The Lady, the Leader and the Bump in the Road Part IV
Author: Nefret24
Disclaimers and stuff: see part I.
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Scott and Jean's Bedroom
10:25 pm
Jean sat idly on the bed, making circles with her ankles and trying to make her headache go away through sheer will. Giving up, she tk-ed a bottle of Advil and a glass of water to herself, and then set them aside on the nightstand.
She then began to replay the parts of the day she had not told Scott about. Or the Professor, for that matter.
She knew Magneto was there. Sensed his presence, oddly familiar and shockingly sympathetic. The only other non-hostile ear in the entire hearing besides the Professor. Well, at least not hostile towards her.
He had an indefinable relationship with Xavier, that was certain. Whether it remained a friendship, she didn't know. Xavier didn't hate him, she was sure. But he definitely disagreed with him. There was a respect of equals, or something akin to that, she supposed. A mutual agreement to disagree.
Despite everything that Magneto had done, he wasn't an evil man. He just believed in violent means to get his way. Which was the same cause that the Professor was fighting for, just differently. The right way. Without cost to human life. Xavier wasn't vindictive. He was moralistic. Sometimes too moralistic to be palatable.
She was slowly coming to realize that it was rubbing off, on her, on Scott. They hadn't used to follow him unquestioningly. There were days of uncertainty, of hatred, of wanting to shove their hypocritical prejudice down all their nasty throats. Teaching had changed that. Probably aging too. She didn't know if it was wiser, but she knew it was what she had to do. She had to be strong, she had to teach the kids the better way to handle their situation, one that was always precarious and would only get worse if they were provoked into some kind of quasi-war.
She sighed and wondered if she could make it all disappear. About as futile as trying to will a migraine away. Too tired to even change out of her clothes, she curled up into a ball and tried to catch a few hours rest before they came back from the rescue mission. No rest for the weary.
3:23 am
Scott's voice awoke her. She raised herself to a half-sitting position and hazily looked about the dark room before realizing that he had spoken through their 'link.
//Jean. We're almost there. Get the med-lab ready.//
//Sure know how to wake a gal up. On my way.//
She swung her legs wide off the side of the bed and stared at her toes in the moonlight for a few seconds. Just one night, one full night's sleep, that's all I ask for. Shaking out her tangled hair, more to help her fully regain her senses, she stood up and padded into the bathroom. After splashing some water on her face and tying her hair back into an efficient ponytail, she left to go to the lab.
She had just gotten out the last tray of implements when she heard the jet's engines roaring a few doors down. Our guests have arrived. She walked down the corridor to meet Scott who was carrying a large man in his arms.
"Table Two is open," she said as way of greeting, and partially tk-ed the body as she walked ahead of him, lessening the weight in his arms.
"There's a girl she's with Storm," he said through clenched teeth. The man was very heavy- though it did appear to be all muscle mass.
"Is she hurt?"
"No, just shaken." He placed the man on the table with her telekinetic help and let out his breath. "What a night."
"Hmmm I should check on her." Jean said turning to leave after assessing that the man was stable for now.
He approached her at the door and gently pushed a stray hair out of her eyes. "Get any sleep?"
"Not much."
"Doesn't show."
"Uh-huh," she replied, not convinced in the least.
He pressed a gloved hand to his chest, pantomiming extreme pain. She pursed her lips, a smile half-beginning.
He rested his forehead on hers and said, "You always did look good in red."
"Not as good as you in leather, hot pants." She gave him a quick smack on the lips and a playful whack on his posterior. "You had better go upstairs you have class in a few hours."
"Yes, Dr. Grey," he replied obediently, a smirk gracing his lips.
She just shook her head as she walked off to find the girl. Storm was disembarking from the jet, followed by a young girl, her face obscured by the large hood of her green cape.
"Rogue, this is Dr. Jean Grey," Storm said with an elegant wave of her hand.
"Pleased to meet you, Rogue," she tried, holding out my hand to the non-responsive teen, who glanced at her hand for a few seconds before looking away.
No reaction. Great. Lovely start. She nodded to Storm, who clearly is desperate to return to her bed for the few precious hours of sleep left before her history class in the morning. Not so for the Lucky Miss Grey. She gets to stay up all hours.
As Storm walks off, the girl lifts her head. Pretty little thing, really. Probably as tired as the rest of us. "Come on," she motioned with her hand to follow. "Let's get you settled." Rogue followed reluctantly behind as she led her down the corridor.
She seemed timid and frightened enough that Jean knew through harsh experience that starting with the med exam would be over the limit. Doing the quick, invasive mind scan could tell her all she needed to know but she settled on more human instincts- she could hear the girl's stomach rumbling.
Jean led her to the kitchen. "How about something to eat? Why don't you look in the fridge to see if there's anything in there you'd like me to heat up for you?"
Rogue nodded solemnly, and after pulling her hood back, stared at the contents of the fridge for seconds before hauling out half its contents. Jean raised an eyebrow and the girl gave her a ghost of a smile, mumbling in a deep Southern voice, "Ah just want a sandwich."
Jean got her a plate and some silverware and she did the rest. Piling bread high with meat, cheese, lettuce, tomato, pickles and almost every condiment we had, she created a small tower, which she devoured in half the time it took to create.
"I guess you were hungry," Jean said, surveying the empty plate a few moments later.
She nodded as she gulped down the last of her milk. "Ah don't usually eat like that- haven't had a real decent meal in days."
"It's all right. We have plenty more," Jean said reassuringly, leaning against the sinks.
Rogue looked at her quizzically from the table and finally took off the cape. Jean noticed the long gloves but remained silent.
"They said this was a school."
"It is. Professor Xavier's School for the Gifted."
"For freaks," she said quietly into her empty glass.
"No. No one here is a freak. That kind of language is not tolerated here," Jean replied sternly- perhaps too much so, because the girl looked up, startled. "Everyone here is like you- trying to find where they fit in the world, how to live with and utilize their gifts."
"Are you ?"
"Yes," she replied with a smile, and tk-ed her plate and glass to the sink.
Rogue stood up quickly from the table and looked back and forth from me to the table in shock.
"I'm telekinetic. I can move things with my mind," Jean replied to her inevitable question. "What about you?" she asked carefully.
Rogue shifted her weight and looked away, nervous again. "Ah don't know, really. Things happen when people touch my skin. Bad things"
"The gloves," Jean said, with a nod toward those accessories, now laying on the table.
"Yeah."
"When did it start? The bad things?"
"Few weeks ago. Ah don't want to talk about it," Rogue said quietly but firmly.
"Okay. Okay," Jean replied calmly. "You should get settled in. Finished?" she asked, taking the empty glass from the table.
Rogue nodded yes, and rose from the table. Jean led the way out of the kitchen toward the dormitory rooms.
After going through a maze of hallways, Jean finally paused and opened one door for her, waiting for Rogue to enter first. The girl was hesitant as she stood outside looking into the dark room.
"This is mah room?"
"It can be, if you like," Jean said flicking on the lights. It illuminated a small room with a bed, wardrobe and desk. Rogue entered it and glanced at the bare cream walls.
"There's a bathroom down the hall- you'll have to share it with some other girls," Jean explained. "There's some extra clothes, blankets and pillows in the wardrobe if you need them."
"What's gonna happen to me?" Rogue asked quietly.
"Nothing that you don't want to," Jean replied, looking her in the eyes. "After you've rested and had breakfast, you can meet the Professor."
"The Professor?"
"Yes. Professor Xavier. This is his school. He likes to meet all his students. He'll set up your class schedule if you'd like to stay."
Rogue nodded abstractly still looking around at her new surroundings.
"Well. Get some sleep," Jean said with a smile, and turned to leave.
"Wait. Logan the man I came in with is he? Is he okay?"
"He will be fine. He had a strong pulse despite the bruising"
"He can't be hurt. Ah saw him he has metal between his fingers and heals real fast he's one too" she said staring at her hands.
"Metal in his hands?"
"Yeah- like three sharp knives between the knuckles stick out. You can't see em cuz he just"
"Just what?"
"No blood. No scars. Just skin. Like nothin' happened."
"Hmmm I'll see you in a few hours. Try and get some sleep." Jean silently closed the door to her room and began her walk back to the lab. This was puzzling. Remarkable healing ability? Metal shooting out of his hands? The institute wasn't dull, she'd give it that. What was going on now?
TBC