New Avengers (2010 series) #24

Most of this issue is a flashback to the day before the the surrounding current event.

In the current day the New Avengers (Daredevil, Dr Strange, Iron Fist, Luke Cage, Mockingbird, Spider-Man, Thing and Wolverine) have gathered in a SHIELD Helicarrier with Avengers (Black Widow, Hawkeye, Iron Man, Red Hulk and Spider-Woman) and Giant-Man of the Secret Avengers and Avengers Academy and are watching Captain America talking to Cyclops on the shore of the X-Men's Utopia island. The Phoenix Force is laying a destructive trail towards Earth and everyone believes it's coming for the young mutant Hope Summers. Steve Rogers is trying to persuade Scott Summers to let him take Hope into protective custody. Natasha Romanoff and Tony Stark think Cyclops will see sense but Logan knows he won't, and he's proved right when Cyke eye-blasts Cap, who of course takes it on his shield before calling "Avengers Assemble". Red Hulk (Gen'l Thaddeus Ross) is in charge of the troops and sends them to attack. Cage is especially fired up.

In the flashback to the previous day the NAv (without DD and Luke but with Ms Marvel (Carol Danvers) and Victoria Hand) are having a meal in Avengers Mansion. Although the Norman Osborn thing is over there are still some protesters and newshounds outside the gates. Hand tells the team that Cap's standing orders are still not to engage with them. Spidey expresses disbelief that Wolverine's allowed to run a school for mutant kids (in the Wolverine & X-Men series). Carol expresses a common concern about not having heard from from Luke or his wife Jessica. Billionaire Danny Rand ignores advice and heads out to talk to the crowd...

... but he finds that his old Heroes For Hire partner Cage has beaten him to it. Luke gets the attention of a live TV reporter and uses the platform to beg Jessica Jones to come home. But another reporter barges in and demands to know about Osborn. Cage is distracted from his mission and responds that he's in jail where he belongs. He'd been stirring up public sentiment against the Avengers with lies that fed their fears. He urges everyone to go home and deal with their own problems instead of blaming other people. He knows that it's his own fault that his wife has left him and taken their child, but he'll do anything to make it right.

Then Jessica turns up with baby Danielle and nanny Squirrel Girl. She persuades him to take their family matters inside. They retire to their old bedroom and Jess suggests Doreen Green goes to get a meal and spend some time with the others. As Luke holds his baby girl Jessica explains that she had to get the child away from the Mansion because Norman Osborn had threatened the baby's life. Luke says they should have stayed together as a family because nothing is more important to him than Dani. But Jess says he seems to put the Avengers and his superhero life 1st, otherwise he wouldn't have them living in Avengers Mansion. Luke says this is the safest place but she scoffs at that. This house is always under attack, and even if the baby is safe they go out and risk *their* lives all the time. She can't have the baby live here and she can't live without the baby. Luke says he can't live without either of them. She says she's quitting the Avengers and taking Danielle with her and she asks him to come with them.

But Danny interrupts to say Cap has called a meeting of all Avengers, and the 2 plus baby and nanny join it. Everyone who's on the raid is there, except I don't see Daredevil. Victoria Hand is included and Edwin Jarvis and Wong are in the background. The other Avengers (Black Panther, Maria Hill, Protector, Quake, Storm, Thor and Vision) are there but Ororo Munroe leaves when she hears that the Phoenix Force is coming and they're going to confront the X-Men on Utopia to get Hope. Thor will lead a team to space to stop the PF (which will include Ms Marvel plus Protector and Vision of the Avengers and the Secret Avengers Captain Britain, Valkyrie, War Machine and the X-Man Beast). Valkyrie and Beast aren't present but Sharon Carter is. And She-Hulk is lurking in the background. Various chars suggest that the X-Men aren't going to take this lying down, and many folk here will be fighting friends. Cap says anyone can back out, but Luke kisses his wife and child goodbye.