synopsis:
Following their battle with Apocalypse, X-Factor brings their young charges back to New York following their being stranded in Virginia and they arrive to their new temporary headquarters, Apocalypse's ship and to a media circus. Rusty and Skids note that Scott and Jean are finally openly in love with each other. Having been made prepared for this, Rusty (wearing a mask due to the fact he's still wanted by the government, Skids, Artie, Rictor, Boom-Boom and Leech talk to the media, explaining what mutants are and showing off their various abilities. X-Factor then presents a gift to the people of New York in the spirit of the holiday season: Iceman uses his powers to create a giant ice sculpture of a Christmas tree on the top of the Empire State Building. When X-Factor, the kids, and Trish Tilby are lowered street level by Jean's telekenisis, Scott and Jean notice as Artie and Leech are distracted by store front windows full of toys. They feel bad as all the presents that they had accumulated for them this year were crushed when Apocalypse's ship crashed on top of their old base. While watching from the rooftops, Warren Worthington is furious that the humans now give X-Factor adulation. Having seen enough he flies off into the distance. The story continues...