Direct lyrics included, I don't own the song used here.

"Why is it so dark in here Rachel?" Nathan asked his sister as she lit up several rose scented candles around the dining room table. It was neatly decorated with chic tablecloths Rachel fished from storage.

"For ambiance." Rachel replied briskly. She shoved a basket of rose petals into Nathan's chest, indicating that he should scatter them.

Slowly, Nathan had begun to do so albeit a bit questioningly. "What exactly are we doing?"

"For mom and dad's anniversary." Rachel answered.

"Ohhh." Nathan's face lit up in understanding. "Which is it, mom or dad's death anniversary?"

Okay, so maybe he didn't understand.

Rachel turned to look at her younger brother with an annoyed expression. "Their anniversary anniversary stupid. You know, the day they got married?"

Nathan put his free hand up in self defense. "Well sorry. I didn't know."

"Well it seems like something you should know!" Rachel whispered hissed. "Now hurry up! They'll be back soon!"

Much more quickly now, Nathan tossed rose petals haphazardly before being dragged away by his sister as their parents entered through the teleportal.

They had just returned from a day of missions, practically being apart for the duration of the day. They were both in costume and were just looking forward to a much deserved shower and some snuggling, but it seems they would have other plants for the night.

Jean's eyes widened as she took in the romantic scene. Paired with the starry view of space, it was really something to take in. She let go of Scott's arm she had been holding and lightly stepped over toward the table, following the delicate petals.

A dainty smile splayed on her face before she turned and asked. "Scott, did you…"

Before Scott could even answer, Rachel's telepathic voice invaded his head.

"YES! Say yes! It was you!"

Scott refrained from looking confused in front of Jean and proceeded to reply to his daughter.

"Rachel? Did you do this?"

"... You're welcome."

It didn't sit right with Scott to lie to his wife, but what harm could it do? It was practically a harmless lie, and compared to what they planned to do, this was definitely better.

He hadn't forgotten that it was their anniversary but he simply didn't have the time to plan anything and neither did she. They were far too busy, and the only times they really saw each other was at home.

"Scott?" Jean questioned, snapping him out of his thoughts.

"Oh uh, yes." Scott replied, offering up a smile. "Do you like it?" He soon joined her in taking a seat, Jean immediately taking one of his hands in both of hers.

"Oh Scott, you could have done anything for me and I would have liked it." she said. Her green eyes studied Scott's visor hidden face and trailed down to their hands.

Then a bad feeling clouded over Scott's heart. "I'm not so sure Jean," he said. "I'm far from perfect. You know that."

"Nobody's perfect Scott. Even me." Jean pointed out lightly. She didn't pick up her gaze from their hands but she really meant it.

Scott then frowned and Jean didn't even need to look at him to know that he was and she sighed. "What's the matter Scott?" she asked genuinely as she traced her thumb over his knuckles. "It seems that no matter what, you're always going to have an inferiority complex when it comes to these things."

"I do not have an inferiority complex!" Scott protested, begging a raised brow from Jean as she tilted her head up.

"Okay so maybe I do." Scott mumbled in admittance. "But not without good reason. I've been a terrible husband in the past and a pretty bad dad if you ask me. Right now I'm trying so hard to keep this family together."

"Those things are in the past." Jean reassured. "It never meant that I stopped loving you, and the kids, they love you too."

"Sometimes it feels like they don't."

For Rachel and Nathan who were listening, it took a lot to try not to interject at this point but their parents needed this.

"And what?" Jean inquired, "Does it feel like I don't love you sometimes?"

Uh-oh.

Scott vigorously shook his head. "Of course not! Having you love me has been one of the best things in my life, even when I've lost you, you were all that I could think about. Even when I was with someone else… I could never let go of you."

Jean gently took Scott's hand and moved it to her cheek, allowing for him to caress it. She relished in his touch, even if his hand was gloved.

"That's good to know." she says. "I married you."

Scott inwardly sighed. "When you were gone… I would look at Madelyne and see only you… I would look at Rachel and well, it was like whiplash."

Jean laughed a bit before becoming serious. "I know you aren't perfect Scott, but that's what makes us, us. Scott and Jean. Cyclops and Marvel Girl."

"Phoenix."

"Me and you." Jean said. "And nothing, not even death could change that. You know this."

The conversation was needlessly heavy, and Rachel and Nathan worked to alleviate some of that weight. They fumbled around with one of their phones and a Bluetooth speaker so that they could play some music.

"Get ready dad." Rachel said telepathically as she pressed play on the anniversary playlist she had made.

For a moment Scott looked confused before For the Longest Time by Billy Joel began playing on the speaker. He then looked toward Jean with a crooked smile and she stole the words right out of his mouth.

"Care to dance?"

Together they stood up and made their way toward the open area of the dining room, still holding hands as they engaged in a light sway.

"If you said goodbye to me tonight

There would still be music left to write

What else could I do

I'm so inspired by you

That hasn't happened for the longest time"

There was a smile that never left Jean's face as she watched Scott try to dance. He wasn't that bad, but it definitely wasn't his strong suit. Maybe back when they were teenagers he was a better dancer but time wasn't exactly kind to them.

Scott didn't really mind either since this was his wife after all. He must've done everything that could be considered embarrassing in front of her ever since they met. And that's really saying something.

"Once I thought my innocence was gone

Now I know that happiness goes on

That's where you found me

When you put your arms around me

I haven't been there for the longest time"

"We didn't get to finish talking," Jean said, looking into Scott's visor. Behind it, Scott's eyes were also trained on her, seeing them in tints of red.

"What more is there to say?" Scott asked.

"Why are you so afraid?" Jean pressed.

Scott inhaled sharply, quite taken aback. He fell silent for a moment.

"What is it Scott?" Jean asked, her precious brows now knit with worry.

Scott pressed his lips into a thin line before replying. "I'm afraid to lose you all."

"I'm that voice you're hearing in the hall

And the greatest miracle of all

Is how I need you

And how you needed me too

That hasn't happened for the longest time"

"You're not going to lose us Scott." Jean assured him. "We're not going to die— especially now, and we're definitely not going to leave you."

Scott softly shook his head anyway. "It doesn't matter, I don't want to lose you and have us be on bad terms. Face it Jean, I fucked up real bad in the past."

Jean's heart sank to hear him say those words. There was a truth to them though, he has messed up, but who hasn't at this point? To all those people that somehow gives him slack for it, they would have to go through Jean first because she's made just as many mistakes.

"Maybe this won't last very long

But you feel so right

And I could be wrong

Maybe I've been hoping too hard

But I've gone this far

And it's more than I hoped for"

Jean looked past all of Scott's flaws and hoped that he could only look past her own. Like she had said before, their flaws had made them who they are and working through them only brought them closer.

Once upon a time, Scott had been too scared to get particularly close to anybody in fear that his optic blasts may harm them. How simple that seems in retrospect, but it was a definite obstacle that Jean had to get through to get Scott to open up to her.

She's loved him through that and more, and a little more than a decade later, they're still together.

"Who knows how much further we'll go on

Maybe I'll be sorry when you're gone

I'll take my chances

I forgot how nice romance is

I haven't been there for the longest time"

While they were both alive there simply had to be a Scott and Jean together much to everyone else who may have opposed this dismays.

Yeah, whenever Jean came back she made him crazy. But that was just Scott, he was crazy about her. He fell for the pretty redheaded girl and never stopped falling.

Even right now, having Jean in his arms, Scott felt familiar butterflies in his stomach as if they were teenagers again. How the moment they're sharing right now simply felt like a dream then.

"I had second thoughts at the start

I said to myself

Hold on to your heart

Now I know the woman that you are

You're wonderful so far

And it's more than I hoped for"

"It doesn't matter to me Scott. The mistakes you've made? None of them do." Jean states. "As long as you love me, that's all I need."

Jean rested her head on Scott's shoulder and felt his heart steadily beat in his chest. Assuredly, it would beat much faster now. She felt his voice vibrate as he spoke.

"I do love you Jean." he says. "I've never stopped. You were my first and only true love. To me, you are perfect."

Jean then took a moment to lift her head off of him and look him in the eyes once more.

"I don't care what consequence it brings

I have been a fool for lesser things

I want you so bad

I think you ought to know that

I intend to hold you for the longest time"

"To me, you are perfect." Jean echoed, soliciting a genuine smile from her husband. "Always have been."

To mark the end of the song they share a long and passionate kiss that even Rachel and Nathan shielded their eyes from. Either way, it was a mission accomplished for them until it wasn't.

"Don't think I don't know that you two are hiding there." Jean said when she finally pulled away from Scott. She looked over his shoulder toward where Rachel and Nathan were ducked behind a while. Slowly they come out and put their hands up in self defense.

"We were just uh, coming to get a midnight snack." Rachel excused pitifully as her brother nodded in agreement.

"I know you two did this."

The two kids and Scott look at her in surprise. "You did?"

Jean nodded. "Well for one, Scott hasn't done something like this for years—"

Scott practically flinched at that.

"And for two, I could sense your minds nearby. Also Nathan is carrying a speaker."

"Oh."

Jean shook her head with a smile. "Best anniversary ever. Come here you two." She opened an arm for a group embrace as all was forgiven.