xp_logs | (no subject)

Marie-Ange goes to talk to Scott about her nightmares, and perhaps a theory about why Doug has been so moody. Backdated to Monday.

Marie-Ange knocked quietly on the wall of the garage, trying not to startle Mr. Summers. Whatever he was doing to the motorcycle, it looked like something she shouldn't break him away from rudely. Of course, for all she knew, he was petting it. When he paused to look, she scuffed one foot into the ground, suddenly nervous. "Could.. I speak to you for a moment? If you are not too busy?"

Scott looked up inquisitively at Marie-Ange, surprised. "Sure," he said, smiling a bit uncertainly and setting his wrench aside. Strange... the kids didn't usually seek him out. "Anything wrong?"

"In .. a manner of speaking, yes." Marie-Ange let out the breath she'd been holding and tried not to stammer. "Doug.. has not spoken to you at all about trying to be an.. X-man, has he?" Even saying it seemed silly. She had hoped Doug would say something to -her- first.

Scott frowned, but thought about it for a moment. "I can't remember him saying anything to me about that," he said finally, fairly sure of it. "Why?" It was pretty clear that she wanted the answer to be no.

Breathing an audible sigh of relief, Marie-Ange shut her eyes and learned against the wall. "Nightmares. I have had them before, but they came back again. Doug, as an X-man, because he had the leathers, and he dies." she said quickly, words almost jumbling together. "I thought perhaps he had asked about it, because I have had the dream again recently."

Scott opened his mouth, then closed it again. "Precognitive nightmares," he said slowly, knowing that was what she meant. "Have you talked to Doug about them?"

He knows about them. I told him, and he has read my notebook. I am trying to make sure that I do not .. end up not telling someone when it would be important. If you know, and Doug knows, and Dr. MacTaggart or Nathan or someone else knows, then..." Marie-Ange trailed off, not wanting to suggest the outcome if someone didn't know.

Scott shook his head, getting up. He paused to wipe his hands on a rag before doing anything else. "Are you sure that's what it means?" he asked quietly. "Aren't your dreams often symbolic?"

"Sometimes. Angelo really did get burned though." Marie-Ange frowned, and bit her lip. "Even if it is, the dream is the same every time. Doug dies, and I have seen that dream more often than many of the others." It was obvious she was struggling to get out the words, to not show how upset she was over this.

"I don't know what to say." Scott sighed. "Have you spoken to Nathan about this?" The two of them were still working together on her precog, weren't they? Marie-Ange seemed convinced that there was a danger to Doug here, and given her power he was inclined to believe her, but this wasn't anything concrete he could work with.

"Nathan knows about it. I.. I just want to be sure.." Marie-Ange gripped the fingers of one hand with the other. "I thought if Doug had asked you about it, that might be why the dreams came back. That he might be looking to do .. what Paige is doing, perhaps."

"Not as far as I know, and he'd have to talk to me if he was serious about it, obviously." Scott frowned again, tossing the rag aside lightly. "You've talked to Doug, you said..." Wait, no, she hadn't. "Have you asked him if he's interested in the X-Men?" Scott prodded.

"I do not want to give him -ideas-." Marie-Ange said, grimacing. "I do not want to just tell him not to, and I do not want to put the idea in his head.." She sighed. "And he is so bothered with this project for his class, the design one, that I do not want to give him more to think about."

"Then what do you want?" Scott pressed gently. "Other than to make sure this doesn't happen. Do you want me to tell him no, if he comes asking me that question?"

Marie-Ange sighed. "Yes?" She said, tentatively. "I -want- you to tell him no. I .. do not know if it would be entirely fair to ask that." She grimaced. This was not going well. It was supposed to be much easier. She told people Doug might die, they locked Doug in a small padded room until the danger was over. .. Or at least made sure he would not go into whatever situation would cause his death.

"Can you tell whether this is something that might happen soon, or farther off in the future?" Scott ventured.

"No?" Marie-Ange shook her head. "The only thing I have to guess on is that Doug had the black leathers.. " She paused. "Like yours, when you are Cyclops, with the X logo. So I do not think it is soon, because Doug is only seventeen, and we would have...ah.. he would have to be eighteen, yes?"

Interesting slip of the tongue. "He would," Scott said steadily, with a nod, and then decided that yes, he would go out on a limb. There really was nothing to work with, here, and all he could think of to do was reassure Marie-Ange and keep an eye out. "So it's highly unlikely that anything would happen to him in X-Men leathers anytime soon. Maybe this is just something we need to keep in mind? For the future?"

"I.. hope so. I thought, Doug has been so cranky lately, and avoiding me... " Marie-Ange said tentatively. "I thought maybe he was thinking about it and did not want to tell me. He... he does know what I dreamt about.. " She quieted, aware that she was babbling. "Yes. Can we .. can you let me know if he does ask? Please?"

"I will. If you let me know if you dream any other details," Scott said, smiling very faintly. "I... wouldn't want to see anything happen to Doug either, Angie."

"I can give you a copy of the notebook I wrote everything down in." Marie-Ange offered. "It seems like I have given copies to everyone else, so one more would not be so bad." Maybe, she thought, it was just time to make the notebook public. Get Doug to put copies on the computer network and let everyone see what she was seeing.

Scott paused, then nodded. "I wouldn't mind seeing it," he said, "if you're comfortable sharing it." He smiled again, a bit more strongly. "A fresh set of eyes never hurt in any situation."

Marie-Ange smiled back, set a little at ease. "I do not think there is anything embarrassing for anyone in it.." Pausing, she thought for a moment. No, anything embarrassing was definitely not in -that- notebook. "And if it helps Doug, or anyone else, I would rather it be seen."

"Then that's what we'll do," Scott said more briskly. "It'll be all right, you know," he said firmly. "We know, now, so we can watch out for anything that might be dangerous."

Marie-Ange let out a relieved sigh. "Good." She shut her eyes for a moment and leaned her head against the wall. Just knowing that someone -else- would keep Doug from harm helped. "Thank you." she said quietly. "For .. both of us, I think, if it keeps Doug from being hurt."

"It's my job," Scott pointed out with a flicker of weary humor. "And even if it wasn't, I'd still do it." He gave her an assessing look. "You look like you need some sleep," he suggested gently.

"I always need sleep, Mr. Summers." Marie-Ange said, just a touch of dry humor in her voice. "Just more when my boyfriend is being stupid."

"Funny how that works, isn't it?" he asked with a brief smile, matching her tone.