2013.06.06 - All About Asking Permission

It's a rainy afternoon. Jean has finished the last of her classes for the day and is only just now returning to her office for a couple of hours of 'official office hours'. She tosses a folder down on her desk and, despite the rain, moves to the window to open it. The damp, cool freshness of the late spring rain wafts in as the woman leans on the sill and gazes out across the grounds for a few moments.
Scott smiles as he pokes his head in the doorway. "Hey, Jean." He tilts his head at her as she looks out at the grounds, wondering if she's in an okay mood. "You have plans for dinner tonight?"
As Jean is in her office, and not long after Scott enters, there is a knock on her door.
If she were to check telepathically, it'd be pretty clear that is is one Laura Kinney on the other side of the door.
But aside from that knock, she doesn't do much, besides wait to be allowed to come in. Heck, her mind is even strangely blank right now, like she's deliberately trying not to think about one thing, or possibly even multiple things.
Jean is mildly surprised at Scott's appearance. Or rather, more his question. She sensed him coming down the hallway and was just pulling back from the window to turn toward the door as he pops his head in. She shakes her head. "No. Not particularly. Why?" A small smile touches her lips.
As Laura makes her presence known as well, her attention diverts from Scott. "Come on in, Laura," she says lightly. "Door's open." The girl's ability to blank her mind is still a little odd to Jean. But, she can ignore it well enough.
"Wondering if you'd like to have--" but Scott's words are cut off as Laura knocks. "Hey Laura," Scott says, turning to regard the younger version of Logan. "How are you?"
Oh, odds are if Jean were to really try she could find out what's going on. Laura isn't that good after all. But her training did involve lots of stuff regarding stealth and remaining focused no matter what, even against others with powers. As such there probably was some stuff involving avoiding telepaths. Even if they probably never were able to test said techniques against the kinds of telepaths that the X-Men usually attracts.
But that's all besides the point.
As Laura pushes the door open and enters, she nods. First at Scott. Then at Jean. That is before she answers the question.
"Good enough." is said before something that Laura more or less said the other night is said yet again. "The Young X-Men are going to a Weapon X facility."
~ Dinner with you? ~ Jean finishes Scott's question for him telepathically, even as Laura speaks. She keeps the thoughts private, though micro-expressions doubtlessly give her away to the girl. ~ Sure. Let me know where and when. ~ Oh, the joys of being able to telepathically 'double-speak'.
As the full weight of Laura's statement sinks in, however, her red brows rise. "Is this a continuation of the conversation at Harry's the other night?" she says, glancing briefly to Scott before she focuses fully on Laura, now. "Laura, I'm not sure that's a good idea. You of all people know how dangerous the Weapon X program is..."
"Yeah," Scott says. He said yeah, but his head is shaking now, and the twisted expression on his face make it clear he agrees with Jean on this one. "Unless there are some interesting stipulations you've yet to tell us, the proclamation that 'it will happen' is going to end up not coming to pass.
There's a nod at Jean from Laura as if to confirm that this is a continuation of the discussion from the other night.
"I know." is likewise admitted by the female clone, as if confirming that she knows how dangerous Weapon X is, and can be. And yet, as she says that, the clawed girls expression does remain rather neutral and pretty much devoid of emotion.
Then though there is a glance at Scott before she adds, "Do the facts that it is deactivated, and destroyed..." There's a momentary pause before that last bit is clarified some more. "That I destroyed it count? Or that it is where I was created?"
Jean's ears rise faintly as she considers that. "It largely depends on whether it's been rebuilt and repopulated, I would imagine," she says slowly, glancing to Scott for his reaction. She turns her attention fully back to the girl, however, and takes a seat behind her desk, leaning forward a little and resting her hands on the table as she searches her face. She's not quite willing to read the girl's mind, but she does have an 'ear' open to what thoughts and impressions might escape. "It also depends on why you want to go there..."
"And why you apparently prefer this to be a mission of the Young X-men and not the X-men proper." Scott just got a few months earful from Tom, Dick, Harry, and everyone else associated with the X-mansion regarding 'putting the children in danger.' Aside from all the regular concerns, he has no desire to go through that whole thing again.
Why?
"It is summer. I have been invited to some of their homes." is said with a slight shrug by Laura regarding her Young X-Men allies. "They should see mine."
Then there's an odd look, as her gaze drifts from Scott to Jean, and back.
"And I am a Young X-Man. Not an X-Man. This effects me. My team should be with me dealing with anything I may find there. Not you guys without me. Or without them."
"And it is still deactivated."
Jean considers all of what's been presented. The girl has a point. She looks at Scott, and then back to Laura, evaluating it. "Okay. How about this?" she suggests, presently. "Give Scott, Logan, and I a chance to look at this objectively. You make good points, but we also have to consider just how much extra danger you may be in. Maybe we can come up with a compromise that will give you what you need and satisfy us you -- and the others -- won't be at any more risk than you have to be." She looks over at Scott, now. "Does that sound okay to you? Or would you prefer something else?"
"I think," Scott nods, "That if you'd be willing to consider taking myself, Ororo, Jean, or Logan, I'd be much more willing to change my tune, Laura. Or at least, I'd go into any meeting leaning towards allowing you guys to go." Scott looks up at the clock on the wall, and grimaces. "I have to take off. I'm sure we'll be talking about this soon." He looks to Jean and gives an upwards nod, "I'll figure out something for tonight. I'll give you a ring." With that, he dips through the door.
And as Scott takes off, he gets a nod from the clawed girl, before she returns her attention to Jean.
Of course here comes the counter offer.
And yes, Laura still appearing to be devoid of emotion.
"Young X-Men. Doug. Logan. Maybe Domino. No one else."
Why Domino? Odds are the teenaged clone has a reason, despite the older woman technically not being part of the school or X-Men anymore.
"And I will talk to Logan and Doug later. Myself."
Well, including Logan on the list satisfies Scott's stipulation, certainly. And, truthfully, it makes Jean feel better about it, too. She trusts Logan. Implicitly. They understand each other in a way that's different than any of the other X-Men.
"If the rest checks out," she tells the girl evenly, now, "that will probably be acceptable to Cyclops." She uses his X-Man name because they're effectively speaking as X-Men, now. "As long as the place really is deactivated, what you're asking is fair enough. Especially if you take someone like Logan along. I can accept that." She doesn't really know Domino, but she knows Logan won't let the kids get hurt if he can avoid it. Doug... well, he's more of a computer geek than an action hero, but she knows he's taken a large role with the younger team, so that's no second thought. "But, we're still going to need to check it out and discuss it. Give us a week. Can you do that?"
"You can have a week." is said by Laura with a slight nod. "To investigate what you need to."
"I will talk to Doug and Logan before that. So we can start planning."
Then there's a shrug.
"And it will check out. It is still deactivated."
Jean can feel the girl's certainty and has a pretty strong feeling she's right. "Thank you," she says, nonetheless. She knows Laura isn't the sort to waste words or time. And she also knows the kid will go whether or not she gets permission. She's under no illusion about that. So, she says, "If there is any way at all that we can let you go without you thinking you have to sneak off behind our backs, Laura, I'll do my very best to make it happen. Just promise me this: If you do decide to go, and Cyclops hasn't approved it, take Logan with you." A beat. She considers. Then, she looks straight into the girl's eyes. "And, if Logan can't go: I will. I promise. Come find me." She gives a small smile. "Trust me, if things go south? I can take the heat."
Oh, not only would Laura sneak out, but she'd take the Young X-Men with her. Without Doug, or Logan, or Domino.
But yes, she is determined.
All though at the bit about Jean being able to take the heat, there's a shrug.
"Thank you. And I want Logan to come. He needs to see this too. But The Young X-Men need it more."
Jean nods. "I suspect you're right," she says. "I just want you to know the offer's there. If Logan's ever not available and you need the muscle without having the whole of the senior X-Men at your back... I'll make myself available." Scott won't like it, of course. He'll probably accuse her of undermining him, again, but screw it. She knows she has the capacity to protect the youngsters, if need be. She also has the need to rebuild her life. If that means breaking a few rules and getting knuckle-smacked for it? Well... so be it.
She's not the Phoenix any more -- thank God! -- but she's also not Marvel Girl, either. Time to forge her own path.
What can Laura say to that? What can she do?
In the end, there is a single, slight nod, before she simply says two simple words in her usual flat and emotionless tone.
"Thank you."
Category:Log