A/N:

Well, here we are wit another volume, and another adventure for the X-men and the Avengers. Once again, MarvelMaster616 and I have collaborated to help expand upon this alternate universe where the X-men are under an apprenticeship program with Tony Stark and Charles Xavier, the owners of X-Corporation, a company put in place to eventually help mutants gain employment based off what their powers can offer the world. Volume 4 ended with sacrifice from Jean Grey, who'd succumbed to being taken over by a cosmic entity known as the Phoenix Force. Now, our friends within the X-men and the Avengers are dealing with the aftereffects. But now, new adventures emerge when Captain Jack Freeman is brought into the fold in order to work with not just the X-men, but the Avengers, as well. What does this mean for our heroes? And what about Wolverine's past, and the mysterious young girl who found him just an issue ago?

As usual, I hope for good feedback on this story, and please, no spam reviews at all because spam comments are simply a waste of this story's time after all the work I'd put into it. Because to be quite honest, the lack of support on this series is really starting to cause things to be a drag. I'd like to see reviews be posted a little more frequently. I think I'll change the updating schedule to once a month, to give it some time to gain more of an audience, and I don't think I'll update it every Sunday; rather, I'll update it at the beginning of the month when I feel each issue is ready to be posted, since I pre-wrote all of this at least a year or two ago in advance anticipating that I would be gaining more of a following.

I hope anyone who comes across this and reads it, enjoy. And be sure to give the story a follow and favor it to get notifications. Get excited folks. Because this is it. Our fifth volume!

In a world that absolutely despises them, the X-men, under the apprenticeship of Tony Stark and Charles Xavier, are determined to use their powers in order to make a difference in the world. But there is only so much to do when dealing with not just mutant extremists like Magneto and Nathaniel Essex, but also, those in government who do not trust them.

Two months ago, Jean Grey – the heart of the team – not only reconnected with her long-lost identical twin sister Madeylne Prior, but she also forged a connection with the interstellar entity known as the Phoenix Force. Unfortunately, around this same time, a mysterious organization known as the Inner Circle tried to take advantage of her by stealing this power for themselves. As a result, the entire universe was nearly at stake, until Jean decided to make the ultimate sacrifice, saving the world in the process.

But with the events of the Phoenix affair fresh in people's minds, many distrust the X-men and X-Corporation. Now, there must be a solution to restore the public's faith in them. But how?

Issue 82: Compromise

White House – Oval Office

It was safe to say that President Edward Kelly was in a fairly good mood, despite having one of the most high-stress job positions in the world.

His first few months as president of the United States of America proved to be going smoother than he ever could have expected. Despite having fired William Stryker, the president found a new presidential advisor in General Nathan Grimshaw, who was willing to help him find a middle-ground solution to the mutant issue.

With all extremist mutants currently residing on Magneto's island of Genosha, there hadn't been that many issues to be concerned with. Of course, after the Phoenix affair, the president was faced with those who were still in fear of mutants. Those who had witnessed Jean Grey losing control under the powers of a cosmic entity had their fear justified even more so. But President Kelly and Nathan Grimshaw were determined to find the ultimate solution. The only issue was there was no cookie cutter way of dealing with it.

Currently, the president was in an afternoon conference with General Grimshaw, discussing how to continue a partnership with Tony Stark, the Avengers, Professor Xavier and the X-men. Of course, the Avengers were operating under SHIELD which was observed closely by the president. But the X-men were still an independent group. Those who feared mutants saw the X-men as vigilantes. But there was also a good amount out there who viewed the X-men as heroes.

"Mr. President, the X-men being an independent team is still leaving some fear amongst humans," said General Grimshaw.

"Yes, General, I agree. Of course, we could have Nick Fury ask them to work for SHIELD like the Avengers do. Although, I do not think that idea would bring the people much more comfort," said the president.

"That is because people still fear mutants. Even though SHIELD has mutants employed, that doesn't dissipate the fear. We see mutants such as Magneto and the Morlocks who act as though they are too good to be part of a human society. But the ironic thing is that they are no different than humans. They just have powers. I would know. I've got one mutant under my wing," Grimshaw said.

"Of course; a good amount out there heard of Captain Jack Freeman. Though I have to say, even I do not think your prodigy will change the hearts and minds of those out there. Even I am still weary at the idea of working with mutants. On the other hand, though, the X-men have proved they're trying to do something good. They've proven themselves during the Phoenix affair, but even that has sparked people's fears about mutants. One of the X-men being under the control of a cosmic entity; of course, it's going to make people cautious," President Kelly said.

General Grimshaw sat there, rubbing a hand over his eyes. "I'm perfectly aware of that, Mr. President. But we must give the X-men the chance to earn the public's trust. There has to be a compromise somewhere."

President Kelly sat there. He'd been thoroughly prepared for this conversation. He knew that it wasn't going to be an easy one to have. Slowly but surely, his good mood he'd been in that morning was starting to dissipate. "Yes, General. I am willing to give the X-men chances. They had not only exposed Cameron Hodge, Obadiah Stane and William Stryker. They'd just saved possibly the entire world two months ago. If we're going to be working with them, we're going to have to come up with a way that is effective."

"That's something we will have to discuss with Nick Fury, sir," the general said simply.

Suddenly, before the two could continue the conversation, they were interrupted by President Kelly's secretary, as well as Green Beret, Captain Jack Freeman coming into the room.

"Mr. President, General Grimshaw, we just got a call from SHIELD. Something's come up," the secretary said.

"Can it wait?" the president asked, exasperated.

"No, it can't," Jack Freeman said. "It involves something I know you want to know about . . . Captain America."

"Steven Rogers?" General Grimshaw asked.

"Yes, he was found. Somehow, he's still alive," Freeman replied.

Josie's Bar

Josie's Bar in Hell's Kitchen proved to be one of the few mutant-friendly bars in the city. However, the space proved to be a dump. Dealing with drunk customers and prostitutes who stumbled into the bar at midnight was part of the job. But for Madelyne Grey, the nineteen-year-old wouldn't be expected to work in a place as disgusting as this.

The former Red Pawn of the Inner Circle found that getting a job as a bartender was easier than one would expect. All she'd had to do was buy a long, dark wig and buy a fake ID that lied about her age and her name. The bar thought that she was named Jennifer Campbell and that she was twenty-three years old. It helped that she looked as though she could be in her twenties thanks to the good genes she'd gotten from her mother's side of the family. The last name she'd put on the fake ID had been a simple choice: her mother's maiden name, and her middle name was Jennifer. Keeping a low profile was important for the young woman, as she was on the run from the Inner Circle and needed to survive. If that meant breaking a couple laws here and there, and using her telepathic talents to manipulate people's thoughts, she was willing to. It made her hard to find, which was what she wanted. She was currently wearing a black tank, a pair of dark wash jeans, and white sneakers.

'It's a good thing I am doing this,' she thought as she poured a glass of whiskey for a customer who'd probably had too much to drink already. She rolled her eyes as she noticed a couple Morlocks outside the bar smoking marijuana.

Turning around to place cash in the register, she could hear a couple of familiar voices. "So, Madelyne, you've been hard to find. Why would a nice girl like you be working in a dump like this?" She turned to see Scott and Jean sitting there at the bar, speaking softly to her.

"What are you two doing here?" she asked.

"We've been trying to find you. You're a hard one to find," Scott said. "But Logan's been down here probably one time too many."

"The guy's started several bar fights here already over the course of last month," Madelyne said. "The amount of drinks he's purchased here, he's been giving me very generous tips. Apparently, I make a mean Long Island iced tea."

"Why are you working here if you're so unhappy with it?" Jean asked quietly.

"When you're me, and you're on the run from the Inner Circle, it's best to keep a low profile. I needed to create a fake ID to get me a job in this place, and a disguise. I think it'll be obvious who I am if I don't. I look exactly like you, Jean," Madelyne explained quietly. "And I am not even sure if I want to be part of the X-men. I don't want to be hero-worshiped. I'm no hero. The things I went along with as a member of the Inner Circle are unforgivable."

"Maddie," Jean whispered. "There's always a chance to turn a new path and seek redemption. Look at all that I had done as the Phoenix. I killed Jason Wyngarde. I tortured Xavier and Regan Wyngarde. And I nearly killed my best friend, my boyfriend, and my second mom. I did things that were horrible. But there's no use in me sitting around, sulking over what I did."

"We're not here to try and convince you to change your mind," Scott added. "But you should find another job somewhere else, rather than this. This place is a dump."

"It's a shithole. But it's better than nothing," Madelyne said. "At least here, the Inner Circle won't go looking for me. This is the last place they'd look, trust me."

"And somehow it's safer serving drunken slobs and prostitutes who go strolling in here at one in the morning?" Jean quipped as Madelyne fixed her a Shirley Temple.

"I can take care of myself, Jean," Madelyne said. "At least I'm making enough to pay my rent. I don't want to have to live off my adoptive parents' money. I can't tolerate the idea of needing to depend off them, and live off them. After what they did to me, I don't ever want to face them again."

"And I don't blame you. But still, if you ever change your mind, you know you've got a place in the X-men," Scott said.

"That's generous, Scott, but I can't," Madelyne said. "I cannot make it that obvious. If the Inner Circle finds me again, I'm a dead woman. Besides, I am wondering if Logan ever made it home safe the other night. He was drunk as a skunk and was stumbling out of this place with quite a few scratches."

"He's home," Jean said, sipping her drink. "By that, I mean Ororo and I found him passed out on the stove the other night. Ororo's taking care of him."

"Good, at least he's got someone looking out for him," Madelyne whispered, breathing out a sigh as Jean finished off her drink. "Besides, I am pretty sure you guys have got stuff to do at X-Corp."

"We do, but still, I am worried about you," Jean said. "Are you sure that this is the kind of life you want to live?"

"It's not what I want. I am not even sure what I want. But I do know I want to avoid the members of the Inner Circle as much as I possibly can," Madelyne said as she collected the tip Jean gave her. "Look, I love you guys for being concerned about me. But like I said, I can handle myself."

"I've got faith that you can. Still, just know that if you ever change your mind, don't hesitate to give me a call," Jean said, getting up out of her seat. "Bye, Maddie," she added softly.

"Bye, love you," Madelyne said as she grabbed a mop to clean up behind the bar.

X-Corporation Tower – Logan's Room

"Hnnn . . ." Logan groaned out as he came to consciousness. His head was pounding with a severe headache, and his stomach was flipping with nausea. Those were the signs of him being hungover. His mutation allowed him to drink more than the average human. But his drinking had grown more excessive, especially ever since his encounter with that young girl named X-23.

The past two months for Logan had been hell. He was constantly out, searching around for that young mutant. She was wild, out of control and angry. From Logan's experience, those made a combination that was deadly. Logan was not sure, but somehow, he knew Weapon X was back in business.

Blinking his eyes open, he was blinded by the bright light from his bedroom window. The light proved to add more stabbing pain to his headache. Groaning, he felt his nausea getting worse.

"Afternoon, Logan," said the disenchanted voice of Ororo Munroe. She was standing there in front of his bed with her hands on her hips, stern. She could still hardly dare to believe that she, Scott and Jean had to play babysitter after Logan came home hungover. It was not only interfering with the team. It was taking a toll on Logan's health as well.

"Afternoon?" Logan asked Ororo.

Ororo let out an exasperated sigh. The past two months were starting to wear her patience thin for Logan. She couldn't keep picking up the slack for her teacher and friend. She watched over the past two months as Logan seemed to go into a downward spiral, going out all night and coming home drunk as a skunk with vomit on his shirt. Although Ororo was a very compassionate woman, she was finding it hard to be as compassionate as she'd been in the beginning.

"Yes, it's the afternoon. How was last night?" she asked.

"Had a blast," Logan groaned.

"Glad to hear that, because you fell asleep on the stove last night," Ororo told him sternly, like a mother scolding her child.

"The stove? Wow, I didn't think I was that hammered," Logan groaned as he felt Ororo thrusting a glass of water and some aspirin into his hand.

"Just take the aspirin," Ororo said, watching as Logan swallowed the pill down. "Logan, you cannot keep this up. You're one of the leaders we were all taught to follow for these past two years! How are we supposed to respect you when you're going out doing stupid shit like this?"

"Ro . . . ya know why, darlin'," Logan grunted.

"If it's about that X-23 girl –" Ororo started to say.

"Of course, it's about her!" Logan said, sitting up slightly as Ororo placed a hand onto his shoulder. "Ro, what I saw that night, two months ago, I can't get it outta my head. To think there's possibly a kid out there, created from my blood, and I didn't even know about it . . ."

"I get it," Ororo said.

"No, actually, ya don't," Logan groaned.

"So that gives you the excuse to go out, drink yourself stupid and get into fights?" Ororo asked. "Look, I care about you, Logan. You're allowed to have others care about you. When you come home these nights, who carries you up to your room and cleans up the mess? Scott, Jean and me. Who looks after you when you're hungover? Scott, Jean and me. You're lucky that we've got the patience of a saint with you. I cannot think of too many others out there that would care as much as we do."

Logan let out a sigh. He knew in a lot of ways; he was letting his students down. But the thought of him having a child made from his DNA disturbed him greatly. Whatever memories he had that were connected to Weapon X were ones of nightmares that kept him up in the middle of the night. That was when he could see Scott and Jean coming into the room as he was thinking, 'They've got no fucking clue what it's like to have someone, take yer mind, play with it, and shove somethin' else inside.'

"You know that I do," Jean said sternly, her arms crossed over her chest. "Sorry, but you were projecting that rather loudly."

"Jeannie," Logan muttered.

Jean proceeded to sit on the edge of Logan's bed. "Logan, you are like family to us. We're not just going to give up on you that easily."

Logan breathed out a long sigh as he listened to Jean speak. He knew that she meant well. But still, just the mere image of X-23 still haunted his mind. He felt as though the pieces of his past just kept coming back to haunt him. Between Sabretooth hating him for whatever reason, X-23 and the thought of Weapon X suddenly being back in business, Logan found that his whole world was crashing around him. Plus, he kept thinking back to when Jean as the Phoenix had called him "James" two months ago. She had said his family had been wealthy. But he did not even know if he had any family that was left, at least the blood-related kind.

'Shit . . . my life just keeps on gettin' more and more fucked up,' he thought.

Washington, D.C SHIELD HQ

In Washington, D.C, the agents of SHIELD found that they were all in a frenzy as they cleared way for the president of the United States, the Avengers, and the presidential advisor. News that the world's first super soldier, Steven Rogers, had been found frozen in ice still alive, had spread like wildfire. Of course, that would mean needing to call in the president, the president's advisor, and the Avengers team.

Tony, Rhodey, Wanda, Pietro, Hank Pym, Jan, Clint and Bruce walked down the halls towards the medical bays. They passed the room Carol Danvers was being kept in, and went to the room where they were defrosting Captain America.

Entering the room, Tony felt envious. The amount of times he'd heard his father talk about Captain America had made him want to vomit in his mouth every time. The way his father would talk about Steve Rogers, Howard would act as though the super soldier was perfect. Steve Rogers represented the American dream. Before going through the first human-enhancement program, the man had been sickly and underweight, and was then transformed into a healthy human being with enhanced strength, speed and healing. The enhanced healing and metabolism explained how he still looked as though he were twenty-five years old.

Walking inside, they could see the hero looking exactly how he'd looked in pictures: muscular and blonde. The fact that he was still alive was a surprise to many. But why the Avengers were wanted there, none of them knew why.

"I can't believe it," whispered Natasha, who was mesmerized at the sight of Steve laying there, still frozen in the ice that was being picked off his body. "He's still alive."

"It's insanity," said Wanda, shaking her head. She could still hardly dare to believe what she was looking at. She'd heard stories of Captain America. According to her father, Steve Rogers and his Howling Commandos had saved her father's life from a concentration camp. The things that the world's first superhero had done were nothing short of amazing and heroic.

"Father told us how Cap had saved his life one time," Pietro said quietly. "I think it kinda comes to show that not all humans are bad."

"He was very imperfect, but a good man," Pym said quietly. "That was what made him such a good candidate to become Captain America. The things he was willing to do for our country against the Nazis and HYDRA, it made him a hero to us all."

"Fury, why do you need us here?" Tony asked.

"Because, Mr. Stark, we're thinking Cap would make a good addition to the Avengers team. You kids need a leader; I think we found him," Fury explained.

"Tell me about it," Bruce said quietly from where he stood next to General Grimshaw and Jack Freeman.

Tony breathed out a sigh. As much as he'd hated hearing his old man talk about Captain America growing up, he also knew that the Avengers were in desperate need of someone to lead them. With Carol Danvers out of the equation, they needed someone desperately.

"Okay," Tony said finally. "But until we have an assignment that we're needed for, I think it's gonna take Cap-sickle time to adjust. This is the first he's woken since 1945."

"Very true," Rhodey said calmly. "Thanks for informing us on this, Fury."

"It's part of the job," Fury said, gesturing for the Avengers to leave the room. However, before he could make his leave, President Kelly stopped Tony along with General Grimshaw and Jack Freeman.

"Mr. Stark," the president said. "We need to discuss something with you that is rather vital. Ever since the Phoenix affair . . ."

"Which me and my X-men got under control. We managed to stop our resident telepathic and telekinetic from nuking the world," Tony finished.

"It's not necessarily about that," Grimshaw said. "The president and I are discussing ways we can help mutants gain trust of the public. After the Phoenix affair, fear of mutants has spiked."

"It ruffled plenty of feathers," Tony said in agreement.

"Indeed. Therefore, I would like to discuss with and your associates about the X-men potentially working with the government," said Grimshaw.

"Grimshaw, I made it pretty clear a year ago that the X-men, they work for me, no one else," Tony said sternly. "You should know how some of our members might feel about that, sir. Our resident Wolverine especially; he was experimented on by a secret organization years ago. I have got a feeling needing to register or work with the government would be rather unsavory for him. Sure, he'd worked for Alpha Flight. But at Alpha Flight it was ensured he wouldn't be taken advantage of."

"We are not talking about doing something against their will," Grimshaw said calmly. "If the X-men agree to it, then we will allow a partnership of sorts to be formed. SHIELD has the Avengers Initiative for a reason. What we've got planned for the X-men is no different. We are not asking for the X-men to register as mutants. All we are asking for is a chance at a compromise."

Tony let out a sigh. As much as he didn't like the idea of the X-men working under the government or SHIELD, he also knew that they needed to keep the peace. If that meant working with the government, that was how it had to be. Though he did know Logan was going to not be too open about the idea.

"Alright, we will consider your offer, General," Tony said.

"That is all we ask," President Kelly said calmly. "Good day, Mr. Stark."

"Same to you, Mr. President," Tony said calmly.

Up next: Veiled Recollections