Log: Lorna and Jean

[x-jeangrey.livejournal.com]

Jean hunts down Lorna after her training session with Angelo and ends up talking with her about Alex. Backdated to Saturday afternoon



Jean hadn't seen Lorna's note about doing some training until rather later, and poking her head into the danger room revealed that, whatever she and Angelo had gotten up to, they'd already finished. But Lorna's car was still out front, so she had to be around somewhere. Shrugging to herself, Jean set out to check the most likely spots first.

Apparently the Danger Room hadn't been enough because Lorna was in the gym, beating her anger into the heavy bag. She hadn't run into Shiro yet and that was probably a very good thing for the structural integrity of various walls and pieces of furniture in the mansion but not so good for her state of mind. Her punches fell with almost meditative precision at this point and while she knew that her knuckles were split and bleeding, she didn't really care. Sweat plastered her green hair to her face and neck in the most unattractive way.

Jean hadn't really been expecting this, nor the way her first little throat clearing went totally ignored. "Lorna?" she tried again, eyebrows raising. "I wanted to thank you for the lovely present, but right now it looks like the more appropriate holiday response is to offer you the Lite Eggnog and some significant quantites of rum, maybe..."

"I'm fine," Lorna muttered and forced herself to step back from the bag, not turning to Jean just yet. He looked down at her hands, flexing her fingers slowly and hissing when sweat dripped into the wounds. "Or...something. I'm sure you can guess."

"Yes, I think 'or something' is probably slightly closer to the mark." Face placid, Jean walked over to where the first aid supplies were stored. She'd always felt it said something that they had to keep an extra supply in here just for the (many many many) occasions when people let things get out of hand.

Lorna sighed and followed Jean. "It's a bad day, is all. Nothing too out of hand, this is just better than letting myself get caught in the calorie counting trap again. So, you liked the gift? I have to tell you, when I saw it I wanted to keep it for myself."

Jean waved Lorna towards one of the benches, pulling the antiseptic out of the kit. "Well, I'm very glad you went ahead and wrapped it, then, because it's fabulous."

Lorna took a seat and resisted the need to push her hair off her face. It was sticky and itching but that's what she got for being an idiot and besides, soon she'd have a distraction in the form of antiseptic. "You're very welcome then. How was your Christmas? I was barely around for it myself."

Her hands were gentle as she cleaned and bandaged the cuts on Lorna's hand. "Well, the parts in Alaska were rather nicer than the parts with my parents. My mother thinks she's being subtle when she pulls out the books of baby pictures of my niece and nephew."

"I cleverly distracted mine by giving her a puppy. That'll keep her occupied for at least a year before she starts giving me grief about...not being attached." Lorna had been about to say 'dumping Alex' but as friendly as she was with Jean, there were some things that were off limits. Her very uneven relationship with Jean's brother in law was one of those. Especially given the current situation and especially when she didn't know what Jean knew about the current situation. "After that, I plan to move to Guam. She can't complain if I'm in Guam."

"Well, my mother managed to complain while I was in Tibet, it turns out. I just couldn't hear her. It was definitely a perk." A few seconds more and the bandages were secure, so Jean released Lorna's hands. "So, then, am I allowed to ask what the 'or something' is that brings you down here, or shall I avoid?"

"Thanks." Lorna said then sighed, "I guess that depends. How much do you already suspect that you know what 'something' is? Because otherwise...it's not so much my place, you know?"

Jean looked at Lorna steadily, frowning for a second. After a moment she sighed and said, "Well, I know that Scott's more than a little bit willing to punch someone over the rather disturbing medical test results we got back the other day and Alex's vanishing from the building..."

"He needs to wait his damn turn," Lorna grumbled viciously, hands clenching back to fists briefly. "I don't care if he's the brother. I still get first shot."

"I'll tell you what I told him - the beatings wait until he's medically cleared." There was a definite bit of archness to Jean's tone, covering up the edge of steel.

"No one ever lets me have fun," muttered the younger woman, making it a joke but the sentiment beneath it--that she thought it was indulgent and unnecessary--she meant that. "I swear to God, Jean. I've seen Alex look like that before and...Christ. It's not easy to hurt him that badly. I've done it."

Jean sighed, moving to sit on the bench next to Lorna. They wouldn't get into whether it was unnecessary - that definitely qualified as Shiro's private medical business. "Is he doing any better, being away? I'm glad he had the strength to say 'no' and get somewhere he felt safe."

"I gave him the spare bedroom and...honestly, I'm not sure. I think he's better. I think...he was better the minute he walked away. He was upset when he came to me and he's still... Yes." Lorna stood and walked over to grab a towel from the pile by the door, scrubbing her face and neck. "He's still adjusting," she continued as she came back, "I'm glad he came to me."

"I am, too," Jean said quietly, although she didn't elaborate. The whole situation was complicated. More complicated, really, in lives which were already difficult enough.

Lorna had been looking off absently, now her head snapped around, green eyes widening, "Oh, I...no. I didn't mean it like that. Just that...I mean. I'm glad he considered me a good enough friend to...trust."

Jean arched an eyebrow at the other woman. "That was what I meant, too," she said mildly, although privately she admitted there'd been a touch of the other. Mostly, though, she was interested in just how quickly Lorna's mind had gone there.

Lorna frowned at her, doubting that very much. "It's not like that anymore. And even if it was, this is so not the time. He needs a friend."

Jean propped her elbow on her knee and rested her chin in her hand, gazing at Lorna. "Yes, I know. Really and truly, I meant that I'm glad he felt he had someone to go to. Particularly someone who wasn't here. Coming to Scott and me wouldn't have helped much when what he really needed was distance. And him going to you in town is infinitely better than him vanishing into the city."

Lorna paced a moment then sat down again next to Jean. "You know, I'm not sure that he would have gone to the city."

"Oh?" The only other option which sprang to Jean's mind was Alex fishing up, somehow, the funds for a flight to Alaska or Hawaii, and it wasn't a reassuring one.

Lorna shrugged one shoulder. "He wasn't running," she explained. "I think he'd have stayed in the school if I hadn't been an option. He was upset but not...panicked."

Jean breathed in, then out on a quiet, "Ohhh. Oh that is good news." A small knot of tension Jean hadn't even realized she'd been carrying around suddenly made itself known by its release.

Lorna nodded, looking down at her hands. "He's stronger than people realize."

"With all he's been through, I shouldn't be surprised, but I am," Jean admitted, turning slightly on the bench so she could lean back on her hands and consider Lorna. "At least it's a pleasant surprise, even within the unpleasant situation. Good to know he has the strength, and that he knows it, too."

Lorna smiled without looking up, though she was aware of Jean's speculative gaze. "You really think it's a surprise? I'm not surprised in the least." He'd been hurt a lot but unlike some people, Alex never let it beat him. Lorna had known that for a long time.

"He's grown up a lot," Jean said after a moment. "I don't know. Sometimes I still see the angry young man who hated me for breaking Scott's heart when I see him. Hard to get past that."

"I can understand that," Lorna replied, "it's easy to do that. Get stuck in seeing a person just one way even in the face of available evidence."

Jean nodded, sighing. "Yes, exactly. And then every so often the world kicks you in the head and goes 'stop that'. Or at least, it does to me."

"Oh good, I'm not the only one with the world's bootprints on my forehead." Lorna smiled wryly. "Maybe we're just really unobservant people, do you think?"

"Oh no, it's not just us," Jean grinned slightly. "I've seen it happen to other people. It usually makes for good entertainment when it's not you. Assuming you enjoy watching other people suffer." She paused, and the grin widened. "And I do from time to time."

Lorna's smile broadened, "I knew I liked you."