Next round of doctors...;)

[x-scarletwitch.livejournal.com]

Wanda wakes up when Madelyn comes in to check on her. She goes into more detail about her powers and her stance on her father.



The pain and grogginess had ceased a while ago but Wanda still hadn't opened her eyes. It had been a long couple of weeks, even longer last few days, and all she wanted to do was sleep and rest. But now there was movement somewhere in the room and she cracked open an eye. A doctor, from the looks of it, bustled around the room, checking various instruments. Her body wanted to sleep but she ignored it.

"This...is not how I wanted to introduce myself," she said, her accent very much there but so mottled that it was hard to tell where it originated. Something she rather enjoyed, actually.

Madelyn raised her eyebrow inquiringly, and smiled. "You'd be surprised at how many people do introduce themselves from a medlab bed. How are you feeling?" She moved to the bedside, picking up Wanda's wrist and checking her pulse.

"Like I was pushed around by large, ugly men."

"An accurate diagnosis." Satisfied Wanda was indeed alive, Madelyn realised she hadn't introduced herself. "Dr Madelyn Bartlett. Welcome to Xavier's."

Reaching up, Wanda shoved a fistful of hair out of her eyes. The curls were refusing to stay in one place again. "I had expected my arrival here to have been...less chaotic. But thank you. And you say this is how one normally arrives?"

"Well, it's either via medlab or appearing suddenly on the doorstep with a note attached." Madelyn chuckled. "Can I get you anything? Water? The drugs they used will probably make you pretty thirsty for a while."

"Water, yes, please. I had a drink a while ago--Cecilia, if I remembered correctly, came to my rescue then." She grimaced at the mention of the drugs. "I hope that is all they do, they were talking about getting the dosage wrong." A shot of humor flashed through her eyes. "They were expecting a small Gypsy woman, perhaps, and not someone my size."

"That's the thing with bigots - they tend to think in terms of stereotypes." Filling a glass from the pitcher nearby, Madelyn brought it over, ready to help Wanda sit up if need be. "Perhaps not a bad thing in this case."

Slowly she sat up, muscles groaning in protest. "Yes, a very good thing. Along with that blasted tazer, the setting was too low. Not that it did not hurt, mind you."

"Tazers usually do. Less painful than getting shot, but nastier than a tranq gun." Madelyn spoke as if she'd had personal acquaintance with all three. Handing Wanda the water once she'd sat up, she took a seat herself, grabbing the chart hanging at the end of the bed. "The drugs shouldn't have a long-term effect," she went on, studying the toxicology results. "You'll probably be a bit out of it, but that's to be expected. Should clear up in a few days."

"Thank God," Wanda muttered, sipping the water carefully. "I would not wish to be this fuzzy head for longer." As it was, it was hard to concentrate and if things got worse, that could be a problem. Her powers required concentration.

Madelyn caught the tone. "Something I should know about?" she asked. "Like issues with fuzzy heads and powers, perhaps?" She smiled a little apologetically. "Sorry if I seem rude, but if there's a risk to anyone here, it's best to know beforehand. Prevention and all that."

She waved a hand, waving off the apology. "Trust me, I understand. Yes, issues with fuzzy heads and powers. My powers are not the...best contained when I am not concentrating. I have it down to a science, unless I am drugged and kidnapped. If you see any bizarre activity around me--things falling down, breaking, when they should not be, let me know."

"I'll let the staff know what to look for," Madelyn said, making a not on the chart to do just that. "Ah, if you don't mind me asking..."

"Hmm? I am a fairly open person, Dr. Bartlett, so please feel free to ask me whatever questions you have."

"That makes a change from the dark and broody types we get here." Madelyn relaxed a little in the chair - not too much, or she'd fall asleep. "What are your powers, exactly? By the sound of that, I'd say some kind of probability manipulation?"

"Yes, something along those lines. Chaos manipulation, if you will, I tend to make things go wrong more than I do right. I see strings of chaos in my head and, thankfully, I have learned what those strings mean by now or I would be in a world of pain."

"Fascinating." The opposite of Domino, Madelyn thought. "So you can manipulate these strings of yours, make things go wrong in a way that helps you?"

"Or anyone, really." Wanda thought about it for a second. It had been some time since she had explained her powers to anyone. "When my powers are turned on, everything has a string. Some are not as well developed as others but they are still they. I can affect those." Another pause. "I do not know if you heard about the goose from the end of the rescue...?"

"Scott mentioned something about a goose. To be honest, I thought he was yanking my chain." Madelyn gave another of those apologetic shrugs. "That was you?"

She had the good grace to look slightly abashed. "Unfortunately, yes. The string I pulled radiated very little amounts of harm. I'm assuming what harm there was was directed at the goose. Use of power and suddenly a lost goose winds up in the blades of the helicopter, forcing it to crash."

"Well, given the choice between sacrificing a goose and letting Stryker's men get away... I would have picked the goose myself."

"Yes and things do happen." Wanda smiled slightly. "Even if I do have a hand in that at times."

"You really ought to talk to Nathan when you're up and about. He has a friend who has a similar power - good luck, rather than bad. Basically things have a habit of going her way." Madelyn considered the woman in the bed. "I'll have to warn you, though... Some of the people here have had... bad history with certain people." She let the sentence hang, hoping she was being tactful enough.

Her eyes closed half way and she smiled slightly. "Ah. Yes. I expected as much that my father would have graced this school, or the inhabitants, with his presence. I will not hide who I am, that is not my way unless it is crucial. And I realize I will weather a good deal once people find out who I'm related to. But I have something in my favor." Wanda's eyes opened all the way back up and she stared at Madelyn. "I am not my father."

"I know." Madelyn accepted the statement with a nod. "Your father wouldn't be talking to an ordinary human about his powers, for a start. And yes, there will probably be some problems, but one thing about this school - it's very forgiving."

"I am an anthropologist and one thing I have learned through my study and field work--we are all the same. It does not matter if someone can fly or develops the ability to shot rockets out of bizarre places, we are all the same." She smiled. "And forgiveness is a good thing."

"Definitely not your father," Madelyn replied, with an answering grin.