xp_logs | Log: Jay and Forge in the medlab, late morning

Once the doctors have cleared him for visitors, Forge gets a quick stopover from Jay. Forge is not coping well now that he's realized what the loss of his powers is going to mean, and their talk does not go well by any definition.

Since the announcement of Forge and Lorna's return, it seemed that everyone was keeping an eye on Jay. Like he'd flip out and go barge in on his friend in the medlab. Which, granted, he would have, but he understood the enormity of the situation and behaved himself. But that didn't stop him from checking with the doctors every two seconds to see if Forge was up to visitors yet.

So when he was, Jay bolted down to the infirmary like a flash of lightning. Carrying with him a Red Bull (which he hoped Forge would appreciate), he calmly knocked on the door to his room.

Sitting up, Forge peered through the door, noticing the edge of Jay's feathers. "Hey," he called, "It's open." The scratchiness of his voice alarmed him a little. Fatigue and stress had definitely taken their toll.

It was sorely tempting to just pounce and envelop Forge in a tight embrace, to make sure that yes he was actually there. But he sounded ill, and Dr. MacTaggart's information frightened Jay. So he entered the room slowly, although the smile on his face was impossible to keep off. "Hey yourself."

Another familiar face was good. Forge brushed a small bit of purple cat hair off his shirt, pulling a pillow behind him to sit up. "Man, I go on a forced vacation for a few weeks, and I get all this attention? I could get used to this."

"Ah'd rather you didn't." Jay sat down at the edge of Forge's bed and patted his feet affectionately. "Fuck, it's good ta see you again. Everyone's been goin' mad these past few weeks. Madder than usual."

"So I heard," Forge said. "Mr. Marko was talking about it with one of the docs, and I overheard. Apparently Mr. LeBeau's alive? Magneto was speaking like they'd killed him. And Amanda did it? So much for her deciding to limit her powers." Forge screwed up his face into an expression of distaste. "Of course, that much power, she probably could have found me and Lorna WEEKS ago. Guess it's only important for the folks she's screwing. Heard about that too. So much fucking drama."

Laying back with a sigh, he looked at the ceiling. "So Doctor MacTaggart told everyone, huh?"

Jay's face fell. "Ah think people are focusin' too much on the shit she caused and not on the fact that she saved a life," he said. He'd actually almost been on Amanda's side, but hadn't said anything because he didn't need the rest of the school jumping down his throat. In retrospect, maybe he should have said something. Maybe then she wouldn't have locked herself up like that. "But, yeah, the Doc told us all last night. She mentioned 'bout your powers, too . . ."

Forge just nodded, glad for the change of subject, although not so much for the subject itself. "Yeah, I screwed myself up but good. Part of me's a little proud, you know? That it worked. That it kept Lorna from going nuts and trying to fight the X-Men. That I actually outsmarted Magneto." He looked down at his hands. "But then I try and remember HOW I built it, and nothing. I busted up my leg, and don't have a clue how to design a repair or a workaround. I try and think and nothing's coming. And the thing is, everyone's telling me how lucky I am to be alive. Like they know."

Jay reached over to take Forge's metal hand in his and gave it a reassuring squeeze, but didn't let go. "Ah reckon you are lucky, that Magneto didn't fuckin' kill you. But your powers . . . MacTaggart says it's an enzyme thing. Ah paid attention in bio. That kinda stuff can be reversed, right?"

Forge just shrugged. "That's what she says. But I can't put all my hopes on that. I'm going to have to plan for getting used to life among the normals. Or, well..." he smacked his knuckles against his leg, cursing at the lack of feeling. "As close as I'm ever going to get."

"You don't reckon you'll leave here, do you?" asked Jay worriedly. "Ah mean, even in the off chance the docs can't fix you, you've gotta stay."

Forge cocked his head. "The plaque out front says 'Gifted and Talented Youngsters', not 'Token Mundane Flatscans', Jay. I don't want to leave, but if this is it - if I'm stuck like this, it's how it's got to be." He looked away, not wanting to acknowledge the hurt his roommate probably felt by that statement. It didn't matter, Forge told himself. This was how it had to be.

Jay bit his lip and squeezed Forge's hand even more tightly. "The Prof ain't about ta kick you out, y'know. This is your place, super mutant brain or not. And since when do you talk like that? Ah ain't never heard you say 'flatscan' before."

"Since I practically am one now, Jay!" Forge spat back angrily, drawing his hand back. "And excuse me if I'm not jumping with fucking joy about it. You try having the one thing you have going for you just ripped away, like that."

Jay glared at Forge and hopped off the bed. He towered over Forge, and his bristling wings made him resemble an eagle about to attack his prey. "Fuck you. Ah have, remember? Friends, a successful band, the most wonderful man Ah could ever ask for . . . Ah had all those stolen from me, too."

"And you get to have that back, whenever you want!" Forge yelled, pushing himself up to a sitting position, glaring angrily. "The only thing holding you back has been you, all this time. You've had nothing but support. How many people up there are probably whispering about how I've probably 'gone to the Dark Side' or some shit? Because they don't even fucking have the first clue." He reached out, picking up a plastic cup and throwing it into the wall in frustration, water splashing across the room.

"Can I? Can Ah go back home and not get killed? It's easier to get to the top when you're in the closet. Ah ain't got no chance now, not in the big leagues." He shook with anger, and he gripped the chair near the cot so he wouldn't slap Forge. "And love? Fuck that. Kevin was it. Maybe you and me could've, but you made it abundantly clear you don't want me. That you don't 'get' love, even though you seemed to get Paige pretty good."

"Yeah, and we see how that turned out," Forge hissed, "Yeah, you want to hear that your life sucks, fine. Sucks to be you, Jay. But like you and everyone else is probably about to tell me - you've still got all your friends. Well you know what, Jay?" Forge suddenly seemed to focus on something beyond the walls, a mix of calm determination and regret on his face.

"They all know you. They know what you've been through, they know the stuff you've done, and they still choose to be your friend. They still want you around." He glanced at the small laptop computer, still closed, that Moira had left for him. "Maybe it's time I gave everyone the same courtesy. The whole truth. See who's so keen to have me under their roof then."

"Yeah? Maybe ya should. And maybe they'll all make the same mistake Ah did and still love you like Ah do." He reached into his pocket and slammed the small can of Red Bull on the table beside the cot. "Ah hope you choke on it," he spat before turning heel and stalking out the room.

Forge let the door slam, waiting a few moments before the familiar red hair of the doctor on duty stuck in the door. He didn't look up but for a second, sliding the computer onto his lap and opening the screen as he announced clearly "No more visitors today, please. I think I'd like some privacy," and began to type.