So, I totally just busted out this chapter. That's my excuse for how rushed it seems, to me, anyway..

I do not own X-men, Beast, all that jazz.. Jill's mine. Jack's mine. Plot's mine.

R/R, please! :D

Chapter 7: We Aren't Strong Enough Alone

Seeing as how I had some time, I decided to go check up on a girl I hadn't seen for a day or so. Peeking into the room, I found Olivia sitting up in bed, supported by a mountain of pillows, while her mother and father read to her.

I gently rapped on the door, making myself known. Mr. and Mrs. Johnson turned, smiling as they saw me.

"Doctor Sinclair! Please, come in!"

"Thanks." I slipped inside, waving to Olivia, who's blue eyes lit up with recognition. "Hey, how're you doing? Good?"

She smiled an adorable lop-sided smile.

"Good." I grinned, sitting on the side of the bed oppostie to her parents. "How are you guys, today?" I inquired, gently stroking the fur of a plush bunny.

"We're excellent." Mr. Johnson said happily. "Dr. McCoy and Dr. Peterson say Olivia's making astounding process."

"That's awesome!" I turned to face them. "She hasn't had any problems?"

"She had a minor fever this morning, but other than that, she's good. Dr. Peterson ran some tests."

"mm.." I rose, smiling at Olivia. "I just wanted to pop in and say hi. Jack wants me to meet him in his office to discuss some things, so I've got to go, but I'll come visit later." I looked at her parents. "If that's okay?"

"Of course!" They said in unison.

"Thanks. Have a great rest of the day." I waved good-bye to Olivia. "I'll see you later."

She gave me another lopsided grin. I chuckled, then turned and left.


I now found myself seated in a large leather chair, the same I had occupied earlier this morning when I tried to reason my return with the man perched in front of me. Said man was studying a document in front of him with a grave, almost haunted look on his unusually gaunt face.

Judging by the way he was making me feel, I was guessing this paper did not have good news on it.

I opened my mouth to say something, only to stop when he gently tossed the paper over to me.

"These are Olivia's most recent test results." His gaze seemed distant. I felt my eyes widen a bit, before leaning forward and snatching the paper off the desk.

As I read, the sinking feeling in my chest turning into a sensation akin to being pulled under by a whirlpool. An infection, which someone had originally marked off as minor, had spread from her remaining hemisphere, and into her spinal cord. My eyebrows furrowed as I read it over again.

"Wait.. Why didn't the machine pick this up?"

"It did. The person over-seeing the test must've thought it was nothing. At first glance, it does look like nothing more than a malfunction of the machinery." He pinched the bridge of his nose, then brought his hand over his cheeks to rub them. ".. We need to operate."

"Jack, it's been less than 48 hours since her surgery!" I protested, looking up from the paper again.

"This thing is spreading rapidly, Jillian. We have no choice. I've no idea how long she'll last if we hold out until she's strong enough." He hunched forward to rest his head on his clenched fists. "It could be anywhere from four weeks to four years."

I pursed my lips, swallowing hard.

"Jack, you know as well as I do that she won't survive this procedure. The mortality rate for a healthy girl of her age isn't even high enough for me to want to operate!"

"Then, what?" He snapped. "We just let her sit in that bloody bed and whither away to nothing? Let that infection eat away at her spinal column until she's begging us to put an end her misery? Let her parents sit back and watch, knowing they can do nothing to help her?!" Jack leapt up from his seat, his hands coming to smack against his desk with an audible 'WHAM!'. "Damn it, Jillian, we can do something! We can help her!" By the end of his explosion, Jack was panting and his face was bright red. His arms trembled slightly, before he fell back into his chair, pinching the bridge of his nose once more. I watched him carefully, deciding how I would respond. He needed my help.. That was why he called me here. I figured that out on my own.

However, HOW we were going to go about this was still unclear to me.

I sat back, crossing my legs.

".. Well, then.." I sighed. "How do you propose we tell her parents? We'll need to make it clear how dangerous this is.. And how potentially hazardous it could be should they refuse."

Jack tilted his head, sighing heavily.

".. We'll pull them aside and tell it to them straight." He shrugged. "There's really no way we can sugar coat this."

"We shouldn't sugar-coat in the first place, Jacky-boy."

Jack smirked a little, before shaking his head.

"Thank you, Jillian."

"Hey, no problem." I smiled, standing. "Well, shall we g-?"

Jack's pager began vibrating on the wooden surface of his desk. He sat up, taking it in his hand to check the front screen.

His eyes grew wide.

"Jillian-"

My pager then began beeping noisily in my pocket. I retrieved it from its cloth holder, pressing the 'view' button.

'Nigel Lionus, 555-6735'

"Oh, shit.."

I locked eyes with Jack, seeing his expression mirroring my own. There's only one reason Lionus would be paging us.

We both darted out of Jack's office, not bothering to close the door behind us.


He glanced over to see a young woman- much younger than the others surrounding them- standing, alone by the refreshment table. Her hair was back in an elegant, braided bun, with a single chocolate brown ringlet falling to the left of her face. She dressed in a simple, black cock-tail dress that came to her knees, showing her lack of figure that separated her from the full-bodied and voluptuous females around her. Her glasses, purple rimmed, did nothing to hide the confused, lost, and unique bright green orbs that nervously darted from one thing to another.

He decided to take pity on the girl. He would've hated to see such a young beauty alone at a gathering such as this.. Perhaps she was lost?

Excusing himself from his pregnant wife and group of co-workers, he strode over to the young woman.

"Hello there, darling.. Have you been separated from your parents?"

The look that was then sent his way shocked him. He'd never known such eyes could hold such loathing in one, harsh gaze!

"No." She replied curtly. Odd.. He'd expected it would sound raspy and vile after the glare she's sent him, to match the tone her eyes had set. But, he was pleasantly surprised to find it was actually rather nice. Velvety, and deep, with an almost resounding quality. She sounded much older and wiser than she looked.

"I did not wish to offend!" The man chuckled. "You must realize, my dear, that you are quite a bit younger than the others here."

"Yes. It's almost painfully obvious."

He frowned slightly.

"Have they been unkind?"

"Not purposefully, no." She said quietly, her eyes scanning the crowd. "They're all choosing to mingle with others their own age.."

"You do know where you are, I hope?"

"This is the gathering for new hospital interns, is it not?"

He nodded.

"Yes, I know where I am." She sighed, sipping on her punch quietly.

"So, you are a new intern?"

"Yes."

"Bloody Hell! You lot get younger and younger every year!"

She did something then that surprised him again- She smiled.

"They're all the appropriate age for interning. It's only me who's younger than average."

"Just how young are you, My dear?"

"Seventeen."

He had to keep his eyes from popping out of his skull.

"Bloody Hell! and you're an intern?"

"I am, yes."

"Who approved this?"

"Chief Jackson and you did, Sir."

He froze, his slightly inebriated brain kicking into gear.

"OH! You're the one Chief Jackson's been going on and on about! S..Serena? Sindel? Cynthia?"

"Sinclair." She corrected him.

"That's right!" He thrust his hand out to her. "Jack Peterson, at your service."

She eyed it carefully, before taking it and shaking.

"Jillian Sinclair."

Jack released her hand, looking out over the crowd.

"How've they been treating you?"

"Like I'm a plague they're trying not to catch."

A wide grin crossed his face.

"I like you, kid."

As the night progressed, Jack convinced Jillian to join the group of seasoned doctor's he'd been chatting with. After introducing her, they all went wild.

"So, You're the child prodigy Jackson's been blabbing about!"

"Didn't you graduate at the age of 11 or some crazy shit like that?"

"Why medicine?"

Jack smirked, seeing the shocked look on the young woman's face. It reminded him of a deer in the head-lights. Even with the shock, she answered the questions with grace and elegance. Yeah, He definitely liked this new intern.

When the crowd dissipated, he wrapped an arm around her shoulders.

"Stick with me, Kid. You're in need of a mentor, and, well.. I'm a pretty damn good one."

"You're an arrogant one, aren't you?"

He waved the comment off.

"It's merely my confidence in my abilities."

Jillian laughed at this, shaking her head.

"You're right. I do need a mentor. And, seeing as how you're the only one that willingly came up and talked to me.. The choice has to be you."

Jack grinned.

"This seems to me like it's the start of a beautiful mentorship."


I stared at the bed, guilt weighing heavily in my chest while Mrs. Johnson clung to the body of her child. Her child who- up until thirty minutes prior- had been seemingly fine.

I had to remind myself of why I was doing this. Just like I'd reminded my interns the day prior.

Inhale.. Exhale.. Inhale.. Ex-

"Jillian.." Jack whispered. My eyes slowly met his, misting a bit. He gave me a soft nod. The chart in my hands was opened, before I scribbled something down that I'd wished I did not have to write.

'Time of death: 15:49'


D:

I really do wish I could've gotten some more Olivia time in there. When I originally started writing this, I had her in here a lot, but, when I read through it, it didn't.. flow right. Tis unfortunate.. I liked her character. But, she was created for a purpose!

R.I.P. Olivia.

Please, R/R! Have a great day, guys!