xp_logs | Forge & Jubilee

Jubilee comes to the mansion to pick up her things. Not everyone's overjoyed to see her back.

Jubilee slowly hooked her foot around the front door to the mansion, twisting herself around so she could back out without the box in her arms tumbling to the ground. It was mostly clothing at the moment, since she was still sleeping on Wanda's couch till they got a place ready for her in the Brownstone.

She was somewhat surprised at how much clothing she'd actually left when she'd gone to LA. But most of it was old, from around her 'Britney' stage, and she hoped to God they'd let her purchase something a little better soon. Which reminded her that she needed to speak to Remy and Pete about just what exactly the arrangements were going to be, and if she was going to have to look for some form of actual job.

"Correct me if I'm wrong," a voice came from the side of the foyer, "but don't you usually have to move back in before moving your stuff out in one of those dramatic gestures?"

Forge stepped out of one of the small hallways that flanked the staircases. His hands were hidden in his suit pockets as he looked Jubilee up and down. "The Professor mentioned you'd be stopping by," he said by way of greeting. "I gather it's been a bit of 'interesting times' for you, as the Chinese would say, since you left the West Coast Annex."

Jubilee's eyebrows raised as she looked up at Forge, he'd gotten taller, or what that broader? Something around the eyes had changed a little since she'd last seen him too, more then just the extra years he'd seemingly gained.

"Something like that." she replied, moving the box to a more comfortable position. "You got taller...or was it just broader, since I last saw you."

"I was on Attilan," he explained, as if it should explain everything.

"Hmm," Jubilee replied, non-committal. "So, does that means we get ta hear about 'When I was in Attilan' stories for the next few years, or are ya goin' for more originality? "

"Depends," Forge replied, still not moving across the foyer. "Are you going to be around to hear them? Or is this just a 'hi, see ya, bye' kind of thing? I mean, where in the hell have you been?"

Jubilee let the box of clothes drop to the floor with a dull thud, closing the door as she leant back against it and gave Forge a measuring look. She'd expected something like this, and had been bracing herself for it the moment she'd walked through the front door. Professor Xavier had been understanding, although she could tell he was disappointed in some of the choices she'd made. She couldn't go back on any of them though, even if she'd wanted to and while some of the decisions had been suicidally stupid, she hadn't had _that_ hard a time in Madripoor, considering how it might have went.

She didn't even blame Forge for being upset at her, she'd have been upset at her if their positions were reversed. The fact was, she didn't have any real answers for him right now, since she was still looking for them herself.

"I'm around." she finally said, keeping her tone fairly steady, despite a note of frustration that leaked through. "I'm staying with Wanda for the moment, till I figure out some things. As to where I've been...Hong Kong, for most of the time, then some time in Madripoor, and now I'm here."

"'Here' being a rather interesting word to use," Forge said, his tone perhaps icier than he intended, "since you appear to be walking out the door than in. Although, one can infer that since you're staying with Wanda, it looks like Uncle Pete's Home for the Wayward and Misguided is still recruiting."

Jubilee winced at the tone, her shoulders bowing slightly for a second before straightening again as she kept her gaze fixed firmly on Forge's face. "You could say that, although I don't know how wayward I am...misguided, well, maybe that, I'll grant ya. What do ya want, Forge? You want me to say I'm sorry for goin' off like I did? Can't say that, wouldn't be true. I needed to leave, and I think I found who I was out there, maybe. But I am back, an I don't think I'm goin' anywhere for awhile but I can't promise you that, cause I don't know. "

Forge just shrugged. "So this is the new you, then." It was more of a statement than a question. "No apologies, no second thoughts, just going your own way. This is who you found out you were. Well, good for you."

It stung, and Jubilee figured if he'd physically hit her it couldn't have stung quite as badly as those few words did and the anger she felt, and the sheer exhaustion that followed it was better then the desire to hit out, to wound in some way that would make this feel better. Because it was the truth, there were no apologies she cared to make, and she certainly didn't want to explain. Most of all though, above everything else, she did want to go her own way, to find her own path whatever that led to.

She didn't want to leave behind her friends though, that was never what she'd wanted when she set out.

"Don't." she said simply, picking up her box again. "Can't you just be happy that I'm home now?"

"Lots of people come home," Forge said quietly, turning for the stairs. "It's the ones that stay who matter. For what it's worth, Jubes... it's good to see you."

"It's good to see you too, Forge." Jubilee said softly, not sure whether he'd hear her or not as she turned back toward the door.