Log: Hank, Jubilee, Madelyn.

[x-jubilee.livejournal.com]

Backdated to the 20th May 2005. 1am in the morning.




They say every woman needs protection,
then they turn around and
tell you every woman's got to fall.
I swear I see my own reflection
somewhere far beyond this wall.

Jubilee banged on Madelyn's door, scrowling when she saw the slow crawl of plasma sparks trailing from her hands. She knew she needed to calm down now, but anger and worry were still driving her and the only place she could think to go was here.

There was a pause, and then Madelyn opened the door, looking slightly rumpled, her hair mussed and her cheeks pinker than usual.

"Firecracker?" she said, surprised, and a little glad Hank had gone for snacks at that moment. Things had been progressing a little faster than either of them had meant. Then she noticed the sparks erupting from Jubilee's hands, and she ushered the younger woman inside. "Come on, kiddo. Did something happen?"

"Guess you didn't see Catseye's post, then." Jubilee replied, clasping her hands behind her back as she slowly counted to ten in Askani.

The fact that she didn't use the language often, meant she needed to concentrate and that was good for calming herself down. Afterall, Mads might be a little upset if she started burning things. Not to mention the yelling she'd get from Cain.

Madelyn shook her head. "I was doing some research - after a few hours of going through files online, the last thing I wanted to do was use the computer any more. Hank and I were watching a movie." She frowned, seeing how hard Jubilee was trying to stay calm. "Why don't you have a seat? I can make you up some tea - Moira's a firm believer in the soothing effects of tea."

Going on a snack run had been a very good idea. It had given him a chance to catch his breath, remember about the not rushing, and spend a few pleasant minutes standing in front of the open freezer. He really didn't want to rush anything with Madelyn, after all. Now he could go back, they could eat icecream and maybe actually watch some of the movie...... or, as it might be, not, he realized, as he entered Madelyn's room. There was Jubilee, and a very unhappy-looking Jubilee indeed. Given some of what he'd seen on the journals, he didn't blame her. "Jubilee?" he said worriedly, putting down the icecream and chips and going over to her. "Are you all right?"

Jubilee shook her head, sidling away from Hank slightly, she didn't want to hurt him and in the mood she was in, she couldn't be sure of her control. "I fucked up...again."

Hank looked around. Soda. That would do. He picked up one of the unopened cans and offered it to her. "Sugar," he explained as she looked at it. "Boosts your power levels and theoretically your control. Drink it, and tell us about it." He gave Maddie a rueful smile. "I think we can both sympathize with the 'I was trying to help and it all went wrong somehow' thing. Being doctors in this house, and all."

Madelyn hoped the theory was correct - she quite liked her suite. However, Hank was the mutant power genius and she wasn't...Without touching Jubilee, since she'd seen the flinching away and guessed the reason for it, she ushered Jubilee into the armchair. "How about we get comfortable before any talking?" she suggested, nudging Hank slightly. When Jubilee was this skittish, crowding her was a bad idea. "And I'm sure you didn't fuck up, firecracker. So take your time, and tell us about it." As she spoke, she curled herself back onto the couch, leaving space for Hank beside her.

Jubilee took a quick gulp of the soda and then slumped into the chair, pulling her legs up an propping her chin on her knees.

"Paige is probably never gonna speak to me again, an the whole idea of the group in the first place was so that wouldn't happen. I just wanted to figure out some way of helpin' without bein' obvious about things. Only, I'm not too good at the subtlety, ya know? So I thought, has to be other people worried, why not get them involved too? An' then, even if we can't think of a way to really help, least we've got each other to talk to. I mean, it really sucks seein' a friend hurtin', and then not bein' able to do anythin'. But,it sucks even more not bein' able to talk to anyone cause you feel like you'd be tattlin' or somethin'."

She hadn't meant anything bad by it, not like they seemed to have taken it. She didn't consider it bitching if you were really worried about someone and you just needed to talk. Why was it that every time she tried to reach out to someone, she ended up making a mistake? Might as well not reach out at all. She was really beginning to think she'd been right about keeping herself to herself.

Hank sat down beside Madelyn, taking her hand gently. "I'm sorry, Jubilee," he said softly. "That things have gone wrong." Again. Poor child, she tried so hard... "If it helps, at all, I don't think it's your fault. I... tried to talk to Jay, not long ago, about certain things we have in common. It didn't go well. At all."

"Has Paige said anything?" Madelyn asked, squeezing Hank's hand. She'd talked to him after that fateful conversation with Jay - he'd been rather upset at the way his well-meaning words had been taken. "I know she's been difficult to talk to lately, but perhaps if you talk to her later, just you and her, it might help..."

"Fat chance of that, she's gone. Up and left right after everything came out." Jubilee replied, not bothering to keep the note of anger out of her voice.

Anger at Catseye, anger at herself. If she'd just left well enough alone, if she'd just waited then maybe Paige would have talked to her. Maybe things would have returned to normal. This was all her fault.

Madelyn glanced at Hank. He'd told her about the decision to take Paige off trainee active duty - all the medical stuff had been worried about her increasing instability. "There's a lot going on with Paige," she said. "I doubt it was just that. Did she say where she was going and why?"

Hank returned Maddie's look, and sighed. Paige had been... well, not avoiding him exactly, but not getting drawn into conversation and leaving his presence as soon as she could, when she did have to see him. He'd blamed it on his continuing inability to return Jono to her, at the time... "It wasn't just the... SOG, was it?" he said gently. "Maddie's right, there's been... a lot going on for Paige, of late."

"Yeah, I know. I've been seein' it every mornin' for the past month." Jubilee replied, unwilling right now to give up the blame.

Whatever they said, she knew she should have done something before now. Confronted her, maybe. Anything other then just let her go like that.

"It's been more than the past month," Madelyn told her, leaning forward a little. "Jubilee... Paige has been having problems for a good while now, and she's had any number of people trying to help her. Scott, Dr Samson, her friends, her boyfriends, her teachers, the team... She's refused to admit there was anything wrong. What do you think would have made it any different if you'd come out and confronted her directly? In the end, it had to come from Paige, and she refused to let anyone help her. In those circumstances, there's not much more you can do but stand back and be there ready to catch her when she falls." Madelyn's words were perhaps not as sympathetic as Jubilee might have expected from one of the doctors, but it was the truth - help could be offered, but it couldn't be forced.

"I know that." Jubilee replied, drawing the anger back, calming herself down. "Do you think I was wrong to start the group?"

Hank shook his head. "No, my dear, you weren't wrong," he said gently. "You were worried about your friend, and instead of trying to act alone, you consulted with others, trying to come up with a way to help." She'd asked for help, as he'd told her to, and once again she'd gotten a metaphorical kick in the teeth. "I'm sorry, Jubilee. My advice doesn't seem to have been very helpful so far, does it?"

"And it's not even like it was an actual group," Madelyn pointed out, poking Hank gently - this wasn't his fault any more than it was Jubilee's. "A couple of emails and a jokey, silly name doesn't make a secret society, firecracker."

"Yeah. You know the thing that really bugged me? Is that Jay and that treated like it was talkin' behind their backs. Like the only reason we could possibly have had to meet up was to say bad things about them. An it's like, okay, can't do anything about it if someone doesn't want help. But where does that leave us, ya know? Do we not get to talk about it at all, about how someone goin' down hill right in front of your fuckin' eyes and not bein' able to do a God damn thing about it? Are we all meant to just pretend it's okay, an be good little kids and...So maybe Jay's right, you know. Maybe it was all selfish, I don't know."

Hank shook his head. "You can't help someone who doesn't want help... and Jay is actively resisting it, at the moment, at least from most people," he said quietly. "But no, that doesn't mean you should just pretend that everything is okay. That can do unimaginable harm, at the wrong time. At least you acknowledged that Paige was in trouble, even if you couldn't think of a way to help. Trying... that's a good thing. Even if it didn't work."

Jubilee nodded, relaxing back into the chair. Maybe she just needed to leave this for a day or two? People would calm down then, and there could be actual talking, rather then yelling. "Maybe it just needs time, hey?"

"Time could definitely be a good thing," Madelyn said. "And someone will be checking on her, you can guarantee it, hon." And she'd be making sure of that.

Hank nodded. "I know we haven't exactly had inspiring success with keeping an eye on her so far, but... we'll keep trying," he agreed. "Which is not to say that we won't have any attention to spare for you, though," he added, smiling. He really didn't want Jubilee to feel as if he was in any way going to impinge on the time she had with Maddie.

Jubilee nodded, yawning as she blinked a couple of times. Now that she wasn't running on anger, she really did feel damn tired. "Thanks for listenin'. I think I can sleep now, at least. Think dealin' with this half zonked probably ain't helpin'."

"Probably not, no." Madelyn tilted her head, considering the tired girl. "You want to crash here? Spare bed's all set up." She glanced over at Hank in apology - it would curtail their movie night.

Hank nodded, smiling at Maddie... as much as he'd been enjoying their time alone, Jubilee was important to both of them. "And, if you're not immediately falling asleep, you could watch the rest of the movie with us," he offered. "Hellboy and icecream, it's a tempting combination..."

Jubilee grinned. "Sure I won't be crampin' your style, or anythin'?" She didn't want to be a bother, especially not when Mads and Hank were only still new to the dating thing.

Hank gave Maddie's hand a gentle squeeze, then moved aside, making space between them. "Plenty of room for one more," he offered, smiling at Jubilee and patting the seat invitingly.

Okay, this meant no more making out... but if they were going to in any way keep not rushing this, that was probably a good thing.

Jubilee smiled and moved from the chair to the couch, settling herself down comfortable. She'd offered, afterall, and there was only so much denying of icecream she could do at any given moment. Besides, it was Hellboy, and she thought the actor was cute. "So, what kind of icecream?"

Madelyn investigated the carton Hank had brought down, and grinned. "Chocolate chip cookie dough," she replied, giving Jubilee's shoulders a brief squeeze.

Jubilee beamed, chocolate chip cookie dough was her favourite. "A good movie, my favourite ice cream. Definitely a mood improver."

Hank nodded, leaning over and extending a long arm to grab the spoons he'd brought as well. "I am a man of taste, after all," he said solemnly. Jubilee was very cute, tucked down between them like that. And, he discovered, if he extended his arm along the back of the couch, it extended quite far enough to go around Maddie's shoulders as well as providing a fuzzy headrest for Jubilee.

Madelyn chuckled as Hank stroked the back of her neck with his fingers, and reached for a spoon. "I'd say so, yes," she said with a grin, before hitting the remote and starting the movie.