Dunsinane
Act IV

by Timesprite

Things had gone to hell.

That was putting it lightly, Jean thought humorlessly as she paced restlessly before the large living room windows. Scott had sequestered himself in the War Room alone not long after everything had exploded in their faces, and the Professor had excused himself to his study. As much as she wanted to talk to them both, she couldn't. She couldn't even get her thoughts straight at the moment. Her lingering headache wasn't helping matters, and she wasn't even sure what to say. What to feel. Charles had finally convinced her that it was time to reach Nathan, to discover what they could, to help him if they could. They'd failed, and failed miserably, at that.
Things had started well enough; her son's mind had been surprisingly easy to enter, given that both she and the professor had always had a difficult time 'reading' him. What they'd found was darkness, a void in which they could see nothing, find nothing, though it wasn't the same hollow feeling she'd had entering Legion's mind so long ago, when Charles had been in a position so similar to what she faced now. He'd been trying desperately--and ultimately, futilely--to reach his son, and it was only after intervention on her part that she and her teammates had persuaded him to give up the search. Her heart had sunk at the memory, but she hadn't let it overwhelm her. She'd felt something there, something that told her Nathan was still there, trying to keep them away, perhaps.

They'd pressed on, groping blindly in the abyss for something to guide them. They were unrelenting, and the longer they worked, the more and more she began to feel that the darkness was artificial, constructed by someone... she couldn't be sure who, though the feeling was both familiar and yet not, stirring some deep trace of memory within her.

And then the darkness began to fade. It was a slow transition at first, nearly imperceptible, the light and sounds muffled and far away. There was ground under their feet now, and an atmosphere, hot and humid, clinging to their skin. Sometimes the sheer strength of these mental constructs could still amaze her. As things got more solid and the dark receded, she 'd began to make out jungle around her, and cast a glance back at Charles, who followed silently behind her as they followed the narrow path through the foliage.
The air had become full of sound, unnatural noises that had hissed and screamed around them, ripping through the air and making the landscape shudder. It hadn't been a peaceful place, despite first appearances. It was a war zone, though the battle held its distance. They'd finally found Nathan in the middle of a clearing, his broad back to them as he sat silently, legs folded as in meditation. They'd both hesitated then, waiting to be acknowledged, before Charles finally cleared his throat.

"Nathan..."

"Go. Away."

The words came as a low growl through the dense jungle air, and the shrieks and explosions around them grew louder, joined by voices, as flashes of light appeared through the dense undergrowth. The menace that wrapped itself around them had been incredible, and she knew now that, at that instant, she'd been afraid of him. Truly afraid of the man that her son had become for the first time.

"Nathan..." Her 'voice' had wavered then, uncertain of what to say.

In the end, it hadn't mattered.

With a sound like a wild animal, he'd sprung to his feet, fixing the two of them with the wild eyed stare of a cornered, wounded beast, staring them down with a ferocity that had left her cold all over. And then he'd thrown them out.

She'd come to with a shock, her head reeling and in pain. Charles had been in a similar state, more shocked than she, perhaps, because he was unused to anyone deflecting his investigations. Worse, however, than the jarring return her own body had been the realization that Nathan was gone. The bed where he'd lain motionless for more than two weeks was empty. She'd learned later from Scott and Hank that he'd simply bolted from the bed and vanished an instant before she'd returned. Bodysliding. Sam had mentioned it, but she hadn't believed it until now. All of their attempts to find Nathan since then had failed. Wherever he'd gone, he'd managed to make himself invisible. She ran a hand back through her hair with a frustrated sigh, and walked out and down the hall to the back door. The sun had set, and she felt closed in inside the mansion, where the ripples of what had happened that afternoon were still spreading and reverberating through the walls. She pulled on her coat and stepped out into the night.

"You shouldn't blame yourself. There was nothing you could do."

Jean's head jerked up, as startled by the fact that she'd managed to miss another's presence as she was by the familiarity of the voice. She simply stared as the figure emerged from the shadow of the building.

A smile flitted across Rachel's face. "Hi, Mom."

----

The hallway around her was little more than a red haze as Domino marched towards the closed doors of Professor Xavier's office. She'd been asleep most of the day, and by the time she'd put in her appearance downstairs, the whole mansion had been buzzing with news of that morning's disaster. The heavy wood made a satisfying 'thump' as she threw the doors open.
Charles looked up--he'd sensed her coming-- and regarded her for a moment before speaking. "Is there something I can do for you, Domino?"

"You asshole," she hissed, approaching the large desk.

"Excuse me?" The calm look he fixed on her pushed her over the edge. There was something about the poise of his tone that sent her last shreds of self-control skittering away. Before she'd taken time to fully consider her actions, she swung, catching him cleanly on the jaw. Xavier's head snapped around, a startled look flashing across his face. He hadn't seen it coming, obviously.

"Never, ever use Nathan as your fucking errand boy again!" She shouted, slamming her hands down on the desk. "Or god help me, I will use that fucking chrome-dome of yours for target practice!"

Charles gave her an infuriatingly mild look, rubbing at his jaw gingerly. "Is there a problem?"

"You knew how messed up he was," she hissed. "You knew and you took advantage of it, you sick fuck. You could have asked him. But you didn't. No, instead you took advantage of an utterly vulnerable man, and forced him to do what you wouldn't. Can't have blood on your hands, after all. Fuck you, Xavier. Fuck you and your entire fucking empire. This 'dream' is nothing more than some giant goddamned chess game, and you're the bastard who gets off on manipulating people like pawns! And now look what you've done!" She stopped, trying to catch her breath, and leaned across the desk at him. "If you ever come near Nathan again, almighty telepathic powers or no, your X-Men will be scraping your vaunted brains off the fucking wall."
She stood and marched out of the room, ignoring the saucer-eyed stares she got along the way. The entire mansion had no doubt heard her yelling, but frankly, she didn't give a damn. Halfway back to her temporary living space, footsteps took up pace behind her. She didn't even turn her head, she knew who it was. There was only one person who'd dare follow her when she was in this sort of mood--two, she corrected, but the other was God knew where. "Back off Sam. Just, don't."

"With all respect, ma'am, I can't do that."

She reached her door and threw it open. "Fine. What do you want?"

"Ah don't want anything. Ah just don't think it's a good thing for ya to be alone right now."

"Sam, I appreciate the offer, but--" She collapsed on the bed, still not looking at him and trying to ignore the pain in her chest. She probably shouldn't have done that. "Damn, I should probably pack. The goon squad will no doubt be here to kick me out for threatening their Grand Pooh-Bah like that."

"Ah think you just told him what a few of us have already been thinking. Ah know Ah wanted to." He paused. "Though, hittin' him was probably a bit much."

"Well, I suppose. I just--ah, shit." She wiped at her eyes with the back of her hand. "If Nate... because of what he pulled..." She trailed off, taking a shuddering breath. An instant later Sam was beside her, pulling her into a strong hug. She buried her head in his shoulder. "Oh, god."

----

"Rachel? How--" She was left speechless, staring at the young woman she'd thought lost forever.

"Well, I didn't want to upset tradition by staying lost." She smiled thinly. "I think I've probably got some explaining to do. Can we go inside?"

"I don't suppose this timing is coincidence," Jean commented wryly as the pair entered the mansion.

"Afraid not. It's sort of an involved story. But I take it I was right in assuming Nathan's vanished? I'm not reading him anywhere in the building."

"He disappeared this morning," Jean sighed. "The Professor and I were just trying to-- reach him. He didn't appreciate it."

Rachel shook her head. "I'm not surprised," she murmured. "I had hoped Charles would leave well enough alone..."

"Now that you're here," Jean replied tiredly, "I assume that some of this mystery can get explained? It's not like Sam to lie, you know."

"I know," the younger woman replied. "I forced him into it. But you have to understand, I didn't want to tip my hand. I thought it was better to stay out of sight for as long as I could. Now, I'm beginning to think that if I hadn't, maybe this wouldn't have happened."

"You couldn't have known. I just hope that we can all stop ly--" She stopped short as a shouts rang through the hallways, and closed her eyes briefly. "This day just keeps getting better," she murmured.

"What--oh," Rachel's eyes widened slightly as she lightly scanned the building around them. "I take it Domino just found out."

"I suppose so. Sam said she was sleeping. I guess she woke up. I'd better go check on Charles. You might as well come with. I get the feeling we're going to end up in another meeting before the day is over."

----

"The Sisterhood was trying to set him up. Nathan never did the things he was being accused of. I suspect it was easier to quietly let the issue vanish than it would have been to admit that they'd been wrong. Who would want to admit to how close the Sisterhood had come to succeeding? I ended up transferring schools, and assumed that Nathan would take care of himself. I can really only think of one reason why he would have done what he did afterward."

Scott frowned. This was not the kind of reunion he would have anticipated, though a part of him had always believed he'd see Rachel again. Given their family, it seemed inevitable. He would have preferred it to be under less dire circumstances. "And that would be the big mystery everyone has been skirting around for weeks now." He glanced at Jean, who looked back at him with worried green eyes. Rachel, he noticed, was staring unwaveringly at Charles.

Sam cleared his throat. He'd sat silently through the previous exchanges, feeling out of place in what had become, essentially, a family meeting. Only his personal interest in Cable's well being held him there. Domino was leaning rigidly against the wall, arms folded across her chest, face impassive as stone. If anything that had been said impacted her, she didn't show it. "We didn't want ta act on suspicion," he said. "Ah think it's 'bout time we got down to the truth."

"Charles?" Rachel asked calmly, "do you have any idea why Nathan may have decided to do what he did?"

That, Sam decided, was the Mother Askani in her speaking. No one else would have dared use that faintly condescending tone. Rachel was showing her hand at last.

"If you're implying that I somehow tampered with--"

"I'm not implying," she said. "I'm asking."

"Very well." He steepled his fingers, and paused a moment to organize his thoughts. "I do admit that while Nathan was acting as a member of the X-Men in Scott's absence, I encouraged him to think about pursuing certain paths which I felt would be beneficial to our work. It was a suggestion, nothing more. I doubt very much that I could have forced a telepathic command on Nathan, even if that had been my intention. He has never been easy to read, and I am sure he would have detected such an action in any event." He dropped his hands and passed his eyes around the room. Jean was watching him with concerned eyes. Sam's face held a hint of anger, while Rachel met his eyes impassively. Domino was not watching any of them, her gaze fixed seemingly elsewhere. His jaw ached in remembrance of their earlier confrontation. He looked to Scott last, and his first student's face was utterly unreadable.
"I knew that time for the X-Men's anonymity was coming to an end," he continued. "In addition, I had become aware of a certain lack of direction on Nathan's part. In the past, his actions have tended to be... counterproductive to our own. It was my hope that I could give him purpose while also filling a need created by the necessity of discontinuing involvement in certain activities in order to maintain a positive standing in the public eye."

"Is that why you wouldn't let us investigate when his safehouse was destroyed?" Jean spoke up. "When you implied that you felt Nathan was responsible for those deaths?"

"At the time, I had no proof of the Sisterhood's existence," he countered calmly. "I based my decision on the information I had at my disposal."

"And that decision was that Nathan had killed those people, and that we should do nothing?"

He sighed. "I had planned to decide on the appropriate response once I had learned more. That proved to be unnecessary. If," he continued, "you mean to ask if I was hesitant to involve the X-Men in the incident, you're correct. Given what I was planning for the future, I felt it would be unwise of us to openly become entangled in another political situation."

"Why Nathan?" Scott's voice was as emotionless as his face had been. "You were already working to establish the X-Corporation watching stations. Why did you need Nathan as well? Why like this?"

"There was a change in him after your supposed death, Scott. I sensed in him a certain potential for self-destruction that could not be left unchecked. To put it in the starkest of terms... Nathan has been used as a weapon all of his life. Now that Apocalypse has been defeated, he is a weapon without a purpose. That is never a good scenario. In my attempt to guide him on an appropriate path, I had no reason suppose that he would somehow find a way to cure the techno-organic virus and become more dangerous than any of us could have imagined."

"What I don't understand in all of this," Rachel interjected, "is why once you did know of the problem, you chose to hide it. I'm the only other telepath, it seems, who could detect the damage he was doing, and I suspect that's because you didn't know I was back in this time."

"I needed time to decide on a course of action. I did not want to risk the chance that someone else would find him and try to take advantage of his confused state, and I doubt my call for caution would have been heeded had I informed those it concerned."

"Ah'm getting kinda tired of wachin' you just tiptoe around this," Sam replied. "Why not say it like it is? You messed up, so you tried ta keep it under wraps until you could find a way ta fix it. Or maybe you were just hopin' Blaquesmith would get 'round to it first?"

Rachel stood, sensing that things were going to get ugly. "Speaking of Blaquesmith... he's bound to show up eventually--sooner rather than later, I suspect. And when he does, we're just going to have to start this debate all over again. I think maybe we should call it a night. I'm sure it's been a long day for everyone."

There was a murmur of agreement and everyone began departing the room. Scott stepped out into the hall and turned in the direction of the underground hanger before being stopped by his wife's voice.

"Honey?"

He half turned and glanced back at her. He could feel her concern over their rapport, knew the turmoil she was feeling over the situation, and wished he could find some way to ease it. But since his 'return,' things had been confused. He wasn't at all sure what he was doing or feeling anymore, and his distance was hurting her. He just didn't know what to do with it. "I'm going to go run a diagnostic on the blackbird. It's overdue for maintenance and... I just need time to think about all of this, Jean. I'm sorry."

She walked over and rested a hand on his shoulder. "It's all right. I understand."

"I know you do," he murmured, kissing her on the forehead. "Sometimes I think you're too patient with me."

A sad smile quivered on her lips. "Never. Things will work out. We're never really beaten, right?"

"Right."

She stepped away again. "I guess I'll go track down Rachel. We have an awful lot of catching up to do."

"Jean--"

"It'll be okay, Scott. With time."

He nodded, then turned and continued on his way.

----

"Well, that was informative," Sam sighed, leaning back in his chair. He glanced back at Dom, who still stood against the wall.

"What did you expect?" she murmured. "That he was going to break down and admit that he's fucked everyone over? He's always got his reasons, Sam, you know that."

"So you're gonna give in?" He shot back. "Just like that?"

"No!" She pushed away from the wall and glared at him. "Goddamnit Sam, I just... shit. Forget it. I'm going to bed." She shook her head, and started to walk off, but Sam stood and caught her wrist. She glared at him. "Let go."

"This isn't helping things. What's goin' on with you, anyway? One minute you're threatenin' to kill people, the next you're given' us all the zombie act."

"I'm tired, Sam. I'm really fucking tired, okay? Just let me go."

He dropped her wrist. "Sorry."

"It's not--" She brushed a hand back through her hair. "Don't worry about it. I just feel like I could sleep for a month solid, and maybe then all of this would just... go away."

"Talked to Hank?"

She arched an eyebrow at him. "No."

"Maybe you should think about it."

She shrugged, walked to the door, and gave him a lopsided smile. "Nah, you know me. I'll be right as rain in no time."

----

"I'm sorry, Jean. I really wanted to let you know I was back... I was so excited to be home, and then, to be told that it was going to be impossible... There was just too much to deal with." Rachel sat at one end of the sofa in the living room, where she and Jean had retreated to after the meeting.

Jean nodded to the young woman who, in another place, another lifetime, might have been her daughter. "I understand, Rachel. And I'm so glad that you're back. I'm afraid this is all just a bit much for me to process right now."

"Trust me, I know the feeling," Rachel replied wryly. "It took me awhile to grasp that things just weren't the way I remembered them. Time had passed, I knew that... I just wasn't expecting..."

"It's been that way for all of us, I think," Jean replied, "and we were here to witness it. A part of me believes that things will get better, and that this is just another rough spot in the road..."

"Are you angry with him?"

Jean frowned a little. "With Charles? I'm not entirely sure yet. A part of me knows he really didn't mean any harm. He never does. But this is Nathan, and that is something else entirely. I raised him for all those years in the future. He's my son, and though I don't always agree with what he does in his life, I'll never stop loving him. The part of me that is his mother is absolutely furious at Charles for this."

"He thinks what he's done is justified by the vision of a better future," Rachel replied pensively. "But I don't see how we can ever have real peace if it's bought on the backs others. I don't think micromanaging the present is going to bring him the peace he wants."

"His past mistakes haunt him, I think," Jean sighed. "He worries more than ever that he'll run out of time, and that everything he's worked so hard for is falling apart around him. We've come so far, I don't think he can stand the thought of not attaining that final goal."

"That's not really an excuse, Jean."

"I know that. I wasn't trying to use it as one. But as much as I wish this were something that Scott and I could come to a decision over on our own, it's just not. There is too much at stake here, and it doesn't affect just us."

"How is Scott handling all of this?" Rachel asked quietly. "He was a little distant all evening."

"Not well. When it comes to Nathan, he never does. He carries around so much guilt... they're never going to see eye to eye, and I know he realizes that, but every time something happens he ends up taking so much of the blame onto himself." She rubbed at her temple tiredly. "He hasn't been quite the same since he came back," she admitted. "I don't think this added strain is helping."

"Well, I can't imagine having Apocalypse trying to take over his body was an enjoyable experience," Rachel replied wryly.

"I wish I knew, frankly. He hasn't been willing to share much with me. Afraid to, I guess. He's been very withdrawn. It... worries me."

Rachel slid over and tentatively offered a hug. "I'm sure it will work out."

----

"Why do you make this sound like we're trying' ta outwit Magneto or something, instead of goin' after one of our own?"

It was mid-day, and crowded in Xavier's study. Tensions had been running at a peak around the mansion in the two weeks since Sam had arrived unannounced, but things had gotten noticeably more strained with Blaquesmith's arrival that morning. He'd immediately insisted on speaking to Xavier alone, and that conversation had lasted far too long for Sam's liking. Now everyone involved were either standing or sitting around Charles's large desk, expressions ranging from passivity to outrage as they discussed what course of action to take. The polite talk had dissolved at this point--Domino had apparently reached her limit for diplomacy, and everyone was trying to work around her outbursts.

"Sam, I realize that Nathan has been like a father to you. I've no wish to undermine that bond. But the person we are dealing with now is clearly not the man you know. I'm afraid that treating him as a hostile force is the only option left to us."

"Uh-uh. No way in hell. Nathan is not some fucking workhorse you can just shoot in the head because he's outlived his usefulness!"

"Dom..."

She brushed away the hand that rested on her shoulder. "No. Damnit, Sam. Nathan has had people using him as a puppet his entire life. I'm not going to just sit here quietly while people try to decide his fate for him!"

Xavier cleared his throat. "If I might suggest, perhaps you haven't the most impartial perspective on this?"

"Damn right I don't," she snapped. "I actually give a fuck. Yeah, I think you could go out there, hunt him down, and bring him back. Sure, you could control him. But I will put a bullet through his head myself before I let you turn him into some pathetic little yes-man. Fuck, have any of you stopped to consider that half the problem now might be because he never really got to have a life of his own?"

"Domino, I don't think anyone is suggesting we brainwash Nathan," Rachel interjected.

"No, you already did that for them, didn't you?"

"Dom!" Sam's hand was back on her shoulder, grip more firm this time. "That was out of line."

"Perhaps it would be best if you removed yourself from this discussion for the time being? Until you're better... restrained."

Dom glared. "Throwing me out?"

Xavier met her gaze calmly. "Merely a suggestion."

"Fine. You know what? Fuck you. I don't need this bullshit. Do whatever the hell you want. I hope you get your damned heads handed to you."

She turned on her heel, stalking out of the room. Sam watched her go, momentarily torn between going after her and staying behind. Finally, he turned back to the assembled group. Dom could use the time to cool off, and at least this way, they'd still know what was going on. Maybe it was paranoia, but he didn't want to leave this crowd to talk behind closed doors.

----

"So?"

"Right to the point, huh?" Sam asked as he stepped into the room. Domino was sitting on the bed, folding clothes and placing them in a black duffel. She stopped long enough to shrug, then continued her task. "Basically, they're playing a waiting game, for now. Jean and Scott fought hard for time. Ah don't think they're really happy with any of this. Rachel sorta threw in the towel--she wants ta find him, but on her terms, while Xavier and Blaquesmith think they got all the answers. Things got kinda ugly after you left--turns out Rachel...er, Mother Askani, actually, gave Blaquesmith orders ta 'take care' of Cable if this sorta thing ever happened."

"Just peachy," she muttered. "Can't say I'm surprised."

"Yeah, me either," he sighed. "What are you doing?"

"What does it look like? Packing. Scott offered to take me back to Hong Kong earlier today."

"Your idea or his?" Sam asked, leaning against the doorjamb.

"Mutual decision. I can't deal with this right now--knew things weren't going to get any better with Blaquesmith on the scene... I know you'll take care of things."

"Ah'd like to think Scott an' Jean'll help make sure whatever happens is the right thing."

"Maybe. But I wonder that they can't see how much Charles controls them."

"They trust him."

"Trust can be misplaced."

"Ah think everyone's startin' ta realize that. So you've still got a job, huh?"

"He thinks I'm a little crazy," she shrugged. "He thought it when he hired me. As long as I'm not actually in his face..." She trailed off. "I have to wonder now, though."

Sam arched an eyebrow. "About?"

"The men I had to shake getting to Kenya. I assumed they were Wisdom's. But... just why the hell did Xavier hire me anyway?"

"You were good for the job?"

"Or he wanted to keep an eye on me."

"Maybe. Does it matter?"

"I suppose not. I'm going back there anyway." She zipped her bag shut. "I'd better go."

"Ah'll keep in touch. Take it easy, alright?"

She smiled wanly. "I'll try."