Chapter 31 - Blindsided

While the race to drive had been one filled with competition and many ups and downs between Kate and James, it was still debatable as to who the winner was. Yes, Kate's car had started out being perfectly drivable, but it had ended up needing a lot more TLC than even Carol had suspected.

The first thing that had happened, of course, was Natasha yanking out the Nitrous system - which ended up being the beginning of a slide for Janice. A peek in the engine had revealed that years with the throttle in a bottle had done subtle but serious damage to the heads. Which meant that there was a full engine rebuild to be done, leaving Natasha promising Kate with an amused smirk: "She needs a full new identity. Entirely. Obviously that means she needs a new engine as well."

"With … an engine that doesn't need the juice?" Kate asked with a grin, hoping her mother wold go for it.

"No," Natasha replied with a cheshire cat smile. "But it was worth a try."

James' work with his father and Steve had been steady, though. One thing would break - or show it self to be on the edge and they'd replace the problem or fix it, then a week later, they'd find something else. It was slow, steady repairs - all of which seemed to coincide well with how long it took them to order in new parts. But by the time he got his license, he was able to drive it. A little. For the month between his birthday and Kate's he got exactly two weeks of good driving before another broken part. Which meant Kate got to giggle her way through her birthday being the only one between them that could drive at the moment.

And it continued that way for the rest of the school year and even into Summer, though Kate's car would have it's own fits with less irritating regularity. Especially when James' car was working in prime convertible weather and Kate's decided it needed a new transmission. She just counted it as a good time though, when the Summers brothers stepped up to fix it for her. They had plenty of practice, after all.

Nate had only gone to the school in Westchester long enough to get a handle on his powers, though he and Rachel had been messing around with their telekinesis and telepathy for years so they had more than their fair share of lectures from their dad about keeping their powers under wraps before, during and after their time at Xavier's.

But even if Nate wasn't as careful at home, he was careful at school, because he was the quarterback on the varsity team, and he did not want anyone to think he was cheating. Especially because he was only a sophomore. He'd worked his butt off to get on the team, between recovering from injuries and bulking up enough to compete after being out of group sports for a couple of years. Even with those odds stacked against him, he had only ever cheated once - accidentally, during practice, and then it was only because he hadn't known Kate was going to try out for the cheerleading squad. She'd been captain of the archery team her freshman and sophomore year, so … it was kind of a shock. He hadn't expected her to go all in with cheerleading when she had been so aggressively competitive with every single sport she chose to go into.

Nate had just finished up practice when Kate came bounding over with a crooked grin on her face and grabbed his arm. "Come on!" she said. "I have Jan's notebook, and we've got to show Mia some of the designs she came up with!"

You're attracting attention, Nate projected to her.

Oh, please. They all think we're going to find a hot makeout spot. Go ahead. Mind scan them and tell me I'm wrong.

Nate rolled his eyes - but he couldn't exactly argue with Kate, and the next thing he knew, they were in her purple VW on the way to Westchester with the top down. He'd already texted his dad to let him know that he and Kate were dropping in on Mia one last time before the fall semester officially started.

Everyone was trying to reach out and cheer Mia up more lately since she'd been in an honest funk about how there had been some advances in tech that screwed with image inducers, so she had to play it safe unless it was a known safe spot. Or relatively safe. The life of a part demon was a rough one, and it was taking its toll on the kindhearted young woman. So of course, specifically designed uniforms would cheer her up considerably.

"Jan and I are trying to decide if I need a midriff shirt or if I should go with a one-sleeve archer look," Kate said as Nate looked over the sketches that Jan had come up with. She had already designed Rachel's official Avengers outfit now that Rachel was eighteen and old enough that Scott couldn't stop her from joining the team full time - which she did. He'd had a hard time adjusting to that little change, and just about the time he'd gotten his anxiety under control, Nate had started wearing his dad down on letting him join up too the same way Rachel had when she was his age.

But these uniforms? They had X's on them, and not even the other Avengers knew that Jan was working on this project with them.

"Mia said she wanted something like her dad wore - you know, Nightcrawler-style. But with her white hair, we wanted to do more white accents than her dad had," Kate said. "And with yours, I wanted something that accents your football bod." She grinned over at him. "If you've got it, flaunt it."

Nate laughed and shook his head. "The story of your life."

"Oh, totally," Kate agreed. "Do you think you could get James to finally look at some of the sketches? I know he says he's not sure if he wants to join the secret club, but Jan has some drawn up anyhow and they're pretty amazing…"

"He's just worried about Dad," Nate said. "And, he's kind of been drawing his attention away from us and the secret club with the whole ... Jeep project, to be honest, so it's been good for our plotting purposes. We'll get James to join. Eventually."

"I thought your dad knew you were training to be Avengers? He signed off on all three of you."

"Yeah, but he's suspicious and James hasn't taken up Tony or Cap on the offer," Nate said. "And Dad's got his psychic defenses up all the time, so I think his paranoia's through the roof."

"Your dad is always paranoid," Kate said, rolling her eyes.

"Yeah, but there's paranoid," Nate said holding his hand up around chest level. "And then there's Dad." He held his hand well over his head.

"He's going to have to get over it sooner or later. Rachel's doing great on the Avengers. I totally love the hood-cape-thing she's got going on to hide her face and hair too. It's gorgeous."

"You underestimate him."

"Apparently."

"So … do you wanna get going before Dad calls up and says to forget Westchester?" Nate asked.

Kate grinned. "Um, yes. But before you pick out your makeout spot, lemme show these sketches to Mia first. I sort of already called her."

"You know, I could just … project them …"

"It's not the same, Nate," Kate laughed.

"Says you," Nate laughed with her.

"Hey, you're just cheating, you… telepathic goon."

"I'm teasing, you know that, right?" Nate said. "I can be patient." For a while.

You so can't, Kate said, laughing even in her mental voice as she pushed the speed limit. And if you try and have a psychic makeout with me and we get in a wreck, I am blaming you and throwing you under every single bus.

Pretty sure I could TK us out of trouble if it came down to it.

Your dad would kill us both. Straight up murder in the streets.

Yeah, he's a total killer, Nate replied, almost snorting to himself.

Kate laughed. I'm speeding for you, I hope you know. If I get another ticket, Mom will hang you by your thumbs.

Nate grinned crookedly at her. If you get pulled over, I'll make him think he pulled over Dazzler. He'll be starstruck.

You're hilarious.

Totally serious.

Yeah, I know. Which makes you that much better. Kate laughed to herself - which really just meant a whole lot of telepathic flirting all the way to Westchester.

Though Kate and Nate were surprised when they got to Westchester and they weren't the only ones there to visit. Though it was incredibly close to the start of the school year, there were some new students - a pair of twin boys that looked exactly alike except for their hair - and Mia was giving them the tour. They were just making the rounds in front of the school, and Mia waved at both of them as she passed - then teleported over to say hello, even though she wasn't supposed to teleport, even now that she had a handle on it, and even though they had no neighbors close enough to the school to see her unless they were someone going out of their way to spy. And someone likely was.

"Gimme," Mia said, grinning widely as she devoured the designs that Jan and Kate had come up with. "Ooh, can you elongate the shoulders more? I want to look a little more like my dad."

"Something Jan hasn't heard lately," Nate said under his breath as Kate nodded to Mia and handed her the pencil to make notes in the margins with her requests.

"This is amazing.. but I have to go back to my tour. They're cute, don't you think? My new students?" Mia asked with a crooked smile as her tail swayed lazily behind her.

"If you flirt with the kid with white hair, you'd totally match," Kate teased.

"Oh, like Kate and Nate?" Mia shot right back.

"Ex-actly."

Mia laughed and then teleported back to the boys - and Kate burst out laughing when she realized that Mia had taken the white-haired twin's arm to pull him along.

"This is why she's my best friend," Kate said. "Ugh. If her mom wasn't so nervous about how people would react to another blue Avenger, she'd be on the team with me already." We so have to hurry up with the X-debut. This gets stupider the older we get!

Yeah, but you know James is right, Nate said. We need a place to start, and we don't have anywhere to start yet that would need the X-Men over the Avengers. Just a matter of time - I'm not totally making excuses for him.

Not 'totally' anyway, Kate said before she grinned and stole a kiss. I'm perfectly fine with waiting for a dramatic debut.

You would be.

Hey, you never know. Maybe the MRD pulls something super duper stupid...

We'll know it when we see it, Nate said.

Kate grinned, and she was ready to move on to something else - except that she spotted something unusual and let out a gasp. "Um. I think I see it."

Nate turned and swore under his breath when he saw what or who had Kate sounding like that. "You never know … maybe it's … nah, who am I kidding, that's trouble." He pulled on her hand. "Come on. We should go see how bad it's going to be."

Kate was wide-eyed as she let him pull her toward the slightly levitating Magneto, who was mostly staying back from Mia's tour as he looked around the school, frowning to himself the more he saw. He seemed like he was building anger, and Nate and Kate thought they'd just been sneaky in their attempt to look like they were going to talk to Ororo until he turned their way with his cape billowing behind him.

"Oh, hi!" Kate said with a bright smile, holding onto Nate's hand a little tighter - which was really quite the picture for Erik seeing a Scott lookalike in a football jersey and a girl in a cheerleading uniform.

"Ah. Young Mr. Summers. I wasn't aware that the school had progressed to a point of playing with the locals," Erik said.

"Oh, no, we go to school in the city," Nate said.

Erik frowned at that. "Why on earth would you want to do that?"

"Um, because I'm the quarterback," Nate said.

"But we come here and hang out with Mia and everyone," Kate said brightly when Erik looked annoyed.

"Are you here for anyone in particular?" Nate asked, unconsciously stepping a little in front of Kate. "Or are you just visiting for fun?" He smiled up at Erik, trying to defuse what should have been a peaceful situation, but certainly didn't feel like it. "Just trying to figure out how to help best."

"I came to see the school that my grandsons would be attending," Erik said, narrowing his eyes as he looked around.

Nate's eyebrows went up. "Your grandsons?" he asked.

"Thomas and William," Erik said.

"That's great," Nate said. "Are they the twins? I saw them just a little while ago when we came in - they were going to the greenhouse with Mia, I think." He jogged closer to Erik. "Have you been by since they added the new dormitory wing?"

"No, I'm afraid I've been too busy with more pressing matters… But I see now that I should have come by far sooner."

"It's pretty nice," Nate said. "I didn't go here for too long just because I got control of things fast. Didn't want to take up space for a kid that needed more help."

Erik's glare softened slightly. "You sound like your father, Mr. Summers."

"Of course I do," Nate said with a winning smile before he gestured to the doors. "I know he'd like to say hello and he should be here soon. He wasn't far behind us."

"Good. I think I'd like to speak with him," Erik said, turning on his heel as soon as his feet finally touched the ground.

Nate nodded to himself and led the way, even going so far as to hold the door open so Erik could pass through, and inside Mia was indeed going over part of the daily schedule with the two boys.

You're really cute when you're all… taking charge of a tour to a school you don't even go to, Kate projected to Nate.

Family duty, Nate replied quickly - and she could feel the smile in his tone.

You're loving this, aren't you?

Not really. I didn't know Magneto even left Genosha for anything this small.

Well, they're his grandkids. Everyone's got a soft spot for something, right?

You obviously haven't heard what kind of dad he was. Is.

Um, no, I was busy learning how to shoot a bullseye with my eyes closed.

Yeah, well, my uncle Alex married his youngest and I didn't need to practice as hard as you, so …

You're such a cheater! TK doesn't count!

Doesn't need to. I'm just that good.

You cheat. Don't lie.

Not lying. Not cheating.

Okay, that's it. You, me, and a target range.

You got it, beautiful. Prepare to lose.

The two of them rushed off, though that left Erik looking over the school and getting angrier all over again the more he saw. The trappings were the same with the rich dark woods throughout the house just as Charles had always rebuilt it, but what he overheard from the students and in bits of the tour Mia had given them was repression and hiding.

So by the time Scott and James arrived twenty minutes later- grinning and in the Jeep they'd been working on together - Scott was absolutely not expecting it when instead of Ororo or any of their friends, he was met at the door by Erik, who by that time was livid.

"Have you lost your mind?" Erik's voice thundered through the halls, halting all motion and drawing the attention of all the young people and teachers alike who were milling about.

Scott blinked and then unconsciously straightened up as the door closed hollowly behind him. "Hello, Erik."

Erik didn't pause. "Is this how you intend to honor Charles' memory? This is nothing like the dream he instilled in you, and you know it. How dare you put his name on this mockery of an institution? It's a sham and a disgrace. You're teaching mutants nothing but shame and silence? Have I been gone for so long in Genosha? Have you drifted so far that you can't remember anything he taught you? This is how you repay your professor, your mentor, the man who gave you everything? He treated you like a son! How dare you?"

Scott looked like he'd been hit, and he fell back a step. "What…"

"Hey," James said, stepping in front of Scott and driving forward to get right into Erik's face with Scott quick to catch up to him and keep him from completely going after Erik, though the growl that thickened with every word showed how fine a margin Scott was fighting against. "What the hell are you doing to honor that legacy outside of floating around and treating people like crap? Everyone here is learning what they need to survive. You don't get to sweep in here and take your inadequacies out on my Dad. Back off."

"What am I doing?" Erik shot back holding his ground save for the fact that he floated up a few more inches as James looked ready to pounce. "I have created a place where mutants are free. They don't need to cower and hide in disgrace as they're doing here. They walk proudly through my streets."

"So you think holing up on an island isn't hiding?" James challenged.

"I don't ask them to hide what they are," Erik snapped.

"No, because they've got a hundred miles of ocean between them and anyone lacking an x-gene."

"That is the point," Erik said. "But clearly, I've been gone too long. How Charles' disciples could turn his dream into this-"

"Disciples ... " James sputtered as his lip curled up. "He wasn't the one to act like he thought he was a God, expecting people to fall at his feet to pay obeisance. You really have trouble with comprehension if that's what you took out of everything the professor wrote."

"James, it's fine," Scott said, one hand on James' arm. "I've got this."

James let out a breath and took a step back to stand next to Scott, though he was clearly still upset. A feeling that only grew as Erik sneered and tipped his nose up to look down at them.

"I see you've managed to train this one to heel better than the last. Though I suppose it helps that you got him so early on in life," Erik said.

The response from James was instant - a rippling snarl echoed around the hall as he darted forward - and Erik barely shot up in the air out of reach. But Scott grabbed James' arm, slowing him from catching Erik, and then stood between them. He knew James would keep going when his reaction was that strong if he didn't put an end to it quickly. "If you have an issue with me, take it up with me. But that is my son and if you won't speak to him in a civilized manner, then you aren't welcome on the premises, no matter who you have here at the school."

"Scott isn't wrong, but I thought you knew that he doesn't teach here, Erik," Storm said - her voice echoing the commanding tones of a Goddess as she made her presence known. "There is no need to speak to either of them in such an uncivilized manner. If you take issue in how I run my school, I'll thank you to take it up with me. Now. Shall we be civilized or do we need to see who wins between lightning bolt and lightning rod?"

Erik narrowed his eyes as he turned to face her before he nodded. "Then you're the one I'd like to speak to about this… situation," he said. "I'd assumed that he'd turned his nose up at my generous offers to stay in Genosha because of this place. Clearly I was wrong."

Ororo smiled tightly, and stepped forward. "I won't speak for Scott's reasoning beyond saying that I'm sure he was more concerned with his family's happiness than yours. For the rest, you know where my office is."

Erik spun, though he didn't miss the chance to pause long enough to look James up and down with a disgusted expression. Though, James returned the favor in kind with a look of pure loathing that Scott hadn't seen since Logan had squared up with Magneto. As Erik passed them by, Mia teleported over and grabbed both Scott and James then teleported them out of there.

"Ohmigosh I've never heard you snarl before," she gasped out to James.

"Didn't mean to," James said from between his teeth with a growl still lacing his tone.

"It's an instinct when you're that mad," Scott said.

"Doesn't make what he said any better, then, does it?" James said, which only had Scott looking more upset on hearing it.

"No one that's ever known you believes that," Scott told him earnestly, but James didn't look like he bought it.

Mia looked between them before she let her shoulders drop. "Okay, well… do you want to help with the tour, maybe? I'm pretty sure we can stretch out the rest of it to give you some space."

"I don't know if that's the best idea or not." James held her gaze for a moment as he thought it over then turned to Scott. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," Scott promised.

"He just … hit a sore spot I guess. I'm sorry."

"You've got nothing to apologize for," Scott promised, resting one hand on James' shoulder. "He has that effect on just about everyone."

"Are you sure you're alright?" James asked, still looking like he'd go back to take a shot if he needed to. "Because I don't mind grabbing a hold of that cape and strangling him with it."

"James, I'm fine. It's been long enough I've heard all of it more than enough," Scott said.

"You know, if I'm not allowed to lie to you -"

Scott let out a breath. "He had a point."

"Doesn't make it okay to take out his shortcomings on you. And who the hell does he think he is - no one asked him to speak for anyone here," James said, still clearly irritated with Erik.

"Um, yeah, he's like that," a new voice broke into the conversation - and the twin boys from earlier poked their heads in as James and Scott turned toward them. The boy with dark hair waved the tips of his fingers. "Hey. Billy Maximoff. I don't think I've ever seen anyone tear my grandfather up like that."

"He asked for it," James said- entirely unapologetic and watching to see what the story was with this kid.

"Yeah, he usually does," Billy's twin said with a shrug. "Hi. I'm Tommy - or Thomas if you're listening to the old man. You know, since Billy didn't intro me. I think he's still caught up in the snarls."

"Older siblings are like that," James said without missing a beat. "Forgetting to intro the younger ones."

"Ha!" Billy said, though Tommy was already shaking his head.

"Fifteen seconds does not count. And we're not entirely sure I wasn't first - you just got Mom's attention first!"

James let out a breath and raised his hand. "I'm James. Sorry if I startled you."

"Nah, we grew up on Genosha," Tommy said. "And I can blow up a block. You're kinda loud, but hey, we've seen worse."

"I've just never seen anyone stand up to him that effectively," Billy said with a badly hidden smile.

"I didn't realize it was a big deal," James said, crossing his arms as he started to get his temper in check.

"It was great; don't apologize," Billy grinned.

"I wasn't planning to," James said, finally relaxing enough to smirk a little. "I try to keep my head down when I'm here."

"Well that was the best fail I've ever seen," Mia laughed delightedly. "You should do that more!"

Scott smirked as he backed off from the conversation, still shaking his head to himself over the whole thing. James really was so much like his father sometimes. But now, he was talking with kids his own age, and Scott wasn't going to get in the middle of that. So, he went toward Ororo's office so he could back her up.

"So who'd you have to kill to get off the island?" James asked, which Scott managed to snerk at on his way out - and that, if nothing else got James to let his smile peek out. He knew Scott wouldn't be able to relax if he was worried about James … and vice versa.

"Actually, Mom wanted us to meet people who weren't, you know…" Billy started to say.

"Crazy?" James offered.

"Um, no," Billy said. "But everyone on Genosha kind of treats our family like royalty."

"Mom wants us to meet some normal people," Tommy put in.

"Welcome to the mainland," Mia giggled.

"Yeah, but you're cute," Tommy pointed out, grinning obnoxiously at Mia. "So I think I'm in favor of sticking around…"

Billy covered his eyes with his hand. "I'm sorry. He's just like this."

"Not surprised," James said. "Gonna have to compensate for that fifteen seconds for the rest of his life."

Billy grinned outright. "Oh yeah. I like you."

"You just like him because he agreed with you," Tommy grumped.

"Well, and he's cute," Billy pointed out.

"Hey, you're not so bad yourself, little prince," James said, without missing a beat, though he almost looked surprised at himself for saying as much.

Billy grinned a little wider. "Mind showing me around? I could use a tour guide my brother isn't hitting on."

"Sure," James said. "But I was never a student, and I'm only here now and again. So I'm not an official tour guide."

"Yeah, well, maybe I'm more interested in something other than the school," Billy said.

James tipped his head for a moment and smiled crookedly in spite of himself. "Okay." He glanced over his shoulder at Mia, who was close by him still. "You might want to rethink that - Storm will get mad if you had two tours and still can't find your way around." He turned away from Billy for a moment to try to catch Mia who was flirting with Tommy shamelessly. He had to clear his throat twice to get her attention, too. Which made it more interesting since … James could swear that Billy was flirting too … "Hey. Mia. What did you guys miss?"

"Well, we covered almost everything in the school. We still haven't hit the grounds all the way," Mia admitted, though before she could get too much farther, there was a gasp from the hallway, and the Scarlet Witch stood there with her hands over her mouth.

"You look just like him," she breathed out. "I can't believe you've grown so much since the last time I saw you!"

The little group of teenagers shared looks and unconsciously grouped up facing her as Wanda came closer. "Hi," James said. "No one's said it was that close." He offered her his hand as he introduced himself, tense with her approach considering how friendly Erik had been.

Wanda took his hand, then reached up to rest her other hand on his cheek, still staring at him. "You look amazing, James, really."

"Thanks... I think," James said, glancing at the twins and Mia because for him, this was a little different than the norm. And much more warm than her father had been.

Wanda smiled and then turned to her boys, shifting her position so both of her hands were on James' shoulders and they were facing the twins. "Remember what I told you about the X-Men? This is Wolverine's son."

"Oh, cool," Tommy said. "Have you got metal bones too?"

"Definitely not," James said without missing a beat. "That wasn't standard equipment."

"You can't just ask someone if they have metal bones," Billy said, sounding scandalized.

"Why not? Seemed like an important detail in the stories," Tommy said with a shrug.

"To be fair, I think you would have known if I had metal bones already," James pointed out.

"True. It would be hard to stand up to the old man with that," Tommy agreed.

"But not impossible," James shot back with a troublemaking look as Wanda grinned wider still at his response.

"Okay, so… we clearly missed something here," Kate said as she and Nate were the last to join the group - a little disheveled and grinning crookedly.

"That's what happens when you're sucking face under the bleachers. Or something," James said, then gestured to Nate. "Nice lipstick - not your color though. Brings out the bruises."

Nate didn't look the least bit apologetic, even as Wanda went right to him with the same smile, taking his face in her hands too. "And you! Last time I saw you, you were just a toddler, and now you look just like your father!"

"I think she's just saying that to everyone today," James said as he elbowed Kate. "Sorry Katie. Condolences."

"Yeah, well, I don't look like either of my parents, so I'm fine," she said with a shrug.

"Yeah, you had an Iowa hick and a Russian spy…" Nate smirked. "Someone cheated, clearly."

"Milkman?" James suggested, eyes narrowed - in an expression the Summers boys shared that made it clear this was a common tease.

Kate giggled. "Last week, it was the pizza delivery guy," she told Mia.

"And the week before that, it was Tony," Nate giggled.

"That one was the most believable, really," Kate said. "Especially since he keeps trying to steal me."

"He's like that with me too," James said. "Steal all the kids."

"Evil pied piper that he is."

"Well he does have the best toys," James pointed out.

"Okay, you guys are hilarious, clearly, but I was having a tour," Tommy said as properly as he could just before grabbing Mia's arm. "Which is faster, do you think - teleporting or running?"

"One way to find out," Mia said - and the next second, they were both gone.

"Oh great," James said. "Now there's two of them."

"That's what I was thinking," Billy said, shaking his head.

James smirked at that and turned back to Wanda. "Nice to meet you, but I think I need to go outside and finish the tour before your father returns. If we're gonna finish it. So." he looked over at Nate and Kate "You two can go back to your hiding spot or you can go with us. Dad's busy with Storm and the battle axe in the cape."

"I would apologize for him, but it wouldn't stop him from being awful again," Wanda said. "He never could be civil with your parents, James. I don't think he realizes how it comes off."

"That or he doesn't care how it comes off," James said, which had Wanda looking remorseful as once again, she couldn't help but touch the side of his face again in a familiar, motherly gesture that James just wasn't used to. It was enough that James dropped her gaze, which had Wanda looking somehow even more sympathetic.

"I should go help Scott and Storm with him," Wanda said. "Please, try to forget my father's poor manners."

"Should we be concerned?" Kate asked.

"I don't know," James admitted. "I lost my temper a little bit."

"That is a big deal," Nate said, one eyebrow raised. "You never do that."

"Yeah, well, he was being a jerk to Dad and I kind of slipped," James said. "Might have snarled a little." He was holding his thumb and forefinger just a sliver apart

"Um, what did he say and how far do you think I can throw him with TK?" Nate asked with a deepening frown.

"It doesn't really matter what he said," James said, glancing at Wanda, who seemed to relax on hearing it. "He didn't seem to have expected the growl, and when I charged him, he took off fast."

"I'm kinda sad we missed it," Kate said.

"Yeah, I'm sure it was a real show stopper," James snorted. "Sixteen year old threatens senior citizen…"

"It was great," Billy said. "Really. He needs someone to stand up to him sometimes, and Mom usually has to do it."

"How mad would he be if you headed off away from the mansion?" James asked. "Don't want to take off on my Dad, but we could hit a trail in the woods for a while. You'll probably want to know those from someone that doesn't have instant travel down."

"Hey, I'm not, like, attached by a leash or anything. I'm allowed to take a walk with a cute guy," Billy said, which again had James unconsciously pausing.

"Walk nothing, I've got my Jeep outside. and there trails go for miles." James tipped his head. "Technically, it would be touring the grounds and I'd like to get away from … everyone for a little bit."

Billy laughed. "Bye, Mom!" he said, one arm around James' back as they led the way with Kate and Nate following close behind with matching grins. "See you at Christmas!"