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 14

Hank did indeed keep Jenny sedated for the rest of the day. When she woke visitors were allowed in a few at a time, but she was very groggy and grew tired quickly. It wasn't readily apparent who benefitted from the visits, the visitors or the patient.

For the next two days, he lowered the dosage on the sedatives but Jenny still slept most of the time. She had been allowed out of the med-lab for an hour but it turned out to be too much for her as it was almost impossible not to use her back muscles.

The third day, Hank did the sonogram on Lacy and Jenny awoke in the middle of it. Even still groggy from the sedatives, she was awed when Hank pointed out the baby's fingers, toes, and the appendage showing it was definitely a boy.

Lacy was ecstatic, but she remembered to confirm with Jenny that she still wanted Logan to have the notebook. She had told Lacy to inform him about it if she died - but she wasn't dead. Lacy had needed to know if Logan should still be told. Because the man made her anxious, she hadn't wanted to make a mistake in her dealings with him. She wasn't entirely happy knowing she would have to seek him out and talk to him.

Logan in turn had easily recognized her nervousness and kept his distance. Especially the first day when Remy's gumbo hadn't agreed with Lacy and her baby and she had again thrown up, the smell of vomit was still easily detectable by his sensitive nose even after she had cleaned up. Otherwise Logan had made an effort to be polite to her, once even commenting on the baby's strong heartbeat which he thought would please an expectant mother.

Upon recieving Jenny's message, besides a distant look coming over his face, Logan's only reaction was a nod and reassurance that he would take care of it. Lacy wasn't sure what it was but got the feeling she didn't want to know what he was going to do about it. For some reason, she didn't find it strange that no one inquired into why he was gone for a week.

It was a long two weeks while Jenny recovered but thanks to the Shi'ar technology she slowly needed the pain-killers less and less. For which she and everyone else was grateful - especially Kurt and Hank - as the medication put her in a drug induced daze and required her to be constantly supervised.

Free of pain and not thinking clearly, Jenny would forget that she no longer worked in the mansion and would automatically try to clean anything that was out of place, dirty, or just possibly might need to be done. Someone - usually either Kurt or Hank - would have to make sure whichever room she was in was completely clean and tidy to protect her from herself. If for any reason Jenny was left alone - such as if they forgot and had to rush to get a room done - they found she would wander off. Hence, while on the pain-killers Jenny's time outside the med-lab was limited.

Use of her back and shoulder muscles in any strenuous manner - by Hank's definition not Jenny's - was still prohibited when she was finally allowed to leave the med-lab permanently.

Jenny actually found it easier to do no housework than to not stretch. It was something she had taught herself to do automatically and had trouble forcing herself not to. The irony of it was that soon Hank would be telling her to do exactly what she was trying so hard to stop - and for which he frequently scolded her - as she progressed to physical therapy.

Wincing as she once again forgot and tried to exercise her shoulders, Jenny commented to Lacy, "You know, I get to go home in a few days."

Lacy kept her eyes on the TV. She had been dismayed to learn the shelter was gone and she had nowhere else to go. No one had suggested she leave and had in fact gone out of their way to make her feel welcome. She was safe, cared for, had plenty to eat, and for the first time since she had lost her husband she felt accepted. Not to mention, it was certainly safer here for her unborn son. But she didn't feel right imposing on strangers and there was very little she could do to help with anything around the mansion as they wouldn't let her do anything, something Jenny fully understood.

"Have I told you about my house?" Jenny continued, watching Lacy carefully. "It's really nice. Very quiet. Um, about as safe as can be 'cause Bishop got all freaky over the security. I have a great backyard and just a little garden. " She paused, thinking. "It's not that far away either. You know, close to Kurt and everybody."

"It sounds really nice." Lacy agreed, wondering what she would do when Jenny was gone. At first, Kurt and she had spent time together as both had been so concerned for Jenny, but it had grown from there. He had told her not long ago that being close to the promise of new life after Jenny having come so close to death was a very great comfort to him and also to the others. She had intially only stayed because she hadn't wanted to leave while Jenny was hurt. Now, it was different. Except for Logan - who still made her nervous - she had gotten close to most of the women and some of the men. But she just didn't feel comfortable staying.

"You- you could come with me. When I go home, I mean." Jenny suggested.

"I..." astonished, Lacy looked at her. "What did you say?"

"Oh Lacy, please come stay with me!" she begged. "You'll be able to keep Hank as your doctor and you'll have time to plan out what you want to do to get back on your feet. I have two extra bedrooms and we can make one into a nursery. Please? I know you don't want to stay here."

"I-I couldn't just let you take care of us. It wouldn't be right." Lacy protested.

Coming to check on them, Kurt stuck his head in the doorway of the rec-room. "Is everyzing alright? Do you need anyzing?"

"Kurt! Come help me." Jenny gestured toward the other woman. "Tell Lacy its a good idea for her to move in with me."

"Zat is wunderbar!" He walked the rest of the way in and kissed the top of Jenny's head. "Ve vould vorry about you if you vere to leave."

"I just don't think it would be fair to you..." Lacy's eyes went from Jenny's hopeful ones to Kurt's beaming face and her eyes started filling with tears. She wanted to say yes but...

He knelt beside her and took both her hands in his. "It is fair if zat is vhat you both vant."

The baby moved and Kurt could feel it kick where their joined hands rested on Lacy's stomach. "He vants to go too, ja?"

Lacy laughed and pulled one hand free to wipe her eyes. "I guess its unanimous then."

"Great!" Jenny grinned. She'd known Kurt could do it. "You'll even have some time to yourself since I'll be going back to work soon. For once we're fully staffed at Harry's and I won't have to worry about doing anything physical for awhile."

Kurt frowned at her words and muttered under his breath as he stood.

As he was facing her, Lacy was the one to see his reaction. "Kurt? Is something wrong?"

Quickly, he cleared his face and shook his head, but Jenny could still see that something had bothered him. "What's the matter, sweetie?"

He sighed, knowing she wouldn't like what he had to say, but they had promised to be honest with each other. "I do not vant you to go back zere."

Standing, Jenny took his hand. As she led him from the room, she tossed over her shoulder to Lacy, "Please excuse us, we need to have a talk."

Aware it wasn't in use, they went to the parlor for privacy. Sitting down, Jenny asked gently, "What brought this on? You've never said anything before."

"I did not understand how dangerous it vas," he admitted, "but zis is ze second time you haf been hurt zere. You almost died and Hank tells me you vere dead for short time ze time before. It is too much."

"You're putting the blame in the place instead of where it belongs." Jenny used the same gentle tone. She didn't want to just dismiss his concern but she didn't want to leave Harry's either. A choice between them was impossible for her. "The Friends of Humanity was looking for me. Where I work wouldn't have prevented what happened because they still would have gone after me. Last time..." she swallowed trying to moisten her suddenly dry throat. The thought of Notheis still hurt something inside her as she knew it always would. "I don't think anyone could say last time had anything to do with Harry's."

"I do not vant you to go back." Kurt was emphatic. He knew it was irrational but couldn't seem to help himself. "It does not matter who is at fault. Each time it happens zere, so you should not go back."

"Listen to me, Kurt." Jenny was just as emphatic as he. "No one from Harry's has ever hurt me. I can't change my past so that it won't come back to bite us again. When I think of what I have now I wouldn't really want to. I was in a dark place before, you know that. If I hadn't gone to work at Harry's I wouldn't ever have met any of you. I wouldn't have you in my life. I can't give up what started me in this direction."

"Nein, I am not saying you should change, but zat I vant you to be safe." Kurt shook his head. "Vhat is ze saying? Three strikes? Perhaps it is coincidence, but I do not vant a third time."

"Say they start looking for me again, how will working somewhere else prevent me from being hurt?" she demanded.

"I suppose it vould not." he admitted. Suddenly he wanted to lock her away and keep her protected.

"Logan is probably the most protective person either of us have ever met. He didn't try to keep me from going back last time." She admitted to herself silently, that it was because she had been asserting her independence for a long time before she left, but if he really thought it was a danger Logan still would have said so. It wasn't like he was shy. "I'm not telling you not to be worried about me, but... How do I put this?" she mumbled.

"Vhat? Tell me." he urged.

"How do you think I feel every time you go on a mission? Do you have any idea how scared I get?" Jenny met his eyes, taking in his shock. "Kurt, you're a X-Man, you put your life on the line on a daily basis. How many times have you been injured?"

"I do not know. I haf not counted." He had never before considered the danger they lived with. He and the rest of the X-Men had each been injured on more than one occasion and somehow they always seemed to survive. It simply seemed that Jenny was more... fragile.

"I would never think to ask you to stop what you do. You make a difference in a lot of people's lives, and being an X-Man is a part of you. What I am asking is that you give me the same courtesy. Harry's is a part of me, but if you tell me that you really and truly can't live with me working there, I'll leave." Jenny took a deep breath, unable to fully believe she'd just said that. "But I really need you to give me more of a reason than coincidence."

The temptation was so strong Kurt could almost taste it. It would be so easy to simply say that he couldn't live with her job. But how could he? It was little enough for him to learn to live with compared to what she did. Had any of the others considered what a loved one went through due to their being X-Men? He never had before and it made him feel small. "I do not like it but I vant you to be happy. If zat is what it takes, zen I vill learn to live vith it, ja?"

"Thank you." Leaning forward, Jenny kissed him lightly on the cheek. "Now, I'm going to go sit with Lacy. I know you're going to wanna think, but why don't you join us when you're ready, okay?"

Kurt nodded and watched her leave, thinking how she knew him so well. Some of the others in his past wouldn't have understood his need to be alone after such an intense conversation, but Jenny did.

He sat alone in the quiet for a long time, going over their words again and again. Kurt realized Jenny had been right and it wasn't really her job that had been the problem. It was her past.

A past he hadn't completely accepted but which had shaped her present, shaped her. He knew he had to let it go and move on. Perhaps even be somewhat grateful it had brought her into his life. Because he couldn't imagine his life without her, no matter how cliched it sounded.

He didn't want to.

He didn't just want to protect her. What he had been trying to do was keep her with him. He wanted her to be with him all the time. For the rest of his life. He wanted...

Kurt sat up straight. That was it! he thought excitedly.

He wanted to marry Jenny!

to be continued.

note:
afreddiefan- Glad you like "The Gift". I'm really stretching myself for it and it's been a challenge. But I'm working and chapter 4 and I've already got chapter 5 and 6 of it almost done. Got stuck on 4.
Patriot for Christ- I'm sorry if I have given offense but I feel the term is used by many regular people and I am trying to make Jenny as normal as possible. Also with what the X-Men go through every day I really don't see them being that careful about their language. I admit Jenny has kinda run away with me but I hope the length of the story is worth it. I do thank you for your compliment on my portrayal of Kurt. This is mostly the way I've always seen him. There's so many sides to these characters that it's sometimes hard to see which way to go with them. Glad you like the direction.
CaptainTish- Jenny bounced back pretty quickly this time (or so it seems) because she has people who care about her, just as you said. I admit to not having really thought about Jean too much. Scott yes, but not Jean as I mainly use her as a side character. Might have to change that someday. Hmm, maybe she has unknown leadership potential...
xmenloganfan- Aren't they just cute together? Hank would have worked out just as well probably but I just had to go with Kurt.
ronlovesme- Sorry, but I was using the AOL translator and I have been informed it gave me the wrong version of "wait". I'll correct it at some point when I have some time.
Shorty McGee- Thank you! I try but I'm never completely sure so I appreciate your input. I love when someone else sees them the way I do. Or at least can see they could be this way.
GothikStrawberry- Hey back! Thanks for explaining the differences in the two versions of "wait". I have no idea how someone not familiar with the language would be able to tell the difference when using a program like I was. Hopefully that was the only one that was wrong though. I wouldn't do anything really serious to Jenny. Well, not anything more. Bad stuff just sometimes has to happen but I try to make it beneficial in the end. And I don't think certain people would have forgiven me if I had let Mike live. Like my beta.
Jinxeh- Don't worry about being because I can't remember the last time I logged in to review you. Figured you knew who it was. And Jenny is getting better all the time. Other people on the other hand...
B Oots- Unfortunately, I really don't go into much detail about Jubilee's reaction. But think major hissy fit. There's going to be another short story after chapter 15 which add a little more detail to Jenny's revcovery though.

For some reason not all the reviews got to me until I checked them to answer, so I hope I didn't leave anyone out. This part is starting to get a little long each time but want to acknowledge everyone. I did actually recieve a complaint about it in an email and I have to say I intend to keep answering my reviews unless ff make a rule against it (which I don't see happening). For any that are offended by this, I suggest skipping the endnote as it's not necessary for the story in most cases.

I have to apologize because I seem to be stuck on the last chapter (number 20) but that will hopefully be of benefit as I am writting another short story to try to get my mind off it. That's actually how the last short story came about and the next one too, which as I said will come after chapter 15. I figure I have time with the other chapters and the short stories to post to get it done. By the way, the story I have been hinting at is the week Wolvie is gone to take care of Stroud. So you know he is stopped. We just don't have the details. Maybe Wolvie will tell us about it someday.

Next chapter: Kurt's proposal! He just had to get right on it.

Thanks for reading and the support,
Dizi