Scott, Paige and a little turmoil

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Scott's horse decides that he clashes with her coat and sends him, and his glasses away. Luckily, Paige is in the area. They are much too alike for their own good and this of course means that between saving the day Paige ends up mildly insulted. Luckily, Scott is so pitiful that she forgives him.

Takes place before the giant disappearing act of doom.


Oh, this had not been such a good idea, Scott thought with a sigh, trying to steer the horse down the path. So much for trying to schedule a little relaxation-time into his days. Maybe he should have started with something simple? He wasn't a total novice when it came to riding, but he was very rusty and he'd apparently picked the wrong horse today. Had no one taken her for a ride yet this year? She was being a little over-enthusiastic, as if she'd been cooped up too long or something...

The mare swerved suddenly, and Scott couldn't help a yelp as she brushed him against a tree. His glasses, caught by an errant branch, went flying. "Shit!" he swore, and then held on for dear life as the mare, as if spooked by his curse, took off. "Come on," he pleaded, trying to stop her. "I fed you carrots, didn't I--"

Next thing he knew, he was lying flat on the ground. Another tree? he thought a bit dizzily, not moving for a long few moments. He reached up and felt tentatively along his jaw. Something had hit the side of his face - a tree branch, surely - and knocked him right out of the saddle. "Ow," he muttered, wincing as he sat up and his head started to spin. "Shit. Very elegant, Summers." He was never going to live this down.

Then it struck him that he was going to need to get back to the mansion before he could commence not living it down. "Damn it," he muttered, rubbing at the side of his face, which was turning numb in places and starting to get quite painful in others. He had no idea where his glasses were, and at this point, he wasn't sure what direction the mansion was in, either. "Shit!" he said, frustrated. He reached out to his left, then his right, sighing as he found a handy tree trunk close by. Hauling himself back to his feet, lurching a little, he stood there, trying to remember what direction he'd been pointed in before his horse had decided she didn't like being ridden after all.

Contrary to Scott’s rather dismal position at the moment, it was a beautiful day. That was part of the reason that Paige had refused Shinobi’s invitation to take her out again today. Who wanted to waste a beautiful day like today? Nemesis whickered lovingly at her as she stilled him, brushed her hand against his nose in hello. She’d spent an extra long time grooming him today and had even managed to put on some proper riding clothes. For some reason, he seemed to notice things like that. Snobby horse, she thought to herself with a grin, as she put a foot in the stirrup and hoisted herself up.

The plan was to do some jumping, she’d been missing it lately, that much was evident from her talk with Shinobi, but Nemesis was having none of it, pulling towards the trails whenever she let her guard down for half a second. He wanted to run, and she supposed she could understand that. With a sigh and a gently smack on his neck she gave in. “It’s a good thing I love you, horse. Let’s go.”

All right. This was definitely not the path, Scott thought, kneeling down to feel the ground beneath his feet. Underbrush, not bare dirt. He sighed heavily and straightened again, grimacing as the spinning feeling got a little more intense. What would a nice Wednesday morning be without a nice blow to the head? He turned and started to move, step by tentative step, back in the direction he'd come. He could find the path again. Just had to be persistent. And the trees were handy. He could go from one to the other, and that way...

His foot caught on something - a tree root this time, probably - and he wound up flat on his face. "Fuck!" he spat, exasperated enough that yet another profanity slipped out. He pushed himself back up to his hands and knees, feeling around. Well, this was the path, at least. Maybe. Now, if he could just figure out which way was deeper into the woods and which was leading back towards the mansion.

It occurred to him then that he could just sit tight and 'call' for help. If Charles wasn't listening, Betsy might... Scott swallowed and sagged back to the ground. Oh, yes, that would be just perfect. Betsy, dear, I know I've been a complete idiot these last couple of weeks, but I've gotten myself lost in the woods. Help? Just what she'd want to hear. Grimacing, Scott rested his head in one hand, wrestling with a mixture of hurt pride and frustration and a flicker of something close to real panic. He still didn't like to be without the glasses, or the visor. He couldn't help but remember the Statue of Liberty, knowing he didn't dare open his eyes...

There was comforting noise of hooves on the trodden path as Paige and Nem maneuvered their way through the forest. They both knew that there was clearing where the two of them could just ride past these trees, so much so that Nemesis decided it was necessary to jump the fallen log on the clear path instead of going around like a normal stable horse. Crazy animal. Paige was tempted to just close her eyes and let him do all the work, let the two of them just become one central machine like how it used to work. She even did for a moment, letting her eyes slip to half closed, before the animal beneath her snuffled in irritation, altering his step to shuffle. His sire, Paige’s father’s horse, had been known for being the most reliable, stable creature ever born, but it had clearly all been drained on that one horse, as Nemesis was nothing like stable. A fierce creature and known to take down anyone but trusted handlers without the proper introduction, Paige searched the trail for someone out riding. She knew someone had taken out the mare in the second last stall, but there were endless trails on the Xavier’s property.

It was as they turned the corner that Paige spotted her professor, her idol even, seated on the edge of the trail with his eyes screwed shut and looking very, well, upset. It was then that Paige realized why he looked so strange, other than the fact that he didn’t resemble a marble statue; his glasses were missing.

“Sir?” Paige called out, somehow managing to keep the alarm out of her voice while still containing concern. “Scott, it’s Paige. Sir, are you all right? Where are your glasses?”

Scott stiffened as he heard the unmistakable sound of hooves. The mare, coming back to see if she could finish him off? he thought humorlessly. But then Paige called out and he sighed, forcing himself to relax a little. "I'm fine," he said, then winced at the stab of pain as his jaw moved. "Didn't see my horse, did you?" he muttered, more carefully, as he tried to reassemble the various pieces of the Cyclops-facade into a convincing whole. Paige didn't need to see him sitting here pouting like a twelve year-old.

“Oh yes, and you certainly look it, fearless leader,” Paige remarked, sliding of her horse. She gave Nem a firm look – he wouldn’t be going anywhere – and cautiously approached Scott, making as much noise as possible and talking all the way. “I think she’s long gone, Scott. Don’t worry, I’ll find her once we get you back the school. Were you in the brush when you lost your glasses, or is this a training exercise that I’m missing out on? Manage around the underbrush blind and with injuries?”

Instinctively, Scott squeezed his eyes more tightly shut as he heard her approaching. "No," he said, and would have smiled if his face hadn't hurt. "Just stupidity. Don't know where the glasses are. I kind of got turned around. Someone seems to have turned off the sun."

Paige made a noise that could only be her acknowledging him since she couldn’t really nod, touching his shoulder gently when she was close enough. “I’m going to go give the area a quick sweep to see if I can find your glasses. If I don’t find them in about ten minutes, I will come back for you and we’ll head up to the mansion where I assume you have a spare pair. Nem,” Paige explained to him in a matter-of-fact tone, whistling for the horse to come to her and placing his reins in Scott’s hands, “Is right here. He will behave for you because I tell him so, won’t you? Good. If I don’t return for whatever reason, although, I doubt that’s going to happen, he will take you back to the stables, at least, sooner or later. Better than the alternative. All right?”

"All right," Scott said, relaxing a little more at how quickly she took charge of the situation. "Not sure how far back they'd be. The mare decided she wanted to introduce me to a couple of trees. I was headed away from the mansion, at least..." He gave a slightly strained laugh. "Not that I know which direction I'm currently facing."

“Then aren’t you lucky you have me around?” she asked, allowing herself a smile and lighter tone. “I will be right back, but you might as well make yourself comfortable. Heading out.” At that Paige let go of his shoulder and set off in the direction away from the mansion, panning the grounds for the familiar pair of ruby quartz glasses.

Scott rested his head against his knees, holding onto the reins of Paige's horse, which made an oddly comforting whickering sound at him. He was going to be nicely black and blue, he suspected. What a stupid, stupid thing to do. Sighing, he tried to focus on calming down, evening out his breathing and putting the fear away in a corner where it belonged. One would think that living with a dysfunctional mutation would get easier with the years. Funny how it didn't. After a while, he heard Paige coming back. "Any luck?" he called out, his voice a bit hoarse.

Paige was making as much noise as possible again, praying that the trees would understand later. “No. I’m sorry. You’d think a pair of red lensed glasses wouldn’t be that difficult to find, but there are. Looks like we’re going for plan B,” she said, approaching him. Gently, she took the reins from Scott’s hands, replacing them with her own smooth palm. He looked so miserable, so small, with his eyes closed tight and huddled into himself. “We’re going to get you up on Nem and I’ll lead you back to the stables. There it’s only a climb up the hill, which will be easier to navigate than all these roots and stones.”

"Sounds like a plan," Scott said as briskly as he could manage... which wasn't, particularly. "Give me a hand up? Think I smacked my head when I fell... I'm a bit dizzy."

“That was the plan,” Paige replied smoothly, firming her grip on his hand and pulling him to his feet. Circling around him she put her hand to the small of his back, a gentle but no-nonsense touch. “I’m going to guide you to the horse and put your hands and feet where they need to be. Trust me.”

"Just... don't get in front of me," he said a bit dimly, that spinning sensation back again. "Just in case." His whole face was beginning to throb, damn it. Which made keeping his eyes shut this tightly a bit more of an effort than it should have been. "I think I might skip the ride the next time. Why didn't I just go for a swim? The pool doesn't decide you'd look better wrapped around a tree..."

Paige chuckled lightly, leading him gently to Nem who was shifting slightly with uncertainty. Generally, he didn’t enjoy other people riding him, but he was just going to have to deal today. Placing his hands on the pommel for something to grip she instructed, “Left foot up. I’ll guide it to the stirrup. Would you prefer if I husked for some extra protection?” She didn’t sound overly concerned, she trusted him, but would do as he pleased if it made him feel better.

She helped him up onto the horse before he could answer the question. "I think I'm okay up here," he said, once he had himself settled. "I'll just keep my chin up." The humor in what he'd just said struck him and a brief, bitter laugh slipped out before he could help himself. "Literally, I mean." Metaphorically was another whole kettle of fish at the moment.

“All right then. It’s not a long ride back on the trail I know,” Paige informed him, taking Nem’s reins and encouraging him to start into a walk. They’d past the major crisis in her eyes, although, then again, there was still a man with bazookas behind each eye on her horse, but for some reason, it wasn’t bothering her. In fact, the adrenaline that kicked in during problematic situations had already started to ebb and all she was feeling was awkward. Who had she thought she was, ordering him around like that? “Where do you keep your spare pair of glasses?” she asked, trying to fill the silence outside and quell the debate inside at the same time.

"Upstairs in my suite," Scott said, trying to quell the panicky sense of vertigo, to focus on her voice. She sounded... tense? Unsettled? "I'm glad you came along, Paige," he said, his voice a little stronger as he concentrated on reassuring her. "Suppose I could have 'yelled' for the Professor, but..." He trailed off a bit awkwardly, not wanting to explain why he hadn't done that.

“You should probably be more specific than that, sir. I could come across some rather embarrassing things before finally finding what I’m looking for,” Paige answered lightly, trying to ebb his desire to sooth her. Giving his knee a reassuring pat, she smiled. “I’m glad I came along, too. I’m sure you could have taken care of yourself if you’d needed too, though.”

"Probably would have crawled out to somewhere someone could see me eventually," Scott tried to quip, "if the Professor or Betsy hadn't sensed me fumbling around first." There. He'd said her name and his voice had stayed perfectly steady.

If Paige noticed the obvious tonal change, she didn’t convey it, at least not with words. “Of course. No doubt about it. Or if they hadn’t sent out a helicopter. Do we have a helicopter?”

"No helicopters. Several people who can fly, though. I'm sure they'd have gotten a kick out of fishing me out of the woods." The only way this would have better was if Logan had still been here. The thought was almost enough to make him cringe. "Don't suppose we could try and sneak up the back way?" he asked hopefully. "Although I guess people are going to notice anyway. Feels like the side of my face is turning pretty colors already."

“I suppose you could stay in the stables while I run up to your room. At least that way you won’t be stumbling around when you get in. A little less conspicuous.” Paige led them around the fallen log, giving her horse a little glare when he bobbed his head in disappointment. “Take you straight down to the med lab to get checked out. I’ll even use my super stealth skills. No one would be the wiser!” She paused. “Well, until later anyway when you eventually had to come down for dinner or something.”

Scott laughed a bit unsteadily. "I have lots of respect for your super stealth skills, but maybe I ought to just bite the bullet." He made a face. "Don't suppose I could convince you to skip the medlab part? I don't think I'm more than bruised..."

“Nope,” Paige clipped, practically cutting him off. She was going to ignore that very unstable laugh. “You would do the same in my situation.”

"I would," Scott agreed with a sigh. Maybe it would be best. With his history, he certainly didn't want to mess around with head injuries, however minor they might be. "And I have to admit, the idea of a nice icepack or several is getting very attractive."

“I thought so,” Paige answered with a knowing tone. Oh, she was getting pro at this. Shielding her eyes she spotted the opening out of the forest and onto the short path that would take them to the stables. “Almost there.”

"Hope the mare finds her way back," Scott muttered, feeling the suddenly warmer sunlight on his face. "Suppose it would be petty to hold a grudge..."

Paige laughed, shaking her head at him. “What do you think I’m doing right after I drop you off at the med lab?”

"Oh, good," Scott said as they reached the stables. She helped him down, and he tried to muster a smile as she led him onwards. "Very undignified, all of this. Don't you think?"

“Never. Let’s think of it as a trust exercise. One less thing you have to worry about when you accept me on your team,” she added cheekily, climbing up the hill. “Watch out for that rock, it’s a little to your left.”

"Trust exercises... now you're giving me evil ideas."

“Just don’t tell anyone it was my idea,” she replied with ease, guiding him around a tree root and onto the path to that lead to the back door.

"And betray my source of inspiration? Never."

Paige laughed, opening the door and leading him in. “Does this mean I’m your muse?” she asked innocently as they made their way down the hall.

Smiling was suddenly a little easier, sore face and all. "Have I not told you that before?" he said very quietly, laying a hand over hers where it rested on his arm.

“I…” Paige started, suddenly a world of poise and resolve struck down with a single blow. If she listened hard enough she could probably hear little twangs where her heartstrings used to be. Trying to smile and still her voice, she continued, looking down at their hands. “No. I must have missed that.”

"I don't say those things enough," Scott murmured, hearing the catch in her voice. "Need to work on that, I guess."

Paige cleared her throat, trying to sound nonchalant. “Well, just don’t go around saying them when they’re not completely true, Scott. I’ve never done a muse worthy thing in my life, at least, not for you.” Oh, good save, Guthrie. Good save.

Maybe it was the smack to the head, or the frustration of having been fumbling around out there in the dark, but Scott was angry, suddenly. "Damn it, don't do that," he said with a sigh. "You're one of the very few students around here who doesn't look at me and see Captain Fuckwad, Paige. I look at you and I think I'm actually..." He stopped, cutting himself off. "Never mind," he said wearily. "I'm sorry. Didn't mean to make you feel uncomfortable."

“No, no don’t be, don’t be sorry,” Paige said hurriedly before allowing herself a calming breath. Focus, she needed focus and a soothing tone and put those into gear with fluid ease. “I’m not used to praise, Scott, but that’s not your fault. You’ve done a fine job of telling me what I need to hear. Why do you think I hero worship you so, huh?” She smiled, squeezing his shoulder in encouragement. “You’re a wonderful leader, sir, and an even better man. If I become half the person you are, and trust me, I’m planning on it, it will be a success. Don’t you dare let anyone, including yourself, say differently.”

Scott tried to see himself through her eyes for a moment... but no, too much of a stretch. "Where are we, precisely?" he asked uncertainly as she kept leading him onwards. He had once memorized the layout of the mansion, just in case, but he wasn't sure what door they'd come in, and he'd been a little distracted...

Feeling a small pang at the complete disregard for her words, at least, externally, Paige loosened her grip on him, going back to her natural state of leadership with a touch of ‘fine, you want to play like that, I’m content to treat you like a helpless nobody’, or ‘distance’ for short. “We came in the back door, as you requested and are headed for the med lab. Actually, we’re at the stairs. There are twenty-seven of them, starting now. One. Two,” she stated, letting him count out the rest in his head.

He'd just turned around and done the same thing to her, hadn't he? Scott sighed, and nearly managed to stumble on the stairs. "Shit," he said almost desperately. "Hate this... I hate being helpless."

“Watch your mouth, sir. I am just a student after all,” Paige quipped before she could stop herself, wincing slightly. In her best attempt to soothe her own words, she added, “You wouldn’t want Moira taking advantage of you and forcing some of her gone bad coffee down your throat to wipe clean that tongue, would you?” Okay, so a witty genius she was not when it came to comforting words, but her hand did slip from his shoulder to almost around his waist to hold him more securely and add, perhaps, some comfort. “We’re almost there. Five more. Four. Three. Two. One.”

Pull yourself together, Summers. He counted out the steps, relaxing a little when they got to the bottom. "Not the coffee," he joked weakly. "Anything but the coffee..."

“Shh! She’ll hear you!” Paige warned as they made their way across the tiled floor. Her riding boots made an impressive clack at they walked and covered up the sound of her swallowing hard as she pushed open the door to one of the rooms. “All right, sit down. I’ll find someone to take care of you and then run up for your glasses and hand them over to whoever takes charge. Mission accomplished and you didn’t even fall down once.”

Scott sighed in relief as he sat down. "Thanks, Paige," he said with as warm a smile as he could manage. "I really... um, thanks. Really would have not have been all that fun trying to get myself back here."

“You’re welcome. We all need someone from time to time. Even you,” Paige replied calmly, relishing in that small smack at him in the ‘smarten up’ direction. She found herself standing directly in front of him and slipping one hand into her hair she allowed the other to give his hand a final squeeze. “Get well soon,” she said before letting go and heading to the door. “I’ll see you on the twenty-third.”