Before:
Westchester County, New York, formerly Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters. Several figures mill about in front of the former X-Mansion, as a car drives down the long driveway towards the sprawling mansion ahead. 'She's here' someone calls out. 'I can bloody see that, can't I?' another responds, before he opens the door to the car, and Dr. Corina Ellis, wearing a white dress and thigh-high boots with a long white coat confidently steps out of the car. The man who opened the door welcomes her and introduces himself as Captain Ezra. He explains that he is in charge of the full sentry team, as requested. He adds that he hopes she had a lovely trip. Dr. Ellis ignores the pleasantries and tells the man who wears a military-style outfit to have someone fetch her bags, and adds that her assistant, Phillip, will need some help exiting the car.
'Has anyone entered the actual structure?' Dr. Ellis enquires. A bald man wearing a pink and purple outfit, whose legs are in braces and uses crutches to help him walk, is assisted out of the car by Captain Ezra, who reports that, apart from vandals, there have been none. 'We were waiting for your arrival proper' Captain Ezra claims. 'Hm. In this case, your lack of initiative is noted, Captain' Dr. Ellis responds. 'Appreciated. But noted'. Captain Ezra approaches the front door to the mansion and Captain Ezra follows her, asking her if she is sure this is wise. 'Let me send some men in first. Only God knows what beasties might still be inside' he adds. 'Nonsense, Captain. Don't forget. We were invited' Dr. Ellis responds as she presses the palm of her hand to a panel connected to the door.
Examining her new surroundings within the mansion, Dr. Ellis is not impressed. 'Tsk. It seems the criminals live better than real people' she complains. 'Yes, Ma'am' Captain Ezra agrees, before Dr. Ellis instructs him to start tearing every scrap of wood and brass out of this ridiculous sham of a school, starting now. 'Yes, Ma'am' Captain Ezra responds, following Dr. Ellis up to the first floor, where Dr. Ellis asks 'And this is?' to which Captain Ezra informs her that the rooms are student quarters. 'Personal items are to be burned. Now. Tonight' Dr. Ellis commands. She wants art and anything of value to be stripped and put in the lockup for appraisal and conversion to liquid assets. 'This time next week, I want every one of these rooms to be a cell. Full perimeter monitoring, maximum deterrent level. Lethal response. Understood?' Dr. Ellis announces. 'Yes. Ma'am, Doctor. Yes, Doctor Ellis' Captain Ezra responds.
Without looking at Captain Ezra, Dr. Ellis suggests to him that he should get used to calling her “Warden”. 'Don't you think?' she asks. 'Yes, Ma'am. Warden it is' Captain Ezra responds. Dr. Ellis then glances to the bald man on crutches and asks him if they are alone in this mausoleum. The man called Phillip pauses, before responding 'Yes, Corina. They're all gone'. 'You know what I want to see. Take us there' Dr. Ellis commands.
A short time later, the group arrives at Cerebro, a platform within a special room, which Dr. Ellis explains was a way for the mutants to find others like themselves. 'The arrogance of it. Building a... monument to these people. Their entire cult' she mutters, before ordering it to be burnt to the ground. 'Ma'am. Hard for us to do all this covertly, begging your pardon' Captain Ezra responds. Dr. Ellis asks Captain Ezra if he has ready anything by Solzhenitsyn. 'He wrote a trilogy of books about his time in a Soviet gulag' Dr. Ellis informs the Captain, explaining that there was a pattern – show trials, conspicuous arrests, everything was public. 'If a suspect was not at home when the secret police knocked, they would simply move to the next door and arrest whomever answered'. Dr. Ellis looks at the Captain and tells him that it is symbolism.
'If the cause is just, there's never a need to hide. Let the world see. Let their kind see. Public hangings, if necessary. Put it on streaming' Dr. Ellis informs the Captain, who offers no response. Dr. Ellis turns and starts to walk out of Cerebro, telling the Captain that this structure is to be burnt to the ground. 'I want this section of this wealthy delusion removed from the horizon' Dr. Ellis declares. The Captain again offers no response, instead, he picks up something in his earpiece, and asks the lieutenant to repeat themselves. 'Ah. Ma – Warden? The first prisoner is here' Captain Ezra reports. Dr. Ellis smiles for the first time. 'Outstanding. Let's not keep him waiting' she tells the Captain.
A moment later,: 'Hello, inmate. Welcome home' Dr. Ellis remarks as she, Captain Ezra and Phillip step into another chamber, where several guards stand around a stasis tube, where a prisoner is restrained, shackled to the base of the tank, arms behind their back and some sort of helmet covering their head. 'We're going to be doing some remodeling' Dr. Ellis announces.
24 hours ago:
Mexico City, where Wolverine a.k.a. Logan arrives at a house. A 'Is he -?' Wolverine asks as a woman with a child opens the door. 'Yes. But not for much longer. Hurry, Uncle' she tells him. Logan enters a dark room, where an elderly man rests in bed. 'Ah, Blades. I knew you'd come. Please sit. I have something. It belongs to you now' the old man announces as he hands Logan a bottle. 'I don't want it' Logan replies, calling the old man Miguel. 'And yet, here we are, amigo' Miguel points out. 'It ain't mine to take. I cheated' Logan points out. Miguel asks how one can chear death, to which Logan informs him that he died, that he was gone, then he wasn't. Miguel grabs Logan by his hand and asks him what he saw. 'What comes after? Where am I going?' But Logan tells him that he doesn't know, and that it's nothing, just blackness in his memory. 'Do you – do you think about it, Logan?' Miguel asks. 'Sometimes. Sometimes I miss it' Logan responds. 'Sometimes I miss the quiet'.
Now:
The Pyramid of the Sun, the Avenue of the Dead, Teotihuacan, forty minutes by road from Mexico City. Logan leans against his motorcycle which is parked at the foot of a pyramid. 'There he is' Rogue thinks to herself as she drops down from above. 'Logan' she calls out. 'Hey, darlin, Cajun' Logan replies as he looks up as he sees Anna-Marie LeBeau and Remy LeBeau a.k.a. Rogue and Gambit, respectively. 'What brings y'all to the neighborhood, Sugah?' Rogue smiles as she drops her husband down to the ground, before hugging Logan. Rogue thinks to herself that no matter the situation, it always feels better, safer, when Logan is around, and even if that makes no sense, it doesn't make it less true. Logan reveals that he has been seeing an old army buddy. 'Ain't seen you since -' Rogue begins, before Logan tells her that it is good to see her. 'Figured I'd come see what I could do about ol' big red here' Logan responds.
Rogue thinks something was strange about Logan, before brushing it off, before Logan tells his friends that he is sorry for not calling, but that there didn't seem to be a point. Gambit notes that they have all been feeling a little lost, and notes that he and Rogue have been hiding out, eating well and loving better. 'He don't need to hear that, Remy!' Rogue tells her husband. The trio make their way up the outer steps of the pyramid, where a large feathered dragon in brilliant red, green and yellow colors can be seen, coiled around the tip of the pyramid. 'So. Dragon it is?' one of the heroes remarks. Rogue tells the others that she likes this town. 'Don't wanna see it get ate none. Not 'xactly Lockheed cute, this one' she adds, before Wolverine reports that he heard this dragon gave Iron Man and some Avengers a rough time a while back, and that the dragon has a nasty habit of eating people when he gets peckish. 'Don't recall him having feathers' Logan adds.
Gambit looks at the dragon in awe, and asks the others if they ever stops to think about all the wonders they have seen. 'I am without words' Gambit utters. 'Ah felt that, first time Ah saw the Shi'ar' Rogue responds, before telling Gambit and Wolverine that it has been an honor fighting alongside them both, and that she loves them both. As they approach the dragon, Logan asks Rogue if she does know that is a dragon up there in this tender moment. 'Wait. Did his eye just twitch?' Rogue asks, concerned. 'I mentioned that the big fella eats people, yeah?' Wolverine adds, and as the dragon's large red eye looks down at the mutants, Wolverine tells his companions that ain't the eye they should be worried about, and suddenly, the dragon lurches forward, fangs bared: 'You insignificant gnats dare to awaken Sadurang, the god-snake? I'll make a paste of you and cook your heads for supper!' the dragon howls, while Rogue thinks to herself 'Um. We mighta coulda got a mite overconfident here'.
Rogue wishes that for once, she had stopped to think first, before asking Gambit and Wolverine if they have a plan. 'Why you be asking us, chere? You're the leader!' Gambit tells his wife. 'Wait. Who said I was leader?' Rogue asks, glancing back at Remy, while the dragon's shadow falls over them all. 'Because who else would each of us follow, sweetest of hearts?' Gambit responds as dragonfire blasts the trio backwards. Rogue decides that she can't argue with that, and notes that while she can handle normal fire, this is not normal fire. Rogue darts up into the air and flies towards the dragon. 'Ah. I see you, I see you all. Yes. Yes I see who you are' Sadurang exclaims, green energy crackling around him. 'The thief. The hunter. And the scared little girl' he tells Gambit, Wolverine and Rogue, bathing them in the green energy. 'Uh, you mighta got two outta three there, champ' Wolverine calls back, while the green energy washes over Rogue, she wonders what it is doing to her.
'Yes. That's it, isn't it. The little girl who cared for nothing, for no one. Frightened and desperate for love, for...touch. To be wanted. Still hiding in the body of a woman. Pathetic' Sadurang tells Rogue as he hovers in front of her, Rogue appears to be frozen in fear, before Sadurang opens his mouth, pointed teeth showing once more, before he uses his tail to swat Rogue backwards, sending her careening into the side of the pyramid, the impact causing some of the old structure of break. 'What's he doing? He's trying to mesmerize her?' Gambit asks. Wolverine pulls his cowl down over his face and tells Gambit that that is the bad news. 'There's two Eyes of Agamotto. Doc Strange has one. Our dirty, flying snake friend has the other' Logan reveals.
'Damn it all. I wasn't supposed to break the place' Rogue tells herself as she looks up to the dragon, who swoops down towards her:' Die, tavern wench! Die and be consumed, morsel! So says the favored student of Dormammu!' the dragon shrieks. Rogue tells herself to try and keep from ruining the nice cultural treasure, before she tells the dragon that he was right about the “lost” bit. 'But “frightened?” YOU GOT TH' WRONG TAVERN WENCH, PUFNSTUF!' Rogue shouts as she flies towards the dragon and strikes it off-guard, slamming her fist into the dragon, sending the creature careening into the side of the pyramid. 'Well. Guess I'm up' Wolverine exclaims as he pops his claws, and drops down onto the dragon, where he starts hacking away at it with his claws. 'I had a dog boy who smelled like you. I had him peeled for failing to bow. And I fed him to his beloved hounds like slop to the pigs!' Sadurang declares as green energy suddenly bursts forth from the dragon, and blasts Wolverine upwards. 'The Eye sees you, beast man!' Sadurang declares.
'You figure you gonna maybe jump in here a bit, sweetie?' Rogue asks as she flies towards Gambit. 'Hold him still, chere. Best you can, oui? An' don't you go getting' burned none' Gambit calls back. Rogue quotes her husband and tells him that is easier said than done. While Wolverine gets to his feet, Rogue flies up above the dragon, who sees her and calls out 'Come be a bittle, harlot! Slavery or savory, you will be mine!' Rogue drops down next to Wolverine, who asks 'You got this?' while the dragon notes that he likes a snack on the run. 'Hell yeah, I got this' Rogue tells Logan, and as the dragon approaches them, Rogue and Wolverine each leap up in different directions – straight into the dragon's eyes. 'Steady on. Steady on' Gambit utters as he holds up several playing cards which he charges with kinetic energy.
Meantime, the dragon thrashes about and Wovlerine and Rogue pull away from Sadurang, who breathes dragon fire upwards into the sky, 'Blinded me? You've blinded me? I can remake you as I wish. I can change who you are!' Sadurang declares. 'Dere you are, my friend!' Gambit remarks as he tosses his cards towards the dragon. The dragon turns to Rogue and tells her to look for him in Revelations. 'I am immortal' the dragon boasts. 'Unlike you. You all stink of death' the dragon declares, before telling Rogue and Wolverine to say hello to whatever worthless gods they worship. 'Get behind me' Rogue tells Logan, when suddenly, 'Hey, lizard! Maybe we make a trade?' Gambit calls out. As he hovers over Rogue and Wolverine, Sadurang turns to Gambit: 'A “trade”? What manner of “trade,” Gambler?' the dragon asks, telling him that he has nothing he wants, except his toothsome flesh.
'Heh, well, dat may be true. But I do got one thing, friend. The Eye, chere. Sheered it right offa your proud belly! An' you spark so much as a match? I blow it right to pieces, yes?' Gambit smiles as he holds up the dragon's Eye of Agamotto with one hand, and several kinetically-charged cards in his other. The dragon tells Gambit that he doesn't like him – doesn't like any of them. 'Fair' Gambit responds. 'I was just having a slumber' the dragon explains. 'I got a idea about dat, actually' Gambit announces. Rogue thinks to herself that this is what she likes about her man – he knows when to play his cards. 'Antarctica' Gambit tells the dragon. 'Antarctica?' the dragon responds. 'What I said' Gambit tells him. The dragon supposes that it would be nice to be an ice drake once again. 'That's the spirit. You don't eat no one for say, a year, and I give you back your fifolet. Is it done?' Gambit asks.
'It is done' Sadurang responds, to which Gambit tells the dragon that he owes him a boon. 'Yes, that is the currency of the nobility' Sadurang agrees, before claiming that he is feeling generous, and tells the mutants that he will share what he sees for them all. 'There is something in your future. I am unsure of the word in your hideous tongue. Something ruinous. “Endling”' The dragon takes flight, and notes that two of the mutants who have already cheated death. 'Did you truly not believe she would present you with the bill someday?' the dragon asks, before remarking 'One year hence, thief. I come back for what you owe me'. The trio watches the dragon fly away, and Logan tells Gambit 'That was a stonehard piece of work, Cajun' Wolverine tells Gambit. 'Only guy I know beats a dragon and gets a favor out of him on the way out' Logan adds, to which Gambit thanks him.
Rogue leaps into Gambit's arms, and Gambit asks 'What's this?' to which Rogue tells him that this is is why, when people ask. 'My sexuality is one hundred percent X-Men. Better turn away, Logan. Or don't, your call' Rogue declares, before she and Gambit start to walk away. 'Got a li'l problem, though. #$%&^!* crisped my bike. Catch a hitch?' Logan asks, glancing over at his motorcycle which is now scrap. Rogue glances at Wolverine as he walks alongside her and Gambit. Rogue recalls that when she tried to hug him, Logan pulled away from her, which brought back memories of when no one wanted to touch her. 'Had to be a coincidence, right?' Rogue wonders, before informing Logan that they rented a van, and that he is more than welcome to go with them. 'I got the sport package. What is that?' Gambit asks, adding that it cost extra.
Rogue looks at Gambit and asks him why he is smiling. 'Just checking to make sure that winged snake didn't turn you evil someway' Gambit responds. 'Look, if Ah start wearing fancy lingerie and calling myself “The White Streak queen”, then y'all'll know Ah went rotten' Rogue smiles. Holding up a brown bottle he retrieved from his backpack, Logan glances at Rogue and tells her that he won't lie – he wouldn't mind seeing that. He then informs Rogue and Gambit that he got this bottle, and it is important to him, and there was something the dragon said. 'Well... I was thinking the three of us could -' Logan begins, before an alarm sounds and Rogue tells Logan to hang on. 'It's Scott' Rogue announces, as she answers her mobile phone.
Cyclops a.k.a. Scott Summers is in Merle, Alaska, and Rogue thinks to herself that Scott is like a border collie – never happier than when he has a job. 'I hate to ask, Anna Marie, but I can't get away from the Factory at the moment. And he requested you by name' Scott announces, adding that Kurt will be there, just in case. 'Ah understand, Scott. We got this' Rogue answers, before asking Scott to say hey to Hank for her. Rogue then tells Remy and Logan that they have work to do – and she doesn't think they are going to like it too much.
Meanwhile, in the Pacific Northwest, Central Oregon, a piece of land currently under custodianship of the Bureau of Land Management. A young woman runs through forest, puffing, while a horrid voice resonates around her: 'Oh, child. Why do you run. Why do you fret?' The young woman glances backwards and shouts 'Leave me alone! Go away!' 'You think I mean you harm. Far from it. Far from it' the voice utters. Suddenly, two hooded figures appear, and the girl screams. The figures carry some sort of energy batton, and the voice tells the girl to settle down, that there is no need for discomfort – no need at all. 'Well, perhaps a bit more' the voice admits as one of the cloaked figures shoves the energy batton against the gril, who falls to the ground. 'Stop it! You're killing me!' the girl pleads, as the other cloaked figure joins in, and the voice tells her that they will carry on for a little longer, for her own good.
The young woman is actually a mutant, with deer-like legs and hooves and antlers. 'Oh, dear. You are a bit hideous to look at, aren't you?' the voice calls out, before the young mutant uses her hooves to kick back one of the cloaked figures. 'My. What is your name, child?' the voice asks. The young woman reveals that her name is Rosa, and warns her opponents to leave her alone. She then charges at the second cloaked figure – and shoves her antlers through his chest. 'No, pet. You're real name' the horrid voice calls out. Rosa pauses, before announcing that her name is Fawn. 'Yes. Much better' the voice utters as Fawn looks on, frightened. She begins to cry, and asks 'Just let me go. I'm not an X-anything. I don't...I never chose sides. I didn't go to the island' Fawn reveals, adding that she just wants to live. 'Yes, yes. I'm afraid your blood betrayed you anyway, child. Now turn to face me come unto me. Little Rosa, little Fawn... COME TO MOMMY!' the horrid voice snarls as two bony arms reach out from the darkness, with long, spindly fingers and sharp nails, reaching down towards Fawn, who screams in fear.
Elsewhere, at the University of Mississippi Medical Center. Rogue has arrived with Gambit and Wolverine. She doesn't like hospitals – especially kids' hospitals. Rogue is greeted by her brother Kurt Wagner a.k.a. Nightcrawler, who thanks her for coming. 'Good t'see you, Nightcrawler. Wait do Ah call you, “Father”?' Rogue asks. 'I think “Kurt”' Nightcrawler responds, before telling Rogue that he missed them all. Gambit waves at Nightcrawler and asks him what the story is. 'Are we the Make-a-Wish for mutants?' he jokes. Nightcrawler narrows his eyes and tells Remy that he doesn't think it's that dire, as the boy's condition is mostly stable for now. Kurt reports that he is definitely a mutant, with low-level precognition and telepathy. 'If Xavier is a ten? Harvey X is a one. Maybe less' Kurt adds. “Harvey X?” Rogue asks. 'He's a fan, you see' Kurt responds, adding that all Harvey X wants in the world is to be one of the X-Men – but he's ill, and it may be related.
A doctor smiles and approaches the group: 'The X-Men, I assume?' she asks, before telling the mutants that they have no idea how much this means to Harvey X. Rogue doesn't correct the doctor, even though she doesn't know if there even is an X-Men at the moment. The doctor reports that the tumor is in Harvey's brain stem – D.I.P.G. Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma. She begins to open the door to Harvey's room and adds 'It's aggressive. He should... well... he should be gone already. There. That's the truth'. She reports that he experiences seizures and partial paralysis – but he is definitely alive.
Inside the ward, a young boy sits up in bed: 'OH MY GOD OH MY GOD OH MY GOD! YOU CAME! THE X-MEN CAME! ROGUE! GAMBIT! NIGHTCRAWLER! WOLVERINE!' the boy, Harvey X, shouts. Posters of the X-Men and action figures in their likeness decorate his room. Gambit smiles at the boy and tells him that they heard he had been flirting too much with the nurses and the girl patients, and that they have been starting to complain. 'I can't believe you're here. You're my favorites' Harvey utters, claiming to know everything about them. 'Logan! Pop your claws for me!' Harvey asks. Logan smiles and tells Harvey that he can't do that – hospital rules. Logan notes that there are no monitors, and quietly asks the doctor why. The doctor explains that there is a pulse ox, and points out that Harvey is not in any danger. Logan frowns and tells the doctor that he isn't so sure, before asking her where Harvey's parents are. The doctor reveals that she sent them home for a nap, to which Logan tells her that she better call them back – and hurry.
Rogue sits down on Harvey's bed, and thinks to herself that she has been a bit off-kilter since Krakoa, but that this 12-year-old kid's smiles is a cool drink of something better – something pure. 'Whaddya say, sugah? Got a smile for me?' Rogue asks Harvey, who shouts 'OH MY GOD, YOU'RE SO HOT!' Rogue smiles and decides that he isn't wrong, before Kurt holds up an X-Men jacket, and tells Harvey that he brought it for him, for when he is ready. 'YES, YES! THANK YOU!' Harvey exclaims. 'You're my very favorite' Harvey remarks as he reaches out and suddenly puts his hand on Rogue's. Rogue goes wide-eyed, Harvey's hand is cold. Logan turns to the doctor and asks her if she has a blue button in this room, and to press it now.
Harvey suddenly falls backwards on his bed: 'They're coming. You have to help them. One of them is the Endling' he utters cryptically. 'Get them out of here. I need a crash cart, stat' the doctor calls out. Wolverine tells Rogue that Harvey is having a stroke, and that they have to leave, as he starts to pull her out of the room, while the doctor begins to attend to the boy. Rogue looks back into the room and thinks that just like everything since Krakoa – something nice shows its rot.
Rogue and Gambit sit on some chairs in a waiting area, while Wolverine paces the floor, and Nightcrawler leans against a wall. Gambit tries to talk to Rogue, but she doesn't want to speak. The mutants know ten minutes later – because Wolverine could detect it. First, the arrhythmia, the irregular heartbeat. Then no heartbeat at all. Rogue looks up as the doctor leaves the room. Rogue remembers having a friend once, a nurse in a ward like this – a nnurse who said to her “There's no quiet on Earth like the silence after a child dies. You don't hear the tears, the beeping, the hustle, not even the wailing of grieving parents. You just hear a black emptiness as big as the world”. The doctor hangs her head, and Rogue drops to her knees, crying. Gambit tries to comfort her, and Wolverine and Nightcrawler get closer to her. Afterwards, Harvey's parents thanked the mutants profusely – thanked them for making their child smile. Nightcrawler asked Harvey's parents if he could give last rites, and they agreed – through tears like rain. She doesn't remember what he says, but it tears her up good.
And all Rogue can think to do is to run. She knows she ought to be used to death, but instead, she was silent and not fit company. Logan understands, but her husband does not. The four gather outside the hospital, and Kurt tells his friends that he is going to see if he can be of help to Harvey's parents, before bidding the others safe journey. 'Be glad of heart. He passed in joy' Kurt utters. Rogue tells Remy that she needs somewhere so deep that grief can't find her. 'And no preachers, neither' she adds.
Shortly, Rogue and Gambit accompany Wolverine to Louisiana. Delta Blues plays on the radio most of the way. 'He knows I'm hurt. He wants to fix the unfixable. And it's killing him' Rogue thinks to herself. They arrive at a large house surrounded by woods, where Marcus St. Juniors greets Remy and tells him that it is good to see him, and that Alice and Chelsea are asleep already. 'I brought a couple stowaways' Remy tells Marcus, while Rogue wonders why Remy never told her about this place. 'All orphans are welcome here, son. You all look a little sapped, if you don't mind me saying' Marcus smiles, before telling them to go rest by the firepit, and he will bring them something special.
Around the firepit, which is located near a lake, surrounded by some woods, Rogue thinks that insects in the night are welcoming them, before realizing that she is not thinking straight, as everything hurts. Marcus brings some beers to the group and tells them that this here is the best thinking spot on the property, and that they can take their time. 'That beer, is that -?' Remy begins, to which Marcus tells him 'Benson's Dark, yes, Remy. You know I got your back'. Rogue thanks Marcus, calling him “Mr St. Juniors”. Marcus leaves the group, and Remy takes a beer from the cooler, telling Rogue and Logan that they have no idea – this brew is only available from a tiny grocery chain in town, and sells out every time they make a batch. 'Though he forgot an opener' Remy realizes. 'I brought one, turns out' Logan jokes as he pops a claw and cuts the lid off of the beer bottle. 'Logan, you are ze most useful' Remy smiles.
Rogue slumps over and remarks that she has a simple question: 'Are we X-Men? Is there even going to be an X-Men anymore?' she asks. Rogue takes a beer that Remy hands her, and tells Remy and Logan that she keeps thinking they almost had everything – they almost had Xavier's dream – but now, it's just an emptiness. 'Do we even try to carry on?' she asks. 'Who would even lead us?' Rogue wonders, hanging her head, noting that none of them are exactly strategists. 'Like I said in Mexico, Chere. Who else would we follow?' Remy asks his wife. Rogue suggests that they could head up North, as Cyclops is building something up there. 'Yeah. no. Imagine a community run by Scott Summers. He's everywhere you look, every step you take' Logan responds, adding that he isn't going back there – whatever it is. 'It ain't the X-Men you mean, Anna Marie' Logan adds as he takes another swig of beer.
Rogue reveals that she called Kate, as she thought Kate might like to come here and be with them – but it didn't go well. She remembers Kate telling her that she wasn't listening. 'I don't want to be an X-Man anymore. How do I make that any clearer?' Kate exclaimed, before instructing Rogue not to call her again. 'No Scott. No Charles. No Kitty. How does it all end this way?' Rogue asks, standing up and walking away from the fire. 'My love. Maybe – maybe we aren't responsible for every weight we loaded on the world. Maybe we live. For a time. Without fighting' Remy suggests as he goes over and wraps his arms around his wife. Logan picks up another bottle of beer and tells Rogue that, as much as he hates to say it, Gambit has got a point. 'We ain't the ones to fill Chuck's chair. Why do you even want to?' Logan asks.
Tears well up in Rogue's eyes again: 'Don't you know? Because of the kid. Because of Harvey' Rogue exclaims. 'Chere!' Gambit utters, surprised at Rogue's tone. 'Look at us. We have to have been made like this for a reason. Before the school, I had nothing. There has to be a purpose' Rogue declares, adding that she can't go back to that, and that she will do this alone if need be. 'Hush' Logan tells her as he turns his head slightly. 'Don't you tell me to -' Rogue begins, before Logan once again tells her to hush. 'There's something out there' he remarks as he stands up. 'And it's got hooves' he adds. Suddenly, some bushes part, and a voice calls out 'Help. Help us'. Logan pops his claws, Remy charges some playing cards and Rogue readies her fists. 'Please. Help us' the voice calls out again, and four young people, along with a horse, emerge from the dark woods. 'Help. She's coming for us. Help us!'
