Title: A Friend in Need II: Sweet Child of Mine 09/22
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 9
"Jean, will you please slow down?" Ororo asked from where she sat nervously in
the passenger seat. Her gaze darted between the busy highway and her friend.
Jean did not reply. She merely gripped the steering wheel tightly, her eyes
focused on the road. Abruptly, she cut the wheel to the left, and began to weave
between the other vehicles on the highway.
Ororo gazed at the speedometer, and swallowed when she realized that they were
pushing eighty. "Jean, perhaps you should allow me to--look out!" she gasped,
catching sight of a car switching lanes in front of them, directly in their
path.
But Jean had seen the SUV, and reacted quickly, swerving to avoid colliding with
the other vehicle. She then floored it, passing the car and flipping off the
driver as they sped past.
"Goddess! Are you trying to get us killed?" Ororo brought a hand to her chest,
even as the other gripped the handrest on the door tightly.
"I need to get home to her," came Jean's reply.
"Surely we can do so in a manner that will not compromise our lives?"
"Our exit's coming up. We'll be home in about ten minutes." Jean continued to
stare out at the road. Slowly, she shook her head. "I can't believe he didn't
call me last night, when it happened. Why didn't he call me?"
Ororo could sense the underlying pain and anger in Jean's tone. She wondered the
same thing herself. But she had also known Scott for enough years not to
question his judgment; she was sure there was a reasonable explanation. She was
surprised that Jean did not share her confidence.
Was it really less than two hours ago that they were enjoying a leisurely
breakfast after a weekend of being pampered? Sitting across from her, Jean had
looked more relaxed than Ororo could remember seeing her in weeks. It was
wonderful to see her friend well-rested, her mind unoccupied with a dozen tasks
she felt needed to be done, smiling warmly and laughing easily. The first day at
the spa, Jean had been uneasy with the whole idea, and constantly worried about
Jubilee, wanting to call her at least half-a-dozen times every hour. But after a
long massage and a luxurious hour in a sauna sitting beside Ororo, she had
finally begun to unwind. By that evening, thoughts of home seemed the furthest
thing from her mind. It was not until earlier that morning, when breakfast was
over and they were chatting over coffee before their departure that Jean finally
decided to call and see how the weekend had gone back in Westchester.
Jean pulled her cell-phone out of her bag and dialed home. There was no answer;
only the machine. She was surprised, but not troubled at that point.
"Maybe they decided to join the others at the mansion for breakfast?" Ororo had
suggested.
"I'll try there," Jean agreed. When she called the mansion, it was Logan who
answered.
"Jeanie?"
"Good morning, Logan. Is Scott there, by any chance?"
"He's down in the medi-lab, with the kid."
Jean paused a moment. "Oh. I didn't realize Jubilee had another physical
scheduled for today."
This time it was Logan who fell silent.
"Logan?"
"Jeanie, she's not getting a physical." His voice sounded tense, drawn.
Jean felt her mouth go dry. "Wh-what's happened?"
"The kid had a seizure last night."
"A seizure? Oh God." Jean could feel Ororo's concerned gaze on her. "How is
she?"
"She's okay. She was out of it for a bit, but Hank said that's normal
afterwards. He's running a whole bunch of tests, and so far everything checks
out okay. Shit, Red, I thought Scotty called you."
"I haven't spoken to him since I left Saturday morning. We're leaving now, and
we'll be home as soon as we can. Please tell Jubilee I'm on my way. You can
reach me on my cell phone if there's any change." Without even waiting for his
reply, she clicked the phone off, and gathered her bag. In mere minutes, they
had paid for their meal, checked out, and were speeding home.
"Jean, our exit is coming up," Ororo warned. "Perhaps you should--"
"I know," came Jean's terse reply. She cut across three lanes of traffic and
screeched onto the off-ramp.
Ororo held tight to the dashboard as Jean made a sharp turn onto Graymalkin
Lane. Less than a minute later, they were tearing around the circle drive. Jean
brought them to an abrupt halt in front of the mansion, slamming the car into
park. She barely remembered to cut the engine as she grabbed the keys, threw the
door open, and hurried up the front steps.
"Jean, wait!" Ororo called, hurrying to catch up with her. She had to sprint
down the main foyer to reach her and catch the same elevator down to the sub-
basement. During the short ride, Jean stared up at the floor indicator, fingers
clenching and unclenching at her sides repeatedly. As soon as the doors opened,
she was out of the elevator and striding down the corridor at a full clip toward
the medi-lab, Ororo hot on her heels.
Jean burst into the medi-lab, eyes quickly scanning the room. All of the beds
were empty. The only occupant in the room sat in a chair at the far end of the
room, studying the pattern of the floor tiles. Hearing her enter, he was almost
instantly on his feet.
"Jeanie," Logan called, quickly closing the distance between them. He looked
toward the doorway a moment before Storm entered, a bit out of breath. "'Roro.
Damn, that was quick. You called less than two hours ago."
"I think we left my stomach back on the freeway," Ororo said, herself now
looking around the room.
"Where is she?" Jean demanded. She was trying desperately not to draw
conclusions from the girl's absence.
"The kid's fine," Logan reassured her. "Hank wanted to rerun one of the tests,
compare it to yesterday's results. An MRI or CAT scan--whatever it is where he
has to put her into a long tube. It freaked her out a bit last night, so she
asked Scott if he would stay in the room with her." Logan glanced at his watch.
"That was `bout twenty minutes ago. They should be back soon. Why don't you take
a load off while we wait?"
But Jean merely shook her head. Crossing her arms across her middle, she began
to pace the room. Ororo took the seat beside Logan and the two whispered amongst
themselves, giving Jean the privacy she apparently desired.
Just over fifteen minutes later, Jean stopped abruptly, her head snapping toward
the doorway. Moments later, Hank came bounding into the lab, followed shortly by
Scott, who carried Jubilee cradled in his arms.
"Jubilee!" Jean cried, hurrying toward them.
"Hey Jean," Jubilee replied as Scott carried her over to her bed. As he gently
placed her down, she let go of his neck and then scooted back against the pillow
as Scott covered her legs with the blanket. "So, how was your weekend at the
spa?" she asked, as though nothing were out of the ordinary.
"Oh, sweetie, I was so worried about you," Jean said, bending to embrace Jubilee
tightly.
"I'm fine," Jubilee told her. When Jean did not let go, she hugged her back. It
took her a moment to realize that Jean was trembling--crying softly. "Oh gosh.
Really, Jean, I'm fine," she assured her, rubbing her back. "Ask Hank, he'll
tell ya. I passed all my tests with flying colors."
"The young lady speaketh the truth," Hank agreed, consulting Jubilee's chart.
"Everything appears normal."
"How do you feel?" Jean asked, finally pulling back. Sitting down on the bed
beside Jubilee, she gently cupped the girl's cheek and caressed it softly.
"I told you, Jean, I feel fine," she insisted, covering Jean's hand with her own
and nodding. "I felt kinda tired and weak last night, after it happened. And I
think I was kinda out of it for a while. But Hank said that's normal."
"A seizure uses up a great deal of energy, leaving the body in a hypoglycemic
state," Hank explained. "One often feels weakened when they have low blood
sugar. And disorientation is common after a seizure as well."
"But what caused the seizure, Hank?" Jean asked.
"It's hard to determine. Suffice it to say that seizure activity is not an
uncommon consequence of a head injury."
"But she was injured almost two months ago."
"Yes, but even so, such injuries often have residual effects that can last
months, if not years."
"Can we prevent it from recurring?"
"I have placed Jubilee on anti-convulsants as a preventative measure," Hank
explained. "We will have to do periodic blood testing, to make sure the level is
appropriate. But as Jubilation said, all the tests indicate that she is fine.
There is no physiological cause detectable, no consequential damage from the
seizure. She should just take it easy for a while, but otherwise she gets a
clean bill of health."
Jean sighed audibly as she reached for Jubilee's hand and gave it a squeeze.
Jubilee smiled in return.
"Now, if you all don't mind, my patient has had a busy morning, and I think she
could use some rest," Hank told them all.
"I hope you feel better, Jubilation," Ororo told her. "I will come see you
later."
"Thanks, Storm. I can't wait to hear all about your weekend."
"You rest up, kid," Logan told her. "'Coz tomorrow mornin', you an' me got a
date in the gym."
"Wouldn't miss it for the world, Wolvie," she replied, waving, as he and Ororo
left.
"I will be back to check on you in a little while, Jubilee," Hank told her.
"Now, try to get some sleep, okay?"
"No prob," she said, stifling a yawn. "Thanks, Hankster."
"My pleasure." With a wink and a smile, Hank bounded out of the room.
"Go on and lay down," Jean told Jubilee as she got up. The girl complied, and
Jean tucked the blanket around her.
"Do you need anything?" Scott asked, walking closer to stand beside Jean at the
bedside. "A drink of water?"
"No, I'm good, Scott, thanks." She beamed up at him, and he smiled back.
Jean lightly touched Jubilee's forehead, smoothing the hair back. "You get some
rest now, okay, sweetie?" She bent and placed a soft kiss on her brow.
Jubilee looked up at them. "Would you sit with me till I fall asleep?"
"Sure," Scott replied at the same moment Jean said, "Of course."
They looked from one another to Jubilee.
"Actually, I was wondering if you'd both sit with me?" Jubilee clarified.
Once again, they looked at one another. Jean shrugged almost imperceptibly,
while Scott nodded.
"Whatever you want, kiddo," Scott told her. He went to retrieve a pair of
chairs, which he brought over to her bedside.
"Thank you," Jean muttered, sitting down in the chair closest to Jubilee's head.
Scott silently took the other seat.
Together, they watched the girl as she closed her eyes and sighed contentedly.
In mere moments, her breathing took on the slow, steady rhythm of slumber.
Jean continued to watch her sleep, comforted by the sight. She nearly started
when she felt Scott's hand cover her own.
"Did you have a good time at the spa?" he whispered.
Jean pulled her hand back out of his grasp and stared at him in disbelief.
He looked at her questioningly.
I could have been here! I could have been with her!
I was here.
And with that, she clamped down on their mindlink, effectively
severing any means of psychic communication. To add insult to injury, she turned
her body away from him in her chair, crossing her arms.
For Scott, it felt like a slap to the face. "Don't you dare try to silence me
when I'm trying to speak to you," he said, grabbing her arm.
"Let go of me," she hissed.
"Only if you agree to hear me out."
"Shh!" she snapped, turning to look at Jubilee. Murmuring in her sleep, the girl
rolled over onto her side. "Lower your voice, or you'll wake her."
"Then let's take this outside," he said, rising, his hand still on her forearm
and thus urging her to her feet.
"Fine." With a final glance back at Jubilee, Jean pulled her arm out of Scott's
grasp and walked with him into the corridor, making sure the door to medi-lab
shut behind her. "I don't know what there is left to say," she remarked tersely,
arms once more wrapped around her middle as she leaned against a wall.
"Jean, why are you acting this way? Why are you so angry with me?"
"How can you even have to ask me that? I reluctantly leave Jubilee in your care
for the weekend, and when something serious happens to her, you can't even be
bothered to pick up the phone and call me!"
"Jean, I already explained--"
"Excuses, Scott! What you offered me were pathetic excuses! You should have
called me immediately." She silently shook her head, as though berating herself.
"God, I never should have gone away for the weekend. I never should have left
her."
"What you really mean is that you never should have left her with me, isn't that
right, Jean? Because no one could possibly care for her like you could, right?"
"Obviously not!" she spat back. "For seven weeks, I've taken care of her Scott,
and she's done fine. She's been making steady progress, improving every day. But
the one weekend I agree to go away on this stupid vacation, this happens. I
trusted you to watch her, Scott. To take care of her. How could you let this
happen? How?"
He stared at her, nonplused. "You don't honestly blame me for her seizure, do
you?"
When she did not reply, he felt his own anger beginning to rise. "Oh, that's
rich, Jean. That's just rich. My caring for Jubilee this weekend is no more to
blame for her seizure than your not watching her is. And I can't believe you
would even consider implying otherwise. What the hell has gotten into you?"
"I could ask you the same thing, Scott. I always thought you were a mature,
responsible adult. The type of man who would have called me to inform me about
any significant change in Jubilee's health. Apparently, I was wrong."
Scott laughed then. "Christ, Jean, I think that spa must have done something to
your sensibilities, because you sound nothing like my wife."
"Actually, Scott, I feel like I'm seeing clearly for the first time in weeks.
Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to go consult with Hank to see what sort of
changes need to be made in Jubilee's care." With that, she turned on her heel
and started to leave.
"Don't just walk away from me," he said, grabbing her arm. "I'm not through
talking with you."
She turned on him, eyes flashing in anger. "Well, *I* am through with *you*!
Now, get your hand off of me!" She gave him a telekinetic shove that sent him
flying across the hallway and crashing into the far wall with a loud bang. Jean
did not even bother to look back to see him sprawled on the floor, rubbing the
back of his head, as she sought Hank in his office.
In the medi-lab, Jubilee rose from where she had sat huddled by the door,
listening to the fight as it transpired. She navigated her way back to her bed
through hazy, tear-filled vision, and climbed up, drawing the covers tightly
around her. She lay that way for a while until she finally cried herself to
sleep.
End Chapter 9
*****
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 9
"Jean, will you please slow down?" Ororo asked from where she sat nervously in
the passenger seat. Her gaze darted between the busy highway and her friend.
Jean did not reply. She merely gripped the steering wheel tightly, her eyes
focused on the road. Abruptly, she cut the wheel to the left, and began to weave
between the other vehicles on the highway.
Ororo gazed at the speedometer, and swallowed when she realized that they were
pushing eighty. "Jean, perhaps you should allow me to--look out!" she gasped,
catching sight of a car switching lanes in front of them, directly in their
path.
But Jean had seen the SUV, and reacted quickly, swerving to avoid colliding with
the other vehicle. She then floored it, passing the car and flipping off the
driver as they sped past.
"Goddess! Are you trying to get us killed?" Ororo brought a hand to her chest,
even as the other gripped the handrest on the door tightly.
"I need to get home to her," came Jean's reply.
"Surely we can do so in a manner that will not compromise our lives?"
"Our exit's coming up. We'll be home in about ten minutes." Jean continued to
stare out at the road. Slowly, she shook her head. "I can't believe he didn't
call me last night, when it happened. Why didn't he call me?"
Ororo could sense the underlying pain and anger in Jean's tone. She wondered the
same thing herself. But she had also known Scott for enough years not to
question his judgment; she was sure there was a reasonable explanation. She was
surprised that Jean did not share her confidence.
Was it really less than two hours ago that they were enjoying a leisurely
breakfast after a weekend of being pampered? Sitting across from her, Jean had
looked more relaxed than Ororo could remember seeing her in weeks. It was
wonderful to see her friend well-rested, her mind unoccupied with a dozen tasks
she felt needed to be done, smiling warmly and laughing easily. The first day at
the spa, Jean had been uneasy with the whole idea, and constantly worried about
Jubilee, wanting to call her at least half-a-dozen times every hour. But after a
long massage and a luxurious hour in a sauna sitting beside Ororo, she had
finally begun to unwind. By that evening, thoughts of home seemed the furthest
thing from her mind. It was not until earlier that morning, when breakfast was
over and they were chatting over coffee before their departure that Jean finally
decided to call and see how the weekend had gone back in Westchester.
Jean pulled her cell-phone out of her bag and dialed home. There was no answer;
only the machine. She was surprised, but not troubled at that point.
"Maybe they decided to join the others at the mansion for breakfast?" Ororo had
suggested.
"I'll try there," Jean agreed. When she called the mansion, it was Logan who
answered.
"Jeanie?"
"Good morning, Logan. Is Scott there, by any chance?"
"He's down in the medi-lab, with the kid."
Jean paused a moment. "Oh. I didn't realize Jubilee had another physical
scheduled for today."
This time it was Logan who fell silent.
"Logan?"
"Jeanie, she's not getting a physical." His voice sounded tense, drawn.
Jean felt her mouth go dry. "Wh-what's happened?"
"The kid had a seizure last night."
"A seizure? Oh God." Jean could feel Ororo's concerned gaze on her. "How is
she?"
"She's okay. She was out of it for a bit, but Hank said that's normal
afterwards. He's running a whole bunch of tests, and so far everything checks
out okay. Shit, Red, I thought Scotty called you."
"I haven't spoken to him since I left Saturday morning. We're leaving now, and
we'll be home as soon as we can. Please tell Jubilee I'm on my way. You can
reach me on my cell phone if there's any change." Without even waiting for his
reply, she clicked the phone off, and gathered her bag. In mere minutes, they
had paid for their meal, checked out, and were speeding home.
"Jean, our exit is coming up," Ororo warned. "Perhaps you should--"
"I know," came Jean's terse reply. She cut across three lanes of traffic and
screeched onto the off-ramp.
Ororo held tight to the dashboard as Jean made a sharp turn onto Graymalkin
Lane. Less than a minute later, they were tearing around the circle drive. Jean
brought them to an abrupt halt in front of the mansion, slamming the car into
park. She barely remembered to cut the engine as she grabbed the keys, threw the
door open, and hurried up the front steps.
"Jean, wait!" Ororo called, hurrying to catch up with her. She had to sprint
down the main foyer to reach her and catch the same elevator down to the sub-
basement. During the short ride, Jean stared up at the floor indicator, fingers
clenching and unclenching at her sides repeatedly. As soon as the doors opened,
she was out of the elevator and striding down the corridor at a full clip toward
the medi-lab, Ororo hot on her heels.
Jean burst into the medi-lab, eyes quickly scanning the room. All of the beds
were empty. The only occupant in the room sat in a chair at the far end of the
room, studying the pattern of the floor tiles. Hearing her enter, he was almost
instantly on his feet.
"Jeanie," Logan called, quickly closing the distance between them. He looked
toward the doorway a moment before Storm entered, a bit out of breath. "'Roro.
Damn, that was quick. You called less than two hours ago."
"I think we left my stomach back on the freeway," Ororo said, herself now
looking around the room.
"Where is she?" Jean demanded. She was trying desperately not to draw
conclusions from the girl's absence.
"The kid's fine," Logan reassured her. "Hank wanted to rerun one of the tests,
compare it to yesterday's results. An MRI or CAT scan--whatever it is where he
has to put her into a long tube. It freaked her out a bit last night, so she
asked Scott if he would stay in the room with her." Logan glanced at his watch.
"That was `bout twenty minutes ago. They should be back soon. Why don't you take
a load off while we wait?"
But Jean merely shook her head. Crossing her arms across her middle, she began
to pace the room. Ororo took the seat beside Logan and the two whispered amongst
themselves, giving Jean the privacy she apparently desired.
Just over fifteen minutes later, Jean stopped abruptly, her head snapping toward
the doorway. Moments later, Hank came bounding into the lab, followed shortly by
Scott, who carried Jubilee cradled in his arms.
"Jubilee!" Jean cried, hurrying toward them.
"Hey Jean," Jubilee replied as Scott carried her over to her bed. As he gently
placed her down, she let go of his neck and then scooted back against the pillow
as Scott covered her legs with the blanket. "So, how was your weekend at the
spa?" she asked, as though nothing were out of the ordinary.
"Oh, sweetie, I was so worried about you," Jean said, bending to embrace Jubilee
tightly.
"I'm fine," Jubilee told her. When Jean did not let go, she hugged her back. It
took her a moment to realize that Jean was trembling--crying softly. "Oh gosh.
Really, Jean, I'm fine," she assured her, rubbing her back. "Ask Hank, he'll
tell ya. I passed all my tests with flying colors."
"The young lady speaketh the truth," Hank agreed, consulting Jubilee's chart.
"Everything appears normal."
"How do you feel?" Jean asked, finally pulling back. Sitting down on the bed
beside Jubilee, she gently cupped the girl's cheek and caressed it softly.
"I told you, Jean, I feel fine," she insisted, covering Jean's hand with her own
and nodding. "I felt kinda tired and weak last night, after it happened. And I
think I was kinda out of it for a while. But Hank said that's normal."
"A seizure uses up a great deal of energy, leaving the body in a hypoglycemic
state," Hank explained. "One often feels weakened when they have low blood
sugar. And disorientation is common after a seizure as well."
"But what caused the seizure, Hank?" Jean asked.
"It's hard to determine. Suffice it to say that seizure activity is not an
uncommon consequence of a head injury."
"But she was injured almost two months ago."
"Yes, but even so, such injuries often have residual effects that can last
months, if not years."
"Can we prevent it from recurring?"
"I have placed Jubilee on anti-convulsants as a preventative measure," Hank
explained. "We will have to do periodic blood testing, to make sure the level is
appropriate. But as Jubilation said, all the tests indicate that she is fine.
There is no physiological cause detectable, no consequential damage from the
seizure. She should just take it easy for a while, but otherwise she gets a
clean bill of health."
Jean sighed audibly as she reached for Jubilee's hand and gave it a squeeze.
Jubilee smiled in return.
"Now, if you all don't mind, my patient has had a busy morning, and I think she
could use some rest," Hank told them all.
"I hope you feel better, Jubilation," Ororo told her. "I will come see you
later."
"Thanks, Storm. I can't wait to hear all about your weekend."
"You rest up, kid," Logan told her. "'Coz tomorrow mornin', you an' me got a
date in the gym."
"Wouldn't miss it for the world, Wolvie," she replied, waving, as he and Ororo
left.
"I will be back to check on you in a little while, Jubilee," Hank told her.
"Now, try to get some sleep, okay?"
"No prob," she said, stifling a yawn. "Thanks, Hankster."
"My pleasure." With a wink and a smile, Hank bounded out of the room.
"Go on and lay down," Jean told Jubilee as she got up. The girl complied, and
Jean tucked the blanket around her.
"Do you need anything?" Scott asked, walking closer to stand beside Jean at the
bedside. "A drink of water?"
"No, I'm good, Scott, thanks." She beamed up at him, and he smiled back.
Jean lightly touched Jubilee's forehead, smoothing the hair back. "You get some
rest now, okay, sweetie?" She bent and placed a soft kiss on her brow.
Jubilee looked up at them. "Would you sit with me till I fall asleep?"
"Sure," Scott replied at the same moment Jean said, "Of course."
They looked from one another to Jubilee.
"Actually, I was wondering if you'd both sit with me?" Jubilee clarified.
Once again, they looked at one another. Jean shrugged almost imperceptibly,
while Scott nodded.
"Whatever you want, kiddo," Scott told her. He went to retrieve a pair of
chairs, which he brought over to her bedside.
"Thank you," Jean muttered, sitting down in the chair closest to Jubilee's head.
Scott silently took the other seat.
Together, they watched the girl as she closed her eyes and sighed contentedly.
In mere moments, her breathing took on the slow, steady rhythm of slumber.
Jean continued to watch her sleep, comforted by the sight. She nearly started
when she felt Scott's hand cover her own.
"Did you have a good time at the spa?" he whispered.
Jean pulled her hand back out of his grasp and stared at him in disbelief.
He looked at her questioningly.
I could have been here! I could have been with her!
I was here.
And with that, she clamped down on their mindlink, effectively
severing any means of psychic communication. To add insult to injury, she turned
her body away from him in her chair, crossing her arms.
For Scott, it felt like a slap to the face. "Don't you dare try to silence me
when I'm trying to speak to you," he said, grabbing her arm.
"Let go of me," she hissed.
"Only if you agree to hear me out."
"Shh!" she snapped, turning to look at Jubilee. Murmuring in her sleep, the girl
rolled over onto her side. "Lower your voice, or you'll wake her."
"Then let's take this outside," he said, rising, his hand still on her forearm
and thus urging her to her feet.
"Fine." With a final glance back at Jubilee, Jean pulled her arm out of Scott's
grasp and walked with him into the corridor, making sure the door to medi-lab
shut behind her. "I don't know what there is left to say," she remarked tersely,
arms once more wrapped around her middle as she leaned against a wall.
"Jean, why are you acting this way? Why are you so angry with me?"
"How can you even have to ask me that? I reluctantly leave Jubilee in your care
for the weekend, and when something serious happens to her, you can't even be
bothered to pick up the phone and call me!"
"Jean, I already explained--"
"Excuses, Scott! What you offered me were pathetic excuses! You should have
called me immediately." She silently shook her head, as though berating herself.
"God, I never should have gone away for the weekend. I never should have left
her."
"What you really mean is that you never should have left her with me, isn't that
right, Jean? Because no one could possibly care for her like you could, right?"
"Obviously not!" she spat back. "For seven weeks, I've taken care of her Scott,
and she's done fine. She's been making steady progress, improving every day. But
the one weekend I agree to go away on this stupid vacation, this happens. I
trusted you to watch her, Scott. To take care of her. How could you let this
happen? How?"
He stared at her, nonplused. "You don't honestly blame me for her seizure, do
you?"
When she did not reply, he felt his own anger beginning to rise. "Oh, that's
rich, Jean. That's just rich. My caring for Jubilee this weekend is no more to
blame for her seizure than your not watching her is. And I can't believe you
would even consider implying otherwise. What the hell has gotten into you?"
"I could ask you the same thing, Scott. I always thought you were a mature,
responsible adult. The type of man who would have called me to inform me about
any significant change in Jubilee's health. Apparently, I was wrong."
Scott laughed then. "Christ, Jean, I think that spa must have done something to
your sensibilities, because you sound nothing like my wife."
"Actually, Scott, I feel like I'm seeing clearly for the first time in weeks.
Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to go consult with Hank to see what sort of
changes need to be made in Jubilee's care." With that, she turned on her heel
and started to leave.
"Don't just walk away from me," he said, grabbing her arm. "I'm not through
talking with you."
She turned on him, eyes flashing in anger. "Well, *I* am through with *you*!
Now, get your hand off of me!" She gave him a telekinetic shove that sent him
flying across the hallway and crashing into the far wall with a loud bang. Jean
did not even bother to look back to see him sprawled on the floor, rubbing the
back of his head, as she sought Hank in his office.
In the medi-lab, Jubilee rose from where she had sat huddled by the door,
listening to the fight as it transpired. She navigated her way back to her bed
through hazy, tear-filled vision, and climbed up, drawing the covers tightly
around her. She lay that way for a while until she finally cried herself to
sleep.
End Chapter 9
*****