Chapter 17 – Conclusion
2029
A clear day, no clouds, a bright sun above their heads. The mansion's grounds were empty, no people fitted the scenery as the two redheads moved down the path towards the large tree. Mother and daughter, side by side walked slowly, both in red dresses, their hair free on their backs.
'Remember, Hope, do not be afraid of it, this is the key, face it, you're strong, you can do it,' Jean instructed through the astral and her daughter nodded her head as she moved by her mother's side to the favorite tree of her parents. Where her father had seen her mother for the first time, where her mother taught Hope archery through the years, the Summers tree as they called the oak, affectionately.
The small firebird was seating among its brunches, flapping its wings and screeching in anticipation as it faced Jean who smiled at and raised her hand for it to perch on her fingers. Hope remained guarded as it turned its head towards her, opening its beak in defensiveness.
'You're my child, Hope, you're made to control it,' Jean reassured her only daughter as the seventeen year old reached her hand, the moment the firebird touched its beak on Hope's palm both women gasped as it erupted in its actual size. Burning before mother and daughter, illuminating the grounds of the school as it screeched, trying to intimidate the younger woman. Hope frowned at it, it always acted up at first contact, never accepting the compromise she had to offer, the same status quo It shared with Jean Grey.
'Oh this is unnecessary,' Hope mentally murmured as both women levitated themselves off the ground. Unlike Jean's, Hope's powers were a mix of energokinesis and telekinesis, making the field of her powers visible as it had a faint purple hue, a combination of the Grey and Summers power sets. Both women stood before the Phoenix Force, standing strong by each other's side, facing it. They had been doing that since Hope was fourteen, when she first manifested her powers. The Phoenix Force had been introduced to Hope immediately after, within Jean's mind and its safe environment and for the past three years, they were working on that compromise. Hope was lucky Jean was there for her, no experiments, no secrets and no betrayals made things easier for the young telepath.
'Without her, you'll go rampant, unable to feed on someone as composed and powerful,' Hope sent to the firebird, her telepathic bond with the Force deepening through every session. It craved for Hope's unconscious mind as much as it once had done for Jean's, only Hope had learnt to use that part of her brain and her mother was there to guard her. 'You'll be the same with me; otherwise I'll never allow you inside, even if that costs my life…. And neither of us like that now, do we?' Hope wondered confidently, making the Phoenix screech in fury as it attacked her.
Both Jean and Hope held their ground, their arms before them, powerful shields holding off the fire aimed at them.
'Hope… now!' Jean called out as she held her own shield for the both of them.
Hope spread her arms wide and screamed in effort as she pushed back the attack with a powerful wave of purple energy that engulfed the Phoenix and pushed it back, for the first time; Hope engulfed the firebird within a massive orb.
'Yes!' Jean called out in triumph as she watched her daughter. She could have stopped the Phoenix herself, contain it back on the tree but Hope had to work on control. It was getting familiar with her, in a way; learning the rules for staying with the Greys. 'Keep it in there, Hope, you cause it a lot of pain! It needs to learn this will be the case every time it acts up! It's a battle of power, nothing else!' Jean called out to her daughter who was struggling to contain the massive firebird within the purplish orb she had created.
Jean was ready to interfere any moment but her daughter was doing great so far. Jean's eyes widened the moment she saw the orb closing in on the firebird just in the slightest. Jean was an Omega Five and it had taken her more than four years to minimize the orb, Hope was beyond Five, led by her mother and already taking the upper hand, she was still young and inexperienced but Hope had great potential.
'Too fast,' Jean thought to herself as Hope tried to minimize the firebird even more.
Hope burned out quickly, always too eager and impatient to tame the Force, she was getting tired easily. The firebird snapped, screeched and lashed out, pushing at the orb and cracking it, its fire growing stronger in its painful struggle to free itself. Hope's nose started bleeding even in the astral, that meant her physical body was strained. Hope gritted her teeth as she struggled to patch up the orb but the Phoenix only widened it, making it thinner until it broke. Hope clutched her head with her hands, screaming in pain as she lost control.
Jean's hands were already raised, levitating herself between her exhausted daughter and the Phoenix Force that advanced. Hope was dropping herself on the grass as Jean's astral form absorbed the furious firebird and screamed in effort as she reached for the deepest place of her mind and found it, pained and nestled within. Her body was engulfed in flames until Jean grasped the minimized firebird in her hand and put it back on the tree brunches. Allowing her body on the grass gracefully and walking to her battered daughter, offering a hand to pull her back to her feet, Hope grasped her mother's hand.
They were both pulled out of Jean's mind and took in deep breaths as they found themselves on examination tables, within the Danger Room that was assorted for their sessions. Years ago, it was Jean and Charles that worked through Jean's powers in that same room. Hope sat up quickly as she felt her nose's blood pulling backwards and down her throat. Jean stood up all together and rushed close to her daughter.
'Easy, take it easy,' Jean offered as she telekinetically summoned tissues, blooded noses were a familiar theme when working with telepathy extensively. She helped her daughter with them as Hope sighed and held the paper against her nose.
'I screwed up,' Hope's projected thought was laced with frustration and pain.
'You did fantastically, sweetie,' Jean encouraged back as the blue eyes of her daughter looked up at Jean with doubt and exasperation.
'I burn out too fast and it lashes out too hard,' Hope complained verbally and Jean sighed and pressed her finger against her daughter's pulse on her neck, checking before she could use same finger before her daughter's eyes. Hope rolled them before she could follow the finger left and right and sighed as her mother moved her eyelids to check on her pupils.
'I'm fine, mom, really,' the teenager exclaimed as she tried to move away from her mother's examining hands only to feel fuzzy and get steadied by Jean.
'You are just impatient like your sweet father and brother,' Jean observed softly and Hope took a deep breath and checked the bloodied tissue, she took another one and cleaned her skin as the bleeding stopped. 'You need to remember, it's a cosmic entity tangled in our brains, it's pure instinct, make it feel pain so it can connect to your limits and slowly make these limits narrower,' Jean explained the technique for the hundredth time. Hope nodded her head repeatedly and draped her legs off the table, ready to stand up, Jean made space for her and even with a stumble, Hope stood before her mother.
'I know, I know, mom. Encounter, tame, limit, minimize,' Hope offered the technique in the four simple words her mother always numbered. 'I'm gonna change and hit the mall with Franklin for some shopping,' Hope informed and Jean smiled and nodded. Hope had taken her driver's license and her seventieth birthday gift was a blue convertible, since Hope had the Summers crave for speed, she was using the car even for the shortest of trips.
'Hope…' Jean called out softly as she changed the Danger Room to the original shape of it. They were both moving out of it as Hope turned and looked at her mother, a frown of embarrassment already on, sensing her mother's intention. 'I know having your mother as your physician is not the most comfortable thing in the world but…' Jean was interrupted by Hope who shook her head.
'Mom, I know, no need to say it,' Hope tried to prevent her but Jean went on.
'The moment you need the pill, let me know, ok? College starts next year…' Jean sent mentally, half obeying her daughter and not saying the words, Hope's crimson blush was the same nonetheless. Jean didn't needed her powers to know her daughter and Franklin were reaching that point.
'Oh boy!' Hope called out in exasperation as the doors of the Danger Room opened and no one else but Scott Summers waited there, making his daughter blush even harder.
'How did it go?' Scott asked them as he looked with confusion between his two girls, even with the visor on, he could catch the blush on his daughter's skin. 'Did I interrupt something?' he asked hesitantly, looking between the two.
'Just a talk about –' Jean started.
'About nothing,' Hope cut in sharply, glaring daggers at her mother who only smiled and kissed the top of Hope's head.
'About college,' Jean finally added and Scott decided to let it go, the bond gave nothing as Jean would never make him uncomfortable but he had been trained on Hope's expressions and he knew when embarrassing girly talk was taking place. Hope tiptoed, kissed her father's bearded cheek and Scott smiled and pressed a kiss on her daughter's cheek in response. She was a teenager, but she was a very sweet teenager for that matter.
'Please don't miss dinner, Nathan is coming over!' Jean called out as Hope was leaving her parents and headed towards the showers of the base.
'No worries, mom! We'll be back on time!' she called behind her shoulder for her father to hear her as well.
'Franklin is invited too!' Jean sent right after that and Hope's response was laced with joy, Scott was attuned because of the bond he shared with Jean.
'Of course he is,' Hope sent back and her parents smiled and moved towards the opposite direction, to the elevators, reaching up.
'How did she go?' Scott asked mentally and Jean smiled.
'At her age, I was having nightmares that shook the entire mansion. She's doing remarkably well.' Jean sent back and Scott smiled proudly. 'Being beyond Omega Five helps a lot,' Jean explained and Scott smiled at his wife.
'Having her amazing mother as her teacher helps even more, I'm sure,' Scott offered, praising his wife who grinned at him.
'Only problem is, she's absolutely impatient like you.' Jean added mentally with humor, Scott looked at her in fake shock.
'Me, impatient?' Scott wondered out loud and Jean rolled her eyes as they entered the elevator and he cornered his wife against the metal wall. He was dressed formally for the day, she had done the same as they were to leave soon. 'That's a Grey trait,' Scott informed Jean who chuckled and stole a kiss, their bodies pressed up against each other, her arms wrapping around his shoulders, she was still a little shaken from the session.
'Impatient, overconfident, with an answer to everything,' Jean added and Scott chuckled and stole another kiss.
'Yeah… sounds like a seventeen year old Summers,' he confirmed as he moved away from her the moment the doors of the elevator opened and the always composed Dr. Jean Grey got out first, followed by the always stoic Professor Summers. Outside the school, in the adult world, they were the Madame Secretary for Mutant Affairs and the Chief Strategist for the Department of Defense. And they had to go to that world as they would be leaving DC with the secondary blackbird the moment they let Ororo know. It was still early in the morning, plenty of time for their Saturday to go smoothly for them to return in the afternoon for supper with the children.
The couple moved hand-in-hand in the sunlit corridor. The lined windows made the wooden interior cozy and warm as children ran around them smiling and waving as the couple walked towards the Headmistress' office. Where a smashing sound was heard as the Summers approached.
'For the last time, Laura! You can't join the second team!' Logan's loud voice was heard from inside the Headmistress' office.
'Valeria Richards did!' young Laura's voice was screaming back.
'She's bloody 17, you're 12! And she's a powerful telekinetic, under her brother's command and authority, allowed by her parents, you're still too young!' Logan shouted back.
'Can you both calm down, please?' Ororo was heard this time, trying to calm the fire between father and daughter.
'But Mom! I can heal faster than anyone, even faster than dad!' Laura's voice this time was even louder. Both Jean and Scott remained in the corridor, not sure if they should interrupt the family fight. It wasn't long ago they had a similar fight with their own offspring. Hope now was part of the X-Force, only because she had agreed to have even more telepathic sessions with her mother over power control.
'Your claws require close encounter combat, you need training, and you're not getting it until you're at least 15!' Logan tried to reason with her but still ended up shouting.
'Laura… you're still a child, love, don't… don't run away like that!' Storm was calling out as the door was yanked open before the Summers who came face to face with a tear stricken Laura. She looked up at them with angry eyes, added embarrassment made her whimper and push between her favorite aunt and uncle as to get away. Both Jean and Scott made way for the young girl to leave through her turmoil as her parents remained inside the office.
'You want me to go talk to her?' Scott offered as the Summers entered the office but both Logan and Storm shook their heads as the weather bender collapsed back on her chair and Logan rested his hip against the desk. Jean looked at the broken pieces of china on the floor and the small mark on the expensive tapestry, with a blink of her eyes, every little piece levitated and moved to a bin at the corner of the room.
'No, she needs to learn screaming is not the way to greatness.' Logan exclaimed in annoyance as he looked at both Scott and Jean. 'Why Hope is so calmed and easy to talk to?' he wondered as he was struggling to be a father to such a strong-minded child. A child initially created to be a weapon, a child that now was begging to become exactly that.
'Because she's half mine,' both Scott and Jean said at the same time and grinned at each other, too proud for their only daughter. Logan only clicked his tongue and rolled his eyes as Storm smiled at them.
'You're going to DC?' Storm asked for confirmation and both Summers nodded.
'Is Dawn ready?' Jean asked and Storm nodded. Today was a big day for one of their youngest students. Dawn Diaz's family was getting out of prison as free citizens and she'd be reunited with them. Lorna Dane and Carlos Diaz would forever be in the terrorist archive lists -along Wanda and Peter Maximoff- therefore unable to take back their daughter or fight for her custody that belonged to the Xavier Institute but they had gained the right to see their child and this was a big day for everyone. After seven years in prison, they were walking free, under constant surveillance and with special bracelets watching their every move and containing their powers. But still, with their father gone, their time in prison perfectly mannered, they were out in less than ten years since the Finger Lakes battle.
'Rogue will bring her in a moment,' Storm confirmed and Jean and Scott nodded as they looked around the office. It had been years but it felt like yesterday when Charles was there, where Storm now sat and checked through papers.
'Tomorrow we need to assemble both teams and talk,' Logan announced and Scott nodded, Logan mostly addressed him, almost out of habit as the two men had been co-leaders for years. Logan took care of the main team while Scott and Jean were away in DC almost on a daily basis, the secondary blackbird had replaced their cars to make it through the distance. Franklin was taking care of the secondary team that tended to be the main one.
'I'm thinking of pausing the X-Men, make space for the X-Force. I will keep up as the Danger Room coordinator.' he announced and the rest of the core teammates looked at him and nodded, they were not surprised. Logan enjoyed the team, loved it actually but the core teammates knew it hadn't been the same for him without them. The X-Force had a different age group, a different dynamic and frankly, Logan felt as an extra with Franklin and Peter there.
Jean had stopped first for Hope, completely retiring from the team because of her position as the Madame Secretary in '23, followed by Storm who stopped for Laura and her duties as the headmistress. Scott and Bobby had gotten out after preventing the Westchester Incident. Rogue had two children with Remy and no time to leave behind the youngest of the school for missions as Oliver was five and Rebecca almost one. Remy, like Jean was almost sixty and wished to live his life with his family, done with crime and adventures. Kitty was fully occupied with the growing orphanage that worked within the mansion, she had become the Deputy Headmistress by Ororo's side. Peter was also endorsed with teaching duties along helping the X-Force instead of participating with the X-Men. Kurt was ready to be a pastor for a church close to Westchester, following his dream of preaching the word of God instead of fighting God's children. Elisabeth had also stopped due to age as she was nearing her eighties. They all knew that basically, two teams were not needed anymore, from their spots in the cabinet and the school, they had achieved Charles' dream, thus they had been allowed to live their lives away from it.
The X-Force was enough for track-down missions and once in awhile control situations against mutants and it had enough members with a strong powerset to face anything. Hope, Franklin and Valeria Richards, Domino, Warhead, Yukio and Deadpool were the new team although Wade Wilson sometimes acted more like trouble than a team mate, he always aided his teammates and challenged Franklin to be a better leader, and a very patient one at that. Nathan Summers was supposed to be part of the X-Force but he was still not fully allowing himself into the team, or the mansion.
It had taken almost two years of which Jean was struggling to pull Franklin from him coma through her extensive visits at the hospital he was in, allowed by his parents to help. She had her hands full with her position as Secretary and raising Hope through puberty but she never stopped searching for Nathan, and one day, he allowed her to find him.
It hadn't been a track-down mission, it was mostly Scott and Jean rushing in one of their cars to New York, where he had showed up and signaled his existence. It had been a long talk, awkward silence and the revelation of Nathan already having found a girlfriend that accepted and loved him. Aliya Dayspring was by his side and the Summers could only ask for minimum contact. They had offered them a place in the mansion, they had helped him through their positions as he wished to enter the army and he understood their need to keep close. The agony of the parents that never got the chance to raise their child had been respected and Nathan, despite of what he'd been through, had been compassionate and allowed that contact. Once every few months, he'd visit to see Hope and their parents. He was struggling to accept the family he had missed and to the Summers' relief; he had no grudge against them for not finding him sooner, he knew they simply had no idea, and they couldn't blame him for lacking the reflex to want his family as he hadn't had it for so long.
There was a knock on the door before it could open to reveal Rogue in a black blouse and trousers, her hair up in a ponytail except her white bangs that fell around her face, a bracelet designed by Jean, Hank and Scott was around her bare hand, sending off a green light, functioning at keeping her powers at bay. She was followed by Dawn Diaz who looked shyly at the couples inside the room. Jean and Storm smiled at the girl with the almond shaped eyes, inherited by Lorna Dane.
'Ready for DC?' Jean tried cheerfully as the girl nodded her head, emitting insecurity and worry from her little beautiful mind.
'I can come back any time, right?' Dawn asked and this time Scott lowered his body so he could come face to face with the girl who reached Jean and took her hand.
'You can come back any time, dear, no matter what, this is your house and if you feel uncomfortable or scared in the slightest, Dr. Grey here and I will come and pick you up.' Scott reassured the girl and smiled. 'If you feel unsure and you don't want to go we can-'
'No, no, I love mom and dad,' Dawn reassured her teacher who smiled and nodded. 'I just want to make sure I can come back here.' Dawn explained and Scott nodded.
'You're very lucky then, because you'll spend two weeks with mom and dad and then you'll come back for the start of the term.' Scott offered and Dawn nodded her head with a brave smile.
'Come on, time to fly,' Jean offered excitedly as Scott raised by her side and moved towards the door, opening it for Jean and the child as she looked at Storm and Logan.
'Take it easy with Laura,' She offered mentally, her favorite niece needed a break.
The Summers moved down the corridor with Dawn between them, they used the secondary elevator, leading directly to the airplanes, not wanting a student roaming through the base's corridors. As they remained inside the elevator Dawn looked up at Jean and took her hand, seeking comfort.
'My mom and dad love me, right?' Dawn asked and Jean looked down at the girl, a kind smile on her face.
'Of course they do, they adore you,' Jean reassured her, squeezing her hand, Dawn sighed and nodded.
'Then why they couldn't be around more?' Dawn wondered, needing an answer as Jean felt the anger radiating from the girl, an anger her parents would have to tame if they wished the slightest contact with the their daughter.
'Well…' Jean started. 'We all make choices, Dawn and at the time, they made some choices, for you and themselves, hoping they were right… They lived through the consequences of these choices and now they have a chance to right their life with you, sweetheart.' Jean tried and Dawn nodded her head again, trying to process everything as the elevator doors opened and she looked at the x-jets in awe. The trio moved towards the secondary blackbird as the lights of the base turned on automatically, they moved inside and Jean helped the girl on a seat.
'Did you ever make choices you regretted, Dr. Grey?' Dawn asked and Jean smiled as she remained in eye-level with the girl.
'Oh yes, and I suffered the consequences too….' Jean reassured Dawn, remembering the fire and the destruction, the pain and the agony she had caused and suffered because of the Phoenix. 'And I am still trying to make up for these choices, darling,' Jean added and Dawn nodded her head.
'Hope will be around when I come back, right?' Dawn asked before Jean could raise her body and move to the co-pilot's seat. Although with a difference of almost five years, Dawn and Hope had developed a friendship as Hope had a lot of empathy for the children with the worst hardships at the school and Dawn was very mature for her age.
'She'll be waiting for you, sweetheart, don't worry.' Jean reassured the girl and kissed her temple. The team had done their best for Dawn to be raised with love and compassion within the mansion, they wished for her to be a link to Erik's children instead of a rift between the mutants.
The beeping sounds were followed by a thud as the heavy doors of the top security prison opened before the Madame Secretary and the Chief strategist, revealing the four mutants who moved forward. Bracelets containing their powers and tracking them down were evident around their hands. Despite everything, Peter smiled at Scott and Jean. By his side, Carlos and Lorna seemed tried but happy, getting out of a war that finally gave them back their lives. Wanda faced the two X-Men with angry eyes.
'A word before you go out, if I may.' Scott started, his voice full of authority and stoicism, giving no sign of emotion. 'The bracelets are designed by me, Dr. Grey here, and Dr McCoy, please do not attempt to breach them, we'll know.' He explained and Wanda snorted but didn't say anything as Lorna glared at her. Jean didn't need her powers do know Wanda hated her for killing Erik that night. 'Your daughter has been raised with love and care from our side; it would be sad and inconvenient for the child to confuse her by talking against us to her. She's coming back to the mansion in two weeks.' Scott added as he addressed Lorna and Carlos but it was Wanda who clicked her tongue.
'Are we going to be lectured on how to be a family?' She wondered angrily but Lorna took her sister's hand, sending a warning glance.
'Wanda… drop it,' Lorna urged her half-sister who glared back at the youngest child of Erik.
'I'm not talking to you about Dawn as an enemy or an X-Man, I'm talking about her as a father.' Scott added, mostly addressing the willing to listen. 'We have a long history, we had a longer one with your father, but don't involve Dawn into this, please, she's happy at the mansion.' Scott added and Lorna this time nodded. Jean knew, Lorna should have been by their side, raised within the confides of the mansion, things should have been different for all of them and Dawn.
'By the way, your mother required to be here as well,' Jean added, as she looked at Lorna and informed them of who was waiting behind the second pair of heavy doors behind them. Lorna nodded her head and sent her mental thanks, both she and Carlos seemed grateful for walking free while Peter seemed simply eager to be out of that place, only Wanda seemed angry and restless. Lorna moved a step forward and extended her hand with the bracelet for Jean to shake, building a bridge with the people who raised her daughter seemed the sensible thing to do.
'Thank you for taking care of her,' the green-haired woman offered and Jean shook her hand after a moment, thankful there was some peace, a mother would do anything for her child and even if Lorna didn't get raised within the school, life brought Dawn at the mansion.
The six mutants started moving down the short corridor before a door with two guards, Jean and Scott moved out first to a waiting room for families to meet. There, Dawn waited in the company of a female officer and the moment her parents showed up, she rushed to them with open arms, Lorna and Carlos fell on their knees as they hugged their only child with tears in their eyes, Jean could feel the love and need the little family had for each other.
At that moment, the door across the room opened and Raven entered, looking awkward but also happy at the people present. She nodded her head at the Summers, acknowledging their presence, smiled at Peter and nodded at Wanda before she could look with love at her own child and granddaughter.
Age had caught up with her, in her blue form, a bracelet like the one worn by the rest around her wrist, one of the compromises she had to make to remain out of prison. Jean had done her best to keep her out. She didn't deserve her final years inside a cell, not after losing both Charles and Erik within a night, not after so many years in the X-Men as a symbol for mutants. She deserved some peace, even if she never returned to the mansion either, the relationships too complicated after the battle at the Finger Lakes. Jean and Scott had done their best to keep her out of prison, even if she never learnt about it, they preferred to work in the shadows, keeping Raven free, raising Dawn with love, trying to prevent new enemies from their path.
'How long do you give them?' Jean wondered as she glanced at her husband. The sun had set a couple of hours ago, they were back in Westchester, in the kitchen of their house, soft music was playing from the joint living room. Jean was chopping vegetables for the salad while Scott marinated the meat before he could put it in the oven. He shrugged as he turned around and rinsed his hands before he could grab a towel from the counter.
'Wanda… I give her eight months…. She will try to mess with us, it was evident today,' Scott offered and Jean sighed and nodded. 'But I don't think she will drag the rest into anything. I truly believe Peter was never against us, mostly followed Erik… Lorna and Carlos have a reason to remain neutral too… if they're smart enough.' Scott added and Jean nodded her head again. Scott smiled and moved closer, caressing Jean's side before his hand could move above hers where she was chopping the vegetables. She smiled as she turned around, trapped between his warm body and the counter, the knife continued on its own, through her powers.
'I hope Raven will find some peace with them,' Jean offered and Scott smiled at his thoughtful wife, the beard suited his handsome face.
'And I hope we can go for a vacation,' Scott offered and Jean smiled surprised.
'Where to?' She asked and he grinned, she could feel he had done something. 'What did you do?' she asked surprised as more and more excitement flowed through their bond.
'I might have booked some tickets to Italy,' Scott revealed as Jean's eyes widened. 'I have talked with Ororo, Logan, your department, my department… Hank will take care of anything that might come up… Hope will go to the mansion for the days we'll be gone,' Scott explained quickly his plan at Jean's dumbfounded expression, he laughed again, it was always a success to plot something that big and complicated without her noticing. She was shocked of how he had planned it all under her telepathic nose. 'You're the most powerful telepath but I am a strategist, Jean, my talent is to infiltrate and push my own agenda….' He added and Jean this time laughed as she wrapped her slender arms around his shoulders.
'I love your agenda!' she sent mentally as Scott leaned closer.
'And I love you….' He confessed mentally as their lips were a thread apart. The doorbell rang.
'I'll get it!' Hope's voice was loud as she almost levitated out of her room, glancing at her parents and wrinkling her nose in mock disgust. Scott and Jean moved away from each other as Franklin entered the house and smiled at the older couple, carrying a chocolate cake, always the gentleman.
Jean had Hope, born of her and Nathan made from her, but she also considered Franklin as her child. Working with him for two years within his mind, pulling him out of the darkness was something that bonded the two telepaths in a unique way. The knowledge of how far Franklin could –and had- reached for Hope was another reason to love and respect the young man.
'Hello, dear,' Jean hugged the young man as Franklin hugged her back warmly.
Hello, Jean, Scott,' he greeted, smiling at Hope who took the cake and gave it to her father.
'Gonna listen to some music in my room.' she offered a way out and Franklin nodded his head as the two started for her room.
'With the door open, I love music!' Scott called out behind them and Jean chuckled and shook her head as Hope shoot a glare at her dad, all blushed and embarrassed.
'Yeah, dad, whatever,' Hope murmured as she and Franklin moved inside the room.
'Stop harassing them,' Jean urged softly and Scott grinned.
'What? I like music!' he insisted sheepishly and Jean raised her eyebrows.
'Not Hope's music,' she retorted and Scott laughed and pulled his wife back against him, his arms wrapping around her waist.
'You're right, but I like Italian music,' Scott whispered and Jean grinned. 'We're leaving next week.' He added and Jean couldn't help but project the excitement through the bond. Boy, she needed the time off and what better break than one with her husband across the world.
'Thank you for that, I'm sure it took a lot of effort, and a lot of favors here and there,' Jean whispered and Scott smiled.
'Anything for you,' Scott whispered back as he pecked her nose. 'I almost gave away my bike to Logan, also I get to grade his history classes till Christmas…' he added and Jean chuckled.
'Aww poor love…' Jean comforted and Scott shrugged as he leaned in for the kiss he missed before. The doorbell rang again before their lips could meet. Scott's sigh was more like a huff as he moved away from his wife and towards the door.
'Our children have the worse timing.' He sent through the bond and Jean smiled, glad her husband had accepted Nathan as much as she had into the family. Feeling connected to a grown man as a parent had been hard, especially since that man had been a result of the worst violation a couple could get through but still, the three Summers had fought to accept each other as a family.
Jean followed her husband as they opened the door to reveal their son, standing for the first time with Aliya by his side, the young woman was holding a bouquet of red roses, Jean's favorite as it was evident from the small porch full of them before the boathouse. Nathan had noticed her preference of the flowers.
'Hello,' Nathan greeted them almost shyly, his blue eyes were normal as one shined only when he used his powers, like Hope; he had inherited the shining eyes of their parents. Jean smiled, not entirely surprised with him forgetting to inform them about Aliya following him into this gathering. Instinct worked and he wanted her there with him, with them, that was real progress and the food was plenty, they would have a proper family gathering, almost like a normal family. Jean reached for Nathan and hugged him tightly, he returned the hug, his metallic arm reaching around her gingerly. Jean could feel his mind open for her to reach, she was greeted with warmth and trust.
'Welcome, dear,' she offered before she could hug Aliya too. 'Welcome to our home,' she added for the young woman who smiled and offered the flowers. Aliya was also a telekintetic telepath, her own mind projected joy and contentment, Jean was sure her son's girlfriend was pushing him towards his family. Nathan and Scott shared a manly hug with pats on the back.
The two couples moved further inside the house the moment Hope came out of her room, running towards her brother who smiled widely at her and embraced her with vigor, lifting her off her feet as Hope squealed. The Summers children had reached a deeper bond, a bond between a child with great troubles and a child full of empathy and love. Hope was physically tiny before her brother's massive built but still she seemed like having him wrapped around her little finger, just like she had her father. Jean and Scott knew Hope had a talent with people, always beckoning them close, making them feel comfortable and welcome, sometimes they joked she got that from her grandfather, Charles Xavier. Hope was the glue to the family and the school among the students, a charismatic child with a heart that fitted the world.
Franklin and Nathan shook hands and smiled at each other, it was evident in Jean's powers that Nathan felt more and more comfortable around his family, there was nothing else she could ask for. Jean smiled at Hope who winked at her and escorted her brother and his girlfriend to the living room, close to the open windows of the atrium.
Hope looked around at her close family as they all sat around the couches and started catching up. She smiled as she realized how lucky she was to get this version of life for them and herself. Her mother didn't know yet but the Phoenix had attacked Hope that day with its strongest weapon: the truth about them all and Hope had survived the attack. She had been shown the alternative timeline, where her mother murdered her father, a timeline in which Hope was never born. It showed her their actual timeline, where her mother accidently destroyed her own parents' lives, where her beloved grandpa Charles made all the wrong choices for her mother. Where her mother had to let him die as he chose to go before he could destroy them all.
The Phoenix showed her Franklin who came back from the future and It showed her that dystopic future as well, where she had been broken by Charles' seizures and possessed by the Phoenix Force. It showed her the way her mother solved the dystopia by letting Charles die and killing Dawn's grandfather, Erik Lehnsher. The Phoenix was an amoral, indifferent being but it knew how to use human feelings and weaknesses. Yet, Hope had been unable to have dark thoughts for anyone in her family, they had all fought their demons and won, many of the choices had been made for her sake and she couldn't help but respect that. The Phoenix Force seeing how pure its new host was, had awarded Hope not only with a compromise for inhabiting the young girl but also with the gift of foresight, and in the most possible futures of theirs, they were to lead happy lives.
Her parents didn't know yet, but they had succeeded. She was to survive and tame the Phoenix, her mother and father were to enjoy the rest of their lives in peace. They had achieved Charles Xavier's vision of co-existence and Hope had seen herself, Franklin, Dawn Diaz and Nathan were to establish and protect that vision for the world. Charles' search for hope had not been in vain, he had given his very life for it, after all. His X-Men had achieved peace and the X-Force would preserve it.
Although for now, her parents were super heroes, primary X-Men, members of the government and respected teachers, Jean Grey and Scott Summers were to be symbols for mutants and humans alike for many years yet to come.
And for that, Hope laughed wholeheartedly at a joke of her father's as she looked at her beloved parents through happy eyes.
The End