Nathaniel Zale had found peace - the end. Or so the gawky wizard had thought. Despite the ordeal, the past five years had been... and despite the shared experience, which in hindsight, was the only reason he was still standing.
After the Avengers had failed to prevent 'the snap', life changed drastically for the survivors. With the halls of Xavier's suddenly half full, Nate and Eva drifted away from the mansion with little resistance. No one dared question Eva, not when she'd redoubled her efforts to found her company - with the mission statement to bring the victims back. And as for Nate, he was equally unapproachable with the loss of Brayden.
Of course, time marched on. Nathaniel, Eva, and Mateo relocated into their New York penthouse and Nate found comfort in the love of his new family. Evangeline Silvercloud became a Zale and they even made a new addition. They could have continued, soldiered on because the universe rarely gave you any other choices...
Then Brayden was back. Five years later, but the same age he'd been. Then came Wong, a portal, a bout of vengeance - and Nathaniel found the peace he'd been searching for.
Again, time marched forward. Eight months since the return and the Silvercloud-Zale family still lived in the city. The boys were in the same grade now and Nathaniel was the supportive house husband to his very successful wife. He had a toddler at his ankles and his own share of sage advice for his wife (stacked up in his arms like helpful baskets of laundry).
It was a Tuesday, just a Tuesday. Nathaniel had been busy enough not to check the mail until the evening. And it wasn't until Eva appeared in the foyer that he shuffled the stack of envelopes in his hands. It was the fourth letter that caused him to pause. Where the return address should have been, there was only an 'X'. Nathaniel stared, distracted enough to allow Eva to get all the way to him in the kitchen before his eyes rose and found hers. "Hey," he said, his tone of voice enough to tip Eva off. He turned the white envelope and flashed it toward her.
Since the return of those lost, they hadn't been formally contacted by the school. But the couple had discussed what they'd do if the mutant community decided it needed them again. Although, every conversation ended with a 'we'll cross that bridge when we come to it'. By the handwritten names and address on the letter - Nate could safely say that they'd come to said bridge.