xp_logs | Hank, Madelyn, Saturday evening

The Thomas Edison Memorial Dinner, part two

Hank and Maddie dance and talk about Amanda and the practice of medicine. On the way home, he tells her funny stories about his time at medical school, and they run into Kurt... who somehow, isn't quite happy to see them.

Madelyn was... well, not hiding, precisely. More... resting. Yes, that was it, she was resting. Resting and sipping a glass of champagne and watching Hank chat to some of the more inventive individuals here tonight about something-or-other that involved way more quantum mechanics knowledge than she had. The fact she was doing this in a corner behind a plotted palm was nothing to do with it. And it wasn't that she was having a lovely time she was just... overwhelmed. Hank had been right about the impact she'd have, and she needed a break from enthusiastic conversations from desperate science types, some of whom seemed to have had some neck trouble, given the fact they hadn't been looking her in the face as they spoke to her.

Hank looked around. Hm. No sign of Madelyn.... and then he spotted her, sort of inched back behind a potted plant. She looked a little frazzled, and he excused himself from his current conversation... which was getting a bit over even his head, anyway... to go over and see how she was doing. "Tired of being the life of the party already?" he said softly, shifting to casually block her from the view of most of the room. "You've been greatly admired, thus far."

"I'm out of practice," she told him with a small smile. "All that admiration... no, wait, I've never been in practice for that. It's a bit unnerving after a while - I feel like a bit of raw steak when Logan's around." Reassuringly she patted his arm. "Not to say I'm not enjoying myself hugely. I am. My poor little brain and I just needed a breather."

He laughed softly. "Well, that's what you get for being beautiful and intelligent and interesting at parties," he said, amused. "I have the same trouble myself, you know... except that I wouldn't look nearly as good in that dress." He touched her elbow gently, trying to strike a compromise between indicating that he was here for her and not seeming overly familiar or proprietary. "Would you like to step outside for a moment? Not actually outside, of course, you'd freeze, but I could show you the attractive mural in the hallway outside, or escort you to the bathrooms..."

"Actually, I believe dancing was on the cards?" she suggested. "Rather than have you hanging around outside the women's bathroom like a creepy stalker person?" She gave him another of those wicked grins. "And dancing means less chance of being grabbed by an over-enthusiastic scientist without hiding in the corner all night."

He grinned impishly. "Well, it would certainly mean you won't get grabbed by more than one," he said teasingly, bowing and offering her his arm. "If you would join me on the dance-floor, my dear, I promise to fend off any and all who try to cut in."

"My hero," Madelyn replied with a brief curtsey and a laugh as she took his arm. "You'll find I'm much improved, by the way - I was helping Kurt with dance class while Alison was injured. So I've been getting lots of practice."

"Well, lucky me," he said cheerfully, disposing of their glasses on the nearest flat surface, and drawing her onto the dancefloor... which was a little sparsely-populated, but there were a few couples out there. He'd had enough champagne to feel cheerful, but he was being careful... not wanting her to think he was a drunken lout... so he was still rock-steady on his feet. "I shall have to do my best not to let you outdo me."

"I think you'll keep up - I've seen you dance before," Madelyn teased, knowing full well he'd not only keep up but probably put on quite the show, being Hank. She was always amazed at how light on his feet he was, given his size. And he was holding her as carefully as a pice of blown glass, which amused and touched her - she'd seen the difficulty he had with delicate objects sometimes, given the size and strength of his hands, and she knew he was being extra careful. "It's pretty daunting, some of the people here tonight," she said as he spun her around the floor. "Some of these people I remember being assigned reading for in medschool."

"Don't be too daunted. Being brilliant doesn't precludeus from being silly." He smiled, swinging her around. She was a lovely dancer, and felt very nice in his arms... but he wasn't going to think about that. "For example... Wilbur Wallace? The very dignified looking older gentleman over there?" He indicated a white-haired man who was gesticulating as he talked, wriggling his fingers exaggeratedly. "He is an expert in robotics and remote controlled machinery... he can build almost anything, and operate it flawlessly from up to five miles distant. He could conduct a surgical operation, if he knew anything about surgery, from the next state... and do it perfectly. Do you know what achievement brought him here this year?" He grinned fondly at the old man. "He built a giant remote controlled squid. For catching other squid. He likes his calamari fresh, and figured that was a good way to cut out the middle-man."

Madelyn laughed out loud at that. "You're kidding me! Squid?." When Hank nodded, she shook her head. "I suppose there are worse things in the world to care about, but that's got to be one of the oddest." Falling into silence, obviously considering something, she said at last: "You know, sometimes I feel a bit daunted by you and Moira. You've both achieved so much in such a remarkably short amount of time... And I've only actually been a practicing doctor for a few years. When Alison was hurt, it was really brought home to me. There was so much, and Moira was amazing. The knowledge that woman has in her head..."

"Moira still daunts me a little, too," Hank admitted. "I've known her since I was very young, and... don't tell her... but despite her youthful beauty, I've always thought of her as very old and wise." He smiled down at her, enjoying the graceful way she moved. It was so nice to have a partner who could really dance. "But you have no reason at all, my dear, to feel any less impressive than the rest of us. At your tender age, to have forged two successful careers... both of which call for no little dedication and hard work, as well as native intelligence... is astoundingly impressive. And adding to that your dauntless courage and determination in the face of crisis and danger... I, for one, have always been very impressed by you."

"You'd think after all the compliments tonight I'd be content and not look like I'm fishing for more," she said wryly, the blush coming out on cue. She was, however, far more comfortable with this sort of praise - it was something she'd earned after all. "But it means a lot to me, that you think that, Hank. Especially after nearly falling apart on you all a few months' back... I suppose my confidence has taken a bit of a beating, between Doug getting shot, and then those children in Vermont, and then Al. Sometimes I'd like to do more in the way of preventative medicine than crisis management." Madelyn pulled a face. "I keep telling Scott he can't do everything, and then I go ahead and expect the same of myself. Occupational hazard, isn't it?"

"Oh, good heavens, yes. I was told by one of my instructors in medical school that all doctors secretly believe themselves to be gods who should be able to do and heal anything... and that all of us, sooner or later, have to realize that we aren't, and that we can't, and find a way to get on with doing what we can. I actually leaned rather heavily on that angle in my talk with Amanda," he admitted. "The idea that we have to accept, sooner or later, that we cannot fix everything, and just do what we can." He kept the dance slow for now, not trying to show off while they talked. "But you have coped very well, and far better than most, Madelyn, I assure you. We all have times when we feel we can't bear any more... you'll see me and Moira both collapse at some point, and I hope not think the less of us for it, as we do not of you."

"The thing is, for a short while at least, I was one of those gods... You read Moira's files on what happened in Iceland, right? Having that power, losing it, and then everything happening at once... it was too much." Madelyn's voice was low, but Hank could still pick up the emotion in it, even if he couldn't see her face as she had dropped her head a little. When she looked up again, the bright smile was back, perhaps a little false, but now was not the time for the thoughts she was having. Now was for fun, and dancing with a partner who didn't step on her feet like some of the boys in dancing class did. "How'd Amanda take our decision? You don't look singed..."

"I did read them... and I am sorry, Madelyn, that was very thoughtless and insensitive of me." He held her just a little closer, trying to be comforting. "It must have been incredibly hard for you, to have what all of us long for above all else, and then to lose it again... again, I am astounded and impressed at how well you have handled situations that would have broken the spirits of those less determined. I don't know if I could have handled it as well as you did, and I've been doing this for a very long time." He smiled down at her a little. "And... I think she took it fairly well. She was upset, but I believe I convinced her that she is still needed...just not for every little thing. She agreed to abide by our restrictions, at least... and even admitted, reluctantly, that she would be glad not to always be so tired. I did promise her that I'd summon her immediately were she truly needed, which seemed to reassure her somewhat."

She shrugged a little. "At the time... well, there wasn't time to do anything else but deal. Eventually I had my little nervous breakdown, slugged Kurt, got beaten up by a punching bag and had Haroun put me back together. I've got it mostly out of my system now." She was glad for the arms around her, though - touch was a good thing, and doctors tended not to get it overmuch, with so many medical-phobic people around... "I have to admit, it's one of the reasons why I don't get on so well with Amanda - she has the gift I lost, and I can't help feeling a little jealous of her. It might have lead to me pushing her harder than I should - I'm glad she's agreed to the break."

"I can see why you'd envy her... I do, myself, and I've never had even a taste of that power." There was no protest against the holding, so Hank kept right on doing it. "I wish I'd been more help to you, when you finally broke under the strain," he said remorsefully. "Not that I'm sure how I could have helped, aside from supplying hugs and comfort, but I wish I had." She was so brave, so determined to go on.... she really was an astounding woman.

"Never underestimate the power of hugs and comfort, Hank," she told him with a gentle smile. "And you did help - you came back, and helped Alison far more than I could. With that amazing intellect of yours." Squeezing the shoulder her hand was resting on briefly, she gave him a playful look. "Your intellect, Moira's wisdom, and my stubborness - why aren't we ruling the world yet?"

"What, and get even less sleep?" he grinned. "It's bad enough trying to keep just the Mansion in one piece, and you want to take on even more responsibilities?" He swirled her around expertly, beaming at her sudden smile. "Of course, ruling the world would have its perks. I can just see you being carried shoulder-high through the adoring crowds, on a litter borne by a dozen muscular young orderlies, your Auroscope of Authority shining brightly in your hand..."

"All would love me, and despair?" she suggested brightly, adding a little twirl to things, just to show off a little. She had caught sight of Pym giving them both a somewhat dour look - obviously it had not been a good night for him. Oh dear, what a pity. "And that reminds me - I need to nag Scott. I was promised a beach at some point, although there was no actual decision regarding the cabana boys."

"We're despairing already, since there's only one of you to go around," he said teasingly. "You might have to start a harem, just so we can all adore you properly." He spun her out and then drew her back into his arms, where he intended she should stay until she decided she wanted to go someplace else. "Which would also solve the cabana-boy problem, when you think about it. Efficiency IS important."

"Spoken like a true scientist," she giggled.

***

"... so there we were, with absolutely no memory of the night before, no apparent witnesses, and no underwear. Our other clothing was still present, you understand, but our underwear was gone." Hank grinned. "Our only clues were the Admiral's Hat, the confetti, and the eleven pizza boxes. We tried calling the pizza place, but for some reason, they wouldn't answer any questions. To this day we still have no idea what happened. And that, my dear, is why you never let the chemist bring brownies to a party. Especially one who's still in college."

They were nearly home, now, at an appalling hour of the morning... nearly time for Scott to start making 'bright new day' noises, actually. They'd had a wonderful night... at least, Hank had, and he was pretty sure Madelyn had been enjoying herself... probably a bit too much champagne, and now he was telling her what he hoped were amusing stories about his brief attempt at a wild youth, the latest one having been brought to mind by his mention of it to Forge, which in turn had been triggered by Nathan and Marie-Ange's own unfortunate encounter with innocent-seeming brownies. He wasn't sure if the giggling should be credited mostly to the champagne or his attempts at being entertaining, but he hoped it was the latter.

For a long time Madelyn couldn't speak - in fact, she almost couldn't breathe for laughing. She'd had probably a bit more champagne than was good for sobriety, but most of the giggling was from the appalling stories Hank was telling. "Did you... did you ever find it?" she managed at last. "Your underwear, I mean? It didn't turn up anywhere embarrassing, like over a handy statue of the dean or something?"

"Never. Not a stitch of it... and with all of us, we're talking nineteen items. We made a list and went out to hunt for it." He grinned. "We also found out that Jerry didn't wear any, ever, which we really didn't need or want to know. I think our eventual decision was that aliens must have taken it, given how totally it had disappeared." He chuckled at that memory. "When twelve burgeoning scientists and doctors sit down, while still incredibly hungover and confused, to extrapolate the events of the previous night on very little evidence, the theories can get a bit... creative. Jacinta was very insistent that we must have gone out into the woods to have an orgy in order to summon pagan gods, but I put that down to wishful thinking on her part."

Ow, her ribs were aching. "See, now I have images of your underwear showing up on the doorstep one day, either to try and kill us all for your callous neglect of all those years ago, or to join the team. It seems to be the way of things here - people's pasts coming back to haunt them... As long as it didn't get used for any demon summoning. Pagan gods we could probably throw Amanda at, but we've already done demons a couple of times and demons are soooo last season."

"We all agreed that we were sure we weren't stupid enough to try to summon demons." He grinned. "Bacchus or Aphrodite, on the other hand... The state we were in, wine and ... ahem... love might have sounded like a very good idea at the time." He grinned. "Although I discovered then that I had certainly fallen in with a group of inquiring minds. When the orgy question came up, instead of merely debating the probability of such an event, almost everyone promptly investigated assorted areas of themselves to see if there was any physical evidence to support the theory."

Oh, the mental images were threatening to undo her entirely... Laughing even harder, Madelyn found herself sliding a little further down in the seat. "Ow, I'm going to break something if you keep this up," she gasped. "See, the most I ever did n college was the occasional kegger... My kid sister says I'm very boring."

"I didn't even drink, the first time I went." Hank grinned. "But the second time, medical school... I happened to fall in with the wrong crowd. Not really wrong crowd, who didn't study and cheated and so on, just the wrong crowd that were extremely intelligent but had no common sense whatsoever. There was no such thing as a rhetorical question, with that little group... I recall being rousted out of bed at two in the morning, once, to explain the exact physics that would be involved in the theoretical event that a celestial dung-beetle were the sun's motivational force."

"Physicists have all the fun," Madelyn said in a serious tone, before cracking up again. "Okay, no more envying your enormous brain. Not if that's where it gets you." Hank was a good driver, she was pleased to note. Getting into a car with many of the other staff members could be considered taking one's life into one's hands. "I had a good time tonight," she said suddenly. "It was nice, not having to dumb down so that I didn't hurt men's egos."

"My dear, any man whose ego would be hurt by your intelligence... or your beauty, or your ability to fend for yourself... is not worthy of you," Hank said firmly. Lord knew this was a problem he was familiar with - he'd lost count of how many female colleagues he'd heard complaining about it. He'd never understood it, himself, and he HAD met women smarter than he was... one or two, anyway. He'd found them positively fascinating. "No-one should ever have to pretend to be something they aren't for the benefit of other people's egos."

"You, Hank, are a very rare man - one who isn't threatened by an intelligent woman," Madelyn told him solemnly. "Unfortunately, you're the first one I've met in a very long time. A very, very long time." She sighed dramatically. "Sure we can't clone you?"

He laughed. "I wouldn't mind... as long as I got to stay in charge of the clones. Then I could implement a master plan of wooing every intelligent, fascinating woman in the world, and once they were all on my side, I could get on with declaring myself Global Emperor, because who could possible stand against all that brainpower?" He grinned at her. "Although given that the clones would probably all share my vanity, the terrible drain on the world's hair-care-product reserves might crash whole economies. And the mass dryer-usage every morning would cause terrible blackouts"

"Damn, you're right. Chaos and mayhem and a severe lack of mousse. It's too much of a risk."

"Exactly." He grinned. "It's possible to have too much of a good thing, or so I'm told. I've never thought so, myself." He drew up outside the front
door... with just a little flourish, and beamed ater her. "And we're home! Safe, sound, and gastro-intestinally settled, thanks to Marie-Ange's tip about the shellfish." He slid out of the car and - since she was still giggling - made it around in time to open her door and help her out. "May I walk you to your door, my dear?" He could put the car in the garage afterwards. Right now, he was trying to be suave... just a little, anyway.

"I think you might have to," she told him, realising that whilst she'd had balance in these shoes earlier in the night, that had been several glasses of champagne ago. Damn bubbles. Trying hard not to clutch at his arm and look like a complete lush, she let him lead her up the steps. "I had a lovely time tonight, Hank, did I tell you that already? Any way, I did. I haven't had so much fun in _ages_. You're a lovely man to invite me."

"I, too, had a delightful evening," he said seriously, smiling down at her as she wrapped her hands around the arm he offered her. "And I'm glad you enjoyed it... you haven't been having enough fun, lately. Neither have I. I think we both deserved a little fun, don't you?" He opened the door, and they headed for the lift. Probably shouldn't risk stairs, in her condition, as adorable as she was when giggly and just a little unsteady. "And you are, may I add, a dear for agreeing to go with me. It was greatly appreciated."

"Definitely not enough fun for us dungeon dwellers lately," she agreed as Hank steered her into the elevator. "And any time, Hank - I like going out with my friends, and you are a very good one." She squeezed his arm a little to emphasise her point. "And it's very hard not to enjoy being the centre of attention like that. Sometimes it's hard not to feel like you're part of the medlab equipment, isn't it?"

"Oh, good lord, yes." He made a rueful little face. "There are times when I feel like a glorified bandage-dispensing-machine. And you know, it would save a lot of time if we just put 'that was very foolish, don't do it again and don't pick at the stitches' on little signs on our foreheads, so that the patient can read the lecture while we attend to them."

"Can we? Please? And then write the same thing on their arms in that indelible marker?" Madelyn practically bounced, which was a bad idea in the shoes, and she did have to clutch Hank's arm this time. "Whoops, attack floor."

He steadied her, a little surprised at how far his hands went around her. She was so assertive and so strong-willed, it made her seem bigger than she was... of course, almost everyone was small compared to him. "The indelible marker is a good idea. We'll have to consult Moira, but I think writing instructions on the patients is an awfully good idea. Then they can't wander back in later, oozing, and complain that they forgot we told them not to wrestle bears in their spare time."

"'Do not wrestle bears', 'do not set yourself on fire', 'do not land on your head, yes this means you, Nathan'..." Madelyn half-chanted, giggling. "We could have a lot of fun with this. And stopping the oozing is a good thing. I hate oozing. It's all oozy and gross."

"It is." Hank grinned. It was nice to see Madelyn with her defenses down... just relaxed and enjoying being a little silly. And a little tipsy. "Oozy is definitely bad. And once the smell gets into fur..." He shuddered theatrically. "Washing it once or twice just doesn't work." The elevator stopped, and he stepped out... and then he reached back and lifted her bodily out, hands wrapped as politely as possible around her waist. "I really don't want your heels getting caught in that gap there," he said cheerfully, but was willing to admit in the privacy of his own head that that was just an excuse. The flirting was too much fun to stop.

"Whee!" she giggled, enjoying the sensation of being lighter than air. Most of the time she forgot how strong Hank was - he was just Hank - and then she'd see him hauling heavy equipment like it was nothing, or lifting Cain without apparent effort. "I think I might be a little bit drunk," she confided as he set her down gently on her feet again. "Bad me - whatever will the children say?"

"Nothing, because we won't tell them." He tapped the side of his nose in a
knowing fashion, making her giggle some more. "We'll be terribly sneaky about it. Besides, you're awfully cute when you giggle, did you know that? With everything that's been going on lately, there hasn't been enough giggling going on lately." He drew her hands around his arm again, and they headed down the hall.

Kurt happened to be waiting in the general vicinity of her room - not to check up on her, at all, of course. He only wanted to make sure she arrived back safely. And he wasn't lurking, either - he couldn't help it if his power drew the shadows around him. He stepped forward as they approached, eyebrows raised. "Good evening."

"Kurt!" Madelyn exclaimed, looking and sounding pleased to see him. Without letting go of Hank's arm, she took hold of Kurt's with her other hand. "Hank took me to a party," she told him solemnly. "Very brainy party. Big brains all over the place. And I was Cinderella!"

Kurt couldn't help chuckling, patting the hand on his arm with his free one. "You were Cinderella? It sounds as if you had fun."

Hank grinned. "She was," he said seriously. "She had the country's greatest minds falling all over themselves to dance with her and engage her in intelligent conversation. It's not often that so lovely, intelligent, AND competent a young lady graces our parties." And Kurt was... giving him a slightly odd look. He wondered why.

Kurt found himself frowning slightly at the first part of what she'd said, and forced it away, a little confused. He wasn't jealous... was he? "No, you are not being embarrassing", he reassured Madelyn. "I am glad you had fun."

"I did! As much fun as I do when you take me dancing, Kurt. And ooh, here's my door." She gave them both a slightly abashed grin. "I should go and sleep it off - it's very late, and this Cinderella is about to turn into a pumpkin..."

"Of course, my dear." Hank smiled, and bowed flamboyantly, catching her hand and kissing the back of it gently. "My thanks, dear lady, for the joy and pleasure of your companionship tonight. I can't recall when I last had so delightful an evening."

Kurt found himself frowning again and gave her a sweeping bow in turn - with somewhat more grace than Hank's, but that was only to be expected in view of their different builds. "Goodnight then, Madelyn."

Blushing rosy red at the two of them, Madelyn dipped a slightly tipsy curtsey. "'Night, Hank, thanks for a wonderful time. We'll have to do it again some time," she told the furry doctor. And then to Kurt: "And you! Don't be such a stranger, okay?" And with that, she gave them both a little wave before opening the door of her suite and disappearing inside.

Hank smiled after her, nodded to Kurt, and headed back to the elevator, to go down and put the car away. It had definitely been a wonderful night, even with Kurt acting... almost jealous?... at the end of it. Was there something going on there? Maddie hadn't mentioned it, but then again, she might not know herself, yet. He should probably back off a little, just in case. He sighed a little... the if-only thoughts were nice, but that was all they were, anyway. But it had been a nice evening.