X-Writers is a fan-fiction e-mail group. The characters we use belong to Marvel Comics. We are a non-profit non- (or should that be un-) professional organisation so don't sue us, please. We have no money anyway. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Excalibur #94 "Friends and Relations" by Marysia (marysiak@marysia.com) - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Cover: Nightcrawler and Amanda Sefton on a boat waving to the rest of team on shore. Excalibur were arrayed on the wooden pier, wrapped up against the biting west wind. Their faces were a patchwork of emotions. Amanda looked radiantly happy, but then why not. She was getting her independence without losing the man she loved, the best of both worlds. Kurt Wagner was not quite so exuberant. Although he was glad to be getting a little privacy for himself and Amanda, he was worried about leaving the team. Even if he was only a bamf away. Douglock's face was as expressionless as ever, if you had been able to see inside his head you would know that he was thinking a million things at once. Calculating the air speed, comparing the colours of the sky with other skies he had seen, counting the blades of wiry grass beneath his feet. Rahne Sinclair looked thoughtful, sending up a prayer for a good crossing and a happy home. Dr Moira McTaggart looked distracted, it was very little that could take her away from her work on the Legacy Virus these days. Fighting to learn as much as she could before she was too sick to continue. Captain Britain looked angry, he felt Kurt was deserting his post as the team leader. But he was also jealous, that Kurt was moving in with Amanda when he could hardly talk to Meggan. She looked deserted, Kurt had been a good friend during everything that had happened and she still felt unsure around Brian. What if she accepted him only to find out Amanda had been wrong, she had been fooled so easily and completely before. Dr Rory Campbell was not present, he was under sedation awaiting admittance into a local mental hospital after being diagnosed as paranoid, delusional and possibly violent. The staff had been briefed about the reasons for his behaviour. Pete Wisdom was also not present, had not been present for nearly three weeks. How he feels right now is anyones' guess. Kurt helped Amanda aboard and the boat pushed away. Douglock raised a camera and snapped a photo as they floated away, his new hobby. According to Dr McTaggart everyone should have a hobby, or so she had said to him when he had asked her why she spent so much time in the lab. Soon the boat was just a speck racing toward the island of Lewis. Most of the team headed back inside out of the cold wind but Brian waited. The boat would be coming back with his sister on board. She was not the sort of person to take the news that her brother had not actually been her brother for the past few months but had in fact been an impostor from another world without wanting some sort of proof. So she was coming to check him out and make sure everything was as it should be. In fact there was more coming and going than there had been for a while these days. What with Wisdom, Kurt and Amanda leaving. Beast and now Betsy visiting. And tomorrow X-Factor were coming to pick up Spoor. Then the day after Rory would be leaving for that hospital on the mainland. He ought to count himself as well really, and the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants. He sat down on the ground, his back to the wind, and began to pick at the grass. He should have insisted that he fly over and pick Betsy up, he hated waiting around. Besides it was cold. He was wearing normal clothing as opposed to his Captain Britain outfit. To tell the truth he hadn't put that on since he had got back. Every time she saw it Meggan looked at him with those sad puppy-dog eyes as if he'd kicked her. He could only hope Betsy would be able to tell him what to he could do to remedy the situation. He let his mind wander back to before he had left. They had been staying at Braddock Manor then. Speaking of which, where was everyone? He'd asked Kurt about Cerise when they'd had a moment only to be greeted by an awkward silence and a promise to explain it some other time. After that he had decided just to wait and see if someone would tell him what had happened to Kylun and Feron. Nobody had. Perhaps he should ask after all. He stood up and spotted Kitty wandering along the beach, kicking savagely at any pebble that happened to get in her way. She had been very... violent lately. He ran after her. "Kitty!" She turned round to him with a scowl. You know I've been thinking of changing that. I'm not a little kid anymore you know. Call me... Kate." "Uh... right, Kate. I was just going to ask you what happened to Feron?" "Feron?" she frowned. "No... we couldn't have..." she muttered. "Couldn't have what?" She looked up at him with complete amazement on her face. "We forgot, we completely forgot. He was under the waterfall... at Braddock Manor. We moved to Muir and we forgot to tell him!" She broke up into hysterical laughter. "Brilliant.... absolutely brilliant." "You mean you just left him there, under a waterfall?" "Yes! Isn't it a scream? Thanks Brian, I really needed that." She walked off along the beach leaving him staring at her in amazement. *This has got to be some kind of joke,* he thought to himself. *They couldn't have just forgotten him, that's ridiculous. Isn't it?* He headed back to the pier to wait for his sister. - - - - After fifteen minutes of shivering in the icy wind he caught sight of the boat returning from Lewis. He stood up to greet it as it pulled up slowly to the wooden pier. Betsy climbed out before he could offer her his hand. She walked up to him and examined his face critically. He smiled, nervous under her close scrutiny. "Well," she said finally. "You certainly look like my brother, but then so did he. Only one way to be sure." "Betsy. No!" But his cry of surprise was too late, a purple dagger pierced his skull and ripped into his mind. He dropped to his knees. Betsy withdrew the mind probe and looked rather guiltily at the body at her feet. "Sorry Bri," she whispered. "But you know I had to be sure." With a strength unexpected in her slim frame she hoisted his limp body over her shoulder and headed up to the house - - - - Rahne was showing Douglock through her old photo albums. He really seemed to be getting into this photograph taking. "This is you with Elizabeth Braddock, she's Brian's sister, an X-Man. She's coming to visit Brian today." "That is not me, that is Douglas Ramsey." "Aye right Doug, whatever ye say." "I have been reading up on the inability of humans to accept truths that they do not find pleasant, it is very interesting. Do you know of anyone else who refuses to believe I am not Douglas Ramsey? I would like to interview them so that I can compare." Rahne laughed nervously as if the question were a joke. "An' this picture is Amara and Bobby, Bobby's a member of X-Force now." "What happened to Amara?" "She left Doug, ye remember, t' go home t' Nova Roma." They heard the front door open and turned around as someone entered the room. Elizabeth Braddock gave a small gasp of shock and dropped her limp brother on his head. He groaned faintly and Rahne moved to see if he was alright. Betsy stared at Douglock. "Douglas?" Then she shook herself, "No. You must be... Douglock." She said the name with some distaste. "That is correct. You are Elizabeth Braddock." She nodded curtly then turned and walked out of the room without saying another word. Brian sat up, putting his hand to his head. "Bets?" "She's gone. Whit happened?" "Just my sisters' way of saying hello. If you don't mind, I think I hear an aspirin calling my name." He hauled himself to his feet and staggered out of the room. - - - - Betsy wandered into the television room where she found Meggan watching a cartoon. She looked round as Betsy entered. "Betsy. But where's Brian? Have you... spoken to him yet?" "Yes, I've seen him." Betsy smiled, "He's probably regaining consciouness about now." "So you know... whether he's..." Betsy sat down next to Meggan and took her hand. "It is Brian. I have no doubts about it." Meggan began to cry, "Then it's all true." Betsy pulled her close as she spoke. "I know this has been hard Meggan but you can't blame yourself for not knowing. You wanted it so much to be him and he seemed to have such good explanations for his transformation. Let it go, it's done with. I'm sure Brian understands." "But how can he? After what I've done. I've been... unfaithful to him. Why should he want me back now?" "Shh. I'm sure it's not like that. Let me talk to him. Everything will be fine. I promise." - - - - Betsy brought up the subject the next morning as she and Brian walked along the shore. This was only a flying visit, she was returning to America when X-Factor picked up Spoor to return him to prison. If she didn't do this now she wouldn't have time later. "So how are things with you and Meggan?" she asked, testing the waters. Brian shook his head slowly. "Not so good. It's like she can't even talk to me anymore. I think she blames me, that she feels she can't trust me anymore. She accepted the imposter as me completely, easily understood since he had my memories mixed in with his during the transfer... Rachel could have told the difference but she was gone. I feel so guilty about that. She should still be here." "It's not your fault that Rachel's gone Bri, she did what everyone thought was the best thing to do at the time. And I think you've got the wrong idea about Meggan too." "Really?" "Have you ever thought that maybe she blames herself, not you? That she doesn't think _you_ can trust _her_ anymore?" "But... blame her for what?" "For not seeing through his disguise of course. For not knowing it wasn't you. You have to tell her you understand, Brian. Just let her know you still love her, that's all." "That's it?" Betsy laughed, "I think you'll find that is usually all that's ever needed. Now promise me you'll get this sorted out. I fully expect to attend your wedding one day." "I'll try," he promised. Then he smiled, "And who knows, perhaps there'll be a wedding sooner than you think." - - - - Rahne tried not to look too bored as Valerie Cooper tried to make small talk. She listened with half an ear and made sure she nodded and smiled or looked sympathetic at all the right places, although she was glad to hear Guido was recovering. Finally she came to the point. "So how long are you planning to stay on Muir, Rahne?" "Ah, that wis whit ah wus wantin' t' talk t' ye aboot Dr Cooper. Ah'm afraid ah won't be comin' back t' America t' rejoin X-Factor. Ah'll be stayin' here wi' Excalibur as part o' the team. Ah hope that's no gonae inconvenience ye any." Valerie nodded thoughtfully. "To tell the truth I had expected this. Well I hope you're happy here. I'll give your regards to the others." "Aye, right. Well ah'll be seein' ye around then." "Yes. Good-bye Rahne." "Goodbye Dr Cooper." - - - - Moira dragged herself out of her lab again to supervise the removal of Spoor from the premises. Nightcrawler had returned for the event as the easiest way to ensure no escape was to teleport him directly from the cell to the plane. Val Cooper joined them down in the cell. "Time to go home Spoor." "Aw, an' it's so nice an' cosy down here in the dungeon. Ain't Dr Campbell comin' t'say bye bye?" Moira glared at Spoor silently. "How is Dr Campbell?" asked Val. "He'll be just fine," Moira answered, daring Spoor to deny it. He chose not to answer, but there was a knowing gleam in his eye. Moira injected him with a sedative and it faded. Kurt entered the cell and secured Spoor with heavy cuffs before he unlocked the restraints that bound him to wall of the room. Then with a bamf they were gone. They reappeared onboard the plane which contained Mystique and Wildchild as well as Betsy and Brian saying their goodbyes. Kurt made eye contact questioningly with Mystique as they secured Spoor. She led him down to the cockpit where they had some privacy. "It is... good to see you again Kurt." He was silent. "I suppose I should apologise for... well for a lot of things. I'm sorry it was so long before you found out I was alive. I guess once you've let your son go once it's easy to do it again. But... I never stopped thinking about you." She reached out and took his hand. "I may not be the mother you always wanted Kurt, but I am your mother and I will always... love you. I would like it if we could at least keep in touch from now on. Will you do that for me?" He cleared his throat nervously. "I would like that Mystique, very much." - - - - The plane took off into the grey sky with a rush off air. Brian and Kurt watched it until it had gone out of sight. Leaving Muir Island a slightly happier place than before. Leaving a little new hope for fresh starts. Brian turned and ran inside to find Meggan.