The Aftermath
One Year Without Her
Scott's POV
I can't believe that it's been a year now. It seems much longer than that. I wish it never happened. I wish we never came back to the X-men. I never would have come back if I knew this would have. I wish she could come back. I miss her so much. It's not right. She never deserved to die. She was so beautiful so full of life. I act like she died of some fatal disease, like it's not anybody's fault, it is though. It's Magneto's fault.
I always ask myself, what she ever do to him? She helped thwart his plans, but we all did. It's not like she was the only one. He just murdered her. Jean may have had the power to destroy all that is, but so does his daughter. Her daughter almost did too. We didn't kill her. What gave him the right to kill Jean?
Rachel is getting better, slow but surely. She'll get over this. At least that's what I want to happen. Why can't it though? What if she doesn't. What if God finds me unworthy of my daughter as well. What else is there left to take from me?
We're having a ceremony today. A dedication to her memory, in hopes that it will live on. We only hope that it eases the pain. Storm is coming back from Africa, Cable is taking leave of his team, my dad is coming.
My Dad. I don't think I can face him. I don't know what to say to him. He loved Jean as much as he loved me and my brother Alex. I suppose he hates me too. It seems like everyone became to hate me after her death. It was like they blamed me. I would never bring harm to her.
I want to go but I don't. If I go, it's like I'm accepting that she's gone. I don't. she's come back against impossible odds. She can do it again. I believe it with my entire soul. How else would I get the locket back. It's a sign I feel it. There's no way that I would have gotten it without it meaning that she was coming back. She wouldn't do that. I know it.
General POV
"Guten Tag Frualine," Kurt smiled at his favorite red head.
"Guten Tag yourself blue boy," Rachel smiled back from her bed that she was confined to.
"These are for you," Kurt said handing her the flowers that were behind her back.
"Oh Kurt," she said. "They're beautiful and my favorite. How did you know that Irises are my favorite? I thought that I was the telepath."
"I have my resources," Kurt told her.
"Yeah and I think she has the same colored hair as these flowers," Rachel laughed
"Truthfully our residential ninja was very helpful," Kurt told her.
"It doesn't matter. Your still the only one whose been nice enough to spend all this time with me, Kurt, and I really appreciate it," she told him.
"My pleasure Frauline," Kurt said sitting on the side of her bed. "How is your health doing?"
"Hank says I'm doing better. If I try to much to soon I'll have another relapse," Rachel explained sadly.
"I doubt that could happen," Kurt said putting his three fingered hand over her five fingered. "You are incredibly strong, just like Jean was. I was lucky enough to know your mother; she was a good person. She gave her life to protect you Rachel. She did what she had to, to protect everyone."
"I know but it still doesn't change the fact that I miss her so much. It's just not fair. I never knew her in my own time; I thought that I was getting a second chance, but I was wrong. She was taken from me again and I became the opposite of her," Rachel said crying.
"You were brainwashed Rachel," Kurt said wrapping her in his arms. "You had no choice. All the time she spent with you was precious. You know in this time she never had any children. Yes there was cable, but he was not from her, and yes, he had her DNA, but it was Madelyn Pryor's not hers. And then there was Nathan he was from an alternate time line, just like you, and he was genetically made like Madelyn. Than there was you. The only child she had actually bore. You may not have been from the same timeline but that didn't matter to her."
"I hate her," Rachel stated simply. "She tore my life apart."
"She did it to protect you though," Kurt told her.
"I don't think that we're talking about the same person," Rachel said. "I'm talking about the Queen of Plastic Surgery."
"Oh Rachel. You need to let go of all of this hate. It's not good for someone so young," Kurt told the girl in his arms.
"Sometimes if feels good to hate someone. That way you don't have to really have to deal with what's going on," Rachel tried to explain to him. "Besides she deserves nothing from the rest of us. We should strip her of her title and send her back to the fires of the Hellfire Club. I wish that she was never born."
"Rachel you know that you shouldn't wish that. Wasn't it you who just went through being wished that you weren't born," Kurt tried to explain to her.
"That was different. My Grandma was my own family. She wished that Jean hadn't even been born," Rachel said crying again.
"Enough of this talking of the past. Ja? It is going to be a beautiful day for the memorial. This place is not unfair. You know how the systems work. When you are feeling better why don't you try and change things around here?" Kurt asked her.
"You're right," Rachel said. "Come on lets go." She got up and tugged on his arm.
"Go where?" Kurt asked shocked and worried.
"My mother's memorial silly. Now come on." Rachel said even more eager.
"But you're not supposed to over exert yourself," Kurt said.
"Which is why I have you. Now come on take me to my room so I can change out of this horrid paper dress!" Rachel demanded.
"Hold on," Kurt said reluctantly. Rachel wrapped his arms around his neck. There was a puff of smoke and the smell of brimstone and the two soon to be more than friends were gone.
"Thank you," Rachel said when they were in her room. "Now I need you to get my dress out of the closet while I go take a shower." Rachel vanished behind the door.
"Um Rachel," Kurt said after she was gone and had a chance to look into her closet.
"Yes."
"Which dress?"
"Whatever you want. I'm not too picky." Kurt hated that answer. What if he chose on that was too conservative? He didn't want her to think that he didn't like her nothing more than a child. If he chose something that was too low cut he didn't want her to think him as a pervert. Then there was the choice of color. Rachel had a colorful personality. He didn't want to show disrespect by choosing a bright blue dress that would have looked great on Rachel, but he didn't want to go with black because he didn't want to go with black because Rachel had been grieving for more than a year for her mother and she needed to move on.
"Oh god. I think that I would rather have to fight Magneto a thousand times than have to do this," Kurt said to himself.
"Hey Kurt can you hand me the dress," Rachel asked. Kurt, walked as if he were going to his death sentence. He was cautious and afraid at the same time. He hoped he had made the right decision. Rachel came out a few minutes later. "So what do you think?" Rachel said twirling around.
"Um you look wonderful," Kurt said. "Oh and since it's the middle of February, I asked Betsy if she would let you borrow her white coat."
"Kurt you are so amazing. My red and black dress with a white coat, black for the my grief, red because it's my mother's favorite color, and white because she loved the snow," Rachel said looking in the mirror. She loved this dress. It used to belong to her mother. It had a black turtleneck top that angled down to parallel to the red skirt. She wore black boots that came up to just below her knee and the necklace that Scott had go back along with her standard hoop earrings. "Shall we go?"
"Sounds good to me," Kurt said. Rachel once again out he arms around Kurt's neck, but this time right before they ported for the memorial, they snuck in a quick, sweet kiss.
Jean's Memorial, Institute Gardens
Scott's Point of View
Everyone was there. They were all looking to me again. I didn't think that I could do it. I was afraid that this wasn't going to work out. Then I saw Rachel and Kurt teleport there. I was scared. She wasn't supposed to be out of bed. I told her not to come. I should have known that she wouldn't listen. She's just to much like her mother. Then she came. I should have known better than not to expect this.
"What do you think that you're doing here?" Rachel demanded of Emma. "You have no right to be here. You tore apart our lives. You have no respect!"
"Rachel, darling, I have no respect, that's absurd considering you're wearing red and white. I would have thought that you would have been in black to show your grief and respect," Emma told her.
"My mother loved the snow and her favorite color was red you slut. I do not want this to ruin he memory so I'll be the bigger person for once since you obviously never considered the feelings of others," Rachel said and turned around.
Emma was the only one who showed up in black. The others decided to wear bright colors. We decided to celebrate her life instead of her loss. Most showed up in white or red. Other's showed up in green, blue and purple. It was better than her first memorial. Today we were going to celebrate her happiness instead of her sorrow. I was expected to speak. I knew it. I just wasn't ready for it. Storm knew so she took the initiative to do it.
"Jean was like my sister. She was one of the most caring and compassionate people that I knew. I was honored to know her. I only wish that the man who took her from us had seen his error and spared her. What is done is done. She will live on. When the gentle snow is falling we will remember her. When a young mutant is laughing learning to control his or her powers, we will remember her. When the sun is shining like her beautiful smile, we will remember her. When we hear the beautiful cry of a bird or a song, we will remember her. She will never be gone," Storm spoke to us. Storm lit the first candle in a row of many. She was right Jean was never forgotten. I remember Logan coming up next.
"When I first came here, I was wild and untamed. I remember that she helped me through my rage. I guess it's because she could relate to how I was feeling. She hadn't had control over her powers at first either. I guess none of us had. Her friendship was the best thing that I ever had. I still honor it to this day. We miss you Jeannie," Logan spoke and lit the next candle off of Storm's.
"Ah was lonely when I came to the institute seeking refuge. Ah had no where else to go. The Professor helped me and I was grateful. Jean was patient for me and I was grateful, even though I didn't show it. I appreciated what she did for me and I will never forget it. She saved us so many times and all she's ever known is pain," Rogue said beautifully. She lit off of Logan's candle and took her seat.
"My sister-in-law was a great person. She could put up with Scott which is an achievement in its self," Alex, my brother, said and got many laughs out of it. "She never got jealous when me and Scott tried to get close. She understood what that bond was to us and knew that we needed time to get to know one another. When I found out that she died the first time I couldn't believe it. I flew right out to make sure Scott was all right because I knew he wouldn't be. The second time I couldn't give a damn. I went to Rachel because I knew that she wouldn't be able to take it. That Scott wouldn't be there for her. I was right. He was with Emma. I'm only sorry that my brother who claimed to love this wonderful woman so much would do something as to cheat on her with a half wit plastic fake Barbie doll. May you rest in peace Jean."
That one really hurt but I can't say that I blame him. He had every right to be mad. I understand why everyone was angry now and I promised myself that I would never do anything like that again.
"I know that I haven't been part of this team for very long," Polaris said. She was in head to toe green, except her jacket; it was black and it belonged to Alex. "I could always count on her to talk about the fickleness of the Summers men. Oh the stories we shared. I would give anything just to hear another story about the seemingly stone leader of ours." Her and Alex lit the next candle together.
"Jean helped me through a tough time in my life. I had just sacrificed my telepathy to save ourselves from another attack from the Shadow King. Jean told me that I was brave because he was afraid of the silence. She hated that horrid thing. I learned why. When there is silence you doubt everything. You don't know what's going on all you have are you're on thoughts and it is the scariest thing in the world when you can hear everyone. That silence is something you never want to hear. It is every telepaths' nightmare. I thank her for teaching me how to maneuver my telekinesis. I just regret that she could never finish what she started, but I will try my absolute hardest to," Psyloke said placing her match in the flame of Lorna's and Alex's and lighting the next candle.
"I vill never forget the first time I met her. She vas very gracious. She did not run or flinch in fear. She passed down that understanding to her daughter. She was everybody's mother, friends, sister, or anything they needed her to be. She was one of God's best and she now lies with him," Kurt said and took his turn to light a candle.
"Jean was an incredibly gifted girl. She was smart and bright and was always quick to put you in your place. I will never forget the days we spoke about Shakespeare and Darwin and the countless hours put in to save baby Nathan's Life. We will never forget you," Beast said.
"Well I never thought I'd be back here. I wanted to leave and never look back, too many rules for me to handle. It wasn't the best thing I've done. I'll admit that. We got through it though. The good times and the bad, you were there for every single one of them. When the Professor left, you were there. When the universe needed saving you were there and when Magneto was there you gave us protection. I would give anything just to hear you yell at me one more time, to have you save my ass from the stick in the mud leader," Bobby said and took his place.
"Hey Jean, remember me? Long time no see huh cher? Guess ol' Gambit just wanted to say he miss ya and such. No need to be sad though. Gambit knows that you were a fighter. You didn't want to be copped up in some hospital waiting to die. No you were a free spirit just like Gambit. I want you to know that ol' Gambit still thinks about you everyday and the gift you give him. Just want you to know that. You be one of the few good things in my life, you and the X-men. Guess I said what I needed to say and hope you be doin' fine wherever you may be cher," Gambit said in his usual third person southern Cajun talk.
"Jean was before and after my time," Kitty said walking up. "I'm just glad that I knew her at all. She helped me a lot and I appreciate it just like everyone else. Everyone pretty much took all my stuff and for once I have absolutely nothing to say. Shocking I know. I miss you, Red."
There was a shadow over them. Everybody looked up to find Angel staring down at them. He flew down to the crowd. "Sorry I'm late," he simply stated. He kneeled to her gravestone. "Hey girl, looks like you're the Angel now. Just needed to see this for myself. Couldn't believe it again. Don't you worry though, I'll have specialists searching every inch of the sea for you. Hoping to find that beautiful butterfly hiding inside yelling at us to continue Xavier's dream," he said crying.
There was another disruption. The gates started to clang together. There he was. I couldn't believe it. He dared to show his head.
"What are you doing here you bastard!" Rachel said standing up to him. It was amazing that she wasn't scared of him, like her mother before. I only had met 3 people before who dared to stand up to Magneto and two out of the three or dead or worse. Guess Rachel makes four.
"Calm down child. I did not come here to start another death. I came here to apologize," the old man said from behind his helmet.
"Than show some respect and take your helmet off you coward," Logan said to him glaring with rage so strong that it would have made Apocalypse himself cower in fear.
"Wolverine, still violent as ever," Magneto said turning to him. "I would like to say that I am sorry. I, blinded by my own vision, thought her a threat like the Shi'ar. I am sorry. I see now that every mutant with powers of her magnitude, including me, the Shi'ar and my own daughter are at risk of doing what she almost did, but she didn't my daughter did. I am deeply sorry."
"Then why don't we kill your daughter and see how you feel," Rachel said under her breath.
"My daughter-in-law was a beautiful person. She was so much like my own wife that I saw why Scott fell in love with her so easily. Though I must admit that I am not happy how he handled his marriage. What he did to you, Jean is inexcusable. I understand why though and I could never have any respect for anyone who would do such a thing to a family. Thank you Jean for saving us from D'Ken and the Emcrone Crystal. The world, the galaxy, the universe, Everything that exists is in your eternal debt. The Starjammers salute you," Corsair said in front of everyone.
"Guess I can't put this off any longer," I said going in front of everyone. "I know that this is partly my fault. That's why I can't bare to even go on with normal life anymore. However, this ceremony was not supposed to be a bashing of anyone, not me, not Emma, and not Jean. We were supposed to remember and thank and share what Jean meant to all of us. I'm sorry that it turned in to what it did. I will however do what I wanted to do. Jean I am sorry for what I did. I know you're still out there. I will remember you everyday. I remember the first time I saw you , the first time we went out, the first time we kissed, the first time we proposed and the first and only time we got married. I'm sorry what happened happened. Please listen when I say that it wasn't my fault I was being mind controlled. Please if you are still there come back to us." It was then everybody got stiff. Emma had risen to her feet. She received glares from everybody, including Storm, the most forgiving of the group.
"I know everyone thinks that I didn't deserve to know the great Jean Grey. They all think that my intentions were to destroy you and all of your work. I did. I thought that you were invincible. Guess I was wrong. They all say that you're going to come back but this time you're going to quit. You've got nothing to come back too. I do not fear you anymore," Emma said and lit her candle.
"I do not believe that Emma deserved to get up and say anything," Rachel said. "But that wont stop me from saying what everyone else is thinking. Mom I know that you're still out there. You told me that everything was going to be fine. Everything wont be fine until you come back. I'm not going to say goodbye. I'm going to say I will be waiting for you until you come back to me and dad. It's time that someone stopped someone else from corrupting this school." Rachel lit the finale candle. I thought it to be appropriate. We each brought something to burn to symbolize the phoenix rising from it's ashes.
Storm brought an African Violet, Logan placed in his dog tags, Rogue gave up her favorite gloves, Alex put in the necklace his mother gave him before he jumped from the plane, Lorna put in a metal linked bracelet, Psyloke, sacrificed her best pair of chopsticks, Kurt the prayer he said at her first memorial, Beast gave up a page from his collection of Emily Dickinson's Poetry, Bobby had made a pendant out of ice with a huge real snowflake in the middle, Gambit placed the queen of hearts from his first deck of cards, Kitty left the mask from her first costume symbolizing the trust the two had, Angel left her with a picture of the good ol' days, Magneto left his helmet and said, "My mind is not blocked by one so noble anymore.", Corsair also left his dog tags and the Starjammers each put something they had on them from the first time that they had met Jean, Emma refrained from leaving anything, Scott left his wedding ring, and Rachel left her mother with the locket she had just recovered.
Alex burned it all with the plasma from his hands. The flames grew high and one could have sworn they took the shape of a Phoenix.
Guess this story now comes to an end. I'll definitely be writing a sequel to this one though. Did you honestly think that I was going to let Emma get away with all that she has done? Come on now. I think that it's right that it ended this way and that I didn't drag it out. I didn't want this story to lose it's I don't know what you want to call if but I didn't want it to lose it. Anyway stay tuned for the sequel. Oh and by the way. I'm not sure if I'm having Jean come back or not yet. Sorry. Well just tell me what you think good or bad! I'm not picky just really really desperate. Guess what this story has like 4,000 words not including this. This is officially the longest chapter I've ever written. Does that make you feel any more special? Yeah me neither just really really REALLY tired. Good night.
