Chapter 15
Legal Disclaimer- Simply put-I own nothing. These characters are owned by Marvel, Avi Arad, Alliance Atlantis and well, they don't know that I am wandering in their world.
Authors Note-Aniki, I'm not done yetâabout three chapters from now I will be, but not now.
A tidbit of a love scene here, so, let's think heavy PG-13âHide the kids..
Chapter 15
She found herself strong enough to be awake sitting in the medical lab at the Underground. When she had opened her eyes for the second time, her friend Shalimar was looking at her, a smile forming on her face, brightening eyes that had seen too much torment.
"Hey there, sleepyhead," she said, "You doing better this time?"
Kari nodded. Water would help the dry feeling she had her in throat. Shalimar read her mind because a glass of water appeared in her hand almost instantly.
"Thanks," she said softly, "I appreciate it."
"You're welcome," Shal replied, helping the smaller woman sit up, "How are you feeling?"
"Better," she answered, pulling her feet around to eventually stand up, "Where is everyone?"
"Brennan and Lexa turned in a while ago," Shalimar helped her stand up, "Logan and Jesse both went for walks. They needed some quiet time. I think they're together."
"And you got watch the patient duty?" Kari smiled, thanking Shalimar for the help up, but waving her away as she walked toward the kitchen area they had set up, "Thank you Shalimar, sorry to put you through all this."
"You're welcome Kari," Shalimar was eyeing her patient, the younger woman was steady on her feet, "Hungry?"
"Yep," Kari had made it into the kitchen, and searched the small refrigerator, "I feel like I have slept for years."
"There's some sushi on the top shelf," Shalimar grabbed a cup of some newly made coffee, "I made it last night."
"Thanks," Kari said, digging into the cut fish.
"Kari, what happened in there?" Shalimar asked, "I wanted to ask you before the guys come back."
"It's a long story," Kari started, sitting in a chair at the table they all used, "Jesse, Logan and Jean Grey saved my life. It's hard to tell it, but Jesse had to encase Ashlocke in rock to stop him."
"Encase in rock?" Shalimar paled. Jesse had told her once that was his worst fear with this power, that one day he would get stuck and never be able to come out of it.
"Yeah, I know," Kari said, agreeing with the silent protest in Shalimar's mind, "How is he about it?"
"He didn't mention it to me," Shalimar sighed, this explained more about Jesse's attitude and desire to be alone.
"I'll wind up talking to him about it," Kari said, drinking a bit of the tea that Shalimar put in front of her, "When he's ready."
"You ready to talk about it?" Shalimar asked, settling into a chair next to her, "Rough stuff in there?"
"Gabriel Ashlocke must have been a very evil man in life," Kari said, not able to face Shalimar's glance, "He tried to seduce me many times. It wasn't that easy to fight him off."
"It's taken me a long while," Shalimar said, "He got in my head very easily."
"Me too," Kari turned to face her, "He used every avenue possible though, even made himself to be Jesse at one point."
"How did you know it was him?"
"Simple, Jesse never asked me to slow dance with him ever."
Shalimar's sympathetic look was mixed with curiosity; it must have been an interesting time in the dreamscape. Kari smiled at her with a 'It will take far too long to explain the rest' look.
"Sounds interesting, you okay?" Shalimar asked, seeing how far she could press the younger woman.
"I will be, you said that Jesse and Logan were up top?" Kari was filling up on sushi and ready to see how they were.
"They should be back down, I called them when you woke up," Shalimar turned to the sound of the two men joining them. Jesse smiled and headed for the kitchen while Logan stopped in front of the table.
"Hey there, look at you," Logan started, a sincere smile growing on his face, "You better?"
Kari looked at Logan. He was smiling for once. She breathed a sigh of relief.
"Yes, sure am," Kari's replied, "You?"
Logan sat next to her. He put his hand on hers and looked into her eyes.
"Yes, I am."
She smiled slightly. Shalimar excused herself and went into the kitchen. Jesse was looking in the refrigerator, his back to her.
"It's good to see her awake," she began, waiting to see Jesse's reaction.
"Yep, sure is," he said, his attention diverted by his search for food, "Thanks for letting me know she was awake."
"You're welcome," Shalimar moved forward, putting a hand on his back, "You need any help in there?"
'Not in here,' he thought to himself.
"No," he said softly, "Thanks though."
Shalimar turned and left him, still searching in the fridge for something to eat. He didn't hear her come in, but he knew she was there. She put the dish she ate from in the sink and leaned against the edge of the counter.
"You gonna hide in there or talk to me," Kari began, seeing him stop when he realized that she was there.
He turned, and stood up, all the fixings for a sandwich in his hands.
"I'll talk to you, Kari," Jesse began, putting the food down on the counter.
He then took her face in his hands and kissed her. It was a long deep kiss that lasted a few moments and shocked Kari. He pulled back from the kiss and looked into her eyes that were both mixed with confusion and shock.
"I've been wanting to do that since you came back," he said, "Now, what did you want to talk about."
Kari forgot everything she had in her mind to talk to him about.
