Winter Wonderland

Disclaimer: I don't own these characters.  Marvel does.

Chapter 3

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~`

Jean typed up the labels for the antibiotic cultures she had just finished.  She was almost done.  All she needed to do was print out the CBC results.  Suddenly, hands came up over her eyes.

"Hey!"

Jean swung her arms behind her.

"Woah!  Watch your hands"

Jean laughed.  It was Scott.  She guessed that she'd nearly knocked his glasses off.

"Finish your book?"

"Yeah.  It was so good."

"Good."

"I see you found something acceptable to your fragile attention span?"

Jean stomped on his foot.

"Ow!"

"That wasn't nice."

"Well you were being kind of silly before." 

He took his hands off Jean's eyes and she spun around. 

"Hank tell you I was down here?"
"Yeah.  He also told me that you'd prefer he not give me Angels and Demons right away."

Jean smiled.

"So what would you rather I do?"

"How about a movie?"
"Sounds good."

"You need to have more fun."

"I have fun reading."

Jean shook her head.

"What?" Scott challenged.  "You have fun playing with blood specimens."

Jean looked at him.  He was smirking.  She thought it was cute, but she wouldn't dare tell him because he'd stop and scowl.  Scott was very self conscious about things like that.

"Come on!" Jean grabbed his hand and led him into the hall.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~`

Scott lay back on his bed.  "So how's Duncan?"

Jean shrugged.  "Enh."

"He doesn't deserve you."

Jean lay down next to him.

"Don't let his popularity blind you."

"I don't."

"Then why are you still with him?" a DVD into the player and grabbed the remote.  He sat back next to Jean. 

"Not going to answer?"

Jean looked up at him unhappily.  "I'm thinking."

"You shouldn't have to think."

"Put the movie in."

Scott looked at her for a few seconds, then did as she was asked.  He had picked The Goonies. 

"Why don't you lay on this side, so I don't block your view."

Jean scooted around Scott and lay down his other side, facing the TV.  He lay behind her, maintaining about a foot of distance.  Jean nestled herself back against him.  He put his arm around her. 

"This is nice," she murmured. 

"Yeah," Scott pulled her closer.

"Are you mad that I can't answer your question about Duncan?"

"Mad? No.  Maybe a little frustrated."

"Why?"

"Well, it seems odd to have to really think about why you're with someone.  I couldn't think of a good reason why I was with Taryn, so I gave up.  I found that I was just trying to fool myself."

"About what?"

"About what I really wanted."

"Which is?"

Scott hesitated.  "I like this," he finally managed.

"I do too," Jean whispered.  "I just don't know…"  Jean rolled over to face Scott, her left leg draping over his.  Her eyes were watery.  He scooted lower so that they were laying forehead to forehead.  Jean's arm wrapped around his waist.  They lay like this for a long time.  At this distance she found it easy to catch his eyes through his ruby glasses.  His breath was hot on her cheek.  Their lips were mere inches apart.  Jean leaned in and kissed him gently on the lips.  Scott was shaking. 

"Relax."

Scott nodded, and Jean rubbed his back until he calmed down.  He pulled back.

"Thank you."

"What happened?"

Scott took a deep breath.  "I just got scared."

"I thought that's what you wanted."

"It is," he answered quickly  "I just…well, I'm just afraid to care so much… I …I've always lost everyone I loved."

Jean scooted closer to him again.  "Do you love me?"

Scott nodded.  "We have such a strong connection."

"Yeah…"

"I've loved you since I met you.  God, that sounds corny.  Like that stupid song.  But Jean, you're my best friend.  Regardless of what's happened.  I…love you."

Jean's eyes watered up again, and she bit her lip to keep from crying. 

"I'm sorry.  I don't mean to upset you,"  Scott sat up quickly.

"No…you didn't." Jean sat up, next to him, laying her hand on his shoulder. "I'm just…surprised.  I know you care.  I just didn't realize how much."

Scott and Jean looked at each other for a long time.  Finally, Jean leaned in to kiss him again, but Scott held her back.

"Not right now.  We're too emotionally stressed.  I don't want it to be a rash thing."

"This feels right."

Scott swallowed hard.  "I know.  I just…want…to do this right.  I care about you too much to rush this."

Jean smiled.  "I can accept that."

"Come on.  Let's watch this movie,"  Scott lay down on this side again, and Jean nestled her back against his stomach.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~`

Give me feedback!