Institutionalized: Chapter 7-Punishment
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"Ladies, you know...I don't recall asking the two of you how you are in relation to the patient. Your, so called, Logan." Mr. Cross said with a snide look on his face as they entered the institution and passed through security guards and metal detectors as Jean and Rogue had the first time they were there.
~Do ya think he knows somethin's up?~ Rogue sent to Jean, knowing the redhead was keeping an open link between them while they were inside. She nervously fiddled with her gloves, trailing a little behind and keeping her head bowed.
~I have an idea Rogue, don't worry. Just go along with it.~ Jean replied, then smiled at Mr. Cross as she stepped in beside him. "That's because you never asked." she said with a lightness in her voice. Then her tone got more serious, and even solemn. "He's my husband." she told the man, catching the brief shock of surprise through her link with Rogue before gesturing toward the girl. "And this is his sister, Marie."
"Ah, I see then." Mr. Cross nodded, his hands behind his back properly, almost as if he were a butler.
Rogue kept her mouth shut during Jean's talk, not wanting to accidently go against something she'd said, or was about to say.
"What I didn't tell you on our last visit," Jean continued, more confidence in her voice as she grasped at information that made sense for her lies. "was that my husband has had...'episodes' before, much like the one you described to me on how he arrived here. I wasn't sure about this place, that's why I hadn't mentioned it before."
Rogue nodded, catching on to what Jean was trying to do. Like the Professor said, they had to make Mr. Cross believe that they wanted to keep Logan in the institution to get him 'well'. "Yeh, we realize that my brother is sick, and we've decided we want to get him help now."
'Good job Rogue, make it believable.' Jean thought to herself with a faint smile. "We were trying to hide it for so long." she said sadly, forcing her eyes to tear as she looked at the eerie man beside her.
Mr. Cross just nodded, not really believing a single thing they were saying. John Wraith, the man that paid him to keep 'Weapon-X' at the hospital had never mentioned anything about 'family' that might be looking for him.
Mr. Cross stopped at the next door, a sign on it proclaiming that it was Cell Block-C. "Here is where you go in. A guard will you take you to the patient's room." he announced, opening the door to allow Jean and Rogue to pass through.
Jean hesitantly stepped inside, followed by Rogue. The door closed behind them and they were left standing in a spacious hallway, with dull green tiled floors and stained white walls. A tall guard with buzzed blonde hair and bright pinkish skin approached them, gesturing for them to follow him.
"This way." he said in a monotone voice before turning down the hall, his shoes making 'clip-clack' noises on the floor tiles.
*****
Logan was huddled in a corner of his cell on the metal bed, his arms wrapped tightly around himself in the unbuckled straightjacket, the only thing keeping him warm. He took in a shuddering breath as he shivered, barely paying attention to the three sets of footsteps making their way toward his room.
The pink-faced guard pulled out a set of keys from the back of his belt and unlocked the bullet-proof glass door to allow them to step inside before re-locking it.
"Thank you." Jean said curtly, turning to the guard that had led herself and Rogue to the room. She nodded in a way that told the man they'd be fine, also an indication for him to leave.
Rogue stared at Logan as he remained curled up on the bed. She wasn't sure if he was drugged at the moment, especially since he wouldn't even look up at them. She couldn't be sure he even knew they were there.
Jean felt tears reach her eyes at the sight of Logan, and she wished she could take him out of the awful place right at that moment instead of waiting like the Professor had told them. "Logan?" she called out gently, then decided a telepathic approach to let him know what was going on. ~Logan, it's Jean. Rogue and I are both here.~
His head snapped up abruptly, wide, red-rimmed eyes staring with surprise and confusion. Logan's eyebrows furrowed for a moment, then a smile of rememberance crossed over his face and he straightened himself on the bed so his feet hung over the side. He opened his mouth to speak, then remembered the guards that could've been listening close by, and switched to a telepathic reply. ~Sorry, I musta...zoned out there. I remember yer a telepath now.~
Jean smiled, looking to Rogue with a nod to tell her that everything was alright.
Rogue fidgeted a bit, smiling to Logan before she backed toward the door of the cell. "Hey, I'm jus' gonna let ya'll talk by yurselves." she told them, her southern accent ever so noticeable with her nervousness. 'Looks like them two really need the talkin'. I'll get my chance ta visit with Logan later.' she thought to herself, then called for the guard and waited for him to let her out and lock the door again before walking out of the cell block.
Jean felt tears coming to her eyes as she sat on the cold metal bed beside Logan, really getting a good look at him. "You're so pale." she said softly, gently brushing her hand over the side of his stubbly face.
"Haven't really...gotten anythin' ta eat." he mumbled lowly.
With a frown, Jean gently picked up his cuffed hand, holding it lovingly in both of her own. "I have to tell you something." she whispered, then pulling her hands away she tapped the side of her head, receiving a nod of understanding from Logan. ~Do you remember Professor Xavier?~
Logan stared blankly for a moment, trying to gather the fragments of memories that seemed to have been returning to him little by little. ~Bald guy, right?~
Jean smiled, with a light telepathic laugh. ~Yes. That's Charles. He's going to help us get you out of here Logan. Tomorrow evening, Rogue and I are going to be visiting again. We'll be staying close by in a hotel room tonight so that it won't take us as long to get here. Charles will be meeting us and he's going to 'convince' Mr. Cross to release you to us.~
Logan raised an eyebrow thoughtfully. ~What do you mean?~
Closing her eyes for a moment, Jean remained patient as she had forgotten that Logan didn't remember everything about the school yet. Considering what Charles had told her and the others about his mental breakdown when he was brought back to Weapon-X, Jean had to admit she was impressed he could already recall as much as he did. ~Professor Xavier is a telepath, a very powerful one. Although it's against his ethics to tamper with anyone's mind, he feels like this is an extreme situation where it would be necessary. He's going to make Mr. Cross release you, and exterminate any records of you here. Do you understand now?~
With a simple nod, Logan didn't bother a telepathic reply.
Jean continued explaining to him what she and Rogue had cooked up, so incase Mr. Cross or anyone said something to him about a 'wife' or 'sister', he wouldn't be surprised. Though it embarassed her, she thought it better to tell him. ~Logan, just so there's no surprises later...~ Jean started, feeling her cheeks begin to flush a little, ~Mr. Cross thinks I'm your wife, and Rogue's your sister Marie.~
Logan raised his head and looked at Jean with a tired smirk. Depsite his healing factor, without food to fuel it, he was still lacking a bit in energy. With the mention of Jean as his wife, something in Logan's head clicked, and shocking Jean with the abrupt change in subject he asked, "Do you love him?"
"What?" Jean looked at him wide-eyed, almost nervously as if she was afraid of something he might have remembered.
"Scott." he said frankly, suddenly remembering the name of the man with the strange glasses that seemed to be in the way of his apparent love for Jean.
"I, well...you see-" Jean started, then decided it best to change the subject. She couldn't really define her relationship with Scott at the moment, and she didn't want to emotionally upset Logan since it seemed he was slowly recovering from the mental lapse he suffered while back at the Weapon-X facility. "Do you want me to try and get the orderlies to give you some food?"
Logan noticed the awkward need for a change in subject, but at the mention of speaking to the orderlies his head immediately shot up at attention. "No, don't." he said almost sternly, causing Jean to give him a funny look.
"Why...not?" she asked slowly with a look of concerned curiosity.
With a long sigh and a silent moment, Logan's eyes dulled in shame as he whispered, "Punishment."
Jean cocked her head to the side, moving a little closer to Logan and gently putting a friendly hand on his shoulder. "What? They're not feeding you as punishment?" she whispered, concerned.
"Among another things." Logan mumbled lowly, thinking about the blinding room treatment that he'd received early that morning.
"But punishment for what?" Jean pressed on, the worried look in her eyes making them water as she grew fearful.
Logan gave a tired shrug. "Some...guy, Cross I think. He said it was...fer rememberin'." he mumbled with a yawn. The lack of food and energy was really taking it's toll on him and he felt like he was about to pass out. The only problem with that was that he didn't want to miss one minute with Jean. He wanted to know her, really know her. He wanted to get to know her all over again if that's what it took. He wanted to remember everything about her. Every minute, every second he'd ever had with her. He just wanted to be around her, to feel her closeness.
Jean suddenly ran a hand along his forehead, seemingly startling him a bit. "Sorry." she smiled tightly, slowly pulling her hand back to let it rest on her lap.
Logan let out a soft grunt, blinking rapidly all of a sudden in a strain to keep awake.
"You're tired, you need sleep." Jean said with a lighter smile. "And food." she frowned, slowly standing up. With severe concern for his health, Jean was beginning to fear the worst if they waited any longer in liberating him from this mental hospital. ~I'm calling the Professor right away Logan.~ she told him telepathically. ~We're getting you out of here tonight.~
"Okay." Logan tilted his head and half smiled, slumping down on his side on the cold metal bed and falling asleep as Jean got up to leave.
*****
After exiting the cell block, Jean snagged an eager Rogue by the arm and dragged her down the long hall. "Alright, I have to talk to you now."
"What?!" Rogue asked, bewildered. "But, I wanna go talk with Logan." she started, a little angered that Jean had spoken with him for so long and now she wasn't able to speak with him at all. There was so much she wanted to say, to help him remember.
A guard approached the two in an attempt to escort them out of the hospital, but Jean waved him off, proclaiming she new the way out.
Looking back to Rogue, she nudged her arm gently and projected her thoughts to her. ~We're getting Logan out of here tonight.~
~What?!~ Rogue esclaimed telepathically, wide eyes staring at the redhead walking beside her. ~I thought we had everythin' planned fur t'morrow afternoon?~
Jean nodded. ~We did. I just can't bear to see Logan this way any longer, they're punishing him and not allowing him anything to eat. He needs energy for his healing factor to feed off of. It's really draining him and we have to get him out.~ not giving Rogue a chance to speak, she continued on. ~We're getting him out of this place tonight, and that's final.~
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Note: Review! Pwetty pwease? *gives big cheesy grin*
