In Between

Ororo sat at the richly polished mahogany desk and tried with every ounce of her being to keep the sky outside as clear as her expressionless face. She tried to pretend that she did not hear the condescending tone in the voices of the two sitting in front of her in what once was Charles Xavier's office. She also tried with everything she had to ignore the trembling of the Bristol's daughter. Andrew and Tabitha Bristol had called Ororo several weeks ago, scheduling an appointment to enroll their daughter into Xavier's school. Even then she had tried to ignore their snide remarks and backhanded complements.

The Bristol couple had the look of parents betrayed. That look had everything to do with the young woman sitting to their right, still shivering even though the temperature inside was nearly seventy-eight degrees to offset the bitter chill outside. Her name was Elane. If Ororo had to use one word to describe her, it would be Handsome. She was not ugly, just not very feminine. She looked almost like a younger version of Sigourney Weaver, complete with the chestnut brown hair cut short in a boy style. In fact, if Tabitha Bristol had not introduced Elaine as a 'she', Ororo would have thought a young man sat in front of her.

When Ororo was sure she could stand the two Bristol parents no longer, Tabitha handed a check over, enough to pay room and board for Elane for a full year. The two then proceeded to stand up stiffly and walk out. Neither spared a parting word or even a look back at their daughter, whom Ororo had become convinced was severely ill. The young woman wore a thick jacket over a long dress with a Sage Pashmina pulled over her head and around her neck like a hajib. She was pale, though her skin looked feverish. Her dark brown eyes were only halfway open and she was staring at a point to the right of the desk looking like she was trying not to throw up.

"Elane," Ororo softly called to the young woman, kneeling in front of her so that she was in her field of vision. This close Ororo could see that Elaine hid in the layers to conceal how thin she was. Ororo reached out a hand to Elane's cheek, her fingertips registering the heat coming from her skin. The older woman shook her head and stood, making her way to her phone. She pressed the digits to dial Dr. McCoy's extension in the infirmary to inform him that he would have a new patent.


The two made their way down stairs to the infirmary at a slow pace. Knowing what it felt like to be sick to her stomach, Ororo did not try to rush the young woman. Over the course of several minutes she got Elaine to the infirmary and to one of the open beds near the rear of the facility. Slowly Ororo worked Elaine out of her heavy jacket, Pashmina and the scarf she had around her neck. "Now, just slide up onto the bed and Dr. McCoy will be right with you." The younger woman complied slowly, making sure to keep the knee length dress she wore securely covering her legs. She seemed self-conscious about the lean muscles that made up her legs and tried to cover them up with dresses and cotton tights.

Ororo waited at the side of the bed, watching Elane's face closely as Henry rounded the divide that hid another bed from view. Elane's reaction was typical if somewhat subdued. Most who had never seen Henry McCoy in person were never prepared for the blue fur that covered his body and the wild blue-black hair that seemed to shoot straight out from his skull. Henry himself was used to this as well and he brought up an easy smile as he looked into the large eyes staring at him. He seemed just as struck by how glassy those eyes were.

Ororo smiled as she patted Elane's hand, making the poor girl jump and cast a look her way as though she had forgotten the older woman was still in the same room. "Don't worry Elaine, Henry is a perfect gentleman." She said as Elaine directed her gaze back at the doctor in question. "He doesn't bite."

The thermometer in Elane's mouth muffled her response of, "Too bad," but not enough to disguise the words. Henry's eyebrows quirked, noting the dazed look in the young woman's eyes. It was quite possible that she had not realized she had spoken aloud. He ignored Ororo's muffled chuckles as he began to take her vitals. As expected her heart rate was elevated as was her temperature. Henry read the digital thermometer's measurement of 103.5 degrees. The hot, clammy feel of her skin told him that the fever had not yet broken, so he turned around and took a bottle of Tylenol out of the cabinet and measured out the correct dosage before letting her drink the sweet tasting liquid.

He went back to examining Elane's glands, gently pressing his thick fingers under her jaw and her neck. As he listened to her breathing with his Stethoscope, Elane's hands flew to her mouth as she gasped, the look on her face a mixture of utter humiliation and horror. The move confused Henry as her cheeks started to turn a deep crimson. He became concerned that Elane was having some sort of episode when he remembered her half dazed remark. He fought the laughter that would increase his patients embarrassment to unbearable levels. "Do not worry, young lady. I have had to sedate many of the students and teachers here and have heard much worse uttered in response to my presence."

The explanation seemed to calm Elane's nerves and she brought her hands down so Henry could properly listen to her breathing. Though her cheeks retained the crimson flush for several more minutes before fading into the fevered flush she already possessed. Henry directed the young woman to lay back as he examined her abdomen, noticing her pained expression as he traced the location of her gallbladder. He frowned, noticing a small hard mass under his trained fingers. He thought he had found the source of her continued sickness. He began exploring her intestines further, noticing the shape of her pelvis. It seemed a bit strange to him at first so he began to press against her lower abdomen.

The doctor was startled by a strong hand gripping his wrist in a crushing grip. He looked up, surprised by the look of near panic on Elane's face as she silently shook her head back and forth. Henry brought his hands away from her body, rubbing feeling back into his left hand when she let go. If he did not have the blue fur covering his entire body, his wrist would be black and blue in the morning. He could already feel the soreness creeping up his arm. Ororo had watched this with quiet contemplation, keeping her mouth closed. There were things that every student kept locked away about themselves and it was not her job to pry their personal demons out of their closets.

Henry nodded, signaling an end to the examination. "You seem to have developed a gallstone, Miss Bristol. I suspect all the stress you have been feeling has led to this condition." He smiled as he patted her hand gently. "Not to worry though, a good night's rest and you should pass it without further pain. And to make sure you continue to keep the Tylenol down I can give you a small injection that will both dull the pain and quell the nausea." He gave her a pointed look, asking if she would allow the injection but also letting her know that it was something that she should consider.

Elane swallowed, already feeling the first signs that she was about to throw up what ever was left after she had emptied her stomach. She nodded, holding out her arm to the doctor while squeezing her eyes shut. Henry nodded, cleaning her upper arm with an alcohol swab. He held her arm and before Elane knew that the doctor had begun, he was done. He put a band aid over the injection area and took off his gloves. "All done." Elaine opened up one eye and stared at her arm. She seemed to let to of the breath she was holding as she examined the band aid on her arm.

"Thanks," she said quietly, letting Ororo help her off of the exam table and with her jacket, pashmina and scarf in Ororo's hands; they slowly made their way out of the infirmary. The two went back up the stairs and up to the second floor. They seemed to be in a corridor lined with doors on either side of them. Ororo led them down the hall until about half way down she turned to the left. The door she opened was just like the others in the hall way and in her sleep muddled mind, Elaine thought that the had walked forever to get there. Most of what Ororo said was lost as she sat on the bed, found the pillow and fell into a deep dreamless sleep.


Elane's eyes fluttered open as she felt warm sunlight on her face. She raised her head as she slowly lifted herself out of the bed. It was comfortable now that she was not blind with exhaustion. The room was warm and cozy with deep mahogany paneling that seemed more inviting than suffocating. The large window faced out toward the rear of the school and Elane moved the white curtains aside. She could see a garden outside thought it was still heavy with frost from the night previous. She thought she remembered Ororo mentioning that it was a rose garden. The fountain in the middle of the garden seemed unaffected by the ice and the water sparkled over the sculptures on its way to the bottom.

Elane turned around, taking in her room more fully. The floor was carpeted with a rich oatmeal colored thick Berber carpet that muffled her steps and kept her stocking covered feet warm. Along one side of the room sat a desk with a lamp and enough space for a computer. Just beside it was a book shelf waiting a new collection to fill it. The closet was already populated by her small collection of clothes, her shoes under the hung up garments neatly in a short row. The dresser was already set up with her underwear, socks and other essentials that could not be hung up. What little makeup she owned was sitting on top of her dresser along with her purse. Her coat, and scarf were hanging on pegs beside the door and her Pashmina was in the dresser, folded perfectly.

Slowly she became aware that she was covered in sweat, her hair plastered to her neck and forehead. She looked around and found several towels and wash rags on the shelf above her hung up clothing in the closet. She grabbed on and fished around in the dresser for her toiletries. She only needed a few things and she held these in her arms as she slowly opened the door. The hall looked identical on either side of her and both ways turned to the same direction. Her stomach was still bothering her but no where near on the level it had been for the past few weeks. In fact, she needed the bathroom for an entirely different reason now.

She turned to her right and started down that direction, walking slowly as she peered at the doors as though one would say 'Showers' or 'Restroom'. She came upon a large set of stairs leading down into what she thought was the foyer. Her eyes scanned the area as she heard a TV somewhere. "Good morning!"

Several people had rushed out into the foyer as Elane shrieked and lost her grip on the shampoo and body soap in her hands. Her towel fell to her feet as she spun around and promptly fell on her rear end as her shampoo, soap and conditioner bounced down the stairs to land at the feet of several men who had been startled by the commotion. The girl who had frightened Elane looked absolutely mortified with herself as she picked up her towel and handed it back to the now green girl. She seemed to be breathing hard and clutching her side as she slowly got to her feet although hunched over. "Bathroom," Elane mumbled, the back of her hand covering her mouth as though that alone would prevent her from tossing her cookies.

Kitty Pride pointed toward the other end of the hall beyond the stairs they were currently on top of. "End of the hall." Elane nodded and started down that way, slowly only to fight back the urge to throw up. She finely entered the bathroom and the sound of retching could be heard by those who still stood among the scattered toiletries forgotten by their owner. Kitty looked even more concerned when the retching started up again with what sounding like gasping from their source. "I think she needs the Doc." She looked down the stairs at Ororo who had already started toward the infirmary.

Kitty made her way to the bathroom and slowly opened the door. The smell of bile hit her in the face and she had to cover her nose lest she become sick herself. The young woman she had scared the daylights out of sat huddled in front of one of the toilets, her hand still clutching her side as she panted. Her back arched as she lifted herself up to heave into the toilet again. He entire body was shaking as she emptied her stomach again. "Hey there," Kitty said softly as she rubbed the other girl's back during a break between retching fits.

"Hi," Elane managed to force the word out as McCoy came through the bathroom door with his lab coat pockets full of his gadgets.

Kitty helped Elaine up to the toilet again as she retched. Her back arched painfully as she went silent, a small trickle of pungent green trickling out of her mouth before she started gasping for breath only to repeat the process twice more before she collapsed to the floor gasping for breath. Henry helped Kitty get Elaine onto one of the padded benches as he took out a syringe filled with a milky fluid. He cleaned a spot on her arm just below a band aid and injected the fluid into her. Almost immediately Elane began to calm down, her breathing slowing as she leaned limply on Kitty's shoulder. The smell of bile was still strong as Henry flushed the toilet and used a wet towel to clean around Elane's mouth. "Would you mind accompanying me to the infirmary," he asked Kitty. She nodded as Henry gently cradled Elane's now sleeping form in his arms, holding the door open for him as he took another stair case that presented a more direct route. The last thing he wanted to do was parade Elane like a limp doll through the entire school.

Henry had hoped to avoid an extended stay in the infirmary since no one he knew liked to wake up in the hospital. He laid Elane on the bed as he set up an IV for her and let her sleep. Kitty stayed out of the way, wondering why Henry had asked her to tag along. McCoy turned toward her, smiling. "Not to worry. She is suffering from a gallstone that is too big to pass." Kitty made a face, her hand pressing against her right side in sympathy. "The reason I asked you to come down is that I would like you to remove it."

Kitty gave the doctor a disgusted look. "You mean reach inside and pull it out," she asked, thinking she would need to fish around in some strange girls guts.

Henry chuckled, his hand covering Elane's right side just under her ribs. "Her gallbladder is right here. And what you will be looking for is a mass of calcium. That's it."

Kitty looked from the woman sleeping on the bed to Henry, suddenly getting a very icky feeling crawling up her spine. She took a deep breath and nodded. "Alright...but you owe me one of Logan's beers. Or at least a gallon of ice cream." Kitty nodded. "Ice cream is better." Henry chuckled, nodding in agreement as he stood aside to watch.

Kitty sighed and phased her hand through Elane's torso, her finger tips feeling for something that felt like a big ball of chalk. Kitty found what she was looking for in only a few seconds, her face screwing up in disgust as she pulled something as big as a marble out of Elane's side. It looked like a ball of hard calcium that built up in the shower heads where she grew up. She handed it to Henry who let her go to wash her hands even though she had touched nothing.

It wasn't until Kitty left the infirmary that she realized that she had just preformed her first operation. She stood in the hallway with a strange look on her face; a cross between impressed and grossed out. She settled on more impressed with herself as she made her way back to the foyer and picked up the bottles that had been stacked at the top of the stair case and took them back to Elane's room.

Kitty vowed that she would never sneak up on anyone ever again. Logan's pissyness was one thing, but having a person throw up constantly in response was enough to make her want to walk around with a full brass band in tow for the rest of her life.