Alex was wandering an amusement park on Hala, watching the Kree have fun, dance, and play, and look a lot like Earth people in the doing. He felt good, and was smiling and exchanging greeting with those around him, who had, in general, respectful expressions in place. He was one of the heroes of their recent war, and he supposed they actually liked him for once, which was a nice change from how things were back home.

He wandered, just letting himself relax, and hoping Lorna was having fun off with Crystal. The two of them seemed to have been getting along pretty well recently. He liked that. Being around Crystal seemed to make Lorna feel and act stronger, and he could only marvel at the incredible beauty his love had become, and the fact that she loved him in return. Life was just about perfect.

That, of course, was when the sky burst open, and a laugh, insane and shrill, sounded. A laugh that Alex knew all too well. "Gabriel." Loathing coated his tone, and loss, as he looked up, seeing the huge image of his lost brother in a rip in the sky. Gabriel stared down at him, eyes looking just as insane as they had before his apparent death. "Hello, little brother."

Gabriel had always resented his older brothers, a fact he showed constantly. Alex wished, somehow, that things could have turned out better. Or different, or something.

"Hey, Gabriel. What madness is this?"

"Just thought I'd say hello, and remind you just how insignificant you are." Gabriel's peels of laughter sounded obscene as the scene turned nightmarish, colors swirling darkly and shapes bending out of natural forms. Alex felt his powers drain away, and struggled to keep his feet as he looked up at the brother he couldn't save, could only kill. A sudden surge of sadness swept over him, driving him nearly to his knees. "I'm sorry."

The words seemed to catch the face above him off guard and there was a hesitation. "Sorry? How odd. Words I'd never heard from my family, before. Sorry. Huhn. Too late."

And beams seemed to sizzle from Gabriel's eyes as he turned them on Alex and the surrounding people. Screams resounded as the Kree died, and Alex struggled, his powers gone, unable to even move. "Stop it! Stop this!" the slow creeping anger filled him again. Images of the people Gabriel had killed filled his nightmares most days, why should this one be any different?

"Just stop it, damn you!" He screamed it and Gabriel laughed, but the laugh was suddenly uncertain and there was a calming affect spreading, filling the area. Shapes righted themselves, colors ran back to their right light, and dead people vanished. "That's enough, son. Time to go."

"What--? No! Not until I have my vengeance!"

"No. This isn't the time." And a hand seemed to push Gabriel away, even as the rip closed slowly and the fair faded away, leaving Alex standing on a grassy hill.

With a shock, and and a shiver, he recognized it as a place he had come with his family when he was a child. He hadn't remembered this place in years. Where he'd come with Scott and...

"Dad?"

For his dad was standing in front of him, and smiling softly. It was an expression Alex had not often seen, but one that lit his dad's face as nothing else had. "How--?"