Ohhh, look, another chapter finished. I'm glad so many people are actually reading my fic…It's the first serious one I've ever written. Oh, and to everyone who's been giving me feedback, thanks…especially Lucky 439.
CHAPTER FIVE: RESONSIBLITY
It was less then an hour later when everyone not in the MedLab (Hank, Paige, and Ev) was gathered in the conference room. Angelo sat nursing his sore head and Monet was still a bit woozy from the poisoning, but both had recovered much faster then Everett.
The adults listened, their minds reeling in horror as the scant minutes of devastating action that led to this moment were revisited.
When silence encroached on the room, Emma slowly stood to reassure her students, "All of you performed the best you could today, but I know you feel guilty over the injuries of your fellow students." Jubilee stiffened. "But it's not your fault. Any of you."
Tom interrupted, "None of you should be blaming yourselves. But I'm thinking you should rest now. It'll look better in the morning."
Emma nodded in agreement. The students slumped out of the room, the teacher's pep talk did nothing to alleviate their feelings of guilt. Jubilee was last to leave and Emma silently asked her to stay a minute after the others left.
Tom looked over at Emma, uncomfortably inquiring in her mind if she wanted him to remain as well. She waved him away, knowing he would be of no use.
Silence followed Tom out the door. Jubilee turned to Emma, trying to affect a careless facade for her headmistress. Jubilee could see in Emma's eyes she was not successful.
Emma simply held her arms out to Jubilee as their tears fell. Jubilee could feel a small bit of dampness on her head as a stain spread on Emma's white blouse.
Jubilee wondered how the Ice Queen could be nice, especially to a horrible person like herself who had hurt her best friend.
With a start Emma jerked back and took Jubilee's face in her hands, "You Are Not a Horrible Person, Jubilee. Never think that. And I'm being nice because I care about you... just don't tell anyone, ok. I don't want my reputation ruined."
Jubilee started in surprise, a small bubble of a laugh escaping. "You're not supposed to read my mind," she snorted.
"I wasn't, you were projecting your thoughts so loudly I couldn't help but overhear. Now, I know you're tired, so I'll let you get some sleep, but tomorrow we will talk some more."
Jubilee nodded and quickly backed away, hurrying through the door. After she was gone Emma Frost sat down in a plush leather armchair and hugged her knees. She didn't know what to do anymore.
Jubilee sat staring at the ceiling. Morning sunlight peeked through the window. The room felt like a silent tomb whose only inhabitant refused to give up the ghost of a life she tried to live. Jubilee knew she should get up, but a pain was forming in her chest, making the day she had once looked so forward to feel dull and lifeless.
Tonight the spring dance they had once been so excited about would take place, but no one on the team felt the excitement anymore.
Paige still lay in the MedLab, unconscious. The red lines had stopped spreading through her crystalline form and the bleeding had stopped, but no one could reach her mind to wake her up. Without a conscious mind to direct the change Paige's form remained.
Jubilee had seen Paige briefly when they first brought her in. She rolled on her back, briefly closing her eyes, but the image of Paige shattered across her consciousness. Jubilee stood up quickly, sprinting across the room. She headed for the kitchen, trying to avoid the excited students who talked of nothing but the dance. The dance they had all once looked forward to.
Peeking in she saw Tom and Angelo eating lunch. She didn't much feel like speaking to either of them. Jubilee turned and wondered away, not paying attention to where she was going only that there was no one in her path. She was surprised when she ended up in MedLab.
Jubilee looked around but not as soul seemed to be attending Paige, who was in a stasis unit on the far wall.
Jubilee crept to the unit, drawn onward, feeling like a fly creeping towards its carnage.
Lightly tracing a finger along a crack on Paige's forehead, Jubilee voice whispered light as a breeze. "I'm so sorry, Paige. Please wake up, I didn't mean to hurt you. Please wake up."
In the corner Hank sat unseen waited for more, but there was only silence.