Eden: Same here, Spidey is my favorite Marvel hero and the X-Men my favorite team.
yae yang: well you'll see later on.
Red Witch: glade you liked the Spider-Man cameo and he might be back. Though if he joins the X-Men, I don't think so, at least not in this story.
ENTER DAYTRIPPER
CHAPTER 4: SIDE EFFECTS
After the rush back to the Institute Amanda, Rouge and Vincent were taken to the medical ward immediately.
They were placed on the medical beads, and McCoy with Jean's help began to examine them. They were currently sweating a lot, were running a temperature, and were moving slightly and moaning a little in obvious pain and discomfort.
Kurt had to be sent out of the room, because every time Amanda or Rogue would moan out, he would get frantic. He was outside trying to sit still in the chair, but with one of his friends, his sister and his girlfriend behind those doors, the waiting was driving him up the wall.
When the Sefton's came they too wanted in, but the Professor told them they had to wait. Xavier explained to them what had happened and that any other hospital wouldn't know how to handle what ever happened to Amanda and the others as well as here.
They had to agree to that, seeing that Curt's work in neo-genetics was a new field, and Hank had reviewed all the note and articles on the subject. So they waited with Kurt. None of them said a word to each other.
But they could all see the worry in each others eyes and body language. Kurt had left once only to get his rosary beads. He started to pray, since it was the only thing he felt he could do and would help.
Even though he said the prayers in a whisper and in German, the Sefton's knew the meaning if not the words behind them, and silently thanked him for his prayers. Margali actually said a few herself in her head.
Curt Connor wasn't doing to well. He had made it home to New York to his lab hoping to get there in time. His body was slowly getting more and more painful.
He had hoped he had found a cure, that he had beaten 'It'. But today at the presentation one of those wildly shooting rays from the reconbinator had hit him.
At first he though maybe it missed, or hadn't had the power to do anything. But after the police had questioned him he felt it.
He felt 'the change', coming back. It was slow at first but as more time past it was growing, he knew if he didn't make it to the lab fast enough, 'It' would return, and the nightmare would begin all over again.
He had made it to the lab, he was working as fast as he could. The blood test he ran showed that the dormant DNA he had subdued was slowly reactivating. For hours he labored trying to find a way to stop it.
In the end he could fight it any longer. After hours of work he was still no closer, the old formula he used didn't work and he could feel 'It' coming. He shouted out in pain, and collapsed onto the floor.
Then he looked over at the where his left arm used to be, before the accident that had taken it from him. Now a new arm was growing there, but it wasn't human, it was reptilian.
'Oh God no, not again, please not AGAIN!' He pleaded to no one but his own mind.
That night you would hear a man scream out, in pain, in anguish, it was as if his whole being was being ripped apart. Like his body, his mind, even his humanity was being torn apart and then the scream was replaced by a bloodthirsty roar that was anything but human.
THE NEXT DAY
Margali and her husband had spent the night in one of the guest rooms, Beast had told them all that all three of them were stable, yet were still unconscious. He was still working of their blood test to find out what exactly was wrong with them.
Kurt hadn't left Amanda's side the entire time he was let back him, when Beast said he had done all that he could. Kurt was next to her bed holding her hand. He looked to his left and Rogue was there, and Vincent beyond her. They were all just laying there so still, yet at least they looked peaceful and that they no longer were groaning in pain. Kurt had fallen asleep and just woke up, hoping it was all just a bad dream, but when he saw Amanda laying there, his heart sank.
"Please meine Liebe, wake up." Kurt sadly said to her. He was holding her hand with both of them now. "I vish you veren't like this, this is all meine fault, if I hadn't been there you vouldn't have gone over to me, and you wouldn't be here."
"It's all meine fault." He cried out to her. He placed his head down on her bedside, and began to cry a little.
"Kurt?" said a weak voice. Kurt looked up and saw Amanda's eyes opening slightly.
"AMANDA!" Kurt yelled out. She opened her eyes and saw Kurt looking over her. Kurt wasted no time, and embraced her. He let go and pulled back slightly he held her head between both of his hands looking into her eyes. "Amanda how do you feel?"
She groaned a little. "Like my body was pulverized. Kurt what happened?"
"You vere hit by something from zat device yesterday."
"YESTERDAY?"
"Ja, you and the otherz have been out for a whole day."
"Others what others?"
Kurt pulled back and she saw Rogue and Vincent laying in beads to her left. "Oh no, Kurt are they okay?"
"Ve don't know, but if you've waken up then they should to Ja?"
"I think so, I mean why shouldn't they." Amanda looked at Kurt closely now and could see dark circles under his eyes and his fur was all messed up. "Kurt how long have you've been here?"
"I never left your side."
She was touched that he would be there for her, she drew him forward and hugged him. "Thanks." She whispered to him. She pulled away slightly and kissed him gently on the lips.
"Now you should really get some sleep mister." She mockingly ordered him. "I can see how tired you are."
"But you just woke up and-"
"And nothing Kurt. You've been here all night you look like I how I feel. Besides I'm awake now, and I can't have you hurting yourself from lack of sleep over me." She said to him, while caressing his check.
He took her hand and then gently kissed it. "If you insist liebe, I should tell your parents your awake."
"My parents are here too?"
In the kitchen the Sefton's were trying to eat breakfast but didn't take much. They were too worried to eat. In fact everyone wasn't saying much or doing much. They were all waiting for something to happen. Then suddenly Kurt teleported in, causing everyone to jump. Kurt looked around and saw Amanda's parents, he bolted right to them. "She's awake, Amanda's awake!"
"What!?" Both of her parents said at once. Kurt wasting no time took both of their hands and teleported them to the medical ward. They arrived in the infirmary slightly dazed, but got over it when they saw Amanda was awake. They instantly came over to her, hugging her, tears falling off their faces.
Hank came in then, someone who was there in the kitchen had told him Amanda was awake, he began to check her out, and see if there was anything wrong with her.
"Do you guys mind keeping it down? Some of us are trying to die in peace." Came a groggy voice. They looked and saw that Vincent was on his side, his back to them and his right arm covering his head.
Hank went over to check on him. "How do you feel?"
There was only a groan at first, then he answered. "Like the Juggernaut was river dancing on my body with cleats on, and my brain feels like it was strip minded, other than that I feel like Hell."
"Well I'm not surprised Amanda seemed to feel the same way and when Rogue wakes up I sure-"
"Wait! What about Rogue?" Vincent bolted up and looked around, and saw Rogue there laying on the bead next to him. He nearly jumped off the bead, if Hank hadn't stopped him.
"Hold on, you're in no condition to move just yet, and you still have an IV in your left arm."
Vincent looked down and saw it, then looked up at Hank. "Take it out, or I'll rip it out." He said seriously, and Hank knew he would do it. So he removed it and Vincent jumped off the bead as soon as he did.
He was a little wobbly on his feet but was able to sit next to her. "What happened to us?" He asked never taking his eyes of her. Hank explained what had happened that day, and that Rogue would most likely wake up soon.
"I'm going to need to run a few test on you now, to see if anything is wrong with you." Hank told him.
Vincent didn't say anything for a minute then nodded his head, they left for a more isolated area of the lab were he could examine him more thoroughly.
"He doesn't seem to like this place much." Amanda's father said.
"Vell he has...issues with medical places...they bring out...bad memories in him." Kurt told them. They didn't really understand but they got the idea it must have been a painful experience.
"Kurt is that you?" Now Rogue was coming around. Kurt immediately went to his sister's side.
"Feeling better?" Kurt said with a smile.
"Uh, no ah don't. What happened to meh?" Kurt explained all the things that had happened, when he was done Hank and Vincent came back in, Vincent seeing Rogue was awake was immediately at her side.
He nearly tried to hug her, but Hank had taken off her green cover, and now only had the green tank top on, and no gloves. She could see in his eyes, that he wanted to hold her, and she wanted it too, but they kept themselves under control, though it was difficult given the circumstances.
"You know I'm really getting tired of waking up in this place." He joked to her, trying to lighten the mood.
"Please, ya think your tired of it, ah've nearly spent almost as much tyme here than ah did at school." She said back, they both smiled slightly then.
"Well if you don't mind, and if Mr. McCoy says it's all right I really need to get out of here, but if you don't want to leave I won't." Vincent said to her.
She knew what these places did to him, if it wasn't for her she knew he would have been gone in a second. "It's alright go, ya would only drive meh crazy with your nervousness."
He smiled lovingly at her, then looked to Hank, who only nodded, and he was literally gone in a second.
"Your right he really doesn't like these places." Mr. Sefton said to Kurt, who only nodded.
After Rogue was examined in her bead, he took another blood sample. He'd taken one from each of them (although in Vincent's case he was so nervous about being here and about the needles, he couldn't concentrate or relax enough at first to turn off his invulnerability, and Hank had three needles break off on his skin.).
He was going to study them and see if anything had happened on a genetic level.
Rogue had also had enough of being here, and Amanda's parents were helping her off her bead. They were both getting off facing each other when Rogue got a head rush, and momentarily lost her balance and when her arms shot out to grab hold of something he accidentally hit Amanda, with her bare hand, on Amanda's exposed arm.
She jerked back instantly "Ah'm sorry ah-"But she stopped. Nothing had happened. Amanda and Kurt who both knew what her powers could do were in just as much shock. They yelled out for Beast and he ran back in.
They were all speaking at once, and Hank had to settle them down. He pointed to Rogue to tell him what happened. When she did, she spent the next hour being looked over by McCoy and Xavier.
At first she though she lost her powers but instead she had what she had always hoped for and dreamed for. She had control over it, well nearly control. It took some effort on her part to turn it on or off, and Xavier said it would get easier in time.
But she didn't care about that. She could touch, she could feel, she could...
A though hit her then, something she had been fantasizing about for the longest time. She rushed out of the infirmary and up the stairs. She ran past a few people, who jumped out of her way because they didn't want to be run over, and that fact she had so much exposed skin.
She stopped just outside his door. She slowed her breathing and slowly opened it. She went in and saw him there on his bead. Vincent was sitting cross-legged and was obviously meditating.
She quietly walked over to him, and sat down in from of him, he didn't move or acknowledge her, so he was in a deep meditation. She got a huge smile on her face as an idea came to wake him up.
She leaned in closer, her heart was beating faster now, and lightly kissed him on the mouth. At first he didn't do anything, then he responded.
Suddenly he opened his eyes and jerked back, he nearly fell onto his back but put his arms behind him, to support him up. "ROGUE? What, how did you, did we just, is this a dream, how is it possible?"
She just smiled at him. "Looks like that thing gave meh control over mah powers, what you don't like it?" she faked being hurt.
Vincent then got a huge smile on his face, and moved in closer to her, and this time he started the kiss. He placed his right hand at the back of her head, his left around her waist. She in turn wrapped her own arms around him.
He fell back onto the bead gently and she followed. For her it was the greatest sensation in her life. He had always feared she would go through life without knowing what this was like.
She didn't think it could get any better, then she felt his tongue going across her lower lip in their kiss. She opened her mouth to allow it in. As soon as he had, she let out a moan of pleasure, and returned to favor.
She deepened the kiss as much as she could, and savored every moment of it. She was in heaven now, her dream that she had though would never come was actually happening.
After a few minute they parted, both gasping for breath and both red from it.
"Wow." Vincent breathed out.
"Ah'll say." She returned, then rested her head on his shoulder, and he rested his head next to her head.
They just laid there enjoying each other's warmth.
"I guess this mean your going to need to go shopping soon." Vincent said to her. She pushed off the bead slightly and looked down at him in confusion. "Well now that you don't have to worry about skin to skin contact you don't have to wear all that bulky clothing anymore in the summer. I've seen how uncomfortable you get outside."
"Your right, ah finally can, thank ya for reminding meh." She kissed him gently on the lips then got off and started towards the door.
"What your going now?"
She looked over her should and smiled at him. "The best things come to those that wait sugar." Then walked off.
Vincent however just smiled and laid back into his bead, he had learned patience and he would have waited forever to touch her, since they've been going out for about a month now, he could wait a little longer.
Besides with his memory all he had to do was remember the last few minutes, and he would be happy, which he did.
Rogue was walking down the hall a huge smile on her face.
"Hey Rogue is it like true?" She turned around to see Kitty coming up from behind her. Kitty stopped at her said and walked beside her best friend. "Well is it, can you like actually touch now?"
Rogue's smile actually got a little more bigger. "Yeah I can." Kitty jumped up with joy and hugged her friend for the first time without worry of her powers. Rogue hugged back, it felt so good to finally not be afraid.
"Does Vincent know yet?" Kitty asked her, Rogue blushed a little remembering what had just happened. "Ya he does."
Kitty could see her blushing and had an idea how he found out. Rogue was so wrapped up in her memory she not only didn't notice where they were going, but that Kitty was talking to her, until Kitty yelled out her name.
Rogue slightly annoyed at her, was about to scold her, when she noticed that Kitty seemed a few feet shorter, she looked down to see that she was actually two feet off the ground.
Then she suddenly found herself falling hand on her butt. "Ow-wait a minute, that didn' hurt."
Kitty offered her a hand and while pulling up Kitty yelled out. "OW! Rogue not so hard!"
"Kitty are ya all right?" Kitty was currently flexing her hand trying to get the circulation flowing again. Rouge then looked at one of her hands, she had a though, but if she was wrong this was really going to hurt.
She sent her fist into the nearest wall, and it went right into it. She pulled it out, and opened and closed it, she was completely unharmed, but on the inside was starting to freak out.
"Uh...I think we need to get you to Mr. McCoy." Kitty concernly said to her.
Meanwhile Amanda, her parents and Kurt were walking out of the infirmary.
"THAT'S IT! YOU'VE HAD IT YOU LITTLE FLYING REPTILE!"
"Oh no not again." Kurt groaned. Then came Lockheed being chased by Bobby. Bobby threw a snowball at Lockheed, but missed and it sailed right into Amanda.
She yelped, then there was a bright light and she was gone, and the snowball that would have hit her hit Kurt in the face instead. Then there was another bright light and she was back only a few feet away.
"Kurt...what just happened?" Amanda asked him, as calmly as possible. Amanda's mother had feinted and her husband just caught her in time.
"I zink we need you to see heir McCoy again." Kurt said.
LATER THAT NIGHT
A seemingly ordinary couple were walking the streets of New York, they wasn't anything you might call special, they were just two normal people out walking and talking.
Unfortunately they were also in the wrong place at the wrong time. They were walking near an alley, his alley.
"FEED FEED" His instincts screamed at him, he was in the alley, he had stalked these two for a few blocks, they were unaware of him.
He positioned himself near the opening. He was hidden in the darkness, they had no chance of seeing him.
"FEED FEED" They screamed again.
They came closer now. They were in the middle of the space the perfect time to strike. The woman was closer to him, so with lightning speed he grabbed her into the darkness. She screamed but it was cut off almost instantly. Her boyfriend looked into the darkness, he called out her name with everything he had. He knew she was in trouble, but he couldn't just leave her so he ventured into the dark.
It was brave, it was something one did because for he loved her and would do anything for her. It was also the last thing he did.
He searched in the dark looking for her, he thought he heard something move behind him, and turned around.
The last thing he saw were two red glowing eyes and fangs coming towards him.
Then it was over.
In the morning their bodies were found, the news reports said they had been attacked by what seemed like an animal of all things, even though they were in the heart of one of the world's largest cities.
If only they knew the truth of what was now prowling the nights.
NEXT UP CHAPTER 5: THE MANY FACES OF EVIL
