Institutionalized

INSTITUTIONALIZED CHAPTER THREE (NC-17)
Disclaimers Apply

A/N Goddess Foxfeather, Queen of Mad Plotbunnies and BUSIEST WOMAN ALIVE (tm), mille mille mille grazie for all the betaing and translating...Billy and Joaquin are doing a happy dance in your honor (kilts and all!). InterNutter, TC and Maxwell Pink are loverly. I mean it. :) Readers/Reviewers: *blush * Awwwww..... y'all are too kind to me. ;) And the armadillos are offering amnesty to any duck and Killer Kitty (tm) and Killer Minion(tm) who learns the proper use of the word y'all. Strange critters, armadillos.




"Jean, are you okay?" Scott was more than happy to find her alone in the chaotic mansion, even though she did seem to be on the verge of a panic attack. She was wild-eyed, pale and fidgeting with everything within reach as she sat at the narrow table in the library, not seeming to hear him when he spoke. "Jean?"
"Scott, we're insane. Absolutely insane! We've got another year of school left, we can't even sleep in the same room and we can't even *tell * anyone that we're married...what were we thinking?"
He frowned and sat across from her, his pleasure at finding her slowly changing to worry. "Jean, are you regretting what we did?"
"Not...not really. I mean, we were going to do it sooner or later anyway, but...Scott, we're teenagers!"
"So?" he said, leaning back in his chair. "My parents were eighteen when they were insanely happy...
"My parents didn't get married until they were nearly thirty. They wanted to finish med school and...oh, God! Med school...Scott, how am I supposed to go to med school if we're married?"
"Jean, for a smart girl, you're being kind of stupid. Hundreds of med students are married and do just fine. Are you worried we're going to get caught?"
Jean sighed.e she shouldn't have to hide this, Scott..."
"What are you trying to say Jean?" He leaned across the table and took her hands in his. "Tell me."
She felt his panic and fear and the desperate love he was feeling for her at that moment, her own worry sliding into something less palpable. "I'm just having a bad day," she sighed. "I got a bunch of applications for colleges in New York state and I guess reality hit hard." She turned her hands over in his and laced their fingers together. "And I'm worried that the Professor will find out and...I don't know."
"He won't kick us out, Jean. At worst, he'll tell us he's very disappointed in us."
"Ouch," she said wincing. "I hate that. My parents are going to kill us, you know..."
"So long as we're together," he said, leaning across the table to kiss her. "Jean, sng ang as we keep our shields up, so to speak, no one will find out. The Professor won't scan us if we don't give him permission and you know it. Kurt and Kitty aren't even in the country, so we're safe from one of them slipping."
"Slipping with what?" Jubilee's voice bubbled through their conversation. She stood in the doorway of the library, blowing a large pink bubble and letting it pop loudly. "What's going on?"
"Nothing," Jean said coolly, standing but not letting go of Scott's hands.
"Um, a surprise party for Rogue's birthday1[1]," Scott said at the same time.
"What? You guys are planning a party and didn't tell me! Geez, thanks!" she cried, throwing her hands in the air. "She's only one of my best friends and you don't even consult me on it?"
Jean glared at Scott but said to Jubilee, "Well, we just came up with recently...we haven't told anyone yet, really."
"You told Kurt and Kitty!"
Scott glanced at Jean and said hastily, "Wehonehonestly, we'd toyed with the idea of...it...before Kurt and Kitty left. They don't know it's a sure thing now, though..."
Jubilee narrowed her eyes at them. "Riiiiight.... Well, you know Rogue's gonna hate it. Which means we may as well make it ae dee deal and go all out, ya know!"
Jean groaned inwardly as Jubilee pulled up a chair and sat down, starting a long list of plans and details until the Professor said calmly but seriously in their heads, _*Could you all please assemble in the rec room? We need to have a meeting... _ *
"Oh, great," Jubilee sighed. "Who did what now?"
Jean and Scott exchanged sick glances. "Well," Jean sighed, "we know it's not Kurt and Kitty..."
They trooped into the rec room, Jubilee still chattering about a "certain someone's party" until she ran smack into Scott's back. "Hey, Fearless Leader, wanna move it?"
"Uh..." Scott blinked in the bright lights of the room. Everyone, minus Lance, Amara, Kurt and Kitty, were there. But there were strangers mixed in. "Professor?"
Jean was scanning everyone for some clue as to what was going on. Her friends were preternaturally silent and she momentarily suspected something oddly nefarious until she realized that the Professor was blocking her. * _ Professor! _ *
He ignored her mental cry and instead said warmly, "Good! Now that we're most of us here, I can make introductions...Paige, Sam, I would like for you to meet the current residents of the Institute..."
Jean tuned out as the Professor began tntrontroductions with Logan and Storm, who, she noticed, were looking mildly disconcerted. Beast was more affable, smiling genially and offering his welcome in superfluous terms. Jean, however, could not help the feeling that something was not quite right. She knew that they were to have visitors the next week, but to have them here now, something must be wrong somewhere. *_Jean, _ * the older man said in her mind even as he spoke, going on about how lucky they were to be the first to stay in the newly renovated boathouse, * _ you and Scott will remain after everyone is dismissed. We have much to discuss _ * . By the sudden pale tint to Scott's face, she guessed that he had received a similar communiqué. She nodded subtly to the Professor and smiled at the guests as he ordered Rogue and Todd to show them to the boathouse and help them get settled in. Everyone else trickled out quietly, whispered opinions and theories sounding like the rustle of old leaves as Jean and Scott stood their ground. The Professor let the silence drag on interminably until finally, quietly, he said, "For some days now, I have been aware of a problem. Only recently have I apprised Logan, Storm and Beast of this...issue...but I feel it is time I spoke with the two of you about it."
Scott gulped audibly, reaching for Jean's hand without breaking the Professor's gaze. "Yes sir?"
"Sir?" The Professor laughed a little. "You never call me sir..." he said, shaking his head slightly. "This...problem...started out quite small. In fact, I was nearly happy to hear about it because it gave me some hope. But, I quickly realized just how damning the issue is."
Jean straightened until she stood ramrod stiff. "Professor, with all due respect, I think that you should hear all sides before making such a decision."
"That's what I thought, too, until things escalated. People are getting hurt." He tapped the arm rests of his chairs distractedly, looking first to Logan then to Storm and finally, to Beast before saying, "It was Logan who suggested I speak with the two of you. In retrospect, it is the logical choice."
Storm nodded. "The two of you are rather the de facto leaders of the students here, whether they honestly realize it or not. Your actions are their example to follow."
Scott frowned. "This isn't a Sunday school class. We aren't their teachers. Everyone on the team is their own person!"
Jean felt her _expression change to one of confusion. She had been fairly certain of the directions of the Professor's speech but now, she felt adrift. "Scott, I think what he means is that whatever we do will influence the actions of the others by whether or not it's something they might be able to get away with themselves."
"Well," Logan said slowly, "that ain't the way we would've put it, but close enough for government work..."
The Professor made a small motion for order. "Our guests' early arrival has hastened this meeting. I was going to wait until Kurt and Kitty returned from Germany, but circumstances have become rather...pressed."
Scott sighed harshly, making Jean shift into panic mode. It was a sound he made whenever he was about to run at the mouth and she had a sick feeling about what he was going to say. She had realized, somewhat belatedly, that the Professor had no idea or seemed to have no idea that they were married. Her shielding had worked thus far and that made her happy, but Scott was about to ruin it all. "Scott," she said suddenly, overbrightly, "why don't you let the Professor finish?"
"Because I don't see what we did as being a bad thing!"
Dead silence fell in the room. "What," Logan said dangerously, "did you do?"
Scott blinked. "Uh..."
"We dented the Jeep! Badly!" Jean said quickly. She willed it and it happened, and she knew without looking that a rather sizeable dent had appeared in the front right fender of the Jeep.
The Professor raised both brows but did not comment, merely motioned for Logan to be quiet. "The situation is thusly...A new group of mutant is in our area. They seem to be vying for the Brotherhoods' position as General Bother to our little society but there is something more sinister about them. They have hurt some people quite badly in other parts of the country, causing at least one death that I....that wenow now of. They call themselves the Hellions and are lead by a woman named Emma Frost, though this is somewhat of a surprise to me. Last I heard, she was out of the...um...evil leader game."2[2]
Some color was returning to Scott's face. "Hellions?"
Logan rolled his eyes. "I never heard of such bullshit names for people and groups until I hooked up with you people. Er...sorry, Ro."
"Hmmm..." she gave him the evil eye and a distant rumble of thunder was heard.
"The reason I wanted to speak with the two of you first is because I fear that, very soon, we must face the Hellions. They are a viable threat, beyond the trickery and mean spirited attacks of the Brotherhood. With Magneto and Mystique diverted to other purposes, the Brotherhood is dead in the water at the moment. Have no doubt that I believe that it will revive one day and most likely soon, but the Hellions and Emma Frost are here and now. They are looking for trouble and I fear you...all of you...are it."
"What is it you want us to do?" Jean asked somewhat stiffly, trying to process everything at once.
"We need for you to start choosing an Alpha team. This segment of your training is coming sooner than I would like, but Logan will help you decide who are the strongest fighters. The rest will be a reserve team of sorts. You will all receive the same training, a crash course in combat techniques, as it were. Storm and Beast are gathering intelligence on what sort of abilities these Hellions possess and when that is known, we will be further armed against them."
Scott said slowly, "You want for us to...to play St Peter to our friends? Decides who risks their neck and who doesn't?"
"That's the long and short of it, Scooter," Logan sighed. "We start training tomorrow. We need Kurt and Kitty back pronto."
Jean frowned. "Can't they stay until Friday, like they'd planned? They really need the break and I know they can catch up on anything they miss between now and then..."
Logan started to protest, but sighed. "Half Pint really needs some sane time..."
The Professor nodded. "Go meet Paige and Sam properly. They arrived early at my request because I am afraid that they might become quite necessary to our fight. There are two more recruits coming by Wednesday, one a young man from England that I would really like for Kurt to deal with on a one-to-one basis, and another who was presented to me as Sunspot."
"Sunspot," Logan snorted. "I swear..."
"What's wrong wit that, Wolverine?" Storm asked pointedly. "What is a wolverine, anyway? Some sort of tiny wolf that nibbles you to death while you're trapped in a sleeping bag?"3[3]
The Professor finally smiled a real smile at that. "For now," he interrupted the bickering adults, "all we need to worry about is preparing you two," he indicated Scott and Jean, "for a new leadership role. You are going to have to make decisions that go against personal feelings and some of these may be very, very difficult."
Jean nodded. "I understand."
The Professor gave her a guarded look before saying to Logan, "I suggest that you call Kitty this afternoon, before it's too late where she is, and give them a brief run down of the situation so they are not walking into this blind. Tell them about Paige and Sam, tell them about the new recruits coming day after tomorrow. Only warn them of the Hellions. I don't want them to panic unnecessarily." He nodded a dismissal and Logan grunted something in response, stalking from the room with Storm in close proximity. Beast knuckled after them after a murmured word to the Professor and Jean was about to lead Scott out, still clinging tightly to his hand, when the Professor broke into her thoughts. *_I don't approve....but I am still happy for you. _ *
Scott was very surprised when Jean fainted.