A Second Farewell

• Writer - Judd Winick
• Penciler - James Calafiore
• Inker - Mark McKenna
• Colorist - Transparency Digital
• Ass't Editor - Annie Thornton
• Editor - Mike Marts
• Editor - Mike Raicht
• Editor in Chief - Joe Quesada

Summary

  T.J. and Mariko pop up at night in the desert near Las Vegas. It was a rough port, and T.J. checks that Mariko is all right, especially since she was turning into a vampire a few minutes ago (iss. 32). She calls for the other Exiles, except Illyana, whom she hopes they lost, but nobody else is there.

  Vi-Locks attack (iss. 20-22), and T.J. yells for Mariko to get up, she's still woozy but flies away with T.J. at the last moment. She soon loses power, and they drop back to the ground.

  Mariko wakes with a headache: T.J. had been forced to possess her to save them from falling to death, and she's been out for 32 hours. They're in the Avenger's infirmary, with Pym and especially Spider-Woman glad to see her awake. Pym and T.J. leave them alone.

  Beast has scanned but found no other energy signatures indicating Exiles. He says T.J. and Mariko are still on the team, since their bodies are without decay, so they will most likely be reunited eventually.

  Mariko lies in bed with Spider-Woman and asks her when she knew she was gay; she says she had a crush on a schoolteacher when she was little, which was cute but worried her parents. Mariko says she fell in love with her best friend when she was 13, but she didn't feel the same. It helps to say she's over it, even though she isn't.

  The Avengers continue rounding up the remaining Vi-Locks; T.J. and Mariko help. T.J. warns her not to let Spider-Woman fall in love with her, because it will be that much harder when they leave, which she knows better than anyone (see iss. 10). Mariko gets angry, saying it's not a fling for her, either. Spider-Woman overhears.

  Spider-Woman has got Dr. Octopus to set up the local movie theater; she takes Mariko there alone although she mocks her sentimentality. Spider-Woman says she agrees they might not want to get too involved; Mariko gets angry, asking how they'd do that, and she refuses to give up, the one time in her life she's been happy. They hug.

  After another mission, Spider-Woman is angry at Capt. America's arrogant attitude and calls him a jerk; Mariko calms her, jokingly agreeing he's a star-spangled jerk. As Spider-Woman showers off, Mariko brushes her hair; suddenly she is teleported away, dropping the brush.

  Beast confirms the Exiles have ported away. Spider-Woman says it helps to say she's fine, even though she isn't.