Hank and Nathan, Monday afternoon

[x-cable.livejournal.com]

After his conversation with Amanda, Hank decides to find Nathan, feeling the need to talk about what happened.


The box was infuriating. Sitting at his desk, Nathan stared down at it, wrestling with towering, half-amused frustration as he felt it out tentatively with his telekinesis, trying to figure out just how you opened the damned thing.

It had no visible seams. But it wasn't all wood, he was positive of that. Different substances inside, in odd patterns...

Hank tapped on the half-open door, peeking around it. "Nathan?" he asked, in a rather small, apologetic voice. "I... think we need to talk. Or should, anyway. Are you busy?"

Nathan looked up from the box, frowning. "What's wrong? Are you all right?"

"I'm fine. But... well." Hank sighed, and ambled into the room, closing the door behind him. This would probably be a somewhat personal conversation. "I assume you know about the rather ill-advised ultimatum I issued, while I was... unwell? Concerning Amanda's powers?"

Nathan blinked. "That was when I was... away, I think. Yeah. The business with Jay." He stopped, then shook his head. "Sorry. Not supposed to know that, I know... but yes. I know about the ultimatum." He reached out for the box, setting it aside, and gesturing for Hank to sit down.

Hank sat, twiddling his fingers a little. "Well... I tried to apologize again, today. Being in my right mind again, and all. It... didn't go well. I managed to... verbally misstep, again." He smiled ruefully. "I don't think she likes me."

Nathan raised an eyebrow. "Define verbal misstep?" he suggested, wondering just what had happened now. "And Amanda's having an extremely bad week, Hank. Small things are necessarily going to become bigger things than they otherwise would have."

Hank sighed and nodded. "Well... I got wildly overprotective, on reflection, for two reasons. The first - which I didn't think it was wise to mention to Amanda - was sheer force of habit. You, I know, are familiar with the feeling of being the oldest, in a group or in a team. One... gets into the habit of looking out for the younger ones, and trying to protect them. But I didn't think she'd appreciate that point of view, just now, since she's probably had quite enough of me treating her like a child."

"Amanda's having issues with that this week, yes," Nathan said, more bleakly than wryly. "And the other reason?"

"Moira asked me to look after things.. and people... while she was away," he explained. "She mostly had you in mind, I think... you were still getting gently pulverized in the Danger Room at the time. But I did promise, and Amanda is one of her people too, and in my befuddled state of mind I suppose I thought I should extend my promise to her."

Nathan frowned. "And she didn't take that well," he said. Hank shook his head. "Well, she's... touchy, Hank, about the people she considers hers and those who consider her one of theirs. Comes from her background, of course... her family might not have been at fault for losing her to Rack, but she grew up believing they sold her, remember. I think that makes her value the bonds she chooses herself more than any other... and she has to make the choice, if that makes any sense."

Hank nodded. "She took especial exception to an offhanded mention of the fact that I love Moira dearly," he said ruefully, and then he paused, waiting to see how Nathan would react. Nathan knew, probably better than Amanda did, that Hank and Moira had been close friends for many years. On the other hand, he'd asked Hank to stop flirting with Moira, so it might bother him still....

Nathan leaned back in his chair, with a perfectly straight face. "Swords at dawn?"

"Not you too..." Hank hid his face in his hands. "Of course I love her, we've been friends for longer than some of the students have been potty trained. That doesn't mean I'm going to make a move on her. And frankly, if I was going to? I had plenty of time to do so before you showed up."

"Hank?" Nathan waited until Hank looked up at him. "A joke. They're fun little things, jokes." He went on more briskly, reminding himself that Hank had had one hell of a weekend, after all. "And I never asked you to stop flirting with her, McCoy - I asked you to stop telling me how lucky I was."

"You did ask me to stop flirting with her." Hank paused. "I think. You said it was making you uncomfortable, anyway, so I stopped, because I'm very glad that Moira's happy and I wouldn't do anything to jeopardize that." He sighed. "Amanda.... took it rather the wrong way. She got very defensive of both of you, and threatened me with your wrath. And I don't think she liked finding out that the baby's going to be referring to me as 'uncle' either. As you said, she likes to choose her own 'family'."

"Eidetic memory. Telepath, remember? I didn't ask you to stop flirting." Nathan shook his head. "Amanda's going to have to cope," he said simply. "Or at the very least respect the fact that other people choose their 'family', too, and Moira has very definitely chosen you."

"I plan to stay out of Amanda's way as much as I can. The last thing she needs is me intruding on her life any further." He smiled ruefully. "I promised not to interfere anymore, and we shook on it. I hope that helped at least a little."

Nathan regarded him thoughtfully. "So why did you come to me?"

"To let you know I'd upset her, I suppose. And make sure you did know I wasn't planning to make any moves on Moira." Hank sighed. "But mostly that she was upset. I was trying to make things better, but I don't think I did."

"Hank, she's having a hellish week. You didn't mean to upset her." Nathan shook his head a little, again. "Sometimes you can't make things better. But I'd be terribly surprised if at least part of her didn't realize that you were trying, and appreciate that. Issues aside."

Hank nodded. "I wish I could help," he said a little wistfully. "She's going through a hell of a lot right now. But.. .well. She doesn't really like me, and she really wouldn't appreciate my interference. I might talk to Moira, though... maybe I can cover a couple of shifts for her, give her more time to spend with Amanda. That might help, don't you think?" He grinned wryly. "And my complete inability to just leave things alone is showing, isn't it? I just.... I see problems, and I can't help wanting to try to fix them. It's a doctor thing, I think.... we're trained to think that just leaving things to heal on their own is usually a mistake."

"Talking to Moira about that would be a really good idea, I think," Nathan confirmed, with a warmer smile. "Both for Amanda and for Moira, I think... I know Moira's been very worried about her too." His smile turned a bit wry as the rest of Hank's words sank in. "I have to admit I'm doing less sailing in than I used to, around here... I think that's probably a good thing."

Hank nodded. "Moira's been very busy, with me ill, I know that. It can't have helped Amanda, having both of you so busy just now." He smiled. "I'll do that, then. And... well. If there is anything I can do, for any of you, please let me know? I know I made a hard time for Amanda even harder and... I'd like to make up for it, if there's ever any way I can."

Nathan sighed a little ruefully. "Just... add some joy to the house if you can, Hank," he said. "I think that's going to be important."

"I do my best." Hank smiled a little. "I'll consult with Alex, see if we can come up with some harmless and amusing pranks. "

"Speaking of pranks..." Nathan set the puzzle box in front of him again. "Alison's revenge for the word-puzzle, I think," he said, waving a hand at it. "Although she called it a gift."

Hank looked at it, and grinned. "Ahh. And given how long it took her, I imagine she's put quite a bit of thought into it." He chuckled. "I'll leave you to it, then. And go email Moira about covering those shifts."

Nathan waved at him as he got up. "Thank you. I have only a little bit of time before I have to go torment my history students, so I want to make the most of it."

Hank grinned. "Ahh, tormenting students... another thing I can get back to doing. Have fun, Nathan. And take care."