Uncanny X-Men

Chapter 21: Intervention

By

The Uncanny R-Man

Disclaimer- All familiar characters belong to Marvel.

The woods somewhere near the Xavier Institute-

A nondescript black van made its way along a road cutting through some woodland near the Xavier Institute. The seemingly innocuous black van contained four of the mutant heroes known as the X-Men. Jubilee, Angelo, Jono, and Paige were off on a camping trip. Or so the firework-wielding mutant claimed.

Jubilee was sick of the way that Paige was moping around. It wasn't like the blonde young woman to act in such a way. Paige Guthrie was smarter than that. She had been like this ever she and the winged mutant known as Angel parted. Or as Paige claimed 'they went on a break'.

Sitting in the driver's seat, Angelo looked over at Jubilee, who was paying attention to the road ahead of them.

'Are you sure that this is gonna work, chica?' The grey-skinned mutant whispered. 'I mean, this isn't one of your smartest ideas, is it?'

'Ange, at least try to have a little faith in me.' Jubilee rolled her eyes. 'It's either this, or tying them up and locking them in the closet.'

'I still don't think it'll work.' Angelo shook his head. 'We shoulda talked to Emma or somebody. Or better yet, we should have stayed out of it altogether!'

'It's my job, as Paige's best friend, to stage an intervention.' Jubilee countered. 'Besides, her new cheerleader look is just freaking me out…'

Sitting at the back of the van were Jonathon Starsmore and Paige Guthrie. Paige was indeed dressed like a cheerleader. The Kentucky native was dressed in a yellow top with an Xavier Institute emblem with a short black skirt.

'Well Jono, do what do you think of my new look?' Paige asked the British mutant. 'Do you like it?'

'Uh… it's certainly different.' Jono replied, scratching the back of his head nervously. 'But what convinced you that you needed a change of image?'

'I was fed up of being little Paige Guthrie, the harmless girl next door.' Paige sighed heavily. 'She wouldn't say boo to a damn goose.'

'This don't have anything to do with the fact that you just broke up with Worthington, does it?' Jono guessed.

'We are on a break.' Paige answered sharply. 'And no, it has nothing to do with that.'

'Right.' Jono nodded. He didn't believe a word of it.

Angelo stopped the van in a clearing nearby several wooden benches that people used whenever they were having a picnic out in the woods.

'Well, here we are, guys.' Jubilee leaned over the back of her seat to talk to Jono and Paige. 'This is our stop. Everybody out, and don't forget your sleeping bag!'

Paige did as she was told and got out of the van and took her camping gear from the back. Jono did the same. Then the blonde noticed something. She and Jono were the only ones who had brought camping gear with them! Where was Jubilee and Angelo's sleeping bags?

'Uh, guys…? Where's all your stuff?' Paige blinked in confusion.

'I'm fed up of you moping over Jono, Hayseed.' Jubilee responded from the refuge of a safely locked door. 'So you're gonna stay out here in the woods until you talk it over!'

'Well, that was real nice of you, luv.' Jono sighed,. 'But didn't you think that it woulda been a good idea to let me in on your plan instead of dropping me in it?'

'I'm sure you guys'll work out whatever problems you have.' Jubilee smiled sweetly. 'See you in the morning, 'kay?'

'You can't do this to me, Lee!' Paige yelled as she bashed her hands on the van window. 'I'll get you for this, you hear me? I'll get your for…'

A cloud of dust kicked up by the rapidly receding van halted Paige's rant. The blonde's shoulders drooped as she watched the van disappear.

'Well, it looks like we're here for the duration.' Jono ran a hand through his hair. 'You wanna set up camp?'

'I suppose.' Paige grumbled. 'I can't believe that they just stranded us here.'

'Sit yerself down.' Jono advised her. 'You'll feel better once you get some food inside ya.'

Paige slumped down on one of the wooden benches and dumped her pack on the ground as Jono rustled about for something to eat.

'Yer choices fer dining tonight are a sour cream kettle chips or beans.' Jono said as he held out said food items.

'I'll have the beans, I guess.' Paige sighed.

Jono nodded in understanding and went about making dinner. The British mutant placed a gas fire on the ground and pulled out a pair of stainless steel bowls and spoons.

'Sorry we ain't got much choice.' Jono apologised. 'But Jubilee didn't really leave me much time to prepare. She just sprung this trip on me.'

'I can't believe I fell for it either.' Paige shook her head in disbelief. 'They conned me like a real amateur.'

'We all have bad days, luv.' Jono responded as he started to fry up the beans. 'Now, those beans'll take a few minutes. What do you say we get this intervention started?'

Later-

'Mmm, those beans weren't all that bad…' Paige smiled as she wiped her mouth on a paper napkin. 'It kind of reminds me of the cookouts that me and Sam used to have back home when we were kids.'

'We never really did much like that in England.' Jono sighed as he wiped some of the remaining bean juice up with a slice of bread. 'There isn't much call for camping in the middle of London. The unpredictable English weather don't help all that much, either.'

'...Do you miss London?' Paige enquired. 'It's quite a change moving from there all the way over here in Westchester.'

'It isn't like I'm stuck with the X-Men or anything, luv.' Jono shrugged. 'I can go home anytime I want.'

'If you do ever get sick of the X-Men, I guess you could join Excalibur, or something.' Paige suggested. 'You'd fit in really well there.'

'I dunno whether they'd even have me.' Jono responded. 'Plus, I don't even know anybody there. I'd be stuck on a team full of people I don't know.'

'Wasn't that what it was like when you first joined?' Paige pointed out. 'But you still ended up making friends.'

'I don't know why we're even talking about this.' Jono rolled his eyes. 'I don't see myself leaving the X-Men in the near future, alright?'

'Is there any particular reason why?' Paige asked. 'Or should I say anybody?'

'Heh. You got me there.' Jono smiled slightly. 'I was never much of a decent liar.'

Paige's face lit up with hope.

'So, who is this person you're staying for?' The Kentuckian mutant asked.

'That's kinda forward, isn't it?' Jono responded. 'What makes you think that I'm staying here for you?'

'I never even mentioned myself.' Paige told him, smiling slightly. Jono groaned into his hands.

'Bugger. I dropped myself in it again, didn't I?' The Brit grimaced.

'Oh, yeah.' Paige nodded. 'You kind of have a habit of doing that recently.'

Jono knew that there was no going back now. He had to tell Paige how he felt about her.

'Okay, truth is, I still have feelings for you.' Jono admitted. 'That's part of the reason why Dani left. She knew that I still had feelings for you, but I wouldn't admit it to myself.'

'I guess I never stopped feeling the same way about you, Jono.' Paige nodded in understanding. 'As much as I enjoyed my time with Warren, it just wasn't the same as when we were together.'

'I don't think I'm ready to commit to another relationship just yet, though.' Jono explained. 'I'm not going to start dating as soon as my previous relationship broke up. That just ain't right.'

'Yeah, I guess I have been kind of stupid about this.' Paige sighed. 'The cheerleader look jus isn't me, and the less said about my Goth phase, the better.'

'Hey, let's not knock the cheerleading outfit.' Jono told her with a snicker. 'There's promise with that one.'

TBC…

Next: Half a Dozen Mutants in a Tub

When news comes out of the Brotherhood of Mutants attacking a top-secret SHIELD vessel holding metahuman prisoners, it's up to Storm to lead a team consisting of Wolverine, Jubilee, Colossus, Shadowcat, and Iceman to fight them.