Chapter 18
"If you want to get there in enough time to go skiing or something before the rehearsal, we have to leave now." Perched on the corner of Jean's desk, Scott watched as she hurried around her room, stuffing odds and ends into her small suitcase.
"I know, I know," Jean muttered, finally zipping the bag closed. "Ok, I think I've got everything."
"Wedding gift?"
"In my suitcase."
"Dress?"
She made a face. "In the car with your suit."
"Then are we good to go?" he asked, getting to his feet and picking up Jean's suitcase.
"Yeah, I guess," Jean said reluctantly.
Professor Xavier had excused Scott and Jean from their Friday classes so that they could have an extra day to relax – he considered it a well-deserved break for his two eldest students. It was still early in the morning, so the roads were quiet as they made their way to the quiet country resort where Sarah's wedding was being held.
Elaine Grey had been determined to make the wedding of her eldest daughter the social event of the season, and no expense was spared. Every room in the resort had been reserved for wedding guests. Scott and Jean checked into their own rooms, discovering that they were the first of the guests to arrive. Scott met Jean in her room after he'd finished unpacking.
"So what do you want to do now?" Scott asked, reclining on the bed and patting the mattress next to him invitingly.
Jean smiled crookedly and slowly sauntered towards him. "Well, there is one thing I was thinking about," she told him shyly.
"And what might that be?" he asked hopefully, a big smile on his face as she climbed up onto the bed.
"I've always wanted to go riding in a snow covered forest," she whispered in his ear, her lips twitching as she fought a grin.
"When you say 'riding', you're talking about horses, aren't you?" he asked.
Jean burst out laughing, not even having considered the other possible meaning. "Yeah, sorry – I meant horseback riding," she smiled down at him apologetically. "They've got a stable on the property, and everything. Want to?"
"Why not?" Scott agreed, defeated.
After an afternoon of horseback riding and cross-country skiing through the beautifully snowy woods that surrounded the resort, Jean was dreading the weekend much less. As long as Scott was with her, everything would be fine – or so she hoped.
They strolled towards the lobby after returning their skis, Scott's arm around her shoulders and Jean's arm around his waist. Scott kissed her temple tenderly.
"What was that for?" she asked, smiling up at him.
"I just wanted to kiss you," he explained simply. "I'm allowed to do that, right?"
"Always," she grinned, wrapping her other arm around his waist from the front to hug him. Suddenly, she stopped walking, jarring Scott. "Oh, man, here we go," she murmured.
"Jean! You're here all ready," Elaine Grey gushed as she swept across the lobby to greet them. Gathering her daughter in a quick embrace, she kissed her cheek lightly before turning to Scott. "I'm glad you could join us this weekend, Scott," she said, and gave him an equally brief hug.
"It's nice to see you again, Mrs. Grey," Scott told her, forcing a smile. The woman always made him uncomfortable – almost as uncomfortable as she made Jean feel.
"Daddy!" Jean called, slipping past her mother and running into her father's waiting arms.
Dr. John Grey was a tall stately man with kind eyes. He was one of those people who always made an effort to make people feel at ease. After hugging Jean fiercely, he turned to Scott with a warm smile. "Good to see you, son," he said, extending his arm and shaking Scott's hand firmly. "Have you been taking good care of my baby girl?"
"I do my best, sir, but she doesn't make it easy," Scott admitted with a chuckle.
"That's my girl," Dr. Grey laughed. "Are you kids settled in?"
Before either could answer, Elaine reminded everyone of her presence. "John, we have things to do, we can't stand here chit-chatting all day."
John glanced at Jean and shared a conspiratorial wink before saying, "Of course, dear."
"What do you need us to do, mom?" Jean asked.
"Nothing, darling, not until the rehearsal tonight," Elaine admitted distractedly. "Why aren't Sara and Paul here yet?"
John dutifully followed his wife as she hurried away. "Seven o'clock, Jean. Don't be late!" Elaine called back over her shoulder.
"Sometimes I really wish I was adopted," Jean muttered, making Scott laugh.
The rehearsal started promptly at 7:00, as per Elaine's strict schedule. Although Jean had assured Scott he didn't have to attend this particular event, he went as moral support. He took a seat near the back of the room and watched in amusement as Jean and the other girls were ushered through the motions of the practice ceremony.
"Which one are you with?" a voice suddenly asked from beside Scott.
Scott turned quickly and came face to face with a young man who bore a strong resemblance to Jean's father.
"Uh, Jean," Scott stammered in reply.
"Ah! So you're Scott, then. Excellent!" the young man broke into a broad grin and extended his hand. "I'm Kyle, Jean's cousin. Thank God I found someone worth talking with."
Scott shook his hand, and returned the smile. "How do you know I'm worth talking to?"
"Oh, Jean's told me all about you, my friend," Kyle said with a chuckle that was a little too loud, earning the two of them a harsh "Shhhh!" from the front of the room.
Jean glanced back at Scott, and burst into a grin when she saw him talking with Kyle. Her cousin was leaning in close to Scott, speaking in hushed tones. Kyle caught her eye and winked at her, giving her a subtle thumbs-up signal. Jean fought the giggles that bubbled within her, but lost.
"Is something funny about this ceremony, young lady?" the officiate demanded of Jean.
Jean's eyes snapped forward and her face was instantly serious. "No, ma'am, I'm sorry," she muttered, her eyes downcast. Her eyes always gave her away when she was lying.
When the rehearsal finally ended, Jean quickly made her way towards Scott and Kyle.
"Hey, stranger," Jean greeted her cousin with a warm hug. "Was he bugging you?" she jokingly asked Scott, motioning to Kyle with her head.
"I was on my best behavior, I promise," Kyle informed her before Scott could reply. "Have you two eaten yet?"
Scott and Jean shook their heads. "Excellent! Let me track down Darcy, then we can have dinner together," he announced.
Dinner was lively and entertaining, and Scott found himself liking Jean's cousin and his date immensely. Scott found himself regaled with stories of the Grey clan, and more importantly, of Jean as a mischievous young girl.
"It's nice to know you haven't changed much since you were six," Scott told her with a grin as he escorted her to her room later that night. "Always getting into trouble."
Jean snorted. "If you knew half the things Kyle's done over the years, you'd realize that I was actually the good one."
"Is there any way we can tamper with the seating plan to make sure we sit with Kyle and Darcy tomorrow night?"
"I think that could be arranged," Jean agreed with a grin. "You really hit it off with them, didn't you?"
Scott nodded. "Yeah. They're a great couple."
"Couple?" Jean repeated with a laugh. "They're not a couple, Scott. They're a real life Will & Grace."
Scott stopped in his tracks, his jaw slack in surprise. "What?"
"Kyle's gay, Scott. I thought you'd picked up on that."
Shaking his head, Scott continued walking. "I didn't have a clue."
"Don't tell me you're homophobic," Jean said disdainfully.
"Of course not," he said emphatically, offended that she'd even considered it a possibility. "Is Kyle 'out'?"
"Yes. The fact that my powers had manifested a few years before made it a lot easier for him to come out. I think his parents were actually relieved – at least he wasn't a mutant," Jean explained with a half smile. "We kind of bonded as the two black sheep of the family."
They stopped walking in front of Jean's room. "So," Scott said in a low voice, stepping closer to her and wrapping his arms around her.
"So?" Jean repeated, raising an eyebrow questioningly.
"Wanna fool around for a while?"
Jean reached up and drew him down to meet her lips. "Yes, I want to fool around," she told him between kisses. "I want to do a lot more than fool around."
Scott pulled away and looked down at her. "But…?"
"But not tonight," she finished, smiling sadly. "My mom will be looking for me early in the morning, and I wouldn't want her to find us in bed together. And don't say that you could go back to your room afterward, because I wouldn't want to go to sleep without you beside me."
"You're killing me here, Jean," Scott admitted with a kiss. "Just tell me 'good night' and send me to my room."
Jean kissed him again, longingly. "Good night, Scott."
~~
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