Parallel Universe

The metal doors screeched as they opened slowly. The young man hesitated for a second before taking a step outside. He blinked then squinted against the bright sunlight that assaulted his eyes. He suddenly lurched forward as one of the guards roughly pushed him. "Get moving, mutie!" the guard snapped.

John Allerdyce almost yelped in fright when he turned around abruptly and found himself colliding with Kitty Pryde. "Jesus, Casper!" he hissed. "Don't you have anything better to do than to sneak up on people in the middle of the night?"

"What about you?" she retorted. "Don't you have anything better to do than to sneak around the hallways in the middle of the night?"

"I'm a man on a mission, Pryde," he told her haughtily. "Now go back to your room before you ruin everything!"

She glared at him suspiciously. "What are you up to?"

"None of your business!" He tried to shoo her away. "Leave!"

"If you don't tell me, I'll scream and wake the Professor," she threatened.

"Oh, for fuc - Okay!" He looked thoroughly disgusted with her. "The plan is to scare that new kid, you know, the walking tin can." He then grinned as he held up his brand new Zippo. "We go into his room and make him think the school's on fire."

"Wait a minute! Since when did this stupid idea involve the two of us?" She looked alarmed at this new development.

"Since you involved yourself by not going back to your room even when I asked you nicely," he said. "You in or what?"

"John," she reached out for the hand that held the lighter, "I have another idea." He frowned. "Something that won't get us both expelled." When she told him what it was, he actually laughed. She quickly clapped a hand over his mouth to silence him. "So, are we going with my idea or what?"

"Kitten," he said admiringly once he freed his mouth, "you are a genius."

He watched as the Zippo was carelessly tossed into the bag that contained all that he owned in the world. The guard who had pushed him earlier was watching, too. There was a sneer on the man's face. "Guess you can always take up smoking," the guard said. "That's all it's good for now, right? Though you're still a stinking mutie no matter how many cure injections you got as far as I'm concerned."

"Shut up, Jules," another guard, an older one, had appeared. "You can go back to max. I'm escorting him the rest of the way."

Jules grumbled, but he did as he was told. "Come on," the other guard gestured for the young man to follow him. They started walking. "So, you got anyone or any place to get back to?"

"There's no one," he replied flatly.

They continued walking in silence.

"I swear she's stalking me!" John scowled. "She's determined to make my life miserable, that little traitor!"

Bobby Drake smiled as he listened to his friend rant. "Kitty doesn't want you to get in trouble again, especially after that crazy prank both of you played on Pete. You landed her in detention for the first time in her life."

"Hey, it was her idea to phase him through his bed and into Miss Munroe's room. How were we to know that just as he fell through the ceiling, Miss Munroe would be coming out of the shower?" he said defensively.

"There's another reason why she keeps following you around, you know." Bobby's smile was wider than ever.

John stared at him. "What are you talking about?"

Bobby laughed. "Isn't it obvious? She's got a crush on you, man!"

"What?!" He was startled. "She's got a - ? Kitty's just a kid!"

"But she's growing up fast." Bobby waggled his eyebrows suggestively.

"You're sick, Drake. Sick!" John walked away from him in a huff.

"I had forgotten," the young man said.

"What?" the elderly guard wondered.

"How bright everything is." They were almost at the last gate.

The guard chuckled and shook his head. He looked up at the sky where storm clouds where gathering. The weather had changed rapidly and without any warning. "I guess this would be bright compared to where they put you."

She watched him curiously. "What are you doing?" she asked.

"What the hell does it look like?" He continued raking the fallen leaves into a big messy pile.

"You got detention because of what happened in the museum, huh?"

"No. I'm doing this for fun. Plus, it's very relaxing in a Zen sort of way," he snapped.

She was unfazed by his show of temper. "Want some help?" she offered.

He stopped what he was doing and looked at her. She blushed under his measuring gaze. He suddenly smirked. "You so want me, don't you?" he said.

"What?!" Her face turned redder. "I - I don't know what you're talking about! What do you mean - ?"

He laughed. "It's okay, kitten. It's perfectly understandable. I'm hot. Of course you're attracted."

"Oh! You're so -!" She stomped away, completely embarrassed.

"Don't worry! I'll wait for you when you grow up!" he called after her.

"Good luck out there, John."

He stood outside the gate. The first drops of rain began to fall. He hoisted the bag over his shoulder and started to walk.

"John!"

He turned around and there she was. She was a bit out of breath when she caught up with him. They merely looked at each other for an endless moment. The rain poured down on them as he collapsed into her arms. It was bitterly cold, but he had never felt so warm.