The night was deepening by the time Scott and Alex returned from the subterranean lab and to the comfort of the X-Mansion. Alex, who had been so lively during dinner, now seemed sullen and depressed. Scott knew that his little brother was worried about his powers and the impact that keeping them restrained might have on his life. He knew all too well. Who could understand Scott’s optic powers enough to see that it didn’t define who he was? Who could see these ruby quarts shades as something other than a handicap, or a lock on a gun safe? Who could ever embrace him as someone other than a mutant? Scott was not ashamed of being a mutant – but he didn’t want that to be the first word used to describe him. Isn’t that what all mutants wanted? To be viewed as normal people?

“C’mere,” said Scott, taking Alex by the elbow. “I wanna show you something.”

* * *

A glittering blanket of stars covered the deep velvet sky, white diamonds watching the universe with unblinking eyes. They reflected in the still, glassy water of the pool down below, mirrored back with crystal clarity. Like a door to a whole other sky in a whole other world.

Alex, wearing short sleeves and cargo shorts, wrapped his arms around himself and exhaled a white mist. “It’s cold here.”

“It’ll get warmer,” Scott assured, standing out on the broad dais of the back patio. He craned his neck up at the stars, his hands in his pockets, his world an unchanging shade of ruby red. “What I like best about being so far from the city is being able to see the stars.”

Alex turned his face upward to look. “Yeah, there sure are a lot. It’s usually so humid in Hawaii that you really only see ‘em in winter.” He breathed out heavily, watching his breath with interest. “Reminds me of Before.”

“Yeah,” said Scott. Before the plane. Before the pain. “People are like stars, Alex. Some are bright, some are dim. Some cluster together in little groups and some stand out on their own. The ones on their own, those are the ones that shine the brightest.”

Alex smiled. “But they’re still alone.”

“Maybe. But they are the ones that humanity has seen night after night for thousands of years, the ones that have been written down and given names out of all the billions and billions of other stars. They are the ones that mankind has remembered and will always remember. They are the ones that guide and inspire, the ones that form the constellations that tell us stories about our past.

“We are stars, Alex. It’s lonely up there by ourselves, set apart from the other stars, but we can face it. Being mutants, we shine to show the way to others, to guide them and protect the world they live in. We are here to help them understand and set examples for the other stars, and maybe one day they’ll shine as brightly as we do. And then none of us, mutant or human, will ever be alone again.”

Silence fell and the two brothers stared up at the sky, two small motes of life adrift in a sea with no shores. When Alex turned to Scott, his face was wet with tears. “But all stars die one day,” he said in a hoarse voice.

Scott reached down and grasped his brother’s hand. “Yes. And new stars will take their place. There is no such thing as total darkness, just like there’s no such thing as a night without stars. Even if you can’t see them, you know they’re there, watching over us.”

Alex sniffed and wiped his cheeks with the back of his hand. “I think I’m homesick,” he muttered.

Scott took Alex by the shoulder and guided him back inside. “Yeah,” he said. “Me, too.”

* * *

Kurt was a bit worried when Scott didn’t answer the knock on his bedroom door the next morning. He knocked again, louder this time, but there was still no response. “Hey, wake up!” he called. “You’re going to miss breakfrüh – er, breakfast!” After no reply, he felt obligated to investigate and opened the door.

Scott was not in bed. Nor was anything else – it had been completely stripped, mattress and everything. Only the bare frame remained, a comical wooden skeleton. A new structure now occupied the space between the foot of the bed and the desk: a fort made out of blankets. Kurt stood in the doorway and cocked his head. “Was zum Teufel . . .?” A mattress edge and somebody’s bare feet poked out from the cloth wall.

Kurt sauntered over and leaned down, pulling up the edge of the blanket.

The Summers brothers had apparently been up to their old tricks again. Empty cocoa cups, a bowl of stale popcorn remnants and a rapidly-dying flashlight spoke of a long night spent catching up with the good old days. Kurt grinned lopsidedly at Scott and Alex sprawled awkwardly over the too-small mattress. It was a most un-elegant position for the commanding X-Men leader to be seen sleeping on the floor in his boxer shorts, with cocoa stains on the front of his shirt. Kurt giggled and covered his mouth, dropping the blanket. He stood up and tiptoed from the room.

He wasn’t being courteous – he was going to get his camera.

* * *

“Oversleeping again? You’re really getting into a bad habit, Scott.”

“Evan, mind your own business, would you?”

“Sorr-ry. Guess somebody woke up on the wrong side of the bed.”

Scott rubbed his sore neck. “Or the floor,” he muttered under his breath. Alex breezed right past him, apparently rested and refreshed and ready for a new day.

“Hey, Evan!” he greeted cheerily. “What’s up?”

“Not much,” the skater commented. “You guys missed breakfast, though. And it was really good, too.”

“Great,” Scott muttered. “Looks like it’s cereal and toast for us, bro.”

“Ya got any oranges?” Alex asked, browsing through the pantry. “I’m like dyin’ for an orange or a grapefruit or something.”

“Think we have some in the fridge.”

As the brothers went about collecting breakfast at eleven o’clock in the morning, most of the residents had already started their days and were out and about at the X-Mansion, organizing baseball games or washing the vehicles (punishment for some), or coordinating trips to the mall. Sunday was the one day of the week free from training, chores and maintenance, allowing the kids to do whatever they wished. The house was fairly quiet and unoccupied, and it wasn’t unusual if it stayed like that until bedtime.

Evan finished off his milk and picked up his board. “Well, I’d love to hang out but the half-pipes are callin’. Later, dudes!”

“See ya, Evan!” Alex waved, mouth full of orange. He turned to Scott. “Well, looks like we’re on our own again. Anything planned for today, big bro?”

“I dunno,” Scott answered, pouring the cold dregs from the coffeepot into his cup and popping it in the microwave. “I guess we’ll stop by the lab and see if those gloves will be ready in time for school tomorrow.”

“Oh, right. School.”

“Cheer up, it’s not so bad. I’ve got my license so I’ll drive you, and I’ll show you around the-”

“It’s not that.”

“Then what is it?”

Alex shrugged vaguely. “I dunno. Something about trying to start over. It’s always hard.”

“Hey, don’t worry. I’m here to help you, remember?”

Alex nodded like a kid being lectured to by his parent and played with the orange peel.

Scott sat down at the bar next to his brother. “Hey, wasn’t it a riot last night?” he asked with an encouraging nudge.

“Yeah,” Alex smirked. “But your ghost stories sucked.”

Scott grimaced. “You’re a harsh critic, Alley. I’m no good at telling stories, you know that.”

“Yeah, but come on. The babysitter and the serial killer story? That one’s been around more times than the flu.”

“I’m trying!”

“Well try harder. Or maybe borrow some of those horror books from Rogue. I saw her reading one at dinner last night.”

“She was at dinner last night?”

“Yeah. She sat at the end of the table and ignored everybody. How could you miss her? She wasn’t wearing camo or anything.”

Scott shrugged. “She’s just so quiet most of the time. I guess I’ve stopped noticing her.” He paused, a grin forming on his lips. “But you noticed her. Why, do you like her or something?”

Alex smiled bashfully. “She’s kinda pretty. In a Dracula sorta way. I bet if she took off some of that black makeup and put on some Daisy Dukes, she’d be knocking guys out.”

“Rogue has to keep her skin covered. It’s because of her powers.”

“Really?”

Scott took a bite of toast. “She absorpff the life forff of anyfing she touffef wiff her skin.” He swallowed. “Touch her for a minute and you’re-” He glanced at his breakfast. “-well, toast.”

“Really? Aw, dude. That must suck big time.” Alex slumped. “So she can’t ever, like . . .?”

“No.”

“Dude. That poor chick. Is that why she’s all distant and cold and stuff?”

“I suppose.”

Alex ran a hand through his blond bangs. “Jeez. Not being able to touch another person without killing ‘em . . . who’d wanna live a life like that? Life is all about hugs and kisses and . . . and all that touchy stuff, y’know?”

“She seems to deal with it well enough.”

“It must be hard on her. God, what a bogus power. It really is more of a curse, isn’t it? I’m so glad I didn’t end up with something totally messed up like that.”

“Hope y’all ‘re done talkin, ‘cause I would just hate to interrupt.”

Scott and Alex both jumped in their seats and turned to see Rogue, dressed from head to toe in black, glaring at them with narrow green eyes. Neither of them had heard her come in, nor did they know how long she had been standing there. She reached between the stunned young men and plucked an apple from the bowl on the counter. She met Alex’s wide-eyed gaze and curled her lip. “Guess we don’t all got it as good as some. Ain’t that right, yer Highness?” And before he could reply, she had whipped around and left the kitchen.

Alex released a huge sigh. Partly relief, partly guilt. “Damn. So much for a good impression, huh?”

“Don’t worry about it,” Scott said with a wave of his hand. “Rogue doesn’t play favorites. She hates everyone equally.”

Alex looked over his shoulder in the direction she had gone. “She really is a star, isn’t she?”

The smile faded from Scott’s face, replaced by a more somber expression. “The brightest, loneliest one of all.”