Innocence Lost II: The Forgotten One
By Didi
Disclaimer: All the characters within this story is owned by Marvel. I take no credit but with the imaginative story line. This is story will hopefully lead to another so stay tuned.
Warning: Were this a movie, it would be rated at least PG-13. I will not be responsible for outraged parents.
Note: This is an alternative timeline so don't go jumping down my throat about stuff that's going on in the comic. It's well before Everett Thomas's death and that's all I'm going to say on the subject of timelines. Any new characters written by me would will noticeable by the complete lack of inventiveness.
Oh, and this is a sequel so please go read the first part, it's not that long. This will make much more sense to afterwards. Thanks.
Summery: Sequel to Innocence Lost. Jubilee takes back her life and repays a debt owed. AU. New character introduced.
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"How are the girls?" Scott asked as he met up with Logan just outside the infirmary. He could not quite shake the eerie since of déjà vu.
"Jubilee is not hurt. She's shaken pretty bad though. Brought back too much too quickly this time around." He shook his head. "Paige is fine, awake and talking now. As for the girl…"
"Who is she?" Jean asked her brows furrowed with concern.
"Jubilee says that her name is Lexi. She was the one that help her when they were both trapped within Sinister's sick little game." Emma answered as she made her way to them. "There was considerable damage to her body, Sean and Jono did a number on her but she appears to be a fast healer."
"Has Jubilee said anything else since?" Scott asked with concern as he watched the petite figure standing by the bedside of her friend.
"No," Logan could see the concern on the kid's face. "She hasn't said a word since the attack."
Jean frowned. "How is she psychically?" [Do we know if she can scanned for psychic damage?]
[Not unless you want a possible break down.] Emma answered honestly. [I'm almost certain now that she's got some latent telepathy.]
[Perhaps she should return to the mansion with Scott and myself then. Profession Xavier could be able to help her better if she…]
Logan shook his head. [No, she stays where she is most comfortable. And right now it's here.]
Jean nodded her head and looked through the window with grave concerns. "Then we'll just have to see what happens next."
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[I didn't know.] Jono appeared to not be talking to anyone but himself. [I just didn't know.]
"We all know that, Jono. Don't beat yourself up over this." Rictor patted the boy on the back. "None of us could have known that they were one and the same."
[Shouldn't have hit her so hard though. I thought she was…]
"You were scared, lad." Sean sighed, feeling guilty over his own part of the attack. He had hit the girl hard enough to blow up a small county yet the girl kept kicking. "We all thought that she was going to make off with Paige."
Sam tightened his arm around his little sister who sat curled next to him. "I for one am not sorry."
Paige grinned, trying to lighten the mood. "When have you been?"
Sam smiled and took the opportunity to tickle her, causing her to squeal with laughter, bringing a smile to everyone's face.
Jubilee came into that scene, where everything was good and strangely cheerful. It only served to make her feel so much more weight in her heart. "Hi."
"Jubie," Everett got up swiftly and came to her. "You need anything?"
"No," she sighed and sat down in the armchair. "I just want sit for a second. Logan is with Lexi for now. Emma thinks that she's going to make a full recovery."
[Listen, Jubilee. I didn't know that…]
"Oh shut up, Jono. I know that you were worried about Paige and weren't using your head. Don't worry about it." She rubbed her neck feeling the muscles there painfully knotted. "I highly doubt Lexi would blame you."
Jono wasn't too sure what to say. [Thank you.]
She waved it off without a thought. "I have to say though, that was one hell of a control blast. You've really been improving on your control."
That got a silent wince from the man without his face.
"Do you think your friend could have mistaken Paige for you?" Sam asked with a wary look in his eyes that did not bode well.
"I highly doubt it. Hayseed and I are hardly two peas in a pot." She felt the need to smile then. "Hey, I'm going to guess that Sinister decided that whatever he was doing on me wasn't going to work so he's moved on. No offense, Paige." She gave the blonde beauty a weak apologetic smile.
Paige sighed. "Lucky me."
"Hey, it could be worse." She smiled at her.
"How?"
"He could have caught already." She pointed out logically.
Paige made a face and shook her head.
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[Tell me something, Emma. How long have you suspected Jubilee's abilities?]
[Not long. You haven't lost your touch if that's what you're afraid of, Jean.]
[That's not why I asked. Jubilee has always been a favorite among the X-men. She came to us under rather strange circumstances. Logan is very fond of her.]
[Wolverine is much more than fond of her. He sees her as the daughter that he's never had before and she certainly makes no effort to hide the fact that she reciprocates that love for him.]
[And that's a bad thing?]
[No, it's not.] She sighed. [Jubilee is one of mine. I see Generation X as my own personal redemption. I think I need them a whole lot more than they will ever need me. Xavier chose well when he chose them as the next generation of X-Men.]
[The professor did not choose them to replace those that are on the teams now. He chose them before they have something to offer the world. A goodness that cannot be found in everyone. They will do us proud one day.]
[Yes they would.]
Jean looked at the once formidable White Queen of the Hellfire Club. [You're changed, Emma. You changed a lot since your days as my enemy.]
[We all have to grow in some way. I will not say that I have changed completely from my old ways. But I will say that I think I'm a better person for knowing the X-Men.]
[Is that a compliment, Emma?]
[Don't get use to it.]
[I would never be so presumptuous.]
Logan cleared his throat to gain their attention. [I hate to interrupt you ladies, but if you want to do this with the girl, I suggest you do so now while Jubilee is gone. I don't like that we're not asking her first. After all, she considers the girl a friend.]
[Patience, Logan. It is better to wait until she's awake to do this. A sleeping mind is a very difficult one to focus.]
[Besides which, who said that Jubilee is every going to find out about this?] Emma smiled rather defiantly at him.
Logan shook his head. [You said so yourself. Jubie is a telepath now. You don't think she's going to sense a couple of high power gals like you two?]
Jean grinned at the rather displeased look on Emma's face. [And should she not sense it, there is always your other students. I believe Monet St. Croix and Jonothan Starmore are both very powerful…]
[I get the point. No need to rub it in.] Emma crossed her arms over her chest. Let's get a move on it then. We don't need Jubilee freaking out again.]
["Freaking out?"] Jean grinned with amusement. [When did you learn to use such language, Emma?]
[When you are in such close proximity with those children, you're bound to pick up one or two improper language terms.]
[Keeps us young. Now let's get to it.]
Concentrating their minds together, they both reached out to the girl lying in the medical bed between them. There was a slight struggle between the two powerful telepaths for the right to enter first but then they seem to decide that the best approach was to go in together.
They were immediately meant with a tall wall that seems to go on forever on the astro plane. Jean touched the grayish color stone with apprehension. "She's so young. How could she have learned to put up mental barriers like this?"
Emma frowned at it. "Maybe she didn't."
"You think Sinister tried to wipe her memories clean like with Jubilee?"
"That would be one sure fire way to keep her loyal to him." Emma closed her eyes and her body was suddenly incased in pale silver armor. "Let's see if we can break down that wall for her."
"No wait." Jean stopped her with a hand. "Remember what happened to Jubilee when you try to force your way into her mind. She could react badly to this."
"And you're point would be?" Emma asked with some curiosity.
"She's child, Emma. Just like Jubilee."
With a sigh, Emma put down the sword and the armor disappeared. "I don't like it when you appeal to my sense of obligation to her."
"I know." Jean touched the wall again. I wonder if the reason the wall is here is because like Jubilee, the girl is a telepath as well."
"What do you mean?" Emma asked.
"Well, I've seen mind wipes before. They usually resemble something of a desert, barren with little spots of life here and there. It allows for some work to be done but most of the memories are no longer there to be accessed."
"So, you're saying that this wall is here temporarily?"
"Yeah, it could come down at any time and…" Jean turned. She could see something in the distance. "Look over there."
Emma's eyes followed Jean's to the figure in the distance. She was dressed completely in a flowing black robe, like an nomad. "Is that the girl?
"I don't see that it could be anyone else?"
"Maybe we can…"
"My thoughts exactly."
She was silent as she approached. Her green eyes glowing strangely in the astro plane. "You should not be here."
"We wanted to…" Jean began but found a hand staring at her.
Lexi didn't want them to be in her sanctuary. "You should return now." With a quick flick of her wrist, they were gone.
Jean and Emma both gasped as they were literally pushed back into their bodies.
"What happened?" Logan asked with curiosity as Scott came in with coffee.
Jean and Emma exchanged knowing glances. "She's waking up."
TBC….