A Madman's Heart

Part 9

Running, was that all she did anymore in these dreams. She knew this dream by heart and how it would end. First Sinister would chase her then trap her and tell her she had to destroy the X-men. Killing was never something she would like as much as Creed, hell Creed took a sadistic pleasure in the kill, but she knew sometimes it was necessary to keep alive. The dream went off normal, only this time when it reached the end she didn't wake up. Instead she only watched as Sinister grabbed he arm and brought her closer to him.

"You are mine Jubilation. Creed may think he can keep you safe, but I know how to kill him if he gets in the way." Sinister whispered into her ear with threats of death and promises. Jubilee struggled to get away finally put her hands up and let her paffs flow from her hands. Flow they did as they connected with Sinister but passed through him harmlessly.

"No, You can't kill Creed." Jubilee stated as a fact and Sinister only laughed in response. Tears welled in her eyes at the thought of losing another family member, but she'd be damned before she let the monster in front of her see them.

"I'll keep him alive only if you do the job, destroy those around you and bring me Jean and Scott Summers." He screamed into her mind and left her world spinning. Images of the X-men laying still, some gory while others looked like they were simply asleep, filled her mind and twisted till she couldn't take the sight anymore and covered her eyes with her hands.

Jubilee opened her eyes in relief as the dream ended and her eyes rested on the small alarm clock next to her. It read in bright, cruel colors that the time was 3 a.m. A time of night when people should be in their warm beds asleep, not being harassed by psycho bastards in their dreams. Maybe that she be a clue to her not being a normal person. No that came a long time ago when her parents were murdered. She got out of her bed and slipped on a pair of socks before the cold floor got to her. She went to the door, but paused, almost afraid to face the empty halls after the dream.

She labeled it The Dream, because these dreams were never nice and rarely ever different then the last. Tonight's was an exception to the rule and some how she felt her sense of slight safety lessen with each passing day. Turning from the door, Jubilee opened her window and climbed out on a tree with ease. Hopping on the roof, Jubilee sat down on the roof of the Xavier mansion. Her thoughts ran in so many directions that she felt she would never catch up.

'Should I do what Sinister is asking? Maybe then he will leave me alone and I could find some sort of normality.' She thought silently to herself, careful to guard her thoughts at every moment.

"Careful about what you do with a job assignment that Sinister gives you. He doesn't like to be let down and you should never believe he will let you go, that is a fools mistake." David had told her once during their training sessions. She sighed at the words and rubbed her eyes. In her mind she knew that the words rang true and that she must not hold a hope for that type of freedom. Those hopes would only lead to disappointment and heartbreak. But her body and soul she wanted more then to run from Sinister for the rest of her life. She could always ask the X-men for help, but the thought vanished from her mind instantly. Creed told her to keep her past a secret for a reason, besides she couldn't handle it right now if they dumped her in the middle of New York. They had become, in some messed up way, a part of her friends, but not yet family and she knew somehow that they never would.

Turning her gaze to the sky, Jubilee tried to forget the thoughts. 'To many questions that require so much effort to answer.' She thought to herself as she watched the clouds drift lazily across the sky harmlessly and cover the sliver of a moon every once and a while. This place she was at was considered the place for thought and a place to come when anyone of the X-men wished to be alone. Now Jubilee could understand why, the roof was silent enough to think things out, but busy enough to hold your attention for those thoughts that bring the most trouble.

"Dis no time for a petit' one to be up and around." A soft voice came over her shoulder and Jubilee whipped her head around to see Remy on top of one of the few peaks the roof had. Turning her attention away from Remy, Jubilee ignored the Cajun and went back to starring at the black sky.

"Ah, so de petit' one no want to talk about de problems that bring her up here? Perhaps you need some company to liven de spirit?" Remy stated as he jumped off the peak and landed with ease on the main part of the roof.

"Haven't I told you more then once to stop calling me petit'. I ain't no little sweetheart no matter how cute you are," Jubilee stated over her shoulder and Remy laughed with ease. It was a kind of cat purr that rolled over her back in soft, soothing circles. She meant what she said about the cute part, except it was more in the direction of hotness. Everyone knew that he was hot and he definitely knew it himself. Jubilee looked over at him trying to think of what he wanted; generally the two avoided each other as best as possible. Jubilee because Creed had asked her, but she didn't know why Remy Lebeau, the resident sweet talker, avoided her with care.

"No, I don't need any company and no I don't want to talk about anything so just go away Lebeau." Jubilee stated harsher then she wanted. Her mask was slipping out of her fingers and she didn't have the personal strength it took to slip it back in place at this moment.

"Nope, see de way I see it is dat you got more problems den most. I also see dat you got de mark of a devil upon you in more ways den one. Perhaps you and me work t'ose problems out?" Remy stated as he walked over towards her. Jubilee could tell by his walk that the Cajun was getting to the point of drunk, maybe a few blood counts short of passing out. She could only let out a snort of laughter and then turn her attention back to the sky.

"Don't have clue what you're talking about. The only devil I know lives in a really hot area." Jubilee stated in a calm tone as Remy sat down on the roof beside her. His eyes trailed down her body for a second and then followed her eyes to the sky.

"Sure Cherie, I believe dat one. Look, what ever he got on you mustn't be good. T'ese people gonna find out soon Cherie, dey always do." Remy stated and stared off at the sky. Jubilee could see something flash in his eyes and disappear just as quickly. What did he mean by that? Looking at his red on black eyes she realized how much sadness and pain he covered up during his guarded days, but now, either thanks to the alcohol or her own pain, he seemed to let his guard down enough for it to show.

"Yeah, what ever. I don't care about your problems. Besides I gotta get back to bed, Xavier's going for the whole test powers junk." Jubilee stated as she slipped off the roof and onto the tree. She looked up once more the catch Remy's eyes and he gave her a charming grin that held less charm then normal.

"Gambit be here if you need to talk to him, but I be think it would be best if you did it sooner no." Rolling her eyes, Jubilee slipped into the room and sunk back into the covers of her seemingly safe bed only to face the nightmares.

True to his word, Xavier had asked Jubilee to meet the others in the danger room and she was asked to go through a basic training program then Scott explained the danger room. Jubilee didn't pay to much attention to him; only once the simulation began she wished she had. The room changed to a scene of roads and buildings with shadows in several different areas. Scott had said something about just hitting the men as they popped up and not to worry about them being real. Bobby chipped something in about them being like Video game bad guys. Bobby seemed right on target and soon differently dressed men popped up and firing at her. She dove to the side of a building and watched as the bullets were no more then blanks. Breathing slightly in relief, jubilee began to look at her hands and concentrate.

"Jubilation, just try to focus your powers so that you can defend yourself." A voice came over the intercom and Jubilee laughed. Easier said then ever done. Before her powers had always been controllable, but since Sinister messed with her body she had little to no control once she released her paffs. She took a few deeper breaths and took a step back out into the street while trying to bring her paffs to her hands. She noticed one man to her left and began to try and concentrate her paffs into a small stream of vibrant greens and yellows. The paffs left her hand in a stream, but instead of small they rushed at the fake man in a dangerous wave of power. The paffs hit the still firing person and blew the side of the wall out from behind him. Once the smoke cleared, Jubilee couldn't see anything, but the building next to the man now was missing a large chunk of brick and the place around the man was blackened by ash and burnt marks.

Jubilee clenched her hands in anger and tried her best to keep it in check. This wasn't suppose to be, she was suppose to be able to control her powers not have them eating her up. 'Damn you Sinister, damn you.' She thought to herself and instantly felt something bringing up thoughts in her mind. Throwing up her mental shields the strongest she could, Jubilee looked up where she figured the X-men and Jean would be. 'STAY OUT OF MY MIND.' She screamed in her thoughts at Jean and the paffs inside her stirred up in anger. Images of Scott and David rushed into her mind as the paffs stirred stronger and stronger until they couldn't be held in any longer. They released themselves and flowed in a giant wave at the control room.

"I don't know Professor, she seems reckless and uncooperative." Scott stated as he watched the training program begin and Jubilee looking around in a daze. Xavier seemed to be ignoring him and turned on the mic into the room.

"Jubilation, just try to focus your powers so that you can defend yourself." He stated and Jubilee smirked slightly. In the room behind him were Remy, Logan, Scott, Hank, Jean, and Ororo. Jean's eyes seemed unfocused for a second while Jubilee's attack destroyed the building behind the simulated man. Jean's eyes then glazed over and she held her head in her hands as Xavier felt the back draft of the shout and put a hand to his temple.

"So much hurt in there, She was thinking about someone who did this to her." Jean stated as Scott looked at her protectively and stood behind her for support. Logan listened, but narrowed his eyes at Scott.

"Who Jean?" Ororo asked and Jean shock her head and closed her eyes for a second.

"Hank, Mon Ami, how much heat can dis glass take?" Remy questioned as he saw Jubilees hands glow followed by small paffs leaking from her eyes.

"Oh my stars and garters." Was all that was heard in the room as the wave of paffs smacked into the room and bent the glass as it hit. The ground of people fell to the ground as the shockwave of the attack hit and Professor Xavier's wheel chair slide back a few feet and almost flipped over. The wave passed and the group looked up to see Jubilee closing her eyes and then turning and walking out of the room in a quick pace as if to say I warned you.

"Amazing, the glass has been melted then reshaped in by the paffs." Hank stated as he looked at the glass while everyone stood up.

"And that's of interest because?" Logan asked as he walked over to the main panel of the control room, which was smoking, from the sudden heat and pressure put upon it by Jubilee's paffs.

"Because it means that this glass wasn't strong enough to support the strain from the paffs and then melted. Something must have caused the glass to hold or reform into a solid." Hank stated and Remy raised an eyebrow. "I simple terms young Jubilee has more control over her powers then we thought."

"Still, the control room will need more shielding if we are to continue." Ororo stated and watched as the doors slipped shut behind Jubilee.