Challenge answered!

Jubilee didn't take the painkillers yet. Her discomfort kept her from falling into more than a light doze. Her tired mind would drift back to the river and she would eventually flash back to the icy. Suffocating swirl. When her body tensed in reaction to her memories, she would feel the burn of her damaged skin and the ache of her abused muscles. She found her rest to be counter productive but still resisted the urge to take the painkillers. She liked the pain. When she had to move it wasn't fun, but now, when she had the luxury of stillness, she could feel a little more grown up. She knew it was a little weird, but whenever an incident or a battle left its mark on her, she felt a little less like a child and more like an X-Man. When the pain was still fresh and throbbing, she could use it to sharpen the memory of her near-death experience.


A soft knock at her door interrupted her thoughts. She sat up stiffly and groaned aloud. The door opened and Bobby stuck his head around the corner; his face held an expression of concern.


"Are you okay? I heard you make a…well a painful sound." She nodded and pushed back her covers, swinging her bare legs over the side of the bed. She wrapped her arm around her side and winced. He was immediately at her side. "Can I help you?" He asked, looking away from her legs. She had just worn a long t-shirt to bed and it had ridden up to the top of her thighs.


"Yeah, you can grab me a pair of shorts." She said, pointing to her bureau. "Bottom drawer." He obeyed, opening the drawer and drawing out the first piece of clothing that he touched. It was a pair of denim cutoffs.


"Will these work?" He asked, timidly. She winced with the thought of the stiff fabric rubbing against her sore hip and shook her head.


"Something loose, and elastic waist if you can find it." Her voice was still slightly rough from the coughing fit she'd had once he'd pulled her out. He dug around with an expression of intense concentration with no success.


"Do you actually *own* anything like that?" He asked. She thought for a moment then shook her head. He sighed and headed for the door. "Hang on, I'll be right back."


"I'll be waiting." She replied. He paused with his hand on the doorknob for a heartbeat, then left. Jubilee used the opportunity to tug her shirt down over her legs. He returned a few minutes later with a pair of drawstring gym shorts.


"Here." He said. "These are pretty lightweight so they shouldn't be too tough on you." He handed them to her and when her brows knit in concentration as she bent at the waist, he took them from her and dropped to one knee, slipping them over her feet and ankles. He pulled them up as far as her knees, allowing her to stand and bring them gingerly to her waist.


"Looks like I'm starting a collection of your clothes." She said wryly. "I'll get them back to you after I do some laundry." She said. There was a moment of silence that started to stretch into awkwardness when the sound of a vehicle moving down the driveway distracted them both. He went to her window and looked out.


"Scott's back." He said. "Want me to spread the word that nobody can manhandle you for a while?"


"Nah." She said shaking her head. "I'd rather not get into the details for a bit." He nodded and walked toward the door.


"I'll be in my room if you need me." He said.


"Why would I need you?" She asked. She would have slapped herself in the forehead if she didn't have too much pride to show regret in her words. He just shrugged and left, hiding his hurt. "You are such an asshole." She said to herself. "He saved your life and you can't even say thanks."


She lay back on the bed and thought about Bobby. Why couldn't she stop herself from sayiningsings that hurt him? He took it without the humor he usually had. He was curiously subdued and quietly tolerant of the waspish remarks she'd made to him. And why had she thrown out the one comment, "I'll be waiting." to him.


Jean brought Jubilee a sandwich and soda later in the evening. She fussed a little and clucked over her like a mother hen.


"I heard what happened." She said, helping to prop the younger girl up in bed. "The Professor asked me to bring you a little dinner. He said it would be better for you to eat something when you take the painkillers and muscle relaxants."


"Did you tell anyone else about it?" Jubilee asked. She shook her red head.


"I wish we'd brought you with us to the mall."


"I wouldn't have gone. I needed some alone time." She bit into the sandwich hungrily; realizing it had been a long time since breakfast. "I'd appreciate it if you wouldn't mention the details to anyone."


"Are you embarrassed that you fell in the river?" Jean asked.


"No." Jubilee said, looking at her in confusion. "I'm embarrassed because Bobby saw me naked." Jean's eyes widened and her jaw dropped.


"I didn't hear that part."


"Shit." Jubilee mumbled.


"Fuck." Jean said, with quiet surprise, her eyebrows were up almost to her hairline. Jubilee almost choked on the bit of sandwich that she'd just taken. Jean didn't swear.


"I wasn’t planning to go swimming, the water just looked great and I took off my shirt and jumped in with just my shorts on."


"No bra?"


"No bra." She bit her lip self-consciously. "I really just jumped in and climbed out. It was so much colder than I expected."


"Must have been refreshing." Jean added. "I must say that the thought of diving into that river crossed my mind once or twice too."


"I was getting out and walking back over the big rocks when Bobby yelled to me. My first instinct was to duck and cover if you know what I mean." Jean laughed a little.


"I know exactly what you mean. Cannonball walked in on me after a shower when I was drying off once." She rolled her eyes. "All I could do was stand there in my underwear and cover myself up with my t-shirt."


"I was dying in that river, Jean." Jubilee looked down at the half-eaten sandwich in her hands. "I couldn't do more than fire up some weak fireworks to repel me like a pinball from the rocks. And it was a losing battle." She closed her eyes. "I guess I'm having a little trouble coming to terms with that."


"You didn't die." Jean said. "Bobby was there."


"I know. But the facts remain that there is a possibility that I'd have fallen even if he hadn't been there to surprise me, and I'd be dead." A single tear ran down her cheek. "The timing was so close. Milliseconds of time measured my survival, but for the grace of God and I'd be smashed to bits and flowing toward the sea."


"Sometimes a really close call makes us ponder how delicate life can be sometimes." Jean mused. She brushed Jubilee's hair out of her face and smiled gently. "Try and think of it this way; we're a team here, and we're trained to watch each other's backs. It wasn't just the barest chance that someone was there for you. Bobby is a powerful mutant and he knows how to help people. He's innovative and fast, you know this, at least on a subconscious level, and you know that there are telepaths who can hear your thoughts if you send out a distress call. This knowledge is probably what made you feel safe in the first place. Knowing that help is never far away."


"I suppose you're right." She said. "Does that mean that I subconsciously wanted Bobby to see me naked?" Jean tossed back her head and laughed.


"Don't go thinking about it too much, but don't go getting an immortal complex. Grace can keep you an inch from death, but thinking will hopefully keep you at least a couple of feet further."


"Good advice."


"Thanks, now take your drugs before I steal them and sell them on the street." Jubilee obeyed and swallowed the muscle relaxant and one of the painkillers with the last of the soda. After Jean assisted her in changing into her pajamas, she went to the bathroom to brush her teeth. She felt a pleasant buzz coming on. She found that most of her senses were dulled along with the pain. Her knees felt a little wobbly but she didn't go to bed immediately. After her talk with Jean, Jubilee decided she had a little unfinished business. She walked down the hall and knocked on the last door.


"Come in." She heard Bobby's voice call out. She opened his door and found him lying on his bed, tossing little ice darts at the corkboard that hung over his desk. When he saw her he jumped off the bed. "Did you need something?" He asked quickly. She blinked at him owlishly for a moment and nodded. "What?"


"I needed to get a few things straightened out." Jubilee crossed the room on rubbery legs. "I hope this comes out right, but if it doesn't just remember that I'm on drugs."


"What's wrong?" He asked.


"Bobby you saved my life today." She wasn't sure if the drugs or her own pride made the words difficult to say. "I didn't want to face how close I came to that. I've been ungrateful and snappy with you and I'm sorry." Bobby looked surprised.


"I made you fall in the first place."


"Xavier was right, I might have done it anyway." She turned to leave but his next words stopped her.


"Jubilee I was really scared that I'd be too late. I swear I saw you bounce off one of the rocks and I was sure I'd have to carry your corpse back to the mansion."


"I blasted myself away from the rock."


"Quick thinking."


"Not as quick as yours."


"Stop, you'll give me a hero complex." Bobby brushed off her compliment with a wave of his hand. "And you should be in bed." He steered her toward the door with a hand on each shoulder.


"Just one last thing." Jubilee said, turning in his arms till she was only inches from him. She reached up with her good arm and placed her hands on the back of his head, pulling him toward her and kissing him on the lips. Bobby puckered up a little in response to the pressure but otherwise stood still. She held her mouth on his for about three seconds before backing off and opening the door. "Thank you."

Jubilee and Bobby's adventure eventually got around the school, mostly because when the other students were prying the details of Jubilee's injuries out of her, she preferred for the focus of their attention to be on him. She left out the part about him seeing her topless and he did the same when asked. She found her thoughts straying to him on a regular basis. She doubted he was having the same problem. He didn't talk to her much during the next two weeks, he just asked if she needed help from time to time. She wondered if he was embarrassed by her unusual display of appreciation and didn't want to encourage her any more. She'd decided that this was the case and dumped herself in a pretty heavy mope. She preferred to mope in private and was in her bedroom when someone knocked at her door.


"Yeah." She said, looking up from her perch on the window seat. Her door opened and Bobby entered. "Bobby?" She said, getting up. "What are you doing here?"


"I came to ask you something." He walked to her and stopped directly in front of her. He looked like he was poised to speak to her but couldn't find the words. He opened his mouth a few times and shut it again. Then he let out a big breath and placed his hands on her shoulders. "Are you feeling better?" Jubilee tried to hide her disappointment in his impersonal question.


"Yeah, fine." She said.


"Completely better?" He asked.


"Just a little sensitive where the scrapes are healed if you want details." She said, glumly. "Why do you ask?"


"Because I've been waiting patiently for you to heal completely." Bobby's eyes had a sudden predatory gleam in them that she'd never seen before. "So I could feel no guilt when I do this."


He pulled her forward and kissed her. It wasn't the same kind of kiss that she'd given him, it wasn't grateful or shy or hesitant. His mouth crushed hers with an intensity that told of a lot of pent up emotion. His arms were wrapped tightly around her and he held her against him. He pushed her back against the wall and held her there while his lips continued their passionate assault.
Bobby pushed his tongue past Jubilee's lips and rubbed it against hers. She found her arms winding around his waist and pulling him tighter against her.

He broke off the kiss as suddenly as he'd started it. He pushed back and held her at arm's length with her back still against the wall. "If you ever scare me like that again I swear I'll take art lessons, learn to draw, and post sketches of you naked all over the school." He waited for his words to sink in. "Do you understand me?" She nodded mutely. "I'm leaving now before I do something I'll regret." His eyes were hot, boring into hers, but he released her and walked to the door. Before he reached it, a stream of fireworks hit the edge and slammed the door shut in front of him. He turned and Jubilee stood with her arms crossed over her chest. "Trust me, it's a good idea if I go."


"I beg to differ." She replied. "I think it's a good idea if you stick around." To make her point, she reached a hand up to her collar and unfastened the top button of her sleeveless blouse. She raised her eyebrows in a silent challenge. He looked at her hands, poised over the next button, and swallowed hard.


"I don't think you know what you're asking."


"Who said anything about asking.She She replied haughtily. "I'm *demanding* that you put your money where your mouth is." Her tone was serious but her voice was soft. "I'd like to see Bobby Drake, the master of he 'No Regrets' philosophy, do something he'll want to take back."


Bobby needed no further urging. He walked toward Jubilee, pulling his shirt over his head and dropping it on the floor. When he reached her, he brushed her hands away from the front of her shirt and pulled it open impatiently. She did wear a bra today; it was white, transparent lace. He dropped the blouse off her shoulders and slid his hands up her belly to cup her breasts boldly.


"I've been waiting to touch you for a long time." He whispered huskily. "Even before the day at the river." He kissed her again and she slid her fingers up into his hair. He moved his hands to her back and tried to unbuckle the clasp on her bra. It was small and he fumbled with it. He growled in frustration and snapped the fabric with his fingers.


"Easy on the fabric, Drake." Jubilee whispered against moutmouth.


"No way I'm waiting any longer. He pressed his hips into hers and she felt his erection prodding at her. She felt warm and damp inside her shorts. He unbuttoned her cargo shorts, unzipped them and let them fall to the floor. She stood in just her panties and he took a moment to just look at her. "You're so beautiful." He lowered his mouth to her breasts and began kissing and licking them. Jubilee tugged his own shorts down over his bulging erection and he kicked them away impatiently.


Bobby scooped Jubilee up into his arms and carried her to the bed and lowered her down to it. Then he stood up and slid her underwear off her hips and legs, dropping them on the floor. He shed his own boxers and Jubilee stared at the first male erection she'd seen outside of HBO. He didn't give her much chance for admiration. He lay down on top of her and resumed his exploration of her mouth. He still displayed the same intensity that he had with their first kiss, but now she could feel him restraining himself. His hands moved over her body in an attempt to feel all of her at once. He slipped one hand between her legs and began stroking her.


Jubilee arched off the bed with the new sensation. She didn't want to think about where he'd learned his skill; he'd had plenty of girlfriends. For the moment, he was hers. She reached between them and touched his stiff organ. He sucked in his breath as her fingers closed around him and she squeezed him gently. He pulsed in her hand and she started to draw her hand away.


"Sorry." She said, embarrassed that she'd done something wrong.


"No, it's okay." He guided her hand back to him and allowed her to stroke his length. He broke his kiss to look down into her face. "Have you done this before?" He asked. When she shook her head he smiled and slid down her body, placing kisses on her belly. Before she c pro protest, he parted her thighs with his hands and lowered his mouth to her.


"Oh my God." Jubilee was sure she'd have levitated off the bed if he hadn't been holding her pelvis down. He licked her wetness and pushed his tongue inside her. Then he followed it with a finger, stretching her tight passage. She thought then about the spatial issue at hand and how he would fit, but she lost her worren hen he closed his lips on her sensitive bud and sucked. She stuffed a pillow in her mouth to keep from screaming loud enough to bring someone running. He added a second finger and continued to use his tongue, stabbing it against her and making her twitch violently against his mouth. When she came, she was unable to make a sound. Her mouth was open in a silent scream as her body tensed completely and she couldn't breathe.


Bobby left Jubilee for a moment and she panted on her bed, trying to catch her breath when her internal spasms stopped. She lifted her head and saw him fumbling in his discarded shorts' pockets. He pulled out a foil packet and tore it open, striding back to the bed with a serious expression on his face. He rollhe phe protection down his length with one hand and knelt on the mattress, pulling her knees apart with the other. He settled himself between her thighs and held himself steady at her entrance. He balanced his weight on one elbow and kissed her hard on the mouth.


"Sorry, Baby, I'll make it better." He thrust into her, hard and fast. Jubilee tensed under him and let out a small cry of pain. As he broke through her hymen and drove deep inside. Once her was buried within her, he brought his other arm up alipplipped his hands under her back and up to hold on to her shoulders, curling his fingers against her collarbone. He kissed her throat and face. "Worst is over, I promise it'll get better now." He began to move slowly forward and back. It burned a little at first, but her body's lubrication made his movements smooth as he slid in and out. His mouth was frantic on her neck and breasts and his movements became more jerky and intense. He moved one arm to pull her knee up around his hip and Jubilee found that the deeper penetration gave another kind of pleasure, different from the oral stimulation he'd given earlier.


"Feels good." She whispe " "Bobby you feel so good." She sank her teeth into his earlobe and heard him growl in reply. He started to pound into her, lifting himself up on his hands so that their bodies were only touching at the pelvis. His brow was furrowed in concentration as he deftly held his weight up on first one hand, then the other while he placed her ankles on his shoulders. Jubilee's gymnast flexibility made this position easy to attain. The penetration was intense almost to the point of pain, but she found the pleasure to be more intense.


Bobby rocked his hips hard against hers and a guttural sound made it through his gritted teeth. Jubilee felt him shudder with the force of his orgasm. He slid her legs off his shoulders and collapsed in a heap on top of her. was was breathing heavily; his face was buried in her neck. After he caught his breath, he raised his head to look her in the eye.


"I'm sorry if I was a little rough with you." He said. "I'll try to be a little more gentle with you next time."


"Next time?" She said with exaggerated surprise. "What makes you think there's going to be a next time?" His devilish grin returned and he reached between them, finding her clitoris with his thumb. When she gasped at the contact he answered her.


"There are going to be a lot of next times." He vowed and lowered his lips to hers.


"No regrets then?"


"None."