Chapter 2 Necessary Down Time


Jubilee's flirting with Bobby was driving Logan up the wall. At least that was what Storm saw. Settling between him and Hank, she nudged his wrist. He poked at his steak and gobbled the pieces down with a low grumbled complaint. "My friend, what is troubling you?"

"Oh nothing, Roro," he mumbled back, then swallowed. "Just that icicle getting' on my nerves. One joker was bad enough with Morph, but HIM…"

Bobby and Morph were exchanging pot shots with each other and laughing. Jubilee wondered why they seemed so familiar with one another. A sneaking suspicion tagged Logan, and he wondered if perhaps Morph was one of the main reasons that the Popsicle had returned. Either way, if what he suspected were the case, Jubilee was in for a nasty disappointment.

Northstar wasn't the only one with a preference. Logan had seen it all before. While she was seventeen, old enough to drive a car and approaching her legal age, she had matured considerably in all that time that Drake had been away. God, even Warren and Gambit were ogling her despite their girlfriends warning glances. Bobby would have to be blind or gay not to be turned on by the Chinese, American mutant.

Blind or gay. He knew as well as the rest that Bobby wasn't blind. The question is, was bobby OUT of the closet or not. While Morph was not completely to one side or the other, the shape shifter had a tendency to spend time in female guises. It had been a sort of joke where Morph and he would go out to Harry's, morph in the form of a woman, and then when he was hit on, morph into his shape and get a rise out of the jilted man. However there was one night when Morph did this, and ended up leaving with the gentleman instead, who was relieved to find morph was not a woman but a man.

Logan chuckled, and was far secure enough in his masculinity to be threatened by a male friend who was bisexual. As long as Morph remembered that the feral's door didn't swing THAT way, they were fine. Some of the other shape shifters had that tendency, having spent time as both male and female. Even Mystique had the occasional lover who was a woman. Logan knew her more than most did, and he kept that a secret from Rogue, who wouldn't take kindly to Wolverine having more than just a casual past association with the shapeshifter did.


An hour or so later, Jubilee noticed Bobby and Morph slowly walking out of the dinner area, with their arms around one another. Something became all apparently too clear, and Jubilee shrank away when Bobby had kissed Morph on the cheek. The closest room to hide in was the sitting room just off the kitchen, and she dove out of sight just as Morph and Bobby walked up the stairs towards the activity rooms in the central building.

"Oh hell," Jubilee groaned, scrubbing at her eyes. Why should she be selfish enough to think of her own desires on the day of the Professor's departure?

"What's wrong, petit?" Remy asked as he sat next to her, and set the ice cream on her lap.

"Oh, just some damn irony," Jubilee laughed as she rubbed her eyes.

"Something related to da iceman perhaps?"

"Yeah… go figure… he's only another hot guy, and turns out that he's… um… unavailable…"

"He has a significant other?" Gambit asked.

"Yeah… well not really… but he's gay," Jubilee groaned. "Not that I think that's BAD or anything, but it sucks when you're the girl who's got a Jones on him..."

"Mon dieu," Gambit chuckled. "Well, Remy sorry dat be da case, although Morph seems glad of it…"

"Yeah, lucky me. Nice that he has someone like, but hell, first I thought he was turned off cause he still thought I was a kid, but at least it's not THAT…"

"No, petit, it not be your fault. You know dat if Rogue was not da woman of Gambit's heart…"

"That's sweet Remy, really sweet," she sniffled. "But it doesn't help me much…"

"Remy still tinks petit is da belle femme, she has grown up nicely like da rose from winter…" he said, pulling a flower out of his sleeve and putting it into her hand.

"Great…" she said. "And thanks…"

"Anytime, Cherie. Gambit be your friend always… though it pains him t' see dat not be what is desired… and it makes da pain greater…"

"Sugah, I'm sorry," Rogue said as she walked in. "Ah couldn't help overhear yuh…"

"It's okay Rogue. I'm the dumb ass," Jubilee sniffled as she blew her nose into Remy's pocket-handkerchief. Rogue sat on her other side, and hugged her tightly.

"Nah, you aren't stupid, sugah… just unlucky maybe…" Rogue smiled as she brushed Jubilee's hair back with a gloved hand.

"Crapola, why does my love life bite the big one… I mean Everett's a nice guy and all, but he's got a jones on some other girl… and Angelo's too much of a hentai to stick to one girl…"

"This be de other mutants petit met during da summers, neh?" Remy asked. The students had been members of the Massachusetts Academy, where Jubilee had spent one or two summers in the company of other fellow mutants. Part of Scott's bright idea to have her interact with students her own age. She had even gone one who year when she had turned 15, when Professor X saw the need to put her in a school of his choosing when times had been particularly hazardous.

She fingered the X man badge that Scott had given her pinned to the front of her senior uniform. It was bright red, and yellow in front, and her trademark yellow coat was still worn overtop. Cropped into a pageboy style, her long dark hair framed her elfish face, and Gambit had to admit he did feel an urge to satisfy her aching heart.

If not for the ravishing woman sitting on Jubilee's opposite side, or a certain cigar smoking canuck who was walking by and giving Gambit a death ray stare, he would in a heart beat. Was it his imagination or was the glare that Logan was giving him more than just a big brother 'hands off she's my little sister and I'll kill you if you so much as come within 5 feet' stare?

"Did I miss the big event?" Logan asked.

"What?" Jubilee yelped, flushing bright red.

"Yer officially an X man… a senior X man," he said as he walked in, and sat down on Rogue's other side. "Calls for some celebratin…"

"Oh yeah, right!" she laughed nervously, and Remy and Rogue glared at Logan.

"What?" he asked, and then it dawned on him. "Never mind… I was just comin' ta spread th' word that Scott's making it official. Wings n' my favorite purple haired psychic are in the team too…"

"Your favorite purple haired what?" Jubilee asked.

"Manner o' speakin," he teased. "Don't let Wings hear me say that, cause I think I'd be spitting out feathers…"

"You are such MALES," Jubilee snorted as she got up and walked off. "Honestly I'm like gonna move to a desert island sometimes!"

"Gambit could be your cabana boy, or Rogue would kill him…" Remy joked.

"Your timing stinks, Remy," Rogue said as she stepped on his toe.

"Ouch! Remy just jokin' Cherie…"

"Don't push it, Cajun," Logan mumbled, look darkening as he saw how Jubilee flounced away in a more than teenagerly moment of outrage. It registered all of a sudden that he had made a most unfortunate joke, which was taken all in the wrong way.

"An' maybe you'd better learn to, hoser, not to be so thick headed… what are yuh tryin' ta do makin' jokes like that! Yuh know Betsy is engaged t' Warren…"

"I know Rogue, I was just teasing," said Logan. "Didn't know that she'd take it the wrong way… forgot that she's pretty moody right now… on account of what just went down. Stupid icicle. Gotta mind ta carve some cocktail ice, but Morph would have a thing or two to say about that… guess he forgot to tell Jubilee that he wasn't her type…"

"He still t'inks she be a kid," said Gambit. "And he not da only one…"

"No kidding, Sherlock," Logan mumbled as he got up and wandered off to see where she'd vanished. Great. Just great.


Storm and Hank were still gathered around the table. Hot tea poured from a cup as they sat near Betsy and Warren. Jubilee wandered in, seeing them all cozily assembled.

"Would you care to join us, Jubilation?" asked Betsy kindly. Her telepathic senses could tell the source of Jubilee's black mood.

"Um, no, it's like okay, I don't mean t' be butting in," Jubilee said quickly as she grabbed a soda out of the fridge and turned to exit.

"It's no trouble, you look like you could use some hot liquid refreshment… I could procure you some cocoa…" Beast offered.

"No thanks, I'm kinda watching the sugar n' caffeine…" Jubilee said.

"Do my ears deceive me, you passing up sugar?" Storm teased gently.

"Well, my doctor said it wasn't a good idea, and you were the one Hank, that suggested I switch to splenda," said Jubilee with a shrug, struggling to open the diet soda. Her fingers sparked and it promptly exploded in a fizzle of sparks.

Psilocke's TK energy swept out and wrapped the exploding beverage in a wave of scarlet energy before it could drench anyone else. "Oops… sorry!" Jubilee groaned.

"No problems, luv," Betsy smiled as she levitated the can into the sink. "Come, sit down… we'd love to catch up on old times…"

"You mean the old Massachusetts experiment?" Jubilee asked as she took the chair that storm pulled out.

"You can sit here, child… I mean my dear," Storm offered, seeing her frown at the mistake. Young women were so sensitive, and all their nerves were on edge right now.

"Um, no thanks Storm," Jubilee said quickly. "I um, gotta go do something in the Danger room…"

"But it's late, and you…" Storm got out.

"I'm um a little old for bedtimes, doncha think?" Jubilee said, trying to keep from loosing her cool yet again.

"Perhaps later?" Psilocke said. "Sounds like you could enjoy working off some steam…"

"Okay sure, bye," Jubilee said quickly, rushing out of the room. Storm slid out of her chair, but Beast's hand closed gently over hers.

"Perhaps she requires solitude…" he suggested, patting her hand.

"I'm worried about her, Hank," said Storm, shaking her head. "Of all of us, she would be the most affected by the loss of an authority figure…"

"She's a strong young lady," Psilocke said. "She'll be fine, and even better without us coddling her. She needs to be treated like an adult, not…"

"Love, they know," Warren said as he kissed her cheek. "Perhaps she could use a female shoulder to cry on…"

"I don't think so, from what I sensed of her…" Psilocke said. "But if you'd like I can kept a light mental rapport to track her…"

"Do so, without her knowledge, please," said Storm. "Thank you…"

"Anytime," said Psilocke. "I know what it's like to lose someone close to you. We're all hurting… I mean you all are… and I can sense your pain. Yet Jubilation must find her own way, and I sense there is another that may be of greater help…"

"Who?"

"Let her figure it out," said Betsy gently.


"Stupidfrigginpeoplethiningi'mma kid," Jubilee mumbled as she punched in the codes for the danger room. On the menu so accessed a few of her programs she had uploaded, and tracked through them. Violently she punched buttons and hoped her powers wouldn't fizzle out another panel.

"Whaddayamean that someone's running a program! Jeezus…" Jubilee cursed when she saw the active panels beeping. Indeed she saw the occupants were Cyclops and Wolverine of all people.

"Jubilation, is something the matter?" came Jean's telepathic query.

"Nah, I mean yeah, I mean…" Jubilee threw up her hands. "Oh nothing… just want some time alone and everything's taken…"

"Why not join the workout? I'm sure Scott and Logan wouldn't mind a diversion while they're beating up on one another…" Jean said. "Or you can join me in the control room for the fun…"

"Okay," Jubilee said as she walked down the hall, and entered the Control Room where Jean Grey was sitting with a big smile over her face. Level Three was running, and she pointed to where the two men were hastily dispatching robots disguised as FOH members.

"Majorly bad stuff goin' on there," Jubilee whistled. "Is it just me, or is that kinda cathartic?"

"Typical male behavior, bashing up bad guys," Jean laughed as Jubilee straddled the chair next to her. She chewed silently on her gum, fighting the urge to pop it in a large bubble.

"Like yeah," Jubilee giggled at Jean's smile. "Who's idea was it? Cyke or Wolvie?"

"Both," Jean smiled.

"What's this world coming to? Cyke and Wolvie AGREEING?"

"I know. Stranger things have happened," Jean nodded. "It's a good sign though. If we're going to get anywhere without the professor's physical presence, both of them working together are necessary…"

"Yeah, duh," Jubilee said quickly. Jean noticed the red flush come to her cheeks when she looked quickly away from the viewscreen.

"You're obviously getting sick of being treated like a teenager…"

"You been spying on me?"

"It doesn't' take a telepath to tell that's what you're sulking about," Jean said knowingly. "It wasn't that long ago that I was sitting right there and the Professor was having the same conversation with me…"

"Oh jeez Jean, it's just like everyone's trying to comfort the poor little Jubilee who's gonna cry in bed and hide from the big bad sentinels now that professor X is gone…" Jubilee huffed, her bangs puffing up as she exhaled. Blue eyes rolled upwards and glared indignantly at the ceiling. "I just can't like DEAL with it… I mean I know everybody's being helpful, but still… I wish they'd treat me like an adult… I'm 18 almost for crying out loud!"

"I know," Jean nodded. "It stinks, doesn't it? Scott still treats me like a ming vase that will shatter if he breathes on it. You know I HATE being left behind… and I'm married to him… it doesn't get any easier when you're an adult…"

"Really," Jubilee nodded. Green eyes noticed the sapphire ones fixing on both men sweaty and hot from the battle simulation. Jean's fingers moved across the controls with the mastery of Professor X's, and Jubilee could guess what she was thinking. Fear, and terror at the loss of her mentor. More than all of them, Jean was the most deeply hurt, because she was Professor X's direct pupil. Two telepaths that had braved a common foe by uniting minds against him were far closer than two people were. Except for the bond she shared with Scott.

"They look like they could use a break… why don't we take them some water," Jean suggested. She shut off the simulation.

"Hey!" Scott yelled. "Jean, we were just…"

"Jeannie are ya NUTS we were just about ta…" Wolverine yelled up at the same moment. Both men rested hands on their hips as the simulation around them faded, revealing the bare metal walls of the Danger Room. Robots fell apart with a clang, and Scott and Logan were panting profusely.

"Hey don't have a cow, we're just bringing you some water, sheesh!" Jubilee shook her head as she wandered in, next to Jean.

"Though you boys could use some milk and cookies," Jean teased; carrying a tray of home baked cookies that she had stashed in the Danger Room's food locker. Jubilee carried two cups of coffee, one stacked on another, and two bottles of water, one thrust into either pocket of her large raincoat.

"Thanks darlin'," Logan said as he took the bottle that Jubilee handed him, and took a large swig. Jean glanced at her watching the movement of his Adam's apple as he downed half the bottle.

"Here you go, fearless leader," Jubilee joked, tossing a bottle at Scott. He took it with a grin and opened it, gulping a few sips before stepping over to Jean.

"I'd kiss you, sweetheart, but you've got your hands full…" he smirked.

"Oh do I?" she asked with a grin. Telekinetically she levitated the tray, and opened her arms to Scott.

"You little…" he groaned, and hugged her tightly. Jubilee tossed a towel at him, and moved over to try and put the two cups of coffee on the tray. She moved over to where Logan stood, radiating sweat and experimentally leaned against him as she looked at the two lovebirds.

"Little what?" Jean raised an eyebrow. "You forgot that I was called Marvel Girl, didn't you?"

"For obvious reasons, huh, Jeannie?" Logan chuckled, grabbing the coffee that toppled off Jubilee's balanced stack and locking hands with her when she yelped and tried to grab them.

"Whoops," she gasped.

"Let me help," Jean said, and the coffee cups were soon floating alongside the tray of cookies.

"Showoff," Jubilee grumbled. She felt Logan's arm move from her hand and slid around her hip, keeping her there as he seized one of the cups out of the air.

"Share the wealth Red, c'mon…" he quipped. "Or does Cyke haveta show ya who wears the spandex in this family…"

"Don't even GO there," Jubilee warned, and slugged his chest, then yelped and clutched her hand.

"Careful darlin, ya forgot the hazards of beatin' up on a guy with six million bucks a' adamantium," he scolded, and slid his gloved hand over hers, squeezing it tightly to stop the pain, after shifting his coffee cup to the tray.

"Ooowwh, you…" she mumbled.

"Want to go a few rounds together in the danger room and teach him some manners?" Jean winked.

"Not without a beer Red," he shook his head. Still he kept Jubilee's hand clenched in his and turned his attention seemingly to where Scott stood with his arm around Jean's waist.

"Sorry, I think we're sticking to caffeine instead of alcohol," Scott said. "Want to be on full alert…"

"Uh HELLO, healing factor here?" Jubilee groaned. "Like he's gonna even FEEL it…"

"The girl's right," Logan said, and Jubilee blinked at the fact that he hadn't called her a kid. Girl was a hopeful sign. At least in her experience because Logan used the word girl to indicate young woman. Why was this something that seemed so important?

"Coffee's more your speed, you overachiever," Jean said as she tugged Scott's ear playfully and he gave her hip a squeeze in return.

"Are you trying to tell me something, Mrs. Grey Summers?" he teased.

"No, nothing, Mr. Summers," she said, playing innocent, as she levitated the tray before him. Scott took a few cookies and munched on them before the tray passed over to where Wolverine and Jubilee stood. He let go of her hand long enough to take a few and eat them eagerly, and Jubilee forgot all about her sore hand when she grabbed some as well.

"Sugar… the cure all," Scott hummed, savoring the toll house cookies.

"Almost better than something ELSE, huh?" Logan joked.

"Don't encourage him… he's in ENOUGH trouble!" Jubilee groaned. "You're AWFUL…"

"But we love him anyway, don't' we?" Jean smiled as she kissed Scott's cheek. The tray wavered a bit, and Jubilee jumped to grab it, stumbling.

"Whoa!" she yelped.

"Red, keep a handle on it, or put it down already, cripes!" Wolverine grumbled as Jean shot them an apologetic look.

"Maybe we should um… leave them alone?" Jubilee said.

"Sounds good t' me… I've got a brew calling my name…" he said, tugging her over by her waist towards the door. Not questioning the physical closeness, she walked with him.

Jean raised her lips to receive the kiss that Scott planted on her. Jubilee's eyes wandered to see their embrace tighten, and the tray clatter to the floor. However Jean and Scott did not care as his hands moved lower and touched other parts of her anatomy.

"Hey, beer, remember?" Wolverine tugged her hip, and she let him guide her down the hall.

"Kids these days," she shook her head.

"I know… can't keep their hands offa one another…" he said as dabbed at his forehead with the towel.

"So, you guys enjoying beating up on robots while us girls bake you cookies and all that domestic stuff?" Jubilee teased.

"Yeah, but only so much before ya need to knock it off," he agreed, stopping where the kitchen started. Hank and Storm were sitting quietly, and Warren and Betsy were just tiptoeing out.

"What the?" Jubilee asked.

"Woohhoo, it looks as if our resident Wind Rider and blue boy are joinin' in on the act too," Wolverine smirked. "Who woulda thought…"

"Huh, lucky him," Jubilee muttered as she felt herself again sinking. Great, another friend.

"Took him long enough ta get over his old girlfriend…" Logan mumbled, and tugged Jubilee towards the fridge. The strains of Edgar Allen Poe's poem abut sweet perfume and waves were drifting to them.

"I'll get you a beer, and maybe you should see if there's anything left other than sugar," Jubilee suggested. "I gotta watch my intake… doctor's orders…"

"You an' yer low carb stuff," Logan grumbled as he hunted through the closet. Jubilee grabbed the six-pack of labatts blue from the fridge, and two cans of diet coke.

"Are we interrupting anything?" asked Betsy.

"Oh god, you scared me!" Jubilee yelped, as the six pack went dropping, and only Logan's superior reflexes caught it.

"Cripes Betsy, can ya be any more friggin creepy…" Logan grumbled as Jubilee pressed a hand to her heart.

"I'm sorry, I was just getting Warren and myself a midnight snack," Betsy said.

"Getting settled in, huh?" Logan asked, moving up to stand behind Jubilee. He rested his arm on her shoulders, setting the six-pack on the counter by a bag of chips, and some leftover Chinese takeout.

"More or less," Betsy smiled as purple energy formed the butterfly pattern, and the French doors closed that separated the kitchen from the dining room. Beast and Storm were left to soliloquize in peace.

"Good call," Jubilee muttered. "So, where are you and Warren shacked up… I mean staying… oh GODidantbeileve I said that…"

Smiling at Jubilee's blush, Betsy raised a hand, and chuckled, "Relax, Jubilee… don't be ashamed of your Freudian slip showing…"

"Oh GOD, oh god," Jubilee groaned.

"She doesn't look like she minds, darlin," Logan chuckled, smirking at Betsy trying to keep a straight face. He slid his arms around Jubilee from behind and rested his chin on her shoulder.

"Oh god…" she groaned.

"Sounds like you're having a party here, and forgot to invite Gambit," he smirked.