Oneshot. Jott. For the perfect birthday gift, Scott creates a Danger Room scenario to fit Jean's idea of Heaven.
Make Room for Heaven ----
Though it was late, Scott Summers couldn't help but grin at the feel of sneaking around the mansion after hours. The idea that he could be caught slipping into his girlfriend's bedroom well after midnight added more excitement to the adrenaline rush already going to his head. Despite his rebel actions he had a purpose, and a noble one at that.
He would gladly sacrifice a month of washing the X-Jet if his surprise brought a smile to Jean Grey's face.
It was her birthday as of 1.47am, and he was determined to give her something that no one else would know of or think to ever get her. But it had to be done in secret, away from the prying eyes of the younger students and elder faculty. His gift was personal, and he wanted their time to be private.
Only Professor Xavier knew, of course, and had helped him set up the whole thing. Someone in the mansion had to know, lest the entire staff be roused into a false sense of warning.
Peering around the corner, Scott made sure that the coast was clear, that there were no obstacles to face on his last ten feet to Jean's door. Seeing that all was well, he took a few steps and turned the doorknob, thanking the higher powers that it was unlocked.
Darkness enveloped him as he shut the door behind himself, closing off the hallway light. The curtains to her windows had been drawn, and only a sliver of moonlight was visible through an unclosed crack. It fell onto the bed and across the bed's sleeping occupant.
Tiptoeing to the center of the room, Scott sat on the edge of the bed. He took a few moments to ponder over how much his girlfriend looked like an angel when she was asleep. But she had to be woken.
"Jean," Scott whispered near her ear. He touched her shoulder gently and shook. "Jean, wake up."
"Mmm?"
The sleepy redhead opened her eyes and sat up slightly, propping herself on one arm. It took her a few moments to focus on who was talking to her, and what they were saying.
"Scott? What's wrong?"
"Happy birthday," he grinned. "Now you've got five minutes to make yourself slightly decent before we take a little trip across the mansion."
"Go back to bed," she sighed, flopping back onto her pillow. "It's too early for walking."
"Four minutes," he chimed, looking at the light-up panel of his watch.
Groaning, Jean threw her legs over the side of the bed and began rubbing the heels of her hands into her eyes. She yawned and stretched as she stood and walked to her desk. As she took her emerald-colored robe off the back of the chair, she glared at Scott for waking her up.
His arrogant smirk showed that he had no remorse.
Two house shoes and a hair brushing later, Jean was ready to go. Where she was going was still a mystery, but she was too tired to care, and too tired to put up a resistance against Scott's persuasive charm.
When they stepped into the elevator and Scott pushed the subbasement button, Jean voiced her curiosity for the first time.
"Where are we going?"
"It's a surprise," he replied as the doors opened.
"Scott, quit playing games," she said irritably as the bright lights hit her eyes.
"Who said anything about games?"
Scott stopped in front of the Danger Room door and punched in his access code. The scanner flashed over the palm of his hand to verify identification, and the doors slid open to let him and Jean in.
Only, Jean wasn't with him when he stepped into the large metal room. She was still on the outside, arms crossed, and a skeptical look on her face. Scott only grinned and stepped back outside to scoop her up in his arms. If she wouldn't walk, he would have to carry her.
"It took me forever to think of a gift," Scott said as they walked to the middle of the room. "I didn't want to get you something ordinary. You're more special than that. So an idea came to me one morning at breakfast when you walked in wearing your white sundress."
"My dress made you think of the Danger Room?" she asked, biting her bottom lip.
"No, it made me think of angels," he whispered. "When I went to the Professor with my idea, he helped me fine-tune it into this."
"Into what?"
"Scenario: Nirvana," he shouted at the computer.
Beneath their feet the floor began to melt away into nothingness. Above their heads the room began to fade as well, and between the two disappearances, there was nothing but a colorless void.
Jean wrapped her arms tighter around Scott's neck, unsure of how she felt about standing on top of emptiness, even if she knew it was only the Danger Room.
Substance began to fade into view in 8-bit pixels until the two of them were standing on what looked to be a large white cloud. Jean then stood on her own two feet then and crouched down to feel the mass. It was soft, cool, and quite spongy to the touch.
The rest of the scenario faded into view, filling the vast expanses of darkness with a sea of twinkling stars below and a sky of constellations, planets, nebulas and swirling galaxies above.
Jean reached out and touched the sky, only to find that it was both in theory and in a literal sense an ocean. The stars twirled around her hand as she drug it through the smooth texture that held the stars in place. It felt like water and silk, yet when she pulled her hand out, it was dry and clean, though a bit more sparkly than when it went in.
"Scott, this is…"
"Cloud beaches and an ocean of stars. It's your idea of Heaven, Jean."
"How did you know?" she asked as she sat down.
Scott sat down beside her, replying with "Sometimes I dream your dreams."
As she pondered Scott's words, Jean kicked off her shoes and dipped her bare feet in the sky below. She kicked her feet, splashing several stars into the sky above where they stuck and began to sparkle brightly.
While Jean kicked her feet, Scott began taking off his shoes. Without warning, he dove into the sky in front of Jean, sending several stars flying at her face. She blocked the impact with her arms, shattering the stars into pieces that broke and fell into nothing.
It was odd seeing Scott in suspended animation, as the sea-sky was more clear than normal water, so the body wasn't as distorted and unfocused.
This was fascinating to Jean, and while she thought on it, Scott grabbed her wrist and pulled her in. She gave a squeak of protest, but was rather pleased with him after she got used to the idea of swimming in the stars.
They played in the sea-sky for what seemed like hours before Jean began to feel the effects of having not slept. Scott helped her back to the cloud beach where they laid out to catch their breath.
"What do you think of it?" Scott asked, turning onto his side to look at Jean.
"It's wonderful, Scott," she smiled. "This has been the best birthday gift I've ever received. Thank you."
Scott nodded and leaned over, kissing Jean happy birthday. She welcomed the kiss eagerly, winding her arms around his neck. They laid together on the beach, wrapped up in each other until Scott felt the clouds beneath their bodies give in to their weight.
The scenario was ending, and it was time for them to give up their little piece of Heaven.
As the bright lights of the Danger Room came back into view, Scott stood and helped Jean to her feet. They quietly put their shoes back on as the last of the simulation disappeared around them. The Danger Room closed itself down as they left the subbasement for the dormitories.
"I'll see you in the morning," Jean smiled as they stopped at Scott's door.
"About that…" Scott said with a mischievous look crossing his face, "We won't be seeing the rest of the mansion until at least noon."
"What do you mean?"
The door opened, closed, and the hallway was empty.
End ----
A/N: A bit rushed at the end, but it was either get it done now or put it on hold forever. Hope you enjoyed.
The idea came to me in the new Astonishing X-Men series, when Beast programmed the Danger Room to look like Hawaii. The scale was off, though, so instead of sitting on sandy beaches the team members were sitting on the entire islands themselves with their heads in the clouds.
And no, I don't know what time Jean Grey was born, so let that fact slide on by.
It's a fanfiction sin to read without reviewing.