AN: firebird01: Well, needless to say, the issue between Marie and Jean has more or less been resolved!

All characters: YAY!

firebird01: But now there is a little problem between Cassie and Ororo.

All characters: Awww!

firebird01: Um, okay…let's get started on the next chapter!

All characters: YAY!

firebird01: …You guys are gonna have to stop doing that.

All characters: Awww!

firebird01: …

Chapter 9

"Cassie? Sweetie, time to wake up." Cassie yawned as she blinked rapidly against the bright lights of the infirmary. She sat up and shook the cobwebs out of her mind.

"Hey Jean, how long have I been out?" She muttered sleepily.

"About two hours. I would've woken you earlier, but I was…preoccupied." Jean said as she flashed Marie a sexy grin.

"Okay, I have a feeling that that statement can mean more than one thing." Cassie muttered as she rubbed the sleep from her eyes.

"Damn Cass, you look like shit!" Marie observed as she took a look at Cassie's bruised face. Cassie rolled her eyes good-naturedly.

"Thanks Marie, you really know how to make a girl feel good about herself." Cassie replied, sarcasm lacing her voice.

"Sorry, but you do look awful." Marie replied with a small smile.

"Well, you can get smashed in the face with a glass bottle and we'll see how you look." Cassie muttered.

"Actually, I'd look just like I do now! I can heal myself, remember?" Marie pointed out, making no attempt to hide how pleased she was with this fact.

"Of course, not like you're rubbing it in or anything." Cassie replied.

"Right!" Marie said, her trademark smirk gracing her features.

"So, I take it you two made up." Cassie remarked as she watched the interaction between the two women.

"Yep. Now it's time for you and Ororo to make up." Jean said, a look of determination on her face.

"Well Jean, I say that we just let her go back to Ro. With the way that her face looks, she'd win just through sympathy points." Marie advised with a laugh.

"Marie!" Jean scolded. "This isn't the time to be making these kind of jokes!"

"…You're right, I'm sorry Cassie." Marie apologized.

"It's okay, you were just trying to lighten the mood." Cassie said, showing that she understood. "So, how am I supposed to get Ororo to forgive me?"

"Well, it's very simple." Jean answered.

"It is?" Cassie asked.

"It is?" Marie asked.

"It is." Jean assured. "All we have to do is…um, well…that is…I mean…" Cassie and Marie smirked, waiting patiently for Jean's answer.

"Well, Jean? We're waiting." Marie drawled.

"Okay! I don't know what to do! Forgive me Marie, but sometimes you see solutions that I don't see!" Jean snapped.

"Whoa whoa!" Marie joked, holding her hands up defensively. "Calm your waters Jean! I'm not accusing you of not…seeing…" Marie trailed off, her visage a little spacey. "…through…my eyes! Holy shit on a stick!"

"Ewww." Cassie remarked.

"Not 'Eww' Cassie, 'Eureka'!" Marie shouted excitedly.

"Eureka?" Cassie asked, utterly confused.

"It means 'I've got it!', Cassie." Jean explained.

"I know that, what has she got?" Cassie asked exasperatedly.

"An idea!" Marie said, grinning like a maniac.

"Once again, I already know that!" Cassie growled, quickly running out of patience. "What is the idea?"

"People fight because they are different!" Marie stated with a grin as she began to pace. Jean walked over to the table Cassie was on and stood facing the pacing Marie, her arms now crossed over her chest.

"Yeah, that's what caused racism, the holocaust, the crusades, Rwanda, every single war in history…Marie, you're still just repeating things that we already know!" Jean said, wondering what her lover was thinking about.

"Just humor me for a sec, okay? When you and I fight, we both see the situation differently. That's because we are two different people. If we were the same person, we would never fight because we would always see eye to eye. But since we're not the same person, we have to make an effort to help each other see the situation through our eyes! If we didn't, then we would always be fighting and we'd eventually just break up! So this degree of understanding is vital to our relationship, meaning that-"

"Meaning that Cassie is extremely confused!!!!!" Cassie yelled, cutting Marie off.

"And so is Jean!" Jean added. Marie raised an eyebrow.

"Well, now so is Marie because she doesn't understand why everyone is referring to themselves in the third person." Marie said, a small smirk on her face.

"Marie, we're not getting anywhere this way, can you just give us the short version?" Jean asked. Marie sighed.

"Alright spoil-sport, here's the deal. Cassie, you have an advantage in this situation. You know how your words affected Ororo." Cassie immediately became depressed again.

"Yeah I do, I broke her heart with that sentence." She lamented. "I can't believe that I-"

"Okay Cassie, we get it." Marie interjected. "That's not the point, okay? The point is, you are seeing this fight from her perspective. Now, she needs to see this fight from your perspective. You need to let her know just how badly it hurts you to see her get hurt."

"Okayyyyy, how do I do that?" Cassie asked. Marie smirked her trademark "I know and you don't!" smirk.

"Jean, isn't the Valentine's Day dance tomorrow night?" Marie asked.

"Uh, yeah, actually, it is! Why do you want to know?" Jean queried, though she was beginning to get what Marie was planning.

"Because the best way to Ororo's heart is through Cassie's one true talent." Marie said enigmatically.

"Being an extremely irritating asshole?" Jean asked jokingly. Cassie lightly backhanded her on the shoulder.

"Thanks Jean, you're a doll at sympathy!" Cassie droned, rolling her eyes at Marie.

"I'm just kidding Cassie." Jean said, placing a gentle hand on Cassie's shoulder. "You're only moderately irritating!"

"For crying out loud Jean!" Cassie huffed. Marie then raised her hand.

"Uh, excuse me? Lady with a plan over here! Can we please refocus on tomorrow night?!" Marie said.

"Sorry baby, what's the plan?" Jean asked a smiling Marie.

"Okay!" Marie said, pulling Cassie and Jean into a huddle. "Here's the game plan…"

AN: firebird01: Sorry ya'll, but it looks like you'll have to wait until the next chap to find out what the plan is!

All characters: Awww!

firebird01: THAT'S IT!!!!! THE NEXT ONE TO SAY "YAY!" OR "Awww!" GETS KILLED!!!!!

Dead silence fills the room, then someone speaks up.

Cassie: You can't do that!

firebird01 turns to her computer, laughing manically.

firebird01: Oh my dear naïve Cassie, I am the AUTHOR!!!!! I CAN DO ANYTHING!!!!! IN THIS STORY, I AM GOD!!!!! Just watch!

firebird01 types the words "Cassie jumped." into the computer. Immediately, Cassie jumps into the air as if possessed by some unknown force.

Cassie: Holy demonic computers Batman!

Ororo grabs Cassie's collar and slaps her, hard.

Cassie: OW! WHAT THE HELL?!

Ororo: You are not Robin! STOP HUMILIATING YOURSELF!!!!!