Now, to disclaim. I do not own anything. I am poor. I do not even have my own computer - I just carry a whole bunch of disks around with me wherever I go! Anyway, in this chapter, Hank and Jennifer go on their date!
Beauty and the Beast
Chapter Six: Tale as Old as Time
"I'll get it, I'll get it!" cried Jamie as he ran to get the door early on Saturday night. However, he slipped on a patch of ice, and hit the wall. Several Jamies got up, gingerly touching their bruises.
"Honestly!" said Kitty, phasing through the crowd of tweens to open the door. "Ms Reed!" she remarked, eyes wide when she opened the door. "You look. . . wow."
Ms Reed smiled. "Thank you, Kitty. Is Hank ready yet?"
"I don't know," replied Kitty. "Last I heard, someone said he looked like he was about to have a heart attack."
"Oh, dear."
"But that doesn't matter!" said Kitty. "All that matters is that you're here, and he's here, and that you are going to have a wonderful evening."
"You are right, Kitty." Then Ms Reed saw all the Jamies. "What happened to him?"
Kitty shook her head. "He hit the wall 'cause he slipped on some of Bobby's ice."
"I see," remarked Ms Reed, looking at the floor. "Now I understand why Hank called him Multiple."
"Yep. We all have names like that here. I'm Shadowcat," Kitty added.
"And I'm Boom Boom," added Tabitha, entering the room. "Damn, Ms R.! You look hot!"
"Er, thank you, Tabitha."
"Whoa!" cried a voice. "Is that Ms Reed?"
Kitty turned around. "Yes, it is, Bobby. You like?"
Bobby shook his head, as if something in there was blocked up. "If I knew Ms Reed looked like that, I would be taking Chemistry!"
Ms Reed laughed. "I suppose I will have to take that as a complement."
BAMPF! "Hey, Ms Reed. Mr McCoy is just about ready." Kurt cocked his head at the sight of Ms Reed. "Wow! Hey, guys! Come get a look at this!"
The foyer seemed to be suddenly filled with teenagers, all staring at their teacher, who appeared to have undergone some form of Cinderella-type transformation.
"Whoa!"
"Cool!"
"Go, Ms Reed!"
"All right, all right," interrupted a voice. It was Logan. "I'm sure you all have better things to do than to gawk at Hank's date."
"Aw, man!"
Just as suddenly as they had appeared, the students were gone.
Scott poked his head around Hank's door just as Hank was doing up his tie. "Hey, Mr McCoy. She's here." He looked Hank up and down, then whistled. "You look sharp."
Hank looked in the mirror. "You don't think the tuxedo was too much?"
"No, but I think you should not forget the hat," replied Scott, picking up the hat from its place on the bed.
"You're right." Hank turned to Scott. "What do you think?"
Scott smiled. "I think if you worry about how you look, you'll just end up being late for the ballet. Besides, I don't think she's the one to judge by appearance."
Hank stopped at the top of the stairs and stared at the woman who was waiting at the bottom. He could hardly believe that the goddess waiting for him was really Jennifer. Her long brown hair, freed from its usual braid, was done in a sophisticated knot at the nape of her neck, except for a few strands that hung loose around her face. She had replaced her usual white blouse and black trousers for a long dress of a dark forest green and a low neckline. A ruby necklace hung at her throat, sparkling as she turned to look at him.
"Hello, Hank," she said.
"Jennifer," he replied, finally able to move down the stairs. "You look absolutely stunning."
Jennifer laughed. "The students thought so, too. Although they were not quite as eloquent as you were."
"It is the truth," said Hank when he reached her. "You do look stunning." He was acutely aware of the scent of her perfume. It was intoxicating.
Jennifer took his arm. "Shall we be off? I do not want to miss the performance."
Hank had almost forgotten about that. "Yes, I believe so."
"Then to the ballet we go!" announced Jennifer.
It was very late when Jennifer and Hank returned to the Xavier Institute that night after the ballet.
"I'm so sorry about the handkerchief, Hank. It was just such a moving performance."
Hank smiled and closed Jennifer's hand around the tear-soaked handkerchief. "It's quite all right. You were right, it was a excellent performance of Swan Lake, by an excellent company."
"The prima ballerina was beautiful, wasn't she?" asked Jennifer. "She was absolutely perfect for the part of Odette, don't you think?"
"She was, but you are much prettier than she is."
"You are a charmer, Hank McCoy." Jennifer laughed. "Do you know something? I was absolutely shallow during high school. One of those awkward girls who dream of dating a football player. But at that time only one football player ever spoke to me, and that was because I was the tutor assigned to him. All he wanted was for me to do the work for him." Jennifer shook her head. "Now that I think about it, he reminds me a lot of Duncan Matthews. Never mind. I've just had my wish fulfilled. I've seen those photographs of you in the trophy cabinet," she added, smiling. "You were quite the football hero."
"Thank you, Jennifer," replied Hank. "And thank you for inviting me to the ballet."
"I couldn't have asked for better company. Not many people have such an understanding for the arts as you do." She looked about to find that they were at the doorway. "It seems that I must leave you here," she said sadly. "But before I go there is something I must do."
"And that is?"
Jennifer did not answer. Instead she smiled, before kissing Hank on the lips. She pulled away from a stunned Hank, and smiled again. "I really enjoyed myself-" she began, but she was interrupted by a chorus of teenage voices singing a song. It was Tale As Old As Time, from the Disney version of Beauty and the Beast. This was accompanied by giggles and laughs.
Hank and Jennifer looked up. "I think they had been planning that since we left," remarked Jennifer.
"No!" called a voice. "Since the date was made!"
"Tabitha!"
"What!"
"All right you lot," interrupted Logan's voice. "I think it's time you lot went to bed. It's past your bedtime."
"But it's past Mr McCoy's, too!"
"No buts, half-pint. Off to bed, all of you!"
There were grumbles from the students, but from the sounds of things they all went to bed, not wanting to anger the mutant known as Wolverine.
Jennifer smiled. "I think we have satisfied the gossip circles of the Institute. It will be all over the school on Monday."
"No, it won't!" called a voice.
"Elf! What did I say to you about going to bed!"
"Sorry, Logan!"
"Oh, well," said Jennifer. "I must be on my way home. I hope to see you again, Hank," she added. She kissed him again, this time on the cheek, before returning to her car and driving away.
Hank sighed, and touched a hand to his cheek, remembering the kiss.