Emma and Mystique eventually talked to each other about it, in their strange, half insulting, half congenial way.

"Both of us got screwed over," Emma said. "Hard to say who had it worse anymore.... I wonder if I will ever think of it without regret."

They were drinking tea at the time and she sipped some.

Mystique looked down at her cup. "You know, maybe I'm getting infected by all these people, but, I don't really see as much to regret as you'd expect. In some ways, if that hadn't happened to you, we might not have won. As for me, in a way, I got to show Sinister up...I'd never repeat that experience, but, I'm not as scared now of someone trying to get inside of my head...there is a way out again. Knowing that, I guess it counts for something. Better than that sadsack, Angel...even after Rogue helped him, he couldn't accept it."

"And do you feel responsible for that?" Emma said. "In some ways...I feel responsible for the people who were captured because I was a spy...though I didn't know."

"I'm never going to like thinking about what I did," Mystique said. "That's a given...but it's starting to feel like looking at the life of someone else...Like I don't recognize that woman anymore. Maybe it was fighting it off myself...and I think it was karma, in a way. So now I know. But knowing it, they still pulled me out of it. Shows that being on the right side is still easier in a way."

"Isn't there a bit in the Bible about God's harshness being better than man's kindness?" Emma said.

"No, that's C. S. Lewis," Mystique sipped her tea. "Shine made us read that quote for one of her studies. More of a question if she'll ever run out of those."

[The quote is actually 'the hardness of God is kinder than the softness of man' from Surprised by Joy]

"You're worried about her still being unconscious," Emma said.

"It's been nearly three days," Mystique said.

"She did warn us," Emma said. "She better waje up before I have to go..." She frowned.

"You want to thank her?" Mystique guessed.

"I have many things I could say," Emma said. "I should thank all of you. I'm a proud sort of person, and I hate needing help, but you didn't let that stop you. It's more than the other X-men would have done for me. In some ways, I still wish I could just say here forever."

"But Scott," Mystique said, running her finger along on her cup rim.

"Scott," Emma nodded. "I mean I wouldn't let him go back alone. They'll eat him alive."

Mystique actually laughed. "Yeah, he is pretty helpless."

"Oh I don't doubt he could hold his own in the danger, but, they need more than that," Emma said. "Our world is headed for the same kind of disaster as what we saw...and, I don't believe just stopping that will make something just as bad not happen. The changes I've seen here, I think they'll probably work. But they aren't present at home. Someone will have to get the ball rolling. I don't expect to find it easy, given my track record, but, it's as they told us. We saw all that for a reason. I think we have to try."

"I don't envy that job," Mystique said.

"So what will you do Raven? Are you going to become an X-men?" Emma asked.

"I'm not sure it's for me," Mystique said. "I'm good at this kind of thing, but, it's all I've ever been good at really. Doesn't mean it's really what I want. I've never given that much thought, but, for once, I don't have to choose survival. I don't know what I would choose if I had the choice. But, if anything, seeing my other self was enough to prove to me I need to figure it out. I'll be back in old habits in no time if I don't. And I'm tired of the world almost dying because of something I was involved in."

"So retirement," Emma said. "Well...you know, whatever you decide to do, it can't get worse."

The both laughed dryly.

"But you should just take over the X-men in your world," Mystique said. "Xavier's not smart enough to, Wolverine sounds like a wreck. And the idea of a former villain managing the X-men is just ironic enough to sound fun."

"I seriously doubt that would happen," Emma said.

[Laughs in comic book references]

"But what will you do about Morph?" Emma changed the subject. "Won't he want to stay here? You are planning to stay together right."

"We haven't talked about it," Mystique said. "Our trial period was supposed to end. After what happened in the future...I don't know."

She leaned on her hands. "I've never been the type to really fall for anyone. I didn't know what it would be like. It's not how the books put it."

"No?" Emma sipped her tea. "How so?"

"You now...all that nonsense about thrills and crap," Mystique said.

Emma nodded. "I suppose so...but those books are written for teenagers and airheads, it's not like people our age really find it the same. We know what we like more, don't we?"

"I never did," Mystique said.

"And it turns out you like the weird ones, I can see why that reality was difficult to accept," Emma said.

"Says the one who likes the stiff," Mystique said.

"I like Scott because he's different from me," Emma said candidly and so shamelessly that Mystique envied her. "We don't agree on everything, and I daresay we never will. I'm not under any illusions that he's a perfect man...but he is always concerned with doing the right thing, in any case. I need that. And I like it. I've never been able to stay on track in my life. On the other hand, Scott often misses the obvious about people. So, I do have some things he doesn't. In that way, it's not just about attraction, as you're saying, it's about what you need. I've been attracted to people before, and those relationships didn't end well, just on that alone. So while I felt it here, I would have committed over it. But Scott made it quite clear it was just about that...so if that holds true...well, it's worth it to try something different. But that is me. What do you want?"

Mystique sighed again. "You know...in some ways, it still hurts."

Emma nodded.

"Yeah, it's not my usual type," Mystique said. "But I've never been that hung up over things like that, and that's not what bothers me. Morph has always been on the right side, with the exception of brainwashing. We have some things in common, but I still wonder if we're enough on the same page for this to work out. Sure I could...you know...do some things...but he's after commitment."

"So is it you don't want to, or is it you think you can't?" Emma said.

"You're the mind reader, Emma," Mystique said. "You tell me."

"You want me to tell you?" Emma said.

Mystique shrugged.

"Mind reading doesn't work that way," Emma said. "I know what you think you mean, but what you actually mean? Only you would kow that, deep down. But telepathy aside, let's look at the facts: You did put his safety first. You've done things you never did before. And you're seriously concerned about this not working out for him, not just you. Does this sound like your usual relationship to you?"

"No," Mystique said.

"Then could it just be you're actually afraid that you have changed what you want, and knowing that, you can't hold on to it," Emma said. "I understand that...because I feel the same way. We accepted our lives the way they were before this, but once you feel just a little that you maybe could have had more, it's so hard to consider that it might end. And you would always take care that you expose yourself before that happened. I usually don't have to...I'm not that good at keeping things from coming out, turns out."

"Neither of us are," Mystique said. "Shine would say that nothing is hidden that won't be revealed."

"As usual, she's right," Emma said. "If I were you, I'd hardly be able to believe that Morph actually likes you."

"Well thanks," Mystique said.

"But he almost does," Emma said, more seriously. "It's weird, sure...to watch, especially. But it's real. Isn't that what's important? It would be foolish to give that up just out of fear. I may not be an expert on this sort of thing, but I think I can answer this much: I think it's just a choice, Raven. You can make all the excuses you want for things you're not good enough, but we're all not good enough. If fate has given you a chance anyway for something better, spitting at it is more ungrateful than it is selfless. I suppose I am speaking to myself there, but I am actually willing to try."

Mystique leaned on her hand. "I never thought I've ever be able to even think of it. Let alone be talking about it to someone like you. I'm Mystique. This isn't where it goes for me."

"So change it," Emma said. "Change where it goes...all the Alternate worlds we learned about, can't just one have you not end up miserable in it? Please? For my sake, I can't stand the thought that we're all just stuck on our courses. What does that mean for me? If I do this, you have to also."

"Well thanks for your unselfishness," Mystique said.

Emma smirked.

"I guess I'll just leave it up to Morph," Mystique said.

"No, I think you should make yourself clear," Emma said. "Stop being a coward. It's not like he gets to control everything."

"If you're right, then that's even harder" Mystique said.

"I'm right," Emma took a long sip smugly. "Trust me."

[Lol.]

***

Emma should have followed her own advice.

Even though she'd watched Scott and Jean break up, she and Scott hadn't talked about it at all.

Scott probably expected her to bring it up, after all, she'd been the one to insist on it.

Emma should have, but...somehow she was still hesitant.

Deep down, she was just like Mystique...she couldn't believe that things could really work out for her, just for once, to have what she wanted.

Especially without using manipulation to get it.

This was really quite pathetic, and Emma half knew it. But she was low on courage, after everything, it seemed like she was used up.

She wondered too, just what the X-men at home would think of the whole thing...she knew they wouldn't approve.

She wouldn't care, not really, not if it didn't bother Scott...but could he really not have second thoughts? Surely he'd seen how they all reacted...the judgment of all his friends would be heavy with him, much more than her. She'd never tried to impress any of them with anything but her powers...and they wouldn't need those now that Jean was back.

Emma spent a lot of time thinking about that. If she was going home, what would she do? Where would she fit. She couldn't use her telepathy alone as leverage now. Could she even convince the X-men she belonged with them?

Sure, they'd had two telepaths before, when Xavier was around...but they liked him.

Coupled with the exhaustion of the last week itself, all these together put her in rather a blue mood.

Scott on his side, wasn't sure what to do. Emma hadn't talked to him about any of what happened...He was wondering if she was also having second thoughts.

He'd gone to the length to end things with Jean--and that had stung, Jean's anger seemed more justified to him than it did to the others. Despite everyone's opinion of her behavior, Scott still didn't blame her that much for things going wrong. It would be a while before he could look at it that objectively.

He'd have minded less if Emma seemed happier, but she didn't. she seemed down, actually.

Scott didn't like the idea of being alone, perhaps he'd clung to Jean so tightly because of that...it had never been easy for him to make friends, or to understand people well. He liked being part of the X-men, it made sense to him, but the people aspect of it? Never his strong point.

Perhaps he was drawn to both Jean first, and then Emma for their ability to see people more clearly than he could. At least at first. Few people put in a lot of work to understand others, but Telepaths had a gift for it. He'd always gotten along better with them, Professor X included.

He recognized now though, when he had time to actually think about it and the world wasn't ending, that Emma's affect on him was still different than either Jean's or Xavier's. Emma didn't make things easy, necessarily, just because she found it easy herself. She didn't always try to break things down for people or tell them in simple terms what she wanted. After knowing her longer, Scott figured she just didn't really think that way herself. Xavier was different...and so was Jean.

Scott appreciated their help, but, he didn't think he'd ever felt like he had much choice in life about what to do with them. Xavier and Jean had both appeared as sort of lifelines in dark moments to him, and he'd latch onto them with the hope of not drowning. Which seemed right at the time. How else would it be?

He'd not even have questioned it at all.

But Emma had started something and later, he thought Shine's counseling had control it, along with the explanation of the crisis itself, where he began to feel like he had to make a choice. He could pick one or the other option.

Emma empathized that first. She always had. Even in the end, it was choosing between her and Jean, wasn't it?

Scott wasn't so self effacing that, in one way, deep down, he didn't have just enough pride to be a little annoyed that Jean had been so sure he'd never consider breaking up with her. Her reaction made that obvious.

Sure he hadn't before, but, did she really think he was just that dependent on her?

Then again maybe he was...

But not Emma, Emma never did that. She always acted like he had a choice. He'd gravitated toward her at first for the same reason as the other two, perhaps, she'd had something he thought would help.

But even given the chance to take it further, Emma had left it up to him, about the memory erasure, about everything. It had surprised him at the time just to be given that option at all...but that's what it was, an option.

It was funny how only in hindsight after deciding did the reason he'd decided become this clear to him.

Scott would have put it into those words, but in the end Emma made him feel like an adult, with responsibilities, and that hadn't been how he felt or acted with Jean. Maybe his image of himself had changed a little with all that. Maybe he'd outgrown Jean without even realizing he had.

[There's some evidence that the show was planning to have this kind of be part of his arc if they'd continued, so it's not that far fetched. Though I think they were going to take it a darker direction than I would.]

Meanwhile their uneasy silence continued.

Both of them might have liked to ask Shine or Wally for advice...one of the others seemed really mature enough in their own relationships to speak to this issue.

But they were still out.

And aside from missing their help, the others really were worried about them for their own sakes too. They didn't know that these kinds of long sleeps were a common side effect of great strain on a DJ's powers, all they knew was that Shine and Wally had mentioned they'd be tired, but, not that they'd not wake up for days on end.

Morph didn't help things by saying that this had happened to some of his teammates and they'd just been left behind.

Rogue insisted that Shine and Wally would be fine--so everyone knew that she was worried about them.

Kurt said they just must keep praying.

Everyone felt a little frozen. They had so much to process, so much to talk of, but none of it felt the same with their mentors.

Xavier found he wasn't as much help here as he used to be. He tried to comfort, but all he got was the reception of a well meaning friend, who's outside this situation...because after all, he'd not been there for most of it.

Even the kids were worried a lot.

Trinity was too, when she dropped by again.

"I've been praying for them," she said. "They're still... I mean, they seem okay other than that?"

"Hank says their vitals have stayed good," Jubilee said, "but he can't figure out why they won't wake up. They have brain activity, but it's like a dream.... He says they should wake up if that's the case and it's not a real coma, but it shouldn't last for so long without them waking up at least once if it was just sleeping...so we don't know."

"I think they're going to wake up," Trinity said. "I'm sure they're tougher than that.... How's everyone else doing with it?"

"Oh, you know...it's weird to be back," Jubilee said. "But good. Things almost seem a little too calm, though."

"I know.... When I got home, I almost couldn't believe it was still there." Trinity hugged her knees. "I started crying. I couldn't tell my family why. I think I said it was just a girl thing--that usually scares my dad--but I think my mom thought maybe something happened here. When I woke up the next day, I almost didn't believe I was really back...but now the whole thing feels kind of like a bad dream."

"I know, right?" Jubilee said. "It feels like it didn't really happen. I guess that's probably normal though...for a projection. Think we'll ever do that again?"

"I hope not," Trinity said. "I can't imagine doing it for a job. Don't you think the DJs must just be tired?"

"They seem to like it," Jubilee said. "They never seem unhappy.... Gosh, I miss them. It's weird that last year they didn't even live here--now I can't imagine them not being here."

"They seem like a part of your group," Trinity said.

"And so do you," Jubilee said. "I'm kind of glad the whole thing didn't scare you off."

"I think after that I couldn't just go away," Trinity said. "It was epic, in a way, being able to save the word. I see why you guys do it.... But it's way scary too."

"That's about how I feel all the time," Jubilee said.

"I can't stop thinking about how they treated humans," Trinity said, tugging her hair thoughtfully. "And wondering if it could happen here. I realize, though, mutants already feel that way all the time."

"It was a little worse even than that," Jubilee said. "I mean sure, Genosha enslaved mutants, but they aren't enslaved everywhere."

"Still, that it happens at all," Trinity said. "It happens to humans too. Just made me think, don't we already have all those problems? They just aren't out of control. But seeing what they would be like out of control, it was like A Christmas Carol or something. The worst possibility. But there were still some good people there, someone who took pity on me, even. So, Jewels, I think it would be wrong to assume that everyone is just that evil...but I didn't know almost everyone could be that corrupt. I think it was hard on Kev, too."

"He said you were really helpful though," Jubilee said. "You know, I think he might have a little crush on you."

"Me?" Trinity said, reddening.

"Sure, it's cute, right?" Jubilee said.

"Ah...I don't know if Kevin is really...you know, ready for that kind of thing," Trinity said. "Not that I don't like him, and he's cute, sure, but...he's still working on a lot."

"I guess he's a little childish still," Jubilee said. "But who knows...? Maybe he'll grow out of it. I mean, compared to how he acted at first, he's almost a normal kid now."

"That's not very nice," Trinity said.

"Well, none of us are normal, so it's not that bad," Jubilee said.

"I guess we'll see," Trinity said. "My dad wouldn't let me date anyway, though, so it wouldn't matter. He says no dating till I graduate high-school."

"Ugh, that would kill me," Jubilee said. "I mean, I've haven't dated personally, but I'm sure they'd let me.... I mean, they better--Ryan kind of asked me out."

"Really?" Trinity said.

"In the barracks...so I guess we know it was real," Jubilee said. "Turns out he likes me. Great, isn't it?"

"I thought he did," Trinity said. "But I didn't want to say anything. And you liked him too, right?"

"Yeah, he's cool," Jubilee said. "I think taking down Selene might have gone to his head a little, but I guess I'd be gloating too."

"He's gloating? Really?" Trinity raised an eyebrow.

"Well...to Billy...but can't really blame him--Billy did make fun of his tongue a lot," Jubilee said.

Trinity snorted. "Billy makes fun of everyone. But we both know--the bad guys wouldn't have stood a chance against him. He's nuts."

"Oh yeah," Jubilee agreed.

Billy would not have been offended by this if he'd heard it.

* * *

Meanwhile, in the Alternate X-verse, waiting for Scott to return was really taxing everyone's patience and curiosity.

Except Jean's--she'd have preferred to wait as long as possible.

The questioning didn't yield much information. It seemed all of Magneto's plans had involved Sinister and Apocalypse, and now they were pretty much spent.

Logan did not kill Forge when he came back... He was too busy being in disbelief that he'd been gone with Domino.

Forge didn't really explain, but he had a kind of goofy look in his eye that made Logan suspicious, and Domino looked at him kind of like, "And what are you gonna do about it?"

Logan decided he didn't want to know.

Rogue didn't take it that well.

"And where did you go?" she demanded when she saw Forge.

"Oh, just out," Forge said.

"With Domino?" Rogue said. "What were you doing, visiting a body shop?"

"Actually, it was just a movie." Forge missed the sarcasm.

"I'm sorry...you were... Did you actually go on a date?" Rogue said.

"Uh...yeah," Forge said.

Rogue almost choked. "You what?"

"Why is that such a big deal?" Forge said defensively.

"I mean...there's a lot of reasons, but one is that we just got back from saving the future," Rogue said.

"Yeah, it was kind of nice not to think about that for a while," Forge said. "Ever just want to relax?"

"I wouldn't call that relaxing...but I guess if that's all." Rogue calmed a little. "You wouldn't actually date her, so..."

"Actually she's pretty cool." Forge didn't care for Rogue's tone and wanted to annoy her a little now. "Didn't you ever hang out while you were...you know?"

"Well, yeah," Rogue said. "I mean, sure, she's probably the smartest person in The Brotherhood, but she's still in The Brotherhood. Or she was."

"Yeah, but she's not now."

"Because there isn't one," Rogue said.

"So it's not a problem." Forge shrugged. "Anyway you were too."

"For the last time, I was spying," Rogue said.

"Well, if you'd get past that, Rogue, maybe you'd like her okay," Forge ventured to say. "She said you used to be friends."

"Well, sort of..." Rogue said. "But she'd still shoot me if it was between that and her goal. It ain't like the X-men."

"I think things can be a little harder to figure out than that," Forge said. "All of us take what we do seriously."

"Yeah, but we protect people," Rogue said. "I'm serious, Forge, you should be careful. Just because someone helps you out once or twice doesn't make them trustworthy."

Forge rarely voiced his thoughts, but he was still kind of on a confidence high, so he frowned at Rogue and said, "Yeah, but how many times does someone have to break your trust before they stop being trustworthy?"

Rogue opened her mouth--and then shut it again.

"So you never know right?" Forge shrugged. "I figure they couldn't have done anything that bad if you were with them for that long, so maybe we should just put it behind us. I mean, are we gonna hold it against Warren too? Life is just full of those kinds of twists."

"Twists...sure," Rogue said. "You know what, Forge? Do what you want. I'm not gonna bother, then."

Little chance of her actually sticking to that, and Forge knew it, but he didn't bother arguing.

Rogue walked away still in a huff.

Domino passed her and got a murderous glare, so she figured she knew.

"We all make choices, Rogue," she said.

"Then you remember that the whole reason things fell apart with The Brotherhood and I was y'all were going to hurt my friends," Rogue said. "Now it's okay?"

"It wasn't personal then," Domino said. "It's not the same, Rogue. You know it."

"But you want to act like you're suddenly cool with us," Rogue said. "That's what I don't understand."

"You know, Rogue, people can change their minds," Domino said. "Once, I thought attacking the X-men was something I had to do. Now I don't. You could be glad about the reason for us to be on different sides now being kind of a moot point. But if you want to hang on to the past, fine. Just don't drag me into it also." She folded her arms. "Not after what we saw."

"Whatever," Rogue said. "Just don't hurt my friends, Dom."

"We saved your friends too, once," Domino reminded her as she walked away. "It was a war, Rogue, it wasn't like it was in coldblooded spite. The war's over now. Maybe you should stop trying to fight it."

Rogue didn't answer that.

Domino probably didn't feel quite as guiltless here as she was trying to sound.

She leaned on the wall. "On the other hand...what am I doing?" she muttered. "Guess I'll wait till Frost comes back. See how that goes. Till then, there's no telling what way this'll go. Can't go back to The Brotherhood."

Not when it didn't exist now.

[It's an interesting question, though. How much should the past clashes have to determine the future?

Romance with someone you were in war with is kind of weird, but plenty of stories use it, and it seems to work. Anime tends to go overboard with it. I always found the 'get with someone who beat you half to death two seasons ago' trope to be kind of...wrong.

But when it wasn't that personal and was just about being on two different sides, I don't think it's malicious enough to ruin a ship, provided they change sides or compromise. I think it would depend on the person. Some people wouldn't find that comfortable. But we do love the Romeo and Juliet trope, for the most part.]

* * *

Emma checked on Shine some time in the late afternoon of that second day. Still no change.

She leaned in the doorway.

"I don't know what you can hear," she said aloud, "but perhaps you're aware of what's going on, and just can't wake up.... Sometimes it's the way.... You should really try harder. There are still things we need to say, and we only have 5 days left. Everybody else is recovering smoothly enough. I don't know what it is with the two of you... If you expended yourself too much for us, that's your own fault, you know."

No answer.

Emma sighed, and, in a smaller voice, she added, "Well, truthfully, it would be very noble...but between the two of us, these people really are pathetic. They need your help...so don't quit on them just yet... I wonder if this does any real good. Maybe it's just to make me feel less helpless... If telepathy would work on you, I could help. It's infuriating..."

She straightened. "Nothing to do but wait, is there?"

This was making her too sad.

She turned and walked up the hall.

She almost ran into Scott on the way, the Alt one, of course.

He also was coming to see if there was any change also, so he could guess.

"No, nothing." Emma probably didn't even have to read his mind to know what he was thinking.

Scott sighed. "I don't understand what's wrong with them. They didn't even get injured that badly."

"I don't know. Gambit said Selene grabbed Shine briefly, but not Wally, so if it was that, why is he also affected?" Emma shrugged. "Perhaps only they would know what it is. They did mention crashing."

"Yeah, it's normal to crash for one day, maybe, but not two, almost three," Scott said. "I think it's more than that."

"And what would we do about it if it was?" Emma said. "Pray to their God, that's all.... There's no protocol for Dimension Travelers, or so Morph says."

She moved to walk away.

"Emma...wait," Scott said.

[Finally! Hope this goes well...]