Chance For Reunions

Out Of The Fire, Back Into The Frying Pan

The deliberations in Congress took longer than expected, and it was nearly Valentine's Day before they were ready to vote — and the timing couldn't have been better for JJ.

He was all but smiling as he went over his notes for that morning's broadcasts, which had more than a few of his staff members a bit concerned (though if they'd known that Cassie was still watching him and could verify that he was not, in fact, being mind controlled, they needn't have worried).

It had taken him this long to verify his information, because he was going to get this right, so it really was just good timing for him that he'd gotten everything he needed barely in time for the day before the vote was scheduled.

The lights came up, and JJ settled into his trademark smirk as he looked into the camera and shuffled his papers. "Today's top story — and breaking news — concerns Senator Robbins of Nevada, the man who has been the most vocal supporter of the mutant tracking legislation since its inception. But this reporter has found that since his election, the senator has been on the payroll of an organization known to many by the name of 'Weapon X'." He paused for a moment, the smirk settling into an honest-to-God smug smile. "With this new information in mind, his support for the mutant tracking bill suddenly makes sense in an economic light. How long has he been taking money from this black-ops organization? We'll investigate this further during today's panel."

And back at the mansion, still only half-awake and trying to get the settings right on the first cup of coffee — he still couldn't get it the way K could make it — Bobby dropped the remote he was holding and dropped his jaw as well.

Rachel! he practically shouted in his head toward Rachel, though when he realized she was still asleep and not quite up to confirming for him if he was going insane or not, he switched gears:

"Sco-o-ott!" Bobby half-shouted, headed for the door — after he was sure to hit 'record' on the DVR.

A few moments later, Bobby had all but pulled Scott into the kitchen to see the rest of JJ's broadcast — and by the time the half-hour opinion show was over, half the mansion was crowded into the kitchen, too. Nobody was eating breakfast, either — but most of them were halfway celebrating, barely holding back the full relieved celebration until the vote was officially over.

Rachel even came in not long after Scott arrived — and immediately smacked Bobby in the back of the head when she arrived. That's for waking me up.

Bobby rubbed the back of his head and gave her a sheepish smile. "It... was important?"

Rachel let out a sigh and turned toward the television, though when she saw what JJ was putting out, the annoyed look turned into more of a smile. "Alright," she said slowly. "You're off the hook... for now."

"I'm pretty sure you gave me a concussion," Bobby grumbled, still rubbing the back of his head.

"You'll live."

I'd recover fast if you kiss it better, he teased.

Rachel stopped and raised both eyebrows high before a smirk passed across her expression... and she reached over to smack him in the back of the head again. "Oops."

"Mean."

"You'll live."

Bobby shook his head at her, though he couldn't help but grin anyway — he was in such a good mood watching this Robbins creep who had been all but calling for roundups of mutants across the country get totally annihilated on live TV.

By the time the morning news shows picked it up, reporters were mobbing Robbins and his staff with questions about his involvement in Weapon X, especially in light of the things JJ had been bringing up every day on his show to discredit the organization as a whole and to show that they were in violation of oh, so many ethics codes of conduct.