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It was getting to be that time of the year where the weather was starting to cool. One unbelievable thing about Westchester, the grounds of the school more importantly, were the line of trees in the back that start their change in preparation to fall away to breed anew. It is a subtle thing at first, the brightening of greens which soon would possibly turn to a lovely orange or some odd sort of red. Then it would wither and fall, only to rebirth again in spring.
It was peaceful to look at.
Which is why Jean was out back, a tray of food in front of her, crutches hung upon the back of her chair and a wheelchair folded up not too far away. Over time, she was getting around, though it still seemed as if she were using those as a form of comfort without doing the real work. Her fingers idly rub against her cheek as she mentally stalls out, whatever she was thinking at that moment came to an abrupt end.
*
Xavier says, "Hello, Jean," Xavier says after closing the doors out to the back quietly. He's only heard rumors of what happened to her and has not, as of yet, looked into her mind. Best to get it from her, herself. "What happened?" he asks her, eventually joining by her side."
*
Bobby was looking out his window when he saw Jean out back. Wanting to talk to her about the kid, he throws on a shirt and heads downstairs, going out back not even a minute after the Professor. "Heya Jean. Prof."
*
"Hmm? Oh! Hello Professor!" She waits until he takes a seat, then offers the food that was upon the tray. Nothing life threatening, just freshly made bacon, toast and jam. "Well. Long story short.." Which she hates telling. "Taken by some people who took Kitty and others. Weapon X I think? We were rescued, but I ripped Logan's face off and he stabbed me. I'll.. share the details once.. I eat. It's really horrible."
Though Bobby's emergence has her shifting the chair over to give him a bit of room. "Hi Bobby." And it was a good thing they both were here. She actually wanted to talk about the kid too.
*
Xavier raises his eyebrow, unsure of how to respond to all that information. "Alright," he says out of slight confusion as to what to make of it. "I am glad you are alright."
*
Ooo, food. Bobby reaches over to snag a piece of bacon and, tilting his head back, lowers it into his mouth, Yum. "The stabbing I get. How did you manage to rip his face off?" After all, Jean. Logan. Mouse. Sabertooth tiger.
*
Xavier's quiet words and Bobby's question was starting to make her a little bit uncomfortable. The tips of her ears were turning red, she was already shifting within her seat, clearing her throat with a hand lifted to press a fist to her lips. "The ear." But her hand lifts, waving into the air rather idly. "Everyones fine though!" Save for Logan opening the hellmouth in Central Park. Story for another day!
"Oh.. Bobby and I met a kid the other day. Well I took Bobby to meet a kid the other day.." Quick change of subject. "He told Bobby that he was being abused by his parents."
*
Xavier, remembering his manners, nods to Bobby, but stays relatively quiet in thought. That is, until Jean mentions the kid they met and how he was hurt by his parents. "That's terrible." He too knows the sting of abuse, having suffered it as a child himself.
*
"His father is a mean drunk who hit him." Bobby tells Xavier. "His mother is just mean and locks him in a closet sometimes. He has grandparents though, Prof. Could you 'convince' his parents that sending him to go live with them permanently is what they want to do? The kid's not just getting beat, he's getting beat down. And the father's threatened his teacher to not get involved."
*
Maybe it was the way he expressed himself, but there was a minute need to pick through his brain for the cause of the tone. But she thinks better of it, allowing Bobby to do the talking. "I wanted to offer or at least ask if he could live here if that isn't the case." Yes, she was talking about kidnapping. "I don't know if he's like us but.. what if his grandparents are just like his parents?" She frowns a little at that.
*
"Well, we have the benefit of Cerebro, Jean. We can find out what his grandparents are like. Ultimately, it would be best for him to stay with family. For his well being, and for our own, taking a child against the wishes of his family could end very poorly for us."
*
Bobby nods his agreement. "We can find out about them. And he said his parents don't see them much any more. Hopefully, because they don't approve. He seemed to like them though so that's promising."
*
"I know it could end badly but.. I think he would be safer with us. Where we could protect him." But they both had valid points. If the kid seemed kindly to his grandparents, why not? And the school was a safe haven. It would almost be like inviting trouble to their very doorsteps.
"But would you be able to? To.. nudge his parents into giving the boy up to their grandparents?"
*
"It's possible, Jean. I can try." Xavier says with a slight shrug of his shoulders. "In regards to where he will stay, coming here against the wishes of his parents is a possibility, but a last resort. I do not wish to endanger the safety of all of our children when other avenues have not yet been explored."
*
"The Prof can do it." Bobby says, sounding completely certain of that. "He removed a memory of something from practically my entire town." Or at least from those living several blocks around his home. Making two people think they want something should be easy. They'd probably love to not have the kid around too."
*
There was a great comfort taken with the two of them here. Even though she didn't need the comfort herself, it was still had by way of faith. Though, that wasn't going to stop her from actually going to see the kid later on in the week, just to see how he was holding up. "Whenever you two are ready." She states with a little smile. Still worried, but yet still comforted.
"I think I'm going to go for a walk today. After I finish my homework. And clean my room." She laughs, though however awkward. "Is there anything I can do for you before I go?"
*
"It won't take long to get ready," Xavier says simply. As Jean offers to do something for them, Charles shakes his head. "No, thank you. I think I should be fine."
*
Bobby shakes his head at the offer. "I'm good. Don't you overdo it though. If you walk too much and need a hand getting back, just think to me. And Prof, go ahead and get my conversation with the kid from my head. See what you think."
*