[OP: "Souvenirs"-- Switchfoot]

After the wedding, things kept happening.

Really, at a rate that would be too much to describe, every little incident, every major event.

Morph and Mystique did get married, a few months after the others had. If the X-men had their doubts about it, they kept it to themselves, but, by then, even Scott was becoming more reconciled to it.

They actually did some of the ideas both of them had brought up. But the main stand out was just that the others had never seen either of them so genuinely happy.

Shine had her baby shower, and actually her family did come for it--they had to stay strictly inside the designated area.

Meeting them was quite interesting for the X-ladies. But they were chill about it. Shine's siblings were pretty used to this by now, and her mother...well...tried not to think about it too hard, from what they gathered.

They were all excited, of course.

After that, months just flew by.

The one year anniversary of the DJs' arrival came around, and the X-men actually threw them a small celebration, to their surprise.

The Movement continued to grow and get more attention, even globally. But it also flattened out after a while, as all things tend to hit lulls. But that was a good thing; everyone's hands were full enough as it was.

Wally got a job at a crime lab, of all things, just like at home--because Xavier put in a few good words for him, he'd probably do well there.

Shine decided to hold off on any work other than her counseling and teaching and ministry for until after she had the baby and could decide what to do there.

And that time came sooner than anyone was ready for it.

Raven had managed to stick around for this long, despite her restlessness, because she wanted to be there for this, but when it was over, she still felt a little out of place.

Morph did also... He just wasn't sure he wanted to be on the X-men forever, not just that, anyway. He told Raven that he also kept thinking of the other worlds and timelines out there, wondering if what the Exiles did really helped, or was it true that minor interferences like that did more harm than good.

"Just think, if you had the DJs' powers," he said, "you could set people free and heal them, instead of having to resort to only violence and force to make stuff change. If we could have done that, the job would have been so much easier."

"You feel like you want a do-over?" Raven surmised.

"Yeah," Morph said. "I guess I do. I mean, not like before, not with how frustrating it was. But if it was different."

"Yeah," she agreed somberly. "A do-over...or maybe just a chance to be the one fixing problems for once instead of causing them. Sounds tempting. But the girls said dwelling on that is useless."

"I guess it is," Morph said. "I guess we could talk to the DJs about it."

Shine and Wally had moved out of the house last month, at the time of this conversation.

They weren't that far away, just a short drive from there--or a run, for them. And Shine could portal herself over if she needed to, which she did almost every day. The difference should have seemed small.

But everyone felt it anyway.

Particularly the teens, though they'd gone back to school in the fall and weren't even home half the day themselves.

By now the school had quite a few new students, and Raven herself felt a little too crowded in it. They'd already talked about moving out themselves...just hadn't found somewhere yet.

"I don't know if I want to hear what they'd say." Raven had avoided it for all this time.

"It's been bothering you for that long?" Morph said. "I think it's overdue. Come on," he urged her, pushing her toward the door. "Let's just go have us a nice long chat. With tea."

"Barging in on a new mother like that is just rude," Raven objected.

"Like she's going to mind," Morph said.

Shine didn't seem to mind--or if she did, she never let on.

"Well, you guys timed it right. I just got her down," she said.

Of course the baby was a girl... That had just seemed appropriate.

Shine and Wally had discussed what to name her and settled on Grace Terra West.

The Grace was Shine's idea, because she said it applied to everyone and everything about their lives.

Wally had suggested a name that had to do with being world travelers, but wasn't too obvious, and Shine had said Terra meant world (or earth), so that was her name.

Of course everyone called her Gracie, especially Rogue, who'd started it.

"How's it going with that?" Morph asked Shine.

"Oh, hectic," Shine said. "But I'm loving it. So is Wally. And of course...you've all been over so much to help, it's been remarkably easy. I've had a harder time watching other people's kids--just the late night feeding." She yawned. "That's the hardest part, but coffee exists, right? So...why'd you drop by? Just to visit?"

"Well, that too, but there's something we kind of need advice on," Morph said. "It's been bothering both of us, it turns out."

"Oh?" Shine sat back.

You could hardly tell she'd even had a baby, Raven thought to herself dryly. Of course, with her power she'd never been able to tell either, but not everyone was so lucky.

"Yeah, do you ever...you know, wonder about other worlds out there?" Morph began to explain.

Shine listened and nodded intently.

"So we're not crazy, right?" Morph said. "It's normal to think that way after those experiences."

"Especially for you, I'd say so," Shine said. "But both of you, sure. You've seen things."

Raven thought to herself, I knew she was just going to say it was normal.

"But it's weighing on you more than just curiosity would." Shine studied them. "Do you think about what it would be like to go there and help them out?"

"Sure," Morph said. "Not that that would ever happen again."

Shine held out her hand, and, suddenly, the Talis appeared in it.

"Why not?" she asked.

* * *

They looked at her in bewilderment.

"What...? I thought that was left in the other dimensions," Morph said.

"Sure...which collapsed, but you can't destroy things like this," Shine said. "It might need a new form now though. Maybe not a Talis--whatever you would want. I changed its nature anyway when I passed on my grace to you. Truthfully, I've wondered when this conversation would finally happen. I almost gave up on it."

She tossed the Talis to Morph.

He caught it, and it formed into a watch, but the markings weren't normal--more like a screen.

"Huh," he said.

"Are you saying he should try that again?" Raven asked, seriously. "Even though all the hardships before... It didn't end well."

"Well, you've had one mission that did." Shine shrugged. "People are funny like that. Some of us never do a thing again after it's gone wrong to do it. Others go right back to it, because it's their passion. Get back on the horse, in the car, on the ocean. Sailors don't quit after one nasty storm...or even several. Love can outweigh fear. So you have to ask yourselves if it does."

"Both of us?" Morph said.

"I don't recommend doing this job alone." Shine shrugged. "Tried it...made me really tense all the time. It would be different this time... You're not from different worlds. You don't have to go back separately. Everything about our way is different, you've noticed. The question is if that way is one you'd want to go."

They looked at each other, then at her.

"You're saying we'd be what you are?" Raven said. "Us? I suppose that makes sense for him, but who would trust me with that?"

"We trusted you with the other mission," Shine said. "What could be worse than that? Not much, I think. I've thought you were suited to it, actually. Flexible, resourceful, used to adapting to new situations...but with a one defining purpose this time, it would be different. Good way to combine your skills. You said you weren't sure what you were supposed to be now. It's like I told Emma--find the place where the world's deep hunger and your deep desire meet."

"Really?" Morph eyed the watch. "That would be so cool... I mean, having an adventure like that and not having to be split apart at the end. And working together, that would be awesome."

"I suppose we always have worked together well," Raven allowed. "But this is going right out of the world. Can we just do that? Isn't there some special selection process?"

"Not really," Shine said. "Other than the entire process of my training you, you helping us save the timelines, and awakening some of your powers during the whole incident, there's nothing much in particular."

"Huh, when she puts it that way...duh," Morph reflected.

Shine cupped her hands around her knee. "It's up to you." Her eyes lit up for a moment. "We all get a calling.... Some of us might get it for months before it makes sense. If you want to answer it."

Morph looked at Raven.

"Do we?" he asked.

"It makes sense," Raven said slowly. "Not sure I'm really the right person for this...at least alone. I could follow your lead though. You're the veteran here. I suppose I'd be all right then."

"Oh, I don't know if I'm a good leader," Morph said.

"You're in charge," Shine said, amused. "She's right, you have seniority. I mean, don't go power mad--I can't see that happening though. It sounds like you guys want to do this. You know, I'm glad in a way. Wally and I will have to slow down for a while. It's good to know there's more people out there to do this. You'll have to tell us about it--not too much though. One more thing: This is a power upgrade in many ways, but, whenever you return home, you are just you. No special insights or powers to help you. We're not allowed to know too much about our own world. You all right with that?"

"Sounds better that way to me," Morph said.

"Yes," Raven agreed.

"And in that case, I think you're ready." Shine's eyes returned to normal. She stood up. "I'm happy for you guys. You'll be good DJs, or RTs, or whatever you want to go by."

She hugged them.

"Wait a minute," Morph said. "Why are you acting all sentimental? We just figured this out. It's not like..."

A swirling portal opened above them.

But it wasn't chaotic like the others. It was more like a rotating clock, rhythmic, in a way.

Raven gaped at it, then looked down at Shine.

"Oh, yeah, with ours, you have to jump," Shine said. "Because it's a choice. Did I not mention that you usually get your first mission as soon as you become aware of it? Kind of the whole point of realizing what you want to do..."

"No, you failed to mention that," Raven said dryly. "But there it is..."

"Whoa, so little time to prepare," Morph said.

"You'll have whatever you need, trust me." Shine stepped back. "Good luck. I'll look forward to hearing all about it when you get back. Write me, okay?"

"Uh...so wait, we're just--" Raven said.

"Well, down the rabbit hole!" Morph grabbed her hand. "I can't wait to see what's on the other side. Ready?"

"I--" Raven swallowed. "Well, no, but--better just take the plunge now, before I have time to think about it."

They glanced up, and then they both jumped.

The portal shut like a gold watch.

Shine sat back down and gazed at the ceiling where it'd been.

"Well, life goes on," she said, picking up a book. "Interconnections never really stop, do they? Just get more and more intricate. I wonder what their story will be."

But though Shine would find that out in just a few weeks when they returned, it would take a whole other book to detail it here, and, unfortunately, there's no time.

The story always goes on, but our attention doesn't, so perhaps this is the best place to stop.

--Natasha Queen

[This seemed like the most fitting end to my story of the X-men.

I'm sad that it's over, but I have confidence that we've not seen the last of them, if I ever write another story that's set in the future from now.

Perhaps a spin off would be fun. Only I would write a spin off to my own fan fiction, but what can I say?

Of course, if you have unanswered questions about this story, you can check the epilogues, but they'll be a time skip so no really fine details. But for those of us who want to know even more, there's always more, right?

As always, thank you for reading this far, and for all the feedback and appreciation for my material. It's truly a privilege to be able to invest in these fandoms for a short time and have people actually like it, and I don't take that for granted.

See y'all in the next story--Natasha Queen]