Chapter 7
Alisa was wakened by Anna's strident voice shouting directly outside her door.
"Uncle Vic, Remy's gone!" bawled the little belle at the top of her lungs.
Alisa bolted upright, then winced and put her ears back, trying to figure out what was going on as she nearly fell out of bed. Getting up carefully because of the pain of her ‘burns’, she walked over and grabbed her housecoat, pulling it on and making herself mostly decent before sticking her head out of her door.
"Anna? What's wrong?" she said sleepily.
The little girl turned to her excitedly, green eyes wide. "Remy's gone! He's not in his room!"
Creed paused at the top of the stairs and eyed Alisa uncertainly. "Excuse me."
She gave a snort of impatience. "Please, save it for someone who cares. C'mon Anna, let's go talk to Tammy." Holding out her hand to the little girl, she turned her back to the adventurer, still muttering about the absurdities of men.
Anna took the hand, still wide-eyed with dismay. "He wouldn' run away. Ah know Uncle Vic hits 'im, but he only hits 'im when he takes things."
"I'm sure he hasn't run away," Alisa said, squeezing her hand gently and ignoring the constant ache of her burn.
Reaching Tammy's door she knocked, then walked inside out of impatience, only to find that the room was empty. "Tam?" she called, looking around and getting a sinking feeling in her stomach. There was no sign of her friend save the tumbled blankets that were falling off the bed. "Maybe...maybe she's downstairs?" She prayed that her companion wasn't somewhere trying to play hero without her again.
"Alisa!" Henry's hands gently caught her around the waist from behind. "You shouldn't be out of bed, darling."
"Oh!" she gasped slightly in surprise, then turned and looked up into his worried face. "I wouldn't be, but Tammy and Remy are missing apparently...." Then she realized what he had called her and blushed slightly, the corners of her mouth lifting.
He scooped her up and turned toward her room. "Victor and I will go and search out our wayward ones. But you must rest and heal. Surely you don't want a scar?"
Then he stopped and looked over his shoulder in dismay as Anna stamped one dainty foot in fury.
"Stop it! She don' wanna lay down!" the little girl shrieked. "She wants ta go lookin' foh Remy 'n Miss Tammy!"
"My stars and garters...." murmured Henry.
"I'll be fine," Alisa said, trying not to laugh at Anna's impatience. "Really. And I don't think I'll scar, I promise."
"Anna!" Creed strode in and picked her up, giving her a little swat on the back of the skirt. "Stop that, or you'll spend the rest of the day in your room."
Anna's lower lip quivered and she buried her face in his shoulder. "Ah'm sorry, Uncle Vic. But Ah don' want Remy 'n Miss Tammy t' be gone."
"Miss...Tammy." Creed turned and looked at the empty bed with a groan. "Is the woman mad?"
"Probably," Alisa sighed. "But in a good way. Perhaps she just took Remy out for a walk. She wouldn't just leave and never tell anybody, especially not with Remy."
"She did last night." Creed's face was dark as he absently smoothed the back of Anna's dress.
"I'm sure it was some sort of misunderstanding," said Henry mildly, still cradling Alisa. "Once Charles wakens he will be able to tell us where they are. I would ask Logan to look for them, but this is his free day."
"Tammy's the responsible type during the day," Alisa said firmly, putting her head on Henry’s shoulder. "She'll turn up with Remy, safe and sound."
"Nonetheless, I don't think I like Remy spending so much time with her," said Creed, and the purple girl could hear growls rumbling faintly in his chest. "The boy's enough of a scapegrace without encouragement."
"Are you insinuating that Miss Mahan might be a bad influence on your young charge, Mr. Creed?" Henry's good-natured face lowered toward a frown.
"Yes." Creed's growls became audible.
Alisa's head lifted and she scowled at him, motioning for Henry to let her down.
He did so hesitantly and she squared her shoulders slightly and put her hands on her hips. "Tammy's been my friend for a long time, and I couldn't think of anyone better for a little boy to be around. She's got ten brothers and sisters, for the love of Pete! So she made a mistake last night, but at least she doesn't hit him!"
Creed's chest swelled, and she could see the rage building in his eyes, but suddenly both he and Henry blinked.
"They're by the riverbank with Logan," said Creed sheepishly.
"My apologies, Charles. How do you feel?" Henry put a hand on Alisa's shoulder, cocking his head as he listened to something she couldn't hear.
"Can we go too?" Anna wriggled free and danced around Creed, who was looking very embarrassed.
"I need to stay here," he said to her. "In case Mr. Xavier needs something while his man's away."
Anna's lip quivered again and she gave him a reproachful look, then turned hopefully to Alisa and Henry.
"I'm sorry, Anna, but Alisa must rest," Henry started to say.
"I'm fine, really," said Alisa quickly, putting her hand on his arm and smiling. "Besides, sunshine can be a wonderful medicine and the child wants to go...." She batted her eyelashes a few times.
He blinked, then blinked again, blushing slightly. "I should at least have the wrappings changed. But Miss Tammy isn't here to do it, and Annie's afraid of injuries."
"So you do it," said Anna promptly.
Henry's face went beet red.
"Are you a doctor or are you not?" asked Alisa, blinking innocently.
He bit his lip, then looked down at Anna. "Will you be my assistant?"
She danced. "Is there blood?"
Creed groaned and put a hand over his face. "Please excuse the child, she's always had a morbid fascination with injuries and illness."
"Perhaps not so morbid? Nursing is a very respectable profession," said Henry, putting his hands on Alisa to pick her up again.
"Ah'm not gonna be a nurse." Anna scowled. "Ah'm gonna be a surgeon, 'n operate on folks."
"Anna, ladies don't go into surgery," said Creed, looking worn.
Alisa smiled and beckoned the girl over, bending down to whisper in her ear. "One day some of the finest surgeons alive will be women, you remember that."
Then she straightened, absently putting a hand to her belly. "And that's why ladies don't do surgery." She gave Anna a wink that neither man saw. "Ruins the dresses, you know."
“Miss McKenzie, would you be so kind as to ask Mr. Creed to come to my room?” a faint voice buzzed in her ear, followed by Larry's voice going. "Hah! One way telepathy!"
Alisa nodded and smiled, then looked over at Creed. "Charles asks that you meet with him in his chambers," she said politely.
He blinked, then squared his shoulders and took a deep breath. “Thank you, Miss McKenzie. Please, feel free to take Anna wherever you like today.” Bowing his head slightly and averting his eyes from her attire, he strode from the room.
“Uncle Vic don’ always think straight,” Anna confided with charming frankness.
"Adults don't often think straight 100% of the time." Alisa nodded at her. "You'll learn that as you grow older."
"Ah think Ah'll just stay small." Anna frowned. "Mr. McCoy, are you measurin' her waist with yoh fingers?"
Henry gasped as he realized that he'd been standing with his hands around Alisa's housecoat-clad waist. "My stars and garters!"
Anna shook her head and tisked, then started dancing again. "Please hurry? Ah wanna go t' the rivah bank."
The little laugh that Alisa had been suppressing for some time finally broke out as she smiled up at Henry. "The day grows older every second."
He nodded and picked her up, bringing her to her own room and laying her gently on her chaise lounge before bounding out the door.
"He wants t' kiss you," said Anna, perching on the edge of the lounge and swinging her feet in their little white button boots.
Alisa blushed and shrugged. "Maybe," she said, face burning as she smiled at the girl. "Are you a little telepath now, Anna?"
"No." The child frowned uncertainly, as though she didn't know what the word meant. "Remy tol' me that when a fellah bites his lip when he's lookin' at a girl that that means he wants ta kiss her."
"We'll see if Remy's right then," Alisa said, smiling mischievously.
Anna's eyebrows shot upward and her eyes widened, but her reply was cut off the by the arrival of Henry, who now carried his black doctor's bag.
"Oh dear." He straightened his glasses and studied the stain that showed through the wrappings, then gently pushed Anna aside and looked at it more closely. "This is not going to go as smoothly and painlessly as I hoped. Do you wish for tincture of poppy to ease the discomfort?"
"No, no I'm fine," Alisa said, grimacing at the sight of the yellow spot. It certainly didn't look pretty, even if it wouldn't hurt as much as it might have in real life.
He nodded gravely, then went to the nightstand and tested the temperature of the water in the pitcher. Bringing it back he took out scissors and cut the wrappings up the side, then carefully began to try and soak it away from the 'wounds'.
Alisa could have screamed at the distinct sensation of fur being ripped out by the roots. Inhaling sharply, she cursed inwardly and bit the inside of her cheek, wondering if Henry might hear her going ‘eww!’ inside her brain. Closing her eyes, she waited for the dulled sensation to go away.
She listened to the soft murmur of Anna asking questions and Henry replying, then opened her eyes as someone tapped respectfully on the door.
"Excuse me sir. My name is Ororo, I'm the ladies’ new maid," said a soft, accented voice.
"Ah." Henry looked up. "Could you please have Annie bring more warm water? I need to clean this before I can rewrap it."
"Yes, sir." The white-haired girl turned to do as he asked.
Henry turned back to Alisa, noticing her wide eyes. "I'm sorry this is taking longer than I supposed. I should have tried to shave the area last night. Does it hurt very badly?"
"Not at all." She managed a shaky smile as the sounds of Ororo already returning reached her ears.
He tenderly tucked the stray curl behind her ear, then turned and accepted the water with a smile of thanks before resuming his work.
"Ooo," said Anna, eyes wide in fascination as the last bit of wrapping came off. "Yuck! Can I touch?"
"No," said Henry, fully into his professional mode. "Doing so would transfer disease-causing material to the damaged tissue. Hmm, Alisa, do you customarily show advanced rates of healing?"
"Yes," said Alisa after Fred sent her a simple whisper. "That's why it doesn't hurt as much, I suppose."
He nodded as he carefully washed the area.
"Are you alright, Miss?" asked Ororo's soft voice as she gulped and squeezed her eyes shut.
Alisa opened one eye to see the young African girl hunkered down near her and stared for a moment as she took in another familiar face. "Yes, I'm alright. Just stings a little, that's all."
Ororo nodded. "Do you need anything right now?"
"No, I'm fine," said Alisa, accidentally catching sight of her stomach and hurriedly closing her eyes again. Tammy had been right, it really was graphic.
"Tell her she can go till it's time for you to get dressed," whispered Fred.
"You can go, until I need to get dressed," Alisa said somewhat awkwardly.
"Yes ma'am." She heard Ororo rise and glide from the room.
"She looks moh like a princess than a maid," said Anna thoughtfully.
Henry glanced up and blinked at her, then returned to swiftly wrapping the new bandage.
"She's so young," Alisa said thoughtfully, her face creased into a slight frown. "I never thought about it, she's always been older."
"What do ya mean?" Anna cocked her head, ringlets swaying.
"There." Henry sat back and frowned critically at his handiwork.
Alisa opened her eyes and looked down at the white bandages, relieved that she didn't have to look at the mess anymore as she slowly sat up and gave Henry a quick peck on the cheek.
"It feels wonderful," she said, smiling.
He looked up in startlement, his eyes meeting hers. "Oh...." He bit his lip.
"You're a very funny man," Alisa said, grinning and looking at Anna, whose eyes had gotten wide as she watched.
"Am I?" he said faintly, still gazing into her eyes.
"Oh crumbs, what are you doing?" hissed Fred in her ear.
"So, Anna, did you learn anything useful?" Alisa said, forcing herself to look away from Henry and blinking rapidly.
"No, cause you didn' kiss him yet." She pouted.
"My stars and garters!" Henry froze and stared at the child.
"What?" said Alisa, her eyes bulging.
"Oh nevah mind!" Anna tossed her ringlets and huffed out. "Ah'm gonna go put on mah hat."
"I..." Alisa couldn't think of anything to say, blushing and wishing she could phase through the couch as she glanced at Henry before looking away again.
"I will call your maid." He stood awkwardly, but then looked down at her and bit his lip once more. "Alisa.... You do not think me so forward as that, surely?"
"That was a child's imagination," she said, looking at the wall to her right. "I know you, Henry. Anna does not."
He nodded, still looking discomfited. "I will go and speak to Charles while you get ready." He turned toward the door and then paused.
"What is...?" Alisa saw him suddenly stoop close to her and felt his lips brush her forehead.
Then he was gone and Ororo was peeking around the door with a questioning smile.
Unable to suppress the giggle that escaped her she got up and found the white dress that didn't require a corset, then looked at Ororo and blushed again. "Um, could you help me with this?"
"Of course." The African girl went to the dresser and took out under garments, then brought them over and lay them over the back of the chaise lounge. Now that they were face to face, Alisa saw that the two of them were nearly the same height. She also saw that Ororo's soft blue eyes were old beyond her years, full of wisdom and sorrow that Alisa herself couldn't imagine.
"Naw, sore belly." She grinned and put a hand on her stomach lightly. "So you're Ororo? How old are you?"
"Yes." The girl's eyes dropped quickly to the garments she was holding, and she lay the petticoats back in the drawer and held up the camisole for Alisa to put her arms in. "I do not know how old I am, Miss."
"Oh..." Alisa said, thinking for a minute. She could have sworn the girl was hiding something, but she'd wait for a while to try and figure anything out. "Call me Alisa, please," she said instead, not liking that even a virtual form of one of her heroes would call her ‘miss’.
"Yes, Miss Alisa." Ororo pulled out two pair of white stockings and held them up for her to choose between.
"No." Alisa smiled. "Just Alisa, no 'miss'." Pointing at the pair of stocking she liked better she sat down in order to get them on more easily.
"Yes, miss." Ororo knelt and had the stockings slipped over her feet before she knew what the girl was about. "You need to stand again so that I can fasten the garters.”
"Alisa." Alisa sighed but stood up obediently.
"Yes, miss." The garters were fastened with lightening efficiency, and then a petticoat was spread out on the floor for her to step into.
"I'm glad one of us know how to put this stuff on." Alisa smiled and stepped in, helping her pull it up and then smiling at Annie as she showed up with a breakfast tray. "Thank you, Annie."
The kitchen girl shot her one of her usual spooked looks, then bobbed a curtsey and set the tray on the table by the window before hurrying out.
"Does this hurt your burns?" Ororo smoothed the slender underskirt and picked up the dress, pausing to look at the purple girl for her reply.
"No, it's fine," Alisa assured her, sliding into the dress and then waiting for Ororo to button it up in the back. To her shock when she looked in the mirror she found her dress already fastened and smoothed, and the girl plumping the last cushion on the newly made bed.
"Whoa, you're fast," she said, eyes widening.
"Yes, miss. Do you need anything else?" Ororo glanced at the white hat and parasol that sat neatly on the corner of the dresser, then returned to the wardrobe to pick up the white button boots and bring them to her. "I do not know where the button hook is."
"Alisa, not miss, Alisa," Alisa said, mostly to herself. She frowned at the shoes, totally clueless as to what the young maid was talking about. "I think Anna knows how these things operate.... Leave it to me to be stumped by clothes."
"Miss?" Ororo cocked her head, looking puzzled, then started slightly as the door opened and Anna bounced in with a swirl of lace and ribbons.
"You ain't eaten yet?" The little girl paused and frowned, but then smiled again and climbed into one of the seats, reaching for a muffin.
"Anna." Alisa let out a sigh of relief and took one of the shoes, showing it to the six year old. "Do you know how to put this on?"
The little girl stopped, muffin halfway to her mouth, and looked up at her to see if she were joking.
"If you don't laugh at me for not knowing how to put this on, I'll be very grateful." Alisa sighed again.
Anna's eyes went round. "But those are the easy kind, Miss McKenzie. The ones with the laces are a lot harder. Ya just put yoh foot in 'n button 'em up."
"Show me? I'm not used to these kind of shoes," said Alisa, blushing slightly and offering the boot to the little girl.
Anna frowned at Ororo. "Why don't you know how?"
"I do," said the white-haired girl gently. "But I do not know where Miss's button hook is."
"Oh!" Anna's face broke into a sweet smile. "Is that all?" She reached into the pocket of her dress and pulled out a little metal hook with a china handle shaped like a slender doll. "You kin use mine."
"I'm so lost," Alisa muttered, shaking her head.
"Come and sit down," urged Ororo gently, guiding her toward the other chair by the table. When she did so the girl slipped a boot onto her and used the hook to swiftly pull the little buttons through the tiny holes till Alisa's foot and ankle were tightly encased in soft leather.
"Like that." Anna picked up her muffin again and smeared butter on it before taking a big bite. "Now eat yoh breakfast befoh it gets cold."
* * *
"So, where do you think Tammy and Remy are?" Alisa asked, her arm entwined with Henry's so he could help her on the frequent occasions her heels sank into the soft, grassy slope they were walking on.
“I think I see them.” He smiled, watching as Anna skipped gleefully ahead of them.
"Where?" Alisa looked up and immediately stepped into a hole.
Henry caught her swiftly, holding her up as she caught her breath and blinked away tears from jabbing herself in the stomach. "Ach! Are you hurt?"
"Oh, I'm fine," she gasped, pulling her foot out and shaking her head slightly. "I don't usually wear heels like this. I just need to remember how to walk in them, that's all.”
His soft brown eyes looked into hers for a few minutes, then he smiled and gestured ahead of them to where Anna now sat beside a green-clad figure that lay on its back in the warm sunshine. "See, our precocious young friend has found those whom we sought."
Alisa frowned, wondering where Remy was, but then realized that the barefoot, shirt and trouser-clad boy bending intently over something in his hands while Logan watched was he. As she and Henry got closer she saw Jubilee laying on her tummy on Tammy's chest.
"Go easy on her, Icey," murmured Bob in her ear. "She lost her breakfast this morning."
"Hey Tam," Alisa said softly, tilting her head slightly as they reached her. "You awake?"
Logan looked up sharply with narrowed eyes from where he sat on the rocks at the edge of the river, but then turned back to Remy and said something low.
"Nuh uh," murmured Tammy without opening her eyes.
"Ah, sorry then," Alisa said, backing away and looking at Logan and Remy. "How long have you four been here?"
Logan growled and turned his shoulder to her, but Remy looked up. "Since de mornin', Miss McKenzie. Logan teachin' me to tie de fly, and den we go fishin'."
"Fishing?" Henry brightened, but then paused and glanced around at the little grouping. "Mercy, I just remembered an appointment I have this morning. Alisa, will you stay?"
"Yes." She smiled at him, then sighed. "But do come back to visit later?"
"But of course." Henry smiled and touched his lips lightly to her gloved fingers, then turned and strode rapidly away.
"I could leave too, if I'm intruding." Alisa turned and looked at Logan's broad back and set shoulders, her eyebrows lifting at how completely he'd shut she and Henry out.
When he failed to respond she sighed and turned to Anna, opening her mouth to tell the little girl that they were going home, but at that moment Tammy whimpered in her sleep and curled on her side, her arms tightening around Jubilee.
The gruff Canadian moved so fast that Alisa blinked, dropping to one knee next to the pale-faced woman and touching her shoulder. "You alright?"
"Bug off," murmured Tammy, drawing her legs up under her skirt and letting out a shaky, exhausted-sounding sigh.
He nodded and glanced up at Alisa, then turned and went back to his pupil.
"Ah shoulda brought mah bubble pipe." Anna sighed and started pulling a blade of grass into thin strips.
"Tam?" said Alisa softly.
"Uhh?" She opened her eyes and squinted up at her from under the brim of her slightly squashed-looking hat, the dark mark on her cheek standing out sharply against the pallor of her skin. "'Lissa. 'Ey." She sighed and closed her eyes again. "Sit a bit."
"You ok?" asked the purple girl, eyebrows resuming the raised position. "You don't sound so good."
"Got too excited last night, 'n stayed up too late." Tammy lifted Jubilee so that the baby's face was near hers and rubbed her cheek against it as the little one chuckled in her sleep, then glanced at Anna. "Stop being bored. Go do cartwheels."
Alisa turned and watched Remy and Logan for a bit, then grinned. "Hey, callin' Fred!" she said, closing her eyes for a moment.
"He's passed out in the corner," said Bob's voice. "Will I do?"
"Nope," Alisa said cheerfully. "Tell me when romboy wakes up though, preferably when I'm able to ask him a question or two."
She heard a muffled snap and a yelp, then Bob reported cheerfully, "He's awake!"
"What? Huh?" said Fred.
Alisa laughed softly, then sighed. "I didn't mean for you to…ah never mind. Hey Fred, what was that all about earlier anyway?"
"What?" He sounded a bit muzzy. "Which thing that happened earlier?"
Noting that Anna's answer to boredom would mean her white dress would soon be grass green Alisa smiled. "Well, I told Hank he was funny and then he said 'I am?' and then you freaked. What was that?"
There came the sound of a head being scratched. "When he was fixing your bandage?"
"Right after." Alisa nodded. "Lemme remember.... I kissed him on the cheek and told him he was funny, then he said 'I am?' and then you said 'Oh crumbs, what are you doing?' Points for me for being able to remember all that."
"Oh." Fred sounded embarrassed. "Uh, sorry about that. I guess I got too caught up in the story."
"Ha!" Alisa said, brightening. "I've figured him out, Tam, he's nuthin' but an old soft romance boy at heart. Not too many guys who'd own up t' that nowadays." She laughed again.
Tammy opened her eyes again with a start, then frowned sleepily. "Yeah, I know. Don't laugh at him, eh?"
There was a splash from the river, and then a growl as Logan waded in and fished Anna out, sitting her on the bank with a scowl.
"Anna!" Alisa rolled her eyes and went over to pull the sopping girl up back to where Tammy was, frowning slightly as she pulled a wet leaf out of her hair. "You can't swim with all these clothes on, little missy, you'll drown. Be careful."
"I can too swim." Anna scowled nearly as darkly as Logan had, then stuck out her tongue at Remy as he peered around the Canadian with a worried expression.
"Oi." Tammy closed her eyes and cuddled Jubilee close as the baby stirred and frowned.
"Shh," said Alisa, putting her hand on Anna's shoulder and nodding at the baby. "I'm sure you can, but what if the river likes your green and white dress and takes you away? What would I tell your uncle? He'd eat me."
"He taught me ta swim so the river couldn' get me," said Anna stubbornly. "Besides, Remy's right theah."
Tammy lifted her head and peered at the little girl thoughtfully, then glanced at her wristwatch. "Know what, Anna?"
The little belle scowled at her.
"I'm cold. Could you lay against my back and warm me up?" Tammy lifted one eyebrow.
"Ah'm wet!" said Anna.
"You're still warmer than I am." Tammy moved restlessly and groaned. "I'm cold all the way through, even all this sunshine's not warming me up."
Anna's little face creased in concern, and she got up and lay down with her back against the brown haired woman's. "Like this?"
"Yeah." Tammy gave a sigh of relief, her eyes closing again. "Thanks, darlin'."
"You talk like Logan." Anna snuggled closer.
"We're from the same country." Tammy kissed Jubilee on the head and relaxed with a sigh.
Alisa watched them, a small frown on her own face. "Tam, I'm beginning to get worried about you."
"Huh?" She opened her eyes.
"You're turning to a sponge for warmth and you're having nightmares," Alisa said, eyes glinting. "You sure you're ok?"
"When did I have a nightmare?" Tammy looked confused.
"Before, when Hank and I got here. You stirred and groaned and then told Logan to bug off."
"That wasn' a nightmare." Tammy's eyes fell shut again. "That was just feeling low enough to want to cry."
"Oh...can I get you anything?" Alisa moved a little closer to them.
"Just sleep in the sunshine." murmured Tammy, sounding halfway there already.
"Oh, ok, shutting up now." Alisa nodded and then looked at the peaceful river again.
The day warmed slightly more as she sat with her feet out before her and looked on as Logan nodded and picked up a fishing pole, then showed Remy how to put his new fly onto the end of the line. She could hear the gruff rumble of his voice, but it seemed to blend with the riversong and she couldn't make out the words. As she watched he waded into the water and pointed to a spot right next to him for Remy to stand, then began a steady, slow, rhythmic series of toss, reel in, and toss, his body relaxing into the flow of exercise and his face nearly taking on a smile around the cigar clamped between his teeth.
Soon he flipped a small trout onto the bank and Remy scrambled to catch it and bring it to him. The fish was carefully removed from the hook and gently returned to the river. Remy asked a question and Logan replied, then gave the rod to the boy and leaned over him to show how it was done.
Lulled, Alisa lay back and dozed, only to waken an unknown amount of time later to sit up and see Logan in the shallows, watching as Remy fished a little further in. Yawning, she glanced around, listening once more to the music of the water and then freezing as she realized that it had words. Her eyes tracked the thin trail of song and widened as they caught sight of a tiny blue-green figure sitting on a large rock in the middle of the river.
Getting cautiously to her feet, she stumbled over to Logan.
He glanced over his shoulder, face relaxed and content. "Time ta go?"
"Um, no," she said slowly, blinking. "There's something out on the water...." She pointed, eyes still blurry but ears sharply keyed to the song.
"Oh." He actually seemed to smile slightly. "Ya see her."
"Well yeah," said Alisa, blinking some more and then rubbing the sleep out of her eyes. "Yeah…. Who is she?"
He shrugged and turned to glance at the little singer. "Part 'a the river."
"Oh," Alisa said, nodding and looking at him closely. "You come here often, don't you?"
He nodded, his eyes going up to the soft clouds floating overhead. Then he stiffened with a growl and turned to look toward where Tammy and the girls lay sleeping.
Alisa turned as well and saw a ragged-looking boy talking to the Canadian as she sat up and stared at him in confusion that changed to alarm.
"Tam?" Alisa said, gathering her skirts with one hand and gripping her parasol tightly with the other as she started up the slope again.
"There's been an accident." Tammy scrambled to her feet and shook Anna awake. "Logan, can you take the children home?"
"What about you?" he growled.
"We'll take a cab to the hospital. Don't worry about us." Tammy handed him the angrily complaining Jubilee, then glanced down at Remy. "Please, go with the girls. They don't let children into the hospital."
"Hospital?" barked Logan. "Is it Chuck?"
"No." Tammy winced and rubbed her face. "Not Charles. Henry."
"No!" gasped Alisa, her eyes widening. "Logan, take the kids home! Tammy, come on!" She held out her hand to her friend to try and hurry her along as her mind went totally blank for once.
"Hold on." Tammy staggered slightly, then handed the boy a coin. "Go call us a cab, please. Have it meet us right at the top of the bank here."
"Yes, ma'am." He tipped his cap, bright blue eyes huge in his thin face as he turned and bolted away.
Tammy looked at Logan, who had Jubilee in one arm and the fishing rod in the other hand, then down at Remy, who had picked Anna up and staggered under her weight as she sobbed softly into his shoulder. "Oh crud, Remy. Put her down."
He shook his head. "Dis sort of t'ing scare her bad. Remind 'er of when her mama die."
Logan growled softly and set down the fishing rod, then took the little girl and passed Remy the baby. Once more picking up the fishing rod, he turned and looked at Tammy, sniffing before he shook his head and walked away.
The brunette sighed, then staggered sideways slightly and caught Alisa's shoulder. "Can I hold onto you as we go up the hill?"
"Yes. Don't break my concentration as I go up and I can most likely get us there," said the purple girl, face determined as her eyes locked on the ground.
"Kay," said Tammy, sounding tense. "Go for it."
Alisa nodded and bent her concentration to the task, carefully putting one foot in front of the other and using her folded parasol as a cane. She wasn't aware of how far they'd actually gotten till something snorted and she felt a small wind touch her face.
"Oh, we're here!" she said, surprised. Looking up she found herself right next to the cab horse. "That wasn't as far as I thought...." She looked back down toward the river, then squared her shoulders. "Alright, c'mon Tam, we've got to go!"
"Yeah." Tammy looked hopelessly at the little metal step, but then brightened slightly and just stepped up on it and into the cab.
"I'm not making it up that," Alisa said, glaring at the little step. "How do they expect us to with so many skirts? Screw it!" Grabbing the sides of the cab she pulled herself up in the same move she had the day they found Jubilee, dropping into the seat next to her friend with a huff. "Come on! Let's go!"
The ragged boy pulled himself in and crouched on the floor of the cab as the horse perked his ears at Alisa's words and broke into a trot before his master could even call to him.
Tammy gave one of her famous little squeaks, which left the purple girl's right ear ringing, then blinked and leaned back in the seat with a mumble. "Hitching a ride?"
"I wanna be close, so I can hear news," said the boy defensively, pulling his knees under his chin.
Tammy looked at the child, who looked to be around eight years old. "How old are you?"
"Eleven," he said defensively.
"Okay. I believe you. Do you know what happened to Henry?"
"There was a robbery at the bank." He scrubbed at his eyes angrily. "Hank tried t' stop 'em, but one of 'em had a gun 'n shot him."
Alisa gasped, then grabbed Tammy's arm. "That's not a lab accident. A lab accident would further his gene but if he got shot…he could die!"
"You shut up!" yelled the boy. "Hank ain't gonna die!"
"Woah!" said Tammy, holding up her hands. "No. Henry is not going to die. Yelling at Miss McKenzie isn't going to change things, though. So just keep calm and pray hard, kay?"
He nodded. "Hank wouldn't like me yellin' at 'er, anyhow. He's told me all about her. I'm sorry."
Tammy nodded and turned back to Alisa. "Actually, it wasn't a lab accident that furthered his gene in the normal comicverse. I think it was him trying to get rid of his X gene. And then he got the cat appearance after Sabertooth tried to kill him and Sage furthered his mutation so that he'd get a better healing factor. In the Ultimate universe, which I HATE, his gene was furthered by an operation that Charles and Jean did to save his life after he got hurt.”
Alisa rolled her eyes. "How long until we get there?"
Tammy leaned back in the seat and looked tired. "Hey, um, Henry's young friend, how far is it to the hospital?"
"My name's Bob," he said, frowning. "It ain't that far. Just about five more blocks, at this rate." He narrowed his eyes. "What were you talkin' 'bout, verses? Sounded like crazy stuff."
"Bob?" Tammy blinked. "Robert Drake?"
"Somethin' like that." He peered through the window and then scrunched down again, eyeing the two women suspiciously.
"Bobby Drake, I knew it!" Alisa said, her eyes widening as she hit a fist into her hand. "I could tell by your eyes."
He looked like he was ready to jump from the moving cab to get away from her.
"Oh calm down, Bob," she sighed, rolling her eyes and then leaning out the side of the cab. "Listen kid, verses are heavy stuff, I'll tell you about them later when I'm not having an anxiety attack."
"Eh?" Tammy suddenly cocked her head. "Oh, sure, Charles, I'll do that. But, um, you can't hear me, remember? Right, I forgot about that. No, I'll be okay. No, it's not too much. Yes, I'm sure. Fred, shut up."
She turned and glanced out the window, then grabbed Alisa's parasol and knocked on the roof. "Hey, we're going to the hospital!"
"Right, miss, I just have to get Jack stopped!" said the driver as the horse tossed his head angrily and finally pulled docilely over to the curb.
"Horses!" Alisa said through gritted teeth. "They don't. Like. Me. I swear, Tammy, not one horse has ever been nice to me! I don't know what I did to them!"
"Don't be silly." Tammy opened the door and looked down, then started as a doorman hurried forward and helped her out of the cab. "Of course he likes you. He didn't boot you when you nearly ran into him, did he?"
"Well he's virtual," Alisa said, leaping out of the carriage. "The real ones all hate me. Let's go, Bob!"
"I can't go in there." He shied away, giving her a look as though she were insane.
Tammy frowned at the doorman, who was giving the purple girl pretty much the same look. "She's overwrote, her intended was the young man shot in the robbery attempt."
"Ah." He blinked and took the coin she handed him for his help, his face clearing and going respectful. "So sorry about that, miss." Then he glanced at Bob. "Be off with you."
"Right, right," said Alisa, shaking her head. She looked over at Bobby, then bent down to him. "As soon as I get any information I'll find a way to get it to you." She patted him on the shoulder, then turned and grabbed Tammy's arm.
"Let's hurry!" she said, hurrying forward towards the hospital.
"Remember, I'm not up to speed," said Tammy softly. "I'll do my best, though." Then she looked down at the back of her younger friend's skirt with a very strange expression on her face.
"What?" Alisa said, turning and trying to see if she had a grass stain.
Tammy sputtered and snorted in a most unladylike way. "I think the guys have figured out the tail problem. Either that or you've got a ghost up the back of your dress." She tried to hold in the laughter and snorted again, then giggled.
"Whoa!" Alisa said, seeing her skirt move as she suddenly got a strange feeling at the base of her spine. "How do I stop it?"
"You probably can't." Tammy gave another sputter. "It looks like they've got it programmed to act like a cat tail. Right now you're upset and worried, so it's doing the lashing thing."
"Great." Alisa rolled her eyes. "But we're wasting time, we can figure out the tail..." she stopped, trying to not start laughing herself. "Later. We have to go find Henry now."
"KK." Tammy glanced around the typical Victorian public foyer and spotted the desk, then glided toward it, trying to look serious.
"Excuse me, miss. We're here to inquire about a young man who was brought in today. His name is Henry McCoy...."
"Henry?" The woman behind the desk looked up sharply, then glanced toward Alisa. "Ah, you must be Miss Mahan and Miss McKenzie. Third floor, the west wing. They're probably still working on him...." She stopped and bit her lip, blinking eyes that were suddenly bright. "But there's a comfortable sitting room where you can wait."
"Did you hear that? They're working on him, that doesn't sound good," moaned Alisa moaned, holding onto the older girl's hand firmly. "It was good not to wear a corset today..."
"Yeah." Tammy smiled thinly at the elevator man and swept past him, then stood very straight inside the elevator, obviously making a huge effort not to lean against the wall.
"I think I'm nervous on this thing." Alisa made a face and leaned close to her as the elevator clunked and whirred slowly up the shaft.
"Uh?" Tammy glanced up at the dial over the door, then stepped forward as the man announced the floor and opened the door. "I would be too, if it was real...oops, sorry."
"It is really scary, and I resent you making fun of me for that," Alisa said, making a 'humph' noise and standing away from her.
"Icey, I didn't mean to make fun of you." Tammy rubbed her face as she walked toward the small desk. "Please remember that I'm not batting a thousand today." She fixed a smile on her face as the nurse looked up. "We're family of Henry McCoy."
"Miss Mahan and Miss McKenzie." The young woman gave Alisa a considering look and then smiled as though agreeing with something she'd been told. "The sitting room is right over there. Would you like refreshments?"
"No, I'd like Henry to be healed now." Alisa shook her head as she walked into the sitting room, collapsing into one of the chairs and rolling her eyes. "I haven't been in a hospital since I broke my arm."
Tammy sighed and sat on the couch, then watched the nurse close the door and flopped over sideways with a soft moan. "I'm sorry, Icey. I'm trying really hard not to mess this up for you. Don't worry, Henry will be okay."
"What are you messing up? No, Im having fun." Alisa smiled. "Problems always come up in stories, it's what makes them fun. You should take another nap though, you look beat."
Tammy murmured thanks, and then sighed in relief and pulled a blanket that Alisa couldn't see up over her shoulders.
The purple girl sighed, looking around and wondering which way was Henry's room, and where he had gotten shot.
Suddenly she felt a poking feeling and sat up sharply, feeling her tail move to the side. Rolling her eyes, she sat adjusted her position so that she wasn't sitting on it. "You're annoying when I'm not used to you," she muttered under her breath.
"Uh?" asked Tammy, sounding half asleep.
"Nothing, get some shuteye."
"Uh huh." Her older friend sighed and soon the soft sound of her even breathing could be heard.
Time passed, marked by the ticking of the clock on the mantle. Then a tap sounded on the door and it opened before Alisa could say anything.
"Miss McKenzie?" Creed stepped in. "Has there been any word?"
"Tam." Alisa poked Tammy with one foot, then sighed. "No, Mr. Creed, I have not gotten one piece of information other than Henry was playing the good Samaritan and got shot. I know absolutely nothing else." Rubbing her eyes with both hands she sighed again and leaned back in her seat.
He sniffed and glanced toward the couch, then went to one knee next to it, pushing the suddenly visible blanket down. "Miss Mahan?"
"Huh?" She turned her head and blinked at him dozily, then frowned. "What?"
"You shouldn't be here," he said gently. "You're ill."
"No." Tammy sat up, smoothing her skirts under the blanket and then hugging it to her chest. "I'm fine."
"You're not fine," he insisted.
"And you're not my husband, or my mother, so please stop fussing at me," she growled, her eyes flashing behind her glasses.
"Miss Mahan...." He broke off as the door opened and a young man in a rumpled looking suit came in.
"Miss Mahan?" he asked, blinking behind his glasses and looking wrung out.
"Yes?" Tammy stood, letting the blanket drop to the floor, where it disappeared.
"Henry's come through surgery, but...." He took a deep shuddering breath and ran a hand over his hair. "There were complications, which may be permanent."
"Let me guess," Alisa said under her breath, then shook her head. "No, keep going, I'll just be right if I'm right."
He blinked and turned to look at her, then started violently. "My goodness," he said. "Please forgive me, Miss McKenzie. Henry has spoken of you often, but I...." He turned away slightly and bit his lip, obviously trying to hold in tears.
"May we see him?" asked Tammy gently, biting her own lip.
"His appearance...is altered." The young doctor lost the battle and wiped his face impatiently. "Forgive me."
"Grey fur, enhanced physical appearance, and enlarged canine teeth," said Tammy softly.
The young man stared, as did Creed. "Yes, but how...?"
"I've seen it before. May we see him, please?"
"I knew it!" Alisa muttered.
"O...of course!" he stammered, then led the way out of the room and down an antiseptic hall, where every nurse or doctor they passed seemed to recognize the two women and nodded to them familiarly.
"I'm almost scared," Alisa muttered out of the corner of her mouth.
"Scared of what?" murmured Tammy, absently taking a fistfull of her skirt and turning her shoulder to Creed as he seemed to hover.
"These people all lookin' at us." Alisa hurried forward slightly.
"Oh." Tammy glanced around blankly, obviously not having noticed the phenomenon. Then she stopped as the young doctor paused in front of a door and squared his shoulders. "Oh good grief, just let me in! He's not going to eat us!"
He gaped at her, but stepped aside as she pushed past him and entered the room
"There you go, Icey." She stopped just inside the door and cocked her head, smiling fondly. "There's your fuzzy Beast."
Alisa bit her lip, walked into the room, and just stared for a moment. Then she looked at Tammy. "I feel like Steph after the Twinkie incident." She smiled. "But I'm not surprised."
Walking over to the sleeping man she looked down and reached out hesitantly, touching his facial fur and then smiling again. "It's really soft."
He sighed and moved his face toward her hand, then opened his eyes and peered up at her dazedly. "Alisa?"
Tammy leaned over and whispered in her ear. "Don't tell him. He doesn't look too good yet."
"Henry." Alisa smiled down at him, stroking his cheek again. "Well, look who ran off to play hero."
"Were they...apprehended?" His voice was frighteningly faint, but her enhanced hearing picked it up easily.
"Yes, yes they were," Alisa said reassuringly. "Rest now though, love, you've had enough today without getting excited again."
He smiled and closed his eyes, dropping instantly into sleep.
Tammy looked down at him thoughtfully. "Are you gonna sit with him all night?"
"Yes. Yes I will," decided Alisa. "I'm feeling in a very Stephy mood today. Unless…."
She stopped and stared hard at Tammy. "You'll tell me before you do anything, right?"
"I ain't goin' anywhere tonight, darlin'." Tammy rubbed her face, then started as Creed put a hand under her arm to hold her up. "I wasn't leaning that badly, was I?"
"Yes you were." Alisa grinned, then shrugged at her innocently.
"Oi, home for me." Tammy tried to pull away, then scowled up at the big man when he refused to let go. "Want your instep stomped, bub?"
He frowned down at her, eyes narrowing. "I was brought up to help when it was needed, Miss Mahan. Would you have me go home and have to tell Remy that you are in the hospital yourself because I failed to do my duty?"
Tammy raised one eyebrow and glanced at Alisa's evil grin, then sighed and took his arm. "Fine, let's get the heck outta here so I can go to sleep."
"I'll be here." Alisa smiled at both of them, then sat down in the chair next to the bed. "See you in the morning, Tam."
"Yes, I will see you in the morning." Tammy nodded to the young doctor, who was looking very confused, then swept away down the hall. The last thing Alisa heard her saying was. "If you try to pick me up again I'll bite you. I promise."
Smirking slightly to herself, the purple girl turned and gazed at Henry for a moment, then sighed and laid her head back against the wall, drifting off to sleep quickly.