Kurt reappeared within Hank's lab, where he activated the transmission projector. When he contacted Genosha's Palace a receiving signal appeared, but no one answered for a few minutes. Kurt's tail spun in small circles on the floor and just as he began to worry, Blink's image appeared on the screen.
"Blink, I vanted to let you know I'll be making a visit to Genosha today."
"Get out here quickly or don't come at all; there's been a disturbance in the Medical District."
"A disturbance?"
"Some mutants protesting Dr. Hartho's presence on the island are getting out of hand; vandalizing and assaulting, I don't have time for this I have to get to Wanda."
"You mean," Kurt's heart skipped a beat, "She's out zhere?"
"She is our leader, Nightcrawler, this is just part of it. I'll protect her; just get on that jet of yours fast."
Her image disappeared with a click and Kurt teleported immediately to the Mansion's underground hangar, where he was relieved to find Ororo already waiting for him.
_____________________________________________________________________________________
Wanda had managed to distill the crowd with the presence of her acolytes, who quickly isolated the most violent of the protesters and held them securely away from the rest of the mob. With the help of Lorna's magnetic fields she made her way to the head of the protest's attention; the front doors of the hospital.
When the noise had died down to a reasonable hum, she addressed the crowds.
"Dr. Hartho is a kind man; he has never done you any harm, and as the husband of a mutant he deserves the same sanctuary that Genosha offers all of you,"
Various dissenting shouts were fired her way, most along the lines of, 'Non-mutants have no place here' or 'homo-superior, no sapiens'.
"Never would we deny an all-mutant family passage; why is a human-mutant couple any different?" she shouted back.
Blink appeared by Wanda's side, emerging from an orb of neon-pink light. She reached her leader's shoulder and muttered close to her ear,
"'I've escorted the doctor and his wife to the palace, it's time to leave."
"If I don't pacify these citizens than this will all be useless; I'm staying."
Finally a protestor's voice was amplified above the collective noise, obviously the result of his powers,
"How can we harbor the enemy and still claim to be a mutant colony?"
Wanda smirked slightly at the mention of, 'the enemy' and was immediately reminded of the war-like ideologies of her father,
"Are you all so frightened by the presence of one human?"
Many fell silent at this question, until the voice-amplifier spoke again,
"When will it end? How many humans will be allowed?"
"You are all too familiar with the mainland's brutal Mutant Response Division-consider this; Mutant-sympathetic humans, friends, family and children alike, are given stigmas and persecuted on the same level as mutants themselves."
She paused for a moment as the crowd acknowledged this information, and was relieved not to hear the voice-amplifier making any comebacks.
"So if sheltering mutant-sympathetic humans becomes the means to ending mutant-persecution, we will absolutely continue to do so."
She was pleased to see most of the mutants surrounding her looked complacent, even understanding, but some refused to end their shouts, even citing the X-men as the cause of her new attitude towards humans.
"As far as Dr. Hartho is concerned, he has provided charitable medical attention to so many mutants; you should be ashamed of questioning his worthiness. I will restore his and the rest of our doctors' positions at the hospital when you show proper appreciation; meaning until these useless protests end, you'll be on your own for your medical needs."
With her final words, the crowds began to dissipate, muttering quietly. Wanda allowed herself a calming sigh, and just as she turned to face Blink her vision became blurred. She blinked and vaguely heard Lorna's worried voice shouting something in her direction, but everything around her was already darkening. She could feel herself falling and a pair of arms roughly catching her before she lost consciousness completely.
She awoke in her bed, and as she blinked and looked around in a daze, she was happy to find Kurt sitting at her bedside.
"Kurt…?" she smiled up at her lover, whose luminescent golden eyes she could see clearly even though her vision was still gradually sharpening.
"She's avake, Herr Thomas." He called towards the door.
Wanda felt Kurt's uniquely-formed hand close around her own, and slowly her mind and vision cleared. Suddenly anxiety stabbed into her like a knife and her mind was blank of all but one thought; the baby.
"Kurt, the ba-"she started, her words slurred a bit and she frowned, "The…the baby!" her free hand flew to her midsection, as if to find some proof that the tiny life was still within her.
"Just try to calm down, Vanda," Kurt said soothingly, but her heart pounded as she saw Dr. Hartho enter the room and approach her bedside. Kurt stood and moved away from the bed to allow him to move closer as he peered inquisitively into her face,
"Finally awake, Ms. Wanda?" he placed his hand beneath her jaw and tilted her face to each side,
"Keep eye-contact with me," he instructed, and Wanda did her best to comply,
"Good, good." He muttered, "She'll be fine."
"What about-"
"Don't worry about your baby, Ms. Wanda, all is well," he placed touched her stomach gently,
"I've already checked the pulse and everything's normal."
Wanda felt she could cry with the force of her relief, and looked to Kurt as the doctor left her side and attended to his medical bag resting on the dresser. Kurt gave her a reassuring smile, and sighed lightly. Lorna was the next to enter the room, dressed in a tank-top and flannel pajama pants,
"Wanda!" she cried and rushed to sit onto the edge of the bed,
"Are you okay? Oh my god I'm so glad you're awake-I was so worried!"
"I'm fine…just a little tired…what exactly happened, Lorna?"
"A psychic in the crowd…I saw her the same time Blink did, but we weren't fast enough."
"Hast Blink obtained zis psychic?" Kurt asked as he resumed his seat on a chair pulled up to the side of the bed.
"She set off an hour ago with some of the acolytes. The violent protestors have been detained to see if they can provide any information on her."
Wanda frowned and placed a hand to her forehead,
"It doesn't matter...it won't be long until they want the hospitals re-opened, then these protests will be over and done with. In the mean time, Lorna, please make sure Thomas and his wife are comfortable here."
"She's already fixed us up with an apartment on the second floor," the doctor looked to Wanda gratefully,
"Thank you so much for all of this, my wife and I are in your debt. If there's anything you need, please don't hesitate to let me know."
Lorna escourted the doctor and his wife, who had been waiting outside the room politely, to their apartment. Kurt sighed in a worried way, taking both of Wanda's hands in his own.
"Vanda-I vas so vorried, you can't put yourself in such dangerous situations in your condition."
"I have to do what I can to maintain peace here, Kurt," she looked down at the comforter a bit guiltily,
"I am their leader after all; the people of Genosha depend on me."
"You have someone else depending on you now, Vanda," he patted her stomach gently,
"Please try to be more careful." he urged.
Wanda nodded silently,
"Well now that Dr. Hartho will be living here, I'm sure both of us will be taken care of."
"I should be ze one staying here vith you, Vanda," Kurt replied guiltily, running his hand through his hair.
"No, Kurt, I know how much the X-men need you. I would never ask you to leave them."
Kurt remained silent, his yellow eyes still set on the comforter thoughtfully,
"They survived vithout me once, I'm sure they can do it again."
Wanda reached out and touched the side of his face with her hand,
"Don't, Kurt. I'll be fine on my own, I have Blink and Lorna and the acolytes to look after me. Stay with the X-men."
Kurt stared back into her eyes, but try as she might Wanda couldn't read them.