I open my eyes. I lay in a bright white room. For a while, all I can see is white light. When my eyes adjust, I can see two rows of hospital beds. There are other tools and instruments in the room that seem alien to me. That's probably just because I have no medical knowledge whatsoever. I'm hooked up to some kind of machine. I would guess it's monitering my breathing and heart beat.
I rub my head and groan. "Oh crap," I mumble.
"Headache?" I whip my head around and see Ash standing next to my bed, arms crossed. I didn't notice him in the room with me. I sit up.
"It's killing me," I reply. "Where are we?"
"Welcome to the Society for Mutants and the Gifted," he says.
"Uh, it's really nice," I say sarcasticly, looking around the room.
"Welcome to our medical building I should say."
"Why am I here?" I ask. "I'm fine."
"Well, after the wreck, you were pretty banged up. And it most definately didn't improve your health when you extracted his mutation." Ash said, glaring at me.
"Why are you mad?" I ask. "We never would've made it if I didn't do what I did."
"That does NOT give you an excuse to endanger your life. We would have found a way out that didn't involve you killing yourself."
"Why do you even care?" I ask, venom leaking into my voice.
"Because my job is to protect you. And not only is it my job, but I find myself actually wanting to keep you alive. I feel more of a bond to you than I thought I would. So I would appreciate it if you wouldn't harm yourself," he explains.
I just frown at him for a moment. "I still don't think that gives you an excuse to be mad at me."
He sighs. "Just promise me you won't do it again until you can control it."
I hesitate. "Fine," I snap. There's silence. "Why are you here?"
"Have you been listening at all?" Ash asks. "I care about you, Mac. I just wanted to know if you were okay. You're starting to wear on me, you know." He punches my shoulder softly and smiles.
"Um, Ash, not to sound rude, but why didn't you heal us when we got out of the Jeep?" I wonder.
"It's not as easy as I made it sound before. First of all, I have to be touching the person. Second, it's not an instant reaction. It's takes a few minutes. We didn't have the luxury of time at that particular moment," he explains. "I had to heal you as soon as we got on the jet. You were dying from blood loss. Now the only proof you have to show for our little adventure is a scar." He brushes my forehead with his fingers.
"But if you healed me, why am I in here?"
"I have to have complete focus on the person or thing I'm healing. At the moment, I was a little distracted thinking you were going to die. You were really messed up, Mac. Even before you used your new mutation," Ash explains.
I couldn't think straight. I didn't know what part of you to focus on. I coundn't judge which injury was worse, what I should heal at first."
I raise an eyebrow and say, "Why are you so friendly all of a sudden?"
He shrugs. "I don't really know. But I have a theory." He smiles. "You and I have never had any real friends because we always end up making ourselves out to look like freaks, right? And I'm not particularly fond of or close to people here, except for Dr. Obrian. But considering the fact that he's almost thirty years older than I am, I don't think he really counts. We're the only friend the other has ever had." His brows knit together and he frowns. "Is that proper grammar?" he asks.
I laugh. "Well I've had a couple minor friends here and there, but it's just like you said. I always scared them off. But we're the same so there's no scaring anyone away anymore. Looks like you're stuck with me."
Ash smiles. "Damn. And I was really hoping my only friend would be a guy."
"Well, you could always shapeshift into a woman and at least one of us will be happy," I suggest.
"Yeah, the probability of that happening is extremely low," he says.
I shrug. "Was worth a try."
"Alright, time to get to bed."
"What time is it?" I search my jeans for my phone, but I don't find it. Ash picks it off a little white table beside the bed and hands it to me.
"Almost 11:30," he replies. "You've been out for a while."
"How long?" I ask.
"Almost two days."
I shake my head. "Um...okay. So where am I sleeping?"
"Your room's already made up," Ash says as he takes my hand and pulls me off the bed. He leads me out of the medical building and out into the fresh air.
There are oaks and pines lining the brick pathway we walk on and dotting the grass around it. There are also lights along the path leading us to another larger brick building. It looks like a house, but it's too big. It coudn't be. There seems to be maybe four floors, countless windows on each one. Stone steps lead to the double door entrance made from beautiful red wood with brass handles and door knockers.
Ash opens one of the doors and leads me into the building. The lighting is dim, calming. The forye we've stepped into is so wide and open. There are various paintings and sculptures adding a sense of welcome home. There are wood floors with a red oriental carpet leading to a grand wooden staircase before us. The walls are a deep red. Everything is so perfect and clean.
"What is this place?" I ask as Ash pulls me up the stairs.
"What do you mean?"
"I mean it looks like a house, but it's just so big." I say.
"It is. Obrian had it constructed a couple decades ago hoping there would be mutants to fill it. He has always had a pasion for helping young people, especially people like us," Ash says.
"It's so...beautiful."
"He wanted everyone to feel like they were right at home, to give us the best," he replies. He leads me into a hall with several doors on both sides. We stop in front of one of them.
Ash opens the door and says, "Welcome home." It's simple but homey. The walls are a dark blue color and the carpet is black with flecks of gray and white. There are two large windows. There is a full sized, black four poster bed all ready made, a nightstand and lamp, a desk and chair, a dresser and a closet.
"Thanks, Ash."
"No problem." He smiles. "If you need anything, I'm three doors down. 'Night, Mac."
"Good night." I close the door and just stand in the middle of the floor. What am going to wear to bed? And tomorrow? And all the days after? I open the closet door. There are already clothes in it. My clothes. From home. I open the first drawer of the dresser and it's full too. How did my clothes get here? I'll ask Ash about it tomorrow. I'm too tired right now. I find my favorite pair of pajama pants and a tank top. I put them on and crawl into bed. Tomorrow is going to be a big day.
