Jean and Scott: Christmas Eve (Backdated)

[x-jeangrey.livejournal.com]

Jean and Scott spent Christmas Eve together at a Manhattan hotel. It does not end as well as they hoped.

(Potential Trigger Warning)



The suite overlooked the city, as all the best did. The harbor was spread out in front of them, with the city lights twinkling like fireflies, muted by the murky water of the river into a soft haze.

Jean opened the door to the suite, turning on the light as she looked around.

"With this type of room I wouldn't be surprised if Charles had a hand in this."

The furniture alone looked expensive enough to probably pay a New Yorker's rent for a month if sold off. Scott managed to keep his poker face on as he deposited their bag on the floor, "The receptionist must have made a mistake," he replied with a twinkle in his eye. "Hold on, I'll go down and sort it out." As he spoke he turned around and started walking towards the door of the suite.

Jean laughed. "I think I can live with this sort of 'mistake,'" she mused as she walked into the room and seat down her bags. The place was decorated for the holiday, complete with a Christmas tree and an already roaring fireplace lined with garland.

Scott stopped in the doorway and looked back at Jean with a smile, the trip had been worth it as far as he was concerned. He looked up and walked over to the window, "Jean you have to see this," he said motioning her over to the window.

Her curiosity piqued, Jean wandered over. "Please don't tell me something's on fire. It's my day off," she said as she came to stand beside him, peering out for a glimpse of what he wanted her to see.

Grinning boyishly Scott pointed to the windowsill above their heads, specifically at the sprig of Mistletoe which had been placed there. He leaned in to kiss Jean, "Merry Christmas" he whispered reaching up to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear.

Jean glanced him over then smirked. "Wow...I should've caught that one," she said, meeting him in the middle as she kissed him back.

"So....Mr. Summers....what would you like to do now?"

"I kinda figured you would have sensed it" he replied worriedly.

Jean shrugged. "I'm distracted...and...I don't particularly try to go rummaging through people's minds. You know that," she said, sinking down into a chair.

Shaking it off he smiled at Jean "Well we have perhaps the nicest hotel room I've ever seen and I ache all over from the skating," Scott murmured glancing at Jean and then the bed. He leaned in to kiss her before breaking off with a grin and heading for the hotel phone, "How about something to eat? I'm thinking room service." he finished laughing.

"Room service sounds wonderful," Jean said.

"Are you ok?" Scott asked with concern written over his face, "I've never managed to surprise you like that before" he continued as he picked up the room service menu.

He walked over and perched on the arm of Jean's chair and dropped the menu into her lap, "So, what looks good?"

"I'm fine," Jean said, waving the thought away with her hand.

He'd hovered around her after Matthews' attack and he was getting that look again. She got the looks from everyone else, the gentle tones, and the suggestions to take a break, afraid she might break. She didn't like being seen as a fragile little creature, and she'd felt like that at times when he spoke to her.

Deep in her thoughts, his next question confused her at first before she remembered what he was talking about.

"I don't care," she said quietly. She was hungry but not really craving anything.

Scott glanced at Jean, he couldn't sense anything from her but over many years of marriage he had learnt to read her. He decided to drop the subject for now but his worry was written plainly across his face. Scott swore to himself that he would keep an eye on Jean, he remembered how devastated he had been hearing about the year’s events but Jean had been forced to live them. He reached down and flipped over a page on the menu, "How about a sandwich or a salad?"

Staring down at the gloves she still wore to protect against the winter chill but hadn't yet taken off, Jean focused on those gloves for a few moments. She knew he was trying. She knew he didn't know why it bothered her so.

"A sandwich maybe. Turkey and Swiss?" Jean said.

"Of course," Scott replied as he walked over to the telephone to place the order. After he put down the phone Scott walked over to the couch and dropped into it, reveling in the softness of the furniture. "They said it'd take about 20 minutes" he offered as he stretched out.

Jean nodded as she slipped off her gloves and stuffed them into the pockets of her coat before taking off the coat completely and getting up to hang it on the door.

"Thanks," she said.

The remote floated into Jean's hand and she turned on the television. Most of the channels were filled with Christmas programming: some variation on a Christmas Carol, a kids show involving Santa Claus or Snowmen, or couples finding love on Christmas. They usually ran the same thing every year, and when the rare new show did come out it was added to the lineup and played until the end of time. They all seemed rather trite, their meaning lost with each re-airing.

She glanced over at Scott. He seemed content. It was a feeling she wanted to share but she felt uneasy. She wanted to tell him, and had been trying to think of ways to do it but...to see him so happy lately, she didn't want to break that happiness. To see a smile disappear was one the worst feelings. It wasn't the only reason but it was the current one.

"Do you want something to drink?" she said, nodding to the bar near to the fridge. They had a small kitchenette in the room as well. It seemed far too extravagant but she didn't want to hurt anyone's feelings since they'd worked so hard on pulling it together.

Scott glanced at the kitchenette, "Perhaps a glass of wine" he replied. Scott felt relaxed and didn't really feel like anything stronger.

Scott turned back to look at the television, his mind whirling. Something was definitely wrong with Jean; it was like she was here but still holding something back He had hoped that this break would bring down the walls, but she still seemed distracted and distant. There was still a sadness hanging around her, Scott glanced at her in worry, all he could do was be there for her and try and share the burden the attack on the mansion and it the following events must have placed on her.. "I do love Christmas T.V." he quipped hoping to elicit a smile. "Perhaps there'll be a good movie on or something" he mused as he snuggled further into the soft couch

Making her way over to the small bar, Jean peered at the selection. It was almost like being at a liquor store. "Red or white?" He usually favored red but she didn't know if that changed since being in California.

Scott thought for a moment, "Red please" he replied stifling a yawn. It had been a long day, although an enjoyable one. He didn't normally expect a lot from hotel room wine, but given the luxuriance of the suite Scott felt that it would probably make a nice nightcap.

Pouring the both of them a glass, Jean set his down on the coffee table in front of the couch and had just started to return to her seat when a heavy thud resounded against the wall, followed by a woman's giggle. Jean flinched, nearly dropping her wine glass as she let out a soft gasp. Droplets of wine froze in midair as if time stopped, then sped back up to land carefully back in the glass.

Jean sat down, quickly putting the glass on the console table beside her. She glanced up at Scott, absently swiping her hair behind her ears as she gave him a soft, sheepish smile.

"Newlywed couple...couldn't wait to get to their room so they got a little frisky in the hallway...the excitement made them a little loud."

She felt a little embarrassed. Seasoned X-Man...many battles, stared death in the face and found a loophole in his return policy...and suddenly she was jumping at shadows like a child after watching too many horror films.

Scott looked over at Jean a mixture of amusement and concern writ across his face. "I remember when that was us," he said with a small smile which quickly dissipated as he looked at her.

"Are you sure you're ok?" he asked softly.

Jean looked down again, her features impassive for a moment before she nodded and managed a smile. "I guess its been a long year. Glad its over."

The next couple of hours passed to the sounds of Bing Crosby as they watched a light snowfall outside their window.

~*X*X*~

A quiet had settled over the suite, save for the time marked by a ticking clock on the mantle. The ticking abruptly ended as it slipped off the mantle, the glass face shattering against the brick hearth.

"Whaa" Scott shot upright in bed, his eyes immediately sweeping the suite to locate the source of the noise. Seeing the shattered clock he relaxed slightly, his stance losing some of its tension. Letting out a sigh he turned to check on Jean.

Jean lay on her back, a departure from her usual position on her stomach. She was still asleep, though the expression on her face was far from peaceful. Her fists were balled up at her sides, clenching the blankets so tight that had they not been there she would've drawn blood.

She shuddered, and the shudder seemed like the waves from a pebble in a pond, extending to the room around them. All of the pictures on the walls rattled simultaneously, as did anything not nailed down. Jean's face twisted, a burst of horror and surprise shooting through their psychic link past the walls she had so carefully erected between them recently.

Scott's eyes widened in alarm as he saw Jean, and he cringed at the emanations coming over the psychic bond. He hadn't realized how muted the bond had been till now, how much pain Jean had been hiding from him and he hurriedly reached over to Jean. "Jean. Jean wake up!" he called in a panic as he shook her, trying to wake her up from the nightmare which had a hold of her.

Jean's eyes clenched tightly as she heard Scott's voice and she stiffened. "Scott!" she screamed, her breath quickening. "No...no...no...nono..." Flashes of images seeped through their link, images of him, clutching his throat as blood poured a deep gash. Behind him, an image of a woman mirrored exactly to Jean save for the touch of devilish satisfaction on her face. Jane.

Scott blinked in shock as the images flowed over the psychic link. The sight of Jane standing over him with his throat cut shocked Scott, he hadn't realized how awful Nightmare's attack had been,or how badly it had affected his wife, despite everything she had told him. "Jean" he nearly shouted in worry, "Jean wake up!" he redoubled his efforts to wake her.

For a couple of moments she struggled against him, startled by someone grabbing her. But she suddenly went still, her breathing quick as her eyes snapped open.

"Scott?" she breathed. The vestiges of the dream began to fade as she threw her arms around him without another word.

Scott wrapped his arms around Jean holding on to her tightly. "It's ok," he comforted her, "it was just a nightmare, it wasn't real." He lapsed into silence.

Resting her head on Scott's shoulder, Jean tried to take his words to heart as she looked out the window at the snow falling down, trying to be here, and to forget the world behind her eyes.