Title: A Friend in Need II: Sweet Child of Mine 18/22
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 18
Jubilee sat on the cushioned seat by one of the mansion's bay windows, hugging
her knees to her chest, staring out at the bleary day. The sky was filled with
gray clouds, the sun nowhere to be seen. A light, misty rain fell constantly, as
it had for the past couple of days. It looked miserable outside. The weather
mimicked her mood perfectly. Sighing, she rested her chin on her knees.
She did not move when she heard the sound of footsteps approaching her. It was
not until a voice spoke her name that she shifted her body; even then, it was a
mere turn of the head.
"Phone, kiddo," Logan said, holding out the cordless.
"For me?" Jubilee asked.
"Yep. Here ya go." As soon as he handed her the phone, Logan retreated.
"Hello?" Jubilee spoke into the receiver.
"Hey, Lee! You're a tough gal to track down."
Jubilee could not help but smile at the sound of the familiar perky voice.
"Paige?"
"Yeah, it's me. I've been trying to reach you all day, but there's been no
answer at the Summers' house. I finally decided to try the mansion."
"Oh, sorry 'bout that. I've been staying over here the past couple days."
"Really? How come?"
"Things have been a bit . . . intense lately. Jean seemed like she needed some
space."
"You sound really down, Jubes. Wanna talk about it?"
"I don't even know where to start, Hayseed. . . ."
"Take your time. I'm not going anywhere."
Jubilee sighed. Even though she had very few memories of Paige other than after
her accident, she nonetheless had a good sense of the well intentions of her
former school roommate. From what Jubilee could gleam from talking with her old
classmates, she and Paige had been reluctant friends. It didn't take much to peg
Paige Guthrie as your classic overachiever and perpetual do-gooder. A typical
Cyclops mentality. Which would help explain why there had been tension between
an uptight girl like Paige and a fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants kid like Jubilee.
Nonetheless, Paige seemed determined for them to re-build that relationship.
Whether it be to aid in the process of Jubilee recovering her memory or to
fulfill Paige's sense of civic duty to do her part in easing Jubilee's
convalescence, she did not know. But the fact remained that Paige made it a
point to call her at least once a week to shoot the breeze. Truth to tell, with
no preconceived notions because of her lack of memories of their interactions,
Jubilee had been enjoying their chats immensely. It was actually really great to
have someone her own age in which she could confide. And right now, she could
really use someone to talk to about all that had happened.
"Well," Jubilee began, trying to decide the best place to start, "Scott an' Jean
. . . they've been having some problems lately."
"I sorta gathered that from when Cyclops came to teach here. He tried to put up
a strong front, but underneath, it wasn't too hard to tell he was upset. So,
they've been at odds?"
"Yeah. Thing is, for as long as I've known 'em, Scott an' Jean have seemed so
happy. They never used to so much as raise their voices around one another. But
lately. . . ." She could not stop a shiver from running through her.
"Bad, huh? I remember when my momma and daddy used to fight. We kids used to
huddle together in bed, trying to ignore it. But you never could. It's scary--
even when you're old enough to know what it is they're really fighting about."
"I thought things were gettin' better, 'cause the last time Scott called home,
Jean was finally willing to talk to him. Before that, she had refused every
time. I don't know exactly what they said, but afterwards, she told me that he
was comin' home. She was so excited. We both were. But before he ever arrived,
things took a horrible turn for the worst. . . ."
"What happened?"
"The next day, I went about my routine as usual. Had my workout with Wolvie. He
even told me that we could cut 'em down to every-other-day. I was so psyched.
But when Jean came to pick me up an' walk me home, she looked terrible. I'd
never seen her look so bad. Anyway, we went home, an' she went to lie down. I
made myself lunch, watched some TV. I was in the kitchen, cleaning up, when she
called to me for help. She had staggered into the kitchen, doubled over in pain,
face white as a sheet. An' the blood. There was so much blood. . . !" Jubilee
paused, swallowing at the lump in the back of her throat. The memory of that
horrible afternoon filled her with such fear, such sadness. It was almost more
than she could bear.
"Oh mah God! What happened? Is she okay?"
"Long story short, Jean had a miscarriage."
Paige gasped. "Oh, how terrible. Oh, poor Jean. Poor Scott. I'm so sorry, Jubes.
That's just awful."
"I've never been so scared in all my life. I ran back to the mansion, got help.
But by then, it was too late. They couldn't save the baby."
"Gosh, I-I didn't even know Jean was pregnant."
"Almost nobody did. She had only told me the day before, an' that was only
'cause I found her puking her guts out. Even Scott didn't know."
"What? You mean, he only found out *after*. . . ."
"Uh huh. So you can imagine how that didn't go over too well with him."
"Oh, sweet Jesus. No wonder they're fightin'. Did she purposely not tell him?"
"No, she planned to tell him when he came home. Guess she wanted to do it in
person. Only, she never got the chance."
"Oh gosh. I can see why you're so depressed, Jubilee. That's a horrible thing
for anyone to have to go through. And to be caught right in the middle. . . . I
just want you to know that I'm here for you. Whenever you need to talk--day or
night, no matter what the hour--you give me a call. Y'hear?"
"Thanks, Hayseed. I appreciate it."
"So, you're staying at the mansion, Jean's at the house. Where's Scott?"
"He's here at the mansion, too. That's the kicker. A few nights ago, they had
another big blow up. The biggest ever. An' she told him to get out."
"No way! Geez, this *is* serious."
"I-I'm just afraid that this may be it. That it might be over between them." She
paused, sniffling. The next words were spoken as little more than a whisper.
"An' it's all my fault."
"Your fault? How can any of this be your fault? Every couple has problems."
"But they were doin' just fine till I came to stay with them. That's when all
the trouble began. The tension, the distance. The first big fight happened after
a weekend Jean was away, an' Scott was watchin' me. I had a seizure--"
"What? Omigosh! Are you okay, Jubilee?"
"I'm fine. It was no big deal. Hank said it was probably an after-effect of my
head injury. I was so glad that Scott was there with me when it happened. It was
scary, losing control like that. Your body doin' stuff you're not tellin' it to.
But he held me, stayed with me through it all. He took care of me, made me feel
safe. Just like . . . like. . . ."
"Like a dad?"
Jubilee blinked, felt the tears fall. "Yeah. Just like a real dad. It's funny,
'cause before that weekend, we had hardly spent any time together. I always
thought Scott was kinda . . . I don't know . . . boring. Square. But the truth
is, he's a pretty cool guy once you get to know him.
"Anyway, when Jean found out what happened to me, she went ballistic. Sorta
lioness-protecting-her-cubs mode. An' she let Scott have it. Blamed him for what
happened to me. Not that it was in any way his fault. It just happened. After
that, things stayed pretty tense. Jean refused to talk to Scott, to even
acknowledge his presence. I think that got to be too much for him to take. So he
went to Massachusetts, to teach you guys. I think it was just an excuse to get
away for a while. Not that I blame him. An' it's not like he stopped caring,
even then. He called every night, spoke to me to see how I was doin'. An' he
always asked about Jean. But she refused to speak to him--every time but that
last call. That's when they sorta made up, an' he told her he'd come home the
next day. But then it was too late. . . ." Jubilee paused, taking a shuddery
breath.
"So ya see, Hayseed, ever since I came to stay with them, it's like I've put a
wedge in their marriage. Most of what they're fightin' about is me. It's my
fault they're not gettin' along. It's my fault that Scott left. My fault that
Jean lost the baby. . . ." A jagged sob escaped her lips.
"No, Jubes. Oh God, it's not your fault. You had nothing to do with that."
"'Course I did. They were fightin' about me. Jean was upset, an' stressed out,
'cause of all the tension over me. An' that stress affected the baby, an' made
her lose it. It's all my fault. I might as well have killed it. I don't see how
they can ever forgive me."
"Jubilation, you listen to me, and you listen good and hard. *You* did not break
up Jean and Scott's marriage. You did not make them fight. And you sure as hell
did not cause her miscarriage. These things happen more often than you'd think.
My own mamma had three of 'em. It has nothing to do with what the woman does, or
those around her do. It's just that sometimes, things don't go right when the
baby's starting to grow. Something in the genetic structure gets screwed up.
Something incompatible with life. And the woman's body senses this, and takes
care of it. It knows that the baby can never be normal, so it terminates the
pregnancy. It's still tragic, but it's part of life. Please, Jubilee . . .
please, please, please don't blame yourself. There's nothing you could have
done."
Paige listened to the sound of her friend sobbing quietly on the other end of
the phone. Her own eyes welled with tears for the pain Jubilee was feeling. She
wished more than anything that she could be there with her, to hold her and
reassure her that she was not to blame.
"Jubes?" she called softly. "You still there, girlfriend?"
Jubilee sniffled, wiped her nose on her sleeve. "Y-Yeah. I'm here."
"I know how bad you feel, Jubes. I know how close you've gotten to Jean and
Scott, especially these past couple of months. But you have to realize that all
this stuff going down between them is not your fault. They've obviously got some
major issues they need to work through. Stuff that has nothing to do with you.
It has to do with them, their communication--or lack thereof. So, please, hon,
don't blame yourself. Guilt is gonna get you nowhere. Nowhere at all."
"But--"
"No buts about it, Lee. Trust me on this one. Okay?"
More sniffles. "I-I guess so."
"Don't guess. Know."
A pause. "Paige?"
"Yeah, Jubes?"
"Thanks."
"No problem. That's what I'm here for, Jubes. Like I told you, whenever you need
me. I'll always be there for you."
"You're the best, Hayseed, ya know that?"
"Hey, I've been trying to convince you of that for years now. Glad to hear you
finally admit it."
Jubilee managed a small smile. "Gosh, I think I need to get outta here for a
while. Clear my head."
"Where you gonna go?"
"Not sure yet. Just anywhere but here."
"Well, just be careful, 'kay? You're still getting your sea legs back."
"Yes, Momma."
Paige chuckled. "How 'bout I call you again tomorrow?"
"That'd be great, Paige. Thanks again. For thinkin' of me."
"I think about you all the time, Lee. You better be planning to get your butt
back here in the fall."
"Plannin' on it, Hayseed. Can't leave you roomie-less forever, now can I?"
"So I'll talk to you tomorrow?"
"Tomorrow it is."
"All righty then. Take care, Lee. Chin up."
"Bye." Jubilee clicked off the phone. Placing it down on the seat beside her,
she went to the bathroom to wash her face and blow her nose. By the time she was
done, she had a good idea of where she was going and how she was going to get
there. All she had to do was grab the necessary means of transportation.
End Chapter 18
*****
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 18
Jubilee sat on the cushioned seat by one of the mansion's bay windows, hugging
her knees to her chest, staring out at the bleary day. The sky was filled with
gray clouds, the sun nowhere to be seen. A light, misty rain fell constantly, as
it had for the past couple of days. It looked miserable outside. The weather
mimicked her mood perfectly. Sighing, she rested her chin on her knees.
She did not move when she heard the sound of footsteps approaching her. It was
not until a voice spoke her name that she shifted her body; even then, it was a
mere turn of the head.
"Phone, kiddo," Logan said, holding out the cordless.
"For me?" Jubilee asked.
"Yep. Here ya go." As soon as he handed her the phone, Logan retreated.
"Hello?" Jubilee spoke into the receiver.
"Hey, Lee! You're a tough gal to track down."
Jubilee could not help but smile at the sound of the familiar perky voice.
"Paige?"
"Yeah, it's me. I've been trying to reach you all day, but there's been no
answer at the Summers' house. I finally decided to try the mansion."
"Oh, sorry 'bout that. I've been staying over here the past couple days."
"Really? How come?"
"Things have been a bit . . . intense lately. Jean seemed like she needed some
space."
"You sound really down, Jubes. Wanna talk about it?"
"I don't even know where to start, Hayseed. . . ."
"Take your time. I'm not going anywhere."
Jubilee sighed. Even though she had very few memories of Paige other than after
her accident, she nonetheless had a good sense of the well intentions of her
former school roommate. From what Jubilee could gleam from talking with her old
classmates, she and Paige had been reluctant friends. It didn't take much to peg
Paige Guthrie as your classic overachiever and perpetual do-gooder. A typical
Cyclops mentality. Which would help explain why there had been tension between
an uptight girl like Paige and a fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants kid like Jubilee.
Nonetheless, Paige seemed determined for them to re-build that relationship.
Whether it be to aid in the process of Jubilee recovering her memory or to
fulfill Paige's sense of civic duty to do her part in easing Jubilee's
convalescence, she did not know. But the fact remained that Paige made it a
point to call her at least once a week to shoot the breeze. Truth to tell, with
no preconceived notions because of her lack of memories of their interactions,
Jubilee had been enjoying their chats immensely. It was actually really great to
have someone her own age in which she could confide. And right now, she could
really use someone to talk to about all that had happened.
"Well," Jubilee began, trying to decide the best place to start, "Scott an' Jean
. . . they've been having some problems lately."
"I sorta gathered that from when Cyclops came to teach here. He tried to put up
a strong front, but underneath, it wasn't too hard to tell he was upset. So,
they've been at odds?"
"Yeah. Thing is, for as long as I've known 'em, Scott an' Jean have seemed so
happy. They never used to so much as raise their voices around one another. But
lately. . . ." She could not stop a shiver from running through her.
"Bad, huh? I remember when my momma and daddy used to fight. We kids used to
huddle together in bed, trying to ignore it. But you never could. It's scary--
even when you're old enough to know what it is they're really fighting about."
"I thought things were gettin' better, 'cause the last time Scott called home,
Jean was finally willing to talk to him. Before that, she had refused every
time. I don't know exactly what they said, but afterwards, she told me that he
was comin' home. She was so excited. We both were. But before he ever arrived,
things took a horrible turn for the worst. . . ."
"What happened?"
"The next day, I went about my routine as usual. Had my workout with Wolvie. He
even told me that we could cut 'em down to every-other-day. I was so psyched.
But when Jean came to pick me up an' walk me home, she looked terrible. I'd
never seen her look so bad. Anyway, we went home, an' she went to lie down. I
made myself lunch, watched some TV. I was in the kitchen, cleaning up, when she
called to me for help. She had staggered into the kitchen, doubled over in pain,
face white as a sheet. An' the blood. There was so much blood. . . !" Jubilee
paused, swallowing at the lump in the back of her throat. The memory of that
horrible afternoon filled her with such fear, such sadness. It was almost more
than she could bear.
"Oh mah God! What happened? Is she okay?"
"Long story short, Jean had a miscarriage."
Paige gasped. "Oh, how terrible. Oh, poor Jean. Poor Scott. I'm so sorry, Jubes.
That's just awful."
"I've never been so scared in all my life. I ran back to the mansion, got help.
But by then, it was too late. They couldn't save the baby."
"Gosh, I-I didn't even know Jean was pregnant."
"Almost nobody did. She had only told me the day before, an' that was only
'cause I found her puking her guts out. Even Scott didn't know."
"What? You mean, he only found out *after*. . . ."
"Uh huh. So you can imagine how that didn't go over too well with him."
"Oh, sweet Jesus. No wonder they're fightin'. Did she purposely not tell him?"
"No, she planned to tell him when he came home. Guess she wanted to do it in
person. Only, she never got the chance."
"Oh gosh. I can see why you're so depressed, Jubilee. That's a horrible thing
for anyone to have to go through. And to be caught right in the middle. . . . I
just want you to know that I'm here for you. Whenever you need to talk--day or
night, no matter what the hour--you give me a call. Y'hear?"
"Thanks, Hayseed. I appreciate it."
"So, you're staying at the mansion, Jean's at the house. Where's Scott?"
"He's here at the mansion, too. That's the kicker. A few nights ago, they had
another big blow up. The biggest ever. An' she told him to get out."
"No way! Geez, this *is* serious."
"I-I'm just afraid that this may be it. That it might be over between them." She
paused, sniffling. The next words were spoken as little more than a whisper.
"An' it's all my fault."
"Your fault? How can any of this be your fault? Every couple has problems."
"But they were doin' just fine till I came to stay with them. That's when all
the trouble began. The tension, the distance. The first big fight happened after
a weekend Jean was away, an' Scott was watchin' me. I had a seizure--"
"What? Omigosh! Are you okay, Jubilee?"
"I'm fine. It was no big deal. Hank said it was probably an after-effect of my
head injury. I was so glad that Scott was there with me when it happened. It was
scary, losing control like that. Your body doin' stuff you're not tellin' it to.
But he held me, stayed with me through it all. He took care of me, made me feel
safe. Just like . . . like. . . ."
"Like a dad?"
Jubilee blinked, felt the tears fall. "Yeah. Just like a real dad. It's funny,
'cause before that weekend, we had hardly spent any time together. I always
thought Scott was kinda . . . I don't know . . . boring. Square. But the truth
is, he's a pretty cool guy once you get to know him.
"Anyway, when Jean found out what happened to me, she went ballistic. Sorta
lioness-protecting-her-cubs mode. An' she let Scott have it. Blamed him for what
happened to me. Not that it was in any way his fault. It just happened. After
that, things stayed pretty tense. Jean refused to talk to Scott, to even
acknowledge his presence. I think that got to be too much for him to take. So he
went to Massachusetts, to teach you guys. I think it was just an excuse to get
away for a while. Not that I blame him. An' it's not like he stopped caring,
even then. He called every night, spoke to me to see how I was doin'. An' he
always asked about Jean. But she refused to speak to him--every time but that
last call. That's when they sorta made up, an' he told her he'd come home the
next day. But then it was too late. . . ." Jubilee paused, taking a shuddery
breath.
"So ya see, Hayseed, ever since I came to stay with them, it's like I've put a
wedge in their marriage. Most of what they're fightin' about is me. It's my
fault they're not gettin' along. It's my fault that Scott left. My fault that
Jean lost the baby. . . ." A jagged sob escaped her lips.
"No, Jubes. Oh God, it's not your fault. You had nothing to do with that."
"'Course I did. They were fightin' about me. Jean was upset, an' stressed out,
'cause of all the tension over me. An' that stress affected the baby, an' made
her lose it. It's all my fault. I might as well have killed it. I don't see how
they can ever forgive me."
"Jubilation, you listen to me, and you listen good and hard. *You* did not break
up Jean and Scott's marriage. You did not make them fight. And you sure as hell
did not cause her miscarriage. These things happen more often than you'd think.
My own mamma had three of 'em. It has nothing to do with what the woman does, or
those around her do. It's just that sometimes, things don't go right when the
baby's starting to grow. Something in the genetic structure gets screwed up.
Something incompatible with life. And the woman's body senses this, and takes
care of it. It knows that the baby can never be normal, so it terminates the
pregnancy. It's still tragic, but it's part of life. Please, Jubilee . . .
please, please, please don't blame yourself. There's nothing you could have
done."
Paige listened to the sound of her friend sobbing quietly on the other end of
the phone. Her own eyes welled with tears for the pain Jubilee was feeling. She
wished more than anything that she could be there with her, to hold her and
reassure her that she was not to blame.
"Jubes?" she called softly. "You still there, girlfriend?"
Jubilee sniffled, wiped her nose on her sleeve. "Y-Yeah. I'm here."
"I know how bad you feel, Jubes. I know how close you've gotten to Jean and
Scott, especially these past couple of months. But you have to realize that all
this stuff going down between them is not your fault. They've obviously got some
major issues they need to work through. Stuff that has nothing to do with you.
It has to do with them, their communication--or lack thereof. So, please, hon,
don't blame yourself. Guilt is gonna get you nowhere. Nowhere at all."
"But--"
"No buts about it, Lee. Trust me on this one. Okay?"
More sniffles. "I-I guess so."
"Don't guess. Know."
A pause. "Paige?"
"Yeah, Jubes?"
"Thanks."
"No problem. That's what I'm here for, Jubes. Like I told you, whenever you need
me. I'll always be there for you."
"You're the best, Hayseed, ya know that?"
"Hey, I've been trying to convince you of that for years now. Glad to hear you
finally admit it."
Jubilee managed a small smile. "Gosh, I think I need to get outta here for a
while. Clear my head."
"Where you gonna go?"
"Not sure yet. Just anywhere but here."
"Well, just be careful, 'kay? You're still getting your sea legs back."
"Yes, Momma."
Paige chuckled. "How 'bout I call you again tomorrow?"
"That'd be great, Paige. Thanks again. For thinkin' of me."
"I think about you all the time, Lee. You better be planning to get your butt
back here in the fall."
"Plannin' on it, Hayseed. Can't leave you roomie-less forever, now can I?"
"So I'll talk to you tomorrow?"
"Tomorrow it is."
"All righty then. Take care, Lee. Chin up."
"Bye." Jubilee clicked off the phone. Placing it down on the seat beside her,
she went to the bathroom to wash her face and blow her nose. By the time she was
done, she had a good idea of where she was going and how she was going to get
there. All she had to do was grab the necessary means of transportation.
End Chapter 18
*****