11/5 Instance: From Bad To Worse

[Ult_Sm86]

[Timeline: After some instance and probably before another one. Will get more specific when it's not 2AM. ]

Curt: Curt looked down the hall. He didn't recognize it. He looked down the other hall. He didn't recognize it. He had woken up, unsure of where he was, only a fuzzy memory of what had transpired in the last week or so. He knew he wasn't at his home anymore, and there was a reason. Was he in a hospital? He had tried to turn into the Lizard but he couldn't. He remembered Linda. But ... he saw Laura. Then he remembered Laura.

Curt: And he could not imagine Linda anymore. Stress. Stress. He wandered down the hall, feeling woozy. His father had died. Was he in the funeral home? The place was certainly decorated like one. It didn't smell sterile enough. How was his work at Wonder Labs? Or was it Horizon Labs Zoo Sciences? He couldn't quite recall which.

Curt: He felt tired... trying to remember things was exhausting. How long had it been since his father died? He put his back to the wall and slid down, trying to recall sensations of the Lizard. Maybe triggering the Lizard transformation would make him remember what ha-OW! His arm hurt. He slid further down the wall, all the way to the carpeted floor.

Curt: He held his stump and felt tears well up. What's going on?

Cecilia: Cecilia walked up the stairs towards her room when she came across a very lost looking Curt Connors lying on the floor. "Uh, hey, guess I'm not much of a tour guide, huh?" She came up to him. "Are you okay? You look super stressed, Curt." Scratch that, he looked like he was near tears.

Curt: "I don't know what's going on..." he said, gulping for air. "I was talking to Linda, and now my father died and I can't find my room so I can write his eulogy."

Cecilia: Cecilia sighed. "I've helped you to your room once before with no problems, remember? Don't worry, I'll take you back." She knelt down beside him. Noting, with some discomfort, that this was the first time she'd ever seen a grown man cry. Huh...

Cecilia: And how did she always get the ones with dead parent issues? Was she everyone's replacement mom or something? "Take a deep breath, okay? C'mon, in annnddd out." She did the breathing herself with him. "Everything's fine. You're just having a moment okay? Let's get up off the floor and get you back where you belong."

Cecilia: She offered him a hand.

Curt: He nodded and took her hand.

Cecilia: Cecilia pulled him back up and began leading him back to the guy's wing. "Maybe I can draw you a map or something..." she said. "Just in case this happens again."

Cecilia: They reached Curt's door and Cecilia opened it. "Sit down and I'll get you something to drink." She went into the fridge and got out a Dr.Pepper handing it to him.

Curt: "You might have to tattoo it to my arm..." He said quietly. "I lost my book bag somewhere." He thought for a moment he might've left it in the kitchen. But where was that?

Curt: He took the Dr. Pepper and opened it. "Why does my arm hurt whenever I try to turn into Lizard?"

Cecilia: Cecilia shrugged. "I dunno?" She thought a moment. "You have two arms as the lizard though...maybe it's hurting because it's growing back."

Curt: "I don't think that ever stopped it before." He couldn't get his mind around it. "I think I need to see Dr. McCoy or Dr. Trask."

Cecilia: Cecilia stared. "Why would you ask Dr.Trask? He's the one that messed everything up..."

Curt: Curt's eyes opened wide. "Trask? I didn't say Trask. I said Summers. Scott, right? That's his name, isn't it?" He was worried now. Was he losing his mind? "Scott, Bobby... Lorna... Wade..." he tried to remember other members of the staff. "... Uh... Rogue?"

Cecilia: "Those...are staff. Or were. Rogue's in containment for going a bit crazy, what with that Essex persona being in her head..." She didn't comment further on the Trask thing. Obviously he was having a bit of a moment.

Cecilia: "As for Wade...I've no fucking idea if he's a teacher or not. He's just here. And Bobby's....not really a teacher anymore..."

Curt: "Oh." He felt bad for forgetting these things. They sounded important. He should really be on the ball. "I don't think I'm doing too well. I think something is wrong with my memory. This morning I caught myself pouring pretzels into my cereal bowl." He didn't like admitting that.

Curt: "And I mean.... Pretzel sticks for breakfast aren't exactly the worst thing, but ... I meant to get the Kix. I feel like an alzheimer's patient."

Cecilia: Cecilia had to fight not to laugh at that. It wasn't funny dammit! "Uh...well, you could check in with McCoy...but honestly? I think you're trying too hard and expecting a bit too much, Curt. It's been what? Two weeks? Why would you be better after a month's worth of damage?"

Cecilia: Just think of something sad...no wait...that just made it funnier... "Look, all the other Trasklanders are having troubles too? Maybe you guys should talk? Have a group therapy session." She almost winced at that. God. How kumbaya...

Curt: "I need to be better. I need to be there, completely and mentally, for my mother. At my dad's funeral." He thought about the group therapy. "I don't know anyone else. I didn't speak with them. They were neighbors who were sorta off my radar."

Cecilia: "Well, yes they were back in Traskland...but in a way you're much closer than you ever imagined..." She shook her head. "I know you need to be better. But unfortunately life doesn't work that way. You're going to be better till you're good and ready."

Cecilia: "You should take some time. Maybe see the therapist...she's helped me quite a bit, really."

Curt: "... Who is the therapist here?" he asked.

Cecilia: "Dr.Guan," said Cecilia. "She's helping me out with...well, some personal shit." He didn't really need to know details about her anger problems. "She's pretty cool. You should talk to her. She'd be able to help you better than I. I'm just a student. Not a professional."

Curt: He patted her knee. "You've been a big help, I assure you."

Curt: "Dr. Guan?" He couldn't recall that name.

Cecilia: Cecilia took a pad of paper off his desk. "I'm writing it all down for you. And giving you a map of the school. I think you'll need it." She scribbled a floor plan. "I'm marking your room and some professor's offices should you need
help."

Cecilia: She scribbled down Dr.Guan's name and info. "Here. This might help." She thought for a moment. "Do you even remember my name...?"

Curt: He grinned. "Of course I do, you're Angelina."

Cecilia: Cecilia actually laughed at that. "Uhhh, no. Angelina, Professor Salvatore, is a teacher. Though you're close, we do look a bit alike. We have have nice 'fros. Well, I usually do...I had to cut my hair recently so..." And now she was a bit depressed.

Curt: Curt felt pretty bad himself, his cheeks turning a deep shade of red. "Oh..." he cast his eyes to the floor. "I'm.... I'm sorry. I feel really bad."

Cecilia: Cecilia laughed again. "It's fine! Really, I'm not upset. Well, okay, normally I would be if you weren't having memory problems. But it's not like you were trying to offend me. I'll let it slide, alright?"

Cecilia: "Maybe you should take some photographs though and put people's names down?" She suggested. "After all, there are a lot of redheads in this school. It might be nice not to mix up Hope with Jean or Laura or me."

Curt: "Yeah... maybe. Who is this other Lizard-girl I've seen."

Cecilia: "That's Melati. Or Mel for short." Cecilia slapped her forehead. "Oh, shit. And I didn't even tell you my name...I'm Cecilia by the way. But you can call me Cee, everyone does. We met before actually, I got you back to your room. I don't know if you remember..."

Curt: "Yeah, right-- I remember that. I just... your name, I'm sorry. I've been telling Linda I'd have a hard time with this." he sighed and put the Dr. Pepper on the bedstand, flopping down onto the bed.

Cecilia: "Wait, who is Linda?" Cecilia stared at him. "There's no Linda at the school..."

Cecilia: Cecilia stood up. "Curt, I think maybe we need to go down to the medlab..." There was something seriously wrong here. She knew it for certain. No-one else was having this serious a memory problem.

Curt: His eyes snapped open at what he said. "No! Linda? Noooo, I said Laura! Yeah!"

Curt: *Laura! Yeah! Linda? Psh! Haha! She's... a uh... she's a bitch."

Cecilia: Cecilia shook her head. "No, you didn't. And that's not the first time you've mixed someone up in conversation. Curt, I think you need to see the doctor. Like right now." Was he having a stroke? Some side effect from the endless drugs they pumped into him? Could the other Trasklanders be in danger too?

Curt: "No, I'm fine!" He insisted. "I just need to lay down, okay? I'm under a lot of stress, my dad's funeral is this week, I still need to get the plane tickets. And I have to give the orangutans showers this week and that's always a task. Have you ever tried to get an orangutan to shampoo itself? It's not easy. The orangutan will eat it. I will call an orangutan smart, but I will not call it the smartest of the apes. Far from it."

Cecilia: Cecilia felt her blood pressure spike. "No, you don't need to lie down. You need to see the doctor, right now. Because you're making less and less sense and I'm starting to worry you're having a stroke!"

Cecilia: "Now either you come with me or I get Dr.McCoy and bring him here. Either way you are getting checked out by a professional. If you die on me and I didn't do anything I'll never forgive myself!"

Curt: "Cecilia, I'm fine. I promise." He insisted. "I'm not having a problem, okay?" He felt a little warm liquid out of his nose. Thinking he must be stuffed up and drippy, he quickly rushed for a tissue on his bed stand. He wiped his nose and when he pulled it away he was stunned to see it was crimson red. He was bleeding out of his nose. "Well, the air in here is just dry as hell. Clearly there's no humidity in this damn room."

Cecilia: Cecilia's heart seized. With her luck, he'd be having a seizure any minute now. Time for drastic measure. "NOW." She grabbed him by the ear. "We're going now. And I'm not listening to any of your excuses!" She began dragging him down the hall. "I'll take you down to the medlab if it kills me!"

Curt: "I don't understa-OW! OW OW OW OW! HEY!" He didn't like this at all. "Stop, Cecilia, this is so unnecessary!"

Cecilia: "It is fucking necessary!" Snapped Cecilia. "You're taking stupid risks with your life! And I'll be damned if I stand by and do nothing when I can save you!" She dragged him all the way down the stairs. "I'm cruel to be kind. You'll thank me for this later, Curt."

Curt: "You're pulling me, stop!" he growled, trying to push her away with his one arm. "This is nonsense! I'm not having a stroke! I just have memory problems, okay? It's completely natural after a complex, psychological, traumatizing, --" he dropped to the floor like a sack of potatoes and didn't move
.
Cecilia: Cecilia swore as he passed out. "SHIT. Shitshitshit!" She tried to pick him up, but it was hard, he was a dead weight in her arms. "FUCK! Help! Someone help me!"

Laura: Laura had been approaching the staircase but broke into a run at the cry for help, stopping short at the scene in front of her. She didn't waste much time in trying to process what had happened and simply moved to help haul Curt up. Questions could wait.

Cecilia: "Laura, Thank Christ! We need to get him down to the medlab. He was talking complete bullshit and getting confused and bleeding from his nose and now this! I think it's an aneurysm!" She grit out, hauling Curt with Laura down the stairs.

Curt: More blood was dripping from Curt's nose, sliding down his cheek.

Cecilia: Please don't die , thought Cecilia. God was he even breathing anymore? She couldn't tell, she didn't dare stop. God, could this be her fault? Did she do some damage to him when she collapsed the ceiling on him? Or was this a Traskland thing? They had to warn the others. What if some other Circle Pines student has passed out alone and was bleeding out right now?

Laura: After a moment of eying Curt as they moved him through the corridors, Laura responded calmly, despite the slight anxiety she was feeling, "I see. At least we are not overly far from the doctor."

Cecilia: Cecilia nodded grimly. They had reached the medlab and clumsily placed Curt on a bed. "Dr. McCoy? DR.MCCOY!!" Shouted Cecilia. "I'll get the doctor, you stay here and help him! If this is some sort of drug side effect we gotta move fast!"

Cecilia: "DR.MCCOY!" She screamed, running back further into the labs of the medlab, where the blue doctor most likely was.

Laura: Merely nodding, Laura checked for a pulse first and was quite pleased to find one. Then, she checked breathing, which he also appeared to be doing for the moment. She supposed that meant she should find something to deal with all the blood pouring from his nose.

Curt: Curt coughed and his eyes fluttered but remained closed. His cough sounded wet. Blood was dripping into the back of his throat.

Laura: She made a face at the coughing and quickly moved to roll him onto his side, pressing a handful of gauze to his nose.

Curt: He breathed a little better and the coughing lessened almost immediately. His eyelids began to finally shutter and open. "Laura..." he said tiredly. "Wha-what happened?"

Laura: "He is conscious!" Laura called back to the other girl and hopefully McCoy, adding more quietly to Curt, "I am not completely sure, as I only received the shortened version."

Cecilia: Cecilia rushed back in McCoy rushing in behind her. "Oh thank God!" She exclaimed.

Curt: "My Dad told me to take care of you..." he said to Laura

Cecilia: McCoy got to work on Curt without any delay while Cecilia sat down hard on a medbay bed. "Jesus...I told you..." she muttered. "I fucking told you..."

Curt: Soon, McCoy began to draw blood and use his agility to clamber over the girls and prepare various medical equipment in and around Curt's vicinity, probing the girls to move slightly one direction or slightly another, never asking them to step completely away. They were his extra hands, not that he necessarily needed them.

Laura: "But your father is dead..." she frowned, moving back so McCoy could work more easily and blinking at Cecilia, "Told him what?"

Cecilia: Cecilia would never admit it. But a part of her was excited that she was helping. It was like she was a real doctor!

Cecilia: Cecilia blinked at Laura. "Oh, uh, when he started bleeding I told him he needed to go to the doctor and he didn't believe me so I dragged him down here by the ear."

Cecilia: "Then he collapsed...so...yeah, I was right...."

Curt: After a few blood tests, X-Rays, and a quick MRI, McCoy was already beginning to piece it together. The news was dropped to the young ladies. He had a brain tumor, it was enlarging. It seemed to be an abscess, a benign tumor even. McCoy theorized it was a result of Curt's length of time that he was unable to transform to Lizard, though he did take into consideration the head-trauma in the boiler room, dismissing it.

Curt: The fact of the matter was, the longer Curt couldn't transform, the more Lizard's healing factor would take over their shared brain.

McCoy: "His mutation is not only a necessary part of Curt's psyche, but it seems biologically he cannot survive without it. Remember his headaches early in Curt's first semester?" They didn't, because they weren't there, but that was besides the point. "That could have been early signs that this mutation is indeed more a physical burden than anyone had bargained for."

Cecilia: Cecilia felt her heart sink. "Is there no way we can reactivate his powers?" She didn't have much hope, but she tried.

McCoy: "Unfortunately, in this scenario, the damage to Curt's psyche from the Circle Pines quacks may have created a psychological barrier, made completely of trauma and distress, that is preventing the transformation. He had reported being unable to replicate the transformation after the boiler room incident."

Laura: Laura frowned as she took in everything that was being said, eventually asking, "What are the options?"

Cecilia: "What about an adrenaline shot?" Demanded Cecilia. "Mutations can be triggered by stress. Or fear. Why don't we try that?"

McCoy: "Yes, or you could put him into shock. This is not simply starting up a latent mutant gene. The gene is there, the drive is not." He turned to Laura. "Therapy. Patience. Perhaps he needs to shake some of this stress. Has he properly grieved his father?" He realized who he was speaking to and glanced to Cecilia. "Does anyone know?"

Cecilia: "Know what?" Said Cecilia a bit stupidly.

McCoy: "Has he grieved properly, my dear." he repeated himself.

Laura: Laura slowly shook her head, answering, "I am not certain, but we briefly discussed going to the funeral."

Cecilia: Cecilia shrugged. "Or there such thing as properly? No-one ever really stops grieving..." She thought a moment. "He kept talking about his dad and this eulogy...He was crying..."

McCoy: "There are indeed proper ways to grieve, psychologically speaking. 5 stages to it, in most cases." He nodded to the information of the eulogy. "He should rest, and if he feels up to it, attend the funeral as well."

Cecilia: Cecilia shook her head. The five stages hadn't done jack for her, but she kept her mouth shut. "I think Imma rest too, this day has been hell..."

Curt: Curt reached out to Laura and held her hand, coming back into consciousness again.

Laura: Laura took his hand, "I suppose I will stay here."

Cecilia: "Don't suppose. Know," said Cecilia, firmly.

McCoy: He eyed the two young ladies. "Well, he is stable now, and he'll be taken good care of." He left them to it, returning to his other work as well as updating Professor Xavier on Curt's status.

Cecilia: Cecilia turned and started upstairs. Sighing heavily. It wasn't fair...Christ, it wasn't fair. She hoped Trask burned in hell for this.

Laura: Laura wasn't exactly sure the word choice mattered, as it all boiled down to her sitting with Curt, but she didn't say anything. Plus, the other girl had already gone. She released Curt's hand to retrieve a chair, pulled it over, sat down, and took his hand once more. She had the feeling she was going to be sitting here for a long time.