Jubilee sat quietly on the bench outside of the medical lab. Several of the X-Men had stayed with her, but had fallen asleep, like Wolverine who was lounging on the bench with her propped against his chest. Hank and Jean had been working non stop on Taris for hours on end, Jubilee was hopeful, but somewhere in the back of her mind she knew something was wrong. Very wrong. She stood up when the blue furry doctor exited the room, she was hopeful for a moment, but then noticed his grim expression. Jean was nowhere in sight.
"Hank, how is he?" Jubilee muttered, fear seeping into her heart.
"Taris... did not make it." Jubilee had to strain to hear Hank's answer, but when she did, her heart shattered. Tears leapt to her eyes and her muscles just seemed to cease working. Suddenly she screamed, screamed her pain her anger her frustration and her love into the halls of the Xavier institute. He was dead. Taris, the love of her life was dead. Tears sped down her cheeks like a dam being broken. The gathering of people in the hall were woken by her scream and looked to Hank for the answer, but upon seeing the normally calm and collected doctor crying stopped their questions. In that momment, they knew the answer without even asking, Taris was dead, and Jubilee was heartbroken.
Logan wrapped his arms around Jubilee in an attempt to comfort her, but she pushed him off. Standing up again, with tears still falling from her eyes, she turned to Bobby and with a strength no one knew she had, she lifted him off his feet and into the air.
"Who did this to him?" She hissed out between clenched teeth. Her eyes were narrowed and her brows were drawn together. Bobby gulped and started to stammer. "Tell me!" She screamed at him.
"Jin." Was the single word he muttered, and it was enough. Rage filled Jubilee with a new vigor. A scream of anger flew through her lips and echoed in the hearts of her friends.
"Where is he?" She growled. Bobby hung in her arms, too shocked to speak. "I'll repeat, where is he?" This time Bobby was able to speak.
"I froze him to the old oak. But the ice has probably melted by now." Dropping the frightened boy to the ground Jubilee ran, ran outside in search of her lover's killer. The wind whipped at her yellow raincoat, rain began to pelt upon her as the heaven's became cloudy. Jubilee was running out of breath, but it didn't matter, the only thing that mattered was Taris, and he was gone. Rage once again flooded her and renewed her strength. She would find him, and when she did, there was no hope for him.
OoOoOoOoOoOo
Logan and Bobby stood together in front of one of the mansion's many windows. They watched as Jubilee ran through the rain to find Jin. Neither of them had ever experienced such anger in such a young girl. Worry filled both of their hearts as she ran blindly through the mess of trees and mud, carelessly searching for the killer. Bobby turned to Logan as the Canadian grabbed his jacket from the coat hanger.
"Logan, what are you doing?" He queried. He couldn't possibly be thinking of traveling out into this weather.
"Jubilee shouldn't have to face this on her own, this boy's a murderer." Logan continued his way to the door but Bobby stepped in his path. "What are ya doin' Ice Pop?" Bobby looked up into the older man's eyes undaunted.
"Jubilee needs to face this on her own this time, she needs this Logan, let her face him." Bobby's fear began to increase as Logan stepped closer towards him, anger was radiating off of him.
"She needs my help." Bobby shook his head slightly.
"No, she needs for you to let her go, she's not 13 anymore Logan. She's constantly searching for the good in everybody, it's time she finds the bad and faces it head on." Logan was going to reply when a shriek flew through the air. Dashing back to the medical lab where they left everybody they discovered Jade, Taris' sister clutching the bench's handles with a white knuckled grip.
"What do you mean he's dead?" They heard her whisper to Kitty.
"He fought Jin, and Jin touched him... and well, he's dead." Jade's head dropped into her hands, her red tresses falling in her face.
"No." Tears leaked from her gold eyes. Kitty tried to comfort her by giving her a friendly hug, but was pushed away by the angry girl who sat before her. "Taris can't die, I won't let him!" She screamed out.
"It's too late Jade, he's already gone." Kitty's pleas were not heard by the young mercenary. Bobby, who was standing in the doorway with Logan watched as an unknown figure rose from the corner where he was shrouded in shadows.
"JJ, you must help my brother please!" Jade flung herself into the arms of the mysterious person and begged to him. "Please Jayje, just this once, for me?" Green eyes starred into Jade's gold ones from the person.
"If you wish it." The deepness of his voice stunned Bobby. His voice was low and soft, yet could most likely be strong and commanding when he wished it. The mysterious figure stepped into the light and revealed a young boy, probably near Jade's age. He was tall and stocky, with broad shoulders and tight muscles covering his whole body as far as Bobby could see. Green eyes peered from a tan face, emeralds amongst stones. Bobby could only watch in silence as the boy opened up the door to the lab and stepped up to Taris' dead body. When the boy pulled out a shiny dagger Bobby flung himself towards him, thoughts only to save what was left of the boy whom Jubilee loved.
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Jin hid in the shadows of the trees, his all white eyes saw clearly through the darkness enveloping the land before him. He stilled when he heard the sound of footsteps rushing through the mud, splattering the brown mush everywhere. As the figure passed he caught sight of the yellow rain coat that was Jubilee's signature coat. An evil smile flitted across his face but was quickly dashed away as he saw the pain in his dream girl's eyes. She is angry! But why?
Stepping out from behind the tree, Jin grabbed Jubilee's arms and pulled her to face him. When she screamed he pulled back in surprise. The young Asian girl backed away at first but then came close again. Yes, come closer my dear. He thought. Come closer so I can have you all to myself.
"Jubilee love I..."
"You monster!" Jubilee interrupted his sentence.
"What?" He stammered. Me? A monster? Who is she kidding? The only monster that ever lived was that stupid boyfriend of hers!
"You killed him! You killed Taris!" She screeched. Anger flashed through her eyes as fireworks began to erupt from her fingertips. "And now, I shall kill you!" Jubilee flung herself towards Jin in a flash of anger and pain in rememberance of her love. "He was my everything! And you killed him! Why!" She screamed. "Why?"
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"Bobby no!" Jade screamed when Bobby threw himself in front of Taris. He grabbed the hand of the tall boy that held the dagger. The green eyes that peered into his soul flashed with anger in response to Bobby's challenge. And now it would be met. A hand shot out and punched Bobby in the gut, making him cough in pain. A boot came smashing into his shin as well making the brown haired boy stagger back and hit the wall. Not to be out done Bobby formed an ice dagger and threw it at the green eyed boy who quickly dodged the dagger and came towards Bobby with a fist to his face.
"Guys! Stop!" Jade screamed at them. "Please stop! JJ! Bobby! Stop!" The one who Jade kept on calling JJ stopped hitting him, and Bobby just coughed. "You guys can fight later, but right now Taris needs you JJ, please help him." Jade's innocent pleas seemed to strike a spark inside of the tall boy, so he nodded and went back to Taris' bedside. The knife was back in his hand, but this time Bobby was unable to stop him because Logan had entered the room and held Bobby against the wall.
"Just let him work Icy, just let him work." The Canadian man muttered. Now, he could only hope and pray that the boy would not do him harm, but would indeed help Taris, and save Jubilee's broken heart.
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"Because he was in the way of our love Jubilee! Can't you see that?" Rain dripped down Jin's face unrelentlessly, thunder clanging in the background. Screams could be heard from the mansion, but they were left unheaded. Jubilee was crying now, tears pouring from her brown eyes that were filled with so much pain.
"I never loved you Jin, I've always loved Taris, I always will, even if he's gone." She had to convince Jin of that, she had to make him see the truth.
"No, you must love me, your love has only been poisoned by that boy, and now I must show you what true love is!" Jubilee gasped in fear when the green haired boy grabbed her arm with a gloved hand and pulled her towards him, moving farther away from the mansion every momment. She began to scream because somehow she could not muster up enough energy to fight Jin, not even a small spark could be lit from her fingers.
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In the medical lab JJ pulled a knife from his pocket and gestured towards Jade. She silently walked towards him at his command. He held out his hand and she laid her hand in his grasp. JJ leaned forward and kissed Jade's lips and swiftly pulled the blade across her wrist, letting free the blood that was restrained by her veins. She bit her lip when he drew away.
"Don't worry Jade, I will heal it." His deep voice soothed out her worries and she trusted him in that momment more than she ever had before. Jade's red locks of hair bounced when she nodded her head. JJ pulled her hand towards Taris as he pulled open the dead boy's mouth. The golden eyed girl watched as her blood dripped into her brother's mouth. Slowly, one drip at a time. Finally when Jade was starting to get light headed, the raven haired boy who stood next to her pulled her wrist away and healed her with a wave of his hand over her wound.
JJ reached over and closed Taris' mouth. Pulling the boy's shirt off, he revealed the dead boy's muscled chest. Grabbing a brown bag from inside the cloak he had wrapped around him, he opened it up and poured the black powder onto Taris' chest. JJ spread it around until the dead boy's whole chest was covered in it. Getting some water from a nearby sink, he poured it on slowly into the black powder.
Jade gasped as a fire erupted on Taris' chest, but JJ did not try to put it out, he just continued to pour the water onto the black powder. When the black powder was completely consumed by the water, the fire grew in intensity until Jade was sure it would burn the whole building down. Then suddenly the flames were gone, all that was left was an empty bed where Taris once lie dead. Jade looked into JJ's green eyes with her own fearful gold ones.
"Where is he?" She whispered quietly. Fear was gripping at her heart. She didn't want to lose her brother forever, he was everything to her.
"I'm right here Jade." The red headed girl turned at the sound of her brother's voice. And there he was, Taris. Alive and breathing, his blonde hair messy as always. His jeans were torn from his fight with Jin, and his shirt was no longer on him, but he was there and he was alive.
"TARIS!"
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Jubilee screamed out her love's name in a last plea for freedom. Jin turned her to him roughly. His white souless eyes were angry and flashing, reflecting the lightning in the distance.
"What do you not understand? He's not coming back! Taris is dead!" He screamed out. Jubilee could only cry harder, freedom so close, yet so far away.
"Are you so sure about that?" In that momment Jubilee could swear she stopped breathing and her heart stopped beating for longer than was possible, but she lived, and there before her was her life her love, Taris.
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(A/N) Wow! Two chapters in one day! Intense! I wanted to do more, but I have dance tomorrow and mothers are so insistant that sleep is vital. But is it really? sigh oh well, plz, read and review. Your comments are most appreciated, and the end is near so c'mon! Tell me whatcha think! Ight! L8r! -Sabeybaby
