Afterimage

By Trynia Merin

Disclaimer: I don't own X men or Generation X, Marvel does. This story is a work of fanfiction and I don't get any profit from doing this other than putting these characters into a story of my own.

Genre: Angst/Drama

PG 13 Mildmature situations and language, drug use and some underaged drinking. I do NOT advocate this kind of behavior, and this story shows the consequences of such decisions.

Notes: This story is an Alternate Universe, set in the Comic Book universe. It's Angst, and takes place five years after Loose Ends. Wolverine has lost his adamantium in this one in the same way he had in the regular 616 continuity, but was away longer than just a year or so. I'm ignoring the whole DEATH thing with Apocalypse and focusing on the results of Jubilee at Gen X, as well as the near death of most of Jubes team members.

I wrote one version that had them on Spring Break, but the plot involved issues more appropriate to college age. For the purposes of this story Emma Frost has continued Gen X to be a prep school/college equivalent program. Jubilee is nearly 19, Angelo is 22, Everett is 20 going on 21. Paige is 18, and Jonothan in his mid twenties. Monet is 19, still in her 'fused' state, and the whole Penance thing has been overlooked.


Chapter 1

Five years earlier:

Jubilee had finally gotten it out of her system. A few broken robots and a laugh shared between Scott and her did help. At least she could pretend the robots were Professor X, or Logan, or Frosty or whoever. And rant and rave as she tried to keep from getting trashed.

For the next week or so, she sorted through her clothes with Jean. Ororo was still on Muir Island, trying to make up lost time with Kitty. The whole reality of what was about to occur was still hot and fresh, and Logan's subsequent problems had made her return to try and help her former child protegee through the loss of Logan.

Jean and Scott were there to hold her when she sobbed and cried. Or wanted to punch a wall. Till at long last the day came, and she walked with both of them to the car. Scott carried her bags, and Jean held her hand. She hugged both fiercely, and Ororo sat in the driver's seat of the Rolls Royce, with a look of extreme apology.

"Okay, let's go," she sighed as she climbed in next to Ororo.

"You realize this wasn't the first time I made this drive," Ororo said softly.

"Yeah, you said you schlepped Prydester once, huh?" asked Jubilee, as Ororo pulled out of the drive and down Grimalken Lane.

"I'm sorry I wasn't here…" Ororo trailed off.

"Don't be. Too many people saying they're sorry," Jubilee sighed, leaning back in her seat. She pulled off the sunglasses and tossed them down before plunking Logan's cowboy hat on her head.

"Kitty needed me… and well… I figured there would be time on the drive for us to talk… I had no idea that Logan and my trip would be delayed to Muir…"

"But you still went… and Logan up and left anyway, huh?" asked Jubilee sadly.

"He left me a note as well," said Ororo. "I wasn't happy…"

"Neither was I, news flash," Jubilee said sullenly, folding her arms and looking away.

"So, you going to stay angry forever?" Ororo asked.

"What's it to you?"

"A lot actually," said Storm. "Considering that I am part of your family… the X men. And want what is best for you. Even if you don't agree with us."

"Everyone's telling me the same damn thing. About how they pleaded with ol Professor X, but he wouldn't listen. I'm getting kinda sick of it…" Jubilee said, rolling her eyes and sighing dramatically.

"So am I," said Storm gently, patting her shoulder. "So let's not talk about it… if you'd rather NOT talk, then we won't. We'll just keep quiet, and you can sulk all you want."

"Thanks bunches," Jubilee mumbled, grabbing her Walkman and pulling it on over her ears. Ororo sighed and allowed the child to have her silence.


For the next half-hour, Jubilee glared out the window at the highway. It wrapped around the high mountains, curving and turning in graceful arcs. Brilliant fiery gold and deep reds fluttered down from the full autumn trees. Thoughtfully Jubilee forgot her anger to see them drift across and fall down the mountainside to the valley below.

Jubilee glanced sidelong at Storm. The Wind Rider kept her gaze serenely ahead, letting her mind drift to happier times. Was it her imagination, or did Jubilee see a tear rolling down Ororo's face. A low sigh escaped her lips, and Jubilee yanked her Walkman off to be sure.

"Hey, Storm…"

"I thought you were enjoying your silence," Storm said quietly.

"Well yeah, but what's the deal with you an' Wolvie anyway? Like you were all excited about goin' with him to Muir an' all, and then bam… next thing I know, he's gone cause he lost his adamantium…"

"It's rather painful to tell," Storm murmured. "But let's just say that things… didn't' work out between us as I thought they would. He had other problems that needed attention…"

"So you went to see Kitty by you lonesome, huh?"

"Yes…" Storm said.

"You're gonna tell me all about how she an' you bonded, right?"

"No," Storm said. "Because it's my business. And your life is YOUR business. I'm not going to be comparing you to Kitty. Because it was NEVER a contest…"

"Say what?"

"I could tell you in great detail about it, but Kitty isn't here. You are. And I won't drag Kitty into your self pity and have HER become another person for you to get angry at…"

"Excuse me? What was that?"

"You think you're the only one who's suffered because Logan left?" Storm asked quietly. "You aren't. We're ALL hurting. For you to think that he left because of something you did is ridiculous and selfish…"

"Who's being selfish here, Ororo? What the hell left field did THIS come out of?"

"Simply to get you to understand that you're not the only one who has been dealt a raw deal, and is angry at fate, child," said Ororo firmly.

"Excuse me for having FEELINGS, Storm," Jubilee grumbled. "For missing him…"

"I miss him too, child," said Storm angrily. "And so does Kitty, and everyone else."

"Good for both of you," said Jubilee sullenly, turning away. "But don't call me a child! I HATE that!"

"If you wish to be treated as an adult, stop acting like a child," said Ororo. "And I might stop calling you child when you learn that sulking has caused nothing but misery."

"Oh, the hell with you, and the hell with everything…"

"It's so easy to be angry at the world, isn't it?" Ororo interrupted. "And make everyone ELSE miserable because you can't understand WHY you have to do what others think is best? Isn't that unfair?"

"Stop the head games…"

"I am playing no head games Jubilee. I'm only preparing you for what you will face with Emma Frost. She will not tolerate self-pity or sulking. One way or another she'll get you focused on something else other than what is perceived as unfair. You won't have the time to feel sorry for yourself, because you'll be busy studying and trying to keep up with the other students."

"Like what's your point?" Jubilee snorted, resting her feet on the dashboard.

"My point is that you can either see the good in this, or make your life miserable because you wish to persist in carrying your anger," Storm said calmly.

"I could run away…" Jubilee started.

"Where too, Jubilee? End up a street thief as I did? Learning to pick locks and sell your body on the street for food? That is the fate that awaits angry young girls such as you. And throws the lives of those that love and care for them into needless worry and anxiety," said Storm with a sigh.

"Whatever," Jubilee shrugged.

"Jubilee, Xavier isn't sending you away as punishment, he's sending you away to learn to use your powers better, so you can be every bit as capable as Jean and Scott whom you admire," Storm said firmly. "Don't you want to prove to Magneto and everyone that you CAN live in a world that's WORTH fighting for?"

"Storm, this isn't a fairy tale!"

"No, but you can do something with that anger to make your life what YOU want it. Right now you're a child, but it won't be long till you will have to take full responsibility for your mistakes and successes. And you can't be prepared to do that unless you have the best training. Emma Frost is the LAST person I'd think would do that. But she gets results. And you will succeed with her care. "

Jubilee felt the numbness return, and simply sulked through storm's words. Though she pretended to ignore the Weather Goddess, every word was heard and fixed in her memory. Those angry blue eyes and the hurt in Storm's voice were much like her own. She exhaled deeply, and finally realized Storm had stopped talking to stare at the road ahead.

"So… I guess I gotta suck it up?" Jubilee asked.

Storm leaned over to rest her hand atop Jubilee, her blue eyes filled with understanding, "I don't like separation any more than you, but you can choose to be happy, or choose misery. And I hope my child that whether you're in West Chester or Massachusetts, you choose to be happy. Because I know that you're capable of greatness. You deserve to find that happiness for yourself… you aren't happy to hear what I've said today. But I am sure in time you'll see it from my perspective, and everyone else's…"

"In other words I'll look back on this and laugh?"

"Hopefully," said Ororo with a chuckle. "We aren't too much further from the school. I hope that we can talk about more pleasant things…"

"Um… well… I guess we could kinda talk about what it was like for you to be on the streets of Cairo, and maybe why I shouldn't think about running away?"

"That sounds more like the Jubilee we know and love," Storm said with a warm grin. She sincerely hoped her tough love had reached something in Jubilee. For she could see the anger that was all too familiar in the child she loved as much as Kitty, in her own way. When the car finally stopped, she and Jubilee hugged fiercely.


Interlude

Jubilee knew intellectually that it was 'for the best' that she'd been relegated to the team Gen X. However the resentment at being uprooted yet again still burned hot and bitter. At first she could not believe it, and then she embraced it in the rebellious counterculture of the need to belong somewhere. All of them were the same age group, seemingly here because there were not wanted anywhere else. Another big factor that sold her on Gen X other than her anger was her roommate Paige.

Without Sam Guthrie's young sister, Jubilee swore she would have gone nutzoid after the first six months. Paige had a way of growing on her, and she had not had many female best friends since before she could remember. Caught up in the need to compete with Monet for Everett or Angelo's attention, she soon forgot all about her former life. It was time to make a clean break now. For the last three years she had done her damnedest to close the door on the X mansion and focus solely on Gen X. Only on holidays did she venture to the X mansion, and it was only a short visit.

Wolverine wasn't always present, having left for parts unknown after his adamantium had been leeched. Although her heart ached, she struggled to understand just why he'd done this. The last shreds of understanding soon turned to anger and rage that she shoved away because it was too painful to dwell upon. While those first letters were filled with her hopes and dreams that he'd somehow sort his problems and come back, she eventually saw that life went on.

She knew it had been ages since he'd stopped by. Already she had become incorporated into the fabric that was Generation X. Nursing her wounds and her resentment that was bottled up towards all. Hating him for leaving and loving him so much it hurt. In the coming years it would finally come to a head.