Author's Note: I think I had this idea since I was sixteen (that's 1996...don't count the years!) in a Waldenbooks at a mall. Been trying to write it in various ways with no success and forgot it. The Bobby/Lorna/Alex triangle always fascinated me. I'm guessing Hank and Janet's wedding would jibed with the timing of this. Also, am beginning to suspect my fanfic is just an elaborate ploy to teach those in love to make pancakes happen for their s.o. Because it works and it's delicious.
Pixie, Perv, Protector
By Mice
Part 3: Perv
-Hyperion Hotel, NYC - Past -
"I can't believe they gave you a room to yourself."
"Technically, I'm supposed to be sharing with someone. I might have distracted key people into forgetting that." Jean smiled at Scott and sat on the bed. "Please don't turn me in?"
Scott was a man who knew better than to alert any of the adults that he was alone with the most beautiful woman who had ever let him touch her. "Secret's safe." He sat next to her on the bed. They had been dating for some time but now with the excuse of Avengers Dr. Hank Pym and Janet Van Dyne getting married, they didn't have to hide. No more making excuses to take the car out and awkwardly fumbling around in the back seat.
There was a bed.
And privacy.
Best of all, there was time to figure out how they were going to do...it...exactly.
Scott went to kiss Jean on her jawline when thunderous pounding began at the door.
Jean sighed, slightly relieved. "I'm sorry, Scott." She walked to the door to find a red faced Bobby Drake at the other end. "Bobby?"
"Jean, can we talk?" Bobby entered without waiting for an answer. He stopped when he saw Scott. "Alone?"
Jean motioned to Scott, who slowly got off the bed. "I'll call you when we're done, okay?"
Scott looked at Bobby before he left, wanting to beg him to let him have a few moments alone with his girl.
It hurt being the good guy at times, Scott thought as he closed the door.
"Bobby, what's going on?"
Bobby sat on the bed where Jean soon joined him. "You have to promise you won't tell Scott."
"I won't tell Scott."
"Lorna and I had sex."
Jean was surprised. She knew of Bobby's feeling for their new teammate, but she also saw the way Lorna and Alex looked at each other. And she also talked to Lorna who had made it clear that she wasn't interested in Bobby. "Tonight?"
Bobby shook his head. "A few nights ago."
She put an arm around him. "Was it your first time?"
Bobby nodded quickly. "I haven't told anyone. Not even Hank. Only you."
"Why not?"
"I didn't..." Bobby's voice began to choke up. "I didn't know what was going on. One minute, I'm trying to draw blood out of a stone, the next, all she wants is for me to touch her..."
Jean bit back on her thought that it didn't sound like Lorna to do that. Everyone had been trying to tactfully tell Bobby that his conquest of Lorna was ill-fated. Jean was becoming upset at the idea of Lorna even luring Bobby down this road. "Bobby, if this happened a few nights ago, why are you here now?"
Bobby grabbed her hand. "You can't tell Scott!"
"I already said I wouldn't."
Bobby gripped her hand tight until his knuckles where white. "Lorna told Alex that...she said I raped her, Jean."
The hand on her wrist felt like stone - heavy and cold.
"I didn't! I mean, I don't think I did...she came to my room, Jean. She asked for me."
Jean sensed the hesitation in his voice, as if he was doubting himself. "Bobby...this is a very serious charge..."
"I could go to jail."
"You're not going to jail, Bobby!" Jean exclaimed, not quite believing what she was saying. "Everything is going to be fine."
Bobby shook his head. "Lorna says I raped her...oh, God, we're never going to be together, are we?"
Jean looked into the eyes of the youngest X-Men, the one she spent Halloween with drinking grenadine straight, the goofy clown who would make her snowmen in July, the one she was the most protective of. She had always seen a young boy trying desperately to keep up with all of them. Now, he was in adult trouble that none of them had ever contemplated. "There are so many questions I have, Bobby...how did this happen?"
"I think they had an argument...she knocked on my door and I let her in. We were sitting on the bed - closer than we are - and she tells me that she doesn't want to be alone. And she leaned in real close and kissed me." Bobby's mouth turned small as he continued. "One thing lead to another and we were...she left her underwear and told me to keep it as a reminder. They're going to find them and use it as evidence, aren't they?"
"'They'?"
"The Professor. The police. My parents. Reed Richards...the world..." Bobby held himself. "She didn't say no, Jean. I mean, I didn't hear it...I wouldn't have done it if she had-"
"We should tell Scott."
"NO. You promised!" Bobby looked into her eyes. "Scott can't know."
"If anybody is going to bring the police into this, let alone the Professor - Scott's going to have to know."
Bobby looked away. "You're right. Either way, Scott will hate me."
"Why would Scott hate you?"
Bobby took a deep breath as he brought his head to his hands. "We were almost lynched together when I got recruited for the X-Men. And he told me not to worry even though his face was...Scottlike."
"The face where you know inside, he's losing his shit but is trying to be composed for you?"
"That's the one." Bobby brought his head up slowly. "He told me what he remembered about that plane crash."
Jean steadied herself, only having recently talked to Scott about the incident. "Then what?"
"He told me the most insane part was convincing his younger brother to jump out of the plane by telling him that their parents were going to be fine - despite everything being on fire. I envy that." Bobby brought his legs up to the bed and wrapped his arms around them. "My entire life, I feel like everything has been on fire and there's not enough of me to put it out. When Scott told me that and it was the first time I ever felt calm in my life."
"Then why are you so scared to tell him?"
"Because then? I felt like his little brother. Now, I'm the person his little brother is going to want to kill."
"Nobody's going to kill you, Bobby." Jean kissed his head and felt the temptation that Xavier warned her about. "Let's go."
"Go where?"
To find an adult because I don't want to be it, Jean thought quietly while grabbing her room key. They exited the room quickly and Jean made eye contact with Lorna down the hall. "Bobby, go to your room."
Bobby left quickly, not up for any further communication with Lorna.
"Lorna?"
Lorna walked slowly to Jean. Jean shut out the distraction of what Lorna was saying and focused on what the Professor had shown her regarding her own telepathic prowess. He had warned her about the desire to erase memories. As much as she wanted to do that to Bobby, she knew she wouldn't be up for experimenting for the first time on three different people.
Even more, Jean wanted to know the truth. Jean believed Bobby - that part was never in question. The truth in question was why Lorna would say it.
By the time Lorna had come up to Jean, she had found it and was disappointed.
"Jean?" Lorna stopped, realizing that no one was listening to her.
Jean brought the tips of her fingers to her forehead. "Grow up, Lorna."
Alex soon came through the hall, putting his arm protectively around Lorna. "Jean, where's Scott?"
"I was hoping he was with you...what's going on?" Jean replied, staring at Lorna.
"Nothing," Lorna answered.
"Lorna?" Alex asked, surprised after what he had been told.
"Nothing happened, Alex. Let's just drop it." Lorna began to walk away, unable to return Jean's gaze. Alex soon followed, confused.
Jean re-entered her room and picked up the phone and called Scott's room. "Hi, it's me. Bobby's gone. Everything's all right. Just...maybe we should stay apart tonight. I know this ruins our plans but..." Jean smiled. "How did you guess that I was upset? No, not at you. You may want to talk to Alex, though. Yeah. Yeah, our night was interrupted due to more Bobby/Lorna/Alex drama. I think it will pass, though. Good night."
Jean hung up the phone and got into her robe when she heard the door knock.
"Room service?"
Jean shook her head. "I didn't order anything."
The waiter entered the room with the cart. "The gentleman did...is he not here?"
Jean smiled. "He was here earlier."
"Oh." The waiter frowned.
"Wait...which gentleman?"
"You got more than one, lady?"
"Four, actually."
"The tall, humorless one."
Jean's face was resolute as she opened up the silver tray. "Are these poffertjes? For real?"
"Yeah. Back in the day, the hotel was known for them but since nobody knows what poffertjes are and the chef made an announcement that he was not going to make anything called "tiny pancakes", they've been off the menu for a while. So when one of your prince charming's called the kitchen and asked for it by name, we dusted off the menu."
This was a Warren move. "Are you sure it was the tall, humorless one?"
"He said he would do anything to make you happy."
After the waiter left, Jean returned to the phone. "I changed my mind. If you're quick enough, there may be some tiny pancakes left for you."