Scott Summers and Jean Grey share a Thanksgiving morning walking over the Xavier compound and reminiscing about the past. Jean says to Scott that every teenage girl is assigned one guy who she pines away for and in her case he is her one.
(partially memory / flashback)
Using her telepathy, Jean shares a memory with Scott of one of their earliest meetings together in the Danger Room. Cyclops, making some repairs told her that the room was off limits as it is a training center, but Jean already knew this. Anyway, Jean told him she wasn’t there to do something unauthorized, but to talk to him which took him by surprise. Jean questioned Cyclops to find out his real name as everyone called him Slim. Cyclops revealed that his name is Scott Summers. While watching the memories Scott professes to Jean he could not escape the ocean green of her eyes during her interrogation. Obviously taken aback by her, Cyclops lost his balance and fell off the ladder on which he was standing only to be telekinetically saved by Jean. Scott asks Jean if she is embellishing the memories any and Jean tells him that she isn't, but to remember that he is viewing them through the eyes of a young girl‘s first love.
(present)
Suddenly Beast, with Jubilee on his back, bounces in front of Scott and Jean startling them. Beast and Jubilee then proceed to pounce into a pile of leaves that are being raked up by Storm, Banshee, and Forge, spreading the leaves all over and infuriating Storm who states that the three of them have been raking leaves for three hours as a form of therapy. Beast responds to Storm by throwing a handful of leaves onto her as Scott and Jean laugh. Jeans asks Scott when the last time that the team was all together relaxing, laughing, and enjoying each others company. Jean is about to tell the Scott the purpose of their little talk when they overhear Iceman, Gambit, Rogue and Bishop.
The four X-Men are building a scarecrow in the likeness of Dr. Doom as Bishop questions the purpose of doing so. Bobby tells him that it is a sort of exercise to relive his childhood but Bishop reminds him that his childhood was spent in constant flight from the Emplates. Bobby breaks the gloominess as Scott hurls a football his way, stating that Bishop might need a little more structure to his spare time. As Bobby attempts to teach Bishop the rules of football, Jean tells Scott that he is always finding the right word and being there for the team and for her, even when he hasn't known so. She then shares another telepathic moment with Scott.
(memory / flashback)
The memory is a conversation between her and Professor X. While they were having some hot coffee, she told Xavier that she felt like thousands of thoughts were pounding in her head and she didn't know why. Xavier requested that she told him of what she remembered of her life before she came to the school, and Jean pointed out that three years in a catatonic state wasn’t much of a life. After her friend Annie dies in her arms with Jean in telepathic contact with her, Jean’s mind couldn’t take it and shut down. Eventually her parents contacted Professor Xavier who spent months caring for her and drawing her back to the real world.
Xavier then explained how he placed psionic safeguards into her mind to allow her telepathy to develop at a natural rate but now the safeguards seemed to be fading. While Xavier and Jean searched for the culprit behind her concerns Xavier psionically projected an image of Cyclops in the palm of his hand and told her that he was the cause of the overriding of her powers. Because of her crush she is trying to reach out to her teammate, to share and connect with him. Jean wondered what if she opened her heart to Scott and it wouldn’t work out, what if he didn’t love her back ? Xavier said that is what is called a risk, and left to get to bed. After their conversation, Jean pulled the psi-print once more out of the air and just stared at the image.
(present)
While the other X-Men are starting to play a game of football, the couple walks up a hill. Scott admits to Jean that she has always been his inspiration. Jean is surprised, after all he is a natural born leader, but Scott cites that behind every great man, there is a great woman showing him how to do it right.
(memory / flashback)
He brings up the Phoenix Power as the perfect example since Phoenix had enough power to destroy the entire star system yet it sacrificed itself because it was clinging to Jeans humanity. Scott sensed her inner struggle through the psionic rapport he shared with Phoenix, which is why he was fighting so desperately against impossible odds. He knew that the desire to destroy the entire universe was still there, but there also was a much stronger force at work – the heart and soul of Jean Grey. Jean tells Scott that her heart broke when she thought he was killed by a stray blast, and to protect Scott she sacrificed herself.
(present)
In St Louis, Missouri, a man kisses his wife and child good bye and heads out the door. The man has given up the notion that the government will protect him and his family from a world suddenly rife with menace. The man boards a shuttle bus with the word PHALANX imprinted on it as he drops his briefcase with the name MAURO labeled on it.
At the Xavier Estate, the X-Men are continuing their game of football as Forge launches a pass to Gambit who is being covered by Storm. Before the pass arrives, Archangel swoops down and takes the ball for himself as he flies off while the team argues on the validity of the play.
(partially memory / flashback)
Jean and Scott are sitting atop the hill watching the game when she asks Scott if he ever wondered what it would be like if they were to start a family of their own. Scott tells her that they sort of already do have a family of their own but Jean tells him that she didn't mean Rachel since she is from the future and not in the current timeline. Back then she was angry when she learned about Rachel, as it seemed like the universe had already plotted out the rest of Jean’s life, leaving her no choice, but now she looks at it differently. All the recent changes, from Peter leaving, to Wolverine's injuries, to Xavier opening his doors to Sabretooth, have shown her that there are no constants in life. Scott reminds her of the family that he did have, the one with Madelyne and Nathan. Jean tells Scott that she has never experienced a stronger bond then the one Scott had with Nathan and how large the decision was that Scott made in sending Nathan to the future to save his life.
(present)
As the team continues with their game of football, Xavier makes his way to the field to tell the team that dinner is ready just as a fumble occurs and the ball bounces into Xavier's lap causing the team to all pile up on the professor in attempt to recover the ball. Scott attempts to break away from Jean so he can help Xavier when Jean blurts out "marry me". Scoot is shocked and tells her that he had already asked her, and she remarks that she wasn't ready then, she was scared, but now she is scared of what her life would be without him. The two embrace and discuss the matter more and how their love is so strong and has challenged the both of them to better themselves. Jean comforts Scott by telling him that the X-Men are where they belong, it is there home and she would never ask him to leave the team. Scott informs Jean that he loves her and will do so forever.
Later that evening, the team is all cleaned up and dressed while they sit at the table and await the Thanksgiving meal together. Xavier calls for the group‘s attention and reflects upon all the obstacles that they have had to deal with in the year. How even though they had to face the bitterness of Illyana's death, Peter's departure, and Logan's injuries the team has managed to survive and they have grown stronger in body and spirit. Scott politely interrupts Charles and tells everyone he would like to add something to the conversation and tells the group that him and Jean are going to get married - causing a jubilant eruption from everyone. The team happily embraces in the announcement while Xavier sits back and takes in the moment thinking that even though he is very happy for Scott and Jean he does have reservations about their decision. But, he also realized that his "children" are happy and above all else he is grateful for that.
