Felicia Martin's Just One Last Goodbye was, without a doubt, one of the most tragic, most wonderful books ever written; well, according to Kitty, at least. When she found out that her favorite novel was being made into a film, she was absolutely ecstatic; and, of course, it all led to her dragging Lance to go see it.

Lance, for his part, was less than enthused. He had not read the book, and had never had even the smallest inclination to care about it before- before Kitty, that is. Plus, he really just wasn't the type of guy who was really interested in weepy chick flicks. But Kitty was so enthusiastic about seeing the movie that she had practically begged Lance to go, and there was no way he could refuse.

Kitty had blabbered on so much about the movie before they'd even been to see it that, by the time Saturday night had finally rolled around and Lance was dressing for his big date, he'd actually worked himself up to being a little bit excited to see the flick.

Just as Lance was debating whether a T-shirt or a button-down was more appropriate for the venue, a quick series of knocks sounded at his bedroom door before it was impatiently flung open, the intruder not waiting for a reply. An entrance like that could only herald one person.

"Nice six pack, Avalanche," Pietro commented wryly, and Lance turned to see a smirking speedster holding a small blue box in his hands, leaning casually against the doorframe. Lance rolled his eyes, shrugging.

"Not my fault that you decided to walk in right when I'm picking out my shirt- or that I look way better shirtless than you do."

Pietro scoffed. "Yeah right. Not even on your best day. I'd go with the T-shirt, by the way- you're going to the movies, not to a five star restaurant."

Nodding, Lance grabbed the shirt from his bed and slipped it on before turning back to his friend. "You need something? I'm supposed to pick up Kitty in..." He glanced at the clock on his bedside table, wincing. "Fifteen minutes."

"Just wanted to give you this," Pietro said, holding out the blue box. Lance took it and turned it over in his hands, frowning. "Tissues," he said. "You're giving me tissues."

Pietro nodded. "Yeah. trust me. You're gonna need them."

Lance rolled his eyes. "I don't cry at movies."

"Lance, I have seen this movie three times already," Pietro said, looking utterly unimpressed. "I have cried at least one, every. Single. Time. And I'm not someone who cries at movies- ever. Take the tissues."

"I don't- wait, why'd you see it three times?"

A tiny smile spread across Pietro's face. "Well, first Chelbi wanted to see it, so I took her. The next night it was Ashley, and two days later it was Haley. Just take the tissues, for Kitty's sake at least."

Lance eyed the box of tissues dubiously, and Pietro sighed. "Rule number one of taking a girl to a sad movie, always bring tissues! Really, how do you even date?"

"I don't know," Lance shot back, finally tucking the box of tissues under his arm with a resigned sigh. "You tell me." Glancing over at himself it the mirror, he nodded once, satisfied, before brushing past Pietro. "Thanks, now I've gotta go. I'll give this-" He held up the box of tissues. "Back to you at the end of the night."

He didn't see Pietro roll his eyes, but he did hear his shout of, "You're gonna thank me later!" as he was getting into his Jeep. lance simply snorted before pulling out of the driveway.

oOoOo

Exactly two hours later, Kitty and Lance were sitting in the lobby of the theater with a half-empty tissue box next to them. They had been asked to leave the theater because all the crying was disrupting the movie for the other filmgoers.

"Lance," Kitty said, patting her bawling boyfriend's back a bit awkwardly, while looking a bit bewildered. "Lance, it- it's okay."

"No," Lance sobbed, raising his red, tear-stained face for just a second to look up at her before burying it in his hands again. "It's really, really not. She has cancer- all over, Kitty. All over."

"Lance, Brigid hasn't even died yet," murmured Kitty, wrapping an arm around her boyfriend's shoulders. "Really, you don't need to cry." But at the word "die," Lance only began to sob harder, and Kitty winced. "Uhh, sorry." Lance simply shook his head, letting out another plaintive wail. "Lance, it's going to be okay. It really isn't that sad. It's- hey, look at me- Lance." Kitty picked up her boyfriend's head and forced him too look at her, speaking slowly for his benefit. "It's- going- to- be- okay."

"No it isn't," Lance retorted. "I'm never going to be okay. Ever again."

"Ohh no," Kitty murmured as Lance returned to sobbing. Looking around the lobby, she could see that they were both attracting some stares from other moviegoers. Turning slightly red, Kitty turned to Lance and stood, helping to raise him to his feet. "Hey. Okay, come on, let's go home. I think that's enough sad movie for you for one day, okay?"

Lance wordlessly allowed Kitty to lead him out of the theatre and into the parking lot. It was only when they reached the Jeep and Kitty slid into the driver's seat that Lance finally paused in his weeping to speak. "You're sixteen. Can you drive?"

"Yes," Kitty returned automatically. However, after a slight pause she corrected herself with a, "well, sort of. I don't exactly have my license yet... or my permit... but my dad gave me a few driving lessons before I came to the institute, and it looks super easy!"

Lance, in spite of his better judgment, was too emotionally compromised to drive right now, so he simply allowed Kitty to take the wheel and slid into the passenger's seat without further protest.

When they pulled up outside the X-Mansion about ten minutes later, Lance had finally stopped crying. However, this was mainly because Kitty's catastrophic driving had temporarily pushed the movie out of his mind, replacing it with a fear for his life. Now, sitting in the silence of the Jeep, he began to feel suitably ashamed for the scene he'd made back there.

"Kitty," he began, "I'm really, really sorry-"

"No," Kitty said quickly. "It's okay. I'll just go with Jean and Rogue sometime this week. It's fine, Lance, really."

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have over-reacted like that."

"It's fine," Kitty insisted, and then there was a moment of silence in the car before she spoke again. "Umm... but, Lance, I just have to ask... why were you crying so much? That wasn't even the really sad part."

Lance shrugged, shaking his head. "Yeah, I know, I just... I guess it just sort of affected me or something. It's nothing, really."

Kitty frowned. "No, what was it?"

"Kitty, it's nothing."

"Lance." Reaching over, Kitty placed a hand on his, and when he turned to her her wide blue eyes were staring directly into his. "You can tell me anything. You know that. What was it?"

Lance sighed in defeat, running a hand through his messy hair. "It's just... I don't know. My mom, I guess."

For a moment, Kitty froze. She knew next to nothing about Lance's past- he wasn't really the type to talk about it much. All she really knew was that he'd been in foster care before moving to Bayville. She'd never heard anything about his parents. "Go on," she prompted gently, and Lance closed his eyes.

"When I was really little, my mom died," he said simply. "I was two. She had cancer, just like-"

"Just like Brigid," Kitty finished quietly. Lance nodded. "Yeah."

"Wow, Lance, I'm, like- I'm really sorry. I didn't know that."

Lance shook his head. "No, it's no big deal, I really don't think about it much- but, it's just, I've got this one picture of her- my only picture of her, actually- and she looked almost exactly like the girl in the movie, too. Olive skin, short hair, and big brown eyes... I guess it just kind of struck a chord or something."

"I'm really sorry, Lance," Kitty said, and then she didn't know what to say after that. Lance didn't seem to either, and for a little while they just sat in the dark car, the silence so thick that Wolverine could probably slice it in half with his claws. After a moment Lance sighed, and reached over to open his door. "I'll, umm, I'll get your door for you."

As Lance walked around the front of the car, kitty suddenly got an idea- an idea that wouldn't make it all better, but that she hoped might sort of cheer Lance a bit. Silently, she phased out of the car, taking care that Lance didn't see her.

When Lance opened the door, he was bemused to find that Kitty was nowhere to be found. "Huh?" he murmured, scratching his head. Frowning, he turned around- only to come face to face with Kitty, who stood on the tips of her toes, wrapped her arms around his neck, and pressed her lips to his.

Lance wasn't sure how long the kiss lasted. All he knew was that they stayed that way until they were both in desperate need of air, and finally had to split apart. Panting slightly, with her arms still around his neck, Kitty leaned up, and he felt her soft breath against his ear as she whispered, "I hope that made your night just a tiny bit better."

When she pulled away, Lance was beaming.

oOoOo

Walking inside the Brotherhood house not long after that, Lance offhandedly waved to Fred and Todd, who were sitting on the couch watching a movie, before making his way upstairs.

Stopping at the foot of the stairs, he glanced at the empty blue box in his hand for a moment before walking over to the first door at the beginning of the hallway, opening the door without knocking it, flinging the empty tissue box inside, and then quickly slamming the door shut.

As he walked down the hall to his room, he could hear Pietro's voice, shouting in triumph from his room. "What did I say?" he crowed gleefully. "What did I say?"