Sorry this issue took longer! I was on a trip to America and just forgot about it! lol. The next issue should be up before next weekend!

Ultimate X-Men:

Issue 81

Aftermath: Part 2

Scott, Jean, Alex, and Ororo all sat in Xavier's office on one side of the professor's desk. A man with white hair and a black business suit was sitting in the spot that Xavier usually occupied.

He smiled at the teenagers. Jean grabbed Scott's hand while he placed his other hand on his chin, watching the man. Both Jean and Scott where wearing formal wear, colored black and looking depressed.

Ororo was in a skin tight lime green shirt and gray sweats, she was still crying. It had been two days since Xavier was laid to rest and this was the first time she left her room. The only reason why she left was because Alex made her.

Alex was on the other side of Ororo and was wearing his battle uniform. Since Xavier died Alex had changed, but it seemed that Colossus was the only one to notice. It seemed that Alex was always ready for a battle. He wasn't looking for them or trying to find them, he was just constantly ready for it.

He had already gone out on three different occasions finding fights to stop, or start.

"I'm glad the four of you could make it." The man said. He coughed and opened a manila folder filled with papers. "As I've told you, the entirety of the Xavier estate has been passed on to you. The mansion, the few other real estate holdings in his possession, and what little liquid assets he had…" He paused and flipped over a piece of paper. "… will all be under the joint control of the four of you.

"I'm told the mansion houses some type of school; that is now yours. But it looks like the liquid assets would only cover the operating expenses for around three months." Alex looked at the man, confused at first.

The man continued, but Alex tuned him out and instead reached out with his mind. He mentally thought about Jean and noticed that her telepathy was completely turned off.

Ororo… Alex mentally thought. Are you listening to this?

What?

Xavier left us the school… but there's something wrong... Scott—

"No." Scott said sharply. "Selling the school is not an option. We're not going to be selling anything." Scott let go of Jean's hand and crossed his arms over his chest. "He didn't leave this to us so we could get rich off it."

"Wait…" Ororo said snapping out of her daze state. "So he left this to the four of us? Why did he do that? Why me?"

Jean looked down at her lap and her red hair fell around her eyes. "I think we're all here to keep each other honest… The four of us represent everything that Xavier believed in…" Jean looked up at the man on the other side of the desk when he coughed again.

"Yes, well, for whatever reason, you've come into a sizable real estate holding. You now own a number of warehouse in New York. If you could start renting them out… that could bring in a substantial profit."

"What?" Alex asked leaning in his chair. "How many buildings did the Professor own?"

"And what was he doing with them?" Scott asked looking at the three other mutants.

Anna was bent over looking in her closet for her older uniform. Ever since she joined up with the X-Men of the past she put the dirty uniform into the back of her closet and never wanted to look back.

She heard a whistle from behind her and she straighten, but not before she found what she was looking for. Anna turned around and tugged her long brown hair behind her ear and smiled at Michael who was standing in her doorway.

Anna had been rooming with Rose before she was kidnapped and half the room looked like no one had lived in it ever since. It took days for Anna to even sleep in the room when she was first kidnapped, and even longer to go through her best friend's things.

"What'd you gonna do with that?" Michael asked her.

Anna smiled at her boyfriend. She had been in love with him ever since she could remember, maybe even longer. To Anna, Michael was perfect in every way… she didn't know how to explain it, she just felt… better when he was around.

"I'm going to leave." Anna said flatly.

Michael looked surprised and then smiled at her. "And where do you plan on leaving to?"

"I'm not leaving, leaving… I'm going to look for Rose, before anything else can stop me."

Michael watched the girl take off her shirt and pull the torn leather one over her head. She then turned around and grabbed for her jacket, but Michael beat her to it.

"Have you talked to Alex about this?"

Anna looked annoyed and shook her head. "I'm starting to think he doesn't even care about us anymore… he's changed since we came here."

"You mean—"

"No, not that… He just… it's kinda hard to explain."

"No, I think I understand… but I think we should tell him we're leaving."

Anna stopped grabbing for things and looked at Michael; she smiled and shook her head. Just another reason to love the man, she never had to ask for anything. Michael knew exactly what to say and when to say it… even when to offer his help.

"I don't think—"

"I wasn't asking for your permission and if Alex has a problem with it, well then…" Michael cracked his knuckles and smiled.

Anna laughed and shook her head. "I would be honored if you join me."

Michael smiled his goofy smile that Anna loved so much and she walked over to hug him.

"So when are we leaving?" He asked a he hugged her tightly.

Ororo, Alex, Scott, and Jean walked down the hall away from Xavier's study, talking.

"It's just a bit much for me…" Ororo was saying, pulling and hand through her hair. "That's all I'm saying. It's a lot of responsibility. It's not something I want to do with my life, y'know?"

"Nothing's changed, Ororo." Alex said walking next to her. "Now you're just a… co-owner in the X-Men." Alex smiled. Ororo looked up at the boy and smiled back, Alex knew she liked that idea.

"We'll discuss this later." Scott said watching the two mutants walk ahead of himself and Jean.

The four teenagers entered the main room and Jean looked up at the stairs, Logan was holding a bag and walking down the huge grand staircase.

"Going somewhere, Logan?" Jean asked, wrapping an arm around Scott's.

"Been putting some things off for a while now." Wolverine said, shifting the weight of his bag. "Figured now was as good a time as any to take care of 'em. With Chuck gone, it's just not the same around here."

Jean let go of Scott and walked over to Logan, placing a hand on his arm. "Are you sure about this?"

"You need some company?" Ororo asked walking up to the man, she didn't want him to leave, especially after that kiss they shared, but then it occured to her. That's why he kissed her.

He was planning on leaving.

Logan smiled at the teenager, "As much as I'd like to have you along, 'Ro… this is something I'm gonna have to handle on my own." Logan placed a hand on Ororo's shoulder and she smiled, looking down at her feet.

Wolverine turned to leave and waved at the four teenagers in the room. Ororo looked up from the floor and smiled to herself. "If something comes up… you know where to find me."

"Okay…" Scott said to the other three teenagers. "We'll continue this discussion later. I've called a meeting with Lilandra from the Church of Shi'Ar Enlightenment… we're probably going to need to rest up for that."

"Do you think we need to talk with her?" Alex asked.

"Yes… without her money, this operation can't work." Scott said simply as he and Jean began to walk up the stairs.

Alex and Ororo watched the two walk up the stairs and disappear down a hall. Alex turned to Ororo with a weird expression on his face.

"I think he has something he's not telling us…"

"Well, I'm not gonna let it bother me… I'm off to bed."

Alex looked at the grandfather clock in the room and laughed. "Ororo, it's three in the afternoon."

Clarice sat on a recliner watching Bobby and Rogue play another video game. She had her long pink hair drawn over her shoulder and her legs pulled up under her. Clarice was completely enthralled with the concept of the video game.

Bobby would laugh every time Clarice would jump with the character or yell every time the character would fall off the wall. Rogue smiled up at the girl and patted her on the leg.

"It's harder than it looks too."

"I can't see how –"

"Shhh!" Bobby said without taking his eyes of the television screen.

Bishop looked annoyed at the teenagers and pushed out his lips to continue the conversion that was interrupted by Clarice's shock surprised. "I'm just saying, even though the Professor is gone… you can still learn to better control you powers. I see so much potential in you."

"Dude, my game… this is like the hardest level." Bobby said, not taking his eyes off the screen. "My concentration is shot!"

"Just hear me out, Iceman." Bishop said louder. "You create ice; you do a lot of amazing things with ice…. But how do you do that?" Bishop asked the young man.

Not waiting for an answer, Bishop continued, "With minimal effort you are taking moisture out of the air and slowing water molecules down to make them cold." He stopped and looked around at the other teenagers. "What else can you slow down? There are some very interesting possibilities regarding your powers that I'd like to help you explore."

Bobby pushed out his lips and pulled the controller in the air. "Oh yeah, Bishop? And I'd like to know how you kill this boss when all they give you on this level is a freakin' pistol." Bobby pulled the controller back down and jumped up on his knees.

"Look… you get me a strategy guide next time you go out… and I'll listen to whatever you have to say."

Bishop groaned and stood up off the couch. "I wish… you… your future self must have blocked out all memories of his adolescence." He walked away from the teenagers and walked across the room. "I'm late for an appointment anyway."

"He is so weird…" Clarice said to Rogue as the man left the room.

Rogue nodded her head and turned her attention to Bobby, who said, "Did you understand a word of what he was talking about?"

"I wasn't listening. I'm having too much fun watching you play this game worse than I ever have."

Clarice suddenly stood up and walked out of the living room without saying a word to the other teenagers. Rogue and Bobby hardly noticed as Bobby begin the level again.

A Few Days Ago:

Alex stood over the sleeping Nightcrawler with his hands on the blue man's forehead. Both looked to be in extreme pain, and then suddenly, Nightcrawler opened his eyes.

"Alex!" He roared, straining against the restraints.

Alex opened his eyes and smiled at the man. "Do you feel better?"

Nightcrawler looked around the room, sweet drenching his clothes and covering his brow. "I… I can't seem to… focus."

"That's because of the physic blocks I removed from you." Alex said taking a step away from the mutant. "I don't really understand how I did it, I just did it." He paused and looked down at his hands, almost like they were covered with something. "It was like someone guiding me…"

"Alex… Help me." Nightcrawler pleaded. "I don't want…"

"You're not going to doing anything bad again. Xavier was a smart man, but he messed up some of your… wiring… when he was helping you coup with the Weapon X project."

"What?" Nightcrawler asked, but Alex didn't answer while he untied Nightcrawler's bounds and walked back to the door.

"No time. Jean will be here shortly." Alex waved a hand and the darkness in the room seemed to grow. "I want you to leave. My group will be in Chicago in 2 weeks' time. Meet us there."

Nightcrawler looked like he was going to say something but was stopped when Aex raised his hand. "Go." Alex said and Nightcrawler teleported away without another word.

Alex was alone in the room for a few minutes, smiling to himself. The room grew even darker as fire erupted around him. "It's all coming together." He said as fired consumed him and he disappeared as the door behind him opened.

Present:

Alex opened the door to his room and stopped dead in his tracks when he saw Peter laying in his bed.

"What are you doing?" Alex asked as he closed the door behind him.

"Waitin for you." He smiled as he tapped the side of the bed.

"Peter, I don't have any time for… anything, at the moment." Peter pushed himself off the bed and the sheet that was covering his bare shoulders slid dangerous low to reveal all of Peter.

Alex laughed as Peter quickly pulled the sheet back around him. "I guess you weren't expecting a no?"

"What's wrong?" Peter said, still smiling.

"It's this whole mess… everything that's been happening…" Alex took off his jacket and threw it in a corner. "Did you know he left me part of his estate…"

"What?" Peter asked, surprised.

"Well, a fourth, really. He split it between Jean, Scott, Ororo, and me."

"That's… amazing."

"Not really, now I have to meet with Lilandra about funding… and you know how she bothers me." Alex walked over to the bed and sat down, next to Peter.

Peter wrapped an arm around his boyfriend, and put his forehead against Alex's forehead. "You still don't trust her?"

"Face it Peter… I have the abilities of the Phoenix, no don't deny it. She thinks its Jean… and so do I, but explain me?"

Peter didn't say anything; he just sat there, looking at the young man. Then suddenly, Peter grabbed Alex and both fell down on the bed.

"Peter… I said –"

A knock at the door stopped Alex from saying anything else, instead he smiled at Peter.

"Should you get it… or I?"

Peter kissed Alex on the forehead and Alex rolled out of the bed. "Come in." Alex said as he turned his head and saw a naked Peter jumping out of bed and throwing on some pants that he had in the corner.

Anna opened the door and she and Michael walked in. Alex looked surprised at the two of them. Both were wearing their old uniforms, much like Alex, but they looked like they had a mission on their minds.

"What brings you to this side of the mansion?" Alex asked smiling.

Anna walked over and hugged her longtime friend and moved over so Michael could grab Alex in a huge bear hug of his own. Anna smiled over at Colossus who was throwing a black tang top on and waved. Peter smiled back and blushed a horrible shade of red.

Michael smiled at Peter and walked over next to Anna, it was at that very moment that Alex realized he knew that smile. It wasn't Michael's smile that he was staring at, but Peter's…

Alex quickly pushed the thought out of his head and looked at Anna, she leaned back against the dresser, her dark brown hair spilling over her shoulders in waves.

"Alex… Michael and I are leaving." Anna said without missing a beat.

"What?" Peter said before Alex could process the information.

"Not for very long…" Michael said quickly. "We want to find Rose."

Alex stopped and nodded his head. "Yes... we need to find her."

Anna jumped off the dresser and looked at Alex. "What do you mean we?"

Alex smiled at Anna. "You didn't think I'd let you go by yourself.

Peter walked up behind Alex and placed a big hand on his shoulder. "I'll go too."

Alex shook his head and said, "No, you need to stay here and—"

"No, Alex." Peter said firmly. "I go where you go. And that's final."

Scott was sitting in the seat that Xavier would have taken if he was still alive. He had his elbows resting on the desk and looking at Lilandra and her partner, Gerald Lavine. Ororo and Alex were to the right and Jean was standing next to him on his left.

Lilandra arrived twenty minutes ago and the six of them had been talking ever since.

"We don't know exactly what we're going to do, to be quite honest." Scott said, placing his fingertips together. "This is all just a little overwhelming. The professor was a big part of all our lives, Lilandra."

Lilandra crossed her legs and leaned over to one side. "And why did you want to meet with me?"

"Before Professor Xavier's death, you have committed to providing a substantial amount of funding to this school." Scott said, leaning closer to the woman. "We just wanted to talk to you about the possibility of continuing your commitment."

"Right now we're just trying to keep everything as close to the way it was before he died." Jean said, taking her hand away from the desk and placing them on her hips. "As close as it can be."

Lilandra smiled and pushed her hair back behind her ear. "That's an admirable goal. Charles's death doesn't make me any less committed to the mutant cause. I'm very interested in this school and what it does." Lilandra looked over at her partner and then back at the teenagers. "As far as we are concerned, this school is the future. This is where the mutants of today learn to live in harmony with the humanity of tomorrow.

"If you're going to continue his work… his effects towards peace between humans and mutants… then you can continue to count on my funding."

Scott relaxed for the first time in what seemed like a long time. "The continuation of Xavier's dream is first and foremost the thing that will be driving is forward."

Jean smiled, "I can't tell you how relieved we are to hear you say those words, Miss Neramani."

"This means a lot to us, thank you." Ororo said with a smile.

Alex stopped and took and step around the desk. "What's the condition?"

Jean, Ororo, and Scott looked at Alex like he had lost his mind. Scott put a hand on the desk and turned his attention to Alex, but Lilandra put a hand in the air.

"There is a condition…" She said, putting her hand back down. "Since you are so young and the majority of you are still minors, I'm going to ask that my associate Gerald Lavine remain on-site as a liaison between my organization and the school."

Scott waved Alex back and Alex stared at the man, but finally moved back around the desk. "If that's your only condition, then yes. We can allow that."

"Also… as a personal favor, I would like to continue my tests on Jean."

"What?" Jean and Gerald said at the same time. Scott and Ororo looked at Jean while Alex and Lilandra looked at Gerald.

Still staring at her partner, Lilandra continued, "I just want to run some small test here and there, nothing that will over power your mind of course."

Jean placed a hand on Scott's shoulder; she smiled down at him and then looked at the woman. "I think that's fair."

"Jean, you can't poss—"

"Alex, please." Jean said not taking her eyes off Lilandra. "Miss Neramani knows what happens to people that cross me… I'm sure she'll be more careful this time."

Lilandra's smile slowly faded and she turned her head to look at her partner. "Any objections?"

Gerald shook his head, looking nervous. "Of course not, Matrix. Gerald quickly got up and walked closer to the desk at the same time that Scott stood up and held out his hand. They shook hands and Gerald said, "I'll just be here to offer my support on any matters in which you deem my input necessary."

Clarice blinked behind a wall where she noticed that Bishop had entered the New York State Prison. Clarice looked around the wall and blinked again, this time, inside the building.

She found herself in a safe area where no one could see her, but she could see everything and everyone. She watched as Bishop walked to a table and sat down next to a man that look a lot like himself.

Clarice watched as the two talked, Clarice was too far away to hear anything, but she knew what was happening. It was the first thing she thought when she first enter this timeline.

She would want to go to her past self and warn her… although now, she couldn't even remember anything about that time. She watched as Bishop quickly got to his feet and turned away. Without thinking Clarice blinked away and outside the prison.

She did not like this man, and Bishop trying to change his past should… Clarice shook her head and blinked away from the prison.

Alex, Peter, Michael, Anna, and Clarice entered the living room and saw that Bobby, Rogue, and Ororo were already in there. Clarice had teleported back to the mansion a half hour before hand and told her group everything that she saw.

Alex planned on comforting the man when Bishop himself walked into the living room.

"Dude, did you get me a strategy guide?" Bobby asked without looking away from the television screen.

"How on earth did you know it was me?" Bishop asked, passing the standing group of mutants and walked over to the couch.

"Reflection." Bobby said simply.

"Storm." Bishop said, nodding at the woman who was sitting on an overstuffed chair, typing away on her lap top.

"Hey, Bishop."

"Guys, I think we need—" Alex began, but was cut off by Scott who had just entered the room with Jean.

"Hold on just a moment, Alex. We all need to talk." Scott said waving Jean to take a seat on the couch.

"As all of you know, Jean, Ororo, Alex, and I have been left in charge of the school. As the team leader of the X-Men, I've been trying to shoulder the responsibilities left behind by the Professor." Scott said raking a hand through his hair. "I've been thinking a lot about his legacy and his dream and everything he stood for.

"I've thought about what he tried to teach us, his efforts toward harboring a peace between humans and mutants and where he's gotten in the time he had…" Scott paused, trying to find the right words before he continued. "I think the Professor was wrong."

"Scott?" Jean asked surprised.

"What are you talking about, son?" Bishop asked standing up straighter.

"I don't think the best way to show people that we can coexist in peace is to have a mutant militia running around enforcing our own laws… fighting in the streets for all to see." Scott placed his hands on his hips and sighed. "I think there's a better way…

"Cable said the Professor did something to affect the future… that he had to die to prevent it. I'm not saying Cable was right, far from it, but I look around us, now… and I don't see us living up to our potential."

"Scott," Alex said. "You can't mean this… What Cable did was wrong… The Professor wasn't supposed to die like that."

"That's my point…" Scott said shaking his head. "We've got an opportunity here… the resources to become a safe haven for mutants across the world. Not to train them to fight in some ridiculous strike-team… but to train them to live in our world, peacefully and without fear."

Michael and Anna both looked like they wanted to say something, but Scott waved them to silence. "We can teach them to use their powers for the betterment of all mankind… not as a means of self-defense. We're going to make this place what is always should have been… a school. Which is why, effective immediately, I'm disbanding the X-Men.

"What?" Alex yelled, which was the most realistic response that Scott got back. Yells and roars were being produced by everyone, even the future X-Men.

"We're going to have an open enrollment period; this is going to be a school. No X-Men, no jets, no trips across the world to fight God-knows what."

"You can't do this." Alex said simply.

"I can, and Lilandra agrees, which is where the money is coming from. This is going to be a place for mutants to learn, a place of peace. You're all welcome to stay here… to help out. I'd love for you all to become teachers here, when you're old enough, when you're ready."

"You're barely old enough, Scott!" Alex shouted.

"This is not up for discussion… you can leave if you don't like it."

Bishop stood up and walked between the two teenagers before they could start pounding on each other. "This is a fine idea on paper, but what about those who don't learn through peace? What about those who hate and fear you… the evil in this world?

"What about the people that need the X-Men?" Bishop asked.

"I can't carry that burden. It's not my responsibility." Scott said simply, looking down at the floor.

"Have you lost your mind? You can't let things end with Xavier… you've got to defend the dream!" Bishop shouted, his anger letting lose.

"Can't you see?" Scott shouted back. "Xavier is gone, the dream is dead. He's not coming back!"

"Listen son—"

"I can't do this without him! It would be foolish to even try!"

"Stop it!" Alex shouted, pulling the men apart with his mutant ability. Alex walked closer to Scott and came face to face with the man. "I don't know about you, but I can't let the dream die! If you knew anything… anything at all about where I come from, what I have seen… You would try till you died to make it not happen!"

Scott looked up at Alex and opened his mouth but nothing came out. The two men just looked at each other and finally Alex just shook his head. "You're phatic, you make me sick." Alex turned away and walked out of the room. Scott's sight fell to the floor when he knew he had nothing else to say.

A part of him thought Alex was right.

Michael and Rose looked at Peter and then followed Alex out. Peter didn't say anything, but the look he gave Scott told more words then anything anyone could have ever said.

"I guess you know where we all stand then…" Clarice said looking sad and walking out, following the rest of her friends.

There was silence in the room till Scott looked at everyone else. "Trust me, I want to honor his memory, I want his dream to live on… and this is the best way for me to do that! If you want X-Men… go make your own."

Alison walked down a dark alley still feeling sorry for herself. She wanted to go to the funeral but at the same time she didn't have the nerve to face her… No. They were not her friends. Friends wouldn't let a monster like that do those things to her.

Alison stumbled out of the alley and into a dark street.

Where was she?

San Francisco? Was that the last place she remembered?

"Alison Blair." A voice said behind her.

Alison turned her head and the entire world seemed to spin. "Who'r you?" She slurred.

"I'm your biggest fan." A man walked out of the shadows and Alison took a step back. He looked very familiar. Almost like a slightly older man that once stole Rogue away from the X-Men.

"Swamp rat?" Alison said narrowing her eyes trying to get a better look.

"You must be mistaken, chere." The man said, his eyes glowing red.

"I don't give autographs." Alison said waving the man away.

"I'm not here for one." The man said pulling a small deck of cards out of his pocket and moving them around with his hands very fast. "I'm here to offer you a job." The cards suddenly lit up bright pink making shadows across his face. "In the Gladiator Games."

Somewhere in the future Cable was sitting on a bed, being put back together by a robot talking to him. "And the X-Men?"

"According to all reports from that timeline they are grieving the passing of their mentor. Bishop currently resides with them, trapped, since you destroyed his timeslide device. He will have no choice but to remain there, Cable."

"Wolverine…"

"Sorry, I was programmed to start calling you Cable, if you like, I can reprogram my programming."

Wolverine ignored the response and looked at the robot fixing his arm. "Tell me about Alex."

"Code name; Havok, brother of –"

"No, tell me about codename: Alex."

The robot paused and did one final adjustment before it looked back up at Wolverine. "Codename: Alex… test subject 1, part of the Rebirth Project… lost during the Second Gene War, and Fourth World War. Final test subject of five."

"And there is no trace of him now?"

The Robot paused and shook his head back and forth, slowly. "Negative."

"You've been working on your human movements, good."

Wolverine stood up and put a robe over his bare shoulders. "Please wake our guest."

"Yes sir." The robot said, turning and pushing a button, causing huge metal double doors to open in the far side of the wall.

Wolverine walked into the dark room and lights suddenly blinked on. Wolverine was staring face to face Charles Xavier floating in a tube of water.

"Charles…" Wolverine said, smiling as Xavier pulled his hands through the water he was floating in. "We've gots lots to talk about."

"Who are you?" Charles was able to ask through the breathing gear attached to his mouth.

"I think you know that, bub."

"I do not like to assume things, Logan."

Wolverine laughed a huge laugh that filled the room. "Sense of humor, chuck. Forgot you had one of those."

"Why Cable?" Xavier asked, not showing a hint of a smile.

"Cable was a poor unfortunate man that hails from the far future." Wolverine took a set on the floor and looked up at Xavier. "He came back in time to stop something, what he never said, but he died during one of the attacks and he gave me the idea."

Wolverine stopped and looked around the destroyed room. "If he could travel back in time and stop something from happening, why couldn't I? So since he was dead I decided to steal his identity and travel back in time, to stop this madness."

Xavier just let the man talk. If what he was saying was true then this could only mean one thing.

The earth was forever doomed.

The End.