Reconnecting

Posted on Sun May 31st, 2026 @ 6:18pm by Jennifer Bryant & Drew Williams
Edited on on Sun May 31st, 2026 @ 7:10pm

1,590 words; about a 8 minute read

Mission: Episode 7: Pathogens and Contagions
Location: Xavier’s School for Gifted Youngsters, Stasis Chamber
Timeline: March 13,1992

Drew stood in front of the stasis cocoon that his sister, Angela, was sequestered in. He felt a sense of helplessness that was overwhelming in its intensity.

Over a year before his parents and grandparents had been killed in what authorities had ruled a gasline explosion. He couldn't help but wonder if they had died because he'd been suspected by the news media of being a mutant. Anti-mutant bias had been at an all-time high following the death of Senator Kennedy.

Now, Angela was dying from a strange virus. A virus that targeted mutants. A virus that had already killed hundreds and if a cure wasn't found, may kill thousands more, including Angela. He wished he could trade places with Angela. He thought of the students at Empire State University who he, as the Blur, had saved from assaults, robberies and even worse things these last five months. He had been an X-Men for a while, but even with his powers. He was and had been powerless to save his family.

Drew stood there feeling shame, guilt and doubt. He was so focused on his feelings and Angela’s comatose body in the stasis tube that he didn't even notice the sliding doors of the Stasis Chamber opening.

Jennifer stepped in. She remembered all that had been between them. It had been brief but it had been powerful. There had not really been anyone else sinse. At some point, they had a lot to talk about. At some point, but not now. Now was not a time for drama. All Drew had faced recently was loss. She didn't yet know all the details but that she knew. She walked up to stand beside him, looking at Angela in stasis. Angela who was her friend too. She took a deep breath. "I'm here," she said quietly but clearly.

Drew's gaze remained on Angela’s stasis pod for a moment before he turned his head to look at Jennifer. She looked even more beautiful than he remembered. He couldn't help but feel awe. He remembered the times they had spent together and his expression transformed to one of adoration and love. A weak smile crept to his face. Her face was the first he saw when he woke from his coma following the mission to Genosha. She had comforted him when his parents and maternal grandparents had died. His memories left him so overwhelmed with emotions he acted without thinking. He embraced Jennifer in a tight hug as tears welled in his eyes. He sobbed softly for a moment. "I've missed you so much," he spoke through the quiet tears. His heart rate increased rapidly. Pounding so fast and hard it felt like his heart was trying to burst through his chest.

Jennifer hugged him back just as tightly. She buried her face against his chest before she finally looked up. "I wish it was under better circumstances," she said softly. She quietly slid her hands into his and looked at Angela once more. "I don't know what to say. This is all so..."

Drew's gaze went to the stasis pod Angela was encased in. He let out a tired sigh and finished Jennifer's statement. "...messed up." He gave a gentle squeeze of Jennifer's hand. His eyes turned to her. "I'm sorry I didn't keep in touch. My great aunt wouldn’t allow us to contact anyone. It was worse than prison. I wanted to reach out. So much time had passed by the time we could leave. I...."

"Didn't know how I would feel?" Jennifer asked. "Didn't know if there'd be someone else?" She sighed. "You started thinking, as deep as we fell, it wasn't really that long. Everyone told you that at our ages you fall in love easy but out of it too?" She looked up at him. "Well, there is no one for me but you Drew and I'm here."

Drew gazed at Jennifer's face. Her expression was like a mirror of his own heart. He leaned forward pressing his forehead to hers, their noses touching, lips only inches apart. "I never stopped loving you," he whispered. He wanted to kiss her. There was nothing he wanted more in that moment. Yet, he hesitated.

"I love you too," Jennifer said and she did kiss him. Tender and steady but light. She wasn't going to do more standing in front of his sister's stasis pod. She looked back to Angela and slipped her hand into Drew's. She sighed heavily. "It's been..." She trailed off.

Drew gazed into Jennifer's eyes. She looked the same and yet there was something different about her, as if something had happened that was leaving her haunted. He had been so worried about Angela that he hadn't realized that perhaps she needed to talk about something. He gave her hand a gentle squeeze. "We should probably go. It's getting kind of late. Mrs. Summers said you would show me my room anyway."

She squeezed his hand back. Then she leaned up to kiss him again. "I really missed you," she said. "But there's something I probably have to tell you about."

Drew grew curious. "You can tell me anything."

"I...uh...I got bit by a vampire," she blurted out.

Drew looked at Jennifer with concern. "Is there a cure?"

"I'm already cured," she said. "But it was traumatic. And, I mean, you might...It was...It's over. I just..." She was not doing a good job of saying it clearly.

Drew gently gripped Jennifer's shoulders and pressed his forehead against hers. "Hey. As long as you're alright. That's all that matters." He took one last look at Angela’s stasis pod then turned back to Angela. "It’s getting late. I'm hungry and about as tired as a human being could be before falling over. How about we get out of here, find a bite to eat and get a good night's sleep?"

"Bite?" she laughed. "Yeah, let's." Then she paused. "The master vampire, he, uh, he kissed me. I pushed him away and then we killed him, but, I don't know. Maeve and I were undercover, trying to take them down."

"You did what you had to do to keep others safe." Drew tilted Jennifer's face with a gentle touch of his fingers on her chin. "I am just glad you're safe now. That's what matters."

She looked up at him, guided by those gentle fingers. "It doesn't gross you out?"

Drew smiled and shook his head. His expression was one of love and adoration. "No. It doesn't gross me out." His hand slid down to take Jennifer's hand as he led her from the stasis chamber in search of the kitchen. "Let's find the kitchen, get some rest. We can start sorting things out tomorrow."

"Sounds good," she agreed. She squeezed his hand.

TWENTY MINUTES LATER

Drew followed Jennifer to the Faculty Wing of the mansion after having leftovers in the kitchen. He felt a little better physically, but he was still sorting a lot out in his mind. He was deeply worried about Angela's condition. Would a cure be found in time to save her and the others? How would some of his former teammates react to his return? These questions and more ran through his mind as Jennifer led him to a door.

"So this is your room," Jennifer said. She let go of his hand. "Did Jean give you a key already?"

Drew nodded as he fished the key out of his pocket. He unlocked the door and pushed it open. He peered inside, but hesitated to enter. He glanced at Jennifer. "Would you mind staying for a bit? Just until I fall asleep?"

"Not at all," Jennifer said. "Jean gave me a while rundown of the rules just a minute ago."

There wasn't much Drew could do to ready himself for bed other than remove his jacket, socks and shoes. He pulled back the covers and slipped into bed. He looked up at Jennifer as he slowly relaxed. He reached up and palmed her cheek his thumb tracing her full, soft lips. "I love you."

"I love you too," Jennifer said, lying down beside him. She leaned into his touch, smiling softly.

Drew wrapped his arms around Jennifer and pulled her into his chest. He gave her a long, gentle kiss before breaking the kiss. He stared up at her she settled in on top of him. "So, um...what rules did she give you?" He was curious. They weren’t students or minors any longer. He was a guest though. He didn't want to be a disruption in the new order of things.

"Adults are allowed to be adults," she said. "Privately, consensually, if there's no inappropriate power relationship." She settled into his arms. "So maybe it's ok to just fall asleep here?"

Drew considered Jennifer's words carefully. Was she saying she was ready for physical intimacy? Was he? They had never done so before. Had never even spoken of it. He had not felt ready back when they had both been students. He felt her her body press closer back into his. His arms wrapped her closer. "Sleep sounds...good right now." He gently kissed the back of her shoulder blade and lay still after that in a few minutes his breathing deepened, a sign he had fallen asleep.

She smiled gently. "Sleep." She felt the kiss and closed her eyes, her own breathing soft and even as she dozed off right there in his arms.

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