DISCLAIMER: Nope; ain't mine, dammit. Just Gatewood House and those chars ya don't recognize.
ARCHIVE: yeah, go right ahead! Just lemme know and gimme credit, so I can check it out and give you praise!
A/N: REVIEW, PLEASE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It's called FEEDBACK for a flippin' reason, folks.o
Gatewood House returned to her normal peace, and the day resumed her vigor. After eating a full breakfast Moira-style and taking the longest bath of her life in scented oils, Sarah felt much better. Dressed in jeans and oversized sweatshirts, she and Jubilee wandered into the secondary living room with a tray of goodies, the newspaper, and a baby monitor. Together, they sat on the big burgundy couch, knees tucked under them in identical fashions. Nursing mugs of black current tea, Sarah perused the newspaper and Jubilee rifled through some magazines. For a while, they sat in companionable silence.
"Hey, Jubes," said Sarah suddenly, folding the paper and leaning over, "Look at this." She handed her the paper, pointing to a headline that read: X-MEN TO APPEAR AT HOSPITAL CHARITY PRESS CONFERENCE. Jubilee scanned the small article, and then looked up at Sarah.
Sarah was wearing a positively evil grin, lighting up her eyes to a bright emerald green. "Wanna go?" she asked, cocking an eyebrow. Slightly taken aback, Jubes considered her options. Finally she nodded.
"Yes," she sounded confident, despite her whispered tone. And, not knowing what else to do, she went back to flipping through magazines. She felt Sarah's gaze on her, calculating. Risking a glance sideways at her, Jubes said in a slightly annoyed voice:
"Is there something wrong?"
"No," came the simple reply. "We need to get you a job."
"What? Where did THAT one come from?"
"I'm not the only one who thinks so, JJ," Sarah went back to the newspaper, "In fact; most of the clan has been bugging me to get you going somewhere. Jason suggested the club that Brian works at... you know the one that I do some gigs at from time to time?"
"Oh, really?"
"Yeah; really! It would be good for you... you'd get out of the house sometimes, get to do something you like doing for a while, and it's something you can continue doing even if you're full term or bouncing a healthy baby boy on your hip." Jubilee looked up sharply at Sarah, and saw that she wasn't kidding. She thought about it—keeping silent for what felt like a long time to her.
"Well... sure, I guess so; I mean, why not? It'd be fun, and Brian could give me a ride to and from if I couldn't drive for some reason. I'll try out tomorrow."
"Great; cool... I'll have Brian set us up and Jason pack up the van in the morning. Right now, why don't we practice? I told Jason I'd sing with his band tomorrow night at the Sky Club anyway."
"Sure... okay, now where did Moira put that damn piano music this time?"
"I have no idea... let's try in the closet."
It took them the better part of another hour to find all the music and instruments they wanted to practice with. Then it took another half an hour to set it all up. By the time they were done, Moira was bringing them in a tray of crackers, cheese, apple slices, and fresh tea. Winking at them, she also set down a bowl of lemon slices and a pitcher of water.
They sang well until dinner. Brian came and got them then, giving Sarah a hug and kiss. Sensing his concern, Sarah let it last a bit longer than necessary. Sighing, he released her and put an arm around Sarah's waist and another around JJ's shoulders. JJ barely reached his chest, so it was all he could manage comfortably. Giving a small, undetectable sigh of her own, Jubes allowed herself and Sarah to be escorted as such to the dinner table.
Dinner was a fabulously crowded and loud affair, accompanied by Moira and Adrienne's great cooking and two bottles of wonderful wine. One bottle was a sweet dessert wine, the other a dry red wine. There was much elbowing, laughter, and teasing all around. Giggling like a girl half her age, Moira sipped cranberry juiced carefully mixed with ginger ale.
"You know," she said, holding her cut-crystal glass up to the light and grinning, "We're all kinda like these wines." Lennier, nursing the red wine, tossed back his head, laughing heartily.
"Which one, Moira doll?" he asked playfully. The table erupted into raucous, welcoming laughter.
"Well," said Moira, wiping her eyes, "What we do and who we are is very simple and basic. Some of us are sweet, with nuances of peach, raspberry, and a light take on life and her quirkiness. Like that ungodly sweet dessert wine you picked tonight, Jared."
"Can I help it if I have a sweet tooth? I like sweetness!"
"Then how the hell did you wind up marrying her?" cried Jaxom from the other end of the table, brandishing a loaded fork and talking with his mouth full. He choked when he joined in the laughter that ensued.
"Ha! Serves you right! You know better than to eat when people are laughing!"
"I'll (cough) keep that (cough) in mind (cough, cough, and cough).... I'll keep that in mind, Tori. Thanks for the tip."
"Don't mention it."
"My lips are sealed."
"Wax, tape, glue, or needle and thread?"
"Heh... wait... HUH?!"
"You said your lips were sealed. I assumed you used something."
"Shut up."
"You two!" Bambi rolled her eyes.
"What?" they chorused, turning to her with identical bewilderment painted on their faces. Bambi just shook her head, and sighed, putting her head on Lennier's shoulder.
"_ANYWAY_..."
"Ah, yes, Moira, you were saying?"
"Thank you, Brian. AS I WAS SAYING... and some of us are all gutsy, gun-toting, bitchy folks with way to much estrogen and flavors of whiskey, cigarettes, and rosemary. Sweet versus dry; delicate versus sleek. Both are classy, both have their own special punch to the situation. But both are so different, it's hard to imagine that they could go so well together in the same meal."
"But it works."
"Right, Sarah... it works."
"Pretty damn well, I might add!"
"I'll second that, Mara," said Abigail, swirling her wine in her glass.
"I'll third that!" Gwenevere managed through a mouthful.
"Great for both of you."
"Great for us all, I'd say, Frenchman," Finnigan put in, barely glancing up from his plate.
"Mmm," Joshua gulped, "I'll fourth your notion, Mara."
"I think we all do," Janelle added her two cents to the collection. Her gently curling chestnut hair hung in luxurious waves around her angelic face. She pushed away from the table, brushing off her navy blue sweater. "I've got some things to take care of," she said, excusing herself, and maneuvered around the table and bodies to the great East dining room doors.
"I've got some things to take care of myself," said Sarah. She wiped her mouth, and squeezed herself around the table.
"I hope it's nothing serious," Moira said with half-concern, swirling her drink around in her glass before downing it in one gulp.
"Naw," Sarah threw over her shoulder as she headed through the kitchen doors, "It's just some phone calls I have to make. I promise I won't take too long. I'll be done in time for a movie."
"Great! I get to pick!"
A chorus of good-natured complaints arose from the table at CJ's comment. The joyful noise followed Sarah into the kitchen, where she stood for a moment behind the closed doors, listening and drinking it in.
They wound up watching 'Ever After'. Most of the women went up to bed afterwards, but the men and Jubilee, Sarah, Tori and Abigail. Flopped comfortably over big easy chairs, the couch, and floor, they all sat back and relaxed as Finnigan popped in 'Mimic'.
Popcorn was passed around, and bottles of water were raised to lips that were distracted by the movie. Once, Lennier got so preoccupied, he accidentally missed his mouth. Abigail, who had the unfortunate luck to be sitting on the floor underneath him, got water dribbled onto her head. She shrieked with offended dignity, and gave him a hefty smack up-side the head as she ran to the kitchen for a towel.
When she came back in, she made a point of sitting on the other side of the room. Jubilee and Sarah cast amused glances at her, and she glared at them. Sharing identical looks of mischief, JJ and Sassy met each others eyes. Grinning, they turned back to the movie, Sassy handing Tori the bowl of popcorn.
Sarah, Brian, and Jubilee carried a sleeping Lennier up to the room he shared with Bambi. The raven-haired beauty was fast asleep under the white cotton sheets, and she turned in her sleep when they flopped her mate unceremoniously down beside her. Jubilee shucked off Lance's socks off while Brian made quick work of pulling down the sheets for him. He threw them over Lennier, and Sarah plucked off the necklace he wore. The three family members grinned at each other when Bambi suddenly flung an arm over Lance's body, nearly missing Brian's nose. They crept out and shut the door behind them.
Brian drifted off down the hall to his own bedroom that he shared with Joshua and Jason. Sarah and Jubilee walked with arms slung around the waist up the stairs to their floor. Sarah gave Athena an affectionate pat on the head as they left the stairwell.
"You'll be alright sleeping tonight?"
"Yeah, I think so. I need the time to myself right now."
"I understand completely."
"I thought you would," Jubilee replied, looking up at her redheaded sister-friend. Sarah looked down at her with luminous pale green eyes that looked like dripping colored diamonds.
"Sleep well," she said in reply, and continued down the hallway, lighting the candles in their sconces as she went. Jubilee watched until a last glimmer of flaming red hair disappeared behind a heavy dark wooden door. The candles in their sconces sparked off the brass handle as the door closed.
Jubilee couldn't sleep after all. She kept waking up, feeling like she was missing something. 'Well, I ain't doing anybody no good just lyin' around feeling' miserable!' she thought as she flung off the covers and fought a wave of dizziness. 'Ooh, haven't felt like that in a while. Ah, I need to make a doctor's appointment. I'll ask for some help tomor... er, today.'
Deciding to put herself to good use, she tugged an old, oversized T-shirt over her head and headed down the stairs to Vanessa and Jade's room. She gave Joan D'Arc a smack on the butt on the way down, and grumbled something about lessons when she subsequently tripped over her own two feet.
There was a light on under Kaitlyn and Maxamillian's room, and soft murmuring from Sherry and Jaxom's. The stairs barely sighed under Jubilee's feet as she tread barefoot. 'Moira would KILL me if she found me wondering around at night like this!' she thought affectionately. The candles flickered in their sconces, casting dancing shadows on the walls.
Vanessa and Jade's room had a draft coming from underneath the door. Jubilee knocked on the door quietly, knowing that Vanessa would either still be awake, or would jump up alert at the slightest noise. Vanessa opened the door two seconds later, eyeing her Asian-American sister-friend blearily. Silently, she allowed her into the room.
Jade lay death-like on the bed. The scent of sickness hung thick in the air. Vanessa looked decidedly like hell and high water had both taken their toll, and then some. There were huge, dark bags under her eyes and vicious lines on her face that hadn't been there before. Cool air blew into the room courtesy of the old AC unit in the window. Neither of the two women spoke a word.
Vanessa lay down on her customary side of the bed. Her dark green eyes tracked Jubilee as she made her way around the bed. The gauzy white curtains that Moira insisted upon billowed out across the bed, momentarily misting Jubilee's path. When they calmed, she lay down quietly on the other side of Jade's motionless body. She could feel the heat of Jade's body through the covers. Vanessa snaked a hand around Jade's thin waist. Jubilee watched it for a moment, before weaving her fingers with Vanessa's. They stayed that way all night, watching their hands; watching the soft rise and fall of Jade's chest through her soaked underclothes.
The alarm clock read three in the morning when Jubilee felt the shift in the air in Gatewood House. It was as if everything was holding its breath, waiting for something to happen. She felt an absence in the air around Jade. The woman's body grew cold, like its vitality had been sucked out; the flame of the fever inside her body had died, suddenly. Why? What was wrong? Vanessa stirred her hand as though to move to slap Jade's face, but had checked the movement. Jade sighed in her sleep.
Jubilee watched the alarm clock change to four o'clock in the morning. It was still dark outside; the birds had not yet waked up. All was silent in Gatewood House.
Jade's chest stopped rising and falling. She stopped breathing; the heart inside her cold body stopped beating. Jubilee felt her passing like a knife in her heart.
There was a caress, like a chillingly soft hand, briefly on Jubilee's face at that moment of death. Vanessa heaved a great sigh, sobbing. Jubilee heard the thudding of several pairs of feet as Gatewood House sensed the death that had invaded the house.
The door was flung open, spilling harsh yellow light into the room. Jubilee huddled on the bed, next too Jade's body, willing it to be warm.
The funeral was crowded; Gatewood House took up five pews all by themselves. The X-Men came, too; Jubilee had called them, speaking only to Rogue and Gambit. They seemed to be the only members of her former family who cared; even the words of Professor Xavier and Beast seemed hollow and false. Friends, considered more family than anything else, arrived from all over the world. Jubilee was vaguely surprised to see Emma Frost, who was still not speaking to Sean Cassidy, who was also in attendance. The former White Queen looked tired and worn out, and when she caught her former protégé's blue eye with her own, her eyes filled with tears. Emma had nodded, and turned her attention back to staring at the coffin. Jared, Maximilian, Brian, CJ, JC, Lennier, and Frenchman were pallbearers. Everyone who lived at Gatewood House or had a strong connection to them wore black, a fact which did not go unnoticed by the X-Men, who looked around themselves uncertainly. Jubilee made certain that she avoided looking at Logan; Sarah, Moira, and Tori carried a step farther, trying to ignore Xavier's team altogether. Emma Frost apparently had the same idea in mind.
Vanessa spoke the eulogy; she had retreated silently from everyone more and more all the time. Her speech was the first time she'd said anything since the night Jade had died. That was four days ago, Jubilee thought numbly, and I have a feeling that this is it. Something tells me we're going to lose her too, bit by bit, day by day. Feeling her gut clench in a sickening knot, Jubilee rubbed her stomach absently. Sarah and Tori, on either side of her, each put an arm around her shoulders and put their hands on her belly. The knot eased, and they clasped hands tightly, relying on their mutual love to get them through the eulogy. Then it was time for them to sing; Sarah rose first, after a pause, and gently she, Tori, and Jubilee supported each other as they walked slowly to the podium. Tori adjusted the microphone, and Adrienne, on the organ, struck the opening chords. As one, the three women took a deep breath.
Their voices blended in beauteous harmony as the song wrapped itself around them, creating the current for which a spirit could fly upon. The church was still and vast, echoing the strains of the fallen angels in its gothic rafters.
Jade was buried in a pre-bought plot in the local Roman Catholic cemetery. Gatewood House, the X-Men standing in the background, stood at the graveside, silent and still. Jubilee raised her head, looking out over the green hills in the distance. She spied Emma Frost standing at the edge of the cemetery, her modest black pantsuit standing out against the green, arms wrapped around herself, as if she hurt inside. The wind wound itself around Jubilee's bare legs; the skirt of her black suit ended at her knees. Sarah and Tori had her wrapped in black-fabric clad arms; Moira and Jared supported Vanessa, who looked as if she would collapse under the weight of all the black she wore. Sarah remained the only member who didn't cry; her eyes, however, were so dark, Jubilee wondered absently if they were gray, black, or blue. She was grateful for the distraction; for the thought that didn't require feelings to go with it. She was aware that Logan had his eyes keenly watching her.
The reception was just as crowded as the funeral. It was, however, a chance to breathe. Jubilee took every chance she had to avoid the table where the X-Men were sitting, just knowing that there would be too many questions. She was not surprised when the only members of her former family to succeed in seeking her out were Rogue and Gambit; she had thought that maybe Beast would, but he and Kitty Pryde had left right after the funeral. She spoke to Rogue and Gambit for a long time, noticing with a surge of jealousy and happiness that they were holding hands. They, too, however, were soon swallowed up in the crowd. She spotted them later returning to the table designated as the "X-Men Table". She wasn't the only one to notice that Emma Frost avoided them like the plague as well.
"Your former teacher seems intent on giving them the, eh, cold shoulder," Sarah quipped dryly, sipping a glass of wine and handing one to Jubilee, Tori in tow. Jubilee nodded absently.
"She and Sean must have had a falling-out worse than before," Tori commented, having known about their stormy, almost-love affair from Jubilee and her various correspondences over her years at Gen-X.
"I feel a lot of anguish coming off her," Sarah said. The three of them looked at each other. A silent communication; a silent agreement was exchanged.
"I'll talk to her," Jubilee said, and she marched past the X-Men table, ignoring Logan and Sean, to talk to Emma Frost. She could feel Xavier trying to break through the mental barriers her and Sarah had constructed. He was not succeeding; neither would he, were he to try with all the telepathic power he possessed.
"Jubilee," Emma said, the formal crispness still in her voice, but the chill in it gone altogether. She was just another world-weary woman in need an anchor in her life.
"Emma," Jubilee acknowledged, feeling Sarah peeling back some of the layers in the mental barriers in Jubilee's head. The manner in which she did it, though, allowed only Emma to glimpse beyond the walls; neither Xavier or Jean would have the slightest clue what was happening.
"How are you holding up?" Emma asked in an uncharacteristic gesture, though her tone remained hard-voiced. Jubilee could feel so many eyes watching her; Sarah's, Tori's, the X-Men's... Sean's... she took a deep breath, determined not to back down. Here goes, she thought, bet you never saw this coming in a million years, Frosty.
"Pregnant," she said in a dead voice, tired of stepping around the issue. Emma whipped her head around, staring at Jubilee with her mouth open in a very un-Emma like manner. If she were feeling strength enough, Jubilee would've laughed. Sarah spoke into both of their heads, taking Jubilee by surprise:
~She's telling the truth, Em. Believe what she's saying... it's tough enough just to say the words, much less to have such a reaction at a time like this... Certain eyes are watching, you know.~ That last line was said with some dry humor. Emma's eyes darted to the X-Men's table, where Sean Cassidy and Logan were watching them with intent, wondering scowls. She closed her mouth; regained her composure.
"Logan's the father?" she asked sharply, her eyes narrowing in on him in a hot glare, already knowing the answer.
"What do you think?" Jubilee deadpanned. Emma snorted rudely, obviously hating him more than she ever had. They shared a few moments of silence, standing with their backs to the wall, sipping their drinks and watching the crowd.
"Looks like Vanessa is withdrawing," Emma commented after awhile, gesturing with her glass of wine to where Vanessa was sandwiched between CJ and JC. It looked as if they were the only things keeping her from toppling over or sliding off the bench. Her eyes were vacant and staring, her hands neatly folded in her lap.
"We could use another pair of hands around the house," Jubilee commented in the same cool tone. Emma glanced at her. The silence stretched on for a few minutes.
"I'll be there in two days," Emma said finally, setting her glass down. She nodded to Sarah and Tori, and walked away. Jubilee watched her leave. Hey, that's the first time I've seen Frosty not wear white, she thought with a twinge of surprise.
~Doesn't surprise me; she knows the ways of Gatewood House.~ Sarah said in her head, taking Emma's place at her side. Tori came up on the other, leaning back against the wall.
~How does she...~
~We met a long time ago~ Tori said quietly, ~She had just left the Inner Circle, and was looking for some direction. We gave it to her~
Jubilee nodded, brushing offending black bangs out of her eyes.
"Let's grab Moira and Nessie, and go home." Sarah and Tori nodded in assent, and they moved as one. Jubilee felt the eyes of the X-Men on her back the whole way.
She felt one last fluttering attempt by Jean and Xavier to break through the mental wards, before she walked out the door holding Tori and Moira's hands.
AUTHOR'S NOTE: Soooo.... how's it doing, folks? You need to REVIEW and let me know! And don't worry... there's more, MUCH more, on the way!!!!!!!!!! And if anyone wants to archive this, let me know and go ahead and do it. Just gimme credit, eh? Thankees!