We took two cars since there was six of us; I rode with Mike and Suzie. After half a day of visiting my old school, going to lunch, buying stuff at the bookstore and worrying about Kurt, I got a pang in my gut. We were driving from the bookstore to the drugstore to get some stuff when I looked over at my brother.
"Mike, I need to go home."
"Huh? What's wrong?"

"I need to go check on Kurt."

"I bet he's fine, honey."

"No, please, you don't understand. Last time I got a bad feeling, it came in the form of a nightmare and when I woke up the next morning he had been kidnapped. Please, take me home. I swear, I'll drive you to the store myself afterwards, just take me home."

Mike sighed, pulling out his cell phone. "Alright. I'll call Mom and tell her where we're going." He made the call, and when we got back to the house, I found the front door wide open.

"Oh, my God…." Suzie's hand went to her mouth. "Mike, you locked the door, didn't you?"

My brother said nothing, but all the color drained from his face. He looked as if he was going to be sick.

"Kurt!" I cried, running for the house. The downstairs was trashed and silent… but was it? I listened. From upstairs I heard someone crying softly.

"Oh dear Lord, no!" I leapt up the stairs two at a time as Mike and Suzie ran inside. Kurt wasn't in my room. "Kurt? Kurt, answer me!"

"Erin…" I could hear him sob my name from just down the hall, in the computer room. Bolting past my brother and my sister-in-law I ran into the room to find him crumpled in the corner, shaking and crying.

"Oh, baby…" My voice caught in my throat, and I went over to him, taking him in my arms.

"I think I'm dying, I feel horrible…. oh, please help me… I don't want to die….."

"You're not going to die, sweetheart, sshhh…" I kissed him, then turned back to Mike and Suzie. "Mike, help me take him to my room."

We got him into bed, and I looked him over. If I thought he was sick before, it was nothing compared to how it was as I watched him shudder under the blankets. He was running a incredibly high fever, he had a cough worse than the one before and I was guessing he'd lost at least thirty pounds. Someone had beaten the crap out of him as well; he had a black eye and he had a cut down his lip that was bleeding badly.

"I'm calling Mom," Mike turned and quickly left.

Suzie was crying softly as I turned to her. "Oh, Suze…" I hugged her.

"What happened to him? Before, I mean?"

As I responded I went into the bathroom to get a washcloth to clean the blood from his face. "It's a long story, but-" Coming back, I dropped my voice, taking Kurt in my arms. "But basically, he was kidnapped on the night of my birthday and a week went by without us knowing anything……" While I told Suze the story, I gently wiped away the blood that had started to come from Kurt's wounds. "I had gotten shot," I told her when I was finished. "But I'm fine now…. See, look." Standing up, I lifted up the back of my shirt to expose the small scar I got from the gunshot wound in my back.

"Oh… jeez…. Who did that?"

"His dad," I nodded towards Kurt.

Her face twisted in grief. "What kind off person could…."

"No human or mutant I know of," I shook my head.

"Huh," she scoffed. "You said it."

"Okay, I called them," Mike breezed back into the room. "They're on their way home now." He paused, dropping his voice as he watched Kurt sleep. "How is he?"

"Oh, God, I dunno, Mike…." Suzie shook her head. "I'd say, take him to a hospital, but…."

"Can you do anything for him, Suze?"

"I say just keep him in bed for now, give him plenty of water…. And just hope for the best."

I nodded

"Listen, um, Erin…." Suzie put a hand on my arm. "I hate to have to do this, but the acids in my stomach are beginning to corrode away all my inner organs. Don't ask me why; I ate two hours ago, but I'm gonna have to raid the fridge. Are you going to be alright?"

I laughed. "Yeah, Suze, I'll be fine." I gave her a hug. "You go on. Both of you. Mike, go wait for Mom and Dad and Little Erin. I'll be alright."

"You sure?"

"Totally."

"You want anything to eat?" Suzie asked from the doorway.

"No, I'm good."

"Okay."

"Bye." Mike leaned over and kissed me.

"Bye."

When Mom, Dad and Erin got home ten minutes later they all came up to pay us a visit, but then left again, as to give us some time alone. Come five o'clock, I couldn't take it any longer. I had read half a novel, played God knows how many games of Solitaire (losing most of them, of course) and practically worn away a spot on the wood floor from my pacing. I had acted on Kurt's every command- water, food, another blanket, whatever made him feel better- and now I just wanted him to be the healthy, happy Kurt I used to know. I wasn't about to sit around to watch my best friend's life painfully ebb away.

Kurt was sleeping peacefully, lying on his back, and I crawled in bed with him, sitting over him on my knees.

"Kleines?" His eyes opened slowly, and voice was weak as he spoke my nickname.

I didn't say anything. I knew this was it. If I didn't use as much of my power as I could, and right then, I figured I wouldn't get another chance.

"No, Erin, you'll kill yourself…."

"Stay still, love…."

The bright, white light filled the room, brighter than it had ever been before, in all the times I had used it.

"Erin! No!"

Then something strange happened. I could feel my energy draining. Finally letting go, I collapsed onto the bed, coughing severely.

"Erin? Erin! Oh, God!"

I tried breathing but it was too difficult. It felt as if the air had been sucked out of me, and knives were sticking at my lungs every time I inhaled. Looking up I saw Kurt sitting over me, and I was in his arms. He was crying. "Why, Erin? Why?" He looked up at the door. "Fräu Murphy, helfen uns bitte! Mrs. Murphy, please help us!"

Moments later Suzie burst through the door. "No," she called behind her. "Stay there.

"Was geschah? What happened?"

"Ich wachte gerade auf und sie saß über mir! Sie verwendete sie Energien, mich zu heilen, aber er ließ sie ihrer ganzer Energie ab. I just woke up and she was sitting over me! She used her powers to heal me, but it drained her of all her energy." He then spoke in English. "Please, Suzanne, she can't breathe--"

Gasping for breath, I looked into Kurt's eyes and smiled. "Why… are you crying…. kleines?"

"Oh, angel…" Kurt beamed, tears continuing to flood his eyes as he pulled me into a hug, kissing my forehead. He nodded at Suzie as I lay curled up and weak in his arms. "She needs help. The doctors at our school are some of the best in the country. Will you come with us, and help her?" He turned to look at me. "I'll call Professor Xavier. Maybe he can come get us."
"How?" I asked weakly. By that time I had started to breathe a little easier, but I was still having some difficulty.

"The jet."

"Kurt… no, it's too dangerous…."

"So is doing nothing, darling!"

I gave a shaky sigh. "Fine. Call Jean."

"Suzanne, ah…" Kurt sniffed. "This is going to sound strange, but is there anywhere you know of around here that a large jet can land?"

"Uh…. Yeah. The local sandlot. All the neighborhood kids play there, I heard; Mike played there as a kid, but people might be there now."

"Storm can help with that." Kurt smiled down at me. "You always liked the rain, didn't you?"

Smiling, I nodded, and Kurt gave me another kiss. I turned to Suzie. "Could you get the phone?"

"Sure thing, girl." Suzie leapt up and made it back in seconds flat.

"Do you know the number?" I asked Kurt and Suzie handed him the phone. He nodded.

"They're like pirhanas down there," Suzie said breathlessly. "I'm going down to tell them what's up."
I nodded.

"Scott? Scott, I need to speak to Professor Xavier right away…….. I'll explain later, I just need the professor. Danke schöen."

My breathing slowed a bit and I could hear myself wheezing as he waited for the professor, but Kurt kept whispering words of encouragement in my ear. "It's going to be alright, darling… everything is going to be fine….. stay with me, alright? I'm here….."
I couldn't say much, so I nodded as Kurt stroked my hair.

"Professor Xavier! Hallo. Yes, I have a big favor to ask of you. Erin Murphy is deathly ill. She used her powers to heal me and has somehow obtained my illness. She needs to come home right away……… yes, there's a small baseball field on the edge of town….."

Moments later Kurt got off the phone. "Alright…. They're on their way." He smiled down at me.

"Stay with me?" I whispered.

"Of course, darling."

Well, when the professor arrived with Storm two hours later, my entire family boarded the jet to come with us. Professor Xavier was a bit apprehensive about it, but he allowed all five of them to board along with Kurt and me.

My family was given two rooms once back at the school, one for my parents and one for Mike, Suzie and Erin. They immediately took me to the medical wing, and managed to get oxygen back into my system. At least I could breathe again.

Kurt stayed with me all night, sleeping in a chair next to my hospital bed. The next day, when Suzie came to visit me, she said she had never seen any place quite like the one she was in. I was still very sick, coughing everywhere and burning up. But it was a fever no medicine could seem to kill….. the doctors at school were unsure of my survival.