xp_logs | Angelo and Moira

Before Jubilee posts to say she's leaving, Angelo goes down to see Moira to talk about the situation with Jono, and gets some good advice.

During the afternoon, Angelo finally came to the conclusion that he needed a neutral person to talk to about the situation with Jono. Sparring with Sarah hadn't helped much, nor had beating up a punchbag, even time with Paige had only helped temporarily. So he made his way down to Moira's office, to see if she was there.

The knock on the door to her office made Moira blink. She hadn't realized she had been staring that long at a print out of lab results and shook herself. "Come in," she called, clearing her desk. Just in case someone had another emergancy up their sleeve because, really, she wouldn't be surprised at this point.

Angelo pushed the door open and walked in quietly. "Hey, Dr. MacTaggart."

"Angelo." A little surprised, Moira straightened in her chair. He and Paige hadn't shown up at the party last night and his post had made her a little concerned about him. "Everythin' okay?"

Angelo shrugged, making for a chair and sitting down. "...Not really. I guess you already know about Jono."

Nodding, she leaned back, watching him carefully. "Aye, all th' doctors 'ave been briefed about 'im an' who they're takin' 'im ta."

Angelo looked miserable. "We got an e-mail from him yesterday. Me, Paige an' Sarah, maybe others but I don't know. He... it's not workin'."

A shadow fell across her face and she sighed. "Damn it. More cracks, I take it?"

Angelo shook his head. "He just said nothin' they've tried so far is helpin'. I'd guess that means it's gettin' worse... but I gotta hope it just means it's not gettin' better."

"They need ta stablize 'im first," she murmured, thinking. The technology from the suits she had brought over all those months ago were still being picked over by Henry, so they were probably out of the question of immediate use. Besides of the fact of the original flaw in the design that had set them back all those years ago with Kevin. "Did 'e say anythin' else?"

Angelo winced, remembering exactly what he'd been trying not to think about. "He said... they can't stop it. His own energy or whatever is eatin' him up, an' they don't know what to do. Sounded like they've tried a lot of things already."

Moira pinched the bridge of her nose. "Most people wit' no defenses against their own mutations dinnae live verra lon'," she said softly, but to the point. Angelo was not stupid. He may not have been at the top of the class but by no means was he stupid. "I'm surprised 'is body is reactin' this way now, after bein' a mutant for so lon'."

Angelo nodded. "Nearly a year now - but then, the energy doesn't seem to've been there before he manifested, or someone would've noticed when he was a kid, at the doctor's or wherever", he said quietly. "D'you have any idea why it could be happenin' after all that time?"

"'onestly? I've got nay clue. It may because 'e's gettin' stronger an' 'is body simply cannae 'andle it." Her gaze rested on the picture on the corner of her desk, one of her and Kevin. "Energy manipulator's sometimes run inta control problems if they get stronger later in life. But this is nay somethin' I've seen before an' I've seen a lot."

Angelo nodded again, miserably, not liking the sound of that. "We've all been tellin' him he's goin' to be okay. Not sure I believe it, though..."

"Angelo, all ye can do is be there for 'im," Moira said, gently, understanding what he was going through. "Nay matter wha' 'appens, jus' be there for 'im. Ye, Paige an' Sarah." She paused. "An' remember tha' ye can come for 'elp as well. Remind Paige o' tha' as well."

Angelo looked down. "Tryin'. But he's not here, an' what if he... doesn't come back? It'll kill Paige if anythin' happens to him." He sighed. "Reason we weren't at the party is I went up to fetch her, an' I found her in bed pretendin' to be sick. She doesn't get sick. So I stayed."

"Paige is stron' but she falls inta th' trap tha' makes 'er think she always 'as ta be stron'. Or make people think she is." The girl was more like her than she knew, Moira thought. "All ye can do is jus' wait. I know 'ow 'ard it 'tis ta wait, when ye really cannae do anythin'."

Angelo sighed. "Yeah, it really is. 've tried everythin' I can think of to take my mind off it, nothin' works for long."

"Keep yerself busy," Moira advised. "School's 'bout ta start, so tha'll 'elp. Runnin' would probably 'elp as well an' I know Paige runs. Jus' make sure she watches 'ow much, I know she pushes 'erself verra 'ard."

Another nod. "Yeah, I'll look after her. At least that's somethin' I can do, if she lets me."

She smiled. "Bully 'er, but gently."

Angelo managed a wry grin, finally looking up. "She does need it, sometimes. I do my best."

"Paige reminds me o' meself, so 'tis 'elps when I know wha' someone would 'ave ta do ta remind me o' thin's," Moira said, laughing a little.

Angelo chuckled. "I've actually been runnin' a few times already. I'll go out with her an' carry her back in when I decide we're done, if I have to."

"Good! Jus' remind 'er I know where she 'as th' Nerf Gun if she puts up a fight."

Angelo blinked. "...She has a Nerf Gun? She never told me about that. Should I be worried?"

"Brand new, we got it today," Moira snickered. "Ye might want ta watch out, jus' dinnae let 'er know ye know unless ye 'ave ta."

Angelo nodded sagely. "Do I get to know where it is, in case I need it?"

There was a secretive smile for a second. "I gave ye fair warnin', lad, anymore an' tha's nay really fair."

Angelo grinned fleetingly, nodding in acceptance. "Fair enough. I'll find it, anyway, her room's only so big."

"Paige is a smart girl, so it'll be interestin' ta see where she 'ides it." Moira relaxed back into her chair. "Feel any better?"

Angelo thought about that, and was faintly surprised to find that he did. "Little bit. I just... like you said. There's absolutely nothin' we can do here, even if it's lookin' more an' more like Jono's gonna die, an' I hate it..." He trailed off, then rallied. "So. Gotta keep myself busy, like you said. Try not t'think about it."

She nodded. "Keep yer mind busy, tha's th' ticket. Understand wha's goin' on but dinnae let it eat ye up inside."

"Maybe I'll go an' see Shan tomorrow", he answered thoughtfully. "Get her to give me some of the books off the readin' list, or somethin'."

"Perfect, actually. Shan should be able ta keep ye pretty busy."

Angelo nodded. "An' Paige never could turn down books. When things aren't so... fresh, I'll bring some for her, too."

"Good, she needs th' distraction as much as ye do," Moira said gently.

"Yeah, I know", he answered quietly. "More, probably. There's only so much I can do, I know that too."

"Jus' remind 'er, an' keep this in mind as well, tha' there are people tha' are more than willin' ta 'elp out." She gestured to her door. "Tha's pretty much almost always open, for anyone."

He smiled slightly. "I'll remember. An' I'll tell her. Thank you."

"Yer welcome."