Chapter 7: The Burnout Infernal
Below Surface Levels, Medical Wing
The large room was a mass of rushing about as the resident doctors took care of the wounded. Mindee was sitting on a bed, surrounded by her sisters who questioned her about her first trip out without them. It was something they were trying out, to be more independent from each other. Dr. Madison had one of his machines with him, scanning her body to see if she suffered anything else.
Pixie was in operation being taken care of by Dr. Nemesis, who was removing the bullet fragments from her arm. Hellion was nearby watching as the good doctor worked his magic.
Rogue was under sedation being worked on by Dr. Rao. Her shoulder wound was deep and needed to be taken care of before she could allow Josh Foley, the golden mutant healer, to heal the wound shut.
Josh's efforts were being concentrated on Laura along with Beast as they tried to stop the bleeding. She was hanging on by a thread, her life-signs faint. Elixir was doing his best to heal her but all his efforts were slow at best. It seemed that the bullets fired on Laura contained all kinds of toxins and an unknown element which were overworking Laura's healing abilities. Elixir healed her physical wounds enough so she wouldn't bled to death. She would need a blood transfusion but Wolverine hadn't returned from his team mission yet.
The only ones who weren't being attended to was Gambit and Dawn.
It wasn't as of they hadn't been offered medical attention when they first arrived but Dawn had thrown up her golden shield preventing anyone from getting too close to her and Gambit. Dawn hid her head in Gambit's neck the whole time he talked her in letting down her field so they could get out of the jet and to medical when the others left with those that needed to medical attention.
They now sat apart from the rest of the room, a sheet separating them from the others. Gambit would have liked to have their own room to calm Dawn but all the rooms were going to be needed when the operations were over. Dawn was leaning against his uninjured side, sitting quietly though one of her fingers was ticking against her leg. Gambit kept note of it as he looked over Dawn.
Her eyelids kept dropping and when he thought she would sleep she would jerk with a gasp and open her eyes wide. He rubbed her shoulders to calm her down but he could see that it had little effect.
She sucked in a hiss, squeezing her eyes in pain.
"Headaches?" he asked. Dawn nodded. "My stomach hurts. I felt like I'm going to throw up." She curled closer to him.
"Why don' you sleep? It'll make you feel better."
Dawn shook her head before sitting up straight, pulling on Gambit and making him wince. Before he could ask what was wrong, the curtain opened and Emma Frost and Cyclops entered. The sheet fell back in place as Gambit sat up straighter.
"Gambit we need to talk." Cyclops said. "And you need medical attention. The both of you need to be looked at by the doctors."
"Well de talk will have t' wait til Dawn gets looked at." Gambit said."She comes first before everyt'ing yeah?"
"Of course." Cyclops said with a nod. "She comes first."
"Dawn let's get you checked out okay?" Emma Frost held her hand out to Dawn. Dawn shook her head. "Come dear, it will be all right."
Dawn shook her head again. "No. Papa needs to be looked at first. He's hurt."
"He will get looked at. But you need to be looked at by the doctors as well." Emma Frost tried again, smiling now. "Come with me and-"
"No!" Dawn said, her eyes flashing. Emma Frost stepped back. "Papa gets look at first. He's bleeding and it hurts when he breathes. It's like a red hot knife stabbing him in the chest every time he takes a breath." Dawn put her hands against her own chest, over the same spot Gambit's wound is.
"How do you know cherie?" Gambit asked. Dawn frowned thoughtfully and turned back to him.
"I—I can feel you." She paused and looked back at Emma Frost. "Just like I can feel how scared she is of me. And you," she pointed to Cyclops. "I can feel how unsettled you are about everything I just said and you're thinking back at the fire in New Orleans and how it was just like seeing-?"
Dawn slapped her hand over her mouth, her eyes wide. On the other side of the large room, the rapid beeping of the machines set off alarms as Beast yelled, "She's crashing! Get the cart over here now!"
Dawn grabbed Gambit's hand in her own in a blind panic as she fell to her knees, struggling to breathe. Gambit joined her on the floor, calling for her name as Beast called "Clear!" and pressed the paddles to Laura's chest. Dawn cried out and her body jerked in violent spasms before falling limp.
"What's happening to her!" Cyclops yelled as Gambit pulled Dawn in his arms, her nails digging into his arms with tears in her eyes. Cyclops looked to Emma for answers and Emma complied immediately, using her telepathy to search for the reason for Dawn's distress. They couldn't lose Dawn!
The dive into Dawn's mind was hectic at best, so many things flashing pass Emma that couldn't hope to identify all the things she saw. The strain could be felt the longer she searched but then she felt a jerk in a direction and was pulled along. Darkness and light merged to create red followed by green...green eyes that she linked to one of the most important person in Dawn's life.
Laura.
"Oh god, she's mind linked with Laura!" Emma Frost said in shock, her fingers pressed to her temples as she pulled out of Dawn's mind. "I have to break it before she is sucked in any further."
"Do it now!" Cyclops ordered, watching helplessly as Dawn jerked again in spasms as Beast pressed the paddles to Laura's chest. She was unresponsive and Beast started on CPR as Elixir used his powers to keep her brain alive though her body was shutting down.
Dawn was panicking, her eyes searching for the cause of her troubles but finding none. She was struggling to get air in her lungs, sweat falling from her face as she clung to Gambit who was trying to soothe her as best he could. Emma grabbed Dawn's face in her hands, forcing Dawn to look at her.
"Focus on me. Listen to me!" Emma demanded when Dawn tried to pull away. "You need to focus on me. I need to get in your mind."
Listen to me. Let me in.
Emma dove into Dawn's mind only to slam into a wall. She let out a cry as did Dawn. Emma felt blood leak from her nose. Dawn struggled in Emma's hands, so much that Gambit had to hold her hands down to keep her still though it killed him to keep her down. He felt his chest wound reopening from all the movement and gritted his teeth to keep the pain down.
'Dawn it will be okay. Let me in.' Emma tried again, probing a bit harder when the wall wouldn't come down. She could sense another wave coming and protected herself. It crashed into her astral form, almost throwing her out of Dawn's mind but she held strong and the wave was gone.
'Dawn.'
'Dawn.'
((dawnie))
'Who are you?' Emma called out, trying to discover the source of this new voice. It couldn't be Dawn, it felt different, like someone else was in Dawn's mind but it couldn't be possible. There were very few telepaths left and she could identify their mental signatures.
((dawnie. let her in)) The walls wavered and a crack appeared, allowing Emma to slip through to reach Dawn's mind.
"She's not responding. Quick, we have to turn the power on higher." Beast ordered Elixir as he nodded and turned up the power on the machine. "Clear!"
"Beast wait!" Cyclops threw open the curtains and marched over to Beast where he had the paddles in his hands, ready to press them against Laura. "You can't do that!"
"What? She's dying Cyclops!" Beast protested.
"And if you put those on Laura, then you're killing Dawn." Cyclops said.
"What?"
"Dawn is telepathically linked to Laura. She's feeling everything that is happening to her. If you put those on Laura, she'll feel it and not just mentally but physically as well." Cyclops explained as best he could.
"She is dying Scott." Beast pointed out as Elixir kept working on Laura. His hands were compressing on Laura's chest.
"And you're killing Dawn." Cyclops shook his head. "We just need time. Emma is working on breaking the mind link Dawn has with Laura."
"Easy petite. Easy. Come back." Gambit spoke to Dawn, soothing her hair back from her face.
"Papa." Dawn wheezed, sucking in air but feeling like she wasn't getting enough. Tears were falling down her cheeks, as she struggled in his arms. "I can't breathe. I can't-I can't-I can feel them. I can feel everyone." She squeezed her eyes shut.
"Oh god. It hurts."
'Who are you?' Emma tried to ask the voice again. A flash blinded her momentarily and she closed her eyes with a wince. When she opened them again, she felt a warmth in front of her, like a burning fire that was burning brightly.
((dawnie. let go. you have to let go.)) Emma got a better sense of the voice then. It sounded like a boy, no older than twelve, of someone who was confident and sure.
i'm so scared. Dawn's voice was echoing in the mind scape, so scared and unsure of herself. Being overwhelmed. Drowning.
Emma raced to Dawn, wanting to help her but someone (something) overwhelmed her, almost smothering her very sense of self. She struggled to free herself when she froze as the presence spoke.
Do not be afraid. I am here.
thank you. Dawn relief could be felt all over and Emma cried out in warning as the presence overtook everything on the mind scape and drowned out everything.
"I won't let Laura die. I cannot!" Beast growled, his feral yellow eyes flashing. He had taken an oath as a doctor and not doing everything he could to save a life was breaking that oath. "Clear!"
"Hank no!" Cyclops yelled, reached for Beast's hands as he pressed the paddles to Laura's chest. She jerked in the bed, sparks flashing from the machine as it was overloaded. "NO!"
Dawn screamed as fire exploded out of her, a fiery raptor screaming in freedom with its wings wide and practically overwhelming the room before it dove into Laura's body, surrounding her in flames. Everyone backed away from the scene before the flames died out, leaving Laura unscathed on a blacken bed. A moment passed before she opened her eyes and breathed in her first breathe.
She sat up and looked around the room.
"Where am I?" she asked.
Cyclops stepped back as Beast and Elixir rushed to check on Laura who seemed to appear perfectly fine and healed.
"Dawn!" He felt a cold jolt hit him when he heard Gambit's voice and rushed back to Dawn and Emma. He grabbed the pole nearest him to keep from falling to his knees as he took in the scene before him."Dawn wake up! Dawn!"
Gambit was holding a limp Dawn in his arms, pleading for her to wake up. She was unconscious and oh so pale, like she hadn't seen the sun in ages and unresponsive to Gambit's cries as he held her in his arms, shaking her form. He looked up at Cyclops, tears falling from his eyes, a man who was desperate and on the verge of losing everything. "She's not responding." he said. "She's not-" He shook his head.
Emma laid sprawled on the ground like a tossed doll. She looked like she was sleeping and he prayed that she was only unconscious as he felt the weight of what happened crash on his shoulders. He could still feel Emma through the psi bond they had but it offered little comfort.
"Scott." He felt a hand on his shoulders. "Let me take it from here."
He nodded weakly as his mentor walked pass him to kneel before Gambit, putting a calming hand on his shoulder. Gambit was holding Dawn close to his chest, his hand digging into her hair and rocking on his knees. He had wiped his tears away but you could still see the signs written across his face.
"Do not be afraid Gambit." he said, easing Dawn more comfortable in his arms. "Come, let's get her to a bed. After all," He let out a deep sigh. "It has been a very long day."
"Is she-?" Gambit couldn't finish his sentence.
Xavier closed his eyes briefly before nodding. "She will be fine. She is just tired I believe."
Gambit shook his head in disbelief. Xavier smiled gently. "Please Remy, humor this old man. Come, let's go put Dawn down and I will explain everything I believe is happening."
Gambit nodded numbly as he followed after the man he always put his trust in.
An hour later, the top members of the X-men gathered in Gambit's room, freshly patched up from his injury. Elixir offered to heal him but Gambit wanted to wait until after the meeting. Dawn slept in the bed next to him, always in his line of sight with Laura standing guard between Dawn and the rest of the room. Xavier stood patiently as Cyclops stood with Emma who was rubbing her head, wincing everything once in the while. Cyclops offered to give her a recap but she demanded to be at the meeting, despite the raging migraine she had.
"Professor, can you tell us what the hell just happened?" Cyclops asked. The room looked surprised at their leader. He usually was so calm and in control. But after the backlash of psychic energy hours before, the New Orleans fire, Purifiers attacking and Dawn's mysterious powers was chipping away at his wall of stoic control. He was the leader of the remaining mutants, he had to do everything in his power to keep the threats away, even those close to home.
"She's come into her powers." Professor said, getting straight to the point.
"She did that in New Orleans." Emma pointed out.
"Ah. I believe that was something else. And no, I have nothing solid to share about what happened there. I will let everyone know when I do. For now, it would be unwise to share." Xavier explained before adding. "It will do more harm than good to reveal what I know what at this point."
Cyclops didn't pleased with that reply. Neither did Emma.
"You're on thin ice Professor." Gambit spoke up from the bed. "I don' like dat."
"I understand your concerns Remy." Xavier said to Gambit who glared at the room as if they had done something to him. "She is your daughter and as a father, you would do everything you can to prevent harm from befalling her. I am afraid though, this is beyond your control."
"Whattya mean?"
"Dawn's power is overwhelming her." Xavier turned to the rest of the room, his eyes looking to each member. "She is powerful and so young to have come into those powers at such a crucial point in her life. At that point in her life." He shook his head sadly.
"I do not understand Professor." Storm spoke up, her velvet voice carrying a sense of calm. "Why do you speak like this?"
"I've spoken with Mindee," he nodded to the blonde girl surrounded by her sisters. "And she shared with me what she gathered while in New Orleans. A girl was shot right in front of Dawn. A girl who is by all accounts, Dawn's only friend. I believe that the trauma of witnessing that incident had awaken her telepathy and her empathy."
"She was feeling her friend's death at a very personal level."
Storm covered her mouth in shock as did Kitty Pryde. To feel someone you love dying was hard but to feel it as if it were happening to you, to feel that fear and pain and sadness...
"But that girl is alive." Cyclops pointed out. "There is no reports of a girl dying, only three burnt remains of men that have yet to be identified. Which has proven to be impossible due to the damage done to them. The source of the fire was at the school, it had spread along the path that Dawn took. She healed Laura from death!"
"I do not believe the fire was Dawn's fault." Xavier stated calmly. "I believe it was someone else. Whoever it is, we can't concern ourselves with. As for Laura, I believe that Dawn helped push Laura pass the limits of her healing ability. It can be done. But right now, I need to prepare you for when Dawn awakes from the telepathic induced sleep I've put on her."
"Hey. Dat's not right!" Gambit said upset. Laura's claws popped out and her eyes narrowed, putting everyone on alert.
"It was the only way. I'm sorry Remy, but there wasn't much I can do for her right now keep her stable. You have to understand, I can't stop her." Xavier held his hands up as Laura took a step towards him
"Stop her. You act like she is doing something she shouldn't." Laura said, her voice low but loud enough for everyone to hear her. "Dawn is a good girl. She is my family, she would never do something wrong."
"Stand down X." Cyclops ordered and her eyes flashed angrily towards him.
"I am not an X-man. You cannot give me orders." Laura said coldly.
"Please, please." Xavier spoke up. "Let me finish."
"Laurie?" Remy asked and Laura frowned slightly before she popped her claws back in and returned to Dawn's side.
"Dawn is reaching out telepathically. Its not much and not interfering with anyone right now but that can change once she wakes up. Even now, I can feel her mind reaching out, connecting with everyone on the island. It's an incredible gift she has but one that is equally dangerous, to herself and to others." Xavier explained. Emma looked startled and turned to diamond form which surprised the room. Xavier glanced over at her. "Emma..."
"She can't get inside. I refuse." Emma stated. She stormed out of the room. She wouldn't let Dawn into her mind...not her.
Xavier nodded in sympathy but didn't say anything else. He looked to Remy who looked forlorn and unsure. He looked like he wanted to grab Dawn and run...run as long and far as possible. But he had been running all this time. Perhaps it was time to stop and face what was coming.
"Would a putting her under a psi damper do any harm?" Cyclops asked. "If she going into everyone's mind, that would be the best choice."
"It would only prolong the event." Xavier said shaking his head before he said thoughtfully. "It would be wise to keep this from spreading through the rest of the teams. She's invading people's most private moments without even realizing it. There is no sure way of knowing what she knows until she wakes up. The best we can do is give her time to rest and heal and wait. That is all we can do for now."
"Remy, if its not to forward of me I would like to have you as a guest in my quarters after you healed." Xavier said to the worried father. "We have very nice quarters for guests of course, but I would like to speak with you about Dawn and yourself. After all, its been quite a few years since we've talked. I would like to know about your life since then. Perhaps some exploits and the adventures you've shared together."
"Sure t'ing Professor, as long as its not too far from Dawn yeah?" Gambit agreed to the Professor's request. "I don' want her to be alone. An' I gotta contact Mattie. She's no doubt worried sick bout us."
"We can have someone here watching her-" Cyclops offered.
"Non. No offense mon ami, but Dawn don' like strangers." Gambit said, stopping the man from speaking further. "Laurie can watch her til I get back."
"No one will come close, I swear." Laura promised.
"All right then. Meeting adjoined." The X-men started to exit the room, leaving with some answers but more questions. There were still so many more questions but they had to accept what was given to them for now. After all, Dawn was safe. The first mutant since the mutant birth five years ago was here with them and that was all the thanks they could ask for. Later, they could get to the bottom of the mystery that was Dawn LeBeau.
