Disclaimer: I do not own the X-Men. Ilehana Xavier belongs to Corrinth and is used with permission. Blaze, Shockwave and Iona belong to Lamby and should not be used without my permission.

Scene 04

Golden Hawaiian sands stretched lazily down to the seashore like sprinkled stardust to a midday sky. The clear waters folded and churned in breakers as though they flirted with the splattering of surfers and their boards, teasing them with thrills and then disappearing as though the waves had never existed. The sea breeze was a stiff one, caressing the palm trees delicately, making the leaves rustle softly and dispersing the most oppressive layers of the island's heat haze. It was a beautiful, peaceful day.

On a pair of sun loungers in the middle of the sand, lying on thick beach towels and wearing more sun cream than clothes, two young women were avidly reading. Both Storm and Blaze, dressed in bikinis and sunglasses, lay on their toned stomachs and turned pages synchronously. A table set between them supported their sun tan cream and a tumbler of thick fruit punch with ice, though their glasses were empty. And then as if some cooking timer had gone 'ping', both women rolled over onto their backs, looked at each other, and laughed.

"I can't believe it's our last day already…" Storm sighed, putting her book down carefully as Blaze tossed hers away over the sand. "Do you think anyone in Westchester will notice if we don't go back?"

"Only when they notice they're having to cover an awful lot of lessons they didn't always take..." Blaze answered in her English accent, brown eyes dancing, enjoying the heat of the sun on her supple skin. She didn't mean her words, she knew they'd be missed at the school, and she missed the school too. But it didn't mean she was ready to go home already. Three weeks away, felt like the whole world should have changed…

"Um," Storm agreed. "I can just see Cyclops trying to teach your French class, or Logan history, can't you? Those poor kids…" Blaze echoed the African woman's gentle laughter again. "So, last night here, last chance for a steamy holiday romance, Blaze. Does that poor waiter even stand a chance?"

"Nope." Blaze grinned, flashing her white teeth and sitting to rearrange her halter-necked bikini. "Do I look desperate to you?

"I thought he was kinda cute." Storm commented flippantly, sitting herself and removing her sunglasses before pouring them both drinks. Blaze just laughed as she replied. "That doesn't say much for your taste in men, Ororo!"

"I have great taste in men." Ororo argued, smiling. Blaze just looked at her friend librarian-like over her pink-tinted sunglasses. "Not that I have to prove it…"

"Yes you do! Come on, Storm, spill!"

"No way." Ororo shook her head. "I'm not saying anything. And don't look at me like a hurt puppy, I'm not Gambit, that look wont work on me Blaze!"

"I can keep a secret…" Blaze promised, "Anything you tell me, I take to the grave. Cross my heart and hope to fry, smite me down with lightning if what you tell me ever leaves Hawaii…"

"Well…" Storm started hesitantly, but smiling non-the-less. "I always thought Logan was kinda cute, not that I'd ever tell him that, or Ilehana for that matter… What?"

"Logan!" Blaze grinned, picking up her juice and pushing her sunglasses back up her button nose. "Sorry, shouldn't laugh, its just the idea of a smart woman like you with a guy like him…"

"You can't tell me you've never had a crush on one of the X-Men, Blaze." Storm defended herself easily. Blaze lay down carefully, somehow keeping the glass in her hand upright.

"One of? Try all of 'em. I'm only human after all!" Blaze wasn't easily ashamed, something Storm knew quite well about the younger girl.

"Even the Professor?" Ororo asked, caught half way between hysteria and mortification as Blaze made a noise at the back of her throat that could easily have been a yes or a no. "Okay this conversation is getting way too hot, Blaze! I'm going for a swim to cool off."

"Have fun." Blaze offered, waving her friend off with a twirl of her drink. Shaking her head, Storm left her friend to her sunbathing and headed to the sea…

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Sam hadn't had chance to look at the book she'd hidden in her room all day, or even to do so much as breathe for herself. It seemed the Professor had been true to his word, and every moment they had spare from lessons was taken up with errands or homework. But when Cyclops, Sam's tutor, had cried off yet another session with the teenager for some lame excuse, Shockwave took the chance to grab some time to herself.

She thought about getting the book out, but as she entered the dorm room she shared with Vertigo and Wolfsbane, the white-haired girl was studying on the desk by the window. Suddenly feeling very possessive of the tome, Sam decided she would leave it for now. Instead she pulled out a draw and threw its contents all over her bed.

"What are you up to now?" Vertigo asked, glad of any distraction from the algebra questions Jubilee had set the class.

"Found it!" Shockwave grinned, waving a cardboard package at Vertigo and grabbing a towel off the radiator. "I'll be in the bathroom!"

Not very long later, a stunningly blonde Shockwave flounced her way to the next lesson, usual brunette locks successfully home-bleached. Seeing Gambit going somewhere in no particular hurry, Sam decided it was about time she proved to him that she had no especially hard feelings about the night before…

"Hey Gambit, whatcha think?" She asked, pirouetting in front of him as he looked at her blankly, saying "'Bout what?"

"My hair, stupid! Wicked cool or what?"

"I'se a guy, Shockwave, guys don't notice stuff like that." Gambit spoke reasonably, trying to work out what was different this time.

"Bet you'd notice if I wasn't wearing…" Shockwave began threateningly, before she stopped dead and her jaw fell open. Gambit followed the teenager's eyes to see one of the other X-Men walking towards them, late for her next class. "Wow! Jubes! Great colour!"

"Thanks Sam." Jubilation Lee smiled at her pupil, eyes dancing. Gambit could only form one word. "Blue?"

"How come you noticed that and not mine?" Sam pointed out indignantly. Gambit just shrugged and grinned.

"Her head turn blue, it not hard to notice…" Sam looked like she was going to argue some more, but at that moment a somewhat familiar but long-unheard voice spoke up from just inside the front door. "Anybody home?"

"KITTY!" Jubilee squealed, charging towards her former classmate like a woman possessed, blue hair dancing and trainers squeaking on the floor. She went to hug her friend, only to be disappointed when Shadowcat used her powers to let Jubilee phase right through her and miss. "Cow! I only wanted to welcome you home! Where you been girl?"

"Sorry Jubilee," Kitty laughed, flicking her long brown ponytail back over her shoulder. "I thought I was getting attacked by some blue-haired freak. Oh, wait, I was!"

"Now that why blue hair more noticeable than yours, Cherie." Gambit grinned conspiringly at Shockwave. "More chance to wind Jubilee up, non?" Sam only snorted in Gambit's vague direction and left, disgusted.

"Didn't some ex of yours have blue hair, Gambit?" Jubilee pointed out indignantly.

"Yeah but on you it a walkin' joke, Jubes…" Remy laughed. "Jus' take my advice, stay outta Logan's road for a while, okay? Good to have you back Shadowcat." He nodded to the long-absent Kitty, and then stalked off in the direction of the lower levels.

"Totally." Jubilee affirmed, catching Kitty off guard this time and hugging her properly.

"Good to be back." Kitty answered, honestly returning the hug. "I'm just sorry it took me this long to realise where I belong. And about Peter of course."

"Yeah, me too." Jubilee replied sadly, before another dramatic change of mood. "But you're back! Promise me it's for good! Promise!"

"I'm not promising you anything, Jubes!" Kitty teased, emphasising the 'you'. "C'mon, I'm starved, you got any pizza in?"