2013.09.01 - That's What Friends Do

Evening comes to the Muppet Theatre. The lights of the city shine, and the faux gaslights are slowly being hooked up in different areas of the theatre. The entryway is lit, and Kurt is in the middle of purchasing and hanging movie posters from the Hollywood heydays. Fresh new carpet has been laid, and the walls have a burst of velveteen colour. (Kurt's doing. Really. Amanda can yell later. When she gets home.)

In the theatre itself, work is beginning anew. Kurt has asked for the balconies to be repaired, so there is scaffolding on both sides as they help hold the weight. The stage is almost repaired, and all in all?

The favourite spot is turning out to be the rafters. The beams and soon to be catwalks that crisscross above the main room.

However, Kurt is not destined to spend the evening in his spot. Nope. After a conversation with Jean (and does it really matter who called whom?), the invitation has been extended.. and heh.

Have teleporter will travel? Saves on gas!

Gosh, who would have ever thought that Kurt would stick to the rafters? Certainly not his estrogen-charged alter-ego from another reality! They've practically got neighboring nests set up there, though one is decidedly more clean than the other.

"I warned him about this..!" TJ grumbles while taking a small brush and sweeping the beams clear of crumbs and food clutter. Unlike Kurt she doesn't allow it to fall to the floor, instead catching it with a wastebin that's comfortably snared within her tail.

"Can't take him anywhere, can't let him take root anywhere, can barely live with the guy sometimes..."

And don't even get her started on the donuts!

They're having company. For TJ, that means attempting to tidy up a little. Just..y'know. Enough to strip away the top layer of crumbs and empty Chinese cartons.

A dark silver Lexus pulls into the freshly repaved parking lot of the newly landscaped theatre. In it, the redhead behind the wheel steers the car into a parking spot near the entrance. She looks the restored façade of the building and smiles. Yes. It looks like something Kurt would choose to haunt.

Emerging from the car, Jean presses a button on her key fob and the blipblip of the doors locking sounds lightly. She heads toward the walkway, pausing when she reaches the door and the 'closed for renovations' sign.

Her mind reaches out to seek out the occupants within. Brushing up against Kurt's mind, she smiles. ~ Ding-dong... ~

While TJ's been cleaning up a little, Kurt's been ordering in. There's hot and cold subs from the local Italian place, pizza, garlic knots, as well as a tray of baked ziti. If nothing else, the leftovers will keep him and TJ for a few days, at the very least.

Looking up into the beams, those gleaming golden eyes seem to dance with an impish pleasure. "Almost done up ther--"

And there she is!

Bamf!

Kurt appears just inside the door, and acting every inch a doorman of old, unlocks and opens it wide with a genuinely warm smile for his friend. "Come on in. Welcome to the new place. It's a bit messy at the moment, but at least all the evil is gone." And he says that so brightly, too. Evil?

"As well as all the left over slime."

Oh. Good.

Locking the door behind her once Jean enters, Kurt is ready to lead her into the the theatre proper from the lobby. "I'm very excited. We've started again.. und it's in little bits. Now, the balconies."

Door!

-Foomp!-

Standing right beside one Wagner..is another Wagner. TJ still has the hand brush and wastebin in tow, to which she begins brushing off the top of Kurt's head as though that, too, is covered in crumbs.

"Hiya, Jeannie! Yep," she confirms with a dip of her head, "this place is now ninety-eight percent slime-free. Just..don't look behind the toilets."

Once Jean's inside and Kurt closes the door she thwips the back of his head with the hand brush, shooting him a glowy little glare. "You're filthy!"

She's got it out of her system now. She's better. Honest!

Jean smiles as Kurt lets her in, recognizing the old manners for what they are. "Thank you," she says, with just enough of a touch of formality, in the nod she gives him, to return the favour. Once within, however, any pretence to formality falls away.

"Hey, TJ," she greets the Blue Foomper. "I see you're getting control over your new power." That's good. She's pleased by that.

Of course, their talk of slime -- particularly behind the toilets -- causes her brows to crease a little and her face adopts a sort of 'oh joy?' expression.

"Never a dull moment with you, is there?"

She takes a moment to look around, turning in a small circle. "Wow. This place is pretty incredible. Looks great."

Before too many steps are taken, of course, Kurt offers his friend a hug once she's in and through the door. It's been a little while, and he's pretty sure that there have been more than a few miles travelled, as it were. "I got-- Hey! Herzchen!"

Kurt brings a hand up to run it through ink-black hair just after TJ puts the hand brush through. "Stop that!" He's laughing at the antics, however, but he has to explain, "She's just upset that I keep a cleaner nest than she."

How to say that with a straight face?

Nope!

Slowly, and trying not to make too much of a 'thing', Kurt's tail slides up to grab TJ's hand just as she's starting to swat him in the back of the head. Nothing to see here, nope!

"I don't think I know what 'dull moment' means, Jean. There are times when I wish I did, but the moment there is a day with nothing?" Kurt looks for trouble. No.. not for trouble. To end trouble. That's his story and he's sticking to it!

"I've been practicing," TJ admits with a fairly proud grin. "It seems to be just a sliver of what Kurt can pull, but that's okay." It is better to have foomped five feet than to have never foomped at all. Besides, it's just enough to pull some truly amazing practical jokes! She's been practicing that more, too.

"Cleaner nest my fuzzy blue tuckus!"

Jean's given a moment to look around the theatre in peace. When she happens to look back at the pair they're in a tangle of blue limbs, TJ alone grabbing one of Kurt's biceps in a hand and with her tail around his neck like she's throttling him while her other hand is just about to overturn the contents of the wastebasket on top of his head.

-Foomp!-

There's one of her famous two foot teleports. Literally. About twenty-four inches from one spot on the floor to the other. Just enough to distance herself from Kurt.

"I was just--" she gestures blindly while quietly setting the basket on the floor directly behind her, out of sight. "He had a thing on his--" Yeah. There's a gentle clearing of her throat then she stands up straighter, hands tucked behind herself with an oh so pleasant smile back in place.

"Dull is for people that don't play with swords on a regular basis, Miss Grey."

Jean laughs. And... it's a good laugh. Indeed, when she starts to laugh, it's all she can do not to cry with it. Her eyes sparkle and the relief she feels for those few moments is actually palpable. (Particularly given she's a telepath.)

Eventually, she wipes her eyes and her laughter ebbs... though it takes a while for it to truly evaporate. "Oh, God. The Institute just isn't the same without you," she tells them, shaking her head and fairly grinning.

It is difficult to tell to whom one fuzzy arm, leg or tail belongs to at any given moment in that brief scuffled-clench. His tail wraps around her ankle, ready to drop her even as hers is wrapped about his neck. It's a sight, to be certain.

And the moment they separate, Kurt's got his hand up and rubbing at the back of his neck, looking all the world as if he wants to start round two, but can't at the moment. It's all in fun, to say the least. Any thoughts that might be gained from Kurt is that fond, affectionate, highly amused. While life isn't always a bed of roses, Kurt certainly takes delight in the moments.

"Und you got it off for me, danke," comes the papa elf's response. Not that he sounds -convinced-, mind!

Though now, Kurt's attention comes back around to his friend, and he has another genuine smile.. a broad grin for his friend, showing fang. Offering his arm to his friend, he's ready to escort her fully in. "No bamfing down the corridors.. leaving behind the distinct odor of brimstone. No hanging on the chandeliers.. or the late night Danger Room runs while everyone else is tucked away. Only to be roused at 2 am by a 'Jean!'.." he teases.

"I do miss it," comes as a confession. But for a telepath, it's easy enough to tell that it's not enough to bring him back to the place he'd called 'home' for years.

TJ's bright blue grin just continues to grow with Jean's laughter, the Wagnerette's face almost glowing as much as their eyes. Honestly, how could she not love living in this reality?

If she pulled this stunt with her real father she'd be doing double Danger Room sessions for a week!

Well..alright, there is the Institute. It had been her home way back in the day. The one out here she hasn't spent any time around, though that had been more by her own decision than anything else. Maybe it's better to keep her distance, at least for the time being. It's not like there's any shortage of work to be done in the meantime!

While Kurt goes reminiscing about days gone by she quietly sets the cleaning supplies aside by the wall. Jean had been invited, probably for a reason. Maybe she hadn't been a part of things before but she kinda is now. Maybe, juuust maybe, she should tone down the brattiness for a while.

Until Jean isn't looking her way again.

A sly yellow glance gets passed back to the other Fuzzball, though much like participants in a Nerf War there is zero ill will.

And, right now, Jean won't be inviting either of the fuzzy blue elves to return 'home' with her. She's... not convinced it is home, any more. Truthfully, she's envious of what they have here. With each other and in this place. Her smile turns nostalgic at Kurt's reminiscences, perhaps even a trifle sad. But, she tries not to let that colour her thoughts, lest she end up 'leaking' them unintentionally. It's not likely to happen, not given the tight control she is accustomed to maintaining, but it has before.

Not that Kurt isn't a master of body language, in any case.

Of course, TJ would do well to bear in mind that, just because Jean isn't looking, doesn't mean she can't see. Again: Telepath.

Potentially cosmic-level telepath.

"Never a dull moment," she repeats, keeping her tone as light as she may.

TJ is lucky that she's out of tail reach, or Kurt would reach out and touch while Jean is looking away. But his daughter is tamping it down, if only a little. Still, it's hard to do anything but laugh at the playfulness. It's so very true. There's a comfort level that allows for the relaxed play.

And the fact that they're sharing it with a friend?

Kurt cants his head, and grabbing some chairs near the tables he'd set up with the food, he perches, tail wrapping about the back. He is good at body language; at one time in his life, his safety depended upon it. Now, it's compassion. Concern. And the fact that he knows that his friend has been troubled since her 'return', and things simply haven't let up for those in the mansion. He doesn't have to live there to hear.

"Jean," Kurt begins, "You're looking well, if not a little tired. Is there a way that I could offer some sort of rest?" Nothing like zeroing in. No 'how have you been?' or 'how is everything at the Institute'. Immediately, the elf homes in with the matter at hand, and what he can do to help her.

TJ knows the range of those tails all too well! Having one does help level that playing field just a tad.

As their happy little entourage starts to move she drops to palms and feet and leapfrogs toward an open chair, claiming her perch and her slice of pizza in the same pass.

She's already taking a bite out of it, complete with muffled "Ow, hot, ow..!" when she realizes that things might not all be fine and dandy with their guest, stopping mid-bite (feel the burn) to give Jean a wide-eyed look of concern.

She also knows that tone Kurt's using all too well.

That's Kurt for you. Always to the heart of the matter. Little preamble. Jean smiles wryly in response, not completely surprised by it. "No," she admits. "No, I don't think you can, this time." She shakes her head. "I just have to see it through. When it's over... well, maybe then. Yeah."

She looks at the spread before her, and uses that as an obvious attempt to change the subject. "Holy God, that's a lot of food!" She laughs, now. "Are we expecting more company?"

"Do I have to go get my vestments, Jean?" Okay, never ordained. Never made it out of seminary. But there's a certain gravitas that the elf brings to the idea.. to the belief that everyone needs that ear. That shoulder.

Looking at TJ, Kurt can't help but bark a quick laugh at the pizza burn. "Serves you right.." That's said without any malice, though. He's not finding humour in her discomfort, but... okay, yes, he is.

"Jean," and it's back to his friend, his tail uncoiling from the back of the seat to settle down next to him. "Try me? I know things are not easy. I've spoken to Bobby, und he was one of the school's biggest supporters. Und a former student." He cants his head quizzically, the concern evident. "You do know that I am beginning to feel guilty for leaving you in such a predicament, but I can't find it in me to return. Unless you have come with information to tell me that I do not know?" Here, he's perhaps hopeful? Essentially?

What news?

As for the food, well.. Kurt shrugs in a decidedly European fashion. Noncommittal. "I have TJ to feed. Do you know how much food a young woman actually eats?" He can't help himself! He can't!

Neighboring yellow eyes narrow.

A second later Kurt gets a piece of pizza sausage flicked his way.

"No, it's mostly for us," TJ 'admits' with another pointy grin. These two are great at packing in calories, as high energy as they are. Always leaping around and defying gravity and stuff. It can take a lot out of a person! Or a muppet!

Changing the subject isn't going to work so well with these two on the case. Jean should know better. (C'mon, use that psychicness!) Talia reaches over and gently pulls out a chair for Jean to settle into, if she so desires. Whether or not she eats (TJ's still going to.)

"What the leader of the Bratpack said," she agrees encouragingly. "What's on your mind?" Jean..? Jeannie? Miss Grey? She's still not certain which to run with around here. "We're real good listeners. What with our massive pointy ears and all." Smile.

"Actually," Jean replies to Kurt archly, "I might have some idea." She technically is a young woman, herself, after all. She eyes Kurt. "I also know how much you can eat." A beat. She grins at TJ. "Thus, I retract my question."

See? She can still play. After a fashion.

She chuckles to TJ. "'Jean' is fine," she tells her. Very few are allowed to call her Jeanie. And Miss Grey is just... way too formal for this crowd.

Besides. She has a doctorate. And Dr. Grey is even more inappropriate here.

She takes the offered seat, however, offering an apologetic shrug to the pair. "It's a long, convoluted story," she tells them. She takes a deep breath. It's not quite a sigh. It's more... A resigned sort of steadying.

Smiling wryly still, she reaches for some pizza, cheating and lifting it by thought when it threatens to burn her fingers.

"We've got an op on the go, in Genosha." She gives Kurt a look. "You can imagine how that's going. Particularly given the fact we don't actually have a team." Her wry smile turns bitter. "We have a group of individuals with varying levels and styles of training who may or may not be up to the challenge." A beat. "An absolutely no vets to help guide them."

No one but her. And she's here.

Kurt grins at Jean's response, and he has the grace to look at least theatrically sheepish. There's no apology for his apetite. Not when he continues to train every day to keep in shape. That includes physical as well as teleporting. And when he can enlist another (*cough*TJ*cough*), the easier and the better. "We'll talk when we kill our own pizza, Jean," he teases.

Now, however, Kurt's tail reaches out to swat at the bratty 'kid', "Leader of the Bratpack?" Well, at least then he has some authority? "Speak for yourself."

Now, however, Kurt's forearms rest upon his legs as he listens to the basic lament, his tail rewinding in. "No vets to help guide them," he repeats quietly, and he sighs softly. "You know, Jean, I spoke to a man, however, who fully believes that Magneto sees me as dangerous." Which is a little flattering, and should give his friend an idea of where he may lie in terms of it all.

Whup..! Mind reader. "Gotcha," TJ says with a grin in regards to the name dilemma.

Then there's levitating pizza. If it wasn't meant for consumption she might well run a tail on the very outlines of it as though searching for strings (though just to be a goof more than anything,) though she'll spare Jean the trouble of having her very food prodded at. And quite possibly shed upon. That's just rude.

"Also used to convoluted," she states with another dip of her head.

When Jean speaks Talia is all ears, sitting in a sort of way that only really makes people like these two look more attentive and not less. It quickly becomes apparent why the other woman's as distraught as she is. This is like ..covert operations stuff, from the sound of it. Without a team. Or teamwork.

"We could go," she suddenly offers. No hesitation. No catches. Just straight up matter-of-fact reasoning. Because really, why the heck not?

"We've got the training, we're sneaky, we're good guys..." Talia starts to tick off on her fingers, quickly running out on the first hand. She looks at her other hand and the pizza in it then quickly shifts the half-devoured slice to her tail, which involves folding the slice in half, then continues making her points.

"We've got way more free time than we know what to do with, we're familiar with a lot of the mutants you've got to work with, and ..uhm."

One thumb left to go. Staaare.

"We're awesome." Nod.

Jean shakes her head firmly, now. "No." She looks at each of them. Both of them. "I appreciate the offer, but... things are confusing enough there." She glances to Kurt. "Shift and Rachel are team leads in Hammer Bay. They're supposed to try to keep the elections fair..." And by 'fair' she means 'not skewed in Magneto's favour by underhanded means'. If such a thing is even possible. "I'm hoping they'll balance each other out." Let him translate that as he will.

She shakes her head now, lifting her pizza slice with her hands after a moment of letting it cool. "I'll tell you, though: I think when this mission's over, I'm going to take a sabbatical of my own." Translation: She's done. Whatever's frustrating her there, she's had enough of it, now.

"You said there were no vets, und now you're saying 'no', Jean?" Kurt shifts his position on his chair, golden, featureless eyes on his friend, trying to puzzle this out. "Our presence would add to the confusion?" In a way, he sounds a little insulted in the insinuation. He's good at what he does and has proven himself competant to run missions. Even if they weren't with the XMen. "Shift und.."

Kurt shakes his head. "You know I spoke to him a little while ago und gave him an earful of what I thought of his plan. Before discovering it was a failure." And this is a team lead. Exhaling in a long sigh, it doesn't take a telepath to know that he's .. not really happy. Thoughts are jumbled, but that's nothing new for the fuzzy elf.

The next words, however, gains Kurt's attention back, and he looks up, studying Jean, trying to read her once again. "Sabbatical.. leaving for studies, Jean, or.." For other reasons?

With that answer in the air TJ's shoulders hang, just slightly. It isn't because Jean's turning down the offer for help so much as that she's not sure how else they could help. Jean's a good person. Talia doesn't like to see her stressing out.

When she goes on to mention keeping the elections fair, TJ waits to cut in with "Oh, political stuff? Pshh, forget that," along with a dismissive wave of a hand. "We'll just find us some domestic keesters to kick, saves on travel wear and tear."

Nibble.

Dang. It kinda sounds like the X-Crew's down on their luck in this reality. It's been a while since TJ's actively wanted to hear from the Timebroker. 'Yo dude, so like..what's the deal here? Is this supposed to happen or what, now?' Is she witnessing something serious and awful in the making? X-Men dissolved, Magneto rising to power... Good thing..? Bad? Where the heck is the script when she really needs it?

"That..doesn't sound so good..." she quietly mutters. The peanut gallery has spoken.

"Don't," Jean says to Kurt, reaching out to lay a hand on his, sensing his thoughts, his insult. "I don't mean it that way. You know that. You do know me well enough for that, at least, right?" She can hope. She no longer expects.

Now she truly does sigh, and a hint of the true depths of her frustration and resignation comes through. A pair of fingers rub across her brow, trying to smooth it. (With limited success.)

"Shift and Rachel need the chance to do this. I may not like what's going on, over there -- with the team or with the country -- but... They need the chance to become a team. And they really won't do that with any of us hanging over their shoulders. I can't stop you, either of you, if you decide to go. But, I don't recommend it, either."

She takes a few moments to at least try to taste her pizza. Finally, she adds, "And, no. I can't say I'm leaving for studies. There are a lot of studies awaiting me -- and I've had offers from a couple of universities to consider teaching positions there, more in line with my subject matter expertise... and I'm seriously considering them. But I expect my sabbatical to be an extended one, studies or no. I just... Well, like everyone else on the senior team I just need a break. Too much has happened over the past few years."

A beat.

"And I was a fool to think things could ever truly go back to how they were."

Kurt knows that TJ wants to help as much as he does, and the shoulder slouch brings a sympathetic frown to his face. He gets it, he does. Crossing over another chair, the older Wagner settles in close enough to entwine his tail around TJ's for that support.

"Jean," Kurt begins again, his hand resting atop hers, "Ja, I do. Which is why I asked. You've sent someone in who has no experience. No one to learn from, und you're tossing them into the deep end. This is Magneto." It's Kurt's duty and right to bring up a 'what's wrong with this picture', but with it, comes the necessity to help make it better. "If you wish them to learn, then perhaps having a model, or someone they can turn to in a time of crisis would be good?" Which, again, comes back around to potentially being -them-. "I'm not asking you to send us in. We're not.. technically on the team anymore. But we have much more experience in thinking on our feet und getting people to use their skills differently than, perhaps, they'd normally think to do so."

Sighing, Kurt squeezes her hand in support. "Things were so different, Jean. Even for me. Those that I trusted grew distant. Those I relied upon grew distant, und somewhere along the line, I think a message was lost. When even Domino questioned children fighting, Scott accused me of not being man enough to come to him, und sending her. He couldn't believe that SHE would be the one to notice such a thing und take issue with it. I felt badly because I'd hoped that he'd listen to one who knew." Nope. "I can't find it in my heart to beg you to stay there."

TJ puts a hand on Kurt's shoulder, too. "It'll be alright, Dad. If anyone needs us they know how to find us." Yeah, 'us.' Maybe they only know of Kurt and maybe they only have Kurt's number but if it comes to that she's not going to let him do another solo bamf. "This is Jean, here. She wouldn't do something without thinking it through. We'll be the reserve troops, just in case."

Talia's solution? Right now the way to help Jean through this is to not add to her stress, which means not pressing the issue. She doesn't want them to put their tails into this mess, ergo..they won't. They may not agree with it, but as Kurt said, neither of them are on the team anymore. They're simply friends in the know.

Her attention returning to the redhead, she asks "What can we do for you, Jean?"

"Oh, don't even get me started on that," Jean says, raking hands through her hair when Kurt touches on the issue of children fighting. There's even a hint of flame that flares in her eyes for just half a moment. Hardly enough to be noticed, unless you've encountered it before and recognize it for what it is -- a dimming of her irises and brightening of her sclera in a flash of contained and quickly suppressed power. Evidence of her internal disquiet... and lingering anger.

(It's funny how few seem to realize that an increasingly angry Jean Grey does not bode well for the universe at large.)

"Scott isn't listening to anyone, these days. No one, save the Professor himself. And he's off on his international book tour, still." Which means the Professor isn't there to actually say anything. "But, he's particularly not listening to me."

She snirks now. "Frankly, no one's listening to me, anymore." A beat. An abrupt, unhappy half-shrug. And maybe they shouldn't, at that, she reflects privately.

Another one of those tight, deep steadying breath as she pushes that thought away. She smiles to TJ. "There's not much you can do," she admits. "Some of these things just take time." Not that she feels she really has any time. She looks to Kurt. "And, it's not that I disagree with you, Kurt. It's that I don't believe they'll listen to you any more than they have me. There's nothing I have said that you didn't say long before I ever came back. I'll admit to some missteps of my own along the way, recently, but... at the end of the day, I've learned one thing very, very clearly: The only way I will ever be able to make any of them do anything exactly the way I think it should be done is to strip them of their free will, mess with their heads to the point they may never recover, and set them loose as mindless thralls." She smiles tightly, humourlessly. "And won't do that. I've bent several of my principles very nearly to the breaking point, recently, but I will NOT cross that line. Ever."

And if that's not the truth, nothing is.

TJ's hand upon his shoulder brings Kurt's attention around, and he dips his head in a brief acknowledging nod. "I suppose you are right, TJ," he concedes. He knows that he won't be asked. Doesn't mean he's not ever hopeful, and ever willing to help.

Jean's lament causes the elf to rise from his spot, however, ready to dispense a hug, complete with the wrapping of his tail about her. He hadn't realized that things have degraded that far, such that even Scott wasn't willing to even consider different points of view? That bit, Kurt mourns for his friend. "I'm sorry, Jean. I am. Und you are right. What is sad is that we were always taught to listen, to learn." Now?

"If you would like, stay here for a bit? I can find you a spot on the floor if you don't like the rafters. Und if you are willing to try the catwalk, I'm sure that TJ will give you her pillow."

Ever hopeful, ever willing to help. Maybe it's a curse of the family name or something, but TJ's right there in spirit with Kurt. There's always something they could be doing to help that doesn't involve sitting on their hands, right? At the moment she's going with the idea that sharing words and a meal is helping, without sitting idle. Also without bamfing halfway across the world to throw themselves into one of the globe's biggest hotspots of the year.

For the thought, Kurt's offering away her pillow. Normally that would earn him another close encounter with the contents of a wastebin. But, this is for Jean, and she really could use the support. "I would," she agrees with a smile and another dip of her head. "Mine has a lot less fur on it than his does."

As for the other matter, the heart of the discussion, her momentary look of good humor sours slightly. "That's..something that I've noticed a lot in the Summers' across timelines. They're pillars. Foundations, if you will. They're so blasted stubborn that not even alternate realities will get them to budge."

Jean..talking about mindless thralls. Hoboy. She's already jumped to a reality where they had to put her down before that there Phoenix force consumed all of reality. Not one of her happier moments.

"Let's..focus on what we are able to work with on a more constructive level, yes..?" she carefully tries to intervene. "If Scott won't listen then there's no point in trying to make him change, right? Save that spot on the wall for someone else to beat their head against. You're a strong woman with a good heart, Jean. Others will listen and follow you if you only find the right places to speak."

Like..say, right here, for starters.

Jean returns the hug, though she doesn't let it linger. Today is not a day she will shed any tears. She's passed that. But, the moral support is always appreciated. "Thanks," she says, "both of you. I appreciate the gesture, but it's not time for me to move out just yet. There's still work to be done, and I need to be by the base to do it." She won't abandon her people. Not yet, anyway. Not until they're safe.

Or, at least, as safe as they can ever be.

"But, you're right, TJ. And, that's what I intend to do... once the immediate mess in Genosha is settled enough that we can extract the team and bring them home." Unless, of course, someone forces her hand before then.

"I don't know where, yet, of course. Or specifically what, but that's not a decision for tonight, in any case. It'll keep until I'm formally packing my bags."

And that saddest part is, she doesn't actually think Scott will try to make her stay. She's fairly convinced he'll be relieved to see her go.

There's no way Rachel or Nate (any of them!) are the products of this timeline.

Kurt lets her go, but he does reach out to take a swipe at TJ for the comment about the fuzz on his pillow. "I'm glad you've stopped drooling on yours or I wouldn't have been able to offer it," comes as a retort as he takes his step back.

"Ja, as much as you may think otherwise, I'm pretty sure without being a psychic that there are a great deal that look up to you." It was he when he left that there wasn't any 'Where'd Kurt go' hunts put on by anyone, he's sure. Though, he did get a nice greeting from Kitty!

Looking back at TJ, the elf looks as if he considers something long, and hard before he turns back to Jean and takes a spot back on his seat. "I may be calling your phone, so please don't change your number?"

With that retort TJ sighs and hangs her skinny shoulders, staring at Kurt. "Now, see, I was gonna be nice and not go there but you just had to take the shot. It's on, now."

All in good fun, of course.

"Hey, I look up to you, and I barely know this version of you yet," she admits with a smile.

Polishing off her first slice of pizza (that took unusually long for her) she holds her arms out to the sides for a moment. "Hang in there, guys. Things are kinda rotten right now but they're bound to get better! The universe is all about balance." Quietly ignore the fact that sometimes other people need to get it unstuck so that it can go back into balance. "We'll get through this."

Of that much she's confident to a fault.

Jean chuckles appreciatively now, both at the antics between the two and, for different reasons, their unflagging support. It occurs to her there is no one in the world better at bolstering the soul than the Wagner family. Perhaps therein lies their true super powers.

"Well, if I do change my number," she assures them, "I'll be sure to text you the new one."

Because that's what friends do.