Part Eleven

Hank shut the door to Logan's room and glanced upon the small crowd of worried faces, wishing he had better news.

"She's asleep," he said, bringing the best news first. "I gave her some sedatives and she is no longer in pain." He sighed. "However ... I believe Samuel Butler was mistaken when he first said 'He that is down can fall no lower,' It seems she has regressed in her emotional healing. The window in her room is being fixed tomorrow, and I believe it will be better for her to be in familiar surroundings. Logan, I also think it best if you continue to stay with her, at least most of the time. We can put a cot in her room for you to sleep on, just for reassurance, should she awaken in the night. Jean, have Jubilee's things arrived from Massachusetts?"

The redhead nodded somberly. "The boxes are in her room, though they aren't yet unpacked. Do you want us to...?"

"Please. If you could arrange things as closely as she had them originally, when she was still staying with us, I think it would do her well."

The audience dispersed, and Hank began to make his way back to the Med Labs, when Logan caught him by the arm. "Will she be all right?" he asked, overwhelming concern for the small girl in his indigo eyes.

The doctor hung his head, not wanting to see the other man's reaction as he stated simply, "I would not leave her alone while awake, Logan." With that, he moved down the hall and away from the man whose world he had just slipped from beneath him.

* * * *

Shattered glass had been vacuumed from the plush carpet, curtains that had snagged and torn on the jagged glass removed and tossed, so all that remained of the horrible incident of but a week prior was the irregular shards of broken glass planted firmly in the window frame, and the gaping hole between them that let in the blistering breeze.

Flicking open the pocket knife, Jean made quick work of the clear packing tape that sealed the five medium - sized boxes that had been shipped from Massachusetts. She recognized Paige Guthrie's handwriting across the tops, and thought how troubling this must be for the members of Jubilee's former team; to learn that she had attempted suicide and would not be returning. If she knew Jubilee, the girl had instantly endeared herself to the hearts of everyone there, just like she had here. Snapping the knife shut once more, she could imagine the Kentucky blonde slowly packing her roommates things, other members of Generation X standing around in silence, watching, all of them either weeping or close to it.

Opening the first box, the psi discovered bright clothing, all neatly folded and pressed, and this box, she passed to Sabine, who waited by the dresser. The next box was also clothes. The third and fourth boxes contained various personal items; an ET alarm clock, Sailor Moon candle, Pokemon sheets, a Winnie the Pooh jewelry box full of assorted earrings, all very overstated. Each item was carefully removed and placed in its proper place; the bed stripped and remade, stuffed animals clustered around the bedside lamp, CDs placed in a holder beside the desk. When Jean finally reached the fifth and final box, she was emotionally drained from the task and picking up heavy psychic signatures on each item she touched. Those of Generation X. They missed her dearly, she could tell.

Seeing her mental distress, Sabine moved toward the other woman and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Let me," she said softly. "You go rest."

Relieved, the tall, fiery woman nodded and stood, turning to leave when she heard, "Oh mah God!" uttered from her friend as she opened the box. Facing the room once more, Jean looked up in time to see a shiny Mylar balloon float to the ceiling, confetti printed across the face and the words, 'We Love You!' in bright pink over it. From the box, the southern belle pulled a banner that was curled into a tight tube, and Jean returned to help her unroll it. In neat blue, 3-D hand-drawn letters, the words, 'WE MISS YOU!!' shouted cheerfully, with various signatures and comments in neon colors proclaiming that the statement was true. The psi recognized but a few of them -- those of Generation X. The rest, she supposed were from the non-mutant students at the academy, those who had also been touched by Jubilee's buoyant personality. Tears came to both women's eyes as they removed the remaining items from the box, including several merrily wrapped gifts, two big stuffed teddy bears, and a large pile of cards, ranging from tastefully hand-made to expensively bought.

"I wish..." Jean found herself saying, but was unable to end the sentence.

"Ah know," Sabine murmured softly, a rueful smile touching her lips, "but at least the kids still know how ta brighten a gal's day."

(Written by Dana Night)