xp_logs | Hank, Dani, Madelyn, Saturday Night (Reply)

Two logs for the cut of one! Hank dances with Dani, and inadvertently makes her cry... but in a good way... and then with Madelyn, with whom he flirts a little more seriously than usual. She doesn't notice the difference.

Hank returned Paige to Angelo, smiling at them both as they slipped back onto the dancefloor, and looked around for another partner. He spotted Danielle, looking a little lost as she stood off to one side, and headed over to her. Everyone should have at least once nice dance tonight, he was determined.

She looked lovely... evidently someone had convinced her to purchase something, or Madelyn's sister had come through. The dress was probably designed for someone a little further along in her pregnancy, but it suited her... the black picked up the sheen of her hair, and the fringes around her legs drew attention to how long they were. He flattered himself he looked pretty good himself... dark blue pants and matching vest, sapphire blue shirt, and purple tie. He liked to dress up, when he got the chance. "Good evening, Dani," he said cheerfully, smiling down at her. "How are you enjoying the party so far?"

"Oh, hi Dr. McCoy," Dani replied, jerking back to reality. She looked up at him in his sharp jeweled colors, "You look festive."

"I do my best." He preened just a little. "You look lovely yourself, I must say." He cocked his head, gazing down at her. "But not, just now, as if you're enjoying yourself a great deal. Are you getting tired?"

"Oh, I'm fine," she unconvincingly reassured him, running one hand down his jacket sleeve, "I just...miss Shel. I know I shouldn't, but I do. Don't tell Forge?"

"I won't." He reached out to touch her elbow gently. "Would you care to dance?" he offered, smiling at her. "Since we are both, at the moment, without a partner, and I for one am very fond of dancing."

She looked out at her classmates, writhing to the bass of the current song, "I don't know how," she declined, returning his smile. She was flattered by the offer.

"Give it a moment... something slower will come on." He gave her his best coaxing look. "I'm told that I'm very good at waltzing... and if you follow my lead, you'll pick it up in no time."

"Um...sure," she couldn't turn him down, even if she had wanted, he was too nice. And still and elder. "Thank you. I don't suppose they'd play any country would they? Something you can two-step to?"

"I doubt it... a pity, though." He cocked his head, smiling as he heard a softer tune replace the pounding bass, giving the dancers a chance to catch their breath and get a little romantic if they were in couples. "There. Here we go." He drew her onto the edge of the dance-floor, showing her where to put her hands. "Now, just follow my feet. When I go forward, you go back, when I go to the side, you do the same, all right?" He rested a hand on her back a bit carefully... his hands were so big they could wander entirely by accident, around the edges, if he wasn't careful.

"You can two-step?" she asked, stepping backwards awkwardly. Against Lorna's screams, she had chosen to wear her non-skid kitchen shoes and was thankful for it now. She was almost certain she would have fallen if she'd worn the heels that had been proposed.

He kept it fairly slow, surreptitiously supporting some of her weight with the hand on her back. "I can. I can do most dance-steps, actually. I've always enjoyed the activity, and mutant agility is good for more than hanging from things by my toes." He guided her into a careful turn. "Have you considered looking in on the Dance classes? It's good exercise, and it's important to stay in good shape during pregnancy... when labour hits, you'll be glad you did."

"I hadn't thought of that...I found some yoga pregnancy book in the library, but I haven't tried it," she twirled, her recently shortened hair flying out behind her, "You think I could take it on a limited basis?"
EliDyce: "I'm sure Alison wouldn't mind... and I think you like to dance, am I right?" It was good to see her smile... she was so solemn, most of the time. "Yoga is a good idea too, though... something that will help stretch and strengthen your body without straining too much. I have never tried the activity myself, but I'm sure there's someone around who has."

"I've heard of it, just never tried it. I ran track for a little bit, but I quit to get a job last year," she didn't mention that she didn't really like not being active, but hadn't known what was safe or what wasn't. "And there isn't a 'P.E. class for whales.'"

He shook his head. "You're hardly a whale, my dear," he said reprovingly, demonstrating by lifting her right off her feet and swinging her around, and putting her neatly back on her feet. "If you like, I'll hunt up some videotapes for you... exercises designed especially for pregnancy. I know it's easier to watch someone else do it and imitate, than to pick up a series of movements from a static picture in a book."

"You're right, I'm not a whale! I'm a penguin! Waugh!" she laughed, her feet touching the ground, "But videos would be very good if you have any. There weren't any in the library, but I think there are so many scattered around the dorms that they breed. Who knows what might be there?"

"I'll find some... and if we don't have any, clearly we should get some. Since you're not the only expectant mother in the place, and you're most unlikely to be the last." He chuckled, pleased that he'd made her laugh. "As long as you don't decide to follow Paige's example of a while back, and decide you want to take up pregnant pole-dancing."

"I'm not some powwow honky tonk girl, Dr. McCoy!" she informed him tartly, she'd seen that threat on the boards and had been mildly disturbed by it. She knew girls who danced, but they weren't good girls. "Girl who dance like that, they end up users."

He blinked. He kept forgetting how touchy she was. "I'm sorry, Dani, I didn't mean to imply that you were," he said mildly. "It was, in fact, the most absolutely unlikely thing I could think of for you to do, which is why I joked about it." He patted her back gently as they continued to dance. "I do apologize, though."

Relaxing slightly into the touch, she nodded, agreeing. "I just...people think 17 year old pregnant girls are automatically sluts. Not so much at home, but everywhere else. And this, this is everywhere else."

"I most certainly would do no such thing!" Hank said, more than a little shocked. "With no offense intended, my dear, for one thing, if you made a habit of that sort of thing, you'd probably have been more careful. In my experience... and I am a doctor, working at a school... it's not the pros who trip up that easily. Not that I know anything about it, but I'd be inclined to guess on the evidence that... Sheldon, is it?... was probably your first serious boyfriend."

Dani blushed, half stumbling into an unexpected turn, "Second. Ain't many guys worth dating back home...home ain't like here. Most girls were jealous I was dating him. Then when we got married, they about spit nails. I've only been here a month or so, and I'm already trying to remember what I saw in him."

"You can do better," he said, steadying her on her feet. "Anyone who would treat you so shabbily is not worthy of you, or of any other girl." He gave the hand he held a gentle squeeze. "You are a lovely, strong-willed, intelligent young woman," he said firmly, wanting her to believe it. "And I promise you, you will find someone much more deserving of you, when the time is right."

Danielle blushed harder, looking down at her feet, causing them both to trip, "I'm not, that is...I," she stammered, turning away and heading off the dance floor.

Hank blinked. "What did I say wrong this time?" he asked plaintively of the world in general. He followed her off the dance-floor, a little worried that he'd somehow offended her again. "Dani?" He said quietly, when she'd made it, with him right behind her, to a relatively quiet corner. "Are you okay? I'm sorry if I upset you..."

Mutely, she nodded, wiping her eyes with one fist, "I'm fine. Really," she gave him a shakey smile, as if to prove it.

He tugged a handkerchief out of his pocket and offered it to her, reaching out to pat her shoulder gently. "Tears aren't generally a sign of fine," he said gently. "What did I say?"

She shook her head, accepting the proffered handkerchief. Her shirt made a good tissue sometimes, or at least a convenient one, but she didn't want to ruin such a nice outfit, "You are always so nice. Everyone is. All the time"

"Oh, I see..." He smiled. At least he hadn't upset her... and if having someone be nice to her came as this much of a shock, she definitely needed more of it. "I meant every word," he said firmly. "And so does everyone else here, when they tell you how appreciated and valued you are."

"But I thought I was!" she explained, calming down, everyone was having too much fun for her to stay upset, "I thought I had a good life!"

"That doesn't mean it can't get better," Hank pointed out. "I was happy on the farm, too, until I came here... and then things got even better." He smiled, his eyes a little distant. "I'm still happy there, when I go home... but I know there's more out there, if you know what I mean."

"You know, the only time I used a computer was at school? I didn't even know anyone who had one. And the internet? Some vague thing...somewhere. And my brain says I should be upset over getting divorced. But there's so much here and so many people who understand and just...everything," she gestured vaguely to the dance, the whole world, "So much more."

Hank nodded. "The only constant in life is change," he said softly. "Sometimes for the better, sometimes not, but always change. Especially for mutants."

"I'm sorry I left you mid-song," Dani folded the used handkerchief and tucked it neatly into the waistband of her pants.

"It's all right." He rested a hand on her back for a moment, as a compromise between a pat and a hug. "I'm always around, you know, if you want to talk... about life, or the baby, or anything else."

Nodding, she stood, turning towards the women's lounge , "Gimme a minute, okay?" she had let Lorna do her makeup, something she rarely wore, and felt compelled to check it. She didn't know what she'd do it if was messed up, but she'd deal with that if and when.

"Of course." Hank nodded. "You take your time... I'll go mingle some more." He grinned suddenly. "And when you're ready, why not make Forge dance with you? It'd be good for him."

* * *

Hank spotted Madelyn actually not dancing... she'd been almost as busy as he had... and headed over quickly, in case he missed his chance altogether. "You have arranged a wonderful party," he told her, beaming, and then he gazed admiringly at her. A sight to make any pulse pound, just now, and she looked happy, too, which didn't happen often enough. "And you look absolutely exquisite. I'm surprised there isn't a little pile of smitten youths lying at your feet."

"There isn't? I must be losing my touch," she laughed, pleased and blushing a little at the openly admiring look. "And you scrub up very nicely yourself, Doctor McCoy - I see the girls have been keeping you on your toes all night."

"And every time I've looked over, you've been in the arms of another man." He sighed mournfully. "And after I was promised a dance, too." He smiled, holding out a hand to her. "Since you're not occupied now, however, shall we?"

"Let it not be said I welch on my promises," Madelyn told him with a smile, taking his hand. As always, she was amused at how small and delicate his hands made hers seem.

He chuckled, folding his large hand gently around her small one. "I shall defend your honour to the last," he said cheerfully, drawing her onto the dance-floor. "Your sister seems to be having a great deal of fun," he added, glancing in Carlie's direction with a smile. "She danced with Forge, I noticed... I'm surprised the poor lad didn't faint on the spot. I know I would have, if a lovely and slightly older girl had pounced on me like that when I was his age."

Madelyn glanced over at where her sister and Clarice were chatting, darting glances at Shiro. "She's loved her time here," she said with a fond smile. "And I hope she's been good for people here - she's certainly helped Forge come out of his shell a bit. I don't doubt she and Clarice will be plotting regular visits."

"I know I'd welcome them," Hank nodded. "We've talked, a few times, when she's bored... she actually understands almost all my habitual long words, which is nice." He smiled down at her. "Your family seems to have a talent for producing lovely, intelligent young women. It's lucky for us all that there aren't more of you, or you'd be taking over the world or something."

"Well, she thinks you're wonderful," Madelyn told him, with a chuckle, letting him guide her across the floor. "Someone who doesn't think she's a foolish naive idealist."

"Idealism is a powerful force." Hank indulged in just a little dip, smiling down at her. "Only those who truly believe that the world can be better will ever make it so. It's like inventing, or exploring the boundaries of scientific research... if you can't believe that it might exist, then it won't. Not for you. Belief must always come first."

Preaching to the choir here, Hank," she told him with a grin. "Although mine's a tad tempered by professional cynicism. It's difficult not to when you're working in the criminal justice system. But yes, to change anything, you have to believe change is possible."

"Exactly. Which is why I do not think her idealism is foolish." He glanced across the room, to where Kurt was talking to Alison. He and Maddie had been dancing together before. Twice. Entirely unconsciously, he held Maddie the tiniest bit closer as he tried to put it out of his mind. "Are you enjoying yourself?" he asked, more seriously. "You've looked like you're having fun, tonight... which, as we've discussed, doesn't happen often enough."

"I am," she replied, missing the glance and the reaction, just enjoying the music and the movement. "It's been a good week, actually. Busy, with the evaluations, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. Busy now means picking up problems early and saving ourselves a crisis later. And I'm all about the avoiding crises."

"Oh, so am I. I assure you." He chuckled softly. "Although there are certain areas of the checkups I will have to leave to you." She gave him a puzzled look, and he grinned rather evilly, glancing at his huge hand and broad, clawed fingers. "I'm sure even the most bashful of our compatriots would rather that you handled the prostate exams."

Tipping back her head and laughing outright, Madelyn gave his arm a light swat. "You are an evil, evil man, Hank. And if I end up having to do all those, I think you're going to owe me, big time."

"I'd help if I could," he said, with a mock-sincere expression on his face. "Really. I'm quite crushed to find myself useless in so fascinating an area." He laughed, swinging her around. "But I will make it up to you. However you like. I shall put myself entirely at your disposal."

"Entirely, hmm?" she said, mock-seriously. "Well, well, well, I'll have to think of something special, won't I?"

"Oh, I do hope so." He grinned at her. "If nothing else, I do owe you a trip to a museum or two, and fun with the hands-on exhibits. And if you're very good, I'll buy you one of those build-your-own-model-brain kits."

"Ooh, really?" she exclaimed, giddily, giggling as he swung her around again. "I always wanted my very own model brain. Since you have a lake monster of your own," she added, with a mock pout.

"Technically we do have to return it." Hank grinned. "I'm glad I thought of it, though... Forge has been enjoying himself immensely. And I do think he'd be interested in building one of our own.'

"Well, Catseye has already demanded a commission of her own, so no doubt we'll see one." Madelyn giggled again. "And it's certainly keeping him busy."

"He's a good kid." Hank smiled fondly in the direction of Forge and Kyle. "And reminds me far too much of me, at his age." He shook his head ruefully. "If I was, in fact, ever that young. I do vaguely recall a few things..."

She swatted him again. "You're what, only a few years older than me. Hardly pre-historic, Hank. No matter what remarks Carlie makes about me going to school in a cave and having a pet dinosaur."

He laughed, catching the swatting hand and bowing to kiss the back of it before drawing her back into his arms. "I thank you, my dear. But you must admit, some of the youngsters around here have the knack for making one feel ancient."

He was such a flirt... Blushing a little, she nodded. "Some of the kids around here tend to think anyone over the age of twenty-five is past it. Let alone past thirty... Still, their time will come, and we'll have our moment to point and laugh."

"We will. Our time will come." He nodded sagely and then released her very reluctantly as the song ended. As delightful a partner as she was, he was in no position to try to monopolize her time. He wondered, fleetingly, if Kurt was. "I thank you, my dear, for a lovely dance. You do it so well, you quite put me to shame."

"And you, as always, Hank, are flattering me outrageously. I always enjoy dancing with you." She patted his arm gently. "And if I'm not mistaken, Carlie's about to claim you for one of those dances you asked for, so I hope I didn't wear you out."

Hank resisted the urge to suggest that she could tire him out any time she liked. That would really be TOO forward. "I'll try to bear the terrible misfortune of having to dance with two beautiful, fascinating ladies one right after the other," he said bravely. "I'm terribly stoic, you know."

"Yes, very brave - I don't know how you do it, I really don't," Madelyn told him with a snicker. "And now I'd better go mingle. Have fun with Carlie, don't let her break your heart."

"I'll try to resist her," Hank said solemnly. "It'll be difficult, but I'll do my very best."