Note: this chapter is Rachel Summers-Maximoff being herself and using the abilities she had been born with, so there isn't much action in this chapter. but will pick back up. And James is Howlett, just in case saying his first name alone lead to some confusion; since there is more than one James in the comicverse. And Nicki Minaj's songs are definitely not my property. And more characters that are normally present appear in this chapter. And I know in the comics Thomas Shepard comes out. But before this had happened, I had planned him to be with a specific female. And am sticking to this; instead of changing it.
She is walking as Katherine is running in front of her. "Hey, don't go too far." 'Something has been off ever since I saw Jean in the white-hot room; and if it is what I think it is then…' She rushes forward, grabbing Katherine out of the street; barely avoiding the car that came out of nowhere. The car is gone as soon as it appeared. She focuses on what is more important, "I've told you before to make sure no one is coming.
There are people here who have no problem breaking the law." She takes Katherine's hand as she says this. They are almost at their destination anyway. Their unoccupied hands still holding onto their suitcases. "Mom, these people will they really like me?" "Of course, they will. They have children of their own, I am pretty sure that you will get along with them. Especially since they are like you."
They turn down the street that leads to the house they have been looking for. Being New York, the yard isn't very big. 'But from what I have seen of this city, I am still surprised that there are houses. Even if they are small, definitely mansions where I come from. I have adjusted to this world for the most part, yet there are times that I…' She cuts her thoughts off, knowing that now is no time for such things.
She rings the doorbell. She and Katherine don't wait very long before the door is opened. "Rachel, hello." "Hello." The two walk in, and are almost immediately greeted with the sight of the three adolescents standing in the foyer as well. "Rachel." "It has definitely been a while; Julie, Jack and Katie. I was gone longer than I had thought or anticipated, all of you have grown.
This is my daughter Katherine. Katherine, these are Julie, Jack and Katie Powers. And of course, these are their parents." "Hello! My mom told me you got powers from aliens, like she did, Is that true?" "Yes, though, the circumstances were different." Katherine tugs on her hand, which she releases. Her daughter doesn't move though. "Go on. I need to speak with Mr. and Mrs. Powers anyway."
The three walk into a separate room just as Katherine gets closer to the Julie, Katie and Jack. "I really appreciate this. Especially since we haven't been in much contact, and some time has gone by since our last interaction." "Reed and the others told us you disappeared." "I went to space for a time. Then somehow wound up in another reality; and it had nothing to do with the one that Franklin created from what I found out.
How is everyone at Four Freedoms?" "They are good." "And Alex, it is odd that he wasn't with the others." The Powers turn dejection in their faces. Their thoughts and emotions becoming evident at this, that she has no problem interpreting them. "I'm sorry. If I had known he has been missing all this time, I would have searched for him, while I had been in space."
Mr. Powers has his arms wrapped around his wife comforting her. "And you, we were surprised you reached out to us?" "I know. We aren't strangers. But we also don't know each other well enough, which is why I really appreciate the two of you agreeing to take us in. There were things that transpired. And right now, being away from the Xmen is the best thing, especially after what I did. And you don't need to worry about that, it is better you don't know.
I am going to work on getting a job, so Katherine will be here a lot. Though, I am thinking of having her home schooled. If she goes to a public or private institution and they find out who her parents are, I afraid that she could be hurt. And I wouldn't be there to protect her, so far, she is like Luna and doesn't have any abilities. And Tuc is a different story." "If that is what you think is best, we can't disagree. She is your daughter not ours. And you don't have to worry, we are more than happy to help in any way we can." "Thank you. I am going to say good bye for the time being. And I will be back when I find something and a place for us to live. There are things I have to fix."
The three leave the room they had been in. Katherine runs to her upon seeing her, but stops upon seeing the look in her eyes. "Mom?!" Rachel bends down taking her in her arms. "I am sorry. But I am leaving for a while again. You are in good hands." The hands clutch her shirt around her shoulders. "No, it won't be like last time," picking up her daughter's distress.
She pulls back enough to look at Katherine, who is looking down. Her eyes closed as the tears continue to fall. "Look at me. I never meant to leave and be gone so long. This time is different. I am no longer an Xmen. And think that a life away from all that is what is best for us, at least for right now. And if you want to see your cousins; Rachel, Nate or Cable. Or Luna and Tuc or your uncles, aunts and dad let me know, and I will get in touch with them, okay?"
"Okay. I love you, mom." "I love you too, Katherine. Be good for the Powers. I will be back as soon as possible." She stands up after saying this. "And when the time is right, there are others I have recently met, that I want to introduce you to as well." "Okay." "I am going now I need you to be good for the Powers. You can do that for me, right?" "Yes, mom." "Good girl," she kisses Katherine's forehead as Katherine wraps her arms around her. She leaves when she picks up that the scene is cutting though the Powers. And the absence of Alex is causing, reminding them of similar scenarios and times gone by. "Thank you," she reiterates once more.
"Thank you for giving me this chance, Reed." "We are friends and you know enough of what I do and I do need the help. They told me what happened and what you did; but we aren't here to judge you. We know you wouldn't have done it without a good reason. Besides, we have made our own mistakes. Susan, Ben, Franklin and Valeria will be happy to see you again."
"I came to you, because you are the only ones at this point who know me well enough. And finding a job is hard, especially since I haven't really done it before. I appreciate this, but if they told you; then you know I am to be your assistant and nothing more. Whatever happens that needs a superhero, I am out.
Though, I and Katherine do need some sense of normalcy. And being around others will abilities is the obvious choice. With being mutants, what else can we really expect? That is one of the things that has remained the same from crossing over here from my reality. Those without powers still judge and hate us for simply being, though they had more of a legitimate reason to feel this. Being exterminated for being lesser is far from being a confidence booster."
"I'm sorry, Rachel. I know that the history of you and your counterpart is on file. And clearly not much different from each other; but you rarely if ever discuss what you have gone through. Come on, let's get you situated in my lab. And you can go and get your things from the Powers later." "Reed, I heard that Johnny has been missing." "Yes,' is his only answer. Rachel doesn't probe in anyway, letting the matter drop as she follows him.
"Who are they?" "You'll see." "But you said they are like us, Mom?" "Kathy, enough. It will be worth it. Trust me, they need the distraction as much as you do. I know that you have enjoyed your time with the Powers. But never leaving their house much is getting to you; besides they are curious about you as well." The door opens, "Katherine, this is Mr. and Mrs. Kaplan…" "AUNT WANDA!" She rushes to her who holds her arms out.
"I'm sorry." "It okay." Wanda approaches them. "Thank you for calling me. How have you been, Wanda?" "I've been good." "How bad is it?" "He has moved much from the window since he came back with the others and Wanda," Mrs. Kaplan tells her. "We are worried about him and Thomas," Mr. Kaplan adds. "I'll see what I can do. Katherine come on."
The two enter the adjoining room. Most of the occupants turn at hearing them enter. "Rachel." "Hello." "And who is this?' "This is my daughter, Katherine Magda Maximoff. Katherine, this is Kate Bishop and Thomas Shepard. Thomas is one of your cousins. He is Wanda and Vision's son." "It's nice to meet you!" "Likewise, Katherine."
"Let's go introduce you to the two by the window, then you can go and talk to all of them." She and Katherine walk up to the two. "Billy, look, the Human Torch…He's alive!" "I will be back" she sends out after hearing the two hear this. "My mom went to go see Johnny." She time jumps to the top of the building she had in her mind's eye. At which point she opens the link between them, bringing him to her.
She is standing on the ledge, her back to him. As he starts descending, diminishing his ability just enough, but still allowing him to remain in the air. "Rachel?!" She turns to him. "I have been waiting for you." "You have?" "Yes, I saw you pass by the building I had been in." "Oh." He is a little deflated at this. And here I was hoping for her to say something else.
"I am sorry, Johnny. I have made it clear from the beginning that Pietro and one other will only ever be the only ones for me. Though, I have come to value you and your family. All of you are important to me. I didn't have many friends or people that I could trust in my world. But since this one is definitely brighter; these bonds of friendship have broadened.
I have missed you. Reed, Susan and the others haven't exactly been the same without you, especially Lyja." She notices the slight mood change in his demeanor. "Come on, before we go back to Four Freedoms, I had planned to take some of my family out. We could celebrate your return as well."
Knocking on the door, she walks in after he opens the door. Johnny is right behind her. "Mom!" Ted is surprised upon seeing their visitor, as he stands next to Katherine. "Ted, since you called and I could never turn you down; especially after telling me that the two of them have been driving you guys crazy. Show me," she says as she enters Ted's mind, once getting his permission. Well why don't you go talk to him again, and I will deal with Thomas. Good luck! I will introduce him to the others. We are going out afterward. She, Johnny and Katherine go to the living room.
The group is in the doorway after Ted has made his proclamation to William. The knock on the window interrupts them. After seeing Carol Danvers there, they all join her back to the Avengers mansion. Though, Rachel leaves Katherine behind with the Kaplans. "Captain!" "Johnny, it is good to see you back with the world of the living. Rachel."
"In our eyes, you will always be Avengers. The same will go for you, Rachel. If you choose to join us?!" "I appreciate the sentiment really, but after what happened and what I did, I am finding it better with the life I am making for myself and Katherine, Steven. If it isn't too much to ask though, before Johnny returned and this invitation, I was going to take them out for the nigh.
So, if we can get back to that, that would be great. All of you are welcome to join us. In fact, I have to call some of my other family, for them to join us?!" She reaches out to those who she has in mind telling them where to meet her. They start leaving to go to the destination one of them has in mind.
Johnny makes his way to the bar, while Ted makes a beeline for the stage. The others follow him. "Here." Johnny hands her one of the drinks he ordered. "This is a bar. Are we allowed to have them here? James told me about them in one of the conversations we bothered to have one time. And that minors aren't usually allowed."
"It depends. They can be as long as they aren't drinking anything alcoholic. Besides, this isn't just a bar. This is also for people who like to karaoke." "Karaoke, what's that?" Johnny barely manages to hide his smile and laugh drinking what he ordered. As Ted starts making his way to William as Nicki Minaj's Your Love; she turns at this. Still embarrassed and uncomfortable with certain displays of pda's. Pus with how it seems things are going, getting in trouble for some kind of indecency isn't what I had in mind for having fun.
She senses the ones she invited standing outside. "I'll be right back." She tells Johnny before getting up and walking toward the door. She is greeted by her counterpart, Alex, Lorna, Nate, Cable, Clarice, Kitty, Pietro, Wanda and Hope. "Aunt Red!" Her counterpart hugs her. "I take it the others are still angry with what I did. And I wouldn't be surprised if they are, come on. The others are waiting."
Walking in, "a karaoke bar. Really, sis?! I hadn't thought this would be your scene. I let them pick. I just came for the heck of it. Plus having some fun is long overdue; and I didn't know what karaoke was until Ted took the stage. I take it that Hope is the only one that they have yet to be introduced to?" She and the newcomers make their way to where the former Young Avengers are sitting. Cable and Pietro go and take seats at the table Johnny is at. This becomes a little awkward between Johnny and Pietro due to their history involving Crystalia and now their connection to Rachel.
"Guys…" The young group turns to see her and who she is with, all of them stand being starstruck once more. It isn't enough that they finally formally met The Human Torch. Now they are meeting some of the Xmen. Especially Thomas who has a complete loss of words, using his ability he is in front of her before any of them realize.
Recovering just enough, "and who are you beautiful?" The redhead doesn't look pleased in the slightest; in fact, she looks as if she is going to respond quite aggressively. Her (Rachel's) younger counterpart reaches out, "it's alright. He means no harm. He is just flirting with you and doing such a terrible job at it. Thomas Shepard, my aunt has told us about you. This is our niece, Hope Summers. She is Cable's daughter."
Wanda had gone to join Kate, William and Ted during all of this. Ted comes up and puts the microphone in her hand. "It's your turn!" "No, I would rather not." "Oh, come on, Aunt Rachel. You recommended us going out and having fun," William adds. She turns to look at everyone; knowing that she is being outnumbered. Johnny and Alex approach her, "we will join you and help you navigate finding a song." The three take the stage as the others sit back lost in the atmosphere. Except Pietro and Cable who are being their usual unsociable selves.
The two are on the roof of Four Freedoms Plaza. She is sitting on the edge of it, while he is standing right next to her. "Spill it. You already know what happened to me after the reunion with my family. What were you going to say before our night at on the town?" He goes and sits by her. "After my world ceased to exist, I never thought I would truly fit in anywhere again. Then I came here and winding up in another reality as well; and I have found what I thought I had lost.
A place to belong and people that I care about, who care about me. And now things are strained once more, especially now. Not only did I kill Emma Frost in the fight defending Wanda, Thomas, William and the others, I was in the white-hot room with Jean. She and I talked before I was returned here; and I haven't felt the same since.
I wasn't sure at first. But I definitely am now, though it has yet to show, I am pregnant again." He turns at this. "Let me guess, it's his?!" "Yes." "I don't know what there is to see. First, Crystal and now you, the guy is the biggest ass." "I am going to have to tell him. I can't hide it much longer. And that this time, it was more of the Phoenix and Jean's doing. Though I don't know what they were hoping to accomplish doing so; I found out what he had done to Luna and the Terrigen Mists. You are right, he is the biggest ass. How can I really bring another child of his into the world? And that I overlooked this for so long; and yet I still love him. But I can no longer blind myself."
He sighs at this. "Because, despite everything, Rachel. You are fierce and loving to all those you care about. And would never lord someone else's actions over another, especially a child. So, when this child enters the world, they are going to know how much their mother loves it. And that there will be other people who care also, I will be here as your friend. I am not going to abandon you just because of Pietro."
She hugs him. "Thank you. Let's go back inside. I am going to go see Katherine and the others before coming back here to start my work day. And while we are on the subjects of significant others, what about Lyja?" "Please, Rachel. I just got back. And she is a topic I would rather avoid as much as I possibly can." "But you know you must, somehow with you, it always comes back to her. No other woman has managed this, not even me. Besides, she has never forgotten you."
