Unspoken: The Masks We Wear

The Masks We Wear
by Khaki

Rating: PG-13

Summary: Jubes and Logan have a chat.

Timeline: Between Fault Lines and Shatter Like Glass.

Notes: Ok, Jenn, I wrote it, but I still think you do a fine Jubes. Oh, btw, where is the JAB interlude? :-)

Date: October 14, 2001

Jubilee fished the cookies out of her pocket as she approached Logan's door only to realize that they'd been squished and broken.

'Way to go, Jubes,' she thought. 'Wolvie'll be thrilled to see a handful of lint-covered crumbs and welcome you with open arms.'

She went back to her and Kitty's room, and shrugged off her cookie- soiled jacket. After last night, none of the adults were in a good mood, and from what little she'd seen of Wolvie, she figured he was most likely brooding in his room. He wouldn't let her in unless she had some sort of excuse, and a peace offering couldn't hurt. Those cookies were a bust. but she did have her private stash.

Once she'd dug out the replacement cookies, she walked to Logan's door and knocked.

"Go away, kid."

How did he know... oh yeah, those mutant senses of his. He'd probably tracked her from down the hall. Well, if his senses were so good, he should know she wasn't about to leave before she saw him.

"I just wanna talk."

"Checkin' up on your bet?" he asked, then grunted. "I ain't interested."

"No. Actually, I brought you some fresh, homemade cookies."

"Why?" His voice sounded closer to the door this time, and she could hear a touch of curiosity.

"I wanted to apologize."

"For what?"

"I'm not doing this through a door, and I'm not sliding the cookies through the bottom crack. You gonna open up?"

The door shot open so quickly, she startled. He didn't say a word, but he did step back to let her in.

She was momentarily frozen in place by the image he presented. Didn't this guy own any shirts? Still, when she was able to pull her gaze away from his glorious chest, she walked in and sat down on the bed.

"Don't get comfortable, kid. You're outta here as soon as you're done."

"How kind. Has anyone ever told you that you're a great host?"

"You said something about an apology?"

"Oh, yeah, here," Jubilee said, pulling the cookies out from behind her back.

"Homemade cookies?" he asked, looking at the half empty bag of Oreos.

"So I didn't have time to cook," Jubilee said with a shrug. "Someone made 'em. Besides, I figured that nothing says, 'I'm sorry,' better than the last treats in my snacks stash. I'm really sacrificing here, dude. You do *not* want to see me on a sugar low."

"I'll keep that in mind," he said.

Ok, apology time. Jubilee took a deep breath and started. "I'm sorry I broke into the Danger Room when you were practicing. You didn't know I was there, and I suppose you're right that I could've been hurt, although I do know how to take care of myself. I didn't survive on the streets for two years for nothing. Anyway, if by the tiniest, most improbable chance, I had been hurt a little, you woulda probably felt guilty about it so I'm sorry."

Out of air, Jubilee took another breath. Logan just looked at her with a wry smile.

"Was there an apology in there somewhere?"

"Yeah, and I'm not saying it again."

"Why'd you have to come tell me this right now?"

"'Cause I was thinking about what happened last night, and I figured that you were blaming yourself for it, but it wasn't your fault, just like it wouldn't have been your fault if, beyond all likelihood, I'd been hurt in the Danger Room."

"Hey, it's not Marie's fault," Logan argued, pointing a finger at Jubilee. "I pushed her too far too fast."

"You didn't make her do anything she didn't already wanna do, although why you keep picking that cold lake when we've got a perfectly good pool..."

Logan huffed, "And you know what she wanted to do?"

"Look, dude. Just because we're kids doesn't mean we're blind. Why do you think most of us are here? Ya don't live on the professor's charity if you've got a loving family life. We can tell when a marriage isn't making it."

Logan's face drew up in confusion. "Your parents split up 'cause of your mutation?"

"Nope," Jubilee answered with a shake of her head. "They didn't get the chance. Died in a car accident about a year before I manifested."

"Kid... I'm sorry."

"For what?" Jubilee asked. "You didn't kill 'em. I didn't want to move to my uncle's in Hong Kong so I lived on the streets. I survived 'til Miss Munroe found me, and then I came here. Miss Rogue and Mr. Summers, they're the only couple here, and they... well, they're the closest thing to parents most of us have."

"And you kids decided to place bets on their break-up?"

Jubilee shrugged. "I figured if your world's gonna crash down around ya anyway, you might as well make a little money off it."

Logan opened his mouth, but then shut it again like he couldn't decide what to say.

Waving her hand at him, Jubilee apologized. "Sorry, dude. Didn't mean to get so serious on you. Usually I'm pretty light."

"Yeah, noticed that. Kinda goes with how you're always dressed. Well, except for now," Logan said, nodding at her attire.

What? Jubilee looked down and saw that she was dressed all in black. That was weird. She usually made sure she was always wearing some sort of yellow... Oh yeah, today she wore a black shirt and skirt with her yellow jacket. Her yellow jacket with cookie remains in the pockets.

"Well," she answered with a shrug. "We all have our camouflage."

Logan turned away from her and threw the cookie bag on the nightstand. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Sure, right, *Wolverine*. You're tough, you're growly, and you're in competition with Hank for the title of Most Facial Hair." Jubilee pointed at herself and slipped into an exaggerated Valley Girl accent. "Me? I'm Jubilation Lee. I always wear yellow, I'm perky, and I'm no deeper than a puddle."

"That's not true, kid."

"You're right. It's not true. But people like Jubilee. People fear Wolverine. They're masks, but they work for us."

"What're you getting at?"

"We're not the only ones. Professor Xavier is wise and all-knowing. Miss Munroe is a goddess of nature. Mr. Summers is a stickler for rules. Miss Rogue is untouchable. You and that doctor showed up and all the masks slipped. You make Miss Rogue lose control. She never goes swimming, but for you she tries skinny-dipping?"

"It was a stupid idea, and now she won't speak to me."

"She will. Ya just gotta keep trying. That whole dying thing you did was kinda scary, but you've gotta see her again before she gets herself back in control. She's really starting to have a thing for you. Kinda like Mr. Summers does for that Dr. Grey."

"Jeannie... I haven't seen her in days."

"She's at Warren Worthington's penthouse."

"You know the address?"

"Yeah, but aren't you gonna talk to Miss Rogue first?"

"She doesn't wanna talk to me, kid."

"But... she does, she just doesn't..."

"You gonna give me that address or do I haveta go ask Chuck?"

Jubilee sighed and pulled open the drawer in Logan's bedside table. After retrieving a pad of paper, she wrote down the address and shoved it at him.

"Enjoy the cookies," she said, and stormed out, slamming the door.

***

She really shouldn't have upped the bets. One hundred dollars? That was practically all of her savings, and now she was gonna lose it because Wolvie wouldn't go see Miss Rogue like he was supposed to. Sure, somewhere deep down she wished that Mr. Summers and Miss Rogue would get back together, but they just didn't love each other that way anymore, and wishing wouldn't change anything.

Jubilee thought that at least if they hooked up with Dr. Grey and Wolvie, they'd probably stay at the mansion. She'd be heartbroken if one of both of them decided to leave. They were her teachers, her mentors,... her family.

With a depressed sigh, she collapsed onto her bed, accidentally crushing her sunshine-colored jacket. Oh yeah, the cookie coat. She might as well clean out the pockets before the stains set more than they already had.

She took it into the bathroom, but it was only when she'd cleaned the fouled pocket that she'd inspected the other one and found hope again. Wolvie's dog tags were just where she'd tucked them this morning. She'd been planning to give them back when next she saw him, but all the thoughts of cookies and apologies had made her forget.

Now he'd gone off to find Dr. Grey, but he was sure to come back for these, and she'd make sure he'd find them in the right hands.

She left her room and found Bobby standing in front of the door that was her destination. He smiled at her, rearranged the food tray in his grip, and knocked on the door again.

When it was finally answered, Jubilee donned a sweet smile and said, "Hey, Miss Rogue. I found these dog tags out by the lake, but I can't seem to find Wolvie. Could you give 'em back to him? Thanks."

Then, she retreated before Miss Rogue could say a word.

~*~

The Third Time by Beth

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Disclaimer: All X-Men characters belong to Marvel and Fox; this piece of fan-written fiction intends no infringement on any copyrights.