Age Of Magneto

Open Book

K didn't know when Scott was going to approach her to get himself upset again, but after the team exercise was over, she made a point to keep her usual schedule, right down to taking time in the barn to just ... listen to the horses eating while Tony took a turn playing with Katie and Logan no doubt was talking with Steve. Which was when Scott came to find her.

"Have you talked to Logan about any of this?" he asked in lieu of a greeting.

"Of course not," she said, wrinkling up her nose and wrapping her arms around herself a little tighter. She hoped he didn't think the only way she got her information was through sex and coercion. If that's the path he was taking ... well. This really was a waste of time.

Scott let out a breath and then sat down on one of the bales of hay. "Well. I challenged you to look into it, and you did. So I owe you a 'thank you'."

"Not accepting it."

"Fine."

"I got a little well ... disappointed after our last chat. So I started digging a little harder," K admitted.

"And?"

"And you need to stop taking mental health advice from someone with zero training."

"Actually, the professor-"

"Hasn't done you any favors in that aspect," she said before she crossed the barn to where her jacket was and pulled out the files. "I'll stop just short of saying that it was purposeful - but even if it was? There was nothing done to repair the damage after the fact. And yes, I had already read your entire bio long before this so don't get twitchy on me."

"I'm not following you, K," he said, even as he took the files back.

"Just ... read the damn notes and the reasons for recruitment."

Scott let out a breath but looked over the notes. Nothing there was terribly new, necessarily. The professor saw a potential leader in Scott. In Logan, he saw someone that would be willing to do what the X-Men had been told not to do... Scott frowned at that. "Where did you get this?" he asked.

"From Charles' files."

"That can't-" Scott shook his head. "I've been trying for years to rein Logan in and you're telling me the whole point of recruiting him was to let him, what, be our nuclear option?"

"That's kind of how it reads," K said. "I mean ... what did you think when your mentor brought home the guy that had fought the Hulk on his own?"

"I thought, hey, that's great - that will help us save my team."

"Optimistic viewpoint. And has it?"

"Obviously." Scott pinched the bridge of his nose. "This - this has to be growing pains. The professor asked me to run the X-Men. He wouldn't undermine me this badly on purpose."

"I don't know his intentions," K admitted. "Just what's on paper." She gestured openly. "I could ask Logan, but I won't." K reached over to tap the folder lightly. "But ... clearly he never told you any of this either. Following orders and preserving your position. If he'd said anything, I'm very sure it would have made a mess of the team."

"You know I quit, right?" Scott said dryly.

"Yep. Read that," K said. "And you know Logan refused to take up the lead spot, right? Didn't want it."

"Yeah. That's always been the case," Scott said. "Turns it down, so I get to lead another day."

"Because he doesn't want it. And so you don't look bad. Any of you. If the implications in his file alone ever saw the light of day on a public stage, it would sink your reputation."