Lonely 1.3
by
Elizabeth Wilde
DISCLAIMER: I do not own any of these characters. They are all copyright... Marvel and/or Twentieth Century Fox and possibly even other places or people. Point is, not mine. I make no money from this site and I don't have any to give, so there's no point in suing.
AUTHOR'S NOTE: I figured Scott deserved some sort of happiness in all this mess. The song inspired the woman's name, and it's "Violet" by Savage Garden.
If there's a way to infiltrate you
Sway your mind and complicate you
I'm gonna crash into your world
And that's no lie
Contemplate jealousy intermixed with urgency
A million things take a damned good shot at you and me
In a way, we're the same two people looking out to sea
For a wave that would carry all our fantasies
Scott stared at the pictures in his hands with tears in his eyes. The first showed Jean holding a young girl. Both were smiling, and the girl--Sarah--was waving at the camera. She had dark hair and her mother's eyes. The next again showed Jean holding the little girl and Logan crouched beside her, one arm around Jean's shoulder and one holding a young boy--Nathaniel. The images blurred in Scott's vision until he finally closed his eyes and took a deep breath.
"Friends of yours?" Scott's eyes flew open and he looked up to see the bookstore's newest clerk standing over him, smiling. She pushed a strand of long brown hair behind one ear and cocked her head to one side. "You still with us, Scott? Can't expect us to function without our fearless manager, can you?"
He allowed himself a smile and put the pictures back in his wallet. "No, sure can't. Especially not you. You'd probably burn the store down."
Violet laughed and then pretended to give Scott a dirty look. "Hey, I'm not //that// bad. Most of the time."
"Mmm-hmm."
"You can't tell me you haven't shorted out a computer or two in your time."
Holding his hands up in mock surrender, Scott allowed, "Alright, maybe a couple. But they started it."
"Sure they did." Violet glanced at the wallet Scott had yet to return to his pocket but didn't ask again about the pictures. "You know it's time to close now, right? And do I get overtime for making you smile? You're probably the hardest sell I've had all day."
"Hey, I'm not //that// bad," Scott echoed, rising to close down the computers and ready the store for another night of dormancy.
"Yes you are. You lack fun in your life, mister."
"That so?"
Violet nodded firmly. "Absolutely."
"I take it you have some idea as to how I can redeem myself?"
A smile crept across her delicate features and her pale blue eyes sparkled. "Now that you mention it... You could agree to go out with me sometime."
"That probably wouldn't be appropriate. I mean, I'm your manag-"
"Live a little. Besides, //I// asked you. That should take the weight off, right?"
Scott smiled. "I suppose so. And you're not going to let me off the hook until I say yes either, are you?"
"Nope, not a chance, boss-man."
"In that case... it sounds like fun," Scott agreed.
"After work tomorrow, then. And we're not going anyplace nice," Violet called over her shoulder as she exited the shop. "Wear jeans."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Ready?"
Violet's smile was infectious, and Scott found himself grinning back. //When was the last time you smiled and really meant it?// "Ready."
"Good." Violet grabbed his hand and all but pulled him away from the desk and out of the door, waiting while he locked the door. "You're going to enjoy yourself. You need it." She laced her arm through his. "You have too nice a smile to go around frowning so much."
Scott's expression sobered a little. "There's just a lot-"
"We've all had a lot of that, Scotty. You've just got to remember that no matter how bad the past is, the future is yours. You can make it better."
"That so?" Scott asked, good humor returning as he looked at the beautiful woman at his side. It had been so long since he felt at all attracted to anyone that the sensation was almost foreign. //And why not? She's sweet. You need someone to talk to again. It's been so long...//
"Yep. And there's a carnival in your future, so get ready for too much sugar and lots of tacky colors."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"I had a great time," Scott told Violet sincerely as they approached her apartment.
She grinned, hugging the large pink teddy bear he'd won her under one arm. "I told you you'd have fun. This is me," she said, pointing toward one of the first doors in the hallway. "So..."
Scott could actually feel himself blushing. //God, Summers, how old are you anyway? It's the end of a date. Remember what usually happens then?// He smiled a bit self-consciously. "Sorry. I'm... it's been a long time since-"
Before he could say anything else, Violet wrapped a hand around the back of his neck and pulled him toward her. "You think too much," she whispered before pressing her lips to his. Scott's brain took several moments to process the fact that they were kissing. When it finally did, his arms slid around her, fingers of one hand threading through her dark hair. After a few minutes, they slowly parted. "For someone who's supposed to be out of practice, you're awfully good at that."
Blushing again, Scott smiled. "Not so bad yourself."
Violet looked suddenly more serious. "Look... I know it's only been the one date and that it's no big deal in and of itself, maybe, but I've been through a lot of weird, sucky relationships, and I don't feel like getting stepped on again. So... Do I have against her memory?"
Scott frowned. "Whose memory?"
She sighed and traced the line of his jaw with one finger. "Whoever broke your heart. You love her a lot, and I'm not trying to replace her. I just like you. I want to give us a shot. So do we have one?"
"Yes." The answer came without hesitation, surprising even Scott. He smiled at Violet, suddenly realizing that he was ready. "We have a shot. I've... I'll always love Jean, but she's not part of my life anymore, just my past. I held on because I was too scared to try again. I... thought that if I did, I'd just get hurt again. I never understood why Jean didn't want me. I just assumed that anyone else would get tired of me too."
Violet nodded her understanding, dark eyes shining in the dimly-lit hallway. "Seems to me you have enough layers to take quite a while just finding them all. I don't see me getting tired of you anytime soon."
------------------------------
Jean,
I should have done this sooner, I know. It's been too long. Maybe you don't even want this now. I couldn't write sooner. I don't think my hand would have been able to hold the pen. I couldn't call. I wouldn't have been able to say anything.
It's different now, and I guess this is going to sound abrupt and awkward. No getting around it. I'm married. She's beautiful. Not just on the outside. In that way, she's like you; what's inside is even more amazing than what's outside. If it weren't for her, I might not be writing. She yelled at me after I explained us to her. She told me I was an idiot for not contacting you.
I couldn't disagree with her. I've missed you more than I ever thought I could miss anyone. I felt like a piece of me was missing. I still do, really. But I'm hoping we can start over as friends, be like we were before we were us.
Ororo sent me pictures of the kids with you and Logan. They're adorable, Jean. The two of you are going to make amazing parents. I know it. I know how much you always wanted kids. I'm glad you have them now. Tell Logan he's a dick for me.
Love,
Scott
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