In time
Jan 2
The students were due back today and everyone was looking forward to it. Jean was saying goodbye to her parents they hugged her closely and said they would be in touch soon as they did have to plan a wedding and prepare for a baby. The grey's drove out and the van with all the travellers came pouring out. Wolverine got out of the driver's seat and handed the keys to Charles.
"I owe you Chuck."
Charles looked to the Van and saw not only his returning students but a couple new ones. Sam went to explain.
"Hello professor, Ah know this is kinda of sudden, you remember me telling you my sister was kinda sick well it turns out she a mutant and Momma said she should come back with me I would have called ahead but my families phone is out so I never got the chance."
"It's quite alright Sam."
Sam's sister walked up to the professor and the others carrying a bag of personal belongings.
"Hello my name is Paige it's good to meet all of you." She said in a deep southern drawl
"Welcome Paige. My name is Charles this is Piotr, Kitty, Gambit, Mary Jane, Peter, Rogue, and their daughter Piper and Peter's Aunt May." Charles introduced the group standing in front of the mansion. Paige went and greeted them all, when she got to Piper the little babe smiled and laughed at the new arrival.
"She likes you." Peter said
"I have 7 brothers and sisters most of them younger than me if you need a babysitter sometime I am available."
"We will keep that in mind."
The other arrival stepped forward. She was an older woman and very educated by the looks of the way she carried herself.
"Hello which one of you is Charles Xavier?"
"I am Mrs.?"
"My name is Dr. Cecilia Reyes I heard you were in need of a doctor and I heard that you help Mutants."
"Your timing couldn't be more perfect. Please come inside"
Everyone grabbed their belongings and went inside; May went to the kitchen to help prepare lunch for everyone who had arrived. 10 minutes later May could feel her strength start to falter when Cecilia came up to her to thank her for a wonderful lunch.
"May I must say that was absolutely delicious how is it you make such great chicken salad"
"Trade secrets my dear." She replied weakly
"May are you alright?"
"I'm….fine" May couldn't stand any longer and passed out from the pain that was racking her body. Cecilia caught her and called for help, Piotr arrived in response to the call for help.
"What happened?"
"She passed out; we need to call an ambulance."
"No need, we can take her to the lower levels we have a medical facility there I'll carry her there."
Piotr picked up May and Cecilia followed. Along the way Piotr sent a telepathic message to the Professor telling him to get Peter and Rogue. Shortly afterward Peter was down in the infirmary worry plainly visible across his face.
"Is she alright?"
"Hank is running some tests as we speak, what I can tell you is that she is resting comfortably" Cecilia explained.
Peter walked up to his Aunt and held her hand and stayed there. Rogue showed up about an hour later and found Peter had fallen asleep. Rouge went to her husband's side and laid her hand across his shoulders, which woke him.
"Shh it's alright its meh, has Hank come back with the results yet?"
"No" Peter said groggily "Where's Piper?"
"She is upstairs with Storm and the others." Peter relaxed for a moment and tried to wake up a little more.
"Peter I'll sit with May you go upstairs and get something to eat."
"Thank you Rogue but Kitty already brought me down a sandwich. Thankfully Aunt May made the fixings prior to her passing out otherwise I might be in a bed right beside her."
Rogue chuckled she knew the humor was Peters way of trying to cope also Rogue had to admit that Kitty's cooking was potentially dangerous. Beast came in from the lab with a chart in his hand and looked very somber as he looked at the young couple.
"Hey Hank do you have the results?" Peter asked
"I'm afraid I do and it's not good Peter, I found her white cell count through the roof upon further testing I found May has Cancer of the pancreas."
Peter was devastated.
"That can't be the test must have been wrong or you screwed up a sample or something." Peter Said in a near panic.
"I'm sorry Peter but I ran the test several times and they all confirmed it. I also found traces of cancer drugs in her system. Apparently she had known about it and had tried to treat it but this was too aggressive and I am afraid that it has already spread into her bones judging by the results I estimate she will be gone in the next 24 -48 hours."
Rogue brought her hands to her face as the news hit her and tears began to form in her eyes and began to fall steadily. Peter couldn't express any emotion except anger. Fate had always been cruel to Peter first it made him a weakling book-worm, then it gave him amazing powers that he tried to use to help his family only to have his uncle taken from him, now his only blood family was about to be taken from him again but not by somebody with a gun but by a faceless killer.
"Isn't there anything we can do for her." Rogue asked
Beast just shook his head "only thing we can do is make her comfortable. Cecilia is down here if you need anything. I have to go tell Charles." Beast left the room he walked a few steps then stopped he took his clipboard with the lab results and looked at them, he suddenly felt a great Pain welled up inside of him and with a feral roar took it and smashed it against the wall repeatedly turning the clipboard to splinters he stood there and cried as the rage died down and he left to go fill in the professor.
Up in the mansion all the students had heard about what was going on with May but they weren't told what was happening. A few minutes later the Professor came out of his office looking very upset it had almost looked like he was crying. He gathered all the staff and students, and began to tell them of May's prognosis.
"Everyone I have some very bad news, I have been informed of May's condition it seems she has contracted a cancer in her pancreas and it has spread to her bones." It took everything Charles had not to break down in front of the people he has come to regard as his family. "Hank gives her another 24-48 hours before she is gone." Charles couldn't hold back anymore and started to cry very hard.
All of the students and the staff were totally shocked, Even Logan was moved to tears he had come to really respect May but being the man he wouldn't show how much it hurt him to see her like this instead he turned around and walked to the garage the one place he could be alone and sort out what was going through his head. When he got there he grabbed a beer from his secret stash popped the top and started working on his bike he grabbed the tool he wanted and just stopped before he did any work and just like Hank Wolverine yelled a loud feral roar and took the tool and smashed the gas tank on his motorcycle and kept swinging. By the time he was done his prize motorcycle looked like it was in bad accident he doubted he could fix the damage without new parts, but at this moment he didn't care. He looked up outside and noticed that it had started raining hard over the mansion and he knew Storm had lost her control as well.
Inside Kitty was sitting in a corner of her room since she was told what was going on she didn't want to be around anyone she just wanted to sit in her room and cry forever. May was a like a second Mother to her since her mother died. May was always willing to listen share her wisdom or just hold you until you needed her to stop and that's what made it all the worse for Kitty for the second time in her young life her mother was being taken from her. A knock at her door brought her back to reality for a moment she didn't want to see anybody at this time.
"Go away" she said her voice heavy with emotion. The door opened anyway and Piotr walked in.
"What do you want I told you to go away." She said between sobs
"No Katya I will not leave you, not at a time like this." he walked across the room and held her
"It's not fair Piotr, it's not, why must she be taken from us…..we can do so much I can walk through walls your nearly invincible and yet we can't do anything to help her, why."
"Katya, we are not gods, true we can do great things but none of us are beyond death when it comes we can try to fight it or welcome it like an old friend. Do you understand?"
"No"
"One day you will."
Piotr got up to leave when Kitty grabbed his arm.
"Stay with me I don't want to be alone"
Piotr stayed and held her until she stopped crying she looked at him and saw tears forming she reached for his face and wiped them away as she did she moved closer and began to kiss the man she now knew she loved. He responded by deepening the kiss and then it became more intense. Piotr picked Kitty up and took her to her bed and the two shared a special night together alone and consoled.
MJ was making her way down to see May and Peter. Remy was hot on her heals he didn't know May very well but she treated him with some measure of respect and he in turn gave her his. When they entered the room MJ found Peter hunched over his Aunt. Rogue was doing her best to console him but Peter was too angry to be consoled, he wouldn't talk to his wife and he wouldn't leave his aunt. It broke MJ's heart to see him this broken up.
"Peter…."
"MJ not now I am not going to leave my Aunt she has to get better she must" Peter said in a desperate prayer to change her fate. In that moment May woke up.
"Peter"
"Hello Aunt May I'm here"
"Peter I want you to do something for me" May rasped out
"Name it"
"In my room under the picture of your uncle there is a letter I want you to read, it is for everyone….. I love you so much. I have seen you grow in to a fine young man and a great hero. I will miss you all but now I must go." A small smile came to her lips "I can see your uncle, Peter he's calling to me…. Be and do good." With those last words May took her last breath and succumbed to the illness and she was gone.
"Aunt May? No….no don't go Aunt May Please Nooooooooooooooooooo."
Peter fell to his knees holding his Aunts hand. MJ cried and grabbed hold of Remy crying her heart into his chest Rogue held onto Peter holding him for as long as he needed but Peter just shrugged her away. Cecilia came in from the lab and pronounced her dead on Jan 2 2014.
After a few hours Peter left his Aunt's side and went to her room. He opened the door and walked in he looked around and found the letter she had written he opened it and began to read he got up and went to find the professor he needed everyone together so that Peter's Aunt's last wishes were honored.
Everyone was assembled in the living room as Peter walked in with the professor.
"My aunt May wanted this read to everyone it was her last wish." Peter opened the letter and began to read.
To the people I have come to love and respect, if you are reading this then I have passed on to a new adventure, I am sorry you couldn't come with me but sometimes fate is unkind please don't weep for me I am free. With that being said there are some parting words I wish to leave you with.
For the newest students who have walked into this grand place I may not have had the chance to see you all grow into the fine people I hope you become. I tell you this look to your teachers and the others like you they will guide you and show you that you are capable of great things. Trust them and learn from them for you are the future and I have great hope for that.
Charles you are the warmest, caring, optimist I know you saw a great challenge and decided to take it on head first, you have been a great friend and you are a kind soul I thank you.
Logan the haunted warrior, though you have no memory of your past do not dwell on it though the past may shape you it is your future that people will remember. Take these children and give them the tools to build that future and that shall be your legacy
Ororo my good friend you will always be in my heart and I shall miss our afternoon tea times.
Mary Jane I am sorry that I will not be able to see your child come into this world. I offer you this be yourself and do not fear for your child whatever destiny that falls upon him he shall make the right choice.
Gambit take care of MJ she has had many obstacles in her life and with her help she can guide to the good man that lies beneath that hardened man you project.
Kitty always energetic and free-spirited never lose it for in it lays your strength.
Hank I have but one thing to say I count myself in nothing else so happy
as in a soul remembering my good friends.
Scott and Jean you are leaders through and through and yet despite your difficulties you have found each other hold on to your love as it will never die like the phoenix it always raises from the ashes of itself so true shall it be with your love.
Rogue for so long you were unable to touch that alone would cause anyone to go mad but you endured remember that along the way as a mother you will make mistakes do not dwell on them but use them to make your child better and draw pride from the daughter you have. Goodbye my daughter.
Peter I love you. I cannot stress that enough, you have grown before my eyes you became a good man, a triumphant hero, a loving father, and an honest husband. There is nothing more I need to teach you. Live your life, laugh often, and love everyday as much as you can. Inside you lies a great capacity to love, never forget that.
Well I guess that is all I have to say but I do have one thing left to say from Julius Ceaser
If a man were to know the end of this day's business 'ere it come. But it suffices that the day will end and then the end be known. And if we meet again, well then we'll smile. And if not, then this parting was well made.
Peter closed the letter and looked at everyone.
"Thank you all of you, Professor I believe Aunt May requested to be cremated could we also have a headstone placed somewhere on the property I think she would like that."
"Of course, I'll take care of everything Peter don't worry."
Peter left and went to his house he didn't want to deal with anything not even his family. That night he stayed in one of the spare bedrooms until he fell asleep never once shedding a single tear for his Aunt.
AN: don't hate me for killing off May but i felt Peter needed something to struggle with since his life was going so well lately also May was becoming a non character in my story so i felt i should write her out but you never know her death might serve a greater purpose.
