WARNING - this story will contain some adult themes including non-con. It isn't graphically depicted but it is present.
The hospital wasn't terribly busy this time of day, or maybe it was just the fact that Salem Center wasn't the busiest place for a hospital. When the green Ford pulled into the parking lot its wheels squealed against the tarmac. It was in good shape; older, but well-kept.
The kids who tumbled out were younger and, in at least one case, very poorly kept.
Jean Grey was trying not to panic. She gripped her keys in a white-knuckle hold and half-fell out of the driver's seat.
"You're gonna be fine," she promised, ripping open the back door.
"I know," Scott said. "I don't need—"
"Ignore him."
Ororo gave Scott a shove out the door, right into Jean's arms. This wasn't precisely how she wanted him falling into her arms… ignoring his protests was a good idea. Necessary, in fact, because his nose was still gushing, his breathing was shallow, he wasn't putting weight on his right leg, and oh yeah, there was a stake sticking through his shirt!
Jean and Ororo took either side of Scott and half-dragged, half-carried him into the hospital while he hopped and hobbled as best he could. This wasn't what he wanted. Given the blood on both their clothes, they weren't listening.
The doctors agreed.
An orderly took Scott's weight from the girls, helping him onto a gurney, repeating Jean's promise—he would be okay.
"What happened?" a doctor demanded.
Jean hadn't lived this kind of life. Everything but the truth flew out of her head! What happened? Somebody was holding up the ice cream parlor—who holds up an ice cream parlor?—and they were in the neighborhood and even though they didn't have anything to disguise their identities, Scott said—not to pass blame—but—they could help—
Ororo had lived a very different sort of life to Jean.
"He fell off his skateboard." She thrust her phone into Jean's hands: "Call, I'm staying with him—"
"Miss, you can't—are you injured?"
"It's his blood."
A nearby tray of instruments began to rattle.
Scott raised his head, only to have it pushed down again with a reminder to lie back. "Stay with Jean."
Meanwhile, Jean made the call as instructed. She was able to repeat this time, as Ororo had said.
"Scott fell off his skateboard. We're at the hospital."
It was actually a good excuse precisely because of how stupid it sounded. Scott Summers, on a skateboard? But when what had actually happened was that a team of mutant teenagers got a little impatient on when they could use their powers, it was a good cover story.
Ororo and Jean waited together. Ororo's hoodie moved from around her waist to over her shirt, hiding the bloodstains. Jean didn't bother. They waited in uncomfortable plastic chairs, Ororo rubbing Jean's back and promising it would be okay.
"It's Scott," she said, "he's tough."
"He was so scared, Ororo."
"You know that wasn't about being injured."
To be continued!