The X-Men knew better than to report the professor's death as murder. That would cause a string of questions and a house investigation they didn't want. So they had said it was a heart attack and it was accepted. The man had been old. The X-Men simply went about their day to day, trying to adjust subtly to this new change in their lives.

Kurt, however, had the worst of it. The professor was the one who had first taken him out of Germany, who had helped him to settle in. He was like a second father to Kurt and now, with him gone so abruptly, Kurt felt lost and unsure of himself.

He got back from school and heated up water for a simple Top Ramen. No one felt like cooking. Kurt poured the boiling water into the cup and while waiting for the noodles to absorb it, thought. Now that the professor was gone, what would happen to them? It was the question everyone was asking but the one no one knew the answer to. They would have to be very careful now, that was certain. Unless Jean perfected her skills in the next week or so, Kurt knew that their option of altering someone's memory of a mutant encounter was gone for good.

He saw his noodles were done, took the cup and a fork and walked to the kitchen, plopping down in a chair. He let his tail unwrap from around his waist, but it too drooped to the floor, twitching feebly. He sighed deeply and began eating, slowly. He heard and smelled Scott coming before he even entered the room, but didn't acknowledge him. Scott came and sat down opposite Kurt, just sitting there. Finally he asked softly, "You okay?"

Kurt sighed, and made an effort at a ghost of his normal cheer, asking, "What makes you think I'm not?"

Scott realized the effort and felt slightly cheered by it. He grinned slightly, saying, "You're actually chewing your food." Kurt had to smile at that, but then he sighed and put his fork down, slumping on the table like he was going to sleep. Scott came and sat next to him, and gently put a hand on his back, feeling the fur under the shirt. Kurt tensed under the touch, but then relaxed, sighing deeply. Scott began to rub, running with the fur, as he said gently, "Hey. We'll figure something out. We always do."

Kurt nodded, but didn't get up yet. Scott hated to see Kurt, the life of the party, so blue (no pun intended). He then reached his hand up to Kurt's head and began to fondle one pointed ear. Kurt giggled involuntarily, and turned away from the touch. But he didn't 'port, like he usually did. He sighed again and said, "I miss him."

Scott nodded and said quietly, "I know. It's like loosing my parents all over again. But don't worry about it. We'll work things out." He withdrew his hand and sighed deeply, letting his head hang down so his chin was touching his chest. Kurt heard the crack that Scott's voice made, and realized, for the first time seemingly, that this was hurting the others too.

He suddenly felt very selfish, but then smelled salt. He looked and knew Scott was crying. Not because he could see the tears (they were in his visor) but by the way Scott held his head down and the way his normally straight back was bowed. Kurt then reached over and put a three-fingered hand on Scott's shoulder, saying gently, "Yeah, man. We'll work something out."

Scott smiled at him, stood and turned to leave. But before leaving, he gave Kurt's ear another tickling, forcing a smile out of the blue mutant. Kurt brushed his hand away, but grinned weakly at him. Scott smiled back and walked out of the room. Kurt watched him go and his smile faded.

When he had first heard of going to America from the professor, he'd been so excited.

America: a land where people of different races could actually live together!

It had sounded too good to be true and now he knew it was. He sighed and turned his attention back to his half-eaten soup. He picked it up, went back to the kitchen and threw out the rest.