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You'd think I'd run out of words by now. You'd be wrong.

Reaching Out

Chapter 27: The Next Step

"Take deep, slow breaths," Charles advised. "Keep your eyes closed and your entire body relaxed."

Ink sat very on the floor, concentrating on the stillness, willing himself to see the unseen. Next to him, Charles' aura slowly swirled into view, a grey shapeless silhouette streaked with eddies of dark cobalt and light cerulean.

"Clear your mind. Think of nothing. Concentrate on opening all of your other senses to your surroundings."

Ink visualized his essence spreading out like an invisible mist, covering everything, seeping into it, becoming one with everything.

After several moments of quiet, Charles spoke again.

"What do you hear?"

Ink senses shapes of red and orange. The red pulsed in quick, sporadic flashes while the orange waved like ocean tides. If ocean tides could laugh.

"Max yelling at Peter to stop . . . something."

Charles took a deep, relaxing breath, seated on the Persian rug next to Ink.

"Beyond that. What else do you hear?"

Ink searched further, frowning in concentration. Green and blue hues mixing together like strands of music from a violin.

"Morty betting Chloe a Snickers bar that Alex is going to kiss Kat by the end of the week and she'll smack him for it."

Charles flexed his hands on his unfeeling knees, determined to maintain his patience.

"Keep going. What else is out there?"

Ink unconsciously tilted his head in the direction of a light purple form subsisting next to a smaller white aura tinged with streaks of yellow.

"Alex telling Kurt that he'd be great in a circus act."

Charles sighed, opening his eyes, ceding the peace of the mediation to the more active inhabitants of the house.

"Perhaps we should schedule a session in the middle of the night to practice your telepathy when things are a bit quieter."

Ink opened his eyes, squinting around at the enclosed second floor room of the manor. Charles was maneuvering his pain-free body closer to the wheelchair, preparing to lift himself into it.

Ink spoke.

"And Hank and Hope are back. Or will be. They're about five minutes from landing."

Charles grinned, his former irritation forgotten.

"Well now, that is fantastic news."

Hank and Hope were greeted by a small mob of eager, questioning mutants.

"Hey, good trip?"

"Yeah, I didn't crash the plane once!"

"Way to go, Hope!"

"What was Niagara Falls like?"

"Wet. Very wet."

"Well now, there's some phrasing . . . ow! Hank, you need to tell your woman to stop punching - ow!"

"You're on your own, Ring of Fire. Besides, I like it when she punches you."

"Oh well, look who's all smug and stuff now that you got la- ow! Can't you aim for another spot, Hope?"

"I could. But I won't."

"Hey, welcome back! Are you pregnant yet?"

"Pietro Maximoff! My womb is none of your affair and no I am not!"

"Well, jeez, Hank, couldn't you get the job d- , ow! Hope, stop punching people!"

"Well, stop being asinine!"

"Hope, I missed you!" Bamfph. "What did you bring me?"

"Hey, little nightcrawler! Oh boy, I've missed your hugs! I'm sure I've got something in my bag for you."

Hank noticed Charles off to the side, simply content, it appeared, to be observing the slight insanity that had befallen the excited younger mutants of Xavier Manor.

Charles smiled warmly at him, nodding his head in welcome. Hank returned it and walked over, offering a hand.

"Welcome back, my friend."

"Hello, Charles."

"A satisfying vacation, then?"

"Yes."

"Good. You know, I had a curious interaction the other day . . ."

They slipped away to the privacy of Charles' study.

According to Charles, a non-descript, obviously government-employed man had come to the Manor during Hank and Hope's hiatus looking for the scientist. Upon being told by Charles that his quarry was not home, the man had not chosen to give a reason for the visit and had refused to leave any means of contact.

Charles however, loyal friend and telepath extraordinaire that he was, had read the man's thoughts. The man had psi shields around his mind but despite what he thought, they were clumsy and weak and Charles was able to slip past them easily enough without alerting him to the fact.

The results were intriguing.

The Nightstalkers, a clandestine special operations unit so secret the government never even talked about them. So named for the fact that they operated only during the hours between dusk and dawn. So covert that it was unclear whom they answered to. National security deemed their activities so unconstitutional, yet necessary that even the president had no knowledge of their existence. A precaution taken so that he must be able to plead complete plausible deniability in the face of indictment. A highly trained, highly dangerous group of commandos so secret that to be captured meant knowing no one would come to the rescue. The shadow men within essentially had no names and no limits to the means they could take to reach their ends. These were the men that were called upon to 'bring down the mountain' at any and all costs.

"How did they get my name?" Hank asked his friend, quite stunned and somewhat overwhelmed.

Charles shrugged.

"Apparently they found some redacted files regarding your Blackbird."

Hank frowned.

"What do they want with me?"

Charles looked at him if it were obvious.

"They want to recruit you."

Hank looked shocked.

"Me? As a killer commando?"

Growl.

Calm down, Beast. Don't too excited.

Growl.

Yes, I am aware this is right up your alley.

Charles, meanwhile was shaking his head.

"No . . ."

Growl.

Oh, stop whining, you big, blue baby.

". . . they want you to make their weapons."

A chill had run through Hank.

Whoa.

He immediately excused himself to find Hope. Who was clearly relieved to be rescued from being grilled by a very frustrated Chloe. Who apparently had not been get the down and dirty information she sought.

Hank practically dragged Hope to his (ours, it's our room now) room, closed the door, and locked it.

One look in his clear blue eyes revealed to Hope that he had unfortunately not drug her up here to finally muss up that perfectly made bed of his.

And he opened his mouth and told her everything that Charles had revealed to him.

And now stood before her, awaiting her reaction.

It took a few moments since it really was a lot of information to absorb.

Finally, she spoke, her words and tone noncommittally.

"This could be a big opportunity for you and your work."

Hank searched her deep eyes, unable to read her reaction. He didn't like that.

He spoke carefully.

"We would have so much between us that I never talk about to you. So much classified information."

She nodded, still keeping a flat affect. This had to be a decision that started and ended with him.

He waited, then kept talking.

"We'd never know when we could be together. Our lives would always be unbalanced, unstable. That's not an environment conducive to a married life or family . . ."

Hope's face registered mild surprise and she ghosted a smile.

"We're going to have a family?" she interrupted, feinting surprise.

Hank shrugged absently, not rising to the bait. They had already talked about that. And yes, they would, eventually.

"Maybe someday. And this doesn't seem to be a weekend thing. It seems like it would control every aspect of our existence."

Hope waited.

"I don't want that for us," Hank concluded.

Hope watched his face intently.

"Are you sure?"

Hank nodded decisively.

"Yes, I am."

Hope gave it another minute, searching him for doubt. She saw none at all. Finally, she smiled, relieved.

"Good. Neither do I."

He grinned crookedly, his frustration apparent.

"Well, you could have just said."

She smiled. She knew exactly what she had done. And he did too actually. She kissed him soundly for his valiant efforts. Then with his arms wrapped around her, she looked into his eyes, more serious now.

"What if they come back?"

Hank shrugged.

"Then I say 'no'."

She considered this.

"Sometimes those kind of people don't like that word."

Hank nodded.

"There's always the Beast if it comes to it," he replied.

She hugged him tighter.

"Then your anonymity would be gone."

He sighed with resignation.

"Yeah, I know."

Hank returned to Charles once more on the matter and informed him of his decision.

Charles was not quite so subtle as dear Hope had been.

He reacted immediately.

"Excellent! I'd rather hoped you'd chose to stay on."

Hank smiled easily.

"I like it here. It's a good place to be."

Charles rolled his wheelchair closer to Hank, who was seated in an armchair in the study.

"We're getting stronger, you know. All of us. Together. You as well."

Hank nodded in agreement.

"Yes."

Charles leaned forward eagerly.

"And I think it's about time we begin using Cerebro to start finding other mutants . . ."

Hank suddenly knew what Charles was going to say before the words left his vocal cords.

". . . and reopen the school officially."

Hank McCoy smiled.

Yes.

And so we come to the end of yet another story. Certainly been a quite ride for our guy Hank, hasn't it? I'd like to think that he's going to live happily for a while with his work, his friends, and his Hope. Hollywood may not like its heroes happy but I'm sure all for it.

Thanks so much to everyone who has read and reviewed this story time and again. You all are wicked loyal, I must say that. To my brigid1318, MoonlitShadowsoftheHumanSoul, chasing yesterday always, I've Been a Labrat, S.H.I.E.K, ChiefPam, Pandiichan, Pazithia . Gallifreya, Aletta-Feather, X . Kuchisake - Onna . X, and HelloILikeIt (I'd totally talk to you if you had an account! And btw, their tattoos are like, super low), thank you for being there for sooooo long. You are all very gracious and I have appreciated you very much.

Thanks also to DragonSong23 for your absolutely stunning review! Wow! Just, wow!

Thanks to thecruelworldwelivein, Kikokoi, LoriJane1995, angelangie07, theshortone22 (that is SO cute!), YannieMae, morgandorfer1, Whenthebirddies, Utopiste, JessTheArtist, Sabrina Kirkland, and princessyuki08 for adding your support to this tale. :)

Thanks once more to those readers who chose to remain quiet. I really hope you enjoyed the story as well.

Now, everybody wave bye to Hank and Hope and all the rest. Blow them kisses and wish them well. We may see them again but for now let's all go out and live our own lives, yeah? We'll let them do the same. :)