The Rise of the Blue Phoenix

Chapter 8: Memories

Jean was currently under the rubble, fully unconscious. But the more she realised what was going on, she had begun to panic. 

    You are getting weaker, a voice said in her head. Jean looked around to find herself standing face to face with the Dark Phoenix. She felt herself getting choked. "No, no no no no no please!" She cried desperately, trying to speak to it, "I've done everything you asked!" She begged, squirming in its grasp and gasping for air as her lungs burned.

    So you have, but that daughter if yours is something I could be well needing. The Phoenix replied. Jean was beyond confused, but her heart was hammering loudly in her chest, almost driving her crazy.

    She collapsed when the Phoenix let go of her, her lungs being immediately filled with air. "D-daughter?"

     The Phoenix didn't say anything. You think only you have the Power of the Phoenix Force? No, it runs through your blood. Meaning you have passed it on to your daughter. Your child, with that Summers.

      Memories of Scott Summers kicked in. Oh how she loved him, how she wanted to marry him.

      How she killed him.

      And then Logan killed her.

      Tears ran down her face as she began putting pieces together. Ashley had Scott's face, Ashley's hair was a mix of faint reds and mainly brown, but the eyes.

       Those were the same eyes she would see every time Jean would close her own, the ones that always took her breath away. So, in fact, Ashley was hers and Scott's. But how-

        Then more memories came in, how Jean left Ashley for safety, to keep her far away from the X-Men, far away from the battle.

         And far away from Xavier.

         And most importantly, far away from herself.

         But Scott died never knowing he had a daughter.

         Salty and hot tears escaped her eyes as she let out a choked sob, her shoulders shaking as she remembered every small detail.

          It's making you weak, the Phoenix said, making Jean look up at it. You, Jean Grey, must be permanently gone.

         "No, no no," Jean repeated, her eyes now getting wetter by the second, her heart clenching tightly in her chest. "Don't say- you can't take her! You have me!"

          The Phoenix merely chuckled, Oh, but Jean, she has more power than  you would ever have.

           The Phoenix then charged and was absorbed by Jean, leaving her in tears, but her irises turning completely black, not leaving her a chance to fight it. She then woke up, moving all the rubble that was on top of her, throwing it far away as she stood tall, black-ish purple veins visible all over, her red cloak flowing in the soft breeze, her eyes were pools of blackness, her face-pale as a cloud.

            And so, Jean Grey was dead, all that remained was The Dark Phoenix, with no trace of the human that was known as its host.

  Ashley was in her bed, staring at her ceiling. She couldn't stop the odd feeling of something crawling over her neck, something that tickled her, but also suffocated her. Her mind trailed back to when she realized her mother was gone.

She had just been brought back from the past with Tony and Steve. She was excited, as she had seen so many things, like Howard Stark, Peggy Carter, and found out so much about them. When she held the tesseract, she turned to Clint, looking for Natasha, but not finding her anywhere beside him. Her heartbeat accelerated. "Clint, where's my mom?"

Clint didn't reply. Instead he sobbed as he held the Soul Stone. Ashley couldn't breathe. Her eyesight blurred, salty tears stinging her eyes. Bruce was the first who reached. "No, no," Ashley whispered. The other Avengers stared at her, their own eyes stinging with tears, watching the youngest one denying, repeating that this couldn't be the end for her mother. The tears then rolled down. Sobs followed shortly after. Then it was a sudden shake. "No, no. She can't! She can't just leave me!" Ashley yelled.

"Kid," Bruce began, extending a hand to the young Avenger.

"She can't leave me!" She screamed. Ashley let out a louder sob and ran off, Steve trying to catch up to her, but it was Tony who went after her. Clint and the rest were still in too much shock, crying. Bruce broke an item from behind and let out a frustrated yell.

Meanwhile Ashley was hurling things towards the wall, screaming, crying, lifting things without meaning to, before finally falling to her knees. She cried and stayed there for lord knows how long, until she heard the door opening. She didn't look up. She knew it was Tony. Tony came over and hugged her, not saying anything – just holding her. "She wasn't supposed to leave, Tony. She wasn't supposed to leave!" Ashley shouted, holding onto the jacket that Natasha once gave her. "She wasn't supposed to leave me," she said softly once more. Tony squeezed her shoulder as she sobbed into his chest. "I know, kid," he whispered, "I know."

That was the saddest moment that happened to Ashley. It was permanently etched into her memories. She couldn't stop the tears that ran down her face. She shook uncontrollably, whimpering and sniffling.

She heard a knock on the door, and Bucky called from the other side. "Ash, it's me, can I come in?" Ashley quickly replied with a yes and saw him walk in. She looked down at her pajamas, which consisted of a tank top and long pants and made sure she was somewhat presentable. When Bucky came in, her eyes almost bulged out of her head. He was shirtless, and with knee-length pants, before walking over to her.

"Hey, you okay? Was it another memory?"

Ashley nodded, using her stump to get on her right side a bit more. "Yeah, just thinking about when my mom..." she began, referring to the time when she sacrificed herself. Bucky listened intently, before he seemed to be in thought. "Alright, scoot over."

"What?" Ashley asked incredulously.

"You don't let many people get close, but let me be a person you can get close to. I know when we first met you tried to kill me, but you're my leader, and I'm going to stick by your side no matter what. Now scoot over," Bucky said sternly.

Hesitantly, Ashley made some room for Bucky. She was lucky she had a king-size bed, but she still saw him extend an arm over her waist, pulling her close and letting her rest her head on his chest. She closed her eyes and instead of focusing on bad memories, she focused on his heart beating.

From outside the door, Storm was walking through the halls and was caught by Bobby. "So... when are you going to tell her?"

"Tell her what?" Storm asked, confusion etching her features.

"When are you going to tell her that the only person that killed Jean Grey is dead? That you were supposed to be her godmother?" Bobby asked. Storm frowned, "She doesn't need to know that, Bobby," she began, "besides, we are from different worlds, so I wouldn't be able to be there for her at all."

Bobby stood there, comprehending what was just said, frowning as well. "Alright then. But I still think that you should still tell her the truth. It will escape eventually."

"Maybe," Storm agreed, "or maybe somehow this girl would save my old friend, who I feared is only alive in my memories."