xp_logs | The Caged Bird - Talking It Out

Alex wakes up in the mansion, and Lorna finally tells him the truth about herself. He...doesn't know how to feel.

Consciousness came back in bits and pieces and flashes of memory. The darkness of the storage crate being interrupted by a sliver of the light as the door creaked open, Lorna's voice calling, nononononono she had to get away no-

Alex shot up with a yell, head snapping left and right as he tried to orient where he was. Somewhere unfamiliar, that much was obvious on first glance. Where was he?

"It is alright. You are safe from the Brotherhood. You are in Xaviers mansion in New York." Lorna came into view, a little bruised up but was generally okay. "Do you need anything?"

Alex blinked rapidly, forcing himself to focus on his fiancee. "Lor..." She was okay. Bruised, but not as bad as she could have been -- should have been. So many questions flew through his mind but in the end only one thing came out. "I'm hungry." Not the brightest thing he ever could have said but hell, those guys hadn't fed him very well and he'd just exploded.

Lorna smiled at him when he said he was hungry and held up a all cooler. "I made your favorite sandwiches. And got you chips." She took one out and handed it to him. "Glad to know your appetite is still the same."

Really there were so many other things he should have been focused on. Like why the hell any of this had happened in the first place -- his captors hadn't exactly been forthcoming with information, after all. He had no idea what was going on. But then his stomach gave a loud growl, and he groaned. Food first, questions later. "God I love you."

Once more a smile crossed her lips at hearing those words. She was afraid he wouldn't after what had happenend. "I know." She quoted Star Wars. "Just so you know, your moms and sister are safe. They weren't hurt or anything but would like for you to call them when you are well enough."

"Yeah, I will." He grabbed the cooler from her, breaking it open. "After I eat." He pretty much inhaled a sandwich, barely remembering to chew. He was starving. "So what was that all about, anyways?" He asked around a mouth full of food. "What'd those guys want with me?" It was all just really weird and he didn't get it.

"They were trying to get to me." Lorna smile had faded. "The Brotherhood of Mutants. I am pretty sure you have heard about them, they have been in the news and responsible for a lot of bad stuff. Their goal to have mutants reign supreme while humans live beneath us."

Alex paused mid-chew, frowning for a long moment before swallowing. "Yeah. What do they want with you?" He didn't like the idea of mutant terrorists targeting Lorna. What had she never done to them?

Lorna took a deep breath in, "My dad is their leader. I was part of the Brotherhood since I was sixteen. I needed to know what they were doing. I didn't like it, so I started to feed information to my sister, Wanda. I never told you because..well - how do I explain to my boyfriend that the reason he can't meet my dad is because he is a terrorist. I was planning on telling you, when you came out here. But then they found you first and..." She looked down. "I should had told you from the beginning. I am not proud of what I did with the Brotherhood and I would rather you see the side of me that isn't stained in blood."

As Lorna spoke Alex's chewing slowed until he'd stopped completely, just staring at her. His mind was racing, thoughts conflicting. "You could've just come out and said it," he said quietly.

"Yeah. I never claimed to be the smartest cookie in the box. But it is something I don't talk about. Hell my team here didn't even know about my dad being Magneto until I found out they took you."

"I'm not your team though, Lorna." He was trying so hard to stamp down on the hurt feelings. He really was. It certainly wasn't fair of him to shame her for keeping this huge thing a secret. But he was hurt. In more ways then one.

Lorna sighed. "I just don't like talking about it. Call it pride, shame, guilt, or whatever. No one wants to talk about how their father is a terriorist. I didn't even know I had a sister or brother until I was 17...at least I told you about Wanda." Lorna continued to look at Alex. "Would you still would have wanted to date me if I told you about my dad? Or even propose knowing that family secret? It seems kind of selfish of me...but you made me feel wanted."

"And you think I would've wanted you less if I'd known?" Yeah, that definitely stung a bit. "You think I wouldn't have wanted to try and protect you?" He certainly wouldn't have left the damn country and left her alone if he had known.

"It was something I have struggled with for the last four years I've known you. I would had told you before our wedding." She whispered and then she couldn't help but smile. Alex, her hero. She reached over to try and touch his hand. "I think we both wanted to protect each other. It wasn't until after M-Day when I was officially on the run." She moved to sit on his bed. "Alex, I am so sorry I didn't tell you sooner."

Alex's hand twitched away from Lorna's almost without thinking. He couldn't meet her gaze -- he looked away. "I'm sorry," he said quietly. "I need time." It was a lot to process.

Lorna nodded as she stood up and turned to leave. "This was what I was afraid of." She turned her own gaze away. "I'll leave you to your lunch. I'll have someone bring you dinner."

Alex nodded silently, staring at the wall. "Thanks," he muttered. His head was spinning.

He definitely needed some time.