Azazel watched as his wife left the room, hearing a door slam down the hall. She was right, there was no doubt about it. He'd been unfair to his son, and let him suffer over something that wasn't his fault. But he couldn't help how he felt. His daughters were rays of sunshine, pure light in his life. They were the embodiment of his love for their mother, the commitment they'd made to be with each other. Two people he'd created out of love, who years prior, in another life, he could never have imagined existing. Innocent and beautiful, he felt like every bit of good he'd ever had in him was divided between the two.

Then there was his son. He loved Kurt, there was no doubt about that. He'd give his life for the boy, as he would for his daughters. But the light Kurt brought into his world wasn't pure. It was tarnished with the memory of Mystique and that time in his life. The hurt and betrayal from a woman he never thought he could forgive. Though, Moira has made a point. Were it not for Kurt, where would he be? Certainly not here, married to a woman who had made him happier than he once thought possible, father to two unbelievable little girls and a new child who he counted down the days until he'd meet. Azazel put his face in his hands as he felt an immense shame. He was failing his son. He was being selfish, putting his own feelings above the boy's and it made him angry at himself.

After a few moments of self-pity, he stood with a resolve to fix his flimsy relationship with Kurt. It wouldn't happen overnight, but he wouldn't do this anymore. Kurt was his flesh and blood as much as Christine or Cynthia, and he deserved to be the unfettered light that they were. Mystique's shadow had no place any longer, regardless of how much Kurt looked like the woman as he aged. She was the past, and Kurt's mother was Moira, his wife and soul mate. He didn't deserve to be treated differently.

He headed into the garage to begin collecting things. A few teleports to a few places gathered other necessities. By the time he was finishing up his preparations, the sun was coming up. As always, Christine was the early waker, lumbering out of her room rubbing her eyes and dragging a stuffed animal behind her. "Daddy?" she inquired as she came into the room. "What're you doing?"

"Getting ready for trip with Kurt, printsessa," he told her, then lifted her into his arms for a morning kiss.

"Can I come?" she asked him. He had a hard time ever saying no to his daughters, but especially to her. She was his princess, his first born with Moira and his first daughter. She had inherited so much from her mother, with just enough from him that he could see himself in her. In his eyes, she was the perfect meld of them.

"Nyet," he told her. "Is for Daddy and Kurt only. You get to stay with Mommy and have girl night." Her face scrunched up a bit and he knew she was going to argue, so he bounced her slightly in his arms and turned to the kitchen. "Hungry? How about Daddy make pop tart for you?"

"Yeah!" Christine nodded emphatically. He hated feeding the kids garbage like this, but they kept it in the house for easy meals. In this case, he knew it'd stop her line of questioning at least.

He let the girl down and went about toasting the pastry. At this point Cynthia had joined them and he loaded another into the toaster and gave the girl a quick good morning cuddle. Sometimes he found himself musing over things like this. The man he was today. Leagues away from the man he once was, and nowhere near what he ever thought he'd become. Yet happier than he'd ever thought possible.

"Dad?" Kurt was standing in the doorway, and Azazel turned to him with Cynthia still in his arms.

"Morning mal'chik," he greeted the boy with a smile. "Sleep well?"

Kurt shrugged, sitting at the table. He looked at the packs of things Azazel had piled in the corner. "What's all that?"

"We're going camping," Azazel told him, letting Cynthia down. He handed her and her sister each a pop tart and they ran out of the room to the television.

"Camping?" Kurt asked.

"Da," he responded. "Just for night, and just us men. We camp by lake and go fishing. Will be fun."

The little boy's mouth curled up a bit. "Ok."

Azazel smiled as well. He leaned over and gave him a kiss on the head, ruffling his hair a bit. In the other room he heard Christine chatting away to his wife and he stood. "Mommy's awake. We get ready and leave soon."

Kurt nodded and stood, heading to grab a few things from his room. Azazel watched him go and suddenly felt lighter. It was time to create new memories with his son, ones that were nothing but light.

~&Q~

Probably one of the only times this fic will coincide with the main fic. I have a ton more to post in here, lots of backstory with his mother, Shaw, Emma and Margali. It'll come soon!