BEEN THERE: EPILOG: COMING HOME
"Welcome home sis. I think it's got it this time. I'll just have a quick check, just to make sure. Why don't you take a nap or a shower or something? You look exhausted."
"You know Sam; if we don't get this right this time…..you're going back next time. This is getting too hard to do." Andie said with a catch in her throat.
"Yeah, Dee Dee, I know." He smiled sadly at her. He watched her walk away to the back rooms to rest and maybe grab something to eat. He left the protected room and walked over to the computer to read up on the events that shaped his world….again. He could see why that Andrea was getting strung out, it was painful going back to see them…. again and again.
After a few hours he was satisfied that everything was back to normal, or as normal as it could be.
"So can we go home for real this time?" Andie asked walking into the room where her brother sat. "Because I really, really miss my family and my regular life," Andie said wearily.
"You and me both, sis. Yeah, I think it's safe to go home now. We've been at this a loooong time and I'm rather tired of this too." They quietly pack their belongings and locked up their secret lab and home. It was a quiet flight home in their aircraft and it flew silently towards home.
She walked into the garage to see all the lovely antique cars that were parked in the garage in an orderly fashion. Over by the workbench was an old motorcycle that someone very familiar was working feverishly on. She heard a familiar growl and a clang of a metal tool hit the concrete floor.
"Hold still you sorry excuse for a piece of metal!" He said angrily. Andie smiled and walked over to the man without fear and plopped her bag onto the floor.
"Are you still working on that old thing, dad? You know its older then you, right? It's also illegal to ride that on public roads even if you do get it running, too. And that cigar…..dad you're gonna get arrested again."
"Ah, they don't arrest me anymore; they just mail me my tickets to pay the fine. If I would get around to it that is" He chuckled, and waved his hand dismissively. Andie just shook her head. Yep it was good to be home again.
"Hey grandpapa!" A little blonde hair boy came galloping in. "I heard that….." he stopped and looked up. "You're home! You're home!" He jumped up and down and gave Andie a hug.
"Yeah, Phillip….I'm home." She said smiling.
"Didja save the world?" Phillip asked.
"You betcha I did. Several times." Andie said, getting into the game Phillip like to play. "Almost as many times as grandpapa here has.
"Hey Phillip, do you want to come with me when I test her out?" He bent over to the boy.
"Would I! That would be swell!" Phillip exclaimed and jumped up and down.
"Gloria's gonna kill you dad." Andie said sternly.
"She's got to catch us first." Andie's father said.
"There you are! I was about to call the missing wives department." A deep voice came from the entrance of the garage. Her heart caught in her throat and she heaved a large breath and raced over to her husband that she hadn't seen since the whole debacle started. She leapt into his arms and hugged him for all he was worth.
"God how I've missed you!" She harshly whispered in his ear.
"Missed you too, Babe." His dark eyes gleamed and his face broke out in a huge grin and his sharp canine teeth were exposed. She wouldn't let him say another word as she kissed him long and passionately.
"Hey, hey! There's a youngster present…..could you take that somewhere else. Come on Vic, give me a break here. What about Phillip?" Andie's dad grumbled.
"What about me? They do that almost all the time." Phillip said with boredom. He couldn't care less if Andie and her husband were kissing. "It's kinda gross though. You'll never catch me kissin' a girl!" Phillip announced firmly. That did Vic in. He broke off kissing Andie and started laughing.
"That's what they always say." He looked at Phillip. "Trust me kid, you will find girls not to awful in the future." The very large man said.
"You're kidding me, right, gramps…..I'm never, never gonna be kissin' a girl…and you can't make Me.!" Phillip said with a stern nod to his head. The adults present began laughing at Phillip, who looked perplexed. "Well, you can't!"
"Yeah, kid….we know. Just wait…….someday you'll find her and you will be doing more then kissin'." Logan said with a far away look in his eyes, and a sad smile.
"Uh uh….nope….. not me." Phillip was determined not to budge.
"Suit yourself, kid." Logan said, tossing a helmet to Phillip. The motorcycle started up with a roar. "Hey, what do you know…..it works!" The subject of girls and the future now took a back seat to a loud, obnoxious piece of machinery. Phillip put on his helmet and Logan helped him up onto the bike behind him and off they flew out of the garage.
"Gloria's gonna kill him." Muttered Andie, irritably.
"More dangerous folk have tried, Babe….it's damn near impossible."
"You mean like Ol' Sabretooth?" Andie said grinning.
"Him? Yeah, he tried to on many occasions. Never happened, I kinda glad though. You wouldn't be in my arms right now, if I had. That I'm very grateful for." The large man hugged her tighter.
"Oh, Vic…..you have now idea now glad I am to be home." Andie said.
"Yeah, two months, is two months….too long…..don't do that again!" He said, smacking her hard on the butt.
"Hey! Let's take this inside to our room, shall we?"
"So you want to tango? Or are you interested in the Cha cha cha?" Victor said, grinning, Andie's mouth dropped open.
"You know!"
"Ever since you gave yourself that code name, Babe. It was something I have been wondering about, and when you left for so long I figured that it was then….. Aw, hell…let's not do that….I hate, simply hate time travel conversations. Such a nuisance." Vic griped testily.
"You know, I hated hurting you and seeing you get hurt."
"I know, but it was all for the best. I was a different man back then. I am a very different man now……" Vic whispered something in her ear.
"Well, maybe not too different." Andie giggled. "Make me, Vic."
"You know I will, Black Fire." He bent down and picked up her bag and led her to the very large house.
They went thru the door and into the main hall. A large oil painting with portraits of a group of people hung on the wall in the main hall. They stopped in front of it. It was almost a ritual for household members to stop by and give a few moments a day to pay a visit.
Professor Xavier took centre stage with all his X-Men surrounding him: Jean, Cyclops, Iceman, Rogue, Shadow Cat, Colossus, Jubilee, Wolverine and Beast and others….were all standing together in the portrait, behind their mentor and friend.
"It must have been good to see them all." Vic said.
"Yeah, and a bit painful too, sometimes having a healing factor is the pits." Vic only nodded in agreement. They've had this conversation many times over the years. Friends and family went and of those who inherited the healing factor they stay with them, but those who didn't….well it was a sad day when they drifted away. Vic left leaving Andie alone in front of the picture. She stared at the woman standing next to Wolverine……"Bye mom….thanks…it was good seeing you again." Andie whispered. She walked away to follow her husband….the past was saved and she was finally home.
