If someone were to ask Alex how many years it had been since he last saw Hank McCoy, he'd be able to tell them it was 20 without hesitation. That number had a permanent home in the back of his mind, never in present thought yet nestled in with other information, ready to be retrieved from memory. All the time that had passed was more like a blur, but with certain moments where he'd remember specific details or events or feelings clearly. He would allow the thoughts to cloud his mind- because they always left as soon as they came- and he was fine. That was before he was thrown into the deep end without warning.

He could barely register the reality in front of his own eyes. He was realizing that this wasn't just a thought or a memory, but the real thing and he didn't know why he suddenly wasn't able to move. The tall man, coming down the stairs of a mansion that Alex once called home, hadn't noticed him just yet, granting him a few seconds to compose himself and attempt to free his mind of the past 20 years as it all came rushing back to him in a single moment. As soon as they made eye contact, Alex's mind blanked.

His mother had called him early that afternoon. She sounded like she had been crying, but was able to compose herself enough to speak with him. It was Scott; he'd had another incident at school. Hearing his mother's voice shake slightly as she recounted the events of Scott destroying the boys' bathroom and being expelled from yet another school district was enough to make his heart drop. His little brother was too reminiscent of him.

He rested his forehead in his hand as he sat on the edge of his bed, receiver held up to his ear. "I'll be right over, mom," he said, hesitating before hanging up. He wanted to ask how Scott was and talk to him himself, but he rationalized his thoughts, figuring he'd be able to do just that once he had arrived at his parents' house. He sat still for a minute. Only one solution to Scott's dilemma popped up in his mind, and it was the only one that was sure to work.

"I'm going to my parents' house. I'll be back later," he said, grabbing his coat. Will looked up from the novel in his lap, set down his tea on the coffee table on the side of the couch.

"How long are you gonna be gone?" Alex reached for his car keys.

"Not sure. I'll be home later."

"Well, when is 'later?'"

"Will, I have to go," Alex pressed, hoping he would get the hint that it was an urgent matter. Will crossed his arms in a huff.

"Fine. Don't expect dinner to be waiting for you when you get back 'later.'" He focused back on his book and didn't look up again. Alex suppressed his eye roll until he got outside. He would have to deal with the silent treatment when he returned- he was sure of that.

Pulling into his parents' driveway was this surreal moment that almost made him blink twice. He hadn't been there in a while. There had been miscellaneous get-togethers here and there, but Alex spent most of his holidays at his own apartment with whoever was sharing it with him at the time. He still talked to his mother and father of course, just not as much considering that he lived an hour or so away and had his own life to keep up with. Scott was their primary focus, and really Alex didn't blame them. There weren't any parenting books on raising a mutant kid- let alone two.

Chris and Katherine looked like they were both hit by a bus when they opened the door. His father nodded at him, quiet, and his mother was wiping tears from her eyes. How bad was it? They didn't say much, just that Scott was up in his room. Alex's pulse quickened as he trudged up the steps, worst case scenarios about his baby brother popping up in his mind. The door was cracked slightly; Alex nudged it open as he knocked.

He stepped inside. Scott was sitting on his bed, knees hugged to his chest. The TV was on but he wasn't watching it. There was a thick white cloth tied around his head, covering his eyes. Alex noticed it looked a bit damp, assuming Scott had been crying too. He didn't say anything as Alex approached him, probably thinking it was his mother or father. Alex sat on the other side of the bed slowly, so he wouldn't startle him.

"Scott?" he asked. Scott perked up at the unexpected voice. He rubbed his nose.

"Alex? Is that you?" His voice was small, scared to sound out. Alex shifted closer to him.

"Yeah, it's me, Scott. What happened?" His hand reached out to him, but Alex was unsure if he wanted physical contact in such a vulnerable state. Scott's mutation was very similar to Alex's, and if he knew anything, it was that he hadn't thought too fondly of human interaction after having outbursts of his own. He figured Scott felt the same and lowered his arm back down to his side. Scott was silent for a minute or so, presumably trying to compose himself enough to properly speak. He sniffled.

"I...I-I can't open my eyes, Alex." A sob forced its way out of him, causing him to hunch over into his knees.

"I can't open my eyes."

Scott was weeping, the sound muffled by his jeans. His hands were shaking as he had them resting lightly at his sides. He wanted to remove the blindfold, just be able to rub the water from his eyes but refused to let himself do so. Alex was shocked at the sight before him, at the extreme level of distress hanging over his brother. He'd had it bad, but not this bad.

"Scott, listen to me," he began, standing up off the bed. Scott didn't lift his head.

"I'm gonna take you to someone who can help you." At that, Scott sucked in a breath and wiped his cheeks.

"Mom and dad tried that," he said. "I've already seen a hundred fucking therapists." Alex's heart broke at his words, but he would persist.

"No, Scott. I'm taking you to the person who helped me. He's the only person who can do this."

Scott let out an overwhelming breath, slumping his body against the wall behind him. His body language was an indication of many failed attempts to "cure" or "fix" him. Even though Scott knew the gist of Alex's past, he was still appropriately skeptical. But Alex just placed an affectionate hand on his shoulder, reassuring him that he knew what he was doing. He pulled his brother into a hug as he stood up after him.

"You're gonna be alright. You will be able to control it," he said, feeling his little brother's arms tighten. He was just a kid; he didn't deserve to suffer like this.

When the two of them had arrived at the X Mansion, it was another surreal moment, and Alex barely kept his feet on the ground.

"Hank."

"Alex."

The two men shared a handshake as Alex's sanity was threatening to fall over the edge. He was smiling, and it was genuine, but the fact that Hank McCoy was standing in front of him in the flesh seemed too good to be true. It was like he hadn't aged a day since they were teenagers. He was older but barely looked any different than the Hank in Alex's memory. He suddenly felt self-conscious and very much aware of the fact that he had been putting off getting a haircut.

"How are you? It's been such a long time," Hank said, adjusting the books in his arm. Alex's heartbeat was prominent and noticeable and acting like it was begging for his attention.

"It has. I'm… I'm good. Yeah, I've been good. Just, life, you know?"

He couldn't believe how stupid he sounded.

"What are you doing here, after all this time?" Hank asked.

Alex didn't know the answer. Hank looked at Scott.

"Who's this?"

It clicked.

"Oh, right." Alex cleared his throat." This is my little brother, Scott. I'm taking him to see the professor."

Hank nodded to him. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Scott." Scott smiled weakly.

"So Hank," Alex began. "Is the professor around right now?" He'd realized he essentially just showed up unannounced. He had no idea if he and his brother would even be able to see him at all. But thankfully, Hank relieved him of his doubts. He pushed up his glasses.

"He's teaching a class right now, but it should be wrapping up. I can take you to him now if you'd like."

"That would be great, Hank, thank you."

He led Alex and Scott down the halls of the mansion, guiding them through the flood of students walking in all directions. Scott held onto Alex's arm as they walked, and Alex wished that Scott could be seeing everything in front of him. The interior was about the same as Alex had remembered it, save for the rooms being used as classrooms and the considerable amount of kids. It wasn't too long ago that it was him and a few others that lived there, under Charles's guidance. Now, it was overflowing; the number of possible mutations under this one roof was immeasurable.

Even with the fine wood flooring, the grand glass windows, and the aesthetically pleasing decorations, all Alex could see was Hank. Well, the back of him, but nonetheless he had almost walked Scott right into a potted plant. There were so many questions stirring in his mind and so many anecdotes he wanted to share with him. He felt the urge to explain every detail of the last 20 years of his life, but he kept quiet. There was a time and place for everything, and right now wasn't the ideal moment to overwhelm him with 'I miss yous' and 'I'm sorrys.'

However, one glance at his brother at his side was enough to sober him. They reached a narrow part of the building, tucked away in a random hall that was too obscure for Alex to truly remember. There was a group of young kids sitting in a circle, listening attentively to the man in the middle. Alex felt the smile on his lips spread wider.

"Read the chapter for your homework tonight, and don't forget there will be a quiz on Monday." Charles Xavier paused when he saw the three of them.

"Class dismissed." The room cleared out and Charles smiled directly at Alex.

"Do my eyes deceive me, or is that Alex Summers?" he asked, grinning brightly as he pulled him down to give him a hug.

With an affectionate pat on the back, he said, "It's wonderful to see you, Alex."

He was relieved and reassured by Charles's genuine pleasure at seeing him. He felt like an intruder, but he should have known that his old friend would only respond to him with open arms.

"You too, Charles. I'm glad to see you're doing well," he responded warmly. He meant it, too. Charles was much older than the last time he had seen him, but every line on his face was like a decoration. He aged well, and he even still had a good head of hair on him. He looked at the unfamiliar face that was accompanying Alex and Hank.

"Hello there, friend," he said, sticking out an arm despite the blindfold blocking Scott's vision. "I'm Professor Xavier, but there's really no use for formalities, so Charles will do just fine." Scott perked up at being addressed directly.

"Oh, I'm Scott. Nice to meet you." Alex helped his brother reach Charles's outstretched hand, and gave it a firm shake as soon as he got a hold of it. The look on the professor's face was indicative of him already taking a liking to Scott. Alex spoke up then.

"I brought Scott here to see you, Charles. He's been struggling with his mutation, and I figured you were the only one who could help him," he said, hope and plea present in his tone of voice though he wished they weren't. Even so, Charles took a good look at Scott, then nodded at Alex.

"It'd be my pleasure to help your brother, Alex." Scott's eyebrows raised at that.

"Hey, how did you know that I'm…"

With a chuckle, Charles pulled Scott to the side to talk with him on a further personal level. Alex would have to pay Charles back somehow for this, as he felt like he was only burdening him. From the looks of it, Charles already had a line of students in need of his help in getting ahold of their mutations. The guilt formulating in the pit of his stomach was churning, but he repressed it for now.

Hank turned to Alex as they were left to themselves for a minute or so.

"If you're not busy on Friday, I would love to get coffee and catch up," he offered, nonchalant and friendly. It was unexpected and a bit out of the blue, but Hank was never known to be spontaneous- he was always a man with a plan. The little pang in his chest came back.

"That sounds great," Alex said, agreeing on the spot. They shared a smile, and Alex was hoping for the best on Friday. He hadn't been this mash-up of nerves and excitement since he was 16.

A/N: Hey guys! Gosh, it's been a while since I've been active on this site. But X-Men: Apocalypse came on a little bit ago, and the part where Alex and Scott see Hank struck me with inspiration! I'm back on my bs with these two LOL. Anyways, I hope you guys enjoy! xoxo