Jean and Dani meet

[x-jeangrey.livejournal.com]

The inhibitor was gone. Jean had been tense ever since she had taken it off - Charles felt (and Jean had to agree) that the best way for her to build up her shields would be practice and exposure with his guidance. The inhibitor was a crutch - she could use it if things became to much, or go down to the lab and spend some time (hide) in the Box, but she had to get used to using her telepathy again before they could work on controlling the TK.

That didn't make it any less terrifying, though, to be unable to block the constant background noise of the sixty some people in the mansion.

She had eventually steeled herself and ventured out of her rooms - living so close to everyone meant that there wasn't enough physical distance to make a difference.

"Hi," Dani said quietly, approaching the unfamiliar woman with a plate of food. As usual, she was on a quest to feed everyone and this included their newest old? arrival. The woman felt strange, a powerful confusion that seemed almost...cloudy. Unlike any confusion she had ever felt before. "You hungry?"

...newest old? arrival... Jean looked up at the approaching presence and smiled, then blinked. The girl couldn't be more than eighteen, but she was clearly very pregnant. Her mind flipped through the catalog of medical files she had poured over last week. "Hello," she said. "You must be Danielle, right?" The question she had asked slowly filtered it's way through the muddle in her mind. "Actually... yes. I am." She almost sounded surprised, as though physical troubles had taken a back seat.

"Dani," she nodded, not quite meeting Jean's eyes, "Most people seem to forget to eat, so I feed them. How'd you know my name?" Despite politeness, she was intrigued at how she seemed to know her, especially since she had been in the box for a while.

"Nice to meet you, Dani. I'm a doctor," she explained, "so I've been getting caught up on the medical files. Since I know you're not Moira, there was only one other option." She smiled slightly, although it flickered as she heard ...in the box... float across Dani's mind.

"Oh, right," the emotions flickered on a sore point, whoops. Despite being able to feel and generally read emotions, Dani wasn't always as tactful as she could be. She gestured awkwardly with the tray she carried. The tray was heavy, not that she would ever admit it, "You have a table or anything? Unless you want to eat standing in the hallway..."

"In my suite..." she started, then shook her head. Shouldn't go back and hide again. That was counter productive. "Actually, maybe I should go to the dining room. Here, can I?" She reached out to take the tray from the girl.

"I got it," Dani said, refusing to let go. She was not helpless, even if everyone seemed to be conspiring to make her stop doing everything, "You know the way? Or you wanna follow me?"

... not helpless... conspiring to make her stop doing... and another voice, quiter, farther off, ... where is... oh, there. Jean wondered vaguely if she would manage to reconstruct her shields before she went mad. "I know the way," she said, working her way back to the physical world.

"It gets better. Or easier. I think," Dani said, feeling something off and trying to reassure the older woman. She seemed nice, albeit confused and overwhelmed, which wasn't surprising, "Your powers, I mean. I'm in the box ever other week it seems like sometimes. I spent a week in their too when I first got here. I'm tempted to claim it as mine and not share."

That got the girl a real smile. "Oh, please don't," Jean said. "I'm going to be in need of it myself for... quite a while, I suspect. Control... takes a while."

Dani waggled one wrist before setting the tray on the table. Sticking her arm out, she showed Jean the inhibitor she wore even though it was currently off, "You're telling me? I have less control over my powers than a teenager boy has over his hormones. It's because I'm pregnant," she placed on hand on her belly, reassuring herself everything was alright, "but I know who I am and where I am most of the time. It's a start."

"That is, indeed, a start." And you have an excuse, the bitter voice in her mind said before being firmly quashed, again, and it really didn't like being shut up all the time. Settling into a chair, Jean gestured to one of the others. "Join me?" she asked. "Have eaten alone far too much recently."

"Sure," Dani said smiling, settling herself in a chair and reaching for the extra bottle of juice on the tray, "I never let people eat alone, it's not good for digestion."

"Agreed," Jean said with a nod. "So tell me, how are things at the Mansion in general? It's always good to get a fresh perspective, and while mine is 'fresh' it's also very... different."

Considering the question, Dani finished off her juice, "It's...good. There's a routine, I guess, even to the craziness here. Everyone seems to work together to make it work, despite arguing and whatever. I guess...it's like any other place."

Jean smiled, tucking in to her lunch. "It manages to be both that and entirely unique all at once. Just one of the many interesting contradictions of Xavier's Institute."

"Yeah. Like how a school has a plane in the basement?" Dani replied awkwardly, not entirely certain what she should say, "Ain't many schools that have that."

"And what a plane," Jean muttered. "I would have to agree, the plane, and all that comes with it, does rather make us special."

"No," Dani disagreed, plucking a carrot stick from the plate, "We make us special. The plane and stuff don't mean a thing."

Ah, perspective. Wonderful. "A very good point, and one I fear many people forget occasionally. Self included," she admitted, "when I was younger. Although, having returned, I don't think I'll ever take how wonderful this place is for granted again."

"This place takes in people no one wants and gives them a home. Which is more important than a place. And it takes in people with families too, and gives them a home too. Non-discrimina," she stumbled tongue-tied over the word, "Xavier's don't care who you are."

"Non-discriminatory," Jean said, nodding. "And you're right. Part of Charles' dream has always been to offer a safe haven and a home to any who need it."

Dani nodded, pleased. She understood. "Good. It'll work out."

The food had fairly vanished off her plate and it took Jean a second to realize that she had actually eaten it all. What with her nerves about taking off the inhibitor she had skipped breakfast and afterwards thinking about food had not been a top priority. "Heavens, I was hungrier than I thought."

"I can make more, if you want," Dani offered cleaning up the tray, "I mean, I cook a lot. And eat a lot, really. Or at least, frequently."

"Yes, but as one of your doctors, now, I'm very glad to hear that." Before Dani could protest, Jean had picked up the now full tray. "But I'm set for now, thank you."

Conspiracy. Against. Her. All of them. Dani glared at Jean's retreating back. "I'm not helpless," she muttered.

... Conspiracy... Jean stifled her grin. "Of course you're not, Dani. Neither, at that, am I. And they are my dishes. You cooked, tradition would demand that I should clean."

"But I usually do it," Dani protested weakly, following Jean to the kitchen. "I mean, it's Lorna's kitchen and she is really...nevermind." Dani quieted, feeling Jean's annoyance. It seemed to happen a lot sometimes. "So."

The annoyance had actually been directed at a blast of psychic noise from somewhere upstairs, although with the shock flickering through her mind Jean didn't pick up on why Dani had cut herself off. "Then you are being used most dreadfully. Not by Lorna," she added, quickly. "By the rest of them. I can't imagine any of them have trouble with the idea of clearing their own dishes."

"They do at meals. But if I cook for someone separately, like you, ain't it? Then I don't mind cleaning it up too. I'm used to cooking a lot," Dani tried to reassure the doctor as she watched her clean the dishes. "And I bring a lot of people trays, 'cause they forget to eat."

Physical work was, quite simply, relaxing. It was a focus for her mind, which was also a good thing. "That's the problem with creative and brilliant people," Jean mused, "and also the wonderful thing - they're just so focused. It's good of you to help take care of them." She turned and smiled at the girl, then put her 'doctor face' on. "As long as you remember to take care of yourself, as well."

"I Do. Or well, Forge and Dr. McCoy do. I try," she had the grace to be embarassed, "I'm getting better at it. I can't lose control or I'll hurt the baby. It's not easy."

Jean nodded. "No, it's not," she agreed. "But as long as you are aware of what you need to do, you can learn how to do it. Especially with Hank's help. And Forge... that would be John Henry Forge?"

"Hahkota," Dani corrected quickly, "He hates John-Henry. No one calls him that."

"Ah, thank you," she said, nodding. "I will remember."