Dinner date

Walt stepped outside to grill up some steaks. He chuckled as he heard Jubilee crank up some music in the kitchen as she prepared a salad for them. He looked back to see her dancing around to Nirvana.

Walt set the steaks down and fired up the grill. As the heat built he sighed. "Friday, how's the negotiations going with RD?"

(("Well enough. They've agreed to the right to purchase the affected worlds. It's simply haggling over price. The current offer on the table is a blanket 50% discount with more for the ones that have been tampered with directly, Boss."))

Walt nodded. "That's fairly generous. And our legal team?"

(("They believe that it's a pretty good deal but are trying for more, of course. RealDreams wants to sweep it under the rug as soon as possible so they feel you could get a better deal."))

Walt shook his head. "No... that's enough. I also want to have this resolved quickly and it's not like purchasing a few worlds or even a few hundred will hurt our personal finances. If it's a fair offer then instruct them to accept it and hash out the minor details. It's just as important for us to keep a good working relationship with them. Add this world to the top of the list."

(("Understood, Boss. I assume you want to keep working on it from RealDreams end?"))

Walt nodded and checking the temperature prepares to start cooking and begins laying down the steaks on the sizzling grill. "That's right. The ability to investigate the worlds using RDs proprietary tech is important to our end of the investigation. We cannot do that outside of a RD facility. It'd take forever. We don't have that kind of time."

(("I'll make sure that's clearly stated in the agreement documentation. They've put forward a offer to have you "reinstated" as an enployee/ "special consultant". That proposed plan gives you a lot of necessary access for our investigation. However there's a catch."

Walt hears the music switch over to Local H's Bound For The Floor and smirks shaking his head. "Let me guess... the old man?"

(("Correct, Boss. Apparently they may want you to personally take on a few "special missions" from time to time. Legal is trying to hash out the details as that's pretty vague."))

Walt nods. "The old bastard. He knows we got them over the barrel and he wants to make sure I'm in hitched to the wagon. Keeps us invested in keeping the ship afloat. Sly old fox... Agreed but only for the duration of the investigation and I want senior VP access. Try to limit the number of missions and offical consulting hours as much as possible. Maybe every other Thursday from 9 to 3 or something. I trust you all to work it out."

(("Understood Boss. Are you going to collar Ms Lee?"))

Walt turned the steaks. "It's what she wants. Even I'm cognizant of that. And I..."

He turned to look at the Firecracker. She was still dancing about the kitchen singing along to Foo Fighters My Hero. She was lovely, quirky, unique and... she looked up and saw him and pointed at him laughing as she sang. He was her hero. He pointed back at her. The feeling was mutual... all of them. "Yes," he said. "I need to keep them safe. Whatever that takes. I'll do it. Anything."

(("Understood, Walter."))

Walt nodded smiling. He felt good about his decision now that it was made. He was happy... and seeing her happy made him even happier. "I love her."

Walt finished up grilling and then ran up to his room for a moment before they ate outside in candle and torch light. They had a good dinner with a lot of fun, light conversation.

They shared old stories and reminisced about the good stuff. The epic parties and the prank wars at the mansion. Many of them right where they were sitting now. Some of the X-Men swimsuit parties were legendary. Walt showed her he still had a picture of her and Piotr posing together showing off in muscle pose that made her laugh.

They talked about new things too. Jubilee told him about how she and some of the other ladies had become drinking buddies and good friends including Dazzler, Boom Boom and Wolverine/Laura Kinney. Walt laughed hearing about one wild adventure and felt a tiny bit sorry for whatever dive those ladies ended up drinking at! Probably never get everything repaired! Still it sounded like fun and they're obviously enjoying themselves. It made him happy to hear and see it.

Walt told her about home and some of their parties. He showed her some pictures and videos and then the wedding. She was surprised at seeing him with Chuck (who she laughed looked nothing like Xavier) and Dee and some of the others. She was in awe that not only was Princess Daisy real but he knew her. So Walt showed her a video clip of them "rocking out" from back in the day. Jubilee laughed. They weren't that bad... but she admitted that it was Daisy's passionate performance of Back in the Day and Smells Like Fun that sold it! Walt agreed. Daisy always played her best when she sang her favorites.

After awhile of watching her watch the video again and start dancing in her chair a bit though Walt smiled. "Yes."

Jubilee looked up at him and asked, "What?"

Walt stood up from the table and offered her his hand and she took it smiling. Friday started playing The Verve's Bitter Sweet Symphony. "I decided. Yes, Jubilee. I love you... and I want you with me. Both of you. I'll do anything to help you. Keep you safe. Make you happy." He pulled out the collar from his pocket. He'd attached a little pink "X-Men" circle tag to it knowing her tastes. "If you're certain this is what you want... then so am I."

Jubilee had tears in her eyes as she smiled. "I am. I love you. Please?" She stepped close.

Walt nodded and gently placed the collar around her neck. "I love you," he said and they kissed.

(("Collaring successful. Congratulations."))

Jubilee was ecstatic. It was so spontaneous and yet oddly romantic. She laughed as Walt started dancing with her. It was weird. Dancing alone, just the two of them in matching yellow "Rogers: The Musical" T-shirts, in the warped and mixed up mansion by soft lighting. This was their moment. Weird and oddly mixed up... yet strangely perfect.

"Happy?" Walt asked smiling at her as they danced. He'd noticed the little fireworks going off around them.

She was smiling and crying. She nodded as he wiped her tears away. "Too happy!" She said with a laugh. "It's perfect... a dream come true!"

Walt shook his head. "It's no dream... and it's only perfect because you are." He kissed her. "You're mine now, Jubes... and you may not see it but there's a collar in me too. It's around my heart."

Jubilee laughed. "I see it," she said looking deep into his eyes. "I see it clearly. I promise... I'll try to do everything I can to be good to it."

She kissed him and Walt was kissing her back. This wasn't some fantasy. It was real!

Walt cleared his throat. "Would you like to go in- Mmmmm."

Jubilee shut him up with her mouth. She'd wanted this for such a long, long time. She slowly broke off and shook her head. "No... I want to keep dancing with you."

Walt nodded. "Me too..." he kissed her again running his hands through her hair. He felt her hands running up his shirt. Things were heating up.

[Walter Stark Penny Polendina F.R.I.D.A.Y Neopolitan Pyrrha Nikos Nora Valkyrie Yang Xiao Long Blake Belladonna Kali Belladonna Sienna Khan Willow Schnee Glynda Goodwitch Zwei Ahnassi Lifts-Her-Tail Senko Sayoko Shinozaki Roberta Cisneros Haruna Sasha Blouse Ilulu Raven Manami Aiba Tsuyu Asui Haruhime Sanjouno The Baroness Demona Mystique Pirotess Lydia Aela the Huntress Serana Mission Vao Curie Ada PAM KL-E-O Merida Gwen "Gwenom" Stacy and Jubilation "Jubilee" Lee

Will Return In

Fireworks

Coming Soon]