Disclaimer: I don't own the X-Men or Portishead's song "Sour Times," so don't get litigious.

That was when Jinx woke up, covered in sweat and panicking. She couldn't believe that all of that had been a dream…

Dr. Grey walked in. "Thank goodness, you're all right! Your heart rate kept speeding up while you were sleeping. We thought we were going to lose you. Did you have a nightmare or something?"

Jinx couldn't stop hyperventilating. "It was worse than a nightmare."

"What's worse that a nightmare?" Gaia asked. Jinx was surprised that Gaia was there. As if answering her silent question, Gaia added, "Dr. Grey says I have a… what was it again?"

Jean frowned. "Weren't you listening?"

Gaia grinned. "Nope!"

Jinx laughed. "Oh, Gaia. The way you are…" She tried to get out of bed. "Hey! My ribs are in place! Uh-oh… I need to go to the bathroom, Gaia."

"I think they have a bathroom down the hall and to the left, past the funky looking door the good doctor wouldn't let me near," Gaia responded cheerfully.

Jinx rolled her eyes. "I meant that I need you to take me there. You know I can't remember your directions, unless you write them down…"

"You really shouldn't go any-" Jean began to tell Gaia just as Gaia said:

"Of course I'll take you! Maybe I can check out that door on the way back!"

Jean looked at Jinx, as if expecting her to be the voice of reason. Naturally, Jinx told her friend: "Okay then. Gaia, you stay. I'll try to find the bathroom myself. Gaia, try not to be your random self." With that, she walked away.

Jean Grey and Gaia silently watched as Jinx left the room. A few minutes later, Jean tried to start a conversation. "So, how do you feel?"

"Usually I use my hands. What about you, Flipper?"

The doctor was disgustingly patient. "Why are you calling me Flipper?"

"Because it would be insulting to call you Shamu. Hey, do you like fish? I don't like fish. Nothing personal."

Jean couldn't see how performing cetaceans could have anything to do with any part of this situation, and she certainly couldn't see how any of this could mean "nothing personal." So she concentrated on the monitors and said, "I like fish as much as anyone." There, simple answer, now could she and Gaia perhaps have a conversation without random veiled insults or relentless sarcasm?

Gaia, of course, saw right through the conversational tactic. "But how much does anyone like fish?"

Jean groaned. She tried to use her telepathic abilities to see what Gaia was thinking, but between the confusing conversation and the loud rendition of "BEER" Gaia was playing in her mind, she was beginning to develop a migraine. "Are you capable of holding a normal conversation?" she asked, annoyance finally creeping into her voice.

"Probably." Gaia grinned. "But don't worry, Flipper, a conversation with you will never be normal."

Jean began looking in the nearest set of drawers for a bottle of aspirin. "So, Charlotte-"

"GAIA!"

"I just thought you might prefer your actual-"

"Does a snowball prefer to vacation in Hell?"

"All right, all right." Jean began unhooking the monitor. "It should be okay for you to walk around now. Go catch up with your friend." Please, she added mentally, glad that Gaia wasn't a telepath. "And don't mess with that door!" she yelled after Gaia.

"I sure will!" the girl's voice came back. Gaia actually wasn't sure she was interested in the door; she was mostly saying it because she wanted to piss Jean off. What was it that she disliked so much about Jean, anyway? The way that guy had looked at her, like she was the coolest girl on earth? The way she'd stayed relatively calm with everything Gaia had thrown at her? The fact that it was she who had stuck needles in Gaia's arms?

Hell… did she even needa reason to detest Jean?

It took quite a bit longer than Gaia had remembered to get to the bathroom. The worst part of the long walk was that she had time to think. Why did Qrys, that guy from the bus station, leave them in the middle of nowhere? Why didn't she remember the people getting out of the car and attacking her? (Who were those people anyway?) Why would anyone go out of their way to attack her and Jinx? And if the villains who wanted them dead had any sense of decent evil taste, why were they driving a Buick?

Gaia was so engrossed in her wondering that she walked straight into the bathroom door.

Jinx opened the door to find Gaia on the floor, forehead red where she'd smacked into the door. "Gaia! What the heck were you doing?" She helped Gaia back onto her feet. "Did someone slam you into that door? Was it that Dr. Grey?" (Jinx didn't really care for Jean either.) "I knew she would use her telekinetic powers on you, but it's not your fault you're annoying. She should have known."

Gaia smiled at her and didn't say anything.

"What! Is the Professor singing in your head or something? Ugh, never mind, let's go." Jinx grabbed Gaia's hand and rushed back to Dr. Grey.

As soon as the two entered the room, Jean pretended to be very busy with some files, hoping that Gaia would just go away if she ignored her hard enough.

Gaia spoke up. "I walked into a door." Jean realized that she finally had the chance to throw some sarcasm back at Gaia, but since she was reluctant to do so, Gaia was able to swipe the responses from under her nose. "Good for me. My parents must be so proud."

Jinx just stood there glaring at Jean. "What?" the doctor protested. "If I wanted revenge on Gaia, I could do a LOT better than making her walk into a door!" Jean blushed. She hadn't meant to say that! She'd never said anything like that before, especially to a kid!

"Oh, so what would you have done?" Gaia's voice was laced with mock innocence.

Jean was on the verge of losing her patience. "Nothing, of course," she tried to assure the girls (and herself). "I would have done nothing."

Jinx raised an eyebrow at Jean. "Would you really?"

Jean nodded.

Maybe I should give her a test, Jinx thought. She began to stare at the are surrounding Jean, her eyes turning grey and her hair rising as though charged with static electricity.

Jean was wondering what was wrong with Jinx when she tripped over the stool behind her. Oops… I didn't see that there. The top button on her blouse broke, and one of her molars started to ache. The monitor that she had been trying to repair for the last four months exploded, showering the floor with sparks. Her migraine was getting so bad she could barely think. Why are all these things happening to me? It's like I've been jinxed or… wait a minute… Jinx! The glasses Scott had given her broke and slashed her eyelid. That's IT! Jean suddenly used her telekinetic powers to levitate. "Is that all you've got?" she challenged the girls as she got ready to do something…