Chapter 89

  Arc 7 - Ch 6: The Final Piece Falls

  Date: Monday, August 29, 2011.

  Loidtown, Manhattan, New York

  The New York skyline blurred as Spider-Man and Spider-Woman swung through Manhattan. The wind whipped past them, carrying the sounds of the city, car horns, distant sirens, and the ever-present hum of millions of lives in motion.

  But Peter Parker heard none of it. His entire focus was on the figure swinging ahead of them.

  His imposter clutched Gwen Stacy to his chest as he fled.

  "We have to catch him!" Peter shouted to Spider-Woman, the urgen his voice cutting through the rush of air. "Before he—" He couldn't finish the sentehe memory of Gwen's father's death haunted him still. He wouldn't let history repeat itself.

  Jessiodded grimly, uanding. She angled her body, pig up speed as they pursued their quarry through the streets. The chase led them higher and higher, past office windows and high-rise apartments.

  As they rouhe er of a gss tower, their target came into view. The Empire State Building loomed before them.

  "He's heading for the top!" Spider-Woman called out.

  The higher they went, the more dangerous this became fwen. But Peter pushed the fear aside, fog on the swing, the move, anything to close the gap between them and Kaine.

  With a final, powerful leap, Kaine nded on the observation deck of the Empire State Building. He scrambled up the side. In moments, he reached the peak of the spire with Gwen clutched precariously in one arm.

  Peter and Jessided on the observation deck, their muscles coiled and ready for a. But Kaine's position made any sudden moves too risky.

  "That's far enough," Kaine called down.

  Peter held up his hands, "Don't do this. Don't hurt her again." he pleaded.

  Gwen's eyes were wide with terror, but there was determination there, too, a refusal to be broken by fear. "Peter," she called out, her voice trembling but strong. "Whatever happens, this isn't your fault. Remember that."

  "Isn't it, though?" Kaine sneered. "If it weren't for him, I would. This is all on you."

  Peter took a cautious step forward, his hands still raised. "You're right," he said, surprising both Kaine and Jessica. "If I am responsible for your existehen this is on me. But Gwen? She's i in all this. Your quarrel is with me. Let her go."

  For a moment, doubt flickered across Kaine's face. But it was quickly repced by a manic grin. "Let her go? If you insist..."

  He loosened his grip, and Gwen slipped an inch. Peter's heart stopped, his body te into a.

  "Stop!" he shouted, desperation clear in his voice. "Please. I'm begging you. Don't do this."

  Jessica edged closer. "Think about what you're doing," she said, "This won't solve anything. It won't ease your pain."

  Kaine's ugh was bitter and hollow. "Pain? You know nothing of pain. Of being a failed experiment, discarded ao rot. Of watg the world move on without you, everyoing their happy endings while you suffer. Or are you starting to uand now? Jessica. How did it feel to be abao e back to have everything in your life gone again? How does it feel that they wanted me and not you? That I have people, and you're alone?"

  Peter searched for the right words to defuse the situation. "I 't imagine what you've been through. But this? This isn't the answer. Hurting Gwen won't make your pain go away. It'll only add to it." He took another careful step forward. "Let me help you, please."

  Peter's heart pounded as a heavy silence fell over the rooftop, broken only by the mournful whistle of the wind.

  "Help me?" He ughed bitterly. "You had everything I ever wanted. A home. Friends. Family. A you still mao screw it all up." His wrew increasingly frenzied. "You're losiyson is betraying you. You were blind to the blessings you had."

  Kaine's face twisted into a snarl. "I'd rather none of you had her."

  With those final spiteful words, he threw Gwen away from the spire.

  The world seemed to slow to a crawl as Kaiossed Gwen. For a heartbeat that felt like ay, she flew horizontally through the air, her blue eyes wide with terror, log onto Peter's mask. Then gravity took hold, and she began to plummet towards the unfiving crete below.

  "No!" Peter cried as he unched himself off the Empire State Building. Every fiber of his being screamed at him to move faster, to defy the ws of physics themselves if that's what it took to reach her.

  Jessica was right beside him, also diving headfirst after the falling Gwen. The wind whipped past them, carrying the fading echoes of Gwen's scream.

  But Kaine wasn't done. He fired off two precise web shots. The sticky strands caught Peter and Jessica squarely in the back, halting their dest with a brutal jerk that khe wind from their lungs.

  Time seemed to stretch as Peter watched Gwen fall further away, her blonde hair whipping around her face like a golden halo.

  With a roar of frustration and fear, Peter cwed at the webbing on his back. His enharength allowed him to rip through the material, but those few seds felt like ay. Beside him, Jessica did the same.

  They dove again, pushing their bodies to the absolute limit. The ground rushed up to meet them, but now the distaween them and Gwen was heart-wrengly vast.

  Peter's mind raced, calg angles and velocities with the speed of desperatio seds was all it took to fall from the top of the spire to the ground…

  And four had already passed.

  He knew he couldn't reach her in time, not physically. But maybe his webbing could. Peter fired off a web li streaked through the air, stretg twen's falling form.

  From her position slightly to the side, Jessica saeter couldn't. The trajectory of the web, the speed of Gwen's fall, the rapidly approag ground…

  It all added up to a horrifying clusion: The web would reach Gwen, but it was far too te to stop her momentum safely.

  "Wait!" Jessica cried out, but her words were torn away by the rushing wind. She could see what he refused to accept… what the speed of Gwen's fall meant. But desperation and denial had pushed his reason aside.

  Peter watched in agonizing slow motion, the image searing into his mind. The web arced gracefully against the backdrop of the crete below. He took in every agoniziail: the way her blonde hair whipped wildly in the rush of air, the dawning realization in her eyes that his rescue attempt had failed, and, surprisingly, the look of acceptanot terror, that settled on her face.

  Then Gwen looked away. Her body twisted in the air, causing his hastily shot weblio sail past her falling form, missing Gwen by less than an inch.

  His one desperate shot had missed?

  "No!" The cry was ripped from his soul.

  Spider-Woman's earlier warning rang ier's ears. Now, the cold reality set in. There would be no miracle rescue, no st-sed feat of superhuman powers to cheat death. Gravity had cimed its prize, and he could only bear witness. Helpless, Peter watched his greatest fear py out. He was uo save the woman he loved from her fatal plunge.

  Peter desperately fired another webline. But deep in his heart, he k was already too te. He tried p on more speed. But the ws of physics cared nothing for his desperation.

  And all Peter could do was watch as tragedy unfolded before his eyes.

  But then Gwen's turn became a trolled spin, her body rotating until she faced away from the pursuing heroes. Her right hand shot out in a familiar gesture that made Peter's heart skip a beat.

  Impossibly, incredibly, a webline fired from Gwen's wrist.

  The thin strand of silk attached itself to the side of the Empire State Building. Gwen's fall transformed into a graceful arc, her body swinging around the er of the iic skyscraper with mere feet to spare from the unfiving ground below.

  Peter's mind reeled, and he could not process what he saw. This couldn't be real. It had to be some illusion. Had Tyson somehow caught up to them, or maybe Peter had finally cracked uhe pressure and was halluating?

  But Jessica saw it, too. Her sharp intake of breath firmed that this was no figment of Peter's imagination.

  Both heroes looked back to the top of the Empire State Building, but the imposter was o be found.

  They adjusted their trajeid-air, using their own web-swinging skills to round the er in hot pursuit of Gwen. The busy streets of New York blurred beh them, pedestrians pointing and shouting at the aerial spectacle unfolding above.

  Gwen's swings carried her two blocks before she released her webline, exeg a perfect flip before nding gracefully on the roof of a lower building. Her chest heaved with exertion, and her blonde hair whipped around her fa the wind, but she was unmistakably alive and unharmed.

  Peter and Spider-Woman touched down moments ter as they struggled to recile what they had just witnessed.

  "Gwen?" Peter's voice cracked as he took a hesitant step forward, his hand reag out to verify she was real and not some cruel mirage. "How... what... I don't uand."

  "I'm sorry, Peter," she said softly. "I wao tell you. I tried to tell you..."

  Jessica stepped forward, relief evident in her voice as she ed Gwen in an embrace. "I was so worried. I'm gd you're okay."

  The awkwardness between Geter was repced by awkwardness with Spider-Woman as the unfamiliar hero embraced her. The bloted Spider-Woman's back, clearly uain how to respond. "Uh, thanks, Spider-Woman," she said, fused but appreciating the new hero's care for her well-being.

  At her uain tone, Jessica remembered that she wasn't Peter. They had never dated. While Jessica cared deeply fwen, the other woman had no idea who she was. Embarrassed by her slip, Jessica stepped back abruptly. "Well, I'll leave you two alohen," she said hastily. "Tyson might need my help."

  Before either Gwen or Peter could get another word in, Spider-Woman fired a web line, swinging rapidly away over the rooftops, putting distaween herself and the awkward enter as quickly as possible.

  "How long?" Peter asked, "How long have you been like this?"

  Gwen's gaze dropped to the rooftop, uo meet Peter's eyes even through his mask. "Sihe night my father died," she admitted. "When I woke up... I'd ged."

  "Why didn't you tell me?" The hurt ier's voice alpable. "I could have helped you. We could have figured this out together."

  "I was scared, Peter! I didn't uand what was happening to me. And then, when I figured it out, you were too busy being Spider-Man and distang yourself from me. What was I supposed to do? I was afraid of how you'd react."

  "What about Engnd?" Peter asked hesitantly.

  Gwen's blue eyes met his, filled with a sorrow that made Peter's heartache. "I almost died today. That's the sed time the imposter has e after me. What if he catches me with the rest of my family?"

  The unspoken words hung in the air between them…

  'What's left of my family.'

  Peter felt them as clearly as if she'd said them. The weight of everything Gwen had lost: her father, her sense of security, and the life she'd known before. Memories fshed before his eyes. Captain Stacy's brutal treatment at the hands of the imposter, waking up in the hospital, not knowing if Gwen was safe, watg her fall from the building minutes earlier, and knowing that he couldn't save her.

  "You're right," he said, the words tasting like ash in his mouth. "You've sacrificed so much already, Gwen. Your father, your peaind... and now this." He gestured vaguely, enpassing the city around them.

  Gwen's eyes shimmered with uears, but her voice was steady when she spoke. "I don't regret any of it, Peter. Not loving you, not gaining these powers. But..."

  "But it's too much," Peter finished for her, his heart breaking even as he said the words. "It's not fair to ask you to keep living with this stant threat hanging over you. Over your family."

  They stood silently for a moment, the city's distant hum providing a mencholy backdrop to the se unfoldiween them. Peter was filled with flig emotions. Love, fear, guilt, and an overwhelming desire to protect Gwen, even if it meaing her go.

  "I love you," Gwen said suddenly, her voice crag slightly. "I need you to know that. This isn't about not loving you enough or not being willing to face dangers with you. It's about..."

  "It's about what's best for you," Peter finished, reag out to cup her cheek gently. "And as much as it kills me to admit it, maybe what's best for you… isn't me."

  Gwen leaned into his touch, her eyes closing briefly as she savored the moment. When she opehem again, there was a steely resolve there that both broke Peter's heart and filled him with pride.

  "Engnd will be a fresh start," she said softly.

  Peter nodded, fighting back the lump in his throat. "You'll be amazing, Gwen. You already are. Engnd doesn't know how lucky they're about to get."

  She smiled sadly. "I'll miss this," she said, gesturing to the city around them. "I'll miss you. But I think... I think this is something I o do. For myself, for my family, and maybe even for you."

  Peter's brow furrowed in fusion. "For me?"

  Gwen nodded, reag up to pce her hand over his, where it still rested on her cheek. "As long as I'm here, as long as we're together, you'll op w about me. You'll never be able to fully focus on being the hero this city needs you to be. Aer... the world needs Spider-Man."

  The truth of her words hit Peter like a physical blow. He had always known, deep down, that his responsibilities as Spider-Man would demand sacrifices. He just never imagihe sacrifice would be this great.

  Gwen's smile was geinged with both sadness and pride. "Don't make that face. You're the stro person I know, Peter Parker. And you won't be alone. You have Tyson, your Aunt May, and now Spider-Woman, I guess."

  "When do you leave?" Peter asked, his voice muffled against her hair.

  Gwen pulled back slightly. "The interview is tomorrow. If I get the schorship, I'll fly out in a few days, maybe a week or two."

  They stood there for a long moment, foreheads pressed together, her wanting to be the first to let go.

  — Rogue Redemption —

  Tyson stood o's body. The once-mighty Master of Magism y still. He raised his hand, spying his fingers wide. At his silent and, the metal debris scattered across Times Square began to stir. Shards of steel and rebar defied gravity as they answered his call. A new sense unfurled within Tyson's mind. He could feel every pieetal around him, from the most enormous girder to the ti nail. The oothness of aluminum, the dense weight of iron, and the malleable softness of copper. Each metal had its unique fvor, a bination of smell, taste, and touch that transded normal human perception.

  At his gesture, and the metal around him sprang to life. Girders, beams, pipes, and rods floated into the air, directed by his will. He sifted through the debris, pulling any scrap of metal to him while pushing aside the rest. Soon he had separated the metal from the noal debris. His power sang as it trolled the swirling cloud of iron, steel, and aluminum. Scoops formed from curved steel ptes and scraped up ks of broken crete, tossing them into a growing mound. He could sehe weakeructures of nearby buildings, where the battle had torn away vital support. Carefully, he guided the floatial back to its inal position. Beams slotted into pce while smaller pieces fused seamlessly to repair cracks and holes.

  As he worked, Tyson marveled at the power of magism. The power was intoxig, and for a moment, he uood the anding arrogahat led Mago down his dark path.

  But Tyson shook off that dangerous line of thinking.

  stru crews would have spent days moving the debris and repairing the metalwork, but Tyson pleted the task in a few minutes. As the st pieetal settled, a strange hush fell over Times Square. Then, a smattering of appuse began from the crowds that had gathered at the edges of the battlefield. It grew quickly, swelling into a thunderous ovation.

  "Way to go, Mirage!" someone shouted, using his discarded ame.

  "You showed 'em, kid!" called another voice filled with unmistakable New York pride.

  "Tyson! Tyson! Tyson!" The t started small but spread like wildfire through the crowd.

  Tyson stood there, surprised by the outp of support from the crowds gathered at the edges of Times Square. He had been so focused on the fight, ed by his rage and grief over Jubilee's death, that he had almost fotten about the people he was supposed to protect.

  The crowd's cheers and ts washed over him, but he felt no joy or sense of celebration at that moment. This was no victory. Jubilee, his lover and most trusted friend, was dead by Mago's hand. He failed her when she needed him most. The appuse roared on around him, but all Tyson could hear was the ringiiness of his failure.

  Tyson had killed Mago.

  The mutant terrorist who had hunted him sihe moment he arrived in this world was finally gone. But Mago's death meant little now. It did n Jubilee back or fill the ag void her loss had left within him. Mago's end was a hollow victory, meaningless in the face of Tyson's grief and guilt. The crowd's cheers faded into the background as the enormity of his failure to save the one person who had truly mattered ed him.

  Logan stepped up beside Tyson, his gruff voice cut through the haze of emotion. "Hey, kid. I'm sorry about Jubilee."

  Tyson only shook his head, uo find words.

  Logaated, his eyes darting to Mago's still form. "Is he?" he asked, leaving the question hanging.

  "Dead?" Tyson finished, his voice hollow. "Yes. It's done."

  Across the square, fnked by Cyclops and Storm, Xavier's voice rang out. "Why? You didn't have to—"

  Tyson cut him off, raising Muse and pointing the bde directly at Xavier. "The part of me that's Erik still thinks of you as a friend. Another part of me wants to thank you. Because despite how fucked up messing with my head was, you weren't pletely wrong. I have built a sense of self strong enough to remain the dominant personality in my own mind. I'm in trol, not Mago."

  His voice grew lower and more dangerous. "The rest of me really wants to teach you a lesson about pying around in other people's heads."

  Xavier's eyes widened as he stared at the on. Tyson opened his fingers, releasing the bde. It hovered in the air, ing closer to Xavier with ominous i.

  The bald professor wisely announced, "X-Men, it's time we take our leave."

  As the rest of the team turo follow, Logan remained rooted at Tyson's side, exuding quiet solidarity. Storm paused, gng back with an unspokeion lingering in her blue eyes.

  Logan shook his head. "I think the kid needs me more than the school," he rasped, "I wasn't much of a teacher anyway." A silent exge passed between them in that suspended moment.

  Tyson caught it though. He looked at Logan surprise. "You don't have to do this for me," L his voice, he muttered. "She's a goddess. I'll manage."

  Loga out a derisive snort. "What, don't you have room in your theater for one more?" Stave o lingering look, then followed the others.

  Despite himself, Tyson choked out a ugh at Logan's retort. He fully prehehe sacrifice his friend was making by choosing to stand by him rather than pursue things further with Storm. Foolhardy as Logan's choice may have been, Tyson appreciated the dispy of loyalty more than words could express.

  Their small moment of levity was interrupted by the arrival of a group of soldiers wearing uniforms embzoned with the distinctive SHIELD emblem. Nick Fury strode at their head. Maria Hill and Steve Rogers fnked him with grim expressions as they surveyed the area.

  Tyso beside Mago's body, removing the mutation inhibitor colr.

  Steve Rogers was the first to break the tense silehat had fallehe group. He regarded Tyson with genuine sympathy as he spoke. "Sorry about yirl," he said, his voice low and sincere.

  Tyson gnced up, meeting the super soldier's passionate gaze. Though his jaw was tight with suppressed emotion, he gave a short, appreciative nod in respohanks," he replied after a moment, his own tone clipped but not ungrateful for the se. He looked away, unable or unwilling to maintain the tact. His throat worked as he swallowed hard, grief and anger warring within him. The others waited silently, respectfully, as Tyson posed himself.

  Fury's one good eye swept over the se, taking in the damage. "Quite a mess you've made here, Agent Mirage," he said, his voice betrayiher approval nor nation.

  "The mess was going to be made one way or another, Director. At least I tried to it up. And didn't have to take a missile to the face to stop him."

  Steve's forehead creased with as his brow furrowed. "What do you mean missile to the face? Is that a phrase that became popur while I was frozen?"

  Shaking his head, Tyson replied, "Mago structed a on capable of mutating aire city's popution. That's what he meant when he said he could ge the world with me. I was the final po he required. As a tingency, I have a trag devi me. If he succeeded in capturihe building would have been bombed." Logan grumbled, displeased. Pivoting to face him, Tyson stated pinly, "You survived a nuclear bst. I ought to be able t off an explosion desigo level a city block."

  Fury held up a hand, drawing their attention. "What's done is done. What matters now is tai and information gathering." He fixed Tyson with a peing stare. "I assume you absorbed Mago's powers and memories?"

  Tyson nodded slowly. "I did. It will take me some time to parse all the memories and make them part of me. But I have some information that I o take immediate a on. Mago kidnapped my assistant, Felicia. I o get her back... And he wasn't lying about the mutants living in the sewers. I o do something about that."

  "What about the mutants that escaped?" Fury asked.

  Tyson used Mago's knowledge to identify each member of the Brotherhood ae their abilities. "Vanisher teleport himself and small groups, plus he's got invisibility. No known distance limitations." He ticked off his fingers. "Avanche create localized earthquakes. Pyro trols fire, but 't gee it himself. Callisto's got mutant sensing abilities and limited superspeed. Arclight creates shockwaves that target specific objects or broad areas. Pietro, Quicksilver had superspeed, and his sister Wanda used magic. The green-haired mutant that didn't do much was Lorna, and she had the same power as Mago. Toad was basically a supersoldier with frog-like abilities. Last was the Juggernaut, the massive guy, unstoppable, superstrong."

  "Some of them were hurt. They likely retreated into the sewers where they're holding Felicia. I'm going after her. If they're still there, I'm taking them down."

  Fury's face soured, lines deepening around his mouth. "That's still a lot for you to take on alone." He eyed Tysoively. "How many more of those colrs do you have?"

  "Just this one, but I'm w on it." He paused, sidering. "With Mago gone, I stop them."

  "Are you sure?" Fury asked skeptically.

  Tyson walked over to where he'd piled the bodies of all Multiple Man's dupes and removed a helmet. He ha to Fury. "It blocks psionics. Have yheads look at it. I'll give oo Stark, too. If they hadn't worn these, I could have easily taken the whole group myself."

  Fury accepted the helmet, nodding approvingly. "Alright, Agent Mirage. I'll leave this in your hands. Two ditions. First, Deputy Director Hill will apany you at House of M for a few days to ensure everything goes smoothly. Sed, whehing is settled, I want you to e in for a psych evaluation. You should've had one when you were brought on as a sultant, and now it's only prudent given your dition."

  Tyson mumbled, "Why does everyone keep stig me with babysitters?"

  "Not a babysitter," Fury objected. "Think of Hill as training wheels to help keep you oraight and narrow. You took down a mutant terrorist on live television. That will earn you a lot of credit with some people and make you a target for others." His expression softened a fra. "But good work today."

  Tyson nodded in a single, curt aowledgment. Theuro Hill and said, "Deputy Director, it'll be good to work with you again," he asked, "Where's my buddy Max?"

  "Safe. We've got him in our headquarters; we'll send him in one of the vans back to House of M. We should move out soon." A fleet of SHIELD transport vehicles rolled into view as if on cue, and agents began to pour out.

  Tyson's gaze was drawn to the spot where Jubilee died. The pavement was cracked where Mago had pinned her to the ground, but there was no trace left of her.

  Fury's voice cut through Tyson's reverie. "We'll need a full debrief."

  Tyson nodded, f himself to focus on the present. "Right. I'll do my best to sort through it all. It's... jumbled right now. Like trying to remember someone else's dream."

  "Take your time," Hill said, "I'll be at your site for a few days."

  — Rogue Redemption —

  As he approached the SHIELD van, a familiar voice called to him. "Tyson!"

  He turo see Jean running towards him, Without hesitation, Tyson pulled her into a tight embrace.

  "Jean, I'm so sorry," Tyson's voice cracked as he spoke, the words feeling woefully ie. "I couldn't save Jubilee. I tried, but I... I wasn't fast enough."

  He felt Jean's body tense against him, a tremor running through her as she processed his words. When she pulled back, her green eyes were wet. "It's not your fault," she said softly. "I was there too. I should have been able to do something, anything. She was my roommate, my friend, and I couldn't..."

  Jean's words trailed off, choked by emotion. Tyson squeezed her shoulder gently, uanding all too well how she felt. "Let's head back," he suggested gently. "We talk more in the car."

  But Jean shook her head. "No, Tyson. I 't go baot yet. There's something I o tell you first."

  Tyson's brow furrowed in . "What is it?" he asked.

  Jean's gaze darted around the empty lot as if cheg for eavesdroppers before fog ily ba Tyson. "I saw what the Professor did to you… In your mind. I've u. Unlocked your subscious."

  "You..." he mao ask. He took a deep breath, tering himself. "Thank you," he said finally, the words feeling woefully ie for what she had done. "For undoing what he did… For freeing me."

  "I need... I o kly what he did. To me." Jean's words huween them.

  Tyson's brow furrowed with . "I help," he ently. "Whatever's going on, we figure it out together."

  But Jean was already shaking her head, taking a step back, putting distaween them. "I appreciate the offer, Tyson. I do. And I know you're strong, but... I need someoronger. Someone who avigate the depths of the psyche in ways you 't."

  His heart sank as he realized what she was saying. "You're leaving." The words were simple yet felt so heavy.

  Her expression was filled with sadness. "I'm going to Massachusetts. There's a woman there, the one who helped the Cuckoos. She might help me uand what's been doo my mind."

  A psychi Massachusetts... It had to be Emma Frost. The name rose unbidden to the surface of Tyson's thoughts, bringing a swell of flig emotions. His metaknowledge told him that she was certainly powerful, but what he remembered of her methods and motives was questio best. Still, if anyone could uhe depths of Xavier's psychiipution, it would be her.

  "Are you sure about this?" Tyson asked finally, uo keep the naked from his voice.

  Jean's answering ugh was hollow, tinged with a bitterhat seemed out of ping from her. "I need answers. And if that meaing another psychic root around in my head, well..." She trailed off, her gaze distant. "It 't be any worse than what's already been doo me."

  Her eyes glistened with uears as she looked at Tyson. "I don't want to leave. Not like this. Not after everything that's happened."

  "Then don't," he said softly. "Stay. Help me save Felicia. We mourn Jubilee together."

  His words struck a chord deep within Jean. She closed her eyes, fighting back the tears that threateo spill. "God, I 't believe she's gone."

  "IThat's why we need each other now more than ever."

  Jean opened her eyes, meeting Tyson's gaze. She saw the pain there, mirr her own. Although they'd reverted to their normal blue-green colors now that he wasn't using the vampiric dagger, they still had that broken appearance. His eyes still looked like ons. For a moment, she wavered. The desire to stay, help, and grieve alongside her friend was almost overwhelming.

  "Felieeds us," Tyson tinued, "We 't abandon her. And... I need you, Jean. Your strength, your passion. Please."

  His words tugged at her heart, making her decision even more difficult. Jean bit her lip, torween her desire to stay and the urgeo uhe truth within her mind.

  "Tyson, I care about you," she said, her voice trembling. "And Jubilee... God, I miss her already. The thought of leaving now, of not being here... it kills me." She paused, taking a shaky breath. "And Felicia... I want to help her. I do. But..."

  Jean trailed off, struggling to find the right words. How could she expin the urgency she felt, the desperate o uand what had been doo her mind?

  "But what?" Tyson prompted gently.

  "But I'm scared," Jean admitted. "I'm terrified of what I might find out about myself, about what's been doo me. And I'm even more afraid of what might happen if I don't find out." She ed her arms around herself as if trying to hold herself together. "I feel like I'm being torn in two," she tinued, her voice crag. "Part of me wants nothing more than to stay here, to help you, to grieve. But another part... it's screaming at me to go."

  etched across his features. "I get it, Jean. I do. But are you sure this is the right time?"

  Jean shook her head, frustration creeping into her voice. "There's never going to be a right time, Tyson. There's always going to be a crisis, always going to be someone who needs help. But if I don't do this now, I'm afraid I'll lose my nerve." She looked up at the sky, blinking back tears. "I feel like I'm being selfish, putting my own needs first. But I I feel like I have to. Like if I don't do this now, I might never get the ce again. And that terrifies me even more than leaving."

  Tyson reached out, pg a f hand on her shoulder. "You're not being selfish, Jean. You're trying to protect yourself, to uand who you are. That's important, too."

  His words, meant to fort, only made Jean feel worse. She could see the pain in his eyes, the silent plea for her to stay. It made her decision all the monizing.

  "I'm so sorry, Tyson. I feel like I'm abandoning you when you need me most."

  "Hey," Tyson said softly, " up. You're not abandoning anyone. You're taking care of yourself. That's important, too. If I didn't have to get Felicia, I'd drive you myself." His words, kind as they were, couldn't pletely assuage Jean's guilt. She could feel tears welling up in her eyes again. She threw her arms around Tyson, hugging him tightly. For a moment, she allowed herself to sink into the fort of his embrace. But reality intruded all too soon. Jean pulled back, wiping at her eyes. "I should go," she said softly. "If I don't leave now, I'm not sure I'll be able to."

  Tyson's grip oightened. "I really don't want you to go. We need each ht now."

  Jean's eyes glistened with tears. "You're making this so hard," she said, her voice trembling. She nearly relented, not wanting to leave him. But then she felt the tug, the pull from within her mind, the same ohat kept her from being overwhelmed by his emotions.

  Let. Me. Go.

  Jeaated for a moment, her gaze fixed on Tyson's face before asking, "Will you take off the helmet?"

  Tyson blinked, suddenly aware of the weight on his head. He'd fotten he was still wearing Mago's helmet. He relutly released Jean from their embrace, reag up to remove the headpiece. He pced it on the ground beside them before pulling Jean close again.

  As they locked eyes, Tyso a gentle probing at the edges of his sciousness. Jean's power was seekirao his mind. He rexed, allowing her in. Jean's tension seemed to melt away as their psychiion deepened, both of them opening up to each other in a way that transded words. Jean's feet left the ground as she hovered. She rose up, leaned in, and pressed a soft kiss to his forehead. Tyson braced himself for the pull of his life-draining power, but it never came.

  His eyes widened in surprise. "How?" he asked.

  A small, sad smile pyed at the ers of Jean's lips. "You're not the only one who use illusions."

  Tyso out a choked ugh. "You're pretty good. I couldn't tell the difference."

  "It's not as natural for me as it is for you," Jean admitted, "but like you said, I'm strong."

  "You don't o go," he pleaded, "I absorb your power, we'll take it slow. I'll be able to help you…" He opened his mouth to tinue pleading with her to stay, but his words died in his throat as a tear ran down Jean's cheek and she spoke.

  "Stop Fighting Me."

  Jean's psychic power crashed into his mind with the force of a r tsunami. His defenses were lowered, leaving him vulnerable to the full force of her abilities, which far surpassed his own. Helpless against the onsught, Tyson staggered uhe iy of her telepathic assault. Her ability burhrough his thoughts with a blistering iy, putting his powers to shame. Tyson's jaed shut with an audible click as Jean's telepathiand overwhelmed his attempts at speech. He stood frozen as her psychidrils ed around his mind in an unbreakable hold. He never had a ce to try resisting her mental domination before she had him pletely at her mercy.

  With a pained expression, Jean stated firmly, "I need you to prioritize yourself and your friends first. Don't worry about me. Don't even think of me until you all are safe."

  She took a deep, steadying breath, her eyes never leaving his. "Now tell me you uand."

  "I uand," Tysoed.

  Jea out a choked sob, the sound filled with equal parts relief and anguish at having to pel him in this way. She knew if left to his own devices, he would save Felicia, then without a sed thought, disregard everything else to ensure her safety.

  As much as it pained her, Jeayson had a critical role to py, no matter the cost to herself. He had bee a symbol for mutants around the world. Whether he realized it or not, and after the televised battle, the attention he'd draw and the scrutiny would only increase.

  Her heart broke at having to resort to this, but her will remairong.

  It had to be this way.

  She stepped away from Tyson, ending their embrace. Bending down, she picked up the discarded helmet and tur over in her hands.

  As she reached the edge of the lot, Jean paused, looking bae st time. Tyson stood stiffly where she'd left him. The sight nearly broke her resolve. She gave him o smile over her shoulder. A plex mix of emotions pyed across her face as she headed towards Penn Station.

  "I'm sorry," she whispered, though she knew he didn't register her words.

  Tyson stood there for a long moment, watg the spot where Jean had vanished. He bliwice, clearing his mind. There was an uneasy feeling i of his stomach, which refused to dissipate. Something about this whole situatio wrong, off-kilter in a way he couldn't quite put his finger on.

  As he finally turned back to the SHIELD van, Tyson was a bundle of flig thoughts aions. The revetion about Professor Xavier's maniputions, the grief over Jubilee's loss, and the for Felicia's well-being. It all swirled together into a toxic cocktail of ay and doubt.

  As the SHIELD van moved through the Manhattan streets, Tyson sat in silence, barely registering the agent's attempts at small talk. His mind was a whirlwind of flig thoughts aions, repying the day's events on an endless loop. The van pulled to a stop, aepped out onto the sidewalk in front of the House of M.

  Maki was there to greet him. Before he approached, he took a deep whiff, ensuring that her st was normal and not carrying any hints of Mystique. Tyson pushed aside his turmoil to focus on the immediate tasks at hand. "How did things go here?" he asked.

  She fell into step beside him as they walked towards the entrance. She reported. "It was Wednesday who first noticed you were on the news. We immediately jumped into a when you called for the Pstic Protocol." He felt a flicker of pride that his team had performed well in his absehe fake Felicia realized something was wrong," Maki tinued, her tone darkening slightly. "But I tranqued her before she could react. She's still under sedation."

  "Good work. I'm going to rescue Felicia. But first, I need you to set up a room for my buddy Max. Be o him, and remember his name. Call Dr. ors and tell him that break time is over. I need him here to help Max and to ensure Mystique remains properly sedated. Then, please set up an area for SHIELD Deputy Director Hill. Do not be antagonisti any way. Aodate her as well as possible." He paused, anizing his thoughts. "Allow full transparency except for Dr. ors's b; that's off limits. I'll speak with her extensively, but Felicia takes priority. I need a mio myself, and then I'll leave with Logan. Actually, after I leave, just give her my office. That's easier."

  Maki's eyebrows raised slightly at his choices, but she didn't question his decisions. She nodded, already turning to carry out his orders. "Uood. I'll see to it immediately."

  As Maki headed off, Tyso a pang of... something. Guilt? Unease? He realized he'd immediately treated Maki like Felicia, relying on her ability to hahe plex situation. This realizatio a bitter taste in his mouth. Felicia's absence ing wound, and he was unsciously trying to fill it with the avaible substitute.

  The events in Times Square had been a very public dispy of mutant power and flict. There would be sequences, questions to answer, and damage trol to manage, all of which would fall on him. He didn't have Felicia; he only had Maki, a Hydra agent. Jesus. Life was so much easier when he was just a student at Midtown High, making occasional appearances as a hero, dating Felicia, and flirting with Natasha.

  Tyson pivoted on his heel and marched back to the vans. He selected two of the helmets stripped from Multiple Man's fallen duplicates after the battle, and pced one on his head. The other he brought with him as he headed for Vanko's b.

  The b was empty. Tyson dropped off the duplicate of Mago's helmet and tinued on. Maki caught up to him after leaving the b. "Dr. ors estimates he'll arrive within the hour."

  Tyson nodded absently. Finally, he looked up to meet Maki's gaze. "Good work. Mystique?"

  "Still sedated but stable," Maki replied. "Though I'm no doctor."

  "You've done excellent work, Maki," Tyson said sincerely. "You've been invaluable. I know I'm leaning on you, and I want you to know I truly appreciate everything you've done."

  Maki's usually stoic expression softened almost imperceptibly, surprised by his words. "Thank you, Tyson. That means a great deal to me."

  As she turo leave, Tyson called out, "When this is finally over, when Felicia has returned... I believe it is time we discussed our respective roles."

  The barest trace of a smile tugged at the ers of Maki's mouth. "I agree," she replied simply before tinuing down the hall.

  He reached his office, closing the door behind him with a soft click. Usually, he spent more time in the VIP lounge, but he wanted a few mio himself. For a moment, Tyson leaned against the wood and closed his eyes.

  He breathed deeply, trying to ter his thoughts.

  The room smelled faintly of exotise, dusty a stone, and aig floral perfume.

  His eyes shot open.

  He wasn't alone.

  Behind the Ses

  - Last week's behind-the-ses was long enough without addressing Jean, and she was featured more in this chapter anyway. Jean teically won the fight against Mago, but in a direbat situation, she isn't a match. Tyson teically won ba Arc 1, but he had Jean's uraielekinesis and a hinted boost from the Phoenix Force. Jean, here, is not pletely urained. While Mago and Jeah Omega-level mutants, they're only Omega in one aspect of their powers. For Jean, it is telepathy, not telekinesis. Fo, it's Eleagism, not ferrokinesis. Jean was able to resist Xavier, go unnoticed in Tyson's head, etc, because she's the top dog when it es to Telepathy.

  For all the mind-fuckery, I'll break down what's happening a little. In this chapter and in the previous one, we saw the whispered and, 'Let. Me. Go' guiding Jean's as. It allowed her to split her emotions from Tyson when he was breaking down, and it made her leave, even though she didn't want to. This and actually came from Tyson himself. Arc 6, Chapter 77, during the battle in Las Vegas. Tyson pressed deeper into the e, riding the wave of Jean's acceptance. Each barrier that fell revealed new depths of emotion, and new sensations to explore. Awareness of the physical world faded away, leaving only their interwoven sciousness floating in a sea of shared feelings. Tyson had succeeded. Her grip on him wavered. Their eyes remained locked eyes, her able to look away as his mismatched ones burrowed into her emerald greens. With a final surge of energy, Tyson tried to override Jean's will, to beo his and against her sent.

  "Let. Me. Go."

  It may not have seemed like it then, but Tyson's and stuck. Jean did let him go. She dove into his mind and touched his meta-knowledge, then only re-engaged him when she was forced out of his mind aried to use his power on her again.

  Tyson gains more mental resistah more minds within him, but adding one more isn't nearly enough to keep Jean out.

  So yeah, Jean is gone for now. I know there are people who have been rooting for a Jean pairing since Arc 1, but I'm not ready to tell that story yet. I feel like to do Jean justice, I o do a real Phoenix or Dark Phoenix story. I sidered it for Arc 8, but Arcs 6&7 already pushed back The Avengers and I don't want the story tress too far, leaving the MCU overall timeline behind.

  - Did you really think I'd kill off Gwen, too?

  - The st should give away who is in the office with Tyson at the end of the chapter.

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