Moira and Hank

[x-mactaggart.livejournal.com]

As soon as she's able, Moira stops by Hank's room to share hugs and chocolate. They're worried and scared but the comforting presence of an old friend always helps.



Pausing outside of Henry's door, Moira took in a deep breath. She'd read the files Maddie had sent her over the secure channel. The other doctor was still sleeping and since she didn't want to wake her up, a decision to check in with Henry had come about. There were even gifts--small goodies she knew he liked from Scotland that she had picked up before knowing this was going on. And now more than ever, Moira was regretting not having had the time to check the journal systems. Maybe she would have pinged to something being wrong much earlier. Knocking, she called out, "Henry? 'Tis Moira, can I come in?"

Hank was digging through his bookshelves, looking for books he could still read. The knock on the door came as a very welcome distraction... the search had been making him miserable, when he realized how bad it already was. And Moira... god, Moira was home. He felt a little less scared already. He bounced over to open the door, wrapping her up in a big hug. "Moira! I missed you!"

It didn't escape her notice how much he was clinging--or how much she was clinging back. "Missed ye as well," she said, voice muffled by his shoulder. When they finally drew apart a little, she gave him a good look over. "'ow're ye feelin'?" Moira's voice was gentle, trying to keep the worry out of it for his sake. "I came as soon as I could."

"Afraid," he admitted, knowing she'd see through any attempt at 'fine'. "I feel okay, mostly... it's just my mind that's affected." And that 'just' nearly stuck in his throat. He couldn't imagine anything worse to be affected.

Drawing him in for another hug, she nodded. "I know, sweetheart," she soothed, holding onto him for dear life. "But it'll be okay. We're startin' ta work on it now--Maddie sent me th' files since I couldnae leave last night like I wanted ta." Moira could easily understand how he felt. Hank had been through a lot but this had to be the worst of it. She was even going to run tests to make sure what turned him blue and furry was _not_ doing anything now. Long shot but she'd go after every possibility until an answer showed up. "We're 'ere for ye."

"I know. I had lots of visitors. And Miles is going to come over later and watch movies with me." Hank smiled. "It's... nice, knowing people care." He hung his head, looking sheepish. "I... overreacted, a bit," he confessed. "You asked me to look after things, while you were gone, and I know you mostly meant Nate, but when Amanda got hurt... well. I was worried about her. But I didn't handle it well."

"Ye couldnae 'ave known," Moira said firmly, one hand going to tug gently at his chin to get him to look at her. "Ye couldnae 'ave known wha' was goin' on an' ye were tryin' ta do everythin' so normally. 'Tis nay yer fault, Henry McCoy, an' I dinnae want ta 'ear ye apologize for somethin' tha' ye couldnae 'elp."

"I'm glad you're back to look after her," Hank said seriously. "I wasn't doing very well. And someone should." He smiled crookedly. "They all think they're so grown up, but they're so not, sometimes. Was I like that, when I was eighteen? So sure I knew everything?"

"Who, ye? Never." She kept her face deadpanned before grinned at him. "Okay, a wee bit. Th' problem was ye knew _nearly_ everythin' an' it took a wee while before I got it through ta ye tha' nearly was nay exactly th' same as everythin'."

Hank smiled ruefully. "And then when I got older and thought I really did know everything this time, I went and turned myself blue. I've been humble since then." He shook his head. "Will you keep an eye on Forge while I'm... not well? Please? He's very smart, but he's also sixteen. Sixteen year old boys tend to do very, very stupid things sometimes."

"O' course I will. Luckily, Forge seems ta 'ave a good support group amon' th' kids as well--Catseye, in particular." Moira looked rather amused by that one. Catseye was a dear. "I'll do whatever I can for ye, ye know tha'." Leading him over to the couch, her feet her killing her, she leaned against him. "An' we'll do our best ta get ta th' bottom o' this."

Hank sat down beside her on the couch, offering her the box of cookies - now somewhat decimated - that Kitty had brought him yesterday. "You want a cookie? The kids have been bringing me treats. To cheer me up, I guess." He sighed. "It's only going to get worse," he said quietly. "Maddie promised that... well... if it got bad, the kids wouldn't be allowed to see. You won't let them either, right? I don't want them to have to see that." To see *him*, helpless, slowly becoming a vegetable...

"Turn down food, now? Never." Taking one, Moira absorbed what he had asked her and then nodded. Cookie in one hand, she reached over and put her other one over his. "Promise. I know 'ow 'ard tha' would be on ye an' them." How hard it would be on her, she thought, watching him...no, they'd find _something_. They had to.

Hank nodded. "And you look after yourself," he said softly. "And the baby. You know how much I'm looking forward to seeing him or her." And he WOULD. He would. And if he didn't... he at least wanted to be sure that the baby was okay.

She smiled brightly at him. "Nay matter wha', Henry," she responded, "ye'll see th' wee one. Nay matter wha' 'appens, yer still me oldest friend an' as much a part o' me family as me uncle an' cousin are."

"Good." Hank smiled. "I love you, you know," he said seriously. Nathan had said no flirting, and he'd really tried hard not to, but this was different. "You've been my teacher and mentor and sort-of big sister all at once. You mean a lot to me." He hugged her gently. He'd wanted to say it, at least once, just in case he wasn't going to get another chance.

Wrapping her arms around him, Moira fought the surge of tears. "Love ye ta," she whispered back, meaning it with everything she was. "Ye've been such a constant in me life when everythin' else wasnae. I wasnae kiddin' tha' one time when I threatened tha' we'd grow old together. I'll be damned sure tha' comes ta pass."

"Good." He smiled, hugging her tight. "And you make Nate and Amanda look after you, as well as you looking after them, until I'm better and I can help. Okay?"

Chuckling, she nodded against him. "I dinnae think I could dissuade them," she said, smiling a little bit. "An' I'm back for good, so I'll be around ta check up on ye."

"I'm glad you're here," Hank said softly. "I was worried about Maddie. She was afraid to sleep, in case something went wrong... with me like this, and Haroun not well either... you look after her too, please? I don't want her to work until she makes herself sick again."

"We'll be keepin' a close eye on each other," Moira promised. "I know me absence 'urt ye all but I'm back now, so thin's should be a wee bit easier on everyone."

"Good. She.. I worry." Hank blushed, looking away. "It was hard for her, having to tell me," he said softly. "I wish I could help, somehow."

Wisely, she didn't comment on the blush. Not now anyway. When he was better, maybe. "Takin' care o' yerself, relaxin', lettin' us take care o' ye--tha's 'ow ye can 'elp. Ye jus' need ta relax, even though I know 'ow 'ard tha's goin' ta be."

"I'll do my best." Hank smiled. "The kids are going to try to keep me amused, I think. It'll be nice. And I can go out and play, with Miles and stuff. I feel okay everywhere but my brain."

"And we'll fix yer brain soon enough," she promised, reaching up to ruffle his hair like she used to do when they were both younger. Moira's lips quirked. "An' then ye'll be back on rotation wonderin' why ye 'avenae slept in two days."

Hank laughed a little. "I can hardly wait," he said wistfully.

"We'll get ye back up an' runnin' even if we 'ave ta work our fingers ta th' bone. An' dinnae give me tha' look, ye'd do th' same if'n it was either o' us, an' ye know it. Yer in th' best care. An' bein' cared for by th' ones who know ye th' best." Reaching into her pocket, Moira pulled out a small box and handed it over. "Those candies ye like from Scotland. Picked up a box a while ago."

"Everyone's bringing me treats. I should get sick more often," Hank joked, taking the box. Mm. Candy. "Thank you, Moira." He kissed her cheek gently. "I do feel better, now that you're here. I know you and Maddie will do everything you can."

"'ow could ye nay?" she asked, smiling at him fondly. "Ye're one o' me dearest friends. I would literally do anythin' for ye."

"As I would for you." Hank grinned. "Except for running away with you, because Nate is very scary. He might make a rug out of me."

Laughing, she returned the kiss on his cheek. "But then yer ability ta give 'ugs would be lost," she said mournfully. "An' believe me, those 'ugs are one o' a kind. Verra 'ard ta replace or reproduce."

"It's the fur. Gives them that certain something." He laughed. "So I guess, for the sake of the hugs, I won't be able to run away with you. You're just stuck with that cute but crazy guy you like so much."

Placing her hand over her heart, Moira gave him an amused look. "Woe oh woe is me," she said. "Me life is so verra, verra 'ard."

Hank smiled, giving her another hug. "I'm just glad you're happy," he said softly. "I really am."

"Me ta," she said, sighing happily. Right now, she could enjoy the presence of her friend and push everything else out of her mind. Only for now but she would take what she could. "'ome for good."