Samson and Jubilee.

[x-jubilee.livejournal.com]

Note: Log backdated to 16th March 2004.

Jubilee calls Doctor Samson on the phone tuesday night while the others are checking out the hotel resturant. They talk about many things, from her fight with Marie-Ange, to her insomnia.



Jubilee looked around, closing and locking the hotel room door. Everyone
else was downstairs in the restaurant. She'd promised Doctor Samson that
she'd call him at least once a day, it was the only way she'd gotten him
to agree to let her go to England. Sitting down on the bed, she picked
up the phone and dialled Samson's office.

Having gone through the secretary and been connected to the doctor
himself, Jubilee cleared her throat nervously. "Um, hey, doc."

"Jubilee, hello! How is your vacation coming?" The doctor's voice lost
none of its warmth despite the swirls and crackles of static on the
line. "Lots of rain, I believe?"

Jubilee lifted her legs into a sitting position on the bed and leant
back against the headboard.

"Hey Sam, yeah it's totally raining dogs and cats here. Everyone keeps
telling me I'm insane to want to go out in it, but like, what's a little
weather when you get to see a place you've never been before, right? So,
like, just checkin' in and all, like I promised. How's life?"

"Much quieter, with most of you kids away. Don't tell anyone, but I kind
of miss the bedlam. And there's nothing wrong with enthusiasm - just
make sure you don't catch cold whilst you're splashing your way through
London. So, besides people not appreciating your love of being a
tourist, is there anything you'd like to tell me about? How have you
been sleeping?"

Jubilee's hand went to the bandage on her face, her thumb stroking the
line of stitches softly as she watched the rain through the hotel room
window.

"Not too much. Don't like waking the others when I get nightmares. Seems
easier to just not sleep at all. Had a fight with Marie-Ange before we
got on the plane too..."

"A fight? What about? If you want to talk about it, that is." Samson
made a note about the insomnia on his pad, meaning to get back to that
later. He'd never seen such a place as the school for sleep disorders.

Jubilee shrugged and then realising the he couldn't see it over the
phone, spoke: "Don't know. I was like, minding my own business and stuff
and she just laid into me. Like, poppin' gum is a crime or somethin'.
Said somethin' about me not givin' Amanda shit and stuff. Like she don't
give me just as much shit back. Don' know, maybe I went a little bit
far, goin' all butch and threatenin' on Manny like that but he hurt
people I cared about. Why is it nothin' I do, seems right?"

Jubilee kicked a pillow at her feet off the bed in frustration.

"Marie-Ange... she's been having a lot of trouble sleeping lately? With
her mutation, and recent events? I understand she was one of the
students involved in taking Ms Braddock from the school for the second
operation; I imagine she's feeling somewhat responsible for this
'Kwannon' and the things she did. And if she's already tired from not
sleeping, it wouldn't take much to push her over the edge. Even
something that wasn't actually wrong - I think you may have just been in
the wrong place at the wrong time." He added, his tone humorous. "And
airports are never the most relaxing environments."

Jubilee nodded before smiling at herself, phones were always weird to
have conversations over. You found yourself nodding or shrugging like
you might do in a normal conversation and then remembering that the
other person couldn't see you.

"Thanks, Sam. That helps. Maybe I'll talk to her later, hey? Sometimes
think I'm like, the biggest baby in the world for not dealin' with shit,
for runnin' for so long like I did. I mean like, Amanda and Marie-Ange,
they got problems too, right? So do Marie and Kat but none of them ever
ran, or tried to not think about them like I did. Just, don' want ta be
a coward."

"We all have different ways of coping with trauma, Jubilee, and one
person's way is not necessarily better or worse than anyone else's. It's
not a contest. And you're not a coward." Samson's voice was firm. "Now,
about this not sleeping... did Doctor McTaggart give you something, to
help you sleep if you needed it? Because sleep deprivation can have
serious consequences and I wouldn't want your trip cut short because of it."

"Yeah, said she'd give me hell if she found out I wasn't using them when
I needed em'" Jubilee replied.

She smiled when she remembered the fiery Scottish doctor. Moira had been
pretty adamant about Jubilee not losing sleep. She looked over at the
small bottle with her name on it that sat on the table beside her bed:
she'd been trying not to use them.

Still, Sam could be right about the whole sleep dep thing and the
thought of a chiding from Moira wasn't something she wanted to think
about. It wasn't that she was afraid of her, just that there was
something about Mac that made you not want to disappoint her.

"I know there's already a lot of conditions and requirements on you
which can't make for a fun holiday, but I want you to take those when
you need to. I'm serious, Jubilee. It's about more than disappointing
Doctor McTaggart, or thinking that you're not being strong by needing
them, it's about your health. And whilst I'm not the expert on this, I
think the lack of sleep can't be good for your problems with your
powers. So, as long as you're away, can you take the tablets? As the per
the instructions, of course." Samson tried not to sound too stern - that
would only alienate the girl - but this was important. "Then, once you
get back and we can resume our sessions, we'll work on addressing the
cause of the sleeping problems, rather than the symptoms. Can you do
that for me?"

Jubilee scratched at the edge of the bandage on her face, thinking for a
moment before she answered. She didn't want to take the sleeping
tablets, they would make her dull and sluggish if she had to wake up
fast but then again, who'd attack them here? Yet... she'd thought that
about the school too. "Sam, I don't know. What if I need my wits about
me? Those pills, they don't exactly let you wake up fast."

"I can understand your fears. But not sleeping isn't going to do much
for your reflexes either. And it's more than just being tired and cranky
- you go long enough without adequate sleep and there could be serious
consequences - have you ever heard of sleep deprivation psychosis? It's
when you start to hallucinate and become psychotic because you haven't
slept enough. Like I said, it's only for the rest of your stay. And I'm
sure Ms Frost has the safety of you students uppermost in her mind."
Sitting up and concentrating solely on the phone, Samson used his best
persuasive tones. "I'm not trying to minimise your fears regarding being
attacked, but this is important, Jubilee. And I'd hate to recommend your
early return because I'm concerned for your health."

Jubilee eyed the phone in alarm at Doctor Samson's last comment. There
was no way in hell she was going back to that school early. Not when
everyone else was here. All she'd do back there would be brood and worry
about the memories she still couldn't seem to access. "Yeah, okay. No
need to like, bring me back early. I promise I'll take the damn pills."

"I don't want to sound like I'm threatening you, Jubilee. I'm being
honest with you." Samson's voice sounded regretful. "I'm concerned about
your health, and you won't be able to enjoy your vacation if you're in
hospital." He changed tacks, figuring he'd pushed enough. "So, what are
the plans for the rest of the time?"

"Don't know yet. It's raining here right now, but I think there's plans
to go somewhere in Brighton. Thought I might go do some shoppin' and
stuff to. I've been disgusting everyone by being like, totally American
and stuff. Mostly just cause it's fun to watch them go all 'Oh My God,
she's being American again'."

"As long as you're having fun." Samson smiled. "Brighton... Amanda
mentioned that at some point. You two don't get along, do you?"

" Yeah, I guess you could say we don't get along. She rubs me the wrong
way."

"She can be difficult to get along with, yes." Samson made some notes
and continued on. "What about the other students? You mentioned being
protective of your friends, but how do you relate with the others?"

Jubilee shrugged. "Don't talk to them much, beyond the normal social
stuff. Like, sometimes I think people don't look much beyond the yellow
coat and the 'tude, ya know? I suppose I don't give them much chance to."

"And how do you feel about that?"

Jubilee looked up as she heard noise outside the door, must be the
others coming back. 'Saved by the bell' she thought. "Sam, gotta go,
Dude. The other's are like, back and all so call you tomorrow?"

"Of course, Jubilee. Have fun."

Comments

[x-tarot.livejournal.com]

Hee. Ask Angie about sleep-deprivation psychosis sometime. :)