Disclaimer: not my characters, not my setting, partially not my dialogue (if it's in bold, I don't own it). Barely even my plot...

Set during Cable #10 (released April 28, 2021), so there are spoilers. Don't read if you're reading/going to read the series- which I definitely recommend.

Also, it's not really a crossover, but since the X-Men in the comics section of FF doesn't include Cable, I did what I had to do to include his name as a character.

Warning: spanking

Chapter 1: Laying Down the Law

"We need to talk," Cable said, walking to Scott.

"Of course," Scott told his teenage son. "We can talk on the way."

"On the way where?" Cable asked. Scott had spent the last hour being fitted for a new outfit for Emma's Gala- how could he already have a new mission?

"I got a message from Emma," Scott explained.

"Oh really?" Nathan said. Their relationship- former relationship- was well known. It made things slightly awkward with Jean on Krakoa. "What did she say?"

Please don't mention the attempt on Cerebro.

"We need to get to London as quick as we can. Problems with the neighbors."

"Again?" Nathan cringed, hoping Scott wouldn't hear the relief in his voice.

"We have to remember to have some compassion," Scott reminded his son. "The Arakkii were at war for far too long… Transitioning them to peacetime will be difficult, and I understand there's been a bad fight in London." Nathan nodded and followed Scott the short jump to London. They passed the police thanks to Cable manipulating their minds- only to be gently admonished by his father.

How stupid did Scott think he was?

"Now what did you want to talk about?" Scott asked after encouraging Cable to join the X-Men.

Really? Now he wants to talk?

"It can wait."

"Fair enough," Scott said as they walked into the bar. "Mutants, I think you've had enough."

And cue the fighting, Nathan thought, internally smirking. He loved his dad- he truly did. But thinking he'd get them- Pollux and Castor?- to come peacefully… Well. That was like asking Logan to get taller. It just wasn't going to happen.

*Watch out,* Scott mentally sent to his son. *The little one is a psionicist.*

*I'll be fine! And listen. We need to talk about Stryfe.*

*What about him?* Scott sent back warily. The distraction caused him to be thrown out the window, and Scott groaned. *If this is what I think it's about, the answer is no. Nathan, listen. We need you here and now.*

*I came back to you because I thought my job was done, but I'd be a hypocrite if I stay.* This was not going how Nathan had planned. Scott had mostly let him come and go the last few months. Why was he even asking him about this?

Oh. Emma had suggested it.

The fight was over. The mutants had been stopped and knocked out for the moment. Nathan strode out of the bar with the smaller girl over his shoulder. He carefully put her on a stretcher.

"Well done," Cyclops told him. "We're done here."

"But our conversation is not over."

"Yes it is. I'm proposing you join the X-Men, and you're proposing returning to some dystopia that won't exist if you stay here and make sure it doesn't."

"Dammit, Scott! You're being myopic!" Nathan exclaimed, eye lighting up in aggravation.

"Son, over my dead body will we resurrect the old man. His day is done. The future belongs to you."

"You're not listening! There won't be a future if Stryfe-!" Scott turned and pressed his communicator.

"I need an extraction team in London. Two female mutants- Pollux and Castor." He turned back to Nathan and motioned him closer. "Let's go."

"We're still not done talking about this." Scott said nothing as the two disappeared, reappearing seconds later in their quarters in Krakoa.

"Go change. I'm not talking to Cable tonight." Nathan rolled his eyes, but went to his room to change from his uniform into a pair of sweatpants and an undershirt. He left the room and stopped at the kitchen to grab a snack. Not seeing Jean, Nathan shrugged and grabbed a cold piece of fried chicken. He started eating it as he walked around, wondering how he could convince his father to either help him or stay out of his way.

"...don't know what I'm doing," he heard Scott say. Nathan frowned and stepped closer. He peaked in the room and saw Scott, with his sunglasses on and in his normal clothes, as well as Corsair on the screen.

"Sorry, Scott. I missed the teen years, remember?" Scott looked up, giving him an incredulous look.

"Yes, I think I can recall that, Dad. But I'm asking for parenting advice. I… I missed the teen years, too, technically. And now that he's back- he's seventeen, Dad. I'm just out of my comfort zone. He's threatening to do something that isn't… It's not the right answer. He thinks he's the only one who knows about Stryfe! Like I didn't make it a point to know as much as I could about him!"

"Have you told him your concerns?"

"Not tonight, specifically, but yes."

"And he still can't see reason?"

"No. He's adamant that he bring the other version of himself back. We've accepted it, Dad. Even Hope… She agrees that he needs to stay gone. But Nathan has it stuck in his head that this is the only way."

"It's the Summers' stubbornness, Scott. I don't know what to… It certainly got you and Alex your fair share of spankings when you were little." Nathan blanched, unable to imagine his straight laced father in a position like that…

"Yeah, well… I was what, five?"

"Eight was the last time I took you over my knee. And technically, you were sixteen the last time I…"

"What?"

"It was when the original five had time traveled. When you broke off from the X-Men?" Scott blushed. It certainly was the right move at the time, but still not one of his finest moments.

"I came to the future as a sixteen year old."

"Yeah. And Jean was kidnapped by the Spartax for her crimes- crimes she hadn't even done. The Guardians helped you out, and Quill got you in touch with me. You and I took a bit of time together, and let me tell you… I knew less about what I was doing then than you do now. At least you have a history of working with teens."

"It's different when the teen is yours."

"I know, son. But we'd crashed and ran out of rations. There were these alien bird creatures and… Well, you were refusing to admit I was right, and I jokingly reminded you that at sixteen, you weren't too big to spank. Thinking about your size then and Nathan's size now… There's not much of a difference." Nathan nearly dropped his chicken as he backed away from Scott's room.

This was not happening. He turned to go lock himself in his room, or even to suddenly leave on a mission, when Jean walked in.

"Hi, Nathan. How'd it go?"

"Uh… Fine, Mom. I gotta-" Scott walked out of his room and to his wife, placing a gentle kiss on her lips.

"Welcome home," he told her.

"I could say the same to you. What's up with Nathan?" Scott looked up at his son and saw the almost panic.

"You were eavesdropping."

"No! I just- I was walking, and-"

"And our rooms aren't that close together. You deliberately walked to my room. And if that look is what I think it is, then you overheard your grandfather."

"I… I-" Nathan swallowed. "I'm sorry?"

"And just after I finished telling him how mature you were, and how above childish punishments you were, too. I suppose the joke is on me. Go to your room, Nathan." Nathan sputtered, but quickly disappeared when Scott took a step towards him.

"Scott, what is going on?"

"Nathan wants to bring back the old man."

"What? Why?"

"Apparently those baby mutants he's been trying to save… It's been under the order of Stryfe."

"So you called Corsair? I don't understand."

"Because I told him no and he's still thinking of going behind my back to do it. I told you this whole 'letting him do what he wants' thing was going to bite us in the ass. Now he's thinking he doesn't even have to obey me!"

"Yes he does."

"No, Jean, he doesn't. I've seen… He kept calling me 'Scott' tonight because he wanted me to see him as my equal and not my son."

"I still don't see the correlation between this and Corsair."

"I called for advice," Scott blushed.

"You called the man who abandoned you for parenting advice?"

"Yes, Jean. I called my father for advice."

"Well? What did he say?"

"He suggested I spank Nathan." Jean blinked.

"But he hasn't done anything wrong."

"Maybe I still should. Just to show him I'm serious."

"No," Jean said, shaking her head. "That's not how it works."

"Well excuse me for not knowing how it works! Not all of us can grow up in a stable home!"

"You don't preemptively punish children for something they may or may not do. You can warn him about the consequences, but you cannot spank him for bringing the topic up." Scott slowly nodded.

"Ok."

"You shouldn't spank him to begin with, really."

"You don't think he should be held accountable for disobeying me?" Scott asked with a raised eye.

"That's not what I said. But he's seventeen. He's too old-"

"To disobey his father? I agree."

"Scott."

"We have given him a fairly wide berth to do as he pleases because that's what he's used to. I thought that would help show him that I understood, and that if he did his own thing, he'd respect me when I said no. I've said no. He called me myopic, Jean. Myopic."

"You? Say it isn't so," Jean deadpanned. Scott frowned.

"He's not bringing the old man back. And if he makes the attempt, I'm going to spank him. He doesn't understand what he's trying to do."

"I don't agree."

"You don't have to. Just respect my decision." Scott turned and walked into Nathan's room, opening the door without knocking. Nathan shot up from his bed.

"I didn't- You're not doing that to me."

"Son, I want you to think about this. If Slym Dayspring had told you no and you did it anyway, what would he do to you?"

"I don't… He'd probably lecture me."

"Nathan."

"With his hand."

"Mmhm. I thought so."

"Look, Scott-"

"I'm not Scott to you. Not right now, Nathan."

"Dad. Grandpa doesn't know what he's talking about, ok? Slym was old fashioned, too. He-"

"You know who he was. That argument won't work." Cable blinked. He'd honestly forgotten his adoptive father and biological father were the same man…

"Dad, please. I'm too old-"

"And had you not childishly eavesdropped, I would have agreed. But you did, and now you've put me in a position I wish I'd never…" Scott sighed and rubbed his forehead. "Listen and listen well, Nathan Summers. If you bring the old man back- if you even try, I will spank you. You were told no and I mean no. If I find out you've approached his friends about it, I will take that as defiance and you'll get a spanking for that, too. Am I understood, son?"

"This isn't fair. I'm-!"

"I didn't ask if it was fair. I asked if you understood me." Nathan crossed his arms and turned away.

"I do, but it's not going to happen."

"I sincerely hope not, too. So don't bring him back. Live and make a better life for our family. You have this amazing opportunity, son. Don't waste it." Scott put his hand on Nathan's shoulder which was quickly shoved off.

"Don't touch me."

"You're only solidifying my resolve, Nathan."

"Screw you." Scott took a breath and moved. Nathan was against his hip before he realized it, his sweatpants coming down. "Wait- wait! Dad! I understand!"

"Good. This is for the attitude and disrespect." Scott raised his hand and brought it down hard on his son's underwear clad bottom.

"Too hard!" Scott snorted as he swatted Nathan again. He did it three more times before letting his son go. Nathan moved away, rubbing his stinging behind while blinking his watery eyes.

"Things are going to change a bit around here, son. You're going to start treating me with respect as your father. You're going to respect my authority over the X-Men and ask to go on missions. And you are not to go near Domino or Deadpool for their assistance, nor are you to bring back the old man. If you do, you can expect a full fledged spanking over my knee. Is that clear enough?"

"Yes Dad!"

"Good. I love you, Nathan. I'm willing to help you with Stryfe. You just had to ask me." Nathan nodded, not looking at Scott. Scott gave him a stiff hug and walked to the door.

"What if I did some of that before the threat?" Nathan couldn't help but ask. Scott turned, a thin frown on his face.

"How long have you been planning this?"

"Not… long. But Dom already knows… And Hope definitely suspects." Scott ran a hand through his hair.

"Ok. Thank you for telling me. No, I won't count it against you because it wouldn't be fair for this to be retroactive. But from here on out, it's done. I'll call Domino and let her know your plan has fallen through. Don't contact her again about bringing him back."

"Yes Dad."

"Had you not told me… I probably would have included it. See? It pays to bring me in." Nathan rolled his eyes.

"Or saves my own skin. Damn, Scott, that- ow! What'd I do?!"

"I'm either 'Dad' or 'Cyclops' to you from now on. Calling me by my name is disrespectful."

"Ok! I got it!" Scott stepped away and tried not to smile at the sight of Nathan rubbing his behind, looking every bit a child.

"Come get some dinner when you're up for it," he said as he walked out, closing the door behind him. Nathan frowned at the door.

How was he going to get out of this?

A/N: Idk if this will continue. I'm leaving it as an ongoing story just in case, but the next comic isn't out for a few more weeks, so...

And I'm feeling slightly better. My doctor and I have discussed starting me on some medication, but I've had bad reactions to some, so he's trying to make sure that won't happen again. Maybe seeing the light at the end of a very dark tunnel is helping. Idk. But I'm happy to be back and writing again, so at least that's something?