Inside the Xavier's Mansion – The Med Bay
A quiet hum filled the sterile space of the med bay deep inside Xavier's Mansion. The lights were dim, casting a soft glow on the large cylindrical tank at the center of the room. Green liquid pulsed faintly inside it, cradling the small form of a baby—still, delicate.
Ethan and Hank stood side by side, watching the monitor closely. Both of them wore expressions carved from concern and focus. The readings were erratic, unfamiliar. Sinister's twisted genetic meddling had taken root deep within the child.
Across the room, Madelyne clutched tightly onto Scott, while Storm stood at her side, holding her arms. Madelyne's eyes brimmed with tears and her voice is trembling. "If I had just been stronger... if I hadn't let Sinister manipulate me... our son wouldn't be in that tank."
Scott gently wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "This isn't your fault," he said quietly, even as his jaw tightened.
"I let him use me!" she snapped as her eyes wet with tears. "He twisted me into something I didn't recognize. And now—now my baby is paying the price for my weakness!"
Professor Xavier said gently, guiding his wheelchair a little closer, "You are not weak. You are a mother who was deceived. Your love is what brought you back to yourself. That same love is what will help save him."
Jean stepped forward and placed a gentle hand on Madelyne's back. "You're not alone in this," she whispered.
Anna added, "This baby has all of us now. And we won't let anything happen to him."
Standing off to the side, Cable—Nathan—watched in silence. A small smile curved his lips as he looked at the infant version of himself. "So… now I know," he said softly. His voice drew everyone's attention. "You do love me, Mother."
Madelyne blinked and is startled.
Cable continued, "Maybe… this is why Uncle Aeon sent me back. So I could see for myself how much my parents cared." He paused, glancing at the tank. "Sinister wanted to remake me—turn me into a half-cyborg, half-mutant soldier under his control. A weapon, not a person."
He raised his metallic arm, the light glinting off its surface. "This arm... it was the start. But that baby in there—me—he's worse off. Sinister did something to his DNA. This test tube is our only way to reverse it, to reconstruct what I was meant to be. There's no cure for what's happening to the baby version of me—not in this timeline."
Everyone turned toward him.
"What?" Scott's voice was tight with disbelief.
Cable continued, "Whatever Sinister did… it's embedded deep into his genetic code. In my future, they couldn't stop it. They could only slow it down. And if he stays here, it's going to happen all over again—he'll become what Sinister tried to turn me into: a mindless cyborg soldier under his control."
Betsy, Bobby, Kurt, Kitty, and Colossus stood near the back, expressions grim.
Madelyne's hand trembled. "You want to take him… away?"
"I have to," Cable replied, voice softening. "I can take the baby me to the exact point in time when Uncle Aeon first found me. That way, everything still plays out like it did…"
"No," Bobby muttered. "There's gotta be another way."
"We can't just send the baby to the future," Kitty added, clearly distressed.
"But if we don't," Cable said, "he'll die. Or worse—become something no one can stop."
Colossus's fists clenched, but he remained silent.
Madelyne shook her head, her hands trembling. "I don't want to be separated from him again," she whispered.
Scott's teeth ground together. "Neither do I."
Hank, who had just finished running diagnostics, turned solemnly toward them. "We don't have data on what Sinister did. All of it was destroyed when Ethan burned the facilities. What's happening inside Nathan… it's beyond our understanding. His DNA is being rewritten as we speak."
His voice was firm. "Sending him to the future, to Aeon's care, might be the only chance."
Madelyne broke down, throwing her arms around Scott, sobbing. Her grief cut through the room like glass. Logan, standing in the corner with arms crossed, finally spoke up. "There's gotta be another way. We can't let her suffer like this."
"Hank," the Professor began gently, "You understand his condition right, can you find the cure if given time, and what would it mean for the baby? Could he return to normal?"
Hank sighed while adjusting his glasses as he scanned the latest readings from the console.
"Professor… if I'm being honest, I don't know." He gestured toward the tank. "The baby's DNA isn't just mutating… it's being rewritten. Piece by piece, it's turning synthetic—mechanical. It's not even evolution anymore. It's replacement."
Madelyne gasped, her hands tightening on Scott's.
"What do you mean 'synthetic'?" Scott asked, stepping forward.
Hank turned the monitor around to show them a series of scans—glowing diagrams showing unnatural structures forming within the infant's cells.
"Look here," Hank pointed. "These sequences are mimicking nanotechnology. Self-replicating machine code within organic tissue. If this continues, his body will eventually function more like a machine than a mutant."
He hesitated, then added quietly, "It's not unlike a Terminator—cold, mechanical… but grown instead of built."
Jubilee's eyes widened. "That's insane… and kinda terrifying."
Betsy frowned. "You're saying if we don't find a solution—he'll stop being… human?"
"Not entirely," Hank admitted. "His mind, his soul—those things can remain. But physically? This tech is centuries ahead of anything we've seen. Even if I had given some time, I'm not sure I could fully understand it… let alone reverse it."
Cable looked down with his jaw clenched. "That's what I've been trying to say. If we wait too long, he'll lose everything that makes him… him."
Scott looked down at the child—his child—with pain and guilt swirling behind his eyes. "But there has to be another way."
"I thought so too," Cable said, "I spent years searching for an alternative in my own time. I consulted every scientist, healer, sorcerer, and technopath across the timeline. I even went to the Shi'ar… and the Kree. No one could reverse it. No one could stop what had already begun."
Bobby looked up. "But this is you. You're here. You survived."
Cable gave a bitter laugh. "Survived, yeah. But barely. I was turned into a cyborg just to keep the infection from destroying me entirely. Half of my body isn't even mine anymore. You think I chose this arm?" He held up his metal limb.
The air grew heavy.
"I tried everything," Cable continued. "And I failed. Except once—when I ended up in the care of Uncle Aeon."
He turned to Xavier, to Hank, to all of them. "If I take the baby me to that same point in time, place him right where Uncle Aeon first found me… the loop will close. That version of Ethan will know exactly what to do."
Madelyne flinched. "But that means… you'll be gone. And I'll never get to see him grow up."
Cable's eyes softened as he looked at her. "I'm sorry, Mom. I really am. But I promise… he'll be safe. He'll be whole. He'll have a future, just like me."
Storm placed a hand on Madelyne's shoulder for support as Scott gritted his teeth, emotions raging beneath the surface.
"I know it's unfair," Cable said quietly. "But there are no other options."
Silence fell.
Then Ethan, who had remained quiet until now, stepped forward. "It's not our only option," he said calmly.
Every eye turned to him.
"You're all looking at this from a scientific angle… but you forgot something," he said as his eyes began glowing faintly. "We have magic."
He raised his hand and with a graceful motion, a swirling portal shimmered into existence beside him. The air filled with a low hum as golden light bathed the room.
"I'll be right back," Ethan said with a confident nod, before stepping through the portal and vanishing.
For the first time since the baby was placed in that tank, a spark of hope returned to the room.
Hank pushed up his glasses. "We'll need to test whatever he brings before applying it to the child. No exceptions."
Everyone nodded in agreement, their despair now tempered with a renewed sense of possibility.
Cable remained still, eyes wide as he watched the portal fade. "This wasn't supposed to happen," he murmured. "I was supposed to take the baby to the future. That was the plan."
He paused, then smiled. "But Uncle Aeon… he always does the impossible."
He looked at the tank, at the infant he once was. "Maybe… this time, it's going to be different."
---
After a tense silence in the med bay, a swirling green portal opened beside the group with a soft hum.
Everyone turned sharply as Ethan stepped through, the portal closing behind him with a whisper of energy.
But to their confusion, he wasn't carrying a mystical artifact or arcane object. There was no scroll, no vial, no spellbook in his hands.
Only a single necklace hung around his neck—simple, bronze, ancient in appearance. At its center was a familiar green gem housed within an intricate casing.
Jean's breath caught in her throat. "No way…"
Cable's eyes locked onto the artifact. Recognition struck him like lightning. His lips curled into a wide, relieved grin. "Is that…?"
Anna leaned forward as her eyes wide, "The Eye of Agamotto…"
Everyone began to speak at once.
"Wait, you brought that?" Bobby said, pointing.
"What does it do?" Betsy asked.
"Is that what you're going to use?" Kitty whispered.
"Will it work?" Kurt added anxiously.
Storm's eyes sparkled with hope. "What can it do, Ethan?"
Hank pushed through gently, professional concern overriding curiosity. "Wait—before we do anything... Ethan, we need to test whatever you're planning. We can't risk the baby's safety. Let's examine it properly."
Professor Xavier nodded. "Please, Ethan. We must understand what this relic does."
But Ethan merely gave a calm, confident smile. "Don't worry," he said before walking toward the tank. "I'm not going to do anything reckless. I'm not changing the baby... I'm simply returning him to the point before Sinister infected him."
Before anyone could react he started what he planned to do.
His fingers moved through the air in fluid, practiced gestures. He traced an intricate spiral, then drew two sharp angles as the Eye glowed with a brilliant green light. It snapped open, revealing the Time Stone inside, pulsing with pure energy.
A green magic circle flared to life on his left hand, glowing with ancient symbols, mystical glyphs and swirling designs. He turned to face the baby before lifting the glowing sigil. And then hen rotated his wrist counter-clockwise, forming a slow spiral in the air.
The room held its breath.
The green light extended toward the containment tank. The liquid inside began to ripple... then shrink, vanishing in reverse as if time itself was being reversed. Metal wires embedded into the baby's limbs retracted rapidly. The baby's skin returned to its pure, unmarked state. The cybernetic signals within his cells unwound like an undone thread.
Within seconds, the tank was empty—no fluid, no infection, no cybernetic transformation. Only the infant who is gently suspended in mid-air.
As the glowing light of the Eye of Agamotto faded, the room fell into stunned silence.
Storm clutched her chest. "Goddess…"
Betsy's hand flew to her mouth. "By the stars…"
Jubilee blinked rapidly, near tears. "He did it… he actually did it."
Kurt crossed himself reverently, whispering a prayer in German, while John stepped back in awe, nearly stumbling. Colossus stared, wide-eyed, jaw slack.
Logan let out a breath he didn't know he was holding. "Damn…"
Bobby crossed himself, "Miracles do exist…"
Jean turned to the others, her voice hushed with reverence. "The Eye of Agamotto controls time. Ethan didn't heal the baby… he turned him back to a point before the infection began. He undid everything Sinister did."
Madelyne and Scott didn't wait for further explanation. Tears streaming down her cheeks, Madelyne rushed forward, arms outstretched. Ethan extended a hand and used telekinesis to lift the baby carefully from the tank. The child cooed softly, eyes fluttering, completely unaware of the nightmare that had been undone. With a graceful motion, Ethan guided the baby into Madelyne's arms.
She clutched her son, tears streaming down her face. "Thank you… thank you…" Her legs nearly gave out. "My baby…!"
Scott wrapped his arms around them both, his expression equal parts grateful and overwhelmed. "You saved him…"
Hank staggered back a step, completely speechless. Professor Xavier was no different—his mouth slightly open, eyes reflecting deep shock.
Cable stared at the child now safe in Madelyne's arms. His smile was softer this time, but full of peace. "Uncle Aeon… you really can do anything."
Ethan turned toward them and gave a small grin. "I believe that's what you call… a perfect ending."
No one argued.
They were too busy watching the family that had just been made whole again.
Ethan stood silently with the Eye of Agamotto resting against his chest, 'Sinister's twisted brilliance… I saw it all when I absorbed his memories, I knew exactly how to cure the baby. But I destroyed every lab, every data core. I burned it all down. My anger left nothing behind. No tech… no backup… no tools.'
He looked at the child, then down at the Eye.
'This was my only path. Magic—not science. I couldn't fix it the way he broke it. So I chose to rewrite time itself.'
Before anyone could speak, Jean stepped forward and wrapped her arms around him.
"You idiot," she whispered with a soft smile, hugging him tightly.
Anna joined in seconds later, embracing him from the other side.
Then, to everyone's amusement, both Jean and Anna leaned in and kissed him—one on each cheek, then his lips—ignoring the others in the room completely.
Bobby whistled. "Alright, alright! Save some of that multiversal lovefest for later!"
Jubilee chuckled. "Damn, hero points maxed out."
Kurt beamed, folding his arms. "That was truly a miracle, mein Freund."
Colossus gave a firm nod. "A warrior, a savior, and now clearly adored."
Ethan rolled his eyes playfully, But deep down, he was just relieved it ended well.
...
While peace returned to Xavier's Mansion, outside its walls, the world was far from calm.
Across the globe, cities trembled. People paused mid-step. Cars stopped in the streets. Phones slipped from hands. All because of a single sound—the haunting cry of a massive bird that echoed through the sky like a divine scream. It was unlike anything they had ever heard before.
The world fell into chaos.
In some areas, buildings were scorched. Forests lit up with golden flames that burned without fuel. Entire regions faced localized, unexplained infernos that sparked after the cry was heard. Scientists were baffled. Spiritualists called it an omen. And the media They were in a frenzy.
On a boxy 2007-model television, flickering slightly from weak reception, anchors on every major channel scrambled to explain what had just happened.
> "Breaking News: Unexplained Phenomenon Shocks the World—Massive Cry of a Bird Heard Globally!"
> "The Phoenix Sound? Experts Divided on Whether This is Natural or Paranormal."
> "Apocalyptic Flames? Local Towns Claim Sky-Born Fire Burned Down Churches and Hillsides."
News tickers rolled across the screen rapidly, theories flooding in—mythical creatures, unknown technologies, alien signals. And amidst it all, the public gave their thoughts.
A news segment cut to a bustling street corner where an anchor held a mic, speaking into the camera.
> "We're live in downtown New York, and people here are still recovering from the shock. I've got an eyewitness—sir, can you tell us what you heard?"
The camera panned to an old man, dressed in a tan trench coat. His white hair peeked beneath a flat cap, black sunglasses shielding his eyes from the morning sun.
He leaned into the mic with a knowing smirk.
"That sound? That wasn't just a bird cry. That was something meant to destroy."
The anchor blinked. "Destroy, sir? What do you think it was?"
The old man tilted his head before responding calm. "How should I know? Ask the one responsible for this."
The anchor looked stunned, as if he didn't quite know what to say next. The old man simply walked away, blending into the crowd as the screen returned to the news desk.
...
**Helicarrier, SHEILD base**
The door slammed open.
Nick Fury stormed out of the dimly lit meeting chamber of the World Council, his one eye burning with barely restrained rage.
His coat flared behind him like a shadow chasing a storm. On the other side of the hallway, Agent Phil Coulson stood straight, tablet in hand, waiting silently.
Fury didn't even glance at him at first. He was too busy cursing under his breath.
"Motherfucker…" he growled as his fists clenched. "Whoever lit the goddamn sky on fire and made a bird scream across the planet... just lit a damn match in my last nerve."
The Council had been relentless. Demanding explanations. Threatening sanctions. Calling it a global event—one that looked, sounded, and burned like war. And SHIELD?
They had no answers. No intel. No clue who had caused it... Yet.
Fury halted abruptly and turned to Coulson, his voice cutting like a blade.
"Talk to me."
Coulson nodded, swiping through data on the tablet, "We've got satellite logs from five continents. Multiple research bunkers—gone. Not just destroyed, but incinerated from the inside out. The fires… weren't normal. The timestamps line up exactly with the moment the bird cry was heard."
Fury's brow twitched, "Common points?"
Coulson looked up, serious now. "Whoever did this knew where to hit. Every facility taken out was Sinister's major cloning and bio-research division. Each one was wiped—clean. No survivors. No backups. Not even a trace of hard data."
Fury's eye narrowed, "Find me the link. Trace those sites. Line them up and see where they point. Whoever fried those places like it was a Sunday barbecue—I want to know their name."
Coulson gave a subtle nod. "I'll have a report within the hour."
Fury turned away, but not before muttering again under his breath, "Motherfucker's gonna wish he never pissed me off."
...
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