A/N: Next chapter is up so read and review. All reviews are welcome. Peace.

Disclaimer: I own only my character and nothing else.

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Jean Grey awoke the next day to a harsh pain burning in her skull. The headache signaled the begging of a full-blown hangover, which to Jean was the equivalent of hell on earth. The rays of sun filtering in through the seven layers of dirt and grime on the windowpane illuminated her surroundings. Cabinets occupied one corner and an armchair another. The faded maroon couch was situated in the middle of the small room with two cardboard boxes to be used as coffee tables. Jean kept the few clothes she had in those boxes. There were two doors. One lead to a tiny bathroom and the other to Scott's equally small room.

She vaguely wondered were Scott was. Probably in his room doing God knows what. He only came out for work and to manage the affairs of his comrades. Other than that he ate in his room, drank in his room, and stayed in his room. His room. Not Jean's. Jean had the couch and the two boxes. She was just about to roll over and sleep off the aftermath of last night's binge when none other Scott Summers himself appeared. He stood over her like a grim.

She waited a moment before turning over so that her back was facing him. He responded by clearing his throat. She ignored him. Maybe he'd take the hint and leave. He began to tap his foot very loudly on the wooden floor, trying to get her attention. She continued to ignore him.

"Jean!" he said loudly.

Jean sat up defiantly and glared at her ex. "What the hell do you want, Scott?" she asked, obviously annoyed by his persistence. He tossed a plastic bag at her. She telekinetically caught it and then immediately snatched it out of the air. She examined the white residue in the bag before turning her green eyes to Scott's hidden ones. "So," she said calmly.

"Jean, how much of this did you do last night?"

She threw the bag to the floor. "None at all," she answered coolly.

"Then why were you so stoned yesterday and so hung over today?"

"So I had a few drinks…You can't judge me. You drink day and night - you're never sober."

He ignored the comment. "Admit it, Jean. You went on another crack binge. Do you know how danger -"

"Don't start that shit again, Scott. I have my life and you have yours."

"Jean, I understand why you're doing th -"

"You don't understand shit!" She immediately calmed down. "I'm going out." She got up, grabbed her jacket, and headed for the door.

"Why won't I understand? Tell me, Jean?"

She gave him a long, hard look and sighed before she slammed the door and left Scott standing in the middle of the apartment.

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Lance smiled triumphantly as he dumped the contents of the last bag onto the table. Ones, fives, tens, and twenty-dollar bills spilled onto the rickety tabletop. Tabitha, Kate, and Pietro grinned like idiots as they fantasized about what they would do with their ill-gotten gain. Lance began to count and distribute the money.

"What about Todd and your girl Kitty?" Pietro asked quickly as he counted the money handed to him. "They don't count do they? I mean I've got things to buy that I can't steal, man. It's not cheap being a mutant."

"I'm gonna make some deductions to their paychecks," he said simply.

Kate began to frown as she counted her money. Her gold-flecked sapphire eyes glared angrily at Lance. "I think you might need to recount, Alvers," she said a little too calmly.

"What do mean?" he asked innocently.

"We stole exactly one-thousand and twenty dollars from that store. The six of us should have gotten one-seventy even. Why do I only have seventy dollars then?"

He leaned forward, ready for a fight. "You didn't help Todd," he stated plainly.

"You didn't help Kitty," she responded, equally plainly.

"There was nothing I could do about Kitty but you could have helped Todd, you know."

"Since when do you give a damn about anyone's ass but your own?"

"Who said I did? Now take it or leave it, Werner."

Kate was only mildly shocked by this comment but even that didn't stiffle the fury of being ripped off. She snatched up her money and headed for the door.

"You're a cold-hearted bastard, Lance," she spat vehemently. "A motherfucking, cold-hearted bastard." She slammed the door loudly as she exited.

"Damn you too," he called as she slammed the door.

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"There's gonna be a protest tomorrow at Central Park," Alison announced as she inspected the very large, very dark bruise on Bobby's left eye. "They're gonna be protesting for mutant rights. I hear it's gonna be big."

"And?" Rogue asked while she attempted to patch a hole in the mattress using the famed and multitalented ductape.

"And we should all go down there and support our people."

"Is it mutants only?"

"Some French people from Quebec will be there too."

"I'll come but ah don't think anyone else will," Rouge replied. "Tabitha and Kate are missin' an' Scott's been pretty pissy lately."

"Tabby and Kate are probably gonna be there anyway and Scott will probably come around. Everyone else will come just to defy of the government and pick pockets."

Bobby winced in pain as alcohol was applied to the cut on his arm. "I'm not coming," he said bluntly. "I'm hurt enough already."

"Suit yourself then. You'll just miss the action."

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Amara Aquilla walked down the dimly lit hallway and into the visiting room. Kitty Pryde sat in one of the chairs looking frightened and very pale. Amara sat down next to her. "Dammit, Kitty," she whispered. "What did you do?"

"Long story. I'll, like, explain later. How much longer am I going to be in here?"

"I don't know."

There was a silence.

"Amanda is pregnant," Amara said suddenly.

A look of surprise flashed across Kitty's face. "That's wonderful. When did she find out?"

"This morning."

"Kurt's, like, the father?"

"I'm pretty sure he is. Amanda isn't one to sleep around."

Kitty sighed. "My parents would die if they saw me now."

"What exactly did you do?"

"Okay, it's like this," Kitty said and proceeded to tell about the robbery. "Don't tell Scott that I'm in jail. He'll, like, flip."

"I won't. I gotta go now."

"Bye."

"See ya."