No. Professor... [ She sighs and clenches the wheel briefly. No, it won't do to argue too hard here. Everyone was going to feel some measure of guilt for this - but the most important thing was that they found the time to clear the air.
And for Ororo, to make sure Scott was going to take care of himself. She wasn't going to lose him to his grief again, that was a promise. ]
It's... It's not alright, but it will be. I'll find him and talk to him when he's ready to listen. Until then... [ What could she do? What did they do for him in those first few months without Jean? Ororo swallows, tries not to think of how painful that time was. Scott had had it worse. Scott currently has it worse. She'd be there for him how in the way she'd failed to be there for him before. ]
I suppose we'll find ways to look after him from afar.
He may be willing to listen to me. I have an idea of how to approach this in a ... delicate way.
[ Charles has been more or less planning for this eventuality since he met Scott. They weren't going to keep this from him forever. He had hoped that his argument would hold more weight when Scott established himself in this world better and could see it as a place worth staying in.]
This is his home now. He'll have to understand that. But it's why I've wanted us to find a way to work together and make something of the situation. For him.
[ There is no way of knowing if going back, he'd be in the new timeline they may have succeeded in changing. They have to go with the assumption that he goes back to death, and there is no other option. Which means his life is here now. And they all have to think of it that way.]
[ Oh... She hadn't thought of it that way before. The concept of this place being someone's home - his home... It's stated plainly - but somehow it's more confusing than ever. ]
His home is with us. [ She frowns, and even if Charles can't see it, surely he can hear it from the sound of her voice? ]
Wherever our home is, that is where his home is, too.
There's no safe way to know if he can go back without immediately dying. We have to go under the assumption that this is his last stop.
[ Charles was in no hurry to try to figure out how to go back. Raven left them, just like that, and it's frightened him since, because of Scott specifically. So they have to prepare for what this all means.]
And we are here, we're still his family. He'll remember that eventually.
There's nothing telling us that we can't bring him, or you back. You're meant to return in my future, yes? Why can't that happen for him?
I don't know if I could leave him, or any of you, here. Not again, Professor. [ Her voices catches, but she masters it quickly. It takes a moment, but she's fine. ]
Nothing is set in stone, except perhaps that we are a family. I won't go without you.
[ The only one she really has. So she squares her shoulders and finds some metaphorical steel for her spine. She failed them all once, she won't do it again. ]
Ororo. [ He sighs.] We don't have control of that right now. But I promise, if we ever do, we'll find a way.
[ Charles is not out of hope, he's simply being realistic at this moment in time. He would like to find a solution that benefits all of them, but he already knows from losing Raven that it can happen in an instant.]
Just drive safely home, alright? We will give Scott some space, but perhaps in a few days time you can text him and see if he'll talk. He's angry, but he still loves us.
[ She has sincere doubts about that last comment. Not because she thought Scott didn't love her, but because his anger and grief, if it was anything like it had been at home, would eclipse everything else. Even their love, because when someone like Scott lost someone like Jean... nothing else would have mattered.
She can't even be mad. Mostly she's just afraid that it would happen all over again, that Scott would block them all out and drive off into the wilderness where they couldn't follow - and she would never see him again.
But a sigh like that from the Professor is telling. She knows that sound, and she takes the dismissal for what it is without argument. Maybe he's right, and they'll figure it all out. ]
Yes. Of course. Alright.
[ . . . ]
My apologies again for disturbing you, Professor. I'll check in again once I'm back in the city.
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thetruefocus) wrote2025-03-30 02:16 pm
no subject
And for Ororo, to make sure Scott was going to take care of himself. She wasn't going to lose him to his grief again, that was a promise. ]
It's... It's not alright, but it will be. I'll find him and talk to him when he's ready to listen. Until then... [ What could she do? What did they do for him in those first few months without Jean? Ororo swallows, tries not to think of how painful that time was. Scott had had it worse. Scott currently has it worse. She'd be there for him how in the way she'd failed to be there for him before. ]
I suppose we'll find ways to look after him from afar.
no subject
[ Charles has been more or less planning for this eventuality since he met Scott. They weren't going to keep this from him forever. He had hoped that his argument would hold more weight when Scott established himself in this world better and could see it as a place worth staying in.]
This is his home now. He'll have to understand that. But it's why I've wanted us to find a way to work together and make something of the situation. For him.
[ There is no way of knowing if going back, he'd be in the new timeline they may have succeeded in changing. They have to go with the assumption that he goes back to death, and there is no other option. Which means his life is here now. And they all have to think of it that way.]
no subject
His home is with us. [ She frowns, and even if Charles can't see it, surely he can hear it from the sound of her voice? ]
Wherever our home is, that is where his home is, too.
[ So when she goes home... surely he'll follow? ]
no subject
[ Charles was in no hurry to try to figure out how to go back. Raven left them, just like that, and it's frightened him since, because of Scott specifically. So they have to prepare for what this all means.]
And we are here, we're still his family. He'll remember that eventually.
no subject
I don't know if I could leave him, or any of you, here. Not again, Professor. [ Her voices catches, but she masters it quickly. It takes a moment, but she's fine. ]
Nothing is set in stone, except perhaps that we are a family. I won't go without you.
[ The only one she really has. So she squares her shoulders and finds some metaphorical steel for her spine. She failed them all once, she won't do it again. ]
no subject
[ Charles is not out of hope, he's simply being realistic at this moment in time. He would like to find a solution that benefits all of them, but he already knows from losing Raven that it can happen in an instant.]
Just drive safely home, alright? We will give Scott some space, but perhaps in a few days time you can text him and see if he'll talk. He's angry, but he still loves us.
wrapping here, sorry for the delay 🙏
She can't even be mad. Mostly she's just afraid that it would happen all over again, that Scott would block them all out and drive off into the wilderness where they couldn't follow - and she would never see him again.
But a sigh like that from the Professor is telling. She knows that sound, and she takes the dismissal for what it is without argument. Maybe he's right, and they'll figure it all out. ]
Yes. Of course. Alright.
[ . . . ]
My apologies again for disturbing you, Professor. I'll check in again once I'm back in the city.