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This takes place directly after the episode, 'Hunting Grounds'.

Disclaimer: I do not claim to own anything but my plot and the clothes on my back.

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The Blackbird's flight from the waters of Genosha was abuzz with the excited questions of the team, towards their recently kidnapped members Wolverine and Nightcrawler. The chatter swirled about Magneto's island, the abduction of the X-men and the demented creature who called himself, 'Mojo'. Kurt spoke rarely unless it was of Genosha and its secret prisons he had uncovered, preferring to let the more enthusiastic Wolverine lead in recounting their battles.

The elevated voices of Logan and Kitty drifted in and out of the blue teleporter's awareness as he mused over his own, more pleasant memories of Genosha. Wanda filled his mind and his soul began to ache; her strong blue eyes gazing into his in the soft dusk light, the way she had curled her arm so possessively about his own as they strolled together after the opera. The smooth and even tone of her voice had captivated him as she spoke of her father's mutant utopia. Though he knew now that the island was hardly a paradise, for some reason he yearned to return. Before he could cross-examine this strange concept, Hank McCoy's deep voice sounded suddenly,

"Kurt, are you alright, son?"

Blinking out of his trance, Kurt apologized.

"Vas is going on?" He asked in a voice too tired to be his own.

"Kitty just asked you a question." Hank replied slowly as he gave Kurt a calculating look.

His golden eyes found Kitty, smiling at him in confusion.

"I said," she repeated, "Who's 'Wendy'? Logan just mentioned her, he said to ask you."

"Her name is Vanda," Kurt couldn't help an annoyed look towards Logan,

"She vas kidnapped alongside me, she ist Magneto's eldest daughter."

"Magneto's daughter?" repeated Kitty, "Why was she kidnapped with you?"

Kurt fell silent as he remembered Mojo's resounding voice,

"-as he fights to save the love of his life, the Crimson Witch!"

"That's Scarlet Witch you stupid freak!" Wanda had snapped viciously.

"And she's not ze love of my life!" he had protested, whether to convince Mojo or himself he wasn't sure yet.

"I'm not sure, Kitty," he finally replied, weakly smiling at his friend.

Kitty sighed, "You're acting weird today, Kurt, you sure you're okay?" She placed a gloved hand gingerly onto his arm.

The good-natured X-man felt a tinge of guilt emerge in his stomach over lying, but before he could reply Ororo's voice announced throughout the Blackbird that they were nearly home. A grateful collective groan rose in the jet, as Kurt looked out his window.

He vaguely noticed that Kitty's hand had never left his arm, and she was now stroking his shoulder comfortingly. He had not thought about it before, but since the disbanding Kitty had noticeably matured into a young woman, no longer the awkward and clumsy teenager he had known before. She seemed to have more calm and assertiveness about her now, as if she was truly striving to prove herself a vital member of their team.

As the jet landed the teleporter realized it was the first time he had been to the Institute since the fateful day of the explosion. Yet today the place that had been home to him since his childhood meeting with Xavier looked as empty and lonely as ever.

"Doesn't feel much like home, does it?" Hank said as he faced Kurt from his seat before him,

"without Charles and Jean waiting at the door, I mean." He forced a smile.

"Nien," Kurt replied, "It is...different somehow."

As they exited the jet Kurt slung his arm about Kitty's nimble shoulders and pulled her gently against his side.

"I'm grateful to see you again, mein kleiner fruend."

"It's so great to see you too, elfie!"

Kurt groaned slightly at the return of her nickname for him, but smiled as she pulled him into a full hug. Perhaps he could forgive her this once.

Unremarkably, it was Bobby who interrupted them, clearing his throat in a less-than discreet volume,

"So Kurt, I'll bet you're itchin' to see the updates Forge has made to the Danger Room! Wanna have a test run with us?"

"Actually Bobby, I just feel like resting for the remainder of ze night," he ran a hand through his hair and sighed, "Another time, maybe?"

Bobby shrugged and looked towards Kitty. She grinned at him,

"You're on, Bobby."

With a hiss of torn air and flash of red smoke, Kurt had vanished from the grounds and reappeared in the mansion common room. There he was greeted by Ororo, who, after a few more heartfelt sentiments, offered to show Kurt around. He politely refused, not wanting to interrupt what looked like date plans with Warren.

After navigating the slightly new floor plan of the remodeled mansion, he located the room now in place of his old one. Upon entering he was pleased to find it empty, with the exception of a new duplicate of his X-suit folded on the dresser.

"I suppose I'm home, zen." He said softly as he sat on the foot of the bed and looked around. He noticed he now had a window overlooking the southern grounds, including the coastline where flocks of seagulls were gliding in the darkening sky. He laid onto his back across his bed, and shut his eyes.

Sleep evaded him for hours, in place of relief he heard Wanda's voice where nothing sounded, and saw her face when his eyes closed.

"Wunderbar…" Kurt muttered darkly and heaved a sigh.

***

Wanda Maximoff sank into the steaming embrace of her enormous bath, set within the floor of a shining chrome bathroom in the palace. She shut her eyes as swollen suds drifted about her, and tried to clear her mind.

Ever since she had parted with Kurt Wagner at sunset, she had been second-guessing her decision to do so. She had drifted back to the palace beside her father, her heart in her throat, subduing her voice from replying to Magneto's many questions. She was barely aware of her younger sister's pestering for information as she solemnly strode through the metallic halls, and finally shook her off once she entered her master bathroom.

When her mind was finally calmed and her body relaxed, the memories of him started their assault. His touch as he held her so defensively, the sensation of teleporting with him-a little startling at first, but she grew to enjoy it-his bright golden eyes, which nearly glowed in the evening dusk, and shone even brighter in the pitch black of night. Wanda sighed mournfully and placed her head in her hands as she felt the brush of his cheek against her lips again, smooth and cool.

She begrudgingly realized she could not remember the last time she had been so worked up over a man.

"I feel ridiculous…" she muttered to no one, "Shaken up like some hormone-crazy child."

How could she have allowed herself? And with an X-man? Now her own disbelief was what flooded her, when she heard a soft tap on the door.

"What?" she asked in a shakier voice than she'd hoped.

"Wanda," Lorna's voice pleaded with her sister to let her in.

She finally conceded, flinging a red bolt towards the door which promptly swung open.

Wanda's eyes remained shut as she heard the clak-clak of her sister's heels approaching her, and ending as she crouched at the edge of the bath.

"Wanda, is it true? Do you really feel so strongly for an X-man?"

Wanda blinked her eyes open, but could not meet her sister's,

"I'm not sure what I feel, Lorna." She replied curtly, "I'd appreciate it if you didn't spread this all over the palace."

"Don't worry about me, Wanda, I don't think there's anything wrong with it…I mean, love is love."

Wanda smiled up at her younger sister,

"You're so young, Lorna…anyways, what is Father saying about me? I didn't even pay attention earlier…" she said a bit ashamedly.

"Father seems to think your 'fancying' the x-man is the work of one of their telepaths…something about turning us against each other, I don't know."

"Sounds like Father," Wanda sighed, "I've got to get a hold of myself, Lorna. I've got to get over this."

"'Get over' it?" Lorna mimicked, "What do you mean? It's not like you can just get over love like it's a cold, Wanda-"

"It's not love, Lorna," she snapped as she gestured to the towel sitting on the rim of the basin, Lorna handed it to her as she continued;

"It's a temporary lapse of judgment, one I'm working on correcting."

"There you go, sounding just like him again," Lorna muttered as she stood and looked away as her sister emerged from the basin.

"Like who?" Wanda asked as she wrapped herself in the towel and watched her sister walk towards the door.

"Like Father." Lorna replied darkly. With that, the metal door swung open and she exited the room.

Wanda's heart began to pound as she realized Kurt had said the exact same thing to her, just earlier that day.