xp_logs | Malibu: Questions of Character (Reply)

Julian returns to the annex after a splendid time with the police, questions are asked, answers are given.

The questioning had been intense, which made some sense since it had been a good friend of the officer he'd injured just over a year ago. They grilled him on what had happened and what his involvement had been, luckily he'd had the forethought to send his friends back to the beach when the cops had shown up. This time, he'd given them everything he'd withheld from the last time he'd been in custody. Given that he'd been acting in self-defense, they'd had no choice but to release him into the custody of the Annex. Now, Simon was a wanted man and he still couldn't figure out why his old friend had turned on him like that.

Getting out of the taxi, Julian slouched into the Annex, unsure of which way to head. A sign pointed toward a receiving area so he headed there, unsure what he would find. Though as luck would have it, that happened to be the right choice as he entered a room where his friends were chatting amongst themselves quietly, which quickly ceased when he walked in. A cold sweat hit him as their eyes all fell on him, "Um...hey guys."

"Are you all right, Julian?" Yvette asked immediately, crossing over to him. "We were being worried."

Angel was right behind him. "Well, a taxi's a good sign, right?" she asked him as soon as Yvette was done. "I mean, it's been hours but still, you're here and not still with the police, so that has to be good." She actually didn't have much of an idea as she'd never really been involved with the police or at least not from that side of it.

"Yeah," he slumped down on a bed, he was still in his swim suit, the dried blood on his back had been cleaned up and wrapped with wide white bandages. "They didn't even tell me to not leave town or some other cliche'," he scoffed, "anyway, I think I owe you an explanation."

"You can tell us what you are wanting to tell us," Yvette said quietly, but firmly. "We are your friends, and there is nothing you can be saying that will change that."

"And if you want us to buzz off, feel free to go with that too." Nick piped up from the back of the group.

Julian still didn't like Nick too much after what he'd overseen in the driveway, but, like Inez said, he needed to move on. "No, it's fine. I'm just not sure where to start...anyone have a suggestion?"

"The beginning?" Johnny recommended, the unhelpful comment accompanied by a forced smile that was meant to raise his friend's spirit, but which only caused his own to dwindle further before it was gone again. He shoved his hands into his pockets and watched his classmate uncertainly. "...Like they said, Julian. Whatever you want to tell us, wherever you want to start."

"Maybe with what we're doing here," Vic interjected. "Seriously, Julian, what's going on?" He wasn't used to people going through windows or the cops showing up--these sorts of things hadn't even been possibilities in Victor's world until tonight, and he was not happy that they'd arrived.

"Okay, the beach house got a little banged up by some guys that came around, they're from..." he sighed, hesitating since this was the last thing he wanted to be sharing with the friends he'd made at Xavier's. "Okay, about a year-or-so ago, I got involved with these guys who I thought were good, but ended up being pretty bad. The guys who came by today...they seemed to be led by this one guy I knew from back then- Simon. He's got powers like Inez's and, well, he's gotten stronger."

He paused, "So, yeah, the house is a crime scene and we can't go back...it's also pretty much a disaster area- but we can swing by later once CSI leaves to get our luggage and stuff."

"But this Simon, if he was your friend, why would he be attacking you?" Yvette asked. She'd seen the other boy, how angry he'd been, how he'd gone after Julian personally. "And is he the sort to be doing so again?"

"I don't know- last time I saw him he was upset, but not mad enough to do this," Julian shifted slightly, wincing as his scratches cracked open again. "As for if he'll do it again, I really have no idea- this isn't something I thought would happen."

Inez, who had been standing silently by the wall through the entire thing, walked over to Julian and put a hand on his shoulder, looking at the bandages intently. "Rest of the time here," she said firmly, "you don't go anywhere without at least one of us. No ifs, ands, or buts."

Julian put his hand over hers and gave a small squeeze and a warm smile, "Wouldn't dream of it...but if Simon is stupid enough to try that again here at the annex...I'm more worried about him than myself. Boosted or not, army at his back, no way he can take us all on." He looked around, "I could really use a drink...of water," he added, noticing Catseye's disproving look. That was enough explanation for now.