Adelaide Russell (static_psyche) wrote in the_next_step, @ 2009-05-14 19:29:00 |
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Entry tags: | adelaide russel/firefly, scott summers/cyclops |
Old Friends
Who: Adelaide Russell, Scott Summers
What: Catching up for the first time in years
When: Mid-morning
Rating: PG-13
Status: Closed
It hadn't taken her long to realise that the mansion was too quiet. Way too quiet. It was an uncomfortable lack of sound rather than silence. The gaping hole where sound should be was glaringly obvious, she saw kids creeping down the hallways as if they were afraid to make noise, as if by that very act they would be bringing down the wrath of the worried staff on their heads.
Adelaide had been at the mansion for just less than a day, she'd unpacked and spent most of the time in her office, trying to get it just right. She allowed herself to be pedantic. Picky. The office needed to be just right so that she could do what she was supposed to be doing, that was helping the staff and students.
She might not have owed it to them, but she did to Xavier. And to Jean. Her heart lurched and her stomach twisted uncomfortably at the thought. She was so upset that she hadn't been there to say goodbye, to be part of the memorial service.
She cleared her throat and raked her fingers through her hair, the long, red strands now straightened, not curly like they used to be. Teeth snagged on her lower lip as she walked out of her office, her shoes clicking gently on the floor as she turned and pulled the door shut.
She didn't lock it, she had no need to.
Time was when these hallways were crammed with students, wall to wall and you couldn't stand there the way she was without getting jostled by someone or having to duck someone else's errant use of their powers.
So far she had only seen Logan briefly. He had not been the most verbose of people but considering what she had heard about the abductees she couldn't blame him. She knew Ororo was around somewhere, and Scott... But she had kept to herself, really. She didn't know if she could handle the blast from the past that seeing them would offer, even if the sights would be what she needed. That touch of familiarity in a place that now seemed so alien to her.
She just stood in the hallway for a moment, trying to get her bearings. The layout of the mansion wasn't the same as it used to be and she closed her eyes, talking to herself under her breath and making small gestures with her hands, trying to kinesthetically remember the routes.
Scott, on the other hand, felt like he hadn't stopped moving. It didn't matter that he wasn't leading the teams, or that he was in fact, staying back at the school while the others went off to rescue the children. There was so much that went into a mission, the logistics, the strategy, the recon -- it was enough to keep him going.
It also didn't help that because of his mind moving so fast, he hadn't been able to sleep or really do anything that didn't involve this situation. Because of that, he almost walked right past Adelaide.
When he saw her, he had to stop and blink a few times. Hadn't she graduated almost six years ago? What was she doing there? Thinking back, he finally remembered a recently opened letter, explaining how she was coming back to the school, in the position of the school's counsellor. Right. Tilting his head, his hands at his waist, he watched as she moved her hands, her eyes closed. He felt a smile tug at his lips.
"You know, Ada, I understand wanting to empathize with a blind student, but wouldn't it be easier to get around with your eyes open?" See Scott be a smart ass.
It took Adelaide a moment to respond to Scott's teasing statement because she kind of froze, the way she always used to when people teased her. A faint glow appeared around her as she opened her eyes and smiled sheepishly at Scott. No one had called her Ada for a long time. It was something that she had associated with the mansion and her time as a student. Her cheeks caught with a flash of colour before she rubbed the back of her neck, toes turning inward.
"Nice to see you too," she muttered, ducking her head before she laughed at herself and finally looked up at him properly. "This place has changed, I was just trying to remember my way around." She gave another smile and then shrugged, "And until a moment ago, there was no one to ask for directions." She tilted her head at him, he didn't look much different than she remembered. In fact, he looked pretty much the same, just a little older. Still very attractive.
Oh, bad Adelaide.
She cleared her throat.
He chose not to comment on the colour change. He'd learned long ago that pointing it out would just make it worse, and how was that conducive to student-teacher relations? Chuckling, he shook his head. Faculty relations now. It would interesting having to consider that, now that she was back.
Back.
It seemed like she'd never left.
"Well I'm here now, so where is it you were planning on going?" It was so nice to see a friendly face, that he took the break happily. Gone momentarily were the plans for the day. "The library, perhaps? I seem to remember a young Ada, spending quite a long time there in the past. There's also the conservatory, and such, but they're all still in the same place." Smiling widely now, he canted his head slightly. "Or is it somewhere else you're looking for? Something new? The headmaster's office?"
"Did you manage to replace all the books?" Adelaide asked as she shrugged, "I did love the library. Particularly the window seat." she smiled, allowing herself a long moment of nostalgia. "Best place to be aside from the rec-room or the headmaster's office."
She shifted onto the balls of her feet for a moment before she said, "Really, I just wanted to wander around the building, learn it all again and everything, you know? It's been a long time since I was here. You wanna join me, make sure I don't get lost?" It was nice to see someone she knew, so many unfamilar faces were floating around.
It was interesting, the idea that now she would be more on an equal footing with Scott now that she, too, was a faculty member. "Do I still gotta call you Mr Summers?" she asked with a smile that was nothing short of cheeky.
He had to smile at that. "Only if you want to," he responded, a slight quirk to his mouth. He started to walk, and motioned with her to follow. "But I think you can call me Scott now, don't you? You've grown up, since your days here."
"And as for your question," he continued, "we did replace some books, but not all. I think you'll find it's more comprehensive, and almost equal to that of some small universities." A note of pride crept into his voice as he started to discuss all the progress the school had made. He'd worked hard to make it the way it was, and he knew she, of all people, would appreciate it.
Before too long, they were in front of the double doors leading into the library. Pushing it open, he grinned. "It's really still one of my favourite places to be." Stepping into it, he looked around. It was empty, like most rooms in the Mansion at the moment, but it still looked so inviting, so friendly, with the sun streaming into the windows that it was easy to believe that there was nothing wrong. "And that window seat you mentioned? It's still yours."
"I'm all grown up now," Adelaide agreed quietly, falling silent to let Scott talk about the progress and the changes, feeling oddly proud of him as he spoke, wondering if the smile that crept onto her lips gave any of that pride away.
She did appreciate it, she was glad to know that the school was not forgotten or disappearing into obscurity. It looked grander than it used to, but that was perhaps because she hadn't been there in so long. "Sounds like you did good, Mr- uh, Scott," she corrected herself and tucked her hair behind her ear. She was a grown woman now, there was no need to feel like a gawky teenager anymore.
The moment the doors to the library were opened, Adelaide stepped inside, turning around on the spot and just taking it all in. Instantly, she relaxed into the familiar space. "No one else stolen it from me in all these years?" she asked, crossing over to one of the shelves that contained books, running her fingers along the spines almost in reverence to them. She'd always had a lot of respect for books and the way it was easy to lose oneself in them. She used to do it a lot. "I guess if I'm not in my office, this'll be where you can find me, reclaiming my rightful place." She turned her head and smiled at Scott, this one far more wide, almost beaming. It was good to be back, if only it were under different circumstances.
It was lovely to see how her face lit up with a smile. Gone was the awkward teenager he knew and respected. In her place was a beautiful woman with a lot to give the school. This should be interesting.
He sat down at one of the chairs and gave her a thoughtful look. "What made you get into psychology, Ada? I mean, not that I'm surprised at all. You always were very interested in helping people and all, but I honestly was taken a back when I saw your name on the new faculty list. But don't get me wrong," he continued, raising his hands in protest. "I'm ecstatic that you decided to come back and help out at the school. I'm just curious as to why."
Most students either left for good, or helped out. For some reason, he had never figured out what kind of student Ada would be but he was happy to see her. Very happy.
Adelaide had taken to browsing through the books, long fingers brushing over the spines as she mentally catalogued them, leaving imaginary markers on the ones that caught her interest to be read. She was just about at her window seat when Scott spoke and she turned to face him again, sitting down on the cushioned ledge, toeing off one shoe so she could curl her leg underneath herself.
"Well, there's no career in art," she said with a quiet laugh. She always enjoyed her art, it was one of the classes she had excelled in. "But- I guess the Professor, in all honesty. I mean- he- He did more for me than any other mentor, aside from you, y'know... but he just-" she looked down, her hair sliding over her shoulders and providing an adequate curtain to hide behind. She fiddled with the hem of her shirt. "He made me want to be more. So I did. I enjoy learning about people and helping." Her lower lip got snagged between her teeth and she looked up at Scott through her lashes and her hair. "Even though he's not here anymore, I want to make him proud, do his memory honour and all that... if that makes sense?"
She shifted. "And I'm good at it." It was punctuated with another laugh, perhaps a little watery but she had dropped her eyes again to regain control of her errant emotions.
He gave a slight laugh at that too. He could understand only too well, wanting to make the Professor happy. It didn't help that right now, he really had no idea if he was. It was yet another thing that was adding to the stress in his life.
"I don't doubt that you are." After all, if Ororo had hired her, it could only mean that she was more than passable as a counsellor. "I'm really glad to have you here. You'll be bringing so much to the other students, showing them that mutants can lead normal lives." Without having to fight for their rights, he thought to himself.
He knew there were some mutants that thought violence was the only answer but here was proof that it wasn't. Shifting his chair slightly so he could better look at her, he let out a small breath. If his eyes were visible, she'd see a certain twinkling in them. "Please tell me you haven't given up on your art though. I think I can remember an interesting portrait you made with ketchup. Would you like a tour of the kitchen next?"
Adelaide looked up sharply at the mention of her brief sojourn with food-art. She laughed, a light coming back into her eyes as she thought back on that and the mess she had made that day. She brushed her hair back with both hands, threading her fingers through the long strands and pushing them out of her face. They fell back as soon as she removed her hands, but it was the thought that counted, right?
"As long as I can help. I don't mind being there for the faculty too, I mean, everyone needs someone to talk to, right?" she smiled at him and then decided to finally answer his question. "No, I haven't given up on my art." It would be like asking her to give up breathing. Art was in her blood. "Still drawing and painting, though without the creative use of foodstuffs." she winked and got to her feet, slipping her shoe back on. "Kitchen sounds good." she said, clearing her throat and moving towards where Scott was sitting, waiting for him to get up to lead the way. "I'm not keeping you from anything dreadfully important and boring, am I?"
He gave her a rueful smile. "Important and boring, yes, but you know what?" Scott stood up and smiled. "I guess this is what everyone means when they say I should loosen up." With a slight shrug, he pushed the chair back in and started to walk out of the library. "Besides," he added with a true smile, "it's not every day I get to talk to an old student, an old successful student, I might add. I'd rather talk about what you've been up to than deal with the mess that's been going on."
Scott hesitated slightly before continuing. It was obviously her first few days there, if not her first, and was it fair to burden her with all that had been going on? Of course, he always prided himself on letting people know things, especially if it involved them. "Have you heard what's happened with the kids?" He gestured down the empty hallway in front of them. "As you can see they're not here....." And now to figure out how to word it.
"They've been taken from a school field trip." Bluntly, it turned out, was the only way to say this kind of news. The rueful smile came back. "We're working on getting them back."
Adelaide fell into step beside Scott easily and nodded, she understood not wanting to deal with the current situation. She did also know that hiding from it wasn't the best of ideas, but if she knew Scott at all that wasn't really what he was doing. Merely... taking a break. She returned his smile before it disappeared, sobering up at the turn of the conversation.
She pulled her hair over one shoulder, tangling her fingers in the strands. "I know," she said quietly, "I heard it from a couple of other students. I found one girl crying in the hallway earlier about it all, so when I asked her what was wrong I got the full story." She hadn't been there a full day and already she had dealt with her first few students, even if not in an official capacity. "Do you have any leads on who took them? I heard that Kitty, John and Bobby are amongst those that got taken." Those were the few names she got out of the girl, and a couple of others that she didn't recognise; Rogue, for instance. Worry was clear in her eyes when she turned her head to look at him. And without the Professor or Jean, there was no one to use Cerebro - if it had even been rebuilt - to find them either.
There wasn't much else he could say but nod his head in response. She would definitely have her hands full with the other students. There was always a vestige of survivor guilt, for those that were supposed to go on the field trip and didn't, or those that wanted to help but for whatever reason couldn't.
"It's a good thing you're here," he finally said, his happy mood having slowly dissipated. "We're going to need you more than you think, Ada. The students..the teachers. All of us. It's alwyas a sick thing when kids are involved.
A heavy sigh escaped his lips, as they continued their trek to the kitchen. Once arriving, he attempted a smile. "With that topic underway, I very much doubt either of us are in the mood for food, but perhaps a mural, for old time's sake? We need to lighten the mood somehow...in a completely appropriate way, of course."
Adelaide nodded, understanding the severity of the situation and her position here. She understood it and she felt it like a weight on her shoulders. It was one she was happy to carry, though. She straightened up a little, like she was adjusting her stance to carry the extra weight. "It's gonna be alright, Scott," she said, reaching out and touching his arm, just above his elbow. She hoped she didn't give him a static shock. She was far better at not doing that now than she ever was. "I'll do whatever I'm needed to. For any of the students or staff."
She gave a small smile as they entered the kitchen. "A mural?" she asked, moving into the area and leaning against one of the benches, hands curled around the edge of the worktop as she watched Scott. "In what, ketchup?" The smile widened a fraction before she frowned in thought, "Oh, that reminds me, I have something I want to give you." She only hoped it didn't upset him. For a second, she looked like she might change her mind, perhaps he wasn't ready? But then there was only one way to tell and that was to try. "Maybe I'll paint something. Fancy standing really still for a couple of hours?" She winked and then walked over to the fridge, pulling it open and sticking her head inside, "Soda?"
"Please." Taking the offered drink, he cracked it open and leaned against the counter. "And in order of your questions: yes, in ketchup, although I think mustard would add a 'je ne sais quoi' to it and I can stand still very well. I'm stoic, didn't you hear?" He brought the can to his mouth and took a generous swallow.
"That being said, what did you want to give me?" He gave her a cheeky grin. "Because it's advice, I warn you -- I apparently don't play well with others and I can't guarantee I'll listen."
Adelaide laughed, taking a sip of her own soda, having knocked the fridge door shut with her foot. "It's not advice," she said, "But you do need to learn to play nicely with others." It was a gently chastise, entirely teasing. Briefly, her mind flicked to those kids again and her smile lost its edge before she clasped both hands around the cool can.
"It's, uh," she shifted uncomfortably and took another couple of sips of her drink. "It's better if I just show you. But that means we have to head back to my office, so we'll have to pause the tour." She pushed off the bench where she'd been leaning, rolling the can between her palms like that would calm her nerves. There was a nervous anticipation curling in her stomach as to whether or not it was the right thing to do, but she couldn't second guess herself all the time.
She headed past him towards the door, still holding her soda - she hadn't finished it, after all - turning to look at him when she reached the threshold. "Coming?"
"After you." He gave a slight nod to his head. Now, instead of him leading, it was her. He also didn't want to admit that he had no idea what office was going to be hers. It was most likely somewhere in the pile of information 'Ro gave him, but as things tended to happen so quickly, he had no opportunity to look through it.
He noted her change in demeanor and was now thoroughly curious as to what she had to show him. Scott wracked his brain for any type of clue, but all he ended up was with nothing. Ah well. He would find out soon enough.
"And for your information," he said, walking behind her. "I do play well with others. I'm playing nice now, aren't I? It's just ...certain people that I tend to have serious personality clashes with." A grin. "See? That's me admitting to an irrational behaviour I have no control over. Aren't you proud?"
"I'm an old student, I think that's slightly different." Adelaide said with a smile over her shoulder as they headed back towards the room that she had claimed as her office, complete with comfortable chairs in front of the fireplace and bookshelves that had her books and DVDs lined up neatly.
She chuckled, "But yes, I'm very impressed, now I guess all we need to do is work on you learning to control that irrational behaviour and I reckon we'll have made some really big steps." She took another sip of her drink and tapped her fingers on the can as she reached her room and pushed the door open.
"Come on in, I just have to find it."
She moved away from the door, putting her can on the table, to crouch down and look in the bottom drawer of her desk, pulling out a sketchbook. She didn't put it on the table, though, she kept it out of sight. "Take a seat, if you want."
"Will do." Sitting down, he looked around the room. Only here a day or so, and already the room was tidied up and set to order. It was an organizational dream. The room gave off such a comfortable air, that he felt himself relax slightly.
No doubt, that was the function of the room.
He waited for a while, just watching her go around the room, before finally speaking up. "Do you need any help?
"No, no," Adelaide's head appeared above the desk, hand snaking up to grab her can and then she retreated, coming up a few moments later with a couple of sketchbooks in her hands. She spotted Scott and then smiled, putting them on the desk and leafing through the first one.
It wasn't in there, so she moved to the second, letting out a triumphant 'ah-hah!' when she found what she was looking for. Very gently, she use the perforated edge of the image to take it out of the pad, the thick pages reassuring as ever underneath her fingers, the soft tearing of paper in the right place an equally reassuring sound.
"Found it." She chewed on her lower lip and held it against her chest, long since sprayed with many a solvent to make the pencil stay on the paper. "Here..."
Moving closer, Adelaide held the paper out, face down, to Scott. On the back it was signed and dated, six years ago. "I don't know if there's ever a right time to give you something like this..."
It was a sketch she had drawn before she had graduated, of himself and Jean in the rec room one night. They were just sat together, talking quietly, and she'd sat down, unnoticed (or so she imagined), swallowed up by the rest of the people in the room and drawn the outline, filling the details in later in private.
And just like that, he was no longer in her room.
She's looking at a magazine, and pointing out ideas. "What do you think of this, Scott? It goes well with my hair."
He just chuckles. "Everything looks red to me."
"I know," is all she answers back. Maybe it's the smirk on her face, or the light in her eyes, but Scott does something he rarely does in front of students: he leans over and gives her a kiss, rolling his eyes behind his visor. She looks at him with slight surprise and he feels a sense of pride that he managed to trick a telepath. "What was that for?"
"For you being you."
The moment passes and they continue in relative silence, but it's a comfortable one.
Memories like that were another reason why he left the Mansion, but what can he say to Ada? Swallowing thickly, he traced the picture with his finger. It was beautiful, with all the little details that made that moment come alive with him. He tried to speak, but found he couldn't -- not right aways at least.
Eventually, his gaze moved away from the picture and he gave her a sad smile. "Thank you for this, Ada. I really do appreciate it." Letting out a deep breath, he raised a hand to his temple. "I still can't believe she's gone somedays. The Prof too. I never did thank you for coming to their services, by the way. I know it would've meant a lot to them. Jean would be so proud to see what you're doing now."
Adelaide saw the emotions sliding over the lower half of Scott's face, worried for a moment that she had done the wrong thing and tempted to offer to put it away, keep it safe for him until he felt that he could handle it.
Instead, she moved over and hugged him. She didn't speak for a moment, just offered him that physical comfort - comfort she never used to be able to get or receive for the fear of giving someone an uncomfortably strong static shock.
She pulled back a moment or so later and tipped her head at him. "They'd be proud of you too," she said quietly, finally dropping her arms and shrugging, taking half a step back out of his personal space. "I miss them too, but that's okay, you know? Best thing we can do is remember them and try to do their memory proud."
A moment later, though, Adelaide scrunched up her nose. "How Hallmark did that sound?"
The hug had taken him by surprise, but he found himself enjoying it. How long had it been since he'd hugged anyone, or received a hug back? It was important to him to keep his emotions in check but for a brief moment, he let himself take his guard down.
"I think you shouldn't quit your day job," he joked, lamely, followed by more silence. The picture was still held tightly in his hand and he made a point to look anywhere but there.
"And on that note," he said, standing up, "I think I should get going. Proposals won't write themselves, and I think I have a tip on something that I need to follow up on." Tipping his head at her, he gave her a crooked smile. "I'm glad you're back, Ada. I really am. You're a sight for sore eyes, and you'll do well here."
Adelaide nodded, moving back towards her desk where the can she had was dripping condensation onto the cherry-coloured wood. She picked it up, wiping the ring left behind with her sleeve. She should invest in coasters, she thought to herself, what would happen if she got tea or coffee mug marks on her table? That would be horrific.
She swallowed and looked down before she returned her gaze to Scott, returning his half smile.
"Yeah, you should go back to work." Her smile widened a little as she concluded, in an odd role reversal, "My office door's always open, Scott." It was an open offer, one she remembered being given by him many times. "I'll see you later."