Log File 2018.02.24

Val and Kevin drove up to the X-Men Estate in the obnoxiously red Dodge Durango that he'd worked on with her brother to make it functioning. Everything looked intimidating as they drew close, the guilt at having been MIA regardless of the reasons weighing on them both in their own ways. Layla probably knew, but they were taking that for granted-- it wasn't her that met them at the gate though, it was Ruby. The human appearing aspect looked displeased as she crossed her arms over her chest, waiting for an explanation as to the presence of the two of them now.

Kevin kept close to Val, protectively out of habit, until dismissed to bring the vehicle up to the estate while she walked up with Ruby to 'talk' one-on-one. He couldn't deny Ruby's words as he left to bring the vehicle up as the gates opened and leave the two women to talk. It's not like either of them had expected a fanfare welcome home, the fact that they hadn't been turned away was probably the best they could expect.

Val didn't really get much of a talk as she'd like...Ruby wasn't in the mood. She'd only briefly answer the question asked regarding Layla and Mal-- there was no way for her to have known what had happened to him since the incident at the Pyramid. Then again, it had hardly been fair to let the rest of them think they were dead for months as if nothing had happened either. She'd gone downstairs to speak to Layla and Mal-- only to stop dead in her tracks seeing his body in the medlab with Layla by his side. Layla looked at her for a long moment in silence before giving a flat 'congratulations' to her unborn child. There wasn't much more she cared to say right then and Val left it at that to go upstairs to Kevin's old room and settle in...then cry as the guilt couldn't be contained anymore.

As Kevin got the Durango parked, he picked up the bare essentials in bags to bring inside, leaving the rest to deal with tomorrow. It was then that Max appeared in front of him, stating the obvious about being alive...but the tone neutral, neither harsh nor pleasant. The last he'd seen of Max had been over the Mediterranean Sea and the chaos of events that unfolded. They'd both had their own part in those events while under Apocalypse's influence. They both had their own issues to deal with since then too. It was a neutral 'welcome back' before the young man vanished again, leaving Kevin alone once more. It probably was the most of a welcome as he'd be likely to get at this point-- he had his part to play in the decision of keeping low and off the grid. He'd find Val in his old room working to hold back more tears and get comfortable as they settled in for the night.

#ValerieSilva #KevinSilva #RubyLarkin #LaylaHarper #MaxwellWinters