15723/Some Concerns

Some Concerns
Date of Scene:	26 August 2023
Location:	Faculty Corridor
Synopsis:	Scott reveals his concerns about Jean's Phoenix situation to Betsy.
Cast of Characters:	Scott Summers, Betsy Braddock

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Scott Summers has posed:
Night in the mansion means quiet, at least for now. Sure, there are students and faculty that are about late at night, but this one is a sleepy evening for the denizens. And for that, Scott is pleased - that everyone is, hopefully, getting some rest is something he prides himself on taking some credit for. That everything is running smoothly - or at least smoothly enough that the students aren't aware of any ongoing issues.

Of which, yes, there are some.

Scott is headed back towards his room in the faculty wing. He's dressed way down: not in a state that he'd expect to run into any students like this. Or much of anyone, really. snug gray T-shirt and pajama pants and navy socks is not anything a teacher such as Scott would allow himself to be witnessed in by the kids. But there's nobody around up here. He has a warm mug in his hands, fingers curved around the true-blue mug, but he slows to stop, to look at the door leading to Jean's room. Jean isn't there now: the door is ajar, since that area of the mansion was damaged and is still under repair. Jean's in the lake house now, so this stands empty here. Scott lingers, deep in his thoughts, gaze on that slack door. His expression is blank, since his eyes are covered, but thoughts are hardly blank.

Betsy Braddock has posed:
Even with all their training, there were times that thoughts were loud enough to batter at the barriers telepaths kept in their minds to prevent intrusive thoughts. That was the case tonight. All over the mansion, not just from one source.

She was staying in the mansion for now, the South Tower Suite to be precise. It was plenty of room and afforded her some privacy as she tried to work through things. She had made a kitchen run as well, getting a cup of tea which she was taking with her back to her room. For her, she was wearing a pair of sweatpants and a t-shirt with a 'Property of Xavier's Physical Ed Department' shirt. It was actually one of those that they provided for the students but she didn't have a lot of her belongings at the mansion anymore and beggars can't be choosers.

But she found herself in this hallway and her footsteps slowed as she spied Scott. Those whispers that were always in her mind as a telepath were telling her that his thoughts were loud but it was like a will o' the wisp. Always at the edge of consciousness but never really able to be grasped in full.

"Good evening, Scott," she said in that proper British tone though her appearance was that merged form, more Japanese.

Scott Summers has posed:
Scott comes out of his intense contemplation with a slight start. He lets his guard down in the mansion, and it's a lot easier to ambush him in this place. One can't be 'on alert' all the time, or go crazy. This is as safe a place as it gets. Scott makes a slight self-conscious motion, as if he were found doing something he'd prefer he not be: just a little step to one side, turning more entirely away from Jean's door. Self conscious, but not exactly embarrassed.

Besides, Scott is used to telepaths. There's a lot of them around, and he doesn't tend to get tense about them using their powers. He knows full well what it can be like to just want to be yourself, and not be judged on control of mutant powers...

"Hi, Betsy. Didn't expect anyone out here, at this hour," Scott admits, with a reserved smile. Even if caught a little off balance, he still has a quiet control and steadiness to him. "Actually, I wanted to ask you about something -- unless you're on your way to bed," Scott asks. It doesn't have a lot of weight on it, but a telepath such as Betsy can pick up that it's an important topic to Scott, creating a lot of worry that he's trying to push down.

Betsy Braddock has posed:
There was that fluttering of butterfly wings against her walls again. Then they got stronger, more like birds that were trying to get out of a room and needed to get through the window. That was the sort of sensation at least. It let her know his thoughts were more intense.

"I was just on my way back to my room." She held up the cup of tea as an example of what she was doing. "But wasn't intent on sleep yet. Would you like to remain here or move to somewhere with a bit more privacy?" Though they were likely the only ones up and about, there was no telling for certain and that would allow them to move if he felt the need.

She was ready to move either way, for now stepping to the side of the hall. But since he had his back to Jean's door, that drew her eyes to it more. She quickly dropped her gaze to the side then forced it back to Scott's glasses, able to just see his eyes behind the ruby quartz lenses.

"What's on your mind?"

Scott Summers has posed:
"These doors aren't soundproof, no need to disturb others. Mmmm -- My sitting area should be fine," Scott offers, gesturing a little towards his quarters. He has a sectional room, so it isn't that he's inviting her into his private space, really. That's not something Scott generally would do. Even as he leads the way to his suite, it's clear the interior door IS closed, and the front is appropriate for visitors. He does get them - though it's usually Xavier, at least lately.

There is a loveseat there, and a comfy chair: Scott takes the chair, with an offer that she find a spot on the larger seat however she chooses. "I won't smalltalk around this," Scott says, with a brief smile, brows moving together just a little. "What happened while you were in the room, with Jean, on that ambush... I read your report, but... I really wanted to hear what you felt, in there. I'm deeply worried about how Jean handled things, but I don't want to jump to a wrong conclusion."

Betsy Braddock has posed:
She fell into step with him and entered that outer room. There she moved to the loveseat, at the end closer to where the chair was placed. This allowed that comfort of conversational distance.

She should have known it would be about the details that weren't in reports. Sipping her tea, she then settled the base of the cup after on the arm of the couch. One leg was tucked up, foot beneath the opposite thigh. Since she was wearing just socks, no worries about her having shoes on the furniture.

"She...didn't act like I expected," she admitted after a moment. Her gaze shifted down and to the left, drawing on the memories. "When we were confronted, I expected her to move to exit with me by that hole blown in the all. But instead, she told me to just go and she literally faced off against Carmichael. It was against everything we've ever trained to do. I thought she was just angry but I'm not sure why she was to that level. It didn't make sense. And after what she did later..."

She sipped the tea again then looked at him directly. "I don't know what that was or what is going on. I would like to know your theories."

Scott Summers has posed:
Scott listens politely, without a lot of reaction. He's just pulling in information, before he judges it. He's good at that assessment, that logic, though some can find him cold and unfeeling when he applies this approach. He does feel, though, he just holds things in a very tight grip, keeps them buried. He's doing that now, which gives him a less than warm and fuzzy exterior.

"It felt like it wasn't her, to me. Which..." Scott slowly brings his drink in, between both hands at his knee level, though he's leaned forward some. He taps a thumb against the upper edge of the mug. "Makes it feel like I'm losing her. That we all are, rather. To this thing attached to her. More over time."

Scott moves his thumb, slowly. Tap. Tap.

"It is, and it isn't, my place to question her on this anymore, at least not in the way I would have in the past. That book is closed... and for the best, really." That's true, Scott does believe that: he isn't pining for her. "But I'm not sure how to help, now." And Scott's expression falls, dismayed, unhappy, and letting Betsy see it. Scott's worn thin on this.

Betsy Braddock has posed:
Betsy gave a slight nod as she tapped a fingertip against the cup she was holding. Then she pursed her lips slightly before answering.

"It is actually exactly your place to ask the question. You're the team leader. This effects all of us, as a team. It has nothing to do with personal attachments or the like now."

She sighed softly and brought her free hand up to brush her hair back, a nervous gesture that truly showed her own agitation though it didn't show in her face. Though most people wouldn't know her well enough to recognize it for what it was.

"I think whatever she had been dealing with, whatever had become part of her, is affecting her decisions. If not taking over entirely. I have no proof but what was done to Carmichael? That was not Jean. Not the woman I've known for all these years and consider a friend."

She gave an almost sad sort of smile. "We know that some of us on team are capable of such things. Of killing someone without losing a bit of sleep. But Jean is not one of them. After all, the trauma of death is what awoke her powers in the first place. I cannot see her choosing that path without the outside influence of something or someone."

Scott Summers has posed:
Scott's quiet again. He doesn't get defensive about any of it: he's taking in her take on it, her view, in his thoughtful way. Perhaps this is one of the major reasons he IS a team leader, this diligence to excellence for the team.

He does question himself, always, just as anyone can have doubts. To check on his own view, to make sure it isn't going astray. "Some are capable of that, yes," Scott admits, slowly. "The forming of X-Force seems particularly to make it seem like a positive thing. I'll... continue to be very, very against that attitude."

"Taking everything, a life in that way... I don't want that to be us. Any of us on this team." Scott's starting to show some emotion, the pain of that, but he notices and works to regain composure. "There's strength in the Pheonix, of course. To protect her, others. But this price is getting bloodier. And costing us Jean, too." Scott looks up, then, more directly at Betsy, though he adjusts his glasses absently, automatically. There was no chance he'd have shot her or anything in this room, but he still adjusted them. Habits, worries.

"I'll.... keep being noisy about it. I know sometimes I end up just a nag." Scott looks at his mug, finally actually has some. "Comes from a place of care. I hope that sometimes shows."

Betsy Braddock has posed:
"It always shows. To those of us who know you." A hint of a smile though it never reached her eyes. "Perhaps not to the rookies. But then again, a leader sometimes has to have that distance. To be able to make those choices."

She lowered her other foot to the floor. It allowed her to lean slightly toward him. "We all know you care and that this is your way of showing it. And you are a great leader, Scott. I know it is hard on you and you sometimes feel very alone. But you aren't. We are all here for you. Never doubt that."

She gave a little nod to punctuate that. "We will figure this out. All of us together. But we need to speak to Jean. To find out what is going on from her viewpoint. I am no match for the Phoenix but I'm willing to do what I can if it comes to that to get our friend back."

She paused as she considered something then opted to say it. "I spoke to my boyfriend earlier. He's a SHIELD agent. It would put him in a bad situation if I went home. Thus why I'm staying here, with the team, for the duration until this is all resolved." She has that confidence it will be. At least in her tone, even if not deep in her mind. Right now in her mind she had no idea what was going to happen. And that was frightening.

"He is willing to call in some..." She hesitated, picking words carefully. "Powerful allies if we need them. So keep that in mind in your planning. I don't want to reveal more and I would like to not force him to compromise his own situation but the offer was placed on the table by him."

Scott Summers has posed:
"I appreciate the support. No leader can lead anybody effectively if there's no team," Scott smiles, then, though it may feel a little pushed. But that's a leader thing sometimes, too: being what the group needs a lot of the time. Fortunately, that's usually what Scott really is, anyway. Doesn't always make it easy, though.

"I had hoped Charles would be the one to really spearhead this." But sometimes they can't just assume Charles will handle everything. Scott has learned these gaps are often for good reason. Even if it's obnoxious in that it's some lesson Charles wants them to learn, even at the cost of maybe Jean getting worse...

But there's no room for doubt right now. Betsy brings up something else. "Oh, I didn't know you were dating someone." It's just an observation, but things like this also make little clicks inside Scott's mind. He's sorted her into a 'taken' category, just like that. It isn't a bad category, just different than the one he'd had her in. "I do know that SHIELD and some others know about the Phoenix. Which... I dislike any of this going out-of-house, but if we have to, we do."

From there, Scott relaxes the conversation some, leading into more casual topics, before they part ways for the night. Hopefully to find sleep as the others in the mansion seem to have done.