X-Men Evo Story Chapter Seven: The Date, the Dance and Total Disaster.

"Okay Jean, you can do this." Jean Grey slowly finished applying her makeup and sauntered out of the bathroom door. It was only seven and Jean knew only Storm, the professor and Blade would be up. He'll be in the Danger Room, she thought. And there he is. Jean walked over to the Observation Deck of the Danger Room and gaped in amazement as she watched Blade go through his morning exercises. The floor was full of scrapped metal and Jean recognized laser guns, stun guns, shrapnel guns, broken walls and the occasional spinning blade lying in twisted heaps along the floor. Blade was grappling with a huge spinning saw blade. He leapt into the air and slashed apart the metal arm of it. He slid his sword in the sheath and snagged a towel from the ground near the edge of the exit door. He gently massaged his face and wrapped the towel around his neck as he exited the room to the lockers. Jean waited outside as he showered and changed into his normal clothes and placed his sword inside his locker. He stepped out with his hair still wet. He locked eyes with Jean.

"I saw you watching me at the tail end of my runs." Jean blushed and looked at the ground.

"I wanted to see what you were.um.doing." Blade raised an eyebrow and signaled for her to walk with him. Jean fell into step next to him as he set a brisk pace toward the kitchen. "Look, about what you said before.I was thinking.if you're free this Friday, maybe we could." Blade stopped before the kitchen door.

"Sure. Be ready by seven." With that, he opened the kitchen door to grab breakfast.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

7:00pm:

"You are like the luckiest girl ever Jean! Getting a date with Blade!" Kitty squealed with barely contained excitement. Jean half smiled and went back to brushing her hair. Kitty continued to jump around Jean's room. "You're gonna tell me everything, ok? I want, like, every detail. Oh my god! It's 7:15! You're late!" Kitty grabbed Jean by the arm and raced her downstairs, utterly ignoring Jean's shrill protests. She quickly phased down to the staircase in front of the main lobby where Blade stood waiting. He was dressed simply in khaki pants and a black turtleneck. Even in the evening light, he still wore his sunglasses. He smirked at Jean as she tried to regally walk down the stairs after her harrowing ride. Scott, who was on his way out to the supermarket, stopped dead in his tracks to stare at her.

"Jean, you look..wow." Jean did indeed look very good in her tight blue jeans, tube top and denim jacket. Blade's only response was an enthusiastic whistle, to which Jean smiled. Blade extended his arm which Jean took.

"Ready?"

"You know it."

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Blade smiled as he watched Jean dig into her salad. It's not like she needs to be on a diet. He took a sip of his water. Jean looked up and wiped her mouth self-consciously. So far she had had a wonderful time with Blade. First they had driven around town. After, they had gone to see a movie that had both of them laughing all the way out. Then they had just gone window- shopping, enjoying the cool night air. Now he was treating her to dinner. Blade had been absolutely wonderful but Jean still felt a lingering sadness emanating from him. She strained her telepathic powers but could only pick up incoherent whispers. She probed harder but suddenly slammed into a mental wall. She grabbed her head with both hands as the pain overwhelmed her senses. Immediately Blade was at her side holding her against him.

"Relax. Breathe deeply. Let go of your emotions and empty yourselves." Jean clung on to the sound of his voice as he led her out of a world of pain. "It's alright folks, she just got a headache." He stroked Jean's arms and soothed Jean until her hands dropped back down and she sat back up. "My walls are there for a reason. Don't pry into them." He dropped some money onto the counter and guided her outside. Jean slowly shook her head.

"I'm alright." She gently clung to Blade, breathing his scent, feeling perfectly safe in his arms. She eased off his sunglasses only to get lost in his shadowy grey eyes as Blade lifted her chin up and gently pressed his lips to hers.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

At the Institute:

"Goodnight Blade." Jean yawned and headed down the corridor to her room. She opened the door and flicked lights on and promptly gave a surprised yelp as she came face to face with every teenage girl in the Institute. She shrank back against the wall as the pack slowly closed in on her. Kitty glowered at her.

"So, like, spill. How was it?"

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

"Class, I would like to make an announcement." Principal Kelly stood proudly at the podium in the gym, glaring haughtily at each student, daring them to interrupt him. "Next Friday is our annual Valentine's Day dance!" Cheers and claps immediately followed. Principal Kelly smiled. "As usual, I expect all of you on your best behavior. But don't forget to have fun!" His mouth opened into an exaggerated smile as the loud ovation echoed through the gym. "Thank you all. You may now return to classes." The students began to slowly file out of their classes, unenthusiastic to return to class. Conversations buzzed around like bees as each student began to make plans for who they would take. Duncan sidled up to Jean and roughly wrapped his arm around her.

"I'll pick you up at eight, sexy." He released her and swaggered away. Jean maintained an outward of calm but inwardly raged at Duncan for being so callous.

Blade also noticed Duncan's approach. His hands balled up into fists as he watched the coarse manner in which Duncan treated Jean.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

At the Dance:

"Kurt, I am not going to wait around all night for you to ask me to dance. We're dancing now!" Amanda grabbed Kurt's tie and dragged him onto the dance floor. He bumped into Scott dancing with a cheerleader.

"Vay to go, Scott. Didn't sink you had it in you." Scott scowled at Kurt, who took it as his cue to move to another part of the gym floor. He noticed Kitty dancing with Lance a few feet away. He pointedly turned his back on them and continued to dance with Amanda. Jean watched enviously as most of her friends found partners and began to dance to a slow song. She gazed back at Duncan, who was cackling at some joke one of his friends had made. He'll never ask me to dance, she thought. Fine. I can play this game too. She walked over to Blade, who was drinking some punch and talking to his friends. She snagged his arm and hauled him out onto the dance floor and wrapped his arms around her waist before placing her hands around his neck. Blade chuckled and pulled her tightly against him as he began to dance with her.

"Fight with Duncan?" Jean looked at him, amazed that he could figure it out so easily. He smiled gently at her. "Don't worry about it. I don't mind." Jean tightened her grip around his neck as they danced. Their bodies drew closer and closer until they seemed to meld into each other, becoming a single entity, flawlessly moving to the beat of the music. Blade leaned his head down and drew in Jean into a tender kiss. Jean hungrily opened her mouth to him and passionately deepened the kiss. This is what I want, she thought. Blade suddenly flew backwards and landed in a heap on the floor. Jean stared in shock as Duncan strode over to Blade's prone body. He viciously kicked Blade in the ribs. He kicked again but was suddenly stopped as Blade caught his foot and twisted, dropping him to the ground. Both recovered and stood back up. Duncan raised his arm for another punch but suddenly doubled over. His body lifted off the ground and sailed into the refreshment table, toppling it and spilling food while the crystalline punch bowl shattered on the floor.

Oh no..

Blade snapped his head around feverishly, looking left and right before dropping his shoulders and uttering a deep sigh. Surrounding him stood four teenagers, one behind, one on either side and one in front. The warrior behind him was small and skinny, a ball of energy and danced back and forth on his toes back and forth. To Blade's left stood a hulking warrior, muscles rippling on his bare arms. He slowly cracked his knuckles and chuckled grimly. To his right stood a young man would have past as Blade's twin, were it not for his hawklike nose and prominent Spanish cheekbones. Severe features graced the face of the last. His mouth curved upward in a forbidding smile.

"Blade."

"Sabre. Rapier. Dirk. Claymore." He glanced at each in turn, starting from the front and working his way counterclockwise.

"Last chance, Blade. Join us."

"You know I won't."

"You have a choice, Blade."

"Yeah, I do. And I've made it." Blade suddenly kicked right, sending Rapier sprawling back. He twirled around, blocking a high kick from Dirk with one hand and a heavy punch from Claymore. He was smashed in the stomach by Sabre and sent flying back. Blade dodged and struck for all he was worth, giving back as good as he got. But the skill of each of the four matched his own and he was slowly forced to give ground. Claymore suddenly bellowed.

"Enough! He's mine." He rushed at Blade, who easily avoided punches and kicks.

"You're as overconfident as ever. Good." Blade suddenly dropped to the ground and launched a high kick into Claymore's jaw, lifting him into the air.

"I'm not done yet!" Blade pushed off the ground with his hands and launched another kick into his stomach. Blade continued to use his momentum to launch kick after kick, raising them both higher and higher. He then doubled over and grabbed the front of Claymore's shirt. Blade did a full somersault in the air and smashed the heel of his right foot into the back of Claymore's head, smashing him into the gym floor. Claymore groaned and dropped to the floor. Sabre stared at Blade with a mixture of fear and respect.

"You haven't lost your touch. NightWalkers, it is time we left." He gave Blade a significant look before disappearing along with Dirk, Claymore and Rapier, leaving Blade in the ruined gym floor.