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Chapter Fifty-Two

Magneto had relegated himself to sitting in the back seat. His wife sat in the front seat next to Logan as he drove the vehicle out past the park's gates. Wolverine looked contemplative and he wondered why the brute had insisted on taking the journey with them.

His wife turned to look over at Wolverine, an expecting glance on her face as her hand rustled through her backpack.

"Give me a minute," he snapped. Rogue's hand ceased its movement as she seemingly found what she had searched for.

"I don't mean ta rush ya, sugar," she said as she pulled something onto her lap, though he couldn't see what from the angle. "But once Lorna's in the car, any questions are gonna have ta wait," she said as he felt her fingers grip the zipper and use it to close the front compartment of her backpack. Next, he felt her deposit the bag onto the floor in front of her feet. He listened to Wolverine let out a low growl as his thumb tapped against the steering wheel. Clearly, he was displeased with the time constraint.

"So, you're up for taking care of his kid, huh?" Wolverine asked. He didn't appreciate the tone in the other man's voice.

"Lorna is our daughter," he responded immediately. Wolverine's gaze darted up to the rearview mirror, their eyes making contact. "We've raised her together once already," he explained.

"And we're gonna do it again," Rogue added as he listened to Wolverine sniff the air. He reached out with his own senses but found nothing to cause alarm. "It's gonna be so good seeing her in person. It's been so long," she said with warmth in her voice. He reached forward and placed his hand on her shoulder- squeezing it comfortingly.

"Rogue, what is the plan?" he asked as he leaned forward somewhat. "I know you said I needn't worry. However-" he said.

"Yeah, cause she's gonna pay 'em off,'' Wolverine grunted. He raised an eyebrow as his eyes met Wolverine's in the rearview mirror again. He, in turn, gestured toward Rogue's lap with his head. "How much is there? A grand?" he asked dryly.

Magneto swiftly looked in the front seat to see a stuffed envelope in Rogue's hand; which was apparently filled with cash.

"Fifteen-hundred, actually. It's what I have left," she answered as he felt his eyes widen. Honestly, he hadn't considered what she had used the funds for. Only that she had tricked him into giving her the ten thousand dollars. "Max," she said as she squeezed his hand. He blinked before his eyes refocused on her.

"Yes, dear?" he asked.

"Did you remember the conversation you had with the Danes back in the ninety-nines?" she asked.

"No, no, I haven't recalled it yet," he answered as he pulled back from her and sat back against his seat.

"Okay, I'll give ya the short version," she said.

"Thank you," he said.

"You gave the Danes a pretty penny to take Lorna in. They agreed since they were expecting a boy of their own and they didn't wanna turn down the extra income. But the stipulation was that you would pick Lorna up by the end of January two-thousand-and-one. And when you didn't show up, I had ta step in ta ensure they kept fostering her," she said.

"When did you first contact the Danes?" Wolverine asked.

"February seventeenth two-thousand and two," she answered. Which was immediately followed by a low growl from Wolverine. "Not what you wanted to hear?" she asked.

"No, but it's what I expected," he answered. Magneto's eyes darted back and forth between the two in the front. He didn't understand what the issue was. "How much were you giving them?" he asked.

"Five hundred a month," she said.

"Since February," he said.

"Ah-huh," she replied.

"With what you got in the envelope, that makes nine thousand."

"That's exactly right," she said.

"Where did the other thousand go?" Logan asked.

"Odds and ends. Food mostly," she answered.

"If I had known it was for Lorna, I would have-" Magneto said, his voice pained, before he cut himself off, shaking his head at himself. "Is fifteen hundred enough? Will the Dane's be satisfied?"

"I'd like to double it if we can," she said. "Give them nothing to complain about and end things on good terms," she answered.

"Logan, may I impose on you to take a detour?" he asked.

"Sure," he huffed, as he abruptly switched lanes. "Why the hell not," he said dryly as he felt his hand clench the steering wheel.

"If you don't wanna drive anymore," she said.

"It's fine," he said through his teeth. Though, he could tell the man was livid.


Wolverine sat with Rogue next to him, in the parked X-Van. Magneto had elected to enter the bank alone, giving them a chance to speak. He was fuming inside and yet he was hesitant to speak. It wasn't because he didn't have questions. He had plenty- it was just- he wanted to start with the right one and considering what she had just told him on the ride here- the right one might be-

Maybe, he should just drop it. He might be better off not knowing the truth.

No- no, that wasn't the answer either.

He hit his fist on the steering wheel out of frustration.

"There's that anger I was expecting," Rogue said, breaking the silence.

"Comes with the territory, darlin," he responded.

"You've got every right to be angry, Logan. I know that," she said. He let out an irritated sigh at that. "This conversation's gonna suck. So, we might as well get it over with. Ask what ya gotta ask," she said.

"I gave this a lot of thought, alright," he grunted. "It comes down to two questions. What else have you lied about and when did you use me," he said. "But after you told me the exact date you contacted the Danes, I'm pretty damn sure I know the answer to both," he said as he looked over at him. "So, I'm gonna ask you one thing and I want the truth, Rogue," he said.

"It was my idea," she said before he could put it into words. "I put the location of the Rebirth Machine in my husband's head. It was the only thing I could think that that would heal his body and might heal his mind," she said. He stared at her with daggers in his eyes, angry didn't begin to describe how he felt.

"It was all me," she said. "Shield showing up to ask for your help, me and Kurt going along for the ride, making sure we destroyed the machine so Shield would drop the issue and then using that to get the funds from Magneto to pay the Danes. It was all me," she said.

"Another one of your faultless plans," he said bitterly.

"What was I supposed to do?" she asked him. "My husband was sick, my daughter's living situation was uncertain. I know the Danes love her, but they had a boy of their own and twins on the way. That's a lot of mouths to feed. My PTSD was at its worst because I was spending most of my time pretending to be Mystique's best fucking friend," she said as he felt his eyes widen.

"You knew about Risty," he growled.

"I knew she carried a gun on her at all times," she said dryly.

"Shit," he grunted, his anger dissipating for a brief moment, as empathy for her bleed through.

"I knew every moment she spent with me was one where she wasn't hurting or killing someone else," she continued.

He banged his fist against the roof of the Van, it shook slightly under his assault, but the outlet was a needed release.

"You should've told me," he said. "I've would've done something about it," he said.

"Like what? Tell Charles? We would've had to tell him everything and I'd have ta deal with the aftermath of that exposure. I wasn't ready for everyone to know what she did ta me. I still ain't fucking ready," she said.

"God damn it, Rogue," he grunted.

"I'm sorry, okay. But."

"But what?" he exclaimed.

"Can we please not pretend this is entirely on me?" she asked. He let out a low growl at that "Yes, my PTSD got in the way. More than once. And yes, I should've told you- but there's a part of you that prefers ignorance. If you wanted to know everything you would've said yes when I offered to restore your memories," she said.

"Just 'cause I don't wanna remember being some scummy merc, that doesn't excuse your actions," he said bitterly.

"I ain't saying it does. I'm just asking ya to accept a little responsibility, that's all," she said.

"You're passing the buck," he said dismissively.

"I'm not," she said firmly.

"Are you gonna blame Chuck too for keeping this from him?" he asked as he watched her eyes narrow.

"It was never my intention to hide shit from Charles Xavier," she said. "He's too damn busy hiding from his own damn self," she said, rolling her eyes. "Same as you. At least, you're conscious of it, James," she said. He had been called that too many times in less than twenty-four hours. He felt his blood boil.

"Stop calling me that," he yelled.

"For the record, you weren't just some merc. I like James Howlett," she said.

"He's someone you can make the head of your security detail, huh?" he said mockingly. "Someone you can use," he added.

"You were given that position because there was no one I trusted more with the safety of my family and our nation. You don't know the hell we lived through, Logan. The Sentinel take over, the camps, the genocide, and then Apocalypse turned every human on the planet into a mutant. The death and devastation that followed in his wake. We did the best we could to build a home out of so much sorrow and loss. Of course, I wanted James Howlett but my side. He is a good man and I wish to God you could see that," she said strongly.

"A good man doesn't volunteer for the Weapon X Program," he retorted.

"They lied to you about what that project was supposed to be. The second you saw Sabortooth you knew. But by then it was too late. You'd walked in the door and they had you. That wasn't your fault. You'd know that if you'd let me restore your memories," she said.

"The few you put back in my head were enough," he said bitterly.

"But there is so much more you don't remember," she said. He refused to look at her. He listened to her let out a sigh. "Logan, your past is gonna keep coming up. And you're choosing to not have context. When you fought Omega Red, did you have any idea what was going on?" she said.

"I didn't tell ya about Omega Red," he said, shaking his head. "But you always know what's going on? Don't you?" he asked.

"How else I am supposed to keep everyone from dying again?" she asked. "Knowledge is power, Logan. And you are willingly choosing to be blind," she said.

"I knew enough," he grunted, after a moment.

"Did ya?" she asked dryly. He let out a growl in response. "Alright, fine. But ya know it ain't all fighting and killing, right? There's good stuff too, people you cared about, loved even. Rose, Silverfox, Itu," she listed.

"All dead, right?" he asked.

"Well, yeah," she said sadly. "But, it's more complicated than that-"

"I don't need it," he muttered, shaking his head. "I don't need that pain," he said louder.

"Okay, that I can understand. You've had your fair share of that, sugar. I just- I can't imagine not knowing where I'd come from or what I've done."

"That's your baggage, not mine," he said.

"You don't know what your baggage is. That's my point," she argued.

A part of him knew she was right- but

"For the last time, Rogue, I don't want 'em. So, stop asking me about it," he said. She huffed before turning to look out the window.

"Why do all the men in my fucking life have ta have fucking amnesia," she muttered under her breath.

He didn't respond to that- he let the comment hang unanswered for a few agonizing moments.

His thumb drummed against the steering wheel as neither of them said a word.

A few minutes later they both watched Magneto exit the bank.

"I need him present for Lorna. Talking about any of this stuff in front of my husband could throw him inta-," she said.

"I don't got much to say to you right now, anyway," he said.

"Fine," she huffed.

"Fine," he repeated.

A moment later, Magneto entered the back seat of the Van.

"Is everything alright?" he asked.

"Just peachy," Logan said dryly.

"It's fine," Rogue sighed before she turned back to look at him. "Let's go get our daughter back," she said as, out of the corner of his eye, he saw she was forcing herself to smile.

"Alright," Magneto responded with a nod.


Jean sat in the Professor's office, by herself. It was a good focal point within the mansion which helped her scan the institute. She sat on one of the couches, her legs crossed beneath her and her eyes closed as she took in the smell of the books that surrounded her.

She couldn't help but smile.

She loved this office, loved how much time she and the Professor had spent in here. Discussing her powers and her academic career at the high school. He gave her books to read, and passed so much knowledge onto her. He had always been so generous with his time and with his assistance.

She let out a happy sigh as she stretched her mind outside of the office.

As her mind passed over the institute for the third time that afternoon, she found Scott was still in one of the gyms, working out his aggression on a punching bag. She considered going to him, yet again, but swiftly dismissed the thought. Hank had advised her to give him some space and she was fairly sure he was right that Scott needed it.

Each time she passed over his mind, she couldn't help but sense his confusing and contradictory thoughts.

He wanted to be treated as an adult, but at the same time, he valued the position of authority the Professor held. The Professor was the closest thing Scott had to a parent- she could understand why he didn't want to change that relationship.

Would calling him by his first name mean that he didn't look out for him anymore? Would the Professor stop being a father figure and merely become his boss? She didn't suffer from the same issue. Her parents were alive and well. She had those connections outside of the institute. Charles could just as easily become her mentor as the Professor had been all these years.

The change didn't affect them the same way- but given their relationship, she did think they needed to make the alteration at the same time. They were the ones who set an example for the others- they set the precedent.

Was it fair of her to push this on him if he wasn't ready? Maybe she should drop it for now. They could always bring it up later. After Scott had some time to come around to the idea. Maybe calling Hank by his first name would be enough.

She wasn't sure- but-

'Do I even want the Professor to be my mentor anymore?' she asked herself.

Her eyes snapped open at the thought- where had that come from?

She- she knew Rogue was right- and- His fear and guilt had been- She didn't realize how much it had affected her perception of her powers. She was still coming to terms with that. And she didn't really know what to do with those thoughts.

She knew it hadn't been on purpose- He- The Professor- Charles- would never hurt her on purpose. He cared about her, deeply. She had always been able to sense that from his mind as well- his love. She knew he hadn't hurt her on purpose. But, despite his intentions she was still suffering the result of his mistakes, wasn't she?

She was still terrified of her powers.

Maybe, Rogue was right. Maybe-

She shook her head at herself.

This wasn't the time for self-reflection. She had a job to do.

She sat up straight, closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and cleared her mind. She reached out to survey the grounds and she got a flash. A teenager- blue eyes, short blond hair, a goatee and large beautiful white angel wings. He had flown in from over the ocean, behind the mansion, landing near the wooded area behind the equipment shed, between the swimming pool and the baseball field.

'Warren?' she asked herself before she took another look.

No, no- It was someone else- someone she recognized. What was his name again?

Evan had brought him to the institute in October of her senior year of high school. He was the boy Evan had cut school to go skateboarding with. He wasn't a mutant- she remembered that. It was some kind of experiment that gave him the ability to copy others' powers. He-

'Cal?' she asked herself, not sure if she was right. She scanned his mind again and sensed distress. He was scared. 'He needs help,' she realized, as her eyes snapped open.


A few short minutes later, Jean was walking along the path, over the wooden bridge, past the equipment shed, and into the woods.

"Hello," she called out as she looked for him. "My name's Jean Grey. You might not remember me but I'm an instructor here at the institute now," she said as she walked further between the trees. "I think you might need help," she said before sticks and stones shot from out of the woods, directly towards her.

Instinctually, she produced a shield, which kept the onslaught of items from harming her.

"Sorry," a voice called out. "Hold up a sec there," he said and she ceased walking

"Are you okay?" she asked.

"Yeah, no problem- but can you back up a little?" he yelled.

"Oh, right," as she took a few steps back. "Is this better?" she asked.

"Yeah," he said. Her eyes scanned the area and finally spotted him standing near a tree, about twenty-five feet away from her.

"Hi," she said with a smile and a small wave.

"Hey," he said as he rubbed the back of his neck.

"Are you okay, Cal?" she asked. "It's Cal, right?" she asked quickly, realizing she might have gotten it wrong.

"Yeah, yeah. Cal Rankin," he said. "I've had better days," he said as the wings on his back flexed and a strong gust of wind came at her, blowing more sticks and rocks in her direction. She put up another shield. "Sorry," he exclaimed as she watched a few small rocks that were heading her way, stop midair before flying back towards him.

"Careful," she cried out as she dropped her shield and tried to take control of the rocks. She got most of them, but one flew past his head, nicking his forehead. Her eyes widened as she watch a faint line of blood form. "Oh no," she said, distressed.

"I have a hard time when I have more than one power," he said as he reached up and wiped the wound.

"We have a first aid kit. I can go grab it," she offered.

"It's fine," he said as he looked at his hand. It's barely a scratch. I'm fine," he said. "Are you okay?" he asked, looking back at her.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm okay," she said. "Hmm, how about we sit then?" she suggested.

"Yeah, yeah, okay," he said. She quickly sat on the ground, her legs crossed beneath her. Then she watched him gently lower himself to the ground and carefully folded the wings up behind him as he sat down, coping her position. Each movement was slow and deliberate. She could tell he was doing everything he could to keep himself under control.

"So, how have you been? How's your mom?" she asked. She listened to him let out a sigh. She winced-'Maybe, I shouldn't have started with small talk. I just wanted to break the ice. Help him feel a little more comfortable before I start asking about his power. He didn't leave here on the greatest terms last time. I don't want to overwhelm him,' she thought. She watched his eyes widened before he smiled, rubbing the back of his neck again.

"Thanks," he said. "That's considerate of you, Jean," he said. Her eyes widened for a brief moment, before she realized he had read her mind. "My mom's okay. Thanks for asking. She's in New Jersey for a couple of weeks, dealing with some clients. I've been staying in Manhattan with my Uncle Owen," he said.

"Cal, am I still too close? I can back up more if you need me too," she offered.

"No, no," he said waving his hand dismissively. "It's ah- I don't know what's happening to me. But I have your powers now and I can't make them go away," he said.

"Is this new?" she asked.

"I think so. It started last night," he said.

"Okay," she said with a thoughtful nod. "Well, I know that sometimes powers can evolve and a mu- a person's powers can become stronger over time. I know mine keep growing. Maybe this is something similar," she suggested.

"Maybe," he sighed as he wiped his forehead again. "It's okay. It'll cot in a minute. I'm fine," he said, addressing her thought before it could say anything.

"Okay," she said with a nod. "So tell me, what happened last night?" she asked.

"My uncle got this invite to some fancy club for rich people. It's a school night, but he asks me to go with him anyway. He said he always wished he had taken his dad up on networking events when he was younger and that he didn't want me to waste my youth the same way he did," he said.

"Sounds like he cares about you," she said with a smile.

"More than my dead-beat dad ever did," he said, a hint of bitterness in his voice. She let out a sympathetic sigh. "Anyway, so, we're at the Hellfire Club last night, my uncle's hitting it off with one of the big-wigs and I talking up this college girl. Her name's Candy and I tell her I'm new in Manhattan and she just starts recommending places to eat and things to do. She's so nice and I'm actually having a good time. I thought I was going to be bored, you know," he said as she nodded along, listening to him.

"Then her boyfriend shows up and I just- I feel this pain in my back and like I'm gonna hurl. So, I hightail it to the bathroom like my life depended on it. I toss my lunch and the next thing I know I got these things," he said pointing to the wings. "My uncle followed me and got his coat and helped me get out of there without anyone seeing us," he finished explaining.

"Candy's boyfriend, was his name Warren?" she asked.

"Friend of yours?" he asked.

"I know him. He's a nice guy," she said.

"He seemed nice," Cal laughed sadly. "I was having a good time before-" he said before he sighed.

"It must be so stressful meeting new people," she stated.

"You know I was so nervous on my first day in my new school. There could be any number of mutants, right? But I was completely fine. I don't know- I think I let my guard down," he said.

"Hey, this isn't your fault, Cal. Control takes time and lots of practice. I'm glad you came here today," she said. He smiled before she saw him wince. "Are you okay?" she asked.

"My mom would be so angry if she knew I was here," he said.

"Why?"

"She really didn't like the way the Professor spoke to us. You know, the whole- I'm not a mutant thing," he answered.

"I'm really sorry about that," she said. "I don't know why the Professor said that. It shouldn't matter. I don't think it matters," she said.

"Yeah, I can- I can feel that," he said before he smiled at her. "And I wouldn't've of come, but my Uncle's busy with some acquisition and my mom's been so busy trying to build up her client base. She's out of town a lot. She moved me to Manhattan because of my new school. It's private. They have really small class sizes, which helps with my whole deal," he said.

"Because there's less of a chance of anyone having powers," she guessed.

"Yeah, that and I'm bipolar," he said.

"Oh," she said surprised.

"Yeah, sorry about the last time I was here. I wasn't- For years I just- I kept having these extreme mood swings. Sometimes I would feel like I was on top of the world and I could do anything and other times all I wanted to do was sleep for days. My mom thought I was being a teenager and that I was angry that my dad had abandoned us. And then she thought it might be because of my powers- like I wasn't just absorbing powers but other people's mood too and it was messing with me," he said.

"I could see why she would think that. When I first got my telepathy, I was affected by everyone around me. I could hear all of their thoughts and it was so overwhelming. My parents had no idea how to help me themselves. So, they reached out to the Professor," she said.

"I think that's why my mom called my Uncle Owen; to get another point of view. He hung out with us a few times and turns out my dad and my grandma have bipolar disorder too," he said.

"It runs in the family, huh," she said.

"Yup, I lost the genetic lottery on that one. You know, it just- It would've been nice if my dad had actually told my mom about any of it. But my uncle said he and his mom had this old school view on mental illness," he said.

"Old school?" she asked.

"Lots of denials, ignoring it completely and just making everyone around them deal with their mood swings," he answered.

"That- that sounds exhausting," she said.

"Yeah, I don't know how my mom put up with my dad as long as she did. I think he might've done us a favor by ditching us," he said.

"Maybe, but I think it's still okay to be mad about it- even if it was a good thing," she said with a sad smile. Cal's eyes locked with hers as she felt a wave of calm emanate from him.

"You are- you are really easy to talk to, Jean," he said before smiling. "Has anything ever told you that before?" he asked. She smiled as she felt her face blush slightly from the compliment.

"Once or twice, I think," she said. "But this isn't about me," she said shaking her head. "The whole point of the Xavier Institute is to help people like us come to terms with their powers. But with your powers and the way the Professor spoke to you," she said rolling her eyes. "I get why you can't be here. But maybe you and I can work together? Just one-on-one?" she asked.

"Jean, I would really like that," he answered, rubbing the back of his neck. She smiled at him.

"So, how do you usually get rid of powers you don't want anymore?" she said.

"I just get out of range and they'd go away," he said.

"It wasn't a conscious choice," she said thoughtfully. "So, your powers definitely grew then. Have you ever meditated before?" she asked. He shook his head. "Okay, so what I want to do is walk you through some basic breathing exercises that are meant to help center you. If you have to release the powers you absorb I think the meditation should help you get to a state of calm when you can attempt to let them go. Does that sound okay?" she asked.

"Sure," he smiled. "That's more of a game plan than I had," he laughed. She smiled at him.

"Okay, let's see if this works," she said.


Magneto took a breath as he opened the car door and exited the vehicle. There he stood in front of a two-story house as he gripped the envelope in his hand. Paradoxically, he was filled with both apprehension and longing, as he stared at the door. A meager white-picked fence stood between him and his daughter. Only apprehension prevented him from moving forward as he felt Rogue exit the vehicle.

Suddenly, he felt a short burst of magnesium. His eyes darted up to the second-story window to see his daughter staring down at him. She had a large smile on her face. He felt her spirit out of the room and down a flight of stairs. The front door pulled itself open as Lorna came running out of the house.

"Daddy, Mommy," she called out as she ran across the lawn. Rogue walked ahead of him and opened the little gate, before kneeling down. "Mommy," she called out again before she flew into Rogue's open arms.

"Hi, sweet-pea. I missed you so much," she said as embraced their daughter.

"You're really here," she cried.

"I know, I know. I'm sorry it took so long," she replied.

Magneto staggered backward, hitting the van, as his mind flashed-


He saw Rogue and Lorna in the same stances, yet their clothes differed. Rogue was wearing her green and white uniform. Lorna was dressed in a green dress with a little cape attached to it and a golden tiara in her braided green hair. In her hand was a small golden box. "Did you have fun in Asgard?" his wife asked.

"Lady Sif took us to see the waterfalls. They're so pretty, Mommy. I had so much fun. I like Woden. He's funny," she said as she backed out of the hug. "Queen Frigga said to give you this," she said as she handed Rogue the golden box.

"Thank you very much, sweet-pea," she said as she took the box from her and kissed Lorna on the cheek. Rogue gestured with the box and Magneto used his abilities to call it to his hand. He opened it, to see a single golden apple resting within the box.

"The alliance continues," he announced.

"I'll need to go to Asgard next month, during the Odin-Sleep, to thank Frigga in person," she said.

"Of course," he said.


He shook his head and his vision was restored, he was once again standing in front of the house.

"You still with me?" she asked as he felt her hand on her shoulder.

"Yes, yes," he said, shaking off the short flashback. "I'm present," he said before he felt hands on his leg.

"Daddy," Lorna called out. He looked down and instantly fell to his knees. "Are you okay? Mommy said you were sick," she said. He put his hands on his daughter's shoulders, as he took in the sight of her. The only difference he saw was her hair- it was brown, instead of green.

"I was, yes," he said.

"Are you better now?" she asked. He felt his breath catch in his throat as words failed him. Instead, he pulled his daughter to him, embracing her for the first time in years.

"I'm sorry," was all he could say. He had no other words.

"It's gonna take some time, but he's getting there. We gotta be patient for him, okay?" she asked.

"Okay, Mommy," she said as he continued to hug her. He didn't want to let go.

"Let me handle talking to the Danes," she said quietly, her voice barely above a whisper, as he felt her take the envelope out of his hand.

"Of course," he said.

"Margaret," she called out, her voice jovial. "Sorry again for the short notice," she said.

"Oh, it's alright," he heard a voice call out. "How are you, Anna-" he pulled back from his daughter as his head throbbed in pain.

"Daddy," he heard Lorna call out as he fell back against the ground.

"Max," was the last thing he heard as he blacked out.


Okay cutting it off here for now! So everyone knows, Cal Rankin going to the Xavier Institute is one of the plot lines I am continuing from the X-Men Evolution Comic Book (#6). I think I did a pretty decent job at summing up what happens in the comic through Jean and Cal's conversation. However, if anyone has any questions, please let me know and I can elaborate during their next conversation. Thanks!

Thank you for reading and please let me know your thoughts! Speaking of which!

Maryam Memariii: Thank you! I'm so glad you're enjoying it! And same- I hate that she married Gambit. Which is why we have fanfiction, lol! I'm not seeing their relationship in the comics so I have to write my own. Thanks for coming on the ride and I hope you liked this chapter too!

Kirogue: Thank you! Maybe, lol! No, Wanda definitely hasn't processed that Rogue raised TJ. I don't think she's really processed that her and Magneto are married. She's had a crazy couple of days and Wanda's not great at handling her own emotions, lol. More to come with that and Jean, of course! Thanks so much and can't wait to hear your thoughts on this chapter as well!

Tfranco9: Thank you! I hope you liked this chapter too! ^.^

AbraxasDane: Thank you! You know, I didn't phrase it like that in my head. But yeah, my goal was to check in on all of the POV chapters in one chapter and set up for the next stage of the story. We're definitely at a turning point. For a long while it was Magneto against Rogue and him trying to figure her out. But the conflict between them is resolved. They're married now and get to be together while dealing with the awkwardness that comes with time travel/amnesia and the joys of building a life together with their family. (The happy ending I've always craved for them which we got a small taste of in Age of Apocalypse in the comics).

If I hadn't gone absolutely insane building up multiple plots & subplots in this fic, them getting Lorna back might have been the end of the story. But yeah, no- I'm not even close to being done. Its full steam ahead on the next part of the story. So glad you're enjoying it and I can't wait to hear your thoughts on this chapter!

Little Red Dove: Talk about timing, lol! Thank you! You know I love hearing from you! But you come to read this story as a hobby. So, if life gets in the way and you can't review, please don't sweat it! Of course, I want to hear your thoughts and I'm always happy to see your reviews! But please know, I know you're reading!

Yup, definitely a jumping off point- so much plot- so little time! And will do! My goal is still one chapter per month! If I can keep cranking out about 4000-5000 good words per month, I think that's a good pace that lets me enjoy this hobby but still play video games as well So glad you're enjoying it!