Ocean Blue
by sweet like chocolate
Disclaimer: don't own 'em, don't profit from 'em
A/N This was just meant to be a prefix to the next chapter but my imagination kept coming up with stuff so now it has its own chapter, and possibly the longest one at that!
Do I need to remind you to R+R?
Chapter 6- The History of the Den or Jean's Story
*~*~*~*~*
Screech.
The car sped round the corner just as two girls, brown and red hair contrasting brilliantly, laughed and played on the lawn. The red haired one kicked the ball hard, sending it just out of the brown haired ones reach- out on to the road. Laughing the girl ran out on to the road to pick up the ball her friend had just scored with. She turned to look at her friend, a smile etched on her face. She never saw what was coming.
Noooo!
The pain took over Jean's mind as she knelt by Annie. She was unaware of how she got there; she just knew she couldn't break her gaze from her friends. Images flashed through her brain, two toddlers playing together, one's red hair already making her face stand out, two small children at the funfair clutching identical dolls laughing together, two 9 year old girls playing football, joy outlining both their faces, one girl, her red hair sweeping down her shoulders, her face wet with tears, standing by a tombstone alone in the rain.
The pain swirled round her head making her weak. Thoughts that weren't hers echoed round her head. The one thing that was consistent was the pain and the voice- her own she realised, screaming her friend's name. Suddenly she was drawn away and a man stepped in front of her, blocking her view of Annie. Arms held her as she struggled, the pain and the voices increased until she could no longer hear her own and she surrendered into the silent darkness.
*~*~*~*~*
The little 11-year-old girl curled up in a ball on the bathroom, sobbing softly, her brilliant red hair sweeping forward in a curtain over her face.
Her delicate body shook with the effort that kept the sobs from echoing around the mansion. Memories flashed in front of her eyes as her tired mind, exhausted from another failed telepathy lesson, failed to keep the memories in check. There was nowhere to go where she could be alone with her thoughts.
She raised her face in grim determination. There must be somewhere in the expanse of grounds where she could have some peace and quiet. Silently she made her way over to the basin and washed her face before stepping out into the thankfully empty hallway.
Out in the gardens there was no one to be seen. They must be training Scott, the strange, shy boy whose always-present sunglasses made his face and emotions difficult to read. She had only been at the mansion a couple of weeks, but she was determined to break through his facade and bring out the real Scott.
She walked slowly round the garden, noting the high wall that surrounded the mansion and trying to keep as near to it as possible. There must be some corner, some unseen place where she could have some privacy. There was a large hedge that ran alongside the wall. She supposed it was an extra deterrent for anyone trying to get in.
She was still unsure exactly why the mansion needed all of the protection, but she was certain the professor knew what he was doing. Stopping suddenly she noticed that the distance between where she was standing (next to the hedge) and the wall was larger than it had been everywhere else. Though the gap was barely noticeable unless you were looking for it she was sure it was what she was looking for.
There was just one obstacle.
The hedge.
She stared at her opponent, sizing it up, while clearing her mind in the way the professor had taught her. Checking to make sure no one could see her she knelt on the floor. There was a small gap near the bottom of the hedge and she concentrated on using her telepathy to make it bigger so she could just squeeze through, while at the same time holding the branches around her back, so she didn't get to scratched.
After a few inches the tunnel widened enough so she could crawl through with no real discomfort. Behind her she telekinetically pushed the branches back down so the gap was barely visible. It was the biggest thing she had ever done with her mind especially since she was still exhausted from her session with the professor, and she staggered into the small clearing.
It was perfect, a small log sat next to the wall, she had no idea how it had got there, it must have been there before the hedge was planted. The hedge was tall enough that it was completely hidden from the institute but there was a perfect view of the sky.
"Hi."
Jean nearly jumped out of her skin, as she turned round to face Scott. He continued regardless.
"You found my den."
The two children stared at each other. Ones red hair was tangled with leaves and she panted, slightly out of breath. The other had a scratch on his cheek and appeared to be in a worse state than the girl. Their gazes locked until the girl wrenched hers away, her voice was muted, full of disappointment.
"I thought nobody knew it was here."
"I'm the only one as far as I know. Well, saying that, I'm sure the professor knows but he respects my privacy."
Jean sighed and sat on the log.
"I just wanted somewhere to be alone."
"That's what I use this for." He sat next to her. She leaned into him unconsciously. For a minute they sat in silence before Scott spoke,
"We could share it." Jean turned to look at him incredulously; she had been expecting him to make her leave.
"We could make a signal for when we are here and want to be alone, so the other won't interrupt."
"Really?"
"Of course, I know how hard it is to find some privacy round here."
Jean hugged him and he grinned stupidly, hugging her back.
She looked into his eyes.
"Thank you. Friends?"
"Of course."
*~*~*~*~*
13-year-old Jean flew backwards and hit the danger room floor wincing. The simulation shut down.
"Are you okay?" Scott helped her to her feet.
"I'm fine," she pushed him gently away. "You didn't need to shut down the sim."
"I was worried, you're my best friend you know."
Jean stiffened and suddenly pain seared through her head as the rush of memories came flooding through.
*~*
A red haired girl knelt by a brown haired one in front of a doll's house.
"You're my best friend you know."
"I know." They smiled at each other.
*~*
Rain poured down on the mud soaked soccer pitch as two disgruntled 8-year- old girls were put on different teams. The brown haired one ran back to the coach, taking his hand and pulling him round to face her.
"I want to be on Jean's team. I'm her best friend and we work much better together."
The coach surveyed the little girl, so determined and full of spirit even though rain poured around her.
"Fine, we'll try you out together this week, but no messing around."
The girl ran over to join her best friend, who had been watching and identical grins split over their faces.
The sun appeared from behind a cloud.
*~*
A red haired girl knelt by the crumpled body of a brown haired one. Tears ran down her face as pain swirled round her head. Barely recognisable words formed from her mouth.
"Annie, no. You're my best friend. Don't leave."
Arms came round her as she was moved and the paramedic knelt by the body, shaking his head. Behind him the red haired girl collapsed.
*~*~*~*~*
Jean flinched away from Scott and ran from the room, tears over flowing.
*~*
Scott had seen the sign Jean wanted to be alone and had ignored it. Now he looked at her, she was curled up in a corner of the den, sobbing quietly, and he was not sure he had done the right thing.
"Jean." He whispered as he knelt down by her. "What's wrong?"
Her eyes were raw with emotion as she looked at him.
"Annie."
"Who?"
She leant forward and rested her forehead against his.
Suddenly he was swirled around in a myriad of images. Him, Jean, the Professor, Ororo, Wolverine and other unrecognisable ones filled his vision. Half an hour he knew everything and he looked on the girl before him with a newfound respect, but at the same time an intense longing to hold her and protect her from the world that had dealt her such a cruel hand. He knew there was something that needed to be got out of the way first.
"Jean, like it or not, I am your best friend, and I promise you I will never leave you. I've learnt that even when you can't see someone you care for, their still there, as you just showed me. Look at all the memories you have of Annie that comfort you. That's her way of still being there for you, still loving you."
He walked over to the log and pushed his glasses down so just a fraction of his optic beam came through. Slowly, laboriously he carved an inscription into the log.
'Property of JG and SS 1998. Best Friends Forever.'
He caught her hand and ran it over the wood, still warm from the optic beam.
"Whenever I'm not here, you can just feel this and remember I'm still caring for you, wherever I am."
Jean nodded and he held her close, letting her cry into his chest.
*~*~*~*~*
A red haired teen, beauty radiant on her face sat next to a brown haired boy. His arm was round her shoulders and she leant into him, trusting him implicitly. Together they watched the sunset in silence, neither needing words. When the sun had set they stood up and the girl turned to the boy, puzzlement etched her face.
"I don't think I need this as a private place any more."
"How come?"
"Your my private place."
He smiled and looked into her eyes.
"And you're mine."
They climbed through the hedge and walked back to the institute in silence, but they walked with their arms round each other, shadows melded as one.
*~*~*~*~*
Okay- that's what the den is and the part it plays in Scott and Jean's history, at least in my mind.
Luv it, hate it? Tell me, tell me, tell me, tell me!
Back to present time and fluffiness next chapter
- sweet like chocolate
by sweet like chocolate
Disclaimer: don't own 'em, don't profit from 'em
A/N This was just meant to be a prefix to the next chapter but my imagination kept coming up with stuff so now it has its own chapter, and possibly the longest one at that!
Do I need to remind you to R+R?
Chapter 6- The History of the Den or Jean's Story
*~*~*~*~*
Screech.
The car sped round the corner just as two girls, brown and red hair contrasting brilliantly, laughed and played on the lawn. The red haired one kicked the ball hard, sending it just out of the brown haired ones reach- out on to the road. Laughing the girl ran out on to the road to pick up the ball her friend had just scored with. She turned to look at her friend, a smile etched on her face. She never saw what was coming.
Noooo!
The pain took over Jean's mind as she knelt by Annie. She was unaware of how she got there; she just knew she couldn't break her gaze from her friends. Images flashed through her brain, two toddlers playing together, one's red hair already making her face stand out, two small children at the funfair clutching identical dolls laughing together, two 9 year old girls playing football, joy outlining both their faces, one girl, her red hair sweeping down her shoulders, her face wet with tears, standing by a tombstone alone in the rain.
The pain swirled round her head making her weak. Thoughts that weren't hers echoed round her head. The one thing that was consistent was the pain and the voice- her own she realised, screaming her friend's name. Suddenly she was drawn away and a man stepped in front of her, blocking her view of Annie. Arms held her as she struggled, the pain and the voices increased until she could no longer hear her own and she surrendered into the silent darkness.
*~*~*~*~*
The little 11-year-old girl curled up in a ball on the bathroom, sobbing softly, her brilliant red hair sweeping forward in a curtain over her face.
Her delicate body shook with the effort that kept the sobs from echoing around the mansion. Memories flashed in front of her eyes as her tired mind, exhausted from another failed telepathy lesson, failed to keep the memories in check. There was nowhere to go where she could be alone with her thoughts.
She raised her face in grim determination. There must be somewhere in the expanse of grounds where she could have some peace and quiet. Silently she made her way over to the basin and washed her face before stepping out into the thankfully empty hallway.
Out in the gardens there was no one to be seen. They must be training Scott, the strange, shy boy whose always-present sunglasses made his face and emotions difficult to read. She had only been at the mansion a couple of weeks, but she was determined to break through his facade and bring out the real Scott.
She walked slowly round the garden, noting the high wall that surrounded the mansion and trying to keep as near to it as possible. There must be some corner, some unseen place where she could have some privacy. There was a large hedge that ran alongside the wall. She supposed it was an extra deterrent for anyone trying to get in.
She was still unsure exactly why the mansion needed all of the protection, but she was certain the professor knew what he was doing. Stopping suddenly she noticed that the distance between where she was standing (next to the hedge) and the wall was larger than it had been everywhere else. Though the gap was barely noticeable unless you were looking for it she was sure it was what she was looking for.
There was just one obstacle.
The hedge.
She stared at her opponent, sizing it up, while clearing her mind in the way the professor had taught her. Checking to make sure no one could see her she knelt on the floor. There was a small gap near the bottom of the hedge and she concentrated on using her telepathy to make it bigger so she could just squeeze through, while at the same time holding the branches around her back, so she didn't get to scratched.
After a few inches the tunnel widened enough so she could crawl through with no real discomfort. Behind her she telekinetically pushed the branches back down so the gap was barely visible. It was the biggest thing she had ever done with her mind especially since she was still exhausted from her session with the professor, and she staggered into the small clearing.
It was perfect, a small log sat next to the wall, she had no idea how it had got there, it must have been there before the hedge was planted. The hedge was tall enough that it was completely hidden from the institute but there was a perfect view of the sky.
"Hi."
Jean nearly jumped out of her skin, as she turned round to face Scott. He continued regardless.
"You found my den."
The two children stared at each other. Ones red hair was tangled with leaves and she panted, slightly out of breath. The other had a scratch on his cheek and appeared to be in a worse state than the girl. Their gazes locked until the girl wrenched hers away, her voice was muted, full of disappointment.
"I thought nobody knew it was here."
"I'm the only one as far as I know. Well, saying that, I'm sure the professor knows but he respects my privacy."
Jean sighed and sat on the log.
"I just wanted somewhere to be alone."
"That's what I use this for." He sat next to her. She leaned into him unconsciously. For a minute they sat in silence before Scott spoke,
"We could share it." Jean turned to look at him incredulously; she had been expecting him to make her leave.
"We could make a signal for when we are here and want to be alone, so the other won't interrupt."
"Really?"
"Of course, I know how hard it is to find some privacy round here."
Jean hugged him and he grinned stupidly, hugging her back.
She looked into his eyes.
"Thank you. Friends?"
"Of course."
*~*~*~*~*
13-year-old Jean flew backwards and hit the danger room floor wincing. The simulation shut down.
"Are you okay?" Scott helped her to her feet.
"I'm fine," she pushed him gently away. "You didn't need to shut down the sim."
"I was worried, you're my best friend you know."
Jean stiffened and suddenly pain seared through her head as the rush of memories came flooding through.
*~*
A red haired girl knelt by a brown haired one in front of a doll's house.
"You're my best friend you know."
"I know." They smiled at each other.
*~*
Rain poured down on the mud soaked soccer pitch as two disgruntled 8-year- old girls were put on different teams. The brown haired one ran back to the coach, taking his hand and pulling him round to face her.
"I want to be on Jean's team. I'm her best friend and we work much better together."
The coach surveyed the little girl, so determined and full of spirit even though rain poured around her.
"Fine, we'll try you out together this week, but no messing around."
The girl ran over to join her best friend, who had been watching and identical grins split over their faces.
The sun appeared from behind a cloud.
*~*
A red haired girl knelt by the crumpled body of a brown haired one. Tears ran down her face as pain swirled round her head. Barely recognisable words formed from her mouth.
"Annie, no. You're my best friend. Don't leave."
Arms came round her as she was moved and the paramedic knelt by the body, shaking his head. Behind him the red haired girl collapsed.
*~*~*~*~*
Jean flinched away from Scott and ran from the room, tears over flowing.
*~*
Scott had seen the sign Jean wanted to be alone and had ignored it. Now he looked at her, she was curled up in a corner of the den, sobbing quietly, and he was not sure he had done the right thing.
"Jean." He whispered as he knelt down by her. "What's wrong?"
Her eyes were raw with emotion as she looked at him.
"Annie."
"Who?"
She leant forward and rested her forehead against his.
Suddenly he was swirled around in a myriad of images. Him, Jean, the Professor, Ororo, Wolverine and other unrecognisable ones filled his vision. Half an hour he knew everything and he looked on the girl before him with a newfound respect, but at the same time an intense longing to hold her and protect her from the world that had dealt her such a cruel hand. He knew there was something that needed to be got out of the way first.
"Jean, like it or not, I am your best friend, and I promise you I will never leave you. I've learnt that even when you can't see someone you care for, their still there, as you just showed me. Look at all the memories you have of Annie that comfort you. That's her way of still being there for you, still loving you."
He walked over to the log and pushed his glasses down so just a fraction of his optic beam came through. Slowly, laboriously he carved an inscription into the log.
'Property of JG and SS 1998. Best Friends Forever.'
He caught her hand and ran it over the wood, still warm from the optic beam.
"Whenever I'm not here, you can just feel this and remember I'm still caring for you, wherever I am."
Jean nodded and he held her close, letting her cry into his chest.
*~*~*~*~*
A red haired teen, beauty radiant on her face sat next to a brown haired boy. His arm was round her shoulders and she leant into him, trusting him implicitly. Together they watched the sunset in silence, neither needing words. When the sun had set they stood up and the girl turned to the boy, puzzlement etched her face.
"I don't think I need this as a private place any more."
"How come?"
"Your my private place."
He smiled and looked into her eyes.
"And you're mine."
They climbed through the hedge and walked back to the institute in silence, but they walked with their arms round each other, shadows melded as one.
*~*~*~*~*
Okay- that's what the den is and the part it plays in Scott and Jean's history, at least in my mind.
Luv it, hate it? Tell me, tell me, tell me, tell me!
Back to present time and fluffiness next chapter
- sweet like chocolate