with an associate named Phil and tells him about how the whole operation went
sideways; they lost Rogue and Storm got de-powered instead. Phil makes his way
back to his car, where he’s killed and replaced by one of the Dire Wraiths!
They use his body and memories to head to Cooper’s apartment, where they plan
to kill and replace her too.
However, Cooper is saved by the timely arrival of
Rogue, there for Cooper herself. Rogue tangles with the Dire Wraiths while
Cooper kills the one who took over Phil and makes a run for her car. In the
scuffle, Rogue accidentally touches and absorbs one of the Wraiths, causing
intense pain and anguish! This allows Xavier to lock in on her, feeling every
bit of the discomfort Rogue is feeling. Nightcrawler offers his strength while Xavier tries to pinpoint Rogue’s location. Cooper frantically drives off, unsure what
to think or who to trust. She’s surprised by Rogue, who touches her, absorbing
her memories, thereby learning everything that happened with Storm. Rogue
decides she needs help, and hurries to find the X-Men.
Back at Eagle Plaza, Storm tries on a dress that Forge
had delivered, which utterly surprises and mesmerizes Forge. Both of them feel
a clear and growing attraction to each other but both feel awkward and
uncertain. Storm changes and Forge expresses that even though he likes his
solitude, he wishes she would stay. The two begin to bond, and Forge tells
Storm about his Native American heritage, though admits that he left a lot of
his culture behind for the life he now leads. Storm tells Forge about her parents’
death and resulting claustrophobia and admits she’s never shared that story
with anyone else. The raging storm outside makes Ororo remember just how
insignificant she now feels and admits to her recent changes and how she got
tired of having to keep her emotions so reigned in all the time, lest they impact the
weather. Now she realizes the irony that she needs not worry about that
anymore.
Storm and Forge share a kiss and Forge offers to try
and reverse the process, to get Ororo her powers back. He then gets a call from
Henry Gyrich and elects to take it in the other room. Storm realizes she should
have let Xavier know where she is but when she picks up the phone, she
overhears Forge and Gyrich’s conversation. She learns that it was Forge who
built the weapon that de-powered her and overhears that Gyrich plans to move
her to a federal facility! Feeling betrayed, Storm runs through Forge’s home,
with Forge chasing after her, having realized that she heard everything. Storm
runs out onto Forge’s balcony where he confronts her. He tries to tell her that
he’s not her enemy and that he won’t let anyone hurt her. Storm points out that
the damage has already been done and that Gyrich ultimately wants to subjugate
mutants, Forge’s own people. She decks him, realizing just how sad and cold he
really is, closed off from the world and unable to trust and therefore be
trusted. Storm determines that she will not end up the same way and that,
though her feet may never leave the ground, she will fly again!