—

Sunlight stabbed through the gaps in the curtains like laser beams, painting stripes across the tangled sheets. I woke slowly, blinking against the brightness, my body pleasantly sore in ways I hadn't experienced before. The events of last night crashed back into my consciousness all at once, and I was suddenly aware of the warm bodies pressed against me from both sides.

Jessica lay on my right, her dark hair spilled across my chest, one leg hooked possessively over mine. Her breathing was deep and even, her face relaxed in a way it rarely was when she was awake. On my left, Madelyne curled against my side, her red hair with its black streaks standing out vividly against the white pillowcase. Her hand rested over my heart, fingers splayed as if checking I was still there.

I stared at them for a bit and then relaxed into my pillow.

I looked up at the ceiling, trying to process how my life had become like this. Dating and relationships were complicated to say the least in my previous life, but somehow having an Alien Watch eased a lot of those complications. Why else would two girls like this get along so well?

A year ago, I was just an ordinary teenager with ordinary problems. Now I wielded the most powerful device in the galaxy, juggled relationships with women who could bend reality with their minds or punch through concrete walls, and prepared to prevent a genocide on a sovereign mutant nation.

Just an average Tuesday, really.

Jessica stirred first, her eyes fluttering open. She looked up at me, and for a brief, heart-stopping moment, I wondered if regret would cloud her expression. Instead, she gave me a sleepy smile that melted something in my chest.

"Morning, alien boy," she murmured, voice husky with sleep. "You still alive after last night?"

"Barely," I whispered back, careful not to wake Madelyne. "You two nearly killed me."

"Hmm, not our fault you're so..." her eyes flickered to Madelyne, "...popular."

The teasing note in her voice reassured me. This wasn't awkward morning-after regret. This was the Jessica I knew, adapting to our new reality with the same pragmatic attitude she brought to everything else.

"How are you feeling about... all this?" I asked, gesturing vaguely with my free hand.

She propped herself up on one elbow, considering the question. "Honestly? Less weird than I expected. Though we definitely need to establish some house rules."

"House rules?"

"Yeah. Like, who gets you on which nights." She traced a lazy pattern on my chest. "Scheduling is important when sharing resources."

I nearly choked. "I'm a resource now?"

"A very..." her hand drifted lower, "...valuable one."

That's crazy. Madelyne stirred, saving me from whatever Jessica had been planning. Her eyes opened, green and disoriented, before focusing on my face. A smile spread across her lips, then faltered as she registered Jessica's presence. Uncertainty flashed across her features.

"Good morning," I said, trying to ease the tension.

Madelyne sat up, pulling the sheet with her. "Morning. I should probably..."

"Stay," Jessica said, surprising us both. "We need to talk anyway. Might as well do it over coffee."

Madelyne hesitated, then nodded. "Coffee sounds good."

I watched with fascination as they both slipped from the bed, Jessica completely unselfconscious about her nakedness, Madelyne more hesitant as she retrieved her borrowed t-shirt from the floor. The contrast between them was striking – Jessica all lean muscle and confidence, Madelyne with her pale skin and cautious movements.

"I'll start the pot," Jessica said, pulling on my discarded t-shirt. "Ben, you make breakfast. Something with protein. We all need it after last night."

I can barely cook. "Yes, ma'am," I saluted, climbing out of bed and grabbing my sweatpants.

"And Madelyne," Jessica added, pausing at the door, "the bathroom's all yours if you want to shower first."

It was such a normal, domestic moment that it almost made me laugh. Here we were, planning breakfast after a night that had fundamentally altered our relationships, acting like this was any other morning.

****

The kitchen became our neutral territory, and the three of us navigated around each other with a newfound awareness.

I scrambled eggs and fried bacon, stealing glances at Jessica as she measured coffee grounds with scientific precision. Madelyne emerged from the shower, hair damp and wearing clothes she must have gotten from the shopping tour with Jessica yesterday – black leggings and a faded NYU t-shirt that hung loose on her curvy frame.

"So," Jessica said once we were seated around the small kitchen table, plates of food before us, "let's establish some ground rules for... whatever this is."

"A throuple?" I suggested, earning a snort from Jessica.

"Oh, shut up, you know it's more than three people. Are you trying to piss me off?" She shot me a glare, and I shrugged. "Call it what you want. I just need boundaries." She ticked points off on her fingers. "One: communication. I want to know who's sleeping where and when. Two: honesty. No sneaking around as we're all adults here. Three: discretion. The hero community is small and gossipy."

Madelyne nodded, sipping her coffee. "Makes sense."

"Four," Jessica continued, "safe words. For when things get... intense."

The memory of last night flashed through my mind as I recalled Madelyne actually choking at one point rather than enjoying the cannon down her throat. "Agreed."

"And five," Jessica's expression softened slightly, "no jealousy. At least try to hold it back. If it happens regardless, we talk about it when it happens. Because it will."

"Is that directed at me?" Madelyne asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Mhm, at all of us," Jessica clarified. "I'm not immune either."

I watched them slowly, two extraordinary women establishing the framework for our unconventional relationship, and felt quite amazed. Wasn't I the luckiest guy around the block? I'd have enjoyed this a lot more if a genocide weren't looming over my shoulders.

Madelyne suddenly winced, her coffee cup clattering against the saucer as her hand flew to her temple.

"You okay?" I asked, reaching for her.

"Just a headache," she murmured, eyes squeezed shut. "It's been happening since–"

She broke off with a gasp, both hands now pressing against her head. The coffee cup rattled on the table, though neither of us had touched it. Small objects around the kitchen – utensils, the salt shaker, a dish towel – began to levitate, suspended by invisible force.

"Madelyne," Jessica said sharply, "what's happening?"

I recognized the signs immediately. The Phoenix seed was active, responding to Madelyne's distress. I'd seen her go through similar episodes in the X-Men '97 animation – moments where her powers spiraled beyond her control, often accompanied by visions.

"It's the Phoenix, I'm assuming," I said, moving to Madelyne's side. "Maddy, focus on my voice. Ground yourself."

Her eyes flew open, but they weren't entirely hers anymore. Golden fire flickered in their depths, cosmic energy struggling against the mental barriers Jean, I and Emma had helped her create.

"Fire," she whispered, her voice distant. "So much fire. I can see it consuming everything. M-metal… metal men raining from the sky. Screaming. So much screaming."

"...."

Was the phoenix showing a possible future, or the exact thing that'll happen in Genosha? Does my presence not make any difference at all?

Jessica exchanged an alarmed glance with me. "Is she seeing the future?"

"Not exactly," I explained, but even I wasn't sure. I was just trying to reassure all of us. "The Phoenix exists partially outside linear time. It doesn't see the future so much as... all possibilities at once. Most carriers can't process it, so it comes through as fragments, nightmares, premonitions."

I wondered if I should go Ghostfreak, but decided to try talking to her on my own one more time. I placed my hands on either side of Madelyne's face, forcing her to look at me. "Maddy, can you hear me? Come back to us. Whatever you're seeing, it's not happening now. You're safe."

The fire in her eyes flickered, then receded. The floating objects crashed back to the table and floor. Madelyne slumped forward, and I caught her against my chest.

"Sorry," she mumbled against my shirt. "It's been happening more frequently. Ever since we started planning for Genosha."

"What exactly did you see?" Jessica asked, her voice carefully neutral as she picked up the fallen salt shaker.

Madelyne shuddered. "Metal men. Giant robots falling from the sky onto a crowd of people. Magneto screaming. And fire – my fire – consuming everything."

Sentinels. She was seeing the Sentinel attack that Magneto had dismissed so easily when I'd warned him. The attack I was desperately trying to prevent.

"It won't happen," I said firmly, stroking her hair. "That's why we're going to stop it."

"What if we can't?" Madelyne pulled back, her eyes haunted. "What if by going there, I'm the catalyst that makes it worse? The Phoenix responds to emotion, to threat. If I lose control in a crisis..."

"You don't have the Phoenix Force. It's a seed. You just need to remind yourself of that, and it'll stay away from you. And if you still lose control? I'll help you regain it," I promised. "Feedback will show the cosmic flame its place. You trust me, right?"

"And I can kick your cosmic butt if you get too fiery," Jessica added, the joke lightening the moment despite the tension behind it.

Madelyne gave a weak laugh, wiping away tears I hadn't noticed falling. "Some houseguest I am. First I seduce your boyfriend, then I have a cosmic meltdown over breakfast."

Both Jessica and I laughed. "Please, that barely cracks the top five weirdest breakfasts I've had," Jessica dismissed with a wave. "Though I am keeping track of these infractions for future leverage."

They shared a look – part challenge, part growing camaraderie – that made me realize something profound. Beyond the physical aspect of last night, these two were developing a genuine connection. Like dear sisters. Different as they were, they understood aspects of each other's experiences in ways I never could.

The moment broke as Jessica stood, gathering the dishes. "So when do you two leave for this potentially apocalyptic field trip?"

"Hmm, I don't know. Tomorrow afternoon, I think?" I replied, helping clear the table. "We'll meet Grandpa Max and Gwen at the airport. Magneto's sending a private jet."

Jessica's movements became more forceful, plates clattering as she stacked them in the sink. "Of course he is. Very dramatic. You sure I can't come? I could be useful."

"We've been over this," I said gently. "If something goes wrong–"

"Then you'll need all the help you can get," she cut me off, spinning to face me. The fear she'd been hiding broke through briefly, her eyes wide and vulnerable. "Ben, I can't just sit here and wait for news that a mutant nation got wiped out with you in it."

I pulled her into my arms, feeling her resistance before she grudgingly relaxed against me. "I need you safe," I whispered into her hair. "I need to know that no matter what happens, you're out here, ready to avenge us if necessary."

She thumped my chest with her fist. "Don't talk like that, you idiot."

"Besides," I added, "someone needs to stay with Trish to monitor the Oscorp situation. Those patients still need protection."

She sighed, her breath warm against my neck. "Fine. But you better call me every six hours, or I'm stealing a Quinjet and flying there myself."

"I believe you," I laughed, knowing she absolutely would.

The rest of the morning passed in a blur of preparations.

Jessica helped pack, pretending to be annoyed while secretly checking that we had everything we might need – extra batteries for phones, first aid supplies, protein bars. Madelyne recovered from her episode, though I caught her rubbing her temples occasionally, the shadow of visions still lingering.

Around noon, my phone rang. Gwen's face appeared on the screen, her expression already telling me something had changed.

"Hey, what's up?" I answered, putting her on speaker.

"Change of plans," she said without preamble. "Magneto wants us there tonight, not tomorrow. He's invited Xavier and his closest associates for a pre-ceremony dinner. Diplomatic posturing, basically."

I felt the weight of time compress around us. "Tonight? That's..."

"I know, I know. Grandpa's already at the airfield. The jet lands in an hour at LaGuardia. Can you make it?"

I looked at Madelyne, who nodded firmly. "We'll be there."

As I hung up, Jessica stood in the doorway, arms crossed. "Well, that accelerates things."

"Yeah," I admitted, already moving to grab the packed bags. "Sorry about the rushed goodbye."

She shrugged, the casualness not quite hiding her tension. "Whatever. Just try not to get killed at dinner. Would be anticlimactic after surviving two supercharged women."

The joke landed exactly as intended, breaking the heaviness that had settled over us. I laughed, pulling her into a kiss that she returned fiercely.

"We'll be careful," I promised.

"You better be," she murmured against my lips. "I just broke you in. Would hate to have to replace you so soon."

Madelyne entered with her small bag, hesitating at the sight of us. Jessica surprised me by extending a hand to her.

"Come here, Phoenix girl. You get a goodbye kiss too."

Madelyne's eyebrows shot up, but she approached, allowing Jessica to pull her into a brief, surprisingly tender kiss on her cheek. How adorable of them. I could tell that Madelyne was loving the prospect of having a sister-like figure after Storm.

"Take care of our boy," Jessica said, forehead resting against Madelyne's. "And yourself. I'm starting to like having you around."

The simple statement seemed to mean the world to Madelyne, whose expression softened with gratitude. "I'll protect him with my life."

"Haha, no. Let's aim for a solution where nobody needs to sacrifice their life," I suggested, shouldering both our bags.

As we headed for the door, Jessica called after us, "Ben!"

I turned back. She stood in the center of her apartment, looking smaller and more vulnerable than I'd ever seen her.

"Remember what you promised in Harlem," she said quietly. "About always coming back."

"...I remember."

The door closed behind us, and I took a deep breath, steeling myself for what lay ahead. Genosha awaited between a powder keg of mutant politics, anti-mutant sentiment, and potential disaster.

But first, we had dinner with Magneto. Somehow, that seemed almost as dangerous.

**

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