HairBallX

The good news was Darek wasn't naked as well. Which was very good because she just had about enough nakedness for one morning. He was wearing boxers and a tee shirt. The bad news was he could see her underwear and didn't seemed bothered a bit about looking at it.
"Dark Blue, always assumed you were a black panties kind of her girl myself," said Darek with a grin.
"Uh-hum,"
Jubilee couldn't quite decipher the look that went between Andrew and Darek, but suddenly Darek seemed to lose interest in her and moved towards the cabinet. Jubilee didn't bother trying to figure out what that meant. Instead she got off the table and walked out of the kitchen with as much dignity as she could muster. Her instincts said run like hell, but former X-Men just don't run in embarrassment.


After being more appropriately dressed, she came back in the kitchen. The mess was cleaned and Andrew and Darek was dressed. Grandpa of course was naked as usual. But this time Jubilee could stop herself from gawking at him. It seemed she was getting used to Grandpa's appearance. She wasn't sure if that really was a good thing though...
"Here are some pancakes."
Jubilee jumped startled and turned around. There was Karry holding a plate of delicious pancakes.
"Why can't you be noisy like other kids," said Jubilee as she took the pancakes. At least this time she hadn't shrieked.
"Stop calling me kid," said Karry with a roll of her eyes.
Thankfully meat wasn't served in the morning. So she didn't have to watch Grandpa's more sick eating habits.
After breakfast she got her books and was out the door. On the sidewalk she saw Karry and Darek talking.
"So can you- oh hi Jubilee," said Karry with a smile. Jubilee smiled back than raised an eyebrow as she saw Karry climb a tree near the road.
"Um Karry what are you doing?" asked Jubilee with a bit of concern.
"Catching a ride to school," said Karry simply and than jumped off the tree towards an incoming car. She landed on the roof of the car with perfect agility. Jubilee and Darek watched as the car went down the road and out of sight.
"Well we better get going," said Darek as he began walking towards college. No snide remarks, no bad jokes, no teasing.

Guess after yesterday his trying to keep his distance. Does he care about what I said? Does he even remember...?

Jubilee looked nervously towards Darek as they both walked down the sidewalk. She hadn't meant to talk about lost when he was crying. Talk about losing Wolvie... But than thats what happens when you keep that sort of thing to yourself. One day you end up just exploding about it to someone who is practically a stranger.

I need to call... someone at the mansion. Anyone just to talk. Maybe Bobby or Gamit or Rogue, I just need to talk about this. Before I go gushing to Darek or someone else at the house about it again.

"Well looky what we got here."
Jubilee raised her head. Ten guys about their age were on the sidewalk. Heavily built, they were athletes. From the football one was tossing Jubilee would guess they were part of a football team. Each and everyone of them was giving Darek a death glare.
"Stay out of this, its going to get ugly," said Darek simply as he passed his bookbag to her.
"But-"
"This is my fight," growled Darek before turning back to the guys. Jubilee was starting to get an idea of what was about to happen and she didn't like it one bit.
Bam!
Without a word Darek had head butted the leading guy and the football player was collapsing. But two more took his place while another two circled behind him and began throwing puches. Jubilee's hands itch to release her power. Or at the very least she would like to go in there with a few kicks and punches of her own.
But Darek said keep out and if he was anything like Wolvie, he meant it. Wolvie more than one timed told her to butt out of a fight he was having and she respected that. Because it was personal and it was his fight only. If she helped Darek he'd probably hate her for that.
Boom!
It wasn't easy though. Darek was knocked to the ground. Bruises and a bloody noise covered his face. And Jubilee was pretty sure a few ribs were broken. But Darek was up again, grabbed a guy and threw him into another. If it had been just four or five guys Darek might have been able to beat them. But the sheer number of them was too much for him. Eventually with a groan he collapsed onto the ground. The guys grinned at each other, actually proud that they beat the Feral by outnumbering him.
"Wuss," said one guy who kicked Darek in the ribs.

Ok.. fights over. So that means if I hurt them its not interfering.

"Oh boys," said Jubilee sweetly as she raised a finger at them.
The football players looked up at her and a few actually were giving her looks that creeped her out. But that didn't last long.
*Bang! Bang! Bang!*
The guys were now running, their cloths having various burned marks. One was rubbing his butt where Jubilee got his especially good.
"I told you to stay out of it."
It was impressive that Darek could talk consider his jaw had been broken a minute ago.
"I did stay out of your fight. Than I decided to have my own fight with them," said Jubilee as he grabbed the Feral's arm and helped him up. His healing factor was already healing the bruises on his skin. By the time they got to college he'd look as good as new.
"So why didn't you just show those guys your claws. It would send them running," said Jubilee as they began walked to college. She was also wondering why they wanted to beat him in the first place. But he'd probably not answer that.
"Number one Feral rule is to never show claws to anyone who doesn't know about them. And you should know why that is. You shouldn't have shown off your stuff like that," said Darek and for the first time didn't sound like he was trying to be a jerk.
"And whys that?" asked Jubilee as they came closer to the college.
"Because they're part of the college football team," said Darek. Jubilee frozed as the meaning of his words came to her. They now knew she was a mutant and that meant everyone else at the college would soon do so as well. By the end of the day she'd be getting 'mutie' and 'freak' remarks.
"Jubes?"
Jubilee stared at him and knew that she probably looked half scared to death because Darek actually had his arms around her.
"Its ok, I'll take care of it," said Darek as he kept his arms around her.
"What?" muttered Jubilee as she found herself putting her head on his shoulder. No way could he fix this. She just kicked the butts of the team for her own college. She'd be lucky if she wasn't expelled.
"I'll take care of it Jubes. Don't worry about it," said Darek. The tone in his voice almost made her shiver. He sounded like an animal about to hunt and kill his prey.
"Come on, you go to class," said Darek as he pushed her towards the college. Jubilee began walking, but stopped to turn to say something. He was gone though. Looking around she couldn't find him in sight.

Tyna

Throughout the day Jubilee fretted. There was no telling what Darek was up to. If he was anything like Wolvie, things could go very badly. Instead of helping Darek stay in school, she might have inadvertently given him an excuse to get expelled permanently.

"If Miss Lee would grace us with the answer I've asked three times for, then maybe I can go on with the lesson." The professor's irate comment brought her out of her mental funk. The rest of the class was staring at her with mixed expressions. Then she noticed that one of the guys she'd beat was in her class. She'd seen something kinder on Sabertooth's face when he was trying to kill her. The football player's expression turned her blood cold.

Quickly she answered the question and slumped in her chair. Something had to go right for her soon. No one gets this much bad luck in one day. Of course time itself seemed against her since the clock in the wall appeared to be moving very sluggishly. The remaining five minutes of the class lasted for an eternity. Jubilee couldn't get out of the room fast enough when the professor dismissed them.

Three classes and three more similar encounters later Jubilee had an incredible urge to give them another beating. Allowing her anger to expose herself as a mutant had been stupid but there were only so many dirty looks Jubilee could take. 'I'll take care of it', Darek's words floated through her mind. "No I will," Jubilee promised softly and sought Darek out. He'd asked her to stay out of his fight. Now that the fight was hers, Jubilee hoped he'd show the same respect and back down.

HairballX

"Darek," hissed Jubilee when she saw him. She didn't know where his classes were, but she was able to find his locker after asking around. And there he was, looking a bit more smug than usual.
"Hey Jubes, whats up?" asked Darek as he closed his locker. He was acting as if the whole incident this morning hadn't even happen.
"Lets talk somewhere more private Darek," said Jubilee as she felt a sudden urge to slap the man's head.

That way there will be no witnesses if I have to paf your butt.

With a nod Darek took hold of her arm and led her to a door. Behind it was an empty classroom. Darek took a seat at a desk and tapped his fingers.
"Well what is it?" asked Darek looking bored. Jubilee felt her temper flaring.
"Don't act like you don't know why I want to talk to you! I want to know what you meant when you said you'd take care of it!" growled Jubilee.
"Take care of what?" asked Darek as he acted oblivious.
"THE FOOTBALL PLAYERS," shouted Jubilee than clamped her hands over her mouth. She didn't want the students outside to hear their talk.
"Shesh babe keep it down. Well basically I found the guys and kept them quite with this," said Darek. Jubilee expected him to pop out his claws. Instead he did something she would never have expected... pull out a gun.
"You threatened them with a gun!?" shrieked Jubilee looking at the pistol with disbelief.
"Well yeah, but not just that. Give me some credit for imagination. It sort of went like this..."

It didn't take long for Darek to find the ten jocks. They muttering to themselves in the football field.
"I say we take her and have some fun with her," said one guy who was missing a few teeth when he gave a sick grin.
"Naw forget it man. She's a mutie and could blast us. We just spread the word of what a freak she is and just watch. Nobody here will want that mutie here. Especially after we tell them what she did to us," said the captain of the team. Fred was his name.
"How about you do nothing," said Darek taking them all by surprise as they turned towards him. His little sister Karry wasn't the only one who could sneak around.
"Want another beating Darek," said Fred with a grin. This whole mess started with that guy. Darek slept with his exgirlfriend a few weeks ago and now he got his thick headed team to try to pound Darek. That is after he tried to beat on Darek by himself and found out he didn't stand a chance against the guy.
With almost a dramatic effect, Darek pulled out a pistol. The football team became completely silent for a second. Than Fred took a step back while eyeing him with caution.
"You can't shoot us all before we reach you. And the cops will get you if you even think of shooting us with that," said Fred, but fear was creeping into his voice. Darek gave a deadly grin and tossed the gun to Fred. Fred grabbed it instinctively.
"Go ahead Fred, take your best shot. I know you're just itching to do it," said Darek with that same deadly grin as he approached Fred.
"Your f%$#ing crazy! Get back," said Fred as he raised the gun towards Darek. Darek could smell the desire in him to fire the gun. To blow a hole in his chest. He just had to push the guy a bit.
"You know that night with Sandra was probably the bes-"
Bang!
The mention of his exgirlfriend instantly caused Fred to pull the trigger. The whole team watched shocked as Darek fell to the ground with a bullet hole in his chest. The whole team was looking from Darek to Fred. Most of them looking fearful and horrified.
"Dude I didn't sign up for this. I don't wanna be any part of a murder," said one guy as he took a step back.
"You stay right there," said Fred as he moved the pistol to point it as the football player.
"Now don't go doing anything hasty."
The team watched as Darek got up and cough some blood. Than casually he walked up to Fred and grabbed the pistol from him. Fred could only stare, taken utterly by surprise.
Darek gave that famous Feral grin as he raised his shirt to show the wound in his chest healing.
"You.. your a mutie," muttered the big guy with the missing teeth.
"Something like that. You see I can't be killed," said Darek. Ok that wasn't completely true, but no reason for them to know that. The football players looked like they believed him as they took a few steps back.
"You see I'm sort of like that guy in the movie Crow. I just keep coming no matter what you do. Beat me, shoot me, stab me, it doesn't matter. Nothing can stop me," said Darek as he took a menacing step towards them. Several of the athletes turned pale including Fred.
"Now I'm going to make this simple, nobody at college learns that Jubilee or me is a mutant or I'm coming after each and everyone of you. And as you can see, theres no way the cops can stop me if I do. What are they going to do? Shoot me?" said Darek jokingly as he twirled the pistol in his hand.
"You'll get kicked out of the Gransville college if you do that. You'll be on the run," said Fred. Darek nearly doubled over with laughter before he got his voice back.
"And you think that bothers me?! Hell I don't even want to be at this place. And I was planning to leave town soon anyway," said Darek and than pointed the gun towards them.
"Now its simple, if I hear one comment towards Jubes such a mutie or freak, if she gets a note about being a mutant, if she gets any anonimous calls telling her she's a mutant, I'll blow yours heads off. Now scram!"
Bang!
The football players began running as the gun blew a hole into the ground in front of them.


"I.. I can't believe you did that!" said Jubilee as she began to fume. Using a gun to intimidate normal people went against everything the Professor taught her. It just felt so... wrong, even if in the end it seemed to help her.
"Well have you been getting any mutant insults today?" asked Darek as he leaned back in the chair with a smirk on his face. Jubilee paused before answering. The answer was no, she didn't get any insults. Oh sure those football players would give her glares that could kill, but not one went up to her to talk. Or seemed to tell anyone else about her being a mutant.
"No, but you still shouldn't have done that! It was my problem, I didn't ask you to take care of it," said Jubilee as she grabbed his shirt. Darek gave a low growl causing Jubilee to let go. The smirk on his face was now gone.
"You didn't have the balls for what needed to be done," said Darek as he got up.
"It was MY fight. I didn't interfere in yours, so don't go interfering in mine!" said Jubilee as she glared at him. Darek gave another low growl as he took a step towards her. He was so close she could see his nostrils flaring. But she didn't back down. She couldn't if she wanted this guy to take her seriously.
The growl turned into a sigh as Darek shook his head. He walked around her and towards the door.
"Chicks, just don't get them."
It was the last words he said before exiting.