A Difficult Decision

Author's Note: I predict some squee-ing…

Chapter Seven: Safe

"I'm fine!" John insisted as he was ushered into one of the mansions medical labs, looking back over his shoulder helplessly as Jamie was carried into another one.

"No you're not," Bobby replied simply, directing John to the nearby bed. "Just let Marie look you over then you can go and see Jamie."

"What?" the fire mutant looked suspiciously at Marie as she approached. The female offered him a reassuring smile.

"Don't worry – I've trained as a nurse."

John curled his lip up slightly but never-the-less he relented, allowing Marie to remove his jacket and t-shirt.

"Well this is just a little weird," he muttered, sitting half naked flanked by Bobby and Marie. The ice mutant laughed softly as Marie inspected the wound on John's side.

"It's not too deep. I should just be able to clean it and put a few stitches in," she looked from the bloody t-shirt back to the pyrokinetic. "Have you lost a lot of blood?"

The fire mutant started to shake his head but sighed quietly as he felt Bobby's gaze on him.

"I lost a bit," he admitted reluctantly. Marie nodded.

"I'll transfuse you a pint of blood too then," she glanced up at the fire mutant seriously. "You've been really lucky John. Just a fraction further to the side and this could have been really serious."

John just shrugged slightly as Marie made her way over to the nearby counter, gathering up swabs and antiseptics to clean out the wound. John arched an eyebrow as she turned back round, the bump on her stomach now quite visible.

"Congratulations by the way," he said, gesturing to said bump as Marie frowned in confusion. "On the baby."

"Oh…" Marie blinked slightly in surprise. "Thank you," she sat down next to the fire mutant. "Now brace yourself… this will sting…"

x-x-x x-x-x x-x-x

Ororo shook her head helplessly as she looked down at the young mutant on the bed before her.

"He's just a child," she sighed heavily, looking to Hank. "How could anyone do this to a child?"

Hank shook his head.

"I do not know," he too sighed. "Thankfully he seems mostly unharmed – just a few bruises and a couple of burn marks which appear to be from electricity backfiring onto him but other that that we just have to wait until the sedative wears off."

Ororo nodded.

"What of the others?"

"Kayla is doing fine now she's settled, she's resting now. I'm just away to do another check on Jamie but so far it seems his wounds are superficial."

"Good," Ororo inhaled apprehensively. "Do we have any idea what happened to Jason? Or a better idea what they've been doing to any of them?"

Hank shook his head solemnly.

"We only really know what they've been doing to Cayden. We didn't have time to study the files there. We've taken blood from all four to run a tox-screen and once the three are settled Mystique and I will have a more thorough search through the material."

Ororo nodded, opening her mouth to continue but shutting it as there was a soft knock, the door easing open.

"Hi, sorry to bother you," Tommy hovered in the doorway. "I was just wondering how Cayden was?"

"He's doing fine," Hank smiled reassuringly, gesturing for the younger mutant to come in. "We're just waiting for the sedative to wear off."

Tommy nodded, bowing his head slightly.

"I was just thinking… I mean you guys must have tons of stuff to do so if you want someone to wait with him till he wakes up…" he shrugged sheepishly. "I mean I'd hate to wake up on my own somewhere strange, especially after…"

Ororo smiled warmly at the student.

"That is a very kind offer, but I couldn't ask you to…"

"I don't mind," Tommy interrupted. "Really."

Ororo exchanged a glance with Hank who just smiled and shrugged.

"Very well," Ororo agreed. "When he wakes up just assure him he's safe and let us know, ok?"

"Sure," Tommy nodded, making his way to the seat next to the bed. Ororo and Hank exchanged one last smile before retreating from the room, making their way instead to Jamie's, finding Mystique already there with Logan, the latter having just arrived.

"Warren and Piotr are arranging a room for Kayla," he informed the newcomers. Hank nodded and looked to Mystique.

"Pyro still being treated?"

Mystique gave a nod.

"Iceblock and the girl won't let him move until he's had a full transfusion," she curled her lip up slightly but quickly pulled on a more civil expression. "How's the child?"

"He seems fine," Ororo replied as Hank set about checking over Jamie – blood pressure, heart rate and such. "One of the students is staying with him until he wakes up."

Mystique nodded slowly but did not get the chance to verbally reply as the door opened once more.

"Pyro," the shapeshifter smiled, standing from the seat next to Jamie's bed. "How are you feeling?"

"Manhandled," John muttered, taking the seat Mystique had just vacated. He reached out and tentatively fingered the bruise on the multiplying mutant's cheek, his other hand resting gently on Jamie's arm, concern clear in his deep brown eyes. "How is he?"

Mystique could not help the slight smirk as the three x-men stayed silent, flabbergasted by what was – from John as least – a very open display of affection.

"Well this explains a lot," Logan too managed a slight smirk. Hank quickly regained his composure as John's shoulders tensed.

"He's doing fine. He has not yet regained consciousness again but I do not expect he will be out for much longer. Of course," his expression grew solemn. "We will not know fully his condition until we find out what they were doing to him."

John gave a simple nod and turned his attention back to Jamie. Mystique sighed quietly.

"Speaking of which…" the shapeshifter quickly ruffled John's hair, much to the fire mutant's chagrin. "If you need me I'll be next door studying all those files."

Again John just gave a nod. Logan glanced at the clock.

"I'm gonna go speak with Piotr's group," his lips curled up wryly. "I dare say they're a bit shook up. I'll take it we're going to be telling the family?"

Hank nodded.

"When we have a better idea what they were doing to him," he confirmed. "I want to be as honest with them as possible – they'll have a lot of questions."

Logan gave a nod, turning for the door, Mystique not far behind him, Ororo offering both a tight smile as they left. Hank finished his check up of Jamie and looked at John.

"I too will not be far away should either of you need assistance," he offered the fire mutant a parting smile as he turned towards the door. Ororo too turned to leave.

"Miss Munro."

Ororo blinked in surprise. The fire mutant didn't even call her miss Munro when he was a student there…

"John?" she turned and looked at him as he slowly clambered back to his feet.

"The kid… Cayden. How's he doing?"

"He's doing ok," Ororo nodded reassuringly. "Same as Jamie – we'll know better when he wakes up and we've read the files."

John gave a small nod.

"I eh… I spoke to his foster home. I kinda got the feeling that they reported him missing only out of obligation and that they wouldn't really be worried if they never saw him again," the fire mutant curled his lip up. "I read his file – he doesn't seem like a bad kid. He just… has had problems with his power and the other kids seem to pick on him so he retreats into his shell. I think he just needs to be somewhere that understands him and..."

Ororo couldn't help the faint smile that pulled on her lips.

"Sounds familiar."

John bristled defensively.

"Maybe we should just cut out the middle man and take him away with us when we leave then," he grumbled. Ororo held up a hand quickly, finger pointed, her smile fading as she shook her head.

"Oh no. I don't make the same mistake twice."

John looked back at his former teacher and couldn't help but bow his head guiltily.

"We'll leave him here then," he relented quietly. Ororo allowed the smile back onto her lips.

"We'll look after him," she assured him. John gave a small nod.

"Cool," the fire mutant sat back down as Ororo once again turned to leave. "Oh, apparently he prefers to be called Jinx."

"I'll bear that in mind," Ororo smiled, glancing back at John with one last smile. "You should get some rest."

"Yeah, yeah," John waved a hand dismissively as the door shut, looking over the unconscious mutant in front of him. A quiet sigh escaped his lips as he ran his hand over Jamie's arm. "I'll rest when he wakes up…"

x-x-x x-x-x x-x-x

Despite his words a couple of hours later the fire mutant was sleeping in the chair next to Jamie's bed. His brow furrowed slightly as he became aware of voices and soft noises. Slowly he opened his eyes, blinking tiredly as he focussed on Hank.

"What?" he muttered, trying to pull himself into a sitting position. His eyes widened as he glanced at Jamie and found a pair of bright blue eyes looking back at him. "Jamie?"

"Hey firebug," the multiplying mutant smiled tiredly. John returned the smile, clambering off his seat and leaning over the bed.

"Hey," he replied quietly, brushing his lips softly over Jamie's. "How you feeling?"

"Tired," Jamie admitted. "A little sore."

John nodded faintly, looking up to Hank.

"He was a little groggy when he woke up but he's fine," the doctor smiled, finishing checking Jamie's blood pressure. John scowled slightly, lightly hitting Jamie's shoulder.

"You should'a woken me up," he chastised. Jamie shrugged.

"You looked peaceful," he flinched slightly as Hank gave him an injection. "Besides," a frown pulled on his brow. "The good doctor here says you were shot."

"I was grazed," the fire mutant waved a hand dismissively. Jamie looked up at Hank and the two rolled their eyes.

"Well I'll leave you both in peace, I'll be back in the morning," he arched an eyebrow at each of them in turn. "Now both of you rest."

John gave the doctor a mock salute, Jamie just managing a faint smirk as Hank left the room. With a quiet sigh the multiplying mutant turned back to look at John.

"You should do as he says," John stroked his cheek gently. "You look exhausted."

Jamie shook his head.

"Says sleeping beauty," he looked at the fire mutant pointedly. "How are you really feeling?"

"I'm fine!" John insisted, although his expression softened. "Ok, it hurts like hell."

Jamie laughed quietly.

"Now was that so difficult?"

"Yes," John grumbled although a smile pulled on his lips. His frown returned as Jamie flinched slightly. "Really though, are you sure you're ok?"

"I'm sure," Jamie nodded. "Just a headache."

John arched an eyebrow dubiously but did not argue as he sat down gently on the multiplying mutant's bed.

"Can you remember anything?" he asked quietly. "You know, what they were doing to you?"

"No…" Jamie shook his head. "I woke up a few times but all I remember is being in pain."

John nodded slowly, concern still clear on his face even as he forced a smile and gestured to the small gap next to Jamie.

"May I?"

The multiplying mutant laughed quietly, shuffling over tentatively, smiling as John carefully clambered onto the bed next to him, fitting comfortably into the older mutants arms.

"I thought…" the fire mutant took a deep breath. "I thought you were gone. I mean… part of me thought that maybe you had just got fed up of my bullshit and left but then when we found out where you were and the damned x-men wouldn't help us and then when they did we found one of the other guys dead and we didn't know who it was at first and…"

"Hey…" Jamie interrupted, squeezing the fire mutant's shoulder, rubbing his back gently. "Its ok… we're safe now."

John sighed quietly and nodded, a short silence falling before he spoke up again.

"I do love you," he said quietly, almost in a whisper. "I know I don't tell you that enough…but I do, I just want you to know that."

Jamie couldn't help but smile, tightening his grip on the younger mutant as much as their injured bodies would allow.

"You do tell me, just… in your own little ways," he leant down and captured the fire mutant's lips as he raised his head to query. "I love you too. Now do as the doctor said and rest."

John arched an eyebrow but settled back down, resting his head carefully on Jamie's bare chest.

"You rest too," he ordered lightly. "Good night."

"Night," Jamie smiled, continuing to stroke John's back as the fire mutant fell into a peaceful slumber. Jamie however remained awake, his head buzzing with too many thoughts – voices really – to even think about sleeping.

Just SHUT UP!

Oh come on, you know that never works!

Besides you'd be lonely without us.

I really wouldn't…

Do you realise how soft you've become by the way? Since you met the pyromaniac?

Oh don't start…

Just saying…

Well don't. Just shut up.

Or what?

Ugh. I just need to duplicate a few times. That'll get rid of you all.

Will it?

Don't know why you're so bothered anyway…

You mean other than the fact we don't want the boyfriend to find out we really are crazy?

We're not crazy! And we're not we!

Oh but we are.

… …

… …

Not us you have to worry about anyway…