Chance For Reunions

Dumb Blonde

"You knew this was going to happen," Rachel said as she tried to do a few last minute adjustments to Scott's hair. They were surrounded by J. Jonah Jameson's staff ahead of the interview, but Rachel had determined that she would be the one to be with Scott for this particular stage of things. After all, with someone influencing JJ's mind, there was no way she'd let Scott go in alone.

And even without the telepathic considerations, Rachel had to admit that she was generally a little protective of Scott — considering how much JJ had been on the warpath and how badly she knew her father was taking Logan and K's absence. That decision was weighing on him heavily, and he had been stressed beyond his usual level over the whole thing.

So, yes, it was definitely worth keeping an eye on him.

Scott raised an eyebrow her way. "Yes, I knew — but I was hoping it wouldn't be this quickly," he admitted.

"Really?" she asked with one eyebrow raised and a totally disbelieving expression that looked so much like Jean he almost had to check himself.

"I figured he'd wait until things really got rolling in the House — when the spotlight's really on. People are still traveling for the holidays or recovering from New Year's," Scott said reasonably, then shook his head. "Yeah. That was what I was hoping for, anyway."

"Well ... that ... is just unrealistic," she said with a frown.

"Optimistic," he countered. "Hope for the best and plan for the worst, Rachel." It was a phrase he'd used so often it was out of his mouth before he even knew what he was saying, and he paused and gave her a second glance. "Don't worry — I've prepped for this since day one."

"Would it help or hurt if I called you a boy scout right now?" she teased.

He gave her a very dry look. "Don't you start too."

"Just trying to help," she grinned at him. "Go get 'em."

He had to breathe out a laugh at her antics and shook his head. You too. I'm still betting you can pin down who's pulling his strings while I play twenty questions, he projected to her so that the cameras wouldn't pick it up.

Don't worry, she replied seriously. I've got an eye on you too. No one will get past me — for either one of you.

Scott smirked at that. Well, good. I'd rather not find out I said something stupid on air that wasn't my own fault, he teased before he gave her one last wide grin and headed over to the stage to sit down across from J. Jonah Jameson.

The cameras weren't on yet, so Scott figured he'd try to at least be approachable, if nothing else because he and Rachel were starting to realize this whole debacle wasn't entirely JJ's fault. "How were your holidays?" he asked politely — but without offering his hand for JJ to shake.

"Don't think I'm going to take it easy on you just because you're making a miserable attempt to kiss up," JJ said with a hard glare.

Scott frowned and settled back a bit, falling into a glare of his own already. "I didn't realize it was kissing up to wish anyone a happy holidays. Or are we past the season of well-wishing now that it's January?"

JJ scoffed. "As if the only reason you're here isn't because you know the way the wind is blowing. You know this is a desperate attempt to slow down a freight train."

"I came here because your producers called and wanted me here," Scott replied evenly. "And the last time one of us stayed out of the spotlight, you slandered her and Noh-Varr."

"Nothing that I said about those two criminals was untrue," JJ countered.

"Even calling them criminals?" Scott replied with a bit of heat. "Or was there a trial I didn't hear about? That wouldn't surprise me the way things are going."