A/N - yeah. I know. It's been a while. Off we go again!

Chapter 60 - Two Families, One Crisis

Rather than let Tommy hang, not knowing what had happened in Genosha, Wanda and Vision made the decision to go talk to him in person in Westchester as soon as they left the Summers home. For them, it had been a long day - one that the two of them were ready to close the books on and take a break from before handling the repercussions on Genosha. But before they could do that, they had to make sure that Tommy didn't find out what had happened from anyone but them.

Yes, there was all sorts of speculation, and Wanda knew that Tommy was smart enough to put the puzzle together on his own considering the players, but she still wanted to be the one to confirm family affairs rather than let him find out for sure via the world news sources.

She wasn't surprised in the least to find that Tommy had been up waiting to hear from Billy what was going on, so when she texted to tell him she was there in Westchester - in Storm's office - she didn't have to wait at all before he zipped into the room looking tense and anxious, and Wanda was sure to give him a moment just to pull him into a quick hug - because most hugs with Tommy were quicker. Especially when he was tense.

"I don't know what your brother has told you, yet," Wanda said as she started their talk.

"Next to nothing," Tommy said. "Other than he couldn't talk to me because he was staying at the Summers' house tonight - which … what?"

Wanda smiled sadly as she cupped his cheek. "That isn't what I came here to tell you, but that is something you should discuss with your brother." She took his hand and led him over to a chair where the three of them could sit and talk, even if every second standing still had Tommy more tense and his foot jiggling a little faster. "I'm sure you won't be entirely surprised to hear it, considering all that you know, and all that's happened in recent months, but -"

"Grandfather's dead, isn't he?"

Wanda's eyebrows lifted in surprise, and she nodded. "Yes. It happened just a little while ago on Genosha."

"Cyclops did it," Tommy said, nodding. "I thought he'd have to the way things were headed. That's why he went, isn't it? You knew what was going on, right? I know you had to."

"Yes, I knew what was brewing, but how long have you known?"

Tommy shifted in his seat. "It was pretty clear someone was going to have to do something after they came to Genosha. Did Cyclops survive? Is that why Billy's staying with them? This is bad, right?"

His questions were rapid fire, as always, but one thing that would always be a stark contrast between Tommy and Pietro was the simple fact that Tommy had waited to hear what had happened. He hadn't rushed off to the scene of the crime himself to see what had happened, or to decipher the clues for himself. He trusted his family to tell him and to spare him the misery that would have come from seeing it first hand.

"Cyclops lived," she said gently. "But Billy plans to stay with them while they recover from what happened." She rested her hand on his arm. "I was planning to bring both of you home while we make arrangements for the funeral, but considering how things stand for your brother, and how much I know you care for Mia, I won't force you to come home, though I would very much like you to. Just for a few days while we figure out how to move forward."

Tommy's foot jiggled a little more aggressively as Wanda laid out the more intimate details on what had happened, though the more he heard, the more plainly concerned Tommy was … for his brother. "Yeah, of course, but … can I talk to Billy first? I will come home for a little while, but … listen, I know he's all wrapped up in James right now, and okay, I get it, but he's going to need to get away from them for a minute too. We'll both come home for a while."

Wanda smiled more warmly, though the weariness of the last twenty four hours of worry and stress were showing at her eyes. She cupped his face and nodded. "Of course. I'll be looking for you both."

"I'll call before we head your way," Tommy promised, already determined to keep the rest of his family from falling into the same habit his Grandfather did when it came to taking care of Genosha. And if Billy wasn't going to be able to do it right when the time came, Tommy had no trouble stepping in .. but that was likely far down the road, he was sure. After their mother had gotten tired of being in charge of things and fixing all that Grandfather had twisted.

At the Summers house, the kids all woke up to the smell of coffee drifting up from the kitchen. Nate was the one who got downstairs first, just a few steps ahead of the others. Logan was sitting at the kitchen table with a newspaper and a cup of coffee watching over everything and waiting for everyone else to get moving. Alex was passed out on the couch, sleeping fitfully after being up most of the night watching over his brother, and surprising everyone, Corsair was sitting up next to Scott trying desperately to find something to talk about as the two of them waited for Corsair's crew to check in. They had to decide on where the pick up was going to be, though it was already leaning to Westchester for privacy issues.

"Oh, okay," Nate said, tipping his head to the side before he got a bagel out for himself. "Hi, Logan. That's still weird."

"Mornin'," Logan replied. "You got no idea how weird it is." He watched the three kids as they each got their own breakfasts started.

Rachel waited with Nate at the toaster, but as soon as Billy and James showed up, too, James simply poured himself some coffee - and then held his breath before he made his way over to sit near Logan. Everyone there, including Logan, knew that the kid was anxious about trying to talk to him, but they all ignored James' nerves since … he really needed the chance to get to know who Logan really was. As a result, the whole vibe in the kitchen was one of awkward, muted nerves with everything that had gone on. And since Billy had stayed over - James and Logan weren't the only dynamic that was a little off in the Summers home.

Rachel, Nate, and Billy were in no rush to make it to the table, and the three of them took a moment to chat telepathically about a lot, including the two ferals at coffee.

So I guess, if you consider where James is as 'home', it's high time we had the intentions talk, huh? Rachel projected, sure to have Nate in the loop with her for this little talk. The two of them had apparently gotten pretty serious very fast, and there really hadn't been a good time for Rachel to play her big sister card. But now? All the drama that had gone down in Genosha could easily sink them. Especially when none of them knew what the repercussions were going to be yet.

Yeah, probably as good a time as any, Billy agreed with a heavy sigh. He was expecting teasing for this kind of talk … not for it to happen when it was serious. Not when everyone was still freshly traumatized and Billy was still feeling as if his head was spinning from shock.

So … Rachel said. Are the two of you alright? I know he's just as much in shock as you are - for different reasons, but still. Did you two talk much last night?

Not really, Billy replied. But we didn't really do anything. I know he was exhausted but I don't think he slept much.

Okay, I needed to know that, Rachel said. But I was asking about you, too. Nothing about what happened last night is okay.

And we're not just hassling you over James, Nate added, though both Summers telepaths were leading the way to the table so they could sit down, eat, and continue their discussion. It's not just about being teammates, either. You had a different view of what we saw. Your focus was wildly different .. and considering everything …

Our dad, your grandfather, and our brother's whole … snap, Rachel said, making it clear they were still processing all of it too. We need to know where you are so we can help if you need it.

But we also want to know where things stand with you and our brother. Nate turned his head toward Rachel and smirked because when he'd looked up, both James and Logan were watching the three of them with nearly identical expressions. They're onto us, by the way.

Yes, I noticed as much, Rachel answered, shaking her head. Before we came to sit down, actually. And they're doing their own thing anyhow.

The boys glanced up jut in time to see that though it looked silent, James and Logan, were, in fact having a conversation … it was just too quiet for anyone else to hear.

Oh, I see how it is, Nate grumbled to himself, even if he was sharing with his sister and Billy. At least when we're talking telepathically, it's not that obvious that we're doing it.

But at that, Billy tried and failed to stop a full on snigger that drew Logan and James' attention. He looked up across the table, grinning and waved one hand. "Your brother … is hilarious."

"Yeah, okay," James said, frowning between them, though he took a moment to project to Rachel, too. What are you doing?

Don't worry about it. You don't know how long you're going to have with Logan - get past your nerves already and just … talk to him.

I'm trying, James replied. I don't know where to start.

So tell him that. He really does want to help you.

James once again looked between his siblings and Billy Just take it easy on him, would you?

Rachel scoffed - both mentally and telepathically, then turned her attention back to Billy and Nate while Logan drew James into a quiet conversation almost as if he knew what Rachel and Nate were up to.

"Okay, so … Logan, is it alright if my girlfriend comes over?" Nate asked suddenly as he broke away from the telepathic discussion when he heard the tenor of what Logan and James were discussing. "We were talking last night and she's kind of freaked too and we figured if you're talking to Dad, we'd just take a couple cars and go to Westchester…sounds like where Corsair and uncle Alex will be going anyhow. You know. For one to go to space, and the other to go back to Aunt Lorna. And … Billy needs to talk to his brother, too."

Logan shifted how he was leaning on the table and rested his chin in the palm of his hand as he watched Nate. "As long as you clear it with Scott, what the hell would you need to ask me for?"

"Well, Dad's still pretty out of it… "

"I said I wasn't goin' anywhere until I know he's got help lined up at least."

"Okay, well, I'll tell her to come over then. We probably ought to go to Westchester anyway because Kitty called Storm and everyone is kind of freaking out so… damage control."

"Why haven't they come by already, I wonder?" Logan said, smirking. "Or do you think that maybe - just maybe - Wanda and Hank already settled that out for you?"

Nate shrugged. "You haven't seen Storm get freaked over stuff like this."

"Like hell I haven't. You wanna speed things along with your dad, ask Warren to donate a pint."

"O...kay. I mean, other than the massive guilt trip of having Warren over to give him dirty looks, what's the deal?"

"Angel blood can heal other people. It'd speed Scott through the stitches and internal injuries, and I won't feel so bad if we start yellin' at each other."

"Okay," Nate said, one eyebrow raised.

"New guy would be faster and closer," James said, mostly to his coffee cup.

"Yeah," Rachel agreed. "But there's no way Dad would allow him to come here and he's not strong enough to travel if what I heard out of Uncle Blue is still true."

"Then I guess we're getting Warren," Nate said, still frowning. "Apparently."

"Just have 'im flutter his little feathers on over - won't take 'im half an hour."

"Um, it's a long drive and Billy's still worn out from all the spell casting he did last night," Nate said. "What, do they have flying cars in your universe?"

"His wings busted?" Logan asked.

"No, but he's kind of conspicuous, and we're really just starting to get the X-Men going, you know?"

Logan frowned deeper at that. "No, I don't."

"That's kind of the whole point of the school? People who can't control or hide their powers can go there for sanctuary - or Genosha, I guess, now that Wanda and Lorna will be running it - and that's why Rachel and James and I restarted the X-Men. You know, so people can stop thinking mutants are dangerous and everyone can start living again?"

Logan closed his eyes and just started rubbing his temples. "Yeah. Alright. Man, you guys got screwed over here."

"Yeah, well, we're trying to fix it, okay?"

"Not a criticism," Logan said. "Just … hate to see you havin' to deal with so much stupid in one place."

"Hey, it's kept us alive," Nate said, feeling like he had to explain it. "It's stupid, but I mean, Dad and the first X-Men weren't going to come back after all that, so-"

"Again, not criticizing, mini-Slim."

"Seriously?" Nate looked down at himself. "I'm finally bulking up!"

"Have you looked in a mirror?" Logan countered, raising one eyebrow.

"Just because James went straight to muscle-bound when he got his powers-"

"No idea where that came from," Logan said straight-faced. "Almost like you take after your fathers or something."

Nate rolled his eyes but didn't say anything further to Logan - especially since it looked like he and James were very quietly chatting again. The doorbell rang and Logan smirked as Nate rushed to get it.

"Ohmigosh it's all over the news," Kate gushed, flinging her arms around Nate's neck as she tumbled through the door and kicked it closed behind her. "Are you guys okay? Is your dad okay? What the heck is even happening? I've heard, like, five hundred rumors already! Tommy and Mia were blowing up my phone all night as the news came in! Billy hasn't been returning my texts! I had no news!"

Nate shook his head. "Hi, gorgeous," he said. "It's a long story. Billy stayed here last night. We're all okay and we're just having breakfast right now. I gotta warn you about the other-dimension James' birth dad-"

Logan stared for a second at Kate - and then positively fell apart laughing to the point of tears as he held one arm across his stomach.

"Um, James, your other-dimension birth-dad is insane, did you know that?" Kate asked, scrunching up her nose at Logan as he kept right on laughing.

"Mmmm… I think it's just because you're funny looking," James said with a smirk - entertained just from how hard Logan was laughing, which was enough to get Logan to at least try to get it under control … not that it helped much. But it was just more confirmation of the memories Billy had shown him, so James was drinking it in.

"What's going on?" Scott asked - waking up from the fog Hank had put him under with all the painkillers because he hadn't heard Logan laugh like that in far too long.

"Logan took one look at Kate and fell apart," James called out to Scott - which had Logan losing the battle to keep it under control all over again.

"I don't even know what's going on," Kate grumbled. "Hi, Scott."

"Hi, Kate. He probably knows a different version of you."

Logan was nodding at that - then took a chance and dove into an old code the team used before Scott had even left for X-Factor to clue him in on his reality's Kate - and who she was married to, snickering the whole way through it.

Scott froze and then started to snicker along with him. "Really?"

Logan was grinning broadly as he nodded. "Same age as my Billy."

"Good because otherwise I'd have to have a word with him."

"Oh, there's still a helluva age gap," Logan said low.

"You're on his case?"

"Nah, not too bad. It's only a little bigger gap than me and K." He grinned at Scott. "But K argues that it's a bigger proportionate issue."

"It definitely is."

Logan was still snickering about it as Nate and Kate stared between the two of them. "You know what the old excuse was," Logan said. "Parentage and all that…."

By that point, Scott was openly chuckling to himself, which made it hard for the kids to want to break it up - even if they had no idea what was going on.

"So." Nate looked between them. "We're going to go get Warren? You guys just… do whatever this is."

"Oh, man, he doesn't even know what it's like to laugh. What the hell, Slim?" Logan teased.

"No, you don't get to put that on me. You just showed up at a bad time. You missed the part where he was purposefully failing history to set me up with his teacher," Scott said.

"History?" Logan said, though he wasn't sure if he was going to start laughing again or not as he stared at Nate in open disbelief.

"Hey, I got my grade back up," Nate defended. "Dad won't let me live it down."

"You. You were failing HISTORY?" Logan stared at him for a moment then fell apart even harder than before.

"On purpose," Nate insisted. "What the heck is even happening right now?"

"I'm gonna die here," Logan said between breaths.

"Don't you dare," Scott said.

Logan was wiping the tears from the corners of his eyes. "Don't be so serious Summers. It's just air. I can live without it for a while."

"Sure you can."

"Holy hell," Logan said as he looked over at Nate, still wiping the tears from the corners of his eyes as he tried to keep from laughing. "You got any other hilarious surprises for me?" He let his voice drop to a whisper. "Failing history. How the hell…"

"I don't know why my whole life is so funny to you, but I'm just going to go now," Nate said, pointing at the door.

Rachel shook her head as she tipped her head for James to join them and projecting to him: They need to talk. Alone. For an instant James looked crestfallen, at least until Logan quietly nodded and whispered just low enough for him to hear it as he encouraged him to go with them - and promised not to leave while he was gone. James still looked reluctant, but he simply agreed to go with Billy while Rachel made sure to kiss Scott's cheek. "We'll be back soon, Dad," she promised, then projected to Logan, Thanks for whatever this is that's making Dad laugh, because it's been way too long since that happened.

In response, Logan smiled her way then focused enough to project the image of who Kate was in his universe - and who Nate was, too. It's hilarious, Logan told her.

Time traveler failing history… yeah, I see it now, she laughed.

Go on. I'll make sure he eats something and gets his meds, Logan promised.

Thanks, Rachel said before ushering the others out the door - not that they were ready to leave, but they really wanted Logan to talk to their dad, since they were kind of getting desperate for ways to help him.

As the door closed, Logan got up to refill his coffee - and didn't ask before he brought one for Scott, too. "You got some damn good kids, you know."

"I know," Scott said. "Every one of them is amazing." He looked toward Logan as he took the coffee mug. "James is a genius. I don't know if that's true in your world, but we got him tutors, made sure he got in the right programs-"

"Yeah, he's a genius in ours too," Logan said, nodding. "Got plucked up and tested by Stark when he was little. The two of 'em get along way too well." He let out a breath and shook his head. "Course, mine's goin' through a knothole right now. Nice to see him smiling a little here."

"Billy has been great for him," Scott said. "They really are good together."

Logan nodded at that. "The one in my reality … well. He had a great girl. They were head over heels. Totally devoted. And up until not too long ago, he was ready to propose."

Scott frowned. "What happened?"

Logan lifted his coffee cup just as he answered. "Sinister. Apocalypse. Shadow King, too, but he likely doesn't remember that part. Same old story. He's pretty convinced he picked up my curse by how she died."

Scott winced. "I'm sorry. We haven't heard from Sinister in almost twenty years, and there's not a day goes by I'm not glad he's gone."

"I'll have Billy look into it when he comes by again," Logan said. "Just to be sure. James isn't in a good place back home at all. Had his girl die in front of him, barely saved his big sister and your son before Sinister took him right to Apocalypse." Logan shrugged. "Walked right into it. No way to get out, nothin' left to fight with… and because of it, he ended up with an adamantium skeleton and a death spore in his head."

Scott stared at Logan. "I… 'sorry' doesn't even start to cover…"

"Not somethin' for you to apologize for," Logan said. "We got him back. Rachel went full fire bird and between Lorna and Doc Strange, they got the spore out."

"That's Rachel's greatest fear," Scott said in a whisper. "That she'll end up like Jean - consumed and unable to stop it."

"You talked her out of it," Logan said pointedly. "K and I both couldn't do a damn thing. Half dead at the time."

"Well, Apocalypse," Scott said, though he was frowning hard the more he heard.

"You and I killed Apocalypse and now, I'm doing everything I can to get my James on track," Logan said seriously. "His healing was burnt out and he made a damn good attempt on himself when it was all said and done. If we didn't have a kid on staff that can heal people, I know damn well I wouldn't have him anymore." He looked up at Scott. "I'm a little sensitive about that crap right now."

"Logan, I know how it looks, but I swear, this was just - it went south on me-"

"I know," Logan said. "The trouble's that you even entertained the thought of it. Once you do that, it gets easier to keep that in your back pocket as an option."

"I can't hurt the kids," Scott swore.

"That's great. Glad to hear it. But what happens when the kids are grown? You gonna fall apart again?"

Scott pressed his mouth into a thin line and leaned back where he was propped up. "No."

"You're still way over operatin' levels of stressed out," Logan said. "I meant it when I told your kids that I'm stickin' around until you find some help." He pointed one finger at Scott. "And don't you dare try to bring up Emma Frost as an excuse not to."

"Look," Scott said, "I'm not putting myself in that situation again. Last time around, I asked for help and got an affair instead."

"You need the damn help. Try someone that's not a damn telepath for a change. Or better yet, someone who's actually a shrink."

"I'm fine, Logan."

"Like hell you are."

"I'm fine," Scott insisted.

"Then I guess I'll be stayin' for a lot longer than I thought. Better have Billy bring me my wife and the little ones. We can let both of our James' compare notes. It'll blow your Billy's mind." He leaned back and kicked his feet up with a laugh. "Might be exactly what you want."

Scott pinched the bridge of his nose. "You - no, you need to go take care of your James."

Logan waved a hand. "Billy'll bring me back within a few hours of when I left."

"Who the hell am I going to ask for help anyway?" Scott shot back.

"Look in a damn phone book, Scotty. Pick one."

"The phone book isn't going to tell me which one of those shrinks is going to tell an agency about my family."

"Do you hear yourself? You're panicking on what ifs. Pick out a few. I'll run 'em down myself and see if they're alright."

"It's not just a distant possibility, Logan. We almost got picked up because of a school nurse. I'm not taking that risk just because I got messed up in the line of-"

"Damnit, Scott. Pick half a dozen and I will check. Them. out."

Scott stared at Logan for a long time before he let out a frustrated noise. "Fine," he said. "Fine. I don't care. You pick one. I don't care."

Logan got up and found Scott's phone book then brought it over to sit down next to him. The two of them shared a look before Logan cracked open the book to the right section and started flipping through the dozens of pages of therapists with Scott looking overly smug at the vast number of options.

Logan was already getting irritated since … yeah. Sure. The sheer volume was an issue, but when he flipped the pages back to start at the beginning, he stopped about half way through and stared at one little ad on the page. He frowned, read it again and then tapped the ad. "That one. That's the one."

Scott waved him over so he could see the name on the add. "Craig Hale? Never heard of him."

"Yeah. That's the one. Call him."

"I don't know who he is where you're from, but you have no guarantee-"

"Just … call him." Logan shook his head. "You gotta follow your gut sometimes. That's the one."

"If your gut gets a weapons program called down on my kids, so help me God-"

"This guy won't have a damn thing to do with anything like that," Logan said.

Scott frowned Logan's way and then drummed his fingers against the phone book. The truth was he didn't want to call - and he didn't even know what to say.

"I swear to God, Summers. I'll make the damn appointment for you."

"Gimmie that phone. You will not," Scott said.

Logan tossed Scott the phone. "I will if you won't."

Scott rolled his eyes at Logan but dialed the number anyway, surprised when even in the city he got a very deep Southern accent on the other end of the line - though considering that Nate's teacher had one that deep, and so did Rogue and Remy, maybe it was just a pattern of holding onto it.

The man seemed perfectly polite as Scott tried to explain himself. "Just… dealing with some stuff," he said. "New patient, looking around…"

"Fresh trauma, PTSD, major depression …" Logan said in a tone loud enough that Scott was frowning at him.

Scott shook his head. "No, that's - just whenever is good for you-"

"TOMORROW IF THERE'S AN OPENING," Logan called out.

On the other end of the phone, Craig Hale paused. "Who's that?"

"An obnoxious old friend."

"Your guardian angel," Logan muttered quietly for Scott to catch and smirk at in spite of his insisted irritation.

Scott was shaking his head as Craig rustled some papers on the other end. "My earliest appointment tomorrow is at 11. Can you come in before that?"

"I'll carry you over my shoulder if I have to," Logan warned quietly.

Scott gave him a dry look for that one before he nodded into the phone. "Will 10:30 work? I don't want to take up too much of your time."

"Make it 9:00. I try to leave myself wiggle room in case things run over."

"Alright," Scott said. "I'll see you then." He hung up the phone and then shook his head at Logan. "There. Are you happy now?"

"I'll be happier when you get through the whole appointment." Logan smirked at him. "I'll drive ya."

"I can-" Scott stopped and looked down at his IV. "Fine."

"I'm sure Billy'll be back to keep track of the kids while you're down there, too."

"Logan, really, I can handle it," Scott said.

"I'm makin' an effort here, Slim. I'm gonna see it through."

Scott let out a sigh and covered his eyes with one hand. "I'm torn between frustration and how much I missed this. And don't you dare tell the version of me that you've got I said that."

"Like you'd ever believe me."

"I might if you said you'd been dead nearly fifteen years and I was there for it."

"He'd probably ask if he was the one to do it."

"He's not entirely wrong," Scott said.

"Yeah, that ain't it." Logan let out a breath and leveled with Scott. "Not too proud to admit it, but I've tried before. Plenty of times. I'm telling you: you couldn't have stopped me- and it wasn't anywhere close to your fault."

Scott gestured to his face. "There was a buildup of misery. And yes, if I'd seen it, I could have at least warned someone. Jean could have stopped you."

"Lets get something straight - that might have worked for a minute, but I doubt even Jeannie could stop me if I'd decided that was what I needed to do." Logan let his shoulders drop. "You said I thought my whole family was gone and that I'd been forced to torture my team. You would have had to have shown me James before you knew. You did all you could."

"James stopped me," Scott said.

"Good."

"He said he'd quit the team if being on it meant…" Scott let out a breath. "The team means too much to them to ask them to do that."

"But you thought about it."

"I did."

"And that boy would have done it. For you."

"He's a good kid," Scott said with a quiet smile. "But I'm the one who raised him. It's my job to give those kids the lives they deserve, not ask them to give up what they believe in because I'm a wreck."

"So fix your wreck. You'll enjoy 'em a helluva lot more."

"I already made the appointment, Logan."

"Yeah. That's step one. And if it wasn't so damn early - and you weren't on painkillers, I'd Irish up that coffee for you."

At that, Scott finally did smirk. "Next time."

"You're on," Logan agreed.