Story Housekeeping: This one was a doozy and I really don't know why - I'm going to blame Hank – he just refused to do as he was told.
About two months have passed between this chapter and chapter eight.
General Housekeeping: First I'd like to thank Verthril for all the awesome motivation and the review (Go read Shogo and His Two Mommies – it's amazeballs :) ) and I'd also like to thank Miraneum for the fav and follow and serenity4life and trinity0316 for following as well – you're all awesome. :D
Have Fun!
Chapter Ten: Meeting of Minds
Hank smiled politely as the cell phone camera's fake shutter clicked. He wasn't quite sure what a "selfie" was, exactly, but he had numerous requests from some of the cuter co-eds to pose for some.
Giggling, the pretty brunette science undergrad holding the phone thanked the professor for his time before skipping off to join the rest of her gaggle in handing out refreshments to the more senior members of the alumni and invited guests.
The vain part of Hank's mind urged him to believe all that this attention and adoration was in connection with his lecture tour, but the cynical and traitorous other half reminded him that is was most likely his stint with the Avengers that was responsible.
At first the geneticist hadn't been sure if this evening's event – the celebration of the announcement of his lecture tour – was such a good idea, what with all the tension Cyclops' damnable revolution was causing. But Dr Garu and Jubilation had been adamant that any positive mutant news could only help shift the media's attention.
And in spite of his initial reservations, Hank had to admit that he was enjoying himself. The plainly decorated lecture hall might not have been the most prestigious of venues, but the atmosphere was warm – and the champagne free.
So far the whole experience had been fun, in a nostalgic kind of way. As the planning for his lectures got under way, Hank often found himself on the Columbia University campus, either to simplify the substance of his talks for the media team or to meet some new dignitary or journalist to whom the university wanted to show off their newest prize.
At first the interruptions to his routine had annoyed him, but after just a week, he found the staff and students started to approach him with a plethora of questions, sometimes to clarify some minor points on quantum algebra, at others to debate the nature of the multiverse.
For the several years after his secondary mutation had first appeared, Hank had tried to isolated himself from the science community and the world at large, only occasionally publishing a paper or two, and dreading it whenever he'd see some remark in the media about his drastically changed appearance. He had kept in touch with the Reed Richards' and the Hank Pyms of the world, of course, but maintained a distance from anyone outside his immediate circle.
And it wasn't like his research at the institute wasn't keeping him busy. On the contrary, between teaching, his responsibilities to the team and researching whatever topics took his fancy, his days were full to overflowing.
But there seemed to be a hole in his life the past few years. At first he had put it down to his lack of a love interest, but the feeling had remained even when he found companionship with Abigail Brand. He had tried to fill the void with new hobbies, but he soon grew tired of such minor distractions. It was only as he started to interact with the university staff and students on a regular basis that he knew what was missing.
Like most scientists, he lived for sharing his knowledge with his peers. He'd missed that unique experience one could only have when another individual was able to grasp something you knew few others would. Intellectual hubris, maybe, but it re-awakened in him a love of science he thought lost.
Feeling a need to return to the hallowed halls on a more permanent basis, he had "let" the Dean persuade him to work as a guest lecture after his tour of academic duty was over.
And now, surrounded by "throngs" of adoring similar-minded nerds, Dr McCoy realised that his appearance didn't matter that much to other scientists and students far too tired from hours of thankless toil to care about TMZ gossip.
Just to be careful, though, he'd still opted to wear his image inducer whenever he was required for "official" university business. While most people knew he was blue and furry under the human facade, Hank found that strangers responded generally better when they weren't distracted by his beastly countenance.
As another group of eager PhD candidates gathered around him, hoping to impress the world-renowned physicist with their newest ideas, Hank caught a fleeting glimpse of a familiar short figure helping a tall blond woman hand out drinks to the gathered guests. He believed Jubilation had introduced the amazon next to her as Donna.
True to her word, Jubilee had so far kept to her side of their bargain with a determination unusual for her. The notorious slacker mallrat had happily photocopied, referenced and typed every note, number and piece paper he'd handed her, and all sans her usual smart remarks. While Hank was riding high on the joys of academic recognition, Jubilee seemed content to help him out with whatever she was assigned.
"Content" was never a word he would never before have associated with that restless young woman.
What bothered him most was that there still seemed no rhyme or reason for Jubliee's sudden interest in becoming a permanent fixture in the Columbia Physics Department. It was like she had woken up one morning with a fundamental part of her personality altered.
Still, Bobby and Hank were both impressed by the hours she was investing in the endeavour, having giving up her leisure time to take a number of extra classes at the institute.
After having "accidentally" overheard a particular loud argument between Jubilee and her cranky mentor two weeks before, Hank also knew the girl was considering an offer from one of her professors to work as his assistant, in return for which he'd tutor her for free.
Suffice it to say Logan hadn't been happy with the idea of his little girl spending hours alone with a strange man. The Canadian already complained that they saw far too little of the busy Jubilee these days.
As he autographed yet another rather greasy napkin for a bespeckled grad student, Hank's eyes lingered on Jubilee across the room, watching her chat animatedly with the stoic Donna as they passed out small paper cups. Even with the amazon towering over her, Jubes still appeared older, almost camouflaging with the other young adults around her. Seeing her for the first time outside of the school that was their home, Hank marveled at how different she seemed – far too old to be considered the X-family's token youngster, but still too young to be teaching basic combat training.
As if sensing his eyes on her, Jubilee looked up and rewarded him with a radiant smile and a happy wave before returning her attention to the thirsty patrons around her.
Distracted for a second by a question about the likelihood of space travel via black hole, when Hank looked up again he saw Donna was ordering around a new lacky. Jubilee had vanished.
He didn't have to wonder at her sudden disappearance for long, though, for a few minutes later there was a firm tug at his jacket sleeve and Hank turned to find Jubilee with Shogo on her hip, the baby happily suckling at a lolly and smiling up at him.
Was it Ororo who'd noted that since Jubilee's run-in with the Jersey Stalker and her short estrangement from her son, Shogo now rarely left his mother's side? The boy was both figuratively and literally attached to his mother's hip these days. Jokingly, Bobby had suggested the use of an industrial strength glue solvent to separate the twosome.
'Hey Hank, could you like spare a second or two?' asked Jubilee when she was sure she had her friend's undivided attention.
Hank assured his circle of new friends that he would return shortly as he allowed Jubilee to lead him to the exit of the lecture hall. She ignored the jealous, miffed looks some of the PhD grades shot her way.
'Sorry, Blue, but I thought you could use some help coming back down to Planet Earth,' Jubliee teased as they made their way into the deeper recesses of Pupin Hall. 'All that mindless adoration and love goes straight to the hips, you know?'
'Jubilation, I will not have you besmirching my new fan club – with that attitude, I fear you won't be invited to Twinkie Appreciation later.'
His tone might have sounded serious, but behind his glasses mirth danced in his blue eyes.
It was then he noticed that she was guiding him towards a bank of elevators. His interest was piqued.
'So, other than fearing for my expanding waistline, why did you tear me away from the warm bosom of my adoring public?'
'There's someone I'd like you to meet,' she said, pressing the worn call button of the elevator a few times for good measure. Up on the seventh floor, Jubilee expected a rather shy Dr Holgersson was hiding from the festivities. Not even Donna's commanding voice could convince the doctor to lend a hand.
Over the past two months, Jubilee had come to know the odd Swede quite well, spending every other weeknight in his company as they discussed and debated the problems with his newest paper. In return for being his sounding board, the doctor had offered to tutor her. Even with the "arrangement" working as well as it was, Jubes was still speechless when the physicist offered to make it "official": he needed a new assistant to help him with some upcoming research and she, according to him, was the perfect fit.
Jubilee hadn't given him an answer yet. After her and Logan's last blowout she was surprised the Wolverine had let her off the grounds at all. Ororo reminded her that the macho, hairy X-Man was just trying to watch out for her.
As the elevator slowly groaned its way up the building, Jubilee felt a slight pang of guilt over her current scheme. During one of their late-night sessions, Dr Holgersson had confided in his student that, like his fellow alumni, he too quite admired the physicist-turned-Avenger in her company.
She, of course, offered to introduce him to his superhero idol, but the doctor quickly shied away from the opportunity, remarking that he didn't feel it appropriate for someone like him to waste the time of such an important man. After all, Hank McCoy solved Fermat before breakfast. fought aliens after lunch and dined with Tony Stark for dinner. What would he possibly have to say?
Jubilee nearly died laughing at the shocked expression on his face when she'd explained that for some of her childhood, that same Avenger-slash-genius had spent hours trying to find the golden ratio between milk, ice cream and Twinkies to perfect the sweetest, thickest milkshake in the history of mankind.
But no matter how hard Jubes tried, she could not convince the stubborn Swede that the Beast was really a down-to-earth kind of guy. So, she decided if the professor would not go to the Beast, the Beast would come to him.
The seventh floor was deserted, with most of the offices locked, as the staff were rubbing shoulders the dignitaries a few floors below. Far down the hall, one lonely light shone from under a door, and thudding beats pounded through the thin plasterboard walls.
'Dear me,' asked Hanj, his sensitive ears magnifying the din. 'Is that a viking horde invading?'
Jubilee merely shook her head. 'If only. You can at least fight a viking horde. Nothing short of bashing your own head in will stop that nonsense.'
As the two X-Men made their way towards the light, Jubilee could already guess at the sight that would greet them. Dr Holgersson was most likely sitting at his old department-issue PC, his brow furrowed, reddened eyes peeking over rimless glasses as his furiously typed away at some overdue paper or other while snacking on whatever sweet thing he could get his hands on during lunch.
At the door, the firecracker signaled for Hank to wait just out of sight. When she knocked and opened to peek inside, the doctor didn't even notice, contining to strike the keys on the aging keyboard like they owned him some money and it was collection day.
On hearing some of his favourite tunes blasting from the part-opened door, Shogo let out a series delighted tonal "Buhs" in beat with the cacophony. The incongruous sound roused the Swede from his work. Turning to face the door, he finally noticed Jubilee and Shogo and rushed to lower the volume to a more respectable level on his iPod/speaker combo. It was the only thing in the cramped office that wasn't out of the stone age.
At seeing the pained expression that marked the young mother's face, Mattias had all the review he needed for Mithotyn's classic album In the Sign of the Ravens.
'Well, you might not appreciate it, but Shogo understands the brilliance of viking metal,' said Mattias as he stood to greet the pair, and reached out to tickle a chubby baby foot. The boy giggled in response and instinctively reached for the doctor. Resigned, Jubilee handed the baby over, and Mattias happily took his excited musical accomplice off his mother hands.
'Yeah, because babies are great judges of musical quality.'
'You don't have to like it, Miss Lee,' said Mattias as he lowered his eyes to give the boy a conspiratorial look. 'Shogo and I will keep this between us men.'
Shogo burped back in agreement. His mother merely rolled her eyes and muttered something about 'men' under her breath.
'So what can I do for the two of you? I thought you'd be downstairs with the other layabouts. Donna's going to be pissed if she finds you up here. Weren't you roped in to help with the refreshments?'
'I've been given a brief stay of execution. I need to be back down there in a few minutes, but I wanted you to meet someone first.'
Before Mattias could ask who, she took Shogo back in her arms and stepped aside to make room for one and only Dr Henry McCoy.
Jubilee wished she had a camera to record her normally unflappable lecturer's expression. His jaw didn't drop like in so many Wile E Coyote cartoons, but her super-sensitive hearing did pick up his heart skipping a beat or two.
'Dr Mattias Holgersson,' she said smugly, 'I'd like to introduce you to the man who got me through high school maths, Dr Henry McCoy. Hank, this is Dr Holgersson, my statistics and probability professor – and current victim.'
'You have my sincerest condolences,' Hank sympathised as he held out his hand for the clearly dumbstruck Mattias to shake. 'Having taught this delinquent for last few years, I do not envy you your mammoth task.'
Mattias could barely believe he was shaking hands with the legend himself.
Trying his best to sound like an normal human being, he managed to croak out: ''It's not so bad, we'll beat stats into her somehow.'
'Hey!' Jubilee protested, as both men gave her a doubtful look.
What followed was a pleasant yet slightly awkward few minutes of small talk between the two scientists. While Mattias found Dr McCoy friendly enough, he just couldn't shake the feeling he was somehow being scrutinized and judged.
Hank asked about Mattias' upcoming paper, his alternative music choices, and his accent. The Swede, in return, and grasping for something to talk about, decided to stick to university matters, asking after Hank's plans for the upcoming lecture tour. And as payback for the ambush, he did risk asking about his student's childhood years; the answers made the single mother blush three different shades of red.
Just as Jubes was about to remind them that she was still technically on duty downstairs and that she had basically "genius-napped" the guest of honour, Hank noticed the short sequence hastily scribbled on the smudged whiteboard over Mattias' shoulder.
'Fascinating...' he murmured as he tried to decipher the peculiar sequence of numbers with no success. He was about to take a closer look when, as if of one mind, both the young doctor and Jubilee moved to block his view of the board, ruining his chances of exploring those stimulating algorithms any further.
'I'm sorry,' Hank apologised, 'I did not mean to pry.'
'It's quite alright, she just isn't finished,' Mattias reassure him. 'I'm not quite ready for anyone to see her yet.'
Hank returned a quizzical look. 'She?'
Hoping to spare the doctor any further embarrassment, Jubilee stepped in.
'Dr Holgersson believes equations are like women – beautiful, but terribly fickle.'
Next to her the doctor turned scarlet and wished the earth would swallow him up whole.
Before either doctors could say anything else, Jubilee hurriedly thanked her professor for his time and then not-so-softly shooed Hank out of the office, leaving the doctor to his writing and his music.
As they made their way back to the party downstairs, Jubes waxed on about the professor and his research, while Hank pondered on his short encounter with his fellow physicist.
When Jubilation had first mentioned the doctor in passing months before, when he had saved her and Shogo from a potentially freezing wait in the cold, Hank had pictured a rather homely, balding middle-aged professor with thick-rimmed glasses perched on a hooked nosed.
Now, after meeting the young man, the Beast wanted to kick himself repeatedly for being such a dunce. Not all professors where halitosis-breathing nerds! Even Hank himself had graduated at a rather young age while still having his fair share of casual Friday night dates.
Hank found himself ill-prepared for the boyish-looking physicist who shook his hand. Mattias could not have been out of his mid-twenties. With his jacket over his band T-shirt and black chinos, Dr Holgersson resembled one of his students far more than a member of the faculty.
The second shock of the evening had come when he witnessed Jubilee handing over Shogo to the stocky Swede without a second thought. All too familiar with the vampire mother's overprotective tendencies, her behaviour had tilted his vision of the world ever so slightly.
Jubilation Lee never let anyone hold her son that wasn't a close member of the X-Family. Not harmless old ladies at the mall that thought Shogo was just as cute as a button. Not other mothers who yearned for another baby of their own. Not even most of the school's student body. Jubilee was not easily parted from her boy.
Yet she had handed Shogo over to Mattias like it was the most natural thing in the world. For a second, Hank had been tempted to check whether Lady Mastermind was hiding behind that awful looking couch.
Jubilee's relaxed manner with the doctor had also surprised him. Although their interaction was not overly friendly in any creepy way, it lacked the usual core of snark and attitude that he had come to know as a Lee trademark when dealing with people outside the institute. Her demeanour towards the doctor was far closer to her true, unguarded personality. She joked and ribbed the man in much the same way as she would with Bobby or Sam.
On top of all that, her easy reddening at the doc's gentle teasing was a downright wonder. Hank had always lived under the mistaken impression that the only person in the world that could make the overly cynically twenty-year-old blush was a certain honey-tongued Cajun.
In the short period they'd been in that office, Hank McCoy had seen aspects of the firecracker's personality he had never really considered. She was sweet yet serious, slightly nervous but still confident. For a brief few moments he saw her not as everyone's favourite kid sister, but as the adult she was becoming – a reflection of the X-Women who helped raise her. Jeannie would've been proud.
As for a relationship blossoming between the awkward but friendly Swede and the school's resident vampire? Well, that was a notion Hank found himself not minding that much. Definitely no reason to mention it to Logan.
As Jubilee lead him back into the welcoming embrace of his adoring public, Hank tried to calculate at how long it would be before Dr Mattias Holgersson was a regular attendee at the dinner table.
The scientist had missed one vital variable, though, for as the young mother left his side to rejoin Donna at the refreshments table, she very nearly knocked over David Kelly. The handsome Harvard law graduate, liberal mutant rights advocate and nephew of one Robert Kelly. A man on the fast track to becoming the youngest junior senator ever. And the man who would make it his life's work to successfully woo one Jubilation Lee.
So yeah...David Kelly...didn't see that coming...I'm sure you're all going to love him – his such a nice guy after all. Who wants a stuffy old professor, when you can have a future senator instead? ;p
Next Time: White Lights Part 2...