Disclaimer - I STILL don't own the X-Men or any other Marvel dudes or dudettes. Sasha IS still my character however.
A/N - To everyone and anyone (esp Shadowfax ;)who was waiting for this installment: I'msorryI'msorryI'msorryitooksolongcanyoueverforgiveme???? It won't happen again; now that university's over I can concentrate on what's really important ;) WRITING! Hehe. On with the show.
The Memory Remains
Chapter 2
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Before you judge me take a look at you
Can't you find something better to do?
Point the finger, slow to understand
Arrogance and ignorance go hand in hand.
---Metallica "Holier Than Thou"
----
Jubilee sat sprawled on the floor in the den of the Institute with the TV remote in one hand and a can of Coke in the other. To her left was a bowl of popcorn; to her right a bowl of nachos. Beneath her was her bright yellow body pillow, and on her face was a wide glowing grin. It was movie night, and tonight was her choice.
"Jean, come on!" Jubilee called.
"Be patient, child," Storm told her. "She just had to finish up a few things."
"But I'm finally comfortable, and if she doesn't hurry, I'm going to have to get up and get another drink and refill the popcorn," Jubilee grumbled.
"Speaking of which: you gonna share that, kid?" Wolverine asked, and she passed him the bowl. He turned to Storm and Beast, who were sharing the sofa with him. "Morph, Cyke and Gumbo get to go out and patrol. How come I gotta get stuck here?"
"Caught by the proverbial 'Big Brown Eyes', my friend," Beast chuckled.
"What is it we are watching, Jubilee?" Storm asked.
"American Pie," Jubilee grinned.
"Didn't we watch that last time you picked?" Wolverine muttered.
"That was American Beauty," she corrected him. "But they both have Mena Suvari in them."
"Who?" Wolverine wrinkled his nose.
"I rather enjoyed American Beauty," Beast admitted, keeping Jubilee from entering a long explanation on the young actress. "It was very psychological and thought provoking."
"I just thought it was crap," grumbled Logan.
"Oh yeah, and your last three picks of Die Hard, First Blood and Escape from New York were such tasteful choices," Jubilee shot back.
"Bruce Willis, Sylvester Stallone and Kurt Russell are real role models," Wolverine argued. "Better than Kevin Spacey and the snotty teenage punks in your flicks."
"Please, you two," Storm cut in. "Can we not all just be grateful that it is not Gambit's choice tonight and we are not stuck watching Interview With the Vampire again?"
"Agreed," Jubilee and Wolverine said together.
"I rather enjoyed that movie as well," Beast frowned.
"I never figured you for a Brad Pitt groupie, Hank," Wolverine joked.
"I will have you know that, as an avid reader of Anne Rice, I enjoyed the film for its excellent portrayal of her exquisite characters," Beast replied. "The fact that Brad Pitt and Tom Cruise starred made no difference to me whatsoever."
"Not to mention Antonio Banderas," Storm smiled dreamily.
"Ewww," Jubilee groaned.
"This coming from the gal with such fabulous taste in men," Logan scoffed in defense of Storm.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Jubilee sat up and glared at Logan.
The Canadian mutant smirked. "Lemme see, there was Iceman, and you had a thing for Colossus didn't you? Oh and let's not forget Longshot...need I go on?" Jubilee scowled and Wolverine continued. "Yeah, gotta love the mullet on that cross-dimensional hotshot, eh Jubes?"
"Shut up!" the girl snarled.
"Must be movie night," Jean chuckled as she appeared in the doorway, "because all I can hear is fighting from this room." Jubilee sat back down and Jean continued. "I have some news, but I haven't decided whether it is good or bad yet."
"What's up, Jeanie?" Wolverine sat up.
"I just got a call from Moira MacTaggart. Apparently Kevin had a sort of relapse last night during an electrical storm, so she needs my help with him, and could use you too, Hank."
"Of course, I will be happy to assist in any way I can," Beast nodded.
"I don't get why you're so on the fence over that, Jean," Jubilee said. "Kev will be okay."
"Oh, Kevin's problems aren't the half of it," Jean admitted. "That's just the set-up."
"Saw that coming," Wolverine frowned.
"Yes. Apparently, Sasha awoke from her coma during that storm, and, thanks to Kevin's use of his powers during his fit, managed to escape."
"And you don't know whether that's good or bad news?" Jubilee's jaw dropped.
"Well, I don't want to jump to any conclusions-" Jean tried to explain.
"Then let me do it for you, Jeanie," Wolverine cut in. "No matter what you two gals said in your heart-to-heart four months ago, that chick's bad news from any direction. And I'll give three guesses where she's headed."
"Back here where her friends are," Jubilee guessed.
"Bingo," Wolverine pointed at her. "Those four meatballs have been relatively quiet lately, agreed?"
"Coping with quite a blow to reality, I assume," Beast nodded.
"Right. Haven't even seen head or tail of that fire-tossing freak since what happened. Anyone else think that'll change once his sweetheart shows up again?"
"The word 'duh' comes to mind," Jubilee said.
"We don't know that she's coming here, Logan," Jean reminded him. "We don't know her intentions; we don't even know what her mind state is. She went through an extremely traumatic experience, and suffered extensive damage to her psyche. Hank, in the most extreme scenario, isn't it possible that she doesn't even know who she is?"
"It is indeed quite possible, Jean," Beast confirmed. "In fact, with Sasha being prematurely forced from a comatose state, and from your description of the chaos in the deepest recesses of her mind, four months ago even as it were, I would deem it quite certain that some form of amnesia or other psychological problem would have developed."
"Other psychological problem?" Wolverine clenched his teeth. "How much room does she have on her psychological resumé after 'homicidal sociopath'?"
"A what?" Jubilee wasn't big on psychology.
"Antisocial Personality Disorder," Beast preferred the correct terminology. "Diagnosed when a person exhibits a lack of conscience for wrong-doing, even toward friends and family. And, I must remind you, Sasha is not the only member of the Brotherhood having been diagnosed with that particular disorder."
"Right," Logan said. "That list includes her hot-headed boyfriend as well as our ol' buddy Lance Alvers. Still reluctant to jump to conclusions, Jeanie?"
"Yes," the redhead replied. "If Sasha has contracted a form of amnesia, as I suspect, there may be a chance for reformation. I want to find her without enticing a destructive relapse back to her old mindset. Unless reformation doesn't mean anything to you, Wolverine."
The two glared at each other for a few moments until Wolverine gave in. "Alright Jeanie. Normally my policy for her is 'shoot first, as questions later', but I'll put that on the shelf until you've done some talkin' with Moira. But if any of them Brotherhood punks try anything funny..." he shot out his adamantium claws and ground them together for emphasis.
*
Cyclops, Gambit and Morph sat equally spaced around a high bar table in the familiar club. On stage Alyson Blair - AKA the Dazzler - performed her locally famous light show. Gambit grinned at his companions and raised his beer bottle.
"Dis is da kind of patrolling Gambit could get used to, mes amis," the Cajun stated.
"Yeah, just remember not to let Wolverine get wind of us having a good time and leaving him to the mercy of Jubilee's movie-pick night," Morph chuckled.
"Good call," Cyclops nodded, raising his beer bottle to Morph.
Morph raised his in return, but his face fell as he saw two familiar figures enter the club. "Don't look now," he said, "but we've got company."
Cyclops and Gambit turned to look over their shoulders and recognized Lance Alvers and Freddy Dukes, better known as Avalanche and Blob, stroll up to the bar. Obviously they'd had a few drinks before arriving.
"Mon dieu," Gambit muttered. "Dare's a couple faces Gambit was hoping he would not have to see for at least a while longer."
"I can't believe they would even dare show their faces in here," Cyclops began to stand, but Morph put a hand on his arm.
"Just leave them alone, Cyke. We don't wanna start anything."
"Gambit will show dem how to start somet'ing if dey try any funny business," the Cajun muttered, pulling a handful of cards secretly from his pocket.
"Just give them the benefit of the doubt," Morph sat back. "They have as much right to be in here as anyone else."
Cyclops and Gambit gave him a funny look. "Did you hit your head this morning?" the team leader asked.
"No," Morph rolled his eyes. "Look, why can't we just relax? I mean, what are the chances that they're actually going to start any-"
"BACK OFF, JACKASS!" Avalanche's voice rang out from across the club and the three X-Men sprang to their feet. The rock tumbler was towering over a man sprawled on the floor, and Blob had two other men by the throats. The music had stopped, most of the club-goers had cleared the area, and Dazzler was watching from the stage.
"Pretty good chances, I'd say," Cyclops snapped and stomped across the room. "Can't help yourself, can you, Alvers?" he growled at his foe.
"Mind your own business, Summers," Avalanche growled back. "This punk started it."
"Good one, Alvers, but I'm not buying."
"Oh, it's so easy to just blame me for everything, isn't it, Summers?" Avalanche hissed through clenched teeth. "Trouble's going down - must be Lance's fault. He'd never want to actually be left alone. No, his night ain't complete without a good bar fight and a fucking black eye." It was then that Cyclops noticed for the first time that Lance was squinting through his left eye. "Well, this little shit and his buddies couldn't leave us alone and now they're getting what's coming to them."
"I'm really getting sick of having to break up your bar fights, Alvers-" Cyclops was still cynical, but was cut off by a feminine voice behind him.
"Hold it, Red, he's telling the truth," Dazzler said. "I saw it go down from the stage. That little creep just up and punched him. Lance was just defending himself."
"And what about him?" Cyclops pointed to Blob.
"Just watching his back," Blob sneered. "Gotta make sure we keep this one-on-one."
Cyclops was furious with himself for being wrong, and turned his head to catch the look in Morph's eyes that pleaded him to just apologize and walk away to end this right then and there. The team leader knew that he was right.
"I-I'm sorry, Lance," he said. "I guess I jumped to conclusions." He turned to go back to his table and Gambit, Morph and Dazzler turned to follow.
Unfortunately, Lance couldn't just leave it. He'd scored a win, and had to gloat. "Damn fucking right you did," he spat. "Y'know, I'm really sick of you always acting like you're so much better than me and my friends, Summers."
"Well, it's not like it would be out of character for you," Cyclops spat back. "We've been breaking up your bar fights for the past four months. Why the hell should I have thought tonight would have been any different?"
"We never denied starting them before, did we?" Avalanche smirked.
"I'm glad you're so proud of your accomplishments during this last little while which you should have been spending on Muir Island with your teammate," Cyclops returned. "But I guess she just doesn't mean that much to you."
The smirk was wiped off Avalanche's face. "Leave her out of this."
"Hell, she could have died three months ago, but you'd never know," Scott kept it up, seeing that he'd struck a nerve. "Sure is heartwarming to see how much you value friendship."
"I'm warning you..." Lance snarled, his fists clenching. The walls and floorboards began to quake. Everyone in the bar began to panic and fled the premises, except the three at the Brotherhood's mercy.
Cyclops felt a twinge in the back of his mind - Jean contacting him through their unique psychic link. She relayed all the information of the phone call from Moira and the conversation with the rest of the team. "Romanov-" he muttered.
"I said, leave her out of this!" Lance exploded, ready to bring the place down.
"No! She's awake!" Cyclops tried to reason. "She's out of the coma! Jean just got the call from Muir Island."
The rumbling stopped, Lance's jaw dropped, and Blob's eyes went wide. Morph and Gambit turned with shocked expressions to their leader. Dukes released the two men and they helped their companion up and rushed from the now-deserted club. Lance cleared his throat and cracked his knuckles on his clenched fists. "What did you say?"
"She's awake, Lance," Morph repeated Cyclops's words. "She's alive."
Avalanche tried to order his thoughts. "If you're fucking with me, Summers, I swear-"
"I couldn't be more serious," Cyclops assured him. "Now get out before the police show up to investigate the mass desertion of the place."
Lance slapped Blob's shoulder and the two departed, clearly stunned from the sudden news. Cyclops turned to his teammates.
"Dis is bad, oui?" Gambit asked, unsure of the situation.
"Jean is uncertain of what to think," Cyclops said. "But if you're asking what I think, then yeah, it's bad. Especially now that those idiots know about it, but it was the only way I could think of to save this place from crashing down around us. Speaking of which," he turned to Dazzler, "sorry about the mess, Alyson."
"Ah, it's alright - could'a been worse," she shrugged, that familiar twinkle in her eyes. "You guys go do what you gotta; I'll take care of things here."
"Thanks," Cyclops smiled. "I owe you one."
"I might hold you to that, Red," she winked. "Just call me if you boys need any help."
To Be Continued.