Yvette and Scott - Monday morning

[x-penance.livejournal.com]

Looking for Kevin, Yvette runs into Scott instead and they talk about her recent adventure, among other things.



Usually Yvette only came to the garage to see if Kevin was working in
his workshop and today was no different. What was different today was
that Kevin wasn't there and it was a slightly perplexed Yvette that
came wandering back through the garage, not sure where to look now.
Perhaps he had taken one of the cars out? She thought she'd check the
sign out book to see.

"Yvette?" The voice was Scott's, from around his bike. He frowned
slightly at the girl, seeing her with the sign-in book. "Looking for
something?"

"Oh, I was looking for Kevin. I have not been seeing him since I am
back from the Elpis trip," she explained. "I was thinking maybe he had
gone for the drive, but he has not signed out the car."

"If he shows up, I'll tell him you're looking for him," Scott said,
the frown turning into a smile, although the look he gave her was more
assessing than anything else. "Quite the trip, from what I hear. I
hope that it was worth it, even with the complications?"

"Oh, yes. Even the complications were not being so bad. It is good, to
be able to be helping." Yvette looked proud of herself. "I was helping
Monet and Miss Jane with the guard dog."

"I heard that you kept your head about you." Scott rose, wiping his
hands on a rag. "It's funny, you know," he said, starting to put his
tools away. "So much has happened, to so many of our students here,
over the years... at times it was a real struggle to resist the urge
to wrap you all in cotton and lock you in your rooms." He offered her
another smile, teasing enough to make it clear he was mostly joking,
although the look in his eye was serious. "I like to think that I've
learned to remember that you guys can actually do pretty well for
yourselves when the need arises, though."

"When Kyle and Jennie and Marius were being taken last year, I was
very frightened and was hiding under the bed," Yvette confessed. "But
that is not the way to be understanding things, to be hiding. You do
not learn how to cope with such things if you are never seeing them."
She smiled. "Besides, I am not so easy to hurt and I would be making
the mess of the cotton wool."

"A lot can change in a year," Scott said, and nearly laughed at the
understatement. "I'm sure Nathan and Angelo appreciate you helping to
get them out of that mess. Not quite what you all expected out of the
trip, I'm sure." There was a strange note in his voice as he went on;
envy, some might have said. "It's quite an opportunity you all have,
working with Elpis. I know the team does good work, but so often we
just... fight the immediate battles."

"Mr. Angelo was saying they were in the perfect life. I think I am
knowing what mine might be..." She glanced down briefly at her gloved
hands, fingers inhumanly long. "But there is no such thing as the
perfect life, not being like that. If there is not the hardship, we do
not know what we have, yes?" Seeing those much worse off than her had
given her some perspective. "Elpis is the way to be making the things
better. I am glad for it."

"Lead an active life, not a passive one - something one of my
professors in college told me once," Scott said. "I can't remember
what subject I was studying at the time, but that much stuck with me."

"'Lead an active life...' I am liking that. It is the very wise
words." Yvette's eyes glowed brighter. "It is why I am liking the Red
X also - it is hard to be standing by when you are knowing you can
help." She smiled. "Which is not so different from what the X-Men are
doing also?"

"It all comes from the same set of motivations," Scott said. "So long
as the methods are good ones - and I think all of us here, no matter
what we're involved in, can say that - differences in approach don't
really matter that much. Or so I tell myself."

She nodded, eyes wide and thoughtful, obviously taking it in. "It is
the thing to remember, yes," she agreed. "And how are you, Mr.
Summers? Are you enjoying the free time now you are not the
headmaster?" There was a slightly impish smile on her face. "And will
you be teaching in the new school year?"

"I'm finding ways to fill the time," Scott said, with a brief smile.
"Although I don't know what I'll do once the plane's back in
operation. And I'll definitely be teaching again this fall - I always
liked that part of the job." He might even do a little more of
it than he had.

"I was replying to Mr. Forge's journal post to offer the help with the
plane. I am not sure what I can be doing, but I will help." She
smiled. "I like to be useful."

"Oh, there's definitely plenty of work for all," Scott said
thoughtfully. "It might not always be very exciting, but it's
necessary work." He gave her a crooked grin. "We could probably
arrange a test flight for everyone who helps out, in the end."

"Really? Oh, that would be wonderful!" Yvette's eyes literally shone,
like small headlamps.

It had occurred to him just now, on a whim, but seeing Yvette's
reaction made up his mind for him. "Definitely," Scott said firmly.
"It's only fair, and we'd have to see how she flies with a full load
anyway." Maybe he'd kill two birds with one stone and attract more of
the students to his engineering class, too.