Screams echoed through her mind. Flashes of images unrecognizable sprang forth from her subconscious. Pain not of her own rang through her mind and body.
Jean Grey woke up in the middle of the night in a cold sweat, tears streaming down her face. The nightmares were nothing Jean wasn't used to, they had become normal even. She rolled over in bed and put her arm out and felt the side of the bed where Scott usually lay, but he wasn't there.
Jean missed him so much. He had been on a mission for more than a month now, and Jean knew that nothing had happened to him, or she would have gotten a psychic flash, but it was hard to be away from him for so long.
Jean sat up in bed and wiped the tears from her face and the sweat from her brow. She threw back her covers from the bed and stood up. Jean tip-toed to her room door and peeked out into the hall. There were no lights on.
She looked over at her bed side clock: "3:37 am". Jean took a deep breath, and made her way down the hall to the kitchen.
"A glass of water then back to bed." Jean told herself.
She made her way down the long mansion hallway. She passed by the rooms of her fellow X-Men second guessing whither or not she should wake someone so she could talk, but she decided against it. It was bad enough her sleep had been disturbed; she didn't want to disturb anyone else's.
Jean made it to the kitchen and grabbed a glass from the cabinet. She went to the refrigerator and stuck her glass under the ice and water dispensers. She pulled up a stool and sat down at the kitchen counter to drink her glass of water. After quickly gulping down her water, she set her glass down and allowed her mind to wander: Usually Scott was able to call her but for some reason he hadn't.
'It's probably nothing to worry about.' She assured herself.
Suddenly the lights flicked on, interrupting her thoughts.
"Jean?" Professor Xavier asked as her motored his wheelchair into the kitchen.
Jean spun around on her stool.
"Yes professor." Jean answered recognizing his voice.
"Jean, what are you doing up at this late hour?" Professor Xavier asked his face tight with concern.
"I just couldn't sleep." Jean said with a sigh
"Worried about Scott?" Professor Xavier's voice rang through Jean's mind.
"You know that's not fair Professor." Jean said aloud.
"I'm sorry." Professor Xavier said rolling up next to Jean's stool.
"Is it that obvious?" Jean asked.
"Yes. That and I sensed the psychic disturbance from your nightmare all the way in my room." Professor Xavier said with a sly smile.
"Oh…" Jean said staring at the tile floor embarrassed.
"There's nothing wrong with missing him, or worrying about him either."
Jean nodded silently.
"I'm sure he's feeling the same way about you." Professor Xavier went on.
"I know…" Jean said.
"Just know that you can rely on your powers if nothing else." Professor Xavier said making eye contact with jean, he then turned on his wheels and headed out of the kitchen.
"Goodnight Jean." He said with a nod before continuing down the hallway.
"Goodnight Professor." Jean called after him.
The Professor's voice rang in her mind once more: "He's probably sleep right now anyway."
…
"'Rely on your powers' he says 'He's sleep right now' what is he talking about? What does he mean? Why would he tell me he's asleep?" Jean asked herself. "He didn't tell me he…" Jean trailed off to herself. Then all at once she knew just what to do.
Jean lay in her bed and got comfortable. She put her index fingers on her temples, and focused on Scott. She could see him in her minds' eye lying in his hotel room bed. Jean focused in on Scott's sleeping mind allowing her psychic self to project into his dreams.
Jean suddenly found herself on a beach, as the scene seemed to creep into view. When Jean was fully in Scott's unconscious mind she could see the beach clearly now; an expanse of clear crystal sea water on white sand. The glare from the setting sun made her squint her eyes. The beach seemed to be the location of a heated battle. She could see foot prints all around going in every direction. Jean could hear the sounds of gunshots and the cries of war.
Jean suddenly became aware that she was standing on the shoreline with nothing to protect herself or duck under for cover. A heavy set man ran from the brush near her, in her direction. No sooner then he became visible did a beam of red polarized energy shoot past her. Another beam shot from the brush striking the man down. He landed on the ground in a heap slowly dissipating from view as he lay there. Jean crouched covering her head with her hands. Scott ran up to her grabbing her by her shoulders.
"Jean! What are you doing here?" Scott yelled.
"I missed you!" Jean said, hugging him around his waist and resting her head on his chest.
It took a few seconds before Scott returned the hug; realizing that Jean's presence was more than the figments of the dream that was playing out before them.
"Bad dream?" Jean asked looking up into Scott's face.
"Yeah… I guess you could say that." Scott said with a smile.
"Well, I'm here to change all that." Jean said.
Jean turned away from Scott and focused her powers on the terrain around her. The sounds of the ensuing battles died down until they could no longer be heard. The waves crashed up on the beach where they stood washing away all the physical signs of anyone else having been there besides the two of them.
"Is that better?" Jean asked with a smile.
"Yes… it is, but what's going on Honey? Do you have a message for me from the professor?" Scott asked when Jean turned back to him.
"No, no. Nothings wrong. No message." Jean answered sensing the worry in his voice. "I just wanted to see you, and make sure you were ok. I haven't heard from you in over a month."
"Honey, you know I couldn't call you. I couldn't blow my cover." Scott said apologetically.
"I know. I'm not mad at you, I understand. I was just missing you and wanted to see you that's all."
"Ok. Well. You're here now…" Scott said pulling Jean into a passionate embrace.
Jean put her hand on Scott's chest gently pushing him away. Jean stepped back.
"Hold on." Jean told a confused Scott. "I have an idea."
Jean took another step back away from Scott. Scott opened his mouth to speak, but Jean place a finger to his lips.
"Just watch." She said with a sexy smile as she turned away from him.
Jean looked out on the shore line at the golden yellow, evening sun. She focused on it, causing it to dip low in the sky until it sank below the horizon. Bright twinkling stars began to fill the sky one by one, as a bright full moon appeared high in the sky. The brilliance of the night sky reflected off the water providing a silver glow over the entire area. Scott looked around in awe of what he had just witnessed.
"Hmm…" Jean muttered looking around. She waved her hand around the area and a myriad of beautiful, white tea light candles appeared around them.
"This is so great, Jean!" Scott said taking in the whole scene.
Jean then turned her attention on the two of them. Her night shirt seemed to melt away and give form to a stunning pearl-white evening gown. Jean looked over at Scott in his tattered X-Man gear; she focused on him and all of a sudden his uniform gave way to a wonderfully handsome tailored black suit. Jean didn't leave out one detail; she changed his battle visor to a stunning pair of ruby quartz shades and included a boutonniere to match her dress. Scott smiled his largest, toothiest, whitest smile.
"Would you like to dance?" Scott asked sticking his hand out for Jean's.
"Sure." Jean said, allowing herself to be pulled in by Scott.
As they began to dance a soft' lulling Jazz music could be heard from all around them.
"You truly are amazing Jean." Scott said pressing a kiss to her lips.
Jean hugged Scott; her heart rejoicing in the comfort she felt with him. She laid her head on his shoulder looking past where they stood. Jean closed her eyes and focused. An incredible white linen dinner table set for two complete with champagne chilling and candle light appeared just beyond them.
"Scott..?" Jean whispered in her husband's ear.
"Yes Jean." Scott said looking into her green eyes.
"Look behind you." She said excitedly.
Scott spun around to see the whole romantic ordeal set before him.
"Jean, you are too much." Scott said as he led her to the table.
They walked over to the table hand in hand.
Scott pulled Jean's chair out and she sat down, then he did the same in the seat next to her. He grabbed the bottle of champagne from the ice pail next to the table and poured each of them a glass.
Jean lifted her glass to Scott. "To us." She said
Scott clinked his glass to hers. "To us." He repeated.
They each took a sip and went on to eat the glorious dinner Jean had "prepared" for them.
"You know what Jean?" Scott asked looking up at the sky.
"No, what is it?" Jean asked looking over at Scott.
"I love you." He said with a shy smile.
…
They continued to eat, and enjoy each others company, when all at once Jean began to feel fatigued and tired. She leaned back from the table, her head in her hands.
"Are you ok?" Scott asked leaning over to grab hold of his wife's shoulder.
"Yeah. I just think I over did it a little. That's all." Jean said.
"Well maybe we should call it quits." Scott said, concern filling every word.
All of a sudden a loud mechanical beeping sound seemed to envelop them.
"I think it's time for me to wake up anyway." Scott continued.
He leaned in and breathlessly whispered to Jean:
"Thank you." He laid a sweet soft kiss on Jean's lips before he slowly faded away.
Shortly after' the entire scene went dark.
…
Jean awoke in her bed, feeling a little drained from her power plays of the night. She smiled to herself; she was filled to the brim with happiness, completely content with her "Dream Date".