Defrosting

[The Apatow Crew]

thanks Jal

No problem.

So when can we expect the next update?

 

[ComicChick]

No problem.

So when can we expect the next update?

working on it now, so hopefully soon

 

[The Apatow Crew]

working on it now, so hopefully soon

Thats cool. I'm starting work on a new script aswell.

 

[ComicChick]

Chapter 8​

Emma wakes up sore and aching from lying on the uncomfortable cot. She opens her eyes slowly, trying to grow accustomed to the lights in the room before moving. Once she has her bearings, her mind becomes more alert and the events of the previous day replay in her mind. As she stretches slowly to alleviate some of her aches and pains, she realizes the cot is empty except for her. Frantically she sits up and scans the room, breathing a sigh of relief when she spots Bobby on the other side of the room. He is pacing slowly back and forth, swinging his arms about. His face is a canvas of bruises and scrapes, and a deep cut over his eye is looking in desperate need of some stitches.

“How are you feeling?” Emma asks, stretching slowly as she sits up. The cramped sleeping situation has left her stiff and sore.

“A little,” Bobby says. “But I’ll live.”

“I hardly think pacing about is something you should be doing in your condition. I think that cut might need stitches.”

“Maybe so, but I’m trying to loosen up a little. We’re getting out of here today.”

“You’ve found a way out?” Emma asks, rising to her feet, fully alert now.

“No. But something’s happened out there and everyone’s flipping about it. You can hear bits and pieces through the door every now and then, but it sounds like something big and they’re not happy about it.”

“Any idea what?”

“Not yet. That’s what woke me up in the first place. There’s been a lot of yelling lately, so whatever it is, I’m gonna be ready to get us outta here the first chance we get.”

Emma watches him momentarily before deciding to loosen up. Although he is getting around quite easily, Emma notices that many of his movements are hindered by the injuries he sustained the night before. Bobby’s story has left her feeling hopeful, but she can’t help but think in the back of her mind that it could all be a big let down. It isn’t long before muffled yelling is heard outside of their room, jarring her from her negative thoughts. Emma and Bobby rush to the door, pressing their ears against it to listen. As the voices get closer, at best they are only able to make out certain words or phrases.

Blew up . . . can’t control . . . bring . . . collar . . .

Bobby and Emma exchange curious look as they listen for more hints to decipher what’s going on. Listening intently, they are able to hear screams of protest getting closer and clearer.

“Shut off . . . powers quick! ... Get to . . . Control room . . . Hurry . . . collar now!” Someone yells.

Footprints are heard rapidly approaching and then fade away in the other direction. Bobby and Emma assume that it’s someone running to get a collar from somewhere in the compound. Muffled sounds of a struggle are heard approaching followed by screams and shouts. They back away from the door mere seconds before it’s knocked off its hinges, sending them flying into the wall on the far side of the room.

Slow to get up, Bobby and Emma make their way to the huge opening the explosion has caused. Smoke has begun to make its way into the room and as they approach where the large metal door once stood, they can see the damage the explosion has caused. Scanning the surrounding area, everyone in sight is either dead or unconscious lying among rubble and debris. Nearly the entire length of the corridor appears to have been affected. Alarms suddenly erupt all along the corridor, causing them to wince at the volume.

“We need to find that control room they were talking about and turn off the inhibitors.” Emma shouts to Bobby as the climb through debris and rubble.

“What caused this explosion?” Bobby asks as he throws a large piece of debris out of his path.

“I don’t know. We don’t have time for that right now.”

Scanning the corridor, Bobby spots the control room and points it out to Emma, who had been searching the other end of the hallway. They run toward the room, carefully dodging broken columns and hurdling smoking debris. Bobby kicks the door in, finding the control room virtually unscathed and empty. Bobby stands over a control panel looking at the vast amount of buttons, knobs, levers, and switches.

“Great. How’re we supposed to know which one shuts off the power dampeners? None of em have labels.”

“You’re not helping.” Emma says, studying another control panel.

As they inspect various terminals in an attempt to shut down the inhibitors that are negating their powers, an FOH member watches them while in hiding. When both of their backs are turned to him, he decides to attack. Bursting forth from the cabinet, he lunges at Emma, tackling her to the ground. As they fall, Emma’s head comes into contact with the corner of a terminal. The sound of her head smacking against metal alerts Bobby to their enemy’s presence. Bobby comes to her aid, pulling the man off of her and hitting him with an onslaught of punches. Finally, he throws him into one of the terminals and miraculously, one of the buttons he lands on shuts down the inhibitors.

Through the adrenaline and aches, Bobby can feel his powers surging back. Not wasting time, he returns to Emma and kneels to check on her. She’s lying immobile on her side, her face down turned and her hair covering most of her face.

“Emma! Are you ok?”

Emma groans in pain but does not answer. He carefully helps her sit and pushes the hair back from her face. Redness has started to seep through her hair and now that her face is visible, he can see that the wound begins near her cheekbone, traveling up into her hairline. Emma clutches her head in pain, and when she pulls her hand back, it is covered in blood.

“You’re bleeding real bad Em.”

“Don’t worry about that right now.” She says through gritted teeth.

“But-“

“Bring him over here,” she interrupts. “You’re right. The wound is pretty extensive, and using too much telepathy could knock me out. I’ve already tried to scan for Tommy and can’t detect him anywhere and we need to get out of here. If I’m touching him, it won’t tax me as much and I can get the schematics and escape routes easier.”

Bobby nods and drags the unconscious man over to Emma. Bobby helps her sit up slowly, much to her protest. She reaches out and touches the man’s temple, immediately gasping from the pain. Using her telepathy is more difficult and far more painful than she expects, but she is able to get the information she needs. Emma immediately breaks contact after and a wave of dizziness ripples through her.

“Let’s get going.” Bobby says, rising to his feet.

Emma slowly gets to her feet, refusing his outstretched hand. Her first few steps are awkward and ungraceful as if she could fall at any second.

“Can you walk?” Bobby asks with concern.

“I’m fine.”

Bobby realizes the alarms have stopped blaring in the corridor. A new sound has replaced the alarms, a sound Bobby can’t place. He pauses to listen more intently and his eyes widen when he realizes that the new sounds are gun shots getting closer by the second. FOH members who weren’t in the corridor and who weren’t affected by the explosion are making their way toward them through the debris. As bullets lodge themselves in the walls around them, one shot ricochets off of a terminal, the bullet hitting Emma in the thigh. She gasps in pain and her leg buckles beneath her. Bobby breaks her fall and sees that she is in no condition to walk, let alone run on her own. With that in mind, Bobby wraps her arms around his shoulders.

“Hate me later, but we gotta get out of here now.”

With that, Bobby scoops Emma up in his arms and makes a run for it away from the advancing gunmen. As bullets sail past them, he starts shifting forms. As strange crunching sounds are heard around them, Bobby staggers a few times before his transformation is complete. Gunshots continue to reverberate off the walls of the corridor and as Bobby runs, the debris and rubble lessen until he reaches a section unaffected by the explosion. Once his ice form is at the desired density, he takes off in full sprint knowing no bullet can hit him now. He holds her close to him for she is still vulnerable to them and to keep from hurting her as he dips and dodges through various turns.

Once he’s outrun the FOH members by a good distance, he puts Emma down carefully, propping her up against the wall for support. He then creates a wall of ice several feet thick to seal off the corridor. When done, he walks back over to her and kneels beside her to survey her injuries. Her blonde hair is nearly completely tinted red from the blood she’s lost. A thin path of blood has begun to run down her cheek and he carefully wipes it away. Cautiously he touches her face and using his abilities creates a thin patch of ice over the wound, starting at her cheek and finishing near the top of her head. The ice numbs her pain and slows the bleeding greatly. She gasps as she registers the coldness and grips his arm tightly. Next he places a hand on her leg and does the same to the bullet wound. When he’s finished with his injuries, he sits down beside her panting heavily. The rush of adrenaline that has got them this far has faded and his body is starting to ache slightly. His muscles ache and he is extremely fatigued, but he ignores the pain as best he can.

“Where . . . are we?” Emma asks, touching her head delicately.

“Beats me. We’ve got a good lead and they won’t be getting through that wall anytime soon.”

Bobby takes a deep breath, trying to regain some of this strength and energy as well as his composure. He glances over at Emma who seems to be tired herself. Her eyes keep fluttering closed and she’s blinking rapidly in a futile attempt to keep them open.

“Emma, you ok? You’re turning pale.”

“Fine.”

“Then why can’t you keep your eyes open?”

“Tired.” She lies.

“Liar. You’re concussed, aren’t you?”

“You mean . . . do I have a concussion?”

“Yeah.”

After a few seconds, she answers, “I think I might.”

Emma opens her eyes to look at him and Bobby notices that one of her pupils is much larger than the other. “That’s not good. I don’t know the way out.”

“I do.”

“You’re in no condition to get us out of here.”

“But you are.”

Before he can protest, she leans toward him, placing her hands on his temples. Emma transfers all the information she got from the man in the control room. After she breaks contact, her eyes close and she slumps against his shoulder.

“Emma?”

The strain of using of her telepathy, along with the extent of her injuries has knocked her unconscious.

“Guess it’s up to me now.” Bobby says to himself aloud, slowly rising to his feet.

He returns to the ice wall, adding a few more layers with his powers. He pauses to listen for FOH on the other side, but there is no sound. While they have a great deal of a lead on the FOH, Bobby doesn’t want to wait around and take any chances. He returns to Emma and carefully picks her up. Her body is limp in his arms as he carries her though various pathways and corridors before finally ending up in a sewer tunnel. He stops a moment to catch his breath. His muscles burn and ache in protest, but he ignores the pain and presses on.

Professor! Betsy! Anybody! Can you hear me? It’s Bobby!

He mentally projects his shouting in hopes that he’ll be heard by one of the telepaths.

Professor X! Rachel! Cuckoos! Someone answer me!”

Bobby waits a moment before pressing forward. He scans the area before him, keeping an eye and ear out for potential ambushes by the FOH. Since he outran the gunmen, he has not seen any other FOH members. The explosion seems to have done more damage than initially thought, and while the last couple of miles of the base were unharmed in the explosion, Bobby assumes that the rest are either injured, ran away, or are dealing with the aftermath. He doesn’t have a clue what caused the explosion but it was a blessing in disguise. It was their chance to get away, but things did not go as Bobby had planned.

Emma is unconscious in his arms, a gunshot wound in the thigh and what appeared to be a deep laceration to her head that resulted in a concussion and a lot of blood loss. He has no idea where Tommy is and Emma’s words didn’t appease his worrying. She was unable to sense Tommy in the compound, but whether that meant he was dead or that he had gotten away, Bobby isn’t sure. All Bobby can do is hope that Tommy had gotten away too and that they can find him once they are free themselves.

After walking about a mile, Bobby stops to try and project his psychic screams again. Just as he is about to project, a slight tingling passes through his mind and he senses a familiar presence within.

Bobby, is that you?

Yeah Professor, it’s me.

Are you alright? We’ve been trying to find you.

I’m fine, but I need you to send a jet quick. Emma . . .

We’ve determined your location and a team is preparing to leave as we speak.

Good. Oh, and Prof, make sure Hank’s on board.

Of course.

After their telepathic conversation ends, Bobby continues forward with the directions Emma transplanted to his memory until he reaches a way to the surface. Although he’s excited to get out, he continues to walk slowly, careful not to jostle her. He is too drained to make the climb up the ladder with Emma in tow. Insteadof climbing, Bobby uses his powers tolift them to the manhole. He carefully adjusts her so that her weight is on one of his shoulders, and using his free arm, he lifts the manhole and pushes it to the side.

He carefully lifts her out of the sewer, and climbs out afterward. Before lifting her again, Bobby uses his powers to freeze the manhole in place, just in case the FOH were able to follow them. Overhead Bobby sees one of their small jets flying over and it landsnearby. It is very early in the morning for the stars are still out, and the sun is shining just a hint over the horizon. Fortunately for him, they’re in a derelict part of town and there are no people in sight to see him or the jet. With Emma’s unconscious body in tow, and still in his ice form, Bobby makes the trek to the jet.

to be continued...

 

[ComicChick]

Chapter 9​

Inside the jet, Cyclops, Kitty, Hank and Wolverine are waiting for any sign of Bobby. Xavier gave instructions on where to land, and they did so unnoticed with the jet’s cloaking device. They have no idea of how long they are supposed to wait, and are growing restless with the uncertainty of things.

“Ten minutes. He ain’t here in ten minutes, I’m gonna go look for em’” Wolverine says impatiently.

Rather than sitting and waiting, Logan has been pacing back and forth inside the jet while the others have been on the lookout. Kitty looks out of the window while Cyclops and Beast are overlooking computer screens in hopes of detecting him.

“Someone is coming up on the radar, due north.”

Kitty squints her eyes as she looks out the front of the plane and sees a figure approaching the cloaked jet. “Here he comes! He’s carrying something.”

Cyclops lowers the hatch and Hank rushes out to meet his friend while Logan walks up to the cockpit to have a look himself. With his enhanced senses, he is able to see much clearer and much further than his teammates.

“That ain’t something Kitty, that’s a someone.”

Hank slows to a jog as he gets closer to Bobby. He stops in place when he recognizes the form in Bobby’s arms.

“My stars . . . what happened?”

“I’ll fill you in on the jet. We need to stop the bleeding.”

As they near the jet, Logan walks down the hatch to help them carry Emma up the ramp. Once inside, they strap her down securely to the table. She has yet to regain consciousness since using her telepathy on Bobby, and her hair is becoming matted with all the blood she’s lost. Hank proceeds to clean her wounds and apply bandages as best he can with the equipment in the jet until they can get her back to the med lab at the mansion. Emma’s head wound is in dire need of stitches and he doesn’t have the resources on the jet to tend to it or to the bullet wound on her thigh. At best he can bandage them in hopes that it will stop or slow the bleeding.

After Bobby briefs everyone, he returns to the back of the jet with Hank and Emma. Hank has done a great job of cleaning up the blood. Emma’s face is visible again and were it not for the cut on her cheek, it would appear as though Emma was in a peaceful sleep. Bobby slumps into a chair near the table, exhausted but unable to sleep. Bobby’s expression is colder than his icy exterior as he sits through the rest of the flight in silence.

Bobby is full of anger. Anger at what the FOH did to them, anger at the fact that they never found Tommy, and most infuriatingly, he’s angry at himself. He’d broken his promise to Emma. She had gotten injured in the melee and he wasn’t able to protect her. He hopes that the risks she took in using her powers to supply him the escape route didn’t make her injuries worse. Bobby knows Emma is a fighter. He admires the strength she possesses, the strength she had shown when he took the horrible beating and they were prepared to turn things onto her. A month ago he wouldn’t care as much but things are different now. Bobby’s opinions of Emma Frost have changed dramatically recently and now he knows more than ever that he is starting to have feelings for her.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Once landing at the mansion, Emma is immediately brought to the med lab. Bobby has been sitting patiently outside ever since, waiting for the first sign of any news.

“You’re gonna melt if you sit out here any longer.”

Bobby looks up and sees Jubilee standing in front of him. He’s been so immersed in his thoughts that he hadn’t heard her approach. She sits down next to him and hands him a cup of coffee.

“Thanks Jubes.”

“No prob. Thought you could use some. How long have you been sitting out here anyway?”

“I don’t know.” Bobby answers honestly. His concept of time has been completely lost since being taken hostage by the FOH.

“It’s nice of you to sit out here for Frosty. I heard she was hurt bad.”

“I don’t know. She’s got a gash on her head, probably gonna need a lot of stitches. She got us out of there, so I at least owe it to her to make sure she’s ok.”

That’s only part of the reason, but it’s the only part of the reason that Bobby is willing to share.

“Want some company?”

“No thanks Jubes, I’d only bore you.”

“You sure?”

“Yeah.” Bobby says, trying to muster up the most convincing smile he can make. “I’m a bit worn out and I’ll probably nod off in a minute waiting to hear something. Maybe you can go pull a prank or something on someone for me. I haven’t done any good ones in a while.”

Jubilee’s eyes light up with possibilities, a devilish grin spreading across her lips. “I’ve got this great one I’ve been wanting to pull on Rogue. You’re gonna love it.”

“I’m sure I will.”

With that, Jubilee runs off with a purpose. Bobby smiles at the memories of past pranks he’s pulled on his friends and some of the great ones Jubilee and he pulled off as a team. As his mind wanders through some of the better practical jokes he’s done, his thoughts are interrupted by the sound of the lab doors opening. Bobby instantly rises to his feet, nearly spilling the contents of his cup before Hank has a chance to come out.

“How is she?” Bobby asks expectantly.

“How long have you been sitting out here?”

“Since we’ve been back.” Bobby mutters, throwing his now cold cup of coffee in the trash.

“That’s been a couple of hours.”

Bobby just shrugs and a small smile spreads across Hank’s face.

“She will be fine. She’s still under sedation but if you’d like to see her, you may.”

Bobby’s shoulders visibly relax and as Hank steps back inside the med lab, Bobby follows. Beast leads Bobby beyond the blips and beeps of the laboratory equipment to the quieter area of the lab reserved for more medical matters, and less scientific machinery. Walking further they find themselves in the infirmary, where the beds are separated by partitions, and while there is only one inhabitant of the infirmary, all of the curtains are drawn forward. A faint hum emits behind a nearby curtain, and Hank pulls it back slowly.

Emma lies peacefully unconscious, looking far better than when Bobby had seen her last. A white blanket has been pulled over her, one leg remaining on the outside. Her leg has been bandaged and covered by thick layers of gauze over the wound. Her head has been carefully stitched and wrapped, and Bobby is relieved to see hints of her golden blonde hair rather than the bloodied, matted hair he remembers.

“Emma is stabilized, sleeping peacefully under heavy sedation. She sustained a concussion, but fortunately the laceration was not as deep as I had originally thought. Using your abilities to slow the bleeding was ingenious.”

“So, she’ll be ok?”

“Aside from a bad headache for a while, she will be back to normal in no time.”

Bobby glances about at the various machines surrounding Emma, and lastly at the serene look on her face for reaffirmation before finally turning away with a sigh.

“Something wrong?” Hank asks concerned at his friend’s change in demeanor.

“You’ve got one more patient today Hank, so don’t take your scrubs off yet.”

“What are you talking about?”

“There’s a reason I’m still iced up. When I shift back, you’re gonna have to work quick. I didn’t shift fast enough and I know for sure I got hit twice.”

“You mean you were shot?”

“Yeah. When I shift back, It’s not going to be pretty. I should also mention I got the snot kicked out of me so my face definitely ain’t gonna look good. Staying iced up has slowed the effects but I’ve been feeling weak. I’ve been holding out but it’s starting to hurt like Hell Hank, so prep a table asap. It’s time to play operation.”

Bobby manages a weak smile, trying to downplay the seriousness of his predicament, but Hank is already working furiously to get everything in order. He rushes to the operating area of the lab, prepping it for the oncoming surgery. By the time Bobby drags himself there, Hank is already prepped and ready to go. Bobby slowly pulls himself onto the table and lies down, closing his eyes. Hank places an anesthesia mask over Bobby’s face and when Bobby shifts back to his human form, the gases put him under immediately. Hank delves right in, cutting Bobby’s shirt away. Blood is everywhere and Hank goes to work with surgical precision to save his friend. Once he’s cleared away most of the blood, he is better able to discern Bobby’s injuries. Hank discovers that Bobby was wrong and has actually been shot four times. One bullet has gone all the way through his shoulder. Two more bullets are lodged in his mid-section, one near his collarbone, and the other near his rib cage. Fortunately for Bobby, these three wounds have all missed major arteries and organs. The other bullet, the most serious of all, has punctured one of his lungs and Hank must work quickly to remove it. Hank immediately starts on the most severe wounds first, trying his best not to look at the scraped and bruised face of his best friend.

Hours later, Hank is finished, but Bobby is nowhere in the clear. Through the operation, Bobby has lost a lot of blood and his vital signs remain extremely low. Bobby has been hooked up to the necessary machines, and now tubes and IV’s are sticking in and out of him all over his body. Hank takes one last look at the heart monitor before cleaning up and sitting down next to Bobby’s comatose body. Hank is exhausted, emotionally and physically. His best friend lies before him, hooked up to a myriad of machinery fighting for his life. The only comfort he has is in knowing that he has done everything in his power to help him and that Bobby has the strength to pull through. A slight tinge of anger lurks at the back of Hank’s mind. He can’t help but a feel a bit of anger toward his friend for keeping his injuries quiet for so long. Leaving Bobby’s side, Hank heads to the other side of the lab to bury himself in other projects to distract himself.

 

[ComicChick]

A constant throbbing ache wakes Emma from her sedative-induced sleep. The fog clears from her mind as she slowly regains consciousness. She opens her eyes briefly, squinting as she grows accustomed to her dimly lit surroundings. Emma feels groggy and weak, remaining still as she collects her bearings. Once she is able to focus to eyes, the faint lights of the machine readings illuminating before her, casting an eerie glow around the sterile white room. Emma’s last memories are of being in the sewer with Bobby. Her surroundings reveal that he was able to get them out.

The pounding in her head still has not alleviated, and as she tries to sit up, the pain nearly doubles. A wave of dizziness and nausea passes through her and Emma clutches her head in an attempt to stop the dizziness. Only when her fingertips come in contact with the gauze does she realize her head is bandaged. Slowly she brings the other hand to her cheek and her fingertips softly navigate the length of her bandages.

As her senses grow more alert, she grows more restless. Emma places a foot on the floor and the tiles are cool beneath her. She swings her other leg slowly over the edge of the bed and when she tries to plant her weight, a searing, blinding pain courses through her leg. Emma gasps in pain and shock before ungracefully crumbling to the ground.

Almost immediately the curtains separate and Hank’s large blue form bounds in.

“Emma, are you alright?”

“Fine.” Emma answers, her voice low and hoarse from lack of use.

Before she can answer, Hank easily lifts her and gently places her back on the bed.

“How are you feeling?”

“Wonderful,” She says sarcastically. “I’ve felt better.”

“Any pain?”

“Other than my leg feeling like it’s on fire? No.” Emma lies.

“That is to be expected, I’m afraid. The bullet went through clearly, and will heal rapidly. Are you experiencing any headaches or vision problems?”

“Nothing I can’t manage. How long was I out?”

“Prior to your arrival, I am not certain. Since your arrival at the mansion? Approximately 21 hours.”

“Twenty one hours?” Emma asks incredulously.

“You had sustained a concussion and a head wound, and the sedatives were a precaution. Fortunately the wound was not as deep as I originally thought and only required minor stitching. Thanks to the Shi’Ar technology I have here, after a week or so, the scars will fade completely.”

“Fantastic.” Emma answers calmly. Her shoulders relax, but her posture still appears on edge.

“How much longer must I stay here?”

Hank studies her charts before shining a light into her eyes.

“Your pupils are normal, which is good. The charts and read outs appear satisfactory. If you’d voluntarily like to stay for observation-“

“I wouldn’t.” Emma quickly interjects.

“Well then, I see no problem with you returning to your room as long as you notify me if any problems arise.”

“Agreed.”

“I must also ask you in your state Emma, to please refrain from using your telepathy for at least the next 24 hours.”

Emma nods in agreement before changing the subject abruptly. “How is Robert?”

Hank freezes in his motions, but quickly tries to cover it up.

“Would you like me to find someone to assist you to your room Emma?”

“Why are you sidestepping Henry?”

“I’m not.” Beast lies, pretending to be more preoccupied with the clipboard in his paw than their conversation.

“As you’ve said, I have a concussion. Please don’t make me use my telepathy.”

Hank sighs before turning back to Emma to deliver the news.

“He is also a patient in the infirmary. He has suffered multiple gunshot wounds, one of those shots puncturing a lung. He also has sustained fractured ribs as well as a multitude of scrapes and contusions. He has lost a great amount of blood.” Hank pauses before finishing, “He has yet to regain consciousness.”

“I want to see him,” Emma says flatly. Her face is expressionless, but her eyes seem to convey a sense of urgency.

“I do not think-“

“Again I ask Henry, don’t make me use my powers.”

Without waiting for a response, Emma carefully lowers herself to the floor. The burning pain returns as soon as she puts weight down on her injured leg, but instead of crying out, she grits her teeth and transitions her weight to her other leg. Hank takes the lead and Emma limps behind him. Emma briefly closes her eyes in an attempt to prepare herself, but nothing can prepare her for what she sees when Hank pulls back the curtain.

Bobby is lying motionless with various machines hooked up and beeping all around him. IV tubes are pumping the necessary liquids into his system, and blood bags are doing their best in replenishing the blood he’s lost. His entire torso is a cocoon of bandages and in some places, blood has seeped through, marring the whiteness of the gauze. One of Bobby’s arms is in a sling. His skin is ghastly pale and his face is a myriad of cuts and bruises. One of his eyes is nearly swollen shut and line of stitches lies below it, closing up the cut on his cheek inflicted on him by the members of the FOH.

“He is comatose.” Beast says sadly. “I hope the Shi’Ar technology will help rouse him.”

“I’d like to stay with him. He saved my life after all.”

“With the severity of his injuries, I’m afraid he will be out of it for quite a while. Why don’t you go clean up, get some rest? Perhaps something to eat Emma? He won’t be waking anytime soon.”

“You’ll inform me of any change?” Emma finally concedes, her weariness outweighing her desire to be stubborn.

“Of course.”

Emma turns and leaves the med lab, limping slightly. Once she is out of eye sight, her gait changes and she limps more dramatically. She is too proud to let Hank see how much pain she is actually in. With each step with her injured leg, the pain is enough to make her knees want to buckle. Now that no one is around, she can place more of her weight on the other leg to alleviate some of the pain. She slowly makes her way of the stairs to her bedroom. Once inside, she goes straight to the bathroom and looks in the mirror. Her hair is disheveled, though most of it is hidden beneath the bandages. Turning her head slightly, she scrutinizes her wound. A bruise colors her cheek fading into her hairline. She slowly removes the bandages, running a finger along the path of the stitches on her face. Carefully she lightly follows its jagged trail into her hair, feeling the raggedness of the cut and the dried blood that has formed over the wound. She knows she will have to take care in washing her hair and proceeds to undress. Beneath the bandages around her thigh she finds more blood and dark bruises.

As she enters the shower, the water is both refreshing and excruciating. While she revels in the chance to wash away the grit and grime, she bites her lip as the pulsating water hits her leg and clamps down even harder as she tries to wash her hair. After she showers, she quickly dresses, finding herself too weak and too exhausted to head down for food. Instead she lies down in her bed and her thoughts immediately drift back to the last time she slept in it; the night Bobby had rescued her from her nightmares. She closes her eyes and still smells the faint traces of him on her pillow. The past few days have been too much for her concussed might to handle right now. All her thoughts keep coming back to the man lying in the med lab who saved her life struggling to hold onto his, and prays on everything that he makes it through. It isn’t long before weariness overcomes her and she drifts off to sleep.

 

[Eggyman]

This is great, ComicChick

Normally when you post I just find myself mesmerised by your avy, staring at it for minutes with my mouth open lol, but your story kept my attention away from it.

*Goes back to watching the wiggly woman*

 

[ComicChick]

This is great, ComicChick

Normally when you post I just find myself mesmerised by your avy, staring at it for minutes with my mouth open lol, but your story kept my attention away from it.

*Goes back to watching the wiggly woman*

thank you
for the writing comments, as well as the avvy ones

 

[ComicChick]

bumping for motivation, i finally started working on the next chapter

 

[ComicChick]

CHAPTER 10​

The early morning sunlight casting through Emma’s half drawn curtains wakes her earlier than she had planned. Her headache has diminished greatly and although her leg is still sore, the pain has lessened enough so that she can walk much easier. Glancing at the clock, she groans inwardly as she pushes herself off the bed. She limps to the shower, proceeding to get ready for the day at hand. Testing out her telepathy, Emma calls out to Hank to find out if there’s been any change in Bobby’s condition. Much to her chagrin, there hasn’t. She knows she should be resting, and she shuts off her telepathic link with Hank before he can tell her the same. Emma should be recuperating, but the semester is finally underway and she doesn’t want to miss any classes, especially the first day. Emma welcomes the distraction the classes will bring. The past few days have been chaotic and she is ready for a sense of normalcy again.

Once out of the shower and dressed, Emma sits in front of her vanity. With great care Emma applies makeup, doing her best to conceal the bruising on her cheek. What she isn’t able to cover up with makeup, she is hides by styling her hair. She scrutinizes her job in the mirror, turning her head at different angles before being satisfied with her work. While she can much easier mask it from the others with her telepathy, she plans on following Hank’s advice to refrain from using them. Contacting him earlier via telepathic link caused a sensation of dizziness that is still permeating at the back of her mind. She is doing her best not to bring it back to the forefront.

Gathering her things, Emma heads down to get prepared before the classes begin. Although the pain still lingers, she walks gracefully, refusing to let anyone see her falter. She passes a few of the early birds on her way through the mansion but she doesn’t stop to speak or to acknowledge them. As she approaches her classroom, she discovers another member of the X-Men about to enter.

“This is my class Scott. Are you lost?”

“Emma? Good morning. How are you?” Scott recovers as Emma approaches him.

“Can I help you with something?”

“I was going to cancel your classes.”

“Why?” Her neutral demeanor quickly evolves into a defensive pose as she crosses her arms across her chest.

“With everything that happened, we weren‘t sure if you were up to it yet.”

“We?”

“We thought the time off would be good for you.”

“Thank you, but I do not need you, or anyone else cancelling my classes, especially without consulting me first.”

“I’m sorry Emma. We just thought- .”

“I am fine,” Emma interrupts him. “And I am perfectly able to teach. I don’t intend on cancelling anything, so if you’ll excuse me...”

With that Emma walks past him and into her classroom, closing the door and leaving a confused Cyclops standing outside.

When Emma gets into the mind set of preparing for the day, her anger begins to subside. She hates when others try to patronize her, especially when she feels that the majority of the X-Men couldn’t be bothered to care for her well being. The “we” Scott mentioned most likely only involves himself and Hank. A small bit of excitement builds in the pit of her stomach as the first batch of students enter the classroom, driving away some of her irritation.

After the last student leaves, Emma leans against her desk in reflection. Despite the slight headaches, the day goes by virtually unhitched. She’s avoided walking as much as possible, choosing to stay behind her desk or sit atop it much like she is doing now. The day flew by and much to Emma’s enjoyment, it is now over. She is glad the semester is officially underway. Now she can use the time needed to prepare course assignments and the like as a distraction from everything else.

As Emma gathers her things and leaves the classroom, her adrenaline wanes and her exhaustion resurfaces. Her thoughts immediately return to the brief conversation with Cyclops and his suggestion she take some time off. No matter how tired she feels now, the joy of getting the first day under her belt outweighs any negative.

A low musical tone emits from Emma’s bag, increasing in volume as she retrieves the phone from her bag.

“Frost.”

Emma cautiously makes her way through the slightly crowded halls, listening intently to the speaker on the other end of the line.

“Send my car. I’ll be there within the hour.” Emma says, hanging up before awaiting a response.

Stopping in place, Emma turns around and heads in the opposite direction to the parking garage instead. Her original destination was the med lab to meet with Hank for a scheduled follow-up, but that will have to wait. She curses herself inwardly for forgetting about the meeting this afternoon. After answering her assistant’s phone call, she’s certain that her limo will be waiting out front for her, if not already there.


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yeah it's short, but it's something right?

 

[ComicChick]

Emma walks out of the Frost International, her chauffeur holding an umbrella over her head as he opens the door of her limousine. The rain has only worsened her mood as she slides into the car. The meeting was completely trivial and mundane and bored her immensely. Emma regrets attending for it wasn’t completely necessary for her to be there. The Board of Directors had things handled and her attendance was more a formality than anything else. When the meeting grew unbearable, Emma sped things along with her telepathy, much like she did when she altered everyone’s minds into believing she arrived on time. She regrets that now, as her headache has increased tenfold from using her powers. She’s rubbing her temples between her forefingers in an attempt to alleviate the pain when she hears the window partition lowering.

“Excuse me, Miss Frost. Shall I be taking you back to the school?”

“No,” Emma says with contemplation. “I’ll be staying at the penthouse tonight.”

“Yes maim.”

The partition rises again, leaving Emma to her thoughts. She considers informing Hank that she is not returning to the mansion, but with the pain she is feeling, she doesn’t want to make it worse. She could phone him, but with all the buzz around the mansion about Bobby, she feels her absence will hardly be noticed. Her thoughts quickly turn to him. She regrets not going to visit Bobby, but his area in the med lab has not been empty since it became known to everyone that he slipped into a coma. Various members of the X-Men have been taking turns watching vigil over him in the med lab. Everyone is anxiously awaiting news concerning his condition, Emma included.

Despite the rough past between them, the relationship between Bobby and Emma has evolved from once being bitter enemies to some sort of acquaintanceship. The situations they’ve experienced of late have brought them closer together and out of these circumstances, Emma has found the closet thing in her life to a friend in Bobby.

Ever since the night the two of them left the mansion together, Emma’s life has been in a state of disarray. Much to her amazement, she discovers that the time spent with Bobby down has been some of her most memorable moments during her stay at Xavier’s. Bobby has a way of making her feel comfortable, yet not too vulnerable, that she has never experienced with anyone else. She often thinks back to the night outside the diner. When he pulled her into the alley, Emma had every intention of wiping the night from his memory, but when he took her into his arms, it simply floored her. As much as she tries to deny it, that simple act touched her more than she’d ever admit. She’s never allowed anyone to see her truly emotional, yet Bobby has seen her twice. In the alley, Emma broke down and cried her heart out in his arms, but Bobby never opened his eyes. The second time, he came into her room one night, waking her from a recurring nightmare. As vulnerable and weak as she felt sobbing against him, Bobby only offered words of comfort. She had clung to him desperately, as if his simply being there could keep her demons at bay. Despite how out of character and foolish she felt, Bobby never said anything about it. He held her until she could calm herself, and stayed in her room the rest of the night.

She had felt so foolish asking him to stay, but the need to have him there was stronger. She can’t explain the things that were going on between them, but by having him close, she was able to latch onto his dreams and keep her nightmares from returning. At the diner, Bobby was able to see a memory of hers despite her not projecting it to him, and he had come to her room because he could hear Emma’s screams in his mind. She has no explanation for why this is happening and she is certain Bobby doesn’t either. Emma toys with the idea of talking to Hank about it, but neither of them has told Hank about the strange occurrences. She wants to wait until Bobby wakes up. She wants to talk to him first and foremost.

Her door opens, immediately jarring her from her thoughts. The chauffeur holds out his hand, assisting her out of the limousine.

“Thank you.” She says politely.

He simply nods acknowledgment, holding the large umbrella above them as he walks her to the entrance. As he leaves her at the elevator, Emma is relieved that she is finally alone to her vices. It’s been a long and eventful day and its starting to wear on her. Her headache is finally subsiding, but the exhaustion and fatigue she feels is taking its place. She cannot wait to get into her penthouse so that she can take a hot bath and down a strong drink or two. Tomorrow morning will bring another school day and more stress, but for now she simply wants to wind down and forget it all.


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To be continued….

 

[Kable24]

Today was the first time I have read anyone's fan fiction and all I can say is wow. I only wished it was completed. I am really into this story.
Awesome job so far CC. I cannot wait to read the rest.

 

[ComicChick]

Today was the first time I have read anyone's fan fiction and all I can say is wow. I only wished it was completed. I am really into this story.
Awesome job so far CC. I cannot wait to read the rest.

wow thanks so much Kable

i've got parts of the new couple chapters just sitting on my computer like they have been for months untouched. maybe i'll open em up and get back to working on this