[Mystique]

Mystique's attention was caught when Siryn mentioned the name of Black Tom; enough that it even showed on her face, changing her expression to one of definite interest. Now that was a name she knew. It was one she hadn't heard in awhile, but it was definitely one she was familiar with. 'Black Tom' had been a member of the Brotherhood once upon a time. He'd disappeared without a trace (well, there may have been a trace or two, but the population of the Brotherhood tended to fluctuate and looking for a stray black sheep was hardly at the top of Raven's list of priorities. Besides, people who couldn't take care of themselves didn't stay in the Brotherhood for long) awhile back. The excuse that had been given was that he was going to look for a supposed daughter, to bring her here into the fold. Mystique had only partially believed him, and when he never came back she assumed that either it had been an excuse for him to run off, or that he'd been caught doing something he shouldn't by the authorities. Had she been overly concerned about it being the latter? Not really. If one of her people got captured while out on Brotherhood business then some reasonable effort might be expected to retrieve them (not that that had happened yet), but if they got caught doing something stupid while on their own time then they could fend for themselves.

But apparently he hadn't been lying about having a daughter...

Mystique looked Siryn over a little more closely. There was no resemblance that she could see, but that meant nothing. Funny how life worked sometimes though, that the father disappeared trying to find her and she managed to find her way here on her own. The girl's name had been mentioned before, and if Raven thought back maybe she could remember it....

”I know that name.” she said once the correct memory presented itself. ”Your father was part of us at one point in time. He mentioned you briefly, but not by the name you're using now. So... you're Terry then?”

[Siryn]

In spite of the scary blue woman, in spite of terrifying new situations, in spite of a sense of second guessing herself creeping up on her at all times...Terry's smile when she suddenly realised that Mystique knew her father? Absolutely fucking radiant.

Oh, it had taken a certain amount of time to come about. Initially, Terry hadn't even really managed to absorb the information, it was just too unlikely, and she had looked blankly at Mystique. But as the blue woman went on, the potential slowly dawned on her and she looked surprised.

Of course it was hard to believe - what were the odds? What was the statistical likelihood of a separated father and daughter accidentally joining the same terrorist organisation and not managing to be members at the same time? But then Mystique asked her if she was Terry, the nickname that her father had given her, and it was in that moment that it became real to her.

The redhead, of course, looked delighted. Even if her father clearly wasn't a member of the Brotherhood anymore this was still a connection. And, actually, she was inclined to take it as a sign that she was doing something right. Her father would approve, surely, of her joining the same group as him. Maybe he'd even be proud.

(Perhaps as a safety mechanism in her head, Terry didn't try to think through the implications of him also having left the group.)

No, Terry was more excited and eager than anything else, her previous nerves fleeing her, driven out by her sheer enthusiasm. "Aye, Terry, that's his name fer me!" And everyone else's, really, but Black Tom had been the first.

Suddenly, strong longing stabbed through her. Oh, she missed her Da. Sure, it was nice to have this connection, but that was because she was grasping at straws now. Any connection felt good. But it also highlighted just how little idea she had of where he might be now. "...do ye know why he left? Or where he went?"

[Mystique]

The smile that Siryn gave her at the mention of her father couldn't have lit her face up any brighter if someone had turned on a light bulb. And Raven knew immediately that it had been right to mention the connection, and if the girl was feeling any doubts about staying here, that this if anything would keep her from leaving, if played correctly. For while Raven was still in the 'wait and see' phase of whether Terry would be a productive member of the Brotherhood, the girl knew about them now, she knew their location, and Raven wanted her here where an eye could be kept on her until she could be evaluated.

So on this note, she was more than happy to answer when Terry questioned her regarding Black Tom. ”Unfortunately I don't know where he went, but I do know why. He wanted to find you.” Raven said to the young woman. ”He was going to find you and bring you back here to the Brotherhood. He'd thought it the best thing for you.” Whether this was entirely true Raven wasn't sure, but it sounded good and Tom himself wasn't here to accuse her of lying. ”That was some time ago though. I haven't heard a word from him since he left so I have no idea where he could be. I thought maybe he'd found you and had decided not to come back, that maybe the two of you were happily settled somewhere.” Raven commented with a shrug. To be honest, she hadn't spared much thought to Black Tom since he left. He would either come back or he wouldn't. Raven had too much going on to worry about a member who'd taken off on his own. But Terry didn't need to know that.

A little smile crossed her face. ”I think he would be pleased that you found your way to us.”

[Siryn]

Predictably, Terry looked dejected when Mystique said she did not know Tom's exact location. Disappointment was natural after her excitement, after she'd gotten her hopes up. But the hesitancy of before, the caution, it was all pretty much vanished by now. In its place there was a strange sort of security, this relief that she'd made a decision her father would have been proud of.

He had once been in the Brotherhood. And now Terry was. He had to approve of that. He had to and that was more of a balm for Terry's soul than anything anyone else could have said. So though she sighed and bit her lip, looking down towards her toes and tucking red hair behind an ear...she was steadier now. Even disappointed, she suddenly felt more like she belonged here than she previously had.

"I do nae like the idea of him out there lookin' fer me," she said, practically in a whisper. She bit down harder on her lower lip, almost drawing blood, but in spite of the pain a thought occurred to her and she brightened, looking up at the beautiful blue woman. Even if her father wasn't here, he cared. He'd gone looking for her. And even if she'd lost him now, she hadn't lost him forever.

"But when he does nae find me, surely he'll come back here," Terry pointed out, stating the rather painfully obvious, but her face was so lit up with hope that she didn't care. She flushed with a very obvious and very innocent sort of pleasure when this stranger stated that she thought her father would be proud of her and she fidgeted happily on the spot, like a too excited kitten that didn't quite know what to do with itself. "Well, it must say a lot about how alike we are," she replied happily. "That we both ended up at the same place. At different times, fer sure, but still."

Oh, this had been reassuring. Terry had hope, now, hope and a purpose to be here. In spite of her nerves around this woman, she beamed at her. "Thank ye...fer tellin' me this, I mean. I will nae let ye down." Not Mystique and certainly not her father.

[Mystique]

”I wouldn’t worry.” Mystique said when Siryn expressed concern over her father. And that was a familial relationship that she just couldn’t wrap her mind around. This nervous, seemingly nice, innocent little thing, was the daughter of Black Tom? The girl must take after the mother, because Raven couldn’t see a bit of her father in her, in either looks or temperament. ”You know him. He can handle himself.”

Siryn’s pleasure at Mystique’s words almost made her question the wisdom of keeping the girl here. She was almost like a little puppy, happy at having pleased her person somehow. And Mystique couldn’t help but wonder if Siryn could really fit in here. This wasn’t her brother Charles’ school, that functioned like a halfway house for any mutant who wanted sanctuary. The Brotherhood did welcome mutants, yes, but they were expected to be useful in working towards Erik’s goal of mutant supremacy. And she didn’t know if Siryn would be willing or able to handle some of the things they did. Well, there was only one way to find out, wasn’t there? And if Siryn didn’t work out, well, Mystique would keep her anyway, at least until Black Tom returned. And then he could deal with his daughter.

For the meantime however, she looked approvingly at young Terry. ”I do see it as a good sign, yes. And you are most welcome. I will enjoy seeing family members reunited.” Mystique took a sip of her coffee, and was glad to find it still hot. ”Has Quicksilver shone you to a room yet? I can if he hasn’t. Those are on the third floor. I live on the fourth floor. There is an intercom system that can be used to reach any of the floors, or you may come up if something is needed.” Raven preferred that people not disturb her in her apartment unless absolutely necessary, but Siryn was new and seemed like she was going to need some guidance, so she would make exceptions in this case.

[Siryn]

Until now, Terry had never been the sort to worry. She had been too silly, too selfish, too much someone who lived in the moment. It had never occurred to her to worry about the future, or indeed the past. It wasn't until that ability to have concerns, to fret, to obsess over how vulnerable solitude was had actually snuck up upon her that she had even realised what worry felt like.

And that was why she had joined the Brotherhood. To try and fix this squirming, unhappy feeling inside of her, the part that was all restless and miserable and breathlessly terrified about what tomorrow might bring. Terry, who had previously been a simple creature, was overwhelmed by the complexity of worrying about the future and that was why she'd been making rash decisions. Too many of them.

It wasn't so much Mystique telling her not to worry that temporarily calmed the sea-sick feeling within as the revelation that it felt as if she was actually meant to be here. The memory of her father walked these self-same halls that Terry had now found herself within. It...reassured her and Terry seemed to finally remember how to breathe. As if to prove that, she took a deep breath and steadied herself, nodding at Mystique's words.

"Ye're right," she agreed, not seeming to realise that someone as confident and intelligent as the blue woman almost certainly didn't need someone like Terry to 'confirm' her words. "He's my Da. He always knows what ta do."

Childish faith in a father figure. That alone highlighted just how young Terry was. Well, that and the tentatively enthusiastic desire for approval that radiated from so much of her behaviour as she peered shyly up at Mystique through her eyelashes, all the signs of hero worship starting to be born in her behaviour. Even if the woman was still absolutely terrifying.

"I already have a room, but thank ye fer thinkin' o' me," she said, surprised by how helpful her new boss lady seemed to be. Maybe her nerves had been misplaced. After all, Quicksilver was alarming, but he'd also given her this new home. And now her new boss seemed to be trying to make sure she was all set up for her new life here. How kind they all were.

(Oh, Terry...)

"And I'll keep that in mind. How ta reach ye, I mean." Terry smiled, ruefully. "I'll try ta nae bother ye with any stupid questions."