August 19, 1992
Amanda put her hand to her mouth as David was thrown to the floor. She could see him shaking with convulsions. Sharon was struggling to keep in tears. Although Amanda didn't know any of these people besides David, Kurt, Sharon and Rahne, she knew that things were bad. She knew that Alex was married to the girl with the green hair. Now he was bleeding out onto the ground, his wife struggling to fight the person responsible.
Sharon sank down to her knees, the tears finally breaking free. Amanda looked wildly around for something she could do. Her mind went to the man behind her, still under Apocalypse's control. She might not be able to help David, but there was a chance that she could help him, and help others. Alex in particular was still in pain.
Feeling uncertain she put her hand on Sharon's shoulder.
"Sharon," she whispered, "Alex needs us."
Sharon wiped her eyes, taking a deep breath. She was in love with David, and Amanda could see that his struggles seemed to be getting weaker. It was difficult for her. Amanda couldn't imagine what she would be going through if it was Kurt on the ground instead of David.
Sharon deliberately turned away from the scene and towards Archangel. She walked over to him, her hands trembling as they turned into talons. She slipped her fingernail beneath the crystal on her forehead and began to pry it upwards.
"This is...really stuck in there," Sharon panted.
She used her other hand, digging her talons underneath it. Amanda felt sick as she watched the blood bubble up from beneath the crystal. Her talons moved around the crystal, digging deeper and deeper to get it out.
After a minute the crystal came out, leaving a bloody wound on Archangel's forehead. She winced at it and Sharon crushed the crystal in her hand.
"Well, that problem's solved," she said.
She got to her feet.
"We need to get him over to Alex," she said, "It's his best chance."
Amanda swallowed down some of the disgust she'd felt at the sight of Sharon removing a piece of Archangel's forehead. She grabbed his arms and Sharon picked up his legs. Amanda was tired, and Archangel was still heavy, but Alex was still dying.
Archangel's eyes opened and Amanda froze. He groaned and looked at them.
"Sharon...where am I?" he asked, "What's going on?"
"Warren," Sharon whispered.
She began to let go of his legs and signaled Amanda to do the same. Warren winced and sat up. He saw Apocalypse and his eyes widened.
"Sharon, he's trying to-" he said.
"Rule the world through the Legacy virus," Sharon said, "Unfortunately, we know."
He winced and looked at his arms.
"Oh my God, that was all real," he said.
He began to breathe in heavily. Amanda recognized a panic attack when she saw one. She knelt next to him.
"Yes, it was," Amanda said, "And I'm sorry. But right now someone needs your help."
Warren's eyes focused.
"Who are you?" he asked.
Amanda shrugged. It would take too long to explain.
"A friend," she said, "And Alex has been hurt, along with others, and you need to heal him."
Warren nodded.
"Right, right," he said.
He frowned.
"Why's my arm cut up?" Warren asked.
Sharon looked at Amanda.
"Sorry we have to bleed you so much," Sharon said, "But it's not like we have many other choices."
She bit her lip as the X-men cried out in the back. Amanda saw that David's struggles had ceased.
"We all have to do what we need to," she said.
Charles reached out for his son, but he was still, his eyes glazing over. He shook him desperately, but David's eyes just lolled to the back of his head.
"David!" Charles shouted, "David!"
Apocalypse laughed. Kurt teleported over with Moira. David wasn't responding to any of them. Kurt was screaming and Moira was crying. The other X-men and Brotherhood members had stopped to watch.
He could hear Apocalypse stop laughing.
"I told you you would see your family dead or enslaved Xavier," he said.
Charles wanted to scream, but it died in his throat when David moved his hand. Apocalypse was flung away and David sat up, smiling triumphantly.
"Whoa, do not want to do that again," he said.
"You should be dead!" Apocalypse screamed, "I put enough energy to kill-"
"Three people, yeah," David said.
He tapped his head.
"Three conciousnesses," he said, "I shoved them to the front and braced myself. Man am I glad that worked."
David grinned at his father, his eyes clearer than they had looked in a long time.
"I've broken through the first barriers, and now he's weaker. Dad, Emma, Jean, ready to go in?" David asked, "He just used up a lot of his psychic energy on that blast. As for everyone else-"
His grin broadened as he raised his voice.
"Go for a physical attack," he said.
Charles could only smile in pride at his son, barely believing what had happened. Part of him was angry at him for taking such a big risk, but David had won. He'd been ready and willing to make that sacrifice.
Apocalypse lunged for David and Charles went into his mind. It was dark there, but he could see others. Emma was in the corner, her power reflecting brilliantly off her skin. He saw Jean there with them. The psychic energy around her flared strongly, almost as though she were on fire.
The whole place was pitch black. Charles saw his son standing next to him, his power and mind showing strong and bright. He grabbed his son's hand and, together, they targeted Apocalypse. His mind, despite what David had said, was still strong, and he was very angry.
Charles was determined not to lose though. He'd been losing for a long time, the people he cared about tossed around and hurt. His wife had just been brought back from the brink, and his son had managed to overcome. He was standing his ground now.
He had always meant to leave his sons and students the Institute. He'd hoped that it would show as a beacon of strength and perseverance in a world that was trying to destroy them. That was the legacy he wanted to leave behind, not a legacy of failure and death.
He had never put so much strength into a single attack. Apocalypse was reeling, trying to keep his strength up in the physical realm and the mental one.
"Ready?" David asked.
"Ready," Charles said.
"Ready," Jean said.
Emma merely inclined her head. Charles had never felt so much psychic energy in one area, such a push. All around him the walls of Apocalypse's mind were torn down. It was as though it were all crumbling down. Charles had never felt so much exhilaration.
David cheered next to him, his own power rising up in strength. Charles felt pride well in him again. He'd known what he was doing. In that moment Charles felt so many of his worries for his oldest son vanish. No matter what he had tried to protect him from, his son was not just a brilliant law student anymore. For the first time Charles saw that he was an X-man, and a strong one at that.
The walls began to fall, Apocalypse's defenses destroyed from the inside. Charles got a brief look of the battle on the outside, Lorna, Max and Erik fighting furiously side by side. Although it shouldn't, it made him feel good to see the them together. It might not last long, but for now it did.
Terry and Deadpool were shooting rapidly, Sean screaming at the top of his lungs. Charles smiled and slipped further Apocalypse's mind, shredding it as much as he possibly could. There was little left, and Charles could see the light in Apocalypse's mind dwindling.
However, it was becoming more difficult. Charles frowned. The last bastion of Apocalypse's mind seemed much more secure than the others. In his head he could feel sweat trickling down his brow with the effort.
David was having trouble too. Even Emma looked as though something were wrong. Charles put his hand to his head. He had to find some sort of reserves somewhere. He heard Apocalypse laugh.
"You don't have the energy to do this," he said, "I'll still live. You don't have the strength to finish me, even with all of you."
Charles gritted his teeth.
"Well?" Apocalypse laughed, "Where is your reply now? What does the great Charles Xavier have to say-?"
Fire engulfed him. He sank to his knees, screaming. Charles looked over his shoulder and saw Jean, her hands outstretched and circled with fire.
"You tried to kill Scott's brother," she said, "We have strength enough for this."
Charles swallowed nervously and doubled his efforts. Jean was scorching away the final barriers.
"Everyone!" Charles said.
He felt all of their energy combine, and the last of Apocalypse's mind disintegrated with a scream. Charles could feel himself tumbling out. He opened his eyes back in his body, back on the blazing lawn of the Institute.
Apocalypse was lying on the ground, his body slashed and scorched. Lorna was looking at him uncertainly.
"Is he dead?" she asked.
"Oh, he's dead," David said, his voice grim.
He was about to say something else, but Sharon ran next to him and hoisted David to his feet.
"I told you not to do anything dumb," she hissed.
He smiled.
"At least I left some ass for you to kick," he said.
Sharon threw her hands up before kissing David. Charles raised his eyebrows. His son looked sheepish, but pulled Sharon closer to his side.
"This might be as good a time as any to tell you that I took your advice," he said.
"I'm glad," Charles said.
There was a flash of black smoke. Moira appeared next to them. She moved down to her knees and took Charles in her arms. He didn't say anything, just let his head rest against her neck. He wasn't losing her. She was here, safe in his arms. Everything was going to be alright now.
He opened his eyes. Lorna was moving over to where Alex was. To his surprise he saw that Warren was kneeling next to him.
"Is he...?" Lorna whispered.
"I'm fine," Alex said, pushing himself up, "God, drinking blood is gross. Not that I'm ungrateful-"
Lorna pulled him into a hug. Charles saw Max and Luna rush forward towards their parents. Charles sighed in relief. Warren got up and walked over to Terry and Deadpool. Deadpool made a face at him, and Warren smiled uncertainly.
"Terry, I think I might be able to help you," he said, "But uh, give me a few hours to get over this transfusion."
Terry's eyes widened. Warren wobbled on his feet a bit, but Ororo took his arm.
"I suppose this means that I don't get all your stuff," she said.
"Sorry, but no," Warren grinned.
Ororo laughed and hugged him. A girl with long blonde hair walked up, standing uncertainly outside the group. Kurt teleported over to her and threw his arms around her. He twirled her once in the air before kissing her. Charles blinked and Moira cleared her throat.
"I guess we'll have to ask about that," she said.
"I suppose," Charles said, "But...never mind."
It would be best to leave them alone for the time being. Charles saw Erik staring at Lorna and her family. Erik caught his eye and gave him a sad smile. He couldn't help but wonder what his old friend was thinking.
"Well, all that's left now is the clean-up I suppose," he said, "Although I'm surprised that some authorities haven't shown up."
Charles held Moira closer. Sean looked at him and shrugged: he hadn't had much of a chance to call it in apparently. The question would be raised, of course it would, as would be what Jean had done.
He couldn't bring himself to think about that though.
"Yes," Charles said, "but that's not what's important right now."
