They woke up in a windowless room. It was padded from floor to ceiling, like a room you'd find in an asylum. The only door had a single slot, big enough for a tray of food or one to peer in. How had they gotten here?

Jean didn’t know and it scared her. “Scott?”

She carefully stretched out her arms. Tears of relief welled in her eyes as she realized that she wasn’t in a straight jacket. She was very grateful for that small bit of freedom.

She pushed herself up only to fall back against the padded floor of the cell. She tried not to be sick as she willed the room to stop spinning. She knew this feeling. She had been drugged.

‘Scott?’

She felt nothing, not even a faint psychic rumble. She slowly rolled over and opened her eyes. She was surprised but relieved to see Scott there beside her.

He rolled on his side toward her with a groan. “Jean?”

She gasped. Scott’s face was bare. She couldn’t see his glasses or his visor anywhere.

“I’m here, Scott,” she said quickly, “but keep your eyes closed. You don’t have your glasses.”

She slowly pushed herself up to her knees. The room spun but she stayed upright. She waited until her head cleared. Then she made her way toward Scott.

He shook his head as if he was confused. “Jean?”

She moved more quickly. “Keep your eyes closed, Scott.”

To her horror, his eyes opened. She cried out his name as she tried to gather her telekinesis to form a shield. Yet she knew that it wouldn’t be enough to stop a full-on optic blast.

Nothing happened. Her telekinesis wasn’t there. She couldn’t form a shield.

But there was no optic blast either.

Scott immediately sat up. His hands flew up to his face, searching for his glasses. His hand shook slightly as he reached out to her. “Are you all right?”

She nodded, not trusting herself to speak. He flinched as she reached for his face, a habit that had developed in the years since his mutation had manifested. She brushed the tips of her fingers over his eyebrows, the bridge of his nose and finally his eyelids as he closed his eyes.

“You have beautiful eyes,” she whispered.

He opened his eyes, studying her face intently. “Jean, are you sure you’re okay?”

“I’m fine, Scott,” she assured him.

With a sigh, he leaned his forehead against hers. “I was so sure that I had hurt you. I heard you say that I didn’t have my glasses but I couldn’t keep my eyes closed. I couldn’t stop myself.”

“Shh,” she soothed. “I’m okay.”

He reluctantly pulled away from her. He glanced around the room. “Any idea of where we are?”

“Besides a padded cell? No.” She glanced back at the door. “I’m more concerned about they did to us.”

His eyes snapped back to her. “To us?”

“My TK and telepathy are gone.”

He jumped to his feet, pulling Jean up with him. “We’re getting out of here.”

She wanted to ask him how. Cyclops would have no problem, taking down the door with one optic blast. Scott Summers would have a bit more of a challenge.

The door to the cell flew open. A man in a white coat waved guards into the room. Jean could hear Scott fighting as she struggled to break free from the two men dragging her to the door.

“Let her go!” Scott ordered.

She turned back in time to see a guard hit Scott in the back of the head. He fell to his knees and then to the floor as the other guards forced his arms behind his back. The guards continued to hit him as he struggled.

“Stop it!” Jean desperately tried to find her telekinesis. She had to help Scott. They could kill him. “Stop!”

“Jean, wake up!”

“Scott!” She was shaking.

“Jean! Wake up!”

She was suddenly looking at Scott’s face. His glasses were in place. She looked past him to see the familiar walls of her room at the Institute.

“You’re okay,” he assured her, loosening his grip on her shoulders. “It was just a dream, Jean.”

“It was so real,” she whispered.

He hugged her to his chest. “Just a dream,” he said against her hair.

She pressed her forehead against his shoulder. Now that she was awake and in Scott’s arms she knew that she was safe. But the dream still lingered in her mind.

Jean didn’t know how long she and Scott just held each other. She was content to stay this way forever. If only life would let them.

“Was that what it was like for you?” he asked, finally breaking the silence.

She pulled back to face him. “What?”

“Never mind.”

“No, I want to know.” She could see and sense his indecision. “What was what like?”

“Your time in the mental ward,” he offered reluctantly. “Was that what it was like for you?”

She took a deep breath. She had told Scott or anyone very little about that time in her life. It was not one of her favorite memories.

“I spent a lot of time alone,” she said. “Every time I got around other patients, my telepathy would flood me with their thoughts. The padded cells were the safest place for me. I was away from everyone and I couldn’t hurt myself there.”

“I shouldn’t have asked.”

“No.” She smiled as she stroked his cheek. “I just don’t talk about that time much. I rather focus on how my life is now. I’m happy now.”

“I’ll do my best to keep you that way,” he promised.

She kissed him. “I know you will.”

“My eyes are brown.”

“What?”

“My eyes are brown,” he repeated. “At least they were before my mutation manifested.”

“I never knew.”

He smiled. “I know.”

“How much of my dream did you see?”

He shrugged. “I saw the cell and I saw myself opening my eyes. Then the guards came in. I had to come and make sure you were okay after that.”

“Well, as you can see, I’m okay.”

He gave her a sheepish smile. “I know that now.”

She laughed. “You’re really my knight in shining armor, Scott.”

He actually blushed, which made her giggle. She wrapped her arms around his neck. Only Scott could make her feel so safe, even after a nightmare. “I love you.”

“Love you,” he replied as he bent down to kiss her.

She knew that she would not have any trouble going back to sleep. Once again Scott was there when she needed him. And if she was lucky, he would always be there.