Musings and Misfits

"I think that's the last of it," Kurt said as he helped carry the last of Rogue's things into her new room.

"It's gonna be so weird having a room of my own again," Rogue shook her head. "I mean I got so used to living with Kitty."

"I'm just curious," Kurt asked as he put down the box. "Why did you move in with Kitty in the first place?"

"It was either stay with her or Jean," Rogue grinned.

"I'm serious," Kurt sat down on her bed. "You could have gotten a room of your own if you really wanted to. The mansion's huge! Well even before it blew up…"

"Do you wanna know the real reason?" Rogue asked sitting down. "Don't tell anyone okay?"

"I promise," Kurt said.

"Well," Rogue hesitated. "Remember when I first got here? How I found out our…how Mystique lied to me?"

"Ya."

"I was just so…" She sighed. "So tired of being lied to and used. I'd never felt so alone in my life and I was just so hurt and desperate. I just wanted to have some kind of closeness ya know? Someone I could really count on. I dunno. Because I needed some kind of security. Sounds stupid right?"

"Not really no," Kurt shook his head. "We're all a family here Rogue, and not just those of us who are related by blood."

"I know, it's just…" She sighed.

"Hey guys!" Kitty popped her head in. "Wow this room is huge Rogue!"

"Come on in Kitty," Rogue waved her hand.

"Like my new bracelet?" Kitty showed off her wrist.

"Hey that looks like the one Jean has," Rogue said.

"It is the one Jean has," Kitty grinned. "Let's just say it's her way of making up for last night. If you play your cards right Rogue, you might get something good too!"

"Oh brother," Kurt rolled his eyes. He sat back and knocked one of the boxes on the bed over. "Oops!"

"I got it," Kitty grabbed something. "Hey…isn't this the box Mystique gave you when she was posing as Irene?"

"Yeah," Rogue sighed as she took it. "Yeah it is."

"You still kept it?" Kurt asked.

"I almost threw it against the wall," Rogue sighed. "But I just couldn't break it. I dunno why, but I couldn't."

"She's still your mom," Kitty told her. "She does love you. Okay it's in a weird twisted sort of way. But it's still love."

"Irene was more of a mother to me than she ever was," Rogue said bitterly.

"Maybe," Kitty sighed. "But she must still care about you somewhat."

"I really don't want to talk about this anymore," Rogue put the box away.

"It's okay," Kurt said. "We're your real family now. You can talk to us whenever you're ready."

"Yeah and in the meantime you can talk to Jean and really watch her squirm," Kitty grinned.

"You know," Rogue grinned. "There is this one sweater of Jean's that I've always liked."

"I am out of here," Kurt left the room.

************************************************************************

Back at the Pit the Misfits had just finished another training session. "Well that was fun," Lance grumbled. "Is it just me or did it seem like they put in some extra explosions for us to run through?"

"I guess it's their subtle way of telling us that we didn't exactly behave at the party last night," Althea told him.

"Yeah well at least we didn't get KP duty like the adults did," Todd remarked. "Be thankful for that."

"Yeah well," Pietro started to say something. "Hey guys! Look over there!" He zipped up to someone standing outside the main door. "Well if it isn't our old friend!"

"Oh goody it's the mutant version of the Dead End Kids," British super spy Matt Burke groaned.

"The who?" Lance asked.

"Never mind," He sighed. "Before your time."

"What are you doing here?" Wanda asked.

"Back to teach another class?" Todd grinned.

"No thank you," Burke bristled. "Being psychologically scarred for life once is enough thank you very much!"

"So why are you here?" Althea asked.

"We asked him here," General Hawk walked up to them along with Flint.

"Well what sort of mission do you need my help on now?" Burke asked.

"Uh, Burke actually we need to talk about something," Flint sighed. "In private."

"Suit yourself," Burke followed the two men to the briefing room.

"I bet I know what that talk's gonna be about," Todd snickered.

"The tests came back positive didn't they?" Wanda shook her head. "I knew it!"

"I wonder how he's gonna take it?" Fred asked.

"Well let's find out!" Pietro zipped after. They waited outside the door of the briefing room. "I wish this room wasn't soundproofed!"

"We're just going to have to wait," Althea said.

Twenty minutes later, Burke staggered out of the briefing room with a shocked look on his face. "I don't believe it…" He muttered. "I don't believe it…"

"I don't think he believes it," Fred said.

"I don't believe it…" Burke blinked. "I have a son…and he's…GERMAN?"