The Xavier Institute, in Central Park, where Jubilee stares in awe at her hands, which sparkle with brilliant colors. She thinks that moments after an intense trauma, there is this thing your brain does to protect itself, and that is to forget – but she remembers everything: Monet, losing her amulet, being on fire – dying. She wonders how she is still here, and how she has her fireworks powers. All of this is making her heart race so fast – she realizes she can feel her heart beating, and that means she is alive. 'Jubilee!' Trevor Hawkins a.k.a. Eye-Boy calls out as he holds Jubilee's son, Shogo, while Linn Li a.k.a. Nature Girl stands with him. Jubiee turns to her students, and seeing Shogo asks 'Oh, God, did he see -' but Eye-Boy assures her that he was ready this time. 'I mean, I wasn't ready, ready, I was just -' Eye-Boy babbles, while Nature Girl points at Jubilee and remarks 'You're alive. The Phoenix made you a mutant again'.
'Quentin!' a voice calls out, as Monet St Croix, currently transformed into M-Plate and using the power of Armor as she grabs Quentin Quire and crushes him. 'Stop antagonizing M-Plate!' Benjamin Deeds a.k.a. Morph exclaims, while Nathaniel Carver a.k.a. Hindsight is slumped against a nearby wall. 'You're lucky I've got nothing left or I'd -' Quentin begins, before crying out in pain as Monet tightens her grip. 'That's what I thought, you little misshapen kewpie doll'. Jono Starsmore a.k.a. Chamber enters the room with Paige Guthrie a.k.a. Husk, and tells Monet to put the kid down. 'Who you calling a kid -' Quentin calls out, while Monet retorts 'Or what, Chamber?' when suddenly, an explosion knocks part of the wall down – and Jubilee appears.
'Quentin, before you say anything about how much crap I gave you for blowing a wall down... it's been a while since I've had my powers... and I forgot how hard they are to regulate when I'm pissed off!' Jubilee snaps. Chamber looks at her wide-eyed, and Husk exclaims 'She's back!'
'So that's what you were doing with your fire bird, you brat!' M-Plate snarls as she throws Quentin across the room, then lunges at Jubilee, who blasts some fireworks towards M-Plate as she moves backwards out the large hole in the wall. 'No! Too bad your sparkles are as useless as ever!' Monet tells Jubilee. 'Come closer and say that to my face, why don't you?' Jubilee snaps back.
Inside, Roxy Washington a.k.a. Bling and Benjamin help Quentin up, and Bling points out that Monet didn't even try stealing Quentin's powers. 'It's because she has mine... it's why I baited her into grabbing me' Nathaniel explains as he wakes. Benjamin rushes over to him and asks him if he is okay. 'As long as you are, I'm good' Nathaniel smiles, before reporting that Emplate is keeping Monet from touching anyone while she has his power, because when she psychometrically connects with someone else, it weakens Emplate's link with her. 'So if we grab her, we might be able to separate them' Bling suggests. Benjamin tells Quentin that he has to send a psychic message to Jubilee, but Quentin replies that he can't. 'I know I've always been the MVP but sacrificing my Phoenix shard took more outta me than I thought it would' Quentin explains. Benjamin asks Quentin what he means, to which Quentin reveals that his powers aren't working. 'You thinking what I'm thinking?' Bling asks Benjamin, who replies 'If you're thinking “it's on us” and “we're screwed” - then yeah'.
Outside, Husk, Jubilee and Chamber are working together to try and take down M-Plate, when suddenly, through the mist that follows M-Plate around, Bling bursts through, lunging at the surprised M-Plate, 'What's this?' M-Plate asks, before levitating Bling and telling her it was kind of a pathetic attempt. 'Roxy, no!' Jubilee exclaims. 'More like... a distraction!' Bling gasps, as suddenly, the real Bling appears behind Monet, 'I'm actually behind you' she snaps, putting her hands on Monet's head, activating Hindsight's power, which causes Monet to see images from Bling's mind, such as Emplate confronting her, and Monet's recent encounter with her, while Benjamin gasps as he falls to the ground, dropping the disguise he was using of Bling's appearance.
DOA can be seen hanging upside down from a tree, a large snake wrapped around his body, as Eye-Boy tells Jubilee that she has to touch Monet, and Benjamin explains that Monet has Nathaniel's power. Nature Girl suddenly makes a very loud whistling noise, and several large birds fly down and start pecking at her. 'Why can't – why can't I breathe?' Monet gasps. Emplate's voice can be heard, telling Monet to get a hold of herself, as those are not their memories. Jubilee rushes over to Husk and Chamber and tells them that they have to grab Monet – now. Chamber and Husk each grab one of M-Plate's arms, while Jubilee puts her hands to M's face, and Monet screams as images flood her mind – she sees herself in her old Penance form, and Chamber bringing her food, as he thought she might be hungry. Then Husk playing cards with their long-dead teammate Skin, and Jubilee as a prisoner of Bastion. Monet sees Chamber burning a heart into a piece of paper and giving it to Husk before he left the Academy, and Husk upset at his departure, before a memory of Chamber and Skin on their road-trip adventure, of Monet holding her boyfriend, Synch after he was murdered, and finally of Jubilee and Monet hugging. 'I'm sorry, Monet – but we need you to remember!' Jubilee calls out.
Monet screams, and pulls back from Jubilee, before Emplate's form is suddenly purged from Monet's body. 'How did I...what...' Monet utters, while Emplate's withered form gasps through the mist that circles him. 'Sister...I can't breathe...' he calls out to her. He reaches out to Monet and tells her that she can't leave him like this. Monet looks horrified as Emplate reaches for her, 'BACK OFF YOU SHRIVELED UP PIECE OF KINDLING!' Jubilee shouts as she comes to Monet's defense, blasting Emplate with her fireworks power. Jubilee stands defiant before Emplate, and calling him a “wheezy, pruny, waaaaaay-too-naked power vamp” suggests to him that if he can't breathe or hanging in this dimension without riding in his sister's body, then perhaps it is time for him to go back to his own dimension. Emplate gasps, then howls 'NOOOOOO' as the mist surrounds him, and he suddenly vanishes. 'Dunno if I've ever told you this, M, but your brother's the actual worst' Jubilee remarks. 'Marius never did fail to disappoint, did he?' Monet replies as Chamber and Husk go over to her.
Later, in the infirmary, Monet sits on a bed and looks at her fingernails. Jubilee stands nearby and looks at her. 'Stop it' Monet tells her 'What? I didn't say anything' Jubilee replies. 'Your thoughts are as loud as your mouth. I'm fine' Monet assures Jubilee, who points out that Monet has basically been an AirBnB for her brother for weeks now. 'Can you blame for for thinking someone needs to check you out?' Jubilee asks. 'What I need is a manicure. And a blowout' Monet replies. Nearby, Benjamin stands by Quentin, who is hooked up to a machine that Phoebe Cuckoo is monitoring. Benjamin tells Quentin that it is just one in the infirmary. 'My powers aren't working, I've got a Cuckoo “examining” me and I'm stone cold sober, Benji – I don't wanna hear it!' Quentin retorts. 'And neither do I, but here I am....' Phoebe mutters.
'Little Quentin saved your life... who saw that coming?' Monet asks Jubilee. 'I know. And he sacrificed his Phoenix shard to do it. It's crazy' Jubilee remarks. 'Well, you must be doing something right if your students are willing to exchange that kind of power for, well, you' Monet points out. 'Hold on... was that a compliment?' Jubilee smiles. 'God, Jubilee. Are you really that desperate for approval?' Monet replies, looking at her fingernails again. 'And to think I was this close to being glad that you're back' Jubilee mutters.
Quentin tells Phoebe that she is just wasting her time – and his. 'Sure, sure. See you in the morning, Quire' Phoebe calls back as she leaves the infirmary. Benjamin reminds Quentin that he can't even telekinetically lift a pen anymore, and that Phoebe is just trying to figure out why.
'Benji, spoiler alert – I've seen the future. I'll still end up becoming the Phoenix. The question is how?' Quentin declares. Jubilee approaches him and tells Quentin that she wanted to say thank you for what he did for her today. 'And you'll talk to Kitty about keeping me around?' Quentin asks. 'If that's what you want' Jubilee tells him. Quentin supposes that he might as well, now that his powers are all jacked. 'Does this mean you're staying?' Benjamin asks. 'I was gone for four days, Benji. You're acting like it was – forever...' Quentin mutters as Benjamin puts his arms around his friend. Quentin looks up at the ceiling: 'Yeah, yeah. Same. I guess' he mutters without hugging Benjamin back, and Jubilee smiles.
In the foyer, 'This is all just...so weird' Paige remarks. 'Imagine how I feel, Paige. All my shirts have bany drool on the shoulders' Chamber declares as her holds Shogo. Paige tells Chamber that it is unexpected, but she does admit that they are cute together. 'It's all Shogo' Chamber exclaims. Paige points out that she wasn't talking about him and Shogo. 'Oh' Chamber responds, but Paige tells him to relax, and that she thinks he and Jubilee could be good for each other – as long as he doesn't pull any of that sad-boy self-sabotage crap on her. 'And if hyou do, I'll kill you' Paige adds, as Jubilee walks towards them. 'What'd he do this time?' Jubilee asks. 'What'd I do?' Chamber exclaims. 'Nothing yet' Husk calls out to them as she starts to leave, announcing that she is going to check on Monet and that she will see them later.
'What was that about?' Jubilee asks. Chamber tells her that Paige was just reminiscing.
'Mommy?' Shogo asks, looking up at Jubilee. He smiles and asks for a hug. 'Oh, sweetheart... you sure do give the best hugs. God I've missed this' Jubilee exclaims as she takes Shogo in her arms and hugs him. Jubilee looks at Chamber and asks him if he thinks this is because Shogo knows she isn't a vampire anymore, but Chamber points out that the kid isn't even two so he doesn't know what a vampire or a mutant is – all he knows is that she is his mom. Jubilee then asks Chamber if he wants to come over and crash at hers tonight. Chamber leans into Jubilee and tells her that he likes the sound of that. Chamber asks Jubilee if she wants to get pizza, or maybe Indian for dinner. 'For Shogo?' Jubilee asks. 'No, for you -' Chamber begins, before Jubilee excitedly realizes that she can eat again!
Meanwhile, Benjamin and Nathaniel are sitting closely on a bed in one of their dorm rooms. Benjamin tells Nathaniel that he wasn't sure how to check his pulse without actually touching him, so he tried putting his hand on his chest, over his shirt. 'Seriously?' Nathaniel laughs. Benjamin tells him that it isn't funny, and that he thought he might be dead. 'I was scared' Benjamin admits. Nathaniel tells Benjami that he is sorry, and didn't mean it like that. 'It's just – this is probably going to sound crazy, but – being here, at this school with you – it's the safest I've felt in a really long time'. They look into each other's eyes, 'I... really want to kiss you right now' Benjamin utters. Nathaniel looks back at Benjamin and smiles, before putting his lips to Benjamin's – and memories flash through Nathaniel's mind, of Cyclops rescuing Benjamin, and of Benjamin checking Nathaniel out on his first day at the Xavier School – and checking him out again during class, and getting to know each other in the cafeteria, as Nathaniel took a french fry from Benjamin's plate. 'So you're a fry thief? Good to know' Benjamin said, as Nathaniel told him that they aren't going to eat themselves, and spending time together watching a film. 'The thing about the way Refn composes his shots is -' Benjamin said, as Nathaniel shushed him: 'Gosling's on screen' he pointed out, and Benjamin agreed that that was fair. The kissing continues, and they embrace, before falling backwards on the bed.
A few days later, Nature Girl is in a clearing in Central Park, 'Mr Squirrel, could you please hang this for me? Thank you' she asks a squirrel, who takes a banner in his mouth and scampers towards a tree. 'Hey, Lin' Trevor calls out as he approaches her, pointing out that she never told him what her deal eith the rat was, but Nature Girl tells him not to worry, and that she will handle it. 'Oh, okay...' Trevor mutters. 'But when they come, I promise I'll keep you safe' Lin smiles asa she stands up and takes Trevor's hands. 'Cool, cool...wait – WHAT?' Trevor exclaims. Nathaniel is sitting at a table nearby, Benjamin leans back into him and asks 'So there are five color cards?' to which Nathaniel explains that there are also colorless cards. 'So there are six color cards -' Benjamin begins, but Nathaniel points out that colorless specifically isn't a color.
Quentin walks over to them and asks 'This why you were never into me, Benji? You're into half-Asian nerds like ol' Hindsight here?' to which Benjamin tells Quentin that there is good news – his powers may have weakened, but his ego is as strong as ever. 'Hindsight?' Nathaniel asks. Benjamin tells Nathaniel that Hindsight isn't such a bad name. 'Says the guy who refused to get a codename' Nathaniel points out. 'Because Benji Deeds is endearing while Nathaniel Carver is like an 80s b-movie serial killer' Quentin mutters. 'Gotta give it to Quentin... Hindsight's kinda dope' Bling announces as she walks over to her teammates, Mercury at her side. 'Roxy!' Benjamin exclaims. 'You're early' Nathaniel calls out. 'Early to...?' Roxy asks, as her teammates, Anole, Glob Herman, Sprite, Mercury and Kitty Pryde shout 'SURPRISE!' as they stand under the banner hung by the squirrel that reads “Bon Voyage Roxy!”
Bling looks embarrassed, and tells her teammates that she is just going home for a while, it's not like she is leaving forever, she will be back. 'So you say' Quentin tells her. 'I'm serious' Bling assures them. As Chamber, Jubilee and Shogo approach the party, Roxy explains that she is working on getting comfortable being herself around humans, and adds that she is talking to Paige and figuring out what she wants, so she will definitely be back. 'Roxy!' Shogo calls out. Roxy turns to Jubilee who hands her a giftwrapped box and tells her that they made her these cookies to eat on the plane. 'Cookie!' Shogo utters. Roxy thanks them as Jubilee admits that there would have been more, but ever since she got de-vamped she has just been eating everything. 'Jubilee... sorry I was a... you know' Roxy remarks, to which Jubilee tells Roxy that she has never apologized for being feisty, and she shouldn't, either.
'What's this?' Roxy asks as Chamber hands her an orange scarf. Chamber tells her it is something in case she gets cold, and a reminder that she is not alone. 'Thank you' Roxy smiles, hugging Chamber, while Sprite and Glob Herman sit nearby. Kitty Pryde goes over to Jubilee and tells her that she has done well. 'They're good kids, Kitty' Jubilee replies, adding that she doesn't think they can turn their backs on them and ask them to leave. Kitty reminds Jubilee that they discussed this, that pressuring teen mutants to risk their lives and fight when they're not equipped is too dangerous. 'Kitty, I know being an X-Man's dangerous, but so's being a mutant -' Jubilee begins. 'We're protecting them. They're just kids' Kitty asserts.
'And I'm not saying we should just kick them into battle and hope for the best, but... maybe we need to consider why we stayed. And then maybe let them decide for themselves whether they stay or go' Jubilee suggests, holding Shogo. Kitty realizes that Jubilee has given this a lot of thought, and Jubilee smiles, telling Kitty that as she gets older, she realizes they don't always get to choose the family they are born with – but that doesn't mean they can't make one for themselves.
And back at the party, red balloons rise into the air as Quentin smiles at his teammates. Lin holds the squirrel, and Trevor smiles at her, while Bling looks at Benjamin and Nathaniel who have their arms wrapped around each other, happy.
