From The Void Into The Light

Posted on Wed Apr 9th, 2025 @ 9:39pm by Charles Xavier & Jennifer Bryant & Drew Williams & Angela Williams

0 words; about a 1 minute read

Mission: Episode 6: X-Fernus Agenda
Location: Infirmary
Timeline: December 12th, 1990 (morning)

Angela sat next to the hospital bed looking down at the comatose body of Drew. She couldn't believe that he had kept secret his joining the X-Men from her and that his 'school field trip' was rescue mission to a foreign country. She felt anger, worry and fear. She had of course called her parents when the group had returned from Genosha and they were due to arrive soon.

Drew was in darkness and silence. It was surreal in many respects and though not pleasant, it was not unpleasant either. He felt a kind of peace and was able to reflect on his life and the choices that had brought him to this point. He was not sure if this was the afterlife or if it was a sort of middle ground between life and death. He felt like he had to make a decision, but what that decision was to be and what it regarded was elusive. What he did know was he would be making that decision soon.

Angela had been staring at Drew's forehead and it seemed weird to watch the wound heal so quickly. It didn't even look like he had suffered an injury. He actually just looked like he was sleeping, albeit with numerous wires attached to his chest and head to monitor brain activity, breathing and heart rate, along with an IV to keep nutrients flowing into his body.

Jennifer came into the room. She looked concerned and that look grew to near stricken when she saw Drew like that. She took a step towards him,

Angela looked up at the pretty girl she recognized eating with during the Thanksgiving Day feast at the Xavier School for Gifted Youngsters. She nodded at her. "You're Jennifer right?"

She turned and looked to Angela. "Yeah," she said, her voice weak. She swallowed. "I'm so sorry to...I mean...Drew...I'm sorry." She wasn't really doing good with words just then.

Angela offered Jennifer a weak smile as she rose to her feet. Drew had spoken of Jennifer to her. He had always come to her when he was crushing on a girl in high school. She knew this was different this time. Drew had been too scared to open up to a lot of people because of being a mutant. Things were different here at Professor Xavier's School. He could be himself. She stood up and offered the chair to Jennifer. "Would you mind sitting with Drew for a while? I really need to use the bathroom and I should probably try and eat something from the kitchen."

"Ok," Jennifer said almost numbly. She sat down and watched the other girl walk out. Without even realizing it, she was holding Drew's hand. She blinked. Had she just seen something? "Drew, I know, really, we just met, but I was looking forward to seeing you again. I had a lot to talk to you about. I wish I had...I don't know. Just come back to us, please. Come back to me."

Drew sensed a shift in the darkness and silence. It was small and distant, but appeared to be little sparks of electricity. It kind of reminded him of neurons firing in the brain. The EEG monitor behind Jennifer went from flatline to a single squiggly line for a moment after she took Drew's hand, completely unnoticed.

"I wish...Drew, I..." She seemed at a loss for words. She held his hand more tightly, rising and leaning forward. She pressed her lips to his. "Come back to me, Drew."

Jennifer's simple act ignited a cascade of sparks. Neurons fired up in Drew's brain, enough so that the EEG monitor showed more activity with each passing moment. Drew's eyes fluttered momentarily but didn't open.

Jennifer lifted her eyes to the monitor. She was surprised and a little confused. It was like something out a movie. She had called him back and he had come to her.

Drew's eyes opened slowly. It took a moment for his vision to focus. He saw a vision of loveliness as the fog lifted from his eyes. "If I am dreaming, let me never wake up. If I am awake, let me never sleep."

Jennifer smiled gently. "You're awake." She kissed him again. "You're awake! He's awake!" She turned to the side, looking for his family. She didn't want to leave the room. She squeezed his hand tighter.

The first kiss had kickstarted his brain, bringing him out of the coma. The next kiss made his heart flutter leaving him happy, breathless and speechless.

Angela had just exited the bathroom when Jennifer called out that Drew was awake. She came sprinting into the room as the auto-doc machines sent their automated notifications of changes in the patient's condition.

Jennifer smiled at Drew and then at Angela, but she was silent for a moment. She let them talk.

Angela was overwhelmed with a sense of relief to see Drew awake, but also confused. Drew had suffered a concussion during the mission to Genosha and fallen into a coma. His injuries had healed rapidly, but something had prevented him from returning to consciousness. Drew couldn't remember anything, not even the event that sent him into the coma. She looked down at her brother. "How is it that you're awake now?" Drew sighed and looked from Angela to Jennifer. "I think it was Jennifer that woke me up." Angela turned to Jennifer. "How? What did you do?"

"I just talked to him a little," Jennifer said. It had been a little more than that but she was, frankly, stunned. It had happened like it did in fairy tales.

Drew glanced at Jennifer. Was that all? He wondered.

The doors parted to allow Professor Xavier's admission in his golden chair. He was already beaming. News of Drew's awakening had already reached his telepathic senses even before the medical alert reached his office.

"Mr. Williams, might I say it is a delight to see you returned to us." Normally the Professor kept himself wound up on a tight leash, but at that moment he was letting his elation shine for everyone to feel in their heart of hearts.

Drew turned to Professor Xavier. His face bore a look of concern. "Thank you Professor. Um, how are the others? Is everyone else OK?"

That question turned the Professor's face grave, but he quickly recovered with a wan smile. "That... is a question for when you're back on your feet. Suffice it to say that we all will be glad to see you up and around." Since Angela was there, the Professor glanced between the both of them and said, "And seeing as how you're on the mend, I took the liberty of having your parents cancel their visit, going so far as to encourage them that it was merely a false alarm. Our cloak of secrecy is not so measly mended once rent. We must guard it zealously." His eyes darted to Angela once more. It was not so long ago that he'd been evasive and cryptic with her concerns for Drew. Now it seemed the cat was out of the bag and the siblings would have much to discuss. "Especially as more and more loved ones come behind the veil."

Drew actually felt fine. His bodily injuries had already healed due to his speedster recovery. "I am good Professor. Unless these machines say otherwise, I would like to get dressed and get back to my studies."

"Are you sure you're ok?" Jennifer fussed.

Drew locked his gaze on Jennifer's as he took her hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze. "I am absolutely sure."

Angela looked at her brother and then to Jennifer. There was definitely a chemistry between the two. She was not entirely sure what was going on between her brother and Jennifer, but his smile was one of joy. She finally turned to Professor Xavier. "I suppose we can go now. I'm pretty sure Jennifer is capable of nursing Drew back to good health." She glanced at the EKG monitor. "Provided she doesn't give him a heart attack."

"You may go," the Professor said to Angela, "but I would like to speak to your brother and Jennifer alone for just a moment."

Once they were alone, Professor Xavier folded his hands and adopted a perfectly neutral disposition, neither judging nor feeling in order to be totally taciturn in what he said next. "While there is a certain code of conduct to be expect at this school, I was a youth once myself. I'm not unaware of... what extracurricular activities transpire between students who fancy one another." He held up a reassuring hand. "All I will say about that is that on the other side of the medical wing is an auto-dispensing pharmacy which can supply pro-re-nata medications and supplies to the student body." Looking at both of them but also at neither one, the Professor said simply, "Should you be inclined to take matters to the next level, I wanted you to be aware of the availability of prophylactics made available on a confidential basis, and to ask that you please utilize them should the occasion arise."

Smiling in order to keep things pleasant, the Professor backed away toward the door. "With that said, it's good to see you awake, Drew. Now I'll leave you two alone."

Drew had paled as Professor Xavier spoke to them about the use of protection. He cast an extremely brief glance at Jennifer before turning away from her, his pale face suddenly flushing a deep crimson. "I'd never...I wouldn’t...not that I don't want...." The EKG monitor started beeping rapidly and there were significant spikes on the screen as his heart started racing and his breathing became ragged. He felt like he was on the verge of a panic attack and he looked as if he were about to cry. He felt like everything he was trying to say was coming out wrong. She was beautiful, graceful, kind and perceptive. He, in his opinion, was unworthy of her and Professor Xavier's words had probably exposed how unworthy he was to Jennifer.

"It's ok, Drew," Jennifer said, in a tone that was half-worried and half-amused. She sat down on the edge of his bed, still holding his hand. She put his hand in her lap and reached with the other to brush his hair back just a little. "I'm just glad you're better. I don't want to rush anything. But I do want...I mean..." She flushed, looking down. "Hell of a second date, Drew. Hell of a second date."

Drew felt a wave of relief wash over him. He gave Jennifer a smile, albeit, a nervous one. "I promise, our next date will be a better one. I might even try to get to first base, possibly even second." He didn't know what possessed him to say something like that.

"I'll make a deal with you." Jennifer suggested.

"What sort of deal?" Drew asked.

"Get better and give me a great third date and I'll forget you compared my body to a baseball field," Jennifer said, though she gave a hand another squeeze. "You don't want to talk about your girlfriend like that."

Drew nodded vigorously. She was right of course. A guy should only speak in a kind, respectful manner to or about their girlfriend. He looked into Jennifer's eyes. 'My God she is so beautiful', he thought. Her words registered with him a moment later. "Girlfriend? You want me as a boyfriend?"

"I kissed you and you came out of a comma," she said. "I'm like Princess Charming. Is that the right story?" She furrowed her brow, trying to remember the right Disney movie.

Drew smiled up at Jennifer. "You are definitely the loveliest Princess I've ever seen."

"Flatterer," she said playfully.

Drew squeezed her hand as he pulled her it to his lips and kissed her knuckles. "Not flattery when it's the truth."

"You're going to make me blush," she said as she did just that. "But thank you. You are a kind, handsome prince."

Drew smiled at Jennifer. "I am just a guy from Cambridge, Massachusetts. One who's been lucky to have this school's kindest and loveliest girl as his girlfriend. You saved me, brought me back to the land of the living and I...." He had almost said I love you for that. It was true, but the words wouldn't come. It was too soon.

"I'm just a regular girl," Jennifer insisted. "And I think I'm the lucky one."

Drew closed his eyes as her soft hand brushed through his hair. She had saved him and they both knew it. It was enough for now to have her with him, holding his hand. He opened his eyes and gazed into hers. He lay there in silence. They stayed that way for another hour. Drew's eyes finally grew heavy.

"Get some rest," Jennifer said gently. "I'll see you soon, ok?"

Drew looked up at Jennifer's face one last time and gave her a tired, dreamy smile He took a deep breath as his eyes slowly closed. He gently squeezed her hand. "Mmmkay...love you." A second later and he was asleep.

Jennifer turned, her mouth opening as if to speak. She saw that he was asleep again. She bent down and kissed him lightly on the forehead.

RSS Feed