xp_logs | Log: Cassidy Keep, Ireland

After getting picked up in Siberia, it's only a short time before Terry's on another trip, this time back home where Bobby has considerably news that's a definite improvement over the last few days. Backdated to Nov 1st.

Terry ran across the castle's wide green lawn, startling a visiting tour group. She gave them an apologetic wave and dashed inside a side door. On the other side of the door was a mudroom and beyond that, the remodelled kitchen. She dumped her bag on the counter and put some water on for tea, then ran off again through the halls to the office. "Hello? Anyone home?"

Bobby looked up from the computer screen with a smile, getting to his feet and coming out from behind the desk. "Hey there, little girl. Did you get separated from the tour?" he teased, face alight with pleasure at seeing his wife.

"It was boring. I decided to go exploring." She laughed and crossed the space between them, throwing herself into his arms and giving him a kiss. She was still bruised from her adventure in space and the insanity in Russia but she could handle a little pain. "Miss me, a ghra? Or have you been too busy with your computer?"

Bobby blinked, looking confused. "Were you gone?" He grinned and held her close, nuzzling her hair as he murmured, "Of course I missed you. How are your classes going?"

"Midterms are over, thank God. I nearly died, Bobby. No joke." She looked up at him, pouting and hugged him harder. "How about you? What's going on here?"

Bobby arched an eyebrow and rubbed his fingers up and down her spine, just enjoying having her here, in his arms and safe. "Not much. We've been fairy-free and the tourists are slowing down a little. Actually..." He glanced over at the computer. "I've been sort of looking into finding something to do. Since I seem to have more free time than I'd thought I'd have."

"Winter you might think about closing tours. It's a slow season." Terry rested her head against Bobby's chest. "Did you have any diversions in mind? You could take up knitting. Or metal working," she suggested cheerfully.

If the slowdown in the last month was anything to go by, he might actually consider it. "Actually, I had something a little more--productive in mind," he said with a wry smile, tapping her on the tip of his nose with his fingertip. "Going back to school." He wasn't sure how Terry would take it--it wasn't why he'd come to Ireland, after all. Almost the opposite.

"School," Terry pulled back, looked surprised. As far as she knew, he'd hated school. He never really talked about, usually changed the subject when it came up, but whatever had gone on while he was away had been anything but enjoyable. Terry assumed that Bobby was perfectly happy without a degree. "Whatever for?"

While it was true he'd been kind of miserable the last time he'd tried college, things somehow felt...different, now. He was a different person, he was in a different country--and had decided to pursue a different degree.

He released Terry, grabbing her hand and leading her over to the computer. "I was thinking...maybe I'd like to be a teacher. I enjoyed teaching the kids back at h--the mansion." It'd been months since he'd left Xavier's, and yet it still felt like home in some ways. But the Keep was starting to feel like home, too.

If the idea of Bobby going back to school had been surprising, the idea that he'd become a teacher was more so. But the next moment Terry realized that it wasn't actually all that surprising. Once they were old enough to talk sense, children tended to be very fond of Bobby and he of them. "Were you planning on taking classes here or did you think you'd come back to the States?"

That was the part that he'd had to think about long and hard, weighing his choices, the pros and cons. Of course, the scale tippers were getting to see a hell of a lot more of Terry if he went stateside, versus the commitment he'd made to this place, a commitment he'd promised to honor. In the end, that was what had made up his mind. "I'm gonna stay here. Someone has to look after this place, right?" He watched Terry's face anxiously, hoping he'd made the right decision, the one that would make her happy, as well as leave him not feeling like he'd abandoned his responsibility to their 'new' home.

She hoped that she didn't look as relieved as she felt. "Sure that's the idea. That'll give you a good way to pass the time while I'm away too." Terry hopped up onto the desk, crossing her legs, smiling. "If this is what you want to do, love, I think it's a brilliant idea."

She seemed pretty sincere, and Bobby relaxed, smiling back as he rested a hand on her knee. "Here, let me show you what I've found." He reached for the mouse with his free hand, opening a browser tab and pulling up the bookmarked page. "National University of Ireland. It's in Galway, but they have distance programs, too." Now that he'd told Terry and she'd been enthusiastic, Bobby's own enthusiasm was growing. He could do this. He could really do this.

Terry leaned over to look at the page. "I looked at their Irish Studies programme when I was researching universities. They've a good reputation. When were you thinking of starting? Do they have late start classes for this term?" Unlikely, given how late it was.

"Nah, I'd probably try to come in after Christmas," Bobby admitted. "But hey, that gives me some time to get everything squared away, right? Without rushing to get it all done at once." He could make sure everything was set at the Keep, and maybe even make a trip back to Boston...or something.

"Things will be busy enough," Terry agreed, nodding, propping her legs up on his chair, "Holidays and such. You can start fresh, new year, new classes. Things won't get busy here until April and you can always hire some help until I'm back for summer. I think it's doable." She smiled, leaned forward, "Hard work though."

"I'm not afraid of a little hard work, baby." Bobby nodded though, running his hand absently along her leg. "I should probably make some lists or something, so I don't forget anything. Wanna help? It doesn't have to be done right now, but before you leave...?" There really would be a lot to take care of to make this all go as smooth as possible, and Terry could help with this part at least. Two heads were better than one.

"Definitely before I leave," she uncrossed her legs, put one foot on each side of him. "But I'm going to be here for days. I think it can wait a couple hours, don't you?"

Bobby's eyes moved up her legs, her body, up to her face and he grinned knowingly. "I know it can." He grabbed her hips and pulled her off of the desk, into his lap.

Terry laughed and reached up to thread her fingers through his hair, bending over him and kissing his forehead, the tip of his nose, his chin and mouth, light little kisses that were hardly more than brushes of her lips on his skin. "It's nice to be home," she murmured softly, smiling with her mouth against his.