"The Addiction" or "The Breaking of Jubilee"

by Salamander


Disclaimer: None of the characters are mine. They're Marvel's, and I'm using them without permission. I'm not getting any money for this.

Author's Note: I'd like to thank all of the guinea pigs -- uhhh . . . I meant friends! I'd like to thank all of my friends who read this story and told me how stupid it was. Thanks, guys! You sure do know how to make a gal's self-esteem rocket to new heights!


Sweat was beading on Jubilee's forehead. She ran a shaky hand through her hair. "So," she let out a shaky breath. "Can I go yet?"

Logan shook his head in obvious sadness. "Why, darlin'? Why?"

Sean shifted in his seat. "What made ye turn to this, lass?"

Jubilee laughed a bit nervously. "I'm not into nothin'! Really!"

Emma sighed. "Jubilation, you are lying."

Jubilee stood up, furious. "I am not a liar! I'm leavin'!"

She began to walk around the table but was blocked off by Scott. "Sit down, Jubilee. We're not finished yet."

Jubilee stood defiantly until a wisp of air took her up and sat her back in her seat. She gave a venomous stare towards Ororo.

Logan cleared his throat to get Jubilee's attention. "Ya got a problem, darlin'. -- "

Jubilee clenched her jaw and slammed her fist into the table. "NO! I don't! -- "

"Then, explain this, lass." Sean reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a clear plastic bag with the incriminating evidence. "We found this in yuir room. Under yuir bed." Sean set the bag down on the table.

Jubilee sighed deeply and pulled back into her chair. She brought her head down into her hands. There was a murmur that escaped from her lips that sounded something like, "Jesus."

"Jubilation, are you okay?" Ororo reached out to the girl.

Jubilee moved away violently from Ororo. "Ya don't care! None of ya do! Just leave me alone!"

"Darlin', don't do this. -- "

"I'm fine! I don't have a problem!"

Emma raised an eyebrow. "Oh? Really?" She reached out for the bag on the table and opened it. Then, she took some of its contents out and popped one of them into her mouth. "Mmmmm. Good."

Jubilee swallowed hard. It took everything she had to prevent herself from grabbing the bag.

Emma offered some of the ones she had left in her hand to Logan. "Want one?"

Logan nodded and took one. "Thank ya." He popped it into his mouth as well.

Jubilee leaned back and watched in horror as her stash began to grow smaller.

Scott took one from Emma's hand as well. He nibbled a bit first and then popped the rest of it in. "Very good." He took another from Emma's hand and offered it to Jubilee.

Jubilee looked at what Scott was offering to her and licked her lips subconsciously. Shakily, she brought her hand out for it and took it. She deposited it into her mouth and chewed on it slowly, savoring the taste.

Emma emptied the rest of Jubilee's bag on the table, on the side opposite the girl. "Want another?"

Jubilee wiped the sweat from her eyes. She knew it was a trick. She told herself not to give in. She shook her head. "No. That's okay."

Scott took a few from the pile and placed them in front of him. "Such frail things, aren't they?" He crushed one of them with one of his thumbs.

Jubilee opened her mouth to retaliate but then caught herself before she had a chance to make the outburst.

Scott studied her for a moment and then brought three more in front of him. "Very frail." He crushed the three using his index, middle, and ring fingers.

A shiver ran down Jubilee's spin. "Yes! I ate some! But is eating some really a crime???"

Ororo shook her head. "It isn't the eating them that is the crime, child. You are addicted."

Jubilee shook her head furiously. "No! I'm not! I can control myself!"

Emma nodded. "Maybe it started out that way. But, after a while, you couldn't help it. They're just so good. You began to eat more and more. You lost control. Soon, you were doing anything to get your hands on them. -- "

"No! That's not true!"

Emma shrugged. "It's not that I blame you. They really are good." Emma ate another one. "Aren't they, Jubilation?"

"Well, . . . of course. But I really don't have a problem. I don't have to eat any. I can quit whenever I want to."

Logan raised his eyebrows. "Ya can, darlin'? Can ya really just quit cold-turkey like that?"

"Yeah. No prob!"

Logan nodded. "Good. Then I guess ya won't be needin' these." He wiped up her stash into the bag and went over to the garbage can. He smiled at Jubilee and began to pour some of its contents into it. Slowly. Very slowly.

Jubilee's breath began to grow rapid.

Logan poured a few more in.

Jubilee swallowed.

Logan poured even more in.

Jubilee clenched her jaw.

Logan poured even _more_ in.

Jubilee balled her hands into fists.

Logan poured a good half of the bag into the trash.

"NO!!!" Jubilee burst into tears and laid her head on her arms resting on the table. " . . . no more. . . . please . . . "

Logan stopped. Everyone waited.

" . . . okay . . . It's true. . . . I couldn't stop eatin' them after a while. . . . I had wanted to stop. . . . But I couldn't. . . . I'm so sorry. . . . "

Sean nodded. "'Tis okay, lass. We'll get ye help."

Scott smiled sadly. "No one blames you for what happened. Everyone knows how irresistible Goldfish crackers can be."

***

And yet another disclaimer: I don't own those li'l scrumptious fishy crackers. They are also being used without permission. ::giggles::


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