xp_logs | Stoker and Stalkers: A Fast Train to Nowhere

After the party, Kitty and Jamie head home. Jamie is worried.

"You sure you're okay?" Jamie asked worriedly. "Your hands are cold," and this despite the fact Kitty was wearing his jacket and he was holding her hands and they were sitting in a warm train car, he added to himself, "and you're white as a sheet." He managed a halfhearted smile. "And I didn't think the party was really all that scary, y'know?"

The attempt at humor completely missed Kitty as she stared across the train. "Hmm, what?" she asked, suddenly realizing he'd asked a question. Oh, and coming back to awareness of her body was not fun. She didn't hurt, not really, but she was just... so... tired. Weary, maybe. Kitty shivered slightly before laying her head on Jamie's shoulder. "I'm cold," she said, not entirely in response to what he'd said, but not entirely not, either.

"Well, come here, then." Jamie pulled her closer, trying as best he could in the cramped train compartment to wrap himself around her. "We'll get you in to see the docs as soon as we get back. Maybe it's just flu, or something." He frowned. "Sure came on quick, though, you seemed fine when I went for refills and that didn't take all that long. Did you eat anything funny today, or something?"

Kitty curled against him, managing to focus enough to hear the question this time. "Flu... maybe. Awfully tired. Don't... don't think I ate anything strange." She considered that, the fog in her brain making remembering problematic. "Did I eat today? 'S midterms, you know, an' sometimes I don't."

"You ate. Nice hefty bowl of Rahne-style oatmeal this morning and a turkey sandwich with carrot sticks for lunch, I made sure." Jamie kissed her cheek. "You think you can hang on until we get home? Until we know what this is it might not be safe to go to sleep."

"Nothing suspicious about turkey san'wich," Kitty said. The suggestion that it might not be safe to sleep got him a Look. "Don' be silly," she said. "'S just sleep..."

"Yeah, but . . . like, when you have a concussion, you're supposed to stay awake. I don't think you do, but I just want to be careful." Running his fingers through her hair, Jamie smiled wryly. "I know, I'm being Paranoid Overprotective Boyfriend Guy, but I don't do it very often, at least, huh? It's not much further now." He sighed. "Do you remember what happened at all?"

"Concussions involve head blows. I would have noticed a blow to the head." Turning to look back out across the train, her brows furrowed for a second, and then the worried look vanished. "The heat and noise at the party must have got to me... Jus' came over all dizzy. Midterm stress, I figure."

"And your scalp isn't bruised or bleeding. I said I didn't think you had a concussion. Probably we'll get there and the docs will agree with you that it's just stress and tomorrow when you wake up you can have all the told-you-sos you want." He settled slightly, nestling her more comfortably against his shoulder. "You just don't usually get dizzy all of a sudden like this."

Kitty's eyes were already fairly droopy, but being more comfortably snuggled against his shoulder made staying awake that much harder. "Don' wanna see the doc'or," she muttered. "Wanna go bed. See the doc'or tomorrow."

"There are more of me to be stubborn with than there are of you." Jamie poked her lightly in the ribs. "And I'm not above a wet willie if necessary. And you don't want me staying awake all night worrying about what might have happened when we can clear everything up with a quick checkup, do you?"

He'd poked her. That wasn't playing fair. Slightly more aware but no less sleepy, Kitty frowned at him, then squirmed her way into his lap (a mean trick given the narrowness of the train seats) and curled up. "See the doc'or tomorrow," she repeated, burying her face in his neck.

"Oh, I see what you're doing," Jamie said lightly. "Doesn't matter to you that I'd be laying there wide awake all night, in the dark, staring at the ceiling, out of my mind with worry that you had some kind of weird stroke or your powers are acting up or you came down with Ebola or you're pregnant. Ten minutes out of your evening is clearly too much to ask, hmm?" He nudged Kitty again, walking his fingers up her ribs. "So sure, fall asleep." He grinned wickedly. "I'll just carry you down to the medlab once you do."

"Slee. Py," Kitty said, sitting up long enough to give him an agrieved sort of nose-scrunchy-scowl. "'M fine, Jamie. Jus' wanna go to bed..."

"Your fingers are still cold, you're still too pale, and it's way too early for you to be this tired." Jamie gave her a plaintive look. "I'm not asking for a full checkup and all the bells and whistles and stuff. I just want to see if they think this is something we should be worried about. That won't take very long, will it? And then we can put you to bed and you can sleep for a week. Please, Kitty? For me?"

"Not cold here," she said, curling into his arms again, although it wasn't entirely true. "I'll see 'em in the morning if you wan', but I'm tired, Jamie." A touch of petulance entered her voice.

"First thing, then," Jamie murmured, resting his cheek on her hair. "Sorry I was pushy. I just don't want anything bad to happen to you."

"Nuffing bad can happen to me when you're here," Kitty mumbled, yawning. "Don' worry."

"And no pressure, huh?" Jamie chuckled. "Well, okay. You want to be spoiled and get carried up to bed, or do you think you'll be awake long enough to walk it?"

"Mmmm, spoil me..." Kitty said as the train pulled into the Salem Center station. "Could walk but don' wanna."

"I'm a complete pushover," Jamie muttered, gathering her up. "One look and I fold like an origami pancake. It's a good thing you're worth it." As he straightened, he gave her a sidelong look. "First thing tomorrow, though. I'll hold you to that."

Curled up against him, Kitty yawned again, then smiled. "I like pancakes," was all she said.