OF THE PHOENIX

“You’d be surprised at how often people tell me that.”

“You know it’s real ballsy of you to show your face anywhere near me, you know that?”

Nate hesitated. He wasn’t. But saying it out loud felt like more of a commitment than he was prepared for. He shook his head. “Course not. Everything here is kinda growing on me.”

Rachel could sense the hesitation, but something in her told her Nate’s words rang true, no matter how sarcastic, “Good. Cause I need someone on my side.”

“Looks like you get another sibling. That could be fun. Or not. I don’t know, my family is messy but you’re coming for our crown. In all seriousness,” Lorna shifted. “Dad’s a mess. How’s mom? Jean, I mean. I know this is a weird situation.”

Her mother’s pregnancy was still an odd subject for Rachel, regardless of how blasé everyone else seemed to be acting about the news. But the telepath shrugged it off, “Jean-- she’s doing okay, I think. Older moreso than younger, but that seems to not really change that often.”

“I’ll get an assignment soon.” The mutant shrugged. “I keep requesting them, but I stay around because of Gabby.” She stood up from where she had sat down on a rock, neck cracking as she stretched out. “If they ask me to go after the young X-Men, I don’t know if I’ll do it.” Not while Warren was with them.

“You really think they’d do that?” Rachel asked, unsure of who exactly they were, but concerned nonetheless, “--and Gabby’s lucky to have you, Laura. Don’t forget that.”

“Listen, I’m not a telepath. I can try but I may not get very far. Unless you want me to blow them up?”

“No, no-- God, no,” Rachel shook her head, adamant, “Just forget I asked.”

“You got me. I’m an excellent P.I.” Or, she was getting there. It was a continual work in progress. “My ego is thriving right now, so thank you.”

“Ah, well-- I’ll keep that in mind if I ever need a PI. Or feel like boosting someone’s ego.”

“Apparently.” Illyana watched Rachel over the rim of her mug as she took a long sip. “–Nope. There are better things to do.”

“Like what?” Rachel glared back at the girl, hands resting on her hips as she turned away from the work she had yet to finish, “I’m open to ideas.”

“I like low-key. Flashy was never my style.”

“A woman after my own heart,” ginger eyebrows raised in acknowledgment before Rachel turned back to face the blonde once more, “I’m sorry, I didn’t catch your name.”

There was a scoff in reply. Riri braced herself the wall,  hands flat against the concrete as she slowly pushed it back up into position. “I was going to be an engineer.” A few pieces of plaster rained down on her faceplate and she slid it up so that she could get a breath of fresh air. “Probably still will be.”

“So, do it,” Rachel replied, encouraging the teen, “If this place is anything like my home, we could use all the minds we can get.”

“Is it amazing? That’s what people say.”

“I guess?” Rachel shrugged, fiddling with the fabric of her shirt sleeve absentmindedly. Krakoa wasn’t home, necessarily, but most of her family was there, and it was starting to feel as thought it had to be.

“Charles has worked hard to get things where they are today.”

Jean’s head cocked to the side instinctively, her mind registering that something was slightly off without trying to delve into Rachel’s thoughts. “Right. Our big, weird, messy, family ripped through time and space. It kinda gives me a headache. Of course, if Cable gets his way we’re gone and you can just have big Jean and your new sibling. Hopefully it’s not another you.”

"Why do I have the feeling I just said something wrong--” Rachel folded her arms over her chest defensively. The last thing she needed was to get into an argument with her mother’s younger self. But the sudden energy shift in their conversation threw Rachel for a loop, “Listen, Jean if I’m being too forward you can just say so. I’m sorry.”

With both hands held out in front of her, Lorna guided a metal bar back up into position. The rest quickly followed as she dropped her arms back to her side. “Better, I guess. Not being a raging dick at the moment for once. He voted to send the younger X-Men back, which I wasn’t expecting. He likes baby Jean more than me. How’s your dad?”

“Jesus,” was Rachel’s only response. She hadn’t been following the entire situation at first, but once things had begun worsening, affecting the original Jean, her mother-- Rachel grew worried, “--he’s kind of a mess. As usual. I don’t really know what else there is to say to be honest.”

“I’m restless.” The clone admitted. “I have been. I do not like to say it, but it’s too perfect here. Too still.”

“I can see that,” Rachel acknowledged, moving to draw red locks up into a loose ponytail. The action exposed the markings on her face even more, but for some reason, Rachel felt moderately at ease around Laura. That there was nothing she needed to hide.

“It’s just you. Everyone else is hiding or something. Wonder why.”

“Great. Well, maybe you could make much better use of your time by figuring out what it is they’re hiding? Just a thought?”

“You’re right. I’m a great dog walker, a decent P.I. and supposedly the most talented marksman alive.”

“See,” Rachel nodded, “I bet two out of three of those things are completely true,” she teased.

“Mhm.” She hummed under her breath. “You know the Island repairs himself, right? Or did they not tell you?”

“Maybe I just wanted something to do--” Rachel replied dismissively, continuing with her task.

“Considering what I’ve seen Jean go through, I never thought it was.”

“Right,” Rachel nodded, her own memories confirming Carol’s observation, “--that makes sense.”