Jean yawned delicately and punched in her code at the infirmary door. Her cup of coffee smelled like heaven at six in the morning and she vaguely wondered why it was she kept getting up at six am. She shrugged that thought aside and strode to her desk flicking on lights as she went. She set her coffee on the desk then went to check on Xavier. She peeked in and was at first angry that Donella had apparently managed to get in despite the code change. Her anger washed away though at the shock of seeing Donella laying in the bed with Xavier, who had his arms around her and was staring right at Jean. 'Good morning Jean.' His voice ghosted through her mind and she stumbled back in shock.
'Don't speak aloud. I don't wish to wake her.' Xavier smiled slightly and Jean sat down in the chair beside the bed.
'How?'
'It took me a while to realize it but it was my own doubt keeping me trapped inside my mind. Once I'd resolved my doubts it was the easiest thing in the world to return to consciousness.' He replied.
'Doubts?' Jean asked doing her best to ignore Donella who slept peacefully cradled in Xavier's arms.
'Yes. Donella tells me I was missing for six years. I couldn't be sure of exactly how long I was missing but I know I was being manipulated into believing I'd been forgotten. Then when I finally snapped I was manipulated even further into believing that I'd been betrayed. By those closest to me. Her brothers work I fear.'
'You know about her brother?'
'Oh yes. It was one of the first things he allowed me to know. That it was her brother, her blood kin destroying me slowly by inches. It threw me a bit I'll admit. Donella doesn't have a mean bone in her body.'
Jean snorted and Donella shifted slightly before settling again. 'You have something to say Jean?'
'Just that the woman in your arms is a viper.' Jean snapped. 'She's been running Haven like her own private play ground since you went missing. She has a "Committee" made up of people she knows will agree with her to maintain appearances. As soon as I spoke against her I was removed. She claims that you gave her authority over Haven, she produced some bogus letter to that effect and push Scott aside.' Jean could barely keep her anger from becoming vocalized and Xavier could feel the waves of hostility as she spoke telepathically. 'And now her brother knows we're in British Columbia. She must have told him when we rescued you. She stayed behind to talk to the so called impostor and now he knows where we are.'
Jean took a deep breath and tried to compose herself. Xavier considered both women, one sleeping, dark smudges still evident under her eyes. The other angry, bitter and barely in control of herself. 'Jean. I did write that letter.' He finally said.
"What?!" Jean sputtered aloud and Donella jerked awake.
"Whats going on?" She asked sharply looking around. "Oh gods, I'm sorry Charles, I didn't mean to pass out on you."
Xavier smiled at her. "It's fine dearest. Jean and I are just sorting some things out. Why don't you go get some more rest. I'll be along soon."
She smiled softly but he could see fear lurking behind her eyes. He brushed her wild hair away from her face and smiled. "Go. I'll be there soon. I promise."
She nodded and kissed his cheek before climbing off the bed and padding out of the infirmary. Xavier gave Jean a reproving look. "I wish you hadn't woken her. She has not been sleeping well of late."
Jean stared at him. "You did write that letter? Why?"
"Because Scott didn't want it. Neither did Donella truth be told but she was better suited to it than Scott. She's more flexible and for all Scott's many talents he's had little in the way of real world experiences. Donella has spent all her life in the real world. She knows what to expect from it. It made her more suitable." Xavier explained patiently.
Jean stared at him for a long moment and Xavier placed his hand over hers. "Jean. I know you dislike Donella. And as unethical as it was I read Donella's mind while she slept. I needed to know what was going on during my absence. Donella did not betray us. In point of fact I betrayed us inadvertently."
"You couldn't have!" Jean said startled, she felt as if her world were slowly collapsing around her.
"I did Jean. While I was in the FoH's custody they used drugs, mind control and torture to push me toward a complete mental breakdown. Then they gleaned what they could from my unguarded but fractured mind. I'm pleased to say they didn't get very much. Especially since Donella changed Haven's location after I went missing. But they did get a few things" Xavier ached seeing Jean so distraught, so confused but the more rational part of him maintained that she'd brought a lot of it on herself.
Jeans shoulders sagged. "So what do we do?" She whispered.
"We do as Donella instructs. Because she has a far better handle on this situation than we do." He replied.
Jean nodded and stood. "I'll go get your chair."
While she was off retrieving his chair Logan and Rogue came in. Rogue was complaining about morning sickness and Logan was crisply informing her that it was her own fault for eating raspberry jam and chicken wings together. The looked towards Xavier's bed and stopped dead. "Chuck! Good to see you awake fer a change!" Logan exclaimed.
"Oh mah god! Does Donella know?" Rogue asked.
"She does. She was the first thing I saw upon waking." Xavier replied.
"I won't lie to ya Chuck it's good to have ya back." Logan and Rogue stood next to his bed.
"It is good to be back. I'm sorry it took me so long." Xavier saw Jean push his wheel chair into the room then depart without a word. Logan looked over his shoulder and growled. "You gotta do somethin' about her Chuck. She's becomin' a real pain."
Xavier raised an eyebrow. "I had gotten that impression. All will be dealt with in time. Now would one of you be so kind as to help me get into my chair. I promised Donella I'd be along shortly. And could you point me in the direction of her quarters?"
Logan lifted Xavier easily and got him settled into his chair. Xavier tried the controls while Rogue explained how Haven's living quarters were set up. "Ah'll show ya where she lives."
As they all walked to Donella's apartment Rogue filled him in on her and Storms pregnancy. "That must have caused quite a stir." Xavier commented.
"We haven't announced it yet. We're waitin' till the community forum on Wednesday to break the news." Logan replied.
"Community Forum?" Xavier questioned.
"Yeah. It was Scott's idea. Said we needed to give everyone in Haven a chance to be heard so every two weeks Everyone who wants to gets together in the Great Hall and gets five minutes to say their piece. Sometimes there's debates. It's really made living so close to each other much nicer." Rogue replied.
Xavier nodded. "It sounds wonderful."
They turned a corner and Xavier saw the great sliding doors of Cerebro at the end of the hall, to the left about fourty feet from the great sliding doors was a smaller door. "Donella built the apartment close to Cerebro so you wouldn't have to travel far when you were tired." Rogue explained.
She knocked on the door then opened it. "There are locks on all the doors but no one bothers with 'em." Rogue commented. "We all follow the 'knock and see' policy."
Xavier chuckled. "Seems like a good policy. This seems like a Utopia."
"Not quite." Donella commented stepping forward.
She'd showered and changed into her usual cloths and was holding two cups of coffee. She handed one to Xavier. "We've had our fair share of fights and unrest. Things get tight just before harvest and it makes people cranky. Then you've got the folks who just can't seem to get along with one another. We've lost a few people to murder and there was a series of thefts before we caught the culprits. But we're doing better than I ever expected."
Xavier sipped the coffee. "It's good to know that you were able to make a concept on paper translate so well into real life." He said.
"We're gonna head out Donella. Rogue's got a check up." Logan said.
Donella smiled at both of them. "Take care. I'll see you at the Policy meeting."
They left shutting the door behind them. Donella sat in her favorite chair while Xavier sat across from her. "You look different Donella."
"Of course I do. It's been six years." She replied quietly.
He reached across the table and took her hand and they simply sat together.
The Wolverine & Rogue Fanfiction Archive
Barely Legal Since 2000
Author's Chapter Notes:
Jean gets told. Yay!
Chapter End Notes:
Please Review!!!