The Angel's Departure pt 9



Scott and the professor were playing chess together in the library, the professor was winning because Scott was distracted. "Scott? Scott?" Xavier called to Scott, but Scott did not hear him. "Scott," the professor called to him telepathically. Scott turned and looked at the professor. "Scott, are you okay? I've been trying to talk to you for five minutes."

"Sorry Professor, I was just thinking about Jean..."

"I know, but she'll be home soon."

"Four days...its seems like such a long time. I miss Jean so much." Scott told the professor.

"Everyone does Scott," the professor told him. "You just miss her more than the others do, that's all."

"I know that everyone misses her, but I just really miss her. I've known Jean for a long time and when she's not around it just doesn't feel right. It feels like a part of me is missing, like I've lost a piece of my heart..."

"She is a special young woman, she sees the good in everyone," the professor told him.

"I tell her that she's everyone's conscience, always telling us whether or not we should be doing certain things. Like when Avalanche, Toad, Quicksilver, the Blob and we agreed not to use our powers, Jean started to give us all "I'm proud of us" speech."

"Jean does see things differently, she sees the good in her enemies. She's like a daughter to me, not that you're not like a son to me Scott. You are like a son to me, it's just that Jean and I are similar. I think of you all as my children, my hope for a better future."
***
"Jean?" her father called, and Jean ran downstairs to see what he wanted. He father only seemed to bellow her name. He could not just knock on her door and talk to her without being angry.

"Yes daddy?" Jean asked nicely.

"Dinner's ready."

"Thanks." Jean sat down at the table across from her sister. Her parents were at the ends of the table and they did not look happy.

"Jean?" he father asked.

"Yes?"

"I thought we agreed that you would stay away from those institute kids as much as possible?"

"Yes? What? I had lunch with them, you said that it was okay. I was just saying thank you for Scott bringing my stuff from the institute and Kitty was telling me how much she misses me. Kitty's a freshman and even though she's really smart she doesn't fit in with any of the other kids cause she shy."

"Well that's nice. Are you like a mentor to her?" her mother asked.

"No, at least I don't think so. Kitty just looks up to me because I'm older and because I'm a cheerleader and am always hanging out with other cheerleader and football players."

"The in-crowd?" Sara asked.

"Yeah I guess you could call them that."

"So, you're popular at your school?" he father asked her.

"Yes."

"Good," he father said, which worried Jean. She couldn't make out what exactly he was thinking but she didn't like it.
***
"Jean have you been avoiding me?" Scott asked as Jean opened her locker.

"I didn't want to, it's just that I could swear that my dad has a spy around me all around me. He knows that I was eating with you and Kitty at lunch the other day."

"That's spooky..."

"Yeah, you're telling me! Maybe he's pyschic?"

"I don't think so, but good try."

"Maybe Darkholme's spying on me?"

"Wouldn't surprise me, Jean."

"So how many days till I'm home? I've lost count."

"Three days."

"Three days," Jean said to herself, "I've made it through the last four days I think I can make it through the next three."

"Well, I can't wait till you're home." Scott told Jean as the bell rang, "well better get to class. See you at lunch?"

"Yeah, okay. Bye Scott." Jean watched as Scott walked to his class, she closed her locker and went to her class.
***
"Jean, I'm so glad you're here!" Kitty said sitting next to her. "I'm having a crisis! I need your help, if you can help?"

"Why? What's wrong?" Jean asked concerned.

"The Sadie Hawkins Dance is coming up and it's like semi-formal and I need you to come shopping with me! Please!"

"When's the dance again?"

"In two nights...that's why I didn't know if you could?"

"I'll check today after school and then I'll call you okay?"

"Yeah thanks Jean!" Kitty said hugging her.

"Vhat's such a big deal about vis dance?" Kurt asked them.

"Sadie Hawkins?" Kitty asked.

"Veah, I've never heard of vit."

"It's like when the girls ask the guys instead of the guys ask the girls."

"Oh, vhat's cool!"

"Umm. No!"