Ari ran to the table, set down the bowl carefully, and fumbled through Logan's wallet with shaking fingers. Deep, in the center, folded several times, she found a piece of paper with a number on it. She smiled at Logan's manly chicken-scratch handwriting. It had a large X drawn on it, Logan had gone over it several times, drawing it into a three- dimensional design... it obviously meant something special to him. Ari's mind was racing... Professor, something... it started with and X or a Z... no, he had definitely said a name that started with an X... maybe that's what the X stood for. She dialed the number quickly, she had to dial it several times, as she kept misreading the number in her state of panic.
- Xaver...Xavour... X - av - ier. That's it... I think. -
Thankfully, her question was answered by it's source... a calm, professional voice answered the phone.
" Hello. This is Professor Charles Xavier, May I help you?"
"Oh, Thank God!" Ari exclaimed. Emotions were flooding through her, barely under control, and when she spoke, her voice broke. " I.. I have someone here... he told me to call you... that you might be able to help us.." she babbled, her voice shaking tremulously. " His name is Logan... he's very sick, and I don't know..."
He broke off her words, reluctantly, "Excuse me, please, Did you say... Logan?... Sick?"
"Yes, he's very sick already,...I don't know how it could... it's happening way too fast...." her voice trailed off as the emotions caught up with her. She started sobbing, desperately... trying hard to bring herself under control. - JEAN, SCOTT, ORORO please come to my office IMMEDIATELY - " Everything is going to be just fine. You have done the right thing... Logan was right. We are going to be able help you. What is your name?" His voice was strong and sure, comforting. Ari swallowed, and managed to squeak out "Ari, ... Dr. Ariana Jacobs."
" Good, you're a Doctor. How..." she broke in before he could finish. "No! No, I'm a veterinarian, I don't know how to treat him... I'm afraid I'll do something..." It was the Professor's turn to cut off her words. "I'm sure you're doing a fine job helping him... may I call you Ari?" "Yes," she whispered, her mind reeling. "Ari? I'd like you to try to calm down. I need to ask you a few important questions, and I'm going to need to be able to understand you, clearly, alright?"
"Ari, where are you right now?" he asked calmly. "Canada... we're in Northern Canada, and there's a blizzard going on... we can't get out. I don't know how Logan thinks you can possibly..." The Professor broke in again, reassuring her." Ari, we will be able to get to you. A blizzard does not pose a problem for us. Is there a map available to you?"
"Yes, I'll have to go get it, ... will you wait for a minute?" ... "Of course." He said, immediately cupping his hand over the phone. Ari ran to get a map. Scott and Jean had arrived at his office, and were staring at him intensely, questioning. Ororo knocked lightly and came in, closing the door quickly behind her. " It seems that Logan is very sick." He whispered.
"That's not possible" said Jean, fear lying openly, unmasked, on her face.
" Apparently, somehow it IS possible. A doctor, a veterinarian, is with him... he gave her my number. Logan would not give my number to ANYONE unless it was an emergency."
Ari was back. She fumbled with the phone, and finally said "Are you there?"
Professor Xavier clicked the conference button so they could all hear. "Yes, Ari, we are all here. I have some of Logan's friends here, Ororo, Scott and Jean." Ari's heart flooded with relief. " Oh, good ...... Logan mentioned calling a "Jean", ...but he couldn't think of her last name." They all looked around and smiled, nodding. At least they could be sure of one thing... they had the right Logan.
"Ari, I want you to look at your map, you do have a map don't you?"
"Yes."
"Good, Ari I want you to tell Scott exactly where you are located."
" Alright." Ari explained their location to Scott, while Professor Xavier talked quietly to Jean and Ororo.
" Jean, when Scott is sure of where you're going, I would like you to talk to her. Find out what is wrong, and what she has done to treat him so far. Give her any medical advice you can, she is a veterinarian ." Jean nodded, nervously. "Ororo, go with Scott and prepare for the trip. They are in the middle of a blizzard. Figure out how you are going to handle that, and help Scott with anything he may need." Storm nodded, "Yes, Professor."
".... we're at the northern edge of the preserve... it's heavily wooded. You should be able to see the smoke. The cabin is about one and a half miles northeast of the main buildings. You shouldn't have a problem finding them, and my road is the only northbound road leading out of the preserve headquarters. The road will almost definitely be impassable... I don't know how..." Scott looked up at the Professor. " It won't be a problem, Ari, we will get to you." he said assuredly. The Professor nodded for him to go, and he left, followed by Storm.
Jean walked up to the desk, hands on her hips. "Ari? Hello. I'm Jean Summers, a good friend of Logan's. I am a Doctor and I have treated Logan several times in the past. Professor Xavier tells me that you are a veterinarian. Can you explain Logan's symptoms to me... and tell me what you have done to treat him so far?"
" Yes, Logan came to the preserve yesterday with a wolf pup..."
"Ari, I only need to know about Logan, ..."
"I'm sorry, but this is all part of it... it's all tied in with his illness... somehow... I'll try to be quick." Jean looked at the Professor and raised an eyebrow, uncertainly. He nodded, urging her to be patient.
"Like I said, Logan brought me a sick wolf to treat, it had canine parvo virus, have you heard of it?" she asked. "Yes, I've read something about it, go on..."
" The wolf died several hours ago, it was a severe case, and he was too young... anyway, several hours ago, Logan started exhibiting symptoms ... I didn't believe it was possible, so I... none of that matters now, I'm convinced that he has contracted it... somehow."
"What symptoms does he have?" Jean said, worried.
"It started last night with dizziness, fatigue... during the night he started vomiting. It's unusual... he's not following the usual clinical symptoms .....usually they have horrendous diarrhea, too, but Logan doesn't. He was only exposed to it yesterday morning... it shouldn't be happening this fast... he's already starting to bleed internally." her voice was becoming more and more emotional. She was beginning to lose control again.
"How do you know he's bleeding internally?" Jean asked quietly.
"He's already starting to ....vomit ....blood." Her words broke, and they could hear that she was crying softly.
"I'm sorry, Ari, I can see this is hard...but I need to know exactly what you are doing to treat him."
Ari paused, trying to regain control. She sniffed, loudly, and said "I'm sorry... I'm treating him the only way I know how... the way I would treat a dog with parvo... IV fluids, antibiotics, I'm giving him higher doses..." Jean listened intently while Ari explained her treatment. As far as Jean could tell, she was doing everything right. "Ari, it sounds like you're doing great. I wouldn't be doing anything differently.... yet."
Professor Xavier leaned forward, "Ari, we're on our way. As I said before, getting to you is not a problem for us, but it may take a few hours.... Is there anything else you need to know?"
"No, I'd like to check on Logan... I'm really worried about leaving him alone this long."
"Fine. Tell Logan that Jean, Scott and Ororo will see him soon, alright?" He nodded for Jean to go, and she practically ran from the room.
"Yes, but how..."
Professor Xavier let out a long sigh, "Do you trust me, Ari?" he said quietly. "Yes." she admitted. "Then rest assured that help will be there soon.... Oh, and Ari....be careful... Logan can be..."
"I know Professor, I'm being careful. Thank you...... Goodbye."
Ari looked over at Logan. His eyes were still closed. She went to the bathroom to empty his bowl, then returned quickly with a warm, wet rag. As she got close to the couch, she remembered to let him know she was coming. She closed her eyes and slowly, softly placed emotions in his mind, along with her presence...comfort, friendship, peacefulness.... then she spoke his name softly, in his mind. - Logan -
Logan turned his head slowly, squinting up at her." That you?... doin' that?....Mmmm... feels nice." He sounded really out of it, so she felt his forehead with the back of her hand. He was still burning with a fever; she placed the wet cloth on his forehead, gently, then knelt down on the floor next to him, "Logan, I called your friends... the Professor, Ororo, Jean and Scott..." Logan grimaced at the last name. "They said to tell you they're on their way... I don't know how... with the blizzard....."
"Storm 'll do somethin' ... warm the air... somethin'..." he mumbled, almost incoherently, waving a hand in the air. His voice was slurred and she decided he was probably hallucinating. He closed his eyes and fell asleep. Ari changed his IV bottle and injected the proper medications into his IV catheter, then she filled his mind with as many wonderful things as she could think of and went out to take care of her dogs.
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