Disclaimer: see ch 1

Warning: mention of spanking

RIP Kirby Morrow. You brought Cyclops to life for me in X-Men: Evolution and because of that, you saved my life and helped create a lifelong Marvel fan.

"Want me to get Scott and Nate down for lunch?" Nathan asked.

"Is Nate feeling up to it?"

"Yeah. Tech won't let us stay sick for too long." Scott nodded and Nathan closed his eyes for a moment.

"They'll be down in a second. So what are we having?" he asked, following Scott to the kitchen.

"I was just going to make a sandwich… What were you thinking?"

"We should go out."

"Nathan,"

"I can make it so the assholes don't recognize us. Come on, Dad. Once lunch is over, you're going to be working on Mom's list, and then Friday is last minute prep and the rehearsal, then the wedding, and then we're leaving for who knows how long. I'd like five minutes with my dad."

"Alright. Let me go up and get my wallet and let Dad know what's going on."

"Do you have to let him know?"

"I'd really like to sit by my wedding, so… yeah he needs to know."

"I can make him-"

"We don't use powers on family," Scott said, shaking his head. "It won't be a problem, alright?"

"You say that now, but I'm sure you thought that on Monday, and look what happened?" Scott scowled.

"I'm seconds away from saying forget it." Nathan rolled his eyes.

"Fine. Go ask Grandpa, and when he says no-"

"Nathan," Future Scott said as he and Nate came down the stairs. "Quit it. You know if he leaves without permission, Dad'll strap him." Scott pushed past Nathan and went up the steps to the third floor. He let himself in and saw Chris, Ch'od, and Raza sitting around the table.

"Hey, Dad?"

"Yeah?"

"Nathan wants us to go out for lunch, since I'll be busy from now until after the wedding, and then they'll have to leave. He said he can get naysayers to ignore us if that's a problem." Chris sighed.

"I don't know, kid."

"Scott and Nate are going, too. We'll be safe, Dad. I promise."

"I don't like the idea-"

"Dad, please. We'll go to the diner or something. Ms. K will-"

"Can't you just order in?"

"It's not the same."

"I don't want to be the bad guy, son, but I just really don't think it's a good idea right now. Not with how Saturday went."

"I'm eighteen-" Chris stood up.

"Now it's an absolute no. One more word and you'll be in your room until Saturday."

"But-" Scott saw Chris raise his eye. "Yes sir."

"Scott, if you go anyways, we will have words."

"I won't." Chris nodded.

"Go eat something." Scott nodded and left the suite. He went back to the group and shook his head.

"Dad said he wasn't comfortable with me going out yet. Sorry."

"I told you he'd say no."

"We can order something-"

"No one will deliver here," Nathan scowled. "And you can't go pick anything up-"

"But you three could. And I don't know what you want me to say, Nathan. Dad's still in charge until Saturday. It would have been a lot worse if I didn't ask, especially since I was just punished for the same thing on Monday."

"Let me go talk to him-"

"Nathan. If you go up there and mess with your grandfather's head, I'll have you in the Danger Room until you drop," Future Scott threatened. Nathan rolled his eyes.

"Come on," Scott said. "It's nothing fancy, but I can make a mean PB&J. We can make them and go eat somewhere else. There's the lake further down we can eat by, if you'd like. You'll have my undivided attention, Nathan. I promise." Nathan thought about it, and then nodded.

"Only if you cut the crusts off of my sandwiches."

"Mine, too," Nate requested. "And strawberry jelly instead of grape." Scott looked at his future self and shrugged.

"They're your kids, too." Future Scott smirked.

"You need the practice more than I do. I'm not around little kids much anymore."

"Until Frank knocks up Carrie," Nate muttered. Both Scott's looked at him, frowning.

"You want your mouth popped, Nate?"

"No sir."

"Then keep comments like that to yourself."

"Yes sir." Future Scott looked at Nate's face and shook his head.

"You're planning on doing it again. Alright. So while we're making sandwiches, your nose is going to find a corner-"

"Aw, Dad! I'm twenty two! That's for babies!"

"And for Summers' males who can't act right. Now go find a corner, or you'll be horizontal with the floor, son." Nate groaned, but went to the kitchen to do as he was told.

"How'd you know?" Scott asked as he and Future Scott headed to the kitchen.

"After twenty two years, you know your kids. I can read them better than they realize. I saw the look in his eye and I knew he wasn't done talking about his sister." Future Scott looked at his younger self and gave him a small smile. "You'll get there." They walked into the kitchen, Future Scott noting Nate had chosen the corner farthest from them, and Scott went to the bread box, fridge, and pantry to get the ingredients for peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.

"Nathan, grape jelly for you?"

"Yeah, Dad. Nate gets strawberry to show individuality from me. He doesn't actually like it." Scott rolled his eyes.

"Nate, come here." Future Scott frowned, but said nothing.

"Yes sir?"

"Are you sure you want strawberry jelly? No one will think any less of you if you go with grape." Nate looked at Nathan and then back at Scott.

"It's stupid, I know. But nothing about me is me when he's around. Even the clothes I pick out end up looking like his when I see him." Scott looked at Nathan, who seemed to understand he needed to step out for a moment, and then looked back at Nate.

"Look, Nate… I can't begin to imagine what it's like to constantly be around your older self, but trying to pretend you aren't the same person is just a losing battle. I know he's around a lot in twenty years, but if you look at it from his perspective-"

"Because he's the only one who matters." Scott frowned.

"No, because he has two differen sets of memories: everything he went through as you, and everything he went through as Nathan Dayspring, orphan. He's around a lot because he finally has his family. And if you think about it, everything Nathan has done has somewhat been for you because he's trying to protect you-"

"Himself." Scott sighed and started making the sandwiches.

"He didn't have to bring you and Carrie to the wedding, you know. He was already going to see it at fifty three. Why need two memories of it?"

"But-"

"But I'm pretty sure he brought you because, while he understands that you are the same person, he doesn't see you as himself. He sees you as a little brother he wants to protect from all of the horrors that happened to him." Nate stayed quiet as Scott began cutting the crusts off of his and Nathan's sandwiches.

"He fought hard to get me to agree to letting you two come," Future Scott finally spoke up. "I was completely against it because I remembered how stressful this week was, but Nathan wouldn't give up. Every single day, every time he saw me, it would be him asking over and over. I actually threatened to spank him if he did it again, and he handed me his belt and said he wasn't going to stop until I agreed. It took a year, Nate. A year of Nathan begging me to let you visit your mother and see the wedding. He didn't have to. He could have said it wasn't worth the effort and just came alone. But he wanted to share this with you and Carrie because while you think everyone sees you as the same person, he sees you as your own person."

"I'll apologize. And if you haven't made it, grape jelly is fine. I really don't like strawberry jelly."

"Good. They're done, and I only used grape," Scott smirked. "And I don't know if an apology is necessary, but you should definitely talk to him. He does love you, Nate. He got your dad for you without any prompting, while I had to push him to bring his own daughter." Nate nodded. "And here. You can carry the sandwiches to the lake." Nate rolled his eyes, but took the now packed cooler of sandwiches and drinks in his metal arm as they all headed out of the kitchen. Nathan was waiting in the hall.

"Hey," he said, looking at Nate. "We good?" Nate looked at the floor, but nodded. Nathan frowned. "Can you guys-?"

"We'll meet you at the lake," Scott said, pulling Future Scott with him. "But not too long, because I'm starving!" He and Future Scott walked out of the mansion and started the walk to the lake on Xavier's property.

"Why do we call this a lake?" Future Scott asked, looking at the small body of water that was maybe twenty five feet in diameter.

"Because that's what Professor Xavier called it? Maybe because he's English, and the 'Pond' is an ocean." Future Scott chuckled as he sat on the warmed grass.

"So what do you want to know?" Scott smirked as he sat.

"Is she happy?"

"She is. She worries constantly, and refuses to go on missions together. She doesn't want to take the chance of Nate and Carrie losing both of us." Scott nodded.

"Makes sense, I guess." He sighed. "How long?" Future Scott looked at him and sighed as well.

"Not long enough. Never long enough. I'm sure even Dad would say he wasn't with Mom long enough, and they were together for a decade. Hell, I'm sure he'd say that about Hepzibah, and that's going on thirty years."

"You're not going to tell me, are you?"

"Not that. I know you, and instead of just enjoying every day you have with her, you'll focus on when it'll happen. Everyone will be miserable." Scott sighed and rested his chin on his knees.

"So. Tell me about their stepmom." Future Scott chuckled.

"Hell no. You'll go searching for her like you did Lorna-"

"I won't!"

"Yes you will! I'm pretty sure I know you even better than Dad, and I know you will look for her."

"Maybe I want to avoid her." Future Scott gave Scott a sad smile.

"Some things are destined to happen. Mom dying. Our family being separated. Maddie dying too young. Nate having that God-awful virus. Trying to stop it is like…"

"Begging Dad to stop a spanking?"

"Not that impossible," Future Scott smirked.

"Does he… how many times do I get it after Saturday?" Future Scott winced.

"Too many times than I'd like to remember."

"Surely I can't have almost died that many times."

"You'll go to him a few times, but after Maddie… Dad'll see how you're not doing well. He'll go back to the 'until you're twenty two and a college graduate' thing."

"Aw, man!" Scott flopped onto the ground.

"Kids were six the last time I got it," Future Scott blushed. "It was… very well deserved."

"What… what happened?" Future Scott sighed as he lied down, putting his hands under his head.

"Drunk driving."

"That's not… I mean, yeah, deserved, but-"

"Nate was in the car with me." Scott sat up and looked at his future self.

"You know what Jack put us through, and you still drank enough to put them in danger?"

"When that's the only way to stop thinking of failing your wife… Look, I don't drink to get drunk anymore. Dad said he'd strap me in front of the kids if I ever-" Future Scott sighed and sat up. "She and I have a glass or two of wine occasionally. And at cookouts, I'll drink a beer. On our anniversary and the anniversary of her death, I'll have something… a bit stronger at her grave. But no more than one. And I always have her nearby to take care of me if things get out of hand." Scott shook his head.

"I swore I'd never drink."

"Yeah. Yeah, I remember that promise. Pretty sure I also said I'd only sleep with my wife, wedding night and on." Scott blushed.

"Don't worry, we're fine. Geez, Scott. How many drinks did you pack?" Nathan asked as he and Nate put the cooler in front of Future Scott before sitting themselves. Future Scott smirked at Nathan as he opened the cooler and passed him and Nate a beer before taking one for himself. He handed a bottle of left over root beer to Scott.

"Can you handle that?"

"Dick."

"I've been told it's one of my better qualities."

"DAD!" Scott snickered as he twisted the top off.

"Nate, joking aside, no more than two, alright? Nathan, four is your limit."

"Yes sir," Nate said, taking a small sip. Scott shook his head as he began passing out sandwiches. He was halfway through his second sandwich when he felt his phone buzz.

"Hey Dad," he answered.

"Where the hell are you?"

"I'm with me, Nate, and Nathan at the lake."

"I'm sorry. You're where?"

"It's fine, Dad. We didn't leave the property. Have I not shown you the lake?"

"Scott Christopher, if you are off the property-"

"Dad! I swear I'm on Xavier's property. Just- come outside. I'll meet you at the door, alright?" Scott hung up and rolled his eyes. "I don't get as crazy has him, do I?"

"You have a daughter and a son who is essentially you. What do you think?"

"You're pretty overprotective," Nate said. "Two beer limit?" Future Scott just raised his eye.

"You want me to change it to one?"

"No sir," Nate scowled. Scott shook his head and stood.

"I'll be back in a minute." He took off in a jog to the front door, where Chris was waiting with his arms crossed.

"Explain."

"Down this path is a lake- a large pond, really. Nathan really wanted… He's leaving soon, and he really wanted to just have lunch with me because everything is about to change. So we made some sandwiches and had a picnic."

"Show me." Scott frowned.

"You don't believe me?"

"No, son, I don't. Not after Monday with you telling me you were just driving around." Scott blinked, but nodded once.

"Alright. It's this way." He led Chris down the path to the lake and Chris sighed when he saw the water and the time travelers.

"Sorry, Scott. It's just, after how upset you were earlier-"

"No, Dad, I get it. I lied and now it's hard to trust me when I ask the same thing two days later. I really thought I'd told you about the lake, so I'm sorry."

"Maybe you didn't think about it because it was getting cooler when I got here."

"No. I've brought Maddie down here. Alex and Lorna- um. Never mind." Chris looked around and saw his time traveling son and grandsons drinking and eating sandwiches.

"And now I'll ask you one time, young man. Are you drinking as well?"

"I gave him root beer," Future Scott said, showing him the bottle. "I wouldn't do that to you, Dad." Chris nodded.

"Ok. We're having dinner with Ch'od and Raza tonight. I expect all four of you there."

"Yes sir."

"Yes, Grandpa."

"In the suite?" Nate asked.

"Yes, in the suite."

"What about Mom? Won't she be annoyed she missed dinner with them?"

"I think she'll be fine. She spent a decade with them, and now she's getting an opportunity to not only be a mom and mother in law, but a grandma as well. I can guarantee if I were to call her right now, she'd tell me to tell the guys hi and continue to celebrate Maddie."

"She'll never replace Mom," Future Scott said, "but she's a damn good mom. I almost miss her more than you," he smirked at Chris.

"We last that long?"

"Yeah. Going on thirty years. She's as amazing a grandma as she is mom. She's…" Future Scott shook his head. "You did good, Dad."

"Thanks, kid."

"So I'm not in any trouble, right?" Scott confirmed.

"So long as it's only root beer you drink out here, we'll be fine. I'm going to go back in and make sure Alex is writing his sentences. Boys. Don't drink too much."

"It's fine, Grandpa. Scott's already given us drink limits," Nathan told him. "He has a 'don't get drunk' policy that is safer to obey."

"Smart kid."

"Well, it was literally whipped into me," Future Scott said with a smirk and slight blush. Chris raised an eye.

"I think I should hear this story."

"Later," Future Scott said, not looking at Nate.

"Dad got drunk and drove me to the store and back," Nate said. "I was six." Future Scott blushed harder as Chris narrowed his eyes.

"I sincerely hope that was the worst spanking of your life."

"You strapped me three nights in a row. The first round was in front of my team."

"Good," Scott muttered.

"I agree, son. I sincerely hope that's not something we have to deal with this go around."

"Because I'll plan on driving my child around while drunk. Please, Dad. Have a little faith in me." Chris sighed.

"I do, Scott. Alright. I'm going to head back up. I'll see you for dinner if not earlier." Chris turned and walked away, headed back towards the Institute. Scott let out an aggravated breath.

"He does trust you, you know," Nathan said. "He's just worried. He remembers what it was like at eighteen, and now that he also has to add in the whole mutant thing…"

"I can understand his reasoning and still feel hurt," Scott told him, frowning.

"It's a dad, thing," Future Scott said, cleaning up the trash from drinks and sandwiches. "I trust Nate to have my back in the Danger Room and on missions, but I don't trust him to make smart choices about alcohol and shopping. Seriously. If I don't send him with pictures of what I'm looking for, he'll return with something completely opposite from what I asked for." Nate blushed.

"That happened four times!"

"Nine," Nathan smirked. "Would've been ten, but that's when he started sending you pictures." Scott chuckled.

"Alright, I get it. Anyone want to go for a swim?" Nate threw off his shirt and yanked off his socks, shoes, and pants before lifting himself up and falling into the middle of the pond.

"Show off," Future Scott frowned.

"Had to be from us, since that is definitely not Maddie."

"Grandma Kat," Nathan said with a small smile. "At least, that's what Grandpa said the last time he visited." Scott nodded.

"Dad said he had some videos of her snowboarding. I haven't… Maybe we'll watch them later. I'm sure Alex would love to watch her."

"You just want back on his good side." Scott frowned.

"He's blaming me for your daughter telling Dad that he makes out with his girlfriend." Nathan shrugged.

"She apologized." Scott rolled his eyes.

"Dad! Are you coming?!" Scott looked at Nate and smiled before stripping to his boxers as well and wading in.

"I'll get in if you get in," Future Scott told Nathan. Nathan shrugged.

"Not like there's anything else I need to do right now." The two stripped to their boxers and followed Scott's lead and waded into the water. Scott was floating on his back and staring.

"When does Apocalypse make his next move?"

"What?"

"Apocalypse," he said, getting back on his feet. "He was released Saturday. Graduation day?" Future Scott blinked a few times.

"Oh shit," Nate whispered before he got out of the water. Scott frowned as he saw Nate grab his clothes and fly away.

"Nathan Christopher Charles. Did you make me- of course you did. Get your ass in the suite."

"Scott-"

"Nathan. You want me to take my belt to you?"

"No, but,"

"Then go." Scott watched Nathan fly out, grabbing his clothes as we went.

"What's going on?"

"He knew I wouldn't agree to them coming as early as they did if I remembered when Apocalypse happened. He blocked it from me to get his way."

"That doesn't seem like something he'd do."

"Maybe not Nathan Dayspring, but it sure as hell is something Nate Summers would do. You mind if I throw him in the Danger Room for a bit?"

"Yeah, go for it. I might keep Nate with me in the nursery to get started on Maddie's list." Future Scott nodded before getting out of the lake and grabbing his clothes. Scott sighed as he followed suit, also grabbing the mostly empty cooler to take in.