It had been a long day. Longer than Scott had expected. The classes were fine and everything, but… throughout the whole day, his mind was shuffling through everything else. It had never happened like that before. Most of the time, he was able to separate from that when he was teaching. But… Oh, fuck it. He'd never understand it.
Logan had said around two that he wanted go out to some bar tonight and that he wanted him to join him. Bars weren't really his thing, but… he felt like he needed a drink tonight. Not only a drink, he wanted to get completely shit-faced.
He pulled on his leather jacket and made sure he left the keys at the school. He didn't want any accidents… again. Plus, Logan said that the bar was only around the corner. He sighed heavily and walked down the corridor, meeting him half way.
"'Ya ready?" He asked with a grin on his face. Logan smiled to him. He felt like he needed some… happy in his life again. Maybe some 'happy juice' could do just that. Plus, he wanted to talk to him.
Scott nodded and they headed out, walking slowly down the sidewalk towards the local bar.
"So, how are you holding up?" Logan asked, turning towards him. He knew what the answer would be.
"I'm… uh-fine…" He answered, not even looking over at him.
Logan sighed. "C'mon. We all see it. I know you loved her, all of us did… But, it's been a full year. You need to--"
"Don't you dare say 'get over it'. I'm tired of getting over it. The only person I've ever loved is gone; the only thing I've ever wanted. Don't you DARE say, just get over it. It's just not that easy." Scott said.
Logan sighed and turned his head. It was still a touchy subject. He was only hurting himself… and others. He walked into the bar without another word and walked directly over to the bar. "Two beers…"
Scott sat next to him and looked around to the many people. Most of them were fat with beer guts, and long grey beards. Yip, these were Logan's kind of people. He smiled to himself and leaned down on the bar. He sighed. "I'm sorry, I just…"
Logan turned to him, taking a drink of his beer. "I know. You don't need to explain anything. I know what you mean…"
Scott was about to say something, but he bit his tongue. Logan was right. No matter how much he hated it, Logan loved Jean to… Probably about as much as he did. He knew that from the moment he saw them looking into each other's eyes. But there was another problem with that too… He didn't know for sure if she loved Logan.
He reached over and grabbed his beer, allowing the alcohol to swim down his clenched throat. He drank it all within 2 minutes and called for another. Logan was already on his third beer. Shit, they'd get wasted before 7 o'clock by this rate.
Logan and him started to bullshit around, talking about this and that. It would be too awkward to just sit there and say absolutely nothing.
Around their seventh beer, they turned around to face the other people in the bar. The woman singing was pretty good, but Scott didn't know whether that was because she had talent or whether it was because of the buzz. He laughed and took another drink. He turned his head as a few more people came into the bar. One bigger man and a black haired woman and a few others.
Those in the bar turned towards them and started to shake their hands. The woman smiled, her hair covering the rest of her face… Who was she?
The guy walked over to the bar as the rest of them sat down in front of the woman singing. They were laughing and carrying on like they were already drunk.
"I need a bottle of SOCO and Crown Roy." The Bartender nodded and after he paid, he grabbed the bottles and walked back over. Scott guessed they were regulars. They definitely looked like it.
Logan turned to him and smiled. "So, are ya happy I took you to this bar tonight? I sure the hell am. You actually got to loosen up a bit."
"Yeah, I guess it's okay…" He laughed.
"I thought the beer would be too strong for your ass, to tell the truth." Logan laughed taking another drink of his own.
'"Yeah, shut the hell up." He looked over to him.
"Come on, Jane! You gotta!" He turned as the voices came from the last group that had came in. "Please?" She stood and the guy pulled at her hand, kissing it gently like any gentleman would. He gave her the puppy dog eyes. She laughed and hugged him, kissing him gently.
"Fine!" She giggled. "I'll do it! I'll get up there! But I'm only singing one goddamn song!" She laughed as the group she was with and some of the others cheered happily and all around drunk.
Scott smiled. At least someone was happy tonight.
Jane was a very shy person, but she would do anything for those guys. They had helped her, saved her you might say. She didn't know about this world all that much, she didn't know about anything really other than what they had shown her. It had been a long journey… but she had finally gotten better. She smiled to them.
She got up on the stage as the woman singing got down, giving her the mike. She took a deep breath and Scott looked at her. God… she… looked like. He tensed up a little bit. It had to be the beer. He was just seeing things.. Right?
Jane took a deep breath and closed her eyes as the song started.
"Now I will tell you what I've done for you,
Five thousand tears I've cried,
Screaming, deceiving, and bleeding for you,
And you still won't hear me.
I'm GOING under!
Don't want your hand this time, I'll save myself,
Maybe I'll wake up for once!
Not tormented daily, defeated by you,
Just when I thought I reached the bottom.
I dive again,
I'm going under!
Drowning with You,
I'm falling forever,
I've got to break through,
I'm going under!"
Scott's eyes widened and he stood. He grabbed Logan and pointed towards her.
"What?" Logan asked as he looked up to her. He sat back down and sighed. He was… doing it again.
"Blurring and stirring the truth that comes out,
I don't know what's real and what's not,
Always confusing the thoughts in my head,
So I can't trust myself anymore.
I dive again,
I'm going under!
Drowning with You,
I'm falling forever,
I've got to break through,
I'm going under!
I'm, so go on,
And Scream, scream at me!
So far away, I won't be broken again.
I've got to breath, I can't keep going under!"
Jane smiled to them as she started getting into the song. She took a deep breath and her hair fell behind her. Scott's eyes widened. It was… It was JEAN! He grabbed Logan again and pointed and Logan did the same exact thing.
"Oh My God. Nah, It can't be. But--" Before Logan could say anything, Scott started walking up to them.
"I dive again,
I'm going under!
Drowning with You,
I'm falling forever,
I've got to break through,
I'm going under!"
Scott walked up to the stage. He couldn't believe it. It… It was really her. He knew it wasn't the alcohol. It couldn't be. No… It was REALLY her.
Jane looked over to him and her eyes narrowed. She walked around, her song finally ending back towards her friends. He followed.
"Jean?" Scott called. "Jean… It's me! Do you remember me?" He walked up towards her and before he could wrap his arms around her, one of her friends stepped in the way.
He was a bigger man; bigger body, bigger stomach… bigger muscles.
Logan growled and grabbed Scott by the shoulder and pulled him outside. "It's time to go home now." He said. Maybe it was the alcohol, maybe it wasn't. Jean obviously didn't remember, if it was her.
Jane's eyes widened as she saw Logan. She had seen him before… In her dreams. She swallowed hard and sat down. "That… was scary." She smiled to them.
Scott was fighting Logan all the way back, but he finally gave up as Logan threw him into the mansion and locked the door behind him.
"It was Jean, damnit!" He yelled. Logan was sure he was waking everyone up by now. "Why di-"
"It might look like her, but It wasn't her Scott." He was having a hard time with believing his own words.
Scott growled. "Fuck you." He turned around and walked towards the Professor's office. He rushed into the room without even knocking and stood before him. "Professor…"
Xavier could smell the alcohol on his breath from where he was sitting. His eyes narrowed as he turned to face him. "Yes, Scott… What is it?"
"It's Jean. She's alive…" The Professor swallowed hard.
"What? Tell me what happened. Calm down… Tell me what you saw."
Scott sat down and told him the whole story. No matter what anyone said, he knew it was her in his heart. It had to be! IT HAD TO BE!
Song -- "Going Under" by Evanescence