Note: this chapter is going to show of how things slowly come back to Rachel. And she is going to somehow wind up in the astral realm; which somehow lead her to breach certain moments/encountering people, moments I had wanted to add in here. But just didn't otherwise fit. And will explain more or less the last moment in chapter 30; so basically, the events are taking place parallelly. And two of them I actually got the idea from one of the very few that responds to this fic (guest from ). Helps that these two characters are some of the ones that I like; and have yet to be some of the Marvel (Disney) properties that I have yet to introduce in this story. And will mostly cover the Secret Empire storyline this chapter, a certain part of it anyway. And explain Sean's disappearance more.

Landing with a thud; she slowly starts moving, propping herself on her hands and knees before standing up. She sees the black entity with red eyes in front of her. "It has been a while, Rachel Summers-Maximoff." "Is that who I am? Who are you? You seem familiar." "It goes by the name Shadow King." She turns to see a bird that appears to be made of fire. Rachel shrinks back, falling on her ass.

"Don't be afraid. The Shadow King can't hurt you here." She sees a man materialize, outfitted in blue, with a hint of yellow. "Hello, Rachel. It's been a while. I know you are confused. And that you can't remember; I am sorry for all that I have done. My decisions cost us our once close relationship." "If this is true, then you can tell me who I am exactly?! And why do all three of you seem familiar?!" "This is part of the reason you are here. I can't really answer for you. But I can lead the way for you." The firebird and man disappear as if they weren't ever there. "No, wait!"


She has been wandering for an undetermined time in the bleak darkness; when more images start appearing. Seeing a team with some of the oddest clothing she has ever seen; all wearing gray jackets with an A somewhere on it; each hanging onto a rope while hovering in space. One of them wielding a sword. She tries to reach out for the light-haired woman who starts falling, who is dressed in a yellow suit.

She turns at the gust of wind at her back. Seeing that she is now in a large room; the window revealing the blizzard outside. "For the charge of murder…we find you guilty." Rachel turns to see a red head woman next to the man who greeted her earlier. With a woman dressed in white and pale hair and dark skin seated next to her mirror image. Each looking down at the man with the trench coat and brown hair unable to look at them.

"You can't! I am against this. I voted nay." "That may be, Rachel. But the rest of us didn't." She sees herself stand before appearing in front of the accused man. "Then I resign from this team, wherever Remy goes, so to will I. And I am disgusted all of you came to this conclusion. Yes, he made a grave mistake that resulted in a massacre. But when he realized what he had done; he had tried to immediately fix it." "My belle. It is okay. I am guilty. I don't blame them. I can't ask you to throw things away for me." "How can you say that, Remy?! You are one of my best friends; I can't just abandon you when you need it." "And they are your family, I can't expect you to throw that away."

"All of you have some nerve. Not a single one of us is innocent. Yet, the one that genuinely messed up is being banished." "Rachel, don't throw things away for him." "No, Scott." She looks at each of them. "The Phoenix masquerading as Jean caused nothing but mayhem at a certain point. You made questionable choices when infected with Apocalypse, my dear brother. And what about Ororo when the Shadow King took over your body?! I can't in good conscience and judgment let Remy's one regret condemn him. If this is what the Xmen have come to represent then, I don't want to be one."

Her brother rises as she sees the red-haired woman, Jean's about to say something. "If that is your decision, Rachel. Then we will not force you." The woman called Ororo says. The three start leaving when Jean looks back; before the man puts his hand on her shoulder leading her forward. The door they walk through closing behind them.

It isn't long before they hear and feel the aircraft getting ready to take off. Remy's head having remained bent. "It isn't too late to go to them. They will forgive you, cherie." A smirk appearing on her face. "I am going to start becoming offended; you've known me long enough. I mean what I say; besides I can't let the hypocrisy slide. I know it still haunts you. But you aren't a telepath. Plus, this is Sinister we are talking about; being manipulative is in his nature. So, really what could have a snot nosed, immature kid not gone against this. And yet, you tried to when his motive came to light. This isn't on you."

The firebird appears once more, before resembling her. "Do you see now?! This is why you are here. This world and people still have need of you. As the best vessel that has harbored me, from the very depths of me, I clearly reached out to you. You weren't ready. It is why you can't recall anything not even your name. And these things that you are seeing aren't all you think that they are. I know that you are still very confused and things are muddled. I can show you more. Things that have passed and things yet to come.

The blonde woman puts her son on the ground in front the young man with light hair. "Your mother's abilities are still a puzzle at times. Whatever she did seemed to only affect him. I am trusting you, Sean to keep my son safe. It is only a matter of time before his father finds him." Sean picks up the boy before placing him in the hidden alcove.

"Sharon, this is your last chance. My mother may have failed to see what was going to happen; things clearly have changed from the events she had been given to see. But she is doing all she can to keep everyone safe and hidden; without raising suspicion. You still have an opportunity to protect James and get yourselves to those who have managed to avoid Captain America and his army of Hydra." "I can't do that. What kind of example would I be setting to James if I did?! Saving ourselves but letting our friends fall. It is enough, he has managed to get a hold of Vision, Wanda and Thor. Besides, I am being a good parent; I can't subject my child to such things that his father has been exhibiting." Sharon's head sinks down somewhat.

"None of this is your fault, Sharon. There is no way you could have known." "How long have the two of us been together, known each other; and never once picked up on this?!" "I should have known; all those years should have had me see he was hiding something. I can't believe how stupid I was." "Then we are all dumb, some have known him far longer than you have, yet they fell for his ruse. But then it is classic Hydra. Just whatever you do now, try not to get caught. And if you get the chance, please tell Mariah, that I am sorry."

The doors are broken down as he stands in front of the door. The soldiers walk in, moving as the star-spangled man makes his way to the front. "Hello, Sean. It's been a while. Where are they?" "I wish I could say the same. And as you can see, they split, it's just me." "We both know that isn't true. One of my operatives saw her leave, without our son. So, again, where are they?"

The energy around him starts crackling, as things start moving. The building starts shaking as the thunder is heard in the distance. Just as the Vision appears through the wall, with Wanda's hand in his as the two touch the ground. Sean moves back as much as he can. He goes down just as part of the wall disappears, to reveal the god of thunder. Sean screams as the bolts of lighting hit him.

"Well, that was definitely anti-climactic, Mindbender. And here I thought you had more of your mother's prowess; as well as being taught to have the same fortitude. But then your mother is special even among those who are just as gifted as she. Take him. My son couldn't have gotten far; Wanda, Vision, search for me. Thor and the rest of you gather Sean and follow me."

The door bursts open, as the child rushes forward. "NO! Dad, why are you doing this?!" Steven Rogers stops moving, "leave us. Thor, stay." He bends down. "James, I am trying to make things right. There has been enough fighting and wars; shouldn't be it be time for peace?!" "Well, yes, but." "You will understand when you are older about what I am trying to accomplish." "By taking away people having the right to choose for themselves?!"

Steven stands back, "Thor." "Don't even think of laying a hand on the kid!" They turn to see a man wearing similar garb to the Captain's; with a woman who is wearing a blue and white spider suit. "It's been a while, Walker." "We have to make this quick, Julia." "As if I would let that happen; you aren't taking my son anywhere." "Kid, you might want to close your eyes" the woman says, just as a flash of light appears blinding all those in the room, except the android. Rogers stands, "find them." "Captain, that really isn't necessary. I was able to track the general direction of their movement. It is now only a matter of time before we find them. Besides, we have him. She will definitely come for him. We still have time to find Sharon" Vision informs him. Steven stands there for a moment, looking at Sean. "Thor, take him. Wanda, come with me. Try to find them then, Vision."

"Why are you showing this to me?" "Because of Sean, things may have been going on that you couldn't do much to involve yourself back then. And why you couldn't find him. Well, this is the moment that led to his disappearance." "That may be good and well and it may be obvious Sean is my son; but it doesn't change the fact that I can't remember much of anything. Let these teams handle it, I want nothing to do with saving the world." "If that is really your decision; though I know you will regret that when the time comes because that really isn't who you are, Rachel Summers." "How can I really change something that has already happened anyway?" "It wasn't shown so you can try to change it. More so, you will know the first step to look to for Sean. You wish to recover, well then, here you go." The entity as things shift in front of her.

The vision of black adjusts to a blurred white before more colors appear. Upon focusing she sees the group of people with the A's on their jackets around four people. The man with some sort of crown barely dressed in what appears to be fur. The woman behind him in orange with her midriff showing. What looks like a priest not far from them, with a young woman in light blue running to the man who is wearing little. Smiles on their faces along with one on the woman in orange behind her. Catching the movement too late, Rachel turns to see the glint shine off the moving object. Her arm reaches out, screaming as the young woman crumbles lifeless the next moment; as the couple stare in disbelief and dumbfounded, before the man turns on the priest.

Turning she sees that she is in the previous stance she had just been in. The four she had just witnessed right in front of her. The apparent leader the first to speak. "Lady Phoenix, surely you can fix this?!" "You know me?" "Yes, of course. As a ruler of an intergalactic sovereignty, I would know of other interstellar beings." "I am sorry. I wish I could. But I don't even know who any of you are, much less myself." "Well then, you are welcome to stay here until you find yourself, Rachel Summers. Or if you really want the Avengers are going to leave; if you wish to accompany them back to Earth" Arkon informs her.


"What are you going to do now?" "I am going back home. Part of me has been lost. And it is time that I reconnect with myself. You too must have realized at a certain point, that I have never really been here. And the only reason I could be touch things or touch things, myself because I am tethered to my physical body. I have recovered enough to return and repair my fractured mind. I will always be grateful to you, Lord Arkon and Lady Thundra." "The same to you, Rachel Summers. And if you ever need anything, we will do all we can to have our allegiance to you and your cause."