Log: Kitty visits Jean (for herself and Remy) Who: Kitty and Slumbering!Jean NPC(s): Sara [portrayed by Marissa] When: Late morning, 7/22/2014 [backdated] Where: Metropolitan Hospital What: Kitty fulfills her promise and visits Jean in the hospital Warning(s): none
Kitty Pryde was scared of hospitals. There was the dying, the pain, the noises, the weird smells. She had watched too many medical dramas where things were so frightening. But, she wanted and need to visit Jean - not just for herself as the redhead’s friend, but also for Remy. A promise was a promise.
Clutching her purse against her side, the young mutant rode the shuttle into town and cause a bus to the closest stop to the hospital. Kitty hiccuped a breath as she stepped across the facility’s threshold.
You’re fine. You’re okay. This for Jean and Remy.
Kitty obtained Jean’s floor and room number from the main admitting station and climbed aboard an elevator. The ride seemed to last forever even with the occasional opening and closing and influx and outflow of people. Then the panel chimed and read out Jean’s floor number. Gently biting her lower lip, Kitty watched the doors open and waited a moment before she stepped out and journeyed towards ICU.
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Sara had practically forced John to take a later start, to try and work through some of the sleep issues he had been having lately. She knew it was hard for him, worrying and waiting for the call that brought good or bad news about Jean’s condition. She had been through this enough with Jean to have found ways to be comfortable in the hospital.
She’d been told a visitor was added to the roster—one of Jean’s schoolmates, and so she was mainlining coffee and trying to put herself in a cheerful place. She had always envied Jean’s ability to behave kindly, even when she wasn’t in a kind mood.
She reached out, adjusting Jean’s dressing gown. The girl lay in a swath of pillows and wires. An intubation tube made sure she was breathing normally, while a series of sensors wrapped around her forehead checked for unusual brainwave activity. This was in addition to the usual equipment that monitored her vitals. It was the equipment, really, that looked out of place. For her part, Jean looked peaceful, a little thinner and paler than most would remember her, but she didn’t look as sick as she actually was. If it weren’t for the tubes, Sara could almost allow herself to believe that her sister was sleeping.
----
As soon as the letters ‘ICU’ and the faint sound of the ventilators nearby filled her senses, Kitty slowed her pace. She hadn’t thought about how Jean would look, if she’d show any sign of waking up. But then her thoughts went to John, to Remy. I have to be strong. For them. And Jean would want me to visit.
The young woman gently her long ponytail off her shoulder as she walked closer to the doorway with the tag labeled “Jean Grey”. Blinking, she could see the spread of Jean’s red hair and a mess of wires and tubes. Then her focus went to the young woman leaning over her former classmate. Kitty’s fingers clutched her purse strap as she stopped just outside the room. With her free hand, she reached up and softly knocked on the door frame.
---
Sara straightened, turning to the door and offering Kitty as warm a smile as she could muster. “Hi there. You must be Kitty.” She stepped forward, reaching a hand out to shake the younger girl’s hand. “I’m Sara, Jean’s sister...come on in.” She quickly grabbed her bag and sweater, moving those to the stool at the end of Jean’s bed and leaving the visitor the more comfortable chair beside Jean.
“I wish we could be meeting under better circumstances, but I really appreciate you coming to visit.” She glanced back at Jean for a moment. “The doctors say it’s good for her to hear familiar voices and that she really can hear us.”
It felt silly sometimes, talking to Jean like she wasn’t unconscious. Still, there had been all kinds of testimonials of people who had awoken from comas only to latch onto memories of the things that had been going on around them.
---
“Hi,” Kitty replied as she reached up to lightly clutch the strap of her purse. With a soft smile, she slipped her hand in Sara’s, “Yes, I’m Kitty.” She shook her hand and carefully stepped into the room. It smelled sterile and weird. The young woman trembled slightly as she looked over at Jean - watching her chest rise and fall. Soon her attention snapped back to her former classmate’s sister.
“Jean’s a good friend. I’ve missed seeing her. I know...she’d want to see all of her friends and former classmates,” Kitty nodded. She was undeniable nervous. But she breathed deeply, steeling herself with the thought of doing this for Remy and knowing Jean would do the same thing for her. She could almost smell the cookies the red-haired girl made in the kitchen.
Then she asked a silly question. “Can I hold her hand?”
---
“Yes, she would,” Sara spoke in agreement, glancing back over at Jean. Her sister was the kind of person who liked to insert herself in peoples’ lives (that was the bit of their mother that Jean just happened to get). It was nice to see someone else besides John at Jean’s bedside (not that his dedication was not admirable in and of itself).
When Kitty asked if she could hold Jean’s hand, Sara couldn’t help but smile. “Yeah, sure. Of course.” She stepped back to make it easier to get at Jean’s side. “She’s been hanging on. Nobody is quite sure when she’ll wake up or if she’ll wake up, but her condition is remaining stable...kind of like she’s taking a really long nap.” She shrugged, crossing her arms across her chest. “It just feels weird. I don’t think Jean has been lazy a day in her life…”
---
“And be right here with cookies and a big smile,” Kitty added as she saw just how Sara looked like her slumbering sister. The young woman was still a bit scared, but talking to Sara was distracting her for the moment from the terrible circumstances.
Nodding, Kitty slipped over to the side of the bed and carefully eased her hand underneath Jean’s. Her thumb curled around and she gave her a gentle squeeze. “I wish I could just pop in there and fix what’s broken or heal what’s injured. Your sister has amazing gifts,” Kitty breathed as she looked down at Jean and then turned her head to look over at Sara.
---
“I think we all feel that way being around her,” Sara replied encouraged, leaning against the wall by the door. “I like to think that even if her mind isn’t awake...with the way her powers are, maybe she can still feel us and hear us.”She watched Kitty with Jean, the frown on her face deepening. She missed her sister and the warmth and comfort she offered others. In many ways, she and Jean were similar, but she had never had Jean’s gift for giving solace. “I can leave you alone with her for a few minutes if you’d like.”
---
Turning her head back to Jean, Kitty nodded. “I think so too. Her body has to rest, but she’s listening. She knows. Don’t you, Jean?” She smiled and sighed. If only the phasing mutant had telepathy, then perhaps she could make sure Jean was okay.
Frowning, Kitty was still so fearful that Jean wouldn’t wake up. But the kindness that Jean had shown her gave her strength. Sniffing, the young woman nodded. “I’d like that,” Kitty replied as she looked over at Sara again as she gently squeezed Jean’s hand. “Give you a few minutes to get some fresh air?”
---
Sara nodded. “Sounds good.” She stooped to pick up her bag. Rounding about the other side of the bed, she leaned over, pressing a kiss to Jean’s forehead. “Love you, Jeannie.” She stood, offering Kitty a small wave. “I’ll see you in twenty minutes or so.” She left, dropping by the nurses station to ask them to call her if her sister’s condition changed.
---
Leaning back and turning away for a moment to let Sara bit her sister a temporary farewell, Kitty let the smile momentarily leave her face. But it returned as she looked over and waved back at Sara. “Okay.”
Once Sara was gone, Kitty turned back to Jean - gently squeezing her hand. “I discovered I have a new power. I can walk on water, heh,” the young woman whispered, chuckling slightly. “And no, I don’t have any other Jesus powers..at least I don’t think I do.” Then Kitty out let out a deep sigh. “I wish I did so I can help you wake up...."
She spent the next fifteen minutes rattling off the exciting entertainment news and disappointment over not going to Comic Con. Softly, Kitty rose from her seat and gently leaned over Jean to whisper in her ear, "Someone couldn't come visit you, but I know he cares for you. Wake up soon, Jean, please. Love you." Then the young mutant kissed Jean's right temple and slipped out of the room.