AUTHOR'S NOTE: This story was inspired by the death of Lady Diana. While I personally don't feel much remose, I realize that the world has certainly felt her passing away. I pass my regrets to her two son and wish them the best posible future. All the characters in the following story are the property of Marvel Comics and are in no way a result of my own twisted imagination. They are also used with out the permission of Marvel Comics and to be used purely for NON-monitary entertainment. Any other use is not only poor manners but illegal. If you wish to post this feel free, no notice to myself is necessary. I hope this is not only as special as I've tried to make it, but also that it will show that sometimes the characters with the most impact are the ones that don't have the huge fan base or flashy powers.

" " indicates regular talking
~ ~ indicates radio comunication
* * indicates telepathic comunication

Focuses mainly on the original X-men.

Date: Saturday, June 19, Year Unknown
Time: 24:00
Place: Central Park, New York

~X-men, report.~

A burst of static follows the curt command issued by Scott Summers. Cyclops, as he was known to the general public, realizes that the battle has not been going well. At first he was sure that this would be like almost every other mission he had been involved in; if things got too hot or out of control some previously unexpected variable would pop up and save the team once again. Even with his tactical mind he had subconsiously come to expect the unexpected to save him and his comrade.

This time though things are really desperate. A previously unencountered super powered entity has been creating havoc in Central Park. When both the Blue and Gold X-men units had responded they found Spiderman and the Thunderbolts already engaging the creature. The X-men quickly joined the battle and had been about to turn the tide when the Thunderbolts, for some as yet undeterminded reason, left the battle field. Jumping on the breathing space it had been given, the entity had released a ball of explosive energy that had scattered the X-men.

Which is why Cyclops, leader of the X-men was now trying to regain control and get a report from the other members of his team. He waited, holding his breath for a couple of seconds before the comlink attached to his uniform chirped to life.

~Cyclops, Storm here. Rogue is with me, we avoided the blast by getting above it, we'll meet up with you.~

~Cyke, I've got Frosty, 'e looks battered but says 'e's fine. Somethin' 'bout puttin' it on ice.~

Cyclops smiles to himself. Even through Wolverines rough voice Icemans' humor has a way of shining. His smile disappears however as something touches his shoulder and he spines around, visor ready. A pair of red eyes look back at him, laughing on the outside, burning on the inside. "You should relax, non?" the cajin says, a smile playing on his lips. "Maybe all de stress of dis mission i' getting to you. You should let Gambit lead, he never worry about de stress." Cyclops glances down at Gambits' left hand to see a royal flush openly displayed and wonders if it was a conscious act on his part.

A warm glow gently invades the back of his mind through his repore with Jean Grey as she step out from around a tree leading a battered looking Spiderman. Moment later the other members of the X-men arrive, Rogue moving over to Gambit to ensure that he is o.k. and Iceman absently creating small ice scultures of a big hailstone crushing the creature. Cyclops looks around once again.

"Where's Hank?" he asks. Everyone shakes their head, none of them have seen the large blue mutant known as the Beast. Jean Grey places a hand on her temple as she scans around. She points back towards the creature.

"He's over there, behind the creature. His comlink is damaged."

Cyclops thinks for a moment. "Rogue and Storm, partner up with Wolverine and Gambit, cannonball special Rogue, you know the drill. Spiderman and Jean take the left flank, Iceman and I will take the right. I know your all tired people but we've got to regain some ground with this one." All the heros nod and quickly disperse to take care of their tasks. As Cyclops reaches his post with Iceman he hears a battle cry from Wolverine and watches as he rips into the creature with tooth and claw. Gambit, released by Storm lets fly with three cards and tucks neatly into a roll behind the creature. Enraged and slightly blinded it swings it's arm back, trying to catch the rolling cajin. From the other side of the clearing Spiderman restains it's arm with a well placed web shot. He pays for his save however as the creature pulls him by the web and throws him away.

Cyclops feels drained, while the general public may think that his optic blast isn't limited there is only a certain amount of energy that his body can dedicate towards them. Eventually, without time to recharge or relax he drains his power till there is nothing left. The same holds for most of the other team members with the posible exception of Wolverine and Jean Grey. Storm, however exibits no sign of tiring as thick black clouds move in to obscure the moon. Cyclops hears Iceman chuckle as a thick rain starts to fall. Gathering his strenth, Iceman directs his unique abilities to the large rain drop, super cooling them as they fall. The creature, being hit simultaneously by Wolverine from below and bullets of ice from above staggers and howls as it looks for the cause of this new agony. Noticing Storm makes a lightning grab for Wolverine, some how catching an arm, and throws him at Storm. Unable to react quickly enough Storm is temporarily stunned.

At Cyclops side Iceman watches as two of his team mates are temporarily removed from the battle. His ice encased eyes flash as he concentrates, focusing his power on the large cloud above the creature. Manipulating the moisture he carefully reduces the temperature of the air above, creating a convection current and updraft strong enough to hold up the monolith he is creating. Now that Wolverine is out of the way Iceman sees the creature stagger under the combined power of Jean Grey and Cyclops as they unleash a pair of blasts. As the blasts stop both the Beast and Gambit leap out from behind, Gambit scoring a number of card strikes, the Beast sweaping the creature off it's feet. Iceman can't hear what his friend says as the creature falls and makes a mental note to ask when it's all over.

Gambit, clearing himself out of Jean Grey and Cyclops' line of fire, back peddles towards his leader. Even though Cyclops can tend to be a little on the heavy side he has managed to bring the team through a number of battles successfully, which Gambit can respect. He watches as the creature is once again struck by two blasts and frowns to himself as it creates a blue shield, which absorbes Jean Greys heavier blast. Behind him Cyclops moans as his optic blast dies out, the last of his energy spent. Still the creature stands, tossing away the blue shield. Gambit starts, he realizes that the Beast disappeared after their joint attack. A numb sensation spreads through him.

Rogue watches from above, unable to step in. She managed to arrest Storm and Wolverines fall enough for Storm to shake out the cobwebs. Wolverine had dropped to the ground, making his way back to the battle. Rogue notices the creature throw the Beast away, the limp blue body hits a tree and doesn't move.

Jean Grey stands in shock. In her mind something screams *That didn't happen* over and over. For miles around people are mentally assaulted by the denial that Jean Grey can not contain.

Cyclops doubles over, a dual wave of mental assult and energy drain hitting him. He manages to look up long enough to see the body of the Beast slide to the ground in a crumpled heap. Rage sweeps through his body he reaches down deep enough into himself to muster enough energy to level a street lamp on a walkway near by. Ignoring a second wave of exhaustion he drags himself closer to the sparking stump, and he uses an ability he rarly ever has to.

Wolverine runs up to the still body of the Beast. Realizing the reaction that will follow this turn of events he makes a quick choice. He grabs the Beast under the arms and drags him away.

Spiderman, unable to assist other then moral support and not wanting to be caught in the reaction that is bound to follow does the only practical thing he can. Directing both his shooters at the creature he entangles it in a web, temporarily pinning it as the X-men charge up.

Storm starts the outpouring of the teams revenge. Driven by grief she starts a chain of lightning strikes that close in on the creature, making it glow as the electricity passes through it. Before it can open it's mouth Gambit releases two full decks of charged cards, making the creature fall toward Jean Grey, who driven by a fury that has not possessed her since the Pheonix telekinetically grabs it's limbs and starts to pull. The creature manages to let out a gurgle as the combined fury of three X-men rains upon it. Still it struggles. Cyclops, recharged from the electrical energy he absorded from the street lamp whips off his visor and looks at the creature. It is bathed in the red light of Cyclops' optic blast and finally falls.

Silence reigns as the creature settles to the ground. Jean Grey battles back tears as she watch, praying that in the end the last attack was enough. In horror she realizes that it is starting to stir, starting to lift it's head. From across the clearing Icemans voice screams out a clear "Die you miserable f^(#er" and brings the fruits of his labour to bear.

The creature never moves from under the hugh frozen thunder cloud that dropped a thousand plus feet to it's final resting place.

"This is CNBC with a special news report, Trish Trilby is on extended leave right now, I am Susan Soyer. It was confirmed today that former Avenger, Doctor Henry McCoy was killed at 12:00 pm in Central Park protecting the citizens of New York. A number of other mutants and super humans were on the scene including the X-men, a renegade group of mutant terrorists who it is rumoured once had connections with Dr. McCoy. In an official press release earlier today, Captain America is reported as saying 'while Dr. McCoy was not an active member of the Avengers, his lose has certainly been felt in the team.'

"Tragic as this lose is it is not a great as the research Dr. McCoy left behind. Unfinished is his research that he started into the legacy virus. The legacy virus, once thought to only affect mutants has affected one known human, Mora McTaggart. Dr. McCoy, not a victim of the virus himself was searching for a cure before his life was so tragically ended. It is unknown if anyone else, mutant or human will be able to follow his genius in the field of genetics research. If a cure is not found soon it is posible that the virus will threaten both human and mutant existance on the planet.

"In related news more people are calling for tougher laws against mutants. A spokes person for the Human Liberation Front, also known as the HLF, an anti-mutant group, anounced today that they hold the X-men responsible for the death of Dr. McCoy; claiming that this is a clear sign that mutants don't even care for their own kind and will kill them on a whim. While there has been no official word from the government it is the opinion of most people that the government secretly supports this idea. A reward has been posted by the HLF and the New York Police for any information regarding the whereabouts of the X-men. People are warned not to attempted to apprehend these dangerous mutant criminals themselves but to pass all information on to the NYPD."

Bobby Drake, the Iceman, silently turns off the t.v. and closes his eyes. A single tear travels down his cheek, around his mouth and falls from his chin. There is no one else in the room, he said he wanted to be alone and the others gave him his space. More tears spill down his face as he remembers Hank. Bobby thought that he had run out of tears an hour ago. He was wrong.

In the danger room Jean Grey sits unmoving as Cyclops destroys buzz bombs and robots, trying to work out his grief, trying to find some way of putting forward a strong face for the team. His visor is off, eye's narrow as he controls both grief and optic blasts. Jean Grey has shut off her mind to the outside world, she even blocks out the repore. Everyone has told her that it is not her fault, everyone has pointed out that no one could have expect Hank to be used as a shield, especially with his speed and agility. Some how though, she can't bring herself to believe them. So she closes herself in a mental wall that is tighter then diamonds, unpenetratable by even Xaviers great mind and metally scream for relief.

Outside on the ground Angel finds solice through an unlikely source. As he stands beside the pond on the grounds he hears Gambits soft footsteps walk up. Gambit looks into Angels eyes, "You o.k. mon ami? You want to talk about it non? Gambit est ici."

Angel looks back at Gambit and narrows his eyes a little, then shrugs. He looks back at the pond. "Let me guess, you've got some enlightening tale from New Orleans that will help? How you lost a friend or something? No thanks Gambit, tell your tales to someone else."

Gambit just shakes his head. "No mon ami," he states simply, "I have no tales to tell. I just offer an ear eh, you decide if you want to use it."

Angel smiles a little to himself. "You know Gambit, I was just thinking back to when I got everyone back together to start X-Factor. It was going to be just us originals, you know, the first five. I remember I had invited Bobby and Hank to stay at my house up north and they moved down to New York to find a new life. The defenders had been disbanded. While all the paper work and stuff was being done Bobby managed to land a job at an accountant firm. I heard from the staff later that when I told him X-factor was a reality he iced up in the office, froze all the water dispensors into ice and left yelling something like 'The Iceman is back.' I'm worried about Bobby, Gambit, I'm really worried. Him and Hank were like brothers, they were the closest members on the team other then Scott and Jean. They even went out to pick up girls together! I don't know what's going to happen now though.

"Soon after X-factor joined we were attacked by a mutant named Tower. He had homed in on Bobby and was going to kill him when Hank jumped in and protected Bobby and the girl he was with. Hank got beat up bad and captured by one of his old associates, he even lost his powers there for a short time. But if he hadn't stepped in and saved Bobby, Bobby might not be around today."

Angel looks back at Gambit, who nods silently. "Maybe we should just let him work dis out on his own eh? No good will come of invading 'is privacy." Angel thinks about this for a moment and looks back at the pond. Bobbys' not the only one he's worried about, all the other original five including himself are taking this hard. Last time something like this happened the team fell apart, even with Xavier around to try to gel things together.

Bobby Drake looks down at the phone number in his hand, then to the phone on the endtable beside him. Taking a deep breath he picks up the phone and dials the seven digits. Three long rings a rough female voice answers, "Trish here, look if it's work or one of you reporters I'm not talking to anyone right now so GO AWAY."

Bobby puts the phone back to his ear, "Trish, it's Bobby, don't hang up, I need to talk to you." He waits a few tense seconds, not hearing any sound on the other side and wonders if she has disconnected.

"B-bobby? Oh god, it is you isn't it. Where are you, why didn't you call earlier, what...," her voice trails off into bit back sobs. "Trish, listen, I wasn't in any shape to talk to anyone, but when I found out that the rest of the X-Men had neglected to call I had to make sure that you were all right. Listen, for safety reasons we've turned Hank over to the Avengers. They have made all the funeral arrangements and viewing times. According to the news, people have been paying tribute to him all day long, they don't view his as a mutant, just a scientist who gave it all to battle the worst disease to threaten man and mutantkind. I get a feeling that all the flowers and stuff left at the funeral home were placed there by mothers and fathers of mutants. They realize the potential that has been lost. Now the rest of us x-men are going latter today to pay our respects, will you come with us?"

Bobby can hear the nod as well as the "Yes," from the other end of the phone. For the first time in what seems like an eternity he smiles, just a little. He arranges the time and location for the pick up and hangs up the phone after spending a couple more minutes talking to Trish.

Scott sits at the kitchen table, looking through his red glasses at Jean. She doesn't return the gaze, looking down instead, tear stains on her face. Her hair and clothes are disheveled but Scott realizes that she doesn't care. First the lose of her mentor and now this, Scott fully realizes her humanity. He struggles to find the words, he has never been good with these situations, he's always had trouble dealing with lose and confronting/comforting those people closest to him. Still he tries, looking at Jean he realizes that he has to try. This whole situation is breaking her up and he can't afford to lose her again, not after all he's been through. Finally he walks around the table a puts his arms around her. She pulls away, knocking aside his arm. "Jean," he says, again placing his arms around her, "I love you."

He catches his breath from the telekinetic shove she gave him and looks up at her, now standing, the chair in a number of pieces across the room. "Just what does that mean, Scott? You saying that you love me even though I killed Hank? Even though it was my blast that hit him you love me? What, were you sick of Hank, was that it Scott, disappointed that he couldn't get results on the legacy virus faster thene he did? Or maybe you just happened to be feeling amorous at the time and want some favor from me, not getting enough Scott, is that it?" Scott holds up his hand, holding back the famous Summers temper. Some where in the back of his mind a small voice indicates that the repore was back, posibly the only good that will come of this.

"Jean, please, listen ..." Scott waits a second, till the shifting band of light and energy eminations that bathed her in an unearthly light die down a little. "Jean, I didn't mean to upset you, it's just obvious that you feel alone and I want you to know that I love you and will always stand beside you. No matter if anyone else did blame you.

"We don't Jean, it wasn't your fault. It could have been any of us that it used Hank against and we would have felt the same way that you do now. It's normal, Jean, human. You of all people should know that." He watches as she drifts over beside him and sit down on the floor. She looks briefly into his eyes through the red hue that protects them. Tears brim in her eyes as she places a hand on his chest and lays her head on his shoulder. He hugs her and both cry.

Outside the kitchen door Wolverine, having heard the chair break stands unmoving. Somewhere deep inside he still loves Jean but now he stand outside the room as a silent sentinal. When the crying is over he will silently go away but for now no one is going to interupt the couple inside the kitchen.

The minister take one last look at the crowd that is at Dr. Henry McCoys funeral. The Fantastic Four, Past and current Avengers, Henry's parents, members of the scientific community, the general public and a large number of people who sport well muscled bodies and black bands. A number of them have open scars and tattoos, both of which the minister ignores. There are only two type of people who would resemble them, anti mutant militants who would have disrupted the service long ago or mutant members of the various X-teams paying their last respects. That was fine with him, as long as no trouble struck. "I would ask Mr. Robert Drake and Ms. Trisha Trilby to come to the alter now to make their closing statements." The minister moved out of the way as the two stepped up the pulpit. Trisha spoke first.

"I would first like to say that Hank was, with out a doubt, one of the most unique people I ever had the pleasure to meet. While he was always working to cure the world of this problem or that problem he always seemed to have a little time that he could set aside for his fellow man. That's what made him so special, to his friends, to his family ... t-to me.

"I know this will sound strange from a reporter but I am at a lose of words. There are so many ways to try to express how I feel but none of them suffice. I feel anger at a world that would reject his kind but accept him to a limited degree, fear at the idea of what the world will like without his genius to lead us into genetics research, emptiness at the vacuum in my heart that he once filled. Joy for a better place, dispair and any other number of emotions that come with greiving. I just hope that some way we as a sociaty will learn from this lose and not make the same mistakes we have so often in the past. "To close I turn to a poem I once wrote:

Life will take you
Down twists and turns
To open your mind
And help you learn
Life will show you
Sights and sounds,
Fill your senses
Keep your mind bound
Life will tempt you
Will a curve at you throw
Make you run, hid
Or comfort your soul
Life will test you
But in the end
It will also help you
It will give you a friend"

Trish steps back from the pulpit and Bobby steps up. He scans the crowd seeing friends and family of Hank. Mentally stealing himself he glances at his notes and starts.

"William Shakesphere wrote 'All the life's a stage', and if that is true then Hank was one of the principle players. His humor was always present, his mode of speach easily distinguished and his determination a key factor of any team that he was involved with. Hank always had at least two things on his mind, ussually more, and one of them was always his friends. He would joke with us, play poker with us, grieve with us, fight with us and in the end, die for us. 'No great love has one man then this, that he would lay down his life for a friend.

"But when I think of Hank I don't think of his as an Avenger, or a costumed super hero, or even as a scientist. Rather, I think of him as a roommate and a confident. He was, without question my best friend and best critic. I'll never forget the day when he walked into our apartment to find a lady associate of mine in our shower. 'Have you vacated your senses" he asked, a look of concern on his face. However, even when he questioned my judgement he always stood behind me, and backed me up.

"Now I find myself without the greatest friend a person could ask for. Killed in the line of duty he died protecting and fighting for his friends. I have no idea what he's doing in the afterlife now, maybe he's have a deep conversation with God, talking about the cure for the legacy virus. Where ever you are Hank, I just want you to know that we all miss you but we also a glad for you. You've got your reward, it's time to kick back and relax my friend."

Bobby stands back from the pulpit, tears in his eyes and a small smile on his lips. Taking Trish by the hand he leads he back to their seats.

The X-men and the Avenger stand around, looking at a box in the ground. The coffin used in the public funeral was empty, Hank is buried on the grounds of Xaviers Mansion. A small private cerimony was conducted by Captain America. Most of the people have left, only Cyclops, Jean Grey, Angel, Iceman, Catain America, Wasp, Hawkeye, Iron Man, Falcon and Vision remain. Quiet conversation pass among them, each of the original five X-Men thanking the Avengers for the statue that now stands in Hanks honour on the grounds of the Avengers Mansion. Flowers still pile up at the Avengers Mansion in tribute and are placed by the statue, underneath a small plaque that reads "His Legacy Continues." Eventually all the X-men and Avengers dispurse, going their seperate way to face a new day. When everyone is gone an orb of light appears beside the grave and Magneto steps out, followed closely by a confused looking Exodus.

"My lord," Exodus says, touching Magneto's arm, "I do not understand, the X-men are your greatest enemies, why do you pay the dead one this tribute?"

Magneto turns his head to look at Exodus and narrows his eyes. A sense of power radiates from him as he looks from Exodus to the grave. "Hank was unique from the other X-Men. His abilites never allowed him to be a real threat to me but that never stopped him from fighting for the cause. That makes him a dediacted team member and a noble foe. I just hope that when my time comes I will be remembered by my previous comrades in the same way that he has."

Reaching into his glove, Magneto pulls out a small, circular metal object which he places on top of the tomb stone. Pressing a button a small holographic projection of Hank working in his lab appears, with Bobby behind him. Smiling Magneto indicates to Exodus to open the portal again and both leave.