FicWad

My Friend, My Lover
Chapter 2: Growing Tension

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Unfortunately, things didn't get much easier for Scott Summers and Jean Grey over the course of the week. That mysterious, yet enchanting dream they had both experienced seemed almost like a prelude of sorts that things were just going to get more and more complicated. Between the everyday toils of high school, dealing with the younger recruits that so often made things difficult for them, keeping their mutant powers in check, and the affects that such a dream had on their psyche...Life was quite a challenge for the both of them.

For Jean, things with Duncan didn't get any better as the next few days were pretty much one big, prolonged argument for them. The stubborn jock just wouldn't let go of Jean having left him hanging out to dry over the weekend when they could have been doing 'other' things, as he called them. The arguments just kept going back and forth with Jean saying time and time again that she had been busy while Duncan kept saying time and time again that it was no excuse for her to not even so much as call him. It got to the point where it was downright bitter and it didn't help the still conflicted Jean Grey, who was beginning to wonder why she was with this stubborn man in the first place.

For Scott, things weren't much better. While that dream had been very pleasant to him...It was every bit as confusing. Now, he couldn't even look at Jean without a part of him thinking back to those warm, sexy visions of the two of them standing naked in the forest, embracing one another and preparing to make love. Images of her naked body kept dancing across his mind all throughout the week and he became increasingly dazed by it's meaning. Such thoughts only helped to further conflict with his ever confusing feelings for his long time friend and they weren't helping him in terms of his day to day living. Because of his state, he had been getting a little more tense than usual...Snapping at the younger recruits more often than usual and getting into a few fights with Taryn. Everything seemed to be stressing him out...School, his friends, his girlfriend, the dream...Everything.

And on top of it all, both Scott and Jean didn't stop having that dream. Even though it had been so confusing...It still lingered and over the course of the next couple of nights, it came back to them with every bit of vividness as the first time around. It caused Jean to ruin yet another pair of panties and caused Scott to wake up with more raging erections...Further adding to their seemingly hapless luck. Nothing seemed to be giving them a break...Not even their sex drives. Yet still, they kept it to themselves...Hoping that this was just something that would go away with time. But the longer this went on...The more unlikely that possibility seemed to get.

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"Come on, Scott!" said Taryn as she clung to her boyfriend's arm as they made their way through the crowded halls of Bayville, "You sound so stressed. Why not take a little time off?"

"Taryn...I told you," said Scott with an exasperated sigh, "This is just one of those weeks for me. Once I get my tests out of the way and make it through that English paper on Friday, then we'll have time."

"But it's seriously not healthy to be walking around like this," she argued, "Deny it all you want, but you've been a bit moody lately."

Scott simply stopped in mid stride as he rubbed the temples on his head, unable to deny the truth in Taryn's words. He knew she was right...But if she knew the reasons, that would only make things even more complicated than they already were. So naturally...Scott did what came instinctively to him, hoping that it would get Taryn off his back at least for now.

"Look...I'm sorry, Taryn. I really am," he said, trying to sound sincere, "It's just...I've been having a rough time recently. I haven't slept much over the past few nights and on top of classes it just...It's been really hard."

"Ooh, poor baby..." she said, trying to lighten his mood somewhat as she snaked her arms around his neck, "Is there anything I can do to help? You know...Maybe we can use this opportunity to find new way of 'stress relief' for each other."

Taryn's tone was wrought with sexual suggestiveness...Something Scott was often used to hearing from her. He knew from the beginning of their relationship that she was sexually active and she had made numerous attempts to get him into bed...Attempts that always proved unsuccessful since she was just so spontaneous about it. And as messed up as his sex drive was...He didn't think he was ready for something like that with this girl. They had only been together for a few months and they were still learning to trust each other...And when he couldn't tell her about his mutant powers and when she refused to divulge her sexual history with him, such a task was so much easier said than done.

With her hands still around his neck, Scott let out another deep sigh, showing that he wasn't exactly feeling he mood. But still...Tension aside, he didn't let it make him too uptight when it came to his response.

"As nice as that sounds..." said Scott, staying sincere despite his innate stress, "I don't think this would be the best time for something like that."

"Damn..." she said with a disappointed tone, "But one of these days Scott...One of these days..."

"Yeah, I know..." he said, managing a smile, "And I wouldn't expect anything less."

That got Taryn to smile as well as she broke the embrace, still disappointed, yet not willing to let this devolve into another one of their petty fights.

"Then...I guess I'll see you later," she said, still sounding frustrated with Scott's unwillingness to work with her when it came to this relationship.

"Yeah...See you," he said as he walked off towards the parking lot, feeling both stressed and flustered at how yet another hard day had passed.

With the last class of the day now over, Scott proceeded to make his way towards the parking lot where his prized convertible sat waiting for him along with the rest of his friends looking to bum a ride home. Jean was there, which was definitely a relief to him since it meant she wasn't with Duncan, but she didn't look as though she was faring any better than he was.

"There you are, man!" said Kurt as he, Kitty, and Rogue casually leaned against his car after having waited for him for the last five minutes.

"Wow, let me call the papers...Scott Summers showing up late for a change," commented Rogue sarcastically, which didn't exactly do wonders for his mood.

"Hey, I had a math test that took longer than I thought, so sue me," he justified, making it clear that he wasn't in the mood for shit like this.

"Boy aren't you chipper today..." added Kurt as they all piled in, "Vas it really that bad, man? I thought math vas your best subject?"

"It is..." he said as everybody buckled up, "It's just...It's been one of those weeks for me."

"Yeah...We all have those every once in a while," said Kitty sympathetically, although she probably never could have ascertained just what it was that was making both him and Jean so tense.

"Not like this, you haven't..." he groaned, showing a great deal of distress.

"Well...You're probably right about that, Scott," said Jean empathetically, who had been unusually silent up until this point, "Sometimes the world just feels like shit and there's nothing you can do about it..."

"Dang...And y'all say Ah'm bitter," said Rogue with a slight chuckle, finding it somewhat humorous that these words were coming from Scott and Jean of all people.

"Hey, you just got to learn how to relax, mien friends!" said Kurt, trying to show some optimism, "Trust me...You'll live longer."

"Easier said than done..." muttered Scott, as he put his keys in the ignition and started the engine.

Scott just let out an exasperated sigh as he pulled out from the parking lot and simply let the windy air blow through his hair, hoping that it would take some of his lingering anxieties with it. He wished all this stress could just go away...That all these issues concerning Jean, Taryn, Duncan, and life in general could just go away even for just a moment. But alas...This was what he had to contend with whether he liked it or not. He just wished it wasn't so damn hard.

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After arriving back at the institute, the X-men regulars suited up for a regular run through the danger room. The holographic training simulator that they often used to hone their powers and skills had always brought it's own set of challenges, but it was necessary for the operation of the X-men.

And on this day in particular, they were schedule with a regular team-based run that Logan had put together. As usual, Scott paired with Jean, Kurt paired with Kitty, and Rogue paired with Evan. Luckily, it wasn't a program that was full of many surprises, which was a nice change for them since Logan, Hank, and sometimes even the Professor liked to throw a few extra things in there from time to time. But still...For some, it was more of a struggle than usual.

"Come on you guys! Pick up the pace! You're fallin' behind again!" said Logan from the observation deck as he and Ororo watched over the session below.

"Ugh...Thanks for the encouragement, Logan," said Scott, who was not faring very well to say the least as he and Jean were trying to work their way through center lane of a live danger obstacle course complete with buzz saws, giant mace, and laser turrets.

Everybody seemed to be falling behind and it was not a pretty sight in Logan's eyes, who never liked to see the team lapse, especially when anything was possible given past instances with the Brotherhood and Magneto. He was growing increasingly frustrated as he ran his hand down his burly face as he saw each pair get held up yet again in a course that they could usually complete in half the time.

"Ow! Dang it, Spyke! You're supposed to have mah back!" yelled Rogue as she was hit with a couple of low powered lasers from the turrets.

"Well maybe if you would just stay on track then I wouldn't have keep scrambling!" he said in response as he shot a few bursts of spikes at some of the buzz saw obstacles.

"Look who's talking..." she muttered, as they continued through the course.

Over with Kurt and Kitty, they were fairing a little better than the others since they had worked together so effectively before in the past. However, they too were having troubles this time around as the whole team seemed a bit uncoordinated today for some reason.

"Wow!" said Kitty as she narrowly avoided one of the buzz saws, "Like, when did these things get so fast?"

"Beats me, Kitty," said Kurt as he teleported just out in front of her to avoid the spinning mace obstacles, "I thought Scott vas usually the one who took care of the big guns."

"And I though Evan usually took care of the turrets," she muttered as she phased through a couple of paintball guns, effectively shorting them out.

"Ja...Vhere is everybody today?" he wondered as he once again narrowly avoided more mace.

Up in the observation deck, Logan's mood wasn't getting any better. Things weren't looking too hot on their stats. Hell, last week, they were nearly twice what they were now. It was rare that the regulars ever let themselves go like this. Usually, they were a lot more coordinated and agile. This time, they seemed a bit sluggish for some reason and not quite as coordinated. It was not a sight Logan liked seeing...But thankfully, it was almost over.

"Hurry up guys! You're runnin' on five minutes already! Finish the job! Talk to each other!" he said through the microphone.

"It seems as though this just isn't their day..." commented Ororo as she watched alongside Logan.

"Tell me about it..." he said in agreement, shaking his head in frustration.

Back down below, Scott was trying hard to get through the last half of the course. But today, his aim was off and he wasn't nearly as agile as usual. A lack of sleep and an overabundance of stress had definitely affected him in more ways than he was willing to let on and with this course, it was truly starting to show.

Jean wasn't faring much better, for usually she was his defense...But this time, her telekinetic shielding was a little weak and her reaction time to sudden threats was slower, which further threw her off and affected Scott as well. Like him, her stress, sleeplessness, and overall frustration with how things had been going this week had been affecting her more than she had imagined...Yet still, the two of them pressed onward...If for anything, just to get this out of the way.

"Come on guys! Just a bit further!" urged Scott as he finally managed to hit a couple of the turrets that he had been missing left and right, "We have to hurry! Start to converge!"

With that order, both he and Jean began to move a bit faster, forcing them both to push themselves a bit harder than they would have liked given that under normal circumstances, they would have been able to take care of more of the obstacles by now. But this time, they didn't have much of a choice in the matter, for they were already well over their usual time.

"Ugh, damn it!" cursed Jean as she was hit by another one of the low powered lasers, "How much further Cyclops?"

"We're almost there, Jean!" he told her, sounding short o breath, "Just keep me covered a bit longer!"

"Right..." she said, feeling as though that was easier said than done given that her concentration was so off today.

Finally, they all managed to converge near the end with Spyke and Rogue meeting them first while Kurt and Kitty teleported together just outside the final defense walls. They all scrambled after that with Scott and Evan taking care what remained of the defenses until finally, they all managed to cross the finish line. But by the time all was said and done, the six regulars of the X-men were huffing and wheezing due to shortness of breath and looked downright tired from it all even though it was supposed to be a regular run.

"Man...That was pretty rough," said Evan, taking a moment to get his lungs working again.

"Tell me about it..." said Kurt in agreement, "Since vhen did ve get so slow?"

"Beats me...But I seriously need some aspirin after that," said Jean, feeling yet another headache coming on strong.

"Don't we all..." said Kitty in agreement, rubbing her shoulder a bit after having taken a couple of blows from some of the obstacles that she wasn't quick enough to phase through.

Back up in the observation deck, Logan just shook his head as he read over the stats. While they had improved a bit upon their quick convergence and completion, it didn't do much for the rest of their stats. Now he was just plain frustrated, for he knew the team was capable of doing better and he would have to go on a nice long bike ride afterwards to get all this out of his head.

"Your time was 5:15, guys..." he reported from above, prompting a round of groans from the five mutant teens, "A full two minutes over your last time."

"We were just off today, Logan..." said Scott, running his hands through his sweaty hair, "It happens to everybody."

"We? What do ya mean, we?!" shot Rogue in response.

"Ja, vhere were you today, Scott?" said Kurt as he turned to his tired friend, "Usually, you give more orders so ve don't fall apart vhen ve separate."

"Yeah, we were, like, running blind this time!" said Kitty in agreement.

"Hey, it's not my fault, guys!" said Scott, who was so not in the mood for this, "You shouldn't need orders to cover one another! And besides, you're always telling me how I give too many!"

"Well that doesn't give you an excuse to give them when they're needed, man," reasoned Evan.

"Enough!" yelled Logan from the observation deck, not in the mood to hear arguing at this point, "From up here, it looks like everybody was a little sloppy. Now bad day or not...We're gonna do better next time, got it?"

"Right, Logan...We get it," said Scott, still feeling a bit responsible, but too tired to vent at this point.

"Good...Now hit the showers," he said as he powered down the simulation and let out a deep grunt of frustration.

As the regulars all filed out towards the locker room, Logan ran his hands though his thick burly hair as he reflected on the rather sub par performance he just witnessed. Under normal circumstances, he probably would have gotten them to run it again...But from the looks of it, that probably wouldn't help. They were definitely off today for reasons he couldn't quite put his finger on. Usually, Scott would be more accurate, Jean would be more defensive, Kitty would be faster, and Rogue and Evan wouldn't slow each other down.

Overall, this little session didn't make his day...And for Logan, the last thing he needed at this point was more stress.

"Damn, what a day..." he muttered as he began to follow Ororo towards the elevators, "I'd expect that shit from the newbies...But not them."

"It was just a bad day, Logan," said Ororo in a comforting tone, managing a smile, "Everybody has them...And from the looks of it, the others are just going through a rut. But they'll get out of it...They always do."

"I hope you're right, Ro," said Logan with a sigh, "But now...I just need a nice, three hour bike ride to clear my head."

That only caused Ororo to laugh, for Logan always had a knack for being one of a kind. But then again...That's what she liked about him. And if anything...It's something she found to be quite alluring.

"You really are too stressed for your own good, Logan," she commented, still smiling.

"What can I say?" he said with a shrug, not arguing the point, "Teachin' these kids is hell on the nerves. Then again...That's what bike rides are for."

"Well at least you have an outlet," she said as they waited for the elevator door to open, "But as for the others...I hope they have one too. They really do seem stressed. I just wish I knew why."

"Their teenagers Ro..." he said, letting out another sigh, "Who knows what's goin' through their heads."

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Things were unusually quiet between the regulars as they made their way out of the danger room and sauntering to the locker room. They weren't feeling too upbeat after their performance and an overall sour mood dominated the team afterwards. This was especially true for Scott...Who, as much as he hated to admit it, couldn't deny the truth in Rogue's earlier words. He had been off...He hadn't given the orders he was supposed to. His mind was just not as focused as it should be and his body was just too stressed to maintain his usual performance.

He knew this week had given him plenty of reasons to feel stressed, but he never thought it would affect him this much. It was a true testament to just how that one dream had set caused so much inner turmoil within him. He tried to work past it, but so far he hadn't had much success to say the least.

"They're right, you know..." said Scott as he and Jean lingered near the locker room for a bit.

"What do you mean?" she asked him, her thoughts remaining somewhat dazed after the jaded session.

"What Rogue and the others said..." he clarified, "They were right. It was my fault."

"Come on, Scott. You know that's not true," coaxed Jean, thinking he was just blaming himself too much as he so often tended to do when something went wrong.

"No...It is true, Jean," he said, shaking his head, "My aim was off...I didn't give the orders I should have...And I just wasn't focused. Everything fell apart because I let it. I just..."

However, Scott couldn't finish as he let out a tired sigh. Jean managed a smile, trying to help lift his mood a bit and while it did help somewhat, it didn't change his overall attitude towards what had happened. He still blamed himself, but Jean wouldn't allow him to kick himself so much because of it.

"Hey, it's okay, Scott..." she told him, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder, "We all have our bad days...Some are just worse than others."

"But it feels as though this whole week has been nothing but stress," said Scott, never having felt stress affect him like this before.

"Yeah...I know. Believe me I know. This week hasn't been easy for me either. It's hard when you feel so distracted that you can't focus on the things that normally come so naturally...But we have to have faith that it'll pass. Times can't stay tough forever...We just have to work through them."

"Tell me about it..." said Scott, running his hand through his sweaty hair, "I just wish it wasn't so hard."

"Yeah...Me too," she said, managing another smile, which in turn actually got Scott to smile in response, for it was nice to not have to deal with something like this on his own.

Even though Jean was an undeniable part of his stress...She still had a way of making him feel better and he was eternally grateful for that. As much as the dream still lingered in his mind, it didn't change his feelings towards this woman...It just added new dimensions to it.

"Thanks Jean..." he said, his tone expressing his gratitude.

"Hey...What are friends for?" she said, still smiling warmly, glad she could help him when he needed it.

Then, what happened next was a tad unexpected for Jean. Right before her eyes, Scott removed the upper half of his uniform to reveal his sweaty, muscular upper body. He didn't seem to be thinking too much of his actions since Jean had seen him like this before...But not with the vivid images of her dream still hanging so clearly in her mind. And almost immediately, Jean began to blush profusely as her mouth went dry at the sight of Scott Summers standing shirtless before her with all his well toned muscles there for her to see.

'Oh god...' she thought to herself as she once again felt the vivid images returning to her, sending a maze of arousing sensations coursing throughout her body, 'His muscles...His skin...His body. He looks even better in real life than in my dream.'

However, Scott didn't seem to notice Jean's reaction, for he was still too tense and stressed from the session to really take note of her demeanor. He was just so sore and tired that it never dawned upon him just how much his exposed form had affected the young redhead who couldn't tear her eyes away from such a sight.

"Well...I better change," said Scott as he turned to enter the boy's locker area, "I've still got a ton of homework to worry about."

"Yeah..." managed Jean, her eyes not veering away from Scott's body until he was out of sight, "Me too. I just...I'd better shower first. I'll...I'll see you later Scott."

Then, as soon as he was gone, Jean was finally allowed to catch her breath. It took her a moment to collect her thoughts after that, for what she had just seen set off a plethora of sensations throughout her body. Even after the stress of a poor session...Her sex drive was not silenced. His manly scent and husky appearance had just sent her body and emotions into a tailspin and it took her a moment to regain control. But once things finally cleared up...She managed to make her leave...Feeling as though a shower was all the more necessary at this point.

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After having shaken off the sight of a shirtless Scott Summers out of her head, Jean returned to the upper levels to get a change of clothes and take a much needed shower. Thankfully, by the time she got upstairs, things had settled down a bit and everybody was just taking some time to rest after the rigorous session. Kurt and Evan started watching a movie, Kitty began doing her homework, and Rogue buried her face in a book as she so often did.

The rest of the New Mutants were out with Hank for some outside training activities, so it was a rare moment of silence for the institute and Jean was glad for that. Everything had been so stressful this week that a little peace and quiet was way overdue. And in her mind, nothing seemed as though it would help her more than a nice hot relaxing shower.

As she entered the bathroom, removed her clothes, and turned on the water, Jean took a moment to rub some of the soreness out of her head. Headaches had been a lot more frequent since her power surge and with the added presence of her dreams, there was plenty to make her feel tense. However, she didn't want to think of the dream at the moment...Not when she was naked and it could easily get out of hand.

Finally, when the water was nice and hot, Jean stepped in and let it engulf her body. And upon feeling the warm water on her naked skin, her tension eased somewhat as she closed her eyes and simply let her troubles wash away. She stayed like this for a moment, simply letting her body soak and absorb the relaxing heat and once she felt less tense, she took her shampoo and began to wash her long, red hair.

Her thoughts still lingered a bit on the session and how poorly it had gone for everybody. She was worried about Scott in particular since he always had a knack for blaming himself every time something went wrong. Jean suspected that it was because he felt responsible for everybody as the leader of the team, but in this instance...There seemed to be more to it than that. It was almost as if Scott was sharing her stress somehow. She didn't know how she knew...But she just had this feeling in the back of her mind that he was really tense in a way not at all dissimilar from her. It was strange since she had been feeling these strange connections with Scott ever since her power surge. They had always been there...But it was only through that experience that they became truly strong.

However, as worried as she was about Scott, she tried not to think of him while she washed her body since she was still reeling from that dream. It had never been far from her mind these past few days and she had even been forced to pleasure herself before bed last night to keep her body from getting out of control again in her sleep. But sex drive aside...She had been trying to push the dream off to the side. Even though it felt so good, she knew it couldn't be right. This was Scott she was fantasizing over...Her best friend. She couldn't allow herself to think such thoughts about him. It was just...Too complicated.

After washing her body with soap, scrubbing off the sweat and grime that had built up as a result of the session, Jean once again found herself simply standing under the hot water and letting it cascade down her naked body. She definitely felt a little better now with her tension becoming somewhat easier thanks to the warm water and actually felt relaxed for the first time all week. However...As she simply stood beneath the water, letting it engulf her body and sooth her mind...Her thoughts began to drift. And once again...She found herself thinking back to the dream that had made her world so complicated.

'Jean...' she heard Scott's voice say as if it was coming from all directions, 'Jean...Can you hear me?'

The rational part of Jean's mind told her to stop right there...But her sex drive quickly shut that side of her brain off as she closed her eyes while the warm water flowed down her naked body, engulfing her being in a strange aura of raw sensuality.

'Jean...' she heard him say again, once again finding herself relishing in this mysterious, yet vivid dream, 'We never got to finish.'

It felt as though he was right there with her and in her mind, the door to the shower had just opened and he had stepped inside, completely naked and ready to complete that which they had been unable to do in the forest. Her eyes were still closed and her hands began sensually running down her body, feeling the warm water add to the mix as she fondled her breasts and traced patterns around her thighs and legs.

Soon, Jean began gasping for air as she gave both her nipples a pinch, further fueling her body's need for the sensual. And as her mind continued to drift further and further into the realm of fantasy and sex...She became more captivated by her burgeoning desires, feeling her pussy becoming wet with her juices as they mixed with the warm water and streaked down her inner thighs.

'My, my Jean...' said Scott in a deep, husky tone as she imagined him coming up behind her and snaking his arms around her nude body, 'You sure are wet.'

Such thoughts caused her to gasp as she lowered her hand down her toned stomach and quickly found the wet folds of her pussy. It was here where she imagined Scott pressing his body up against her, trailing sweet, sensual kisses along her neck and collarbone, running his strong hands down the sexy curves of her body, further fueling her desires. The feeling of his warm, naked skin pressed up against hers felt like heaven and she yearned for more...And Scott was eager to deliver.

'Here...' he whispered into her ear, 'Let me give you the pleasure and joy you deserve...Let me finish what I started. It's okay, Jean...Just trust me...And let me take you to paradise.'

His warm words further fueled the throbbing heat between her legs as she imagined his strong hands moving southward, gently touching and fondling her wet pussy. Jean found herself gasping for more air as a maze of warm sensations coursed throughout her body, sending her into a fury of sexual bliss. She could feel his hands so clearly as he slipped his fingers into her warm depths, touching and pleasing her most sensitive areas...As if he knew were each and every one of them were by heart. He went slowly and with great care...But soon picked up the pace as his hand became more eager, stroking and fingering her pussy with his hand, moving it with increasingly greater intensity.

His fingers were so deep within her...He was stroking and rubbing her clit, bringing her closer and closer to a powerful climax that seemed to build with each passing moment. Now her breathing had been reduced to gasping as she savored the wonderful feeling of Scott's hands upon her most private area...Stroking and rubbing her wet folds to new heights of pleasure.

She was so close to cumming...She could feel it building up within her. The warm water cascading down her body and Scott's sensual hands working their way in and around her pussy was sending her into daze of passion and desire. And the closer she got to her release, the more intense his hands moved.

"Oh Scott..." she found herself saying as the feeling of his hand pleasuring her pussy brought her closer and closer to her building climax.

She could feel the warmth of his strong, naked body...She could feel his lips upon her as they traced warm patterns around her neck...And she could feel her orgasm coming on strong as his hands continued to please her. She was almost there...Just a little bit longer...

Then suddenly...Her entire fantasy came crashing down upon hearing a knock on the door that jolted her out of her daze in the blink of an eye.

"Jean! Hey Jean!" said Rogue from the other side and she pounded upon the door, "Come on! Did ya fall in?"

Immediately, Jean's eyes shot open as she quickly readjusted to her surroundings...Needing a moment for her mind to catch up with her. She found herself gasping her air, still unable to catch her breath after what had just happened. Look down at herself, she saw that her wet juices were still streaming down her legs, mixing with the warm water in a sea of sexual fluids.

It didn't take long before it dawned upon her...And it didn't take long for the confusion to once again set in as her world once again became more complicated.

"Damn it...I did it again," she cursed herself, thinking she was going crazy with these desires.

However, her deep frustration with herself over her seeming inability to control her body and desires was quickly cut short once again by Rogue's incessant knocking.

"Jean! Are ya still in there?" yelled Rogue, becoming increasingly frustrated, "Ah left mah hairdryer in there! Could ya open up?"

With her fantasy world now in shambles, Jean was once again left to pick up the pieces as she tried to shake her weary head clean of such images and regained her composure.

"Yeah...Hold on," she said, turning off the water and grabbing a towel to dry herself off.

Upon wrapping herself securely in the towel, Jean stepped out of the shower and unlocked the door, allowing Rogue to get her hairdryer that she had left there in there earlier during the morning rush.

"Thanks Jean," she said as she quickly picked it up, "What took ya so long?"

"Sorry...I guess I just didn't hear you," she said simply, feeling somewhat angry at Rogue for having ruined her fantasy when she was so close to her climax.

"Whatever..." she said, rolling her eyes as she shut the door behind her, leaving Jean to wallow in the confusion that once again consumed her.

After she was gone, Jean found herself sitting upon the toilet and hugging her body, once again feeling tense and frustrated with what was happening to her. Even in the shower, she couldn't control herself...Even in times of stress, it still stuck with her.

"God...What's wrong with me?" she said, feeling so tense and stressed that it was almost overwhelming to her, "Why can't I get this stupid dream out of my head? Why can't I manage this?"

There were no easy answers for Jean Grey...For no matter how much she thought about it, she never got the answers she wanted. She needed help...There was no question. She didn't want to feel these kind of things towards her best friend...They were just too confusing. And she didn't know how to handle this...This desire burning deep inside her.

Finally, she concluded that she couldn't go on managing this alone. She needed help...And she knew exactly who to turn to.

*************************************************

After drying herself off and throwing some clothes on, Jean made her way towards the uppermost level of the institute where she hoped to find help with someone who was older and wiser in many matters of the world...Ororo Munroe. Ever since she had arrived at the institute at age twelve, Ororo had been a wise, kind, and understanding figure in her life. She was a very strong woman who had helped Jean through a lot during those tumultuous early years and always gave sound advice. But on a matter like this...Jean wasn't so sure. Even though Ororo had been the one to give her 'the talk' back when she was thirteen, this was a matter that was far more confusing and personal to Jean. But if anybody could help her make sense of all this...It was Ororo.

Upon entering her garden at the top level of the institute, she was hit with a mix of exotic scents from the rather large collection of flowers and plants that Ororo had collected over the years. It was like walking into a jungle at times, for it was so full of powerful aromas and majestic beauty that it was a real testament to the former weather goddess's love of nature. For many years, Jean had sought solstice in this place as had many others since it was just so peaceful and serine at times. But now was not a time to simply sit back and savor nature...For at the moment, she needed advice.

"Ororo?" she said into the maze of plants as she looked around for the institute weather goddess, "Ororo, are you here?"

"Over here child," came a warm, welcoming voice that everybody had come to know so well, "I'll be right there..."

Looking up, Jean saw Ororo hovering about ten feet off the ground over near the left side of the balcony, using her powers to make rain in order to give her plants the nourishment they needed. The lingering scent of moisture hanging in the air always had a nice soothing effect on her and once she managed the precise amount of water necessary, she descended towards the ground to meet Jean, who managed to smile upon seeing the woman who embodied so much for the institute, feeling a bit easier in this calm environment about the somewhat embarrassing topic she wanted to talk about.

"They just began to bloom yesterday..." she said as she showed Jean some of her more exotic flowers that she had shipped back from her native homeland in Africa, "It doesn't happen often, but when they do choose to show their beauty...It's quite a sight to behold."

"That it most certainly is..." said Jean as she admired the simple beauty of the colorful flowers.

Ororo couldn't help but smile at Jean as she watched her take a whiff of the exotic scent, for it never ceased to amaze her how simple things can bring such simple pleasures. But even as the beautiful redhead took in the sweet smell of the flowers, it was clear to Ororo that something was on her mind.

"So what brings you here today, Jean?" said Ororo as she put away some of her tools and focused her attention on her weary student.

And even before giving her a response, Jean felt herself start to stammer. For as understanding and comforting as this woman was to talk to...It didn't make it any less embarrassing for her.

"Well...You see, Ororo," she began, struggling to find the right words, "I was wondering if I could talk to you about something..."

"Of course you can, child. That's what I'm here for," she said, sounding as though it was the most obvious thing in the world, "Tell me...What's on your mind?"

This was the point where Jean started blushing, for this had been a long standing issue for her and she was only coming out with it now. And even though there were countless complications associated with this problem...She managed to sum it up all in one word.

"Sex..." she said simply, diverting her gaze somewhat.

"Oh...I see," said Ororo with a slight laugh, not sounding too dissuaded by it, "Well, about it? Is something going on between you and that boyfriend of yours?"

"What, Duncan? Oh hell no!" answered Jean quickly, "We're not quite at that point yet. And...Well, to tell you the truth...Our relationship hasn't been all that great lately. Things have really been going downhill with him."

"Then what's wrong, child? Please...Tell me," she asked her, growing a bit more concerned since she knew she was at that age when one's sexuality was only beginning to come into focus.

Once again, Jean was forced to stumble a bit with her words since she wasn't exactly used to talking about this with anybody. For so long now, she had kept this issues of her sexuality and her sex drive to herself and she wasn't quite sure how to go about discussing it. But nevertheless...She wanted to get this out of her system. And hopefully, Ororo would provide her with the help she so desperately needed.

"It's just that..." she began still stammering as Ororo listened attentively, "Lately, it seems as though my mind has been so preoccupied with sex. I've been thinking about it...Dreaming about it...And stressing about it for so long now that I can't stand it anymore. I've ruined at least a dozen pairs of panties, I've lost sleep over it, and I can't seem to control my body anymore. I don't know why, but it's just getting so strong that it's driving me crazy. I mean...Don't get me wrong, I've always had my share of...Urges. And granted those urges have been growing quite a bit over the years...But now it's just...It's almost too hard for me to manage anymore. I keep having these...These feelings. My mind won't stop wandering. And every time I see something even remotely sexual it sends my body into a frenzy that I can't control. It's been affecting my mood, my sleep, my concentration, my powers, and especially...My friendships."

After she finished, Jean found herself letting out a deep, exasperated sigh...For that had been a lot harder than she thought. Now her face was even redder than before. She felt as though she just came off as some sex crazed nymph and had just made a total fool of herself. Even though it had been with Ororo, that didn't make it any easier on her weary, overstressed mind.

Yet despite this, Ororo Munroe cast the confused young woman a sympathetic glance as she simply placed her hand upon her tense shoulder and smiled.

"It seems as though this has been an issue for some time," she said to her.

Jean couldn't help but laugh a bit at that, for Ororo always did have a way of making a situation seem lighter no matter how crazy it seemed.

"Am I that obvious?" she groaned, now feeling even more embarrassed.

"Oh come now, Jean...I think you're taking this the wrong way," said Ororo wisely, keeping her shoulder upon the young woman's face.

"The wrong way?" she said with a distraught look, "This has been driving me crazy for so long! You're the first person I've talked to about this...Ever."

"Well I'm glad you finally decided to let out, child. But I wish you would have come to me sooner though. You know I would have helped you."

"I know, I know..." conceded Jean with a sigh, "It's just...Embarrassing I guess."

"Well it shouldn't be, Jean. There's nothing wrong with what you feel Jean...It's perfectly natural. Sex is a universal, common desire among all human beings...Mutant and non mutant alike. There's nothing wrong with wanting it...And you shouldn't allow yourself to think that."

"But it's just so hard! It's driving me crazy! I can't get it out of my head! All these urges, these cravings, they're just...They're just so overwhelming at times."

"And that's probably because you try to suppress them rather than accept them, Jean. You sound as though wanting one of life's most basic and natural desires is a sickness. Well guess what? It's not. You have a sex drive...I have sex drive...Everybody has a sex drive. Some may be stronger than others, but everybody still has it and you shouldn't fight it. It's a part of who you are."

As crazy as this whole issue made Jean feel, she did take some comfort in Ororo's words. Coming from her, it made sense. But she was still so confused about it since it was getting so strong for her. Nevertheless, the wise former weather goddess was there to help put it all into perspective, for in her eyes, that's what she needed most.

"I know it can be difficult at times...But you mustn't allow this to affect you in this ways," urged Ororo, who didn't like seeing Jean this distraught, "We all seek to find our sexuality at some point in our lives and I can tell you're getting to that age when you're beginning to truly find yourself. It happens to all of us...It's a part of growing up."

"But still...Why is it so intense for me?" she asked, still not understanding why this seemed so difficult for her.

"Well you're case is not unique, Jean..." said Ororo with a warm smile, "Some people are simply more sexual by nature. And for mutants...It's even more so."

"Really?" she said, suddenly growing curious upon that revelation.

"Oh yes...It's one of the many side affects of the X-gene," explained the former weather goddess, "I did a paper on it when I was in college using some of the Professor's research. It's quite logical really...Because the X-gene is a rare occurrence, the organism must naturally compensate for that rarity by increasing its chances to be passed on in the next generation. That's why every mutant tends to have a much higher sex drive then regular humans and exhibit more manifestation in many sexual functions."

"Wow..." said Jean, finding this all quite intriguing and comforting in a sense because it helped her feel a little better about the whole thing, "Is that also why all the girls here have to take birth control pills?"

"Yes, because it helps to regulate one's cycle and keeps everybody from becoming too hormonal," she said, impressed with how quickly Jean made the connections, "It's a necessary measure to help balance things out, although it does little, if anything, to quell sexual desires. It's just a reality all mutants have to face, both male and female alike."

This definitely made Jean feel a bit better about her situation. Knowing that she was not alone in dealing with this was a welcome thought and it did ease her stress about these issues in some ways. But that didn't change the fact that she had a sex drive that was becoming increasingly hard for her to manage. She was still very tense, having all these desires and having no way to satisfy them. Self gratification could only go so far...She needed more to help balance herself out.

"So then...What should I do?" asked Jean, once again turning to the wise, older woman for guidance on this very major issue, "How do I deal with all this...This tension?"

"Well...I'm afraid you have only two options with that...Lots and lots of self pleasing or find someone to give you what your body truly craves. But let me tell you something right off the bat...There are no real substitutes for the latter."

Upon hearing her options, Jean's hopes sank somewhat. It didn't seem as though she had a lot of choices...Either masturbate frequently or find somebody to have sex with. And at the moment, things between her and her boyfriend hardly permitted such an option and she was already ruining lots of panties as it was, so it seemed like a real no-win situation for her.

"I was afraid you were going to say that..." said Jean in a low tone, "I've already been getting myself off on a regular basis for some time now...But that sure doesn't seem to be helping much."

"Then I suppose that only leaves you with one other option..." said Ororo logically.

"Yeah, I know...I know. It's just that...I'm not sure I'd really want to go that far with Duncan. We've been having so many problems since the beginning that I don't think I could handle having sex with him. Now don't get me wrong, I like the guy and I want to make it work with him...But he just isn't growing up fast enough and if he won't be serious about it, then I don't want to go that far with. And besides...I've heard from a few other girls he's been with that he doesn't use condoms and has a tendency to get a little...Demanding."

"Oh...I see," said Ororo sympathetically, "I've known men like that before. They really are difficult to talk to about such matters and from what you've told me, Duncan has a lot of growing up to do."

"Ugh...Tell me about it," said Jean in response, thinking that was a hell of an understatement, "But if I can't turn to my boyfriend with this...Then what do I do?"

Ororo was silent for a moment as she thought back to how she dealt with her desires back when she was Jean's age. While many of the institute residence would've had a hard time believing it...She did have quite a libido and she was no stranger to the arts of sex. She had lovers both in Africa and in America, but it was something she tended to keep private.

However, for the sake of helping this young woman who seemed to be in desperate need of some help, she was willing to propose a few of the more 'interesting' solutions she had tried in the past.

"Well...In that case, I suppose the only other logical option would be someone else," she told her, quickly prompting a reaction from the young redhead.

"What?! You mean cheat on my boyfriend?"

"Oh heavens no! Just...Hear me out, Jean. You see...Back when I was in college, I had a very strong libido to deal with as well. And like you, there was only so much I could do on my own. And since I didn't always want to have to struggle with the complications of a relationship all the time just to satisfy my needs, I turned to my closest friends for help."

"You're closest friends?" said Jean, wondering if she was implying what she thought she suspected.

"Yes...The close friends I knew and trusted...The friends I knew would always be there for me when I needed it," said Ororo, smiling a bit at some of the memories, "And it just so happens that some of those close friends were men."

"Wait..." said Jean, cutting her off as she quickly pieced it together, "You mean to say that you had sex with your best friends? Just to get those urges out of your system?"

"Yes...That's exactly what I did," affirmed Ororo, showing that it wasn't a big deal to her, "I believe a more contemporary term would be 'friends with benefits.' It was basically sex without the usual strings attached to it. And for someone like me, who has had little luck with relationships and men in the past, it provided some much needed relief."

It was an odd notion to Jean at first...Yet it made a lot of sense. And in addition, it actually made her feel less guilty about having so many steamy thoughts about Scott. Up until now, she thought that was just wrong and she shouldn't let herself think such things. But after hearing this...She came to see it in a different perspective.

"So...You were okay with it? And so were your friends?"

"Yes, it really did work out well for all of us," said Ororo with a smile, "My friends certainly didn't seem to mind. And I really grew to enjoy it. It gave me an opportunity to find my sexual identity without the added stress of a relationship. Add to that...A steady dose of sex did wonders for my stress, my body, and my overall health."

"Really? It did that much for you?" asked Jean, not seeing how something like sex could have such benefits.

"Indeed it did, Jean. I know it may seem odd to you and the rest of this country for that matter since sex is so tabooed. But where I come from, sex is a natural, healthy part of life. There's a difference between simply having sex to satisfy your desires and making love to somebody you truly care about and most people just aren't able to grasp that. But the bottom line is that whether it's sex or love, they key is simply finding somebody you trust...Somebody you know...Somebody who will always be there for you. It doesn't have to be complicated...That only happens if you let it."

"So...Do you still do stuff like that today?" asked Jean, wondering if it was a phase or something that was consistent.

"Well...After I graduated and joined the institute, I was forced to halt such practices. I mainly stick to solo now, but...There are still times when I wish I could pick it up again since it's been so long since I've had a man," said Ororo, entertaining thoughts of a certain burly Canadian for some reason when she mentioned this, "But in the end...It's all up to you to decide what's best. It could be through friends...Or just making time for yourself to get such things out of your system. Either way, you should never be ashamed or bashful about it, Jean. This is something everybody has to deal with. I've been in your shoes before...And I know how difficult it can truly be. But you're not alone Jean...And don't ever think that you are."

Such words did make the young redhead feel a lot better about her situation. It was nice to talk to someone who had been through such things as well and come out with no ill effects. If anything, it seemed as though Ororo had an advantage over them...For she was always so strong, so wise, and so balanced that it was a true testament to her strength. It was something that Jean and the rest of the institute for that matter had always admired about her and this seemed to further reinforce that notion.

And while there were still a few things Jean was curious about, overall she understood what Ororo was saying and felt a lot better about her situation as a result.

"So...Does that mean you had this talk with some of the others as well?" asked Jean.

Once again, Ororo couldn't help but laugh, for she had amassed quite a few humorous memories with this subject when talking about it with the others. And no matter how many times she had this talk with one of them, the reactions they had never got old.

"Oh you'd be surprised, child," she said with a suggestive look on her face, "I've talked with plenty of the girls here and even a few of the boys about this matter. Like you, they also have a sex drive and need to fulfill their urges just as much as you and me. In fact, I've always had to keep a supply of vibrators or 'toys' to hand out to some of the girls when they come to me...But they'll never tell you that. Like you, they're just as reserved about their desires...But that doesn't make them any less susceptible to their basic human needs."

Jean's eyes widened upon hearing that, for she couldn't imagine girls like Kitty or Rogue coming to her with an issue like this. But for Ororo, such experiences had been a given. She still remembered fondly how Rogue had come to her feeling so tense and desperate since she couldn't touch another human being and had to rely completely on self pleasuring to fulfill her needs, prompting Ororo to supply her with a generous amount of vibrators and dildos.

Whether it was supplying toys for the girls or giving a few sexy magazines for the boys, it was always something Ororo found to be quite an experience and this was no exception. She only hoped that her advice would help, but from the looks of it...Jean had already taken quite a bit from it.

"It's always an interesting experience having these talks, but I've come to see it as a part of growing up. It's only a matter of finding yourself and deciding what's best for you."

"Yeah...I understand," said Jean, smiling warmly at the wise older woman who always had a way of putting things into perspective, "Thanks Ororo...I really appreciate it."

"Anytime child...And if you ever need to talk about it more, just know that I'm always here."

"I'll remember that," assured Jean, "And thanks again for all your advice. I think it'll really help me work through this."

"I hope it does, Jean. Just use common sense and listen to your heart. If you do that...Then I'm sure it'll work out in the end."

Then, with one final goodbye, Jean made her leave. She felt a lot better about it now...But there were still a few issues that lingered. What stuck out most through all of the advice Ororo gave was the concept of 'friends with benefits.' It was something she never considered, but did know about to some extent. Now, she was now faced with a new dilemma...Should she try to pursue the path of self sustenance for her needs or should she seek 'outside' help?

She would have to give some serious thought to such a question...For the impact each one could potentially have was enormous. However, with her sex drive not getting any easier to manage, she knew she would have to think of a solution soon. And with the powerful dream of her and Scott still hanging so strongly in her mind, she knew she had a lot of thinking to do.

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AN: Man, Jean has it bad! She's got a hell of a dilemma ahead of her and it's sure to make things interesting very soon. Ororo's advice seems to have struck a chord with her and now she has at least some clarity of what to do now, but the decisions she's about to face are quite profound and if you want to see where this takes her and Scott, stay tuned! There's still plenty to come, but in the meantime, I urge you all to REVIEW! 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 you all the best!