A/N - JD - that last chapter was a favorite of ours. One of these days I'll have the time to head over and get caught up with little Rogers in your story, but with real life kicking both of our asses, that's not likely to happen just yet. Thank you for the kind words. James is one of my very favorite creations across all the universes I've used him in, and happily, he's mostly the same kid across the board. Obviously here, he'll have a few more obstacles to deal with than elsewhere, but I adore the kid.

Chapter 16 - Highs And Lows

"I'm 90% sure my daughter was going to push us out the door," Scott said with a smirk as he and Jan headed to a quiet cafe in Manhattan for a dinner date while Betsy worked with James and Rachel in Westchester and Nate kept Mia entertained. "I think she approves."

"That's like half the battle, isn't it? Kids' okay?"

"That's the rumor, anyway," Scott said, smiling as he held the door open for her.

"Such a gentleman," Jan said with a grin. "Thank you, kind sir."

"Hey, I was raised right," Scott said before checking them in for their reservations.

"I can tell; it's amazing," Jan told him. "Don't stop any time soon, either."

"I don't think I can," Scott said. "My mother would have had my hide otherwise."

"I like her already," Jan said. "Smart lady."

"Oh yeah. She taught me and Alex everything we know."

"Oooh, how is the not-as-cute brother doing these days?"

"I don't see him much. He married Lorna and moved to Genosha full-time," Scott admitted quietly. "The princess needs to be in her tower - apparently even after she's been married."

"Oh, wow," Jan said, eyebrows raised.

"Alex comes by sometimes. He taught the kids to surf last summer."

"I'll bet that was a laugh and a half," Jan said.

"Nate was so mad that James was as good at it as he is, especially since Nate's usually the athletic one."

"Well, individual sport," Jan said reasonably. "Right? Get to run it solo."

Scott chuckled. "Exactly."

"How did Alex take that?" Jan laughed. "I'm sure he was in stitches."

"Oh, he hasn't let it go."

"I hope he never does," she said. "I hate to say it, but it is funny when your little Nate gets twisted up on something like that."

"James has been gaining muscle too, and Nate hates it."

"I noticed," Jan said. "His shirts aren't quite right anymore, and I don't quite understand it for as much as he's just … studying. I mean, sure … he has access to the gym and he uses it, but it's mostly running."

"You remember how his dad was," Scott said. "He could lose half his arm, and the next day, it was right back. Must be part of the mutation."

"Must be nice," Jan said in an almost sarcastic tone. "Not like the rest of us that have to work for it."

"Yeah, add it to the list of things that used to drive me nuts," Scott said.

"Past tense - not worrying much about that list," Jan sang out.

"Well, we'll see how the boys do. I'm hoping I've done a good job keeping them from ending up like me and Logan."

"You absolutely have," Jan promised, giving his arm a squeeze before the maitre'd led them to their table. "Those two watch out for each other all the time. It's precious."

"All three of them do," Scott said as he pulled her chair out for her. "Rachel pops in even from Westchester just to leave psychic 'I love you' notes."

"Awwwww, she's such a sweetheart," Jan said. "She's always trying to take care of James with Nate … and don't think I missed James helping Nate with his math."

"The only real fight Nate ever got in at school was when someone was picking on James for skipping grades," Scott said with a fond smile.

"Surprised James didn't handle it himself," Jan said.

"He would have, but Nate was closer," Scott laughed. "James has always tried to keep from drawing any attention to himself."

Jan tutted. "I'll never understand why they'd pick on a kid for jumping a grade or two."

"There's always a reason," Scott said. "Before I had my glasses, I was a skinny, poor kid with no parents. With Rachel, she was too bossy for a girl. Nate's getting flack for playing with girls instead of the other boys. Always something."

"I'm pretty sure you just said 'jealousy' three different ways," Jan said.

"Oh yeah, everyone was jealous of me," Scott chuckled.

"Um, yes. You could have been a model, skinny."

Scott flushed red. "Not… really…"

"Yes, really!" she said. "Cute, tall guy, skinny too? They'd have loved you in Paris."

"Yeah, well, I was in Nebraska."

"Oh, there's your problem," she said heavily.

"If only I'd been born in France," he said dryly.

"New York would have gotten you there," she said quickly before she gestured to him generally. "Your bone structure? That hair? Done. Deal."

"I feel like you're just finding excuses for your own fashion dreams," Scott said, turning a red color on his cheeks that would have matched his glasses once upon a time.

"To say you're pretty? Kinda." Jan grinned and rested her chin in the palm of her hand. "I can do that. I'm well within my rights to point out the obvious."

Scott flushed a little deeper. "I'm… at a severe disadvantage when you're the first woman I've ever dated in full, living color all the time. Makes you stand out - and I never learned how to properly compliment anyone …"

"I'll take it," Jan said, nodding. "Sounded like a compliment to me."

"I was trying for that, anyway," Scott said. He tipped his head to the side as he watched her but didn't say anything until after they'd ordered drinks. "I do like it when you smile." He smiled and shrugged. "Sorry. I'm terrible at this."

"Thank you," she said, grinning at him. "You're awful cute when you smile too, but honestly, the little crooked smirk? Super attractive."

"Oh good. I don't think I can turn that one off," Scott said, complete with a smirk.

"Lucky me!"

Scott laughed and shook his head as he looked over the menu. "You're absolutely outclassing me in flirting, you know that? I'm not equipped for it."

"I enjoy it," Jan said. "It's fun once you get started, I promise."

"I only ever learned to do it telepathically."

"If it makes it easier on you, I can just make eyes at you - and you can guess what I'm thinking," Jan giggled.

Scott laughed outright as he looked over his menu. "You're thinking… 'how can someone with his bone structure be this bad at dating'?"

"Um, that's easy," Jan said. "You were always scooped right up before you could practice."

"I feel like I should argue that, but I don't know that I can," Scott laughed.

"You can't! I'm right," she said, positively enjoying herself.

"Okay, but now you have to try it," Scott said. "I'm on the spot!"

"I think we're doing just fine," Jan promised.

"Good," Scott said. "Because I do want you to enjoy yourself."

"Honestly, barring some calamity? I think I always have fun with you," she said. "So you can just … roll with it. We'll have fun no matter what."

"I think you're already past the limit and the wine hasn't even arrived," Scott teased.

Jan gasped. "I did not pre-load before we met up!"

"Are you sure?" he teased.

"Very!"

"I think you might be lying to me. That's a terrible thing to do to someone on a date!"

"Which is why I haven't," Jan laughed, clearly having a ball.

Scott grinned as the waiter came around to get their order, and for the most part, the date continued along those lines - with plenty of teasing from both of them… and a short interruption from Rachel telepathically sending her love with the boys.

By the end of the night, Jan was hanging onto Scott's arm, and they were both laughing as they headed back for the tower, still teasing each other the whole way. It was easy for Scott to read Jan - she was so open and honest about her feelings. And as for Jan, she loved how sweet Scott was, holding her doors open and pulling her chair out.

Scott was still a little paranoid about getting too close to the Avengers in the open like this, so they decided to part ways within sight of the tower, and then he'd drive out to Westchester to get the kids.

Jan gave his arm a squeeze as they came to a stop, and Scott turned to face her with a smile. "Next time, try to come without the pre-date pick-me-up," he teased.

"I did not-" Jan hit him in the shoulder. "You're never going to let that go!"

Scott grinned a little wider before he leaned forward and stole a quick kiss. "Well, I did also say I'd like there to be a next time, didn't I?"

Jan blinked up at him, completely caught off her guard, before she grinned, stood on her toes, and kissed him right back. "Looking forward to it."

James had been working away at his schoolwork, finally back up to his normal pace after a few weeks of dragging following his talk with Hank. He still wasn't in a good mood over any of it, but he knew he didn't have a route to deal with it yet, either, so for the sake of not causing a giant fight, he let it go and tried to just … stick to his homework.

But that was pretty frustrating, and he spent most of his breaks hitting a punching bag to blow off some steam. It wasn't much, but he did feel a little better when he was hitting things at least. Especially when everything seemed to be fighting him lately. It had taken several visits with Betsy playing intermediary for Rachel and himself to even begin to make it so Rachel could reach out and the repeated failures had him feeling like there was something wrong with his mind, too.

Needless to say, he was having a hard time and was using the gym to deal with it. He was frustrated and angry, but it wasn't until he stopped hitting the bag that he really got mad. His jaw was locked, and he was glaring at the ground, his hands in fists. He wanted to hit something but it just … didn't feel like enough to hit it, even when he was hitting it with everything he had. He was clenching and unclenching his hands, almost like they were itching, when he shifted his wrists a hair.

An odd sound echoed the gym that James had never heard, but the sound wasn't anywhere near the front of his mind when all he could do was keep himself from screaming. He stared down at his hands to see that, yep, he'd somehow managed to pop his claws. All at once, James was dizzy and sick to his stomach. His hands were shaking and he couldn't catch a breath right. He hadn't realized that there'd be so much blood. His arms were screaming at him, and the burning sensation had everything feeling white hot from his elbows to the tips of his fingers. But in spite of the pain, he couldn't quite make a noise as he crumpled to the floor, staring in shock at the blood that didn't want to stop dripping off of his hands.

In Westchester, Rachel heard the moment James popped his claws. She didn't think he'd meant to do it, but he was projecting panic and pain, and since Betsy had helped them set up a connection, it all flooded her way.

The sensation was so overwhelming that she nearly passed out herself, and then she started to panic, reaching out telepathically for her dad. James is hurt.

What? Scott wasn't even bothering to hide his panic. Where?

I don't - I don't know. I - I'll ask Betsy to help me.

I'll take Nate to Natasha and Clint. As soon as you have something-

I'll tell you, Rachel promised.

At the apartment, Scott was pacing, running both hands through his hair before he got Nate up from the couch. "We have to go," he said. "Now."

"Dad?"

"I'll explain later," Scott said. "I need you to stay with Natasha."

"Dad, what's going on?" Nate asked, and there was no mistaking the honest fear in his voice.

Scott stopped, held his breath, and then he took a moment to look Nate in the eyes. "You're going to be alright, Nate. I promise."

"You don't know what's going on, do you?"

"Nate, please, just stay with Natasha."

Nate nodded, though he was scared as they got to Clint and Natasha's apartment at the same time Scott's cell phone rang - with Steve on the other end.

"What do you know?" Scott asked in a breath.

"James used his claws," Steve said. "He can't retract them, and honestly, he's in shock. We've got him as settled as we can, but … he'd probably be better off at home. His healing isn't exactly on all the time."

Scott nearly lost his footing, and he leaned heavily against the door. "Claws," he repeated. "He … he used his ... Oh, God."

"Hank says it tore the muscles that control them loose but that they'll heal on their own, one way or another."

Scott was massaging his forehead as he leaned a little harder against the door. "Rachel heard him projecting pain when it happened. I thought… Damnit, I thought he was in trouble."

"We were with him almost as soon as it happened," Steve said. "Tony found him. I'm giving it to you as Hank tells me."

"Thank you," Scott breathed out. "I'll come get him. I'll tell Ororo … claws. I didn't even think what that would do to him the first time…"

"Neither did we," Steve said. "I knew it wasn't pleasant, but …I didn't realize it would be this bad."

"There's so much they never told us," Scott whispered.

"You know how Logan was. He didn't like to complain if it was only a problem for him. Specifically if it was something like this. He'd never say a word, just … tear himself apart and keep going."

"Yeah, I know," Scott said. "K wasn't much different about it, either."

"We'll be waiting for you. He's safe and fairly comfortable, though, so you don't need to rush."

"I'll be right there," Scott promised.

When James woke up again a few days later in his own bed, with his senses going totally haywire, the whole family was around him, and Scott looked so relieved to see James conscious that it only took a few seconds for him to pull James into a hug with James' head under his chin.

"Hi, Dad," James said tiredly.

"Hey, bud," Scott said, his voice still ragged even after a couple days of waiting for James to sleep off the shock as he healed. "How you feeling?"

"Like I could sleep for a few days."

"Yeah, you already did that," Nate pointed out.

"I did?" James asked with a frown as he sat up a little bit.

"You tore all the muscles in your arms when you popped your claws and lost a lot of blood," Scott explained. "I'm so sorry, James. I didn't think to tell you - I didn't realize it would be an issue. I should have realized that it would hurt … I should have warned you."

James frowned at that and looked down at his hands, running his fingers over the skin that had healed up while he was asleep, though the bloody, gruesome image of the claws sticking out of the backs of his hands hadn't left his mind's eye. "Yeah, it still hurts."

"You scared the cripes out of everyone," Rachel told him. "No one knew it would hurt like that." She sat down and inserted herself into the close space between James and Scott so she could hug her brother tightly. I'm just glad you're okay. No one likes to see you hurt.

I wasn't even trying to do anything, James told her, sounding both tired and upset in his mental voice.

I know. You sort of… instinctively called for help, kinda. Rachel gave him a little smile. I'm glad you did, though. I want to be able to help you when you need it. You're my little brother, and I want to take care of you.

I really didn't mean to bother anyone, James told her.

It's okay. That's what family's for. You'd come get me if I called for help, Rachel pointed out.

I wasn't calling for anything, James said.

Yeah, you were just hurt. But I'm glad you called me when you were hurt. If it had been something bad, I'd want to know, right? The system totally works!

Still feel bad that everyone got all bent out of shape over nothing.

Yeah, I know, but it's not nothing, James. It took me a while to stop feeling like crap for scaring Dad with my powers, too. I guess it's a family tradition, Rachel teased lightly.

Hopefully that's the last of it, James said, sounding irritated all over again.

Yeah, it should be, Rachel said. Unless Nate shoots lasers through the ceiling. That seems like a Dad heart attack again.

At least he could feel like he could give advice on that, James replied.

I'm really sorry you don't like your powers, James. Mine suck sometimes too. She paused and took a moment to loop Nate into the conversation. She knew their dad was aware that they were telepathically talking anyway, so she might as well. Nate and I have been talking about how stupid it is. The whole thing. We get these powers, and we can't even do anything but pretend they don't exist!

For good reason, James said.

Yeah, but what if we fought back? Nate put in. Everyone's hiding all the time, but that just means the bad guys are hiding too. What if we just… didn't play by the rules?

And do what? James asked.

Restart the X-Men, Rachel said.

James let out a sigh at that. I don't know. What would we even do other than be giant targets?

Maybe we could take down the lynch mobs and stuff like that. The stuff our parents used to do, Nate pointed out.

Let me think about it, James said. I'm not real anxious to do this again. Ever.

Well, Nate and I were going to ask if we could train with the Avengers. We'd tell them we wanted to be Avengers like Hank. And we'd wear masks so Dad doesn't freak over our identities. And not all the Avengers have powers. I'm sure they could work something out.

Dad'll freak out anyhow, James pointed out.

Yeah, but he'd also freak if we got caught and couldn't fight back, Rachel reasoned.

James mulled it over a little longer. Tony was kind of asking if I might consider the Avenger thing when I'm older.

Then we have an in, Nate said. You don't have to use your claws if you don't want to. You could do like I'm doing and be a crack shot. Or just hit people.

Maybe, James said. But the claws kind of just … they did it on their own. I don't know how I did it.

We'll figure it out, Rachel promised. But… even if you don't want to fight, will you back us up with Dad? Please?

Yeah, James replied. I told you about Hank. I'm still mad about what he told me, you know. Pretty crappy that we're supposed to be happy to hide. Doesn't make sense.

Yeah, you told me, Rachel agreed. And I'm kinda feeling the same way at the school. It's good to learn about our powers, but you can't get away from the nerves, and people like Mia and Warren don't get a choice. They can't go anywhere. Maybe if there were X-Men, we could, I don't know, do something about it. Challenge people to get over themselves.

Everyone keeps telling me about Logan, James said.

Yeah? Nate raised his eyebrows. What about?

All kinds of stuff, but.. I don't think he would have gone along with this at all.

I don't think my mom would either, Rachel said. Not from what people keep thinking about around me, even if they don't say anything at school where they're trying to keep quiet.

Dad's not even that happy about it, Nate put in. I overheard him telling Jan how he wishes things were different.

So why don't they do something? James asked.

They're scared, Rachel said. I can hear it every time we talk about it. They're scared of what happened to our parents.

Yeah, well. I've been reading about that, too, James admitted. And I don't just mean when we lost everyone. The stuff that happened to Logan and my mom - they have good reason to be nervous. If those people catch up … He stopped, frowning to himself, not really meaning for Rachel to hear it when his thoughts continued without him projecting '... I'm dead,' though she heard it anyway.

We have to stop them, Rachel said. The adults are too scared to do anything, so it's up to us. We just have to play smart, like Dad taught us. We'll start training with the Avengers. Maybe we can be junior Avengers or something. Let people get used to more than just Dr. Blue on the team, right? No one says we can't be Avengers. They just don't want X's on our chests.

We're totally putting X's on our chests, Nate said with a smirk.

Yeah, but like they keep telling me, you can't get what you want. So... James projected, trailing off.

So they want us to give up?

If I have to live with these stupid powers and the stupid legacy that goes with it, I'm not going to keep doing this, James insisted.

Then we're agreed, Rachel said. Something has to change. Let's just keep it between us until we're ready to break out the X's instead of the Avengers logo.

We won't announce it when it happens, then, James said. When we get there, we just do it.

This is why I love you, Rachel said, grinning as she hugged her brother, since she really wanted to anyhow. We're going to be the best team ever.