disclaimer: All recognizable characters are owned by Marvel, except Jenny who is MINE! (though I have been known to share if you ask nicely.) I expect to make no money off this fic. Dammit.

Human and the Demon

by Dizi

Chapter 8

Remy handed out to all the women what he swore was the only known cure for a hangover. Once it kicked in, Jenny found herself restless. As just thinking Kurt's name caused her pain, Jenny did what she always did when she felt the need to keep occupied and didn't want to think... she cleaned.

She dusted, she vacuumed, scrubbed counters and toilets, washed clothes, cleaned people's bedrooms - for which many were both grateful and concerned. She did everything and anything she could think of the entire rest of the day. The men in her life watched with resigned looks on their faces, and the women tried to talk to her, but she just shook her head and kept working.

Unable to help herself, she looked for Kurt around every corner. She didn't want to actually talk to him and had no idea what she'd do if she did see him. Still she looked, and was both relieved and disappointed when there was no sign of him.

Jenny worked until she was exhausted and her whole body ached. Shortly before dinner, she laid down for a nap and prayed she was just tired.

She'd prayed in vain, as Jenny woke with cramps wracking her back and shoulders. Feeling the muscles twitch and twist, tears pricked her eyes.

Looking at the time, Jenny knew she'd missed dinner but it had been enough time that Hank would be back in the med-lab. With the pain getting worse with each step, her eyes were tearing by the time she got there.

Hearing her shuffle in, Hank looked up and his eyes widened in concern. "Jenny, are you unwell?"

"Hank, I'm sorry." she swallowed, trying to hold back the tears of pain. "Please don't be mad at me..."

Seeing the way she was hunched over, Hank correctly discerned the location of her distress and helped her onto one of the beds. "You informed me previously there were no longer any affects from your injury." He said gently, though Jenny could still hear the accusation in his voice.

"I..." she closed her eyes at another spasm. "It's only when I do too much."

"I see." Hank paused to consider. He knew Jenny took care of herself, and did it well. "Do you have medication to alleviate the pain?"

She grimaced. "I can't take them because the alcohol from last night will still be in my system."

He'd been afraid of that. "I have nothing you can ingest for the same reasons. If you are able to be on your own for a short length of time, I will procure a blanket and some victuals to make you more comfortable." At her nod, he patted her hand in sympathy, said "I will attempt to return as quickly as possible." and hurried from the room.

Jenny lay in misery, trying to shift to a position which might ease her back and shoulders. She'd known what Hank's response would be but had needed to try anyway. Now, she felt worse knowing Hank would feel guilty due to his inability to help her.

Then she felt strong hands moving her arms to her sides before beginning to knead her shoulders. At first, she hissed in pain at the firm gentle touch, but slowly the massage started easing the cramping muscles. As the spasms became less severe, her body relaxed and she was filled with lethargy.

Just before she fell asleep, she whispered, "Thank you."

Watching her sleep, Kurt nodded his head in satisfaction, his hands still busy on her back. Jenny had not seen him, but he'd watched her both throughout the day and the night before. The mansion was a large place and full of shadows; he knew how to hide in the shadows and had done so to keep her in his sight.

From watching her, he had been prepared for this to happen. She had reacted the same way one day after they had worked at the shelter. As she'd put it, she had 'done too much', but he believed it was also using the muscles in a way they were unused to as well as in an extended period of time. Jenny hadn't rushed right into a heavy work load when she'd first come to the mansion, she'd eased into it. She had slowly built up, doing more and more, but hadn't done most of those chores in a long time so had done both too much and in an unaccustomed manner. Kurt had been watching for her and known exactly what was wrong as soon as he'd seen her in the hall. He'd known what she needed but not whether he would be allowed to help her.

He looked up as Hank entered the room with a tray of food, blanket and pillow, books, magazines, CD-player, and a large box of Moonpies. Quickly, Kurt placed a finger to his lips, motioning the other man to be silent and not wake Jenny.

It took a great deal of effort for Hank to comply, but he watched Kurt continue his ministrations and saw how gentle and caring he was towards Jenny. When it appeared the muscle spasms had ceased Hank gestured for Kurt to follow him into the hall, and said when he complied. "I do not believe you are someone Jenny is interested in seeing at this time."

"She vill not be avare I vas here unless you tell her. She does not need to know." Turning away, Kurt started to walk down the hall.

Thoughtfully, Hank called softly after him. "Perhaps it would be a comfort to her to know you still have affection for her."

He hesitated before answering, "Zis is not ze time, vhile she is in pain." Then he hurried on down the hall before Hank could ask the questions he could see brewing inside him. It was still storming, which meant he had time.

Hank shook his head and said aloud to the empty hall, "Her heart is still in pain and only you can correct it."

When Jenny woke during the night, the med-lab was empty and she was able to move easily.

Rolling over onto her back, she stared at the ceiling. For the first time in two days she allowed herself to dwell on her emotions. She'd known getting drunk and working so hard wouldn't help, but it had helped her forget for a short time. Given her space she felt she had desperately needed, because all she could think of was how much she wanted to be with him and how much she still loved him. She tried not to let herself think love, because it was obvious he no longer loved her... if he ever really had.

Carefully she got up. As cleaning had not helped, she decided to do the other thing she did when her emotions were in turmoil.

After grabbing Remy's leather jacket with the cigarettes in the pocket - she never took the trenchcoat as she didn't really want to know what all he kept in there - and went to the temporary designated smoking area in the conservatory. She pushed aside the shame she felt for smoking again - outside of while drinking as that didn't count. It had been almost a whole year now since she had sat down and really smoked like this, and she had missed it as only a former smoker could.

She was on the third one when Remy sat down beside her and lit one for himself. "T'ought you quit, chere."

"Yeah, well... maybe I won't quit this time. I deserve a bad habit." She vaguely remembered saying this to Harry shortly after Charlie had died. Now, she couldn't remember why she had quit or why she would even want to.

"Gettin' lots a bad habit recently, non?" Jenny had been avoiding his eyes. Remy took hold of her chin and forced her to look at him, "Talk to Remy, chere. Remy help."

"I just... " Jenny swallowed tightly and didn't want to say anything, but knew Remy would never leave it alone. "I don't want to cry, Remy. Please..."

"Sometimes dat de only t'ing dat helps, chere. Remy got good shoulders to cry on, non?" He held his arms open, offering her the comfort he had for so long.

Jenny burst into tears. He took the cigarette from her hand and wrapped his arms around her.

"I just don't know what I did wrong." she wailed.

"Sometime you don' do not'ing, it just don' work out." he tried to reassure her.

"Everything was so wonderful and then suddenly it just wasn't." she tried to explain through her sobs. "There must be something wrong... Please, Remy, you're my friend, tell me what's wrong with me." she begged. "What's wrong with me that Kurt doesn't love me anymore?"

She looked up at him with heart-broken eyes filled to the brim with self-doubt and pain. Remy fervently hoped he had never put that look in a woman's eyes, never induced this level of despair. He could blame Kurt - and he did - but he also knew her past was a large contributing factor. He and Rogue fought often and they hurt each other, but not on this level. They knew the game and kept score, whereas Jenny may have seen the game but was only now playing for the first time.

Remy held her and let her cry herself out. When she was calm enough to listen to him, he again forced her to meet his eyes. "Dere's not'ing wrong wit you. Sometime t'ings don' work out, dat's all. Don' have to be fault, don' have to be you, chere."

Jenny nodded, but he could tell she didn't believe him.

Lighting another cigarette, she stared out the window. "The weather's getting better. Do you think I'll be able to go home today?"

"Talk to Logan. He can drive in de snow if de weather clear." At this point, he was willing to do it himself if that was what she wanted.

"I hope so. I want to go home."

Kurt was also looking out the window. The snow was definitely slowing and he knew it wouldn't be long before Jenny was able to leave.

Out of his life. He couldn't bear the thought but didn't know how to fix things, and he was running out of time.

"Ya gonna jus' let her go without talkin' to her?" Logan asked from behind him.

"I vas trying to zink of how to make zings right." he admitted. "I did not mean to hurt her."

"So ya gotta tell her that."

"I vas meaning to but..." He shook his head. "I stayed vith her at her house and she had a nightmare. She is not ready for a physical relationship and I can no longer keep on zis vay."

"Ya could be wrong." was Logan's quiet reply. "Jenny's always been stronger than she seems. She keeps surprisin' me."

Lost in his own thoughts, Kurt didn't answer sat still, staring at the snow.

The next morning, Hank gave orders that Jenny was to do no work that could possibly be "physically exerting". She was sure doing nothing would drive her crazy.

By afternoon, it was still snowing but not as heavy as it had before. Deciding to get a jump on going home, she went to Logan's room to speak to him.

"Come in, Jenny." he called at her knock. "I'm goin' ta a training session, so make it quick."

"Okay, um, the weather's starting to clear some and... well, Remy said you might be able to take me home later today?" she asked hopefully.

"Gumbo said it was clearin' up?" his voice was carefully neutral, and she knew that wasn't a good sign.

"Not exactly, you can see its not snowing as hard and we just figured it would stop soon."

"Remy's from New Orleans and don't know nothin' 'bout this kinda weather!" Logan growled angrily, and then softened his tone at the look on her face. "Darlin', I'm sorry he got yer hopes up, but this is most likely just a lull. You want to know when it's gonna stop you talk ta 'Ro. We call her Storm for a reason, an' ya know it. Why didn't ya ask her?"

"I didn't think about it. Remy said that and..." she sighed. "I just want to go home."

"I swear I'll take ya back when it's safe. I know ya don't feel easy here right now." He hesitated, he hated to meddle but they were both his friends. "Talk ta the elf. It ain't what it seems."

"He doesn't want to see me anymore. He said it plain, and I'm not going to force myself where I'm not wanted." her voice was full of both hurt and pride. "I'm going to go find Remy, he's always good for a card game or something."

His red eyes glowing with satisfaction, Remy watched his quarry in the library standing there staring out the window. It was the first he'd seen Kurt since before Jenny had arrived. The man had been smart to stay hidden. Remy had some things to say and questions to ask. His replies would determine how much Remy intended to hurt him.

Moving quickly, not giving Kurt a chance to teleport, Remy grabbed him and shoved him hard against the wall.

"Vas ist-" Kurt began and stopped at the look in the red eyes looking straight into his own.

"Dere's not'ing wrong wit' Jenny." Remy ground out.

Confused Kurt nodded agreement, before becoming concerned. "Vhat could be vrong? Has Jenny been hurt?"

"Oui, Jenny hurt. You hurt Jenny, made Jenny t'ink somet'ing wrong wit' her." Remy's reply was scathing in the extreme and he slammed Kurt's shoulders against the wall, making his head rap sharply with a loud thump. "Dere's not'ing wong wit' Jenny!"

Hearing the loud sound, Jenny's eyes went wide when she saw the two men. "Remy, no!" she ran to them and started tugging at the arm pinning Kurt to the wall. "Don't, Remy, please don't."

"Non, chere, he don' have de right to make you feel dat way." Remy's red eyes were looking straight into Kurt's yellow ones, waiting for his reaction.

"Please, Remy, I don't want you to fight." she hated the tears filling her eyes, not wanting to cry in front of Kurt. "He doesn't have to love me. Even you said sometimes it just doesn't work."

He still didn't let go with either his hands or his eyes. "Dat true, Remy say dat. But Kurt, he don' have de right to make you feel dere somet'ing wrong inside you. Dat not right." Finally, Remy saw what he wanted. Comprehension entered Kurt's eyes, so when Jenny tugged on his arm again with another "Please, Remy." he let go.

Placing a hand on her face he wiped a tear away with his thumb. "He don' have de right."

Being careful not to look at Kurt, Jenny said quietly, "'Everyone gets a broken heart.' You said that, remember Remy? It just makes me that much more normal." Standing on tiptoe she kissed his cheek and hurried toward the doorway.

"Liebling," Kurt whispered just loud enough for her to hear.

Flinching at the endearment, Jenny froze and swayed. Remy reached out to steady her, but before he could Kurt rushed forward and pushed him aside.

Wrapping his arms around Jenny, he teleported them both away as she cried an anguished "No!"

Angrily Remy waved the smoke aside. He had wanted Kurt to understand what Jenny was feeling and somehow make it right but if Jenny didn't want to go with him...

He would need help tracking them down, he knew. Then once he talked to Jenny, if she wanted to stay with Kurt it would be fine.

But if not... he was sure they could think of something appropriate.

to be continued.

note:
Elizabeth Robbins- (Sigh) He's an enigma which can go either way, but he also tends to forget that Jenny is an adult not a child and tries to treat her as one.
Jinxeh- I tried to have fun with it. That's my fave too along with saving it for posterity. And hey, those guys deserved whatever they got for spying. Jenny's been complaining about that for a long time.
B Oots- I'm a bit of a tease too, I guess. Sorry, but if its not clear the next chapter should take care of that.
Cougar- Epilogue? This is not an epilogue, its a sequel. Jenny is going to be around. She just will not remain a central character but she'll still be around as secondary. I could never let her go.
Irbis- ah, you're just saying that (blushes). Sometimes you just have to throw in something really funny even if its just a line to keep it from getting too intense, or at least I do. I tend to get involved.
CaptainTish- I always loved Lockheed too, not sure how much more of him you'll see. I think I can work him in at the end. Yeah, he might fit in there.
GothikStrawberry- At least once is right, but I don't think the guys meant to show the girls the video tape. Pretty sure it was for private use ;)
afreddiefan- You didn't? Well, um, I didn't either. Nope. Elizabeth Robbins is good and we tend to help each other when we get stuck.
S- you must have really liked it cause you reviewed twice! (Not that I'm complaining! Not me!) I miss those days too. Totally.

Unfortunately, I really don't feel qualified to do an adventure as much, though an attempt is futher in the story. But I have a really good idea for one and if someone wants to talk to me about it, please email me. The idea for it will be in... ch14! Yeah, so if anyone wants to be delegated a story, let me know. It would be Wolvie centric.

Next chapter! Well, I can't really tell. But I think you get an idea where its going so there ya go. I'll post it sometime this weekend. No promises when because I'm working.

After that its another short-story. Yeah! It'll be "Doing the Dishes" and it mainly stars the girls and Kurt. I think you'll like it, or I hope so anyway. It'll be posted next week about this time.

Thanks for reading and the support,
Dizi