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 13

When Kurt teleported into the blackbird with Jenny in his arms, everyone was shocked by their appearance. He was covered in her blood, her hair had come loose and, though Kurt attempted to hold it away from her back, it was in her wounds and also dripping blood.

Jean was the first to move, hurrying to get the medical supplies. She was quickly followed by a pale Ororo.

Usually Kurt would help tend the wounded, but Jenny had taken hold of his hand. Her grasp was weak but he wasn't going to take away whatever comfort it might be providing. He was shaking so badly he didn't think he would be of much help anyway.

"Bright Goddess, it is just like the pictures from before." Ororo whispered to Jean as they worked on stopping the bleeding. "It was a miracle she survived last time."

"Be grateful she's strong." Jean said wearily. "She's been drugged and we can't give her anything for the pain. I'm sure if it wasn't for her shields, Betsy and I wouldn't be able to function right now, but they're going to prevent us from mentally blocking the pain. Hopefully when we get back to the mansion the professor will be able to do it since he's been in her mind."

Jenny's eyes were closed but they knew she wasn't really unconscious. Her eyes fluttered and her fingers moved around Kurt's occasionally, indicating to them when an area was particularly painful.

"Kurt..." Jenny whispered so softly she would not have been heard if Kurt was not right by her head.

"Do not attempt to speak, liebling." Kurt's voice was tight and he kept his eyes on her face instead of the activity on her back. He sincerely wished she would pass out.

"Lacy... have to... Lacy and her baby... safe... have to..." Jenny's eyes opened to slits and slowly closed again.

"Ssshhh. She is fine. Bishop is taking care of her." Briefly, Kurt glanced at the red skinned woman Bishop was helping into a seat.

Lacy had been watching from the moment they had arrived. She was unable to hear Jenny but Kurt's strained words were clear. "She's so hurt... I can't believe she's worried about me when she's like this..."

His eyes going between the activity at the back and the pregnant woman in his charge, Bishop said simply. "That's the way she is." After making sure she was secure in the seat, he turned to Psylocke. "Let me know when everyone's aboard so I can take off immediately."

Nodding, Betsy sent another mental signal to the others for them to hurry.

"We have to do something about her hair." Jean said as Logan ran up the ramp. "It keeps getting in the ones we've already cleaned."

"I do not have anything to pin it with." Ororo pushed the strands out of Jean's way.

"C-cut it ... did before ..." Jenny's voice was so low that Kurt had trouble hearing her, but Logan did.

"I'll take care of it." He started gathering Jenny's hair and released a single claw.

"Logan! What-" Ororo's eyes flashed as he tossed the hair in the receptacle they had been placing used medical supplies in. "That was not necessary."

"It's what she wanted." Logan said with a gesture to Jenny, "And why's she still awake?"

"We are unable to give her anything due to the drugs she was given." Ororo said sadly, pity on her face.

"So?" Kneeling down, he whispered to Jenny even as he pressed the point in her neck, "Sorry, darlin', I came fast as I could."

A slight ripple ran throughout her body, a previously unnoticed tension disappeared, and she was blissfully unconscious for the quick flight back to the mansion.

"How's she doing, Jean?" Scott asked before anyone else had a chance as soon as she exited the med-lab.

"We can't do more until Hank arrives with Kitty and Pete Wisdom. According to his files they match her blood type, too. The blood transfusion from Bobby helped, but he can only give so much. She was beaten pretty badly and there are more injuries than we thought at first."

"Hank is still at least a couple hours away, will Jenny make it until then?" Warren interrupted.

Jean gave a weary smile, "She's young, healthy, and has a very strong will to live. For now, she is stable and should stay that way until Hank arrives."

A cheer went up and echoed throughout the hall.

"Unfortunately, Jenny is unable to concentrate right now and can't lower her mental shields to let Charles in." Just as quickly as they had cheered the room went silent, as the meaning of her words hit them. "She... she is unable to stay unconscious, and fades in and out. It's going to be a very long couple hours for her."

People came and went from the med-lab. They spoke to him, but Kurt didn't hear. Usually it was something about his clothes, but what did they matter? Jenny was hurt - was hurting.

Her eyes were closed, but he knew that did not mean she was asleep. He gently touched her hair, now pinned atop her head. He mourned its lost length, but was more than happy the bloody mess was gone.

This should not have happened to her, was all he could think, not when she was a child and not now. Kurt had seen bad, horrible, things happen to those he cared about - most lived in the same house he did - but nothing compared to this. He hadn't been in love with any of them, and had never felt so helpless. He and Logan may have saved her life, but they hadn't completely saved her.

Kurt was not sure what he felt. He did not think it was truly pain because Jenny was in true pain. He hurt, but it wasn't the same, couldn't be compared. He was mostly numb. Kurt wanted to do something, anything, to make it better, but there was nothing. No one left to fight, no one to punish, no way to make her whole, or to feel better. He wasn't even sure his presence was a comfort to her, or only himself, but he couldn't leave her, couldn't stop looking at her.

Involuntarily, he squeezed Jenny's hand and Kurt was surprised when she squeezed back. Her eyes opened, but the glassy sheen told him she most likely didn't really see.

"Please, Kurt, you must leave now." Ororo told him.

There was no response from him as he continued studying Jenny's face.

"Logan, you must make him leave. Henry is preparing to examine her and we must remove the bandages."

Kurt could hear Ororo's voice but it was as though it was coming to him from far away. Perhaps he simply didn't want to hear her as he ignored her words having no intention of leaving.

"Elf, ya can come back when Hank's through." Logan placed a hand on his shoulder. "Kurt?"

Shrugging the hand away, he protested tonelessly. "I vill not leave her."

"Ya cain't help her now." Logan knew as soon as he saw the look on Kurt's face that was the wrong thing to have said. He clenched a fist, prepared to knock him out and drag him from the room. Logan didn't want to do it and could sympathize with what he was feeling, but he would for both of their sakes. Looking at Jenny and her dull eyes, he suddenly knew what to say. What they should have said the first time. "C'mon, Elf, he's gonna make her pain go away."

Those words got through as nothing else could have. Kurt carefully placed her hand on the bed and smoothed her hair back one last time. With Logan's hand on his back propelling him the whole way they were at the door when Jenny spoke the first words she had since arriving at the mansion.

"L-Logan..." her voice was low and not understood by any but him, however both men were instantly back at her side.

Back where he wanted to be, Kurt didn't pick up her hand again for fear of jarring her. Instead he lightly caressed her fingers, needing to touch her.

"I'm here, darlin', ain't nothin' ta get excited about." Logan's voice was gruff with emotion. He wanted to kill the bastard again. Logan was used to pain. He lived with it regularly, made it work for him, but Jenny wasn't. Since he'd come in the room, he'd been able to smell the agony rolling off her in waves. It was stronger now with the slight activity from talking.

"Did you... kill... him?" Jenny forced out the words.

Though she didn't see it, Logan's face became hard as stone. He couldn't lie to her. "He's dead."

"G-good..." Jenny's eyes drifted shut again, but she pushed for just a few more lucid seconds. "Make... him rest..."

"I will, darlin'. I promise ya." Logan wasn't gentle this time when he grabbed Kurt's arm. "That's it, Elf. Let's go."

Once out of the med-lab, Kurt noticed his macabre appearance. He was still wearing the uniform covered in Jenny's blood. It took him all of ten minutes to shower and change clothes. He then fully intended to wait in the hall until he was allowed back inside to stay with Jenny, but Logan stopped him.

Instead he found himself in the kitchen being plied with food by, it seemed, every female resident. Kurt did accept the food and even ate some but didn't really taste it. What was hunger at this time?

It took him a little while to become fully aware of his surroundings. When he did, he noticed how the conversations around him carefully avoided the topic closest to his heart. Not because they were trying to spare him - though it was for that reason as well - but because it hurt them to talk about her too. He realized they all cared for her in their own way and were doing the same thing he was.

Waiting for word on Jenny.

With the reminder of how much others cared for her came another realization. There was someone else who cared for Jenny, and he didn't even know the number to call for him.

Kurt turned to Logan, who had been carefully watching him - especially after Kurt had drank his coffee by mistake when he wasn't paying attention. "Ve need to make a call."

Charles met Harry at the door. The man obviously hadn't been to bed, and his worry was most evident when he didn't waste any time voicing his concerns.

"You found my Jenny?" he demanded.

In other circumstances, Charles would have found the man's reaction amusing, but it was most serious and he felt guilty for not having remembered Harry himself. "She was found but was injured before she could be rescued. Jenny's being worked on now and we thought you might like to wait with us."

His rough manner fell away leaving only the worry on his face. His fear for her was so strong that Charles couldn't help but feel it. "Is she gonna make it? I... I'll pay for anything she needs."

"That isn't necessary." Charles said gently. "Her condition is stable and, though everyone is concerned, she is in good hands. It's not certain, but I believe at this point it isn't whether she will live but the quality of her life that is in question due to the severity of the damage done to her."

The big man stared at him a moment. "How long 'til we know?"

Charles shook his head and wordlessly led him to where the others also waited. He wondered if the women would try to feed Harry too.

As all the food tasted like sawdust in his mouth, it didn't take long for Kurt to eat his fill. Knowing Jenny's concern for her, he checked on Lacy, then dismissed her from his thoughts when he saw how the pregnant woman was being cossetted by all who came in contact with her. Afterwards, he was quick to make his escape to the hall outside the med-lab, Harry hard on his heels.

Despite his promise to Jenny, Logan knew there was no way he would have been able to get Kurt to do more than he had. He was now clean, fed, and had a clear - though troubled - mind, which was normal considering the situation. It was the best that could be done, so Logan just watched him go.

Harry and Kurt paced up and down, back and forth, frequently stepping out of each others way. For both, worry and fear only increased their frustration. The tension was thick and building more and more with each passing minute, which contributed to the sense that time had slowed down.

Unable to take it anymore, Harry plopped down in a chair. "This is all my fault."

Kurt blinked at him, completely confused. "Vhat?"

"I shoulda protected her better, then she wouldn't a got kidnapped." Harry continued in despair.

"Zere vere many of zem and you vere overvhelmed." Kurt argued, sitting down across from him. "Ze fault is mine. If I had been zinking clearly I vould have been more help and ve vould have gotten zere before she vas hurt."

"As distressed as I am that Jenny has suffered so heinously, your collective guilt is not logical. I can assure you it is neither of your fault." Hank interrupted them from the doorway.

"How's she doing?" Harry demanded jumping to his feet.

"Vhen can I see her?" Kurt asked at the same time.

"She is currently sleeping-" Hank began only to be immediately interrupted.

"How long until she vakes up?"

"She's gonna be alright then?"

"A moment of quiet, please!" Hank held up his hands and both men fell silent, albeit impatiently. "I had intended waiting for everyone before disclosing her condition. However, as you are both overly anxious, I shall be brief. Currently, Jenny is sedated and I intend to keep her in that state for the rest of the day. Her recovery will be complete. However, it will require a minimum of two weeks as I have performed some reconstructive surgery on her muscles and it is best for them to heal slowly. This should correct the previously existing repercussions resulting from her not receiving immediate expert medical attention after her original injury." Looking at their expectant faces, he sighed. "You may look in on her, but only briefly."

They had rushed in before he had finished speaking and Hank decided to let someone else force them out later.

to be continued.

note:
Elizabeth Robbins- Isn't it, though? It's also good that they have more than one form of high-speed travel.
afreddiefan- Thank you! "The Gift" is on aff, though. It's WAY too adult for this site. Though I was told in an email that everyone is very in-character.
S- No, no, no! Jenny gets a very happy ending! Eventually. I'm glad you liked that line. I had to draw it out some, and I didn't want the X-Men to be infallible. They make mistakes too.
B Oots- Sorry, she's not until the next chapter. But just know she would have thrown a screaming fit.
xmenloganfan- Mike had to go. I was threatened by one of my betas if he lived. Besides, someone had to pay, right? I don't think Scott would have stood by for torture but I could let him watch Wolvie kill under these circumstances.
CaptainTish- Nope, she's not a doctor, but they are used to treating their injured themselves and could do enough until he got there. Um, her role? Uh, I think its... um, well, I'm not really sure except that she's a core member of the team. She's really strong in her powers and all but I don't think she went to college. Mainly she seems to be the men's 'ideal woman' in most instances. I think.
Jinxeh- You got me just in time! I got the notice of your review just in time to reply... Um, yeah, no more coffee. That's why Jenny drinks Coke.

Okay, I know I was a little mean to Jenny here but as you can see it was somewhat beneficial for her in that she won't have those 'spasms' she did before because Hank fixed that. Or if she does it won't be as bad. I tend to think she would still have some problems but most of the really bad ones were because she wasn't properly treated after she was hurt when she was young. There's more that's important from this time but you'll have to wait for it. Now we can go back to the drama and characterization.

Next chapter! Jenny's recovery, and she andKurt have a 'confrontation'. Have no onther idea how to expain it.

But before that is another short-story! "Chaotic Thoughts" which I have been told is a misnomer but just as a hint, there is no speech. It's Kurt's thoughts during the time he was sitting with Jenny in the med-lab. Hope you like it. I'll post it this weekend, probably Sunday.

Thanks for reading and the support,
Dizi