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amazing redd phoenix : And it's not over….


Into the recording room, the Professor was thinking.

- "We've our answer Chuck" said Logan "She's dependant of him, totally now"

- "Yes, if we have to make statistics the results will confirm it"

- "It won't change a lot of things, he will still be the only one who's able to approach her at less than three meters, to be able to touch and communicate with her, to trust him at the point she could fall asleep in his arms"

- "But she has become really dependant on him…I think I will call Moïra Tagart, you know, my friend of Muir Island. I will ask her if she would accept to come to install herself here in order for Jean to acclimates herself to her; and hopefully, in some weeks we can begin the therapy. The one I had begun with her wasn't enough. Moïra will know better how to set about it"

- "Good idea"


Later, in the evening, Charles went to the convalescence room where Jean had been transferred. She was sleeping against Scott.

- "How is she?"

- "Emotive, anguished, really tired"

- "She has been on death door" nodded Charles.

Scott let some instants of silence, before declaring:

- "Professor, I've taken a decision. I'll leave high school for staying near to Jean" he said by adding before he could be interrupted "Of course, I don't stop the studies for all that, I'll follow correspondence course, but I don't want to leave her anymore"

- "As you wish, Scott"

- "That's all? You're not disappointed? You don't try to convince me to carry on?"

- "Why would I do it? You have made your choice and I respect the reasons of it, moreover I know you are perfectly able to follow serious correspondence course" answered the Professor "And since Jean is always with you, this will allow her to stay in contact with the studies even if we won't push her. I will take care of the formalities, but as you have been missing school for two weeks, I think Principal Kelly will not oppose too much resistance, all the contrary…" he smiled.

- "Yes, nothing will please him more, but I don't care, I don't leave because of his pressure on the mutants but for taking care of Jean"

For near a month, Jean recovered from her suicidal attempt and her coma. When she had learned that Scott would not go back to school, she was standing between a huge feeling of relief and another of culpability, but he had comforted her.

Life was taking back its normal course at the Institute. Jean still stayed the same since her return, but at the least she was alive and Scott need not worry anymore about her possible attempts at suicide. Still, whenever she broke down, he always feared that her nerves cracked and that she couldn't resist to the temptation to stop her bad-being. Henceforth, this year, she spent Christmas and New-year with them, it was almost one year ago that she had been brought back.


An unprecedented trial happened a day of January, as Moïra McTaggart was at the Institute since the day before. A violent snowstorm fell on Bayville, Storm was at her sister's home with Evan, and the electricity was cut in the entire city. Having to gather in a common room with several fireplaces wouldn't have been an insurmountable problem if a class of Bayville hadn't come asking for refuge…

They really had to be blocked and frozen for coming at the Institute. Logan was really tempted to let them outside but it wasn't Charles' opinion. Moreover, professor Malcom who was accompanying them wasn't against the mutant and was even appreciated by the Institute members. Having said that, Wolverine warned them that the first one who would make a disagreeable remark, he would put him or her out without any problem.

A lot of people between these 15 students weren't unknown to the members of the Institute as by example Duncan and his band, Taryn and others, but they stayed calm, they were in a "mined" ground. And Logan knew what had provoked a fight between Scott and Duncan some weeks before Jean's last attempt of suicide: Somehow, half the school had learned about Jean, and Matthews had had the bad idea to play with that and called her 'slut' in front of Scott. Monumental error. Cyclops had thrown himself on him and, if Evan, Kurt, Rogue and Kitty hadn't immediately interfered and parted them, Duncan wouldn't have escaped with only a black eye and a broken nose. Principal Kelly had wanted to expel Scott, but four honest students testified that Duncan had openly provoked him and Kelly had to give in. In all way, Scott wasn't at Bayville High school anymore, the Professor had officialized his departure weeks before.

At the beginning, the cohabitation between the mutants and the students of Bayville wasn't a problem. Being at their home, Amara was purposing her services by reliving the flames of the fireplaces and procuring an agreeable atmosphere. Mattresses had been placed on the ground, the students of Bayville had laid their sleeping bag they had with them as they were coming back from a 2 days excursion.

Until here everything was ok, Scott and Jean had stayed in their room as soon as Cyclops had learned about the students' arrival.

Moïra McTaggart was with the professors, not far from the Bayville students in order to keep an eye on them. She carried on making enquiries about Jean, the one she had yet to know better. She hadn't really had the chance to observe her since the day before. Taryn and Duncan's group weren't far from them and didn't miss anything of the discussion which surprised and shocked them even if they didn't admit it.

- "The students have talked to me about her before the events, as Charles and your friends"

- "Nothing to see with today is it?" asked sadly Hank "She had projected all her mind, believed in the future and the pacific cohabitation between humans and mutants, she believed in humanity. She stayed optimistic to whatever that might happened, always ready to help the ones she could. It was an example for the younger, as is Scott like they are the first students. She had perfectly integrated herself into the high school, well, before our existence was revealed. Now, now, she's unrecognisable, she had lost all innocence"

Moïra stayed silent some instants before asking:

- "She's really not speaking anymore?"

- "We know it's not medical because she only speaks when she panics or has a nightmare, but otherwise she stays dumb, and that has been going on for 1 year" answered Hank "Scott told us she had pronounced some words the first night where she had come to join him in his bedroom. The day after, she has broken down and her muteness has become whole again. It is only through their bond that she expressed herself sometimes.."

- "Yes, Charles talked to me about it, this is something fascinating, that they could share everything like it, but it must also be heavy to carry"

- "They're used to it and it's not as if they weren't close. This bond forged itself nearly two years ago, after Jean had had a power surge. I wasn't here yet, but I know it's thanks to Scott that she had achieved to come back and not going under; he had achieved where the Professor had failed. And that's not all: one day, Scott has been kidnapped at Mexico, Jean had felt it from here that he was in danger when Charles himself wasn't able to reach his mind, it's unique"

- "That's a love bond"

- "Without any doubt and without it, Jean wouldn't be there. It's thanks to this link that Scott managed to make himself accepted by her some days after her wake up, but she took nearly one month for not panicking anymore at his coming and for being receptive at his presence. I will tell you something I haven't even said to the Professor," said Hank. "When Jean was brought back and that I've taken her in charge, that I've seen the extent of her wounds, and those were only the physical ones, I've almost felt selfish for attempting to save her, I knew it would be terrible to live with that"

- "We're doctors Hank"

- "I know"

- "Having said that, I understand you could have thought of such a thing, I've read your report, seen the pictures and the radios, that's terrible" she told him "These fanatics were monsters, true nazis…"

- "You'll know what to expect when you begin working with her"

- "Yes, it won't be easy…the diary you've written each day will help me a lot. In all way, you've done an excellent work of reparative chirurgic judging by the picture, a really good work"

- "Several operations were needed. I did my best not to leave too many scars, but I haven't been able to erase all of them. Moreover she has had a period of auto-mutilation…"

- "There will always be some scars left, but I'm really impressed by the result. You can be proud of it"

- "She's still suffering physically, it's by periods but the tortures she had endured are like fixed into herself"

Charles, who was chatting with Logan, declared suddenly:

- "Scott has just contacted me, he will have to come down with Jean, it is too cold above"

- "It was to be foreseen" said Beast "I'll fetch a big mattress"

- "She's aware of the presence of the others?" asked Logan.

- "Strangely, she hasn't felt them, Scott will inform her"

- "That's risky. How will we do it? She can hardly tolerate our presence, let alone these people. She'll panic, Chuck."

- "I know Logan, but we have no choice, her physical health is fragile, and she must not catch a cold so soon after her last attempt of suicide…"

- "We've to…"

- "Yes, but I will take care of it Logan" the Professor interrupted him.

Charles Xavier wheeled to the center of the room and asked the silence.

- "It's Jean?" asked Rahne.

The Professor nodded.

- "I speak particularly to the students of Bayville" he began "The most part of you doesn't ignore that one of my student has been kidnapped by an organization against mutants 13 months ago and deeply traumatized by what she has endured. I speak to you about that because she will have to be brought here. She's extremely fearful, I will ask you not to speak loudly and overall not to try to approach her. I won't accept any offensive remarks and I want it to be clear"

A lot of nodding answered to him.

- "I'll make sure they respect your demand" said their professor.

- "Thanks mister Malcom" answered Charles before turning himself toward his own students as Hank was coming back with a big mattress "The edge at the bottom has to be free, she will be calmer there"

- "We're on it" said Kurt and Tabitha.

- "And what about we place a folding-screen screen to prevent her from seeing them?" purposed Bobby.

- "That's an idea, but if she feels their presence without keepin' an eye on them it'll be worse" said Logan.


In the corridor, Jean stopped suddenly, she knew that students of Bayville were there, Scott had told her, but feeling them was worse, there were so numerous.

- "Jean" said Scott, squeezing his arms around her waist for catching her attention.

He had wrapped her in a blanket.

I can't

- "I know it's hard Jean, but we have no choice, I'll stay with you and you know it"

Logan, warned by the Professor of their coming, came to join them:

- "Everythin' is ready, we've installed a mattress on the bottom of the room for ya the as further from the other as possible; Chuck made the thin' clear, it should be ok"

When they entered, the part where the students of Bayville were gathered, the crowed fell silent, but not in Jean's mind who, losing her ways, was overwhelmed by projections of thoughts.

/…Hey, I've yet seen her at school……She doesn't seem so damaged……some are saying that she had been tortured and raped, this is a mutant, but well, poor girl……my god, miss Grey……she seems empty and destroyed……When I think that other than me have fucked hee……oh man, she's so pale……She didn't look the same……she seems to feel ill……/

Jean's legs collapsed under her and she almost passed out.

- "Hey, Jean"

Their thoughts… she said weakly by clutching her head, Scott had stopped and was sustaining her against him.

Try to hang on a little more, focus on something… he encouraged her before alerting their mentor "Professor, her telepathy, she doesn't control anything anymore"

Charles had yet wheeled toward them.

- "I will put a mental block into her mind"

Jean had clenched her eyes in pain more than she needed to and didn't defend herself, in all ways Xavier didn't need to put his hands on her head but just around it.

- "Er, Professor, there isn't only her telepathy…" said Jamie by making him notice that the windows had started to shack and that some objects were lifted from the ground.

The Professor put also a little shield on her telekinesis. The voices weakened, so did Jean, she felt Scott taking her in his arms, carrying her before laying her slowly on a mattress. The adolescent was hoping that she would stay groggy as long as possible in order she didn't panic, but it didn't last.

When she gathered her mind, the terror did the same. It was shivers, then shacks. She sat up straight and went to curl up on herself at the edge of the room by staying on their mattress, she wanted to escape from here, she wanted to…

- "Jean, Jean, it'll be allright, I'm here, I won't let anybody hurt you" said Scott by approaching her.

She was starting to hyper ventilate, but the adolescent knew how to handle the situation. He sat near her, took her in his arms and slowly appeased her. She had shut her eyes and was letting herself being rocked.

After several minutes, she seemed to find her trust again. Scott observed his surrounding, ready to blast anyone who was idiotic enough for choosing this moment to stand up or burst out laughing. It's didn't happen though.

- "Feeling better?" he breathed into her ear.

She nodded slightly, still shivering. Amara went to give them two sandwiches.

- "Are you hungry? Jean you've to eat a little"

Seeing she wouldn't change her mind, too much anguished for that, he let her sandwich aside and ate his own by keeping her against him. He tried to make her eat a bite but she refused.

It was 9 p.m., Scott leaned with Jean on the mattress and covered them with another blanket, hoping she would achieve to settle down, but the stress was terrible. She didn't know anymore how to install herself and finished by pushing back everything and turned herself toward the wall, shaking even more. Scott approached her in the intention to take her in his arms, she startled.

- "Ssshhh, it's me Jean, I won't hurt you, you know it" he muttered to her.

Seeing she was calming herself, he enlaced her from behind and she leaned her back on his chest. It was the first time she was letting him taking her in his arms in this way. Jean let herself being rocked by Scott's words and finished by falling asleep.

Unfortunately, as usual, it wasn't for a long time. A door banged into the Institute as in Jean's mind but with a metallic sound she feared the most. She woken up in a start and, feeling someone leaned against her back, gasped in terror. Scott hadn't had the time to do or say anything that he was propelled away by a powerful push of telekinesis, and bumped hardly at the opposite wall.


To be continued

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