Madelyn, Kurt - phone call from London, Wednesday evening.

[x-madelyn.livejournal.com]

Once back at his hotel after this conversation with Amanda, Kurt calls Madelyn, seeking a friendly voice. Which he gets, plus some very disturbing images concerning a souvenier of Las Vegas...



After returning to the hotel where he'd booked for the night, the first thing Kurt did was call Madelyn. He felt the need to hear a friendly voice, after the conversation with Amanda...

For once, Madelyn wasn't in the medlab, or even checking on Cain - Hank's return and attack of the guilts meant that he'd taken on the afternoon checkup, and was intending to go down and talk to Jono afterwards. So Madelyn, finding herself at something of a loose end, sat herself down in front of "Drunken Master" on the DVD, with vague thoughts of inviting Jubilee along, when the phone rang. "Hello. Dr Bartlet speaking."

"Hello, Madelyn", Kurt answered quietly, curling up on the hotel bed. "Do you have time to talk?"

"Kurt! How's London treating you?" Madelyn grabbed for the remote and switched off the DVD. "And I have oodles of time, as strange as it may seem. Hank had an attack of conscience for being hermit guy and gave me the afternoon off."

"London is... not bad. I saw Amanda this afternoon."

His voice sounded a little flat, even taking into account the international phone line. "And how'd it go?" Madelyn asked gently.

"...Better than it could have done", he answered after a pause. "I think she started to listen, at least, a little. And perhaps to believe me."

Madelyn nodded, then realised he couldn't see her and made an affirming noise instead. "At least she heard you out - it's a small step, but it's a step. And how are you doing after all that? You sound tired."

"It has been... a long day. I am a little tired, yes, but... hopeful."

"Hope is good," Madelyn said with a smile, stretching out on the couch. "Are you going to tell your family now you've spoken to her?"

"Yes", he answered slowly. "She has given me permission to tell them, now. She feels it is not fair to keep it from them."

"Definitely a good sign, then . How do you think they're going to take it ?"

"I am not sure. Relief and joy, certainly... but when they learn what was done to her while she was gone from us..."

"Oh, Kurt..." Madelyn's voice was sympathetic. "It wasn't your fault, no matter what she might say, you do realise that, don't you? You and your family tried your best to find her."

"We did. But all the same... there will be guilt. It is hard to avoid."

"As long as it doesn't overwhelm anything else. This should be a happy time for your family - someone you thought was lost forever has turned up, and she's alive and safe and making huge progress. Remember how she was when she first got here? She's proving she's more than what happened to her, no matter what she still says."

"Oh yes. She is... so very strong. My mother will be proud."

"I'd say it's possibly a family trait." Madelyn chuckled a little.

"That is very true. My mother is the same - she has needed to be, to lead the clan. If or when Amanda agrees to meet her, I think she will see that."

"Did that seem very likely after talking to her?"

"More likely, I think, than it did before. I think she is more willing to give us a chance, at least, though she still does not trust us. I cannot ask her to, yet."

"No, you can't. That's going to be the hardest part, getting her trust - I know there's a lot of us she doesn't trust yet at the school, even after almost a year..." Leaning her head on her hand, Madelyn surprised herself by asking. "So, when are you thinking of coming back?"

"As soon as possible", he decided. "My business here is complete, I have no more reason to stay in London."

"Good, I'll see you... no, wait, I won't for a couple more days if you get here after the 7th - I'm going to San Francisco with Jubilee. She wants to visit her parents' graves and asked if I'd come. No way I'm going to turn down a request like that."

Kurt nodded automatically. "Yes, if Jubilee is ready to make that step, she should have someone trusted with her. I will see you when you return, if I am not back before you go."

"It's progress, yes, and she needs to say goodbye, I think, before she can move on. I've been getting some old buddies to check up on the case for me, but the holidays didn't help. And I have a feeling it'll be in the cold case pile. Still, if there's anything to be gained by reopening the investigation, I'll do my best." Reaching for the ever-present coffee on the table, Madleyn took a sip before going on. "It shouldn't be more than a couple of days - I'll bring you back a souvenir, if you like? Maybe one of those little toy cable cars. They're very cute."

Kurt chuckled. "I would like that. There is no such thing as too many souvenirs, even when I have not visited the place myself."

"It's a good thing you didn't tell Jubilee that while she was in Vegas, or she would have brought you back something horredously sequined. You should see what she got me..." There was a pause, and Madelyn blushed. "Um, then again, maybe not."

Kurt laughed - he couldn't see the blush, of course, but he had heard the retraction. "You know, now I will have to."

"It's a bikini. Well, it purports to be a bikini. I think it's a bunch of sequins that got together with delusions of grandeur. And I can't believe I'm telling you this. I think the evil minx got it purely for the reaction she got when I opened it - the blush nearly set off all the heat sensors in medlab, I'm positive."

There was a slightly poleaxed pause on the other end. "...Did she tell you where she intends you to wear the thing?"

"Satan's ice-skating rink?" Despite the fact she was red to the tips of her ears, Madelyn couldn't help snickering at the strangled sound of Kurt's voice. "I don't think she actually intended me to wear it - there are limits to how much I'm willing to humour people. I think she just wanted to see my face when I thought she would. She did the whole serious face, the brat." An evil, evil thought crossed her mind, and she added, just to see what Kurt's reaction would be. "There is always Jamie's beach..."

Kurt choked on thin air, trying desperately not to make it audible. "In a house full of teenage boys? Is that a good idea?"

"No - I just said it to make you choke. Which you did so very well, thank you." Madelyn giggled - she was blaming the chocolate Hank had given her for the perverse enjoyment in tormenting Kurt. Besides, he'd needed cheering up. "There's a possibility I've been keeping company with Alison too much. My evil side is coming out again."

"Should I be afraid?" Kurt asked lightly, grateful for the amusement.

"Only for your sanity - It's hard to Silly String someone in another country." She laughed again, then admitted: "Hank gave me chocolate. I could be a little on the hyper side."

He chuckled. "Then it is the remaining people in the mansion who should be afraid, perhaps. Although you cannot be as frightening on sugar as Miles."

"No, but I'm not as cute as Miles, so I don't have that whole 'get out of jail free' card that being four foot tall and adorable gets you," Madelyn said with a pout.

"Good point. Are you going to go and talk to people on your sugar-high?"

"I thought I was talking to one now..." Madelyn snickered a little. "But the place is as dull as tombs right now But at least people are starting to come back from various places."

"You know what I meant", he responded lightly, grinning. "It must be... different, the place being quiet."

"Well, far be it for me to complain considering I nearly went insane a couple of months ago... yeah, 'different' is one way of putting it. Still, Hank's back, and he's wanting to be more social, so I'll have someone to keep me entertained. And he's interested in this new project I'm doing with the energy projectors, so there could be fun with bloodwork."

"What new project is this?" Kurt asked, interested.

"Remember Scott and how hyper he got after too long on Jamie's beach? I'm looking at specific mutations changing the physiological requirements of the body, in terms of things like amino acids and neurotransmitters and the like. Starting with the energy projectors, since it seems to be directly connected to their power sources - Scott's power uses the sun, so his system needs increased levels just to function normally."

Kurt thought for a moment, nodding. "Was Alex not saying something about his and Shiro's powers combining, as well?"

"Yeah, although that's a little different... Still needs looking into 'though."

"Does Alex's power also function related to the sun?"

"We think so, although it hasn't been studied as much as Scott's since he hasn't been here as long..." Madelyn had a thought, and she sat up straighter on the couch. "Ooh, he's in Alaska, with little to no sun. I should grab him when he gets back and run some tests, see if that's had an effect." Whee! Science!

Kurt laughed at her enthusiasm, not unkindly. "I am glad to see you enjoy your work."

"This part, yes. Well, the other part, with the putting people back together? That as well. I just don't like having to put together the kids I teach on a regular basis. Or my colleagues, for that matter." Madelyn sighed a little. "Still, we're having a good run now."

"Long may it last", Kurt agreed. "We can only hope."

"Hope is good," Madelyn agreed. "And I should go. Do me a favour? Don't mope in the hotel all night - call Wanda and get her to show you the sights of London or something. Only, no bar fights this time - she and Haroun were bad enough."

Kurt grinned. "I will. And we will try to avoid bar fights."

"Good. Not that I can talk, but that was a once of. And did get me a call from a rather cute bartender..." Madelyn snickered. "Okay, I've got to run. Take care, Kurt, I'll catch up with you when we're both back."

"And you. I will see you soon."