While the German may not be perfect; I rely on the Internet to translate, I think you'll get the idea; sorry to miss the umlauts as well.
I'd love to hear what you folks are thinking if you have a moment to offer your thoughts.
Part 4
Storm was preparing herself to do her last patrol of the grounds for the night when she saw the car drive into the garage. Curious as to who was coming in so late, she made her way down there first, and found Kurt hanging up the keys to the Lexus back in the office lock box.
"Kurt?" She was surprised; Kurt almost never left the mansion, unless it was on a mission. When he turned to look at her, she saw a sad look in his eyes. As much as she wanted to ask him about it, she refrained.
"Hello Ororo."
"Where have you been?"
"I went to church." It wasn't a lie, really, but he didn't feel like getting into it.
"Well that's good Kurt."
He nodded and stepped past her politely.
"See you tomorrow." And he was gone. Storm stood for a second or two more in the office, unsure of what had happened with Kurt, part of her wanting to go after him. He had so recently moved into a teaching role, she didn't know how to resume a relationship with him. When he had been a student it had been easy; she felt no qualms about asking him how he was feeling. But now, it was as if there was a new line drawn between them, and she wasn't sure how to cross it, or even if she should. Though she still felt sad that Kurt was obviously carrying some burden, and that she could think of no way to help him, yet.
It was Kurt's turn to do patrol for that evening, all the professors took their turns at it, as did Kitty and Bobby, who really weren't Xavier's students any longer, being enmeshed in their college courses. They had upgraded external sensors, and radar above the mansion, but machines were no substitute for 'human' eyes, and each station was checked nightly to make sure it hadn't been compromised. Technology purchased from one military contractor was not unique, and for the right price could be had by another buyer; although Xavier and his experts had made their own modifications, it was not beyond the realm of possibility that someone else would have been working on the same ideas. It was more likely though, that the school systems were at least a few years ahead of other labs.
Kurt enjoyed the walk around the grounds, the air was growing crisper with the encroaching fall season, all told, they had several acres of property, so it could take him a few hours to work his way around. He knew many of the others could fly it and be back inside in half the time, but that was not his way. And so he walked along the ground, or occasionally, bounded from tree to tree on the far side of the forest. The scorch marks from the fire and explosion of the spring were well hidden by then, having had nearly a full season of growth to conceal and erase them. He had helped Logan bring the bodies back there, and they had simply tossed them into the inferno. At the time, fueled with the rage of Logan beside him, and his own fury at being attacked, it had been an easy thing to do. But now, he thought twice about it, and felt some sympathy for the families of those men, who had likely been fed some story about their sons and husbands being missing in action overseas somewhere. Or whatever it was private contractors lied about these days.
Father Bob had called again, to invite him to services Sunday evening. He did a special mass for the kids in the shelter, and whoever wanted to come out, away from the daytime parishioners. He hadn't gone yet, but he had thanked Father Bob for the invitation. Perhaps it was time to go back to the church, even if it was just for confession.
The walk around was peaceful in the dark, and even when it was broken by the security lights around the mansion. He could see that the dinning room still had occupants, it looked like a study group, trying to escape the noise of the common room. They couldn't see him the dark anyways, so he continued around to the front of the mansion and headed up the steps.
He logged his ID into the computer and completed his task list for the day, documenting his patrol first, then onto his class lists to make his notes of the training sessions, and check what his curriculum would be bringing him for the following day. It was a simple enough routine, but it was comforting, as was the next step. Three separate keystrokes, and a login to the email and he had a look at his account with Marie. Most nights there was nothing, but he checked anyways, tonight was no different. He logged out. Marie had told him about the comfort she was finding with her journaling once, and had suggested that he try it, but he hadn't gotten to that stage yet. He shut the computer off, and thought he might go down to the kitchen to get a drink of tea, and perhaps a few cookies; a sweet tooth was allowed; he did really like shortbread, before he went to sleep.
The kitchen wasn't empty when he got there, the students in the study group had slipped his mind, and he found a few of them hunting through the cupboards for snacks of their own.
"Evening Professor." He did like the sound of that, and he tried to hide the grin, which looked so much more obvious on his face than most. "Good patrol?" Apparently the students kept track of who was on duty as well, though he got the sense that they were more interested when Scott was out of the building, or Jean perhaps than him.
"Everything was well." He answered the question as he put the kettle on. "What are you studying?"
"Sociology, Professor Storm has a test for us tomorrow."
"And it would be better if you were all well rested before that test, as opposed to half asleep, trying to recall crammed information." The voice was sweet and rhythmic, and most obviously Storm's.
"Hello Professor." The snack-seeking students slunk around her with their bags of chips.
"Have a peaceful night you two." She spoke to their backs, and turned back to Kurt again. "How are you Kurt?"
He was dunking a tea bag into his mug, "I'm fine Ororo." He didn't mean to sound abrupt, but that was how it came out; he realized it almost immediately and apologized. Storm simply smiled at him. She opened an overhead cupboard and pulled out a bag of cookies.
"Here you are." Shortbread, Kurt was shocked silent that she knew what his favorite cookie was. He took the bag and smiled back.
"Thanks." Not that you could look sheepish when you were blue, Kurt did a fairly decent imitation. "Would you like a cup?" He held up his mug.
"Sure."
By the time they got out to the dinning room it was empty of students; they had taken Storm's advice to pack it in for the night. They sat at a single table near the far back windows.
"Are you really feeling fine Kurt?" Storm had decided that she would make one more attempt to get Kurt to open up.
"I am all right Ororo, really, I am just getting used to my new responsibilities, and finding my place here at the school now."
"I can help you if you like?"
"Thank you Ororo, I think it will just take time, that's all."
"I'm here for you Kurt, anytime, you know that, yes?"
She was so nice, to everyone, just trying to save the whole world, it was so admirable in her, the way she reached out. Before Logan and Rogue had left he had enjoyed flirting with her a little, acting the part of Errol Flynn, but that was when he had been a student, and it had been good natured, he would have done the same with Kitty, had done, before she and Bobby became a couple. But it had all been a game, a way to interact harmlessly to charm the single women without the pressure of true pursuit. But now things were different, and he had to be more careful. But, he supposed, there was no reason not to enjoy a cup of tea and some cookies, that was friendly and innocent enough.
"I am really enjoying the challenges that my new role is bringing me, did you find it the same when you began teaching?" That was a good enough way to start a conversation Kurt thought to himself.
"As I recall, I did, there is a great deal of satisfaction in sharing knowledge with the young ones, and in helping them come to terms with their uniqueness."
Everything she said sounded so polished and proper; as if she had stepped out of a movie script herself. Kurt smiled and had a sip of tea before Storm noticed.
"I'm always looking for a new challenge though, perhaps you could teach me to fly the Blackbird?" He had meant it in jest, part of him still thought of himself as a student, definitely not in line for flight training. But Storm's face lit up at the idea.
"What a wonderful notion Kurt, I would love to teach you, we could certainly use another pilot since," she stopped herself, knowing that to say 'since Logan left' would likely snuff out the little ember of his former self that Kurt was finally displaying, "since it is never a bad thing to have more capable pilots at hand. I even think we have a flight simulator program in the Danger room, we should investigate tomorrow, when are you finished your classes?"
The thought had snowballed in Storm's mind, but Kurt found while it had seemed overwhelming at first, it was actually comforting to him somehow.
"Why don't we try after dinner, I will book the room tonight and send you a note about it."
"Lovely, I will be looking forward to it. And, perhaps afterwards you might teach me some German?" Now Kurt's eyebrows definitely lifted. "You always look as though you are so enjoying your movies, I have been envious that I could not share in the happiness they bring you."
Kurt could not help letting his mind wander back to the last person to say that to him, but it fought past the melancholy, 'no regrets' he admonished himself, and set his attention back to Storm.
"I would be pleased to teach you, and I will get you some CD's you can listen to, to help." And then he felt a little cheeky suddenly and added, "Alles fur eine schone Dame."
Storm looked at him with an inquisitive little smile.
"I promise I shall teach you what it means, eventually." His beautiful little grin was back on his face Storm noted, and it made her feel very happy that her friend was coming back to himself, and to her.
"Then I shall see you tomorrow evening Kurt." She stood. Kurt stood as well and took her hand as she was reaching for her now empty mug, he brought it to his lips, and kissed it very gently.
"I shall count the minutes my lady." And he took her cup and 'bamf'd' back to the kitchen.
'Now that is the little imp I have missed.' Storm thought to herself, and headed off back to her own room.
