Disclaimer: I don't own the characters, events, or anything else related to the story. In fact, I'm personally laying bets on what a bad idea it is. Oh well, I do stupid things like this often. *grins* Oh, and some things may not make much sense unless you've read "In Dreams", so I suggest you do!
The previous chapter can be read alone, so if you aren't interested in reading a fic dealing with how Jean's return affects everyone at the Institue, there's no need to continue. Otherwise, enjoy!
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She wasn't sure what she would say, what there was that could be said. She hardly remembered the walk to the nearest town, but she knew it was long. She hardly remembered what she was doing there, but she knew it was bad. She hardly knew why it felt as if her heart was shattered, but she knew that the answers lay south.
She hopped onto the first bus, headed for a prep school in upstate New York.
-*-*-*-
For what seemed to be the millionth time, Scott Summers looked over the letter.
If I were to live with to a thousand, it would never be long enough to love you. So I'll need to see you again. And it may take time, but I promise I will.
Somehow it made the pain less real, the false promise of a reunion. He knew the Professor was worried that he wouldn't move on, that he wouldn't push on. It was a needless worry, the reason for him to stay was in that letter.
But at the moment the only thing he wanted was to get through the days that seemed to stretch forever, and to escape the memories.
The students were being more patient with him then he deserved. They were unusually quiet, and every assignment was handed in on time. He quickly swallowed the last of his drink, and stumbled off to bed.
-*-*-*-
She was sitting in a corner when he came in.
"Scott!"
She stood to hold him, but he shied away.
"Scott? What? Is that...?" She didn't believe it, but the smell was unmistakable.
"Scotch? Yeah."
"But you hate that stuff, Scott!"
"Whatever gets me through the night."
She raised her hand to touch his face, but he stepped back to avoid her.
"What's going on? Scott, tell me."
She couldn't believe the changes that had come over him in such a short time. She was the cause of those changes, she was the reason he was hurting. And all she wanted was to make it better.
"This isn't real. It's the alcohol talking, and I'm not going to acknowledge it. Jean is dead. Dead! I watched her die! I could have stopped her! But I didn't!"
She sighed. Trust him to take the blame.
"If that's what you think, then it must be true. I suggest you sleep it off." She sat down in her chair, and watched him.
Within moments his chest was moving up and down rhythmically, and the smallest of snores was escaping his lips. She smiled through the tears running down her cheeks. He was so incredible, that man.
There was so much she still had to do, people she had to see. But it could wait for morning. And if it couldn't, that was too bad. She crossed the room and lay beside her husband, sighing as she snuggled into the familiar crook of his arms.
-*-*-*-
Consciousness came in stages for Scott Summers.
First came the earliest inklings of wakefulness, and the feel of a woman in his arms. Jean. Beautiful, amazing, wonderful Jean. The woman he would wake up beside for every day of his life. It made everything worthwhile, knowing that.
Second came the realization that Jean was gone, but the woman was still in his arms. She had Jean's lemony scent too, but that didn't help. How could he have…?
The third stage came quickly, the knowledge that opening his eyes would bring his sanity crashing down. The woman stirred, and he knew the inevitable moment was upon him.
Much to his surprise, it was her brown eyes that were staring back at him. It was her lips that kissed him good morning. It was her hands that brushed back his hair. It was her waist his arm was curled around. And it was her voice.
"Did you have a good night, Mr. Summers?" she asked quietly, eyes sparkling.
"The best sleep in over a week."
Neither one mentioned why, but the topic hung in the air.
"Good," was all she said, and all that was needed.
-*-*-*-
It was much later that the couple made their way to the kitchen for breakfast, arms around one other. From the time they had woken up, they had not broken contact. It seemed to be tempting fate once too often. They had avoided discussing anything to do with Alkali Lake, and at the moment neither one cared for the how of it.
The few students they met stared for a moment before breaking out into smiles and running off to tell the good news. Dr. Grey was back!
Charles Xavier glanced up from his newspaper only briefly.
"Hello Jean. I would have thought you'd have announced your presence last night."
She grinned. "Well, I decided to sleep first. There's plenty of time to get back to the daily grind of life. I assume it was you that disabled the security system?"
"Of course. I also figured you had some explaining to do to certain people that didn't need interrupting."
Thank you, she told him.
-*-*-*-
Logan was sitting in the common room when he heard. Jean alive? Here? He stood up, already on the prowl for the only woman to ever haunt his dreams. He had to make her see…
……………………….
TBC, Reviews appreciated. Definitely an intro-to-actual-plot chapter. Sorry if it was unbearably boring.