Forever

FOREVER—CHAPTER 27 (NC-17)

 

A/N Foxfeather rocks!
J
Thanks millions to InterNutter for
letting me borrow her idea and run with it (and run and run and run…)

Thanks beaucoups to all who reviewed—you make a girl
blush… ;)

 

 

 

 

How
the Hell did he know I was thinking about last night? I could have been thinking about Joaquin Phoenix, naked on a bed
of silk and whipped cream for all he knows.
Jubilee threw her shoe at the opposite wall, vaguely satisfied with
it’s thump to the floor. She was
saved from committing further damage by a knock on the door. “What?”

“Can I…hell. Can I come in?” The Southern drawl made Jubilee tense in
nervousness.

“Um, yeah.” The door swung open to
reveal Rogue, slightly disheveled and looking contrite. “Hey…I think.”

“Hey. Look, I wanna talk to
ya. It’s kinda important.” Her voice was lower than usual and Jubilee
felt compelled to listen to her.

“Fire away, Living Dead Girl.[1] Cop a squat.” Jubilee indicated the desk chair near where Rogue stood.

“Thanks…Look, this whole Remy
thing…No, let me finish. Yes, I like
him. A lot. Yes, I am pissed as hell that he likes you. But the thing is, I figured out something
today while I was…around…and well, I think I need to apologize.”

“Why?” Jubilee leaned forward. Rogue’s
chin was practically on her chest so contrite did she seem.

“I did promise you to stay
away from him and I did flirt with him…”

“Rogue, first of all, I was a
selfish brat to make you promise that.
Second, Remy flirts if it has a vagina.”

Rogue snorted indelicately. “Thanks—make a girl feel good. Hey—are those hickeys?”

“Um, no. I was attacked by an octopus.”
Jubilee fell back on her pillows and hid her face. “Go on…you were saying?”

Rogue fought back a wave of jealous
nausea at the site of the love bites but forced herself to continu“The“The problem is, I’ve been depressed
lately. Remy is hot and a new person in
my life and I thought, just maybe, there would be a way to work things with
us.”

“Ah.”

“You know, hopeless romanticism and
all that…I’m a dork.” Rogue seemed to
be fighting back tears and Jubilee was moved to go to her.

“I swear, if you cry, I cry….”
Tears spilled down Jubilee’s cheeks and she hugged Rogue carefully but
fiercely. “What the Hell happened on
your walk, anyway?”

“I’ll tell ya later. Right now, I just want to read my book and
take a long, hot bath.”

“Just so you know,” Jubilee said as
she opened the door for Rogue, “I’m not with Remy.”

“Really? I was sure…”

“Well, he can’t pick an emotion.”

“Mmmm. Male pattern phobia.”

“Exactly.” The girls laughed together for the first
time in days and Rogue went to her own room, leaving Jubilee standing in her
doorway. From downstairs, she could
hear Jamie chattering excitedly at people as the hospital group came through
the door. Guess I’d better play
nice. The Asian girl went nstanstairs and nearly ran into Jean on her way up. “Jean?”

“Can’t talk—empathic headache. Hate hospitals!” the red head gasped, barreling up the stairs.

Hmmm. Downside to telepathy number 452—feeling too much. “Hey, guys. ‘Sup?”

“Where is Katzchen?” Kurt and his mother appeared from the rec
room, surveying the assembled group.

Professor Xavier and Logan eyed
each other, the Professor giving Storm an unseen signal so that she escorted Jamie
from the room. “Students, we need to
have a meeting. Now. Kurt, Scott—please go gather everyone in the
mansion and meet in the formal dining room in ten minutes.” The boys disappeared and Jubilee had a
sinking feeling that she was not going to like what was coming.

 

Kurt never realized exactly how
many teenagers lived at the mansion until the Professor called one of his
meetings. Mostly, they were in cliques
that changed like the tides, groups shifting and changing but somehow never
really interacting unless there was an emergency or abject boredom. Save for Jean, Kitty, and Amara, every
mutant at the institute and Kurt’s mother were present. Kurt at next to Bobby who was more
interested in nudging Rahne in the ribs whenever she made eyes at Logan. “Shhh!
This is important!”

“It’s probably another one of those
rule-reviews that we get whenever Jubilee writes obscenities on the whiteboard
in the kitchen.” Bobby seemed bored and
that irked Kurt. Does no one grasp
the concept of serious around here?

“Children—students—we are in the midst of a
situation here. You all know about Kurt
and Kitty,” several ribald comments and gestures were bandied around before a
quelling look from Logan successfully halted such transactions. “but what you may not be aware of is the
chain of events it has set into motion…” Without divulging too much detail, the
Professor apprised all the students of the events of the past weeks, including
Jubilee’s injuries at the hands of Kitty’s father and the custodianship of Kitty
herself. “Now, we have an additional
crisis to deal with. Amara is in the
hospital, badly injured… She has had a miscarriage, children.” Kurt noted that all the females in the room
unconsciously moved to protect their womb, some dropping a hand over their
belly, others crossing their legs or hunching forward slightly. “No, I am not going to tell you any more
details but I felt it was important that you shoknowknow because Amara will be
coming home from the hospital tomorrow and, due to her other injuries, will be
confined to the institute for the remainder of the semester. She will be home schooled and continue
taking her regular course load in that time.
Where you come in is that I would like for you all to show compassion
and understanding, no matter you personal feelings towards Amara, “ here he
looked at Jubilee, “or your knowledge of activities. Is that understood?”
There was a general chorus of “yes, sir” and “yes, Professor.” He closed his eyes briefly before
continuing. “I can’t say I’m not
disappointed but this event has made me realize something important. We are
sorely neglecting you in the field of sex education. Starting tomorrow, there will be a weekly health class held here
at the Institute in addition to the one at school We will cover genetics, birth
control, sexually transmitted disease, and sexual responsibility. Attendance is
mandatory and if anyone feels that this is something they can do without, see
me and we will discuss a research paper in lieu of the class.” The Professor nodded to Logan who opened the
doors. “Dismissed.”

Kurt lingered to speak with the adults, not
approaching them until the last student cleared the room. “Herr Professor, Herr Logan?”

“Yes, Kurt?”
The Professor sounded strained so Kfounfound himself speaking quickly,
trying to end the conversation before he got snapped at.

“Where is Kitty?”

“She wanted to stay with Amara at the hospital…Kurt,
how much did you know about this?”

“Um, a lot, actually. I knew she was pregnant but I don’t know who the father is…”

“Yes, well, we do now. I think it’s best left to Amara who he is, if she chooses
to. Were you aware of her part in the
tape?”

“Vas?” Kurt
felt his blood boil. “How do you know?”

“Jubilee is a very…forceful personality.” The tapped his head and Logan snorted.

“The kid projects so hard I could have read her
mind…”

“What…how…huh?”

“Kurt, listen carefully. Amara has some emotional issues that clouded her judgment. She is going to undergo psychiatric
evaluation before she leaves the hospital but, in my opinion and that of the
doctor on call, she is simply depressed.”

“Depression could make her do something so…hurtful?”

“Amara lashed out the only way she knew how, in a
damaging manner that was meant to make others feel as bad as she does.”

“That’s not right!’
Kurt was torn between hatred and pity.

“Kitty feels for her and her…accomplice in this
act. She wanted to stay with Amara to
make sure she knew that we at the Institute would not judge her harshly.”

“Kitty is…more forgiving than I am, I’m afraid.”

“Me too, Elf…me, too.” Logan shook his head ruefully, shoving an unlit cigar between his
teeth. “I would have thrown her out on
her ass…er, rear…for a stunt like that.”

“Logan, Kurt, it’s important that you both keep your
tempers with her. Kitty is trying very
hard herself not to hate Amara right now, but she says that Amara needs love
more than hate and Miss Pryde seems willing to try and show her compassion.”
The Professor closed his eyes again and Kurt took it as a signal.

“I need to go think this over, sir.”

“Yes, yes…Kitty will be back tonight. Scott is going to pick her up in a few
hours.”

“Danke, Professor. Logan.”

“Get on out, Elf.
Go visit with your mom or something…”
Logan ushered him to doordoor and was already talking to the Professor
before Kurt was all the way into the hall.


Kitty and her love-cures-all-ills. I can try to forgive Amara but…hell. I don’t understand her. Kurt found his mother in the study, staring
out the window. “Mama?”

“Kurt, I heard some of what the Professor said…Your
Kitty has a tender heart.”

‘Ja, a little.
But she’s very protective, too.
She’d defend those she loves without thinking of the dangers to
herself.”

“Good. I
wouldn’t accept less from the mother of my grandchildren!”

“Mama! We
only just started dating!”

“Mothers know, mein Sohn. Mothers know.” Kurt
settled into the chair across from his mother and joined her, gazing out the
window at the lowering sun. Kitty
was right. Forever doesn’t seem like long enough sometimes. Mama will die one day and then what? Kitty, me, all of us…what use is it to hate
Amara when she was so sad that she hated herself? Kurt sighed and sank lower into the overstuffed chair. Kitty has a plan and all is right with
the world.

 

Scott knocked gently on Jean’s door, waiting for her
faint answer before entering. “Hey—need
some Excedrin?”

“No—just happy thoughts.” She shifted on her bed and motioned for him to sit, joining
her. “I hate hospitals.”
“Can’t say that I’m fond of them
myself…Was it Amara?”

“No. She was too doped up to make me feel pain,
really. Kitty shocked me with how angry
she was and Lance…Lance was weird. A
blank. The babies got me, though…. They
were scared and cold. They can’t
control their projections.” Jean sighed into the darkness.

“Never really thought about babies projecting
before. Guess it makes sense.” Scott edged closer to Jean, close enough to
feel the outline of her leg through the blanket. “Want a neck rub?”

“Scott,” Jean sounded wary, “I don’t feel like being
picked up on.”

“C’mon.
We’re friends, right? What’s
wrong with a friendly neck rub?” Jean
acquiesced and rolled into a sitting position, sweeping her hair forward to
expose her neck. “See? I don’t bite.” Unless
you ask… He could tell that she
caught that because she tensed. Sorry. He massaged her lower neck and felt tension
melt away. “Wow—you really need a
better vacation.”

“Funny.”
Jean moaned a little as his thumbs worked on a knot. “Scott?”

“Yeah?” He answered so quickly that Jean
giggled.

“Do you think we did the right thing? Helping Kitty, or trying to?”

He stilled a moment and thought his answer out. “Yes.
Kitty’s like a sister to me and I knew I would help her however I
could. And I think her heart was in the
right place, from what I understand of the situation. I think she was trying to fix a bad situation.”

“Mmmm. Keep
rubbing… Thanks. I’m conflicted. I mean, on one hand, I agree with you. On the other, I should have known
better. We should have known
better.”

“Did you see the look in Kurt’s eyes? I mean, he looked so driven…” The fire in Kurt’s eyes when he looked at
Kitty had made Scott insanely jealous, wanting to see that look in Jean’s eyes
and wanting to be free to look at Jean that way.

“Yeah—kinda scary.”

“Scary? He’s in love, Jean! They’re in love!” Scott stopped his neck rub abruptly and sat
back against the headboard.

“Like I said, scary. That loss of control, that level of trust…scary.” Jean shifted to look at Scott.

“Jean, love is a paradox. It’s control and lack of it all at once. That’s what makes it so great…” He chanced a smile and was the recipient
of a deep frown.

“I don’t like that.
It’s m.”
.”
“Messy is good. Messy is fun…”

“I’m not talking about sex!”

“Me either!”

“You were thinking it!”

“Jean, I’m a seventeen year old male. I’m always thinking about it.”
“Point. It’s just that when I’m not in total control
of myself, I suffer for it.” Her voice
bore a tremor and Scott felt his heart contract.

“You don’t think you can love someone without being
in control of yourself?”

“With Duncan, it’s so hard. He wants me to be a certain way for him and
I can’t do it. I can’t let go of myself
to that degree.”

“What Duncan has for you isn’t love, Jean, it’s
simple lust. He thinks you’re gorgeous,
he wants to bed you and that’s that.”

“Scott!”
Jean turned bright red.

“What? You’ve
never scanned him?”

“No…It felt wrong to do it to him.”

Too little mind to scan, probably. “Yeah, I said it…” Scott muttered when Jean
looked at him darkly. “Look, I know
that you don’t want to talk about it, but just hear me out. Don’t talk.
Just listen. Okay?” Jean made an exaggerated nod and Scott
snorted. “I don’t think love makes
someone change for the sake of the other.
You love someone for who they are and who they can be, not who you want
them to be. Love accepts fear and hate
and lust and all the messy parts that make you feel like you’re going downhill
in a roller coaster. Love also accepts
the long stretches of boring, the fighting and the slow parts of the ride where
all you’re doing is listening to that damned clicking noise.”

“Hell of an analogy.” She smiled a little when he was done.

“Well, English isn’t my best subject…Want me to
finish the neck rub?”

“I don’t think so…you’re awfully projecty.”

“Sorry.
Look, I didn’t mean to scare you…”

Jean broke in, “I see Kurt and Kitty and how hard
this is and I see myself and wonder if I could be like Kitty, loving Kurt even
though fate seems to be against letting them even be alone together, being seen
in public together… I don’t think I
could do it.” She sounded ashamed.

“Jean, you’re not Kitty. You don’t have to love like she does. You just have to love like you do.” Scott stood and moved towards the door. “I had better get out of here before I say something stupid, huh?”

“Like you love me?”

“That’s never stupid…that’s the truth.” Scott opened the door and, without facing
Jean, said “See you at dinner.”

“Scott…wait a sec.”
He could hear her footfall stop directly behind him and her perfume
teased his senses. “I’ve been meaning
to give you something.”

“Oh?” He turned to face her, almost eager.

“Yeah…” She
stood on her toes and paused a hair’s breadth from his lips. “This…”

 

 



[1] Song by Rob
Zombie that always reminds me of Rogue for some reason.