Queen of Random: Sorry I haven't added more to this story, but, although I
have written more to this story, I have also been busy writing a little
humour fic 'Role Reversal'. People seem to like it, so I have kind of split
my focus a little bit.
Just one more thing, and this is for Deemm_4w, who is a tad upset that I have not mentioned her. THERE IS SUCH A WORD AS TWEENS! IT A CHILD BETWEEN THE AGES OF EIGHT AND TWELVE! JAMIE IS TWELVE, THEREFORE HE IS A TWEEN!
Sorry about that, folks. I just had to let off a little steam. Now, on with the fic!
Beauty and the Beast
Chapter Eight: Exposure
From that point on it seemed as if Hank McCoy and Jennifer Reed were one person - they were very rarely seen out of each others' company. The only time they were not together was when Jennifer was at school, and that was for obvious reasons.
"Where are you going, Mr McCoy?" asked Jean one evening.
"To Jennifer's," he replied.
"It's starting to get serious, isn't it?"
Hank smiled. "Yes."
Jean laughed. "Don't tell Kitty that. She will get some crazy idea in her head about you two, and will start hearing wedding bells wherever she goes."
"We might just have to keep an eye on her, should that ever happen. We all know how destructive Kitty's love-life is."
"Yes," sighed Jean. "Kurt, Lance. . . who knows where it's going to end?" Jean shrugged her shoulders. "Who needs to watch soap operas when we have Kitty Pryde around?"
"Indeed. Still, it would be best if this did not get out of hand," said Hank. "Besides, you are not one to speak about Kitty's romantic problems. I am sure that you do not forget the tangled web that was woven between you, Scott, Duncan and Taryn."
Jean went a red that would have made her hair jealous. "You're right, sir."
Hank smiled, having dealt with yet another nosy teenager. "Now if you will excuse me, I have a date with a lovely woman, and I do not wish to be late."
Jean smiled. "Have fun."
*
Jennifer opened the door of her modest suburban home to find a figure draped in a long coat and wearing hat. She smiled, knowing who it was. "Hello, Hank."
A pair of eyes peered at her from underneath the hat's brim. "Hello, Jennifer."
"Why don't you come inside?" she asked. "Away from my nosy neighbours."
"Nosy neighbours?"
Jennifer smiled. "Mrs Finklestein from next door. She monitors all the comings and goings of the residents, and, unfortunately, she has become interested in me, and my mysterious visitor." Her hazel eyes sparkled with mischief. "If only she knew the whole story. She would have a heart attack, and we would all be free of her meddling." Jennifer looked over the fence, where a curtain rustled in a window. A figure could be easily be seen trying to hide, but failing. "Hello, Nora!" called Jennifer.
"Perhaps it would be best if we were to go inside," suggested Hank. "I assume that your neighbour, Nora Finklestein, would be very forthcoming to answering the questions of gossips if she were to find out about the-" here Hank hesitated "- nature of our relationship."
Jennifer frowned. "You're right, Hank. As much as I hate to admit it, you are right. I wish we could just walk along the streets, just like any other couple, but we can't." She sighed, and lowered her head. "We are doomed to secrecy, unless we wish to expose ourselves to ridicule. Come inside, Hank."
*
The secret meeting between Hank and Jennifer had lost its original light and exciting feeling. Instead, any joy that the two adults felt by being in each others' company was overshadowed by the realisation that their relationship was in fact going to be plagued by misfortune, should anyone outside the Xavier Institute find out of it.
As with all secrets, the one these two shared was about to be divulged, long before Jennifer and Hank were ready to let the world know.
"Someone's at the door," remarked Jennifer. "I wonder who it could be?"
Hank shrugged his massive shoulders. "I do not know. But I do think you should answer it, Jennifer."
Jennifer looked at Hank. "Are you sure? You do know you will have to, well, hide."
Hank nodded. "I understand. Go and answer the door."
Jennifer had a hesitant look on her face, but she went to answer the door.
"Edward," said Jennifer, surprised. "What are you doing here?"
Principal Kelly coughed, then said, "I am here on a matter of school business, Jennifer."
"And that is?"
Kelly coughed again. "There have been some complaints made against you."
"By whom?" asked Jennifer, starting to get worried at this point.
"By the parents of the normal students."
"Normal students?" she asked.
"That is the kind of attitude that has me concerned, Jennifer," said Kelly. "You appear to show no distinction between the normal, human children, and those mutant freaks."
"There are no differences between them, Edward," said Jennifer, starting to get mad. "Those with the mutant gene have every right to be treated the same as everyone else."
"But they are different!" answered Kelly. "They are mutants! They are not the same! They have no rights, as they are monsters."
"How dare you come into my home and say such things!" said Jennifer. "I tolerate your comments at school, but I cannot have you come to my home, my home, and make such racist comments." Seeing Kelly's shocked look she added, "Yes, Edward, I think you are a racist. No, you are a racist. People should be making complaints against you, Edward, not me."
"You should learn to control yourself, Jennifer," said Kelly, his voice not quite as calm as he would have liked to have portrayed himself as being. "People will think that you side with mutants. Or even worse, that you are one of those freaks."
"I am human, Edward, you know that. But I sometimes wish I were a mutant, so that I would have nothing to hide," she hissed.
"What do you mean, nothing to hide?" demanded Kelly. "Tell me, now, Jennifer!" With that, he grabbed her arm.
"Let go of me!" shouted Jennifer. "Not until you tell me what you meant!" came the angry reply.
"Get your hands off of her right now!"
Kelly whirled around to face the speaker. It was Hank, but Kelly did not know that at the time. "You're with one of them?!" he demanded of Jennifer.
"Hank, stop him!" pleaded Jennifer.
"Hank?" asked Kelly. "Hank McCoy?"
"Yes, it is me," replied Hank. "And I suggest that you let go of her, right now, or you will find out why I am called Beast." To prove his point, Hank bared his teeth.
Kelly swallowed, and let go of Jennifer's arm. "You will be hearing from me about this, Jennifer," he said. "The board will not be too pleased to discover the reason for your blatant favouritism for the mutant students."
"My private life is just that, Edward," said Jennifer. "Private. What I do, and whom I date, is entirely up to me. No one, especially not you, can make me think, or do, otherwise."
Kelly said nothing. He just left.
But the look he gave the couple promised trouble.
Just one more thing, and this is for Deemm_4w, who is a tad upset that I have not mentioned her. THERE IS SUCH A WORD AS TWEENS! IT A CHILD BETWEEN THE AGES OF EIGHT AND TWELVE! JAMIE IS TWELVE, THEREFORE HE IS A TWEEN!
Sorry about that, folks. I just had to let off a little steam. Now, on with the fic!
Beauty and the Beast
Chapter Eight: Exposure
From that point on it seemed as if Hank McCoy and Jennifer Reed were one person - they were very rarely seen out of each others' company. The only time they were not together was when Jennifer was at school, and that was for obvious reasons.
"Where are you going, Mr McCoy?" asked Jean one evening.
"To Jennifer's," he replied.
"It's starting to get serious, isn't it?"
Hank smiled. "Yes."
Jean laughed. "Don't tell Kitty that. She will get some crazy idea in her head about you two, and will start hearing wedding bells wherever she goes."
"We might just have to keep an eye on her, should that ever happen. We all know how destructive Kitty's love-life is."
"Yes," sighed Jean. "Kurt, Lance. . . who knows where it's going to end?" Jean shrugged her shoulders. "Who needs to watch soap operas when we have Kitty Pryde around?"
"Indeed. Still, it would be best if this did not get out of hand," said Hank. "Besides, you are not one to speak about Kitty's romantic problems. I am sure that you do not forget the tangled web that was woven between you, Scott, Duncan and Taryn."
Jean went a red that would have made her hair jealous. "You're right, sir."
Hank smiled, having dealt with yet another nosy teenager. "Now if you will excuse me, I have a date with a lovely woman, and I do not wish to be late."
Jean smiled. "Have fun."
*
Jennifer opened the door of her modest suburban home to find a figure draped in a long coat and wearing hat. She smiled, knowing who it was. "Hello, Hank."
A pair of eyes peered at her from underneath the hat's brim. "Hello, Jennifer."
"Why don't you come inside?" she asked. "Away from my nosy neighbours."
"Nosy neighbours?"
Jennifer smiled. "Mrs Finklestein from next door. She monitors all the comings and goings of the residents, and, unfortunately, she has become interested in me, and my mysterious visitor." Her hazel eyes sparkled with mischief. "If only she knew the whole story. She would have a heart attack, and we would all be free of her meddling." Jennifer looked over the fence, where a curtain rustled in a window. A figure could be easily be seen trying to hide, but failing. "Hello, Nora!" called Jennifer.
"Perhaps it would be best if we were to go inside," suggested Hank. "I assume that your neighbour, Nora Finklestein, would be very forthcoming to answering the questions of gossips if she were to find out about the-" here Hank hesitated "- nature of our relationship."
Jennifer frowned. "You're right, Hank. As much as I hate to admit it, you are right. I wish we could just walk along the streets, just like any other couple, but we can't." She sighed, and lowered her head. "We are doomed to secrecy, unless we wish to expose ourselves to ridicule. Come inside, Hank."
*
The secret meeting between Hank and Jennifer had lost its original light and exciting feeling. Instead, any joy that the two adults felt by being in each others' company was overshadowed by the realisation that their relationship was in fact going to be plagued by misfortune, should anyone outside the Xavier Institute find out of it.
As with all secrets, the one these two shared was about to be divulged, long before Jennifer and Hank were ready to let the world know.
"Someone's at the door," remarked Jennifer. "I wonder who it could be?"
Hank shrugged his massive shoulders. "I do not know. But I do think you should answer it, Jennifer."
Jennifer looked at Hank. "Are you sure? You do know you will have to, well, hide."
Hank nodded. "I understand. Go and answer the door."
Jennifer had a hesitant look on her face, but she went to answer the door.
"Edward," said Jennifer, surprised. "What are you doing here?"
Principal Kelly coughed, then said, "I am here on a matter of school business, Jennifer."
"And that is?"
Kelly coughed again. "There have been some complaints made against you."
"By whom?" asked Jennifer, starting to get worried at this point.
"By the parents of the normal students."
"Normal students?" she asked.
"That is the kind of attitude that has me concerned, Jennifer," said Kelly. "You appear to show no distinction between the normal, human children, and those mutant freaks."
"There are no differences between them, Edward," said Jennifer, starting to get mad. "Those with the mutant gene have every right to be treated the same as everyone else."
"But they are different!" answered Kelly. "They are mutants! They are not the same! They have no rights, as they are monsters."
"How dare you come into my home and say such things!" said Jennifer. "I tolerate your comments at school, but I cannot have you come to my home, my home, and make such racist comments." Seeing Kelly's shocked look she added, "Yes, Edward, I think you are a racist. No, you are a racist. People should be making complaints against you, Edward, not me."
"You should learn to control yourself, Jennifer," said Kelly, his voice not quite as calm as he would have liked to have portrayed himself as being. "People will think that you side with mutants. Or even worse, that you are one of those freaks."
"I am human, Edward, you know that. But I sometimes wish I were a mutant, so that I would have nothing to hide," she hissed.
"What do you mean, nothing to hide?" demanded Kelly. "Tell me, now, Jennifer!" With that, he grabbed her arm.
"Let go of me!" shouted Jennifer. "Not until you tell me what you meant!" came the angry reply.
"Get your hands off of her right now!"
Kelly whirled around to face the speaker. It was Hank, but Kelly did not know that at the time. "You're with one of them?!" he demanded of Jennifer.
"Hank, stop him!" pleaded Jennifer.
"Hank?" asked Kelly. "Hank McCoy?"
"Yes, it is me," replied Hank. "And I suggest that you let go of her, right now, or you will find out why I am called Beast." To prove his point, Hank bared his teeth.
Kelly swallowed, and let go of Jennifer's arm. "You will be hearing from me about this, Jennifer," he said. "The board will not be too pleased to discover the reason for your blatant favouritism for the mutant students."
"My private life is just that, Edward," said Jennifer. "Private. What I do, and whom I date, is entirely up to me. No one, especially not you, can make me think, or do, otherwise."
Kelly said nothing. He just left.
But the look he gave the couple promised trouble.