Author's note: Also those of you that are not members here can leave a review. So please do it! ; ) Thanks to those who have reviewed the last chapter!! : )
Guys, go watch The Dark Knight! The movie is awesome and Heath's Joker is so worth watching it. : )
And yeah, I know that Hugh's taller than Christian Bale and John is modeled after Christian, but hey…Wolverine isn't as tall as Hugh either, so… ; ) The Dark Knight rocked btw. Germany won't get the movie before the end of August and then of course it's dubbed… : P
BTW: Did you guys see the trailer for the Wolverine movie?? It's awesome! I already love Live as Sabretooth. I was so happy when it was announced that he would do that part. : ) If you haven't see it, yet, go to YT as long as it's still up. FOX is pretty quick in deleting movies. It's way either to picture the new Sabretooth while writing, than it was to do it with the old one. I wasn't that fond of the old one anyway. lol
Wow, the new Reader Traffic thingy is cool. I didn't know that even people from Hungary, Australia, Sweden, China and Singapore read my stories. Oo That's awesome! So, eh…hi too everyone from all around the world. It's pretty cool, I think. : )
And Luke and Keith return…briefly.
Changes Sequel – II. Covenant Part 35
Both Hank and John didn't dare to move, instead they chose to watch how the shadow came closer and became slowly visible in the weak light that the bridge and city spent. Both X-Men went into an attack stance, snarling, prepared themselves for everything that might come. "Others?" Hank asked, not willing to take his eyes from their enemy.
"Can't sense anyone," John mumbled, still glaring at his nephew.
"Pathetic, really…," Daken huffed and crossed his arms. His black leather pants and nearly all the way buttoned up shirt of the same color were covered by a leather coat of the same color, probably a new uniform or something similar as they guessed. "If I wanted to kill you, you'd be already dead…" He gave Hank first and his uncle next an emotionless, cold look. "You came alone? How brave of you," he mocked and moved over to the Hudson River. "So…how is my old man? Lying gore-spitting on the ground, I hope?" He smirked when snarls became louder.
"What do you want?" Hank demanded to know and watched how the man turned around to face them. He still wondered how a son could look so much like his father, yet so different. Daken was approximately 5'7'' whereas Logan measured 6'2'', compared to John and his 6'4''. Nevertheless, the man had definitely inherited his father's features, with a touch of Asian thanks to his mother, and his physical built, but the biggest difference were the eyes. While Logan's sparkled with life and joy when he was with his family and could look intimidating when the man was angry, Daken's looked emotionless, cold and merciless the whole time through. It made Hank's blood run cold. The hair was as dark as Logan's and also as messy, but Daken wore them a tad longer than his father did.
"I told you that I have the cure," Daken replied in his casual monotonous voice.
"Yeah, we got that," John said. "But what do you want?"
Smirking, his nephew tilted his head, the smile never reaching his eyes. "Nothing…"
His uncle chuckled. "Yeah, sure… As if you'd give us the cure for nothing. If you want the twins or Jamie, forget it. Not gonna happen!"
"Oh, please!" Daken scoffed with a snort. "I've no interest in those kids. I couldn't care less about them."
"Jeez… Do you have a heart at all?" John asked and shook his head in disbelief.
"I guess no with such a father," his nephew gave back and held the glare he was given.
"Unlike you he has a heart," Hank snarled sourly.
"Yeah, sure," Daken growled and threw something at John that the man caught. "That's the cure for one person. It will kill off the virus in an infected person's body within 24 hours and the symptoms will subside."
Hank walked over to John, both men looked at the red liquid skeptically. "How can we be so sure that this here isn't another virus that is programmed to kill normal mutants too? Or that it will infect humans?"
"Easy answer…," Daken shrugged and his features hardened further, if that was even possible. "Because Sinister has no right to kill my father with that stupid virus of his. The only one who has a right to kill him is me! I don't care if the rest of you dies. My business is with my father and I'll be the one who'll finish him off, not that virus," he growled.
"What is that virus anyway?" Hank asked him, hoping to receive an answer.
"Sinister calls it Legacy."
"And he created it?"
"You have a PhD, right? Then you've probably paid attention to what I've said and an answer is unnecessary," Daken said arrogantly and ran a hand through his black hair.
"To what purpose? It targets homo sapiens superiors and male mutants only!" Hank went on, ignoring the remark.
His opposite sighed and turned back to look at the city with hatred in his eyes. "Because they are useless. As useless and worthless as those homo sapiens over there," the man replied darkly and with disgust in his voice.
"I still don't understand to what purpose…," John said and put the cure into his pocket.
"And you don't have to. All you need to know is that this is the cure and that I want you to give it to my old man. That's all!" Daken said and turned around to leave.
"Why do you hate your father so much?" Hank asked, watched how the younger man came to a halt and turned to give him an ice cold glare.
"Because he's an egoistical, arrogant, self-righteous piece of shit, who murdered my mother when she was pregnant with me and never gave a damn about his own son!" Daken growled, his eyes darkening.
Hank shook his head. "He didn't even know that you were alive. Logan lost his memory due to all those experiments Weapon X did with him. He regained his memory only before a while ago and he didn't know about you before I told him that you were his son," he told him. "Whoever murdered your mother, it wasn't Logan. He wouldn't do such a cruel thing and he loves his children! He even traveled to Japan to find out the truth about you, because he didn't know. You were stolen from him, Daken! Stolen to be used as a weapon against him!"
Glaring at the man for a while longer, Daken just turned around and buried his hands in his pockets. "Tell my father that he should watch his back. Because one day I'll get my revenge and kill him!"
"How can he just not care about it?!" Hank asked John in utter speechlessness.
"I don't know…," the other man shrugged and concentrated on their surroundings. "It's clear to go… No one's around."
"Do you think he really gave us the cure?" Hank asked as soon as they sat in the car and were on their way back home. He eyed the liquid again.
"As much as he hates Logan…," John mumbled and navigated the car through the gate of the mansion, "yeah! I bet he gave us the real thing."
"I hope we can analyze and reproduce it in time," Hank said after the car was parked in the garage and they walked down the corridor to the staircase. "Thanks for taking care of the children and coming with me!"
"Sure," John waved off. "Good luck with it," he added and nodded at the supposed cure.
"Yes, let' hope it's for real," the furry mutant said and gave his opposite a pad on the shoulder before he entered the elevator.
Back upstairs, John closed the door quietly and got rid of his jeans and shirt before he went under the sheets again. His eyes fell on the sleeping, cat-like, Nick next to him, who was curled up in a furry ball and purred in his sleep. Smirking, the man reached out and touched the pointed ears of the boy just to tuck him in again next. The even breaths of Narya and his daughter told him that they were sleeping and also the rest seemed to be in a deep slumber. Satisfied for now, John tried to get comfortable again and closed his eyes. But sleep didn't come that fast to him…
"You got what?" Moira and Jean asked at the same time and starred at Hank.
"The cure. Supposedly it is the real one," he replied and both women looked at the object in front of them.
"And where did you get it from?" the redhead asked drowsily since she had fallen asleep in the chair next to Logan's bed.
"Believe it or not… Daken gave it to us."
She snorted and shook her head. "Then it is everything but not the cure."
"John and I both think it is the real thing," Hank said but she shook her head while Moira crossed her arms suspiciously. "Daken wants to kill Logan by himself. He said he would never allow Sinister's virus to kill him. We have to try it. We're running out of time here."
"Then we need to analyze it," Moira said and took the cure into her hand. "The question is…how do we reproduce it?"
Taking it from her, Hank prepared something and gave a small drop onto a slide, which he put into a machine and typed in some commands into a computer next. He waited for the results and put on his reading glasses. It didn't take long and both women stood behind him, their eyes fixed on the screen too. The results slowly appeared on screen and the scientists began to read. "It shouldn't be a problem to reproduce this…," Moira mumbled and supported herself with an arm on Hank's shoulder while reading. "We can ask Warren's father…"
"The last time we asked him for help his men tried to kill Logan," Jean said, remembering how he had asked the man for help when she'd been in a coma and afterwards had been hunted through the sewers.
"Warren's father has sworn that he hadn't known about the things that scientist had been doing. And it should be in his interest too if that here," he held up the cure, "was reproduced. In the end his son is a mutant too."
"The question is if he will even listen to us," Moira said. "Warren went on a mission with us and got hurt."
"Yes, but he got hurt while he tried to help Peter," Hank disagreed. "Who would have reckoned with Apocalypse tearing his wings out…"
"We still can't be sure that this really is the cure," Jean suddenly said and looked at them.
"Then we have to test it," he suggested after a moment. "I'll give this example here to Warren's father and tell him that we need him to reproduce it quickly. We can't be sure about it being the cure or not if we don't test it…"
"We can't just test it on someone."
"It's our only hope and you know that, Jean."
"He's right," Moira nodded. "We are unable to locate the virus in the blood samples for weeks by now. We're running out of time here, Jean. The others don't have that much anymore… As hard as it might sound, but better to sacrifice one of them in order to save the rest."
"You're trying to play God here!" the redhead said, angered. "You can't choose someone by lot and just give him this…stuff." She gesticulated with her hand. "What if it makes the symptoms even worse? Or what if it infects all others?"
"I know…," Hank sighed and ran a hand through his fur, squeezed his nose next. "Still we're running out of time!"
"Hank?"
"What is it, Kitty?" Moira asked, surprised that she hasn't heard the door opening.
"Peter's awake. I just wanted to ask if it is okay for him to drink something?" the woman asked tiredly, the exhaustion of the last days visible in her face.
"I'll come with you," Moira said and got up to follow her into the infirmary. "For how long is he already awake?"
"He just woke up. So not longer than maybe a minute or two."
Nodding, Moira stopped next to Peter's bed and checked the monitors. "How are you feeling?" she asked the man in a hushed voice since the others were sleeping.
"Thirsty…," Peter said barely audible and had trouble to keep his eyes open.
Moira watched how he sipped carefully on the glass which Kitty held for him. It was obvious for her that just raising his head a bit was more than a huge effort for the man and she considered herself proven when his eyes closed again.
"I heard that you talked about a cure…," Kitty said after a moment and looked at her. "Is it true? Do you have one?"
Sighing, the older woman shrugged. "We don't know. Logan's son gave it to us, so it could be everything…"
"So what will you do now?"
"That's what we're trying to figure out…," Moira replied and looked at her. "You should go back to sleep, Kitty. I'll stay a bit longer."
"Okay…," her opposite nodded and tried to get comfortable in the chair. It didn't take long and she'd dozed off again.
After checking on all patients, Moira left the infirmary and was ready for some serious shut eye. Nevertheless, she wasn't prepared for what awaited her as soon as the door had opened. "What are you going to do with him?!" she asked shocked since Hank, heavily breathing due to the weight, was carrying Logan over to another room. She didn't see that Peter had opened his eyes a bit again and was concentrating on what they were saying.
"He's burning up heavily all of a sudden," Hank explained briefly. "We need to cool his body temperature before he goes into shock again."
"Where's Jean?" she asked and tried to help him. "God, is he heavy…"
"She's already preparing the tub," he panted and was more than happy as they finally reached the room. "Careful!" he warned after Jean had attached the necessary machines to monitor the heart rate and body temperature and they lifted Logan with the redhead's help into the tub, which was filled with ice cold water and cubes.
"Not so fast!" Moira said and tightened her grip on the shoulders. "And now slowly."
"Better hope he won't wake up…," Jean mumbled and watched how Logan's body slowly sank into the tub.
"Why?" Hank asked and turned his head to watch how the two women began to check on the screens.
"He hates if he's trapped in a closed space that is filled with water," Jean explained and took some notes. "It reminds him of Weapon…" Her head jerked aside as Hank let out a loud yelp at the same time as a familiar growl could be heard. "Oh no…," she gasped and pulled the furry mutant, who held his bleeding arm, aside with her powers. She watched how Logan, or better a dazed Wolverine, who didn't seem to know where he was, tried to get out of the tub but failed in doing so. She heard him panting heavily despite his supposed to sounds threatening growls and heard how the monitor that displayed his heart rate began to beep warningly.
"Can't you calm him down?" Moira asked and kept her distance.
"He's blocking me," Jean said and withdrew her hands quickly after trying to touch him, since he had extracted his claws and lashed out at her weakly. "Logan, you have to calm down," she said and gave the blood, which poured down his arms a worried look. "Calm down! You're home…"
"Sedate him!" Moira suggested and pressed a towel on her husband's bleeding wound.
"No…," Hank hissed and watched how Wolverine fell to the ground while trying to get away from them. "He's too weak to be sedated. Call John."
After she'd called out for her brother-in-law mentally, Jean approached Wolverine slowly. The panting and sweating mutant sat on all four on the ground and tried to keep his head up, his vision blurry and his mind telling him that he was back with his torturers. He believed that they had caught him again, then drugged him and now tried to put him back into that tank. He remembered the agony they had caused him and tried to pull himself enough together to growl. Why did his head feel so heavy and was throbbing mercilessly? What had they done to him this time? Wolverine noticed that a blurry shadow came closer, the voice speaking to him sounded demonic to his hears. He couldn't understand what they were saying. Trying to back off, he lashed blindly out, felt how a thick liquid ran down his knuckles and arms, but couldn't understand that it was his own blood. Why was it so hot anyway? He was burning from within… Did they try to burn him with fire again? Just to see how fast he could heal? Dizzy as he was his awkward attack ended with him hitting the floor hard.
"Logan…," Jean said in sympathy and watched how he tried to crawl away from her.
"What's wrong?!" John asked while entering, his voice still thick with sleep. But as soon as he noticed what was going on, he was instantly fully awake. "What happened?!"
"His fever has increased dramatically and we need to cool his body," Hank explained while Moira dressed his wounds. "He obviously thinks that he's back at Weapon X due to the tank and went feral."
"Can you try to calm him down?" Jean asked worriedly since Wolverine hardly managed to keep himself up on both arms anymore. "I can't reach through to him…"
"Okay, I'll try…," John nodded and slowly approached his brother, saw how Wolverine weakly rose his head a bit and uttered a barely audible growl. Unimpressed, the man spoke quietly to him, stopped briefly when claws took an awkward swing at him and quickly used his chance that Wolverine was off balance. "'s okay. Calm down…," John muttered and held his brother pressed to his body, heard the surprised gasps of Moira, Jean and Hank but ignored them. Both of his arms were wrapped around the other mutant so that he couldn't use his claws on him anymore. Even while he still received angry growls, he kept on speaking in a soothing voice to Wolverine and forced him slowly completely onto the ground. "Is there room for two in the tub?" John asked.
"W…why? What do you intend to do?" Moira asked and watched how he dragged Wolverine over to the tub and pulled him up as if Logan weighted nothing, before he went into the tub with him and pressed his brother into the cool water.
"For how long?" he asked after , felt how his skin cooled rapidly down.
"We'll let you know," Jean replied and quickly reattached the necessary cables.
"We're only trying to help you, Logan…," she heard John saying in a calm voice and watched how Logan slipped back into unconsciousness. "Is he alright?"
"Yes, he is…"
"How did you do that?" Hank asked and received a questioning look.
"What?" John asked and frowned.
"This…this ghost thingy," Moira replied and still looked at him with big eyes. "And your eyes were glowing red…"
"It's part of my mutation," he shrugged and looked down on himself after leaving the tub, the water dripping to the ground. He smiled when Jean handed him a large towel. "Thanks," he said and got rid of his shirt, began to dry his skin and wrapped the towel around his hip before he got rid of his pants next.
"Do that again!" Moira suddenly said and earned a surprised look from him. In the end he shrugged. The woman watched how his hazel eyes began to glow red and his body turned into some kind of fog-like appearance. "It's not like Kitty's mutation, is it?"
"I can't phase through the floor or ceiling if that's what you mean," John said and watched how Hank and she came closer to look at him from all sides, Moira even using her hand to try and touch his chest but went right through him. "My codename is White Ghost for a reason, you know?" he chuckled.
"But how come that you can still touch people if you're practically fog only…?" Hank asked and made a step back when John extracted his bone claws.
"I can still hurt people with those too."
"But how?"
"Dunno…," John shrugged and turned his hand to look at his claws from both sides. "I just can…"
"Jack should be able to do this, Jean. Or even Lily," Moira said to the redhead when the man turned into his human form again and made sure the towel was in place again. "Logan is probably unable to do it because his skeleton is coated with adamantium…"
"Just because his brother can do it, doesn't necessarily mean that our children can do it," the redhead said and checked the monitors. "Logan needs to be pulled out." Using her powers, she lifted the still unconscious mutant up and onto a bed close by. While she walked over to him Jean grabbed another towel and began to towel him off.
Hank laid a hand on John's shoulder. "Thanks. Go back to sleep."
"Okay, night," John nodded and left again but came to a halt on the corridor. Frowning, he turned slowly around and, after a moment, began to walk towards the additional lab, which Hank had set up since the actually one was occupied. Slowly, he approached the door, which slid open after he stood in front of it. "Shit!" John cursed and went quickly over to the man that lay on the ground and was heavily panting. "What did you do?!"
"They…needed to test it…," Peter whispered during his heavy breaths and trouble to focus on anything. He didn't even hear how Hank and Moira stormed into the room after they'd received John's warning, which he had sent over to Jean mentally.
"What did you do, Pete?" Hank asked worriedly and knelt down next to the young man to check on his vitals.
"Don't tell me he took the cure?!" Moira asked and stared at the empty syringe in Peter's hand.
"Why did you do that?!" the furry mutant asked. "We don't even know if it's the real thing, Peter. It can be everything!"
"You said…you needed…to test it," Peter said under great effort and closed his eyes tightly when the pain became to strong.
"Yes! But not on one of you before we can be sure that it's not just another virus!" Moira cried and shook her head. "This is my fault… I shouldn't have told Kitty when she'd asked…"
"Logan died because he saved me," Peter whispered at Hank and looked at him.
"He did it because it was his duty as the team leader," Hank replied, angered about the man's actions.
"Then it's my duty…as a friend," this one replied and gasped for air. "The others…have children to take care of… I don't…" With that he gave in to the darkness and his head fell aside.
Instantly Hank reached out to check on the pulse. "He's only unconscious…"
"But if he took the cure," John began to ask and helped him to pull Peter up and onto a bed in the corner on which either Hank, Jean or Moira too a nap, "how do you intend to reproduce it, if it really is the real thing?!"
"I already sent the analysis of the liquid over to Warren's father. He said he would tell his men to start working on it."
"Okay…," John nodded.
"He actually just wrote that he will have it by tomorrow," Moira suddenly said and looked up from the computer.
"Tomorrow already? He works fast," Hank said impressed and whished John a good night once more before he went over to hear. "But as I said…the cure isn't made of anything that isn't known."
"Then let's just hope that nothing happens until then…," she sighed and ran a hand through her face.
"You mean nothing like the stupid boy over there," he cursed and looked at the man in the bed. "If that really is the cure, I'm going to smack some sense into him as soon as he feels better…"
"You know perfectly well that you won't, honey," she smiled and laid a hand onto his.
"I know, but it sounded good for the moment…"
"I go and check on everyone," she yawned and got up. "Just call if something happens." Waiting for a nod, she kissed him gently and left the room.
Mystique dozed in her chair between Scott's and Alex's bed. She stirred when a noise caught her attention and looked up. It was then that she noticed that she was the only woman in the room and assumed that Ororo and Jean were either gone to eat something or that Hank had called them. "Do you want something to drink?" she asked Tommy, who reached out a shaky hand to the bottle on the bedside table. She got up and sat down on the bedside table to help the boy with it. Her free hand took the cloth out of the bowl and began to cool Tommy's heated skin with it. "Drink slowly, okay?" she whispered and stroked through the damp her. When the boy fell asleep again, she put the things back onto the table and tucked him in, just to get up and looking at Kurt in the bed next to the boy's.
Since he was breathing heavily in his sleep, Raven began to cool his face too, a strong pressure building up in her chest while she did so. Her mind pictured how she would have sat next to his bed during the typical children's diseases, how she would have chaperoned him during it until he felt better again… She sat down next to him, still feeling the shock deep within her that the man was really her son. "I'm sorry…," Mystique whispered and looked down to blink away her tears. "I swear I didn't know that you were my son." Reaching out, she took his hand and stroked over the blue skin unconsciously. Her heart ached for him to know the truth. But how was she supposed to tell him something that she still didn't know herself. Not thinking about it, Raven began to tell him how the villagers had seen him when he had just been born, how they had freaked out since he had looked like a demon and came for the boy and his mother one night. That she had grabbed him and had run up the hill to the wood, but they had chased them with horses, how she had looked around for a way out and seen the reed by the river, how she had went over and hid him there, the tried to fool the villagers and tried to lead them away from the boy… "But when I returned…," Raven sniffed and still stared at Kurt's hand, "you were gone… I believed they had found and taken you because I couldn't find you. I believed you were dead…" Letting out a sob, her eyes suddenly widened as his hand squeezed hers weekly and her head jerked up. She thought her heart would stop beating as she noticed that he looked back at her through half closed eyes, noticed the tear that left his eye and rolled down his cheek… "I'm so sorry…," Raven said once more and stifled her sob by covering her mouth with her free hand.
"What's going on?" Ororo asked and walked quickly over to her since she believed something was wrong. She pushed Raven a bit aside to check on her husband and began to wonder why Kurt held onto the woman's hand.
"I…forgive you…," he said barely audible and let go of the hand when his strength left him. Tiredly, he closed his eyes again.
"What was that about?" Ororo asked and looked at Raven, wondered why the woman was crying.
"Nothing…," the woman waved off and sat back down on the chair between her son's and Scott's bed after checking on them. Sniffing, she ran a hand over her face and leant her head against the wall, just to look up when Jean entered the room next. "Did something happen?" Raven asked concerned since the redhead's face spoke volumes.
"Peter took the cure while we took care of Logan…"
"What?!" both women asked shocked, but Jean only nodded.
"But… What now?" Ororo asked her. "What if it is just another virus?!"
"Then…we'll be dead soon too," Raven said sarcastically and got up when Scott had a coughing fit. "Better?" she asked and stroked through his hair.
"Lungs hurt…," he croaked and still had trouble to breathe.
"Sit up for a moment," Jean said and pulled his shirt up to auscultate him, closely watched by Raven and Ororo. Both women noticed the look on her face. "We should do an X-ray from your lungs, Scott."
"This bad, huh?" he asked weakly and breathed hard.
"Be right back." The redhead turned around just to come back with Hank. Both helped Scott over to another room and brought him back after doing a scan.
"Here," Raven said and helped him to sip on a glass. "And?" she asked when Jean returned, saw how the woman bit her lower lip.
"It's an acute pneumonia, Scott," the redhead told him.
"So I'm dying?" he asked weakly.
"No, but since you have so much trouble to breathe Hank and I suggest that we use an ET tube to make it easier for you. A chest tube isn't yet necessary since you do not have that much fluid in your lungs. But it's possible that it will worsen," Jean told him and also exchanged a look with Raven.
"As I said…dying…"
"No," she shook her head. "We had to use an ETT on Logan too. And he's worse, trust me," she added calmly. "It will make it easier. I know that you won't like it, but…" She shrugged. Seeing that he only waved off, she nodded and left to get the necessary supplies.
Scott coughed and looked at Raven next to him, saw the concern in her eyes. "Listen…," he said hoarsely and reached out to take her hand, "if something goes wrong…"
"Scott…," she cut him off, not wanting to hear it, but he held onto her.
"No, listen! If something goes wrong… If I won't make it," he went on and had to stop due to another fit. "Charles has my will, okay?"
"Scott…," Raven said again but leant forward in the end to pull him close. "I love you…," she sniffed and kissed him when Jean and Hank came back inside and began to prepare him. Not willing to leave his side, she held onto his hand and watched the whole process. Even if their relationship was a disaster at the moment it pained her to see him like this.
"He'll most likely be asleep for a while," Hank informed her and laid a hand on Raven's shoulder.
"Hank? What about Peter?" Ororo asked.
"No changes yet," he replied. "If Daken is right it will take at least 24 hours…"
"How are the students?"
"Two of them are not looking good…" He lowered his head. "The only positive thing to report is that Warren's father might have the reproduced cure, if it really is the one, probably by tomorrow already."
"And if it's not the cure?" he heard Ororo asking while she stroked through her son's hair, exchanged a look with him when there was no reply. Only nodding, she looked back at her child.
"Here you go," Narya said and put another plate with pancakes onto the table.
In the meanwhile John was occupied with feeding Nick and watching over Jamie, who was using his hands to eat instead of the spoon. "Jamie! Don't eat like a pig," he scolded him and shook his head when the boy looked up. "Use the spoon!"
"Nooo!" his nephew disagreed and shook his head, ignoring the man's heavy sigh. "No pig!"
"You are a pig!" Jack said and chewed on his pancake.
"You too!" he heard his uncle saying and noticed the cocked eyebrow.
Swallowing quickly, the boy looked down. "Sorry…"
"Be nice!" Narya sat down and began to eat her breakfast, smiled at how John was feeding the baby.
"When will you have a baby?" Isa suddenly asked and was confused because both adults stared at her speechlessly.
"W…what?" the blonde asked and exchanged a brief look with the man next to her.
"A baby!" TJ now said and looked at them too. "When will you have a baby?"
"What makes you think that we will have a baby, kid?" John asked and put the bottle away before he began to pat the little furball's back.
"Because…," the girl said and stretched the word for emphasis, "couples make babies when they love each other very much!"
"Right!" Isa nodded to make her opinion clearer to the couple.
"Just because you love someone doesn't mean you have a baby, kid, you know?" John replied and cradled Nick in one arm while he began to eat with the other.
"Then you don't want to have a baby?" TJ asked curiously and looked at Narya, clearly waiting for a reply.
"I…," the woman began and gave John a surprised look when he first interrupted her and then answered with a rather cold No! that was addressed to her.
"Can we go and see daddy?" Rachel demanded to know after a few minutes of complete silence.
"I don't think so," Narya said and shook her head.
"But why not?" Lily asked pouting.
"You've been told why. Your mom is busy and your dad needs time to rest," John told them. "Uncle Hank told you so."
"But I wanna see my daddy too!" Isa complained and TJ nodded, which made him sigh.
"I know that!"
"Then why can't we go and see them?" Jack asked angrily.
"Just listen to what they've said and be patient, okay?" Narya tried to calm them down and save the situation. Nevertheless, the only thing she achieved were the kids beginning to sulk even more. "How about watching a movie later?"
"No…," Jack grunted and hopped off his stool, followed his twin.
"I go and talk to him, daddy!" Anna announced and was gone before John could tell her to finish eating.
"Can we go and watch this new Pixar movie later?!" TJ asked and received unsure looks.
"I'll ask your mom, okay?" Narya said, received a big smile from the girl before she left together with Rachel and Isa. "Did she ever leave the grounds before?" she asked John after a moment. "I just mean because of her looks…"
"Dunno…," he grunted and began to tidy up, which made her frown.
"What's wrong with you all of a sudden?!"
"Nothing…"
She watched how he pulled Jamie out of his highchair and left when the phone began to rang, Sighing, the blonde ran a hand through her long hair and went upstairs after picking Jamie up to watch over the children.
"But why do I have to wear that?" TJ asked her mother and looked at the wristband first, then at her different skin color.
"Sweety, you know why…," Ororo tried to explain and stroked over the girl's long, dark hair. "Daddy and I told you that there are bad people out there who do not like mutants like us. Uncle Forge invented the wristband to protect mutants like your daddy and you. It makes you look normal."
"But I am normal, mommy!" the girl cried.
"Normal like those bad people think it's normal, baby. I know that you're normal." Seeing that her daughter was still close to start crying, she sighed and pulled her close. "It's just to protect you, okay?" she asked and waited for a weak nod before she kissed her cheek. "Have fun watching the movie and listen to what Uncle John and Aunt Narya say, will you?"
"Okay…," TJ pouted and wiped her eyes. "Can you give daddy and Tommy a kiss?"
"Of course," her mother smiled and led her to the car. "Have fun, okay?" She watched how Narya told the children to buckle up.
"We'll be careful don't worry," John said next to her and laid a hand on her shoulder.
"I'm just worried…" Ororo hugged herself after running a hand over her face.
"You should really sleep," he told her worriedly. "I mean Moira and Jean are really on the edge, but you don't look better."
"I know. Have fun!" Hugging him briefly, she waved until the car had disappeared and returned upstairs to watch over Jamie and Nick as long as the group was gone. "Time for your nap, hm?" she asked and picked Logan's youngest up to bring him to bed, saw that Nick was already curled up and sleeping. "Do you think I can take a nap, too?" she asked after ticking Jamie in.
"No!"
"No?" Ororo yawned and stretched her aching muscles. "Well, I'm going to try anyway… Sleep well." Exhausted she lay down on the sofa and closed her eyes.
When she opened them again it took her a while to realize that something was wrong. "Oh God!" she shrieked and sat up.
"Easy!" Narya tried to calm her and laid a hand on her shoulder.
"What time it is?!"
"8:26 a.m."
"What?!" Ororo asked shocked and got up. "I slept a whole day?! Why didn't you wake me? I'm…"
"Ororo," Narya said calmly and raised a hand, "easy! You needed the rest and I was downstairs with Kurt and Tommy. Everything's fine and nothing had happened!"
Sighing, the weather goddess ran both hands over her face and through her hair. "What about Peter? Are there any changes?"
Narya sat down on the couch. "I don't know. The 24 hours are not over yet." She took the woman's hand and pulled her down. "Sit down for a moment."
"I'm sorry!" the woman said stressed out and something hit her. "Oh God… What about Jamie and Nick?!"
"They were both still sleeping when we came back. Don't worry!" Narya laughed and shook her head. "And now, you'll go down and have a nice breakfast and then you can go back to your duty, okay?"
"Did TJ have fun?" Ororo asked after opening the door.
"Yes, she had. Everything went well," the blonde nodded and grinned. "Well, except for Isa spilling her popcorn all over John…"
"If Logan survived Rachel throwing up milk all over him when she had that stomach virus…, then John will survive too," Ororo said and gave a weak smile back. "Thanks."
"No problem!" Narya watched how the woman left and quickly headed to the door. "And don't forget to eat!"
"What do you mean I can't go and see him?!" Kitty asked aloud and crossed her arms. "What is Hank doing in there with him?!"
"He's does a check-up, Kitty," Moira tried to calm the woman and squeezed the back of her nose. "Would you please be patient?"
"Patient?! Do you know what it felt like to wake up and he was gone? I thought he was dead!"
"I know…"
"And then you tell me that he sneaked away to take this…this stuff, just to inform me afterwards that you still don't know what it is and now you want me to be patient, while my husband probably is dying!" Kitty said enraged and was about to go on with her sermon as the door opened and Hank beckoned Moira to enter,…but Kitty to wait. "Gods!"
"What's wrong?" Rogue asked on her way from getting new water, but her friend waved off.
"What does the result say?" Moira asked her husband inside the lab.
"Look at him," Hank only said and watched her frowning first and then how she went over to Peter and began to check on him. When she froze and looked back at him in confusion he nodded.
"It worked?" she asked shocked, grabbed the chart and went through the newest results. "But…"
"I know," he said. "The fever is gone, blood pressure, heartbeat, organs…everything is normal."
"Anything from Warren's father?" she asked and took the man's pulse.
"He can deliver in the evening and…" Hank stopped when he heard Jean's voice in his head. When Moira turned, he knew that she had gotten the same news and he stormed after her and into the infirmary. "What happened?!" he asked and looked at Jean, who was working on one of the students.
"His heart suddenly stopped," she replied and informed him about the changes since the last check. All three of them were aware of the stares that Jubilee, Rogue and Kitty gave them and even more so when Moira switched off the machines and a depressing silence filled the room. It wasn't before Hank cursed aloud that the three younger women startled.
It didn't take long and Rogue began to cry as much as Jubilee did and both kept on saying that their men were going to die.
"They won't!" Moira tried to soothe them but all she received was an angry glare of Jubilee.
"Then I just imagined that Keith died?!" she nearly barked and was shoved out of the room by Hank together with Rogue.
"Stop it and listen!" the man said in a stern voice that was determined to get her attention. "Peter is fine again, the cure worked on him and Warren's father will deliver the reproduced cure later today. So calm down!"
"You said it will take 24 hours before the cure takes effect!" the woman went on. "It can be too late in 24 hours!"
"Jubilee…," Moira sighed. "Keith was sick before. You know that he had a weak heart…"
"I don't believe you!" her opposite snarled and went back into the infirmary.
"It really worked?" Rogue sniffed and wiped her tears away.
"Yes," Hank nodded and crossed his arms. "Peter is fine… His blood cells, temperature, everything is normal again."
"Hank?" Kitty suddenly said behind him and he turned around, saw that she was crying. "He's awake."
"Excuse me," he said to Rogue and squeezed her shoulder briefly before he joined Kitty in the lab. "Peter, how are you feeling?"
"Hungry…," the man said and smiled at his wife when she took his hand. "It worked?"
"So it seems," the furry mutant nodded and checked on his friend's heartbeat again to be sure. "Do you feel dizzy or anything?"
"No… Just pretty weak."
"That's not unusual after being that sick." He paused briefly. "I'd like to smack you so hard, boy! What you did was utterly stupid!"
"So he's really fine?" Kitty sniffed hopefully and hugged Peter after receiving a nod from Hank. Hearing how she began to sob heartrendingly, he reached out to pat her back.
"I'll leave you alone," Hank said after a moment and left the room to join Moira and Jean again.
"But I think it's not fair…," TJ pouted and pulled her plush dog close while she sat on Jack's bed. "Why can't I go outside and look like myself?"
"Because there are people out there that hate mutants," Lily told her while she shared the bed with her twin brother and held her plush wolf close. Groaning, she gave the boy behind her a push. "Jack!" she complained since he cuddled up again and pushed her even further to the edge of the bed.
"Still, it's not fair!" TJ sniffed and buried her face in the dog when Isa began to stroke over her hair.
"They just wanted to protect you," she tried to soothe her friend and looked up when Jack yelped all of a sudden.
"Stop pushing me!" Lily cried and pushed him further over to the wall, receiving a growl of her twin. But the fight was interrupted when the door was opened.
"It's nearly 2 a.m.," John growled drowsily. "Would you finally sleep now?!"
"I'm sorry, Uncle John…," the girl said calmly and looked over her dog at the man. "But Jack's pushing me."
"I'm not!" the boy complained.
"You are!"
"No!"
"Yes!"
"No!"
"Okay, that's it," John said. "Jack, pillow, wolf and off you go. Move!" Pointing at the door, he waited for his nephew to obey.
"But I didn't do anything!"
"It's the third time I've to get up because of your quarrels, grab your things, get up and lay down in the bedroom because I want to sleep," his Uncle grunted and growled when Jack gave his sister an additional push before he obeyed. "Say sorry!"
"Why? I didn't do anything!" Jack complained.
"You pushed her just now, so say you're sorry!" John said a bit harsher and waited for him to do so. "And now do me a favor and sleep now, okay?"
"Sorry…," Isa mumbled and quickly went under the sheets again. "Night!"
About to close the door, he paused. "What's wrong with TJ?"
"She's crying because of earlier today," Lily informed him.
Sighing, John went over and knelt down next to Jack's bed. "Hey…," he said calmly and touched the girl's back. "What is it now, huh?"
"Why couldn't I go as myself?" TJ sobbed and looked at him with tears in her yellow eyes.
"We told you why, kiddo," he said and stroked over her hair after wiping her tears away. "It was to protect you."
"But why?!"
"You know that there are many people out there that hate mutants," he tried to explain. "There are mutants that look like normal humans and then there are those who don't. And those people would probably start hurting you when they see you with your normal looks, you know?"
"But why?!" she asked again and sniffed, which made him sigh and shrug.
"I don't know, kiddo. Some people are like that, you know? They don't have a reason. They are just afraid of the things they don't know."
"They are stupid…," Isa said and received a smirk.
"Yeah, I know," John said and got up to tuck them back in. "And now sleep, okay?"
"Okay…," TJ sniffed and wiped her face. "Night!"
"Night," he replied and returned to the bedroom just to groan, since Jack lay sprawled over his side and was deeply asleep. Only shaking his head, the man pulled him carefully up and further to the middle. He had hardly lain back down when his nephew cuddled up to him again. "And you're surprised that your sister starts complaining?" John mumbled and shook his head before he closed his eyes again, hoped that he would finally be able to sleep…
The next day was spent with waiting and hoping. After a man had visited the mansion and told them that he was sent by Mr. Worthington, Hank, Moira and Jean had instantly taken the cure and prepared as many syringes as they could find. After they had given the cure to the men the waiting had begun and now their eyes constantly switched to the watches and they waited for 24 hours to be finally over.
Their eyes full of hope Rogue and Jubilee sat next to Remy and Bobby. They too waited for the cure to finally take effect and exchanged tired looks in between, while in another room Kitty helped Peter to eat some soup.
"It was stupid what you did," she said and looked directly into his eyes.
"They needed to test it…," he replied and accepted another spoon full of the hot liquid.
"You could have died! Or it could have been another virus…"
"I know… Still it had to be tested," he swallowed and shook his head when she offered him another spoon.
"You didn't eat much, Pete," Kitty said concerned and put the cup away.
"It makes me feel sick, sorry…"
"Do you need Hank?"
"No, I'm fine," he waved off and sank back into the sheets. Seeing her sad look, he reached out to touch her cheek with a weak smile. "You look tired, kisska."
Kitty gave a brief laugh. "Oh really?" she asked and leant into his touch.
"Come here," he offered and moved aside a bit so that she had enough room next to her. Pulling her close, he rested his head on hers and was amused about how small she felt against a giant like him. "Sleep," he mumbled into her hair and closed his eyes after pressing a kiss to her hair. "Ja tibja abashaju…"
Kitty smiled tiredly and snuggled deeper into his arms. "I love you too," she replied and began to think. "Let me try something…"
"Okay…," Peter shrugged and waited.
"Mh… Mnje tibja…," she began and he chuckled. "Wait!" she scolded him playfully. "What was it again…? Nichwa…?"
"Mnje tibja nichwatala?" he helped her out and she nodded. "I missed you?"
"Yeah. I forgot so much…," Kitty sulked and sighed.
Smiling tiredly, he stroked over her arm. "Gladit'." And kissed her afterwards. "Zyluju." Just to hug her next. "Abnimaju tibja. What did I say?"
"Mh… Stroking… I kiss you and… What was the last one?"
"I hug you."
"Right…"
"Now sleep, maja sslatkaja," Peter said and closed his eyes again, just to realize that she had already dozed off.
"Okay, Scott," Moira said and took the tube into her hand. "When I'll tell you, I want you to take a very deep breath, okay?" She waited for him to give a thumbs up. "Okay…now!" she said and pulled the tube out of his mouth, which triggered a coughing fit and Scott had trouble to get any air into his lungs first. "Try to take deep breaths," she told him and patted his back until he began to breathe more or less normally. "And?"
"Still hurts…," he replied hoarsely and lay back down.
"The antibiotics we give you additionally will fight off the pneumonia," Moira informed him. "Just be patient, okay?"
He nodded and closed his eyes for a moment, felt how she patted her shoulder. "What about Alex?" Scott asked and turned his head to look at his son.
"He woke up before you did," Raven told him. "He's fine."
"I would allow you to hold him normally," Moira said and put the chart away. "But not with that pneumonia of yours. If we had a free room, I'd put you into quarantine."
"Mhm…," he made and took Raven's hand that lay next to his on the bed.
"What about the others?" Kurt asked and held his son close while Ororo sat next to him on the bed, closely cuddled up to him.
"Bobby and Remy have both woken up and are already sleeping again," Hank told them after entering the room "Jean-Luc is still feverish and Luke hasn't woken up yet."
"And Logan?" Scott asked, coughing.
"Unchanged…," Hank mumbled and read through the charts.
"How come?" Ororo asked him but he shrugged.
"We don't know. I want you to start eating slowly again, okay? Your stomachs are not used to food anymore, so you will most likely feel sick."
"Sicker than I already do is impossible…," Scott mumbled and pulled the blanket further up.
Four days later and after Jean had spent most of the time next to Logan, she had finally slumped down in the chair next to the bed and was sleeping. It wasn't before the machines began to beep warningly that she was roughly awoken and her heart was in her mouth.
"What's wrong?!" Moira asked and stormed into the room followed by Hank.
"He's panicking," Jean informed them and still tried to calm the feral mutant down. "Logan, I need you to calm down," she tried again and finally used her powers to force him to lay still. "Hold one, will you?"
"He's trying to breath, huh?" Hank asked and told his friend to heave a deep breath, before he pulled out the tube quickly and waited for Logan to stop his retching and coughing. "Better?" he said after a moment and received a glare. "I'm sorry, my boy, after your breathing stopped twice, we had to hook you up…"
Worriedly, Jean bent forward a bit when Logan still grimaced in pain and held his chest. "Where does it hurt?" she asked and touched his shoulder, watched how he curled up and gritted his teeth.
"Logan?" Hank and Moira asked at the same time and moved already over to the heart defibrillator in case it was his heart, when the mutant suddenly sneezed aloud and looked up.
"Now that's better…," he grunted and rolled onto his back to cock an eyebrow at them. "What?"
"Nothing…," Moira waved off and crossed his arm. "We only believed that you would suffer from a heart attack in the next five seconds, but never mind…"
"Are you alright or in pain or anything?" the redhead asked worriedly and looked at him with tears in her eyes, feeling relieved that he had finally woken up again.
"I'm starvin'…," Logan grunted and ran a hand through his hair.
"Do that again!" Hank said and received a cocked eyebrow. "Move it again, Logan!"
"Why?!" this one asked just to realize what the man meant. "Oh…"
"Does the shoulder still hurt?" the furry mutant asked and began to examine his friend's left arm thoroughly. "The scars? What about them?"
"No, it's fine…," his opposite said and decided whether he was hungry or sleepy. "I'm still starvin'…"
"You can try to eat some soup. But not much," Moira told him and wrote some notes before she put the chart away.
"I said I'm starvin'…"
"I know, but you can't eat normally again so soon. Your stomach has to get to use to normal food again, you know?"
"Fine, then I'll sleep," Logan growled and rolled onto his side to curl up.
"You'll be alright, Jean?" Hank asked and waited for a nod. Nodding back, he left with Moira to check on the other patients again.
"Do you want to drink something?" the redhead asked and sat down on the edge of the bed next to Logan.
"No… Wanna sleep."
"Okay," she whispered and reached carefully out to stroke through his hair, which earned her a look. Seeing it, she withdrew her hand and sat down in the chair again where she tried to get comfortable.
"Ya slept in it?" Logan asked drowsily after a moment.
"Yeah. With everyone getting sick the beds were occupied."
"When was the last time ya slept for real?" he asked and pulled the pillow closer. When she shrugged he moved to the edge and nodded at the empty space next to him.
"You need to sleep, Logan…," Jean sighed and ran a hand over her face.
"And ya look like shit," he replied honestly. "C'mon." When she finally moved and lay down next to him, he turned around so that their backs were touching.
"Thanks…," she mumbled and closed her eyes, instantly felt how much her back muscles were actually complaining.
"That's what he said?" John asked and looked at his brother from aside.
"Yeah."
"Hank really said stop lying around and move or I'll beat you?!"
"Yeah," Logan said again and grimaced briefly. His eyes looked around the garden and fell onto the pond. "Can we stop for a moment?" he asked, feeling how his body was still too weak.
"Sure," his brother shrugged and followed him. He watched worriedly how Logan lay down on the stony edge. "Are you alright?"
"Yeah, just tired…"
"Sure?" he asked concerned and sat down next to him slowly.
"I'm not used t'it anymore. That's all," Logan grunted and sat up again after a moment. "Thanks for helpin' out…"
"Sure." John looked around and finally back at his brother. "Your kids missed you. Especially Jack…"
"He was difficult, huh?"
"Sometimes…yeah." He nodded.
"It's been hard on them with me gone and all," Logan said and ran a hand over his face.
"Not only for them," his brother reminded him. "Hank still has nightmares from where he found you in that alley. I can hear him at night… Your death was a hard blow to everyone. Not only for your family…" Not seeing how the man next to him looked at him, John raised his head when he felt a hand on his shoulder. He tried to give him a weak smile.
"I need to lie down…," Logan mumbled and got up with the help of John, who pulled him into a tight embrace.
"I missed you," this one mumbled, "little brother," he added smirking and received one in return. Since Logan swayed a bit, he wrapped an arm around his waist and led him to the backdoor again. Both men nodded at the Professor, who sat in his wheelchair in his office and watched them from his office.
"Anything else that happened during my absence?" the bald man asked and turned to Hank and Ororo.
"Not really," she replied. "I mean… It was enough, wasn't it?"
"Yes, it is a terrible that we lost two students because of this…," Charles nodded.
"If you ask me, Charles," Hank began and shook his head, "we can be happy that we only lost two students! If Daken hadn't given us the cure…"
"…they'd be all dead," Ororo finished and shuddered at the thought.
"Is Scott feeling better?" the Professor asked after a moment of silence.
"Yes, he is," the furry mutant said. "He's actually healing faster than Logan…"
"Well Scott wasn't dead, Hank," she mumbled.
"Anyway…," the Professor said after a moment, "I still have to call Warren's father and thank him for his help."
Taking the hint, both got up and left the room just to run into John. "Where's Logan?" Ororo asked.
"He wanted to go alone to his rooms," the man said and kept on walking. "See you later!"
"At least he listens to me," Hank smiled. "His muscles rebuild faster when he moves and his healing factor needs to be pushed too."
"Mhm…," she nodded sarcastically and followed him down the corridor. "Because of Logan the fridge is empty, Hank."
"Empty?!"
"Yes, he ate everything we had left. Or nearly everything. The milk is gone, the juice, the meat, noodles, rice…."
"See it from that side," the furry mutant said and came to a halt, "at least he eats…"
With the children already in bed the adults were gathered in the rec-room and watched a movie together a few days later. When Jubilee had suggested that they spent some time together after the past horrible days the others had quickly agreed on it. Now the couples sat either on the couches or the ground, had made themselves comfortable with blankets and pillows with food and drinks surrounding them and stared at the screen. They watched how Neo had just beaten up two agents and was now flying towards the moon, looking for the Oracle and dashed to the ground next, pulling clouds with him.
"So unrealistic…," Kitty mumbled into Peter's chest. The couple shared the armchair and it looked rather funny how a giant like Peter tried to fit into the chair and had Kitty, who looked compared to him like a small puppy, on his lap and chest.
"It's just a movie…," he replied and stroked unconsciously through her hair.
"Still it's unrealistic…"
"You walking through walls is unrealistic too," Jubilee teased her and snuggled closer to Bobby, who was occupied with drinking his soda and eating popcorn.
"Make sure he doesn't freeze the popcorn!" Kitty huffed.
"Quiet!" Scott said and pulled Raven closer with one arm, entwining their hands. He gave Logan, who had been given the couch by Kurt, Ororo, Rogue and Remy, a look and noticed that the man was obviously as tired as he was. On the ground the two couples had made themselves a cozy nest and were silently watching the movie. His eyes switched briefly over to John and Narya, she sitting between his legs and leaning against his chest while watching the movie, he resting his head on her shoulder and stroking absently over her arm. Scott himself gave Raven a look and regretted that she wasn't one to show affection that openly. Nevertheless, he pulled her closer with one arm and gave her a peck on the neck, ignoring the look she gave him.
"Where's Jean?" Moira, who chaired another armchair with Hank, mouthed into his direction, but Scott shrugged. He too had noticed that everyone sat together and only Logan, who gave the screen an uninterested look, was alone. When Scott noticed how the woman's eyes switched towards the door, he guessed that the redhead had just entered the room.
Everyone knew that the relationship between her and Logan was still tensed and nearly all eyes watched how she came closer and intended to sit down on the couch that he and Raven shared, but Logan already sat up and she sat down next to him.
"You look tired," the redhead whispered when he leant his head against the backrest and tilted his head a bit to get more comfortable. Not touching him, even if she wanted to, she took the pillow he had been resting on and that now laid next to her and handed it to him. She was indeed surprised as he took it and motioned her into a half laying position, just to put the pillow onto her belly and lay down again. Stunned about his move Jean used her powers to spread the blanket she'd brought with her on him and stroked through his hair. "Why don't you go to bed?" she asked him mentally but he only shook his head and tried to get comfortable on her lap. After leaning back, the redhead looked at the screen but hardly saw what she was watching. Her mind was too occupied with other things and she began to stroke through Logan's hair unconsciously. Before she even realized it the movie was already over and nearly everyone got up…
"I'm beat…," Kitty yawned and smiled when Peter pulled her up to carry her upstairs.
"God, get a room!" Jubilee mocked them with a playful role of her eyes and clung to Bobby next. "How about carrying me?"
"You can walk!" he said and received a slap against the arm. "What was that for?!"
"For being an unromantic jerk!"
"Way too go, Bobby!" Rogue laughed and was pulled into a kiss by Remy, who wrapped an arm around her next.
"Let's go t'bed, chérie," the Cajun said and both wished the other a good night before they left, followed by Kitty, Peter, Jubilee and Bobby.
"I think we're off too," Hank announced and stretched. "Nick needs to eat too."
"You're right," Moira yawned and got up to make one, smiling since Jean had fallen asleep. "Better wake her up, guys," she said and pulled Hank with her. "Night!"
"Night!" Scott said and reached out to shake the redhead gently.
"Hm?"
"You fell asleep," he smirked and laughed by the look at her. "Someone was pretty much gone, huh?"
"The movie is over?" Jean asked confused and sat up a bit just to realize that Logan still claimed her lap.
"Sleepyhead," Scott said with a shake of her head. "Logan's fallen asleep as soon as you've given him the pillow."
"Really?" she asked and received nods. She sighed. "He's so hard to wake up when he's really sleeping…" Reaching out, she stroked through Logan's hair and said his names several times, but he didn't react at all and, as soon as she moved, wrapped his arms around her possessively to pull her closer again.
"He still does this?" Mystique asked, recalling the moments in which Logan had fallen asleep and refused to let go of his wife. She especially remembered one moment in which Jean needed to pee and he had hold on to her as if his life depended on it.
"You have no idea," Jean said and shook him. "Logan! Come on, get up…"
"Is he doing that too?" Scott asked Narya and nodded at John, who quickly raised both hands.
"If," the blonde said with a look at her man, "then I haven't noticed it so far."
"What?!" Logan suddenly growled still half asleep.
"Time to go to bed," the redhead said and got slowly up but he remained on the couch. "Logan, you can't sleep on the couch. It's too small for you."
"I'm tired!" he grunted and buried his face in the pillow again. "Lemme sleep…"
"You can sleep in bed," she insisted and pulled him up with her powers, earning a growl from him. "Come on."
"Night!" Scott said and watched them leaving thoughtfully.
On the next day, Logan was on his way to his rooms, walked past the front door and put a hand to his stomach. He had just eaten the cereals that had been left and was hungry again. Obviously, as he guessed, his healing factor was pushing his system harder than he thought… "If ya go on eatin' like that, ya will look like the Blob soon, Logan," he mumbled to himself and stopped when someone rang the door bell. "Great…" Turning, he walked back and opened it just to feel how his heart began to race horribly. His blood ran cold and the world around him stopped spinning first and began to turn violently next. So much that he had to support him on the door frame…
"Thomas…?" the woman in front of him asked and was about to reach out to touch him, when Logan just turned and began to ran…
I finished the chapter in the past three days after being stuck while typing on it. I don't have the time for a beta since I have to learn for an oral exam. : ( Anyway, thanks to all reviewers!! I'm glad that so many of you liked the past chapter. I hope it's the same with this one here. Please review and let me know what you think!! ; ) See ya!