Rise of the Phoenix

It was morning at the Institute as Clark got ready for his first big assignment in the fall semester at the university. He'd just gotten back from his morning patrol, the others having left for school. The assignment involved conducting an interview; the students in his class had been allowed to pick any current-events topic – within reasonable limits – and do an interview of a person related to that topic. He chose Jean accepting a award from Bayville High's principal, Edward Kelly.
He donned his street clothes over his uniform.
He knew the Brotherhood would be at school, and couldn't have them knowing Clark Kent was Superman.
His disguise complete, Clark picked up his knapsack, and headed out of the Institute, walking a fair distance to a bus-stop, making sure no-one saw him leave the Institute, and quickly caught the next bus to Bayville High.
Bayville High
Jean was currently sitting in the gymnasium, along with the rest of the school, as Principal Kelly was handing out the sports awards. "This year, our Girls' Soccer Team played as a team, they won as a team, and through it all, they respected each other!" Principal Kelly said, picking up the most impressive trophy on the table. "And they all voted on who the Most Valuable Player on the team was! It gives me great pleasure to present this year's MVP award to...Jean Grey!"
Jean gasped in surprise...and then smiled happily, standing up and heading to the podium to accept the award, the school cheering as she did. Walking up to the Principal, she shook his hand, and took the trophy, before standing at the podium, for her acceptance speech. "Thank you all!" she said. "I'm so honored that you chose me for this award!" She looked out among the crowd, spying her friends. Lance was sound asleep in his seat, as was Remy.
She smiled as she spied Scott, her absolute best friend, who was always there when she needed him. Her smile became a bit guilty as she lowered her mental shields slightly, allowing herself to catch a few of his stray thoughts: 'Jean really deserves this award; she's worked so hard for the team...'
Then, she happened to catch a few of the others' thoughts. 'That's so awesome! Way to go, Jean!' Kitty thought.
Rogue's thoughts weren't quite as supportive. 'Oh, Gawd, how long are we gonna have ta stay here?'
Evan was bored out of his mind. 'Okay, I have twenty-six teeth in my mouth...hang on...darn it! Okay...one...two...three...'
Suddenly, the thoughts of everyone in the audience started to fill her mind, overwhelming her; she put a hand to her head. "AAAAHHHH!" she cried.
Then, suddenly, another voice began to echo in her head...one that was speaking to her.
'Jean...Jean...let me out, Jean...'
Jean managed to raise her mental shields, shutting off the thoughts, recomposing herself. "Sorry about that; migraines!" She said, smiling. "That's what you get from head-butting too many soccer balls!" The audience laughed appreciatively, the tension eased, as Jean continued her speech.
After her speech, and the awards assembly had ended, Jean left the gym, heading for her next class. "Jean, wait up!" Scott called, as he ran up to her.
"Oh, hey, Scott." Jean said, smiling.
Scott looked worried. "Are you sure you're okay?" he asked.
Jean smiled, nodding. "I'm fine, Scott; my shields just slipped. It was just a bit overwhelming, but I'm fine."
"Oh. That's good." Scott replied. Smiling, he added, "Congratulations, Jean! You really deserve it!"
"Thanks!" Jean said, her smile growing. Scott always made her feel better when she was down.
It was about lunch-time when Clark arrived at Bayville High, walking through the main doors of the high school. He walked down the hallway, his ears ringing from all the teenage chatter; all the bragging, gossiping, and rumor-mongering of high-school. 'And, once again, Kryptonian Knowledge-Chamber home-schooling gets the nod.' he thought. He'd left home before he'd started his freshman year at Smallville High, to find himself, to learn where he came from. Four years of training in the Fortress and learning from the Knowledge Chamber had replaced his high school years. He didn't know if he would have been able to take all this, at fifteen; he didn't know how he would have been able to survive, knowing he was so different from everyone else.
It gave him a whole new respect for his friends.
Before long, he'd reached the office, seeing Principal Edward Kelly...the man he'd once rescued from the falling school mascot. "Uh, Principal Kelly?" he asked, while "tripping" on a knapsack left in the hallway, to enhance his appearance of clumsiness. "I'm, uh, Clark Kent, sir."
"You're here to do that interview, aren't you?"
"Where is Jean Grey?"
Clark had to admit, Bayville High was pretty big. He'd been walking for several minutes, after finding a map that indicated that the cafeteria was on the level below him. He turned a corner, spying a stairwell...
...and came face-to-face with Anita LeRoux.
Anita, clad in a purple halter-top and blue jeans, arched an eyebrow curiously at him. "Do I know you?"
Clark grinned sheepishly. "Uh, I think I'd remember us having met before!" he stammered, hoping she'd buy the act.
She wasn't entirely convinced. "Who are you?" she demanded, her voice carrying a UHF command; if he refused, she'd know he was Superman...
"Clark Joseph Kent, born April 27, 1987." Clark "babbled." "I was adopted and raised in Smallville, Kan..."
"Enough!" Anita ordered. "Just...walk into a wall."
"Okay!" Clark said, as he turned, and walked into the wall across from the stairwell, pretending to stumble back...and "slipping" on his soaked shoe, sending him tumbling down the stairs, to land flat on his back on the floor below...unhurt. 'Well, at least I'm on the right floor...'
Then, he smiled as he heard Anita say, "Well, he's certainly no Kal-El."
He'd fooled her.
Then, he heard a soft female voice giggle. "Are you okay?"
Standing up, Clark spied a 16-year-old African-American girl, with long, brown hair, chocolate skin, and dark eyes, slender, a good bit shorter than him – she looked close to Kurt's height – and clad in a black, shoulder-baring t-shirt, and dark red jeans.
"Huh? Oh, yeah, that happens all the time!" Clark laughed. He extended a hand. "Clark Kent, Bayville University, Journalism."
The girl smiled, and shook it. "Amanda Sefton, Bayville High." she replied. "Need any help?"
"I'm just looking for Jean Grey, the MVP, so I can interview her." Clark replied. "Any idea where she might be?"
Amanda nodded. "I think so." she said. "She often hangs out at the cafeteria, in the far-right corner, with Scott Summers...and that cute German exchange-student, Kurt Wagner." She blushed lightly as she said Kurt's name...and then she looked stricken. "B-But you can't tell him I said that! Please, if you see them, don't mention my name!"
Clark chuckled. "Okay, I won't!"
Amanda looked relieved. "Promise?"
Clark grinned. "I never lie!"
Amanda smiled. "Thanks." she said. She pointed to a hallway. "Anyway, the cafeteria is just at the end of the hall; you can't miss it!"
Just then, Clark's hearing picked up a signal; there was a ferry in distress in the English Channel. "Thanks, Miss Sefton, but I just remembered something; I'll have to come back later." Clark said. "Thanks for the help!"
"No problem!" Amanda said. "Good luck in your assignment!" With that, she walked off.
Looking around, Clark zipped into an empty area, finding an old service elevator. He quickly made sure no-one was looking, and then pulled the doors open, darting into the elevator, letting the doors close behind him. He then opened the top hatch, and flew up, removing his clothes and shutting off his inducer, putting them in his knapsack, now clad only in his uniform. He tucked his knapsack into a nook near the top of the elevator-shaft, to come back for it later, before opening the top hatch and flying out into open air, rapidly ascending, flying towards England, where he was needed.
It was about mid-afternoon when Scott and the others got back home. After dropping his knapsack upstairs, Scott headed down to the main entrance, where he saw Jean getting ready to leave. 
"Hey." Scott called. "Leaving so soon?" He innocently inquired.
"Yeah; I promised Taryn I'd help her pick out a new dress for the party, tonight." Jean said sheepishly.
"Oh." Scott replied, smiling. Suddenly, they heard a familiar sonic boom echo overhead. He and Jean both smiled, and headed to the back yard.
Scott and Jean got to the back yard in time to see Superman touch down, his knapsack over his shoulder. 
"Hey, guys." He greeted.
"Hey, Clark." Scott said. "Working, again?"
"Yeah; ferry in distress on the English Channel." Superman explained.
Jean shook her head, smiling. "Clark, no offense, but you're working too hard!"
Superman chuckled. "Hey, this is a full-time job!" he laughed. "And I'm not the only hard worker, around here! Congratulations, Miss MVP!"
"You heard about that?" Jean asked.
Superman nodded. "I was going to do a human-interest interview with the MVP-winner, today, but I had to leave for 'work.'"
Jean chuckled. "So you were the goof-ball Taryn was telling me about!" she laughed.
Superman nodded. "Never once did she suspect that anything lay beneath the clumsy, country-boy image of Clark Kent." he said.
Scott chuckled. "In addition to being a superhero, he's also a master of disguise!" he joked. "So, is this a big assignment?"
"Oh, yeah." Superman said. "The students with the highest grades are assigned to intern-positions at New York City newspapers."
"Wow." Jean said. She smiled apologetically. "I'm sorry, Clark, but I'm afraid I can't do that interview, just now; I promised Taryn I'd help her pick out a dress."
Just then, Superman paused, closing his eyes, listening...and then opened them. "Don't worry, Jean; I'm still working, it seems." With that, he zipped into the house, dropping off his knapsack, and then zipped out, flying off, a sonic boom echoing as he flew.
Scott chuckled. "No matter how many times we see him do that..."
"...it's still the coolest thing in the world." Jean finished, smiling. Scott smiled back; it was amazing, how in-tune they were, at times...
Scott had once thought that he only liked Jean as a friend.
Oh, what a fool he'd been.
Jean isn't currently dating anyone, but he hadn't made his move.
"Hey Jean, there's a car out front." Archangel called out.
"I'll see you at the party, Scott!" With that, she headed off, to go shopping with her friend.
For the rest of the day, Scott trained in the Danger Room and went back to his bedroom to get ready.
"Oh, jeez, guys, hasn't that stink-bomb worn off, yet?"
"Not yet." Lance said. "I think that's why Mr. McCoy had us make 'em in class; so we wouldn't make 'em on our own time!"
Kitty giggled. 
"Maybe it wouldn't have been so bad if you hadn't used your own recipe, Lance!" She teased.
"Hey, how was I supposed to know that the difference between a stink-bomb and a toxic bio-hazard was four extra drops of sulfur tetrachloride?" Lance laughed. "I should definitely sue that web-site!" To Scott, he added, "Any ideas for curing stink-bomb stink, Summers?"
"Yeah! Isolation!" Scott laughed, coughing. "Later, guys!" With that, he hurried off, heading for the stairs...
...and nearly got bowled over by the wolfen Rahne and Sam, as they both rushed up the stairs.
"Wolfsbane, Cannonball!" They stopped at the top as Thunderbird and Colossus came into view. "No running up the stairs."