Howdy people! I just got home and figured I'd torture you all with my obsessiveness once more. I LOVE YOU!
WHM Yayo: Thank you for humoring me.
Nighthowler: You are a persuasive little devil.
Bronzeiris: Yet another persuasive little devil. Then again, maybe she just didn't see the note about it being a one-shot.
Satyr: I think Mort was a bit too drunk on pain to put up much fight.
Crystalwish: I have a new word for you: Decaf... never drink it. I love you just how you are!
Gremblin: Yeah... I'm a failure with the whole one-shot concept. And I'm okay with that now. I'm a goin', I'm a goin'...
Pyromaniac: Dude, I love your name. Not because I like Pyro, but because I love fire. Heehee. Thanks for reviewin'!
Lisa: I'm pretty sure Mort'll be in X 3! And he does have such an amazing sense of humor. That's why we loves him!
April: OKAY.
Unvisted: I know! I'm now an official part of the Mort fan girl world- I've written a crippled pathetic Mort story!
DJ Atomica: He really is hot when he's all pathetic and broken, isn't he?
Fox of Midnight: Well I know that they aren't all straight evil. They all have really good reasons to hate people. You should read fics about Mort's childhood. So sad...
Hybrat: I do try... Glad you liked it!
Unnamed: ((Keeping going))
JennMel: Thankee, dearie.
The-Bee-Keeper: You're so lucky. I lost my sanity YEARS ago...
Salazar Vampiric Elf Luna Ash: You have a really long name.
Lalalala: Raven is Mystique's real name. You didn't really think someone would name their child 'Mystique', did you? That's just cruel!
Nyltiak: I must admit, I thought you might pee yourself at one point there.
I think Nyltiak's gonna hit me if I don't get to the story now! ONWARDS!
Chapter 4: I just keep goin', don't I?
Mort's POV:
My head was wrapped in a thick fog, as if I'd been drinking all night. I smelled something burnt, and the bitter smell of medicine. There was an odd feeling in my arm. As soon as I had taken this in, I noticed the sharp pain in my chest with each breath I took. Time to dig up Brotherhood Training 101: Assess the situation.
I was in my underwear, which assumed that I was unarmed. I was laying on a flat metal thing, presumably a table. I hurt a hell of a lot, and was most likely unable to fight. Whoever else might be here, still probably thought I was asleep, as I've yet to open my eyes. What happened?
Liberty Island. I was fighting. The weather brat was at it. "Do you know what happens to a Toad when it's struck by lightning?" Stupid line. Really, the worst yet. Oh, yes. What happened. I was in agony. Energy filling me. Dark. I vaguely recall stumbling on the shore, and moving as fast as I could. I was in horrible pain, but I just kept moving however I could. Then someone was above me. A man. He spoke, and carried me. More voices soon. Dark. An angel. The rest... a blur.
There was a noise from the right, and soon someone was grabbing hold of my arm. I opened my eyes fast, though it took a few seconds for me to squint out what was happening to my wrist. Some chick was injecting something into my wrist through an IV! I sat up quickly, and was about to jerk my arm away, but the pain of movement washed over me like a fire. I just stared in horror at Jean Grey as I felt tears forming at an exceptional rate. She reached a hand up, and brushed the moisture from my bottom lids.
"That wasn't so smart, Mort," she informed me, "While you're up, do you know how to use an inhaler?" I shook my head slowly, so it would hurt as little as possible. "I'll give you a puff, and you need to hold it in until I tell you to let it out." She pushed the inhaler between my lips, and I did as I was told.
A hand on my chest, and a hand on my back, she lowered me back down. It hurt almost as much as sitting up had. "The pain killers will kick in soon enough," Jean assured.
I felt like such a baby sitting here, crying, and especially in front of an X-man! You don't weep in front of your enemies! Then a thought hit me- I tried to kill this woman just a... day(?) ago! I'm bloody letting her put stuff in my veins! Am I a moron?
It took more effort than I'd imagined to force out a few words. My tongue stung like hell. "Ge'... away... from... wanna... ge'... ou'... of... 'ere..." I was pretty sure she got the idea.
"You're not going anywhere, Mort. You're hurt, and Magneto's in prison. Where would you go?" I struggled with an answer for a bit before her words reached me. The Brotherhood was gone. The X-men have me. There's no telling how long they'd keep me, or if they'd turn me in. I'd never see Mystique again. Mystique! She'd been fighting Wolverine! I had no way of knowing if she was alive. I saw in my head her lifeless battered corpse thrown carelessly into a shallow grave that kids would spit on. Tears pricked my eyes once more. I never cried in front of people! Why couldn't I control my fucking emotions? I never cried in front of anyone but Mystique. What if I couldn't cry in front of her anymore? I felt a few hot drops slip from my eyes, down my face, and onto my ears. I looked at Dr. Grey, horribly aware of how exposed and weak I was.
Jean's POV:
He stared at me with his big bright eyes, tears running into his hair. He seemed to bare his soul to me in that one, mournful gaze. He looked so scared, like a child would. I had no idea what to say to this boy on my table. I knew that pain killers could make people emotional, but this one had every right to cry by my book. Poor kid... It just struck me so strongly that he did it in front of me. I stroked a couple of tears from his cheek with my thumb.
"Mort!" sounded an echoing voice from the doorway. The blue woman rushed in and to the young man's side. He gave a loud sob, and relief covered his face. "Mort, dear God, Mort! I thought you were dead!" She joined in on the tears. She kissed his head, and I watched awkwardly as the two sobbed and kissed and held each other. I had never known such emotions to come from Brotherhood members.
They parted after several minutes, and Mort choked out a sloppy, "Can... I... go... 'ome... now?"
Mystique shook her head, and ruffled his hair. "Mort, you need a real doctor. There's nobody at home to take care of you while I'm on business. You need to stay with Dr. Grey until you can move properly." He looked like he might cry again. "If it's all right, though, I'd like to stay here with you." She looked at me expectantly.
I nodded. "You're welcome here, Raven. It'll be at least another night or two before Mortimer can stay in a real room, but I'll try to find two empty rooms next to one another." From what I'd seen so far, they would want to be as close as possible.
I rung Professor Xavier on the intercom, and told him that Raven would be staying with Mort, and left the two to reunite.
Mystique's POV:
I have my Mort back. He's charred, and bruised, and broken, but he's here, and he's alive. My little Mortimer's alive!
Mystique's a little OOC, but loving Mort can do that to a person. REVIEW! Or... I'll run you over with a banana!