Chapter 123: A Sinister Encounter

Chapter 123: A Sinister Encounter

If you want to support me check out my patron at /athassprkr

I tend to upload drafts of early chapters on there to get people's opinions of them.

I would like to thank my beta, Lucodarkknight G, for his help in this chapter.

---------------

27th February 2006, New York City

(Scott Summers POV)

Scott Summers wasn't happy. Well, he hasn't been happy ever since he survived the plane crash that killed his parents and his brother. He doesn't remember much about what happened after that, just that he had stayed at an orphanage for a while, before running away and getting found by the Professor.

The young mutant's life has been filled with nothing but hardships and sorrow since then. That was until he met her. With hair as red as blood, reminding him of the setting sun, Jean Grey came into his life, lighting up his world. Charles Xavier had given him a purpose, being part of his X-men, a team to save the world. What better purpose could he possibly have?

That was all well and good, but Scott always felt like there was something missing, something he found when he first set his eyes on her. He needed something to live for, something that would get him up every night looking forward to it. Something that wasn't part of his duty, something that he loved. And the second Scott had seen Jean Grey, he knew that this was it, this was what he wanted to live for.

And things were going well for a while; the two young mutants got along immediately, they became as close as friends could be but nothing more. And while Jean started to explore the world around her, choosing to experience life outside of the institute, Scott Summers remained solemn, choosing to wallow in despair as he saw the world in nothing but red.

And then Jean started to date that idiot, Duncan. What the redhead saw in that jock, Scott had no idea. The guy was an asshole and a bully, but as Jean became one of the popular girls in school, the fact that she should be dating the quarterback became some sort of implied thing. And that was the beginning of the end; Scott could only try to smother his jealousy, choosing not to make a scene every time he saw them together.

Then came the day they left for Egypt, to save the Professor. They ended up fighting one of the most powerful beings that ever existed. That power was something that the young mutant never thought was actually possible. Yet, they came out victorious, well, Apocalypse was killed by some weird shadow person, but Scott didn't care; they had survived the Apocalypse.

However, Jean came back weird from that trip. She lost herself to her power during the fight and nothing was the same. Scott still shivered at her emotionless eyes back in Egypt before she was stopped by the shadow person as well.

It was then that Scott figured out that the Professor had put in blocks on Jean's power to avoid this very situation. And the young mutant thought that he was right in doing so, Jean was terrifying, inhuman even, back in Egypt.

Not that it matters to Scott, Jean is perfection given form, this was just another side of her for him to love. However, ever since she came back to Egypt, Jean acted oddly. She seemed to avoid him for some weird reason and they barely talked ever since that day. And before Scott could do anything, Jean moved out of the mansion, leaving him alone for the first time ever since he came to the institute.

Luckily, she still went to the same school, and her rather public dumping of Duncan gave the young mutant hope that he still had a chance with her. But nothing came from it; Jean kept avoiding him, and all he could do was wallow in his own misery and watch her from afar, hoping that one day, she would return his feelings.

Scott smiled at this, talking to Doctor Nate was a lot like talking to the Professor. There was that air of wisdom and kindness that they both exuded.

"No worries, Doctor. I got better, move on. I'm happy with my life, so far."

"I'm glad to hear it, my boy. You were owed a win after all that happened. You look so grown up, now, it feels like yesterday was the day where you came to my doorstep, a small broken boy. Look at you, you're almost a man, now."

Scott blushed at this, "And you don't look a day older."

The man chuckled, "It's something of a family trait. We rarely do look our age. Now, I'm curious, young Summers, how have you been. Is there a lady friend in your life?"

The young mutant blushed at the insinuation, "I have been well. I was taken in by Charles Xavier into his institute, and I'm now a senior in High School. As for a lady friend, there's this one girl. But I don't think that this would happen anytime soon."

Scott could see the doctor frowning, "That's not a healthy attitude to have, my boy. Giving up so easily when things get complicated is a recipe for a miserable life. Nothing worth having is free, you have to fight to earn it. If I had your attitude, I would have never gotten married. She could barely stand me, when we were younger."

Huh, maybe this guy knows what he's talking about. Scott guesses that a few tips wouldn't change anything, "So what should I do."

"You need to show her that she needs you. Nice guys always finish last, so going like a puppy helping a girl out, will probably get you nowhere. You need to do better. You need to become her hero. Whenever she's distressed, whenever she feels like she is truly inconsolable, you will get there and make her feel better. You need to be the rock she needs and then, you proposition to her. She'll probably accept but even if she still refuses then you stop you support, leaving her up to dry. She will realize what she has lost and come back to you. That's what I did with my wife. It's a little manipulative but it worked and after years of marriage, I can say that I do not regret this."

Scott tilted his head, "So should I do that?"

"Everyone is different, Scott. It's only natural after all. Everyone has different triggers, different motivations. This tactic almost always works but becoming a woman's hero is different for each one. Your young friend will have different dreams for you to use. So, you'll have to take that into account."

"Then how do I know them?"

The man smiled kindly at him, "You know what, why don't you bring her to me and after a conversation, I'll let you know exactly how to get her to like you. But you have to know, that's all this can do, get the girl to like you. After that, you'll be on your own. You'll have to learn how to navigate your relationship and not mess up. There's nothing I can do to help you with that."

Scott beamed at the older man, "No worried, Doc. I'll try to get her to see you. How do I contact you, anyway?"

The man gave him a business card with an address and a phone number, "Call me whenever you want, Scott. You're one of my oldest patients, after all."

The young mutant nodded, and put the card in his wallet. As he walked away, he failed to see the sinister smile on the Doctor's face.