Really, I AM Dying! (pt. 3)

"What is it, Boo?" Wanda asked her brother.

He filled her in on the whole situation, in one gasp of breath.
"Whoa, slow down! Who's sick?"
"Brenda. Toad's girlfriend, English chick. She showed up just after that Sandoval guy did . . ."*
"He was here?"
"Yeah, but the cops picked him up so that's okay. But now Brenda and Toad have the measles, and I think something's wrong with Rogue, too, so don't come in."
"Should I call a hospital?"

"No, there's a doctor here. But we're under quarantine, so no one can come in or out. I probably shouldn't even be out here talking to you . . ."

"Is there anything I can do to help?"

"For now, just stay away. You only just got over that Virus 10 thing.** I don't want you to get sick again."
"But where will I go?"
"I don't know..."

As if on cue, the phone rang.

Jean picked it up. "Hello?"
"Do you know where Wanda is?" asked Xavier from the other end.

"Yes, she's outside. Pietro's talking to her. Why?"


"What's wrong with Rogue?" Kurt asked the doctor.
"She's got a combination of stomach flu and measles." the doctor explained. "And so does practically everyone else here..."
"WHAT? But nobody else has gotten sick!"

"Tell Wanda to proceed directly to the Institute at once." Xavier instructed Jean over the phone.
"Will do." Jean ran outside and passed on the message.
"But what about Boo?"
"I'm afraid he has to stay here."

The conference at the curb was becoming quite animated, but it was nothing compared to what was going on inside the house.
"So we're all going to get it?" Scott asked.
"Even though we've had our shots?" Evan pointed out.
The doctor nodded grimly. "It's a new strain; the shots aren't effective against it. It's possible that not everyone will develop symptoms--"
"Isn't that what you said last week?" Kitty said. "This is Virus 10 all over again! Only this won't kill us."
"Um, actually . . ."

"What?"

There was a thump as someone hit the floor.
"Oh, great! Here we go again!"

"Let's hope not."

They rushed over and found that it was . . .

. . . a chair Toad had accidentally tipped over.

"What are you doing downstairs?"
"I needed a drink of water. Someone's in the upstairs bathroom."
Toad looked awful. "I'm gonna die..."

"Oh, God, don't start this again," Lance complained. "You're always moaning about how you're dying!"
"Well, I am!"

"Keep this up and you really will be dying . . . BECAUSE I'LL KILL YOU!!!"

"Nobody's killing anybody while I'm here," Storm said. She wished Mystique were here. It would be helpful to have another adult to keep the peace--or try to, anyway.

*see "I'm STILL Dying!"

**also "I'm STILL Dying!"