Jubilee tapped Storm on the shoulder just as the older woman was sitting down to dinner. “Can you join me and Jean and Rogue in the hut after dinner?” she asked quietly.
“Of course,” Storm said.
Storm went on to eat her dinner with a small measure of excitement. The days were sometimes long and it was nice when something unexpected happened, she mused as she lifted a spoonful of the rice dish to her mouth. Jubilee calling the other X-women together? And having them meet in a place that typically went uninhabited? Storm could only wonder as she exchanged a brief glance with Jean across the table, but whatever the case it seemed a mature thing for Jubilee to do, especially if her purpose might be to ask for advice. As the meal progressed, Storm turned her head towards the table at which Jubilee sat. The young woman was taking her time eating her ice cream.
As the sun began to set, Storm and Rogue flew to the hut where Jean and Jubilee had already gathered. Jean used a lantern to illuminate the small room and enticing shadows bounced off the walls. As the temperature began to drop slightly, Jean was glad for the warm sweater she had brought.
“This is kind of neat,” Jean said. “Almost like we’re camping or going on a special trip”.
“Yes,” Storm agreed. “And we have not had a girls’ night out for weeks, so thank you for calling this one, Jubilee”.
“Any special reason you wanted to have one, sugar?” Rogue asked. She wished she’d saved her dessert for now; it would have been nice to snack on something sweet as they talked.
“Well, I uh, just wanted to ask you for a few tips,” Jubilee began. She was attempting to sound nonchalant. “Sam and I are going to be…getting intimate soon. I’ve never done it before so I just wanted to ask if you had any pointers”.
“I am glad you have asked us, Jubilee,” Storm said. “That is very mature of you”.
Jubilee smiled. She also knew that Storm enjoyed feeling wise, feeling needed. She had guessed that the Wind Rider would appreciate this.
“I agree,” Jean said. She leaned in a bit closer to Jubilee. “It’s not any of my business to second-guess a personal decision you have made like this one,” she began, “but are you sure this is the right time? You and Sam have only been a couple for…?”
“Oh, about six days,” Jubilee supplied. She had to bite back the question of how long Jean and Scott had dated each other before they slept together. (Unbeknownst to Jubilee, it had been after their second date). “But we’ve known each other for years. It’s not like he’s some stranger”.
“’Sides, Jean,” Rogue chimed in, “it ain’t 1950 anymore “ not like they gotta wait till they get married or anythin’ like that. Unless they wanted to”.
“I know, I know,” Jean said, worried she had come off like a prude. “I was just saying that there’s no need to rush. He’s not pressuring you into this, is he?”
“Wolverine would kill him if he was,” Jubilee remarked. “Um, no, I guess I’m the one who’s pressuring him. I really want this”.
“If you feel you are ready and that it is the right time then there is no reason you should hesitate,” Storm said. “But there are a few things you need to keep in mind. Birth control is one of them”.
“I just ask Hank to replicate some pills for me, right?”
Storm nodded. “And make sure you start taking them soon enough, and take them at the same time every day. The other thing to keep in mind is sexually transmitted diseases”.
“Oh. I hadn’t thought of that,” Jubilee admitted. “So what do I do about that?”
“I would recommend that you ask him about his history and whether he has any STDs”.
“Yeah,” Rogue said. “It’s an awkward conversation to have but the way I see it, if you’re ready to have sex then you’re ready to talk about venereal diseases”. Though Rogue silently added that she had never asked Remy about it, not once.
Jubilee looked down at her hands. “I guess you’re right. It seems like such a drag to bring it up though”.
“Why don’t you mention it before things start getting intense?” Storm suggested. “Bring it up at a time when you’re not kissing”. She had actually never discussed the subject with a lover either.
“So like over lunch someday?” Jubilee quipped.
Storm smiled. “Well, I agree with what Rogue said. Part of being mature enough to enjoy sex is the ability to have difficult conversations like that”.
“Okay, okay, I will. But back to what you were saying about *enjoying* things…do you have any tips on that?”
Storm, Rogue, and Jean all looked at each other. Jubilee then said, “You’re going to tell me it hurts the first time; I already know that”.
“It is at least uncomfortable the first time,” Jean admitted. “Sometimes the first few times. I think the best thing you can do is be realistic and don’t expect fireworks. Just take things slowly and relax, and try to enjoy the different sensations you experience”.
Jean silently remembered back to her early days with Scott. The love they felt for each other, the coursing emotions. All of the passion, Scott fighting to restrain his, Jean encouraging him to let it out. Jean honestly and breathlessly telling him that she loved him so much that didn’t care what they did in bed, she just wanted to please him and make him happy. Scott telling her that he had the exact same thoughts, wanted nothing more than to please her and was not concerned with his own gratification. When they were first getting together, it was a blissful, nerve-wracking, heady time.
She also silently observed that she didn’t quite sense the same exhilaration between Jubilee and Cannonball.
“Yes,” Storm added. “Some books and movies would have you believe that the moment he enters you, you will be writhing with pleasure. It typically does not happen that way. In fact, many or most women don’t reach a climax through intercourse alone”.
“Does he got any experience?” Rogue asked.
“I think so. But he’s kinda vague on that,” Jubilee said. “He had a girlfriend back in Kentucky for a while but I’m not sure how far they ever went”.
“You can always just ask him how serious they were. It’d be better if he knows what he’s doing, then maybe he’ll have some ideas on how to please you,” Rogue insisted.
“How do guys even learn that stuff?” Jubilee wondered.
“I guess through experience,” Rogue said.
“Or from women who communicate what they enjoy,” Jean added.
“And how will I learn what he likes?” Jubilee asked. “The same way?”
“I think so,” Storm said. “You can always ask. Or watch his reactions, listen to his breathing. Most young men, I have observed, do not have problems climaxing, if that’s what you’re concerned about”.
“And I agree with what Jean said ‘bout takin’ things slowly,” Rogue said. “I dunno, for me the whole experience of losin’ my virginity was wonderful ‘cause I had such a great lover”.
“Really?” Jubilee leaned forward. “Would you tell me a bit about it?” This was the type of thing she had really wanted to hear “ not because she was interested in what any of the X-men were like in bed but because she knew she could learn from the X-women’s experiences in general.
Perhaps it had been the glass of wine she had savored with her dinner but Rogue felt emboldened. “Thing is, we didn’t do everythin’ in one night. Maybe other people get in a rush to ‘go all the way’ or whatever you call it, but Remy made sure we took everythin’ real real slow. He showed me all these other ways to enjoy myself before we did…the big event. I mean, this went on over several days, even weeks. Like first, he’d just use his hands on me. Next time he’d use his mouth. We kinda worked our way up to the main event. I honestly think that was the best way and I’ll always be grateful to him for havin’ the skill to do it that way. It wasn’t even all that painful the first time he entered me”. She quickly amended, “It was still kinda uncomfortable though. But not painful”.
Rogue then realized she was blushing and wondered if she perhaps had given away too much. But Storm already knew it; Rogue had told her all of this before. And Jubilee looked immensely grateful.
“Thank you,” Jubilee said.
Storm said, “That does sound ideal. My only fear is that most men might not…have the skill, as Rogue said, to know that that approach is probably best”.
Jean shrugged, “Well, then, if that sounds good to you, Jubilee, why don’t you verbalize what you want? You can tell him that you don’t want to ‘go all the way’ at first and ask him to show you some other things. There would be nothing wrong with that. Sometimes I think that perhaps many men would appreciate a woman who knows what she wants and has some ideas instead of expecting him to guide the entire encounter. Oh, and I remembered that there’s one more thing I wanted to mention. Lubrication. When you do think it’s time for penetration, use some lubrication, replicate a bottle of it beforehand. You should be wet down there beforehand but some added lube will only make your first time much easier”.
Jubilee looked around the room. She had always loved being an X-man, and this evening again she intensely felt how much the rest of the team meant to her. Although she wasn’t at all religious or even spiritual, she actually sent a silent prayer to the universe for making her a mutant and giving her this community. Jubilee may have joined the X-men at a young age, but she knew enough of the rest of the world to realize that most people were not surrounded by this much community and caring. She knew now that the day she ran into Storm, Rogue, and Gambit at the mall as the Sentinels chased her had been the most fortunate day of her life.
“Thank you,” she said quietly, wishing she had the right words to verbalize the rest of her feelings. “I am *so* lucky to have you. All of the X-men. Thank you”.
***
Heather Hudson glanced longingly at an X-man one morning during breakfast, but the object of her gaze was not Wolverine. It was Jean.
Heather had wanted to ask the other woman to be her coach during her impending labor. Her husband had been so distant and so perpetually angry. But when she had broached the subject with James, he scoffed at the notion that anyone other than himself would play that role. She did stand her ground, though, that Jean be allowed to be present in the hut so that she could observe, if she would like. And James had agreed that Hank McCoy would be the ideal candidate to deliver the baby since their own occasional medic, Walter, had far less medical experience than Hank.
But James had grumbled, “I don’t want to be in the X-men’s debt. Bad enough everyone flocks to their ship’s Danger Room and gym”.
“Honey,” Heather began, “we’re not going to be in their debt. Let’s not forget that they are living on a planet that belongs to the people of one of our members”.
“And I like to keep it this way, with us in the upper hand position. So let’s limit the number of things we ask them to do”.
“I’m just glad that Hank agreed to deliver the baby. I feel very confident in him. You know this is a little scary, James. I’ve never had a baby before”.
“You were the one who wanted this,” he reminded her.
***
The days continued to pass on by. I sat next to Heather one day at dinner and she was *big*. Looked like she could go into labor any day. Even Jean was starting to get big I noticed, surprised.
I kept up with the Danger Room training. My aim improved. I still got scared. I made mistakes, even crashing into Forge once during a simulation resulting in a sprained shoulder for him. I apologized profusely but he didn’t seem ticked; he shrugged and said that worse had happened to him in the Danger Room before and he wouldn’t mind a few days off. The other X-men in general complimented me on the progression of my training (um…except for the day of that incident with Forge) but they didn’t go overboard with the praise. Maybe they wanted me to just take it in stride and realize that, yeah, this is the way it’s going to be and I fight with them from now on. No one showed any sign of being uncool with the fact that I was training, even the ones who I can tell don’t like me, like Angel. Even after the Forge incident everyone seemed alright with me training. The Professor made a point to go up to me one day and say that he was proud of me for training again.
I continued to spend most of my waking hours with Jean Paul. We slept in the same bed every night; I hardly set foot in my room anymore. I’d been warned that he was arrogant but truly he was never rude to me in any way. Proud of himself and his accomplishments, definitely. But I never saw him behaving like a jerk. I’d been warned that he was overly proud of his Quebecer heritage, but if he held the fact that I didn’t speak a word of French against me, (I was surprised when I’d learned what “mon chou” translated to!) he didn’t show it. The two of us just were compatible in most ways. I was easy-going and he was more intense. I had the sense of humor that could remind him not to always be so serious and that sometimes playing a practical joke on a friend was just what the team needed. He was a strong leader, a role model, for me in terms of training, diligence, confidence and even in asserting myself. I followed his lead in these areas. We never ran out of things to talk about. And I won’t say anything about our sex life other than that it was great and we were very compatible there too. It all just worked.
Part of me was eager to play some practical jokes on people. But maybe I was so swept up in what was happening with Jean Paul, that I was just out of ideas. One day I suggested to him that we could perhaps find a time when Cyclops was returning to his room and pretend like we had snuck in there and had been having sex in there. Or if not Cyke, then Wolverine. But Jean Paul was like no way, and after thinking about it more I was glad he had nixed the idea. So I remained practical-joke-less.
Anyway. I wasn’t always as in tune with what was going on with everyone else, as I should have been. One day in the Danger Room, I noticed Cannonball looking very worried when Jubilee was knocked to the ground by a simulated Sentinel. I resolved to tease her about Sam’s concern and obvious crush next time I saw her alone. But when I did, she said, “Sam and I are dating each other, Bobby,” and she said it like ‘duh, where have you been?’ I felt silly for not having noticed and muttered an apology.
That incident should have woken me up in preparation for something that happened the next day. I had left Jean Paul in the gym “ he wanted to do more reps of his weight lifting but I was really tired. We tended to spend most of our time together but I told him my head was starting to hurt a bit (which was the truth, of course), and that an outdoor walk would do me some good. So he said he’d catch up with me later, we gave each other a quick peck on the lips, and I left. And I really hoped that the look of malaise on Rogue’s face that I’d seen out of the corner of my eye was just my imagination.
I ran into Hank as I was walking across the grassy field where Victory and the Maple Leaf were parked.
“Hello, my friend,” he greeted me.
“Hey,” I said.
Hank was stooped down towards the ground. It looked obvious that he was collecting samples, but I asked him anyway, “What’re you up to?”
“This planet contains no pests,” he said. “It is a wonder that we can sit outside all day and not fear being eaten by mosquitoes or any other insect. I am trying to learn how this is possible”.
“Interesting,” I said. I added, “It might not be any easier than trying to figure out how the Professor was able to be cured here just by laying in that hut though”.
“Still, we should try. Pursuit of knowledge is rewarding in and of itself”.
I smiled and shook my head, “Dang, Hank, you’re a better person than I”.
He matched my chuckle. “Not better, simply more curious about science. Each of us has our strengths and weaknesses”.
I then started to turn towards the building, but Hank said, “Will you stay with me a minute?” He set his equipment down and removed his glasses.
“Sure,” I said. I sat on the grass. “I have a bit of a headache, but I knew getting out in the air would help me and I feel a bit better already. Jean Paul’s in the gym lifting weights. The amount he can bench press is insane. Though I’m sure you can do more”.
“I am glad to hear that your headache is improving,” he said. He was using his serious voice so I knew something solemn was coming up next. “I wish you and I saw each other more often,” he said.
I felt a bit of a stab at the hurt in his voice. He masked it well but even I could tell that there was some pain there. “I’m sorry,” I said, looking down at the grass. “I haven’t spending that much time with you “ or the others “ lately”. Of course I thought back to my last conversation with Jubilee.
“We understand what you are experiencing. It is normal for young lovers to want to spend a lot of time together. All I am requesting is that you don’t neglect your friends”.
Which I clearly had already been doing. There really was a part of me that wanted to say, ‘Cut me some slack, Hank,’ but I kept the irritation out of my voice. It was hard to imagine being angry at Hank anyway. So instead I said, “You’re totally right. It’s just that, you know, it’s a big deal for me and Jean Paul. Neither of us has ever met another gay mutant before. And we’re falling “ really falling for each other”.
I had actually started to say ‘falling in love’ but I stopped that. I didn’t really know what falling in love was all about, and Jean Paul and I had never exchanged the “L” word anyway.
“I can imagine it must be intense,” he said.
“It is,” I said, but my head was full of thoughts about my friends now. “I’ve hardly seen Rogue at all. I wonder if she’s ticked at me for not spending as much time with her. Though she and Gambit don’t seem to object to spending most of their time glued together either”. I was thinking out loud and as I said the words, I realized how true they were, at least the part about not interacting with Rogue much. I couldn’t remember the last time I’d had an actual conversation with her. Even when we’d ended up across from each other at lunch the other day, she hadn’t spoken to me much. Gambit had been his usual self though.
I heard a noise and then looked up. Jean Paul had flown out of Victory and was heading towards the building. But he doubled back when he saw us and landed.
“I must tend to my sister,” he said, sounding a bit rushed, worried, and annoyed. “She and Walter had a big fight, apparently, and she is crying”.
“Good luck,” I said, as Jean Paul ascended back into the air.
Hank and I then started to say something at the same time. He signaled me to go ahead and speak. I just repeated, “I’m sorry and I will try to spend more time with my friends. Maybe you and me and Jean Paul can even schedule some time together. Like plan a board game in the rec room at a certain time or a forest walk. Maybe you and me can even plan some one-on-one time, if you wamt”.
“That is a splendid idea, and I am amenable to any such plans”.
***
Storm and Wolverine were sitting on the porch together. It was after lunch but before the start of the afternoon Danger Room session. They sat quietly, holding hands and just observing the view.
Cannonball stepped onto the porch and looked around. “Oh, hi, Wolverine, Storm. I thought Jubilee might be out here”.
“She is not here right now,” Storm said. “You could call her on the communicator”.
“I think I might,” Sam said.
Wolverine took a pointed sniff in Sam’s direction and quickly processed the information his nose transmitted back to him. For a second he got an angry glare in his eyes before he jumped to his feet. Sam took a step backwards.
“Okay, bub,” Wolverine snarled. “You hurt her, you die. Got it?”
Cannonball held his hands up and open in front of him. “Wolverine, I promised you I’d take good care of her and I meant it! She was the one who initiated it, not me. She was very clear about what she wanted”.
Storm stood up and placed a hand on Logan’s shoulder. “Ease up, Logan. Ease up”.
“I am eased up,” he said gruffly.
Storm smiled. She could tell that he actually wasn’t about to attack Cannonball. His teeth weren’t bared, his claws weren’t out. He didn’t even have his hands in attack position. Logan was taking it better than Ororo had thought he would.
“I promise, I’m real good to her,” Cannonball repeated.
“We know, Sam,” Storm said. “Don’t we, Logan?”
“Yeah. I still stand by what I said though. You better stay real good to her unless you like the feel of adamantium tearin’ through your skin,” Wolverine promised.
“I promise,” Sam vowed before making for a hasty exit. He wished he hadn’t decided to look for Jubilee on the porch that day, though he also mused that the confrontation with Wolverine would have to have happened sooner or later. He also felt that as awkward and clumsy as the previous night with Jubilee had been, it had still been worth it.
“Sam’s right in what he said,” Storm said quietly to Wolverine, once they were alone. “She did initiate it; she told us she was going to”.
“Who’s us?”
“Jean, Rogue, and I. She spoke with us about it a few days ago”. Ororo paused. “Logan, she’s nearly nineteen. What do you think is the likelihood that you weren’t sexually active at that age?”
“It ain’t that. Just that if he hurts her, he’s gotta face me”.
“There’s no need to threaten Sam though. Don’t you believe that he has behaved well with her?”
“I guess so. I just want him to know there’s someone looking out for Jubilee”.
“I am certain that he understands that quite clearly,” Ororo said, with a smile.
Logan returned her smile. He had known that this would likely happen once Jubilee and Cannonball started dating, and the understanding that Jubilee would be fine had begun to sink in.
“You’re right,” Logan grumbled.
Ororo stepped closer to him and gently ruffled his hair. “You know, enjoying lovemaking is part of becoming an adult. It is certainly something I enjoy a lot, with you”.
“Why thank you, ‘Ro. I feel the same way”.
“Do you?” Ororo asked, her voice taking on a very sensual but flirtatious tone. His hands were now around her waist and pulling her tightly against him.
“Yeah,” were the last words he spoke before pulling her into a kiss.
“We could always skip the Danger Room session this afternoon,” she suggested, when she pulled away for a bit of air. She then pulled him into another deep kiss, over which they lingered for many moments.
Jubilee dashed onto the porch. “Has anyone seen S “ ooops, sorry, see you later!” she said, before making an abrupt about face and heading out the way she came.
***
Hank approached me one day after my Danger Room session. “I have been observing your training for a while now,” he began.
“Did you count how many mistakes I made?” I asked.
“Not at all. I have observed that you are progressing well. I think that in order to enhance your training, however, you need to do some more intense weight-training. I believe that additional upper-body strength would assist you in many ways during battles. I can assist you with coming up with a weight regimen”.
“Oh, come on, Hank. I *hate* weight training. You know that. Why do you care if I get more upper body strength or not?? Hmmmm,” I teased. “Maybe you have a secret. Maybe you want me to me to look more hunky for some deep dark reason”. I flexed a bicep for emphasis.
Hank rolled his eyes, something you didn’t see him do that often.
***
“You guys are so smart. Thank you for all the advice you gave,” Jubilee enthused.
“Is that all the info we’re gonna get? You ain’t gonna tell us anythin’ more?” Rogue teased.
“Now Rogue,” Storm admonished softly.
“Judging from the look on your face,” Jean turned towards Jubilee, “I think we can guess that things with Sam are going well”.
Jubilee’s smile remained. “They are. You guys give great advice. I just wanted to thank you again”.
The four women sat inside the hut early one afternoon. They had decided to take an “ice cream break” and have another talk. Everyone wanted to know what was happening with Jubilee and Cannonball, especially given that they had been the topic of the last time the X-women had gathered inside the hut.
“Glad it all went well for you,” Rogue said.
“It is always my pleasure to give advice,” Storm added.
***
Heather’s labor began early one morning. She and James moved several items from their room to the hut and they called Hank on the communicator around breakfast time. He diligently appeared at the hut as well, with Nightcrawler helping him transport some equipment from Victory. Jean arrived shortly after breakfast too; she had been honored at Heather’s invitation.
“I’m certain that this is the place I want to have the baby,” Heather said as she surveyed the warm, dark walls. “It feels so secure and so full of healing in here”.
“This hut certainly has a strong reputation due to the speed in which the Professor was healed in here,” Hank agreed. “However, should it become necessary to transport you to the infirmary on board Victory, Nightcrawler said he would be happy to stand by all day, and all night, to teleport us “ along with the equipment”.
“The Maple Leaf has an infirmary too,” James added.
“I believe that Victory’s infirmary is better stocked. And the readings I have looked at indicate that it would take some time to start up the Maple Leaf since it has been shut down for a month”.
“Fine, fine. Whatever”.
It was a long day for Heather, as well as for Hank and James. Jean, along with Cyclops and members of Alpha Flight, brought food and supplies to the hut as needed. Heather walked around outside, near the lake, several times when it became apparent that she was strong enough and that the baby wasn’t going to be appearing for a long while. Using the bathroom was becoming a problem as Heather needed to stay hydrated but the hut lacked restroom facilities. Nightcrawler gladly helped by teleporting Heather to and from the bathroom inside her room.
***
Jean Paul left our bed far earlier the next morning than usual. Everyone was in a bit of a stir due to Heather having been in labor since the previous morning. The sun wasn’t even up when I heard him get up and start showering.
“Any news?” I asked, very groggily, as I heard him checking his communicator. He had a towel wrapped around his waist.
“Nothing. I am going to drop in and see if they need anything. Do you want to come with me?” he asked.
“It okay if I go back to sleep?” I was eager to help and see the baby when she arrived. But not at four in the morning, which was what I estimated the time to be. I was too tired to turn the clock in my direction.
“Of course. I’ll let you know if there’s any news,” he said, as he began pulling on his clothing.
Hours later, I was coming out of the shower when Jean Paul re-entered our room. He had a smile on his face and was shaking his head.
“Everything okay?” I asked.
“Heather and the baby are fine. Brianna, is what they are calling her. Lovely name and lovely baby as well. She was born just over an hour ago”.
“What’s so funny though?” He had this sort of smirk on his face.
“James is what is so funny. He has turned into a blithering idiot”.
“What?” I asked.
Jean Paul shook his head. “For a man who didn’t want a baby “ and then was sorely disappointed when it wasn’t a boy “ he has become smitten. He is reduced to carrying Brianna around and muttering baby talk at her, acting like she is the best thing to ever enter his world”.
“Really?” I asked. “I have got to see this! A side of your leader I’ve never seen before”.
“Nor have I. It is priceless. Come with me”.
As we left the room, I looked at Northstar. As bemused as he was by James’ turnaround, there was something else on his face. I knew how much Joanne had meant to him. It may have been longing, it may have been jealousy.
***
Jean and Cyclops sat on chairs inside the building’s foyer. Neither had slept much the previous night but they weren’t in the mood for slumber now either. They also quietly shared a few giggles over James’ transformation.
“I guess sometimes the things we least expect are exactly what happen,” Jean speculated.
“Even after he sang to her for a half hour, I still never expected him to look so happy to change her diaper though,” Scott noted.
They laughed again. “I am thankful to Heather for letting me be in the room though,” Jean said. “I need to be sure to thank her”.
“Oh, I’m sure she’ll call in a few favors. Something tells me they will be needing babysitters”.
Jean smiled. “You know, I was always grateful that I’m an X-man but feel even more so when I think about that. Raising a child isn’t easy. If we lived the lives of a normal middle-class couple in America, we’d probably not live near our families and we might be really struggling, trying to juggle our jobs and raise the baby. But here, there are so many people who I trust right here with us, and who are willing to help”.
“I feel the same way. And so many of them have already volunteered to help us when needed. We *are* lucky to be mutants and to have this family,” Scott added.
“I know. I just hope my labor goes as easily as Heather’s did”. Although Heather’s labor had been somewhat long, all had gone well and at no point had Hank worried about her medical condition.
“Between Hank’s expertise and the healing powers of this place, I am not the least bit worried”.
The Professor entered the foyer. “Nor am I,” he chimed in. “Although the spirits to whom Haven belongs have not been communicating with us directly, I feel their presence. I am certain you have nothing to fear, Jean”.
Jean went over the Xavier and spontaneously hugged him, feeling a sudden burst of affection. “Thank you for everything you did to build the X-men, Professor. The team has saved my life and made me who and what I am today”.
“We all feel that way, Professor,” Cyclops added.
“I am grateful to hear that,” Xavier answered. “Because I cannot help but to feel frustrated that our hands are tied right now when there is so much to be done on earth”.
“It’s true that we can’t get back to earth now,” Jean said. “But that doesn’t mean that someday we won’t use the foundation you gave us “ our skills, and our ability to work together as a team. It just may be farther in the future than we’d like”.
***
The presence of a baby on Haven was a new experience for its 25 adult inhabitants. The members of Alpha Flight were, of course, impacted more since two of its members were the parents. Most of the rest of the team volunteered to babysit, an offer which was frequently taken up. Sasquatch felt the sting even more greatly of his separation from his son and eagerly looked forward to the day when he would return to earth and reunite with the boy. And Northstar missed his deceased daughter even more.
The X-men, too, enjoyed Brianna’s presence; if nothing else, a baby on the planet broke up the monotony of the days. Jean and Cyclops particularly enjoyed watching and spending time with Brianna; their own baby’s impending arrival felt more immediate and real now. They would observe Brianna on day three, for example, of her existence and wonder what their son would be like at that point. They, and other X-men, were allowed to hold Brianna, though James tended to watch her like a hawk and was always close by.
Brianna’s growth and development were the subject of many mealtime conversations. If Heather or even James appeared somewhere without the baby, others wanted to know where she was and wanted to see her soon. Brianna frequently reached up and grabbed hair, fingers, and whatever other objects appeared within her range.
Approximately two weeks after Brianna’s birth, the Professor assembled Cyclops and Storm in his room.
“Have either of you heard any news on Alpha Flights’ plans?” Xavier asked. Last time the two teams had had an official conversation on the subject, James said that Alpha Flight would discuss its next steps and future plans “sometime after” the baby was born.
“Nothing,” Cyclops said.
“Nor have I,” Storm added. “None of its members have brought up the subject during dinner or in the Danger Room. I have not asked anyone about it either though. I asked Logan if any of his former colleagues had offered this information to him and he said that no one has. He spoke briefly with Puck about it but said that Puck merely shrugged and didn’t seem to know where James’ thoughts were at”.
“Jean tried to gently bring it up a few days ago with Heather,” Cyclops added, “but she said that Heather’s mind just wasn’t on the subject “ she’s obviously so focused on the baby -- and she didn’t say anything or give any information”.
“I do not want to push James,” Xavier said. “However he has appeared in a much better mood since the baby arrived”.
“And we cannot formulate our own plans until we have an idea of what Alpha Flight wants to do “ and whether they will share any of their power source with us,” Storm said.
“But I agree with the idea of not pushing James too hard,” Cyclops said. “He has been in a good mood lately but we can tell that it’s not his natural style. In fact, I almost think that anything could push him back into being the way he was before. And I also think that once the euphoria over his daughter’s birth wears off, he will be just like he was earlier”.
“Perhaps we should try to find out Alpha Flight’s plans indirectly,” Storm suggested. “Jean and Heather seem to have a rapport. But if Heather isn’t telling Alpha Flight’s plans “ or if she doesn’t know them “ we may not be able to learn anything from her. But apart from Jean and Heather, obviously the member of their team who is closest to one of ours would be Northstar”.
“Would he know their plans though? It doesn’t look like Northstar talks to James at all”.
Storm shrugged. “I really don’t know, but we can at least ask Bobby to ask him what he knows”.
“Yes,” Xavier said. “Let’s do that. And if that doesn’t pan out, then we will need to bring up the subject directly with James at some point”.
***
I slept late. Really late. Jean Paul tried to first gently persuade and then jostle me out of bed to get to the morning Danger Room session, but I stood firm (or lay firm, whatever) and didn’t budge.
By the time he returned, I was sitting up in bed, reading a book Hank had printed out from Victory’s computer and fervently wishing that we had TV or computer games here. Don’t get me wrong, I loved Haven. But every now and then I wished for a bigger variety of things to do.
“You naughty American boy,” Jean Paul smiled and shook his head as he chided me for my laziness.
“I just wasn’t in the mood to get up and train in the morning,” I shrugged. “I’ll do it this afternoon”. I then grinned and added, “See, I never was a coward “ I’m just lazy!”
He ignored my comment and sat next to me on the bed. “Heather was at the session this morning. She is in good shape for someone who gave birth so recently”.
“That’s good. Are we going to babysit Brianna again this afternoon? I’d be glad to do it, but remember that we have our Scrabble game with Hank planned too. Jubilee might join us”. I’d held firm to my resolution from several weeks ago of making time to spend with my friends.
“If they conflict, I can watch Brianna myself. Or I will bring her along and just watch you play since I cannot do as well with the English words anyway”. He shrugged. “We will make it work”.
“Good,” I nodded, though I also thought that watching a Scrabble tournament might not be so much fun. Jean Paul then looked lost in a thought. I touched my hand to one of his thighs and asked, “What’s on your mind?”
“I was just thinking about Joanne. It is hard to not think of her “ I’ve not spent time with any other infant since she passed away, and now I see Brianna every day”.
“Is it hard for you?”
“Sometimes. I cannot help but to think of all the things that Brianna is doing that Joanne never did. She was born with this horrible virus inside of her. She never got to grow up as Brianna will. She spent most of her days inside a hospital and never got to experience the love and attention that Brianna has”.
“But wait a minute,” I said. “She had you. You gave her most of the love and affection that she experienced in her short life. You held her as ““ I broke off, stumbling over the words.
“I held her as she died,” he finished for me. “Yes”.
Needless to say, Jean Paul’s eyes were full of sadness. I reached over and embraced him. I muttered a few platitudes like saying that I was sorry for his loss. Whatever the case, it was clear to me that this infant who had been in his life for only a few days several years ago would always mean a lot to him.
“Bobby,” he began, sounding very serious “ heck, I knew it was serious because he rarely called me by my name and it almost sounded strange with his accent. Usually I was “mon cher” or “mon chou”, or my favorite, “ma puce”.
“We have never discussed this before,” he said, “but I have a question for you. What does this mean to you? You and me. I have been assuming all of this time that whatever we have together means something to you and it is not just a fling. But I have never had a relationship before and I don’t think you have either. I dated but never had anything long-term with someone”.
I was glad he brought it up because “ he was right “ we had never discussed it during all these weeks.
“I haven’t ever been in one either,” I admitted. “In fact, sometimes I get worried about messing this up since I haven’t ever been in a relationship before and I want this to work out. Um, well to answer your question - you definitely mean a lot to me and this is definitely not a fling to me. I see this as serious. So we’re like on the same page then, as they say?”
“Yes. That is how I feel as well. I am glad we see it the same way”.
“But Jean Paul,” I began, hoping Storm would be happy that I was broaching what she had asked me, “doesn’t our future “ together “ depend on getting an idea of what our teams are doing? You know the X-men are stuck here until we get more dilithium or if Alpha Flight will share the power source that’s here. Do you know what James and Heather plan to do? Do they have any desire to team up with us and go back to earth to defeat FOH?”
“Well, mon cher, I am not all that close to either one,” Jean Paul began, “but I do not think that either one of them wants to do battle now. They listen to Walter and he keeps saying how much he wants to go back to earth and reunite with his son. And they listen to Puck who constantly reminds them that we might have made a mistake in leaving Marrina and her husband on earth “ though I do not agree with that one; I think they wanted to stay and they can easily hide in the ocean. But regardless, I spoke about it with Heather recently and she said that she wants them go back to earth to gather those left behind. She said nothing about teaming up with the X-men and fighting FOH”.
“What do you want to do?”
“I am afraid that I am torn. Part of me wants to return to earth and defeat FOH at all costs. Part of me wants to stay here with you forever, where it is peaceful and quiet and we do not have to fear FOH capturing and torturing those of us we love the most”. He paused. “You? What do you want?”
“Um, you know how we agreed earlier that we’re on the same page about our relationship? I think we’re exactly on the same page about this too. I feel both ways. But I suppose in the end I should defer to what the X-men decide to do”. I took a breath. “Though we can’t *do* anything until we get some dilithium”.
“Do you want me to ask James and Heather about it? I truly think such a query might be better received from one of the X-men’s leaders though”.
“Would it? I mean, it seems that James doesn’t much like the Professor. Or Cyclops. Or Storm”.
“You see, he does not like anyone lately! Other than his daughter. But you do not want him to think that the X-men are trying to sidestep anything. They should approach him directly. He doesn’t like anything that could be seen as subterfuge. Even if it is not”.
I nodded. “Cool. I’ll mention it to Storm”.
***
When the Professor approached James, he decided to take the direct approach. After asking the Alpha Flight leader how his daughter was faring, Xavier got down to business. Judging by James’s reaction, it appeared as though he had reverted to his pre-fatherhood personality.
“I was just wondering if you had decided what Alpha Flight’s next step will be,” Xavier began. “I know you have a few family members and teammates who you want to see again. And you must be eager, as are we, to defeat FOH and make a difference for the mutants back on earth”.
“Don’t assume we have any goals in common, Xavier,” James replied, a hard edge to his voice. “Maybe we can’t do anything about FOH at this point. The bastards are so powerful”.
Xavier, slightly taken aback at his reply, remained silent.
James continued, “I haven’t decided yet what my team is going to do. Maybe in another week or so I’ll call a meeting”. He then added, “I hope your X-men are enjoying it here. It’s nice of Snowbird’s people to let you stay here when the place belongs to her and to them”. He did not need to state his next thought, ‘And, by extension, to Alpha Flight’.
***
When Brianna was about 25 days old, two things happened that really changed things in my life. The first one was that Walter dumped Aurora.
From what I had been gathering, this had been in the works for a while. I hadn’t spent a ton of time with Walter and Aurora, but I had kinda noticed that they didn’t seem like such a great match. He was scientific, brilliant, serious, and often appeared a bit remote or withdrawn. She was mentally unstable so it’s hard to say what her personality would be like on any given day. But often she was a bit childlike and demanding of Walter (and Jean Paul), and sometimes she came across to me as a bit superficial. Okay, maybe that’s harsh coming from a guy who loves computer games and misses cheesy horror flicks, but that’s just my opinion. I could also tell “ from a few glances, a few remarks “ that she didn’t care for all the time her brother spent with me.
Aurora had her good traits too. She was fun-loving and always up for having a good time. But Jean Paul had once told me that he thought that Walter stayed with her only for the sex. I had no idea if that was true or not but I can say for sure that Walter and Aurora didn’t seem to have at all the solid and strong foundation that Jean and Cyke or Rogue and Gambit so obviously had. Or heck, even Storm and Wolverine since they looked really tight now.
Once I asked Aurora how long she and Walter had been together. She smiled and said, “I don’t know. Three years, maybe four. Or is it five now? I cannot recall”.
I found out about the break up one morning when Jean Paul wasn’t in our bed when I woke up. I had slept late, of course, but when I called him on his communicator he said he was with his sister. I didn’t actually see him again for several hours, which was a while for us.
“I am sorry I cannot talk more,” he said, when I saw him in the hall. “Walter has broken up with my sister and she is out of her mind with sadness. I must go back to her”.
“Can I help?” I asked.
“I do not think so”. He then quickly added, “Can you bring me some food? We’re in her room”.
“Sure,” I offered.
The glimpse I saw of Aurora, when I delivered the food, was not good. Her hair was askew, her face pale, her eyes really wild. She looked like she wanted to keep crying but had no more energy. Jean Paul sat with her quietly. He gave me a quick kiss on the mouth but nodded for me to leave.
The other thing that changed my life was that James made a decision as to Alpha Flight’s plans.
The very next day, Jean Paul told me that James called a meeting for Alpha Flight. Great timing, James, but whatever. The location they held their meeting seemed to send a message too. Usually when lots of us gathered to talk, we either did it in the dining room or the large room with the fireplace. But of course both rooms lack privacy, especially the fireplace room. So James led his team outside and crammed them into the hut. The hut doesn’t hold more than five or six people comfortably, and there were ten Alpha Flight team members plus a baby. I guess some of them would’ve had to have crowded around the doorway?
Several of us X-men watched them troop across the grass towards the hut. Jean Paul and his sister flew as the others walked, Heather pushing a stroller.
“I’d love to know what they’re going to talk about,” Angel remarked.
“Don’t they know that we could still spy on them if we want to?” Forge wondered.
“I confess that I am tempted to teleport there right now to listen, but of course I will not,” Nightcrawler added.
“Seems so silly to me,” Angel shook his head. “They got to know that if we really wanted to find out what they’re saying, the Professor or Jean would read their minds”.
“But we won’t, Angel,” the Professor said as he entered the foyer. “I am sure we’ll find out what we need to know soon enough”.
“I still want to know now”. Angel looked at me. “Has Northstar said anything to you?”
“No. I don’t know think he knows “ he’s been spending all his time in his sister’s room listening to her cry, so he hasn’t exactly been up on anything else”.
As I said the words, I also wondered if a lot of the guys were now salivating at Aurora’s newly single status. Though surely they’d know they’d be getting a handful with her and all of her issues, but on the other hand there are plenty of people out there who’d be happy with just a bedroom partner too.
Alpha Flight did not talk for very long. It didn’t seem to me that more than ten or fifteen minutes had passed before we saw them walking back to the building. By then, pretty much all of the X-men were congregating in the foyer.
“Come on,” James said, eyeing us and gesturing towards the room with the fireplace, “we’ll tell you what we decided”.
I tried to make eye contact with Jean Paul but he had his arm around his sister and her face looked damp “ I guess she’d cried again. I did sit on Jean Paul’s other side, though, when both teams had walked over the creaky wooden floors and found seats in the large room. He held my hand.
***
“I’ve decided that we are going back to earth for a quick mission,” James said to the group. “We’re going to find our family members and other teammates and bring them back here if they want. So it will be a very quick trip”. He paused and added, “Heather and the baby will stay here for their own safety”.
The X-men looked at each other and digested James’ words.
“When do you plan to leave?” Cyclops asked.
“A few days”.
“Have you made any decision,” Storm began softly, “as to whether you can share some of your power source with us?” She observed that most of Alpha Flight were either looking down or at each other; none of their facial expressions suggested confidence.
“I haven’t decided yet but I am leaning towards no. The Maple Leaf has enough dilithium to get us to earth and back, but we want to keep intact the power supply that’s inside that shed out there. We want to keep it untouched for now”. He took a breath and added, “Maybe when we return, we can negotiate to give you some”.
“It seems like a rather dangerous mission,” Xavier said. “FOH is so powerful on earth. Would there be any harm if some of us came with you? It would help us at least get a handle on what’s happening on earth and will provide some reinforcements for your team”.
“We’d prefer to keep this just to Alpha Flight. The Maple Leaf isn’t very big anyway; it can’t take much more than a dozen people, so when you add in the fact that several others will be returning with us…we’d prefer not to bring any X-men with us”. James silently added that he didn’t want Xavier’s influence on his team; he didn’t want any X-men trying to usurp his authority. Though he didn’t speak the words, his meaning, however, came through clearly.
“Is your ship up for such a mission?” Cyclops asked, trying to keep his tone questioning rather than doubtful. “You had mentioned that there were issues with its navigation system”.
“We think the ship will be fine”.
“Are you certain though?” Storm asked. “I do not mean to question you but some of your team members look doubtful now”.
That comment did not sit well with Alpha Flight’s leader. “Look, X-men - I don’t need to justify myself or my plans to you! You’re not sending any of your team with us, you’re not getting any of our power supply, and Heather and my daughter had better be in really good condition when I get back!”
Xavier, Cyclops, and Storm looked at each other for a few moments. Many X-men wanted to reply to that but Xavier made a slight gesture that indicated silence or patience.
Meanwhile, most members of Alpha Flight looked embarrassed, and Heather spoke first. “James, I feel very comfortable that Brianna and I will be in good hands here. It was Hank, after all, who delivered her”.
James gave his wife an off-putting look at that comment. Brianna woke from her nap and began to cry. Heather reached for the stroller and pulled the baby onto her lap.
“Yes,” Jean added, “we’re glad that Heather and Brianna will be here and we really enjoy their company”.
For a few more moments, the only sound in the room was Brianna’s wailing.
“How well does the cloaking device on the Maple Leaf function?” the Professor finally asked. “I’m sure you know that stealth is of utmost importance on this mission”.
“Of course we know,” James said. “The cloak is fine; we’re not going to get caught by FOH again”.
“I see. We certainly wish you the utmost luck on your mission and sincerely hope you find your friends and family. If you happen to hear any news of Moira MacTaggert and Banshee, we would be grateful if you would share it with us. Along with any other news on the state of FOH and mutants in general”.
“Of course,” James replied, sounding calmer.
“About how long do you think it will take the Maple Leaf to travel to and from earth?” Storm asked.
Walter answered that question. “Our best estimate is that the trip is eight weeks each way”.
“Eight weeks?” Northstar questioned. He looked at James. “You said seven maximum, maybe six”.
“There’s no way our ship can make the journey in six weeks, Northstar,” Walter replied. “It took Victory that long to do it and the X-men’s ship is faster. No, the trip will definitely take longer than six or even seven weeks”.
“Again, we wish you the best of luck and we look forward to your return,” Xavier said. “We are happy that Heather and Brianna will stay here to keep us company”.
With those words, Xavier turned his wheelchair around and departed. Most of the X-men followed him.
***
I looked at Jean Paul. “Come with me,” he said quietly.
Aurora tensed up, apparently at the thought of being parted from her brother. “Come with me too, ma soeur”.
The three of us stood up. The twins looked like they wanted to fly, and next thing I knew Jean Paul asked me for permission with his eyes, I nodded, he picked me up, and away we went.
The twins flew us inside the forest. Aurora sat down on a tree stump. Jean Paul and I stood facing each other. For once, I could care less about the beauty of our surroundings and didn’t even try to take in the trees or wildflowers.
“You said you’d never leave me,” I said. I tried to make my voice sound even and calm though I think it came out trembling.
“I know. And I am *not* leaving you. I stand by what I said earlier. This separation is only temporary. I will return!”
“But sixteen weeks apart!” I bemoaned. “That’s four whole months! More, when you add in how long it might take you during the mission to locate your people. Maybe I should go with you”.
“I have been thinking about that endlessly since James told us his plans,” Jean Paul said, passionately. “I would much rather that you stay here. You’re becoming a good fighter but there is still a chance that something could happen on this mission. You are safe here”.
“And how do you think I feel about watching you go off on this mission where there could be danger? The thought scares me so much. I won’t even know if something happens to you! Can’t you stay here?”
“I cannot. I must stay with my sister and she wants to go on this mission”. Aurora remained eerily quiet as her brother talked about her. “She is adamant about going on this mission. She hopes she can win back Walter. If my sister was well, then maybe I could allow her to go off on this without me. But sometimes I think I am the only member of the team who cares about her enough. I need to watch over her, Bobby, and I cannot watch over both of you and be effective on this mission”.
“So you put her over me?” I pouted.
“No, no, jamais! I love you both deeply and my heart is aching! One can love more than one person. I am making the choice that I feel is best for everyone! Do you not realize that this is agony for me as well?”
I was too distraught at Jean Paul’s impending departure to even realize that he had said he loved me.
“But Aurora is needier than you,” he continued. Again Aurora was silent though I noticed that she watched us both. He pulled me towards him and whispered in my ear, “Bobby, it is serious. I think she might try to do something drastic, try to hurt herself”.
“Then can’t she stay here?”
“She is stubborn as I am. More so. I can try to convince her again but I believe that nothing will keep her from this mission. From Walter”.
“The bastard. For dumping her”.
Jean Paul took another glance at his sister. “She may have been heading for a break-down for a long time, mon cher. This just hastened it. And she has put Walter through a lot over the years, though her mental illness is not her fault”.
We were silent for a few moments. Jean Paul then spoke, “And think about it, mon cher. Do you truly *want* to go on this mission?”
“I want to be with you,” I said.
“But on this mission? Eight weeks in space in a run-down old ship with far fewer amenities than Victory, time back on earth trying to find people, and then eight more weeks back on a ship that will then be crowded. If all goes well. It will not be fun”.
“But if we are together…” I let my voice trail off.
“I know. But I will worry about you constantly. I want you here where you are safe and I do not need to agonize over you. I don’t want you to be anywhere near earth. Besides, I also have a loyalty to Alpha Flight and to do my part to help the team on its mission as we try to find the others”.
I was sad and hurt, and an irrational thought popped into my mind. “Is there someone else? Is that it? You want to reunite with someone on earth?”
“That is absurd. I most certainly do not have another lover”.
I looked down and felt bad at my question. “I know,” I mumbled. “I’m just so sad right now”.
“Yes. But you would be more sad if something happened to you on this mission. Please, mon cher. You are safe here”. With that he pulled me into a hug.
He was right. But I felt ill, right down to the pit of my stomach. I rested my head against his shoulder for a bit. From the way we were positioned, I could see Aurora when I opened my eyes. I tried to not hate her for this. She gazed in our general direction but her eyes were glazed over.
“Did you mean what you said earlier?” I asked quietly, pulling back from the hug. “That you love me?”
“Yes. With all of my heart and all of my mind. That is why I want you to be safe. Do you love me as well?”
“Yes,” I said, knowing it was true from the way I felt torn inside by our impending separation. Like I was being ripped apart and would have this terrible void until he returned. “Yes”.
***
Most of the X-men did what Alpha Flight had done not long ago: they searched for a private place to talk. Unfortunately it was even harder to find a private space that accommodated all of them.
“Let’s go to the dining room,” Cyclops said. ”We can always close the door if we want privacy”.
So the team trooped downstairs to the dining hall, with Colossus closing the door behind them. Jubilee took a quick peek inside the adjacent kitchen to make sure no one was inside of it. The Professor looked around and saw that all of the X-men except Angel and Iceman were present.
“So now we know their plans,” Xavier began.
“The bastard,” Wolverine muttered. “Would it kill him to give us some of the power here on the planet?”
“This is the reality we must face. Alpha Flight’s leader is insecure and controlling, and despite our best efforts to ‘play nice’ during the past two months, we have been unable to influence him in the way we would like”.
“He hates me too,” Wolverine added. “That don’t help, no matter how ‘nice’ we been to his people”. Storm put a hand on Wolverine’s shoulder.
“We of course must hold firm to our word to treat Heather and the baby with the utmost respect “ not that I foresee any of you having trouble with that,” the Professor added.
“Are there any options we have not explored?” Storm asked. “Anything? Could we offer to loan them Victory on this mission in exchange for allowing us to have some of their power?”
“I don’t like that,” Cyclops said. “Who knows if we would ever get Victory back? And while they were on their mission, we’d be stuck with their bad ship, which I don’t think any of us would want to use to take on FOH anyway”.
“Victory really is the only bargaining chip dat we got,” Gambit said. “Far as I see. But I agree “ it’s too much to bargain away”.
“’Sides, it don’t seem to bother James that his ship is a pile of crap,” Wolverine added. “I don’t think he even wants our ship”.
“Can’t we just *take* some of the damn power supply?” Rogue asked. “We can force open the door to that shed. Maybe, Professor, you can explain to Snowbird’s people why we did it. Maybe they’ll understand”.
“I cannot support that idea,” Xavier replied. “They have been hospitable and generous to us, and they healed me”. He paused, “Besides, I have been trying to reach them and broach the subject with them. The signals they send back indicate for us not to take it”.
“So what we do den?” Gambit asked. “Wait four mont’s for Alpha Flight to get back and hope dat dis time dey share deir power supply wit’ us?”
The X-men looked around the room at each other. Silence reigned in the dining room as one blank look was met with another.
“It is clear that James will not consider anything else right now,” Storm summarized. “Unless there is some other bargaining chip “ as Gambit called it “ that we can offer, we do not have any other way of trying to convince him”.
“Still think we oughtta think about taking some of it,” Rogue muttered. She looked at Xavier. “Just kiddin’, Professor”.
“Can’t Bobby use some influence over Northstar to help us here?” Forge asked.
“The problem is that Northstar has no influence over James. It’s become apparent that no one in Alpha Flight does, not even his own wife,” the Professor concluded.
“Speaking of Bobby,” Hank began, “I notice that he is not here now. I fear that perhaps he is considering going with Alpha Flight”.
“Not gonna happen!” Rogue said. “It’s too dangerous for him”.
“Yeah, he oughtta stay here with us,” Jubilee added.
The X-men soon adjourned their brief meeting. However, it turned out that they had been concerned about the wrong X-man departing.
***
The twins and I flew back to the building when we were finished with our talk. I can’t even describe how I felt. Maybe I should have seen this coming but even if I had, it wouldn’t have made the pain go away any.
“I must go talk with the others about our preparations to leave,” Jean Paul said to me. He said something to his sister in French, gave me a kiss, and they went off to find the rest of their team.
Hank, Rogue, Gambit, and Jubilee walked up the stairs and met me in the foyer. “There you are!” Rogue said.
“Here I am,” I muttered.
“We are concerned for you,” Hank began. “We feel you would be much safer here with us, though we understand that you might have the desire to return to earth with Northstar. However, on Haven ““
“It’s okay,” I interrupted. “You don’t need to convince me of anything -- Northstar doesn’t want me to go. He says I’m safer here and he really wants me to stay here. And he can’t stay behind himself because his sister needs him. So I’m staying here”.
I looked at the four expressions of relief and happiness. And then for a minute I was able to step out of my own misery. I had friends who cared about me so much that they wanted me to stay with them and be kept out of danger. I had to be grateful for that. It provided something to fill the hole in my heart.
“It ain’t that we think you couldn’t handle yourself,” Rogue said. “We know you’re a good fighter now. It’s just that it’s a lot safer here”.
“And it’s better to keep the X-men together,” Jubilee added.
“An’ dis separation only temporary,” Gambit said. “He’s a strong fighter “ he be back wit’ the rest of his team, you just gotta wait and be patient”.
“I know, I know,” I said. “And hey…I really appreciate your concern for me. Thank you all. I’m lucky to have such good friends. But enough with the mushy stuff!”
***
TO BE CONTINUED
Reviews are always appreciated.
[Reviews - 25]
-
Table of Contents [Report This]
Chapter or Story |
Chapter or Story |
Chapter or Story |
Has been viewed 893 times
- Text Size +
-
Table of Contents [Report This]
Chapter or Story | Chapter or Story | Chapter or Story | - Text Size +
You must login () to review.
