Disclaimer: Blah, blah, marvel not mine, blah, just for fun, blah, blah, don't sue, blah, enjoy! Send comments or anything to morningstarlight2@yahoo.com. Phone Tag By: Nynaeve What the Hell!! Who is calling me at 3 a.m.? Oh **** it! Thought the very tired Bobby Drake as he attempted to answer his phone. "What!!!," he yelled into the phone. "Tag," was the simple reply that followed along with a gentle click. *Who the hell was that? Well they are not getting away that easily. I bet they never heard of star 69!* A moment later. "What do you mean that it is out of the area!" *I just bet that it was Jubilee. I have to get her back at her own game.* --------------------------------------------------- Meanwhile at the Xavier Institute for Higher Learning, a very sleepy Jubilee is struggling in her deep sleep to ignore the ringing phone. Eventually though she answers it to hear the simple message of "Tag, you're it!" *Well this is nice*, she sarcastically thought. *I'm passing this on quickly so I can go back to bed!* Quickly she dials Wolvie's number, blurts out the word "tag", hangs up and falls back to sleep in a matter of moments. *Was that Jubilee? Oh well, don't want to ruin the little darling's fun.* Wolverine being half asleep, unthinkingly dials Beast and growls the words "Tag" and falls back asleep holding the phone. ----------------------------------------------------------- Still in his lab, Beast was wide-awake as usual trying to find a cure for the Legacy Virus. No one knows when he sleeps or if he ever does. With his classical music blasting he was lucky to hear the phone when it rang. "Hello, Hank McCoy at your service." ""Growl, Tag." *Hmmm, what a delightful game to play in the middle of the night, though I think I am the only one that finds this amusing. Now whom should I call? I think the young Samuel Gurthie will continue this conspiracy.* As Beast dials Sam's number he tries to calculate the possibilities of which of the X-Men Sam would wake up. ----------------------------------------------------- "Yes, Sam speaking." "Tag." Click. "Tabitha what are you thinking? You should be sleeping." Beep, Beep, Beep. *What she hung up, well she isn't getting away with an enjoyable prank! I'm calling her right back; she can play her game with someone else. Bobby probably put her up to it so they can flaunt their new relationship!* ---------------------------------------------------------------- Meanwhile in L.A. Tabitha is sleeping conformably in the curve of Bobby's arm. She slept right through the annoying ringing of the phone to let Bobby answer. "Hello," was the muffled response that Sam received. *He he, this is even better!* "Tag." "Wake up Tab, someone is playing Tag with us, who should I call?" "Mumble bed mumble sleep." Just then she whacked him with a pillow. "O.k. I'll make it fast, I'll call ......." --------------------------------------------------------------- A half-hour later on Muir Island, on the other side of the world, the team, Excalibur was awake. Kitty Pryde was listening to her teammate's disturbing phone call. "Rahne it is just a game, you have to continue the chain and call someone else now." "Are you sure Kitty? I wouldn't know who to call?" "Just leave it to me, I'll dial you just say "Tag". "As long as you take some responsibility if something goes wrong." "Relax, no one is going to know it was us. Now get ready." When Kitty points to the phone Rahne stutters "Tag". She is relived when the ordeal is over and they return to their duties. -------------------------------------------------------------------- Back at the mansion. "Who was that, honey?" "I don't know, but if I did they would be seriously reprimanded for disturbing my sleep by pranking our private number." Jean quickly scanned her husband's mind for the details of the phone call and started laughing!! "Honey just play along. Why don't you call Alex, it will make you feel better?" "Are you kidding, he isn't going to play along either. I think I will end this little game and let what few people who are sleeping get what little rest that is left in this night. I going to take an early shower and cook you breakfast for once, go back to sleep." "Why thank you, honey." *I will right after I make a certain phone call. He will never know.* ------------------------------------------------------------------- Alex Summers was awake at the X-Factor secret headquarters because he had the night shift. He answered the phone nonchalantly so as not to give away the location of the base because X-Factor was supposed to be dead. "Yes." "Tag." Click. *What, who, how, what again! That had to be an X-Man or woman, no one else has this number. Guess I'll just have to play along to find out what is going on. I'll have to call a leader, who though? Ah perfect!* ------------------------------------------------------------ "Hello Xavier Institute. How may I assist you?" "Tag?" *What a childish thing to do, I can't play along. But my heart is telling me it wants to. I guess I can have some fun, too! Ororo hang up the phone with the perplexed Alex still on the other end and dials Kitty on Muir Island. * "Phone Tag," is all that she says before hanging up, she didn't even notice who answered. *I wonder what my Kitten will do?* is the only thought she has of the situation before she walks away. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- "Kitty are you playing some sort of game with the phone?" "No, why, Kurt?" "Well someone just called and simply said, "Tag". And I can just remember you playing on the phone with the New Mutants back at the mansion!" *Ha ha ha. Wow this game is getting far and I have to keep it going. I think I will give Sean a call. I love whoever started this and will die if I don't find out!* "Sorry wasn't me. Now if you will excuse me Pete wanted to go out for a private dinner." *Or sneak off to make a telephone call! I should tell Rahne how far this is getting, people must be having fun!* ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- "Tag." *Emma? What is going on? What game are those children playing over there?* Sean questioned from his private cottage. *They are all sleeping and so was I till I was rudely interrupted! Now if you don't mind!* *Who the heck was that then? Hmmm Teresa? I've got to know.* Sean calls X-Force's new number and grateful when his daughter answers. He proceeds to do an impression of Alex. "Tag?" ------------------------------------------------------------------ "O.k. we don't need any stupid jokes in the wee hours of the morning, go to bed you crazy person!" *Tag, the only crazy person I know would have to be Wade, but why on earth would he bother? Well it is a good idea to get everyone to talk since we are so spread out now. Maybe I should keep playing and call the mansion! The others are going to get a laugh out of this in the morning!* "You've reached the Xavier Institute for Higher Learning. This answering machine is new and the record time is brief, so leave a short message after the beep" *Good they can play when they wake up. Aren't they lucky.* "Tag." Then she quickly hangs up and goes back to bed. Machine tape full. Please insert new tape or erase old messages. Finis