Disclaimer: Marvel characters belong to Marvel and Nancy belongs to me. Don't
sue.
Warnings: This story contains a romantic relationship between two women. If you don't like it, take your anal retentive butts elsewhere.
Rating: R for language
A/N: I have been out of the loop for forever and I apologize. I hope you like this….and please review when you get a chance. All you need to know so far is that Emma and Jubilee fell in love, Emma refused to go to the gay pride march with Jubilee, and they fought. Hank and Cecelia are married and are having a baby. Storm had a problem with the Emma/Jubes thing but for reasons no one knows quite yet.
Enjoy!
Ruby Slippers
Bitter Aftertastes
Sunday had ended rather quietly, Cecelia thought, smiling contentedly as she watched the leaves flutter softly in the evening breeze. In New York, the pride parades had gone off without a hitch from what she could tell from the news. Scott, Jean and Logan had all gone to walk with Jubilee in the march and listen to her speak at one of the many presentations given over the few days. Cecelia had made Scott record the entire thing on the digital camera that Hank had given when she had hit her third trimester, since she couldn't travel.
Gravel spattered against the window as a car screeched into the driveway, announcing the arrival of the returning company. Cecelia got up to open the door only to be met with the dark face of Jubilee as sparks flew from her hand on the doorknob.
The young woman flung down her bags in a heap by the door, her eyes bitterly surveying the room before clearing when they landed on the heavily pregnant woman standing to the side. "Hello Cecelia." Jubilee's face lightened as she kissed the woman on the cheek, patting her belly affectionately. "How's Junior Blue?"
Cecelia brushed Jubilee's cheek softly, "Fine dear. How was your weekend?"
The dark blue eyes of the woman clouded. "Perfect. Just perfect." Smiling half-heartedly she rubbed her neck tiredly. "I'm going downstairs to check if any of the samples came in while I was away."
"Do you want to talk?" Worry marred the fresh glow of the woman's face as she peered intently at Jubilee.
"No, thanks." Her shoulder's slumped as if she were very tired. "Maybe I'll work out a little as well." Brilliant blue eyes shimmered wetly for a moment before being forcefully repressed. "I…I.. just can't think right now."
Sighing, Cecelia watched Jubilee walk slowly downstairs. Putting a hand on her stomach, she turned to look back outside, noticing for the first time that Scott's dependable SUV had been replaced by a monstrous Cadillac. "What happened to…" she trailed off as Logan, Scott and Jean walked past her and straight into the living room where they sank into the couches. "Dare I ask what happened?"
"Emma is what happened. Or failed to happen." Logan growled. "God that woman is an ass. She didn't know what a good thing she had in Jubes."
"I think she did, I just don't think she's ready to accept it yet." Jean replied mildly.
"I still think we should grab her…and …and make her cry." Scott laid his head on Jean's lab, while running a hand through her red locks. "I'm so glad that you were never psychotic darling."
"Yes, it was a lucky break wasn't it?" Jean kissed her husband's nose fondly.
"So, what do we do?" Logan asked, coming back from the kitchen carting several beers and one diet soda, each being tossed to their respective owners.
"I think we should let Emma realize what a horrible mistake she made, and rub it in her face when Jubilee marries Liv Tyler. We can have a rainbow wedding." Scott said dreamily. "Which reminds me…" he dug in one of his duffle bags thoughtfully, finally pulling out a wildly colored baby bonnet and handed it to Cecelia. "Isn't that cute? There were all sorts of rainbow colored things there and I saw that and thought, boy, that would look so cute on the baby."
Cecelia took the baby hat, running her fingers over the soft crocheted yarn. "It's beautiful. By the way, what happened to the car?"
Jean sighed. "Well it was Jubilee's turn to drive back, but we all know what happens when she gets angry around any kind of electrical system." As if to prove her point, the lights dimmed and then brightened as a dull explosion came from the bowels of the mansion, somewhere near the labs.
"We're just lucky she just shorted out the system and didn't blow the car up." Wolverine said sardonically, grinning to himself when Scott visibly winced.
"As it was she fried her cell phone and toasted the radio." Scott said mournfully. "I wonder if that's considered and act of god by my insurance."
Another dull boom shook the floor and smoke seeped up from the air vents. Jean walked over to the bay windows and threw them open. "Trust me, the last thing we need right now is Jubilee with the powers of a deity."
"Damn straight." Logan said, tossing his empty can into the trash him. "I pity Emma when Jubilee finally get her hands on her, powers or no powers."
-in-
Jubilee had decided not to work out for two reasons, the first being that she was really tired and the second was that someone had put a restriction on her access code to the Danger Room. It was that or the shower of sparks that came from the number pad as she tried to punch in her code meant she had killed yet another electrical system.
*I blocked your code Jubilee.*
*Good to know.* Jubilee sighed and sank down into on of the comfortable swivel chairs that had been installed since she had started working in the labs with Hank. After all, when you could hang from the ceiling just as easily as not, comfortable chairs really didn't matter. *Professor, I think that I'll go away for a while. Nothing major, I just need some time to breath.*
She could almost see Xavier nod his agreement. *I understand. Just let us know every once in a while where you are.*
Jubilee grinned. *Wolvie's protégé I might be, but I do know how to use the phone. Just…*
A flood of warmth came over her. *I will not tell Emma where you are. Be well Jubilee.*
*Thanks Prof.* Jubilee turned to look in the direction of Xavier's office. *Ya know, one might think you were a mind reader if they weren't careful.*
Amusement flashed for a moment along with an image of Xavier's wearing a turban, sitting in front of a crystal ball. *And it will only cost you twenty dollars.*
Laughing Jubilee swung her chair around a few times. *I'll give you a hundred if you see me in the Bahamas having my every whim catered to.*
*Only if you take me with you.*
Jubilee's attention was drawn away from Charles as Hank bounded into the room looking mildly worried while munching on some Twinkies. "What's up Blue?"
Hank thumped her on the back. "Welcome back my young partner! Did you find your weekend up to your expectations?"
"You could say that."
"Indeed. Well I'm sorry that she didn't show up. It seems as if the samples we were expecting did not arrive."
"Well, no worries right?" Jubilee forced a smile. "I'll just go get them."
"Are you sure, didn't you just get home?"
Jubilee raised an eyebrow, unconsciously mimicking Emma. "No offense, but the last thing I need right now is to be surrounded by people feeling sorry for me while secretly doing the Emma's gone happy dance inside. I don't need it."
Standing decidedly on her feet, she slung her backpack over her shoulder and giving Hank a quick hug, she quietly walked upstairs. Several minutes later the roar of her Harley could be heard as she sped out of the driveway. Chewing the rest of his Twinkie thoughtfully, he glanced towards the ceiling at where the living room was. He was just curious as to how Logan would take her running off.
Logan on the other hand, hadn't been around Jubilee for years and not seen the inner workings of her mind. Her leaving the mansion wasn't unexpected, he just wished that was one bad habit she had not acquired in their long years together.
-in
The desert was beautiful, Jubilee thought as she rewrapped a dark gray wrap around her head. She had flown in the day before and had been greeted by a shimmering dun as the sudden warmth heated her face, making her flush. Flying in a commercial airline was, for the most part, an interesting experience since death hovered over her shoulder watching the sparks tingles at her fingertips.
Wind tugged her long skirt, made out of soft blue cotton, making Jubilee look down ruefully at the piece of clothing. "If Wolvie could see me now he would die."
"Die from happiness or from laughing?"
Jubilee turned to see Monet smiling at her. "What are you doing here?"
"Ev and the twins wanted a vacation and their new passion is dynasties dating back around 3100 BC. I wanted the Caribbean. I got outvoted."
"You got outvoted for pyramids and sand?" Jubilee smirked at the image of Monet and Ev's toddler twins being even vaguely interested in the Egyptian dynasty. "I'm guessing that Ev bribed them?"
Monet's eyes narrowed. "I'm pretty sure it was chocolate but since nobody is willing to squeal I can't do anything."
Jubilee looked at the older girl skeptically. "And I'm wondering who had to take the kids by himself to go exploring these aforementioned tombs of wonder."
An evil glint sparkled in Monet's eye. "Why I do believe it was Ev."
Laughing the two women started walking towards a café that was a little ways off. After a few minutes of silence Monet's constant silent glances Jubilee sighed. "So I guess you heard about Emma?"
Innocence was not an expression that was well suited to Monet's face and after a few seconds of trying, she shrugged. "Like anything is a secret in our little family. What happened?"
"Emma was a pain in the ass and I needed a break." Jubilee replied shortly.
"I never thought you would have started pulling Logan's old tricks."
"I'm not! I just needed time away. It wasn't working."
Monet looked intensely smug. "Let me guess, you were stubborn and she wasn't emotionally involved enough for you."
"Oh shut up."
"Jubilee, give me break. Three years living with both of you was somewhat of a clue." Monet looked puzzled for a moment. "What I don't get is why you're being so insistent with her when you've let Logan get away with murder."
A deep red rose in Jubilee's cheeks. "And once again I'm reminded about why I wanted to get away from everyone."
"I'm not everyone." Monet pointed out realistically. " And I'm probably the only one who is unbiased listener you're going to find."
Jubilee sighed, something that was becoming a habit for her. That and blowing things up. "On this hemisphere or the other apparently."
On the whole, listening to other people was a skill Monet had gained later on in life, coincidently right after she met and got together with her husband. However, three years of schooling with Jubilee and the subsequent visits had engendered something of a closeness between the two girls. No one else had been there to help her when her sisters had been kidnapped and held for ransom, the X-men were too busy trying to prevent a world falling apart to worry about little details. Jubilee did.
Monet hugged the girl gently. "Let's grab some beer and talk."
A twinkle lit Jubilee's eyes, who knew Monet better than any of the other Gen-X members. "What I would rather do is kick the crap out of someone. Feel like working out?"
Monet smiled. "That, I can do."
-in-
Emma was irritated. Nancy, her secretary knew it. The board members knew it. And if the acoustics in the top floors were any indicator, most of the world knew it.
Despite her best efforts to ignore the Pride weekend, little reminders seemed to pop up wherever she went and no matter what she did. The butterfly fluttering by her on her way to work, with it's colors obviously symbolizing the rainbow flag. The rainbow stickers that seemed to be on every bumper on every car she ran across. The fireworks screensaver on Nancy's computer that the woman had obviously put up to remind her of Jubilee's paffs.
Emma peevishly threw a magazine at the wall, which had made the grievous mistake of having an article about Harley Davidsons. "Idiots."
The truth of the nature was that Emma, world-renowned ice queen, was feeling guilty. After everything she had done in her lifetime, many of which were worth this amount of guilt, had done nothing to her emotions like this one act did. Needless to say it irritated her.
A sharp buzz startled her from her reverie. "Yes?"
Nancy's voice came in over the intercom. "There is a woman here to see you. She says it's very important."
"Fine." Emma was fairly sure who was on the other side of the door. "This week really can't get any worse."
The wide doors swung open to reveal Storm, her face far from pleasant. "Emma."
"Monroe. What do I owe this…pleasure?"
Storm sat down in the leather seat in front of Emma's desk, looking for all the world that she was doing nothing more than having a picnic. "I was just curious as to why."
"How is it any of your business?"
Storm smiled sweetly. "Three reasons. One, I like knowing that I'm right. Two, I don't like seeing Jubilee get hurt and three, after everything you've put her through she deserves something. An explanation is the least of it."
"Apparently." Emma's hand trembled slightly as she doodled on her notepad, unconsciously writing Jubilee's name over and over again on the white sheets. "If you were so right, why don't you tell me why I abandoned Jubilee last weekend?"
"Well the others think it's because you're a cold, heartless bitch."
"Please don't spare me." Emma remarked sarcastically, crumpling up the paper into a tight wad and tossing it in the trash.
"I won't." Storm replied matter-of-factly. "I on the other hand have another idea."
-in-
That's it for now…more will come as I am inspired. And as always…if you've read this far, please do me a favor and let me know what you thought.
Warnings: This story contains a romantic relationship between two women. If you don't like it, take your anal retentive butts elsewhere.
Rating: R for language
A/N: I have been out of the loop for forever and I apologize. I hope you like this….and please review when you get a chance. All you need to know so far is that Emma and Jubilee fell in love, Emma refused to go to the gay pride march with Jubilee, and they fought. Hank and Cecelia are married and are having a baby. Storm had a problem with the Emma/Jubes thing but for reasons no one knows quite yet.
Enjoy!
Ruby Slippers
Bitter Aftertastes
Sunday had ended rather quietly, Cecelia thought, smiling contentedly as she watched the leaves flutter softly in the evening breeze. In New York, the pride parades had gone off without a hitch from what she could tell from the news. Scott, Jean and Logan had all gone to walk with Jubilee in the march and listen to her speak at one of the many presentations given over the few days. Cecelia had made Scott record the entire thing on the digital camera that Hank had given when she had hit her third trimester, since she couldn't travel.
Gravel spattered against the window as a car screeched into the driveway, announcing the arrival of the returning company. Cecelia got up to open the door only to be met with the dark face of Jubilee as sparks flew from her hand on the doorknob.
The young woman flung down her bags in a heap by the door, her eyes bitterly surveying the room before clearing when they landed on the heavily pregnant woman standing to the side. "Hello Cecelia." Jubilee's face lightened as she kissed the woman on the cheek, patting her belly affectionately. "How's Junior Blue?"
Cecelia brushed Jubilee's cheek softly, "Fine dear. How was your weekend?"
The dark blue eyes of the woman clouded. "Perfect. Just perfect." Smiling half-heartedly she rubbed her neck tiredly. "I'm going downstairs to check if any of the samples came in while I was away."
"Do you want to talk?" Worry marred the fresh glow of the woman's face as she peered intently at Jubilee.
"No, thanks." Her shoulder's slumped as if she were very tired. "Maybe I'll work out a little as well." Brilliant blue eyes shimmered wetly for a moment before being forcefully repressed. "I…I.. just can't think right now."
Sighing, Cecelia watched Jubilee walk slowly downstairs. Putting a hand on her stomach, she turned to look back outside, noticing for the first time that Scott's dependable SUV had been replaced by a monstrous Cadillac. "What happened to…" she trailed off as Logan, Scott and Jean walked past her and straight into the living room where they sank into the couches. "Dare I ask what happened?"
"Emma is what happened. Or failed to happen." Logan growled. "God that woman is an ass. She didn't know what a good thing she had in Jubes."
"I think she did, I just don't think she's ready to accept it yet." Jean replied mildly.
"I still think we should grab her…and …and make her cry." Scott laid his head on Jean's lab, while running a hand through her red locks. "I'm so glad that you were never psychotic darling."
"Yes, it was a lucky break wasn't it?" Jean kissed her husband's nose fondly.
"So, what do we do?" Logan asked, coming back from the kitchen carting several beers and one diet soda, each being tossed to their respective owners.
"I think we should let Emma realize what a horrible mistake she made, and rub it in her face when Jubilee marries Liv Tyler. We can have a rainbow wedding." Scott said dreamily. "Which reminds me…" he dug in one of his duffle bags thoughtfully, finally pulling out a wildly colored baby bonnet and handed it to Cecelia. "Isn't that cute? There were all sorts of rainbow colored things there and I saw that and thought, boy, that would look so cute on the baby."
Cecelia took the baby hat, running her fingers over the soft crocheted yarn. "It's beautiful. By the way, what happened to the car?"
Jean sighed. "Well it was Jubilee's turn to drive back, but we all know what happens when she gets angry around any kind of electrical system." As if to prove her point, the lights dimmed and then brightened as a dull explosion came from the bowels of the mansion, somewhere near the labs.
"We're just lucky she just shorted out the system and didn't blow the car up." Wolverine said sardonically, grinning to himself when Scott visibly winced.
"As it was she fried her cell phone and toasted the radio." Scott said mournfully. "I wonder if that's considered and act of god by my insurance."
Another dull boom shook the floor and smoke seeped up from the air vents. Jean walked over to the bay windows and threw them open. "Trust me, the last thing we need right now is Jubilee with the powers of a deity."
"Damn straight." Logan said, tossing his empty can into the trash him. "I pity Emma when Jubilee finally get her hands on her, powers or no powers."
-in-
Jubilee had decided not to work out for two reasons, the first being that she was really tired and the second was that someone had put a restriction on her access code to the Danger Room. It was that or the shower of sparks that came from the number pad as she tried to punch in her code meant she had killed yet another electrical system.
*I blocked your code Jubilee.*
*Good to know.* Jubilee sighed and sank down into on of the comfortable swivel chairs that had been installed since she had started working in the labs with Hank. After all, when you could hang from the ceiling just as easily as not, comfortable chairs really didn't matter. *Professor, I think that I'll go away for a while. Nothing major, I just need some time to breath.*
She could almost see Xavier nod his agreement. *I understand. Just let us know every once in a while where you are.*
Jubilee grinned. *Wolvie's protégé I might be, but I do know how to use the phone. Just…*
A flood of warmth came over her. *I will not tell Emma where you are. Be well Jubilee.*
*Thanks Prof.* Jubilee turned to look in the direction of Xavier's office. *Ya know, one might think you were a mind reader if they weren't careful.*
Amusement flashed for a moment along with an image of Xavier's wearing a turban, sitting in front of a crystal ball. *And it will only cost you twenty dollars.*
Laughing Jubilee swung her chair around a few times. *I'll give you a hundred if you see me in the Bahamas having my every whim catered to.*
*Only if you take me with you.*
Jubilee's attention was drawn away from Charles as Hank bounded into the room looking mildly worried while munching on some Twinkies. "What's up Blue?"
Hank thumped her on the back. "Welcome back my young partner! Did you find your weekend up to your expectations?"
"You could say that."
"Indeed. Well I'm sorry that she didn't show up. It seems as if the samples we were expecting did not arrive."
"Well, no worries right?" Jubilee forced a smile. "I'll just go get them."
"Are you sure, didn't you just get home?"
Jubilee raised an eyebrow, unconsciously mimicking Emma. "No offense, but the last thing I need right now is to be surrounded by people feeling sorry for me while secretly doing the Emma's gone happy dance inside. I don't need it."
Standing decidedly on her feet, she slung her backpack over her shoulder and giving Hank a quick hug, she quietly walked upstairs. Several minutes later the roar of her Harley could be heard as she sped out of the driveway. Chewing the rest of his Twinkie thoughtfully, he glanced towards the ceiling at where the living room was. He was just curious as to how Logan would take her running off.
Logan on the other hand, hadn't been around Jubilee for years and not seen the inner workings of her mind. Her leaving the mansion wasn't unexpected, he just wished that was one bad habit she had not acquired in their long years together.
-in
The desert was beautiful, Jubilee thought as she rewrapped a dark gray wrap around her head. She had flown in the day before and had been greeted by a shimmering dun as the sudden warmth heated her face, making her flush. Flying in a commercial airline was, for the most part, an interesting experience since death hovered over her shoulder watching the sparks tingles at her fingertips.
Wind tugged her long skirt, made out of soft blue cotton, making Jubilee look down ruefully at the piece of clothing. "If Wolvie could see me now he would die."
"Die from happiness or from laughing?"
Jubilee turned to see Monet smiling at her. "What are you doing here?"
"Ev and the twins wanted a vacation and their new passion is dynasties dating back around 3100 BC. I wanted the Caribbean. I got outvoted."
"You got outvoted for pyramids and sand?" Jubilee smirked at the image of Monet and Ev's toddler twins being even vaguely interested in the Egyptian dynasty. "I'm guessing that Ev bribed them?"
Monet's eyes narrowed. "I'm pretty sure it was chocolate but since nobody is willing to squeal I can't do anything."
Jubilee looked at the older girl skeptically. "And I'm wondering who had to take the kids by himself to go exploring these aforementioned tombs of wonder."
An evil glint sparkled in Monet's eye. "Why I do believe it was Ev."
Laughing the two women started walking towards a café that was a little ways off. After a few minutes of silence Monet's constant silent glances Jubilee sighed. "So I guess you heard about Emma?"
Innocence was not an expression that was well suited to Monet's face and after a few seconds of trying, she shrugged. "Like anything is a secret in our little family. What happened?"
"Emma was a pain in the ass and I needed a break." Jubilee replied shortly.
"I never thought you would have started pulling Logan's old tricks."
"I'm not! I just needed time away. It wasn't working."
Monet looked intensely smug. "Let me guess, you were stubborn and she wasn't emotionally involved enough for you."
"Oh shut up."
"Jubilee, give me break. Three years living with both of you was somewhat of a clue." Monet looked puzzled for a moment. "What I don't get is why you're being so insistent with her when you've let Logan get away with murder."
A deep red rose in Jubilee's cheeks. "And once again I'm reminded about why I wanted to get away from everyone."
"I'm not everyone." Monet pointed out realistically. " And I'm probably the only one who is unbiased listener you're going to find."
Jubilee sighed, something that was becoming a habit for her. That and blowing things up. "On this hemisphere or the other apparently."
On the whole, listening to other people was a skill Monet had gained later on in life, coincidently right after she met and got together with her husband. However, three years of schooling with Jubilee and the subsequent visits had engendered something of a closeness between the two girls. No one else had been there to help her when her sisters had been kidnapped and held for ransom, the X-men were too busy trying to prevent a world falling apart to worry about little details. Jubilee did.
Monet hugged the girl gently. "Let's grab some beer and talk."
A twinkle lit Jubilee's eyes, who knew Monet better than any of the other Gen-X members. "What I would rather do is kick the crap out of someone. Feel like working out?"
Monet smiled. "That, I can do."
-in-
Emma was irritated. Nancy, her secretary knew it. The board members knew it. And if the acoustics in the top floors were any indicator, most of the world knew it.
Despite her best efforts to ignore the Pride weekend, little reminders seemed to pop up wherever she went and no matter what she did. The butterfly fluttering by her on her way to work, with it's colors obviously symbolizing the rainbow flag. The rainbow stickers that seemed to be on every bumper on every car she ran across. The fireworks screensaver on Nancy's computer that the woman had obviously put up to remind her of Jubilee's paffs.
Emma peevishly threw a magazine at the wall, which had made the grievous mistake of having an article about Harley Davidsons. "Idiots."
The truth of the nature was that Emma, world-renowned ice queen, was feeling guilty. After everything she had done in her lifetime, many of which were worth this amount of guilt, had done nothing to her emotions like this one act did. Needless to say it irritated her.
A sharp buzz startled her from her reverie. "Yes?"
Nancy's voice came in over the intercom. "There is a woman here to see you. She says it's very important."
"Fine." Emma was fairly sure who was on the other side of the door. "This week really can't get any worse."
The wide doors swung open to reveal Storm, her face far from pleasant. "Emma."
"Monroe. What do I owe this…pleasure?"
Storm sat down in the leather seat in front of Emma's desk, looking for all the world that she was doing nothing more than having a picnic. "I was just curious as to why."
"How is it any of your business?"
Storm smiled sweetly. "Three reasons. One, I like knowing that I'm right. Two, I don't like seeing Jubilee get hurt and three, after everything you've put her through she deserves something. An explanation is the least of it."
"Apparently." Emma's hand trembled slightly as she doodled on her notepad, unconsciously writing Jubilee's name over and over again on the white sheets. "If you were so right, why don't you tell me why I abandoned Jubilee last weekend?"
"Well the others think it's because you're a cold, heartless bitch."
"Please don't spare me." Emma remarked sarcastically, crumpling up the paper into a tight wad and tossing it in the trash.
"I won't." Storm replied matter-of-factly. "I on the other hand have another idea."
-in-
That's it for now…more will come as I am inspired. And as always…if you've read this far, please do me a favor and let me know what you thought.