xp_logs | Nathan and Ororo, early Thursday morning

Ororo finds Nathan out for a morning run and drops in to talk about her conversation with Angelo the previous day. They plot a little. These two can be shockingly evil together.

It was very quiet at this hour of the morning, out in the woods. Birdsong was the only noise apart from his own breathing as Nathan headed down the longest trail, the one that looped all the way around the lake. He was pushing it a little, making his run this long, but he'd succumbed to laziness and gotten out of shape while his arm had been in the cast. Time to rectify that.

Ororo was afforded a unique view (well, perhaps not so unique to the inhabitants of the nearby mansion) of the lake from above as she flew on rapidly-rising winds over the water. Spotting a small figure below her, she descended enough to identify Nathan - Ah, perfect. With something like mischief in her eyes she swooped down, stirring the breeze enough to ruffle his hair before she touched down on the path before him.

"You divebombed people when you were a teenager, didn't you?" Nathan asked knowingly, coming to a stop and rather pleased that he wasn't breathing as heavily as he had been last week.

"Mostly Scott and Henry, and only because they deserved it," Ororo said, chuckling. "I am sorry to interrupt your run, but there is something I would like to speak with you about, just for a minute."

"Let me guess," Nathan said as she fell in beside him and they proceeded at a walk. "You've spoken to Angelo."

"Yes, indeed. He seems quite dedicated to the idea of joining the team. I admire his commitment, even if I question his motives slightly."

"I'm a little concerned myself," Nathan said. "Slightly. It's a good choice of words. I've been working with him for a full year now on the humanitarian side of things..." It was strange to think that it had been that long, especially given that Elpis itself had only been around since June. How things had changed, at that point... "He's got a genuine desire to help people. That much I don't doubt for an instant."

"Yes," Ororo agreed. "He would be an asset to the team, and I do not doubt that he will throw himself into training in order to get there as quickly as possible. But in speaking to him, his concern for you was a recurring theme... it seems part of his motivation for joining is to be able to keep an eye on you." She glanced sideways at his, raising one eyebrow. "Apparently he feels quite protective over your well-being."

Nathan coughed. "I know. Hence the concern... you know, though, that if I really thought that was the only reason he'd finally shown some interest in the idea of training for the team, I'd have shut him down so fast his head would still be spinning."

"Yes, of course. I trust your judgement, especially when it comes to Angelo. But I would like to see if we could cultivate his other reasons for joining a bit more, between us. Especially because we do not want him blaming himself if he does join the team and something should happen to you..."

Nathan closed his eyes for a moment, wincing. "Augh. Hadn't even thought of that..." He opened them again, looking sideways at Ororo. "You're going to start him on the reading, right? Past mission files and the like... there's a good way to start getting him to examine his own motivations more closely. We should make sure we talk to him about what he's reading, how he could see himself making a contribution in situations like that."

"An excellent idea. Pairing him with some of the more experienced members of the team may help in that regard as well. I am confident that he will soon realize how fulfilling it can be, and perhaps that will both take his mind off of worrying about you, and also show him why you do choose to do it." The skies began to lighten even more overhead, a few lace-like clouds drifting across the horizon.

"Could kill two birds with one stone," Nathan said very carefully, his lips twitching slightly as he glanced sideways at Ororo. The 'I have a possibly evil idea' expression was as clear as day.

"Should I even ask?" she said wryly, a smile growing on her face.

"Send him to Scott, to talk about his reading," Nathan said simply.

"Oh, Nathan, that is an excellent idea," Ororo declared delightedly. "I love it. Yes, I think that would work very well, for both of them."

Nathan was nodding, the smile escaping finally. "I may be broken-brained," he said smugly, "but never forget I'm still a devious old man."

Ororo scowled, reaching out to shove him lightly on the shoulder. "You dwell far too much on what you do not have right now, and not enough on what you do have. You are far from broken-brained, especially if you can come up with a scheme like that."

Nathan just smiled for a moment, then shrugged. "They're coming back, you know," he said. "The TK fits are getting more sustained and less... fit-like. And my telepathy's in and out a few times a day now."

"I am glad. For all the hardship you have been through, you are still very lucky."

"Don't I know it," Nathan murmured, then shook himself, his tone more brisk as he went on. "So we'll steer Angelo in Scott's direction, and do some good for both of them... we should get him out on a mission as an observer as soon as it's feasible, too."

"Mm, yes, I would like to see how he reacts in that situation, and what his interpretations will be. I have a feeling he may very well be a natural at assessing and judging... it will be a short leap to have him working with the team," Ororo said confidently.

Nathan raised an eyebrow at her. "All things in their time," he said, and had the sudden, rather appalling realization that he was quoting MacInnis. He shook his head again, at himself this time. "Who'd have thought, a couple of years ago... not that I wasn't fond of him back then. But damn, has he grown up."

"And with your guidance, he has grown into a composed and driven young man. Not that I would have expected otherwise, under your influence," she teased.

"Which part? The composed or the driven?"