Disclaimer: I don't own anything to do with X-men or Disney, I'm merely playing.

Notes: This was originally written as a background story for an RPG rendering of Jubilee, but I think it works as a one-shot. as well. While this is movie verse, it borrows from the comics in that Jubilee's parents died when she was just in her teens.


Jubilee smiled to herself as she smoothed out the dress, she was going to look so elegant when she was done. It was her eighteenth birthday and she'd been saving for this event since she saw the dress on clearance hidden away on a back rack shortly after the area high's homecoming season. It was silky and a shade of blue that matched her eyes perfectly with a tasteful slit down the left side.

It had taken months of begging to get permission to go out by herself tonight. She was sure some adult would be following her just in case, but she wasn't going to be looking for them, she'd be far too busy enjoying herself. A taxi was set to pick her up and then take her to a restaurant that she'd heard some of the adults talking about. That was how she'd decided to celebrate, to take herself out to a restaurant that her parents might have taken her to had they been alive.

She twisted her hair up carefully into a French twist and pinned it back before she looked in the mirror. She pulled out a few small wisps of hair to frame her face. She curled them carefully and added a quick douse of hairspray to ensure that they wouldn't fall apart on her. She draped a towel over her shoulders for the dress' safety as she added just enough makeup to accentuate her face, but look natural at the same time.

She tossed the towel into a hamper as she sauntered happily over to her dresser and pulled out the jewelry she'd decided on. A simple pair of small gold hoops later left her satisfied. The dress came up too high on her chest for her to be happy with a necklace, but earrings were essential. She carefully pulled the white elbow length gloves out of their package. It'd taken an hour scourging the mall to find a pair that fit perfectly. Sometimes having small hand had its downfalls. She pulled them on carefully, then slide her hands over her dress again. As she headed to the closet to get her heels she caught sight of herself in the full length mirror.

She froze.

Her hand went to her mouth as her eyes took in every inch of herself. She swallowed slowly and moved closer, not sure she was happy with what she was seeing. She slowly lowered her hand and stared. She took in the hair, her face, hungrily. She imagined away the simple hoops into the diamond her mother had been so fond up.

She stepped back and tried to look away, but her eyes quickly flew back to the mirror.

She moved in closer.

"Hi, Mommy," she whispered.

She never thought she'd see that face again, especially not on herself. She moved in and caressed the cheek on the mirror as tears began sliding down her face. With a sob she removed the gloves and let them drop to the floor. The earrings were next. Then the dress was unzipped and pooling at her feet. She tore off her stocking and crying heavily pulled out her hair. When she was standing in front of the mirror in only her underwear and bra she drew in a sharp breath and wiped the tears from her face. She glared at the mirror, half tempted to find her heels and throw them at it.

She'd been trying to ignore the ache that had been growing inside her over the years as she watched her friends, her new family, exchange letters and phone calls with their parents. She wouldn't ever begrudge them it, because she knew how it ached not to have that contact, but it still gently pushed that button that let her know that their was a hole inside of her, in her existence.

Trying to remember them now was like sand slipping through her fingers. On good days she could recall her father's smile, her mother's laugh. She knew their faces, but details were slowly slipping from her grasp. What was her father's favorite color? Had her mother loved dogs or cats more? What was their favorite food? Would they be proud of her if they saw her or horrified that she was a mutant? Would they love her? Would they hate her?

She'd never know.

She'd tried lying to herself, telling herself that it was better this way, but it wasn't. There were too many things she'd never be able to share with them. Slipping out of the last of her clothes she changed into a silky pair of boxers with multicolored smiley faces on it and a simple canary yellow tank top. It was her I'm-in-a-foul-mood-don't-mess-with-me-outfit.

She crawled into bed and wrapped her arms tightly around Stich. She'd been overjoyed when she'd found the simple stuffed toy. Lilo and Stich had been her favorite Disney since her mom had brought it home, held it behind her back with a teasing smile and then announced she had a surprise. She wiped away the last of her tears and buried her face in her pillow to let out a muffled scream of frustration at her situation. She wouldn't give up her life at the X-mansion for anything save seeing her parents again one more time. Seeing one of them in herself while looking into the mirror was a horrible tease.

She hugged Stitch tightly. She knew that she'd crawl out of bed in a little bit, change once again and bound downstairs with a happy smile plastered on her face. She'd cancel her taxi, put the dress away and if anyone asked she'd say she felt like being social tonight. Her eighteenth birthday was too precious to spend alone. She had to spend it with her friends.

She wiped away another stray tear.

Elegant wasn't a good look on her anyway.