disclaimer: All characters are the property of Marvel, except Jenny who is MINE.


Human in a Mutant World
by Dizi


Chapter 8

Ororo met Jenny in the med-lab the next morning with clean clothes. She waited while Jenny changed, then walked with her to the kitchen for breakfast. Jenny took the opportunity to ask her to attend the meeting with the police with her as she wanted a woman there. She expected it might get personal and Ororo was the only female friend she had besides Jubilee and, no matter how worldly she might be, Jenny wasn't going to get into any personal details with a fourteen-year-old present. She just couldn't imagine discussing something so personal with any of the men in her life there. She was still uncomfortable with Hank being her doctor in any way, though she was grateful to be alive. As Charles had said, Ororo was quick to agree and promised to get the information from Scott to make the appointment with the police, even saying she'd make the appointment herself.

The kitchen was crowded and when she was told everyone had been up for a couple hours - though she wasn't told it was because of a trainig session - Jenny felt guilty for sleeping so late. Ororo reminded her that she was still recovering from a fatal injury. No matter her injury, she felt like she was being lazy and wanted to be useful at least. She resolved to get up earlier to help with breakfast in the future, though she didn't expect to be here long. She had a home of her own and needed to get back to work. She had goals she couldn't meet here.

She filled a plate left for her on the cabinet and was walking to the the table when she chanced to hear a snippet of the conversation between Hank and Charles.

"... with the death of Dr. Grenislavich the university has ..."

Jenny dropped the plate in shock staring at them while the phrase 'death of Dr. Grenislavich' echoed in her mind. All activity in the room stopped and Hank and Ororo rushed to her.

"Are you experiencing any pain?" He pulled her away from the shards on the floor.

"He's dead?" Jenny whispered. "you didn't tell me ... you just said you were looking for me ... you didn't say why ... I- I didn't know ..."

Hank was stunned that she was unaware of her father's death. "Jenny, please allow me to most sincerely apologize for the manner in which you were informed. We believed you to be aware of his current state. Please accept my condolences on your loss."

She didn't answer just stared at him.

Ororo came over with a broom and dustpan and Jenny looked dazedly down at the broken plate. "I'm sorry ... I can do it ... I'm so sorry..." she mumble reaching for the broom. Ororo easily kept it away from her insisting she needed to sit down.

Seeing Hank's helplessness in the face of the young woman's grief, Ororo caught Remy's attention and gestured for him to take Jenny outside. He took Jenny's hand, leading her away from the broken dish towards the backdoor.

"I should help..." she protested, following him but still looking at the mess on the floor.

"Non, chere, come wit' Remy." He took her arm in a firm grip and put his arm around her shoulders comforting her as best he could. Remy hadn't heard the conversation but understood that Jenny was grieving and he knew what it was to lose someone, even when they still lived in the same house. He didn't see Rogue watching them go out the door.

Jenny stayed in a state of shock while Remy led her to a bench in the garden. Under normal circumstances she would have been awkward in such surroundings but Jenny didn't see Ororo's lovingly tended garden. She could only remember the father she hadn't seen in more than six years. The man who had been there for soccer practice and school plays, helped her with homework and tucked her into bed every night until she was thirteen. The father who had been there for her and loved her once.

"My daddy's dead, Remy." Jenny said in a broken voice. "He's dead and will never love me again."

Remy put his arms around her and pulled her close in a tight hug. She buried her face in his shoulder and cried for the loving father she'd had once upon a time, forgetting for the moment the man who had abandoned her.


Thirtyminutes later, Jenny was able to go back to the kitchen. It was still crowded and the volume only went down slightly when they walked in. Remy and Ororo talked her into getting more food even though she was no longer hungry. With a plate in front of her she looked around the table and noticed Hank again avoiding her eyes.

When he started to leave the room, Jenny managed to shock most of the table by calling, "If you're running off to hide, better stop. I won't be as nice as I was last night."

"Um, I was simply attempting to provide you with privacy to more effectively cope with the deep mental anguish associated with your newfound bereavement." Hank attempted to defend himself.

Everyone's head had turned to look at her when she called out to Hank and then to him when he answered. Not all quite understood the answer but turned back to Jenny to see her reaction.

"Hank, I'm surrounded by people. What difference would it make for you to leave? I'm good. I'm even eating." She took a bite of toast smothered in strawberry jam. "Sit."

Shock and no little amusement was quickly hidden as he did her bidding. Charles most especially had to hide a grin as the large man resumed his place at the table. He had thought Jenny was good for Hank but now was sure. She wouldn't let him hide.

"Do we need to have another talk about things beyond your control?" she asked pleasantly.

Hank rubbed his head remembering her actions of the night before. "Ah, no, I beleive the subject was covered most effectively last night." He answered not seeing Logan and Bishop's identical smirks.

"Good." She took another bite. "Maybe we should move on to why you were looking for me in the first place."

Looking around at the curious faces around the table, Charles suggested, "Perhaps, you would prefer someplace more private."

"No, I'm done hiding. My father's dead and," she swallowed tightly, "so's Notheis. There's nobody left to hide from, not that they were particularly looking."

"Jenny, I'm sure your father would have come to regret deeply-" Charles began to reassure the bitter young woman.

"Not to be rude, Charles, but you're not sure of anything." she interrupted. "My father decided I was tainted at thirteen because my best friend turned out to be a mutant and I'd been aware of it for seven years. Didn't matter that she was practically my sister we were so close or that he had treated her like a daughter for all that time. I had known so I was bad. I went from having a loving family and home with Christmas and birthdays and a mom and dad to being thrown in a school for wayward girls across the country and forgotten about. They even changed the phone number so I couldn't call when I begged to come home. So don't tell me you're sure, because I'm sure he regretted nothing."

He took a moment to process her words. "Sally Jordan was your friend."

She finished her toast and smiled reminiscing. "My best friend. She was like you."

"Yes, she was." Charles had been aware of the Sally's history. He used the term 'reported' when referring to her because he hadn't been sure which girl had been the mutant he had gone to find. By the time he'd gotten there both were gone. "She would have been stronger than I am from what I was able to detect seven years ago." This explained Jenny's strong shield and sensitivity to telepathy, as familiarity with telepaths could cause this even in a normal human.

"Seven? But she died six years ago." Jenny asked, confused by his answer.

"She was very young and I didn't think it would be good for her to be taken out a loving home at that stage of her development. I was able to tell she was happy and loved. I believe she was eight when I first detected her." He answered quietly.

"That would have been about a year after she first discovered her abilities."

"Wait, Ah thought mutants found out what they could do at puberty?" Rogue interjected.

Charles explained. "Some mutants prematurely access their abilities at the onset of trauma. Jean herself did so when her friend died and she experienced her death. I suspect some event occurred to cause Sally's telepathy to develop." He looked to Jenny.

Somehow she'd gotten her appetite back and was almost finished with her eggs. "She was out riding her bike and fell off and broke her leg. Sally called me from the ditch she'd fallen into to get her help."

"You were the first individual she contacted via her newfound telepathy?" Hank inquired.

"Besides her parents, I was pretty much Sally's only contact." Jenny pushed the plate away. "Her parents were terrified of anyone finding out. They wanted her to have a normal childhood. I can't remember all the times they cautioned us not to tell anyone."

"But someone found out, didn't they?" Scott said. He'd gone with the professor to look for the mutant six years ago and was there when he found out she was gone. "Your father?"

"Yes, but it wasn't just him. A boy at school wouldn't leave her alone and he grabbed her one day and wouldn't let go. She lost control and made him stop. He went to his father and his father went to the school board. There was a trial and they tried to say Sally had been cheating in school. She was a pretty good student but she had problems in math. I went to the judge and explained how if Sally had been cheating why would she just do some subjects and not the one she was failing. He dismissed the charges, but the damage was done and everyone knew she was a mutant."

"And Dr. Grenislavich? How did he come to be aware of Sally's mental abilities?" Hank prompted. Knowing of Jenny's shyness, he was very impressed by her actions.

"I'm really not sure. I suppose we must have done something to give it away." Jenny smiled, remembering. "It was a game to us. No need to pass notes in school or use the telephone. We were really never apart, she was always with me. Somehow he must have seen it."

"I'm sorry I didn't get the opportunity to meet her." Jean smiled, remembering her own friend whose death had caused her mutant abilities to develop early. "Or rather the two of you together. It sounds like you had a lot of fun."

"Yeah, we did. The best was when her mother became pregnant and she would share the baby's thoughts with us." A sad look crossed her face when Jenny continued. "She lost the baby when Sally died."

"And that would return the conversation to the reason for my search for Genevra Grenislavich." Hank said. He didn't want Jenny dwelling on those events. "Dr. Heinrik Grenislavich was conducting experiments to detect the mutant gene in the human fetus. Though the morality of his methods is questionable his conclusions could be of benefit to research of my own. Unfortunately the University he was associated with refuses to share those conclusions and will not release any information concerning him to anyone but a relative. As his wife is also deceased, that left me with the possibility of finding other relatives and I discovered he had a daughter. Which we are now aware is you."

"I'm sorry, Hank." Jenny shook her head. "I don't think I could be of help. He told alot of people I was dead. Some were told I was institutionalized, and not one person would recognize me if I walked down the street where I used to live."

"That actually doesn't matter." Warren said, being the businessman, he knew a little about legal matters. "You are his daughter. You don't have to have anyone to vouch for you. DNA will take care of that if its necessary. Unless he made provisions in a will specifically denying your rights, which would have told everyone you are alive, then you can swoop in and pick up everything he left behind. Including his research, if all it takes is a relative."

"Well, if I can help, I will." Jenny said uncertainly.

"With your permission," Charles smiled at her. "I will contact my lawyer's on the matter. We will soon find out. Of course, that may leave you with the wherewithal to greatly improve your life as it would entitle you any assets left upon his death."

For a moment Jenny thought of all the goals she had set for herself. Then she shook her head, "I don't think I could use his money to make my life better, knowing he went to so much trouble to keep it from me."

Ororo looking at her watch, said they needed to clean up and get ready to meet the police as she had called them while Jenny and Remy had spent their time in the garden. They table was quicly cleared and everyone started going about their business.

Jenny and Ororo were going to go upstairs to her room for something more appropriate to wear for the meeting when Rogue stopped them to ask, "Jenny, you didn't say, what happened to Sally?"

Jenny looked at the beautiful woman Remy loved and said quietly, "They killed her the old fashioned way. Sally was burned at the stake like a witch."

Watching her leave the room again, Rogue felt guilty that even for a moment she had been jealous of the sad young woman who had needed a friend.

to be continued.


note:

GothikStrawberry- Little more Rogue for you!
Elizabeth Robbins- There was no way Jenny could let Hank turn into Logan. He's supposed to be her friend not another protector. Besides she broke a tray over Logan's head and it didn't make much difference. Well, except he doesn't pinch her butt anymore. Hmm, maybe it did work.
Beany- Isn't it great? I needed a fun movie that wasn't kiddie and there was MY favorite just sitting there.
Jinxeh- Do you really think they get together when we're not around? That's just... scarey. Gonna have to watch her.
S- are you ready for it to stop? Um, I think I'm going to 12.

Next the police and the fate of the photos. Just as soon as I get 9 back from my beta. Sorry guys, she's been a little busy. We love Amanda very much and forgive her for having a life outside being my beta. She actually has 9 and 10 and I'm finishing 11 and have 12 worked mentally. So we're almost done! And Jenny can go back to short-stories and being a secondary character.

Thanks for reading and the support,
Dizi