Moira sat in her lab with two holographic projections in front of her. One was of a close friend of hers, Meggan, and the other was of her estranged "boyfriend." Moira had been thinking about it, and how or why Brian would make such a dramatic downfall morally speaking. The last time she’d spoken to him, he was completely drunk and fooling around with women. Maybe it had something to do with being away from Meggan. Maybe somehow, Meggan kept him in line? Maybe her powers....No, that couldn’t be it. Perhaps Brian Braddock was really just a jerk all along, and no one cared to notice.
Whatever the reason, it was time to tell Meggan. Moira had put it off long enough.
"Meggan," Moira greeted when she walked into the lab. "It’s good to see ye. Unfortunately, I have some bad news for ye."
"I know, I can tell," Meggan winced. "But thank you for your sympathy."
"Well, Meggan, there’s no way tae put this nicely, so I’ll just say it. The last time I spoke with Brian, he was drunk and fooling around with women. When I asked about ye, he drunkenly claimed not to care about you anymore. I’m sorry, Meggan, but I felt I had to tell ye," Moira stammered. "I hope ye can handle this news. We’re all here for ye."
Meggan’s lip quivered. "Well, um, thank you, Moira, for, um," Meggan sobbed. She broke down crying, and Moira could only comfort her. She put her arms around her and tried to help, but there was really nothing she could do.
"Meggan, I’m sorry. All I can say is that ye’re wonderful. Ye’re a great person, and Brian would have to be crazy tae....well, I’m sorry," Moira comforted.
The laboratory, usually so full of sounds, whether they be mechanical or human, was silent, but for the breaking of a woman’s heart.
***
"Query, friend Wisdom, why is it that Excalibur is so full of lovers?" Douglock inquired.
"Wot?!" Pete cried out. Kitty giggled.
"Well, I was checking my data, and no other X-team has this many people who are couples on it. You and Kitty, Meggan and Brian, Kurt and Amanda, Andre and Lars, perhaps......Rahne and myself....it’s uncanny! Everyone is involved in a relationship, even Moira! Why is this?" Douglock asked.
Kitty laughed. "That’s a great point, Douglock! I never thought of that! I guess we’re just a team of romantics!" she exclaimed.
"Well, Dougie, I think I’ve got you’re answer. Roit, y’see, these American blokes, they’re all uptight, and too stupid to know what anything is, let alone love, so," Pete theorized.
Kitty hit Pete playfully. "I’ll have to remember that next time we’re on a date, Pete," Kitty icily commented. Her leg wandered to Pete’s chair, and, smiling, she phased the chair and moved it aside.
"OOF!" Pete blurted when he fell to the ground.
"I think I’m about to change you’re theory, Douglock," Kitty joked. She got up and walked over Pete.
"Pryde! Help me up, ya bloody prat!" Pete whined.
"I’m sorry, my American self is having a hard time understanding you," Kitty said while she walked to the door.
Douglock stood up over Pete Wisdom. "Well, friend Wisdom, it looks like you got yourself into quite a quandary," he observed.
"I blame you!" Pete shouted.
"Blaming others is indeed a sign of incapability. Perhaps you’ve been having problems in bed lately?" Douglock grinned.
"You got it, Douglock!" Kitty grinned. "But where’d you learn such humor?"
Douglock and Kitty walked out of the room, leaving Pete strewn across the floor. "Apparently, my Shakespearean insults where not sharp enough. I’ve been adapting my data banks to update myself to the modern times," Douglock explained.
"Not bad," Kitty said. "Not bad."
***
Andre knocked on Kurt’s door, and Amanda answered it. "Oh, I’m not interrupting anything, am I?" Andre asked.
"No, no, come in, come in," Amanda insisted. "We were just relaxing."
"Well, after the type of vacation you guys just came home from, I’d be relaxing, too," Andre joked. He waved at Kurt when he entered the room. "I came to ask you for some help, Kurt."
"What can I help you with, Andre?" Kurt asked.
"Well, I was wondering if I could possibly go home for a bit? There are some things I need to tie up, and, well...." Andre continued.
"You’re not having doubts about joining Excalibur, are you? You and Lars are welcome additions to the team, even if you are inexperienced," Kurt soothed.
"No, no, it’s not that, well, actually, it is, a bit. But I still need to go home for a bit, get some things," Andre explained.
"Well, I’ll see who would like to fly you over, and we can have you gone nearly immediately!" Kurt enthused.
"Okay, well, thanks," Andre said.
"Anytime, Andre," Kurt said. "And Andre? When you get back, you and Lars have some training to do."
"Oh, no," Andre feared.
"Well, looks like I’ll be having company in my lessons," Amanda grinned. "And misery loves company!"
***
"Meggan?" Kitty knocked on her door. "Meggan?" That’s odd, Kitty thought. I know she’s in there. Maybe I’ll just phase on in....
Kitty phased through the door and saw Meggan sobbing on her bed. "MEGGAN?! What’s wrong?!" She ran to her and hugged her immediately.
"It’s-it’s Brian!" Meggan cried. "He doesn’t love me anymore, and he’s gone back to his drinking!"
"Oh, no!" Kitty gasped. "How’d you find out?"
"Moira called him and found out. He was drunk, and-and woman were in the room, and-," Meggan sobbed.
"That’s all you have to say," Kitty encouraged. "I’m so sorry, Meggan. And I promise you, if I ever get near that bastard again I’ll kick his butt so hard he won’t know which continent he’s on." Meggan smiled weakly.
"I’m sorry to unload this on you, Kitty. I know you’ve been having a hard time with everything lately," Meggan apologized.
"It’s-it’s okay," Kitty said. "When I was stuck in the Savage Land I realized that I needed to get on with things. I know I’ve been....horrible lately, and I’m sorry." Kitty’s eyes teared.
"Oh, Kitty, don’t you cry, too," Meggan laughed. Kitty grinned, and the hugged.
"Look at us," Kitty said. "I bet we look horrible!"
"That’s okay," Meggan said. "At least we’re looking horrible together."
They grinned, and the sun continued to shine.
***
"It was completely empty?" Kurt queried.
"Completely," Douglock answered.
"And no one was at the mansion when you got there?" Kurt checked.
"No one at all," Douglock replied.
"And then the police came?" Kurt inquired.
"Yep," Douglock assured.
"And then the strange agents and planes came?"
"That’s how it happened."
"Well, this sounds bloody great," Pete interjected. "I can’t believe this!"
"What about you, Kurt?" Douglock asked.
"What do you mean?" Kurt answered.
"Well, what about you and Amanda? Are you okay?" Douglock asked.
"Oh, yes, we’re fine. Arcade didn’t get a chance to hurt us at all, and Amanda took care of him," Kurt explained.
"Well, that’s good. And it’s good that you found Kitty and brought her home, Friend Wisdom," Douglock observed.
"Yeah, it bloody well is," Pete agreed whole-heartedly.
"Meggan had an adventure of her own, too, I heard," Kurt shared.
"Really?" Douglock asked.
"Jesus, when it rains, it bloody pours around here," Pete complained.
"Yes, with a young mutant whose parents died," Kurt told them. "She helped him through the pain."
"That’s great," Douglock said. "It seems we’ve all been busy. I wonder what will happen next?"
"When we can get a hold of everyone, we’ll have Pete’s funeral," Kurt answered.
The room went silent, but for the lost cries of hearts crying for a lost friend.
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