Monday, Terry/Bobby

[x-siryn.livejournal.com]

What didn't get said in Jean's office gets hashed out in Bobby's room. Terry tries to reassure Bobby but isn't terribly so. Backdated to just after this log




Bobby was silent as they left Jean's office, striding quickly out of the medlab, not checking to see if Terry was keeping up. He barely even noticed the pulses of cold emanating from him, his mind racing from one subject to another, fueling his anger, his frustration--and his fear.

Terry hurried to catch up, taking two steps for every one of his. Catching up, she caught his hand, shivering at the cold but not letting go. "Bobby? You didn't say much..." She could tell he was upset, his explanation of what the FoH had done to him weighing heavily on her mind. "Are you okay?"

Bobby pulled his hand from hers, shooting her an accusing look. "You still care about him." He didn't stop walking, although he did slow down a bit. This was not a fight to have in public, especially in this place. "I don't want to talk about it here. My room."

She winced and followed him silently back. The tension was obvious to anyone who knew them and probably anyone who didn't. As they walked, she tried to figure out a way to explain and apologise. Nothing brilliant came to mind so when they reached his room, she could only offer a lame, "It's not what you think."

"Oh, so now you're a psi, too?" Bobby retorted, flopping onto his back on the bed and grabbing a stress ball from his nightstand. He'd need it. "Fine. What is it, then?"

She winced again and sat down in his desk chair, clasping her hands together. "It's just...I've talked to him a lot and I knew him before...everything. The FoH isn't all that he's about. He just needs a chance to change. If we show him that he's wrong about mutants... It's a chance to fight back a little." Her plea sounded slightly guilty even to her, her feelings much more complicated than she was willing to try ot express.

"Uh huh." Bobby clearly wasn't buying it. "Yeah. Fighting back, that's why you were so eager to get down to medlab, talk to Jean. That's why you were so worried about what happened to him. Because you want to show him how wrong he is." He sat up and glared at her. "Do you really think I'm stupid?"

"No, I don't think you're stupid! But if you don't believe me then why don't you tell me what it is you're thinking? Why do you think I cared?" Terry snapped back. "What's wrong with me being worried that he'd been hurt while he was here."

Bobby fell quiet for a minute, as if considering her question, tossing the ball into the air and catching it, tossing and catching. Finally he asked in a low voice, "Do you love him, Terry?"

Her mouth fell open, utterly shocked. "What?" She probably should have expected that considering recent history but... "What?"

"You heard me," Bobby muttered, then sat up. "Do I have to worry about losing you to th--" He bit off the words before he could say 'the enemy', hesitating for a half-second before finishing, "to him? You two have history..."

"And you and I have a relationship! I love you and I'm not going to leave you." Terry shook her head, "I know I screwed up but is this what it's going to be like? You won't trust me even a little bit? What's next, I'm going to leave you for Forge because he helped me chart my powers?"

"That is soooo not the same," Bobby growled. "I had to save you from this kid and his friends, and..." He shook his head. "I'm all for second chances, Terry. I just. Didn't like...whatever. Nevermind," he trailed off. He really meant it, if Tommy could change, he'd be all for it. He just didn't see why Terry had to be all buddy-buddy with him, now or ever. "It's not a matter of trust," he mumbled under his breath. "I just...don't know where I stand, anymore."

"Tommy would never have hurt me." He'd told her so and Terry, being Terry, believed him. "The fact that Josh did...that was just bad luck. Tommy's got a lot to answer for and I want to help him do that." She sighed and got up, walking over to stand in front of him, "I'm not going anywhere, Bobby. Even if I...I can't say I don't have...I don't know, some left over feelings but it's not anywhere near how I feel about you. I really just want to see him learn better. That's all."

That wasn't exactly what Bobby wanted to hear, but it was probably as reassuring as Terry was going to get. "...Okay," he relented, reaching out to grab her waist and pull her against the bed. "I do trust you, Terry." Mostly.

She looked down at his hand on her waist then back to his face, considering how the possessive grip was at odds with his profession of trust. "I promise I'm not going to screw this up again. This isn't the same thing at all." She took a breath. "What do you want me to do? Not talk to him? Pretend he doesn't exist?"

Yes. Absolutely yes. "No, of course not." Bobby sighed, looking defeated. "Look. Just...be careful. I don't want him to hurt you." He didn't want him anywhere near her, ever ever, but that wasn't his call to make, not really.

Another breath, trying to make a decision. "Is this...Are you really upset about my history with him or about your history with the FoH? Because he's not them." Carefully, she placed her hands on his shoulders, terrified that she was going to ruin something. "I don't want you mad at me because of what they did to you."

Bobby sat back abruptly, out of her reach, staring at her. "What? No. This has nothing to do with..." He frowned at her. "So now you think I'm Stereotyping Guy?" This just got better and better. "Trust me, I'm judging him purely on his own actions, Theresa."

She winced, she'd known he wouldn't like that but had said it anyway. He wasn't going to like this any better. "No, I don't but I know that it affected you a lot and I know its still not something that you're okay with. So I asked because I thought you might have a problem with it and that's totally different than you not wanting me to see him because he's my ex."

Bobby looked at her, jaw twitching, and pointed out in a low, tight voice, "He is FoH, though, Terry. It's not the only reason I don't want you around him, but...it's part of it."

Terry shook her head. "He used to be FoH. Now he's here and he won't be anymore. He can't go back to that and eventually he'll see how wrong they really are. But that wasn't my point. Is it going to hurt you if I'm friends with him?" She wrapped her arms around her waist, waiting for his answer.

Bobby wasn't sure how to answer. He wasn't sure how much of his dislike of Tommy was from what he knew of the boy, and how much of it was his prejudice against FoH after his own experience. "...No," he finally said softly, staring at her arms.

She nodded slowly, looking away briefly then back. Her arms tightened, protecting herself against...who knew. "Would you tell me if it was?" she asked quietly, willing him to look at her.

Bobby flinched, his eyes darting to her face and away again. "...Maybe," he hedged.

Terry's arms uncrossed and she shook her head. "I have homework to do, Bobby. I should go. I'll see you tomorrow."

Bobby nodded, lying down on his side. "See you." He didn't want to let her go, but to be honest he needed some time alone to think about all of this. "Sorry."

She hesitated then leaned down and kissed his cheek. "Good night. I love you."

Bobby reached up and touched her hair lightly, tucking a bit behind her ear. "I love you, too," he whispered, smiling faintly. "Good night."

Comments

[x-forge.livejournal.com]

What's next, I'm going to leave you for Forge because he helped me chart my powers?

...that really works? Dude, I've so been going about this all wrong...