Chapter Ten: She Wakes
Hank, being an agile man, leaps from what he sees to be the focus for Jean's attack. The ball of flames above her grows larger as she concentrates hard to solidify it. "All of you shall die!" she calls out. Her voice once again changed. Less like hers and more as she sounded in the Danger Room. She smiles a smile which would send shivers down the back of Charles mansion.
"Stop it, Jean!" Scoot calls out. A steady beam of red light grows from the corner of the room and hits Jean in the back. The flames above her head grow out, almost explosively, before fading away. She screams out as she feels it. The beam feels like a row of bees stinging her back. She is stunned and falls to her bed. Scott jumps to his feet and runs over to her.
"Scott," Jean musters in a weak tone. She holds her hand out to him, as he takes it. "Please, Scott...Help me."
"Of course," Scott replies. "We will find a way to help you."
Jean falls to tears as she clutches Scott close to her. He brushes her hair aside and holds her tight to his Chest. She cries softly. "What is wrong with me?" she asks. "What I have done?" Her sobs of pain grow larger.
"Jean?" Hank says. "I think it would be best for you to get some rest."
Jean looks at Hank and then returns her gaze to Scott. She kisses him very deeply and passionately. He holds her to him close. "I'll be with you, Jean. Always."
Hank takes Jean's hand in his and injects a small sedative into her arm.
"Scott?" Xavier says from the doorway. "I need to talk to you."
A few hours have passed and Jean is still sleeping. Scott has sat by her the entire time. For the longest time he has sat there, wating for a sign of his Jean. Xavier was revived shortly after the episode and, despite a headache, was unharmed.
"I can't leave her, Professor," he responds. "I told her I would stay by her."
"I understand," Xavier says as he wheels himself into the room. "The love you two share is so deep, so inspiring," he remarks. "It moves me. It always has. From the day you two met here, I knew what would happen...I knew you were in love."
Scott smiles as he looks down at the tender face of his beloved. She is so fragile. He would give his life to see her as he had before. He wishes he could simply take away her pain and bring it upon himself. he loves her so deeply.
"Scott," Xavier begins, hesitantly. "Hank and I believe we have an explanation for this."
"What?" Scott asks as he looks at the man he has loved as father for so long. "What is it? How can we fix it? How..."
"Scott," Xavier interrupts, "we took a sample of Jean's DNA after her display in the Danger Room. After running repeated tests, we have isolated what appears to be an evolved genetic code. What I mean to say is, we have come to the conclusion that she has evolved."
"How?" Scott asks frantically.
"It appears as though it happened after she was exposed to Magneto's radiation," Xavier explains.
""Wait a minute," Scott replies. "Why werent Storm and I affected as well?"
"Apparently," Xavier continues, "the radiation only effected her because she was still developing powers. The other mutants involved were completely evolved, both fully and latent. Jean's underlying telepathy hadn't been completely released yet, so the Radiation triggered it. As a result, she completely evolved. It seems that the immensely powerful Jean we see before us is the way she should actually be."
"But the radiation killed Senator Kelly," Scott added, taking Jeans hand. "Is it going to do the same to her?"
"I don't know," Xavier added. "Since Jean was had already begun mutating, I don't see how the effect on her would be the same as it was on Senator Kelly."
"Can't you find out?" Scott asks, scared and nervous. "I mean, come on, Professor. I can't even think about it."
"We will do everything in our power to help her, Scott," Xavier reassures. "Right now she needs you. She needs your love to get her through this."
Scott nods and turns his attention back to Jean. Charles turns his chair and begins to exit the room. As he reaches the door, he looks back to his students. He prays that inside he can find a way to help her. He hopes he will find a way to repair the damage the radiation has done, and to repair the damage that he may have done himself.
The morning light shines the trees over Xavier's School. Outside, in the courtyard, Remy LeBeau sits with the object of his affection, the girl called Rogue. They are studying for a quiz in history. Rogue is scanning her notes and glancing at the coinciding Sections of the Chapter. Remy, on the other hand, is just staring at her.
"Would ya' stop it, Cajun?" Rogue demands. She slams her book closed and looks at Remy with a deep frustration in her eyes.
"What?" Remy asks, flashing a cunning look of surprise on his face. "Remy not doin' anyt'ing, Chere."
"That's mah point, stupid!" she replies. "We're supposed t'be studyin' for a test and yer just sittin' there starin' at me! It gives me the creeps!"
"Remy can't help but stare at you, chere," he replies.
"Well ya' better knock it off!" she tells him as she stands and walks away from him.
Remy jumps to his feet and keeps close behind her. "Ain't I supposed to be your study partner?" he asks. "We can' be partners if ya' keep runnin' off and leavin' me behind. Remy jus' wan' to help."
Rogue turns around and stares him dead in his eyes. "If ya' really wanna' help me, Gumbo, then start studyin'!" She sits down at a table and hands Remy the book.
"Dis book is lyin', chere," Remy states as he turns to a page with a picture of Nefrititi on it.
"Now how is the book lyin'?" she asks.
"Because," Remy begins. "It say here 'dat 'dis Nefrititi woman was one of 'de mos' beautiful women in 'de world."
"Yeah, so?" Rogue asks back.
"I t'ink 'de mos' beautiful woman in 'de world is you, chere," Remy answers.
Rogue secretly smiles inside, but looks at him and throws a bunch of papers at him. "Ah swear if ya' ain't the most useless man in the world, Remy Lebeau!"
Scott opens his eyes and is shocked at what he sees. He only closed his eyes for a second, and when he opened them Jean was gone. He has no idea what happened. He jumps from his chair and runs out of the room in search of his beloved Jean. He sees nothing in the sterile halls below the Mansion. He holds his head and falls to his knees. "Jean?!"
A razory sharp sound echoes from the Danger Room. It reminds Scott of the calls of an Eagle. He stands to his feet and runs to the Danger Room, which is locked due to a training session in progress. He opens the side door going into the control room. He walks into room and notices that the controls are operating themselves. He looks down into the room and sees Jean.
"What are you doing?" He asks across the intercom. He is surprised to see Jean up and back in this room.
"I needed some...closure," she answers, reluctant and distant. She isn't using her powers, nor is she training physically. In fact, she is standing there, watching a holographic replay of the other day when she went Phoenix mode.
"You should be in bed, Jean," Scott reprimands her.
"I know," Jean replies, looking off into the distance. She uses her telekinetic powers and ends the session. She opens the doors in the same manner and walks back into the hall. Scott follows her lead and meets her outside the room.
"Come on, Jean," he says, "Let's get you back to bed."
"No, Scott," Jean says. "Take me up stairs, to our bed."
Scott agrees and the two lovers make their way to the elevator.
