Welcome To The X-Men! We Hope You Survive the Experience!

All Kinds Of Doctors

The session with Charles wasn't really what either feral expected. K took a seat at the far side of the couch to give Charles and Jean plenty of room to work with Logan, who honestly looked on edge as Charles leaned in to get started. He didn't flinch when Charles reached out to touch his temples, but he did clench his jaw a little tighter - his eyes closed and almost every muscle in his body tense.

It wasn't anywhere close to ideal conditions to slip into his mind, but that's what they had to work with. Instead of an easy slip in as Charles and Jean had done so many times with Scott, entering Logan's mindscape was almost ... painful, and once they were inside, it was foreign and hostile. The two of them had to work just to cross what had initially looked like a short spanse - and then had to fight to even begin looking into anything. It wasn't the first time there for Charles, but for Jean ... it was quite the place to have a learning curve moment.

They kept digging until Jean physically couldn't continue ... though before they were done, they managed to at least identify something that clearly looked like a trigger - or a trap.

It was honestly exhausting, but they were making progress, even though Jean was picking her hair up off her neck and pulling it into a bun just to get the sticky sensation away from her skin once the session had ended.

"You okay?" Logan asked when he realized that they were done - without any real progress.

Jean nodded. "It's hard work, but at least we found something," she said, giving him a quick smile that she hoped was reassuring and not weary.

"That much empty space, eh?" Logan teased.

"Quite the opposite," Jean said as she finished tying off her hair. "I'm still learning how to hold back and not wear myself out too fast, sorry. I can't seem to not throw everything in."

"If it makes you feel better, I can take it if you slip," Logan said.

"I won't," she promised quickly. "The professor's been working with me."

"Wouldn't hold it against you unless you screw with the memories I got of K and Scott," Logan said. "Plenty in there that's been trashed who knows how many times over."

"I noticed," Jean said, wincing slightly. "It's... well. I think I get it. It was hard to get in there when you were turned off, but the 'off' command was bright and flashing and the only thing in your head. Of course it would be harder when you're not a neon sign."

"Hard head," Logan said as he stood up - looking no worse for wear at all. "Not surprised."

Jean smiled and wiped her forehead and neck. "I think it kept you alive, if I'm honest," she said. "Scott's mindscape was trashed after the department and I thought that was bad. Seeing what they did to you?" She shook her head. "You'd have to be stubborn just to survive."

"Not sure that's much of a complement," Logan said. "Next time, I guess start up earlier in the day - when you got all your energy."

"No, I like just going and curling u-" She paused. "Well, it's fine. Really."

"Uh huh," Logan replied shaking his head as he turned to Charles. "How bad was it? Really."

Charles let out a long breath. "She's not wrong," he said. "There is a lot of damage, which makes determining the most recent changes difficult."

"Which, I have to tell you," K said as she watched the two telepaths. "When they did this to start with - it wasn't just one or two telepaths working together."

"That makes sense," Charles said with a nod. "And would account for the damage."

"It's still doable," Jean insisted quickly.