Chapter Four- Bad Boys


Our eyes locked. Don’’t ask me how, they just did. It’’s really kind of hard to explain, but I guess it’’s just one of those things that don’’t really have any logic in them. Like, for example, you know those Apple Jacks commercials where the kids always say they like `em even if they don’’t taste like apples because they just do? Well, it’’s kind of like that. It just the way things are.

Anyway, our eyes were locked. He was releasing all these strong emotions and feelings to me. They made me feel all warm and fuzzy inside. They gave me a kind of tingly feeling. I loved every second of it. Our eyes were still locked. He took a deep breath.

What are you thinking Scott Summers?

Then, he sent me a thought.

*I love you, Jean.*

Plain and simple. My heart soared.

He raised his right hand, to caress my cheek. My heartbeat definitely skipped a beat.

What do I say?

*I-I know, Scott*

Tears were starting to form again. Damn it.

*I- *

““Scott! I think I see Muir Island!,”” Bobby’’s voice boomed, startling Scott and making me jump a little bit, and breaking our intimate link. Scott looked at me for a second, waiting for me to continue. But I couldn’’t. The moment was lost……and I just couldn’’t do it. I turned away. He sighed, standing up, and walked towards Bobby. I didn’’t hear what they were saying though, because I was lost in my thoughts……again. Scott was hurt, I knew that. I mean seriously, who wouldn’’t be if you had just admitted to someone that you loved them and they didn‘‘t return it? I was going to tell him I loved him too, but after Bobby yelled, it just didn’’t feel right anymore. It felt a bit……awkward? I do love him, I really do and I think he knows that, too. Isn’’t that…….enough? I’’ve waited for so long already, and I almost lost him. I have tell him when the right time comes. I just have to.

====

Scott landed the helicopter with ease.

The training sessions do pay off, Scott thought.

Moira MacTaggert and her fiancéé, Sean Cassidy a.k.a. Banshee, were both waiting for them on the ground, still with surprised looks on their faces. As soon as the two stepped down from the helicopter, Moira immediately half-ran towards them.

““Scott! Jean! What are you doing here?,”” she cried out in a light Scottish accent, hugging them both. ““Why didn’’t you tell us you were coming? Is something wrong? Who are your friends? And where’’s Charles?””, the scientist asked, never pausing. Jean opened her mouth to answer her first question, but Moira cut her off.

““And Scott, why are your clothes torn? Oh, and theirs are too!,”” she said, as she noticed the New X-Men slowly stepping out of the aircraft.

““Tell me what happened!!”” she said, almost screaming in a somewhat panicky voice.

Sean put his right hand on his soon-to-be wife’’s shoulder, and in his softest, and gentlest voice, he said, ““Moira, I think we should help them get settled in first. Then we can ask questions,”” trying to calm her down. He had a very thick Irish accent, the students noticed. He turned to face the group of teens.

““You all must be starving. Come with me to the manor, while Moira goes and looks for some clothes that will fit you. Then I will show you to your quarters where you can rest,”” he said, in a warm voice.

They all nodded their heads, relaxing a little bit.

““We hope we’’re not causing any trouble or anything……,”” Jean said uncertainly, exchanging glances with Scott.

““No, of course not lass. It’’s our pleasure. You’’re always welcome here. Now come, follow me,”” he replied, smiling, beckoning them to follow him, ““and let us get you settled in.””

They smiled.

==

““I’’m afraid most of you will have to share rooms. We never did get to finish building this. Procrastination is such a hard thing to overcome…… Is that alright?,”” Sean asked, after showing them the quarters. They were underground, just below the manor. The floor, the walls, the ceiling, were made of some kind of metal.

““It’’s made of adamantium,”” Sean had explained. ““Charles helped us build it. It was supposed to be for runaway or lost mutants, just like some of you...””

Just like another branch of the Xavier Institute!, Scott thought enthusiastically.

““You’’ve done more than enough for us already,”” Kitty said, shyly.

““Yeah, Mr. Cassidy. And don’’t worry, we’’ll work it out,”” Jean added, flashing a warm smile.

Fortunately for Scott, no one noticed him tense a little bit.

““Well, alright. But if you ever need anything, just let us know,”” he said, with just a hint of uncertainty in his voice, and walked away towards the only elevator that went up and down from the manor to the underground quarters. Scott turned to face all of them as soon as the doors in the elevator closed.

““Alright, first thing’’s first. Uh, we need to pick roommates……””

He turned to Kurt.

““Kurt, go check how many rooms there are.””

““Sure thing, Mr. Cyclops,”” he said as he teleported away. Scott frowned.

Mr. Cyclops?

*BAMF*

““I think zhere are eight rooms in all. Four rooms on each side, and a kind of storage closet at zhe end of zhe hall,”” Kurt reported.

““Okay. Well, there are 1,2,3,4...there are 15 of us. Grab a partner to room with, and--””

He didn’’t even get to finish his sentence because everybody moved so fast. Hands were grabbing arms so quickly, the entire grabbing lasted a little more than 2 seconds. Everybody except Lance, Scott, and Todd were quick to choose. Kitty had grabbed Jean’’s arm, Amara grabbed Tabitha’’s, Bobby grabbed Kurt’’s, Jamie grabbed Roberto’’s arm, Sam grabbed Ray, and Jubilee grabbed Rahne’’s. Scott blinked. Then he and Lance exchanged glances. Then they looked at Todd, who smirked, showing bits of food and slime stuck in between his teeth. They glanced back at each other again.

““Uh, I’’ll be your roommate……if that’’s ok?,”” Scott asked, grudgingly.

““Um……sure. Okay……fine,”” Lance answered, reluctantly, taking a glance at Kitty, and scratched his head.

I can’’t believe I’’d rather share with Summers, than Tolensky……Well..who wouldn’’t?

But still……Summers?

““I get to keep a room all to myself? That‘‘s so cool, yo!,”” Todd said happily, as he hopped towards the nearest room.

==

““Oh yeah?””

““Yeah.””

““Okay, Sumners, give me one good reason why you should get the top bed.””

““Well, okay……uh, because I don’’t want to get um, wet.””

““Wha-?,”” Lance asked, sounding confused and frustrated. Then realization sunk in.

““Ohh no-- Now you’’ve pushed it too far!””

Jean and Kitty then heard sounds of things clattering and breaking. Their room was just next to Lance and Scott’’s, which was also one of the rooms at the end of the hall.

““I so cannot believe this!!,”” Jean cried out in exasperation, ““When are they ever gonna quit?,”” she asked Kitty, who was laying on her stomach on the top bunk bed.

““Yeah, like I hope sometime soon cuz I really need to get some sleep,”” Kitty replied, ““I mean, so much stuff has happened in just one day, and I’’m starting to get migraines!””

Jean looked at Kitty, with a weird look on her face.

““What?”” Kitty asked, starting to feel uncomfortable.

““Well, uh, I was just kind of wondering……””

““Yeah?””

““Can I ask you something?””

““Um……sure. What is it?,”” Kitty asked, sitting up.

Jean took a deep breath, and finally asked,”” Do you trust Lance?””

Kitty hesitated. What’’s this all about?

““Uh……yeah, I guess I kinda do.””

““Good……That‘‘s good……””

““Why?”” Kitty asked, who was now full of curiosity, if not confusion.

““Well,”” answered Jean, ““I was kind of wondering if you would mind sleeping with him.””

““What?!!”” Kitty exploded, her eyes widening, ““I’’m only fifteen for God’’s sake!””

““Wha--no, no, what I meant was, would you mind sleeping in the same room with him?”” Jean corrected herself, trying to calm Kitty down, ““So that uh, maybe you and Scott could trade, and both of us can finally get some sleep……?””

Gotta be more careful, Jean. Sheesh, Jean thought to herself.

““Oh.”” Kitty fell silent for a moment. ““Um, well, I guess if I had to, then I’’d do it. I mean, I really doubt he’’d try anything stupid…….””

““You sure?””

““Yeah……I trust him.”” Kitty smiled to herself. Weird, I really do trust him.

““Okay, cool, let’’s go make the trade then,”” Jean said as she stood up, while Kitty floated down, phasing through the top bed.

==

Jean telekinetically opened the boys’’ door wide open. Kitty heard grunting, so she peered behind Jean, and saw Lance and Scott……wrestling?

Neither noticed that the door was now open, with two pretty girls staring at them with disbelief.

At least they’’re not using their powers, Jean thought to Kitty.

Yeah. Like, now what do we do?, Kitty sent back.

Um, Wait, I think I’’ve got a plan……

Jean used her TK to freeze the two boys.

““Hey! I can’’t move!”” Lance cried out.

““Neither can I!”” Scott said. Then they heard a voice behind them.

““Okay Kitty, go”” Jean ordered. Kitty obeyed. She walked over to Lance and grabbed his arm. She used her power, making them both ““phaseable”” or ““untouchable””. Jean released her TK grip on Lance completely, but not entirely on Scott’’s. Lance tried to kick Scott, who was being slowly dragged away by Jean, but his leg just phased through him.

Scott stuck out his tongue.

““I really cannot believe this,”” said Jean.

““Yeah, you guys are like, so immature.”” Kitty added.

Both girls then turned their backs from them, and started dragging them. Jean dragged Scott towards what used to be Kitty’’s and her room, while Kitty dragged Lance to their room, in the opposite direction.

Neither noticed the small grins, the quick exchange of a tiny wink, and what appeared to be a small thumbs-up sign.