Archive of Our Own

Chapter Text

The BAU jet hummed quietly beneath them, the team was on their way home from a particularly grueling case in Chicago. Most of them drifted into silence, lost in thought or half sleep.

But not Spencer Reid.

He sat alone, fingers tracing absently over the cover of the book he had in his lap, he wasn't reading it any more, he hadn't turned a page in twenty minutes. He let his eyes flicker over to the window trying to let the view and predictable hum of the jet settle him. A headache had been building behind his eyes for hours now, but something was off, it didn't feel like a regular headache , it felt like pressure, something else entirely.

Something... Wrong.

Hotch's voice cut through his dazed mind. "Are you alright Reid?"

Spencer blinked away his haze, a little startled by the question. "Yeah, I'm..." cutting himself off from the normal 'I'm fine' he would give knowing that the older profiler could tell that it was a lie. He didn't have the energy to come up with a good lie, even with how fast his brain works, he had to resist the urge to sigh and went with a half truth, not wanting to appear weak in front of his superior. "I'm not sure"

Hotch looked at him for a moment, probably deciding whether or not to push. He eventually nodded. "Get some rest. We'll debrief in the morning."

Nodding Spencer turned back to the window. He didn't mention the tremor in his hands, or the quiet whispering of voices on the edge of his shields, that seemed to be calling his name but he didn't recognize them. He continued to stare out the window, his mind filled with dread telling him. 'Something bad is going to happen.' He just couldn't figure out what.

Upstate New York- Xavier's school for gifted youngsters

Logan walked out onto the balcony of his room that he shared with his lovers, at the moment just being Remy. With practiced hands he pulled out and lit a cigar leaning on the metal railing. Taking a deep breath, scenting the air to see if everything is as it should be, he took a long drag of the cigar.

A few moments later he let out a low frustrated sound, which could only be described as a growl. "Something's off." He muttered in his usual gruff tone.

"Y' say dat every week, Cher " Remy pointed out as he slipped into his usual trench coat moving to join him on the balcony, lighting up a cigarette.

"This time it's different," Logan didn't look up at him, his eyes were distant like he was trying to reach someone internally. "It's Summers.”

Not understanding why this was such a concern to him, Remy raised an eyebrow at him looking for clarification, "Scott? not new for h'."

Growling again Logan turned jaw tight looking at him in his black and red eyes, it being dark enough for Remy to forgo his shades, "No. It's the other one. The one known ones supposed ta know about."

At the mention of him Remy became a little more serious, his almost ever present smirk fading at what he is meaning. "Spencer?"

Logan nodded, turning back to face the balcony. "Haven't heard a damn thing from him in a week." He paused long enough to take another drag of his cigar. "And I ain't talking texts, I mean nothing. No mental ping. No nothing, he's just ... gone."

Logan made his way back inside having discarded his cigar. Remy's body tensed he knew no matter how far away he was Spencer could always reach out to them with his telepathy. He barely made it a day without reaching out to one of them, even if he didn't say anything, just to let them know he's ok. Remy hadn't thought anything of it, he usually checks in with one of them and he thought he was checking in with Logan as his head is easier to reach, given Remy's charge can act as a mental shield alongside his shields for his empathy. He's angry with himself now he knows he hadn't been reaching Logan either. He charged the rest of his cigarette, flicking it away with a little POP. Walking back to Logan he practically whispered and shouted. "Merde. Y' thin' someone found out?"

He didn't answer. He didn't need to. For the rest of the night they just sat with each other, until they eventually drifted into sleep.

Quantico, Virginia- Three Days later

It started with a red envelope. No return address. No postmark. Just BAU written is block letters across the front. It was left in Garcia's mail box in her office.

JJ was the one to find it first when she went to say hi to Garcia when she got into work. "Garcia? What is this?" holding it up to see it better curiously.

"I'm not sure, my fine furry friend. Let me see." Spinning in her chair back to her desk, with that infectious smile of hers. She opens the letter and not a moment later of seeing the content her smile vanishes, eyes watering. "Ow my God! No!" She cried, dropping the contents of the letter on the ground baking away.
JJ reacted instantly. "Garcia. What's wrong?" Only she was not being heard by her muttering of 'please no's' and the frantic tears falling from her eyes. She moved to where Garcia was a moment ago reaching for the content of the letter. Straining up she looked at it and echoed Gracias reaction. "Ow my god!" Startled, she put her hand over her mouth as she attempted to process what she was seeing.

It was a single photo.

Spencer, unconscious, blooded and beaten, chained to a wall. His shirt torn open revealing an integrated symbol scorched into his chest, still glowing slightly in the way you could tell it was fresh. And printed in black ink across the bottom:

'One less freak in your ranks. Stay out of this.’

Chapter Text

The BAU conference room was thick with tension that was radiating from each agent. When they were called in they were expecting just another case. But it was not another case, not if it was one of their own involved.

On the screen in front of them was a digital copy of the photo that Garcia received.

The team had to take a moment to themselves after seeing the photo. There were mixed reactions by each agent.

Morgan was practically vibrating in anger, probably to cover for the fact that he is terrified for Reid. Hotch wore his ever stoic mask but you could see the slight tension in the lines at his eyes.

The team with the exception of Rossi couldn't help but draw a coloration to what happened with Tobias Hankel.

Eventually it was Garcia to break the silence that was threatening to choke them."I...It was in m...my mailbox this morning." She managed to stammer out, her voice cracking and tears threatening to shed again. She had her laptop with her fingers trembling but ready for when given something to do. "It's clean. No finger prince. No return address. I tried to find who delivered it but nada. It just ... appeared."

Her bright clothes and warm demeanor has always been her shield, for what they see on the job, but to see her like this her mascara smudged, visibly distraught and looked like she broke under the weight of helplessness. It was a blow for everyone.

"Hey, Baby Girl. Look at me," Morgan moved to stand in front of her while he was talking, placing a gentle, but sturdy hand on her shoulder, waiting to continue till she did look at him. "We're gonna get him back. You hear me?" The way he said it was like he was trying to convince himself as much as he was trying to convince the others.

Garcia nodded hesitantly, eyes flickering back to the screen unsure whether she fully believed him. "They hurt him. They're torturing him. How do we know the Spencer we get back is the Spencer we know.”

No one had an answer for her and they drifted back into silence again for a moment, while they processed what was happening.

Emily moved forward closer to the table, she was one for the best at compartmentalizing, but her composure was starting to shake. Her arms were crossed a bit tighter than normal and you could hear more emotion in her voice as she talked. "That symbol on his chest, it's not random. It's precise. Intentional. Is a message. I don't think this was random. I think Reid was targeted."

Understanding what Emily is trying to do, Hotch spoke up from the front of the room. "Given that it was sent to us, it's safe to say that it was meant for us. The writing gives away more, 'One less freak in your ranks, Stay out of this', they think what they are doing is justified but they still feel the need to warn us not to get involved."

JJ leaned forward to look at the photo with the eyes of a profiler, not of a friend , taking in what she could while trying to push back the pain of seeing Reid like that. "And the way he's restrained. It's not just physical. See that collar it looks like a suppression device. Military grade. Not something easily obtained. But why.”

They all focused on the collar now. They all knew what it was and glanced at each other confirming their thoughts.

Emily put words to their shared thought, "That is what the military uses to suppress mutant powers." Allow she intended it like a question, it came across more of a statement.

They all know that she is right but none of them understand.

"But why use it on Spence, " JJ practically cried. "He's not a mutant. Right?"

"No," Garcia said, shaking her head. "No, are boy wonder would have told us, we're his family. And even if he was, if we didn't know how would they know.”

Rossi cleared his throat at the back of the room, he appeared to be not as affected by the situation as the others but he was still willing to do whatever it took to get Spencer back. When Rossi first came back to the BAU his opinion on the youngest member of the team was that he was some awkward kid, he talked too much, he never stood still, and he thought the kid would never make it in this line of work. And get time and time again he had proven to Rossi that his intelligence is essential to the team and his quirks helped lighten the load when it's a hard case. He had eventually wormed his way into Rossi's heart and he was not going to let the kid down.

For that reason he was pulling his contacts in the postal service to try and track where the letter had come from. Even though he had not found where the letter had originated, he did find something that is important to share. "I just heard from a contact in the postal service. We're not the only ones to receive a message. An almost identical one was delivered to a Scott Summers, at the same time this one was sent to us.”

They were all confused now, none of them ever hearing the name Scott Summers before. Morgan straightened up, still holding Garcia's shoulder. "Who the hell is Scott Summers?"

Hotch decided that it may be best to split up tasks wasting no more time, considering they had no idea how much Spencer still had. "Garcia look into this Scott Summers, find out why he would receive the same message about Reid, and see if we can meet with him. Morgan, JJ go to Reid's apartment to see if there is anything there. If not retrace his steps, his day to day activity, look for where he was taken and try to find out how. Prentice I want you to look into why Reid, it is unlikely that this is related to an old case given the symbol, look into it anyway and see what you can find, go through his case files if you need to. When Morgan and JJ are done they help you with that. Rossi and I will analyze every aspect of the photo and find out what we can."

Within seconds of him finishing speaking everyone set off on their tasks. Morgan and JJ were heading to the elevator, Garcia back to her office, Prentice to gather old case files, and Hotch and Rossi stayed in the conference room. The helplessness they were feeling was replaced with quiet determination.

They were all sharing one thought. 'We'll find you'.

Elsewhere - unknown Location

Spencer was drifting in and out of consciousness like a light with faulty wires.
He was unable to keep track of time now, his usual perfect internal clock messed up from the pain and constant loss and gain of consciousness. There were no windows to dictate night or day, the only light he had was the cheap fluorescent light hanging above the door, which filled the small room with a constant maddening low hum. The metal restraints were digging into his wrists making his flesh raw and trying to get out of them only cut into his wrists. Which was clear by the trail of blood running down his arms from when he tried to get out.

Pain was a constant companion now, one may think that would be the worst part, the pain, but not for Spencer. No, for Spencer the worst part was the quiet. Not the quiet in his cosey little cell, no, the quiet where his telepathy used to be. Ever since he developed his power he had never been in complete silence. No matter how far away from people he was he could always feel them in his head.

Now they are just gone.

He kept trying to reach for his family, for his friends he knew that it would not work with the damn collar on but he had to try, there wasn't anything else to try. He looked for Remy's chaotic, yet graceful mind, his mind always reminding him of a wildfire, warm, beautiful and dangerous. He reached for Logan's primal, sturdy and instinctual, just being able to feel it made him feel protected like nothing would happen to him. He even tried reaching for Scott's calm, comforting, logical mind.

All just Gone. He was truly alone in this.

He remembered the first time his power manifested. Unlike most mutants it was not through a stressful event. He was nine and visiting his brothers for the weekend, he was outside playing a game of chest by himself. Then he heard his brothers arguing on the opposite side of the house, but he was hearing it in his head like they were screaming right inside his ears. It was so loud for him his nose bled and he tried to cover his ears. When he told them no one believed him, they thought that his brothers were being too loud and he heard them that way. It was only Alex that believed him straight after he told them, Alex having had his gift for a few years at that point. Eventually Scott believed him, after he got his power and Spencer commented on something he thought rather than said.

He was pulled out of his thoughts by footsteps echoing down the hallway coming toward his cell door. He took a deep breath in an attempt to ready himself for whatever may come. A man in a lab coat entered, his eyes were empty but calculating. He just stared at him for a moment, studying him and his work. "Your remarkable Dr. Reid. A telepathy, a powerful one at that. Identic memory. Your family as well," Pausing he took a moment to study how his words affected Spencer, he didn't get what he was looking for so he continued. "And yet they left you to rot with humans. People that would have you dead if they ever found out about you."

Spencer barely had the strength to lift his head, but he managed. "You're afraid." He managed to choke out, his voice barely beyond a whisper.

The man gave a slight twitch of the lips in amusement. "I'm not afraid of anything, Dr. Reid."

Taking another breath his voice hoarse from the lack of hydration and screaming. "You're afraid of mutants." He corrected.

The man gave a low chuckle this time and moved to grab a remote out of his pocket. "When I'm through with you everyone will be." He backed up a few paces before pressing the button on the remote.

The collar Spencer was wearing lit up with electricity, causing Spencer body to seize and convulse with pain, as vaults of electricity were coursing through him and all he could do was scream.

Chapter Text

The war room at the X-Mansion was heavy with the realization of what had happened.

When Scott got the letter his first reaction was pain and fury. How dare someone hurt his baby brother and have the nerve to tell him to leave it alone and let them have him. It was at least an hour till he calmed down enough to start gathering the X-Men to ask them for help in saving his brother.

All the X-Men knew Spencer from when he would come to visit. He was well liked by all of them. None of them had any problem helping him. They would help any one in that situation. The news itself hit everyone differently of course.

Remy knew something was wrong the moment he felt Scott practically projecting fury. He knows Scot had a temper under the calm he presented to the world. Remy could feel it when he was near him, despite how he would appear calm. But never had Remy felt this much rage from him. He was still on edge a bit from his conversation with Logan a few days ago.

To say he was not taking the news well would be an understatement. When they all gathered in the war room after Scott showed them the photo. Remy had to yank his Shields up as much as he could to stop being poisoned by the atmosphere.

Logan's reaction was what shocked the X-Men the most. It was no secret that when Spencer would come and visit he was close with Logan and Remy, and he would sometimes spend more of his time with them, over his own brother. That being said they all know how protective ferals can be when it comes to people they are close with, but they still had no idea that this would bring this kind of reaction from him.

When he saw the photo he let out an uncontrollable ferocious growl, which was close to a roar, his claws flying out, and his natural blue eyes lining gold. All the telltale signs that he was struggling to control his feral side. When that happened they all backed away despite their shock they knew to give him space to get control. He eventually got more control and pulled his claws back in, the growl was quieter but still there.

The rest of the X-Men, Jean, Storm, Charles, and Roger, all sat and stared with various expressions processing what they learned.

Scott stood in front of the screen which they displayed the photo on. His eyes were locked on his brother's face. It was bruised and had a few cut which smudge his face with blood. He couldn't bring himself to look down at his chest again. His eyes remain on his face hidden behind his sunglasses, but something inside his cracked.

They got into a fight when he last visited over a month ago. It was because Scott didn't want him to go back to the FBI and wanted him to stay here where it was safe and he didn't have to worry about someone finding out that he was a mutant. He wanted to protect him. Isn't that what big brothers are for.

He was hating himself for the fight now. "I should've called him." He found himself muttering. To whom he didn't know, he just couldn't stand the silence. "I pushed him away. He left because I made him feel like he didn't belong here.”

Jean placed a hand on his arm, hoping to offer some comfort. "He left because he didn't want to live in your shadow. He did belong, Scott."

Scott let his head fall, shame evident in every aspect of his demeanor. Right now he was not Cyclops' field leader of the X-Men, he was just Scott Summers the person who's brother was in danger and he couldn't protect him. "I didn't mean to push him away. I... I was trying to protect him."

From the corner Logan pulled out a cigar, which Xavier promptly reminded him there was no smoking indoors, then he decided to light it anyway. He kept his eyes on Scott, studying him, his nostrils flaring, before growling out. "Ya did push him away. You and Xavier both." Sending glares at both of them. "Ya made him think that his brain was his only gift. Like just being him wasn't enough for ya." When he was finished they both looked a little more guilty.

Remy, who was sitting in front of Logan, was leaning on his knees absently fiddling with a deck of cards, paying little attention to how he was charging them making them glow a faint pink between his fingers. "He ain't like us. Spencer. He ain't part o' our world. Ain't part o' ders either. He be both. An' dat scares a lot o' people”

He stopped fiddling with his cards taking a deep breath as he pulled in his charge, folding them back to a deck. He pulled off his sunglasses showing off his red and black eyes, he let them drift to the screen. Taking in Spencer's bloody, beaten and burnt form, hanging limp from the chains. He focuses his glare on Scott needing him to understand.

Remy knows that this won't be easy for him to hear, given the fact that Scott does truly care for his brother despite his wrongdoing, he can feel that he does care and is hurting with the knowledge that his brother is hurting. That is why he needs him to listen to him. Wants he was sure he was paying attention to him he starts, "Dese connards are gonna make an example o' him. Dats.. just de start." Nodding to the screen.

You could hear the growl grow lower from the wolverine. He did not like the idea that his mate would be subjected to more pain.

Scott looked back to the screen using his guilt and molding it into fierce determination. "Then we find him and the people that did this before it gets to that.”

Jean gave him a small nod lightly squeezing his arm. Then turn to face everyone."We've already narrowed down possibilities. There's chatter about a new radical group that formed a few months ago and it appears to be funded. And some people involved in the weapon x program resurfaced."

"I'll reach out to Hank," Scott added. "we may need medical support"

Xavier who had barely added any things to the discussion. "It may be a long shot but I will see if I can find him with Ceribro. It might not work but is worth a try." He made his way out of the war room down the hall and disappeared into Ceribro.

Jean faced them cautiously, having something to say that they may not like that much. "We also have to work with the FBI. Apparently they got the same message too."

Not many of them were fond of the idea of working with the FBI, the very people that believe them to be terrorists and are technically obligated to take them in on site. Eventually after some convincing they decided it would be beneficial to combine efforts to find Spencer.

Quantico, Virginia

The BAU all sat at the table in the conference room, they were both curious and worried when they found out the X-Men were coming here to help. Apparently Scott Summers is one of them and they are all friends with Spencer. In the end they reached an agreement, the only way they were going to turn them in is if they do something illegal in their presence.

Remy and Logan were the first to enter.

Logan was wearing jeans and a tank top with a jacket, he walked as nothing could hurt him. His short stature did nothing to detract from the powerful presents he gave off, given his board appearance. The profilers took note of how his nose flared when he entered the room alongside how his eyes scanned them.

Remy walked like he didn't have a care in the world, a skill he had developed throughout the years to not let people see how much they affected him. His movements were graceful, some would say charming or sensational, the BAU could tell that that was just how he wanted to be perceived, they could tell each move was intentional. He was wearing black skinny jeans that were partly covered by knee length laced boots, a shirt that hugged his frame under a trench coat.

They could see his eyes behind the shades he wore but they knew that they would be scanning the room much like the Wolverines did. Taking them in and sizing them up.

The tension in the room was immediately evident. They just spent a minute looking at each other. Studying one and other trying to decide whether or not to do something. All the agents were on edge in their presence, they should be talking them in, not that they believe that they were terrorists but that's what they were classified as and they need to honor the law. They are taking a massive risk to get Reid back, but this was the best way and they all know it.

Hotch was the one to speak first. "Settle down, they are here to help. And because they know him." His words did little to sway the tension. "Let's get introductions out of the way. I'm SSA Aaron Hotchner." Gesturing at them as he said "This is SSA David Rossi, Emily Prentice, Derek Morgan and Jennifer Jarreau or JJ. And that is our technical analysis Penelope Garcia."

"Dey call m' de Gambit." He gave a small courteous bow, then nodded over to Logan. "Dat talkative homme over der is de Wolverine." He was trying to ease the tension and succeed with a chuckle from a few members and a small irritated growl from Logan.

Morgan was still not impressed with their presence and tried to get on track with what they are here for. "Do you know who took Reid?"

Logan gave a small huff and shrugged. "We have ideas. Mutant hating bastard's, most likely."

Remy rolled his eyes at Logan standoff behavior, and took up the role of sharing information with them. "We be trackin' a few groups. Not many have de resources t' do something like dis. An' t' shut down his powers so we can' track him dat way." His thick Cajun ascent pleased the lady on the team. Who were giving him concealed appreciative glances.

Logan, who seems to be intent on pissing off the FBI, growls accusingly at the agents. "They also managed to take him and avoid 6 trained FBI agents."

Morgan stood up staring at him. "Are you trying to blame this on us? We all had a week off after our last case. Reid always goes off the grid when he has a vacation. This wasn't our fault." Morgan hadn't realized that he had raised his voice until he saw the other staring at him.

Logan was growling at Morgan now, feeling challenged and still on edge with the situation. "You people were sapposed ta protect him." He could feel his claws trying to unsheathe in his fists and surprisingly he was managing to hold them back.

Remy knew that his behavior wasn't his fault, he was just scared for his mate and reacting, he stepped between them before this could get out of hand. "Wolvie, s'il te plaît. Dey tryin' t' help. Let dem help." Logan was still growling at Morgan, but looked briefly at Remy. Remy rewarded him with what he and Spencer called an empathetic hug of care and love for him, and kept pushing those emotions into him alongside calming once until he calmed.

Logan calmed down after a few moments, he stopped growling and went to the other end of the room trying to fully calm himself, not wanting to risk losing control in the middle of the FBI building while Spencer was in danger. Remy pushing consent calming emotion into him helped a lot.

The rest of the BAU watched the scene unfold with concern, not sure what happened or how to react to it. Morgan just stood there dumbfounded as to what just happened. It was him that found the need to ask just that. "What just happened?" Looking at Gambit.

He had to fight the urge to sigh as he looked back at Logan. Nope there was no way of not explaining this given that it will most likely happen again at some point. "De Wolverine's more feral nature an' instincts are protective o' Spencer. All feral mutants have a tendency t’ be ruled by der instincts, mes amis. Wolvie's see Spencer as his and his to protect. He thinks he failed in dat, mais he can’t blame hi'self, so he blames you as you were de last people with him." Feeling the understanding of them he added. "He'll come around, once he sees y’ tryin’ t’ help Spencer."

They understood the need to protect Spencer, they all felt that need, they all think it was probably because he was the youngest and had that child-like view that just begged to be protected. They couldn't help but wonder what he did for the Wolverine's most basic instinct is to provide protection for him.

They got back to the tack at hand. Rossi was the one to ask the question that was on their minds since they got the message. "Is Spencer a mutant?"

"Oui," Remy said, nodding slightly.

Be for any of them could say anything else Logan spoke up. His voice surprisingly softened slightly. "He's one of the best of us. Stronger than anyone knows. He got a habit of hiding it.”

The statement confused them. They understood why he would hide it from the normal world but how he said it meant he would hide it from other mutants as well.

Garcia couldn't help herself when she blurted "Why?"

Scott, having perfect timing, entered just as she finished speaking. He looks calm and collected to most people. The profilers looked at his posture. It was stiff, most likely with worry but there was determination there. "He hides it because being powerful in a world that hates you for what you are is dangerous. I'm Scott Summers, you will more likely know me as Cyclops, and Spencer is my brother."

Silence once again took over the conference room again as they tried to digest the new information. They thought they understood little about how Reid knew the X-Men, but with this changed what they thought entirely.

"Your brother?" JJ blinked in disbelief and looking for clarification.

Scott nodded. "Yes Spencer is my brother. But right now that is not important. What is, is that right now he is in more danger than you can imagine.”

Remy leaned forward as he took a seat at the table, he still kept himself out of the way and closer to Logan knowing that his proximity will help keep him calmer. "Den let's stop talkin' an' start huntin'"

Sounds of approval echoed each of them. For the first time in days the conference room was buzzing with movement, there was still a lingering sense of tension and not fully trust.

Two worlds working together, one of logic and profiling and the other of mutants and survival, heading towards a common goal.

Spencer wasn't just missing.

He was counting on them.

Chapter Text

The cold in his cell wasn't just physically. It wasn't psychological. Purposeful. Cruel. The isolation itself was disorientating, he was starting to feel like he was floating.

Spencer was stumped against the wall, his shirt was nothing more than a strand of fabric. His skin was layered with a thin coating of sweat, breath coming and going in a pitiful swallow gasped. He was trying to steady it but each time he tried to take a deeper breath pain burned and echoed in nearly every aspect of his body making his breathing worse with the onslaught of pain.

He ached from head to toe, they were doing so much to him that he had lost track of his injuries. He tried to chatter log them to focus his mind. His ribs were definitely bruised if not broken, wrists were raw and cut up from him shifting, muscles stiff and sore, bruised almost everywhere. He was still occasionally twitching from the aftermath of the electricity. He remembers them cutting him with a knife on his back, maybe 5 or 6 times, they didn’t seem to be stabbing but slicing though his skin.

He didn't want to think about the burns on his chest, they were one of the first they did, it was making his skin unbearably warm, a stark contrast to the bone deep cold the rest of his body faced. In the back of his mind he thought it could be infected.

They wanted him to break. To become maluable. They may break his body but he would not let them break his mind. They could do whatever they wanted to him, he was not going to do a single thing for them.

Yes he was terrified but he will never let them see that. His mind is stronger than they realise.

The collar suppressed his telepathy, he couldn't hear the thoughts beyond his cell wall, but even without it his mind was a force to be reckoned with. People had a habit of underestimating him and he knew how to use it to his advantage.

The door opened with a hiss that made Spencer have to fight not to react, he knew who it would be so he didn't bother to open his eyes. "You're quiet today," The man in the white lab coat said, Dr. Kelly, he heard one of the guards call him. It didn't matter to Spencer, he was his torturer. His captor nothing more. "Not like yesterday. I thought you enjoyed your little monologues."

Spencer chuckled weakly, not having a lot of energy but determined not to let this man get a rise out of him. He still didn't open his eyes. He wanted to see how long it would take for it to make him mad. "You mean the part where I diagnosed you with narcissistic sociopathy." His voice was dry and quiet but loud enough to be heard in his concrete cell. "Remind me, did you cry about that later, or suppress it like your unresolved paternal issues?”

Kelly's face twitched just long enough that when Spencer opened his eyes he saw a glimpse of rage in Kelly's. He smirked as best as he could, "Don't take it personally. I'd offer to write your obituary, but I don't do fiction."

Kelly pulled his chains shortening them so he was standing, feet barely resting on the ground and his weight was fully on his shoulders. Then Kelly stepped back and leaned against the door of the cell, reaching into his pocket as he did pulling out the remote again. Smiling at Spencer with morbid pleasure as he pressed the button.

The collar sent shock waves of electricity though his body again, he could feel his muscles seize and spasm. He screamed and had it only lasted seconds before his throat dried up and refused to make a sound, he could still hear himself screaming echoing in his ears.

Through his pain he managed to lock eyes with Kelly. What Kelly saw in his eyes was not what he wanted, there was no surrender, only rage and pain. Kelly kept turning the collar on and off, leaving him a moment to breathe before tuning it on again. He was leaving it on longer and longer in hopes that he would get the reaction he wanted. When it was clear that he was not getting the reaction he was looking for he left it off and left, leaving the door open knowing that Spencer would not have the strength to try and escape.

When it was over Spencer could feel his consciousness struggling at the edges. Black spots in vision threatened to take over, but then he felt something changed inside of him. He felt something else there. His heart was racing not just from the pain of the electricity, but from something more. He forced himself to stay conscious long enough to focus on it, to feel it. His whole body burning, pausing, vibrating within him not only from the aftershock of the electricity, it was coming from within him. A humming growing pressure like the air in a storm.

Kelly didn't notice, not yet anyway he used to keep it that way for now. Spencer closed his eyes and tried to steady his breath and concentrated on it blocking everything else out his body was feeling. The pain, the helplessness, everything.

Energy. Raw and pulsing it felt like fire and electricity wrapped along his bones. The best part was that it wasn't caged, it was something new and it needed to be let out.

Chapter Text

The BAU conference room has never been this crowded or this divided.

Remy stood against the back wall with a perfect view of everyone and the entrance. To those who don't know him he looked relaxed, the pinnacle of calm and controlled. He was holding a tablet in one hand searching for intel on anti-mutant organizations and in the other was a deck of cards which he was shuffling them absently with one hand.

That was one of the signs that Remy was worried, it always helped calm him if he was doing something with his hands. Another sign that he was on edge was how every few minutes he would lift his eyes and scam the room for danger discreetly, not that he believed they would be, so far he had gotten no sign of dishonesty from the BAU team. It was an old habit formed from living on the streets as a kid and being raised to be a master thief.

Logan was pacing near the back, each of his movements taunt and predatory. He hated waiting, the beast inside him wanted to be out there, hunting and ripping the people who did this into tiny pieces. He wanted to be able to feel their life end between his claws for them to suffer for what they must be doing to his mate.

He knew he was having a hard time controlling his feral side, he didn't want to lose control. He knew if he did the result would be devastating not for the people that hurt Spencer, he didn't care about them or what they thought, but he didn't think that he could handle the X-Men seeing him as a monster, an animal. Any time he thought about what Spencer must be going through his mind would scream kill and nothing more.

Scott was the only one of them actively engaging with the BAU currently. He was standing in the screen with JJ comparing what they knew about black sites with anti-mutant associations with what they have made of the profile for where Reid may be held. He figured if he could keep himself buzzy, keep himself focused he would be able to think about his guilt and anger over the situation. Logically he knew he was not to blame for this but he still felt he could have done more.

Garcia was overwhelmed but driven, she was practically hacking with her fingers on fire, with how fast her hands were moving over the keyboard. She was looking into any location that Scott and JJ suggested to see whether or not there was a chance that her boy wonder could be there.

Morgan was going over the differences between the photo that they received and the one that the X-Men received, to see any discrepancies that may be able to add to their profile. He's calmed down a lot since the X-Men first arrived, he still finds himself apprehensive of them being here. He holds no prejudice towards mutants but he was hurt that his best-friend felt the need to hide this from him, why didn't Spencer trust him enough to tell them this? and why did they think that they knew him better than them? He hated the idea that Spencer didn't trust his team, those they all view as their family. He can see that the X-Men are helping a lot so he, begrudgingly, kept his thoughts to himself and did what he could.

Emily was sitting at the table still trying to digest the revelation that they knew nothing about their so-called friend. She worked her temples sighing. "So let me get this straight. Spencer, the quirky lovable genius, isn't just a mutant, he's a powerful one, he's your brother," Looking up to Scott now still confused. "And he has apparently been living under a fabricated identity this entire time?”

Scott nodded, trying not to let his grief show in his voice. "It was a necessity. Not everything he told you was a lie. When he was a kid we, I...I sent him to live with William and Diana Reid. It was for his safety."

Morgan scoffed, listening to him trying to justify himself. "You mean it was for your convenience." Not bothering that he was practically goading him into a fight. He didn't even know why you said it, he wasn't about the second guess himself though, he meant what he said. He couldn't understand why anyone would send their family away.

Scott understood that he was trying to bail him into an argument and he wasn't gonna fall for it. "We've lost more people than I can count, to those like who took Spencer. I didn't want to lose him too." The words came out with more emotion than he intended, they were laced with grief and pain. He thought he was protecting him by sending them away but it didn't matter. He knew he wouldn't be able to protect Spencer forever; he just hoped that he could.

Hotch's voice cut through the tension that was starting to build in the air again. "Then help us get them back."

Scott turned to face him now, his posture and expression burning with conviction. "You have no idea how far I am willing to go.”

Remy walked up to the table. "Bein, now we hav' confirmed we're all willin' t' work t'gether, again. Gambit's foun' somethin'." He placed the tablet on the table showing photos, maps and blueprints. Garcia got the photos and everything onto the large screen in the room gathering more information on the area as she did. "Dis facility, hidden underground, not on any civilian maps or satellite grid. Was dormant fo' years, till recently. Ain't got a name fo' de group usin' it yet. Only found a symbol."

He flipped through the images on the tablet until he got to the symbol. It was the same one as they saw branded on Spencer's chest. It was a M in a circle and 4 skull and crossbones making a square around it.

"What Gambit does know is dat dey go' a thin' fo' killin' mutant. Preach death to all, dat sought o' thin', Mais recently dey be findin' more creative ways t' get people to join dem. Dat bein' mutant experimentation. Breaking dem, den makin' dem int' weapons t' spread fear. Don't think dey plan t' kill Spencer, me. Think dey want t' make people afraid o' him." Remy picked up the photo of Spencer staring at his beaten and blooded form, his face softened in sorrow. "Mais t' do dat dey have t' break him first.”

After he finished speaking he moved back over to the wall shuffling his cards. He was a little more stiff now, not as usual graceful self he showed them. He had to yank his Shields up again as far as he could manage, as the emotions poured out of everyone. He could feel the fear, grief, anger, despair, helplessness, all wrapped with guilt pulsing at the edge of his shields. He had to fight the emotions as not to collapse under the weight of them all.

He heard the Wolverine start to growl at some point while Remy was talking, a deep ferocious rumble that seemed to vibrate though the room, and he was still growling now his breathing in predatory huffs. Everyone moved to give him some space as they were told that that would help him calm down faster.

You could see his claws trying to break, free pushing at the skin between his knuckles not quite piercing the skin. Eyes lined with gold as he attempted to calm down, but his mind sent images of all the other mutant experimentation they had seen and/or stopped. He couldn't stop thinking about what HIS Spencer must be going through.

Scott looked like he was ready to tear off his glasses and blast a new corridor in the FBI building from what he could only imagine what his brother was going through. He was finding it hard to breathe under the anger and sorrow that made him feel numb to the rest of the world.

The rest of the BAU team reacted quietly each in their own way and yet still unified. Remy didn't like being anywhere near the FBI, considering his past it wasn't surprising, especially now given the only reason is because Spencer is in danger. He was pleased to see and feel just how much they cared for Spencer and how far they were willing to go to help him.

Garcia was in tears again now she knows what is happening to Spencer. Morgan was over trying to comfort her, comforting himself at the same time knowing he can at least help someone, even if he couldn’t help Reid.

Emily and JJ were standing together, eyes lined with tears but refused to shed. Hotch and Rossi were next to each other standing in silence as if to draw silence strength from each other. Neither one of them showed any emotions outwardly but inside the warzone. Making Remy have to move to the furthest side away from them closer to Wolverine to try and relive some of the pressure of their emotions on his shields.

Afterwards what had seemed like hours, in reality was only a few minutes. Jean's voice echoed through the heads causing most of the BAU members to jump, never having a telepath speak in their heads before, 'We're detecting a faint psychic nulling field coming from that location. It's like someone is trying to suppress psychic signals from reaching into the location. I can't even tell how many people are there'.

Logan moved to stand in front of the map still growling. "That's where our Spencer is." His eyes flashed full gold only for a moment. His control was slipping but knowing that they were getting closer to Spencer helped him stay in control.

Rossi stepped forward rejoining the group. "Then what are we waiting for?"

Hotch and Scott exchanged glances and Hotch confirmed. "We need a plan and we need to work together."

Scott nodded, agreeing. "Agreed they're expecting us." Gesturing at the X-Men in the room. "Not the FBI, and you need us to help you get in."

Logan snorted at the idea. "The X-Men and the FBI, huh? That's gonna be one hell of a road trip."

Elsewhere-The facility

Spencer was dangling limp from his restaurants against his cell wall, when they threw him back in here a little while ago they gave him enough slack on his chains for him so that he had the strength he could stand. They took him for what they called their tests, Spencer called it for what it is torture.

This time they tried water boarding. They held him on his knees and forced his head in a container of water. He tried to fight back but they had rope binding his hands behind his back, around his legs and ankles completely immobilising him. Combined with his already weakened state he couldn’t do anything to stop it. His lungs burned from not being able to breathe, he lost track of how many times they forced him under. It felt like hours until he was ready to let himself slip into unconsciousness, and they dragged him back to his cell.

His body was still shaking from the pain, but he was pleased with himself, when they left him alone he was working. He was concentrating on his new found gift. He could feel it trying to lash out at them when they were drowning him, it wanted to attack them but he didn't have the power to yet. And he couldn't let them know until he could use it. Control it.

He could feel it almost constantly now, a pulsing beneath his skin. He figured out he could move it around his body concentrating it into one part. He could feel the energy shifting when he did, it felt alive, something that didn't want to be but needed to be controlled. Something that wanted free.

Every time Kelly used the collar now, it didn't just hurt, it fed that thing inside of him. It made it stronger, bigger, like the electricity in the collar was only giving him more power. The last time Kelly used it Spencer was forced himself through the pain and his body seizing, he tried to channel the electricity down his arms to his hand then force it into the wall and he saw it. The lights. The lights in his cell flickered no longer than a second.

But it happened.

Who wasn't sure what his new ability was, it excited him. He wanted a lab, a journal, he wanted to theorize, to explore it, to learn. What time wasn't on his side, he needed to get out of here first, whatever here was.

A guard ended his cell. He looked young and overconfident. Best of all he was alone. Spencer figured it was as good a time as any to test himself, discreetly of course he still couldn't risk then finding out not yet. He took a deep breath, as best as he could, and focused on it, trying not to be drawn back to his aching body and focus on the light above the guard.

But then he felt him. Not through his telepathy, but with his new gift. He felt the energy forcing through his body, the way it changed when he shifted, it felt alive. Spencer knew the body runs on electricity, it's how the heart beats, but he didn't realize how alive that energy was.

He didn't have much time to focus on that as the light shattered above the guard head. He decided at that moment it didn't matter how broken his body was he was going to fight.

When the Guard flinched at the shattering of the light above his head, Spencer used his remaining strength and surged forward using that little bit of slack on his chains to throw himself at the guard. For the first time since his abduction he fought not just refused to break, really fought. When he managed to knock the guard out, he smiled and then collapsed to the ground himself.

Chapter Text

The combined teams decided to go in the blackbird as it was the fastest the plane was also more stealthy, and allow them to get closer and it would be better for extraction. The BAU wouldn't be able to get clearance for an operation like this as they would be considered too emotionally involved. Plus the fact that they already had to hide the involvement of the X-Men, they didn't want to risk their chance to get Spencer over some biocritical nonsense. They were there to try and work out a plan of action, and being on the jet already would be easier because once they had an effective plan they could leave straight away.

It was buzzing with motion inside with an aura of determination in the air, BAU agents standing shoulder to shoulder with mutants for a common purpose.

Scott moved with quiet urgency, he was explaining all the intel on the facility to Hotch while Jean projected the satellites overlay to hologram in front of them. The faint blue glow cast an eerie light over the makeshift planning table in the middle of the jet. They were all positioned so they could see it so they all had understood that was going to happen.

Hotch's expression is unreadable, in full unit chief mode. "Entry points?"

Jean gestured at the hologram moving it around to show them. "Only one known. An elevator shaft embedded in a hill, likely booby trapped, definitely guarded. We need a stealth team first. Then force, if necessary."

Emily looked over to Logan from her seat. "I'm guessing subtlety isn't really your thing?"

Logan grunted. "Subtle what happens when you run out of claws."

Rossi was sitting near Emily and added confidently. "So we assume they're expecting someone like you, not someone like us."

Logan who caught onto his meaning growled loudly staring at them. Scott turned to look at the BAU team, raising an eyebrow. "You want to go in first?"

JJ nodded thinking it was going to be their best option. "We trained in infiltration, hostage negotiation, and psychological profiling. And like you said before they're expecting an all-out mutant raid, we used that.”

Logan who bluntly did not approve of them going in first to find Spencer. "Ya do realize this isn't just some serial killer with mommy issues. These people hate what Spencer is, and there ain't gonna be no hostage negotiations. They ain't just gonna hand him over. We have to take him back. They will kill him before handing him over, that's how much they hate what he is." His gruff voice made his words have a threatening edge to them.

Morgan surprised them by speaking up before anybody else had a chance. "We know there are plenty of people out there that would hate him for what he is, but that doesn't mean we let them win. We go with what the best option is." He was surprisingly calm compared to how he had been, seemingly accepting that they are going to have to work together and they can't do that if they were arguing.

Remy smirked at them ,from where he was standing leaning against the side, letting out a low chuckle, his eyes flicking between the members of the BAU team, beneath his glasses. "Startin' t' y’ all, me."

Logan glared at him clearly not having the same impression. "Non, Wolvie, dey care abou' là ami. Dere just lookin' out fo' him. Respect dat, me." Remy sat down in the seat near Logan offering the BAU a slight smile as he did.

Scott addressed the group in full leader mode. "We go and split teams, one X-Men with each group. We bring him home. No matter what."

Elsewhere-The facility

Spencer had learnt the best way to keep track of time was by the guards routines. Two meal rotations had past, that meant at least a day. He had no idea how long he had been there for. He couldn't focus on time, his focus was on surviving.

They had set the collar to shock him every few hours, it was never consistent thought, he was adopting now. Every burst left him more in tune with the energy inside, how it searched, how it lingering and how it built. It was becoming almost familiar.

Kelly hasn't shown yet today, it shouldn't bother him given the pain that came with his presence. That meant something was changing and that was not going to be good.

He sat cross legged on the metal floor of his new cell, They had moved him after his little instant with the guard. It was smaller than the last one, the walls were still concrete, but the floor was made of metal, which did nothing for the temperature in the room. He figured out quickly that whatever his new gift was it did not like metal. It was a lot harder to keep it a secret here, it was seemingly drawn to the metal like a magnet, but he was managing. His wrists were still chained, tighter this time so even the slightest movement would cause him to bleed, with the collar zapping him so much he would be surprised if there was any skin left on them by the time he got out of here.

There was enough slake on the chains for him to walk around, that was if he managed to even stand. Pulling himself inwards, as a way to try and escape his aching body, he's sat on the cold metal floor, flexing his fingers coaxing his new gift around them trying to be precise with where he could direct it, he tried to focus how it warmed his skin, how it felt healing in away. He had to keep it beneath the skin not wanting to risk it trying to launch the metal he couldn't risk not being able to stop it, that would draw too much attention. No matter how much no one coming to see him is worrying, he did not want to bring himself more pain.

He thought of Jean and the Professor and their lectures on power control. On restraint. On focus. How they would explain energy related powers.

He thought of his brothers, Scott and Alex. How when he got out of here there protectives would sky rocket and not in the good caring way, in micromanaging his every move way. Allow that would mainly be Scott. Alex would probably fuss over how to get him better and while annoying the hell out of him.

Then his mind drifted to Remy. How he would strut when he walked as if no one but everyone was watching. He thought of the way he laughed and the way his body moved when he danced at the bar. The way his face lights up when he sees him when he comes to visit. He thought about his eyes, the striking red on black, and how he would get lost in them so many times. The way he felt when their hands met each others, the way their telepathy and empathy would seem to mix together flawlessly when they were together leaving everything open. How it felt when he and Logan were in bed together and he would just feel their love and how there were never any barriers between them.

Then his thoughts drifted to Logan, how protector and caring he was. How despite his appearance he could be the gentlest person. He thought about how he sounded when he talked. He thought about how when he was happy and content he would make a low pleasant rumble which both he and Remy would insist was the wolverines purr. He thought about when he would call him after a bad case and he would let him rant, talk or cry and he would just listen, not pretend to listen but truly listen and offer comfort in his own way.

He thought about all the good times that they had together. The time where Logan insisted on taking him and Remy out to a vacation in the woods, even though it was cut short but work. He thought about the date nights where Remy would take them both out to dinner to some fancy restaurant and then they'll just stay with each other for hours talking. Sometimes it's about the randomist of things, but never seeming to run out of things to talk about. He thought about the quiet nights where they watched movies or played poker.

They were coming for him.

He had to believe that.

But he won't be helpless when they arrive.

Chapter Text

Back at the blackbird everyone was getting ready, the temporary alliance was proving to be useful.

Remy was leaning against the side of the ramp into the plane, watching as Morgan practise breaching and clear maneuvers with Emily and Rossi. Seeing how they all had complete trust in one and other as they did, he couldn't help but smile a little. "Y’ move like soldiers. Not bad."

Morgan just shrugged. "Spent years on the streets as a kid. You learn quickly when the enemy doesn't play fair. It's all muscle memory for me."

Remy flick a charged card into the air humming softly, "Oui. Understand dat me. Still, not everyone would walk int' a anti mutant black site, fo' one homme."

"He's not just one man to us," Emily argued, wiping the sweat from her forehead. "He's part of our family."

Remy softened slightly, nodding. "Je Sais" He understood their role with Spencer, but he doubted that they understood theirs.

In the blackbird Scott watched JJ review tactical routes with Jean and Hotch. Approach slowly hesitantly looking and observing her work. JJ glanced up at him feeling him watching her. "You don't have to hover, I know how to read a map."

Scott smiles faintly. "Old habits. I just ...I'm just used to protecting him." He sighed slightly trying to push away some of the guilt he was feeling.

JJ turned to face him, her voice quiet but steady. "So are we." JJ thought about every time they had to protect him in the field and how many times they couldn't protect him. She thought back to Tabias Hankles and how she could have protected him there and she failed, and the days that followed where they watched him suffering. She knew they all felt more protective of him after that and she knew the guilt was eating away at all of them.

Her small confession weighed on Scott. He knew that Spencer's job was dangerous for him, it was part of the reason that he argued with him to stay with the X-Men. Listening to JJ's words made him wonder if he had been hurt before on the job and didn't tell him. It didn't seem like an unreasonable thought to Scott, he knew his brother was feastly independent and hates it when people baby him, and he realized that that would be exactly what he would do. He had done it before when they were kids and Spencer got hurt. But his thoughts were now on how many times has he been hurt and he didn't know. He came to the conclusion that he was an idiot and he couldn't shake the guilt that was now weighing on him three fold.

Logan who was pacing again near the back stopped looking at Scott, smelling his guilt and seeing how he was now silent, he narrowed his eyes. "Ya still blaming yourself?” He asked.

Scott didn't answer straight away, both not wanting to appear vulnerable in front of the FBI and hoping Logan would drop the conversation if you didn't answer. But of course that wasn't going to work with the stubborn Wolverine, who is just glaring at him waiting for the answer. "He chose to stay away because he felt unseen. Like he didn't belong. I made him feel that way. I told myself it was for the best that he stayed away. That he'll be safer far away from us and what we do."

Thankfully the other agents had stepped out giving the X-Men the privacy they needed. "He ain't," Logan said bluntly, "and this time you're gonna fix it."

Remy had not long entered, probably having been told what the other agents heard and feeling the change in their emotions. "And when we get him out, y’ too are gonna have a little chat frère à frère. Oui."

Scott shook his head and you could just tell that he rolled his eyes behind his sunglasses. "You think it's that simple?"

Remy chuckled knowing that he was right. "Ain't nothin' ever simple when it comes t’ Spencer Reid.”

A few moments later the BAU walked back onto the blackbird looking more ready and more prepared, they still seemed dubious about working with the X-Men but had to put that behind them for the sake of their friend. They started going over the plan again to ensure that there were no weak points and they were all clear on what was going to happen at every step.

Jean's voice rang through the plane suddenly. "They're moving him."

Everyone turned to look at her.

Garcia brought up a life feed to show them, her words were frantic and terrified. "New heat signatures. New vehicles. It’s transport prep."

Jean's voice was calmer but edged with worry. "We don't have days anymore. We have hours."

Hotch looked at Scott. "Then we go now." Hotch's Stern voice was more of a statement than a suggestion. He knew they wouldn't get a better chance than this and they didn't think Spencer would be able to hold on much longer.

Scott nodded and told them all to strap in.

As they all took their seats and began to strap in, Remy muttered to himself. "Laissons Les bons moments rouler." (let's get the good times rolling.)

Chapter Text

The night was a blanket of stars and silence, only interrupted by the lower humming of the Stealth jet descending into the woods just beyond the facility where Spencer was being held. It was hidden deep into the rock, it was no wonder any normal satellite couldn't detect it or watch the place too closely, the technology that must be there as well to stay hidden from even the X-Men this long must be very advanced. Fortunately for them, they are no normal people nor with normal technology, theirs have been specially created for the purpose to save people from those that will do them harm.

Jean positioned herself safely at the front of the aircraft to get her the closest to the site so she could reach out with her telepathy, at this distance she could reach past the psychic null field. She could detect the guards on the outer perimeter where the only known entrance point is. "Surface minds are minimal. Four, maybe five. There is a gap every 8 minutes to the pattern."

Hotch and the rest of the BAU were checking their weapons, the minds preparing them like they did before every raid, calming them, getting rid of the fear and locking it in a box not allowing it to compromise their mission, but using it to drive them and focus them.

Hotch looked down at Prentiss and Morgan. "That's your entry window."

Scott turned in the pilot chair to face the rest of the X-Men. "We follow their lead." Making a point to look at Logan as he knew he's never the following type.

Grinning Remy pulled on the rest of his suit pushing his auburn hair into his mask at the sides. "Try not to be too impressed, Chers." He joked in his charming manner reliving some of the tension that had built on the flight.

"Too late." Rossi muttered, earning a smirk from Remy.

The plan was complicated, layer like a chest match. JJ ,Emily and Remy would breach the perimeter and clear the entrance silently for the rest of them. They will be followed by Morgan and Logan, who were to get Garcia access to the surveillance system and disable the external power without drawing any assess attention to them. Scott and Hotch would be the last in and meet them in the surveillance room and guide them around the facility to find Spencer.

Rossi, Jean and Garcia would stay in the blackbird for extraction, Jean can also ensure no one snuck up on them with her telepathy and so Garcia can docker the footage so if there are other surveillance rooms they won't know about them. They all had comms devices to keep in touch to ensure nothing went wrong and to update them on each other's progress.

Each step meticulously planned to ensure Spencer came home.

Below, inside the facility, a few hours earlier.

Spencer was jerked awake by the low wine of the hydraulic door leading into a cell. The guard bought someone new with them. He was expecting them to bring Dr Kelly back but they didn't. This man was wearing a soldier's uniform and walked in like he would get anything he wanted without a single question asked.

"Get up." The Guard barked, no ounce of care in his voice.

Spencer didn't move, he wanted whoever this new person was to know he was not going to be obedient, that he was not broken and he would not be giving up.

The guard stepped closer making his posture to be threatening and confrontational. "Now!" He hissed, growing annoyed.

Still Spencer did not move he tried to pretend that he was asleep even though he knew what wouldn't convince them, but it was something he could do.

Seeing he was doing nothing the man in the uniform reached for him to force him up. The moment skin met skin, the energy that was building up in him spiked travelling to the man, violently, unfiltered.

When Spencer felt it his eyes snapped open, unknown to him his eyes changed for a moment. His usual brown eyes change, his irises becoming a mix of vibrant blues, pinks and purples shifting and glowing like lightning in his eyes, while the white sierra of his eyes gained a slight hint of gold that grew in potency until his power diminished from his skin.

With his power zapping so forcefully the collar around his neck shorted out for a moment and he felt their thoughts as it did.

The man screamed and stumbled back, smoke curling from his skin and around the cuffs of his uniform. Spencer knew he had pissed him off by the anger and fury in his eyes. There was no way he was not going to know who he was messing with.

Spencer forced himself to stand despite the agony he was still in, wasn't sure how much longer he could keep this façade up, of the strong unbreakable man. He knew he still had to try. He managed to curl his lips into a slight lazy smile. "Sorry," His voice was hoarse and barely there, he was not sure whether it was from the lack of hydration or the screaming that made his throat bone dry. "Static buildup. Happens when one hasn't been outside in a while.”

He knew what would happen now he saw the look in the guard's eyes. They were going to drag him to the test room, they had taken him in there too many times now he knew though it would only be unbearable agony for the next few hours. He only had a moment to prepare himself before there were guards on him.

The room is built like a lab, the energy inside him would build up and up until it felt like he was exploding on the inside. He tried to let it out there the last time but he found out that he couldn't access it while they were adding to his pain. It was so much worse this time, they would usually strap him down and inject some things into him, and depending on who was there they would burn him more, waterboard him or just tack a knife to his skin.

This time it was so much worse. They strapped him down again started to inject him like normal, he hated the fact that he could think that this was his normal now, he started to feel the energy building up beneath his skin, he needed it to be let out and he tried, and again he couldn't it built till it was pulsing like an explosions going of under his skin. After they finished injecting him, he felt their hands going over all the old injuries they had inflicted as if to admire them.

Then they started to make them new.

They started at the latest the burns on his arms were the first to rehappen. Every time he screamed and rived in pain, he could see them smiling at him, a smile that he saw every time he was in here, the one that told him every time that they were taking pleasure in hurting him. Sadist. His mind supplied, it seemed useless now having a word to put to it, words can only do so much they can't protect him from the agony or their sick pleasure they tulk in his pain.

When they were finished with his arms they flipped him over so it's laying on his stomach. That alone was a new level of agony, the burns on his stomach, even though they were the first to happen, hadn't healed. Having his body pressing down on it and he could feel the flesh there ripping and pulling apart. Out of the corner of his eyes Spencer saw them grabbing the same knife as before when they sliced down his back the first time.

He began to feel the knife going back into his already broken skin for the second time making them deeper, with one final scream he passed out. Usually he would fight to stay conscious because he wouldn't be able to defend himself, but right now the second he felt this consciousness slipping away he let it consume him and let himself go under giving himself the only escape from his broken body.

When he woke up again he was still in the lab, they woke him up by throwing a bucket of freezing water on him. It took him a few seconds for the shock to pass, and to clear his vision before the agony to set back in. He noticed that while he was passed out they switched him back so it was lying on his back where the fresh wounds were. He could feel the open skin still bleeding and being forced to stay open on by the metal table.

Not for the first time he thought this was going to be how he died. Alone and in excruciating pain. They took a blow torch to the side of his right leg again. He felt the unhealed skin melt as he subconsciously tried to pull his leg away but it was held firm in place by the restraints.

He tried to disassociate, pull back into his mind, he thought about those who would leave behind. His family Scott and Alex. He thought about Logan and Remy how it felt like he just started his relationship with them. He thought about his team at the BAU and how they would react to everything. And finally he thought about his mom, how are they going to tell her that he was dead.

He thought about all of them while they were burning his leg managing to pull himself away from the pain. It worked for a little while. But it didn’t last, he was jerked back by yet another bucket of water crashing against his skin igniting every slight abrasion he had till his entire body was on fire. They unlocked him from the restraints that were holding him down on the table, and thrown to the floor, started to beat him again.

Spencer lost count of the amount of times their shoes met flesh or fists to face. He screamed every time that a boot came in contact with yet another open wound stretching it and ripping his skin. He tried to curl up around himself but that gave them better access to the gashes on his back. About 3 minutes of the constant beating until it passed out again when a few kicks landed directly in the freshly inflicted injuries pulling more skin apart.

When Spencer woke back up for the second time he thought he would be back in his cell, they had never kept him there if he passed out twice. But he was still there, back strapped to the table. He can't see what they are doing anymore, his vision was no longer focusing. He wasn't sure if you could take anymore, this was the longest they've gone for. He wasn't sure if there was still there, until he felt the hands tracing the scar where they first branded him.

He knew they were going to redo it now, he tried to force his mind inwards again so he wouldn't feel it. It didn’t work no matter how hard he tried to think about his family he felt the pain echoing through his body, he still screamed but he couldn’t hear it, his mind was not allowing him to pull back so he felt everything.

Just as they were taking the last brand to his skin his mind whited out. He was with all of his family. They were telling him that they were coming and that it was gonna be okay. Before he passed out again, he felt himself begin to believe it again. He was going to get out of this alive. He would not let them break him.

When unconsciousness consumed him he had one thought he hoped would get to them. 'Please come soon'.

Chapter Text

Emily, JJ and Gambit, made their way down into the facility moving in the shadows. Emily and JJ handled the doors and distracted the guards with practice ease. Gambit, you couldn't even hear him moving. There were a few times Emily and JJ almost forgot he was there until he was in front of them, knocking out the guards before they knew he was there. In doing so he impressed the two agents with the grace in which he moved as well.

After they cleared enough for the path, Logan and Morgan entered making their way to the surveillance room, and they carried on clearing a path. When Morgan and Logan were in the surveillance room Morgan linked Garcia up to the system, as Logan dealt with the guards using his claws. It didn't take a profiler to see why they sent Logan with Morgan, over the others, it was to minimize the injuries and potential deaths.

Morgan heard JJ's voice over the Comms. "We're at the corridor to the cells. Is the surveillance disabled?"

At that moment Logan was slicing though with the power grid, the screeching of metal though metal filled and echoed in the room. Making Morgan wince at the horrific sound.

The facility buzzed, lights flickering then going down. A few seconds later the back up power supply kicked in, which gave Garcia enough time to jump into their system. "We're in. Loping their footage now and you have the live. Now get our boy wonder back." She demanded the last part in a worried tone.

With the main generator down they had about half and hour before full power outage, and given that sirens flared to life after the main power went down the facility would be on high alert.

Spencer heard the alarms from his cell after the lights went down. He knew this was going to be his chance to get out of here, he vaguely wondered if this could be a trick, but he couldn't think about that though, this was his chance. Possibly his only chance. He was not going to pass it up.

He was exhausted and in more pain than he believed was possible. Lying on the metal floor he focused on the energy within him. It has been building and building and he needs to let it out.

Spencer used what little strength he had to sit up on the floor grunting against the pain and he focused on the pulsing inside him. He clenched his fists breathed as deeply as he could, drawing it inwards them outwards, trying to focus it to his restraints and with a sharp exhale-

The chains on his wrist distorted and snapped with a crackling pop of light.

When he looked at his wrists he chucked with a slight smile at them raw, cut and bloodied but free from their chains.

He did it.

He lifted his hands to the collar around his neck. He felt it shifting and changing focus on it in the same way he distorted the chains and channeled it into the collar. It took a few moments but he felt it break and his telepathy coming back to him.

He could feel those around him, the guard, then he felt them. His family. He was too weak to beagle to reach out to them. But he felt them. They were close. That was all the recurrence that he needed.

On unstable legs he managed to stand fighting back a wave of nausea and dizziness. Limping he made his way over to the door, it was locked obviously, if only they had been stupid enough to leave it unlocked. He pressed his hand to the lock panel and he felt the energy reach to it. Briefly he pulled his hand away, taking a few short breaths hoping to quell some of the bone deep agony stabbing and pulsing all over his body.

He put his hand back on the panel pushing the energy through it. The same light as before blew out the panel, opening the door. As he used his powers his eyes started to glow the same pink's, purple's and blue's in his irises and gold overtaking the white as before, this time instead of fading as his power pulled back in, they stayed solid and strong.

Spencer, already exhausted with the little movement, limped his way through the doors bloodied, burnt, bruised, barefoot, only dressed in his boxers, and made his way down the hallway. Luckily there had been no guards posted outside his door.

He didn't think he could take a guard down at the moment.

He wasn't sure which way or where he was going or for that matter how to get out. One thing was certain and that was he was not staying here, and they would not go to stop in. Uses telepathy to try and feel out the direction of his friends, he couldn't reach out to them but he could feel them and that's all he needed to give him strength.

Hotch and Scott made that way to the surveillance room, just in time to the entire facility starting to fall apart. There were 9 screens in total each with 4 security feeds linking into them. Someone already down showing static, others cutting in and out. One of which they could see, was showing a faint, grainy, silhouette walking, or more accurately limping, with one hand braised against the wall as he stumbled through smoked filled halls.

Seeing as that was unusual, Scott leaned closer to get a better view, whispering in a breath of hope. "Spencer?"

Hotch glanced up at him hearing his murmur then focused his attention on the same screen as Scott was looking up. Hotch clenched his jaw in seeing him like that but gave a soft smile of relief. "He's already fighting.”

As they began to direct the rest of them to Spencer. Jean's voice breathed the comms. "I can sense him now. It's him. He's alive, injured and drained but alive." Joy was etched into her every word, before it changed, becoming more confused and concerned. "Scott. Something's different. It's him but something changed. There... There's something new, it's driving him. Scott, if they have been experimenting on them, I think it might have worked. I can feel more from him."

Although she was talking to Scott, the comm's let everybody hear her. There were various reactions heard over the comms, there were multiple 'son of a bitch' s.

They heard Wolverine let out a primal, ferocious, raw. Morgan stood in shock as the remaining guards in their path were not only injured, per the BAU's request of no killing, were sliced apart by his claws as he tripped his efforts to find his mate, dropping low sniffing the air in hopes to catch his scent, his eyes lining with gold as he let the feral side slip in, only just keeping his mind his and not full feral.

Remy was also visibly angrier as he heard the news, he stopped taking down the guards stealthily and started sending charged cards at them, not enough to kill them making good on the request for no unnecessary deaths, despite how much he wanted to. This way was a much quicker way to knock them out and move through in Gambit eyes, plus it would hurt when they woke up. Bonus. He let his empathy open despite the pain of all the emotions flooded in, he could handle it if he could feel that Spencer was alive.

Surprisingly the agents didn't mind this change in tactics as it did allow them to move faster. Morgan was not as understanding as them given that he was the one that had to watch the wolverines' vicious overkill, but resign themselves for now and set himself to the task at hand.

Finding Spencer.

Chapter Text

The facility was in chaos now. Pure chaos. The sirens are wailing, frantically with the red emergency lights pulsing like a blinding heartbeat through the concrete walls. Smoke curled and lined the ceiling. Sparks popped from overhead cables and from behind bent panels. The facility was literally coming apart.

Spencer stumbled down yet another corridor, using his hands to braise himself against one of the walls to keep himself upright. His breath was nothing more than raged pitiful gasps, a feeble attempt to get the oxygen his body needs. Blood was dried at the corner of his mouth from the smoke causing him to violently cough, his bare feet hardly coming up off the floor, most of the time just barely sliding along trying to keep himself moving.

The energy inside him was completely out of control now, he was unable to keep it in.

It was uncontrollable.

It wanted out and it would not stay back anymore. It searched in unpredictable pulses crashing through security panels, exploding lights above him with each step he took. Send in what appeared to be lightning bolts into almost any surface, mostly metal ones.

He turned a corner and froze.

Two guards. Armed.

They reacted instantly. Weapons raised.

Spencer.

Spencer, body broken, exhausted, and furious. He smiled, pulling all the fake 'I'm untouchable' smugness he could muster. "Statistically speaking," He rasped but loud enough to be heard. "You will miss at least two of your shots." He was hoping to rack the confidence, and it worked. Mostly. Or it was dumb luck.

The first guard fired and missed as he was startled by the lights popping over his head. Before the other could think about firing, a blinding light and deafening crack erupted in the hallway, as a blast of pure energy shot outwards from Spencer like, multi-colored lightning.

It hit both the guards with enough force sending them flying backwards, slamming them into the opposite wall with a brutal thump, strong enough that it cracked the wall. Smoke rose from them, the smell of burnt flesh filled his nose. A smell that recently was always coming from him.

Spencer stood in shock for a moment, blinking in surprise of what happened, and having to fight the wave of nausea that hit him as he realized what he did. He began to sway where we stood, dizziness overtaking him again.

Before you could do anything he felt another person with his mind. Then he heard their footsteps.

They were coming towards him and Fast.

"Reid!"

He never turned so fast in his life then when he heard a voice he recognized, making his legs give way. Emily. That was Emily's voice.

She caught him before he hit the floor, carefully lowering him as JJ and Remy appeared behind her at the ready. He almost choked in relief when he saw them.

Logan and Morgan found him coming in from the other end of the hallway past the guards, paying them little attention only confirming they weren't going to be a problem before meeting another way to Reid. Logan let out a sound, a mix between the pained whimper and a ferocious growl as soon as he saw him. Logan didn't stand down for a second, he stood close, claws out, blood on his knuckles and clothes, ready to protect him from anything and everything.

Spencer opened his eyes again, when did he close them, he absently thought. When he looked around his vision was slightly distorted, but he could see all of them, he choked out a broken laugh, strained and brief, but real. "What took you guys so long?"

When the others saw his eyes, they glanced between each other semi taken aback by his normal brown eyes now being a mix of pinks, purples, and blues with solid gold sierras. The agents, not fully knowing anything about Spencer's mutation, took the brief confusion in Gambits and Wolverines faces as confirmation that that was not normal.

Knowing they have no time for questions here they ignored the strange change of now.

Remy crouched beside Spencer, his eyes scanning his form carefully taking in his injuries, at least those he could see with the amount of blood staining his form. "What dey do t' y', Mon Solis?"

"Nothing I didn't give back" Spencer assured. What he didn't admit was that he didn't give it all back but, they didn't need to know that.

Morgan called over his comms. "We got him. We have Spencer. He's alive."

Back at the blackbird, Scott exhaled sharply in relief as Jean confirmed scanning the facility. "He's alive. And conscious”

Hotch also visibly relaxed. "Get him out now."

Jean frowned as she felt something from one of the remaining guards. "We've got a problem."

Their brief relief was shattered as they all listened. "There prepping a failsafe. They knew someone would come for him."

"What kind of failsafe?" Logan growled demandingly over the Comms.

"An explosion. Complete structure destination. Twenty minutes and counting."

"Plenty o' time" Remy chuckled over the Comms, while helping Spencer back up.

Chapter Text

They were so close.

Remy and Morgan half-dragged, half-carried Spencer through the crumbling hallways, as the walls shuddered with explosions from below, destabilizing the very foundation of the facility. Fire flickered though the cracks in the walls. The emergency lights and sirens gave in, leaving them to make their way through the dimly lit hallways with little idea of where to go. All the security cameras had shorted out, and the others were unable to guide them around the building. The smoke was thick and choked every breath.

Spencer keeps sending energy in all directions hitting next to anything, one hit Logan sending him flying down the corridor, burning a section of his skin as he went. Thankfully he has his healing factor and tuck only a moment to recover, but still shocked of what happened looking back at Spencer before moving on down the hallway ensuring a clear path for the rest of them.

"Exit this way." Logan roared down the corridor as his claws sliced through the steel reinforced bulkhead as if it was paper, providing them with a quick exit. "Move it.”

Spencer legs buckle again, feeling the weight of surviving. Remy had to take more of his weight keeping him moving. "Y' hold on, cher. Y' not quittin' now."

"m fine" Spencer panted as he sent off a crackle of uncontrollable energy snapping from his shoulder.

Morgan had to let go to avoid getting hit as it melted the closest panel.

Emily moved fast taking Morgan place the second it was safe to do so, she ensured her grip was tight to help them move quicker. "Fine. You're sparking like a damn reactor."

"I've noticed."

As they were halfway to the exit an explosion from behind them sent shock waves though the corridor making them all almost lose their footing, Spencer barely managing to put one foot in front of the other. The pressure and fire was chasing them as if it was its mission to take them.

They made it through the bulkhead just in time. As JJ got through there was another explosion which collapsed the corridor they had just been in. Leaving them to get their breath for a second before making their way through the woods back to the blackbird.

It only took a few minutes to get back to the jet, its engines hot and ready to go. Not wanting to spend any unnecessary time there.

Scott was waiting for them at the bottom of the ramp. His voice caught in his throat when he laid eyes on Spencer. Just looking at him made his insides scream. When he saw his eyes he stilled for a moment taking back before moving on, he could process that later.

"Scott?" Spencer questioned lifting his arms off of Emily to reach out to him. Emily stepped out of the way so Scott could help Spencer up the ramp with Remy. Stubborn as always, Spencer looked at him again then in classic brotherly manner he choked out. "You look like hell."

Scott huffed a small laugh as he set Spencer down on the floor of the jet so Jean could take a look at him. "So do you." He tried to put as much of his normal brotherly annoyance in his words, but let far too many concerns slip through.

Jean held Spencer still with her telekinesis instructing the others to take their seats. Scott took the pilot's seat trusting him in Jean's hands, and took off. Moments later they were in flight thousands of feet in the air.

The atmosphere in the blackbird was thick with tension, as soon as the plane evened out they all got up to watch Jean check over Spencer, and if her expression was anything to go by, it was not looking good.

Garcia hovered as far away as she could, unable to see Spencer in this state with nothing to do to help. Her hands were trembling as she caught a glimpse of him through the team. "Shouldn't you give him some space."

Jean responded with a calm voice despite the worry written on her face. "She's right can you all stand back, I've got him but I need space to work."

They strapped Spencer to a stretcher that they keep in the jet for emergencies so they can get whoever is injured out easier. The idea that it became necessary to have this provision surprised the BAU giving more insight to the life of the X-Men and mutants.

Spencer twitched as the uncontrollable energy sparked and traveled along his skin like little lightning of different colours matching his eyes, making his skin appear to glow with power. They could see it changing and then they saw it surge.

It surged along his arms, cracking in air as three blasts were sent out of him. One went into the co-pilots seat half destroying it, luckily no one had been in it or they would be seriously hurt. Another going straight into Logan's chest sending him back into the side of the jet, he let out a growl as he healed standing back up. The last blast going through the medical equipment sorting it out makes it useless.

"He's destabilizing." Jean said as Spencer's eyes fluttered open then shut and open again.

"'m fine" Spencer mumbles barely audible. "It just... doesn't like metal." Breathing sporadically just able to get words out. "Whoa..."

His body sent out another surge of energy bigger than the last ones, making the jet lurch down, losing altitude for a moment before straightening up, almost sending people tumbling.

"What the hell was that?" Morgan shouted, bracing himself with his hands.

"Low level temporary EMP surge of his body. I think." Scott called from the cockpit. "We lose altitude like that again, we're toast. I suggest you take your seats.”

Spencer writhed in pain as his breathing became sallower, his gaze darted around unfocused frantically trying to latch onto something. He tried to talk between breaths, his mind having trouble forming any form of sentences. "I didn't...sorry... I don't mean.... Can't control."

Remy knelt beside him, his hand trying to find a place to rest, to offer comfort, without touching his injuries. He decided the best place was on his hair. He began to mummer soft words as he stroked his head. "Shhh, cher. Don't fight it. Remy here. Don't have to fight no more. Just breathe, Oui."

With the collar being of Spencer he let himself feel Remy and the comfort he offered. His gaze was less frantic, still unfocused but at least in Remy's direction, but as if he was not quite seeing him. "Can't shut it off." He whispered in a voice so quiet you could barely hear it.

Remy knew Spencer would not calm that easily given his lack of control, so he tried using his empathy to help him out. Helping Spencer relax and feel safe enough to let go and rest. "It' alright, mon soleil. Remy got y'. Remy here. Gonna be bien.”

Spencer's gaze met Remy's and he felt so much in those eyes. Fear. Trust. Love. Gratitude. Relief. Confusion. His physical agony. All nearly overwhelming Remy, even with him trying to keep his shields high, then with a final convulsion of energy traveling over his skin. He passed out.

All the energy snapping out of existence with a loud POP.

Remy was to focus on calming Spencer to notice the entire BAU team staring at him as he continued to watch Spencer. Remy hadn't noticed the tears that briefly rolled down his cheek at the emotions that came from Spencer. A second ago they were overwhelming, raw, powerful and unfiltered, now they were muted almost undetectable. When Remy felt the tears he wiped his face taking a deep breath looking at Jean hoping for good news.

"He's unconscious and as stable as I can get him here." She replied to the unspoken question in the air. Then looked to Remy and with her telepathy she asked. ‘Are you ok?’

‘Remy will be fine.’ was his answer as he continued to look at Spencer.

JJ was breathless from worry, looked at the team and saw similar emotions. "We need to get him to a hospital."

Logan rolled his eyes letting out an annoyed growl knowing what would happen if they went to a hospital, before barking out. "Not gonna happen."

His reply had the BAU in utter shock staring at him unable to process that yes he did just say that when Spencer could be dying.

Scott put the plane into autopilot, shaking his head, turning around to look at the BAU taking in Spencer's condition as he did, before correcting Logan. "What he meant is. No normal hospital could handle this. First of all, the second they see his eyes they are going to know he's a mutant. But let's just say for the sake of it that they are willing to treat a mutant. Whatever energy it is that he has, it's out of control. You saw what it did to our equipment, it is a safe bet that it will do it to theirs as well." He took a breath to make sure they were listening before continuing.

"And what if it hits someone there. They won't heal the way Wolverine did. He could seriously hurt someone or maybe kill them. A hospital wouldn't know what to do.”

The BAU had to process what he said, it made sense, they knew mutants faced prejudices. But they did not realise that it would stop them from getting medical treatment. They also realise that Spencer was out of control but hadn't reconciled the fact that he couldn't kill someone.

All this did not stop the fact that he needed medical attention. "Okay, so no hospitals." Hotch agreed. "Then where?"

Scott shared a look with Jean, already knowing where they needed to go. He waited for a nod from Jean before turning to Remy, gaining one from him as well. Then to Logan who glanced at each member of the BAU before giving a small nod with a grunt of approval.

After the silent decision was approved Scott answered. "We're taking him home."

Morgan looked concerned, glancing at the other X-Men. "You mean to your headquarters. Professor X's mansion."

Hotch, as team leader, had to protect his team and needed to know what they were getting into. "That's not public knowledge.”

Logan was not completely trusting of bringing the FBI into their territory, but they didn't have time to debate it for long, Spencer needs to be in the med bay. Even with his brain mainly focused on Spencer he knew that they have to protect the students at the school. "Exactly. And it needs ta stay that way." His irritation is evident in his voice.

"We're going with him." Emily stated leaving no room for debate. "We're not leaving him."

Scott moved out of the pilots chair, stepping around where Spencer had destroyed the co-pilots, and moved in front of them. "Relax, you can come with us, but you won't know where."

"How will that work?" JJ asked, seemingly concerned with the direction this could take.

"Two options." Scott started. "Option one. Jean goes into your heads and temporarily negates your navigational perception."

Looking at their faces he knew they weren't going to go for that option.

"And what's option two?" Rossi asked fairly certain no one wanted a telepath messing around in their head.

"Option two, cher." Remy stood reaching in one of the overhead compartments. Pulling out six blindfolds. "Ain't de most glamorous o' ways. Mais, what works, works." Shrugging as he handed one to each of them. Already knowing that they were going with this option.

There was a heavy long pause filling the small space with tension. If they did this, they would be in the hands of what the government perceived to be a terrorist organization. The question is 'Is it worth it?' the second they thought it the answer came immediately 'Yes. Spencer is worth it.'.

Hotch broke the silence before it could suffocate them. He nodded to his team letting them know it was ok. "We trust you." He said as he lifted his blind fold to his eyes and tied it behind his head.

Garcia wiped her eyes looking at Spencer again. "Just help him. Please." Then she followed Hotch's lead.

One by one they all followed. JJ, Emily and Rossi. All putting their blindfolds on after giving one final look at Spencer. All putting themselves in the hands of the X-Men.

Then it was only Morgan. Morgan just stared at them, studying them, trying to decide something. He sat there long enough that they started to think he would not do it without some help from Jean or some persuasion from Gambit.

Whatever he saw in them must have been enough, as he sighed looking down at Spencer. He closed his eyes for a moment, before looking at each of them in a silent request. Then he lifted his blindfold, tracing a deep breath then tying it. Leaving himself in their hands.

Chapter Text

Once they were in the air space of the X-mansion with no locational determining landmarks, the BAU were allowed to remove their blindfolds. The first thing they all looked to was Spencer before looking back at the X-men, Scott had returned to the pilot's seat, Jean was monitoring Spencer's vitals manually, holding one of his wristed and watching his chest rise and fall with each shallow breath, and Logan and Remy were standing close by keeping there eyes on Spencer only looking a way to glance at them.

Jean looked at them after they had removed the blindfolds, giving a comforting smile. "I've called ahead to let the others know we're close and for Beast to meet us when we touch down."

"Beast?" Hotch asked, keeping his voice calm.

"Beast is one of our best doctors." Scott called from the front. "He is the best there is when it comes to treating mutants. He will know how to best help Spencer and work around whatever his new ability is."

Nobody said much till they touched down. Beast was there as planned who had brought a stretcher over to the blackbirds ramp as Jean lifted Spencer on to it using her telekinesis to avoid aggravating his injuries. His expression was thoughtful and sad as he looked at the most visible injuries before moving him out of the hanger and down the hall to the med bay. Remy and Logan wasted no time moving down the ramp and followed Beast, never taking their eyes off Spencer. They didn't even seem to notice the other people watching the commotion.

To those that watched the scene it was very surprising, even to those who were with them on the rescue and saw how much they cared about Spencer, not that they thought they wouldn't be worried, but it was a well known fact around the mansion that getting Remy to go to the med bay was a battle you could almost never win, even if it was necessary for him to go there, the only sure way with no fight was if he was unconscious and even then when he woke up he would find a way to leave as sone as possible. Now for them to see him willing to go there for Spencer was a testament for how much he cared for him and how much he wanted to keep him safe. He was willing to work past his own issues to be there for him and help in any way he could.

Scott and Jean watched as he was wheeled down the hallway until he was out of their sight. Scott was fighting the need to go with them but he knew he would only crowd the med bay if he went. After Spencer was no longer seen Scott sighed inwardly then returned his focus to the problem that the FBI are now in their home.

The BAU were walking down the steps of the ramp when their minds were invaded by the Professor, making some of them jump still not unset to having a telepath talk to them in their heads. 'Welcome agents. I imagine all this is strange for you. Why don't we have a talk in my office? Jean will direct you.'

He withdrew from their minds leaving them slightly shocked standing halfway down the ramp, before looking over at Jean and Scott. They were looking back at them with a slight smile on their face knowing that the Professor must have contacted them telepathically. Jean waited till they gathered themselves and made their way down the rest of the ramp before asking. "Did the professor need something?" Her voice was kind, matching her graceful smile.

Hotch conformed, "He wants to speak with us. He said you would show us the way to his office."

Scott and Jean looked at each other then gestured for them to follow and they made their way out of the hangar. The BAU followed them out of the hangar, surveying their surroundings and the path they took, a habit they had all picked up from years of field work and experiences telling them that anything could go wrong at any point. It wasn't that they distrusted the X-Men but they were still classed as terrorists, whether they believed it or not that is what the government calls them, and they needed to be vigilant.

Jean slipped into the role of tour guide, like she did when she was showing any new person the mansion despite the fact that they were in the lower levels. "Welcome to our home. We try to keep it well hidden to provide safety for those that live here." She began her voice holding no mails, only open kindness, with a slight hint of uncertainty. "At any given point we have hundreds of people living here, mainly mutants, aging from teenagers to children to adults. All who need a safe space to heal or express themselves in a way this world would not let them. Here they can do that while socialising with others who face the same challenges and have worked to overcome them. This isn't just are home, here is a home for all who the world had turned away." She finished reaching the door to the professors office.

They walked inside and were led to the couches and told to take a seat. The Professor was sitting at his desk when they entered, he stopped what he was doing and made their way over to them. "Thank you Phoenix. That was a beautiful explanation." The profilers, while they did not show it openly, thought it was odd how he was so calm, given that he is the leader of a supposed terrorist organisation, and he was in the presence of one of the best teams the FBI had to offer. The Professor, while acknowledging their presents, didn't address the BAU straight away, instead he turned to Scott with a soft expression. "Scott, why don't you go, be with your brother. We will be alright here."

Scott nodded gratefully. "Thank you Professor." As he was walking out Jean put a comforting hand on his arm in silent support, he looked back at the BAU once before making his way out of the office and down to the med bay.

The BAU didn't know what to expect of the situation, there wasn't exactly a glide for 'what to do if your friend and colleague turns out to be a mutant and has a secret brother who is part of a terrorist group' they could of read, and for that reason they were all on alert. They had spent their lives training so they would know what to do in any given situation and yet here, they were clueless.
Morgan was tense and it was visible in his posture and his overly controlled breathing. Emily's eyes were constantly surveying the room taking in everything as if anything could happen at any moment. Garcia was muttering to herself in an attempt to possess the bazaar reality they have found themselves in.

Xavier understood their thoughts and took the time to clarify a couple of things for them. "Let me start by saying, it's a pleasure to meet you, Spencer always talked highly of you. I'm Charles Xavier, and I own this school." He paused so they can understand that he is showing them a level of trust by willingly giving them his real name. "As Phoenix said before, we are home to many of mutants which need to be kept safe. I imagine there will be many of whom which will not be pleased with your presents here."

Morgan did not like the idea of what he thought he was insinuating and thought to himself 'I swear if he tries to make us leave' before cutting off that trailer's thought and trying to push down his anger at the situation. He wasn't angry at them, he knew that but he was still angry with what Spencer had gone through.

Xavier had been scanning their thoughts for any ill intentions picked up on Morgan's thoughts and then continued. "You have nothing to worry about agent Morgan. We won't make you leave, we all understand that Spencer is important to you, you are important to him, but you must understand that we can't just let you wander around here freely."

Morgan looked surprised at what he said, not because it was surprising that they didn't want them wandering around but that he commented on what he was thinking.
Seeing the confusion Jean explained. "The Professor is a telepath, one of the strongest in the world. That's how he reached you when you were coming down the ramp."

Hotch took the opportunity to lead the conversation back to the original point, seeing how Garcia opened her mouth to ask a question knowing that it would lead them off track. "We understand that you can't let us wander around your home, given its importance to other people and the 'extra circulars' you provide here. We appreciate that this is a delicate situation and we are grateful that you are willing to let us stay whilst Spencer recovers. Where is it that you would prefer us to stay?"

Xavier smiled gratefully at Hotch. "Thank you for your understanding, Agent Hotchner. When Phoenix informed me of your intended arrival, I had a few rooms made up for you and your team and the lounge room, away from the student dorms. You are more than welcome to join the others for meals if you wish, if not the lounge has a fully stocked fridge in a small kitchen area if you prefer. When you are ready phoenix will show you the way. Do you have any questions or would you like to go and see Spencer now."

To no one surprise Morgan spoke up before anyone else could object, asking the question they all wanted to know the answer to. "Just one. How do you know Reid?"
Xavier expected this question so we answered it simply trying to ensure Spencer's privacy as much as possible. "I met Spencer when he was 11. Scott introduced him to me when his telepathy got too powerful and out of control. I helped him gain control of it and understand more about what his power involved and how he can use it."
Satisfied with the answer the BAU were escorted to the med bay to see Spencer.

Inside the mad bay Spencer was unconscious, hooked in high tech machines, he was pale in his body too still. They have been lucky that his new power had not surged again with the amount of equipment around him. Scott, Remy and Logan were in the corner observing closely, all with laser focus which if they were not on edge they would have missed the BAU entering, instead when they entered all eyes snapped up to the door. Before they recognized who they were, Remy instinctively was reaching for his pockets where he kept his cards, Logan could be heard growling low and threatening, his hands curled into fisted at his side, and Scott's hand lifted to the side of his visor, having not changed it for his glasses get.

They relaxed slightly when they saw who they were. They turned their focus back to Spencer, with the same intensity as before, but they could see the way they kept glancing over to them every few seconds. Not hostile or untrusting, but wary of their presents, especially near someone that they cared about. For them it didn't matter that the BAU thought of him like family to him, they were his family that's all that matters.

Beast was over by Spencer checking over his vitals, visible injuries and tacking blood samples so he could test later. Jean was straight over to help him, trying to clean the wounds focusing on the burns on his arms and torso.

The room was sterile, modern and unlike any hospital or medical centre they had ever seen. Equipment was more sophisticated than anything at other hospitals and the scent of antiseptic was mixed with something more organic, which made them think that most of what they used was made here. As Spencer was treated more and more wounds were uncovered which broke their hearts a little more each time. The Knew Spencer's condition was severe but knowing it and seeing it was to different things.

Jean turns to face the BAU after surveying Spencer's condition and ensuring that she couldn't help Beast, letting him have more space to work, him being more efficient in this area. Her expression softened from the moment when she looked at them before she masked it with calm kindness. "He's stable, but from what we can tell what they'd led to him gave him a new power and it seems to be evolving. We were right to bring him here, he wouldn't be treated properly in a normal hospital."

"We're not here to interfere," Hotch said calmly. "We just want him back. He has thought a lot."

"He ain't yours to have back." Logan snarled. "He doesn't belong to you or your team." He was glaring at them now with such an intensity that, even with their years of talking down killers, they struggled not to flinch under it. "He belongs here." His voice is gravely and beyond threatening.

Morgan raised an eyebrow, but before he could speak, he was cut off by Remy. "Discole, Mais y' not gon t' get de answers y' lookin' for just by asking. Dats be Penny's choice, it be his life, his choices. Y' need t' understand dat."

"We want to do that." Emily spoke her voice thoughtful. "We want to understand him."

Scott's voice was unwavering and riddled with sadness. "You don't just need to understand him, you need to understand what he is. Spencer is more than just the brilliant awkward profiler you know him
to be. His mutation is not something you can ignore. It wasn't before and it's more so now. It is what makes him who he is."

Jean turn back to Beast making shore he can take care of Spencer. Then she turned back to the BAU. "Beast need room to work. I will show you where you will be staying."
The BAU, not having much choice, followed her out of the med bay down the hall and up to their rooms. Their rooms were small but well caped, each had a bed and dresser with no unnecessary items, despite the minimalist style it was inviting and certainly better than most of the places they had stayed in when they had been away on a case. The lunge was the same, a minimalists style get welcoming, there was a couch in front of a electric fireplace with a couple of armchairs on ever side and like Xavier said, there was a small kitchen area of to the side with a fully stocked fridge and cupboards for them if they wish to eat there.

They sat in the lunge area processing the vast implications of what has happened over the past few days. Spencer's injuries, his powers, and how they were currently fully immersed in a world of mutants. This was the first time any of them had time to think about what they had learned, without having to focus on finding him, that was their priority.

Garcia was the first to break the silence. "I keep thinking about how normal he seemed. I mean Spencer has always been Spencer, right? The quirky, socially awkward, genius who can be too smart for his own good. He never hid that from us." She paused looking around at the others in confusion. "But this... This other side of him. Why hide it from us."

Emily's voice was tight with thought. "He's always been different. But I thought he was just... quirky. Not mutant." She wasn't prejudiced of mutants but she was Frustrated at him for keeping something this important from them. She understands that the mutant world is looked down upon at the least, she saw it when she was a kid travelling with her mother. She saw the differences in how mutants were treated in different countries, but that didn't stop her from not understanding why he would keep this from them.

"It's not just his powers he was hiding from us." Rossi added, sitting down after finding a drink. "He hid the fact that he has a brother and that he is associated with a known terrorist organisation. It's not just that either." He brought his glass up to his lips before taking a drink. "Did you notice the way they care for him? Not only Scott but the way Gambit and the Wolverine look at him, how their voices soften when they talk about him."

"I don't get it." Morgan admitted, pacing along the window shaking his head. "I don't get how we just accept that Reid lied about what he is. I don't care that he's a mutant. But he lied to us, how do we accept that." He brought his hand up and rubbed the back of his head.

Hotch as always remains level headed, despite his own concerns of Spencer. "It's like they said. We don't just accept it, we understand and we will spend our time here doing that. Understanding. Learn what we can about mutants, to better understand Reid and why he would make these decisions."

Back at the med bay after Jean took the BAU out. Beasts told them he did need space to work and it would be good if they were to leave and he will update them when there is something to tell them. None of them were willing at first but after being assured that when there is any change they would be told. Beast suggested that they go to their rooms whilst he worked, he didn't bother trying to tell them to get some sleep but did insist that they rest for a while.

Scott eventually went to find Jean giving one last look at Spencer before disappearing down the halls, head low thinking about what his brother went through.

Logan and Remy stayed there for longer watching Beast work and Spencer blanked face as he stayed unconscious, ever so often Spencer's face would scrunch up in pain when Beast worked on one of his injuries. For a time no one said anything until Logan looked directly at Hank and said "Take care of him." In his gravely voice with just little warning in there.

Hank gave him a sad smile. "Not to worry my friend. He is in good hands."

Logan looked back down at Spencer tentatively reaching his hand out before pulling it away and turning to leave. Remy pushed a small section of hair from Spencer's face then let his lips ghost a kiss on his forehead before looking back at Hank.

Hank gave him a small nod of understanding then Remy followed Logan out of the med bay.

They made the way through the mansion to the room in grim silence, thankfully avoiding anyone. When they reached their room, Logan sat in the armchair in the corner of the room looking out into the distance, their mind's not fully in the present.

Remy sat on the bed staring out of the window, his mind going through the past few days. It was awhile till Remy broke the stillness that weighted the air. "Thin' dey understand." His voice was more drained than he would let anyone other than his lovers hear. "His amais. Gonna take time. Mais dey'll understand, fo' his sake."

Logan exhaled sharply, his mind flickering back to when he saw Spencer in that place. Blooded, beaten and hurt in so many ways. "We should have gotten there sooner. We should have done more. He doesn't deserve what happened to him. I should have protected him better." To most people they wouldn't think that Logan, the viscous wolverine, ever second guested himself or held any kind emotions. But in reality despite his tough exterior, once someone got in his heart there is nothing he would not do for them.

Remy looked over at him with a soft expiration. "Non. Y' not doing dat. Y' not gonna blame y'self. 'Sides y' now as well as me, Spencer ain't one to ask for protection. He never has been."

Logan sighed, moving to the bed and sitting next to Remy. He knew he was right but that didn't mean he had to like it. "No. He hasn't, but that don't mean I ain't gonna try."

"Je saie." Remy nodded, moving to sit against the headboard stretching his legs out. He looked over to Logan again, his voice solid but full of sorrow. "We can't let him push us away. We don't let him think dis changes anythin', dat we ain't gonna leave him."

Logan let out a growl knowing that he was right and Spencer would see himself as damaged and unworthy of them and he hated the thought of it. "We take care of him." His gruff tone soothing slightly before the dangerous edge came back. "And I'll be damned if anyone else tries to take him from us again."

They sat there for a long time neither willing to say another word. They knew the next couple of days would be complicated, the BAU had questions, but Spencer needed to recover and that was their only priority.

Chapter Text

The med bay was quiet but never truly still. The machines hummed in low tones pulsing in sync with Spencer's heartbeat. It has been four days since they returned to the mansion with Spencer and he was still unconscious. He no longer looked like he was on the edge of death. His breathing had even out more, still not perfect but improving. His skin had gained more colour instead of looking as pale as the bandages wrapped around him. The surges of energy that had flared dangerously in the plane had calmed if only temporary, occasionally the lights would flicker and one of the machines would blow which coincided with fluctuations in Spencer's vitals.

Remy set by Spencer's bedside one hand loosely holding Spencer's pale, motionless fingers. He hadn't moved in hours, safe for the occasional glances at the monitors or the subtle twitch of his jaw or one of them beeped irregularly. The dim lighting cast a warm shadow across his face making the strain on his features more visible. His thumb traced lightly over Spencer's knuckle, a soft rhythm that said everything in his words wouldn't.

Logan stood nearby, arms crossed his stance defensive and protective. He hadn’t left the room either. His eyes never drifted far from Spencer, unless someone entered. Every person who entered X-Men or not was scrutinized with a low threatening growl or a stare that would be worn against them getting too close. "Still nothing" Logan grumbled in a quiet voice cutting through the silence like a sword.

"He's healing. Jennie and Henri say given his injuries his body is doin’ better than anticipated, like de energy he has now is helpin’ him heal somehow." Taking a deep breath he looked over where Logan was standing, tiring his best to explain. "He's so muted, cher. His emotions, dey... dey foggy like his mind ain't feelin’ but his body is. Whatever is happenin’ in his head, dat's gonna take longer t’ heal." He concluded with a sigh.

Logan only gave a low grunt of agreement fixing his gaze back on Spencer.

The BAU were finding it hard to adjust to living in the school, they were allowed to look around as long as they didn’t announce themselves as FBI and cause a panic. However wherever they went someone from the X-Men kept an eye on them. There were also some places that they were not allowed to go such as most of the lower levels, which they figured was where they did most of the X-men business. The message was clear, you are welcome but not trusted.

Garcia has already cornered Hank McCoy (Beast) in the tech wing practically vibrating with questions. The technology there was top of the line and she had seen nothing that even came close to competing with what they had there. "So you're telling me that half the technology in this place doesn't exist anywhere else? And that's normal here?"

Hank offered her a smile. "We find ways to stay ahead of those who wish to harm us. Necessity breeds innovation."

Morgan and Rossi spend their time quietly observing the residents. It was hard not to notice how every mutant regardless of age moved with purpose. They were like soldiers that never truly relaxed. Always waiting for the next threat that could harm them. Neither one of them had put much thought into mutants before, to them they assisted and nothing more. But watching them now they were forced to think about what it was like for them. How much hate they must get for even the youngest among them here, in the safest place for them, is still constantly looking for danger.

Emily found herself drifting into a hallway that overlooked the med bay entrance observing Logan and Remy through the glass. "It's more than just protection" She muttered hearing Hotch come up from behind them. "I think they care for him deeply."

Hotch steps up beside her looking at them through the glass. "I think they all do. The behaviour, the way Wolverine positions himself towards the door and still angled to look at Reid. It's as if he needs to protect him but also needs to reassure himself that he's ok."

"They're barely letting anyone near him." Emily added. "Not even their own team."

"Would you?" Hotch asked, with a note of understanding in his voice, "If someone you loved was put through what he had to endure?"

She didn't answer. She just kept watching.

Later that evening in the med bay the door hissed open quietly as Jean entered with a few trays floating in behind her, one healed a fluid and nutrient mix for Spencer's IV and a tray of food for Logan and Remy. Jean knew that neither of them had eaten anything all day.

Logan straightened and immediately growling nostrils flaring slightly, he was not expecting anyone this late, And despite knowing that there was no one in the school that would wish to cause harm to Spencer he still felt the need to protect him.

"It's just me." She said gently setting the trays down on the table. "I brought you to some food if you haven't eaten all day"

"Merci Jenny." Remy thanked accepting the food but not looking up at her, his eyes never leaving Spencer's form. "Deres t' many visitors. It's not good for Penny. Can feel de drain on his shield, me. He be trying to keep deir thoughts out.." Remy muttered.

Jean raised an eyebrow concern then scolded her expression. She had already put temporary shields in place for him so he would be able to focus on healing. She had to hold that thought for now, maybe getting the professor to add stronger ones in place for him later. “Spencer's lucky to have you both. But you need to understand the more you hover the more concerned the BAU will get. They're already walking on eggshells.”

“They should be,” Logan growled. “There in our home. Our space. They didn't even know what he was.”

Remy finally raised his eyes to look up at Jean. “Dey care about him, sure and he cares about dem. Mais, dey didn't see him. Are dey trying now? Oui. We know him they don't.”

The silence between the three for a moment filled only by the beeping of Spencer's heart monitors. Jean understood where they were coming from, but they needed to take care of themself as well.

“I know,” Jean said softly. “His team spent the day trying to understand more about us, what being a mutant entails, that's got to count for something right.”

That night the BAU spent time gathered in the lounge that night. Morgan was by the window looking out watching some of the kids kick a ball around outside. Emily and JJ were sitting on the couch looking at the fire. Garcia was culled up on the armchair with her knitting. The atmosphere was less tense than the last couple of days but it was still uneasy.

“They love him.” Garsia blurted almost dreamily. “Like really love him.”

Morgan nodded. “It makes sense. Reid's not the easiest. But once you get to know him. You'll do anything for him.”

Hotch looked around the room, taking his team in expression and readability. “We didn't know the whole picture and now we're in it.”

Rossi tilted his glass contemplating what they had learned so far by being here. “I think it would be a good idea for us all to try and figure out who he truly is.”

Chapter Text

The first sound that Spencer became aware of was the low steady humming of the heart monitor. It was quiet and faint, like it was coming from behind a thick pane of glass. All of his thoughts were murky, a swirl of memories and blissful nothingness. Then something real and solid broke through the fog.

A hand. Warm. Firm. And familiar.

When he registered it everything came back so quickly, every second of what happened. On days like this, he cursed his eidetic memory. He tried to open his eyes only to be met with the pain. Pain screaming all over his body the moment he tried to move as if his consciousness collapsed back into his body, every nerve felt as if it was on fire. His throat ached like it had been scrubbed with sandpaper.

A single tear rolled down his cheek, then he heard a low voice quiet but unmistakable.”Spencer?”

He couldn’t find the strength to answer him, but he felt Logan's hand tight just slightly around his own. That touch alone was enough to anchor him, to make him feel safe, even if his body still believed he was in danger.

Remy reached out to him with his empathy lightly brushing his mind and Spencer responded in kind using his telepathy. Remy searched Spencer's bruised and battered face looking for any sign that he is ok. “Y’ still with us? Mon soleil.”

Spencer couldn't speak so he used his telepathy to reach out to them. For a moment, he didn't say anything, just basked in the presence of another's mind, and revelled in the fact that he could and they were real. ‘Hurts’ was the only coherent thing he could tell them. He was unable to think properly to begin to try and form a sentence.

“Spencer, try and open your eyes for us.” Logan's gravelly voice called out.

And despite pain, Spencer managed to open one of his eyes. But his other one was still swollen shut. His vision was blurred, but he could make out the two of them stood at either side of him.

Logan and Remy glanced at each other, noting how his eyes were still golden and the pink, purples and blues where there were normally brown was. His eyes just stood as a testament to how much this experience has changed him and how much they were going to have to help him move on from this.

Spencer blinked, trying to clear his vision, missing the glances between his two lovers. His lips parted as he tried to speak, but only a slight rasp escaped reigniting the pain and fear that came along with it. His breathing quickened involuntarily, muscles clenching under the sheets. He flinched instinctively, pulling back from Logan as he reached to him trying to place a steady hand against his shoulders. Remy sent him all the joy, love and relief that he was ok, to try and calm him down and draw him back to reality. The lights began to flicker, overhead and the machines cut in and out of working as Spencer attempted to calm himself down.

“Easy darlin’, you're safe.” Logan said in a low tone, hoping to find the sound that he and Remy would tell them was calming. Apparently he couldn’t do it consciously but he thinks it worked anyway.

Safe. The word bounced around in his head like a cruel echo, he didn't feel safe. He was in so much pain and his mind itched with the remanence of a scream he wasn't sure was his. Feeling Logan and Remy's hands helped remind him that he was not still there, and the watchful presence helped ensure he calmed. Spencer's eyes slipped closed once again, the effort of trying to stay awake was weighing on him.

Remy leaned over him brushing his lips over his forehead. “We ain't going anywhere.Get some rest, s'il vous plaît.” He finished placing a kiss in a silent promise to watch over him. He fell asleep, Remy turned to Logan. “He needs rest, let's not tell de others yet.”

Logan gave a grant of approval, not liking how many people were coming in and out as it is. Let alone how many would want to see him when they would know he had woken up. Jean and Hank would want to do tests, and his team would want to question him on what happened. That can wait, he decided, it was better for him to sleep.

When Spencer woke up for the second time, he was gasping for air and arching his back slightly off the bed. Logan reached out instantly, firmly placing a hand on his shoulders to break through to wherever Spencer thought he was. Spencer's breath was ragged and his eyes were darting around fantastically. Seeing, but not quite understanding where he was, which on;y served to fuel his panic.

“Spencer!” Remy called out quickly, sensing the sudden surge of fear and distress. He leaned over him so Spencer could see him easier, staying in his line of sight. “You're fine, Penny. Y’ at the school, you're safe.”

Remy repeated that over and over till the tremors coursing though Spencer's body had slowed under Logan's grip but they didn't stop fully even with Remy's word of reassurance. Once he had calmed down enough he used his mind to reach out to them, to confirm they were real. Only then did he manage to calm down properly and breathe out. “Hu…rts”

“I know, darling.” Logan said quietly. “You're safe now. I won't let them even look at you again.”

Spencer knew exactly what he meant by that, and he was sure whether to be sad that he would kill for him or to be beyond grateful that he would. He took a moment to centre himself and come down from his panic, blinking at them he tried to find the words he wanted to say. His head still felt fuzzy and he dropped his head in shame. “I tried…I fought.” His voice trailed off as his throat dried up, unable to form more words.

Logan leaned down, placing a kiss to his hair nostrils flaring as he whispered against him. “We know, darlin’. Ya didn't give up. Ya fought and stayed alive until we got to you.”

Logan straightened up and Remy returned to stroking his thumb over his arm to ground and calm him. “Do y’ want some ice for your throat, cher?” He wanted till Spencer gave a shaky nod before getting up and receiving some ice chips for him. He came back with a cup of it and grabbed a spoon and gave some to Spencer.

Spencer relished in the feeling of cold on his tongue soothing the burning. He opened his mouth again in a silent request for more. After five more spoons he was able to talk without the added strain on his throat. “How… How long have I been out?”

“About five days.” Logan informed resting his hand on his uninjured leg.

Spencer looked surprised by the passages of time, he didn’t think he was out that long. “Oh. Er…. How long was…” he paused, considering how to frame his question. “How long did they have me?”

Spencer tried to sit up but his body protested the movement reigniting the pain, it took over him like a tidal wave. He slammed his eyes shut and tried to breathe through it.

Logan and Remy wanted for it to pass and him to open his eyes again. They didn’t comment on it apart from making sore that he did not try it again, they also didn’t comment on his slow speech, they knew that he was still trying to process what had happened. They also knew that giving him all the facts and information he would be able to calm down and process it faster.

“They had you for 17 or 23 days.” Remy says grimmly.

“Your team not too sure when they took you.” Logan grumbled still not forgiving them for not knowing and protecting him better.

“Your team and Scott got a message 17 days ago. Dere was a picture o’ y’ and writing dat was a warning t’ stay out o’ it.”

Between Rremy and Logan they told him everything that had happened, from being shown the photo, meeting the BAU, working with them, the rescue, and bringing him back here.

By the time they had finished the explanation Remy was having a hard time filtering Spencer's emotions. They were no longer murky but he was feeling so much that it was impossible to focus on one and determine what he was feeling most.

There was guilt which he contributed to lying to his team. Relief even from being found or that his team knew, more than likely both. Fear for how they will treat him or thinking that those who took him or come back or fear for how the people will treat him now that they know he has another power. Nervous for having to face people now, and he was angry but Remy wasn't sure what it was aimed at, and there was also a hint of joy for both sides of his life finally meeting. There were others that he couldn’t determined.

Spencer eventually drifted back into sleep glad that he was found and trusting that they will watch over him making sure he is safe while he slept.

Jean had been walking past the med bay to deliver reports to Charles when she felt a sudden ripple of another telepath, it was like a gentle shockwave, faint but unmistakable.

He's awake. She thought to himself. The spark wasn't loud or definite, it was tired and weak. She paused in the hall, closing her eyes and reached out carefully. Spencer's mind was hazy, jumbled with memories and confused. But she was sure he was conscious and she thinks talking but she didn't want to push to confirm.

Without hesitation she pivoted and made her way up to Scott's office where he was reviewing security for the school despite it being the last thing he wanted to be doing with the state Spencer was in, it was the only thing he could do. When she reached him she didn't need to speak. When he looked up at her he knew immediately but the look on her face.

“Spencer?” He asked, still wanting confirmation.

Jean nodded a bright smile on her face. “I felt him wake up. I think he was talking to Logan and Remy but his shields are too weak. I didn't want to push.”

Scott stood so fast his chair scraped loudly against the floor. “Where is he?”

“Still with his protectors.” Jean placed a hand on his arm, continuing with slight caution in her voice. “Both of whom aren't happy with anyone being near him.”

Scott met her eyes, then placed a kiss on her forehead. “Remy shouldn't be a problem, and from what I know about ferals and their protective nature of their mates.” He took her hands glad that she was worried for him. “I'm Spencer's brother. His instincts recognise the importance of family, he may try to get me to leave. But unlike what he would do if someone else refuses to leave he won’t physically make me.”

He kissed Jean again before leaving to go see Spencer. It took him just a few minutes before you arrived at the med bay entrance. He took a deep breath trying to quell the knots of emotions twisting in his chest assisted silently into the med bay. Then he realised that a feral with enhanced senses and master thief would be able to hear him

Logan was in the chair one hand resting on Spencer's thigh while still being in a defensible position, eyes constantly alert. Remy was leaning against the cabinet fingers lightly brushing absently on Spencer's arm while staring at his face with sad eyes. Both of them stilled and stiffened slightly at the entrance before looking up seeing it was Scott that had entered.

“I heard he's awake.” Scott's voice was low. “I wanted to talk with him.”

Remy turned his attention back to his sleeping charge. “He's restin’”

“I'll stay with you till he wakes up.” Scott said already looking for another chair.

Logan's jaw twitched slightly, not entirely sure why he didn't want him there. “His shields are weak, why add the pressure of another mind?”

Scott expected this kind of reaction so he wasn't deterred. He found a chair and sat down and answered his question. “He’s my brother, my mind will help him feel safer. It will be easier for him to rest if he feels safe”

Logan growled at him before stopping lowering his head for a moment in acceptance and understanding, then he turned his attention back onto Spencer.

It was another 4 hours before he showed any signs of waking again.

They all sat in comfortable silence till they saw Spencer's breathing speed up and his eyes fluttering. When he got his eyes open he frantically looked around, taken in his surroundings, reminding himself that he was no longer a captive and he was safe.

His eyes landed on Scott and he quietly questioned. “Scott?”

Scott got up his gaze never leaving him, more specifically he was looking at his changed eyes but he decided not to comment on it. “Yeah I'm here, Spencer.”

As Scott moved closer Logan eyes narrowed, he didn't understand, he knows his instincts trust that Scott would harm Spencer but he couldn't shake the need to get Spencer out of here and take him away. He wanted to pick him up and take him to a place no one knew and kept him there.

“Can I have a moment alone?” Scott asked knowing they probably wouldn't realise what he wanted and they wouldn't go without being asked.

Logan tightened his grip on Spencer's leg growling at him not wanting him out of his sight after what had happened. Remy on the other hand knows that this will be good for them but he wasn't going to go unless he thought Logan would go with him.

“I just want to talk to my brother.” He pressed, he was trying his hardest not to sigh, he shouldn't have to defend himself just to speak with his own flesh and blood. “You know I won't let anything happen to him. You can stand around outside the door, five minutes." He was practically begging at this point he knew Logan's feral side was taken this hard but he was his brother he shouldn't have to beg just to have a private conversation.

Spencer gave a reassuring look in Logan's direction and Logan stopped growling as Remy agreed for the both of them. “5 minutes.”

Logan looked at him moving towards the door then he looked back at Spencer. He knew that he would be fine, he didn't believe Scott would harm him but it was a lot easier to control the monster was in him if he had him in his sights. He took a breath considering then gave in.

He looked at Scott sternly. “5 minutes.” He'll be fine the 5 minutes out of his sight. Standing he lent down, pressing a kiss to Spencer's hair with more tenderness and care that many thought was possible, earning him a soft hum from Spencer. He looked at Scott again then followed by me out standing guard at the door.

When Scott was eventually alone with Spencer he moved to sit in the chair at the bedside which Logan had just vacated. Spencer's eyes fluttered again, he was still trying to get the other one open with no luck. A soft smile pulled at the corners of his mouth seeing Scott coming to visit him. His voice was still weak and a bit rough but in classic brotherly fashion he teased. “Took you long enough.”

Scott huffed a short laugh, he almost choked with relief at his antics. “Still a smart ass then. I was worried you might have lost that.”

Spencer blank slowly a few times whispering, all teasing out of his voice, it taking on a fragile edge. “Im surprised I didn't.”

Scott wasn’t entirely sure what to do, it's been a while since he's seen him this…vulnerable. He put his hand over Spencer's leaning forward, his voice gentle. “I'm so damn glad you're awake. I really wanted to hear your voice.”

“Me too.” Spencer murmured, before trying to joke. “Although… I would have preferred not waking up with all the cuts, burns and broken bones.”

His joke fell flat as Scott's heart broke for what he went through. He asked cautiously. “How much do you remember?”

“Idetic memory.” He replied his face darkened and his voice became void of any emotion. “It's a curse really. Being able to remember every second.”

Scott closed his eyes looking down, remembering how Spencer would get this look when anyone implied he was lucky to have his memory. Scott at some points had thought he was lucky for having it. He never considered the downside of it. He looked back at him with more understanding of how hard it will be to help him. “I'm going to help you through this, Spencer. Whatever you need I will be there. Whatever you want I will get. I will help you through this. I promise.”

Spencer softens at his words. “You mean it?”

Without a second thought he nodded. “We should have gotten to you sooner. You shouldn't have had to go through that alone. And you won't have to be alone now.”

Spencer visibly relaxed in this knowledge. “I'm not alone. I have Remy and Logan. And now I have you.”

Scott swallows thickly his emotions threatening to take over. “You've always got me.”

They sat in silence for a moment content in each other's presents, but Spencer winched as he breathed too deeply jolting his broken ribs. Seeing the look on Scott's face he smiled faintly trying to relieve the tension. “You're being weirdly emotional. Is this a side effect of finding out your baby brother developed a second mutation, or just lack of sleep?”

Scott laughed, truly laughing for the first time since receiving that letter, shaking his head.”You're impossible.”

“Yeah but you love it.”

“I really do.”

Spencer exhales slowly letting his head sink a little deeper into the pillow, his voice quite but sure. “Thank you for coming, Scott. Really.”

“Wouldn't be anywhere else.” He replied.

Spencer eventually drifted back into sleep and Scott left feeling lighter after talking to him and he just knew that he would be ok.

Spencer's dreams were broken. Just images. Crack concrete. His dimly lit cell. His hands bound. The taste of blood, his blood. Their testing room. His voice echoing off the walls and in his head. ‘Say what you are’.

He never did. The floor tasted like metal and pain. The looks of his captors. His powers filled him till he felt like he would explode. He screamed into the dark when they kept him isolated. The sensory deprivation. He could think, he could only hear his own screams.

Chapter Text

Even when Spencer was asleep he wasn't really resting. It was small to begin with a simple pressure in their minds, like a headache that was just starting to build. At first Remy and Logan thought it was because they were tired, they both hadn’t slept properly since finding out that Spencer was missing, but then there were the dreams.

Remy jerked upright that night, his body coated in a thin layer of sweat, heart hammering as a phantom scream echoed in his ears. His mind was flooded with memories and images that weren't his. Cold concrete, metal restraint that dug into his skin and the white hot agony trailing though every inch of him.

Logan eyes shot open beside him growing as he pulled himself back from the memories and into the present. He looked over to Remy, seeing his face he asked. “You too?”

Remy shakily nodded, focusing on Spencer's face, laying his hand on his, taking a few deep breaths trying to steady himself. He tried to tell himself that it wasn’t real, but he realised that it was real just not to him.

Logan narrowed his eyes at his lover talking him in, when he realised his face dropped in concern for him. He might not seem like he knows much, but he does listen when people talk about their powers and how other factors can affect them. He knew that if a telepath reaches into the empath's mind they share more than just their thoughts but their raw unfiltered emotions, which can be painful for the empath.

To stop it from being painful the telepath has to put barriers in place. Logan doubted that with Spencer being unconscious he had those in place when he was bleeding his memories to them. Knowing this and not being able to do anything about it made him feel more useless than he had been. He tried to offer as much comfort as he could by taking Remy's hand in his own.

Spencer stirred again in the late morning. His eyes opened sluggishly, the swelling had already started to go down allowing him to open both even if one was only half way. His vision was also a lot clearer this time. He blinked adjusting them to the overhead lights, anything felt heavy, his limbs, his thoughts even his own breath.

Remy was by his side in a flash, he had moved from his side to stretch his legs briefly, his hands immediately finding Spencer's again. “Bonjour, look who's awake. Y’ in dere Penny.”

Spencer made a noise that could have been a yes. He looked around, then he tried to reach for the water that was on the table beside the bed, but his body protested at the moment causing a wave of pain to wash though him. He screwed his eyes shut and tried to take a steadying breath till the pain subsided. When it died down enough he opened his eyes again, Logan was in view taking the glass of the table and brought the straw to his lips letting him drink.

“Thank you Logan.” Spencer thirdly spoke after another breath. He looked between them taking in their appearance, they look exhausted, he thought to himself. He remembers how mental shields can slip after trauma and his shields were feeling extremely weak. He didn't want to jump to conclusions, they were worried about him and he was feeling guilty enough from that. “Are you too ok? You look tired.”

“We'll be fine, Cher.” Remy answered, not wanting to worry him anymore.

Logan on the other hand never sugarcoated things. Spencer was going to figure it out eventually and would feel worse. “Nightmares. Your. We felt them.”

At the guilty look on Spencer's face Logan stroked his hand along his arm. Most people assume the overtly aggressive feral was adverse to physical affection, like touches, but in reality much like Gambit the wolverine thrives on casual touches.

When Spencer's suspicions were confirmed he felt guilty knowing that they were shoring in his pain. “I… I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to. I'm sorry.”

“Doesn't matter.” Remy interrupted before he could spiral into endless apologies, also sending a pointed look at Logan, who just shrugged.

“Ain't mad or upset at y’.” He began his voice soft trying to alleviate some of the guilt pouring off of him. “Jenni warned us dat dis could happen. We ain't mad or upset.” He repeated that again after kissing his forehead which calmed him down.

About an hour later Jean knocked on the door before coming in. “Theres some people that want to see you, Spencer. Do you think you're up to that?” She was smiling sweetly at him as she checked his vitals. She didn't want to put him through something he was not ready for.

Spencer looked to the door then between Logan and Ramy. He wasn't sure why he was so nervous, they already know what he is, and they still stayed here to make sure he was alright. Jean most likely scanned their minds discreetly to see if they had any ill intent, so why was he scared of their reactions.

Sensing his troubles Remy gave his hand a light squeeze which was enough to show support and let him know he was not going to be alone. Spencer didn't need to look over to Logan to know that he held a similar sentiment and was not going anywhere.

He looked back to the door and nodded to Jean. It was going to happen at some point and the longer he waited the worse he would feel about it.

Hotch was the first to enter, followed closely by Morgan, Emily, Garcia, JJ then Rossi. They all watched him cautiously as they took in his state. They had been told prior that his eyes have seemed to have permanently changed and would most likely stay that way. But hearing it and seeing it were two different things. They tried not to focus on his eyes and take in the rest of him, the casts and bandages around his wrist and torso were a stark contrast from his bruised skin.

“Hey, pretty boy.” Morgan greeted quietly, smiling at him but very visibly tense. “You look like hell.”

Spencer's lips twitched in amusement. “Feel like it too.”

Garcia stepped closer, tears in her eyes that refused to shed, casting a glance in Logan's direction before stopping herself from pulling him into a hug. “We could have lost you sugarplum.”

Spencer barely whispers a response. “I'm sorry. I didn't mean to scare anyone.”

“Reid” Hotch interrupted calmly, only Reid could blame himself for getting kidnapped. “None of this is your fault. Understand?”

Spencer looked down unable to meet their eyes. “They took me because of what I am. I… I should have told you, I should have told you a long time ago. I'm sorry.”

Morgan moved forward, despite the warning growl he got from Logan, getting Spencer attention. “None of that. We know now, and we're still here. That's what matters. That and you're safe.”

There was silence for a moment as Spencer lifted his head and looked at their faces. All showing their genuine concern and relief that he was ok, some mixed with slight disappointment for him not sharing his secret willingly or sooner.

Eventually Spencer broke the silence, bringing the conversation to the one he knew they needed to have. “Did you find the scientist? He wasn't there the last….”

His words broke off, his eyes screwing shut, his back arched as a violent spike of energy rippled across his skin like little sparks of lightning. Surprisingly it didn't hurt Spencer as it looked like it did, what was hurting him was a combination of holding it back and the way his body was moving to accommodate it.

“Easy.” Logan said as everyone else backed up. He placed his hands firmly on Spencer's shoulders, letting the excess energy he was containing into him. His healing factor let him work it though his body in a matter of moments with nothing more than a slight grunt of pain. He waited for him to calm before he sat back down facing the group, one hand still perched on his shoulder.

Spencer's eyes opened slowly, taking a breath. “It may be easier for me just to show you him. Just let me.”

Only a moment later he went limp on the bed, the monitor beeping faster than evening back to the steady rhythm. He was unconscious again, leaving the BAU stood frozen looking at him unsure whether to panic or wait.

“He’s okay.” Jean reassured checking his vitals again. “He overexerted his body. He tried to use his telepathy while his mind is not healed. He will be fine, he just needs rest.”

Logan tightened his jaw at what he heard before. “Not everyone that hurt him was in that facility. They're still out there.” His hands balled into fists at the knowledge.

Remy didn't look away from his face as he spoke with determination. “We'll find dem connards. Dey'll pay.”

Chapter Text

Spencer's recovery was slow, a pattern of quiet pain, broken rest and an emotional minefield. But with each day his strength edged forward, sometimes only by a little. His eyes opened more easily now that the swelling was easing. The bruises still painted his body in sickly shades of purpley blues, but the lucky the worst of the damage had stabilized.

What hasn't begun to heal yet lives deeper, in muscle memory, in thoughts and in dreams. He hated that part. He could manage the pain but seeing their sadistic smiles, his torture war every time he closed his eyes was draning. He tried to hide how much it was affecting him but he doubted he was doing a good job of it.

Remy was curled up on the chair at Spencer's bedside, his upper body rested as close to Spencer as he could get without hurting him. His brushed lazy circles on the back of his hand, a comforting distraction.

Logan stood a few paces away, arms crossed, watching the monitors like they might betray some secret. Spencer was awake, groggy but coherent. “Either of you going to let me pee alone today?”

Logan huffed a small laugh of amusement, lips twitching in the reminiscence of a smile. “Ya trying to start a fight first thing?”

“Just saying.” Spencer defended after sipping at his drink. “If I wanted an audience I'd start charging admissions.”

Remy snorted amused. “Deres dat sass. Though y’ lost it somewhere between de rescue and de nightmare fueled bleeds.”

Spencer smirked faintly but it didn't hold. “I'm sorry about that.”

“Stop apologising.” Logan's voice dropped low, not threatening but firm. “Ain't your fault ya power got kicked into overdrive.”

“But I hurt you.” Spencer replies looking over to Remy knowing that he would have been hit repeatedly with his raw emotions, each time. He felt as if he would break under them himself, it was hard not to deal with what had happened but he didn’t want to burden them more. He could imagine how Remy was doing with the extra weight of his to deal with.

“Y’ leaking your pain, Cher.” Remy corrected gently. “ And dats something Remy gladly take. ‘cause it means y’ still here.”

In the rec room at the mansion Hotch stood in the doorway watching as Morgan cautiously spared Jubilee under Storm's supervision. Morgan was glad they were fine with it, he was eager to see if the rumours of their combat abilities being better than the governments. Apparently the X-Men not only trained their students to fight with their powers but they also trained to fight without them in case someone had mutant dampening teach if they were ever attacked.

Garcia and Beast were deep in our conversation about mutant-friendly tech Innovations. Half of it went straight over her head but she was grinning ear to ear. Emily was on the balcony outside sharing tea with Jean and Emma. Their conversations varied from psychic shielding, to profiling, to empathic abilities and to how empathic abilities could help in profiling. Emily didn't understand all of it but she respected it.

Slowly the X-Men were letting their guard down, little by little. They were no longer constantly on edge around them, but they were still careful not to use their real names in front of them. However they had heard some of them when some students slipped, but they respected that they didn't want them to know so they went about like they didn't know.

“Strange, isn't it?” Scott said as he approached Hotch standing at the other side of the doorway.

Hotch gave a short nod. “We're trying to see everything, even the things people don't want others to know. Yet we missed an entire side of Spencer.”

“Don't be too hard on yourself. It's one of the first things we learn after getting our gifts.” Scott's voice was low and sad. “How to hide and we have to get good at it. Someone knowing or not can be the difference between life and death. Spencer didn't tell you, not knowing is not your failure.”

“No. It's not.” Hotch admitted. “But if we knew what other dangers were out there we could have prevented something like this.”

“I understand. I thought the same way when we were younger.” Scott conceded. “I thought I could protect him by keeping my distance. Pretending the world wouldn't come for him if I didn't pull them into mine.”

Hotch studied him, turning slightly towards him. “That didn't work. Even before this.”

“No,” Scott replied softly. “And he still ended up being stronger than I ever was.”

Later that evening Scott entered the med bay quietly. Logan acknowledged him with a grant while Remy remained half asleep against Spencer's bed. Spencer's eyes drifted towards his brother, giving a hum in greeting.

“Hey.” Scott said, bring another chair beside the bed, sitting beside him. “Jean says you're improving.”

Spencer huffed in response before speaking, his voice tied. “Physical. She said that whatever my new energy is it's somehow helping me heal quicker, but is not consistent so predicting how long till I'm out of this bed is a long shot.”

Scott hesitated, then reached out placing his hand on Spencers. “We should have gotten you out of there sooner. I should have noticed you were gone sooner. I should have stayed in touch better. I should have…..”

“Scott.” Spencer cut in before he could go further. Many people assumed that Scott never seconded gest himself, it was the nature for people to assume that, he was their field leader he would make a mistake. But people didn't know him like he did. Spencer had been able to see in his mind since he was 9, and rarely did he not wonder if he made the right call.

“I don't blame you.” Spencer said only once he was sure he was listening. “You found me and got to me as soon as you could. And you were trying to push me away and keep me out of this life to protect me. I understand.”

“I was trying to protect you from me, Spencer.”

He closed his eyes for a moment, signing. “If that was true and you truly believe that, Scott. You wouldn't let me anywhere near here. Or you, no matter the circumstances.”

“You're so much better than me, Spencer.” He confessed after a moment. “You have seen so many bad things and dealt with bad people and yet you never let that stop you from seeing the good.”

Spencer's lips quirked into a small smirk. “You're being nice. Am I dying.”

Scott huffed a soft laugh, all the seriousness fading away. “You're the only person that gets away with sarcasm in the med bay.”

“‘Cause he makes it cute.” Remy muttered into the bed, apparently not as asleep as they thought.

Logan shook his head at them leaning back into his. Scott took a moment to watch the three of them, something soft setting in his expression. For the first time in a long while he saw Spencer not only as his brother, but as someone whole.

Chapter Text

It has been 3 weeks since they had rescued Spencer and he has been healing better than expected. The pain was still ever present, but it was down to a more manageable level, in his opinion. Logan and Remy have never left his side which has helped him stay calm and in control of his new power.

The swelling around his eye was gone completely, allowing his vision to stay clear. The cuts down his back were stitch free now but still tender if he moved the wrong way or too quickly, they were going to leave behind scars. The bruising that had previously littered his body was only a memory. His wrists were still sore to move with the amount of skin lost from him trying to get out.

The brand on his chest had yet to show any significant improvement, it had shown signs of infection before he was rescued and despite the antibiotics it is clearing slowly. It was no longer open but the inflammation made his skin tight and irritable. Jean had told him that they were third degree burns so it would take some time to heal properly and he knew that the chance of not having a permanent scar was slim, even if he was healing quicker than expected. The burns on his arms were healing well, they caused little pain unless pressed or knocked, most of his injuries will cause scarring but that's a small price to pay for surviving.

It was the broken bones that annoyed Spencer the most. He had a total of three broken ribs, a hairline fracture on his left femur and his right ankle was broken. His ribs were mostly healed but they still caused pain if he breathed too deeply or moved too quickly. His ankle was also healing well and wasn't overly painful anymore. The fracture in the femur was taking longer to heal, it was still painful and with all injuries combined it made getting out of bed impossible.

Spencer knew all the medical knowledge about healing and he knew what speed his body was healing at so he did the calculations and he was in for a long recovery.

But as bad as the physical was, what he hated most about his recovery was the dream bleeding. He could deal with the nightmares, he has had them since he was a kid. What he hated was that he kept projecting them to Logan and Remy. He could see the toil it was taking on them.

Logan was being more protective than normal and he was on edge constantly, Remy seemed to be more affected by it and Spencer was guilted but that. Remy wasn't his usually energetic self, he was drained as if Spencer was sucking the energy out of him.

By the time midday came Spencer was propped up on soft pillows, he had been awake since the morning and feeling more like himself. It was the first time he was awake for more than an hour or two before fading back to sleep.

Remy sat in the chair next to the bed working through a crossword puzzle aloud to fill the silence. Logan was leaning against the wall in the corner observing the room like something could happen at any moment. It was both endearing and unnecessary in Spencer's opinion.

“Are you two ever going to stop hovering over me like mother hens.” Spencer questioned.

Logan turned his head looking over to Spencer with an expression that could only be read as are you serious. “Don't mistake vigilantes for anxiety.”

“Cher, we worry about y’.” Remy spoke softly. “Y’ hurt, we want t’ make sure y’ get better.”

He looked between them not understanding why they still wanted to stay with how much he was draining them, and how better off they would be if they left. “You can't be ok with staying here. Surely you want a night in your bed, not the awkward broken sleep you have been getting down here because of me.”

“We're fine where we are, Penny.” Remy said, looking straight at Spencer leaving no room for the objection that he would no doubt have.

Before Spencer could attempt to reply, Jean entered checking his vitals and looked over his injuries, replacing the dressings where needed. “You're improving quicker than expected. I think whatever your new power is helping. But don't think about trying to get up yet. Give it at least another week before you start sneaking around.”

“I wasn't going to sneak.” Spencer defended. “I was going to dramatically limp with purpose.”

Remy chuckled beside him at his nonchalant attitude. Logan rolled his eyes at him in good spirits, the atmosphere lightering in its wake. Jean continued to look things over before asking him. “Have you had any more power surges since last time, Spencer?”

Spencer didn’t answer her directly, he just looked away. He hated even thinking about his new power directly or what it could be capable of. Thinking about it only put him back to the escape, the pain and how out of control he was. He hated what it could do, he remembered the guilt he felt when he blasted those two guards, he knew on some level that he did what he had to and they were bad people but he still killed them. Knowing that he was still not in control made him fear what they made him into.

“Not out right lightning or blowing out things again. Some flickering with the lights and machines, but mostly it's drifting over his skin.” Logan answered for him.

Jean nodded looking back at Spencer. She spoke in a calm, reassuring voice. “You are going to get there Spencer. Power control takes time, no one expects you to have perfect control with what you went though. You've only had this power for a short time, when you have healed fully we can work on control.”

Spencer didn’t look back at her but he did acknowledge her words with a small nod. He wasn’t sure if he believed the words but there was not much that he could do in the state he was in. He couldn’t even control his original power, his telepathy, from bleeding over to others. If he could control the power he was meant to have, what hope was there for the one he wasn’t meant to.

By the time night came around they were all ready to sleep. Logan was drifting his perch near Spencer side still somehow seeming to be on alert. Remy was snuggled up to Spencer as much as one could while still sitting in the other chair at the side of his bed. None of them having much sleep previously meant they didn't talk long for them to fall asleep completely. Unfortunately that night Spencer's dream bleed got worse.

The bleed extended not only to Logan and Remy, It seeped through the walls of the med bay to the rooms closest, travelling in the air suffocating whomever was court by it, those that were inhabited by most of the X-Men.

Jubilee gasped awake in her room, clutching her chest as she struggled to breathe. In her mind she was trapped in a concrete box, she felt blood dripping down her arms. The mind images switching to being tied to a metal table, and she felt Spencer pain as a blow torch was lower to his skin. She stumbled to the bathroom taking shaky breaths splashing water on her face to stay in the present.

Storm gripped the edge of her dresser so hard it cracked. She breathed through the invasive false memories, the pain that came from being bound by the wrists, the inability to tell night from day. The constant isolation and fear. So many images and feelings flashed in her mind she could barely see what was in front of her. In her efforts to calm down she didn't notice the sudden rain and lightning outside.

Scott was walking along the corridor finally going to bed having finished class prep for the next week when his knees buckled and Spencer nightmare was forced into his mind. Images flashing across his vision, a dark room, someone's sadistic smile, and a room that made his heart stop, one covered with test tubes and equipment completed with a singular metal table in the middle with restraints. He was as trapped as Spencer had been.

When morning came and they had shared their experiences, Jean had gone to set up stronger psychic barriers to prevent Spencer bleeds going to the residents and funnel them away from the school. It wasn’t a permanent fix but it will work until Spencer can hold his own shield on his own again.

The BAU was unaffected by the bleed and they were none the wiser to it. They came to visit him after Jean had left. Garcia was first to enter, armed with three types of puzzle books, a knitted blanket and a floral thermos. The others followed in; Hotch, Morgan, JJ, Emily and Rossi. Beast had joined them, having brought them to the med bay, to ensure Spencer stayed stable after the last time. His presence was unobtrusive but watchful, it was unlikely that he would be needed, if Spencer didn’t try and use his telepathy then he would be fine.

Spencer smiled as they entered. “Garcia, I missed you. Did you bring me coffee?”

“Of course I did. I'm surprised you have tried getting out of bed just to get some. So here you go.” She set her things down and leaned in to hug him. She paid no mind to Logan's growling as she did. She was not going to let that stop her this time. “Ooh sugarplum, look at you.”

“I'm sorry.” He replied almost instantly. He hates people seeing him this weak.

“Nope,” JJ said gently. “You're not doing that, Spencer. You're not going to apologize for surviving.”

“And before you try again, no sorry for being a mutant.” Morgan added, then tried to joke. “Which, by the way, you could have told us.”

Spencer ducked his head, unable to meet their eyes, but he figured he owed them an explanation. “I'm already treated differently because of my intelligence. I didn't need to be seen as more of a freak. And most people don't react well to mutants, I didn't need people thinking I'm dangerous.”

“You are dangerous.” Emily said simply, her lips twisting to a small smile. “But so are we.”

They spent the rest of their visit just talking and joking with one another as if they were at one of Rossi's dinners. None of them missed the way Logan hovered just to the side, a predator ready to pounce at the first hint of danger. Or the way his shoulder tensed if someone leaned to close. Or the low growl that escaped him if someone moved too quickly near him.

Remy noticed as well but he didn't draw attention to it. He simply stood closer to him, occasionally brushing his fingers down his spine grounding him. Reminding him that there was no danger there.

Hotch, the constant profiler, watches both of them carefully. He noted the way Remy gravitated towards Spencer. He noted the way Logan bristled if Spencer winces, and he noted the territorial heat in his stare. It was obvious to him the love that they both carry for Spencer. Knowing that he let a smile touch his lips, happy that he has people like them to help him through.

Chapter Text

In the war room at the X-mansion, the best minds from two worlds are converging.

The BAU sat around the table. Hotch was closed to the door, followed by JJ in the seat next to him. Then Emily, Morgan, Garcia and Rossi. They each had files spread out in front of them on what they know so far on the people that took Spencer. Across from them were Scott, Jean, Storm, and Beast. Logan and Remy slid in late, they were waiting for Spencer to fall asleep before leaving the med bay. Neither one of them was happy to be leaving him but they needed to find who else was involved.

“The question isn't just who they are.” Hotch said. “It's how they knew what he is. We have worked hundreds of cases involving mutants or hate groups and he never let anything show. And they were prepared with the anti-mutant tech.”

“You have a point.” Beast said, adjusting his glasses. “The suppression devices were modified. The suppression collar Spencer described was combined with a shock collar which tested his threshold.”

Jean looked at the designs that they had for the collar that was used. “They were pushing him, not just to hurt but to somehow force a new mutation somehow.”

Beast nodded. “Which you have seen they have been successful in doing. Alongside the physical mutation of his eyes, his energy based power is still unstable. If this group wanted him to lose control it almost worked.”

Morgan clenched his jaw, working though the new information. “They wanted to weaponize him.”

“Or prove he's dangerous.” Emily added grimly. “ Classic fear mongering strategy. Create a monster you can justify hunting.”

Across the table Scott looked disturbed at the possible why’s of doing this, he tried not to let that distract him. “They knew his family line, and very few people know about that. We have always kept that well hidden.”

Rossi had looked over the files silently so far, decided to speak the obvious that they were all missing. “Given the amount of scientific knowledge this group has, the simple explanation for how they knew about your connection is they looked at his genstikes before they started experimenting on him.”

Everyone looked surprised that they had looked over the obvious. It was the part that was bothering Scott the most about the ordeal, he didn’t think that any one that knew about him would tell this kind of group. “That makes a lot of sense.” He conceded.

They talked for hours going over the details that they had and what they could remember from the facility they found Spencer at. Most of what they had was not a lot, but they were making progress, between the X-mens knowledge of underground networks and the BAUs profiling. Remy looked at them all working and decided to slip out unnoticed to chance on Spencer again.

Spencer's sleep had been shallow at best, his dreams twisting between flashes of agony and a complete sensory deprivation all seaming so real he might as well still be there. Remy entered silently to not wake him, he perched himself on the edge of the bed staring down at him.

Spencer was murmuring incoherently, lost in another nightmare, his eyes fluttering under his eyelids but he wasn’t waking. His body shifting under the blanket no doubt straining his injuries. Remy took a deep breath steadying himself reaching down slowly taking his hand in his own. He tentatively reached out with his empathy forming a gentle link. He gasped at the first onslaught of emotions, he had to force himself to not pull back, he took a few stedeing breaths and pushed on.

He didn't try to erase the pain or the fear, he simply shared in it. Drawing it out, filtering it, as if pulling the venom out of a viper bite. Despite the pain from the strong emotions Remy stayed there with him. His own comfort meant nothing if Spencer was allowed even a sense of it. With each passing moment Spencer began to settle. The thermal still remained but it was not overriding him.

Back in the war room Garcia clicked through hacked feeds, with Beast hovering beside her. “Okay. So these jerks didn’t use any traceable online infrastructure. But the tech? Oh sweet mutant moses the tech.”

Beast leaned in, looking over at what she found. “Interesting, they built their tech with a mix of stolen blueprints.”

“Can we trace it?” Morgan asked hopefully.

“We can trace the people moving it.” Beast replied. “We have contacts all over. If someone is selling this tech to an antimutant purist with labs off the grid one of them will know.”

“If they were building or using a facility to make weapons out of people they might have taken more people than Spencer." Rossi explained.

Charles' voice echoed though the room, determined. “Then we fined them before they succeeded.”

Then separated for some sleep after that as Charles and Beast reached out to see what other information they could gather.

Remy hadn't moved from his perch on the bed when Logan entered. His eyes closed drained from the emotional weight of the link. Logan entered quietly with a tray of coffee and food. It was something that he knew Remy liked but he would probably not eat. “How is he?”

“Restin’. Its de first time he havn’ cried out in hours.” Remy sighed, still breathing though the rawness of his emotions. “Hate seein’ inside him like dis. Feels like drownin’ in someone else's skin.”

“Ya don’t have to.” Logan hated seeing them like this, it was like trading one’s comfort for another's.

“Remy always has t’.” He looked over to Logan, taking the coffee with his spare hand. “‘Cause he’d do dat same f’ me.”

Logan sat the tray down, taking his usual seat, leaning forward, bringing his hand to his cheek. “Some wounds don't heal clean.”

Remy smiled at them. “Mais, we’re here now. We take care of him.”

Logan didn’t reply. He didn't have to. No way was he letting anyone hurt his mate again.

Unknown to them Scott stood outside the med bay watching through the window. Jean leaning against his side. “He’s stronger than I thought.” Scott breathed.

“You never thought he was weak.” Jean replied gently. “You were only afraid you couldn't protect him.”

He turned to look at her. “What if I still can’t.”

“Then you stand beside him so he learns to protect himself.”

Chapter Text

Spencer was healing, faster than they had predicted. He still had the bandages over his burns but in a few more days they should be clear to come off. His legs were still healing which made walking difficult if he wasn’t supported by something but he was still able to. Unfortunately, his injuries were severe enough that even with his new healing they would still scar. His ribs were completely healed which was progress. It was all painful, exhausting progress.

Both Jean and Beast insisted that he stay in the med bay until the burns were healed more, which was only a few more days. He could manage that. Probably. He hated being stuck in the room, it made him feel trapped. For that reason he was taking regular walks in the corridors, taking that little bit of control again, even if it was never got that far from the med bay before being exhausted.

He was rawly alone, something he adored them all the more for. Remy had a habit of appearing in any room he had drifted to, Logan would shadow him with this quiet intensity, never more than a door away. Was it protective? Yes. But it was more than that, it was love coiled in fear. They wouldn’t know what to do if they lost him permanently.

Spencer took a deep breath as he made his way to the war room with Remy at his side. It was decided that today Spencer would tell them what happened fully. They had been putting it off so he could focus on healing, but Spencer didn’t want to wait any longer to stop the people that did this to him.

They entered and Remy helped lower him into the chair waiting for him. Logan stood protectively behind him, as still as a statue made of restrained violence and anger get with compation hidden.

The room was full and a little daunting for Spencer, even if they were all friendly faces. There was little divide seen in them. The X-men and the BAU were scattered around the table all joined together for him. Noticing this he relaxed a little into his chair, swallowing his nerves.

Spencer took a deep breath and decided to start before they asked the questions. If they did that he didn’t think he would be able to get through the whole story. “I was taken right outside my apartment complex. They knew my route. They had been following me for awhile. I thought I was just being paranued, I kept feeling familiar minds when I was moving too and from work. A lot of people go the same way as I do. So I didn’t put much thought into it.”

He looked down thinking that if he had done something… realise what the minds was planning… maybe he wouldn’t have gotten himself in that situation. Maybe it was his fault. “They use a short range damper device. I saw it glowing on one of their belts. It cut everything off before I could react. Everything was so quiet. It was like I was…”

He stopped remembering the feeling of being completely blacked from every mind. The despair of being utterly alone. The hollowness that was left. It reignited the fear still inside him. Remy must have felt his inner turmoil as his hand found his grounding him back to the moment and what he was meant to be doing.

“There were at least four of them. They knew what they were doing. One hit me on the head from behind. Two grabbed my arms so I couldn't fight back. It was one of them that headed the damper. I saw a black van pull up, then I must have passed out because everything went dark.” He took another moment to steady himself breathing in before starting again. “I only heard one of them talking, giving them orders, they were organised and efficient. I woke up once, briefly, in the van. They had already put the collar on. When they noticed they called me ‘freak’ and knocked me out again.”

He subconsciously pulled up his spare hand up to his throat to remind him that nothing is there. He looked over to Logan, taking peace in his strength. “They healed me in two different locations. First was just a holding site. It was packed. There were so many of us. Mutants. It was just a place to hold us till we went to where we were most useful. Some were just kids. It was dark, and cold, a warehouse maybe. I never saw the outside of it. I don’t know where it is.”

He looked up at them briefly, before fisking his eyes on his hands. He needed to get through this. If he looked at them he wasn’t sure if he would be able to. “When they moved me they filled the room with gas. It knocked everyone out. That was when they moved me to the other facility. The one you found me at. When I came to, I was in a concrete room. It was soundproofed, I couldn’t hear anything. It was so cold. So so cold. No windows. No way of telling day from night. They would… Every few hours they…”

Spencer could feel his mind going too deep. His breath was becoming erratic, he didn't want to remember the pain of what they did. Although the first few days were tame compared to the next, the fear was worse. He squeezed Remy's hand trying to bring himself back. The others watched on in silence giving him space and the time to be ready to continue. Logan looked unsure what to do and how to help him, eventually he passed his hand on Spencer's shoulder. At the contact Spencer jumped slightly before melting into it, allowing it to guide him out of his mind.

“They knew about my lineage.” Spencer said suddenly after a few moments. “They said that I was an important project. That Summers' DNA would be very receptive to their work but it had a higher activation threshold. They acted as if what they put me through was necessary. As if my pain was only an inconvenience to their work. It took me a while to figure out that they were trying to force a secondary mutation.”

“They branded me over the corse of a few hours stoping and starting. After that they exposed me to high-frequency sound pulses in otherwise sensory deprivation. That lasted maybe a day or so before they paired it with flashing white lights. It felt as if thousands of daggers were going through my head. They probably wanted to start with physiological torture first. Less chance of me succumbing to any injuries. I’m not sure how long it lasted before they changed tactics. The lights and the sound made it impossible to rest. It wasn’t more than 5 days though, I wasn't hallucinating.”

“When they stopped the sound and lights, they moved on to Physical Trauma. They would take me to a lab. Strap me down to a table. They mainly filtered though three different methods, using others sporadically. Electricity. Burning. Drowning.” He took a deep breath, steadying himself. Just telling them was taking more out of him than he had expected. “The look on their faces when they were with me. It was a necessity to them but I could tell they enjoyed it. They enjoyed hurting me.”

“After a while they set the collar to shock me every two hours or so. They kept injecting me with some kind of chemical. They never told me what it was just that it would make me stronger, more powerful. It was at that point that I realised what they were trying to do. And it worked.”

“There were a few times when the ‘doctor’ came in and would just stare at me. Sometimes we would talk, well more accurately I would antagonise him. I wanted them to know that I would not break for them. But then he would just activate the collar. He would turn it off and back on constantly, only giving me seconds to breathe between. I have no idea how long it went on for but eventually I would pass out. He did that alot but eventually when I came to once I could feel something new within me. I could feel this wild, forbidible power. I felt how much it wanted to be let out. After that the electricity would affect me as much. It still hurt just as much but each time I would feel it building. Gaining strength.”

“I kept it under control till I could use it. I took the opportunity when you all came for me. That's how I managed to get out of the cell I was in. I stopped trying to control it.” His heart was pounding now that he was finished. He was glad that he had finally stopped holding it inside, yet he also felt ashamed for not doing more to get away.

Silence filled the room as they all tried to digest what they had learned. It was Hotch that had received first. This wasn't meant to be about what he went though but whether he had heard or seen something that would help them catch throws that did this. “Did you ever hear any names, whether the name for the organisation itself or the names of any of your capters?”

Spencer nodded. “Yes. The doctor that I mentioned. I heard some of the others call him Kelly. He wasn’t there in the last few days. He could still be out there.” When he realised this he couldn’t keep the fear out of his voice.

Logan places his hand on his shoulder again squeezing it slightly. His voice dropped low and dangerous. “He will never even look at you again.” He promised and if the flash of gold the rest saw in his eyes, the promise was not empty.

A heaviness sat over the air, grounding them to their seats. The revelation had them all shaken. Hotch disputed his usual unreadable mask, you could see his nerves in the way he taped his fingers against his legs. Morgan looked like he was ready to punch something. Garsia was in tears, her demeanour tinted by the distressing news.

Across the table Scott had pailed looking sick as what he had gone though, his fists were balled so tight that they were turning wight. “You never should have had to go through that. What kind of monster puts people through that.”

“I survived, that's what matters.” Spencer replied. “Now we use it.”

Rossi leaned forward, folding his arms on the table. “Did you see anyone else? Any other captives?”

Spencer shook his head. “Not after they moved me. But there were so many in the other holding sight. I don’t know how many went to places like I did. Or how many could still be alive.”

Garcia wiped her eyes, her voice shaky but determined. “We’ll find them. Whoever this Dr. Kelly is he will have some form of internet presents and nothing is out of reach for me. I will break through whatever fire walls he has like a wet paper bag.”

Her willingness to help stop them despite knowing what they could do filled Spencer with a lightness he couldn’t identify. Xavier voise drew his attention to him. He was looking at him with a strange mix of sadness and understanding. Spencer knew that unfortunately his situation was not uncommon for mutants and Xavier had seen his fair share of people in his position. “Thank you Spencer. I know that couldn’t have been easy for you. I will notify some of our allies to keep an ear out for anything involving the name Kelly.”

Spencer saw Hotch nodding to Xavier before he looked at Remy and Logan who understood that he was too drained to stay. As they got up to leave he heard Hotch saying. “We’ll update the profile and try to find out the most likely places Kelly would go to…”

He sagged against Remy the moment the doors shut behind them. “Y’ bien, cher. Y’ did good.” Remy whispered softly against his temple.

Logan stepped to the other side of him, rapping his arm around him helping guide him down the hall. “Ya held that in too long darling. Ya should’ve told us sooner.”

“I wasn’t ready.” He admitted, sadly. “I needed to be a part of this. I needed to be a part of stopping them. I needed to help make sure this never happens to anyone else.”

“What y’ told us will help.” Remy said. “Mais right now. Y’ need rest. We got y’.” Spencer knew they wanted to try and tell him to let them handle it but it would be a losing battle. For now he was content to lie down and rest. It had been a long day.

Later that night, the quiet buzz of electricity filled the room broken only by the steady rhythm of breathing. Spencer had woken up a short time ago, he lay propped up in bed, the sheats tucked loosely around his waist. His gaze was fixed to a spot on the ceiling without really seeing it. His thoughts caught in memories. The only thing that stopped him from getting lost was Remy.

Remy was currently asleep half-draped over his side while curled up in the chair closest to the bed. One of his hands loosely clutched Spencer's side, his arm providing a comforting weight. His face was buried in his chest high enough to not irritate his injuries, the warmth of his breath creating a gentle rhythm that enveloped him in a cocoon of comfort, reminding him that even in moments of pain, there is solace to be found in the simple act of being alive and present with someone else.

He looked over to Logan who was slouched in the chair against the far wall. His arms were folded across his chest, head falling forward, chin resting on his chest. Even in sleep his presents seemed watchful. He felt so lucky to have them both. Despite their differences in character they both cared so much and it was the differences that made them both perfect to him.

A soft nock at the door broke the bubble he was in. It eased open before anyone had a chance to answer. Scott slid though quietly letting the door click shut behind him. Despite the hush of Scott's actions Remy stirred against him, lifting his head and blinking his eyes open, flicking them towards the door. Seeing who it was he gave a soft nod and a small sound for greeting before tucking his head back into Spencer's chest. Spencer smiled slightly when he felt Remy breathing revert back almost instantly, knowing he had slipped back to sleep after making sure that he was not in danger.

Out of the corner of his eye he saw that Logan had also woken up at the noise, instantly alert. He settled slightly at the sight of Scott but didn’t go back to sleep. Spencer was also thankful that he didn’t try to stop him from coming into the room. Instead he saw Logan settle for tracking his movements. He wasn’t sure whether to be annoyed with how hypervigilant he was being or soothed by his protection.

Scott offered him a brief nod before focusing his attention back to Spencer, his voice was soft with worry. “I didn’t mean to wake anyone.”

Spencer tilted his head with a playful smirk on his lips. “I doubt they know what deep sleep is. Especially with me here.”

Scott returned his smirk with a shy smile after he took in the sight of Remy tangled protectively around his baby brother. “I wanted to check on you.” he breathed. “It must have been hard for you to say everything earlier.”

Spencer dropped his gaze slightly, unable to look at him. He was already drained and he had a feeling that by the end of this conversation he was going to be worse. “I didn’t think that I was going to get through it all.”

“But you did.” Scott leaned forward, his posture screamed serious. “I’m glad that you told us, it’s helped a lot. But that is not the only reason I wanted to check up on you. I also wanted to apologise."

Spencer snapped his head up to him. That was not something he had ever expected to hear from him. Scott was the type to rarely apologise, he hated to admit when he was wrong and Spencer couldn’t think of anything that he had done to apologise for. “For what?”

Scott sighed then began explaining. “Before all this happened, I was wrong for trying to push you to stay here with me. I realise that I might have implied that you can’t take care of or protect yourself. I know that you can. I’ve seen you fight, I’ve seen how strong you are, I’ve seen how fast you think and I realized that you use all of that to protect yourself. Hell, you’ve had to protect yourself so many times in the FBI.”

“But I'm still your restless little brother who would ignore the curfew to read in your treehouse.” Spencer didn’t want this rare moment to be heavy so he tried to lighten the mood.

Scott chuckled slightly at the reminder but it did little to relive his guilt. “Yeah. I just… I still feel like I should be protecting you. You're my brother. I know we weren't always with each other growing up, but that will never change.”

Spencer softened, he was still surprised at what he said but he understood that he wanted to protect him. He had gotten used to protective people being in his life, but most knew how to let him live his life his own way. He was glad that Scott was starting to see that he could do that too. “I know and I understand. I really do.”

He shifted carefully so as not to jost Remy too much. He wasn’t sure what to say now as he was awkwardly looking around the room. His gaze stopped and it felt like he had realised something for the first time. “It’s hard not to wonder what I’m going to do now. I mean there's no way I can still work for the FBI. Not looking like this.”

Scott followed his gaze across the room seeing the mirror and the reflection. He saw how Spencer was focused on his eyes, the electricity trapped in gold. Hank had told him that there was no way to undo what they did to his DNA. Scott knew his brother always had problems with his appearance and that he was getting better. It was going to be a while before he could accept them for how they are now. “They're beautiful.”

“They're wrong.” he said vehemently, still staring at them. “No way could I find a way to cover that. Not permanently. When the FBI finds out…”
A hand on his leg pulled Spencer out of his worries. He broke his sight to find Scott looking at him with eyes filled with sadness. The last time he saw him looking like that was after Scott had seen the bruises from his bullies at school and he had kept it from him not to worry him. “They’re not wrong, Spencer. They’re you. You're different. Changed. But your still you. No matter what you look like now. We can figure the FBI stuff out later.”

“Yeah. We can figure that out later.” Spencer looked back at the mirror briefly. “They're still wrong.”

“How?” Scott knew how logical his mind is. He hoped that if he could show him that it was not logical to hate his eyes he would stop. “How are they wrong, Spencer? Explain it to me.”

Spencer was surprised by the question, he had no idea how to answer it. He turned his gaze away, catching sight of Logan who looked heart broken that he hadn't realised how much it was affecting him. He felt Remy tighten his grasp seemingly knowing he needed confort. “They're unnatural. There not… normal.”

“Neather are his.” Scott countered gesturing to Remy. “You except his. Why should yours be different.”

“Beacause it is different.” He defended.

“How?”

Spencer couldn’t explain it. The question had forced him to stop and think. He opened his mouth to try and answer before shutting it when he couldn’t. He looked down at Remy thinking about his eyes. How they always managed to make him smile. How they showed so much of him. How he could just get lost in them.

His eyes flickered back to the mirror before dropping back to Remy. His mind ran back through the question, How are they different?, and despite that he still felt that they were he could not explain it. He healed his arm tighter around him briefly to say thanks even though he didn’t even do anything. Remy subconsciously responded with a soft sound and nuzzling his head closer against him.

Spencer looked back at the mirror then to his brother nodding slightly, he was not sure if he could accept them but he could try. “Thank you, Scott.”

They sat in silence for a moment after the conversation lulled. Scott leaned back in the chair with a grin. “Remember that summer when we went to the lake house and you locked yourself in the basement with a dozen books and a flashlight. All because you didn’t want to come fishing with me and Alex.”

Spencer laughed at the memory, thankful that their conversation was veering away from serious topics. “You both kept shoving worms in my face and telling me to be a man. I was eight, my idea of masculinity was reading Darwin in peace.”

“And you beating me in chess three nights in a row.” Scott's smile grew wider. “You were always the smarter one, just too humble to admit it.”

“Maybe in books.” Spencer looked at his brother letting the moment fill him. “But you're just as smart. You taught me to climb trees. You let me build science experiments in your room. You defended me when kids picked on me for being weird.”

“You're our weird.”

Chapter Text

It was early morning, and Remy was still half asleep against Spencer. Logan was sitting on the edge of the bed, his hand clasping lightly around Spencer's, his thumb gently stroking it over the raised scar around his wrist, thinking about how he had failed to protect him. That was his job. He was meant to protect him, and he failed.

Spencer woke slowly, feeling their presence with his mind before he even opened his eyes. Gratitude filled him from their commitment. Them being with him made him feel more normal than he had ever felt. “You too sleep like bodyguards with abandonment issues.”

Logan huffed a laugh. “Ya say that like is a bad thing.”

“Just an observation.”

Spencer was surprised that Jean of Hank hadn’t come to drag them out yet. Usually at this time one of them would try and get them to leave to shower or get food before he had fully woken up. Sometimes it worked but not the way they intended. If they were convinced to shower they would go separately and it would be quick five-ten minute showers before they came straight back and the other one would go and do the same, it was like that with meals as well. They would go to get food then they would bring it back here despite the protests from Beast. He thinks there was once when they managed to get them to have a meal not in the med bay, but that was when Spencer was asleep and all of the X-Men insisted on it.

He should be annoyed with them and their overprotectiveness, he could take care of himself, but at the same time it felt nice. Safe. And that was something that he really needed. That of course didn’t stop him from teasing them about it.

Soon he could get out of the med bay and stay in a proper bed which would be good for all of them. What was concerning him the most was his power. He was somewhat in control. It knotted beneath his skin. It would surge at odd intervals and interlinked with his pain. It wasn’t surging as dangerously as it had in the plane, but if he couldn’t keep it contained it was attacking anything that had metal or other electricity.

Logan, unfortunately, had been hit over 8 times by a stray bolt. But despite the capacity for being hit, Logan had still stayed with him. Spencer hated every time that it had happened, even though he was not in control of where the energy went he still felt guilty for hurting him. Logan had reassured him over and over that it was ok and he healed fine. For Spencer that was only half of the problem. The other half was that he knew it was only a matter of time that his powers would hit something or someone that wouldn’t heal or couldn't be easily replaced.

He stopped himself from thinking too much into that. For now he was just going to let himself be soothed by Remy's and Logan's presents. When he was healed he could worry about full control, all he could do for now was keep it contained and focus on healing.

Spencer managed exactly 4 hours and 36 minutes of sitting in bed before he was restless and sick of lying in his bed. Despite the protests from Logan and Remy he insisted on getting up and moving around.

When they realised they wouldn’t be able to get him to stay in bed any longer they grabbed the cane that he had been using to walk with. Spencer gave it a look of disdain. He hated having to rely on it, maybe it was stubbornness but he decided he was not going to use it anymore. His legs were being able to take more and more weight so he shouldn’t need it.

“Spencer.” Remy warned when he ignored the chain. “Y’ know y’ need it. Henri sayed that y’ shouldn’ put full weight on your leg.”

“I’ll be fine.” He insisted. “I’ve been healing faster than they predicted. I’ll be fine. I don’t need it.”

To prove his point he slid his legs over the edge of the bed, only taking a second before he stood up. He heard Logan swear slightly under his breath and then he was right by his side. When he saw the offered hand he ignored it and took a few tentative steps away from the bed, his bare feet scraping along the cool floor, his muscles protesting at the lack of support, but he was doing it. He was walking on his own, again.

Spencer looked back at them smiling, proud of his little progress. They smiled back at him, loving seeing him still with his stubborn determination despite everything. Logan knew he shouldn’t be pushing himself this much so he brought his cane saying. “Ya doing amazing, darlin’. But ya shouldn’t be pushing yourself too much.”

“Logan, I’m fine.” He replied slightly annoyed. “I’m not going to get better if I don’t push myself.”

“I don’t want ya to hurt yourself more.” He explained softly, his eyes showing his sincerity.

“I know.” Spencer sighed. “But what to try. I need to try.”

Spencer understood that Logan wanted to help him but he was sick of having to rely on things to do something as basic as walking. He needed to know he was still able to do things by himself. He loved that they wanted to help him but he needed to do this.

Logan sighed knowing he would not get him to cave. “Fine.” he grumbled and put the cane back at the side of his bed. When he went to move back beside Spencer Remy placed his hand on his arm stopping him, understanding that this was something he needed to do.

Spencer smiled in a silent thanks, and continued the free tentative steps across the room, feeling better and more proud with each one. Unfortunately, it didn’t last long.

He managed to make it about halfway across the room before his footing became weak and his legs trembled and gravity showed no mercy. He reached his arm out instinctively to brace his fall but only succeeded in trapping it between him and the floor.

It was just his luck that one of the healing burns on his arm collided directly with the ground. Pain ricocheted throughout his arm, blurring his vision as the room exploded around him. Electricity surged outwards with crackling intensity. His eyes seemed to glow with each bolt. One deep cobot blast struck the monitors near the bed making them explode. A searing amethyst blast hit the wall clock, crashing it to the floor. The third, a torrid golden bolt collided with the lights, plunging them into darkness as they flickered and spurted out completely.

The rest of the lightning fizzled out along the floor, walls and ceiling, in magnificent arcs of colours. Spencer stayed there on the floor, stunned, wide-eyed as Remy and Logan darted over to him. “What… I…” he stammered as he took in the chaos he made. “I didn’t-”

“Hush, cher.” Remy murmured, crouching down beside him. “Y’ alright.”

Logan flanked Remy and together they helped steady Spencer and guide him back to the bed, paying no attention to the remnants of energy coating his skin. He was still trembling slightly from the phanthon pain residue that reignited the tactile memory. When he sat back down he needed to tack a few moments to settle his mind and for his body to cash up acknowledging that he is safe.

“I didn’t mean to.” Spencer whispered, guiltyly . “I thought I had more control.”

“Ya do darlin’.” Logan hushed, sitting down next to him, draping an arm around his waste. “It was just a lapse. That's not the same as losing control. It's gonna be ok, darlin’.”

Beast arrived not a second later, he had seen the lights flickering in his office and came to assure that Spencer was alright. He took in the darkened room, the fried electric and Spencer's guilty expression, and it didn’t take long for him to understand that Spencer had lost control.

“Are you injured?” He asked Spencer, straight to the point.

Spencer shook his head, leaning slightly into Logan. “I…I got up to walk around. I fell and landed on my arm. On one of them, and it was like it was…”

Hank nodded and walked to check his arm. He smiled slightly when he saw that Logan was stroking his thumb over one of the scars, presumably the one he landed on, but Logan removed his hand when he went to look it over. “You don’t have to explain yourself, young summers. From the looks of it the damage to the room was minimal. Remarkable considering some of the damage this room has seen from recovering mutants. Given how strong your mutation is and that it's new. You are doing exceptional.”

Hank motioned for him to lie down, which he did after Logan had stood. Beast than when to examine his leg and ankal, before moving to undress the burns on his abdomen to look at them then redress them. He stepped back before speaking again. “Good news. I believe you can take your recovery out of this room.”

Spencer smiled up at him, glancing at Logan and Remy. “You mean it?”

“Yes. You are clear to leave the med bay. You will need to keep your burns covered and change the dressing at least once a day, they have healed enough that I’m not concerned about infection but need to be covered to heal properly. You will still need a cane for walking but that should change soon, I will check in with you tomorrow to see how much improvement you have made. And I suggest staying a respectful distance from any sensitive electronics.”

“What happened?” Scott questioned, before Spencer could reply to Hank, entering and taking in the broken monitors and scorch marks.

Logan growled at the sudden intrusion, before registering the question, and summedised. “He fell. Power zapped. Equipment tost. He can leave the med bay.”

Scott looked at Spencer sadly, causing him to look away still embarrassed, whispering. “I thought I had more control. I thought I was getting better.”

“You are.” Scott insisted gently. “You're recovering. And I know you think you're dangerous now, but we all are when we're scared or hurt. You can have bad days, Spencer.”

Remy handed him his cane. “Come on, mon amor. Let get y’ out o’ here.”

Chapter Text

It had now been almost four weeks since the BAU had landed at the X-Mansion with Spencer. The days had passed in a routine blur. None of them were used to not having to constantly do something. Their days were all similar now, they would wake up, have breakfast in the lounge space, wander the halls and sometimes talk to some of the less skittish students. Then they would have lunch with the rest of the house, and hopefully after that they could see Spencer for a little bit despite his protective bodyguards.

But outside these walls, the world was still moving. Serial killers were still killing, and on their desks were cases piling up, and no one knew where they were. They had left in the middle of a personal case with no explanation and no updates, and they were starting to get some heat from higher up because of it. They all knew that if they didn’t do something, this could end badly, as in a career ending badly, for all of them.

That was why Hotch found himself standing in a quiet corner of the library, the warmth of the morning sun worming its way through the window. He had received a few frantic calls from Section Chief Strauss and had had to face the music. He had been listening to her talk for the last half hour about protocols and security measures. “Yes, ma’am. I understand, ma’am. “

“You and your entire team vanished with no explanation almost a month ago, Agent Hotchner.” Her voice was cold and professional. “People are starting to think you have all gone rogue. Quite frankly, I have no information to the contrary at the moment.”

“I can assure you, ma’am, that is not the case. We are still working on our last case; it is taking longer than we would have liked. If you give us some more time, I will have Garsia set up a secure video conference so you can see for yourself.”

“I will expect that call later today.” Her voice was edged with warning. “Agent Hotchner, if there are any more delays, I will be unable to shield your team anymore.”

He heard the phone beep, ending the call. Hotch stood there, jaw tight. He was worried that they were going to face consequences for this when they got back. He knew there would be some repercussions, but from the sound of Strauss, he was starting to think that they would be more severe.

He put his phone away before going to find the others. He had warned them what was happening before the call, and they had been waiting outside the library for him. Morgan was leaning against the wall. Rossi was standing near him, Prentice was quietly fidgeting with the hem of her shirt and Garsia and JJ sat together on the bench.

“What happened?” Morgan asked, being the first one to see him walk out.

“She wants to have a video call by the end of the day. I told her that we haven't come back because we are still working the case. I didn’t mention anything about Reid.” Hotch told them.

“She’s going to ask about him. She knew what the case we were working on was, so she was going to ask." JJ pointed out morbidly.

“What are we going to tell her? I mean, we can’t tell her what he is, so what are we going to tell her?” Garcia asked.

“When she asked, we stuck to the basics. We recovered Reid; he was in bad shape and was at a specialist so he could get treatment. We focus on the fact that we are safe and we have not been compromised in any way.” Hotch explained.

“Compromised?” Emily questioned, before realisation dawned on her. “They think we’ve gone rogue, don’t they?”

Hotch nodded. “I’m afraid so. When we do go back, we may face some heat for our actions. But we all knew the risk of going into this.”

Not long after, they set up in a spare office that the X-Men really used. It was small and quiet, lit by the sun through the tall windows. Hotch stood at the head of the table, suit crisp, and his posture was a degree tighter than usual. Morgan sat to his right, legs bouncing subtly under the table. Rossi was to Hotch's left, lounging back deceptively at ease while upholding a professional manner. JJ, next to him, her lips pressed into a thin line, and Garcia was next to Morgan, her bright colour muted for a professional look.

When the video connected, Strauss appeared on the screen. She was everything you would imagine from a section chief; she was cold and efficient, compliant with a neutral expression, save for the slight furrowing of her eyebrows.

“Good afternoon.” Her voice was clipped. “I trust you are all well. I appreciate you finally taking the time to speak with me.”

Hotch gave a courteous nod. “We are well aware of how this looks, I assure you, we are all well, ma’am, and we have tried to stay in contact.”

“Intermittently.” She said as her gaze sharpened. “While on an active case, you have given no updates regarding your progress, and then you dropped completely off the grid. Whereas I have been trying to get you some leeway with the director, with no reason as to why you aren't back at your desk working.”

Morgan leaned forward, placing his arms on the desk. “With respect, ma’am, we have stayed in contact as much as possible. The circumstances are… complicated.”

“So you have all said.” Her voice was clipped and professional. “And yet you all were respectively vague in the updates you had given, however sporadically they have been. I am yet to have an official account of what has happened, where you are currently located, and why you have stayed there this long.”

“We have stayed because of Reid,” JJ said firmly but not unkindly. “When we found him, he was in critical condition, worse than you could imagine. We had to make sure that he got the treatment that he required. We stayed because he needed us to.”

For a moment, something akin to understanding flickered in Strauss’s expression, but it vanished too quickly for any of them to be sure.

“This is not disobedience.” Hotch continued. “This is us trying to ensure that one of our own has a safe and full recovery. He underwent significant trauma, both physical and psychological. Recovery takes time.”

“I’m not unsympathetic to Dr Reid's condition, and frankly, I applaud your willingness to stay by his side and what you are doing to ensure that.” She let them sit with that point before continuing. “But, professionally speaking, this looks like a team gone AWOL. You vanished while working on finding Dr Reid, leaving no induction to where you were going, disregarding every protocol. There was no debriefing after the extraction of Reid. No clearance for medical leave. You claim he is in critical condition, and yet he has not been registered in any hospital in the US. We checked.”

Garcia started to say something, but hesitated. “If…If you saw what happened to him, you wouldn’t question our actions.”

There was a bet of silence before Strauss talked again. “Despite the circumstances, you still have a chain of command to follow. You have had three and a half weeks. You have two options: return and explain, or stay wherever you are and face disciplinary action.”

Hotch stood staring at the ultimate. “We are prepared to explain what we can. But, understand the people who took Reid were enacting human experiments, he will need more time.”

Strauss was surprised at the mention of human experimentation. “I want you all back at Quantico for a full debriefing. If he needs medical attention, we will transfer him to a federal hospital.”

The team barely managed to keep form shifting in their seats. Hotch kept his voice level, despite the lie he was telling. “That will not be possible, ma’am. Reid would not survive the transfer.”

“Then leave him in the care of whomever he is with, and return without him. I can not and will not continue to cover for your absence. You have two days. Two days, and if you have not returned, I will flag you with noncompliance and dereliction of duty.” She cut the call before they could respond.

Emily blows out a breath, trying to force herself to relax. Morgan swore under his breath, fist clenching, trying to think of something.

Spencer was sitting on the bed, the sheets rumpled from where he had tried and failed to sleep. The blinds were closed, leaving the room just bright enough to see comfortably. Logan was in the corner of the armchair, and Remy was leaning on the bed from his position on the floor, one of his arms resting lightly on Spencer's leg. There was a strain on his face that most would contribute to lack of sleep or worry, but Spencer knew better. The strain was from the constant bombardment of strong emotions.

Spencer sighed as he felt the familiar mind of his team approaching the door. At the same time, Remy mutters to them. “You're amais, don’t got good news, cher.”

They all came in and stood just inside the door. Their presence put Logan on edge before they had even said anything; it was possibly a good thing they didn’t come closer.

Hotch cleared his throat before talking in a low and careful tone. “We need to talk about the FBI, Reid.”

Spencer couldn’t bring himself to look at him. He didn’t ask for details; he didn’t want them. It was easy to figure out what happened.

“They’re pushing,” JJ said, sadly. “Strauss gave us an ultimatum."

“Come back in two days,” Emily continued. “Or be classified as rogue and face charges.”

Spencer looked to his team, taking each of them in briefly, then down to the blanket over his lap. His energy rolled over his fingers in gentle waves before he pulled it back in. “It’s because of me. Isn’t it?”

“Spencer…” Morgan started.

“It is,” he cut in, quiet but firm. “You're in this position because you stayed. Because I needed to get it under control and to heal. Because I need you.”

Hatch shook his head. “You're not a berdon Reid. We chose to stay.”

“I know,” Spencer admitted. He rubbed the inside of his wrist absently; he still had little choice in what happened. “But the longer you stay here, the more harmful it looks. And the more pressure they will put on all of you to explain something I can’t afford to have explained.”

Garcia's voice was soft. “We can’t just leave you.”

“Maybe you should,” Spencer said softly, not looking at them. “At least to stop them from digging."

Remy spoke up for the first time since they entered, his voice barely a whisper. “Cher, it's not only your guilt me feelin’ it deir’s t’.”

Spencer blinked, looking up at his team, then to Remy.

“Dey hate dat de’re thinking about it.. About leaving y’ here,” he continued. “Mais, dey’re afrad t’. For y’ Penny. For what may happen if dey stay, it may brin’ de wrong kind o’ attention.”

“We wouldn’t be walking away from you,” Morgan said, slowly. “It wouldn’t be forever. Just so you're protected.”

Spencer nodded once, he swallowed the lump that was forming in his throat, and said slowly. “Then go. At least until there is a way I can return.”

They went to leave, and Spencer called out. “Thank you for everything.”

When they left, Logan stood and moved to sit next to him on the bed, one arm sliding behind him in silent reassurance. Remy also lifted himself so he was on the bed, leaning against the headboard, his ankle brushing Spencer's.

The room was quiet now.

The BAU went to speak with Charles, and Spencer curled up under the blanket, snuggling into both his lovers. The tension had begun to settle a little, but it hadn’t vanished. It just sank deeper into the space between breaths.

Logan hadn’t left his side, his arm still draped around him, warm and solid, though occasionally brushing along Spencer’s arm in idle comfort. Remy was still stretched out on the bed, his head back, looking up at the ceiling as if it might offer some answers. He had been still. Far too still for the Cajun usual self.

“You okay, Rem?” Spencer asked, turning to face him more.

Remy blinked out of his thoughts, soft, drained eyes sliding over to Spencer. “Discole, what was dat, Penny?”

Spencer gave him a sad smile. “You're quieter than normal, less bouncy. I was just wondering if you were ok?”

There was a long pause followed by a tired exhale. “Mi shields are low, cher,” Remy admitted. “Dere so many strong emotions. Haven’t been able t’ shut dem all out. Been feeling everythin’, me.”

Spencer's heart ached; he should have realised sooner. He should have known the effect this would have on him. Whispering, he said. “I’m sorry.”

“Don’t say dat, Cher,” Remy said quietly, moving up to snuggle into him. “Y’ didn’t do dis t’ me. Everthin’ day all feelin’, only means day care.”

Spencer closed his eyes, taking in the comfort of the two bodies pressed against him. For a moment, they stayed like that, absorbed in each other's presence. “I’ve been thinking,” Spencer said quietly. “About stepping down from the FBI.”

Logan turned, grunting in curiosity as he buried his nose in the crack of Spencer's neck, inhaling his scent. Not mind the thought of his mate being with him permanently. Remy sat up again, moving so he was facing Spencer. “Because of what happened?”

“Because of a lot of things.” He corrected quietly. “I don’t want to be in constant danger, I don’t want to put them in danger. I don’t want to be waiting for the next time I get hurt. I don’t want to keep hiding, and I don’t think I could keep hiding, not with how my eyes are now. And definitely not with this…”

He lifted his hand, showing faint threads of pink and purple lightning travelling over his skin, still out of control.

Logan spoke up, rough and low. “You don’t owe them a thing, darlin’. And ya definitely don’t own them ya safey.” Pulling him closer, not aggressively but protectively.

“I know,” Spencer said. “I just… I always thought the FBI was the one place I belonged. But lately I've been starting to wonder if that was only because I kept folding parts of myself to fit.”

Remy leaned back in. “Den maybe it's time for y’ t’ stop folding and start stretchin’.”

Spencer smiled faintly before his voice dropped to a whisper. “What if I don’t know how?”

Logan huffed, amused. “Then there’s finally something we could teach ya.”

Remy chuckled, pulling the quilt back. “Let's go t' bed. We all could do with some sleep.”

They slipped under the covers, settling down tangled in each other, Spencer in the middle with Logan and Remy surrounding him protectively. Spencer wasn't sure what he would do, but for the first time, he wasn't afraid to imagine life without the FBI.

Chapter Text

The corridor was quiet at this hour, sunlight filtering through the high windows in a pale sheet of gold. Spencer's bare feet barely made a sound as he padded through the mansion to where the BAU were staying. He wore soft cotton pants and one of Remy's fitted long-sleeve shirts, which was loose enough that it only brushed against the more tender scars on his arms and stomach.

They had healed, mostly, reduced to a tender ache, a dull echo of pain rather than a cry. The scars were permanent, a story written on his skin.

Spencer arrived at the door leading to the BAU’s quarters. He hesitated before knocking, his hand hovering briefly in the air.

Hotch was at the door within seconds, opening it, already dressed. His gaze swept over Spencer with a practised assessment, looking for pain, fatigue or anything out of place.

Spencer broke the silence with a soft voice. “Good Morning.”

Hotch nodded, stepping aside. “Morning, Reid. Come in.”

Inside, the team looked up as he entered. They were in various states of readiness. Emily sat on the edge of the couch, her arms resting on her knees. JJ was organising her things. Garcia clutched a mug with both hands, her bright energy dulled at the edges. Rossi stood by the window, unreadable, while Morgan leaned against the wall.

Spencer walked slowly, with only a slight shimmer of energy on his skin. He moved forward towards the free armchair and sat down, rubbing his hands on his knees, trying to relieve the tension. Aware of all the eyes on him.

“I wanted to talk to you before you left.” He started. “There's something you need to hear from me first.”

The stillness across the room shifted with a heaviness of worry and curiosity.

Spencer took a deep breath, “I’m going to step down from the FBI.”

Spencer's words dropped like a stone into still water. Garcia made a small gasp behind her mug. JJ’s face fell, her brow caught between sadness and alarm. Emily blinked once, then twice. She opened her mouth to say something, but closed it. Rossi had expected that to happen after everything he had been through.

Only Morgan didn’t react right away, he tilted his head more towards Spencer, trying to understand, but waiting for more information.

“I’ve been thinking about it for a while now,” Spencer continued, fidgeting with his hands. “It’s not just about what happened to me… But this was the final factor. I’ve changed.”

“You're still you, Spence,” JJ said softly.

“I am.” He agreed. “But I’m not just Spencer Reid anymore. I am a mutant who barely understands my powers. I could hide the telepathy. But I can’t pretend that this won't affect the job or the people around me.”

“You could still work on cases.” Emily offered, tentatively but hopefully. “You could consult, you wouldn’t have to go into the field."

“It’s not just about going out into the field.” He interrupted. “It’s about the risk. To me. To you. If anything went wrong. Even if I did nothing wrong." He shook his head. “I would be the first one questioned. I’ll be the one under the microscope. Not for anything I did but for what I am.”

There was a long pause as they digested what he said. They all knew he was right, but they didn’t want to admit it.

Garcia's eyes were wet, as her finger trembled slightly. She whispered. “Spencer, are you sure?”

“I’m sure.” He nodded.

Morgan stepped closer, away from the wall, his voice sad and concerned. “But you love your job. You’ve fought harder than any of us to get here. You were the one who told me to keep going when I thought I wasn't cut out for this. And now, what, you’re just walking away?”

Spencer looked at him with guilt but also conviction. “Yes.”

“Why?” Morgan said, his voice raising slightly. “Because of them? Because they're ignorant and scared of you?”

“No, because I'm scared of what will happen if I stay.”

“But you're not a danger, Reid.” Morgan's voice became louder.

“It doesn't matter if they see me as one,” Spencer admitted, his voice filling with pain.

“But you're not!” Morgan snapped, shouting now. “You're not a danger! Not ever!”

Spencer jerked back, closing his eyes, instinctively flinching away. A small spark of gold electricity danced along his skin, and the lights overhead flickered slightly. He took a few deep breaths and calmed down enough for the energy to retreat.

Morgan froze the instant Spencer flinched. His breath hitched, and everything about him, his stance is expression soften realizing what he did.

“Spencer…" Morgan's voice filled with sorrow. “I'm sorry, I didn't mean to.”

“I know,” Spencer said, not looking at him, hunching, making himself smaller than he did before. His voice is quiet but kind. “I know you didn't mean it, you're angry because you care.”

Morgan pushed a hand over his face, exhaling slowly before taking a seat across from him.

“Are you sure?” JJ asked. “You've really thought this through?”

Spencer nodded, “I’ve had a lot of time to think, and the truth is, stepping down helps you go back without questions. It helps the FBI move on without dragging any of you down, then I'm okay with that.”

“We never thought you were dragging us down,” Emily said.

“I know. That doesn't mean they won't try if they knew.”

There was a silence before Hotch spoke. “If this is your decision, we'll support it, every one of us.”

Spencer looked around the faces of his friends, guilt, pride and pain. Garcia gently touched his knee despite the slight tingle through her hand. “You're still our boy wonder. Badge or not.”

The blackbird waited quietly in the hanger. The afternoon sunlight shimmered on its surface. Scott stood at the base of the ramp, his visor in place. It was decided that Scott was going to fly them home to ensure the location remained a secret.

Inside the hangar, the BAU was ready to go. They were in no rush at the moment, just the quiet efficiency of people who have done this kind of leaving too many times but never quite like this.

Spencer stood with Logan and Remy at his side, the three of them were just a few feet from the bottom of the ramp. Spencer looks more like himself. The shimmering of energy was controlled and now held beneath his skin, only visible when the light hit his skin just right. Logan stood close, arms crossed, not hostile, just protective, taking in every movement from everyone there, ready to intercept should they be a threat. Remy was more relaxed, true to his form of the laid-back Cajun, but his eyes were also looking out in case of threats.

“Well,” Gacia said, reaching them. “I officially hate this.”

Spencer smiled faintly. “I know.”

“You'd better stay in touch.” She said with her best serious face, but the way she smiled at him was ruining it. “I mean it. I want photos, I want updates, I want to know which strange nerd cave in this school you end up in.”

“Deal,” He agreed.

Garcia couldn't leave without hugging him at least once, she was doing very well at giving him his space. She pulled her arms around him. The second she did, a sudden spark lit from his body, and a great bright snap of energy went through her with an audible pop.

“AHH!” She yelled, stumbling back.

“I am so sorry.” Spencer stepped back instinctively, hands up to his chest, panicking. “I didn't mean to.”

Logan stepped closer to Spencer, a low growl slipping out not at Garcia, but at the spark itself, his instinct sensing danger.

Garcia blanked at him wide-eyed, her hair puffed up slightly from the static. “It's ok.” She tried to convince him. She shook her head and let out a little nervous laugh. “That was… new.”

“I didn't know that would happen,” Spencer said, visibly upset.

Remy laid a hand on his back, calming him.

Garcia looked at him softly and took a careful step forward, still smiling at him. “Well, now we know. No sudden hugs. Sparky.” She gave him one last smile before continuing into the blackbird.

The others followed, giving him one last goodbye, then went to the jet.

Emily looks sad. “You'll be ok?”

“I've got them,” Spencer said, gesturing towards Logan and Remy.

Emily stepped forward. “And you've got us. You're still a part of the team, don't forget that.”

JJ's eyes were damp, but she refused to let them spill over. “Take care of yourself, Spencer.”

Morgan stepped forward slowly and tentatively put a hand on his shoulder. He waited for a second as the tingling subsided, looking straight at him, meeting his new eyes. “You're still one of us, pretty boy.” His voice gently.

Spencer carefully leaned in to hug him when his charge didn't flicker. He relaxed a little, feeling Morgan return his hug. “Thanks for not giving up on me.”

“Was never even an option,” Morgan muttered against him before pulling back and heading into the jet.

Hotch gave him a brief nod, a soft warmth behind his eyes. “You're making a good call, but if you ever need anything.”

“You’ll know.”

Spencer stood at the ramp, Logan behind him, one hand lightly brushing his hip, Remy was at his side in a silent comfort.

Scott walked to Spencer just before entering the jet, asking. “You ok?”

Spencer shook his head before admitting, “I'm not sure.”

“Will you be?”

“Definitely.”

When Scott entered the jet, it hissed to life. The ramp lifted slowly, the BAU disappearing into the blackbird. Spencer stood in the silence with Logan and Remy as they watched it seal. Only when the blackbird's engine began, and the sound swallowed the field, did Spencer allow himself a breath he didn't realise he was holding that trembled slightly.

Logan's hand reached around him firmly, bringing him back to reality. Remy moves in closer, pressing a kiss against his temple full of wonder and understanding.

They stayed there together, not moving until the jet was nothing but a blimp in the sky.

That night was still. The mansion slumbered under the soft moonlight spilling through the windows.

Then came the screaming.

A violent snap of psychic energy lashed through the building.

Storms was sleeping peacefully in her quarters, then bolted upright with a strangled yelp. Kurt cried out in his sleep and teleported instinctively, only to reappear in the kitchen, choking and panicking, teleporting again to try and end the feeling of the nightmare that wasn't his.

They felt it.

The searing of a blow torch on flesh. The choking of water flooding their lungs. The bone-deep helplessness of being strapped down.

In Scott's bedroom, his body jerked trying to escape, only for his mind to prevent it. He was gasping for air like he was drowning because in the dream, he was. His skin sizzled from unseen flames. His limbs burned from the strength that was too tight, too cold, biting into his skin as water filters through lungs.

Pain.

Endless unbearable pain.

Scott couldn't move. Couldn't speak. He didn't realise it wasn't real.

In Spencer's room, Logan lay twisted in soaked, damp sheets, a low, constant growl, hands curling into fists, claws retracking and expanding.

Remy was whimpering not only from the physical agony that was being shared, but also from the emotional one as well. Tears streaked his face as his body twitched. His breath was shallow and ragged.

In the centre of the bed, Spencer thrashed, quietly skin lit by flickers of multicoloured energy. His mouth moved with muted screams. Sparks danced along his arms and softly lit over the sheets. His powers weren't lashing out yet, but his mind was.

Jean was woken by Scott screaming and thrashing beside her. She turned on the lights instantly, turning to him.

“Scott!” She reached out to him, shaking him. “Scott, wake up!”

She repeated that twice before reaching with her mind, sensing what was happening, she acted immediately. “Dammit. Scott! Come on, Scott!”

She pressed her hand to the side of his face, reaching into his mind. Jean frowned deeply at the intensity of this projection. A second later, Scott jerked violently awake with a loud gasp tumbling out of bed.

His body shook as he got to his feet. “Spencer.” He muttered, making his way to the door, Jean right behind him.

Scott burst into Spencer's room, seeing the scene unfolding, he paused for a second. “Logan? Remy?”

“I think they're trapped inside,” Jean said, studying them, rushing forward. “I'll get them out.
Help Spencer!"

Scott wasted no time, he was on the bed in seconds. Spencer lay tangled in sweat-soaked sheets, faced twisting in agony, his body shifting and contorting as if he were living the trauma in real time. Spots of multi-coloured electricity cascaded along his skin, unsure where to go.

“Spencer!” Scott shouted, grabbing his shoulders, expecting the electricity to attack him, but it didn't. He counted that as a small blessing right now. “Wake up.”

Jean went to Logan first, kneeling beside the bed and pressing her palm to his face just like she did for Scott. When she first reached in, she flinched at the painful memories that he was having to experience. Jean pushed past the false memories to find Logan’s subconscious, and she pulled him out.

Logan exploded up with a feral roar before leaping off the bed to the corner of the room. Claws flying out, his golden eyes darting around wildly.

“Easy,” Jean said, trying to calm him, her hand up in a peaceful manner.

He moved on instinct, his eyes hunting for a way out and to find the sources that agony he had experienced. Then his gaze focused on Spencer. In one motion, he dives back onto the bed, pushing Scott out of the way in the process.

“Logan!” Jean scolded as she went to Scott, but froze seeing his face.

His eyes were gold, sad and painful, not for himself but for Spencer and what he went through. He dropped down to the bed and tried to help Spencer from his nightmare, hardly noticing the electricity causing through him with each contact.

“Spencer!” He shouted. “Ya safe, darlin’, wake up!”

Scott got up and went right back on the bed, trying to help Spencer wake up.

While Scott and Logan help Spencer, Jean got up and rushed over to Remy, who was whimpering pitifully. His body called in on itself slightly as he was fringing and shivering as the ghost of pain that wasn't his cradled the way into his head. Jean did the same as the others, passing her palm to the side of his face, but the second she tried to reach into his head and unearthly scream tore from his throat as his body turned away.

“Non, Dieu, non.” He choked out, still trapped in a dream that wasn't his. “S’il vous plaît. C’est trop. Ça fait mal. Arrêtez ça. S’il vous plaît.”

Jean was shocked for a moment at how bad this was affecting him. “Remy, I'm going to help you, but you need to let me.”

She doubted that he could hear her, but she still said it. When she tried it again, the moment her hand connected with his face, his face contorted with even more tears streaking down his cheeks and shaking as he gripped the sheet, turning them pink as he charged them. Jean continued to reach in, knowing that he needed to be out. Knowing that did not stop the guilt when Remy let out another so piercing scream as Jean looked further into his mind.

After a full minute of searching, Jean managed to find his mind amongst the chaos and pull them out. He sat up instantly, twisting to go up his cards, which were on the nightstand and succeeded in blowing up not only the cards but the nightstand as well. Luckily, Jean had gotten out of the way, and no one was injured.

Before Remy could process any of what was happening, he stood up from the bed, then immediately collapsed to the ground, his body not having the strength to fight and fend off the emotions daggering into his mind. His empathy made everything so raw and so much that he couldn't bear to make one solid thought. His mind was filled with pain, fear and helplessness that didn't belong to him.

By the time Remy could place a thought again. Jean was in front of him, and he had his back against the wall first from the bed. Jean was trying to talk to him, but he couldn't pay any attention to her. He was trying to figure out what had happened. Unfortunately, it didn't take long for him to figure out what had happened when he became aware of Scott and Logan's voices trying to wake Spencer on the bed.

“Penny.” He whispered, using the wall to try to push himself up despite Jean’s protest. He could feel everything that Spencer was feeling, the guilt coming off Scott and Logan, and so much more he couldn't pinpoint. He made it less than a step before falling to his knees under the weight of the emotions threatening to tear him apart.

Xavier arrived at the room a moment later, having felt the psychic exposure, and was informed by Kurt when he teleported into his room from his own psychic exposure.

When Jean noticed him, she didn't hesitate to explain. “They were locked in. I pulled them out.” Pushing Remy back to the wall away from the bed. “But I think Spencer managed to lock himself in his dream. I don't know how to help.”

Xavier looked at the scene unfolding and knew there was no way Spencer was going to wake naturally from this on his own. “I will try to force him to wake up.”

As he was talking, he made his way into the room near where Scott and Logan sat. “Let me get to him.” His voice was steady in a calming way. When neither of them made a move, not from lack of trust but duty. Xavier asked again. “I can't help him if I can't get to him.”

Scott shifted slightly, standing close to the bed, letting the professor get closer. Logan, on the other hand, moved closer to Spcener, growling at him.

Xavier knows he doesn't mean anything by it and that he was just acting on instincts that have been higher since Spencer was first taken. Knowing this, he took the time to reassure him. “Logan, I mean him no harm. I want to help him. But I can only do that if I can get to him. Go to Remy, he needs you too.”

Logan looked over to Remy at the mention of him. Remy looked in agony despite being pulled out of Spencer's dream, and Logan became aware that the distress sent in the air was also coming from him, not just Spencer. Processing the professor's words, he looked down at Spencer, still in pain, trapped in his head. He gave his arm a final squeeze and looked back at the professor, giving a final low growl, a wordless warning before diving off the bed to tend to his other lover.

The second Logan reached Remy, he knew exactly what to do, having dealt with him with low shields before. He slides around the back of him, his arms crossing in front of Remy's chest, essentially trapping him. The moment he was in place, Remy gripped onto his arms like they were a lifeline, and Logan tried to focus on his love for them and pushed all the good emotions he could muster out into the open.

Remy couldn't help but push closer to him, soaking in the positive emotions given, soothing that bone-deep ache that crippled him. He tried to block out all the negative ones, used Logan's strength and repaired the bases of his shield so he wouldn't be poisoned by the atmosphere.

Xavier moved closer to Spencer and concentrated. After a few moments, he brought his fingers to his temple, focusing all his energy on Spencer. His face twisted at the immediate onslaught of Spencer's mind.

“What is it?” Scott asked, watching the professor’s brow furrow as he plunged into Spencer's mind.

“He's not only dreaming. There is no distinction in his mind between past and present. It's all now.” Xavier closes his eyes, refocusing on Spencer. “He's fighting me. Jean.”

Jean understood this unspoken request, and she used the professor's already established link to join him in Spencer's mind. With the combined strength, they were able to find and latch onto Spencer's subconscious, pulling him out.

Spencer woke with a broken cry, curling in on himself, arms wrapped about his middle as he shook violently, rocking himself like a scared child as the lights flickered and popped around him. His eyes were wide, the colour shifting and glowing wildly with fear. His skin sparks in an attempt to control his new gift.

But he was awake.

When the shaking slowed, his brain caught up to what was happening it was overcome by a sense of shame. He buried his head in his arms, not bothering to think about how childish he looked at the moment, and continued to rock himself.

They saw it. His mind chastised. They’re in pain, and it's your fault.

He tried to stop that thought, but when he realised that it was true, he did hurt them. He looked up again, expecting to see hatred, but he didn't see any hatred in any of their faces. He looked at them one by one and then looked at Remy. The shame and guilt came back 10 fold, and he couldn't help but ask. “Rem?”

Remy looked at him, trying to move forward, only to realise that moving threatened to crash what little shields he had left. Remy locked eyes with Spencer before trying his best to reassure him. “I'm ok, Penny. Me shields took a bit o’ a beatin’ dats all.” Unfortunately, Remy didn't sound as convincing as he had hoped.

Seconds later, Spencer turned away from everyone, burying his head in his arms as more tears started to spill. “I'm so sorry. I'm so so sorry.” He mumbled, his voice small and terrified as he allowed himself to break just a little.

Scott was by his side, in an instant, pulling him close. He knew Spencer didn't do that well with hugs, so it surprised him when, in the moment his arms were around Spencer, he turned and buried his face into his arms, still muttering in apologies.

“Shhh. I've got you.” Scott soothed. “I've got you, you're ok.”

Spencer's cries came harder, his breath staggered. “I thought… I thought I was better.”

Scott hugged him tighter, rocking with him. “You are. You just had a bad day. No one blames you.” His voice was softer than anyone in the room had heard from the leader.

“I heard them.” Spencer breathed through staggered breaths. “The in pain because of me.”

“Shhh. It's not your fault.” Scott looked up to see the others leaving the room, except for Logan and Remy, who were still in the corner, refusing to leave Spencer. “You're in pain, and it's only going where it can.”

Scott put his head down, resting it on top of Spencer's, in a way he had not since they were kids. “I will help you find a way to let it out. I Promise.”

Spencer cried harder, holding onto his brother. He was still crying when the first beads of mourning light draped through the windows.

Chapter Text

In the common room at the X-Mansion, there was a stillness, like the room itself was holding its breath. It was dimly lit by a few reading lamps. They had seemed to drift there, being pulled by a need for company.

Remy was sitting on the floor with his back against the couch, one knee drawn up to his chest, the other stretched out in front of him.

Logan sat on the couch behind him, one arm resting on the back with the other loosely resting on Remy's shoulder.

Storm sat curled on an armchair with a blanket that she hadn't unfolded. Kurt sat cross-legged on the rug, hands neatly folded in his lap.

No one spoke at first, content to soak up the comfort each other provided with their presence.

It was Kurt that spoke first, breaking the silence. His voice was hushed and shaky. “I… couldn't move. I felt the metal curling into my skin. It vas like I vas trapped inside myself.”

Storm exhaled slowly, steadying herself. “I hated the fire. I could feel it melting my skin. It felt so real. It was, for him. He lived through that.”

“The drowning.” Scott turned from where he was at the window, his head downcast. “Spencer always hated water. Even as a kid. Alex and I used to try and get him to come swimming with us all the time.”

“When we would get him near the water, he would just stare at it and watch from the side. We tried for years to get him over his fear.” Scott chuckled dryly at the memories. “I asked him once why he was so afraid of it. All he said was ‘water is the most essential and dangerous element of survival.’ But last summer, when he came round to visit, before we argued, Alex and I managed to get him to sit on the edge of the pool with his feet in. That was the closest we got him to the water."

Scott sighed, smiling as he remembered before closing his eyes. “When he said they would drown him, my heart broke, then I felt the water flooding my throat. That would have been terrifying for him, not just physically but…" Scott turned back around to the window.

Remy’s hands twitched as he pulled out his cards. His breathing changed as if he was going to say something. He did this a few times, working up to being open with them before saying. “It wasn't de physical fo’ Remy. Dat hurt like hell, mais, I felt all he felt."

“His fear, his anger, his confusion, his despair and de worse part.” Remy pressed. “Is dat he believed it was inevitable, ‘cause o'clock what he is. I feel it all. Still do.”

“You have barely left him since he came back, brother,” Storm said calmly. “You're holding his emotions inside, you need time to focus on yours.”

For a time they slipped back into silence, knowing that they were there for each other.

Jean drifted in after a while, silently making her way to the open chair near Scott. “He’s asleep now. Xavier pulled a memory so he could have a nice dream. We helped strengthen his shields again; they should hold.”

“We will work with him to help with control, but what they did. It didn’t just give him a new power, it strengthened his telepathy. He is going to have to relearn ways to burn off the excess input.” She sighed quietly.

“And you, mien Freund,” Kurt added, gently, looking over to Remy. “It gives you time to rebuild your shields.”

Remy hummed, leaning back into Logan, and they drifted back into a sombre stillness.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

By the time Spencer finished his training, he found himself wandering the grounds. Scott found him when it was late. He was sitting in the greenhouse, on the same stone bench he would sit on when the noise in his head would get too much.

The moonlight flickered across the ground, making the flickers of electricity over Spencer's skin look elegant yet very tired.

Scott approached quietly, but Spencer didn’t startle, sensing his brother's mind. He glanced sideways, the corner of his mouth twitching in a semblance of a smile.

“Couldn’t sleep?” Spencer asked.

“Yeah.” Scott sighed, sitting beside him.

“I think I’m getting better control,” Spencer muttered. “Keeping my shield from slipping and… the lightning or whatever it is.”

“I know,” Scott nodded softly. “You’ll get there.”

“Will I though?” Spencer sighed, staring at his hands. “It’s always there.”

“You’ll get there.” Scott insisted. “It will take time.”

“What if I can't?” Spencer whispered. “They wanted a weapon. What if they got one?”

Scott's heart ached for his brother. “You’re not what they made you, Spencer. You're still you.”

“But what if I am?” Spencer looked at him, a marriage of emotions playing in his wailing eyes. “What if there is no control to gain? I already hurt everyone once because I could keep my shields up. And the lightning. What if the next time I lose control of that it’s not just some lights? Or a machine? What if it hits someone? Most people won’t regenerate as Logan does.”

“Spencer.” Scott stared at him before draping an arm over his shoulders, pulling him close. Not surprised when his electricity didn’t hurt him. “You already have control, even if you don’t believe it yet. You made it through everything they put you through. And if you didn’t have control, you would still be sparking in all directions like you were on the plane.”

Spencer blinked at him and laughed under his breath. “You always were good at pep-talking.”

“Not always.” Scott corrected, “But I’m good when it counts.”

They sat for a moment before Spencer spoke again, soft but scared. “I…I don’t want to become what they fear. What everyone fears.”

“You won’t,” Scott said, kindly, pulling him closer. “You're one of the kindest people I know, and that will never change. And we will make sure they never get the chance to do this to anyone else.”

Spencer smiled softly and leaned into his brother. Hoping that he was right.