I awoke quickly as a violent shiver overcame me. I groaned and realized that once again John had snuck off at some point. Someone was moving around the other room. I wiped some of the dried cream off my eyelids and attempted to open them. I could see! I pushed back the comforter John had probably covered me with when he'd left. I sat up carefully.
I called out, "Hello?"
Footsteps drew towards me. They were too heavy for John's and Remy was completely silent. That left one other person. Piotr stepped into the doorframe. I'd talked to Piotr before but never one-on-one. He always seemed so immense and intimidating to me, but John swore that he was the type to walk away from a fight when presented with that option.
"I was beginning to wonder if you were still alive," Piotr started.
I smiled faintly, "You can't get rid of me that easily."
He chuckled, "John would kill me if anything happened to you."
"Good point. Where is he anyway?"
"Asleep in Remy and my room. He wasn't going to sleep tonight until we managed to convince him that we'd watch you the whole time."
"So is he always that stubborn or just around me?"
"Always, unless he's goofing off."
I snorted, "I thought so."
"John's not usually the mature type."
"He could've fooled me over the last couple hours."
"Yes, he really cares about you. In fact, he informed us that we had to feed you when you woke up..." He trailed off.
My stomach growled in response. I smiled, "I could use some food, but you're going to have to help me to the kitchen."
Piotr grinned and turned into his metal form. Then he scooped me off the bed and simply carried me into the next room. He set me on one of the padded bar stools before turning back to his normal form. I couldn't help but laugh, "That wasn't quite what I had in mind, but it worked."
"Exactly." Piotr moved behind the bar and into the kitchen. He opened the cabinets. "Now we have macaroni and cheese or instant soup or I can go next door and get some real food."
"Macaroni and cheese is fine."
Piotr looked at me skeptically but started boiling water. He slipped me a note and two painkillers. I took the pills gratefully as I skimmed through the note.
"Berto- I called Xavier earlier. Logan was right, he did know about us and said we'd talk more later. I told him where to find Ray, but he all ready knew. Ray's gonna be fine too Be nice to my friends and I'll thank you later, John."
I snorted to myself and tossed it toward the trashcan. Piotr started pouring in the noodles when Remy slipped through the adjoining door. He strolled over and settled on the stool next to me. "John's still asleep."
Piotr chortled, "Good. He never gets much sleep when this one is around."
Remy glanced at me, "Piotr givin' y' a 'ard time."
I smirked, "Nothing I can't handle."
I figured that I should've felt intimidated. I mean, here I was barely able to walk and sitting in a room with my lover's best friends and teammates, but their bickering just seemed to lighten the mood.
"How are y' feeling, gamin?" Remy asked.
I figured that lying to an empath was probably only a little bit less stupid than lying to Logan, who somehow always knew what was happening. I settled for the broad but truthful answer. "Better."
Piotr turned back to the stove; I glanced around. My eyes settled on the dark sky just outside the window. Remy looked at me before following my gaze. He chuckled; I looked at him in disbelief. I'd assumed it was still night, but the moon was gone, so it was early morning.
"We sent John t' bed at t'ree. He was just watchin' y' sleep." There was a degree of awe in his voice. "He didn' want t' leave y' alone and unprotected. He really loves y', gamin."
I felt a blush creep onto my face before I could stop it. Remy just grinned at me. Piotr shook his head slightly and set the pot on the bar. Then he fetched three bowls and three forks from the cabinets. He settled in the chair across from me as Remy dished out the food.
"Seriously," Piotr started as I began to eat the macaroni, "you have been really good for John. You have calmed him down a lot."
I looked down, suddenly feeling out of place.
"Eat somethin'," Remy pleaded.
I shot him a small smile before resuming eating. I ended up eating two bowls before letting Remy and Piotr finish the pot.
About half an hour later, Piotr trudged off to his room to get some more sleep. Remy rose as well, but he just looked out the window. Finally my curiosity peaked. "What are you thinking, Remy?"
"Y' use de sun f' energy, oui?"
"Yes. . ."
"Then if we get y' some sunlight-"
"I should heal faster!"
"Problem is dat de clouds cover it."
"I know how to get rid of them." I was beyond excited now. "Just get me to the phone."
"What are y' thinkin'?" Remy asked as he helped me over to the phone.
"Which team of mutants has a weather witch?"
Remy just smiled. I dialed the number for Logan's cell phone, the one very few people knew the number to. He'd given it to me when I'd found out that he was on the inside of my relationship with John. Remy took the receiver as I finished.
"Hey!"
"I get t' talk t' le Wolverine."
"Oh no, that's a bad idea."
"When will I get t' do this again?"
"Next time I come over?"
He snorted.
"But he's not going to like getting called this early."
"And y' could make him not mad."
I continued to protest, but Remy wasn't going to give in to me. I gave up as Logan's phone began to ring. "Fine, Remy. Just ask him to get Storm to give us some sun, just for a couple minutes."
Remy nodded as I positioned myself in front of the window. He spoke too quietly for me to understand anything he was saying. I waited for a few minutes before sending him a wave of raw impatience. Remy just smiled. Much to my annoyance, he didn't hang up for quite a few more minutes.
"Well?" I asked when it was obvious that he wasn't going to say anything.
"He says that he'll try, but she's out of town."
I smacked my forehead with my palm and instantly regretted it. Remy immediately reached out to soothe away the pain, but I just pushed him away. I didn't want his help for my mistake.
"She's supposed t' pass t'rough town about now though," he continued.
I just concentrated on trying to absorb the few sunrays that were all ready up and had managed to get past the clouds. The small amount of energy made my fingertips tingle and me anxious for more. Remy was moving around behind me, but I ignored him. Suddenly the clouds opened up and because I was concentrating so much on absorbing, I lit up quickly and brightly. I jumped back in surprise and landed on something plastic. I paid no attention to it but continued to absorb the sun out of habit. Just as sudden as the sunburst had happened, the clouds moved back over it. I glanced at Remy as I cooled down again.
Remy seemed impressed and muttered, "Bon Dieu."
I blinked sleepily and looked down, "What is this?"
"A flame retardant mat," he supplied. "Magneto bought it so John would stop burnin' all de carpet."
I snickered but looked at him seriously. "Remy, I think I want to go to bed."
He looked at me concerned but still helped me climb back into John's bed. I kept the comforter off but curled up among the pillows that were still impregnated with John's spicy scent. Remy went back into the main room as I slipped back asleep. There was only one thing on my mind this time: I'd never absorbed so much energy at once and it had actually made me tired!
TBC