Scott and Crystal, Tuesday morning

[x-cyclops.livejournal.com]

Scott comes to check on the one who got away.


Crystal stared out the window in the shared room of Monet and Medusa's suite. She hadn't wanted to return to "her" room. It was also Jennie's room, and it was empty without her. It was amazing how quickly things could be done and here she was, not even a day after her classmates had disappeared and her leg had been broken and what had used to look like a fabulously decorated yet ordinary living room was now set up as a bedroom for her. She hadn't felt like flying and really didn't want to hobble about on crutches, even in the safety of her living room/bedroom.

A knock on the door interrupted Crystal from her thoughts of nothing and her head turned. She didn't really feel like seeing anyone yet, but she knew she wouldn't be able to keep everyone away forever. No classes for her today meant people would be unable to talk to her or ask questions out in the classrooms or halls but meant those who wanted to would come looking for her. Medusa went to answer the door and allowed in the visitor.

"Hello, Crystal." Scott clearly hadn't gotten much sleep the preceding night, but his voice was calm, as if they'd just come across each other in the hall and he was bidding her a good morning. He nodded to Medusa, giving her a slight smile, and then went over to the chair closest to the couch where Crystal was lying. "How's the leg this morning?"

"It is still broken," Crystal replied matter-of-factly. Her leg? Who cared about her leg when Jennie, Marius, and Kyle were missing. If they'd all wound up with broken legs but hadn't disappeared, that would be one thing, but this wasn't the case.

"I'd assumed, yes. Let me rephrase - how are you feeling?" Scott's words were almost gentle.

Crystal had to stop herself from giving Scott the same answer she'd given Pietro the evening before. Still... "Mr. Summers, how do you think I feel? I am feeling as well as I can be given the circumstances under which my leg was broken yesterday."

Well, it was better than 'I'm fine.' "I didn't expect you to tell me you felt good," Scott said, still in that same gentle tone. "I just wanted to be sure you were as comfortable as you could be, all things considered. You've been through a lot, and trying to look after you is one of the things we can do, while the search is ongoing."

"I heard that you made a journal post about what happened last night," Crystal said. "I suppose having three students go missing before school is over is quite different than having one student not return to the school on time in the summer."

"The situation is vastly different, yes." No edge to the words at all; Scott's tone was almost amiable. "We know what happened, which is an improvement over last summer. The situation is very clear-cut."

"Do you know who took them?" Crystal asked. She wasn't going to bother asking if he knew where they were; if he knew that, he'd be off finding them and bringing them back to the mansion.

"Not yet. But we've got a number of different methods to try, and far more in the way of leads." Scott felt pensively silent for a moment. "We'll do what we can - everything we can. We've brought students back from some pretty grim situations before."

"Doesn't that bother you?" Crystal asked, looking at him intently. "You already had to bring Jennie and Marius back from an unfortunate situation during the summer, you yourself had your own personal 'missing person' unpleasantries before that, and many people here joke that being kidnapped is just another normal event and is to be expected if you stay long enough."

Scott's smile was a bit strained - only a little, however. "It certainly does bother me. But we take as many precautions as are feasible, and when the worst does happen, we do everything we can. There's not much we can do differently, when you break it down like that."

"Out of curiosity, what would you have known if had I not been with them or if I had been taken as well?" Crystal asked. "Panic buttons were pushed, staff members were alerted and arrived on the scene after the victims and kidnappers were long gone with no discernible way of telling what the attackers looked like and how they made their getaway... what would you have been able to tell the other residents if that had been the case?"

Scott didn't look away, didn't break eye contact for a moment. "Very little," he said softly, but candidly. "Any traces left at the scene of the fight - scents, psychic impression. But that would have been it."

Crystal gave a small nod. "That is what I thought," she replied. "Unless there is an X-Man, excuse me, a staff member who happens to be an X-Man, around at a time when a student deems it necessary to use the panic button feature on the school issued cellular phones, not much can be done or known even when the button is pushed immediately. I assume the location can be known, and if the student is merely in a bit of trouble and is not a soon-to-be victim of kidnapping, this may lead to a rescue, but when the entire point of an attack is take a person..." she shook her head. "Still, knowing someone's last location could be quite helpful if the victims and attackers left by foot or some sort of vehicle and did not teleport away."

"And gossip aside, not all the times there are trouble involve kidnapping. There are reasons for all these precautions, Crystal - they're not infallible, and they're not a solution, but if they're even partially effective they can be very useful."

"Oh, I know that," Crystal answered a bit dismissively. "Sometimes the trouble is due to being beaten, a demonic invasion, a powers accident, displacement to another dimension, or being savagely mauled and attacked by a member of the Brotherhood. Oh yes, dinosaurs, too." She refocused on Scott, nodding again. "Yes, I am sure that they can be quite useful under the right circumstances. Also, since I do not know whether or not Forge has told you, please let me assure you that I am well aware of the fact that you and the others here will do everything you can to find Jennie, Marius, and Kyle and bring them back to the mansion as soon as you possibly can."

Not much to say to that. She'd been through a lot, Scott reminded himself as he rose. "I should let you rest, Crystal," he said simply. "You'll let us know if you need anything?"

Scott received another nod. "Yes. I will. Thank you for coming by to see me."