When Remy and Carol walked onto the bridge of the ship, the atmosphere was decidedly more relaxed than Remy had even hoped for. Everyone was chatting comfortably, happy in their victory, happy in their going home. Cyclops in particular looked happy, and Remy wondered if he had a kid too.
Indeed he does, Psylocke's mind voice told him. Born only a few days after Xavia. She looked at him with her almond eyes, and Remy couldn't tell what emotion she was feeling. Leaving Carol to talk to Hank, he walked over to Psylocke. It had been she who had probed his mind, had found out his connection to the Marauders, and she had been in love with Archangel at the time, one of the people who lost so much in the Massacre. Sitting on the seat next to her, he turned it to face her.
"Was I projectin' 'gain?" He asked, and Betsy nodded, a few strands of purple hair falling into her face. "Sorry 'bout dat. I didn't realise I was doin' it." A few seconds of uncomfortable silence, and then Betsy broke it.
"In the end, Warren realised that you weren't really responsible. If anything, he wanted someone to blame his actions as Death on." A look of distaste crossed her features, and Remy wondered at it. "Warren has always been weak and unwilling to take responsibility for his own actions." She shrugged and lounged back in her seat and looked at Remy closely, ran a finger down his star-mark. "In truth, I think you were, too."
"I agree, chere," he nodded. "But I never tried to say it was anyone's fault but my own. I know dat... ev'ting was my fault. Ev'ting. But if Rogue can forgive me, den I'll gladly accept my responsibility, and try to make up for it." Betsy nodded, and Remy looked around, trying to switch his mind to more pleasant matters. He stood and walked over to the commander's chair, surprisingly comfortable in the role. "'Kay, people, we ready t' move?" He watched as Carol slunk into her seat, and shortly gave him the thumbs up. The screen flickered to life, to reveal Lilandra and Professor Xavier. She nodded in a birdlike gesture.
"Thank you, X-Men. Your help has done wonders for the morale of our people as I had hoped. To see a group of Terrans working together, risking their lives for people they do not know... It has brought to their minds the memories that we once did the same. We are slowly building alliances and communications again. Perhaps your next visit will be to an Empire rebuilt to it's former glory." She bowed her head in thanks, and Charles came forward, smiling at his students.
"As Lil has said, you did a wonderful job, my X-Men. I will be staying here and helping Lilandra build up her Empire. I will be home when I am ready. Until then, I trust you to protect those who need it, and I have been talking to Hank about reopening the mansion as a school." His eyes looked dreamy and distant, as he remembered those early days when all had been so much easier, so very idyllic. "It would be wonderful if that could happen while I am away, for it to be open when I come back. I wish you and your families the best of luck, and hope I will see you again soon." He nodded his head and the screen flickered off.
Remy blinked a few times to rid his eyes of the after image, then Scott began to talk. He had walked to stand in front of the screen, and put his hands on his hips. His face was tight, and Remy understood that leaving the Professor was a hard thing for the older man to do; Scott was like a son to the Professor, and the feeling was amply returned.
"The Professor has decided to stay here to help the Empire and to be with the woman he loves. I hope you'll all join me in wishing him the best of all things. But, as was said, we have a job to do at home. Just because the Professor is no longer on the planet doesn't mean it doesn't have problems for us to solve. And I want to see if we can't get the School open by the time the Professor gets back. I know you won't let me down, X-Men. I know you'll make the Professor proud." He looked up at Remy and nodded at him. "Whenever you're ready, Remy."
Unable to keep his astonished look off of his face, Remy quickly controlled it. That Scott had given him a measure of control surprised him. When Remy had left, Scott had been leader of the team for a long time, and didn't like to give up that privilege. Just as he himself had changed, it seemed Scott had too.
"Carol?"
"Already there, sir," her voice was coloured with amusement at this last, and Remy could just imagine her smile. "We'll be entering sub-space in five seconds." The stars stretched back into infinity.