Disclaimer: I do not own Mutant X.

Thank you all for the reviews, they have brightened my day. Here's the next chapter.

Chapter 11: Ashlocke/ Cassandra

Gabriel sat nervously in his car. Three weeks ago he buried his only daughter and the second hardest thing for him to do, he was doing today. The day after they buried Gabriella, Adam came to him and told him he had found Cassandra, his first love, and mother of the twins.

He was nervous to see her again after all this time and dreaded telling her the news of Gabby's death. He opened the car door, his mind flashed back to the last time he saw Cassandra, it was the night after they had gotten married, he guessed it was the night the twins were conceived, since it was the only night they had been together.

The next day his world fell apart, his DNA changed drastically and he killed his parents. His brother tricked him into a pod later that same day and he spend the next 25 years in that pod. He swallowed the painful memories it brought up.

He got out of the car and walked up the driveway. He wondered if Cassandra was still the beautiful honey colored blonde that she was when they were married. Pain hit him as he realized she had probably remarried since then. He shook it off, he needed all the strength he had to tell her about Gabby and invite her to Xavier Estates to see Ashley.

He walked up the steps and rang the doorbell; he took a deep breath as the door opened. But it all was lost when he looked at the beautiful blonde woman standing before him. The look in her eyes told him she knew who he was, tears formed, "Gabe?"

"Cassie."

"You're alive!"

"Yea," he smiled. "How are you?"

"That's what I get after a 30 year absence?"

"Sorry, I can explain, I didn't mean to leave you."

"Adam told me," she said. "He called about 3 weeks ago to tell me what he had done years ago. He also told me about Gabriella."

"I'm so sorry, I wanted to be the one to tell you about her," he said.

"I'm heartbroken, it really doesn't matter who told me, Gabe."

"I wish I could bring her back."

"I know you do, but she was sad Gabe, she was always on the edge. But I'm glad her and Ashley found you, so you got to see her before she died."

""I do have a question though, how did you have them? I was in that pod, and my children are only 16."

"I thought you were dead and I asked Adam if he could help. He explained it all to me 3 weeks ago. You can ask him, but all I know was that he said he had frozen some of your sperm for some test, and it was done invitro-fertilization. Of course I had no idea you were alive until last week, well to honest I didn't believe Adam."

"You always were a smart cookie."

"I want to ask you something, Gabe."

"Ok."

"Do you still love me?"

"Yes, I never stopped."

"You know we're still married, don't you?"

"You never remarried?"

"Yes I did, but it's invalid, plus he's dead."

"I'm sorry."

"Ashley never told you?"

"I guess not."

"Agent Burnett was my husband."

"Then you know how he died."

"Adam told me, he told me Ashley blew up a building."

"Yeah, that's some boy we got huh?"

"You have no idea, come on in, there's a lot I need to say to you. A lot of time that you need to know about."

"Ok."

Ashlocke and Cassandra walked into Xavier Estates. She was amazed at the size of the mansion from the outside, but the inside was just as grand. There was a staircase befitting a queen's descent. There was a huge gold chandelier in the foyer. Gabe took her hand and lead her to the dining room where everyone else was seated eating. "Everyone, I would like you to met Cassandra."

"Mom!" yelled Ashley as he got up and almost ran around the table to hug her. Everyone could tell that Ashley had been holding his emotions in for so long, seeing his mother was just too much. But he didn't fully let go; he would hold that till later, when he was alone with her. "I've missed you."

"I've missed you too Ashe, we'll talk later, I promise."

"Thanks," he smiled; he walked back around the table and sat down. He would never know that Emma was the one who stopped him from letting go. She knew he wasn't ready yet.

"Welcome Cassandra," said Emma. "Please join us for dinner."

"I don't want to intrude."

"Nonsense, I made plenty, too much really."

"If you insist, everything smells great."

"Help yourself, let me get you a plate."

"Thank you."

Gabe looked at his son and saw the smile on his face that had been missing since Gabby's death, "Cassie, I think we can tell our news now."

"I think you're right."

"Cassie and I have decided to renew or wedding vows."

"Wow, congratulations!" said Shalimar. "I'm so happy for you both."

Everyone congratulated Gabriel and Cassie.

Later that night, after dinner was over and everyone had gone to bed, Cassie walked down the hallway to her son's room. "Ashley."

"Come in."

"I hope I didn't wake you."

"No I was waiting for you."

"I figured you were, Ashley, that's why I came. I'm here for you Ashley and you need to know that's alright to cry."

"But I'm afraid if I start, I'll never stop."

"You will stop Ashley, you have to realize crying doesn't mean you're weak, or that by doing so it doesn't mean we've accepted her being gone. Crying means we're sad that she's gone and wish she were still here," she said with tears n her eyes. "So how about I hold you while you cry and we both cry together."

Ashley couldn't stop the tears this time. Cassandra walked over to the bed, sat down and held her son as he cried. She held him until he fell asleep and she gently covered him up. She kissed him on the forehead and walked toward the door. She turned off the light as she left the room. "Good night Ashley, " she whispered.

She walked down the hallway and just as she got to Gabe's room she saw Emma passing, "Emma."

"Yeah?"

"Thank you for calming Ashley this evening at dinner."

"How did you know that I did?"

"Because I'm Psionic as well."

"I had no idea you were a mutant."

"I don't really use my powers anymore, I had to learn to turn my powers almost off in order to stay sane."

"Wish I could do that."

"You can, but you have a gift Emma. You use your powers to calm people, you should never try to stop that."

"You're right, but I get tired of having random thoughts running in my head."

"I can teach you how to build up your sensory wall."

"You can?"

"Yes, I'm surprised Adam hasn't taught you."

"Adam knows how?"

"Yes, he taught me, I'll be happy to show you how."

"Great, in the morning alright with you?'

"Sure is, see you in the morning."

"See you, goodnight Cassie."

"Night Emma."

Ok, one chapter left and then there will be a break before I start the next and final part of my very long story that started with Wolf Crossing, then went to Undercover Agent, Dominion Wars, Let it Snow and now Tribulation. That last installment will be entitled Love and War. Don't worry, not a lot of romance stuff, lol, mostly war!