xp_logs | Kurt and Madelyn, in the medlab

A brief respite from the chaos following Sound and Fury - Madelyn checks on Kurt to make sure he wasn't injured, and they end up talking for a brief while. There's comfort given on both sides.

Having gone with Nathan and Alison to the medlab, Kurt had chosen to remain there, sitting quietly in a corner so as not to get in the way. Head bent and hands folded, he was praying almost silently for Alison's recovery.

The initial flurry of Alison's arrival had passed, and she was as stable as they could get her. Leaving Moira, Paige and Forge to it, Madelyn went seeking out the others who had been there. Terry and Sean had been taken care of, Miles was sedated and Amanda was with him, Kyle was still out with Rahne keeping an eye on him... Madelyn spotted a familiar blue head, bowed in prayer, and hesitated a moment before approaching him. "Hey," she said quietly, laying her hand gently on his shoulder. "Sorry to interrupt, but I needed to see if you needed anything. Medical-wise."

Kurt looked up with a faint sad smile. "Hello, Madelyn. No, I am not hurt."

She sat down beside him, scanning his face for signs of bruising, scrapes, all the usual souvenirs of a clash of superpowers, and finding none. "I suppose not," she said, but didn't move to leave just yet. "Do you need anything any way?"

"If you have time... I would not say no to some company", he answered quietly. "If things are not so frantic here now."

"She's stable," Madelyn said with a tired sigh. "Moira's working on ways of powering her down, but for now we've got Forge concentrating on laser-proof medical supplies." She realised the rough ponytail she'd tied her hair in was slipping, and yanked the elastic out, to do it better. "I'm actually at a loose end for the moment - this is so far out of my range I'm letting Moira do the brain work."

Kurt nodded. "I suspect even Moira will be thinking on her feet, tonight. It was known that this was possible, as with any of the energy projectors, but no one could have seen it coming now."

"We should have. All the information we have, and we never contemplated this type of scenario..." Madelyn shook herself and reached for his hand. She needed some contact that didn't involve blood or pain or disinfectant, and she was guessing he would to. Something about this sort of situation that brought out the clingy. "Miles is all right. Amanda's sitting with him. You did good work, getting him out of there."

He met her hand halfway, almost clinging to it without thinking. "It was what had to be done. Alison did what she did in trying to stop them taking him... his safety means everything."

She held tightly to his hand, feeling the slight tremble there. "He's safe," she reassured him. "And we'll do everything we can for Alison. She's tough, she's not going to let this beat her." Her words were to herself as much as him. "And we're sure as hell not going to either."

Kurt nodded firmly. "She has made it back here in safety, and she is stable. We will find a way."

She smiled a little. "Glad we agree on that score," she said. "You should go and get some rest - it's going to be a long night, and the kids'll need functioning adults tomorrow to deal with the fallout."

"I do not think I would sleep even if I went upstairs", he told her quietly. "If I may... perhaps I could stay here?"

"Of course." She squeezed his hand a little. "Pray with me a little? Can't hurt to have the Big Guy on our side."

He squeezed her hand back, thankfully. "Of course I will. How are the others who went shopping?"

"Bruised and battered, but they'll live. Kyle's still out." Here Madelyn grimaced. "This tradition of newcomers ending up in the medlab in their first couple of weeks is one I'd really like to stop."

Kurt winced. "Yes, I think we could all live without that one. I am sure he will be fine, though."

"Tough kid. They all are." She didn't add that they had to be. "It's just so different to what I had, growing up. I wish I could give that to them, but I know that's impossible."

"Not entirely," Kurt responded. "We may not be able to change the things they have been through, but I will not believe we cannot try to give them that now. Especially the younger ones."

"Always the optimist," she told him with another slight smile. "I admire that in you, Kurt. Your ability to always see the good in people."

"I do my best", he replied seriously. "It is... harder with some than with others."

"Try working in law enforcement," Madelyn said wryly. "You start thinking the worst of everyone after a while." She paused, and then asked, hesitantly, afraid of causing offence. "It... can't have been easy for you. Growing up with such a visible mutation?"

He shrugged slightly. "It... was not as hard as it could have been. I grew up among the Rom, and they sheltered me. It did mean I never met many people outside the clan, but we felt that that was best. That they could put my differences down to make-up and illusion, when they saw me in the ring, and never get a closer look to realise otherwise."

"A lot of people missed out, then, on meeting someone truly amazing." Madelyn blushed a little as she realised what she'd said, and went on hurriedly to cover it. "To have come from that and still retain your faith in humanity... your family must have been special."

Kurt smiled. "They truly are. My mother - you will meet her sometime soon, perhaps, she has been talking about visiting - is a woman of great strength."

"I imagine she would be." Madelyn gave his hand another squeeze to indicate she meant him. "I'd like to meet her. I've been thinking of asking my kid sister to come visit, but Mom would kill me if something happened while she was here. She's the baby of the family, Mom's very protective."

"Perhaps she could come to stay in the city, if you would not feel safe bringing her to stay in the mansion", Kurt suggested. "And she could come to see the house for a while."

"Alison suggested the same thing..." At the reminder, Madelyn's face crumpled a little, and the tightening of her grip on Kurt's hand had nothing to do with offering comfort. "Maybe after Christmas, when she's on winter break," she continued gamely. "I'll have to be home for that, but maybe I could bring her back with me, find a nice hotel in the city... Alison wanted... wants to show her the sights."

Kurt squeezed her hand tightly, giving comfort in return for that she had given him. "Alison will show her the sights", he told her, voice low. "Remember that."

"I will." Resting her head briefly against his shoulder, Madelyn made a conscious effort to pull herself together. No nervous breakdown today. Always nervous breakdown tomorrow. "So, about that praying? Think I could use it about now."

Kurt released her hand, but only to put his arm around her and give her a brief, wordless hug. "Of course."