Backdated to last Tuesday

[x-mactaggart.livejournal.com]

Moira and Amanda meet in the city to catch up, chat and relax.



Tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear, Moira scanned the crowd for Amanda. They'd made plans to meet in the city, get lunch and perhaps just make a day of it. It been a while since they'd done something like this and they were both, from the sounds of it, working far too hard. Breaks were deserved all around.

Besides, Amanda was one of the ones that she wanted to tell about her new schedule between Muir and the Mansion before she let it out publically.

Downtown was always insane during lunch hour... Restraining the urge to drive her elbow into the ribs of the next person who got in her way, Amanda finally dodged around a pair of overweight tourists and spotted Moira standing in the shade cast by a nearby cafe's awning. "Hey doc," she said, approaching the older woman. "Sorry I'm a bit late."

She'd been at work and so was perhaps a bit more nicely dressed than was usual - plain black pants and a blue tank top of a silky material, nice and cool in the sticky heat of early summer.

"Nay worries, I've been boy watchin'," Moira said cheerfully, putting her water down to return Amanda's hug. "An' ye look verra nice. Tell me they feed ye while ye work yer 'ead off? I'll 'ave ta storm th' place if they're nay."

"Three meals a day, nice and regular," Amanda replied, laughing slightly as she hugged the other woman warmly. "No need for coming down with the wrath of Scottish doctors. How're you doing? You look... well, less tired than usual."

"An' believe me, tha' takes effort." She paused while the waiter took drink orders and then turned back to face Amanda. "Th' Medlab attendance 'as fallen, which means I'm nay pullin' out me 'air as much. An' I've made a decision about somethin' I've been frettin' about, so there's tha' relief."

At Amanda's questioning look, she explained, "I've been ignorin' Muir for so lon' now that I needed ta be able ta get back ta workin' wit' it. 'owever, I couldnae jus' leave th' work at the Mansion an' everyone. So tha' plane I bought, Cupcake, will be ferryin' me back an' fort' so I can do half o' th' week there an' half 'ere."

Amanda's eyebrows rose at the name, and she nodded. "Good," she said, perhaps a little surprisingly - it was a definite change from her previous reactions to proposed departures. "I know you've been wanting to get back to the Muir work and this'll make things a lot easier." She tilted her head slightly. "How about the munchkin? She going to be travelling with you?"

Pleased, and a little relieved, at Amanda's reaction, Moira smiled. "Some o' th' time. Nathan was verra much in favor o' this, mainly because 'e wants Rachel ta grow up outside o' th' States a bit. An' th' plane 'olds a good number o' people so everyone--includin' ye--are welcomed an' encouraged ta come wit' sometimes if they want ta, schedules permittin'."

"I'd like that." Amanda's smile was open and pleased. "And good, that you've sorted something out. I'm thinking the munchkin'll appreciate a break from insanity central too."

"Aye, that's certainly a plus as well, let 'er get used ta a place tha' isnae as 'ectic as th' Mansion. At times." Leaning back in her chair, enjoying the breeze, Moira looked interested. "From everythin' I've seen an' 'eard lately, ye're really getting' a kick out o' yer job."

"I am," Amanda said simply, although if she grinned any more broadly the top of her head would fall off. "I'm learning so much, and not just the college stuff. And they pay me for it!" She chuckled. "We could do with a few more people, but I think Pete's onto that."

Laughing softly, she relaxed even further. She'd been a little worried that Amanda would run herself ragged--considering the people around her, Moira included, it really wouldn't have been surprising--but that didn't look like a problem. "'Tis amazin' when they actually pay ye ta do somethin' ye love," she agreed, remembering her first job in a lab during college. "An' good, ye could do wit' a few more 'ands down there."

"When Pete pitched the idea at me, I thought he was just being kind, y'know?" Amanda said. "After last year, the mess I got into... I figured he was feeling guilty and wanted me closeby, so he made up this job for me. But I'm actually useful there, especially with the research stuff. Rack's training means I'm good at going through even the most boring tripe and not missing things, since if you don't pay attention in magic, you tend to blow yourself up. And the languages help too. Just wish I could work out what good my power could be - or even what it is."

"Tha'll come in time an' I'm nay jus' sayin' tha'. Every wee while I'm getting' an email from ye wit' another piece ta th' puzzle tha' yer powers turned inta." Her tone was gentle but firm. "An' yer more than useful wit' or without yer powers, jus' keep tha' in mind if it'll 'elp."

"I know. Just... well, okay, sometimes it'd help, being able to Heal or something. Remy's in pain so often. But then again, he wouldn't want me to go back on my word just because of him, so it's all academic, isn't it?"" Amanda took a sip of the Coke she'd ordered. "I'm starting to see a bit of a common thread, tho', with the power absorbing. Seems to be places where there are people, since in the mountains themselves I didn't feel a thing."

"Hrm." Moira looked apologetic suddenly. "I know this isnae goin' ta sound like fun, an' ye've been really good about lettin' me know when ye get back on trips, but I think keepin' a journal o' th' places ye go an' th' association wit' it might be a good idea. Tha' way I've got a written record an' can trace a pattern out."

Amanda nodded. "Well, I've got my journal on the computer back, so I could just use that - I can use code or something so the others don't get worried." She looked apologetic. "I'm not sure the idea of me getting my powers back is a comfortable one for some people. Not that anyone's said anything - this is Xavier's, where no-one talks about their shite - but I wouldn't blame them if they did."

Moira snorted loudly at that and took a sip of her drink. "An' Xavier's is renowned for their second chances," she said, the glint in her eye speaking volumnes of her Momma Bear mood. "There are more than plenty o' people who are so glad ye're back an' were worried about you when you were gone."

The look on her face changed slightly, more to amused, as she finished, "Includin' Angelo."

"He said." The tips of Amanda's ears, visible since she had her hair tied back, went slightly pink. "I didn't want people to worry, but I really couldn't stay. I'm glad to be back, tho'. I missed hi- you all insanely."

Turning a chuckle into a quick cough, though Moira supposed Amanda wasn't fooled, she nodded as she took a drink. "I think ye needed th' time away more than ye realized when ye first went. But I'm glad yer back as well, I 'ave missed ye." Reaching over, she rooted around in her purse for a second. "An' ye 'ave such wonderful timin' because thanks ta th' many cameras at th' prom, I was able ta update my photo albums an' th' ones on my desk!"

Moira handed over a stack of pictures with some very obvious ones missing the doubles already.

"Oh bollocks," Amanda groaned theatrically, beginning to leaf through the photos. She smiled a little wistfully at the shot of Doug and Marie-Ange posing for the 'official' shots. Which she'd avoided, thankfully, Angelo being a chaperone and not a student. "They look so good together," she remarked sadly.

"Aye, they do," Moira sighed, grateful she actually hadn't been able to hear the fight. She'd been in the boathouse feeding Rachel when everything had exploded. She'd have to go see how Angie was doing and then check on Doug, though she guessed that he would be a bit harder to crack. After all, Moira and Angie had the history of closeness and not the other way around. "'Tis such a shame, though if anyone can pull themselves back together--seperately or together--'tis those two. They've been through a lot."

"I hope so. Who else am I going to have as a role model of a good relationship otherwise?" Amanda's tone was light, but Moira knew she was worried about her former roomie. Flipping through the photos some more she came across one of her and Angelo dancing, looking as every bit as awkward as they'd felt. And there was only one copy. "Bloody hell, Moira, don't tell me this one's in the family album and all."

Trying to look as innocent as possible, Moira grinned around her glass. "Ack, never, Amanda," she responded lightly. "'Tis on my desk, nay in th' family album where it would never 'ave gotten seen."

The desk was even worse. Amanda groaned and covered her eyes. "We look like complete berks," she protested and then looked at the picture again. "Well, I look like a berk. Angelo looks sort of... James Bondish, in that tux. What is it about those things any way? You wouldn't think dressing up like a penguin would make a bloke look good." Manuel had always looked drop-dead gorgeous in a tux, she remembered with a small pang. Her head twinged a bit and she rubbed it absently.

"Ye looked absolutely wonderful," Moira argued and then she stopped, having caught the gesture and her smile faded slightly. "Are ye alright? Is it yer powers actin' up?" They were, after all, in a big city and they were still looking at the power fluxes. It wasn't all that long ago, after all, that her powers first came back.

"What? No, that's settling down, if anything. As long as I bleed off regularly, they're good." Amanda looked a little shamefaced. "'S the link, or where the link used to be. Hurts sometimes, usually if I remember, well, the good stuff." Her smile was brittle. "I s'pose he'd say it was poetic justice."

Snorting, Moira reached over to tuck a strand of loose hair behind Amanda's ear. "He doesnae exactly 'ave room ta talk," she said, emotions clear behind her words. There had been no love lost between her and Manuel. "But it may be somethin' ye should talk ta Nathan about, all thin's considerin'. He may 'ave some ideas about lessenin' th' pain."

A brief look of panic crossed Amanda's face and she shook her head. "No, it's fine - doesn't happen that often and it's not any worse than some of what I've had to put up with. If it gets too bad I'll talk to Betsy, I promise. Nate's... too close, and this thing with Manuel and me has already cost him enough. I know he'd say it doesn't matter, but I don't want to put him in that position."

"Alright," Moira soothed, not wanting to push Amanda any further than the girl wanted to go when it came to Nathan. And the other way around, as well. They were healing but it would take time. "Betsy's a good one ta talk ta as well, she'll be able ta talk ye through somethin's as well."

"Thanks. For not pushing." Amanda stirred the melting ice in her glass around with her straw pensively. "We're sorting things out, but he's had a lot of shite to put up with - not just from me, I know that. He needs time... we need time." She looked up with a small smile. "We're getting there, tho'. Meet up for lunch every so often when he has business here."

"I'm glad." She was relieved not just for the two of them but for herself as well. It was difficult being so close to two people but having there be a gap between them. "An' I'll never push...at least wit' this. Ye're right, ye bot' need time ta 'eal but 'tis good tha' ye're seein' each other. It's steps in a right direction."

"I think it'll work out. Seems to be so far." The girl shrugged a little, not sure what else to say - Moira didn't need to be in the middle, even if things were better. "Kurt dropped by the other day. We had a good chat."

"I'm glad ta see 'im gettin' out as well, Kurt's sometimes ta inclosed sometimes. But if he 'as ye ta worry about..." Moira gave her a quick wink. "Nay enough people in th' mansion actually get out enough."

"For someone who teleports he sure as hell restricts himself to one place," Amanda said wryly. "Still, we're getting on. Which is a start - of all my actual family, Kurt was the one I trusted the least, and here he is trusting me still when mostly the rest of them are happy to write me off."

"Kurt is remarkably...sturdy. Tha's a good way ta describe him I think. There's a lot ta 'im tha' sometimes even we dinnae see. An' I'm glad tha' ye're gettin' on wit' him more, 'tis good for th' bot' o' ye."

"Well, we're working on it. I'll never understand the scarring thing and sometimes I just want to keep picking at him until he loses his rag, he's so bloody calm sometimes. But we actually can talk these days." Amanda glanced down at her watch. "And bugger it, I should get back. New staff member and all, I'm supposed to get the place ready."

"Is it tha' late already?" Glancing at her own watch, she grimaced. "Time really does fly. But I'll drop ye a line again next week for lunch an' maybe I'll stop by th' office an' officially 'and over Wisdom's new set o' medical instruments ye're ta keep in the freezer."

Amanda snorted. "The gift that keeps on giving."