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Post by Siryn on Aug 4, 2005 0:34:43 GMT -5
Enjoy.
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Post by Cyclops on Aug 4, 2005 21:46:26 GMT -5
Scott was relieved when Jean agreed to get some rest. He felt her fingers at the nape of his neck, felt her lips brush his. < As long as we’re together, Slim, everything will be all right. >
He had to smile at that. Once again, she had managed to voice exactly how he felt. He helped to her feet, offering no objections to her closeness as they headed for the elevator. He wasn't looking forward to facing Xavier and Magneto either. He simply held Jean close at the elevator took them to the top floor of the hotel.
Scott rummaged through his pockets until he found their room card. Luckily, the room was in the penthouse suite, but had a door from the hallway. They wouldn't have to deal with the nonsense of the ill-fated alliance just yet. He swiped the card through the lock and led Jean into their room.
The room was very nice. A king sized bed stood on a raised area of the floor, and a large dresser sat against each wall. A large vanity table sat near the door to the bathroom, adorned with a large oval mirror. There was a nice entertainment center there, a settee and a table with four chairs. Richardo had brought their luggage here, which was convenient. Scott needed his sleeping goggles. His eyes couldn't be uncovered, even in his sleep. If he opened them, even briefly, he could blow a hole in the ceiling, or worse, hurt Jean by accidentally blasting her.
Scott shut the door behind them, fastening all the locks. He didn't want to be disturbed by anyone for awhile. He and Jean needed to relax, and try to sleep, or at least try to rest. He hugged her to him, brushing his lips across his wife's before moving to his suitcase to retrieve a tee shirt and shorts to change into. Setting it on a small couch that was in the room, removed the clothing and the case that held the goggles he had to wear for sleeping and bathing. He slipped off the sweater he had been wearing, and the white tee shirt underneath it.
He contemplated taking a shower, but to be truthful, he didn't want to leave Jean alone even that long. She was so confused and frightened, and worried as much about losing control of her powers as she was about the bill up for vote tomorrow or the alliance with Magneto. And he was worried about these things as well. He let out a long sigh and stripped out of the rest of his clothing. He rubbed the back of his neck, feeling the taut muscles there. God, what a rollercoaster the day had been. He wanted to do something to help take both of their minds off things, to relax, to just relieve some of the stress.
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Post by Phoenix on Aug 5, 2005 16:49:47 GMT -5
Jean tried not to think about the impending Senate hearing or how things were fairing between the Professor and Magneto. The very fact that one of the X-Men’s greatest adversaries was in a room nearby conversing casually with Charles as if it was an every day occurrence began to claw at the recesses of her psyche. 'I’m not even going to think about it.' She pushed back the strong urge to go confront them again, repressing the inner turmoil to a place she’d rather not go again unless she had to.
As Scott let them into their room, Jean took a deep breath, trying to release any negative and apprehensive feelings brought on by the past few hours. She smiled softly as Scott gave her a gentle kiss before he locked the door and began to change.
The room itself was much better than their previous vacation hotel room, if you could have even called it that. Everything about this room whispered luxury and emitted an aura of elegant comfort with a hint of intimacy. It was a perfect getaway from all of the stresses she and Scott had endured, and from those yet to come, even if for just a little while. Jean glanced inside the large marble-tiled bathroom and raised a brow. This was definitely not like their former hotel location.
Glad to see that Ricardo had brought up their suitcases, Jean opened hers and pulled out some of her toiletries as well as the nightie she planned to sleep in. Taking off her shoes and coat she hung it up in the large closet. Unbuttoning her top and slipping that off, she left it on the arm of one of the Victorian chairs in the room.
Part of her felt too many waves of emotion to sleep, but another part of her knew it would do them some good. They had a long, stressful day ahead of them. Jean sat down on the bed for a moment, taking in the room, skipping from one thought to the next as fast as they came. Standing she slid off her skirt, placing it next to her top on the chair as she stood in her bra and panties. She would put her clothes away later.
Coupled with uncertainty and anxiety, Jean was feeling the pressure of the current events and knew Scott was feeling it as well. As she set down her skirt she heard him sigh and glanced over at his bare form. He was rubbing his neck, a good outward indication of how tense he was feeling.
Approaching quietly Jean slipped her arms underneath his, hugging him from behind as she rest her head against his shoulder blade for a few moments. Giving his back a soft kiss she led him to the bed to sit down while she moved behind him on the duvet. Sitting on her knees she began to massage his shoulders and back, sliding her palms over his skin as she worked on relieving the tension in his muscles.
< You’re tense. > While she worked his back she focused on the contours of his muscles and the way his shoulders tightened, never tiring of refamiliarizing herself with him. Sitting up on her knees, her hands rubbed down his shoulders, pausing as she left a long, lingering kiss on the soft part of skin just below his ear. < Feeling better? > Being this close, needing to forget about everything else and just wanting to be with him, her thoughts turned to need and want, knowing fully well he was able to read her mind, even without their psychic rapport. Sleep could wait.
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Post by Cyclops on Aug 6, 2005 16:10:23 GMT -5
Scott was mulling over the day now finally behind them. The phone call, being sent out on a mission they weren't suited for, the chance encounter with Alex. He let out another long sigh. Finding Xavier unconscious on the floor, learning of the professor's alleged alliance with the White Queen and the tenuous one with Magneto. Finding Alex being attacked by his new girlfriend's cousin. Feeling the rage and hurt from Jean over Xavier psychically attacking her. The fear he might lose her again. It all felt like a lead weight on his shoulders.
Then he felt Jean's arms wrap around him, felt her lay her cheek against his back, felt her soft hair brush his skin. She merely held him like that for a few moments, her presence helping to relax him a little. He shuddered as she pressed a kiss to his neck.
Scott allowed himself to be led to the bed, sitting down heavily. He felt Jean's soft firm hands on his neck and shoulders as she started to rub away the tension. < You’re tense. > she observed. He had to smile at her words. He usually was tense. And with all the stress and problems bearing down on him, on all of them, he was more tense than usual. Although his wife's caressing touch was quickly drawing his mind from the day's stresses and her thoughts and emotions were only making the growing desire he was feeling stronger.
But they really needed sleep. It was a token thought, the practical part of Cyclops that didn't often get pushed to the background. They did have a long day ahead of them, but Jean's hands and lips and thoughts were quickly rendering that point moot. Tomorrow might also bring enough problems, this might be the last time they get a chance to be intimate.
< Feeling better? >
Scott was feeling less tense, but better was an overstatement. He turned to face Jean, pulling her against him. < Getting there, > he assured her, kissing her passionately. < I know something that will help though. > He continued to kiss her, stroking her body, as he sent images of what he wanted to do with her, just as she had done to him in their last hotel room. His hands caressed her body as he kissed his wife. He wanted her so badly. No scratch that. He needed her badly. And he could feel her desire through their link.
Sleep could definitely wait.
Later, Scott laid on the huge bed, his wife wrapped tightly in arms. They had both needed the emotional and physical release and now, with Jean in his arms, he could finally say he was relaxed. Tomorrow's worries could wait until then, he was now completely spent. And they both needed the sleep to deal with the day ahead of them. He laid his cheek against her head and let out a long sigh as he began to drift off. < I love you, > he murmured through their link.
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Post by Phoenix on Aug 7, 2005 19:53:56 GMT -5
Jean could sense the smile on Scott’s lips when she mentioned he was tense. That was pretty commonplace for him, and hopefully she could help work out some of his anxiety. Her fingertips grazed over his skin while pausing, her hair brushing his neck while she kissed it. She knew he wouldn’t be totally relaxed with everything going on, but at least this would help the tension ease a bit. Finding his eyes, her arms circled around his neck as he replied.
< Getting there, > Pressing her body against his as he turned she returned the kiss with equal passion, < I know something that will help though. > Jean’s hands caressed his back while they kissed, receiving the mental images of what he planned on doing with her, reminiscent of the previous morning. Heightening her desire for him, her fingers ran through his hair while he taunted her sides.
< Mmm, that can definitely be arranged. > That and so much more. Smiling headily she wrapped herself in her husband’s touch, both mentally and physically, appeasing the need and desire that seeped back and forth through their rapport.
Afterwards, it was still difficult to tell where his body stopped and hers began. Lying embraced in Scott’s arms, Jean stifled a yawn. Feeling satiated and secure, and very worn out, her fingers traced slow idle patterns over his chest. The impending stresses tomorrow would undoubtedly bring were far off in her mind, the confusion and anger quieted, now feeling very much relaxed in the arms of her husband. < I love you, > Feeling him begin to drift off, Jean smiled as her eyes closed, < I love you too, Scott. > Her fingers paused as they lay on his chest, moving a little more before stopping completely as fatigue took over and she fell asleep.
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Post by havok on Aug 11, 2005 21:26:21 GMT -5
((Phone's Ringing))
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Post by Cyclops on Aug 11, 2005 23:10:47 GMT -5
Scott was deeply in a dreamless sleep when the phone ringing tore him from his slumber. He jerked awake, his eyes flying open. Thank God he'd not removed his sunglasses last night. They weren't comfortable to sleep in, but it was better than waking up and blowing something up or worse, blasting his sleeping wife.
The phone's insistent ringing continued. Scott immediately worried that something had happened with Xavier. No, he wouldn't be using the telephone, he'd have contacted them psychically. Who would be calling them?
He realized he should probably answer the phone before whoever was calling gave up. Of course, the phone was on the nightstand on Jean's side of the bed. Pressing a gentle kiss to the top of her head and murmuring an apology, Scott leaned over her and picked up the phone. "Hello?" he mumbled tiredly into the receiver.
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Post by Phoenix on Aug 12, 2005 0:00:28 GMT -5
Jean’s brows creased slightly in her sleep. The dream she was having didn’t make sense. There was so much rage and fire. She thought she could hear voices but they were too distorted. People were running away, their mouths moving but Jean wasn’t able to make out what they were saying. She wanted to help them, but something was stopping her from moving.
Unknown to her, as Scott moved over her and kissed her head, the dream faded to black and everything was fine. She felt relieved and secure. Still asleep Jean’s features relaxed and she breathed deeply. Turning towards her husband she nuzzled against him, the effects of sleep beginning to fade.
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Post by havok on Aug 12, 2005 7:55:30 GMT -5
((Over the phone))
"It's Alex. I didn't mean to wake you. We were just wondering if you wanted to go out for breakfast and catch up a little," Alex finally said. He meant it as a question but it came out as a statement.
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Post by Cyclops on Aug 12, 2005 13:31:58 GMT -5
"Breakfast?" The word didn't compute for a moment. Breakfast. Then Scott realized it was morning. And that Alex was asking him if wanted to catch up at breakfast. He immediately looked down at his still sleeping wife, snuggled against his chest. Of course, his brother was including Jean in the invitation. He wondered for a few moments about the hearing and the mission Charles had stuck them with yesterday. The data, he and Jean hadn't even glanced at it yet. He shouldn't accept, they had work to do.
Resentment suddenly filled Cyclops. Why did he have to put his life on hold for Xavier? Yes, the hearing was important, but he and Jean wouldn't be of much use at it. And besides, Charles had already made plans to work with Emma Frost behind their backs. He was tired of busting his tail for Xavier and then getting left out of the loop when it was convenient for Charles. He should have told them about the White Queen and told Magneto where to stuff his alliance. This was ridiculous. This might be his one chance to see his long lost brother. If Xavier needed them, he could contact them. He wasn't about to go running to Charles, asking what he needed them to do. He was tired of the lack of respect and trust their mentor had been showing them lately. He would go see his brother and Xavier would just have to deal with the fact.
"Sure, Alex, that'd be great," he replied, his mind firmly set on defying Xavier. "Give us about twenty minutes and we'll meet you down in the restaurant." That should give them enough time to shower and dress. "We'll see you in a bit."
Scott hung up the phone and looked down at flame-haired beauty cuddled against him. He loathed to wake Jean up, she'd had a rough day yesterday, but he knew she would want to speak with Alex as well. He leaned down and pressed kiss to her forehead. "Wake up, sleeping beauty," he teased her gently. "Alex wants to meet us for breakfast. I hope you don't mind, but I told him yes."
He reluctantly unwrapped himself from his beautiful wife as he spoke. If they were going to meet Alex for breakfast, they couldn't linger in bed much longer.
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Post by Phoenix on Aug 12, 2005 17:51:36 GMT -5
Jean could feel herself begin to wake up as the sound of Scott’s voice slowly reached her ears. He wasn’t talking to her though, so she tried to fight consciousness, shifting comfortably against him as her mind began to rest again.
"Wake up, sleeping beauty," Jean felt him kiss her forehead, a welcome interruption to her return to sleep. Slowly her eyes peeked open to focus on her husband. "Alex wants to meet us for breakfast. I hope you don't mind, but I told him yes."
"Meet for breakfast?" She asked sleepily, stifling a yawn. It took her a few moments to process what he was talking about. That must have been Alex on the phone. She groaned in protest as Scott unraveled from their embrace. Taking a moment her body unfurled from it’s snuggled position as she stretched her legs and toes, wiggling them awake while her mind woke up.
"Okay," Jean agreed as the events of the past evening and earlier this morning began to replay in her mind. The senate hearing was close, and they still had to prepare. Not that Jean was exactly thrilled with Xavier at the moment, but this Bill affected all of them.
Sounding much more awake she looked into Scott’s eyes behind his sleeping goggles, "What about the materials Charles gave us? We haven’t really had a chance to look them over." She would rather much go have breakfast with Alex and get to know her husband’s brother, but the Bill was important, too. Still, they knew the gist of what would be happening at the Senate meeting, so that would cover the basics.
Then Jean thought of how they’d discovered the Professor was making alliances with the White Queen and Magneto without discussing it with any of them. Magneto, who was the one who ‘knew him the best’ and the White Queen, who wouldn’t blink twice at manipulating people to get what she wanted. Jean’s eyes narrowed, pushing all of the dealings between Charles, Magnus, and the White Queen to the back of her mind. Something inside her let the anger seep back in and she pushed it to the back of her mind. She wasn’t going to let them ruin her and Scott spending time with his brother whom he hadn’t seen in twenty years.
"Nevermind. Charles probably has other plans with his new acquaintances to deal with the Bill." Sitting up she held the sheet to her front and gave him a kiss and smiled before adding, "Breakfast sounds wonderful. I’d like a chance to get to know Alex better." If anything, they could always cram a bit later and go over the main points of the Bill, and share the information between one another.
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Post by Cyclops on Aug 13, 2005 17:48:34 GMT -5
"What about the materials Charles gave us? We haven’t really had a chance to look them over."
Scott frowned. He'd had the same thought, then decided he was tired of doing everything Charles told them to do, while he kept major details away from them and made questionable alliances with their enemies behind their backs. It was as if he didn't trust them anymore. That hurt more than he wanted to admit.
Jean seemed to be thinking along the same lines he was. "Nevermind. Charles probably has other plans with his new acquaintances to deal with the Bill." She sat up and gave Scott a kiss. "Breakfast sounds wonderful. I’d like a chance to get to know Alex better."
Cyclops returned her kiss, but when he pulled away, he was not smiling. Her words had struck a cord in him. Xavier was likely planning his next move, with Magneto and the White Queen. He hadn't confided in them at all, and had kept important things from them. Maybe Charles didn't believe he needed them anymore, at least not in the leadership capacity that they had been in before. Scott was supposed to be the field leader of the X-Men, and he didn't like being left out of the loop.
He got up from the bed, and headed towards the bathroom. Maybe it wasn't that. Maybe they didn't need Xavier. Honestly, Charles should have been dealing with the problem much sooner. It took months for bills to come up for hearings. Why hadn't Xavier contacted them sooner? Or come down to deal with the whole problem sooner? He shook his head. More and more, he was beginning to wonder if maybe it wasn't time for a change. This bill made him feel disillusioned and like all that they were working for was for nothing. Maybe it was time to try something else.
Scott shook his head at himself. Now wasn't the time for such thoughts. He needed to have a shower, get dressed and go spend some time with his brother. It had been twenty years since he'd seen Alex and he wasn't losing this opportunity, bill or no bill. He looked over his shoulder at Jean. Should he even broach the subject with her? It wasn't the best time to worry her about it. She had enough on her mind already. "I'm going to have a quick shower," he told her, then walked into the bathroom.
He turned on the shower and adjusting the water until it was the right temperature. Stepping inside, he rested under the relaxing spray of water, trying not to think about walking out on the closest person he had to a father. He couldn't. He owed Xavier too much. Or did he? Maybe it was time to make some decisions about his life, their life, without worrying about how Charles would take it. He took a deep breath and decided to broach the subject with Jean. She would be able to tell him whether he was being too hasty, or if she felt the same way he did.
< Jean, > he called through the link, ready to tell her all his thoughts and feelings about the idea. < Can we talk? >
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Post by Phoenix on Aug 13, 2005 20:06:20 GMT -5
The look on Scott’s face wasn’t a relaxed one as he stood, not that Jean blamed him. With the Professor making questionable alliances to dealing with the situation with his brother yesterday as well as being worried about Jean herself, Jean could feel Scott’s stress through their link.
Jean wasn't exactly happy with their situation either. Frowning slightly to herself she nodded as he left to go take a shower. Hopefully the warmth of the water would help soothe him a bit. Scooting to the side of the large bed, Jean removed the covers as she placed her bare feet on the carpet. Since it was just her and Scott she didn’t mind being in her birthday suit as she walked on light feet to the closet before pulling out one of the complimentary robes the hotel provided them with. Being in the penthouse suite gave them the luxury of being given finely threaded robes with the hotel’s monogram on them. The soft cloth felt wonderful against her bare skin as she wrapped it around her body and tied the sash.
Moving over to her suitcase she began to pull out some clothing she could choose from to wear to breakfast, as well as the Senate hearing.
< Jean? Can we talk? > Scott’s voice sounded through their mental rapport. Jean’s head tilted slightly. He sounded as if he had something important he wanted to discuss.
< Always. What’s wrong? > Besides the obvious, that is. Jean paused from taking clothing out of her suitcase, a skirt in her hand.
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Post by Cyclops on Aug 13, 2005 21:36:30 GMT -5
Scott heard her concerned reply in his mind. < Always. What’s wrong? > He smiled a bit to himself as he tried to order his thoughts into something resembling coherency. He scrubbed his hair as did, doping something always helped him think.
< Jean, > he began. < Feel free to tell me if you think I'm overreacting, but this situation has me thinking....thinking that maybe Charles doesn't need us as much as he used to. > He paused, then continued. < Or maybe that we don't need him as much we used to. He should have been dealing with this bill weeks ago, hell, months ago. Not two days before. And instead of calling us in, he called in Emma Frost. He knows what she's capable of, but he trusted her more than he did us. And the whole thing with Magneto."
Scott let out a long heavy breath. < Jean, this isn't the dream I signed on for. Working with mutant terrorists and a undressed business woman who'd rather force people to do what she wants than negotiate with them. This is going to end badly. I know it. And Xavier would rather confide in our enemy than us. Maybe....maybe it's time to move on. > He paused again, starting to rinse out his hair, waiting for her response. Part of him wanted to be wrong, wanted this to just be an unavoidable bad situation. Part of him knew that it was not, and that something was very wrong with the whole situation and that Xavier was keeping important things from them. And as much as he was concerned about the bill and their mentor, he was tired of the way Charles had been treating them.
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Post by Phoenix on Aug 14, 2005 20:44:33 GMT -5
< Jean, feel free to tell me if you think I'm overreacting, but this situation has me thinking....thinking that maybe Charles doesn't need us as much as he used to. > The tone of Scott’s voice was contemplative, giving Jean the hint that’d he’d been thinking this over for a while. Usually he thought things through, weighing both sides. < Or maybe that we don't need him as much we used to. He should have been dealing with this bill weeks ago, hell, months ago. Not two days before. And instead of calling us in, he called in Emma Frost. He knows what she's capable of, but he trusted her more than he did us. And the whole thing with Magneto. >
Jean’s eyebrows creased as she dropped the skirt she was holding onto the couch and walked towards the bathroom doorway, listening as he spoke through their rapport. < Jean, this isn't the dream I signed on for. Working with mutant terrorists and a undressed business woman who'd rather force people to do what she wants than negotiate with them. This is going to end badly. I know it. And Xavier would rather confide in our enemy than us. Maybe....maybe it's time to move on. >
Time to move on. Scott was more devoted to Xavier and the cause than anyone she knew at the mansion, so for him to be thinking about leaving showed how badly his faith had been shaken, as well as the trust between mentor and student broken. And Jean didn’t blame him. He was right; the Professor should’ve told them months ago about the pending Bill so they could better prepare for it. Why wait til now? And why include the help of such ‘questionable’ people?
Maybe the Professor didn’t think his X-Men were capable of dealing with it. Well if he had such little faith in them, how were they able to trust him completely like they had before?
Jean released a sigh, pinching the bridge of her nose. As much as she cared for Charles, perhaps Scott was right. < I think you're onto something, Scott. I don’t like how Charles went about handling this whole situation, > She paused, glancing at the slightly open door but not seeing it. Where Emma Frost went, the Hellfire Club was sure to have their hand in things. The same with Magneto and the Brotherhood. < Why would Charles want to conspire with the Hellfire Club and the Brotherhood of Mutants? It just doesn’t make sense. > Unless he knew something they didn’t, but why wouldn’t he fill them in?
< Let’s head to this meeting and see what happens. It might not be as bad as we think. > Yeah, right. < After it’s over and if things are still the same between us and Charles, we can think about going our separate ways. Though that does sound like it might be the best thing to do right now. > After all, if their lives as X-Men have taught them nothing, it was to give second chances. Maybe the meeting would turn out all right, and Charles was keeping them out of the loop for a reason. But her doubts resurfaced, as fresh as the psionic attack Charles hit her with earlier that morning.
The pit of hurt and anger reopened and swirled around inside her head when she thought of it. Pushing it aside she leaned against the doorway to the bathroom, pushing the door open just a bit so she wouldn’t have a door inches from her face. She didn’t like this situation either, but wanted to be there at the meeting to see how the vote would turn out and support the pro-mutant side of the Bill.
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