Mission End

[miniclaws]

[The team parted at the entrance. Wolverine gave his reports to Cyclops alone. It suited X23 fine. She sniffed the air for Julian's sent and began to trace it to it's origin. He would call her Laura and she would feel less like a monster. The clothes with the bloodstains would go to the wash and she would start anew again.

She opened Julian's bedroom and walked in] I am back.

Comments

[hellionated]

[Error: Irreparable invalid markup ('<i<[yeah,>') in entry. Owner must fix manually. Raw contents below.]

<i<[Yeah, there goes that flare again.]</i>

It's what you've done, Laura. It's not who you are. You know that, right?

[miniclaws]

[she tilts her head a little to the side and looks him straight in the eye] I...know I don't want it to be who I am

[hellionated]

[He leans a little closer, meeting her eyes. His hand reaches out and grips the arm of the seat she's sitting on]

It isn't, Laura. That's not you. You're my friend. Nothing they make you do will ever change that.

[miniclaws]

Friend [again, it is a good word associated with Laura] yes. You are mine. No one is allowed to hurt you

[hellionated]

[His smile comes back]

Yeah, I know. You've saved my ass more than once.

That's a mutual thing, you know. I hate it, you being out there without me. I know you can handle yourself, Laura, but...I should be with you. [I should be kicking the hell out of anyone who hurts you.]

[miniclaws]

You would be hurt. I would worry

[hellionated]

That's what I've been doing here.

[miniclaws]

But you shouldn't worry

[hellionated]

Yeah. Stupid, right? In my head I know there's not a fight you can't win. And if there ever was, Josh'd make sure you still came back.

...doesn't matter. Still hate that you're there at all.

[miniclaws]

I am a strong fighter. Tactically it's best I'm out there

Josh yelled at Wolverine at how much killing the team is doing.

[hellionated]

I wasn't thinking tactics. I was thinking about what's best for you.

...and honestly, I don't love that Josh is there either. He could go black again. Don't know what the hell Summers is thinking of to do this to either one of you. [Mainly thinking aloud with that]

[miniclaws]

He is thinking as a leader. He needs a team of assassins and a healer to keep us alive.

[hellionated]

A leader gives a damn about his followers. You should be here with us and not on a team of assassins. And so should Josh. Laura, what if he goes black again?

[miniclaws]

He [Laura pauses] he is close to it. I do not know what to say to him

[hellionated]

[Shit.]

What do you want to say?

[miniclaws]

I want to tell him to stop

[hellionated]

Me too. So why don't you?

[miniclaws]

Because Wolverine does not keeps pushing. Josh gives in

[hellionated]

Then he's wrong. [Stubbornly] Not all orders should be given in to.

[miniclaws]

Some are very wrong. But Wolverine gives them still.

[hellionated]

[Pause] Laura, does he think they're wrong too?

[miniclaws]

He. Does not always approve. But he trust Cyclops

[hellionated]

Do you trust him?

[miniclaws]

No. Cyclops smells of fear

[hellionated]

He's scared? [Julian wouldn't have picked that] I thought he was power mad. He's colder than he used to be, though.