Okay, I'm am back with the final chapter of hurting. Here we go!

RogueVampyr: yeah, they are attacking all my stuff, I cant get rid of them.

Pyro: when I first started this story I had no intention of making that happen (heck when I first started this story I wanted Tabby to have a crush on Mystique but that was just too weird even for me), but now I think it might happen if I have a sequel

Rilo: thanks, but she might not end-up with Rogue after all, it might become a Jeabby (Jean/Tabby)

Mistress of Dragons: well of course you are, and well, I am continuing.

Hurting VI: A Circle of Friends

She took a deep breath and looked at her friends gathered before her. They were her closest family, and now she would have to reveal a secret that she was sure would drive them away. But it was just as both Tabby and Logan said, she owed it to them.

As the last ones arrived and sat down, she began, "Okay you guys. You are probably wondering why I called you together." A murmur of assent went through the small mob. "Well, I want to tel you what I have been hiding for the last year. I have known this in a way, since I was dating Duncan." She looked at her feet. 'moment of truth,' she thought to herself. "I am a . . . that is to say, I am a . . ." but she couldn't bring herself to say it.

She felt Tabby's hands slip around her shoulders as she said, "Like a band- aid babe. You gotta do it real quick."

Jean grabbed one of Tabby's hands on her shoulders, closed her eyes and said, in as strong a voice as she could muster, "I am a lesbian." She looked to see the reaction from the room. It was totally silent. Then slowly Jamie raised his hand, and Jean sensed he was confused.

"Okay I was . . . am, a very sheltered person, what country are lesbians from?" the youngest X-man asked.

It took a moment for every one to understand that Jamie had no idea what a lesbian was. "Lesbian ain't a nationality short stuff," Rogue corrected, "it means she lahkes girls."

"well of course she does," Jamie said, obviously still not getting it, "She is a girl. She kinda has to like 'em."

"No, Tiny," Spyke said, "She likes them the same way guys like them."

"But . . . Wait . . ." Jamie's brain was slowly beginning to process everything. After fifteen minutes of babbling, Jamie said, "Oh, okay, I get it now. So what's the big deal? It doesn't make her a bad person does it?"

"No," Scott said instantly. He walked up to Jean an took her face in his hands and said, "You are my best friend, I'm not sure I could make it without you. Please don't scare the shit outta me like that again." With that he pulled her into a hug, and for the first time in a month, she returned her best friends hug.

One by one each of her friends came up to her and gave her a hug. Kurt added with his, "Please, don't be afraid to talk. Hey vonce you haff seen dis cute fuzz ball with bed head, nozzing shocks you. I will alvays listen Jean. Alvays."

Rogue said, "Ah don't lahke ya, but I sure do respect ya. And if you eva pull anya that crap again, ah will make sure that ya live jus' so ah can kill ya." Everyone had a good chuckle from that.

Kitty walked timidly up to Jean and asked, "Are you back?"

"Yeah," Jean said, "I'm back."

"Good," Kitty said hugging the red-head, "'cause I was, like, totally wigging out. Please don't try again."

Most of the new recruits said something to the effect of "Please don't go." The biggest variation was when Jamie and Paige added "ma'am" to theirs.

Finally Tabby, who was getting sick of all the mushy stuff, called out, "Group Hug, lets get it over with."

Rogue, of course, politely declined. But everyone else gathered in tight for a hug around Jean. It was all very touching until Amara said, "Jean is that your hand on my ass?"

"No, mine," Tabby chimed.

"oh, I forgot to mention," Jean said nonchalantly, "Tabby's a lesbian too."

"You owe me ten," Sam said to Amara, who had already peeled Tabby's hand off of her butt.

"Oh, Jean," Kitty piped up, "You know, I know this girl in my Math class who is, like, totally perfect for you. Her . . ."

She never got a chance to finish as Jean was laughing to hard to give the illusion of listening.

"What's so funny?" Scot asked.

"Both Logan and Tabby said this would happen," Jean responded through heaving breaths.

"What, that we would accept you?"

"Yeah, well that too, but I mean, they both said that Kitty would set me up on a blind date within one week of my coming out."

Everyone watched Jean have the biggest laugh they had seen her have in a month. It was good to know Jean was back. Now things could get back to not quite normal.