Chapter 2
(Westchester County, New York)
Logan wondered exactly what was going on at the mansion that would cause Jean to contact him. Usually she liked to stay out of his mind if she could help it. He glanced over at Gambit who still looked depressed as he had since he had found him on the outskirts of New Orleans. It did not matter that he had been exiled from his home on pain of death, he was so depressed and broken by the events that had led to his exile from the X-Men that he was willing to risk it to be somewhere he loved.
"We gotta move," he told him. "Jeannie just contacted me and told me to haul ass," he added.
"Understood mon ami," Gambit responded, putting out the cigarette he had been smoking and headed back to his bike, which rested near Logan's own. "We should make it soon non?" he shot back.
"Yeah, if we move fast," Logan agreed as he followed his friend. "Let's ride," he said with a grin.
Both bikes roared to life and they both took off and headed hard for the mansion, inside their minds though both wondered exactly what would happen when they arrive.
+P+
(X-Men Mansion)
Jean stared at the screen for what must be the hundredth time and still she found the results hard to believe. It made no sense to her as she knew without doubt that that she and Logan had never conceived a child together. Yet the results showed that the young man lying on the table was the son of Jean Grey and Logan. How it was possible was beyond her understanding and she feared what would happen once it became known to Scott and the others.
"Jean, are you okay?" Xavier's concerned voice broke her from the troubled thoughts she had and she turned to face her mentor and father figure. "No I'm not. It seems like Storm was correct that the young man is connected to me and to Logan," she answered. "Professor, according to the results he is our son," she stated as calmly as she could.
Charles Xavier had been ready to hear nearly anything about the young man now in their care. However this wasn't one of those things. He could see the confusion and worry in Jean's eyes and he could read the chaotic thoughts now going through her mind and he wondered if she would be able to deal with the news.
"I see," he finally spoke. "This is unprecedented," he added with a shake of his head. "The question now becomes how is that possible, Jean?" he told her. "I hate to ask, but have you and Logan..." he started to ask, but Jean cut him off. "No I have not cheated on Scott and I would not be so cruel as to go to Logan for a one night stand knowing I would leave him to heartache and depression as I went back to Scott," Jean all but spat. "I know that many suspect I have some kind of attraction to Logan and you know that they are right, I can't help it," she said after taking a deep breath to calm down. "I've never been able to fully shut that attraction down, but I'm a married woman and I hold my vows sacred," she stated. "This young man on the table may be our son, but he did not come from my womb or through an act of love between me and Logan," she finished with a slight glare.
Xavier was a bit surprised by his favorite students' admission to her attraction to Logan, but he could hear the clear truth in her voice as she spoke. She had never cheated on Scott. It was not only due to holding her vows sacred, but a desire not to hurt Logan anymore than she had done when she had married Scott.
"I'm sorry I had to ask that Jean, but I felt it was a question best got out of the way," Xavier finally responded. "Okay, discounting that, how else is it possible for him to be here?" he asked before he paused. "Logan and Gambit have just entered the mansion. I sense things are about to go downhill fast," he said, letting out another sigh.
A few minutes later Logan and Gambit entered the medical bay having clearly avoided bumping into anyone else, not hard to do if you knew where to go.
"Welcome home Logan," Xavier said. "I see your hunt was successful," he added.
"Of course, found the Cajun contemplating suicide by going back to New Orleans, where he has the death sentence on him if he ever returns," Logan answered in way of reply. "I managed to talk him out of it, but it was not easy," he stated.
"I'm sure it wasn't," Xavier agreed. "Welcome back Gambit. I'm sorry I wasn't here at the time as your actions during the Morlock Massacre came to light," he said turning to Remy. "Magneto manipulated everyone so very well and got them to do exactly what he wanted. Jean has told me what she saw in your mind as has Rogue, who of course absorbed your memories of the event in question," he continued. "You were used by Sinister to lead his people to the Morlocks, but you were not a part of that plan and you had no idea what it would lead too," he told him. "When you did realize what was going to happen you tried to stop it and almost died saving Marrow. I told Scott he was wrong to exile you and you would be welcomed back if you ever return," he stated. "It might take time for some of the others to get used to you being back, but I'm sure it will happen," he finished with a smile.
"Thank you Professor," Gambit replied. "I've tried to make up for my mistakes, tried to find redemption for what I inadvertently allowed to happen, but I haven't reached it," he explained. "I may never find it, but I will keep trying," he swore before he turned to head to his room. He paused and turned back to face them and asked, "How's Rogue?"
No one answered and the reason for that became clear as a voice he knew and loved so very much spoke from behind him. "Ask me yourself swamp rat," Rogue stated.
Slowly Gambit turned to find not only Rogue standing near the door to the medical bay, but also Storm, Scott, Kitty, Kurt and Rahne. To Remy she had never looked more stunning, but the fire of betrayal he still saw in her eyes as she looked at him chilled him.
"Rogue," he said the name like a prayer as he spoke. "I think we should speak in private non?" he added. Rogue did not answer, but gestured that he should follow her before she turned and left the room.
"Good luck gumbo," Logan said with a nod to which Gambit nodded back before he followed hoping this conversation would go well. "Ok, now that that is sorted, can you tell me what is going on here that required us to ride all day to get here as quickly as possible?" he inquired.
"Yes of course. I think it's best if we all listen to this," Xavier responded. "Earlier this morning this young man appeared in a flash of light within the mansion. Since coming into contact with him Jean has shown great concern for him and managed to heal him with the phoenix force," he explained. "The phoenix seemed to kick start his mutant ability," he added.
"Which is Professor?" Kitty asked, cutting into the conversation having heard only a little about their guest from Rogue.
"Jean?" Xavier said turning to the red head.
"It seems our guest has three particular powers. One is a mutant healing factor that is spot on for Logan's," Jean informed them. "He also has a small level of telepathy and last he is also a host for the Phoenix force," she went on. "I also ran a series of x-rays and found he has three adamantium claws bonded to his right hand, but he doesn't have his full skeleton coated," she finished.
"Where did he come from?" Kurt inquired, knowing some mutants had more than one particular power or ability.
"That we don't know. However what Jean learned from the blood and DNA tests has raised some important questions," Xavier answered.
"What kind of questions?" Scott asked doing his best to keep his dislike of Logan been back from showing.
"The results show the young man on the table is the son of Logan and myself, although how that is possible is beyond me as I have never slept with Logan," Jean answered after a tense pause. "I swear Scott I have never broken our vows," she added as she noted the angered frown that appeared on her husband's face.
Scott did his best to keep himself under control, but the thing that stopped him from doing anything was the look of complete shock and confusion on Logan's own face. Clearly this was news to him as much as it was to everyone else. Forcing back the instant instinct to attack his rival he settled down. "I believe you Jean, but that does not answer the question as to where he came from," he finally said. "The look on Logan's face at this news shows nothing like this happened between you. Is it possible Logan was seduced by Madelyne Pryor, who as a clone of you would have the same DNA?" he inquired.
Everyone including Jean and Xavier turned to look at Logan who let out a growl and his claws instantly popped out. He didn't like the accusation Scott had just thrown at him.
"Pryor is not Jean as you well know Summers and I would not fall for any seduction by her," Logan grunted as he spoke. "And I wouldn't use her as a sort of stand in either. I would know the difference and I don't like the implication of what you just said," he growled at the man, but retracted his claws.
"He is telling the truth," Xavier stated, much to Jean's relief although she did her best to tell herself that it was just out due to the loyalty that Logan had shown to her by saying he would refuse any attempt by Madelyne to come onto him. "There is the possibility that this is the work of Sinister who is quite obsessed with Jean and usually with you Scott. Maybe he has switched his mind to combining Jean's DNA with other mutants instead of yours," he suggested.
This was a possibility that none of them could easily counter. Sinister had long ago sorted out a way of using the DNA of Jean and Scott in his medical experiments. He seemed to think it would lead to the ultimate mutant. The idea he might now be trying to combine Jean's DNA with others to achieve his goal was disturbing.
"Is there any way to find out if your idea is correct Professor?" Kitty asked.
"Not easily," Xavier answered. "Sinister has been off the grid for a while since we last fought him. We've seen no sign of him since that fight," he reminded them.
"What about any evidence he might have left in our guest?" Storm inquired. "Was there any signs of genetic tampering in his blood and DNA samples?" she added.
"None that I have seen from the samples I took off him so far," Jean responded while turning back to the young man who remained unconscious due to the sedative she had given him.
"Then a deeper look might show some results," Rahne suggested.
Before any of them could reply the young man on the table erupted once more into Phoenix fire for a minute before it died down again. Jean went to check on him as he let out a groan and began to come to himself.
"It would seem we might get some answers from the source," Logan finally spoke. "Clearly the sedative won't keep him under, thanks to the phoenix force," he pointed out.
Jean watched as the young man began to fully wake up and his eyes opened to show he had the same eyes as her own. They instantly locked onto her own which surprised her.
"Hey mom, guess I just made it huh?" the young man said with a small smile. "Damn I hurt all over. Those bloody tin cans really pack a punch, don't they?" he added and winced a little as he forced himself into a sitting position. "They are like cockroaches just like Betsy said during the fight," he stated, only now noting the unsure look in his mother's eyes as well as the people in the medical bay all looking at him in surprise.
There were two people he could barely believe where in the room. One was a man he knew to be long dead and the other had been a thorn in the X-Men's side for quite a while.
"What in the hell is that jackass doing here?" he growled out before jumping off the bed and pointing his claws at Scott, who like the others looked surprised.
No one knew how to really answer the question, but Jean found herself placing her hand on the young man's shoulder and asking him to just calm down. The young man looked like he might refuse for a moment before he retracted his claws and did as he had been asked.
"I believe we have much to discuss young man, but for now may I inquire as to your name?" Xavier asked after a brief silence.
"Alexander Grey Logan," Alexander answered. "I know who you look like, but you cannot be Charles Xavier. He's been dead for close to twenty years," he added quickly. "So what is going on?" he demanded to know.
Jean glanced at Logan and noted him sniff around for a few moments and knew he was taking in the scent of Alexander. He seemed satisfied by what he found, but he seemed wary at the least. Scott fumed at the disrespect he had been shown by the newcomer and he did not like this at all. But the others all seemed confused as to what to say to Alexander, it was clear he was on the edge right now.
"There is no easy answer to that," Logan finally spoke up. "According to red you appeared in the mansion in a flash of light badly injured. She saved you with the Phoenix force," he explained. "It caused your healing factor to activate and heal your wounds, which had to be beyond what it was capable of dealing with," he continued. "Your blood work and DNA show you be mine and Jean's son, however that can't be as we have never been together in that regard. So care to tell us what and who you really are?" he asked.
"Dad, are you out of your mind?" Alexander shot back. "I'm your son. Jean Grey is your wife of fifteen years and you've been together for nineteen ever since she chose to leave Scott Summers and be with you," he added very confused by all of this.
Scott fumed as the young man talked, he didn't like this one bit. First there was the story of the Professor being dead and now this. If this was some sort of plan by Sinister it was unlike any he had seen before. He glanced at Jean and noted how surprised she looked, he tried to get a glimpse of her mind through the physic bond they shared, but found it was completely shut down which made him fume all the more.
Jean did her very best to stop anything leaking through the bond to Scott, as at that moment in time her imagination was running wild. She could imagine exactly what Alexander was saying, it was as clear as day to her. She could read the brief surface thoughts coming of Alexander and he was very confused right now. He kept glancing at both her and Logan waiting for one of them to tell him what was going on.
'He isn't lying, Professor,' she said, using her telepathy to speak to her mentor. 'I can read his surface thoughts and he is very confused right now. He is unsure and off balance,' she added.
'That is more than I have been able to get out of him Jean,' Xavier thought back. 'Clearly he is not telling us some kind of story or at least not one he is aware of,' he added. 'Maybe Sinister has programmed him with a specific history,' he suggested.
'But what would he have to gain with this kind of story?' Jean shot back.
'Maybe he wishes to cause trouble between you, Scott and Logan only to a much higher degree than it normally happens between the three of you,' Xavier responded after a quick think.
"You know I can hear you talking to each other mind to mind? I'm a telepath too remember," Alexander cut into their mental debate. "Now what is going on? Kitty do you know?" he asked turning to who he believed to be his girlfriend.
Kitty looked left and right unsure how to answer their guest as the look in his eyes clearly showed he had personal feelings towards her, even though they had never met.
"Kitty, are you okay?" Alexander inquired, wondering why she looked so confused.
"I'm good," Kitty finally responded after a telepathic nudge from Xavier. "I think it might help if we all sat down and discuss this like reasonable people. Clearly there is an answer to your questions and ours," she stated, surprising a few of the others as she cut into growing uncertainty before them. "I don't think you are a threat to us or we to you. I think maybe something else has happened," she added.
"Such as what Kitty?" Kurt inquired, turning to his best friend and secret love.
"Maybe he is from an alternate reality. We know the Multiverse exists, as we've been to some of those other worlds," Kitty answered. "We've also seen people come here from those worlds or from possible futures such as Cable, Bishop and Rachel," she reminded them. "What if that is where he came from?" she asked.
"Alternate reality?" Alexander whispered to himself.
"An interesting solution Kitty and a thoughtful idea as to what has happened," Xavier said with a smile after a brief silence descended on the ground. "I agree, we shall go up to the dining room and discuss this further as reasonable people, just as Kitty suggested," he told them.
"But Professor he could be dangerous," Scott protested. "If he is a product of Sinister's science, we cannot trust him or anything he says," he said, with anger showing clearly in his eyes. "He could be capable of anything," he added.
"Hey, the only thing I'm a product of is the love between Logan and Jean, my parents," Alexander shot back with his own angry glare. "Just be glad I don't just put you in a hurt locker considering you went dark as soon as mom left you," he spat. "You just couldn't take it that she left you for dad," he added.
Scott went to move forward to grab him, but Logan got in his way and pushed him backwards. "Careful oneeye or you might just end up hurt," he warned. "If Kitty is correct and he is from another reality then the person he is talking about isn't you and you know that. So calm the hell down and see it from his end," he added.
"I agree with Logan," Jean put in. "You need to keep calm Scott. I haven't sensed any kind of threat from Alexander and I now believe there is another reason the Phoenix Force inside me was able to affect him," she continued. "It was not just because he was another host, but its offspring. The same as with Rachel," she stated.
Scott scowled before he turned and stormed off, not liking the way Jean had stuck up for Alexander or agreed with Logan over him, he headed up in the lift and decided he needed some fresh air.
"Ok, if I'm hearing Kitty correct I'm in an alternate reality, which means the people I see in front of me are not the people I know," Alexander spoke up. "Mom and dad aren't actually my parent's, just different versions of them where their lives played out differently, right?" he asked for clarification.
"That is correct Alexander," Xavier told him with a nod of his head. "Clearly something happened to you during the fight you were in," he suggested. "I think if we went over what went on during this fight we might find out how you arrived here and if we can get you home," he added.
"I want Rachel to join us Professor. To see if she feels what I feel around Alexander?" Jean requested.
"To what end Jean?" Storm inquired, not seeing the logic behind her friend's request.
"I think it will prove Kitty's idea that he is from an alternate reality," Jean answered. "Sinister couldn't reproduce the Phoenix force in Madelyne, at least not fully," she reminded them. "If Rachel feels what I feel in Alexander I think it is clear he has not been created by Sinister. His power is the full essence of the force just like I and Rachel have," she told them.
"Very well Jean, I will have Rachel meet us," Xavier agreed after thinking it over.
"Who is Rachel?" Alexander inquired as they all began to head to the elevator.
"Rachel is mine and Scott's daughter from a possible future. She is a host to the Phoenix force as we both are," Jean answered. "She's had a tough life, but she seems to be healing from what she has seen in her own future before she came here," she added.
"Cool, so I have a half sister," Alexander responded with a smile. "At least kind of," he added. "I hope she is going to be a bit more understanding about me than oneeye," he mused.
Jean noted Logan's smirk at Alexander's remark and shook her head. She stayed quite knowing it was pointless to try and make Logan and Scott like one another and considering what he had said about the Scott from his own reality she guessed it was even more pointless to attempt it with him.
"So kid, how the hell did I win Jean?" Logan couldn't help but ask as they waited for the elevator to come back down after taking Xavier, Storm, Rahne, Kurt and Kitty.
Jean instantly locked eyes on Logan and while he had a grin on his face she could see the deep seeded need to know in his eyes. She realized it must be hard for him to know there is a reality out there where his greatest wish came true.
"From what you told me you and Mom have always had an attraction to each other since you first met," Alexander answered. "You kept going after her no matter that she was with 'stick in the mud' at the time," referring to Scott, which made Jean roll her eyes as she noted Alexander had clearly inherited his father's talent for picking names for people. "During a particular nasty fight with the Brotherhood mom was hit by a nasty hit from Sabertooth, causing you to go feral and you completely wiped the floor with him and almost killed him, but Summers stopped you at the last minute," he explained. "Anyway the hit mom had taken was fatal or would have been had you not suggested transferring your healing ability to her. This of course happened after you were wounded yourself by Mystique who had a weapon loaded with adamantium bullets which almost killed you," he said with a dark look in his eyes.
Logan and Jean both shivered as he talked and could almost imagine such a fight. It had clearly been one of their more difficult fights no matter what reality it had happened in.
"Mom protested but you insisted and so Beast found a way to transfer your healing ability to mom. It almost killed you, but you somehow held on until mom was fully healed and then Beast transferred your healing factor back to you," Alexander continued, as the lift came back down for them. "The transference had a side effect though," he stated.
"What kind of side effect?" Jean couldn't stop herself from asking, now very interested in the story just as Logan was.
"It created a temporary bond between you both which allowed you both to view each other's lives, your memories and emotions," Alexander explained as they entered the lift. "You felt the true power of dad's love for you and you understood how far he would go for you," he told Jean. "It out shone anything you knew from Summers or anyone else and slowly your attraction to him grew until it reached a point where you ended up in a heated clinch," he added with a smirk. "You broke it up, but you knew you could not stay away from dad and so you broke up with oneeye and started seeing dad and two years later you became pregnant with me, which finally convinced dad to ask for your hand in marriage. Something he always said was the scariest thing he ever had to do," he finished.
Jean felt a slight blush appear on her face, but she forced it back down. Thankful she had closed down her physic bond with Scott, she glanced at Logan from the corner of her eye and noted he had what best could be described as a faraway look in his eyes. She almost reached out to see what he was thinking about, but managed to stop herself. She did her best to refocus her thoughts on other matters.
"From the photo's I've seen of your wedding day it was a great day," Alexander's voice broke into both of their thoughts and made them refocus on him. "You both looked very happy," he added as he noted their looks.
"Do you have any brother and sisters?" Jean found herself asking him.
"A younger sister named Lara Grey Logan, code name Bright Lance," Alexander answered. "She has your level of telepathy and a smaller healing factor than my own, but she did not become a host to the Phoenix force," he told them. "Her main ability is being able to create lances of energy from her hands," he stated. "She was on vacation when the mansion was attacked by the sentinels. I hope I get to see her again," he finished and Jean couldn't only see the truth of that statement in his eyes, but feel the emotion behind his words.
"What's your code name, kid?" Logan inquired as the lift came to a stop.
"It's Wild Claw," Alexander answered. "I had the claws bonded to me to give me an extra weapon to use in our fights with our enemies. It hurt like hell, but was nowhere as painful as I guessed it was for dad as he had it bonded to his entire skeleton," he explained as they stepped out to join the others.
"I'm curious Alexander. If I died in your reality, who had created the X-Men?" Xavier inquired as they headed to the dining room.
"You were assassinated by a mutant who was fearful of your dream to unite mutants and normal humans. He was insane in his belief even more so than Magneto at that time," Alexander answered. "Your death inspired Magneto to take up your cause and so he did. You left everything to him in your will and thus the mansion and everything inside became his," he explained. "It took time to gather the original mutants who became the first X-Men as he didn't have telepathy, but once he found mom she aided in his search," he told them as they began to sit down at the large dining table. "He still leads the X-Men today. He has never given up trying to make your dream come true," he stated.
"That's a nice story," Scott spat as he showed himself having been listening from behind the door to the kitchen. "But that is all it is, a story with no proof," he added.
"Enough Scott," Jean all but shouted. "This attitude is not helping. If all you are going to do is try and stir up trouble with Alexander then leave this to us and go do something else," she told him with a glare. "You're letting your personal feelings against Logan and what you have heard of Alexander's reality unduly influence you," she went on.
"Er...am I interrupting anything?" the voice of Rachel Summers stopped any reply from Scott and caused everyone at the table to turn and face her.
Scott didn't bother to answer as he turned and stormed out of the room. He was even angrier with Jean's actions in this matter. As he walked out he had to remind himself that he was not perfect in this regard. As of late he had begun to have vivid dreams of being with other women. The most confusing of these had been the newest recruit to the X-Men, their former long time adversary Emma Frost. Maybe his actions in this matter were fueled by the guilt he felt thinking he was being disloyal to Jean. His wandering mind would not stop, thankfully he had managed to keep this from Jean so far, but sooner or later she would pick it up, he was sure.
Their marriage had lasted for seven years and yet they had no kids. Hearing that in another world she had married Logan and they had a son irked him greatly. The many tests and troubles they had gone through, especially the fact that originally he had married Madelyne Pryor believing her to be Jean and unaware she was just a clone. He had even had a son with her, who was now the warrior from the future known as Cable. Stress had of course begun to grow between the two. He just wondered if they could last much longer.