Scott jumped out of Happy's car and took off his glasses to look at the damage around his home.
"Stay here!" he told Sophia as he ran towards the house. He went inside and saw the fight in the backyard. Seeing Iron Fist and White Tiger holding their own, he took the steps to the lab to check on his siblings.
"Scott!"
"Friday, Happy's out front. Open the doors." The lab doors opened and Scott grabbed Annie. "Come on. Happy's out front. You're getting out of here." His younger siblings and the Alexander family followed after him, Shila and Copper trailing behind their people.
"I can stay," Alex said.
"If your suit was done, I'd consider it," Scott said, opening the car door to put Annie inside. "For now, take care of them at the Tower." Alex nodded seriously.
"Scott." Scott looked at Jesse.
"Yes sir?"
"Where is my son?"
"He was sent here. I need to know the properties of the helmet. Is it made of metal?"
"Yes."
"Then he likely has it off because this mutant controls metal. I'll make sure he's safe and send word to you." Scott waited to watch the car drive off before he joined his team in the backyard.
"Cyclops!" Scott looked at the man in the air as his teammates were being thrown around, metal covering their bodies. He quickly blasted the man into a tree. His three visible teammates dropped, and War Machine was finally able to get up.
"Where're-?"
"I got them to safety," Scott said. "Happy's on his way to the Tower. Fist, where's Nova?" Danny threw a tired hand in the air.
"He wasn't here when we got here."
"Spider-Man?"
"He was here and then he disappeared." Scott put his glasses back on.
"Nova. Nova, where are you?"
"Guest house."
"War Machine and Black Widow, get SHIELD here and get him off the property. Where's Falcon?"
"He's with me," Nova said.
"Got it. Mick, let Iron Man know it's safe to join us." Scott went into the guest house and saw Sam with a bandage around his upper arm, sitting next to a still unconscious Falcon as Claire checked him over.
"Are you ok?" Claire asked without looking up.
"I am. We've got more wounded out there. Is Uncle Sammy ok?"
"He will be once he wakes up. He took a hard hit once his wings became mangled." Claire gently caressed Falcon's face and stood with her bag. "Who needs me?"
"Peter, Danny, and Ava at the minimum. Widow might need a bandage or something." Claire nodded and left.
"Are you ok?" Sam asked.
"I'm fine. Are you?"
"He cut me with something. I didn't know if my helmet was a liability-"
"It was. I asked your dad."
"I was useless-"
"You were not," Scott said, helping Sam stand. "You waited for someone else to get here before getting my godfather to safety. You kept his attention to keep the kids safe. Moose… He could have taken Annie and Gabe and Kaelynn. You protected them- without your helmet, even." Sam gave him a dissatisfied look.
"I'm Nova. I-"
"You are. And as soon as you realized what he could do, you kept yourself safe." Scott kissed him. "I'm glad you're safe. Now put your helmet back on and help me survey the damage." Sam put it on and the two walked back into the backyard.
"Cyclops," Iron Man greeted. "Report."
"Claire is attending to the wounded. Falcon is in the guest house, knocked out. War Machine and Widow have been given orders to remove the mutant. All we know about him right now is that he can control metal."
"How did you stop him?" Scott tapped his glasses.
"I hit him into a tree." The door opened and a diamond covered Emma stepped outside. "Frost," Scott said. "You're late to the party."
"I'll give you the number to a planner," she said, looking around with her nose curled.
"You feel like reading someone and telling us about him?" The diamond form dropped and she stepped forward.
"Where is he?"
"By War Machine." Scott walked with her to the man.
"His helmet is blocking me, like he was expecting a telepath." Natasha removed the helmet and Emma frowned.
"Well?" Scott prompted.
"Erik Lensherr," Emma said. "AKA Magneto. He's close friends with Charles Xavier, yet also an enemy. He heard there was a mutant here and wanted to recruit him."
"Me or Alex?"
"You." Scott nodded and crossed his arms.
"Mick, message Xavier and let him know this Magneto guy just attacked the house." He walked away, back towards Sam and Tony.
"-useless, then so was I," he heard Tony say. "And there's no way I'm useless in any event."
"Pop." Iron Man looked up. "His name's Erik Lensherr. He goes by Magneto. Xavier knows him. He was here to recruit me for his own team. I don't think he realized where exactly he was."
"Shit."
"SHIELD is on its way."
"Alright. Good work."
"Where's Cap?"
"I don't know. Go check on your team."
"Yes sir." Scott took Sam's hand and they went to the three other members of their group.
"Everyone ok?" Peter asked.
"Falcon is still knocked out, but otherwise, yes. How are all of you?"
"Dizzy," Ava said, her head in her hands.
"And injuries?"
"I scratched my leg up on the metal," Danny said. "Claire is getting more supplies."
"Is it deep?"
"Just long," Danny corrected. "You good, Nova?"
"I'm better than you. Got hit on the arm. Claire's already seen to me."
"Peter?"
"I'm fine. Kids?"
"Happy's taking them to the Tower. Which reminds me- Mick, let Jesse know that Sam's safe, and let Dad know Peter's alright, too."
"Why did he need to know-?"
"Because he asked where you were before he agreed to get in the car," Scott told Sam. "I promised I'd let him know you were safe once I found you." Sam gave a small nod. "Nova."
"I couldn't do anything when it mattered-"
"Because you recognized the danger. If you want an assignment, then go to the planet the Nova Corps is stationed on and get the properties of the helmet so we'll know what it has in it, and then see if you can get a second helmet without metal made."
"Cyclops," Iron Man called.
"Go," Danny said. "We're fine." Scott jogged to Tony.
"Yes sir?"
"I'm going to have to have the house repaired," Tony said, his mask off and looking around. "Are you going to be ok if we stay at the Tower?" Scott rubbed his arm. "If not, you'll need to stay with your grandparents."
"Pop,"
"Either way, it's fine. But we can't stay here, son."
"I can't stay alone?"
"Are you going to be the one to ask Dad? Because I can already see how that'll play out, Voldy."
"I'm not ready-"
"Sam can sleep in your room."
"You don't get it," Scott said, shaking his head. "For five minutes, sure, the Tower is fine, but the thought of having to stay there… I can't."
"Then you'll have to stay with your grandparents."
"Can I just…?"
"I have to stay here," Tony said. "I have to work-"
"Can you work from your place in Malibu?"
"I could."
"Please, Pop. I'm not ready to sleep in the Tower."
"You know that'll mean we'd have to postpone our trip to DC."
"Yes sir."
"Then I'll talk to your dad. How's your team?"
"Nova got hit on his arm, and Fist has a cut on his leg. Tiger is dizzy, and Spider-Man is fine, or at least not reporting injuries."
"And Frost?"
"She's not-"
"You called her in."
"Yeah, but-"
"So go check on her."
"Pop."
"Kid. You asked for her help. Even if she isn't a permanent member, she was a member today."
"Ok. You're right."
"I'm always right." Scott shook his head in amusement and walked away, past his team, and towards the man who was slowly regaining consciousness and the diamond young girl nearby.
"Emma."
"I'm not interested in joining your little team."
"I wasn't going to ask. I just wanted to say thank you for coming as fast as you did, and to make sure you were ok."
"Why?"
"Because you were my teammate today."
"I'm fine."
"You're shielding yourself."
"Because everyone was emotion-charged and broadcasting."
"So you're not ok."
"I wasn't but I took care of it, and now I am."
"Alright, if you're sure."
"Osito!"
"Is he still that jealous of me?" Emma asked.
"There's nothing to be jealous of," Sam said, joining the two. "Tony's ready to go. We're going to meet up with everyone at the Tower and decide where to go from there."
"Thanks again, Emma," Scott said before he and Sam walked away, hand in hand. Happy had returned with a larger SUV and the teens and Avengers who needed a ride, other than Claire and Falcon, climbed in.
"I'll meet you at the Tower," Tony told Scott and Peter.
"And you're sure you're ok?" Chris asked, checking over Peter again.
"I'm fine. Go smother Scott some." Chris looked at his oldest.
"Scotty?"
"I'm fine, Dad. I took him out within two seconds of seeing him."
"You should've seen him," Rhodey said, an ice pack on his shoulder. "He was barking orders like we were his team, too." Scott turned red.
"I'm sorry," he told Rhodey. "If you felt I was being disrespectful, I mean. It wasn't my intention-"
"I've said for how long that he was a natural born leader?" Tony said proudly.
"Leader enough to boss around the Avengers?" Alex asked.
"It's what he was doing," Natasha said, ruffling Scott's hair. Scott's blush deepend.
"Don't be embarrassed," Clint said, looking through a box to find a metal-less shaft for his arrows. "It's what you were training for, right?"
"I guess."
"You did good, kid."
"Thanks, Pop." Scott quietly excused himself and walked to the Alexander family, where Sam and Jesse were looking over the Nova helmet.
"Scott," Sam greeted once he saw him. "Is everything ok?"
"It's fine. Just checking on you."
"We're fine."
"Your helmet?"
"No problems," Sam said, tossing it up. Jesse caught it and gave Sam a look.
"Respect the helmet or I'll take it back."
"Sorry," Sam said, looking unapologetic. He turned back to Scott. "Are you sure you're ok?"
"I'm just having a hard time being here," he admitted. Sam put a hand on Scott's arm.
"What can I do?" Scott shrugged. "Scott?" Scott turned red.
"I'm hungry," he finally said. "Do you think we can have a redo for dinner?"
"Of course." Sam kissed Scott's cheek and went to Chris.
"Sam," Chris greeted as he picked up Annie.
"I'd like permission to take Scott-"
"No," Chris said.
"Corsair,"
"I'm sorry, son, but after what just happened, I need Scott close by."
"I understand, but he's hungry. We didn't even get to order before Annie called."
"I'll have Friday order something, then, but he's not going anywhere."
"So you're going to make him stay here? In a place he loathes?"
"Sam," Chris said warningly. "I know you're his boyfriend, but he is my son."
"And it was because you forced him to stay here that he ran to Alaska." Chris put Annie down.
"Go find Papa," he told her. Annie hurried off and Chris turned back to Sam. "I don't appreciate you assuming I'm going to force him to stay here."
"But you-"
"I need him close to me because I need to make sure he's safe, and because after my husband and I discuss our next steps, I'd rather not have to search all over New York for him. We will remain in the common room until we know where we're going."
"Then can he at least go on the landing strip?"
"Sam,"
"Look at him," Sam said. Chris turned and saw Scott, standing with his arms tight against his torso. "He's trying, Corsair. He's asking for help in any way that will get him out of here."
"Scott," Chris called. Scott looked up.
"Yes sir?"
"Come here." Scott walked to them and Sam took his hand.
"Yes sir?" Scott said again.
"How can I help you?"
"I'm alright, Dad. I-"
"Scotty."
"I asked Pop if we could go to his place in California." Chris let out a breath and rubbed the back of his neck.
"Son,"
"Dad, please-"
"Any other time, and I'd say it was a good plan. But you have the trial coming up, and we'll need to be here for that."
"Oh," Scott said dejectedly. "I'd forgotten about…"
"Sounds like Tony did, too." Chris put a warm hand on Scott's cheek, his fingers slightly on his neck. "I'm sorry. More than you realize, son."
"I can't stay here," Scott said quietly. "I can't, Dad. Even if Sam's in the room with me, I can't."
"Ok. What do we do then?"
"Pop said Grandma-"
"They're leaving in two days for a trip and won't be back until Peter's birthday."
"Dad,"
"Let me talk to Tony," Chris said. "We'll figure something out. Until then, how about you two go get dinner requests from everyone and we'll send out an order? And it's a nice enough night that you and Sam can sit outside to eat." Scott hugged Chris.
"Thanks, Dad." Chris dropped a kiss on Scott's head and patted his back.
"Thank your boyfriend. I doubt he'd have let me do anything less." Scott looked at Sam, who smirked and shrugged.
"Te amo," he told Scott.