2014.02.13 - One Night in Xavier's

A cold evening. After having met Clarice Ferguson, Doug Ramsey was stuck with a broken cord in promising to fix -something-. That, in addition to his courseload in teaching, had him distracted tonight, ignoring the television in the rec room in favor of trying to strip the broken cord and repair things.

About him was the noise of busy students running in and out of the mansion and the rec room.

It's honestly been a long, long time since Sam was back here--most of the locals probably barely remember him. He steps inside, his only bag one modest-sized suitcase, his brow furrowing as a couple of students run by, until he gives up and laughs, and smiles. "Things never change," He murmurs, before he tries to remember the way to the guest rooms.

"Evening Sam." Cal says absently, walking by amd heading for the rec room. He's more concerned with dodging running and even some flying students. But then what he actually saw is consciously seen and he pauses, turning to glance at Sam and the suitcase. "Oh, sorry. Need a hand?"

Taping the cord, Doug blinks as a large tall gawky figure passes by the corridor.

Abandoning the work he was doing, the blond mutant peeks his head through the doorway. "... Sam!"

Moving up towards Guthrie with a laugh, Doug approaches, the better to fistbump him and greet. "Hi!"

Sam blinks, once. "Naw," He says, "I've got it." He picks it up. "Truth be told I've sold of most of my stuff. Tryin' to get back to the basics. It's been a long time," He says. "How're you? You look good," He says, as he sizes him up, taking in who he's... looking at. "Uh. Who're you?" He asks.

Then he blinks, once, and his expression goes far away. "Unbelievable." Sam bumps fists with Doug, and then grabs the smaller man in a bear-hug, picking him up. *Squeeze*.

Cal's about to answer when Doug shows up and there's a mini-reunion. He just watches, smiling a bit which turns into an equally small frown as he recognizes Doug. Once the hugging is done, he answers "Name's Cal."

"Holy... I'd heard you graduated and made your way into the world, Sam..." Doug says, after a moment of feet flailing against the ground until he's put down.

Slowing down as Doug reads a slight frown on Cal's face, the blond linguistic mutant nods politely, trying to offer a reassuring smile. "Cal. Doug Ramsey. Uh. Sam Guthrie here was in the asme class as I was here. Though he graduated before me because, uh... well, circumstances." Namely, Doug's death.

Sam Guthrie rubs the back of his neck, and he exhales. "Yeah." He says, with a smirk. "But I did my tour in SHIELD--" He admits, "And I'm kind of... I've got something on the burner," He murmurs, before he looks up to Calvin, and says, "Ah'm a lil' bit curious--how'd you know me, when Ah plainly don't know you, Cal?" He does offer his hand, though.

Cal nods, not needing to ask what those circumstances were. He's actually more curious about how that's changed but doesn't ask on their first meeting. "Nice to meet you both here." he answers, clasping Sam's hand. "Alternate reality." Every X student should be well familiar with those by now. Though for a change, he's not a child of Scott and Jean.

"Huh." Sam says. "Was it the one where we're all dead, with all the Sentinels?" He asks, thoughtfully. "Or the one where Apocalypse rules the world?"

"... Um... oh. Yeah, another one...?" Odd, Clarice had made comments that made Doug think -she- was from another reality too. Though he hadn't pressed the case too far. Still... hm. She -had- seemed familiar with Rogue...

"Sam? It might not be a good idea to push too far," Doug cautions. It -was- rather impolitic to ask too much beyond what a person might want to share.

"Neither, though I've been to them. Or variations of them." Cal answers. And unpleasant realities they were. But then most of them were. Doug's sensitivity gets a smile. "That's all right. My home reality is actually a better one than here. Questions won't trigger any trauma."

Sam Guthrie holds up his hands. "He makes a good point," Sam admits, "Though I'm curious 'bout where exactly you met me." He says. "Hopin' Ah was a multimillionaire with the world's biggest comic collection, that's all." He looks up. "Layout's changed a little bit since the last time I was here. Do they still have guest rooms for the alumni, or am I sleepin' in the shed?" He asks.

"Well it's all right, I wouldn't want to make things too awkward. Though you seem to know me," Doug tilts his head. "And him. So I take it our class was around when you were?"

"Yes, I knew you both when you were at the School." Cal agrees. "And some of your siblings as well, Sam. Being an X-Man was something most mutants aspired to." He's not actually sure about rooms for alumni so looks to Doug to answer.

"Oh... yeah there's still some guest rooms," Doug comments, motioning towards the dorms. "You know where the dorm master is, check there. Same room as before."

Sam Guthrie runs a hand through his hair, and says, "Oh." He sets his suitcase down, "Well then," He says, "It can wait. How've you been, Doug? You look..." He exhales, "...Good?" Not dead. Which is WEIRD, looking the person whose death changed Sam's life as much or more than his father's in the face. He's having a hard time finding words.

Well, since Sam just alluded to it, Cal might as well ask. "You are looking good. How are alive again?" Seems that didn't happen in every reality.

Doug shrugs then. "No clue. Woke up, made my way back to here, then decided I would take a break from Xavier's." Tilting his head, Doug considers. Maybe that'd be something to bring up with X-Factor's investigations. For now, though... well maybe later.

Sam Guthrie lets out a sigh, and murmurs. "Well, in any case, it's good to see you back among the living," Sam says. "You know, it was the damndest thing. I got caught in the back by a HYDRA sniper. Deflated a lung, nicked my heart--the SHIELD surgeon said there was no way in hell I shouldn't have bled out right there." He adds, "It set me to thinkin'..."

"The multiverse is not only stranger than we imagine, it's stranger than we can imagine." Cal murmurs. Then in a more normal tone, says "Well, it's good to see you alive again. We were all very upset when you died." After a moment, he adds in a bit of black humor "Your funeral was very nice. Almost everyone cried."

Opening his mouth to comment about SHIELD, Doug closes it, deciding that could wait. Especially since one generally didn't talk about what was in SHIELD.

"Um... glad to know that," Doug smiles sheepishly. "Kitty told me a fair bit. It's... odd."

"It was a miserable day," Sam admits. "Things were never the same, after. When I finally finished school and packed up for college, I never wanted to see this place again. Things change... I've been missing it more an' more."

"You'll make an excellent X-Man." Cal assures Sam. "How are Jay and Paige? And if we're going to talk, we might as well sit and be comfortable."

"I came back after I figured out what I was missing," Doug admits as he considers the baggage.

"Infuriatingly romantic," Sam says, with a sigh, "And infuriatingly ambitious. In that order."

"Well, it's good to see you both again." Cal tells them. Even if they've never seen him. "I'll see you around once you're settled, I'm sure." Leaving Sam to find a room and DOug to finish fixing whatever it was, he heads off.