xp_logs | Terry/Ororo, late afternoon.

Terry tracks down Ororo for a talk after her email.

Terry read Ororo's email and felt a peculiar sinking sensation. It wasn't that the letter was terribly polite and formal, that was how Ororo always wrote, it was that Terry knew very well how much her teacher had done to bolster Scott in the last couple years. And how very little humor she would have for anyone who upset him which Terry and Bobby had. Grabbing her phone, Terry texted Bobby quickly and let him know she was going to talk to Ororo now. She could take the brunt of this one.

Terry couldn't hear Ororo's voice anywhere in the mansion and it was a stray glance out the window that solved the question of why not. Jogging from her room to the balcony that looked out over the school grounds, Terry emerged into fading sunlight just as her teacher touched down onto the stone.

Ororo had known it was Terry before she even landed - the girl's distinctive hair in the late evening sun was a dead giveaway. She was a bit surprised, as she hadn't expected a response from her so quickly; but then, of course she would be eager to move things along as fast as possible.

"Terry," she said with a small smile, her voice carefully neutral. "It is good to see you. I assume you received my email... is there something I can help you with?"

Terry nodded, silently, studying the woman carefully and trying to read her. It wasn't easy. It didn't matter how long she'd know her, Ororo was never going to be easy to read. "Was there something more that we needed to do?" she said finally, going for a more neutral tone herself, "Mr Summers had said he'd be sending the list of suites along. Did you need more than that from us? Your email...seemed like you thought there was more to do and you didn't want us bothering him." She left off the 'again'.

"Well," Ororo said, pursing her lips. "Once you have decided which suite you'd like, there will need to be arrangements made for moving your belongings, as well as changing any furnishings about that you need. It will not be too difficult a process, but I thought it best to handle it myself, as Mr. Summers is still... easing back into work." This was said without a change in her expression, though an errant dark cloud strayed over the horizon behind her.

Terry sighed, "Aye, so he is. We'll take care of moving our own things, it's not a big deal. You don't have to worry. We won't bother Mr Summers anymore." That hurt to say, hurt to acknowledge that her presence would only hurt one of the most important men in her life.

Despite her annoyance with the way Bobby and Terry had comported themselves, it didn't mean that Ororo wanted the girl to be upset. "Terry," she said, reaching out to put a hand on her shoulder. "I am sure that you wish for Scott to be able to celebrate your news, but... this is just not a good time for that. Surely you understand that the events of the past year may have given him reason to feel less than optimistic about things such as marriage."

"We didn't want to tell him! What were we supposed to do? Lie to him? Not be in love?" Terry's distress was palpable. "We only asked for a room. There are lots of people who have done that and I needed to move anyway. He asked. He asked point blank and I couldn't come up with a lie soon enough!"

Squeezing Terry's shoulder, Ororo shook her head. "I am not saying you should have lied, Terry. Only that you must give him time, if he needs it. His problems are not yours, but all the same they will affect you, I'm afraid. Such is the responsibility of being an adult."

Terry wrapped her arms around her waist, "We weren't planning on it. Things just got out of hand." She bit her lip, looking up at Ororo. "I know that people are going to think we're stupid and young and that this is just yet another in the crazy adventures of Terry and Bobby but...would it really have been better this was just us wanting to live together? Is that really how it should be?"

The irony of anybody asking relationship advice of Ororo was not lost on her, and she shook her head almost immediately. "I do not know. I think it will be right if you make it so, not if other people say it is. All you can do now is look forward and work from there." She gave Terry what she hoped was a reassuring smile, though her words were less so.

The small redhead sighed, "I know it's not going to be easy. But I wouldn't take it back. Even if it would make Mr Summers happier."

"Look after your own happiness, Terry, and let Mr. Summers look for his. Just, please... try not to take it personally if he does not seem happy for you." 'Not happy for them' was perhaps an understatement, but Ororo thought she'd leave it at that.

Terry nodded and started to turn away, then turned back. "Ms Munroe? Are you upset with us?" she asked plaintively.

"...no, Terry, I am not upset with you." With Jennie and Marius missing, the myriad of responsibilities of the school and team waiting to be handled, and the ever-present worry over Scott hanging over her, Ororo didn't think she had it in her to be upset with Bobby and Terry. "Or Bobby. I wish that you had come to me first, but you did nothing wrong."

That wasn't what Terry had meant. She knew Ororo wouldn't like that they'd upset Scott. But did she think, as everyone else would, that she and Bobby were doomed to fail? "I'm sorry, Ms Munroe. We'll let you know when we pick a room. We'll try not to be any more of a bother."

"You are not a bother, Terry. Don't ever think you are. We live in a busy, hectic home, but that does not mean your needs are not important. Perhaps once you pick out a room and know what kind of sunlight it will have, you and I can pick out a plant to grace your main room. Would that be all right?"

Terry looked up at her with a gaze that held not just the fervent love of life that Terry always displayed but the hard edge under it all, legacy of a childhood that knew the value of lies. There was no false hope there and nothing given back. "Sure that would be something to consider. I'll ask Bobby what he thinks," Terry replied neutrally. She wouldn't accept any promises right now.

"Very well," Ororo said with a nod, only now reaching up to smooth her wind-touseled hair with one hand. It seemed likely she had offended the girl somehow - if only she could relay to her the fact that her skepticism of their future happiness wasn't anything personal. But really, were any of the X-Men destined to have normal lives? "If there is anything else, do not hesitate to come see me. I will help however I can."

Terry nodded, "Thank you, Ms Munroe. We appreciate it." She backed away a few steps then whirled and dashed back inside. They were right to not tell anyone. Better to prove them all wrong first.