Nightmares and Sensory Issues- Scott and Laura
Jean wasn’t very sure when they started sharing a bed.
She knows it never happened in the 60’s- the Professor would have been horrified- but it had been about a year since they were brought to the present and Jean is squished between Laura and Scott and counting their breaths as she tries to fall asleep.
Laura. One, two, three, four- Burning, she’s screaming, a bird is in the air behind her- five, six, seven- no, that’s not right, because Scott is right there and he’s not burning- eight, nine, ten- and she’s fine, dammit, she’s fine- eleven, twelve, thirteen…
She gets three hours before the screams start.
Tonight it’s Laura, rustling round the bed and muttering in her sleep. “No-” she mutters, and Jean turns to face the still sleeping girl. “Stop!” Laura yells, and she looks so scared Jean shakes her up.
“Laura, wake up!”
“Gah!” She says, her eyes popping open. “Jean?”
“Hi.”
“Why did you wake me up at 2 am?”
“You were having a nightmare.”
“And that’s such an uncommon occurrence?” She says, raising an eyebrow.
“Well, no, but still.” Jean says sheepishly.
“Go to sleep, Jean.” Laura says. “I’ll take watch.”
“This isn’t watch!”
“You’re waiting til one of us has a nightmare so you can help us out of it. That’s watch.”
Jean sighs. “Fine.”
Her head hits the pillow and she falls asleep a few minutes later, counting Scott’s breaths.
The next morning Jean and Laura don’t mention it. Because, as Laura said, this is a common occurrence by now. But Jean can’t help but wonder if other people wake up every night to one of their best friends screaming.
-----
They're training when Laura and Scott drop. It's the Danger Room, of course, and the room seems to have figured out that Laura doesn't do great with loud noises and bright lights, with the super senses and all. She's on the ground, clutching her ears, and Jean is about to rip the robot that’s emitting the sound in half when Scott drops next to her, covering his eyes.
Jean is so taken aback that Bobby has to handle the robot, icing it and making the lights and sound stop. Laura and Scott don't get up.
“OLDER-HANK!” Jean yells.
The man runs in. “What happened?”
“There was a bot, for Laura, and it was targeting her senses and she dropped but then Scott did too and we got it off but they aren't getting up!” Jean says quickly.
“Get them to my lab.”
Scott wakes up first, rubbing his eyes, and is quickly followed by Laura. “What happened?” He asks.
“You had a sensory overload. Both of you did.” Older-Hank says.
“A what?”
“Our senses were too crowded, and we had a reaction.” Laura explains.
“But why just us? I mean, you I understand, you've got super senses, but me?”
“Scott, that had nothing to do with my super senses. I've got autism, that's one of the effects.”
Older-Hank nods. “That's the basic premise of the whole matter.”
“So what do we do to make them stop?” Warren asks. His- and the others- face is still ashen.
“Avoid bright lights, loud noises, and fumes.” Older-Hank says, ticking off his fingers.
Jean nods. “Right.”
“And no more danger room for you two, at least for today.”
Scott and Laura groan.