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xp_logsFollowing Kurt's accident, Nathan comes by the brownstone to tell Amanda the news.
Nathan paused in front of the brownstone's intercom, his eyes scanning the buttons until he found the one he wanted. Pressing it, he waited. He supposed he could have just called from the mansion, but that seemed a little impersonal, given the circumstances. If it wasn't for this quarantine, he'd have come to see her in person anyway. So this would have to be the next best thing.
"'Lo?" came the crackly response. For her part, Amanda had just gotten out of bed - one thing about this quarantine, she'd well and truly caught up with sleep. And her study. And, apparently, her partying; without anything else much to do, the youngest inhabitants of the brownstone had tended to fall into slumber party mode, even without the holiday excuse.
"Amanda, it's me," Nathan said, knowing she'd recognize his voice even over the intercom. "Come down to the lobby, okay? I've got something I need to talk to you about - and don't worry," he said, making a poor attempt at a light tone, "I'm staying out here."
"Um, sure." Nate was here? Pulling on a pair of jeans and a t-shirt, Amanda padded downstairs in her bare feet, untangling her hair with her fingers as she went. Yawning despite herself, she crossed the foyer to the glass-fronted main doors, still securely looked. "Hey," she mouthed, giving him a wave and a sleepy smile.
He smiled back - a brief, tight smile was all he could manage, and probably gave away that what he needed to talk to her about was not good, but there wasn't any helping that. #Do you mind?# he sent, brushing the initial request against her thoughts. #It's better than the intercom.#
Ordinarily she might have, but that smile, the one that was almost a grimace, countered any residual issues with psis she might still have. Adrenaline banished the residual sleepiness, brought her to the alert. ~'S fine. What's wrong?~ she asked immediately.
#It's Kurt. There's been an accident.# He went on before she could react, and was careful to keep any images out of the mental contact. #He was experimenting in the Danger Room, to see how much weight he could carry while teleporting, and got... stuck. He managed to teleport to the infirmary, but he's hurt. Acid burns, from too much exposure to the atmosphere of where he goes when he teleports.#
For a moment there was a barrage of panicked thoughts, worst-case imaginings, questions, memories of Remy lying critically injured, Alison after Sabretooth... then Amanda remembered herself and did her best to lock down the flood, using some of the old techniques taught to her by Strange. ~How... how bad is it?~ she asked, afraid of the answer.
Nathan had expected the flood and rode it out without visible reaction. #He's not in any danger,# he sent back. #Amelia and Jean were right there. But the burns are very bad, Amanda. And...# He paused for a moment, reminded very strongly of his own encounter with blindness two years ago. #His eyes were damaged.#
"Oh please, no..." she whispered aloud. Her hands lifted to the glass, and she lay her forehead between them, the surface cold against his skin. ~Is he allowed visitors?~ she asked at last. ~When they let us out of here, I mean. I need to see him, let him know...~ What he had to know exactly she wasn't sure. Maybe just that she was there.
#Of course. You'll probably have to take some precautions, visiting - that's a necessity with burn cases, but I'll tell Amelia and Jean to expect you once you're out of here.# Nathan's expression softened at her visible distress. #I'll tell Kurt, too. Knowing that you're coming when you can will lift his spirits, I think.#
~I... Thanks, Nate.~ Her hands closed into loose fists, and she thumped the door, not violently but with a certain degree of frustration. ~Of all the fucking times to be cooped up... Can you let me know? If there's any change? Moira says we should be out soon, maybe tomorrow if we're still all-clear.~
#Moira or I will call. I'll call tomorrow anyway to let you know how he is if you're still stuck in here.#
~Thanks.~ She looked up, gratitude in her eyes despite the desperate fear still edging her thoughts. ~Thanks for coming, Nate. Makes it easier, hearing it in person, so to speak.~
#I figured - it's why I didn't just call you.# He gave her a contemplative look. #Do me a favor? Go back upstairs, find one of the others... don't be alone brooding over this.#
That got a wan smile, and the slightest hint of a mental snort. ~Know me too bloody well...~ came the reply. ~I'll grab Doug, don't worry.~ Any accopanying images were very carefully edited.
#Good,# Nathan sent back firmly, then reached out and laid his hand on the glass opposite where hers was still resting. #And if you need to talk, just call. I only came down here to see you - I'm heading right back to the mansion, and Angelo's around, too...#
~I know.~ Her hand opened, fingers spreading to echo his, the other moving to Angelo's Christmas gift, the St. Jude medallion. Talk about your desperate causes... ~I'll call, don't worry about me. Just... take care of Kurt for me? Until I get out?~
#The only time he'll be alone is when the doctors kick whichever team member's sitting with him out,# Nathan sent back gently. #We're not leaving him alone to brood either.#
Another small smile. ~Family trait, the brooding,~ she 'said'. ~Thanks, Nate. He... needs people. Spends too much time alone any way, and now...~ She let the thought hang. ~You should head back. Holiday traffic's a bastard. I appreciate you coming, I really do.~
#I'll talk to you soon,# Nathan said, managing a brief smile before he turned away to head down the street to where he'd left the car.
Amanda keeps her word to Nathan and goes to find someone to hold onto.
Rhythmic grunting of exertion, punctuated by the thud of hands, feet, elbows, and knees striking a heavy bag, came from what the Snow Valley crew had jokingly termed "the Danger Gym". Doug had been working out for quite a while, long enough that he'd lost track of time. But he knew it had to have been quite a while, as sweat was drenching his hair and trickling down his neck and shoulders. His muscles ached, and his knuckles felt a bit raw. Still, he was in a zone, and he continued to listen to his iPod as he leapt up and viciously kneed the bag.
Not in his room, not in any of the common areas... Amanda was starting to get a little frayed around the edges, continuing to search for Doug. But then she caught the sound of someone laying into the heavy bag in the gym, and she paused to poke her head in. She doubted it was Doug, Doug was seldom that aggressive when he was...
"Oh." The soft noise of surprise escaped her before she could help it. Apparently Doug did get that aggressive. He obviously had something on his mind - the bag was certainly taking some punishment. Pausing in the doorway, Amanda fought the urge to flee, to leave him to it. But Nathan's news was too much for her to handle and what she needed right now was a sympathetic ear and possibly a shoulder to dissolve into a weeping mess on. Going against all her old instincts, she raised her voice, hoping he'd hear her over the iPod. "Doug?" It came out all wobbly, despite her best efforts.
Doug heard something over the iPod, and as he whirled to deliver a punishing backfist, he saw Amanda. He stopped suddenly, the heavy bag hitting him in the back as it swung towards him. He stopped his iPod and stripped the earbuds out of his ears. With as close as they had become, he could see how frayed she was at a glance. Heedless of his sweaty workout clothes, he crossed and enfolded her in his arms. "What's wrong, Amanda?" he asked quietly, his self-flagellation forgotten in the face of whatever it was that had Amanda nearly in tears.
The gesture undid all her self-control and she let out a hiccuping sob, resting her forehead on his shoulder as she wrapped her arms around his waist, clinging to him. "'S Kurt," she managed to choke out. "There was an accident. He's hurt, bad, burns Nate said. And his... his eyes were damaged." Another sob that shook her entire frame as she tried to hold it in. "'M so scared for him, Doug."
"Oh..." Doug murmured as his arms tightened around Amanda, holding her close. He spared a moment to mentally curse the quarantine, which probably wasn't helping Amanda feel any less helpless. "Shhh..." he soothed her, stroking a hand over her hair. "Let it out, don't hold it in..."
"'M scared if I start, I won't stop..." But she did any way, the tears soaking into his already-damp tank top. "'S not fair," she whimpered. "All he's gone through this year, an' now this. An' I can't... I can't even go an' see him." She was lapsing into the old South London accent in her distress.
"It's okay, you don't have to worry about stopping," Doug said reassuringly, rubbing Amanda's back lightly. "And yeah, it sucks. But didn't Moira say we'd probably be free and clear tomorrow if the tests check out?" He hugged her even tighter. "First thing, I'll take you right over to the mansion," he promised.
He was making sense, and it cut through the nightmare images in her head better than anything else. The sobs eased, and she sniffled a bit before lifting her head, eyes red and her face all blotchy. "'M sorry," she said, a trifle predictably. "Nate said they were looking after him, and that he wouldn't be alone. I just... He's my brother. And after all this time I finally get him back and now..." She scrubbed at her eyes with her fingers. "He'll be fine. He's got Doc Grey and Doc Dracula looking out for him." She sounded as if she was trying to convince herself, not him.
"They're the best," Doug told Amanda, brushing tears away from her eyes. "And like you said, everyone's watching over him. They know what he means to you. And we'll get you there just as soon as the quarantine's lifted. He'll be okay," he repeated.
She nodded, bottom lip trembling a bit still but a certain resolution in her reddened eyes. Kurt would be all right. He had to be. "I need Blackadder," she told him, perhaps a little pathetically. "Come and watch some with me?"
"I think I can do that," Doug told Amanda with a smile. He kept one arm loosely around her shoulders for support and stuffed his iPod into a pocket. "Lead on."
"Ta, mate." She leaned into him, the worry slightly relieved by the fact she wasn't worrying alone. Then she wrinkled her nose a little. "Shower first?"
Nathan paused in front of the brownstone's intercom, his eyes scanning the buttons until he found the one he wanted. Pressing it, he waited. He supposed he could have just called from the mansion, but that seemed a little impersonal, given the circumstances. If it wasn't for this quarantine, he'd have come to see her in person anyway. So this would have to be the next best thing.
"'Lo?" came the crackly response. For her part, Amanda had just gotten out of bed - one thing about this quarantine, she'd well and truly caught up with sleep. And her study. And, apparently, her partying; without anything else much to do, the youngest inhabitants of the brownstone had tended to fall into slumber party mode, even without the holiday excuse.
"Amanda, it's me," Nathan said, knowing she'd recognize his voice even over the intercom. "Come down to the lobby, okay? I've got something I need to talk to you about - and don't worry," he said, making a poor attempt at a light tone, "I'm staying out here."
"Um, sure." Nate was here? Pulling on a pair of jeans and a t-shirt, Amanda padded downstairs in her bare feet, untangling her hair with her fingers as she went. Yawning despite herself, she crossed the foyer to the glass-fronted main doors, still securely looked. "Hey," she mouthed, giving him a wave and a sleepy smile.
He smiled back - a brief, tight smile was all he could manage, and probably gave away that what he needed to talk to her about was not good, but there wasn't any helping that. #Do you mind?# he sent, brushing the initial request against her thoughts. #It's better than the intercom.#
Ordinarily she might have, but that smile, the one that was almost a grimace, countered any residual issues with psis she might still have. Adrenaline banished the residual sleepiness, brought her to the alert. ~'S fine. What's wrong?~ she asked immediately.
#It's Kurt. There's been an accident.# He went on before she could react, and was careful to keep any images out of the mental contact. #He was experimenting in the Danger Room, to see how much weight he could carry while teleporting, and got... stuck. He managed to teleport to the infirmary, but he's hurt. Acid burns, from too much exposure to the atmosphere of where he goes when he teleports.#
For a moment there was a barrage of panicked thoughts, worst-case imaginings, questions, memories of Remy lying critically injured, Alison after Sabretooth... then Amanda remembered herself and did her best to lock down the flood, using some of the old techniques taught to her by Strange. ~How... how bad is it?~ she asked, afraid of the answer.
Nathan had expected the flood and rode it out without visible reaction. #He's not in any danger,# he sent back. #Amelia and Jean were right there. But the burns are very bad, Amanda. And...# He paused for a moment, reminded very strongly of his own encounter with blindness two years ago. #His eyes were damaged.#
"Oh please, no..." she whispered aloud. Her hands lifted to the glass, and she lay her forehead between them, the surface cold against his skin. ~Is he allowed visitors?~ she asked at last. ~When they let us out of here, I mean. I need to see him, let him know...~ What he had to know exactly she wasn't sure. Maybe just that she was there.
#Of course. You'll probably have to take some precautions, visiting - that's a necessity with burn cases, but I'll tell Amelia and Jean to expect you once you're out of here.# Nathan's expression softened at her visible distress. #I'll tell Kurt, too. Knowing that you're coming when you can will lift his spirits, I think.#
~I... Thanks, Nate.~ Her hands closed into loose fists, and she thumped the door, not violently but with a certain degree of frustration. ~Of all the fucking times to be cooped up... Can you let me know? If there's any change? Moira says we should be out soon, maybe tomorrow if we're still all-clear.~
#Moira or I will call. I'll call tomorrow anyway to let you know how he is if you're still stuck in here.#
~Thanks.~ She looked up, gratitude in her eyes despite the desperate fear still edging her thoughts. ~Thanks for coming, Nate. Makes it easier, hearing it in person, so to speak.~
#I figured - it's why I didn't just call you.# He gave her a contemplative look. #Do me a favor? Go back upstairs, find one of the others... don't be alone brooding over this.#
That got a wan smile, and the slightest hint of a mental snort. ~Know me too bloody well...~ came the reply. ~I'll grab Doug, don't worry.~ Any accopanying images were very carefully edited.
#Good,# Nathan sent back firmly, then reached out and laid his hand on the glass opposite where hers was still resting. #And if you need to talk, just call. I only came down here to see you - I'm heading right back to the mansion, and Angelo's around, too...#
~I know.~ Her hand opened, fingers spreading to echo his, the other moving to Angelo's Christmas gift, the St. Jude medallion. Talk about your desperate causes... ~I'll call, don't worry about me. Just... take care of Kurt for me? Until I get out?~
#The only time he'll be alone is when the doctors kick whichever team member's sitting with him out,# Nathan sent back gently. #We're not leaving him alone to brood either.#
Another small smile. ~Family trait, the brooding,~ she 'said'. ~Thanks, Nate. He... needs people. Spends too much time alone any way, and now...~ She let the thought hang. ~You should head back. Holiday traffic's a bastard. I appreciate you coming, I really do.~
#I'll talk to you soon,# Nathan said, managing a brief smile before he turned away to head down the street to where he'd left the car.
Amanda keeps her word to Nathan and goes to find someone to hold onto.
Rhythmic grunting of exertion, punctuated by the thud of hands, feet, elbows, and knees striking a heavy bag, came from what the Snow Valley crew had jokingly termed "the Danger Gym". Doug had been working out for quite a while, long enough that he'd lost track of time. But he knew it had to have been quite a while, as sweat was drenching his hair and trickling down his neck and shoulders. His muscles ached, and his knuckles felt a bit raw. Still, he was in a zone, and he continued to listen to his iPod as he leapt up and viciously kneed the bag.
Not in his room, not in any of the common areas... Amanda was starting to get a little frayed around the edges, continuing to search for Doug. But then she caught the sound of someone laying into the heavy bag in the gym, and she paused to poke her head in. She doubted it was Doug, Doug was seldom that aggressive when he was...
"Oh." The soft noise of surprise escaped her before she could help it. Apparently Doug did get that aggressive. He obviously had something on his mind - the bag was certainly taking some punishment. Pausing in the doorway, Amanda fought the urge to flee, to leave him to it. But Nathan's news was too much for her to handle and what she needed right now was a sympathetic ear and possibly a shoulder to dissolve into a weeping mess on. Going against all her old instincts, she raised her voice, hoping he'd hear her over the iPod. "Doug?" It came out all wobbly, despite her best efforts.
Doug heard something over the iPod, and as he whirled to deliver a punishing backfist, he saw Amanda. He stopped suddenly, the heavy bag hitting him in the back as it swung towards him. He stopped his iPod and stripped the earbuds out of his ears. With as close as they had become, he could see how frayed she was at a glance. Heedless of his sweaty workout clothes, he crossed and enfolded her in his arms. "What's wrong, Amanda?" he asked quietly, his self-flagellation forgotten in the face of whatever it was that had Amanda nearly in tears.
The gesture undid all her self-control and she let out a hiccuping sob, resting her forehead on his shoulder as she wrapped her arms around his waist, clinging to him. "'S Kurt," she managed to choke out. "There was an accident. He's hurt, bad, burns Nate said. And his... his eyes were damaged." Another sob that shook her entire frame as she tried to hold it in. "'M so scared for him, Doug."
"Oh..." Doug murmured as his arms tightened around Amanda, holding her close. He spared a moment to mentally curse the quarantine, which probably wasn't helping Amanda feel any less helpless. "Shhh..." he soothed her, stroking a hand over her hair. "Let it out, don't hold it in..."
"'M scared if I start, I won't stop..." But she did any way, the tears soaking into his already-damp tank top. "'S not fair," she whimpered. "All he's gone through this year, an' now this. An' I can't... I can't even go an' see him." She was lapsing into the old South London accent in her distress.
"It's okay, you don't have to worry about stopping," Doug said reassuringly, rubbing Amanda's back lightly. "And yeah, it sucks. But didn't Moira say we'd probably be free and clear tomorrow if the tests check out?" He hugged her even tighter. "First thing, I'll take you right over to the mansion," he promised.
He was making sense, and it cut through the nightmare images in her head better than anything else. The sobs eased, and she sniffled a bit before lifting her head, eyes red and her face all blotchy. "'M sorry," she said, a trifle predictably. "Nate said they were looking after him, and that he wouldn't be alone. I just... He's my brother. And after all this time I finally get him back and now..." She scrubbed at her eyes with her fingers. "He'll be fine. He's got Doc Grey and Doc Dracula looking out for him." She sounded as if she was trying to convince herself, not him.
"They're the best," Doug told Amanda, brushing tears away from her eyes. "And like you said, everyone's watching over him. They know what he means to you. And we'll get you there just as soon as the quarantine's lifted. He'll be okay," he repeated.
She nodded, bottom lip trembling a bit still but a certain resolution in her reddened eyes. Kurt would be all right. He had to be. "I need Blackadder," she told him, perhaps a little pathetically. "Come and watch some with me?"
"I think I can do that," Doug told Amanda with a smile. He kept one arm loosely around her shoulders for support and stuffed his iPod into a pocket. "Lead on."
"Ta, mate." She leaned into him, the worry slightly relieved by the fact she wasn't worrying alone. Then she wrinkled her nose a little. "Shower first?"
