xp_logs | Marie and Ororo | Friday morning (Reply)

Ororo seeks out Marie in her new 'keep anyone else from going crazy and leaving' plan. It seems to work well enough.

After Ororo's dismal attempt at talking to Logan she was half-considering hiding out in her office for the next week to avoid any further mishaps. The mansion was full of people that would probably take offense to that and drag her out, however, and she didn't really want to give them any reason to throw her in the lake. Besides, there were other people who seemed to have a monopoly on hiding out already.

Ororo hadn't seen Marie around much at all in the recent days. She knew the younger teacher had accompanied Yvette back to Kosovo and had gotten a report from Haller on how it had gone, but she hadn't spoken face-to-face with Marie in too long. She decided to remedy that, heading to the gym one morning and hoping to catch the southern girl during her early meditations.

Marie's breathing was steady and regular and she floated in the lotus position a foot above the floor. She opened one eye as she heard creaking on the floor boards, lowering herself to the floor when she saw who had entered the room. "Hey 'Ro," she said softly. "Figured you or Scott'd be by at some point."

"I suppose we are getting predictable by now," the white-haired woman said with a rueful smile. "But recent events have convinced me it is important to check on people instead of relying on their assertions that they are fine. And so I have come to see how you are doing."

"Um...Ah take it 'Ah'm fine' isn't gonna fly," Marie said, returning an equally rueful smile. "But Ah am doing ok." She tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear with a small sigh. "Well, better."

"Better is good," Ororo said as she settled down on the mat near Marie. "Better than 'fine', at least. I know that saying you have had a diffcult past few months is putting it very lightly. How is your workload? Classes? The team? Do you need more time for yourself?" She knew she was being a bit pushy, but after Kurt's breakdown she wasn't about to take anything for granted anymore.

"Having last week off helped," Marie admitted. "But it also felt good picking things back up Monday. Seeing the kids...well, Ah dunno, sometimes seeing them helps me out. Makes me feel like all this is for a reason." She smiled at the older woman and the expression was only a little forced. "Honestly, Ah need all that stuff to help fill my mind. Keep me from worrying too much about..." she trailed off, though Ororo could probably fill in the blank.

"Yes, I understand. Although to be honest, that is one of the reasons I came to speak with you." Ororo gave her an apologetic look. "I am afraid my attempts at making that situation better have only blown up in my face."

"He's very angry," Marie said after a moment of silence. "Ah was afraid that he was gonna pack up an' go at first."

"I am glad that he did not. Although I had no other alternative, I do not want you to think that I am happy about the way things turned out. I wish that it had not happened at all."

"Me too." Marie turned her head away from Ororo, staring at a tiny chink in the wall. "Ah talked to both of them after. Ah wanted...Ah wanted one of them to be at fault, to have someone to blame for what happened, y' know?" She moved her gaze to the floor in front of her. "But it wasn't that simple. They both made mistakes."

"And they must both face the repercussions of those mistakes," Ororo murmured. "I only wish that it did not make Logan feel as if he was unwelcome here now."

Marie nodded, then quickly shifted to another asana to hide her concern. "Ah told him it's not that way, that Ah want him here and Ah know others do too." Her ponytail fell over her shoulder with a soft thump against her chest. "He's gonna stick around though. He may leave for a couple days, but he'll come back."

Ororo trusted that Marie would know better than her, and shut her mouth against any doubts or worries she might've harbored about Logan's return to the mansion. "I have been trying to think of things for him to do now that he is no longer teaching. Do you know of anything that he might enjoy?" That does not involve being around students. At least for now.

"Ah dunno," the southern girl said, a hint of sadness in her voice. She wished she had an easy answer; she knew how much Logan wanted to feel like he mattered to the school, that he had a purpose there. "He liked teaching. Maybe he could help some of the X-Men or trainees with their hand to hand." He may not have been receptive to that idea when she talked to him, but she still felt like it was a good idea. "Or coming up with some scenarios for the DR."

"Yes, those are both excellent ideas," Ororo said with a nod. "I will see what else I can come up with. There is a place for everyone at this school, even if it takes some time to figure out where that is. Do not worry too much, Marie. Please." The headmistress tried to keep from sounding too concerned, but she was afraid it was more difficult than she had hoped for.

Marie shrugged. "Yeah, that's part of the staying busy that Ah'm working on...not too much time to worry when you've always got somethin' to do. Which reminds me...Ah was talking to Jennie the other night...and well, with all the seniors we got here, Ah was thinking of putting together a couple trips to the local colleges. Whatdya think?" It was an obvious ploy to change the subject, but Marie had really wanted to check with Ororo about her idea.

"I think that would be a very good idea," Ororo replied, raising her eyebrows. "One that would do the student body much good. As long as it is properly arranged and chaperoned, I do not see why we could not do that."

"Ah wouldn't mind taking some of the kids in small groups...Ah remember being in their shoes. Maybe Ah'll start asking around, see who else'd be interested." She smiled and stretched. "Interesting how a lot of the kids want to stay around here."
"Are you saying they should want to get as far away as possible?" 'Ro teased.

Laughing, Marie shook her head. "Can't say Ah'd blame them. And you can't say the idea hasn't crossed your mind once or twice," she teased back.

"I will admit nothing of the sort," the white-haired woman said staunchly. "I love this mansion and everybody in it. No matter how infuriatingly stubborn or crazy they may be. And I have never dreamed about throwing my paperwork in their faces and fleeing for Bermuda. Not even once."

"If you leave me behind when you flee, Ah will hunt you down. How unusual that Ah seem to be making that threat regularly these days," Marie said with a mischievous grin. "Not that Ah doubt your assertions to the contrary."

Ororo's eyes widened as she looked at Marie, mock-aghast. "I would not leave you behind, Marie, perish the thought! I need someone to fetch me more daiquiris when I run out!"

Marie laughed again, then reached over and squeezed 'Ro's shoulder. "Ah needed that," she said softly, her smile momentarily replaced by an almost wistful look. Shaking her head gently, the smile returned. "Ah think Ah'm done meditating. Wanna hit the mall? It's not as warm as Bermuda, but they do have shoes. And smoothies."

"I'd say that is an acceptable alternative," Ororo said with a nod, unfolding her legs and standing smoothly. "I will meet you in the garage in... twenty minutes? Enough time for you to change and for me to make sure there is nothing needing my immediate attention from the rest of the school."

Marie nodded and floated towards the door. "See ya in a few." Smiling, she decided she'd stop by Logan's room before heading to her own to grab the set of keys he'd shown her. The bike probably needed the exercise.