xp_logs | Angelo and Madelyn, Wednesday noon

They run into each other in the kitchen and talk about baby Rachel and Angelo's plans for the near future.

Lunch and coffee were both very good things. Especially for a sleepy nineteen-year-old mutant who'd spent the early hours of the morning waiting for news of the latest arrival.

So, there Angelo was, with his caffeine and his food and no cigarettes because he didn't want to suffer death by Lorna for smoking in her kitchen.

Coffee was a very good thing. Problem was, there was none in her suite, so after showering and saying hi to Hank and Billy, Madelyn made her way to the kitchen intent on coffee. And maybe food. The mansion was quiet after the excitement of the night before, so she was a little surprised to see Angelo sitting at the kitchen bench with obviously the same intent as she'd had. "Morning, Angelo," she said brightly, and then looked at her watch. "Or rather, afternoon. Working nights always confuses my time sense."

He grinned. "Only just afternoon, so 's okay to be a bit off, I think. How're you?"

"Good. Something about helping deliver a baby always perks up my day." Madelyn grabbed a clean mug and filled it from the every-present coffee pot. Plonking herself down opposite Angelo, she wrapped her hands around the mug. "You should see her. She's adorable."

"I'll be right down there, soon as Nathan says she's ready for introductions", Angelo assured her with a grin. "Gotta meet the new member of the family, after all."

"Don't be surprised if you hear her in your head - she's got quite the telepathic presence already," Madelyn said with a wry grin. "She certainly made her whole displeasure about being born known." She sipped at her coffee, savouring it. Ah, exactly what was needed to face the day after five hours sleep. Then she regarded the young man in front of her. "You know, this is sort of familiar. You, me, the kitchen, a newborn..." A conversation they'd never really had the chance to finish, about Paige, and letters, and relationships.

"She doesn't have words yet, though, right?" His grin turned a little rueful as he remembered that last conversation. "Don't think Billy was all the way born yet, last time."

"No words yet, just... thoughts. Impressions." Madelyn nodded. "And no, not quite. That was part of the problem - we never did finish what we were talking about, and now..." She looked at him candidly. "Things have changed now, haven't they?"

"They have", he agreed. "They're... better now. I think." His voice was uncertain, though.

Madelyn didn't miss it. "Who are you trying convince, me or you?" she asked, sipping at her coffee again. She hoped Angelo knew by now that talking to her was entirely up to him - she wouldn't be offended if he didn't answer her question.

The rueful grin was back. "Kind of both, maybe. But... this is the best way it could've gone, with the way things are. Paige an' I are never goin' to be on the same road, an'..." He glanced at the door and his voice dropped. "Been thinkin' maybe it's about time for me to leave, anyway."

Madelyn raised her eyebrows, but when she thought about it, it wasn't overly surprising. Angelo was nineteen, had finished high school and was looking to his future. His ties to the school weren't as strong as they had been - as he'd developed, dealt with his issues, the need to stay had been reduced. She smiled suddenly, surprising him. "Sounds to me like you're starting to realise you're not a kid any more," she said, as quietly as he had out of courtesy. If he didn't want his plans broadcasted, she wouldn't announce them to all and sundry. "I'm sorry things didn't work out with Paige, but I think you're right. People change, and both of you have done a lot of that. And what you each want from life... well, sometimes two people can care for each other very much, but have completely incompatible desires and ambitions, and then it's either choose the person or choose the life. It can work, sometimes, but often it just leads to resentment and bitterness." She tilted her head at him questioningly. "So, this road of yours - any idea of where it'll take you? Or do you just feel like seeing where your feet take you?"

"Somethin' like that. When I go, I think I'll just... go. Pack up, say goodbye an' head out. Start with America first, probably, with the dog an' all." He grinned crookedly. "Won't be for a little bit, though. Gotta get to know Rachel, an' Bobby's only just got back."

"Ah, the Great American Road Trip. My Dad always used to wax lyrical about the six months he spent travelling after he finished high school. Just him and the car and the open road - sometimes I think he wanted to be the next Jack Keroac." Madelyn chuckled a little in remembrance of hundreds of stories that began 'when I was on the road...' "Have you thought about money? If anything, there's food expenses, even if you hitch and sleep rough."

Angelo shrugged. "Cash-in-hand jobs, whatever there is. Or maybe I'll work a bit in New York before I leave, get some saved."

"Well, between most of the people here, you'll have a fair network of contacts, so stay in touch, okay? Even just Hank and I know enough people for you to get laundry done and a bed for a few days, obligation-free," she told him, mock-teacherly. "And I think a job's a good idea, even if you don't end up going for a while - you've been spinning your wheels a bit here since exams finished, haven't you? Trying to figure stuff out?"

"I'm not goin' just yet", he repeated. "An' I'll be back, sooner or later. Everyone important in America's here or not far. Promised Amanda I'd write, too." Hearing the last, he nodded. "Kind of, yeah. Needed t'talk to Paige before I decided on anythin'."

"Oh, I know you're not, but hey, indulge my protective teacherly instincts here, hmm?" Madelyn winked at him, before sobering a little. Not too much though - she was still on the baby high. "Well, if you need help finding something, I know Charles has connections that way. What sort of work were you looking at?"

"Casual stuff", he said without hesitation. "Not lookin' to be anyplace too long, before I'm done."

"Well, yes. But there's a lot of casual jobs out there. Somehow I can't see you telemarketing," Madelyn pointed out wryly.

"I could telemarket", he said indignantly, not meaning a word of it. "'d rather be outside, though."

"Telemarketing's a hellish job I wouldn't wish on my worst enemy, and you're far from that," she replied, grinning. "Outside... you know, now Cain's on the team, he doesn't have as much time for groundskeeping as he did. Of course, getting off campus is probably better - we tend to get a bit sheltered here." She reached over and patted his hand. "When you're looking and you need a reference, give them my name." Then her stomach growled abruptly. "And I think that's my cue to eat something. Did you come across anything good in your travels in the fridge?"

"Will do", he said with a grin. "An' there's always good stuff in the fridge."