Cassie was fast asleep in her bed having a lovely dream, Nico was there then suddenly he started crying and shrieking in pain as his chest bloomed red. Cassie woke up with a start at the good dream turned bad to realize the crying was in real life as well, Cassie heard sobbing and someone in her room as well as the door wide open, at first Cassie thought it was Dylan and he'd had a bad dream. But these cries were different and they sounded like a child in pain not scared, Cassie flipped her bedside lap on and almost cried herself. It was Susie the little girl was holding a bear and crying dressed in a soft pink night shirt, her skin was cracked and oozing blood and pus. Cassie realized somehow the little girl's silvery scales had gotten dry while she slept and were now flaking off from her very body. It was alarming to see spots were Susie's scales were missing and oozing a mixture of the girls blood and pus. The parts that she wasn't covered in scales was a scary shade of unhealthy gray, her green eyes dilated horribly and glazed over in a way that made Cassie think of the one gold fish she'd ever had and accidently kill.
"It HURTS!" Susie cried brokenly rubbing her eyes and a dull dry scale falling like a dead leaf from her arm onto the carpet.
Cassie jumped out of bed and picked the girl up carefully holding her trying to soothe her, Cassie didn't need to be a doctor to know she needed help with this and it was serious. Cassie dashed down the hallway and yanked the door to Hank's room open not bothering to knock. "Hank!"
Hank jerked awake making a very unattractive snorting sound as he awoke. "What, Cassie?"
Hank at first thought he was having a very nice dream, Cassie in his room at night in nothing but a lacey pair of panties and matching nighty, but it was shattered when he noticed who she was holding and the crying.
"Hank I need you." Cassie said the fear evident in her voice.
Hank wished she needed him for different reasons
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Hank filled his bathtub up to the brim with water, running to his lab at blinding speed to get the soap mixture that was used when Susie's skin got like this and mixing in a liberal amount.
"I don't wanna go in the water please I DON'T WANNA GO IN THE WATER!" Susie screamed into Cassie's shoulder as she clung to her for dear life. Cassie felt her heart tearing at the sound and was fighting tears herself.
"Hank?" Cassie pleaded hoping he knew another way.
Hank stood there in his bathroom in nothing but a pair of black boxers his fur ruffled from sleep. "There is no getting around this Cassie's her skin has dried out far too much for her gel, if she doesn't soak then…"
Cassie got the picture she could feel Susie's skin getting worse with every moment, Cassie had wiped Susie face with the gentlest of touches, only for the skin on her cheek to crack and more pus and blood to ooze forth.
After some gentle persuasion and a promise to not leave Susie alone, Cassie was able to convince the scared five year old to sit in the tub. Cassie saw the pained look in Susie's eyes start to ebb, but the fear was clear as Susie held onto Cassie's hand for dear life.
Hank cleared his throat; Cassie looked up at him from her kneed position on the floor next to Susie in the tub. "Remember what we told you Susie had to do twice a month?"
Cassie's lip trembled as she realized she would have to make Susie put her head under water, and breath. Cassie was crying now, it felt wrong to even think of such a thing let alone do such a thing, she kept telling herself Susie's mutation made it too where she would be fine. But Cassie held back her own sobs, as Susie's echoed throughout the bathroom while Cassie slowly coaxed Susie to dip her head under the waterline. Cassie felt cold the cool tile under her legs and the water at her arms was sucking up all her body heat, but Cassie refused to move her hand from Susie's. Cassie watched as Susie sucked in a big breath of water and it took all the strength in Cassie's body to not yank the girl from the tub and perform CPR on her.
"How long do I have to do this?" Cassie asked her voice quaking.
"A few minutes an hour it varies, Jean is normally the one who deals with this not me; I'm usually not around the manor when this sort of thing happens." Hank replied quietly.
Cassie nodded as she shivered from the cold and from the experience.
Hank looked down at this woman and felt his chest swell, Cassie may not admit it but she was extraordinary, it was three o'clock in the morning and she was here with Susie. Cassie could have left once she'd gotten Susie in the bath but here she was holding a child's hand underwater Cassie was stronger than she knew. Hank then realized Cassie was in next to nothing in his bathroom. A pair of pink panties and a nighty that stopped at her hips and the sleeves nothing more than strings, Hank didn't know whether to thank or beat the person who had gotten Cassie clothes, because they had clearly given it some thought. Hank hadn't gotten a good look at the front and he knew for his sanity's sake it was for the best. Hank turned for his bedroom quickly when he felt his body tart to react at all that skin exposed, this was not the best time to be feeling horny. He quickly put the pants he'd worn before back on and grabbed his discarded sweater, he walked back in the bathroom with it.
"Here I brought you this." Hank said offering it to her to wear.
Cassie blinked up at him and reached her free hand up to it and realized with one hand prisoner in the water she wouldn't be able to get it on.
"I can't Hank, and I'll get your sweater wet." Cassie said glumly.
Hank snorted. "So what." He helped her put it on as best he could considering one hand was in Susie's death grip. "Do you think she'll let you switch hands?" Hank asked.
Cassie shrugged and lifted her arm up trying to get the massive sleeve up her arm so it wouldn't get soaked, when that was done she slipped her hand carefully out of Susie's grip and quickly reached her other hand in the water when the girl's eyes snapped open in panic. Hank slipped the sweater on the other half of her body quickly, causing the sleeve Cassie was trying not to get wet to fall down her arm into the water.
"Oh I'm sorry Hank." Cassie sighed.
Hank smoothed the sweater over her form, it was huge on her but it would serve to keep her warm at least. "Its alright Cassie, a little water won't kill it."
"But-"Cassie tried to protest, only to have a large hand cover her mouth briefly.
"Hush, she's fallen asleep it looks like." Hank said brushing wiping her face of for what felt like the hundredth time. "Would you like to go lay down? We only have a few more hours before we have to leave."
Cassie shook her head. "No, I'll want to be close to her."
Hank frowned he had no problem with missing a night of sleep, but Cassie was going to have to be stuck in a car ride with him and with more than a few cricks in her neck. "Are you sure you could take my bed Cassie, I won't be leaving her alone not until Jean wakes up at least." Hank offered.
Cassie shook her head, as she got as comfortable as she could here next to the tub while Hank sat down on the toilet and reviewed Susie's file. Cassie felt her eyes drooping after awhile she was really tired and the sweater she was wearing was large, soft, warm, and smelled like Hank. Cassie peeked tiredly over at said man; it hadn't escaped her notice when he was helping her with the sweater that Hank was half naked. His chest was covered in blue fur but Cassie could see the clear hint of muscle underneath, Hank was bigger than before Cassie noticed for the hundredth time, and a body that she would bet money on would make a professional football player jealous.
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Hank peered over the folder when he heard someone walk into his bedroom, it was now seven o'clock in the morning. Jean walked into the bathroom and took stock of what she saw there, Hank and Cassie half naked and Susie in the tub asleep.
"How is she?" Jean asked.
Hank stood up and stretched feeling every bone in his spine pop, before he led Jean out of the small bathroom. Cassie was asleep somehow in that uncomfortable position on the floor, one hand still clenched in Susie's and her head rested against the tub edge.
"She appears stable now and after a while she fell asleep." Hank said his voice tired.
"Wait you mean you were able to get Susie in the tub and under the water without sedating her?" Jean asked amazed.
Hank felt a massive yawn escape. "Ah! Excuse me, no I didn't Cassie did."
Jean was stunned normally when something like this happened no amount of pleading or begging on Jean's part could get Susie anywhere near a bath tub. "I'm amazed normally I have no choice but to sedate her."
Hank shrugged. "Now what do we do then?" He asked.
"We need to move Susie to the medical lab, there is a tank in there for her a solution has been added to the water to help her feel better as well as keep her calm." Jean told him.
"Is there no other way?" Hank asked remembering the screams the child had made at the thought of being in water even if it made her pain go away.
Jean frowned sadly. "Unfortunately no, from what I saw she's going to need to soak for at least an hour more maybe two, and then be watched over carefully the tub was a good move on your part but there is no moving water to provide an air current for her lungs, that's why we have to move her to the tank."
"Will it hurt her?"
Hank and Jeaned turned when they heard Cassie speak from the doorway, her voice hoarse from sleep and hair sticking up in odd directions.
Jean shook her head. "No, the solution that gets added to the tank will sooth the sores and prevents them from becoming infected. But she can only stay in still water like that for so long."
"Why, I thought Susie needed water to keep her healthy." Cassie asked in confusion.
"She does but think about it this way, Susie's lungs have the ability to breath oxygen in the air and under water, like a frog but her mutation gives her the traits more akin to a fish or a shark, which means she has to have a water current going in order for her to breath properly. It would be like if you or I was breathing in and out of a paper bag, it would be alright at first before it became uncomfortable." Jean explained.
Cassie nodded, it all made sense to her she'd learned in science class that fish had to keep swimming in order to breath. "Okay do you want to move her now?"
Jean nodded. "Yes, I would before the rest of the children head to breakfast and also now while she's calm it will make getting her into the tank much easier."
Hank stopped Cassie from going and doing it herself. "I'll do I Cassie you have done enough; you really should get some sleep before we go."
Cassie shook her head stubbornly. "I want to make sure Susie gets settled in alright."
Hank relented but didn't let her carry Susie all the way to the lab, they had to hurry but be careful in a few minutes children would be flocking the hallways to go to breakfast. Hank carefully lifted the child from his bathtub, she weighted less than a feather they hadn't even removed her night gown from her. Hank watched as a scale fell off into the water of the tub.
Poor child… and I thought my mutation was bad. This child's mutation causes her pain, and to bestow such a power on a girl who feared water with a passion Hank couldn't help but wonder if god was laughing at the mutant race sometimes.
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Cassie followed Jean and Hank through the hallways; they led her back to the lab and walked to another room attached to the lab Cassie hadn't noticed before. A small three foot high glass tank was sitting there filled with water and the bottom cover in sand, it looked like a normal fish tank complete with water filter to maintain a water flow as well as a bubbles stone. Only this tank was wide enough for a small child to fit easily.
Hank carefully lowered Susie into the water it was warm and the sand at the bottom soft, thankfully Susie hadn't woken up at the hurrying they'd done to get here.
"That should do it, you should both head back." Jean told them.
"What if she wakes up?" Cassie asked reluctant to just cut and run.
Jean placed a hand on Cassie shoulder. "She'll be fine this has happened to her before Cassie, it's scary and serious. But you dealt with it soon enough that I doubt anything horrible happened that she won't recover from. Besides you have to get the rest of your kids ready form class, they're going to be wondering where Susie is."
Cassie nodded she knew Jean was right, if both her and Susie didn't make an appearance Dylan, Laura, and Jason might worry. "Alright."
Cassie and Hank walked out of the lab, Cassie was tired and she was worried. She wanted to stay until she knew Susie was better, but she knew Hank had business to attend t and she couldn't keep him.
"Are you alright Cassie?" Hank asked.
"I just can't get the look of fear on Susie's face out of my head, I know she would have been fine but it just felt so wrong to force her head underwater." Cassie said quietly.
Hank knew the feeling he still remembered the first time he'd seen Jean place Susie underwater, the child had been asleep but it had been alarming to watch at first.
They both jumped when they heard doors banging open, as children rushed to get downstairs for breakfast then class.
Cassie looked down at herself and Hank; she was still in nothing but her underwear and nighty Hank's sweater the only thing covering her, while Hank was still only in his pants from yesterday.
"Oh No I can't be seen by a bunch of kids like this Hank!" Cassie squeaked trying to hide behind his large body.
"But that means I can be?" hank asked when she forced him to stand in front of her and the quickly approaching hoard of kids.
"They love you Hank, and hate me so yes it's okay for a bunch of kids so see you half naked, besides you a guy I'm a girl." Cassie argued.
She had a point he realized. "Alright then." He agreed turning to her.
"Hank what are you?" Cassie asked ending in a squeal when she suddenly found herself tossed over one broad shoulder, his arm around her waist to keep her in place.
"Hank put me down!" Cassie hissed yanking at clumps of fur on his back roughly.
"Don't scream please Cassie, otherwise we'll be noticed." Hank said crouching.
"Huh?"
Cassie almost bit her tongue off when he suddenly jumped grabbing onto the banister of the floor above, and then did it again and again. Cassie watched as they got further and further from the ground and his feet helped keep him from falling, they grabbed onto things like a gorilla's. Cassie was amazed she didn't realize Hank could do this, he ran through the hallway of the third floor at a blinding speed then she found herself sliding down his chest as he deposited her at her door. Cassie's legs felt weak so she held onto him for a bit longer before she looked up at him finally. "Could you always do that?" Cassie asked breathlessly.
Hank could help but smile at the look of wide eyed wonder she was giving him, "It's a recent talent of mine."
Cassie blinked trying to clear her head. "Aren't you afraid of falling?"
Hank shrugged. "Not really these help me from doing that." Hank showed her his feet and Cassie watched as he wiggled his toes like fingers.
Cassie was still stunned she hadn't expected to end up of the third floor like that.
"Go get you kids ready then when you're done meet me at the front door so we can leave." Hank said pushing her towards her room.
Cassie nodded dumbly then stopped. "Oh here."
Hank felt his heart almost give out when saw Cassie pull his sweater up and over her head, it caught on her sleepwear for a moment giving him a glimpse of her navel. Before she finished pulling it over her head and handing it to him, Hank took it and found Beast purring at the sight of Cassie's breasts in that night gown. He had to fight to keep Beast in check as it wanted to do things he really didn't think Cassie wanted right now.
Hank walked to his room and closed the door, he couldn't resist pressing the sweater to his face. It smelled like water, cotton, and Cassie.
Hank quickly tossed it in the clothes hamper, and went to empty his bathtub suddenly he was in need of a cold shower.
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Thoughts comments? Good or Bad would be nice