Greetings True Believers! Once again, I bring you another story involving our famous Merry Mutants. This one came at the request of one my dearest Laurentina, who gave me the idea for a one-shot story involving a very popular pairing in X-Men Fandom: Cyclops and Emma Frost.
We know how it went: After Scott and Jean's marriage was fading apart and they were distancing, Scott and Emma had a psychic affair, then Jean died again and Scott and Emma went for a serious relationship that helped her to complete her redemption from Hellfire villain to valuable ally and X-Woman. Then came the distancing, Namor trying to romance her during Dark Reign and Fear Itself, and then the Phoenix Force hammered the final nail to the coffin of their relationship. Ever since then, they were separated, then Scott died, she tried to do "The Bad Stuff" to the time-displaced teen Scott, she avenged his death against the Inhumans and turned him into a martyr (yet despised) but…after he returned, she showed that she still loves him, and in her own (twisted) way helped him through his last battles for mutantkind.
Yet, during this whole "Dawn of X" period they've been on separate paths: Emma's been with the Quiet Council and running the Hellfire Trading Company helping Kitty Pryde's Marauders while Scott's been leading the X-Men and, if you really want to believe the web, he's back with Jean Grey but in a weird "Polyamorous" relationship with Logan. But I believe that Scott's actually been happier with Emma than with Jean (and I'd rather see Jean with Logan) so, this is my take on how the X-Men leader and the former White Queen will reunite, so I hope you can enjoy the story.
Oh and by the way, this story is part of my "Alt-616" Universe, and therefore, you can expect connections with my previous fics (especially my first Spidey/Kitty story).
Enjoy the reading!
SCOTT AND EMMA: THE QUEEN'S DESIRE
ACT I
Ever since the nation of Krakoa was established, mutants gained a new role in the world; some more than other, and it was not the exception for someone like Emma Frost. She had so many roles in her life: The White Queen of the Hellfire Club, the Headmistress of the Massachusetts Academy, the secret ruler of New Tian, and even became a leader of sorts amongst the X-Men; but now she is one of the rulers of Krakoa through her seat at the Quiet Council, and she also runs the company that provides the miraculous medicines to humanity, leaving her at the top of the world, and right now she is standing in front of a tower that puts turns the metaphor into a reality.
"So that's your newest acquisition, Emma?" a young man with short blonde hair, wearing a white suit with a golden sash and sunglasses walks towards her with a slight smile, attracting the attention of the blonde businesswoman.
"Hellfire Company's acquisition, Christian" Emma replies to her brother, the White Bishop of her company and captain of the Mercury, a UFO disguised as a submarine.
"A whole tower for the operations in New York? Quite the business move, dear" Christian comments, prompting a small laugh from his sister.
"If only you knew the whole story" Emma responds while she begins to walk inside the tower, with her brother accompanying her in tow.
"I know tidbits but if you know the whole story behind it, do tell" he says as they both enter the elevator.
"This tower originally belonged to Tony Stark" she tells the story to her brother, whose first reaction was of surprise, but Emma interjects to continue her tale "Yes, that Tony Stark, and for a while this same tower used to be the home and headquarters of the Avengers".
"That explains the hangars and wide space for rooms in the blueprints" Christian comments while they arrive at the penthouse that still under remodeling, but looking fit enough to accommodate them for the time being "So, how'd someone so rich like Tony Stark lost this tower in the first place?"
"Because after the Avengers kept blowing up the same world they try to save, he went bankrupt and sold it to a Chinese conglomerate called 'Qeng Enterprises', but it turns out that said company was a fake one" Emma explains what went down with the tower and its following sale "That left the tower's property up for grabs and people from Roxxon to Alchemax went to a bidding war, and the winner was…Wilson Fisk"
"The Mayor of the City you had business with?" Christian asks, to which Emma nods in response.
"Also known as the Kingpin of Crime" Emma points out that detail "And yes, Fisk bought the tower, but when he decided to inaugurate it…one of Spider-Man's villains opted to set up a biological bomb against the Krakoan efforts, but thankfully Kate and Spider-Man dealt with it" she comments, recalling how Spider-Man and Kitty Pryde fought against Otto and foiled his plans.
"Wasn't that same night your Marauders fought against Shinobi Shaw's Upstarts?" Christian asks his sister, remembering the other situation that transpired that night.
"Yes, that same night Fisk and Shinobi aimed at a private deal for exclusivity, providing the medicine to the city, or should I say, the city's rich and wealthy, while undermining our efforts, but thankfully we dealt with that" Emma replies, smiling at her brother while they both walk towards the glass window, watching the New York City skyline.
"And afterwards, it was you who snatched that exclusive deal with Fisk" Christian points out, to which Emma smirks.
"I just showed Wilson Fisk how persuasive the White Queen can be" she replies shrugging her shoulders "The difference is that I added the ownership of this tower to the deal, and as of now, this has become the new Hellfire Tower".
"Only you could pull a successful deal like this" Christian smiles at his sister "So now I suppose that you'll bring new faces to this place and run operations" he comments, turning around to look at his sister.
"Some humans, others will be automatons provided by Forge" Emma comments while she keeps looking at the skyline "But someone has to run the day-by-day operations, and I want my White Bishop to take care of that" she then turns her face to her brother, who looks stunned, yet flattered by his sister's offer.
"Emma, I am completely honored but…you know I still have my duties with the Mercury, not to mention that you still have to choose a new Black and Red Monarch" Christian points out the biggest detail. Since the Shaws have been deposed and Kitty Pryde chose to stay in New York to pursue her relationship with Spider-Man, no new Red Monarch has been chosen, and Emma needs to fix that if she does not want to carry the entire burden of the company's workload.
"Those details will be dealt with when the time comes, my dear" Emma replies, brushing off his concern "But I do need an answer Christian, will my White Knight be also the Guardian of this Tower?" she asks, smiling at her brother who replies the gesture in kind.
"Alright Emma, I'll keep an eye to the Tower too, but you have to promise me that you will solve the Monarchs situation" Christian points out, causing Emma to smile, relenting to her brother.
"I'll work on it" she replies, approaching her brother to give him a hug "Besides, who better for this work than the man who once ran Frost International?" she comments, looking back at the days when they had their own family company "Besides, this will help you out to do more things for Krakoa".
"For Krakoa or for myself?" Christian asks, raising an eyebrow since he knows his sister too well and is aware that there is something else behind her choosing him to run the Hellfire Tower.
"Well, since you mention it" Emma sighs "I know that things were rough for you since you and Robert broke up" she comments, recalling his relationship with Iceman and how it ended after Kitty's death and the reveal of his indirect, yet unwilling, involvement in Sebastian Shaw's plot for the then Red Queen's Murder "So in lieu of playing 'Cupid' and find you another boyfriend, I give you a whole tower for you to play with" she comments, laughing a little bit.
"I appreciate the concern" Christian replies, sharing the laugh "Besides, you need your own 'Cupid', darling" he points out "How long has it been since your relationship with Cyclops ended?" he wonders about that, assuming it has been a few years since then "You really need to fill that void" he points out, yet Emma looks unnerved, even keeping a smile on her face.
"My priorities are much higher than worrying about getting another boyfriend, Christian" Emma replies "Besides, did you forget who I am? I can have any man at my feet" she replies with her snobbish tone she always uses.
Afterwards, she takes out a Krakoan Flower, planting it in a small area on the wall that quickly begins to grow until it becomes a Krakoan Gate, allowing a new and fast passage from the Hellfire Tower to Krakoa and viceversa.
"Smart move to set up a gate, this will keep my job much easier" Christian comments while he looks at the gate.
"Actually, this one connects straight to the White Palace" Emma replies, pointing out that instead of the main island, the gate heads to her personal home at the Hellfire Bay "So I can visit more often, and so should you" she then approaches her brother to hug him "I'll go back to the island, you should watch the place, talk to the remodeling workers and tell them what you want to add to the penthouse" she adds, smiling at her brother.
"I will, besides, since this used to be the Avengers' home, I should find something hidden from Captain America, if you know what I mean" he lowers his sunglasses and winks at his sister, sharing a laugh before she leaves through the gate back to Krakoa, leaving Christian to take a good look at the place where he will distribute his work from now on.
AT KRAKOA
As soon as Emma steps out of the gate, the smile she was wearing on her face fades out and is replaced with full-on sadness, because her brother reminded her of the one thing she does not have. Even though she sits in the Quiet Council being one of the rulers of the nation and even leads the Hellfire Trading Company, she still has a large void in her heart, a void that she has not filled for years, not since Scott Summers.
She has had many lovers as the White Queen, and she spent quite a long time longer than a usual fling with a few of those, more concretely, with Sebastian Shaw, Namor and Tony Stark, but Scott Summers was perhaps the first truly serious loving relationship she ever had. The only man she ever loved and who loved her in return even knowing everything she did, because he knew that she could rise above that, and she did it thanks to him.
She heads to her private quarters in the White Palace and serves herself a glass of wine, looking at the island through her telescope and she finds him there, sharing a moment with some of the younger mutants, giving them some kind of class, prompting her to smile at the sight of him being who he always was meant to be: A Teacher, a leader, a great influence for future generations, the man she fell in love with, and that brings an idea in her mind. She heads to her chair, sitting and closing her eyes, concentrating to establish a mental call to her genetic daughters.
"Girls? Are you there?" Emma contacts telepathically her daughters, the Stepford Cuckoos.
"Here we are, Mum" the five voices of Sophie, Phoebe, Irma –or Mindee as she prefers to be called sometimes-, Celeste and Esme reply in unison "Is something wrong?"
"Nothing to worry about, my darlings, I just need you girls to do me a favor" Emma replies to her girls "I need you to pay a visit to Scott and extend him an invitation to the White Palace for dinner".
"A dinner with Mr. Summers?" the voice of Celeste perks up over her sisters.
"Does it involve our relationship with…?" Esme steps in, fearing her invitation has something to do with the relationship the girls, but mostly Esme, are sharing with Scott's son Cable, or at least the teenager version of Cable that has been living in Krakoa recently.
"No girls, it does not involve your…relationship…with Nathan" Emma replies, still trying to assimilate the fact that the five girls are all dating Cable simultaneously "This is a more personal request, and while I could do it myself, I'd be very busy preparing everything so, I need you to do that favor for me, girls"
"Consider it done, Mum" the Cuckoos simultaneously respond and the telepathic communication ends, prompting Emma to show a satisfying smile on her face. Now she has set her plan in motion, and she must do her part right now.
ACT II
Things were relatively quiet at the Summers' House at the Blue Area of the Moon, the place that Scott chose to spend time with his family, and Logan, who became a more than frequent houseguest of sorts. The Summers children are currently away, as well as Scott's brothers, leaving Logan, Jean and Scott in the house. Logan is reading a magazine while Jean sits next to him reading a book and Scott cleans the living area, but then, a sudden glow emerges, signaling the use of the Krakoan Gate, prompting the leader of the X-Men and Captain Commander of Krakoa to look with curiosity.
Three figures begin to appear, revealing themselves to be three of the Stepford Cuckoos; Sophie, Irma and Celeste, smiling with courtesy as they approach Cyclops.
"Good afternoon, Mister Summers" the three girls speak in unison greeting Scott.
"Hello Girls, if you're looking for Nathan, he's already out on a date with Esme; I thought you girls would be aware of that" Scott comments to the girls.
"Is not about that, Mister Summers" the three girls once again speak in unison.
"We're here to inform you that the White Queen…" Sophie speaks first.
"Is extending you an invitation to dinner…" Irma follows her words.
"This evening at the White Palace" Celeste concludes the sentence, leaving Scott amazed at the fact that Emma is inviting him to dinner, and that invitation also reached the ears of both Wolverine and Jean Grey, but while they look uninterested, they know that when it comes to Emma Frost, there is an agenda going on.
"Well, I am humbled by the sudden invitation, girls" Scott replies, still stunned upon the invitation.
"The White Queen apologizes for not being able to send the invitation herself…" Sophie comments.
"But she is currently busy with the preparations for the dinner…" Irma adds to her sister's words.
"Hoping that you accept, that is" Celeste concludes the words, looking at the man who once was in love with their mother, and also begin to wonder if those feelings remain within him or they have faded away over time.
Scott looks back at Logan and Jean who are still reading, and even begins to wonder if he should accept, but he knows that it would be rude to turn down such an invitation, and they are both adults, they can talk whatever they need to and keep it cordial during dinner.
"Very well, you can tell her that I accept" Scott replies cordially, prompting the Cuckoos to smile in response.
"Excellent, Mister Summers…" Sophie replies, nodding her head.
"We'll let her know immediately…" Irma adds to the response.
"That you'll see her there" Celeste concludes the answer.
"Thank you, girls" Scott replies, but then begins to wonder a question "By the way, just wondering…where's Phoebe?" he asks about the whereabouts of the remaining Cuckoo.
"Phoebe is…unavailable at the moment" Sophie responds.
"But we know she is in the premises of the island" Irma follows.
"Anything else, Mister Summers?" Celeste asks, to which Scott simply shakes his head in denial.
"Nothing else girls, thank you for visiting and for the invitation" Scott replies kindly, to which the girls respond with a small bowing.
"Thank you for accepting Mister Summers, and have a nice day" the three girls reply in unison and then take their leave, yet they keep the conversation about Phoebe for themselves, via their telepathy.
"You think he'll be mad if he knows about what's Phoebe doing?" Celeste asks her sisters.
"He's the least of her concerns; the question should be how Mum will react" Irma comments.
"Whatever it is, she should know she could never hide anything from us, including that affair she has now with…Eww…Quentin" Sophie replies with disgust, knowing about the fact that their sister is having a 'not-so-secret-anymore' affair with Quentin Quire.
Meanwhile, Scott sighs deeply after their visit and then looks back at his wife and his teammate and resident houseguest, who are still focused on their readings.
"I appreciate you didn't say anything" Scott comments to them, yet they remain with their eyes staring at their respective lectures.
"It's your choice, dear" Jean replies "You're both grown-ups, you can handle one dinner" she adds, although there's a slight hint of sarcasm in her voice.
"Jeannie, you know we're talking about Emma, right?" Logan asks her "Her agenda is the most obvious one of them all" he adds, recalling the main reason why Emma would ask Scott for dinner, so she could have another shot at him after the end of their relationship.
"Regardless of that" Scott interjects "Is just dinner, I'll just talk to her and that's it" he comments, heading to his bedroom to search for the proper clothes for this evening's dinner.
HOURS LATER, AT THE WHITE PALACE
Scott knows what he is walking into, and yet he cannot help to feel a bit skeptical about this dinner. He has had so many encounters with Emma since the establishment of the mutant nation of Krakoa, yet the last time they truly interacted in the field was when they marched to the Savage Land and met the radical botanists of Hordeculture, but they never had a truly quiet moment together, and the last one he remembers was before he died to the infamous M-Pox caused by the Inhumans' Terrigen Mists.
But today, this is a very personal an almost intimate encounter, a dinner between the two of them. For the occasion, he chose to go for a classic attire: a blue suit with a sky blue shirt and a red tie, along with his ruby-quartz glasses, something apt for a moment like this one. Scott walked with a calm demeanor, approaching the large gate at the White Palace.
"Emma?" he asks, seeing that nobody is present, looking around the place as he walks inside until he stops in the middle, turning around to his right to see her and stay stunned upon his look "Emma…"
"Welcome, my dear" Emma greets him with a wide smile as she walks down the stairs to salute him, seeing him stunned on her looks, and she perfectly knows why, for no one could look as perfect as she does. Thanks to her personal designer Jumbo Carnation, she went for a classic look: A long white dress, tight to her well-toned body and with a very prominent cleavage that goes all the way down to her navel; and she knows perfectly well that is the only piece of clothing she needs to wear to put a man like Scott Summers on his knees "You look amazing" she compliments him as she greets him with a hug, which he returns in kind.
"And you look…ravishing" Scott looks at her in awe, remembering that she always knew how to amaze him in more ways than one, something she knows all too well.
"Thank you" Emma replies with a smile "Please, come in, dinner is almost served" she invites him to join her to the dining room where the dinner is being served. Unlike the main table where she usually eats, the dinner is served in a smaller table, fit for the two of them. The menu includes meatballs with Neapolitan sauce, accompanied by sautéed vegetables and quinoa, with a bottle of white wine to accompany the dish, elegant through and through, the way Emma always does things.
"I must say…you really went through every detail to set this up" Scott comments while he walks to the table and moves the chair so Emma can take her seat, after all, in spite of the history between them, he can still show gallantry to a lady.
"You know how I do things, darling" Emma replies while she takes her seat, smiling at him in gratitude "I hope you enjoy the dinner" she adds, inviting him to take his seat, right next to her.
"I will" Scott replies as he sits "I have to say…" he takes the serves the wine while he sees Emma taking the first bite of her meal "I never expected that you could ever invite me to a dinner, especially a personal, one-on-one dinner" he goes straight to the point with her.
"I know" Emma replies "But even you have to admit, ever since we established the nation of Krakoa, we barely had time to catch up on the things between us, although we're both aware of what we've been doing" she comments as they both eat their meals "You keep doing the great job of defending Krakoa while I'm focused on the endeavors of the Hellfire Trading Company, but we haven't had the time to actually have a talk, just the two of us, just like the old days" she says, remembering the time when they were together, although Scott does not seem to share the same sentiment.
"We've been very busy, Emma, plain and simple" Scott replies "Although to be fair, we haven't had a proper motivation to meet each other like this" he points out, looking at her "What motivated you to invite me to dinner?" he asks, hoping to dig deeper into the mystery.
"Did you know that on a day like this one, so many years ago, we started our personal sessions?" Emma replies with another question, one that does bring a lot of curiosity into Scott's mind.
"Our sessions? The ones we were having back during my marriage with Jean?" Scott is the one posing the questions now, yet Emma simply nods in response "Yes, I do remember those…very vividly" he replies, recalling that it was in those sessions where he started his psychic affair with Emma, which helped him to cope with the distancing between himself and Jean and set the seeds for the eventual relationship with Emma.
"I do remember them too" she explains while she has another bite of her meal and then drinks a sip of her glass of wine "It was there where we started to open up about each other, to discover what we wanted and what we needed" she begins to explain her view of point "And it helped us to overcome the insecurities that prevented us to grow, as well as it paved the way for something better for both of us" she comments, referencing about how those sessions led the way to their previous relationship.
"I am aware of that" Scott points out "But as the old saying goes: 'Everything that has a beginning, also has an end', and that happened long ago" he recalls that their relationship ended way back, when they were both possessed by the Phoenix Force and succumbed to the corruption, back when the X-Men went to war with the Avengers.
"But just like we managed to conquer the literal death, we can conquer the metaphorical death of things" Emma comments, implying her intentions of restarting their past relationship, and Scott begins to discover her true intentions.
"So this was your plan" Scott comments while he puts the silverware down and looks at her with a serious semblance "Your dinner invitation was about wanting to restart our relationship" he even laughs a little bit, knowing that he had the suspicion and now is more than a reality. This prompts Emma to calmly put down her silverware and then look at Scott into his eyes.
"You got me there, darling" she replies, but the tone she uses is a more nostalgic one than her usual snobbish tone "It's so easy to say that I have it all, a company under my lead, a nation under my feet, a seat in the government, but what's worth all the wealth in the world when I still have a void inside me?" she begins to confess her own feelings to the one man who knows her better than anyone else "And then I remembered the only thing that fill that void in my heart…and that's you" she then slides her hand, gently putting it over his "I invited you to dinner because I wanted to bring back those good times when it was the two of us, Scott" she then shows a slight smile "Because I missed you"
"How can you miss someone you can still see every day, Emma?" Scott asks, looking skeptical about Emma's confession.
"I missed us, Scott" she points out about what she meant "I miss what it was the…happiest time of my life" she admits to Scott what she missed, opening herself to him.
"If it was so happy…then why did you end it?" Scott asks her, starting to feel upset about her intentions "May I remind you that it was you who put an end to it after you confessed about your psychic affair with Namor while we were possessed by the Phoenix Force" he finally brings that detail in front of her.
"I remember" Emma replies "As well as I remember how upset you were that you attacked me to gain my share of the Force" she recalls that moment "But I let that go, I stopped holding up to that grudge" she admits, looking at Scott with a more serious semblance "And I stayed with you all along even after we broke up" she tells him "Until you died at Muir Island" she then remembers the moment when he died in her arms when he got infected by the M-Pox at Muir Island.
"Yes, I remember that" Scott replies "And then you used my face and my image to turn me into a martyr and force a war between mutants and Inhumans" he recalls how she used him in her grief to wage war against the Inhuman Family, even coercing the X-Men to follow her "And after you disappeared, you worked for the government and erased your presence from our minds in order to comply to them and even manipulated me and the remaining X-Men to play along in your schemes for and against the military" his response is cold and direct, the kind of attitude Emma usually displays, and is because of that answer that Emma does not react in anger, because she knows he is right in every word he said.
"So, I guess this was in vain, then" Emma speaks in a lower voice, starting to realize that all that effort was for nothing.
"I guess it was" Scott replies, standing up from his chair "And as you can see, I won't be staying for dessert" he then looks directly at Emma, but he just cannot figure out what words to say to her, so he chooses to stay in silence and leave the place, knowing about Emma's intentions about coming back together, but all he could remember were the manipulations she inflicted on him after they ended things, but he failed to realize that Emma's feelings were sincere and did not gave her a chance to explain herself of to give a more convincing argument, he just left her there at the dining room, staring at the failure of her plans.
She could easily give in to the anger and flip the table with whatever is left of the food, shout in anger and go back to be the White Queen she always was, but this one hurts, and she knows that it hurts because she caused it, for that she just stands from her seat and walks back into her bedroom.
"I should've known" she begins to muse to herself in her mind "They say that we tend to hurt the ones we love the most, and the more we love them, the more we hurt them…and I put Scott Summers through a world of pain" she reflects while she looks at the window from her bedroom into the faraway landscape beyond Krakoa "I should've known that you were beyond my reach Scott…I should've known that I lost you" she begins to shed a small tear that slowly slides down her face "That I know now" she begins to resign to her fate and admit that the one thing that was missing for her is gone for good, so she wipes away that tear and takes a deep breath, determined to just wait for the day to be over and start anew the next day.
Unbeknownst to her, her plan may have worked, only that the effects have taken a bit longer than anticipated, because right after Scott walked out of the palace, he headed straight into the gate that leads to his house at the Blue Area of the Moon, but he just stood there, staring at the gate, without even moving, because while part of him wants to go through and get this day over with…another part of him is beginning to reconsider and give Emma the opportunity to speak, for the sake of their old relationship.
"It's odd but…for a long time I wondered about how great it was having Jean back, but now, now it feels like I've been chasing the wrong ideal" Scott begins to ponder for himself "Emma claims that she no longer holds any grudge about us, while I still harbor mine, but…she brought back those memories, how I got hurt by her, but also…how good I felt with her" he then turns his back and begins to walk, just walk without a right direction, just walk around the island "Krakoa is all about having what we always wanted, but…what about what we need? About what I need? Have I made a mistake talking to Emma like that?" he then just walks, wondering what he should do, but in the end, Scott Summers knows that the best thing to do is to do what's right…and hopefully give some closure to the story between them, or perhaps see if there is room for a new beginning.
ACT III
The night came, enveloping the island in its darkness, yet the moonlight brought a much distinctive glow to the site that it made an ideal scenery for romance, something Emma craved for, but failed to obtain due to the sins of her past being too strong to overcome her desires, and because of what transpired in her dinner with Cyclops, she chose to resign to her fate and just let the night flow by. She went to sleep, trying to avoid thinking about him, about their past, about the good times they spent together, about the love she still has for him, and inevitably, all she can hear is his voice calling her out.
"Emma" she hears his voice over and over again "Emma" time and time again hearing his name until she wakes up, but then…she hears her name being called out again, and that means that she is not dreaming, she is indeed hearing his voice.
"Scott?" she asks for his name, whispering as she looks around her "Scott?" she asks again, now telepathically.
"Outside, Emma" she hears Scott answering her, prompting her to get up from her bed, put on her robe and walk to the main entrance of her Palace to find him standing right in the front door, still wearing the suit he wore for the date, but the main difference is that he is no longer wearing the tie.
"Scott? What are you…?" Emma tries to make the question about why is he there, why did he return after what he said, but she sees that his face is a combination of remorse and doubt, something she never expected to see on him "Come in" she invites him in, giving him the chance to talk.
"After I left, I went straight to the gate to the Moon, I just wanted to go home but…I just stood there" he begins to explain what happened "I stood there, staring at the gate, thinking about what I told you at the dinner and I didn't wanted to go home" he comments while he walks right next to Emma, who is paying attention to everything he is saying "So I spent the rest of the day just walking around the island, thinking, reflecting, about this…about us" he then looks at her, who looks back at him still trying to assimilate his new visit.
"So I guess that means you're not mad at me for what I did after I ended our relationship?" Emma asks him, being a bit skeptical, but at the same time hoping to find some answers.
"I was mad at you, because I loved you and I felt that I meant nothing after what we went through" Scott replies, and Emma begins to understand his feeling, because she knows she did manipulated him after she lost him, because she never lost anyone before and never knew how to cope with it.
"I know, and I can see it Scott" she calmly replies "But I was being completely sincere when I said that I missed you Scott" she then walks towards him "You do remember do you? Remember all the good we both had?" she asks him, with a hint of concern while also hoping for a positive response.
"I do" Scott replies "It's what I've been thinking all along" he adds, looking back at her "I remember that my marriage was becoming strained, I was feeling like…like what I had was not enough, that maybe it wasn't what I wanted or what I needed" Scott begins to confess his feelings "Talking to you allowed me to, I don't know, take away some of the weight I was carrying on my shoulders" he comments while he takes a seat on her couch, with Emma sitting right next to him.
"And you had quite the burden" Emma comments, recalling those sessions "But it was because of those sessions that I found out how in spite of carrying that, you fought to uphold everything you stand for, the strong, confident leader you are, and what kind of woman wouldn't fall in love with such a man?" she adds, smiling as the memories come by through her mind "But you weren't the only one who improved after those sessions" she then looks at him "Because you helped me overcome the past I carried, and made me grow better" she replies, but then her smile begins to fade out "Yet, is true that after the many things I did, which were of my doing" in her mind, she recognizes as being the one who started it all; from reconnecting with Namor and causing a strain in their relationship, which was strengthened by the Phoenix Force during the time they held it, to manipulate his image and memory after his death and manipulating his actions after his return "I forgot what it felt like to love and to being loved…because you're the only one who taught me that" she then gently holds his hand, caressing the back of his hand with her thumb "And it was the happiest time of my life".
"I must confess…I felt great" Scott replies to her, putting his other hand over hers "I knew it wasn't what I wanted at the time, but it was what I really needed" he tells her, looking into her blue eyes "But now we live in a new age Emma, and it's giving us the chance to start anew".
"That's…what I was aiming at" Emma replies "Although I can see that is not the same thing you are referring to" she looks back at him and his ruby-quartz glasses "But I have to ask…do you feel happy?" she asks him, to which he takes a deep breath and a long sigh.
"I do" he replies "But…not the way I think I should be" he takes a long look at her, but then he gets a moment of impulse and comes closer to her, holding gently her left side of her neck to bring her face towards his and kiss her lips, a slow and deep kiss that she returns, tasting his lips, dancing her tongue with his and even moaning a bit in the kiss, bringing back the feeling she long lost every second she spent with him, and she can feel that he does remember everything as well.
As soon as they both run out of breath, the gaze into each other's eyes, smiling as their mutual feelings reemerge, and right then she holds his hand as she stands up from the couch.
"Come…" she whispers to him as she helps him stand and they both head upstairs to her bedroom so they could make this reconnection an even deeper experience and something they can truly never forget. Once they step inside, they both retake the kiss, much deeper and even hungrier than before.
Their hands begin to travel over each other's bodies, with her starting to take off his clothes as he does the same with her robe, with the moonlight coming through her window accentuating her beauty upon his eyes, something that makes him fall deeper into her hands, just the way she likes it, just like she loves being wrapped in his arms, and they just do that. They both let their reignited love for each other make way for the passion and desire and consummate their desires with one another, making the night become the perfect way to end the day.
THE NEXT MORNING
The sun was shining brighter than ever before, reflecting upon the entire bedroom with enough light to make it shine on its own, a light that startles Emma enough to bring her back to the 'Land of the Awake', bringing her back after a long good sleep.
"Hmmm?" Emma moves under the satin sheets, slowly waking up, moving her right hand to the other side of the bed looking for someone, but to her surprise that side is empty "Scott?" she asks while she quickly moves her body to the side, seeing with her own eyes that her lover just left her side once again, an empty bed just like every other night and day before this one "I guess…it was too good to be true" she thinks for herself, believing that Scott simply left once she was fully asleep, making her believe that after a long session of passionate lovemaking, her falling asleep in his embrace was just a dream.
However, a slight noise in the floor below begins to alert her, sensing that someone must have intruded her White Palace. She puts on her robe and heads downstairs, guiding herself by the sound, leading her to the kitchen where she finds a very pleasant surprise upon her eyes: The same table where she invited Scott for dinner now has a breakfast served, with fresh bread, cheese, a small plate of butter and sour cream, a bowl full of fruits and two cups of tea. Right then, she sees Scott walking with a metal tray on his hands, startling a bit when he sees Emma right then.
"Oh, Emma" Scott chuckles a little bit "Didn't hear you walk in" he comments with a small smile on his face.
"And I didn't hear you leave the bed" Emma replies, walking towards the table "You've been a busy boy, darling".
"Just making sure everything was set" Scott shrugs his shoulders "Fresh bread and cheese from France, butter and sour cream from New York, fresh fruits from Chile and tea from London" Emma cannot help but show a smirk on her face, yet in her mid, she shows the widest and warmest of smiles at the sight of how much Scott has worked on the details to please her "I was hoping to have it all set before you woke up".
"As much as I appreciate the gesture of breakfast in bed, this already is a great one on itself" Emma walks towards Scott, giving him a soft and tender kiss on his cheek "Now let's enjoy our morning" she replies, taking her seat alongside Scott and enjoy their morning meal.
"You know? I wanted to ask you something" Scott begins to formulate something that was coming around on his mind "What happened with you and Wolverine that couple of weeks ago in New York?" his question almost causes Emma to spit her sip of tea, startling her upon the revelation of her teaming-up with Logan.
"Just Logan and I teaming up to deal with Harold Leland, you remember him, right?" Emma asks, to which Scott nods "Turns out, Logan and I made a good team, which I must admit is something very odd and that I hope it won't happen again" she replies with honesty, to which Scott laughs a bit in response.
"Logan is a good fighting companion, but it does surprises me that you two got along, albeit briefly" Scott points out while taking a bite of his bread with butter.
"It was in the heat of the moment, I wasn't gonna let Shinobi's crew make a fool out of me, Kate or the Marauders anymore" she replies and then looks back at Scott "May I ask who told you about it?" she asks with curiosity.
"Franklin Richards bragged about the fight that day" Scott laughs a bit, a laugh that Emma shares.
"That. Little. Brat." Emma mutters behind her cup of tea" But, if it's any consolation, I'd rather team up with you anytime, anywhere" she adds with a flirty tone, winking an eye at him.
"Who says we won't?" Scott comments, sparking Emma's attention about what he is implying "And I'm not talking about just in the field".
"You mean…" Emma moves her hand quickly towards Scott's, holding it gently.
"I've been thinking about it…Krakoa is about a new beginning for all of us, and is also the time to do the things we wanted to do and reforge the bonds we may have lost on the way, like the one I'm having with my family" he comments about having the whole family reunited "And while they all have their own duties and circles" he points out about how his brothers and children have their own duties and social circles "I want to have something of my own, and I think both you and I know what it is" he smiles at her, and right then is when Emma display the emotion and affection she long lost and now has regained after being with him again.
"You know we can't erase the past Scott, but the only thing I ask is the opportunity to make up for all that we lost, and the chance to do better for both of us" Emma asks, moving her hand now to his face, gently caressing his cheek.
"You'll have it" Scott replies, smiling back at her "But we have to do it on a slow pace, one step at a time" he sets the condition for the restart of their relationship, to which Emma nods in response.
"I have time and patience, darling" Emma replies "And now you've given me the strength to overcome whatever storm may come, for now I feel complete with you" she adds, coming closer to him and give him a short kiss on his lips.
"I'm still gonna have to talk about it with Jean, even if she may have a suspicion" Scott comments, pointing out the big detail about his situation with Jean.
"We'll talk with her" Emma replies "Since this involves both of us, it's fair that she also hears it from my mouth" she adds.
"Then it's settled" Scott smiles, giving Emma another short kiss "Now I only hope this doesn't affect the situation about our children" he points out about Cable currently dating the Stepford Cuckoos, all five of them.
"Well, I know that Nathan took a liking to Esme above all the others, that may be a good thing after all" Emma replies, hoping that Cable and Esme work things out "Which reminds me, I must have a talk with Phoebe" she adds, implying that she also knows about Phoebe's secret affair with Quentin Quire.
"That's a whole different story" Scott replies, finishing his meal and standing up "For another time" he replies, to which Emma also stands up and walks towards him "I promise you this, we'll make it better that what we went through before" he tells her while he wraps his arms around her waist "As long as we can still trust one another, without secrets and one step at a time" he comments, to which Emma nods her head in response.
"Although you should know that I won't stop giving you my own brand of affection" Emma replies, letting him know that she will still openly flirt with him and even throw the usual innuendo, something quite typical from her "But I will devote my affection to you and only you, my darling" she adds, giving him a few pecks on his lips "Now go, Go and do what you do best, go and defend Krakoa, be the greatest leader there is" she encourages him to do his job and be the best at it, a motivation he welcomes gladly.
They both share one last kiss before he leaves, setting the perfect ending for the perfect moment, one that they both know will go on from now on. After he leaves, Emma finishes her breakfast, takes a shower and dresses up, now more motivated and determined than before to tackle the new challenges of the Hellfire Trading Company setting in front of her.
"Let's do this" she thinks, showing a smirk on her face while she walks towards the Krakoan Gate she set up directly into the Hellfire Tower in New York. She has everything she ever wanted, and now she has what she ever needed; she has filled the void in her heart and now she has the strength and the motivation to be the best she can be, to show the world what the White Queen is all about.
THE END
And here you have it, my first One-Shot Story in my "Alt-616 Universe". I hope you guys enjoyed it as much as I did writing it and let me know in the reviews. If you want me to do more of these kind of one-shots, also let me know, and I'll see what my mind (combined with Marvel's continuity) can do.
Thank you for Reading!
P.S.: Oh, and you can still read my previous works around here! I recommend it!