Thank you for your reviews. They really prompted me to keep writing. The reason that it took so long to update is that I wanted to finish 'the seatbelt' before I started to get serious with this one.
X-Men are not mine. Don't sue me. All you'll get is a pile of dirty clothes and my comic book collection. And maybe some fish on a stick.
"You're moving out? You can't be moving out!" exclaimed Kitty as Jean dragged her suitcase down the main stairs to the garage where her car was being packed.
"Who's going to drive us to school?" asked Kurt.
"Rouge's getting her license…"
"Not for another month, I'm not!" she exclaimed.
"Well, walking is good for your legs" Jean countered.
"And who's going to lead us on missions if Cyclops is moving too?" questioned Evan.
"We'll try to get a place within driving distance from here so if you need us on a mission, we can get here in time."
Jean suddenly felt a weight attach itself to her leg. She looked down.
"But, who's going to help us with our homework and our projects?" asked Jean's parasite.
"Amara, you still have Hank and the Professor who are smarter than Scott and me."
"But it's not the same!" she wailed.
"People!" she shouted causing the group of students and X-Men who were following her to stop in their tracks.
"We're moving, damn it! We're not dying!"
"You might as well be!" cried Jamie.
"You'll survive" said Jean.
She had finally made it into the garage and, after shaking off Amara, handed her suitcase to Scott as he put it in her SUV.
"Please don't go" begged Bobby.
"Yeah" Ray chimed. "We'll be better. We promise!"
"Sorry guys" Scott said. "Jean and I just really need some us time which is impossible to get when we're living with as many mutants as this"
"But…"
"I believe that they have made their points"
Everybody turned to face the Professor who was accompanied by Logan, Hank, and Ororo.
"Now, I believe some farewell's are in order"
Jean and Scott smiled to themselves as the X-Men and New Mutants sighed in defeat and made their way to say goodbye to Scott and Jean.
Ororo gave Jean one of her favorite orchids as a goodbye gift and the Professor gave them a check.
"Thank you. All of you" Jean said.
"Take care you two" smiled Hank.
"We will" Scott responded.
And with that, they drove off in Jean's car (coming back later for Scott's of course).
When they were out of sight, Logan spoke up.
"All right, kids. Since our fearless leader has moved out, that means that I'm in charge of your Danger Room sessions"
The crowd of mutants opened their eyes as one; fear coursing through all of their veins.
In a flash they all ran off in different directions, shouting numerous excuses over their shoulders as they left.
He groaned and went back inside.
"You think they'll be all right?" asked Storm.
"I only have one little doubt" responded Hank.
"And what's that?"
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"Jean, we can't afford this one either."
"Of course we can. Look."
She held up the paper to Scott's face so he could see the price. He sighed.
"Hey," she said, giving him a poke in the chest, "it's this or Motel 6"
He looked around the apartment again. It was very nice considering what it was going for. It had a comfy looking living room, two bathrooms, a kitchen, two bed rooms (one to share and one to make as a study room) and a dining room. Much better than Motel 6.
"But we still have to buy furniture, don't we?"
She smiled. "No. The Professor let us take the ones we had in our room"
"But…but…"
She turned around to the salesman.
"We'll take it."
The man, Jerry, smiled and handed her the papers which she, in turn, handed to Scott.
"I'll be back to pick them up later"
With that, he left.
Scott flopped down on the kitchen counter as he flipped through the papers.
"Je-an…" he whined.
"Don't you 'Je-an' me" she scolded. "I really want this apartment. It's half an hour from my college, twenty minutes from your job and only ten minutes from the Institute. The guy doesn't even mind that we're mutants for cripes sake! How many people are you going to find out there that don't care that we're mutants, Scott? How many?"
He sighed again.
"I guess your right"
"I can help you pay for it if that's what it takes to get you to buy it" she pleaded.
Scott failed to hide a chuckle.
"How are you going to help me pay?"
"I'll get a job" she offered as she took a seat next to him on the counter.
"Jean," he smiled as he took her hands in his, "baby, you don't have time for a job. You're studying to be a doctor and you're taking six zillion classes at ungodly hours of the morning and at night."
"I so do have time" she pouted.
Scott held up her left hand to her eye level so that she could see the time.
Her green eyes widened in horror.
"OH MY GOD, I'M LATE FOR MY CHEMISTRY CLASS!"
She jumped off the counter, grabbed her school bag and her car keys and ran out the door before Scott could even say goodbye.
He sighed and looked down at the papers again.
Just then, Jean ran back through the door and up to him, gave him a swift firm kiss on the lips and whispered,
"Please buy the apartment" before giving him another kiss and running out the door.
He smiled to himself.
"The things I do for love" he murmured as he went to signing the papers.
Wen1 asked if the fire in Jean's eyes meant that Phoenix had been there. No. Jean isn't Phoenix in my story
…yet.