Karaoke Night

Posted on Fri Jun 5th, 2026 @ 9:47am by Jean Grey-Summers & Kennedy Kelly & Rahne Sinclair & Hayden Davis & Jennifer Bryant & Drew Williams & Alaric Thane & Josiah Martin & Marisol Cabral & Casey Severide

5,545 words; about a 28 minute read

Mission: Episode 7: Pathogens and Contagions
Location: X-Mansion
Timeline: March 18, 1992

The second-floor music room at Xavier’s had been transformed into something that could only be described as an after-hours lounge. The grand piano had been covered and nudged into the corner, its polished surface hidden beneath a dark sheet. While the music stands and folding chairs were gone, replaced with beanbags and oversized floor pillows scattered in loose, inviting clusters. Heavy curtains masked the windows, and strands of white Christmas lights draped lazily across the walls, casting a soft, ambient glow that gave the space the hazy intimacy of a nightclub.

But the true centerpiece of the room was a large, boxy electronic machine with a built-in speaker and a wired microphone resting on top. It was connected to an old television set, the screen glowing with a scrolling list of song titles waiting to be chosen.

“Surprise!” Jean called out to the mix of students and residents lingering just outside the doorway. Word traveled quickly across the grounds; curiosity had drawn them in to see what their headmistress had been mysteriously working on for the past few hours. “It’s a karaoke machine!” she announced, gesturing proudly to the bulky device hooked up to the TV. “You’ve all been working so hard. I thought we deserved something fun.”

“Eh?” Rahne tilted her head sharply to the side, the gesture almost canine in its confusion. “What is it?”

“It plays the music and shows you the lyrics on the screen,” Kennedy explained, while noticing the refreshment table tucked neatly into the corner. “You just sing along.”

“Oh. I see…” Rahne said, though her expression suggested she absolutely did not. Fortunately, she too spotted the plate of cookies on the back table at that exact moment and promptly redirected her focus to wander over and help herself.

Jean lifted the microphone, the cord trailing dramatically across the floor. “So,” she said with a playful grin, “who wants to try first? Don’t be shy.”

"Oh! Me, me, I'll go first," Hayden called out. She'd been waiting for this, karaoke night. She took the microphone and pulled the cord over to the machine to begin looking for the song. "Found it! Now get ready this." Playful Hayden had been activated. The music began and then the words scrolled across the screen for Cyndi Lauper's Girls Just Wanna Have Fun.

"I come home, in the mornin' light.
My mother says, 'When you gonna live your life right?'
Oh momma dear, we're not the fortunate ones.
And girls, they wanna have fun.
Oh girls just wanna have fun."

She continued singing and dancing and, well, having fun.

Joey had drifted just inside the doorway, torn somewhere between amusement and faint horror at Jean’s attempt at promoting community and team-building. He braced a shoulder against the frame, not entirely convinced hanging around was the best idea — not least of all for his ears.

Then Hayden volunteered.

He blinked once, rapidly, not having expected eighties pop to be the first thing blared out of the speakers.

By the time Hayden hit “girls just wanna have fun,” he’d moved fully into the room, snagging a can of soda from the refreshments on his way past and settling back against a wall. He folded his arms loosely, not defensive, just anchored, and let out a quiet laugh at her exaggerated indignation during the chorus.

“Well,” he stage-whispered, just loud enough to be heard, “hard to argue with that.”

He didn’t join in — Cyndi Lauper wasn’t exactly his thing — but his boot kept time against the floor anyway. It felt strange, in a good way, not to be clocking exits or counting the number of people who might try to kill him for a change.

On second thought, maybe watching the other mansion denizens make fools of themselves on purpose wasn’t such a bad way to spend the night.

"I've never seen anything like this in my life," Alaric said as he walked up to Joey. "They make it seem so effortless. Are you going to join them?"

“I’m sure he has a country song or two that he’s dying to sing.” Kennedy said with a teasing little smile before she took the microphone from Hayden and began to flip through the song options.

While she was no stranger to Casey Kasem’s top 40 her personal tastes leaned more towards the theater and Broadway. Kennedy found ‘Maybe this Time’ from Cabaret. It was a slow-building torch song, steeped in longing and fragile hope.

Maybe this time, I'll be lucky
Maybe this time, he'll stay
Maybe this time, for the first time
Love won't hurry away

Kennedy’s singing voice was intimate and narrative, it was emotionally precise rather than overwhelmingly powerful. Her natural tone sat in a light lyrical soprano range but lowered into something warm and breath-tinted. As the song progressed, it gradually swelled into an emotional climb with richer chords, selling the idea that this was more than a private confession but rather a powerful declaration.

'Cause everybody, oh, they love a winner
So nobody loved me
'Lady Peaceful', 'Lady Happy'
That's what I long to be

Well, all the odds are, they are in my favor
Something's bound to begin
It's gotta happen, happen sometime
Maybe this time
Maybe this time, I'll win

“Whit d’ye aye have tae be sae pouty an’ sad?” Rahne grumbled towards Kenney between mouthfuls of cookies from her spot at the back of the room. “At least Hayden’s tryin’ tae hae a wee bit o’ fun.”

"Then you sing something!" Kennedy snapped back at the rude she-wolf that always seemed to delighted in her upset.

Rahne replied with a loud, Scottish sound of disapproval. “I’m eatin’, besides, I dinnae ken any songs.”

Joey's eyes slid back and forth between Kennedy and Rahne, brow furrowing slightly at the sharpness. He finished the can of Pepsi to buy himself a moment.

"Well now," he drawled mildly, "variety is kind of the point."

He dropped the can into the bin as he passed by it on his way towards the microphone. "Besides," he said, glancing at Rahne with a small smirk, "if you don't 'ken' any songs, that just means we ain't found the right'un yet."

He reached over and perused the machine's list for a moment with mock seriousness. "After theatre an' melodrama, might as well tilt the scales." He paused another moment. "If country is your demand, we're gonna do it proper," he continued. "Reckon we've got the right expertise in the room," he finished with the barest sideways glance at Alaric.

He gave another grin at Kennedy as the first fiddle notes came through the speakers before settling into a steady face as he planted himself. As soon as the intro riff was past, he began singing in a passable baritone.
The Devil went up to Boston
He was lookin' for a soul to steal
He was in a bind 'cause he was way behind, and he was willing to make a deal
When he came across this young man
Sawin' on a fiddle and playin' it hot
And the Devil jumped up on a hickory stump
And said "Boy, let me tell you what"

Alaric caught the sideways glance and wondered what Joey meant by the right expertise. Then he heard the word devil, and it hit him. This would be fun. He allowed his eyes to glow yellow and his voice to take its deep gutteral tone as he ran to the machine to catch the next verse.

"I guess you didn't know it but I'm a fiddle player, too.
And if you'd care to take a dare, I'll make a bet with you.
Now, you play a pretty good fiddle, boy, but give the devil his due.
I'll bet a fiddle of gold against your soul, 'cause I think I'm better than you."

During the next verse, Joey chanced a small, amused glance at Jean, mentally reminding himself she brought this on herself by buying teenagers a karaoke machine. He glanced back at Kennedy as he moved onto the bridge, his voice rising slightly in tone.

Johnny, roisin' up your bow and play your fiddle hard
'Cause Hell's broke loose in Beacon Hills and the Devil deals the cards
And if you win, you get this shiny fiddle made of gold
But if you lose the devil gets your soul

Alaric waited for the next part of the instrumental to pass as he prepared for his next lines.

The devil opened up his case and he said, "I'll start this show."
And fire flew from his fingertips as he rosined up his bow.
And he pulled the bow across the strings and it made an evil hiss.
Then a band of demons joined in and it sounded somethin' like this:

The music played on and Alaric let off some small purple flames from his fingertips. There was no harm or hurt in them as they dissipated like small fireworks.

Joey caught the yellow glow out of the corner of his eye and nearly laughed mid-verse. He'd half expected it when he'd made the joke about 'expertise', but this was better than he'd hoped. He shook his head once, amused, and settled in a little closer to the microphone. "Careful there, Mr. Thane," he muttered just under the music. "Reckon the sprinklers ain't enchanted."

The instrumental break rolled around again, and Joey focused back to finish the song.

Fire on the mountain, run boys run
The Devil's in the House of the Rising Sun...

Jennifer walked in late, arm in arm with Drew. She was a little subdued over everything happening lately, but she smiled as she turned her attention to Joey just as he finished up. She applauded warmly.

When Joey had finished the song, Alaric pulled the veil over the little bit of DarkFang he'd allowed and then ceased his pyrotechnic display. He clapped Joey on the shoulder and said, "That was more fun than I expected it to be."

From her spot beside the refreshment table, Kennedy scowled and very maturely, stuck her tongue out at Joey. The look was so perfectly reminiscent of a wet, furious cat that her whole posture seemed to bristle with indignation.

Rahne watched the exchange while continuing to stuff cookie after cookie into her already full mouth. Most of the finer points of the event were lost on her, but seeing prim, proper Kennedy so thoroughly riled up always made her giggle.

“Bravo!” Jean clapped enthusiastically, both in genuine approval and in a clear attempt to smooth over the tension starting to ripple through the room. “But let’s try to stick to the lyrics as they’re written next time.”

She picked up one of the microphones before brushing her red hair from out of her eyes. “Who wants to go next?” Jean asked brightly. “Jennifer?”

Drew had to admit that it looked fun to have a night to have not thinking about the horrible things that were occurring. He glanced from Jean to Jennifer and back. "Would it be okay if I went next?"

"Sure," Jennifer agreed.

Drew stepped up and took a microphone. He looked at Jennifer for a long moment and then to everyone gathered in the second floor music room. He took a deep breath and spoke. "I have spent a number of years hiding who I was and what I could do from people. Even the people I cared most about. I lost my parents and grandparents last year. My sister is...my sister is on life support and fighting for her life." He gave a heavy sigh. "It's taught me that...you don't always have the time to tell the people closest to you how you really feel. Don't make the same mistake I made. If there is someone special in your life, someone you want to know how you really feel. Tell them. Tell them as soon as you can. Because. There's no guarantee you will have time tomorrow."

Drew turned to the karaoke machine and queued the song up and started singing the first verse.


Some say love, it is a river.
That drowns the tender reed.
Some say love, it is a razor
That leaves your soul to bleed
Some say love, it is a hunger
An endless aching need
I say love, it is a flower
And you, its only seed

It's the heart, afraid of breaking
That never learns to dance
It's the dream, afraid of waking
That never takes the chance
It's the one who won't be taken
Who cannot seem to give
And the soul, afraid of dying
That never learns to live

When the night has been too lonely
And the road has been too long
And you think that love is only
For the lucky and the strong
Just remember in the winter
Far beneath the bitter snows
Lies the seed that with the sun's love
In the spring becomes the rose

Drew's eyes fell on Jennifer as he finished the last stanza of the verse.

Jennifer was listening raptly as Drew performed. She was touched and also slightly overwhelmed. She looked around at everyone. She clapped enthusiastically and then offered him a hand as he stepped down. "That was really sweet," she told him. "I like to think everyone gets a seed. But I'm yours and you're mine." She looked up at the microphone and if considering but she hesitated. She waited to see if anyone else wanted to take a turn.

“Oh, come oan now, I’ve only just eaten,” Rahne called from her corner of the room, her Scottish lilt thick as she continued stuffing her hands, and every available pocket, with desserts she clearly intended to save for later. Romance was the furthest thing from the pre-teen’s mind; at this stage in her life, boys were still firmly in the category of cooties.

“You’re so rude,” Kennedy shot back, though there was more lingering embarrassment than real anger in her voice after Rahne and Joey’s earlier teasing. “Just because you’re basically a feral animal doesn’t mean the rest of us have to live like that.”

Rahne snorted. “Aye, says the lass sulkin’ in the corner. At least I’m enjoyin’ masel’. Ye’re just grumpy ‘cause nobody’s payin’ ye any mind or kissin' ye.” She grinned, eyes bright with mischief rather than malice. “Maybe if ye smiled once in a while, eh?”

Kennedy narrowed her eyes. “Rahne, I swear, I’m going to do everyone a favor and throw you in the bathtub.”

Rahne’s eyes went wide in mock horror before she burst into laughter. “Ye can try!” she yelped, darting away just as Kennedy lunged for her. In her haste, Rahne clipped the edge of the refreshment table, sending a few plates crashing to the floor as she scampered across the room. If she’d had her tail, it would have been wagging furiously.

“I dare ye! Come catch me!” Rahne called over her shoulder, laughing breathlessly. “I will bite!”

There was a soft, lingering awwww energy as Drew finished his ballad. Hayden waited for any applause or reactions to naturally land before smiling at the lovebirds. Then with her own confident, upbeat energy, Hayden jumped right up to the karaoke machine again and cued in her next song.

"Okay, that was actually adorable," she said, as the machine brought up her music. Then she grabbed the mic, grin widening. "But we're not turning this into prom night. Time to party!" She pushed the button, cueing the opening riff to I Love Rock and Roll.

"I saw him dancin' there by the record machine.
I knew he must a been about seventeen
The beat was goin' strong.
Playin' my favorite song.
And I could tell it wouldn't be long.
'Til he was with me, yeah, me.
And I could tell it wouldn't be long.
'Til he was with me, yeah, me, singin'.

I love rock n' roll!
So put another dime in the jukebox, baby.
I love rock n' roll!
So come and take your time and dance with me.
Ow!"

As Hayden started another song in an attempt to change the mood, Alaric had noticed the current chase scene. A sly grin crossed his face and a chuckle escaped his mouth. With a wave of his hand, he opened a shadow gate in front of Kennedy and it's exit portal in front of Rahne. He Left enough space that the two would not collide head on, but still leave Kennedy a chance to catch her prey.

Joey had just started to settle back into his spot, wondering if someone needed to physically shove Jennifer at the microphone when Hayden kicked the music back up, the opening riff disrupting the awkward haze of the prior song. He huffed a quiet laugh before giving Hayden a wolf whistle.

And, of course, the rest of the chaos followed quickly enough. Rahne bolting. Kennedy taking the bait. And then...A shadow gate. Joey's eyes snapped to it, tracking its place--entry, exit, spacing. Now that was interesting, and not just for show.

His gaze flicked to Alaric, taking in the grin on the older man's face, and lingering a bit longer than it should have. His expression changed as he took it in. "Huh..." he whispered, mostly to himself, before he caught himself and shook his head, leaning back as he watched the chase. He looked at Jennifer, "Five bucks says she still misses," he said dryly before he jerked his hand towards the mic, "and if you plan on singin' anytime tonight, you might just wanna grab that mic 'fore someone else steals it again."

"I'll take that bet, Joey," Jennifer said and offered a hand. She knew how good Kennedy was. Of course, Rahne was good too.

Jennifer went ahead and hurried up towards the mic. She gave a wink to Drew and a broad smile to everyone as she started to sing. She was...ok...and definitely enthusiastic. Wasn't that the point of karaoke?

"Do-do, do-do
Do-do, do-do
Do-do, do-do
Ah, ah

"Where have all the good men gone and where are all the gods?
Where's the streetwise Hercules to fight the risin' odds?
Isn't there a white knight upon a fiery steed?
Late at night, I toss and I turn and I dream of what I need

"I need a hero
I'm holding out for a hero till the end of the night
He's gotta be strong and he's gotta be fast
And he's gotta be fresh from the fight
I need a hero (Hero)
I'm holding out for a hero till the morning light (Hero till the morning light)
He's gotta be sure and it's gotta be soon
And he's gotta be larger than life, larger than life

"Do-do, do-do
Do-do, do-do
Do-do, do-do
Ah, ah

"Somewhere after midnight in my wildest fantasy
Somewhere just beyond my reach, there's someone reaching back for me
Racing on the thunder and rising with the heat
It's gonna take a Superman to sweep me off my feet, yeah

"I need a hero
I'm holding out for a hero till the end of the night
He's gotta be strong and he's gotta be fast
And he's gotta be fresh from the fight
I need a hero (Hero)
I'm holding out for a hero till the morning light (Hero till the morning light)
He's gotta be sure and it's gotta be soon
And he's gotta be larger than life
I need a hero
I'm holding out for a hero till the end of the night

"Up where the mountains meet the heavens above
Out where the lightning splits the sea
I could swear there is someone somewhere watching me
Through the wind and the chill and the rain
And the storm and the flood
I can feel his approach like a fire in my blood
(Like a fire in my blood, like a fire in my blood)
(Like a fire in my blood, like a fire in my blood, blood)"

She grinned to everyone and stepped down.

Drew clapped his hands as Jennifer finished her turn at karaoke. He met her as she stepped down. "That was incredible. You have a magnificent voice."

"Thanks," Jennifer said to Drew. Then she leaned in and whispered, "You're my hero, you know?"

Drew gave a slight smile. He appreciated Jennifer's words, but his mind pictured Angela in the stasis pod below the school. He wasn't sure if anyone should consider him a hero.

“Yer a traitor, an’ Ah hate ye tae, Alaric Thane!” Rahne screamed at the top of her lungs as Kennedy seized the opportunity the portal provided and sliped the girl into a tight headlock. “Ah hope yer pillow’s aye warm on baith sides!”

Kennedy shot Alaric a quick glance, a mischievous glint sparking in her eyes. Thank you, she mouthed, but the moment was fleeting as her focus snapped back to the furious Scot thrashing in her grasp.

They grappled in a chaotic tangle of limbs for a few seconds before Jean rose to her feet. She didn’t raise her voice but merely provided one sharp, unwavering look. The silent command in her gaze was enough cut through the scuffle, freezing both girls mid-struggle.

Locked awkwardly together, Kennedy and Rahne seemed to realize exactly how disruptive they’d become.

Rahne, however, wasn’t quite finished. Just as she looked ready to bite, she instead dragged her tongue slowly across Kennedy’s bare forearm.

The reaction was immediate and far more dramatic than any bite could’ve earned. Kennedy shrieked, recoiling in sheer disgust as she shoved Rahne away from her.

“You’re repulsive!” Kennedy hissed, her voice low but sharp as she frantically wiped at her arm and straightened her disheveled clothes, struggling to reclaim her usual, polished composure.

It was a feeling most people had at some point; the feeling that you were being watched. But with Alaric having grown up in Limbo with demon eyes peering from shadows, it was a common feeling. He caught Joey's eye and gave small nod of his head.

He turned back to watch Kennedy just as she grappled Rahne and heard the scream. He mouthed you're welcome whether she would see it or not. He then took the opportunity to answer Rahne. "If we are allowed, perhaps I can make it up to you by accompanying you on a hunting trip. But only as our alternate selves," he added, allowing his eyes to briefly glow that ethereal yellow.

Rahne took a moment to evaluate the cookies that had crumbled in her pockets thanks to the scuffle, she dropped handfuls of sandy, sugary crumbs onto the floor with little regard other than they no longer served her. “Aye, we can go fer a run.” She agreed to his proposition while dusting off her dirty, sticky hands. “But if ye’re too slow an’ get lost, I’ll leave ye behind.

Casey had been standing in the back of the room watching the group. He clapped when she was done and decided he would give it a shot. What better way to introduce yourself than to make a fool of yourself? He moved up to the machine and picked his song. pulling the hat low on his face as he moved towards the mic—the intro to Red Dirt Road by Brooks and Dunn.

"I was raised off of Rural Route 3
Out past where the blacktop ends
We'd walk to church on Sunday morning
Race barefoot back to Johnson's fence
That's where I first saw Mary
On that roadside, pickin' blackberries
That summer, I turned a corner in my soul
Down that red dirt road"

"It's where I drank my first beer
It's where I found Jesus
Where I wrecked my first car
I tore it all to pieces
I learned the path to Heaven
Is full of sinners and believers
Learned that happiness on Earth
Ain't just for high achievers
I've learned, I've come to know
There's life at both ends of that red dirt road"

"Her daddy didn't like me much
In my shackled up GTO
I'd sneak out in the middle of the night
Throw rocks at her bedroom window
We'd turn out the headlights
And drive by the moonlight
Talk about what the future might hold
Down that red dirt road"

He decided that he was going to sing that first little bit, as his throat wasn't used to singing like that since Abby had passed. He remembered all the time they had gone to the 4-H club and sang karaoke. He returned the mic to the stand.

Joey snorted quietly as he fished a crumpled bill out of his pocket, stepping over to press it into Jennifer's hand with a feigned grumble. "Yeah, yeah," he muttered. "Reckon I deserved that."

He stepped back, rolling his shoulders as his gaze drifted past her, towards Casey. He lingered there a second, just long enough for things to catch up to him, before he nodded to himself.

"...that ain't wrong, though."

He didn't say anything else about it. Instead, he took another sip of soda before moving towards the machine again.

"Alright," he said casually, to no one in particular. "One more, but no requests this time."

A couple of taps on the machine and then the music came in, a two-step dance beat, not fast, but definitely a bit more upbeat as Joey kept the beat with taps of his boot on the floor.


Song, Song of the South
Sweet potato pie, and I shut my mouth
Gone, Gone with the Wind
There ain't nobody lookin' back again

...

Well, somebody told us Wall Street fell
But we was so poor as we couldn't tell
Cotton was short, and the weeds were tall
But Mr. Roosevelt a-gonna save us all
Well, Momma got sick, and daddy got down
The county got the farm, and they moved to town
Poppa got a job with the PWA
We bought a washin' machine and then a Chevrolet


Kennedy rolled her eyes at Joey’s second, entirely predictable, song choice, then dropped into the seat beside Alaric with one of her signature huffy sighs that was equal parts dramatic and oddly charming.

“At this rate, we’ll have cuspidors in every room of the mansion,” she teased, watching Joey and Casey carry on. She might’ve left it there, but then her expression brightened and mischief sparked in her eyes as a wicked little smile curled across her lips.

“You two should do a duet,” Kennedy suggested sweetly, glancing between the cowboys.

In a corner of the room, lounging quietly on a bean bag chair, Madi grinned at that. She had seen no reason to interact as of yet, and so she had not. She was content to just listen for now. Perhaps in a regular talent show, she would have pulled out her trumpet, but she wasn’t really much of a singer. Still, she was having fun just listening and watching.

Alaric laughed low, short, and controlled. It was actually more of a quiet chuckle rather than a full laugh. "I have finished singing in this way and these types of songs. Neither befit me well. Besides, they look as though they're enjoying their duet well enough without me."

Hayden walked over to where Madi was sitting and plopped down in the bean bag chair next to her. "Heya, what do you think of the show so far? Lots of talent or more flirty?" She laughed as her attempt earlier to change things had failed miserably.

“It’s certainly entertaining,” agreed Madi. “Although I think karaoke is more fun when everyone is mediocre or worse. Or if they’re really really good.”

Joey chuckled lightly. "Alright," he said. "First, I resemble that remark," he smirked. "Second, alright Casey. If you're up for it, shall we give Miss Kid what she wants?" he asked, harkening back to the first meeting. "Up to you, but if yer up for it, throw somethin' on."

Jennifer casually took Drew's arm. "How are you liking it?"

Drew felt Jennifer take his arm. He slid the arm around her waist and pulled her close into his side and smiled. "Pretty cool actually. I'm glad you suggested we come." He gave her a slight smile.

"I guess so, I mean, I'm not the best singer, but I can carry a tune in a bucket," Casey said with a slight smirk. He moved to look over the music selections. A minute later, he grinned widely, "I got it." Selecting Achy Breaky Heart, by Billy Ray Cyrus. Showing Joey the choice. "You good with that?"

Joey stared at the song title for a long second and mentally added it to his list of things to seek revenge over. Then he slowly looked at Kennedy and Casey. Absolutely no help.

He let a breath out through his nose, somewhere between resignation and amusement. "I did say you could pick", he muttered dryly. "Mrs. Summers, I blame Kennedy for this, completely."

He took the mic and turned, just enough to face Casey and make full eye contact. The opening guitar kicked in and Joey mustered his best baritone and began to sing the first verse to the other boy without any trace of irony.

You can tell the world you never was my girl
You can burn my clothes when I'm gone
Or you can tell your friends just what a fool I've been
And laugh and joke about me on the phone
You can tell my arms go back to the farm
You can tell my feet to hit the floor
Or you can tell my lips to tell my fingertips
They won't be reaching out for you no more


Casey grinned as he listened to the music fire up and was impressed with Joey as he belted out the first part. Still maintaining eye contact for a hot second before he began to sing, swaying a little to the beat.

But don't tell my heart, my achy breaky heart
I just don't think he'd understand
And if you tell my heart, my achy breaky heart
He might blow up and kill this man
Ooh

While the actual lyrics of the song were lost on Rahne, she couldn’t help but enjoy the absurdly twangy country tune the pair had launched into. Abandoning her smashed cookies, she eagerly joined in. With little regard for timing or restraint, she snatched for the microphone, her hot, breathless enthusiasm overtaking the melody as she began to howl and yip in a distinctly canine interpretation of singing.

The result was nothing short of terrible, the sound blown out through the tiny speaker, but Rahne wore a grin from ear to ear as she threw herself fully into the performance.

Meanwhile, the rest of the room was left clutching their ears and wincing at the assault. Whether their discomfort stemmed from the song itself or the wolf-girl’s enthusiastic contribution was anyone’s guess.

"Oh Rahne," Jean said with a tired sigh as she too covered her ears. "You always create an evening worth remembering."

The girl stopped her howling but the wolfish grin remained as everyone in the room was left with ringing ears thanks to her horrible singing voice. If she couldn't be the best, she could at least be the loudest.

"Now how about we give everyone else a chance to sing?" Jean gestured for the preteen to sit down next to her, the first invitation of the night that Rahne had been given and the girl took it happily despite always cursing Jean for making her do pointless activities like reading and writing.

With the karaoke station finally liberated from Rahne's reign of terror, the students and staff settled back into the evening's festivities. Laughter, music, and conversation filled the room until exhaustion gradually began to win out. One by one, sleepy-eyed mutants drifted away, offering their goodnights before disappearing into the halls of Xavier's.

Eventually, Jean found herself alone in a music room that was slightly cluttered but well loved from a night spent making memories. With a casual sweep of her telekinetic power, chairs slid back into place, discarded drinking cups found there way into the trash until the last traces of the gathering vanished as if they had never been there.

As she worked, the Headmistress quietly hummed a few bars of Achy Breaky Heart, the song lingering in her mind long after the music had stopped. A small smile touched her lips. In a world that so often demanded vigilance, sacrifice, and strength, nights like this were rare. And as the room returned to perfect order, Jean was grateful that, for one evening at least, the residents of Xavier's had been able to simply be young and enjoy a little peace.

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