Thank you for the reviews, they were, ah, interesting. Enjoy this chapter, and for Diaz f, the story won't be coming to an end any time soon. I have lots of plans.

RedPhoenix1821

Chapter 6

Taryn rolled over and picked her phone up. She was shocked when she heard Scott's voice on the other line and rolled over to make sure it really was him.

"Where are you?" she screamed at him.

"Do you remember Jean Grey, went out with Duncan Mathews, you two were on the soccer team together."

"Yes, I remember her, what about her?"

"I'm at her apartment."

"What, why?" Taryn screeched.

"She called over there earlier, I told her I was going to be with you all weekend and gave her the number. Look, it's a long story; I'll explain it to you more when I call you again in the morning. Basically, Jean's not doing too well, and she really could use some company right now."

"But what about me?"

"I said I would call you in the morning and I'll see if I can come over."

"Scott Summers! Sometimes you can be absolutely wonderful, and sometimes you can be a downright pain in the ass!" Taryn slammed the receiver down into the cradle and fell back asleep.

Back at Jean's apartment, it was nearing 7 a.m. Scott had just gotten up, and was pouring himself a cup of coffee when he heard Jean stir out in her room. He walked out there and saw her stretch in her sleep, yawn slightly and then roll onto her stomach. She was smiling, obviously having a good dream. Scott smiled to himself; he loved it when Jean was happy. Watching her spread on the futon aroused the gnawing feeling in his lower body and made him flash hot. He couldn't help it, he was a guy. Setting his cup down he walked out and reached for his clothes. Just as he began to pull them on Jean woke up.

"Hey, where are you going?" she asked slowly, sleepily.

"I have to go back to Taryn, she's not in a good mood."

"What, I thought you were going to stay with me?" Jean said sitting up. Her arm hurt like hell. She winced at the pain. "Did the doctor give you any pain medication?"

"No, but he did give me a prescription, I'm going to come back, Jean, I'll stop and pick it up for you." Scott said as he pulled his pants on.

"Please."

Scott walked over to her and kissed her forehead. "Merry Christmas." He said softly.

"You, too." She returned. "Do you have to go though?"

"Yeah, I'm afraid I do."

"Ok..." Jean tried to smile and nodded her head.

"Sweetheart, what's wrong?" Scott asked gently when he saw the tears in her eyes. He sat down beside her. "Jean, what's wrong?"

"I don't want you to go, I don't feel safe by myself." She cried clinging to him.

"Don't be, don't worry, I'm coming back. I'll bring your medication, food, and even a surprise for you."

"Scott..." Jean started as she picked her head up.

"Yes?"

"I don't want you to go yet."

"Why, what do you need?"

"It's not what I need, it's more... what I want."

Taryn sat on her couch staring into a picture of her and Scott. She missed him. How he could he just leave her, and on Christmas? They were supposed to have spent the whole day together. Taryn breathed a frustrated sigh, and just as it came out, Taryn heard the sound of someone outside trying to unlock the door, and then it opened. Scott walked in looking exhausted.

"You have some nerve." Taryn snapped at him.

"I'm sorry, ok."

"No, not ok! You were supposed to be here with me today, not Jean! Me, Scott, your girlfriend!"

"I'm sorry, Taryn! It's a long story!"

"Well I demand an explanation, Scott Summers! Why?" Taryn jumped at him and started pounding him with her fists.

"Taryn, Taryn, Taryn." Scott said grabbing her wrists, "Stop it." Scott scooped her up and sat her down next to him on the couch. "Relax."

"Relax! I can't relax, you're cheating on me!"

"No, Taryn, I'm not. Look," Scott dried her eyes and held her. "About six months ago I ran into Jean, and her life was way out of wack before then. I've been helping her get back on her feet. Last night, she was alone, and she was drinking, and she got robbed. She wasn't hurt, not intentionally, her arm was slashed and she needed stitches, but other than that, she's ok. When we got back from the hospital, she didn't want to be alone, so I stayed the rest of the night with her."

"That's understandable, but that's all you did, you just stayed with her?" Taryn asked slipping from his lap.

"Nothing else, I swear. She didn't want to be alone." Scott said staring into her eyes.

"Scott?" Taryn asked snuggling up beside him. Scott wrapped his arm around her.

"Yes?" He asked pulling her close.

"Can we have our time together now?" Taryn looked up at him with puppy eyes.

"Yes."

"But?"

"I have to go back to Jean later, I promised I would."

"Why?" Taryn whined.

"I have to pick up a few things for her. Her fridge was looted, and her door kicked in, and the locks busted."

"Do you want me to go with you?" Taryn asked, trying to sound a little sympathetic and understanding.

"No, I think Jean would rather it just be me for now. I don't think she's in the mood for any company."

"When are you going back over there?"

"Not for a while, I wanted to be back here with you." Scott knew in his heart that the sentence was lie. He was lying to his own heart. He knew he was loosing connection with Taryn, he had ever since Jean had reentered his life. He was loosing more and more of Taryn, and falling more and more in love with Jean. He felt his heart beginning to be slowly taken back by the gorgeous redhead he had loved from first sight. He knew then, that his time with Taryn would be over soon.

Jean sat at her window looking out at the snow that covered the trees, sidewalks, and streets; a pure blanket of white, disturbed only by those who walked on it. Jean sighed as she took in the beauty of the early morning sun that glittered on the snow and made it sparkle, as if it shone with a thousand diamonds. She could hear the sounds of laughter and the jingling of bells as they swayed back and forth on the horse drawn carriages.

Jean wished she could laugh.

Looking down at her arm she rubbed the wounded area gently and felt a sting of pain sear through. Jean then heard a sound at her door. She reached for the knife that she had hidden under the pillow she was sitting on and pulled it out. The door opened and Scott popped his head in with a smile. Jean stood and put the knife away.

"Sorry I took so long. Where did the new door come from?"

"My landlord replaced it. His Christmas gift to me. He got me a new TV, too. He had to take one from one of the rooms he can't rent out."

"That was nice of him. I got your prescription."

"Give me." Jean said dashing for the white paper bag. She dug out the orange pill bottle, read the label, and then headed into the kitchen for a glass of water. Scott shook his head and smiled.

"I have a few surprises for you." He called. Jean walked back out with an empty glass, she set it down on the counter.

"Like what?"

"Christmas gifts, a new computer."

"Where did you get that?"

"Charles, I stopped by there to get it for you. You do still have all of your disks and CDs?"

"Yeah, I kept them in the bottom drawer."

"Good, and you kept all of your work and whatever on them?"

"Yup."

"Good. You'll never guess what's been going on at the institute."

"What now?"

"A bunch of the new trainees, mostly the girls, have been getting grief from the boys. So Logan went out and bought at least three- dozen locks, and installed them on all their doors. He had a few left over so I asked for them and their keys so I can put them on your door."

"Thank you, Scott."

"We'll do all that later." Scott said setting a box down that contained her new laptop, the locks and their keys, and a couple bags of groceries. "I got some food for you while I was there, too. Now come here, let's open these." Scott set down three plastic bags of gifts. "They're from me, Duncan, Logan, Ororo, and the professor. They still think of you."

"How did they know?"

"I stop by every now and then, I've told them about you."

"Scott Summers."

Scott smirked at her and sat on the floor, opened his arms to her and pulled her down into his lap. Her gave her, her first gift, from him. She opened it to find a pleasant surprise. Flannel sheets.

"They're very warm." Scott said, palms on her hips.

"I bet."

His next gift was larger. Jean opened that to find a smaller box, and opened that to find yet another smaller box. This continued until Jean got down to a last box, a small jewelry case. "Scott..."

"Just open it."

Jean did, and inside was a small heart-shaped locket. Jean picked it up to inspect it. White gold. She turned it over to find an engraving.

Merry Christmas

"Open it." Scott whispered. Jean popped the latch. Inside was another engraving.

To my Jean Love Scott

"Thank you..." Jean said hugging him around his neck. She kissed him. "It's beautiful."

"One more from me, I know you'll like this one."

"I think I know what it is." Jean said pulling the tissue paper from the bottle shaped object. "Scott, you tease!" Jean shouted at him when she unwrapped it. It was sparkling cider, no alcohol. Scott laughed as Jean yelled at him, laughter evident in her voice.

"Ok, ok, relax. Here, these two are from Duncan."

"How did you get them?"

"He gave them to me to give to you. He's moving back with his mother. He said to tell you that...that he loves you."

"I love him too, but not as much as I love you."

"Open them, I gotta see what he got you."

Jean opened the first box to find a note placed on top of tissue paper. "You'll never guess where I found these." Jean read in Duncan's handwriting. "Oh God, I think I know what these are." She said. "I'm gonna kill him!" Jean screeched when she unwrapped the tissue paper.

"What is that?" Scott asked looking at the material inside the box. Jean blushed and covered it with the lid then grabbed it and the other box and shoved them under her futon.

"What was that?"

"My old, uh, lingerie. Duncan got me some for certain occasions...I kept it all in his dresser." Jean started blushing a deep crimson red.

"Relax!" Scott said with laughter in his voice. "Come on, open the next one." He said placing the first of the last three gifts in her hands. "This is from Ororo." He said. "I think you'll like it."

"It's a little heavy. Oh wow!" Jean breathed when she lifted the lid off the box. Inside was a leather skirt, a tan top, and deep red, knee-high boots. "It's beautiful. Wait, isn't this one of Ororo's outfits?"

"Yeah, she wants you to have it. Now, before you say anything, this one is from Logan." Scott placed another gift in Jean's hands.

"I remember this." Jean said when she saw the picture that was inside the box. It depicted Jean giving orders to younger trainees. Scott was in the background watching with his arms crossed over his chest. He was smiling and shaking his head. "Hope you're still this demanding, Redd." Jean read from the note that was in the box along with the picture. Both of them broke out laughing. Jean laughed so hard she began to tear. "Oh I miss them." She said setting Logan's gift aside.

"Ok, last one. This is from Charles."

"Wow, this is really heavy." Jean said taking the box from Scott. Jean gasped when she took the lid off. Inside was an ornate photo album packed with pictures dating back to when she and Scott first met at the institute all the way up to the present year.

"Do you like it?"

Jena couldn't say anything. She ran her fingers across the glass cover. Beneath was a picture of the whole team. Jean opened the book and began turning through the pages. "Oh my God..." she breathed. "Scott, it's...it's beautiful."

"Everyone helped put it together, even me, but Charles wanted to be the one to give it to you. He really misses you, Jean, everyone does."

"I miss them, too. I wish I could see everyone again."

Scott thought about that, and an idea came to him. "You know, I got that sparkling cider for more than just the reason to tease you. I was thinking we could take some time and look at all these pictures."

"Sure." Jean smiled. "I'd love to."

Some time later, the photo album lay out on the floor, the sparkling cider bottle empty, and two wine glasses were tipped over. Jean rolled over in on her futon and let her arm fall across Scott's side. They were both still clothed, and had fallen asleep after a couple hours of looking at all the pictures. Jean rubbed his side through his shirt and kissed his neck.

"You still asleep?" she asked gently.

"Not anymore." Scott replied groggily as he rolled over. He checked his glasses before he opened his eyes. "Yes?" he asked with a crooked smile.

"I love these sheets, Scott."

"I knew you would, I know you love the color red. Now, what do you really want."

Jean let her hand travel down his body and then back up, stroking him through his shirt. "Lots of things." She whispered in a seductive voice. "But honestly, I just wanted to see your face."

Scott leaned in and kissed her. "You said you really missed everyone."

"I do."

"How would you like to go see them?"

Jean lifted her head up and supported herself on an elbow. "What do you mean?"

"Taryn went to spend the rest of the holidays with her parents. She and I are taking a sort of break."

"You broke up?" Jean asked, a little shocked.

"No, she just suggested that we take a little break from each other. So, in that respect, how would you like to go to a New Year's party at the mansion? Very formal, very adult. Almost everyone's gone home for the holidays. Only, Ororo, Logan, Hank, and I think Rogue and Remy are still there. What do you say?"

Jean bit her lip as she thought about the answer. "I say yes."

Author's Note: REVIEW PLEASE!! I want your thoughts!!!!!!