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xp_logsWhat begins as a normal, if stilted conversation between Logan and Ororo quickly turns into the official repercussions of his actions on Friday. Neither party is particularly happy, and not surprisingly the only solution left to take doesn't improve matters much.
Ororo tsked as she knelt next to the rosebushes, taking in the signs of frost that edged the glossy leaves. It was inevitable as winter drew nearer that the plants would start looking a bit bedraggled, but she still hated to see it. She made a note to begin moving the weaker plants back into the greenhouse - a tiring task, but one that was necessary if she wanted to bring them back next year when the weather calmed.
Logan wandered out to join Ororo, cigar between his teeth. He was dressed warmly - buttoned-up flannel, jeans, boots, and his Stetson. "Hey, 'Ro." he said, grinning at the woman. "Looks like you got some frost to deal with."
"So it does," she agreed, rocking back on her heels and looking up at him. "They will be fine, I am sure. I just would have liked to see it hold off for a little longer."
"There's a metaphor there somewhere." he said, kneeling down next to her. "Need a hand?" he asked, letting her hear his desire that she'd say yes. "Good day for it."
"I would appreciate the help," the white-haired woman said with a nod. She motioned to a bag of mulch and the trowels sitting next to it. "Each bush needs some mounded around it. I will show you just how much, and the rest should be simple enough."
Logan nodded, picked up his tools, and then waited for her to indicate how much mulch each bush was to get. "Been a rough few months, darlin'." he commented as he waited. "Whole lotta crap has gone down, both good and bad."
"Mm..." Ororo made a non-committal sound, opening the bag and tipping it over in front of one of the bushes. Then, obviously mentally shaking herself, she nodded, lips pursed. "It has. It always has, I've found. But this year has seemed harsher than the others, for some reason... the disasters are coming closer together and hitting harder than before."
"Been hard on some." he said, looking right at her. "Hard on me as well." he said. "Liked it better fightin' for my supper, movin' from place to place. But I can't just go - despite what Lorna and Cain think, I'm needed here." he said after a short pause. "Someone's gotta look out for Marie." he said with a small smile.
"I am sure she appreciates having you here," Ororo murmured. ""t is always good to have a familiar face at hand."
Logan snorted at that, and covered another bush with mulch. "What do you think?" he asked after a moment. "You think I'm needed here?"
Ororo paused then, up to her knuckles in mulch, her expression very still and calm. “I think,” she said thoughtfully, “that you need to be here. As for whether you are needed… not as a teacher, no. You have demonstrated that quite ably.” Be calm, be calm. He does not need to be zapped a second time. “What you have done… it is not forgivable. You and Crystal have demonstrated exactly what we are working to prevent. And I am so tired of cleaning up the messes…” Her jaw tightened and she stopped speaking, eyes on the ground. A moment passed as she roped her emotions more tightly in place. “But I do not think that there is a better place for you to be, at this time.”
Logan blinked. "She has giri to me. To all of us." he said, as if that explained everything. "It is her _duty_ as a student to adapt, to belong. She is a rude and spoiled little princess who throws tantrums." he said with a grunt. "And she attacked _me_. Last I checked, that kind of thing was frowned on. I put an end to it."
She almost couldn’t believe what she was hearing – if it had been from anyone else, she would’ve asked them if they were joking. With Logan, however, she knew it was deadly serious. “You talk of duty after attacking a student? What of your duty to your job, to this school? Parents do not send their children here to be mocked and endangered, they send them here so that they will have a safe environment in which to learn. What part of that situation was safe, Logan? What part of it taught Crystal anything but to misuse her powers, to hurt out of anger, to take the impulsive route instead of acting like a civilized human being?”
"She was perfectly safe. Review the tape, Ororo. Contemplate the number of ways I could have done damage to that girl. I needed to impress on her the futility of her actions in a way that would get the message across clearly and still do no harm. If I wanted to hurt her, I would have." he said simply. "My giri to the school and to Xavier-sama is ... complicated." he said with a shrug. "I ain't perfect, 'Ro."
With a sound of frustration Ororo pulled her hands out of the mulch, brushing them off on her thighs and standing. “No one is asking you to be perfect, Logan. No one at this school could ask that, at risk of being a hypocrite. But the way you acted to Crystal and her sister was absolutely inappropriate, and you should have known that. Whatever your opinions of the students may be, you were expected to keep them to yourself. Aggravating her to the point that she felt she needed to attack you was irresponsible and foolish. You do not need to employ stupid, futile, dangerous lessons to get a point across.” She was ranting, she realized, but it needed to be said.
Logan shrugged as he mulched another bush. She wasn't understanding. "She wouldn't listen to me." he said dismissively. "Too full of herself, too wrapped up in her own sense of entitlement. Older one's not too bad, although she's the same way."
“I have worked with Crystal since she came to the school,” Ororo stated, frowning down at him. “And while some of her customs and habits may be different from our other students’, I never found her to be anything else but a dedicated student and respectful young woman. It is not our job to assert our dominance over them, nor should it be our concern what they believe they are entitled to. I do not care if her behavior rubbed you the wrong way… your actions were inexcusable, Logan. And the fact that you have not offered even an apology shows that your talk of honor and duty is just that. Talk.” Her tone was hard, as was her expression. Ororo was officially Not Happy.
Her anger washed over his sensitive nose like acid. "Soon as I do something to apologize for, I will." he offered blandly. "She shows me a different face. She's skilled, yes, but she has no _discipline_. And refuses any and all attempts to teach her some. Is it honorable to let her run wild? Is it not our duty to rein her in?" he asked, then sighed so softly that he doubted even 'Ro's sensitive ears would pick it up. "I smell ozone, 'Ro. You want to pick up the kid's habits, maybe call me down some of your own lightning?"
“The day I use my powers, or any sort of violence, as an alternative to reason and words is the day that I will voluntarily remove myself from my position at the school and the team,” she replied, her grip on her abilities iron-tight. “And since you cannot seem to understand that is one of the foremost rules for being a teacher, I will do it for you. You are no longer employed as a teacher at Xavier’s, Logan. I cannot in good conscience allow you to teach students any longer.”
"Never asked for the job to begin with." he commented. "I think you're making a vast mistake, but you're in charge and I have a duty to obey." he said. "Just got one question. When she does this again with the next instructor - collapses their lungs, shocks them with lightning, and throws them through a door - will you dig the grave yourself?"
“I highly doubt the ‘next’ instructor will be quite so foolhardy,” Ororo said with a shake of her head. “And Crystal will soon learn from the mistakes she has made – she is not going to go without punishment for her part. She has acted with disrespect for authority and she needs to learn that is not acceptable. But, there are better ways to go about enforcing that. Ways that do not involve harassment or goading into violence.”
Logan growled at that. "Harassment? Is that what you're calling it now?" he asked with astonishment. "Is that what you think? Thought you knew me better than that, 'Ro." he said with some sadness. "Question's still valid, though. She's lashed out once, she'll do it again. She has no discipline."
“Whatever the case may be, you are not the one to teach it to her.” Ororo wandered over to sit on a nearby bench, suddenly feeling very tired. It was only logical that when your friends were your colleagues, things of this nature were bound to happen. It didn’t make them any easier, though.
“I was once much like Crystal,” she murmured, knowing that his sensitive hearing would pick up her words despite the low volume. “Worse, even. For a time I thought myself a goddess, and my powers the key to getting whatever I wanted. At least she has the grounding of a family, training… but I did not. I was dangerous, because I had no desire to control myself regardless of what repercussions that might have. And yet? Once I came here, once I saw what good could be done if I learned to control myself, I was able to change. Not through intimidation, not through threats, but merely because I wanted to. I believe that Crystal has that ability too, if we only provide her with a good example to emulate. And she can learn from her mistakes as well, like we all do. That is part of growing up.”
"I wouldn't know. Don't remember growing up." he growled. "Maybe you're right. Maybe you're not. Your risk, your reward." he said philosophically. "Still don't like it."
“You do not have to,” Ororo replied, and she knew it sounded harsh. With a sigh, she straightened up, gesturing for him to come sit by her. “It is a responsibility I accepted some time ago. And with that responsibility came the vow that I would do anything… anything before I let any student come to harm. I know I have not done a very good job of that recently, but I will keep trying. This may not be what you have chosen to do with your life, Logan, but it is what I have chosen to do with mine, and I ask that you respect that.” She looked at him, her normally-calm expression slipping to reveal the doubts and fears that seemed to plague her night and day now. “Please.”
Logan looked over at Storm. "I'd never hurt that kid. I've _killed_ to protect the kids here. You know that." he said softly.
“I do. But you have also acted in a way that made a student feel unsafe, and parents question the wiseness of sending their children to us. Unfortunately, intention does not always trump action, and when it comes down to it, we are judged by what we do, not what we meant to do.”
Logan harrumphed at that and mulched another bush. "She's still a spoiled stuck-up little shit who is in crying need of some discipline and respect in her life." he said, sticking to his guns.
“Logan,” ‘Ro said warningly. After all this, and he was still singing the same tune? This was more hopeless than she had imagined. If he showed any sort of remorse at all, but it seemed he was refusing to even consider any other point of view but his own. “She is a teenager. They all need discipline and respect, but they also need understanding and patience. Those are just as important as any sort of strictness.”
"She hasn't earned it." he said, then brushed dirt off his forearms. "Look, 'Ro. We ain't likely to see eye-to-eye on this one. You made your call, I'll abide by it." he said. "But don't ask me to throw over my beliefs on your say-so."
“Very well,” she said, tired of arguing about something that shouldn’t be an argument at all. Standing, she made her way over to another bush, using her hands to scoop away the dead leaves and twigs around it. The sky above stayed the same uniform gray it had been all day, but it wasn’t her influence that kept it so. “How are you feeling?” she asked – a bit belated, yes, but she did care.
"Betrayed." he said after a moment. "Annoyed. Pissed off. Thirsty. Disappointed." he said. "Pick one."
“I wish it was not so. But as you have said, it is a difficult year for many. We will do our best to get through it, though, and you should know that despite the fact you are not teaching, that does not mean you are not welcome to stay here. Neither Charles nor I wish you to leave.”
Logan nodded once to that. "Good." he said with more relief than he meant to show. "For what it's worth, 'Ro ... I didn't want to piss you off." he said.
Ororo glanced at him then, a little surprise showing on her face. “We all make our mistakes,” she replied, a little regretfully perhaps. “But we are all capable of moving past them, as well. This is an opportunity, Logan, and I will do what I can to help you, however you may need that. It is the least I can do. You have my word.” Maybe she didn’t trust him completely, but that sense of duty and loyalty he had spoken of was still there, as strong as ever.
Logan, for once, kept his trap shut and let the matter lie right there. "Bushes are done. Got anything else you need?" he asked her, brushing mulch off his hands.
“No, thank you. I believe I have things to attend to inside.” Rising, ‘Ro drew in a deep breath and glanced up at the sky. “It is going to be a long winter.”
"Usually is." he said, rising to his feet and dusting off his jeans. "You up for a drink or two down at Harry's later?" he asked her as they both headed back inside.
“We shall see. Harry might have seen enough of me already this week. At least there was no dancing on the tables this time…”
Logan laughed at that, and nodded to her. "Suit yerself." he said, heading off a different way to head back to his room.
With a sigh, Ororo steered her steps towards the offices, knowing that her job was still far from over.
___________
Ororo then heads to Dani's office to address the bane of every administrator: paperwork.
Though she probably could've just emailed Dani to request the necessary forms, somehow relegating it to such a brief and impersonal transaction didn't seem right to Ororo. So the afternoon found her making her way to Dani's office and knocking at the door and hoping that the young woman was in. It was embarrassing to admit, but Ororo didn't quite know all the intricate workings of the file system that housed the various paperwork she used on a daily basis. Dani did.
"Come in," Dani called, grateful for a break. The radio played a country tune just loud enough to be heard without overwhelming the listener. Instead of her normal work, she had the die-cut machine out and stacks of red, green and blue construction paper that she was cutting into shapes. "What can I do for you, Ms. Munroe?"
Ororo stepped inside and closed the door behind her before she spoke; she wanted to be careful about who might overhear the ensuing conversation. "I need for you to help me complete some paperwork, if you do not mind. It does not have to be right now, if you are busy."
"Just making new door decorations for the holidays, nothing that can't wait," Marie had made the last set, so this time it was her turn. Once they were finished, different coloured ornament balls would be taped to each suite with the residents’ names written on them in glitter. It was a fun way to dress up the dorm. Something about Ms. Munroe's demeanor set of warning bells in Dani's head. While the headmistress was normally a reserved person, today she was practically radiating stress and worries. "Paperwork for Mr. Logan?" she guessed.
Dani had always been one of the more observant residents of the mansion, so it shouldn't have surprised Ororo that she had guessed the reason for her visit so readily. "Yes," she said with a nod, trying to keep from pressing her lips into a tight line. At this rate I will be nothing but wrinkles before I am thirty. "Now that I have spoken to him, we must finalize the paperwork. This is not an ideal solution for anyone, but... it is the only one I can see making sense."
Dani's brow creased, trying to decide exactly what was meant by that remark, "Finalize..." she asked, "You mean...fire him?" She hoped she was wrong, but she didn't know what else it could mean. She didn't think that what he had done was appropriate, but they were already fairly short staffed and there weren't too many teachers willing to work with mutant kids, no matter what the benefits. "Ain't there another way?"
With a sigh, Ororo sat down in one of the office chairs, resting her elbows on her knees as she looked at Dani. "Not that I can see, no. He is too unpredictable to be allowed around the children. I would not feel comfortable, knowing that something like that may happen again. Logan is more than qualified to teach self-defense, but there is more to teaching than just knowledge of the subject. A teacher must be able to deal with students without losing their temper or letting personal feelings get in the way of the lesson."
Sighing, Dani nodded. She knew that, she just didn't want to let someone go, even if she wasn't actually the one doing it. Abandoning the die-cut machine for a minute, she opened a filing cabinet and handed Ms. Munroe a thick booklet of papers, "This is the termination paperwork. I'll get things started and have it for you to finish in the morning," she really had liked Logan from her few encounters with him and from the stories Marie had told her.
"Thank you." The packet was thicker than she had expected, but then, Ororo hadn't had many opportunities to fire someone before. It made sense, she supposed - the more uncomfortable the task, the longer it would be. "It is likely there will be some changes made in the roster... we will need to shuffle teachers once again. I have not spoken to anybody yet, but I am sure someone will be able to cover self-defense, at least for the time being. Until I come up with a more long-term solution."
That made sense, just because they were short a teacher did not mean that they didn't have the class anymore, "I could do beginning cooking again, if you need me to. Lorna has very detailed plans, so it wouldn't interfere here except for answering the phone," Dani volunteered. She didn't know if it would help, but she wouldn't know unless she offered.
This drew a smile from the headmistress, and she nodded thoughtfully. "Thank you, Dani. I will speak to Lorna, but if she is amenable to that plan it would certainly be fine with me. I appreciate your willingness." She paused then, tipping her head to one side and trying not to look too devious. "Speaking of classes... have you given any consideration to school for yourself? It may not be too late for an application to spring semester at some institutions."
Trying not to groan, Dani sat back in her desk chair. First Marie and now Ms. Munroe. She didn't understand why everyone was so obsessed with going to college. "I don't see the point, Ms. Munroe. At least four more years of school with no practical purpose, just for a piece of paper that says you did it. I ain't gonna be a doctor or anything."
"Well, no, but there are other options besides a four-year university. Perhaps if that is not what you desire, you could look at a two-year program... there are several good business administration programs that I know of." Ororo offered Dani a hopeful smile. "And I am sure we could arrange your schedule so that you could continue your duties here, if you wish. We would not want you to be too overwhelmed, of course."
That effectively countered her next argument about not wanting to abandon her position at the school. "I'll...think about it," she finally agreed. Business administration was practical and would only help her here.
"Please do. And if there is anything I can do to help, please let me know. I am sure any applications you may have to go through will be nothing compared to this paperwork," Ororo said, eyeing the stack of papers on Dani's desk dubiously. "But still. I would like to do what I can."
"Thanks," she said, already packing up the construction paper and diecuts, they would wait for another time. This is why she was getting them started early. "I'll have it for you in the morning. It's mostly repetition and 'attach documentation here' type things."
“Be careful; if you make it sound too appealing I may steal it from you to do myself,” Ororo joked, though there was little possibility of that happening. Workaholic though she may be, this was one task she was happy to have Dani do.
"I've seen your attempts at using a typewriter," Dani retorted, pulling her waist-length hair out of its elastic and retying it, "You are not allowed near my typewriter! I just got it reset from the last time!"
Ororo tsked as she knelt next to the rosebushes, taking in the signs of frost that edged the glossy leaves. It was inevitable as winter drew nearer that the plants would start looking a bit bedraggled, but she still hated to see it. She made a note to begin moving the weaker plants back into the greenhouse - a tiring task, but one that was necessary if she wanted to bring them back next year when the weather calmed.
Logan wandered out to join Ororo, cigar between his teeth. He was dressed warmly - buttoned-up flannel, jeans, boots, and his Stetson. "Hey, 'Ro." he said, grinning at the woman. "Looks like you got some frost to deal with."
"So it does," she agreed, rocking back on her heels and looking up at him. "They will be fine, I am sure. I just would have liked to see it hold off for a little longer."
"There's a metaphor there somewhere." he said, kneeling down next to her. "Need a hand?" he asked, letting her hear his desire that she'd say yes. "Good day for it."
"I would appreciate the help," the white-haired woman said with a nod. She motioned to a bag of mulch and the trowels sitting next to it. "Each bush needs some mounded around it. I will show you just how much, and the rest should be simple enough."
Logan nodded, picked up his tools, and then waited for her to indicate how much mulch each bush was to get. "Been a rough few months, darlin'." he commented as he waited. "Whole lotta crap has gone down, both good and bad."
"Mm..." Ororo made a non-committal sound, opening the bag and tipping it over in front of one of the bushes. Then, obviously mentally shaking herself, she nodded, lips pursed. "It has. It always has, I've found. But this year has seemed harsher than the others, for some reason... the disasters are coming closer together and hitting harder than before."
"Been hard on some." he said, looking right at her. "Hard on me as well." he said. "Liked it better fightin' for my supper, movin' from place to place. But I can't just go - despite what Lorna and Cain think, I'm needed here." he said after a short pause. "Someone's gotta look out for Marie." he said with a small smile.
"I am sure she appreciates having you here," Ororo murmured. ""t is always good to have a familiar face at hand."
Logan snorted at that, and covered another bush with mulch. "What do you think?" he asked after a moment. "You think I'm needed here?"
Ororo paused then, up to her knuckles in mulch, her expression very still and calm. “I think,” she said thoughtfully, “that you need to be here. As for whether you are needed… not as a teacher, no. You have demonstrated that quite ably.” Be calm, be calm. He does not need to be zapped a second time. “What you have done… it is not forgivable. You and Crystal have demonstrated exactly what we are working to prevent. And I am so tired of cleaning up the messes…” Her jaw tightened and she stopped speaking, eyes on the ground. A moment passed as she roped her emotions more tightly in place. “But I do not think that there is a better place for you to be, at this time.”
Logan blinked. "She has giri to me. To all of us." he said, as if that explained everything. "It is her _duty_ as a student to adapt, to belong. She is a rude and spoiled little princess who throws tantrums." he said with a grunt. "And she attacked _me_. Last I checked, that kind of thing was frowned on. I put an end to it."
She almost couldn’t believe what she was hearing – if it had been from anyone else, she would’ve asked them if they were joking. With Logan, however, she knew it was deadly serious. “You talk of duty after attacking a student? What of your duty to your job, to this school? Parents do not send their children here to be mocked and endangered, they send them here so that they will have a safe environment in which to learn. What part of that situation was safe, Logan? What part of it taught Crystal anything but to misuse her powers, to hurt out of anger, to take the impulsive route instead of acting like a civilized human being?”
"She was perfectly safe. Review the tape, Ororo. Contemplate the number of ways I could have done damage to that girl. I needed to impress on her the futility of her actions in a way that would get the message across clearly and still do no harm. If I wanted to hurt her, I would have." he said simply. "My giri to the school and to Xavier-sama is ... complicated." he said with a shrug. "I ain't perfect, 'Ro."
With a sound of frustration Ororo pulled her hands out of the mulch, brushing them off on her thighs and standing. “No one is asking you to be perfect, Logan. No one at this school could ask that, at risk of being a hypocrite. But the way you acted to Crystal and her sister was absolutely inappropriate, and you should have known that. Whatever your opinions of the students may be, you were expected to keep them to yourself. Aggravating her to the point that she felt she needed to attack you was irresponsible and foolish. You do not need to employ stupid, futile, dangerous lessons to get a point across.” She was ranting, she realized, but it needed to be said.
Logan shrugged as he mulched another bush. She wasn't understanding. "She wouldn't listen to me." he said dismissively. "Too full of herself, too wrapped up in her own sense of entitlement. Older one's not too bad, although she's the same way."
“I have worked with Crystal since she came to the school,” Ororo stated, frowning down at him. “And while some of her customs and habits may be different from our other students’, I never found her to be anything else but a dedicated student and respectful young woman. It is not our job to assert our dominance over them, nor should it be our concern what they believe they are entitled to. I do not care if her behavior rubbed you the wrong way… your actions were inexcusable, Logan. And the fact that you have not offered even an apology shows that your talk of honor and duty is just that. Talk.” Her tone was hard, as was her expression. Ororo was officially Not Happy.
Her anger washed over his sensitive nose like acid. "Soon as I do something to apologize for, I will." he offered blandly. "She shows me a different face. She's skilled, yes, but she has no _discipline_. And refuses any and all attempts to teach her some. Is it honorable to let her run wild? Is it not our duty to rein her in?" he asked, then sighed so softly that he doubted even 'Ro's sensitive ears would pick it up. "I smell ozone, 'Ro. You want to pick up the kid's habits, maybe call me down some of your own lightning?"
“The day I use my powers, or any sort of violence, as an alternative to reason and words is the day that I will voluntarily remove myself from my position at the school and the team,” she replied, her grip on her abilities iron-tight. “And since you cannot seem to understand that is one of the foremost rules for being a teacher, I will do it for you. You are no longer employed as a teacher at Xavier’s, Logan. I cannot in good conscience allow you to teach students any longer.”
"Never asked for the job to begin with." he commented. "I think you're making a vast mistake, but you're in charge and I have a duty to obey." he said. "Just got one question. When she does this again with the next instructor - collapses their lungs, shocks them with lightning, and throws them through a door - will you dig the grave yourself?"
“I highly doubt the ‘next’ instructor will be quite so foolhardy,” Ororo said with a shake of her head. “And Crystal will soon learn from the mistakes she has made – she is not going to go without punishment for her part. She has acted with disrespect for authority and she needs to learn that is not acceptable. But, there are better ways to go about enforcing that. Ways that do not involve harassment or goading into violence.”
Logan growled at that. "Harassment? Is that what you're calling it now?" he asked with astonishment. "Is that what you think? Thought you knew me better than that, 'Ro." he said with some sadness. "Question's still valid, though. She's lashed out once, she'll do it again. She has no discipline."
“Whatever the case may be, you are not the one to teach it to her.” Ororo wandered over to sit on a nearby bench, suddenly feeling very tired. It was only logical that when your friends were your colleagues, things of this nature were bound to happen. It didn’t make them any easier, though.
“I was once much like Crystal,” she murmured, knowing that his sensitive hearing would pick up her words despite the low volume. “Worse, even. For a time I thought myself a goddess, and my powers the key to getting whatever I wanted. At least she has the grounding of a family, training… but I did not. I was dangerous, because I had no desire to control myself regardless of what repercussions that might have. And yet? Once I came here, once I saw what good could be done if I learned to control myself, I was able to change. Not through intimidation, not through threats, but merely because I wanted to. I believe that Crystal has that ability too, if we only provide her with a good example to emulate. And she can learn from her mistakes as well, like we all do. That is part of growing up.”
"I wouldn't know. Don't remember growing up." he growled. "Maybe you're right. Maybe you're not. Your risk, your reward." he said philosophically. "Still don't like it."
“You do not have to,” Ororo replied, and she knew it sounded harsh. With a sigh, she straightened up, gesturing for him to come sit by her. “It is a responsibility I accepted some time ago. And with that responsibility came the vow that I would do anything… anything before I let any student come to harm. I know I have not done a very good job of that recently, but I will keep trying. This may not be what you have chosen to do with your life, Logan, but it is what I have chosen to do with mine, and I ask that you respect that.” She looked at him, her normally-calm expression slipping to reveal the doubts and fears that seemed to plague her night and day now. “Please.”
Logan looked over at Storm. "I'd never hurt that kid. I've _killed_ to protect the kids here. You know that." he said softly.
“I do. But you have also acted in a way that made a student feel unsafe, and parents question the wiseness of sending their children to us. Unfortunately, intention does not always trump action, and when it comes down to it, we are judged by what we do, not what we meant to do.”
Logan harrumphed at that and mulched another bush. "She's still a spoiled stuck-up little shit who is in crying need of some discipline and respect in her life." he said, sticking to his guns.
“Logan,” ‘Ro said warningly. After all this, and he was still singing the same tune? This was more hopeless than she had imagined. If he showed any sort of remorse at all, but it seemed he was refusing to even consider any other point of view but his own. “She is a teenager. They all need discipline and respect, but they also need understanding and patience. Those are just as important as any sort of strictness.”
"She hasn't earned it." he said, then brushed dirt off his forearms. "Look, 'Ro. We ain't likely to see eye-to-eye on this one. You made your call, I'll abide by it." he said. "But don't ask me to throw over my beliefs on your say-so."
“Very well,” she said, tired of arguing about something that shouldn’t be an argument at all. Standing, she made her way over to another bush, using her hands to scoop away the dead leaves and twigs around it. The sky above stayed the same uniform gray it had been all day, but it wasn’t her influence that kept it so. “How are you feeling?” she asked – a bit belated, yes, but she did care.
"Betrayed." he said after a moment. "Annoyed. Pissed off. Thirsty. Disappointed." he said. "Pick one."
“I wish it was not so. But as you have said, it is a difficult year for many. We will do our best to get through it, though, and you should know that despite the fact you are not teaching, that does not mean you are not welcome to stay here. Neither Charles nor I wish you to leave.”
Logan nodded once to that. "Good." he said with more relief than he meant to show. "For what it's worth, 'Ro ... I didn't want to piss you off." he said.
Ororo glanced at him then, a little surprise showing on her face. “We all make our mistakes,” she replied, a little regretfully perhaps. “But we are all capable of moving past them, as well. This is an opportunity, Logan, and I will do what I can to help you, however you may need that. It is the least I can do. You have my word.” Maybe she didn’t trust him completely, but that sense of duty and loyalty he had spoken of was still there, as strong as ever.
Logan, for once, kept his trap shut and let the matter lie right there. "Bushes are done. Got anything else you need?" he asked her, brushing mulch off his hands.
“No, thank you. I believe I have things to attend to inside.” Rising, ‘Ro drew in a deep breath and glanced up at the sky. “It is going to be a long winter.”
"Usually is." he said, rising to his feet and dusting off his jeans. "You up for a drink or two down at Harry's later?" he asked her as they both headed back inside.
“We shall see. Harry might have seen enough of me already this week. At least there was no dancing on the tables this time…”
Logan laughed at that, and nodded to her. "Suit yerself." he said, heading off a different way to head back to his room.
With a sigh, Ororo steered her steps towards the offices, knowing that her job was still far from over.
___________
Ororo then heads to Dani's office to address the bane of every administrator: paperwork.
Though she probably could've just emailed Dani to request the necessary forms, somehow relegating it to such a brief and impersonal transaction didn't seem right to Ororo. So the afternoon found her making her way to Dani's office and knocking at the door and hoping that the young woman was in. It was embarrassing to admit, but Ororo didn't quite know all the intricate workings of the file system that housed the various paperwork she used on a daily basis. Dani did.
"Come in," Dani called, grateful for a break. The radio played a country tune just loud enough to be heard without overwhelming the listener. Instead of her normal work, she had the die-cut machine out and stacks of red, green and blue construction paper that she was cutting into shapes. "What can I do for you, Ms. Munroe?"
Ororo stepped inside and closed the door behind her before she spoke; she wanted to be careful about who might overhear the ensuing conversation. "I need for you to help me complete some paperwork, if you do not mind. It does not have to be right now, if you are busy."
"Just making new door decorations for the holidays, nothing that can't wait," Marie had made the last set, so this time it was her turn. Once they were finished, different coloured ornament balls would be taped to each suite with the residents’ names written on them in glitter. It was a fun way to dress up the dorm. Something about Ms. Munroe's demeanor set of warning bells in Dani's head. While the headmistress was normally a reserved person, today she was practically radiating stress and worries. "Paperwork for Mr. Logan?" she guessed.
Dani had always been one of the more observant residents of the mansion, so it shouldn't have surprised Ororo that she had guessed the reason for her visit so readily. "Yes," she said with a nod, trying to keep from pressing her lips into a tight line. At this rate I will be nothing but wrinkles before I am thirty. "Now that I have spoken to him, we must finalize the paperwork. This is not an ideal solution for anyone, but... it is the only one I can see making sense."
Dani's brow creased, trying to decide exactly what was meant by that remark, "Finalize..." she asked, "You mean...fire him?" She hoped she was wrong, but she didn't know what else it could mean. She didn't think that what he had done was appropriate, but they were already fairly short staffed and there weren't too many teachers willing to work with mutant kids, no matter what the benefits. "Ain't there another way?"
With a sigh, Ororo sat down in one of the office chairs, resting her elbows on her knees as she looked at Dani. "Not that I can see, no. He is too unpredictable to be allowed around the children. I would not feel comfortable, knowing that something like that may happen again. Logan is more than qualified to teach self-defense, but there is more to teaching than just knowledge of the subject. A teacher must be able to deal with students without losing their temper or letting personal feelings get in the way of the lesson."
Sighing, Dani nodded. She knew that, she just didn't want to let someone go, even if she wasn't actually the one doing it. Abandoning the die-cut machine for a minute, she opened a filing cabinet and handed Ms. Munroe a thick booklet of papers, "This is the termination paperwork. I'll get things started and have it for you to finish in the morning," she really had liked Logan from her few encounters with him and from the stories Marie had told her.
"Thank you." The packet was thicker than she had expected, but then, Ororo hadn't had many opportunities to fire someone before. It made sense, she supposed - the more uncomfortable the task, the longer it would be. "It is likely there will be some changes made in the roster... we will need to shuffle teachers once again. I have not spoken to anybody yet, but I am sure someone will be able to cover self-defense, at least for the time being. Until I come up with a more long-term solution."
That made sense, just because they were short a teacher did not mean that they didn't have the class anymore, "I could do beginning cooking again, if you need me to. Lorna has very detailed plans, so it wouldn't interfere here except for answering the phone," Dani volunteered. She didn't know if it would help, but she wouldn't know unless she offered.
This drew a smile from the headmistress, and she nodded thoughtfully. "Thank you, Dani. I will speak to Lorna, but if she is amenable to that plan it would certainly be fine with me. I appreciate your willingness." She paused then, tipping her head to one side and trying not to look too devious. "Speaking of classes... have you given any consideration to school for yourself? It may not be too late for an application to spring semester at some institutions."
Trying not to groan, Dani sat back in her desk chair. First Marie and now Ms. Munroe. She didn't understand why everyone was so obsessed with going to college. "I don't see the point, Ms. Munroe. At least four more years of school with no practical purpose, just for a piece of paper that says you did it. I ain't gonna be a doctor or anything."
"Well, no, but there are other options besides a four-year university. Perhaps if that is not what you desire, you could look at a two-year program... there are several good business administration programs that I know of." Ororo offered Dani a hopeful smile. "And I am sure we could arrange your schedule so that you could continue your duties here, if you wish. We would not want you to be too overwhelmed, of course."
That effectively countered her next argument about not wanting to abandon her position at the school. "I'll...think about it," she finally agreed. Business administration was practical and would only help her here.
"Please do. And if there is anything I can do to help, please let me know. I am sure any applications you may have to go through will be nothing compared to this paperwork," Ororo said, eyeing the stack of papers on Dani's desk dubiously. "But still. I would like to do what I can."
"Thanks," she said, already packing up the construction paper and diecuts, they would wait for another time. This is why she was getting them started early. "I'll have it for you in the morning. It's mostly repetition and 'attach documentation here' type things."
“Be careful; if you make it sound too appealing I may steal it from you to do myself,” Ororo joked, though there was little possibility of that happening. Workaholic though she may be, this was one task she was happy to have Dani do.
"I've seen your attempts at using a typewriter," Dani retorted, pulling her waist-length hair out of its elastic and retying it, "You are not allowed near my typewriter! I just got it reset from the last time!"
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