Jean and Scott

[x-jeangrey.livejournal.com]

After sending this email, Jean and Scott discuss their current and ex- charges.



Jean hit send on the email and then leaned back from her laptop, rubbing at her eyes; it had been a long day going over Jennie's test results with Amelia and between that and this latest dust up on the journals her temper was not improving.

"I could hear you stewing in the Danger Room," said her husband, from the door of her office. Scott was in sweatpants and a t-shirt, and with his hair in damp spikes, had clearly been through the showers at some point very recently.

Looking over at him, Jean considered a moment then said, "Backrub?" pouting faintly. "Teenagers are being, well, teen aged again and I'm not in the mood."

"Uh-huh. Does Amanda class as a teenager anymore?" Scott said, coming over to stand behind her chair. It wasn't that he hadn't seen the various spats on the journal. It was just that he had figured out long ago that if he was going to keep his sanity, he needed to limit his interventions to the times when threats of bodily harm started getting flung around.

"Let's see... name calling, making a dramatic statement about not caring what someone else says, and finally having her boyfriend try to defend her. She may not technically be one, but I'm not seeing a lot of difference." Jean sighed. "I'm actually more worried about Laurie, though, particularly as Amanda's not team. She can do or say whatever she likes and that's not our problem. The fact is Laurie honestly doesn't seem to see where or how she stepped over the line."

"Yeah, whatever's with Amanda and Jennie really isn't our business..." Scott laid his hands on her shoulders, rubbing gently at the tense muscles there. "I've been a little concerned about Laurie lately myself."

Jean's eyes fell shut as she tilted her head to keep her hair out of the way. "Sent her an email to come talk to me some time this weekend," she mumbled. Don't want her to think she's in any trouble, but this, and what happened with Nate the other week, and a couple other things have got me thinking. She's very focused on her view of the world and of events. Doesn't seem to have a lot of space for other people as autonomous beings, which is a tad worrying, given her power."

Scott's hands stilled for a moment, then started their kneading again. "You're thinking about her father?"

"Mmm, yes," Jean said, then added softly, "and Manuel. Not that there's really any comparison between them. It was just what Amelia told me happened with Nathan. She wanted to help, and didn't even think about what Nate might want or how he'd feel. Zach always used his power to get what he wanted. I'm worried Laurie wants to give people what she thinks they ought to want."

"Better intentions, same dangerous result," Scott said. "So what do you think needs doing?" He hadn't lasted this long leading the X-Men by being hesitant to take advice. Especially not from someone as well-suited to giving it in this situation as Jean.

"I'm going to talk to her," she said, shrugging slightly. "I'll have a better idea afterwards. I'm hoping I can get her to start thinking before she acts, and about other people instead of herself. Right now, I'm really tempted to give her homework - parse it as medlab training."

"The stubbornness can be a good trait - if she learns to properly direct it." Scott paused for a moment, then went on more thoughtfully. "She has issues with proper compartmentalization, too."

"Yes, she does," Jean agreed. "Some of this is all just that she's still young - younger, possibly, than some of her classmates were at her age. I wouldn't wish a harsher childhood on any of our students, don't get me wrong, but your the prime example, love, of how that can mature a child faster."

"Then again, that does handicap us in other ways," Scott pointed out, just a bit dryly. "But anyway. If you've noticed a pattern, you should talk to her - you've done a lot of what she wants to do with her life-" X-Man and doctor, after all. "-and you have similar ethical constraints vis-a-vis your powers."

"We'll see if she gets back to me. Given it's Laurie, it's unlikely I'll have to hunt her down and have a Talk." Sighing, Jean turned her chair and stood up, sliding her arms around Scott for a quick hug. "Come. No more of this. I think I'm going to pretend I'm Lorna and use cooking as therapy. You ok with stir fry tonight?"

"Turn down a you-cooked meal? Never," Scott said, his lips twitched. "Not when you're not mixing up spices, at least..."

Jean stuck out her tongue at him. "You're never going to let me forget that, are you? It was only that one time and it was years ago." She pouted faintly.

"You used pumpkin pie spice in curry, Jean. I think that's one of those things that will live forever," Scott said - and got ready to dodge, just in case.

"Hmph," she said, swatting at him and completely unsurprised when he moved out of the way. "It was the day before the MCATs and I was stressed out of my mind. Totally understandable."

"Hey, I didn't say I was holding it against you. Just that I was going to keep reminding you of it until we're crotchety and in our eighties..."