Who: Lorna Dane, Scott Summers What: coffee Where: close to Lorna's apartment When: two Saturdays ago (backdated) Warnings: Tl;dr
Lorna had sent Scott the address in a text message, and was walking toward the shop. She missed flying a lot, sometimes. But walking was good for her. She assumed it was, anyway.
Scott was smiling as he walked into the coffee shop, and grinned as he settled to a seat. He missed back home already, some anyway. It would be nice to see Lorna, again. Really nice. Even if he could not help but feel he had failed them.
He sighed and ordered an extremely caffeinated drink, then settled back.
Lorna bounced into the coffee shop, and looked for Scott, finding him easily enough. She smiled at him, and wandered over. He reminded her of Alex, but today she thought she could handle that.
"Hey you. Don,t look so guilty."
He blinked, then chuckled.
"I thought telepathy was my girlfriend's trick."
He stood and waved her to a seat.
"How are you, Lorna?"
"You and Alex both do the same thing with your jaw. I kept teasing him about it."
She sat and looked around for a server. "How are you doing?"
He nodded, watching her.
"Pretty good. Things are calm here, so far, and I em joying time with Emma without missions and crises constantly happening."
"Yes. That's my favorite thing about this place." She ordered her coffee and smiled brightly at the server. "How are things with Emma? She seemed pretty upset a lot of the time."
"Things are good. A lot happened before. Apparently she and Shaw were waging a bit of a war."
He shook his head.
"Now, he is gone, and I am here, and she seems to be... happy."
"Well, you're a pretty cool guy when you relax. And certain kinds of leeches are better than Sebastian Shaw."
She made a face. "How long have you been here?"
Scott laughed, quietly.
"About three weeks. I got in an accident when I first arrived and wandered the Australian Outback until I found a way to civilization and home."
He raised an eyebrow.
"you?"
"You really do have terrible luck." She shook her head. "I've been here a few months. I have a job surveying for the government, and I live with my kind of boyfriend, Simon."
The arrival of her drink was a very joyful thing. She took a long drink of the tasty caffeinated goodness.
He sipped his drink and eyed her.
"I am glad you are happy. It's nice to see it, really."
"I cheated. Asked God to take away my imbalances and my fake powers. So I've been dealing with my various issues. Still really embarrassed aout the stuff I did when I was crazy, though."
She blushed a little. "Honestly, I'm surprised Alex would have anything to do with me after most of it."
Scott blinked.
"Wow."
He thought about it and shook his head. What an amazing world.
"It seems you have taken charge of your life. I am glad. And, well, you and my brother had something special, and always will."
She shrugged. "All things come to an end. I've been doing a lot better here. I'd bring everyone from back home if I could."
"You never know what will happen."
Then he chuckled.
"I imagine Wolverine would have far too much fun here."
"Oh yeah. Though he'd have a fair shot at the various Jeans here."
She realized after she'd said it that she might have committed a faux pas.
Scott facepalmed.
"By all means, he is welcome to them, or anyone else. I have found where I belong."
He gently touched her shoulder.
"Jean and I were special, once, but we ended long before either of us knew it. I love Emma, and have no desire to be with Jean anymore."
Lorna nodded. "I know the feeling." She smiled wryly. It was nice to have someone to talk about this with, who had real life experience. "I just worry about the day we get one of the really bad villains here."
She didn't want to be caught off guard by it.
He nodded.
"We will take care of them when we do. Whatever happens."
"Yeah, but it will totally harsh my groove."
She smiled widely. "So, are you living with the lovely Miss Frost?"
He snerked.
"Harsh your groove? Working on the hip slang, Lorna?"
He chuckled, and nodded, a goofy smile on his face.
"Yep."
"I'm working with mostly grad students. I'm waiting for Simon to start picking up my ridiclously outdated slang."
Lorna beamed. "You need to smile more. It makes you look a lot more handsome."
"Cool. And thank you."
He blushed.
"And how is this Simon? And when do I get to meet him?"
Lorna's face took on its own silly grin. "He's so wonderful. Been through a lot, but he handles it all so well. I don't think I've ever met someone so nice, polite, and open. He's a really strong telepath, but he can't control it very well. When we first met he wore a dampening collar all the time."
Scott smiled softly at her.
"Good. You deserve good things."
He nodded.
"Sounds like a good man."
"He is. You should come by with Emma some time, or the other way around. Just to hang out. If we can ever find a day when none of us are working."
It was odd, realizing that she'd be spending the holidays just with Simon, instead of with a mansion full of people.
"Sounds good to me. Here, this is my number."
He handed her a card. He'd printed them out himself.
Lorna eyed it and giggled, fishing her own business card out.
It announced that it belonged to Dr. Lorna Dane, and that she was a government geologist. It also listed her cell phone.
"Just in case."
He chuckled.
"Doctor Dane? Wow. Now that is pretty cool. Congratulations, Lorna."
He took it and smiled.
She laughed and blushed. "Well, I had my doctorate back home, I just never had a chance to use it. I figured using my powers for hacking just once wouldn't hurt."
"Nothing wrong with that. You earned it. I am very glad to see things so well for you. If I can do anything, let me know."
"Same to you. I may not be able to leap into battle anymore, but I still have my uses."
She sighed a little. "I'm still not sure how I feel about it. I mean, the whole House of M thing. Just the idea that she could have so much power, and that he would wish for world domination when given his choice of anything he could want."
And her apparent wish to be a snarky, mostly naked bitch. "I don't know if Wanda didn't do the world a favor, taking away our powers."
He smiled and nodded.
"I am glad you are okay, now. But I will always know that you are my friend, and powers or not,. I will always welcome you at my side."
"Thanks." She finished her coffee, and contemplated getting another. "So you have a business card, but no business."
He nodded.
"Need any help?"
"Probably. But Emma would be the better person to go to, for the help I need."
She shrugged. "I'll probably talk to her tomorrow, see how insanely busy she is."
He smiled and poked her gently.
"If you want help, she is a good one for it, and I am sure there are other qualified professionals as well. Just remember you are not alone. You do not have to face anything alone."
She poked him in return, making a face at him. "I know. Thank you, Scott."
Scott laughed.
"Good."
He hugged her impulsively.
She was surprised, but hugged him back. He was a lot more open and easy to talk to now. Must be the combination of the world and Emma.
She approved. "See if you can get a night open for us all to have dinner. It'll be fun."
"Will do. I would love to meet Simon, and to get you to make that chili you used to make back at the mansion."
"I've perfected it since I got here. Home grown spices make the difference."
He grinned.
"Sounds good. Maybe we can have a night where you come over, we make food together and watch movies or something."
"Awesome. It'll be nice. Maybe someday we could even invite the me with the cock and her Alex, too."
"..."
Scott stared.
"The what and WHAT?"
"Yeah. It's really weird. I have to admit, I was a little nervous about meeting you today because of that. But you seem to have helped me deal with my crazy in a way that even Simon couldn't."
She loved Simon, but he wasn't as worldly as either of them.
Scott blinked.
"I need a drink. Where is the bar?"
He hugged her a little.
"I am glad to help."
"Across the street. Grab your coat." She laughed and grabbed her own coat. "Let's go, Mr. Summers."
He laughed, grabbed his coat, and followed.
"Lead on, Miss Dane!"
And lead she did, tossing her hair and shooting a smile at him. "That's Dr. Dane, remember?"
The bar next door was a pool hall, primarily. Lorna had discovered that she liked playing pool, and had brought Simon there a couple times. She tilted her head toward an empty table. "Up for a round after our drinks?"
Scott would probably be very good at this game.
He chuckled and followed her, noting how confident she seemed now.
"Sure. I warn you, you wont win unless I start getting migraine city."
He smiled wryly
She giggled. "Not if I get you drunk first."
Losing wasn't a big deal. Playing was all that was important.
He snerked and ordered a large beer, downing it almost immediately, and ordering a second, then turned to her.
"Now... explain, please?"
Lorna ordered a glass of wine, and sipped it slowly. "Okay. You've no doubt noticed that there are multiple versions of Jean Grey here. This world can and will pull people from two different realities who go by the same name and are very similar to to each other. The Lorna that's not me came and the next week, talked about going to LGBT meetings. Which Alex replied to with a promise to accompany her next time."
She sighed and thought about how best to proceed. "When I was younger I had doubts about my identity, and had a really time figuring out who I really was. I blamed it on finding out that I was adopted, and maybe that had something to do with it, but really, I was just confused, like a lot of teenagers are. I contemplated switching genders a couple times, and even asked Alex what he thought about it. I decided that I was less likely to be happy with an almost useless cock that I was with a fully functioning pussy. But the idea was a turn on for Alex. The concept of being fucked by his beautiful, bouncy girlfriend was something that we explored in great depth." She blushed a lot, "So to speak. So Alex being in love with a version of me that was only partially transgendered, in one direction or the other, is not far fetched. Though I'm willing to bet she was born male, or is from a more medically advanced world."
Scott took her hand and nodded.
"It sounds like you have you head put on a lot better here. And I am glad to see it."
Then he nodded.
"And I think that it sounds like they are an interesting couple. Alex always wondered what the other side was like, when we were younger, but I never knew he would go this far. I am glad he is having fun."
He grinned at her and downed his second beer.
"Wow."
"I'm glad that I'm more together, too."
She smiled softly. "And I'm glad that the other me seems so happy."
Scott smiled at her.
"I hope things work here for all of us. Seems a more peaceful world."
"Yeah." She smiled, sipping her wine. "Hooray for fun new worlds."
Scott laughed.
"So let's hope that this one is a good one. And we can have you over, and maybe even see if we can't help each other. I am going into business with my love, and who knows? There are always opportunities."
"Oh, definitely. I'm hoping we do get the chance to work together."
She finished her wine, smiling brightly. "It'll be nice to work together on something other than kicking people's teeth in."
He nodded.
"Tell me about it. I might actually get to teach people something other than how to fight effectively."
"Like how to make expressions without the use of half their face?"
Innocent Lorna is innocent.
He poked her, gently, and shook his head.
"Silly goose."
Lorna stuck her tongue out and poked him back, laughing. "I'm not a goose! I'm a scary monster."
She nodded, face serious.
"Right. A big, scary, terrifying... goose."
He smirked and drank.
"That's it." She stood, setting her glass on th table. "Sir, I challenge you to a game of pool for my dignity."
She winked at him as she said it.
He raised an eyebrow.
"Dignity? What's that?"
He rose and set his glass down as well.
"I, however, having none of that strange word, accept. Lead on, oh Mighty Goose!"
Lorna started laughing, holding on to the bar for support.
He sighed and ordered a club soda. This might take awhile.
"Say, Goose, old pal. are you okay there?"
Then he grinned and poked Lorna.
"No dying, okay?"
She poked him back, giggles abating. "Silly man."
He nodded.
"Sometimes."
He gently placed a hand on her shoulder.
"It is good to see you laugh, Lorna."
She grinned and hugged him. "It's awesome to see you relaxed."
He hugged her back, turned to the table and nodded.
"It is easy to be so when you are without most of the stress that was around you all the time. No responsibilities here, save those I pick up myself."
"Good. Like I said, you deserve the relief this place can give."
She grabbed a cue and looked at the table. "Alright, let's get started."
Scott smirked.
"Okay. You break."
Lorna nodded and toyed with the cue for a moment. Finally she put it in the middle of line and took her shot. It was a neat break, but it yeilded no sunken balls.
He smiled, and watched her, then nodded.
"You're getting better."
He set up and his mind rolled, eyes locking on the different balls.
Then he shot, and sent half the balls into the holes.
Lorna shook her head. "Lucily, one of those was mine, so it's my turn."
Scott grinned and bowed out of the way, to watch.
"Always glad to be of service."
She smirked and eyed the table. "I don't think even my most optimistic hope for this meeting went this well. This place really is a blessing."
"You deserve good things and good times, Lorna, as do we all."
He leaned on his stick, watching.
She took her shot, sinking one of her balls. "So what's it like being a kept man?"
He flinched, and for a moment his voice lost all expression.
"What do you mean?"
For once, the friendliness he had shown since they had met was gone. He was no one's kept man, and where he grew up, that was an insult.
"Whoa. Hold on there." Lorna put up her hands. "I didn't mean that the way you obviousy took it. But you don't have a job, you said, and Emma's paying for everything, so that puts you in the not in control position. That's all I meant."
She really had a talent for pissing people off.
He took a breath, and slowly relaxed.
"Sorry. Old sore point. People called Dad a kepty man after he retired and Mom supported the family."
He smiled and touched her shoulder.
"Truthfully, I get as much control as I want, but I am glad to take some time off. How often do you think I got a vacation since Xavier found me?"
"No prob. I didn't mean to upset you."
She shrugged. "Probably less than me. But I used all mine up trying to not be an X-man."
He hugged her again.
"I'm sorry."
She hugged him back. "No sweat. I didn't mean to upset you."
"I understand. We all have our weaknesses."
He poked her.
"Now shoot, so I can win."
"Pfft. I'll loose when I'm good and ready to."
"Sure, Lorna. Whatever you say."
He stuck out his tongue at her.
She stuck her tongue out in reply, and took her next shot, nearly, but not quite, sinking her target ball.
Scott watched, and smiled wryly, as he lined up and sank every ball he was supposed to. All in one shot.
Lorna shrugged and patted his shoulder. "Play again?"