Summary: Scott and Jean take a look at their past as the two find solace in the beauty of a winter wonderland. A pre-Evolution look at their friendship, and hints of future romance. Takes place in the same timeline as Ruby Quartz.
Chapter Notes: This chapter is a bit darker as it deals with parts of Scott and Jean's past. I have loosely based these in a bizarre mix of Evolution, Evolution comic and the 'canon' X-men comic data.
There will be no interaction between the two, as they have yet to meet each other, but I promise there will be plenty of Scott/Jean scenes in the near future.
Pairings: Scott/Jean
Rating: PG 13 for Scott swearing.
Chapter two
"Jean, sweetie, its dinner time!" Elaine Grey called to her daughter. Stepping outside onto the porch, she saw her youngest playing happily across the street at their neighbour's house. Ms. Grey could just make out their figures in the twilight - it was too dark to see clearly yet night had still not fallen.
"Just a minute!" The ten year old girl giggled happily as she threw a frisbee at her best friend Annie. Her mother decided that a few more minutes couldn't hurt.
The two children continued their game joyfully, tossing the yellow Frisbee to and fro. Predictably, the plastic discus strayed off course, soaring towards the road. Annie went running after it. The little girl was so intent on the Frisbee that she didn't notice the car barrelling down on her at an incredible speed....
"Annie, watch out!" Jean cried, but it was too late. The body of her best friend was hurled through the air like a rag doll, landing in a pool of blood. Jean rushed to her side, oblivious to anything else.
And then it happened. As she held Annie close, her head was suddenly filled with.... voices! So many voices! The young girl became scared - what was happening to her? The whole affect was terrifying. It sounded like a thousand people talking inside her head at once. Jean wanted them to stop, wished for it, prayed for it, but they wouldn't go away.
~She's not going to make it~
~Omigod, somebody call an ambulance!~
~What happened?~
~She's bleeding! There's so much blood....~
It was just too much for her to take. Suddenly, one distinct voice drowned out all the others. Jean looked down and realized it was Annie's. She was calling to her, scared at what was happening. Annie didn't want to leave. Without thinking, Jean latched onto her mental signature as she followed her best friend into the darkness that was creeping up on them.
The voices suddenly stopped as Jean's eyes flickered shut and she succumbed to the blackness with her friend....
***
Scott Summers doubled over as a foot implanted itself into his stomach, knocking the wind out of him. His normally neat brown hair clung to his forehead with sweat as he doubled over, frantically trying to catch his breath. Standing a few feet away was a man named Logan, the boy's martial arts instructor.
The early morning sun rose lazily into the sky as the aspiring X-man finally regained his strength, just in time to begin a new round of combat. Standing a safe distance away was Professor Charles Xavier, the headmaster of the Xavier Institute for Gifted Youngsters, watching his first student defend against an attacker that outmatched him in size, skill and experience. Charles winced visibly as Logan landed another devastating blow, knocking Scott to the ground.
//Logan, do you really need to use such force? Scott is very young, and his mutation doesn't have as many applications to hand-to-hand combat as do yours\\ Xavier pointed out telepathically. The burly Canadian just grunted as he pressed his assault, feigning a punch before rolling neatly away from the counter-attack. He finished his manoeuvre with a lightning sweep kick, which struck home, flooring the younger mutant.
//Save it, Chuck. You asked me to teach the runt martial arts, so I'm teaching him martial arts. The kid will learn quicker this way. In any case, his enemies won't be going easy on him\\
Blocking one of Logan's punches, Scott snuck a quick glance at the man in the wheelchair. The Professor's concern was clearly etched on his face, and by the looks of it he was having a mental conversation with his so-called 'instructor.' Scott mused over that thought in his head; he regarded Logan as many things, but 'instructor' wasn't one of them. The terms 'punisher' or 'crazy' seemed to be more fitting.
"Professor, it's okay," the young teen assured Xavier as he struggled to block a kick. "I'll be fine." His words were cut short, however, when Logan grabbed one of his arms and propelled him through the air with a flip. He landed flat on his back with a loud thud.
"Come on, kid," Logan chastised, "Ya gotta do better than that. I thought ye' learned somethin' from the past few lessons." Still on the ground, Scott elegantly rolled to his upper back before boosting himself to his feet with two strong hands. Despite his fatigue and thorough beating, there was still a lot of fight in him. It was one of the many admirable qualities that the instructors noticed in the prospective X-man.
"Forgive me for my lack of healing ability," Scott apologized sarcastically as he assumed a fighting stance. He was breathing heavily, and his white sparring gi was soaked in sweat. The teen found himself envying Wolverine's mutant powers as he dodged, blocked, and parried the older mutant's blows.
Logan easily deflected what little offence Scott could dish out. He had to respect the progress his first student was making: in the few short weeks since they begun these training sessions, Scott's skill in martial arts had improved significantly, to the point where the teen can be considered a formidable opponent in his own right. Knocking the kid down for the last time, Wolverine extended his hand, wondering if he had been a little too hard on him.
"I'm fine, Logan," Scott said, getting up by himself. The burly Canadian smiled.
"You're a piece of work kid."
***
A loud explosion roused John Grey from his sleep. Beside him, his wife, Elaine Grey, fumbled with the lamp switch. She pawed the air a few times before finally finding the knob and twisting it, instantly illuminating the whole bedroom in a faint glow. Quickly finding her glasses, Elaine wasted no time pulling her husband out of bed.
"Come on John! It's Jeannie! She's doing it again." Fully alert now, the two practically bolted from their bedroom and into the hallway. As they made their way to the source of the noise, Sarah's door opened. "What's going on? Is she doing it again?" their eldest daughter asked.
"It's nothing honey. Go back to sleep," John ordered as they rushed past. At the end of the corridor, they finally reached the door that led into the room of their youngest child. Loud crashes could be heard clearly from the other side. This was the third night in a row....
Cautiously opening the door, John peered carefully into the room. He ducked as a mirror slammed into a lamp nearby, exploding in a shower of shrapnel and tiny pieces of glass. It looked like a hurricane in there - literally. Small objects were whipping through the air at terrifying speeds, rotating around a central point that seemed to centre around the redheaded girl sitting on the bed. Jean Grey clutched her head in psionic pain, trying unsuccessfully to control her untamed and unbelievably dangerous mutant powers.
"Mommy, daddy, make it stop! Make it stop!" she pleaded as lamps, picture frames, stationary items and even her computer ripped through the air, faster and faster. To their horror, the walls of the room began to crack. "They're shouting! Please, stop shouting! It hurts...."
"OmiGod, my baby!" Elaine cried, narrowly avoiding a piece of debris. In his best calming voice, John called out to Jean, "Jeannie, remember what Professor Xavier taught you! Concentrate on clearing your mind!"
At her father's advice, Jean forced herself to do as she was told. Focusing with every ounce of energy in her body, the telepath tried her best to clear her thoughts. It was a slow, tedious process, but it was working. The voices in her head started to fade away. Gradually, items that were sent flying by telekinesis decelerated until they fell to the ground, motionless. Her parents let out an audible sigh of relief as Jean collapsed in exhaustion.
Rushing to her bedside, Elaine held her youngest close as they both sobbed in each other's arms. "Mommy, what's happening to me?"
"I don't know Jeannie, but this can't keep up like this. We need to get you help," the woman replied. What had she done to deserve this? Of all the people, her daughter had to be a mutant. The thought made her stomach twist in derision. A mutant!
"But who can help me?"
"Jeannie, you know Professor Xavier, don't you? The one that helped bring you out of that coma?" John inquired as he fondly stroked his daughter's beautiful hair. The truth was that the Greys had exercised every other option, but were forced to turn to Charles Xavier and his mutant school for help. Jean nodded weakly in response. "Well, I'm afraid that you will be seeing a lot of him in the near future. I'm sorry, but he is the only one that can help you."
The young girl broke down and started crying uncontrollably, holding nothing back. "I don't want to be a freak...."
*******************************************
"How do you think he's adjusting?" Ororo Monroe asked as she peeked through the library's large wooden doors. They were watching Charles and Scott intently. The boy was working on some academic work, to catch up on the education he missed after his parents died. The young African woman, being his chief academic instructor, was amazed at the progress that the sunglasses-wearing mutant was making. Already, they had advanced to grade five material, making up three years of school in three short months.
"He seems to be on the mend, but the runt's still scared. I can smell it in him," Logan replied, "Sometimes, I can hear him screamin' in his sleep for his parents, or brother." Scott's arrival had stirred the paternal instincts within him, and he didn't bother to hide the fact that the burly Canadian had grown rather fond of the kid. Everyone has.
"Do you think that he'll ever fully recover?" Storm's crystal blue eyes glazed over with sadness and grief for the boy who was thirteen going on thirty. Storm couldn't even imagine what it would be like to have her own family ripped away in a fiery blaze - the thought itself was almost unbearable.
"Maybe. But I'm tellin' ya, 'Ro, he needs a friend. Buryin' himself in the library or the Danger Room won't do any good. He needs someone to talk to."
"Perhaps you're right. A friend may be just what he needs...." Ororo agreed.
***
It had been a few weeks since Scott finally regained his sight. A brilliant physicist and a good friend of Charles, Dr. Taylor Prescott, discovered that when his optic blast travelled through ruby-quartz, the crystal broke down the beam and dissipated it into other forms of energy. Afterwards, it didn't take much for Professor Xavier to manufacture a pair of ruby-quartz glasses. Getting his vision back was the first successful step to Scott's recovery, and the first time he actually smiled. And, for once, it wasn't bitter or cynical, but exuded genuine happiness. Since then, Charles Xavier made a silent pledge to see that smile as much as possible.
Thus, that was how the Professor was found, sitting by the window, staring into the Institute grounds as he mulled over the young boy. He exhaled deeply; it had been almost two years since Charles managed to enroll Scott Summers into his Institute. That day had been permanently impressed into his skull, forcing him to relive the awful memory of a broken boy over and over again....
*Flash*
A small child huddled in an alley, hoping to get some sleep. It was pouring sleet and hail, and the kid, no more than twelve, wrapped his arms around his thin body in an unsuccessful attempt to keep warm. His hands and ears were badly frostbitten, and his teeth were clattering viciously. The fact that his summer clothes were drenched with slush didn't help any. His eyes twitched as his blindfold became soaked in freezing rain. Scott quickly clenched them shut with renewed vigour. The numbing cold was making him grow lax.
This was the second year Scott had spent living off the streets. Simply surviving would've been a monumental task for any twelve year-old boy, but for him, being effectively blind, it was a miracle. It had been four years, two months and seventeen days since the accident - the one that claimed the lives of his whole family. In a flash of hell, Scott's world collapsed. He cursed his inability, his helplessness, to do anything to save his parents and Alex.
Shifting positions slightly to dispel the aching numbness in his body, the young mutant slowly drifted to sleep. He spent a lot of time dreaming, mostly of the future and how wonderful it could have been. Scott dreamed of his parents, his brother, family and friends, imagined and real. Sometimes, in his dreams, he would even see this warm, kind-hearted girl. He never remembered what she looked like, but he knew that she was very beautiful, with long, gorgeous hair and striking eyes...she was like an angel.
But angels didn't exist - Scott knew that for a fact. Because if they did, they would've taken care of his little brother Alex. They would've rescued his parents....
He snapped back into reality when his sharp hearing picked up the sound of rubber grinding on pavement. It sounded like wheels, but it was far too quiet to be a car. A bike perhaps? His visitor wasn't alone. There were footsteps.... It all made the young mutant very uncertain. Scott tensed up, one hand hovering near his blindfold, bracing to defend himself if necessary.
"Hi there," a gentle voice with a slight British accent warmed his ears. "You must be Scott Summers." Instantly, the boy became alarmed. ~What on earth? How did this stranger know my name?~
"How the hell did you know that?" Scott snarled, in his most intimidating tone. Someone, a man, fought back a laugh.
"Please, allow me to introduce myself. My name is Professor Charles Xavier, and I am the new headmaster of a school for gifted youngsters in New York."
"And what do you want with me?"
"Well, Scott, I believe that you are one of the people whom I refer to as 'gifted.' I have reason to believe that that is why you wear that blindfold, correct?"
The boy laughed bitterly at his words; it all suddenly became clear. "Oh, I see. You want me to join your school of freaks? I don't suppose we'll join the circus once we graduate, right?" His words were dripping with pessimism, and it stung the Professor to see such a young soul corrupted so cynically.
"No, you misunderstand. At my school, you will learn how to control your powers-"
"Not possible."
"How can you be so sure, child?" a woman asked.
"I can't control my powers!" Scott's temper flared. "I tried for two f**kin' years! I'm goddamned cursed with killing things whenever I open my eyes! There, happy? I told you my 'gift.' Now what's yours?"
The adults looked like they had been slapped. Even Logan was taken aback by this kid's scornful outburst.
"Okay, Scott. My power is telepathy. That means I am able to-."
"I know what telepathy is." Unknown to Scott, Charles Xavier blinked, but quickly regained his tranquillity. Clearing his throat, he went on.
"Standing beside me is Ororo Monroe. She can control the weather." To emphasize his point, the torrent of hail and sleet stopped abruptly. Scott could feel the sunshine warming his body, a welcome change from the freezing assault just moments before.
"And standing on my other side is Logan. He has the ability to heal rather quickly, and has a set of three metallic blades that extend from each hand." There was a distinctive *snickt* followed by its opposite twin as metal claws were unsheathed before quickly being retracted. Surprisingly, Scott remained undaunted.
"You are a brave young man, Scott. I want you to know that I wanted you at the Institute from the first moment I became aware of you."
Scott just huddled on the floor. "This is the part where you force me to join your little freak school, right?"
"We will not force you to do anything," Charles replied sternly. "Merely offer you a place to stay. A home." The man in the wheelchair studied his opposite intently, pausing for effect.
"A future," he finished. The words rang in Scott's ears. This man was offering something that he only dreamed of. ~A future...~ he repeated mentally to himself.
Scott sat there, contemplating. Deep down, he desperately wanted to believe them, he really did. But the young boy still remained skeptical about the issue - it seemed too good to be true. In a soft, uneasy voice, he asked, "Are you sure you want me living under the same roof with you people? You didn't exactly see what I can do. I can kill all three of you in a second." There was an audible snort.
"Doubtful kid, but show us anyway," Logan retorted. Scott complied and his arms reached up behind his head to undo the blindfold. The sensitive skin of his eyelids trembled as it was exposed to the air for the first time in over three years. He hesitated, feeling the raw power pushing against him. Taking a deep breath, Scott looked up, before opening his eyes.
Xavier, Logan and Ororo were blinded by a flash of crimson light. Streaks of red, pink and white literally exploded from his face and vaporized the edge of a building. Scott was thrown several feet backwards from the force of the blast. The whole area was lit up in crimson as Scott struggled to control his mutation. After a five seconds, he finally forced his eyes shut and replaced the blindfold. He trembled visibly, believing that this was the moment in which they'll abandon him - just like everyone else did.
To his surprise, their reaction was quite the opposite. They seemed.... enthusiastic. "Well, to put it mildly, your powers have advanced far more quickly than we'd imagined, but there is still a place for you at my school," Charles Xavier stated, once he overcame his shock.
"Even after-"
"Yes, Scott. We knew you would be a very powerful mutant from the outset. But we will not force you to come with us if it's against your desires." The three watched as Scott's brows burrowed in thought.
~Hell, why not? If I don't like it, I'll just run away again~ In the end, it was the idea of food, a warm bed and a roof over his head that proved to be the deciding factor. He was tired of living in alleys and scrounging for food. Anything would be better than what he had now.
"Alright Professor," Scott didn't even bother to hide the doubt in his voice, "I'll take you up on your offer."
*End Flash*
~How can we get him to trust us?~ Xavier, not for the first time, asked himself. ~I sense the need, the desperation, in his mind, but Scott is still reluctant to embrace it~ The Professor prayed that whoever brought this torment upon this child be justly reprimanded.
"Thinking about Scott again?" A regal voice echoed in his office as Ororo stepped into the room. The telepath just nodded in reply, still immersed in his thinking.
"He is certainly making excellent progress academically and physically," she reported, trying to lighten his mood. "His ability to recognize patterns and analogies and his speed of comprehension is far above average. Moreover, I've never seen anyone go through a book of geometric and trigonometric relations as quickly as Scott does."
"I'm not surprised. His mutation provides him with an innate capability to compute complex mathematical relations in his head with tremendous speed and accuracy." He paused, eyes closed. "I just wish that I could help him heal emotionally, somehow. Scott's been through so much pain and suffering.... he's just a child, Ororo." Xavier's voice was soft yet filled with sorrow.
"Charles, you have done absolutely everything in your power to help Scott. He appreciates it, even if he doesn't let it show. Give it some time." At that moment, the phone rang. Taking a glimpse at the caller display, the Professor picked it up.
"Hello? May I please speak to Charles Xavier?" a distinctively male voice inquired at the other end of the receiver.
"Yes, this is Charles Xavier speaking. How are you doing John?"
"Fine, thank you," John Grey replied impatiently. He was intent on discussing the issue at hand. "I want to talk to you about Jean." The professor waited patiently for him to continue. There was only silence. "It happened again last night, didn't it?" Charles affirmed, not making it a question.
"Her condition is getting worse, and to top it off, she's losing control of her...." John struggled for the word, "-telekinesis as well. Why is this happening, Charles?" John Grey ran a frustrated hand through his thick brown hair. "You were able to control your mutancy without trouble. How come my daughter can't as well?" His voice sounded tired, the result of being deprived of sleep for the past three days. Jean's outbursts have been getting more and more violent with each passing night. John feared that it might eventually overwhelm her, like it did once before.
"John, as I stated before, Jean is a very powerful mutant. Her powers are of the psychic type, which means they are based in the mind. I fear your daughter's psyche is not yet developed enough to handle her gifts, and the fact that both her telepathy and telekinesis manifested in such a short time apart only worsens the situation."
"Isn't there anyway to stop this? This mutation? She's only a child, for god's sake!"
"John, please, calm down. You know very well now that mutations are not a disease, merely the next step in human evolution. Your daughter's powers cannot be stopped, merely cultivated. In time, I am confident that Jean's control over her gifts will be restored."
"Can't you help her?" John's voice was frank and filled with worry.
Xavier hesitated a moment before answering. In truth, he wanted to enroll Jean as the very first student of his new school, the Xavier Institute for Gifted Youngsters, but her parents were reluctant to accept the fact that their daughter was a mutant. Thus, they have avoided the issue totally, until now.
"As you are aware, I am now the headmaster of a new school for mutants. Already, I have detected a huge growth in the mutant population, many of whom are children who need my help like Jean. I fear that this is only the tip of the iceberg, so to speak. Thus, I simply cannot afford to spend anymore time tutoring Jean privately. There are only twenty-four hours in a day, my friend. However, I am convinced that if we were to enroll Jean into the Institute...."
"Elaine and I are still not sure about this, Charles."
With a deep sigh, the Professor decided to settle on a compromise. "Why don't you drive Jean over here, the Xavier Institute for Gifted Youngsters, for the weekend? That way, I can perform a more accurate assessment of your daughter's powers and maybe able to find some alternate ways to help her."
"Really? Will this cost anything?"
"Nothing. It will be a pleasure itself in teaching Jean how to control her mutant abilities. I have a feeling that this will be a learning experience for us both." With that, the two set off to discuss the finer points of their agreement.
Unknown to either party, Ororo rushed out of the room, intent on telling Logan the good news.