Calling Out



Figured they wouldn't say hello, even when answering the phone. Sera never told Logan a lot about her family but she never needed to; what few things she did share told volumes. He had never bothered with trying to meet them, or do any kinda weird family bonding thing; not only was it not his style, he didn't figure it had any chance of working. Jannhansons, as a whole, had a deepseated distrust of, well, of everyone who wasn't a Jannhanson. And while they had committed their whole lives to being the resident healers and mystics in their small mountain town, they went to great lengths to stay away from regular humans. Didn't even matter that Logan was a mutant, like they were. He wasn't a Jannhanson and that was all the difference needed.

Yeah, which Jannhanson? He knew enough about Sera's family to know that there were four living generations, all in the same house. Might help to know he had at least got a hold of one that was legal. Sera's niece was only thirteen, not real likely to be of help.

Right, Raphie. Sera's older sister. Her voice was ticked now, irritated that it even mattered to whoever was phoning, which member of the family they were talking to.

This is Logan, he said brusquely, guessing that was all the introduction that he would need and nearly all the explanation. He wasn't really in the habit of phoning them for an evening chat.

What's wrong with Sera? Yep, called it in one. Say what you want, the women weren't stupid. Logan could practically feel Raphie getting pissed off. To say that Sera's family disagreed with what she did with her life was like saying it got a little chilly in Canada.

Our doc says it's a coma.

A very long silence then, no sound except her breathing out fast, like she got gut punched. Finally, she spoke again. How bad?

Bad. He doesn't know if she's gonna wake up. Says she can't do it on her own. So I figured you guys could do it for her.

We're not gods. We can't fix everything. It had the sound of a practiced answer, an answer she had given other people in the past. He couldn't believe that she should stick to the script dealing with her own sister.

Yer not gods cause you don't want to be, he fought back. I know you don't screw with things that are meant to be, but you can't think this is one of them. Sera's twenty-nine years old, for God's sake; it's not like it's her time to go, or anything like that.

We have our principles. Her voice sounded firm, rehearsed, but he though he could hear a real person under all of that, one that sounded sick with fear and sadness.

They worth sacrificing yer sister for, Raphie? Thought family meant more to you guys than that.

Silence again. Sera was the black sheep of the family, a rebel through and through and her family had never known what to do with her. But she was still family. Logan could practically feel Raphie radiating anger and misery. Given her gift for empathy, those really might be her feelings he was feeling. Sera had always said that she was the least talented member of her family. When you considered the source, that made the Jannhansons pretty fucking scary.

We'll come. Raphie said finally. We'll come for Sera. But no promises. Even for us, what you're asking for isn't easy or fast.

He hung up then. Raphie didn't want his thanks, he knew that. He guessed it was pretty much force of will that she hadn't just cussed him out and hung up, instead of being the even barely civil that she was.

None of that mattered. If they could fix Sera, he didn't care how nasty the Jannhansons were to him. That clear in his mind, he strode off to the Danger Room. He needed to rip something into small pieces.


The Jannhansons didn't travel much. In fact, except for Sera and Raphie, none of them had ever left their home town. And Raphie hadn't gone any farther than the state college for her nursing degree. Sera had continued her rebellious streak by traveling all the way up to New York to teach. So it wasn't a surprise that it took them three days to arrive at Xavier's School for Gifted Children, in upstate New York. Logan had been waiting for them, pacing in the hall by the door, when he wasn't in the medlab, sitting with Sera.

Sera. There were no changes in her condition. All the machines still beeped, or hummed, or dripped, or did whatever it was they were supposed to do, but none of them had changed the fact that Sera was just her body now, a shell of herself lying there in Hank's medlab. He couldn't stand it. He wanted to be there for her, knew he ought to be there for her, but it was killing him. That wasn't his Sera. He could feel his Sera, he always could, right from the first moment they met. Even if they were apart, he could feel what she was feeling. She said it was cause her shields didn't work around him, or for him. He didn't care about the reasons, only cared about the what. But now there was nothing; no matter how close he got, there was nothing to feel. Even sitting right next to her, he couldn't feel a damn thing. He was furious at how important that connection had become to him, where it had once seemed like an invasion of his solitary nature. Seemed like something was missing now that all his emotions were his own. It was almost easier to be away from her, somewhere he wasn't constantly reminded of what had changed. It was the easiest to lose himself in the Danger Room, lose himself to the fight, to the rage. He made it down to medlab maybe once a day.

He jumped on the intercom as soon as it buzzed. Xavier's School for the Gifted, he barked. Better not be some fool kid, run away from home, trying to get into the school. He didn't have time for anybody but Sera's family.

again, no details, no clue that people might want more info. Screw it, so long as one came, it didn't matter who they were or how many they had brought.

Yeah, c'mon in. Straight up the road. Can't miss the place.

was the comeback.

Logan thumbed the in-house intercom. Chuck. Sera's family is here.