xp_logs | Scott|Tabitha

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Scott checks up on Tabitha. The librarian brings up an idea.

Scott pushed open the library door and peered inside, it seemed empty enough at the moment he could just see Tabitha working away at her desk. Slipping inside he walked over to stand infront of the Dex and coughed to attract her attention, we was a leader of the X-men and a teacher ar this school but somehow standing infront of the librarians desk always brought back memories of standing in the same place as a youth.

Tabitha raised her eyebrows, a little shocked to see Scott rather than pretty much anyone. "Hey boss, what brings you to my neck of the woods?" She pushed her keyboard away and hung up the bar-code scanner. "I don't think I've seen you here, ever."

"I don't get to read that much nowadays," Scott replied quietly, unwilling to disturb the quiet of the library. "I was," his eyes darted around the room as Scott considered how best to broach the subject, "the kids have been through a lot over the the past two weeks. I was wondering how they were holding together after everything?"

She sighed and pushed away from her desk. "Nobody's come to me yet. I was thinking of declaring a Boiler Beach day. Or conning Kyle into barbecue by the lake if the weather cooperates. Something low-key, in a safe place, where everybody can see that everybody else is safe." She winced at the hard bit of pain that reminded her that not everyone was safe.

Scott nodded thoughtfully, "That sounds like a good idea, not only for the kids. Everybody might benefit from something. Just to see that everybody made it back alive and enjoy the sun." Scott didn't mention that he'd taken to hiding in the boiler room as a place to relax and recharge. He reached over to rest a hand on Tabitha's shoulder, "Hey, we got them out ok. They're going to be fine," he comforted her mistaking the cause of her wince of pain.

Her face tightened, then softened into a sad smile. "It... might be good for the rest of us, too. To see everyone." Then she might be able to sleep.

"It can't hurt," Scott agreed, "And we all probably need to get outside and take in a little sun. Forget the kids for a second Tabitha, how are you holding up?" he asked in concern.

She shrugged, made a face. "Meh, trouble sleeping. No surprise there. Extra physical therapy time won't hurt. My hip was healed, but the soft tissue is being cranky." Due to her nutrition problems, which she needed to keep a better eye on.

Scott nodded understandingly, "If you need to take a few days off no-one could blame you. After all you need to be healthy yourself before you start worrying about anyone else." He sighed. "We could all probably use a holiday, but time and tide wait for no-one."

She shook her head. "There are people who need it a lot more than I do. Put me on the bottom of the list. I'll just let Cammie drag me out to her hole-in-the-wall bars and it will be all good." Hitting people always made her feel better.

"There is no list Tabitha," Scott pointed out. "Between Genosha and summer just around the corner I think everyone is just a little bit drained. A few days off should do everyone a world of good. Or, you know, going out and getting drunk. If Cammie does take you out, just try not to get into too much trouble."

She grinned. "We never get into more trouble than we can handle." She bit her lip as a small blush stained her cheeks. "The other guys..." Usually ended up unconscious on the floor.

Scott quirked an eyebrow at Tabitha, "The other guys?" he repeated clearly amused. "Aren't librarians supposed to be all proper? What will people think if they find our librarian is off getting in trouble in whole-in the wall bars?" he teased.

She snorted her amusement. "That I'm finally catching up to the rest of the staff?"

Scott couldn't help himself, he stared at Tabitha struggling to contain his amusement. A struggle which ultimately proved useless as his laughter shattered the quiet of the library. "You've got me there," he managed to grind out as he struggled to get his laughter under control.

She smiled at him. "Really, boss, it'll be all right. I just want to concentrate on the kids. Though-" she brought it up reluctantly, half afraid he would think she was worse than she said. "I was thinking it might be time for the New Mutants to have a mentor closer to their own age."

Scott blinked at Tabitha in surprise, he hadn't been expecting that when he came to check on her. "Are you sure Tabitha? I know how much mentoring them means to you, and you've been doing a really good job with it. What changed your mind?"

She sighed and sat back in her chair, eyes on the ceiling. "I'm getting old, boss. I don't think I'm the kind of mentor these kids need any more. Maybe?" she sighed on the word, rubbed her eyes with the heels of her hands. "Maybe one of the college-age grads would do better."

"You're old?" Scott asked with a raised eyebrow, "How do you think that makes me feel?" he asked trying to lighten the mood. "IF you think that's for the best Tabitha then I can only support your decision. We couldn't have asked for anyone better to take care of them until this point, and we do have a few college age students. Were you thinking of anyone in particular?"

She put her hands back in her lap. "Grandaddy Summers?" She said with wide, innocent eyes. She rolled back to her desk and rummaged through her lists, hitting three separate notebooks before she found the right one. "I've made a list, but Julian and Angel are right at the top."

Scott stared at Tabitha in horror, "Don't you ever say that again...or tell Warren or Jean," he pleaded with a smile. "You've really thought about this haven't you?" he pondered the decisions for a moment. "Those are probably the best choices." He smile at her, "I wouldn't want to affect your decision, still it's a shame we can't choose both of them."

She snapped her notebook shut, making a mental note to hunt Warren down at some point. "I can contact them both in the next few weeks. Make a decision by the time the fall term starts."

Scott smiled at Tabitha, "Let me know how it turns out Tabitha" he said, "I'm sure you'll manage to find the perfect mentor for the New Mutants." He decided not to mention the granddad crack, perhaps if he didn't mention it she wouldn't remember it.