Scott and Manuel, Thursday afternoon

[x-cyclops.livejournal.com]

Scott comes upon Manuel in the library and gets reacquainted - although, interestingly, Manuel does remember him. Scott goes on to make a few suggestions when 'The Prince' doesn't turn out to be to Manuel's liking, and lets slip a couple of tidbits about Manuel's immediate past that put the younger man in a much better mood.



Manuel roamed around the enormous library, not picking up any volumes to be read but instead just browsing and getting a feel for the place. He liked the smell of it - the must of the books and the cool scent of the leatherbound editions was most agreeable to him. Finally, while poking around in the Classics area, he picked a book off the shelf and took it to one of the overstuffed chairs that seemed to be made for just sitting and reading for endless hours.

Scott had just stopped in the library to return a couple of books, but as he turned away from Shan's desk, he spotted Manuel in one of the chairs by the windows and hesitated. He hadn't talked to the young man since the incident at the Hellfire Club. This might be a good time.

Manuel was engrossed in his copy of _The Prince_. He couldn't name _why_ it felt right, but it did, and he had learned to listen to that voice. It occasionally led him to new and interesting places. Like how he really didn't like broccoli, and worse yet, it didn't like him. At all. He had opened the cover but he wasn't actually reading it yet - instead, he held the book in his lap, closed his eyes, and tried to remember.

"Manuel?" Scott called softly, not sure what he was disturbing. He sat down in the chair next to the young man's, spotting the title of the book he was holding. It twigged something, a vague memory of Nathan grumbling about Manuel's Machiavelli obsession in the staff room one morning.

Manuel opened his eyes and looked over at Scott. "Hello, Scott." he said absently, then looked down at the book in his lap. "What brings you into the library?"

Scott blinked. "Returning books," he explained, then gave Manuel a thoughtful look. "I didn't think you'd know my name."

"I do. I know you and your brother. Not well, but I do remember your names." he said with a smile. "That's about all it takes these days to make me happy." he said with an amused smile. "This book here felt right, so here I am trying to figure out why it felt right."

Scott smiled back. "You should ask Nathan," he suggested. "I hear you spent a lot of time in his class talking about Machiavelli. You probably have papers that you've written around in your room... might help to read them?"

Manuel hrmmed at that thought. "Might be worth a try." he said with a grin. "I haven't delved too deeply into the things in my room. Doctor Samson tells me that my memory should recover with time, and not to stress it overmuch. Apparently I get migrained when I push too hard too fast."

Scott nodded. "No rush," he said quietly. "Have you thought of just reading it?" He indicated the Prince.

Manuel grinned. "Giving it some serious thought." he said, looking down at the book in his lap. "But since I'm excused from classes and the kitchen's empty and I don't remember where anything is anyway, I thought I'd come in here and read for a bit. I'm missing something, though. Something important."

Scott didn't point out that Manuel was missing a lot of rather important things. That sort of went without saying. "I've read it myself, you know, a number of times," he said after a moment. "The Prince, I mean."

Manuel quirked both his eyebrows. "Oh? Did you like it?" he asked. "I don't remember it, which is another thing added on to my long and probably unhealthy list of frustrations right now." he said a bit peevishly. "I just figured out what I'm missing. Something to drink. Is drink allowed in here?" he asked.

"So long as it's something like a bottle of water," Scott said. "To avoid spilling on the books..." He paused, remembering that Shan had a small fridge in her office. "Would you like me to get you something?" he offered.

"If you wouldn't mind." he said with a smile, then cracked the book back to Page One and started to read.

Scott went to investigate, finding that Shan indeed had several bottles of water and was more than happy to donate one to the cause. He came back with it, settling back down in the chair. "I never answered your question," he said, handing the bottle to Manuel. "I did like Machiavelli, I suppose. He has a lot to say that's... food for thought, when you're in a position like mine."

Manuel accepted the bottle absently, uncapped it, and took a drink. He then closed the book and looked at Scott with an incredibly sad expression on his face. "I can't read this." he admitted softly. "There's too many words I don't know and don't make sense."

Scott bit his lip. "Didn't you have a... charm? Something Amanda gave you to help you read?"

"She says that she made me one, but I can't find it." he said. "Ah well, the book will still be here when I find it." he said sadly, rising up to put the book back on the shelf. "Guess I need to find a little something more my speed."

Scott looked at him thoughtfully. "Why not try something... well, frivolous?" he suggested lightly. "Pick a DVD off the shelf down in the rec room and watch it."

"I suppose I can do that. Mind tagging along to show me where the Rec Room is?" he asked with a smile. "I'm not sure I'm up to dealing with a whole lot of people right now. Might be good to see if I have a DVD player in my room or something."

"We have extra TVs and players," Scott said, getting up. "If you really wanted, we could even take one up to your room for the afternoon." He smiled. "I could probably make you a couple of fairly decent movie recommendations," he said lightly. "Contrary to popular belief around here, I do have some grasp of popular culture."

Manuel shrugged. "Hey, at least you remember pop culture." he said with a slightly-forced smile. "I remember the weirdest things. I didn't remember being a musician, which was from what I'm told fairly important to me, but I do remember stupid stuff like how Terry plays the harp or how Jay's wingfeathers molt or sitting on a beach in Spain watching the sun go down. It doesn't make any sense."

"How do you feel, when you have those flashes?" Scott asked slowly as they headed out of the library. He hoped he wasn't pushing too hard, but he had to wonder if there was some connection between the memories Manuel did still have.

"Usually, I have them without realizing it. Like it's just _there_. But when I try to remember stuff that I should know, like Amanda or where the Kitchen is or stuff like that, I usually get a headache. If I try too hard, I throw up." he said flatly. "Very unpleasant." Manuel followed Scott along, confident that he knew where he was going and wouldn't lead him astray.

"The mind, even when it's... damaged, has capabilities that can be really surprising," Scott mused, leading him towards the rec room. He'd grab the portable TV/DVD combo in the closet there for Manuel, he decided. "It can heal itself, given time. And now I sound like Charles." He gave Manuel a friendly smile. "I can't help it. Too many years listening to him."

Manuel followed along, chewing on that thought. "I hope so." he said after a few moments. "Because for better or for worse I want my memories back." he said with determination. "They're mine, after all."

"Our memories are the only things we have that are really ours," Scott said with a sigh. "I'm... I'm sorry for what happened, Manuel." He wasn't about to get into why, but it had to be said. "If there's anything I can do for you, to help, please just ask. That's what I'm here for."

"Like Professor Xavier and Doctor Samson tell me, it's just going to take time. But there is one thing you can do - I don't remember my password to the journalling system. Do you think you can get someone to reset it for me?" he asked guilelessly. "Did you know me well, before the accident?" he asked after another couple of long moments.

Scott took a deep breath. "You know, I can't do that myself," he said, "reset your password, I mean. But I will talk to Hank and make him aware of the problem." He smiled a little. "And no, I didn't know you all that well. I was teaching you how to drive, though."

"Good enough for me." he said with a grin. "Hank's the furry blue doctor, right?" he said after querying his unreliable memory for a second. "I can _drive_? COOL!" he said excitedly. "Do I own a car?"

Scott couldn't help a grin at the enthusiasm. "Furry blue, yes. And no, you don't own a car of your own. You were just learning how to drive."

"Oh. Okay." he said, still clearly pretty enthused about the idea. "Was I any good at it? I'd like to see if I can remember how one of these days. Once I'm better and can go out."

"Once you're cleared for something like that - we've got to be careful, if you're having headaches," Scott cautioned him gently, "I'd be happy to start again with you."

"Excellent." he said excitedly. "That's the best piece of news I've had all day. I remembered another person, found out that I know how to drive, and I'll get some more practice at it!"

Scott smiled. Such a difference, he thought a bit wistfully. He knew that what had happened to Manuel was in no way a good thing, but doing what they could to make him comfortable and as happy as possible for now... that he could do.