xp_logs | Kurt and Madelyn, Friday night

She makes good on one of the dinners she owes him, and proceeds to get a little tipsy. We're blaming the stress.

Seven-thirty, on the dot. Madelyn was nothing if punctual - she couldn't be anything otherwise, in either of her professions. It hadn't taken much effort to get out of the medlab: if anything, Hank and Moira had practically thrown her out with dire threats if she so much as poked her nose around the door before the next morning. She'd also managed successful enough puppy eyes at Scott to secure the keys of his sportscar, and now she was bouncing impatiently on her toes, waiting for Kurt to arrive.

He didn't make her wait long, teleporting down into the garage and grinning at her cheerfully. "Good evening, Madelyn."

"So formal, Kurt," Madelyn replied, grinning. Not knowing exactly where they were going, she'd gone for slightly dressy casual - tan slacks and a cream-coloured blouse, both items still practically new since they'd been hardly worn since she bought them. Her much-loved brown suede jacket went over the top - no sense catching cold. "Scott came through with the car - I can't promise it's as fast as teleporting, but it's just as fun. And unlike some of the people who live here, I won't get you nearly killed."

He was dressed on a similar level of formality: a light suit rather than a proper dress one, the image inducer safely in his pocket, although he hadn't activated it yet. He nodded, smiling, as he moved round to the passenger side. "It is a nice night for a drive."

"Indeed it is," Madelyn agreed, opening the driver's door almost gleefully. She loved this car. Settling herself in the seat (she had to adjust the seat so she could reach the pedals - Scott was a lot taller than she was), she buckled the seat belt and looked across at Kurt. "So, where are we headed?"

Kurt slid into the passenger seat, and considered the options. "What do you think of Chinese food?"

"Love it - I practically lived off it during my residency," she said, putting the key in the ignition and grinning again at the sound of the engine starting up. It was like the rumble of a very large jungle cat. "Where did you have in mind?"

"There is a place in Salem Centre, perhaps you know it - Chang's? It is very good, and not usually too busy, so we would not have to worry about not having booked."

"I know it - Jamie's mentioned it once or twice, and so has Lorna. And you know a place is good if Lorna deigns to eat there." Madelyn hit the garage door remote, and flicked on the lights. "And away we go!" she declared with another of those gleeful-little-girl grins. She backed the car out of the garage carefully, then gunned the engine just a little, because she could, before taking off down the driveway and, unusually for someone borrowing Scott's car, not spinning the wheels and making an impressive spray of gravel.

***

"Okay, I definitely have to come back here again," Madelyn declared, savouring the Mongolian beef with an almost ecstatic expression on her face. Kurt had been right - Chang's was quiet enough that they hadn't needed to book a table, and once the waiter had realised they were from Xavier's, the service had been top-notch. They'd opted for the choose one meal each and share option - as Madelyn pointed out, you got to sample more of the menu that way. And given the quality of the food, that was definitely a priority.

Kurt grinned back, pleased, as he picked up another piece of his chicken and mushrooms. His image inducer was switched on, now - just because the restaurant itself was mutant-friendly was no reason to take risks and was, in fact, a reason *not* to draw trouble to it. "I am glad you like it. The second dinner you owe me can also be here, if you wish", he finished mischievously.

"I wouldn't object, but since it's _your_ dinner, you should choose the place. When it's mine, then I'll pick." Laying down her chopsticks, she reached for her wine glass. "I think a toast is in order," she declared.

He reached for his own glass, moving the chopsticks into his other hand, and raised it, waiting for her to name the toast since she'd brought it up.

"To paying off debts in fun and extremely yummy ways," she began, her smile mischievous. "To surviving what possibly has to have been the worst couple of months on record with our sanity largely intact, and..." She paused, her expression softening a little. "To friends being there to pick you up when you need it."

Kurt had a toast of his own, now hers were done, since she seemed to be trying not to draw attention to it and someone had to... "To all of those things, and to your birthday."

"How did you... no, don't tell me, Moira or Hank told you." Madelyn shook her head, amused. "You know, I'd actually forgotten it was my birthday yesterday? With everything that's gone on, and then Jamie..." With another shake of her head, she pushed all that away, and touched her glass to Kurt's. "To all that, and my birthday. Thank you."

"We had not", Kurt told her with a smile as they clinked glasses. "I had planned to kidnap you yesterday, but, as you say, then there was Jamie. Tonight is close enough."

"Indeed it is." Madelyn sipped at her wine, before putting down the glass and picking up the chopsticks again. "Ah, there isn't going to be anything embarrassing like a cake and waiters singing and such, is there? Because I would have to stab you to death with the chopsticks, X-Man or not." Her tone was teasing, but held a note of 'please tell me you didn't'.

He chuckled. "Would I do such a thing to you? In any case, I have not had time - we did not choose the restaurant until we were on the way, remember."

"Wise Elf... I don't like that sort of thing at all..." Madelyn screwed up her nose. "So, how're you holding up? You've been very attentive to my state of mental health, but what about yours? Still having trouble sleeping?"

"It is getting better", he answered honestly. "I think I may have fallen asleep in the middle of talking with Miles on Wednesday... he came to visit me in my suite, and then I was waking up on the couch."

"The Munchkin of Sleep strikes again." Madelyn chuckled. "He managed to trick Moira into taking a nap as well - he's a sneaky one. And this is his way of doing something to help, I suppose." Her look turned pensive as she pushed food around on her plate. "I'm not sure what we're going to tell him about Alison's condition. It could be weeks before she can actually touch anything again. How can you tell a seven year old he can't hug his mom for that long?"

Kurt looked at her sadly. "I think he will understand more than you are thinking. He is... alarmingly wise about these things, sometimes. If you explain the reasons why she cannot be touched, he will understand."

"You're right. I tend to forget just how grown-up that little boy is sometimes. I have a niece only a little younger than him, and there's a world of difference..." She sighed again. "It's frustrating - there's so much wrong in the world, and much of it I'm powerless to stop." Looking down at her hands, the grazes on her knuckles slowly healing and the worst covered with band-aids, she continued, slowly: "Did you read the team reports from that mission in Iceland? Back in July?"

He nodded, reaching out to squeeze her hand in an attempt at comfort while being careful to avoid the grazes. "Yes, I did."

"I thought if I just moved on, didn't think about it, I'd forget about the whole thing. But this past month, all the injuries, seeing people I care about getting hurt and not being able to do a damn thing to help... it brought it all back. The healing power, how it felt... It was like I could feel all the pain and illness in the world, and all I needed to do to stop it was think about it." She squeezed his fingers gently, before pulling back and picking up the wineglass again. "That's what I was doing down in the gym the other night, shredding my hands. Trying not to think about it."

Kurt was unsure what to say that might help. After a few moments, he ventured quietly, "That might help in the short-term. But I think you know it will not help forever. As for what will... I think perhaps only time."

"Oh, believe me, I'm not planning to do that again - or at least, not for a good while. I need my hands for surgery for a start..." Having another sip of wine Madelyn shrugged. "Time, yes.. And talking - I do feel better for having vented all over Haroun the other night, and for telling you now. I'll deal. But I just wanted to let you know."

He nodded. "I understand. And I am glad you did."

"Just so you don't think I'm this highly unstable crazy woman," she said with a chuckle, before turning her attention back to the food.

***

"Oops," Madelyn giggled sometime later as they walked back to the parking garage where they'd left the car. "I think someone stole my alcohol tolerance...." She'd only had the two glasses of wine, and that should have been fine for her to drive home, but apparently the lack of sleep and the skimpy meals had combined to make her a complete lightweight. Grabbing Kurt's arm for support as a perfectly flat piece of pavement decided to try and trip her over. "You don't happen to drive, do you Kurt? I probably shouldn't."

Kurt shook his head, holding her up instinctively. "I am afraid not - I had no need to learn, with the clan. I think... the car should be fine here for the night. They will be locking it up soon, anyway, and we can come back for it in the morning."

"That... sounds like a very wise plan," Madelyn agreed, before giggling again. "Oh dear. You must think I'm a terrible person." Holding onto his arm wasn't enough, apparently - she slipped her arm under his and held onto his waist. Much better. The past few weeks were turning her into a hug junkie. "A complete lush."

He chuckled, looking down at her. "Not at all. I saw how much you drank, remember."

"I swear, the boys back in the Bureau would be pointing and laughing at me so much..." she mourned, shaking her head. "See, that's the thing about being a woman in man's career. You have to join the boy's club, prove you're not just as good as them, but better. It's how I learned to play pool." She snickered. "No-one will play with me from the mansion any more - I think you've been telling tales."

Kurt grinned. "I have said nothing. Except to Sean." Glancing down at her, he decided a little walk would be a very good idea at this point, before they went home.

"Great, tell the Irishman. Great story-tellers of the world..." A cool breeze had picked up, and she snuggled closer to the nice warm man walking her around so her head could clear... "You're a very good friend, Kurt, did I tell you that? My Kurt-shaped friend. I don't know how I would've gotten through the past two weeks without you."

He wrapped an affectionate arm around her shoulders. "You would have managed. I think you are stronger than you are giving yourself credit for."

"Oh, pfft," she said, waving a hand dismissively. "I've been a damn basket case this past week, and it's not like it's been any worse than usual. Demon attacks, terrorists, people's evil twins living in their heads... Should be water off a duck's back for us." Oh, she liked the arm. The arm was warm. "I like hugs," she announced, seemingly out of the blue. "Hugs are good. People should get more hugs. Especially yours. Since you are the Hugmeister."

He looked at her a little oddly, which she perhaps-fortunately didn't notice. Changing the subject from the various mansion disasters, he commented, amused, "I am glad you think so."

"Well, You are. Always giving me a hug when I need it." She was feeling rather warm and fuzzy and she was probably babbling, but damnit, it had been ages since she'd been able to just relax. "Doctors don't get hugs, usually," she said, pouting a little. "We're the nasty scary people who make you stay in medlab against your will and torture you with tests and medicines because we're evil that way. So, not so much with the hugs."

Kurt smiled, patting her arm slightly. "And I will keep doing so. Friends deserve hugs, even if they are doctors."