Jean stands in a room at Xavier’s mansion, getting primed and prodded by both her mother and Ororo Munro. Today is the day she has been waiting on since soon after Xavier formed his X-Men. Today, Jean Grey becomes Jean Grey-Summers.
Jean reads a letter from Logan about his recent departure and his feelings of regret that he is going to miss Scott and Jean’s special day. Elaine tells Jean that it is okay to be nervous an hour before her “big day.” Jean informs her mother that she isn’t nervous about the wedding; she is only disappointed that their friend, Logan, will not be attending the festivities. Ororo, who is helping with Jean’s train on her dress, tells her that, speaking from her own experience, she knows that his journey to receive peace of mind and healing for his body will be a long and lonely journey.
Jean’s thoughts next turn to the younger redhead in the room by the name of Rachel Summers. Her daughter from an alternate reality leans quietly against the threshold of the open door. Rachel seems to be pondering whether or not she may be a future now, when, months ago, her chances seemed so bleak. Jean senses her thoughts and a feeling of apprehension comes over her, as she realizes what responsibility she is taking on. Jean continues talking. After her brief thoughts on Rachel, she tells Ororo that she knows Logan would be there if he could and she hopes he is all right. Ororo replies that by looking into Jean’s face and the faces of others she knows Logan is there, if not in body – in spirit.
Elaine screams JEAN, as her daughter makes her way to the nearby dresser. Jena informs her mother that she was just placing the letter back for safekeeping. Jean turns to Ororo and the two women embrace, as Jean thanks her for being such a good friend. Elaine, standing behind the two friends, tells them that she’ll never have Jean ready for the wedding if the two of them don’t stop hugging. Jean turns a caressing hand to her mother’s cheek and asks her to drop the “reserved mother” bit and let her guard down. Elaine teases that she’ll only drop it after she sees her daughter walk down the aisle without tripping. Placing a kiss on her mother’s cheek, Jean tells Elaine that she is one-in-a-million. Elaine replies back that it is she that is one-in-a-million and, luckily, she has genetics to back her statement up.
Rachel interrupts them and tells Jean how great she looks. Jean stands adorned in a white-hooded cape; her dress is strapless with the material hugging her thighs till they escape her body at the ankles to form the medium length train and, to finish the ensemble, she has pure white gloves that reach past her elbows. Jean tells Rachel that she is happy she was able to be there today, because, despite their past, she has become a very important person in both her and Scott’s life. Rachel tells Jean that she realizes it couldn’t have been easy for the two of them to deal with the realization that their teammate was a future child of theirs. Jean tells Rachel, as the two embrace, that if today means that they will have a baby Rachel Summers in their future than today is a double blessing. Stuttering, Rachel thanks Jean and calls her mom.
As the bride prepares for the biggest day of her life, so too does the groom. In a separate room, Scott sits with his friends by his side. Bobby, Warren, Hank and even his brother, Alex, sit near their soon-to-be married friend and Bobby teases Scott about Ororo’s abilities. He tells Scott that at least his wedding wont be cold; as Ororo has used her powers to turn the middle of January into a seventy degree beautiful day. Bobby asks the others as he turns away from the window if they are ready yet, because most of the guests have arrived and are sitting down. Hank tells Bobby, as he fiddles with a piece of ribbon, that they are encountering a threat bigger than even Magneto himself.
Warren, looking down at Hank’s fumbling hands, tells him to allow a master to tie the bow in Scott’s tie. Alex teases that he remembers a “society-boy” named Warren who only wore clip-on ties. Scott leans back in his chair and laughs about he would rather them pick any villain for him to face than for him to face his nerves today. Alex stands to his feet and walks over to his brother. Placing an arm around him, he tells Scott not to listen to Bobby’s teasing, because today is the beginning of the rest of his life. Bobby replies to Alex’s attack by telling Scott that he just wants to go on record as telling Scott that he warned him. Behind Bobby, Hank and Warren both stand with their tongues slightly out in contemplation of how to fix Scott’s tie.
A man Scott knows almost as a second father floats into the room; his name is Charles Xavier. Xavier senses Scott’s thoughts and he knows that he must put aside his “selfish” feelings of the day to once again rescue one of his X-Men. Xavier comes closer to Scott and grabs the tie from Hank and Warren’s hands. All along, he talks to them and tells them that today is the most important day of Scott’s life and he should not take it lightly. He begins to tell them that today has also given him a realization and wonders if his students even need their old Prof’ anymore? While Xavier was talking, his hands kept moving and, after he finishes, he produces Scott’s tie, to the amazement of the others. Scott asks the Professor if he had that analogy already planned? Xavier replies that his timing just so happened to be perfect. Scott continues to talk to his mentor, as Alex helps him put his bow tie on. He tells Xavier that, besides helping him to get dressed, he couldn’t think of anyone else he’d rather be by his side today of all days. Xavier motions towards the door and he asks his friends if they are ready to take their first steps, together?
The men leave the room and head towards their spots in the procession. Before Xavier leaves the house, he knows that he must switch wheel chairs, because of the secret he hides he cannot let the regular humans in the wedding to know that he himself is a mutant. He thinks about the reaction he would get by floating out in a Shi’ar-built hover-chair. Rachel sees her one-time teacher moving from wheelchairs and helps him to grab a letter that he dropped in the move. She notices that it is from Logan and Xavier informs her that he has not read the note yet. Finishing their conversation, the two of them head for the door and Xavier asks if Jean is ready. Looking out into the crowd, Xavier sees his legacy, mutants and humans all gathered together for a special day and he can’t help but wonder if he is selfish for not wanting to lose Scott and Jean forever.
Outside the mansion, the wedding is about to take place and most of the attendees have taken their place. Scott and Alex stand near the reverend and Scott looks behind him to realize that the congregation is staring at him. Alex, trying to comfort his tense brother, invites Scott to look out at the crowd and see the legacy that he helped create. Xavier pries into Scott’s mind once again and he feels the joy that his X-Man feels as he ponders to himself about how lucky he is to be among the few that can change the world. Scott sees friends; old and new alike surrounding him. To the right of him sits Quicksilver and Crystal, Rogue and Gambit, Banshee and Moira Mactaggert, and others from his past. To the left sit his own son, Cable, the three male members of the original five X-Men, Charles Xavier, his different-reality daughter and others from his past. Scott sees all these people and he knows that, for each one of them, he had a part in their lives and the man code named Cyclops feels blessed.
The procession commences and Ororo steps onto the runway and signals Lila Cheney’s band to begin the wedding music. Xavier watches as Ororo walks down the aisle and, being the maid-of-honor, she sets the wedding in motion. The two mutants glance at one another as Ororo passes her mentor down the aisle. Xavier knows that she feels the same way he does; an overwhelming love for both Scott and Jean. Ororo reaches the altar and Scott whispers a warning to Ororo to be silent or he may just “explode.” Ororo expresses her wish that he not cause such a scene and she tells him that in mere moments he won’t have to worry about his nerves, as his bride will take his fears away. Ororo is right because, one look at his bride-to-be walking down the stage and Scott becomes speechless. Xavier is in the crowd of attendees and he watches as Professor Grey walks his daughter down the aisle. He realizes that the two of them mirror one another in emotions, as they are both scared of losing a daughter. John Grey releases his daughter once nearing the end of the runway and the two family members hug one another before parting.
The reverend begins by tying a ribbon around the bride and groom’s hands, binding the two of them together. He tells the audience that the sash symbolizes the joining of both Scott and Jean in holy matrimony. He continues on to say that both the bride and the groom have prepared their wedding vows. The crowd listens as each one of the lovers announce their love for one another and vow to take one another in matrimony. After their vows, they exchange rings. With that done, the Reverend tells them that there is only one more thing to do and after he announces them husband and wife. He tells them that he wants to see a kiss! The two newly married lovers embrace one another in a passionate kiss and Xavier is surprised to notice that the hoorays begin with Jubilee, while the applause begins, oddly, by him.
The clapping continues on into the festive night. Jean and Scott move to the dance floor and they begin with the first dance as Lila plays “One” by the group U2. After their dance the others join in and John Grey moves to dance with his daughter as Elaine practically yanks her new son-in-law into dancing with her.
In the mountains overlooking the mansion, the bitter snow blows through the trees. One mutant that is not enjoying the festivities stares down the mountain like he has just found his next prey. The mutant’s name is Victor Creed and he thinks aloud that, even with his senses dulled by the apparatuses that he wears and the steel gloves that hold his claws back, he could still make a mess of the two love birds wedding. Creed doesn’t have to think long, as a boot kicks him from behind and he turns to see words written into the snow, “DON”T EVEN THINK ABOUT IT!” Creed realizes who is attacker must have been and he tells him that he did show up after all.
Back to the wedding – the bride and groom are off taking their wedding photos, as the reception starts. Hank and Bobby don’t waste time in getting their food and, just like normal, the two of them tease one another, this time about the lack of either of them finding a date for the gala. Elsewhere in the mix, Alex tries to comfort his lover, Lorna Dane, as she informs him that, if another person asks her when the two of them are going to get hitched, that she’ll wrap a Buick around their neck! Passing by a conversation between Rictor and Rahne, Nathan is discovered by Val Cooper, who informs him that she’ll just pretend that she didn’t see him at the party today.
The afternoon goes on and the time for the bouquet toss in at hand. Jean turns her back on her female friends and lets the bouquet fly. It doesn’t take long for the winner to be found, as Rogue flies into the air, snatching the flowers before they even get their chance to land. Minutes later, Jean sits in a chair as Scott removes her garter and Jean wonders why she agreed to such madness. Scott informs her that Hank said Guido would sulk for a week if hey didn’t and Jean tells Scott that Mr. Carosella and she will be having a talk later about this incident. Scott lets the garter fly and Guido, Warpath, Forge, Cable, Archangel and Hank all plow one another over for the chance to place the item on Rogue’s leg. The outcome was never in doubt, as a blast sends the competitors away and Gambit stands triumphant twirling the clothing around his finger. He tells the others that they surely didn’t believe that he would allow any of them the pleasure of his lady?
The night still moves on and Jean is teased into shoving the wedding piece of hers in Scott’s face, while the others begin to eat on their own pieces of cake. Others, though, contemplate on today’s meanings. Nathan and Rachel stand together and they stare at their parents off in the distance, seeing the night sky ascend and their parents love grow.
Charles Xavier thinks to himself that tonight’s festivities are coming to a close, but he is wrong. Lila Cheney announces that Jean has requested one last dance. The person she wishes to dance with, though, is not her new husband, but a man she considers as close to a father to her as her own. That man’s name is Charles Xavier. As the two mutants approach one another, Xavier apologizes, because his disability makes him unable to walk. She, of course, knows this and begins to lift him from his chair by the use of her telekinetic powers. Xavier reminds Jean of the attendees and some of their ignorance to the idea that they are all mutants. Jean tells Charles that she does not care, because if her powers can make her happy today she will use them to her advantage. She tells Xavier that he was the one that brought her and Scott together and it is he that deserves some of the honor on her happiest of days. The two dance and, near them, their friends watch as some smile, while others tear up with joy.
Later that night, after the guests have left, Charles Xavier sits alone in his office, thinking. His thoughts are interrupted, as Scott walks into the room with his carry-on bag in tow. He tells Xavier that Alex is going to drive him and Jean to the airport, which will give him and Alex time to talk about the recent death of Jamie Madrox and how that is affecting Alex’s mind. Scott begins to leave the room and tells Charles, as he leaves, that he loves him and appreciates everything he has done to make his life better. Because, without him, he wouldn’t have any hope for his future.
Scott leaves and Xavier sits, pondering about how this morning he had felt so overwhelmed by the tasks in front of him, but now he feels like he can see all his work not as a problem but as an opportunity. Xavier fumbles through his recent paperwork and sees an envelope fall to the ground. Bending over to pick it up, he notices that it is the letter from Logan. Deciding to open it, he removes a knife from a drawer and cuts the seal of the envelope open. Reading the letter inside, the simple note reads “Lighten up.” From his old pal, Logan. Reading the letter, a smile comes across Xavier’s face and he bursts out laughing, thinking that today began the dawning of a new hope.
