Author's Note and Disclaimer: "The Birthday Wish" is the beginning of an
extended story known simply as 'The Venus Factor'. Events within this part
of the tale take place in a niche that I have carved out between 'X-Men
Unlimited' #34 and 'Uncanny X-Men' #402, about 3.5 years after the
disbanding of the Generation X team. Cut me a little slack and just run
with the time line. As always, these characters are not mine, nor is any
profit made off of using their likenesses. If anyone from Marvel ever
reads this, this true believer would love to write for you. And stop
dismissing Jubilee; she's a great character. Until that day, MMM!
***
Another birthday and no Wolvie in sight. Jubilee sighed to herself as she picked up a hat from a shelf, vaguely considering it. Too big? She couldn't decide. Frustrated, she put the hat back and turned to Monet.
"M, maybe this wasn't such a good idea. I know that you meant well, but I really... Don't feel like shopping." She smiled weakly at the dark beauty standing nearby. "I tried, honest injun, but... I think I just want to go home."
"Jubes, you know, you can't go on like this forever," Monet replied, taking her friends hand and leading her out of the store to a nearby bench. Before continuing, she took a deep breath, preparing herself. This was a topic that had never been breached between them. "I don't want to sound cruel, but you're the one who left. You haven't called. You never told him where you were going..."
"Him? What the hell are you talking about?" Jubilee cut in hotly, rising from the bench. "I left because I wanted to come back home. I haven't called because there's no one that really wants to hear from me. I never told him..." She trailed off futilely, crumpling back onto the bench, tears in her eyes.
"Is that what you've been telling yourself all this time?" Monet asked gently, taking her friend's slim hand.
"I..." Jubilee looked down into her lap. After a moment, she raised her eyes to meet Monet's again. "I had to go. I loved him. I still love him. I... I think I always will. If I was near him again... If I saw him or talked to him, I couldn't hide that. Not any more. And I refuse to hurt him."
"Hurt him?" Monet asked, perplexed. "How on Earth would you loving him hurt him?"
"How couldn't it? I was always his little girl... I won't take that memory away from him. I won't have it tarnished with idea of an obsessive, emotionally unstable, weak woman. I won't. I want Wolvie to remember me like I was- innocence in a yellow jacket, running after him to help save the day."
"Well, if that's what you really think and that's what you really want, you're in luck, Jubes. That's what you've got. Birthday wish come true," Monet said, an edge in her voice. She hoped it would shock some sense into her roommate. "If that's not what you really think, though, and if it's not what you really want, maybe it's time to reconsider. It's been almost three years, and I don't know what it is about your damn birthday, but I don't think that I can take another year of this. It's not fair." With that, she got up and left, not waiting for Jubilee's response. She knew that Jubilee was furious with her, but hopefully, deep inside, she was furious with herself as well.
***
Another birthday and no Wolvie in sight. Jubilee sighed to herself as she picked up a hat from a shelf, vaguely considering it. Too big? She couldn't decide. Frustrated, she put the hat back and turned to Monet.
"M, maybe this wasn't such a good idea. I know that you meant well, but I really... Don't feel like shopping." She smiled weakly at the dark beauty standing nearby. "I tried, honest injun, but... I think I just want to go home."
"Jubes, you know, you can't go on like this forever," Monet replied, taking her friends hand and leading her out of the store to a nearby bench. Before continuing, she took a deep breath, preparing herself. This was a topic that had never been breached between them. "I don't want to sound cruel, but you're the one who left. You haven't called. You never told him where you were going..."
"Him? What the hell are you talking about?" Jubilee cut in hotly, rising from the bench. "I left because I wanted to come back home. I haven't called because there's no one that really wants to hear from me. I never told him..." She trailed off futilely, crumpling back onto the bench, tears in her eyes.
"Is that what you've been telling yourself all this time?" Monet asked gently, taking her friend's slim hand.
"I..." Jubilee looked down into her lap. After a moment, she raised her eyes to meet Monet's again. "I had to go. I loved him. I still love him. I... I think I always will. If I was near him again... If I saw him or talked to him, I couldn't hide that. Not any more. And I refuse to hurt him."
"Hurt him?" Monet asked, perplexed. "How on Earth would you loving him hurt him?"
"How couldn't it? I was always his little girl... I won't take that memory away from him. I won't have it tarnished with idea of an obsessive, emotionally unstable, weak woman. I won't. I want Wolvie to remember me like I was- innocence in a yellow jacket, running after him to help save the day."
"Well, if that's what you really think and that's what you really want, you're in luck, Jubes. That's what you've got. Birthday wish come true," Monet said, an edge in her voice. She hoped it would shock some sense into her roommate. "If that's not what you really think, though, and if it's not what you really want, maybe it's time to reconsider. It's been almost three years, and I don't know what it is about your damn birthday, but I don't think that I can take another year of this. It's not fair." With that, she got up and left, not waiting for Jubilee's response. She knew that Jubilee was furious with her, but hopefully, deep inside, she was furious with herself as well.