New Divide

New Divide: 47

“I dearly hope you didn't make your presence known, Margo. Though I have to say that through all the training you did, hitching a ride on a ship-”

“A smart cruise ship, Charles.”

“Sorry for my lack of specifics,” he smiled and rolled a hand in her direction. “Where was I? Oh, yes. Through all the training you did to end up hitching a ride on a smart cruise ship seems like a slight waste. You made it seem like you were going to be the first person to travel the Atlantic without the use of a plane. Though true, your flight wouldn't be recorded down anywhere.” Charles said while leaning his chin against his hand and looking at Margo with a rather self-assured expression. The last part of his sentence was an after thought really, and it seemed to cause her to frown and fidget and narrow her eyes at him.

“So you hitched a ride on this cruise ship?” Hank questioned ending their little moment. Margo looked back to him. “And did what exactly? Partake in the cuisine? Enjoy the entertainment?” He asked bluntly.

Margo frowned. “No, and no. The food was rubbish and the entertainment sucked. But I did get bought some wine.” She said while pointing a finger and smiling. Beside her Charles moved away from his hand and looked at her questionably. “I didn't drink it! I was being so secretive, and this guy bought me wine. It smelled disgusting.” She pulled a face at the memory of it all. Shaking her head she smiled from one male to the other. So far they hadn't got that far into her journey. As soon as she mentioned the cruise ship Charles got to it and commenced questioning her about it. To put his mind at ease she told him – as well as Hank – everything that she had done on this ship. Which really was the grand total of nothing, when she pondered over it.

Shaking her head slowly she looked to Charles who was looking at her worriedly. “Sorry?”

“I asked how being back home was. Did you find it all right?”

“I didn't get welcomed with open arms if that's what you're really asking.” Margo replied while twiddling her fingers.

Charles and Hank exchanged a look. “You didn't get the answers you wanted then?” Hank asked, Margo's eyes flicked up to him, she slowly shook her head and shrugged. Putting on a smile she uncrossed her legs and stretched them over the sofa edge.

“Oh well! I knew I wouldn't deep down, you know?”

“Margo,” Charles got her attention simply, she looked to him. He gave her a sad but understanding smile. “It's all right.” He said. She didn't need to fake happiness for their sakes. Both knew that she had hoped for more than what she clearly found.

“Charles said you have a brother.” Hank changed the subject fluidly. Margo tensed and looked at him. “Was it something I said?”

“Perhaps wrongly worded, Hank, that is all.” Charles said while watching as Hank just looked on confused. Reaching out Charles placed a hand over one of Margo's, she stopped fidgeting then and looked to him. “That must have been hard.”

“You know at the time I never thought much of it. Though now...it's just strange. I never thought my mother could move on in such a way. Robert is a smart, nice kid, normal...regular, likes football, goes to school gets good grades, what more could she ask for? But he's not Kyle.” Margo explained sadly thinking about her younger brother. She looked down and turned her hand so she could link her fingers with his. “It concerns me actually how easy I seemed to accept him. He had heard of me,” she smiled hollowly. “Nothing good.” She paused and frowned slowly. “I wonder if the poor boy knows he's acting as a replacement for both children?”

“I'm sure he is not ignorant to it. If you say he is a smart child, then I’m sure he is aware to what your mother is doing.” Charles said thoughtfully.

“I don't know many in tune twelve year olds, Charles.” Margo rolled her eyes.

“Well-”

“I'm sorry, but you cannot use yourself and Hank as examples. You two are in tune for reasons which do not abide to Robert.” Margo laughed.

“So, returning home was a waste of time? What was the rest of your trip like?” Hank asked while leaning back on the sofa.

“France was beautiful!” Margo exclaimed and then commenced speaking of all the other places she had visited. She was rather grateful her trip home was skimmed over briefly. She didn't exactly wish to dwell on it long. The time spoken about it was long enough really.

“Come on,” she said eventually once she had finished speaking about Rome and her visit to the Colosseum. She wished to do it, and she did, and she had fun retelling the trip. But what she really wanted to know now, was what had been happening while she was away. “What have you two been doing?”

“Working.” Hank replied simply.

“Uh-huh,” Margo replied dryly. “Working. What about you, Professor?” Margo turned to Charles and smirked. “Get to finally call you that seeing as how you're now teaching.”

“Oh be quiet,” Charles rolled his eyes good humouredly with a smile. Margo merely gave a shrug and waited for him to continue. “Well as you can see, we're now a school.”

“Really? I could not tell.”

“Sarcasm really isn't becoming of you, my dear. But yes, as boring as this sounds I’ve been working too.”

“He's been working as well as trying to force me out of the lab, that's what else he fails to mention.” Hank said while narrowing his eyes in his friend's direction.

Charles laughed, “Oh come on, Hank, you make it sound so bad.”

“He threatened mind control if I didn't get out.”

“You know I would not truly do such a thing, you're being dramatic.”

There was a low irritated sigh from Hank and a calm slightly smug smile from Charles. Margo looked between the two with a raised eyebrow. “Right,” she commented quietly.

“I stick by what I said to you previously; beakers and test tubes are not suitable company. They cannot replace what you'd get from socialising with those around you. Or even what you'd get from going out for ten minutes.”

“I did go out for ten minutes.”

“To the kitchen and back doesn't count.” Charles shook his head slowly.

“Orange juice!” Margo exclaimed suddenly. Both males looked to her strangely. She smiled happy that she'd cut off their odd argument, though entertaining as it was, she was getting bored of listening to it.

“Sorry?” Hank looked at her bemused.

With an awkward cough, Margo smiled at him. “When I first escaped West Parks, I didn't exactly make my presence unknown.”

“That doesn't surprise me.” Hank commented honestly.

“Anyway! I could have had a run in with the authorities if I wished to keep going out with Raven. So some bright spark saw fit to try and keep me in doors, but I ran off and onto the roof.” Margo explained, Hank nodded following though confused. “I simply informed that I did not care about going out for milk, which said bright spark replied with...”

“Orange juice,” Charles smiled.

“I suggest the same to you, Hank. Orange juice.” Margo nodded. Hank frowned, clearly not really understanding her analogy. With a sigh Margo rolled her eyes. “Hank, staying in a lab all day and night is not healthy. I understand your work is important but so is fresh air and sunlight. Charles is right, infuriatingly right the majority of the time. Beakers and test tubes cannot replace socialising. Even if you don't wish to socialise, you still need to get out more. So I suggest to you orange juice. When in doubt, go to the roof. It's peaceful up there, and no one will bother you.”

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(A/N: Hm, ya know, I oddly enough quite like this chapter...I also think I’ve got a way to kinda shimmy into Days of Future Past, which has made me rather happy, well done sudden brain spaz.)