A/N: This chapter wasn't planned originally, but since many of you asked to see what Jean found in Scott's mind, here it is.

The epilogue will be added soon. Please, review - it's all I ask.

Chapter 11.

"Nathan, there's something you should know. Growing up, the foster parents you knew as 'Slym' and 'Redd'…"

"It was us, Nate. All those years, it was us."

"Thank you."

"You mean… you knew?"

"Of course I knew, Scott. I figured you had reasons for not telling me… I was willing to wait till you were ready."

"Nathan, we wanted to tell you so many times… but we thought it would make things harder for you. Altering the timeline could have been far more dangerous."

"The timeline. Maybe in the end, nothing is certain, Jean. By going into the future, you both changed my life. You gave me a family. How can that be wrong? All I know about time is that it is precious. And I don't regret, for a single moment, being your son."

Jean sat cross legged on the bed in front of Scott, both comfortably dressed in their nightclothes. "You're ready, hon?"

"I am."

She touched his temples and gently entered his mind, searching for the right door in the long corridor of his psyche, his astral form following hers closely.

This had been their routine for the past week in Warren's cabin. During daylight, they would stay with their son, entertaining him the best they could and enjoying some precious quality time as a family. But as soon as Nate fell asleep, Jean's attention would turn to Scott. The telepath would work on his mind, trying to help him sort out what emotions and ideas were his and what were Apocalypse's.

Even though Scott had agreed to it, it hadn't been easy for him to let Jean in at first, and in more than one occasion he had told her it wasn't a good idea given that she was still recovering from physical injuries and shouldn't exert herself; plus, she would eventually see something in his mind that would make her resent him beyond repair. The redhead had vehemently ignored Cyclops' concerns and had reminded him that she loved him no matter what, and that he had promised that morning in the boathouse's dock to let her help him. He owed that to her.

After a lot of reasoning, Scott finally acquiesced and allowed Jean into his mind. She spent the first two nights exploring his emotions regarding the X-Men, trying to convince him that Cyclops had never doubted Xavier's dream of peaceful coexistence between humans and mutants, nor Charles' true intentions in forming the team. On the contrary, it had been him, Scott, who had assured her of the need to keep fighting for peace every time she had questioned if they were walking the right path. All the uncertainties he now possessed had been carefully implanted in his head by Nur. Jean made her husband see that Cyclops had been insecure about many, many things in the past, but never about the dream.

Turning that page, they moved on to Scott's issues about his family. If he already had doubts about Corsair caring for him and Alex, after Apocalypse he'd become even more wary of his father. Why hadn't he come back to Earth to search for his children after Katherine Summers was killed? Instead, Christopher Summers had become a space pirate, and as a consequence, Scott had been separated from his brother as a kid and had ended up in Sinister's clutches in some creepy orphanage for months. Knowing this was a touchy subject for her husband, Jean sensibly sifted through his memories until she found the ones that attested that Corsair profoundly regretted his actions, and that Scott had already forgiven him. After examining those emotions for almost an hour, he was finally ready to overcome his grudge against his father.

On the fourth night they worked on his animosity towards his brother, which proved to be the easiest task so far. Such that, on the following morning, Scott had woken up in an excellent mood, had called Alex, and had even brought Jean breakfast in bed. She couldn't be happier for him, nor prouder.

After that, they had enjoyed a great day with Nathan, flying kites and exploring the canyons around the property. However, as the evening got closer, Scott's mood became soberer. That night, he refused to let Jean enter his mind. She didn't insist, suspecting he was aware that they'd be combing through the memories of his failed first marriage, and if there was one thing she knew that Scott regretted was how he had handled Madelyne. So, instead, they turned to bed early and slept the whole night curled against each other, seeking mutual support.

But eventually the next night arrived, and Cyclops realized he couldn't postpone facing his demons forever. Nor could Jean, for that matter. Thus, they opened the door to his past alongside Madelyne Pryor with caution, their telepathic avatars tightly holding hands. Inside the room, they found Maddie dressed in her Goblin Queen outfit. Being a construct of Cyclops's imagination, she couldn't sense Jean's presence; yet, Scott's ex-wife didn't hesitate to point an accusing finger at him and curse him till kingdom came for having abandoned her and their baby. Drowning in his own guilt, the X-Man could only stare at Maddie's specter, speechless.

Years ago, the Goblin Queen had died in Manhattan and Jean had inherited her memories; as a result, the telepath became privy to all the good and bad times Madelyne and Scott had shared, almost as if she had lived her clone's life. But not quite. Now, analyzing those memories from her husband's perspective provided her with a completely different view of their marriage. Taking him along, she dove into his emotions.

Disappointment – Maddie is nothing like Jean. Regret – I shouldn't have married Madelyne. Guilt – it was wrong for me to leave my wife and son, even for Jean.

Those dark emotions definitely belonged to Scott, and even though Jean had often sensed them in his mind, they seemed to be more vivid now. After Madelyne had disappeared with the X-Men and Cyclops and Marvel Girl had found Nathan Christopher in Nebraska, some of those feelings had subsided. They may have returned later at some extent when Apocalypse infected Nate and Scott was forced to send him to the future, but the rational part of Cyclops knew that it had been Nur's fault, not his. And when Cable had thanked them for going to the future to raise him, a huge weight had been lifted off Scott's back. But now, the weight seemed to be back, heavier than ever. Apocalypse's doing, no doubt.

It took Jean the whole night to prove to her husband that Apocalypse had tampered with his guilt regarding Madelyne and Nathan. In the end, Cyclops was able to acknowledge that he had already taken huge steps towards forgiving himself for his past sins before Nur had taken his mind. Now he needed to do it again, and as overwhelming as it might be, his wife was there to support him.

Which brought the couple to tonight's session. Scott followed Jean as her astral form stopped in front of a door locked with chains.

She looked over her shoulder at him. 'Open it, honey.'

'No,' he replied. 'Let's move to the next one.'

'Scott…'

'There's a reason it's locked, Jean. Please don't push it.'

The redhead turned around and grabbed his two hands. 'Do you trust me?'

'You know that I do.'

'Then let me see it, Scott. I won't get spooked.'

'Jean, you don't understand. I can't lose these.'

'Whatever there is behind this door, we'll deal with it together, hon.'

Cyclops' avatar sighed. Hesitantly, he fired his optic beams at the chains, disintegrating them. Jean smiled at him and opened the door.

She found herself in the largest psychical room she'd ever been to and gasped when she realized it was hers – a room created by Scott's mind to guard his fondest memories of her. Flabbergasted, Jean slowly scanned the place. She saw the first time that Cyclops had laid eyes on her from Xavier's studio's window, and their first kiss on Bobby's eighteenth birthday. She recognized other special moments – a trip to Florida many years ago; some random day in the boathouse; the first time they'd made love. And guarded behind all those sacred memories, she found their wedding day – Scott had never been happier. But from the amount of psychic dust accumulated on the scenes, the telepath could tell that they hadn't been visited in a long time.

'H-How long… have you kept this room locked?' she asked, trying to conceal the emotion in her tone.

Scott scratched his nape insecurely. 'Long enough… I locked it when Apocalypse came in here,' he explained, tapping the side of his head.

'So… he never saw these memories?'

'No. Didn't want him to,' the man looked down at his feet. 'I haven't showed them to Emma either. She insisted for me to let her in this room, but it didn't seem right.'

'Oh Scott!' Jean said, hugging him and finally letting her tears fall. 'I know this was the way your mind found to protect what we had… have… but it's been a two-edged sword. Yes, you've prevented Nur and Emma from messing with these memories, but you've also denied yourself access to them. No wonder you've been acting so cold.'

'I'm sorry,' Cyclops mumbled into her hair and hugged her back. 'I didn't know what else to do. And when Apocalypse left, I just felt too damn dirty to enter here.'

Jean broke the embrace to stare him in the eyes, glad that Scott's psychic form didn't depend on ruby-quartz lens. 'You're not dirty, honey… never was,' she tugged him by the hand. 'Come on, lets enjoy this.'

Together, they visited the memories one by one. It felt as if they were reliving each one of those moments, and how amazing that experience was! By the end of the night, they were rolling on the floor of Cyclops' psyche, laughing like silly teenagers in love.

Scott stopped on top of Jean and kissed her deeply. 'I want to make love to you. Now.'

The redhead raised a brow. 'In your mind only?' she asked skeptically. Telepathic sex was something that the White Queen had taught him, not her.

'Well, your body's still sore…'

'Maybe it'll heal faster if you take good care of it.'

So Jean returned their consciences to their bodies, making sure that the door to her room was left wide open for Scott to explore. On the bed, husband and wife kissed slowly, taking their time to explore each other's bodies until neither could resist anymore. They made passionate, caring love like they hadn't done in a very long time. When it was over, Scott made sure to guard that new memory in his special room.

It rained on the next day, so the Daysprings stayed inside playing board games, watching movies, and eating popcorn. Husband and wife couldn't stay away from each other for long, and whenever they kissed Nathan would make a face and say "Gross!". The boy even complained that Redd and Slym were "too distracted" and "not giving him enough attention." They responded by tickling him until he'd said "uncle."

Later that night, Scott invited Jean to his head. He needed her to dig in his mind and tell him if Apocalypse's influence was the reason he had started the affair with Emma Frost. He didn't want to believe that he could willingly cheat on the love of his live.

For her turn, Jean wasn't sure she wanted to explore that aspect of her husband's psyche anymore. She feared she would discover things that might hurt her, and that their regained trust could be shaken again. But he was putting so much faith on her right now, baring his mind and soul to her… she couldn't let him down.

The door to his secret desires had always flashed brighter than the others in the landscape of Scott's mind, like a tasteless neon sign daring Jean to come closer. She halted before it, right hand resting reluctantly on the doorknob.

Her hesitation made Cyclops self-conscious. 'We don't need to do this.'

He was trying to protect her, Jean realized. But she would have none of it. It was time to be brave.

So she opened the door and stepped inside. Her mind's eyes needed a moment to adjust to the bright hues. Contrarily to previous rooms, this wasn't bathed in red because it wasn't made of memories, but of repressed desires… Scott's imagination worked in all kinds of colors. And boy, it worked hard!

Burning down the orphanage. Fucking Psylocke. Possessing Phoenix's power. These were the first few fantasies that Jean found in the room, and also the shallowest. She felt Scott's shame as his avatar approached hers from behind.

'Are these… are these my own?'

'They were… at some point of your life.'

'I-I don't want to be a host of the Phoenix Force, Jean… nor-'

'Betsy. Not anymore, I know. It's okay, Scott.'

She couldn't get mad at her husband for letting his imagination roam. As a telepath, Jean had learnt a long time ago that people fantasized. Cyclops had no reason to be different.

As they continued to walk, the scenes became more vivid. Telling Quire to shut the fuck up. Sex with the wife in the Blackbird's pilot seat. Punching Wolverine in the face.

'Not a bad idea,' Jean commented, cheeks flushed.

'Punching Logan?'

'No, Scott!' she tried to sound outraged but ended up laughing. 'I meant the Blackbird. Also, Quentin could use a reprimand.'

'He's fucking annoying.'

'Tell me about it. I got to be his Advanced Telepathy instructor.'

'Thank God I don't teach that class,' Cyclops replied, glancing around. 'I guess these fantasies are mine as well.'

'Definitely. Not a sign of Apocalypse in them.'

He eyed his wife curiously. 'So… the Blackbird. Do you think that's something we could do sometime?'

Jean couldn't help but blush again. 'Yes.'

Scott grinned mischievously. 'I should've brought you here much earlier.'

They kept zigzagging across the room, Scott's fantasies getting more complex as they proceeded. Not unexpectedly, many of his secret desires involved sex – mostly with Jean, but Emma appeared in a few as well; one even starred the two women, and the redhead was quick to inform him that was never going to happen.

But a lot of his desires were chaste. They passed by a scene portraying Nathan and Rachel having breakfast with Scott and Jean in a white picket fence kind of house – the telepath didn't need her abilities to tell that was all Scott's. Another one showed him holding a baby girl, his happy smile alternating between the newborn and Jean; she was frankly surprised by that. Then they moved to another scene where Cyclops stood before the American Senate advocating for mutants' rights; when his speech was over, the audience stood up to applaud him enthusiastically. He was the X-Men's leader, after all. His wish to be wholeheartedly accepted as a mutant seemed more than reasonable.

Then there was Sinister, and Sabretooth, and Xorn, and Apocalypse… Jean had to look away from what her husband did to them in his head. Not even Magneto, who had once been an ally, escaped Cyclops' wrath. Trying her best not to be judgmental, the redhead studied the emotions behind those brutal fantasies.

'This is where Apocalypse's imagination begins to rub off on yours, hon.'

'Huh.'

Scott stared at the violent scenes unfolding before him attentively. He had wanted to slay those bastards, still wanted to… but maybe… maybe not so cruelly.

'I want them gone, Jean, but I don't think I want to torture them… not even in my thoughts.'

'I don't think you do either. These reek of Nur's psyche.'

Cyclops exhaled in relief. He was a fighter… a soldier. He had done things in the battlefield he wasn't proud of, but never had he inflicted pain on another being on purpose.

The next scenes were the result of similar emotions. Anger. Distrust. Resentment. Carelessness. Narcissism. Cruelty.

Many featured Jean, and suddenly she understood why Scott had kept her at arm's length for so long. He'd been afraid to hurt her because he had wanted to hurt her. She had gone on with her life after Egypt, more powerful and free than ever, while he had been trapped with Apocalypse and Apocalypse with him.

'It wasn't… it wasn't like that for me,' she told him, tears running down her face. 'I was brokenhearted after you were gone, Scott.'

He hugged her close and let her cry on his shoulder. 'I know, honey, I know. I don't resent you anymore.'

'But you did,' she sobbed.

'For a moment, yes. I'm sorry.'

He did feel sorry, she could tell. And ashamed. Jean knew in her heart that Scott would never hurt her like that, but those fantasies were just too sadistic to ignore. She needed to know if his mind had taken any part in elaborating them or if it was all Nur.

Thus, she cleaned away her tears, wrapped herself even deeply in her husband's psyche, and lunged for the memories of his time merged with Apocalypse. He kept nothing from her this time.

For months, Cyclops and that monster had fought for dominance, two strategical minds seeping into each other, battling for supremacy. Nur could see Scott's thoughts and intentions as clearly as Scott could see his. The villain knew that much of the X-Man's strength came from the love he shared with his wife – he could even sense a weak telepathic rapport still connecting the two lovers, grounding the man's conscience and giving him a reason to fight for. If he could make Cyclops question his feelings for Jean Grey and make him want to hurt her, then victory was guaranteed.

So Apocalypse began to torture him with made-up images of the redhead happily living her life after her husband's death. Jean with the X-Men. Jean with Cable. Jean with Xavier. Jean with Logan. When Summers could no longer distinguish reality from imagination, Nur changed strategy and showed him ways of punishing her for betraying his memory – violent, unthinkable ways. At first, Scott had fought those urges, but the longer he stayed linked to Apocalypse, the harder it was to tell to whom each idea belonged.

Until it all became a blur. Cyclops had almost given up fighting when Jean and Cable found him in Egypt and the redhead finally separated his conscience from Nur's. He wanted to kiss her senselessly and thank her for freeing him from that bastard, but he also wanted to make her suffer. So he ran from her, for her own protection.

In the core of Scott Summers' mind, Jean could only find his love for her, pure and strong, and his need to keep her safe from Apocalypse. The psychic affair with Emma had been an unfortunate consequence.

Exhausted and overwhelmed, Jean broke the telepathic session. Back on their bed, she started to cry profusely. So did Scott.

The couple never had another session. Both had learned what they needed to carry on, and no further apologies were required. It was time to move forward, together.