A general disclaimer: the X-Men belong to Marvel, X-Men Evolution belongs to...whoever owns it...in any case, I don't own anyone mentioned within this text.
Author's note: Break it down...I'm not exactly sure the time in which my events take place, it may jump around from season to season, unintentionally, please don't hurt me on that account. I should state now that Rogue/Gambit is my OTP, but that doesn't mean I can't do Rogue/Scott (although I'm not a huge fan). Something I'm even a less of a fan of is Scott/Jean, but that could be popping up in here, too. Someone pointed out to me that in terms of Evolution, Rogue/Scott *is* canon...
Well, whichever, hope you enjoy. If you don't, feel free to flame me. I'll probably deserve it.
NeoVenus22
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Whatever Happens, Happens
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Chapter Six: Jean's Evening
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Jean locked the door to her room. They weren't supposed to lock doors in the mansion, just in case of emergency, but she wanted some privacy. Not that a little thing like a lock would matter if Kurt or Kitty was looking for her.
Of course, Kitty Pryde wouldn't be looking for her anytime soon. The way she'd stormed off, Jean was pretty sure the freshman hated her. And all because of Rogue. Did the girl realize how many good friends she really had here? Kurt and Kitty would probably do anything for her.
And Scott...
Jean shook her head, refusing to acknowledge the thought. "If I go to bed, I'm going to wake up tomorrow morning, and none of this will have happened," she said decisively, staring at her pillow.
Okay, now she was talking to herself. The first sign of crazy. The second sign, of course, was hearing voices, which she already did.
Maybe all mutants were crazy. Maybe carrying an x-gene disabled you from ever being normal, physically, mentally, emotionally...
She was avoiding the real issue. She truly hadn't meant to listen in on Scott and Rogue's conversation. She'd happened across it accidentally. Admittedly, though, she'd been drawn in, and though she knew it was wrong, she had continued to listen. So she *was* as guilty as they all thought. Who was they? Scott and Rogue of course, and Kitty, and if Kitty knew, then most likely, Kurt knew. None of the aforementioned were close with Evan to tell him, and she knew perfectly well that while they probably all thought she was despicable, they would revert to the unspoken code, and not tell Storm, Logan, or the Professor.
So, she'd listened in. That was the truth.
But that wasn't the only thing she felt bad about. She hated the fact --*hated*-- that Scott was confiding in Rogue, of all people. That the antisocial Goth girl was asking *Jean's* longtime friend hard-hitting, emotionally probing questions that Jean had never even dreamed of asking.
What did that mean, exactly? That Jean liked Scott?
It would make sense, really, her liking Scott. They'd known each other forever, and he knew her better than anyone ever had or ever would. She could tell him anything. He was a good leader, he was smart, he was strong, he was cute, and he had been known on an occasion or two to be funny. Plus, he wasn't half as dense as her current boyfriend, Duncan Matthews.
"Duncan," Jean muttered. "See? I *can't* like Scott, because I already *have* a boyfriend."
Although, she knew that wasn't true at all. But it was better than admitting that she had a crush on one of her closest friends.
What was it Kitty had said? 'She has a heart, too. Just because she *can't* be touched doesn't mean that she doesn't *want* to be.'
That could only mean one thing. That Rogue liked Scott. Rogue, who was clearly more available than Jean. Jean knew she was pretty. In that traditional way, the quiet, preppy girl, good in school, good at sports, lots of friends, cute jock boyfriend. But Rogue was beautiful in this way that Jean could never achieve. She was dark, mysterious. She wore lots of makeup, but it didn't hurt her appearance. She wore lots of layers, but managed to do so in a very sexy way. She had those distinct white streaks of hair. Jean could see why Scott would be attracted to her.
Then again, Jean didn't *know* that Scott was attracted to her. There was the easiest way to find out, a little probing of the mind. He'd never know.
But she'd sworn just that evening that she'd never use her powers outside of battle again.
Ever.
So there was only one solution to this, she had to go talk to Scott. But would he talk to her?
Jean stepped off the elevator into one of the sub-basements, and stopped in front of the big glass windows looking into the Med Bay. Logan, Storm, or the Professor were nowhere around. Thank God, she couldn't help but thinking, because that way she didn't have to try and come up with an excuse. Nothing seemed good enough. She was worried about Scott? It's not like this wasn't the first time Rogue had absorbed him.
She passed through the doors, and as they shut themselves with a swishing sound, Scott's head lifted slightly. He was wearing his sunglasses as usual, so she could only assume his eyes were open. "Jean," he said flatly.
"Hi," she answered, taking a seat, but in the chair farthest from the bed and closest to the door, just in case. "How're you feeling?"
"Pretty good, all things considered. How'd I get here? Rogue didn't carry me, did she?"
Jean shook her head. "No, Kurt went out looking for you guys for dinner, and he teleported you back to the mansion. Logan took you downstairs."
"How's Rogue?" Scott asked, settling his head against the pillow.
"She begged off dinner, said she was tired," Jean said. She was getting a tad annoyed that his every statement included Rogue's name in it.
"But she's okay?"
"Yeah."
"That's good."
They paused for a second. Scott was being short with her, he was probably still mad at her about that afternoon. Still, she had to ask. She'd come down here to ask. "What happened out there, Scott?"
His eyes gave nothing away, they never did, she'd never even seen them. "What do you mean?"
"I mean, Rogue said it was an accident. But you know as well as I do that Rogue just doesn't *have* accidents. She can't fully control her powers --none of us can," she added pointedly, "--but she's careful. All the time."
"I don't really think it's any business of yours, Jean, what Rogue and I did or did not do."
"I *told* you that what happened earlier was an accident."
"Accident or not..." Scott said, but seemed unwilling to finish that statement.
"Well, do you blame me for not turning away?" Jean said heatedly. The rational part of her brain was telling her to let it go, to accept his and Rogue's anger, to wait it out. But she couldn't let it go. "I mean, I've known you for years, you've only known Rogue a few months, and you have the big, deep conversations with *her*. What does that say about us, about our friendship? That it means nothing to you?"
"You don't understand," Scott said, in an irrationally calm voice. Of course, Scott Summers was unusually level-headed for someone his age. Only people like Lance Alvers and the Brotherhood really irked him, provoked him to almost-rage.
"I would if you'd let me," she said.
"You don't understand *me*," he elaborated. "You have control."
"No, I don't!"
"Yes, you do. You can turn it on or off. I'm always going to have to wear these glasses, Rogue's always going to have to wear gloves."
"Scott, I--"
"And that's not the end of it. You and I are from completely different worlds. You come from a happy home, Jean, you have a place to go at Christmas."
"So that's what this is about?" Jean said bitterly. "Neither you or Rogue have a real family, so that gives you the right to exclude me?"
"Who died and made you queen of the institute?" Scott retorted, irritation finally lacing his voice. "We're not purposefully excluding you. It's just that it's not the sort of thing you'd include yourself in."
"So I have to have my parents die, is that it? I have to be an orphan, or betrayed by Mystique to be your friend?"
He turned his head away from her, a silence falling over them unlike anything else, and Jean knew she'd taken it a step too far. It was too late now to take it back, however. "That was low, even for you." He sighed. "Just go, please."
"Scott--"
"Just go."
There were a million things Jean wanted to say. Starting with an apology for being completely out of line. She didn't say those things. She barely *thought* those things. She wasn't a bad person, honest. She was just a mutant like the rest of them. Just scared and confused like the rest of them.
She tossed Scott a sorrowful look, which he pointedly ignored, and left.
As the doors to both the Med Bay and the elevator hissed shut behind her, Jean bowed her head, her chin touching her chest, and allowed a few moments to feel sorry for herself.
Author's note: Break it down...I'm not exactly sure the time in which my events take place, it may jump around from season to season, unintentionally, please don't hurt me on that account. I should state now that Rogue/Gambit is my OTP, but that doesn't mean I can't do Rogue/Scott (although I'm not a huge fan). Something I'm even a less of a fan of is Scott/Jean, but that could be popping up in here, too. Someone pointed out to me that in terms of Evolution, Rogue/Scott *is* canon...
Well, whichever, hope you enjoy. If you don't, feel free to flame me. I'll probably deserve it.
NeoVenus22
*** *** ***
Whatever Happens, Happens
*** *** ***
Chapter Six: Jean's Evening
*** *** ***
Jean locked the door to her room. They weren't supposed to lock doors in the mansion, just in case of emergency, but she wanted some privacy. Not that a little thing like a lock would matter if Kurt or Kitty was looking for her.
Of course, Kitty Pryde wouldn't be looking for her anytime soon. The way she'd stormed off, Jean was pretty sure the freshman hated her. And all because of Rogue. Did the girl realize how many good friends she really had here? Kurt and Kitty would probably do anything for her.
And Scott...
Jean shook her head, refusing to acknowledge the thought. "If I go to bed, I'm going to wake up tomorrow morning, and none of this will have happened," she said decisively, staring at her pillow.
Okay, now she was talking to herself. The first sign of crazy. The second sign, of course, was hearing voices, which she already did.
Maybe all mutants were crazy. Maybe carrying an x-gene disabled you from ever being normal, physically, mentally, emotionally...
She was avoiding the real issue. She truly hadn't meant to listen in on Scott and Rogue's conversation. She'd happened across it accidentally. Admittedly, though, she'd been drawn in, and though she knew it was wrong, she had continued to listen. So she *was* as guilty as they all thought. Who was they? Scott and Rogue of course, and Kitty, and if Kitty knew, then most likely, Kurt knew. None of the aforementioned were close with Evan to tell him, and she knew perfectly well that while they probably all thought she was despicable, they would revert to the unspoken code, and not tell Storm, Logan, or the Professor.
So, she'd listened in. That was the truth.
But that wasn't the only thing she felt bad about. She hated the fact --*hated*-- that Scott was confiding in Rogue, of all people. That the antisocial Goth girl was asking *Jean's* longtime friend hard-hitting, emotionally probing questions that Jean had never even dreamed of asking.
What did that mean, exactly? That Jean liked Scott?
It would make sense, really, her liking Scott. They'd known each other forever, and he knew her better than anyone ever had or ever would. She could tell him anything. He was a good leader, he was smart, he was strong, he was cute, and he had been known on an occasion or two to be funny. Plus, he wasn't half as dense as her current boyfriend, Duncan Matthews.
"Duncan," Jean muttered. "See? I *can't* like Scott, because I already *have* a boyfriend."
Although, she knew that wasn't true at all. But it was better than admitting that she had a crush on one of her closest friends.
What was it Kitty had said? 'She has a heart, too. Just because she *can't* be touched doesn't mean that she doesn't *want* to be.'
That could only mean one thing. That Rogue liked Scott. Rogue, who was clearly more available than Jean. Jean knew she was pretty. In that traditional way, the quiet, preppy girl, good in school, good at sports, lots of friends, cute jock boyfriend. But Rogue was beautiful in this way that Jean could never achieve. She was dark, mysterious. She wore lots of makeup, but it didn't hurt her appearance. She wore lots of layers, but managed to do so in a very sexy way. She had those distinct white streaks of hair. Jean could see why Scott would be attracted to her.
Then again, Jean didn't *know* that Scott was attracted to her. There was the easiest way to find out, a little probing of the mind. He'd never know.
But she'd sworn just that evening that she'd never use her powers outside of battle again.
Ever.
So there was only one solution to this, she had to go talk to Scott. But would he talk to her?
Jean stepped off the elevator into one of the sub-basements, and stopped in front of the big glass windows looking into the Med Bay. Logan, Storm, or the Professor were nowhere around. Thank God, she couldn't help but thinking, because that way she didn't have to try and come up with an excuse. Nothing seemed good enough. She was worried about Scott? It's not like this wasn't the first time Rogue had absorbed him.
She passed through the doors, and as they shut themselves with a swishing sound, Scott's head lifted slightly. He was wearing his sunglasses as usual, so she could only assume his eyes were open. "Jean," he said flatly.
"Hi," she answered, taking a seat, but in the chair farthest from the bed and closest to the door, just in case. "How're you feeling?"
"Pretty good, all things considered. How'd I get here? Rogue didn't carry me, did she?"
Jean shook her head. "No, Kurt went out looking for you guys for dinner, and he teleported you back to the mansion. Logan took you downstairs."
"How's Rogue?" Scott asked, settling his head against the pillow.
"She begged off dinner, said she was tired," Jean said. She was getting a tad annoyed that his every statement included Rogue's name in it.
"But she's okay?"
"Yeah."
"That's good."
They paused for a second. Scott was being short with her, he was probably still mad at her about that afternoon. Still, she had to ask. She'd come down here to ask. "What happened out there, Scott?"
His eyes gave nothing away, they never did, she'd never even seen them. "What do you mean?"
"I mean, Rogue said it was an accident. But you know as well as I do that Rogue just doesn't *have* accidents. She can't fully control her powers --none of us can," she added pointedly, "--but she's careful. All the time."
"I don't really think it's any business of yours, Jean, what Rogue and I did or did not do."
"I *told* you that what happened earlier was an accident."
"Accident or not..." Scott said, but seemed unwilling to finish that statement.
"Well, do you blame me for not turning away?" Jean said heatedly. The rational part of her brain was telling her to let it go, to accept his and Rogue's anger, to wait it out. But she couldn't let it go. "I mean, I've known you for years, you've only known Rogue a few months, and you have the big, deep conversations with *her*. What does that say about us, about our friendship? That it means nothing to you?"
"You don't understand," Scott said, in an irrationally calm voice. Of course, Scott Summers was unusually level-headed for someone his age. Only people like Lance Alvers and the Brotherhood really irked him, provoked him to almost-rage.
"I would if you'd let me," she said.
"You don't understand *me*," he elaborated. "You have control."
"No, I don't!"
"Yes, you do. You can turn it on or off. I'm always going to have to wear these glasses, Rogue's always going to have to wear gloves."
"Scott, I--"
"And that's not the end of it. You and I are from completely different worlds. You come from a happy home, Jean, you have a place to go at Christmas."
"So that's what this is about?" Jean said bitterly. "Neither you or Rogue have a real family, so that gives you the right to exclude me?"
"Who died and made you queen of the institute?" Scott retorted, irritation finally lacing his voice. "We're not purposefully excluding you. It's just that it's not the sort of thing you'd include yourself in."
"So I have to have my parents die, is that it? I have to be an orphan, or betrayed by Mystique to be your friend?"
He turned his head away from her, a silence falling over them unlike anything else, and Jean knew she'd taken it a step too far. It was too late now to take it back, however. "That was low, even for you." He sighed. "Just go, please."
"Scott--"
"Just go."
There were a million things Jean wanted to say. Starting with an apology for being completely out of line. She didn't say those things. She barely *thought* those things. She wasn't a bad person, honest. She was just a mutant like the rest of them. Just scared and confused like the rest of them.
She tossed Scott a sorrowful look, which he pointedly ignored, and left.
As the doors to both the Med Bay and the elevator hissed shut behind her, Jean bowed her head, her chin touching her chest, and allowed a few moments to feel sorry for herself.