Six
Logan closed his eyes, lying with his arms folded over his stomach and trying to concentrate on healing. He doubted he could will himself to heal faster by trying to forcefully expel the poison from his system, but it was worth a shot.
The rocking motion of the raft was oddly soothing rather than sickening, as was Ororo's hand that occasionally brushed his forehead. He moaned softly at the touch and weakly groped for her hand as an overwhelming thirst washed over him.
She leaned closer. "Logan? What is it?"
"Water," he murmured, hardly believing that the feeble rasp was his voice.
"I've got your canteen right here."
He didn't open his eyes, but soon he felt Ororo's hand on his cheek the same moment the canteen touched his lips. He opened his mouth and greedily gulped down the refreshing water, unable to quench his thirst no matter how much he drank.
"Easy. Not so fast," she warned.
Logan groaned, frowning. "So…thirsty."
"It's probably a side-effect from the poison, Logan. Here's more water, just try not to drink so fast."
"Hn." He opened his eyes this time as the canteen touched his lips and he drank, but his vision was blurry and he could hardly make out Ororo's face. He could feel himself burning up as his healing factor worked to drive the poison from his system, and he shifted with a groan as the raft bounced down the river, picking up speed. His head was pounding and it was hard to focus; Logan couldn't remember the last time he'd felt so lousy.
Someone's hand touched his neck, and he instinctively swatted it away with a weak growl.
"Logan, it's me. I just want to check your pulse."
His brows furrowed. His mind was getting a little fuzzy along with his vision, but he definitely knew that voice. "'Ro?"
"Yes, Logan." Her blurry hand reached for his neck again, and this time he let her. "Your pulse is very high and you're burning up with fever," Ororo said above the noise of rushing water all around them.
He grunted, closing his eyes and frowning against the headache and everything else he was feeling. "I know."
.
Ororo frowned worriedly down at her charge. Logan really didn't look well at all, and she wanted to get him home as soon as possible. She was confident his healing factor would take care of him, but she'd still feel better if they were at the institute where the medical facilities were readily available.
"Storm, we're hitting rapids," Scott warned from the back of the raft.
She glanced over her shoulder toward the front of the raft, noticing the rough waters ahead. Class two rapids was her guess, and it looked like it was about to get even rougher. "Evan, Jean, do you need me to help paddle?"
"It's okay, we can handle it Auntie O," Evan told her confidently. For a city kid he'd really stepped up to the plate.
"If I need to, I can help stabilize the raft with my telekinesis," Jean called back. "It's going to get bumpy. How's Logan doing?"
"Not very well, I don't think." Ororo sighed fretfully and shifted around on her seat above where Logan lay, turning to face the front of the raft. "Jean, I'm going to fly on ahead and see how far we are from where we need to be."
Jean nodded. "Be careful, Storm."
"We'll keep an eye on Logan while you're gone," Scott assured her.
Taking a deep, steadying breath, Ororo rose from her seat and used her power over the elements to get herself into the air. She flew quickly downriver, praying they weren't far.
.
It wasn't long after Ororo had taken off that Logan began making some agitated movements. Evan paused in his paddling momentarily to glance behind him. He was worried that if Logan wasn't aware of his surroundings in his current state, he may unintentionally pop his claws and tear a hole in the raft.
Water splashed up over the side as they hit even bigger rapids, and Evan dug the toe of his right foot underneath the seat in front of him to anchor himself. "Jean!"
"Hang on, Evan, I'm trying to stabilize the raft with my powers as best as I can!" Jean yelled over the sound of the rushing water.
"Yeah, that's great, but Logan's kinda spazzing back here! Can't you mind-call Kurt to 'port over or somethin' so he can keep him calm 'till Auntie O gets back?" Evan really didn't want to wind up in that ice cold water if the stupid boat got popped by an agitated Wolverine.
"I can't!" Jean called back. "If Kurt comes over here then Kitty and Rogue will be paddling alone in these rapids. It'll be too much for them."
Evan cursed under his breath and glanced helplessly back at Scott, but their bespectacled team leader was busily trying to guide their raft through the rough waves. He mentally crossed his fingers in hopes that Logan would soon settle down.
Nearly five minutes had gone by when Jean shouted, "Ororo's coming back!"
Blowing out a breath of relief, Evan's shoulders sagged slightly. They'd moved out of the rougher water just in time, too.
"Storm, are we close?" Scott asked instantly as she smoothly descended into the raft.
Ororo nodded. "Yes, we're almost there. There's a bend in the river about two-hundred yards out from here, and the little docking beach is just beyond that. Charles is waiting in the X-Van not far from the water; I've already explained our situation and the urgency to return to the mansion."
"You're back just in time," Evan exclaimed. "Logan's been pretty restless." He glanced behind him to see his aunt leaning over the sick Wolverine.
.
"Easy, we're almost there," Ororo tried to soothe Logan as his right foot kicked out against the side of the raft. He grabbed at his chest and his shoulders lurched as he tried to sit up.
"Nnngh!"
"What is it?" Ororo pressed a hand against his shoulder, trying to prevent him from getting up. He was still burning with fever and she had to wonder if he was delirious at this point as well.
"Ch-chest…" he gasped, face creased with pain.
Ororo frowned, feeling helpless. There was nothing she could do. His healing factor was the only thing preventing him from dying after ingesting the deadly mushrooms that would have killed anyone else, but the poison was still putting him through his paces regardless. All they could do was get him to the medical facilities at home where they'd be able to ease his symptoms until his body finished what it was trying to do.
Reaching for his hand, Ororo squeezed between both of her own. She could offer Logan some comfort at the moment if nothing else.
.
As soon as the rafts hit the beach, all the students went into motion, working as a group to swiftly pack gear and boats, haphazardly loading the X-Van's trailer while Ororo helped a barely-mobile Logan into the backseat. When the kids all squeezed into the vehicle, Scott signaled to the professor that they were good to go, and he set off for home with a sense of urgency.
Ororo sat in the back with Logan lying across the seat, his head in her lap while Kurt, Kitty, Evan, and Rogue crammed into the third row seat and Scott and Jean sat up front with the professor. With one hand pressed to Logan's burning forehead she dragged it gently through sweat-dampened hair.
Half-way home Ororo could sense a change in Logan's breathing. She frowned and moved one hand to lightly place against his chest. She could feel the vibrations of his heart beating erratically against her palm.
"Logan?" she called softly, lightly patting his face with her free hand. "Logan, can you open your eyes?"
A furrow formed between his brows as his eyelids fluttered open with effort, revealing constricted pupils and a hazy gaze. He weakly dragged one arm up, his hand feebly squeezing hers that rested on his chest. "Where?" he gasped.
"We're in the X-Van, on our way home from the Adirondacks. We're almost there," Ororo assured him, troubled by the expression on his face and the labored sound of his breathing, as well as the irregular heartbeat pounding against her palm.
Rogue leaned forward over the back of the seat, peering down at Logan. "He don't sound so good, 'Roro," she murmured worriedly.
"Charles!" Ororo called to the front of the vehicle. Logan's breath was wheezing in and out of his lungs now; Rogue was right, he didn't sound good at all.
"There's nothing we can do for him right now, Storm. We'll be at the mansion shortly," Charles called back calmly, and Ororo felt the van speed up.
"Just hang in there, Logan," she whispered to him, lightly rubbing circles against his bare chest.
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