No Way Out// Tommy, Jean

[x-traitor.livejournal.com]

Jean approaches Tommy about leaving the medlab for more comfortable accomdations upstairs. Tommy is wary but does ask a request of her. He wants to go to the park and see the Lead Tree, to make sure it's real and not a figment of his nightmares. She agrees and takes him. But once there, they run into more pieces of Tommy's past and he finds out that leaving the mansion could have deadly consequences for traitors.


As always, Jean tapped on the door before entering Tommy's room, but
this time she wasn't just coming to check in on him. "Afternoon,
Tommy," she said, stepping inside. "How are you feeling? I've got some
news."

Tommy looked up from his most recent book, The Man in the Iron Mask,
and actually smiled when Jean came in. As his muscles in both his arm
and legs improved, so did his general mood, at least towards Dr. Gray
as she was the person he saw most. "Much better thank you." Then he
raised a curious eyebrow as the second part registered with him. News?
About what..? "News? What sort of news?"

"You're tests are looking so much better, that there's really not much
reason to keep you down here in the medlab. We can continue your
physio even if you're not a resident patient, and this will give us a
chance to really start working on your powers control." It was the
only thing they were really all sure about - that he needed to be in
control of his powers before they could decide for certain what to do
with him, because an uncontrolled mutant was just asking for trouble.
"So we're looking at moving you into one of the rooms in the main part
of the school. How does a change of scenery sound to you?"

Tommy blinked in surprised. The whole 'living at the mansion' thing
had sounded like a good idea when he couldn't leave this room. But
living upstairs...with other freaks of nature? He couldn't stop the
horrified look that manifested on his features. Taking a deep breath,
he looked down at the book in his lap to compose himself. "Do your
other students know about this? I'm sure they don't want me living
among then as much as I don't want to live along side them..." He
might as well be honest, it wasn't like he was in the habit of holding
his tongue anyway.

"Contrary to popular belief, the students don't set policy here.
Whether or not they want you living with them is not really the
issue." Well, it was, of course, one of the issues, but, while
there was no answer which was going to make anyone actually
happy about the situation, there were answers which were less
wrong. And keeping Tommy locked up in the basement was not one of
them. "I know you don't like the idea, Tommy, but, if nothing else, we
need the room back. Our medical facilities are extensive, but they're
not a hotel."

Wrinkling his nose, he had to agree with that. "I understand. If they
have to deal, so can I." Then he bit his lower lip. "Dr. Gray, I have
a favor to ask of you but first...Do you think it would be possible
for me to leave the grounds? I wouldn't even protest one of the staff
going with me and it would only be for an hour or so. I just...I need
to see something."

Jean's first instinct was to temporize, but the flash of confusion and
worry in his mind was enough to get her to delve a little deeper and
gently tease out the thought behind the request. Ah, of course. "Well,
you would definitely need an escort," she said, "but I think it would
be doable. What do you need to see?" Which was rather disingenuous of
her, but she still hadn't told him what her mutation was.

He took a deep breath, raising one hand to rub at his temples before
looking up again. "I want to go the park and see the lead tree. I
want...I just want to make sure it's not a horrible figment of my
imagination." Tommy opened his mouth to continue but he didn't really
know what else to say so he just finished with, "I just really need to
see it."

Jean nodded. "I think it could be good for you," she said, "both to
get out and see the sun again, and to, well, as you say. Get proof
that this is real. I can take you out there myself, but I'm going to
need to let some people know. Would you like to go today, or is
tomorrow or later soon enough?"

"As soon as possible?" Tommy asked hopefully. He was beyond thankful
that she understood how badly he needed to see it , but then again,
Dr. Gray was one of the few beings he respected in this mansion.

"All right," Jean said. Practicalities. "I'm going to have to find you
a coat, or at the very least one of our institute sweaters..."
Although chances were good he would quail at the idea of wearing a
shirt with "Xavier's Institute" splashed across the front. "And let
people know. Could you be ready to go in, say, half an hour?"

Tommy did raise an eyebrow at the idea but he was willing to risk
going out as a mutant billboard if it only meant he'd get to see if
this whole nightmare really was true. "Of course."

"All right then. I'll rustle something up and be back as soon as
everything's arranged."

---

His steps were slow and short, but this time is wasn't just because he
was still undergoing physio. Tommy would never admit it, but his
stomach was in knots and he wasn't exactly sure if he wanted to see
the tree or not. If he didn't, then he wouldn't have any proof he was
a mutant and he could go on as normal...but if he did, then he was
going to have to change his world, his whole way of thinking about
everything and Tommy wasn't sure he could do that.

Jean walked silently at his side, hands tucked into her jacket
pockets, letting him think his own thoughts in peace. This visit was
for him, and it was up to him how it would affect him. For now, all
she did was watch.

They were getting close and just before they would turn a corner where
the tree would be in view, he stopped. Tommy closed his eyes, taking a
deep breath and reached a hand out to a nearby tree to brace himself
against it. "I can do this..." He mumbled to himself before looking
over at Jean. "I...I really wanna thank you for doing this Dr. Gray."

Jean's eyes were unreadable, but she smiled gently at the boy. "You're
welcome, Tommy. And yes, you can do this, but you don't need to push
yourself." If she didn't have her shields as tightly sewn up as they
were, Jean rather suspected that the worry and confusion in his mind
would be giving her a hell of a headache.

Tommy nodded to himself. "Yeah I do..." His voice was quiet and after
a moment, he pushed off the tree. Looking down, he continued walking.
He knew the tree was in sight, but he didn't look up until he was
right underneath it. Taking another deep breath, he looked up and
gasped at the sight. The cool, metallic gray reflected the afternoon
light as Tommy reached over to touch its cold, smooth surface.

So it was real...and this was really happening to him...he really was
a mutant...

Duncan and a couple other FOH teenagers were also at the park that
day, setting up for another rally to be held the next day. They were
the only ones in that part of the park that day, or so thought, so he
was surprised when he looked up to find two people standing in the
middle of their area, looking at the monstrosity that still made
Duncan shutter when he saw it. With a dramatic sight, he ran a hand
through his dreadlocks before calling to the others, "Yo we got
company. Let's go check it out." He stuffed his hands in his pockets
and started over, but once he got closer, he recognized one of the
figures and his blood ran cold.

Jean's shields might be locked down, but that didn't mean she wasn't
paying attention. The focused blast of dislike caught her attention
and she turned away from Tommy to look over to where a couple of
teenagers were making their way straight for the two of them
and it took only the briefest glance inside their minds to see that
they planned trouble.

Tommy was too involved with taking in the tree to notice what was
going on around him. His whole being was just numb as the shock began
to wear off. Bending down, he pick up a small lead stick that had
broken off, complete with a couple leaves. He couldn't take his eyes
off it as he turned it around in his hands. I did this...because
I'm a mutant...I really am a freak...

Oh yeah, this was going to go well... Jean sighed slightly, shifting
to stand more between Tommy and the newcomers, although she really
doubted it would help. She considered her options, knowing this would
not be good for Tommy but not seeing any alternatives that didn't
involve just knocking the FoHers out. Very briefly she wished she was
as intimidating looking as Nathan, because it would be better if this
confrontation just didn't happen to begin with, but being
underestimated would have to do. The fact that they would not get to
lay a hand on Tommy was not even in question.

"Hey! What that fuck is going on here!?" Duncan shouted as he got
closer, though gave the two freaks a mid berth. Hs wasn't stupid and
wasn't going to take an chances, but he had to know what was going on.
Jones was supposed to be dead.

Tommy literally jumped out of his thoughts at the familiar angry
voice. He turned to see Jean had moved between him and group of
teenagers he recognized, led by one of his old best friends. His eyes
went wide for a moment at the sight then he took a breath to calm
himself, slipping the lead stick and leaves into his pocket. "We're
just looking. Didn't think the FOH would want to use this place again,
after a freak defiled it."

Duncan frowned and took a few more steps closer, moving in on his
former friend. "That doesn't matter. You're supposed to be dead!"

Jean's eyes narrowed, and she arched an eyebrow at the boy, every inch
the disapproving authority figure. "And what on earth would give you
that idea, young man?" She wondered if he was actually stupid
enough to admit to having been one of the people who assaulted Tommy
in front of witnesses.

Duncan turned his gaze from Tommy to Jean a frown on his face, cursing
himself slightly. He was the son of the local police chief, he should
know better. "Because, his parents reported him missing and he's been
gone for almost two months. The case has been closed and he's been
pronounced dead." He stressed the word dead as he recited the story
that everyone who had been there that day had been told to use if
questioned. "It's not like anybody misses him. He's just a dirty
freak, and a traitor at that. He should be dead." His gaze was
back on Tommy, a gaze that if looks could kill...

Tommy just returned Duncan's glare, standing tall behind Jean. If he'd
been better, he'd have moved closer to show Duncan he wasn't afraid of
him but he wasn't about to show these people how weak he still was
from their beating and to be honest, he was afraid. Deep down inside,
he knew the meaning behind Duncan's words. He's right...I should be
dead...

"You're a sad, small little boy, Duncan Brooks, without the wit or
compassion to ever be anything other than a small town bully. And,
given that you think Tommy here should be dead when, quite clearly he
isn't, you don't seem to even do that very well." Jean turned
away, as though simply dismissing Duncan and his friends as not worth
her notice, and smiled at Tommy. "If you still need anything out here,
we can stay, or we can head back. It's up to you." Her look said, very
clearly, that the other teenagers were not a factor to her.

Tommy turned to her and shook his head, acting very calm as if the
other boys had asked about the weather. "No, I've seen all I need too.
Let's go." He offered her his arm, hoping she would get the point. The
last thing he wanted to do was look weak in front of his former
friends and he couldn't walk away normally without help. His other
hand was in his pocket, the lead twig curled tightly in his hand.

Even if Jean hadn't known what he was thinking, the reasoning behind
his move would have been clear, at least to her. Nodding slightly, she
took his arm, carefully placing her hand so it would look like mere
gallantry on his part and not as though he needed aid.

As they turned away, Duncan was literally fuming. He let them get a
bit aways before shouting, "You should be dead Jones! And if you show
yourself outside that freak house, you will be! Hear that traitor?
Dead!" When neither person turned around, Duncan threw one last glare
in their direction before turning to the kids around him. "Come on,
our work here can wait. I have got to get this new information back to
Dad. We can't let a traitor escape..."

Tommy tried very hard to ignore the words being shouted at his back
but it echoed in his head, even after they were out of earshot. He had
no choice now. Duncan was right. He was a traitor and the FOH had
enough influence that the threat was very real. So I'm going to be
confined to that mansion for the rest of my life...just because I'm a
mutant...I should be dead and now I'm a prisoner...what kind of life
is this? He wasn't exactly looking where he was going as he
thought this out so on an unconscious level, he was very glad for
Jean's assistance.

Jean's eyes narrowed as they walked away. So, Madelyn's suspicions
were right, the local police were all but in the FoH's pockets. This
was not a good thing. And neither were the thoughts running through
Tommy's mind. "They're wrong," she said gently. "If we thought you
ought to be dead, we would not have worked so hard to save you. No one
deserves to die, particularly not for the way they are born."

The second Tommy knew they were out of sight of the FOH teenagers, he
pushed away from Jean, not really wanting to be close to anyone at the
moment. "Just...Don't." He didn't look at her and instead down at the
hand he pulled out of pocket. He'd gripped the metal twig so hard that
his palm was bleeding. Funny...it didn't hurt as much as what was
going through his head. "Just...can we go back to the mansion?
Please?" The question was desperate but he was glad he'd at least kept
his desperation out of his voice.

Jean's lips thinned, and she was unable to keep the worry out of her
eyes, although he wasn't looking to see it. Nodding she said, "Of
course."

Tommy nodded his thanks and didn't say another word the entire way back.