Everything Important

Chapter Seven: Promises and Consideration

Scott saw Abair, sitting on one of the barstools that lined the kitchen counter. He was reading one of the small, square screenplays from the library. He looked like he was about halfway through the play. Scott knew they had a few moments – as Rogue was getting ready for yet another date – and she had been investing more and more time in to the process.

"Can we talk?" Scott asked as he eased in to the room.

"And how." Abair replied, not looking up. "Not real sure you ever do anything else."

"I'm serious – I want to talk to you."

"So talk. I can listen and read." He said, not looking up from the play.

Scott wasn't prepared for this.

"Is that how you go through life, half listening?" And half-assed?

"It's better than going through with blinders on." Abair threw his finger in to Scott's face, motioning to his visor, but he never looked up from the play he was reading.

"What the hell is your problem – Herbert?" Scott asked, backhanding his finger away and mocking him with the literal pronunciation of his name.

And Scott realized too late that he had done it again. He had been suckered in to talking down to Abair and set off his 'authority figure' alarm. And now he's gonna push back.

Abair stepped off the stool and snatched Scott up by the front of his sweater with both hands. He spun fluidly, as though on skates, towards the corner of the room and slammed Scott in to the wall, pinning him in place. A fire raged behind his eyes and Scott could tell he was fighting the desire to go ballistic

"Okay, you really want to know? I'll tell you." He seemed to be bearing his teeth as he talked. "She got a head full of you with that power of hers, on some field trip that she told me about."

"During the snowstorm. I remember."

"No you don't." He growled. "You passed out. She told me." He let got of Scott's shirt, but didn't step off – keeping Scott's back to the wall.

"She touched you and took your mind as you passed out. She became you and you became her. You follow?"

"I know how her powers work." Scott sneered.

"Do you know how many people she's absorbed?" He asked, menacingly.

Scott balked. He had no idea.

"I didn't think so." Abair countered. "I know it's gone to triple digits. Broke a hundred."

Scott registered his amazement.

"And you're," He toned his voice down and stepped closer so as not to be broadcasting it around the mansion. "You're the only person she ever absorbed fully – who took over her body – and took care of her."

"What?" He had lost the thread of the conversation completely.

"You took over her body and defended her. Saved her." He cast a glance around the room to be sure that they're still alone. "And no one else, not even her mother, ever looked out for her like that."

Scott seemed stunned. "What's this got to do with you and me?" He asked.

"Okay." He spoke in a hushed tone. "First off, she's been intimate with you in a way she hasn't with me. You dig?"

Scott hesitated. There was a point in there somewhere, he just never saw it before.

"And secondly." He seemed really pissed. "If you were her, mistreated, manipulated, lied to – and that was just by her family – infected with the mental trauma of other peoples memories, and you find a man who is the exact opposite of all that – who looks out for you, " He seemed to consider his words very carefully. "How could she not love you?"

"What?" Scott shook his head and spoke louder than he intended. He lowered his voice and repeated himself. "What?"

"You didn't know." He could read it in his face and Rogue had told him as much. "Alright."

He took one half step backwards, allowing Scott some breathing room.

"You want to make it right?" Abair asked him.

"How?" Scott eyed him warily.

But it slowly dawned on Scott that not only was Abair right, but he should have seen it himself long before now.

"I know a way." Abair smiled sideways. "Of course, I'll have to take your word as a fact."

"You can." Scott told him, hardening his jaw. "Ask around."

Abair smiled. "If there comes a day, when both you and Rogue are single, " He paused and tried to meet Scott's eyes behind his glasses. "Just promise me you'll give it a chance." He said softly. "She deserves to be with someone who looks out for her." He shook with an inner rage and breathed heavily, obviously hating the idea himself.

"I'm with Jean."

"I understand that." He got right in Scott's face. "I'm – with - Rogue." He explained through his clenched teeth.

"But," Abair said, calming himself down "All I'm asking for is your word that - if that changed, and Rogue was available, that you grant her – a fair consideration." He said at last, having been hunting for the right words.

"This is one of the weirdest conversations I've ever had." Scott told him.

"You want to make this right, or not?"

"Isn't she a little young for me?" Scott asked.

"I'm a year older than you." Abair told him.

Scott seemed to consider this. "Are you sure – that my promising this – will FIX our problems?" He gestured between them as to be sure that Abair knew what he was saying.

"I'd rather think of what could be than the disappointments of the past." He said. "I'd also like to think that you would have been considerate of her feelings had you been aware of them."

Scott looked away, still cornered, but no longer feeling threatened.

"I would have been." Scott said at last. I should have been. He thought.

Abair stepped back and took a deep breath. "Listen, I wish you the best, you and Jean, but it's been my experience that things end – and when they do, new things have to begin – or we stagnate and we die." He seemed to be speaking from the heart. "All I want is your promise that should you both be at an ending you will help each other not to stagnate and die."

Abair was being condescending, but Scott could tell he was trying to make the promise more palatable – less of a betrayal of Jean and more of an affirmation of life.

"If and when." Scott told him. "If it makes things better between us, then yes, I can promise my … what did you call it?"

"Consideration." Abair reminded him.

Scott grinned, a crooked, awkward grin. "This is the weirdest thing I've ever promised." He said, reaching out and shaking Abair's hand.

A light flashed behind Abair's eyes. "Just make sure it's after I'm gone." He grinned back, squeezing Scott's hand tightly. "No jumping the gun … Scooter." He pushed the hand away as he let go it, snatched up his screenplay and went off to look for another place to read.

Scott shook his head in confusion. There's just no pleasing some people. He thought, and after Abair left the room, he lowered himself on to one of the stools and leaned on the counter. And to his surprise he laughed out loud. First at himself, and then again, at his very odd lifestyle.