"How long has she been in there?" Scott asked Xavier as he and Jean came up to the Infirmary with him.
"She hasn't left his side," Xavier sadly reported as they wheeled up and watched her sitting in the chair next to the bed.
"But it's been days!" Jean frowned.
"Yes. It has. Luckily Rogue has gotten her to eat a little bit here and there," Xavier turned to them. "But I am most worried about her."
"Al's asking for her, Chuck," Logan joined them. "Lance, too."
"And what have you told him?" Xavier asked calmly.
"Nothing. Just said they can't," Logan grumbled.
"It's best not to say anything right now," Xavier nodded. "Though, his health does seem to be improving slightly."
"Why ain't he wakin'?" Rogue came up the stairs with a tray of food for Kitty. Gambit followed closely behind.
"It seems that the last quake he caused, the one that I understand made a huge difference between defeat and victory over the Sentinels, has drained him. He was already far too weak because of his injuries to be able to handle the massive blow to the system that it dealt him," Xavier turned back to the window. "His injuries are healing. Hopefully he'll gather enough strength to wake up soon."
"An' his powers?" Gambit put his arm around Rogue.
"If he's able to wake up, he should be able to regain his powers at some point," Xavier lowered his head.
"How's our boy doing today?" Pietro and Tabitha zoomed up.
"And how's she doing?" Tabitha added.
"See for yourselves," Logan grumbled.
"Maybe if I had gotten to him sooner," Pietro muttered to himself.
"I'm afraid Pietro, that your friend would be in no better condition no matter when you reached him. I'm also quite certain that your speed was as fast as possible," Xavier smiled weakly.
"Don't beat ya' self up," Rogue shook her head. "I'm the one who let 'em go back out there."
"No, mon doux. Ya' couldn't have stopped 'em," Gambit offered.
"He's right. Alvers is stubborn. If he wanted to get back in the fight, there was no stopping him," Scott added. Everyone looked at him in shock that he had said something seemingly nice.
"Hey, Alex!" Jean turned to find her brother-in law walking up to them with a brunette on his arm.
"Hey. How is everyone?" He smiled warmly. "This is Lorna."
"Oh, Lorna. I haven't seen you in so long. You have grown up quite a bit," Xavier smiled.
"Uh… do I know you?" she looked at him and then at Alex.
"I'm an old friend of your father's," Xavier's smile weakened.
"Yeah, so um… how's…?" Alex's voice trailed off as he looked into the infirmary.
"He's still out cold. Half-pint's been in there ever since," Logan filled him in.
"And Al?" Alex frowned at what he was seeing. He still cared so much for Kitty. He couldn't bear to think of how hurt she must be.
"Doesn't know anything… yet," Logan crossed his arms with a sigh.
"I was just 'bout to take this in," Rogue gestured to the tray.
"Mind if I?" Alex took it after she nodded. While Alex opened the door and slipped in, everybody else pressed against the window.
"Hey Kit," Kitty pulled her head up from the bed and looked to see that Lance was still lying there like a rag doll. She turned her head and found Alex standing just behind her.
"Alex?" she rubbed her eyes, wondering if she was asleep. She drifted in and out every once in a while, but mostly she dreamed of Lance. Moments they had had, moments they should have had. She always woke up more angry and disappointed than when she had fallen asleep.
"Here. Eat something. Something tells me you haven't in a while," he offered a small smile as he set the tray down in front of her.
"But you're in California?" she looked back at the bed, back at Lance, and then at Alex.
"I've been keeping in touch. Scott called me not long after they got back and told me everything. He's been keeping me filled in. I started worry after a couple of days, so we came," Alex frowned.
"Couple of days? How long has it been?" she started to feel slowly more awake, more alert.
"About five days," Alex crouched down next to her.
"Al," she started to get up.
"Logan's taking good of Al. He doesn't know about any of this," Alex put his hand on her shoulder, gently pushing her back into her chair.
"He's not waking up, Alex," she started to cry. She hadn't cried in a while, just sat with determination and as much patience as she could muster. Every once in a while she would start screaming, demanding that he wake up, but he never did.
"That's what I've heard," Alex whispered. "But Xavier said his injuries are healing. He thinks he's getting better."
"Then why isn't he waking up?" she demanded.
"Well, from what I've been told, it's because he's a hero. He was already pretty banged up when the team got there, and he refused to sit out. They were… uh… fighting these mutant-hunting robots, called Sentinels. They're huge and really dangerous. They managed to knock out a few, but they still had two or three left and it was getting more difficult. He apparently started the quake of the century, aimed just at the robots, and won them the fight. But it wiped him," Alex explained slowly. "And on top of his other injuries, it was too much."
"I told him not to go," Kitty shook her head. "Before he left, I told him… I told him that I loved him, but I wouldn't stand by him if he left."
"Rogue said he told her he had to fight for you," Alex curled his arm around her and let her cry into his chest. "You and Al."
"I should have gone with him," she answered. She wasn't sure which time she should have gone with him; to fight with Fury, to stay safely at the Brotherhood house, to leave Bayville and all of this behind. She supposed any of those times meant he wouldn't be lying here lifeless.
"Oh, Kitty," Alex hugged her tight. "It's going to be okay."
"Will you stay?" she muttered into his chest. "Stay here with me for awhile?"
"Of course, Kitty," he rubbed her back soothingly. "I'm not going anywhere."
"Oh God," Kitty lifted her head as heard a gravelly voice. "You're still with Summers?"
"Lance?" Kitty pulled herself away from Alex and moved to stand over Lance. "Lance are you awake?"
"I hope not," he managed to get out as his eyes fluttered open. "This hurts like hell."
"Alex, go get Xavier!" she ordered without turning her attention. "Lance? Listen to me. Stay awake."
"Kit… where's…?" Lance tried to move his head, but groaned with pain.
"Al's fine," she smiled through a sheet of tears. "Just be quiet. Stay still. Xavier's coming."
" Kitten," he groaned, moving his hand slightly towards hers. She took it and brought it to her chest.
"Sh. Just stay awake," she bent down and kissed his forehead. "I'm not going anywhere."
"Nice to see you Mr. Alvers. We've been waiting for you to wake up," Xavier wheeled in smiling.
"You… waited?" Lance tried to squeeze Kitty's hand, but he was still rather weak.
"Miss Pryde never left your side, much to the concern and objections of the rest of us," Xavier offered as he studied Lance's Injuries.
"Liar," Lance whispered. Kitty smiled as she saw his trademark smirk on his face, but she noticed it was taking a lot of energy as well.
"Professor?" Kitty looked up.
"You seem to be in fine condition, considering, Mr. Alvers. I'll give you two a moment," Xavier wheeled out of the room. Kitty watched as he left, noticing that several people were crowded around the window, waiting to see what was going on. She smiled as she watched Xavier inform them, and smiles and cheers spread throughout the gang.
"You said…" Lance's gruff voice caught Kitty's attention. "You said you wouldn't stand by me."
"I was bluffing," she wiped the tears from her face.
"It was a good bluff," he tried to laugh, but winced immediately.
"But I meant it when I said I loved you," she stroked his face gently. "I love you, Lance."
"I love you, too," he offered before Kitty bent down and kissed him.