DISCLAIMER: If you know them and love them (or hate them), they aren't mine. If you don't know 'em, they are.
DISTRIBUTION: If you would like permission to archive this story, please email: mydestinyfic@yahoo.com.
AUTHOR'S NOTE: This is my first attempt at an XFic. If you don't like it, don't read it. I'd like to thank the ladies of the WXF for their support and encouragement. Special thanks to Albertina, Chase and Joanne for beta'ing this for me. Big sloppy baby kisses to Cyn and baby Nicky for their special brand of ego-boostin'. And, finally, if you like it, please let me know. I've already got a few sequels spinning in my brain. Eve and Logan will not be stopped.
SPECIAL NOTE: Look Ma, all that thesis research came in handy for something!
Eve and Jean took the long, scenic route through the school as they made their way to Jean and Scott's room. Eve had been curious about the student population; and, Jean felt that it couldn't hurt to show her all the children that needed her. They stopped at the bank of windows at the foot of the stairs.
Two groups of boys chased each other around on the basketball court, while a group of girls were involved in a game of baseball on the lawn. Eve smiled as she watched them playing. It had been a long time since she had been around this many children.
Two tiny girls with blonde pigtails walked up to the windows and pressed their faces against the glass. After their breath left two little spots of condensation on the glass, they pulled back and wrote 'hi' on the surface. Eve pressed her face against the window, breathed on the glass and wrote her own message back. The girls waved happily and skipped off down the sidewalk toward a game of hopscotch.
"You have a natural way with children," Jean said. "They like you."
Eve shrugged off the compliment.
"Oh, I don't know. I have had a lot of classes on the subject. They taught me a great deal."
Jean nodded and began making her way up the staircase.
"I wanted to talk to you about that, if you don't mind."
Eve shook her head.
"When will you learn that I will tell you everything that you want to know?"
Jean grinned.
"I'm sorry. It's just that I find most people don't really mean that when they say it."
"Well," Eve said with a grin, "I do."
Jean laughed.
"Ok, then I promise not to ask you again."
"Good. That is how it should be. Now, what did you want to know?"
"Well," Jean said as they made their way down the hall, "what exactly do you mean by classes? Do you mean like the classes we give the students here?"
Eve nodded.
"Something very much like the classes you give here. At one time, there were many of us who were saved. Perhaps as many as two-hundred. Each of these students would be allowed to have one or two children. Because there were so many of us, we were organized by developmental stage. The young children learned basic child care -- cleaning, cooking, things of that nature. They also learned many games and stories and songs. An older group learned the skills necessary to keep their children safe from harm. They learned to veil their minds and the process of preparing someone to go underground. The oldest children had classes in mate selection. Though, you must understand, when I say oldest, I do not mean that they were old. You see, we left school shortly after puberty began -- maybe by the age of fifteen."
Jean paused outside one of the rooms.
"This is it," she said as the door swung open.
Eve grinned.
"I will never get used to seeing that happen. And, I have seen many things."
Jean laughed.
"It does come in handy on occasion."
They walked into a room with pale yellow walls. Blue and white fabric dressed the windows and the bed. A variety of multi-colored pillows lined the seat under the windows.
Jean motioned to the bed.
"Have a seat," she said. "I'll see what I can find in the closet. You're a little more petite than I am, but I'm sure I have something." A wicked smile crossed her face. "Scott is constantly complaining that I have too many clothes."
Eve laughed.
"Ahh, so it is a cross-species character trait?"
Jean nodded emphatically.
"It has to be!"
The door to the closet swung open and the clothes carousel within began to rotate.
"You know," Eve said wryly, "that power of yours could come in really handy. It's too bad it doesn’t come with the package."
Jean grinned.
"Please," Jean exclaimed, "you're going to have more powers than anyone I know! Those eyes alone would be enough for me. Did you get a load of Logan? I thought we were going to have to peel him off that couch." Jean giggled. "Complete and utter meltdown."
Eve wiped a tear from her cheek.
"Stop making me laugh," she said, giggling. "Besides, I think it's safest for me to avoid that line of questioning. It will only get me into trouble."
"But you said you'd tell me everything!"
"Oh damn," Eve said in mock disgust. "I guess I did. Me and my big mouth."
The two women shared a smile.
"You know," Jean said, another evil grin appearing on her face, "I think Logan needs to be put back in his place. He's been altogether too cocky about this whole thing."
Eve looked bemused.
"Is this going to get me into trouble again?"
Jean winked.
"I don't know," she said as a black silk dress floated out of the closet. "I know you need a permit for those eyes of yours, but what about your legs?"
The two women collapsed on the bed, laughing hysterically. As their laughter faded, Jean rolled on her side to look at Eve.
"Honestly," Jean said, "what do you think of him?"
"Logan?"
Jean nodded.
"I'm not sure what I think. I've heard about all the vices. They don't particularly surprise me. There are many among my kind who are the same way. When your body will take anything and heal afterward, vices tend to come naturally. For some, alcohol might as well be water. There is no effect so why not drink it morning, noon and night. He is much the same way. Actually, he reminds me of my people very much. He can be quite charming when he wants to be. I don't suppose I am really answering your question."
"No," Jean said, "you are. I can see from the look on your face what you think of him. He is a good man. He'll do the right thing. Once the Professor finishes talking with him, he'll be one-hundred percent behind the plan, if he isn't already. It's impossible to tell with Logan. He likes to keep things close to his chest. Old habits, I guess."
Eve nodded.
"That I can understand," she said.
Jean stood.
"If you'd like, you can take a shower before you change your clothes. If I know the Professor, you've had a long day."
Eve nodded.
"That would be nice. I had been underground for awhile."
Jean walked across the room, motioning Eve to follow her.
"The shower is in here," she said opening the bathroom door. "Take your time. I'm going to grab something to eat while you're busy. Did you want anything?"
Eve shook her head.
"No, I'm fine," she said as she disappeared into the bathroom, the door closing behind her.
~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~
Jean sat on the bed picking at the remnants of a tuna fish sandwich when Scott walked through the bedroom door.
"Hi," she said, looking at the bathroom door. The shower had stopped a few moments before and she could now hear the sound of a hair dryer through the wall.
"Hey," he said, frowning when he heard the hair dryer. "Is someone in the bathroom?"
Jean nodded as she took a bite of her sandwich.
"Eve," she said.
"Oh," he replied quietly, "how is she? I didn't make a very good impression this morning."
Jean smiled.
"It's ok," she said as he sat down beside her on the bed. "She understood. She's very empathetic, far more so than anyone else I've ever met. But, I guess she's had a lot of time to develop the skill."
Jean waved a dill pickle spear in front of Scott's face.
"Come on," she said, "if you're a nice boy and give me a smile, I'll let you have this lovely dill pickle."
He laughed and grabbed the pickle from her.
"Mine now," he said, taking a large bite out of one end. "Mmmm. Too bad you don't have another one. It's a really good pickle. If you're a nice girl and give me a kiss, maybe I'll let you have the rest."
Jean leaned over and gave him a quick peck on the lips.
"Oh man," he whined, "you call that a kiss?"
Jean nodded.
"Well, that doesn't earn you the pickle."
Scott stuck his tongue out at her before popping the rest of the pickle into his mouth.
Jean shook her head.
"No one would ever guess that you act this way behind closed doors, you know that?"
"That, my dear," he said, "is the whole secret to the Summer's charm."
"Oh really," she said, cocking an eyebrow, "I thought it wa-"
Jean was interrupted by a long, low whistle from Scott.
As she looked at him, she noticed the blush staining his cheeks.
"I'm sorry," he said, turning his head and staring intently at the wall. "I don't know where that came from."
Jean turned to the bathroom doorway where Eve stood. The dress she had selected was a wrap-around style that ended two inches above her knees. The fabric floated over her slender form. Eve toyed with the ends of her waist-length hair absentmindedly.
"That's ok," she said. "I take it as a compliment. Are you feeling any better?"
Scott nodded.
"I want to apologize for my behavior earlier. It just bothers me that we're all willing to sacrifice the future of your race for the good of ours. It just isn't right."
"Actually Scott," Jean said, "I wanted to talk with you both about that. I've been thinking."
She motioned Eve toward the bed as she tried to figure out the best way to explain her idea.
All references to characters belonging to the X-Men Universe are (c) and TM the Marvel Comics Group, 20th Century Fox and all related entities. All rights reserved. Any reproduction, duplication or distribution of these materials in any form is expressly prohibited. No money is being made from this archive. All images are also (c) and TM the Marvel Comics Group, 20th Century Fox and all related entities; they are not mine. This website, its operators and any content used on this site relating to the X-Men are not authorized by Marvel, Fox, etc. I am not, nor do I claim to be affiliated with any of these entities in any way.