A/N: - ok so this isn't exactly what I promised. Hope it's ok :s
Chapter 11
Kurt and Ororo looked through the little pane of glass in the door to where Hank lay prone, Dr Denday checking over his statistics as she chewed her lower lip. Kurt could practically feel Ororo's curiosity wanting out,
"I can't tell you here" He whispered. Watching as Denday took the chair beside Hanks bed, her face carefully blank of any expression. Anyone who didn't know her would think she was heartless…Kurt knew from the way she held herself totally rigid and still in the comfortable meant she was only a few steps away from crying. And here he was, stuck between talking to her or to Ororo. He looked at the white haired woman who had helped them carry Hanks limp form up to the medical lab. She reached out and squeezed his hand – a little awkwardly as they made the adjustments for his three fingered hand with one of her five,
"Come on Kurt" She tugged his hand, leading him away down the corridor.
Inside the room, Denday turned her head, watching as Ororo and Kurt moved out of view. She had the tiniest of smiles on her face as she turned back to the figure on the bed. Watching the all too slow rise and fall of Hank McCoys chest the smile faded under the weight of the guilt she felt, until her face was once more a blank…
"Vhere are we-"
"Kitchen" Ororo said shortly, "you're a good story teller Kurt" She said, letting go of his hand as they turned into the room, smiling at him over her shoulder, "and I require sustenance" Kurt smiled a little, still unsure about whether or not it was his place to do this,
"Story? What story?" A low growl from one of the sofa's by the fire made them both look up. Logan frowned at them over the top of his beer can, his shirt still stained with Hanks blood – it had taken all five of them to move the unconscious doctor onto the trolley bed,
"Denday's" Ororo said – earning a reprimanding look from Kurt,
"Dr Denday?" A student asked, wandering in to the room, "as in, the woman who's working with Dr McCoy in the lab all the time?"
"Get out!" Logan growled loudly as he stood up lightening fast. The unfortunate student squeaked and ran out,
"Logan-" Ororo's reprimand was halted as the Wolverine raised a hand,
"Just thinkin' Denday wouldn't want her story spread out over the school" He looked at Kurt with a pointed expression that clearly said 'just try and throw me out', "ain't that right, elf?" Nightcrawler looked between the two expectant faces and sighed, dropping down into one of the chairs,
"Ja. You're right"
Denday stood up. Feeling restless. If she kept still for too long one or another emotion would surge up and the battle against the tears would start up again. She walked over to the light switch and turned everything on, watching as white electric light blazed through the room. What was that thing that had attacked Hank anyway? It didn't seem to have any solid shape or form – she couldn't hit it that was for sure – and yet…yet it had drained him? Injured him so badly. But then again, Hank hadn't been bleeding the last few times she had found him so presumably the…thing had…healed him? Oh gott,(1) Keine von ihm waren sinnvoll!
Settling on the sofa beside Logan, Ororo sat back, looking at Kurts acrobatic form…actually looking. He looked tired and weary and all of a sudden she started to wonder if this was such a good idea, opening her mouth to suggest so she was cut off as he looked up, glancing at both of them with amber eyes,
"Denday is…unique" He said slowly, a hint of a frown over her face, "she doesn't react to situations like everyvon else, it's vhy her temper is almost as bad as yours" He nodded at Logan who smirked and raised his beer can in silent agreement, "If she sees someone, anyone in trouble. She'll help…" He sighed heavily, "vhen I vas a child…there vere monsters…"
Denday turned away from the light switch, arms wrapped around her mid section as she took slow, heavy steps back to the bed, sinking silently into the seat once more. With all this time to think…to feel she could feel the walls she kept around herself starting to crumble. A breathless little noise escaped her as home-sickness, guilt and worry crashed down on her with all the weight and subtly of a flying house and tears began to pour down her face. She leant forward, burying her face in her hands as she rested on the little space left on the side of Hanks bed,
"I'm sorry…I'm so sorry…(2)Ich habe so stark versucht"
"Her father vas once a good man but he vas…changed…by drink…" Kurt said slowly, "he vas very abusive to his entire family. Dendays mother…died…vhen she vas very little, even she isn't sure vhat her mother died of…or how…or vhere" Kurt sighed, looking up. Ororos eyes were wide, her expression all pity and sympathy and the tiniest hint of guilt but Logans eyes were narrowed, his expression as unreadable as ever,
"What's this got to do with-" Logans question was forestalled by an unpraised three fingered hand,
"Vhen I vas little, still in zer circus, ve got trapped in zer hills of Bravaria. Zer snow, it vas too deep to pass. I…I ran avay from it" He smiled a little at the memory, shaking his head at his younger self, "I took refuge in Dendays pantry, she came to find me" He shrugged, "ve have been friends from then on. Dendays father became…more abusive as she grew older, became a young voman. There vas a fight. A terrible fight"
"(3)Es ist nicht Ihre Störung, Denday" She looked up at the same time as a hand, a heavy hand, landed on her shoulder. Hanks eyes were still closed but he the corner of his mouth was hitched up tiredly, "Could I possibly have a glass of water?" He asked, his voice dry and husky as if he hadn't spoken for weeks rather than the single night he was out,
"Sure" Denday all but whispered, wiping her tears away as she stood up to pour a glass for him. She perched on the edge of his bed, her fingers surprisingly sure and tender as she helped him lift his head from the pillow, enough to take a drink, "slowly now or you vill get cramps" She said softly,
"How long have I been out this time?" He asked once he'd drank his fill,
"Just one night…now ve know vhat zer problem is ve can treat it accordingly" She said softly. Hank frowned a little, trying to will himself to think straight whilst she untangled his hair with delicate fingers
"He. Denday's father. Found out that she vas meeting me in zer village." Kurt sighed, looking at his hands in his lap, tail switching behind him agitatedly, "he broke her arm. From vhat I know she'd got hold of a frying pan, she vas cooking or something" He made a flippant gesture, "after he broke her arm, he threw her out the house, into the snow. Denday landed on the hot pan, she still bears zer scar. She got angry, just…snapped. She valloped him vith zer pan-" He explained, trying not to smile in triumph for her, "and he never hit her again. So now, vhen ever a problem comes along-"
"She gets angry" Logan said with an understanding nod, "strikes out at whatever it is so it'll leave her alone" He looked over at Ororo, sharing a glance with her. The weather goddess had a hand covering her mouth,
"Oh good lord" She whispered, "the poor woman"
"You're crying" Hank said, straining – lord, why was it such an effort just to lift his hand, he felt so weak – to brush the back of his fingers over her cheek, surprised when she let him do it, looking down at him with dark eyes. He realised what he'd just said and laughed at himself, "Ah, obviously it's my turn to be captain obvious" She smiled and shook her head, "so what's the diagnosis?"
"Blood loss…severe blood loss" she whispered in reply, masking her face by raising her clipboard so he couldn't see. She cleared her throat and tried to steady her voice, "you're lucky you didn't have organ failure" A blue furred finger tip hooked over the top of the clipboard,
"Are…you quite alright?" He croaked at her. Denday couldn't help smirk with dark humour,
"Asked the one in the hospital bed?" She replied. He huffed a laugh, eyes closing,
"Oh please don't make me laugh" He smiled, opening sky blue eyes to look back up at her, "how long are you going to keep me here?"
"It's not a prison sentence, McCoy, you're not well" Hank noticed how she softened the harsh tone of her words with a gentle touch to the side of his neck – that was until she touched something that sent a spasm of raw pain through his entire frame. He hissed and reached up,
"What-" She caught his hand in her own, pressing it back down to the bed – he really was weak as a kitten,
"Don't touch, they've only just healed over" She whispered, her worried frown telling him more than she wanted him to know,
"They? Denday, please" He squeezed her hand with all the strength he, " what the heck is going on?"
A/N: - please tell me if that was too confusing to read, I can edit it then.
Unbelievably rough translations: -
(1)Keine von ihm waren sinnvoll! – none of it made sense
(2)Ich habe so stark versucht – I've tried so hard
(3)Es ist nicht Ihre Storung – it is not your fault
