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xp_logsForge and Crystal have their 'talk', and eventually come to something resembling an apology.
Forge slid Crystal's chair out, then sat opposite her at the small table in the hotel's restaurant. One of them anyway - it seemed like half the hotel's lobby was an automated mall complex, even the restaurant. Automated seating, menus displayed electronically on the table surface, and allegedly "authentic" Chicago-style deep-dish pizza. Forge did his best to ignore the amenities, instead focusing on his girlfriend sitting across from him.
"Look," he started, trying to seem as apologetic as possible, "I thought you said you were telling Laurie about the change in plans..."
"I did, Forge." Crystal did not try to hide the fact that she was upset. "I spoke to Laurie and we altered our pre-existing plans so that we could come join you in Dubai this weekend, just as I told you I would."
"But... I thought..." Forge dropped his head into his hands. "Argh. I'm sorry, it's just... every single time we try and make plans and Laurie's involved, everything goes to hell. After Bosnia, I just... I wanted some time with you, you understand?"
"You told me that you had been offered two suites, yes?" Crystal replied. "You were aware of the fact that Laurie and I were traveling together and had been doing so since the beginning of March. We designed our trip around events such as the conference in Erfurt and going to Bosnia-Herzegovina with Red X. Why would I have thought that not only were you were inviting Doug and Kyle but that you did not wish to have Laurie along when you did not in any way convey this information to me?"
"Because I had the reservations?" Forge said irritably, tapping angrily at the menu on the table surface, watching it change languages from Arabic to what he assumed was Chinese, then Russian, Greek, binary? - and finally back to English. "It's just that... okay, fine. You've spent the last four months traveling around with Laurie and I've seen you all of twice since March. Kyle and Doug both needed a vacation and change of scenery, so I figured they could stay in the second suite. Laurie... well, I'm really not too concerned about Laurie until she starts getting her responsibilities straight."
"You did not tell me any of this, however," Crystal pointed out. "You did not give me any hint whatsoever in regards to the idea that you were inviting Doug and Kyle to join us. Doug and Kyle have not been a regular part of your plans for the past few months. When you told me about this trip to Dubai, the only logical conclusion that could be reached was that you were inviting both Laurie and I to join you, and that she would be staying in the second suite. If you did not wish for Laurie to come along with us, why did you not say so?"
Forge opened his mouth to make a protest, then just seemed to shrink back in the chair. "Well, she's here now," he said, throwing up his hands in defeat. "I'll see about getting another..." His phone buzzed with a text message and he stopped to glance at it. After reading it, Forge's expression changed to a smile. "Aha, problem solved. Doug and Kyle are getting checked into the second suite, and they've already got a rollaway bed for Laurie. And Kyle says they're checking out the rooftop pool later."
He closed his phone and put it away, then reached his hands over the table to clasp Crystal's impulsively. "Look, I miss you, okay? Laurie might need you to hold her hand like she's an eight-year-old child crossing the street, and it's good that you're babysitting her. But it's one thing for her to skip out on her responsibilities to the team to go play tourist. It's another entirely when I come home after a day in the office or a mission to a big empty suite and a 'hi from Abu Dhabi' email."
"'Responsibilities to the team'?" Crystal repeated after a moment, incredulously. "Forge, while I cannot say that I know the exact number of people on 'the team' I am fairly certain that its membership is large enough to allow for multiple people to take vacations without lessening its effectiveness or ability to function as it normally does. Laurie needed time off, and there is nothing wrong with that! Even you have found yourself needing a vacation, yes? Time away? With me? Somewhere where you will not be, or should not be, called away for team matters. You are always so busy with your work!"
"It's important work!" Forge snapped back, "No one out there can do what I do, no one! The world needs the X-Men, and they need me. That's why..."
He sighed and took one of Crystal's hands in between both of his. "That's why getting time with you is important to me. I have to remember why I do it. The things that are worth risking my life for. And I'm sorry that I wasn't clear about this trip. We... we both said a lot of things in Bosnia before everything happened, and here we are arguing again. That's not what I wanted."
"I am not the one who suggested that a mutant should act as an overlord to a country and force everyone into 'peace' under his rule!" Crystal spoke the words quietly, but clearly and pointedly. "That is not what the X-Men stand for, is it?"
"That's not what I said," Forge explained, "I merely suggested disarming warring factions, which is a noble feat no matter how it's accomplished. Do I think Erik - do I think Magneto would stop there? No. But seeing destruction like that, it frustrates me, Crystal. And I can't just ignore it. All that's required for evil to flourish is for good men to do nothing. I don't know if I qualify, Crystal, but I'm trying."
He looked away momentarily, self-consciously studying the floor. "I can't be Charles Xavier. I can't just sit back and have the best of hopes that the world will change on its own if we're patient. I have to go out there and change it. It's like... you understand better than most. As mutants, we're different from most of the world. We always will be. That bonds us, whether we like it or not. You, me, Yvette, Laurie, Kyle, Xavier, Magneto, Apocalypse even - we're all part of one tribe because of that common bond. We're one people headed in a million different directions."
Looking back at Crystal, Forge had a look of something like purpose in his eyes. "I'm not saying I want to be the chief, god knows I can't handle it. I'm not a leader. But... every tribe needs a medicine man. Someone with their finger on the pulse of change, someone who's there to help everyone, who can do more than just pick up a weapon and fight. Our people need me, Crystal. It doesn't matter what the X-Men stand for, that's what I stand for."
Crystal nodded. "Apology accepted. Now, shall we place our order?"
Forge slid Crystal's chair out, then sat opposite her at the small table in the hotel's restaurant. One of them anyway - it seemed like half the hotel's lobby was an automated mall complex, even the restaurant. Automated seating, menus displayed electronically on the table surface, and allegedly "authentic" Chicago-style deep-dish pizza. Forge did his best to ignore the amenities, instead focusing on his girlfriend sitting across from him.
"Look," he started, trying to seem as apologetic as possible, "I thought you said you were telling Laurie about the change in plans..."
"I did, Forge." Crystal did not try to hide the fact that she was upset. "I spoke to Laurie and we altered our pre-existing plans so that we could come join you in Dubai this weekend, just as I told you I would."
"But... I thought..." Forge dropped his head into his hands. "Argh. I'm sorry, it's just... every single time we try and make plans and Laurie's involved, everything goes to hell. After Bosnia, I just... I wanted some time with you, you understand?"
"You told me that you had been offered two suites, yes?" Crystal replied. "You were aware of the fact that Laurie and I were traveling together and had been doing so since the beginning of March. We designed our trip around events such as the conference in Erfurt and going to Bosnia-Herzegovina with Red X. Why would I have thought that not only were you were inviting Doug and Kyle but that you did not wish to have Laurie along when you did not in any way convey this information to me?"
"Because I had the reservations?" Forge said irritably, tapping angrily at the menu on the table surface, watching it change languages from Arabic to what he assumed was Chinese, then Russian, Greek, binary? - and finally back to English. "It's just that... okay, fine. You've spent the last four months traveling around with Laurie and I've seen you all of twice since March. Kyle and Doug both needed a vacation and change of scenery, so I figured they could stay in the second suite. Laurie... well, I'm really not too concerned about Laurie until she starts getting her responsibilities straight."
"You did not tell me any of this, however," Crystal pointed out. "You did not give me any hint whatsoever in regards to the idea that you were inviting Doug and Kyle to join us. Doug and Kyle have not been a regular part of your plans for the past few months. When you told me about this trip to Dubai, the only logical conclusion that could be reached was that you were inviting both Laurie and I to join you, and that she would be staying in the second suite. If you did not wish for Laurie to come along with us, why did you not say so?"
Forge opened his mouth to make a protest, then just seemed to shrink back in the chair. "Well, she's here now," he said, throwing up his hands in defeat. "I'll see about getting another..." His phone buzzed with a text message and he stopped to glance at it. After reading it, Forge's expression changed to a smile. "Aha, problem solved. Doug and Kyle are getting checked into the second suite, and they've already got a rollaway bed for Laurie. And Kyle says they're checking out the rooftop pool later."
He closed his phone and put it away, then reached his hands over the table to clasp Crystal's impulsively. "Look, I miss you, okay? Laurie might need you to hold her hand like she's an eight-year-old child crossing the street, and it's good that you're babysitting her. But it's one thing for her to skip out on her responsibilities to the team to go play tourist. It's another entirely when I come home after a day in the office or a mission to a big empty suite and a 'hi from Abu Dhabi' email."
"'Responsibilities to the team'?" Crystal repeated after a moment, incredulously. "Forge, while I cannot say that I know the exact number of people on 'the team' I am fairly certain that its membership is large enough to allow for multiple people to take vacations without lessening its effectiveness or ability to function as it normally does. Laurie needed time off, and there is nothing wrong with that! Even you have found yourself needing a vacation, yes? Time away? With me? Somewhere where you will not be, or should not be, called away for team matters. You are always so busy with your work!"
"It's important work!" Forge snapped back, "No one out there can do what I do, no one! The world needs the X-Men, and they need me. That's why..."
He sighed and took one of Crystal's hands in between both of his. "That's why getting time with you is important to me. I have to remember why I do it. The things that are worth risking my life for. And I'm sorry that I wasn't clear about this trip. We... we both said a lot of things in Bosnia before everything happened, and here we are arguing again. That's not what I wanted."
"I am not the one who suggested that a mutant should act as an overlord to a country and force everyone into 'peace' under his rule!" Crystal spoke the words quietly, but clearly and pointedly. "That is not what the X-Men stand for, is it?"
"That's not what I said," Forge explained, "I merely suggested disarming warring factions, which is a noble feat no matter how it's accomplished. Do I think Erik - do I think Magneto would stop there? No. But seeing destruction like that, it frustrates me, Crystal. And I can't just ignore it. All that's required for evil to flourish is for good men to do nothing. I don't know if I qualify, Crystal, but I'm trying."
He looked away momentarily, self-consciously studying the floor. "I can't be Charles Xavier. I can't just sit back and have the best of hopes that the world will change on its own if we're patient. I have to go out there and change it. It's like... you understand better than most. As mutants, we're different from most of the world. We always will be. That bonds us, whether we like it or not. You, me, Yvette, Laurie, Kyle, Xavier, Magneto, Apocalypse even - we're all part of one tribe because of that common bond. We're one people headed in a million different directions."
Looking back at Crystal, Forge had a look of something like purpose in his eyes. "I'm not saying I want to be the chief, god knows I can't handle it. I'm not a leader. But... every tribe needs a medicine man. Someone with their finger on the pulse of change, someone who's there to help everyone, who can do more than just pick up a weapon and fight. Our people need me, Crystal. It doesn't matter what the X-Men stand for, that's what I stand for."
Crystal nodded. "Apology accepted. Now, shall we place our order?"
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