Log: Sooraya and Jennie

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Jennie happens upon Sooraya and the two catch up. The more things change...



Sooraya quickly shifted her text book and binder with notes from one arm to another and quickly tucked in the file with various summaries of how far things were set up before the Afghan shelter project was suspended. Not everything might have been in place anymore, but it should offer a good foundation to build Malala's Rose on. And after she had done some studying for her statistics finals, she could finally dig in.

She had chosen one of the sun rooms as her final destination, not in the mood to be cooped up in her suite or office in the X-Corps part of the mansion. Having arrived she quickly spread out her papers, settling in for a long session.

Jennie was in one of her restless moods. She'd been moving for so long that now, having stayed in one place to rest and get better, she was now growing twitchy. The bruising had mostly faded, and she could move comfortably without pain. Now it was time to plan the next move, next run. Before she got too spoiled by staying in the mansion.

She stepped into one of the sun rooms, the place where she used to hide away to do homework when she couldn't concentrate. She had a notepad and a pencil, it was time to make some lists. But she stopped short at the sight of a familiar face.

"Hey, Sooraya," she said.

Sooraya quickly looked up from her work at the somewhat familiar voice. "Jennie! It is good to see you. I had been wondering how you had been doing."

"I'm all right, all things considered," the other girl replied, pushing her bangs out of her eyes. It was definitely time for a haircut. "How about you? What have you been up to?" Jennie gestured at the work piled around Sooraya. "Still with Elpis?"

"Not anymore. Angelo and the professor started another NGO and I know work with them now. Most of this though..." Sooraya gestured at the various materials around her. "... is to prepare for my finals in statistics. Only this..." She held up the binder with the materials on the shelter. "... is for work."

"What kind of work?" Jennie said, sitting beside her and peering at the binder.

She quickly put a marker in between the pages of where she was for her math book before closing it and pulling over the binder. "I am working out the possibilities of setting up a shelter for mutant girls in one of the refugee camps in Afghanistan. They are often rejected by there family, so hopefully they will be able to find a new home here."

Jennie smiled, tucking a piece of hair behind her ear. Wasn't it just yesterday that the quiet Afghani girl moved into their suite? "Look at you, all saving the world," she said.

"Just doing what I can to help. Like we all do in our own ways." Sooraya shrugged a little. "How about you? I am guessing you were quite busy in Europe?"

"Yeah," Jennie said with a small shrug, looking away. "Things with the ballet were... interesting. We traveled a whole lot, I saw lots of new and interesting things, and then I broke my foot and discovered I didn't care if I ever danced again," Jennie said, twisting another of her rings. "I took it as a sign that I needed to do something more worthwhile."

"I hope you found something that was worthwhile?" Sooraya asked, tilting her head questioningly.

It's admirable, you wanted a life on the outside. And you tried, but you know it's not the life for you. You have a gift, and you don't want it to go to waste.

Jennie's mouth twisted wryly, just for an instant, before it smoothed and her expression turned rueful. "Well, we discovered I was crap at vigilante justice," she said. "Maybe I should just stick to self-discovery and leave the crime-fighting to professionals."

"Vigilante justice?" Sooraya asked, her eyes widening in shock. "All alone?"

Jennie wrinkled her nose. "Yeah, that did not work out so well. It was originally supposed to just be an amazing journey of self-discovery, but you stop one bar fight and then you think you can be Batman."

"Uhm... I can imagine... Stopping a bar fight is one thing. Being Batman is something entirely else. I hope you found something else worthwhile, though?" Yep, she was unabashedly curious at the moment.

"Still working on that," Jennie looked slightly embarrassed.

"I think many of us are still looking for that one worthwhile thing though... Do you plan on staying her for a while you look?" There, that was the other question that was in the forefront of her mind.

Jennie opened her mouth, and then paused, shutting it. "I don't really know, Sooraya."

She was safe, for the time being. She'd jumped a whole ocean, there was no way she could be found now. She could disappear and leave all of that business back in England, where it belonged.

But she couldn't. And she knew in her heart she couldn't. So that was the thing, wasn't it? Her next best step.

Sooraya simply nodded. "It must be strange to be back... Change happens so fast..." She kinda mused out loud.

"Yes it does, doesn't it?" said Jennie. "It's a bit weird to be back, but the last three years are sort of a blur for me. It's like, this place hasn't changed but has, and I don't know if it's because I've changed because it's the same old mansion it ever was. Different faces, different sorts of chaos, but, it's Xavier's, you know?"

"I know what you mean. There are not as many students, but things can be just as crazy as it was back then." Sooraya smiled, thinking about some of them. "In fact, I think one of them might even be level with you on the pranks?"

Jennie made a face. "Oh dear lord," she said.

"Let's just say that Doctor Grey's skeleton had some interesting adventures last year. Though I don't think she has rivaled the panty raid yet..." Sooraya had to smile, remembering the pictures she had seen.

"Let's not tempt our budding hellions, I'm sure Ororo has ulcers named after Marius and me," Jennie pinched the bridge of her nose. "Though I really should see about getting those pictures framed."

"That would be a lot of fun. They might also make for some good currency with said student... especially if Kyle is in there. Since he is a teacher now..." Sooraya thought for a moment. "Or maybe not..."

Jennie rubbed her hands together. "He does look really good in pink."

"I should not say so, but he does." Sooraya hid her smile delicately behind her hand. "And such marvelous blackmail material."

Jennie smiled, and bumped Sooraya with her shoulder. "I have missed you, for what it's worth." Old friends, old faces, old connections. She felt that tug again, the desire to stay and reconnect with her old life at war with the desire to protect them all.

Sooraya's smiled turned full out. "Thanks. It is really good to see you again too..." She hesitated for a moment before continuing on rather frankly, remembering her friend preferred that. "Stay for a while, Jennie. I am sure there are others who missed you as well and if I may be very honest... You look like you can still use a few more good meals and nights of sleep."

The other girl looked away, her smile wry. She thought for a few moments before looking back up. At least they knew enough not to ask questions around here. Too many dark and troubled pasts. Jennie was lucky in a way, able to hide amongst the broken.

"I'll be here a bit longer, at the very least. Enough time to catch us up fully."

"Good. I look forward to that." Sooraya's eyes went distant for a bit. "I think somehow we all end returning here now and then. Still the closest thing to home that the most of us have."

"We should check and see if there's a giant magnet around here, that keeps on dragging us back," Jennie said, only half-joking.

"Maybe. Or maybe a cabinet where they keep our hearts..." Sooraya chuckled for a moment. "How does the saying go again? Home is where the heart is? So if they keep them somewhere..."

"I'm sure it's in the basement along with Walt Disney's cryogenically frozen head," Jennie said with a nod.

"It wouldn't surprise me... With all they have down there... But nothing much surprises me anymore... After all, who goes to catch bad guys and ends up coming home with an familiar face..."