Chapter 5: Here With Me
Thanks for all the feedback everyone. As this is my first fic, it has helped. Continuing the story: Jubes is found ((finally!!)).
The X-men, who rode to California on the Blackbird, arrived first. Jean, who had taken a plane to LAX, came later. She had finished informing Wolverine of their discovery. Jean then met up with Wolverine and joined the rest of the group. When Jean Grey looked over everyone who was standing there, she realized that one mind was not present: Gambit. Jean turned questionably to Rogue.
"He took a later flight. He should be arrivin' here in another hour or two."
Jean nodded, understanding Rogue's forlornness and excitement at the same time. Rogue had been upset when Remy left. Now she was excited to see him but couldn't hide that one something in her eyes that didn't want him to be disappointed. She desperately wanted to find Jubilee, as he did, but she couldn't think she could deal if it wasn't her. If she couldn't handle it, what would Gambit's reaction be? Rogue shook away her thought and forced herself to listen to Scott, who was now giving orders and demands as he always does.
"Okay, everyone, this is it. First we visit the shop lady to confirm her accusations." Scott continued, but when he took a glance at Wolverine to his left, he couldn't help wonder what was going through his mind. His daughter, partner, best friend could be here, after three years. Scott didn't know what was holding him back from lunging forward, wraking his claws through anyone who got in his way. Cyclops finished his speech, adding a little optimism to bring up their hopes, and they were on their way.
The shop was small. That was the only was Logan could describe it. It looked like a local food mart except the fact that it was run down and dirty looking. Wolverine growled deep in his throat. This was not a good place to live. Hell, this was not a good place to even be in for a few minutes. The air stunk of pollution and trash and graffiti was sprayed on various cement walls. Logan hoped to God this was not the place they were going to find Jubilee in.
Wolverine cautiously stepped into the store. Dust filled his nostrils and then there was a scent that lingered faintly of something else. It seemed familiar to him. He turned to a desk that held a register and behind it was a short Chinese lady who didn't smile. Scott was the first one to approach her.
"Hello. We are looking for…" He looked at a paper with a name on it. "Josephine Lee."
"Ah, yes. That is me. What can I help you with," She replied, with a hint of an accent backing up her already nasal voice.
"You have said to have had contact with one Jubilation Lee," He said pulling out a picture and showing it to the woman.
"Ah, yes," She said a second time, "She come into here. Many times. Beautiful girl. Ya know her blue eyes are very rare? Yes, very rare."
Scott seemed to have a difficult time understanding the woman but when he heard blue eyes, his hope went up. There aren't many Asians who have blue eyes. The woman was correct in saying so. His gaze seemed to falter in his thoughts, but he decided, with certainty, to ask this next question.
"Where can I find her?"
The woman, never smiling or showing any emotion, went to the back and retrieved a small parcel. "I was supposed to mail this, its from her. She gave it to me to send a month ago and I believe it has her address on it."
The cardboard clad box with tape wrapped around its edges and corners was givin to Scott. The small lady went back to her work.
"Who's it to? And what's in it?" Jean asked, standing next to Cyclops.
"Who cares? It has Jubilee's address on it. Let's find her, take her home, and get the hell out of here," Wolverine interrupted, gruffly taking the tiny package and scanning the top. There was an address but no name. He growled in frustration. "We go to 3117 Via de Anza. We find that house, we find Jubilee." He sniffed the package inhaling a familiar scent. "I'm sure of it."
The X-men more or less found the house. The digital map on the Blackbird led their way. Roque took a moment to call Gambit and tell him their location. Gambit was much relieved when he heard that he was not far.
The X-men were not sure who should approach the house first. Most held back, but Wolverine was determined and pushed everyone aside. He went up to the house and did something he had never done before; he knocked. Logan thought that he would scare poor Jubilee to death if he ripped down her door. He had to remind himself that she probably was not the same firecracker he saw before. After a second knock, he turned and saw a lady coming out of the house next door. The lady looked up, confused at the group of strangely dressed persons less than 25 feet from her.
The lady decided that they wanted to speak to her neighbor and said, "Are you looking for her? She was taken to the hospital two nights ago. Something about a fire she was caught in or something."
"Where is the hospital she was taken to?" Scott yelled back.
"Uh, I believe it was….the Memorial Hospital on 5th Street. Three blocks from here."
Scott and the others nodded their thanks. This was taking longer than they expected. But they were not going to give up, because X-men don't give up on one of their own. Especially one who was so loved as she was.
It took a few minutes to reach the hospital. Everyone was anxiously waiting. Jean, Scott, Wolverine, and Rogue were the only ones who came in. Hank and Angelo stayed outside, not wanting to scare anyone. Wolverine was just as, or more, scary-looking that those two but he was also determined to find his daughter and no one objected.
Jean asked the main information desk of Jubilee. She described Jubilee's appearance to the man behind the desk. The man looked at her behind the rims of his glasses and asked, "Are you family?"
"Yes," Jean replied firmly. The man looked at her, Scott, the silent woman, and the prowling man behind them doubtfully but gave her the information on a Jane Doe that fit that description. He informed them she was admitted two days ago and was currently in room 23 on the second floor.
Wolverine went first again. He silently pushed the door open and surveyed the room before him. It was clean and smelled of a hospital. There was a single bed with a small curled up creature in it. It's back was to him. He went in further, going to the other side of the bed. His emotions were running wild. He took a first glance at her face and knew. Oh, God he knew. It was her. She was asleep and her skin that was showing was covered in bruises and slight burns. Logan bent down on his knees so that he was level with her face. His hand, shaky from emotion, silently went up to her sleeping form and traced a finger down her cheek. After three years, he was finally seeing her again and felling her skin under his coarse one. He didn't know if he should wake her at this moment. She looked so peaceful yet he wondered what had happened to make her have bruises and burns. Logan glanced up and saw Scott, Jean, and Rogue silently creeping in also. Jean couldn't control her emotions at seeing Jubilee and brought her hands up to cover her tear-stricken face. Scott seemed at wonder, and Rogue simply said, "Oh mah God."
Wolverine looked back at Jubilee. "Why, darlin'? Why'd ya do it? I love you more than life itself. You're my daughter. I would have protected you from anything. You just had to tell me," he said out loud, surprising others in the room at his show of emotion. Logan then collected himself and stood. "I don't know what to do. Should we wake her and take her home? Or should we not burden her life anymore?"
Next story: What are they going to do? How'd Jubes get hurt? What's in the package? Those answers next time. The one after that is Jubes' complete story of her life while she was gone. The next two will be longer, don't worry.
Thanks for all the feedback everyone. As this is my first fic, it has helped. Continuing the story: Jubes is found ((finally!!)).
The X-men, who rode to California on the Blackbird, arrived first. Jean, who had taken a plane to LAX, came later. She had finished informing Wolverine of their discovery. Jean then met up with Wolverine and joined the rest of the group. When Jean Grey looked over everyone who was standing there, she realized that one mind was not present: Gambit. Jean turned questionably to Rogue.
"He took a later flight. He should be arrivin' here in another hour or two."
Jean nodded, understanding Rogue's forlornness and excitement at the same time. Rogue had been upset when Remy left. Now she was excited to see him but couldn't hide that one something in her eyes that didn't want him to be disappointed. She desperately wanted to find Jubilee, as he did, but she couldn't think she could deal if it wasn't her. If she couldn't handle it, what would Gambit's reaction be? Rogue shook away her thought and forced herself to listen to Scott, who was now giving orders and demands as he always does.
"Okay, everyone, this is it. First we visit the shop lady to confirm her accusations." Scott continued, but when he took a glance at Wolverine to his left, he couldn't help wonder what was going through his mind. His daughter, partner, best friend could be here, after three years. Scott didn't know what was holding him back from lunging forward, wraking his claws through anyone who got in his way. Cyclops finished his speech, adding a little optimism to bring up their hopes, and they were on their way.
The shop was small. That was the only was Logan could describe it. It looked like a local food mart except the fact that it was run down and dirty looking. Wolverine growled deep in his throat. This was not a good place to live. Hell, this was not a good place to even be in for a few minutes. The air stunk of pollution and trash and graffiti was sprayed on various cement walls. Logan hoped to God this was not the place they were going to find Jubilee in.
Wolverine cautiously stepped into the store. Dust filled his nostrils and then there was a scent that lingered faintly of something else. It seemed familiar to him. He turned to a desk that held a register and behind it was a short Chinese lady who didn't smile. Scott was the first one to approach her.
"Hello. We are looking for…" He looked at a paper with a name on it. "Josephine Lee."
"Ah, yes. That is me. What can I help you with," She replied, with a hint of an accent backing up her already nasal voice.
"You have said to have had contact with one Jubilation Lee," He said pulling out a picture and showing it to the woman.
"Ah, yes," She said a second time, "She come into here. Many times. Beautiful girl. Ya know her blue eyes are very rare? Yes, very rare."
Scott seemed to have a difficult time understanding the woman but when he heard blue eyes, his hope went up. There aren't many Asians who have blue eyes. The woman was correct in saying so. His gaze seemed to falter in his thoughts, but he decided, with certainty, to ask this next question.
"Where can I find her?"
The woman, never smiling or showing any emotion, went to the back and retrieved a small parcel. "I was supposed to mail this, its from her. She gave it to me to send a month ago and I believe it has her address on it."
The cardboard clad box with tape wrapped around its edges and corners was givin to Scott. The small lady went back to her work.
"Who's it to? And what's in it?" Jean asked, standing next to Cyclops.
"Who cares? It has Jubilee's address on it. Let's find her, take her home, and get the hell out of here," Wolverine interrupted, gruffly taking the tiny package and scanning the top. There was an address but no name. He growled in frustration. "We go to 3117 Via de Anza. We find that house, we find Jubilee." He sniffed the package inhaling a familiar scent. "I'm sure of it."
The X-men more or less found the house. The digital map on the Blackbird led their way. Roque took a moment to call Gambit and tell him their location. Gambit was much relieved when he heard that he was not far.
The X-men were not sure who should approach the house first. Most held back, but Wolverine was determined and pushed everyone aside. He went up to the house and did something he had never done before; he knocked. Logan thought that he would scare poor Jubilee to death if he ripped down her door. He had to remind himself that she probably was not the same firecracker he saw before. After a second knock, he turned and saw a lady coming out of the house next door. The lady looked up, confused at the group of strangely dressed persons less than 25 feet from her.
The lady decided that they wanted to speak to her neighbor and said, "Are you looking for her? She was taken to the hospital two nights ago. Something about a fire she was caught in or something."
"Where is the hospital she was taken to?" Scott yelled back.
"Uh, I believe it was….the Memorial Hospital on 5th Street. Three blocks from here."
Scott and the others nodded their thanks. This was taking longer than they expected. But they were not going to give up, because X-men don't give up on one of their own. Especially one who was so loved as she was.
It took a few minutes to reach the hospital. Everyone was anxiously waiting. Jean, Scott, Wolverine, and Rogue were the only ones who came in. Hank and Angelo stayed outside, not wanting to scare anyone. Wolverine was just as, or more, scary-looking that those two but he was also determined to find his daughter and no one objected.
Jean asked the main information desk of Jubilee. She described Jubilee's appearance to the man behind the desk. The man looked at her behind the rims of his glasses and asked, "Are you family?"
"Yes," Jean replied firmly. The man looked at her, Scott, the silent woman, and the prowling man behind them doubtfully but gave her the information on a Jane Doe that fit that description. He informed them she was admitted two days ago and was currently in room 23 on the second floor.
Wolverine went first again. He silently pushed the door open and surveyed the room before him. It was clean and smelled of a hospital. There was a single bed with a small curled up creature in it. It's back was to him. He went in further, going to the other side of the bed. His emotions were running wild. He took a first glance at her face and knew. Oh, God he knew. It was her. She was asleep and her skin that was showing was covered in bruises and slight burns. Logan bent down on his knees so that he was level with her face. His hand, shaky from emotion, silently went up to her sleeping form and traced a finger down her cheek. After three years, he was finally seeing her again and felling her skin under his coarse one. He didn't know if he should wake her at this moment. She looked so peaceful yet he wondered what had happened to make her have bruises and burns. Logan glanced up and saw Scott, Jean, and Rogue silently creeping in also. Jean couldn't control her emotions at seeing Jubilee and brought her hands up to cover her tear-stricken face. Scott seemed at wonder, and Rogue simply said, "Oh mah God."
Wolverine looked back at Jubilee. "Why, darlin'? Why'd ya do it? I love you more than life itself. You're my daughter. I would have protected you from anything. You just had to tell me," he said out loud, surprising others in the room at his show of emotion. Logan then collected himself and stood. "I don't know what to do. Should we wake her and take her home? Or should we not burden her life anymore?"
Next story: What are they going to do? How'd Jubes get hurt? What's in the package? Those answers next time. The one after that is Jubes' complete story of her life while she was gone. The next two will be longer, don't worry.