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NOTICE: • All characters and references to Buffy: The Vampire Slayer are the copyright of Mutant Enemy Productions and Paramount (I think). • All characters and references to Xmen are the copyright of Marvel Comics. • All characters and references to STAR TREK: VOYAGER are the copyright of Paramount. • All characters and references to Superman are the copyright of DC Comics. • All characters and references to Dark Shadows are the copyright of... someone. I honestly don't know who, I just know it's not me. • All characters and references to Due South are the copyright of Alliance. My point? I don't own any of these copyrighted characters. I don't have anyone's permission to write this. But since I'm not making a profit on this story, I believe that it is ok. Hurt & Comfort Book 2: Circumstantially Hurt © 2002-2021 MultiMapper All Rights Reserved Chapter 1: Approaching Moonlight A lone figure sat beside the window, observing the sunset outside while a similar fading light was being felt in his own heart. The faint impression of the full moon could just be seen in the darkening sky. The soft melody of Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata started to play in the background, filling the darkening room with music that oddly fit the atmosphere. A song for the approaching moonlight. Thoughts of all that he had lost filled his mind as tears started streaming down his face. His true love, the center of his life, his best friend, was gone... forever. As the music eventually ended, and restarted, the shifting light of the sunset glittered on a shard of broken glass laying on the carpet. He picked up a piece of glass near his feet, a result of his outburst earlier in the evening, looking into it, he saw a stranger. He closed his eyes, unwilling to look into his reflection. Everything would be all right, he told himself. Everything would be all right. When the music eventually ended he weakly lifted his hand and removed his glasses. A blast of red light shot through the broken window and streaked across the approaching night. Then the blast of light became fainter and fainter until it ceased to be. The light from the full moon cast an eerie glow into the room, across the broken glass, the carpet soaking in blood and still dripping from the wrist of the limp form in the chair... * * * * * Professor Xavier was sitting in his study, looking over some reports when he was assaulted by a wave of grief so strong that it was almost a physical force. //Scott! Scott! Answer me!// He called out telepathically but got no response... not even a presence. He had only an instant to decide what to do and made his way as quickly as possible to Cerebro. He entered the room, silently damning the need for security and hoping the lost moment for the optic scan wasn't the crucial one to save Scott from oblivion. [It's not like it's stopped anyone who wanted to get in.] He put on the helmet and forced his way through the start-up sequence, frantically searching for Andrew and Hank. //Andrew, Hank. Come back to the mansion immediately. Scott needs help NOW!// He sent with more force than he intended. * * * * * "Do... do I know you?" Tara asked in a timid, fearful voice. "No... It's a long story and not important right now." Andrew said, shaken to the core to see the woman that Warren had killed standing alive before him. "Tara, gather your things and we'll take you someplace safe. Then we can decide what to do next... Okay?" Hank asked in his gentle way. "Okay." Tara mumbled and started to gather some things from around the room. //Andrew, Hank. Come back to the mansion immediately. Scott needs help NOW!// Both Hank and Andrew fell to their knees, clutching their heads at the booming voice. Andrew reacted immediately and ignoring the power required, opened a portal directly to Scott's room at the mansion. He stumbled through the portal and landed on his knees beside the chair where Scott sat, unconscious. A moment later Hank walked through the portal, cradling a frightened Tara close to his chest. {Scott.} Andrew rasped in a hoarse whisper. There was no response and Andrew instinctively let loose a small flux of power to see the unseen and try to understand what was wrong. In an instant he knew. Andrew raised a shaking hand to the portal to draw the power back into himself. Then to the shock of Hank and Tara he spread his arms and the room changed around them. They found themselves standing in the same room, but different. Hank immediately ran to the dying form of Scott Summers and started evaluating his condition. "Tara, bring me that sheet, we have to stop this bleeding." Hank said, now in full doctor mode. Tara did as she was told and brought the sheet from the bed. A few quick rips could be heard as Hank muttered, "It isn't enough, I have to get him to MedLab now." He lifted Scott's unmoving form from the chair and asked, "Andrew, can you do it?" Andrew felt wetness on his upper lip but ignored it and responded by lowering his arms and closing his eyes. Hank was shocked when he saw Scott still sitting unconscious in the chair beside him, as well as in his arms. Andrew made a growl in his chest as a vortex appeared above the occupants of the room. With a jerk of his arms and a grunt of effort, the vortex moved down to engulf all of them and suddenly they were all in the MedLab, as was Scott's chair and table. Hank turned in time to see Andrew drop to his knees, then collapse unconscious. Then he noticed blood flowing from Andrew's nose to puddle on the floor. //Professor, I need help.// Hank thought frantically as he carried the bleeding Scott to a bed. A moment later Ororo, Piotr, and Bobby ran into the MedLab as Kurt appeared in a ::BAMF::. "Piotr, get Scott to a bed... Bobby and Kurt, get Andrew. Orroro, Tara, come here. I have to perform surgery on these veins or we're going to lose him." Hank said. //Just think what you need and I'll coordinate, it will be faster.// The professor sent from the Cerebro chamber. * * * * * The professor had relayed Bobby and Piotr's observations of Scott and Andrew to Hank while Hank was working furiously to repair enough damage to keep blood in the other Scott's body.