[hr][hr] [center] [img]https://i.imgur.com/swV4s1J.png[/img] [hr] [color=b71d5d]Location:[/color] Two Sisters [color=b71d5d]Skills:[/color] Enhanced Reflexes (Passive) [/center] [hr][hr] School would be going on break soon. Andy had plans to go to Magneto’s...her home. She had plans to go home. She’d hitch a ‘ride’ with Dorian and Danni. It was very convenient that they lived next door to her. Andy was determined to spend some time with them over the break. She had a lot of plans. Andy had made an appointment with Dr. Whitehall as soon as she could. There was a lot she wanted to talk about. It was nice that the feeling of ‘you can’t talk about this’ was completely gone. Meeting Max, the others and more importantly Magneto had made it feel less like she had to hide who she was. When Andy thought about it she had been hiding who she really was basically her whole life. Now that Selene was in Max’s hands and not Andy’s responsibility anymore she felt it was safer to talk about. Divulging that your mother was personally responsible for genocide was not something she had wanted to get into before learning that Max, James, and Casper had brought back almost everyone that had been lost. That was a relief. It also was now completely public knowledge that she had been on Genosha and fought for it. She had revealed that during the Contest. Andy knocked on Dr. Whitehall’s door and waited for permission to enter. She was a couple of minutes early for their meeting so she didn’t expect to be let in immediately. It was possible Dr. Whitehall was with another student. Andy hoped not. It could be awkward if she was. Dr. Whitehall had watched the contest. She promised she would and she was always one to keep her promises. She didn’t make them lightly as that could break the bond held between therapist and client. So she watched Excelsior wipe the floor with the Hex Girls and watched, in mild concern and horror, during the Young Avengers fight with the Entity. She could only imagine how some of them were feeling. She didn’t expect to hear from any of them, it was always their choice and she made it clear the first time, while mandatory, did not mean they had to continue. So when she received word from Andy about wanting a session, she felt a touch of pride, especially in her. Admitting you need help, wanting to talk about tough subjects, it was brave. She was preparing for said session when she heard the knock. Andy was early. [color=968dd5]”Come in!”[/color] Dr. Whitehall stood up in preparation for Andy, allowing the girl to sit where she wanted. The office was different than last time. This time it was what Dr. Whitehall’s office normally looked like. Warm colors spread throughout, two comfortable armchairs and a sofa, a small coffee table with some magazines, fidget spinners, coloring supplies, and books. A large bookcase that held heavy subjects in psychology, psychiatry, and sociology as well as some fiction books, some self-help novels, and a few children’s books about gender identity, bullying, and other various subjects. [color=968dd5]”Nice to see you again Andy. Please, take a seat anywhere.”[/color] [color=b71d5d]”Hi Dr. Whitehall.”[/color] Andy greeted and sat down in one of the armchairs. She had looked over the room as she sat, picking up one of the quieter fidget toys. She liked having the things to play with but didn’t like the noise some of them made. [color=b71d5d]”It is crazy a lot has happened since the last time I talked to you. No joke. I need to do some explaining before I can even get into what I finally feel like I can talk about.”[/color] Andy was smiling. Maybe it was the joy of winning the contest or something else, but she looked relieved. Like a huge weight had been taken off of her shoulders. She still had the nervous energy about her, and worry and fear were bubbling in the back of her mind, but it wasn’t like before. Before it seemed like she was waiting for a grenade to go off. Dr. Whitehall sat in the other armchair, one leg over the other. [color=968dd5]”Yes, a lot has happened. Congratulations on your win. You all should be very proud of yourselves. You seem to be in great spirits which is wonderful to see. So, please, the floor is yours.”[/color] [color=b71d5d]”Thank you! I am very proud, of everyone on the team. Alright, first some context. So, as I mentioned the first time I came that I had time traveled here from 2021. That was from just after the fall of Genosha. My mother is Selene. She’s the one who tried to basically destroy the world. We stopped her. Then I came here with Zari. Well when we left we didn’t say anything to anyone. We just had to go. Right then or never. So I joined her. Probably not the best choice, but I am happy I came. I don’t know what would have happened if I hadn’t come and I don’t really want to think about it. Not important. But I had my mom trapped in some sort of magical rubix cube thing. But she changed into this doll. She could sort of interact with the world. I was always afraid she’d get out somehow. Anyway, at first I was hiding all of that. I wasn’t telling anyone. But after I talked with you I did tell Dorian. His parents are friends of mine from Genosha, and before. So we go to the contest right, but we’re staying at Dorian and Danni’s place in New Orleans. So both of their parents, are old friends of mine, and it is the first time I’ve seen them since the fall of Genosha. Turns out they thought I was dead. No one had really believed that Zari was from the future. Well Max, he’s a big shot wizard guy now, was able to trap my mom so I don’t have to worry about her right now. Oh, she’ll definitely come back and be an issue in the future, but right now, I am not worried some powerful wizard is going to show up and sacrifice people to her to free her. Or something equally unhinged.”[/color] Andy paused and took a few deep breaths. During her little speech she had been playing with the fidget or kicking her feet. Dr. Whitehall listened carefully. This was clearly important for Andy to unload and, from the sounds of it, a lot of pressure and stress had been on her shoulders for a while. Once it appeared she settled, Dr. Whitehall spoke up. [color=998dd5]”That is a lot to process for myself so I can only imagine how you are feeling about it. I know we talked a bit about you time traveling and coming here with Zari, but it is nice to get further context. I am happy to hear some pressure has been taken off of you. Maybe you can share a little insight for me. How does it feel to have that pressure from your mother taken off your shoulders, albeit for some time?”[/color] [color=b71d5d]”It is like I was Atlas and suddenly that weight is all gone. I was so afraid. All the time. I couldn’t do or think about anything but the possibility of her getting free. When the thing with Arcade happened. We died. I mean that. We all died. I only came back because Ardere touched me. I was an energy vampire and I ate her soul to save my life. I don’t feel bad for it. Not really. But good news! Turns out that was a curse mom put on me and Max took me to this voodoo guy in New Orleans and he removed the curse. I am no longer an energy vampire. I cannot eat souls anymore. I was so afraid of becoming like mom because of that. That’d I’d be willing to do that to people, not just accidentally, or anything, but [i]want[/i] to do that. Because I came back though, Zari and I were able to go back in time and save everyone. So I don’t regret it, not really. I’m sorry she died, but I didn’t have control over that. And I saved everyone else. The point though is if I hadn’t come back. If I had died. Who would have protected Selene? I don’t mean she needs protection. The world needs protection from her. We have to keep her contained. But this was before Max and them knew I was alive. They wouldn’t have known. It was stupid of me to leave without saying anything, but I didn’t have a lot of a choice. I should have reached out as soon as I was here though. I feel like yeah I’m still scared that Selene can come back at any moment. But with MU we stopped her once we can do it again. Alone...I can’t. Just like the contest. I couldn’t have won that fight if I had been the only one to stay. Without April and Dorian we wouldn’t have won. I can’t do things alone. I was trying to do that.”[/color] Andy admitted. She hoped that answered the question. She hadn’t even finished telling Dr. Whitehall everything yet. She wanted to tell her how she had reunited with Magneto, but she was already bouncing around a lot in her explanation. [color=998dd5]”Admitting we need help can be a heavy burden, especially when you have had to shoulder a lot of things by yourself. And it is never a bad thing to admit it later in life. I am happy to hear you have such strong supports behind you. It sounds like you’ve processed a lot of this already, but having this space to have it settle is important. Please, continue. I get the sense there’s more you want to say, but feel free to take a moment if you need it. I can also get some tea or coffee if you want.”[/color] Andy nodded, [color=b71d5d]”There is more. So I reunited with Danni and Dorian’s parents, which was a big thing. I missed them a lot. But it turns out that their neighbor is my adoptive father.” “While on Genosha, before I knew that Selene was mother, Magento adopted me. I was in a bad place at the time and just going with the flow. The Drummonds had...”[/color] Andy paused and took a deep breath. [color=b71d5d]”Actually let me start there. My last Christmas was 2020, just before M-Pox. I was living with the Drummonds. They had taken me in two years prior and they were planning on legally adopting me. It was a bit of a battle because legally...I was a runaway. They were really struggling to get it to work, but that Christmas they finally had the paperwork approved. We were going to finalize it.”[/color] Andy’s hands were shaking. [color=b71d5d]”Some Purifiers broke into their Gym. They burned the gym down. With the Drummonds inside. I got out. I fought them and ran. After that I met up with the MU. Everything just was in so much chaos. I didn’t have any breathing room. I was just going from one insane thing to another. But here, with the MU, I was somewhere safe. Somewhere that wanted to protect me. I had seen Magneto fight for his daughter, Polaris. He had tore the building we were in down around us to get to her. No one had done that for me. Not ever. The Drummonds probably would have.”[/color] She paused again looking up at the ceiling. [color=b71d5d]”I haven’t told anyone, not a single person. Not even Zari. About what happened to the Drummonds. But there I was on Genosha. Finally feeling a little bit of security and Magneto offered to take me in. Offered to be my family. He swore to protect me.”[/color] Her eyes watered and tears fell. [color=b71d5d]”This was before anything had even happened on Genosha. Before we ever had to defend it. Before I knew who I was. He didn’t care. He saw some scared kids and took them in. Later, during the fight with Selene.”[/color] She smiled at the memory. [color=b71d5d]”He yelled at her to unhand [i]his[/i] child. He defended me. He protected me. I felt so bad for leaving and not saying anything. I was so afraid I’d find out that he had died. He was old back then. But he is alive. He is healthy. He lives next door to Dorian and Danni. I saw him. We talked. I’ll be going [i]home[/i] to him.”[/color] She started crying again. This time instead of the intense grief that she had over the Drummonds it was relief and happiness that she cried with. Dr. Whitehall reached over to move a tissue box closer to Andy, if she needed it. Dr. Whitehall knew of Magneto, knew the polarizing views on him and mutant-kind. Despite the progress made, there was still hatred. [color=998dd5]”I am so sorry to hear what happened to your family, Andy. Given how young you were and going through that, no child should ever, but the world is unkind, especially to mutants and the like. But you powered through it and found a home. And found family. To have someone willing to stand not just by you, but for you, can be so rewarding, especially after so many hardships. And in all that time you were never able to just be a kid. So I hope with your mother being safely squared away for the time being and you being reconnected with your adoptive father you can make time to enjoy yourself and let yourself breathe. You deserve that.”[/color] Andy took some of the offered tissues and dabbed at her eyes, trying not to mess up her make up. She nodded at what Dr. Whitehall was saying. She hadn’t been able to feel normal since she was eight when she found out she was a mutant. She had lived in fear for so long. Andy wasn’t even certain she knew what it meant to be a kid. [color=b71d5d]”I remember when he showed up for Polaris I was jealous. I wanted that. I wanted someone who cared that much about me. The Drummonds tried. They really did. And in a world where they survived and I never left Rochester I would have been happy. God it would have been a good life. A quiet life. I’m sure there is some universe where it happened. I am okay not being in that universe though. Because I’ve worked for this one.”[/color] She then bit her lip. [color=b71d5d]”There is one more thing I think I should tell you. I never talked to Zari about anything. She left before I could. I shouldn’t be surprised. She left Genosha without saying goodbye. So I figure she sort of broke up with me. Now...well I’m trying out some things. I won’t say anything is serious, but it is nice to try things.”[/color] [color=998dd5]”Sometimes we have people in our life for brief periods and that doesn’t make it any less valuable. And being open to trying new things is great. And it is within your power to define what that looks like with others. Boundaries are still important and communication is key, but I don’t have to tell you that, I’m sure.”[/color] Andy smiled. She had had a bit of a roller coaster of emotions during this session, but she seemed settled now. Like telling someone everything had made it something she was past and done with. There were still bits of doubt, worry, fear, and guilt, but in general Andy was happy. Originally Andy had had a ‘kicked puppy’ look about her. Maybe it was finding her family and friends, maybe it was winning the contest, who knew what actually had made it happen, but she wore the confidence of the ring outside of it now. She was comfortable with who she was. Something she had never been before. [color=b71d5d]”Thank you Dr. Whitehall. I will keep that in mind. I don’t think I could have quite figured it all out without your help. I didn’t have anyone that I felt would listen to me. I do feel like I have those people now. Between the Kingston-Gray household and having my dad back in my life. I know that I have people who would stand by me through literally the end of the world. But I don’t know if I would have gotten this far without your help. I don’t think I would have told Dorian that his parents were my old friends. That was a delight.”[/color] [color=998dd5]”I am glad I could be of help, but this was also very much your achievement too. Being able to ask for help and then use the help can be difficult and you made those choices. And now you get to enjoy your time with your friends and family. The door to healing never closes fully, either.”[/color] Andy nodded. [color=b71d5d]”Yeah, but I figure I should still say thank you to the people who helped me get here.”[/color] She stood up. [color=b71d5d]”I’ll come back. I know I sort of just went over a lot of context today, but it was important. You had to know certain things to understand. I probably should have told you some of it the first time. But I wasn’t ready. I’ve also been talking with my dad. He’s helping a lot. I’m thankful I found my family again. We may have only been a family for a short time, but that is okay. Blood isn’t what makes family.”[/color] She smiled and left.