The Birth of Cyclops

By: Ely

Rating: PG-13

Summary: My version of how Scott became Cyclops, met Jean, etc., etc.

Author's note: As I said in my first story, I have only ever seen the movies and read some stuff online, but have never read any of the comics. I have seen many different versions of when Scott first came/ met Jean/ etc. Therefore, I figured it would be okay if I did my own version. So be forewarned that it will not always (if at all) match canon. But I hope you enjoy it anyway.

Most of the stories I've seen say Scott is an orphan (with a younger brother) because of a plane crash and that his powers manifested at a school dance. I will be going with that. If this is not true and I'm majorly stealing from another writer, please let me know and I will take it down immediately and change it.

In addition, I will be including Warren Worthington III, although I don't know much about his character. If you want to see anyone else, let me know (and tell me where I can find out info about that character), and I shall do my best.

Thanks again for dealing with my lack of knowledge, and I hope you enjoy the story! Please read and review.

Before The Beginning

            The nights lasted longer now. Or maybe it just seemed that way since he couldn't see anything other than darkness. With his eyelids taped shut and bandages wrapped around his head, he was beginning to doubt if he remembered what colors really looked like.

            It had only been three days.

            "Summers!" Scott slammed his locker shut and turned to meet his friend, as he maneuvered through the crowd of students preparing to leave after yet another long day.

            "Hey there, Mike. What's up?" Mike jogged the last couple of feet and flung his lean body against the locker door next to Scott's.

            "Billy, John, Maia, Nora and I are going to Burger King. D'ya wanna come?" Scott lifted his backpack and slid his arms through the straps. They joined the steady stream of classmates filing through the doors.

            "Yeah, sure." Mike laughed and elbowed Scott, as the taller boy started blushing in anticipation of what his friend was going to tease him about.

            "Would you be as excited to come if Nora wasn't going to be there?"

            "Shut up."

            Mike smiled, but thankfully stopped teasing him as they joined the rest of the group waiting for them just outside.

            "Great news guys, we don't have to all squeeze into John's car."

            "Ah. So that's why you wanted me to come!" The others laughed, and Scott glanced at Nora, a thrill going through him.

            The group made their way to the cars, and Scott was ecstatic when he saw Nora preparing to get into his car. He slid into the driver's seat and started the old, trusty beater. Throwing the car into gear, he tried to look as cool as possible as he reversed out of his spot. He flicked on the radio and joined the line of cars waiting to pullout of the parking lot. He saw John pull into line behind him.

            Flicking on the radio, he lowered the volume so that they could still talk. While he wanted nothing more than to flirt with Nora sitting in the passenger seat next to him, Billy leaned forward from the back seat to ask him if he was going to the football game that Friday.

            "Of course. You had to ask?" Billy laughed.

            "Nora?"

            Scott glanced at the girl sitting next to him, his chest constricting as he waited for her answer. Please come... Please come. Scott had been trying to work up the nerve to ask her to prom for the last...well...three years, but he never could bring himself to do it. He figured he had until the end of this week before he had to worry about someone else asking her first.

            "Um. I think so. Maybe. I haven't decided yet."

            Scott swallowed. "You should. It'll be fun." Scott turned his eyes back to the road so he missed seeing Nora smile and blush, and he also missed the jealousy flash across Billy's face, as the other boy had seen Nora's reaction to Scott's statement.

            Scott finally made it to the Burger King's parking lot. He stopped the car, and they piled out just as John's car pulled up next to his. Scott hung behind, trying to figure out how he could work it so that he got to sit next to Nora in the booth. Despite his best efforts, however, he did not manage a spot next to her, but he did work it so he could sit across from her. Which was, in many ways, better. He didn't remember anything from the conversation - the only thing he could remember was how she looked when she was laughing: the glint in her eye, the sparkle of her smile.

            All too soon, the rest of his friends decided it was about time to head home. Luckily, everyone went to the cars they came in. Once he, Billy and Nora were buckled in, but before he started the car, he turned to Nora.

            "I actually haven't been to your house. Is it closer or should I drop Billy off first?" Nora looked back at Billy.

            "You live on Elm?" At his nod, she tilted her head to think. "You'd better drop Billy off first, then." Scott's heart soared. He'd get to be alone with her for a while. Maybe he'd finally summon the courage to ask her to the dance. The three didn't talk much on the ride to Billy's home; they just let the music fill in the silence.

            Scott pulled into Billy's driveway and put the car in park.

            "See you tomorrow, man."

            "Yep. Bye, Nora."

            "Bye, Billy."

            Scott backed out of the driveway.

            "Which way am I going?"

            "Uh." Nora looked away and cleared her throat. "I live on Springbrook Court."

            Scott's brow furrowed in confusion. "But that's a heck of a lot closer to the school than here. Why'd you say to drop Billy off first."

            Nora blushed. "I'm sorry. I lied. I wanted to talk to you alone. Please forgive me?"

            Scott's heart was beating so fast he was sure she could hear it. Did he dare hope that she wanted to talk to him alone for the reason he thought she did? Was it possible? Turning onto the main road bringing them back toward the school, he tried to calm himself.

            "Oh?" It was the only thing he could risk saying - he was sure that if he tried to say anything else his voice would reach a pitch he hadn't heard since he was 13.

            "Um. Yeah. I-" Nora paused to take in and let out a deep breath. "I was hoping you would go to prom with me?"

            Scott slowed the car down, pulled over to the shoulder and put the car in park before turning to face her. Nora's expression was part fear, part hopeful and part proud.

            "Really?" Scott thought for a second that maybe he just imagined it.

            "Yeah...um, if you want to." The longer it took for him to answer, the more the fear started to dominate her face. It quickly disappeared, however, when Scott broke into a huge grin.

            "I've been wanting to ask you for weeks!" Nora answered him with a grin of her own.

            "Good."

            They just sat quietly for a while, breathing a little harder than usual and unable to wipe the smiles off their faces. Finally, Scott cleared his throat and put the car into drive.

            "I should get you home."

            "Ok."

                                                            *                      *                      *

            The next couple of weeks were like a fantasy world for Scott. Almost every day, he gave Nora a ride home from school. They went to movies, for walks, shopping. Just about every moment possible they spent together. And their first kiss was magical. Scott had never been happier; in fact, he thought he was falling in love. Finally, the night of the prom arrived. He stood in his room, tux on, carefully inspecting his appearance. A knock on the door announced the presence of his foster mother, who, when she entered the room and saw him, looked like she was about to start crying.

            "Oh, Scott." She held her hand to her heart. "You look so handsome."

            Scott blushed and pulled her into a hug. He had been with Sandra and Bob for a long six years, and though they had never adopted him due to legal difficulties, he felt like they were practically his real parents. However, that didn't stop him from groaning when she whipped out her camera.

            "Now Scott. This is the first formal dance you've gone to.  Let an old woman have her fun." He laughed good-naturedly and smiled wide for the pictures.

            "That wasn't so bad now, was it? All done - go get that lovely date of yours and have a good time." Scott wasted no time in doing so. Driving the now familiar route to her house, he was soon ringing her doorbell, flowers in hand. The door opened to reveal yet another mother with a camera.

            "Wow, Scott. You look so handsome. Come in, come in. Nora will be right down." As soon as she said the words, they could hear the girl's footsteps on the stairs. His jaw dropped as he saw her.

            "Uh.." It was all he could manage, but Nora got the general idea behind the grunt. She smiled, walked over and kissed him on the cheek - captured on camera by her ever-vigilant mother.

            "You too."

            He smiled and presented her with the flowers, which she graciously accepted and then handed her mother, who went to get a vase. Nora smirked after her mom, grabbed his hand and whispered conspiratorially to him.

            "Quick, let's get away from the Photo Monster while we still can!" He laughed and opened the door as she yelled out goodbye.

            "Wait, honey! The pictures!!"

            "Sorry, mom, we're late!"

            As the door closed behind them, Scott shook his head at her. "You're horrible. We've got 20 minutes." She laughed as he opened the door for her and helped get all of her skirt inside the car before closing the door, running around and getting in himself.

            "I know. What can I say - I wanted to get this handsome hunk of a man all alone so I can kiss him senseless."

            "Ooh, I'm o-" The rest of his response was cut off by her lips, but he wasn't going to complain. After a long, deep kiss, they pulled apart, gasping for air.

            "We'd better stop now. I don't want to become a cliché." Scott frowned at her, confused.

            "What?"

            "You know - off like a prom dress." She smirked at him. He knew she was just joking- they had experimented a bit, but neither were ready to go that far yet. But his body reacted to it as if she had been telling the truth, and he groaned, resting his head against the headrest and closing his eyes.

            "Sorry."

            "That's okay, you minx." She chuckled, he recovered, and they were soon on their way to the prom. Walking into the gym, they both made sarcastic comments about the poor decorating job. Almost as if it was planned, a slow song started playing just as they reached the main dancing area. Scott wrapped his arms around Nora, and they lost themselves in each other and in the mood. They danced for a long time - fast songs, slow songs, it didn't matter as long as they were there with each other.

            They took a break long enough for Scott to go to the bathroom and Nora to sit down and rest her aching feet. That break would forever change Scott's life.