Disclaimer: I don't own any of the following Characters (although I'd like it) but just, in a "moral" sense, Blackdragon; Captain Britain and MI 13 with their whole cast belong to Marvel Comics, like any other thing - dc comics characters belong to DC comics and Marvel characters belong to Marvel.

Sorry if I updated later than the usual, but I've been away for a couple of weeks, and I decided to put a sort of interlude, the annual, 'cause I'm still trying to fix a couple oif issues I'm having with finishing vampire nation. Anyway..hope you'll like it like you did last year with annual #1!

BLACKDRAGON ANNUAL 02: BROKEN WORLDS

A shadow figure approaches what used to be a window, in a place that it meant a lot for her, once, but that now has lost any form of meaning… from a long time now, actually. Invisible, inconsistent, she looks through the glass, at the outside, at the same thing she used to look to every single night when she was…when she was. She turns, and looks at the young woman sleeping peacefully in the bed at her right; crossed arms, sadness in her eyes, almost full of tears. She wishes to cry, she wishes to sob, she wishes to hold her, she wishes to take that breath, but she can't. she moves towards the piece of furniture, and tries her best to skim over the pale face of the young woman, who shivers, like she is feeling the presence at her side.

Trying again to skim over her, she kneels at her side, smiling, and then leaves her position, moving toward the mirror at the other side of the room; she makes a move, she acts like she is cleaning it, and, instead of her, she starts to see something different… she sees the reflection of the sleeping woman, her reflection and the ones of all her variants in space, time and dimensions….

Together, at least. (or Old Man Logan's time-line)

"Do your worst" these has been Clint Barton's 3 last words, before a man he used to believe in, a man he believed to know, betrayed him, firing at him, a single bullet, direct to the brain. No way he could survive. And, as it happens, Logan knows that he will be the next one, there's no way he could survive this one, not with these many SHIELD agents against him. maybe, once, when he was younger, but now… it's not just the age, and the "death wish" he feels from the moment he killed his friends, he is getting too old. His powers refuse to work like they used to be, Emma was able to make him see what she wanted, something that, when she was younger, wasn't even close to. And he knows, he knows too well that the same goes for his healing factor… and he is not even sure that his family, his love for his family, could be enough for survive. But, as they starts attacking him and he closes his eyes ready to embrace death, something happens, he feels like freezing, like time was slowing down around him, and, as he opens them, he feels her, her presence, and, as he looks at Barton's dead body on the carpet, he remembers what, days before, the archer had told him after he had confessed the truth about the deaths of the X-Men.

"You've not been the only one loosing someone, Logan. Heroes died all over the world… it wasn't you, Logan, evil won, that's all, but it doesn't mean that you had to give up."

"I didn't, Barton, I just found something that was worth it… worth living."

"I tried 4 times, and it never worked… Bobbi has just been the first of many failure, but – he says, leaving the beer on the table, and looking at it, like he could actually see it – but maybe, if I'd choose someone else, if I'd gave her a reason, maybe she could be still alive, maybe we could be both better persons, maybe, maybe…"

"I'm sorry" Logan answers, not even sure who Clint is talking about. He knows Barton enough well to know that soon the former Avenger will tell him everything, that soon the alcohol will talk in his place.

"When Wisdom asked her to follow him and be a part of his team, I know she was doing a mistake accepting to stay with him, and… I tried to convince her to stay with us, you remember how hard I tried, right? And… and I can't forget the look in her eyes when she asked me to give her a reason to stay, but Bobby was back, and I couldn't let her alone, and when she kissed me… I so wanted to kiss her back, Logan, take her in my arms, even making love to her, I wanted to beg her for staying, but I couldn't, I rejected her, and all I could do was looking at her, leaving on that damn jet. And Wisdom even had the balls to show at my door asking for mercy because she was D.I.A., because Dracula had killed her that damn day… - he pauses – I should be the one asking for pardon, it's all my fault. If I'd gave her a reason to stay, maybe my Chris could be still alive…"

"Stark?" he whispers as the figure approaches him, smiling, shining, her body like in fire, her white, candid vest like a star. He has never seen her like that, he has never seen her smiling like that.

"Hi James, It's been so long… I missed you all. - As she moves close to Barton's body, he follows her, and, as she knees near him, touching his forehead with her right, he follows her, open mouth and eyes, unable to do anything different from wondering what she is doing, how Chris Stark's….ghost or whatever it is, is doing, or going to do, or why she is showing just now. – Oh Clint, my brave Robin Hood… it wasn't your fault… Dracula killed me, when I refused to join his forces, it wasn't you… did you really think that I blamed you? You weren't ready for me, and the day you were, it was too late…. But it happens. – she caresses his forehead, stopping her hand on the hole left by the bullet – it's over now, Clint. You can finally rest… it's time for you to find the peace you've never had in life." As she says so, in front of her, another ghost-like figure emerges: Clint Barton how he used to be, and, smiling, he takes her hand, and follows her into the eternity, eternity and beyond, inside the White Hot Room. together, at last.

What feels like home (or Heart 621*)

She had to know it. once seen how spartan his place was, she had to understood how empty his fridge could be; after all, buying food and cooking it haven't never been in his chords, like paying attention to what he should put into an apartment: does 16 years with him really touch her nothing about this man? When they were together… when they were together, it had been in another apartment, in the same building, though, and she has always been the one who put the house in order, who arranged it, who bought food, who cooked it (or gave instructions to HERBIE about what and how do). As, kneed in front of the rather empty fridge, she examines it, dressed with just the shirt of HIS pyjama and her panties, she can't help but think about the past, and what just happened. It wasn't supposed to happen.

"Ehy- she doesn't know what she feels for first, if his voice, his kiss on her neck as he joins her, his arms embracing her from the back, his hotness (literally, and not metaphorically) or his short beard on her skin. When the hell did he started to grow that damn beard? – did you find what you were looking for?"

"How I can ménage to find something here, John? There's absolutely nothing if not out-of-date stuff. I swear, I can't understand how you can survive…" she stops herself before to end the sentence. She knows what her subconscious was going to say, she knows too well how she wanted to end the sentence, as he does. Still in his arms, she turns, and sits on the soil, closing with her mind the fridge. She look at him, but she does it without really wanting it. she feels guilty. He feels guilty. They both know it. they both feel it, but neither of them knows that the other one feels guilty as well.

"Sue and Alicia invites me to them to eat almost everyday, and when I dare to say no, they send Ben to… - he leaves her free, and goes to seat near her, and, as he speaks, he massages his short blonde hair - well, you know what Ben does best, don't you? Let's say that they know that you took care of the food department for our entire relationship." He looks worried, and like he got older in just few months; she can't help but feel the desire to skim over that little line that has appeared on his forehead. They are getting old; well, maybe define them as "old" at just 35 is too much, but they are definitely getting older. She can't even believe that it's more than 20 years since the first time she has met him, and 16 years since they started dating… she does the math again: they are both 35 now, meaning that she met him for the first time exactly20 years before, at 15 (she was already at MIT, but Tony wanted her to see something of "their world" for real); 17 years from their first "date"(the first 3 years spend working for Reed had been Hell between them; every time John was around, he was always making stupid jokes or acting like she was his assistant and not Reed's one; it was only when she was already 18, when Tony died the first time, that he stopped to do it and saw that she wasn't an emotionless bitch with a diamond hearth like he had believed till then), 16 years and half from the first time they've slept together, 14 years from the day they got married, 13 years from the birth of their daughter Adrienne, 1 year from the day they divorced because she was more loyal to Xavier and the dream than to him.

"Who told you that I was in town for that congress?" it's a random question, asked more for curiosity than for any other real reason, but, as she embraces her knees and looks at him, she really doesn't care about it; it's another thing she wants to know about.

"Vic told me.- Vic, being Victor Von Doom, her old mentor. Figures if Reed's best friend and Valeria's godfather decided to not interfere in what he thinks is my biggest mistake… Sure, Victor had told him of the congress, but it wasn't Victor the one who accepted to go with John, when he showed at a lecture, to go to launch, and then to go to see a retrospective about Sophia Loren and Vittorio De Sica, neither he accepted dinner at his "new" place at the F4 Plaza (because their old apartment had a way too many memories of a better past, and it made him suffer too much, he told her), neither was Vic the one to accept what he gave her after the delivered dinner… - and Pete told me you stopped by him and MJ to say hello. He said that he is sure he saw you cry, when MJ told you she is pregnant again." Pete and MJ Parker, John's best friends, were having their second child; May, the first born, was now 10. Adrienne was 13, and still an only daughter, and seemed to be doomed to stay that way. Although, Pete and MJ were as old as themselves…

"Adrienne has her own life, and she is barely 13…- she was almost crying.- Adrienne is one of the most powerful pyre-kinetic of the planet and has her own life with the X-MEN and doesn't care about me…"

"Adrienne is with the X-Men because she had to learn to control her powers, and still wishes to see her parents together again… and you're not getting old. You still have time… - he pauses as he gets closer to her and kisses her on the lips – we have time to have other babies, we're young… besides- he pauses, and grins, as he takes her in his arms, bridal style, coming back to the bedroom – Jen and Matt never registered the divorce, because they thought it was only a moment; so, technically, we're still Mr. and Mrs. Jonathan Storm…"

Callin' all Avengers (or: Iron Man the movie 1,5**)

When she leaves her room, finally, it's already afternoon, late afternoon, to be more accurate, but Christine Antoinette Stark doesn't care, never did and never will. Not about this, at least. What she is caring about, what's troubling her right now is something different, that has nothing to do with her being late for lunch with her older brother and co-CEO. Fully dressed with shabby jeans, a t-shirt and an open shirt on it, she looks around herself, in search of any sign of life, and, spotting no one around her, sobbing and taking deep breaths, she moves to her final destination, where she knows the person she is looking for will be and surely is, and, in fact, as soon as she enters in the garage, she sees him (them) and gasps in surprise, astonished, wordless.

"Oh. My. God. - She just says as she looks at her brother, piloting a new mark of the already famous Iron Man- that's the greatest thing I've ever seen in my life, and I saw almost everything."

Crossing his arms, Jim laughs under his breath, looking at her and then at his best friend. He knows Tony's little sister, being Tony's friend you can't not know her, since she has always been around them because "her friends were just kids", but he has never saw this aspect. He thought she knew everything – word is she knows everything – but here she is, a 25 years old who still looks like a teen-ager, wordless and astonished, like a child in candyland.

"It's been a while, Dr. Stark" he says, still looking at Tony, underlining the fact that she is a doctor – not a doctor in medicine, sure, but a physicist and an engineer – while Tony isn't. She smiles, pleased by how he has always taken her in consideration; everybody in the world saw her as just Tony Stark's little sister, but Jim was different. He saw Chris, that's all. And she has always enjoyed this, like his company.

"Suuure, it has been, let me check… - Tony says as he regains possession of the soil – 4 hours. Glad to see that you decided to put on some pieces to cover all that skin.- he grins – guess what? She dates a friend of yours, some Hal guy, or something like that…"

"Yeah, heard he is Shield now…"

"Like almost everybody in the world, even you. And Reed Richards. And Hank McCoy, among the others. And me, obviously."

"Ehy, they pay well. And, besides, I'm the super-hero in the family, while you're simply a consultant."

Tony grins, making fun of her, a little revenge for the underlining previously done by Rhodey about her many academic titles.

"Yeah, well, nobody's… - she stops as she feels her cell vibrating, a brand new model of UMTS mobile designed in part by her, that, less than a month after its launch, surpassed even the third generation of the I-Phone, making even the brand new Google Phone old story – sorry people, gotta take it, from my London Assistant. See you later. Ehy, M, what's wrong? I thought I asked to call me only in presence of some near death matter…. Hope it's worth it." She says as she leaves the room, joking and having a sarcastic tone she developed during the years, a sign of intelligence, while going into her room and closing the door, switching on a lamp on her nightstand, without turning on any actual light, while, in the same instant, every electronic component in the mansion it's like trembling

"I secured the line, you can talk." She says as she puts the mobile on a structure similar to an I-pod amplificatory, making appear the holographic image of a Afro-American man with an eye-patch, in his 40s in front of her, like he was on some kind of screen.

"What the hell do you think you're doing, Stark? I don't pay you because you could go to play the role of the unsure and sweet little girl! I send you there so you could talk your brother into become an Avenger, something he doesn't want to be! "

"And, how do you think I could convince him? C'mon, sir, do you think I can walk in our home saying "guess what, I work as an undercover agent of Shield because I happen to have super powers!" sorry, I have the feel it will not work."

"We. Need. Him."

"I need a little bit longer, but I swear, I'll convince him to become an Avenger."

"well, you're not that wrong… I guess we'll have to let you check on him as a shadow body-guard for a little longer, until the right time will come… but meanwhile…"

"I know Sir, meanwhile, we need to get his identity secret again. And I think we could arrange something about it. If Tony felt that being an hero would eventually put my life or any other life of people he cares for in jeopardy, I'd quit, or at least, find a way to convince the mass that he isn't really Iron man, and that it was all about advertising. The preliminary probabilistic analysis I'm making suggest that he'll convince Captain Rhodes to put on the Iron Man suite, while being somewhere else as Tony Stark, in at least 5 to 10 different occasions."

"Are you suggesting me to arrange your ransom at the hands of some of his arch-nemesis?"

"Or, maybe, a brand new one, sir. – she answers as it could be the most innocent and natural and common thing to do in life – the first time the Black Widow come into America, she worked with a certain Clint Barton, former circus star turned golden archer turned criminal for love. He turned himself in and he is in jail now. According to our profile, he could be a valuable asset. I'm pretty sure he'll be happy to accept to work for you in order to redeem himself. – she pauses, gesticulating, again sarcastic – it's incredible what people does to get in terms with themselves… for what concerns me, I've never had this kind of problem in almost 10 years of work with the intelligence."

"That's because you don't have a conscience at all, Sage… By the way, we failed again with your boyfriend. Looks like the energy of that damn ring can't be duplicated, and he is still the only one able to control that power. Looks like he is doomed to stay the only Green Lantern…"

"I'd prefer emerald warrior, or emerald knight… green lantern is so… kitsch."

"Said the one who used to call herself Psy-blade…"

"I've never said I'm perfect, boss, I said that I'm almost perfect…or, at least, closer to perfection then my brother."

"Ok, well, I'll stay in touch, see what we can do about that contingency plan of ours… Nick Fury out"

"Sage out." She says as she takes in her hands her mobile again, looking outside the window at the sea, worried about what's to come, about a world that's getting every day more dangerous, for normal people and even for the ones like her.

I no longer think Justice is better served cold- the Justice Schism (or: New Earth***)

"Ouch. Did Dinah called you two too?" as Captain Hal "Green Lantern" Jordan enters in the meeting room of the JLA satellite still flying, he can't help but wonder why one of his best friends – Dinah Lance-Queen, alias Black Canary, current chairwoman of said group – called in such an hurry him, and why in the world other two of his best friends are there as well.

"I think we're about to get lectured" Says Oliver "Ollie" Queen, alias Green Arrow, husband to Dinah. Friend to Hal from more than a decade and half, he is resting in one of the chairs, while the other occupant of the room is lying against a wall, near a window, looking at the Space. Of the 3 of them, Christine "Chris" Johnson, better known as the current host of the Phoenix force, is the only one not in costume (because, 1)she never liked them and avoided them as pest, and 2)her identity in the league is well known and she doesn't see any good reason to wear even on the satellite her white and gold costume/uniform and that damn domino mask), and 3)she was caught a bit off-guard while having lunch with Iris, busy arranging the "new" wedding with her again found husband, wearing now sneakers, jeans and that green ¾ sleeves shirt with the Phoenix logo on that Hal always enjoyed so much and found that much attractive.

"I think that everybody here knows why Dinah called, I mean, you seriously thought nobody was going to notice what you were doing, after Hal's declaration of war in front of the whole super-hero community?" she crosses her arms, looking at the ceiling, gesturing a little.

You're late. Switch your com-links to channel D. enter the slideways.

"Dinah, I'm not sure I like your tone- Hal says as the trio touches their respective com-links, entering in an unknown space – what the hell is that place?"

"One, you definitely don't like my tone. Two, welcome to the lounge, and three, Ollie, dear, may I have a quick word with you?"

"Sure, Honey, what's up?- as he comes closer, she doesn't say a word, but simply hits him as hard as she can with her right fist, leaving him on the soil, his arrows our from the quiver and all over the "room"- I highly doubt it's some kind of kinky sex play, right?"

As he is still on the soil massaging his face, Dinah keeps her eyes closed, her fist fixed at her side, immobile. "Ollie, I'm trying as hard as I can to not hit you again, but you're not exactly helping your cause, here"

"Ok, well, let's not make this an habit, because I'm pretty sure I deserved at least one."

"Don't sell yourself short, Ollie, you deserve to be hit repeatedly, she doesn't know about half the stuff you've done." Hal says smirking, while Chris has taken place at the round table, sitting on it.

"You don't get to joke about this, Hal – Dinah says, just to turn to face her best friend from years, sitting at the opposite side, crossed arms, looking in another direction – you haven't said a single word, Chris. Where your British wit went?"

"I'm not in the mood, besides, I'm sure you'll not like what I'm gonna say"

"Dinah, this is important for me, for us."

"I don't care, Hal, you don't have the authority to form a group, I forbid it."

"where I came from, at one point, there were the federal Avengers from Shield before and Hammer later, the Avengers sans frontier or whatever Pym's team-mates called themselves, the new "new Avengers" of Clint, the Avengers resistance led by Tigra, the young avengers, the 50 state avengers team and… - both Hal and Dinah looks at her mad and furious – ok, sorry, I'll shout up, but I was just trying to prove a point." beside, you asked me where my wit went, and, well, here it is…

"you heard what I said, and you, Ollie, it's pathetic, suiting up again to go to play travelling hero with your boyfriend. I'm disappointed, not just because it's a little homophobic, but for what you've done to me… and I can't believe – she says turning again to Chris, who has left her British sarcasm to came back to a more valuable seriousness- that you know what was going on and didn't say a thing! How could you support them, Chris? I though you were better than this! How could you two, my husband and my best friend, do this to me?"

"This isn't about you, Dinah, and I don't support them – Chris says standing, going to face her friend and boss, who smiles relieved – I'm with them all the way"

"Damn, Chris, I knew that Ollie could do this, that he wanted to relive the old days before it was too late, but I can't believe you're doing this to me… when did you start to put him –she says as she puts an hand on her forehead, almost shouting out of rage – before us? I'm the chairwoman of what's left of the League, and now I'm loosing 3 members because my husband flies off with a splinter group with his best-mate from the glorious days and because you can't get Hal out of your head for good?"

"I can't believe you said that, Dinah! –Chris snapped, the few object in the room starting to fly for her uncontrollable telekinetic powers fuelled by her rage – you seriously think that I'd put Hal before what I believe in? if I'm staying with them, is because I think what they are doing is right!"

[[whispers between Hal and Ollie]]

["She is staying with us now? It means we have out first recruit?"

"Looks like that"]

"You heard me right, Dinah. I think Hal's right, and I'm not saying this because we are together, it's the opposite, to be honest – she says calming down a little, but getting colder and colder – I'm with him because I believe in what he is doing. And I want you to know that, for what concerns me, this is not about you or how you guide the League."

"Sweetie, To be honest…"

"my turn to talk now, Jordan. You'll say what you want when I'll be over. and don't sweetie on me"

[ "I'm starting to understand what you see in her. So, you are with her now? Didn't know that. you shouldn't lie to your best friend, Hal…" He smirks.

"We wanted to see how we could work things out, before, you know…I think she wanted to avoid to make me hate by everybody in case it went bad between us."

"What a nice girl" Ollie sarcastically says

"Eh, and I get to see her in lingerie, without lingerie, and with her old black leather uniform… and don't make me start about when she is in a white coat and get all scientific on me… that is god-like sex."

Handsome, I'm here, you know…

"you'll not have sex this night, Jordan"

"I guess that neither will you, my dear former Star City major"]

"It's about me, Dinah. I can't take this any longer. We keep loosing friends… team-mates… and the people we swear to protect. And then? We caught the bad guys, scare them a bit, and after a while they're back. And they hit harder than before. What are we accomplishing? Hell – she pauses – we're ending waiting for them to show up again instead of going in their search…"

"I hope you're not suggesting…"

"I say, they hit us, and we hit back, as hard as they did, that's what I'm saying. They hurt us? We hurt them back, and see if we can teach them some lesson."

"Chris, you're being…"

"I don't care what I'm being. You haven't seen what I've seen, and I prey God you'll not have to. My entire race has been murdered, Dinah, and nobody was there for us, nobody tried to see what happened. Nobody paid for those 16 millions of innocents. Nobody paid for the Grey family, slaughtered by an alien race who was scared of the Phoenix. Nobody paid for my parents' homicide.- she pauses – Hal is the law in this sector, Dinah, and I'm his equivalent on the onmiversal level. You can try as hard as you want, but we have enough of this. You want a league? Fine. But we want something different… we want justice. And you can't forbid us it, because, whatever you like it or not, we're the law." As she says so, her hair starts to go on flames, her entire body soon consumed by the force, becoming the force itself, and disappears, like in a flash of light… no, not of light, a flash of fire.

"I should have used the teleporter - it's been few hours after the discussion with Dinah at the Justice League Headquarter, when Hal comes home in Coast City, surrounded by a green globe, and approaches one of the windows of his apartment, the same window where his girlfriend is looking from, lying against it while busy drinking a cup of hot coffee, dressed with underwear and one of his t-shirts, too big for her but comfortable enough to make her feel safe and cared for. – Birdie, honestly, you want to go back? If you want I'll understand, I mean…" he asks, as he enters, and comes back to being "plain" Hal, taking her in his arms, and giving the woman a quick kiss on her forehead.

"Harold Jordan, I can't believe you're asking me this….- she pauses, kissing him on the lips – you were there for me, every time I needed you. you never second guessed me. this is the same now, I'm here for you, all the way. I trust you, Hal… I trust you'll always do what's right."

"You're too good for me, sweetheart."

"I know.- she smirks, skimming with her index over a point where, just months before, Black Hand had hit him quite hard – it remained a scar" she says as he takes her palm and kisses it.

"you were amazing with that green t-shirt. It's my favourite, I find it quite… exciting."

"I know"

"this is my favourite shirt, among my ones you know. Sometimes, I could want it back"…

"we can work on this, I'm still a businesswoman, after all."

"Dinah will definitely kill us…."

Friend or enemy?(or the Ultimate Universe)****

"Kirsten Johnson?" high school student Kirsten Johnson was having a day like any other, until, while walking to school, a middle age man stopped her. It wasn't that she was the kind of person who talks to strangers – her mother taught her it when she was just a baby girl – but he looked like an old man, in need of help. And, frankly, hearing someone calling her by name took her quite by surprise, and, before her brain could process it, someone at her shoulders put a hood on her head, covering her face, and felt a sudden pain in her back, like needles, and, then, the world went black for her.

When she comes back, she doesn't have a minima idea about where she is, how she come there, how long it had been or why is there. She just knows that, now that the hood in no more, the room is dark, with just a light pointed at her, and someone is in the room with her, someone she can't see. She feels like they are questioning her. She feels they are questioning her. And she is scared about it, because, although she doesn't know who they are, she now has a certain idea about the reason behind their behaviour and her presence there.

"Show us" she hears a man's voice saying. She can't see who's speaking, can't get a look at him, at how he looks like, she just can say that's a man and that he sounds like a young one. not that she cares too much, now that he has said it, she knows that what she thought was right. They re after her because of her abilities. Because of what she is. Because she is a mutant. But she is strong. She has learned to be strong, and she isn't going to give them that satisfaction. She'll show them nothing. And, so, one of the men hit her, and, right on the face, closed fist, and, while he is going to do it again and again, she sees that the one who spoke takes the hand of the "attacker", stopping him, avoiding to do her other damages.

"Do you know what you are?" yes, she knows. She knows she is a mutant. And she knew they were after her for this reason and this reason only. And she can't help but think that, if her mother wasn't like her, she could easily hate mutants for what are causing her.

"do you know who your father is?" what kind of question… something she can't lie about. She can't lie, while in silence, because she doesn't know who her father is. She knows her mother, who taught her, and is still teaching her, everything. She doesn't have a proper father, just a mother doing both the jobs.

"The aliens are after our world. The Kitauri, have you ever heard about them? They're shape-shifters. – a new male voice says entering in the room, going in front of her just to then turn and give her his back – they tried to conquer us, they did from centuries, and have always filed. This time, the Ultimates did some pretty good damages, but, who knows, maybe they could come back. Maybe someone else could come here to invade us… - he faces her, eyes in her eyes – tell me what you know about the Havanian Race."

She can sees him. A black man, who's scaring her. And she is never scared. "I don't know what you are talking about, I swear!"

"Tell me about your mother"

"she is a secretary, she works for the Major's office! That's all!"

"Tell me about your father"

"I don't know. My mother never talks about him. I'm pretty sure it was some kind of unknown sperm donator from who knows what clinic…" she is almost panicking, in tears. And she is starting to feel it. It's boiling. Into her veins. Her blood is fighting her. Her instincts are fighting her. She is loosing the battle. And soon they'll have what they want, their victory.

"You're not human- he says as he kneels in front of her, whispering into her ears – if you'll help us, we'll not hurt you, I promise. You're just a child without any fault, but we need to understand you and your people."

"We're human just like you.." she exclaims between tears, shouting. This is no longer her battle, but the battle of her race. The mutant race.

"No, you're not – he is so calm, she can't stand it – or, at least, not totally. You're just human for half. Your other half is Havanian."

"I don't know what a damn Havanian is!"

"do they still teach biology at school? - he asks, as at the other side of the room, on the wall, few images, pictures, start to appear, projected like from nowhere. – you're seeing, in order, a human DNA, a mutant DNA, a Havanian DNA and, finally, your own. Do you still think you're human?" he grins, enjoying it. And now, she has enough, she can no longer stand it. Her eyes shine, her back hurts and bleeds, like cut from nowhere and no one, wounds appeared from the air. What was keeping her hostage is no more, and, screaming, she collapses into foetal position, on the soils, just to stand, unsure, minutes later, as the man continues to grin; he has what he wanted: a tall creature, humanoid, feminine, extremely short black fur all over her body – so short that it looks like a skin – pointed ears, demonic blooded wings, long and wild white hair, paws and claws, a tail. She looks like a humanoid dragon, a gargoyle, even.

"well, well, well… look at what we have here. You, my sweet girl, wanted to know what an Havanian is? Well, you are an half-blood Havanian. And your mother, a secretary? Sorry to disappoint you, but she was a scout. An alien scout, I mean … A full blood Havanian, if you want to put it in that way an habitant of the planet Havania. And now… now we need to study you. We'll not hurt you, you're too precious for us. But you'll have to cooperate. And, maybe, one day, I'll tell you something more about your dear daddy…"

Mummy and daddy are not that much disappointed…(or: The next generation of X-Men after the end…)

Once upon a time, the city of Hammer bay was the capital of Genosha, one of the richest and most advanced countries of the world…a country based on slavery of mutants, that ended, like all the nations grounded on such a cruelty, badly. At the time that magneto has gained the mantle of Lord of the Nation – a king in all the senses – it was laid waste, almost her entire population was slaughtered, of more than 16.000.000, just a brunch of them survived, less than 100, and, now, it houses just ghosts, in the more literal sense, thanks to the mutant-paranormal powers of Morgan "Wicked", a woman who possess the power to call, control and talk to the spirits. To bring the last generation of mutants –Oliver Raven (Son of Rogue and Gambit), Rico (grandchild of Reed Richards, son of Franklin Richards and Rachel Grey), No-Name (somehow connected to the Neos?), Pavel Raputin (grandchild of the first Colossus), Becka Munroe (daughter of Storm)and the telepath "marvel twins", the black haired and blue eyed Liz and Howie Stark-Wisdom - who proclaimed themselves X-MEN against the will of their teachers and families, it was fate, in the guise of a group of villain Shadow X, known very well in particular by the twins, whom parents fought them back in the days.

"well, I confess, we did underestimate the lot of you…- Hank McCoy says, as he approaches the teen-agers, while Shadow X is in chains on the soil, passed out.- but don't expect the bill to be cheap…"

"They're children, Henry. In particular, my children! Aren't you supposed to be nice?" As Val cooper, Liaison of the School with the government, approaches them, she is anticipated by an holographic image, the image of the man who's at head of the British Intelligence.

"Dad seems mad…"Howie says to his sister through his mind, seeing his father in front of them. They know how their dad get when he is mad, and this is one of those times that almost 50 years old Pete Wisdom, black hair turned into salt and pepper one, left the cigarettes for the cigars to emulate his idol Fury, is mad.

"And I don't think we even have to start with your mother.." a grinning psy-image from the astral plane appears at their backs, grinning while the two teens are terrorized; as they feel her presence, they turn, and see their mother, Christine Stark-Wisdom, looking at crossed arms at the whole team, at her former team-mate McCoy in particular. More than 40s, Chris has given up costumes and uniforms a long time ago, preferring her usual business suites to do her work of liaison of X- CORP Europe with the Britain Government, something she and her husband get along with very well.

"You weren't the only one to underestimate them. I think that Shadow X did the same mistake…"

"Speaking of which… considering that Genosha belongs to no country, and that last time my unit was the one to have them in custody, I'd like to take them back to see what they did in the last 20 years, after Albion apparently killed them…"

"well, Wisdom, Surprise, Surprise… they are alive and well."

"yeah, well, McCoy, I'm a man who's not so easy to surprise, so… by the way, one of our transports is en route, so, don't worry, Val, we'll take good care of them." He say, grinning evilly with satisfaction.

"jerk"

"you're just jealous. By the way, in you, I'd be nice with the kids, McCoy."

"what your dad is trying to say in his very own way, it's that we've battled this mutants before, and, considering their potential and their abilities, and it took us a way longer to win over…"

"you all did a bloody hell of a work, that what daddy is trying to say, meaning that I… - he pauses , to correct himself and add something- that your mummy and I trained you well. Guess that the trick of the psy-claws turned useful, at the end. …about time someone decided to make the difference again." He says, smirking, as proud as never before, just like his wife.

You'll always be daddy's little girl- no, wait, your brother's little girl (or the MC2 Universe)…

A new generation of heroes. Chris can't help but think about it. Of her generation, almost everyone retired, and now, it's up to their children, their daughters and sons, to carry on their legacies. Some of the people of her time has died, true, and sometimes the one that took on the mantle weren't genetically related to their predecessors, but, does it really care? No, it doesn't, because she knows that it's not with simple blood that their "names" will go on. The names they choose will always continue, they'll always find someone with the strength, the courage, the bravado to be the new one. She knows it's a way to be honoured, to be remembered. And she can't help but smile as, while sitting in her kitchen drinking some decaffeinated "thing", she looks at screen. The new generation of heroes, or, as someone called them, the "heroes for tomorrow, today". One of them is Kate Bishop, the girl who took the mantle of Clint, calling herself Hawkeye. She still remembered it, it was after he… after he got ill. It seemed yesterday. It was what, 5, 6 years before? She never asked. It wasn't up to her, because she knows. She remembers everything about Clint. 5 years, 45 weeks. She doesn't tell him, though. Clint doesn't want to feel that someone, that her, is feeling pity for what happened to him. He can be blind, but he sees with every other sense. Maybe he isn't like Matt, but he has learned all his tricks. Ha can be blind, but he sees everything. And he sees everyone. He sees…

"Ehy! – she jumps as she finally feels two presences at her back, avoid the liquid to reach the soil just because of her telekinetic powers – you scared me, you two!" she is going to leave her seat, put Clint puts an hand on her shoulder, forcing her to stay where she is. Lowering, he gives her a kiss on her hair, the same hair that Tony soon uncombs, messing with them like when she was a child or a teen-ager, just before the duo joins her at the table.

"She is not a kid anymore, Tony…" Clint sweetly tells him, in his direction, like he could actually saw him, but just for a second. He gazes again at her, taking her hand in his one and playing with her fingers.

"It doesn't care her current state, Clint. She is my sister. She'll always be a kid to me – he turns to look at the screen, at the Avengers. Among them two youngsters, blonde hair, brown eyes, a girl with Chris' old costume, one with one of Swordmaster's ones. – looks like the twins are making themselves useful, after all…"

As a single, silent tear escape from Clint's eyes, Chris skims with her right over his forehead, at closed eyes, and makes contact. His eyes are blinded, but not his soul, not his mind, and, through her eyes, through her mind, he sees it, he sees them, again. He still remembered when he met them, Chris' children, heirs to the former Blackdragon and to an unknown man, but the truth he has always knew was that he knew that they were supposed to be his children. After their comeback from the alternate Earth created by Franklin and the Morgana accident, they talked, for, maybe, the first time, because she told him everything. She told him the truth. And he was scared of it. He was scared of her being that much in love with him, needing him that much, but, mostly, he was scared of him being in love with her, and needing her. That, and her issues with Tony, resulted in her leave, a leave that lasted years, and, once she come back, she had these 2 wonderful kids with her, 2 little mutants and fighters that he helped to train, two children that maybe didn't have his surname, but were his children, 2 children he had never seen if not thanks to her mind.

"what?" he asks, as he loses contact with her, realising she jumped and feeling her smiling. Without replying, she takes his hand and put her in her belly, her growing and very pregnant belly, where her soon third born to be is kicking.

"looks like there's a real Barton over there, already a fighter, our kid…" he says as he kisses her, a kiss she replies to very happy and satisfied.

"Jeez… could at least you two get a room? I'm trying to give a look at the news here!"

As the shadows looks at the girl again, she kneels at her side, and, as she gives her a quick kiss, like a mother would, Christine Antoinette Johnson feels like a cold breeze through her spine, and wakes up. She looks at the room, like to try to spot something she thinks she is feeling right now, but she knows, obviously, that she's wrong. There's no one there, no one but her, she is alone, in what used to be her real parents' mansion, and, unsure, she comes back to sleep.

"Sleep well my child, be strong. Soon you'll have to face your enemies… you'll have to be strong and brave, like all that versions of you I've seen. They'll help you, their powers, one day, will converge in you, giving you strength. because, although I'm dead, I can't stand the thought of losing another one of my daughters… and I prey God one day you'll be able to find our Marion, wherever she is now…"

*Obioviously, you can't know this one, but this is the Dimension the "original" Blackdragon cames from, as seen in my very first fan-fiction, Avengers: Alternative worlds,never before seen in Englisg but well known by the Italian fan-fiction fan-dom...

**deleted scene from "Tony Stark's five rules of engagement", in the riron man the movie section.

***Inspirated by Justice League #32, If i'm not that wrong, and Justice League: a cry for Justice. for a quick prequel of this paragraph, see, in the dc supreheroes section, Rise of the Phoenix.

****the Havana Palnet is a paradise-like planet, similar to the land of the 1000 and one nights, not present in the Marvel universe, but I've seen it in an issue of Green lantern - I'm quite a fan, as you probably imagine. Tecnically, i wanted to go with the race of Lockheed, but it has never been said the name of said "people", and I arranged with the closest thing I found...

Ok, now you can tell me if you liked it or if you hated it... I WANT A lot of reviews!!... and see you with next chapter in a month or so... next: the war with Dracula continues!