WE SAID HELLO GOODBYE

By David Wheatley

*BRING!! BRING!!*

*BRING!! BRING!!*

*BRING!! BRING!!*

“I’m coming! Mein gott, I’m coming! Guten abend… YAWN… Braddock Manor.”

“Elf?”

“Wolverine? Do you realise what time it is?”

“Yup.”

“Are you back in the U.K.?”

“No, Kurt. I’m at the mansion.”

“Logan?”

“Kurt, it’s Chuck.”

“Onslaught?”

“No. Worse than that.”

“Don’t mince words, mein freund. We’ve known each other too long.”

“Charles has the Legacy Virus, bub.”

“…”

“Kurt? Elf?”

“Sorry Wolverine, I dropped the receiver.”

“Just thought you’d want to know.”

“Thanks, Logan. I’ll be over as soon as I can.”

“You sure?”

“Logan, I owe the man my life. I can’t not be there.”

“What about Excalibur?”

“I can come back at some point. I know how it is. You know how it is. They know how it is. Once an X-Man…”

“Always an X-Man. Yeah, I know. I’ll be heading to Madripoor for New Year’s, but I should see you before I go.”

“Ja. Do the others… does Moira know?”

“Not yet. I don’t think so. Chuck didn’t say.”

“I see. Danke.”

“I know. See ya, elf.”

“Bye, Logan.”

*CLICK*

*BRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR………*

“Mein gott…”

Brian Braddock awoke to the sound of a telephone ringing.

“What the…” he muttered as he glanced at the clock. Then he looked at Meggan sleeping quietly by his side and he shook his head. All he had to do was whisper in her ear and she’d wake up but the telephone? Not at thing. He quietly got out of bed and made his way to the door just in case anything was wrong and Excalibur were needed once more.

He heard a BAMF as Nightcrawler teleported upstairs and then he heard a knock at a door further down the hall. Brian opened the door a crack and looked out, straining to hear something to find out what was going on.

“Y-yes?” he heard barely heard from the other side of the door from where Kurt was standing.

“Moira? Moira, are you okay?” What could be wrong with her, wondered Brian, and then he cursed himself for not remembering the Legacy Virus. Well at this time in the morning what did you expect?

“Moira, are you crying?” This didn’t sound good, though Brian and went out in to the hall. Enough was enough.

“Kurt, what’s happening?”

“Brian… Get the others. We need to talk.”

“Nightcrawler, it’s two am.”

“I KNOW.” There was a silence between the two men. Nightcrawler’s tone had been harsh, and Brian didn’t rightly know how to answer so he decided to do as Kurt asked.

“Okay… I’ll… get the others.”

“Brian, I didn’t mean to snap, I’m sorry.” Brian said nothing as the door in front of Kurt opened. “Hello, Moira.”

“Ye know?”

“Ja. I know.”

“Och, Kurt. Charles. I mean, Charles…”

“Now, fraulein, it’s not your fault. You and everyone else are working so hard on finding the cure. Hank, yourself, Rory, everyone.”

“It’s nae enough. I’m getting worse, Kurt. I’m not well. I can feel it churning in me, the pain, the burning. I’ve studied it, I know what its doing to me, piece by piece and I can feel it within me.”

“Moira…”

“Dinnae mind me, Kurt, I’m just feeling sorry for myself. Sorry for Charles. I’m nae a mutant an’ I know what this feels like for me. I can only imagine what it feels like for somebody as aware of themselves as Charles Xavier. After all we’ve been through for it to end…”

“NEIN! It is not over. Charles is not dead. You are not dead. Yes, we have lost so very many to this verdamnt plague but we will cure it.”

“How can ye be so sure?”

“Faith, Moira. Faith.”

“I just dinae know if I have enough of it left to go on.”

In the next room, Rahne had been listening to her Mum cry. She’d heard her talking to Professor Xavier in hushed tones and had asked what was wrong afterwards. Moira had said nothing, and not to worry herself about it. Then she had cried solidly for several hours. It was almost more than the young girl could stand.

Things had changed since the death of Dai Thomas. Psylocke had returned to the mansion whilst they were out at their monthly pub-crawl, and had been promptly abducted by Opal Luna Saturnyne who wanted her to be the new Captain Britain.

Brian had been overjoyed. His sister was back, and wasn’t going away again for a while. The situation had resolved itself and life had gone on. Logan had paid them a visit after his adventure in a magical realm, and introduced them to Elektra, his new girlfriend.

Logan used to scare Rahne, but they had become a little closer over time, especially with that business on Terra, but his new lady friend had a trace of menace about her that scared Rahne terribly. The mansion had been crowded, with Excalibur, Feron, Emma – the maid – and Logan and Elektra. Brian had gone away with Meggan for a little while, allowing Betsy to settle in, Logan and Elektra had gone home soon and then the mansion had seemed empty.

It was one extreme or the other. Now Rahne had a bad feeling that things were coming to an end. Raised voices, crying, secretive telephone calls. She looked out of her window in to the darkness and wondered what was out there now.

Pete Wisdom was walking up to the manor after a night on the town with his friends from the intelligence community. He slung his jacket over his shoulder as he walked up to the mansion and saw a light in the sky.

“Not more bloody aliens,” he said. Since getting together with Excalibur aliens seemed to be one of the main things they attracted. He wondered what Pryde would say. Then he chided himself. He hadn’t thought like that in months. The drink and the lateness were getting to him. And while he was thinking the light was getting larger.

In the distance he could hear a telephone ringing and he wondered if E.T. was phoning home. Either way he dumped the jacket and hid behind a bush watching to see what happened. The light was more rainbow-coloured now and he could see a robotic head materialising above the light. He figured with one shot of a hot knife he could put a hole in its head and stop the invasion before it began.

Then he noticed a woman falling from the light and he realised he was looking at Widget. The woman was dressed like Captain Britain and he recognised her.

Captain U.K. – Linda McQuillen. Her uniform was torn and battered and she was barely conscious. She looked as if she’d just fought a war single handed, and Pete couldn’t tell if she’d won or lost. Either way he emerged from behind the bush and went to her aid only to see another figure step from Widget. He had a black body suit on, and he looked as if he meant harm to Captain U.K.

“Who the hell are you?” he asked, knowing it needed doing.

“Which Earth is this?” the man demanded. Pete hadn’t a clue what he was talking about, and even if he did he wasn’t sober and it had been a miracle he’d found the way back to the mansion.

“If you have to ask, it ain’t yours,” said Pete.

“Insignificant worm, as soon as I deal with the prisoner, I shall deal with you.”

“Not bloody likely,” said Pete and took up a fighting stance. His left arm was stretched out from the shoulder, his right arm bent back so his forearm was in line with his head, palms open and fingers hooked, pointing at the intruder. The man put his fists on his hips and laughed.

“I’m a bio-engineered product of my world’s science, and I’m wearing an amplification suit akin to those of the Captain Britain Corps. What exactly do you think you’re going to do to me?”

“Normally, I’d beat the crap out of you, but it’s late and I’m tired.” Then Pete unleashed the hot knives and skewered him. “Tosser.” He threw his cigarette on to the dead man, and wrapped his coat around Captain U.K. who was shivering. The best thing to do was get her in to the mansion house and let MacTaggert play doctors again.

As he walked up the drive he glanced back at the body on the drive. “There’s gonna be trouble over this one,” he said and carried on walking.

Meggan looked around the room. The fire blazed quite nicely with the amount of wood on it, but the room still seemed cold. It was more an empathic thing than an elemental one.

Everyone gathered around as Kurt looked at them all, pacing the room and casting shadows on the wall from the light of the fire. Rahne had her arm around Moira, who was still sniffling a bit. Brian was quietly talking to Betsy, as Feron sat next to Douglock. Meggan looked at them and decided that given time they could become good friends.

Tangerine and Bridgit were dozing, each resting on the other, which was very cute. Meggan felt an instinct to the younger members of the household, almost maternal and she wondered if she would make a good father. She had no doubts that Brian would be a wonderful father. The only people missing were Emma, because Brian didn’t want to wake her and Pete who wasn’t in.

Sometimes Meggan wondered why he stayed. Everything the team stood for reminded him of Kitty, and she knew he missed her, how hurt he had been. When he went away for a while, she had watched him leave. Seen him off from Muir. She…

“Mein freunds.” Her thought process was interrupted by the soft German accent of Nightcrawler and she felt Brian’s hand on her shoulder and she tilted her head, her cheek resting on the back of his palm as Nightcrawler continued.

“I apologize for waking you at this hour but I have news. And none of it good. I… I received a telephone call a short while ago.”

“We heard,” muttered Feron. Brian looked at him and he fell silent his head bowed. Brian then nodded at Kurt.

“Thank you, Brian. It was a call from Logan at the X-Mansion. There’s been an incident.”

Meggan noticed Betsy looked up at that. Despite her problems with the X-Men, she was the same as Kurt. Once an X-Man, always an X-Man.

“You all know how much the X-Men means to this team, and how much Professor Charles Xavier means to the X-Men. Charles… Herr Professor…”

“Kurt?” asked Betsy. “What is it?”

“He has the Legacy Virus. Professor Xavier is dying.”

“How long?” asked Rahne.

“We dinnae know,” said Moira. “The tests we’ve run are inconclusive, except to say that Charles has the virus, and ye all know there is nae cure as of yet.” Meggan looked at her. Moira was now biting her lower lip. There was very little else she could say.

“Damn,” said Betsy, silently. She’d watched Kwannon, the assassin who inhabited her former body die from it. She’d seen Illyana fade away because of it. She knew how Moira was, and there were others as well. “So how can we help him, Kurt? What do we do?”

“We do nothing. In the morning I am returning to the States. I’m going back to the X-Men.”

“Kurt,” said Brian. “You don’t have to, you know. There’s nothing you can do.”

“Brian, it wouldn’t feel right. I owe Charles Xavier my life. Several times over. We weren’t there for Onslaught. I’m damned if I won’t be there for this.”

“Why not all of us?” asked Meggan.

“Excalibur is needed here. They always have been. My not being here doesn’t change that. Yes, I like being the leader, and it is hard surrendering my autonomy to Storm, but Brian is a good leader as well. Merlin and Roma are no longer playing with our lives. You can be the man you were destined to be, Brian.”

“We’ve had our disagreements, Kurt,” said Brian. “There’ll always be a place for you here. It doesn’t have the same ring, as what you’re used to but once a member of Excalibur, always a member of Excalibur. Same for you, Kitty, Rachel, Colossus, Kylun, Micromax, Cerise, all of us.”

“Thank you, Brian, however we’re not finished yet.”

“What do you mean?” asked Betsy, solemnly.

“Because I cannae stay,” answered Moira. “I’m going to the States with Kurt. Curing this plague just became of prime importance to us all, and I cannae do it by staying here. Excalibur has too much going on for me to truly concentrate.”

“But, Mummy,” asked Rahne. “What about us?” She looked at Bridgit as she spoke.

“If’n ye want to come, there’s room on the trip for all of you. Douglock included. I think there may be something he can help us with. If the Phalanx weren’t able to assimilate mutants because of the X gene, they might have something that could help us find a cure.” Bridget nodded as did Douglock and Rahne smiled. They were still a family.

“Not much of a team left,” said Brian, knowing that whilst Psylocke and Feron were living here, they didn’t want to be part of the team. Betsy needed the break, and Feron was still unsure of his magical abilities. That left one more person in the room “Tangerine, will you stay?”

“Yes,” she said. “I like it here. I don’t see a reason to leave.”

“Pete makes four,” said Meggan.

“You’re sure he’ll stay?”

“Yes, Kurt. He’ll stay. It needs doing.”

“What does,” said Pete, kicking open the door, Linda still in his arms. “Why’d you have such a bleedin’ long drive way, Braddock? It took me nearly half an hour to walk here, and for a slender girl, she’s bloody heavy.”

“Is that Linda?” asked Brian, coming over.

“Yes, some pillock attacked her out on the estate. Which reminds, you’ve a dead bloke on your lawn.”

“I’ll get him,” said Meggan and flew out of the room.

“I’ll get her to the infirmary,” said Brian and took her off Pete’s hands.

“Hold on a sec,” said Pete. “Why’s everyone up? I’ve not had that much to drink.”

“I’ll tell him,” said Betsy, standing up.

“Danke. I think the rest of us should get some sleep. It’s going to be a long day tomorrow.”

The others went back to bed, whilst Betsy explained the situation to Pete. Kurt was right. Tomorrow was going to be a very long day.

Epilogue

“God, I hate Heathrow. You can’t smoke.”

“You didn’t have to come, Herr Wisdom.”

“Someone had to make sure MacTaggert left the country.”

“Pete…”

“Just kidding. Besides, I called a few markers in and I got you first class tickets, and I hear that Amanda Sefton is on the flight…”

“You arranged that? Danke! You didn’t have to.”

“I know Kurt, but, whatever. And don’t worry about us, either. Brian and the others are looking after the other Captain. And that dead bloke.”

“Did you have to kill him?”

“It was late and I was tired, and any other way he’d have beaten the hell out me.”

“Still doesn’t make it right, Pete.”

“Yeah, I know. Kurt…”

“Hmm?”

“I know it’s unlikely you’ll see Pryde over there, but…”

“I understand. If I see her, and if she asks, you’re fine. As for how she is, I’ll let you know.”

“Cheers, Kurt.”

*DING DONG!*

“FINAL CALL FOR FLIGHT XC-1188 TO NEW YORK DEPARTING AT GATE ONE.”

“That’s my call. Moira and the others have already boarded.”

“Why did you wait until final call?”

“Because I don’t know how long it will be before I return, Pete. I wanted to savour every moment. England’s one of the nicest places I ever lived.”

“For a German, you’re not so bad yourself.”

“Danke, Pete.”

“Sarcasm aside, Kurt, I gotta ask. What are you feeling? What are you thinking? You’ve been too quiet, which is unlike you.”

“In truth? Numb and nothing, Herr Wisdom. Numb and nothing.”

“See if Amanda can fix that for you.”

“Perhaps. Goodbye, Pete.”

“Bye, Kurt. Come back soon.”

NEXT ISSUE: So who did this to Captain U.K.? Who’s the dead man, and are his friends going to be happy with what’s happened to him? It can only mean one thing – Excalibur are going to Otherworld, but will all of them go and will there be enough of them anyway?