Scott's POV

"Last night a brutal attack on a local TJ Maxx shook the patrons and destroyed the property. Two mutants caused remarkable damage to the store, which is scheduled to be repaired in the following weeks." the reporter on the morning news says. She is dressed in a puffy coat to block the cold as she stands outside caution tape. The store behind her has broken windows and a caved-in roof. Then two photos flash on the screen, one of Jean and the other of Rachel. They are both blurry stills from the security footage.

"Citizens are asked to look out for these two mutants, one is identified as Dr. Jean Grey. The other mutant is unidentified but dangerous. Eye-witness accounts claim that she did most of the damage, while Dr. Grey threatened to drop the roof on the manager and the shoppers if they did not leave the store. It should be noted that despite assumptions, the mutants did not steal anything on the way out. They fled the scene before police could arrive."

Ororo comes into the room and sits on the couch beside Logan. "Jean and Rachel are not the only ones to have caused a scene last night. Turn to Channel 5."

I wince, dreading what we'll see as I change the channel. This report is of an apartment that caught fire last night around midnight. On a video recorded on a cell phone is a man, made entirely of ice. He runs back into the apartment building and disappears for a few moments before running back out with an elderly woman on his shoulder.

The building starts tilting and several people scream, but a thick cave of ice forms around the man and the woman, protecting them from the fire. That's where the video ends.

"I take it you know this Icicle?" Logan asks after I mute the TV.

Ororo nods. "Yes. His name is Bobby Drake. He left the institute a few years before you arrived to pursue a career as an accountant."

"...Which I just got fired from."

We all turn around to find Bobby standing in the doorway, a backpack on his shoulder. He is in his iced form, but when Ororo crosses the room with her arms open, he defrosts himself to give a better hug.

"Well, you will always have a place here. Come in, you haven't met Logan yet." There's a smile in her tone as she leads the way and introduces them.

"Hey there, Cyclops. I got the wedding invite," Bobby grins in my direction. "I believe congratulations are in order, but I am disappointed you didn't ask me to be your best man. Warren would have."

I resist an eye roll, although I do not know why I do since he wouldn't have seen it anyway. "Well, Warren doesn't have a brother who got the position by default."

Bobby wrinkles his nose. "I thought your brother was dead."

I wave a dismissive hand. I'm not exactly sure how to explain to him that my brother has defied death twice and had spent the past several years with another group of mutants. Then he was kidnapped the same time I was by our evil, long-lost brother who happened to be the emperor of the same alien race who was ultimately responsible for Jean's apparent death only a year ago. At this point, I am desensitized to how fucked up that sounds.

"It's a long story," I settle on. "But are you doing alright? We just saw the news about that apartment building."

He sighs, running a hand through his hair. "I'm pissed off, I should have expected it though. Everyone likes Bobby Drake but no one really likes Iceman. Well, I use Everyone lightly there, since I'm openly gay," he shrugs. "Anyway, I'm just glad I have this place to fall back on. It'll be just like old times, except we're allowed to stay out after curfew now."

"I'm not sure how much longer you'll want to stay out though," Ororo chimes in with a chuckle. "These children can be rather tiring."

"If the Professor could handle the five of us during our most hyper times, and then six of us when 'Ro came along, I'm sure I'll be able to handle a few of these munchkins."

Just as he spoke, a trio of eleven-year-olds came running down the stairs. "Race you to the TV!" Sam shouts, flying down the steps at jet speed.

"No fair using your powers!" Rahne growls.

"No running in the mansion!" Ororo scolds.

They all skid to a halt, Sam accidentally knocking over a bookshelf when he couldn't stop in time. "Oops."

Bobby stares at the mess, eyes wide. "Wow... okay. Maybe I spoke too soon."

Rachel is awake around noon. Admittedly, Jean babies her quite a bit, but I cannot deny that I want to coddle her as well. I know that she was in pain yesterday when she lost control of her powers. Jean slept with her last night, and I came in to check on her several times.

I didn't sleep well knowing my daughter wasn't feeling well. But I found out the hard way that sleeping on the bottom of her bed is only good if you want to wake up stiff as a board. Imaginably, that isn't great for early-morning exercise or training with the students.

Of course, I would do it for her in a heartbeat, there is no question about that. But Jean is gracious enough to send me back to bed once we get her calmed down from nightmares. I tried to convince her to sleep in our bed last night and I would stay up with Rachel, mostly because I thought it was cruel to make my pregnant fiancée sleep in a full-sized bed with a ladybug Pillow Pet. Since she doesn't know that I know she's pregnant, I didn't have much of an argument to convince her.

We get Rachel fed and taken care of, but we hardly got to see her at all this afternoon before the Professor calls us all to the War Room for an urgent meeting.

The eight of us gather around the circular table. The Professor taps a monitor and a video of a protest begins to play. Signs with sayings like Send the Mutants to the Moon and Moms against Mutants are waved above the shouting crowd. It still stings to see hatred like that towards us. The Professor says the hate stems from fear. I don't know if I believe it. I'm scared of heights but no one sees me protesting balconies.

"There will surely be counter-protests from the mutant community," he says. "I think it would be best for a group of you to go down there and prevent anyone from being seriously hurt. Iceman and Jean, it is probably for the best if you two are not a part of this mission. You are both in the public eye. It could jeopardize the goal."

I'm relieved with this anyway since someone in Jean's condition should not be going out to a protest.

"I'll go. I'd like to give these idiots a piece of my mind anyway," Alex volunteers.

The Professor shakes his head. "This is not the place for personal vendettas, Havok. Everyone here is affected by their words, but for the greater good, we cannot let ourselves turn to hatred. This is when we must turn the other cheek and fight for all humanity, not just mutants. So when the counter-protest comes, do your best to make sure they do not hurt anyone. It will only prove the protesters right in their eyes."

"Wait a minute, Wheels," Logan holds his hand up, eyes narrowed. "These fuckers are protesting against our existence and we're supposed to protect them? This is a joke, right?"

"Mankind is slow to adjust to changes, Wolverine, but that does not mean they do not deserve to be protected. Besides, it will show that not all mutants are out to harm them. It might work in our favor."

"Or get us all killed."

I snort. "I didn't think you could be killed, Logan. Are you holding out on us?"

"Scott," Jean scolds, shooting me one of those looks that say shut up.

The Professor sighs, rubbing his temple. "Cyclops, Storm, and Havok, you three will go to the protests. Unless anyone else has words they would like to share, you may go prep for the mission. Good luck."

Luckily for us, it is very cold and snowy at the protest. That means we can all wear our uniforms and we'll still be able to blend in with the other protesters because they're under coats.

That's about the only lucky thing we have going for us currently since we're being jostled around in a crowd worse than the time I went Black Friday shopping with Jean and Ororo. It's loud too. I can hardly hear myself think over the cry of the protesters to take away my rights.

"This is worse than Coachella!" Alex shouted over the crowd. "Which is impressive since I didn't think anything could be worse than that!"

"And it's only going to get worse. Look. We have company." As Ororo speaks, a group of mutants makes their presence known. Fire in the shape of a horse shoots out of a man's hands. The shouts turned to screams and people try to run. But a blur circles the crowd, keeping them trapped.

While Ororo summons a heavy fall of rain to put out the fire horse, I shoot at the blur with my optic blasts, but they are too fast. We could really use someone with telekinesis right about now.

"It's Quicksilver and Pyro," Alex hisses. "They're with Magneto."

Well, so much for keeping the peace.

To Be Continued...