milliways_bar | (no subject)

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Ororo slips into the bar quietly, shutting the door behind her as she takes a moment to look around. She has not seen Kate the last two times she has been here, but tonight...

Tonight she does.

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It takes a second for her meaning to dawn on Ororo.

"Oh, Laura."

Ororo is silent for a moment, somewhat at a loss for words.

"You would not be at the mansion if any of us believed that you were solely a danger to the other students or to yourself."

Laura just looks at her.

"Emma does."

There is not much that truly challenges Ororo's serenity, but Emma Frost certainly qualifies.

"Emma Frost has no reason and no right to say that of anyone."

(Out back, a clear night sky starts to cloud over.)

"We are not very far removed from the days when she herself was one of the greatest dangers to the X-Men. I would not give her opinion any weight, Laura."

Laura just watches Ororo, expression perfectly calm.

She has learned control very well.

"I can be triggered. It is not safe."

Beat.

"But Logan called."

And they need her. So she will stay.

Ororo takes a breath.

(Stars reappear in the sky as the cloud drifts away.)

"It is never safe."

Not anywhere.

"But I agree with Logan. It is where you should be."

X continues to watch Ororo.

"I do not want to hurt them."

"I believe you."

Ororo meets her eyes steadily.

"And I believe that we shall find a way to give you control over that, to undo enough of what has been done to you so that you no longer need to fear yourself."

"I do not know."

How do you undo that much conditioning?

How?

"I make no promises," Ororo says gently.

"But I have seen many extraordinary things happen in my time with the X-Men, and many problems solved that I had thought impossible. I do not despair for you, Laura. I would ask that you do not despair for yourself."

"I do not."

This is very true.

There is no understanding of despair in her.

Ororo looks at her for a long moment.

"No, you do not," she says finally, and there is a trace of sadness in the words.

"And neither do you hope."

X-23 does not look away from Ororo.

She does not often give ground.

"No."

Ororo smiles a little sadly.

"There have been times recently when I would envy you for that, Laura. But now... now I think I will just have to hope for you, since you do not do so for yourself."

X-23 betrays nothing of what she might think of Ororo's words.

She just shrugs, ever so slightly, and says, "Okay."

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