Title: A Friend in Need II: Sweet Child of Mine 07/22
Author: Somogyi
Email: somogyi02@yahoo.com
Archive: Sure, just please ask first
Rating: PG-13 for language, violence, and some disturbing imagery
Summary: Jubilee is well on the way to recovery from the physical injuries she
sustained during "A Friend in Need," thanks to the help of Logan and Jean. The
psychic damage, however, has been slow to heal: she is still plagued by regular
nightmares and her memory has not yet returned. And while Jean's endless devotion
to Jubilee is helping her to recuperate, it is starting to put a strain on Jean's
marriage to Scott.
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 II: Sweet Child of Mine
by Somogyi
somogyi02@yahoo.com
Chapter 7
Scott sat on the living room couch, feet propped on the coffee table, flipping
through the channels in search of something half-way-decent to watch. The
unmistakable thumping of the braces on the floor announced Jubilee's approach.
"I thought you were getting ready for bed," he called over his shoulder.
"Well, I put on my pj's and brushed my teeth," she said, rounding the side of
the couch, "but I'm not really tired yet. What'cha watchin'?"
"I'm trying to find something. Pull up a seat," he said, patting the cushion
beside him.
Leaning her crutches on the far side of the couch, Jubilee sat down beside him.
"No luck?"
"There never seems to be anything good on Saturday nights."
"Try the Comedy Channel."
"What's on?" Scott asked as he switched the channel.
"You'll see."
They both watched the screen in silence as a scene from a B-rate black-and-white
sci-fi flick played out. Only the scene was being projected on a movie screen,
and the silhouettes of three moviegoers--one human and two looking more machine-
-were superimposed on the bottom. Interspersedthroughout the movie were the
sarcastic comments of the trio. Their commentary w as actually even more amusing
than the movie itself. Before long, Scott and Jubilee were laughing aloud, and
even adding some of their own comments.
"So, whaddaya think?" Jubilee asked.
"Not bad. What is this?"
"Mystery Science Theater 3000," she replied, putting her feet up on the table in
an almost-mirror image of Scott's position.
They watched as a person dressed in a metal box meant to be a robot walked
stiffly up to home plate and held up a bat. It was not long before he struck
out.
"Todd Hundley he ain't," Jubilee remarked with a sigh.
Scott chuckled. "You remembered his name?"
"Whose?"
"Hundley. The Mets catcher you used to have the crush on. The one Piazza
replaced."
Jubilee turned and looked at Scott in disbelief. "Gosh, it just sorta . . . I
don't know. . . it just came to me. When I wasn't even thinking about it."
"I had a feeling it would. When you don't push yourself too hard and just take
things at a natural pace, everything will fall into place. Just as your body is
recovering, your mind is slowly healing itself."
"You really think so?"
"Well, isn't this a perfect example?"
"I guess so."
"Don't guess, Jubilee. Know."
Once again, something about his tone instilled her with hope, convinced her that
he knew what he was talking about. There was definitely something about Scott
that could inspire hope even in the most doubting of hearts. It really was no
wonder that he was such a good leader. She realized then that one day he would
easily step into the Professor's shoes to help see his dream become a reality.
"Thanks, Scott," she whispered, glancing at him a moment before turning her
attention back to the television screen.
Scott said nothing, but placed his hand on her knee briefly, giving it an
encouraging pat. For some reason, the gesture struck Jubilee as quite paternal.
She had never really thought of Scott in that regard before. Even during all
these weeks that she had been living in their house, while she viewed Jean as
part friend, part big sister, and part surrogate mother, the same notion never
extended to Scott. Perhaps that was partly because she had not spent much time
with him--alone or otherwise.
Looking back, she had a feeling that was not because of a lack of desire on his
part, but rather because Jean had been overly-protective and unwilling to let
others help out with her care. Now, she was willing to bet that given the
opportunity, Scott would not mind spending some time with her; heck, with the
way they had hit it off today, he might actually enjoy it.
It was hard to believe, but she definitely had had a great time today. If
someone had told her a few months ago that she would be sitting on a couch
watching t.v. and hanging out with Cyclops on a Saturday night, she would have
called them nuts. Now, though, it was not so hard to imagine doing it again.
Sighing contentedly, Jubilee concentrated on the television screen once more.
Before long, she could not stifle a yawn. Soon afterwards, she felt her eyelids
growing heavy. Blinking, she tried to fight it. She was not quite willing to let
this feeling of coziness end. But, ultimately, her fatigue won out, and she
began to doze.
Scott had noticed Jubilee nodding off, but had said nothing. He figured she
would go to bed when she was good and ready. No reason to act like a strict
parent during her weekend of freedom. He had been sitting with his arms extended
across the back of the sofa, and was a bit surprised when he felt her head come
to rest against his shoulder. He looked down at her, eyes closed and face
peaceful in slumber, and smiled. Slowly, careful not to wake her, he wrapped his
arm around her. Jubilee sighed in her sleep, and Scott tightened his hold
slightly.
It had been a long time since he remembered feeling this way. Probably not since
the time he and Jean had spent in the future, living as Slym and Redd Dayspring,
raising his son, Nate. His most cherished memories of those dozen years were the
nightshe had spent holding his son in his arms, the child's warm body pressed
close, his soft breath warm against his cheek, his face smooth and innocent in
slumber. During those times, it was not difficult to pretend that the world was
safe for his family, that he could protect them from harm. That they could all
live peacefully in a world that did not fear and hate them.
He was reminded of a conversation he and Jean had had a few months back, not
long before Jubilee had come to stay with them. They had discussed the
possibility of starting their own family. Jean felt she was ready; Scott did
not. He had watched the disappointment spread across her face as he tried to
explain that he did not feel that he was ready to become a father. The truth
was, he was feeling rather disillusioned with the world. People's tolerance for
mutants had reached an all-time low, and persecution was wide-spread. It hardly
seemed like a wise decision to bring a child into such a world.
But now, sitting here with Jubilee nestled beside him, he realized why Jean had
insisted that even though there never seemed a perfect time to raise a child,
that wariness should not stop them. Knowing the way the opportunity to take care
of Jubilee had brought Jean such happiness, seeing how alive and vibrant Jubilee
had been since coming to stay with them, Scott knew that Jean had been right.
Having a child, even during a questionable time in the world's history, meant
having hope for the future. Lord knew, they could all use a little hope about
now.
The show ended, and Scott reached for the remote to click off the television. He
looked down at Jubilee, who was still fast asleep. For a moment, he considered
waking her so that she could go to bed, but then thought better of it. He slowly
placed his feet on the floor, and sat forward, trying not to wake her. Still
holding her up with his arm, Scott quietly rose to his feet, and gently lifted
Jubilee into his arms. Cradling her against his chest, he carried her into her
room and then put her in her bed, tucking the comforter snugly around her.
Throughout it all, she did not wake. As soon as she was in bed, she rolled onto
her side and nestled into the pillow, murmuring something unintelligible. Scott
stood watching her a moment to ensure himself that she was still asleep.
Smiling, he could not resist gently stoking her hair. He watched her another
minute or so before silently leaving the room, shutting the door behind him, and
heading to his own room.
*****
Scott awoke with a start. He peered into the darkness of his room, trying to get
his bearings. As he sat up, his hands braced to the sides for support, he
recognized the coolness of the sheets beside him. It still felt strange sleeping
alone, without Jean in the bed. He sat quietly, trying to figure out what might
have awakened him.
He heard a noise then, coming from what sounded like across the hall. Throwing
back the covers, he hurried to investigate the source of the noise. As he
entered the hallway, he realized it was shouting. Coming from Jubilee's room. He
quickly opened her door, and through the moonlight pouring in between the
blinds, could make out her form thrashing about in the bed.
"No!" she was shouting, arms raised to keep back an invisible attacker. "Stay
away! Don't touch me!"
"Jubilee?" Scott called, approaching her bed. "Jubilee, wake up."
"No! Don't hurt me! Stop it! Oh God, no!"
Scott bent down, prepared to shake her awake.
Suddenly, Jubilee shot bolt upright, arms flailing wildly. "No!" she screeched,
one hand connecting painfully with Scott's jaw. The other got him on the temple,
jarring his glasses, and for a moment he feared they would be thrown off.
Squeezing his eyes shut tightly, Scott stepped back to make sure the ruby quartz
lenses were still in place before returning to Jubilee's bedside. He quickly
grabbed onto her arms, pinning them at her sides.
This only seemed to make her struggle harder. "No! Let me go, you bastard! Get
your hands offa me!" she spat.
"Jubilee, wake up. It's Scott. Jubilee, it's just a dream."
Finally, her eyes shot open, though she still seemed disoriented as she
continued to fight.
"Jubilee, you're safe. It was just a nightmare. You're okay."
For a moment, she said nothing, just looked around the room, eyes wide, chest
heaving as she breathed heavily. Then she saw who it was that was restraining
her, and she relaxed slightly. "C-Cyke?"
"Yeah, Jubilee, it's me." Slowly, he loosened his hold on her, waiting to make
sure she would no longer react violently.
"I-It's really you?"
"Yes, it's really me."
"Y-You're okay? You're n-not hurt?" She reached up, touched his temple with
shaking fingers, as though to reassure herself.
"No, I'm fine. It's you I'm worried about. You were having a nightmare."
"Oh God, it was just a dream!" she cried, relief filling her voice. It was only
then that she allowed herself to cry. The tears seemed to pour forth from her
eyes and down her cheeks as the sobs shook through her. "Thank God you're okay,"
she gasped, throwing her arms around his neck. "I-I thought. . . . Oh, God. . .
."
"Shh," he soothed, embracing her and gently stoking her back. "It's okay, kiddo.
I'm fine. You're fine. Everything's okay. You're safe and sound, in your bed. No
one's going to hurt you. You know I wouldn't let them."
She continued to tremble as the sobs wracked her body. She tried to speak, but
all that came out were low, miserable moans.
Scott held her tighter, rubbing her back, stroking her head, as he began to rock
her. He whispered soft, soothing words, trying to calm her.
It took many long minutes before her tears began to stop, and even longer until
the shaking quelled. Even then, she continued to grasp onto him tightly as her
breathing slowly returned to normal.
"That's it," he murmured, rubbing her back in small circles. "It's all right.
Everything's okay."
Slowly, she finally loosened her hold on him, and pulled back. Sniffling, she
swiped at her wet cheeks.
"Here," Scott said, reaching for the box of tissues on her nightstand.
"Thanks," she mumbled, taking one to blow her noise. "Oh geez. I got you
soaked." She pointed to the shoulder of his tee-shirt, which was saturated from
her tears.
"Believe me, I've had far worse things. How you doing, kiddo?" he asked,
reaching to cup her cheek.
She closed her eyes in a slow blink, even as a shiver ran through her. "I- I
still can't shake the images from my mind. They were horrible."
"Do you want to talk about it?"
She shrugged. During these past weeks, whenever she had had a nightmare, it was
usually Jean who comforted her. Whenever that occurred, Jean had only to use
their mindlink to reach into her mind and see the images that haunted her mind.
As such, Jubilee never had to describe them before, really never had occasion to
talk about them at all. Perhaps giving voice to her fears might help her get
over them.
"It was the usual dream."
"You usually have the same one?" he asked.
She looked at him in confusion for a moment. She found it strange that he did
not know that. Perhaps she had been assuming that Jean had told Scott about her
nightmares; apparently, that was not the case. Jubilee was not sure what to make
of that fact.
"Yeah, it usually plays out pretty much the same way. I wake up here, in this
bed, `cause I hear some kind of noise. I hear it coming from your room, and I go
to check it out. The room's empty, but I see blood on the floor. I hear a noise
from the closet, and when I open it, I find you inside. You've been hurt."
Shivering involuntarily, Jubilee looked up at Scott. Once again, she felt the
need to touch his face, to reassure herself that he was alive and well. This
time, when she touched his cheek and temple, he placed his hand over hers and
slowly nodded against her palm.
"You . . . your eyes . . . they were gouged out." Pulling her hand away
abruptly, Jubilee grabbed another tissue and dabbed at her nose. "You ask me if
I've seen Jean, and I go to find her. Which I do, in the kitchen. She's laying
on the table. Only she's dead. E-eviscerated." Jubilee lowered her head, even as
fresh tears began to fall. "It- it was so h-hor-horrible."
She felt Scott's hand on hers, squeezing it gently. "But it's not real. It was
just a dream. Jean is alive. She's fine. Just like I am."
"I know," Jubilee whispered. "It just seemed so real at the time."
Scott nodded. "What happened next?" he asked gently.
Jubilee took a shaky breath. "I- I realize that I'm not alone. *He's* in the
kitchen with me."
"Who is?" Scott asked, although he was pretty sure he already knew the answer.
"S-Sabretooth," she replied, the name like venom on her tongue. She shook her
head, unable to voice what it is she found him doing in her dreams. "He tried to
attack me next, only I manage to slow him down and run away. I book it out of
the kitchen, and run right into you. Literally. You tell me to run away, and go
to hold him off. As I try to make it to the door, I hear. . . ." She paused,
slowly licking her lips. "I hear him kill you, too."
Once more, Scott reached for her hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. This time,
however, he did not let it go.
"As I'm trying to escape, he catches me, taunts me. He starts to cut me. I close
my eyes. But when I look back, it's not him who's about to kill me. It's . . .
it's . . . Oh, God . . . it's W-W-Wolvie. And he- he raises his claws . . . and
then h-he . . . he plunges `em right into my chest. And it hurts. Oh God, it
hurts so much. And I know I'm g-gonna d-d-die. . . ." The tears overwhelmed her
once more, and she was no longer able to speak.
Scott quickly took her in his arms again, and slowly began to rock her. "It's
okay, Jubilee. It's okay. It was just a dream. It wasn't really Logan. He would
never hurt you. He'd sooner die than bring you any harm. You know that."
He could barely feel her nod against his shoulder.
"And Sabretooth never hurt you, or Jean, or me. He was never in this house.
You're safe. No one's going to hurt you. I won't let them."
"P-Promise?"
"I promise. No one will hurt you. I'll protect you. You're safe here. I
promise."
He felt her sigh against him, even as her body began to relax. This time, it
took only a couple of minutes for the tears to stop. As Jubilee pulled back, he
gently framed her face with his hands, and bent down to place a tender kiss on
her forehead. Jubilee looked up at him then with an expression of complete and
utter adoration.
"Now, why don't you lie back down and try to get some sleep?"
Nodding, she lay back against the pillows. Scott pulled the covers back over
her, and tucked her in.
"Can I get you anything?" he asked. "Some water, maybe?"
She shook her head. "Scott?"
"Yeah, kiddo?"
"Would you . . . do you think . . . would you sit with me? I- I don't think I
could fall asleep alone."
He smiled at her warmly. "Of course I'll sit with you. For as long as you like."
He got up, and retrieved the rocking chair from where it sat by the window,
setting it up close to her bedside.
She looked over at him and managed a small smile in return. "Thanks, Scott."
"Just try to get some rest, okay, kiddo?"
"I will." With a final glance in his direction, Jubilee closed her eyes. She let
out a loud breath before finally allowing herself to relax. She could feel
Scott's presence from where he sat only a couple of feet away. For some reason,
that made her feel safe and protected. As she drifted off to sleep, she knew
that such knowledge would keep her demons at bay, and that there would be no
more bad dreams that night so long as he were close by.
And somehow, some way, Scott knew exactly what she needed to be at peace. For
when Jubilee awoke several hours later, she found him still sitting in the
chair, arms crossed, legs stretched straight out in front of him, and chin to
his chest, as he slept beside her, guarding her with his mere presence. As she
rolled over to go back to sleep, Jubilee had never felt so safe, so protected,
nor so loved.
End Chapter 7
*****
Author: Somogyi
Email: somogyi02@yahoo.com
Archive: Sure, just please ask first
Rating: PG-13 for language, violence, and some disturbing imagery
Summary: Jubilee is well on the way to recovery from the physical injuries she
sustained during "A Friend in Need," thanks to the help of Logan and Jean. The
psychic damage, however, has been slow to heal: she is still plagued by regular
nightmares and her memory has not yet returned. And while Jean's endless devotion
to Jubilee is helping her to recuperate, it is starting to put a strain on Jean's
marriage to Scott.
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 II: Sweet Child of Mine
by Somogyi
somogyi02@yahoo.com
Chapter 7
Scott sat on the living room couch, feet propped on the coffee table, flipping
through the channels in search of something half-way-decent to watch. The
unmistakable thumping of the braces on the floor announced Jubilee's approach.
"I thought you were getting ready for bed," he called over his shoulder.
"Well, I put on my pj's and brushed my teeth," she said, rounding the side of
the couch, "but I'm not really tired yet. What'cha watchin'?"
"I'm trying to find something. Pull up a seat," he said, patting the cushion
beside him.
Leaning her crutches on the far side of the couch, Jubilee sat down beside him.
"No luck?"
"There never seems to be anything good on Saturday nights."
"Try the Comedy Channel."
"What's on?" Scott asked as he switched the channel.
"You'll see."
They both watched the screen in silence as a scene from a B-rate black-and-white
sci-fi flick played out. Only the scene was being projected on a movie screen,
and the silhouettes of three moviegoers--one human and two looking more machine-
-were superimposed on the bottom. Interspersedthroughout the movie were the
sarcastic comments of the trio. Their commentary w as actually even more amusing
than the movie itself. Before long, Scott and Jubilee were laughing aloud, and
even adding some of their own comments.
"So, whaddaya think?" Jubilee asked.
"Not bad. What is this?"
"Mystery Science Theater 3000," she replied, putting her feet up on the table in
an almost-mirror image of Scott's position.
They watched as a person dressed in a metal box meant to be a robot walked
stiffly up to home plate and held up a bat. It was not long before he struck
out.
"Todd Hundley he ain't," Jubilee remarked with a sigh.
Scott chuckled. "You remembered his name?"
"Whose?"
"Hundley. The Mets catcher you used to have the crush on. The one Piazza
replaced."
Jubilee turned and looked at Scott in disbelief. "Gosh, it just sorta . . . I
don't know. . . it just came to me. When I wasn't even thinking about it."
"I had a feeling it would. When you don't push yourself too hard and just take
things at a natural pace, everything will fall into place. Just as your body is
recovering, your mind is slowly healing itself."
"You really think so?"
"Well, isn't this a perfect example?"
"I guess so."
"Don't guess, Jubilee. Know."
Once again, something about his tone instilled her with hope, convinced her that
he knew what he was talking about. There was definitely something about Scott
that could inspire hope even in the most doubting of hearts. It really was no
wonder that he was such a good leader. She realized then that one day he would
easily step into the Professor's shoes to help see his dream become a reality.
"Thanks, Scott," she whispered, glancing at him a moment before turning her
attention back to the television screen.
Scott said nothing, but placed his hand on her knee briefly, giving it an
encouraging pat. For some reason, the gesture struck Jubilee as quite paternal.
She had never really thought of Scott in that regard before. Even during all
these weeks that she had been living in their house, while she viewed Jean as
part friend, part big sister, and part surrogate mother, the same notion never
extended to Scott. Perhaps that was partly because she had not spent much time
with him--alone or otherwise.
Looking back, she had a feeling that was not because of a lack of desire on his
part, but rather because Jean had been overly-protective and unwilling to let
others help out with her care. Now, she was willing to bet that given the
opportunity, Scott would not mind spending some time with her; heck, with the
way they had hit it off today, he might actually enjoy it.
It was hard to believe, but she definitely had had a great time today. If
someone had told her a few months ago that she would be sitting on a couch
watching t.v. and hanging out with Cyclops on a Saturday night, she would have
called them nuts. Now, though, it was not so hard to imagine doing it again.
Sighing contentedly, Jubilee concentrated on the television screen once more.
Before long, she could not stifle a yawn. Soon afterwards, she felt her eyelids
growing heavy. Blinking, she tried to fight it. She was not quite willing to let
this feeling of coziness end. But, ultimately, her fatigue won out, and she
began to doze.
Scott had noticed Jubilee nodding off, but had said nothing. He figured she
would go to bed when she was good and ready. No reason to act like a strict
parent during her weekend of freedom. He had been sitting with his arms extended
across the back of the sofa, and was a bit surprised when he felt her head come
to rest against his shoulder. He looked down at her, eyes closed and face
peaceful in slumber, and smiled. Slowly, careful not to wake her, he wrapped his
arm around her. Jubilee sighed in her sleep, and Scott tightened his hold
slightly.
It had been a long time since he remembered feeling this way. Probably not since
the time he and Jean had spent in the future, living as Slym and Redd Dayspring,
raising his son, Nate. His most cherished memories of those dozen years were the
nightshe had spent holding his son in his arms, the child's warm body pressed
close, his soft breath warm against his cheek, his face smooth and innocent in
slumber. During those times, it was not difficult to pretend that the world was
safe for his family, that he could protect them from harm. That they could all
live peacefully in a world that did not fear and hate them.
He was reminded of a conversation he and Jean had had a few months back, not
long before Jubilee had come to stay with them. They had discussed the
possibility of starting their own family. Jean felt she was ready; Scott did
not. He had watched the disappointment spread across her face as he tried to
explain that he did not feel that he was ready to become a father. The truth
was, he was feeling rather disillusioned with the world. People's tolerance for
mutants had reached an all-time low, and persecution was wide-spread. It hardly
seemed like a wise decision to bring a child into such a world.
But now, sitting here with Jubilee nestled beside him, he realized why Jean had
insisted that even though there never seemed a perfect time to raise a child,
that wariness should not stop them. Knowing the way the opportunity to take care
of Jubilee had brought Jean such happiness, seeing how alive and vibrant Jubilee
had been since coming to stay with them, Scott knew that Jean had been right.
Having a child, even during a questionable time in the world's history, meant
having hope for the future. Lord knew, they could all use a little hope about
now.
The show ended, and Scott reached for the remote to click off the television. He
looked down at Jubilee, who was still fast asleep. For a moment, he considered
waking her so that she could go to bed, but then thought better of it. He slowly
placed his feet on the floor, and sat forward, trying not to wake her. Still
holding her up with his arm, Scott quietly rose to his feet, and gently lifted
Jubilee into his arms. Cradling her against his chest, he carried her into her
room and then put her in her bed, tucking the comforter snugly around her.
Throughout it all, she did not wake. As soon as she was in bed, she rolled onto
her side and nestled into the pillow, murmuring something unintelligible. Scott
stood watching her a moment to ensure himself that she was still asleep.
Smiling, he could not resist gently stoking her hair. He watched her another
minute or so before silently leaving the room, shutting the door behind him, and
heading to his own room.
*****
Scott awoke with a start. He peered into the darkness of his room, trying to get
his bearings. As he sat up, his hands braced to the sides for support, he
recognized the coolness of the sheets beside him. It still felt strange sleeping
alone, without Jean in the bed. He sat quietly, trying to figure out what might
have awakened him.
He heard a noise then, coming from what sounded like across the hall. Throwing
back the covers, he hurried to investigate the source of the noise. As he
entered the hallway, he realized it was shouting. Coming from Jubilee's room. He
quickly opened her door, and through the moonlight pouring in between the
blinds, could make out her form thrashing about in the bed.
"No!" she was shouting, arms raised to keep back an invisible attacker. "Stay
away! Don't touch me!"
"Jubilee?" Scott called, approaching her bed. "Jubilee, wake up."
"No! Don't hurt me! Stop it! Oh God, no!"
Scott bent down, prepared to shake her awake.
Suddenly, Jubilee shot bolt upright, arms flailing wildly. "No!" she screeched,
one hand connecting painfully with Scott's jaw. The other got him on the temple,
jarring his glasses, and for a moment he feared they would be thrown off.
Squeezing his eyes shut tightly, Scott stepped back to make sure the ruby quartz
lenses were still in place before returning to Jubilee's bedside. He quickly
grabbed onto her arms, pinning them at her sides.
This only seemed to make her struggle harder. "No! Let me go, you bastard! Get
your hands offa me!" she spat.
"Jubilee, wake up. It's Scott. Jubilee, it's just a dream."
Finally, her eyes shot open, though she still seemed disoriented as she
continued to fight.
"Jubilee, you're safe. It was just a nightmare. You're okay."
For a moment, she said nothing, just looked around the room, eyes wide, chest
heaving as she breathed heavily. Then she saw who it was that was restraining
her, and she relaxed slightly. "C-Cyke?"
"Yeah, Jubilee, it's me." Slowly, he loosened his hold on her, waiting to make
sure she would no longer react violently.
"I-It's really you?"
"Yes, it's really me."
"Y-You're okay? You're n-not hurt?" She reached up, touched his temple with
shaking fingers, as though to reassure herself.
"No, I'm fine. It's you I'm worried about. You were having a nightmare."
"Oh God, it was just a dream!" she cried, relief filling her voice. It was only
then that she allowed herself to cry. The tears seemed to pour forth from her
eyes and down her cheeks as the sobs shook through her. "Thank God you're okay,"
she gasped, throwing her arms around his neck. "I-I thought. . . . Oh, God. . .
."
"Shh," he soothed, embracing her and gently stoking her back. "It's okay, kiddo.
I'm fine. You're fine. Everything's okay. You're safe and sound, in your bed. No
one's going to hurt you. You know I wouldn't let them."
She continued to tremble as the sobs wracked her body. She tried to speak, but
all that came out were low, miserable moans.
Scott held her tighter, rubbing her back, stroking her head, as he began to rock
her. He whispered soft, soothing words, trying to calm her.
It took many long minutes before her tears began to stop, and even longer until
the shaking quelled. Even then, she continued to grasp onto him tightly as her
breathing slowly returned to normal.
"That's it," he murmured, rubbing her back in small circles. "It's all right.
Everything's okay."
Slowly, she finally loosened her hold on him, and pulled back. Sniffling, she
swiped at her wet cheeks.
"Here," Scott said, reaching for the box of tissues on her nightstand.
"Thanks," she mumbled, taking one to blow her noise. "Oh geez. I got you
soaked." She pointed to the shoulder of his tee-shirt, which was saturated from
her tears.
"Believe me, I've had far worse things. How you doing, kiddo?" he asked,
reaching to cup her cheek.
She closed her eyes in a slow blink, even as a shiver ran through her. "I- I
still can't shake the images from my mind. They were horrible."
"Do you want to talk about it?"
She shrugged. During these past weeks, whenever she had had a nightmare, it was
usually Jean who comforted her. Whenever that occurred, Jean had only to use
their mindlink to reach into her mind and see the images that haunted her mind.
As such, Jubilee never had to describe them before, really never had occasion to
talk about them at all. Perhaps giving voice to her fears might help her get
over them.
"It was the usual dream."
"You usually have the same one?" he asked.
She looked at him in confusion for a moment. She found it strange that he did
not know that. Perhaps she had been assuming that Jean had told Scott about her
nightmares; apparently, that was not the case. Jubilee was not sure what to make
of that fact.
"Yeah, it usually plays out pretty much the same way. I wake up here, in this
bed, `cause I hear some kind of noise. I hear it coming from your room, and I go
to check it out. The room's empty, but I see blood on the floor. I hear a noise
from the closet, and when I open it, I find you inside. You've been hurt."
Shivering involuntarily, Jubilee looked up at Scott. Once again, she felt the
need to touch his face, to reassure herself that he was alive and well. This
time, when she touched his cheek and temple, he placed his hand over hers and
slowly nodded against her palm.
"You . . . your eyes . . . they were gouged out." Pulling her hand away
abruptly, Jubilee grabbed another tissue and dabbed at her nose. "You ask me if
I've seen Jean, and I go to find her. Which I do, in the kitchen. She's laying
on the table. Only she's dead. E-eviscerated." Jubilee lowered her head, even as
fresh tears began to fall. "It- it was so h-hor-horrible."
She felt Scott's hand on hers, squeezing it gently. "But it's not real. It was
just a dream. Jean is alive. She's fine. Just like I am."
"I know," Jubilee whispered. "It just seemed so real at the time."
Scott nodded. "What happened next?" he asked gently.
Jubilee took a shaky breath. "I- I realize that I'm not alone. *He's* in the
kitchen with me."
"Who is?" Scott asked, although he was pretty sure he already knew the answer.
"S-Sabretooth," she replied, the name like venom on her tongue. She shook her
head, unable to voice what it is she found him doing in her dreams. "He tried to
attack me next, only I manage to slow him down and run away. I book it out of
the kitchen, and run right into you. Literally. You tell me to run away, and go
to hold him off. As I try to make it to the door, I hear. . . ." She paused,
slowly licking her lips. "I hear him kill you, too."
Once more, Scott reached for her hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. This time,
however, he did not let it go.
"As I'm trying to escape, he catches me, taunts me. He starts to cut me. I close
my eyes. But when I look back, it's not him who's about to kill me. It's . . .
it's . . . Oh, God . . . it's W-W-Wolvie. And he- he raises his claws . . . and
then h-he . . . he plunges `em right into my chest. And it hurts. Oh God, it
hurts so much. And I know I'm g-gonna d-d-die. . . ." The tears overwhelmed her
once more, and she was no longer able to speak.
Scott quickly took her in his arms again, and slowly began to rock her. "It's
okay, Jubilee. It's okay. It was just a dream. It wasn't really Logan. He would
never hurt you. He'd sooner die than bring you any harm. You know that."
He could barely feel her nod against his shoulder.
"And Sabretooth never hurt you, or Jean, or me. He was never in this house.
You're safe. No one's going to hurt you. I won't let them."
"P-Promise?"
"I promise. No one will hurt you. I'll protect you. You're safe here. I
promise."
He felt her sigh against him, even as her body began to relax. This time, it
took only a couple of minutes for the tears to stop. As Jubilee pulled back, he
gently framed her face with his hands, and bent down to place a tender kiss on
her forehead. Jubilee looked up at him then with an expression of complete and
utter adoration.
"Now, why don't you lie back down and try to get some sleep?"
Nodding, she lay back against the pillows. Scott pulled the covers back over
her, and tucked her in.
"Can I get you anything?" he asked. "Some water, maybe?"
She shook her head. "Scott?"
"Yeah, kiddo?"
"Would you . . . do you think . . . would you sit with me? I- I don't think I
could fall asleep alone."
He smiled at her warmly. "Of course I'll sit with you. For as long as you like."
He got up, and retrieved the rocking chair from where it sat by the window,
setting it up close to her bedside.
She looked over at him and managed a small smile in return. "Thanks, Scott."
"Just try to get some rest, okay, kiddo?"
"I will." With a final glance in his direction, Jubilee closed her eyes. She let
out a loud breath before finally allowing herself to relax. She could feel
Scott's presence from where he sat only a couple of feet away. For some reason,
that made her feel safe and protected. As she drifted off to sleep, she knew
that such knowledge would keep her demons at bay, and that there would be no
more bad dreams that night so long as he were close by.
And somehow, some way, Scott knew exactly what she needed to be at peace. For
when Jubilee awoke several hours later, she found him still sitting in the
chair, arms crossed, legs stretched straight out in front of him, and chin to
his chest, as he slept beside her, guarding her with his mere presence. As she
rolled over to go back to sleep, Jubilee had never felt so safe, so protected,
nor so loved.
End Chapter 7
*****