Start of Summer

Summary: Scott makes a choice.

Scott stood out looking out at the Lake. For the end of May, the morning has been particularly cool. Fog and mist surrounded him, but the morning sun was out and was slowly burning the fog around him. Despite the cold morning, he knew the day would be warm; it was after all Memorial Day weekend, the unofficial start of summer.

--

4 months ago – SHIELD Secret Base

Scott opened the door. Hank sat there patiently waiting his arrival.

"Scott.. what did the SHIELD doctor's say?.. Is there a way..?"

"Hank.. I'm sorry unless we find Essex.."

Hank couldn't hold back his emotions. He cried into his huge blue and furry hands.

"I swear to you Hank, we'll find him.. we'll find him."

--

Jean saw Scott standing over the lake, a lone figure cast over fog and mist. He looked so handsome even in this distance she thought. She wished she had a camera to capture the moment.

--

4 months ago – SHIELD Secret Base

"What do you mean, I'm mutating?.. I'm a grown woman… these sort of things happen during puberty.."

"The machine Magneto used affected humans not mutants.. but somehow affected you."

"Professor, I don't understand why.. why me .. Scott was there.. so was Logan and Storm."

"They've all been tested by SHIELD, there seems to be nothing abnormal about their readings… Essex helped Eric make the machine, perhaps he knows why. Since SHIELD brought us here from Scotland, I've helping them… going over the data that they've recovered. Using Hank as a cover to get into your medical files, he might've known this. There's still many questions, I know .. he seemed particularly interested in you and Scott.. but nothing is wrong with Scott… but there is something else the SHIELD doctors told me about your condition.. I'm sorry Jean, I don't know quite how to put it …."

--

"So that's it Scott.. just like that. You're leaving."

"Jean.."

"What about the students.. Hank is still a mess.. and Alex. Do you even know where he is now?"

"Don't.. don't mention Alex."

--

"I'm a freak."

"You're not a freak, Alex.. you're a mutant now."

"Sorry.. I didn't mean it like that.."

"Don't worry about it.. when I found out I was.."

"Scott.. you don't get it.. you were born like this .. NOT ME ! Yes you're my brother.. if I had kids someday, they'd probably be mutants too but not me Scott not me."

"It's going to be ok."

"How?! … my parents have been put into protective custody.. I can't even see them.. to the whole world we're dead.. I can't see any other my relatives.. my friends."

"Alex, I know this is hard."

"No, Scott.. it's more than just hard.. it's everything.. look we found each other again Scott.. but since you came into my life.."

"Don't.. don't say it Alex.. I know it's true.. I'd rather not hear it.. please.."

"I'm sorry Scott."

"No, you have nothing to be sorry for.. you never asked for any of this .. it's my fault, I brought this on you."

"I don't want to stay mad at you.. every minute I stay at the mansion I'm just reminded of everything.. I can't .. I can't stay here any more Scott… so please do me this favor and don't stop me.."

"I.. I won't… will I .. will we.."

"I.. I don't know Scott.. maybe one day.. but ……… I'm sorry… bye Scott."

Alex turned around and close the door behind him. Scott sat in silence for a while.. then he picked up the phone and started dialing.

"Hey Nick."

"Scott, it's good to hear from you. Have you given any thought to what we talked about before?"

"Yes .. yes I have and I'm in .. I'll fly back to San Francisco as soon as I can."

"That's great news Scott.. I knew you'd make the right decision. Welcome to the big leagues now.. you're officially a SHIELD agent."

--

"Fine .. what about me ?! After everything we've been through.. everything I AM going through .. you can't leave now."

"I'm sorry Jean."

"And the professor.. what does he have to say in all this."

"He gave me his blessing Jean.. I hope you would too."

"Blessing!? … while this thing is growing inside me."

"Your powers are manifesting Jean.. the professor is here and Hank is here full time now.."

"I don't care about them.. my powers growing, yes… I can handle that.. but this thing in my head.. this other personality.. I feel her Scott.. all this time .. the headaches.. the strange feelings .. it was her. I know I left you for Logan but it wasn't me.. I know that now.. it felt as if I was a different person.. it turns out it was .. Scott please."

Scott hated to hear her so desperate.

"I forgive you Jean.. the whole thing with Logan.. I forgive you."

"Really.. then why are you leaving me?"

"I'm not punishing you Jean.. I'm not .. you may have formed this separate personality.. but that's still a part of you .. part of you wanted Logan and so you did.. I'm not saying that deep down you really wanted to but the point is that you did and that's.. that's how it is… when I left the first time, it was to escape you.. I was hiding and look how much good that did.. but I'm not hiding anymore Jean."

"You don't understand Scott.. you're the only one keeping me sane at this point.."

"And that's part of the problem Jean… I could stay here at the mansion but for all you know lightening can strike me down.. and then I'm gone for good then what would you do?.. you'd lose it and I can't be your anchor Jean.. it's too much risk.. you need to get through this.. YOU.. not us."

Jean was getting angry and she started to glow, a faint red color.

"I love you Jean.. I do." He hugged her. This helped calm her down and the red glow disappeared. "You know I'm right Jean… I know it's going to be hard with out me but you just have to do it.. you're an X-Man.. you can do anything… I need to make my own path.. we both need to ..don't worry about us.. if we're meant to be.. we'll find each other again… have faith.."

Jean stayed quiet for a time before asking. "How long will you be with SHIELD?"

"I don't know." Jean started to cry. "Shh.. don't .. don't cry… it's time to go Jean.." He leaned in and gave her a kiss.

"Goodbye." Scott said, fighting back tears. He started to walk away and head back to the mansion, where Ororo was readying the Blackbird to take him back to San Francisco.

Jean watched as Scott disappeared behind the fog. Summoning her powers, she made the fog dissipate so she can watch Scott as he disappeared behind the horizon. Once out of her site, she looked back on the lake and reflected on what Scott told her. Her emotions swirled around her like a tornado, and like a tornado it can be very destructive. She thought of Scott and she felt better. Whether he wanted it or not, Jean decided then to use him. No matter what he said, he was still her anchor and she knew they would find each other again. She would make sure of that. She knew because she had grown to love the Lake and the Lake House, where Scott had taken residence. She knew this is where they would end up and start a family.

The End

Note: Yes, I finally ended the series. I think in the middle, I may have gotten way over my head with the complexity of the story, so I wanted to make it as simple as possible and end the story in the way that I had envisioned it when I wrote it to begin with, with Scott and Jean at the lake. This time, Scott was saying goodbye. Originally, this was about how Scott has been "screwed" over and how he deals with it, the ups and downs. I decided to end the story in the same context, Hank, one of Scott's best friends, his life in ruins. The relationship between him and Alex falling apart. And finally, Scott and Jean not ending up together at the end, with Scott going on his own path, hence the title "Start" of Summer. Feedback is always appreciated, who knows maybe I'll write an epilogue.