Title: A Friend in Need 17/18
Author: Somogyi
Email: somogyi02@yahoo.com
Archive: Sure, just please ask first
Rating: PG-13 for language, violence, and disturbing imagery
Summary: Synch and Jubilee are captured by Tessa and Shaw. A thoughtful look at how
the resulting scars have lasting effects on the whole GenX team.
Disclaimer: The X-Men and Generation X are property of Marvel Entertainment.
Characters are used without permission, no profit is being made, and no infringement
on copyright is intended.
*****
A Friend In Need
by Somogyi
somogyi02@yahoo.com
Chapter 17
Everett tossed the Xavier's School sweatshirt onto the top of the piles of
clothes in the open suitcase. *Well, that takes care of the dresser,* he
thought, and began to close the drawer. He stopped in mid-motion when he caught
sight of something in the back corner. Reaching for it, he removed a strip of
four small photographs. Of him and Jubilee.
He gazed down at the smiling faces. They and the other students had gone to an
amusement park for a Saturday afternoon. On their way to the bumper cars, they
had passed one of those photo booths, and Jubilee had dragged him inside. The
first photo was of him pouting and Jubilee putting two fingers up behind his
head. The second was of him holding her in a headlock. The third showed them
both making faces at the camera. The fourth was of her resting her head on his
shoulder and both of them grinning merrily.
Laughing, they had no sooner emerged from the booth and retrieved their photos
when Jubilee spotted the section of the park with all of the game booths. She
immediately started gawking at all of the prizes, and asked him if he thought he
would be able to win her a stuffed animal. Of course, he saw this as a
challenge, and pompously promised to get her a great big white tiger. To win it,
he only had to knock down a pyramid of six bottles.
"You'll never be able to knock down more'n three, Ev. These things are rigged."
"Three?" He laughed. "I'm telling you, Lee, I can knock down all six."
"Yeah, like, maybe if you had about twenty million tries."
"I can do it within three tosses."
"Care to put your money where your mouth is, Mr. Hot Shot?"
"You bet."
"Okay. If you don't get more'n half of 'em, I get to pick the next three rides,
and you're payin' for 'em."
Everett swallowed. He knew she had been eying the coaster that had just opened a
few months earlier. The riders were suspended by shoulder harnesses, their feet
dangling free, and the tracks contained four three hundred-sixty degree turns.
He hated going upside down. But he could not back down from this challenge. It
was his pride at stake, after all.
"All right," he conceded. "But if I get more than half of the bottles, I get to
pick the next three rides. Plus, I get the photos we just took."
"Why should you get the photos, too?" she asked, crossing her arms across her
chest.
"'Cause no matter what, so long as I knock down some bottles--which, of course,
I will--you're gonna get the prize. So you, Lee, are in a no-lose situation."
"Well, when you put it that way. . . . Okay. It's a deal," she said, offering
her hand.
The shook, and Everett approached the booth. Needless to say, despite all of his
bravado, three balls later, he had only managed to topple five of the six
bottles. And so Jubilee received not a four-foot high white tiger, but a six-
inch small brown rabbit with floppy ears and a cotton tail. To his surprise, she
made no snide remarks as the man handed it to her. Instead, she nuzzled it
against her cheek, and smiled.
"He's so soft--like velvet," she told him.
"I can't believe that last bottle didn't fall. It was shaking, but--"
"Forget about it, Ev. Here, these are yours now," she said, handing him the
photos. "Besides, I like Mr. Bun here much better than that big ole tiger. He's
much cuter, and easier to carry around."
"Mr. Bun?" Everett asked with a smirk.
She chose to ignore his remark, and instead took his arm. "Now, c'mon, the
Twister and its four loop-de-loops awaits!"
Miraculously, he managed to not lose his lunch. Or the cotton candy, popcorn,
and ice cream he had consumed earlier that afternoon. Jubilee, proving to be a
good sport, was easy on him, and chose the Ferris wheel and the log flume for
the other two rides. So, despite getting a little wet, losing the bet was not so
bad. She still had Mr. Bun on her bed, and he still had the photos.
That was one of his fondest memories of the time spent with his friends at the
school. Not that he had seen much of the others, except around lunchtime. He and
Jubilee, on the other hand, had been inseparable the entire day, and had gone on
nearly all of the rides together.
He looked down at the bottom photo, gazed at the smile on Jubilee's face as she
lay her cheek on his shoulder. They had been so happy. That was the day he
realized that she was the best friend he had ever had. And now. . . . Now, she
did not even know who he was, might never remember him. And his parents were
taking him away from the school, from her. Didn't they understand that he
wanted--he needed--to be there for her, to lend his support, his love? He could
not just abandon her when she needed him most. She had been alone for so long.
What kind of friend would he be if he were not there to help her after such
serious injuries? Injuries that were his fault. Because he had not insisted on
avoiding the alley. Because he did not save her from Shaw and Tessa. Because he
was not strong enough to protect--
The sound of a knock at the door cut short his musings. "Hey, Ev, it's Paige.
Can I come in?"
With a sigh, Everett placed the photos into the pocket of the suitcase. "Sure,
Paige," he called, closing the lid and zipping it shut.
Opening the door, the young blonde walked into the room. She took a look around
at the bare walls and the half-filled suitcases and boxes that littered the
floor. "How's the packing going?" she asked, sitting down on his bed and tucking
her legs beneath her.
"Going," he replied wearily, walking over to his desk. He began to rifle through
some papers.
"So, when are your folks coming?"
"Tomorrow morning."
"Oh. Well, I guess you'll be glad to see them and your sister."
"Yeah, I guess."
"Do you need any help with the packing? With your shoulder and all, I figured an
extra pair of hands might be helpful."
"Thanks, Paige, but no," he said, turning to face her. "This is something I need
to do myself."
She nodded, looking up at him. His eye had healed a great deal, and was now
open, though still a little bruised. His backwards Cardinals cap covered up the
stitches on his forehead. He still wore the sling, which greatly hindered his
movement, but he was taking it easy because of his injured ribs. While these
physical injuries would heal in time, she knew that the pain and the guilt he
harbored over Jubilee being hurt and losing her memory would not be banished so
easily, if at all. And the fact that he was being taken away from the school,
from his friends and teammates, from Jubilee, would not help the emotional
healing to happen any sooner. Though his parents were doing what they thought
appropriate, she knew that the best place for him right now would be at the
school.
"Maybe they'll let you come back next semester, after you've rested up."
"Yeah, maybe," he said with a shrug, and turned back to face the desk.
"I'm sure they will. And maybe by then, Jubes'll be back, too. Mr. Cassidy said
she's been getting more and more feeling back in her legs every day, and that
she'll be walking again in no time."
She saw him stiffen at the sound of the name, and clench his fist. He bowed his
head, and was silent. Paige got up and walked over to him, placing a gentle hand
on his uninjured shoulder. "Ev, it's not your fault. You've got to stop beating
yourself up about this. You did everything you could."
Sadly, he shook his head. "No, I didn't. If I had, she wouldn't have been hurt."
"Ev, listen to me," Paige said, turning him around to face her. "That could have
been any of us. And the same thing would have happened. Even Monet would have
been caught in that ambush. Heck, Tessa could have just as easily stunned Mr.
Cassidy as she did you and Jubilee."
"But he would never have fallen into a trap like that in the first place."
"Maybe. Maybe not. I don't think he would have walked away, though, knowing that
someone was there, possibly hurt. Ev, you and Jubilee tried to help someone you
thought was in need. Shaw knew that you would not be able to ignore a cry for
help, and he exploited your compassion. That is nothing to be ashamed of."
"A lot of good my compassion did Jubilee."
"Ev, you got your share of licks. You were hurt, too."
"But she nearly died! As it is, she can't walk, and she lost her memory!"
"She's going to relearn how to walk, and it wasn't her entire memory. Just the
past couple of years."
"Yeah, nothing important. Just all her time with Gen X."
"Ev, I know it hurts that she doesn't remember us. She's my friend, too. My
roomie. You think my heart doesn't break at the thought that she can't remember
all the times we've shared--the laughter, the tears? That when she looks at my
face, all she sees is a stranger? Just because she was closest to you doesn't
mean you're the only one who's upset. You don't own the rights to caring about
Jubilee. You're not the only one who's feeling hurt and angry. Damn it, Ev,
she's my friend, too! And I'm just as scared to lose her."
She looked up at him, the anger in her eyes changing to grief. "I never allowed
myself to get that close to her. She was never that intimate a person, but even
when she tried to reach out to me, I always kept her at arm's distance, never
let her get to know me. And that night, the last time I saw her, before . . .
before she was hurt, we had a fight. I yelled at her, called her a pain in the
ass and a snot-nosed brat. And now, I'm afraid. . . ." Paige's voice broke as a
sob escaped her lips. She paused a moment, taking a quivering breath as the
tears welled in her eyes. "And now, Ah'm so afraid that she'll never know how
much she meant to me." The last words were little more than a whisper, and she
turned from him quickly, bringing a trembling hand to her mouth as the tears
streamed down her cheeks.
*Ah can't believe Ah just lost it like that,* she silently berated herself.
*Damn it, Guthrie, how can you expect to be a leader if you can't even keep your
own emotions under control? It's just--Ah still can't believe this is happening
to Jubilee. My Lord, it could just as easily have been me or Angelo or any one
of us. When Sam's powers manifested, an' he became an X-Man, Ah thought that was
what Ah wanted, more'n anything. Still do, Ah guess. Now, Ah just have to
realize the price Ah may haveta pay to try to reach that goal. An' poor Jubilee
might just be scarred--emotionally and physically--for the rest of her life. Is
it worth it?*
She stood there a few moments, quietly sobbing. Then she felt his hand on her
back. She turned to face him, and saw tears in his eyes. He opened his arm, and
she gladly accepted his embrace. And so they clung to one another, weeping for
the friend they feared they might lose.
*****
"Hey, Ev, you in there, amigo?" Angelo asked, rapping on the half-open door and
peering inside.
"Come on in, Ang," Everett called from across the room. He stood by his
bookcase, handing some textbooks to Paige, who was placing them into a carton.
"What's up?" Paige asked from her perch on the floor.
"Not much. We ordered some pizza--should be here any minute. You guys want in?"
"Sounds great," Paige said. "Pepperoni?"
"Si, and sausage, and peppers, and onions, and olives and--"
"Anchovies?" Everett asked warily.
Angelo made a face. "Not in this lifetime." He looked up at he bookcase. "You
missed one," he said, pointing toward the top shelf. "I'll get it," he offered.
He extended his arm several extra feet, retrieving a calculus book that had
fallen over onto its side. A piece of paper fell out as he stretched his arm a
couple more feet to hand it to Paige.
"Thanks," she said, putting it in the carton with the others before standing up.
"I'll go get some money from my room. You gonna come, Ev?"
"Yeah, I'll be down in a few minutes," he said, unfolding the sheet of loose
leaf.
"Okay." Paige paused a moment, cocking her head as she looked at him. "You
okay?"
He looked up at her, and nodded. "I'm fine. Thanks, Paige. For everything."
She smiled at him. "That's what friends are for, Ev. I'll see you soon." She
followed Angelo out of the room.
"You need some help findin' your cash?" Everett heard Angelo asking Paige as
they began to walk down the corridor.
"No, Angelo, you and your sticky fingers are not getting anywhere near my
underwear drawer. . . ." As their voices faded out of earshot, Everett found
himself chuckling. He was definitely going to miss these guys. He had never felt
a deeper sense of belonging before or since coming to Xavier's School for Gifted
Youngsters and joining Generation X. His parents were going to take a lot of
convincing, but he was going to make sure that they would let him return. This
really was the best place for him.
He turned his attention back to the piece of paper that had fallen out of the
book. It contained some of his old calculus notes. In the margins, however, were
little sketches--caricatures of the other students and their teachers. Not his
handiwork. Hers. She had borrowed the notes before their last exam, and had
returned them with the added illustrations. "Math's a bore, Ev. Gotta add
something to make it, like, at least a little interesting, so I don't snooze
when I look at all those integrals." Smiling, Everett put the paper in the
carton and headed downstairs to join his friends.
When he got to the first floor, he stopped abruptly and looked around. He had
been sure that they would have all been gathered in the living room, with the
television on or the stereo system blasting. Instead, it was dark as night and
perfectly quiet. Strange. Maybe they decided to eat in the kitchen. He was about
to cross the room when the lights suddenly came on and a group of shouting
voices reverberated through the air.
"Surprise!"
He looked around at the room, which was decorated with colorful streamers and
balloons and a "Bon Voyage!" sign. The other students emerged from behind the
couches and chairs and quickly walked over to him.
"What's all this?" Ev asked, still in shock.
"We couldn't very well let you leave without a proper good-bye party," Paige
said, hugging him.
"But I'm not going on a cruise," Ev said, pointing to the banner.
"Not my fault, Jono. That's all they had at the store. It was either that, or
'It's a boy!' I think I made the better choice."
"It's fine, Ang. Thank you, guys. But you didn't have to."
"Of course we did," Mondo said, pulling Everett into a great big bear hug.
"We're going to miss you, my friend."
"Me, too, Mondo," Ev said, trying to catch a breath. "Hey, easy on the shoulder,
okay?"
"Sorry," he said, releasing Everett. As he readjusted his sling, Everett felt a
tug on his shirt. He looked down to see two young boys staring up at him.
The first, a mute pink-skinned boy in a pair of overalls, projected an image of
himself hugging Everett.
The second, a green-skinned boy wearing a cap that matched Everett's,
translated: "Artie says he's gonna miss Ev. Leech miss Ev, too."
"I know, guys," Everett said, bending down to embrace them. "I'll miss you, too.
But I'll write, and call, and hopefully I'll be back soon."
The doorbell rang, and Angelo went to answer it.
"Hey, how about some music?" Paige asked, turning on the stereo.
"The food has arrived!" Angelo announced, returning with several pizza boxes.
"Let's chow down!"
*****
"Anybody for ice cream?" Monet asked, heading for the kitchen.
"Sounds good," Paige said, getting up to help her. "Who wants some?" She quickly
took a head count, but noticed that someone was missing. "Hey, where'd Ev go?"
Jono replied, looking around.
"I saw him go out onto the porch a few minutes ago," Mondo told them.
"Well, we can't have a party without the guest of honor," Angelo said, heading
for the front door. He stepped outside, and found Everett leaning against the
front banister, staring up at the stars.
"Hey, amigo, we missed you inside."
Everett shrugged, still looking up at the clear night sky. The full moon
illuminated his face, revealing the sorrow in his eyes.
"I know this is tough, Ev, but everything's gonna work out okay. You'll see."
"She should be here, Angelo. She loves a good party, more than any of us."
"Yeah, it has been awfully quiet without her." He walked over to Everett and
leaned his back against the railing beside him. "She's gonna get her memory
back, Ev. She's tough. A fighter. She's made it this far. It's just a matter of
time."
Closing his eyes, Everett nodded.
"The girls went to get some ice cream. You up for some?"
Everett sighed. "No, I think I'm gonna go finish my packing, then turn in
early." With another look up at the moon, Everett headed for the door.
"Wait," Angelo called, stretching his arm out to block his path. "I've got a
better idea--the perfect way to cheer you up. C'mon, let's go get the others."
*****
"Do I have any other kind, Jono?"
"The ice cream is melting!"
"I told you to put lots of ice in the cooler, but did you listen to me?"
"Shut up, M."
"I will not!"
"Shh!" Angelo snapped, stopping at the end of a corridor and extending his arm
to ensure that the group was flush against the wall. Well, as flush as you could
get with someone of Mondo's girth. "Everybody in position?" he asked in a hushed
tone. "Paige?"
"Here."
"Monet?"
"Present."
"Jono?"
"Mondo?"
"I am here, with Artie and Leech," he said, indicating the boys he held in his
arms.
"Penny?"
"She's with me," Paige said, looking back and smiling at the hooded figure that
stood behind her.
"Ev?"
"Right here, Angelo. But I still don't think we should be here. It's late, and--
"
"Hey, it's your last night with the team. We can't let you leave without one
last caper."
"I see you don't remember what happened the last time we got caught."
"Guthrie, you wanna lead the X-Men one day, you gotta learn to take risks. Now,
remember the plan, amigos. I'll go first, make sure the coast is clear. When you
see my signal, you follow in pairs. Just be sure to watch out for opposition.
Move fast, but quiet. Okay people, here I go."
Angelo peered around the corner. No one was in sight. He walked purposefully
across the clearing, to the other side, where he hid in the shadows. He looked
in both directions again to ensure it was still clear. Then he extended a hand
with a thumbs-up sign.
Jono said, placing a hand on
her back and ushering her across the hallway.
When they had joined Angelo, Mondo hustled across the floor, Artie and Leech in
tow.
"They're across," Paige whispered to Everett. She looked at him and smiled.
"Well, it's not the Sentinels, but it's still kind of fun doing all this cloak
and dagger stuff. C'mon," she said, taking his arm and hurrying across the
corridor.
"All right!" Angelo said in a loud whisper. "We all made it. Now, on to phase
B."
"Sheesh! Everybody's a critic." With a sigh, Angelo peered through the vertical
window on the wooden door. "The eagle is in the nest. And watching the tube,
from the looks of it. Paige, you're on!"
Paige moved over to the door, stepping in front of Angelo. She paused a moment,
taking a deep breath.
"Good luck, chica. May the force be with you."
With a curt nod, Paige entered the room. "Hi," she said with a sheepish smile.
"You probably don't remember me, but--"
"Paige, right? Of course I remember you. Jean introduced us the other day. You
were--are--my roommate, right?"
"Uh huh, that's right. How are you feeling?"
"Better, thanks," Jubilee replied, clicking off the television with the remote.
"Kind of bored, actually. Would you like to sit, to stay and talk for a while?
I've got tons of questions. . . ."
"Actually," Paige began, her grin broadening, "I've kind of brought some people
with me."
"Some people?" Jubilee repeated, her brow furrowing.
"Yeah, the other students. You see, we were having a good-bye party for Ev, and,
well, we got to missing you, and, well, we, uh, thought we'd bring the party to
you. That is, if you don't mind."
"Mind? Heck, I live for parties. Parties. Shopping. Blading. Those are the three
essentials, y'know. Sure, bring 'em on in."
"Great!" Smiling, Paige hurried back to the door and swung it open. "C'mon in,
guys!"
Jubilee watched in amazement as the group piled inside her room. Her eyes
widened at the sight of them all. They were definitely an eclectic group, to say
the least. But after all the time she had spent with the X-Men, not much
surprised her any more.
"Hi, guys!" she said, waving a friendly greeting.
"Well, since you don't remember us, I guess I should introduce everyone," Paige
said. "This is--"
"No," Jubilee said, cutting her off. "Jean and Wolvie and Mr. Cassidy told me
about all of you. I want to see if I can tell who everyone is." She took a good
look at them all, studying their features. "Well, Paige I've met. Lemme see. . .
. Big guy's gotta be Mondo. And the two handsome dudes with him must be Leech
and Artie," she said, pointing to each one in turn.
Smiling broadly, all three nodded at her, even as Artie projected an image of a
happy face.
"Okay, the guy in the leather jacket is probably Jono."
"And you must be Angelo," she said, smiling at Skin, who returned the gesture.
"Who's that?" she asked, pointing to the hooded figure.
She walked forward, and lowered the hood, revealing her razor-sharp red skin and
long, taloned fingers.
"P . . . Pen. . . ." Jubilee paused a moment, brow furrowed in concentration.
"Penance! Is that right?"
The girl nodded.
"Good to see you, Penny." She turned her attention to the well-poised brunette.
"That picture of cultivation has got to be Monet."
M smiled smugly, either ignoring or not noticing the tinge of sarcasm in
Jubilee's voice. The others, however, could not help but to smirk or chuckle.
"Now, wait a minute. I know I'm missing someone. . . ." Jubilee surveyed the
crowd. There was a tall, dark-skinned teen in a baseball cap standing behind all
the others. Their eyes met, and a huge smile lit Jubilee's face. "You must be
Everett."
The others stepped aside, allowing Everett a clear path to Jubilee's bedside. He
hesitated. Angelo reached an arm behind him, and gently nudged him forward. "Uh,
yeah, the one and only," Everett said, approaching her.
Jubilee reached her hand out to him. Slowly, Everett took it.
"I'm glad to finally put a face with the name," she said warmly, giving his hand
a squeeze.
Everett swallowed, trying to tamp down the aching feeling in his heart. Instead,
he forced himself to smile in return.
Jono asked.
Everett released her hand and took a step back.
"You got any mint chocolate chip?" Jubilee asked.
"Here, I'll get the spoons and bowls," Paige offered as the others began to pull
over some chairs.
"Artie, Leech, come sit on the bed with me," Jubilee offered, patting the covers
beside her.
"Here you go, chica, first bowl for you," Angelo said, handing Jubilee some ice
cream.
"Thanks, Ang," she said, taking it from him. "Sure beats the grub they try to
pass as food here." She took a spoonful into her mouth. "Mmm mmm. Scrumptious."
"So, how're you feeling?" Mondo asked.
"Better. My head doesn't hurt so much any more. This cast itches like all get
out, though."
"How are your legs?" Monet queried, perching on the arm of a chair with a bowl
of rocky road.
Everyone looked at her in surprise, a few with a look of distaste.
*I take it Monet's not one to beat around the bush,* Jubilee thought. "They're
much better, thanks. Getting stronger every day, in fact. The docs want me to
take it easy for a while because of my head an' all. But as soon as I go home,
I'm gonna start physical therapy."
"Home?" Angelo asked. "I thought you weren't returning to the school."
Jubilee blushed. "Oh. Sorry. I meant Westchester. I'm gonna stay with Jean an'
Scott for a while, at least till I'm back on my feet. They're gonna be my legal
guardians." She looked around at all of the downcast faces. "But everyone's
hopeful that I'll be back up to speed in no time," she added. "So, it shouldn't
be long 'till I'm back at school."
"Well, we all can't wait for that," Paige said, placing her hand on Jubilee's.
Jubilee looked at her thoughtfully for a minute. "So, you're Sam's little
sister?"
Paige nodded. "Uh huh."
"Then how come you don't sound anything like him? I'd've thought you'd have a
drawl, just like him'n Rogue."
This time it was Paige who flushed. "Well, that's . . . um . . . because I--"
Angelo smirked. "'Coz she don't wanna sound like an uneducated hillbilly."
"Hey, just 'cause Sammy's got an accent don't mean he's uneducated. An' just
'cause we're from Kentucky don't mean mah family or Ah am hillbillies! You don't
see me callin' you a hood, do ya, Angelo?"
"But I *am* a hood, chica," he retorted with a devilish grin. He cupped his hand
to Jubilee's ear. "All you gotta do is get her hackles up, an' she reverts to
her true self," he whispered, just loud enough so the others could hear. They
all laughed; even Paige could not help but smile.
"Hey, guys, a tiger is approaching the nest!" Mondo shouted.
"Tiger?" Jubilee asked quizzically. "Mondo, what the heck are you--?"
Jono explained.
Monet closed her eyes in concentration. The nurse walked into the room and
approached Jubilee's bedside. Seeing the girl sleeping, she gently touched her
wrist to check her pulse before silently taking her leave. As soon as the door
closed behind her, the group let out an audible sigh.
"What just happened?" Jubilee asked. "Why didn't she notice you guys?"
"Because of me," Monet stated plainly. "I psionically masked our presence. It
was not difficult. Quite simple, in fact. Now, if you will excuse me a moment, I
must use the ladies' room." She turned on her heel and strode out of the room.
As soon as Monet left, Jubilee rolled her eyes and smirked. "She's quite full of
herself, isn't she?"
The others began to chuckle.
"Well, Ms. Perfect, I bow in your all-powerful presence," Jubilee said mockingly
toward the doorway, making a flourishing gesture with her hand.
Angelo laughed so hard he fell off of the side of the bed.
"You okay, Ang?" Everett asked, looking down at him.
"I don't freakin' believe it!" he said in between guffaws. "They've been
reacquainted barely ten minutes, an' already Jubes has got M pegged!"
"Was it something I said?" Jubilee asked.
"You sure you don't remember M, Jubes?" Paige asked her. "You were the one to
nickname her 'Ms. Perfect'."
Jubilee shook her head. "Nope. Just . . . seemed to fit."
"How do you guys put up with her?"
Wiping his eyes, Angelo shrugged. "You usually keep us entertained with your
commentary."
"She's not so bad all the time," Mondo said in Monet's defense.
"Yeah, hard to look down your nose at people when you lapse into a catatonic
trance," Angelo said. "It's the only time anybody can get a word in edgewise."
Jono amended.
"Guess I didn't grow out of my motormouth stage," Jubilee said with a feeble
smile.
"That's okay, Jubes. It's one of your more endearing qualities," Paige said
somberly.
"You, Hayseed, are a horrible liar," Jubilee told her with a shake of the head.
Paige's mouth opened in shock.
"D-Did you guys c-catch that?" Paige stuttered.
"Catch what?" Everett asked.
"Jubes--sh-she called me 'Hayseed'. Jubilee, you called me 'Hayseed'!" Paige
said, grasping her arm excitedly.
Jubilee's eyes furrowed. "Yeah. So what?"
"You always used to call me Hayseed whenever you kidded around with me. Do you
remember?"
Jubilee closed her eyes a moment in concentration. Then, sadly, she shook her
head. "Nope. Sorry, Paige, it just kind of . . . popped into my head. I don't
even know why I said it."
"Maybe it means your memory's comin' back," Angelo suggested.
"What's going on?" Monet asked, returning to the room.
"Jubilee called you 'Ms. Perfect' and Paige 'Hayseed'," Mondo explained.
"Oh, geez, have a little tact, big guy!" Jubilee moaned, clasping her hand over
her eyes.
"Recalling those two nicknames is no indication that her memory is returning,"
Monet pointed out. "Our actions could have caused her to spontaneously generate
those names without any prior knowledge."
"Or she could have remembered them," Paige pointed out.
"I suppose," Monet conceded. "But that is still no indication that she is
recalling all of her memories. That process is likely to be a gradual one,
occurring over weeks or months, if not--"
"Who the hell asked you, Monet?" Everett snapped, getting to his feet.
Everyone fell silent.
Monet actually looked taken aback. "I was just pointing out--"
"Did you ever think that maybe nobody gives a damn about your opinion? You're
not her doctor, so just *shut up*!" Without looking back, he quickly bolted out
the door.
"Ev!" Paige shouted. She got to her feet and went over to M. "Great going,
Monet. Real sensitive. I'd better go after him."
"No, let met," Angelo said. "You stay here. I'll catch up with him." With a
scornful glance at Monet, he hurried out the door after his friend.
He found Everett standing down the hallway, forehead and fist leaning against
the wall. Angelo stood several feet away, looking at him. "You okay, Ev?" he
asked.
"I-I knew this was going to be a bad idea. I don't know why I bothered to come."
"It was my idea, Ev. I'm sorry. I didn't mean for you to get hurt. I just
thought you'd want Jubilee to be around on your last night here."
Everett turned to look at him, and Angelo saw the sadness written all over his
face. "I thought so, too. I hoped that somehow, it would feel like old times.
But, sitting in there, talking with her--it's like she's a different person. She
doesn't remember us, the times we've all shared. I kept looking at her face,
hoping for some sign that she would remember. But it was like looking into the
face of a stranger. I know she was trying to be friendly, but I could tell . . .
she was nervous, uncomfortable. Jubilee and I, we used to be able to talk about
anything. I could tell what she was thinking about by just looking in her eyes.
And now. . . . Now, just to be in the same room with her, knowing that she can't
remember our friendship, it . . . it just hurts too much."
"I'm sorry," Angelo said, clasping his shoulder. "But Monet's opinion aside, I'm
sure her memory will return. Soon. And she'll remember her best bud, and all the
times you've shared."
"No, it's probably better this way. I'm leaving the school anyway, so it's just
as well she forget me, and get on with her life."
"Now you're talking loco, Ev. How can you say that? You're an important part of
her life. Of course she should remember you. Geez, it's not like you're never
going to see her again."
"Angelo, my folks were adamant about my not returning to the school. As much as
we all are trying to think otherwise, it's just not going to happen. I'm leaving
for good."
"Ev, I know they're your folks and all, but that doesn't mean they own you. You
get to a certain age, you can make your own decisions, with or without their
approval."
"But by then, it'll be too late. Even if her memory comes back, she'll get on
with her life, and not give me a second thought."
"Hey, it's not like she doesn't have room in her heart for more than one friend,
right? If so, next to you, me and the others'd be gettin' the cold shoulder,
even worse'n Monet is now."
Everett opened his mouth to speak, but changed his mind, quickly turning away
and walking down the corridor.
Watching Everett walk to a small lounge and sit down in a chair, Angelo regarded
his friend, trying to surmise what was bothering him. Something was making
Everett hurt badly, deep down, in his heart and soul. His heart. . . . Angelo's
eyes widened as realization dawned on him. *Dios mio! Espinosa, you are a
complete idiot! * He slapped himself on the forehead. *How did you not see it
sooner? Oh, geez, no wonder he's been so down in the dumps!*
Angelo walked over to where Everett sat with his face resting in his hand. He
quietly sat down across from him. "Ev, you care about her, don't you? I mean,
really care about her. More'n as a friend."
Everett looked up at him in astonishment. Then, as the shock faded, he slowly
nodded. "When we were being held captive, and tortured by Shaw and Tessa, I was
afraid that they were going to kill us. We both were. At one point, after Tessa
attacked Jubilee's mind, and Shaw's goons beat on me, they left the two of us
alone. Jubilee hung across from me, unconscious, barely breathing. I could tell
from how quickly Jubilee fainted that she wasn't going to last much longer from
Tessa's treatments. And I was feeling pretty bad myself--everything ached, there
was a sharp pain in my chest every time I tried to draw a breath. I-I thought
that it might be our last time alone together before . . . before they finished
us off. I don't even know if she heard me. Probably not, she was so out of it.
But I couldn't go to my grave without telling her how I felt.
"I told her how she was the closest friend I'd ever had. How nobody ever knew me
as well as she did. How there was nobody I had ever felt I could confide in like
her. And how, lately, these past few months, I realized what I had been feeling
was more than friendship. Much more. I told her . . . I told her that I loved
her."
Slowly, Angelo nodded. It was one thing to feel concern for an injured friend.
Yet the way Everett blamed himself seemed well beyond reason for one friend's
feelings for another--even if they were best friends. But knowing that he was
secretly in love with that best friend, the anger, the guilt, the pain--it all
made sense now. Thinking it was their last moments on earth, Everett had taken a
chance, he had bared his soul. And now Jubilee did not remember him--as a
friend, let alone as someone more. While the former had to be painful enough--
Angelo knew about that, for that was what they all were feeling--he could not
even begin to imagine the latter. To tell a girl that you loved her, to almost
lose her, and then to learn you were now a stranger to her. Every time Everett
looked at her and saw the friend he once knew, he was faced with the might-have-
beens. . . .
"You gotta tell her, man. Tell her how you feel about her."
"I can't!" Everett looked into his face. "Can't you see, Angelo? It's difficult
for her to try to remember us as teammates and friends. If I were to tell her
that I thought about her as more than a friend. . . . Think about it from
Jubilee's standpoint. It's hard enough for her to cope right now. I don't need
to give her that added pressure. Besides, it would be so . . . awkward. Right
now, in her eyes, I'm little more than an acquaintance. If I were to tell her, I
might push her away, lose her friendship entirely. And I'm not prepared to do
that."
Slowly, Angelo nodded his head. "I guess you're right. But why are you giving up
on her friendship already? You're cutting yourself off from her, even before she
gets the chance to know you again."
Everett searched for the words to try to explain what he was feeling--all of the
conflicted emotions roiling around inside of him. "I-I look into her eyes, and I
. . . I just don't know her anymore. She's as much a stranger to me as I am to
her. I just can't face her, Angelo. I can't."
Angelo did not know what to say. He wanted to reach out to his friend, to tell
him he understood his pain, that it would be all right, that everything would
work out eventually. But the truth was, he was not so sure himself.
"Right now, it's just too painful--the wound is still too raw. I'm not gonna be
here anyway. If I've gotta go back home with my parents, I-I might as well make
a clean break of it. Try to move on. Maybe, if I'm lucky, I'll get over her."
With a sigh, Everett got slowly to his feet. "I-I've got to get out of here. I
need to be alone right now."
Angelo nodded. "Ev, I want you to know, I'm here for you, man. I'll always be
here for you. Just a phone call away, comprendes?"
Everett managed a small smile. "Thanks," he whispered, holding out his hand.
Getting up, Angelo clasped his hand.
"Listen, can you do me a favor, Angelo?"
"Sure, amigo. Anything."
Everett reached up and took off his cap. "Can you give this to her for me?"
Angelo looked at him quizzically, but accepted the hat. "Okay."
"Thanks. I'll see you later."
Angelo watched until Everett got on the elevator, and the doors closed behind
him. Then he stared down at the red cap in his hand, and the 'St. L' stitched on
the front. With a sigh, he headed back to Jubilee's room.
"What happened?" asked Paige. "Where's Ev?"
"He was really tired, and decided to go back to the school to finish packing,"
Angelo explained.
"Is he leaving tomorrow?" Jubilee asked.
"Yeah, his folks are coming in the morning." Angelo walked over to the bed.
"Jubilee, he asked me to give this to you," he said, handing her the hat.
Her brow furrowed. "His Cardinals cap? Why would he want me to have it?"
"No se."
"Well, be sure to thank him for me."
"No problem."
"Angelo, I've got something to return to you."
"To me?"
"Yeah." Jubilee pulled the gold chain and cross from her neck gently placed it
in Angelo's hand, closing his fingers around it. She looked into his eyes.
"Thank you for your faith."
With a smile, Angelo nodded. "De nada."
"You know, we probably should get going," Paige suggested. "Jubilee needs her
rest."
Jono suggested.
With a nod, Monet said good night to Jubilee and hurried out the door. Jono,
wishing Jubilee well, exited right behind her.
"When are you heading back to New York?" Paige asked as she and they others
began to gather up the dirty dishes to throw away.
"The doctors want to make sure I'm okay before they release me, so I don't get
sprung for another couple of days."
"Well, at least that'll give us some more time to visit with you. That is, if
you want us to."
Jubilee looked at Paige and smiled. "Of course I do. I know my amnesia is tough
on you all, just like it is for me. We've been teammates and friends for a while
now, I guess. And it must hurt that I can't remember it. I know I'd feel bad if
one of the X-Men didn't remember me. Anyways, I just want to say I'm sorry."
"Sorry? You don't have anything to be sorry for," Paige told her.
"Yeah," Angelo agreed. "This wasn't your fault, Jubes. Don't go blaming
yourself." *There's already enough guilt floating around to last a lifetime,* he
thought bitterly.
Jubilee nodded. "Anyways, I want to thank you guys for stopping by. I really
enjoyed spending time with all of you, getting to know you all over again."
"You just rest up, and concentrate on getting well, you hear?" Paige said with
mock sternness, bending to hug Jubilee.
"I will. Hey, Angelo?"
"Si?"
"Will you say good-bye to Ev for me?"
"Sure. No problem."
Jubilee said good night to the others, and sighed as she was left once again
alone in the room. She looked down at the cap that sat in her lap, and gently
turned it over in her hands. With a sigh, she placed it on her bedside table,
and shut the light. Closing her eyes, she let her mind wander. Soon, a
particular image flitted into her mind as sleep began to overcome her. She was
in a classroom, sitting at a desk. Paige was on her left, Monet on the right.
Angelo was saying something behind her. Sitting in front of her was Everett. His
back was to her, but she could see the logo on his backwards-turned Cardinals
cap. He turned around, flashed her a grin, and wished her good luck. She
remembered the butterflies in her stomach as Mr. Cassidy placed the calculus
midterm on her desk. As he continued to distribute the exams, he stopped in
front of Everett's desk and asked him to remove his cap. Everett politely
declined. When Mr. Cassidy asked why, he explained his reasoning. With a smile
and a pat on the back, Sean had conceded, and let him continue to wear the hat.
Her eyes suddenly snapped open and she sat up as realization dawned on her. "Oh,
my God, I remember!" she exclaimed aloud. It was not much, just a brief moment
from her past--she did not even know how long ago. But the fact remained that
she could recall a small scene from her time at the school.
She quickly reached toward the nightstand, groping for the familiar object. She
brought the hat to her chest and hugged it close, even as the tears pooled in
her eyes and slowly streamed down her cheeks.
It was his lucky hat.
End Chapter 17
*****
Author: Somogyi
Email: somogyi02@yahoo.com
Archive: Sure, just please ask first
Rating: PG-13 for language, violence, and disturbing imagery
Summary: Synch and Jubilee are captured by Tessa and Shaw. A thoughtful look at how
the resulting scars have lasting effects on the whole GenX team.
Disclaimer: The X-Men and Generation X are property of Marvel Entertainment.
Characters are used without permission, no profit is being made, and no infringement
on copyright is intended.
*****
A Friend In Need
by Somogyi
somogyi02@yahoo.com
Chapter 17
Everett tossed the Xavier's School sweatshirt onto the top of the piles of
clothes in the open suitcase. *Well, that takes care of the dresser,* he
thought, and began to close the drawer. He stopped in mid-motion when he caught
sight of something in the back corner. Reaching for it, he removed a strip of
four small photographs. Of him and Jubilee.
He gazed down at the smiling faces. They and the other students had gone to an
amusement park for a Saturday afternoon. On their way to the bumper cars, they
had passed one of those photo booths, and Jubilee had dragged him inside. The
first photo was of him pouting and Jubilee putting two fingers up behind his
head. The second was of him holding her in a headlock. The third showed them
both making faces at the camera. The fourth was of her resting her head on his
shoulder and both of them grinning merrily.
Laughing, they had no sooner emerged from the booth and retrieved their photos
when Jubilee spotted the section of the park with all of the game booths. She
immediately started gawking at all of the prizes, and asked him if he thought he
would be able to win her a stuffed animal. Of course, he saw this as a
challenge, and pompously promised to get her a great big white tiger. To win it,
he only had to knock down a pyramid of six bottles.
"You'll never be able to knock down more'n three, Ev. These things are rigged."
"Three?" He laughed. "I'm telling you, Lee, I can knock down all six."
"Yeah, like, maybe if you had about twenty million tries."
"I can do it within three tosses."
"Care to put your money where your mouth is, Mr. Hot Shot?"
"You bet."
"Okay. If you don't get more'n half of 'em, I get to pick the next three rides,
and you're payin' for 'em."
Everett swallowed. He knew she had been eying the coaster that had just opened a
few months earlier. The riders were suspended by shoulder harnesses, their feet
dangling free, and the tracks contained four three hundred-sixty degree turns.
He hated going upside down. But he could not back down from this challenge. It
was his pride at stake, after all.
"All right," he conceded. "But if I get more than half of the bottles, I get to
pick the next three rides. Plus, I get the photos we just took."
"Why should you get the photos, too?" she asked, crossing her arms across her
chest.
"'Cause no matter what, so long as I knock down some bottles--which, of course,
I will--you're gonna get the prize. So you, Lee, are in a no-lose situation."
"Well, when you put it that way. . . . Okay. It's a deal," she said, offering
her hand.
The shook, and Everett approached the booth. Needless to say, despite all of his
bravado, three balls later, he had only managed to topple five of the six
bottles. And so Jubilee received not a four-foot high white tiger, but a six-
inch small brown rabbit with floppy ears and a cotton tail. To his surprise, she
made no snide remarks as the man handed it to her. Instead, she nuzzled it
against her cheek, and smiled.
"He's so soft--like velvet," she told him.
"I can't believe that last bottle didn't fall. It was shaking, but--"
"Forget about it, Ev. Here, these are yours now," she said, handing him the
photos. "Besides, I like Mr. Bun here much better than that big ole tiger. He's
much cuter, and easier to carry around."
"Mr. Bun?" Everett asked with a smirk.
She chose to ignore his remark, and instead took his arm. "Now, c'mon, the
Twister and its four loop-de-loops awaits!"
Miraculously, he managed to not lose his lunch. Or the cotton candy, popcorn,
and ice cream he had consumed earlier that afternoon. Jubilee, proving to be a
good sport, was easy on him, and chose the Ferris wheel and the log flume for
the other two rides. So, despite getting a little wet, losing the bet was not so
bad. She still had Mr. Bun on her bed, and he still had the photos.
That was one of his fondest memories of the time spent with his friends at the
school. Not that he had seen much of the others, except around lunchtime. He and
Jubilee, on the other hand, had been inseparable the entire day, and had gone on
nearly all of the rides together.
He looked down at the bottom photo, gazed at the smile on Jubilee's face as she
lay her cheek on his shoulder. They had been so happy. That was the day he
realized that she was the best friend he had ever had. And now. . . . Now, she
did not even know who he was, might never remember him. And his parents were
taking him away from the school, from her. Didn't they understand that he
wanted--he needed--to be there for her, to lend his support, his love? He could
not just abandon her when she needed him most. She had been alone for so long.
What kind of friend would he be if he were not there to help her after such
serious injuries? Injuries that were his fault. Because he had not insisted on
avoiding the alley. Because he did not save her from Shaw and Tessa. Because he
was not strong enough to protect--
The sound of a knock at the door cut short his musings. "Hey, Ev, it's Paige.
Can I come in?"
With a sigh, Everett placed the photos into the pocket of the suitcase. "Sure,
Paige," he called, closing the lid and zipping it shut.
Opening the door, the young blonde walked into the room. She took a look around
at the bare walls and the half-filled suitcases and boxes that littered the
floor. "How's the packing going?" she asked, sitting down on his bed and tucking
her legs beneath her.
"Going," he replied wearily, walking over to his desk. He began to rifle through
some papers.
"So, when are your folks coming?"
"Tomorrow morning."
"Oh. Well, I guess you'll be glad to see them and your sister."
"Yeah, I guess."
"Do you need any help with the packing? With your shoulder and all, I figured an
extra pair of hands might be helpful."
"Thanks, Paige, but no," he said, turning to face her. "This is something I need
to do myself."
She nodded, looking up at him. His eye had healed a great deal, and was now
open, though still a little bruised. His backwards Cardinals cap covered up the
stitches on his forehead. He still wore the sling, which greatly hindered his
movement, but he was taking it easy because of his injured ribs. While these
physical injuries would heal in time, she knew that the pain and the guilt he
harbored over Jubilee being hurt and losing her memory would not be banished so
easily, if at all. And the fact that he was being taken away from the school,
from his friends and teammates, from Jubilee, would not help the emotional
healing to happen any sooner. Though his parents were doing what they thought
appropriate, she knew that the best place for him right now would be at the
school.
"Maybe they'll let you come back next semester, after you've rested up."
"Yeah, maybe," he said with a shrug, and turned back to face the desk.
"I'm sure they will. And maybe by then, Jubes'll be back, too. Mr. Cassidy said
she's been getting more and more feeling back in her legs every day, and that
she'll be walking again in no time."
She saw him stiffen at the sound of the name, and clench his fist. He bowed his
head, and was silent. Paige got up and walked over to him, placing a gentle hand
on his uninjured shoulder. "Ev, it's not your fault. You've got to stop beating
yourself up about this. You did everything you could."
Sadly, he shook his head. "No, I didn't. If I had, she wouldn't have been hurt."
"Ev, listen to me," Paige said, turning him around to face her. "That could have
been any of us. And the same thing would have happened. Even Monet would have
been caught in that ambush. Heck, Tessa could have just as easily stunned Mr.
Cassidy as she did you and Jubilee."
"But he would never have fallen into a trap like that in the first place."
"Maybe. Maybe not. I don't think he would have walked away, though, knowing that
someone was there, possibly hurt. Ev, you and Jubilee tried to help someone you
thought was in need. Shaw knew that you would not be able to ignore a cry for
help, and he exploited your compassion. That is nothing to be ashamed of."
"A lot of good my compassion did Jubilee."
"Ev, you got your share of licks. You were hurt, too."
"But she nearly died! As it is, she can't walk, and she lost her memory!"
"She's going to relearn how to walk, and it wasn't her entire memory. Just the
past couple of years."
"Yeah, nothing important. Just all her time with Gen X."
"Ev, I know it hurts that she doesn't remember us. She's my friend, too. My
roomie. You think my heart doesn't break at the thought that she can't remember
all the times we've shared--the laughter, the tears? That when she looks at my
face, all she sees is a stranger? Just because she was closest to you doesn't
mean you're the only one who's upset. You don't own the rights to caring about
Jubilee. You're not the only one who's feeling hurt and angry. Damn it, Ev,
she's my friend, too! And I'm just as scared to lose her."
She looked up at him, the anger in her eyes changing to grief. "I never allowed
myself to get that close to her. She was never that intimate a person, but even
when she tried to reach out to me, I always kept her at arm's distance, never
let her get to know me. And that night, the last time I saw her, before . . .
before she was hurt, we had a fight. I yelled at her, called her a pain in the
ass and a snot-nosed brat. And now, I'm afraid. . . ." Paige's voice broke as a
sob escaped her lips. She paused a moment, taking a quivering breath as the
tears welled in her eyes. "And now, Ah'm so afraid that she'll never know how
much she meant to me." The last words were little more than a whisper, and she
turned from him quickly, bringing a trembling hand to her mouth as the tears
streamed down her cheeks.
*Ah can't believe Ah just lost it like that,* she silently berated herself.
*Damn it, Guthrie, how can you expect to be a leader if you can't even keep your
own emotions under control? It's just--Ah still can't believe this is happening
to Jubilee. My Lord, it could just as easily have been me or Angelo or any one
of us. When Sam's powers manifested, an' he became an X-Man, Ah thought that was
what Ah wanted, more'n anything. Still do, Ah guess. Now, Ah just have to
realize the price Ah may haveta pay to try to reach that goal. An' poor Jubilee
might just be scarred--emotionally and physically--for the rest of her life. Is
it worth it?*
She stood there a few moments, quietly sobbing. Then she felt his hand on her
back. She turned to face him, and saw tears in his eyes. He opened his arm, and
she gladly accepted his embrace. And so they clung to one another, weeping for
the friend they feared they might lose.
*****
"Hey, Ev, you in there, amigo?" Angelo asked, rapping on the half-open door and
peering inside.
"Come on in, Ang," Everett called from across the room. He stood by his
bookcase, handing some textbooks to Paige, who was placing them into a carton.
"What's up?" Paige asked from her perch on the floor.
"Not much. We ordered some pizza--should be here any minute. You guys want in?"
"Sounds great," Paige said. "Pepperoni?"
"Si, and sausage, and peppers, and onions, and olives and--"
"Anchovies?" Everett asked warily.
Angelo made a face. "Not in this lifetime." He looked up at he bookcase. "You
missed one," he said, pointing toward the top shelf. "I'll get it," he offered.
He extended his arm several extra feet, retrieving a calculus book that had
fallen over onto its side. A piece of paper fell out as he stretched his arm a
couple more feet to hand it to Paige.
"Thanks," she said, putting it in the carton with the others before standing up.
"I'll go get some money from my room. You gonna come, Ev?"
"Yeah, I'll be down in a few minutes," he said, unfolding the sheet of loose
leaf.
"Okay." Paige paused a moment, cocking her head as she looked at him. "You
okay?"
He looked up at her, and nodded. "I'm fine. Thanks, Paige. For everything."
She smiled at him. "That's what friends are for, Ev. I'll see you soon." She
followed Angelo out of the room.
"You need some help findin' your cash?" Everett heard Angelo asking Paige as
they began to walk down the corridor.
"No, Angelo, you and your sticky fingers are not getting anywhere near my
underwear drawer. . . ." As their voices faded out of earshot, Everett found
himself chuckling. He was definitely going to miss these guys. He had never felt
a deeper sense of belonging before or since coming to Xavier's School for Gifted
Youngsters and joining Generation X. His parents were going to take a lot of
convincing, but he was going to make sure that they would let him return. This
really was the best place for him.
He turned his attention back to the piece of paper that had fallen out of the
book. It contained some of his old calculus notes. In the margins, however, were
little sketches--caricatures of the other students and their teachers. Not his
handiwork. Hers. She had borrowed the notes before their last exam, and had
returned them with the added illustrations. "Math's a bore, Ev. Gotta add
something to make it, like, at least a little interesting, so I don't snooze
when I look at all those integrals." Smiling, Everett put the paper in the
carton and headed downstairs to join his friends.
When he got to the first floor, he stopped abruptly and looked around. He had
been sure that they would have all been gathered in the living room, with the
television on or the stereo system blasting. Instead, it was dark as night and
perfectly quiet. Strange. Maybe they decided to eat in the kitchen. He was about
to cross the room when the lights suddenly came on and a group of shouting
voices reverberated through the air.
"Surprise!"
He looked around at the room, which was decorated with colorful streamers and
balloons and a "Bon Voyage!" sign. The other students emerged from behind the
couches and chairs and quickly walked over to him.
"What's all this?" Ev asked, still in shock.
"We couldn't very well let you leave without a proper good-bye party," Paige
said, hugging him.
"But I'm not going on a cruise," Ev said, pointing to the banner.
"Not my fault, Jono. That's all they had at the store. It was either that, or
'It's a boy!' I think I made the better choice."
"It's fine, Ang. Thank you, guys. But you didn't have to."
"Of course we did," Mondo said, pulling Everett into a great big bear hug.
"We're going to miss you, my friend."
"Me, too, Mondo," Ev said, trying to catch a breath. "Hey, easy on the shoulder,
okay?"
"Sorry," he said, releasing Everett. As he readjusted his sling, Everett felt a
tug on his shirt. He looked down to see two young boys staring up at him.
The first, a mute pink-skinned boy in a pair of overalls, projected an image of
himself hugging Everett.
The second, a green-skinned boy wearing a cap that matched Everett's,
translated: "Artie says he's gonna miss Ev. Leech miss Ev, too."
"I know, guys," Everett said, bending down to embrace them. "I'll miss you, too.
But I'll write, and call, and hopefully I'll be back soon."
The doorbell rang, and Angelo went to answer it.
"Hey, how about some music?" Paige asked, turning on the stereo.
"The food has arrived!" Angelo announced, returning with several pizza boxes.
"Let's chow down!"
*****
"Anybody for ice cream?" Monet asked, heading for the kitchen.
"Sounds good," Paige said, getting up to help her. "Who wants some?" She quickly
took a head count, but noticed that someone was missing. "Hey, where'd Ev go?"
Jono replied, looking around.
"I saw him go out onto the porch a few minutes ago," Mondo told them.
"Well, we can't have a party without the guest of honor," Angelo said, heading
for the front door. He stepped outside, and found Everett leaning against the
front banister, staring up at the stars.
"Hey, amigo, we missed you inside."
Everett shrugged, still looking up at the clear night sky. The full moon
illuminated his face, revealing the sorrow in his eyes.
"I know this is tough, Ev, but everything's gonna work out okay. You'll see."
"She should be here, Angelo. She loves a good party, more than any of us."
"Yeah, it has been awfully quiet without her." He walked over to Everett and
leaned his back against the railing beside him. "She's gonna get her memory
back, Ev. She's tough. A fighter. She's made it this far. It's just a matter of
time."
Closing his eyes, Everett nodded.
"The girls went to get some ice cream. You up for some?"
Everett sighed. "No, I think I'm gonna go finish my packing, then turn in
early." With another look up at the moon, Everett headed for the door.
"Wait," Angelo called, stretching his arm out to block his path. "I've got a
better idea--the perfect way to cheer you up. C'mon, let's go get the others."
*****
"Do I have any other kind, Jono?"
"The ice cream is melting!"
"I told you to put lots of ice in the cooler, but did you listen to me?"
"Shut up, M."
"I will not!"
"Shh!" Angelo snapped, stopping at the end of a corridor and extending his arm
to ensure that the group was flush against the wall. Well, as flush as you could
get with someone of Mondo's girth. "Everybody in position?" he asked in a hushed
tone. "Paige?"
"Here."
"Monet?"
"Present."
"Jono?"
"Mondo?"
"I am here, with Artie and Leech," he said, indicating the boys he held in his
arms.
"Penny?"
"She's with me," Paige said, looking back and smiling at the hooded figure that
stood behind her.
"Ev?"
"Right here, Angelo. But I still don't think we should be here. It's late, and--
"
"Hey, it's your last night with the team. We can't let you leave without one
last caper."
"I see you don't remember what happened the last time we got caught."
"Guthrie, you wanna lead the X-Men one day, you gotta learn to take risks. Now,
remember the plan, amigos. I'll go first, make sure the coast is clear. When you
see my signal, you follow in pairs. Just be sure to watch out for opposition.
Move fast, but quiet. Okay people, here I go."
Angelo peered around the corner. No one was in sight. He walked purposefully
across the clearing, to the other side, where he hid in the shadows. He looked
in both directions again to ensure it was still clear. Then he extended a hand
with a thumbs-up sign.
Jono said, placing a hand on
her back and ushering her across the hallway.
When they had joined Angelo, Mondo hustled across the floor, Artie and Leech in
tow.
"They're across," Paige whispered to Everett. She looked at him and smiled.
"Well, it's not the Sentinels, but it's still kind of fun doing all this cloak
and dagger stuff. C'mon," she said, taking his arm and hurrying across the
corridor.
"All right!" Angelo said in a loud whisper. "We all made it. Now, on to phase
B."
"Sheesh! Everybody's a critic." With a sigh, Angelo peered through the vertical
window on the wooden door. "The eagle is in the nest. And watching the tube,
from the looks of it. Paige, you're on!"
Paige moved over to the door, stepping in front of Angelo. She paused a moment,
taking a deep breath.
"Good luck, chica. May the force be with you."
With a curt nod, Paige entered the room. "Hi," she said with a sheepish smile.
"You probably don't remember me, but--"
"Paige, right? Of course I remember you. Jean introduced us the other day. You
were--are--my roommate, right?"
"Uh huh, that's right. How are you feeling?"
"Better, thanks," Jubilee replied, clicking off the television with the remote.
"Kind of bored, actually. Would you like to sit, to stay and talk for a while?
I've got tons of questions. . . ."
"Actually," Paige began, her grin broadening, "I've kind of brought some people
with me."
"Some people?" Jubilee repeated, her brow furrowing.
"Yeah, the other students. You see, we were having a good-bye party for Ev, and,
well, we got to missing you, and, well, we, uh, thought we'd bring the party to
you. That is, if you don't mind."
"Mind? Heck, I live for parties. Parties. Shopping. Blading. Those are the three
essentials, y'know. Sure, bring 'em on in."
"Great!" Smiling, Paige hurried back to the door and swung it open. "C'mon in,
guys!"
Jubilee watched in amazement as the group piled inside her room. Her eyes
widened at the sight of them all. They were definitely an eclectic group, to say
the least. But after all the time she had spent with the X-Men, not much
surprised her any more.
"Hi, guys!" she said, waving a friendly greeting.
"Well, since you don't remember us, I guess I should introduce everyone," Paige
said. "This is--"
"No," Jubilee said, cutting her off. "Jean and Wolvie and Mr. Cassidy told me
about all of you. I want to see if I can tell who everyone is." She took a good
look at them all, studying their features. "Well, Paige I've met. Lemme see. . .
. Big guy's gotta be Mondo. And the two handsome dudes with him must be Leech
and Artie," she said, pointing to each one in turn.
Smiling broadly, all three nodded at her, even as Artie projected an image of a
happy face.
"Okay, the guy in the leather jacket is probably Jono."
"And you must be Angelo," she said, smiling at Skin, who returned the gesture.
"Who's that?" she asked, pointing to the hooded figure.
She walked forward, and lowered the hood, revealing her razor-sharp red skin and
long, taloned fingers.
"P . . . Pen. . . ." Jubilee paused a moment, brow furrowed in concentration.
"Penance! Is that right?"
The girl nodded.
"Good to see you, Penny." She turned her attention to the well-poised brunette.
"That picture of cultivation has got to be Monet."
M smiled smugly, either ignoring or not noticing the tinge of sarcasm in
Jubilee's voice. The others, however, could not help but to smirk or chuckle.
"Now, wait a minute. I know I'm missing someone. . . ." Jubilee surveyed the
crowd. There was a tall, dark-skinned teen in a baseball cap standing behind all
the others. Their eyes met, and a huge smile lit Jubilee's face. "You must be
Everett."
The others stepped aside, allowing Everett a clear path to Jubilee's bedside. He
hesitated. Angelo reached an arm behind him, and gently nudged him forward. "Uh,
yeah, the one and only," Everett said, approaching her.
Jubilee reached her hand out to him. Slowly, Everett took it.
"I'm glad to finally put a face with the name," she said warmly, giving his hand
a squeeze.
Everett swallowed, trying to tamp down the aching feeling in his heart. Instead,
he forced himself to smile in return.
Jono asked.
Everett released her hand and took a step back.
"You got any mint chocolate chip?" Jubilee asked.
"Here, I'll get the spoons and bowls," Paige offered as the others began to pull
over some chairs.
"Artie, Leech, come sit on the bed with me," Jubilee offered, patting the covers
beside her.
"Here you go, chica, first bowl for you," Angelo said, handing Jubilee some ice
cream.
"Thanks, Ang," she said, taking it from him. "Sure beats the grub they try to
pass as food here." She took a spoonful into her mouth. "Mmm mmm. Scrumptious."
"So, how're you feeling?" Mondo asked.
"Better. My head doesn't hurt so much any more. This cast itches like all get
out, though."
"How are your legs?" Monet queried, perching on the arm of a chair with a bowl
of rocky road.
Everyone looked at her in surprise, a few with a look of distaste.
*I take it Monet's not one to beat around the bush,* Jubilee thought. "They're
much better, thanks. Getting stronger every day, in fact. The docs want me to
take it easy for a while because of my head an' all. But as soon as I go home,
I'm gonna start physical therapy."
"Home?" Angelo asked. "I thought you weren't returning to the school."
Jubilee blushed. "Oh. Sorry. I meant Westchester. I'm gonna stay with Jean an'
Scott for a while, at least till I'm back on my feet. They're gonna be my legal
guardians." She looked around at all of the downcast faces. "But everyone's
hopeful that I'll be back up to speed in no time," she added. "So, it shouldn't
be long 'till I'm back at school."
"Well, we all can't wait for that," Paige said, placing her hand on Jubilee's.
Jubilee looked at her thoughtfully for a minute. "So, you're Sam's little
sister?"
Paige nodded. "Uh huh."
"Then how come you don't sound anything like him? I'd've thought you'd have a
drawl, just like him'n Rogue."
This time it was Paige who flushed. "Well, that's . . . um . . . because I--"
Angelo smirked. "'Coz she don't wanna sound like an uneducated hillbilly."
"Hey, just 'cause Sammy's got an accent don't mean he's uneducated. An' just
'cause we're from Kentucky don't mean mah family or Ah am hillbillies! You don't
see me callin' you a hood, do ya, Angelo?"
"But I *am* a hood, chica," he retorted with a devilish grin. He cupped his hand
to Jubilee's ear. "All you gotta do is get her hackles up, an' she reverts to
her true self," he whispered, just loud enough so the others could hear. They
all laughed; even Paige could not help but smile.
"Hey, guys, a tiger is approaching the nest!" Mondo shouted.
"Tiger?" Jubilee asked quizzically. "Mondo, what the heck are you--?"
Jono explained.
Monet closed her eyes in concentration. The nurse walked into the room and
approached Jubilee's bedside. Seeing the girl sleeping, she gently touched her
wrist to check her pulse before silently taking her leave. As soon as the door
closed behind her, the group let out an audible sigh.
"What just happened?" Jubilee asked. "Why didn't she notice you guys?"
"Because of me," Monet stated plainly. "I psionically masked our presence. It
was not difficult. Quite simple, in fact. Now, if you will excuse me a moment, I
must use the ladies' room." She turned on her heel and strode out of the room.
As soon as Monet left, Jubilee rolled her eyes and smirked. "She's quite full of
herself, isn't she?"
The others began to chuckle.
"Well, Ms. Perfect, I bow in your all-powerful presence," Jubilee said mockingly
toward the doorway, making a flourishing gesture with her hand.
Angelo laughed so hard he fell off of the side of the bed.
"You okay, Ang?" Everett asked, looking down at him.
"I don't freakin' believe it!" he said in between guffaws. "They've been
reacquainted barely ten minutes, an' already Jubes has got M pegged!"
"Was it something I said?" Jubilee asked.
"You sure you don't remember M, Jubes?" Paige asked her. "You were the one to
nickname her 'Ms. Perfect'."
Jubilee shook her head. "Nope. Just . . . seemed to fit."
"How do you guys put up with her?"
Wiping his eyes, Angelo shrugged. "You usually keep us entertained with your
commentary."
"She's not so bad all the time," Mondo said in Monet's defense.
"Yeah, hard to look down your nose at people when you lapse into a catatonic
trance," Angelo said. "It's the only time anybody can get a word in edgewise."
Jono amended.
"Guess I didn't grow out of my motormouth stage," Jubilee said with a feeble
smile.
"That's okay, Jubes. It's one of your more endearing qualities," Paige said
somberly.
"You, Hayseed, are a horrible liar," Jubilee told her with a shake of the head.
Paige's mouth opened in shock.
"D-Did you guys c-catch that?" Paige stuttered.
"Catch what?" Everett asked.
"Jubes--sh-she called me 'Hayseed'. Jubilee, you called me 'Hayseed'!" Paige
said, grasping her arm excitedly.
Jubilee's eyes furrowed. "Yeah. So what?"
"You always used to call me Hayseed whenever you kidded around with me. Do you
remember?"
Jubilee closed her eyes a moment in concentration. Then, sadly, she shook her
head. "Nope. Sorry, Paige, it just kind of . . . popped into my head. I don't
even know why I said it."
"Maybe it means your memory's comin' back," Angelo suggested.
"What's going on?" Monet asked, returning to the room.
"Jubilee called you 'Ms. Perfect' and Paige 'Hayseed'," Mondo explained.
"Oh, geez, have a little tact, big guy!" Jubilee moaned, clasping her hand over
her eyes.
"Recalling those two nicknames is no indication that her memory is returning,"
Monet pointed out. "Our actions could have caused her to spontaneously generate
those names without any prior knowledge."
"Or she could have remembered them," Paige pointed out.
"I suppose," Monet conceded. "But that is still no indication that she is
recalling all of her memories. That process is likely to be a gradual one,
occurring over weeks or months, if not--"
"Who the hell asked you, Monet?" Everett snapped, getting to his feet.
Everyone fell silent.
Monet actually looked taken aback. "I was just pointing out--"
"Did you ever think that maybe nobody gives a damn about your opinion? You're
not her doctor, so just *shut up*!" Without looking back, he quickly bolted out
the door.
"Ev!" Paige shouted. She got to her feet and went over to M. "Great going,
Monet. Real sensitive. I'd better go after him."
"No, let met," Angelo said. "You stay here. I'll catch up with him." With a
scornful glance at Monet, he hurried out the door after his friend.
He found Everett standing down the hallway, forehead and fist leaning against
the wall. Angelo stood several feet away, looking at him. "You okay, Ev?" he
asked.
"I-I knew this was going to be a bad idea. I don't know why I bothered to come."
"It was my idea, Ev. I'm sorry. I didn't mean for you to get hurt. I just
thought you'd want Jubilee to be around on your last night here."
Everett turned to look at him, and Angelo saw the sadness written all over his
face. "I thought so, too. I hoped that somehow, it would feel like old times.
But, sitting in there, talking with her--it's like she's a different person. She
doesn't remember us, the times we've all shared. I kept looking at her face,
hoping for some sign that she would remember. But it was like looking into the
face of a stranger. I know she was trying to be friendly, but I could tell . . .
she was nervous, uncomfortable. Jubilee and I, we used to be able to talk about
anything. I could tell what she was thinking about by just looking in her eyes.
And now. . . . Now, just to be in the same room with her, knowing that she can't
remember our friendship, it . . . it just hurts too much."
"I'm sorry," Angelo said, clasping his shoulder. "But Monet's opinion aside, I'm
sure her memory will return. Soon. And she'll remember her best bud, and all the
times you've shared."
"No, it's probably better this way. I'm leaving the school anyway, so it's just
as well she forget me, and get on with her life."
"Now you're talking loco, Ev. How can you say that? You're an important part of
her life. Of course she should remember you. Geez, it's not like you're never
going to see her again."
"Angelo, my folks were adamant about my not returning to the school. As much as
we all are trying to think otherwise, it's just not going to happen. I'm leaving
for good."
"Ev, I know they're your folks and all, but that doesn't mean they own you. You
get to a certain age, you can make your own decisions, with or without their
approval."
"But by then, it'll be too late. Even if her memory comes back, she'll get on
with her life, and not give me a second thought."
"Hey, it's not like she doesn't have room in her heart for more than one friend,
right? If so, next to you, me and the others'd be gettin' the cold shoulder,
even worse'n Monet is now."
Everett opened his mouth to speak, but changed his mind, quickly turning away
and walking down the corridor.
Watching Everett walk to a small lounge and sit down in a chair, Angelo regarded
his friend, trying to surmise what was bothering him. Something was making
Everett hurt badly, deep down, in his heart and soul. His heart. . . . Angelo's
eyes widened as realization dawned on him. *Dios mio! Espinosa, you are a
complete idiot! * He slapped himself on the forehead. *How did you not see it
sooner? Oh, geez, no wonder he's been so down in the dumps!*
Angelo walked over to where Everett sat with his face resting in his hand. He
quietly sat down across from him. "Ev, you care about her, don't you? I mean,
really care about her. More'n as a friend."
Everett looked up at him in astonishment. Then, as the shock faded, he slowly
nodded. "When we were being held captive, and tortured by Shaw and Tessa, I was
afraid that they were going to kill us. We both were. At one point, after Tessa
attacked Jubilee's mind, and Shaw's goons beat on me, they left the two of us
alone. Jubilee hung across from me, unconscious, barely breathing. I could tell
from how quickly Jubilee fainted that she wasn't going to last much longer from
Tessa's treatments. And I was feeling pretty bad myself--everything ached, there
was a sharp pain in my chest every time I tried to draw a breath. I-I thought
that it might be our last time alone together before . . . before they finished
us off. I don't even know if she heard me. Probably not, she was so out of it.
But I couldn't go to my grave without telling her how I felt.
"I told her how she was the closest friend I'd ever had. How nobody ever knew me
as well as she did. How there was nobody I had ever felt I could confide in like
her. And how, lately, these past few months, I realized what I had been feeling
was more than friendship. Much more. I told her . . . I told her that I loved
her."
Slowly, Angelo nodded. It was one thing to feel concern for an injured friend.
Yet the way Everett blamed himself seemed well beyond reason for one friend's
feelings for another--even if they were best friends. But knowing that he was
secretly in love with that best friend, the anger, the guilt, the pain--it all
made sense now. Thinking it was their last moments on earth, Everett had taken a
chance, he had bared his soul. And now Jubilee did not remember him--as a
friend, let alone as someone more. While the former had to be painful enough--
Angelo knew about that, for that was what they all were feeling--he could not
even begin to imagine the latter. To tell a girl that you loved her, to almost
lose her, and then to learn you were now a stranger to her. Every time Everett
looked at her and saw the friend he once knew, he was faced with the might-have-
beens. . . .
"You gotta tell her, man. Tell her how you feel about her."
"I can't!" Everett looked into his face. "Can't you see, Angelo? It's difficult
for her to try to remember us as teammates and friends. If I were to tell her
that I thought about her as more than a friend. . . . Think about it from
Jubilee's standpoint. It's hard enough for her to cope right now. I don't need
to give her that added pressure. Besides, it would be so . . . awkward. Right
now, in her eyes, I'm little more than an acquaintance. If I were to tell her, I
might push her away, lose her friendship entirely. And I'm not prepared to do
that."
Slowly, Angelo nodded his head. "I guess you're right. But why are you giving up
on her friendship already? You're cutting yourself off from her, even before she
gets the chance to know you again."
Everett searched for the words to try to explain what he was feeling--all of the
conflicted emotions roiling around inside of him. "I-I look into her eyes, and I
. . . I just don't know her anymore. She's as much a stranger to me as I am to
her. I just can't face her, Angelo. I can't."
Angelo did not know what to say. He wanted to reach out to his friend, to tell
him he understood his pain, that it would be all right, that everything would
work out eventually. But the truth was, he was not so sure himself.
"Right now, it's just too painful--the wound is still too raw. I'm not gonna be
here anyway. If I've gotta go back home with my parents, I-I might as well make
a clean break of it. Try to move on. Maybe, if I'm lucky, I'll get over her."
With a sigh, Everett got slowly to his feet. "I-I've got to get out of here. I
need to be alone right now."
Angelo nodded. "Ev, I want you to know, I'm here for you, man. I'll always be
here for you. Just a phone call away, comprendes?"
Everett managed a small smile. "Thanks," he whispered, holding out his hand.
Getting up, Angelo clasped his hand.
"Listen, can you do me a favor, Angelo?"
"Sure, amigo. Anything."
Everett reached up and took off his cap. "Can you give this to her for me?"
Angelo looked at him quizzically, but accepted the hat. "Okay."
"Thanks. I'll see you later."
Angelo watched until Everett got on the elevator, and the doors closed behind
him. Then he stared down at the red cap in his hand, and the 'St. L' stitched on
the front. With a sigh, he headed back to Jubilee's room.
"What happened?" asked Paige. "Where's Ev?"
"He was really tired, and decided to go back to the school to finish packing,"
Angelo explained.
"Is he leaving tomorrow?" Jubilee asked.
"Yeah, his folks are coming in the morning." Angelo walked over to the bed.
"Jubilee, he asked me to give this to you," he said, handing her the hat.
Her brow furrowed. "His Cardinals cap? Why would he want me to have it?"
"No se."
"Well, be sure to thank him for me."
"No problem."
"Angelo, I've got something to return to you."
"To me?"
"Yeah." Jubilee pulled the gold chain and cross from her neck gently placed it
in Angelo's hand, closing his fingers around it. She looked into his eyes.
"Thank you for your faith."
With a smile, Angelo nodded. "De nada."
"You know, we probably should get going," Paige suggested. "Jubilee needs her
rest."
Jono suggested.
With a nod, Monet said good night to Jubilee and hurried out the door. Jono,
wishing Jubilee well, exited right behind her.
"When are you heading back to New York?" Paige asked as she and they others
began to gather up the dirty dishes to throw away.
"The doctors want to make sure I'm okay before they release me, so I don't get
sprung for another couple of days."
"Well, at least that'll give us some more time to visit with you. That is, if
you want us to."
Jubilee looked at Paige and smiled. "Of course I do. I know my amnesia is tough
on you all, just like it is for me. We've been teammates and friends for a while
now, I guess. And it must hurt that I can't remember it. I know I'd feel bad if
one of the X-Men didn't remember me. Anyways, I just want to say I'm sorry."
"Sorry? You don't have anything to be sorry for," Paige told her.
"Yeah," Angelo agreed. "This wasn't your fault, Jubes. Don't go blaming
yourself." *There's already enough guilt floating around to last a lifetime,* he
thought bitterly.
Jubilee nodded. "Anyways, I want to thank you guys for stopping by. I really
enjoyed spending time with all of you, getting to know you all over again."
"You just rest up, and concentrate on getting well, you hear?" Paige said with
mock sternness, bending to hug Jubilee.
"I will. Hey, Angelo?"
"Si?"
"Will you say good-bye to Ev for me?"
"Sure. No problem."
Jubilee said good night to the others, and sighed as she was left once again
alone in the room. She looked down at the cap that sat in her lap, and gently
turned it over in her hands. With a sigh, she placed it on her bedside table,
and shut the light. Closing her eyes, she let her mind wander. Soon, a
particular image flitted into her mind as sleep began to overcome her. She was
in a classroom, sitting at a desk. Paige was on her left, Monet on the right.
Angelo was saying something behind her. Sitting in front of her was Everett. His
back was to her, but she could see the logo on his backwards-turned Cardinals
cap. He turned around, flashed her a grin, and wished her good luck. She
remembered the butterflies in her stomach as Mr. Cassidy placed the calculus
midterm on her desk. As he continued to distribute the exams, he stopped in
front of Everett's desk and asked him to remove his cap. Everett politely
declined. When Mr. Cassidy asked why, he explained his reasoning. With a smile
and a pat on the back, Sean had conceded, and let him continue to wear the hat.
Her eyes suddenly snapped open and she sat up as realization dawned on her. "Oh,
my God, I remember!" she exclaimed aloud. It was not much, just a brief moment
from her past--she did not even know how long ago. But the fact remained that
she could recall a small scene from her time at the school.
She quickly reached toward the nightstand, groping for the familiar object. She
brought the hat to her chest and hugged it close, even as the tears pooled in
her eyes and slowly streamed down her cheeks.
It was his lucky hat.
End Chapter 17
*****