Anticipation

It was a normal Saturday morning at the institute but Jean looked worried, she looked uncertain. Her eyes kept shifting down to the phone on the table, her eye on the small timer that was counting down in the [CONSOL] app.

(10:00)

Her eyes shifted about as she looked around the dining room, it was breakfast time but her plate went untouched.

Her eyes were a bit blood shot from last night, it was.... fitful.

'Ohh my god, Logan looks so hot today, I wonder if he'll be shirtless in the danger room later'

'Check out Miss O's ass, damn I would love to....'

'If the professor can read minds, does he know about the time Bobby and I...in the classroom...'

Jean tried to clamp down on her powers that had suddenly become sporadic, but she was struggling. Her eyes kept shifting about as she decided to leave. She may have been uncertain about this whole therapy session, but what else was she supposed to do?!

'She didn't know who she could trust, she had been avoiding the professor the whole morning and specifically tried to hide her mental presence, or at least keep it normal so he didn't want to 'talk' with her.

That message kept replaying in her head all night. (...The bold bastard screwed around with your head...) Was it possible for him to do such a thing? He wouldn't...but what if he did? Why hadn't she told anyone about the app? Why was she so certain that she had to keep it too herself?'

As she sat there by herself another figure shifted to her side and looked over. Jean looked up to see Rogue, they may not have been the best of friends at the start, but when you shared a room together it was pretty hard not to become somewhat close.

"You ok there, Jean?" Rogue had a worried look in her eyes as she looked at her friend. She had been acting weird last night and as she shared the same room, she knew Jean hadn't slept well. 'Was she sick?'

Jean gave a bit of a shaky smile and shook her head, pushing her chair back. "Yeah, I'm good, I just didn't get much sleep last night, I think I'll go and quickly have a nap." Jean looked down at her phone once more. (7:30) She wasn't sure what was going to happen when the timer finally hit 0, but she didn't think it would be a good idea to be around other when that happened.

"Tell everyone I'm taking a nap in our room if they're looking for me." Rogue didn't look completely convinced by her excuse but nodded back at her, reaching back to continue breakfast. Jean mentally forced herself to not read her mind at that second as she moved out of the room.

'(Hehehehe)'

But there was an ever-louder voice in the back of her head that wouldn't be quiet.

'(She doesn't understand why Scott likes you more than her.)'

She frowned again; she hadn't read her mind... what...

"Jean?"

The voice of Scott spoke from above as she made her way up the stair case. Stopping in surprise for a second, she put up a stiff smile. Scott gave one of his award-winning smiles in return as he made his way closer.

"I was just looking for you, do you want to have breakfast together..." Though he changed tracks quickly as he realized she had already been downstairs. "...Or if you've already eaten, we could go out and do something at the mall."

The smile hadn't left his lips as he finally reached her, his hand coming up naturally to rest on her shoulder. This wasn't un-usual, the two had always been close, though they had been getting closer recently. Though Scott thought nothing of it that voice spoke again.

'Cheater!'

Jean flinched at the loud thought as she stepped back from his hand. Scott frowned at this for a second, but put it out of his mind as a worried look replaced it quickly, his hand retracting. "You ok Jean?" Jean shakily nodded in reply as she cautiously kept a shifty eye contact and continued her way up the stairs.

"Yeah, I'm ah...I'm fine, just a bit tired I'm going to go take a... nap." Scott was worried though; it was easy to see in his eyes. Once again, he reached out to stop her. "You don't look so good Jean; I think we should get you checked out in med bay." His hand reached out to grab her hand as...

"Don't touch me!" Scott stood shocked as Jean snapped at him, her voice venomous and low, her face contorting in ager, her eyes lighting up in anger. He could swear he saw her eyes literally burn red in anger, but as he blinked it was like nothing happened.

Jean shook her head as she back away quicker. "I'm not feeling well Scott just...Just let me go take a nap and then maybe later if I'm still.... not well, I'll go to the med bay." Scott stiffly nodded as he watched her leave, a pit of worry in his stomach.

Jean practically fled to her room as she gulped in shuddering breaths when she was finally alone.

'What just happened?'

'(You let me out)'

Jean shuddered as the voice finally replied, its voice seductive...cruel...angry...familiar.

She hugged her knees as she finally set on her bed, pulling her legs up.

'Who are you?'

The thought was almost a whimper even in her own mind, after an almost sleepless night, the stress the paranoia, Jean couldn't take much more.

'(You let the real you out....Hehehehe)'

Jean only just kept in a sob as her mind frayed even more. Her hands shook as she slowly pulled out her phone and looked at the timer, wishing it would go quicker.

(1:20)

The voice only continued to go on as her eyes starred fixedly at the phone.

'(HeheheheheHehehEheHE)'

'Make it stop please make it stop'... and finally.

(0:03)

(0:02)

(0:01)

(0:00)

(Appointment commencing!)

*Ding*

The phone let out a small sound as finally, blissfully, everything went dark and Jean slumped back onto her sheets, or at least her body did.

*********

Jean blinked in confusion as she was suddenly standing. The cool calming sound of wave breaking over rocks drifted into her ear as she starred at the polished wood underneath her feet. Her mind seemed to stutter as she slowly looked up and caught sight of the sea through the window before her.

She stood there for the next few seconds, gratefully dinking in the peace and quiet...the voice finally gone...

"Miss Grey."

A deep calming voice came from behind, his baritone hypnotizing and the catalyst to finally draw her attention. She looked over realizing for the first time she was not alone in the room.

There he stood, [The Counselor]. The first thing Jean noticed was his calming smile, followed by his piercing brown eyes. He wore a nice suite with black shoes and a blue shirt underneath. His hair was done up nice, but Jean could see the slight weariness in his eyes.

The most surprising thing would have to be his age. He didn't look old, somewhere in his 20's, weren't psychologist supposed to be old and wise? Or was that just her hopes?

It was as these thoughts rushed through her mind that Jean noticed his hand was held out for a shake. She wasn't sure why but instinctively her hand reached out.

His grip was strong, but gentle, his smile just that bit warmer after the shake.

"A pleasure."

Once again, his soothing voice sounded as he let go and swept his hand to the side.

"Would you like a seat."

Looking at that smile once more Jean finally felt there was some type of weight lifted from her shoulders. Her body that had been tense, her mind that had been frayed, all of it washed away as the sound of waves continued.

This person... [The Counselor] …. he could help her; she knew it then, deep down, that he could help.

Before she knew it, she was nodding and moving towards the red couch before her.