Disclaimer: see ch 1
Chris found himself, once again, sitting beside his unconscious son, hands clasped together and pressed against his lips.
"Any change?" Alex asked as he walked in the room.
"No," Chris said, sitting up from his bent position. "Sikorsky said the poison would take a day or two to cycle out."
"Hm. Why didn't he catch this in space, Dad?"
"It was a slow acting poison. It wasn't supposed to be found until…"
"Have you been able to get in touch with Emma yet?" Chris shook his head.
"I've left several messages. Nate has offered to scan for her, but his head's been hurting last couple hours."
"Where were they supposed to be? I'll send Lorna out."
"The mall. Carrie made the softball team and they went shopping since Scott was…" Chris closed his eyes and rested his forehead against his hands.
"He's going to be ok. Beast and Sikorsky both agree, Dad."
"I should have been there with him."
"You'd said Nate was hurting-"
"Then Nate should have stayed-"
"Nate's nine. And he was hungry and Scott had told him to go eat. You're saying he should have disobeyed his dad?"
"I'm saying my injured son was left alone and could have died had I not gotten to him when I did." Alex put a hand on Chris' shoulder.
"He's going to be ok. He just has to wake up." Chris put a hand over Alex's, grateful for the support.
It was another three hours before Emma and Carrie returned. Lorna had been unable to find them in the Bayville Mall several hours before, and Nate had even risked a worse headache to scan for them. Emma took Carrie up to the suite to drop off their numerous bags before heading to dinner.
"Where the hell is your phone, Frost?" Alex asked, following the two upstairs.
"Excuse me?"
"We've been calling you since lunch. Scott collapsed. Beast and Sikorsky found poison in his system that could have killed him. But hey- glad you were out having a great time." Emma dropped the bags in her hands and rushed down to Med Lab, where Chris was sitting, almost dozing, beside Scott. Emma quickly grabbed Scott's hand.
"What happened?" Emma asked Chris.
"I'd made him lunch and left to wait for Alex-"
"He was alone?"
"He was with Nate," Chris corrected. "And I wouldn't have left them had Nate's telepathy not been bothering him. I walked into the room and Nate had curled up into a ball, Emma... Scott claimed he was dizzy, but from lack of food. As soon as I saw Nate in the dining room, I went back up to him. Scott was in the kitchen area of your suite, passed out on his side and foaming at the mouth." Emma pushed Scott's hair off of his clammy forehead.
"Alex said it was poison?"
"Yes. It seems the blade that injured him had been dipped in something that has no cure in the Shi'ar Empire. Beast said it was something common enough here that could be treated with no side effects, especially since we got to him fast enough." Emma nodded, her hand wrapped around Scott's.
"How long?"
"Another day or so." Chris looked away and cleared his throat.
"Yes?"
"What was more important to you than my son, Emma? Why couldn't we reach you?"
"My phone died shortly before we left. It's charging in my room. And there is nothing more important to me than my family, Chris. But I was told by your medic that he was safe and on the mend. I trust you, and your trust in him was enough for me."
"You said you were going to the mall. Lorna went-"
"I'm sorry, Chris, but I am not your child. My whereabouts are absolutely none of your business. Scott knew where I would be, and that was all that was-"
"You had my granddaughter," Chris said, eyes flashing in anger. Emma gave him a cold smile.
"Yes. Yes, I did, because she needed her mother to help her pick out bras for her changing body, and then we went to lunch and discussed the changes she would be experiencing in the near future. Excuse me for trying to keep her private life private." Chris' face had turned red. "As I said, Scott knew the gist of what our afternoon would consist of and gave his blessing, assuring me if he needed anything, you would be there. Where were you? Waiting for another son." Chris gripped the arm of the chair, furious with Emma.
"I had stepped out for Nathan because of his telepathy," he said, trying to keep the anger out of his voice. Emma closed her eyes for a moment.
"You are scared."
"I'm fucking terrified," Chris corrected, reaching out to grab Scott's hand. "It's my fault, Emma. Had I not called out that he was my son…" Chris' breath hitched and he put a hand over his eyes. Emma reached across Scott and put her free hand on top of Chris'.
"Like it or not, Scott faces risks every day- even if he wasn't the leader of the X-Men, he would face these risks by being a mutant. While D'ken might have reacted sooner knowing he was also your son, he would have still acted because Cyclops was daring to stand against him. Scott knew there was a chance he'd be hurt, Chris, and he still made the call he did. And yes, I do blame you for that."
"Emma-"
"It's that damned Summers blood. Always making him do the right thing." Chris snorted and looked away.
"Thank you," he said quietly.
"Scott will be fine," Emma told him, just as quietly. "I feel him in there. Not as strong as after he was stabbed, but he's there. He just needs time." Chris nodded.
"I… apologize for snapping. Unfortunately, Scott does get his temper from me, especially when afraid…"
"And water is wet." Chris looked at her with narrowed eyes. "I'm sorry, Chris. I assumed we were stating the obvious."
"She's got you there, Dad," Alex said as he entered the room. "Lorna's getting the Twins fed and distracted."
"Thank you, son."
"Have you told Hepzibah about him yet?" Chris paled.
"No."
"I guess it's a good thing you're here for the next week, because she's gonna murder you, Dad."
"Hush." Emma looked down at Scott and attempted to hide her amusement, knowing full well the attachment Hepzibah had with Scott and his brothers.
"Because I'm right? I'm not sixteen anymore-"
"And I bet you'd still fit just fine across my knee, now, wouldn't you?"
"Yes sir."
"Then hush. Emma, I'm going to go call Hepzibah. I'll be back… eventually." Chris squeezed Scott's hand as he stood, slowly walking out.
"He does know I'm an adult now, right?" Alex asked rhetorically as he took Chris' spot.
"Do you think that means anything to him?" Emma responded with a raised eye.
"... No. Scott's proof enough of that. You know I heard him threaten Scott a few weeks ago, just because he cursed?" Emma shook her head.
"I've heard it enough. Scott simply rolls his eyes and allows your father to baby him."
"Yeah. That… That sounds about right." Alex hunched over and rubbed his eyes.
"Are you alright, Alex?"
"Huh? Oh. I'm just… Tired. Full time X-Factor crap, plus working on my doctorate… It's a lot."
"I've got Scott. You can go rest."
"Dad'd kill me."
"Because you left him with the woman he's been sleeping with for the last eight years?" Alex rubbed the back of his neck.
"I guess you've got a point…"
"Go on. I can handle your father." Alex nodded and stood.
"Wake me if he wakes up?" Emma nodded and watched as Alex left. She looked down at the peacefully sleeping Scott and kissed his cheek.
*You have everyone worried, darling.*
*My fault for being poisoned. Got it.*
*I didn't say that. But maybe, while you're hurt, you can be honest with how you physically feel?*
*I was being honest, love. I wasn't anything but dizzy, and then… How pissed is my dad?*
*He's very concerned. He had the audacity to demand what was so important that I had to be away.*
*I'm sorry, Em. I got my temper honestly.*
*He said as much. And he's apologized.*
*Is he with us?*
*No. He went to call Hepzibah.*
*Poor Dad. Mom's gonna kill him. She's still pissed with him for tossing me in the brig. Stockade. Whatever the hell it is.*
*I have a feeling he'll make it out intact.* Emma frowned at the lack of reply. *Scott?*
"Mama? Is he ok?" Emma looked up and saw Carrie standing hesitantly by the door.
"He will be, Carolyn." Carrie walked in and sat on the bed by Scott's legs.
"What happened? No one is telling us what's wrong." Emma tucked a strand of Carrie's hair behind her ear.
"Get your brother down here and I'll explain it as best I can."
"Yes Mama." Carrie blinked and tilted her head slightly to the side. "He said he's on his way and not to use telepathy anymore right now."
"Your grandfather did say something about him being in pain." Nate walked in, hands clenching his head.
"Yes, Mama?" Emma held her hand out to him and Nate went to her. Emma turned to diamond and he was able to slightly relax as he sat in her lap.
"First and foremost, your father will be just fine. It will likely take him a day to wake up, and possibly another day for the poison to leave his system completely, and then I am unsure how long he'll need to be monitored down here, but he is fine."
"What poison?" Carrie asked, frowning.
"Apparently, whoever stabbed your father had the blade of the sword coated in something akin to cyanide- lethal if undetected, curable if found." Nate frowned and rubbed his temples.
"Can't that cause problems in his head?"
"It would if it was purely cyanide. With it being alien, it was different enough to cause other issues. But that isn't something for the two of you to worry about. Just know it was caught in time and he's going to be fine."
"Is it my fault?" Nate asked. "Is it because I left him?"
"Of course not!"
"How could you even think that?" Carrie asked her brother.
"I… I left him alone. It's my fault-"
"You truly are a product of your grandfather," Emma said, her eyes closed. "Nate, did your father tell you to leave him and eat?"
"Yes ma'am."
"Then you did the right thing by obeying."
"I ate his food. He'd feel better if-"
"Actually," Beast said, walking in with a clipboard. "For some reason, our Earth food seemed to make it worse. If anything, you saved him by not allowing him to have more than he did. He owes you his life." Nate seemed to beam at that.
"Does that mean a raise in allowance, Mama?" Emma bit her lip in amusement.
"That's something for you to discuss with your father, darling."
"Darn." Nate rubbed his head and rested it on Emma's shoulder.
"Are you ill, Nathan?"
"Just a headache," Nate admitted. Beast walked to a cabinet and withdrew a bottle of pills. He poured a few into his hand and held them out.
"Take these before it gets worse. Your dad will be waking up soon and he'll need all the help he can get." Nate nodded and dutifully swallowed the pills with a sip of water.
"Hepzibah sends her love," Chris announced as he returned to Med Lab.
"I see you're still alive," Emma quipped.
"I'll just be missing a few vital pieces of my body the next time I see her," he winced. "Nate. Carrie. Have you two had dinner?"
"No sir," Carrie answered for the two of them.
"I thought Lorna was feeding you?" Emma frowned.
"Uh…"
"Go eat before your noses find corners," she ordered.
"Yes Mama." Carrie took Nate's hand and the two disappeared as quickly as they could.
"Sometimes I forget Maddie had anything to do with their genes," Chris admitted quietly. "Because that was pure Scott."
"I'm sure Grandpa would say that about you."
"Scott!" Scott winced.
"Too loud, Dad."
"Alex asked to be woken up when Scott was aware," Emma informed Chris.
"I'll take care of that," Beast told them. "How are you feeling, Cyclops?"
"Heavy."
"That's to be expected," Hank said as he carefully pressed on Scott's abdomen.
"Fucking hell, Beast!"
"Watch your language," Chris said automatically. "There's a lady present." Scott snorted.
"She says worse. Then again, it's usually in the bed-" Emma dropped her diamond form and slapped her hand down across Scott's mouth. Scott turned his head and kissed the inside of her hand.
"Thank you, Emma," Chris said, rubbing his eyes. "I don't know if I would have been as gentle."
"It's just the medication making him talk," Beast explained with a chuckle. "I will go and call up to Alex now." He stepped away and Chris looked at his somewhat dazed son.
"How are you feeling, son? Tell me the truth." Emma removed her hand and brushed Scott's hair off of his forehead.
"Drugged. Thirsty. Hungover. Not in control." Emma slid her chair over at the sound of running feet.
"You're up!" Alex cried.
"Don't sound so surprised," Scott said sleepily. "I'll always be around to kick your ass."
"It's like they're teenagers all over again," Chris said, rolling his eyes. Alex and Scott looked at each other, grinned, and pointed at one another, the tips of their fingers almost touching.
"I'm not touching you! I'm not touching you!" They said together, though Scott's voice was certainly more dull than Alex's.
"Oh dear God," Chris said, rubbing his face. Emma gave Scott a fond look as she gently ran her hand through his hair.
"Keep doin' that and I'm gonna fall asleep," Scott mumbled.
"You should," she responded, continuing her actions. She could feel through their link when Scott finally drifted off.
"Is he out?" Chris asked.
"He is." Chris nodded and stood.
"I need to check on the children and update the others. Alex, would you please call your brother and let him know what's going on?"
"Sure, Dad. What about Grandma and Grandpa?"
"Might as well, seeing as your niece and nephew thought to inform them of the initial injury." Alex winced.
"I'm amazed they're still alive." Chris narrowed his eyes at his middle child. "I'm gonna go. Bye." Alex darted out and Chris put a hand on Scott's forehead.
"I will have dinner brought to you," he told Emma without looking at her. "As much as I want to stay here with him, I don't want to crowd him. I accept that I'm not the best one to be here while he's…" Chris cleared his throat. "I'll be with Nate and Carrie. I'll return if you need me, or at breakfast to relieve you."
"Thank you, Chris." Chris nodded and gently kissed the side of Scott's head before he left as well. Emma, watching the wires around them, carefully climbed into the bed with Scott, curling up against him.
A/N: First screenwriting class is done! My instructor used X-Men (2000) as several examples. It. Was. Awesome. Until one of my two classmates said something about having never seen it. It's just... how?!
For those who've read "A Father's Authority," I read Cable #11 yesterday before my class and then again after, and then I stayed up until almost midnight writing the second chapter because I've been waiting for it for months. I'm going to wait a week or so to post it to give the people who follow the series a chance to read the comic.
I'm close to the end of Part 2 of "Letters," so I'll be posting that soon, likely before the Fourth of July