Chapter 6
Jean was soaring through the clouds, laughing and soaring. The faces of her friends surrounded her, and she wept tears of joy. "I love you guys," she giggled. "No matter what I said in the past, I love you guys!" She smiled happily. She was ready to go where she was supposed to go. Two paths opened up on either side of her. On one side, a shining, diamond light sparkled, beckoning to it. "Oh, that's what my dreams meant," Jean said interestedly. Jean giggled and started to it, then stopped as the most beautiful call she'd ever heard reached over her. She turned to the other path. A large, silky bird examined her with wise, knowing eyes. Its feathers were red, yellow, blue, the color of different flames. It was beautiful. Jean walked toward it. With one last look cast over her shoulder at the diamond door, Jean shrugged and followed the great bird through its own door . . .
Jean opened her eyes. She could hear yelling, and crying. Looking around her, she saw Logan staring off into space. His eyes were wet with tears. Emma clutched his arm, sobbing into his shirt, saying "I had too, I had too," over and over. Scott was beside Jean, on his knees, sobbing into his hands. Even Ororo stood off to the side, tears decorating her cheeks. Jean looked back to Scott. Softly, she said his name. He looked at her face. "Jean . . ." He whispered. "Jean?"
She smiled.
"She's alive!" Scott yelled. "She's alive! Someone help her, she's alive . . ." Jean sat up, her body heavy.
"I'm okay," she said softly to Scott. "I'm okay." He kissed her deeply.
"You really are," he said.
"J-Jean?" Jean looked over, where Emma was on her knees next to her. "Jean?"
"You killed me," Jean whispered.
Emma bit her lip, nodding.
And the next thing the two women were in each other's arms, sobbing.
"I-I didn't want to!" Emma wailed. "It was out of control, my head, I couldn't feel anything."
"I'm so glad you did!" Jean sobbed into her shoulder. "I could have killed all of you. . ."
And then, sobbing the arms of the least likely woman, Jean felt happy.