It was so amazing that both John and Clarice had decided to stay, she wished Polaris would leave, although she’d taken to calling her Lorna because it somehow helped her handle what she’d done and the fact that her brother had left her family to go with the people who were okay with killing innocents. Lauren hated the way Lorna had acted like Lauren hadn’t taken life she had, she and her brother had, she was responsible for someone she liked death because she didn’t want to showcase her power. It infuriated her.
She was leaving school and getting ready to head to practice with Ezra and John when she came face to face, okay more like face to stomach given how short Lauren is to Erik. She took a couple of quick steps back and looked up narrowing her eyes.
“Excuse me,” she said starting to go around him.
Charles had become guardian to some new arrivals while he himself seemed to be at somewhat of a pass. He’d so far refused to directly fight unless the fight came to them because honestly he was scared of his own power sometimes. And his own ambition. He didn’t want anything for himself, he wanted it for mutantkind. But he knew he had crossed lines and he knew he had raw power enough to tear a world apart. Simple metalworking kept him busy and he knew it was useful to the war effort. And he would fight if the fight came to them.
Almost on cue he almost bumped into one of the young mutants from Lorna’s time. “Of course, Miss Strucker,” he said simply moving to the side to let her pass. He saw the look in her eyes and smiled just slightly, he was used to that look. He wondered what she’d heard about him, but then he didn’t even know if the girl knew of Lorna’s relation to him. He did wonder, given their powers it wasn’t a huge jump.
Annoyed, all she felt was annoyed by the lack of people reaching out until she'd been here a while. Lauren didn't really know why it bothered her so much but it did, she didn't like people saying they should all look out for each other but nothing for a while.
"It's Lauren." She insisted rolling her eyes.
“You’re upset with me,” he said simply. It wasn’t exactly something she was trying to hide. “I expect because it took me a long time to speak to you. That’s my fault.” Honestly, most of it was because of Lorna’s arrival and what he’d found out. He’d been focusing on his daughter. But it was Lorna’s right to tell people or not to if that was her wish.
“I’m trying to fix that oversight now.”
"I just don't get why all of a sudden you all care about us, or should I say now that more important mutants have shown up it's time to care." Lauren shrugged. "It doesn't really matter, and yeah, it sucks, show up in a new place, and there are people like you, and they don't bother to say a word until all of a sudden we all have to have each other's backs?"
Lauren studied him for a second. "It doesn't really inspire confidence."
It didn’t. He hadn’t expected it to inspire confidence. If he admitted it to himself, it had been in large part to figure out what had happened between them and Lorna. And fix it. But he’d gone about it the wrong way.
“That wasn’t what it was,” he told her. “And it was my fault. I should have contacted you earlier, I really should have. And the reasons I have, it’s not important, the oversight remains.”
He sighed as the girl fixed her gaze.
“I suppose I felt I should say something, but...you’re right, I left it too late. I’m sorry for that Lauren.”
"It's fine, they might not be exactly like us, but there are a lot of good people here who decided to get to know me." She didn't totally mean for it to sound as bitchy as it did but she was angry, and she didn't know why but it did hurt her feeling like the mutant left out in a weird way.
"Don't worry about it, really." She forced a small smile. "See you around." Lauren shrugged moving to pass by him.
He did worry, but he also understood her anger.
“I’m sorry Lauren. I can only hope to make it up to you,” he said sadly. He’d do what he could do change her view on him, and honestly likely Charles and Raven too. He stepped aside to let her past.