Sanctuary

Posted on Wed Jun 25th, 2025 @ 4:44pm by Jennifer Bryant
Edited on on Wed Jun 25th, 2025 @ 5:11pm

3,060 words; about a 15 minute read

Mission: Episode 6: X-Fernus Agenda
Location: Episcopal Church in Salem Center, NY
Timeline: December 31st, 1990

It was New Year's Eve and Drew wanted to take Jennifer out dancing. The dance clubs in town didn't cater to minors, but the local Episcopal Church was sponsoring a dance for the town's teenagers. He'd heard about it during Church announcements after last Sunday's service and thought it might be a good time to finally get a second date with Jennifer. He pulled the Ford Taurus he'd signed out from the X-Mansion garage into the parking lot at the church and turned to Jennifer. He gave her a shy smile and hoped she wouldn't find the dance lame. She was a vision of loveliness in her dress. "I know going to a dance sponsored at a church on New Year's Eve isn't exactly what you had in mind, but the youth sponsor said there was a pretty good band playing."

Jennifer turned towards Drew, admiring how he looked in a suit, and smiled reassuringly. "I like dancing," she reminded him. "Besides, it's not really about what we do. It's about who we do it with." She reached for his hand and gave him a squeeze. "You give me kind of New Yearsy feelings, you know?"

Drew looked at Jennifer and sighed happily. "I'll tell you what I do know. When I am with you, I am happy. I feel like my life started anew on Thanksgiving when we sat together at dinner." His hand came up and cupped her cheek. He leaned in and kissed her soft lips.

She leaned into his hand and leaned forward into the kiss, pressing her lips softly against his. "Do I get another one at midnight?" she asked. "When the ball drops?"

"Of course." Drew kissed Jennifer again then brushed her lower lip with his thumb. "During the slow dances too and more any time you want." His expression held adoration and love as he looked at her.

Jennifer smiled softly and pressed her lips against his thumb. "All my dances are yours, Drew. I'm not here to meet people. I've hear to spend time with my boyfriend. To celebrate our first New Year's."

Jennifer's words filled him with joy. He exited the vehicle and came around the car and opened the door for her, offering a hand to help her exit. "Let's go have some fun."

She took his hand as she stepped out. "Let's!" A single word, but quite cheerful and enthusiastic. This promised to be a fun night!

Music blared as they entered the building and found the hall where the dance was being held. The band was set up on a raised dias on the far side of the hall and several refreshment tables were lined along the wall nearest the large kitchen. A dozen or so teenagers were already on the dance floor with about twice that many around the hall in small groups. The band transitioned into another dance song.

Drew's eyes lit up and a big smile crossed his face as the next song began (Footloose by Kenny Loggins). He playfully tugged on Jennifer's hand, not really needing to drag her to the dance floor. "Ready to show me what moves you got."

"Yep!" Jennifer said cheerfully, though held back just enough to be (playfully) dragged. She thought it was cute. She started to sway to the music. She is stepping and touching, stepping and touching to the beat. Then she grinned as if she suddenly realized something. "Hey, Drew, we're not going to get in trouble because some town elders ban dancing or something, are we?"

"I hope not." The song ended and the band started a slow song. Teenagers drew close to one another. Drew stepped in close and gazed into Jennifer's eyes. "May I have this dance too or do you want to grab a drink and cool off?"

"I was making a joke about that movie," Jennifer told him, slightly disappointed it hadn't landed. Still, she stepped closer as he asked her, moving her hands to his shoulders and stepping close. "The last thing I want to do is cool off."

Drew's hands wrapped around her waist and clasped together at the small of Jennifer's back. He pulled her close and swayed in time with her to the soft notes (The Search is Over by Survivor). He felt her heart beat as they embraced. He gave her a light, lingering kiss.

Jennifer didn't so much deepen the kiss as prolong it. She let it linger and then she leaned forward and pressed her lips to his. Then she gently kissed each corner of his mouth. She liked these little, gentle kisses and she was letting things slowly build up to the big one at midnight. She was dancing this entire time, pressed tight against him, the smile on her lips warm and gentle and excited.

Jennifer and Drew danced throughout the band's first set. Five more songs in total. Drew even felt a bit winded by the exertion He took Jennifer's hand as the lead singer announced a 15 minute break before the next set. "Should we grab something to drink? Maybe something to snack on and gather our strength for the next set?"

"Yeah, sounds good," Jennifer said. She reached up and wiped her hair from her forehead. "I think I need to sit down for a minute or two." She smiled at him and spoke under her breath. "Dynamo, winded from dancing."

Drew went to the refreshment tables and gathered up two cans of soda pop and a plate of finger food. He joined Jennifer at one of the tables. "You having a good time?"

Jennifer smiled as Drew walked back over. "Thank you, sweetie," she said as he brought the finger food and handed her a soda. "I am having a great time! How about you?"

Drew took Jennifer's hand in his and kissed her gently on the cheek. He looked into her face, eyes sparkling with adoration and love. "I am here with the most beautiful girl in school. I'm dancing, having fun. This is the most amazing night of my life."

"You are going to make me blush," Jennifer said, already blushing furiously as she looked down. Her hand, however, clasped firmly at his as she felt his gentle kiss on her cheek.

Drew glanced at the back wall as the band returned to their instruments and got ready to start their next set. He stood up and gently pulled Jennifer to her feet and into an embrace that resulted in a light kiss on her lips. "May I have this next dance?"

Jennifer stood and pressed herself to him once more. She kissed him back, smiling. "You can have all my dances, Drew." She nestled in a little, grinning.

The next few hours were a whirlwind of dancing, warm embraces and stolen kisses when the chaperones weren't looking. The dance ended at 11pm. Drew drove them back to the X-Mansion garage and they entered the mansion to see students and faculty alike watching the big screen television. The television announcer began counting down the last ten second.

Drew turned to Jennifer and gazed into her eyes. He knew in that moment, she was his everything. Her kiss had brought him out of the coma he had been in following the Battle of Genosha. Her presence had helped lessen the pain of losing his parents. She was and always would be the woman he loved.

Jennifer felt the same way. It excited her and it also scared her a little. The feelings had come so fast but they were so strong and deep. Perhaps it was because of all they had already been through together. It wasn't an easy life, being an X-Man. Good to have someone to share it with.

Drew touched Jennifer's cheek gently as the countdown reached two.

She leaned forward, pressing her cheek against his palm.

Drew smiled as the countdown reached one.

Jennifer grinned and leaned forward.

The televised ball in Times Square began to drop as Drew's lips connected with Jennifer's. He poured all his love for Jennifer into the kiss, not wanting the kiss to end. He deepened the kiss and felt a warm tingling sensation that started at his lips and spread to encompass his whole body. The sensation left him breathless and he wondered if Jennifer felt it too.

Jennifer kissed Drew back fiercely. She pressed her body against his and her lips parted against his. The moment seemed to almost freeze, a warm, perfect moment in time. She was beaming as she finally pulled back from the kiss, but also catching her breath a little. "Happy New Year," she said to him. "First one together."

Drew, despite his speedster's stamina realized another reason for why he was breathless. He couldn't help butphysically respond to Jennifer's body pressing against his. "I want a lifetime of firsts you." He reached and brushed back into place several locks of her hair that dislodged during their intense kiss. They had both been content with only kissing thus far. He had been fine with that. He felt a strong desire for more. A desire that also scared him. He looked into her eyes. "I...want to spend the night together. I want to be holding you in my arms when the sun rises tomorrow morning...and every morning after that."

Jennifer clung to him tightly, but she looked nervous for a minute. Her mind flashed back to conversations only a little while ago. She kissed him gently and her smile lightened. "I want first times with you and second times and thousand times." She wondered briefly if that would actually work. "Let's go to my room and talk, ok?"

Drew gave a furtive glance at the other faculty and students celebrating the first few moments of the New Year. Nobody was paying attention to them, so he nodded. He released his embrace, but gently took her hand and let Jennifer lead them away to the Girls Dormitory wing.

Jennifer led him there. She held his hand gently. She was smiling softly, almost shyly.

The short journey had been traveled in silence. Drew paused as Jennifer opened the door to her room. He wanted to just walk in and close the door. He wanted to take her in his arms and kiss her long and deep. He couldn't do it. He wasn't sure what she wanted. He wasn't really sure about what he wanted. He just knew that crossing the threshold of her door would forever change things.

Jennifer also paused at the door. She took his hands in hers. She seemed unsure, but what she said first was a little prosaic. "I've been in your room," she pointed out. "We even fell asleep."

Drew opened his mouth to speak, but no words were forthcoming. He glanced down at her hand holding his. He looked up into Jennifer's eyes. He saw her nervousness, but also something else. The door swung shut as he stepped across the threshold. His lips found hers and they shared another kiss the deepened with each moment. His whole being tingled as he pulled her close. He had never felt such passion or desire in his life before. He couldn't hide how he felt from her, not with their bodies pressed together like this.

Drew's fingers brushed her cheek and down to her neck and shoulder. It wasn't until the kiss broke that he realized he was laying atop of Jennifer in her bed. One arm around her waist, the fingers of his other hand curl underneath the hem of her dress which rested mid thigh on her body. His breath came in short gasps and he felt her chest heaving against his. "Perhaps...." He almost said they should stop, but he couldn't say it. He didn't want to stop. He felt her fingers on his chest grasping at the top button of his shirt. They were at tipping point and what Jennifer did next would determine how this night would go.

Drew was hardly the only one tempted. Jennifer was kissing him back something fierce. Her breath was coming hot and heavy. She looked up at him. She started to reach for him but then she lowered her hand. "Let's lie here and talk," she suggested gently. She didn't want to rush anything. She rolled to the side a little, still nestled against him.

Drew's fingers unfurled from the hem of Jennifer's dress after tugging it back down to her knees. He was surprisingly relieved at her putting on the break. His hand slid up to waist just above her hips as he gazed into her eyes. He leaned in and kissed her softly. Not like how they had been kissing before this moment. The kiss wasn't filled with heat, passion or desire, just unconditional love. “I love you. That's all that matters. I didn't mean to try and rush anything, but I would be lying if I said I didn't want to."

Jennifer kissed him back. Just as gently. She smiled at him. "I love you too. And I also...I mean....look...I..." Jennifer seemed to be at a loss for words. She was stuttering a little. Her hand found his and she leaned into him, sort of just nestling. She was comfortable there. It was safe and warm. "Tell me things about you I don't know," she requested, her voice soft and relaxed.

Drew held Jennifer's gaze. He was happy. "I had never thought about being a superhero before coming here. I'd never even told anyone about my powers prior to the night I had saved my sister from a reckless driver. Part of me wanted to, but I was afraid of what people would think of me. I was scared of being labeled a freak. My father is a...was a geneticist. I thought perhaps he would either turn me in or come up with some way to take away my powers. So hid who I really was. That make any sense?"

"I think a lot of us had the same worries," Jennifer said. "Whether our parents were geneticists or anything else. My father wasn't going to turn me in but...I don't know. He's not comfortable. It was weird when I visited home. You know? I don't really know how to talk to him." She sighed. and looked about to continue, but then she shook her head. "Ok. Tell me something happy. Not like happy in context or ultimately happy. Just pure happy. Tell me something light and fun. Something silly even."

Drew brushed Jennifer's cheek with the lightest touch of his fingertips. Tonight had been the happiest he had been in a long, long time. Dancing, having fun, there was no one he had ever been more comfortable and joyful with. He gave her a joyful hug and cuddled closer still, if that were possible. "This night is he happiest night of my life. I don't think I even knew what it meant to be happy before meeting you."

She smiled as she nestled into him. "Well, that's happy. I don't know if it's light or silly." She smiled and raised a finger, lightly giving his nose a little boop. "Ok. This is awkward..." She trailed off a moment.

Drew inhaled deeply. Jennifer wasn't wrong. Laying in her bed together was making him feel more and more not wanting to keep his hands to himself with each passing moment. He reluctantly got up and crossed the room to her stereo and looked through her music collection. He turned to her. "Perhaps we pick out some music and dance some more."

Jennifer laughed. "I didn't mean that! I like cuddling with you!" But she stood anyway and walked after him. "Now I'm worried you're going to think my music is lame." She playfully moved as if to hide her Mariah Carey casette.

Drew held up his hands as if he were surrendering. "I would never think that." He did eye the Mariah Carey cassette dubiously however before grinning at her. He brought his hands back down as he stepped behind her and wrapped them around her. "How about you pick and we can dance or go back to cuddling. Whatever you want to do."

She smiled at him, turning away to pick. She was merciful. She did not choose Mariah Carey but Debbie Gibson. She danced with him closely and then cuddled in bed, dozing off contentedly. She did not know then that it would be the last time she fell asleep that way, that the vista of new beginnings opened by the New Year would actually be an ending. There would be a few more weeks together, but no more nights so close. There would be time still for the explanations of why he had to leave the school, a kiss goodbye, and letters and calls that began frequent and passionate and slowly faded until they were an occasional communication between old friends. It was a funny thing about young love. It was easy to joke about puppy love when you were older and wiser, perhaps bound by long commitments, to remember how quickly and deeply you could fall and how quickly things could fall apart at that age. If you ever had children, you told them those stories when they felt their first heartbreak. You told them how much more was to come. And all of that is true but, still, you never quite feel the same again as that first time. It keeps its special place in your heart, perhaps unvisited for years at a time or perhaps threatening to someday rekindle, but always there in a lonely or wistful moment. Sometimes, something catches your eye and reminds you or a stray thought crosses your mind and you smile to remember. As long as she lived, Jennifer would never forget the boy who had literally come back from the brink of oblivion at her call. She would never forget when she danced with Drew Williams or how safe and content she had felt falling asleep in his arms. In the year she had been outed as a mutant before a world that feared and hated her, the year her old friends had all turned from her, the year even her family had grown wary and distant, he had been her sanctuary.

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