The Wanderer – A X-Men Crossover Fan-Fiction

[2009 – August]

Putting on a pair of wine-red yoga pants and a long-sleeved skin-tight top of the same colour, over a rather flimsy set of black lace underwear, Jean's tight abdomen was left bare once she had finished dressing. Slipping into a pair of light grey sneakers, she left the apartment while pulling her fiery hair into a single braid.

It was still early around 10:30 am and she was on her way to meet up with Clarice and Angelica for some training, as this was also the time Elijah usually trained on his own. Though he had left half an hour ago to meet Emma in her office, so Jean wasn't sure if he was going to keep to his schedule for today.

Still, what the young girl didn't expect was to bump into Laura, who had moved into the room opposite them, just as she left Elijah's and her place.

The quiet and untalkative girl naturally didn't call out to her, though her intense green eyes fixated on Jean's face for a moment, complex and hidden emotions flashing past her shadowy eyes.

Anyone less brave may have shrunken back under the dangerous teen's stare but Jean didn't falter one bit, her mind having long surpassed the limitations of 'normal', not to mention that her willpower was extraordinary after having to endure the constant bombardment of foreign thoughts over the years.

“Hey, Laura.”, Jean greeted with a polite smile, even though her own emotions were rather complicated as well when it came to Logan's daughter.

Jean wasn't blind or naive, she had seen the girl interact with Elijah many times during her sparring sessions with him, and even though she almost always carried that impassive look on her face, Jean knew that Laura had feelings for Elijah.

Jean didn't even need her telepathy to know this, as her instincts and eyes were enough to be sure of that, not to mention that Laura's mind was closed-off, most likely due to her traumatic childhood which wasn't a secret to Jean.

She could use her telepathic powers to force herself into the other girl's mind if she desired of course, as there wasn't really a mind strong enough to keep her out for any length of time, not even one as strong as Laura's. Though this was naturally not something Jean would ever consider doing to someone that she didn't see as an enemy.

Jean had seen the way Laura had looked at Elijah, the longing and tender desire in her gaze unable to escape her sharp senses.

And admittedly, at first, she had been worried and a bit panicky about the other girl's presence around Elijah, her possessive instincts urging her to drive away the other girl, maybe even ask Elijah to keep his distance from Laura.

But in the end, Jean had done neither as she had realized how hateful such behavior would have been, not to mention that blaming Laura for having feelings for Elijah was just despicable. She knew best that loving someone wasn't an active choice, such things couldn't be controlled or decided upon.

Jean herself hadn't known that the moment she had met Elijah that her whole world would be put upside down in a mere few weeks, and neither would she have been able to foresee how irreversibly she would fall in love with the black-haired teen that had entered her life so unexpectantly.

Being mean to Laura or even holding a grudge against her just because the girl had also developed feelings for Elijah, Jean didn't want to be a person that would do such things, and she didn't want Elijah to be in love with someone that would do something like this even more.

Jean knew Elijah loved her as he showed her this every single moment they spent together, the soft glow in his eyes whenever he looked at her and the tenderness of his every touch were proof enough of this. So, Jean had decided to just trust Elijah, believing that their bond wasn't broken so easily.

She naturally still feared losing him, but she knew that if she started acting on this fear and her darker instincts, she would only lose him faster while turning into someone that she was not.

Jean wanted to preserve her kindness and open-mindedness, knowing that those were the things Elijah loved about her. Deciding to do exactly that when Laura just replied to her with a short nod already turning away from her, Jean called out to the unmistakably lonely mutant girl.

“Laura, do you want to join me and my friends for some workout and sparring?”, she invited.

Freezing in her steps, Jean could see the surprise in Laura's eyes as she turned back and looked at her with a slight frown.

"Why?", Laura questioned, not understanding why Jean would suddenly approach her with such an offer as they weren't really close.

“Because I think we can be friends if we try.”, Jean replied honestly, a soft smile on her lips, “I know that you have feelings for Elijah but that doesn't mean we have to be hostile with each other. Elijah makes his own choices but so do I, and you.”

…

Looking at the beautiful redhead before her, Laura's heart was in turmoil as she listened to Jean's words.

She had seen the way Elijah looked at Jean, his eyes lighting up with tenderness whenever she entered the room, the way he just seemed to naturally gravitate towards her tearing painfully at her heart.

Elijah had been the reason she had come to the Massachusetts Academy, and while she was inexperienced in romantic matters, Laura wasn't blind to her own feelings which naturally meant that she felt jealous and envious of the intimacy Jean shared with Elijah.

Her more bestial instincts told her that she should eliminate Jean, even though she knew full well that she wasn't a match for the immensely powerful redhead. Though the more human part of her mind and heart also understood that it wasn't Jean's fault that Elijah was with her.

That still didn't mean that Laura could bring herself to just treat or approach Jean with anything more than neutrality though.

Still, Laura couldn't help but be astonished as she listened to Jean, her words piercing straight into her heart. She could sense easily enough that Jean was sincere with her words, her senses and instincts assuring her of that.

Laura didn't really have any friends, as she didn't count Elijah in this category even though she trusted and liked him very much.

Her rather intimidating and 'untamed' bearings had made sure that most of her age group didn't dare to approach her, not that she had wanted them to anyway. Laura couldn't and wouldn't fit in with those shallow and naive people.

Still, facing the genuine kindness in Jean's eyes, Laura was at a loss for a moment.

She knew that Jean was neither naive nor shallow, in fact, she could see that Jean had been through great hardship as her kind eyes couldn't hide the inner strength she carried herself with.

Knowing that Laura had feelings for her lover, yet still approaching her with nothing but kind intentions, Jean truly surprised Laura with her actions. Like she had said, Jean had decided to be kind instead of being hostile, and Laura couldn't help but look at the lithe redhead with a different pair of eyes.

Jean willingly opened up to her, knowing that it was likely that she would be hurt and rejected while doing so, just because she had decided that this was the way she wanted to carry herself.

Laura knew that it took great inner strength to do something like this, and as she stood before Jean, for the first time she seemed to get a glimpse at the reason why Elijah loved the redhead so much.

Fighting a rather intense inner battle, Laura's gaze lost some of its intensity as she looked at Jean, gaining a hint of respect and softness as she replied neutrally: “Can you give me a moment to change into my workout clothes?”

A smile blooming on her face like a flower, Jean replied lightly: “Sure.”

Turning around and entering her quarters to change, Laura sighed quietly before a determined look appeared in her eyes. Jean was right that they had to make their own choices and Laura had decided to give the other mutant a chance.

Though even Laura herself didn't notice the almost imperceptible smile that had appeared on her lips at the thought of spending some time with the redheaded girl, the seed of friendship already blooming in her scarred and vigilant heart.