A Quiet Rainy Weekend Author: NoHaven Disclaimer: Anyone or anything you recognize the name from a Marvel comic book, does not belong to me. I have no money, sue if you want you can’t get blood from a stone. Any likeness of people you recognize, I may know them as well and they know I have no money and they can’t get anything from me. The lyrics to “If you Loved me” belong to Van Morrison, and are used without permission. A Quiet Rainy Weekend By NoHaven A black Lincoln pulls to the front entrance to Xavier’s school for the gifted, inside rides Jean Grey one of the original members of Professor Charles Xavier’s original X-Men, of late she has been battling with the feeling that her husband though believed dead by her teammates wasn’t actually dead, or so she continued to believe with every fiber of her very being. After paying the driver she turns to enter the Mansion and is greeted by a smiling face, that of Charles Xavier. Striding up the steps she puts down her bags and gives the older man a hearty hug. “So how does it feel Charles? To be back here I mean, after being in space.” She asks inquisitively. “Well, this will always be my home, you know that.” Charles replies in a matter of fact sort of tone. “But it is nice to see you again. And it is always good to be home.” As the two proceeded through the main door, jean placed her bags down taking in the feeling of the mansion that had been more her home than anything else for most of her life. “So is anyone here yet?” Jean asks in a somewhat doubtful tone. “Only Logan has returned.” The professor replied. This Jean found odd, as whenever the X-Men had any time off they scattered to the four winds, and Logan was generally one of the last to return. She was sure the Remy would be in New Orleans doing, well whatever it is he does when he is not with the team. Pitor would undoubtedly be in either New York City, or Washington D.C. taking in the art museums. Kurt would be at the church. Cecilia would probably be in NYC as well. Warren and Betsy would be trying to spend some free time with each other. She knew Hank had gone to Muir Island to work with Moira McTaggert, and Storm was in Wakanda helping the Black Panther. Rouge had gone to visit Bobby before returning to the mansion, and her “son” Nathan had gone off somewhere with Bishop. She had assumed that Logan would also be taking advantage of the break to go off and do what he does, she assumed somewhere in Asia, but he was the first to arrive back to the mansion, she found that odd. “After you are settled, I’m sure we can figure out something for dinner.” The Professor said warmly before moving into his study. Jean walked up stairs and unpacked, and while sitting on her bed she fell asleep. Two hours later a light tapping on her door awakened her. “Yes, come in.” she groggily managed to force out. Slowly the door opened and a face she would know anywhere peered in, his blue eyes instinctively scanning the room. He opened the door a little wider and placed one foot in the doorway. “Sorry to wake ya Red, but when Charlie told me you were here I figured I would come and say welcome home. As well as let you know the me and the Prof, well we just got some Chinese food, it’ll be downstairs with some cold beer if ya want any.” Logan stated softly. “Thanks, Logan I’ll be down shortly.” Jean said a small smile forming on her face as he closed the door. He had become one of her closest friends, dependable, loyal and willing to listen. Even though he wished they were more than just friends he respected her feelings for Scott, and not forced the subject. So while she had originally thought it odd he was the only one to return now she looked forward to spending time with her old friend. Descending the stairs Jean was clad in a heavy old sweatshirt, a pair of faded military fatigues and Adidas sandals. As she entered the kitchen she saw the Professor sitting at the table a plate with two egg rolls and some rice in front of him as well as a small glass of cherry. Looking around the kitchen she noticed Logan wasn’t present, but noting the porch light on through a window and the stereo playing blues she made the assumption that Logan had taken his meal to the porch to enjoy the rain falling. Taking a beer from the fridge she pulled up a chair next to the professor she grabbed an egg roll herself and the two fell into a conversation. The two talked of old times and how the team had changed while the professor had been away leading Cadre-K . The conversation caused both to smile and laugh and truly cherish the friendship they had developed over the long years. After two hours of chatting the professor decided to turn in and after a quick and warm embrace, he started away. “Jean.” He said quietly. “Yes, professor.” Jean replied. “Jean, I’m sorry for being the cause of Scott’s demise, if I hadn’t asked him back he would have never been put in that situation.” The professor said his head hung low. “Professor, you know you couldn’t have stopped Scott from doing what he did any more than I could have. And even if you hadn’t asked him back, he would have come after hearing what was going on. I don’t blame you and you shouldn’t blame yourself. And if Scott was sitting here he would tell you the same thing.” Jean replied, placing a hand on his shoulder and kissing him on the cheek. “Thank you Jean, until the morrow.” The Professor started to his room. Jean returned to the Kitchen retrieving two bottles of Harp, she proceeded to the porch where she found the remaining soul in the mansion. She noted how he never seemed uncomfortable, even with the chill in the air and the rain, he seemed quite content his feet up on the table a book resting on the arm rest of the wicker chair he sat in, a pad of paper resting on his thigh while he scrawled away. “Mind if I join you.” She said stepping to the chair next to his and offering the extra beer to him. “Hell Red, you bring gifts and I’m sure as hell not going to send you away, have a seat.” He replied, taking the beer from Jean and removing the top with an extended claw. Smiling Jean looked at her friend “James Joyce, Logan? Color me impressed.” “Well I always heard Cassidy talking bout his writing, then I saw the name of the book and it somehow spoke to me.” He said pointing to the Title on the bridge of the book, where gold foil spelled the words “The Dead”. “Well how morbid.” Jean said forcing a smile and placing her feet up on the table. “What are you writing?” she inquired, pointing a finger to his lap. Her very smell intoxicated Logan, his head swooned, and he found himself smiling uncontrollably. No matter how long he knew her she still had the same effect on him, she melted him turning him from the hardened warrior to a young boy in love. Even now he had to force the smile off his face. Pulling himself back to reality he forced out a reply. “It’s a letter to Jubes, she wrote me and I figured I would take some time and write her a reply.” “That’s nice, you two don’t talk as much as you used to, but you really do still care about her.” Jean said while sipping her beer, knowing the topic would get Logan talking. “Hell Red, I love the girl, she’s my daughter in many ways, she makes me proud. No we don’t talk as much as we used to but I still think about her and love hearing from the girl.” Logan replied a glint in his eyes and smile on his face. Jean looked at this man who was so rugged and strong, in many ways the heart and soul of the team, a hardened warrior, who rarely let his guard down and saw the happiness in his eyes caused by the connection to Jubilee. She wondered if she would ever be able to have that feeling, the feeling of pride about the life of a child who you cared for. She was robbed of that opportunity, and it was all of these emotions that brought her back to thinking of Scott. Staring into the darkness she was snapped back to reality by a question from Logan. “Miss him huh?” Smiling she choked out “very much, certain times I miss him even more.” “Ya know Red, I’m sure he’ll raise his ugly mug anytime now.” He forced from his lips, seeing the smile on her face form. “You think he’s alive?” “You say he is, so I have to go with what you say.” He commented. Seeing the smile on her face broaden he was a washed with contradicting emotions, he smile filled him with joy, but the fact that was the thought of Scott and not him tore at his soul. The two sat in silence for a few moments before Logan rose going into the kitchen to retrieve a bucket of Ice filled with beer. Popping the top off his beer he turned to Jean and said quietly. “Its good to see ya again Jeanie.” The two old friends sat on the porch drinking heavily, softly exchanging stories of their pasts, both bursting into laughter over stories about Hank and his experiments. “You would figure a man who was such a genius wouldn’t burn his fur on such a regular basis.” Jean choked out, through laugher. “You would think wouldn’t ya?” Logan replied sipping from a fresh beer. “Scott used to say that Hank paid for his genius…” Jean trailed off, her eyes welling up with tears. Logan felt a sense of agony wash over him watching this woman suffer, just then a song by Van Morrison came onto the stereo. An idea popped into his head. Standing up he stepped in front of Jean and extended a hand to her. “I know you miss Scott, and I know it isn’t much, but maybe a dance with ole Logan will cheer you up.” He asked gently. Smiling and wiping the tears from her face, she placed a hand in his. “I think I would enjoy that.” She choked out. As the blues filled notes of “If You loved me” by Van Morrison with B.B.King filled the air, the two individuals drew close to each other dancing slowly. Jean placed her head upon Logan’s shoulder, the smell of her hair overwhelming his senses; he held her tightly feeling her warmth. His chin resting on her shoulder, they swayed back and forth. Lifting her head to look at Logan, Jean slowly drew close to him placing her lips softly upon Logan’s. Logan reciprocated moving his right hand up Jean’s back, as she wrapped both arms around his thick frame. And in the darkness the image of two people tangled in an embrace could be seen against the backlighting of the porch lights, while the soulful words of Van Morrison filled the rainy night’s air. “Affinity and communication That is reality Understanding is the first thing It means so much to me If I love you I will find the key If it's meant to be 'Cause I love you” -- Let me know about this one, I’m not sure what to think about it, or if it needs to be continued. NoHaven