Jean and Sooraya (backdated)
Oct. 13th, 2017 03:11 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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xp_logsJean and Sooraya talk.
Jean wasn't sure how long she sat in front of the computer, staring at Parker Matthews' file on the screen. She'd gone in to add some notes, the things she recalled about his condition. It would be useful. Or at least, she thought it would've been. Before she knew it, her tea had gone cold. She couldn't concentrate. Now that her thoughts were her own, no longer shared by a pink haired person, no dangerous missions to go on, and things had gone...mostly back to normal, she was left to the world again. The normal, boring world. And so it barged right back in.
Rising from her chair, Jean slipped off her doctor's coat and put her reading glasses on the desk. The walls felt closer than they had ever been.
She headed for the door.
"Yeah, that sounds good me. Alright..." Sooraya listened for a moment, automatically stepping to the side when Jean approached. She frowned a bit as she took in the paleness of the woman's face and the look in her eyes. Biting her lip, she came to a decision. "Dany, I'll call you back tomorrow.'
Tucking the phone away, she headed after Jean, asking: "Are you okay?"
Jean's pace slowed at the question, but picked right back up.
"I'm fine, thank you," she said, with an assuring lilt to her voice that didn't match her expression as she stopped at the elevator, pressing the button a few too many times.
"Mind if I join you?" Sooraya didn't wait for a reply, but joined her in the elevator as well. "Need to head back upstairs as well." She paused a moment before adding. "I hope you don't mind me saying so, but you look like you could use a cup of hot tea."
Jean had her arms folded, staring down at her shoes. The elevator was much smaller than she remembered, and a lot slower. With Sooraya in there as well, the elevator had less room. The ceiling seemed lower. If she had taken the stairs up would it have been better? Or worse? Possibly faster.
What if the lights went out in the elevator and they were stuck in the darkness?
It took Jean a minute to realize Sooraya had spoken. She glanced over.
"Hm?"
Leaning back against the wall of the elevator, Sooraya raised an eyebrow at her and repeated: "I said you look like you could use a cup of tea. Or hot chocolate. That might work as well." She frowned once more when she took in the expression on Jean's face in addition of the paleness. "And a little fresh air as well."
Why was the elevator so slow? Jean closed her eyes. But that brought darkness, so she opened them again.
"Air. Yeah," she said distractedly.
She looked up at the numbers as they seemed to stop on the main floor but the doors didn't open. She reached out to push the open doors button. After a couple of moments, the doors finally opened and let out a breath, quickly stepping off the elevator and hurrying toward outside.
"I'm sorry I'm---If you're here for business I--can't help right now."
She tried to keep a steady breath. Two panic attacks in two months. Wonderful.
I'm the part of you that thought you should have been hit by the car. I'm the part of you that let him inside you despite knowing he was with others. I'm the part of you that hates your boring, micro-managing parents and their love of your uncomplicated sister. I'm all the reasons you look at certain people and then convince yourself that going to your cold bed alone is right and yet desperate.
Jean rubbed her forehead.
Shut up.
Sooraya looked after her for a moment, now starting to be seriously worried. She hesitated for a moment between following or calling in more... suited to deal with this. Like the professor. Well, she could always do that later and quickly followed Jean. She kept quiet though, giving Jean the chance to speak on her own if she wanted to.
Instead of going to the porch, Jean headed for her favorite meditation spot. After a moment, she realized that Sooraya was still following her. She slowed to let her catch up, focusing on her own breathing. As they made their way up a hill, a huge oak tree sat at the top. It overlooked the mansion and the rest of the grounds. She sat down at the base of it, staring out over the landscape. After a while, her breathing finally became normal and she felt her head slowly stop swimming.
She glanced down, shaking her head. "I'm sorry you had to see that. I guess I'm still recovering. From---what happened."
"Nothing to be ashamed about." Sooraya replied as she sank down to sit cross legged next to Jean. "It's not nothing what you went through. Are you feeling a bit better now?" She studied the woman closely, noticing there was a little bit more color on her face. Digging in the tote she had with her, Sooraya pulled out a bottle of water and handed it to the red headed woman.
Jean ran her fingers along the base of the tree, feeling the bark. It made her feel more grounded. She took the bottle of water.
"Thanks," she said, taking a long, slow sip. She closed her eyes. "Yeah. Embarrassed, mostly."
"Like I said... it's completely understandable." Sooraya tried to reassure Jean, then fell silent so that the redhead could pull herself together in peace.
Jean rubbed her forehead. "How much did they put in incident reports?" she said quietly. She knew how meticulous she could be, but she hadn't brought herself to write anything down yet until today. Then it happened.
"I think mostly the basics." Sooraya replied. "Last time I checked they were still being updated."
Jean nodded. "There's a lot to cover," she said quietly. She spotted a leaf nearby and picked it up, turning it over between her fingers. After a few moments, she glanced away.
"I'm afraid I've put a pause on the project we were working on. I just---I'm down to the basics, myself. I need to concentrate on catching up at work."
"Then we'll pick it up when you are ready to continue. Besides, I'm currently working out with the Professor how we are gonna set up things with the Xavier Institute and collecting and sorting a huge amount of notes I am getting from various people. There is plenty I can do." Sooraya quickly tried to ease her mind.
"How's that going?" Jean said, thankful for the segue. "What does that entail?"
"Do you mean setting things up through the Xavier Institute or sorting through the notes?" Sooraya asked with a small smile. "The Institute is more business arrangement stuff, while with the notes I am mostly going through them and categorizing them for different types of abilities. Which already brings the first challenge, namely which categories are you going to use?"
"Both sound like their own special brand of complicated," Jean said thoughtfully.
"Especially with ability categorization. Some abilities cross multiple areas. But having a good foundation will help. That way, you can still have multiple categories but they're easier to track."
"That is pretty much how I feel it. I think the best way to put it is that I have been building that foundation. Especially if I want that what I gathered can be used by others later, I need to have an effective way of ordering things so they can find the type of exercises needed for the ability they are confronted with."
Silent for a moment, Jean nodded. "I'm sorry. I'm hoping once I get caught up I can start things again. I just--" she glanced down.
"Sometimes it’s hard. I need the distraction and the goal to work toward but...I don't want to work with someone and have something happen."
Sooraya specifically sought Jean's eyes as she replied: "Take your time. You need to heal first. And if you need a distraction, you are always welcome to drop by and I'll show you the categories I've been using and we can spar a bit about them if you're in the mood."
Jean finally laughed softly. "So you're anticipating varying opinions, hm?"
"There are more than one way to Rome and opinions might vary on which is the best way." Sooraya explained, glad to hear the red-haired doctor laugh. "Like I said, feel free to drop by at any time."
Folding her arms, Jean nodded a little. "Maybe...if you're up for it we could hang out sometime? Like we used to do in X-Corps," she said. She missed their team sometimes. Joining the X-Men made her feel more isolated than before.
"That sounds like a nice plan... we do far too little of that now." Sooraya's eyes turned faraway for a moment. "We can kidnap Angelo and JP away from their work... if you are up for it?"
Jean rubbed the back of her neck. It had been a New Year’s resolution that she never really followed up on. It took nearly dying, and witnessing death to remember to live, and not just save lives.
Even then, it still took baby steps.
"I'd like that."
"I can give you a ping in a few days?"
Jean nodded. "Sure," she said. "That'd be great."
Luckily they had an entire city full of possibilities for stuff to do and get to know each other once again.
A phone buzzed nearby and Sooraya looked apologetic. "I'm sorry, but I really need to take this. Something with the Underground..."
Jean sat up a little straighter. "I understand," she said.
"Thanks for the talk down. If you need anything, let me know."
Jean wasn't sure how long she sat in front of the computer, staring at Parker Matthews' file on the screen. She'd gone in to add some notes, the things she recalled about his condition. It would be useful. Or at least, she thought it would've been. Before she knew it, her tea had gone cold. She couldn't concentrate. Now that her thoughts were her own, no longer shared by a pink haired person, no dangerous missions to go on, and things had gone...mostly back to normal, she was left to the world again. The normal, boring world. And so it barged right back in.
Rising from her chair, Jean slipped off her doctor's coat and put her reading glasses on the desk. The walls felt closer than they had ever been.
She headed for the door.
"Yeah, that sounds good me. Alright..." Sooraya listened for a moment, automatically stepping to the side when Jean approached. She frowned a bit as she took in the paleness of the woman's face and the look in her eyes. Biting her lip, she came to a decision. "Dany, I'll call you back tomorrow.'
Tucking the phone away, she headed after Jean, asking: "Are you okay?"
Jean's pace slowed at the question, but picked right back up.
"I'm fine, thank you," she said, with an assuring lilt to her voice that didn't match her expression as she stopped at the elevator, pressing the button a few too many times.
"Mind if I join you?" Sooraya didn't wait for a reply, but joined her in the elevator as well. "Need to head back upstairs as well." She paused a moment before adding. "I hope you don't mind me saying so, but you look like you could use a cup of hot tea."
Jean had her arms folded, staring down at her shoes. The elevator was much smaller than she remembered, and a lot slower. With Sooraya in there as well, the elevator had less room. The ceiling seemed lower. If she had taken the stairs up would it have been better? Or worse? Possibly faster.
What if the lights went out in the elevator and they were stuck in the darkness?
It took Jean a minute to realize Sooraya had spoken. She glanced over.
"Hm?"
Leaning back against the wall of the elevator, Sooraya raised an eyebrow at her and repeated: "I said you look like you could use a cup of tea. Or hot chocolate. That might work as well." She frowned once more when she took in the expression on Jean's face in addition of the paleness. "And a little fresh air as well."
Why was the elevator so slow? Jean closed her eyes. But that brought darkness, so she opened them again.
"Air. Yeah," she said distractedly.
She looked up at the numbers as they seemed to stop on the main floor but the doors didn't open. She reached out to push the open doors button. After a couple of moments, the doors finally opened and let out a breath, quickly stepping off the elevator and hurrying toward outside.
"I'm sorry I'm---If you're here for business I--can't help right now."
She tried to keep a steady breath. Two panic attacks in two months. Wonderful.
I'm the part of you that thought you should have been hit by the car. I'm the part of you that let him inside you despite knowing he was with others. I'm the part of you that hates your boring, micro-managing parents and their love of your uncomplicated sister. I'm all the reasons you look at certain people and then convince yourself that going to your cold bed alone is right and yet desperate.
Jean rubbed her forehead.
Shut up.
Sooraya looked after her for a moment, now starting to be seriously worried. She hesitated for a moment between following or calling in more... suited to deal with this. Like the professor. Well, she could always do that later and quickly followed Jean. She kept quiet though, giving Jean the chance to speak on her own if she wanted to.
Instead of going to the porch, Jean headed for her favorite meditation spot. After a moment, she realized that Sooraya was still following her. She slowed to let her catch up, focusing on her own breathing. As they made their way up a hill, a huge oak tree sat at the top. It overlooked the mansion and the rest of the grounds. She sat down at the base of it, staring out over the landscape. After a while, her breathing finally became normal and she felt her head slowly stop swimming.
She glanced down, shaking her head. "I'm sorry you had to see that. I guess I'm still recovering. From---what happened."
"Nothing to be ashamed about." Sooraya replied as she sank down to sit cross legged next to Jean. "It's not nothing what you went through. Are you feeling a bit better now?" She studied the woman closely, noticing there was a little bit more color on her face. Digging in the tote she had with her, Sooraya pulled out a bottle of water and handed it to the red headed woman.
Jean ran her fingers along the base of the tree, feeling the bark. It made her feel more grounded. She took the bottle of water.
"Thanks," she said, taking a long, slow sip. She closed her eyes. "Yeah. Embarrassed, mostly."
"Like I said... it's completely understandable." Sooraya tried to reassure Jean, then fell silent so that the redhead could pull herself together in peace.
Jean rubbed her forehead. "How much did they put in incident reports?" she said quietly. She knew how meticulous she could be, but she hadn't brought herself to write anything down yet until today. Then it happened.
"I think mostly the basics." Sooraya replied. "Last time I checked they were still being updated."
Jean nodded. "There's a lot to cover," she said quietly. She spotted a leaf nearby and picked it up, turning it over between her fingers. After a few moments, she glanced away.
"I'm afraid I've put a pause on the project we were working on. I just---I'm down to the basics, myself. I need to concentrate on catching up at work."
"Then we'll pick it up when you are ready to continue. Besides, I'm currently working out with the Professor how we are gonna set up things with the Xavier Institute and collecting and sorting a huge amount of notes I am getting from various people. There is plenty I can do." Sooraya quickly tried to ease her mind.
"How's that going?" Jean said, thankful for the segue. "What does that entail?"
"Do you mean setting things up through the Xavier Institute or sorting through the notes?" Sooraya asked with a small smile. "The Institute is more business arrangement stuff, while with the notes I am mostly going through them and categorizing them for different types of abilities. Which already brings the first challenge, namely which categories are you going to use?"
"Both sound like their own special brand of complicated," Jean said thoughtfully.
"Especially with ability categorization. Some abilities cross multiple areas. But having a good foundation will help. That way, you can still have multiple categories but they're easier to track."
"That is pretty much how I feel it. I think the best way to put it is that I have been building that foundation. Especially if I want that what I gathered can be used by others later, I need to have an effective way of ordering things so they can find the type of exercises needed for the ability they are confronted with."
Silent for a moment, Jean nodded. "I'm sorry. I'm hoping once I get caught up I can start things again. I just--" she glanced down.
"Sometimes it’s hard. I need the distraction and the goal to work toward but...I don't want to work with someone and have something happen."
Sooraya specifically sought Jean's eyes as she replied: "Take your time. You need to heal first. And if you need a distraction, you are always welcome to drop by and I'll show you the categories I've been using and we can spar a bit about them if you're in the mood."
Jean finally laughed softly. "So you're anticipating varying opinions, hm?"
"There are more than one way to Rome and opinions might vary on which is the best way." Sooraya explained, glad to hear the red-haired doctor laugh. "Like I said, feel free to drop by at any time."
Folding her arms, Jean nodded a little. "Maybe...if you're up for it we could hang out sometime? Like we used to do in X-Corps," she said. She missed their team sometimes. Joining the X-Men made her feel more isolated than before.
"That sounds like a nice plan... we do far too little of that now." Sooraya's eyes turned faraway for a moment. "We can kidnap Angelo and JP away from their work... if you are up for it?"
Jean rubbed the back of her neck. It had been a New Year’s resolution that she never really followed up on. It took nearly dying, and witnessing death to remember to live, and not just save lives.
Even then, it still took baby steps.
"I'd like that."
"I can give you a ping in a few days?"
Jean nodded. "Sure," she said. "That'd be great."
Luckily they had an entire city full of possibilities for stuff to do and get to know each other once again.
A phone buzzed nearby and Sooraya looked apologetic. "I'm sorry, but I really need to take this. Something with the Underground..."
Jean sat up a little straighter. "I understand," she said.
"Thanks for the talk down. If you need anything, let me know."
