xp_logs | Jean, Terry and Bobby. Jean’s Office

Terry and Bobby follow Terry's email down to see Jean. She gives them the news and they have differing reactions which causes strain.

Outwardly, Jean looked calm and collected. A collection of files were spread over her desk, and her pencil was taping idly against the top one as she waited, not an unusual sight. Inside her shields, though, a number of thoughts had her attention. Already she'd done a few of these meetings - had actually gone to find Artie to speak with him earlier - but there were still several to go. This one, though, was going to be one of the hard ones. As Terry's email had said the two of them were on their way down she'd decided to hold off on replying to Terry's question.

There was a rap on the door then the couple slipped inside, used to telepaths enough to know that she was expecting them. Terry was clutching Bobby's hand when they came in, both pale and tense, her eyes worried and his grim. They sat down without seeming to discuss it, hands still twisted together. Terry spoke first, glancing over at Bobby, "You said it was about Tommy?"

Jean nodded, very much in her serious, doctor mode. The staff absolutely wanted the students to be as comfortable with this as possible, but there was a limit on what accommodations could be made. "Yes," she said. "To answer your question," a question which said lots about how far Terry had come since Tommy had first come to the school and spoke well of her, "he's fine. Rather more than, actually - there's no longer any reason to be keeping him in the medlab." She managed not to do more than very gently stress the word 'medlab'.

Terry's hand tensed on Bobby's and she gave him a pleading look. "So where is he going? Is he staying here?" Bobby asked in response to her look. He rubbed his thumb over the back of her hand as much to calm himself as Terry.

"He is," Jean said, nodding again. "Something happened this afternoon and it's become clear that it is not safe for him to leave, that he has no place to go. One of the Professor's scholarships is going to cover his bills and he's going to be a student here, at least until he can gain some control over his mutation." The wording was purposefully vague - it was up to Tommy to decide how much, if anything, he would want to share with his fellow students.

Terry looked relieved but Bobby's jaw went harder and his eye went flat. It was Terry's turn to be reassuring, covering their joined hands with her free one. "Where is he going to be?" Her eyes went wide as she considered the current vacancies. "You can't put him in with Jay!"

Jean carefully met Bobby's eyes, nodding slightly, knowing there was nothing she could do about his pain, not now, before turning back to Terry as their official spokesperson. "Of course not," she agreed unquestioningly. "At the moment, we're unwilling to put him with any of the other students - things are too complicated and tentative, and everyone is fairly settled as they are. There would be far too much rearrangement of everyone's lives to find a rooming situation which was anywhere near acceptable. For anyone. He'll be living on the student level, but he'll have one of the double suites to himself for now."

Terry nodded, sneaking glances up at Bobby. "You said something happened today that made it clear it wasn't safe for him to leave. What happened? Did he get hurt?" She could feel Bobby's hand gradually cooling in hers but needed to know this. She'd apologise later.

Jean's smile was small, proud of the girl for caring enough to ask after everything that happened, but... "Sweetie, I can't, you know that. Tommy's my patient, and now my student as well. You can ask him, but it's going to be his choice what, if anything, to tell you."

Terry bit her lips and nodded. "When is he going to be moving?" She thought of offering to help but realized that she would likely be unwelcome. And Bobby definitely wouldn't like it. She could wait to talk to him.

"Tomorrow, as soon as we've got one of the spare rooms ready."

"All right." Terry began then Bobby interrupted.

"We should go now." He looked straight ahead, not looking at Terry or Jean, his jaw tight. He needed to get out of here, go somewhere that he could think without a telepath staring at him, seeing all his memories. His skin went ice cold and he pulled his hand away from Terry.

"Of course," Jean said, nodding. "I'll be here if either of you want to talk later, as will Charles and Dr. Samson."

Bobby nodded shortly and stood up, still not looking at Terry though he was obviously waiting for her to join him. She stood more slowly, looking worried again. "Thank you, Dr. Grey. We'll keep that in mind," she said softly then reached out and touched Bobby's hand lightly. He flinched and muttered a goodbye to Jean and walked out, Terry following.

Jean watched them leave, then sighed, relaxing back into her seat. Reaching out she collected the two top files before standing to place them back in the cabinet in the corner. Two down, too many to go.