CHAPTER NINE: UNRESTRAINED HELP

In the morning, before seeking Emma, Jubilee visited Paige. All but the worst cracks in her crystalline form were gone. Hank assured her Paige was recovering fine. He hoped she would be awake before long. Jubilee nodded, uncharacteristically silent.

She could still see the red lines distorting the shining surface of Paige's body.

"Jubilee, is something wrong?" Hank asked, whimsical concern written on his furry blue face.

Jubilee giggled at the comical look, despite her mood. "I'm fine, Hankster, just wondering what the future holds for me." She turned and left before Hank could form a response.

It took Jubilee an hour to find the White Queen. Emma was hiding in an empty office, checking business over the phone. She looked up when Jubilee entered the room.

Emma motioned Jubilee to take a seat while she finished the phone call. A scant minute latter the phone clicked on its hook. "What can I do for you, Jubilee?"

Jubilee didn't waste anytime coming to her point. "I would like to leave Generation X and resume civilian life." Jubilee paused as shock registered on Emma's face. Jubilee quickly started giving her speech. "You know, like, I want to go to a regular high school, one without the possibility of being invaded by monsters and villains every week. One where my friends aren't always in danger." Her voice ended on a rather week note.

She could see Emma carefully choosing her options before answering. "Where would you go, child?"

"Umm, I was hoping you could help me there. I don't have any family or friends left that I could go to."

"Let me think about this, Jubilee. Come back in a few hours and we'll see what happens."

Jubilee nodded eagerly and hurriedly left the room.

For two hours Jubilee wandered around the mansion, avoiding populated areas. She was concerned how Emma would take her request. Jubilee hadn't seriously thought Emma would consider her proposal so easily. She was afraid Emma would tell someone or make other arrangements for Jubilee to not go anywhere. By the time the two hours were past, her nerves were in such a state that her hands shook.

Lifting her hand to knock, Jubilee heard Emma's voice requesting her to enter. Slowly she cracked the door open, almost afraid to see someone else in the room with Emma.

She was alone.

Jubilee shifted nervously from foot to foot as Emma silently watched her.

"I have found you a place to live, away from here." Jubilee jumped as Emma broke the silence. "A woman I know in South Dakota agreed to take you on. Her name is Joline Ogden. She lives in a small town named Mist."

Jubilee nodded. "When can I leave?"

Emma mentally winced at the eagerness Jubilee displayed for leaving. "As soon as you tell everyone you're leaving. This time Jubilee winced, she had been hoping to leave and let people find her gone. She didn't like good-byes or explanations. No one would believe she just wanted to leave.

Emma almost took pity on Jubilee, but knew there was no way the girl could go without and outcry. If she left with no good-byes they would find her and never let her leave again.

Emma relented a little. "We can tell everyone at once. I'll be there with you."

I know its been forever since I updated this story, its just I lost the rewrites when I killed Bridget's computer and I've never been able make myself go back and do it again. Anyway, I'm going to go ahead and publish the first version. If someone is actually reading this anymore & would like to help me beta, I would be glad of the help, otherwise it'll only be published in its first draft form.