Madelyn, Jubilee - Backdated to August 29th

[x-madelyn.livejournal.com]

After the fight with Amanda, Madelyn patches up Jubilee and finds out just what happened, dispensing some advice on reasons not to sleep with people.



Jubilee sat on the bed, her good hand holding a tissue to her nose to stem the bleeding. Her face had begun to turn some lovely shades of purple and her back ached every time she moved. At least they hadn't made her wear a hospital gown, although the day was young yet.

"How're you feeling?" Madelyn asked briskly as she came in, gloves already on. It was already fairly obvious the arm was a problem, but she wanted to check Jubilee for signs of concussion. The older girl had definitely come off the worst in the fracas.

Jubilee shrugged, trying to tough it out but then paled as her arm protested. She was feeling somewhat fuzzy and disconnected but she'd be damned if she was going to show weakness in front of anyone. "Fine" she said, her voice cracking slightly on the last syllable.

"Any double vision? Nausea?" Madelyn gently felt the back of Jubilee's head, noting the lump already rising. "You got cracked a good one here."

Jubilee went to nod and then regretted it. "Um, both? But only when I try to actually do anything. Like, you know, move and stuff. So, when can I get outta here?"

"Not until tomorrow - you've got a slight concussion and I want to keep you in overnight for observation," Madelyn said slightly absently as she continued her examination. Most of the bruising was superficial, the nose definitely needed setting, as did the arm... She gently touched the broken limb and Jubilee flinched. "You know, bitching on the journals is a pain for the rest of us, but I think I prefer it to actual physical fights. What started all this?" she asked, almost conversationally. No doubt Moira was having the same talk with Amanda in the other cubicle.

"I slept with Manny." Jubilee said simply, her eyes focussed on a picture of a kitten on the opposite wall. She wondered briefly who'd put it up, it didn't seem to match the personality of any of the doctors currently on staff. Maybe a well meaning student, sometime in the past? It was playing with a small ball of yarn. 'There should be laws against that amount of concentrated sugar coating in any one spot.' Jubilee thought.

It was probably a demon kitten anyway, plotting to destroy them all as it played with it's small nuclear device skilfully disguised as a ball of yarn. 'Damn demon kitties.' Jubilee thought that perhaps Madelyn was right about the concussion, either that or she just really didn't want to think about what she'd just done to Amanda. Either way, denial! fun! Not just a river in Egypt but helping stupid teenagers get through life since the dawn of time.

"Oh." Madelyn fell silent, any well-meaning words of advice, or a scolding, temporarily halted. What on earth had possessed her? "Probably not the brightest idea, kiddo," she said at last, finishing wiping away the dried blood from under Jubilee's nose. "Even if the two of them are having problems."

"Probably. I'm thinkin' it was either the sleepin' with him, or possibly the fact that she felt the entire thing through their link thingie. You know, I'd actually completely forgotten about the link till she reminded me." Jubilee blinked at the painting went slightly blurred and then settled back into clarity. "You know, I think maybe I could have made it worse if I just stripped him naked and went at it right in front of her but probably only by a little. And you know, the real kicker, I didn't sleep with him to hurt her. I slept with him cause I wanted to feel better about myself, only it didn't work. So, I fucked up in a big way and probably made the whole school hate me. So, do I get any nice happy drugs? Could use them right now, kinda went and got my arm all smashed up, was a bit stupid of me really."

"As much as I'd like to give you something for it, I can't. Not with the concussion. I need to keep you awake, at least until we're sure there's no damage to your brain..." Madelyn didn't mince her words - Jubilee was old enough to know the facts, and it might help bring home the seriousness of the matter. "There's better reasons to sleep with someone, Jubilee, links aside. You feel good about yourself because of what you think of yourself, not what someone else does. Especially a horny teenaged boy with all the morals of an alleycat. And I wouldn't say you went and got your arm smashed up - you had some assistance in that area. Amanda is just as responsible as you for the fighting part."

Jubilee looked at her steadily. "So, what you're tellin' me is that I have to have my nose and arm set without anythin' to dull the pain? And yeah, I know that, the stuff you said. Least, now I do. Last night, it was all so perfect, you know? Felt like maybe I'd finally found something that could make it better, fill the holes inside. I used a friend, and that's my bad, doesn't matter what his personal morals are. The fact that I completely went against my own does. It was stupid, I know that now. Thanks, though. I kinda thought that everyone would hate me now."

Madelyn nodded. "I'm afraid so, kiddo. It won't be easy, and I'll be able to give you some aspirin, but that's all. In the morning, maybe." She gave the girl a slight smile. "You _were_ stupid, Jubilee, but you know what? We're all stupid sometimes. Especially when it comes to hormones. But it isn't a reason to hate you. Now, let me get Hank and we'll get this arm of yours set - he's got a more delicate touch than me."

Jubilee smiled, suddenly feeling better despite the pain. Maybe things would be okay afterall. "Yeah, think it has to do with him bein' all fuzzy. You can't be all big, blue and fuzzy and be harsh. S'law of the universe or somethin'."

Something like that." Madelyn gave Jubilee's shoulder a gentle pat. "Things will settle down, Jubilee. Trust me." Her tone turned businesslike, but there was still warmth in it. "Now, let me go get the Big Blue Fuzzy One."