Reconstruction: backdated to last week

[x-traitor.livejournal.com]

Laurie takes a break from her job in the kitchen to come talk to Tommy as he eats. They make idol conversation, including what they want to do in the future.


Laurie placed the plate of steak and vegetables in front of Tommy and sat down in front of him, raising her eyebrows as he looked up at her. "Enjoying the sunshine?" she asked with a smile.

They hadn't talked more then a few words to each other since she'd started at the school, but then that wasn't terribly unusual. They hadn't exactly run in the same circles back in their old highschool and after the whole dream incident, she'd been unsure how to approach him at all. He seemed somewhat lonely the times she'd seen him on campus, something she could understand, considering his entrance to the mansion as told to her by the other kids. It couldn't be easy having come from a position of hating mutants to being one yourself, and having to cope with how that changed your world view.

Looking up at her through his bangs from the pharmaceutical textbook in his lap, Tommy gave her a considering look before he looked down at the food. Knowing Laurie's reputation, he set his book aside. "It is a pleasant change. The work isn't bad either honestly."

It didn't surprise him any that Laurie didn't approach him, despite their shared background. Jan was even his friend back then and they barely talked. Tommy was used to keeping to himself and still in the back of his mind expected others to steer clear of him. He was former FOH...and a part of him always would be.

"What have they got you doing?" she asked with interest, eyeing the pharmaceutical textbook.

She wondered what he was studying, and remembered she'd brought her own chemistry and biology textbooks with her to get in some more study before school started up again. She needed to be on the ball if she wanted to get into Pre-med classes at New York university at any time in the future.

"Construction. They need as many strong hands as they can get, plus I can reinforce the structures. How's the kitchen treating you?" He took a bite of the steak before looking up at her again, a smile in the corner of his mouth. "This is good. Thanks."

Noticing her glance at his book, he nodded to it as he cut up his steak. "I'm trying to find more uses for my powers besides jewelry and construction. Something more useful."

"Found anything yet?" she asked, interested.

She was aware of Tommy's power but she'd never really investigated just exactly what he could do before. Considering she had time to kill, she figured it was as good a time as any to find out.

Shrugging slightly, Tommy took another bite of food as he considered what to say to her. "I'm just researching at the moment. I can manage some simple drugs at the moment, like asprin, but that's it really."

"How does it work? Um, like, what do you use to do it?" Laurie replied, giving him a confused look. She'd thought he could only change things into metal, stuff like that.

Tommy considered again before shrugging. It wasn't that he liked to show off his powers, he just found demonstrations worked better then explanations. He pulled one of his gloves off as he spoke. "I have to know the chemical formula inside and out. Then it's just a matter of concentration." He picked up a carrot off his plate and held it in his fist as he closed his eyes. Two minutes later he uncurled his fist and held it out to her. "Pure aspirin." It was one he could do rather quickly after the mission overseas with Kane and the Red X mission at Whistler.

Laurie took the aspirin tablet out of his hand and looked at it in wonder. "Could you...do you think you could replicate organic matter?"

He shook his head as he replaced his glove. "I doubt it, though I will admit I haven't considered the possibility."

"Think of it if you could." Laurie said excitedly, suddenly thinking of all the applications. "I mean, you could create organs that a person wouldn't need to take anti-rejection drugs for, or you could repair damaged tissue and help people walk again. If you could, that is."

Tommy just kind of blinked at her for a moment. "Possibly, but that's a little far ahead. I'd like to concern medicines better first and even then, I need to get better with liquids anyway."

"Yeah, I guess so." Laurie replied, deflating somewhat from her excitement of a moment before. "I didn't know you could do pure liquids. Have you done many yet?"

"Hardly any really. I was working on them but switched to medicines, due to the immediate need Red X seems to have for them." He said conversationally, taking another bite. "Can't hurt to be prepared."

"That's true, they tend to be the people on site first in disasters." Laurie mused, giving him a searching look. "You ever thought of doing something like this full time once you're done with school?"

"No." He answered honestly. Then Tommy paused for a moment, not sure how this would be taken, but then, it was no secret that his double major was chemistry....and political science. "I still feel like politics is what I'm meant to do." He'd been groomed for it his whole life and there was a reason. The FOH were not stupid when it came to there recruits.

"Oh?" Laurie asked, gaze suddenly intent.

While Tommy now went to their school, and seemed to have given up his previous life as a mutant hater, she wasn't quite sure what he would do once in politics. What they really didn't need was a self-hating mutant trying to make life difficult for the rest of them. Laurie really wasn't sure if Tommy would be good or bad for them, even though Yvette seemed to trust him.

Tommy honestly didn't know either. Right now, he was in the middle, between the two extremes, which didn't seem to have much of a voice, so there was a possibility there. There were some things he still believed from his days in the FOH, like how making the world safe should be the most important issue, just now it was for everyone, vice just everyday humans. But he wasn't about to discuss it with anyone, knowing they'd no doubt find some fault in it.

"Yes." Was his simple answer before he continued. "You seemed pretty interested in the medicines. Are you studying the medical field?"

"I want to be a doctor," Laurie admitted, something in her eyes lighting up as she said the words. "Maybe a GP like Dr Summers-Grey, or even a specialist but I'm not sure yet."

"You really sound like you enjoy it." He said politely with a small smile as he took another bite of his dinner.

"I guess it's a helping people thing, only I get to help myself while I do it, cause all this knowledge means I'll probably land a job that pays fairly well too." Laurie admitted with a smile.

It wasn't that she wouldn't do something sheerly for the joy of helping others but life was something you had to be practical about, and money was needed.

"Yeah....That is something I can understand." And he did. Even with the FOH, that's all he ever wanted to do was help people. Of course, it wouldn't seem that way to anyone at the mansion, but it was true. And if he could use the knowledge they gave him to help others? So be it. "Good luck."

"Yeah. Good luck on yours too." Laurie replied, going quiet as she waited for him to finish the rest of his food.

It only took him a few more bites before he was finished and handed back the plate. "Thanks."