Jean and Angel, backdated to the 22nd

[x-firestar.livejournal.com]

Angel seeks out Jean for a little help with getting over her skittishness with psi's after the incident with Nathan.



Angel paused outside of Dr. Grey-Summers door and fidgeted, playing with the hem of her shirt for a moment. It'd actually taken her a while to work up the courage to come and see someone but the latest post about Jennie and telepaths spurred her on. If she wanted to actually communicate easily with her friend, she needed to see someone. She sighed and then rapped on the door, calling out, "Dr. Grey-Summers? It's Angel."

Jean looked up from the forms she was perusing - Jennie's medical file. She'd been looking for some key that would make this make sense, or at least give her a way to reverse it, even though she knew it was impossible. Jennie was a dog, through and through. A healthy one, at least, but that was cold comfort. Angel's knock came as a welcome distraction. "Come on in," she called out, closing the file.

"I'm being stupid," Angel groaned to herself before heading in. It was completely irrational but that was part of the reason she was down there in the first place. "Um, hi." Now inside the office, she started to fidget more, having a hard time meeting Jean's eyes as she stood there. Finally, she sighed and shoved her hands in her pockets. "I think I need some help."

Jean nodded, leaning back in her chair, and waved Angel towards one of the others. "Sure, what's up, sweetie?"

Sitting was good. Angel situated herself, tucking her legs up under herself before she was completely comfortable. "Well, you know when the head boom thing..." She glanced up and then went red, rubbing the back of her neck sheepishly. "I guess you would, yeah? My mouth is not making this any easier. But I got to see Mr. Dayspring totally not be himself and I heard about Ms. Braddock and the 'class'..."

'The head boom thing' wasn't actually all that descriptive and really didn't narrow things down as much as it ought to, Jean reflected, but what they were talking about did at least become clearer as Angel went on, and she mentally winced at the two examples Angel had - that week hadn't been easy for any of them, but at least most of the school had only had to deal with one or the other of the two violently crazy psis... "Ah," she said slowly. "Must have been rough. I got lucky enough to only have to deal with Ms. Braddock trying to give me a makeover."

Angel blinked at that mental image and a smile appeared for a second before disappearing again. It took her another minute but she finally looked up and blurted out, "It's made me really, really nervous being around telepaths. I mean, I was kinda leery when I first found out about the whole being able to read thoughts thing but then I met everyone and it was cool. Even if Mr. H did kinda confuse me at first. I thought he was gay but I think he's just special. But Mr. Dayspring was not himself and...well, I didn't know what he was talking about but now I'm...gah. I'm being stupid and I can't stop it!"

Ah. It was going to be one of those talks. Joy. "Angel," Jean said, "there's nothing stupid about feeling something. It's neither right nor wrong; it's just the way you feel. And it is perfectly understandable - even putting aside the fact that most people are unnerved by telepaths, that week was especially rough on everybody."

She nodded, frowning. "But I don't want to be nervous around you guys. I mean, I could technically set people on fire so really, everyone should be nervous around everyone else. But that's part of why we're here, I guess." Angel scrunched up her nose slightly. "I just need to not be jumpy because, really, I could be doing something else besides worrying, you know?" It was logical, really.

Jean smiled at that. "Logic, huh? You should inspire fear, therefore you should not be afraid? You'd be amazed at how often telling yourself you should be feeling something other than what you are doesn't work. Mind, I'm in favor of you not being jumpy around me or any of the others, but it's not something you can push, I think." Although, really, telling Angel there was something she shouldn't push at was kind of like waving a red scarf at a bull.

There was a stubborn set to Angel's jaw now. "I know and I know it'll probably take time and I should go talk to Mr. Dayspring..." She glanced away at that, rubbing the back of her neck. There'd been no violence with him like Miss Braddock but he'd really freaked her out. Determined, she turned back, arms dangling over her knees. "Can you do the brain talking thing?" she asked, wiggling her fingers slightly.

#Yes,# Jean sent, simply. #Do you think it will help?#

"Oh!" She bit her lip and forced herself to sit still. This was exactly why she'd come to see the older redhead, after all. Her eyes widened for a moment and she couldn't help but wonder if her surface thoughts were stupid. Like how she liked cheese or who she thought had the cutest butt. Or how she was still slightly irritated that Forge had shot from "good to crush" to "too old to crush". "Um, I think it will, actually...no running screaming?"

"Yes," Jean said, swapping back to spoken word, unconcerned with Angel's surface thoughts but the way she had to force herself not to flinch away from Jean was unsettling. "Not running and screaming is a good first step, I'd say." She smiled.

Angel smiled back in response, not her normal 100 wattage one but a steadier look than what she'd initially came in with. "It's...not going to be over in just one night, is it?" she asked quietly, tucking hair behind her ears.

"Nope," Jean said softly. "Don't think I have a magic wand of coping around here. Sorry." She considered the file on her desk then closed it. "But how about we make step two be 'having cocoa with the only moderately crazy psi'? I have Godiva's..."

Instantly, she perked up. "Godiva?" Angel repeated, some of her normal shine starting to come back. "Ma'am, you totally just said the magic words."