Standard disclaimer: I don't own them; I'm just borrowing them for our entertainment.

X-Men 3.1 Resurrection

Chapter 4 – Who Says You Can't Go Home Again?

Anger and hurt continued to build in Storm during the trip to Alaska. How could they? To let her think Jean and the Professor were dead, worried that Scott was losing his mind alone in the wilderness, when all the time they were alive and well. Oh, she understood the rational well enough, but that she wasn't trusted to keep the secret – that hurt.

It was a lot to take in. While Storm knew Scott was alive, that Jean and Charles were alive as well was a shock. Although now that she thought about it, she wondered why it didn't occur to her that if Scott hadn't been killed, Jean might not have killed the Professor and was certainly capable of surviving Wolverine's attack. But the thought that Charles Xavier was now mentally unbalanced and that Magneto wanted to help with them – in spite of their joining forces once before (or perhaps because of the outcome of that event), it was too hard for Storm to wrap her mind around everything without getting angry.

So she stopped trying and concentrated on flying to Alaska.

Finally, she reached the coordinates of the cabin. She remembered the place from previous, happier, visits. But as she brought the Blackbird in for a landing and saw Scott and Jean standing on the dock nearby, all hurt feelings dissipated like the mist. They were alive – that was the important thing.

She practically flew down the gang way and into Scott's arms.

"I've missed you so much," she said.

"Me too," he responded simply.

Then she turned to Jean – and in an instant all was right with them again. They hugged each other without reservation. The past was forgiven in a heartbeat.

Storm spotted Eric sitting on the front porch, watching the reunion with a slight smile. "You're sure we're going to need him?" she asked Scott.

He nodded grimly. "I'm afraid so," he replied.

She took a deep breath. "So what's the plan?"

X X X

Jean made her way into the plane with some hesitation. The last time she remembered being on the Blackbird was at Alkali Lake. She shook off the memories firmly. There was a lot more to concentrate on.

Scott made his way to the front, intending on flying co-pilot, but Storm stopped him.

"Do you want to fly her again?" she asked.

Scott didn't need to be asked twice. "Hell, yeah."

Jean smiled broadly at the sight. Scott was back in his element. This was the world he loved. And her – what did she love?

She turned to find Eric regarding her carefully. "Seems like old times," she murmured.

"Yes," he agreed. "And I certainly hope those memories will be in our favor."

"We'll see," she responded cryptically.

X X X

Jean had to admit to a sense of homecoming when the mansion came into view. But .. how would the students react to the news of their resurrection?

"Did you tell the kids before you left?" Scott asked Storm from the pilot's seat. Jean smiled. That wasn't their telepathic bond – that was them being completely in sync.

Storm nodded. "I thought that was best. I didn't explain anything – I didn't know how. But they seemed to take it well. After all, they are mutants – they've seen a lot of strange things in their lives."

Scott nodded and landed the plane in the underground hanger perfectly.

Storm smiled broadly and Scott matched it with an answering grin. "Just like riding a bike," he said impishly.

He held out his hand to Jean as they disembarked the plane. "Showtime."

X X X

The elevator glided up to the main floor and opened. They walked into the hall to find the entire student body waiting for them. Any concerns regarding their reception were banished in an instant. The students erupted into applause. The affection for their former teachers was obvious and enveloped them all. Who says you can't go home again?

Eventually, the applause died down and with a few words from Scott and Storm, the students returned to their classes with their teachers, leaving Storm, Scott, and Jean to the headmaster's office.

Which left Eric and Mystique alone in the hall.

"I didn't expect to see you here," Eric began.

"I wasn't left with too many choices," Mystique replied bitterly.

"Ah," he replied as he crossed the distance between them and held out his arm. "Shall we discuss this in the garden?"

She sighed and took his arm. "I should rip it off," she stated.

"But you won't."

He knew her all too well.

X X X

They walked though the garden to an old stone bench and sat down.

"Do you think I'll forgive you? You abandoned me," Mystique reminded him.

"Yes," Eric acknowledged. "I know now that was very wrong of me."

She snorted.

"I'm quite serious. I've had time to reflect. On Alcatraz Island, when I saw Phoenix standing there, the full destructive force of her, I realized I had been wrong. Not about fighting for Mutant rights, but how I was going about it. Alcatraz was truly my last stand, at least for a violent revolution. However, that doesn't mean the fight has ended. All mutants have common ground; even many Homo Sapiens understand what is at stake."

"So you're going to partner up with Homo Sapiens?" Mystique's voice dripped scorn.

"I'm not sure I'm able to go that far yet," he acknowledged. "But they're not all the enemy. And our enemies are very real. We need to be united to defeat them."

"You're sounding like Xavier now," she jeered.

Eric smiled. "Am I? There are worse things."

"Name one."

His smile slipped. "Sounding like Charles Xavier as he is now."

X X X

Back in the office, Jean and Scott filled Storm in on what they knew. Which wasn't much.

"Jean, have you made direct contact with Charles?" Storm wanted to know.

"Not really," she admitted. "I reached out to him and ... let's just say I didn't like what I found. He's different. And he's planning something."

"But what? Maybe we're just overreacting ..."

Jean shook her head. "No," her voice was firm. "He's planning something and it isn't going to be good." She turned to Scott. "I'm going to have to go back to his mind again and be a little more – persistent. He'll probably find out you're alive as well, if he doesn't know already."

Scott shrugged. "He's going to find out soon enough."

She nodded and turned her attention back to Storm. "Is the Med-lab still in existence?"

"Oh, yes," Storm replied. "Hank talked Dr. Celia Reyes into coming by regularly and being our on-call physician. She's good – but she's not you."

Jean smiled. "Well, I'll go hang my shingle out again," she said as she left Storm and Scott together in the office. Alone at last.

He looked around the stacks of paper with interest. "How are things going?"

"Chaotic," she replied. "And you know it. This part of the job isn't exactly my thing."

"Do you want some help?"

"I want you to take over being headmaster," Storm said. "I hate the administrative part, but you're good at it. Besides ... Charles always expected you to take over, not me."

Scott turned away at that.

"What happened between you?" she asked. "That morning you left? Everything ... nothing felt right that morning. And it just got worse from there."

"It wasn't that morning, it was the night before," Scott admitted. "We argued; he said – we said – a lot of things. It ended up with him practically disowning me. He said if I couldn't pull myself back together, he'd have to change his will. I told him to do what he wanted. That was the last time I saw him. I left the next morning; I didn't even say goodbye. The last person I spoke to here was Logan; I'm sure you'll appreciate the irony of that."

"Charles didn't change his will," Storm told him. "His left you in charge of everything. Of course, we thought you were dead at the time ..."

Scott smiled.

"Come back," she urged. "Take over like you were meant to do."

"Did you find a new shop teacher?" Scott asked suddenly.

"No," she replied with a smile. "That's one of the perks of being headmaster -- you assign the teaching jobs. It's yours if you want it."

"I want it," he responded. "And I'll take over running the school for you."

"You haven't asked about the team," Storm reminded him.

"No," he said. "I haven't. I think they're in more than capable hands."

Storm smiled. For the first time in over a year, she felt like things were actually going to get better.

X X X

The afternoon and evening passed quickly. It was amazing how everyone slid into their old roles, completely accepted by staff and students alike. Scott and Jean still had their old bedroom. Storm had never been able to bring herself to reassign it.

Jean sat on the bed in their old room and looked around. She felt – uncomfortable. It was their room and it wasn't. All of their things were in Alaska. This didn't feel like her home anymore.

Scott sat beside her and took her hand. She didn't need to say a word. "Want to stay somewhere else?" he asked.

She nodded and Scott gathered up the pillows and blankets and led her downstairs into the tunnels.

Jean smiled when she realized where they were going. Of course, there were limited locations on the estate, but still.

Scott heaved open the trap door in the floor and they climbed into the enclosed porch of the boat house – the scene of many an assignation between the two.

He grinned broadly. "Brings back memories."

Jean gave an answering grin as she helped him create a place to sleep out of the bedding they had brought with them.

"Any chance you could pick the lock into the house?" Scott asked suddenly. "It would be nice to get the water turned on. I seem to recall a little bathroom under the stairs."

Jean didn't even blink. "Unlocked," she announced.

"Could you find the water cutoff and turn it back on again?" he asked hopefully.

"Where is it?"

Instead of answering, he concentrated on the physical location in the house. Jean followed his thoughts and turned the knob telekenetically.

"Okay," she said.

"There wasn't any water dripping, was there?"

Jean exploded. "Do I look like a plumber?"

Scott bit his lip as he regarded her in her amethyst colored nightgown. "No," he admitted. "You most definitely don't look like a plumber."

"Why, you ..."

Scott laughed and drew her to their makeshift bed with him. Soon, any thoughts of plumbing were the last things on their minds.

X X X

Logan trudged through the grounds on his way back to the house. His truck had run out of gas a mile a way. He had used a small access road entry (thankfully, his password on the alarm still worked), which took him right by the old boathouse.

He sensed the presence of others. He drew closer to the screened porch, expecting to see students in a tryst. What he saw froze him to the spot.

Scott and Jean were lying on the floor asleep. Scott and JEAN!

His brain told him it was impossible but all his other senses told him it was true. He found himself backing away and then running to the house.

X X X

Storm opened her bedroom door in response to Logan's incessant pounding.

"Logan?! What are you doing back ...?"

"I just saw Scott and Jean in the boathouse," he interrupted. "Why didn't you tell me they're alive."

"How?" she shot back. "You didn't tell me where you were going and you didn't take a com-link with you. Besides, I only just found out this morning myself. Oh, Magneto's here too."

"Swell." Then a thought occurred to him. "What about Chuck?"

"The Professor's alive," Storm confirmed. "In fact, he's the problem." Then she smiled. "Welcome back, Logan."

It was too much to deal with at this point. "I'm going to bed," Logan announced, as he leaned forward to give her a peck on the cheek. "It's good to be home, 'Ro."

Surprisingly, he meant it.

X X X