Frustrating the Recollection
X-Men: the Movie
Angel of Neptune
XXXXXX
DC: I do not own X-Men in anyway.
AN: So far, this ficlet stands as my longest ficlet let. It beats 'Baby-Sitting' by a long while. I hope you enjoy. :) You can sort of think of it as a small continuation in a way. It just takes place sixteen years later.
The title of this ficlet was recommended by one of my close friends. He says it was inspired by the band, 'Mars Volta.' I, myself, wasn't sure what to call it, so I did ask around.
And I am aware that I made Jean a little too young when her powers first manifested, but I was under the impression that her powers did manifest when she was young, but the Professor just blocked them off until she was ready to handle them. Or am I just completely wrong in general?
I hope you all enjoy.
XXXXXX
Dr. Jean Grey-Summers yawned deeply as she gently rubbed her fingers over the wrinkles just under her green eyes before adjusting her reliable reading glasses. The thirty nine year old woman was tired. What else was new? Running the medical lab apparently required little sleep. Constantly, she had late nights followed by early mornings, just as now. Jean sat in her small office located in the subbasement, staring at her day-by-day calendar. It was Saturday, the students didn't have classes today; they were probably all sleeping in, even if it was ten in the morning. Why would they care? Many of them had no true respect for time… So many of them were always late to every one of their classes.
Her bright green eyes slightly blurred; she blinked and drew her attention away from the calendar. A small smile appeared on her face as she now gazed at the framed photograph that sat on her desk. It was taken just a few weeks ago out in the backyard by one of the students, it was of her and her family: her dear husband, Scott, and her, now sixteen years old, daughter, Rachel and herself laying on the grass. She simply loved the picture, it brightened her desk… Rachel had gotten so big… Her daughter looked so much like herself, the long red hair and bright green eyes.
She only wished they could spend more time together, or even with her father for that matter. Jean spent nearly all her free time down here in the subbasements. Scott, on the other hand, was always in his new office, trying to keep the school running ever since Charles Xavier past away a few years back. He always promised Charles he'd take over the school if anything happened; he was just trying to get use to his new job. They all really missed Xavier. Many students, current and graduated, came to pay respect to the Professor's final resting place on the grounds. Things just weren't the same without Professor Xavier around.
Lazily, the tip of her pen tapped against the desktop before it was set down. Jean stood up and left her office to enter the quite medical lab. She folded her arms over her chest while scanning the whole lab for anything that was out of order; she needed coffee or any caffeine-related beverage. Her eyes glared at the sliding doors… any second now, her request was going to be fulfilled.
As the doors drew open, Jean couldn't help but smirk; her powers had grown reasonable over the last few years, especially now when the school had a growing number of students with the gift, such as her daughter, who stepped through the entrance. Rachel held a mug carefully in her hands. The last thing she wanted was to get hot coffee on her white top and blue jeans. Her hair was tied back in a low, messy ponytail. Random strands of red hair hung freely. "Morning." The young teen greeted.
Jean pulled her lab coat closer and tucked her glasses in the coat pocket, "My morning just got a whole lot better." She admitted, taking the mug from her young daughter. The doctor took a sip of coffee, which she considered nectar of the Gods. She set it aside, "How are you feeling, Ray?"
Rachel sat down on the edge of one of the beds, shrugging her shoulders, "Alright, I guess… The coffee came from Dad. He's too lazy to come down here himself."
"Ray, I'm shocked!" Jean faked a dry sob. "You won't come down to visit your own mother." She buried her face behind her hand. "I feel so unloved."
Rachel shook her head as she gave Jean a hug. Jean wrapped her arms around the girl while placing a kiss on the top of her head. "You know, I don't have any appointments this afternoon… Are you still going out to lunch with Ororo?"
"Like I do every Saturday, Mom…" She pointed out, taking a step back. "So, anything interesting happen this week down here?" Ray asked, climbing back on the bed. "Or the usual?" It was her Saturday morning entertainment, to hear all the stories that occurred in the medical day during the week.
Jean walked over to one of the counters to check the tools, "Nothing really unusual." She answered, pointing towards a med bed off to the side which was covered with a white sheet. "One of the beds caught fire again and…" Jean now pointed to a damaged wall. There had to be at least a hole two feet deep and just about four inches wide. "Another lost control of their power during a check up. That was a bit nasty."
"Did you report it to Dad yet?"
"Your father's really busy." Jean replied. "Running the mansion isn't easy. These things can wait until things calm down. He's still trying to get the hang of things." She picked up the mug of coffee again.
Rachel laid back on the uncomfortable bed, yawning. "He was talking to Uncle Warren when I was in his office. They were talking about… funds."
"Money makes the world go round… Unfortunately." Jean mumbled under her breath, taking a sip from the mug. "Charles only left us so much and we're always repairing something around here… We need donations from anyone who's willing to give." She shook her head. "I'm sorry, no more work talk… How're your classes going?"
Ray shrugged, "Alright…" Of course, she knew her parents were very busy people and she didn't mind that at all. They still spent time with her, that's what mattered. Besides, she had 'aunts' and 'uncles' who were there for her also. "A bit on the easy site, especially Algebra and History."
Even thought Scott was now headmaster of the X-Mansion, he still decided to teach his classes. So, Rachel ended up in her father's Algebra class; math came easy to her. Then you have Ororo's History class… Ororo always spoiled the girl, enough said.
"Logan's been helping me study the driver's manual." She went on. "he's going to ake me down to the DMV whenever he has some free time."
Jean raised an eyebrow. Logan always used his free time to train in the Danger Room, but he has been spending a lot more time with Ray recently… Probably since she looked like a mini version of herself. After all these years, Logan still hasn't given up. "Honey, I'm not ready for you to drive, let alone the state of New York."
"I've been practicing with Kitty-"
"Practicing?" Jean questioned, now looking a tad bit shocked. "Ray, you rebel. You don't have your permit, don't tell your father."
"Are you kidding? Dad will have a heart attack." Rachel agreed. "Anyways, I've been practicing with Kitty around the block for a couple of weeks. I think I'm pretty good."
"Trust me, hon… A couple of weeks mean nothing." Jean pointed out. "It will be years before your actually decent. Without your powers."
"I know, I know…" The sixteen year old sighed. She lost count how many times her parents gave her the 'don't abuse your powers' speech. If Rachel wanted to, she could tap into the mind of the worlds best whatever for her own personal gain, but she knew much better than that, of course. There would be no chance of her getting away with it anyways; Jean would always know if she was lying or not. "We're leaving in an hour to beat the crowd…" Ray stood back up. "Aunt Ro wants to hit a few shops afterwards."
"Figures." Jean replied. "I'll see you then."
XXXXXX
The bright green numbers on the clock sitting on the great wooden desk read 10:59 before changing to eleven. Scott adjusted his glasses carefully, not wanting to give this office another window. This was a position he never wanted to see himself in. Xavier was like a father to him and now he was gone, leaving Scott in charge to take care of the school; the kids, just like he promised years ago.
Rubbing the back of his neck, Scott surfed the internet on the laptop Jean had given him when he got his job nearly two years ago. Warren was always nagging about it, saying the computer was too old for the business world, that he should upgrade it. Scott didn't care. A computer was a computer. Just as long as it worked, he was happy with the laptop. The sad thing was, Rachel knew more about how to work it than he did.
Lil Ray-Ray… He loved his baby girl; Daddy's little girl. She was a good kid; a beautiful young woman. She looked so much like her mother, it was unbelievable. Jean… God… They had been married for nearly eighteen years. He loved every single waking day of it. He was perfectly happy with his life, but he was still trying to get a grip on Xavier's death. It had been so shocking… for all of them. They had forgotten Xavier was only human after all. His time had come.
The phone on his desk began to ring, his personal line. Yes, he had two separate phones in the office. The other was used for work. Hardly anyone called the personal line besides Alex or Warren. He had just gotten off the phone with War. Maybe he forgot to mention something? It couldn't be Alex, he was off on vacation with his own family. There was only one way to find out who it was. Scott picked up the phone.
"Hello?"
"Ah, Scott." The man on the other line stated. "This is Professor John Grey, son. Jean gave me this number to call in case I couldn't reach her. Her cell phone is turned off, I believe. I couldn't get through."
"John." Scott sat up when he heard his father-in-law's voice. "Hey, how're you doing? Yeah, Jean got a new number the other day. Do you want it?"
"No, just have her call me right away." John replied. "It's fairly important. It has to do with Annie Richardson." He informed.
Jean's old friend? Wasn't she killed years ago? Scott nodded to himself, "I'll tell her right away, John."
XXXXXX
"There's this cute store that we just have to go to." Rachel gushed, taking a drink of her large Dr. Pepper. "Remember, Aunt Ro, the one with that black skirt you bought last week?"
All three woman were sitting at a small table with their soft drinks. Rachel had already cleared them of their trash from lunch, which turned out to be a round of McDonalds. Ororo nodded and then turned to Jean, "They have some very down right beautiful outfits along with your casual work clothes. You'll love it, hands down."
Jean ran the tips of her finger up and down her straw as she pondered this over, "Scott won't be too please… My closet is on the verge of bursting open… I can't."
"Oh come on!" Rachel whined. "Mom, live a little!"
"Yes, Mom, live a little." Ororo mocked.
The telepath smirked lightly as her purse began to vibrate while playing the 'Sex in the City' theme song. Instantly, both Ororo and Rachel grab to hum along to it. Jean owned all the seasons on DVD; they lost count how many nights the three of them stayed up watching episode after episode. She flipped the phone open and brought it to her ear, "Scott?"
"Jean, sorry to interrupt your uhh… lunch date." He apologized.
"No, that's okay, baby." Jean replied. "What's up?"
Scott cleared his throat, "I just got a call from your father; he doesn't have your new number. He says it's very important, something about Annie Richardson."
"What? Annie?" Jean stuttered. What was going on? "Did he say what exactly?"
"He didn't give me any details." He answered honestly. "He wants you to call him back as soon as possible."
"Alright, I'll be there. Bye." Jean said as she stood up, closing the phone. "Change of plans, ladies. Grandpa called. It's urgent. I need to get back to the mansion."
"Here, Ray…" Ororo handed Rachel the soft drinks. "Throw them away, hon."
Rachel carefully picked up all three drinks and then set off for the nearest trash bin. The weather witch turned her attention to Jean, "Is something wrong?"
"Dad said something about Annie Richardson." Jean replied. "I have no idea what this could possibly be about at all. Annie died thirty three years ago. I don't know what's going on, Ro."
Ororo reached into her purse and pulled out the keys to the Mazda RX-8, one of Scott's all time favorite sports car Jean allowed her to drive, and handed them to her best friend, "Do you think it's serious?"
Jean watched Rachel throw the drinks away as she accepted the keys from Ororo. Ray began to head back towards them. "I have no clue. Like I said, she's been dead for three decades." She hissed. "I don't want to worry Ray… not until I learn what this is all about."
XXXXXX
She never remembered driving so fast in her entire life. Then again, she never remembered felling this uneasy as well. As soon as the car was parked, Jean had dashed into the mansion in a rush while the other two were still unbuckling their seatbelts, leaving them in the dust. The walk from the garage to Scott's office was a blur. Before Scott could even notice her, Jean had already picked up the phone.
Scott placed his hand on top of it, killing the line. Jean lowered the ear piece slightly, staring at his ruby-red glasses. "Whatever is going on…" He began. "Ray and I are here for you."
The redhead sighed, "I know." She gazed down at the desktop, returning the phone to her ear. Scott lifted his hand, allowing her to dial the number. He sat back down on the seat. Jean turned her back towards him and leaned against the edge of the desk, listening to the ringing tones, waiting for someone to pick up.
Finally someone did, "Hello?" The voice didn't belong to her father, nor her sweet mother. It sounded like a young man, a teenaged boy; her nephew.
"Joey!" Jean replied. "Hey, this is Aunt Jean. How are you, hon?"
"Oh hi, Aunt Jean." Joey greeted, sounding a tad bit more excited. "I'm pretty good… So is Gailyn. What about you guys?"
Gailyn was her niece. Both of them lived with their father alone. Their mother, Sara, Jean's sister, had died when they were so young. From time to time, they spent nights over at their grandparents' house. God… They had to be just a couple of years older than Rachel. "We're doing pretty good ourselves. Uncle Scott, Ray and I can't wait to see you all again." Jean remarked. "Hon, I need to speak with Grandpa John. Is he still there?"
"Yeah, he's here." Joey answered. "I'll go get him." The boy set the phone down.
Jean released a shaky sigh, placing her free hand under her opposite elbow as she waited for her father to come to the phone. She could feel her heart beat quicken. Any second now she would discover what's going on and then they could just continue with life as they know it. After another moment or two, Professor Grey had picked up the phone.
"Jean." He greeted. "How are you, honey?" There was something different about his voice. It rang of sympathy. Why?
"I'm fine, Dad," She responded. "A bit worried. What's going on?"
John cleared his throat, "You remember our neighbors, the Richardcards? Their daughter, Annie?"
"Of course I remember, that's when my powers manifested so early…" She pointed out, turning around to meet Scott's gaze as she sat down upon one of the chairs. "What about her?"
"When she was killed, the man who murdered her got away." John stated. Of course, Jean already knew this information. She watched the car who hit her friend sped off. "They caught the man."
"W-What?" She stuttered.
"The murderer." He spoke more clearly into the phone. "He was found a couple a weeks ago. A drug bust-"
"Weeks ago? Drug bust? Wait, what?" She was trying to wrap her mind around this. If this man was caught weeks ago, then why was she just finding this out?"
"The Richardsons had a private trail with the murderer, Alan Miller." John explained. "They didn't tell us, or hardly anyone at that until just recently, pumpkin. Bob Richardson told your mother and me last night… Emily Richardson couldn't even talk about it; she was so upset."
Jean rubbed her temple as she lowered her head; Scott frowned. "Why? What happened?"
"Alan was drunk when he hit Annie." John went on. "He was a drug dealer and a sex offender. He had raped and killed girls of all ages."
She shook her head, "That's sick."
"Tell me about it, dear… It only gets worse, sadly." He admitted. "Alan kept repeating how he could have gotten a chance at Annie… When the judge gave him his sentence, he only laughed, saying it was worth it."
Jean felt her stomach turn, "That's horrible, Daddy."
"I know, honey…" John sighed. "There's nothing we can do. We just have to admit the fact that there are truly sick people out there in the world… Are you going to be alright?" He asked.
"Yeah, Dad." She lied. "I'll be fine. Love you, bye…" Jean turned the phone off.
Scott walked around the desk, holding his hand out towards his wife. Jean took it and pulled herself up into his arms. She cuddled up against him; he held her protectively as she rested her head against his cheek. Before he knew it, the telepath was sobbing. Scott only held her closer, gently hushing her as she wept, "Everything's alright…" He spoke softly, trying to sound reassuring, stroking her long strands of red hair.
"No…" Jean heaved, "No, Scott. Everything's not alright. Annie… her killer…" She stuttered again.
He led her back to the chair. She sat down, tears trailing down her cheeks. Scott got down on his knees and held her hands firmly, "What did your father say, Jean?"
She shook her head, not really wanting to repeat any of what she just heard, "Her killer doesn't give a damn… He raped, killed little girls…" She coughed. "He won't be suffering for what he did, Scott. He just doesn't care about what he did."
"He's a sick man, Jean, and he's going to rot in a cell for the rest of his life." Scot murmured. "Everything will be alright. I promise."
"It won't be, Scott." She remarked. "This man has haunted my dreams for years. When I held Annie in my arms the day she died, I saw him starring at me. He may have been drunk, but, God damnit, he laughed as he drove away. My power manifested early because of him. I lost my first best friend because of him. I went through years of therapy because of him. I want him to suffer."
Jean tried to stare past her husband's ruby-red glasses. She didn't want to see those stupid lenses. She wanted to see his actual eyes. Truth be told, she was so outrageously annoyed by those stupid sunglasses at the moment. They made him seem less of a human; she hated them, "I want to go back to Annandale."
"We can't go to Annandale… I'm busy here and Ray has school-"
"I want to go by myself." She replied. "I need to go home… I need to see the Richardsons, my parents. Please, Scott…" She was begging. She wanted this so badly.
He knew he couldn't say no to her. She was always there for him. The least he could do was go on and give her this trip. Scott stood up after feeling his knees go numb. It shouldn't be too hard to find someone to take over the med lab for a short while. Perhaps Henry 'Hank' McCoy would gladly do so… He sighed heavily, rubbing his chin. "I'll get you a flight for tomorrow morning them." The man finally replied. "Go pack… I'll inform your parents."
"I love you, baby…" Jean mumbled, trying to dry her tears away. "Thank you." She stood up and hugged him before leaving the office.
XXXXXX
Absent-mindingly, Rachel was sitting cross-legged on the carpet in her bedroom. Her green eyes stared blankly at the poster-covered wall. She hated not knowing what was going on, especially if something was going on between her parents. That's why she was mediating, concentrating. She was trying to sneak into their minds undetected. She wasn't exactly sure how well she had done. Ray was still trying to get a decent grasp of her powers. Maybe she managed to sneak past Scott's thoughts, but getting past Jean was done right impossible for this young telepath.
The knock on the door caused Rachel to jerk up. She quickly jumped onto her bed and grabbed the nearest magazine, "Uh… Come in." She didn't have to guess who it was; she knew very well it was her mother.
Jean opened the door and stepped inside, not really caring if she currently looked like shit. "Nice try, Ray. What part of the conversation didn't you hear?" She questioned bluntly. "And that magazine's upside down."
Rachel tossed the copy of Us Weekly aside. She hadn't even noticed that it was upside down to begin with. "I heard mostly everything… I'm sorry. I was just… curious." She shrugged. "You were really upset when we left the mall, you know."
She sat down right next to her daughter on the bed. Jean reached over and pushed back strands of hair behind Rachel's ear, "Honey. I know the sensation of our thoughts mixing very well by now. I've been doing it since before you were even born. You won't be able to sneak up on me of all people."
The young telepath could have figured that. "Mom, why are you really going back to Annandale? It's not to see the Richardsons family, is it?" She questioned.
Jean sighed as she shook her head, "I am going to visit the Richardsons, but that's not the main reason why I'm going back home." She placed her hand on Rachel's knee. "I'm going to make Alan Miller pay for what he's done to all those people. Not just the little girls, but to the people lives he's damaged by selling them drugs."
Rachel looked a bit skeptical. She raised an eyebrow, "Mom…"
"Ray." Jean instantly snapped. "He took away my first best friend and he doesn't care that he murdered her. Every part of my body wants him to suffer what he put Annie through; what he put me through."
"You're after revenge…" Rachel mumbled, staring directly at her mother.
Jean stood up and headed towards the door. She stopped at the doorway, resting her hand against the frame. Keeping her back towards her daughter, she spoke, "He's a sick man… It's not the fact that I do want revenge because of all the therapy he's put me through, but the fact that he would do it all again. You'll understand when your older."
Rachel frowned, watching Jean walk out of the room and shut the door behind her. Ray shook her head as she laid back on her bed. Blankly, the girl stared up at her ceiling, only to look back at her door just in time to see Jean open it once again.
"Alright… I know… I was a bit snappy." She admitted. "I'm sorry, honey."
Ray sat up, "Apology accepted…" She smiled. "Just be careful over there, alright? Tell Grandma and Grandpa I said 'hi.'"
"Oh, of course."
XXXXXX
That had to be the longest plane ride she had ever experienced mentally. Jean walked through the gates, pulling her carry on behind her as she went. She was supposed to meet her father at the baggage claim. Everything she needed was packed into her carry on; their was no need to go to the baggage claim, but she had failed to mention that bit of information to her father.
Jean pulled out her cell phone from her purse. She had already turned it on and called John after the plane landed to say that she was here. Now she ahd to call the mansion to reassure them she was safe. Quickly, she dialed the number and brought the phone to her ear.
"Hello? Jean?" Scott's eager voice answered.
"Yes, dear. It's me." She replied. "I made it here alright."
"That's good to hear." He responded. Scott hated being on an airplane he wasn't flying himself. Being involved in that fiery accident made him a tad bit nervous if he wasn't in charge. He had been worried for Jean, surely. He just didn't enjoy being around commercial planes, or any planes that weren't the Blackbird. "Try to relax, okay? I know the circumstances of why you went to Annandale, but you've been over-worked lately."
"So have you, honey." Jean pointed out. "I'll try to relax, I promise… Just be sure to spent some time with Ray. You've been so busy lately it's like you've forgotten you have a sixteen year old daughter."
"Who is in love with boy bands thanks to your evil doing." Scott immediately remarked. "And that Orlando Bloom actor."
"Watch 'Lord of the Rings' or something." She shrugged her shoulders. "You need to spend time with your daughter while I'm out here, Scott. You guys have to connect."
"I'll do my best." He mumbled into the phone.
"Good." Jean said. "Baby, I'm getting near baggage claim. I have to go."
"I love you."
"Love you too, bye."
XXXXXX
"Bye…" Scott replied, placing the phone on the receiver before exiting the office. It was Sunday; he had the day off and he wasn't spending it anywhere near the office. Just as Jean ordered, he would have to spend it with Rachel. It wasn't that he didn't want to. He loved the kid to death, but she was a teenager now. He wasn't really sure what she liked. Scott remembered watching those old television shows and movies with parents trying to get involved with their kids' lives only to have their kids think they are complete losers. Yeah, he didn't want that to happen.
However, he really didn't have a choice. If Jean found out that father and daughter didn't spend any time together, he would be a dead man. In his opinion, he was better off being an alive looser than well… a dead man. It was just a day anyway, what could possibly go wrong?
Scott didn't bother knocking on her bedroom door, he simply helped himself right in only to catch Rachel dancing to her stereo. He raised an eyebrow. Was she trying to do ballet with a Josh Groban song? Rachel lifted her arms into the air and twirled her body, coming to a complete stop when she noticed Scott, who was now grinning. How long had he been standing there? She didn't hear the door open, nor did she sense him to begin with.
"Dad!" She exclaimed. "W-What are you doing in here?" She stuttered, crossing the room to turn the stereo off. "I… uhh… didn't hear you come in."
He couldn't help but smirk, "I didn't know you were into Josh Groban or ballet for that matter."
Rachel could feel her cheeks burn as they turned bright red, "He has a wonderful voice, not to mention he's kinda hot… and I've been trying to teach myself to dance for a while…"
"No kidding." He chuckled. "Here I thought it was all about boy bands and Orland Bloom."
Ray scoffed, "Course not."
Scott leaned against the door frame, arms folded over his chest, "I can see that, kiddo. How about we go out for lunch?"
"Just as long as it's not McDonalds, I'm up for it." She replied with a small smile, slipping on a pair of tennis shoes.
"Not in the mood for McDonalds either." He agreed. "I'll never hear the end of it from your mother. 'Scott watch your blood pressure.' 'Scott, your sugar.' 'You're getting fat, Scott.'" He mocked, grabbing his stomach. "This is nothing but muscle, baby."
"Whatever you say, Dad." Ray mumbled and then cleared her throat. "Has Mom called yet?"
He nodded, "A couple of minutes ago, actually. She's landed safely in Annandale and is off to meet with Grandpa as we speak. She'll be gone for a couple of days. Can you handle it?"
"I have a feeling we'll survive."
XXXXXX
The corner of her lips twitched into a soft smile as Jean walked through the crowds scattered in the baggage claim. She could see her dear father in the back near the exit. He was beaming, he must have spotted her. She walked right over to him. John instantly grabbed her daughter in a giant bear hug.
"Daddy!" Jean grinned happily as he took the carry on. "I've missed you so much."
"Annandale's not the same without Jean Grey." He commented, kissing her cheek.
"Jean Grey-Summers." She corrected as they headed out of the airport. "Scott would have a field day when he finds out you still haven't got it right eighteen years later."
John chuckled, "Scott Summers may be able to punc holes in a mountain, but I know that boy would never challenge his father-in-law."
She appeared to be amused. True, Scott would fight the Brotherhood in a heartbeat or go on any mission, but the thought of disobeying his in-laws made him quiver in his shoes.
XXXXXX
Elaine Grey hardly saw her daughter anymore, just on the rare occasions when Jean decided to take time off from work. Those rare occasions were now fewer in numbers now that her son-in-law had a school to run. She loved it when Jean came out to visit. They had gotten so close after her other daughter, Sara, died. She missed Sara…
Elaine sighed heavily as she peeked into the oven to see the cooking lasagna upon hearing the front door open. John was back from the airport with Jean. Elaine couldn't help but smile.
"We're home!" John called out before turning to Jean. "I'll put your things in the usual room."
Jean nodded as John went up the stairs. She knew exactly where her mother would be: the kitchen, where else? The redhead walked directly into the kitchen. Elaine grabbed her baby girl into a tight hug.
"Mom, it's so good to see you." Jean gushed as they broke apart. "It feels like it's been forever."
"You need to visit more often, dear." Elaine replied. "Was the flight comfortable? How are Scott and Rachel? Alright, I hope."
Jean nodded, "Yeah, yeah… Scott and Ray are fine-"
"Dear, how many times must I say?" Elaine said. "'Ray' sounds like a boy's name. 'Rachel' sounds more famine."
Jean smirked slightly, recalling how Ray would always complain after leaving Annandale because Grandma told her off about keeping the 'boyish' nickname. "Rachel really isn't the girly girl Sara and I were."
"Apparently… My granddaughter and I need to speak when she comes back out here."
"Uh, Jean, hon." John entered the kitchen. "Lunch will be served in an hour if you plan on visiting the Richardsons. Roger will be here with the kids in a while."
"Yeah… I'll head over now then." Jean replied.
XXXXXX
Being back on the doorsteps of this house was eerie. She hadn't been here since her childhood. Jean gazed over her shoulder towards her own house across the street before ringing the doorbell. There was no turning back now. She inhaled deeply as the door opened. A middle aged woman had answered, gazing up towards the lady in front of her. Instantly, she knew who it was. She only knew on gal with that beautiful shade of red hair; the Greys' little girl.
"Jean?" The woman known as Emily Richardson asked. "Jean Grey?" Lord, she hadn't seen her since the wedding nearly eighteen years ago. She knew what a busy woman she was according to Elaine and John. "Honey, it is so great to see you again after all these years!"
"Mrs. Richardson!" Jean gave the woman a hug before entering the house. Emily led her to the family room, offering beverages and snacks along the way. Jean kept refusing, claiming she was fine as they sat down on the couch.
"Your mother has been keeping me up to date." Emily pointed out, smiling. "You've been so busy lately… and you have a daughter, I heard."
Jean nodded, grinning weakly, "Yes, Rachel Ann… She's brought us nothing but joy these last sixteen years… I love her more than life itself."
Emily lowered her head, Jean frowned, "Mrs. Richardson, there hasn't been a single day in my life where I haven't thought about Annie." She confessed. "Annie means so much to me and I'm going to make sure Alan Miller pays for what he did thirty years ago."
"T-Thirty years…" Emily stuttered. "It's been that long… My little Annie…" Jean reached over slightly to hold her hand. "That man…" Emily shook her head. "I pray he rots in hell for what he's done."
"And he will." Jean reassured. "He's a sick man, that's the only proper place for him, Mrs. Richardson."
"Thank you, Jean…" Emily spoke softly. "Are you sure I can't get you a cup of tea or anything, dear?"
Jean smiled, "I'm fine, honestly. Where's Mr. Richardson?" She asked.
"He's out." Emily answered. "It's Sunday afternoon and there's a football game. Typical men. Is your husband the same way?"
"No… Scott never really got into sports." Jean responded. "We're always been too busy with work, the school, and Rachel…" She shrugged. "Never really could spend any time with those sort of things."
Emily shifted in her seat, trying to ignore the painful memories the trail had brought. Annie had been her only daughter after all. "I agree with your mother, dear. You need to give yourself more breaks. Surely, this job isn't so important to take time away from your own family…"
She opened her mouth to speak, but quickly closed it, unsure how to answer the question. Of course, she took breaks from her job in the medical lab whenever Beast felt like taking over, but she really couldn't take a break from being an X-Woman. Being part of the X-Men was important to her. "I do take breaks… and it's a pretty important job. I'm a doctor."
"Are you really? Honey, you have gotten so far with your life…" Emily gave her a quick hug. "I'm so proud of you."
"Thank you, Mrs. Richardson. I… uh, must be going now. Roger and the kids are coming over." Jean explained. "I haven't seen them in a while."
XXXXXX
The rest of the afternoon had been great, Jean had a fairly large lunch with her parents and brother-in-law along with her loving niece and nephew. She chatted away with Roger during lunch, mostly about politics and the usual predjudist against mutants. Dessert time was reserved for Gailyn and Joey to share their stories from school. After lunch, they all went out to the park before retiring home to a couple of hours – and movies- on the couch. Now Jean was laying in bed, cell phone to ear, talking to Rachel back at the manor.
"Mom, he didn't even knock!" Rachel fumed. "He walked right in! I was dancing…" She moaned. "I was so unbelievably embarrassed!"
Jean smirked, very amused at this whole situation. Why did all the good things happen when she was gone? The woman rolled over onto her stomach. "You're a good dancer." She teased. "Not a ton of people can teach themselves the way you do."
"Not many people can red minds." Rachel mumbled. "He didn't even knock!" She continued to groan.
"Oh stop your whining." Jean replied. "It's over. It's done. You can't change that. Now, did you guys have fun today?"
She listened as Rachel sighed into the phone, "I guess. He took me to lunch at a Subway. It was kind of nice. Did you know Dad loves rock music? Not just the classic stuff he plays in his office?"
"Of course I do, hon." Jean answered, giggling slightly. "The classical music was my influence. Your father can even play the guitar."
"I know!" Rachel exclaimed. "After we went to the music store, Dad got us Starbucks and he told me al about it. I didn't think he could actually be fun."
Jean quickly covered her mouth with her hand to muffle a burst of laughter. Sure, Scott was a bit of a stick in the mud, but hearing it from their daughter was just flat out comical. "I told you spending time with your father was a good idea. You guys have more things in common than you think."
"So, how are things over there?"
"Fine for the most part. Grandma told me off for calling you 'Ray' again." She murmured. "You're my daughter, damnit. If I want to call you 'Ray,' I'll call you 'Ray.' If I want to call you 'Billy,' I'll call you 'Billy.'"
"But I prefer 'Ray.'" Rachel pointed out. "How's the family?"
"They are good." Jean replied with a nod. "Joey and Gailyn can't wait to see you again, Uncle Roger asked how you were handling your mutation and the grandparents miss you."
"So, in other words, the usual." Rachel pointed out with a shrug.
Jean smiled, "Yeah, pretty much. Listen, kiddo… It's late and you have classes tomorrow. Go get some sleep, alright?"
"Yeah, yeah, yeah… Love you."
"You too, Bye."
XXXXXX
Silence rang in her ears. Jean leaned against the steering wheel of her father's Mercedes. This was always the hard part of the visit, going to the cemetery alone. It always had to be alone, there couldn't be any distractions what-so-ever. This was very serious to her. Jean lifted her head and sighed. It was now or never. She took a step out of the car. Lingering for a moment, she stepped on to the grass.
Jean instantly found her sister's grave. This was always the first sight she would visit whenever coming here. The redhead knelt in front of the tombstone, folding her hands together before they rested on her lap. She missed Sara… There was no doubt in that. They had been so close growing up, however, they did loose a bit connection when Jean moved out to the X-Mansion.
Mrs. Richardson's words echoed in her head. 'Surely, this job isn't so important to take time away from your family.'
She lowered her head, her shoulders began to shake. The woman dry heaved, covering her face with her hands. "Sara, I'm so sorry… I'm so… sorry." Jean peered over her finger tips to stare at the engraved letters of her sister's name. She would have never guessed in a million years that she would loose her older sister to a heart attack.
Sara was always the protective older sister. She always watched over Jean, making sure she was alright. Just imagine how extremely heart broken Jean felt watching Sara suffer in a hospital bed after her first attack. She died moments after her second one which occurred only three hours later. Jean remembered promising Sara that she would be alright, that she would see Gailyn and Joey again. It was a promise she could not keep.
"I didn't bring any flowers…" She mumbled to herself, admiring the batch of lilies in the concert vase, no doubt, from Roger and the kids. They always brought Sara lilies; they were her favorite, next to violets. Jean and her parents always brought violets, but the violets in the vase were dry and dead. When were her parents here last?
Jean stood up, brushing the blades of grass from her clothes before heading to the other grave she planned on visiting: Annie's, which was only a short walk away. She didn't bother to sit down. This wasn't going to take long. She needed to head over to the jail house.
"I'm going to make this guy feel sorry for killing you." She murmured in a monotone. "No six year old should have gone through something like that."
It was Annie who influenced Jean to be a doctor. Being a doctor meant saving lives. If Jean knew what she did now back then, would it have been possible to save the little girl's life? She tried to play this situation over and over in her head countless of times, but it never played out logically. Annie was too fatally injured. She didn't have to be a doctor to know, she actually felt that pain surge in her own body; such a horrible feeling.
"You were a great kid, Annie." She went on in the same monotone. "A great best friend." Anger began to ring in her voice. "You were just a child. This is all unfair. You could have been someone important.
Jean shook her head, gritting her teeth. It was time to leave.
XXXXXX
Right off the bat, Jean knew she couldn't actually get inside the building. It would be odd, Dr. Grey wanting to see a common murderer only to have said murderer collapse in pain without any physical contact. Instantly people would be able to put the two clues together: the woman who spoke for mutants in many government events was a mutant herself. She didn't want to handle that sort of stress at the moment.
This is why she was currently on the side of the road in the Mercedes shifted into park. Sitting behind the wheel, Jean unfolded the map of the city and adjusted her sunglasses. This surely wasn't the first time she had to pose undercover, it was a common practice on missions. Pretending to be lost on her way somewhere would be fairly easy. All she needed was a few minutes in this creep's mind and then it would all be over.
Jean exhaled slowly, going through the plan once again. She already pin pointed the man, now she would appear to him as her six years old self and take him through every moment of the accident. It wouldn't be her experiencing the pain this time around. Everything was set. Here goes nothing.
XXXXXX
The rather lanky man, who appeared to be at least in his early fifties, laid back on the poor excuse of a bed within the jail cell which was his home for the rest of his life where he would be protected by demanding clients. Alan placed his hands behind his head as he relaxed, rubbing his buzz cut. His face was distorted, probably from the usage of so many drugs over the years.
Suddenly, he felt tired. His eyelids began to grow heavy and droop. Quickly, the man blinked rapidly in an attempt to rid himself of the groggy feeling. Upon doing so, he sat up, eyes wide as he stared at the little girl standing at the foot of his bed. How did she get in? He rubbed his eyes, only to see she had vanished from his sight. That was pretty odd.
"Boo."
Alan jumped up at the sound of the little girl's voice. There she was standing at his bedside. He grabbed his pillow and threw it. The pillow went right through the girl and bounced off the bars. Was this kid a ghost? He didn't believe in ghosts. "What do you want with me?" He barked.
"Keep it down in there!" One of the officers shouted back in reply.
The little girl's bright green eyes narrowed, she was frowning. He had seen her before… Was it Suzie? Or maybe Beth? Perhaps that Kimberly girl? No… His mind slowly replayed that one summer day right after he graduated high school. He just hit something with his car, which he brought to a stop… Ah, there was another child who ran over to her dying friend. She looked up towards the car, her green eyes meeting his gaze as she screamed out the name 'Annie.'
Snapping back into reality, he noticed it was that sweet looking little redhead from thirty-three years ago. Oh he would have done anything to get his dirty hands on her. Wait… that was over three decades ago. Why was she in this cell? What was going on?
The room began to disappear - everything from the walls to the bars and even the bed. Alan stood up, feeling his heart beating against his throat. Where did his cell go? Colors oozed forth, forming into a peaceful street. This couldn't be real; he wasn't allowed to leave the prison.
'I'm going to make you wish you have never been born, Mr. Miller.' The little girl's voice filled his mind. He turned around – nothing there.
'You're a murderer, a cold hearted killer.' Her voice had grown extremely cold. 'You don't care about the pain you have caused so many people. You deserve nothing less but to rot in hell.'
He felt a chill run down his spine, causing the hair on the back of his neck to stand on end. 'Turn around.'
Alan whizzed back around and screamed a high pitch scream. A car was heading directly at him going full speed with no sign of stopping; his legs felt as if they were glued to the road, he couldn't move.
XXXXXX
The officer who was currently on duty patrolling the cells ran down the isle, passing numerous cell blocks on his left and right. That scream had caught his attention. Quickly, he unlocked the gate holding the man inside.
Alan had tears streaming from his beady eyes as his body twitched and spazzed. "Dear God!" He cried. "My legs! I-I can't! Broken!" He howled.
The officer knelt down, appearing to be confused. By the looks of things, the man was just fine. The cop stood up. He was going to have to report this right away. Two days in the guy had already cracked.
XXXXXX
This didn't feel right.
The sides of the map where Jean's slender hands held were crumpled. She tossed the map aside as she started up the car in order to turn on the air conditioner. Breathing rather heavily, the redhead threw the sunglasses aside. The tears rolling down her face caused her make-up to run, but, at the moment, she didn't care.
This wasn't right. None of it was right. Why was she feeling like this? Her stomach was tying itself into tight knots, hot knots. She had to get herself back to the house. If she was lucky, it would still be empty. John was out golfing at the country club and Elaine probably was still having tea with Emily.
Jean swallowed the lump in her throat. After regaining her breath, she shifted the car into drive, made a quick and easy u-turn and took off.
XXXXXX
Thankfully, she was right about her parents. By the time she returned, the house was still empty, but for how long? Elaine would probably notice the Mercedes sitting on the driveway and come running home. Her mother was just dying to spend more time with her. Truth was Jean wanted nothing more but to be alone in her old room.
Upon reaching the bathroom, she washed the rest of her make-up off and changed into something more comfortable – a pair of sweatpants and white t-shirt she took from Scott.
It wasn't until Jean had been peacefully resting in bed when the strong sense of regret struck her like a powerful wave. Tears returned to the brim of her eyes. She reached for her mobile phone. Well aware of the fact Scott was currently teaching a class, she dialed his number anyways. He should be able to take a few minutes away from his busy schedule to talk to his wife.
"Jean!" Scott hissed on the other end. "I'm in the middle of a lesson!"
She couldn't take it anymore, she snapped. The telepath began sobbing over the phone, causing Scott to panic. "Shh! Honey, it's alright…" He cooed, a skill he learned to master raising their daughter. "What's going on, hon?"
"Oh, Scott…" She hiccupped. "I… I lied… I came back home to teach that murderer a lesson." She shook her head, gasping. "I-I made him re-live Annie's accident; made him feel all the pain…"
True, he was a bit upset that Jean, of all people, lied to him, but that didn't change the fact that she was in tears, "You said it yourself, he's a horrible man who should pay for what he's done."
"I know, but… when I was in his mind…" She briefly paused. "His father left his mother when he was young… He grew this forbidden relationship with his mother after that… he didn't know how to release his frustration so he tortured little animals… Until-"
"He started to kill little girls." Scott finished for her. "Jean, do not give this man any excuses. He killed your best friend, remember?"
"Of course I remember!" Jean snapped. "But I shouldn't have done that to him…" Her voice was beginning to break. "It wasn't my right to decide his punishment… Scott, I want to come back…"
He sighed, sensing the strong amount of hurt in her tone as she spoke. "I'll change your flight to tomorrow evening." He stated. "I'll tell Storm Rachel and I want to pick you up personally." Scott added, hoping it would, in anyway, cheer her up.
Jean sighed, "I love you, Silm…" She mumbled, choking back another sob.
"Cheer up, alright? That guy deserves all the punishment he gets." He stated. "Don't beat yourself up."
"Scott… Thanks."
XXXXXX
It was rather difficult to explain to her parents why she had decided to head back to the X-Mansion early, especially since she had been in Annandale barely two short days. The good doctor fell back on the excuse that the medical lab needed her. She wasn't going to admit what she did to Alan; she wasn't going to admit she was the driving force behind Alan's apology to the Richardsons. All she wanted was tog o back to her husband; her daughter.
Currently, that's where Jean was. She was sitting in the front passenger seat in Scott's favorite sports car, the Mazda RX-8. He was steering the car with one hand, the other turned the radio down. Ray was in the back, sitting on the middle seat, buckled down, of course, making herself feel as if she had a bigger part of the conversation. Scott returned his free hand to the steering wheel. The man was slightly upset after learning Rachel knew exactly what Jean was up to. Damnit, this whole situation was so frustrating.
"You told Ray." He murmured, causing their daughter to scoot back into her seat. "But you didn't tell me?"
"Don't drag Rachel into this." Jean snapped. "It was my own choice, not hers. I knew you would never let me go if you knew." Was this really the same man who comforted her last night?
Scott glanced at her as he tried to keep his eyes on the road. "Of course I wouldn't have let you go." He replied. "What you did was against the principles of the X-Men-"
"I know and karma bit in the ass! Is that what you want to hear?"
Rachel wasn't expecting a raging conversation like this. Her parents were arguing and she hated when her parents argued. This whole thing made her feel sick to her stomach as she shook her head, "Stop!" The young redhead shouted. "Just stop it!"
Both adults fell silent after that spat. Scott stared forward as he drove the car; Jean looked out the side window. An uneasy, awkward silence lingered in the air. "Face it." Rachel went on. "You both screwed up." She cast her own gaze out the window. "Dad, you spend way too much time in that stupid office of yours. You hardly spend time with us anymore, which is just as bad as what Mom did in my opinion-"
"ray, your sixteen." Scott began. "You don't understand-"
"She understand perfectly, Scott." Jean remarked, folding her arms over her chest. "If you haven't noticed, she's not a child. She's a mutant teenager-"
"Who clearly knows not to use her powers on human beings for their own personal gain. We aren't the Brotherhood." Scott added.
"Dad."
"Not now, Rachel." Scott snapped.
"Dad, the road!" Ray shouted.
Arguing with Jean had dragged his attention away from the road. Scott quickly turned his head towards the windshield just in time to see the eighteen-wheeler swerve into their lane. Firmly grabbing the wheel, Scott quickly pulled over onto the dirt shoulder. They had been in the massive truck's blind spot. If Ray hadn't been in the car, he would have continued his spat with Jean.
A freighting silence ringed throughout the car. Jean had grabbed the dash; Scott's knuckles had gone white from the grasp on the wheel. His foot held the break leveled to the floor. Rachel's shift shoulders relaxed as she sighed in relief. Both parents turned around in their seats to scan over their child, "You okay?" They chimed.
Besides the fact that she was shaking like a mad woman, she was alright. Rachel nodded her response, "Yeah… I'm fine." The shaking caused the girl to stutter.
Scott shifted the car into park before removing his foot from the brake. Running his hands through his short graying brown hair, he exhaled. They'd let anyone drive these days. He reached over and squeezed Jean's hand, "We're fine."
She nodded, "Let's just get back to the mansion in one piece." Jean spoke barely over a mumble, realizing their little spat was, indeed, very idiotic. How could she have been so stupid? She lied to her husband.
"I'm sorry…" She continued. "For lying to you and using my powers on that man…"
"I'm sorry too, hon." Scott replied, returning the car in drive. "Work has taken so much time from my schedule."
Rachel sat up slightly as her father steered the car carefully back onto the road, "Then lets do something. Together as a family."
Jean gazed back, "It's late – TV marathon. 'Sex in the City,' perhaps?" She offered.
Rachel shook her head, "We've watched that too many times with Aunt Ro. We picked up a copy of 'Alias' the other day. It's still unwatched."
These two were simply amazing. Scott couldn't help but smirk. Just moments ago they were all nearly trampled by a truck and now they were acting as if nothing happened. He, on the other hand, was keeping a closer watch on the road; nothing was going to distract him again. "Then 'Alias' it is, huh?"
The End