Day One
'He's on drugs,'
'He's not on drugs,'
'He so is…'
'He is not!'
'Sure is,'
'Scott, will you drop it?' Jean finally vocalized, as the two were done for the day with their classes and moved down the corridor and towards the dining room of the staff. 'Don't be an asshole,' Jean added mentally at her smirking husband. Logan had seemed off that morning, the look in his eyes had worried Jean as his mind projected confusion, relief and disbelief over her very sight but she had only hoped he was ok and Scott had assumed it was drug abuse. Jean had hoped with all her heart her friend was alright, the moment Logan had tried to touch her face, something he'd never do after so many years, resulting on Scott stopping him, Logan had looked at her husband with the same disbelief, the same awe. Logan acted as if he had seen ghosts and Jean wondered when both she and Scott last died and she couldn't remember the occurrence.
'Mommy! Daddy!' Hope's voice was heard from behind them as Ororo escorted their daughter to the dining room for the meal. Jean and Scott turned around and lowered their bodies as Hope rushed to their arms, her ginger hair contrasting with Jean's red hair and clothes. Scott picked up their daughter and blew at her neck, making her squeal as Ororo approached them and Jean smiled at her best friend. Scott had the team and the engineering classes and Jean had limited classes and her own duties as the mansion's physician but in the few times she and Scott had to teach at the same time, Ororo, Logan or Rogue with Bobby would take care of Hope.
'Thank you for bringing her, I thought Logan would be with you?' Jean wondered as Ororo shrugged.
'Logan had to do something with Charles, not sure what. They loaded me with Logan's history class. I had to take Hope with me and the poor thing got so bored.' Ororo explained as the three of the oldest teachers of the institute moved towards the large doors of the dining room. Hope still squealing and laughing in her father's arms. Jean's eyes lingered on Ororo for a moment, she could feel her friend's worry projected, mingling with her own.
'You should have told me, I'd have taken her in my class.' Jean offered but Ororo smiled dismissively as she patted Jean's back.
'The History classroom is much nicer than Biology's, overseeing the grounds…. She had more fun with Aunt 'Roro,' Storm winked at Jean who grinned and nodded as she opened telekinetically the doors to find most of the people already there.
Hank, Marie, Remy, Bobby, Kitty, Pietro, Kurt and Elisabeth were making the table and smiled at the newcomers. Hope always ate with her parents, aunts, uncles and grandfather in the rare occurrence everyone could make it around the dinner table like that Friday night. The only people missing was Hope's grandfather and favorite uncle as Charles and Logan hadn't yet met them.
Everyone sat around the large table, full of food on plates. It had been Marie's turn to cook and she always spoiled them all with southern flavors. Jean sat between Storm and Hope, Scott on his usual spot on the other side of his daughter who tried to sneak on a roasted potato. Jean shook her head disapprovingly at the lack of manners from her only child, they weren't supposed to start eating until Charles and Logan would be there. However, Jean brought the potato close to her lips with her powers, blew at it to make sure it wouldn't be too hot and levitated it to Hope who devoured it with a huge smile on her face. Hope was such an easy-going child, raised among older kids and an extended family, yet, she never complained or caused too much trouble.
There was laughter around the table, catching up with everyone's day and discussing matters of specific students that needed attention along the conversation of the upcoming fieldtrip to the Metropolitan Museum. Everyone was lost in conversation until the doors opened again, this time revealing Logan and Charles, the professor smiled at everyone but Jean was looking at Logan the moment he got inside the room, and again wore that face of astonishment on his face.
Jean was sure Charles sent something telepathically to Logan but she couldn't hear it as oddly, there was no projection and no leaking. Jean wouldn't pry into their thoughts without permission but she knew something was going on between the two men, she didn't have the time to stop Hope as she pushed away the chair and rushed towards Logan, wanting to hug her favorite uncle.
Logan was still looking around him, Hank was there, he had gotten a glimpse of his good friend in the morning, he was alive and well, nursing a glass of wine, laughing about something Elisabeth had said, that one Logan hadn't met yet but Charles had explained about her. Marie was there with Bobby, Charles had told him about people he wouldn't remember like the red eyed mutant who smirked at him, Remy or something was his name. Looking at Storm, alive and well, his current girlfriend as he had been informed. Scott and Jean however, were the biggest shock, realizing they were there. It was amazing to see them, together of course, but alive, happy, with a child between them that looked so much like Jean, yet had Scott's eye color. Charles had said she was named Hope and she was running towards him at that very moment.
Logan felt his body lowering to receive the little girl in his arms although it was mostly his body doing it on its own accord. Physical memory, of course, the girl was beaming at him as she fell in his arms and he could do nothing else but hug back the little one. His eyes falling on Jean across the table, she looked worried and scared, but despite her troubled expression, Logan could feel the realization drawing in, truth sunk in while he held the little girl in his arms. That child, even if not his, was the biggest proof Jean had made it.
'Definitely on drugs,' Scott sent through his bond with Jean in something between annoyance for Hope's liking another man but himself and dry amusement at Logan's evident confusion. Jean looked at Logan's eyes as he coldly hugged her child. Something was wrong for sure. Logan never had a problem with Hope, always protected her and considered her almost sacred exactly because she was half Jean's. He had come in terms with the fact that Jean chose Scott times and times again, she chose Scott over Logan, a cosmic force like the Phoenix Force, the whole world, pain and fire and Scott was her choice every time. Jean wasn't sure why suddenly Logan seemed unable to realize that. His mind was emitting confusion again, relief and happiness but a different kind of all these emotions, the flavors felt stronger, as if enjoying them for the first time. As he had woken up from a bad dream where everyone dies and now he makes sure everything is alright.
'Ok, lets eat, Marie did a fantastic job for all of us here.' Storm broke the silence that had spread as everyone watched at Logan's bewildered face and he watched back as Hope finally broke her hug, smiled at him with less confidence and returned to her seat between her parents. Logan moved around the table, sat on the other side of Ororo and smiled at everyone as Charles reached the head of the table with his wheelchair, filled a glass with red wine from the cellar and raised it.
'To the X family, to us,' he offered cheerfully and everyone joined, Hank was there for a seminar and to talk with Jean for something he wanted but they'd have time for it after dinner. For now, Jean could only help her daughter with her meal and block Ororo's projected worry as her best friend felt like a mess of nerves. She was Logan's partner for the past years, she knew him better than anyone and like Jean, she too, could feel that something was off. Hope also seemed worried, picking up the worry around the table as Jean cut the chicken into bites for her.
'Uncle Logan didn't ask for the drawing he asked me to make for him,' Hope complained quietly and Jean smiled sympathetically at her little girl. 'And he wasn't excited to see me,' she added more gravely, her cute face pouting at her chicken. Jean kissed Hope's head as the girl started eating her dinner, Scott filled her pink plastic glass with apple juice.
'Uncle Logan is tired and had a rough day, sweetie, I'm sure he'll be alright tomorrow,' Jean offered and Hope nodded as she glanced over her mother at him, Logan was silent as he was watching around the table, when his eyes met with Hope's, he finally smiled at the little girl and she returned the smile.
'You can always draw for me, I was really excited to see you,' Scott offered and Jean rolled her eyes good-naturally at her husband's competitiveness for his daughter's interest. Hope grinned at her dad a toothy smile and reached up, kissing him on the cheek before she could take another bite of chicken.
'I always have you, Daddy,' Hope said with her mouth full and Jean chuckled as Scott nodded his head and kissed his daughter's head.
'You sure do, baby girl,' Scott confirmed.
'No talking while eating, young lady,' Jean instructed and Hope took down the bite so she could smile at her dad. 'Same stands for you, honey,' Jean added at her husband and Scott winked at his girl as they fed each other the next bite. Jean found a moment of peace as to grab a bite herself.
She was worried about Logan and about Ororo, mixed feelings coming from her left and the couple of her closest friends but on her right, she had her closest family, her daughter and husband, as she withdrew herself in their projected love and happiness, she found the strength she needed.
No matter what was wrong, they'd fix it.
