Jean and Doug

[x-jeangrey.livejournal.com]

After he gets his mutation check up, Doug is deposited on Jean's door for his psychic one.



Jean gestured for Doug to take a seat. Moira had suggested attempting a telepathic conversation with the boy to make sure he was ok, mentally, with what he'd done to his powers and his abillity to communicate, so they'd gone back to Jean's office. Given he couldn't even write messages, it would be best for her to be as close to his thoughts and emotions as possible, so once he was settled she closed her eyes, projecting her mind. Doug's mindscape formed around them, and Jean paused for a second to consider it, suspecting he wouldn't have had the training to alter it consciously and that it would give her a fairly good idea what sort of shape he was in.

Doug's visualization tended toward concrete representations of abstract concepts, and so the portion of his mental "landscape" that dealt with his ability to communicate was represented by a communications tower. A tower whose transmitter was broken, but looked like it was in the process of being repaired by some invisible force. The receiver, by contrast, looked to be in pristine order.

#Ah, well, that's good news,# Jean thought, smiling. #Doug? How are you doing?#

Even though Doug hadn't been too particularly worried about his inability to communicate, he had to admit that it had been a little trying at times. The ability to communicate inside his own brain wasn't impaired at all, and there was a definite tinge of relief to his mental reply. #Only being able to communicate by pointing has been a little old, but I think it's just a natural reaction to how hard I pushed myself working on the software for Mr. al-Rashid.# He indicated the broken transmitter. #It seems to be healing slowly, as far as I can tell.#

#It's not that common, unfortunately, for powers to come with such a... successful method of stopping you from pushing too far, particularly the mental mutations. I'd say you're actually fairly lucky, although I know it probably doesn't seem that way now.# She considered the communications tower. #Healing is good, even if it is slow.#

#A lot of people have been kinda worried, like Angie,# Doug sent. #And not being able to talk makes it kinda hard to reassure her.# He sent a mental chuckle. #But yeah, I figure that it'll come back slowly on its own, without any real need for a whole lot of intervention on anyone's part.#

#I'm sure you can find plenty of non-verbal ways of reassuring Marie-Ange.# Jean's own amusement colored her reply, the fact that Doug was taking this so well reassuring her. #And may I say thank you for not needing much intervention. We're sort of short on intervention manpower down here these days.#

Doug nodded. #That was the other thing. Between Mr. al-Rashid, and the boy in the coma, this didn't seem like nearly the same sort of priority, you know? I mean, I'm sure Angie would have something to say about me and my noble streak, but a bit of temporary power burnout, and one not involving totally spraining my brain like Mr. Dayspring, just didn't seem worth getting all worried about.#

#Triage,# Jean replied. #It's not that it's not important, that you're not important. It's simply a question of resources. But the fact that things seem to be healing themselves makes it an easier call. I do want you to come back down if things are going too slowly, or if you need help with anything.#

#Yes, ma'am,# Doug sent, sketching a jaunty salute with a grin. #And that's approximately what I figured, about the resources thing. And I promise I'll come down if I need help.# He grinned wider. #Especially since the alternative is getting slung over Jamie's shoulder again and dragged down if I don't.#

#Heh. And that's why you guys win the big brownie points. You're sensible. Most of the time.#

Doug scuffed a foot on the psionic landscape. #Yeah, well, I screw up pretty spectacularly sometimes, too,# he admitted, wondering what Jean might have heard about the events of the Red X blood drive, given that she'd been "dead" at the time.

#Yes, you do.# Having gone through all of the medical files, and all of the X-Men reports meant it didn't take a telepath to figure out what he was referring to. #But you learn from the fuck ups, and you don't repeat them, for the most part. Which is a good sign.#

The term 'fuckups', coming from Dr. Jean Grey, threw Doug for a bit of a loop for a moment. Though, upon reflection, he supposed it had to do with that infamous 'redhead temper' that showed up so often in Terry. Jean just hid it better. #I had plenty of pounding that lesson through my head, yes,# he replied.

#So, as one of your teachers, sort of, quiz time. What's the lesson here?# Jean waved towards the broken transmitter.

#Um, I'd say don't push so hard, but it was kinda necessary, considering, and with no real harm done...# Doug hemmed.

#Mh-hmmm,# Jean hummed. It sounded encouraging, but clearly she wasn't going to let him off with just that.

Doug was baffled. #Um, I'm not sure, really. I mean, I know pushing yourself to the point of burnout isn't the best idea, but sometimes it's necessary.#

Jean nodded. #There is that, yes. But what's different about what you did here and what you did then?# She closed her eyes, searching, and the relevant memory came to hand. The mindscape flickered, a computer screen appearing with a flashing IM icon. thecatsmeow: Doug, food, left hand. Eat it!

#I didn't shut myself away from everyone else?# Doug sent tentatively. He really was not at all sure where Jean was headed with her line of questioning.

#Mh-hmm. You're part of a team, Doug, and as part of the team you guys did something incredible, something none of you could have done on your own. Certianly something none of the rest of us could have done. And you pushed yourselves, possibly even pushed yourselves too hard, but you even had fail safes for that. As evidenced by your two escorts bringing you down here today.#

Doug nodded. #Angie and Jamie have been a godsend. I don't imagine we could have done what we did without them. Because in taking care of us, they left us free to worry about all the stuff that required massive amounts of brainpower.#

#There are times when this is worth it,# Jean said, gesturing once again to the broken tower. #Times when Nathan's medlab visits are necessary. And it would be beyond hypocritical of me not to say that there are times when making the last choice is what you absolutely have to do.# The ghost of a sound of crashing water echoed around them. #But in the end, it's about the team, or the family. It's about the people you work for and work with that make it worth it. You guys did good, Doug, and we're all so proud of you.#

Doug nodded, and back in his body, he had the sense that he was tearing up a bit. #Thanks, Ms. Grey. That...means a lot to me#

Jean smiled at him, before her gaze went distant for a second. #Ah, I think the others are getting a bit antsy. Is there anything you want me to tell them, besides 'I'm ok'?#

#Mostly that,# Doug replied. #Not to worry too much, that this is taking care of itself just fine. And...well, I'd say tell Angie I love her, but I can find plenty of ways to tell her that without words,# Doug finished with a smile.

Jean nodded, keeping the smirk at least small, if not entirely absent. #I'm sure you can.#