Moira and Amanda

[x-mactaggart.livejournal.com]

Moira finds Amanda in the waiting room of the MedLab and settles in for some welcome home hugs, tears and talking about what happened.



Moira stuck her head into the waiting room and saw Amanda sitting in one of the chairs. She had already gone through her physical and had received the okay to go and sleep in her own bed. But it was obvious that she was waiting--maybe for Manuel, since his wasn't over with yet. It had been a guess, but Moira had expected to see her sticking around for a bit and was glad she had two mugs of hot tea in her hands. "'ey," she called, wandering over, pushing down the urge to grab the younger woman in a firm hug again--at least until her hands were clear.

"Hey." Amanda looked up with a smile, her face still oddly vulnerable without the piercings. And the blonde hair was certainly taking some getting used to. At least she'd been able to get out of that bloody dress and back into her own clothes. "'S that tea? Yer've got no bloody idea how much I missed tea. Even when I was brainwashed - mornin's just didn't seem right somehow."

"I think 'tis built inta every British and Scottish person--nothin's th' same withou' mornin' tea." She handed over one of the mugs and settled herself into the chair next to Amanda. Who looked so much younger, even with the knowledge that months had passed instead of a week, that it tugged at her heart. Moira mentally shook herself, she'd already spent a good part of the evening slightly sniffly as it was. "'ow're ye doin'?"

"Still a bit buzzed from that last spell," Amanda replied honestly, and glad she could be. She cupped her hands around the mug, even though it was just this side of too-hot, and took a sip, an expression of pure pleasure on her face. "Fuck, that's good." She glanced over at Moira. "T' tell the truth, I ain't sure how I'm doin'. Everythin's so... I spent most of the time not in me right head, so in a way I've had less time there than the rest, but... I remember stuff. Stuff I done, stuff I wanted t' do. Stuff that was done t' me." Her expression darkened at this last. "Between Columbia an' fuckin' Asgard, 'm startin' t' think I might as well put a bleedin' sign 'round me neck with 'All You Can Eat' on it."

Reaching over, she settled her free arm around Amanda's shoulders and squeezed gently. "'opefully, thin's start becomin' more normal now," Moira murmured. "Everyone's back an' apparently in pretty good shape." She looked down. "I think ye jus' need time ta sort everythin' out. From wha' ye said, ye werenae in control. But since ye remember, 'tis goin' ta take some time jus'--sortin' everythin' out in yer 'ead. An' ye 'ave people 'ere who are more than willin' ta 'elp ye out."

Amanda leaned into the hug, glad for the contact. Manuel hadn't touched her since... She pushed the thought of the binding spell away. Romany and Strange both wanted to talk to her about it, and about the rest of what had happened in Asgard, but she wasn't ready for lectures yet. "When did things get so fuckin' mental?" she asked almost wistfully. "It feels like I haven’t stopped since I got here."

"I dinnae know," Moira answered, sighing. She shifted a little when it become obvious that Amanda needed the physical affection. "I'm jus' 'opin' it bloody well stops soon, for everyone's sake. Ye guys really need th' break." Not to mention the adults but that was for different reasons. "I think right now we jus' 'ave ta focus on th' fact tha' ye all are 'ome--finally."

"She said... Moth- Amora said you didn't want me, that you'd decided Jubilee was less hassle..." Even as she said it, Amanda knew how absurd it sounded, but she couldn't help herself. "She made me forget all of you," she admitted at last. "An' I let her, 'cause I was sick of bein' scared an' hurt an' she promised t' not let that happen again."

"'ey now." Nearly dropping the mug, Moira finally set it down on the chair next to her and turned more, cupping Amanda's chin in her hand. "Look at me, there we go. O' course we want ye 'ere, wit' us. Yer pretty damned close ta bein' family, Amanda, an' even if ye werenae, ye 'ave friends 'ere who sorely missed ye." She smiled. "As for Jubilee--well, ye bot' 'ave yer sets o' 'assles, let me jus' put it tha' way. But all those ''assles'? Yer more than wort' them. God only knows I understand wha' it feels like ta nay want ta 'urt anymore. But ye 'ave ta realize tha' even if ye do get 'urt, an' ye will because life sucks like tha', ye 'ave people ye can turn ta."

It was the gentle touch on her face that did it. Amanda's control - not really that great any way - broke, and tears welled up in the blue eyes that seemed to be the only familiar thing she saw when she looked in the mirror. Blindly she levitated the mug out of her hands, letting it hang in space whilst she threw her arms around Moira's neck and broke out sobbing.

Not very surprised at the reaction, Moira simply wound her arms around Amanda and stroked her back. "Jus' let it out," she murmured, not minding the near unbreakable grip around her neck. Everyone who went to Asgard had gone through so much just to make it back home. And from what she had known about what happened to Amanda, a good cry was exactly what she needed. She did untangle an arm long enough to scoop the floating mug from the air and put it next to hers, just in case.

Eventually Amanda cried herself out, hiccoughing into Moira's shoulder but not letting go just yet. "Sorry," she muttered. "Yer've probably got stuff t' do, not sit here an' have me get you all soggy."

"Stop tha'," Moira told her, giving her another squeeze. "There are two other verra good doctors in there an' I'm nay needed for a while. Besides, ye need this."

"Still need t' see Rom an' Strange," Amanda said, but made no signs of moving. It was just nice, sitting here being cuddled. Especially after the Enchantress's pawings and fake affection. "So, it was only a week here?"
She nodded and smoothed out some of the tangles in Amanda's hair. "Aye, though it felt like longer...sometimes we are nay th' most patient people in th' world." Moira smiled. "I still cannae believe 'ow much time passed for ye all."

"Could have been worse - could have been years, like Illyana." A small smile escaped her. "Imagine yer faces if we'd come back all grown up? Tho' the look on yer faces when you realised it was me under all this was enough."

"I'd like ta keep me natural 'air color, thank ye verra much," Moira said wryly. She chuckled. "Aye, took us all by surprise but we know it was still ye, even if ye looked slightly different."

"I thought Rom was gunna laugh herself sick, especially with the dress. After she finished squeezin' the life out of me, that is." Amanda loosened her hold on Moira's neck and settled for laying her head on the older woman's shoulder instead. "Think I could sleep for a week, if me head weren't buzzin' so much."

"There was a small stampede when th' announcement came around tha' ye all were back." She looked amused. There had been a lot of tears and laughter and general screaming from everyone. It had been, all in all, a good welcoming home from the looks of it. "We can always talk ta Rom or Stephen 'bout th' buzz--if they dinnae 'ave anythin' for ye, I can give ye somethin' ta 'elp ye sleep."

"'S comfy here," Amanda said, sounding very young indeed. She remembered the tea, and levitated it back over to herself, the residual energies of Asgard providing more than enough power. "I think Strange said somethin' 'bout drainin' the rest of the magic out of Doug. He was gigglin' like a little girl, so I guess I'm not the only one with a rush."

An eyebrow rose slightly at that. "Tha' would be interestin' ta see." Moira hugged Amanda tight to her again. "Nay need ta move for a wee bit if'n ye dinnae want ta. Ten ta one, one o' those two will come lookin' for ye, nay need ta rush off ta find them."

"True enogh." Amanda sipped tea, savouring it and the sensation of being back and safe. "I missed you, when I remembered everythin'," she said quietly. "You an' the rest of me family."

Tears prickled her eyes, good ones this time, but Moira blinked and rested her head on top of Amanda's. "Missed ye ta, luv--welcome 'ome."