Bab 40: 39. He's not dead anymore

(Jean Grey School For Gifted Youngsters)

On the steps of the Jean Grey School, Bobby Drake, also known as Iceman, and Kitty Pryde, also known as Shadow Kat, sit in silent and somber reflection. Their minds are on the deaths of two good people in their lives. One was a dear friend, even if he was annoying, and the other a mentor, who was practically a father to them and so many others.

Spider-Man, Peter Parker to his friends, and Charles Xavier, founder of the X-Men. Both had made huge impacts in their life, 'Although I'd never tell webhead that.' And both died rather pointless and avoidable deaths.

Upon returning to school with their fellow X-Men, most of the younger students wanted to celebrate that new mutants were appearing all over the world. There was no desire among the staff to do so, however. After all, it didn't exactly feel like a victory. They let the kids have their fun, but they didn't want to be a part of it.

They hear the doors open up behind them and muffled music, but they don't turn to look.

"Hey guys," Rogue calls out gently as she can over the music behind her, "The kids are kind of gettin' rowdy. Need a little help."

Kitty sighs as she responds, "Be right there."

As the headmistress stands up they hear the sounds of jet engines and they look up to see the Avengers Quinjet. They become worried that they are here to arrest some of the X-Men, but that worry quickly leaves when they see who exits and the jet leaves immediately after.

"Logan!" Rogue shouts happily before she quickly runs out to hug the man.

Logan catches her and returns the hug with a small smile, "I'm alright, kid."

Bobby watches the man release Rogue and approach them. He notices the feral man is not his grim usual self. He would ask what's got him in a good mood but what he wants to hear is something a little more important.

"You going to Spidey's funeral?" Bobby asks.

"Nope," the man responds as he walks past him and Kitty.

Bobby clenches his fist in frustration as he gets up and goes into the mansion after him. The man barely reacted to not being able to attend a good friend's funeral, he can't be that heartless.

"C'mon, that's not right!" Iceman as he steps through the doors shouts angrily.

Logan continues his trek upstairs as he walks past Beast and dismissively responds, "It's fine."

Beast looks between the feral mutant and the ice-powered one and asks, "What's going on?"

Bobby ignores him, "No, it's not man! I mean you fought with them from the beginning! So you should-"

"He's not dead anymore."

That stops him and everyone else cold, "What?"x4

Wolverine stands on the steps and looks at them with a smile on his face, "Ole webhead is back on his feet."

Too shocked to say anything, and frankly not believing what he was saying, Bobby just leans against the large wooden doors.

But as shocked as Rogue is, she still asks, "Are y'all serious?"

Logan nods, "Saw him walking and still talking."

"How?"

He shrugs, "You got me."

Hank postulates the only possible explanation, "Did Hope-?"

"No," Logan immediately responds, "Far as she can tell, the Phoenix has nothing to do with that chattering monkey's resurrection. Hell, it might be some kind of byproduct of his powers."

Hank's scientific mind can't help but ask, "What do you mean?"

Again Logan just shrugs and continues his trek upstairs with Hank on his heels asking more questions.

Meanwhile, Bobby just begins to laugh and Rogue and Kitty become a little worried.

"Bobby? You okay?" Rogue asks.

Bobby raises one hand to placate them while the other goes to rub his eyes, "I'm fine 'sniff'," he says as he looks up with a happy smile, "This is just so typical of that webhead. I mean here I am crying and being all sad about the guy being dead, and that tool has the nerve to come back to life. I mean I already ordered flowers for him and Xavier and now I can't ask for my money back. Not to mention the guy…"

The girls just listen to him rant and ramble about his resurrected friend, all the while thinking about how this happened and what this could mean. An Avenger came back to life while the founder of the X-Men didn't.

'That ain't right,' Rogue thinks in slight frustration as she continues to listen while slightly clenching her fist, 'Why did he come back? What makes him so special?'