Hank awoke, confused and laid very still, listening to his surroundings. It felt like there was water in his ears as he tried to focus on the whispered voices he could hear. "Are there any others?" "None that haven't been taken care of already." "Good, we'll see you tomorrow then," the woman then said and he heard someone go through a door and down steps. He took an inventory of his current state of well being. His head was throbbing and his right side was very painful, he could feel sharp pain in his right arm, side and chest and gasped in pain when he tried to move a little. He heard soft little footsteps and froze, keeping his eyes closed, feigning sleep. "AJ!" the woman's voice called, "get out of there," she continued in a whisper and Hank heard the footsteps recede from him. "But mommy, I just wanted to meet him," a little girl's voice poorly whispered. "Maybe when he is better, but for now, stay out of that room," the mother said firmly, "why don't you play outside." Hank then heard the little girl sigh, "okay," and clop down the stairs as her footsteps became distant. He then listened to someone approach his side and pondered what to do. He felt them shift his arm gently and then smelled medication, terrified suddenly they were drugging him he roughly grabbed the arm near his and opened his eyes, staring at the woman next to him. Karen was startled when he grabbed her like that; pulling away the needle she had in her other hand and watched as he glared at her. "What are you doing?" Hank demanded his voice harsh and pained and felt a strange reassurance flood through him. "It's okay," Karen told him projecting reassurance and safety. "Stop that!" Hank growled at her sharply as he realized she was manipulating his mind somehow and was surprised when the feelings vanished. "You are hurting me," Karen told him gently, hoping he would release her and worried as to his reaction. Hank just glared at her, seeing her face clearly now, she didn't look scared, repulsed or disgusted and met his eyes directly. "No drugs!" he told her and watched as she nodded her head and placed the syringe on the table next to him. "Okay," Karen agreed and put the medication aside, hoping that would relax him enough to let her go, his vice grip really starting to hurt her. Hank slowly relaxed his grip on her arm watching her carefully to be sure she didn't go for the needle again. "Where am I?" he asked her. "You are in my guest room, in Neubrandenburg," Karen told him gently and pulled the chair forward from behind her and sat next to him, trying to calm him. Hank watched her take a seat and did a quick gaze around his surroundings, realizing he was in some bedroom, not a hospital room or laboratory. "Do you remember what happened?" the woman asked him and he struggled to remember what happened before. He was giving a lecture at the University and was on his conclusion when he heard smashing glass and the explosive fly in front of him. He dashed to grab it and then there was a loud explosion, pain and darkness. "There was an explosion," he told her, looking back to her as he felt her hand on his arm again, feeling the reassurance from her again, although it was much more subtle now. "What are you doing to me?" Hank asked her, realizing she was trying to be discrete about it. "I was trying to calm you a bit," Karen told him and stopped projecting to him. "I can feel your terror, fear and confusion. You are safe here," Karen told him gently. "Do you remember anything that happened after the explosion?" she asked him. Hank thought it over, remembering screams and the sounds of people fleeing. He remembered being stepped on and over and then someone grabbed him around the chest and started pulling him away from the flames. Hank opened his eyes to find her staring at him, not realizing he had closed his own, "Not really," he told her. Karen nodded to him, "well, I think you tried to toss the grenade out the window which is how you were injured so badly." Hank then looked to his right, seeing his chest, arm, side and upper leg bandaged. He tried to sit up for a better look and cried out a growl at the pain, breathing hard. He looked back to the woman after the pain receded a little and wondered now how he ended up in her bedroom. "My husband pulled you out of the lecture hall," Karen told him gently, "we brought you here because it's safer for you here. There were many injured in the blasts and resulting fire and the local hospitals were overrun with patients. We wanted to be sure everyone got the care that was needed." Hank listened to her carefully as he understood she must be a mutant, which would explain the manipulation he felt earlier and that they had brought him here, fearing he would not be cared for at the regular hospital. He then watched her carefully as she moved around his bed to his right side and gingerly lifted the bandage on his side checking what looked like a drain line. "I needed surgery?" he asked her as another wave of pain hit him, forcing his eyes closed and a strangled groan. "Yes, Doc Meyers removed the shrapnel and had to perform surgery on your spleen to control the bleeding," Karen told him quietly as she made her way back to his other side. "You have about 300 stitches and spider fractures in your right hand throughout your digital bones," she continued to explain to him. "You also suffered a concussion and a few 3rd degree burns, but it appears you are a fast healer. Steve was worried you might not make it with all the blood you lost but you are very stable now, which is why we moved you here," Karen told him hoping he would relax a little. Hank nodded to her understanding now he was seriously injured and wondering why no one had found him yet. "I'm Karen, by the way," Karen said as she retook her seat and placed her hands on his arm again, projecting reassurance and care. "I was about to give you another dose of morphine, you are overdue and I can sense your pain increasing. Will you allow me to do so?" Karen asked, wondering and hoping he was comfortable enough to allow her to give him some relief. "Henry McCoy," he told her, reaching with his left hand toward her and tried to smile a little as she took it and gave it a squeeze. "I know who you are Dr. McCoy," Karen told him and grabbed the syringe again, sensing his acceptance and need for relief. Hank closed his eyes as he felt her inject the medication through the IV in his arm, grateful as the medication started to flow and the pain eased a little.
He didn't even realize he had lost consciousness until he found himself opening his eyes again, feeling a tingle and pain in his chest. He found Karen working on his chest and flinched as she did something. "I didn't realize you were awake," Karen told him gently and discontinued her attempts on his burns, gently dressing the wound quickly before slipping into the half bath to wash her hands and returning to find him watching her. "Are you a doctor?" Hank asked her, surprised at the skill she displayed dressing his chest wound. "No, I'm a nurse," Karen told him and grabbed the ice water from the side table, placing a straw in it and pulled him up by the back of the neck, "try to drink a little." Hank followed her instructions and managed to down half the water in the cup before needing to rest. Karen then grabbed her pen and pad, "is there anyone I can contact for you? Let them know you are actually alright?" Hank looked back to her, confused what did she mean actually alright. "How long has it been?" he asked her, worried and curious as to what was going on that the professor hadn't located him yet. "It's been 6 days since the bombings," Karen told him quietly. "You were listed with the fatalities," she then told him and placed her hand on his arm to reassure him. "Why?" Hank asked, stunned and realizing that they wouldn't look for him if they thought he was dead. "The authorities believe the attack was directed at mutants and immediately announced you had died in the explosion and fire when they could not find your body," Karen explained, continuing her projections and feeling his shock and worry as she spoke. "There has also been a second attack, someone set fire to the laundry room at St. Luke's, the only hospital to have released their patient list. A few on that list were tagged as mutants. No one was hurt, but it was decided to feed the media disinformation to protect the rest of us," Karen explained to him, feeling his fear and anger as he then nodded to her. "So no one knows I am alive?" Hank asked her quietly. "No one other than those of us who already knew," Karen told him. "If you will give me the information I will gladly contact them. Or if you want I can get you the phone and you can call yourself," she said quickly and felt his pain increasing again. Hank thought about it and realized with a start he didn't know the phone number for Xavier's, who needs a phone when the most powerful telepath in the world is constantly in touch with your mind. He looked at Karen, hoping she wasn't going to think he was crazy or confused, "I don't know the phone number," he told her and saw her surprised expression. "You can't remember it?" she asked him, grabbing the pen light and flashing it in front of his eyes, searching for evidence of brain injury. Hank gently grabbed her hand, "No, I mean I do not know what it is," he told her and smiled a little at her confused expression. Hank sighed, pain increasing again, hoping she was just waiting to talk to him before another dose of pain killer. "I can look it up, under what name?" Karen asked him, confused why he wouldn't know the phone number, yet feeling he was being honest with her as she sat back down, grabbing the pen and pad again. "Xavier's Institute for Higher Learning," Hank told her quietly, "Westchester, New York." Karen jotted down the information and grabbed the syringe she had already prepared, pausing when he gently grabbed her hand again. "Insist on speaking only with the professor and tell him Beast is well," Hank instructed her hoping that would be enough for the professor to believe her. Karen nodded to him and then injected him again, watching as sleep took him before grabbing the note and heading downstairs.
Hank awoke again, hearing someone reading. He lay still a few minutes, listening to the voice, realizing he was reading Tolstoy aloud and smiled a little at the choice of entertainment. He opened his eyes, shocked to find himself in complete darkness, seeing a silhouetted figure next to him. "Are you awake?" the man whispered. "Yes," Hank said and listened as the book was set aside and the figure stood, flicking on the bedside lamp. Hank fought to readjust his sight, finding a man next to him. "Fred J'Khara," the man said and reached out his hand toward Hank's. Hank grabbed his hand awkwardly with his left and gave it a squeeze, "feeling better Dr. McCoy?" Hank nodded to him and watched as he just stared at him. Feeling uncomfortable at his stare Hank looked away. "Are you in a lot of pain? I can wake Karen if you need another shot," Fred told him gently. "Not that much," Hank said quietly, realizing he was in a lot less pain than before and wondering who this man was exactly. Fred sat back down, grabbing for the water Karen had left with him. "Want to try and drink a little water?" Fred asked him and moved forward and gingerly tried to help Hank get the straw to his lips. Hank carefully grabbed the cup at the bottom and directed it to himself, drinking the whole of the cup and staring at the distinct curved cuts on Fred's arms as he did so. Karen had said her husband pulled him out. Hank leaned back into the bed as he realized he must have clawed Fred when he was trying to save him. "I'm sorry I hurt you," Hank said quietly. "What? Oh," Fred said tracing the scabs on his arms with his hands before waving his hand in the air at him, "don't worry about that." Hank watched as Fred then sat next to him again with a grin on his face still not meeting his eyes, "I kinda like to think of them as my battle wounds," Fred said with a snicker. "Do you think you are up to eating some broth?" Fred then asked. Hank nodded to him and then added, "okay" when Fred remained in his place. "Karen fixed some before heading for some shut eye. She had a feeling you would be well enough soon," Fred said as he reached behind him for the thermos, finally brushing it and pulling it up in front of him then setting it on the chair as he stood and moved toward Hank. "Let's try to sit you up a bit," Fred said and gently helped Hank sit up in the bed. Hank struggled to sit up, his body protesting the movement and gasping; glad that his appearance was not so disturbing that Fred was willing to help him. He watched Fred pour some soup from the thermos and wondered if Fred knew what he was saving, figuring the room would have been full of smoke at that time. Fred carefully handed the hot cup to Hank, keeping his hand on the bottom of it until he was certain he wasn't going to spill it. Hank focused on his soup, feeling much better and grateful as its warmth filled his now rumbling hunger. He finished the whole of it and tried to smile at Fred when he reached for the cup. "Up for some more?" Fred asked him quietly and poured the remaining contents into the cup, handing it back to Hank. Hank sipped on it this time feeling increasingly awkward around Fred. "Thank you for saving me," Hank then said, hoping Fred realized he was grateful for their care of him. "Ah, no problem, it was pretty hectic in there. I'm just glad I heard you and could find you. Otherwise we both would have been well done," Fred told him with a grin and a laugh. Hank was a little confused as Fred spoke, his expression kind, yet he was still not making eye contact with him. "Was that Tolstoy you were reading?" Hank asked then, glancing at the book on the table when he realized Fred had been reading in the dark. "Yeah, well, I enjoy Tolstoy and Karen jokes that it puts everyone else to sleep. I figured it wouldn't hurt. I know I always liked to hear another's voice when recuperating," Fred said jokingly and grabbed the book off the table. Hank stared as he flipped it open to the marked page, brushing his fingers over the blank page and then closed his eyes feeling like an idiot as Fred reread the last passage. Here he was being bothered that Fred wasn't meeting his eyes not having realized Fred couldn't see his eyes. Of course that meant he couldn't have seen him either and suddenly grew a lot of admiration and respect for him, understanding that he found him after the explosion and pulled him to safety even after Hank must have injured him, thinking most anyone would have been too terrified to manage that, let alone a blind man.
"I'll be right back," Fred said suddenly and Hank watched as he headed directly to the door and quickly opened it. "You are supposed to be in bed you little rascal," Fred said as he bent down and scooped AJ up from the floor, throwing her on his hip and heading down the hall. Hank stared at the little girl he picked up, bright blond and very pale who waved at him with a smile as she was bounced down the hall. Hank could hear Fred instructing her to stay in bed and closing the door before coming back down the hall to the room Hank was in. "Sorry about that," Fred said quietly as he moved back to the side of the bed, "she's been dying to meet you since you arrived." Fred then reached to take the cup from Hank and Hank quickly drank the contents before handing it to him. "Do have you other children?" Hank asked quietly, suddenly aware of his situation as things caught up with him. These complete strangers saved his life, made sure he got proper medical attention and then took him into their home to protect him, knowing harboring him was a risk to them and their family. "No, just little AJ," Fred told him as he sat back down. "How old is she?" Hank asked, curious to know a little more of them. "She's six already," Fred told him with a grin, "and a very rambunctious little rascal," he continued a little louder and Hank then heard the little footsteps quickly receding down the hall. Hank grinned, amazed at Fred's sense of hearing. "Karen did leave me some medication in case you woke and didn't want any more morphine," Fred said gently as he opened the drawer and pulled out three bottles. "She said you would know which and how much was safe," Fred continued handing the bottles to Hank and pouring another cup of water as Hank read the labels. He pulled out four pills; grateful Karen had thought of this and took them with the water Fred had held out to him before gingerly shifting himself to lie on his back again. "She's had a hard time getting a hold of that professor of yours. Seems that he is a difficult one to catch. Is there anyone else we could try?" Fred asked as he heard him shift down in the bed again. "Not really," Hank told him, "is she getting an answer at all?" Fred nodded to him, "yeah, some Summers guy, he offers to take a message but won't put her through." Hank sighed; Cyclops the moron was playing phone call interference. "Next time you try tell Cyclops to put the professor on the damn line," Hank told Fred as his eyes started getting heavy.
Karen checked on her patient when she awoke again, finding him out and checked his healing wounds, happy with the progress of his recovery and headed downstairs. She waited for the coffee to finish brewing and poured herself a cup before picking up the phone again and dialing New York. She sighed when the same nitwit answered the phone and hoped Fred's suggestion would get her past this guy. "This is Karen J'Khara again, I would like to speak with the professor," she politely told him and rolled her eyes as he replied. "The professor is not available, I do not think he will be available at all today either Miss J'Khara. Would you like to leave a message?" the man told her yet again. "I was told to tell you to put the professor on the damn line Cyclops!" she said firmly and smiled at the pause on the other line. She listened as she heard movement on the line and grinned when another older man got on the phone. "This is Professor Charles Xavier, what do you want Miss J'Khara," the man said softly on the phone. "I wanted to let you know Beast is alive and well," Karen said quietly. "Where are you Miss J'Khara?" the man asked softly. "At home," Karen told him and rushed forward, not wanting to get held into a conversation, "look, I will have him contact you directly as soon as he is well enough to do so. But he is doing well and we are taking good care of him. Please understand that things are not very calm or safe here right now and I do not want to risk any additional information over the phone." Karen paused and heard the professor reply, "I understand, thank you," before hanging up the phone, a little bothered by that conversation.
Karen wandered back upstairs, checking on AJ before heading back to the guest room and taking care of her patient. She was finishing the dressing change when he began to wake, disturbed by the pain. Karen shifted her hand to his forehead projecting reassurance as she finished and he opened his eyes, breathing a bit quicker with the increased pain. Hank felt pain burning through his chest again and gasped as he awoke, confused, afraid and in pain. He felt someone brush his forehead and opened his eyes to find Karen over him. "It's okay," she told him in a gentle tone. "I had hoped to finish before you woke again. Guess I will have to get a little quicker for next time," she told him quietly and watched him continuing her projections. "Thank you," Hank told her, grateful she took the trouble to change the dressings while he was out, not really wanting to experience that although he was getting pretty curious for a more complete assessment of his own injuries. Karen removed her touch as she felt him relax and moved around the bed. "Do you want to try to sit up?" she asked quietly and moved to help him do so. He was shaking afterwards and Karen felt his increased pain but smiled at him when he looked to her after catching his breath. She held some water up for him and left him to drink it on his own as she entered the side half bath to wash her hands again. "I got a hold of that professor of yours finally, Dr. McCoy," Karen told him as she reentered and took his empty cup, smiling at the relief he felt when she brushed his hand. "I didn't tell him anything more than that you were well, but now that you are awake, I can bring you the phone and you can call him yourself," Karen told him as she refilled his water cup and pulled a few painkillers out for him to take. "Thank you," Hank told her, relieved she did finally get a hold of the professor and wondering how long it would take him to contact him, "but that won't be necessary." Hank took the pills with the water, noting there were only two and handed the cup back to her, feeling fear when she touched him. "What do you mean?" Karen asked, setting the cup down and placing her hand on his arm to sense his emotions. Hank sighed, thinking now he should have just taken her up on her offer, "Now that he knows I am alive, it will not take him long to contact me." Karen pulled her hand from him, scared and angry now, "Dr. McCoy," she began in a somber tone. "Please, call me Hank," Hank interrupted her, realizing he had upset and frightened her. "Hank," Karen continued in a matronly and slightly threatening and berating tone, "this is our home. Please tell me I won't regret helping you." Hank reached for her hand and smiled a little as she took it, feeling her fear and anxiety, "you are not in any danger," he told her, wondering if she could sense his sincerity. He noticed AJ hovering in the doorway as he did so and looked at her, "I promise you. Neither is your family." He then felt fear and annoyance as Karen followed his gaze before pulling her hand from his and moving forward to the door. He watched as she guided the little girl back down the hall away from the door and then closed his eyes when he heard the professor in his mind. /Henry, are you alright?/ the professor asked. Hank smiled a little, /yes, I am in Neubrandenburg and being well cared for. It will probably be a few more days until I am well enough to travel./ /Are you safe? Cyclops and Storm can be there in a few hours/ the professor sent. /I am very safe right now, although I am not sure as to the current climate in the area. I think it is best to wait a few more days/ Hank sent back wondering if the professor was picking up on his worries for his hosts.
Karen rushed to intercept AJ and guided her away from the guestroom, giving her instructions to get dressed, ready for school and watch some TV. She was headed back to the guest room when she felt something brush her mind, /I am Charles Xavier/ she heard and immediately locked her thoughts into song and focused on the image of a brick wall in her mind. /Get out of my head jerk!/ she thought, trying to send a little empathetic pissed off with it and felt the presence recede immediately. Hank heard Karen stomping back toward him down the hall when he heard, /I think I may have upset her./ He watched as Karen entered the room and slammed the door shut, glaring at him. "Your professor is a telepath," Karen yelled at Hank, "and a pretty damn strong one at that to be able to reach a stranger from New York." Karen approached the bedside and grabbed Hank's arm, reinforcing her anger and words, "you tell him to stay out of my head! And stay out of my family's minds!" Hank was stunned at her reaction and just nodded his head, feeling her anger and rage, /good job professor/ he thought and heard him reply, /I'm sorry Henry. I didn't think she would react this way. Are you still alright?/ Karen released his arm as she felt him concentrating and grabbed the sedative and a syringe from the table, quickly pulling a good dose. Hank watched, suddenly afraid as she prepared an injection with amazing speed. He yanked his arm to his side, causing a great deal of pain in the process he looked to Karen who was still very upset. "I will not risk my family and friends," Karen told him firmly and reached for his arm, gently and firmly grabbing it and trying to pull it toward her to have access to his IV. She could feel his fear and terror and relaxed her expression a little, not wanting to frighten him. "It's just a sedative," she told him gently. Hank looked into her eyes, realizing she intended to block him from communicating with the professor as well and frightened hoping it was just a sedative. Of course he had no reason not to trust her; they had saved him and only helped and cared for him thus far. He tried to stay calm as he stretched his arm out for her to inject him and looked away, closing his eyes. He felt her push the needle into his IV and waited for the plunge into darkness again telling the professor he would be fine. Karen was pained and relieved as she watched his expression, hurt and terrified, eyes filling with tears before he relaxed his arm for her and closed his eyes, turning away from her, breathing quickly and very upset. She inserted the needle and paused, not wanting to terrorize him or sedate him and thinking that if the telepath was powerful enough to reach her half way across the world he was powerful enough to stop her if he wanted. She waited, focusing on trying to sense the professor touch her mind again. Hank opened his eyes after a little while, not feeling the burn of the medication and glanced back, seeing Karen poised to inject him, but still and looked into her eyes. Karen met Hank's eyes, "you make sure he doesn't try anything else," she told him firmly. Hank just nodded to her and relaxed as she withdrew the needle, capping it and placed it in her pocket as she stood. "I will be back in a little while with something to eat," Karen told him and walked down the hall and downstairs, hoping she did the right thing, somehow knowing it was.
Hank breathed a large sigh of relief as she left him and trusted him enough not to sedate him. /Interesting woman/ the professor said in Hank's mind. /Did you stop her?/ Hank asked, wondering if the professor managed to control her from that distance. /No, I am uncertain if I could have. She very effectively blocked me after my initial contact/ the professor told him. /Really? She's some kind of empath I think. I feel things when she touches me/ Hank sent the professor and tried to allow him to read his memories of things over the past few days. /I see/ the professor sent back, /well it appears you are in good hands for now. I will investigate the situation further. Please relay to her my apologies and tell her I will answer her call at any time. I will contact you again in a few hours./ Hank nodded his head, /thanks professor./ /I am glad you are alright. Everyone will be very happy to know you are alive and well/ the professor sent, /if you need me, focus on calling in your mind. I will be keeping watch./ /I will, but I don't think you need to worry./ Hank sent back. /What gave you the impression that I was/ the professor then sent and Hank felt him fade out.
Hank took a few minutes to relax and clear his mind and began to realize he was starving and feeling pretty good. He shifted his gaze to his wounded right side and examined his casted hand and forearm, noticing the bandages were a lot less on his chest and side now, the drain gone and the dressing on his leg was gone. He moved the sheet to reveal his leg, with a rather large raw area, that looked to be a healing burn wound and looked pretty far along in the healing process, some fur starting to grow back in. He jerked his head to the doorway when he heard footsteps coming down the hall. He watched Karen enter with a tray and leaned back as she set it next to him then turned away to pull some books off the bookshelf in the corner. He stiffly moved his right arm away as she placed a few books at either side of his legs and he smiled as he realized she was altering the height of the tray for his size. He looked to her as she then set the tray over his lap and rested his right arm to his side, smiling at her. "Thank you for trusting me," Hank told her sincerely and smiled as she took a seat next to him, placing her hand on his shoulder and felt her acceptance and reassurance. "Just make sure I don't regret it," Karen told him gently and reached over him to hand him the spoon, noting the way he took it from her. "You won't," Hank told her, hoping she could sense his honesty and sincerity. Karen nodded sensing his emotions and determination as he spoke. She waited for him to start working on the oatmeal before him before speaking again, "I want to ask you some questions." "Of course," Hank replied, wanting her to feel a little more at ease and wondering how much to tell her. "Are you part of the brotherhood?" Karen asked him, concentrating on his emotional response, feeling anger and disgust. "No!" Hank told her firmly and then looked into her eyes, "how do you know about that?" Karen shook her head, "my questions first," she told him, projecting determination and concern. Hank felt her insistence, realizing she was interrogating him, using her powers to sense his sincerity and just nodded his head, eating another spoonful and waiting for the next question. "Do you believe humans are inferior to mutants?" Karen then asked, happy with her false tone and his worry and concern over her question. "No," Hank told her trying to read her opinion in her expression and wondering if she thought so. "Do you believe we have a right to retribution against the humans?" Karen asked keeping her tone firm and a little threatening and kept her expression harsh as she inwardly smiled at his anger, fear, worry and great concern over her words and tone. "No," Hank told her, placing down his spoon, "I believe there must be a way to live peacefully together." Karen narrowed her eyes at him, "how can you possibly think that? The humans are the ones who tried to kill you! They killed a half dozen mutants and a dozen of their own just to be rid of us. Surly you cannot deny that we have a right to defend ourselves?" Hank stared at her, stunned at her argument, angry and afraid. "The acts of a few individuals are not cause to wage a genocidal war against those whose only crime is of being a part of that group," Hank said firmly. Karen glared at him, "All humans are the same. They are inferior beings and a threat. We must protect ourselves and the easiest way to do that is to control the threat." "Control is just another term for suppression or extermination," Hank told her, "I don't know who you thought you were saving, but I will not be a part of that philosophy of thought and I will do anything I can to stop it from happening." Karen could no longer continue with her charade and smiled at his anger, fear, repulsion and worry. Hank just stared at her, confused with her smile and then felt reassurance and happiness through her touch. He closed his eyes and sighed looking back to her as he realized she was testing him. Karen picked up the spoon again and held it out for him to take, "I'm sorry, but I had to be sure." Hank took the spoon, nodding his head and looking into her eyes, "you were pretty convincing," he giggled at her. Hank took another large spoonful of the oatmeal, "I assume I passed?" Karen grinned at him and patted his shoulder, "you passed, with flying colors. Now eat up." Karen moved back and stood to leave, "I have to check on AJ, I will be right back and we'll talk some more if you are up to it." Hank nodded to her and watched her back as she left, relaxing and focusing on his breakfast. He finished all before him and leaned back, closing his eyes to rest a little.
"Hank?" Karen called watching him open his eyes and look to her and Steve. Steve headed to his wounded side as Karen came to the other side and removed the tray and books, "This is Dr. Steven Meyers, he was the one who performed your surgery and has been overseeing your recovery." Karen then headed downstairs with the tray, leaving him with the doctor. "Dr. Henry McCoy," Hank said quietly, reaching toward Dr. Meyers and shaking his hand with his left. "Nice to finally meet you Dr. McCoy," Steve said softly and pulled out his stethoscope to listen to Hank's heart and lungs. "Please call me Hank," Hank whispered and smiled when Steve replied, "only if you call me Steve." Hank nodded and took a few deep breaths for the doctor. "You are a medical doctor?" Steve asked as he pulled away. "I have my M.D. and a Ph.D. in biochemistry," Hank told him quietly. "An overachiever," Steve commented as he gently started to remove Hank's dressings, "Could you lie down please?" Hank complied, shifting a bit onto his side as well to give the doctor more access to examine him. "Were you born this way?" Steve asked gently continuing to expose the wounds. "No," Hank told him flinching a little as he pulled the bandages off, "I was born with enlarged limbs, this form is the result of my mutation progressing to a secondary stage." "At adolescence?" Steve asked. "The physical changes became intermittent then, but I manifested this form only a year ago. I believe my mutation is progressive in nature and I attempted to control the process," Hank said quietly. "Thereby causing the permanent change," Steve said quietly in an understanding and compassionate tone. Hank just nodded, trying to remain still as the doctor prodded him a bit. "I am going to remove the external stitches while I am here," Steve told him gently and turned to prepare to do so. "Thankfully you have a rather advanced healing factor. I wasn't sure you were going to make it at first, but noticed during surgery your responses were atypical. Your mutation not only saved your life, but it also allowed me to save your spleen," Steve added. "Thank you," Hank said glancing back to the doctor as he prepared to remove his stitches and trying to get a good look at the damage himself. "Well, now, relax and lie still and if you want I will give you a run down of your medical history as I know it," Steve said softly and started to go through all that had occurred since he became his patient. They talked a little shop talk, Hank learning that Steve was the local mutant specialist and Hank sharing his own history and details on his mutation in the process. It took about an hour to remove all the stitches and Karen returned and helped him redress Hank's wounds. "If you think you can manage, I can remove the IV and catheter too," Steve said quietly. "Please!" Hank gasped at him, grateful to be rid of that. By the time they had finished Hank was exhausted and in a great deal of pain and gingerly rolled to his back under Karen's caring guidance. "Now, I don't think I will need to see you again unless there is a problem," Steve said as he packed up. "I have given Karen my remaining care instructions as well as orders for antibiotics, balms and pain medication. I apologize for shaving such large areas and hope you will forgive me when it starts to grow back," Steve told Hank with a grin. Hank snickered a little, thinking ahead to the itch that would begin in a few days, "thanks," he said and shook the doctor's hand before he left. Karen walked the doctor out and Hank closed his eyes again, resting and exhausted. He was a little startled when he felt Karen gently brush his shoulder and opened his eyes. She slipped her hand under his neck and pulled him up a little, placing pills in his mouth and giving him water to take them. "Thank you," Hank mumbled and relaxed, pained and exhausted. He felt Karen brush his forehead again as he drifted to sleep.
Hank awoke, finding Fred sitting next to him, reading silently. He started to pull himself to sit up, gasping a little at the pain and soreness. He smiled at Fred as he jumped up to help him, tossing a few pillows behind him, "Easy there big guy," Fred told him as he was truly upright now and recovering from the exertion. Fred then handed him a urinal, "you're on your own with the aiming," Fred told him with a laugh as Hank took it from him to relieve himself. "Thanks," Hank sighed back at him and took care of himself, grateful he didn't make a mess of it. He handed the container back to Fred and watched as he entered the side bath, dumping the contents and cleaning up, noting he only brushed the toilet seat in locating his place, amazed at his adaptations to compensate for his lack of vision. He returned to Hank, handing him a large glass of water and sitting again. "You seem to be doing better," Fred said quietly, "how are you feeling?" Hank smiled at Fred after consuming the whole glass of water, realizing he was very thirsty now. "I am feeling better," Hank began and paused. "Just call me Fred," Fred told him with a grin. "Call me Hank, Fred," Hank replied. "Karen fell asleep when she went to put AJ down for a nap," Fred explained to Hank, "if you need her I can wake her. Unfortunately I don't know when you had your last medications, did you notice the time?" Hank sighed, "no, I didn't. In fact I have no idea what time it is now," he said, looking around the room and noting the clock on the end table 5:15, must be in the afternoon if they were napping. "It's about 5pm. And it's been 10 days now since the incident at the University," Fred told him to give him a sense of time again. "Do you think you are up to some real food?" Fred then asked him with a smile. "I think so, as long as it is easy on the stomach," Hank replied. "Well, you are in luck. I am a decent cook, I was thinking chicken noodle casserole. Can you manage that?" Fred said happily as he stood and grabbed something from behind him. "Probably," Hank said quietly and reached for the paper Fred held out for him. "I picked you up some reading material. It's a British paper, but has a whole review article on the events that happened," Fred said as he handed Hank the paper and headed out of the room. Hank quickly flipped through the paper, reading everything on the attacks and fall out since. The attack was organized by a faction of the church of humanity, directed at the University for its liberal reputation on mutant and human rights issues. It was planned for that day because of the conference being held on campus on mutant research. Hank was happy to realize that he in particular was not a target as he read that they had throw grenades into each of the large lecture halls as well as the dining areas simultaneously. He sighed at the rest of the story happy to know that the authorities had apprehended the suspects already and things seemed to be calming down, the university having already reopened and repairs well on their way. /Henry?/ he then heard the professor gently in his mind. /Yes, I'm awake/ he thought back. /Good, I tried to reach you earlier but could not do so. It seems things are pretty calm now, how are you feeling?/ the professor asked. /I am healing. I met with my doctor this morning/ Hank thought and focused on replaying the interaction for the professor. /I think there is quite a tight little community of mutants here. Dr. Meyers was very knowledgeable on mutations. And Karen interrogated me on my personal views on human and mutant relations/ Hank thought to him and smiled a little as he thought through his memories of that for him. /She knows of the brotherhood?/ the professor asked and Hank noted his surprised tone. /Apparently. I haven't had a chance to really talk to her much/ Hank thought back. /I would like to know more of them and their community if you can manage it. When can you travel safely?/ Hank smiled again, thinking he wanted to know more of them too. /According to the doctor and his description of the extend of my injuries, I should probably avoid altitude changes for at least another 2-3 days/ Hank thought back. /Well then, we will plan the trip for 3 days from now. I will be in touch./ the professor sent and Hank felt him lift himself from his mind again.
Hank opened his eyes after concluding his talk with the professor and was stunned to see the little girl perched on the chair next to him, gazing at him intently. "Hello," Hank said quietly, hoping she wasn't afraid of him. "Hello," AJ said back with a smile and leaned forward on the chair toward him and gently and carefully brushed his arm with her hand. "Are you better now?" AJ asked him quietly, trying to whisper. "Yes, I am getting better," Hank told her, smiling at her and her boldness. He stayed very still, not wanting to frighten her as she pulled herself onto the side of the bed and reached toward the side of his head. She gently brushed his ear with her right hand, tracing the outline and grabbed her own with her other hand, feeling along it. He then felt her pull a little at his hair, brushing it over his ear as she stood on the side of the bed and reached around him to do the same to the other side. Hank placed his hand behind her as she stood, afraid she would fall, confused with her reaction and actions. "What are you doing?" he asked very gently as she stepped back and off the bed onto the chair again, plopping down with a smile. "Fixing your hair," she told him and she grabbed her own hair and brushed it with her fingers along the sides of her head. "Now they won't see that you are different and you will be safe," AJ told him firmly. Hank just smiled at her, amazed with the innocence of children and her thinking that hiding his pointed ears would be sufficient to disguise him as he glanced as his own blue furred chest and arm. "Oh, right, you will still need big clothes and make-up," she then said to him, looking him up and down. "But we are not going out tonight, so you don't need that for dinner," she then explained and Hank just continued to smile at her. "AJ," Fred called from down the hall as he walked toward them and entered the room, "you were supposed to be napping with Mommy." AJ looked to her father as he entered, "I was then I woke up and wanted to help Dr. McCoy get ready for dinner." She then jumped off the chair toward her father and grabbed him by the hand, leading him to Hank's beside and lifting his hand to the side of his head to touch his hair, "see daddy, I fixed his hair," she said proudly. Fred smiled and giggled a little, "I'm sorry Hank. Now," Fred said, turning to AJ, "I need my little helper downstairs to set the table," he said as he turned her and gave her a gentle nudge toward the door. "Okay Daddy," she said and smiled and waved at Hank again before running down the hall. Fred then turned back to face Hank, "I'm sorry if she bothered you." "No, not at all," Hank giggled to Fred, "she's adorable. Of course I am not sure what good it does to hide my ears," he continued, brushing his hair back with his left hand and looking at Fred's somber expression. "Karen and I have spent the past few years teaching her to keep her ears hidden around others," Fred said quietly. "Her fair skin, eye color and hair are not that unusual, but her ears are what will label her a mutant," he told Hank sadly, "We are just trying to protect her while we can," he said and headed toward the door, "Dinner will be ready in a few minutes." Hank just stared after him, now realizing what she meant by telling him he would be safe now and saddened that that little girl had to be taught to take steps to hide herself from the world so young.
When he looked back up, Karen was standing in the doorway with a tray in her hands. She moved forward and set the tray over his lap, "I hear you met AJ," she said with a smile, grabbing one of the plates off the tray and settling in the chair next to him to eat with him. "Yes, she's an amazing little girl," Hank said quietly as he grabbed the fork and started to try to eat, smiling when he noticed they had already cut his food into little bites for him. "Her mutation was obvious at birth," Karen said quietly and ate a few bites of food. "I had never seen, heard of or met a second generation mutant before," Hank commented quietly. "She's the only one I know of who has exhibited physical evidence at birth," Karen told him in between bites of her own meal. Hank looked to her, "but you know of other second generation mutants?" "I know one or two and a few who may be," Karen said with a smile, "you are a forerunner in the study of mutant genetics, you know the odds of passing the x-gene onto the next generation." Hank smiled at that, realizing Karen had taken some time to look him up. "You have me at a disadvantage," he said quietly. "Well, I am a nurse at St. Luke's and Fred is a professor of sociology at the University," Karen told him quietly waiting for him to continue eating. "I am also an empath, as I am sure you have figured out already. I'm not sure if Fred fits into a neat category, but he is certainly gifted in the awareness arena," Karen continued. "And how about you? Other than the obvious I mean," she then said with a smile. "I'm a fast healer," Hank told her, smiling back at her. "My physiology also grants me more advanced strength, speed, endurance, flexibility and enhanced senses," Hank told her. "Not to mention your exceeding intelligence," Karen said coyly and finished her plate. Hank blushed a little at that comment and stared at his plate, "I suppose you could say that." Hank then focused on finishing his food as well and smiled at Karen as she took his plate. "Would you like some pudding?" she asked and he nodded to her. He drank his water while she was gone and smiled when she returned; hands full, placing a bowl of pudding in front of him along with a cup of tea. "Thank you," Hank said quietly and sipped the tea gratefully before focusing on his pudding. Karen had her dessert with him and then pulled out his pills, handing them to him and leaving him the tea to take them before taking their dishes downstairs. Hank took his pills and leaned back to rest a little, feeling much better with solid food in his stomach and grateful that his increasing pain would subside with the medication shortly.
Hank opened his eyes when he heard Karen reenter the room and watched as she poured him some more tea. "I brought some more tea, since you like it so much," she said quietly and Hank furrowed his brow, wondering how she knew he liked the tea and remembering she touched him to give him his pills. "So, what are you involved in?" Karen then asked, raising an eyebrow at him and retaking the chair next to his bedside. "What do you mean?" Hank asked her, confused with that question. "The person you want to let know you are still alive just happens to be a very powerful telepath called 'the professor', the guy who harassed me on the phone is called Cyclops and they know you as Beast," Karen explained and gave him an expectant look. "College nicknames," Hank said quietly and tried to suppress his laughter at Karen's expression. "Try again," Karen said with a giggle. Hank took a deep breath, "how do you know of the brotherhood?" Karen nodded to him and gently placed her hand on his arm again, "alright. We actively keep track of the brotherhood's recruitment activity in Europe. We also keep tabs on known supporters of the brotherhood as well as many other groups of mutants who are a potential threat to the general public." Hank's eyes grew wide as he took in this information and felt her reassurance and then curiosity. "Your turn," Karen said softly and waited for Hank to answer her. "Have you ever heard of the x-men?" he asked her and felt her surprise and wonder as she grinned at him. "You're an x-man?" she asked in a whisper. Hank grinned back at her and nodded his head, "in my spare time." Karen grabbed his hand projecting her amazement and wonder, "we have often wondered how that group manages to stay ahead of the game. Having such a powerful telepath in your ranks explains a lot." "Charles Xavier is the founder of the x-men," Hank told her gently and felt her understanding through her touch. "Cute, I always thought it was because of the mystery surrounding the group. It never occurred to me they were actually named after someone," Karen told him and lifted her hand from his, sipping on her own tea. "And the institute?" Karen then asked, "is that just a cover?" Hank gazed at her and shook his head, "It is a legitimate school of higher learning. I teach there. The professor recruits students with gifts." Karen's eyes grew wide, "it's a school for mutants?" Hank nodded to her, "and for gifted normals who adhere to a philosophy of acceptance and tolerance." Karen nodded, now understanding all who Hank was, knowing the information they had regarding 'the professor' that Steve had shared with her when they spoke this morning. "Well then Beast," Karen said in a coy tone, "we have been considering actively pursuing an alliance with the X-men for years, although no one knew how to contact them." Hank stared at her, now fighting to remain awake feeling the effects of the pain killers. "Who are we?" Hank asked quietly. "TECOM," Karen told him and grinned at his expression as she stood and grabbed his cup, "now rest and we'll talk more in the morning." Hank was amazed and relieved as Karen helped him lie on his back again, shocked he landed himself a connection within the European coalition of mutants. The professor would be thrilled and he watched Karen head downstairs again, closing his door and turning off the light. He thought about trying to contact the professor, deciding he was a little too out of it right now and closed his eyes to sleep first.
Hank awoke again and looked around, finding himself all alone and a little worried. He struggled to sit up, finding himself gratefully in less pain than yesterday and was recovering as he heard the door open. "Good morning," Hank said to Karen as she entered with a tray in hand again. "Good morning. I brought you some breakfast and then thought you might be up to trying to make it to the shower," Karen said smiling as she set the tray before him. "It's Friday and Fred is here to give us a hand. Do you feel up to it?" she asked him gently, sitting on the chair again and sipping on her coffee. Hank gratefully sipped a little of the coffee included in the breakfast and grinned at Karen, nodding his head, "a shower sounds wonderful." "I bet," Karen said quietly brushing his arm projecting happiness and reassurance. Hank focused on his meal, feeling much better today and grateful for Karen's patient company. "How long have you been involved with TECOM?" Hank asked quickly in between spoonfuls of oatmeal. "Only the last two years, since we moved here. Before that and through college I was an active member of the coffee house in New York," Karen told him quietly. Hank jerked his head up at that statement. The coffee house was a well known mutant haven in New York and the headquarters of the most influential civil rights groups on the East Coast, tackling issues from women's and mutant rights to humane treatment of animals. It was rumored that the most powerful of philanthropists did their business there and Hank knew the professor met many of his contacts there regularly. "I roomed with Grace Hardy as a freshman at Columbia. We became good friends and that is also where I met Fred," Karen continued smiling at Hank's wide eyed stare, knowing he was a little shocked at her connections. The Hardy's were large donors to the institute and the owners of the coffee house they had even provided Hank a private grant to fund his research. Hank giggled a little at her, "and I thought I had connections," he told her and refocused on his breakfast, impressed with his benefactors. "Well, I would like to think we can both benefit from this tragedy," Karen commented softly. She then stood and collected his tray and returned with Fred a few minutes later. Fred grinned at him and held up a cast saw, "Doc Meyers left instructions that we could remove your cast today, since you are such a speeder healer." Hank stared at Fred, fear rushing through him as he approached his side, saw in hand and he looked to Karen who was giggling at them. "Fred, quit it!" Karen said and moved forward, taking the saw from him and smiling at Hank's expressions. "Don't want to let the blind man cut off your arm?" Fred said with an indignant tone, "I mean your cast," he added with a laugh causing Hank to laugh with them as he realized Fred was just goofing around. "No offense intended, but I would rather you let Karen do it," Hank said and watched as Karen adjusted Fred's hands to hold his arm still and turned on the saw, swinging it around wildly, scaring Hank a little again before she gently placed her hand on his elbow, flooding him with reassurance. "You two are mean!" Hank said loudly over the buzz of the saw and smiled at Fred's grin. He felt the rush of air on the skin of his hand as Karen cut the caste away and tried to get a good look at his hand. Hank tensed in pain as Karen gently moved his fingers around, flexing them. "Try to make a fist Hank," Karen instructed him and Hank gasped and tried to take deep breaths as he forced his hand to close into a fist and open it again. He could feel Karen's reassurance and approval through her touch and recovered from the pain as she looked back to him, "You are going to need PT for your hand to fully regain your dexterity." Hank nodded to her, "I can see that," he said in quick breaths and tried to relax as she carefully then splinted it.
Hank then followed Karen's guidance and forced himself to sit up and slip his legs off the bed. He shakily stood, leaning hard on both of them and took a moment to regain his balance before telling them he was ready to try to walk. He was confused when they headed him to the hall. "That's only a half bath," Karen told him and he could feel encouragement through her touch. "Only a few more feet," Fred said breathless with his effort in holding Hank on his feet. Hank was relieved to see a chair perched in the shower stall and collapsed onto it, breathing hard and heavy with pain and exhaustion. He then felt a needle in his arm and forcing his eyes open to meet Karen's. "It's a little Demerol. It should be enough to take the edge off the pain," she told him gently and he just nodded to her, still trying to catch his breath. "Just relax and rest," Karen told him as she cut off his undergarments. Hank was vaguely aware as Karen washed him, trying to keep his mind off his pain and discomfort and focusing on the refreshing feeling of being clean. At some point he felt Karen give him another injection, but didn't even have the energy at the time to ask her about it. Hank forced his eyes open hearing Karen calling his name, "Hank? Hank come on, wake up!" It took Karen a little while to rouse him causing her a little worry that she may have given him too large of a second dose and smiled when he finally opened his eyes. Hank did what he could and somehow they managed to get him back into the guestroom and he collapsed into the bed with a moan and was barely conscious when Karen forced him to swallow some pills. Karen and Fred both then sat on the floor of the guestroom exhausted and catching their breath after that. "I have no idea how you managed to pull him out of that class room by yourself!" Karen told Fred. "He wasn't that heavy then," Fred told her sincerely. "The strength of adrenaline," Karen commented still stumped as to how he managed. After a short while they pulled themselves up and cleaned up before collapsing on their bed, exhausted, to nap.
Hank woke again and felt a burning need to get to the bathroom. He looked around, finding himself alone and sighed. He then noticed his suitcase against the wall next to the entrance of the half bath, surprised he didn't notice it before and happy that he would have something to wear. He gingerly pulled himself to sit up on the side of the bed, grateful that he was still only really sore and remembered to avoid using his right hand. He managed to stagger to the bathroom and take care of his needs and then rested on the toilet until he heard Karen's voice. Karen entered Hank's room, startled to find his bed empty, "Hank?" she called and heard him answer her. She wandered over to the bathroom and found him perched on the toilet. Hank smiled at her, a bit embarrassed when she giggled at him and then said, "hold on." She returned, pulling his feet into a new pair of underwear and he sighed at her. "This way you only need to stand once," Karen told him gently, projecting comfort and reassurance to him and then steadied him as he stood before pulling up his boxers and then dragging him back to bed. Hank managed to sit in the bed, catching his breath as Karen moved to gingerly adjust the splint on his hand. "How did you manage to get me up the stairs unconscious?" Hank asked Karen and she finished fixing the splint on his hand. "I enlisted the assistance of a particularly talented individual," Karen told him quietly. "Must have been a magician," Hank said jokingly and smiled when Karen gave him a look and then looked out the window. He then watched as she turned from him and dashed down the stairs yelling for Fred. Hank was concerned and looked out the window, not seeing what caused Karen's exit before looking over the state of himself, getting a good look at his well healed wounds and inspecting his hand more closely.
He looked back up a few minutes later, seeing Karen rushing to the bathroom with AJ in her arms, crying and Hank thought he saw blood coming out of her mouth as she coughed. Hank pulled himself to the edge of the bed as he then saw Fred dash around the corner to the bathroom. "I can't get a hold of him," Fred said loudly, "did you find what's wrong?" "I can't see anything, her tongue is fine but there's still a lot of blood and she keeps coughing up more," Karen cried back to him and by then Hank had managed to make it to the door of the bathroom. "Let me see her," he said breathlessly causing both Karen and Fred to look to him shocked. Karen pulled herself up and held AJ for Hank to look at her, still crying and coughing, blood coming out of her nose as well. Hank smiled at AJ as he gently forced his finger into her mouth. Hank looked at her grazed knees and chin, "she fell forward?" he asked and smiled a little as Karen gasped a "yes" to him. He then found the crack in her gums and calmly turned to Fred, "I need some ice." Fred immediately disappeared and Karen just stared at him, "she's fine," he told her gently, getting shaky standing for so long. "Come on," he told Karen and moved back on three limbs, Karen still holding AJ tight and keeping with him as he managed to sit back down on his bed in the guestroom. "Set her down," he told Karen firmly who just glared at him before releasing AJ and sitting her on the bed across from Hank. AJ finally started to calm down as Fred returned with a cup full of ice. "Karen, place a piece in my hand," Hank told her and smiled as she scrambled to do so feeling her terror and fear as she brushed his hand. "Open up your mouth as far as you can AJ," he told her gently and he deftly shifted the ice to replace his finger as she did so and held AJ's mouth open as she automatically bit down at the cold and whimpered a little. "I know, it's really cold, but we have to keep this ice there for a few minutes," Hank told her and smiled as she grabbed his arm with her hands and nodded her head. AJ soon stopped crying and Karen had moved to clean up the blood from her nose and face. "She broke through her gum. It's nothing serious," Hank told Fred and Karen. After most of the ice melted Hank looked into AJ's eyes, "do you think you could keep another piece there yourself?" He smiled at her as she nodded her head. He pulled his hand out of her mouth and handed her another piece that Fred was holding out for him. "Now, keep it right there," Hank said gently as he guided AJ to hold the ice against her bare bleeding gum. He then shakily took the towel Karen handed him and wiped the blood from his hand and then using the towel to protect the bedding as he heaved himself to sit against the wall, resting, absolutely exhausted again and watching AJ calmly and dutifully holding the ice to her gums. "Okay, let's see," Hank said to AJ who immediately moved toward him and kneeled in front of him, opening her mouth wide for him to see. "Keep ice there for another two pieces and then let me see again," Hank told her and smiled when she nodded to him and said, "Okay," through her hand in her mouth. She hopped off the bed, getting a hug from Fred before taking the cup of ice from him and then hugging Karen before bounding down the hall. Fred gently touched Hank's shoulder, "thanks doc, now what exactly was wrong?" Hank sighed a little and looked at Karen's eyes before answering. "When children are teething the tooth slowly comes up and the bone above it weakens allowing the tooth to break through. The top molars often break completely before the lower. She smashed her upper molar against her lower weakened gums and shattered the thin layer of bone that was still protecting her lower tooth," Hank explained gently. "It's a minor injury but bleeds excessively. The ice contracts the blood vessels and will stop the bleeding. She might be a little sensitive on her right lower gum for a few days, but she'll be fine," Hank told them, "the coughing and blood from her nose was a result of her crying with a mouth full of blood." Fred nodded his head, "well that doesn't sound so bad." Fred then moved toward the door, hugging Karen, "I'll go check on her." Karen hugged him back and then sat at the foot of Hank's bed. "Why did you not want me holding her?" Karen asked Hank giving him a glare. Hank tilted his head at her, "you were the one making her so upset." He watched as Karen looked down at the bed and tears filled her eyes, "I was terrified when I saw the blood gushing from her mouth," she said quietly. Karen then looked back to Hank, "how did you know?" Hank forced his eyes open to look at her again, "Her behavior was inconsistent with the injury and you are exhausted. Everyone gets sloppy when they are exhausted or upset." Karen then brushed his leg with her hand and he felt sorrow and exhaustion, "you're right." Karen then stood and headed down the hall and Hank dozed a while. He awoke to the bed moving and opened his eyes to find AJ over him, mouth wide open and eyes closed. "That looks much better," Hank said quietly, "if it hurts later, put another piece of ice on it." He smiled as AJ closed her mouth and grinned at him before diving at his neck and hugging him, causing considerable discomfort. Hank gently tried to guide her away and she leaned back to meet his eyes, "thank you," she said with a sniffle and Hank stared at her little pointed ears. "You're welcome," he told her and watched as she pounced off the bed and back down the hall, thinking she looked like a perfect little pixie with her pointed ears, bright blonde hair, pale skin and brilliant blue eyes.
/Henry?/ the professor called in his mind and Hank sighed. /How are you?/ /Exhausted right now/ he thought back, /but clean./ He then heard the professor laugh. /Well then I won't keep you awake, but we have not been able to find any information on the J'Khara's. We can't even find their address or phone number. Fred J'Khara is a professor at the University and Karen a nurse at St. Luke's but other than that and a marriage license issued in New York five years ago there are no public records of use/ the professor explain quickly. /They are with TECOM./ Hank told him. /Really?/ the professor added and Hank felt him brushing around his mind for his memories of his conversations with Karen. /Professor, please I really need to sleep/ Hank focused in his mind. /Sorry Henry I will contact you tomorrow./ the professor sent and faded out as Hank fell asleep.
"Come on doc, wake up," Fred said as he shook Hank by the shoulder to rouse him. Hank awoke with a start and grabbed Fred's arm. "Whoa, hey easy!" Fred yelled and Hank immediately released him. "I'm sorry," Hank said quietly as he realized now where he was recognizing Fred. "You really have a hell of a grip there doc," Fred commented and grabbed Hank to help him sit up. Hank grunted at the movement and flinched when he accidentally put some weight on his right hand. Fred then moved a tray over him and the smell of food caused Hank to realize he was starving. "I made some beef stew and you are due for your medication," Fred said, holding a fork out to Hank. "Thank you," Hank told him as he watched him take a seat in the chair next to the bed, "where's Karen?" "I sent her to bed right after AJ was fixed up. She's exhausted. I can get you whatever you need," Fred said quietly. "Thank you, I was getting a little worried about her," Hank said softly and began to eat his dinner, surprised again at the fabulous food Fred prepares. "Yeah, she pushes too hard sometimes, but you are well enough now that she can rest," Fred said. "So she told me that you are an X-man," Fred then said with a grin. "Did she?" Hank asked wondering where Fred was going with this. "Yeah, are you really?" Fred asked giving him a daring look. "Yes, part-time anyway," Hank told him between bites, "Karen said you were a professor of sociology?" Fred nodded to him, "Yes, I specialize in modern sub-cultures of western society. I have a particular interest in the mutant culture." Hank nodded and then quickly said, "that seems fitting." "I think it's interesting. Would you mind if I asked you a few personal questions?" Fred then asked. "No, not at all. Go right ahead," Hank answered and then continued with his meal. "How old are you?" Fred asked. Hank smiled at him, "I'm 18 years old." Fred's eyes grew wide and he nodded, "pretty bright then." Hank just shrugged at that. "And you recently manifested your current physical form?" Fred then asked in a gentle tone. "Yes, I helped myself into this state permanently when I tried to control my mutation," Hank told him and then finished his meal. "Finished?" Fred asked. "Yes, it was delicious," Hank said as Fred pulled the tray from him and set it carefully behind him on the chair. Hank was a little surprised when Fred perched himself on the side of the bed to face him, "may I touch your face?" Hank looked into his eyes and his kind expression as he realized Fred had not seen him. "Sure," Hank said and tried to remain still and Fred carefully reached forward and gently traced around his face. Fred paused at his ears and giggled, "I figured that was why she tried to hide your ears." His comment brought a smile to Hank's face, "yes, well, I'm also blue from head to toe and covered in fur." He watched Fred's stunned expression, "are you really blue?" Hank then laughed, "yes, Fred, I'm blue," and he watched Fred grin. "You have a kind face Hank," Fred said sincerely as he stood and turned to grab the tray. "I'll be right back with some tea," Fred said as he headed down the hall.
Hank gingerly slid off the bed and managed to go to the bathroom and stagger back to the bed as Fred returned with the tea. "You okay?" Fred asked and Hank gasped a little at him, "just went to the bathroom all by myself," he told him in a stupid voice giggling when Fred laughed at him. Fred then set down the cups of tea and moved to help Hank sit back up in the bed. "Thank you," Hank said as he took the tea Fred offered. Fred took the chair and sipped his tea before speaking again. "I'm really glad you are doing so well. I didn't think you had a chance when I felt your injuries at first," Fred said quietly. "How did you find me?" Hank asked gently, "Steve said I had a concussion as well, I can't imagine I was conscious after the explosion." Fred hung his head, "my office is next to the lecture hall you were in. I ran to the entrance after I heard the explosion and stayed flush against the wall as the crowds ran by. It was only after everyone was gone that I heard you gasping and coughing." Hank closed his eyes as Fred spoke, realizing that everyone attending his talk left him for dead and wondering why Fred would stay behind. "I followed the sound and literally fell over you," Fred continued, "I got a hold around your chest and drug you to the end of the hall." "How did I cut up your arms?" Hank then asked softly, sipping his tea with Fred. Fred sighed, "that happened when they were pulling debris out of your side. You didn't seem to appreciate that very much." Hank looked at Fred amazed, "thank you for saving me," he said quietly. Fred shook his head and Hank watched as his eyes grew glassy, "I was happy to do so. It feels pretty good to know that I could." Hank reached for Fred and smiled as he must have heard him and grabbed his hand. "We lost too many good people that day. It's nice to have something good come of it," Fred said, squeezing Hank's hand. "Now," Fred said placing down his cup and grabbing a cup of pills and handing them to Hank, "you better take these." Hank downed his pills quickly and looked back to Fred who was sipping his tea again. "As for the rest of the story," Fred then said with a smile, "Karen had heard the call come in at St. Luke's and hitched herself and Steve a ride to campus with one the ambulances that had already made a run. In the mean time my TA, Dan, had come looking for me. He's a good kid and had the sense to bring along some help. He and his frat brothers were the ones who managed to get us both to one of the ambulances that Karen commandeered." Hank listened intently and then said, "please, go on." Fred nodded, "well, you had stopped breathing by the time they got you loaded in and Karen managed to get you back on the way to St. Luke's. We arrived and headed directly to the surgery room. Karen prepped you for surgery and ended up pulling the large piece of desk that was imbedded in your side. I was just supposed to hold your arm away for her, that's when you fought back a little." "I'm sorry," Hank said quietly. Fred giggled, "for what? Trying to save yourself from excoriating pain? I was a bit shocked that you did that, but Karen was pretty quick with the sedative. Anyway, Steve arrived a short time later and you were in surgery for about 6 hours. Then they wrapped you from head to toe in bandages and placed you in the burn unit for monitoring." Hank's eyes grew wide and he giggled a little, "did they really?" "Yeah, well, it was an easy way to hide you and keep you on constant monitors," Fred said with a grin. "After the arsine we decided to move all the mutants still hospitalized to safe houses. You were the most severely injured survivor and were brought here so Karen could easily look after you," Fred explained. "I owe you both my life," Hank said quietly, now fighting to stay awake again. Fred smiled gently at him, "we both firmly believe in what goes around comes around. Now you can get better, resume your duties as an X-man and help others. In the end, it always works out." Fred then stood and placed his empty cup down, taking Hank's as well and then helped him shift to lie down. "Now, please rest well Hank," Fred told him in a whisper and turned out the light. Hank was falling asleep as he listened to Fred collect the cups and head out of the room
Hank woke again and smiled, remembering where he was and grateful he was not in much pain. He shakily made his way to the bathroom and even managed to pull on his sweat pants before sitting back on the bed against the wall exhausted. He heard the door open and smiled at Fred entering with another tray. He set it down and checked Hank's position before placing it over him, "Good morning." "Good morning, guess you heard me shuffling around," Hank said and grinned at the look on Fred's face. "I am not sure I would call it a shuffle," Fred said with a smile and sat with Hank drinking some coffee while he began to eat. "I am attempting to let Karen sleep herself out," Fred said as Hank ate. "I don't think she has slept a whole night through since the attack. Between caring for you, making the rounds and the funerals she run herself into a state of complete exhaustion," Fred said and Hank paused, realizing both Fred and Karen lost friends in that attack. "Did you know many of the victims?" Hank asked softly and watched Fred nod. "I knew them all. Karen knew about six of the students who were killed, all of them mutants. She runs a clinic through St. Luke's for mutant teens and young adults with Steve. I think she personally knows every young mutant at the University by now," Fred told him. "Have you been in touch with that professor of yours?" Fred then asked and Hank finished his oatmeal before answering. "Yes, but not yet today," Hank told him truthfully hoping it wouldn't upset him. "Good, then he can contact you easily?" Fred asked quietly. "Yes," Hank said, wondering where Fred was going with this. "Steve said you would be able to travel in a couple days and I am sure you are anxious to get home," Fred said. Hank looked to him and wondered if he was anxious to get back to his normal life, "not really, but I do not want to continue to impose on you either." Hank smiled at Fred's smile. "You are not an imposition Hank," Fred told him sincerely and moved forward to take Hank's empty tray. "More coffee?" Fred asked as he headed toward the door. "Yes, please," Hank called softly after him and leaned back to rest a bit.
Hank smiled as he heard footsteps and opened his eyes, finding Karen before him holding out a cup of coffee. "Thank you," Hank told her and she carefully sat at the foot of his bed. "Good morning," Karen said softly and smiled as Hank watched Fred join them, taking a seat on the chair with a butler in hand. "So we wanted to know a little more about you, and what you do," Fred said with a smile. Hank looked to Fred as he spoke and then looked back to Karen before asking, "what would you like to know?" The next couple of hours were spent as Hank explained the x-men's objectives, their members, their mission, Xavier's vision and their history as Hank understood it. He shared a few stories of missions he had participated in and described the school as well as a few of its additional features. He did his best keeping certain things vague and felt more comfortable as the conversation continued as neither Karen nor Fred pushed for details of any kind. They shared some information on their connections throughout the region and the structure of the coalition with Hank as well. Fred then headed downstairs to fix some lunch and Karen remained. "So I am sure you will share all this with the professor as soon as he contacts you again," Karen said quietly and Hank just nodded to her. "He wanted me to relay his apologies for the other day," Hank said quietly, "he said to tell you he would take your call at any time." "Mental or phone?" Karen asked. Hank blinked wondering if the professor meant on the phone or a mental call. "I would assume the phone," Hank told her gently with a smile. "I am not a fan of telepaths. They have a tendency to have a lack of respect for privacy and often fail to adhere to the moral standard I expect," Karen said then tilting her head at Hank. Hank looked into her eyes, "Professor Xavier would not violate your mind in that way." Karen narrowed her eyes at him, "I realized that when he did not try to stop me from sedating you. I could tell he could have if he wanted to." Hank smiled at her a little, "He was uncertain if he could have." "What do you mean?" Karen asked, surprised by that. "He said you very effectively blocked him," Hank told her quietly. "He could have," Karen said as she stood to leave, "he just would have had to hurt me to do it." Hank watched as she then headed down the hall and downstairs.
Hank felt the professor brush his mind, /Could you have stopped Karen when she went to sedate me?/ Hank heard the professor sigh as he replayed the last part of their conversation in his mind. /Yes, but she is correct it would have harmed her/ the professor sent back. /How did she know?/ Hank asked. /That's an interesting question/ the professor sent back. Hank then tried to relax and allow the professor to read his memory of the conversations he had had with Karen and Fred over the past day or so. /Very interesting/ the professor said. Hank opened his eyes when he heard Karen returning and smiled as she entered and placed the tray over him, brushing his hand as she handed him a fork. Karen froze and glared at Hank, "he's in your head now isn't he?" Hank's eyes grew wide as he could still feel the professor in touch with his mind and wondered how Karen knew that. "Yes," Hank told her honestly when she laid her hand on his arm. Karen nodded her head and sat on the chair facing Hank, "eat up Hank, there's not much worse than cold eggs." Hank smiled a little at her and nodded his head starting to eat his lunch. "We do not want you or your X-men anywhere near our home," Karen then said to Hank. Hank stared at her, stunned as she then placed her hand on his bare foot and felt reassurance and affection. /Henry, I do not believe she is addressing you/ the professor said. "We have gone to a lot of trouble to remain anonymous in this community and want to keep it that way. A plane full of X-men would make that a little difficult," Karen said calmly as Hank tried to focus on his food, realizing she was talking to the professor through him and a little annoyed. "Lars Owens will call you this afternoon to make arrangements to meet at a more discreet location," Karen then added and gave Hank's foot a gentle squeeze as she felt the professor leave him. /Give her my thanks and I will check in with you later/ the professor told Hank and lifted himself from his mind again. "I'm sorry Hank," Karen then said gently and Hank met her eyes, feeling remorse and her apology through her touch, "I didn't mean to make you feel like that." Hank looked back to his plate and smiled a little and just nodded his head, resuming his meal, grateful that she meant what she said. He then looked back to her, "how did you know he was in contact with me?" he asked gently before scooping a large mouthful of food. "I could feel it," Karen told him gently. "He asked me to thank you," Hank then said as he finished his lunch and Karen stood to take his tray. He gently placed his hand over hers as she grabbed the tray, "He's a good man Karen. He's done a lot for me and I trust him implicitly." Karen smiled at him and projected acceptance and hesitance, "I am sure he has," she said as she pulled away and turned from him, "but reputation alone does not go very far with me. I will decide for myself." Hank watched as she then continued out of the room, passing Fred on the way and downstairs. Fred entered the room, "Did you take your medication?" Hank shook his head and looked to the nightstand as Fred grabbed the bottles and handed them to him before heading to the bathroom to fill his water pitcher. Hank took the cup of water Fred poured for him and took his pills. He reached and grunted a little when he placed the cup on the table next to him. "You should try to rest," Fred said quietly and then left him alone, closing the door. Hank shifted to lie down and lay still for a long time, trying to fall asleep and finding his mind wandering over all that had happened in the last 12 days.
Karen silently cracked the door open, finding Hank staring at the window. She smiled as he noticed her enter the room and walked to his side. "You really need to rest," Karen told him softly and sat next to him on the bed placing her hand on his arm and reaching toward his forehead. "I know, but I cannot seem to do so," Hank told her as she touched his forehead and he began to feel warm and comforted. Karen watched as Hank's eyes grew wide at her projections, "You are feeling better, you never noticed before." Hank felt his eyes begin to get heavy and his breaths became deeper, "what are you doing to me?" Hank asked in a whisper, feeling the warmth become stronger and more inviting. "You need to rest, let me help you do so," Karen whispered to him and felt his curiosity and acceptance as he drifted to sleep. Karen monitored him for a few more minutes to be sure he was in a deep sleep before heading back downstairs to update Fred and call Lars.
"Hank," Karen called gently shaking his shoulder. Hank opened his eyes and smiled at Karen. He sat up slowly and groggily slipped his legs off the bed, making sure he was steady before standing to head to the bathroom. Karen immediately went to his side and put a hand on his back flooding him with confidence and reassurance. Hank looked to her and smiled, "I'm fine, thank you," he told her before walking toward the bathroom. He took care of himself and returned finding Karen hovering next to his bed. "Can I ask you something personal?" Karen asked as he sat back on the bed and shifted himself to lean against the wall, very happy there was only a sharp pain in his hand and he was otherwise just very, very sore. "Of course," Hank told her as he settled in. "Why do you keep thanking us?" Karen asked gently as she sat to face him at the foot of the bed. "I want you to know that I am grateful for your care," Hank told her, confused with that question and watching her expression, "I also have a firm belief in manners." Karen smiled slightly at the last statement, "I believe in manners too, but I can feel your gratitude and it's pained." Hank gazed at her shocked by her statement and searching his memories to determine what he would have said or done to give her that impression. Karen reached forward and gently placed her hand on the bottom of his foot, grinning as he grabbed her hand and released it immediately, embarrassed and ashamed. She looked back to his eyes as she grabbed his foot, "there is no reason to be ashamed of what you are or what you look like or of what you can do," she told him firmly. Hank hung his head after she spoke, feeling her reassurance and care and squeezed her hand before releasing and pulling his feet toward him and leaning forward. "I am not used to this," Hank told her quietly. "Used to what exactly?" Karen asked him gently. "I am not used to being accepted so easily," Hank said, "even before. And I am certainly not used to someone knowing how I feel all the time." "I'm sorry," Karen said quickly, startled at that and wondering if she had offended him, thinking she would have felt it if she did. "No, please," Hank said immediately, "I don't mind, it's just that I am not used to feeling so comfortable around others or of others being comfortable around me." Karen smiled at him, "you haven't been hanging out with the right crowd then Hank," she told him. "Perhaps not," Hank replied, "but I am in the minority, even among mutants." "Which is one of the things that makes you so lovable," Karen told him with a grin and standing, rubbing her hand on his shoulder projecting her care and fondness for him.
"Well, dinner's ready," Fred said as he entered the bedroom lugging a chair and setting next to the other. "I'll give you a hand," Karen said as she turned and headed out with Fred. Hank then watched as AJ entered his room, arms full of silverware and napkins. She walked right up to his bed and placed down her load before climbing onto the bed and starting to sort through the pile handing Hank a set of silverware and a napkin with a smile. Karen and Fred then returned both carrying trays. Hank smiled at them as they set his food before him and Karen set another tray in front of AJ who had moved to face him. "We usually eat as a family," Fred said as he pulled his plate off of one of the trays. Karen took her plate and she and Fred sat on the chairs. "I appreciate the company," Hank told them grinning now and starting to eat with them. "So, AJ, you have the stage. Tell us what you learned today," Karen told her. AJ looked at Hank before turning back to her parents and starting to tell them a fragmented story of her day. Hank just silently ate with them, listening to their interaction and smiling once in a while at AJ's boldness as she spoke. As they finished Karen and Fred collected their dishes all three headed out the door. "We'll be right back with dessert and tea," Fred said as he walked down the hall.
A few minutes later they returned and retook their places. Hank ate his ice cream a little in silence with them before he noticed AJ was not eating hers and was staring at him again. "Dr. McCoy, may I ask you a question?" AJ asked him and he smiled, glancing at Karen and Fred before nodding his head. "How did you grow up to be blue?" AJ asked him in a serious tone and Hank just started laughing, having no idea how to answer that question and watched as Karen and Fred were laughing with him. Karen was the first to recover from their laughing fit, "AJ being blue is not something you choose to do when you grow up." Hank watched as AJ made a confused face at her mother, "but I heard you tell Daddy he wasn't always blue. He got blue when he was grown up." Hank just giggled, "AJ, do you know what mutants are?" he asked her gently and was shocked as she rolled her eyes at him and sighed. "Yes, they are people just like us who are just a little different," she told him firmly with a glare. "When mutants start to grow up sometimes they change," Hank said awkwardly, looking to Karen with a look of desperation and need. "AJ," Fred said, "come here." AJ quickly climbed off the bed, placed her ice cream bowl on the table and jumped into Fred's lap. "You know that you are different from other kids," Fred began and Hank shifted to watch them, smiling at Karen who was watching him. "yeah," AJ said quietly, "my ears are different." "That's right," Karen told AJ. "Well you know most people aren't born different. Most mutants don't become different until they are teenagers," Fred told her and Hank watched her make a face. "They can't control it, it just happens," Fred continued, "some become blue like Dr. McCoy and some change in other ways." "Like Uncle Paul?" AJ asked and Hank watched as she tried to figure it out. "Yes, exactly," Karen said. "Oh," she said and hopped back down to the floor and grabbing her ice cream before turning back to Fred, "so does that mean I can't grow up to be blue?" "You might," Karen said gently and Hank gazed at her stunned she would tell her daughter that and horrified. "Or you might grow up to be purple," Fred told AJ pulling her in for a hug, "or you might grow up and not change color at all. Maybe you will just get some powers or change and get some powers or maybe nothing at all." AJ then looked at her mom before transferring her eyes back to Hank. "Do you have powers?" she asked him as she pulled herself back onto the bed and started to eat her ice cream. Hank tilted his head at her, wondering what to say and pausing before formulating an answer for her that he thought was appropriate, "Not really." "Dr. McCoy's powers are built into his body," Karen added and smiled gently at Hank. "Like Uncle Paul's?" AJ asked her mother who just nodded to her. They then finished their ice cream in an awkward silence and Fred took the chair and AJ with him back downstairs as Karen pulled out his medication.
Hank looked to her after he took his pills and asked, "why would you tell her she might be blue?" Karen smiled, feeling his horror and angst when she brushed his hand, "I do not believe in lying to children just to protect or comfort them. She will become whatever she is meant to become and she has a right to know what that may be." Karen sat on the edge of the bed to face him when she saw the expression on his face and gently laid her hand on his arm again, smiling when he shifted to grab her hand instead. "I do not want her to be afraid or ashamed of what she is. I hope for her to be able to be open about it and want to make it as easy on her as possible," Karen told him. "I hope that the future will allow that too," Hank said quietly. "Now, time to rest," Karen said and pulled Hank to lie down. Hank sighed at her as he followed her instructions, "I am honestly not sleepy." Karen smiled at him, "I can fix that," and placed her hand on his forehead. "If you are up to it, maybe we can have dinner downstairs tomorrow," Karen said softly as she began to push Hank to sleep and watched as he just nodded to her, closing his eyes with a little smile on his face. Karen remained to be sure he was in a deep sleep again now grinning at his comfort and enjoyment in what she did.
Hank awoke and slowly stretched a little, grimacing at the stiffness and pain. He sat up and drug himself to the bathroom, taking care of himself and then taking a few minutes to tame his hair. He pulled some clothes out of his suitcase and used the bed to support himself as he got dressed. He looked up when he heard a gentle knock on the door and Fred poked his head in, eyes closed. "Are you decent?" Fred asked and Hank just giggled at him, "not that it matters, but yes." Fred opened the door and entered. "I am even dressed," Hank told him. "Great! Do you think you can make it downstairs? It's 48 steps to the kitchen," Fred said and Hank shook his head as he realized Fred would know. Hank stood and walked over to Fred, "I think so," he told him and Fred grabbed his hand and turned, placing it on his shoulder. "I'll lead the way," Fred snickered at him and Hank snickered back. "Do you always joke about it?" Hank asked him and they progressed down the hall and stopped at the top of the stairs. Fred turned to him and had a look of complete amusement on his face, "pretty much," he said and moved aside for Hank to go ahead of him. "The railing is very sturdy, it should support you easily," Fred said as Hank slowly eased himself to start down the stairs. Fred followed closely behind, keeping his hand on Hank's shoulder. About three quarters down Hank sank to sit on the stair a bit out of breath. "You alright?" Fred asked immediately. "Yes, I just need to rest a minute," Hank told him and took a few minutes before pulling himself down the rest of the stairs. He headed directly for the bar stool at the kitchen island and pulled himself into it, laying his upper body forward and resting against the tile top. "Karen took AJ with her to run a few quick errands and stop by the farmers' market," Fred told Hank as he set on a fresh pot of coffee, "they should be back anytime now." After a few minutes Hank sat himself up, happy that didn't wipe him out and smiled as Fred pushed a cup of coffee toward him and held out his bottles of medication. Hank took his dose of antibiotics, foregoing the pain pills and sipped on his coffee and watched as Fred moved toward the kitchen door, swinging it open to reveal Karen and AJ both lugging bags. Hank was a little startled seeing AJ with a scarf over her head and little gloves on as she set down her bag on the floor and then grinned at him. "Tag, Dr. McCoy," she said quickly and darted up the stairs. "Did you get it?" Fred asked Karen and grinned as she pulled something out of one of the bags. Fred grabbed the paper wrapped object she held out to him grinning and turned to immediately prepare something. "Good morning," Karen then said to Hank as she moved to unpack their things, "I see you made it downstairs." Hank smiled at her, "Yes, I'm feeling pretty good this morning." "Good enough that he hasn't bothered with the pain killers yet," Fred added as he worked on the slab of what looked like steak Karen had given him. Hank stared at his back, a bit surprised that Fred knew what he took then thinking he must have been listening and smiled a little. "Good," Karen told Hank with a grin, "I thought you would be better today. Are you ready for breakfast?" Hank nodded to her and she turned and pulled out some eggs and a frying pan. AJ then clopped down the stairs and Hank watched as she pulled out a bowl and some pet food and headed back out the door, minus her scarf and gloves now. She returned a few moments later with a dog at her side, "this is Sam," she told Hank with a smile, "she's daddy's other little helper." Hank smiled at her and watched as the pooch ignored him completely and headed directly for her meal. Karen and Fred quickly finished cooking and AJ climbed up onto the stool next to Hank as they set the island with breakfast.
Hank waited until everyone was seated before beginning to eat with them and looked to AJ when she spoke up, "What kind of doctor are you?" Hank glanced at Karen and Fred as he replied, "I have two doctoral degrees, one in medicine and the other in biochemistry." AJ munched on her toast a few moments and looked to her parents, "what's biochemistry?" Hank smiled and looked back to AJ, "it is the study of the chemistry of biology." AJ just nodded her head and then continued eating her meal. Hank finished his meal and smiled at Karen as she turned back to him and poured him some more coffee as Fred proceeded to clean up, AJ hopping off her stool to join in. "Would you like to go back upstairs? Or nap in the living room?" Karen asked him quietly and Hank looked around the lower half of the house. "There's a half bath right here," Karen told him, pointing to one of the doors in the kitchen. "It's 17 steps from the couch to the half bath," Fred added and Hank smiled. "I would like a chance of scenery," he told Karen softly and followed her guidance as she took his cup and led him to the couch in the living room. Hank sank into the couch and sighed as he took his coffee from Karen as she sat across from him. "You are feeling better," Karen commented quietly as she watched Hank pull his feet up onto the couch and get comfortable. Hank then watched as AJ entered the living room with a very thoughtful expression on her face and walked up to face her mother. "Mommy?" she asked quietly. "What honey?" Karen replied a little confused over AJ's somber expression. "Is Uncle Paul an ex-man too?" Karen shook her head, confused by AJ's question, "No he isn't. He works at the play house and with Pops you know that." AJ looked back to Hank and gazed up and down at him and made a face, "why are you called an ex-man then?" Hank nearly choked on his coffee as he realized what she meant and giggled at her before smiling to Karen who was giving him a bit of a glare. Hank placed his coffee on the table and leaned toward AJ, "X-men are a group of people. It's a nickname for Xavier's Men, it doesn't mean I am no longer a man." Karen started snickering, hanging her head and blushing a bit embarrassed by AJ's inquiry as Fred could be heard giggling madly in the kitchen. AJ sighed and nodded her head, "oh," she said and climbed up onto the couch to sit next to Hank, "good because you look like a man to me." Hank smiled at that comment and stared as AJ then proceeded to gaze at his bare feet. Hank looked to Karen who started giggling as AJ then pulled off her socks adopting Hank's position and tried to mimic his toe action. Karen got up and pulled Fred aside in the kitchen, whispering to him what AJ was doing. Hank watched as AJ made faces at her feet and moved around his toes in a simple pattern until she could match him. He jumped a little when she grabbed his foot and grunted at the pain his flinch caused, "I'm sorry," AJ cried as she jumped away off the couch, tears down her cheeks before she ran out of the room and up the stairs. "AJ," Karen called after her and Hank watched as she ran after her up the stairs. "Hank, don't worry. She'll be fine in a couple of minutes," Fred said as he entered living room and handed him his pain killers and a glass of water. "I didn't mean to frighten her," Hank said in a whisper. "I don't think you did," Fred said firmly before sighing and sitting on the couch facing Hank. "She touched you didn't she?" Fred asked very quietly. "I flinched when she grabbed my foot," Hank told him in a saddened tone. Fred nodded his head, "and it hurt when you flinched which was why I heard you groan?" Hank looked to Fred confused with that, "yes, I scared her." "You did not scare her," Fred said firmly and sighed again deeply, "AJ is an empath too." "What?" Hank asked, wide eyed and stunned. "She can only sense intense emotion and only when she is touching another. She got upset because she probably felt your pain," Fred explained quietly and reached forward searching for Hank's foot and smiled a little when he brushed it. "There's no fur on your feet," Fred then said with a frown. "Not on the bottom of my feet," Hank said quietly, shocked and amazed. Fred nodded his head, "Karen had mentioned she didn't really notice when you were touching her mouth, but then again at that moment you probably weren't in a lot of pain, adrenaline rush." "She touched my arm," Hank told him wondering that he had hurt her before. "Did she touch you or brush your fur?" Fred asked him gently. "She's only a little girl," Hank said quietly as Karen appeared in the kitchen pushing AJ ahead of her.
Karen guided AJ back to the couch and picked her up placing her next to Hank again and Hank stared that she had little gloves on. "I told him," Fred told Karen in a whisper as he stood and gave her a hug before heading back into the kitchen. Hank gazed at AJ and smiled when she looked back to him and to his feet when he started moving around his toes again. AJ grabbed his foot with her gloved hands giggling when Hank played with her, slipping his foot away from her grasp. "Hank," Karen said in a firm tone and Hank looked to her to see her somber expression as she reached for his hand, "I need you to keep what you know of her to yourself," Karen stated firmly. Hank just gazed at her grabbing her hand, "of course," he said quietly and looked back to AJ as he continued to wrestle with her with his foot, "I understand. I decided to do that the moment I saw her," he continued looking back to Karen, "the professor is only aware that you have a child, nothing more. I have concealed her appearance and identity already as private in my mind." "And he wouldn't go looking?" Karen asked quietly. "No," Hank told her firmly. "AJ, why don't you go outside for a little bit with Sam," Karen then told her daughter and smiled at her as she looked up and nodded her head before sliding off the couch and heading out the back door. Karen moved around to sit in front of Hank, "I had thought you figured it out when she hurt her tooth," she said quietly as she grabbed his foot. Hank shook his head gently, "no, I had believed you were projecting strongly and that was what had caused her to be so upset." "She felt me when I grabbed her to look in her mouth, I wasn't touching her by the time you joined us," Karen said quietly and watched and felt Hank think it over. "She wears the gloves to protect herself from the touch of others?" Hank asked gently. Karen nodded, "it took us a while to figure it out. We dress her in long pants and sleeves all the time and she wears gloves and a scarf to protect her face as well as to hide her features." Karen hung her head a little feeling Hank's horror and sadness, "she likes to feel happiness. I had told her not to touch you, but she probably wanted to feel the smile you had." "I'm sorry," Hank told her in a whisper, "I will be careful not to touch her." Karen smiled a little at his feelings, "you didn't know. There's no reason to feel guilty about it. You can't help that you are still in pain." Karen then stood and pulled at his foot, grabbing his shoulder as well and guiding him to lie down. "Now, be a good patient, take your pills and take a nap," Karen told him firmly as he shifted to lie down and handed him a pain killer and his water. She took his glass and placed it aside as she knelt next to him, holding his hand and brushed his forehead. Karen grinned as Hank closed his eyes and smiled at her when she began to push him to sleep.
Hank awoke, hearing a door slam and opened his eyes a bit confused before he remembered where he was. He pulled himself to sit up and then stood making his way to the kitchen. "Hello," Karen said quietly from the island where she was prepping a salad, "how are you feeling?" "A bit sore, but much better," Hank told her and headed for the half bath to take care of himself. He returned and took a seat on the stool across from Karen, "can I help?" Karen grinned at him and brushed his hand, projecting gratitude, humor and care, "no, just take it easy. Would you like some lemonade?" Hank smiled at her projected feelings and nodded his head, "I haven't had lemonade in a long time." Karen moved and poured him a large glass handing it across to him before resuming her work on the salad. Hank looked to the door when Fred entered, "well the potatoes will be another 10 minutes, then I can put the steak on." Fred then paused and turned to Hank, "how do you like your steak done? And don't answer well done, I refuse to allow my signature filet to be destroyed," he said in a bit of a pompous tone. Hank smiled at him, "medium rare," he told him and watched Fred nod and move around the kitchen grabbing a knife and beginning to cut up some tomatoes. Hank gazed at the instrument Fred was using, surprised at its design as he realized one blade guided the thickness of the slices, the other cut. "Staring at my cutlery?" Fred asked with a smirk and Hank smiled and glanced to Karen. "No, your wife," Hank said with a little giggle at Fred's facial expression and laughing harder when Fred swung his blade at him. "Now look here blue and fuzzy," Fred said in a mock tone and placed down his blade as he grabbed Karen, rubbing his hands seductively along her body, "look all you want but paws off." "Fred!" Karen exclaimed as he continued and Hank just laughed at him. Fred kissed her before releasing her and going back to cutting up his tomatoes. "The guide blade allows me to get even slices and not have to get my fingers in the way," Fred then told Hank gently. "I have quite a few unique pieces of cookware, some of which I have fashioned on my own. I have always liked to cook even when I was very young and it's something I wasn't willing to give up just because I couldn't see it anymore," Fred told him quietly as Karen added the tomato slices to the salad. Hank stared at the tile top as Fred spoke, realizing now Fred had lost his sight at some point, wondering how but not wanting to pry he just remained silent. Fred finished cutting up the tomatoes and started on the cucumber Karen handed to him, "I was a geeky kid," he said with a smile, "probably a little less geeky than you," he then added with a giggle. "Anyway, I was picked on pretty regularly and one day everyone got a good laugh when one of my classmates put a flash bomb in my lunch can," Fred said quickly, "I'm not completely blind, I can still see light and dark." "I'm sorry," Hank said in a somber tone and looked to Karen when she grabbed his hand flooding him with reassurance. Fred smiled at Hank, "I was pretty lucky, it only severed my optic nerves. I was fortunate that no real physical scarring occurred. At least I look normal," he then added with a daring expression and a giggle. Hank's mouth dropped open and he guffawed as he realized Fred was picking on him and looked to Karen who was giggling as well. "Hey, I will have you know I choose to look this good," Hank added smirking back at Fred and posing himself making Karen crack up at him.
Hank then glanced at AJ who must have been sitting on the steps because she stood and walked over, hopping up on the stool next to Hank with a firm angry glare on her face. "Mommy, you said you can't choose to be blue," AJ stated in an angry tone causing them all to calm instantly and stare at her. Hank glanced at Karen and Fred who were both looking at him with an expectant expression and he sighed before turning to try and explain it to AJ. "I did not choose to be blue," Hank told her gently, "but I did choose to accelerate my mutation," he continued and looked back to Karen and Fred who were both shocked. "I used to look more normal and then when I was a teenager I started to change. At first I was just grey and furry, but I was able to change back and forth," Hank tried explaining gently. AJ made a thoughtful face, "Like Kara?" she asked her parents. "AJ, why don't we finish this conversation over dinner," Karen said quickly, "could you set the picnic table and wait outside?" AJ nodded and hopped down, taking the basket Karen held out to her and heading out the back door. "I'm sorry," Hank said to Karen as soon as AJ was out of the room. "You experiment on mutants?" Karen asked in a stern whisper glaring at him. "No, of course not," Hank said quickly, shaking his head. "You experimented on yourself?" Karen demanded and grabbed his hand. Hank sighed and hung his head, "I was working on a way to control my transformation and was able to isolate a hormone that I believed was responsible while I worked at Bostech after college. I was trying to find a way to retard progressive mutation." "Why would you do that?" Fred asked in a horrified tone. Hank looked to them and sighed again, "I didn't want to become a monster," Hank told them in a whisper, "I believed I could also help others who were facing a life challenged by their mutant appearance." "What happened?" Karen then asked in a softer tone and projected acceptance to him feeling his pain and remorse. "I was naive," Hank told them, "I had just successfully isolated the compound when I learned that the CEO's signed a contract with the government to provide a mutation causing drug. They were planning to use my research to force mutation in non-mutants. I couldn't allow that to happen." Hank closed his eyes, "I managed to destroy all the records of my research and the data I had collected, but was caught as I was destroying the remaining samples of the drug." "My god, you took it?" Fred asked in a soft whisper. "I took the remaining doses to ensure they would never have the chance to use it," Hank said in a whisper and looked to Karen as he felt compassion, understanding and pride. Karen moved around and grabbed Hank into a large hug from behind, "you are not a monster," she whispered in his ear, "you are a very brave person who had to make a very difficult choice." Fred then sighed and smiled at Hank, "blue's sexier than grey anyway," he quipped and grabbed the steak and headed out the door as Karen giggled at him, making Hank giggle a little with her projected humor. "Come on, bring your drink," Karen said as she pulled away and loaded up another basket leading Hank outside.
Karen started laying out dinner as Hank pulled himself to sit at the picnic table next to AJ taking a look around. "So, like Kara?" AJ asked after he settled in and Hank looked to Karen. "Kara is AJ's sitter, she has the ability to transform into a simian form," Karen explained with a smile. Hank's eyes went wide and he smiled a bit, feeling not so alone anymore. "Yes, then like Kara," Hank said to AJ. "So you picked to stay as you are?" AJ then asked him in a very curious tone. "You could say that," Hank told her gently. Karen sat down and addressed AJ, "Dr. McCoy had to choose between looking normal and helping people." "And you picked helping people?" AJ asked with a smile. Hank just nodded to her, a bit horrified again with Karen's bluntness with her daughter. "Uncle Paul says looking normal is overrated," AJ told him firmly, "although I think I would rather be blue than green." Hank snapped his head to Karen with AJ's comments. Karen smiled at him, "he's green, with reptilian amber eyes." Hank just nodded to her, "how many physical mutants do you know?" Fred laughed at his question as he joined them, placing down the plate of food he had finished grilling, "the answer to that would be quite a few." There was a pause in conversation as everyone was served and Hank began to eat with them, stunned at the amazing taste of the steak. "Fred, this steak is the most delicious I have ever had," Hank told him sincerely. Fred grinned at him, "told you I'm a decent cook." Hank giggled, "You're too humble." "It's great Daddy," AJ added quietly as she then focused on her meal. "So, Paul is whose brother?" Hank asked quietly looking to Karen and then Fred. "Ah, we were both only children. Paul is Grace Hardy's husband," Karen said quickly, "the titles are just formality." Hank nodded to that and smiled glancing at AJ. After several more minutes of silence Hank noticed AJ was watching him again and have her a questioning look. "Dr. McCoy, how did you become an X-man?" she asked quietly and watched him, picking at her food waiting for an answer. Hank looked to Karen and then Fred, "well, when I was in high school Professor Xavier approached me about going to college at his school. There I studied hard and learned to make the most of my powers." "It's a special school in New York," Karen added, "for special students." "So you went to school to learn how?" AJ asked between bites. "Not all the students at the school become X-men, only a few. Most just earn their degrees and learn to control their powers," Hank explained. "But the professor and the X-men are the ones who help people," AJ asked her mom. Karen nodded to her, "Yes." "Can I grow up to be an X-man?" AJ then asked turning to Hank again. Hank smiled at that, "I don't know. You are way too young yet. You should focus on studying hard in school so you can get into college first." Hank then finished his plate and looked to Karen who started to clear. He tried to give her a hand and she grabbed his hand and pushed it to the table, "you just relax. AJ and I will clear the table and fix dessert and tea."
AJ hopped up and started to help her mom leading into the house. "Fred, why don't you fill Hank in while we clean up," Karen said with a smile and then headed inside. Fred was smiling at Hank when he looked back to him, "A rendezvous is planned for the day after tomorrow to get you home." "Oh," Hank said quietly. "You'll be traveling to Scotland where a meeting is set to take place to introduce a few key players to each other. Tomorrow a few people will be stopping by throughout the day to meet you before hand and to ask you some questions," Fred continued. "I see," Hank said quietly. "How are your diplomacy skills?" Fred then asked with a smirk. Hank just stared at him, "I do not have much experience in that area," he said quietly. "Well, the TECOM council has decided that pursuing a relationship with Charles Xavier is in the best interests of everyone and are planning to try to open the lines of communication toward that end," Fred explained. Hank then grabbed Fred's hand as he reached for him, "Unfortunately, TECOM as a whole are a suspicious group and Xavier is not exactly a public figure, neither are the X-men. The actions of that group have not always appeared to be exactly positive and it's going to take some convincing and a lot of work to establish a base of trust. For this initial meeting it was decided that you will be the point of contact." Hank listened carefully and nodded his head to that, "what does that mean exactly?" "It means that people are nervous about working with such a powerful telepath," Fred explained gently. "Is that why the professor has not contacted me since yesterday afternoon?" Hank asked, wondering. He had been getting a little worried that the professor had said he would check in and had yet to do so. "Yes," Fred said with a head nod, "that was part of the agreement. He already knows more than Karen and I are comfortable with and he managed to touch Lars when he called him. That contact caused considerable concern although Lars insists it was just in greeting." Fred smiled then and Hank looked behind him to find AJ and Karen headed toward the table. "Do you like strawberry pie?" Karen asked as she set a piece before him and continued to serve everyone else. Hank smiled at her reassurance when she brushed his hand, handing him a cup of tea, "it's one of my favorites," Hank said quietly and ate his dessert, getting rather worn out and now worried about the situation he found himself in. They ate and AJ then ran off to play with Sam as Karen and Fred cleaned up. "I think it's time to make your way to bed," Karen told him gently as she walked back into the house hands full.
Hank made his way to the house and slowly climbed the stairs and walked down the hall toward the guest room. He paused in the doorway to AJ's room to rest and smiled at the colorful décor before pushing to his bedroom and sitting on the bed for a few minutes. He then drug himself to the bathroom and took care of his hygiene before getting undressed and pulling on his sweat pants again, collapsing into the bed. He was still catching his breath when he heard a light knock on the door, "come in" he called and smiled as Karen entered with a glass of water and a little cup. Hank took his pills and handed the glass back to Karen, watching when she pulled the chair close to the bed and sat down as he laid back. "Thank you," Hank said quietly, "and thanks for the clean clothes." Karen smiled and gently grabbed his hand, "you're worried?" Hank sighed and looked into her eyes, "I'm sorry I have placed you in a position that feels threatening." Karen sighed, "I trust you, but there's a lot at stake. The professor could easily endanger everyone without even intending to do so. They are going to ask permission to read you tomorrow." Hank closed his eyes, having already figured it would be coming and just nodded his head. "I'm going to be with you," Karen told him gently, "and you have my word that you will not be harmed." Hank looked into her eyes as she spoke, feeling her care, reassurance and determination. He took a deep breath before asking, "will I be allowed to remember any of this?" "I don't know," Karen answered truthfully, "it depends what happens tomorrow." Hank looked away for a minute, upset now and nervous. He looked back to Karen as he felt her begin to put him to sleep again, "I do not wish to forget you, your family and everything you have done for me," he told her in a whisper. "I know," Karen told him gently as she placed her hand on his forehead and pushed him to sleep, tears slipping as she felt his fear and pain. Karen closed the door behind her and allowed Fred to hold her in the hall as she cried a little, "I do not want them to hurt him, taking his memories will hurt him." Fred sighed as he gave her a squeeze, "It's not entirely our call." "I'm not going to let it happen," Karen said firmly as she pulled away and headed downstairs.
"Hank?" Karen called very gently and placed her hand on his forehead, projecting welcoming and warmth, smiling when he opened his eyes. "Good morning," Hank said in a quiet tone. "Good morning, we're going to have company in about an hour and a half," Karen told him gently, "I thought you might like to shower first." Hank nodded to her and sat up as she walked away from his side. He pulled himself to the half bath first to take care of himself and brush his teeth before laying out some clothes and heading to the full bath down the hall. He froze in the doorway seeing Karen standing in there with a sponge, "I can manage," he told her. Karen looked away surprised, "oh, I'm sorry. I'll be right outside if you need me," she said moving past Hank and into the hall. Hank stood in the shower for a while, trying to calm his worries as he cleaned himself. He was still dripping wet when he sank on the toilet seat to rest, breathing a bit fast with the exertion. "Hank?" he heard Karen call, "I'm fine," he told her breathlessly and sighed when she slipped in the door and gave him a glare. Karen frowned at him and grabbed a couple of towels walking over to him and started to gently pad him dry, "I know you're angry and hurt, but that's no reason not to let me help you when it is clear you need it." Hank hung his head as she spoke, knowing he was just being stubborn, "You're right, I'm sorry," he said quietly as he allowed Karen to dry him off. She then pulled him to stand, wrapping his waist with a large towel and guided him back to the guest room to rest on the bed. She then undid his splint and sighed at him, "it's all soapy," she said and stood to go to the half bath to rinse it, returning with a wet cloth and proceeded to gently rinse his hand. She finished, brushed him dry and resplinted his hand before heading for the door. Karen paused in the doorway, "do you want breakfast up here? Or downstairs?" Hank looked to her, "I can make it downstairs," he said and proceeded to dress when she left. He rested a little while before heading to the stairs and growled when he sank to his butt with only a few left to go. "Here," Karen said quietly, taking his hand and flooding him with reassurance and confidence as he allowed her to pull him up and guide him to sit at the island. "How do you prefer your eggs?" Karen asked him gently. Hank smiled at her, "over easy," and leaned on the table as she turned away to prepare breakfast. He lifted himself up when Karen turned back with coffee, water, juice and a plate of eggs, bacon and toast for him. Hank started eating and smiled at her again when she joined him, sitting on the opposite side of the island. "How are you feeling?" Karen asked in between bites of food. "Pretty well," Hank answered quickly, "getting better everyday." Karen nodded and they finished eating in silence. She collected their dishes and cleaned up before placing the bottles of medication in front of Hank, "I didn't think you would want the narcs today, here are some other choices." Hanks looked through the bottles and choose an anti-inflammatory pain killer and took those and his antibiotics before smiling at Karen, "that's the last of those then?" Karen nodded and threw away the empty bottle.
The doorbell rang and Hank moved toward the living room as Karen rushed to open the door, hugging the person who entered before turning toward him. "Lars Owens, Dr. Henry McCoy," Karen introduced them and Hank shook his hand, glad Lars was unaffected by his appearance, "Nice to meet you." Lars nodded to him, "and I you. You look well, much better than the last time I saw you." Hank wondered about that, "I am feeling much better," he said and watched as Karen gestured for Lars to make himself at home. "Have a seat Dr. McCoy," Lars said as he sat down in a chair in the living room. "Usual Lars?" Karen asked with a smile and Lars nodded to her. Lars watched as Hank sat on the couch and smiled as Karen handed him a large glass of iced tea and joined him, catching her broadcasted thoughts and consulting with her. "Well, I'm the telepath, as I am sure you have already figured out," Lars began with a smile, "I would like your permission to follow your surface thoughts." Hank glanced at Karen who was watching him and nodded, "you may." Lars titled his head a little, "you are well practiced," he commented quietly, "perhaps this will go better than I thought. You have been trained to block telepaths?" Hank just nodded and mentally confirmed. "Good, would you be open to allowing me to test that training?" Lars asked in a very curious tone. "Sure," Hank said quietly glancing at Karen who had moved her hand against his wrist before closing his eyes. /Thank you/ Lars said gently, /I am going to ask you a serious of questions and I wish for you to answer them truthfully or falsely at random./ /I understand/ Hank thought back and concentrated on the exercise. Hank became more relaxed as Lars continued in his mind and worked through the exercises as instructed. "Very good," Lars then said aloud and Hank opened his eyes to see him looking to Karen, "now I would like to try to search for something in particular and would like you to prevent me from learning what I wish to know." Hank took deep breath and nodded his consent. "The safe word is key. If you become too uncomfortable just use the safe word mentally or aloud and I will discontinue immediately," Lars explained gently and Hank smiled a little, grateful for his highly disciplined approach and high moral standards. Hank closed his eyes and waited feeling the sudden pressure and blocked his thoughts completely. After a while he began to struggle with the increased pressure and started to breathe faster. "His heart rate is getting pretty high," Karen told Lars in a whisper and Hank relaxed as the pressure eased off, he reflexively reacted to the mental stab and launched to his feet glaring at Lars as he pushed back. Lars leaned back in his chair, /Easy Dr. McCoy/ he told him, eyes a little wide and Hank looked to Karen as he sat back down and recovered from that horrible experience feeling her wash over him with care and warmth. "He's almost as good as you," Lars commented with a smile to Karen as Hank sat back down and he finished his drink. Karen stood to get him another and smiled a little at Hank, "would you like a drink?" "Yes, please," Hank answered and looked back to Lars. "What is the point?" Hank asked him a bit annoyed at being put through all that. "The point is to determine whether or not you can be trusted to keep the secrets you already know," Lars told him in a fatherly tone. Hank sighed and then took the glass Karen held out for him. "Will you allow me to remove those memories from your mind?" Lars then asked leaning toward Hank and looking into his eyes. Hank looked away and sighed before looking to Karen as she took his hand feeling need and acceptance. Hank looked back to Lars, feeling his eyes burn a little, "if you feel you must then yes," he said in a strained whisper. He then felt Lars enter his mind, /then allow me to do so/ he heard. Hank took a deep breath and forced his mind open to Lars, he felt him push deeply into his thoughts and tried to remain calm as he drifted gently around his mind. Hank then directed him to his memories, thoughts and feelings of Karen, Fred and AJ and felt himself start to cry a little and Karen's strong reassurance. Hank opened his eyes to stare at Lars when he gently withdrew, confused as to why he did not erase that part of his mind. /There is no need. I trust you will protect what you know. I wanted to know if you would allow it because I do not believe I could do so without your compliance/ Lars sent gently as he completely withdrew and smiled a little at Hank. Hank sighed in relief and looked to Karen who was smirking at him. "Do you take acting lessons together?" Hank asked in an exasperated tone as he relaxed, relieved Lars wasn't going to steal this experience from him. Karen giggled and shook her head, flooding him with care and affection. Lars then stood to leave, "well then, I will see you tomorrow morning. I'll show myself out," he said and proceeded out the front door. Hank watched him go and looked to Karen, "is his the final word on that?" he asked quietly. Karen smiled at him, "No," she said quietly and felt Hank's heart sink, "there are two others, but I'm afraid you cannot so easily earn their opinion." "What do you mean?" Hank asked and followed Karen into the kitchen. Karen started to make some lunch for them and gestured for Hank to take a stool.
"I mean that you have to pass two more tests before the decision is finalized as to what action will be taken," Karen said as she put the stew on the stove. She plopped into the stool across from him, "and it's not going to be something you can control." Hank gazed at her confused, "who is next, another telepath?" he asked worried they may have a stronger one, Lars being pretty damn strong already. "No, a clairvoyant," Karen said with a grin. Hank's eyes grew wide, "really? A proven clairvoyant?" he asked in a stunned whisper. Karen just nodded to him, "yes, he's very accurate. He'll be here for lunch and staying for dinner." "So if I pass him am I free to keep my mind?" Hank asked in a coy tone. He stared as Karen slowly turned to him with an unusual expression, "No, you need to pass the triad." Hank tilted his head at her, "what's the triad?" "It's the current trio of TECOM mutants who choose who to allow into the organization or not," Karen explained turning back to the soup. "Who or what is the third then?" Hank asked, very curious to know what else he was facing. Karen sighed a little at him, "don't be so impatient," she said quietly, stirring the stew before turning to set the table for three. "Pops likes coffee, would you like some too?" Karen asked as she started to brew a pot. "Certainly," Hank said quietly, getting a bit nervous again.
Karen set the pot to brew and smiled when she heard the doorbell again, rushing to greet Stan as he let himself in. Hank watched Karen as she was swung around in a hug, gazing at the man who had entered and trying to remember why he looked so familiar. Stan held Karen at the waist as they entered the kitchen and smiled wide at Hank holding out his hand, "Tag, Dr. McCoy." Hank took his hand with his left and realized who it was as he spoke, eyes wide and a stunned expression on his face, "Stanley Hardy," Hank said, "Nice to meet you," he continued giving Stan's hand a squeeze. Stan continued to grin as he released Karen and headed over to the stove inhaling deeply, "Fred's beef stew," he commented quietly and turned to Karen, "and for dinner?" he asked and then grinned, "pork loin? Excellent. I'm so glad you married that man," Stan said with a grin and hugged Karen again. Hank continued to stare as Stan perched on the stool next to him, "So, where is my little pixie?" "She's at school of course," Karen said with a giggle as she dished out their meal. Stan then turned to Hank, "so how goes the investigation into your love potion?" Hank furrowed his brow at the choice of wording, "I was presenting my findings at the University." Hank then glared at Stan, "if you're clairvoyant, why did you suggest I present at that meeting? I nearly got killed!" he growled in a raised voice and looked to Karen who was now also glaring at Stan. "You sent him to the meeting?" Karen demanded in a cold tone. Stan sighed at them, "I sent him an email including the meeting announcement. I never said you should go." "I figured you wanted me to," Hank continued in a harsh tone, "you never contacted me before or since for that matter." "If he did not go, half the people in that part of the building would have been killed, including Fred," Stan said quietly. "And you weren't killed, I had that covered," Stan added gently to Hank. "You told Fred to find him didn't you?" Karen demanded as Stan ate some stew. "I may have mentioned something like that," Stan said with a smirk, "you are both letting this wonderful meal get cold," he added. Karen sighed continuing with her glare at Stan and grabbed Hank's hand pulling him to sit and eat, projecting reassurance and care. "We lost his vitals in the ambulance, he nearly died," Karen said quietly as they ate and stared when Stan grinned at her, "but you were there to pull him back." Karen gave him a nasty look and growled quietly at him before refocusing on her meal. "What do you mean by that?" Hank asked then, wondering that Fred had also said Karen got him back, not revived. Stan smirked at Karen's very nasty look, "he's pretty bright, he'll figure it out sooner or later." Hank watched as Karen's face flushed in anger and she pointed at Stan, "now that's about enough out of you!" she said firmly and grabbed his bowl, refilling it before slamming it down on the table again, "eat your stew!" Stan just giggled a little at her and then kept his head down while he ate. Hank watched her reaction and then looked to his hand, wondering that Karen had said he tried to throw the bomb out the window, he had 3rd degree burns, even given his advanced healing factor it had only been two weeks. Hank raised his eyes to stare at Karen, shocked and stunned his mind racing, "you're a healer?" he asked in stunned whisper and watched as Karen briefly met his eyes before sighing into her stew. "Told you," Stan mumbled quietly and Karen glared at him again. "Hank, eat your stew!" Karen said firmly and rushed through her own meal before putting her dish in the dishwasher and pouring them each some coffee.
Karen then collected their dishes and cleaned up, calming herself over Stan's blatant behavior and finally turned back to find them both staring at her. "So if you have already read him, why fly out here to do so?" Karen demanded quietly. "I haven't yet," Stan answered quietly, "all that was off you two. We never met before today," he then said quietly looking to Hank. "Of course you're going to insist he rest first," Stan added looking back to Karen, "which is fine with me. I want to get caught up and spend a little time with AJ anyway. Enjoy the nap, Dr. McCoy." Stan then took his cup and headed out to the porch. Hank looked to Karen who was shaking her head as she moved around, grabbed his arm and pulled him toward the stairs. "Is he always like that?" Hank asked quietly as he followed Karen to the guest room. "Yes, he's always like that," she said firmly and sat in the chair next to the bed as Hank stopped in the bathroom before lying down. Karen smiled as he reached and took her hand, shifting to get comfortable and then gazed at her, "thank you for healing me." Karen sighed at his feelings, "I'm not a very strong one. You're easy to work on, you're healing factor already is accelerated a great deal, most of your healing you have done on your own." "There is no scarring from the burns Steve described I had," Hank said quietly. "That's why I work in the burn unit most of the time," Karen told him gently and smiled at his feelings. "File that away in your private mental vault too please," Karen added and started to push Hank to sleep.
Hank opened his eyes when something shook his shoulder and looked to find AJ grinning at him, "Mommy says it's time to get up sleepy." Hank smiled at her and pulled himself to sit up watching her. "Are you better yet?" she asked quietly and Hank paused taking an assessment of himself. "I am still getting better," he told her gently and stood to follow her when she waved at him join her. "Dinner's almost ready," AJ told him as she ran down the hall. Hank followed stiffly, stopping in the bathroom on the way to the stairs and grinned when he made it down without resting giving Karen a smile as he pulled himself back to the stool in the kitchen. He then listened to Fred and Stan in the living room chatting away and turned to watch finding AJ on Stan's lap. "You're really close with him?" Hank asked quietly looking back to Karen who was smiling at him. "Yeah, we're family," Karen told him and pushed a pile of tableware toward him, "tonight I'll let you set the table." Hank smiled a little and proceeded to lay out five place settings. Hank looked up when Fred rubbed his shoulder, "how you feeling doc?" "I'm feeling much better," Hank said quietly and smiled at Stan who followed Fred into the kitchen holding AJ on his hip. "Well, Dr. McCoy, I want to get a read on you after dinner," Stan told him with a daring look as he placed AJ at a place. Hank narrowed his eyes at him, "conditionally." He looked to Karen and Fred and smiled as all three of them were staring at him, "I don't want to know whatever you see and I insist you address me by name." "Agreed Hank," Stan said with a smirk as he sat between AJ and Hank, "and Stan is fine." Hank nodded and looked back to Karen who was sitting across from him as Fred pulled out the food. "Why don't you want to know?" Karen asked Hank gently and gave him a look as he made a strange shocked and horrified expression. "Of all the horrid, hideous notes of woe; Is that portentous phrase, 'I told you so'," Hank told her quietly. "Byron," Fred and Stan said simultaneously as Karen nodded to him. They all served themselves after Karen loaded up AJ's plate. "Just so you are aware, it's not that simple," Stan then commented to Hank, "the possibilities change with every choice. I cannot foresee anything with certainty." "Then what's the point?" Hank asked quietly. "He's not just a clairvoyant," Fred said with a smirk and Hank stared at Stan. "It is believed to be a type of telepathy," Karen explained gently, "as is empathy." Hank just gazed at them, "I still do not understand." "Once I read you I will always have a connection to sense your fate," Stan told him between bites. Hank paused, "could you elaborate on that?" Stan grinned, "I foresaw you in some recent events, but I was limited in perspective as I could only see the possibilities from Fred and Karen's paths. If I had a read on you I would have been more accurate in my determination of events." "And once you do so, you will have that knowledge indefinitely?" Hank asked quietly, confused on what he meant exactly. "The familiarity with an individual's path increases with exposure," Karen tried to clarify. "It also helps to get to know the person. I have already taken an interest in you therefore it was a bit easier to predict," Stan said and sat back, finished. "Why?" Hank asked, very curious as to why. "Probably because he's seen you on several others' paths," Fred quipped with a glare at Stan. Hank looked to Stan who just gave him an innocent look. "AJ? Are you finished?" Karen then asked AJ and Hank looked to her to find her staring at him and Stan. AJ just nodded her head silently and then gazed at Stan, "Pops? Do you know what color I'll be when I grow up?" Stan sighed as Karen and Fred giggled at her obsession, "No, half-pint," Stan said quietly and pulled AJ onto his lap, "you are the enduring mystery of the unknown to me." "But can't you see through others?" she asked quietly nearly in a whisper. "Not about you, not yet anyway," Stan told her and AJ sighed. Karen then served coffee and chocolate cake for dessert before she and Fred settled back in. "That dinner was fantastic Fred," Hank said happily, "I do know that I will miss your cooking. I haven't been this well fed in years." Karen, Fred and Stan all smiled at his comments. "Well, you are always welcome at our table and in our home Hank," Fred replied patting Hank's hand. AJ finished her cake and looked to her mom, "I'll go clean up my room." Karen nodded to her and she slid off Stan's lap and ran up the stairs.
"Come on Hank, let's get this over with so I can get some shut eye for tomorrow," Stan then said with a gentle smile and gestured to Hank to head to the living room. Hank looked to Karen as he headed into the living room. He took a seat on the couch and watched as Stan sat across from him. "This is a bit different than a usual telepathic scan, but Lars tells me you are well trained so it should go quickly," Stan told him gently. "What I need you to do is open up your mind. Try to be as open as you can," he instructed. Hank nodded and took a few deep breaths closing his eyes and focused on forcing his mind open to Stan. "Let me know when you are ready," Stan whispered and Hank nodded, trying to force himself to relax. After a few minutes he quietly said, "ready," and gasped as he felt a completely overpowering presence enter his mind piercing through every part of him for a few terrifying moments and shakily exhaled as it was gone as suddenly as it came. Hank opened his eyes to find Stan still sitting across from him, breathing fast and hard. Hank leaned toward him, "Karen!" Karen ran at his call and cursed when she saw Stan. "His heart is racing," Hank said as he checked his pulse and Karen quickly grabbed his other hand and put her hand on his forehead. "Pops, come on, relax," Karen said in a gentle whisper as she closed her eyes and Hank watched as she started taking very deep breaths. After a minute Stan's breathing and heart rate slowed and he opened his eyes, looking to Karen with a smile, "I saw her." Karen snapped her head to look at Hank and then back to Stan, "yeah well you shouldn't have gone so far damn it. Come on," Karen told him firmly, "to bed with you." Hank watched a bit stunned as Karen led Stan upstairs seeing Fred hovering between the kitchen and the living room. Hank stood and headed toward him as Fred shook his head and turned back into the kitchen. "What happened?" Hank asked, sitting on the stool at the island again behind Fred who was finishing the dishes. "Stan has a tendency to push a bit too far," Fred said quietly, "would you like a beer Hank?" Hank smiled, "I think I need one." Fred went into the fridge and pulled out two bottles, snapping off the caps and handing one to Hank. "Thanks," Hank said and turned as Karen and AJ came back downstairs. "AJ, why don't you go and take Sam out for a run," Karen told her daughter who made a face but proceeded to call Sam to her and lead her out the back door. Karen then glared at Hank and Fred, "excuse me! Where is mine?" Fred turned back to the fridge and pulled another bottle, opening it and waving it at Karen, "you have to tip the barkeep," he said coyly. Hank watched as Karen rolled her eyes and walked around to kiss Fred, he transferred his eyes to his bottle as they continued for a minute before both sitting down across from him. "Did I pass?" Hank then asked quietly and Karen giggled at him. "Yes, you could say that," she told him with a smile. "So who's the third? And when will they be here?" Hank asked and watched as Fred's eyes shot wide and he started to giggle. Karen gently smacked him before looking back to Hank, "I'm the third Hank," she said with a giggle. Hank just stared at her and nodded his head when she looked at him. Hank then transferred his eyes to the tile top and quietly asked, "when will you scan me?" "When you're ready for bed," Karen answered as she brushed Hank's hand projecting reassurance and care, "unless you would rather I do it sooner." Hank looked to her and just shook his head before turning to look outside, "it's a beautiful night," he said quietly, "would it be alright if I took advantage of your porch?" Karen smiled at him, "of course." Hank finished his beer placing the empty bottle down on the island and wandered outside and took a cautious seat on the swing watching AJ play fetch with the dog in the yard. He looked up when Fred stuck his head out of the door, "Sam," he called and the dog immediately ran to his side. "Are you alright?" Fred asked Hank. "Yes, I'm fine. I just need a little while to relax, it's been a rough day," Hank said quietly and watched as AJ came and smiled at him before hopping up on the swing next to him. "AJ, I think Dr. McCoy wants a little privacy," Fred said. "No, it's alright," Hank told him quickly, "could you turn off the yard and porch lights?" Fred gave him a funny look and shrugged, "sure." Hank smiled at AJ as she wrapped her arms around his sleeve and leaned against him, "Mommy said you are leaving tomorrow." Hank nodded to her. "I wish you could stay," AJ said quietly, "you're really nice and I like your fur," she added brushing the fur on the back on his hand causing Hank to giggle a little at her. Hank then gazed at the night sky, trying to rein in his racing mind over what tomorrow may bring and what would be expected of him. "What are you looking at?" AJ asked him in a true whisper. "The stars," Hank told her, "do you know about the stars?" AJ shook her head and snuggled against him as Hank proceeded to tell her about the stars and began to point out the constellations. He paused after about 15 minutes and looked to her, completely out on his leg and sighed. He stayed very still and continued to star gaze in silence, looking to the door after a while when Karen opened it. "Hank?" she asked in a whisper, walking over to them and giggling softly as she bent down and picked up AJ, "you should have sent her to bed." Hank just looked at them and stood to go inside with her, holding open the door for her and watched as she headed up the stairs. "There's some tea left," Fred said quietly as he entered the kitchen. "Thank you," Hank said with a smile and sat at a stool as Fred poured him a cup. "Stan's in AJ's room tonight, she'll be in with us," Fred explained quietly as he sat across from Hank and reached for his hand. "I'm glad we met you," Fred then said sincerely, "and I look forward to knowing you more and working with you in the future." "I hope that will be possible," Hank said quietly and watched as Fred grinned. "You're worried about Karen?" Fred asked surprised and amused and tried not to giggle, feeling Hank nod, "that's just silly. Just remember paws off mister love potion number nine." "Why did he call it that?" Hank asked Fred quickly, very curious to know. "We don't have much information on individual X-men, but the one thing in your file is a report from Kayla Neumann," Fred explained gently. Hank lowered his head onto the tile top and mumbled, "oh my stars," thoroughly embarrassed by that tidbit of information, "I wasn't aware of the effect at that time." Fred looked to Karen who was now giggling silently behind Hank as he mumbled into his arms. Karen gently rubbed Hank's back, "she wrote that you were irresistible," she said gently with a giggle as Hank just moaned a little. Hank finally lifted his head, "I couldn't keep her off of me," he said in an exasperated tone and Karen and Fred giggled harder. "She's a mutant?" Hank then asked looking to Karen and Fred. "She's the talented individual who got you upstairs," Karen told him gently as she pulled him off the stool, "she's telekinetic." "Goodnight Hank," Fred said quietly and wandered into the living room as Karen pushed Hank up the steps. Hank thought that over as he made his way to the guestroom, noting that Karen stopped at her bedroom. He entered and quickly went to the bathroom and changed, opening the door before sitting on the bed. He looked up to find Karen in pj's entering his room and closing the door gently. "She's still rather fond of you," Karen said quietly as she sat on the bed facing Hank, "she left you a card with her current contact information, it's in the front pocket of your suitcase." Hank just stared at her and shook his head, lying down when Karen gently pushed on his shoulder, "but she must have seen me," he said quietly. Karen looked into his eyes, "yes, she did and dropped the card off a few days after helping us move you." Karen then took his hand in her right and gently slid her other hand onto his bare chest, projecting comfort and acceptance. "Now, I need you to relax," Karen whispered to him gently, "I'm going to take you to the verge of sleep and then do a deep scan. It might be uncomfortable." Hank nodded, trying to relax and curb his fear, closing his eyes. "What are you afraid of?" Karen asked him in a gentle and caring whisper. Hank sighed and looked back to her, "I'm afraid of what you will feel in me. Ever since I've changed, I struggle with my feral side." Karen smiled at him, "I will never judge you Hank," she told him and pushed a bit more toward sleep watching as he finally relented and his breaths became more regular and his eyes drifted shut. Karen closed her eyes and waited for him to be more open before taking a deep breath and diving into his heart and soul. Karen heard him gasp hard and felt him squeeze her hand as she quickly withdrew, opening her eyes to find him gazing at her and catching his breath. "Was that so bad?" Karen asked gently and smiled as Hank just shook his head wide eyed at her. "You alright?" she then asked and started to ease him to sleep again. "Yes," Hank told her, stunned and amazed at what she did and feeling the warmth and comfort through her touch again. "Goodnight," Karen told him and pushed him to sleep, making sure he was deeply asleep before crawling into bed with Fred and AJ, exhausted.
Hank opened his eyes feeling warmth and deep affection and smiled at Karen who sitting on the chair brushing his forehead. "Good morning," Karen said gently, "sorry it's so early, but there will be time to rest on the way." Hank nodded to her and pulled himself to sit up, "good morning," he said quietly. "Well, Pops is in the shower and breakfast will be ready in a half an hour," Karen told him as she walked out of the room. Hank got up and headed to the bathroom before getting dressed and looked to find the card in his suitcase. He packed everything else and made the bed before hearing a knock on the door. "Come in," he said quietly and was a bit surprised to find Stan standing in the doorway. "Morning, I thought I would grab your suitcase for you," Stan said with a smile and walked in to do so. "Thank you," Hank said with a glance at his hand as Stan was staring at it before looking back to Stan, "why did you go so deep yesterday?" Stan grinned, "the more I saw the more curious I became," he said quietly, "and you were open enough to allow me to do so." Hank nodded and followed Stan down the hall. Hank watched as Stan placed his bag on the back porch and hugged Karen and Fred before pulling AJ into his arms and sitting with her at the island. Hank moved forward and sat next to him smiling when Karen walked behind him brushing the back of his neck and feeling love and care. "I don't want you to leave," AJ told Pops and then looked to Hank, "you either," she added, "Mommy, why can't they stay?" "I have to go back to work," Stan told her, "and Dr. McCoy is better now, it's time for him to go home." Hank looked up when Fred served the plates and smiled, "Fred, this looks amazing." Karen and Fred then joined the table as Stan moved AJ to her own place. "Eggs Benedict, you know it's a good thing you married Karen, otherwise I would have had to marry you," Stan quipped and they giggled a little. They ate quickly in a bit of an awkward silence and Karen and Stan started to clean up. "AJ, go get ready for school," Fred told her and AJ ran upstairs.
"Well doc," Fred said turning to Hank and holding out his hand, "it was nice to have you." Hank took his hand and smiled when Fred gave him a gentle hug, "thank you," Hank told him and looked as AJ rushed back down the stairs scarf around her head and gloves on going directly for Stan. "I'm going to miss you Pops," she said quietly and he held her close grinning, "me too." AJ then came to Hank as Fred said good bye to Stan and held out her arms. Hank picked her up with his left hand as she giggled and then hugged him before pulling away, "I'm going to miss you too," she said quietly and Hank was shocked when she darted forward and kissed his cheek as he put her on the floor. She moved to Karen, hugging her tightly. "Come on, rascal," Fred said and gestured for AJ to head out the front door before turning and kissing and hugging Karen goodbye. Hank watched Fred, Sam and AJ leave and sat back down wondering if he would ever see them again. Stan then headed out the back door, "I'm going to put our bags in the car." "Well, are you ready?" Karen asked Hank gently as she moved to stand in front of him. Hank looked up to her and tried to hold back his tears, "thank you for everything," he whispered to her and leaned against her as she pulled him in for a hug. "It was a pleasure," Karen said, overwhelmed by his feelings before projecting hard happiness and love at him making him giggle a little and pull away to gaze at her. "Now, come on, it's time to get you back to your family and start building some empires," Karen said with a grin. Karen led him out the back door and toward a large black town car, watching as he climbed in and then joining on the other side as he greeted Lars who was in the driver's seat. Hank then looked to Karen who turned to face him, "I want you to put this on," she said quietly and held out a blindfold. Hank looked at it and back to Karen, worried and hurt by that. "You don't know where we live," Karen said gently and moved to put it on his head, "and we would feel better if you didn't." Hank lowered his head so she could reach as he nodded his understanding and sat back trying to be calm about it, smiling a little when Karen slipped her hand in his and projected trust and reassurance. Hank squeezed her hand as the car started to move. "Don't worry we can always meet up in town in the future," Karen said quietly. "Is that a fact?" Hank asked. "You are awfully inquisitive for someone who doesn't want to know anything," Stan commented as they worked their way through the streets. Hank felt a wave of affection, care and love from Karen and turned his head toward her. "I have a feeling it will all work out," Karen said quietly, smirking at Stan as he turned to face them. "Let's just say that there is good cause for optimism," Stan added quietly.