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The Greatest Man I Never Knew
Published:
28/01/01
English is not my native language. Please forgive me my mistakes.
Disclaimer: "X-men" and all the characters here belong to
Marvel , 20 Century Fox and I intend no infringement,
this is a piece of amateur fan fiction, and I make no money of it.
Only the original idea contained within this work is the property of the
author. Please do not copy this story to any
website or archive without permission of the author.
Timeline: Set right after Jean's resurrection from the Phoenix Saga.
Note that it is set later than in the comics.
Universe: Set in the comic universe.
Pairing: Scott/Jean, Scott/Ororo
Summary: Jean meets Scott again but finds he has married...and to no one
she would ever have guessed..
Archiving: Want, ASK, take, have.
Feedback: Yes, please. (Use Feedback Button)
Rating: PG
Dedicated to: Helene, Julia, Jemi, April and Jaguarita. Thanks for your
kindness and friendship.
Thanks to Christina for the Beta.
For Christina with thanks. Enjoy!
Note: This is a " What If." story based on the question "
What if Scott had married someone else than Madelyne?"
*mmmm * is telepathically thoughts spoken in the mind. " mmmmm
" is spoken out loud.
Part 1:
I can hardly wait. It has been so long since I have seen him last. Well,
at least that is what I'm told. To me it feels like yesterday. But it
wasn't yesterday. A lot have changed. I felt it in Warren even though he
didn't say anything. When I asked about Scott he was also very..vague in
his replies. He said that he had had difficulties getting hold of Scott.
That sounds strange. He almost never leaves the mansion and he lives for
Xavier`s dream. Where could he be if not there? What is even more
strange is that Warren told me to meet Scott here..in a amusement park
of all things. Scott have never been a man to take anything lightly.
What would he do in a amusement park?
As I sit here on a bench beneath a big tree, a carrousel close by and
children everywhere I think of him. Scott. The man I love. Have always
loved from the first moment I saw him. He is brave and kind yet silent
and strong. He can be very hard to get to know and open up. I should
know. It took us forever to get together. Well, maybe not forever but
close to it. I look at the children again, smiling in the sunlight and I
wish I had some. Kids, I mean. I have always loved children and I know
Scott do too. When we are married I hope we get many children. I would
love a little girl with red hair and all. I think we should name her
Rachel. And a boy. We should have a boy as well. Scott will probably
name him Charles, I imagine. He really cares so deeply for him. He may
not say it in so many words but he cares for all on the team. Also the
new team of cause. I wonder where they are now. Scott is still leading
them, I would think. He is the born leader and takes that responsibility
heavily upon himself. Thinking of the new team..I miss Ororo. It was
nice to have someone my age and not to mention finally another woman to
talk to. She was always very kind and I know that both Scott and I came
to value her highly as a friend and family because she truly was like a
sister to me.
Part 2:
Suddenly I see him, walking towards me and smiling broadly. I quickly
get up and run to him. My heart is beating wildly in my chest as I run
to the man I love. He smiles and laughs and picks me up and spin me
around. He puts me back on the ground again and kisses my cheek. I'm a
bit disappointed that he doesn't kiss my lips but Scott always was very
shy and it has been a long time. I try and scan him but decide against
it. It would be to invade on his privacy and I don't need telepathy to
tell me that Scott is glowing with happiness. He is smiling and laughing
and holding my hands.
" Jean, you are back. This is unbelievable. It's ..amazing,"
Scott says softly and caresses my cheek. I smile and nod.
" Yes, I'm back. I...," I begin and want to tell him all about
how I feel, how much I love him and how much I regret those years where
we were apart. I want him to understand that I love him more than
anything on this world and that I want to marry him and bear his
children..our children.
" I know. Warren told me all about your ordeal," Scott says
and breaks me off. His eyes are as covered as always but I can clearly
hear the pain and sorrow in his voice. Strange that I remember him being
much more..emotionally controlled. Then again he was never really cold
with me and it has been a long while.
" It wasn't your fault," I say, knowing what he is thinking.
Scott has always done that. Blaming himself for any and all failings
ever done.
" I know but..I still wish I could have saved you from that
pain," he admits and gives me a small smile. I give him a half
smile. I don't remember him being so.sure of himself and his decisions
so soon. I remember that after Logan came I often had to reassure him of
my love. However I'm way too happy standing here in the sunlight with my
one true love to care.
I look behind Scott and see Ororo walking up to us, smiling brilliantly.
She wears a simple but very beautiful white dress. She looks as stunning
as ever.
" Jean! You are back. Scott and I were so happy when Warren phoned
us," Ororo says happily and hugs me close and I hug her back.
" I have missed you so," I whisper as we draw apart.
" And I you, my friend," Ororo says as she walks over to stand
by Scott's right side and Scott smile down to her.
" I have missed you too, Jean. Very much. Those first months after
your death..If Ororo hadn't been there for me I don't know what I would
have done. Probably left the team or something," Scott says and
lays his right hand around OroroŽs shoulder and they smile at each
other. I smile too. I'm glad they have become so good friends.
" Wouldn't you have lunch with us? We sit right over here,"
Ororo says and I nod, going with them to their table. I notice another
half empty plate besides Ororo`s and Scott's on the table, a few French
Fries still left. Ororo and Scott sit on one side of the table and I'm
forced to sit opposite Scott. A grim suspicion is beginning to enter my
mind but I push it away. Of cause Scott still loves me. I know he does.
I felt it as he saw me. I saw it in his smile.
" So, what happened while I was away?" I ask as we eat lunch,
having exchanged the usual "How do you feel?", " I'm
sorry" and " I have missed you" s. Ororo and Scott look
at each other and then at me.
" You mean that no one have told you?" Scott asks surprised.
" Well.no," I admit and wonders what exactly have happened.
" You know of the Phoenix?" Ororo asks and I nod. That part
was a little hard to miss.
" As you know Jea...Phoenix died on the moon. It really broke me. I
thought I should die. I wanted to die," Scott says softly and I can
hear pain in his voice. I lay a hand above his and smile.
" I'm not dead," I reassure him and he smiles.
" No, you aren't," Scott says and gives my hand a gentle
squeeze before removing it. I must have looked puzzled because Ororo
continues Scott's tale.
" As Scott said before then I helped him through your.Phoenix's
death. It had been a very traumatic experience for us all but Scott most
of all as he had seen her die. There had been no doubt in any ones minds
that Jean Grey had died," Ororo tries to tell this gently but it is
strange and a bit creepy to hear people tell that they thought you dead
above any shadow of a doubt while you are sitting right next to them.
" Ororo and I helped each other through it and we grew closer. I
learned that my father was still alive..," Scott continues and I am
amazed. That really was wonderful news. Scott has always wished for a
big family and now it seemed to have grown.
" We visited Scott's grandparents together with his father and
brother," Ororo says and smiles at me.
" While there we met a woman named Madelyne who looked very much
like you," Scott says and looks at me. I notice the flicker of pain
is back and I try to smile reassuringly to him. My "death"
most really have been hard for him.
" I so wanted to believe she was you in some way," Scott
explains and Ororo takes his left hand and holds it with a smile. He
looks at her and his voice become soft.
" Ororo helped me. Yet again. Made me accept that you truly was
gone and that I had to let you rest in peace," Scott explains and I
nod. What else can I do?
" Daddy. Daddy. Can I take another round on the carrousel. Please,
Daddy?" a small boy comes running and asks. First I think he most
mean someone else but he runs directly to Scott and he picks him up to
sit on his lap. The boy is very pretty with brown hair like Scott's but
blue eyes like Alex. His skin is light brown or golden as when one is
long in the sun and I figure he most be running outside playing a lot.
" Ok, Nathan, but first say halloo to Jean. She is a very good
friend of your mother and me," Scott explains and as in slow motion
I let the four year old shake my hand become he runs off again. I look
from Ororo to Scott.
" Yes, he is my son and no I didn't have him before we met.
Apocalypse poisoned him and well, bottom line is that to save him we had
to send him to the future but luckily we were able to get him back as
soon as he had been cured. For Ororo and me, he had only been gone for a
few minutes but he left as a infant and came back like you see him now,
a four year old," Scott explains but his explanation doesn't help
much. I have never heard of this Apocalypse but he is evidently some
evil guy. Great, just want we need. More bad guys.
" Jean, we need to tell you that..," Ororo begins but a cry
from a baby carriage standing close to our table distracts her and she
goes to it. I look to Scott, hoping he can make sense in all this.
" Nathan isn't a only child. He has a twin. A sister. We named her
Rachel Jean Ann Summers," Scott says as Ororo have lifted a tiny
bundle up in her arms and walks to the table, rocking the baby gently.
" Say halloo to Jean," Scott says softly as he lets the small
girl catch his finger and she puts it in her month. I lean over
and look at the small child. She most be very young. She has no hair yet
but by the colour of the small baby hair it seems to be white. Her skin
is a fair brown, a little softer than Ororo`s light brown colour. She
opens her eyes and looks at me with brown eyes. Scott's brown eyes. I
sit down again.
" Isn't she wonderful?" Ororo asks with a mother's pride and I
smile and nod, agreeing.
" Jean, I thought Warren had told you but since he apparently
hasn't...Jean, I`ll like you to meet my wife, Ororo," Scott says
proudly and smiles at me.
" W.wife?" I get out. What is happening here? This wasn't how
I had imagined our first meeting would go.
" Yes, wife. Scott and I married over a year after your
death," Ororo explains as she gives the small girl something to
eat.
" I..I'm very happy for you," I force out. Well, in a way I
am. If I'm not to be with Scott, I'll rather a friend is than someone I
have never met. But...I love him. I miss him. I want him. Scott lean
over and catches my hand.
" Jean, you'll always mean a lot to me and a part of me will always
love you but I moved on. I had to. I learned to live again. To love
again. I hope you can understand," Scott says and I can hear love,
sadness and almost pleading in his voice.
" I do understand," I say and find that that's the hard part.
I understand and I don't like it. It is so much easier to condemn when
you don't understand or don't even try to. I know how life can be and I
know how much Scott hunger for and needs love. He thought me gone and
dead forever. Why shouldn't he be allowed a second chance at love?
" Thank you," Scott says warmly. After lunch I excuse myself
and leave. I couldn't take their happiness and love anymore. To
understand and accept really are two different things. I go to the bench
where I sat earlier and a part of me wish I could go back in time to
when I was just a woman waiting for the man she loves. But I know that
this time it is I who needs to move on. I have to but I don't want to.
As Scot said, a part of me will always love him and in time I might be
able to forget that love I bear for him so that all I`ll have left will
be just that; a part and not as it is now; fully and wholly with body,
soul and mind. I have sat in thoughts for so long that the sun is
setting. The red colours in the sky reminds me of Scott and fearing IŽll
break down crying in front of everyone I stand to leave. As I turn
around I see four people walking away. A white haired woman holding a
boy by the hand and a shaded man pushing a baby carriage in front of him
while talking to her before leaning over and kissing her softly on the
lips. I turn around and walk the other way. My thoughts are occupied
with Scott but I feel no anger or hate towards any of them. I can't. As
I said; I understand. I can be sorry and so sad that my heart is
breaking into a million pieces but I do understand. I think of Scott and
the time we had and the time we lost. The more I think of Scott, the
more I realise that..
He Was The Greatest Man I Never Knew.
The End
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