A/N: Hey thanks for the reviews!!! Oh yeah, I was wondering if there was an X-men named Siren? It sounds familiar, but I forgot what was her role…anyways, here's chapter 3!!!
Chapter 3 – Jasmine Hanks
Rogue exhaled as if she was shocked. "Do…you still…" Jean asked slowly.
"I don't know. I don't think I even want to know." Said Rogue as she went over to look out into the view.
Suddenly, the three boys came out of the cockpit. "So exactly where are we going first?" John asked.
"Did you set it on auto-pilot? Camouflage?" Jean asked.
"Yeah. All set." Said Scott. Remy saw Rogue looking out the window. Something inside of him just wanted to go over and talk to her, at the same time, he didn't want to.
Remy coughed. "So, how long till we get to our first stop?"
"Umm…" Scott looked at the map set on the table. "Well we're going to New Jersey for our first two recruits, and that should take about an hour at this rate."
"Well we'll have to discuss on how to pick them up, they can't always be sitting in their living room waiting for us." Said Jean.
"Jean's right, who knows they could be walking around the mall by the time we get there." John shrugged.
"Are any of us going to be left behind?" Remy asked. Suddenly, Rogue looked over her shoulder.
"Yeah. We need at least 2 people to keep guard of the jet." Scott looked to see if anyone was willing. "Well?"
"I'll stay." Said Rogue out of the silence.
"Uhh…um" Remy choked.
"Oh you could stay with Rogue, keep her company." Scott suggested. "I think we'll need some fire dealing with our counterparts…"
"Well that's if you want." Jean reminded him.
Remy looked at Rogue, but she looked away to avoid his eyes. "Um, sure. Why not?"
"That's settled, in one hour, the three of his change to casual clothing, while you two keep guard of the jet." Said Scott. Remy heard the soft chuckle from John, but ignored it.
"In that case, I'll be sleeping until we get there." Said Remy as he went through the door near cockpit to one room of the sleeping quarters. There he took off his jacket, and lay on the bed looking up at the bottom of the top bunk. He thought of the times he had spent with Rogue, good times, and bad. But as he went deeper in his memories, he fell asleep.
"Hey…wake up." A voice called.
"Shut up…" Remy groaned.
"Did you just tell me to shut up?!" The voice said angrily. Remy opened his eyes to find Jean staring him down. "It's been an hour. Get up."
"Sorry about that." Said Remy as he took his jacket and put it on. He went outside to find Scott and John wearing casual clothes like Jean.
"Alright you two, we're going to be downtown so don't expect us to be quick. We're first going to find Jasmine Hanks, a seventeen-year old average girl, if you're not counting her mutant powers. But she's just a pushover, finding Richard Matthews will be hard though, an elusive seventeen-year old is not the best thing." Said Scott as he read the profiles of the counterparts.
"So we're carrying with us mini-communicators. We'll contact you when we need help or to check on you guys." Jean reminded them. "Whatever you do, don't get distracted, keep your eyes out."
"That shouldn't be hard…" John smirked.
"Shut up." Said Rogue. "Sure thing, we'll keep an eye out."
"Two eyes." Remy corrected.
"Well, at the most, we'll be back in two hours." Said Scott as he looked at his watch. "Come on you guys, let's get some recruits." They exited the jet as the two were left in an awkward silence. Before either one of them were to say a word, Rogue walked away and sat on a couch near the window.
Remy sighed as he sat in one of the chairs of the long table with the map on it. He wanted to talk to her so badly, but he didn't know how.
Meanwhile, Scott, Jean, and John were on the city streets, looking for the right location. "It should be around this corner…" Jean kept looking at the name of the street.
"Was it Allison Street?" John asked as he looked up at the signs.
"Um," Jean looked at the profile of Jasmine. "Yeah, 429, Carmen James' Apartments, Allison Street."
"It's right there." Said Scott as he read a sign on about a twenty-floor building.
"This is it…come on." Jean took a deep breath as they entered the building.
"Good morning ma'am, how can I help you?" the clerk asked.
"Um we're here to visit the Hanks." Jean answered.
The clerk nodded as she looked through her visitors list. "And your name?"
"Jean Grey." She replied.
"Oh I see. Go on Ms. Grey, go on the elevator to the 4th floor. Room 429 should be on the right." She smiled.
"Thank you very much. Have a good day." Jean returned a smile back as she said thanked her. The clerk winked at John, but John didn't react.
"She likes you." Scott taunted as they pressed the 4th floor button on the elevator.
"Shut up, she's not my type." John said quickly. Suddenly, they stopped at the 4th floor and exited the elevator.
"She said right…" Scott said as they to the right and looked for room 429. "Here it is, room 429."
Jean knocked on the door and waited for a response. "Who is it?" A woman called.
"Um this is Jean Grey, from the Xavier Institute." Jean answered. The door opened, showing a short woman with dark hair and blue eyes.
"Xavier Institute?" she asked. Jean nodded. "Oh yes, come in. I'm Mrs. Josephine Hanks. Please sit down while I get Jasmine. Wait here." She pointed on the couch.
"Nice apartment they got here." Said John as he sat down. In five minutes, the woman came back with a teenage girl about her height with short light brown hair. She had dark brown eyes, and had a look that she knew they were coming.
"Hi. I'm Jean, you must be Jasmine?" Jean smiled.
"Yes. I had a feeling we would have visitors today." Jasmine smiled.
"Um Mrs. Hanks, is Mr. Hanks around?" Jean asked.
"Oh yes, he will be coming home soon for lunch break." The woman sat with her daughter on the opposite couch.
"Well, do you mind telling us what your daughter does?" Jean asked.
"Uh, you see, my husband is a psychologist and well, he says it's what you call, telekinesis." She replied unsurely.
"Oh." Jean said surprisingly with a chuckle. "I could do some myself. Um Jasmine, do you mind showing me what you can do?"
"Sure." Jasmine smiled. She looked for an item in the room, and spotted a pitcher filled with juice beside her mother. She focused her eyes on the pitcher and the pitcher had levitated off the cart, then maneuvered around for a bit, and poured some juice into John's glass. Then the pitcher levitated back to the cart where it came from.
"Thank you." Said John as he drank his juice.
"Your welcome." She smiled. Suddenly, a man with dirty blonde hair and gray eyes came in. He was tall, and was wearing a white long-sleeve shirt with a blue tie and slacks.
"Oh I'm sorry to be so late." He apologized. "Forgive me, I'm Arthur Hanks." He shook their hands nervously and sat on Jasmine's left.
"Oh where are my manners, I'm Jean Grey, this is Scott Summers, and this is John Allerdyce. We're from the Xavier institute." Jean smiled.
"Well, I see you've met Jasmine, and my wife Josephine." Said Mr. Hanks. "Anyways, let's get down to business. Now, can you explain to me how this institute works?"
"Well of course Mr. Hanks," said Scott. "You see, we recruit gifted adolescents like Jasmine here, to the institute. Professor Xavier doesn't reject anyone, he's willing to teach your child no matter what."
"You can put it this way I guess, it's like a boarding school in a way. But not to worry, dormitories are strictly protected. Facilities are very trustable and durable, and you may talk to your child throughout the year. There are also arranged events in which you can visit your child at the institute."
Jasmine was getting excited. Her parents were pleased with what has been said. "And finally, Professor Xavier teaches your child to use their gifts in good ways. Education and moral lessons is always number one in academics in the institute. Others like Scott, John, and myself here, are there to supervise the students and make sure they are doing well."
"Wow, I'm impressed." said Mrs. Hanks. "This institute sounds very welcoming, now it's up to my daughter, if she's willing to go."
Meanwhile at the X-Jet…
Rogue still sat on the couch by the window, staring blankly at her boots. Remy, was just walking back and forth thinking what to say. Finally, he had the guts to say something.
"Rogue…" Remy said nervously. He sat in the chair beside the couch. Without even looking at him, she responded with an "hm."
Remy sighed as she paid no attention to him. Once more, he tried again. "Rogue." He took a deep breath. "Why don't you talk to me?"
Surprisingly, she spoke, still her eyes on her boots. "I'm talking to you already. What more can you ask for?"
"To look at me while you're talking." He cleared his throat. "Is that hard?" Rogue kept her head down. Her head was slowly tilting upwards, but instead she stood up and faced the window. She then saw the reflection of his tender face on the window. "Rogue?"
"What if I don't wanna look at you? It's not like it's a medicine to keep me going!" She yelled.
Remy took got over his nerves and stood behind her, where he could see her face on the window, as well as his. "It's just a reflection Rogue, not the real thing."
"I…I don't wanna look at the real thing." She said stubbornly.
"Close your eyes." He whispered in her ear. She trembled at the breath behind her neck, but closed her eyes anyway. He turned her around to face him. "Go on, open your eyes." She breathed and opened her eyes slowly. There she saw the real tender face, not just the reflection on the window. She stared into his eyes and exhaled deeply.
"Hello Gambit." She said.
"Well that's settled." Said Mr. Hanks. "Go on honey, go get your stuff."
"Thank you so much for helping us. Jasmine has been excited about going to school there in New York." Mrs. Hanks smiled.
"It's our pleasure." Jean hugged Mrs. Hanks.
"Well, it's been packed!" Jasmine smiled as she carried a backpack, and a roller luggage.
"Here I'll get that." Scott took her roller luggage.
"Well, I love you guys." Jasmine hugged and kissed her parents.
"You take care of yourself honey." Mr. Hanks nodded.
"Call anytime if you need us." Her mother reminded.
"Of course mom. Bye." They saw her daughter smiling till they shut the door.