TheLegendaryManHimself: X-Force will get their own little fic, yeah it has been an interesting summer and you'll see them reminisce a little too. Mystique does have a heart but over the years she's lived in darkness and that kind of warps you a little. You'll have to wait and see what she does later on. As for Roulette and Cypher…will see.

Darkness1: Well not every chapter has to have action in it. The last one was mainly to help set up future events that will take place later on in the series.

Erich: Actually I forget what you said about her, the quintuplets are canon characters that are currently in the comics. Toad is 17 so he's close but take into account that this is the only chance he's got at a girl and would he pass that up? X-Factor will get their own small fic. Thanks for the suggestions too.

The Uncanny R-Man: Yeah I wanted to bring in a few other characters into this universe. Deadman is actually inspired from The Undertaker, hence the choke-slam.

Episodic: Yeah I hope there'll be lot of drama to come from them. I'm taking a few liberties with the views of those two to make them more compatible and a slightly different origin for Sinister too, to make it work.

X00001: Trust me Sinister and Mesmero are up to something BIG.

ViciousAssassin: I'm not to sure about Warlock but nothing is written in stone, I don't have any immediate plans for him but maybe sometime in the future. Yeah Azazel's team will face off against them sometime in the future. That was a cartoon? I'm only familiar with the game named that. No Lupa has no interests in Toad. Mystique will have some tough choices ahead of her.

Thanks to: Slickboy444, DemonRogue13, Sparky Genocide, Ruby631, Ldypebsaby, Red Witch

CHAPTER 40: WRAP UP

-Xavier Institute-

Several of the students were in the living room just lounging around. Jean and Scott were sitting together, Scott had an arm over her shoulder and she was leaning her head on his. Rogue was on the couch with Kurt next to her and Kitty next to him.

"I still like can't believe the summer is nearly over." Kitty pouted.

"Tell meh about it, but ya got ta admit as summers go this was one hell of one." Rogue said to her and the others nodded their heads in agreement.

"Yeah I mean first all the new students, the new additions and everything else that's gone on." Scott said remembering everything that had gone on. "But at least I can see Alex and hang with him more now that he's living here now."

"I bet you like that fact that you can actually be a brother to him again." Jean said.

Scott nodded. "Yeah I mean after all the years we spent apart we missed out on a lot of stuff with each other," A smile grew on his face then. "I'm just thankful that now not only did we get him back from Magneto but that we can make up for all the lost time. I hated only seeing him a few times a month and only talking to him through e-mails after we found out each other was alive."

"Yeah we have had some ups and downs." Jean said a bit sadly. "I mean there was Trask, Kurt's father…sorry Kurt." Jean said seeing him wince.

"It is alright, I just have to get use ze fact zat both my biological mother is a terrorist and mien fazher is like a mini-magneto." Kurt sighed feeling a bit depressed. His mother was bad enough but meeting his father was just as bad. Not to mention the whole Jillian thing, which he wanted to forget.

"Look on the bright side at least you and Amanda are working out great." Kitty said nudging him with her shoulder and giggled a little. Kurt blushed under his fur. He had to admit that having her live here was great, and that her parents not only accepted him but liked him too. Although he was afraid of how the kids at the high school will treat her and all her old friends. So far most of them had been on family vacations but sooner or later she would have to face them and Kurt wanted to be there for her but she had asked him to let her handle it herself, but she also asked if he could be close by to when she met them just in case if things got ugly and needed a friendly face.

"Well at least we like made some new friends too." Kitty offered. "I mean Amy, Pam and Joseph are nice to have around, they don't look at us as freaks like other people do."

"Yeah I go to admit it is nice to have at least some people not hate us because we're mutants." Scott said. "Even though Pam and Tabitha together are a bad mix."

A few of the others laughed at that. "You're just pissed because they threw toilet paper all over your car."

"Well they got it everywhere, the glove box, the tail pipe and even in the engine!" Scott exclaimed. "It took me nearly two hours just to make sure I got it all." Jean padded him to calm him down but she also tried to keep the smile from her face.

'I know you're smiling.' Scott sent through their link.

'I'm sorry but it was funny.' She said and he could hear the amusement in her voice. 'How about I make it up to you tonight?'

Scott got on a grin and hugged her close. Rogue saw this and shook her head. "God get a room already, it's not lahke ya can get in trouble for it."

Both teens blushed a bit from that. "It's not like we can just go to our rooms I mean what if someone walks in on us?" Scott asked her.

"Get a lock." Kitty offered them.

"Oh yeah," Scott said rolling his eyes but even with the shades they knew he did, after some time they picked up on certain things like when he did that, or glared and even when he had his eyes closed. After some time you just picked up on it. "With at least three teleporters and a certain girl who can walk through walls." He said looking at her.

"Hey!" Kitty protested and crossed her arms. "I don't like do it all the time."

Rogue gave the brunette a sideways look. "What about when ya went through that wall when meh and Vince were pulling that prank on Kurt?" Kurt cringed at that memory and Kitty blushed remembering what she thought she had walked in on. Rogue smiled seeing that.

"Well you have to admit this summer has like been totally great to you." Kitty said recovering from her blush.

Rogue actually smiled. "Ah'll admit it has, I finally got control over these damn powers so I can touch!" Then she gestured to her T-shirt and shorts. "Plus at least now ah'm not dying in tha damn hot weather all tha tahme. Ya have no idea how uncomfortable it is to stay covered up in this heat."

Rogue sat back a bit more and relaxed, another thing she could do now, she didn't have to constantly be careful of her surroundings. "Plus ah actually got a good boyfriend, now there's something ah never thought ah could have."

"And got lucky." Kitty giggled out and Rogue blushed a bit before glaring at the girl. Kurt just looked like he wanted to die from the fact he knew his sister was having sex. That was information he could live without.

"Yeah well what about ya and Piotr?" Rogue said slyly.

Kitty looked away. "I-I don't know what you mean, I mean yeah I really, really like him and he's so sweat to me but I don't think we're like ready for that."

"Hey how did that talk you and he had with the adults go?" Scott asked remembered about that then saw the look on her face and grimaced in sympathy. "That bad huh?"

"Ja vell zey also vanted to talk to me and Amanda too and zey wanted to bring in her parents too!" Kurt exclaimed and threw up his hands. "I just got zhem to like me again and now zey vant to discuss ze possibility of a sex life vith their only daughter!" Kurt added.

Kitty patted his shoulder in sympathy. "Yeah I like guess Mr. Sefton wouldn't like that at all." Kurt just groaned a little.

"You know I guess we've all grown up a little and grown closer too." Jean said fingering the ring under her shirt that Scott had given her. She always tried to wear it and she couldn't wait until the day she could wear it on her finger, she actually tried it on once and wasn't surprised that Scott got the right size. Unlike Duncan, Scott was the kind of boyfriend that took the time to learn the little things like that about her.

"Yeah plus we got a lot more new friends and family. I mean Logan with a kid and Ororo adopting Blink like that was nice too." Scott said. "Blink's also has come out of that shell a bit too." Everyone remembered how shy she was and even though she was sill a little shy, she was more comfortable around everyone.

"Yeah, I'm like glad Dani is here too, she really needs a place like this to learn her powers and a place where she can fit in." Kitty said seriously to them all.

"Not ta mention new enemies and a few switching sides." Rogue said mentioning Piotr and Wanda. "Ah can't believe how much has changed, hell Kitty has a damn pet dragon…is it meh or does that still sound weird?" She asked the others.

"Well whatever we've all been through," Scott started to say to them all. "I get the feeling that not only our lives will never be normal but things are only going to change more and more in the times ahead." At that everyone agreed.

-X-Force HQ-

In the lounge of their headquarters a few members of the SHIELD sponsored mutant team X-Force were relaxing. On a couch playing a video game was Wes 'Granite' Johnson a well built eighteen year-old African American boy with a shaved head was playing against the younger brown haired shape-shifter Kevin 'Morph' Sidney.

"There's no way your beating me man." Wes said tapping the controller as fast as he could. It was a fighting game and he was a large muscular brawler type, which suited him just fine.

Morph only grinned, he was a smaller faster Shoalin character. He transformed into Master Po from the Kung-Fu movies and old TV series. "You must learn grasshopper that size and power are not everything." Just then he did a super combo devastating Wes' character.

His jaw dropped and his shoulders slumped. "Oh man, you got to be kidding me." He moaned.

Morph then transformed into the boxing character Rocky like he looked like after the first movie after the fight against Apollo. "Yo Adrian! Adrian!" He shouted throwing his hands up.

"Do you guys mind?" Domino, leader of the team asked them sharply. "I'm trying to hold a conversation." here." She shook her head and looked back to Simon 'Wonder Man' Williams an ex-actor and Susan 'Aqua' Masters a blond with a beauty mark on her cheek. "Anyways were was I?"

"You were trying to figure out a better training regiment and also trying to see if we can find a few more members for the reserve list." Susan said looking over her notes. She was pretty much second in command of the team and didn't mind it, she looked out for the others and as second in command it paid off.

Simon was there because he had volunteered. After his eyes started to glow all the time it became impossible for him to hide his powers and what he was from the world and had to give up his Hollywood career. Now he was trying to learn more and become useful to the team and not just as one of their powerhouse members either. "When are we going to go public anyway?" He asked the two women.

"When Fury says we're ready, so far we've only handled the small stuff." Domino informed him then grinned as she leaned over to him. "Missing the lime light?"

He shook his head. "It's not that…it's just I don't know how the world will react to me being here. My fans will be shocked that I'm a mutant and others will see me only as a PR stunt."

"Oh come on." Sue said to him. "You can't honestly think that?"

"He might be right though." Domino said after thinking it over, an ex actor being part of the group would seem like a PR stunt. "But you know what? To hell with them, you're a part of this team because you got what it takes."

Simon smiled thankfully at her and nodded.

In another corner of the room at a table a redheaded girl with glasses was scribbling over pages of papers writing complex mathematics and formulas. She was also mumbling to herself while doing it. One of the other members of her team Theresa 'Siryn' Cassidy the other redhead only this one from Ireland was watching their resident super genius Clare 'Oracle' Smith working.

"What exactly are ye doin'?" Theresa had to ask after fifteen minutes and feeling really stupid compared to a girl who already taking collage level courses in their studies.

"Huh? Oh, uh sorry was I bothering you?" She said shyly, she had always been a bit shy and didn't get out much.

Theresa just smiled. "I just wanted to know what you're working on? Not some new doomsday weapon is it?"

"Oh no, I scrapped that idea last week." She said deadpanned, Theresa however wasn't sure if she was joking or not because the girl could make a doomsday weapon if she wanted to. "Fury gave me these results of a subject they got in D block who is frozen. Apparently his body is breaking down and he wanted to know if I could help him."

"D Block, that's the classified sector. Even we don't got clearance to go there, so…whose the Popsicle?"

Clare just shrugged. "I don't know, need-to-know stuff that I don't need to know." She went back to work while Siryn snorted at that, sometimes working for the government really sucked at times.

At that moment the green haired Polaris rushed in quickly and happily. "Hey guys guess what?" She waited a moment and Siryn shrugged and asked her what was going on. "Well I finally got the chance for some time off in order to go home and see my mom, but I also managed to convince Wanda to come with me!"

"You mean you're looking forward to seeing that crazy chick?" Morph asked.

"Hey! That's my sister!"

"And I'm dating her too Morph and she's a good girl." Simon said angrily at the younger boy who cringed realizing that pissing off both of those two wasn't the smart thing to do.

"So when do you leave?" Sue asked trying to chance the subject and hopefully to give Morph a head start.

"Today, I'm leaving for the airport. I'm just glad that I'm getting the change to get to know her, I mean I never thought I had any other siblings in the world and meeting Wanda…It's just strange but in a good way." Polaris told them smiling happily. Then she got an impish grin on her face and looked at Simon. "So…anything that you want me to pass on to my sister?"

Simon just smiled. "Nothing I want you to know about just tell her to take care and I'll talk to her when she gets back."

Polaris pouted. "What? No juicy stuff?"

"Why bother you two are most likely going to do the stereotypical boy talk when you get together anyway." Sue said off hand. Polaris brightened up at that, she always did want a big sister she could have gone to with boy troubles and this was her chance at that. Simon however wasn't sure if that was a good thing or not, especially since Lorna could tell Wanda a lot of things he might not want her to know about and most likely the most embarrassing moments that she knew about him would come out.

"Should I be worried?" He asked the two women nodded to Lorna.

"Be afraid Simon, be very afraid." Domino teased him and Simon just groaned into his hands.

-Xavier's-

Warren was walking to Xavier's office. So far his time at the Institute was nice. It was great to be able to walk around freely not hiding himself from the world and he had to admit working with the kids was growing on him. The Danger Room got some getting used to but for the first time in a long time he felt like he knew where his life was starting to take him.

He needed to do something and working with these kids so far seemed to be the right thing for him. He couldn't run the family business, he still hadn't spoken to his parents although he knew he would have to at some time he was just giving them time to get used to the fact he was a mutant.

He was about to open the door when it already opened and a man walked out with blueprints and nodded to Warren but didn't say anything. Warren looked curiously behind him while walking in and gave Xavier a questioning look.

"The foreman of the construction crew that will arrive in two days." Xavier explained.

"Finally got a company that will work with mutants huh?"

"Yes I wanted to use that one that built the mansion after it was…blown up." That was still a sore spot for him, he wanted this place to be a safe heaven for mutants and because of Mystique that had proven just how wrong he had been. "But they are currently occupied somewhere else in Bayville."

"That Hellion place right?" Warren asked him taking a chair and turning it around when he sat down on it so the back of the chair was against his chest. It was just more comfortable for him to sit like this because of his wings.

Xavier nodded. "I believe so, but I am glad that with your contacts we were able to get this company."

Warren smiled and nodded. "Glad I could help although I did have to promise a few bonuses, especially if they get things done quickly. You'd be amazed at how fast a crew will work with the proper incentive. But I came here to thank you also."

"For what Warren?"

"For giving me this chance to do something with my life and I hope to live up to your expectations too."

Xavier smiled and nodded. "Trust me Warren you have nothing to worry about and I'm glad you found a place for yourself here." Warren smiled and nodded to the man that he was having a great deal of respect for and he stood up to leave.

-Meanwhile-

Wanda was packing a small suitcase, she was only going for a few days but she needed a break. From all the studying, Danger Room training, and the usual mayhem that went on at this place she needed a break and she also wanted to get to know Lorna better. Even though she was a little uneasy meeting the woman her father had met after her mother must have died.

She would have been too young to remember that time or if her father had left her and Pietro for a period of time but she wouldn't be too surprised if he had. That and it wouldn't be the first time either. She signed to herself wondering how Lorna had talked her into this but decided to just close the suitcase and get ready since she wanted to meet Lorna at the airport before they took a flight to her home.

"Ya need any help?" Wanda turned to see Rogue there and shook her head.

"No I'm done." Then she saw shifting a bit oddly like she wanted to ask something but wasn't sure how to phrase it, and Wanda had a good idea. "If your wondering how long you got the room to yourself I'll be gone for three days."

"Ah wasn't goin' ta ask that!" Rogue snapped although she had been wondering.

Wanda rolled her eyes. "Yeah fine whatever, but let me warn you. If you have Vince 'sleep over' then do me a favor and keep it off my bed! If I find so much as a wrinkle then after I burn the bed I'll be coming after you two next."

Now it was Rogue's turn to roll her eyes. "God ya think we can't control ourselves or somethin'?"

"Just laying the grounds rules."

While this was going on Logan was out back with Hank and Ororo watching over most of the kids in the backyard playing. There were a few games going on like playing with a Frisbee with Lockheed also. Kai who was in a wheelchair because his body was still recovering from the strain put on it was with Amara, Tabitha, Sam and Jamie asking him about his life in Japan and what it was like growing up as a ninja.

Hank was glad to see him smile a little and seemed to be enjoying his time despite what had happened to him. He also felt a bit sad about what he had gone through but at least physically he was pulling through.

Logan was watching Sarah play with a few of the others and he didn't realize that he had a small smile on his face. She was still learning what it was to be a kid but at least she was laughing a little and seemed to be enjoying herself.

Ororo noticed this and smiled at Logan. "She's adjusting well I think."

"Huh?"

"Sarah, she's doing really well." She told him.

Logan just shrugged it off. "Yeah well I'm surprised I haven't messed up yet, this parenting thing ain't my specialty Ro."

Ororo gently placed a hand on his. "You're doing well so far, besides I can tell you two are getting close. You're not only her father but you can understand her that only a few can and I think she knows that."

"Yeah well…you ain't doing so bad yourself with Blink either." He told her.

Ororo looked over seeing Clarice playing with the others. It was a game of tag with Alex, Gale, Dani, Roberto and Paige. She had just used one of her portals to get ahead of Roberto and tag him before using another one to get away. "She sure has come out of that shell she was in when she got here." Storm said happy for the young lady. "I can't believe her parents just did that to such a sweat child."

Logan noticed a few thunderclouds that had just shown up. "Easy there Ro, don't spoil their fun on account of hurricane now." Ororo calmed down and the sky cleared up without anyone noticing.

Ororo sighed and sat back in her chair. "It's just wrong Logan…a parent should love their child no matter what."

"It's far from a perfect world." Beast said in a sad tone. "And we've seen some of the darkest things that this would could throw at us and some of us more then others."

The two adults looked on sadly at Kai, Clarice, Vince, and Sarah who had seen some of the worse. Dani and Forge who had lost years of their lives being trapped in their own personal prisons, Ray and Tabitha who came from less then perfect family lives.

"Yes some of them had life give them some rough times." Logan said since he knew all to well how that could be.

"But that's why I like to think this place exists." Ororo said seeing the students happily enjoy their time in the sun. "This place is a home to some of them, to some the first real home they ever had, to others it's a second chance at a better life but mainly I think this place is needed for them. This is the only place in the world where they could have a chance at a better life and I don't want to think what would have happened to some of them if Charles never opened this school."

Beast and Logan thought about it and seeing the kids they didn't want to think of how some of them would have ended up. "Well that is something worth thinking about and being thankful for." Hank said to them taking a sip of his tea. "But I think they now will be facing their biggest challenge yet soon."

"What the Hellions?" Logan asked him.

"Magneto or the FOH?" Ororo wondered.

"No." Hank said shaking his head at their guesses. "School is starting up and they'll have all knew problems once that starts."

Logan shook his head. "I think they would prefer the Magneto and his crew." He joked. "Compared to High School, he and his group are easy."

THE END

Well that's it this is over. Now I'm going to work on a few other projects but I will be doing a few one-shots and short fics before the next bit on "Back to School".