X-MEN
ETERNITY
THE CROSSROADS
by
R. John Burke
(Note: X-Men is a copyright of Marvel comics. Just
fan fiction, no infringement intended.)
***************
TEN: ANOTHER DAWN
Two Days Later
Alex turned out to be fine. In flying out the window, he'd conveniently landed on the diamond form of Emma Frost as she was trying to find her own way back in. Which was... a somewhat uncomfortable experience for both of them, but at least it was non-fatal.
Jamie's rogue duplicates were rounded up easily enough; they almost all collapsed after the death of the Slayer. He still refused to re-absorb them, sick as he was, on the grounds that they were not *his* dupes, but copies of the murderous duplicate who had killed Mindee... and Jamie didn't want anything to do with *him*. Nobody thought that was psychologically healthy, but then, none of them knew how they would deal with the personification of a dark splinter of *their* consciousness, so they gave him the benefit of the doubt.
Nathan Christopher Summers emerged from the carriage house holding the body of Charles Xavier. Although still paraplegic, he was otherwise in perfect health. When asked where he'd come from, Cable only said to ask the girls. And the Four-in-One, asked that question, would only smirk and say he'd been right under the Slayer's nose all along.
Jean Grey returned from the Crossroads with her team intact, plus one of the Cuckoos and Wanda Maximoff, whom nobody quite knew what to do with.
The Infirmary was more than a little crowded, with enough work for Cecilia, Hank, and Annie, plus a couple of specialists. Jean-Paul, Kurt, and Sonja were all badly injured. Those who'd been possessed were little better off.
And then, of course, Metralla and Barnabas were dead. And Jono and Warren...
Jono and Warren. According to Hank's equipment and Jean's mental scans, the new Angel's brainwaves almost matched Jono's, but with some rogue elements resembling the body's original owner. He seemed to be a hybrid of sorts, who spoke with Jono's accent but had access to all--or most-- of Warren's memories. His powers were those of Warren Worthington, but with the potential to regain Chamber's telepathy and psi-blast. Emma thought, with the proper retraining, he could learn to use it without, as she so delicately put it, "rearranging that lovely face." She offered to train him personally, but the Angel, who had adopted the name Jon Worthington "until he could think of something better," hadn't decided whether to accept.
And Paige Guthrie didn't know what to make of any of it. On the morning of the third day, she found the man himself watching the sunrise from a hill on the edge of the estate. She remained at a distance, not knowing what to say. She didn't even think he saw her.
Then he spoke. "I flew into town this morning... d'yer believe it? I flew."
Paige swallowed hard. "Guess that must be... pretty overwhelming for you."
"I have Warren's memories of it, so it wasn't really. The... erm, the bird at the cash register... that was new. She gave me her phone number, unasked. People don't usually--" He trailed off. "It was new."
Paige didn't know what to say to that. She approached and they stood together for a while.
"I didn't mean for this to happen, Paige. I swear to you, I never meant..."
"I know," she said. "You tried your best to save him. You're a good man, Jon. I'd never believe anything else."
"Thank you."
"I'm glad it happened. It'd be easier if he was gone... I mean, totally. Some selfish part of me wishes that. But I'm glad a part of him's still here. He deserves that. Someone to tell his story."
Abruptly, Jon laughed. "I don't even knew what ter call myself now..."
"'Archangel?'"
"It's been done. Too many syllables."
Silence. Paige shifted awkwardly. She tried not to look at her companion. He was too perfect. It would be so easy, looking at him, to pretend nothing had changed. To think of him as Warren, *treat* him like Warren... love him like...?
She cleared her throat. "We're goin' back to the Civil War timeline. Rogue's worried that we changed history for them. She wants to make sure it unfolds right. So X-Factor's headin' back, all of us... plus Madrox an' Wolfsbane, who want to look for Guido. Even Ceci's goin'."
"Bugger me! She's treated like a slave there...!"
Paige nodded. "That's what we said. She said she's not a slave, she's a doctor, and there's where she can do the most good for people. So."
Jon whistled softly. "Brave woman."
"Yeah." She took a deep breath. "I was wonderin' if you..."
"No," he said. "I'm stayin' here. Emma's going to..."
"Aw, please! What, relearn telepathy from Emma? Like she taught you so much th' first time!"
Jon glared at her. Paige held her ground. She won the staring contest.
"I can't be near you, Paige! I loved you! I-- they both loved you, in their ways. And I'm not them. But I have their memories... his memories of touching you, of..." he trailed off. "I can't go."
Paige blinked tears out of her eyes. "Figured you'd say something like that. The others'll be disappointed, but... hell. Can I ask you somethin'?"
He nodded.
"D'you think Warren was right? Would we have been miserable?"
It felt like he was silent for a long time. Finally Jon Worthington said, "Unfortunately, luv, I think you'd have lived happily ever after."
"Damn. I was afraid of that."
They turned and walked in opposite directions.
****
Sean Cassidy packed his costume in a duffel along with a borrowed change of clothes, picked up the picture of himself with the second X-team (he smiled at Nightcrawler making 'rabbit ears' over Thunderbird's head), then tossed it on the bed instead of taking it and walked out the door.
He was by the gate waiting for a cab when he heard the cool, familiar voice: "Leaving us again, Mr. Cassidy?"
"Aye, Miss Frost, that I am. Yeh've, what-- thirty X-Men about this place now. Yeh've no need for a washed-up old codger like me."
Emma Frost came to stand beside him. "Don't think me too forward, Sean, but when shall I make arrangements to attend your wake?"
"Yeh... yeh know about me wee bout of... bad judgment, then?"
Emma gave him a wicked smile. "Who do you think pulled you off that ledge?"
"Aye, eh... my thanks for that. I was a fool. Seein' Theresa again... well, I missed too much of her life already. I was just... after findin' Moira an' losin' her again, I didn't know which way t'..."
"Understood," Emma said. She squinted. "I believe that's your ride coming up the road. Now, in the fifteen seconds before it gets here, I have a proposition I'd like you to consider."
He looked at her cross-eyed. "Emma, darlin', I may be in yer debt, but there's no proposition of yours I'd be interested in."
"Come, Sean, you mustn't reject my advances out of hand. Someday they may be scarce."
"Doubtful." The cab pulled up. Sean Cassidy grinned. "Emma... no."
He opened the door and tossed his bag inside. Emma touched his shoulder.
"You were right."
"Was I?"
"About a great many things, when last we worked together. I was trying to turn over a new leaf before I'd realized what was rotten about the old. I won't say you were blameless, but I will say I've changed."
He laughed. "You'll never change, Emma Frost. That's the beauty of yeh."
"And you'll never get old, despite your best efforts." Emma arched an eyebrow at him. "I need ten minutes of your time."
The White Queen was up to mischief. It was plain as the nose on her artistically redesigned face. The Banshee retrieved his bag and slammed the cab's door.
****
"Gin!" said Kitty Pryde, slapping down the cards on Charles Xavier's hospital bed. Her old teacher folded his own with chagrin.
"That's three games in a row, Kitty. I believe you're cheating."
"Dude, I'm not the telepath."
Xavier pointed to the elaborate headgear Hank was forcing him to wear. "With this in place, neither am I. Henry has been insistent upon running every test ever designed and a few he invented just for this occasion. Poor fellow, I'm certain he won't find anything. I feel as strong as ever."
"And you still don't remember anything about what happened to you after the House of M?"
"I have a memory... of my students in danger. Of doing what I could to protect them."
Kitty reshuffled the cards. "Hence the Cuckoos."
"Apparently so. Though I cannot help feeling I failed them. I wonder... what could I have done? Could I have seen something in Esme that would have allowed us to save her?"
"That's hard to say, without knowing what you *did* exactly." Kitty shrugged. "I mean, we've still got one more than we used to. Professor... how'd you bring them back?"
"I don't remember!" he snapped, more forcefully than he'd probably intended. "I... I'm sorry, Kitty. I cannot tell you what happened. I can only recall a dim idea... a feeling... that it was best not to know. That he would find me, if I knew, and the game would be up. So I suppressed everything. At least, that is what I believe happened. I cannot tell you anymore."
"Okay." Kitty started dealing. "I guess we'll just figure it out as--"
Someone laughed, behind them. They turned to see Nathan Christopher Summers-- the alternate Cable-- entering the room.
"That's the Charles Xavier I've heard so much about. So damn noble, he even mindwipes *himself* for the greater good. Tell the truth: doesn't it get boring?"
Xavier frowned. "Nathan, I wanted to thank you for your assistance. I'm told that it was your power which--"
"Mumbo-jumbo. Yeah, I did something and then the kids did something and theoretically we saved the world. Your world. Nothing can save my world-- except maybe a man like you."
"Perhaps you can be that man," Xavier suggested.
"Wouldn't put money on that." He turned to Kitty. "I'm leaving. Tell Rachel I'm sorry about everything."
"She's really upset," Kitty said. "You should talk to her."
"Someday, I will. Now's not a good time."
"I know she has a temper, but she's not really--"
"That's not what I meant," Cable said. "I meant... my friend died for this. I have to make it count for something, in *my* world, where it's really needed. Which leads to the question: You're really psi-blind with that thing on your head, Charles?"
"For the moment," Xavier said.
"Good."
He hit the older man with a mindblast that shorted out Hank's equipment and make him cry out, briefly, before falling unconscious. Kitty was already moving toward him, phasing--
"Sorry, kid," Cable said, and dropped something that exploded with a POP! Whatever it was, it hurt Kitty even in her phased state and sent her reeling. She passed out. When she woke, Cable was gone.
So was Professor Xavier.
****
"You're sure you want to do this?" Alex Summers asked.
Lorna Dane nodded. "I've already said goodbye to Bobby... and to my brother and sister. I don't think anyone else will care."
"That's not true, Lorna. Come on, what else do you have to prove? You were right in the mix when we took down the Slayer! If *that's* not an X-Man, then..."
"I know. And I'm sure I'll feel that way. Eventually." She shrugged. "Look, I'll be back. Think of it as a small vacation. With dueling involved."
"I think she misses the dueling," said Jean Grey. She waited at the other end of the room to reactivate the portal and send Lorna back to the Camelot reality-- they were calling it number 225 now.
"Well... this is it." Lorna slung a bag over her shoulder. Alex hugged her-- then, on impulse, kissed her quickly on the lips. She winked at him. "I'll see you soon."
"Yeah."
Jean opened the portal. The green-haired mutant stopped beside it. "I'm sorry, Jean... for some of the things I said. You did a fine job with the team."
"Forget it," Jean smiled. "Sisters fight all the time."
Lorna beamed-- and then was gone. The portal closed. Alex sighed heavily.
Jean touched his arm. "She'll be fine."
"I know. She's an X-Man, right?"
Someone knocked on the door, then opened it before getting an answer. Scott Summers said, "Am I interrupting...?"
"No... I was on my way out." Alex needed an extra moment to tear himself away from where the portal had been. He brushed past Scott in the doorway-- and was shocked when his big brother pulled him into about 35 percent of a hug-- which was all Scott could manage without exploding.
"I thought I might not see you again," Scott said.
"*Damn*, man. You just cost me money." But Havok hugged him back and then walked away.
"He bet just about everybody in the Mansion he wouldn't get a hug out of you," Jean said. "I just made twenty bucks."
"I made fifty," said Scott.
She broke out laughing. "It's good to see that smile again. It's been a long time."
"It's been a long time since I was in a smiling mood."
"Since 1994, as I recall," said Jean.
Now it was Scott's turn to laugh-- a little. "I'm serious."
"No, you're not. At least, you shouldn't be. I don't want us to get too--"
"I wasn't going to," he said. "I'm with Emma, and I won't apologize for that... but I *will* apologize for the way it happened. I have a nasty habit of hurting people I love. I didn't want to hurt you."
"I know," Jean said.
"But that doesn't make it better?"
"Not really," she said. "Eventually, maybe."
Scott nodded. "Jean, I..."
The intercom went off. Impossible to say if the timing was terrific or terrible. In any case, it was Hank telling them about their missing professor and injured Shadowcat, so that put a damper on the moment.
****
Storm stretched out on her own bed for the first time in months. She wanted to summon rain to try to save her long-neglected plants, but she was simply too tired. Every muscle of her body hurt.
She was at least half-asleep when she heard a small sound at the door. She mumbled, "Come in, Logan."
The door swung open, and Wolverine entered. "How'd you know it was me?"
"Others knock. You, my friend, skulk around the edges as though waiting in ambush."
Logan laughed. "Used to be a better ambusher. You never would've heard anything a couple years ago."
"It has been a trying time for us all," Storm conceded. "I heard about you and Elisabeth. I don't know whether to pass along my congratulations or console you for losing her."
"Do neither," Logan said. "Help me save her."
Storm propped herself up on her elbows. "You are serious."
"Never been more serious, darlin'. I have half a team, but it's not enough. Kurt's hurt bad, an' now Kitty's down too."
"You have never been afraid to take on a challenge before."
Logan took out a cigar and began to light it. Storm sent him a *look*. He smirked and put the cigar away. Then, with permission, he sat on the edge of her bed.
"I screwed up, 'Ro. Big time. Pretty much every member of my team got gutted back there, at least once. Betsy got lost bailin' out one of *my* plans. And I'm runnin' on empty-- head hurts every time I move..."
Storm frowned with concern. "Perhaps you should delay the mission."
"With Betsy's life on the line? Not happening." He winced. "If I was goin' in alone, I wouldn't worry so much. But these are good people, 'Ro. They need a real leader. Someone like you."
Storm frowned. "You do not know what you are asking. Logan, I too have been... shaken. My counterpart in the future was... violent. Wicked. Power-mad."
"All your better traits?" She glared at Logan. He winked. "C'mon, darlin', that ain't you. That's got nothin' to do with you."
"I killed a version of Domino. I nearly killed Jean-Paul."
"Wasn't your fault."
"Yes, it was!" Storm insisted, and thunder roared outside, echoing her mood. "My power is my responsibility, always. Logan, I... am lost. The future I saw, from Barnabas, was her future. The evil Storm's. I fear I am destined to tread a very dark path."
"Or maybe the Slayer-groupie was full of it."
"Until I know for certain that I am not a danger to those around me, I am not fit to lead anyone."
Logan took out the cigar again, but just chewed on it this time. "What'd you say to an advisory role? Just keep me in line."
Storm sighed. "You still ask a great deal."
"Yup. Wouldn't ask it of anybody else, darlin', but you're the best."
"High praise, considering the source." She took his hand. "All right. For Elisabeth's sake, and yours. But Logan-- you lead a strike force. I will not kill."
"Not a problem," he said. "Anyone gets between us an' Betsy, I'll do enough killin' for everybody."
****
Next Day (Three Days After the Battle)
"There's NOTHING you can do?"
Forge looked up at Clarice Ferguson and shrugged. "Sorry, Blink. I'd like to help, but I even in the future timeline, I was having some trouble with dimensional-gateway technology. I certainly don't have the resources here to get you back to your Exiles. Maybe in the future, I can--"
"You're going back?"
He nodded. "The other Cable must have taken Professor Xavier into the future. Scott's putting together a team to retrieve him, and I'm there. Besides, there's no telling how long that portal will last. If we're going to be dimension-hoppers now, it's best to put together our own means. I can do that from the future. Maybe eventually, I can find your--"
"Yes, thanks, Forge," said Blink, and she trudged away.
She hadn't gotten far before Nocturne dropped down from overhead and landed beside her. "No luck?"
"None," Blink said. "I didn't want to be an Exile forever. But... Cal... Mister Creed, *my* version, I mean... I can't just leave them..."
"I know," TJ said. "Leaving you guys was one of the hardest things I ever did..."
Blink smiled at her. "I'm glad you're here, TJ. Makes me feel not so alone, you know?"
"Absolutely," TJ agreed, and hugged her. "Hey... you want to see something cute?"
She led Blink through the cavernous mansion-- once again Under Repairs-- to the door of the Infirmary, and gestured for her to look through the window: Inside, Kurt Wagner and Wanda Maximoff had adjoining beds. Wanda had been dejected since her return-- since the reality of what she'd done to the Avengers had set in-- but Kurt was chatting her up just fine, even making her laugh a few times.
Nocturne pulled Blink away. "Isn't that *great?*"
"I'm not sure what..."
"Look at the way they're getting along! I'll be born in this dimension yet! I can't wait to meet my baby... um, self!"
"I don't know, TJ." Blink stroked her chin. "We know how many different ways these things can fall out. And rumor says Kurt's with the redhead."
"Rachel? Oh, come on, she's a nice kid, but--"
"But?"
TJ tossed up her hands. "But these are my PARENTS! They're *meant* to be together!"
"Nothing's 'meant to be.'"
"I will bet you *so* much... Hello!" said TJ as they nearly bumped into another X-Man: James Proudstar, Warpath.
"Ladies," he said with a nod. "Have you seen the new Gold Team roster? Scott sent it out this morning. They're distancing the school from the combat team. Some interesting choices on there..."
TJ accepted the list and read: "Iceman, Havok, Nightcrawler--"
"When he's healed," Proudstar said.
"--Marvel Girl, Siryn... and us. Well-- I hope this means we'll be seeing a lot of each other, James."
She winked at him. Proudstar frowned. "Some... probably."
"Don't mind Nocturne; she's an unabashed Proudstar groupie." Then Blink did a double-take and grabbed the list out of her hands. "What the hell? I'm not on here!"
****
"What is this supposed to be?" Scott said, reading the letter Bobby Drake handed him in his office.
"My resignation," Bobby said. "I've written it up-- well, several times over the years, but I think it's time."
"Bobby, if this is a joke--"
"Yeah, big joke!" The Iceman leaned across his desk. "Here's the punchline: I killed Warren! Isn't that funny, Scott? I mean, isn't that freaking hilarious? I laughed 'till I cried..."
Scott looked at the letter, then at him. "You did nothing of the kind. If Warren's gone--"
"If?"
The team leader shrugged. "Well, his brain's still inside Chamber somewhere, isn't it? Maybe I'm in denial. In any case, no one feels Warren's absence more than I do. But he died a hero, and you were a hero, too. Bobby, you took on a reality-eating villain solo, and damn near gave your life so we could defeat him. You really stepped up."
Scott stood and offered his hand. "I'm proud of you."
"Proud doesn't bring anybody back," Bobby said.
In lieu of the handshake, Scott showed him the roster. "Just take a look at your team."
Bobby frowned, reading. "Kids, most of 'em... wait. You said 'my' team? Alex is on this list."
"Yes, but you're the field leader. It's your team."
"And he's... okay with that?"
"He insisted."
"You're making that up."
"A little."
Bobby squinted at the list again. "Alex, taking orders from me? I could learn to like that..."
Scott held up the letter. "I'm going to shred this now."
"Please." Then Bobby's brain caught up with him. "You're not leading the field team personally?"
Scott shook his head. "I'm going after the Professor."
"Along with...?"
"Bishop's team."
"Including...?"
"Forge. X-23. Blink, if I can get her. The Juggernaut, because I can't *stop* him from going..."
Bobby grinned. "Annnnd...?"
There was a knock on the door. Jean Grey poked her head in. "Ready for the final briefing?"
"Almost," Scott said.
"I'll wait outside."
She closed the door. Bobby grinned from ear to ear. Scott's expression was carefully neutral. "What?"
"You dog."
"Shut up."
"You *dog*."
"Shut up *now*."
Fortunately, that was when Clarice Ferguson BLINKED onto his desk, and Scott got caught up in conning an irate lilac mutant into stepping 30 years into the future with him. Bobby tactfully showed himself out.
****
The students had returned, classes were in session, and Emma Frost had just finished her morning Ethics class when she saw Rachel Grey in the doorway, grinning like the cat that ate the Vulture, the Falcon, and the canary, too.
Emma shuffled some papers and frowned. "Can I help you with something?"
"Guess what rumor I just heard," Rachel smirked. "About a certain ex-X-couple running away together for a romantic getaway to the future?"
"Yes, naturally," Emma said. She filed the papers away and removed a package from her desk, then headed for the door. "They're Xavier's oldest students. They have the greatest stake in the mission. It seemed logical..."
"So... you expect me to believe you're perfectly okay with this?"
Emma smiled. "I suggested it."
She started walking down the hall. Rachel ran to catch up.
"Wait-- wait a second! You SUGGESTED it?! So... if they come back all embarrassing, drippingly in love with each other-- as they should be-- you're fine with that, too?"
Emma whirled on her. "What I am *not* fine with is not knowing where I stand. If Jean Grey is so absolutely sodding irresistible, then I'd just as soon get it over with. But... but, dear... if Scott returns from this mission still in love with *me*... then every last one of you charming people will be eating crow in my presence daily.
"You will forgive me if I quite enjoy the thought. Good afternoon, Miss Grey."
And she walked away, leaving Rachel with a slightly stunned expression on her face.
Emma didn't go far: She stopped at the room being shared temporarily by Paige Guthrie and Jubilation Lee. She knocked on the door a couple of times, a secret signal she wasn't supposed to know.
"Terry?" said Jubilation Lee's voice. Then, "Oh-- it's *you*."
Emma smirked. As low as they had the lights inside the room, she must have appeared as a mere silhouette, bathed in light.
"Shut th' door!" Paige insisted, shielding her eyes; Emma mercifully did so.
The two girls sat on the floor with Monet St. Croix, each holding a small glass, with a bottle in the middle of them. Emma sniffed and wrinkled her nose.
"You're all underage for that, of course."
"Not in France," Monet said. "And since I could fly us all to France very easy, it hardly seems--"
"How continental of you, Miss St. Croix."
"We're drinking a toast to Jono," she said.
"And Warren," said Paige.
"And GenX," added Jubilee.
"And I can overlook toasting all those things, but *not* with that. Here." Emma opened the package she'd brought, revealing a bottle of good champagne.
Jubilee laughed. Monet looked a little impressed. Emma sat down and popped the cork, waiting for the bubbles to subside.
"I don't know why we're all so glum," Monet said, while she poured. "Jono's brain and Warren's body. It sounds to me like he got an all-around upgrade." The others glared at her. "Oh, come on, you were all *thinking* it!"
Paige sipped her glass. "I was just rememberin'... the first time I saw Warren."
"I was remembering the last time we were all together," Jubes said. "At the Academy..."
"Speaking of the Academy..." Emma said, and prepared her pitch. They couldn't very well let the place fall into other hands now that they knew about the portal beneath it, and giving a second try to a promising idea seemed much more elegant than having Jubilee blow the place up. Scott had even given her carte blanche for recruiting... thus the rare attempt at diplomacy.
Before she could launch into it, Monet raised her glass: "To we who remain."
Paige said, "To the ones who aren't here."
"To the good old days," said Jubilee.
"Oh, no... to the future, girls. *Always* the future," Emma said, and drank.
A few glasses later, Monet and Jubilee consented to join her faculty. Emma Frost felt guilty about her methods. But only a *little*.
THE END
But not forever! X-Men Eternity will return with new story-arcs in:
"Uncanny
X-Men #7: From the Ashes"
"New X-Men #7: Along Came a
Spider-Girl"
"X-Force #7: When They Came Marching
Home..."
"X-Factor #7: Apocalypse Then"
and
"Generation: Eternity #1:Class Reunion"