Forge and Jennie - Wednesday Night

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After Forge gets home, he runs into Jennie. Who fills him in on all the happenings. And we do mean all.



"Well well well, the prodigal has returned."

Forge stopped in his tracks, leaning on his suitcases. He gave Scott a quick nod as the headmaster continued on past him, then looked up the stairs at where Jennie stood leaning on the railing.

"Well, aren't you a sight for sore eyes? You want to come give me a proper welcome, or are you going to make me lug these monstrosities all the way up there? I brought presents, you know," he remarked with a grin.

"For me?" Jennie said, clasping her hands by her head. "You shouldn't have." She jogged down the stairs and almost knocked Forge over with the force of her hug. "Hey buddy, welcome home."

Gasping with the exuberance of Jennie's greeting, Forge managed to get an arm free to pat her on the back and get some room to breathe. "It's good to be back. Not just home, but... well, long story. Suffice to say the old mopey emo Forge got left on a godforsaken rock out in the middle of the cold Atlantic. So Scott was filling me in on some of the latest news after picking me up from the precinct. You've taken up the mantle of resident tactmeister in my absence, I see."

"Well, what was I supposed to do? You were gone and Marius was glued to the BBC 24/7, someone had to pick up the slack." Jennie released her friend and tilted her head. "I mean, the emo was so thick around here I was about ready to choke. I got told to 'shut the fuck up' by total strangers. I think I set a new record."

"I got smacked in the back of the head one hundred and thirteen times in a month," Forge joked back. "Mostly by Paige, but Moira got a few whacks in there, Madelyn kept smacking me if I'd get moody, Hank hit me with a wet dishtowel, and even Jono was solid enough to keep zinging me on the back of the ear with a rubber band."

His face went serious for a moment, as he looked around at the mansion and sighed. "We went into a total lockdown after the bombings. Evacuated the Edinburgh office to Muir and just stayed glued to the news. I should go see how Angelo is, but... how's everyone? Really."

"Not good." Jennie shrugged. "I apologized profusely to the people I really offended, but I think Angelo and Rahne are still not in a happy place. But Rahne has people watching out for her, and Angelo and Amanda have apparently declared their undying love or something. They're attached at the hip now. Well, Amanda's attached to Angelo's hip. I'm not sure he's noticed. He's not doing so hot."

That news got a full double take out of Forge. "Angelo and Amanda? But... but... Angelo and Sarah! And... that's it, I have to find out what he does. It must be something he says, some kind of weird barrio voodoo. He's... he's like this grey-skinned Svengali or something! What is his secret? What?"

Shaking his head and muttering, Forge glanced quickly up at the thankfully empty landing atop the stairs before asking nonchalantly, "And how's the rest of Teen Girl Squad? Yvette and Crystal and... the other ones?"

"Well, they're to be as expected. Yvette and Sooraya are keeping the Elpis people fed, because that is how you cope with trauma here. Food and a small girl." Jennie said, and shook her head. "Crystal buggered off to Attilan, Angel's ...well, she's Angel. And Laurie... come to think of it, she was not a happy camper when you left. I mean, you at least emailed me. Oh, and I broke into Marius's room and messed with his stuff for not telling me you were leaving when he found out."

"Tormenting Marius is always approved," Forge said, filing the other pertinent information away in his mind. "But. Back now. Although--" He paused as he caught a glimpse of Garrison walking around the halls. Something was really odd that he couldn't put his finger on..

"Although," he continued, turning his attention back to Jennie, "you. What have you been up to other than tormenting your darling husband?"

"I've been busy. Pissing people off, sending out college applications. Oh, and I'm getting a tattoo this weekend." It was something she had been considering since her 18th birthday, even before then. But she wanted to wait until she was sure. Tattoos were kinda permanent.

Forge arched an eyebrow. "Awesome. Beat you to it, though." He rolled up his sleeve to display the dark markings on the metal skin of his prosthetic, curving from wrist to elbow in an intricate design. "And the cool thing..." he said, flexing his arm as he watched the design shift from a tribal pattern to a solid blob, and then into a blinking digital display of the time. "Completely responsive liquid crystal display. Could revolutionize the pocket computer market. Geeky, yes. But I hear geek is the new awesome."

Jennie shook her head. "Only you would think of something like that. But what would be really cool is if you could play tetris with it or something. Class would go by all the faster." She grinned.

Forge gasped sarcastically, pressing a palm to his chest. "What? Use my powers for evil? Next you'll suggest I design fabric-penetrating optics to look through girls' shirts. Jennifer P. Stavros, I am appalled. Shocked and appalled!"

He reached out to squeeze Jennie's shoulder gently as he laughed. "I missed this, you know. And I'm sorry if I ever made you feel that I don't appreciate that."

Jennie smiled shyly and ducked her head. Now was not the time to mention that she was planning on moving out come fall. That could wait. A long time. "Yeah, well, you've been missed too. It's just not the same. I mean, Marius can only bait me for so long before it gets boring. Gotta keep me on my toes."

Pondering a moment, Forge pushed his bags over by the side of the stairs and checked the time on his wrist. "I'm sure Angelo's probably needing some privacy and rest, and I'm not remotely tired. Want to go see what's in the fridge?"

"You know me. Always hungry." Jennie patted her stomach. "I have nothing on the garbage disposal twins, but I can hold my own. Plus, trans-atlantic flights I am guessing do not have much in the way of edible."

Forge winced. "Oh God. Potato and leek quiche. What the heck is a leek, anyway? Someone said it's Welsh, like that's any clue. And I've had a month of dealing with having to retreat to Doctor Connors' place for dinners every time Hank got anywhere near the kitchen. Brilliant biochemist, but he's like the Josef Mengele of cooking."

"Leeks? You should check what Kyle put on the school server then. But yes, you know us. We may be hated and feared by those we're sworn to protect, but we're well fed at least." Jennie gestured grandly, "to the kitchen!"

Heading right after Jennie, Forge smiled to himself. Some things, at least, could always be depended on. When in doubt, eat.