Kevin and Nathan | 12:30 pm Wednesday
Oct. 10th, 2007 03:40 pm![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
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xp_logsKevin is informed of the terms on the table and has to decide if he's going to accept them or not
He really hadn't expected this to be the hardest part. Had been regarding the conversation with that damned prosecutor as the tough part, the part that really counted. He supposed it did - but so did this, just in a very different way.
"Kevin, the only way you're going to do better than this is if you take it to trial and win," Nathan said, patiently. Very patiently. "Which is not a sure thing. I'll admit, your chances would be good, but do you really want to take that risk? When this puts it behind you? Even the records would be sealed."
Kevin sighed, this whole situation made him feel like he hadn't left Muir, only worse. He glanced sideways at that stupid mirror, one side of his lip curling up into a snarl at it. "Are they in there? They spyin?" He nodded toward the glass just in case it wasn't startlingly obvious what he was talking about. After another few moments of snarling he finally turned back to Nathan.
"Can we go over this again? Ah mean, they been havin' me talk ta so many people fer whatever an' my head ain't quite wrappin' 'round stuff like it usually does. Ah don't know wha' a suspended sentence means, or what genetic counseling 'xactly entails. An' Ah'm sure mah foggy brain lef' out somethin' in there."
"All right." Nathan took a deep breath, and went on just as calmly. "You're going to plead guilty to involuntary manslaughter - which is a much lesser charge than the original murder charge. But because of the circumstances, your sentence will be suspended. That means, so long as you don't go out and rob a variety store tomorrow, you won't serve any jail time."
"Righ'," Kevin nodded. He didn't plan to go out and rob stores. Really, what would even be the point of that? Stupid store might not even have that much money and then you're going to jail anyway. People didn't think about that, did they? Though, Kevin supposed they were probably desperate and he reckoned people didn't really think right when they were desperate. "Uh, Mr. Morrow? Ah 'ssume this includes powers stuff, righ'?" He wiggled his gloved fingers in his lap. "Wha' if someone else does it? Ah mean, say someone's dumb and suicidal and comes up and latches onta me or somethin'. Ah wouldn't go to jail fer that, righ'?" He probably wouldn't have even thought of it if it hadn't been for Chakra.
"No," Nathan said, more firmly. "Although obviously, you've got to take care, Kevin. If something happens and they can interpret you as having been at fault, you'll have to serve the sentence - at least." He grimaced a bit, knowing that there had been a reason Kevin had left Muir. "You're also expected to undergo genetic counseling - which means working on your powers with the experts at the school and from Muir."
Kevin just sort of stared at Mr. Morrow. Was he kidding? "They're sentencin' me ta do somethin' Ah went back ta'Xavier's fer anyway? An' whatcha mean with Muir? Ah jus' spent ten months on that dank island! Ah'm not going back there, Mr. Morrow. Wha' they gonna do fer me ain't done already?" The mere idea of being back at Muir was only marginally better than the thought of spending years, or his entire life, in a cell, that's how fond he was of the place at this point. "Ah'm over playin' lab rat. Ah don't want no part o' their 'xperiments!"
There was a momentary flash of frustration in Nathan's gray eyes. "I doubt you wanted any of this to happen in the first place," he said, managing to keep his voice absolutely steady, "but you didn't have a choice in that, did you? Don't get me wrong here, Kevin. You don't have to accept this deal. You can turn it down and go to trial - but you risk being convicted of the original charges if that happens. I have to say I don't think it's likely, but it's a possibility. Think about twelve people who think the same way as the DA who jumped to the conclusion that this was first-degree murder - who are afraid of you, because you're a mutant who can kill with a touch. Do you trust them to come to the right decision, to believe what really happened?"
Kevin slumped down in his chair, an immediate look of defeat washing over his face. Mr. Morrow had a point, of course. The teenager was a bit too busy thinking about what was going to happen to him to have thought about the reality of a trial. He sulked for a few moments, thinking things over. "If Muir said Ah was getting genetic counselin' would the court or whoever ask wha' exactly it was? Ah mean, they got so much o' my blood an' my skin an' whatever other stuff to run their tests an' all. Couldn't it be like a, a, Ah dunno, like a psychiatrist type thing or something?" Did he really want to sit down and talk to some genetic shrink once a week or more? Not at all. It was preferable to being a lab rat, though. "Ah mean, they say genetic counselin' and Muir can interpret that, righ'? Dr. MacTaggert could choose what form it takes, righ'? So it wouldn't have ta be me going back there or being held in the med labs at the school jus' gettin' poked, righ'?" He had the slightly tone of wild hope in his voice when he asked the questions. Anything to not be a lab rat anymore. It was hard enough trying to feel human after that. He hadn't had the time to adjust to feeling like a human yet, but he also didn't want the chance taken away from him to adjust at all.
"I've known Moira for a lot of years now, Kevin. She had you at Muir for long enough to run just about every test in the book, so no, I don't think genetic counseling would involve a whole lot more poking and prodding." Not unless she came up with a new idea, and that wasn't likely to happen on too regular a basis. "What you need now is to figure out ways to live with this, and maybe explore non-medical ways of trying to control your powers."
"You mean other than makin' sure everythin' in mah living area is made of inorganic material? Other than only wearin' clothing made of synthetic material? Other than wearin' at leas' three layers of clothing all tha time, 'cludin' gloves? How 'bout the part where Ah don't touch no one and try to not even get too close? You think anyone's got any better suggestions Mr. Morrow? I'd be happy ta hear 'em. Encasing mahself in latex won't work either, Ah looked inta that. Skin can't breath an' Ah'd jus' end up killin' it." Kevin didn't mean to be a smartass to Mr. Morrow. The man was trying to help him and he knew that. The thing of it was, apparently these people arrested him and didn't bother finding out a whole lot, did they? No one seemed to give him credit for not killing every person he came into contact with. They didn't give him credit for having done a damn thing he had to make sure other people were safe from him.
"Ya think they got any idea what it's like ta not touch people fer almos' two years? Tha people at Muir, they tol' me Ah shouldn't be so 'fraid since mah clothin' would protec' people. But Ah can't do it, Ah can't take that risk tha' there's a whole somewhere Ah didn't see or somethin'. Ah can't risk gettin' too comfortable wit' it and messin' up. You think these people ever thought of that? Or thought of what it does ta people? Tha people at Muir, they made it real clear wha' it does to a person." They were all fucking idiots as far as Kevin was currently concerned.
Nathan just raised an eyebrow. "So since you've exhausted the physical options, don't you think it's time to explore the non-physical?" he asked levelly.
Kevin wasn't sure who was listening to their conversation through that mirror and it made him rather reluctant to be completely up front with Mr. Morrow at the moment. Muir had told him there was likely no way to truly control his powers. There was an untested theory at the island that he could maybe learn to control how fast the decay happened, but they were less convinced he could slow it much. When Kevin had left it was soon after they told him they didn't see any way for him to ever turn off his powers. It was the one thing that had made him dislike the entire place. Truth be told, he hadn't minded Muir much until all the feedback he'd gotten that amounted to zero started to mount on top of itself. Finding out he was stuck like this forever was the last straw for him. "Yer old 'nuff ta realize anythin' that sounds that easy ain't, Mr. Morrow." That was all he was willing to say on the subject with that mirror there.
"I didn't say it was easy. But it's a possibility, and that's what the genetic counseling could help you do. So when it comes right down to it, it's not such a bad thing, is it?" Nathan paused a beat. "Especially compared to jail."
"Ah'd still rather know 'xactly what Ah was agreein' to before Ah do." He thought for a moment and sighed. "Dr. MacTaggert will have say over what form mah counselin' stuff take?"
"I suspect it'll be a cooperative effort. Moira, Professor Xavier, Doctor Samson..." Nathan's gaze was more sympathetic now. "It's not going to be awful, Kevin. They're not going to make you their lab rat."
"Bein' me tends to register pretty high on the awful scale on a daily basis anyway, Mr. Morrow. How much more awful a thing adds to that can add up fast, tha's all." Kevin gave Nathan a weak smile followed by an equally weak nod. "Ah suppose Ah'll agree to it. Ain't got much other choice, not really."
"Then we need to wait for some paperwork to sign," Nathan said, not showing how much of a relief it was to hear Kevin say that. "One step at a time, Kevin. We get this resolved for you, and then you can move forward." He offered a smile, crooked but somehow encouraging. "And if Moira starts coming at you with needles, just let me know. I'm very good at distracting her."
Kevin nodded as he pulled himself up in his chair to sit a little straighter. "Right. Wait fer paperwork, sign paperwork, then wha'? Go back ta Xavier's? Ah suppose whoever's in charge of my genetic counseling gets ta say when or if Ah ever get ta leave, righ'?" It was just like prison, only he'd have a bed that didn't melt.
"It's only a prison if you make it one, Kevin," Nathan said. "And no, that is not me reading your mind."
Kevin narrowed his eyes slightly and gave Nathan a bit of a look. This was then followed by a sigh and more a look of acceptance. "Ah know, Mr. Morrow. Optimism's not mah strong suit, not really. I's hard ta not feel like everythin's a prison sometimes, tha's all." Kevin shrugged and wondered why he was so damn open with Mr. Dayspring. Maybe it was just because of everyone he'd come in contact with recently, Mr. Dayspring was actually the person he'd known the longest and most. That was a rather sad thought.
"Well, we're just going to have to work on that, aren't we?"
He really hadn't expected this to be the hardest part. Had been regarding the conversation with that damned prosecutor as the tough part, the part that really counted. He supposed it did - but so did this, just in a very different way.
"Kevin, the only way you're going to do better than this is if you take it to trial and win," Nathan said, patiently. Very patiently. "Which is not a sure thing. I'll admit, your chances would be good, but do you really want to take that risk? When this puts it behind you? Even the records would be sealed."
Kevin sighed, this whole situation made him feel like he hadn't left Muir, only worse. He glanced sideways at that stupid mirror, one side of his lip curling up into a snarl at it. "Are they in there? They spyin?" He nodded toward the glass just in case it wasn't startlingly obvious what he was talking about. After another few moments of snarling he finally turned back to Nathan.
"Can we go over this again? Ah mean, they been havin' me talk ta so many people fer whatever an' my head ain't quite wrappin' 'round stuff like it usually does. Ah don't know wha' a suspended sentence means, or what genetic counseling 'xactly entails. An' Ah'm sure mah foggy brain lef' out somethin' in there."
"All right." Nathan took a deep breath, and went on just as calmly. "You're going to plead guilty to involuntary manslaughter - which is a much lesser charge than the original murder charge. But because of the circumstances, your sentence will be suspended. That means, so long as you don't go out and rob a variety store tomorrow, you won't serve any jail time."
"Righ'," Kevin nodded. He didn't plan to go out and rob stores. Really, what would even be the point of that? Stupid store might not even have that much money and then you're going to jail anyway. People didn't think about that, did they? Though, Kevin supposed they were probably desperate and he reckoned people didn't really think right when they were desperate. "Uh, Mr. Morrow? Ah 'ssume this includes powers stuff, righ'?" He wiggled his gloved fingers in his lap. "Wha' if someone else does it? Ah mean, say someone's dumb and suicidal and comes up and latches onta me or somethin'. Ah wouldn't go to jail fer that, righ'?" He probably wouldn't have even thought of it if it hadn't been for Chakra.
"No," Nathan said, more firmly. "Although obviously, you've got to take care, Kevin. If something happens and they can interpret you as having been at fault, you'll have to serve the sentence - at least." He grimaced a bit, knowing that there had been a reason Kevin had left Muir. "You're also expected to undergo genetic counseling - which means working on your powers with the experts at the school and from Muir."
Kevin just sort of stared at Mr. Morrow. Was he kidding? "They're sentencin' me ta do somethin' Ah went back ta'Xavier's fer anyway? An' whatcha mean with Muir? Ah jus' spent ten months on that dank island! Ah'm not going back there, Mr. Morrow. Wha' they gonna do fer me ain't done already?" The mere idea of being back at Muir was only marginally better than the thought of spending years, or his entire life, in a cell, that's how fond he was of the place at this point. "Ah'm over playin' lab rat. Ah don't want no part o' their 'xperiments!"
There was a momentary flash of frustration in Nathan's gray eyes. "I doubt you wanted any of this to happen in the first place," he said, managing to keep his voice absolutely steady, "but you didn't have a choice in that, did you? Don't get me wrong here, Kevin. You don't have to accept this deal. You can turn it down and go to trial - but you risk being convicted of the original charges if that happens. I have to say I don't think it's likely, but it's a possibility. Think about twelve people who think the same way as the DA who jumped to the conclusion that this was first-degree murder - who are afraid of you, because you're a mutant who can kill with a touch. Do you trust them to come to the right decision, to believe what really happened?"
Kevin slumped down in his chair, an immediate look of defeat washing over his face. Mr. Morrow had a point, of course. The teenager was a bit too busy thinking about what was going to happen to him to have thought about the reality of a trial. He sulked for a few moments, thinking things over. "If Muir said Ah was getting genetic counselin' would the court or whoever ask wha' exactly it was? Ah mean, they got so much o' my blood an' my skin an' whatever other stuff to run their tests an' all. Couldn't it be like a, a, Ah dunno, like a psychiatrist type thing or something?" Did he really want to sit down and talk to some genetic shrink once a week or more? Not at all. It was preferable to being a lab rat, though. "Ah mean, they say genetic counselin' and Muir can interpret that, righ'? Dr. MacTaggert could choose what form it takes, righ'? So it wouldn't have ta be me going back there or being held in the med labs at the school jus' gettin' poked, righ'?" He had the slightly tone of wild hope in his voice when he asked the questions. Anything to not be a lab rat anymore. It was hard enough trying to feel human after that. He hadn't had the time to adjust to feeling like a human yet, but he also didn't want the chance taken away from him to adjust at all.
"I've known Moira for a lot of years now, Kevin. She had you at Muir for long enough to run just about every test in the book, so no, I don't think genetic counseling would involve a whole lot more poking and prodding." Not unless she came up with a new idea, and that wasn't likely to happen on too regular a basis. "What you need now is to figure out ways to live with this, and maybe explore non-medical ways of trying to control your powers."
"You mean other than makin' sure everythin' in mah living area is made of inorganic material? Other than only wearin' clothing made of synthetic material? Other than wearin' at leas' three layers of clothing all tha time, 'cludin' gloves? How 'bout the part where Ah don't touch no one and try to not even get too close? You think anyone's got any better suggestions Mr. Morrow? I'd be happy ta hear 'em. Encasing mahself in latex won't work either, Ah looked inta that. Skin can't breath an' Ah'd jus' end up killin' it." Kevin didn't mean to be a smartass to Mr. Morrow. The man was trying to help him and he knew that. The thing of it was, apparently these people arrested him and didn't bother finding out a whole lot, did they? No one seemed to give him credit for not killing every person he came into contact with. They didn't give him credit for having done a damn thing he had to make sure other people were safe from him.
"Ya think they got any idea what it's like ta not touch people fer almos' two years? Tha people at Muir, they tol' me Ah shouldn't be so 'fraid since mah clothin' would protec' people. But Ah can't do it, Ah can't take that risk tha' there's a whole somewhere Ah didn't see or somethin'. Ah can't risk gettin' too comfortable wit' it and messin' up. You think these people ever thought of that? Or thought of what it does ta people? Tha people at Muir, they made it real clear wha' it does to a person." They were all fucking idiots as far as Kevin was currently concerned.
Nathan just raised an eyebrow. "So since you've exhausted the physical options, don't you think it's time to explore the non-physical?" he asked levelly.
Kevin wasn't sure who was listening to their conversation through that mirror and it made him rather reluctant to be completely up front with Mr. Morrow at the moment. Muir had told him there was likely no way to truly control his powers. There was an untested theory at the island that he could maybe learn to control how fast the decay happened, but they were less convinced he could slow it much. When Kevin had left it was soon after they told him they didn't see any way for him to ever turn off his powers. It was the one thing that had made him dislike the entire place. Truth be told, he hadn't minded Muir much until all the feedback he'd gotten that amounted to zero started to mount on top of itself. Finding out he was stuck like this forever was the last straw for him. "Yer old 'nuff ta realize anythin' that sounds that easy ain't, Mr. Morrow." That was all he was willing to say on the subject with that mirror there.
"I didn't say it was easy. But it's a possibility, and that's what the genetic counseling could help you do. So when it comes right down to it, it's not such a bad thing, is it?" Nathan paused a beat. "Especially compared to jail."
"Ah'd still rather know 'xactly what Ah was agreein' to before Ah do." He thought for a moment and sighed. "Dr. MacTaggert will have say over what form mah counselin' stuff take?"
"I suspect it'll be a cooperative effort. Moira, Professor Xavier, Doctor Samson..." Nathan's gaze was more sympathetic now. "It's not going to be awful, Kevin. They're not going to make you their lab rat."
"Bein' me tends to register pretty high on the awful scale on a daily basis anyway, Mr. Morrow. How much more awful a thing adds to that can add up fast, tha's all." Kevin gave Nathan a weak smile followed by an equally weak nod. "Ah suppose Ah'll agree to it. Ain't got much other choice, not really."
"Then we need to wait for some paperwork to sign," Nathan said, not showing how much of a relief it was to hear Kevin say that. "One step at a time, Kevin. We get this resolved for you, and then you can move forward." He offered a smile, crooked but somehow encouraging. "And if Moira starts coming at you with needles, just let me know. I'm very good at distracting her."
Kevin nodded as he pulled himself up in his chair to sit a little straighter. "Right. Wait fer paperwork, sign paperwork, then wha'? Go back ta Xavier's? Ah suppose whoever's in charge of my genetic counseling gets ta say when or if Ah ever get ta leave, righ'?" It was just like prison, only he'd have a bed that didn't melt.
"It's only a prison if you make it one, Kevin," Nathan said. "And no, that is not me reading your mind."
Kevin narrowed his eyes slightly and gave Nathan a bit of a look. This was then followed by a sigh and more a look of acceptance. "Ah know, Mr. Morrow. Optimism's not mah strong suit, not really. I's hard ta not feel like everythin's a prison sometimes, tha's all." Kevin shrugged and wondered why he was so damn open with Mr. Dayspring. Maybe it was just because of everyone he'd come in contact with recently, Mr. Dayspring was actually the person he'd known the longest and most. That was a rather sad thought.
"Well, we're just going to have to work on that, aren't we?"
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