"Charles, my patient required more care than you were capable of providing. After considering the situation, and consulting with the patient, I made the decision that this course of action was necessary. Please do not presume to tell me what is best for the girl. At this point, her physical condition requires that she rest a considerable portion of the time."
"Henry, after I had dealt with the police, I was going to return to her side to reinforce her shields."
"For how long, Charles? Jean was clearly exhausted after the surgery. How long could you have maintained her defenses? An hour? Perhaps two? Then what, awaken Jean and have her try to take over? I think not." He sighed. "The child was terrified of falling asleep. She values other's lives above her own. I believe her capable of willing her own death rather than endanger anyone again. She has come dangerously close to doing just that." He rubbed his forehead wearily. "There is a very real possibility that we could lose her even now. If using that abomination increases her chances of survival even slightly, then I am willing to use it." Xavier was silent for a moment, then he said,
"I apologize. I believed I had her best interests at heart. I should have realized that you have the same goal," he paused. "I sometimes feel that I am growing too old to manage the challenges this world keeps throwing at us. I truly do not know how to help Star."
"The first thing ya gotta do is stop treatin' her like a piece o' furniture." Wolverine said from the doorway, leaning on the frame, his arms crossed.
"Wolverine, we have not.."
"Yeah, ya have. Yer actin' like she ain't got no brains of her own. Yer makin' decisions for her, and it ain't even occurred ta ya ta ask her what she wants."
"Wolverine, she is a child. It is our responsibility..."
"I don' know what else she is or isn't, but she ain't no child. She was in there wonderin' just how long yer gonna wait to shut her down." He moved away from the door frame, "Ya really think you could turn her off if she didn't want ya too? But ya know what?" He shook his head, angry, "She ain't gonna resist. She'll accept whatever you decide. 'Cause she still thinks of herself as just an experiment. I ain't gonna let ya do that to her, Chuck. Would a' been kinder ta leave her where we found her. Least they'd o' killed her quick."
"Wolverine, there may be no choice."
"There's always a choice. Ya just gotta look for it." He glared at Xavier, "An' sometimes ya gotta ask." He stormed from the room.
"Charles," Xavier looked toward Beast. "Are you actually considering destroying her powers?"
"Yes."
"But, without them,.."
"She would be completely isolated. I know." He rubbed his forehead in an unconscious imitation of Beast's earlier gesture. "I'm going to bed, Henry. Call me if anything ... changes."
"Of course."
Wolverine slammed the Danger Room door behind him, then activated the program. Here he had found an outlet for his anger. After an hour or so of destroying simulated enemies, he thought it would be safe to check on Star. He showered and changed into a clean shirt and jeans. He almost knocked on the door to her room, but realized that she would be unable to hear him. He opened the door and went in. She slept. He watched her for a few minutes, then, satisfied that she would be all right at least for a while, he left, closing the door behind him.
Early the next morning Beast opened the door to Star's room and went in. She was awake, but he was surprised when she turned toward him as he entered.
"Star?" When she didn't answer, he stepped forward, through the invisible (to him) boundary created by the field he had set up the night before.
"Oh. Hello, Henry." She smiled at his confusion. "I could feel the air pressure change when you opened the door, I just didn't know who had come in until you came closer."
"I see. And how are you feeling this morning?"
"Okay."
"And how, exactly, do you define 'okay'?"
"I'm still alive."
"That is certainly a point in your favor. However, if you don't mind, I would like to have more specific information on how you feel. Are you in any pain?"
"Yes."
"You see? That does not fall into my definition of 'okay'. Besides, we can do something about pain." He opened the medical kit he carried with him, and removed a hypodermic syringe and a vial. "This will probably make you sleep, but, since you have a tendency to quickly metabolize medications, I want you to call as soon as it starts to wear off." He filled the syringe. "The only way I can gauge how much to give you is if you tell me how quickly the pain returns. All right?"
"All right." He smiled at her as he gave her the injection. "I'll be back in a little while to change your bandages." He patted her hand. "Go to sleep, now. Its the best thing for you." She nodded, but watched him until he left the psi-dampening field. She shifted positions carefully, lay back and stared at the ceiling for a while. Soon the medication pushed her into sleep.
"As I explained yesterday, there is absolutely no proof that Miss Star was involved in the incident at the courthouse . Furthermore, it would be much too dangerous to move her at this time. It would appear that you gentlepeople have made your journey for nothing." Professor Xavier was polite but firm with the contingent of uniformed officers which had appeared at his doorway that morning. "Even if it were not life threatening to move her, I would not allow you to take a minor from the custody of her legal guardian on the grounds of such flimsy evidence."
"Professor Xavier," one of the officers said. "You reported that she had been in an accident yesterday and, while no one is doubting your word it would make it a lot easier for us to report back without her if we could see her."
"I will see if it can be arranged." Xavier turned to the intercom and call Beast.
"Dr. McCoy, we have several official visitors who believe it is necessary to see Emily. Is she able to have visitors for a moment?"
"She's asleep, Professor. I'd rather she not be disturbed." Beast answered at once.
"Professor," the officer interrupted. "We just need to see her. We don't need to talk to her now."
"Doctor?"
"All right, Professor. But only for a moment."
"I'll see to it that she is not disturbed." He turned to the police officers, "Gentlemen, Lady, this way, if you please." He led them down the hall to the wing reserved for the laboratories and medical care rooms. Jubilee and Wolverine were just coming out of Star's room.
"What's with the goon squad?" Jubilee asked while Wolverine bristled.
"Jubilation, it is usually best to cooperate with the authorities. These officers merely need to see that Emily is indeed here."
"Kid's asleep." Wolverine growled.
"We will not disturb her." Xavier assured him. Wolverine continued to eye the police suspiciously. Xavier opened Star's door and preceded the police into the room. One of the officers, a young man who had not spoken since they arrived at Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters watched Wolverine carefully. He edged past and followed the others into the room. Jubilee nudged Wolverine.
"How come it takes three of 'em to check on one kid?" Wolverine didn't answer.
Star lay on her back, her injured arm and leg propped up with pillows. She shifted positions slightly and made a small sound of pain. The young officer slipped into the room behind the others.
The officer who seemed to be in charge, turned to Xavier,
"Thank you, Professor," she said quietly. "I'm sorry for disturbing you. I hope she's feeling better soon." She turned for the door.
"Now wait a minute, Wilson," the third officer said. "We don't know those bandages are real. These people could've set this up to throw us off."
"Harry," Wilson said, turning back to the older man. "We've got no reason to doubt the Professor."
"Maybe not. But everybody knows how he feels about mutants, and that kid is definitely a mutant. I'm not going anywhere until I see for myself." He stepped forward and grabbed Star's arm and shouted at her to wake up. She sat up with a cry just as Wolverine hit the policeman from the side. The others moved forward to separate them. Star, confused by the pain medication Beast had given her, and frightened by the sudden appearance of the three policemen, moved away from the chaos in her room. She managed to tangle her legs in the blanket and then, having pushed herself to the head of the bed, fell off above the guard rail. She landed flat on her back. Wilson and the young officer were restraining Harry while Wolverine glared at them all. Xavier rolled his chair through the psi-dampener. It had obstructed his ability to stop Harry, or prevent Star's fall.
"Harry, don't you have any sense at all? We were told she was badly injured. Don't you realize you could have hurt her?"
"Only if they were telling the truth." Wolverine growled at him.
Jubilee hopped up on the bed, then down on the other side, to check on Star. Star was wild eyed when Jubilee knelt next to her on the floor.
"Star? Its Jubilee. Don't you remember me?" Some of the wildness faded and Jubilee slipped an arm under Star, to help her back into the bed. Star flinched, but allowed Jubilee to help her sit up. She held her good arm clamped to her side, her hand across her stomach. She flinched again, then started to cough. Jubilee glanced down and saw blood spreading on Star's gown, under her hand. Star coughed again and this time Jubilee saw drops of
blood spatter on the blanket.
"Oh, wow," she said, then, her voice calm "Wolvie." Wolverine glanced at her, but made no move in her direction, his attention still for the police officers. "Wolvie, I need you, now!" Her voice wasn't so calm this time. He hurried around the bed and saw the blood. Jubilee, careful not to let Star slip, moved out of Wolverine's way as he knelt beside them. He put his arm behind Star's shoulders, then said,
"I got her, darlin'. You go get Hank. Tell 'im to hurry." Jubilee hopped over the bed again and dashed out of the room. Wolverine carefully picked Star up and put her back on the bed. The young officer moved to help.
"Don't touch her!" Wolverine snarled at him. Xavier moved his wheelchair to the side of the bed.
"Officer," he said, his voice cold. "If you want to help, I suggest you remove your fellow officer from this room." The officer turned and helped Wilson shove Harry, whose face was set in an odd smirk, out of the room. They quickly got out of the way as Jubilee came running, accompanied by Beast. Storm had tossed him the image inducer he used when leaving the mansion, so he appeared to be a normal, if large, man.
"What happened?" he demanded as he leaned over Star.
"One o' them uniformed geeks decided Star was fakin'." Wolverine told him. "He scared her and she fell off the flamin' bed."
"Star?" she looked up at Beast, her expression dazed. "We're going to move you, dear. Ready?" she nodded. Beast gently shifted her to the gurney Storm had brought. She moaned. Beast and Storm moved the gurney out of the room, toward the Med Lab. Wolverine followed them out the door, but turned in the direction the police, herded by Xavier, had taken.
"No!" he heard Star cry. He turned toward the sound, and saw her reaching for him. "Please don't leave me." He turned back and took her hand. He helped Beast and Storm guide the gurney. Once in the Med Lab, everything seemed to move in slow motion. Beast scrubbed and put on surgical gloves while Storm cut away Star's bloody gown and bandages. The neatly stitched incision in her abdomen had torn open and was bleeding freely. Wolverine held her hand and spoke quietly to her.
"Take it easy, darlin'. Ya got one o' the best docs in the world takin' care of ya."
"Can't....breath," she gasped, then coughed, expelling more blood.
Looking at the scanners, Beast said,
"You've got a punctured lung, Star. We're going to put in a chest tube and you'll be able to breath. Logan, don't let her move." Wolverine held her shoulders while Beast inserted the tube in her chest, she hissed through gritted teeth, then sighed as the tube relieved the pressure in her chest and she could breath again. Blood and air, leaking into her chest from her lung, flowed out the tube. Beast turned his attention to the torn incision. Storm brought an IV set up over to the table and put the needle in Star's right arm. Whole blood began to flow into her vein. Xavier came in to the Med Lab. Wolverine could see Gambit, Rogue, and Jubilee through the door before it closed.
"Henry?"
"I need to put her out, Charles."
"I understand. Star," she weakly turned her head toward him. "Don't fight me, dear. I will take care of your shields." Wolverine started to pull away from her, but she grabbed his hand frantically. He stayed. Storm injected an anesthetic into the IV. Star started to relax as the drug took hold. Her white knuckled grip on Wolverine's hand eased, but did not release. Beast and Storm cut the remaining stitches from the incision. They cleaned the area, looking for the origin of the blood which welled up. Blood continued to trickle from the chest tube as well.
"Here it is. She's torn the internal stitches loose." Beast gently began to repair the damage. Wolverine continued to speak to Star. Her eyes were closed, her expression relaxed, but she continued to hold on to his hand. Wolverine glanced at Xavier. His face was covered with a sheen of sweat, his expression was grim.
Storm placed a mask over Star's face and began to feed her oxygen as well as an anesthetic gas. Star's grasp finally loosened. A moment later Xavier cried out and slumped over in his chair. Star screamed and sat up, tearing the mask from her face. Wolverine caught her around the shoulders and eased her to her back while Beast used both hand to try and staunch the bleeding. Storm hurriedly checked Xavier.
"He is alive, but unconscious."
"He'll have to wait. Please re configure the psi-dampener. Star," he spoke to her directly. "We're going to have to place you under the dampener again. Ororo will put you back to sleep as soon as its set up. I need you to be very still until then." Star looked up at Wolverine.
"I'll be right here, kid. I ain't gonna leave ya." Once more she clung to his hand. Storm adjusted the equipment until Star's body was surrounded by the invisible dampening field. Star's knuckles went white as she clutched Wolverine's hand. Storm put the mask back on. Beast worked feverishly, with Storm's help, to stop the bleeding.
"'Roro, get another unit of whole blood. She's losing it faster than we are replacing it." After several minutes of frantic activity Storm said,
"Her heart rate is dropping, Henry. Respiration is failing. We're losing her."
"Epinephrine. Quickly." Storm injected Star and her heart rate picked up.
"She's still bleeding into the chest cavity. There are a couple of bleeders here. Take care of them while I get a look at her chest." Star shuddered as Beast realigned her broken rib and located the area of bleeding. The lung had collapsed and would have to be reinflated after he had repaired the rip caused by the rib. He carefully stitched the torn blood vessels, then closed the injured lung. Her heart rate began to fall again. She didn't respond to the epinephrine this time.
"I don't understand why she's not responding," Beast said. We've got the bleeding stopped now, and we're replacing the blood volume as quickly as possible. Her heart rate should be picking up, not falling. What does that scanner say? Did we miss something?"
Storm shook her head,
"Everything is clear. I do not show any more internal bleeding. She should be improving."
"Hank, turn off the dampener." Wolverine said suddenly
"What?"
"She's givin' up. If ya wanta save her, turn the damn thing off." Beast glanced at the still motionless Xavier.
"She ain't dangerous. She's wide awake. Has been the whole time." Beast was appalled. The relaxed posture of her body had lead him to believe she was unconscious.
"Shut it off! Don't let her die locked up inside her head like this." Beast slapped the power switch for the dampener. Star's heart rate jumped then began to fall again.
"C'mon, kid. Don't give up on us now." Star opened her eyes and looked up at Wolverine.
"Star, why didn't you say something?" Beast demanded. She looked over at him.
"Told ... me ... be still."
"You always do what yer told?" Wolverine asked her. She just looked at him. "Yeah, I guess you do."
"Star, listen to me," Storm said earnestly. "Your body is very weak, child. If you are to survive it will be necessary for you to want to live."
"Too ... tired," she answered simply, closing her eyes. Her heart rate dropped steadily.
"Star! Open your eyes and look at me!" Wolverine ordered. She looked up at him, her face expressionless. "We all get tired, darlin'. That's what we got each other for. Way I figure it, you can take what you need, but you don't wanna hurt nobody, right?" She nodded weakly. "Now, 'nother minute or two an' yer gonna pass out, right 'Roro? Hank?" Both physicians nodded. "Then yer body's gonna take over, tryin' ta survive. I'm offerin' ya what ya need. Take it."
"No! Hurt ... you."
"Yer gonna do mor'n that if ya don't do it now, while ya can control it."
"No." Wolverine shrugged.
"Then we wait."
"No!" Her vital signs picked up and she tried to push him away. He put his arms around her, easily ignoring her feeble resistance, and held her close. She continued to struggle, growing weaker.
"Please. Just let me go," she sobbed.
"Not a chance, darlin'." Beast and Storm watched, helpless to aid either of their friends. Finally, Star's struggles ceased. She lay, sobbing, with her head against Wolverine's chest. She looked up at him, fighting to retain consciousness.
"Please," she whispered. He just shook his head. Slowly, she reached up and touched his cheek. He looked at her, waiting. A gentle lethargy overtook him as her readings stabilized on the scanner. Beast supported him as he started to slump. Storm took Star from his arms and gently eased her to her back. The girl looked up at her, her eyes haunted. Beast knelt beside Wolverine. He nodded to Storm after checking the unconscious man.
"He will be all right, child," she told Star. "And, I think, you will, too." Storm said, stroking Star's forehead. "Rest now." She turned the psi-dampener back on, continuing to touch Star until the girl, exhausted, finally fell asleep. Beast moved Wolverine and Xavier onto beds, where they could recover more easily from Star's draining powers.
"Ororo, will you look after our patients for a few minutes?"
"Of course, Henry." Beast opened the door to the med lab and spoke to Jubilee.
"Where are Jean and Scott?"
"They went shopping first thing this morning. Gambit and Rogue are baby-sittin' those cops. Star okay?" she looked at his blood stained operating gown nervously.
"Its going to take her a long time to recover from this, Jubilee."
"Where's Wolvie?" she asked, peering past him. Her eyes widened as she saw his motionless figure on a bed in the lab. "And the Professor! What gives?"
"We had some ... difficulties with Star's anesthetic. They are both fine. You may go in, but don't disturb any of them." Jubilee went in. Storm was checking on Professor Xavier. Jubilee made a bee line for Wolverine. Beast smiled at her, then, closing the door behind him as he went out, his face assumed a far grimmer expression. He found the image inducer in his pocket under the gown. He thumbed the switch, then turned toward Xavier's study, where Gambit and Rogue had undoubtedly 'escorted' the police.
Beast slammed open the door to the study and stood there, glaring at the police officers who had scrambled to their feet. Gambit lounged on the edge of the desk, endlessly shuffling his ever present desk of cards. Rogue stood near the window, her arms crossed. Both managed to look dangerous without any overt threat.
"You come into our home, professing public safety. You demand to physically inspect a minor child, even after being told she was in critical condition. You then proceed to terrify the child and aggravate her injuries to the point that her life is threatened. You've had a very productive morning. Is there anything else we can do for you on your way out?" Beast snarled. Wilson stepped forward,
"Doctor, I offer my sincerest apologies for Officer Jones behavior. I assure you he will face a disciplinary hearing in this matter."
"How is that going to help Star?" Wilson dropped her eyes and gestured for Jones and the young officer to follow her through the door. Rogue saw to it that they found their way to the door, then watched as they entered their patrol car and drove away.
"De petite, she gon' be okay?" Gambit asked when Rogue returned.
"She's alive, Gambit. But I don't know if she will ever be 'okay'." He returned to the med lab, to wait.
Jean and Scott returned as the police were leaving. They left the car in front of the mansion and hurried inside. They went straight to the med lab.
"Hank, what happened?!" Scott asked as Jean turned to Xavier.
"Long story, Scott. I'll fill you in later."
"The Professor is exhausted, Henry, but I don't find any permanent damage," Jean told Beast. Jubilee sat in a chair next to Wolverine, her arms crossed, glowering at the other X-Men. Wolverine was her friend, but no one seemed to be concerned as to his condition. Jean smiled at her.
"He's my friend, too, Jubilee." She gently place her hand on Wolverine's forehead. "He's sleeping, dear. He'll be waking up soon. Will you stay with him?"
"Well, of course." Jubilee answered indignantly. "Like I'd take off and go play jacks or somethin'. Sheesh."
Storm took the warming blanket Scott brought from a cabinet and gently spread it over Star's motionless form while Beast checked the IV flow and the scanners. Jean moved next to Scott, who put his arm around her.
"How is she Henry?"
"I've seen worse, Jean. But they usually arrived in a body bag." He looked down at the young woman, her face as pale as the sheets surrounding her. "I'm afraid to even move her to a regular bed." He shook his head. "If this sort of thing keeps up, I'm going to install a zipper in her." Scott looked up at him, startled. There was just a ghost of a smile around the doctor's worried eyes. "She'll be all right if we can just give her the time she needs to heal."
The next morning there was a knock at the door. Jubilee opened it and stood glaring at the policeman outside.
"What do you want?" she demanded, one fist planted on her hip.
"Jubilee. Please remember your manners."
"But Jean, this is one o' the guys..."
"I know who he is. That does not excuse rudeness." She stepped into the open doorway. "What can I do for you, officer?" she asked coldly.
"Its Joshua Cowen, ma'am, and I'm not here officially. I just thought that you folks should know what was going on with your case. And I ... I wanted to check on the girl. Is she okay?"
"Please come in, Mr. Cowen." Jean directed the officer to the living room. She indicated the couch, then had a seat on a chair across from him. Jubilee stayed in the background, glaring. Jean looked at the officer expectantly.
"Jones resigned," he said without preamble. "They were going to convene a disciplinary hearing and would probably have relieved him anyway." Jean waited. "Look, I just had to make sure she was going to be all right, okay?"
"She hasn't regained consciousness since the surgery. Our doctor isn't sure she ever will." Jean told him, shortly.
"I'm sorry. I knew Jones was a member of the Friends of Humanity, but I didn't realize how deeply he hated mutants. I didn't think he would actually do anything to hurt her. After all, he's ... he was a police officer. We're supposed to help people, and its not supposed to matter whether they're mutants or not." He stood up. "I apologize for disturbing you, ma'am." Jean stood and escorted him to the door.
"I will keep you informed if Star's condition changes."
"Thank you."
He went down the steps and got into his car. Jean watched as he drove away.
Jubilee was nowhere in sight when Jean closed the door, but she could sense her in the med lab. Jean quietly opened the door and went in. Beast looked up from his microscope and nodded to her. Star remained in the center of the large room, IV tubes and sensor wires running to and from her body. Jubilee stood next to the bed, looking down at her motionless friend. Jean put an arm around her.
"A month ago she couldn't read or even dress herself, but last week she was helping me with algebra. Now look at her. I know she can't hear me, so I tried to hold her hand. She's so cold its like she's already dead, an' we just haven't noticed."
"Things will work out, Jubilee. Henry says she's in hibernation and that if we give her enough time, she may be just fine."
"What if she's not?"
"We will deal with that when the time comes. Come on, now. Come back and visit her later. You know how much she hates it when someone is upset."
"Yeah."
For the next three weeks Star had almost constant companionship. Jubilee stayed with her for at least part of every day, doing her algebra 'homework' at a small table she pulled up next to the bed to which Beast had finally been able to move Star. Wolverine visited every day, sometimes staying for hours. Even Gambit stayed by her, whenever he found her alone. On the twenty third day, Jubilee finished her assignment and closed her book. She took Star's hand, to say good-bye for the day.
"Thanks, Star. Math's always easier when you're around." She squeezed her hand gently and was startled to have the pressure returned. She stared at Star for a moment, then squeezed her hand again. Star squeezed back, weak but definite.
"Beast!" Jubilee shouted.
"What is it, Jubilee?" the doctor responded instantly.
"I think she's wakin' up!" Beast took Star's other hand. Star turned her head slowly toward him and opened her eyes. She stared up at him, unable to see him.
"Jubilee, go get the Professor and Jean. I want to turn this field off as quickly as possible."
"Gotcha." Jubilee dashed out of the med lab. A few minutes later Xavier entered, followed shortly by Jean and Scott. Xavier took Star's hand from Beast, while Jean moved to the other side of the bed. Beast went to the control panel for the psi-dampener.
"Henry, expand the field until Jean and I are included within it." Beast nodded and adjusted the dials. As the field extended outwards, Star suddenly focused on the Professor.
"Professor," she whispered, her voice harsh.
"Welcome back Star. We've been worried about you."
"You can turn it off, Hank. She doesn't need it, or us, right now." Jean said. Star turned to her.
"Thought ... Jubilee ... here."
"She was, sweetheart. She went to tell Wolverine and the others that you were awake. We've all missed you."
"Why?"
"What kinda question that, Chere?" Gambit said as he and Rogue entered, Wolverine and Jubilee close behind.
"C'mon, sugah. You're part o' the family now." Rogue added.
"Only family most of us got, kid" Wolverine said as he moved to her side. "Families take care of each other."
"All right," Beast said suddenly, "Everybody out, Star needs to rest." Reluctantly, the X-Men left the med lab, Xavier and Wolverine remained.
"Professor?"
"Yes, Star?"
"What happened?"
"Your powers were a great deal stronger than they had been. I was ... unprepared."
"Did I hurt you?"
"No, dear. I am fine."
"Wolverine?"
"Look, kid, will you just worry about yourself for once?"
"Gentlemen, if you please." Beast motioned toward the door. Xavier turned and went out.
"I'll come visit ya in the mornin', darlin'." Wolverine patted her hand and left.
"Well, Star, we'll set up the field the same as before, but this time, no rude strangers are going to bother you." He adjusted the settings on the equipment then turned back to Star.
"Try to rest. You are very weak." He adjusted her blanket. "If you need anything, either Storm or I will be here, all you have to do is call out." He smiled at her, then moved away from her bed, out of the area of the field. She sighed and closed her eyes. Beast was right, she was very weak. Talking to Xavier and Wolverine for the few minutes they stayed had exhausted her. Soon, she slept.
Star slept for much of the next several days, waking only when Beast or Storm wanted her to eat, or when Wolverine or Jubilee came to visit. Beast limited them to five minutes at a time, not wanting to tire her. On the fourth day, they got her out of bed and Beast carried her down the hall to the porch outside. She sat in the sunshine for over an hour, enjoying the warmth. She gradually became aware of a commotion to the side of the mansion. She had learned that the others disliked being listened to, so she carefully got to her feet and, leaning on the building for support she suddenly found necessary, she tottered to the corner and peered around. Gambit, Rogue, Jubilee, and Wolverine were apparently arguing over a large round object. Their emotions were confusing, aggressive, but not hostile. Jubilee had the round thing. She bounced it once and Gambit snatched it from under her hands. Star was staggered by the flash of dismay and outrage from Jubilee. Without thinking, she reached out with her mind and took the object from Gambit. It bounced twice before returning to Jubilee's hands. The sudden effort exhausted Star's meager reserves. She leaned her back against the wall, away from the others. Her legs refused to support her and she slid down until she was sitting on the deck. She could still hear the others, but only faintly. They were trying to figure out what had happened.
"Hey, Jean!" Jubilee called. "Thanks for the assist!" Jean came to the window.
"What assist, Jubilee?"
"Didn't you just recover the ball for me?"
"Of course not. That wouldn't be fair."
Ball? Star thought. Then this was a game, and she had broken the rules. She hoped they wouldn't be too angry. She tried to get up, but lacked the energy.
"Well, if you didn't, who did? The Professor?"
"I doubt it. He's in the ready room, working on one of his projects."
"I'm sorry, Jubilee." Star sent faintly, "I didn't know it was a game."
"Star?"
"Where are ya, kid?" Wolverine asked.
"On the deck. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to interfere."
"Forget it, darlin'" he said as he came toward her. He rounded the corner.
"What are ya doin' down there?" he asked as he crouched beside her.
"I ... got tired."
"Uh huh," he responded. "Can ya get up?" Reluctantly, she shook her head.
"Let's get ya inside," he said, lifting her effortlessly in his arms.
"Can't I watch?" she asked, almost pleading. "Just for a few minutes?" He looked at her, then said
"All right. But only for a few minutes, then we get ya back ta bed." She nodded.
"I get a chair, petite." Gambit said, crossing the deck to the lounge chairs. He chose one and brought it around to the side of the house, where the basketball goal was set up. Wolverine carefully lowered her into it.
"I'm not made of glass." Wolverine glanced at the cage like cast still surrounding her left arm.
"Coulda fooled me, kid." She flushed, but leaned gratefully into the support of the chair.
"What is the game?"
"Its basketball," Jubilee answered.
"The idea, sugah, is to score points by puttin' the ball into that hoop, while keepin' the other team from scorin' points." Rogue told her, taking the ball from Jubilee. "There are lots more rules, o' course, but that's the basics." Star nodded.
The foursome returned to their game, while Star watched, fascinated. She enjoyed being with the others. She had been isolated her entire life and her recent status as an invalid had reminded her forcefully of a loneliness she hadn't even been aware of until coming here. These people actually cared about her, considered her part of their family.
Jean came out of the house and moved to stand next to Star.
"Henry thinks you should come in now." Star nodded and struggled to her feet, accepting Jean's help without hesitation.
"Hey, Star!" Jubilee shouted, "When yer feelin' up to it, we'll teach ya how ta play!"
"Thank you."
Jean helped Star back to the med lab, where Beast put her back to bed.
"We'll move you back to your room in a couple of days," he told her. "Tomorrow we'll look at that arm and see if the cast is ready to come off."
"All right."
"You get some sleep now. I hadn't intended to let you up for so long, you know, but you did seem to be enjoying the game." She smiled up at him. He squeezed her hand and moved away from her bed. Surrounded by the silver sheen of the psi-dampening field, Star quickly fell asleep.
The next morning, Beast and Storm helped her move to the scanner which would read the progress of her healing bones.
"Be still, now." Beast told her, then laughed. "As if you have to be told to be still. I swear, if the lights were connected to a motion detector, they wouldn't stay on for you." She smiled at him. He turned the scanner on and it hummed quietly for a few seconds. Beast looked at the screen and his smile faded.
"'Roro, come take a look at this." Storm looked at the screen and frowned.
"Is the reading correct?"
"Let me check the machine. Star, it'll be just another minute. I need to double check our readings." She sensed a growing concern in both X-Men as they re calibrated the machine and took another reading, with apparently the same results.
"What's wrong?" she finally asked them.
"Hmmm? Oh, sorry, Star," he turned the screen so she could see it. The frame of the cast was clearly visible, as was the bone within a ghostly outline of her arm. He pointed to the screen.
"There isn't any delineation between the bones in your arm and the metal screws we used to attach the support. You seem to have, um, absorbed the material directly. 'Roro, help me shift the scanner, I want to see how far this has spread." Star sat quietly, wide eyed, as they adjusted the scanner to include her shoulder and the left side of her chest. The scanner hummed once more.
"The only bones affected are the ones directly attached to the metal. At least so far." He scratched his chin, then said "I think, perhaps, we should removed the cast. I don't see any evidence of the original breaks anyway."
"How?" Ororo asked him.
"Good question. Call Charles, perhaps he will have an idea."
Xavier entered the lab a few minutes later.
"Interesting," he murmured. "This looks almost like Logan's X-rays, although the material isn't as dense. but then, surgical steel isn't as dense as adamantium."
"You see the problem, Charles. The metal is fused to the bone, creating a solid link with the cast. There seems to be no way of removing it without actually cutting it free."
"How has the integrity of the cast itself been affected?"
"The entire structure is honeycombed."
"Which should make it easier to remove."
"Yes. Except, of course, that metal conducts heat very well. If we use a torch, we risk damage to the surrounding tissue."
"Perhaps an acid solution would be the answer. If we coated the flesh with..."
"Gentlemen," Ororo interrupted them. "If I might remind you, this 'interesting case' is attached to a young woman who is present, and whom you are currently frightening half to death." Star was watching them, her face expressionless.
"My apologies, Star. I do tend to get wrapped up in things and forget that a patient is involved." Beast told her.
"I apologize as well, dear. Your shielding has improved to the point that you have no 'presence' at all."
"Perhaps you should spend more time with Jubilee. She never lets anyone forget she is in the room." Storm added with a smile. Star smiled back.
"Or maybe Jubilee should spend more time with Star."
"Star, we are going to try to dissolve the cast at the attachment points. We will take precautions to protect your skin. There will be nubs of metal remaining, but it looks as if your body will probably absorb that material as well. If not, well, we will deal with the problem later, all right?"
"All right." They coated her arm with an inhibiting agent, then dissolved the cast attachment spines with an acid solution, leaving a small nub of metal above her skin at each point.
"There, now." Beast said as he slid the remainder of the cast off her arm. "How does that feel?" Star flexed her arm experimentally.
"A little stiff. And it ... itches."
"The itch is just the tissue healing. Perfectly normal. As for the stiffness, I will give you some exercises which should help. How are you feeling otherwise?"
"Tired."
"Not surprising. I want you to stay off your feet as much as possible for a few more days. Your incisions have completely closed, but the tissue is still healing." He smiled, "If you promise not to take any more sudden falls, I'll let you go back to your own room tomorrow." She smiled at him again. "Now, go lie down. Is there anything I can bring you?"
"I was looking through your Advanced Physics Text. Could I borrow it again?"
"Of course. A little 'light reading'. I'll bring it to you."
"Thank you."
"Henry, after I had dealt with the police, I was going to return to her side to reinforce her shields."
"For how long, Charles? Jean was clearly exhausted after the surgery. How long could you have maintained her defenses? An hour? Perhaps two? Then what, awaken Jean and have her try to take over? I think not." He sighed. "The child was terrified of falling asleep. She values other's lives above her own. I believe her capable of willing her own death rather than endanger anyone again. She has come dangerously close to doing just that." He rubbed his forehead wearily. "There is a very real possibility that we could lose her even now. If using that abomination increases her chances of survival even slightly, then I am willing to use it." Xavier was silent for a moment, then he said,
"I apologize. I believed I had her best interests at heart. I should have realized that you have the same goal," he paused. "I sometimes feel that I am growing too old to manage the challenges this world keeps throwing at us. I truly do not know how to help Star."
"The first thing ya gotta do is stop treatin' her like a piece o' furniture." Wolverine said from the doorway, leaning on the frame, his arms crossed.
"Wolverine, we have not.."
"Yeah, ya have. Yer actin' like she ain't got no brains of her own. Yer makin' decisions for her, and it ain't even occurred ta ya ta ask her what she wants."
"Wolverine, she is a child. It is our responsibility..."
"I don' know what else she is or isn't, but she ain't no child. She was in there wonderin' just how long yer gonna wait to shut her down." He moved away from the door frame, "Ya really think you could turn her off if she didn't want ya too? But ya know what?" He shook his head, angry, "She ain't gonna resist. She'll accept whatever you decide. 'Cause she still thinks of herself as just an experiment. I ain't gonna let ya do that to her, Chuck. Would a' been kinder ta leave her where we found her. Least they'd o' killed her quick."
"Wolverine, there may be no choice."
"There's always a choice. Ya just gotta look for it." He glared at Xavier, "An' sometimes ya gotta ask." He stormed from the room.
"Charles," Xavier looked toward Beast. "Are you actually considering destroying her powers?"
"Yes."
"But, without them,.."
"She would be completely isolated. I know." He rubbed his forehead in an unconscious imitation of Beast's earlier gesture. "I'm going to bed, Henry. Call me if anything ... changes."
"Of course."
Wolverine slammed the Danger Room door behind him, then activated the program. Here he had found an outlet for his anger. After an hour or so of destroying simulated enemies, he thought it would be safe to check on Star. He showered and changed into a clean shirt and jeans. He almost knocked on the door to her room, but realized that she would be unable to hear him. He opened the door and went in. She slept. He watched her for a few minutes, then, satisfied that she would be all right at least for a while, he left, closing the door behind him.
Early the next morning Beast opened the door to Star's room and went in. She was awake, but he was surprised when she turned toward him as he entered.
"Star?" When she didn't answer, he stepped forward, through the invisible (to him) boundary created by the field he had set up the night before.
"Oh. Hello, Henry." She smiled at his confusion. "I could feel the air pressure change when you opened the door, I just didn't know who had come in until you came closer."
"I see. And how are you feeling this morning?"
"Okay."
"And how, exactly, do you define 'okay'?"
"I'm still alive."
"That is certainly a point in your favor. However, if you don't mind, I would like to have more specific information on how you feel. Are you in any pain?"
"Yes."
"You see? That does not fall into my definition of 'okay'. Besides, we can do something about pain." He opened the medical kit he carried with him, and removed a hypodermic syringe and a vial. "This will probably make you sleep, but, since you have a tendency to quickly metabolize medications, I want you to call as soon as it starts to wear off." He filled the syringe. "The only way I can gauge how much to give you is if you tell me how quickly the pain returns. All right?"
"All right." He smiled at her as he gave her the injection. "I'll be back in a little while to change your bandages." He patted her hand. "Go to sleep, now. Its the best thing for you." She nodded, but watched him until he left the psi-dampening field. She shifted positions carefully, lay back and stared at the ceiling for a while. Soon the medication pushed her into sleep.
"As I explained yesterday, there is absolutely no proof that Miss Star was involved in the incident at the courthouse . Furthermore, it would be much too dangerous to move her at this time. It would appear that you gentlepeople have made your journey for nothing." Professor Xavier was polite but firm with the contingent of uniformed officers which had appeared at his doorway that morning. "Even if it were not life threatening to move her, I would not allow you to take a minor from the custody of her legal guardian on the grounds of such flimsy evidence."
"Professor Xavier," one of the officers said. "You reported that she had been in an accident yesterday and, while no one is doubting your word it would make it a lot easier for us to report back without her if we could see her."
"I will see if it can be arranged." Xavier turned to the intercom and call Beast.
"Dr. McCoy, we have several official visitors who believe it is necessary to see Emily. Is she able to have visitors for a moment?"
"She's asleep, Professor. I'd rather she not be disturbed." Beast answered at once.
"Professor," the officer interrupted. "We just need to see her. We don't need to talk to her now."
"Doctor?"
"All right, Professor. But only for a moment."
"I'll see to it that she is not disturbed." He turned to the police officers, "Gentlemen, Lady, this way, if you please." He led them down the hall to the wing reserved for the laboratories and medical care rooms. Jubilee and Wolverine were just coming out of Star's room.
"What's with the goon squad?" Jubilee asked while Wolverine bristled.
"Jubilation, it is usually best to cooperate with the authorities. These officers merely need to see that Emily is indeed here."
"Kid's asleep." Wolverine growled.
"We will not disturb her." Xavier assured him. Wolverine continued to eye the police suspiciously. Xavier opened Star's door and preceded the police into the room. One of the officers, a young man who had not spoken since they arrived at Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters watched Wolverine carefully. He edged past and followed the others into the room. Jubilee nudged Wolverine.
"How come it takes three of 'em to check on one kid?" Wolverine didn't answer.
Star lay on her back, her injured arm and leg propped up with pillows. She shifted positions slightly and made a small sound of pain. The young officer slipped into the room behind the others.
The officer who seemed to be in charge, turned to Xavier,
"Thank you, Professor," she said quietly. "I'm sorry for disturbing you. I hope she's feeling better soon." She turned for the door.
"Now wait a minute, Wilson," the third officer said. "We don't know those bandages are real. These people could've set this up to throw us off."
"Harry," Wilson said, turning back to the older man. "We've got no reason to doubt the Professor."
"Maybe not. But everybody knows how he feels about mutants, and that kid is definitely a mutant. I'm not going anywhere until I see for myself." He stepped forward and grabbed Star's arm and shouted at her to wake up. She sat up with a cry just as Wolverine hit the policeman from the side. The others moved forward to separate them. Star, confused by the pain medication Beast had given her, and frightened by the sudden appearance of the three policemen, moved away from the chaos in her room. She managed to tangle her legs in the blanket and then, having pushed herself to the head of the bed, fell off above the guard rail. She landed flat on her back. Wilson and the young officer were restraining Harry while Wolverine glared at them all. Xavier rolled his chair through the psi-dampener. It had obstructed his ability to stop Harry, or prevent Star's fall.
"Harry, don't you have any sense at all? We were told she was badly injured. Don't you realize you could have hurt her?"
"Only if they were telling the truth." Wolverine growled at him.
Jubilee hopped up on the bed, then down on the other side, to check on Star. Star was wild eyed when Jubilee knelt next to her on the floor.
"Star? Its Jubilee. Don't you remember me?" Some of the wildness faded and Jubilee slipped an arm under Star, to help her back into the bed. Star flinched, but allowed Jubilee to help her sit up. She held her good arm clamped to her side, her hand across her stomach. She flinched again, then started to cough. Jubilee glanced down and saw blood spreading on Star's gown, under her hand. Star coughed again and this time Jubilee saw drops of
blood spatter on the blanket.
"Oh, wow," she said, then, her voice calm "Wolvie." Wolverine glanced at her, but made no move in her direction, his attention still for the police officers. "Wolvie, I need you, now!" Her voice wasn't so calm this time. He hurried around the bed and saw the blood. Jubilee, careful not to let Star slip, moved out of Wolverine's way as he knelt beside them. He put his arm behind Star's shoulders, then said,
"I got her, darlin'. You go get Hank. Tell 'im to hurry." Jubilee hopped over the bed again and dashed out of the room. Wolverine carefully picked Star up and put her back on the bed. The young officer moved to help.
"Don't touch her!" Wolverine snarled at him. Xavier moved his wheelchair to the side of the bed.
"Officer," he said, his voice cold. "If you want to help, I suggest you remove your fellow officer from this room." The officer turned and helped Wilson shove Harry, whose face was set in an odd smirk, out of the room. They quickly got out of the way as Jubilee came running, accompanied by Beast. Storm had tossed him the image inducer he used when leaving the mansion, so he appeared to be a normal, if large, man.
"What happened?" he demanded as he leaned over Star.
"One o' them uniformed geeks decided Star was fakin'." Wolverine told him. "He scared her and she fell off the flamin' bed."
"Star?" she looked up at Beast, her expression dazed. "We're going to move you, dear. Ready?" she nodded. Beast gently shifted her to the gurney Storm had brought. She moaned. Beast and Storm moved the gurney out of the room, toward the Med Lab. Wolverine followed them out the door, but turned in the direction the police, herded by Xavier, had taken.
"No!" he heard Star cry. He turned toward the sound, and saw her reaching for him. "Please don't leave me." He turned back and took her hand. He helped Beast and Storm guide the gurney. Once in the Med Lab, everything seemed to move in slow motion. Beast scrubbed and put on surgical gloves while Storm cut away Star's bloody gown and bandages. The neatly stitched incision in her abdomen had torn open and was bleeding freely. Wolverine held her hand and spoke quietly to her.
"Take it easy, darlin'. Ya got one o' the best docs in the world takin' care of ya."
"Can't....breath," she gasped, then coughed, expelling more blood.
Looking at the scanners, Beast said,
"You've got a punctured lung, Star. We're going to put in a chest tube and you'll be able to breath. Logan, don't let her move." Wolverine held her shoulders while Beast inserted the tube in her chest, she hissed through gritted teeth, then sighed as the tube relieved the pressure in her chest and she could breath again. Blood and air, leaking into her chest from her lung, flowed out the tube. Beast turned his attention to the torn incision. Storm brought an IV set up over to the table and put the needle in Star's right arm. Whole blood began to flow into her vein. Xavier came in to the Med Lab. Wolverine could see Gambit, Rogue, and Jubilee through the door before it closed.
"Henry?"
"I need to put her out, Charles."
"I understand. Star," she weakly turned her head toward him. "Don't fight me, dear. I will take care of your shields." Wolverine started to pull away from her, but she grabbed his hand frantically. He stayed. Storm injected an anesthetic into the IV. Star started to relax as the drug took hold. Her white knuckled grip on Wolverine's hand eased, but did not release. Beast and Storm cut the remaining stitches from the incision. They cleaned the area, looking for the origin of the blood which welled up. Blood continued to trickle from the chest tube as well.
"Here it is. She's torn the internal stitches loose." Beast gently began to repair the damage. Wolverine continued to speak to Star. Her eyes were closed, her expression relaxed, but she continued to hold on to his hand. Wolverine glanced at Xavier. His face was covered with a sheen of sweat, his expression was grim.
Storm placed a mask over Star's face and began to feed her oxygen as well as an anesthetic gas. Star's grasp finally loosened. A moment later Xavier cried out and slumped over in his chair. Star screamed and sat up, tearing the mask from her face. Wolverine caught her around the shoulders and eased her to her back while Beast used both hand to try and staunch the bleeding. Storm hurriedly checked Xavier.
"He is alive, but unconscious."
"He'll have to wait. Please re configure the psi-dampener. Star," he spoke to her directly. "We're going to have to place you under the dampener again. Ororo will put you back to sleep as soon as its set up. I need you to be very still until then." Star looked up at Wolverine.
"I'll be right here, kid. I ain't gonna leave ya." Once more she clung to his hand. Storm adjusted the equipment until Star's body was surrounded by the invisible dampening field. Star's knuckles went white as she clutched Wolverine's hand. Storm put the mask back on. Beast worked feverishly, with Storm's help, to stop the bleeding.
"'Roro, get another unit of whole blood. She's losing it faster than we are replacing it." After several minutes of frantic activity Storm said,
"Her heart rate is dropping, Henry. Respiration is failing. We're losing her."
"Epinephrine. Quickly." Storm injected Star and her heart rate picked up.
"She's still bleeding into the chest cavity. There are a couple of bleeders here. Take care of them while I get a look at her chest." Star shuddered as Beast realigned her broken rib and located the area of bleeding. The lung had collapsed and would have to be reinflated after he had repaired the rip caused by the rib. He carefully stitched the torn blood vessels, then closed the injured lung. Her heart rate began to fall again. She didn't respond to the epinephrine this time.
"I don't understand why she's not responding," Beast said. We've got the bleeding stopped now, and we're replacing the blood volume as quickly as possible. Her heart rate should be picking up, not falling. What does that scanner say? Did we miss something?"
Storm shook her head,
"Everything is clear. I do not show any more internal bleeding. She should be improving."
"Hank, turn off the dampener." Wolverine said suddenly
"What?"
"She's givin' up. If ya wanta save her, turn the damn thing off." Beast glanced at the still motionless Xavier.
"She ain't dangerous. She's wide awake. Has been the whole time." Beast was appalled. The relaxed posture of her body had lead him to believe she was unconscious.
"Shut it off! Don't let her die locked up inside her head like this." Beast slapped the power switch for the dampener. Star's heart rate jumped then began to fall again.
"C'mon, kid. Don't give up on us now." Star opened her eyes and looked up at Wolverine.
"Star, why didn't you say something?" Beast demanded. She looked over at him.
"Told ... me ... be still."
"You always do what yer told?" Wolverine asked her. She just looked at him. "Yeah, I guess you do."
"Star, listen to me," Storm said earnestly. "Your body is very weak, child. If you are to survive it will be necessary for you to want to live."
"Too ... tired," she answered simply, closing her eyes. Her heart rate dropped steadily.
"Star! Open your eyes and look at me!" Wolverine ordered. She looked up at him, her face expressionless. "We all get tired, darlin'. That's what we got each other for. Way I figure it, you can take what you need, but you don't wanna hurt nobody, right?" She nodded weakly. "Now, 'nother minute or two an' yer gonna pass out, right 'Roro? Hank?" Both physicians nodded. "Then yer body's gonna take over, tryin' ta survive. I'm offerin' ya what ya need. Take it."
"No! Hurt ... you."
"Yer gonna do mor'n that if ya don't do it now, while ya can control it."
"No." Wolverine shrugged.
"Then we wait."
"No!" Her vital signs picked up and she tried to push him away. He put his arms around her, easily ignoring her feeble resistance, and held her close. She continued to struggle, growing weaker.
"Please. Just let me go," she sobbed.
"Not a chance, darlin'." Beast and Storm watched, helpless to aid either of their friends. Finally, Star's struggles ceased. She lay, sobbing, with her head against Wolverine's chest. She looked up at him, fighting to retain consciousness.
"Please," she whispered. He just shook his head. Slowly, she reached up and touched his cheek. He looked at her, waiting. A gentle lethargy overtook him as her readings stabilized on the scanner. Beast supported him as he started to slump. Storm took Star from his arms and gently eased her to her back. The girl looked up at her, her eyes haunted. Beast knelt beside Wolverine. He nodded to Storm after checking the unconscious man.
"He will be all right, child," she told Star. "And, I think, you will, too." Storm said, stroking Star's forehead. "Rest now." She turned the psi-dampener back on, continuing to touch Star until the girl, exhausted, finally fell asleep. Beast moved Wolverine and Xavier onto beds, where they could recover more easily from Star's draining powers.
"Ororo, will you look after our patients for a few minutes?"
"Of course, Henry." Beast opened the door to the med lab and spoke to Jubilee.
"Where are Jean and Scott?"
"They went shopping first thing this morning. Gambit and Rogue are baby-sittin' those cops. Star okay?" she looked at his blood stained operating gown nervously.
"Its going to take her a long time to recover from this, Jubilee."
"Where's Wolvie?" she asked, peering past him. Her eyes widened as she saw his motionless figure on a bed in the lab. "And the Professor! What gives?"
"We had some ... difficulties with Star's anesthetic. They are both fine. You may go in, but don't disturb any of them." Jubilee went in. Storm was checking on Professor Xavier. Jubilee made a bee line for Wolverine. Beast smiled at her, then, closing the door behind him as he went out, his face assumed a far grimmer expression. He found the image inducer in his pocket under the gown. He thumbed the switch, then turned toward Xavier's study, where Gambit and Rogue had undoubtedly 'escorted' the police.
Beast slammed open the door to the study and stood there, glaring at the police officers who had scrambled to their feet. Gambit lounged on the edge of the desk, endlessly shuffling his ever present desk of cards. Rogue stood near the window, her arms crossed. Both managed to look dangerous without any overt threat.
"You come into our home, professing public safety. You demand to physically inspect a minor child, even after being told she was in critical condition. You then proceed to terrify the child and aggravate her injuries to the point that her life is threatened. You've had a very productive morning. Is there anything else we can do for you on your way out?" Beast snarled. Wilson stepped forward,
"Doctor, I offer my sincerest apologies for Officer Jones behavior. I assure you he will face a disciplinary hearing in this matter."
"How is that going to help Star?" Wilson dropped her eyes and gestured for Jones and the young officer to follow her through the door. Rogue saw to it that they found their way to the door, then watched as they entered their patrol car and drove away.
"De petite, she gon' be okay?" Gambit asked when Rogue returned.
"She's alive, Gambit. But I don't know if she will ever be 'okay'." He returned to the med lab, to wait.
Jean and Scott returned as the police were leaving. They left the car in front of the mansion and hurried inside. They went straight to the med lab.
"Hank, what happened?!" Scott asked as Jean turned to Xavier.
"Long story, Scott. I'll fill you in later."
"The Professor is exhausted, Henry, but I don't find any permanent damage," Jean told Beast. Jubilee sat in a chair next to Wolverine, her arms crossed, glowering at the other X-Men. Wolverine was her friend, but no one seemed to be concerned as to his condition. Jean smiled at her.
"He's my friend, too, Jubilee." She gently place her hand on Wolverine's forehead. "He's sleeping, dear. He'll be waking up soon. Will you stay with him?"
"Well, of course." Jubilee answered indignantly. "Like I'd take off and go play jacks or somethin'. Sheesh."
Storm took the warming blanket Scott brought from a cabinet and gently spread it over Star's motionless form while Beast checked the IV flow and the scanners. Jean moved next to Scott, who put his arm around her.
"How is she Henry?"
"I've seen worse, Jean. But they usually arrived in a body bag." He looked down at the young woman, her face as pale as the sheets surrounding her. "I'm afraid to even move her to a regular bed." He shook his head. "If this sort of thing keeps up, I'm going to install a zipper in her." Scott looked up at him, startled. There was just a ghost of a smile around the doctor's worried eyes. "She'll be all right if we can just give her the time she needs to heal."
The next morning there was a knock at the door. Jubilee opened it and stood glaring at the policeman outside.
"What do you want?" she demanded, one fist planted on her hip.
"Jubilee. Please remember your manners."
"But Jean, this is one o' the guys..."
"I know who he is. That does not excuse rudeness." She stepped into the open doorway. "What can I do for you, officer?" she asked coldly.
"Its Joshua Cowen, ma'am, and I'm not here officially. I just thought that you folks should know what was going on with your case. And I ... I wanted to check on the girl. Is she okay?"
"Please come in, Mr. Cowen." Jean directed the officer to the living room. She indicated the couch, then had a seat on a chair across from him. Jubilee stayed in the background, glaring. Jean looked at the officer expectantly.
"Jones resigned," he said without preamble. "They were going to convene a disciplinary hearing and would probably have relieved him anyway." Jean waited. "Look, I just had to make sure she was going to be all right, okay?"
"She hasn't regained consciousness since the surgery. Our doctor isn't sure she ever will." Jean told him, shortly.
"I'm sorry. I knew Jones was a member of the Friends of Humanity, but I didn't realize how deeply he hated mutants. I didn't think he would actually do anything to hurt her. After all, he's ... he was a police officer. We're supposed to help people, and its not supposed to matter whether they're mutants or not." He stood up. "I apologize for disturbing you, ma'am." Jean stood and escorted him to the door.
"I will keep you informed if Star's condition changes."
"Thank you."
He went down the steps and got into his car. Jean watched as he drove away.
Jubilee was nowhere in sight when Jean closed the door, but she could sense her in the med lab. Jean quietly opened the door and went in. Beast looked up from his microscope and nodded to her. Star remained in the center of the large room, IV tubes and sensor wires running to and from her body. Jubilee stood next to the bed, looking down at her motionless friend. Jean put an arm around her.
"A month ago she couldn't read or even dress herself, but last week she was helping me with algebra. Now look at her. I know she can't hear me, so I tried to hold her hand. She's so cold its like she's already dead, an' we just haven't noticed."
"Things will work out, Jubilee. Henry says she's in hibernation and that if we give her enough time, she may be just fine."
"What if she's not?"
"We will deal with that when the time comes. Come on, now. Come back and visit her later. You know how much she hates it when someone is upset."
"Yeah."
For the next three weeks Star had almost constant companionship. Jubilee stayed with her for at least part of every day, doing her algebra 'homework' at a small table she pulled up next to the bed to which Beast had finally been able to move Star. Wolverine visited every day, sometimes staying for hours. Even Gambit stayed by her, whenever he found her alone. On the twenty third day, Jubilee finished her assignment and closed her book. She took Star's hand, to say good-bye for the day.
"Thanks, Star. Math's always easier when you're around." She squeezed her hand gently and was startled to have the pressure returned. She stared at Star for a moment, then squeezed her hand again. Star squeezed back, weak but definite.
"Beast!" Jubilee shouted.
"What is it, Jubilee?" the doctor responded instantly.
"I think she's wakin' up!" Beast took Star's other hand. Star turned her head slowly toward him and opened her eyes. She stared up at him, unable to see him.
"Jubilee, go get the Professor and Jean. I want to turn this field off as quickly as possible."
"Gotcha." Jubilee dashed out of the med lab. A few minutes later Xavier entered, followed shortly by Jean and Scott. Xavier took Star's hand from Beast, while Jean moved to the other side of the bed. Beast went to the control panel for the psi-dampener.
"Henry, expand the field until Jean and I are included within it." Beast nodded and adjusted the dials. As the field extended outwards, Star suddenly focused on the Professor.
"Professor," she whispered, her voice harsh.
"Welcome back Star. We've been worried about you."
"You can turn it off, Hank. She doesn't need it, or us, right now." Jean said. Star turned to her.
"Thought ... Jubilee ... here."
"She was, sweetheart. She went to tell Wolverine and the others that you were awake. We've all missed you."
"Why?"
"What kinda question that, Chere?" Gambit said as he and Rogue entered, Wolverine and Jubilee close behind.
"C'mon, sugah. You're part o' the family now." Rogue added.
"Only family most of us got, kid" Wolverine said as he moved to her side. "Families take care of each other."
"All right," Beast said suddenly, "Everybody out, Star needs to rest." Reluctantly, the X-Men left the med lab, Xavier and Wolverine remained.
"Professor?"
"Yes, Star?"
"What happened?"
"Your powers were a great deal stronger than they had been. I was ... unprepared."
"Did I hurt you?"
"No, dear. I am fine."
"Wolverine?"
"Look, kid, will you just worry about yourself for once?"
"Gentlemen, if you please." Beast motioned toward the door. Xavier turned and went out.
"I'll come visit ya in the mornin', darlin'." Wolverine patted her hand and left.
"Well, Star, we'll set up the field the same as before, but this time, no rude strangers are going to bother you." He adjusted the settings on the equipment then turned back to Star.
"Try to rest. You are very weak." He adjusted her blanket. "If you need anything, either Storm or I will be here, all you have to do is call out." He smiled at her, then moved away from her bed, out of the area of the field. She sighed and closed her eyes. Beast was right, she was very weak. Talking to Xavier and Wolverine for the few minutes they stayed had exhausted her. Soon, she slept.
Star slept for much of the next several days, waking only when Beast or Storm wanted her to eat, or when Wolverine or Jubilee came to visit. Beast limited them to five minutes at a time, not wanting to tire her. On the fourth day, they got her out of bed and Beast carried her down the hall to the porch outside. She sat in the sunshine for over an hour, enjoying the warmth. She gradually became aware of a commotion to the side of the mansion. She had learned that the others disliked being listened to, so she carefully got to her feet and, leaning on the building for support she suddenly found necessary, she tottered to the corner and peered around. Gambit, Rogue, Jubilee, and Wolverine were apparently arguing over a large round object. Their emotions were confusing, aggressive, but not hostile. Jubilee had the round thing. She bounced it once and Gambit snatched it from under her hands. Star was staggered by the flash of dismay and outrage from Jubilee. Without thinking, she reached out with her mind and took the object from Gambit. It bounced twice before returning to Jubilee's hands. The sudden effort exhausted Star's meager reserves. She leaned her back against the wall, away from the others. Her legs refused to support her and she slid down until she was sitting on the deck. She could still hear the others, but only faintly. They were trying to figure out what had happened.
"Hey, Jean!" Jubilee called. "Thanks for the assist!" Jean came to the window.
"What assist, Jubilee?"
"Didn't you just recover the ball for me?"
"Of course not. That wouldn't be fair."
Ball? Star thought. Then this was a game, and she had broken the rules. She hoped they wouldn't be too angry. She tried to get up, but lacked the energy.
"Well, if you didn't, who did? The Professor?"
"I doubt it. He's in the ready room, working on one of his projects."
"I'm sorry, Jubilee." Star sent faintly, "I didn't know it was a game."
"Star?"
"Where are ya, kid?" Wolverine asked.
"On the deck. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to interfere."
"Forget it, darlin'" he said as he came toward her. He rounded the corner.
"What are ya doin' down there?" he asked as he crouched beside her.
"I ... got tired."
"Uh huh," he responded. "Can ya get up?" Reluctantly, she shook her head.
"Let's get ya inside," he said, lifting her effortlessly in his arms.
"Can't I watch?" she asked, almost pleading. "Just for a few minutes?" He looked at her, then said
"All right. But only for a few minutes, then we get ya back ta bed." She nodded.
"I get a chair, petite." Gambit said, crossing the deck to the lounge chairs. He chose one and brought it around to the side of the house, where the basketball goal was set up. Wolverine carefully lowered her into it.
"I'm not made of glass." Wolverine glanced at the cage like cast still surrounding her left arm.
"Coulda fooled me, kid." She flushed, but leaned gratefully into the support of the chair.
"What is the game?"
"Its basketball," Jubilee answered.
"The idea, sugah, is to score points by puttin' the ball into that hoop, while keepin' the other team from scorin' points." Rogue told her, taking the ball from Jubilee. "There are lots more rules, o' course, but that's the basics." Star nodded.
The foursome returned to their game, while Star watched, fascinated. She enjoyed being with the others. She had been isolated her entire life and her recent status as an invalid had reminded her forcefully of a loneliness she hadn't even been aware of until coming here. These people actually cared about her, considered her part of their family.
Jean came out of the house and moved to stand next to Star.
"Henry thinks you should come in now." Star nodded and struggled to her feet, accepting Jean's help without hesitation.
"Hey, Star!" Jubilee shouted, "When yer feelin' up to it, we'll teach ya how ta play!"
"Thank you."
Jean helped Star back to the med lab, where Beast put her back to bed.
"We'll move you back to your room in a couple of days," he told her. "Tomorrow we'll look at that arm and see if the cast is ready to come off."
"All right."
"You get some sleep now. I hadn't intended to let you up for so long, you know, but you did seem to be enjoying the game." She smiled up at him. He squeezed her hand and moved away from her bed. Surrounded by the silver sheen of the psi-dampening field, Star quickly fell asleep.
The next morning, Beast and Storm helped her move to the scanner which would read the progress of her healing bones.
"Be still, now." Beast told her, then laughed. "As if you have to be told to be still. I swear, if the lights were connected to a motion detector, they wouldn't stay on for you." She smiled at him. He turned the scanner on and it hummed quietly for a few seconds. Beast looked at the screen and his smile faded.
"'Roro, come take a look at this." Storm looked at the screen and frowned.
"Is the reading correct?"
"Let me check the machine. Star, it'll be just another minute. I need to double check our readings." She sensed a growing concern in both X-Men as they re calibrated the machine and took another reading, with apparently the same results.
"What's wrong?" she finally asked them.
"Hmmm? Oh, sorry, Star," he turned the screen so she could see it. The frame of the cast was clearly visible, as was the bone within a ghostly outline of her arm. He pointed to the screen.
"There isn't any delineation between the bones in your arm and the metal screws we used to attach the support. You seem to have, um, absorbed the material directly. 'Roro, help me shift the scanner, I want to see how far this has spread." Star sat quietly, wide eyed, as they adjusted the scanner to include her shoulder and the left side of her chest. The scanner hummed once more.
"The only bones affected are the ones directly attached to the metal. At least so far." He scratched his chin, then said "I think, perhaps, we should removed the cast. I don't see any evidence of the original breaks anyway."
"How?" Ororo asked him.
"Good question. Call Charles, perhaps he will have an idea."
Xavier entered the lab a few minutes later.
"Interesting," he murmured. "This looks almost like Logan's X-rays, although the material isn't as dense. but then, surgical steel isn't as dense as adamantium."
"You see the problem, Charles. The metal is fused to the bone, creating a solid link with the cast. There seems to be no way of removing it without actually cutting it free."
"How has the integrity of the cast itself been affected?"
"The entire structure is honeycombed."
"Which should make it easier to remove."
"Yes. Except, of course, that metal conducts heat very well. If we use a torch, we risk damage to the surrounding tissue."
"Perhaps an acid solution would be the answer. If we coated the flesh with..."
"Gentlemen," Ororo interrupted them. "If I might remind you, this 'interesting case' is attached to a young woman who is present, and whom you are currently frightening half to death." Star was watching them, her face expressionless.
"My apologies, Star. I do tend to get wrapped up in things and forget that a patient is involved." Beast told her.
"I apologize as well, dear. Your shielding has improved to the point that you have no 'presence' at all."
"Perhaps you should spend more time with Jubilee. She never lets anyone forget she is in the room." Storm added with a smile. Star smiled back.
"Or maybe Jubilee should spend more time with Star."
"Star, we are going to try to dissolve the cast at the attachment points. We will take precautions to protect your skin. There will be nubs of metal remaining, but it looks as if your body will probably absorb that material as well. If not, well, we will deal with the problem later, all right?"
"All right." They coated her arm with an inhibiting agent, then dissolved the cast attachment spines with an acid solution, leaving a small nub of metal above her skin at each point.
"There, now." Beast said as he slid the remainder of the cast off her arm. "How does that feel?" Star flexed her arm experimentally.
"A little stiff. And it ... itches."
"The itch is just the tissue healing. Perfectly normal. As for the stiffness, I will give you some exercises which should help. How are you feeling otherwise?"
"Tired."
"Not surprising. I want you to stay off your feet as much as possible for a few more days. Your incisions have completely closed, but the tissue is still healing." He smiled, "If you promise not to take any more sudden falls, I'll let you go back to your own room tomorrow." She smiled at him again. "Now, go lie down. Is there anything I can bring you?"
"I was looking through your Advanced Physics Text. Could I borrow it again?"
"Of course. A little 'light reading'. I'll bring it to you."
"Thank you."