Jean and Angelo, Monday evening

[x-jeangrey.livejournal.com]

Angelo comes down and Jean gets to have another one of those talks.



She wanted to talk to him about Tommy Jones. Angelo was slightly confused as to just what might have anything to do with him on that matter, but headed for Jean's office when he'd finished his work for the day anyway.

Jean looked up at the knock on her office door and smiled - none of these meetings could be termed anything close to easy, but at least this one had the potential to be not quite so difficult. "Come in, Angelo," she called out.

No surprise that she knew who it was, at least. He pushed open the door and walked in, glancing around automatically. Only Jean in the room. "You wanted to see me?"

"Yes, indeed. Take a seat," Jean said, gesturing to one of the chairs across from her desk. She waited until he was settled before continuing. "I'm sure you're quite confused about why I emailed you. I would hardly say that this is just a formality or even just a courtesy, but we're touching base with a number of people because of the latest development in Mr. Jones' case."

"Yeah, you said in the email... why, what's happenin' with him?"

Jean hadn't known Angelo when he was attacked in the mall, hadn't been here while he was still a student, even, for more than a few months. There was less of a connection with him than many of the other students, but that didn't mean Jean's desire to make sure he was ok was any less. However, it did mean she was less certain how much softening of the subject matter he would want or even need. But he worked with Nathan now, and Jean felt she could trust him to be adult about this. "The long and short of it is that he is no longer in need of constant care, and as such we're going to be moving him out of the medlab tomorrow, and enrolling him as a proper student on scholarship next term. He'll be living on the student level and attending classes but, given his record and the history that you and some of the others have with the Friends of Humanity, we felt it would be best to at least let you know what was going on."

There was a pause of a minute or so before Angelo nodded, at least seeming calm. "Does Bobby know?"

Jean nodded. "Yes, of course, I've spoken with him and Terry, Artie, and several of the others."

"How'd he take it?" A moment later, he added, "I know you maybe can't tell me, patient confidentiality an' all, but I just want t'know if I'm goin' to be draggin' my roommate out of his bedroom again."

"I can appreciate that," Jean said, smiling faintly. "I would... hesitate to say he took it well, but for all of that, I don't believe he took it badly. I do think he's going to want someone to talk to, eventually. Possibly not now, though."

Angelo nodded. "I'll be around. Guess Terry will, too." He still wasn't completely happy with Terry for the Manuel incident, but Bobby seemed to be so he was holding his peace.

"That's good to know, Angelo. That's very good to know. And I want you to know that, if you need to talk, we will be around as well."

"Thanks." He grinned wryly. "Kind of glad I'm not takin' classes here anymore. It'll make him easier to avoid."

"Fair enough," Jean said, smiling faintly in return. "I imagine you're not the only one of the older students who feel that way."

"He reminds me of me", Angelo said with a shrug. "Only difference is I came from the other side of the country an' I never hurt anyone here before I manifested. Mostly 'cause I never met them."

"I don't think he could please us more, Angelo, than by turning out even half so well as you have." One did not have to be ruled by history, even their own history, and Angelo was living proof of that.

That got a crooked but real grin, and another quiet, "Thanks."