Part 12:

As a young man, one gives little thought to death. But me; I think of death a lot. I think of Betsy…and because of her love, death doesn't scare me. A part of me long to join her. I just never thought it'd be this way. I escaped with Jean, the woman who, under other circumstances might have been more than a fleeting ally, but that was not to be. Alex deadly wounded her as she tried to hold the bombs at bay. I'm dying and the world is dying. How fitting.

Oh, Betsy, how I wish that your face were the last I'll ever see. Instead I see the darkening sky and my brother standing over me. You were right, my love. My brother WAS my greatest enemy. Now I know........he was the one who killed you too. Had I known that.........had I realized his hate was this intense sooner.......I'll have killed him in a heartbeat........though killing a 1000th Alexs wouldn't have up for one of you, my love.

" Imagine that, big brother. The Summers actually had something in common after all. We both had an eye for traitorous redheads. Don't hurry to get up. I'm going to take my sweet time with you…" Alex says as he stands over me.

 "Time? Alex, you idiot! Jean's power was the only thing keeping the bombs at bay! Now, thanks to you, there is no more time!" I yell at him. Can't he see what he has done? Have his hate really blinded him so much? My last strength leaves me and all I feel is a great exhaustion. I'm tired of fighting. I'm tired of this life. I'm tired of being alone. I long to join Betsy, my Betsy, wherever that may be; Heaven or Hell, I care little as long as she is there.

" For God's sake, Alex… is dying the only thing we'll ever do together?" I ask softly of my brother, not understanding where all that hate comes from.

" Not even, 'Judas'," Alex spats at me and aims at me with his blasts. I feel like a thousand small cuts is made in my body as I'm being torn apart. The pain is intense and I can't contain a dying scream;

"Nyaaaaaaa."

My strength leaves me and I fall to the ground. My body is dead and only my mind lacks to join it. Betsy, beloved, I can finally join you……..let me find you. Please don't let me walk through death alone as I did life. Betsy………find me, help me…..love me.

" I win. At long last…I win. So long as I can remember you've had it all…and I've had nothing. But this victory is ALL mine. I've waited all my life for this moment, you son of a…," Alex says angrily. That should teach him. Finally he was no longer living in his brother's shadow. Unseen to him Logan, Jean's lover, have witnessed it all and is sneaking up on Alex.

 " Yeah? Hope you enjoyed it…murderer," Logan says angrily as he pops his claws on his whole hand and kills Alex. He goes to Jean and takes her into his arms. All his life had been one long battle. A battle he had lost. The world is ending but he doesn't have to die alone. He deserves to die with the woman he loves, doesn't he?

" Logan?" Jean asks weakly and reaches up a hand to touch his face.

 " Rest easy, darlin'. I'm with ya," Logan says softly, tears falling from his eyes. She is dying and they both know it.

 "Always. You were…were always with me…in my heart. Alw…," Jean whispers softly, all her love for him going out in this; her last breath.

" Jeannie," Logan whispers brokenly and hugs her body close. He feels like his body is being torn in two by the agony of seeing her gone.  Through his pain, Logan remembers a myth of old…of a beautiful bird that was so worshipped, it would rise reborn from death's ashes. But though he desperately wants to believe otherwise, he knows that his beloved Jean…is NO Phoenix…..

Part 13:

" Peter, it is the only way. Illyana can save us. Can prevent this reality from ever happening," Kitty says softly to her husband.

" NO! I will not believe this. My sister shall not die for the uncertainty of another reality," Peter denies.

" There is no other way. Illyana and I can help Bishop go back in time to stop Xavier's murder and maybe…return things to the way they were supposed to be. BUT you are right. None of us have counterparts in that reality. We either doesn't exists or….we are dead," Destiny explains.

" NOO!" Peter denies as the others move to block him from getting to his sister. Illyana gets ready to help as her brother fights to come to her.

" Reality is crumbing. It is the only way," Erik says but is soon swept away from the discussion as Apocalypse's helpers begin to fight and the X-men and Apocalypse's fighters meet in battle.

" You send my sister to her death, Magnus. Pray that your decision is worthwhile or so help me ….in any world, in any time….we'll be enemies forever," Peter warns.

" If I am wrong, Peter, than your revenge is the least of my concerns," Erik says as he with Rogue by his side goes to join the battle. Seeing his sister in danger is too much for Peter and though he knows the stakes, his concern overrules his mind. He breaks rank and tries to get to her.

" NO! If I am to die this day….it will be at my sister's side! Illyana! I'm coming," Peter calls and runs to her. Seconds slips away as the bombs draw nearer. Bonds break in the face of destruction. Kitty moves to block her husband. She trusts that their bond of love will protect her. She trusts that he'll never hurt her. That is why….she doesn't phase. Metal meets flesh as bones break and another sky falls.

" No, Piot….," Kitty cries out but then lies still. So very still.

" Katya, NO! DON'T LEAVE ME!" Peter cries in despair. Gambit moves up behind him.

" Don't worry, hommes. Where she's gone, I make sure…..you be right behind her!" Remy promises as he throws his mutant energy at Peter….and let him escape this world….so he doesn't have to live with what he has done.

Part 14, epilogue:

Erik walks over the hard stones towards his wife and son. He is exhausted but a flicker of happiness, of triumph, still lives in him.

" It's over, my love. Apocalypse is dead…. and with him his world," Erik says softly, knowing the world has only seconds left.

" Our world," Rogue gently corrects him.

" No. This was never our place….never our time. Not really. And if Bishop did his job….we will be but memories by the time the bombs fall," Erik says and reaches out his hand for her to take. " Come to me, my wife….my son. Let me love you…..before time slips away," the request is a simple one yet the words hold so much agony, so much despair, so much love and so much feeling. So much to say, so much to think but so little time. Rogue comes to him and takes his hand.

" Everything depends on Bishop. D'you think he was able t'set things right?" Rogue asks of her husband and wants to hear a certain yes yet somewhere inside she still fears that yes. For the other world may be better but will she have that love….that happiness she has found in this one with Erik? Will she have Erik by her side and her son by the hand? Or will she stand alone? Keeping all at arms length?

" We can hope," Erik says softly. " If we have earned nothing else….we have earned THAT right." Erik turns to look at the darkening sky and knows the death it'll bring in seconds. He turns back to Rogue. " And I would never have believed until I met you, beloved….that hope could be so dear to me. But then, a good man once gave me faith that all things were possible," Erik whispers and remembers when he held Charles in his arms and he saw how the life left his friend…forever.

Erik turns to Rogue and holds her close to him as he does his son.

" He preached a dream of harmony…and told me that any dream worth having….was worth fighting for. Looking back I may have made many different decisions but I know….I'll never have stopped fighting for the dream. That is your legacy, Charles Xavier," Erik whispers as the last seconds of his life ticks away.

" Now….as I hold my family to me before the end…..I thank you for changing my life," Erik says softly and turns to Rogue. She looks up at him and smiles as she presses close to him.

" And I thank you, my wife, for your love….and for the gift of a son," Erik says softly and Rogue smiles.

" Ah'll always love you, Erik. No matter what happens….were we to live or die, in this reality or another, in this lifetime or the next…..I know that one thing for certain; my heart will always be yours," she says as she leans her lips to him and he gently kisses her.

" With you in my arms, beloved, I shall die a happy man," Erik whispers as they draw apart and she puts her head on his shoulder as they watch the world end. Together.

The last seconds runs fast. The world is changing or is it dying?

Two

One

Zero

The world explores in a flash of light and smoke.

The End?