WOUNDED
Disclaimer: Marvel owns Jubilee, Wolverine, Bobby, Jean, Scott...
Ah, heck, I don't know who else is in this yet. Yes, that's
right, I'm to damn lazy to come back and finish this later.
Marvel owns them all, third eye blind owns the song.
Author's note: Yes, I know that I'm not very good at
this serious' stuff. And, yes, I know Jubilee must
really be getting sick of all these horrible things happening to
her. If I liked her I might actually care... Oh, and this is an
alternate universe.
Author's note 2: Before you read this, let me remind you,
this is a fanfiction. Say it with me: fan fiction. If you don't
like it, it's not my fault, it's yours.
thought
The guy who put his hands on you
Has got nothing to do with me
And the bruises that you feel will heal
And I hope you'll come around
Cause we're missing you
Jubilee, what's wrong with you?! Bobby demanded
of his girlfriend of three months. You're sad, you're
happy, you're screaming, you're crying- Oh. Oh no. No.
You aren't. He fell back against the wall, his eyes
going blank. Jubilee stared at him with a questioning look.
You can't be. We're not ready for this. I'm
not ready for this. I can't be a father.
Jean stopped on the other side of the door when she heard those
words. Bobby? A father? That would mean...
Jubilee looked shocked for a second, I hope not...not that...
No, not that... But not this. Bobby, remember when Me an'
Paige went to visit Angelo back in LA?
Jean let out the breath she had been holding. Jubilee isn't
pregnant. Then what is wrong with her?
And you used to speak so easy
Now you're afraid to talk to me
It's like walking with the wounded
Carrying that weight way to far
Concrete pulled you down so hard
Out there with the wounded
We're missing you
Well I never claimed to understand what happens after dark
But my fingers catch the sparks at the thought of touching you
When you're wounded
Yeah. What happened?
I...I can't... tears sprung to Jubilee's
eyes and she slid down the wall till she was sitting on the floor.
Bobby knelt next to her. His hair fell into his eyes as he craned
his neck so he was looking into her eyes. Whatever it is,
you can tell me.
Jean stepped closer to the door. I shouldn't be
listening to this. It's private. But, they'll hear me
if I leave now.
I...we went to this club...he was so nice to me...and then
he... Jubilee was visibly shaking, and had pulled her knees
up to her chest, rocking slightly. ...he raped me...
Oh, god. Bobby said quietly. He wanted, no, needed to
go beat the crap out of him. Short of that, maybe put his fist
through a few walls. But first there was Jubilee. I'll
kill him. I'll kill Angelo.
N-no! It wasn't Ange. Jubilee yelled through her
tears.
Jubilee was...raped? But I never heard anything about it. I
just thought she was depressed about gen x disbanding.
Did, I mean, do you know who it was?
She shook her head no and looked up at him with teary eyes.
Please don't go...please...I need you, Bobby.
It had been a long time since Bobby had felt this angry. He
couldn't remember the last time he had wanted to tear
another human being limb from limb. Does any one else know?
he asked as he brushed her hair out of her eyes.
P-paige, and Ange. she told him.
Are you okay? Physically?
I...I think so. I haven't s-seen a d-doctor yet.
You need to go see Hank.
No! I can't-
He won't tell anyone if you don't want him to.
Please... you need to see a doctor. he stood and offered
her his hand.
She pulled herself up and walked behind him, drying her eyes.
Behind the door Jean's mind raced. I shouldn't have
heard that. Now what? I can't tell anyone. Oh, I wish I didn't
know this.
Let me break it down till to force the issue
We miss your face and you know we wish you
Would come back down to the Dalva Bar
You tell them, that's just my battle scar
In the medlab Jubilee picked at the hospital gown Hank had made
her put on while he ran tests and examined her and did all the
other medical stuff that she didn't really care about, but
knew she needed. She flinched at Bobby's touch when he set
his hand on her shoulder.
Um, Hank?
Yes, Jubilation?
Can I get dressed?
Oh, yes, oh course. These tests won't be done for
another hour. Perhaps you and Bobby should get something to eat?
Jubilee nodded non-committaly and slid off the table. She picked
up her closes and headed into the adjoining room to change.
Bobby watched her until she was out of the room, then looked over
Hank's shoulder.
Huh? Oh, sorry, Hank. Bobby told him and took a step
back. He picked up one of Hank's science magazines and
pretended to look through it. Didn't mean to bug you.
Robert, I understand that you are worried about her, but
you must also think of how she feels. Your hovering over her will
do no good. Hank looked up from the microscope and turned
to face Bobby. I do not feel myself in a position to
suggest it, but I advise you to urge her to speak with someone
who has dealt with a similar event.
He set down the magazine and nodded. I will.
I wanna kiss you
And knock 'em down like we used to
You're the marigold
Till you're walking down shaking that ass again
Then you walk on, baby, walk on, you walk on
On and on
You're an angel in the pit with her hands in the air
And we're missing you
Jean and Scott were already in the kitchen having lunch when
Bobby and Jubilee arrived. When Jean saw them she picked up her
plate and reached for Scott's. It's so beautiful
out. Let's eat outside, honey. Scott shrugged and
followed his wife out. He knew something was up, but decided to
ask her later.
Once they were gone Bobby opened the fridge. What do you
want? There's pizza left, or I could make us sandwiches.
I'm not hungry. She said as she sat at the table.
You have to eat. C'mon, it'll pass the time.
She sighed and looked up at him.
He rummaged through the fridge for a minute. Okay, there's
cheese, pepperoni, sausage, and mushroom.
He put it in the microwave and sat down across from her at the
table.
Hank said he thinks you should talk to someone else who's,
you know, been... Bobby trailed off, watching to see what
she thought.
Raped? Like who?
He couldn't think of anyone. No one at the mansion, anyway,
and he doubted she'd talk to anyone else. I don't
know. He got up and got the pizza out of the microwave. He
set a piece in front of her and she picked at the cheese.
She didn't want to eat. In her mind she kept going back to
that night... It mad her feel sick. She wanted to throw up.
Eat. You can't just sit here for an hour.
Jubilee picked up the pizza and took a small bite, chewing it for
much longer than she needed to.
An hour later she sat in Hank's lab again. She played with
the hem of her shirt while they waited for Hank to finish reading
the results.
After what felt to both of them like an eternity, Hank looked up
from the numerous computer printouts.
Good news, Jubilation. All test are negative. You are not
pregnant, and there are no sexually transmitted diseases in your
body. You are amazingly lucky.
They both let out a sigh of relief.
I do suggest, as Bobby already has, that you talk to
another who has been in your situation. And, this is your
decision, but I do suggest that you consider telling the rest of
the team.
I'll think about it, she told him without
looking up, still picking at the hem of her shirt.
Thank you.
Hank watched them leave the lab, a frown on his face. She
needs help, he thought, and soon.
Now it's fall, and your shoulder's get tighter
Nervous flicks on the lighter, boots
Your pissed off poets, your women's groups
And the friends with you, we should have known this fool
Well I guess we missed the mark
Still my fingers catch the sparks at the thought of
Them touching you
Now you're wounded
She did take part of Hanks advice. The next morning she went to
Ororo's attic room. She trusted her more than anyone else,
and knew that she *had* been in her position. Ororo had once told
her that as a child in Africa, living on the streets, she had had
many things happen to her that she wished hadn't.
They sat there for hours, talking about how she felt, her fears,
and wether or not to tell the others. By the time she left she
felt better, at least able to cope better with her emotions. She
had decided that, with Bobby's help, she would tell the
others. There weren't many people left, just Scott, Jean,
Kurt, Kitty, and Betsy. She decided to tell them all after dinner.
It would be easier for her to tell them all then, because every
time she thought about it, she felt physically sick.
Let me break it down till to force the issue
You never come around, and you know we miss you
Well nobody took your pride away
I say, that's something people say
After dinner Jubilee stood up and said barely loud enough that
everyone could hear her, I need to tell you all something.
Those who knew what she was going to say gave her encouraging
looks, and Bobby stood beside her, showing her his support.
They were all quiet as she told the story, from going to visit
Angelo, to what Hank had told her the day before. When she was
finished she looked around at them. Jean and Kitty gave her sad
gazes and the other gave shocked gasps. Scott sat, surprised that
something so big had gone unnoticed by him. He was the leader, he
was suposed to know everything that happened to his team.
Jean went and hugged her, the youngest of the x-men, and the one
who had suffered the most. Oh, Jubilee, why didn't you
tell us sooner?
I...I couldn't. I didn't know...I thought you
would think it was my fault... It was stupid, I know...
We're here for you, Jubilee, you should have told us...
It must have felt awful to keep that secret. Jean told her
when she let go and took a step back.
Scott stood and hugged her briefly, then took a step back and
studied her through his red glasses. Even without seeing his eyes
she knew what he was thinking.
Have you, talked to anyone? I know a thera-
Jubilee cut him off before he finished the word. No. I don't
want to go talk to some total stranger. Ororo is helping me. I
think that's best.
Back down the bully to the back of the bus
Cause it's time for them to be scared of us
Till you're yelling, how we living cause you got the ball
Then you rock on, baby, rock on, you rock on
On and on
After that there was one last thing she had to take care of. She
had dealt with being sad, scared, and alone. But there was still
Anger. Ororo had told her to work it out in the danger room, to
fight, yell, scream, and take out all her anger on things she
couldn't really hurt. She waited two months, till she was
the only person in the mansion before she took this advice. She
didn't want anyone else to see her, or who she took her
anger out on. It was only a simulation of him, but it looked,
smelled, and sounded exactly the same. He was turned away from
her, but she saw his face in her memory. She remembered the
terror that rose in her as he held her down. Even if she couldn't
do anything to the real him, she could do anything to this one.
She would beat him till she didn't have any energy left to
use, and then, maybe, she could have a little peace.
You're gonna pay, Joseph.
