disclaimer: I do not own the X-Men, Marvel does. I do not expect any monetary benefit from this work of fiction which is intended for entertainment purposes only.


Ordinary People
by Dizi

Chapter 8: Breakfast at the Mansion

... Interlude ...

"Maggie?"

"Ryan! Does Dad know you're up?"

"He said I could call you, even dialed the number."

"I wondered, didn't think you knew my cell number. I almost didn't answer, you know, thought it would be Mom."

"Yeah, Dad said that. But Maggie... are you wasting your life? What does that mean?"

"Did you ask Dad? Or Josh?"

"Yes, but Josh didn't say anything and Dad said it was up to you. So are you?"

"No, I'm doing what I want to and I don't want to be a lawyer like Mom."

"Does that mean Carter is? He's going to be a lawyer."

"No, Ry. Carter wants to be a lawyer like Mom and Aunt Sandy. If he didn't, then he would be wasting his life because he wouldn't be happy. I don't and I'm not, so I'm not wasting mine. See?"

"I guess. So is Josh wasting his life? He's not happy."

"Josh has special circumstances. He's different than we are. I really think Dad would be better at explaining it."

"Okay. But why did you have to leave to be happy? Can't you be happy here?"

"It's complicated. The school I want to go to is here and as long as I was there Mom would keep hoping I'd change my mind. You've never asked about it before, buddy, is something wrong? You seemed fine with me leaving."

"Because I don't have to share a room with Trevor anymore. Little League just started and you won't be here to go to my games like you used to."

"I know, I wish I could. But everyone else will be there. Maybe Dad can record it and send it to me. We'll go over it together on the phone and I'll tell you what you're doing right and wrong."

"It won't be the same."

"Some weekend I'll come visit. It would be after school starts, though. Hey, did Carter dump his girlfriend?"

"Yeah, he's dating Marybeth now. Mom doesn't like her."

"Which means she's more like me and Aunt Sandy, right?"

"I guess so. How come Aunt Sandy is Mom's best friend but they're nothing alike?"

"Sometimes it just happens that way. Mom and Dad aren't much alike either but they love each other."

"Yeah, okay. Dad says I have to go to bed now since it's almost midnight. He also says you're in trouble because you made Mom mad."

"Tell Dad I love him too."

"Okay, and I'll charge the camera so he'll have to use it."

"There ya go. 'Nite, Ryan."

"Good night, Maggie."

... End Interlude ...


Being as her internal clock was completely messed up from working and playing at odd hours, Maggie woke up early the next morning.

With a bowl of cereal in one hand and the mouse in the other, she continued the search for the elusive email addresses.

That only lasted an hour when frustration took its toll and she distracted herself with a gaming site. She figured she had time since she was off until the late shift the next night. Or that's what she told herself. In reality, she was getting discouraged. She was a casual computer user, no ways near expert, and was starting to think she wasn't going to get what she needed without help from someone far better than she was. Maybe a hacker.

Reluctantly, Maggie forced herself to try again. And again. And again.

Then her cell phone rang.

"Hello, handsome," she greeted after seeing the caller id.

"And good morning to you, beautiful." Bobby returned. She could almost hear him smile. "Have you eaten breakfast?"

"Maybe a little bit," she hedged, "a couple hours ago."

"How 'bout you come on over here then? We're doing a big breakfast thing and there's plenty."

Making a face, Maggie expressed her doubts. "Are you sure I should come over? I don't think Jean likes me so much anymore since I exploded all over your ex-girlfriend last night."

"She suggested it." Bobby replied. "If you're really worried about Jean just bring a large Dr. Pepper and some Hershey's Kisses. That's what Scott does."

Changing ears as she got up and went to her dresser, Maggie gave in, "Should I bring anything else?"

"Just you're pretty little self," he assured her.

One handed, she ran a brush through her hair. "Okay, I'll be there in about twenty minutes. I have to get dressed and I'll stop off at the Quickstop."

"Oh, really?" Bobby's voice lowered. "What are you wearing?"

"A big green tshirt with Garfield on it." Distracted getting her clothes out, Maggie had missed the connotation to his words but caught on quickly. In a clearly fake husky tone, she added, "And nothing else."

"My, oh my. Tell me more," he teased.

"You're gonna hafta guess, lover-boy. Until later." And because she hung-up before he could say anything else she didn't hear him laugh.


Once she'd stopped talking, it only took her a couple minutes to throw her clothes on. She didn't feel like dressing up, but put her make-up in her bag for later if it might be needed. Yesterday, Bobby had suggested a movie again. What she was wearing was fine for just about anything they had discussed, but make-up niced up any ensemble.

She did stop at the QuickStop and took her time there - because Nicole was on duty instead of Dave. Maggie didn't stop with a Dr. Pepper and Hershey Kisses. She went all out getting a large assortment of candy and some Twinkies which she had seen various residents from the school buy. And lottery tickets, she didn't forget those.

Just a bit of an apology in case she'd offended anyone besides Lorna last night. She did not in any way regret what she'd said, but wanted to smooth things over for those who had been friendly to her. She genuinely liked them, from 'Chocoholic' to 'Mr. Grumpy'.

"Wow, you going on a binge?" Nicole asked wide-eyed.

"Some things for my boyfriend's friends." Maggie demurred.

Ringing up everything and putting them in a bag, Nicole probed, "Boyfriend? You didn't tell me you were seeing anyone."

"Didn't I?" Maggie frowned thoughtfully. "Oh yeah, you were on vacation for two weeks and missed it. Bobby teaches at that school. Xavier's."

"What?" She was obviously flabbergasted. "Maggie, tell me you're joking."

"No, Bobby's been wonderful to me. What's wrong?"

Leaning forward, Nicole whispered, "Didn't you get it when Dave told you about that place? They teach mutants up there."

"I don't care about that sort of thing," Maggie brushed the idea aside. She'd been honest with Bobby and had no interest in the 'mutant issue'. For personal reasons as well as because she just didn't think it was right to hold it against someone that they were born different. Wasn't that the same thing as discriminating against race or gender? She'd always thought so.

"Neither do I. Or I guess not, it's never really come up with me. But didn't you stop to think about why Dave said it in the first place?" Nicole demanded. "Think, Maggie! He's anti-mutants! Dave hates that place. No wonder he's taken a dislike to you."

"He can dislike me all he wants to then! I can date whoever I like." Maggie said firmly. "My parents don't dictate to me that way, my boss sure doesn't get to."

"You're not in the loop, so let me fill you in." Nicole warned. "Dave Brubaker is friends with the district manager and the regional manager. They're not going to side against him. You have your scholarship to think about. Remember that?"

"How could I forget?" she grumbled. "This new company doesn't discriminate against mutants, and besides I'm not one."

"The company doesn't have to. Dave does. He told you about the school so you'd know not to be nice to them."

"Do you do that, Nicole?" Maggie asked quietly. "Do you treat them bad because they teach mutants?"

"Well... I don't treat them nice, but I don't treat them bad either." Nicole admitted and suggested, "Why don't you pretend you broke up with him? It's not like you have to really do it."

"I can't, I'm not the kind to lie like that." She had her pride and wasn't willing to hurt Bobby that way, among others. "If it's such a problem, maybe I can change stores. I didn't want to do that but I'd rather than pretend to be something I'm not."

"I think it's too late, anyway." Nicold said sadly.

"We'll see."

Putting her purchases in her car, Maggie sat in it for a few minutes getting her anger under control. She was tempted to call her mother right then and there. But they weren't even getting along yet and it felt like that would be overkill. Her mother wouldn't go after Dave, she'd go straight to the top. The company wasn't bad, just the opposite.

To be honest, she hadn't really understood the significance of the buy-out. Josh had told her. He really was so smart, he knew something about everything. Maggie felt loyalty to QuickStop after five years, but her little brother had told her the greatness of the new holding company. Over and over again. Old and established, it would improve her benefits once it had finished - including the scholarship program. It also gave better raises than the old version of the company and believed highly in hiring from within. The last didn't concern her but all the rest sounded good.

Most importantly - something she really believed in - it didn't seem to be politically motivated. Forward thinking, it was unbiased in its hiring practices, no matter of race, religion, gender, age, or genetics. But how long would it take for the company's policy in that regard to filter down to the lower levels? Without help, that is.

She really needed those email addresses. It was becoming more and more evident she wasn't going to get them on her own, if yesterday and this morning's efforts were any indication. She just hadn't gotten anywhere. She was going to have to make some choices, decisions, she hadn't wanted to.

But later, because she had a cute guy waiting for her with food, and she was getting hungry.


Bobby met her in the driveway, tapping on her window as soon as she turned off the motor.

"It's been almost thirty minutes, not twenty," he accused.

"Sooor-ry!" Maggie rolled her eyes. "I went a little crazy at the store."

His eyes went wide at the full grocery bag. "How much stuff did you get? It was just supposed to be a little bag of chocolate."

"I didn't want to leave anyone out," she defended.

Taking the bag, he put his arm around her shoulders. "So what did you get me?"

"Me." Maggie said innocently.

"That works." Pausing on the front porch, he gave her a scorching kiss. Pulling away, he rested his forehead against hers. "That works fine."

Maggie laughed. "Maybe I got you some Twinkies and M&M's."

"Peanut?" he asked hopefully.

"Of course." she scoffed. "Like plain's good enough for my guy."

Making their way through the main hall now, Bobby got serious. "So how's your arm?"

"It's fine." Maggie rolled her eyes again. "And I put some medicated cream in my backpack."

"Good." He shook a finger at her sternly. "No scratching."

She couldn't help laughing. He was just so darn sweet. Some people would have freaked and been worried it might miraculously transfer to them, but not Bobby. He just worried about her. And some people thought he was immature? But she didn't want to get worked up again. Besides, Bobby might freak about her stress level or something.

"And you and your mom are getting along now?" he continued, taking her compliance for granted.

"Not exactly, I just laid down the groundwork. You should know," Maggie said warningly, "that I don't want to completely make-up."

Taking her by the elbow, Bobby stopped her. "What do you mean? You've been worked up about not getting along with her and you don't want to make-up?"

"Maybe I didn't say it right. I want us to talk without it turning into a lecture on becoming a lawyer, but I don't want to be too friendly. Get it?"

"No." He waited patiently for her to explain, thinking it was probably one of those women things he would never be able to understand.

"My Mom doesn't know how to go part-way." Maggie didn't know if he could understand either but tried anyway. "She'll want to be pals."

"And that's bad?" he prompted.

"Not bad, but really really not me. Last time she decided we should 'bond' she made me go shopping with her." Maggie shuddered. "We were out for hours, went to like twenty stores, and didn't buy a thing. It was horrible."

He knew he should stop there. He just knew it. But he was curious. "Was she looking for something specific?"

"Kinda. We were purse shopping. For me." She said it like it was something he should understand right away.

It took him some thought. "But you don't carry a purse, you have that bookbag that weighs a ton."

"Exactly." She nodded satisfactorily, point made.

Deciding that he should have stopped and just accepted, Bobby opened the door to the Formal Dining room. There were just too many people in the building for the kitchen or regular dining room. Luckily - as if he hadn't delayed calling Maggie for just that reason - Lorna had finished and was upstairs with Ororo getting ready to go shopping.

"I'll get you a plate, just sit down and relax." Bobby went to the sideboard where there was still some food left from the mountains that had been made.

Because she had been the last to sit down, Jean was still eating along with Betsy who had slept late. Warren, Scott, and Alex were just drinking coffee and talking.

Not far from Betsy, Maggie set her bag down on the opposite end of the table as she didn't want to interrupt.

Apparently Scott didn't mind. He paused their conversation to say in a friendly manner, "You don't need to stay so far away, Maggie. Come on and join us, I don't bite."

"Oh really?" A mischievous expression on her face, Maggie couldn't help teasing. "Poor Jean. Bobby bites in all the right places."

A peal of laughter erupted from Betsy as both Bobby and Scott flushed, followed immediately by Alex's guffaw and Warren's low laugh.

Jean however started choking as vivid images filled her mind of things she had never wanted to know about Bobby. At least she knew he was definitely over Lorna, but she was going to have to remember to shield more tightly in Maggie's presence.

Rushing over, Maggie pounded on her back until Jean was breathing properly again, then gave her the fountain drink she'd brought for her. "Here you go. Take a big drink and you'll feel better."

Gratefully, Jean did just that. Normal now, she couldn't bring herself to continue eating. The sausage link on her plate was just too much of a visual and there was no way she could put her fork in it. With the image of a naked Bobby still in her mind, just the thought turned her stomach. Standing, she decided to escape upstairs to get ready herself. It wasn't that she didn't like Maggie, but she did find her a bit unsettling. Jean did snag the Dr. Pepper though.

Seeing her about to go, Maggie stopped her. "If you're finished, I brought desert. Got a whole bag of candy and snacks."

"Oh, uh, maybe later." Jean demurred.

"Some Kisses for you," Maggie wheedled, "Snickers for Ororo, also Heath, Rolos, a couple Butterfingers, M&M's in plain, peanut, and almond, Twinkies, Moonpies, Chocolate Cupcakes, and Hostess Swissrolls." She paused thinking. "And some lottery tickets for your boss, couldn't forget the guy in charge. I think that's everything."

Betsy looked a bit disappointed. "No SweetTarts?"

"Oh yeah, got some of those too." Maggie beamed at her. "Didn't think I'd forget, did you?"

"I'll just bring them with me." Unable to resist, while looking through the grocery bag Jean asked curiously, "Do you remember everything everyone buys?"

"Not really," Maggie shrugged, "but it's easy to see what regulars like. I might have paid a bit of extra attention since you're Bobby's friends."

"I see." She again thought it was a little scary, but refrained from saying so, and hurried out with her hands full.

Setting a full plate in front of Maggie, Bobby took the chair beside her and they both dug in. He was about to bring up the idea of a movie again, but Maggie's phone started ringing from inside her pocket. He waited and was surprised she made no move to answer it. "Maggie, don't you think you should answer that? It could be your mother."

"Since I know it's not you, then it probably is." She didn't stop eating, barely pausing between bites to talk. "She's been calling since I talked to her yesterday."

"You finally talked to your mum?" Betsy asked.

"Bobby tricked me into it."

"I didn't trick you," he protested, gesturing with his fork. "I just encouraged you."

Betsy brushed that aside. If he'd gotten Maggie to talk to her mother than it was most likely through trickery, no matter what he wanted to call it. She was a little proud of him for that actually. "And you're still avoiding her so it didn't go well, I suppose."

"I'm not completely sure, haven't accepted her calls." Her plate was getting dangerously empty, so she slowed down a bit. "But Janice Gaines does not give up, not a good quality in a lawyer - even one not currently practicing. She'll keep trying until I answer. Maybe I'll talk to her tonight."

The men had resumed their conversation and hadn't been paying attention, but when she mentioned her mother's name Warren took notice. "Excuse me, but did you say Janice Gaines and lawyer? Not the corporate attorney."

"Yeah, that's her," she confirmed. "She's really bummed I'm not following in her footsteps."

"Janice Gaines." Warren shook his head. "It really is a small world."

"You know Maggie's mum, darling?" Crossing her legs, Betsy leaned back to sip her tea. She didn't need to rush off since she had declined the invitation to go shopping. A little out of character, but she had decided to have a lazy day at home instead.

"Not personally, but anyone who reads the business section of the paper has heard of her. She was involved in the big Jamison case, also Jerring vs. Rand, McMillan vs. Fitzroy. Think she did some consulting for Tony Stark, and Emma Frost was going to see about putting her on retainer when she dropped out of sight. Most of that made the papers."

"Sorry, I just read the sports," Scott said. "I leave the business to you and Charles."

"Me too," Alex added.

"This is kinda cool. Your mom's famous, Maggie." Bobby exclaimed.

She just shrugged it off. "I wouldn't know, she's just Mom to us."

"What do you mean by 'she dropped out of sight'?" Betsy asked.

"No one really knows." Warren frowned. "She hasn't had another high-profile case in a couple years. It's like she just stopped."

"That's because she did, and we really wish she'd go back to work." Maggie informed them. "Mom said she felt like she'd missed out on our lives, which I guess she sorta did. Uncle Mark invested most of her money so Mom and Dad have enough to live off of and she decided to take a break for a few years. She's driving us crazy."

"If or when she decides to go back to work, Janice Gaines will have plenty of offers waiting for her." Warren picked up his coffee cup, thinking he might be one of the ones to make an offer. With Maggie being involved with Bobby, he could get an inside track and wouldn't it be nice to get to her before Emma.

"Thanks, I'll mention that to Dad next time he says he wishes she'd get out of the kitchen. Mom's trying to do the mother thing and we don't have the heart to tell her she can't cook." Her face brightened considerably at the next thought. "And I might be able to use it if she starts lecturing me again or threatens to sue someone. Mom's always doing that."

"Since you said you're not going to talk to her until tonight - which I'm holding you to," Bobby warned, "let's talk movies. How about that new Matt Damon film you wanted to see?"

"Sounds good, but the theaters don't open for a couple hours. I'll need more breakfast to tide me over until the popcorn." She gave him an innocent look. "You were planning to take me to lunch, right?"

"Would I forget to feed you?" Bobby asked indignantly. "Like popcorn would be enough to fill you up."

"Still hungry?" Alex asked a little surprised as he'd seen the plate Bobby had given her and it had been really full. "Eat as much as you want. We have KP and we wouldn't mind if there was nothing to put in the fridge."

"It'll be a chore." Maggie sighed dramatically. "But I'll do my best."

They couldn't help laughing.

Plans made for the afternoon and lots of food in her future, Maggie found it easy to ignore what Nicole had told her. But it stayed in the back of her mind, a shadow interfering in her enjoyment. She would find a way to fix things at work without involving her mother, just as she'd planned. She didn't know how yet, but she would.

Being here made her more determined. These were good people and didn't deserve to be discriminated against, even if it was just by a jerk at a convenience store. So she would do what she could, not only for her but for them too.

to be continued.


note:
And the plot moves on! Do you sometimes forget there actually IS a plot? I do.

Next chapter! Let's see... Fun, Maggie's mom, Charles, and ice-cream are the basics.

Okay, a little change in the posting schedule. Don't worry, it's a good thing. Next week is my birthday and I'll be posting 4 days in a row (schedule is on my bio). One of those days will be chapter 1 of "The Journey Home". So ch9 of "Ordinary People" will be out in two weeks like usual, butthe week after will be ch2 of Journey. Yes, I will be alternating weeks. This will give me time to finish the next story and I'll be able to start posting it the week after I finish one or the other of OP or Journey. I suppose I could go to OP every week, then Journey every week after, but I thought this way would be better. If enough people tell me they would rather wait to get Journey so as to get all of OP faster, I can do that. But I don't think it will happen once the first chapter is posted.

Last thing, a reminder to those who post anonymously, as in either not logged in or do not leave an email address. I can't respond that way. Don't think I don't appreciate the review, but I have no way to let you know that personally if the review is anonymous. Thank you all very very much for taking the time to review everyone!

Thanks for reading and the support,
Dizi