Uncanny X-Men 1943

Chapter 5

Elizabeth left the meeting and the SOE headquarters as quickly as she could, seeking solace in Westminster Abbey. It wasn't that she was particularly religious, since her wedding she could count the number of times she'd been to church on one had. Perhaps heading off to Chapel on a Friday afternoon was an school habit she hadn't quite shaken off. Perhaps she needed somewhere quiet and grand and worth preserving and actually open to the public. Somewhere that wasn't her home, and that didn't have any immediate connection to Warren. The Abbey had sustained damage over the past few years, but it was still largely in tact, and what damage there was had been cleaned up and patched up with as best temporary measures as possible, much like St Paul's over in the City, now standing amongst the rubble like a great big finger up at the Luftwaffe. Hit me, I dare you. Hit me and see if I move. See if I fall.

Elizabeth had walked from Baker Street down to Westminster. It has been nice to actually move, instead of just sitting in cars. Walking allowed her time to think, to go over recent events in her mind. She paid little attention to her surrounds, but London was more or less how they'd left it earlier in the week. Warren was the only noticeable absence.

In her mind, Elizabeth went over every step, every action she had taken and decision she had made. She had done everything right. Everything. And she could not find fault within the team either. So why had she still lost?

Someone sat down beside Elizabeth. They had the whole Abbey to sit in, and had to sit here. Elizabeth realised she had lost track of the time, and now looked to the side to see who it was. Ororo Munroe gave her a brave smile. At the sight of her friend, Elizabeth was forced to choke back tears. Ororo knew. Elizabeth didn't know how, but she knew, and that made everything too real.

Ororo was the illegitimate daughter of a Kenyan tribal princess, and her Egyptian-based British-photograph lover. The relationship had not been allowed to continue, and Ororo was sent to live with her extended family in Britain. She had been educated at Roedean alongside one Lady Elizabeth Braddock, and they soon became firm friends. Their mutant powers happened to manifest within weeks of one another, Betsy being struck down by headaches and what she believed were hallucinations. Ororo's power manifestation was a bit more subtle, the wind always favoured her team's direction when playing sports, it rained during tests, but was sunny by lunchtime. Now, Ororo lived in a nice flat in London, and worked for the Red Cross. On more than one occasion she had been approached by various members of secretive government branches, but Ororo was content with her current work, and unwilling to be a pawn in anyone's war games.

"Is Emma having me followed?" Elizabeth mumbled, looking about the Abbey.

"No. Hello, Betsy."

"Hello. Who, then?"

"No one's having you followed," Ororo whispered. "Or at least, not as far as I know. Logan sent me a telegram this morning, saying he was worried about you, and didn't think you should be alone after the meeting."

"He's married."

"I know, but he hasn't seen his family for four years."

"It doesn't matter. It isn't becoming."

"Nothing's happened, Betsy. We just write. We're friends. And he was - concerned about you. Asked me to look after you. I telephoned your place, and Monty said you hadn't returned. You weren't that hard to find."

Elizabeth sighed. "Evensong will start soon."

"Do you want to stay?"

Betsy felt a sudden pain in the stomach, and bowed her head and closed her eyes. This was harder than she expected. To accept Warren was gone... She'd read reports, she'd seen the files. She knew what they might do to him if he'd survived. Ororo took her hand.

"Bets?"

"There was nothing I could do..."

"Come on," Ororo said, not wanting her friend to fall apart in public, and thus put her arm around Elizabeth and lifted her to her feet, "Let's take you home."

"I'm sorry, Ro, I - I did everything just right..."

They passed a dean or deacon or chaplain of some sorts who had seen more than one distraught woman in the past few years. He nodded solemnly. Ororo nodded back. Elizabeth couldn't think of anything beyond putting one foot in front of the other, and forcing a stiff upper lip. As they passed the tomb of the Unknown Warrior, Elizabeth's eye's fell upon the words;

For the sacred cause of justice and

The freedom of the world

"Ro?" Elizabeth asked, with the last of her composure, as the approached the main doors, "Please call a for cab. I - I can't walk home. I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry..."

...

From the outside looking in, the house looked unbelievably cosy. There was a faint golden glow around the downstairs windows; even blackout curtains could not knock out all the light. Emma walked up the path and opened the door.

"Mummy's home!"

"Mummy! Hello Mummy!"

"Hello Mummy!"

The twins came racing out of the front room to greet Emma. She closed the front door and gave them both a hug and a kiss on the head. "Good evening, girls."

"Hello Emma," Nathan called, sitting cross-legged on the living room floor.

"We're all just in here, Emma. Hello," Kitty said.

"Hello Emma. Your dinner is in the oven. We've already eaten," Rachel said.

"Shh, the show's starting."

"Come back and sit down, girls."

"Someone close the door."

"Ouch, Celeste, don't stand on me. Go around."

"Shh."

"Sophie, sit here."

"Kitty, can you pass me that blue piece there, please?"

"Shh, everyone."

"Shush yourself."

Emma closed the living room door, the picture of the five children sitting around the coffee table in front of the fireplace making a puzzle while the Captain America program began on the wireless did look all rather perfect. Although she'd probably wake up in the middle of the night with that ridiculous theme tune stuck in her head.

"Hello Emma," Scott said, appearing from further down the hallway. "Dinner's ready."

"I didn't mean to be so late. I lost track of the time."

"Never mind. It's only half-six. I've listened to the twins read, and they've done their spelling. Nathan wrote a few lines of an English essay before declaring he had no idea what he was doing, and said he'll ask Doug about it tomorrow. Rachel and Kitty have study to do, and promised to do it once the twins are in bed. They all just need a little down time, and - oh."

Emma looked her beautiful, skinny husband. As she exhaled, her shoulders slumped. Scott stepped forward and put his hands on her shoulders.

"Who?"

Emma swallowed. "Warren."

Scott wrapped his arms around Emma and held her tightly. She rested her head against his shoulder, and he held her tighter. It was almost too hard to breath, but she needed the security, the knowledge that Scott was really there.

"We - we don't know if he's dead. I don't know if that's good or bad. I - oh, poor Elizabeth..."

"Is there anything I can do?" Scott asked.

"Not really," Emma replied. "Just don't let me go."