Tolerance

By: Kryptonite

A/N: This is completely mine. Thanks to ladymoonlight1 for letting me have the beginning of this. Enjoy. Oh and by the way, I DO NOT, HAVE NOT AND MOST LIKELY NEVER WILL (In this universe at least) OWN X-MEN AND ALL RELATED CHARACTERS. ANYTHING UNRECOGNIZABLE IS COMPLETELY MINE.

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" Just leave me alone." The brunette breathed into the air, hands clamped firmly around her ears, tears squeezing out between her tightly clenched eyelids.

" That would be too easy. You need to be reminded of the fact that you're such a failure. You're a stupid idiot who couldn't even keep the fact that she was a mutant a secret."

" Just go away Jacqueline, please!"

" Nope, I like it right here." The shadowy form of a tall, tanned blonde settled itself on the bed, not making so much as a dent. Rae leaped up and went to sit on the stool in front of the vanity. That was a mistake.

" That never would have happened if you'd just been smarter, careful. You were stupid enough to get found out." The blonde was now behind Rae, a hand resting lightly on her shoulder.

" It wasn't my fault." The tears blurred her vision but not enough to miss the angry red welts crossing her face.

" Yes it was. Everything was your fault. You wouldn't have had to come here if you hadn't been a mutant." Jacqueline sneered the word mutant. Rae tried to tear her eyes from the mirror but she couldn't.

" It wasn't my fault. He was a jerk and a jackass-"

" You deserved what happened!" The blonde hissed. Rae tried to cover her ears again and was reduced to singing to try and block out the girl's angry accusations. A sudden knock at the door broke through Jacqueline's voice and past Rae's singing.

" Rae? Are you all right? It's Mister Summers."

" I'm fine."

" Well come down for dinner. It'll be ready in a few moments." Rae bit her lip and crossed her fingers behind her back before responding.

" Okay." She listened hard as the man walked off down the thinly carpeted hall. Once his footsteps were out of hearing range, Rae stood up and made her way to the door, clicking the lock home.

" Stupid, worthless brat! You didn't deserve anything you had! You were spoiled rotten!" Rae started crying harder and rummaged through her duffel bag and pulled out her c.d. player and hit play. Blasting POD lyrics pounded into her eardrums effectively blocking Jacqueline's voice.

*****

" Good morning Scott, Jean." Ororo muttered the next morning as the two re-united lovebirds walked in.

" Morning 'Ro." They said automatically, discussing some problem or other. Judging by Ororo's mood, her conversation with a certain blue circus performer had not gone well.

" Morning Storm." Logan mumbled, stumbling to his seat and grabbing the first cup of coffee he could reach.

" Morning." She muttered, pushing her food around on her plate.

" Somethin' wrong?"

" My, my, someone's mighty perceptive this morning." She said sarcastically.

" Just askin' a question 'Ro. If it's about that elf just talk to him. And try not to get stuck on whose 'right' or 'wrong'."

" Someone's very perceptive this morning." She took another look at the man next to her. He blinked owlishly back at her.

" Yeah, what about it?"

" Just something new to get used to."