I Die Often Hank

Chapter 6

Crimson's POV:

I woke up bright and early in the morning, unfortunately. Nevertheless, I got up, showered, and got dressed. Was I really about to let a man I met a week ago cut me open and mess with my body in the one environment where I could potentially die? Well yes, of course. It is the stupid choice after all. A smart person wouldn't have stayed here, or well got shot in the first place. I glanced at the time and I was early for once. 

I headed downstairs to the lab where Kurt, Erik, Charles, and Hank were waiting. 

"Morning," I said waving as I entered the room. I was 15 minutes early and still the last one to arrive? Hank looked somewhat well-rested for once and Kurt seemed awful nervous for a guy who just had to hop in at the last second to teleport my body. 

"So here's the plan for today, we'll sedate Crimson and Hank will go with her into the freezer and perform the operation. We've got at the most two hours until we have to stop, even if Hank isn't done. When Hank is finished or at two hours, Kurt will enter and grab the gurney and teleport to the medbay, which has been heated up to 90 degrees (Fahrenheit or 32 degrees Celsius) then we wait for Crimson to wake up and see if it worked," Charles explained. Everyone nodded clear on the plan. 

"Let's get started then, Crimson if you'll please get onto the gurney," Hank said gesturing to the gurney. I climbed on trying to not show how nervous I am, despite the telepath in the room. "IV time, make sure you're ready," Hank warned causing me to close my eyes. I felt the needle slide into my arm and I opened my eyes carefully to not look at the IV. Hank held up a syringe with no needle and said, "Lights out now, last chance to back out".

"Let's do this," I told him. He connected the syringe to a port on the IV and pushed the liquid in. Hank then donned a thick jacket and some gloves to prepare for the cold. I could feel my senses start to weaken while Hank pushes the gurney out of the lab. Once we were alone in the hallway my hearing started to sound distorted and vision was blurring, and black was slowly fading in. 

Hank leaned down looking at me and said, "I'll make sure you're safe, okay". Then everything turned black; I was unconscious. 

12 Hours Later

I could start to hear first, I couldn't open my eyes just yet so I just listened in. I could hear a voice I recognized as Hank muttering close to me.

"It's been 12 hours she should be awake, by now right? Did I kill her? No, her heart rate is steady, dead people don't have a steady heart rate. I should check to see that the cut healed. No, that's an invasion of her privacy. But, I did slice her open and poke around inside. I did finish in time, so she should be fine right?" Hank muttered, I could hear the soft noise of his shoe tapping against the hard floor. Then I started to realize how hot 90 degrees is. I think it's time to free Hank of his panic. I slowly turned my head in the direction of his voice.

"Looks like you're as skilled as Charles says," I said weakly. I opened my eyes to the sight of a disheveled Hank looking at me excitedly with relief all over his face. He was still dressed in his usual button-up and slacks despite the heat. "A button-up in this heat? And you said Charles is one for formalities," I joked. Hank chuckled and smiled.

"How are you feeling?" Hank asked. I thought about it and I wasn't feeling any pain.

"No pain, but a little hot," I told him.

"Yeah, we wanted to make sure you healed up," Hank informed me. I used my arms to push myself up to a sitting position. "Well, everything seems to working well, I just need to have a look at where the incision was and you can get out of here," Hank said. I pulled my shirt up and low and behold no marks or scars. "Perfectly healed, that's always gonna be cool," Hank said after glancing at my abdomen. I pulled my shirt back down.

"You certainly know what you're doing," I reassured him. 

"I have to take the IV out if you wanna look away," Hank warned. I closed my eyes and I could feel his hand on my arm as he pulled it out. His hand was refreshingly cold in the hot room. Once I could tell he was done I opened my eyes back up. 

"So I'm cleared to test my pain feeling ability now?" I asked sitting up on the bed and turning so I was facing him, my legs hanging off the edge. 

"Yes, but start small alright? Don't go straight in for something big," Hank said. I hopped off the bed and pulled Hank in for a hug. He was rigid at first, but gave in and hugged back. 

"Thanks, Hank!" I said pulling out of the quick hug. I started to walk towards the exit when Hank called out confused,

"You don't even know if it worked yet?" 

"I know," I replied not turning around as I walked out.