FicWad

My Friend, My Lover
Chapter 22: Clearing Things Up

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The next day, Scott and Jean continued to keep a low profile. They didn't eat with the others, they didn't join them in the lounge, and they trained separately. They still caught heat from time to time, but it wasn't nearly as bad as it was yesterday when everybody found out. There were still dirty comments here and there, but the two young lovers couldn't have cared less at this point.

Things also stabilized once Logan got involved and began scorning kids for making remarks, stating explicitly that what two people did in their private time was private and anybody who thought otherwise would have to clean the danger room for a month.

But still, there was one last obstacle that Scott and Jean would have to overcome before they could lay this matter to rest...The Professor. And as luck would have it, he called them to his office for an impromptu meeting around lunch time after having heard the full story from Logan.

"Oh boy. What do you think he'll say, Jean?" asked Scott as they made their way towards the Professor's study.

"With all the rumors flying around about us, I have no idea," said Jean, looking almost as nervous as he was, "But the Professor's a very understanding man. I'm sure he won't get up in arms about it. I mean it's just sex. It's not like we were hurting anybody."

"I know, but I just get the feeling that he won't be happy about us keeping it secret for so long and letting it blow up like this. I mean, do you think he knows about some of the things we've done in the danger room? Or the locker room? Or the X-jet? Or..."

"Don't forget library and the living room," reminded Jean, laughing somewhat despite the circumstances.

"Oh yeah...That too," he muttered, "I just hope he's not too upset with us."

"I guess we'll just have to find out."

After what felt like a painfully long trek, Scott and Jean finally reached the doors to Xavier's office. Taking one last deep breath, the two lovers stepped in to see the Professor already waiting for him behind his desk.

"Professor?" said Scott, unable to hide the weariness in his voice.

"Ah, Scott...Jean...Please come in," he said, not sounding too harsh as they had feared.

Doing their best to hide their anxiety, Scott and Jean approached the desk of their mentor and teacher. Xavier could sense their chaotic thoughts. Clearly, they were nervous. This was a serious matter after all. But that made it all the more important.

"Now then, I'm sure you both know why I called you here and before I go any further, let me just come out and say that I am not mad at you. You are both mature, consenting adults and I have the utmost confidence that you both go about your business in all the right ways. But regardless, there are some things that I am concerned about."

It was a bit of a relief for the two lovers, but they were still curious as to what this entailed. Even though they trusted the Professor's judgment, they wanted to lay this matter to rest.

"Look Professor..." began Scott, "I know what you've probably heard from all the rumors, but I just want you to know that..."

However, Xavier waved him off, not wanting to get into details. It was not his business and frankly, he didn't want to picture his students in that regard. It just wasn't a pleasant thing to think about.

"Please, Scott...Its okay. I understand that both you and Jean have your own sexuality and what you do during your times of intimacy is none of my business. You're both free to do as you please, but it's the manner in which it's affecting the rest of the students that concerns me."

"Yeah, that I figured," said Jean, blushing somewhat at that.

"All this gossip surrounding your 'activities' has been causing a bit of a strain to say the least. My major fear is that this will lead to fights that'll affect the team and the overall atmosphere of the school. Logan has informed me that there has been some major teasing and some harsh words have been exchanged."

"That's one way of putting it," muttered Scott, knowing that merely calling them 'words' was putting it fairly lightly.

"In addition, I've also been informed that some of your private activities have taken place in very public areas."

This got the both of them to blush profusely and look away from their mentor. Having had sex in areas all throughout the institute for thrills, it was not very pleasant confronting a man who was like a father figure to him like this.

Yet as serious as Xavier was taking this, he still remained balanced in his tone.

"Now I understand that you two are both young and wish to explore your sexuality, but if you are going to resort to such practices, I ask that you be very careful. I was young once too, but youth is not an excuse to be careless."

"Believe us, Professor. We understand. And I promise you, we'll be very careful with what we do in our sex lives from now on," said Jean in an adamant tone.

"I'm confident that you will, but in order to lay this matter to rest I have but a few requests. First off, I ask that you do not partake in behavior that would put you at odds with the law. And that includes engaging in sexual activities while you're on school grounds. If it's illegal, then I don't want anybody doing it."

It was a rather embarrassing reminder since they had done that not once, but twice already. Yet it was still a reasonable request and was probably for the better anyhow.

"Of course," said Scott, finding that to be a given, "We'll be sure to remember."

"I'm sure you will," said Xavier kindly, "And second, I also ask that you know your limits. Now so far, I've seen nothing but positive benefits from you two having experienced this. But if at any time it looks as though it's a detriment to your physical or emotional health, then I'll have to step in. Understand?"

"Yes, but I don't think you should worry about that either, sir," said Jean, "Scott and I are very good at knowing our boundaries and we trust each other completely in what we do."

As if to show this point, Jean took Scott's hand and gave it a firm squeeze. It was a gesture that made the Professor smile. These two had always held a special place in his heart and seeing them like this was nothing short of extraordinary.

"Very well then. And lastly...I simply ask that you both be careful. I know that you are young and you have a right to explore your sexuality. I also know that the X-gene has a way of making everybody a bit more sexual, and that includes the rest of the team. And if at any time the rumors and gossip become too much, I want you to come to either me or Logan. The two of you are nearly adults now and I can't tell you how proud you've made me. And all I ask is that you go about this new facet of your lives wisely and cautiously. Don't be careless, but don't be too careful either. I want you both to be happy and I want you both to continue to learn and grow here at my institute."

The Professor's wise words came as a great relief to the two lovers as they smiled back at their mentor. Their hands were still enlaced and it seemed as though the ordeal was finally over. Now they could work on solidifying their relationship without having to worry about being so secretive.

"Thank you Professor. I promise you, we'll do everything we can," assured Scott.

"Yeah, you can count on us," added Jean with a warm smile.

"In that case, I believe this meeting is over," said the Professor with an approving glance, "Thank you both and enjoy the rest of your weekend."

"Oh don't worry, Professor...We will," said Jean as she and Scott got up, still hand in hand.

With those words in mind, the Professor let out a sigh of relief. He was glad to get this over with. He knew this was bound to come up in a house full of hormonally charged mutant teenagers. Ororo had already told him about how some of the students were being forced to deal with their 'urges' so to speak. And chances were this wasn't going to be the last time he would have to deal with students and sex.

But in looking at how close Scott and Jean were now, the Professor was hopeful that whatever the future brought, they would be ready for it.

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After their conversation with the Professor, Scott and Jean took the rest of the day to just relax from it all. It had been a stressful time with the dance incident and the teasing from the others that ensued. But for the most part, it appeared as though such tribulations were finally coming to an end. And for Scott Summers and Jean Grey, they couldn't have been more relieved.

There was still plenty of teasing to go around. Most of it was coming from the New Mutants, but after a few warnings from Logan, they toned it down. And ever since the little 'incident' where she caught them in the act, Rogue had kept her distance and refused to make eye contact with them. While it was less out of animosity and more the embarrassment of having gotten off watching them fuck, it was still something the two lovers wanted to mend if possible. Rogue was still a friend and they didn't want things at the mansion to get any more unstable.

But still, she needed space and that's just what they gave her. Kitty, however, seemed a bit more willing to talk it out since she never got a chance to apologize to Jean for invading her privacy. And thankfully, she caught up with her in the gym and managed to lay it to rest. However, she left out the part where she pleasured herself to the sight of her and Scott having sex.

"So how about it Jean? Are we still friends?" said Kitty as she and Jean took a quick breather from their exercises.

Jean just smiled back at her friend, sensing that she was being sincere, the embarrassment she had endured being punishment enough.

"Oh come on, Kitty. Do you really expect me to hate you forever?"

"Well for blabbing your private life to the others...Yeah, I guess I do."

"Sorry to disappoint you, but I'm not," assured Jean, "Granted, I could have done without the teasing, the constant interrogations, and gossip. I guess things like that are sort of inevitable when it comes to teenagers and sex."

"Yeah, like, real mature, huh?" said Kitty with a slight chuckle.

"Meh...Go figure."

The two girls shared another laugh. For Kitty, it was a major relief. Jean was her friend and she had been a big help since she joined the institute. She didn't like herself for having invaded her privacy, but hopefully she would avoid stuff like this in the future and so she could maintain the friendships she treasured so much.

"So how's Rogue been since...You know," said Jean as the laughter died down.

"Oh...That," said Kitty, blushing profusely at the memory, "She's still not talking about it. Personally, I don't think she will anytime soon. It was, like, SO embarrassing."

"Yeah, I know the feeling. But is she EVER going to make eye contact with me again?"

"Jean, she saw you and Scott naked going at it like porn stars! How does someone get around THAT kind of mental image?"

This time it was Jean's turn to blush. After having told Kitty that she knew they were watching, it had been a blush fest for the both of them. But was sort of a just result, having exchanged embarrassment for embarrassment.

"I guess Scott and I got carried away," she said with a shrug, showing no regrets, "That happens a lot with us. Sex has a strange way of bringing out these parts of you that you never thought were there before."

"Well it's not like you hide it!" said Kitty, now sounding a lot more like her old self, "With the way you and Scott have been acting since you started, I think it's, like, totally obvious that it's been good for you two!"

"What can I say? It's downright therapeutic. Since we began my stress levels have been reduced, my head is no longer so cluttered, and my whole body feels better than it has in years. Even Hank said that it was doing wonders for my health."

"That must be a major relief since that whole power thingy you had," commented Kitty, "Plus, it's nice to see Scott looking so much looser now."

"Yeah, it's really done a lot for the both of us...More so than either of us could have imagined," said Jean, her tone becoming distant.

With a distant look, Jean's thoughts began to wander. With all the craziness over the dance and their secret being out, she hadn't had a lot of time to ponder where her relationship with Scott was going. They had already overcome Duncan and teasing from the others, so where did that leave them now?

She remembered back to last night when they had made love in the library. She knew something had been different about that moment...Something strong and profound. She it felt during that special time they shared together and she knew he felt it too. The way their link had just blown open and the way they had been so impassioned just went beyond the mere physical aspects of lovemaking.

Could there be something more? Could this be leading her and Scott down a new road? She wasn't quite sure, but to others it was already painfully obvious.

"So, like, if you and Scott are so hot and heavy now, does that mean you two are finally official?" she asked curiously.

Jean hesitated somewhat as she tried to formulate a valid answer.

"In many ways we are, but I really don't know, Kitty. This whole 'friends with benefits' deal has been a lot more than I expected. At first I thought it would just be a way for me and Scott to work off our stress and explore our sexuality, but ever since we started and especially after the whole dance thing, it's been a lot more than that."

Kitty just rolled her eyes at that. She couldn't believe that even after having developed such a hot sexual relationship, they STILL insisted on keeping their feelings hidden. She just didn't understand it, but then again she wasn't an expert on relationships to begin with. Her chaotic love life with Lance was evidence enough of that.

Yet still, she was quick to speak her mind.

"Like, seriously Jean. You have to stop this," she told her in an adamant tone, "It's SO obvious that you are head over heels for Scott! I saw it the day I saw you two together and you'd be hard pressed to find anybody here who hasn't."

"I know...I know," said Jean with a frustrated sigh, "But I just..."

However, Kitty cut her off before she could even begin that same old rant.

"No buts, Jean! Face it, you're in love with this guy! You two have been practically joined at the hip for years! And now that you two are having all this sex, what more do you need? Honestly Jean, you should just get it out already. Something tells me you really want to."

Jean didn't argue, for she knew she was right. She was in love with Scott. It was just difficult to get out because of how complicated these emotions were. She thought that having a 'friends with benefits' relationship would preserve what they had when in reality, it just made her feelings for him manifest even stronger.

There was no more hiding from the truth. She was in love with this boy who had given her everything. He had always been there for her during the good time and the bad. He had comforted her, protected her, and helped her when the going got tough. He was her best friend, he was her lover, and her soul mate. There was just no more denying how much it meant to her.

"You're right, Kitty," she sighed in defeat, "I know it's stupid, but Scott and I still have a lot to work out. It's just hard when you feel something so strong for another person. Scott's always been there for me and the bond we share is unlike anything I've ever felt before."

"All the more reason to take that next step, Jean," argued Kitty.

"Yeah, I know. But I'm just waiting for that right moment. I want it to be special. I want it to be perfect."

"I can understand that. But I wouldn't wait too long. Otherwise someone like Taryn may come along again."

"Oh don't worry, Kitty. I'm not going to let THAT happen again," said Jean in a confident tone, "I promise you, we'll work things out. I just...I want it to be right."

"Well good luck with that girlfriend," said Kitty with a smile as they returned to the weight machines, "In the meantime, maybe you could help me work things out with Lance."

"Kitty Pryde...Even my power and knowledge has its limits."

Jean and Kitty let out another round of laughter as they continued their workout. She was glad that they were on speaking terms again. And while she had a feeling that she was going to be picturing Scott naked a lot from now on, she hoped this wouldn't affect their friendship. After all, as embarrassing as it was, it had still been fun in some ways.

But for now, Jean had plenty to think about. Now the path was clear for her and Scott to move ahead with their relationship. And hopefully, the feelings she had harbored for him for so many years would finally come out. It was just a matter of waiting for that perfect moment.

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Outside in the brisk upstate New York winds, the sun was shining brightly as Scott and Logan were up on the roof making a few adjustments on the new satellite dish that Xavier had just bought. Down below, many of the New Mutants were hanging out in the pool and Ororo was sunbathing off to the side keeping an eye on things.

Both Scott and Logan were shirtless in the warm air, giving the older woman a view that made the outdoors seem that much nicer. And from time to time, she looked back up towards the roof and smiled.

While making the necessary adjustments, Scott took the time to talk to Logan about all the craziness that had been going around the mansion since his secret was revealed. For the most part, Logan only seemed half interested as his attention was diverted between Scott, the dish, and looking back at Ororo. Because as focused and attentive as he was, the sight of Ororo sunbathing was just too much to ignore.

"Logan? Logan?! Hey Logan!" yelled Scott, trying to get his attention again.

"What?!" he shot back.

"Did you even hear me? I was just thanking you, okay?" he said, holding his hands up in defense.

Logan let out a frustrated grunt as he forced his eyes back onto the task at hand.

"Sorry, bub. I was distracted. Sue me."

"Yeah, I can see that," he said, grinning as he looked back down towards Ororo, "But as I was saying, I just wanted to thank you for being such a big help to me and Jean ever since...You know."

"Ya mean since Stripes and Half Pint blabbed to everybody that you and Jeannie hump like jack rabbits?" remarked Logan, "Yeah, I know. And you're welcome."

Scott blushed at his blunt words, but he chalked that up to lingering uneasiness about discussing his sex life with Jean around Logan. He knew he was still very protective of her and if at any point he sensed that something was amiss, he'd face the blunt end of his claws for sure.

"Just try to be a little more careful, bub," said Logan as he grabbed a ratchet to tighten the bolts around the base of the dish, "I know you and Jeannie love to fool around, but now that everybody knows, ya might wanna make a few adjustments."

"I know" said Scott, scratching the back of his neck in a show of discomfort, "That'll definitely be a challenge in a house full of curious, hormonal teenagers."

"No kiddin'," he grunted as he tightened the last bolt, "I already get a whiff of female scents every time some of the girls look at you. And trust me, that ain't somethin' I wanna smell on a regular basis!"

Scott blushed again at that. Ever since word got out, he had seen a lot of the girls casting him strange looks. He may not have been psychic, but it didn't take telepathy to know that they were thinking rather steamy thoughts about him. Jean had even told him that some of the girls were masturbating to his image now...Something he never would have expected until now.

"I'll...Work on it," said Scott.

"See to it that ya do," said Logan as he checked some of the cables before making the final adjustments.

While the two men continued to work, Scott looked back down at the pool area and noticed some of the girls checking him out, admiring his shirtless form. Chances were it was definitely going to be a challenge getting them to see him without getting those kinds of thoughts, but hopefully they would outgrow it as they became accustomed to the idea of him and Jean being sexually active.

With the repairs almost done, Logan diverted his gaze back down to Ororo. Upon seeing her, a smile formed on his face as she waved to him with that sexy look he loved so much. While everybody was so focused on Scott and Jean, both he and Ororo used the chaos to their advantage, having a little 'fun' of their own.

As he kept on smiling, Logan couldn't help but laugh somewhat at his situation. Six months ago, he would have scoffed at the mere thought of him having a girlfriend or even being in a good mood. But after spending time with this beautiful woman, his whole world had been turned upside down.

While Logan never considered himself to be a romantic, Ororo had a way of making him feel things he never felt before. Maybe maybe it was the result of all the sex loosening him up or maybe it was because she really understood. But for whatever reason, he was grateful to have a woman like her in his life. And the more they explored this relationship, the more his feelings for her continued to grow.

"So how are things with you and Ororo?" asked Scott, finally breaking the silence.

"They're good," he answered bluntly, "Porcupine still seems to have issues with us though."

"Yeah, I know. I've talked to him," said Scott with a bit of a chuckle, "He says he's glad his aunt has finally found someone that really seems to make her happy, it's just the thought of you two being intimate that disturbs him."

"Well that's his problem," scoffed Logan as he turned to adjust the position of the dish.

"Hey, don't forget she's still his aunt," reminded Scott, "And nobody really likes to picture their relatives having sex."

"Well he better get used to the idea," said Logan as he took a step back to check his work, "Because at the rate things are going, Ro and I are getting pretty serious."

"Serious?" said Scott, sounding very intrigued, "What do you mean, serious?"

Logan's gaze shifted back towards Ororo, who was still sunbathing down below, looking like the goddess she was. Another smile came across his face as he reflected on how much things had changed between them.

Since that first time, they had begun to share in one another's world. He was drawn to her peaceful love of nature and she was drawn to his rugged, rebellious style. It was a perfect balance...The nature goddess and the feral animal. And for that reason, Logan knew that what he felt for her was true.

"Kid, when ya live a full life with only half the memories to boot, it makes ya see things in a different way," he explained in a distant tone, "I know everybody here sees me as some angry, overprotective stiff. But the thing is there's a reason for that."

"Yeah, I know how that feels," said Scott, knowing he still had a rep for being uptight.

"In some ways maybe. But I've learned that when ya got nothin' but anger drivin' ya from day to day, it kills ya slowly from the inside out. Ya can only manage it so much. And that's what you, Jeannie, and the others do for me. But what Ororo does...That's somethin' else all together."

Scott grerw increasingly intrigued by Logan's words, even as he sort of drifted off into his own little world. It was as if his presence didn't even matter and this was just something that Logan needed to get off his chest. But aside from that, some of what he was saying seemed uncanny in it's similarity to his growing relationship with Jean.

Maybe by listening to Logan, he could learn how to take the next step with Jean, which by all accounts, seemed most likely to be the hardest.

"Does this mean that you're in love with her?" asked Scott.

Under normal circumstances, Logan would have scoffed at this notion. But as he looked back down at the goddess who had stolen his heart, he kept on smiling, an act that Scott swore he would never get used to.

"Yeah, I think it's safe to say that I am," he admitted, "Ororo's really done a lot to fill that emptiness that's always been inside me. I've known her longer than I've known you and if it wasn't for her, I probably wouldn't have ended up here in the first place. She's the best friend a guy as fucked up as me can ask for. And after all this time, she's come to mean a lot more to me. It's only now that I'm gettin' to understand it."

"Well that's love for you," said Scott with a sigh, "It takes a while to sink in."

Logan just laughed at that as he turned back to the young man he had taught for so long.

"Speakin' from experience, eh?" he said as he folded his arms, turning this little debate back on him.

"What gave it away?"

"Kid, if ya think I haven't seen what the rest of the known world has over the past eight freakin' years I've known you two, then I'm just gonna have to do some impromptu brain surgery to get it through that thick skull of yours. So of course I know! Thing is, have ya gone the distance yet?"

Scott just rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. As close as he and Jean had gotten since the dance, there was still plenty they had yet to explore. He knew now more than ever that Jean was the one for him, but they wouldn't make it official just yet.

"I'll take that as a no," said Logan as he rubbed his forehead in exasperation and sighed, "Seriously Cyke, what are you and Jeannie waitin' for? I know you both are stubborn, but not THIS stubborn!"

"I know...I know," conceded Scott, "It's just...I'm waiting for the right moment."

"Right moment?" scoffed Logan, "You two have been waitin' for that for what? Over half a decade?"

"It's a hard thing to get out, Logan! You know that!" argued Scott.

"Oh don't even try to bullshit yer way out of this one, bub. I know you, boy. I've known ya since you were just a scrawny little street kid who was stuck wearin' a blindfold day in and day out. And I know Jeannie. I've seen the way you two have been around each other and I've seen plenty of moments that ya could've had if ya both just weren't so damn stubborn!"

Scott wanted to argue Logan's coarse words, but looking back at the stern man who taught him so much, he didn't have an excuse this time. There was only so much he could avoid and this certainly wasn't one of them. He was in love with Jean, but he was too stubborn to let it blossom. And even after everything they had been through, such habits just wouldn't cease.

"Look bub..." said Logan, shifting his tone to a calmer level, "I know you and Jeannie have never been all that forthcoming. But somethin' like this...Somethin' that I know means a lot to the both of ya...Ya just can't keep holdin' back. I know ya like to be in control, but if there's one thing I've learned from being a certified Wildman, it's that you don't control emotions...Emotions control you."

Such words struck a chord with the young man as his mind remained fixated on that notion of not having control. As someone who always worried about hurting his friends because of his powers, control was a major part of his personality. It's one of the reasons he was so stiff at times. He and Jean had struggled for control for a long time. And when it came to emotions, especially love, there was just no controlling something like that.

"So what should I do?" asked Scott, now desperate for a course of action.

"Simple...Just let it all out. Ya know she feels about ya. Just let it move to the next level."

"The next level? You mean a relationship? A real romantic relationship?"

"Is there really anything else to it?" said Logan bluntly, picking up the tools and putting away the rest of the supplies they had used, "Just answer me this one thing Cyke...Do ya really, honestly love this girl?"

"Of course I do," answered Scott, not even needing to think about that.

"Then that's all ya need," said Logan.

"Yeah," sighed Scott as he helped pick up the rest of the tools, "I guess you're right."

"I know. Believe me, bub...I know," said Logan, his gaze drifting back towards Ororo, "But it's somethin' ya can't keep pent up forever."

"Oh don't worry about that, Logan. I'm not going to wait THAT long," said Scott, sounding a bit more light hearted.

"Well just promise me you'll try. I know you and Jeannie have this whole stubbornness deal, but that doesn't mean ya shouldn't try."

"I promise," said Scott decisivelyas they began to make their way back inside, "And if I'm going to do my part, I think it's only fair that you do yours and tell Ororo."

"Way ahead of ya there, bub," said Logan with his trademark wolfish grin, "I've been planning on ways to tell her for a long time and you know how I like to see things through no matter what gets in my way."

"Oh I'm sure everybody knows that, Logan. After all, that is part of what makes you the Wolverine."

"You know it bub!"

And with that, the two men returned to the shelter of the mansion. They each had a lot to think about. Logan was already planning on how he was going to tell Ororo how he felt and while he didn't openly show it, the thought alone made him a little queasy. But he never let stuff like that stand in his way before and he sure as hell wasn't going to start now.

As for Scott, Logan's words definitely added a sense of urgency. Ever since the whole dance incident, things between them had changed a great deal. This whole 'friends with benefits' deal had become something that neither of them ever could have expected. And now it was on a new threshold.

Scott and Jean's feelings for one another were now clear. The task before them was now apparent. They had bottled their emotions up long enough. And now, at long last, they were finally ready to come out with them.

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AN: The end is nearly at hand! Don't forget to send your feedback to me via email at slickboy444@aol.com or post it on the adultfanfiction website! Thank you all very much for reading and I wish everybody the best!