Hey all~

Hey all~

Yeah, I know that my last chapter was lacking something, and I wish that I could blame it all on the sleep that I am not getting, but the fact is, I'm much more of a drama/angst girl…not really good at the action thing. There are some AMAZING action fic authors out there, but sadly, I'm not one of them…but the story couldn't NOT end and not have a battle…actually, though I think the next chapter will be the last chapter, I think I'm gonna write another fic, a sequel if you will (with cliffhangers and all…hey, I gotta have some feeling of security that people will come back to read the rest LoL), which will pick up right where I left off, and will be focused more on Kurt and what he's going through…you want it? I'm gonna write it no matter if I get flames or praise…but the praise will speed me along =) Oh and this chapter has more detail in it…kinda needed it to get the right feel…you've been warned…Again with the rambling…

Disclaimer: see previous disclaimer

"How is he?" Jean asked as she entered the medical wing of the Institute.

It had been two days since the encounter with the X-mutants and all but Kurt were recovering quickly. Scott's arm received 103 stitches and along with that, several for cuts over the rest of his body, but then, everyone had. He was also on antibiotics for an infection that was threatening to spread from his arm to the rest of his body, but his discomfort did not keep him from his sacred duty of strutting around the mansion, giving people pointers on how to best accomplish their tasks. Jean had received 27 stitches on the back of her leg, but, aside from minor cuts and bruises, was saved from any more injuries. Storm suffered a concussion and whiplash of her neck. Kitty's left arm was bruised and swollen, but other than that, she physically was fine. Rogue was unconscious for about 6 hours after they arrived back at the Institute, but, with the exception of a split lip and her cheek a little scratched up, she looked healthy, though she was still too weak to get out of bed. Evan had a severe brush burn down his right side, presumably when something threw him and he skidded on the rough ground, but he couldn't remember. The Professor had severe bruising and had a decreased blood flow to his legs, but would be fine with a fair amount of rehabilitation. Wolverine had the least abrasions, in part to his advanced healing ability, but he also had the most battle experience and knew what he was doing.

"No change," Storm replied. Kurt received the worst of the injuries. While on the way back to the Institute, his heart had stopped, twice. It was a wonder that he kept himself alive as long as he did. He had 1st and 2nd degree electrical burns all over his body, multiple fractured bones coupled with two broken ribs sustained while Logan was giving him CPR, and ugly bruising, which could be seen through his fur, making him appear to be various shades of color, ranging from his normal blue to a darkish purple. He also developed double pneumonia and could not breath on his own. He was now hooked up to a respirator, among countless other machines which monitored his blood pressure, blood gas ratio, heart beat, brain activities and countless other equipment hooked up to him either measuring his this or giving him that. It was a horrible sight to see, but despite his condition, he had visitors non-stop.

Ororo had never left his bedside. Her maternal instincts had kicked in and, no matter how much anyone tried to coax her from her chair, she would not leave. She looked with concern at Jean. The poor child, as did the others, looked so tired. They were on leave from school indefinitely, but none appeared to be getting any rest. The Professor had noticed the change in behavior, and while some was to be expected, the degree to which they were showing was alarming. Physically they were on the mend, but emotionally…the adults feared that if Kurt were to die, that would be the last thing most could take. Kitty was already walking around like a ghost, phasing through walls, not speaking. She had sat in the car, with Kurt head on her lap, frantically trying to coax him back into the land of the living, but had watched his body, in effect, die twice.

Jean limped over to Kurt's bedside. She brushed the hair out of his closed eyes and off his fevered brow. "You can't do this." She whispered, inaudible to even Ororo who sat feet away. He groaned in pain and Jean mercifully turned up the dial on his morphine pump.

"How long is he going to be unconscious?" Jean asked Ororo, but her eyes still rested on Kurt. "I mean, he'll be okay, right?"

"I cannot predict child…his condition is serious, but he is stable." Ororo responded, wanting to comfort the girl, but not to raise her hopes too high.

All the others had asked her similar questions and she felt guilty for not being able to supply them with more positive responses. That is, all the others, but one.

"And how is Kitty?" Ororo had not spoken to the girl once since had tended to her injuries two days before. She had only caught a glimpse of Kitty when she stood outside the window of Kurt's room, very briefly, and assured herself that he was alive, then phased through the wall, out of the medical ward.

"She still isn't speaking. This hit her real hard and she can't deal." Jean shook her head sadly, "I guess it hit everyone hard, but she's taking it the worst." She looked out the door and saw Evan and Scott waiting. "I guess I should go. I don't want the room to get too crowded and people are waiting." Ororo gave a worn out nod and Jean walked out of the room, but hugged Scott before she left.

"How is he Auntie O?" Evan asked, almost fearful of the response.

Storm reported on Kurt condition and Scott inquired on hers.

"I am fine Scott. You needn't concern yourself." Was her reply.

Scott gave her a disbelieving look, but soon turned his attention back to the elf. After a few minutes of Evan and Scott discussing Kurt's condition, and giving the elf both threats and pleas for him to return to the land of the conscious, they turned to go. Both made an attempt to say farewell to Ororo, and comment that she should really get some rest, but found the weather witch sleeping almost peacefully in her chair. Evan took a blanket from a cabinet and placed it over his aunt's sleeping form. They then quietly left, so as to not disturb either occupant of the room.

Logan sat brooding in his room. He had gone to see the fuzz boy once, but did not care to go a second time. It wasn't that he didn't care about the kid, but that he couldn't express it. It hurt to see him like that, kept alive by machines and Wolverine just couldn't deal. He thought of Mystique, the Brotherhood, what they had caused and what the result was, picked up his bedside table and with a scream of fury, threw it into the wall.

It was now nearly midnight and the halls of the Institute were almost silent. Almost, with the exception of one girl, wandering the halls, pondering a decision. Kitty knew what she had to do. She had to go see Kurt…but she just couldn't bring herself to enter his room. She could still see the events in the car over and over in her head. The screaming, her crying, Logan jumping into the backseat performing CPR…the crack of Kurt's ribs… She shook her head, trying to erase the memories.

That was it. She knew that she had to go see him and so she took a deep breath and phased through the wall into the medical ward. She found Kurt's room and observed the sleeping Ororo. It was better this way…it was more like she was alone, nobody watching her.

She phased through the wall and walked softly over to Kurt's bed. She cringed at the bruises, still evident in the dim light emitted from a single, low light, fluorescent lamp attached to the ceiling.

She gently stroked his forehead, still hot with fever, but pulled away suddenly, not knowing if her touch caused him pain. Her eyes glistened with tears as she looked at all the machines attached to him, listened to the beep of the heart monitor and the rasping of the respirator.

"Oh God, Kurt, why are you doing this?" She said, almost accusing him of purposely trying to hurt her, "I, like, saw you die twice, you can't do it again…" She sank into a chair, wept silently, for herself, for her friends, for Kurt and eventually fell asleep to the rhythmic beeping of the heart monitor.

"Beep, Beep, Beep, Beep" Kitty was awoken by a change in the rhythm of Kurt's heart monitor. It sped up from the pace that she had fallen asleep to. Frantic, not knowing what was wrong, Kitty jumped up from her chair and rushed over to Kurt.

"Oh my God, no! You can't die on me!" She whispered through fresh tears. She grabbed his three fingered hand in her five fingered one and clung to it, as if hold on to it would save Kurt from what Kitty believed to be the brink of death. She closed her eyes, squeezed his hand and silently prayed that he wouldn't die…he squeezed back.

Kitty opened her eyes in surprise, not believing what she had just felt. She ran her eyes up his body, and they came to a rest on his face, his eyes, which were now open and staring back at her.

She squealed in delight and in doing so, aroused a slumbering Ororo.

"Kitty? What is the matter child?" Ororo, surprised to see Kitty in the room, asked.

"It's Kurt, he's awake!"

There ya go! How'd ya like it? Do you guys think I'm better at writing more drama type fics than action ::chorus of affirmative nods::…yeah, I thought so LoL Anyway, please R/R…I luv to read them…give me your thoughts on a sequel…so I can start right after I finish this fic and keep the story going…or wait a few weeks and do it at my leisure…whatever, but I'm kinda hoping for the former =)