Note: This chapter covers the Phoenix Endsong story arc. Haven't worked out how someone has returned yet. And will be a flashback of sorts. Again, since a little heavy on what happens; most of this story and chapter don't belong to me; but to Marvel and Disney. Even though, already have a disclaimer on my profile page.
"Rachel!" She turns to see Tuc running to her. She picks him up as he gets close enough; holding him in her arms. Luna and her mom are standing in front of her. She holds her hand out which Luna goes and takes, "is Katherine around?" "I will take you go see her in a little bit. She is finishing her homework right now. Crystalia." "Hello, Rachel." "Luna, why don't you take your brother to the living room? I am going to talk to your mom."
"I am finishing up making dinner." Crystalia follows her. "I know you and I don't like each other very much. But I really appreciate you allowing Katherine and I to see Luna and Tuc." "I would never take disliking someone out on my children." "You are right. We are still family after all. Ever since I came here and found out as much as I could about the history of this reality's heroes, I never understood what he saw in you.
But then I still am clearly confusing him with my Pietro. And the night we shared was a mistake, I am glad you don't resent Katherine for the reckless choice we made. I may not be able to rectify him, at least until recently with my Pietro; intentionally stealing another woman's man isn't something I would ever do purposely. So, you cheating on him has never sat well with me.
But after what he did to Luna, I can see why you two had problems. Sure, you should never have cheated. But I can't totally blame you after finding out about how far he is willing to go. And again, while we may never be friends. I apologize." Crystalia remains standing there. "If what you are saying is true, Rachel, then how is it you are pregnant again. It doesn't take much to realize that this is his child as well."
"Honestly, Crystalia, I am not sure. I had been in the white hot room with Jean. And when I returned to this plane of existence and Earth, I was like this. I mean not this stage but definitely pregnant. I cherish my children, but I don't know how to tell him, or if I even should?" "Rachel, you are going to have to, you know something like this can't be hidden." "No, you are right. Though I have done a good job until now
"And how are you enjoying this mundane life?" "I like it very much. Johnny and the others helped Katherine and I move our stuff here not too long ago. And I really appreciated the Powers helping also. You already know what I did, killing Emma Frost made me a pariah to the Xmen. Deteriorating the strained relationship between Scott and I."
"Rachel, I know you must have had a reason. You are the only one that we know who has ever had complete control over the Phoenix. So, for you to commit such an act, there had to be a foundation for it." "That doesn't make it right." "No, I suppose it doesn't. But she is a former enemy of ours as well. I know her personality leaves a lot to be desired.
Hey, I know how about I get some of us together and we can go out." "That's nice, but who would watch the children?" "We will figure it out. Let me go and make some phone calls. So, when we are done with dinner, we can leave." "Okay, but no bars. Even though all of my powers are formidable; getting stuck in a possible bar fight in my condition isn't something I would appreciate. Plus, we have to come back to the kids." "You're right. I will go check on our children as you are setting the table."
She grips the edge of the counter as the spasms start. "Are you okay?" She turns to see Simon Williams standing there. "Simon, if you could get Alex for me. The baby is coming now." Warren, Paige and Sam approach as Simon walks by them. "Rachel?" "Paige, tell the others I am sorry. I seem to be ruining what has come to be our tradition of going out. But this baby has decided it wants to come now." Sam puts the drinks he is holding down, picking Rachel up in his arms.
"Hang on." "Take me to Reed and Susan. No hospitals. Warren?" "We'll handle the rest, go." Sam shoots out of the bar roof the next moment. Leaving a good size of the ceiling gone but not enough for the structure to collapse. The superspeed allows for them to arrive at Four Freedoms Plaza in no time.
Alex, Johnny and the others are standing in the waiting room. "How is she?" Simon asks. "Something wasn't right. They don't know what it is but there is a possibility we could lose both of them, Crystalia answers. "She was asking for us. Though given the circumstance, I don't think they would let all of us in to see her. Reed and Susan are going to need to concentrate on what they are doing," Crystalia adds.
"Well, I don't care. My sister needs me, Nate?!" "Of course, Uncle Alex." Lorna goes and stands by his side, taking his hand; just as their nephew makes them invisible to the eye. Upon entering the room, they see that Red is making it hard for the Richards as she struggles against their attempts to restrain her. "JEAN!" "I came for Scott…Tell Scott I need him".
She collapses against the examining stand as if nothing had occurred. "Reed?" "I don't know but whatever it was, we better hurry in case it happens again. Ben?!" Susan turns. "I know you are there. Show yourselves. Did you really think you could mask yourselves from someone who controls invisibility?"
The mental shield is dropped. "Will she be okay?" "We don't know. But we will do everything we can; maybe you or your brothers could reach into her mind. And see what the problem is, Rachel?" "We have got nothing except what she screamed. Our mother is dead, so what could she have to do with this?" Nate Grey comforts her as Hope is standing between Thomas and Cable.
"Let's see what the Phoenix can do for us." "Quentin, you can't. Messing with something you don't know is…" "Don't even bother. He can't hear you." She turns to see Emma. "How did you get here?" "This is your mind. You tell me, Rachel?" Part of me has been here since you killed me. And for whatever reason, you are currently stuck here as well." "Great, just what I needed." "I will have you know being stuck with you doesn't thrill me either."
"We could have used him, Scott." "I know, Warren…But he had a chance to kill Dark Phoenix the last time around. And he pulled his punch…I'll probably feel guilty over the way I handled my marriage with Jean 'til the day I die…" She starts moving at this as Emma remains motionless. When Rachel sees Howlett do his best to stop the Phoenix masquerading as Jean failing; she attempts to reach out as the sigh from her trying to do so coming from behind her is heard. She simply ignores Emma.
She takes a step back at seeing the two of them appearing where the others are. Barely materializing before her and the others; though the two still unable to do much. "How is it always wind up centering around her?" "Emma, don't push it. You already know what happens when you do." "Oh, please, Rachel, you can't touch me here." "Do you really want to test that theory? Besides, I have barely been able to pick up her thoughts she is fighting as best she can. But having psychic manifestations of us appear could backfire." "I guess we have no choice but to watch and see what happens, don't we?"
Though Emma lands hard on the ground the next moment. She picks up the anger and shock resonating from Rachel. "How did you get through? I can still barely manage to hang on." "I don't know but looks like I pulled one over you, Rachel." "Well, whatever you did help me get out of here?" "As if I would ever do such a thing." "No, WAIT, EMMA! COME BACK HERE! Jean, I know you are trying to help but she is blocking me for some reason. I am going to need you to push harder so I can get through."
"It's always about you, isn't it?" "Emma?!" "Whoa!" "Don't worry, Kitty. I have a plan…My wife is dead. And if you take one more step, Kitty will crush my heart and I'll be dead, too." "This is your plan…Whoa, your heart…" "Pretty big jump, huh?" "Yeah." "That's Jean, the way I wanted to hear her…during those long months, when everything was falling apart…those were the words, that was the voice I was aching for…And that is how I know that thing is not Jean. Because Jean knew we were over. She had moved on. And I had moved on, I found someone in this world…"
"Your heart…" "Now that's a real jump, wouldn't you say?" "For you?" "Kitty, are you alright?" "I'm fine, Rachel…That…little…How did you get here anyway?" She ignores her friend's muttering, knowing the two are on the same page about Emma. 'And unlike with Crystalia, this isn't likely to change.' She grabs Kitty's hand pulling her friend up. "I will explain that later, for now we have to deal with her."
"All right then, take me." Rachel turns to her. "Emma…?" "Come now, Rachel; you are in no position to be of any real help." "Frost!" "It's okay, Kitty. She is right. For some reason, Jean or the Phoenix are doing what they can to stop me from intervening. Though it wasn't enough for to stop Emma and I from breaking through the astral plane. Or wherever we had been, watching as things unfolded." None of this however, has stopped a golden yellowish energy from enveloping Rachel. Nor her eyes and hands glowing the same color, 'yet it still isn't enough, so why am I even here? Emma is possessed the next moment as she tackles Scott. "Now that was a plan."
"Watch out!" "Hello everybody, what's in the egg?" The charge starts coursing and intensifying through her. "Rachel?" "It's still not enough, Kitty. It has clearly decided to give me some of the power it took to raise Jean and possess Emma back, to me. There isn't much I can do; it knows if I do regain control what it hopes to accomplish won't work. I would be able to suppress it." "So, what now?" "Like you said now that's a plan. We are just going to have to let Frost and Scott deal with it. We have to deal with Quentin."
She is forced to remain on the sidelines. ;Nothing is working. Not even my cognitive abilities. Now I really am helpless. And it couldn't come at a worse time, they need me. And I am unable to do anything.' "KATYA! Scott" "Stay there, Rachel. And keep an eye on her." "ENOUGH!" "Knew that was coming eventually…" "Katya, Kitty?" "I'm okay, Rachel."
"Jean Grey…How did you do that? Without me, without my power…" "I am you. Don't you remember? Now get out of that stupid body" "…Scott…" "Gotcha." Rachel turns at this, just as she finally feels the power surge, she had grown accustomed to starting to return. "JEAN, NO!" "Scott, it should work. I hate to say it but we are going to need Frost. I will reach out and amplify your message, Frost. In its current state, not even I could hope to reach it or Jean myself."
"You read me, Emma?" "Yes. Go for it, darling." "Jean, can you hear me?" "Professor Grey." "Mom." "Jean!" "God, Jean… How does it feel…to be loved that much?" "My…My friends." Rachel takes to the sky in full Phoenix emblem now. "Jean..." "I know, Red. I am sorry about this." "This wasn't part of what you showed me in the white hot room."
"It was hidden from me as well, Rachel." "They are here." "I know. I've got it." The blast appears as the Shi'ar spacecraft is incinerated. "Go to him." "I'm going now, Scott…Scott, I want to see your eyes…Goodbye." "Sister…" Ororo says. Rachel is standing by his side as the tears stream slowly down her face; having not wanted to interpret the moment her brother and Jean needed.
"Scott?" "Jean saved us all…But only after you…all of you saved her." "God. I can still feel it. Everything that everybody ever gave her…everything she ever gave to us…" "Ah, Jean…" "Goodbye, Sophie." "Scott, Frost, I…." "Rachel?!" She reaches her arm out to him; but before their hands can connect, she is gone.
"Do it again?!" Alex manages to get out "It's no use. She hasn't responded," Reed replies. "We can't give up on her. She would never give up on us," Alex adds "Reed is right." "Lorna?" She is standing by Alex. "We saw it. She was with Jean and the others; she should be back now." "I don't know what is going on, but we have to think of the child, Red and what she would have wanted." "Johnny?"
"No, Lyja." "Mr. Richards, please?!" He and Susan look at their would-be daughter in law. The gasp breaks them out of their discussion. "Next time, I would really appreciate it as if all you didn't act like I wasn't here…" The pain grips her out nowhere as the contractions start once more. She falls back as she does to prevent from screaming. "If we could please continue, I would really like to not lose this child. And I have Katherine and a life to get back to."
"It's done. You have a boy…" "Oh, of course…what took you so long?" The screaming boy is placed in her arms. As Alex and the others start to crowd around them, "it's not over." She is gone leaving her friends and family alone. "What's not done?" "The Phoenix came and tried to cause trouble for Jean and the Xmen, Paige." "Then shouldn't we go help?!" "She and the others will be able to handle it." "But…?!"
He wraps his arm around her. "Alex is right, Paige. We have our own child to think of. The stress can't be good for the two of you." "Warren!? She is our friend. And as Xmen, we are still part of a team, family. We can't really be expected to do nothing." "But that is exactly what you should be doing, Brimstone, would never forgive herself if something happened to you, to any one of us for her sake." "Lyja Storm is right, sis," Sam tells her.
