Special thanks to some very important insight from prurientmind. And thanks to all of my reviewers.
…
"Morning," Nanny yawned.
"Morning sleepy head," Rogue replied, suppressing a wide grin. Nanny pulled some of the leftover take-out out of the fridge and shoved it into the microwave.
"What are you smiling like that for?"
"You were up late …" Rogue tried not to giggle as she glared down into the cereal she was stirring.
"Umm, ya. I've stayed up late several times before, Rogue …"
"You and Logan were alone in the Danger Room last night and everyone is speculating on what you were really doing."
Nanny blushed and set the take-out to cool off. "First," Nanny said, "it's no one else's business. Second, we were training. My bruises and scratches can vouch for that. And, how would anyone know any how?"
"Kitty and Jubilee were caught trying to sneak into the Danger Room."
"Were they caught in the hall or in the control room?"
"Scott caught them just as they opened the door to the control room."
Nanny shook her head in relief. "They didn't even have time to see what was going on, so how could they even tell who was in there?"
"It states who's in the Danger Room outside by the key pad. And you don't need to get defensive Nanny," Rogue laughed. "Sides, everyone knows that no matter what you were doing, the two of you were thinking about it."
"Rogue!" Nanny spat. Rogue put up her cereal bowl, still grinning, and left quickly. Nanny hung over her take-out at the kitchen island, thinking about what she had just heard. Out of embarrassment and hope that she might avoid similar comments, she quickly seized her breakfast and slipped back up to her room.
Nanny leaned against her head board, curled up under the covers wearing her blue fuzzy socks, cloud and moon PJ pants, and an old high school hoodie. Through her shut, ice crystallized window she could hear a gym whistle blow and then a gruff voice shout, "Push ups. As many as you can rep out in the next thirty seconds. The goal for the ladies is thirty-five, and forty-five for the men."
Nanny grinned and soaked in the sound of that gruff voice.
…
After taking a shower, dressing, and braiding her hair back, Nanny went to the small chapel to pray. She was alone today, since Kurt was with Storm.
She shut the door quietly behind her and sat down next to a window and a beautifully carved, wooden statue of Saint Therese.
…
-Ding-
"After a few more classes with Logan, Josiah, you'll get the hang of things." Scott and Josiah came out of the elevator, up from their training session. Josiah panted heavily, dotting himself with the towel.
"I can't believe you all do this daily."
Scott chuckled. "You don't get out much, do you?"
"Hardly at all. Every now and then I'd take a vacation to France, or England- bi-locating that is. Much cheaper ya know. Never stayed long. I've never had too many friends. In fact, it's often been too painful to have friends. I was able to see each of them die before it happened. I tried each time to save them from it, but I failed. But that's been the strange thing about you all. So far I have only seen the present. Perhaps a few pasts, but I certainly don't recognize them as any of your pasts- unless …" he took a good hard look at Scott. "You weren't once a thief in New Orleans or anything, were you?"
"No …" Scott looked at him curiously.
"Well, you're both wearing glasses, and about the same build, so I thought- anyways, like I've said, I've only seen the present. I'd like it to stay that way too."
Scott and Josiah walked down the hall past the game room, where Peter and Bobby were playing foosball.
"Hey, we should grab the Danger Room before someone else does."
"pff, ya, everyone's been flocking to it today."
"We can't sneak in after Kitty and Jubilee were caught last night."
"Logan's busy with his gym class. Maybe Jean would watch us?"
…
The day rolled on as most other days in the year do. The kids played, did push ups, finished homework, or begged one of the X-Men to chaperon them in the Danger Room.
Nanny got suckered into chaperoning for Rogue and Jubilee. She looked through her magazine in the control room, turning herself around in the comfy computer chair, circling what decorations she'd tried to find at Party America. She spent the rest of her day browsing different decoration stores, picking and choosing, chagrining it all on the school credit card, and coming home with the Viper loaded down.
…
"You can't lock mutants up as if they're all criminals," Dr. Grey stated calmly, but forcefully.
"But they have the ability to reek havoc on the country."
"So do the terrorists of other countries and the mass murderers who are human."
"And we lock them up when we find them."
"Senator, you can't lock up the mutants because they might become criminals."
"Why not Dr. Grey?"
"They have rights like the rest of us. If you're going to spend your time putting people away because of what they might do, you should go ahead and round up all of the Muslims in this country because they might be terrorists. Or how about the Italians because they could be apart of the Mafia. Or all males in general because 90 of all crimes are committed by males. And mothers too, because they might kill their own children."
"Yes, but mutants have powers that we cannot control. If we cannot police just the bad ones, the only decision we have left is to create a mutant state regulated by the government."
"Excuse me gentlemen," the Professor calmly interjected, "but there are ways to police them. Mutants themselves have found ways to render another mutant powerless. These devices, however, are dangerous enough in the hands of mutants. If we put these devices in the hands of all policemen, what's going to stop them from arresting any mutant simply because of the way they look, or talk- out of prejudices? For years, to this day even, African-Americans have been arrested simply due to prejudices. Gentlemen, we cannot let this degrade to the point where the mutants will lead their own civil rights movement- a movement that I doubt would proceed as peacefully."
"This is a matter that will take considerable amounts of debate, cooperation, and thinking. And I would like to thank you all for coming today, especially Dr. Grey. There aren't many of us who would feel comfortable researching a subject where you have to come in such close contact with them," the President stated.
The senators and the President stood up and shook hands with each other, and then with Jean and the Professor.
…
"What's all of this?" Jubilee asked, tossing some Pop Rocks in her mouth.
"It's Halloween decorations."
"We're going to decorate for Halloween this year!" She exclaimed.
"And we're going to go trick-or-treating."
"Yes!" Jubilee hollered and jumped around.
"Shhh. It's late, you'll wake everyone up."
"Can I help you decorate?"
"Well I'm not going to start tonight. I'm getting tired and it would very difficult to set up the yard in the dark."
"We're decorating the yard too!" Her eyes widened with delight. "Shucks, its too bad we like never get any trick-or-treaters."
"Maybe this year we will."
"So, what are we going to do for costumes?"
"Everyone who's 13 or older is supposed to write down what they want to be and turn it into their first hour class. Then Storm will then turn those into me by the end of the day. Hopefully I can find most of those costumes at Party America or some place like that. Then, if I can't find some of the costumes- and they're simple enough- I'll sew them."
Jubilee yawned. "Geez. You're going to be busy."
Nanny glanced over the several bags on her art room floor, shut and locked the door, and sighed. "Ya, I am going to be busy."
Jubilee went to bed and Nanny finished locking up and turning off the lights. Nightmare and Tommy had fallen asleep in the front of the TV, watching Aladdin for the third time this weekend. Nanny softly shook Tommy until he woke.She picked up Nightmare and the three went lethargically up the stairs to their rooms.
" Sunday …
Halloween and Jean's wedding are fast approaching, diary. We're going to
take the kids trick-or-treating this year. And I'm going to decorate the
mansion tomorrow. There's so much to do and so much on my mind. But at
least Jean is feeling better.
sigh I've really missed Teresa lately. I'd call her, if I knew where she was
these days. Last I heard she was in some Middle Eastern country helping to build houses and wells. sigh That's the kind of thing I was hoping to get to
do after college. Though I regret dropping out of college, I don't think I would
have found my powers or the mansion if it hadn't been for that. I mean,
going over to the Middle East is still something I'd love to do, but I have a
new reason to keep me here: Logan. And that's why I miss Teresa so much.
Jean and Storm are great people, but we don't share the same beliefs and none
of us grew up in similar situations. I just don't feel as close to them. If Teresa
were here, everything would be … better.
The Danger Room is up and running again and yesterday Scott and I went through the basics. Later on I went down to train some more- (the stuff
Scott and I went over were simple simulations to get me used to the set up
and what not). Anyways, Logan ending up training with me and … we finally
kissed! He won, and I was tired, and out of no where came this passionate, aggressive, but not hurtful, kiss. Oh, and I haven't been able to stop thinking
about last night. And I haven't even talked to him at all today. We were both
busy for most of the day, and then Scott and he went to a muscle car show.
They're not back yet. They probably stopped at a bar for something to eat and
a few drinks. I wish Teresa were here so that we could stay up all night again,
like a couple of gossiping teenagers and talk about last night!
Well it's really late. I'm going to bed.
Nanny"