John gave her an odd look.
"What?" he asked. She nodded.
"I'm afraid she's right, John," Jean said, entering the room. John turned around.
"Like, what, cold sick? Uh…Some…curable sick?" he asked. Jean shook her head.
"There isn't any real cure for it…But there are medicine's she can take…"
"Wait. Would one of you please tell me what is wrong with you?" he asked, looking at Lily. She squeezed his hand, but looked at Jean.
"John…It's a disease, called myasthenia gravis," Lily said softly.
"Mya-what?" Jean smiled faintly.
"Myasthenia gravis. It's pretty much progressive weakness and abnormally rapid fatigue of the voluntary muscles...like those used in walking, talking, chewing, and breathing…Doctor Matthews told me that it's treatable, but not curable. Lily is very lucky. Ten percent of the people with this disease die, but for those who survive the first three years, there is chance of stabilization and, even, some degree of recovery…She's had this for four years…But she stopped taking meds…what was it, two years ago?" Jean asked. Lily lowered her eyes, nodding.
"Why'd you do that?"
"Two years ago, you weren't here…I didn't really feel any need to be, either…" she said softly.
"Lily…"
"Please don't lecture me…I know it was stupid, but…It was two years ago. I was stupid, too…It didn't bother me too much, though. I thought I was okay. I thought it was gone, like…" she trailed off, the word you lingering in her mind. John stroked her hair, still holding her hand.
"Why didn't you ever tell me?"
"I didn't want you to worry…I just wanted to seem normal…Well, okay…Not normal, but…as normal as I could be…" John smiled, and leaned over, pushing his lips against hers.
"Lil…If you'd have told me, I would never have left…"
"And you never would come to see just how much you need to be here…Just how much I need you to be here…" she pointed out. He nodded. Jean smiled.
"I'm going to take Bobby back to the mansion, explain everything to him, and Rogue…and then I do have to talk to Xavier. Doctor Matthews said John can bring you home whenever you feel up to it. I'm going to leave the car, and catch a cab," she said, tossing John the keys. He caught them, pushing them into his pocket.
"Alright…Thanks again, Jean."
"Your welcome, John…" Jean left, closing the door, and John leaned over, kissing Lily again. As he pulled away, he saw the tears in her eyes.
"I'm sorry, John," she said, softly. He reached up, wiping away the tears, and shook his head.
"Don't cry, Lil…Everything's gonna be fine…" She nodded.
"I know…but I just feel like such a shmuck for never telling you, and for stopping my meds…I should have started on them again when you showed up…but I guess I didn't think about it…John?"
"Yeah?"
"Will you take me back now?" she asked, sitting up a bit. He nodded, and stood.
"Let me go find Matthews, and I'll get you back." She watched him walk out of the room, and reached up, touching the tube the was placed over her top lip, and going into her nose, to let her breathe. After a minute, Matthews walked in.
"I sent John to get your medication refilled…You have to take them this time, Lily…"
"I know. I will…" He set a small pile of clothes by her feet.
"The bathroom is right there. You may go change back into your clothes." Lily nodded, and paused.
"What about this thing?" she asked, pointing to the tube. He motioned to the glass of water and two pills on the table beside her.
"Those are temp meds, to last you until you take your others. They'll keep you safe." She nodded, and took them quickly as the doctor smiled. "All you have to do when you go to leave is walk up to the nurses station right down the hall, and let them know your leaving. They'll just have you sign a few things before you leave…" Lily nodded.
"Thanks…" He nodded, and left. She took the tube off her nose, and carefully stood. Her legs were shaky, but she grabbed her clothes and moved to the wall, using it like a crutch to the bathroom.
John kept his arm around her as he lowered her into the passenger seat of the car.
"There, you in?"
"Yeah…" He waited until her feet were inside, and closed the door, jogging around to the driver's side, and climbing in. She buckled her seatbelt, and so did John, as he started the car and pulled out of the parking lot. Lily rested her head on the seat, and closed her eyes. John drove for a little bit, and pulled into the parking lot of a McDonald's, and up to the drive-thru.
"Babe? You hungry?" She rolled her head, opening her eyes, and smiled.
"Actually…I am…"
"Kay…What do you want?"
"Uh…a crispy chicken sandwich, with fries, and a Coke…" she said, and reached over, slipping her hand into his. She closed her eyes again, and listened to the voice come over the little box.
"Hi, welcome to McDonald's, can I take your order?"
"Uh…Yeah…" Lily yawned, drowning out John, and felt the car pull up. He took his hand from hers, and rummaged thru his pockets, pulling out his wallet.
"That'll be nine eighty-eight, please…" Lily opened her eyes, watching him hand the woman a ten, and wait patiently, taking his change. "Twelve cents is your change, pull up to the next window please…" He pulled up, jamming the change into his pockets, and reached out, taking the bag from the guy.
"Chicken sandwich, Big Mac, two large fries, a large Coke, and a large Sprite…" He handed the drinks to John, and Lily moved her hands, pulling out the cup holders. John set them in, and nodded to the guy.
"Thanks…"
"Have a nice day." John rolled up the window as he took off out of the drive-thru. Lily watched him head down the road, and pull into the park, shutting the car off and rolling the windows down a little.
They sat in silence, eating, almost the whole time they were there. Finally, Lily finished her food, shoving her trash into the bag as John removed his fries. She leaned back in her seat, nursing her soda, staring at the trees in front of her.
"How're you feeling?" John asked, shoving fries into his mouth. She shrugged.
"Better…not as tired."
"That's good…" They were quiet for a few more minutes, until John finished his food. After shoving his garbage into the bag, he reached over, taking her hand. "Lil?"
"Hm?" she asked, rolling her head and looking at him. He let her hand go, and wrapped his arms around her, hugging her. Smiling, Lily hugged him back.
"I'm glad your okay…" She giggled, and nodded.
"Me too…I love you, John…"
"Love you, too, baby…" They sat there, holding each other, for a few minutes more, before he pulled back, and kissed her.
"We should get back to the mansion…" Nodding, John started the car, and whipped out of the park, taking off back to the mansion. She looked down at the seat, just now realizing it was a joined front seat, and slid over, unbuckling her seatbelt, and wrapping her arms around John's waist. Lily tucked her legs beneath her, resting her head on his shoulder. John smiled, and put one of his arms around her shoulders, holding her against him.
He pulled into the garage, and patted her shoulder, so she'd sit up. Lily sighed, but did so, and watched him move out, and around the car, opening her door and helping her out. She reached behind her first, picking up the small bag of medications John had picked up for her, and then held out her hand, letting him pull her from the car. She slid her arm around his waist, leaning against him, as they walked towards Xavier's office.
Lily reached out, pushing open the door, and peeked inside.
"Profess-"
"Come on in, Lily…John…" They came in, and she faintly smiled. Xavier was at his desk, writing down something quickly.
"Hi, Professor…" Xavier smiled up at them, setting his pen down, and motioned to the chairs.
"Sit down…How are you feeling, Lily?"
"A bit better, I suppose…"
"I wish we had known you were sick…" he began, and Lily took in a sharp breath, knitting her eyebrows together.
What did you do?
I had no choice, Lily…I'm very sorry…
Oh…My…God…
"If we had known, I never would've called your mother…to find out whether or not you were sick…" John bit his lip, shaking his head.
"What, uh, what did she say?"
"That she wants to come out here…to see you…" Lily shook her head, standing up quickly.
"Whoa, Lily…" John began, standing, too.
"I never want to see that woman again…" She sniffled, and started out the door, fighting back the tears in her eyes. John ran after her, and stopped her as the doors shut.
"Lil, stop this…Look, I need to talk to you…" She looked up at him, and nodded. He started down the hallway, towards her room.
"Lily! I need to talk to you!" She turned around, seeing Jean hurrying up.
"What's up?"
"Uh…" She shot a quick glance at John, and Lily sighed.
"John? Can you go ahead, and wait for me?" John kissed Lily's cheek, and headed down the hall. As soon as he was out of sight, Jean sighed, rubbing her eyes. "Jean, what is it?"
"Lily, there's something you need to know…"
John jammed his hands into his pockets, wandering around Lily's room, and looking at the nightstands of the other girls who shared the room. He sighed, and moved back over to Lily's bed, sitting up by the pillow, and lifted the picture of him, her, and her father off the nightstand. He softly chuckled, and lifted his eyes a bit, surprised to see another photo on her nightstand. He lifted it, and stared at it blankly, setting the first picture back down.
Lily sighed, her head in her hands.
"You're sure?"
"Doctor Matthews was positive…" Lily nodded.
"Thanks…" Turning, Lily moved down the hall to her room, pushing open the door. "John?"
"Lily, sit down…" She crossed the room.
"What's up?"
"I know all about how your mother treats you, but you should give her a break…" She knitted her eyebrows together.
"What?"
"You have a mother that loves you. She may not make it seem that way, but she does. I can tell. Compared to how my mother acted…Your mother thinks the world of you. She's just having a hard time because of your father's death…"
"John…"
"Listen. I've grown up knowing my parents hated me…because I'm a mutant. You…at least you have a family that cares about you. Your father tried to give you the world, your mother loves you, though you can't really see it, and you have a little brother who, though he and you don't talk much, he does miss you…That I can feel…Be lucky you have a family that cares about you…That's all I've ever wanted…My parents, my sister, they hated my guts, because of what I am…Yours still loved you, even after they found out what you were…I know your mother just dropped you off, but she kept in touch…her, and your father, and your brother…Mine just left me here, haven't heard one word from them since they moved to Nevada…I've always wanted a family that cared about me…or at least parents that did…I've always promised myself that someday, I'd let them know how I felt…And I've always had these…dreams, or whatever you wanna call them, of one big happy family, where my parents loved me, where they cared what happened…That's the only thing I've ever wanted. A family that loves me…" Lily paused, biting her lip, trying to hide a faint smile.
"Well…John…That makes what I have to tell you a hell of a lot easier…"
"Huh?" he asked, confused. Lily reached out, taking the picture of her mom, dad, her, and her brother, from when Lily was little, and her brother was just a baby, away from John. After setting it back on the nightstand, she slipped her hands into his.
"John…When I got checked into the hospital, Matthews ran a total and complete check on me, for anything that may be wrong…Jean just told me that he found something…She wanted to check with me, to make sure it was possible…but wasn't too surprised, I guess…"
"What are you talking about, Lil?"
"You want a family that loves you?"
"Yes…"
"Right this very moment, you have me…In…uh…about…" She paused, thinking. "Yeah, Jean said the usual time...John...I know...it's only been, like...seven or eight days...but...Matthews is pretty sure...You are...gonna...be...a...daddy..." she said, softly, tears stinging her eyes.