Tuesday evening . . . (warning: long, also do not read under the influence of sugar)

[x-crowdofone.livejournal.com]

Jamie and Moira both get a little therapy, with the help of Kitty and Alison.



Moira shifts the pillows around on the floor, resting herself really. She's exhausted, having slept very little in the last few days and eaten less. But duty calls.

The machine behind her beeps softly. She'll be using this to monitor when, if, Jamie dupes today. Hopefully they'll be able to catch something to work with.

A faint knock at the door indicates Alison's arrival, and she waits until Moira calls out before entering the room.

Jumping a little at the knock, Moira winces and touches her head. "Come in."

She enters, taking in other woman's appearance but says nothing for now, and looks around, noting the intruments and machines she was told would be there. "Hello, Moira," she tilts her head. "Looks like we're ready... anything else you'd like for me to know before the kids get here?"

"'ello, Alison." Moira climbs to her feet and glances around. "...nay, not tha' I can think o', really." She nods towards the pile of books in the corner. "Though after it's all done, there are th' books I promised ye a while ago." She smiles, rubbing her head.

"Ooh, lovely," Alison replies, a greedy look in her eyes not unlike the one Paige gets when presented with science books. "Thanks muchly!" She looks back at Moira. "Headache?"

"Aye, but it'll pass soon enough." She fills up a coffee mug and nods at it. "Tea an' coffee if yer wantin' some. Th' coffee's me own special brew."

Having heard about Moire's coffee by now, Alison opts for the tea, and leans on a desk while sipping at it, trying to work at relaxing enough to be able to produce the effect they need. "Shoulnd't be long now," she remarks idly, eyes flicking towards the clock. "Think we'll get results right from the start?"

Moira thinks, sipping the coffee to take the bite off the headache. "I dinnae know. Depends on how big th' block is." She shakes her head. "If'n we get th' lad relaxed enough, we should be seein' results fairly fast. But even wit' Kitty, it may not be enough fer right now. I mean...he felt 'imself die."

"I know," is the soft reply. With a sigh, Alison sets the tea down on the desk, and selects a spot on the ground, sitting down cross legged, tilting her head from side to side in preparation for her part in this experiment. "Well, hopefully we'll get a good start."

"I think we well." Moira sits across from her and leans against a giant pillow for support. "I think...he's willin', more'n really, an' tha' counts fer a lot. Ye asked me if I had anythin' ta say before hand...do ye?"

Alison cracks an eye open, and smiles faintly. "I'm not used to using my... power to do this sort of stuff, but you seemed confident it would help. I know you've been assisting the kids with their powers - would you mind if I dropped over at one point, to talk to you about mine? Especially if this works?"

Moira blinks and then smiles. "O' course, lass, I'd be more'n willin' ta give ye a hand." She pauses, almost as if she's going to ask something in return but realizes that Kitty and Jamie should be by shortly. And her own problems could last a few more nights without her seeking some advice of her own.

Jamie knocks twice and pushes the door open; he's nervous, and covering it pretty well, but even so the word "lifeline" would not be inappropriate to describe how he's holding Kitty's hand. "Hey, Doc, Ms. Blaire. So what's the plan?"

Kitty follows him, holding onto his hand and trying to be as reassuring as possible - although she's not entirely sure how was acts reassuring. Mentally shrugging to herself she looks at the doctor, trying to see what she should do.

Moira smiles reassuringly at Jamie and gives a subtle wink to Kitty, realizing they're both going to be nervous. "'ello, Kitty, Jamie, pull up a seat...er, cushion an' settle yerselves in."

With a small wave of her hand, Alison greets the two newest arrivals, before closing her eyes again and concentrating on her breathing.

Jamie arranges a few cushions for himself and Kitty and does a textbook Gangly Teenager Flop onto them. He grins. "Professor Xavier wouldn't let you pad the walls, huh?"

Kitty settles down next to Jamie, smiling at the two adults.

Moira snorts. "'e looked simply aghast when I mentioned it ta 'im. So, pillows it'll 'ave ta be. How're ye two?"

"Cowering in fear from Doug's wrath, but otherwise fine." Jamie chuckles. "Nothing like painting your roommate purple to put a smile on your face."

Kitty giggles. "I'm doing well. Spot of interpersonal computer hacking, touch of physics homework, some random dance practice. Standard day."

Moira's eyebrows sky rocket into her hairline. "Turn...och, I dinnae want ta know." Shaking her head, she mock sighs. "Glad ta know yer bot' 'avin' normal days..."

"And sorry to know what's normal for a pair of reprehensible teenaged mutants?" Kitty grins.

"Somethin' like tha'," she mutters. Rubbing the back of her neck to get rid of tension, she looks at Alison. "Lass, ye doin' well?"

"Mmm, getting there," is the calm reply. Hands resting on her knees, eyes closed and breathing slowly, Alison nudges a few lights into being, almost tentatively - getting a feel for the patterns and seeing if they will result in what is needed.

Moira nods. "As ye Yanks are fond o' sayin'...gotcha." Leaning forward she gestures to Jamie. "Lad, I'm goin' ta need ye ta raise yer shirt a wee bit. Need to put these lovely feelin' thin's on ye. They'll just monitor ye on a scale we cannae."

Jamie nods and hikes up his T-shirt. "Dr. McCoy had a couple of those stuck to my head when I was out. Careful the farmer tan doesn' t blind you."

"Lad, I'm Scottish, yer tan...well, tha' is white, isna it?" She winks at him and gently hooks him up to the machine. More nerves would only hurt this experiment.

Kitty leans back on her hands, smiling. "Hasn't blinded me yet," she mutters, smiling at Jamie.

He grins back. "Well, you're used to it. I don't usually take my shirt off for the Doc."

"Glad to hear it," she says, and her smile widens.

Moira almost says something and then bites her tongue, just shaking her head. "Nay, jus' fer Henry..." The humor is there but it seems a little strained.

Blocking out the sounds, Alison gradually starts layering basic light patterns, barely visible to the eye for those in the room.

"'fore we begin, this is what will...'opefully 'appen." She settles back down. "We need ta make Jamie's sub-conscious feel safe, again. When tha' 'appens, I believe tha' Jamie's powers will come back. I also believe tha' he 'as th' ability ta fully control it. 'ence th' reason Kitty's here...besides calmin' th' rest o' Jamie inta feelin' safe. 'is powers work on touch, pressure, kinetic energy. If'n we can find out how 'is sub-conscioius does it, I'm thinkin' he can decide when, where an', perhaps, how many dupes whenever 'e wants."

"So you get me nice and relaxed and then she smacks me around?" Jamie's smiling lazily by now, already almost half-hypnotized, remembering Alison's lightshow from the night she helped him sleep.

Kitty manages not to blush at the idea of 'calming the rest of Jamie', but it's a close thing. "Smacks you around? Surely it'd be more... controled?"

"Aye, I'm not expectin' ye ta hit him. More like...ye ticklish, lad?"

She snickers. "Yes, he is."

"Oooh, yeah, ask my mom, she'll tell you."

She smirks. "Ticklin' him would work. Up until ye got th' block, what was the lightest touch tha' would send yer powers off?"

"But... it used to take lots more kenetic energy than that." Kitty cocks her head, looking confused.

"Hrm...what would?"

Jamie blinks dazedly. "Kind of a slap. Was less before it settled down though."

Lips curving into a small smile as Alison finds her center, serenity flowing through her - and into the swirling light that slowly start to hit the visible spectrum, lazily swirling about the room.

"Och, well then...we'll still do th' light stuff but..." She drags herself to her feet and then reaches behind the pillows. "Aha, here's the bloody thin'..." She looks at Kitty and holds up a soft Nerf bat. "This thin' really doesna hurt, I've used it on Rory before. Ye okay wit' this?"

Kitty holds out her hand for the bat, looking it over. "Yeah, that's doable. It'll still have the momentum to provide the energy, I think. Might look a little wierd."

Jamie sags into the pillows, utterly limp, when Alison cuts loose; his eyes are unfocused and his expression slack.

"Yer boyfriend is currently bein'...well, pardon th' pun, dazzled by Alison's powers, sittin' on a billion pillows...lass, we look like a drug rin' from the American 1960's, nothin's goin' ta look weird."

Kitty considers this. "Alternativly, everything looks wierd, which makes it ok." Glancing at Jamie she frowns slightly. "Is he ok?"

Moira reaches over and ruffles Jamie's hair. "I trust Alison, so, aye, I think so."

Kitty nods. "Ok. So then... what? I just hit him with the bat?" Her head shakes incredulously.

"Nay, let's get 'im a wee bit more comfortable." She nods at Kitty. "This is were ye come in, I'm not 'is type." She winks. "Jus'...hold his 'and, whisper ta him tha' it's safe, things like that...we won't listen."

Kitty blushes faintly, but obligingly retakes Jamie's hand. "Jamie, can you hear me?" she asks, still feeling a little uncertain.

"Yeah . . ." Jamie smiles at the sound of Kitty's voice.

The light by now is clearly visible, though it's Jamie that is getting most of the effect, encouraged to relax and feel safe and calm, yet kept away from the edge of sleep this time.

Nodding, Moira sits a little further away, watching them and keeping an eye on the machine. And watching Alison, to make sure she's doing well.

Clearly calm and relaxed, breathing evenly, Alison seems to be simply concentrating on her lightshow.

"How do you feel Jamie?" Kitty asks.

"I'm good. Kinda floating."

Kitty smiles. "So, I'm supposed to relax you," she says conversationally. "Any suggestions on the best way to do that?"

"Ms. Blaire and the Doc would have to leave first . . ."

Moira, taking a swallow of coffee, nearly chokes, trying very hard not to laugh.

"Er... I don't think that's what they meant love," she says quickly, cutting him off.

"Well, okay." He smiles dreamily. "That'd work, though."

Blushing furiously, she leans over and whisperes in his ear. "Would promises of 'later' work?"

Moira is snorting quietly into her coffee cup, desperatly trying to reign in a fit of giggles that only lack of sleep can provide.

"Ooh. I can wait. Want my powers back anyway . . . s'pose there's no chance you have a twin sister though . . ."

Kitty lets out a sound that can only be discribed as a 'squeak'. "Jamie!" she manages, blushing bright red.

"What?"

Breathing in she quells her first impulse. "Speaking of which... Want to try and get your evil twin back?"

Nodding in approval, Moira watches the machine, taking mental notes.

Jamie nods slowly. "Okay."

"Ok. I'm gonna have to hit you with the bat though. It won't hurt." She pauses. "Do you trust me?"

"Yeah. Trust you always."

"Ok good." Leaning over she kisses him softly on his cheek, then glances back at Dr. Mactaggart. "Um... so, I just hit him then?"

"Aye, in...spots tha' aren't goin' ta be...needed later." She coughs, hiding a smirk behind her coffee mug. "We'll see how things go from there."

The lights slow down slightly, as though to adjust for what is coming, eddying slowly about the room.

Kitty breathes in again, attempting to quash the presistant blush. "Right," she mutters. Moving back she picks up the bat, hefting it. Trying to remember about how much force it used to take to make Jamie dupe she gives a practice swing, then says "Ready Jamie?"

"Ready."

"Ok. Here goes." With that she swings the bat, aiming for Jamie's nearer arm. The speed she swings
with would have made him dupe easily before, but this bat is very light and she's not sure if it will work.

When the bat hits, Moira's machine beeps softly, jagged lines snaking across the oscilloscope, but Jamie doesn't dupe; instead he frowns and tenses slightly, his other hand coming up to shield his ribs.

Dropping the bat Kitty kneels quickly next to Jamie. "I'm here love, it's ok."

"Ach," Moira breathes, touching the machine lightly. She looks at Kitty and mouthes "Sooth him?" She thinks and then mimes a hug, not wanting to interrupt anything.

She'd been halfway there by the time Moira motioned to her, Kitty's arms sliding around Jamie's waist, a soft kiss pressed to his cheek. "Jamie?"

Not immediately aware of what is going on, Alison simply keeps up the soothing light show, concentrating on her own calm state of mind and reflecting that in the patterns she is emitting for Jamie's benefit.

Jamie tenses more when Kitty hugs him, shifting slightly in place, tiny beads of sweat breaking out on his forehead. "Don't want you to get hurt," he mumbles. "Watch out . . ."

Moira hesitates for a second and then finds herself by Jamie and Kitty. She's humming an old song, a lullibye that used to be so familiar to her. She remembers it soothed Kevin when his power first started to spurt and while she hasn't even heard it in years...his pain brings her back.

After she's run through the refrain, a second singer joins in - Alison humming as well, following the music Moira has already sung, her joy for the music slipping into the light in a low, comfortable counterpoint.

"Shh, Jamie. It can't hurt me, remember. Nothing can touch me..." A sudden thought occurs. "I can phase us both out. You'll be fine..."

"Be fine . . ." The lullaby and Kitty's words are starting to snap Jamie out of the flashback; he turns slightly, his unfocused stare finding her face. "You're fine? We're safe?"

"I'm fine and we're safe. Nothing can get us here," she says, raising a hand and running it along his cheek.

Moira keeps up the song, keeping an eye on the kids and the machine. It's surprisingly comforting to her to and she wonders how much is the song and how much is Alison's powers. Much potential...an' now I sound like bloody Yoda. C'mon, lad, ye can do this...

Jamie sighs softly and relaxes into Kitty's touch. "Safe here," he murmurs. "All safe."

"Yes," she whispers, raising up to kiss him on the forehead. "All safe."

Moira looks at her, still humming, and raises an eyebrow, the question clearly "Do you want to go on?"

Kitty leans back. "Jamie? Jamie, do you want to try again?" What she wasn't isn't important, but Jamie is.

Jamie smiles a little-boy smile, sweet and trusting, and sags back into the pillows, rousing slightly when Kitty speaks. "Try again . . ." His forehead wrinkles slightly, but smooths after a moment. "Okay."

Kitty bites her lip for a second, then leans forward quickly and kisses him softly. "Safe," she whispers again. "I'm here, and it's ok."

"Okay. Safe." Jamie settles back, utterly passive.

This time she doesn't move away. Instead she holds out one hand for the bat, the other hand moving to hold onto Jamie's.

Moira's knees are starting to cramp but she keeps up the lullabye, watching the machine closely.

"Doctor," Kitty asks quietly. "Can you..."

She nods and picks up the bat from where Kitty had dropped it early and hands it back to her.

"Thanks," she says. Running her thumb along the back of Jamie's hand she gets ready to swing. "It's ok Jamie," she says as she lets the bat fly.

Jamie doesn't visibly react when the bat hits, but the machine beeps again, the same jagged lines flickering momentarily across the scope . . . before they settle into one single, strong pulse as, with a soft pop of displaced air, another Jamie appears on the pile of cushions.

Kitty drops the bat again and this time launches herself forward to hug Jamie. "You did it!" she cries out.

Moira stops humming because she's grinning so hard it's hard to hum around it. First smile that's really reached her eyes in a while

Jamie blinks sharply and shakes his head as Kitty's assault snaps him out of trance. He looks wonderingly at the dupe while his arms instinctively come up to wrap around her. "Would you look at that . . ."

Laughing quietly to herself, Alison opens her eyes, the light show still present although slowly easing off so as to not affect anyone else in the room too much, watching Jamie and Kitty and sighing in relief.

"Welcome back Skippy," Kitty manages before burrying her head in Jamie's shoulder, trying not to cry at the relieving tension.

Sagging down fully onto the floor, Moira throws her hands up. "Well, it's bloody time. Be a bad thin' ta explain ta Charles why one o' his students was black an' blue!"

"Woulda taken a lot of nerfing for that!" Alison can't help but snicker, the lightshow now settled and done - which was a good thing, she realizes, as she was running low on stored power.

Clearing her throat, Moira starts to check Jamie, and his dupe, over. "'m no Hank McCoy but how do ye feel, Jamie?"

Jamie strokes Kitty's hair, a little teary-eyed himself; the dupe, grinning, thumps himself with a fist a couple of times, creating and reabsorbing more dupes before the original brings them all back. "Just like falling off a log."

Moira startles. "Well, I'm be damned...were ye able ta have yer dupe...well, dupe before, lad?"

Blinking, Alison stares as well, never recalling seeing Jamie do that before.

Kitty nods into Jamie's shoulder. "Course he could," she says, her voice muffled.

"Oh, yeah, all the time. Easy to get quick numbers that way."

Moira snorts. "Charles' files didnae go inta tha'. But...otherwise, ye're feelin' good?"

"Never better. Thanks, all of you."

"Good, good. Now...doctor's orders." Moira mock glares at him, and Kitty. "Bed, bot' o' ye...whose bed, I dinnae much care aboot, but a bed. An' take it easy wit' yer powers fer th' next couple o' days."

Kitty blushes, although none of them can see it.

Alison laughs at that, slowly getting to her feet while giving both of the kids an amused look.

Jamie coughs--and then his ears go bright red as the events of the session unreel in his mind. "Um. Yeah. Taking it easy, for sure."

Moira snorts in amusement. "Seriously, though...ye did well. As did ye, Kitty. Be proud, go be cute an' jus' take it easy."

Mastering the blush Kitty had begun to reluctantly pull away from Jamie, but Moira's comment brought the blush back in full force. "Er, yes ma'am."

Moira remains on the floor, near the machine, but makes hand motions towards them. "Shoo, bot' o' ye."

Leaning on the desk once more, picking up her mug of now lukewarm tea, Alison waves at them as well. "Don't do anything I wouldn't do."

Jamie shoots an embarrassed grin Kitty's way as she pulls back and they stand up. "Um . . . about what I said . . . y'know, while I was--well, I didn't exactly--um. I didn't mean to?"

Kitty shoots him a look, and then a mischevious grin replaces the blush. "You didn't mean to _say_ it, right. I'll remember that." Reaching out she grabs his hand and tugs him towards the door. Muttering she adds, "I'm not the one who can become twins..."

On the way out the door, Jamie trips on his feet, bumping into the doorframe and proving Kitty right; four ears go bright crimson before he reabsorbs the dupe and vanishes around the corner.

Once safely around the corner Kitty giggles, then pulls Jamie to her for a real kiss.

Moira pauses and then looks back at Alison. "I'm old enough an' jaded enough...an' been single far ta lon'...did yer mind just go down th' road tha' mine did? ...now tha' was amusin'...and helpful, thank God." Moira stands up and stretches. "Ye did really well, lass."

Alison cackles outright as the kids make a run for it, and she shoots Moira a wicked look. "You bet my mind went there. And thank you... I was worried a bit but-" she shrugs, "Scott's training has helped a lot in terms of control."

"Ye look dead tired, ta be honest, but ye held up fantastically."

"You know I convert sound to light, right?" she asks, before continuing. "I've noticed that if I'm powered up, that is bombarded with sound, I can go on for a lot longer than I'd realized, without being tired... If I go see Terry now and have her scream at me, I'll be physically fine pretty fast. The mind still tires out though," she admits, with a grin. "And you look pretty wiped out too..." she adds, thoughtfully.

Moira pauses. "Aye...it's been a rough week." She stands next to the machine and starts pressing some buttons. "Sleep an' I aren't on verra good terms right now."

Wrapping her hands carefully around the mug, Alison nods, watching contemplatively for a moment as Moira fiddles with the machine. "There's been a lot going on lately," she offers, an open line that allows Moira to go into more details or not, as she wishes.

"Aye, tha' it has." She pauses and then switches the conversation to something else...not so different though. "I dinnae know wha' made me sing tha' particular song..."

"Comfort, I'd say," Alison smiles, because that's what lullabies are all about, really. "Associated with your childhood memories? Do you know the words to it... and would you mind teaching it to me?"

"...it's an ol' Scottish son' an' I can get ye th' words. Havenae 'eard them in a verra lon' time. Not since I had me son..."

Carefully tilting her head to the side, Alison merely nods slowly, keeping her reaction in check, not wanting to push in the least on this one, but listening as needed. Oh boy... this is big...

"I think ye would 'ave liked him...he loved music. Love ta sin', even when 'is powers were..." She waved her hands about. "All over th' board." She took a deep breath. Sometimes the therapist needed someone but...it was late. "An' I think th' story is better told later...but...well, Kevin's th' reason I'm in th' field I'm in."

Helping children... She stops the thought there, not daring to speculate further. "I think I'll take you up on that," Alison smiles, "let me know when you want to... and in the meantime, I'll hold you to that lullaby, and I'll trade you for others. Sounds good?"

Chuckling, she nodded. "Aye, sounds good. I'll be seein' ye, probably tomorrow, when I rouse meself. Fer now...time ta tell Charles th' good news."