Title: Old Friends with New Beginnings

Chapter 7: Reactions

A/N: Thank you to everyone who has written a review! I'm a new fanfic writer so I like to hear what you as a reader have to say. You've all be so inspiring, and for that I thank you immensely. Thanks also goes to my beta sister. Also, of course, I don't own the X-Men. /sad face/

"Spoken"

'Thoughts'

Telepathy

xxxxx

On the drive home from town and having coffee with Jean, Scott couldn't believe the situation he now found himself in. He was dating Jean Grey. Okay, so not officially dating. They were pretending to date. It had happened so serendipitously, and Scott couldn't have been more pleased. Although he realized their relationship was false, the rest of the world, and the team, would perceive it as genuine. Scott considered it a compromise of the heart.

Interrupting Scott's thoughts, Jean asked what had him grinning.

His smile widened. "Oh, nothing. I was just imagining what the team's reaction will be when we tell them we're dating."

"You don't think we should tell them the truth?" Jean questioned. She wasn't accustomed to keeping secrets, particularly from her teammates.

He took his eyes off the road only long enough to turn towards Jean. "Now where's the fun in that?"

Jean couldn't resist the urge to smile. "I guess you're right. Plus we know Kurt couldn't keep it a secret long, especially from Amanda. It would be bound to spread throughout school if we told anyone the truth. And don't even get me started on Kitty."

"Then let's promise to keep our secret confidential. For all intensive purposes, we are officially a couple – to the team, the Professor, Bayville High, everyone."

"You got it," Jean said.

"Do you think the Professor will find out, being as he's a telepath?" Scott inquired.

"Like me, Scott, he's not going to probe your mind. One's thoughts are a private sanctuary that should never be invaded. Just don't project the thought, and we're fine."

They both reflected on their own thoughts, apparently lost in their own little worlds. Jean spoke first. "I wonder how Duncan will feel about this? I hope he's incredibly jealous – oh my! I can't believe I actually said that!" She reddened in embarrassment.

"Would you feel better if I said I'd been thinking the same thing?"

"We're horrible," Jean said as they both laughed at themselves.

Since Jean had brought up the topic of Duncan. Scott took the opportunity to question her further. "What did you ever see in Matthews anyways?" In his head he continued, questioning, 'What's he have that I don't?'

Jean paused before answering. She wasn't sure how to articulate her answer. "I don't know. He was charming at times, and when he slipped up he'd bring me a flower. Sorta like a peace offering."

Scott raised an eyebrow at the thought of Duncan doing something 'charming.'

"It was cute," Jean defended. "Anyways, once he started having personal problems he began taking his frustrations out on other people. Once those other people became my friends I had had enough."

"Oh," Scott curiously replied. "What kind of personal problems?"

"I really can't talk about it. I kinda gave him my word."

"Oh, okay."

Scott understood why Jean wouldn't tell him, and he respected her for not betraying the trust of even an ex-boyfriend. But part of him was jealous that Jean and Duncan still shared personal secrets with each other.

"I wonder how Logan will react…" Jean pondered aloud.

"Oh, no." Scott gulped. "I didn't think of that. This may be the shortest relationship on record when Logan kills me."

xxxxx

Back at the mansion's living room…

BAMF! "Kurt, come back here with that remote right now!" Kitty exclaimed as she frantically ran around the room trying in vain to catch a teleporting Kurt.

"No vay! You got to vatch Grey's Anatomy down here last veek on the Hi-Def TV. Now it's my turn."

Kitty lunged towards the couch where Kurt was standing but right as she got close to him, he bamfed next to the window. Kitty landed face first on the cushions. It took her a minute to recompose herself.

"I should be able to vatch Scrubs down here anyvays cause Dr. Cox is ten times a better doctor than Meredith."

"Like, I don't know how one can expect me to watch McDreamy on anything less than HD. He's, like, so hot!"

"But does he have J.D. or Dr. Cox's humor? I think not! I win and you lose! Neener, neener, neener!"

Kitty had now gotten up from the couch and moved herself over next to the TV where Scrubs was currently playing. "Kurt, like, don't make me short out the TV all together." Kurt's eyes widened in surprise as Kitty raised her hand over top the TV to prove she was serious about her threat. "I'll, like, totally do it!"

Before Kitty could commit to her threat, Scott and Jean entered the room. During the car ride home they'd agreed to announce their 'relationship' as soon as they got home, knowing full well it would cause a commotion.

"Hey, guys. Please tell me you aren't having the weekly Scrubs vs. Grey's debate again," Scott pleaded.

"It's so not fair! He always gets to watch Scrubs and I get stuck upstairs with a 13 inch screen requiring, like, a magnifying glass to even see the characters!" Kitty whined.

"That's cause I alvays get the remote," Kurt bragged, wagging the remote back and forth with his tail.

"Why don't you manually change the channel, Kitty?" Scott inquired.

"Oooh!" Kitty exclaimed with glee. "Good idea. I forgot about that!"

"Oh, Scott," Jean said as Kitty quickly dashed to change channels and Kurt frantically fiddled with the remote. "They don't need encouragement."

Jean then used her TK to lift the remote out of Kurt's hands and flip the TV off. "Besides, Scott and I have an announcement."

The oddity of Jean's statement coupled with her tone had both Kitty and Kurt staring at them with bewilderment. Scott and Jean smiled. Scott took Jean's hand as he said, "Jean and I are dating."

Kurt's jaw dropped, a look of bafflement never leaving his face.

Kitty squealed and jumped up and down. "Oh my God, like when did this happen?"

"Just now." Jean's smile grew into a grin at Kitty's delighted reaction. "Over coffee."

"Aww…how romantic," Kitty mused.

Kurt's only response was, "I have to tell Rogue and Evan." With that, they heard his characteristic BAMF and smelled the lingering odor of sulfur.

"And that's how rumors start flying," Jean said.

"Yeah, except for around here where they teleport," Scott said. "Plus, at least this time it's not a rumor," he added as he removed his hand from Jean's and instead placed it around her waist for more intimate contact.

"I still can't believe it. Scott and Jean are actually dating," Kitty said. "I didn't know you liked each other in that way. Like, who asked who? I want details –"

Kitty was interrupted by the sudden quick entrance of Logan, Ororo, and the Professor. Ororo was the first to speak. "We heard something and wanted to see if everything was alright."

Logan's claws had been out when he entered the room, not knowing what to expect after hearing, what sounded to Logan as, Kitty shrieking. After quickly surveying the room and seeing no sign of danger he withdrew his claws and turned towards the young X-Men.

"Jean, you sick?" Logan questioned upon seeing her apparently leaning into Scott who had positioned his arm around her waist.

With a quizzical look, she replied. "No. Why?"

"I assume you're too weak to stand on account of Boy Scout over here with his hands all over you."

Kitty piped up before Jean could respond. "No, Logan! They're, like, dating now!"

"Is this true?" the Professor asked of Scott and Jean.

Scott stepped up to defend their 'relationship' if need be. If he was being honest with himself he'd admitted he was apprehensive about the adults' reactions. "Yes. I just asked Jean out at the coffeehouse. She obviously agreed."

"I see," he responded.

Ororo stepped towards her two young wards and hugged them lightly. "You both are like the moon and the stars, a perfect compliment to each other."

"Thank you, Storm." Jean said softly.

"Just what we need around here," Logan mumbled. "Two walking hormones attached at the hip."

"As long as there's no interference with your X-Men responsibilities," Professor X looked directly at Scott, "especially for the team leader…" He left the sentence hanging, almost as if it were a question.

"No, sir." Scott replied on cue.

"Then I see no harmful consequence to your decision."

Scott replied. "Thank you, Professor." The Professor's comments came across to Scott as his blessing of their relationship. He only wished the blessing could've meant more because their relationship was real.

"Is it okay if I drag Scott and Jean away now?" Kitty asked. "The others are going to want to hear the details, and I can't wait any longer."

"Of course," the Professor said. "You're dismissed."

As the three young X-Men left the room, Scott and Jean hand in hand, Logan turned to Ororo and Charles. "I can't believe Cyke actually got the nerve."

"No longer are they the young children who once entered this Institute," Charles said with a reminiscing tone.

"I'm afraid you are right, Charles," Ororo said. "They are like my garden flowers. They started out as seedlings, and now they have grown into beautiful blossoms."

Logan grunted. "As long as there ain't no cross pollinatin', it's fine by me."

xxxxx

Duncan couldn't believe what he was hearing. Not two minutes ago he was in his basement lifting weights while Less Than Jake blared in the background, and now Chris and Dan were standing beside him with ridiculous news.

"You must have heard wrong," Duncan said, sitting on his weight bench. "There's no way Jean would date such a freak. I mean, come on! What's with those shades all the time?"

"Yo, Dunc," Dan regretted to say. "Hate to tell you, but we didn't hear wrong."

Duncan's face started to redden with anger and his grip on the dumbbell got tighter, so tight his knuckles began to turn white.

"Yeah, they even held hands and – ugh!" Dan punched Chris in the arm to shut him up. There was no need to give Duncan all the hurtful, irrelevant details.

With Chris' announcement Duncan's anger, which had been boiling from the start, now blew up. He took the 30 pound dumbbell he'd been lifting and threw it to the ground with a crash. Afterwards he resorted to pacing the room.

"I can't believe it. I suspected he liked her, but I never thought she'd go for him." Stopping mid-stride Duncan turned to look at his friends before continuing. "Did she say why?"

"Look, Duncan, it doesn't really matter –" Dan began.

Stepping into Dan's face, Duncan interjected. "What did she say?"

Not wanting to piss off Duncan more than he already was, Dan responded. "She wants a gentleman. Scott even mentioned something about romance and support." Dan began to feel really uncomfortable by Duncan's proximity to his face. "I don't know, man."

Duncan backed away, choosing to return to his pacing. After a few minutes of pacing in silence with his friends shifting awkwardly and not knowing what to say, Duncan spoke. "Well, if it's romance and support she wants, that's exactly what she'll get. Come here, guys. I have a plan."

xxxxx

A/N: Yay for reactions from the X-Men and Duncan. The drama never ends! Wait until you see Duncan's plan unfold! Stay tuned for the update!!! Oh, and please send some kind of review. One word is fine. Anonymous comments are accepted. Something, anything, please!!! Okay, done begging. Thanks!