This is AU Future.

This was actually supposed to be the first chapter of The Right Thing but it never fit, so I never posted it. However, there has been some interest in Jamie and the other children of the future world Right Thing and Changes introduces so I decided to post it.

NOTE: The parents belong to Marvel but the characters here are original creations. Please do not use without permission.

Dare Daemon - Daughter of Daredevil and Electra. Works as a lawyer in Hell's Kitchen. Has her father's 'radar sense' and her mother's fighting ability. Real name is Minerva.

Risque - Son of Gambit and Psylocke. Has empathy as well as several other powers. Real name is Jamie.

American Angel - Daughter of Captain America and Diamondback. Reformed and leads the Avengers.

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The noise of the explosions deep in the sewers and tunnels did not penetrate the concrete and asphalt of the city. The resulting vibrations, however, caught everyone's attention. It felt like an earthquake, but New York did not have earthquakes. The vibrations grew into a low thrum and then the first building cracked under the stress. More cracks sounded through the streets and Hell's Kitchen became alive with falling debris and screams.

The various super heros arrived on the scenes quickly, helping the other rescue workers dig through the piles of concrete that used to be buildings. The cause of the explosions had not yet been determined but that did not matter at the moment. What mattered was the unseen people trapped and dying.

Dare Daemon, the daughter of Daredevil, arrived in the middle of this chaos hoping her inherited radar sense would be of some use and several firemen and policemen stopped their frantic running, looking to her for direction, believing her uncanny powers would help them find the survivors. Dare Daemon concentrated and searched. Unfortunately, to her dismay, she found there was too much debris, too much noise, she could not find the people that must still be trapped in the ruins.

She turned to the gathered people, intending to explain the problem and join the relief efforts in a more mundane way when her eye was caught by an approaching figure. Running quickly onto the scene was the lean, handsome figure of Jamie, a recent addition to the Hell's Kitchen stage. Dare Daemon's attention was caught as he paused, staring into the surrounding rubble, then, putting his hands to his temples, he collapsed with a pain filled scream.

Dare Daemon rushed over and knelt beside his fallen form, trying to find out what happened when he looked up at her, his blue on black eyes wet with pain. "They're there. They're hurting."

She had known for some time that Jamie was a mutant of some kind. His eyes were a giveaway but had never inquired about his powers until now as she quickly dseduced that whatever his power was, it was letting him tune in on the victims still alive and that was just what they needed at the moment. Between the mundane rescue workers and the various super powered teams, they had the strength to dig anyone out and the ability to get the injured immediate medical help, they just needed to know where to dig.

Taking his face in her hands, she stared into Jamie's eyes, "Where? Where are they? Try to tell me."

His voice was weak and hoarse but he managed to lift a trembling hand. "There...under the...red sign.. three of 'em." His hand moved to the side, "'Bout six feet over, two feet deeper...child...leg's gone."

Dare Daemon began yelling orders at those around them, snapping them into action, as Jaime continued his halting litany, sometimes giving names, sometimes giving numbers, continually giving locations. Dare Daemon murmured to him encouragingly when he faltered and held him tight when his body spasmed in pain and his voice rose in reflected agony, crying out "No, it's too late, no. Too late." His breath would break as he felt them die but then, after taking a deep breath, he would still and begin the litany of locations again, hoarser and weaker than before.

His throat was raw from suppressed tears and screams but still he continued as the others moved quickly among the ruins, following his directions and bringing out the living and the recently dead. The hours passed and it was after midnight when he bonelessly collapsed against her. "No more, there's no more. All dead."

Dare Daemon tucked his head under her chin and held him close, rubbing his back and murmuring reassuringly to him, telling him how brave he was, how strong, how many he had helped, but he did not relax. Instead, he pulled back and would not meet her eyes. "Home, need to go home, need to get away."

He stumbled to his feet and pushed her away when she tried to help him. Suddenly his body straightened seeming more like his usual self but his eyes were glassy as he quickly headed into the surrounding dark alley ways. Dare Daemon immediately moved to block anyone from following him, earning her several glares and confused looks.

American Angel, the current leader of the Avengers, was the first to speak. "What are you doing?"

"He wants to be alone and won't appreciate anyone following him."

"We just wanted to see if he's ok and ask him a few questions."

Dare Daemon shook her head. "No, he did a great service today and, if it's privacy and solitude he wants right now, he deserves to have it."

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Jamie fell onto his bed, not remembering how he got there, trying not to remember anything. He did not bother to remove his coat or shoes before curling up and slowly releasing his shields sending a cry across the Atlantic. "Mama, help me, it hurts."

He felt her instantly respond. Her telepathy reached back to him across the distance and slowly enveloped his battered psyche in a tender embrace. "I am here, sweetheart. Rest, I will stay with you as long as you wish." English lullabies she had sung when he was still in the cradle drifted through his mind as his mother's mind held and comforted him.

Jamie could still feel the people in his mind, the pain and fear, the horror as the bright beacons of their minds were extinguished in death as if they had never been there. He began to cry, sobbing from exhaustion and pain while his mother pulled him into the astral plane. She held him as she had when he was very little, rocking him while sitting in a perfect replica of the rocking chair in his nursery. Tucking his head under her chin, she softly asked him if he would like to hear the story of how his parents got together and he gratefully nodded.