Brothers

He was alive.

He knew that because he could feel pain coursing through his body.

Every fibre of his being screamed out in agony as he moved forwards. It hurt to breathe, laboured breaths escaping bloody lips as he moved slowly in an effort to not agitate his broken ribs. He cradled one arm against his chest, careful to avoid knocking it against something or letting it move freely, the bone protruding out from his skin, blood seeping out and dropping on the ground leaving a bloody trail.

Yet he did not stop moving forwards, his one good arm, extended out behind him, hand clutched tightly by Alex as they moved through the forest. In the distance, the smoke from the plane crash acted as his target, he pushed on through the foliage around him without pause. His gaze never wavering from the trail of smoke that served as his goal.

They had survived the fall thanks to his powers, but he had not escaped unharmed. He could feel numerous bruises forming, cuts irritating him as he moved, rubbing against the fabric of his clothes, all a result of breaking through the canopy of trees. The timely use of his Optic Blasts had saved his and Alex's life, but it had not been enough to make their landing graceful, Scott coming out with serious injuries that pained him greatly.

However, Alex, besides his own share of cuts and bruises, had come out none the worse for wares. It put Scott at ease, knowing that he had suffered the worst of the injuries and saved his brother from them. He would not have been able to handle the knowledge that he hadn't been able to save his brother from the pain he now experienced, or possibly something worse.

The slight hiccup and quiet sob was a common sound though, Scott glared out at the forest when hearing the sound. Even though he had saved his brother from severe injury, he could do nothing about the emotional anguish he felt at the deaths of their parents. The only reason Scott did not break down alongside his brother was precisely that he had to make sure Alex was okay.

It was only then that he could let out the emotions within him.

"Alex, keep going." He said, tugging on his brother's hand when he felt him slowing down, the two beginning a climb up a steep hill that served as a barrier between them and the smoke just ahead. "We're nearly there. Then you can rest, so please, keep moving."

The sobbing increased, but Alex kept moving as they finally reached the top, both of them coming to stop, looking out to the burning frame that had once been a plane. The flames crackled loudly, engulfing the metal frame entirely. It was impossible for anyone to have survived the fall trapped inside, let alone the flames and there was no sign of either of their parents.

Alex collapsed to his knees, crying out loudly, once again overcome with emotion, the confirmation that they were gone overwhelming him entirely. All the while Scott looked to the sky, the ship that had attacked them was nowhere to be seen and Scott searched thoroughly. He couldn't find it, but it had probably left already, returning to wherever it came from.

He didn't know where it had gone, or why it had attacked them.

But Scott didn't care.

It had attacked them and shattered his family.

Whoever they were, no matter how powerful or dangerous, he would not stop, not until he had his revenge. They would pay for attacking his family and killing his parents, for making him and Alex suffer in this way.

-X- Line Break -X-

"I don't want to go!" Alex cried out angrily as he and Scott entered back into their room.

Scott frowned deeply. "You have to go."

"No!" Alex shouted, rushing to his bed and jumping down on it, pulling the covers over his head as if that would somehow stop anyone from taking him away.

Scott sighed deeply, moving forwards and sitting down upon it. There he remained silently for a little while, Alex making no sound, but the shaking of his shoulders clearly seen beneath the covers was proof enough that he was crying. Scott could understand why Alex refused to leave, the Blandings only wanted him.

While Alex would go with them, he would remain here at the State Home for Foundlings.

They'd be separated.

It had only been a short few months since the plane crash and the loss of their parents, but they were already being separated. Alex didn't want that and neither did Scott, but it was for the best that Alex left.

"Alex, you need to go, for me," Scott told him, though he received no response from the boy hidden beneath the covers. "Just because we won't be together, doesn't mean that we're not brothers. We're the only family that each other has, you're my only brother, the only family I've got left. I don't want to see you stuck here when you can go and have a happy life with another family who will love and care for you."

Especially not when the only other alternative was being stuck in the State Home for Foundlings. For now, Mr Milbury's attention had turned away from Alex, focusing entirely upon him, but how long that would remain the case was unknown.

"The older you get, the less likely people are going to want to adopt you and when that happens, you'll be stuck alone here, with me." That made Alex shift. "I know that to you, that sounds like a good idea. But believe me, it isn't. Do you remember what I did, Alex? To save us both from the fall?"

"...Yes," Alex murmured, pulling back the covers and looking at him, eyes red and puffy.

"I'll be hunted because of my powers," Scott told him. "Maybe not right away, but eventually people will find out. They'll come for me and I don't want you to get hurt, to risk losing you. I don't know what I would do if something happened to you because you stuck around with me."

It hurt him to push Alex away like this, but he needed to do it.

He had seen in his visions that Alex had powers like him, ones that would make him more powerful than him. If Mr Milbury learned of them, he would soon turn his attention to Alex and there would be nothing Scott could do about it. That was something he could and would not allow. In order to ensure that never happened, he needed Alex to leave with the Blandings, to get as far away from Mr Milbury as possible.

But it would not be permanent.

Scott would find Alex again, even though he spoke those words, Scott did not want to be separated from his only family, just like Alex did not want to be separated from him. It was a selfish thing, Scott knew that, but no matter how much he tried, he could never bring himself to fully let go.

That was why he was going to bide his time and then, break out.

It would only be a matter of time.

"So, please, Alex," Scott pleaded with him. "Go with the Blandings, because when I'm old enough and strong enough, I'll leave the State Home and come for you. I'll protect you from everything, just like I did from that fall. You're the only brother I have and I will never abandon you. So please, for me, go with the Blandings."

"...Okay."

-X- Line Break -X-

Shoving his hands into the pocket of his dirty jumper, Scott looked out towards the small suburban home where two children played outside in the garden. A young boy and girl laughed happily, running around and playing. He recognised the game, it was the one children at the State Home who had played many a time while he had watched from his room.

They were happy and having fun, a sight he was familiar with seeing but never experiencing.

'Should I?' Scott thought as he looked towards his brother, Alex. 'Or should I leave?'

Alex was happy and seemed to have settled in well with the Blandings and their young daughter. He was older now, twelve years old and looked healthy, his blonde hair had grown out a little more. Should he leave? Force himself to leave Alex behind and abandon his selfish desires to be reunited with his family?

But as the Blanding's mother, Joanna came out, she called out for the two young children. "Haley, Todd, come inside, teas ready." Both Alex and the young girl, Haley quickly came to a stop and rushed inside, the smile on Alex's face becoming a little strained when Joanna appeared.

'What is going on here?' Scott thought, frowning deeply.

But as he went to move, heading toward the Blanding home for answers, he noticed something shifting, a figure moving towards the house. Hooded and shady looking, one who made Scott's instincts instantly alert. But there was no sense of familiarity or anything like that, this was not a figure he had ever encountered before, nor one that Cyclops had come across. However, the instincts Cyclops had honed, instantly recognised him as a threat.

Not to him.

But to the Blandings.

To Alex.

Eyes flashing red, Scott moved forwards.

-X- Line Break -X-

"W-what are you?" The man named Vincent stuttered out fearfully, looking at the fifteen-year-old boy who stood over him. His shirt had been shredded, and blood was splattered over his face, a result of his busted nose.

"What and who I am is none of your concern," Scott replied calmly, eyes glowing dimly. "What is important though, is why you are focused upon the Blandings?"

"..." Instantly Vincent went silent.

"Not going to tell me?" Scott asked, the glow of his eyes increasing, the darkened alley they were in making the sight more ominous and threatening as he looked down upon the man. "That's fine. There are plenty of bones in the human body, I wonder how many I can break before you decide to start talking."

Then the alley flashed red and a pained cry echoed out.

-X- Line Break -X-

As the school bell rang, Alex grabbed his bag and headed out into the crowded corridors, as children went home for the day. Outside, kids moved towards the buses, parked waiting while others made their way out of the school gates and began the short walk home.

Alex was one of those.

He rounded the corner of the gate, and noticed in the distance, that a figure was standing leaning against the side of the wall. His clothes were messy, dirty and grimy, his hair greasy and in need of a proper wash. Even without getting close, Alex could tell that he smelled just from the way he looked.

But as he got close, putting his head down in order to avoid looking at him, Alex paused when he heard him speak. "Hey, Alex." It was a voice he hadn't heard in a while and quickly, Alex looked up, eyes widening and a smile growing on his face as he took a closer look at the guy.

"Scott!" He cried out happily, rushing to wrap his arms around him, hugging him tightly. "Ew, you smell!" But despite those words, Alex did not let go of Scott, though he pulled a face that made Scott laugh, the first one in a long while.

"Yeah, I haven't had a chance to get a clean change of clothes or a shower." As soon as he had made his escape from the State Home for Foundlings, Scott had wasted no time in coming here to find his brother. He hadn't allowed himself time to rest for anything, he didn't know if there was anyone other than Mr Milbury who would be a threat to be his brother. Someone else connected to the State Home for Foundlings that had funded Mr Milbury from behind closed doors.

Vincent had proved that there were other threats, even if they weren't connected to Milbury.

He had been the killer of the Blanding's only son, Todd.

One who had returned, focusing upon the Blandings with the misplaced sense of possession, all in an effort to kill Haley and Alex. The latter was someone that Blandings had used as a replacement for their dead son, even calling him Todd.

Quickly, Alex perked up. "Then come back to my home. You can have a shower and get changed into something."

"I don't think any of your clothes or Mr Blandings will fit me, Alex," Scott replied but nodded his head. "Though a shower does seem like a good idea." He also knew from his studying of the Blandings, both the file, his own observations and those of Vincent that they would be out for another few hours before returning from work.

Otherwise, he would not have agreed so easily.

Nor would they.

They didn't want him, not because he was too old.

They didn't have two sons, only one and they wanted nothing to do with him because it would remind them that despite their best efforts to convince themselves otherwise, Alex was not Todd. It was a lie that Scott was no longer willing to let Alex live. Though he had considered it, Scott would allow his selfish desires to win out, Alex needing saving after all.

But first, a shower seemed like a good idea.

-X- Line Break -X-

Contrary to what he had thought, Alex did actually have some clothes that fit him, though they were a little snug. However, they had been bought with the intention of allowing Alex to grow into them, so it was definitely nice not to have to wear the dirty clothes that he had worn for weeks since escaping from the State Home for Foundlings again.

He threw them straight in the bin.

Now he and Alex were sitting on the swings at a nearby park, just lightly rocking back and forth. They had talked about a few things, Scott mostly focused on knowing how Alex had been, noting that Alex had avoided talking about Todd and the way the Blandings tried to make him act like their dead son.

The thought of that made him angry.

He could understand mourning their child's death.

But to force another to pretend to be him?

Scott was not happy about that in the slightest, especially when he could see how downtrodden Alex was when avoiding that subject. He while not fully aware of it, seemed to know that it was wrong and did not like pretending to be someone else. Trying his best to keep it from him, his own brother at how the Blandings were treating him.

"Alex," the young boy in question looked up. "Do you remember what I said before you left with the Blandings?"

Alex nodded his head. "That when you were strong enough, you'd come for me." As he spoke, a smile grew on his face, feet kicking in the air eagerly. "Are you?" He asked hopefully, smile dimming slightly, almost expecting Scott to shake his head.

But it came back in full force when Scott nodded his head. "It won't be easy," Scott told him. "I don't have a job, nor a place to stay. We'll be jumping from town to town, and it will be hard, but we'll have each other. Do you still want to come knowing that?"

However, despite that, Scott had an end goal in mind.

There was one place that his instincts told him about, one backed up by the visions he had seen. A man with a skewed moral compass, but could be solely defined by his love for mutants and willingness to give everything to protect them. Someone that Scott knew he could take advantage of because he knew the man better than anyone else.

An idealistic fool of a man.

But someone whose dream had defined him for the remainder of his life.

A man who had been a dreamer; just like Cyclops.

A man who had been deified by those around him; just like Cyclops.

A man who had been nothing more than a man, a mutant; just like Cyclops.

A man, that this time, Scott would not follow blindly as he had in the past. This time, Scott would not fall for the same trap as he had, and would not tread the same misguided path that led to the many problems that resulted from worshipping a man that was flawed like them all.

He would rely only upon himself, just as Cyclops had when he had marched alone and survived against all odds. Just as he had when breaking from the State Home for Foundlings. Everyone else was just a puppet on strings, and he was the puppetmaster.

That was the only way to ensure that he and Alex survived the coming storm.