Sending the mutants home was slow going until Hank got a handle on the portal control panel. The retrieval units and those responsible for the portals refused to help. Their job security was at risk and short of telepathy or torture there was little we could to do force them to help. I did try to find one of the mutant slaves with telepathic ability. But the ones I did find had
precious little control over their ability. Or their power was too weak to be of any help. So Hank took over figuring exactly how to work the controls. He of course appreciated the challenge. But to be perfectly honest we weren't absolutely
certain that the rescued 'earthers' made it to their destinations. We asked all of them to call the mansion once they returned home. And I received word from Bobby that a good many of them had called to say they'd made it when I sent him back to check on Jean, Lorna and Alex.

All in all there were a little over five hundred kidnapped mutants and only fifty-seven humans found in Genosha and sent home over the next two days. We had a few casualties. Several 'earthers' were killed before we could get to them. My teammates moved fast, but not fast enough. And a few of the mutants had vanished, hidden away by their masters. A few chose to stay of their own free will, either to remain in the care of their former masters or to be promised a position in Genosha's government. I had no illusions that those staying with their masters would be anything but slaves. However, it was their own decision and I wouldn't make it for them. I turned a blind eye to anything but the most blatant signs of coercion. Constantine took to
overseeing the future of those who wanted to remain free in Genosha in the same way he had seen to Zaki. My admiration for him grew in the little time I spent with him.

The most difficult mutants to free were the ones who'd been given over to visiting kings and diplomats. Genosha had the only portals and the technology of the inhibitor collars, and therefore had been able to corner the market on mutant slaves. Very few of the 'earthers' had been sold outside Genosha's borders. But those that had been given as gifts and those few that *had* been sold caused an uproar on the international stage. Formal protests were lodged. One or two threats of war were issued, especially when it became known that the sitting Patriarch of Genosha had disappeared. But since kidnapped mutants were mostly a rich man's novelty, there wasn't much sympathy for those few who owned one and the protests died out within a
matter of days. Most of the mutant slaves in other countries were rescued by the X-men with ease once their location had been pinned down. Unfortunately the highest percentage of casualties came from this group, due to the fact that the owners had more time to prepare for the X-men's arrival.

One other problem that arose were the children born to 'earthers'. A good number of the mothers who'd birthed these children wanted them to come home to Earth. And the children who were being raised as slaves were set free.

Those being raised by their fathers, often the master of the slave that had given birth, were given a choice if they were old enough, either to return to Earth or remain in Genosha. If they weren't old enough to decide they were more often than not returned to their mother. Each situation was dealt with individually. We tried to base it on what was best for the child. I'm sure we made mistakes. We did our best, but the inevitable resentment arose against us for meddling in the affairs of Genosha.

On my second day of freedom I entered the Council Chamber with Constantine to make my demands on behalf of the mutants of Earth. The kidnappings would stop, the retrieval units disbanded, the makers of inhibitor collars would close up shop and the portals would be destroyed. My demands were nonnegotiable and backed by force; that of the X-men with the aid of the
Avengers and the Fantastic Four if necessary.

Of course a good many of the Councilors protested. Not only the demands I made, but also the loss of their slaves. I stood quietly by while they blustered and fumed, and eventually their ranting died out. Most of them realized there wasn't much they could do. While a great deal of their technology was advanced, their war machines couldn't match the raw power we wielded. And the Council didn't have the support of the armed forces in this matter. After all, only the noble class could afford to buy and keep mutant pleasure slaves. It was obvious the lower classes wouldn't tolerate going to war over rich men's toys. It'd more than likely cause a civil war and Genosha was in enough turmoil with the coup d'etat Constantine and his peers had
arranged. Within a few hours the Council acceded to all my demands. Except for one. Not all the portals would be destroyed. Two would be left functioning. The one in Remy's palace and the one within the walls of the capital city. They would only be used for emergencies and kept under tight security. By the third day of my freedom, all the portals except the two that had been agreed upon were destroyed, buried under slag. The X-men helped facilitate their destruction in order to make certain the demand was carried out.

As for the former Patriarch of Genosha? Rumors flew through the country and the world as fast as lightening. Most thought Remy had been executed by us. Some believed we had taken him back to Earth to stand trial for the kidnappings. A small group of Genoshans spread the rumor that he'd been forced to abdicate and was now living in retirement on one of his country
estates. Constantine was as good as his word. No one suspected the truth. Remy appeared to be safe under the Councilor's care. In the last few days I spent in Genosha overseeing the exodus of the former slaves and the shutdown of the portals, Constantine kept me updated on Remy's status. His facial wounds were healing along with the ribs that had been cracked. Physically he was recovering. But he rarely spoke and wouldn't eat unless Constantine personally ordered him to. I tried hard not to feel anything when his name was mentioned and outwardly I gave no sign that I cared. Constantine seemed to think I needed to hear about my former master and I did want to know. But I also wanted to deny any concern I felt toward Remy to those around me and ultimately to myself. So I listened without expression, only nodding a little to acknowledge that I'd heard.

Inside I was in turmoil. I hoped Remy wouldn't commit slow suicide. I prayed Constantine could ease him out of this obvious depression. I wanted to go to him and beg him to live. I wanted him to live. Not to pay for what he'd done to me and Alex, but because he was my Remy and I simply couldn't bear the idea that he might die. But I kept these feelings tucked inside, almost
hidden to myself, and hoped that in time I wouldn't care so much whether he lived or died.

On the day I went home, bone weary from having been up for almost 72 hours straight, able to only catch an hour or so of sleep here and there, all I wanted was to sleep for the next two days. My body still ached from the position I'd been cuffed in and I needed to recover from the ordeal. But I also needed to check on Alex.

I could feel that something was wrong the minute I set foot on the mansion grounds. Jean was waiting for me when I returned and for a moment every alarm went off in me. I was positive Alex had left.

Trying to stay calm, I gave her a weak smile and a chaste kiss. But she knew what I was thinking even without her telepathy.

"Lorna's gone," she said simply. "She went back to Magneto. Pietro took her when he came back through the portal. I think that was his whole point to getting involved."

"At least he stayed to help," I offered. "That's more than I could have hoped for."Jean smiled a little at that, then said, "Alex is down by the lake.

He's been going down there every day and staying until it gets dark. He looks bad, Scott." Jean's voice dropped. "I think he would have left already if you hadn't made him promise to wait."

I didn't bother asking how she knew I'd extracted that promise from him when she'd been standing across the room. Instead I asked, "What happened?"

As always, Jean understood me. "Lorna wouldn't talk to him. Except to call him a coward or a fag. That's when he started going down to the lake. I think he just wanted to stay out of her way."

I dropped my head and sighed. "He tried so hard to protect her," I said quietly. There was no point in getting angry at Lorna. She saw only what she'd been allowed to see. And had come up with her own conclusions."I know, Scott."
"You do?" I asked warily.

"He was projecting. I couldn't shut it all out. Not completely. Not with the emotions that were involved." I nodded in understanding and she continued, "He loved her. He really does love her. And I saw how often he tried to escape. Tried to find some way of getting out of there." Jean frowned.
"That clone had that place locked up tight. I don't think Ororo or Remy on their best days could have escaped. Alex never had a chance." She reached up to gently place a hand on my shoulder. "Neither did you. Lorna just wouldn't believe him."

I took her hand and kissed it tenderly. Then I pulled her into my arms and held her with a desperation I couldn't rid myself of."I'm sorry," I whispered.

"Shhh...You've no need to be sorry," she whispered back. "You didn't do anything wrong. And if you never want to tell me what happened I'll understand."
I shook my head. "I have to explain, to set everything straight. At least to you." I took her face in my hands so I could look into her eyes when I said, "So you'll understand why I can't let Alex go."

So many emotions played across her face in the short time before she spoke again. Anger, frustration, resentment, betrayal, astonishment, even lust and finally, trust and resignation. "Do whatever you have to do, Scott. I'll try to understand."

I kissed her passionately then with a hunger I'd been afraid I'd lost. "I love you, Jean," I said when I broke the kiss. I heard her answer in kind as I left to find my brother.

He was out by the lake as Jean had said, just standing there with his hands in the pockets of one of my old leather jackets staring out over the water. "Alex," I said as I approached him.

He turned his head to the left, acknowledging my presence, then he went back to looking out at the lake. "Lorna's gone," he said quietly with little emotion. I sighed inwardly at the tone of his voice.

"I know. Jean told me. She said Lorna wasn't too kind before she left."
Alex nodded but said nothing more.

"She didn't understand." I wasn't sure what to say to his silence. But I tried to give some comfort, some assurance anyway. "I don't think she realized what you had to do just to keep her safe." I moved beside him then and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Alex," I said, hearing a little of the desperation I felt come out in my voice, unable to disguise it.

He shook his head. "She knew enough. She called me a coward. I think she blamed me. Especially at the end. She said Magneto would have escaped."

"Shit!" I couldn't help the curse. "She's wrong. You know she's wrong."

"Maybe." He shrugged. "I don't think it makes me less of a coward."

I could have lit into him then. I could feel my frustration grow. But then he looked at me and said, "Is he okay?" And I felt all the anger go out of me.

My brother wasn't a coward. Not if he could ask about Remy, knowing it might set me off."Yeah. Constantine took him to his estate. He'll look after him."

Alex nodded again. "Good. I was afraid you might kill him. Or let Gambit kill him." We said nothing for a moment and then he added, "I don't want him to die."

I smiled. "Oddly enough, neither do I."

"He had his moments." I could hear Alex's throat tighten. "He was easy to love at times.""Yeah," I answered a little breathlessly.

Alex shrugged. "I think I'll head up to Alaska. You know. To clear my head."

"No!" I barked, too loud, too needy. But I didn't care. "Don't go. Please, Alex, stay. At least for a little while. I...I need you."

He frowned. "You've got Jean."

"She's not enough. She can't understand as well as you. I think we need to get through this together." I waved my hand awkwardly. "I don't think I can face them alone."

"They understand. They've been...kind about it all. Even Logan." He paused shaking his head. "Especially Logan. He's come down here a few times. He just stands here for a long time saying nothing. But today he suggested another trip to Mexico." Alex smiled a little and I felt a pang of jealousy. But I kept quiet. "I almost took him up on it. We had a pretty decent time the last time we went down there. At least before we were attacked." His face dropped and he said softly, "Before I was kidnapped..."

"You never said anything about that before," I pointed out.

He swallowed as if the memory was suddenly painful. "It was back when we were living in Australia. There isn't much to tell." Of course he was understating the pain he was feeling at the memory. I didn't need to be a telepath to see that. I was quiet for a time, taking it all in. My jealousy, the fact that we hardly knew each other, that he wouldn't talk to me about something so
painful as that memory, that he'd go off to Mexico with Logan instead of me. But he hadn't. He'd stayed until I came back. Now I had to persuade him to stay for good.

Carefully I turned him around to face me. When he looked at me, his mouth quirked up in a sad smile and he reached his hand up to brush the front of my visor with his fingers. "Good ole Cyclops. I don't think I could pick up where we left off. I think it's better if I go."

I knew what he meant so I grabbed his fingers and shook my head. "I'm not asking you to. It'd be too...awkward. But you're my brother and I love you and want...I need to be sure you're okay. We've both been through hell." He started to speak but I waved him to silence with my free hand. "We've both been through hell. And you're right. I have Jean. But who do you have?"
Alex gulped in a rapid choked breath and his eyes flashed in anger.

"Lorna's gone," I continued quickly, trying to forestall his anger. "Sounds like she wouldn't have been there for you in any case. But I want to be there. Like I never was before. Not after Inferno and Maddie's death. Not after you came back from the dead. Not even after the plane crash."

His face softened and he swallowed as his eyes began to mist.

"I just want to be there one time in your life. I want to believe that you need your big brother."

We looked at each other for a long time, neither of us certain what else to say. Then Alex moved in close to kiss me. It was a gentle, sweet chaste kiss. The first kiss between lovers. A kiss that held promises, but no guarantees. A kiss that didn't depend on arousal or desperation, but just signified two people sharing a common thread."You'll stay?" I murmured, ending the kiss.
Alex nodded. "For now."

I smiled. "That's fine. As long as you want." But inside I was saying, "Forever. You'll stay forever."

"I'm gonna go get some sleep," I said after another few minutes of silence.

*Care to join me,* I wanted to add, but knowing what a mess it would make if I did say it. Instead I added, "All your stuff is in storage. After you disappeared I had Forge send it here."

Alex's face lit up and I felt a sudden moment of joy. I'd said something that had made Alex happy. I hoped I'd be able to do that often in the future. "Thanks," he said.

I patted his shoulder and with nothing more to say at the moment, and starting to really drag from the last several days, I headed back up to the mansion.