Nathan, Jean & Laurie log

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Backdated to Friday 7th August 2009 12 Noon

Laurie comes to talk to Jean about the possibility of getting Nathan up and about a little quicker then usual.



Laurie paused in the doorway of Jean's office, noting the rather drawn look on the older woman's face.

"How much sleep have you gotten lately?" she asked, smiling at the reversal inherent in that statement. She held up a mollifying hand. "No forthcoming lectures, I promise."

"Wise choice," was Jean's answer, but she was smiling, not scowling. "I already have a husband for the fretting. And it's not been that bad. Down to low levels of constant stress, which is better than previous. What's up?"

"An offer of help, actually," Laurie replied, leaning against the door jam rather then sitting. If Jean accepted her help, then it was probably better to begin right away rather then wait. "I've been reading a lot of medical journals, trying to keep up to date for when I go back to school. I found some interesting research on wound and bone healing to do with hormonal therapy. I thought maybe I could try something with Nate, if he and you were okay with it."

She wasn't sure she could really do anything, having never tried anything this delicate before. However, if she could do something, then it was worth a shot, even if it only helped a small amount.

Jean nodded faintly, considering for a moment, then waved Laurie to the chair opposite her desk; Laurie might want to get right to it, but they'd need to go over a few things first. "I know some of the research you're talking about but haven't dug into it. Tell me what you're thinking."

Laurie grinned wryly and then took a few steps forward before slipping into the seat Jean had motioned toward, "How did I know you wouldn't let me rush headlong into this? Well, firstly I can do something about the pain at least. It might be a little better then giving him more chemical pain killers, less danger of long term addiction if I can help him when he needs it. The other is a little more difficult, and I'm not really even sure if I can help there. But the articles I was talking about had to do with the effects of estrogen on wound healing, and also the role of human growth hormone in bone regeneration. There's been some good research on how they're meant to help if applied topically, but I've been wondering if I could do something a little more internal with my abilities."

"Certainly the theory is sound," Jean said, thinking over a few articles she'd seen herself in medical journals recently. "The pain, certainly, you've a good handle on that. For the other, I think it might be worth a shot, if Nathan agrees, but we're going to have to go slowly and carefully. The general research is there to back it up but it's not something you've practiced much yet. And, too, I don't think Nate would take it well if you overdosed his system with estrogen and human growth hormone..."

"True, especially if he started bulking up like some wrestler, or ended up with a higher voice and breasts," Laurie noted with a smile, settling a little now that Jean seemed willing to try what she'd proposed, she'd been worried slightly that she'd be shot down completely. "Should I talk to him about it, or would it be better if you did?"

Jean tilted her head to the side and then stood up, waving towards the door. "Come on, he's awake. We can go together."

---

He'd felt Jean's mental touch, so her showing up at the door wasn't a surprise. Laurie being in tow was, a little, but Nathan gave them both a tired smile. "Hey. An audience, for the poking and prodding?"

"A new, less pokeful idea," Jean answered, moving to the side of the bed. "How're you doing?"

"Meh?" Nathan ventured after a moment, wearily. At least the chest tube was out again. And the painkillers were doing their job, but they were also unsettling his stomach. Yet he couldn't really lay off the painkillers, because then the pain wasn't manageable, and as all three redheads had pointed out, that wasn't really going to help his recovery. It was sort of a catch-22. Damned mutant metabolisms.

"I might be able to help with that," Laurie said, hands clutched behind her as she moved further into the room. "I've been talking to Jean about maybe helping you with pain management, and maybe some things I can do to help speed up the healing process if you're willing."

Nathan's expression was an interesting mix of wariness and hope. He looked to Jean instead of Laurie, however, and raised an eyebrow in silent invitation to elaborate.

"The pain bit you know," Jean said, pulling up a chair to sit by the bed. "We've done a lot of work with that, and Laurie can help without making you as woozy as pills will, but without needing all my attention for a psychic block that lasts. The other... is more theoretical. There's been research done in to hormone treatment improving bone regeneration, among other things. We would be putting that in to practice."

"I understand the theory of what they've been talking about, but it's going to be something new for me," Laurie explained, moving closer to where Nathan sat propped up on the bed. "I'll need to have direct contact with your skin though, as it'll be a directed application rather then just sitting in the room with you if you're okay with that."

"I won't lie. I know how long it's going to take me to recover from all this. Wouldn't mind shortening it a little." Slightly hazy but very intent gray eyes fixed on Laurie. "But I'm not having a repeat of what happened years ago with Amanda," he said, very clearly and firmly. "Convince me you want to do this for the right reasons." He thought it was fair to worry. Laurie had definitely shown some worrying signs at times.

Laurie inclined her head, accepting the need he had for her to explain. She'd expected to do some talking, she just hoped he found her reasons sufficient. She really did want to help, even if her reasonings for doing so had a slightly selfish edge.

"Well, firstly it's good training for me. I've not done something this focused before, something that requires a specific set of hormones rather then just feeling what I want from things. Secondly, it has the bonus of helping you heal a little faster, if it works. So there's that, and I guess the final reason is that I haven't yet chosen exactly what sort of medicine I want to do yet, and if my abilities lend themselves to a particular type, then it'd be beneficial to know now rather then later. "

"I'm just remembering the last time you wanted to use your powers on me when I was down here," Nathan said slowly. It was maybe unfair of him to bring it up, but he wanted to see how she answered that.

Laurie looked confused for a moment, and then remembrance dawned. "I'm sorry I did that to you," she said after a moment. "If it means you won't let me do this, I completely understand."

She couldn't say she wouldn't be disappointed, or regret that her previous actions meant she wasn't to be trusted now. But she would accept it, and not just because Jean was in the room. She'd not have gone to the older woman if she hadn't wanted to make sure she did this the right way.

"I just... want you to be sure about this," Nathan said, not quite sighing. Did he believe her, that she'd come far enough from her previous mindset? Jean obviously believed her, or the two of them wouldn't be here. "To do this because you can. Not because you feel you have to, or you should."

"I am, sure that is," Laurie said, smile fully in evidence now. "Although, I admit that I sort of just want to see if I can do it. Apart from that guy on the blackbird that once, I've never tried anything even close to this level before. I promise, cross my heart, that I'm not going to go all martyr complex or something. Or get all clinically detached, or mad scientist or anything like that."

"Then, okay." His eyes went to Jean, next. "You're okay with this, too, I'm guessing."

Jean nodded. "Fond as I am of your company, it's not like I'd be adverse to you getting out of here sooner," she said. That she had faith in Laurie's motives and her abilities went unsaid.

"Mmm. I'm guessing that my role in this is just to lie here," Nathan murmured ironically. "I suppose I could manage that..."

"Kind of," Laurie noted, moving closer to Nathan now that he'd agreed on her helping. "You've got one more choice to make though. I can't start anything till the pain killers are out of your system, otherwise I won't be able to judge how much what I'm doing is helping. I can speed that up, or we can wait until they work themselves out naturally."

"That... sounds a little unpleasant," Nathan said, uneasily. "The speeding it up, I mean." His eyes flickered back to Jean, almost anxiously.

"Not entirely pleasant, no," Laurie admitted, chewing on her bottom lip slightly as she tried to figure out how to explain it. "Although you wouldn't really feel anything except the pain coming back, it could be nasty and it might be easier to let them work through normally. Either way I think you'll have to come off the pain killers at the least. I'm going to need to know how much it hurts. Jean? I don't know if you can tell how much strain he'd be putting on a pain block, that might be enough to work it out."

"Yeeees," Jean said slowly, considering. "I would definitely be able to tell when the painkillers were entirely out of your system without you feeling it, Nathan. But if I put a block in now the excess medication left in your system will probably knock you out. Not that getting an extra nap today would really be a bad idea..."

"If this is too much effort for you," Nathan said to Jean, "I want you to tell me. Otherwise... yeah, I guess I'm up for that."

"Okay then, just try to relax," Laurie replied, pulling a chair close to Nathan's bed before sitting down and taking his hand. "This first part is going to be very simple."

The skin around Laurie's fingers and hand began to change colour, turning a soft violet purple as she concentrated on the effect she wanted. It was easy, the result of long hours of practice, and the determination that in this she would do all she could.

Jean settled into a second chair, farther away from the proceedings, watching Nate closely as she prepared to set the mental block. She could sense his awareness of the little physical signs which told her his metabolism was speeding up, burning through the chemicals in his system.

Nathan's other hand clenched white-knuckled in the sheets as he fought a sudden, powerful sense of disorientation. Laurie's manipulations and Jean's watchfulness abruptly meshed into something else, the reflection of a memory, and a brief, choked noise of protest escaped. Not letting you in, he thought dazedly, not letting you in-

Laurie pulled her hands away, abruptly dampening her powers and glancing over at Jean before focusing back on Nathan.

"It's okay, we'll stop for a moment." she murmured, stopping herself from reaching out with a more calming set of pheromones. She'd promised herself that from now on she'd only ever do anything with complete permission and cooperation unless lives hung in the balance. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine." His breathing was more rapid than it should be, but as soon as she'd spoken the flash of memory had faded. "But could there be talking and working at the same time? I think that would be better."

"I can try," Laurie said, placing her hand back on top of Nathan's, concentrating once again. "It's harder, takes more concentration but it should be okay. Ask me something? It's easier to answer questions."

She'd never tried to use her power and maintain enough outward sense of self that would be required to do something like hold a conversation. She had a feeling that Jean would be find for conversation, but Jean wasn't the one with her hands directly on him.

"Last movie you saw," Nathan said, still breathing too quickly.

"Hmm," Laurie breathed, pulling back slightly with her powers to slow down the effect. The breathing could be from the panic, or from what she was doing. She was still constantly surprised by what a body would do under different stimulus. "I think it was Groundhog Day, we had it on DVD in the TV room. You seen it?"

She felt like her voice was coming from someone else, an afterthought as her mind focused down on what she was doing. But she'd been able to answer, and that was a triumph in and of itself.

Jean leaned forward, fingers steepled in front of her lips, eyes serious as she watched the two of them. Given that this was at least partly a chance for Laurie to push her limits Jean didn't want to step in if she could avoid it, but Nathan's comfort as a patient was paramount and Jean could tell Laurie was having trouble splitting her focus. "I gotta say, I'm always glad to hear the kids are at least occasionally watching quality stuff up there. I wandered in on a High School Musical marathon the other day. Alarming doesn't even begin to cover it."

"Ugh. Kids these days. No taste."

"So, how old are you two again?" Laurie asked with a slow drawl, mind only half on the conversation.

Jean arched an eyebrow at Laurie. "You're clearly distracted and have forgotten both that I write the medlab volunteer schedule and that my husband is your CO, and so I'm going to pretend that what you actually said was 'oh, dearest mentor, please teach me more about these excellent movies from what must have been your very early childhood'."

Nathan listened to the banter between the two of them, relaxing. Not all the way, because this wasn't the most comfortable process ever, but enough so that he didn't feel like he wanted to jump out of his skin anymore. It would do for now.