xp_logs | Alex, and Lorna- Just before dinner

Alex comes acorss Lorna in the kitchen, surprise, surprise. But when he tries to call her on hiding, things get a tad rocky...but nothing a little tears and holding can't fix

Alex stood in the entrance to their small kitchen, arms folded and legs crossed, just watching Lorna in her element. Though was concerned about all the backing she was doing, it didn't stop him from enjoying watching her in her element.

Lorna paused and glanced over at him with a smile, admiring the way he looked leaning against the doorjamb. "Did you need something, love? Dinner won't be ready for a little while yet, I got a late start because of Dani and Marius's accident earlier."

Alex shook his head, not moving at the moment. "Nah, I was just watching. I'm not bothering you am I?" If he was, he'd come back and ask later. It was her coping mechanism and he wasn't about to interrupt if she desperately needed it right then.

"Of course not. The pasta has a few minutes longer to cook and the chicken just went in so that will be a little bit too." She double checked that anyway just to be sure before going back to her cutting board to chop things for a salad. "How was your day?"

"Alright..." Finally moving from his spot, he moved to stand next to her by the counter, looking for and failing to find a spot not covered with food. "How was yours?"

She handed him a carrot absently and shrugged, "It was fine. Did some cooking down in the main kitchen. Came up here to set the marinade then went back down to find Dani freaking out. Got her to the medlab and was chased out so I came back here. Mostly unimpressive."

"Did some cooking?" He lifted a worried eyebrow, fiddling with the carrot she'd given him. "Lorna...this isn't some cooking. In fact, it's starting to really worry me..."

She looked at him, startled, the knife faltering in her hands. "Worry you? Why would it worry you? I like cooking."

Alex bit the inside of his cheek. "I know that. It's the uh..." He looked back at the counter. "The magnitude I'm worried about. Your hiding behind it and while at first it was okay...now it's worrying."

"I'm not hiding behind it." She looked down at her hands and deliberately started cutting up vegetables again. "I'm just...this is calming, is all. I'm good at it and it doesn't come from being a mutant or anything. Just training and classes." Her knuckles were white as she gripped the knife. "And so what if I am hiding?"

Even if he mutant powers had nothing to do with controlling metal, Alex wasn't comfortable discussing this while she had a knife in her hand. Slowly, he reached over and put his hand over hers, stilling the blade. "Because you need to see people. Outside of the suite. You can't stay in here and cook for the rest of your life. You said yourself you wanted to get out..."

"I went out of the suite. I cooked in the main kitchen. I fed at least three people lunch." She stiffened defensively but put down the knife. "And last week I went for a walk. And Jamie came by the other day and both he and Kitty were here last night..." She made a face because those carefully orchestrated events didn't really count. "I still don't want to make anyone have to deal with me if they don't want to."

"Yes because everyone is going out of their way to avoid you." Alex sighed and rolled his eyes, not removing his hand even though the knife was down. "It's more you’re avoiding everyone else and you know it. You’re not going to change that notion of yours by hiding here."

Lorna glared at him briefly though she couldn't sustain it. "I think I'm allowed to have a few odd notions. Like that people might not want to spend time with a murderer."

Alex just raised an eyebrow. "You’re not the only murderer here. You’re not even the only murder in this suite. And yet, people still flocked to the door when you said you would see people. Somehow, I can't believe your logic there." Then he sighed and pulled his hand away. "When are you going to realize that people have forgiven you....even if you haven't forgiven yourself?"

"I'm scared, okay? Is that what you want me to say? I'm terrified of going out there and facing those people who used to be my friend and having Magneto's words come out of my mouth. I can't even use my damn powers to chop an onion because of what he's taught me." She backed away from him, arms crossing defensively. "I don't want to go out there."

"That's what I was afraid off." Alex put down the carrot he was holding in his other hand, but stayed where he was. If she needed space, he'd give it too her. "I'm going to be honest. I don't know what to say, except you can't hide in here forever. You live with these people, your going to have to face them sometime." He shrugged and started to turn for the door. "I'll leave you alone if ya want."

"Alex!" The panic was audible. He couldn't leave her. She wouldn't be able to stand it. She'd taken an involuntary step forward almost before she realized it.

He turned, startled at her sudden panic. "I was just leaving the kitchen, I swear!" Alex took a deep breath. "I was just going into the living room...I thought you needed space..." His voice was soft. "I'm sorry; I didn't mean to scare you..."

Her hand crept up to encircle her neck then clenched to a tight fist when she realized what she was doing. "I...I'm sorry. I just...I didn't think. I...you can go wherever you want to." She was shaking.

Alex closed his eyes and sighed, before just opening his arms to her.

Lorna wasted no time in rushing to him, wrapping her arms around his waist and trembling uncontrollably, fighting the urge to sob. Even though she wasn't crying every ten minutes anymore, it felt like she was. All her illusions of wellness were too thin to sustain themselves.

Alex held her close, burying his nose into her hair, his arms tightly wrapped around her shoulders. "Shhh...It’s alright. Everything is gonna be okay. Maybe not right now, but it will. You'll see." If anything, he felt better when she was like this then the marathon baking. At least when she was crying, he knew Lorna was facing her fears and not hiding.

She didn't feel like everything was going to be all right. Her therapist, like everyone else, told her that it would be. That everything resolved itself in time but Lorna wasn't so sure. Too many things were so easily broken and so hard to fix. "Please, God, Alex. Don't leave me. I couldn't stand it."

The only made him hold her tighter. "I'll swear to any god you want...I will never leave you Lorna. Ever. Not for any reason in the world."