Rahne and Jean clean up the medlab

[x-jeangrey.livejournal.com]

Jean set down the pen and reached up to rub her neck, stretching out her shoulders. Well, the inventory of all the things she'd broken was done, at least. The glassware would be easy enough to replace - she'd call the distributor before she went off shift - and Hank was probably right that he'd be able to fix any of the machines since none of them had taken too much damage. The table was a loss, unfortunately, but they could just get a new one. And now the list was done it was time to really start cleaning.

Rahne was, in all honesty, a little nervous about this particular turn in the medlab. She still wasn't quite as used to Dr. Grey as to the other doctors, especially Dr. McCoy, and somehow this was the first time she'd be down there without one of the more familiar ones present as well. And on top of that, even if Nathan said she didn't think terribly loudly, she always wondered if her shields were good enough not to be rude around psis with control problems. Like talking at someone who was trying to go to sleep....

Still, it was time for her to get busy. Rahne almost knocked on the doorway before remembering that this was a bit silly and going straight in. "Dr. Grey? I've come down....." She trailed off, blinking, and stooped to pick up a sheet of shiny pink paper that was looking very out of place next to her foot.

Jean looked up at the quite flash of confusing shiny pink in her mind - that had not been one she was expecting. "Oh, Rahne, hello. Sorry to dump this on you but we've got clean up duty today." She eyed the paper the girl had found. "We might as well start a special pile for the origami paper."

"We have origami paper now?" Rahne moved further into the room and looked around. Definitely rather unsettled. She found a spare corner of desk surface and laid the pink paper there.

"It came out of the art room, I'm told. Just something Hank was working on during the quiet hours of the night shift." All the glass had, of course, already been cleaned up off the floor, but there were still shards on some of the shelves so Jean picked up the dustpan to start to collect it all.

"That makes sense." Rahne started checking for areas most accessible to paper. "How did it escape?"

"Ah," Jean said slowly. "That, I'm afraid, was my fault. There was... a bit of an accident last night."

Ah. Telekinesis control issue. Rahne retrieved two sheets of purple with embedded sparkles and brought them back to the desk. Clarice would like those. If Nathan was any guide, telekinetic accidents were more likely when upset, so the details probably weren't any of her business. "Oh, I see. ...Are ye both all right?"

... details probably weren't... Who knew, a child with both sense and discretion. "Yes, thank you," Jean said with a smile. "Luckily, there was a lack of significant damage to anything except that glass and the desk."

"That's good." Well, yes, obviously. "I think this is the first time I've seen this art paper...." Iridescent paisley, and very thin. Rescuing it without damage was a bit of a challenge; it looked as if it would tear easily. Then again, it hadn't yet.

"It's origami paper," Jean told her. "A Japanese art form of creating animals and objects out of folded paper. It has to be thin and high quality so it can be folded numerous times without tearing." Sweeping up the glass would be so much easier if she could control her powers again. But then, it wouldn't have had to be done if she could control her powers, anyway.

"I knew what origami is, but I hadna thought about what kind of paper ye'd need for it. I like the pattern."

"Hank picked them out of the supplies, I believe. Although you're right, it is very beautiful." That shelf was clear and Jean moved over to the next. "So, Rahne, I haven't had much of a chance to talk with you, yet, for which I apologize. How do you like the school? Do you enjoy working in the medlab?"

"Aye, I'm glad to have the chance." Rahne set the origami paper on the desk and resumed her search. "Dr. McCoy seemed a little surprised when I first asked, but he did say he'd teach me, and...." She shrugged a bit. "I've been glad to help, once I knew enough."

"Is it something you'd be interesting in continuing?" she asked. "I know Clarice was just accepted as an EMT..."

"I... I think it is. I hadna thought of applying until Clarice did, I suppose." Rahne frowned slightly. "I do like working here, though."

Jean smiled. "You would not necessarily have to go the same route that Clarice did. I've never had any real interest in being an EMT, although, of course, I've done shifts in the ER. But I much prefer being a GP - you actually get to know your patients that way."

Rahne nodded. "I can see how that might be nicer. Harder some ways, maybe, but still...."

"The harder things are, frequently, the more worth it they are in the end."

"Ye'd certainly hope so. Bit of a waste otherwise."

"Yes, that's a point," Jean said, chuckling. "But you're a junior, yes? Or there abouts? You certainly don't need to be making any life altering decisions yet.

"I would be starting to specialize a bit, back home... but right now I'm trying to prepare, and still fit in fun courses I might not have time for later."

"A good plan, really, and you will have at least four more years when you get your bachelors."

"I suppose sometime during the next year I'd better choose a major."

Jean moved to dump the dustpan out into the disposal bin. "No," she said. "In America we don't usually have majors in high school. You won't have to really decide until probably your sophomore year in college. But, if you do want to go into medicine it would be a good idea to know that before then, because there are quite a lot of courses you'll need for pre-med."

"I meant for university. Even if 'tis doable here, the second year of it would feel awfully late to me."

"Ah, of course," Jean said, nodding. "Well, besides working in the medlab, is there anything in particular you like doing?"

"Writing. Helping at the animal shelter. Playing with the younger children. Running through the woods at night." Rahne paused. "Not very focused, am I?"

"I don't know that you really need to be focused at seventeen. And writing and helping animals and children are all viable paths, although I think chances are good the running in the woods is more of a hobby than a possible career." She smiled.

"Unless I wind up back in Asgard, I'd say so."

"From what I hear, you seemed to do fairly well in Asgard. Do you want to wind up back there?" Jean's voice was gentle - she had seen the comments on the journal system and could taste the emotion tied into the girl's thoughts of the other plane.

Rahne took a deep breath. "I'm... not sure. 'Twas very lovely, but I think I -- belong here, right now."

"Well, we're glad to have you."

"...That helps." And that hadn't been quite what she meant to say.

There was something there flickering there in Rahne's mind, but while she couldn't avoid sensing it, Jean could avoid concentrating and intentionally invading the girl's privacy. "How are you getting along outside of classes?" she asked, mostly just making small talk as she finished cleaning the next shelf.

"Pretty well. I think I covered most of what I'm doing besides classes a minute ago -- oh." Rahne shook her head. "Now how did I go missing cooking? I suppose I was thinking of that as one of the courses. Jamie and I have the best midterm ever, even if 'tis too bad about why."

Jean noted that none of the things Rahne had mentioned doing outside of classes seemed to include other students. "I'm glad to hear you all are enjoying the increase in duties, although that was definitely the class I think Nathan was most upset about not being able to continue with. Which, come to think of it, is probably related - no one wants to miss out on a fun class."

"Of course not." Rahne discovered several sheets of shiny white paper plastered against a wall. "I wouldna like it nearly as well without Jamie, I think -- he seems to handle planning for crowds naturally."

"Yes, I have gotten that sense of him, although I've not met him properly, yet. There are far too many new faces these days."

"A lot of us turned up... very shortly after ye were gone."

A very delicate verbal step, Jean was impressed. "Yes, I noticed that. I guess, given what Stryker was doing, it's not that surprising that a number of mutants would suddenly have been discovered who were unknown before."

"That was it exactly, for me. And some who'd known already found out about the school around then."

"I imagine Charles would have also started searching more intensely - that suddenness of it all almost certainly put a number of people in danger."

"I think he did."

The glass was all up and Rahne had collected most of the papers. Jean smiled at the girl. "Here, can you help me move the desk out of the way. Perhaps over by the wall? And then I'll let you go do your actual duties."