Raina saw Rupert making his way and she hopped down from the stage into his warm arms. She needed the warmth so bad. She was freezing. Her voice was meerly a hoarse whisper when she breathed, "thank-you" she hung on very tightly and as everyone clapped her head was spining. She felt a little faint, and she was sure that in the propper light her hair would look a little green- if not blue. She murmered something incomprehendable when Casey put his hand on her shoulder and the colour suddenly returned to her skin and cheeks.

"A little emotionally overwhelming I believe." he said in his cool voice. "Perhaps the kind Detective here will take Miss Raina outside for some air? I believe you've both eaten...?"

Raina nodded and caught Micheal's eyes. She smiled, glad someone from the mansion was there to see that she could be more than destructive with her voice. She looked back up at Rupert. "I feel Dizzy..." she confessed.


ooc: happy Birthday! Glad you liked the song. Feist is a canadian artist who's rising fast, so check out her stuff

She was so cold. Rupert hugged her closer. He was going to have to have a talk with Louis the special effects guy--freezing people to the stage wasn't known for brining out their best performances. Heck, even her hair looked chilled, though that was obviously just his mind playing tricks on him.

"A little emotionally overwhelming I believe." Casey said. A voice of wisdom, that man. "Perhaps the kind Detective here will take Miss Raina outside for some air? I believe you've both eaten...?"

Rupert nodded, and reluctantly released Raina from their hug, trailing one hand down to take her hand. "Com'on. I'm not sure I've ever heard New York air described as 'fresh'--we've got to put this to the test." He joked.

Raina tried to show him a smile as she let him lead her. They headed outside into what was left of the summer air and Raina's head was swimming. She let go of Rupert's hand for a moment in an effort to center herself. She staggered a short distance and then before she knew it she was seeing the leaves on the tree behind her as she fell backward. She was sort of fainting- though she was still somewhat alert, her whole body had just given out. She landed on the ground hard and every bone in her body ached.

"Woah--hey! Are you okay?" Rupert tried to catch her--a little late. He ended up crouched down at her side instead, fingers going of their own accord to check the pulse on her wrist. "Do you have a history of this? Diabetes? Epilepsy?" He asked calmly, his first aid training kicking in. A 'yes' would be nice--then, she'd probably know exactly what to do for herself. A 'no'...

...Well, let's just say Rupert's vision of the night hadn't ended in a trip to the hosiptal.

Raina looked up at him from heavy eyes. she wanted to explain that she was a mutant who used too much energy- but she didn't think that would fly. Was there a history? Of course!

"Sorry,,," she murmeres trying to sit up and lean again him. She was shaking- residual effect. She tried to get up again, she really tried now- starting to get scared, but her knees gave out and she fell into Rupert. In Any other situation this could have been romantic, but Raina was staring to feel more and more like the living dead. "Ru..." she started feeling breathless. How coudl this happen? She shouldn't have sung at all. She was so mad at herself that frustruated tears almost betrayed her. She leaned into Rupert shaking. "I just need a minute" she stammered

Rupert watched her struggle to get up with quickly escalating concern. She hadn't answered the history question--which probably meant 'no'. She was shaking. She could barely even lift herself into a sitting position. A minute wasn't going to cut it. "Let's take that minute to get to my car, all right? There's a hospital nearby. I think it might be a good idea for you to get checked out." This wasn't something he was giving her an option on. Rupert deftly slid one arm around her back and one under her knees, and lifted her up, cradling her to his chest. His car was right down the street, and the hospital was only a few blocks away. This was quicker than an ambulance.

Michael saw Raina fall and went straight over to her and Rupert. Rupert had picked her up and looked to be ready to take her somewhere. He had no idea what was wrong, but really hoped it wasn’t serious.

“Raina,” he asked in a concerned voice, “are you ok?” Looking up at Rupert he asked, “Will she be alright? Any idea what’s wrong?” He was keeping his voice calm, but was beginning to worry. It was stuff like this, invisible threats, that worried him the most.

Raina stared at Micheal. Micheal had to come. She just needed a little time to recover her power, but if Rupert took her to the hospital it would be helpful to have an invincable mutant with her incase they needed to make a swift get a way. "...no hospital..." she groaned, head still spinning. "...just tired..."

Raina normally only felt this way if she tried to use her abilities in an offencive/defensive way. But given that she'd used everything she had trying to contain Iris only a few days ago.... her body hadn't recovered. She should have never ever thought she could sing.

She leaned into Rupert's chest with a despondent look. She knew she wasn't going to win this battle... so her mind started planning an escape. Afterall, if they spent a few hours in emergency waiting to get in like most- she could recover in that time period. More food wouldn't be a bad idea...

"I'm not sure what's wrong," Rupert answered Micheal calmly, "But I'm sure she'll be okay. I'm just going to take her over to the hospital for a quick check-up--it will probably turn out to be nothing, like the flu or low blood sugar. Would you like to come with?" The tone he was using was soothing, and in-control: he was trying not to stress Raina out any more than necessary. Stress never helped in situations like this. To be honest, he'd forgotten all about Micheal being in the club. This was good--someone Raina had known for longer than a few hours was exactly the person she'd need around. And the kid seemed to have a level head. He climbed up about five notches in Rupert's esteem for asking his own questions calmly.

He looked down at Raina as she spoke, a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. "Tired people usaully don't collapse on sidewalks. You aren't afraid of the big bad doctors, now are you?" He attempted to joke. "Don't worry--Micheal and I will be there to scare them straight."

Raina’s earlier avoidance of mentioning her mutation, coupled with the “no hospital” comment made Michael certain that she didn’t want to go to the hospital not because she wasn’t well, but because she didn’t want Rupert to know she was a mutant. His mind was now racing to try and find her a way out of this that wouldn’t expose her mutation.

“She was doing some pretty strenuous sports with us at the centre,” he improvised, “The last couple of days she has really pushed herself, nearly collapsing from exhaustion at the end of each session, that’s how hard she was working. Maybe it’s all finally caught up with her. Maybe if we just let her lie down for a while and get her strength back, maybe eat something.”

While not entirely true Michael had seen what Raina had done at the mansion. Between her and Iris they did a lot of damage. Her earlier demonstrations of her power were no where near what she pulled off against Iris, so it was a fair assumption that she wiped herself out in the process. If she was singing it meant she was using her powers, and after the strain of a few days ago maybe she still hadn’t recovered properly.

He was hoping Rupert would buy is story, if not he’d have to figure some way to boost Raina’s recovery time so she was fine before the doctor’s checked her out. While he didn’t think a physical would reveal that she was a mutant, if they decide to do more tests it could come up. He liked Raina, and she seemed to like Rupert. If she wanted to keep her mutation secret, he’d help.

Raina felt like she was about to cry. The idea of a blood test- and that's what they do- was terrifying her. She started to hyperventilate and hung on to Rupert really tightly. "I'm so sorry Rupert..." she mumbled. "I wanted us to have a nice date and I've messed it up again." She wasn't sure what she could suggest. Rupert was a cop, he'd probably want to escort her home and she wasn't about to let that happen either. She was trying her hardest to talk properly, but a few slurred and incomprehendable words found their way out when she finally had a suggestion. "Maybe I could stay at your place..." she suggested. "...on your couch." she added. "My manager will make me go to the hospital too... and well..." she searched for a lie. "I know you're a cop and all, but maybe you'll look over the fact that my visa has expired." it wasn't a complete lie. "Micheal here knows the trouble i've been going through trying to get it renewed... and they really need me at the center. It's only supposed to be another week or so before I get to meet with someone again... but if you take me to the hospital they'll send me back home." she looked up at Rupert with eyes as big as saucers.

ok, it was really stretching it, and pretty dramatic, but a hell of a lot better then "hey rupie, i'm a mutie"

"I know i'll be fine with some rest, if i'm not, you can take me tomorrow." she looked at Micheal hoping he'd support the idea.

((ooc: You have to admit, "Hey Rupie, I'm a mutie" would have been fun. I could have so dropped your fainting mutie bum on the concrete. ))

Rupert looked back and forth between Micheal and Raina, feeling quite distinctly like he was missing something here.

"I know you're a cop and all, but maybe you'll look over the fact that my visa has expired.."

...And the truth came out. Rupert sighed, and adjusted his grip, holding Raina more securely. He really wished she hadn't told him that. "...Not my department," he finally said; and felt dirty for saying it. Rupert's job was his life--he was a cop, to the core. Why he'd ignore something like that for some woman he'd met earlier that day... But that was exactly what he was going to do. He tried to losen up some of his tension with a joke: "I'm with Mutant Affairs, remember? Not Immigration." No one said it was a good joke. "Okay, no hospitals. You can-" he swallowed suddenly, and realized that sick feeling in his stomach was butterflies, "-sleep on my couch. Sure. Unless you get worse--and I don't care if it's tomorrow or not. Visa or not, I'm taking you to the hospital if that happens. Agreed?"

Raina nodded happily... feeling bad that she had to lie. She felt guilty knowing this would bother Rupert, but seeing how he reacted made her a little hopeful for the future. She pushed herself away a bit and stood up leaning against Rupert. "I promise you, we've got the appointment. " she smiled. "it's just suddenly I really like it here in New York..." she smiled at Micheal. "I'll be back tomorrow, please let them know back there that I'm safe... um... maybe you shouldnt tell them exactly where I'm staying." her cheeks burned a bit.

"Shall we go?"

ooc: Cal, you wanna just jump back at rupert's apartment?

Michael gave Raina a reassuring smile. The out-of-date-visa ploy was a risky one, but if she was wiling to go for it she must really not want the guy to know she was a mutant. And the reason for that soon became clear. The Department of Mutant Affairs huh. He now promised him self not to do anything that would reveal he was invincible.

“Sure,” he said warmly, “I’ll let them know you’re staying with a friend. Do you mind if I tag along until you get to your apartment?” He asked Rupert, “Just so at least someone at the centre will know where she is. We’ve had some crazy stuff happening recently and everyone is a little on edge. If for some reason we need to get a hold of Raina someone should know where she is.”

It wasn’t that he didn’t trust him, but that with what he’d been hearing on the news about the mutant registration bill that looked like it might get passed spending the night with a cop was a little more dangerous now than before. If the bill got passed he didn’t want Raina to be stuck with a cop, accidentally reveal her mutation and end up in a camp. He really didn’t like the idea of camps.

Rupert nodded to Micheal. "Sure, no problem." Actually, that was a really good idea on Micheal's part. And it raised his estimation of the teen yet again. If some random guy was taking a woman Rupert knew back to his apartment--when she couldn't even stand, no less--he'd sure as Hell want to see where that apartment was.

((ooc: Continued in "Rupert's Apartment".))