xp_logs | Medlab, Tuesday after dinner.

Set, obviously, before Angelo is released from the medlab again. Amanda and Angelo chat, and it's all very informative.

The med lab was becoming far more familiar than Amanda would have liked - she seemed to have spent almost as much time coming here as going to classes, it seemed. Clutching a paper bag from which a smell of chamomile arose, she tapped on the door of the room Angelo was in. Again.

Angelo glanced up on hearing the knock, and smiled slightly before beckoning her in. "Amanda! Hey!"

"I'd say somethin' pithy about frequent flyer points or some such, but I figure you've heard it twenty times over by now," she said, coming in. "I got somethin' for you. Not anythin' magic," she added hastily. "Just some herbal tea that might help you t' sleep."

Angelo raised an eyebrow, then winced slightly at the movement. "Oh?"

"Shinobi said you were still havin' trouble." She lay the bag down on the bed, but didn't take a seat herself. Sitting still was getting more difficult lately. "I... well, this helps me. When I have bad dreams."

He glanced down at the reminder. "Ah. Yeah. Yeah, I am, an' I can't see... this... helpin' much... Thanks."

"Fucking arseholes," Amanda spat. Her pacing around the small room led her to the end of the bed, and her fingers drummed on the metal frame. "I wish... I wish I could do somethin'. T' help. I know how much you hate bein' in here."

"It's not for long this time", he reminded her with a sigh. "Doc McCoy just wants t' make sure I'm not concussed or anythin'."

"Still.. It's the only useful thing I do around here, an' now I can't." Amanda growled in frustration and hit the frame lightly with her hand. "An' I want t' help - you stuck up for me, an' I won't forget that."

"It's not the only useful thing you do round here", he told her sharply.

"Come off it, Ange, what else have I done 'round here except break people? Healin's the only useful thing I do with the magic." Realising her hands where shaking, Amanda closed them into fists and forced herself to calm down. "'M sorry. Just... not a good day. An' yer in no shape t' put up with it."

"An' who ever said the magic's all you got to offer?" Angelo asked quietly. "Don't ever think that."

"You an' Remy been exchangin' notes?" she asked with a snort. She sat on the edge of the bed, tucking one leg underneath.

"Nope. Barely spoken to the guy. Maybe I'll have to, if he's been sayin' the same things..."

"Don't. Last thing I need is the two of you ganging up on me." Her foot waggled nervously despite her efforts to sit still. "It's always been about the magic. That's why I was with Rack in the first place. Hard t' see anythin' else, sometimes."

"Well, that's why you're here, isn't it?" he asked quietly. "From what you've said..."

"I know, I know. But now I can't use it, it's all I bloody well think about." She ran a hand over her face. "I'm done talkin' about it. What about you? You dealin'?"

Angelo shrugged. "Well as ever. Not that that's sayin' much..." He looked down. "They tell you what happened?"

"I saw Marie. This mornin' - she looked like death warmed over. She said some fuckwits from town jumped you, caught the two of you by surprise."

"Yeah, that's part of it. She didn't... she didn't mention what happened after that, then?"

"'After'?" Amanda looked confused.

"After we got away from the townie bastards", he answered, head down.

"What happened? Marie didn't go int' details, I just figured you accidentally popped her one in the panic." Amanda leaned forward reaching out to touch Angelo's hand. "You don't have t' tell me, but it sounds like you need t' tell someone"

Angelo sighed. "You weren't here, the first time I... panicked. Ended up knockin' Paige halfway across the room 'cause I thought she was someone else. Same thing happened this time... only worse."

"I saw Marie, she was fine. Didn't look like you did too much damage, mate," Amanda said, trying to be comforting - it was a new experience for her.

Angelo shook his head, despairingly. "I could've killed her. An' I think I nearly did, before she... stopped me. Don't remember that clearly, but I'm pretty sure..."

"Stopped you how? She didn't..." Amanda indicated the bruises and swelling on his face. "None of that's hers, is it?"

Angelo glanced up and shook his head firmly. "No, she didn't hit me. Do you know what she does? What her mutation does?"

"She's super strong an' has the whole flyin' thing. She did tell me once not t' touch her skin, but I just figured she just had a problem with people..." Amanda shrugged, then tilted her head curiously. "What am I missin' here?"

Angelo looked at her seriously, putting the words together. "She told you that... 'cause of what touchin' her skin would do to you."

"To me?" Amanda frowned - Angelo's seriousness indicated it was something major. "What would it do?"

"Depends how long the contact lasts", Angelo told her. "Long enough, an' it'd kill you. An' then she'd have you in her head for the rest of her life. Otherwise... with mutants, she gets their abilities for awhile. Humans, she just gets them in her head. How long it lasts depends on how long the contact lasted."

"Bloody hellfire..." Amanda breathed. She sat back, looking a little stunned. After a moment, she gave him a searching look. "An' last night... she had t' absorb you?"

"Yeah. She did. An' I mean, she had to. Don't blame her for it - like I said, I could've killed her if she hadn't."

"An' when she did this... she what? Got all yer memories an' stuff, as well as yer powers?"

"Think so, yeah. Kind of goes as a package."
"Fuck." Amanda said the word without anger, or fear, merely as something to say. "That's gotta be doin' yer head in, mate. I mean, we've all got stuff we don't want people knowin'... No wonder she's so big on trust - what a shitty power."

"Yeah", Angelo said simply. "She's terrified of bein' used against us. 'Cause she so easily could be." He looked at Amanda searchingly. "Don't take this the wrong way, but... that's why the potion thing got to her so badly. 'Cause in other hands, it could have been used for... other things."

Amanda winced. "You know, as soon as I get me books back, I'm burnin' that bleedin' spell," she said with feeling. "I had no idea it would fuck people over so much."

Angelo nodded. "Maybe best. You gotta be careful, you know. People here, especially, got all kinds of issues you can't know about till somethin' brings them out."

"I'm findin' that out," Amanda said wryly. "An' talkin' of issues - you gunna be all right? With everythin'?"

"Eventually", Angelo answered h! on! estly. "Managed to keep it together this long, after all. What's a little bit more?"

"An' in this there's always more, I'm findin'," Amanda agreed wryly. "Speakin' of copin', an' general insanity, there's talk of makin' this London trip of mine some kind of excursion. You be interested?"

Angelo blinked. "For sure. Never been to London. Let me know if it's goin' ahead?"

She nodded. "We've got t' have some kind of party before they sling me int' magical therapy. Could be me grand farewell." She grinned. "Or not. I might not be so easy t' get rid of."
Angelo chuckled. "Oh, you'll be back, I'm sure."

"Better believe it." Amanda pulled her other leg up under her, settling herself on the bed. "Just like old times, this," she remarked.

Angelo grinned ruefully. "Yeah. So, what's been goin' on up there this last day?"