Black Celebrations
by Jemisard

Fandom: X-Men movie verse
Pairing: Erik/Charles, Scott/Logan, Jean/Ororo implied.
Rating: M
Series/Sequel: "Lost Past" 10
Disclaimers: They aren't mine. You know that. I'm just borrowing them.
Thanks:ERIKA and NADJA, my darling friends, pen pals, and inspirations, you are wonderful. You have helped, pushed, cajoled and bullied me to keep me going. Thank you. Also, Hayate, your beautiful pictures make me grin.
Summary:The party to celebrate Scott's return, but things are not right yet.
Warnings:Slash themes, violence implied, adult themes.

Charles glanced around the room. Students were dancing, singing, Jean and Ororo were leading a waltz, of a kind. Even Raven was joining in the celebrations, her blue skin blending in against the students.

Erik glanced over at Charles and smiled softly. Charles smiled back and reached out with his mind, brushing it over Erik's, provoking as half hearted glare that quickly dissolved into another of those lovely smiles he had come to miss.

Logan sat in the corner with Scott, who seemed slightly overwhelmed by the noise and people. He hadn't spoken since the celebrating had started, preferring to sit away from everyone and watch.

Logan took the slender hand and squeezed lightly. "Ya okay, slim?"

Scott nodded, eyes wide, watching Jean and Ororo dance. "Bright, loud, hurt little."

Logan felt like slapping himself. The kid had been blind for a month, of course the lights would hurt him. "Ya want to go outside fer a bit?"

Slow nod. Logan pulled Scott to his feet and guided him outside, into the gardens. Scott took a deep breath and turned to Logan. "Wolv?"

"Yeah, slim?"

"What name?"

Logan closed his eyes. "Logan. Remember, bub? I'm Logan."

"Logan." He rolled the name on his tongue with a smile. "Remember. Logan. Logan help Kurt. Help Raven. Raven always sad, always cry. Cry when see Kurt. Cry when near."

Logan stopped. "Raven? Mystique? Do ya mean Mystique, Scott?"

"Yes. Raven, always sad in lab. Sad with Kurt."

Logan reached out and stroked Scott's cheek. Scott smiled and turned his face into Logan's palm, brushing a kiss across the palm. "Logan good to me."

Logan didn't say anything, just watched as Scott took the hand his own and pressed another kiss to it, this time on the inner wrist. "Logan so kind. Always so kind. Good man."

"I'm not a good man, bub." Logan whispered. "I never have been."

"Good man." Scott insisted, leaning in closer. "Always good."

Logan started to protest, but stopped, just looking into the red maelstrom of Scott's eyes. Scott leaned closer, and Logan felt his breath brush across his lips as their mouths lightly met.

"Logan, Scott? You out here?"

Scott pulled back suddenly, leaving Logan with just the faint moisture on his lips from where they had nearly kissed. He grabbed Scott before he could run off, slightly scared. "We're out here."

Charles appeared in the doorway. "We just received a call from the police. They are sending a girl here, she doesn't remember her name, just that someone called her Mo. She's a mutant."

Scott's face lit up. "Mo?"

"Yes, Scott. Mo."

Logan found his voice again. "Wheels, what do ya know about Mystique?"

"Raven? Not a lot, why?"

"How old is she?"

"We don't know. Her shape shifter ability makes her age hard to determine. Much like your own."

"So, she could have, say, been in the facility when Scott was there?"

"I suppose so. Logan, what is this about?"

Scott walked back up the stairs and looked at Charles. "I remember. Raven in lab. Raven always sad, always cry. So many tears."

Charles frowned. "Scott, how did you know Raven?"

"Raven, Raven sometimes visit. Come in, then stopped coming in. No longer cared, not care. Only Kurt cared. Kurt dead."

"Yes, Kurt died."

"Miss Kurt." Scott looked down at the ground, before sitting down, legs folding under him. "Lonely, so lonely."

Logan came over and knelt next to him. "We care. Hey, no tears, why ya cryin'?"

Scott looked up and sniffed, blinking tears from his eyes. "Suffering. Sadness. Bad. So much bad."

There was a slight noise from the doorway. Logan spun around, claws extended, growling.

Mystique blinked at him levelly. "Put those things away, Logan."

He retracted the claws. "Whaddya want?"

She looked down. "I knew Scott, in the facility. I, I tried not to think about it before now."

Charles looked at her. "You were in there?"

"Yes. Many years ago." She shifted into a form like her own, only human looking. Logan watched cautiously. This was probably what she had looked like as a human, before her powers manifested. "I escaped. I tried to release others, but I couldn't. I did not have such fine control of my powers."

Scott smiled at her, and, to everyone's amazement, pulled her to sit next to him, wrapping an arm around her waist. She smiled at him. "I tried to free him and Kurt. I hated the idea of them growing up in captivity."

She stood up and pulled away from Scott grasp, striding back inside, melting back into her natural form. Logan frowned and watched as Scott's face showed hurt, before reaching out to him. "Logan, don't go."

"I won't. I'll be here."

Charles looked at the two of them and smiled. "I'll leave you two."

He wheeled himself back inside, leaving Logan and Scott to sit under the stars.

Erik watched Mystique storm through, brushing aside teens her got in her way. Charles came in shortly after, and he could see the shadows of Scott and Logan still sitting outside. "Charles, what happened?"

"I'm not sure. Did you know that Mystique was caught by those people, and held at the institution at the same time as Scott and Kurt?"

"No, I did not." Erik looked angry at the thought. "How did you find out?"

"Scott told us, and she confirmed it herself." Noticing the angry look, Charles took Erik's hand in his own and tugged it. "This party is more for the younger folk here. How would you feel about a joining me in the study for a game of chess?"

Erik smiled. "That sounds far more entertaining to me."

Logan had brought Scott back inside, just in time to see Chuck leave with Magneto. He went to follow, but a voice in his mind whispered to stop.

He turned to look at Jean. "What's goin' on?"

"They're just not having fun here. Let them be, Logan, neither of them has been happy for far too long."

Logan glared after them, but said nothing, turning to Scott instead. "Ya wanna stay here?"

That thoughtful pause and slow nod, followed by a blinding grin. "Drink?"

"Whacha want?"

"Scotch?"

"No way. Ya not drinkin' alcohol bub. I have enough trouble with ya sober."

Jean leant over. "There's no alcohol here anyway. Most of the students are too young to drink it, and the rest don't in case the younger ones get their hands on it."

Logan snorted. "Tell ya what. I'm gonna leave ya with Jeannie and see what I can get us. Okay?"

Scott's eyes glazed over. "Logan go?"

"I'll be right back. Have I lied to ya yet? I'll only be a few minutes."

"Okay. Right back."

"Yes, I'll come right back." Logan turned and smiled to Jean. "Keep an eye on him?"

"Sure." She took Scott's hand and pulled him out to the dance floor. "You remember how to dance, Scott?"

Logan watched them for a moment before ducking out into the kitchen.

As he walked in, he was shocked to see Raven sitting at the table crying. She looked up as he walked in, wiping her eyes.

He softened slightly. "Ya okay?"

She nodded. "It's just hard, seeing him again. Not knowing what to say. I loved those boys. I tried to look after them."

"So you attacked him instead?" Logan hadn't meant to say it, but it just came out.

"I didn't realise! I hadn't seen him since he was a child, face uncovered, blue eyes, how was I to know it was him? The person that you were with wasn't the boy I remembered, I didn't know!" She started sobbing. "I wouldn't have hurt him, not if I had known."

Logan relented and sat next to her. "Ya really liked those kids."

"So did you. You used to talk to them. Sometimes, you'd sit there and let Kurt play with your fingers. He was fascinated by them."

"'Cause he only had the three." Logan said suddenly, an image springing to mind. "Yeah, he used to tell stories. Ones I had told him, but he liked tellin' them back ter me."

She nodded. "I missed them, when I got out. I tried to take them with me, I really did. It broke my heart to leave them, but they were going to kill me. What use would I be to them if I was dead?"

Logan watched her face carefully. "Why'd ya care so much?" ,p> "Why did you?" She snapped back.

"I hated seein' kids suffer. But this, this ain't like that fer ya." He remembered the blue arm of Kurt reaching through the bars. "Kurt were yer son, weren't he? That's why ya loved him."

She shook her head. "Part right. Kurt was my son, I loved, but he wasn't the only one. I love his brother just a much."

Logan's eyes went wide and he stumbled away from her. "No."

"Yes, Logan. Scott is my son as well."

Logan stared at her. "Your son? Scott? But, how, I mean, yeah, what the fuck!?"

Raven gazed downwards. "I was pregnant when the mongrels caught me. His father," her voice quavered and she started to sob again, "was killed trying to help me escape. They shot him through the knees, and left him there to die. They told me it took five days for him to die out there."

Logan reached out awkwardly and patted her shoulder. "I'm sorry about Kurt."

"So am I, Logan. I barely knew him. They didn't even know I was their mother. They never knew, I wasn't allowed to tell them. If I did, they were going to stop me visiting them."

Logan moved his seat next to her, wrapping an arm around the scaled shoulders. "It musta been rough."

"Scott was born in the lab, on New Year's Eve. They let me see him before they took him away. His eyes glowed even then, but just these licks of molten flame over the clearest blue I had ever seen." She looked over at Logan. "I love him, Logan, but I can't ever let him know."

"Why?"

"It would kill him. How would you cope, if you were told one of your deadliest enemies, who tried to stab you in the back, was your mother? That she spent half your childhood with you and you never knew it was her?"

Logan nodded. "I guess. He spoke kindly o' ya." ,p> She smiled slightly. "Let him hold those memories. He doesn't need to know the truth."

Logan nodded slowly. "Who was Kurt's father?"

She shrugged. "They gave me artificial insemination. I never met him, never knew who it was."

There was a scream from the other room. Logan jumped to his feet and sprinted out, as yells, cries and whimpers sounded from the other room.

The room was crowded with people who were trying to move as far from the centre as possible. Logan grabbed Rogue. "What happened?"

"Mr Summers, he just started freaking out real bad, screaming, and his eyes were flashing, and he backhanded Miss Grey when she tried to go near him."

Logan shoved through the crowd. Scott sat in the middle of the floor, head in hands, red pulsing from under them.

"Slim?"

Scott looked up at him. The red seemed to leak out, swirling around his face like a mist from his eyes. Tears ran down his cheeks. "Logan?"

Logan knelt down and wrapped his arms around the trembling frame. "It's okay, slim, it's okay, no one's mad."

Jean was sitting in the corner with Ororo. Logan glanced at her. "She okay?"

"She's fine, just a bit stunned."

Logan pulled at Scott, trying to get him to move, but he froze up. Logan glanced around. "Don't worry, he's fine, no one's on any danger." He slid his arms under Scott's body and pulled him up into his arms. "C'mon, move it!" He yelled at the crowd.

Everyone parted silently. Logan pulled Scott closer and took him out to the kitchen, sitting him at the table. Raven stared. "What happened?"

"I think he got spooked." Logan grabbed a dish towel. "Get some water from the fridge."

Raven pulled out a bottle and handed it to Logan, who doused the cloth and pressed it against Scott's face. "Ya okay, slim?"

Scott blinked slowly and looked up at Logan. "Logan?"

"Yeah, Slim?"

"Sorry."

"Don't apologise. We know ya didn't mean ter hurt her."

"Thought, loud noise, the lights, and flashes, so many flashes."

"Ya got spooked. That's okay."

Scott nodded and looked up at Raven. "Thank you."

She smiled and stroked a hand along his face. "No need, Scott."

Scott turned back to Logan. "Too loud, bright. Not go, not good."

"Ya don't have ter go back ter the party. Ya wanna head upstairs, get some sleep?"

Silent nod. Logan grinned. "C'mon. Ya remember yer room?"

Shake. Logan grinned. "Yer room's nice, homely. C'mon, I'll show ya."

Scott followed Logan out, his hand reaching out and sliding into Logan's larger grasp as they went.

Logan pushed open the door to the room he had never actually been inside before. The double bed was pushed into the corner, with a bookcase filled with text books, novels and a few ornaments. Paintings hung on the walls, and the desk was covered with photos and papers.

Scott gazed around the room. "My room?"

"Your room, bub." Logan looked around. "Anythin' comin' back?"

Scott ran his hand over various articles in the room. "No." He paused at one of the paintings and pulled it down, taking an envelope from it. "Will."

"Will what?"

"My will." Scott looked at it. "Little come back."

Logan sat down in the desk chair. "Ya remember workin' here?"

"Little." Scott lay the envelope down on the desk and sat on the bed. "Thank you."

"Scott, I already tol' ya ter stop thankin' me." Logan stood up. "I don't deserve it. They wouldn't have found ya if not fer me."

Scott gazed up at him. His eyes were less red now, and the blue was showing at times, as the red clouds drifted over his eyes. "Good Logan. Kind."

"I'm not good and I'm not kind, slim. I'm a killer."

"Good." Scott whispered. His hand was on Logan's waist pulling him closer.

"Scott......." Logan's voice trailed off, unsure of what he had been about to say.

"Shh." Scott pressed his finger to Logan's lips with a small smile. He took Logan's hand and pressed three small kisses on his knuckles. He took the other hand and repeated the gesture. "Bring light. Light good. Logan good."

"Those thin's are fer killin'."

"Bring light. Never harmed. Could harm, didn't."

Logan pulled his hand away gently and slid out one of the claws. "They're fer killin'."

Scott looked up at him with those big trusting eyes, and pressed his lips to the blade flat. "No." He kissed either side of the blade, where it broke the skin. "Good."

Logan was silent, letting the claw slide back in. Scott gazed into his eyes, and blinked slowly. "Logan?"

"Yeah slim?"

"Not bad. Jackson bad. Logan kind."

He wasn't sure how to refute that logic, but then Scott leant up and kissed him gently, and he forgot all about it. The soft lips teased over his, before pressing earnestly. He slid his tongue into the other man's mouth, wrapping his arms tightly around the slender frame, pulling them closer together.

They broke apart for a moment, before meeting again, hungrier this time, mouths anxiously exploring one another. Logan had one arm wrapped around Scott's waist and the other around his chest, pulling their bodies together along their full length.

Scott pulled at Logan's arms, and he let go. Scott quickly pulled his shirt up and over his head, before forcing his tongue back into Logan's mouth.

Logan skimmed his hands over Scott's face before bringing them to rest on the slim hips. He pulled on Scott's shirt, until he moved back enough to have it removed.

They were still kissing when Logan became aware of the shift in scent. Desire was drifting into fear and confusion. He pulled back and looked Scott in the eye. "Hey, what's wrong?" He brushed away a tear. "Why ya cryin'?"

Scott chewed his slightly bruised lip and lay his head on Logan's shoulder. "Not go, must stay, so, bad, much bad, not know."

Logan sat Scott down and lay him on the pillows. "Okay. How 'bout ya get some sleep? Yer not makin' sense no more, so ya sleep, and we try this talk in the mornin'."

"No talk." Scott smirked lightly and stroked a thumb over Logan's cheek. "Logan no big talk."

"No, I'm not, but ya need ter stop and think about what ya want." He pulled off the heavy boots, decided against trying to remove those jeans, because he wouldn't stay on track for long, and pulled over the covers. "C'mon, sleep."

"No, Logan stay. No go."

"Okay, I'll stay here."

Logan undressed himself and slid into the bed next to Scott, who spooned up behind him. The boxer shorts they wore weren't enough to stop the feelings rushing through him, but him ignored it. For tonight. "Night, slim."

"Night, Logan."

Slowly, they drifted off to sleep while the party continued downstairs.

Charles moved his queen forwards and leant back. "Your move, Erik."

"As always, Charles." He slid a pawn forwards to take a bishop. "Always this game, one move after another, things never what they seem."

"Your lawyer training is showing, Erik." Charles moved to take the pawn with his knight. He lay it down next to the others, and his hand brushed across Erik's. "What was so dreadful that we couldn't heal it?"

"I don't remember anymore. It seemed so important at the time, but now I can't even recall what it was. Another argument over the salvation of humanity I suspect."

"Most likely." Charles sipped at his wine and watched Erik move up next to his queen with his bishop. "Wasn't that what it was always about?"

"Nearly always." Erik leant back, eyes bright in the low light of the conservatory. "How is Scott now?"

Charles reached out and brushed across the resting mind of his son. "He's asleep. Logan's with him."

"Are they...........?" Erik nodded up towards Scott's room.

"No. Not yet. Logan is still quite protective of Scott." Charles moved his rook. "Though I suspect it won't be long. Many of the students believe that they were lovers before this whole disaster started."

"They could barely stand one another from what Miss Munroe said."

"Not true. They fought, for sure, but never cruel or vicious fights, just bickering. Much like a lover's tiff. The mistake is understandable."

"And what about us, Charles? Do they know about us?"

"Of course not. My personal life is none of their business, just as their's is none of mine. Scott knows, as does Jean. Ororo and Logan may suspect. Rogue knows."

"Hmm, I suppose she would. I didn't think about it much."

"She stayed quiet, though we had a few interesting occasions when your influence took over her. Quite embarrassed her, though no one else was ever worried."

"She's a very quiet girl, that Rogue. Very passionate. Check."

"Very good, Erik. Yes, she has a little too much of Logan in her at times."

"I can understand that being a problem. Check and mate. You really aren't paying attention to the game, Charles."

"I know. It's been a busy month. Stressful."

Erik nodded sagely and drained his glass. "The party's still going, I hear."

"I dare say it shall be going for many hours yet, despite the fact that the guest of honour has left and gone to sleep. They need to release the stress before school starts again."

"And how about you, Charles? How are you going to release the stress?"

Charles raised an eyebrow. "Are you attempting to seduce me, Erik?"

"Why don't you read my mind and find out?"

Charles smiled and moved closer, laying his hands on either side of Erik's face. Erik smiled lightly and placed his hands over Charles', before leaning forwards for a light kiss.

The small kiss deepened, and deepened again. Erik slid the metal lock shut, and they forgot about the party raving down the hall.

"Must you go?"

Erik nodded silently, a small smile playing across his lips. "You know I must, Charles. My brothers are waiting."

"Will this war continue?"

"A war, not necessarily this war though." He knelt down next to Charles. "We shall not fight anymore, my men shall leave you alone." He brushed his thumb across Charles' lips. "Maybe we should open the lines of communication further."

Charles smiled and kissed Erik's hand. "An exchange. Open houses, that sort of thing."

"Yes, sounds quite good, really." Erik stood and picked up his bag. "Raven, are you ready?"

She appeared in the doorway, in her natural form. "Yes."

Charles watched her, seeing images flicker past her mind. Holding a child with glowing red eyes, having him torn from her arms, even as she sobbed and tried to hold onto him. He saw her with her other son, the blue boy, Kurt, and saw her memories of playing with the children.

Finally, he saw her being taken from the facility, seeing the fleeing figure running from the side door, red blasts tearing open the gates as a young boy pulled off his visor and slid it back on.

Charles blinked and nodded slowly. "Maybe, Raven would like to be part of the exchange. Raven? You could stay here, and we'll send someone to replace you."

Raven stared at him, eyes narrowed. "No, thank you. I would rather not. I have, problems, that I need to deal with first."

Charles touched her mind. Raven, I thought you might like to try and rehabilitate your son.

She smiled sadly. He has not been my son for a long time, Xavier. He's been yours. I'm not going to take that from either of you. Not ever.

Charles watched them climb into the car that they had arrived in. "How can I ever repay you both?"

Erik smiled. "You already have, old friend."

Charles was turning back to the house when he heard the faint thought from the driver of the car.

Love him. Love him for me.

I will. He promised. I will.

The End