And End and A New Beginning

After sending the girls back to Mars I do a quick once over through the base grabbing anything that looked interesting that hasn't been soaked yet. I make my way floor through floor and ironically enough I found a few samples of Pym particles here. No idea how he got them but what's Essex's is now mine.

Since I don't need to breathe I dive deep into the flooded floors and make my way all the way down. The main reason I sent the girls first, the most concerning thing to me at this point in time. I scan the bottom floor until I see it. A closed pod lying on the ground, a dent in its surface but still locked shut.

I get closer to it and the first thing I noticed was the sleeping young kid about 7 or 8 years old. He was wearing a yellow body suit and he looked exactly like I remember myself as when I was younger.

I was contemplating on what to do next when his eyes snapped open and the lights in his pod turned red. He started frantically beating on the sides of the pod trying to escape, but he wasn't me. He didn't have his Viltrumite powers and no way he'd have Anodite powers since they have no DNA.

I stood there in shock for a second when his hands start seemingly melting. My eyes widen in shock watching how the young me was seemingly unstable as his body broke down as it liquefied. It was quite horrifying knowing that what happened to him could easily have been Laura.

It was an experience and I truly didn't know how to feel about this. Note to self I seriously need a therapy session with Ororo. Even for a marvel world this is some heavy shit.

I just take an internal sigh as I grab the pod and activate the boom tube. I need a serious break from all this but with my new planet, new family, and my new projects I had in mind I believe I can keep myself occupied for a few years at least.

It took a few seconds to get back to Mars via boomtube but as soon as I touched down I was greeted by various looks from my wives. I gave them a wry smile as I make up my mind. I launch into space and face the sun.

"I apologize for your short life. You didn't ask to be created and I wasn't even sure how to feel about you. But I hope your soul shall rest." I thought as I used all my strength to throw the pod directly towards the sun. It took a few minutes but I was satisfied when I finally saw the pod turn to ash.

With a satisfied smile I float back to my home taking my daughter Natasha in hand.

"Damien was that?" Natalia asked.

"The final clone of Nathaniel Essex." The minute I said those words Laura, Domino, and I all shed a tear. From seven years old to my 25 I've always had the shadow of Essex haunting me but now I....we are finally free.

"C'mon lets get home. I really just feel in the mood for some family time. I want to finally experience the life we've been fighting for the last 18 years. With my wives and kids."

The girls couldn't help but smile even the ones I wasn't in a relationship with like me Starfire, and Amara couldn't help but chuckle and follow us back into our castle.

Finally take some time off to enjoy my family and then we take off to the stars. An entire universe awaiting us.

******************************************

"Carol slow down, you know I can't keep up with your top speeds" Terra exclaimed to her overly enthusiastic girlfriend.

"I'm sorry T. It's just you know it's been forever since I've been back home. Oh I wonder what's different. I wonder if Nick still remembers me? Ooooh I hope Blockbuster really took off. AND I WOULD KILL FOR A MILKSHAKE." Carol started spitting off excitedly as Terra just shook her head in mild amusement.

"Well let's go and we can watch a Blockbuster and get milkshakes and visit your friend later but for now how about we... hmm that's odd I don't remember hearing there being life on more than one planet in this sector. Since when did Mars populate?" Terra asked as the two women stopped flying to look up at the red planet.

"Hmmm things must have changed. Cmon let's go find Nick I'm sure he can catch us up on what's happened." Carol said willfully

Terra hesitated for a bit before nodding reluctantly. As the two once more set their sights on the blue planet. It didn't take them too long before they broke the atmosphere and even less time when they were surrounded by a network of gold and red suits all aimed and charged with energy.

Carol and Terra started glowing blue and pink perspectively as they trained their eyes on the robots. Until one of them opened their faceplate to show Tony Stark in all his smugness.

"Welcome ladies, now please tell me why you're flying around New York and why I shouldn't ground you two?"

Terra looked confused as Carol didn't even put him in her eyes as she took out an old pager and pushed the button. The pager rang four times before it was picked up.

"Carol? What's going on? Why are you calling? Are you close to Earth?" Nick Fury's voice came out startling Stark.

"Is that-" he started before he was cut off.

"Fury it's a pleasure to hear your voice again. Yes me and a friend just came back to Earth and I got a weird guy pointing robots at me. Is he one of yours or can I shoot him down?"

"Robots? Is it Stark?"

"Stark? No he's too young to be Howard."

"Wait a minute did you just say-" Tony started before he was cut off again.

"Not Howard it's his son Tony. Anyways I got eyes on you come down to the building in New York with Stark on it. You can't miss it."

"HEY ARE YOU IN MY HOUSE?"

"Alright will do Fury. See you in a bit." Carol said as she and Terra took off towards a tall tower with Stark in red letters leaving Tony floating there dumbfounded.

"Sigh, first Invincible now these chicks. I swear no one respects the suit anymore." He grumbled before taking off after the two.

It didn't take long for Carol and Co. to get to the tower and even less time for her to spot her old friend who she landed right next to before pulling him into a hug.

"Its been a while Nicholas."

"You can say that again Carol. I'm glad you're back."

"Why did something happen?"

"We can discuss it later, who's your friend?"

"Ah let me introduce you, she's my girlfriend Terra. We mainly came here to look for her brother."

"Who's your brother?" Fury asked the assumed alien girl thinking why would her brother be here?

"His name is Damien Greyson, should be in his mid 20s. Black hair, superpowers, ringing any bells?" Terra asked speaking for the first time.

Fury stopped in his steps as he was putting the dots together and all he could think was,

"Damien.....Greyson?"