WHO:Emma Frost & Jean Grey WHEN: Recently WHERE: Restaurant nearby WHAT: High school friends reunited RATING/WARNINGS: Lowish STATUS: Complete
Emma was not the sort of woman who cared what people thought of her. Not really. She had the power and determination to change perceptions wherever she wanted. She ran her own company, she ran her father’s company through the systematic destruction of his entire network of supporters before dismantling his pride and joy to warp it to her own requirements. She knew she was ruthless and a bitch, but she didn’t care what people said about her behind her back.
Jean. Jean was different.
Emma remembered being young, she remembered it fondly, despite attempts to the contrary by dear old dad. And most of that was thanks to the best friend she made in Jean Grey. Losing touch with Jean hadn’t been something Emma meant to do, nor was it something she enjoyed through her growing adult years. After she left college, she honestly didn’t give too much thought to the lost friendship of her youth as Sebastian chipped away at every piece of the soft, romantic notions young Emma once held.
While she knew that the OC was full of strange things, unusual and apparently not entirely natural, she hadn’t actually thought that the impossible was possible here. But it seemed that little was ‘impossible’, all things considered. Having cleared her schedule for the day, Emma absolutely had not spent the best part of an hour attempting to dress in something smart but unassuming, stylish but not too extravagant. It was a very long process.
Opting just for a smart grey pant suit and a soft cream blouse, Emma went as far as to put her hair into loose unbraided pigtails, somewhat reminiscent of a period in with all she did with her light brown hair through high school before taking her own car and driving to the restaurant she’d made reservations at to meet with Jean for lunch for the first time since they both went off on their separate adventures into adulthood.
There weren't many things that Jean regretted. Not her chosen profession or the hardships it imposed on her. She wasn't poor by any means, but she certainly wasn't rich. And she had never been on Emma's level, but that hadn't stopped her from forming a friendship. It could have been one based on antagonism, but it hadn't turned out that way. But they'd drifted apart and Jean had felt like that was somehow her fault. After all, she could have reached out to Emma - she'd just been afraid of having her hand slapped away.
But losing touch with Emma was still one of those regrets. So despite the exciting part of being able to reconnect with not one but two old friends, there was still some trepdiation there. Jean had no worries that she and Ororo would be unable to pick up where they'd left off since they'd always had that ability. But with Emma, she figured they'd both probably changed. Whether or not any of that was for the better remained to be determined. Emma did seem to be harsher, but Jean had noticed that trend in her old crush friend before they'd lost contact.
She wore her hair loosely. It had grown out past her shoulders. Choosing a wardrobe was harder, but Jean had been fashion conscious as a teen and she'd kept up on the latest styles, so she was sure that she wouldn't disappoint Emma. She wore a casual dress in her favorite shade of green that worked with her hair. It surprised most people how much effort Jean went to make sure her style wasn't christmas elf colors.
Parking in front of the restaurant, she got out and headed inside. Emma was blonde now. That was new. So she looked for a blonde head and saw one in the pigtails and nearly tripped over something. She recovered gracefully as though she didn't just have an 'oh no she's hot' moment, and made her way over to the table. She smiled brilliantly. "Emma! It's so good to see you." To hug or not to hug,that was the question. She left that answer up to Emma.
Emma had... clearly had more than her hair done. Her nose was different and there were some other alterations that didn't mesh with Jean's mental picture of her. Her eyes, briefly, dipped. To check if work elsewhere had been worked on. No other reason. Honest. Jean suddenly felt self-conscious.
Before conquering the business empire like she’d wanted, Emma had fallen prey to the stereotypical lifestyle of girls who made money off their looks. Changing her hair colour had simply been a rebellious choice in shedding the smart and safe brunette appearance as she stepped into Shaw’s world, but the rest of the alterations, tiny little fixes on flaws that she perceived and her father and Shaw only added fuel to an already smoking fire, well. Emma didn’t look back at them, nor did she wonder if she’d do it again.
But Jean, blessedly sunny Jean, was the same as ever, with her fiery red hair and her brilliant smile, that really Emma couldn’t avoid returning a grin. Standing to greet her dear old friend, Emma didn’t hold back from a hug -she used to be openly affectionate, she used to hug people and loop her arm through theirs, she used to trust in physical affection. “Likewise Jean.”
She didn’t need to be calculated and controlled, things didn’t have to be awkward and scripted. It was a lunch with an old friend and Emma could leave the persona behind and try and see if her old self was still buried under all those lessons in manipulation. “You look wonderful.” A real sight for sore eyes.
Jean was relieved and immediately relaxed. Her return hug was warm and inviting and she squeezed lightly before pulling back, her hands still on Emma's arms. "You look... wow." She laughed. "I like what you've done with your hair."
She let her hands drop to her sides and winced inwardly. Jean had worried it would be a little awkward. Or a whole lot awkward and really Jean, 'I like what you've done with your hair?' How cliche. But what do you say to someone you haven't seen in years, who'd clearly changed. But Jean believed that while people changed, who they were at the core always remained the same. She'd just have to get used to the differences. Maybe she'd even like them.
Emma just shrugged a little, although she did twirl the end of some strands around her finger nail a little, “I’m finding out if blondes really do have more fun.” Idle chit-chat was likely, Emma was already wondering just how edited her answers should be.
Before, Jean had been privy to almost all of Emma’s struggles with her family -from her mother’s self medicating to her father’s rigid control and her sister’s backstabbing, Emma hadn’t hid any of it, because Jean was her shoulder and her sounding board and regularly talked Emma out of some of the most ridiculous things she conceived in revenge plots (she was a teenager, it happened).
But that was just a little bit different from where things went after college. “I never thought I’d see you back on this coast.” Retaking her seat, Emma brushed some imaginary lint from her pants, looking for something that wasn’t awkward to do with her hands.
Almost all of the ridiculous revenge plots - Jean had actually gone along with the one that had seemed the most harmless and had gotten Emma's sister in trouble for once.
Jean smiled as Emma played with her hair. That was a nervous habit she remembered, and it was nice to see some of the old Emma locked away under the ice. She took a seat, leaning into the chair and resting her hands in her lap. "Funding issues closed the school I was working at in New York and the competition for teachers there is a lot more fierce. Something called me West, and here I am."
Money was a hassle for the public education system, wasn’t it. Emma’s upbringing had always meant money was never an issue. Even when her parents we in their little snits, they had a tendency to throw money at the problem to make it go away. As such, funding issues were never a problem for Emma.
“Oh, I’m sorry to hear,” although it hardly felt like a bad thing that Jean was trying out California for alternatives. “although I’m not surprised you did end up teaching after all.” As much as Emma believed it was a waste of Jean’s talents and intellect, it likely suited her with how level headed and personable she was. A warm personality for children to attach to.
“What is it you teach?” It wasn’t difficult to see Jean in any school setting, young kids looking for a mother-like figure or older children needing the non-judgemental wisdom.
Emma would be a problem her parents through money at to make go away, wouldn't she. "I teach history and social studies, but at my current High School it's just the history part I'm teaching." She smiled, the flagged down a waiter to order a drink before continuing. "I've got an associates in Psychology, too. I picked that up after dealing with some of these kids. Makes it easier to help them or figure out what might be holding them back."
Some of it was obvious, but other things took some digging. "I don't always have the time to really do the digging, though."
“That sounds involved.” Adding her own drink to the order -nothing alcoholic since she brought her own car- Emma folded her fingers together to rest on the table, “I dare say it’s a very time consuming profession.” Although one that likely suited Jean. She’d taken a psychology course herself, less in a method of trying to understand problem children and more to address the likely issues her family life would leave with her. It later came in very handy with her manipulations of grown men and finding their pain points, but still. Noble causes weren’t really Emma’s thing.
“Do you like it here so far?” Moving from New York to California was a very large undertaking, and sometimes the change could be a bit much -Emma had resided in Los Angeles for a long time and even she found Orange County to be a bit of a change. But she didn’t want to all out ask if Jean was planning on staying for an extended time because it might sound a little needy or defensive.
Emma didn’t exactly have an abundance of friends after all.
“It can be. Work life balance hasn’t exactly been my forte lately. But I’ve been trying.” Jean could hyper focus on things that were important to her, so she tried to remind herself that that wasn’t healthy. “The city is nice, and so are the people. The students aren’t much different. There are some cultural differences I’ve had to keep in mind, but kids will be kids regardless. But I like it here, and as long as I have a job and incentive to stay I don’t plan on moving.”
Jean moved her hands up to the table, leaning in a little bit. “And there’s that odd little social network, too.”
The coasts were different, weren’t they. Emma rather enjoyed the ease and superficial nature out in California more than the snobbery in Boston, at least the circles she mostly ended up in. “Kids will be kids.” That was true enough, teenagers the world over, right?
If it was just a matter of incentive, well, Emma could make sure there was plenty of that. Funding things, investing in anything from an educational facility to simply making sure a coffee chain stayed open, there was no shortage of being able to do that.
Was it sneaky and underhanded? Maybe. But Emma was nothing if not used to getting what she wanted, and a reconnection with Jean was currently top of that list.
“Oh, that is a rather delightful little thing, isn’t it?” Beyond just the very interesting people to make the acquaintance of, all these little tidbits about dreams and strangeness. Well, Emma had a bit of a curious streak at times too. “Strange, sure, but it does seem to be very effective in networking.”
Boston had been full of snobs. In New York everyone had felt more genuine. Even on the left coast they seemed more genuine. More superfluous, but genuine. Jean appreciated that. She might not appreciate Emma being sneaky and underhanded. There might eventually be yelling, even!
“The networking angle is nice. I found you on it didn’t I?” Jean smiled, and gave Emma a little wink. “Another old friend too. I forget who recommended the place to me, though. But it felt natural to just log on.”
“Who knows how long it might’ve taken us to cross paths otherwise.” Probably a while, given the vastly different circles to run in. And Emma doubted she’d bump into Jean as she went off for some more scintillating entertainment at the Rear End or drinking away an evening at a cocktail bar. She certainly wouldn’t be loitering around schools in the area.
It was easy to give a small snort at Jean’s wink, shaking her head slightly as their drinks arrived, Emma just raising an eyebrow at Jean’s easy nature. “It is rather simple.” She’d been nudged by an employee during one of those times Emma was ready to burn some bridges just for the sake of it. Probably a smarter option all things considered.
“A long time.” Jean felt suddenly a little somber. She reached across the table to touch Emma’s hand. “I’m sorry. I probably could have reached out more.”
As far as the network was concerned, Jean had a lot of questions. Why did so many people seem to talk about dreams? She’d started to examine her own more closely.
It likely would’ve, they’d gone long enough without contact and they’d been in the same State for part of that too. Emma just gave Jean’s hand a small squeeze back, “We both could’ve, and I think we all know if I was in a mood it would’ve made little difference.”
Emma was stubborn as a mule, she accepted this. Most of the time it worked in her favour. Less so when she was just needlessly stubborn for the sake of it. “But is there any point in dwelling on how things were? It’s nothing we can change now.”
“You can be stubborn as all get out,” Jean agreed, her smile teasing and eyes flashing. Teasing Emma had always been a particular past time of hers, but she’d never done it in a malicious way. Emma had enough of that to deal with elsewhere, to get it from her friend too. “No, we can’t change it. But maybe we can start fresh. Or at least try to pick up where we left off.”
There were few things that Emma remembered as being good in her life. Jean had been a big part of that, a lot of her happier memories were with or around Jean, it was why she’d much rather rebuild what they had than start anew. Emma knew she was different, Jean probably was too, but their friendship had meant more to Emma than simply rebooting it.
“I would like that, picking up where we were.” Seeing if that part of her was still able to come out. “We do have a lot to catch up on, but I think we’ll do fine.” They never did have a problem communicating when they tried.
"I'm sure my life has been a lot more boring than yours." Jean put her hands over Emma's. "I didn't take over a business empire." She'd done her research. Google and other things. Emma looked good in a suit, and ... other things. Some of the things that the articles had mentioned about Emm had been alternately troubling and intriguing. But Jean didn't judge. Hell, she'd considered stripping once, herself.
The joys of tabloids. Emma was surprised that it was still possible for her to actually blush all things considered. Then again, a high profile case of rising from what appeared to be nothing to take over almost a dozen organisations to make her own, well, sure. There was a few pieces of information Emma would rather not have out there, but there they were. “Well, at the time I felt like it was the best course of action.” Sticking it to dear old dad. “I did the poor thing and it didn’t really suit me.” She came from too much money to get used to having so little, and Shaw had been the first step towards making her own empire.
“Boring or not, I’d like to hear about how you’ve been getting on, what you’ve been doing.” It wasn’t even the least bit covert when Emma turned to Jean’s hand to have a little look at her fingers. “Who you’ve been seeing?” Apparently not married yet either. Surprising considering just how wholesome and responsible and pretty Jean was.
“Been a few points where I was paycheck to paycheck, and moving cross-country hasn’t really helped,” Jean admitted. She didn’t harp on Emma’s past, or seem to be all that perturbed by it. It didn’t seem to bother Emma, though she noted the blush and had to fight not to blush in response. “No one lately. Had a couple relationships that didn’t work out. One of my exes is on the network. This scruffy biker guy. I think another one is too but I haven’t tried to talk to her yet, but she wasn’t really a relationship in the usual sense of the word. How about you?”
Yes, just casually come out as bisexual. Jean sipped at her drink and tried to look casual.
No, packing up and moving across the country likely wasn’t the best way to save money at all, and Emma remembered those first few months, before she fell on Sebastian’s doorstep, where she was attempting to make a living with absolutely no skills or connections. She’d been exceptionally lucky that Sebastian was as greedy as he was.
“Well, it’s good to know at least a few people in the area, isn’t it.” At least for people who tried to socialise, it seemed like an important factor. And Emma tried not to feel the mild jealousy at the mention of a past girlfriend.
There had been a time, when they were young and somewhat reckless, where Emma had envisioned the potential experimentation in that regard. Emma appreciated beauty, of the mind and body, and she was very aware of just how perfectly balanced Jean’s was. There had always been those jokes about all it taking for she and Jean to tumble together being one more drink. But they’d lost touch before it came to anything. “Chances to reconnect maybe?” And she was very proud of keeping the bitterness from her voice.
“No, I left all that behind in Los Angeles.” Sebastian had been such a constant in her life for so long, her debt to him being taken in her time and body, and while Emma had been satisfied with the arrangement, it hadn’t left her available to pursue anything meaningful. “After my father attempted to pay a man to marry me out of college, I focused less on romantic attachments.”
Jean probably wouldn't like Shaw. She'd be tempted to punch him in the face. Repeatedly. Over and over. "It's probably helpful that I know a few people, but I'd like to avoid the awkward." It wouldn't be awkward with Ro, and it seemed like it wouldn't be with Emma. She couldn't say if it would be for Logan though. "Awkward would be a disaster."
Once, Jean had wondered if Emma would have been her first kiss. That opportunity had long passed, and she'd always kept the feeling to herself rather than risk their friendship. Then they'd lost touch and she was left with what ifs. Things that, mostly, she'd gotten over. Jean looked taken aback, and disgusted. "Your father seriously did that?"
“I know, it’s shocking just how low he’ll stoop.” Ian had been particularly too good to be true a lot of the time, and at first Emma let her romantic notions just excuse all those warning signs, “We dated the majority of my time at CalTech, he was sweet and kind and after Graduation he proposed. Of course that was the same time I discovered that father had been paying him to be interested in me the whole time.” It was hard to tell when Ian’s interest in her had started, if it had been when her father started paying him or before, but Emma had walked away rather than find out.
“In the end, sealed his own fate really.” Since that was the moment Emma decided she was going to utterly ruin her father.
"That's horrible! I'm so sorry." Jean wasn't sure how she'd have reacted if she'd been there. Or been in Emma's shoes. Probably with a lot of yelling. Hell hath no fury like Jeanie scorned, or when Jeanie's friends were hurt. "I suppose it doesn't matter if he was interested in you before or not, any man willing to take money to date you isn't worth it."
Of course, Jean knew Emma, so she jokingly added. "If it had been me, I would have told you and then taken the money anyway and split it with you. Because I wouldn't have needed to be paid off to be interested. I can't imagine ever doing that to someone. God, it pisses me off!"
This was something Emma had missed terribly, Jean’s candidness. Sure, she’d heard it all ‘you’re worth so much more’, ‘I’d never betray you’, ‘you don’t need to pay me to date you’, but it was always less than sincere. Jean was nothing if not sincere. And oh to have had her there. “Well, let’s be glad you found out now, when he’s an entire country away, and I won’t need to post bail for you.” It was a light joke, highlighted with Emma’s genuine smile, something that was decidedly rare.
“Some people seem to miss the fact that we women always find out their dirty secrets.” As if Emma wouldn’t discover just where Ian got the money for a ring like that, or the car, or find out about the phone calls with her father. “I can’t imagine anyone trying to pay you to date someone, either. They’d be too busy throwing the money around to try and date you themselves.”
"That would get expensive wouldn't it." Jean laughed. That wouldn't be a problem for Emma, but it was the principle of the thing. "Well, we're not telepaths, but we do have our ways."
She ducked her head a little at the compliment, suddenly feeling sixteen again. "Don't bullshit me, Emma."
“Who’s bullshitting?” Emma could see all those prep-boys from their school falling over themselves to get a date with Jean, she could even see all those poncy men from her college tripping to lavish attention and money on the stunning redhead with the full package. And maybe it should’ve made Emma jealous, Jean’s lucky roulette win on brains and looks and a good family, but it just endeared her more because of how honest Jean was about it all -and just how short she sold herself. “We both know you are quite the catch, and anyone who didn’t pay due attention to you is just foolish.”
"I guess humble suits me more than you," Jean teased, her face starting to turn the color of her hair. She picked up her drink in an effort to hide her face behind it without actually looking like that was what she was doing. "You might be right. A couple of times I had men picking fights over me. Tossed them both to the curb. It just doesn't always feel that way, especially lately. I don’t have your charm." Which could also be taken as talking about Emma’s physical assets but they were both pretty well off in that department.
“Well then, maybe we’ll just have to pick up with things by going out some time, hitting a few clubs.” God, it’d been ages since Emma had gone to a club she wasn’t working, or when she didn’t have a mark to lure in. And sure, maybe it was just another excuse to go out with Jean, and be slightly less formal and maybe it was just to get to see just what might happen. But those were just bonuses in the long run. “I hear there’s quite a few nice nightclubs around here.” And if not, Emma could always invest in a sub-par one and make it better.
"I did hit the beach recently with a new friend," Jean said. "It was surprisingly warm out, but I don't think it would be a good idea now. I can't think of the last time I was in a club. That might be fun, as long as it's with you."
The two of them dressed to the nines and killing it. Jean grinned at the thought. "You'll have to help me relearn how to dance."
It was about then that Jean realized she would be happier if they just danced together rather than search for men.
“It’s like riding a bike, or sex, once you get back into the swing of it, you’ll remember everything.” Emma smirked over her glass, aware she was skirting the line between straight out flirting and friendly teasing. But it didn’t seem like there was too much harm, least of all with Jean’s earlier admittance of batting for both teams. “I dare say we can get you up to scratch no problem.”
“We can do it on a Friday, when you don’t have to worry about a hangover for work.” And Emma could blow off going to the office on a Saturday, she owned the company, it had to come with some perks.
"Get me up to scratch or scratch an itch?" Jean couldn't help it. It came out whether she wanted it to or not, but it was fun. "I'm out of practice with those things too."
She nodded her head, sipping her drink. "I'll nurse the hangover while grading, that should make doing the grades a lot more entertaining. Maybe I'll phone you up so you can listen to me curse."
“Well, I dare say we’ll have to plan for an interesting weekend.” Emma didn’t believe that she should plan too much, it was good to tease and joke, but when push came to shove, she and Jean had always kept that step uncrossed, hadn’t they? Maybe distance and age will have changed that, but it was hard to tell for sure.
“You can call and complain, I’ll get a driver to bring me over with some coffee, chocolate and offer a nice backrub.”
“Now you’re just holding out on me.” Jean’s smile was easy and brilliant, and though Emma still seemed aloof (she wouldn’t be Emma if she wasn’t aloof), there was still this familiar, underlaying warmth that she was happy to see.
“Would I ever do such a thing?” Emma wasn’t the sort of girl that was raised to share things. She rarely shared anything with her sister. With Christian, yes, she was exceptionally open with her brother. But sisters, well, the girls were catty and underhanded, weren’t they. All she seemed to do was fight with Adrienne and Cordelia -allowing Ree to run the Boston office was mostly a peace offering and somewhat of a ‘stay out of my way’ offering.
But that didn’t mean she didn’t share in other aspects. Emma didn’t mind offering to share with Jean; time, wealth, resources, she’d probably hand any of it over for Jeanie. Not that her darling little redheaded friend every requested such things. Emma almost always had to offer everything, happily. “I’ll have to take you to my spa some time. They can work miracles on backaches and muscle knots.”
“Well then, I may have to take you up on that offer.” It really sounded divine, and spending more time with Emma would be a bonus. Jean hadn’t realized how lonely she was until she’d started reconnecting with people. She wasn’t a solo animal.
“Good,” Emma loathed doing everything on her own, it added to her ice queen image, yes, but on occasion she would rather like just having a girlfriend or two that she could just relax with. Any of her employees would be far too uptight about things that Emma never asked. “We’ll have our calendars packed again in no time.” And more time with Jean was never a hardship. Emma could find things to fill the winter break easily.