BACK TO SCHOOL
CHAPTER 15: SLOW RECOVERY
It had been a couple of days since the night with the tankers and so far none of Spears trucks or any other ones had been seen in the town. They had set up a few devices covertly to monitor the area there the water could be spiked again. So far nothing was happening and the Morlocks had been quiet. Although Logan being the pessimist that he was only commented that this was just the calm before the storm. Beast was still hard at work studying part of the sample they got as another was sent off to Muir Island.
Also the other mutants affected were slowly starting to get stronger. With no more poison being put into the water that meant no more of the toxin was building up in their system. Their bodies were slowly starting to recover especially thanks to Gale's healing powers.
A few were actually going back to school although not as strong as they were. At the moment Jean was in her room trying to get through a large amount of homework she was working on. She had a lot to deal with and she was finally strong enough to do it.
She sighed to herself as she looked at the notes that came along with it. She had asked Scott to find Peter and see if he could help since they had a few of the same classes. He apparently was very helpful and ever gave her copies of his notes. Thankfully the photocopies of his handwriting were well done she would have to thank him for this personally when she got the chance.
She was sitting at her desk finishing studying part of what she had to read from her textbook. She had just finished when she felt the aches in her body and stopped to stretch. 'Oh god I need a break from all of this.'
There was a silent knock and then Scott poked his head in, "Hey how are you doing?"
"Physically or mentally?" She said slightly exasperated. Then she pinched the bridged of her nose. "Sorry…just feeling a little tired and exhausted from catching up."
Scott was worried that she was pushing herself Jean always pushed herself to be the best. She worked hard on her grades and in the sports she played, even with her own powers sometimes. There were times he thought she was pushing herself too hard and would burn herself out. He never really got why she felt the need to keep pushing herself but he never asked.
Maybe some time when it got worst but now he just walked up behind her and placed his hands on her shoulders. He stared to gently work at the tension he felt there and she seemed to start to relax. Jean didn't fight what was Scott was doing, he had done this a few times but more so ever since they started dating.
Truth was Scott had learned how to really know how to relieve stress from her body like this, Jean was sure she wouldn't be able to relax as much without him. She felt the tension in her shoulders start to melt away and she rested her head against him. Her eyes closed just enjoying this, god how she needed this at the moment.
She opened up their link and felt the warmth that always flowed out of it.
She truly loved this and Scott, she had never known that you could feel this way about another person. She felt like he was a part of her, he touched her in ways that didn't seem real and she felt them. She couldn't imagine her life without him. Sure they were still young, not ever twenty yet but she knew the truth.
That deep in her heart she knew, that she had found true love, her other half, her soul mate. Scott had been there for her since childhood and she had tried to be there for him as well. She failed in that in the last few years but she was making up for it. "That feels wonderful."
"Glad it works, you're really tense," Scott said as he moved some of her long beautiful hair out of the way and kissed her neck. She giggled a bit feeling his lips there.
"Well being poisoned and missing school isn't exactly the best thing for us," Jean sighed losing the good mood she had been in. She just couldn't believe what Spears had done, the deaths from it and nearly dying herself and the others. She had never been so appalled or angry in her life about something. She actually wanted to hurt Spears, she knew she shouldn't think such things but this was not only an attack on mutants. It was an attack on her friends on her extended family.
Scott stopped and leaned down to hug her. He felt the same way and he felt her lean into the hug as he gave it. "The Professor is calling a few people, he's trying to get evidence that Spears was illegally dumping at the moment as well as other things."
"Will it be enough?" Jean said her voice slightly strained, "I mean he should be in jail! It's not fair Scott we didn't do anything and yet because the only proof we have are his truck dumping something in the water with no real proof of what it's just…" She felt like wanting to break something anything at the moment.
When a shatter sound was heard they both jumped and she saw that a picture of her family that she kept on her desk the glass had shattered. Jean's anger turned to fear as she realized she lost control. She quickly pulled up all her mental barriers and defences scared of what else might happen.
"Jean, we will get this guy I promise you," Scott told her. He worried about her when she got like this, Jean have to blow off steam gradually at times and normally in the Danger Room because things like that happened. Hell he was thinking of going a few rounds himself to work off the aggravation he was feeling as well.
"No matter what Spears will not get away with this," He assured her.
Jean sighed she really hoped they did, the thought of him getting away with this was just something she or anyone else in the mansion couldn't stand to see happen. But then another knock on her door was heard, "Yes?"
Both mutants were surprised to see a certain familiar face, "Hey boy am I glad I found the right room this place is bigger then I remembered."
"Taryn?" Jean said pleasantly surprised to see her. They had been talking and getting back into their friendship lately and it was nice to see her here. "What are you doing here?"
The dark haired girl just shrugged, "Well I was visiting my parents for the weekend it being Friday and all. Plus I get to do my laundry over the weekend here and I can get away from the dorm for a few days."
"Those guys next door again?" Jean winced remembering a few things she had said of the people in the dorm next to hers. Mainly due to the fact one of the girls liked to listen to loud music all the time.
"Yeah I swear I'm thinking of looking into sharing an apartment or something," She sighed and looked at Jean. She was a little pale and there were some fading darkness under her eyes. "God Jean…You don't look so good."
Jean and Scott started to explain the events of the last week. How Jean had been 'sick' as it were as well as what they had found out about the cause of it. By the end of it Taryn looked a little pale and had a horrified look on her face.
She was actually fighting the urge to throw up because of how sick to her stomach this made her. She knew people would hate others that were different but to this extend. It made her physically ill thinking of someone poisoning the water supply and to learn there were already some fatalities. You never heard of stuff like this on the news at least not in this country and from how they explained the Morlocks she knew no one would learn of their deaths.
At least not right away.
The thought of people just being murdered and no one outside of the mutant community not caring or knowing was a total shock to her. She never once thought things would get that bad for mutants in the world.
"Hey are you okay?" Scott asked seeing her like this.
"I…God this is horrible…why can't you tell the world about this? I mean people should know about it!"
"We want to trust me we're doing all we can to bring Spears down," Jean told her in a tone she had never heard the red head use before. It was more hardened then she had ever heard Jean speak before but after all of this Taryn could guess why.
"Unfortunately we want evidence, because we don't want him to get away from it. We don't want the world to think we're making this up or some other crap like that," Scott fumed since everyone knew that a mutant's word against a 'respected' business man would be laughed at.
Taryn didn't know what to think, it just seemed like the world was too full of injustice these days. Plus what really hurt was that mutants had no allies. No one to speak up for them or to help them it seemed to her. She suddenly felt extremely bad about how she had pushed them away when they had been exposed.
She couldn't imagine what it was like to be so alone against the world. 'Some say that mutants are monsters but looking at them…I don't see monsters. I see friends and people who have suffered under humans. God…who are the true monsters here? They have every right to hate humans for this but they only look at the single man responsible.'
She had that thought in the back of her mind as she talked with the two of them catching up. Although in her mind she was thinking and planning of something else. Something that may help redeem herself in her eyes and to help those that could use it.
-Kitty and Danielle's room-
Kitty and Danielle both were feeling better although Dani a bit more so. Kitty hadn't been up for school although she wanted to go, she hated missing her school work but thankfully Dani managed to get her homework for her. She also hated being in her bed most of the day but whenever she tried to walk she kept getting dizzy.
So she was stuck on her bed with her lap top. At least she was able to write in her journal and look up a few other things as well. Not to mention a little computer research as well and anything to keep her mind busy. Lockheed also helped with that as well. Well mainly it was her trying to hack into Spears' company computers, after all she and her friends were nearly killed by this guy.
She knew it wasn't 'ethical' but then neither was making a deadly poison against mutants. So far she hadn't gotten anything interesting and was taking a break from that today. Now she was busy with her homework trying to catch up, and helping Dani out as well.
Kitty eventually sighed and threw her books away, she may be an A student but she still didn't like all the homework that piled up, "I am so glad it's the beginning of school and not in the middle. I'd would totally never be done in time."
"Yeah well at least the Principle was giving us some slack." Dani admitted.
"Totally, he's a step up from Kelly that's for sure."
"Although those Hellion creeps are still getting in our faces as well as the others jerks," Dani sighed as she closed her own book mentally tired. And with her powers that might not be smart to accidentally give people nightmares because her mental barriers on her gift were too weak.
"Yeah that's the one thing I didn't miss about that," Kitty said to her.
It was then that their door opened and Kitty's face lit up to see the tall dark haired Russian boyfriend of hers. And with two trays of food with him that he was carefully balancing. "Hello I thought you two may not be up for dinner so I had thought to bring you some."
"Awwww, that's so sweet of you," Kitty smiled at him touched by his act. She was happy to see a vegetarian mean all ready for her. Dani's was a nice steak with potatoes the tray was on her lap at it had small legs on it were she put her own legs under it.
"Is there anything else I can help with?" Piotr asked the both of them.
Dani looked at Kitty, "Okay I finally admit it, you're right. He is the sweetest guy on the planet." She joked as both girls giggled when the tall Russian young man's cheeks went slightly red. "You wouldn't happen to have a brother would you?"
Although it was meant in good fun his face did drop a bit from that. "I did once he was my older brother Mikhail."
Both girls heard him use the past tense and Dani immediately regretted saying anything. "Oh god I'm so sorry I didn't mean to bring up anything like that." She knew all too well how hard it was when you lost family. She lost her own parents to a bear attack even to this day she was scared to death of bears.
"It is alright it happened years ago, Illyana was only a baby at the time." He spoke in a soft voice but his eyes held the pain in them. She spoke on and both girls could hear the love in his voice when he spoke of his family. "I looked up to him, I try to be the brother I am to my sister as he was to me. I idolized my older brother and my family had been proud of him."
Neither girl knew what to say about this, even Kitty hadn't know that he once had a brother. He rarely talked about his family other then his sister and she guessed some wounds were just too deep to talk about. She also wanted to go over to him and put her arms around him, so far he had lost everyone but his little sister in his family.
Piotr shook off the sadness at that point though, not wanting to dwell on the past to much, "So if there is nothing else?"
"Well can you take Lockheed to the kitchen for his meal?" Kitty eventually asked him thinking she'd get to talking to him about that another time.
"Of course Katya."
"Okay then," She looked to her little purple pet dragon, "Go on Lockheed he'll give you something to eat." The little dragon looked at her for a moment then to her own food. There was no meat and so he wasn't interested in that. So he flew off and landed on Piotr shoulder making Kitty giggle a bit at the site.
-Later-
Kurt was bone dead tired he already was finally eating again although not as much. His stomach was a little unsettled as it were and so he had to eat gradually. So of course he wasn't getting enough energy to his system.
He had just gotten out of the shower and it did make him feel a bit better to wash his fur. He looked into the mirror at his reflection and although he never once thought himself on par with people like Johnny Deep or Brad Pitt he sure didn't look any better then he normally did.
His eye were a bit tired, his fur seemed to be a bit duller in color and no more lustre to it. He signed to himself thinking about turning it in early or something. It was getting a bit late and he thought if he wanted to go back to classes tomorrow he might as well get well rested.
He brushed his teeth, and cleaned off his fur. He also took a hairbrush to it as well, thankfully his fur wasn't that thick but it still had to be managed a few times. 'If girls complain about zheir hair zhey should try a full body of hair.' He joked to himself.
He put on some boxers and pants with a nice hole in the back for his tail of course and a tank top shirt. He only wore light clothing to bed anyway given how hot it got for him with all the fur over his body. He had just pulled back the covers and was about to take a nice long sleep when there was a knock on his door.
He muttered a few German curses, something he only did alone given that his mother never liked to hear that kind of language out of his mouth. He sighed debating if he should ignore it or not, but eventually he pushed himself up and went to open the door.
"Oh hey sis," He managed a smile at seeing Rogue. She was still dressed and she looked a little tired. 'Most likely from worrying so much, I just hope she doesn't get anymore white in her hair because of it.'
Rogue smiled just seeing her brother, by the looks he was getting ready for bed so she wouldn't keep him up. She just wanted to see him up and around one last time, the past few days had been hard on her as with everyone. But having her close friend sick, her brother and boyfriend with the role of added responsibility since Jean had been out had taken a toll on her.
The only good thing was that her friendship with Scott was slowly getting put back together.
"Hey ya little brotha, just seein' how y'all are doin'," She said to him in her familiar Mississippi accent.
He gave her a warm smile, they had come a long way. At first enemies, then allies, then as friends and now family. They had taken a large hit to their relationship with that shattering of the stone Mystique, it had nearly been completely destroyed. But they had eventually made up and now they were closer then ever now.
"I'm doing vell, just tired. You should get some rest as vell sis, you look so very tired."
That brought a small smile to her face, Kurt was always thinking of others no matter what. "Yeah ah will, ah just wanted to see ya before I did." She paused for a moment trying to think of how to say what she wanted to say. She had never been good with talking about her emotions but now she just needed to tell him.
"Kurt…ah just…well…when y'all were sick…I was just really scared, ah mean ah thought that…" She trailed off not sure how to go on, she wasn't even looking at him anymore in the eyes.
Kurt saw this and went in closer placing his hands on her arms rubbing them, "Hey it's okay, I know you vere vorried, but I knew zhat as long as zhere vere those that cared about me I vould be okay."
She looked at him then not sure what to say to that. Kurt just smiled and gently pulled her into a hug, she didn't do anything at first but she did hug him back. It just felt comforted like this and it was something she just needed. She pulled away feeling a little silly about this, "Well…ah'll let ya get some sleep, ah'll see ya in the morning okay?"
"Sure thing sis." He said and watched her leave. He had to admit having Rogue for a sister was certainly interesting for his life. He closed the door hoping that she felt better and once more had just reached his bed when a knock came. She sighed and hung his head and then looked to the heavens, 'This is some type of test on patience isn't it?'
He opened the door and any frustration left as he saw Amanda there. He should have known since when he woke up she had barely left his side not that he minded. "Hey Kurt…can I come to talk?"
"Yeah, sure." He gestured for her to walk in. They both sat on his bed as she looked like something was bothering her. "Amanda vhat's wrong?"
She felt his hand on hers but she didn't look into his golden eyes, "I'm scared."
"Scared?"
She nodded her head. "Yes scared, Kurt I…everything is so difficult now. I mean sure I think I've grown as a person while here. But…I nearly lost you…I…Kurt I love you so much and the thought of you dying...it tore me up inside."
He saw a few tears running down her cheek and he wiped them off. He pulled her close to him and she just buried her face into his chest holding him like if she let go she would never be able to hold him again. He just held her until she had composed herself. "I'm sorry Kurt…it's just that everything had been so chaotic…I miss the days when we didn't have to worry about stuff like this. Back before mutants were exposed…is that wrong of me?"
Kurt had thoughts like that as well, things were so simpler back then. He and Amanda had dated out in the open without anyone given them any problems and things were simpler. But he guess that was the price of growing up. "It's okay, I zhink everyvone zhinks that at vone time or anozher."
She sighed just resting her head against him. Things sure were complicated and seemed to only get worst some days. When Kurt had first gotten sick she had been so worried, she had cried her heart out in her room. Thankfully Claire had found her and held her through it.
"I just hope whatever is going to happen to Spears happens soon. I'm still worried about the water in this town."
Kurt nodded his head stroking her long hair. He rested his head on hers and he had to admit that they all could use time off. Although what really sucked was that the school year just started. He just hoped he could survive this year.
Amanda was feeling better in Kurt's arms and enjoying the silence. "Kurt just promise me something…that things will be okay? I need to hear that from at least someone." There was silence then and she got a little confused to his hesitation. "Kurt?"
She pulled out and found he had fallen asleep. She smiled as she helped him into bed and tucked him in. He was mumbling something in German although she wasn't sure what. After that she just sat on his bed stoking the side of his face watching him sleep. He looked very cute when she was asleep.
Amanda was actually considering just curling up next to him but even though that was very tempting she would have to save it for later. She just kissed him on the lips lightly seeing a small smile grow on his face. She smiled back as she teleported back to her own room for the night.
While those two were together Rogue made one last trip for the night, she got to his door and opened it a bit. She walked in seeing Vincent there on his bed just resting it looked like. He saw her and waved her in with a smile. She closed the door behind her and sat on his bed as he sat with her, "So feeling better? Ah just saw Kurt and he's doin' well only tired."
Vince nodded his head, "Yeah sounds like me, it's strange feeling so drained all day. But I think a good nights rest will help with that." He smiled at her then he looked a bit more seriously, "How are you holding up?"
"Fahne," She shrugged but he didn't buy it. She looked like hell and she wasn't looking at him. He knew the signs when she lied, mainly because she wasn't good at it.
"Rogue," He said to her in a tone that she could tell he wasn't buying it.
"It's just…God all the pressure and everything is just gettin' ta eh…" She exasperated shaking her head. "Ah mean when ah saw you all in those beds…And ah thought that ah'd lose one or even all of ya…" She didn't finished as she pulled her knees up to her chest.
It was just a scary thought, she hadn't felt like this since when they thought Xavier and Ororo had been 'killed' by Apocalypse. Combined with the fact that April had actually died on the lawn and she had seen her die…It just drove it home that they weren't immortal or unbeatable. They cold be beaten and they could be killed and it scared her to death.
She felt his arms wrap around her and she just lost herself in his comforting embrace. "I know," He said almost as if reading her mind, "Trust me I know. But just remember that we aren't alone in this, that you're not alone anymore. Together we all will get through this."
His words made her feel a bit better but words can only do so much. She needed his love as well as his understanding.
She looked up into those light blue eyes and moved closer to kiss him. She wrapped her arms around his neck pulling in as close as she could. He responded by wrapping his own around her waist. Both of them kissed passionately for a minute. Rogue had never known such feelings until she could touch was slowly realizing she had a passionate side to her that he brought out.
She kind of liked this new side of her that had been buried for so long that was slowly being drawn out of her. They eventually they stopped a little flushed as they just stared into each others eyes. He ran a hand over her cheek as she moved her head rubbing against it, relishing the contact. When she looked back he noticed a look in her eyes.
There was a longing there, a need for something anything to help push the pain aside that she was in now. "Please…can ah stay here tonight?" She asked him nearly pleading with him.
"Are you sure?" he asked her gently, he got his answer with a kiss to his mouth.
Later that night Vince was on his back under the covers of his bed with Rogue sleeping on him using his shoulder as a pillow. He was very tired now but Rogue needed comfort and something to help and he didn't mind. Hey he was a guy after all although he would admit it wasn't as great given how tired they both had been but it had still been good.
He listened to her breathing from it he knew she was asleep. He just looked at her face as one of his hands lightly went up and down the skin of her back. He just wanted to watch her sleep and make sure she was sleeping well before he himself just dropped.
Vince hated how he had worried her like that if it had been her sick he knew that he would be the same way. It just didn't seem fair, why did the world seem to pick on mutants and them in particular? Both of them had it kind of rough and some times he wondered if the x-gene came with a target on it.
He looked at her face, she seemed a bit more at ease now at least. He had to admit that he wished he could take all her pain and fears away he wanted to do that since she had helped him with his own as well. But he guessed the best they could do was just be there for each other, to lend each other their strength and support and hope it was enough.
He knew she was a very strong woman but everyone had weak moments. She just only showed those moments to those she truly trusted in life. He felt honoured that she considered him one of them. He looked at her wondering how things would work out, they were all healing physically but mentally and emotionally everyone was still shaken by this.
No one really said anything but you could tell. No one was drinking water except out of bottles now and people were still using the rain water just to be safe. Everyone was feeling a little vulnerable at the moment. Vincent knew they'd heal from this but it would be a moment to remember for them all, another of life's lessons in how hard life can be on you.
He sighed to himself thinking about how depressing he could be when he started to brood about things like this. Here he was in bed with a beautiful woman who he just made love to sleeping like a baby and what was all he could think about? The horrors of life and people and running through every single bad thing that could happen.
'God I need a new hobby then thinking of the worst case scenario,' He shook his head at this. There wasn't much he could do at the moment so might as well just enjoy this moment instead of wasting it. He kissed her goodnight as he just watched her sleep. It was strangely calming and soon found himself falling asleep.
NEXT UP CHAPTER 16: ACTIONS
I was thinking of putting a Blink/Ororo/Logan scene in here but it was running long if I did. I'll see if I can put it in somewhere else.