Over the Rainbow 2/?
Beta: Thank you, askita and jaq_of_spades!
Author’s notes: Thank you for all your awesome comments, guys! *hugs you all* For those who are on the mailinglist: I have to fix something tonight, but then I'll be able to send you updates again. The website will be updated this weekend as well.
And now onto the fic: here’s scene 2. It takes place right after the first scene with a fade out of the actual talk.
Jubes stares at me like I’ve completely lost it.
“What do you mean, you broke up? You disappear for two weeks to God knows where, you come back de-mutated, and the first thing you do is break up? Are you insane?”
“Look,” I try to explain. “I know it’s weird, but - ”
“Couldn’t you screw him first?” She cuts me off without even listening. “You know,” she maniacally flaps her arms around, “to get that whole awkward virgin-thing over with?”
I stare at her for a moment, too shocked to respond, but then I can’t help but laugh. It bubbles up from somewhere inside my chest and it comes out in a strangled splutter. For a moment, it threatens to take a dangerous turn towards relieved sobs, but I push it back and focus. I don’t want to cry. Now is not the time. I’ve got things to do. Important things.
Like finding out where to live from now on.
I need Jubes to lift the mood a little before I talk to Miss Munroe about it. She always makes me feel better with her own sense of logic. No matter what you do, Jubilee will always find an excuse for it. She’s awesome like that.
“Maybe I should’ve slept with him,” I answer, still smiling. “But I didn’t want to take advantage.”
Jubes merely snorts.
“What?” I ask, suddenly insecure. “You think I owe him?”
“Hell no!” Rolling her eyes, Jubilee sits down on her bed. “But now what? You know everyone is in a funk, right? I don’t think there will be time for dating and fun for while. Not after Dr. Grey ended up dead. Again.”
I blink at her. “Wait. What?” A Sudden chill runs down my spine and I press, “That wasn’t on the news. What happened?”
“They say Wolvie killed her. I wasn’t there, so I don’t know for sure - no one really tells me anything - but he’s the worst of them all. All growly and broody and - well, okay, he’s *always* growly and broody, but this time it’s *so* not sexy. It’s more like, scary, you know? Like, he wants to kick puppies and stuff. I bet he’s pretty upset.”
Oh, fuck. Things are even more complicated than I thought. I didn’t know this and Bobby didn’t tell me either.
I don’t get a chance to respond, though. Jubes is already moving on.
“Dude, how creepy is it that people can die twice?” She contemplates her words for a moment but then perks up again and gives me a conspiring stare. “Still, this means --” her dark eyes gleam almost feverishly - “that this is *your* chance to shine by comforting him every way you can.” She waggles her eyebrows. “Step into the spotlight and offer him a bare shoulder to sniffle on. And maybe bite a bit.”
She seems very pleased with herself, but underneath it all I can see that’s she still shaken up. I’m about to tell her that it’s okay to feel that way when she suddenly changes course and lets me have it.
“But where *were* you? You didn’t even text me back, you sneaky bitch! What was it like? Did it hurt? Did you get to kiss anyone?”
I roll my eyes at her barrage of questions. Jubes doesn’t do emotions. At least not when there are others around to see them. In a very selfish way I’m grateful for it. Counting on it even, because right now, I can only take. I don’t think I have anything to give. I know it’s greedy, like my skin’s searching for another way…
The thought suddenly scares me more than I can bear and again I’m glad for Jubes’ lack of tact and empathy. Her relentless chatter forces me to keep up and allows me to stay detached.
“I don’t just randomly kiss people,” I play along. “And I had a boyfriend, remember? Well, sorta anyway.” I scrunch my nose and Jubes merely quirks an eyebrow but wisely keeps all comments to herself.
Now that’s a first.
“It didn’t hurt,” I continue. “The needle did, but - you know, the rest was fine. A bit tingly, maybe.”
“But where *were* you?” she presses. “The whole world fell apart and you weren’t even *there*.”
“I know.” I look down and shuffle my feet. “I wasn’t planning anything. It just - happened.” I shrug and try to remember what it was like. “I stood in line, and there were all these people. Some looked weird, and some looked normal but could do awful things, and we talked, and one of them asked me where I lived, and - I didn’t know anymore. I didn’t know if I could come back.” I sneak a peek and see Jubes frowning. “So I got a motel room.”
“What?” she starts, genuinely confused. “You live here! You’re a part of the team.”
Sighing, I wonder out loud, “Am I? I mean, I heard about Alcatraz on the news and I knew there would be drama. I knew I had to be here, but I just - couldn’t. I wanted to be alone for a while. Sort things out. See if I could be *me* again, without all the superhero stuff going on. Is that a bad thing?”
Again I fear her answer, but Jubes shakes her head. “Nah. There *was* drama. Lots and lots. If I’d been able to get away, I would’ve. Drama gives me wrinkles.”
I can’t help but smile at that. “You’re so awesome, you know that, right?”
“Of course.” She grins. “So, now what? You gonna stay and nurse Wolvie back into the land of the sexy?”
I take a deep breath and try to roll the tension out of my shoulders. “Well, the first part is up to Miss Munroe. Let’s find out.”
TBC
Author’s notes: Thank you for all your awesome comments, guys! *hugs you all* For those who are on the mailinglist: I have to fix something tonight, but then I'll be able to send you updates again. The website will be updated this weekend as well.
And now onto the fic: here’s scene 2. It takes place right after the first scene with a fade out of the actual talk.
Jubes stares at me like I’ve completely lost it.
“What do you mean, you broke up? You disappear for two weeks to God knows where, you come back de-mutated, and the first thing you do is break up? Are you insane?”
“Look,” I try to explain. “I know it’s weird, but - ”
“Couldn’t you screw him first?” She cuts me off without even listening. “You know,” she maniacally flaps her arms around, “to get that whole awkward virgin-thing over with?”
I stare at her for a moment, too shocked to respond, but then I can’t help but laugh. It bubbles up from somewhere inside my chest and it comes out in a strangled splutter. For a moment, it threatens to take a dangerous turn towards relieved sobs, but I push it back and focus. I don’t want to cry. Now is not the time. I’ve got things to do. Important things.
Like finding out where to live from now on.
I need Jubes to lift the mood a little before I talk to Miss Munroe about it. She always makes me feel better with her own sense of logic. No matter what you do, Jubilee will always find an excuse for it. She’s awesome like that.
“Maybe I should’ve slept with him,” I answer, still smiling. “But I didn’t want to take advantage.”
Jubes merely snorts.
“What?” I ask, suddenly insecure. “You think I owe him?”
“Hell no!” Rolling her eyes, Jubilee sits down on her bed. “But now what? You know everyone is in a funk, right? I don’t think there will be time for dating and fun for while. Not after Dr. Grey ended up dead. Again.”
I blink at her. “Wait. What?” A Sudden chill runs down my spine and I press, “That wasn’t on the news. What happened?”
“They say Wolvie killed her. I wasn’t there, so I don’t know for sure - no one really tells me anything - but he’s the worst of them all. All growly and broody and - well, okay, he’s *always* growly and broody, but this time it’s *so* not sexy. It’s more like, scary, you know? Like, he wants to kick puppies and stuff. I bet he’s pretty upset.”
Oh, fuck. Things are even more complicated than I thought. I didn’t know this and Bobby didn’t tell me either.
I don’t get a chance to respond, though. Jubes is already moving on.
“Dude, how creepy is it that people can die twice?” She contemplates her words for a moment but then perks up again and gives me a conspiring stare. “Still, this means --” her dark eyes gleam almost feverishly - “that this is *your* chance to shine by comforting him every way you can.” She waggles her eyebrows. “Step into the spotlight and offer him a bare shoulder to sniffle on. And maybe bite a bit.”
She seems very pleased with herself, but underneath it all I can see that’s she still shaken up. I’m about to tell her that it’s okay to feel that way when she suddenly changes course and lets me have it.
“But where *were* you? You didn’t even text me back, you sneaky bitch! What was it like? Did it hurt? Did you get to kiss anyone?”
I roll my eyes at her barrage of questions. Jubes doesn’t do emotions. At least not when there are others around to see them. In a very selfish way I’m grateful for it. Counting on it even, because right now, I can only take. I don’t think I have anything to give. I know it’s greedy, like my skin’s searching for another way…
The thought suddenly scares me more than I can bear and again I’m glad for Jubes’ lack of tact and empathy. Her relentless chatter forces me to keep up and allows me to stay detached.
“I don’t just randomly kiss people,” I play along. “And I had a boyfriend, remember? Well, sorta anyway.” I scrunch my nose and Jubes merely quirks an eyebrow but wisely keeps all comments to herself.
Now that’s a first.
“It didn’t hurt,” I continue. “The needle did, but - you know, the rest was fine. A bit tingly, maybe.”
“But where *were* you?” she presses. “The whole world fell apart and you weren’t even *there*.”
“I know.” I look down and shuffle my feet. “I wasn’t planning anything. It just - happened.” I shrug and try to remember what it was like. “I stood in line, and there were all these people. Some looked weird, and some looked normal but could do awful things, and we talked, and one of them asked me where I lived, and - I didn’t know anymore. I didn’t know if I could come back.” I sneak a peek and see Jubes frowning. “So I got a motel room.”
“What?” she starts, genuinely confused. “You live here! You’re a part of the team.”
Sighing, I wonder out loud, “Am I? I mean, I heard about Alcatraz on the news and I knew there would be drama. I knew I had to be here, but I just - couldn’t. I wanted to be alone for a while. Sort things out. See if I could be *me* again, without all the superhero stuff going on. Is that a bad thing?”
Again I fear her answer, but Jubes shakes her head. “Nah. There *was* drama. Lots and lots. If I’d been able to get away, I would’ve. Drama gives me wrinkles.”
I can’t help but smile at that. “You’re so awesome, you know that, right?”
“Of course.” She grins. “So, now what? You gonna stay and nurse Wolvie back into the land of the sexy?”
I take a deep breath and try to roll the tension out of my shoulders. “Well, the first part is up to Miss Munroe. Let’s find out.”
TBC