Children of the atom. That's what the X-Men had always been known as. Champions for equality for all of mutant-kind. While their team lineup had changed several times, there were a few regular faces, namely Cyclops and Wolverine. Both of them were fierce combatants, but both had the same weakness.
Jean Grey.
Both men had strong feelings for her, and as such, they were always competing for her attention. OVer the years, their arguments over here had sometimes caused a rift in the team, some wounds emotional, some physical.
Eventually, Cyclops proposed to Jean, and she accepted, which left Wolverine heartbroken-something that his protegeeé, Jubilee, wasn't going to take lying down.
A few days before the wedding, Jubilee went up to Jean's room, knocking on the door. "Hey, Jean, are you in there?"
Jean opened the door, a smile on her face. "Oh hello, Jubilee. What brings you here?"
Jubilee didn't want to bring up her topic right away, as Jean seemed quite happy and she didn't want to ruin her good mood. "Oh, just wanted to see how you were."
Jean smiled. "I'm fine, thank you," she said gratefully. "Just a bit nervous and excited."
"What bride isn't?" Jubilee remarked jokingly.
"Wanna come inside?"
"Ummm, sure."
She and Jean entered the room, which was a complete mess: books, pictures, and various articles of clothing were all strewn about the place.
"Sorry about the mess," Jean said. "I've been really busy and things just get thrown everywhere."
"Aren't you telekinetic?" Jubilee asked.
"Yes, but I'm also very forgetful," she replied. She then closed her eyes and all the objects were levitated into the air and placed in their correct places. "Much better."
Jubilee noticed a large cream box that was laying on the bed. "Is that your wedding dress?"
Jean nodded. "It came in the mail this morning. I haven't had a chance to try it on yet."
"Do you even know what it looks like?"
"Of course; I have the brochure."
"Oh, so it wasn't like a total mystery purchase," Jubilee replied.
Jean went over to a drawer and pulled out an old photo album, opening it to a page and smiled. "Ah, the good old days."
Jubilee looked close. "Hey, are those…?"
"Yep. That's me and Scott, when the X-Men were first formed years ago," Jean stated. The picture was of herself, Cyclops, Storm, Beast, Angel, and Iceman in the original X-men uniforms.
"So that's what you all used to look like," Jubilee remarked.
"Yes, the school was more like a private academy then," Jean explained. "And now look: mutants here by the dozens, all in a place of peace and sanctuary."
"When did Wolverine join up?" Jubilee wondered.
"About a year later," Jean told her, turning the page to show Wolverine in his original uniform. "He was happier then."
"Logan? Being happy? I call bull."
"He finally found a place he belongs, but it wasn't meant to last."
Jean turned the page, to show her and Cyclops kissing. "This was mine and Scott's first date."
"Sounds romantic?"
Jean chuckled. "It was… but well, I think you and I both know how things went."
"Wait, what?"
"I'm a telepath. I've read your mind, Jubilee," Jean told her. "I know you came to talk about Scott and me."
Jubilee sighed. "I know that if you go through with this marriage, there's just gonna be a bigger rift between him and Logan, and things could get worse, and well…one has laser eyes, and the other is a nigh-immortal man with adamantium claws."
"True," Jean said. She looked at her dress, in its box. "You wanna help me put my dress on?"
Jubilee smiled. "You betcha."
Jean opened the box and pulled out the dress. It was a beautiful silver gown that was slender down the skirt, almost like a mermaid's tail. It had a triangular pattern on the skirt and bodice. It also came with long gloves, but instead of a veil, there was a long hooded cape.
As Jean looked at herself in the mirror having put on the dress, she smiled. "I really do look the part."
Jubilee was blushing. "Jean… you're beautiful."
Jean looked at her. "I know, but having read all your thoughts about Scott, I don't know if he even deserves me. Marrying him is only going to make things worse."
"It's a shame, really. A beautiful woman like you, going to be tied down to some man who's just going to get into fights with another guy over you, regardless of how he really is. You don't deserve that or the guilt that will bring. You're beautiful, Jean; you're kind, compassionate, and a friend to everyone here, including me. And let's not forget you're the most powerful person in this school-barring the professor, of course."
Jean's eyes went wide. "You…really mean that?"
"Hell yeah I do," Jubilee replied. "I mean, I'd marry you myself if I could."
Jean looked at her. "Then why don't you?"
"What?!" Jubilee exclaimed, her face going bright red.
Jean went over to another drawer, finding a small golden ring. "I was going to give this to Scott, but it''l do." She then got down on one knee. "Jubilee, will you marry me?"
"B-but… I don't… I mean, you're beautiful and all, but I don't deserve you. You deserve someone a lot better than me."
"Do I, Jubilee? My powers are never wrong. I know how people really are without even speaking to them, and I know that you know that you're the best person for me."
Jubilee sighed. "What the hell. I'm taking this for the team. Yes, Jean, I'll marry you."
Jean hugged her new fiancee. "And don't be put off by my age."
"I won't. Or the fact that you've got a space firebird inside of you," Jubilee replied, chuckling slightly.
xXx
A few days later, slightly delayed due to Jubilee having to prepare herself to marry Jean and for the wedding preparations to accommodate her, the wedding day arrived.
In her room, Jubilee looked out of her window at the garden, which had been prepared for the wedding. She was wearing her wedding dress-not as nearly as glamorous or stunning as her future wife's, but she didn't mind. It was a short silvery dress with a short jacket and sleeves, with a rose on her chest. She smiled at herself. She may not have been a princess, but she knew she looked good.
At that moment, there was a knock on her door. "Jubilee?"
Jubilee walked to the door and opened it, seeing Wolverine there, in his tuxedo. "Logan?"
He looked at her and hugged her, chuckling. "You've made me proud, kid."
"I thought you had left," Jubilee said. "We all did."
"No, I realised that you being with Jeannie made everything right," he admitted. "You were right; I can't stop mopin' about her forever."
"Wow… a minute ago I was thinking I screwed everything up, but now… I know I'm doing the right thing."
Wolverine smiled. "That's my girl."
xXx
In her own room, Jean was being looked over by Storm and Rogue, who were her bridesmaids.
"Jeannie, you sure you wanna do this?" Rogue asked her. "I mean, I like Jubilee too, but ain't she a bit young for you?"
"I know it's strange, Rogue," Jean said. "But Jubilee's helped me and this family a great deal, so going through with this…I know it's the right thing."
"Just wanted to be sure. I mean, I've asked Remy to marry me a few times now, and he got cold feet," Rogue remarked. "Just didn't want y'all feeling the same way."
"Well, I'm very happy for Jean and Jubilee," Storm put in. "Where I grew up, I was taught that love is like a river: it can't be controlled, so it's best to let it flow freely."
"Thank you, Ororo," Jean said gratefully, hugging the african woman. "You've been such a good, supportive friend."
"I know," she replied. Suddenly, there was a knock on the door. "Who could that be?" Storm asked.
"I'll get it. It's probably Kitty," Rogue replied. She walked to the door and opened it, revealing a man with red tinted sunglasses.
"Hey Rogue," he greeted her. "Is Jean here?"
"Scott?" Jean inquired, walking over to him. "What are you doing here?"
"I came to wish you good luck," he said. "And to…say sorry."
Storm and Rogue looked at each other and nodded, silently telling each other that the two of them needed their privacy. As they left the room, Jean turned away from Scott, sighing. "Is that all you've come for? You're not trying to make me take you back?"
"No," Scott said. "Because that's not what the professor taught me. He taught me that life shouldn't be about what one person wants. It's about what other people want, and I want you to be happy no matter what."
Jean smiled. "Is that so?"
"Yes. I mean, I know Logan and I got into fights over you, and I admit: some of them did go too far. So this is for the best. But that doesn't mean I can't help you be happy, and for what it's worth, you made a good choice in Jubilee. You'll be happy with her, I know it."
Jean hugged him. "Thank you, Scott."
"Now, if no one is going to come and offer this before me," he stated, "may I walk you down the aisle, Miss Grey?"
xXx
Jubilee stood at the altar in the garden, nervous as hell. This wasn't nervous out of fear, though; it was more like excitement.
The garden was lined with seats for all the mutants at the institute: some who had left the X-Men a long time ago, and others who had just joined. Jubilee felt proud to be among them.
Soon the wedding march began and Jean walked down the aisle, escorted by Scott and carrying a bouquet of roses in her arms. Jubilee was still surprised at Jean, even though she had seen her wife in her dress long before the ceremony.
Jean arrived at the altar and stood next to Jubilee, Scott taking his place next to Wolverine and giving them both a thumbs up.
Jubilee smiled and held Jean's gloved hand. "Shall we?"
Jean nodded. "We shall."
The minister moved up and opened his book. "Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to witness the union of Jean Grey and Jubilation Lee in holy matrimony. Do you, Jean, take Jubilation to be your lawfully wedded wife?"
"I do," Jean responded politely.
"And do you, Jubilation, take Jean to be your lawfully wedded wife?"
Jubilee looked at Jean and then at the minister, smiling confidently. "I do."
Jean slid a ring onto Jubilee's finger, and Jubilee gave her a ring in return.
"By the power vested in me by the state of New York, I now pronounce you wife and wife. You may now kiss the bride."
Jubilee cupped Jean's cheeks and leaned close, kissing the redhead's soft lips and lowering her hood. Jean wrapped her arms around Jubilee, kissing back tenderly and holding her, opening her mouth to deepen their kiss.
Jubilee felt a few tears run down her cheeks as she and Jean kissed passionately, knowing that through this act of love, she had healed her entire family.
xXx
Author's note: Now this fic is sort of based on an X-Men comic I read years ago, that had a very similar plot to this. I just took that plot in a more... femslashier direction shall we say :3 Honestly, I do keep up with the comics for Marvel and DC (a lot of them are kinda forgettable these days really and some are outright crap)
But I hope you all love this one all the same!
See you next time!