knock on wood | howlett

xxi. here

just this ; birdtalker

tuesday

his eyes opened to a blinding light. he wasn't a religious man, but for some reason his mind first thought of heaven. when his sight adjusted, he realized he wasn't in heaven.

he gazed at the canopy of wires and tubes that all traced back to him, and his brow furrowed.

it was then he remembered what had happened.

he remembered the day of torture and tests from the doctors and scientists. they had said it was all because of beck, but it couldn't have been.

images of being catapulted through the air came to him. he felt the impact again and remembered a rich darkness.

the door opened and it caught his attention. he looked over to see colossus in the doorway. the steely face softened.

"you're alive." colossus moved toward logan, as if going for a hug, but colossus was caught by the sight of the tubes and backed up.

instead, colossus rested a cold hand on a space on logan's forearm that was unoccupied by tubes. logan smiled at his friend.

colossus's other hand pressed a button that alerted the staff of doctors, nurses, and xavier that logan was alive.

"where's beck?" logan coughed after his question.

"she's," colossus paused, "she's here."

"is she okay?" logan's voice was stronger this time. "can i see her?"

"she is not so okay." colossus removed his hand and rang it in the other. the door opened behind him and doctors and nurses rushed in to check on logan. colossus retreated to a chair against the wall. xavier wheeled in.

he smiled at the sight of logan.

he got them out of the way and reached logan's sight. "i told them. i told them you would make it."

logan couldn't help but smile. "i'm glad i made it," he admitted. his voice dropped so only xavier could hear, "what's wrong with beck?"

xavier wanted to lie. he wanted to tell logan a white lie. he worried logan wasn't stable enough to take it, but xavier couldn't lie to his friend.

"she's dying," he whispered. "her power is turning on her. it's mostly because she used it after not using it for so long, but also because her body is weak. therefore, her mind is weak."

"well, can't you help her?"

xavier's stomach flopped. he wanted to help her, and he wanted to alleviate her pain and suffering.

"it's out of my capability, out of my control. i wish i could logan..."

"is she in pain?"

"yes." xavier's heart was surely breaking. he diverted his gaze from logan. "she hasn't got much time left. i suppose it's better her days are numbered, so there's a reachable end to her pain."

"how long?"

"the doctors predict a week from tomorrow. if it's any longer, she has the choice to take a pill for heart failure."