earth_367 | early monday morning

Scott leaves an ivory satin box on Emma's nightstand before he departs for his morning routine. Inside are a pair of white gold diamond starburst earrings. Each has a hidden ruby on the back.

A folded note reads:

Happy birthday, Emma. This is the 5th time I'm writing this because everything I put down sounds inadequate. The box is for you. Have a great day today. You are incredible. Thank you. ~~I wish~~ Let's hope my thoughts can explain better later.

Love, Scott

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Emma loves these (for many reasons, particularly the sentimentality), and will wear them all week, which is uncommon for her; they'll get slotted into her regular earring rotation afterwards. While it's obvious how pleased she is with them, she also makes sure to tell Scott he did a good job.

You're still wearing them.

I am. I told you, you did a good job.

You did. [...] They look better on you than in the box.

Of course they do. [...] I really do love them. Thank you.

What do you think about little weekend vacation sometime soon? Get some space from everything, as much as that's possible.

You're welcome. Lucky for me that your timing was so good, or else they'd still be sitting in my desk drawer.

Three days in the Wild West wasn't enough of a vacation?

This was actually all a ploy to get a birthday present. [...] When did you get them?

You were very far away for a lot of that. And it wasn't terribly comfortable.

Two months ago. I found them in an antique store and had to ask someone to change the stones in the back.

A lot of dust. I swear I still smell horse sometimes.

I shouldn't be surprised you planned ahead. But still, it's very thoughtful.

So much dust. And horrible beds.

Maybe you just liked being a cowboy too much, so the sense of it followed you home. Do you want a horse now?

I try sometimes. You make it easy.

Worse beds than in the sheriff's office?

My bike would get jealous. [...] Where would you want to go?

🤍 You definitely had it worse than me, poor thing.

We can't have that, so I guess I'll have to find a different birthday present for you. And I'm not sure. Somewhere quiet and calm, since too much has been happening lately. The Berkshires, maybe.

Is there anywhere you'd want to go?

That's what I get for following the law. [...] I did visit my house on the last night there.

My idea of quiet and calm might be too remote for you. Although going camping and disconnecting from everything is a bad idea anyway, with all we have to worry about. The Berkshires sound nice.

[...] How was it?

Someday I'll let you drag me out into the middle of nowhere, but I'm not recovered from sleeping on the ground with dinosaurs yet. For now I'll find something remote-ish in the Berkshires.

The house or the family?

I bet Ambrose would let us vacation in his tower. Great view of the dinosaurs.

All of it.

We'd have to properly furnish the tower, but I'd accept that.

Nice place. Cozy. [...] I think they knew something was off with me. They were both telepaths.

Tricky to arrange for furniture delivery to Antarctica.

If they're telepaths they absolutely knew something was off about you. But it seems like they let it be.

I think it's good you went. I'm glad Marshal Summers has a nice house.

Illyana will do it for a modest fee, I'm sure.

Yeah. [...] Do you think who we are in these other realities says anything about who we are in this reality?

I think it'd be strange if we didn't find similarities, but they're different people. So many little things affect who we are. [...] I have all of that Emma's memories now. The list of things she did that I wouldn't do is long.

What are you worrying about?

What was her life like?

[...] Nothing. You're right. We're different people.

Hard, unsurprisingly, but she didn't make it easy for herself. She killed her parents and older sister and ran. She did care about those kids, though.

No, talk to me.

She raised strong kids. Why did she kill her family?

~~It's nothing.~~ ~~I don't~~ [...] I expected it to be more awkward, but I got the impression that Marshal Summers wasn't home that often anyway. I don't understand everything in my other reality, but I know he blames himself for Madelyne and Nathan getting hurt because he wasn't there for them. But I can't judge either of them. I also left Maddie when she needed me.

[...] I guess I hoped I would've made better choices if I was married with a child.

Strong but vicious. Her parents were controlling and her sister was cruel. Worse than mine, but not that far off I suppose.

[...] Everyone does things they're not proud of. And even though I'll say again that you're not him, I still wouldn't trust any Scott Summers' guilt without hearing the facts of the matter. Is he your age? [...] And we'll sort out what's going on with Maddie.

Edited (not the same person!!) Date: 2025-07-19 03:19 am (UTC)

Made crueler by the time period they were living in, maybe.

His wife died, his son was kidnapped, and he hadn't seen them in months. I think it's fine to blame him, actually. [...] And yeah. We're about the same age.

I'm certain.

[...] That's not looking good for him, is it? [...] I imagine this is even harder for you because he seems less different than some of our other alternate selves. But you've lived different lives. You're not the same.

Do you see anything of yourself in her?

We're not the same. But I can't pretend that he has nothing to do with me. We have the same soul, or whatever you want to call it. ~~Sometimes I worry we'll never~~ [...] Whatever that means. Who knows.

Of course. We have similar families, she has my face, my powers, my name. It would be strange if we had nothing in common. But there are very few people I don't see a bit of myself in.

[...] I don't believe in inevitability, or fate, or anything like that, regardless of what a "soul" is. What he did isn't a guarantee of the choices you would have made in the same situation, and you'll never know what you would have done. What you do know is your own choices here, and what you did was do wrong by a romantic partner. Which, who hasn't? You weren't married, you didn't have a child. And you're trying to help her now. That matters more, in my opinion.

Edited Date: 2025-07-19 05:32 pm (UTC)

What do you see, though? Beyond the obvious.

I'm trying to be a better person. I think he was, too.

She cares, deeply. She can be cruel. She refuses to accept things that don't go her way. She has a complete disregard for people's privacy. There are core things that are recognizable, outside of what I'd find in other people. But I think it's only natural that we're predisposed towards things when there are similar circumstances. Like the fact that Manny and I are often not good people elsewhere. We're clearly not bound to that.

I know you are, darling. Because he felt guilty I'm sure he was too. But you need to cut yourself more slack. It's important to want to do better, but you're good now, as you are.

Edited Date: 2025-07-19 06:38 pm (UTC)

I can see that. Do you think it's your powers that predispose you?

Of course you think that. [...] Thank you, Emma.

I'm sure we tend to have similar family situations, too, but yes. Our powers make it easy to be horrible to others.

Do you believe me, at least a little bit?

Both of you work hard to help others, despite all that.

I believe you think I'm good. And I believe you see more of people than most. So, a little bit.

We do. I don't care how many terrible versions there are of us.

Well, that's something. I'll get you to really believe it, one of these days. I'm going to be very annoying about it.

If there's an infinite number of alternate universes, there's probably a few Emmas who are even sweeter than you are.

You refuse to accept things that don't go your way. Sorry that I make it such a chore.

Disgusting.

I like a challenge. And I always know what I'm getting into.

The terrible versions of you must have the capacity to be good too. Maybe they just need to be given the chance.

I'll try to make the effort worth it.

I'm not so worried about that. There are probably irredeemable versions of us all.

I don't doubt it. Are you going to promise more flowers and diamonds and groveling?

I'm worried, then. I hate thinking that the Emma from my alternate universe might be irredeemable. Something I have in common with Marshal Summers, I guess.

Is there a fourth thing you want?

You're so soft, darling. It's very sweet. Marshal Summers isn't totally wrong, I don't think.

No, I have everything I want.

[...] We'll save her too. Or Kitty will, and we can bring her lots of coffee while she does it.

What about a motorcycle ride?

I have no doubt that she will. Hopefully we can find some way to be helpful outside of coffee and demanding she sleep sometimes.

That sounds nice.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Custom Text

January 2026

S	M	T	W	T	F	S
				1	2	3
4	5	6	7	8	9	10
11	12	13	14	15	16	17
18	19	20	21	22	23	24
25	26	27	28	29	30	31

Page Summary

frost_queen - (no subject)

Expand Cut Tags

No cut tags

An X-Men GPSL (IC)

early monday morning

Custom Text

Page Summary

Expand Cut Tags