A/N - hello again, and welcome to the next installation of the 907 Universe! This time out, we're going to continue all the progress we've been making with the family and the teams ... and hope like hell they all come through the other side. Welcome back! If you missed the first three stories, go on back, the links are on my profile - and take your time getting to us. We'll wait.

Chapter 1: Family History

It was mercifully peaceful in Logan and K's little cabin tucked deeply into the woods.

For the first few days after Sam was born, she'd made the rounds of snuggles with almost everyone at Avengers' tower. In particular, K was sure to get to the three blondes that had been in the tower with her when Creed came, especially since she knew Bobby felt miserable about being used as a hostage against her on top of how much Creed had torn him apart for trying to help Hank and Kurt. Unexpectedly, that had ended up being one of K's favorite picture opportunities - when Bobby nearly melted as he nervously held little Samantha, promising to teach her how to make the best snowballs when she was old enough to pack them.

Once their friends were all past the point of hospital beds and it was clear they were going to make a full recovery once the casts were allowed to come off, Logan and K took Scott and Jean and little Samantha to simply disappear to somewhere with a little more snow and a lot more quiet.

The little group had gone to one of Logan's hidden cabins - which was something that had Scott smiling since, this one, as it turned out, was right on the border of Alaska and British Columbia - tucked away in the mountains, hidden well by trees and snow - and perfectly cozy warm.

Logan had just come in from outside - he'd been hunting for something to make for dinner and had come back with a small deer, though before he'd finished cleaning it up outside, the snow had started to fall again, and Scott could hear the wolves starting to howl nearby.

"If we come back in the summer, we can add on to the place," Logan said as he shook the snow off and hung up his coat. "If you wanna come back, that is."

Scott grinned. "Are you kidding? This place is great." He put his hands in his back pockets as he looked around. "What do you think we'd add on - playroom for Sam? Shed for us?"

"Just another room in general," Logan said with a smirk. Easier to heat one place than two."

"He's already thinking of taking Alex up with you for a camping or fishing trip this summer," Jean said, perfectly entertained by how happy Scott was.

"Fine by me," Logan said. "There's a good trout stream not too far off."

Scott smiled contentedly as he leaned against the wall. "We'll get around to teaching Sam too," he said easily.

"When she's a little bigger, she can meet the neighbors," Logan said with a smirk, though it was clear they didn't know what he was talking about.

"I thought no one else was out here?" Jean said with a frown.

Logan tipped his head toward the window. "Take a look, there's another family right there."

Both Scott and Jean went to the window to take a look outside, only to see about a dozen timberwolves sniffing around the gutpile Logan had left outside. "Yeah, Sam doesn't get to play with the wolves until she can heal, Dad," Scott said, shaking his head.

"They won't hurt her if she's with me," Logan said with a frown. "That pack is friendly."

"Really?" Jean asked, her eyebrows raised.

"If you know how to talk to 'em," Logan said with a smirk. "I can show you if you wanna give it a try."

"Sure, why not," Scott said, pushing off from the wall with a smirk to match Logan's. "Could be fun."

Logan didn't lose the sparkle of trouble in his eyes as he simply smirked a little wider then tipped his head Scott's way. "Come on, then." Logan didn't bother putting his coat back on as he opened up the door. "Don't talk. Don't look 'em in the eyes, and just do as I tell you, alright?"

"Got it."

The two of them stepped out into the lightly falling snow, and Logan held a hand up for Scott to stop as he made his way closer to the pack. To Scott's surprise, Logan simply walked right into the middle of them before he crouched down and then took a seat in the snow with them. It didn't take the wolves any time at all to make their way over to him - some of them trotted right up and simply started to nuzzle him, almost whining as they made friendly and others looked as if they were half afraid to get swatted by the way they belly crawled over, tail between their legs before they rolled onto their back and whined, waiting for some kind of acknowledgement.

A few of them were outright playful though, and were doing their best to bowl Logan over, happily bouncing around like massive puppies. "Just hold still now," Logan called out in just over a normal speaking voice. "You got one coming to investigate. Once he sniffs your hand, slowly crouch down and let him check you out. He won't bite."

When Scott did exactly as Logan said, it didn't take any time at all for the wolf to start sniffing at his hand - a lot. A few times as he started to lower himself to the ground, he even could feel the wolf's teeth around his hand - though not in a bite … just … sizing him up apparently. And once he was crouched down all the way, the wolf backed off - and then rushed in, half jumping up on him before it made it's way around to Scott's face and started sniffing at his nose and mouth.

"Blow a breath at him," Logan said. "Nice and gentle. He's gonna get friendly if he likes you. Then you can pet his shoulder. Not the head. Not yet."

A moment later, when Scott followed his directions, he couldn't help but let a little laugh slip out as the wolf started licking his nose and mouth - relentlessly, only stopping long enough for Scott to take another breath and blow at him again … and a moment or two later, a few of the rest of the pack peeled off to say hello as well.

It took almost ten minutes before the pack seemed to calm down, and when they did, Scott looked over to see Logan clearly entertained. "You can talk now. You're alright."

Scott smirked his way. "How'd you find 'em?" he said, though he wasn't talking very loudly.

"Ah … now and again I'll find a pack and make friends," Logan said. "Used to run with 'em when I was young." He gestured to the wolves. "Not this pack, but you learn a lot livin' in a wolf pack."

Scott shook his head at that. "I feel like I keep finding out more about you, and we've been together for years."

"Stuff like this just doesn't come up that often," Logan replied.

"True enough. But still." Scott grinned as he watched the wolves. "They obviously love you."

"Hell, I just fed 'em," Logan chuckled. "They came up at the end of the hunt and followed me back."

Scott smirked at that, shaking his head at the whole story. "Well, you know what they say about kids and dogs…"

"Don't turn your back on 'em?" Logan teased.

"Yeah, that," Scott chuckled.

"You should be proud of yourself," Logan said as he got to his feet. "You just did somethin' most grown men'd be terrified of."

Scott smiled and took Logan's hand to pull himself up. "Like you'd have let them bite me. I had an advantage over most."

"As long as you're playin' by their rules, you're fine. Trouble is, most people don't even think they got their own way of communicatin'."

"Alex isn't going to believe it when I tell him," Scott said, starting to grin as they headed back.

"He will when you show him in the summer. Be more fun then anyhow," Logan said. "When the pup's are with 'em."

Scott's grin got somehow wider. "Oh yeah. We definitely have to come up for my birthday."

Of course, by the time they got back to the little cabin, neither of them were terribly surprised to find that Jean had managed to snag Sam for some snuggles - once she was fed and drifting off to sleep anyway. She grinned when the two of them got to the door. "Have fun?"

"Always," Logan said before he shook off the snow again and then slipped over to pull K into a kiss while Jean had Sam.

Scott, meanwhile, dropped down to sit next to Jean with his arm around her shoulders. "And what about you?"

Jean grinned and resettled herself so she fit into the space he had made. "Well, I finally got to steal your sister while you were gone, you hog," she teased.

"My sister," Scott said, one eyebrow raised.

"Yes, but you'd think someone with your experience being the older brother would know how to share," she shot back.

"Aren't you the older sister?"

"That's not important."

"Sure, Jean," Scott laughed, then stole a kiss and settled back in, perfectly happy to let Jean make over Sam while she was sleeping.

The vacation in the snowy mountains went off without a hitch, and as they reached the six week mark for Sam it was clear that it was time to get back to reality. They'd more or less packed up what they'd brought in, and Logan had taken the time to go outside to give the wolves whatever was left of the meat he'd hunted as K took the chance to feed Sam. And while they were finishing up their final preparations, Scott seemed a little … off.

It wasn't that he wasn't looking forward to going back to Westchester, either. In fact, the opposite was true. He wanted to get back to the team, check up on his injured friends, even start working on some simulations to deal with the inevitable return of Sinister, considering the threats he'd made to K.

But on the other hand, this was the closest he'd been to Alaska in a long time. And something about being that close without being home felt … wrong, somehow.

Jean watched him for a long moment, overhearing his thoughts and the direction he was going mentally before she slowly backed away and made her way over to where K was feeding Sam near the fireplace. You know… She projected to make sure Scott didn't overhear her. I don't think Scott has been to Alaska since he was a kid.

K glanced up at her, but didn't say anything as she thought it over. You think he needs to touch base with home? She projected back to her.

I know he hasn't been there since the crash, and right now, he's wondering how he'd even know where to find his mom, Jean admitted. But he doesn't want to say anything, not when you both went out of your way to play it cool with Corsair and he doesn't want you to think he wants to go back.

That's ridiculous, K said, her mental voice almost scoffing. I'll figure it out on the jet on the way to Anchorage.

Jean smiled. Thanks. This will mean a lot to him.

He needs to learn to speak up a little, you know? K replied. I can tell you for sure we don't want to keep him from his family.

I know that, and you know that, and he knows that, Jean replied. It's just… you know how he is.

K nodded at that and settled in to finish up with Sam. He's just been beaten down too much for too long. It'll take some time for him to realize he's safe in his place with us.

He just doesn't want to lose anyone, Jean said. It's alright; that's what you've got me for in the meantime. I've got the cheat code, she teased.

As long as you speak too.

We do, Jean promised. I remember what you told me.

K smiled at that, then switched over to speak just loud enough for Scott to catch it. "I'm glad you came with us, Jean. It wouldn't have been the same without you here."

Jean flushed with pleasure. "I'm glad you asked me," she said, glancing over at Scott, who was smirking at both of them.

Yeah, and I'm glad you're pretty much part of the family, he projected her way, which had her turning a bit redder - and had K smirking, since she didn't have to hear what he'd said to know the gist of it.

As soon as Sam was warmly bundled up, Logan and K led the way to the jet - with the wolf pack following alongside them all the way there. It wasn't clear to either Jean or Scott that Logan and K were talking - but they were, very low, very softly most of the way to the jet, and when they got there, before they left, K surprised Jean when she took a step to the side with Logan so he could introduce Sam to the pack too … though it was even more entertaining to watch than when they met Scott since the whole group of them all had their ears perked up and were obviously very interested in the little bundle. As each wolf took their turn, as soon as they backed away, they started bouncing around in the snow - exactly like excited puppies.

And when they were done, K shook her head at Jean and had her lead the way into the jet. "Are you sitting with me, or am I playing co-pilot?" K asked.

"If you play co-pilot, do Scott and I get Sam?" Jean teased.

"She just ate, so .. you could," K said with a shrug.

"Perfect. I'll hold her," Scott said, smirking Jean's way - though Jean didn't argue it when she figured Scott might be a little more emotional than he realized after they stopped in Alaska, so… he could hold her this time.

"I told you you're a baby hog," Jean couldn't help but whisper to him anyway as he settled in with his sister.

"Oh, like you're any better," he shot right back, which had her laughing, especially when she could swear Sam was taking her brother's side the way she was raising an eyebrow at Jean.

"If you weren't so cute with your sister…" Jean stuck a finger in his face.

"You'd have a better comeback," Scott teased, while Sam was positively fascinated as she stared up at Scott wide-eyed and blinking slowly.

Jean smiled as she gestured between the two of them. "Perfect team-up."

"Well, good, because she's stuck with me," Scott said as they got settled in for the trip, though he was just as wrapped up in Sam as she was with him as he tried to get her to make faces.

"I don't know if 'stuck' is the right word…" Jean smiled as she rested her chin on his shoulder. More like 'lucky'.

You're a flirt, Miss Gray.

You act so surprised, Mr. Summers.

In the cockpit, Logan and K were quietly piloting over the top of the clouds - especially since the further west they went, the more unpredictable the clouds were going to be near the mountains. "Think he'll notice which way we're goin?" Logan asked low.

"Not as long as he's making faces at Sam," K replied softly.

"Yeah, you got his two biggest weaknesses workin' against him," Logan said, though he couldn't help but chuckle at that.

K didn't respond but to steal a peek at the two teenagers mooning over the little one before she checked their course and started with a quiet radio call to the little airport they were planning to use outside of the city. Logan had made the arrangements once they got into the jet - he had some old friends that way, because of course he did - so by the time they started spiraling downward to land, there was a car waiting for them to use. And that … was when Scott realized something was different. They hadn't been in the air more than an hour. And though the jet was fast … it wasn't fast enough for them to be back to New York.

"I thought we were headed back to the team," Scott said, leaning forward. "Something wrong?"

"We'll go back," Logan said. "Nothin's wrong. Just had a stop to make first."

"Need a hand?" Scott offered.

"You can drive if you really want to," Logan said before he handed Scott an address K had written out. "But we're all plannin' on goin' with you."

There was a long beat of silence as Scott stared at the address and obviously tried to process it before he finally looked up at Logan again. "Where … how did you…?"

"You know how K is," Logan said with a little shrug. "She can find any damn thing you want if you ask for it."

"Yeah," Scott said, nodding slowly before he at least tried to get a better hold of himself. "Alright. Yeah. Let's go."

"Car's waitin," Logan said, gesturing to the exit.

Jean was positively grinning, though Scott barely seemed to notice as they drove out to the quiet cemetery, still lined with snow. No one said anything as they walked around, looking for the markers that would say Christopher and Katherine Summers, even if one of them was unnecessary.

Eventually, they did find the right place, and Scott was grateful that the rest of the family gave him a little space so he could kneel down next to the headstones and just… look at them for a long moment. He glanced over his shoulder to see that K had not-so-subtly pulled the rest of the group to the side to have a quiet chat so he could do whatever he needed to, and he smiled tightly before he turned back.

"Hi, Mom," he said in a breath, just resting his fingers above his mom's name. But after that, he couldn't even begin to think of what to do. Or say. It felt like a part of him was buried there, too, and he didn't know how to even begin to express that.

He spent a long time just kneeling there, not saying anything. Just… thinking about his mom and trying to remember everything he could at once. Like the way she always let the boys stay up a little later than they were supposed to - but only if they helped her pick up the house… so they sometimes went to bed anyway. Or the way she'd laughed when Alex had managed to get his head stuck in the banister - after they got him out, of course.

It felt like a totally different life, somehow.

Finally, Scott cleared his throat and got to his feet, rubbing the heels of his hands in his eyes before he put the glasses back down and headed over to the rest of his family - to positively attach to K in the tightest hug he could give her (since, luckily, Logan was holding Sam at the time).

"You alright?" K asked, hugging him back tightly before she kissed the side of his head and snuggled in a little bit more.

"Yeah," he said quietly. "Thanks."

"I'll be honest," K told him softly. "Jean tipped me off that you were a little down at being this close …"

"Yeah, well, that's why I love her," he said quietly and in a sort of half-laugh that said how emotional he still was.

"One of many reasons," K replied, though she still hadn't come anywhere near letting go of him yet.

"Yeah," Scott said. There was a beat, then, "I miss her."

"I know," K said. "I'm so sorry she's not here for you."

"Me too," Scott said, though he was still talking low enough it was clearly meant just for her. "But you know you're still my mom, right? Just so we're clear?"

"I know," she said. "But any time you want to come here, just say the word. I don't want you to forget her. Ever."

"She… her birthday's in May," he said. It wasn't really a request, but K knew what it was anyway.

"Then we'll have to come back then," K said with a nod.

"Thanks, Mom."

"Love you too, sweet Caramel Mocha."

It took a moment longer still before Scott and K stepped back from each other - and once they did, Jean darted over and positively wrapped Scott in a hug and a long kiss. She was obviously emotional as well, though Scott was starting to pick himself back up and gave her a quick squeeze.

Thanks for looking out for me, he projected to her.

Love you too, Scott.

The little group made their way to the car and piled in, and the ride back was mercifully silent - except of course for Sam's cooing as they went. Scott was just starting to get better control of himself when he had to frown at the road in front of them. The entire roadway was blocked off with what looked to be an accident. And of course, it was the only road to the airport, so they had no choice but to stop and wait for it to be cleared. "This might take a while," Logan muttered to himself, though it was clear they all knew there wasn't really much they could do.

"Well, maybe we could stretch our legs?" Jean offered.

"If you need to, you sure can," K said, settling in.

Jean smirked her way. "Not all of us are as short as you are," she teased.

"I just know Sam will be needing some attention soon," K said. "So I may as well stay where it's warm."

Jean nodded and looked over to where Sam was still sleeping, though she was starting to make a few noises. She let out a breath and leaned over to rest her head on Scott's shoulder. "No one's hurt up there," she said. "So hopefully that will help things move along, even if the cars need to be towed." She paused. "At least, I can't sense anyone hurt. Or… anyone angry. That's weird."

"Maybe we should turn around," K said with a little frown.

Scott nodded, though he had only just managed to go a little ways down the road before they found it blocked off that direction, too - this time with a couple large trees. "Yeah, this is a problem."

"Damnit," Logan breathed out before he opened his door and got out. "This doesn't just happen. Cover your Mom and sister." he closed his door and only made it to the end of the car before he caught a familiar and unwelcome scent - and simply started growling as he let his claws fly. He just … couldn't see where it was coming from, and the way the wind was swirling through the pass, it was hard to pinpoint. He spun on the spot, wildly looking for the source of the scent and looking somewhere between angry and alarmed. There was a little sound - not quite like a pop and Logan whirled driving his claws ahead of him as he turned, though before he made meaningful contact, his target disappeared and reappeared behind him to reach out and freeze him into place.

Essex turned with a self-satisfied look on his face before he simply started walking toward the car. "Run him over, Scott," K said quietly.

"Jean, keep an eye on Sam," Scott said just as quietly before he simply floored it, not even hesitating when it was Sinister they were fighting. Of course, Sinister teleported out of the way, and Scott had to slam on the brakes - but it was worth a shot.

"Yeah, didn't think that was gonna work," K said under her breath. "Crap. What do you have?"

Scott was already throwing the car in reverse. "Buying time to think," he admitted. "Kurt has a harder time teleporting into a moving vehicle; same principle, hopefully…"

It was a good plan in terms of keeping Sinister from teleporting into the car with them, though it hit a sudden and solid snag when a wall of a man came out of nowhere, and the car slammed into him, jolting the four people inside before a second giant man got there to literally tear Scott's door off the hinges.

It was pure reaction when Scott blasted the huge man away from the car, though it was starting to become apparent there were more where he'd come from. And before Scott could blast the next one, he let out a cry and then doubled over, knocked cleanly unconscious by Sinister's telepathic blast.

K shook her head and picked up Sam. "This isn't going to work."

Jean was openly panicked as she tried to shake Scott awake. "We can… do… something, right?"

"What?" K asked. "You've seen him stop both of them without breaking a sweat, and you missed him slapping around Sabretooth like he was a child."

"We can't just… give up!"

"Jean, with everything I've ever cooked up … I can't come up with anything that works against this guy."

Jean's mouth worked for a moment. "But…" It was obvious she didn't have anything, but she couldn't believe K was … giving up. But when she saw Essex making his way over, she could only narrow her eyes and clench her fists. "We'll get out. This is just temporary," she whispered.

"Uh huh," K whispered back, holding Sam a little tighter.

When Essex got to the car, he was smiling at the two women almost pleasantly, though that only seemed to irritate Jean. "Oh, stow it," she bit out, her eyes flashing bright.

"Now, Miss Grey, that's no way to behave," Essex drawled out. "Stop acting like a child and come along."

"And what about Scott and Logan?" Jean asked.

Essex smiled a little wider and glanced at where the two of them were laid out. "They'll be coming along as well, of course. But admittedly, they're not my focus today."

"She's a baby," Jean said heatedly. "Leave her alone."

"She's a baby that I worked very hard to create."

"Then your part is done," Jean said flatly. "You know where to address the child support payment."

"Charming," Essex said with narrowed eyes before he held one hand out. "It's time to go, my dears."

Jean glanced over at K, but K still hadn't said anything and was simply holding tight to Sam. And seeing the look on K's face, Jean was mad all over again and rounded on Essex, tossing him telekinetically into the snow. Even if she knew it wouldn't last, she couldn't stop from lashing out.

Of course, as soon as she'd done that, K turned and grabbed her arm. "Time to run."

"I really couldn't agree more," Jean breathed out, even going so far as to reach out to dump a drift of snow on Essex before he could get up, just to buy them a little more time.

As the two of them ran, K pulled the little sling around she often carried Sam close to her with … if nothing else to give her arms some free motion so she could keep her balance as she ran. They didn't get too far though before the Marauders began coming out of the trees, and K was quick to put one hand on Sam's back to hold her a little closer and popped the claws on her free arm - slicing off one of the Marauder's limbs as she slipped by him. "Don't try to just stop them," K snarled toward Jean.

"Not all of us have lethal weapons at our fingertips," Jean shot back - though she did follow it up by knocking two Marauders into each other to knock them both unconscious.

"My point is that kill shots won't kill them anyhow," K shot back. "So don't get squeamish." The two girls worked their way past the marauders and actually looked like they might get a shot at a clean getaway - right up until, all of a sudden, K froze in the middle of her run toward one of the Marauders.

Jean let out a noise of pure frustration as she spun on her heel, throwing two Marauders right at Sinister, though he simply teleported out of the way and shook his head at her with a little tut that had her that much more frustrated. "Just… just stop!" she said, though she was worn out and angry and on the verge of losing it from sheer frustration and honest terror. "Leave us alone, please."

Essex paused for just a moment as he reached over to move the blanket to take a peek at Sam. "I told you already, Miss Grey, I have too much invested to simply walk away," he said. "And I have far more of a claim to this child than you do."

For just a moment, Jean looked like he'd thrown water in her face. "I… stay away from her," she said, though by that time, one of the Marauders had come to pull her back by her arms.

Essex was smiling down at the little one as Jean stammered and tried to get her feet under her more squarely. "That's not up to you," he said before he finally looked away from the little one and gave a silent order to his marauders just before he rested a hand on K's shoulder and the other on Sam's back - before he simply disappeared with the two of them.

Of course, Jean flat out began to panic at that - especially when the Marauders near her took a more aggressive hold on her and started trudging out of the woods to where the faux wreckage was. When they got there, Logan and Scott had already been loaded up - fully restrained and immobilized, of course.

Jean was frustrated to the point of tears, but the Marauders didn't have anything in their minds but Essex's orders, so really, all she could do was glare all the way through the trip to the large house that Essex had set up for himself, far from prying eyes. Though he had, at least, learned from the last time and, in addition to giving Logan some kind of metal gloves that would keep him from using his claws, had reinforced steel doors and bars on the windows of the cells.

All three of them - besides K and Sam, who Jean simply couldn't see - were locked into different cells and simply left to wait, and seeing as the boys were still out for the count, that just left Jean to pace a small path in her cell before she finally simply sat down and pulled her knees up to her chin.

She didn't know how they were going to get out of this one.