Note: There will be a part of chapter 5, For Your Entertainment in here and a little of the next chapter as well. Again, in this chapter, not all the memories will be in bold.
"Are you sure about this?" "I am." "You know you can make him wait a few more years. If he is as serious as he seems when it comes to you; he can hold off until the two of you are older." "Mom, Dad is crying again. Dad, why should we wait?! Being heroes doesn't always give us a guarantee about tomorrow. And you and mom didn't wait long after meeting." "Come on, Clinton." "Bobbi?! But she's our little girl!"
Bobbi grabs him by the ear. "You may have taken a more proactive role when it came to raising her. But I assure you if you ruin this for our daughter. Now come on, and let's let her finish getting ready. And you better be ready to walk her down the aisle with no complaints. You know if you don't there will be a line ready to deal with. And I know you don't want to make our daughter cry. Mariah, baby, you look beautiful. And Sean is going to be floored when he sees you." "Bobbi?!" "Enough of that, she was going to grow up eventually, Clint." The door closes, the next moment.
Barbara and Clint run around, managing to hang onto everything as they enter the room. Rachel by Mariah's side. "It will be okay, Mari. Bite on this. Clint, Bobbi, you are going to need to hold her down. Hank, Warren, Clint, are you ready for this?!Jerking as pain courses through her, Rachel wipes the sweat off her face.
It will be okay. We are secure. So, there is no way, Rogers can get in here." "Rachel?! Where is Sean? I need him! He should be here." "It's okay. We will find him. We won't miss out on him being aware. He deserves to know he will be a father. Now you are going to need to push, can you do that, Mari?!"
Her daughter in law nods her head. The pain grips her further as she screams. As the labor stretches on. "Clint, please, stop pacing already. She is fine. Warren and Hank haven't found anything wrong. She and the baby are healthy. Barbara and I are just as concerned as you. But we need to be there for her. Especially since Sean isn't here to offer her support. And he will miss out on seeing their child."
Laying her head back against the pillow. The swaddled bundle is handed to her. Immediately quieting at being in her arms. "You have a daughter, Mariah." "Thank you, Hank, Warren. Rachel, Mom, Dad, do you want to hold her?!" "What are you going to name her?" "Sean and I would talk about it. And if we had a daughter, she would be Barbara Jean Maximoff."
"You know she is going to have to have a nickname, so she won't be confused with her namesakes." "We'll focus on that when we get to it." Rachel sits on the bed, next to Bobbi and Clinton who are lavishing the infant with attention. Mariah watching on serenely, picking up they need this more than her at the moment, especially Rachel.
Holding her granddaughter to her chest, she places in the crib. "G'ma!" "That's right. And what is your name?!" "Bajean!" (BayJean)." "Good job, my little Bean. But it is time for bed now." Leaning in, she kisses the child's forehead. Covering her with a light blanket, placing a Bucky bear near her. "He will watch over you and give you good dreams." Lowering the light, she leaves the door partly open.
"I just put her to sleep, Mariah. And it looks like we might have found him. It isn't much but a clue." "When do we leave?!" "You need to heal and take care of her." "But she is going to need him too, please?!" "We can't risk it. If something happens, she will be without both of her parents. I know you miss him. I do too. But you need to start thinking like a mom now.
"You love her, don't you?" "Of course, I do." "Then you will remain here. And the rest of us will handle it. Besides, even with moving at a high speed, there is no determining how long it will actually take the ship being commandeered will take to get there?! And I already have a team prepared." Walking away, before she can handle her disillusioned daughter.
"Are you sure we are doing the right thing?!" "Of course, Kobik. And without your help, rescuing him would be almost impossible. I am just glad his life force has finally been picked up. And don't forget what we talked about." "Rachel, maybe you should tell them?! Keeping them in the dark isn't going to be the best decision." "If I do, they will try to stop me, like they had the last time I handled a situation myself."
Kobik bangs on the cylinder holding them. "STOP! YOU'RE GOING TO KILL HER!" "That is the idea, child!" Rachel continuing to constantly fade away before resurging. Her screams the only sign of her torment. Kobik finally goes to the glass dividing them, sitting her back against it, closing her eyes. "Kobikā¦Kobik, what are you doing?" "I am getting us help. We are going to have to keep things down, lest they pick up on what we are doing. I can manage barely, masking the connection I am about to force. Your mind may be here with me, but we can't leave your body alone too long. We have to find it before it is too late." Leaving out her fear, that she may already be too late.
"You are The Phoenix?!" "I am, child." "Rachel Summers needs your help. She thinks she has finally found Sean but in the process." "I see. Of course, Kobik of The Cosmic Cube." Reaching out, the young man materializes in midair; unconscious and spread eagled. Mojo The Spineless, Hydra's Captain and The Frightful Four, definitely did an excellent job hiding and torturing him. And if what I have seen is happening at this very moment, we don't have much time."
The semblance of The Phoenix appears as she glows yellow and red, her eyes flashing. The tears evident in her eyes. "Hope Shepard, Rachel Grey, thank you. I know what needs to be done now." Raising her arm, reaching out, she touches the air in front of them. As the atmosphere disintegrates, the arena with it; a void greets them save for a cylinder of light illuminating the otherwise cold room. Kobik on her knees with Rachel's head in her lap. Holding Rachel's hand, the tears flowing freely. "Please, please?! I'm sorry. This is my fault." Shaking her head, "this isn't on you, Kobik. Don't blame yourself. You did all you could. I, thank you." As she turns to face the group, they move forward.
"Rachel?!" Keeping his composure, looking to the side, Castle realizes before the others let it sink in. Alex, Scott and Gabriel kneel before her as Jean, Wanda, Hope, Rachel Grey and the others stand behind them. Silently offering their support. Her skin ashen and pieces of her actually broken and cracked. A slight mist leaving her with every exhale. "Now before what I have left is gone, I have been able to hang on, waiting for all of you. I knew it would only be a matter of time until you came for me." Taking a hold of her hand, Alex lays his head on her stomach as the sobs spring forth. "Why does it always have to be you?!" Looking to their brothers, Rachel begins stroking Alex's hair. "I'm sorry. I have never been a good enough sister to you. To any of you.
Lorna, Jean, I know you will be there for them as you always have, like they deserve. And thank you for being there for Gabriel after all he has done. And know this won't stop. I would like to show you the change. I have always kept this memory private." Stepping forward, she is more than ready to continue as she ever has, "wait?! Please?!" Something in his voice, reminds her of a time gone by. A time when he actually needed and loved her. And this is what causes her hesitation. Turning, the two remain motionless at the bottom of the staircase.
"Alexander, well?!" "I don't need to tell you. You know your constant rejection hurts. I have read your file. I know the dynamics of our relationship in your reality. But I am not him. How long are you going to punish me for the things he did?! All I have ever wanted since we met, since you came to this reality is to know you."
Closing her eyes briefly, before stepping forward. Enveloping him in a bear hug, as he wraps his arms around her, laying his head on her shoulder. Cupping the back of his head, holding him close, she looks to their brother standing on the staircase's landing, a smile on his face. "You're right. It is on me. I have been too harsh on you. You are nothing like him. That was never the problem. My stubbornness to move past his transgressions was the issue.
Why don't we go out, do something together?! Katya has been telling me about something called an escape room." The siblings move toward the door as Scott walks away reassured the would-be war between the two is over. "As for Lorna Dane, despite that Annie detour, when are you going to put a ring on that or some kind of commitment. How long have you loved her after all?! I swear, it's like you and Scott don't know how to stick to the love of your lives. First, Annie, then Scott, with Emma."
The smirk appears on Alex's face as he looks at her from his peripheral vision. "As if you are really one to talk, my dear sister. You fell in love with and married the man with the biggest stick up his ass!" Lightly shoving him forward as he laughs, "Pietro isn't as bad as he seems. Besides, we are similar. I get some why he makes the majority of his choices. We both know what it is like to have to keep things guarded. Yet we haven't completely let bitterness take a hold of us. This is why no matter what reality I continue to fall in love with him. At his center, he remains the same."
"Lorna, I am finally glad he married you. And you had Dane. Jean?!" "Don't, Rachel. The dissolution of my marriage was something that was unavoidable. Being a vessel of The Phoenix and what all you have suffered doesn't actually mean that you have to shoulder every shortcoming." The need to breathe becomes a struggle as her chest rapidly moves up and down, as Kobik continues to hold her. Bringing Rachel, a little closer as her embrace becomes firmer, causing Alex to shift his position as Rachel lays her other hand on Kobik's arm, looking at her. "It will be okay," before bringing her hand back to her side. Turning back to her friends and family with regret. "Be happy. I'm sorry. All I keep doing is dying on you." The life leaves her as her hand goes limp against Alex's head. Her body slumping backward, her eyes gazing into nothingness.
Alex tightening his hold on her as the sobs increase. "You were wrong you know. You were the best sister." Scott placing his hand on his shoulder as Gabriel looks to him. The rest that have been close to her let their grief be displayed. "Remy?!" "I'll be alright, Anna." Seeing Kitty covering her eyes with her hand, he embraces her as Anna remains by his side. Jean and Lorna put hug their partners from behind. Cable, Nate, Hope, Rachel Grey, Christopher and Dane surround Gabriel.
