InsaneJournal

If we go, you’re not coming
Who: Emma and Scott Summers
What: talking
When: October 8
Where: chez Summers
Rating: PG
Status: complete


Emma ditched her bag by the door when she got home. She’d worked late enough that she had no intention of looking at her work until the next morning. She looked around the living room for Scott or Nate, then made her way back to the kitchen. She wondered what Scott wanted to talk about, but there was no sense in worrying right now. She would react when she had more information.

Scott had dinner ready and waiting, and practically handed her a plate when she walked into the kitchen. He kissed her cheek. “How was work?”

She accepted the plate and felt shitty that he kissed her cheek instead of kissing her directly. Of course they hadn’t talked much since their argument, so she knew they were both still being careful of each other. “Long, but productive. I’m trying to figure out the logistics of opening a school at the Ranch.” She took her plate and sat at the table. “How was yours?”

“Long and boring, and not very productive,” Scott admitted. “Mostly just prep work today for a batch of kids.” He sat at the table.

Emma nodded and ate slowly. “What did you want to talk about?” Small talk wasn’t going to get them anywhere, and she’d rather have something to do with her hands while he explained whatever he needed to explain.

Scott jumped right into it. “Nate and Neena think we can retrieve Chris and Rachel.”

“Oh, that’s wonderful.” Emma said, enthusiastically. “I know how much you miss your daughter, and I’d love to meet our grandson.” Despite what she’d said in her text.

“We’ll bring them back, so you can finally meet them,” Scott promised. He wasn’t about to let her jump through time when she was that close to popping. He’d be reluctant to even get her on a plane.

Emma paused. “Wait. You’re going to go back to get them? Not just bring them here somehow?” She set her fork down. Now she had objections.

“If we can do the latter, that’s what I want to do,” Scott said. “But if we have to, we’ll go get them. If they want to go. I’m not going to force either of them to come if they don’t want to.”

“So you’ll basically have to go to the future and talk to them.” Emma asked, her tone even. She’d already made up her mind about what was going to happen, and Scott would have to deal with it.

“Unless there’s a way to talk to them across time.” He eyed her, warily. “If we go, you’re not coming.”

“Funny you should mention that, because I’m going if you are.” She met his gaze, her expression set and interested. It wasn’t going to be an argument, she’d just explain to him why she was correct and he’d have to deal.

“You can’t go,” Scott put his fork down, and looked at her. “It’s too risky. If something went wrong it could kill the baby. I’d rather not go at all than risk that, and something tells me Rachel would feel the same way.”

“If something goes wrong I could lose you, and that’s not acceptable to me. So either we both take that risk, or we both stay here. I am not letting you put our family at risk for this, Scott.” She kept her tone very level, but very firm. “I lost you once Scott, for two weeks. Two small, measly weeks and it was the worst thing I’d ever gone through. Going through that again, potentially raising our daughter alone, all so you can maybe find your other daughter, and maybe bring her back? No. Not even a little bit acceptable.”

Scott set his jaw. He didn’t want to risk her, or the baby. Not even to see Rachel again, as badly as he wanted. “All right, then we won’t go. I’m not going to tell Neena she should consider the risk and then not do it myself.”

Emma nodded. “Okay. I’m sure there are others with less to lose who can do it.” She felt a little bad for forcing him to reconsider going to get his daughter, but she wouldn’t spend another day in emotional hell because her husband was gone and may never return. Even being certain of his death was a better alternative.

“We should be there. When it happens. Nate might need our help.”

Emma nodded. “I agree. It wouldn’t hurt to have another telepath present, and I can become indestructible, so that won’t be too much of a risk.” She reached across the table to take his hand. “Thank you. I know this isn’t what you want, but I’ve nearly lost you too many times for my comfort this year.”

“I know.” He couldn’t hide the disappointment.

Emma sighed and retracted her hand. Well, this was going great. On top of their earlier, still unresolved fight she was now keeping him from seeing his daughter again. She took a couple more bites but her good mood was more or less destroyed.

“So what’s the plan for Boston?” Scott asked, trying to dig into dinner.

She made a face for a second. She needed to talk to him about this, but it still hurt. The last time she’d mentioned Christian was months ago and it had ended somewhat awkwardly. “November first is the anniversary of my brother’s suicide. I’m going back with father to visit his grave.”

He put his fork down and looked up at her. “I see. You’ll fly safe, right?” His expression softened. “Or you could take the Blackbird. Less stress that way.”

“I’ll be safe, I promise. I’ve been saving up all my radiation exposure and if something untoward happens I can turn to diamond and walk away.” She couldn’t help but smile a little, even if it didn’t meet her eyes. “We’ll be leaving the morning of the second and coming back the next morning. I can’t stand my sisters for longer than that.” She took another bite, and swallowed. “I know you have a lot going on at the Ranch, but it would mean a lot to me if you came along.”

“Of course.” Scott didn’t hesitate to answer. There wasn’t a question of him not going, even if he didn’t particularly look forward to small talk with Winston.

Emma smiled again and nodded. “I’ll book the tickets before bed. Have you spoken to Jean yet?” She wasn’t going to make a big deal out of it. She just wanted to know. If she had to keep reminding herself of that, at least she was trying.

Scott shook his head. It still bothered him that she’d think there’d be a problem. “Not yet. Things have gotten too busy. I’ve been meaning to give her a call.”

Emma nodded. “She’s been a very good therapist so far.” She could admit to that, at least. Even if she did have irrational worries about problems down the line.

“Do you trust me, Emma?”

“Yes.” She replied, setting her fork down. “I do trust you, Scott. But I don’t trust her. She will be insanely powerful, and for a very long time she’ll remember being in love with you. You’ve already been used by a telepath for sex once before, and I don’t want to see it happen again.”

“I love you.” He pointed his fork at Emma. “I made a mistake, but it had been drunken ones and I thought I’d never see you again, but that doesn’t mean I don’t love you.”

“I never questioned your love, Scott.” Emma said with a sigh. “Honestly, the most distressing part of the conversation was when you acted like you couldn’t understand at all why I’d be uncomfortable with you meeting Jean. I know you wouldn’t cheat on me on purpose, but Rachel wouldn’t even exist if she hadn’t manipulated you into sleeping with her mother. I know that hurt you, and it certainly hurt me, and I’d rather not go through that again with a woman who’s hurt me so much in the dreams.”

“I was just upset that…” Scott sighed, and played with his food again. “Jean is one of the original five, with me. I cannot just ignore her, or not seek her out. It’s not in my DNA. I don’t mean that in a romantic way.”

"I admit that my initial reaction was irrational. However, I do worry about what will happen when she gets her powers and dreams." She sighed softly. At least they were being more mature about it this time.

“We need to tell her it’s going to happen. I’m not going to make past mistakes and not warn people,” he said. “She’s going to need to be prepared. Because none of us are going to be prepared if she goes dark.”

Emma took another couple bites (because lunch was about eight hours ago at this point), and nodded. “I was pretty upset you didn’t come clean with me sooner, but you shouldn’t and can’t do that alone. We also need to take care of the others as well. Ororo and Sage at the very least.” She figured Sage should be her responsibility, since Scott wouldn’t know everything she’d been through. “I’ve already had to alter Jean’s memories after Kitty exposed herself. The poor thing was a wreck after that.”

Ororo Scott was looking forward to, and yet not, for a myriad of reasons. He nodded his head. “I hope Kitty goes more gentle with Storm. I’ll have to find a way to talk to her.”

“Oh God yes.” Emma said with a laugh. “I think, or at least I hope she learned her lesson. It might be best for one of us to give her the initial talk and let Kitty take over.” Kitty was a good person, but she got over excited. “We also need to convince Kitty to return to therapy. I saw that we have another therapist, one who isn’t from our dream universe. Maybe she can go without breaking him in the first session.”

“That might be a good idea. I’ll send her a message later.” Scott nodded, thinking about that. “I just hope he doesn’t think we’re crazy.”

Emma snorted. “We are crazy. I don’t think there’s any way we can pretend we’re not.”

“Only a little crazy,” Scott protested.

Emma laughed. “God this month can just go right back where it came from. It feels like it’s been one thing after another, love.”

“It’s tempting to move away.”

“Sometimes.” Emma admitted. “But we’d never forgive ourselves. For better or worse we’ve decided we’re everyone’s parents, as far as the people from our dreams go. We’d feel terrible abandoning them.” She looked down at her stomach for a moment, her lips pressed together. “Beside, the likelihood that Faith has some form of mutation is very high. We’re all better off being around each other, even if it’s not as safe as being elsewhere.”

“You’re right. I’m sure you’ve been waiting all month to hear that.” He smiled at her, a little impishly.

She smirked at his joke. “I’m glad to see you’re back in touch with reality, darling.” She winked at him. “Are we over being awkward around each other, now? I’d really like for that to be the case.”

“I’d like that too.”

This time she didn’t wait for Scott to take her hand when she reached over, she took it on her own. “Then that’s how it’ll be.”