Disclaimer:I probably should have said this earlier, but there is a little bit of an artist's licence going on here, like Hank being at the Academy and later on, people (I won't say who :p) will actually come and visit Jubilee from the Mansion, unlike in the actual comics she won't be abandoned. Also, here is the translation for the Spanish that Angelo spoke in the earlier chapter:

chica= girl
hombre=man
querida=dear one, darling
enchantador=enchanting

A Few Private Words

Emma Frost, Sean Cassidy and Hank McKoy stood in front of the video screen in Emma's office. Charles Xavier sat in his wheel chair on his end of the screen. A serious discussion was taking place; the subject: Kestral Tresswell. Beast was in a state of excitement.

"She is amazing, Charles!" he said, bouncing up and down, "So much potential! Her shields are of an immense strength; no brain activity is monitored at all. I believe that this may not be a mutation, but a sheer force of will and hard training. And the extent of her 'sight'! I am inclined-"

"The question is," interrupted the White Queen, "why would she construct shields of such strength. What was she protecting herself from? And furthermore, who in the world could have taught her to build these shields?"

Charles considered the comments of his colleagues. He would be interested to have a talk with the girl. She was almost as intriguing as Jubilation. Perhaps even on par.

"It is my belief that the privacy of all students should be respected. The fact we cannot intrude on her thoughts and memories to gain insight into her personality and potential does in no way mean that she is a failed case. These things should not be intruded on any way," he said with a hard look at Emma, "She seems to be responding well, not only to her training with you, Emma, but also physical training and schoolwork. It is a sign that she likes to do well to the best of her ability, an admirable trait. In my opinion it will be worthwhile to gain her trust so she may, in time, divulge to you the information you seek." He finished with a nod to both of them. I will leave you to determine you course, as she is your student."

Emma sighed, "Thank you, Charles."

Sean gave only a nod in acknowledgement and Beast the same.

The video screen blinked and went black.

*****************

Kes was sitting cross-legged on her bed, eyes closed. She was reinforcing her crystal walls and deep in meditation. She didn't hear the knock at her door or two people enter her room. It wasn't until she felt a hand on her shoulder that she realised she wasn't alone. Kes reacted on instinct from the martial arts training she had learnt over past months. She grabbed the hand, twisting the person over her shoulder and into the wall at her back. Jumping off the bed she went for the next person, opening her eyes just before she aimed a drop spin kick at their knees, stopping in a hurry as she realised the person was Jubilee and she had just flung Angelo into the wall. Jubilee however, was still reacting to being attacked and leapt into the air and into a roll above Kes's head, landing behind her, about to land a blow on the back of Kes's neck. Kes spun around on the ground and crossed her hands in front of her face to deflect the blow. Jubilee realised she was now not attacking and dropped her hands. Angelo picked himself up from off the bed, rubbing his head and back where he had hit the wall.

"Well chica," he said dryly, "At least we know you're taking in the training. I'd rather you practice on someone else next time, though, if you don't mind."

Kes was horrified. "I'm so sorry!! I don't know what happened! I just.. and you just... and I'm so sorry!!"

Jubilee just grinned, "Don't sweat it, Kessy, it just means all the training's becoming ingrained. I could have kicked your ass easy if you'd not snapped out of it. What were you doing, anyway? You were out of it"

Kes looked uncomfortable. "I was reinforcing my crystal walls." She said quietly looking at the ground.

Angelo came and sat beside her in the floor. "Querida?" he whispered. Kes looked up at him. "What are your crystal walls?"
Kes sighed. Jubilee looked uncertain as to whether or not she should stay, but sat down when Kes asked her to.

"When I was a kid, I had real bad nightmares. It got so bad, I was afraid to sleep. I tried to tell myself what me parents told me- that they are just dreams and can't hurt you. It didn't always work, though. My parents tried doctors, psychologists, everything, but I still had nightmares. Well, when my grandma found out what was going on, she took me to her place for a week and taught me something to keep the nightmares out of my head. She said to think of the most protective, safe thing I could. Back then it was a castle wall with lots of cannons, cos I had a thing for fairy tales. She said that if I pictured these walls around me every night, the nightmares won't be able to come in because I'll be protected by my walls. I worked. By the end of the week, I'd got the walls strong and could hold the visualisation. It took alot of concentration, though. As the years went by, I changed my walls from stone castle ones to quartz crystal because I read in a book it was the best for psychic defence. I also found that I was unable to be bullied, since my energy was kept inside my walls, so others couldn't steal it or get in. And now apparently, not even Ms Frost can get into my mind." Angelo whistled softy. "Anyway, that's what I was doing when you guys came in. I was reinforcing my walls."

Angelo and Jubilee were quiet for a moment.

Jubilee put her hand over Kes's. "Thank you for trusting us, Kes. We understand. Life hasn't been easy for us either." The black shadow over her heart got larger.

"My experiences are nothing compared to yours and Angelo's," Kes said sadly, "I wish I could help, but all I can do is see the damage, not repair it."

Angelo wrapped her into a tight hug. "You understand, listen and don't pity us," he whispered into her ear, "that is all we need, querida."

"Group hug!!" Jubilee yelled suddenly, shattering the morbid atmosphere and throwing herself onto Angelo and Kes, squashing them all against the bed.

"Jubicita!!"

"Jubilee!!" They shouted in protest, laughing as they threw her off, bolted out of the room and down the corridor with her sprinting headlong after them, cackling all the way.