THE FAMILY

ALTERNATE UNIVERSE: Mystique doesn't work for Magneto. Logan still has his memory and Sabretooth wasn't raised by a sadistic father. Magneto couldn't get his hands on Senator Kelly, so he got another victim, he then got more then he expected or ever wanted or could handle.

Disclaimers: Nope, still don't own them except Bell, and Victor's grandkids, hehe.

CHAPTER 18: REFLECTIONS
Victor went into his bedroom. He noticed that it had been taken over by his son and his wife, but not brutally. He removed his fur and leather coat and hung it up in a coat bag. He zipped it up and put into his closet. He would not need that coat for sometime. It was an easy decision for him not to continue working for Erick, but a dangerous one. Erick did not like losing control over his minions and plans. But with Graydon and maybe his wife and some of his children being at the summit, the decision was the right one. He never did like the plan that Erick had, not at all.

Victor grabbed a bathrobe out of his closet and went into the master bedroom's bath. It was not the disaster area he imagined. The floor was wet and there was a wet washcloth handing over the rim of the bath tub and a few bath toys in the corner, but that was a minor irritation and not a nuisance. He took off his leather clothes and breathed a sigh of relief. As much as he enjoyed the effect of wearing leather, it could get heavy and hot. Even on the coolest of days or nights. "Time to take these guys to the cleaner", he muttered. Pulling off his boots and putting them to one side he started the shower. He liked to alternate between very hot, and very cold. He needed the stimulation for the day he was going to put in. So far he'd been up nearly 23 hours straight. A long nap would be nice, but the summit was soon and he had work to do. He planned carefully on how he was going to go about defeating Magneto. With his metal skeleton it was not going to be easy. Magneto's threat of removing the adamantium was not an idle one. Not that he would miss it. He'd been without it for most of his life, but he would become vulnerable to any attack at that time. He was certain that Erick was planning to get other powerful mutants together and attack Xavier's school. It would take some of the most powerful ones to do that. Xavier had a lot of security and he's been training his students to defend themselves. He was anxious to see that.

He climbed into the bathtub and turned on the pulsating showerhead. Even with his healing factor he could feel sore and tired like the next guy. He stood under the flow of the water and let it roll down his back in a soothing stream. He lathered up his long blonde hair and washed it first. Thinking briefly about cutting his again he rinsed and soaped himself good then stood under the water just relaxing. The water started to get cold and he stood there until he was almost shaking with cold. That was a wake up call if he ever felt one. He'd had more tiring days then the last three days, but not as satisfying.

He stepped out of the tub and wrapped a towel around his waist and started blow-drying his hair. With alternating between using a towel to fluff his hair and a comb it didn't take too long to dry it. He pulled his hair into a ponytail and tied it with a black cord. He looked at his face that was almost blocked from his view by steam on the mirrors. He wiped the mirror with a dry hand towel. He now looked at his face and dried it. His sideburns that he grew in a mane kind of way to give him an appearance of a lion to a certain degree, had to go. He could grow them again in no time at all. He took his beard and mustache trimmer and gave himself a clean shave. The whiskers were gone; a small hairy pile on his bathroom counter. He brushed the stray hairs away and nodded in satisfaction at his clean face.

He stared at the reflection in the mirror. From deep in the past he could hear his father's voice. He had given many lectures on family devotion and loyalty.

"Victor, I'm quite proud of you racing to get help for you little brother. I know that there are no guarantees about James' treatment. Your Indian Shaman friend seems to know what to do. I know that your mother is worried and unsure about any treatment for James."

"I'm sure Tipanic will know what kind of treatment James will need. We have only to wait while he examines him." Victor said, while watching an older man glare at them from afar. "Damn, Papa....do something about that mean old man, would you? He's plotting something I just know it!" Victor heard his father heave a great sigh. His father only nodded.

"He probably is."

"He's waiting to hear that James has died. He's hoping that James will die!" Victor growled angrily.

"Yes, and he is hoping that I would drop dead as well." His father glanced sadly in the elder gentleman's direction.

"Send him away Papa. He can't be trusted.... he's evil. The further away he is the better." Victor said hotly.

"There's an old saying son, 'keep your friends close, keep your enemies closer'." Victor's father quoted. "Look son, the only reason I'm keeping him close is so I can keep an eye on him. He'll be far more dangerous away where I can't watch him. He's plotting something to take over my fortune. He could never understand family; he won't understand any thing like that. All he ever cared about was money."

He saw his father swallow hard and he smelled sadness, and grief pouring off of him like sweat. Victor had his enhanced senses for four years now, and could decipher the difference of emotions now. Victor put an arm around his father's shoulders. Victor was a great deal taller then his father now.

"I've been making arrangements for many years now. You have had the best schooling that I could afford, in as many areas as possible. Hell, you've even been trained in warrior's way by that tribe that Tipanic is from. All, for the sole purpose of being able to defend yourself against that dangerous old man. You have the combination to the safe. Your mother's best jewels are in it. Money, information on my business holdings and things that he knows nothing about are in there as well. If or when something happens to both of us, I want you to take what's in the safe and flee with your little brother, if he survives. That old man can take my house, my fortune, my life...but I will not let him take my sons. Promise me Victor that if anything happens to me or your mother...you will protect your little brother from that.....man!" Victor's father said thru gritted teeth.

"I promise father, that I will not let him harm James. Give me the word and that horrid man will disappear forever, now." Victor said thru unshed tears.

"No! I will not let you do that. I need you free to take care of James. So far he hasn't done anything that I can prove. But if something happens to him now, I won't be able to protect you from the law. Please Victor...promise me that you will do nothing to him now, or later. I must have your word. Ever since you were a boy, you've always kept your promises to the best of your abilities and circumstances. Please." Victor heard his father practically begging him. With a closed throat he croaked an 'I promise' to please his father.

"Good. I knew I could count on you. Just don't turn your back on him, son. I never could, I've paid dearly over the years for doing just that." Just then someone came out of the large house. It was Tipanic. He looked and walked serious. But Victor could smell no sadness coming from him. His brother was still alive.

"Tip, my friend how is he?" Victor asked anxiously.

"Amazing my friend. Just amazing. I have never seen the like. He has many illnesses, never had I seen anything like this. Most children who get just one of his illnesses die shortly after they are born. You and yours have kept him alive 11 years?!" Tipanic shook his head. "His body is weak, but his spirit has strength that I've not seen in all my life. I have followed my father's and grandfather's footsteps in being a Shaman for almost all my life and all that were born with his afflictions died almost soon as they are born. You must love and care for him deeply. Only that would have kept him with you for 11years." Victor could hear the astonishment in his voice.

"Can you cure him?" Asked Victor's mother who came up behind them almost unnoticed. There was hope in her voice and a plea for her youngest.

"Mrs. Howlett, I can treat him....but I cannot cure him." Mrs. Howlett gave a deep sigh; it was just as she feared. Her beloved son could not be cured by any medical means. "Do not despair. I can treat him for his aliments. Most can be controlled with medicines that have been passed down for generations in my tribe. They do work, he will be able to breathe better and he will gain strength. It will take time and effort if you are willing to follow the treatments exactly. Follow my instructions and maybe when his growth starts in a year or two his body will correct itself. There are no guarantees of any kind, but since you have kept him alive for so long....it looks good that he will get stronger in body. His spirit is already stronger then I have ever seen. Come Victor I will show you how to make the medicine for him. I will give you enough for a week and I will be back with a larger supply and see if it needs adjusting." Tipanic and Victor went back into the house and up to his brother's room. Victor could already hear the difference in James's breathing. It was relaxed and he was not working as hard to bring air into his lungs. His parents had followed them and his mother looked at his little brother anxiously. Even she could tell James was better. Silent tears of joy feel down her face as she watched James breath, almost normally. James was always on the verge of death. They had to live with that every day.

"The elder's boast of you being the best healer of their nation was not an idle one." Victor whispered.

"Yes, I don't know how to repay you, Tipanic." Victor's father said.

"No payment is necessary. Victor has paid in advance." Tipanic smiled. Both of his parents looked at Victor with questioning glances. Victor could feel himself blush.

"Tip, you promised you wouldn't tell." Tipanic only smiled.

"I didn't tell, just mention it. You will have to explain it to them, yourself." Tipanic grinned. Victor's parents just stared at him.

"Well, you see there was this bear......" His mother raised her hands to her mouth and his father cocked his head.

Victor decided to give himself a complete shave and not just a trim. The memory of that day came to him unbidden. Or maybe it did; his son and family showing up and Bell's story of her family tragedy spurred some memories. He smelt him before he heard the knock on the door.

"Hey, Vic!! You done in there yet, the grandkids want to say goodbye before leaving to go to terrorize the Children's Museum." Logan called.

"Yeah, just about James, tell them to hang about awhile. Just need to get dressed, that's all." Victor called back.

"Sure thing, big brother! Say, I made some of that gourmet coffee that you like. So put a fire under yourself okay?"

"Be right out." Victor called and began drying off quickly. He heard James leave.