"Five minutes." Brian whispered as he stood at his sister's bedside. She was strapped to an ambulance's table but they had wheeled her up to where she could see the TV.
"I can't believe it's you." She whispered back. "How did it happen?"
He looked towards Kurt and Forge where they were talking. "That one." He indicated Forge. "He knew what to do. They figure I mutated because I was fighting to move. And once it was possible again the mutation just took off running."
She smiled. "I'm glad. I thought…" She swallowed. "I thought they'd kill you."
"They would have." He whispered. "Kitty, she saved me. But guess who she saved me from?"
"Emma Frost, I know. She's the one who recruited me to kill Kitty. In exchange for your life."
Brian smiled. "Remember when I busted Jimmy Venton's lip for lifting up your dress?" He laughed.
She blushed. "Yeah. I remember."
"I'm … afraid now." He said softly. "I closed the bathroom door earlier and crushed the knob."
"She lay a hand on his shoulder. "You're huge now. I guess you could…"
"It was a glass knob Betsy!" He moaned.
And she laughed. "Oh." And she laughed some more. "Oh, God Brian…" She kept laughing. "That's horrible!"
He laughed too. "I won't even tell you what I did to the toilet."
And she burst out laughing again.
Across town an older woman swung a pool cue.
"I was only fun'in luv." The man called out as he dove away.
She hoisted the cue up on to her shoulder and swung again. It sank in to his stomach and he doubled over.
She whipped it up between them like a sword. "Now you listen to me." She said, a fire burning in her eyes. "I met that little girl while we was at sea. The captain was wrong about her, the second mate too – he lost a finger to her. And let me tell you something Tomas Robert Edwards! She wouldn't put up with a man treatin' her badly. And if she says that this Kurt Wagner is a decent man then by God I will thrash anyone who dares say different. Do you understand me?"
"Yes! Yes. I'm sorry!" He wheezed back.
Two of the pub's regulars drew back.
"What's got in to her?" One asked the other.
"I'll tell you what's got in to me Patrick!" The woman roared at them, pointed to the television. "I met that girl! And she's gone through more pain in one life than the likes of you could bear. While you were here growing old and numb in this bar she was out there bleeding – literally – every day of her short life. And I'll be damned if I'm going to let the likes of Tommy the Sod run off at the mouth like a fool and speak a word against her!"
And a few of the men at the bar let out a cheer of agreement.
"Now I might be getting on in years but I can still dole out a whooping if I have to. And if you're thinking that you've got something out of line to say about a girl whose been treated as badly as that - then by God I say that I will do my best to see if you've the right to speak at all. She's earned it with pain and so help me so will you!"
"It was just Tommy…" One of the men said. "We all know he ain't worth no never mind anyway…" He shrugged.
His friend bumped him with an elbow and pointed to Tommy. "Let's throw him out." He said.
"Right." His friend agreed. And the two men approached the fallen one.
"Out you go ya troublemaker!" The first one announced, and they picked him up, under his arms and put him through the door.
"Here." The bartender smiled as the woman relaxed. He quickly shined a glass clean and put it down. "Have one on the house."
She slipped down on to one of the stools, beginning to shake with anger.
The bartender poured a glass for her. "So you met her on a boat…"
The woman smiled. "And… I've been worried about her ever since. Hardly a place where a girl like that to go and be welcomed or safe…"
The bartender smiled at the TV. "Looks like she's found one."
"Oh, I do hope they say she's okay…" The woman fretted.
"We'll know in…" The bartender checked his watch. "Four minutes." He smiled. "And you owe me a good pool cue."
She grinned, embarrassed. "I know." And then took a sip of her whiskey.
"Four minutes?" Illyana asked.
Kitty nodded. And a tiny purple dragon fluttered in to the room.
Illyana's eyes went wide and she stuttered "Ad-ad-ad…"
Kitty giggled. "Dragon." She said. "I know."
The tiny dragon took Kitty's hand with both of his, pulled and danced in place.
"It looks important." Illyana said. "He wants you to go with him."
"You think?" Kitty wrinkled her nose.
And the dragon batted his eyelashes at her and pulled again.
"Okay. I'll follow." She agreed.
The dragon ran out on to the deck, jumped off and soared to the ground below. There, he began dancing in place and pointing in to the water.
"Awww.. He did want me to follow him." Kitty reached out and grabbed Illyana, phased them both and pushed through the railing.
"Ahh!" Illyana clutched Kitty and Kitty giggled.
"We're phased. We can float down." She explained.
And Illyana relaxed slightly. "It tingles to breathe." She said.
"Yeah, phased air passes through your lungs – literally." Kitty said. "Hardly anyone ever notices."
Illyana glanced up. "We'd better hurry. We've probably only got…"
"Three minutes." Magneto sneered. "Oh Xavier… What have you wrought?"
His Acolytes hung back, each slowly passing their time and watching him carefully as he ran off at the mouth.
"Have you really sent this child to play in politics in your stead? What could you have been thinking? The human world will eat him alive and spit his bones back upon your steps… And even then I fear you will turn the other cheek."
He sighed as only an exhausted and aged man can. "Xavier if they have their way we shall all be shoveled as ash out of the bottom of their kilns…"
Pyro swallowed. He felt somehow guilty just for having heard the reference. Gambit noticed and tapped him to get his attention.
Pyro glanced at Magneto to see that he was distracted. And he was, fondly staring at an aged picture of Xavier that he had fished out of his desk.
So Pyro looked at Gambit who leaned in close. "Don' sweat it non'" He smiled. "He always do dis little speech. It keeps him from getting' hopeful when things go good for us mutants without his help."
Pyro shot him a disbelieving look. Not that he didn't believe Gambit. He did. He just couldn't believe he never noticed it before.
Suddenly he felt at ease. His interest in Magneto faded and Pyro discovered that he actually was interested in what was about to happen in England.
"Xavier… My oldest friend… I grow weary of awaiting your maturity."
Pyro smirked. Laying it on a little thick, isn't he?
Magneto turned his eyes to the heavens. "And like Odin, I must offer of myself, only to myself… And be ready to save us all."
Pyro checked his watch.
"And then, Xavier, old friend…"
"Yeah, er, right." Pyro interrupted, crossing the room. "Why don't we all get comfy then? We only got like…"
Two minutes.
Mystique sat on the end of the empty hotel room's bed as she looked at her watch and then to the TV. She held the remote in her hand despite having the channel and volume set to just where she wanted.
I wish I could tell you… She thought. I wish it mattered that I am amazed at what you've done.
Amazed at your strength…
Where do you find the courage to walk around as you are when you could just as easily be disguised?
I've tried… I can't bear to see their expressions when they see that I am so different.
We look enough alike my son… Tell me - How can you expect them to look upon you and not see exactly what they see when they look at me?
She shivered.
Unless… She swallowed. Rogue…
Mystique closed her eyes. It hurt to think of Rogue.
Rogue has seen us both for all that we are. And Rogue has made her choice. And for all her power… She is by far the most human of us all…
And if that is it… If they love you for the same reasons that she has come to love you…She swallowed, closed her eyes and a single tear ran down her face.
Then I am proud of you as well. Because then … you will have done two things I was never capable of.
Tears stung the back of her throat and she glanced at the end table clock.
I guess I'll know soon enough. Only one minute to go…