TITLE- The Time For Change
AUTHOR- candy aka candylynn
E-MAIL ME- darksydelady@aol.com
TYPE- angst and drama
RATING- PG13
DISCLAIMER-I don't own anyone in the story.
NOTES- Three members of The X-Family realize how the other's truly feel about them and start questioning their purpose in life. If you like this I will past the rest.
""-conversation
// //-telepathic
**-thought
Christmas Eve Night
Xavier's Institute
9:30 PM
"Hey Wolvie where ya goin'?" Jubilee's hurried question was accompanied by a smile as she quickly approached him from behind. Logan rolled his eyes to the their corners and watched her walk along side him. He was not in the mood to deal with her tonight. As much as he did love her there times her overprotectiveness and childish crush were more than he could stomach.
"Harry's kiddo, house a little full. See ya in a couple of hours." A deafening silence fell between them. She continued to walk with him into the packed kitchen, busy with last minute dinner preparations and people, mainly the men stealing cookies. Jubilee flashed a grin to Scott as he swiped a hot gingerbread cookie and gobbled it down. He flashed a red pulse, his version of a wink...or a threat depending on the situation, but this time it was indeed a wink. Jean turned and slapped him on the wrist, sending the remains of the cookie to the countertop.
Jubilee was genuine glad to see him home safe and sound, though she was sure Logan wasn't. In her playful exchange with Scott, she'd allowed Logan to pull ahead of her a few steps. She continued behind him, until he entered the pantry and slipped out the back door into the garage. When she entered the tiny room he allowed the door to bang shut. Flinching, it was then that Jubilee realized she wouldn't be welcomed on this trip.
She lowered her head, fighting her tears and watched as he drove out the garage in his red jeep and off to Harry's without her. This should have been a chance for them to reconnect, but he was so angry for some reason that he had all but ignored her from the second Emma dropped her and Skin off.
She exhaled a cleanser breath and plastered a half smile on her face as she reentered the kitchen. Jean was the first to see through her facade, "Jubilee everything okay?"
"Yeah...great...oh Logan told me to tell y'all he won't be home for dinner," she quirked her thumb backwards the pantry door, "he's goin' to Harry's." At that Jubilee exited the kitchen for the peace and solitude of the living room leaving the occupants of the kitchen starching their collective heads.
By the time she completed the short trip to living room she was breathless with her own heartbreak. She plopped down under the massive evergreen in the center. The darkened room was made to look magical by hazy golden glow of the Christmas lights strung up on the tree. There seemed to be a small department store of gifts under the tree. It struck her odd that only one was for Kitty...
Kitty, they had never really gotten along, well to be honest they hadn't been around each other to get along. Kathryn had already relocated to England when Logan brought Jubilee to Xavier's. And when Illyana was sick and Logan was going through the drama of losing his adamantium they were more focused on that then getting to know each other. It wasn't until the nightmare with Viper and the short trip on the Blackbird coming back from saving Logan from 'Death' that they actually made a connection.
Jubilee found herself drawn to Kitty, against her better judgment. Kitty had been Logan's sidekick first and more of a daughter than Jubilee had been to him herself. So there had always been jealousy, a lot of jealousy on Jubilee's part only. But over the lost year they had become, closer...if not friends. So when it was time to go shopping for gifts Kitty was on her list. A sweater, yeah it was tired and done kind of gift but the darn thing screamed Kitty. Kind of conservative and fun colored but not loud, like Kitty.
But to Jubilee's surprise Kitty was missing. MISSING? For months now Kitty was no where to be found. Jubilee had been busy with her own life and team in Massachusetts to really notice. She had sent a few e-mails to her, but figured the lack of response was due to Kitty's own insane schedule with the X-Men, it happens. But the fact that she was missing was unacceptable to Jubilee.
Jubilee herself had been missing once, Bastion had taken right from under Sean and Emma's noses and no one had even noticed she was missing for a month. If not for Daria, who knows where Jubilee would be right now. And Logan coming to her rescue in the desert had been an accident of placement and luck. Jubilee prayed that Kitty was not in the same dire straights.
She fingered the gold bow on Kitty's package; Jubilee had wrapped it so perfectly it surprised herself. "So P'tite, you like dem lights too non?" Gambit's strong arms wrapped around Jubilee's thin frame as he slide behind her on the floor. He rested his chin on the top of head. She could have sworn she heard a sniffle of crying in his charming voice.
"Yeah, me and pretty lights go hand and hand." She joked in a humorless and dull tone.
"I saw Logan take off, you two have a Lover's quarrel?"
"HA!" Her singular sarcastic laugh was not lost on him. He squeezed her tighter, and kissed her on the top of her head.
"Ever notice how things come out in the funniest way," he asked?
"Meaning?" She returned twisting her head around to face him.
"Context clues, Chere. Take dis tree here, and de gifts underneath. Nothin' fer Kitty but your gift. Implyin' dey don't th'nk she be home for Christmas. A ton for Scott, which reflect their collective shy of relief dat he is home for Christmas. As for you, and almost everyone else a pretty decent booty haul. But Logan seemed pretty giving this year when it came to you Chere... he always got ya stuff before but dis year he went all out."
"He's ashamed of me..." Jubilee lowered her eyes to the large red box pushed into a corner, only it's size made it visible. The rest of her gifts were displayed like the others under the tree, but his was pushed away and hidden like he was trying to hide the fact he had purchased it.
"No P'tite, it's called guilt. As for dis t'ief, Stormy and Jean got me a 'group' gift."
"Haha, I see what you mean now, the drama of this family plays out in Christmas gifts." Jubilee shook her head. Gambit and Rogue were having troubles, so no gift from her to him. The others were having problem with him so nothing from them either. Jean would have noticed and just out of politeness she got him something signing it from everyone, while Storm would 'do' for Remy no matter what.
As the night went on, the others left Gambit and Jubilee alone in the Livingroom, the action was in the Den. "Have they even looked for her?" Jubilee's sudden question caught him off guard.
"Who dat, Kitty? Not dat I know, afta Scott come home dis Man got out of de loop Chere."
"Oh, maybe..." Jubilee picked up the long thin package for Kitty and played with the bow, "Maybe me and you could lookin' I mean Jean said they had an idea of where she was lost time anyone saw her, we could start there."
"I don't think Logan would be appreciatin'' me takin'...."
"Screw him, look Remy she needs us. People didn't bother to realize I was gone. Bastion had me for a month. A MONTH!! Nobody even noticed...like they were glad I was gone. It fucks with you knowing that. Like you don't matter enough."
"I know dat one Chere, Antarctica was a real nice surprise to me too."
"Antartica? What in the world..." Jubilee looked deep into his red eyes ans saw a pain he'd pushed aside for a year and a half now. "Last year when you were 'gone' for a while you went to Antarctica? Why?"
"I may have went dere but dey left me dere, Chere. I helped organize the Morlock Killers, I didn't know what Sinister was planing, by de time I found out it was too late. I did what I could, but..." Tears bubbled up in his eyes. Jubilee smiled at him lovingly and twisted around to face him. He refused to look at her sure that she was judging him the same way the others had.
"Remy, we all have done things we regret. It'll be okay, I promise." He took his hand and kissed the back of it the same way he had done her for years now.
*Damn girl, you just had to do dat didn't you?* Her kindness was like a sledgehammer to the wall he had built around his pain. Tears ran out his eyes like a silent down pour. She got to her knees and captured him in her arms. He buried his head in the gentle curve of her breast and had his silent cry, grateful that she had decided to spent Christmas with him.
***********************
Christmas Morning
Xavier's Institute
5AM
At some point over the night, someone had come in and put a blanket over Jubilee and Gambit who were curled up under the tree asleep in each others arms. Kitty was sure it wasn't Logan, had he seen this she was sure he would have sent Jubilee to her room after the mother of all arguments and gutted Remy. Of course he would have not noticed the drying tears on the Cajun's face or the look of friendly concern on Jubilee's peacefully sleeping face.
Kitty stood looking at the tree, it was beautiful as always. Packed with gifts as usual, but none were for her. Not she was upset about not getting anything only the fact that no one had bothered to think that she would be home except... Tucked under Jubilee's arm was a red package with a golden bow. It was obvious that Jubilee had taken care to wrap it perfectly, Kitty's name on the tag.
Kitty lowered her bottom onto the floor next to the sleeping X-Men and surveyed them. Weren't they the most interesting two in the bunch, a thief and a mallrat. Both so lighthearted, both so abused. Gambit had been through hell and it only seemed to get worse with every passing day and Jubilee seemed forever heartbroken. Forever abandoned by those she loved. Her parents, the system, Logan and the young man she'd cared for at school...or at least that was what she'd heard. Jubilee had told her about Ev and how he went after Gaia first then Monet. All the while Jubilee was helpless to do anything while he chased the more 'perfect' girls.
Jubilee had a complex about herself and her lack of perfection, she hides behind her flippant nature and cynicism as a means to protect herself from her own pain. Gambit wasn't much better, his charm and attitude were even more an impressive mask to hide his longing for love and acceptance. Funny thing was Kitty understood them better then they thought.
She had been the baby, the youngest. She had proven herself over the years, but always via her own skills. Her ninja abilities were left behind when she possessed by one. She 'd gone to England even became a member of SHIELD, but via Pete Wisdom. She was lucky that's all. She was smart and in the right places, nothing more. Jubilee had earned her leadership role in Gen X, she'd helped saved the X-Men with her own wits, no luck. Gambit was a skilled member of the team, agile, and resourceful but his past kept them from fully seeing how much of an asset he really was. As for Jubilee her age and implied lack of focus is what robbed her of their respect. The girl was a teenager, a real one, she wanted to have fun and be young. There was nothing wrong with that unless you were an X-Man.
You were to save the world and have no life outside of that. But why save a world when you can't even enjoy it? Jubilee had found away to do both, regardless.
Kitty brushed a stray hair away from Jubilee's sweet face and sighed. She wondered if anyone remembered that yesterday was Jubilee's birthday or that Gambit's was coming up? Most likely not.
"Uhmm," Jubilee stirred from her peaceful sleep, wincing at the pain in her neck. She opened her eyes, at first noting Gambit's auburn hair mussed all over his head. She rolled her head up and caught sight of what looked like an angel at first. "Who.." She rubbed her eyes and then realized that it was "KITTY!!" With surprising abandoned she flung herself into Kitty's arms knocking her off balance.
Remy's head went sailing to the floor with a thud, waking him from a peaceful dreamless sleep. "Chere you coulda warned ol' Remy." He rubbed his swore head and looked over towards Jubilee mauling someone that looked a lot like Kitty. "Kitty? Chere dat you."
"YEAH, now help me 'fore she hugs me to death." She said laughing. Remy pulled at Jubilee lightly, then politely hugged, Kitty.
"Chere welcome home." Gambit was genuinely happy.
"Yeah Pryde, we were about to mount stead and come lookin' for ya." Jubilee's eyes gleamed wide with joy.
"Really, here I thought nobody cared." Kitty's mood swung dark. She got to her feet.
"Where ya been, I e-mail ya and then come here and they tell me you were missing what happen Computer Hackers of America have a convention or something?" Kitty grunted a weak laugh at her comment.
"I wish it was that simple Sweetie, but... "
"Chere?" Remy wrapped one arm around her as Jubilee got her a drink of soda from the bar in the next room. Remy lead Kitty after Jubilee.
"Remy, I can't stay here anymore. Xavier's..." As they entered the next room Storm and Jean came down the steps in full on run. They ripped Kitty from Gambit and wrapped their arms around her as they cried tears of joy.
As if on cue Logan came in through the front door and the others came down the steps.
"Kitten," Logan's face turned three shades of happy when he saw her. The crowd of X-Men pulled Kitty into the Den, leaving Jubilee and Remy behind to mill over her last words, '...I can't stay here anymore...'
"Where have ya been Sugah?"
"What happened after the crash, Darlin'?"
"Why didn't you call us?"
And on and on went the questions. Storm embraced Kitty tightly as Logan took her hand. Kitty tried to start talking, she tried to break past their questions. Finally Xavier was the one who noted her discomfort and angst. "Please everyone give the child a moment to collect herself." Charles' innocent comment was the opening of the flood gate.
"Professor I am not a child, and as for where I was for where I was why don't you ask jubilee the same or Gambit ... or do any of you really care?" The room turned silent with shock, as Jubilee and Gambit entered the room. "Go on ask them. Ask them where they were when they were missing, ask her how she was treated, ask her how she endured her imprisonment and torture. Ask them how they escaped. Ask them how they feel about the fact none of you have ever asked them about this before."
"Kitten, I do not understand?" Storm was wide eyed, where had all this come from?
"I know Ororo, none of you do. You fight for a world that fears and hates you. But why, what happens if and when you win. Have any of you thought about that? How about helping the world not hate you. Kelly and Creed were running for the Presidency and where were we? Why didn't you become involved Charles, you can gain audience at the UN to stop Magneto from getting a chair for Genosha but you can't get airtime with two racist on TV to show the world what maniacs they really were. And what about everything else. We have life saving equipment here that every hospital in America could use and we horde it here for our personal uses. Cecelia..." She looked at the doctor who's eyes were gleaming with understanding, "How many lives could be saved at your hospital with the Shi'ar technology in the MedLab?"
"Kathryn, I am assuming this outburst is has to do with what you have been through but what you are implying is simply not true," Charles began but was cut to the quick from an unlikely source.
"She hasn't implied anything everything she said has been fact," Jubilee's eyes boiled with a subtle rage. Gambit held her hand, the same look in the depths of his eyes.
"Child if you are..."
"Again, Xavier, you refer to one of your own as a child, she hasn't been a child in years. Have you ever wondered why she has never used her powers to their fullest. Her team members have always defeated her in training exercises, but only because she holds back, she refuses to hurt anyone. A nice notion but why Charles?" Kitty looked at him demanding a response. Charles looked beyond the beautiful brunette to Jubilee who looked on the verge of thermonuclear melt down. He had no answer.
"It's because she's taken a life before, isn't that right Jubilee..." Kitty turned to her with knowing eyes?
Jubilee looked at her in total disbelief, she tried to mumble a question of how did she know but only a gasp of disbelief came out.
"Kitten, now wait a second." Logan was mad now, Jubilee didn't have it in her to do that, he'd managed to stop her from killing the two people in the world she hated more than even Sabertooth, her parent's murderers, she had a respect for life. Even lowlifes.
"No, you wait a second, you think you know her, then why don't you know that she killed CynJen..." Jubilee almost jumped out her skin. She looked up at Gambit expecting to see the same judgmental expression on his face that the others were giving her now, but she only saw a flash of surprise and then a strange understanding. "Then she brought her back. Jubilee it was an accident, you didn't mean to. The funny thing is everyone in this room is ready to judge you now and don't even know what you did. Your first manifestation was in her Den, you fired a blast at her during a debate over a new kid. You killed her, but when you touched her, you powers healed her. You already know how to use your gifts to their fullest but the thought of killing anyone scares you because you aren't sure how you healed CynJen."
"How did you find out?" Jubilee's weak voice asked.
"Where I have been I learned a lot, a lot. I came here to say good-bye, but maybe I was sent here by them to bring new members in."
"What are you talking about?" Logan demanded half ready to snatch her up by her collar.
"Nate Grey, he saved me, he has saved many. Now he wants others to spread the word to mutants world wide that we don't have to hide in the shadows, or in dark basements ... or huge mansions as it were. That we have a responsibility to prove ourselves human by using our gifts to move mankind into the 21st century with new eyes. Instead of fighting each other we need to fighting hate. You all have forgotten that. We are preoccupied with stopping Magneto or rumbling with Sabertooth, what have the X-Men done to improve the day to day lives of our brother humans? Nothing."
She turned to Jubilee and Gambit, "You two have endured enough here, Nate has opened my eyes to the fact that the X-Men here and in his world or origin are a gang of selfish self serving holier than thou heroes obsessed with their narrow goals. Gambit, you have the charm of a Prince. Imagine all the people you could influence with with it. And Jubilee your smile and youthful energy could surely bring around a mass of people, making them realize that most mutants just want to live their lives not take over the world. Not to mention it's time you learned how your healing powers work." Kitty looked at them. They only looked back at her blankly.
Kitty took one last look around, "Nate I am ready," she whispered to the air. A bright white light appeared in the center of the room and in it's center was Nate Grey. Kitty moved passed the mystified mass of X-Men. Logan got to his feet and reached for Kitty, only to fall on the floor when she became intangible. She didn't even look back. Nate rested his bare feet on the floor and the halo that had engulfed him vanished. Kitty walked to him, smiling he captured her in a kind embrace.
"Nate I don't understand this," Charles said, completely unable to read the powerful young man.
//As Kathryn said, you have lost your way.// Nate's unspoken words rippled through the air, //Kathryn was lost and I found her, she embraces her gifts in a new way. You hide behind your borrowed technology and codenames like children playing with toys. This life is no game, men like you and Magneto will come to see this. Your endless war with each other and others like you will come to end and WE will end it. This world is to be shared, we have to earn the respect of humans, not demand they take us at face value. Too many of us have done too much damage for that. You could thousand of lives everyday with what you horde in this house. All the cures to disease, all the lifesaving medical equipment... But you selfishly keep it to yourself. Childish, I see no redeeming any of you except...//
He looked over at Gambit and Jubilee. Without saying another word he extended his hand to them both. Jubilee looked at her Cajun friend, her breathing was excelerated. Everything he and Kitty had said rang true to her. She looked at Logan who was focused on Kitty and Nate trying planning a line of attack, he would never change. It was Logan's way or the highway, the same with Charles, and the others simply followed suit. She imagined all that they were capable of. She wondered if Cedar Sinai had the technology that was in the Med Lab would her parents still alive?
Gambit had no thoughts, he simply walked over to the young man shocking everyone. Even more shocking was that Jubilee was right behind him. Logan reached for her, but as his hand rested on her shirt collar she turned into pure light energy. Four glowing balls of light hovered over the group, then they vanished.
Logan growled, the blood curdling sound was heavy with his rage and hurt. He was losing the two people that meant the most to him. Charles immediately left to activate Cerebro to try and track them. The others went to suit up to be ready to go after them.
The crackling sound of hellish thunder stopped them in their tracks. The air rippled with a sound that resonated with quicksilver, // They were lost to you for months, abandoned to die, and missing without you even noting and nothing was done. Now they leave on their own after seeing what you all truly are and you can't even respect their choices, Childish.//
The room returned to normal, the X-Men held their places. Minds unchanged, comments held firm. This wasn't over not by a long shot.
AUTHOR- candy aka candylynn
E-MAIL ME- darksydelady@aol.com
TYPE- angst and drama
RATING- PG13
DISCLAIMER-I don't own anyone in the story.
NOTES- Three members of The X-Family realize how the other's truly feel about them and start questioning their purpose in life. If you like this I will past the rest.
""-conversation
// //-telepathic
**-thought
Christmas Eve Night
Xavier's Institute
9:30 PM
"Hey Wolvie where ya goin'?" Jubilee's hurried question was accompanied by a smile as she quickly approached him from behind. Logan rolled his eyes to the their corners and watched her walk along side him. He was not in the mood to deal with her tonight. As much as he did love her there times her overprotectiveness and childish crush were more than he could stomach.
"Harry's kiddo, house a little full. See ya in a couple of hours." A deafening silence fell between them. She continued to walk with him into the packed kitchen, busy with last minute dinner preparations and people, mainly the men stealing cookies. Jubilee flashed a grin to Scott as he swiped a hot gingerbread cookie and gobbled it down. He flashed a red pulse, his version of a wink...or a threat depending on the situation, but this time it was indeed a wink. Jean turned and slapped him on the wrist, sending the remains of the cookie to the countertop.
Jubilee was genuine glad to see him home safe and sound, though she was sure Logan wasn't. In her playful exchange with Scott, she'd allowed Logan to pull ahead of her a few steps. She continued behind him, until he entered the pantry and slipped out the back door into the garage. When she entered the tiny room he allowed the door to bang shut. Flinching, it was then that Jubilee realized she wouldn't be welcomed on this trip.
She lowered her head, fighting her tears and watched as he drove out the garage in his red jeep and off to Harry's without her. This should have been a chance for them to reconnect, but he was so angry for some reason that he had all but ignored her from the second Emma dropped her and Skin off.
She exhaled a cleanser breath and plastered a half smile on her face as she reentered the kitchen. Jean was the first to see through her facade, "Jubilee everything okay?"
"Yeah...great...oh Logan told me to tell y'all he won't be home for dinner," she quirked her thumb backwards the pantry door, "he's goin' to Harry's." At that Jubilee exited the kitchen for the peace and solitude of the living room leaving the occupants of the kitchen starching their collective heads.
By the time she completed the short trip to living room she was breathless with her own heartbreak. She plopped down under the massive evergreen in the center. The darkened room was made to look magical by hazy golden glow of the Christmas lights strung up on the tree. There seemed to be a small department store of gifts under the tree. It struck her odd that only one was for Kitty...
Kitty, they had never really gotten along, well to be honest they hadn't been around each other to get along. Kathryn had already relocated to England when Logan brought Jubilee to Xavier's. And when Illyana was sick and Logan was going through the drama of losing his adamantium they were more focused on that then getting to know each other. It wasn't until the nightmare with Viper and the short trip on the Blackbird coming back from saving Logan from 'Death' that they actually made a connection.
Jubilee found herself drawn to Kitty, against her better judgment. Kitty had been Logan's sidekick first and more of a daughter than Jubilee had been to him herself. So there had always been jealousy, a lot of jealousy on Jubilee's part only. But over the lost year they had become, closer...if not friends. So when it was time to go shopping for gifts Kitty was on her list. A sweater, yeah it was tired and done kind of gift but the darn thing screamed Kitty. Kind of conservative and fun colored but not loud, like Kitty.
But to Jubilee's surprise Kitty was missing. MISSING? For months now Kitty was no where to be found. Jubilee had been busy with her own life and team in Massachusetts to really notice. She had sent a few e-mails to her, but figured the lack of response was due to Kitty's own insane schedule with the X-Men, it happens. But the fact that she was missing was unacceptable to Jubilee.
Jubilee herself had been missing once, Bastion had taken right from under Sean and Emma's noses and no one had even noticed she was missing for a month. If not for Daria, who knows where Jubilee would be right now. And Logan coming to her rescue in the desert had been an accident of placement and luck. Jubilee prayed that Kitty was not in the same dire straights.
She fingered the gold bow on Kitty's package; Jubilee had wrapped it so perfectly it surprised herself. "So P'tite, you like dem lights too non?" Gambit's strong arms wrapped around Jubilee's thin frame as he slide behind her on the floor. He rested his chin on the top of head. She could have sworn she heard a sniffle of crying in his charming voice.
"Yeah, me and pretty lights go hand and hand." She joked in a humorless and dull tone.
"I saw Logan take off, you two have a Lover's quarrel?"
"HA!" Her singular sarcastic laugh was not lost on him. He squeezed her tighter, and kissed her on the top of her head.
"Ever notice how things come out in the funniest way," he asked?
"Meaning?" She returned twisting her head around to face him.
"Context clues, Chere. Take dis tree here, and de gifts underneath. Nothin' fer Kitty but your gift. Implyin' dey don't th'nk she be home for Christmas. A ton for Scott, which reflect their collective shy of relief dat he is home for Christmas. As for you, and almost everyone else a pretty decent booty haul. But Logan seemed pretty giving this year when it came to you Chere... he always got ya stuff before but dis year he went all out."
"He's ashamed of me..." Jubilee lowered her eyes to the large red box pushed into a corner, only it's size made it visible. The rest of her gifts were displayed like the others under the tree, but his was pushed away and hidden like he was trying to hide the fact he had purchased it.
"No P'tite, it's called guilt. As for dis t'ief, Stormy and Jean got me a 'group' gift."
"Haha, I see what you mean now, the drama of this family plays out in Christmas gifts." Jubilee shook her head. Gambit and Rogue were having troubles, so no gift from her to him. The others were having problem with him so nothing from them either. Jean would have noticed and just out of politeness she got him something signing it from everyone, while Storm would 'do' for Remy no matter what.
As the night went on, the others left Gambit and Jubilee alone in the Livingroom, the action was in the Den. "Have they even looked for her?" Jubilee's sudden question caught him off guard.
"Who dat, Kitty? Not dat I know, afta Scott come home dis Man got out of de loop Chere."
"Oh, maybe..." Jubilee picked up the long thin package for Kitty and played with the bow, "Maybe me and you could lookin' I mean Jean said they had an idea of where she was lost time anyone saw her, we could start there."
"I don't think Logan would be appreciatin'' me takin'...."
"Screw him, look Remy she needs us. People didn't bother to realize I was gone. Bastion had me for a month. A MONTH!! Nobody even noticed...like they were glad I was gone. It fucks with you knowing that. Like you don't matter enough."
"I know dat one Chere, Antarctica was a real nice surprise to me too."
"Antartica? What in the world..." Jubilee looked deep into his red eyes ans saw a pain he'd pushed aside for a year and a half now. "Last year when you were 'gone' for a while you went to Antarctica? Why?"
"I may have went dere but dey left me dere, Chere. I helped organize the Morlock Killers, I didn't know what Sinister was planing, by de time I found out it was too late. I did what I could, but..." Tears bubbled up in his eyes. Jubilee smiled at him lovingly and twisted around to face him. He refused to look at her sure that she was judging him the same way the others had.
"Remy, we all have done things we regret. It'll be okay, I promise." He took his hand and kissed the back of it the same way he had done her for years now.
*Damn girl, you just had to do dat didn't you?* Her kindness was like a sledgehammer to the wall he had built around his pain. Tears ran out his eyes like a silent down pour. She got to her knees and captured him in her arms. He buried his head in the gentle curve of her breast and had his silent cry, grateful that she had decided to spent Christmas with him.
***********************
Christmas Morning
Xavier's Institute
5AM
At some point over the night, someone had come in and put a blanket over Jubilee and Gambit who were curled up under the tree asleep in each others arms. Kitty was sure it wasn't Logan, had he seen this she was sure he would have sent Jubilee to her room after the mother of all arguments and gutted Remy. Of course he would have not noticed the drying tears on the Cajun's face or the look of friendly concern on Jubilee's peacefully sleeping face.
Kitty stood looking at the tree, it was beautiful as always. Packed with gifts as usual, but none were for her. Not she was upset about not getting anything only the fact that no one had bothered to think that she would be home except... Tucked under Jubilee's arm was a red package with a golden bow. It was obvious that Jubilee had taken care to wrap it perfectly, Kitty's name on the tag.
Kitty lowered her bottom onto the floor next to the sleeping X-Men and surveyed them. Weren't they the most interesting two in the bunch, a thief and a mallrat. Both so lighthearted, both so abused. Gambit had been through hell and it only seemed to get worse with every passing day and Jubilee seemed forever heartbroken. Forever abandoned by those she loved. Her parents, the system, Logan and the young man she'd cared for at school...or at least that was what she'd heard. Jubilee had told her about Ev and how he went after Gaia first then Monet. All the while Jubilee was helpless to do anything while he chased the more 'perfect' girls.
Jubilee had a complex about herself and her lack of perfection, she hides behind her flippant nature and cynicism as a means to protect herself from her own pain. Gambit wasn't much better, his charm and attitude were even more an impressive mask to hide his longing for love and acceptance. Funny thing was Kitty understood them better then they thought.
She had been the baby, the youngest. She had proven herself over the years, but always via her own skills. Her ninja abilities were left behind when she possessed by one. She 'd gone to England even became a member of SHIELD, but via Pete Wisdom. She was lucky that's all. She was smart and in the right places, nothing more. Jubilee had earned her leadership role in Gen X, she'd helped saved the X-Men with her own wits, no luck. Gambit was a skilled member of the team, agile, and resourceful but his past kept them from fully seeing how much of an asset he really was. As for Jubilee her age and implied lack of focus is what robbed her of their respect. The girl was a teenager, a real one, she wanted to have fun and be young. There was nothing wrong with that unless you were an X-Man.
You were to save the world and have no life outside of that. But why save a world when you can't even enjoy it? Jubilee had found away to do both, regardless.
Kitty brushed a stray hair away from Jubilee's sweet face and sighed. She wondered if anyone remembered that yesterday was Jubilee's birthday or that Gambit's was coming up? Most likely not.
"Uhmm," Jubilee stirred from her peaceful sleep, wincing at the pain in her neck. She opened her eyes, at first noting Gambit's auburn hair mussed all over his head. She rolled her head up and caught sight of what looked like an angel at first. "Who.." She rubbed her eyes and then realized that it was "KITTY!!" With surprising abandoned she flung herself into Kitty's arms knocking her off balance.
Remy's head went sailing to the floor with a thud, waking him from a peaceful dreamless sleep. "Chere you coulda warned ol' Remy." He rubbed his swore head and looked over towards Jubilee mauling someone that looked a lot like Kitty. "Kitty? Chere dat you."
"YEAH, now help me 'fore she hugs me to death." She said laughing. Remy pulled at Jubilee lightly, then politely hugged, Kitty.
"Chere welcome home." Gambit was genuinely happy.
"Yeah Pryde, we were about to mount stead and come lookin' for ya." Jubilee's eyes gleamed wide with joy.
"Really, here I thought nobody cared." Kitty's mood swung dark. She got to her feet.
"Where ya been, I e-mail ya and then come here and they tell me you were missing what happen Computer Hackers of America have a convention or something?" Kitty grunted a weak laugh at her comment.
"I wish it was that simple Sweetie, but... "
"Chere?" Remy wrapped one arm around her as Jubilee got her a drink of soda from the bar in the next room. Remy lead Kitty after Jubilee.
"Remy, I can't stay here anymore. Xavier's..." As they entered the next room Storm and Jean came down the steps in full on run. They ripped Kitty from Gambit and wrapped their arms around her as they cried tears of joy.
As if on cue Logan came in through the front door and the others came down the steps.
"Kitten," Logan's face turned three shades of happy when he saw her. The crowd of X-Men pulled Kitty into the Den, leaving Jubilee and Remy behind to mill over her last words, '...I can't stay here anymore...'
"Where have ya been Sugah?"
"What happened after the crash, Darlin'?"
"Why didn't you call us?"
And on and on went the questions. Storm embraced Kitty tightly as Logan took her hand. Kitty tried to start talking, she tried to break past their questions. Finally Xavier was the one who noted her discomfort and angst. "Please everyone give the child a moment to collect herself." Charles' innocent comment was the opening of the flood gate.
"Professor I am not a child, and as for where I was for where I was why don't you ask jubilee the same or Gambit ... or do any of you really care?" The room turned silent with shock, as Jubilee and Gambit entered the room. "Go on ask them. Ask them where they were when they were missing, ask her how she was treated, ask her how she endured her imprisonment and torture. Ask them how they escaped. Ask them how they feel about the fact none of you have ever asked them about this before."
"Kitten, I do not understand?" Storm was wide eyed, where had all this come from?
"I know Ororo, none of you do. You fight for a world that fears and hates you. But why, what happens if and when you win. Have any of you thought about that? How about helping the world not hate you. Kelly and Creed were running for the Presidency and where were we? Why didn't you become involved Charles, you can gain audience at the UN to stop Magneto from getting a chair for Genosha but you can't get airtime with two racist on TV to show the world what maniacs they really were. And what about everything else. We have life saving equipment here that every hospital in America could use and we horde it here for our personal uses. Cecelia..." She looked at the doctor who's eyes were gleaming with understanding, "How many lives could be saved at your hospital with the Shi'ar technology in the MedLab?"
"Kathryn, I am assuming this outburst is has to do with what you have been through but what you are implying is simply not true," Charles began but was cut to the quick from an unlikely source.
"She hasn't implied anything everything she said has been fact," Jubilee's eyes boiled with a subtle rage. Gambit held her hand, the same look in the depths of his eyes.
"Child if you are..."
"Again, Xavier, you refer to one of your own as a child, she hasn't been a child in years. Have you ever wondered why she has never used her powers to their fullest. Her team members have always defeated her in training exercises, but only because she holds back, she refuses to hurt anyone. A nice notion but why Charles?" Kitty looked at him demanding a response. Charles looked beyond the beautiful brunette to Jubilee who looked on the verge of thermonuclear melt down. He had no answer.
"It's because she's taken a life before, isn't that right Jubilee..." Kitty turned to her with knowing eyes?
Jubilee looked at her in total disbelief, she tried to mumble a question of how did she know but only a gasp of disbelief came out.
"Kitten, now wait a second." Logan was mad now, Jubilee didn't have it in her to do that, he'd managed to stop her from killing the two people in the world she hated more than even Sabertooth, her parent's murderers, she had a respect for life. Even lowlifes.
"No, you wait a second, you think you know her, then why don't you know that she killed CynJen..." Jubilee almost jumped out her skin. She looked up at Gambit expecting to see the same judgmental expression on his face that the others were giving her now, but she only saw a flash of surprise and then a strange understanding. "Then she brought her back. Jubilee it was an accident, you didn't mean to. The funny thing is everyone in this room is ready to judge you now and don't even know what you did. Your first manifestation was in her Den, you fired a blast at her during a debate over a new kid. You killed her, but when you touched her, you powers healed her. You already know how to use your gifts to their fullest but the thought of killing anyone scares you because you aren't sure how you healed CynJen."
"How did you find out?" Jubilee's weak voice asked.
"Where I have been I learned a lot, a lot. I came here to say good-bye, but maybe I was sent here by them to bring new members in."
"What are you talking about?" Logan demanded half ready to snatch her up by her collar.
"Nate Grey, he saved me, he has saved many. Now he wants others to spread the word to mutants world wide that we don't have to hide in the shadows, or in dark basements ... or huge mansions as it were. That we have a responsibility to prove ourselves human by using our gifts to move mankind into the 21st century with new eyes. Instead of fighting each other we need to fighting hate. You all have forgotten that. We are preoccupied with stopping Magneto or rumbling with Sabertooth, what have the X-Men done to improve the day to day lives of our brother humans? Nothing."
She turned to Jubilee and Gambit, "You two have endured enough here, Nate has opened my eyes to the fact that the X-Men here and in his world or origin are a gang of selfish self serving holier than thou heroes obsessed with their narrow goals. Gambit, you have the charm of a Prince. Imagine all the people you could influence with with it. And Jubilee your smile and youthful energy could surely bring around a mass of people, making them realize that most mutants just want to live their lives not take over the world. Not to mention it's time you learned how your healing powers work." Kitty looked at them. They only looked back at her blankly.
Kitty took one last look around, "Nate I am ready," she whispered to the air. A bright white light appeared in the center of the room and in it's center was Nate Grey. Kitty moved passed the mystified mass of X-Men. Logan got to his feet and reached for Kitty, only to fall on the floor when she became intangible. She didn't even look back. Nate rested his bare feet on the floor and the halo that had engulfed him vanished. Kitty walked to him, smiling he captured her in a kind embrace.
"Nate I don't understand this," Charles said, completely unable to read the powerful young man.
//As Kathryn said, you have lost your way.// Nate's unspoken words rippled through the air, //Kathryn was lost and I found her, she embraces her gifts in a new way. You hide behind your borrowed technology and codenames like children playing with toys. This life is no game, men like you and Magneto will come to see this. Your endless war with each other and others like you will come to end and WE will end it. This world is to be shared, we have to earn the respect of humans, not demand they take us at face value. Too many of us have done too much damage for that. You could thousand of lives everyday with what you horde in this house. All the cures to disease, all the lifesaving medical equipment... But you selfishly keep it to yourself. Childish, I see no redeeming any of you except...//
He looked over at Gambit and Jubilee. Without saying another word he extended his hand to them both. Jubilee looked at her Cajun friend, her breathing was excelerated. Everything he and Kitty had said rang true to her. She looked at Logan who was focused on Kitty and Nate trying planning a line of attack, he would never change. It was Logan's way or the highway, the same with Charles, and the others simply followed suit. She imagined all that they were capable of. She wondered if Cedar Sinai had the technology that was in the Med Lab would her parents still alive?
Gambit had no thoughts, he simply walked over to the young man shocking everyone. Even more shocking was that Jubilee was right behind him. Logan reached for her, but as his hand rested on her shirt collar she turned into pure light energy. Four glowing balls of light hovered over the group, then they vanished.
Logan growled, the blood curdling sound was heavy with his rage and hurt. He was losing the two people that meant the most to him. Charles immediately left to activate Cerebro to try and track them. The others went to suit up to be ready to go after them.
The crackling sound of hellish thunder stopped them in their tracks. The air rippled with a sound that resonated with quicksilver, // They were lost to you for months, abandoned to die, and missing without you even noting and nothing was done. Now they leave on their own after seeing what you all truly are and you can't even respect their choices, Childish.//
The room returned to normal, the X-Men held their places. Minds unchanged, comments held firm. This wasn't over not by a long shot.