Jubilee and Freefall
Chapter 1
By Teala373
Synopsis: Jubilee decides to strike out on her own and is happy when a fed-up Gambit joins her. When Jubilee discovers that Gambit has an ace up his sleeve, she pulls a fast one and looks up an old acquaintance.
This is a crossover with Gen13, though it is more X-Men based. I always thought Jubilee and Freefall would be great together. The story is also alternate reality as it only partially follows the comic book continuum. I made a lot of my own stuff up. ^_^ PS - please forgive the crappy way I write their accents! ;;;;
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The door to Harry's Hideaway slammed open and several eyes turned to look at the beautiful, yet infuriated young woman stomping towards the bar. Harry chuckled to himself as the petite Asian stalked closer. He could only begin to imagine what had her all fired up now.
Slamming a fist on the bar counter, the young woman fixed a menacing stare as she ordered. "Jack and Coke on the rocks... and hold the coke!"
Swallowing a smile, Harry gave a nod and began preparing a drink. A few moments later, he placed a chocolate milkshake in front of his much vexed customer. "So what's eatin' you, Jubilee? You and Logan get into a fight or something?"
"Yeah, I wish it were that simple!" Rolling her eyes, Jubilee began her tale of woe.
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A couple hours later found Jubilee surrounded by empty milkshake glasses and halfway through her second bowl of chips. "So whaddaya think, Harry?" she asked once she wrapped up her whining on how annoyed she was with her current life.
"Well, I'll tell ya, Jubilee, it sounds like you just need to cool down for a while and not dwell so much, but if you really feel that under appreciated, under estimated, and just so darn miserable with where your life is going, then maybe you should step back from it for a little while. It'll give you a different perspective when you're away from it all. See if Logan'll take ya on a trip."
"Ya know..." Jubilee scrunched up her face in concentration as thoughts ran in and out of her mind, "gettin' away sounds pretty good. I wouldn't have to leave-leave, just take a nice, long trip!" She flashed a smile at a man who was probably grateful for her pathetic little problem in comparison to the crap she was sure Logan laid on him when he came barging in, trying to out drink his healing factor, "Thanks, Harry! You're alright!"
"My pleasure, Miss Lee. Want another Jack and Coke?"
"Actually, I'll try a strawberry Jack and Coke this time."
"Comin' right up."
The scent of cigarette smoke so close alerted Jubilee that someone was coming up behind her. She was surprised when the man banged a fist on the counter and spoke with an all-too-familiar Cajun accent.
"Jack an' Coke, mon ami."
Harry snorted. "You want that on the rocks and hold the coke?"
An eyebrow shot up, but before he could question the comment, a voice piped in.
"I wouldn't order that if I were you. You'll just end up with a chocolate milkshake."
Gambit looked down and was surprised to see Jubilee munching away on chips and happily accepting a strawberry milkshake. Flashing his trademark smile, melting away the anger and frustration that had been there before, he pulled up a stool to sit next to one of his favorite girls. "Scratch dat. Gambit have what she havin'."
Shaking his head, Harry walked away, mumbling something about 'those kids from the school'.
"What's a girl like you doin' in a place like this, petite?"
Jubilee smiled. She liked it when Gambit called her 'petite'. "Drowning my sorrows with the hard stuff." This elicited a small laugh from the Cajun. "Need to get away for a while. Sean and Emma, not to mention those rag-tag brats, are all driving me batty!"
Gambit nodded. "Tings ain't much better back at da big house, petite. Dis family too much sometimes, ya know?"
"Tell me about it!" She rolled her eyes for emphasis. "I'm gonna take a little trip to get away from it all. I need to think. Maybe this wasn't the big, stellar career choice that I thought it was going to be."
After thanking Harry for the shake, Gambit began to sip on it, thoughtfully. "Yeah, I know what ya mean, petite. Gambit want ta get away, too. Rogue an' Stormie jump all down my back an' I had it!"
Jubilee knew better than to ask what those three were fighting about.
"Hey, I got a lil' business ta do back home. Wanna come wit Gambit?"
"What kind of business?" she asked, raising a suspicious eyebrow. She and Gambit were tight, but she also knew better than to trust him completely.
The Cajun just flashed that handsome grin. "An ol' buddy of mine - names Christophe. We ran together in da Tieves Guild. He owe me some money an' I need ta go collect. C'mon, petite. I show you a good time in New Orleans, no?"
Jubilee smiled back, remembering the last time Gambit had invited her to Mardi Gras with a few of the others. When she had first settled into the large confines of the Westchester mansion, she had to admit that she had been instantly smitten with the dashing, card-wielding Acadian, much to Wolverine's disapproval. However, she soon learned that although Gambit was indeed fun, mysterious, and adventurous, he had another side that was anything but carefree and lighthearted. She began taking him more with a grain of salt, and quickly disposed of her crush. She'd been burned by him before during a very difficult first mission. True, it was over now, but she had been very young and it had left a very big impression - almost like a scar...
"When ya leavin'?"
"Whenever. You ready now?"
Jubilee let out a happy sigh as she stood from her stool. "Gimme a chance ta pack a bag an' meet ya somewheres...."
Noticing her fishing for money, Gambit laid one hand on her arm to stop her, while the other smoothly produced enough to cover the cost of all the milkshakes. "I'll pick you up at da gates."
"Better make that in front of the drive. I ain't exactly waltzing out the front door."
Gambit smiled. "Not gettin' permission from da Queenie?"
Rolling her eyes back into her head while fluttering her eyelashes, Jubilee let an ugly snort rip. "I'm sorry, but I do NOT take orders, nor 'gain' permission from some nasty-S&M wearin'-former Inner Circle-got all her original kids killed-can't give orders for shit-once was our enemy-and was involved with that Phoenix mess-bitch! She ain't no X-man and she never will be!"
Gambit was not only looking at Lee in slight admiration for her strong words, he was also trying to hold back laughter from some of the things she had said about the uppity co-leader of the Gen X upstarts. "You tell me when an' I be there wit bells on, petite."
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"Anyone seen Remy?"
"Sorry, Rogue. He left early this afternoon and hasn't been back since."
"Hmph. Ah hope he hasn't done nothin' stupid an' jus' up an' left again!"
Ororo sighed as she turned her head to see who was coming out the back door. "I hope so too, my friend."
Jean walked out onto the back porch with one of the cordless phones in her hand. Many of the other X-Men were relaxing out there, enjoying the mild Summer night. Scott turned his head, expecting his long time girlfriend to come over and sit with him. From behind his glasses, his eyes narrowed as he found her direction heading towards Wolverine, leaning up against a tree while he smoked a cigar.
"Phone's for you," Jean smiled as she handed the phone over to Wolverine, "Sounds like it might be the beginning of a hot poker game over at the 'Hideaway'."
Wolverine grunted as he accepted the phone, hiding his smile of triumph. He wondered if Scott ever stopped scowling and frowning from behind those ruby-quartz glasses.
"Logan? It's Harry."
"Settin' up another game tonight, Harry? I was thinking about swinging by to see the kid tonight..."
"That's why I'm calling! The kid ain't gonna be there!"
As Jean took a seat between Scott and Ororo, she noticed the hard, concentrated look covering Wolverine's face as he continued his conversation. She was beginning to doubt that Harry had called about a poker game.
"Whaddaya mean she ain't gonna be there?"
"She came in here all upset, so I gave her some drinks and advice..."
"WHAT?!" Wolverine roared into the phone, capturing everyone's attention. "You gave her 'drinks'...
"Logan! Logan! Calm down! 'Drinks' as in milkshakes. Relax, will ya! I know how to treat the kid!"
Wolverine grunted. "So then what happened?"
"Well, she was talking about how much she hated that new school she was in and waned to leave. I suggested that she just take a trip to get away from it for a while and think about things. I was talking about a little weekend thing where she goes up to Niagara or something - has a little fun and then comes home forgettin' her troubles, ya know?"
"Yeah...."
"Well then your pal Gambit walks in..."
Wolverine dropped his cigar. "Say no more. And he ain't my pal."
"He's up to something, Wolverine - convinced her to go to New Orleans with him. And, she's sneaking out of that school to do it. Said a mighty mouthful of colorful words about one of her headmasters,too."
"I'm on it. Thanks, Harry."
Instead of hanging up the phone, Wolverine hurled it hard against another tree, smashing it into pieces. He definitely had everyone's attention now.
Jean stood up. "Logan? What's wrong?"
He angrily stalked towards the door at a fast pace and yanked it open, nearly ripping it off it's hinges. "Lee's missing an' Gumbo's with her. Gotta find her before the Cajun gets her into trouble."
Rogue jumped up. "Ah knew it..."
"Sit right back down, Rogue. I'm flying solo on this one."
Storm leaned forward to place a hand on Rogue's arm. It was a gesture that told her to stay put of it. Once Wolverine was well out of ear shot for his heightened hearing, Rogue shot Storm a questioning glance.
"It's complicated with him and Lee, especially with Gambit in the mix," she leaned back in her chair and sighed, "It's better not to anger him and stay out of it."
Jean walked up and put a comforting hand on Rogue's shoulder. "Or at least give him a head start and trail him from far enough behind."
Both Storm and Rogue shot Jean a surprised look. I was a little out of character from their otherwise reserved friend.
"What?" the redhead began defensively, "Someone has to save Remy's sorry ass when Logan gets a hold of it."