The Vow

Jean Grey was never one to sit around and do nothing. This was especially true when she knew there was something important she should be doing. So why am I just lying here? Images flashed through her mind rapidly. Oh yeah, that's why. Jean rolled out of bed and looked out the window. The sun was setting on the horizon. This was one of her favourite times of day, when the weather was just the right way to cause the sky to reflect the beautiful colours of dusk.

These moments usually made her unintentionally levitate as her mind wandered with thoughts of drifting through the skies and soaking in the serenity. Looking down she unhappily found her feet still planted firmly on the ground. Jean sighed deeply, hoping the desolation she felt would rush out with her breath. She hated this feeling. It was clear what it was. Students across the globe felt it whenever they weren't doing an assignment that was due in a day or so; procrastination.

Jean looked back at the man sleeping in her bed and sighed again. For months now she felt the tension. Something was changing, something out there. She looked out over the landscape surrounding the cottage she lived in with her husband. They married six months ago. She loved him so deeply, he understood her better then anyone. Well almost anyone, Scott understood her too, although he had made his choice. Then Jean did also.

Casting her mind over the horizon Jean sensed the imminent battle her former X-Men team-mates were about to face without her. She pledged herself to the X-Men once, to her it was a solemn vow. That she gave it up to be with her husband never sat well with her. She thought she could ignore it but in time the feeling grew stronger. She knew where she should be and what she should be doing. Not for the first time she wondered if this love was worth it? She didn't know if she could be with a man who wanted her to renounce her duty; her abilities. Sigh. Jean sensed the X-Men wouldn't survive this next mission without her.

A tingle crossed her senses. Jean snapped her head up to look at the horizon. The time had come.

"Jean? Honey, what are you looking at?"

"The sunset; I guess we slept all afternoon." Jean smiled at him.

"Oh, guess your right there, babe. So are you going to get dinner ready soon?" Jean took a deep breath and looked out over the sunset again.

"No. I just realised something."

"Oh. What?"

"I love you so deeply. I don't see myself not loving you. But this love is selfish. What I'm doing here- it's not right. They need me."

"What? Jean, we've been through this over and over again. We both decided-"

"I know! I've change my mind. I want to be married to you, but we need to change. We can't go on like this. And I need to be with the X-Men. I need to be doing something that means something!"

"I suppose our marriage means nothing?!"

"Of course it means something! To us! Only to us, don't you see? I can't be here when I know there are people who need help! I can't. I just can't! Please understand?" Jean had no tears because she wasn't upset, she just wanted him to understand her reasons. Her mind was set and she'd leave whether he understood her or not.

"I know you feel like you're obligated to help them or something, but you're not. Don't you see that, Jean? You don't owe anybody anything. It's not wrong to help yourself, to have what you want." His voice was soft, he was trying to be convincing. He always spoke so differently when they were alone. His California-sufer-dude colloquialisms gone. It was something she loved about him, something he only shared with her. But none of that fluff outweighed the vow she had made, or the responsibility she felt.

Jean wasn't convinced. "Yes it is. It's wrong to have at other people's expense and I won't do this anymore. We live in this world too so we share responsibility for it, just like everybody else."

"More of that Xavier crap! Don't spin it on me, Jean. I've heard it before. Why don't you tell me the real reason you want to go back?"

Jean wouldn't fall into this trap again. He did this every time she brought this up; his trump card; Scott. Well that was his insecurity and Jean suddenly didn't care what he thought.

"The real reason is that everyday I'm feeling guiltier because I'm here living this life of ignorance, but I'm not ignorant. I know what's happening in the world. I should be out there doing my part. Not hiding in the woods with my husband. This life is selfish. I'm sorry that you don't trust me, but we're not going to get very far in our marriage if you can't get over your jealousy of Scott. I'm with you; I want to be with you. But we can't stay out here anymore. If we go back to the city, you'll see that you're the one I love. Maybe you and Scott can become a family again."

"Enough! I've made up my mind, we both chose this life and we'll stick to our decision."

"No, Alex, I won't."

"What are you saying?"

"I'm saying I love you, and I'll come back to you always. But right now I need to go and help the X-Men." Jean turned to look back out the window. "I need to leave soon if I'm going to make it back in t-"

Suddenly there was pain as a burning red energy hit her in the side. Jean was sprawled on the grass outside the cabin slightly dazed. She hadn't been expecting him to attack her to make her stay; an ultimatum maybe but not this.

"You're not leaving, Jean. This will be the last time we have this conversation." Alex stood on the grass over her now. His voice and body trembled. Behind him the window to the cottage was broken where Jean had been blasted through. Surprisingly Jean wasn't cut. Protective shields, thank goodness for that. Jean telekinetically lifted herself to a standing position. Alex's hands began to glow with red plasmic energy.

"Yes. I am, Alex." They were only a few feet apart but Jean's telekinesis stopped the plasmic blast inches from her chest. Jean was hurt that he would attack her. She was also pissed. Jean held onto the plasmic energy even after Alex had stopped firing it at her. Alex's right eye seemed to twitch for a second.

"I won't be coming back here after the battle. If you want to be with me then you'll find me waiting at the Institute. If we survive the battle I'll be there two months. If you don't come to be with me after that; we're over." Jean sent the energy towards the hill side and ignored the explosion.

"Jeanie-"

"Don't ever try that again." Jean lifted herself into the air and was out of sight in seconds. Maybe if I'm fast enough I'll catch up to the sunset.

End.