Laurie & Zach log

[x-wallflower-.livejournal.com]

Zach is awoken by Laurie's nightmare and goes to check that she's alright. Laurie finally tells him what she's become involved in.



Laurie jerked awake, the scream dying on her lips as she realised she was in the spare room at her Dad's place. She'd been having a nightmare, and hadn't seemed able to do anything at all to stop it.

She hugged her pillow to her chest, wiping at her eyes as she shivered in reaction.

The hall light snapped on, and Zach's silhouette was outlined in the doorway. "Laurie?" he asked, taking a tentative step inside. "Is everything all right, kiddo?"

Laurie blinked in the sudden light, drawing her pillow closer as she shook her head. "H-had a n-nightmare," she said, the shivering causing her to stutter slightly, it reminded her of how she'd been when she first came to Xavier's.

Zach thought about that for a moment, then pulled a chair over to sit next to his daughter's bed. "Do you want to talk about it?" he asked quietly.

Laurie nodded, silent for a moment as she tried to gather her thoughts to explain the nightmare. "I was...I was at school, only it was so dark, like a black and white photo. There was something I had to do, and if I didn't do it then people were going to get hurt. Only, I couldn't move. I kept trying but I couldn't, and they died."

"Is there... I mean, has that been something you've seen lately? People hurt?" Zach phrased the question as delicately as he could, then leaned forward and sighed. "You don't need to keep secrets from me, Laurie. I know I don't have a lot of experience at this 'dad' thing, but... you can talk to me. Just try and pretend we're a normal family and you've had a nightmare."

"I..." Laurie began, wondering if Mr Summers would have advised against her telling her father about the X-men, but she'd told her mother, and, despite the way they'd met she'd begun to trust him. "I joined the X-men a little while ago, as a trainee. I've only been on the one mission, they didn't have anyone else. But, a little while ago we all got kidnapped as well, and then there was Mr Haller almost dying, and then Julio stopped an Earthquake and I had to do CPR. It feels like sometimes we never get a break, there's always something or someone who needs us. I'm scared that one day I won't be able to help, and someone'll die."

Zach's sharp intake of breath seemed louder in the semi-darkened room, especially when followed by a thoughtful silence. "I'd suspected it might be something like that," he said quietly. "You're seventeen, Laurie. You should be worrying about... about your prom, and gossiping about boys and movies and music. Not saving the world and near-death experiences. It's... I'll talk to the Professor about this."

Laurie shook her head almost violently, gaze growing alarmed as Zach mentioned talking to the Professor. "Please don't. I...I like what I'm doing. Please don't take that away."

She wasn't entirely sure he could, her mother had agreed to her joining after all but, and it felt strange to acknowledge it, she wanted his approval of what she was doing. She wanted him to be proud of her.

"Laurie, I don't want you getting hurt," Zach protested. "There are people out there who'll... well, you've probably seen it already if you're determined to follow Xavier's lead. I wasn't much older than you when I decided I didn't want any part of it, the arguments between Xavier and Erik, all the talk about humans and mutants and the future. I didn't choose to be what I am, I just wanted to live my own life." He sighed and rested his hands on his knees. "The Professor, he respected that. And now, here you are taking the opposite road."

"Dad, I've seen them do so much good. I helped save someone's life, you know? There was this man, he got really badly hurt and he was going to die. Only I helped save him with Dr Grey-Summers. And then, Julio got hurt in Japan and I knew what to do. I wouldn't have known if I wasn't training with the doctors at the mansion." Laurie said, her voice animated as she tried to get her father to understand why she had to do what she was doing.

"Doctors are one thing, Laurie, but risking your life?" Zach's voice grew harsh. "And for what? I know about what happened at your school, with the police and the district attorney and the trial. That's the kind of world you want to be out there protecting?"

"It's not all like that, Dad. For every person like the cops in Salem Center, there's someone like Mom, or Mrs Espinoza or the judge who presided at my trial. All they want to do is live a normal life, and not have to deal with the scary things. You know, I had this argument with a friend, her name's Amanda. I just wanted to be a normal teenager and worry about normal things, I wasn't sure I really wanted to do any of this at all. And then people got hurt, and they needed me. I can't turn my back on that, Dad. Not when they need me like that. I'd never forgive myself if I did." Laurie said, pillow clutched tighter in her hands, nightmare forgotten as she spoke.

Zach reached out instinctively and ruffled Laurie's hair. "My daughter, the crusader," he said quietly. "You certainly got that from your mother."

Laurie might have pulled away once, but she'd grown comfortable enough with her father to allow the small gestures of affection. It could still be awkward at times, and they'd both stumbled from time to time but they worked at it.

Mention of her mother made her realise she still hadn't told her about Zach. That conversation needed to happen sooner then later, she wasn't ashamed of wanting to know her father, and her mother deserved to know.

"Well, they say the nut doesn't fall far from the tree," Laurie said with a teasing glint. "Sure I don't take after you as well, as much as I take after Mom?"

"Oh, I hope not," Zach said cheerfully. "Part of the responsibility of parenting, so I'm told, is to keep your kids from making the same mistakes you made. I haven't always been the most responsible person. Not as a father, not even as a general human being," he confessed, "but I'm working on it. You could probably find any number of better role models. Jeannie, for instance. She's sure done well for herself."

"You mean Dr Grey-Summers? She is pretty awesome. She's been helping me with my pre-med studies, biology and the like." Laurie replied, enthused by the new subject, quickly forgetting her nightmare. "I really hope I make half as good a doctor as her one day."

"Well, when I knew her when I was your age, she was still just Jeannie," Zach said, patting Laurie on the shoulder. "People do change. You think you're okay to sleep now? Want me to leave the hall light on?"

Laurie nodded, settling back down into her bed as she watched her father walk to the door.

"Dad?" she called as he was about to leave. "Thankyou."

Zach stopped at the door and looked back, and for possibly the first time, Laurie saw a genuine smile on her father's face. "You're welcome, Laurie. Sleep tight."