6
"Are you sure Charles?" It was a Monday morning and Logan stood in Xavier's office, watching the driveway below through the large windows. "That little incident at the mall isn't exactly easing my mind about all this."
"Nor mine, but the fact remains that this has to happen at some point." Xavier wheeled his chair next to Logan, also watching his students prepare for school. "It took a great deal of work to convince Principal Kelly to allow this. I even had to go before the PTA and the school board to explain her situation, though a rather censored version of course. Thankfully, Kelly's anti-mutant biased worked to our advantage as I painted the picture of an abused girl who would benefit from further interaction with those her age in a normal school environment. His prejudice at wanting to stop that lost him some allies I believe. And while I was appealing to their sympathies, the fact remains that Laura is, in essence, just as I said."
"I still say it's too soon. Her temper—"
"Is in many ways at the same level as yours. She will be surrounded by her friends at all time, and they have proven to be remarkable restraints for her outbursts. They put her at ease and she has a strong desire to cause as few problems for them as possible."
"She hasn't had the same schooling as they have. Is she going to be ready?"
"Hank has repeatedly said she is an exemplary student. She certainly excels in some areas over others, but that is perfectly natural." A smile formed on the Professor's face. "Logan, you have to let them leave the nest eventually."
Logan shot Xavier a look before grunting at turning back to the window. Below Bobby had pulled the van around to the front of the house, and soon Kurt joined him. Logan missed what Bobby said, the driver door of the van slamming shut and covering it up, but he could hear the rest of the conversation through the open window.
"You can't be serious!"
"Come on Kurt, it's Wildthing's first day, don't you think she should get the full experience?"
"Ja, but vhy do the rest of us need to?"
"You're an X-Man Kurt," Bobby said, slapping a hand down on Kurt's shoulder. "Where's your sense of adventure?"
"Adventure, not suicide," Kurt muttered as a few of the other student started making their way outside.
"Hey 'Cat, catch!" Bobby said with a grin, tossing the van keys to her.
Kitty caught the keys and stared at them. "You can't be serious!"
"Why do people keep asking that? Yes, I'm serious. My knee hurts from the Danger Room yesterday and Kurt's coffee hasn't kicked in yet. Unless you're not up for it..."
Kitty pounced on him from the top of the steps, slamming a kiss onto his lips as her arms wrapped around his neck. Her momentum swung both of them around until she landed at the bottom of the steps. "You're the best Icee!" she squeed when she broke the kiss, her smile lighting up her entire face. She let go of him and turned to the others. "Let's go people! Time's a wastin!"
The other students glared at Bobby as Kitty ran to the van. It roared to life as the engine revved a few times. "You heard the nice lady, let's go children, off to school!" he said with a few claps of his hands, acting as if he were talking to first graders. The others grumbled and started to load into the van.
"Logan, Ah'm taking your bike!" Rogue called up, having noticed him watching the scene from the Professor's office. She didn't bother waiting for a reply, stalking off to the garage.
Bobby and Laura were the last ones to make their way down to the van. Tabitha had been trying all weekend to put together the perfect outfit for Laura's first day of school that would show her off, but the clone had resisted at every turn, insisting on wearing her normal t-shirt and jeans with boots. Finally to appease Tabby, and to get her to shut up, Laura had agreed to some concessions. She still wore jeans, but they were tighter than her normal choices. They still allowed for plenty of movement though, which was all that mattered to Laura. Instead of a t-shirt she was in a spaghetti strapped tank top, though she hadn't budged on it being black. She still had more skin exposed than she was used to, but actually found it slightly refreshing now that winter had ended and the temperature was on the rise again. Finally, Tabby had refused to let Laura wear her normal boots, which weren't much different than her uniform boots. Laura in turn refused to wear any sort of heel or platform shoe, and so they had settled on a pair of thong sandals. Tabitha declared her cute enough, but insisted Laura could be hotter if she wanted. Laura's only response was to roll her eyes and leave the room.
She turned to Bobby and waved a hand towards the other students getting into the van. "I don't understand what everyone is upset about. It's just a normal day of school, right?" she asked him.
"They're worried about Kitty's driving. She can get a bit... enthusiastic about it."
"Enthusiastic?" Laura asked with a glance to the girl. The look on Kitty's face through the windshield seemed to hold more maniacal glee than just mere enthusiasm as she gripped the steering wheel and bounced up and down in the driver's seat.
"I think she just plays it up a bit to get to people. I'm rubbing off on her," he said with a proud smile that he hoped was also reassuring. Laura quirked her mouth at him, shook her head and got into the back of the van. Bobby noticed the front seat was still open. "No one took shotgun?"
"We decided if anyone gets thrown from the car it should be you!" Tabitha yelled from the back.
"I'm not that bad!" Kitty yelled back to them. The only response for her was the clicking of seatbelts, the gripping of the seat backs in front of them, and one muttered "Hail Mary" in German.
Bobby hopped into the van and hadn't even finished closing the door before the van took off with a squeal of its tires. It occurred to Bobby that maybe this was a bad idea right around the time the van phased through the front gate going eighty.
Up in Xavier's office, Logan turned to the Professor. He didn't bother to say anything, choosing instead to glare.
"If she survives the trip to the school," Charles said with the hint of a smile, "the rest of the day should be quite easy."
-------------
The fifteen seat van skidded to a stop after a long power slide into a parallel parked position between another van and a truck along one side of the school.
"New record!" Kitty yelled, raising her fists into the air in victory. "This is going to be a great day!" She kissed her boyfriend on the cheek and threw the door open to leave, grabbing her book bag on the way out.
The silence in the van hung heavy in the air until a quiet voice spoke up from the back. "Zhank you for taking zhe Terror Taxi. Ve know you have many choices in school transportation, and you vere stupid enough to choose zhis one." Even with the image inducer, Kurt looked a little green.
"I'm really sorry guys," a pale Bobby said from the passenger seat.
"That was fun. She's driving us home too, right?" Laura asked. She grabbed her backpack and climbed over a few petrified bodies to the side doors of the van. The fresh air that filled the car when she popped them open woke everyone from their daze and they fell out of the van, shakily gathering their bags and heading towards the front entrance of the school.
As Bobby was leaving, a motorcycle roared up next to them. Rogue raised the visor on her helmet and surveyed the surprising lack of damage to the actual van, but the various states of disarray of its passengers made her laugh. "When you have a prank backfire on ya, it really backfires, doesn't it?" she asked as Bobby tried to put his backpack on.
"Yeah, it really does," his voice broke. Rogue laughed again, slammed the visor down and took off on Wolverine's bike to the other side of the parking lot.
Bobby locked up the van, took a deep breath in hopes of finally settling his stomach, and walked to where Kitty was waiting with Kurt, Alex, Dani and Laura. Kitty frowned at him. "Oh come on Iceman, it wasn't that bad."
"No, it kind of was," he said, slipping an arm over her shoulder and kissing her forehead.
Kitty rolled her eyes. "I've seen you take the jet into barrel rolls that should have ripped the wings off, all while you're laughing your ass off, but little old me driving to school gets you weak in the knees?"
"What can I say? You do funny things to me."
She rolled her eyes again, but did reach up to kiss him along his jawline.
As they reached the top of the steps to the school, the warning bell rang. Kitty gave Bobby another kiss and untangled herself from his arm. "Okay Laura, we already got your schedule for you and you're in all the same classes as these three so stick with them," she said with a wave of her finger towards Bobby, Alex and Dani. "And if Bobby pulls something, you have my permission to hurt him a little."
"I know," Laura answered.
"Just making sure," Kitty said, giving Laura a quick hug. "You're going to do fine, see you at lunch!" She kissed Bobby again to wipe the indignant look off his face before grabbing Kurt by the arm and dragging him off to class.
"She hugs a lot," Laura said with a frown after Kitty was out of earshot.
"I don't mind it much," Bobby said with a lopsided grin.
"Of course you don't bro," Alex said with a laugh, grasping Bobby around the shoulder. "Bobby loves his little Kitty hanging all over him."
"She just cares about you," Dani said, shaking her head at the boys, who were now in an impromptu close quarters shoving match, Alex making kissy noises at Bobby. "She sees you as a little sister."
"Why?" Laura asked, her eyebrows once again dropping in confusion.
"Kitty's just like that, she likes looking out for people," Bobby answered after finally hip checking Alex off of him. "Most of us are looking out for you," he said, hoping to diffuse the temper he could see growing in Laura.
Fail, he thought to himself as she whirled towards him and jabbed a finger into his chest. "I don't need people watching out for me, I can take care of myself."
"Ease up Wildthing!" he said, looking around to make sure Kelly didn't decide to show up at that moment. "We know you can handle yourself in a fight, or even just living out in the woods or whatever. But against everything in there," he pointed into the doors of the high school, "you need as much backup as you can get."
"You're kind of like me Laura, we missed things we shouldn't have," Dani said gently, placing a hand on the girl's arm. She tensed for a moment before relaxing under the Cheyenne girl's touch. "Everyone is just trying to make sure we get those chances now. It's not a bad thing."
Laura took a deep breath and let it out. "Sorry. I'm still not used to all of this."
"You'll get it some day," Alex said. "But we better get to class now."
-------------
When classes broke for lunch, Bobby and Alex left to go find Kurt to "help set something up," while Dani had gone ahead to the cafeteria to meet Kitty. Laura had left her lunch in her locker and told Dani she would meet her later. After retrieving her food and finding her way to the lunch room, Laura stood in the doorway and tried to let her senses adjust to the crowded room. As with every other time she had been in the halls today, it took her a few moments to get used to the noise. The smells were even worse. She had heard Logan complain from time to time about being around so many hormonal teenagers at once in the Institute, but clearly he hadn't spent much time in the high school. The smells were so overwhelming she was surprised that even the humans without advanced smell couldn't pick up on everything people's scents were screaming out.
Kitty had spotted her from across the room and was waving like an idiot to her. Laura smirked. She liked Kitty, but the girl could be ridiculously excitable at times. She pulled on the strap of her backpack to secure it better and made her way across the room. She passed a table full of muscular boys in matching jackets and she could both feel a few of their eyes roaming up and down her body as she passed, and could smell their base approval of her form in their scents even if they didn't know they were putting it out. Part of her was telling her instinctually to jump on one of the taller, dark haired boys who reminded her vaguely of Piotr and have her way with him. She had read plenty on human sexuality during her study periods at the Institute and was beginning to understand these strange urges she found herself ignoring now that she was regularly around other people. Logan had warned her that due to their nature, part of her would always feel animalistic instincts and that she should try her best to resist them. Of course, due to those instincts a different part of her wanted to jump on the same boy and gut him with her claws for daring to look at her. She smirked to herself at that. She was a lioness after all. No matter what her small size would convey, she was not some petite little rabbit that rolled over just for anyone.
She reached Kitty's table and sat down in the seat the girl had saved for her between herself and Dani. Amanda sat on the other side of Kitty. "How's your first day going?" Kitty asked before taking a bite of her sandwich.
Laura began unpacking her own food and shrugged. "Okay, I guess. I don't have much to base it on."
"What was your old school like?" one of Kitty's friends asked.
"I didn't go to school. Who are you?"
Kitty quickly swallowed. "Oh, sorry Laura. This is Tiffani, Susan, Beth and Megan, but Megan's so quiet you probably will forget she's here," Kitty said, over the protests coming from Megan. "Girls, this is Laura. She just started today."
"Do you live up at the Institute too? Are you a, you know..." the one called Beth asked, waving her hand vaguely as her voice trailed off.
"Mutant?" Laura answered, eyebrow raised and voice steady. "Yes."
"What can you do?" Susan asked. Laura's eyes narrowed just slightly, but the girl picked up on it. "If you don't mind, that is. Kitty tells us a lot, but not everything."
Laura turned her gaze to Kitty. "I don't think you should be talking about the Institute."
"The Professor doesn't mind, I asked him," Kitty answered. "He doesn't want to keep a lot of things a secret. He wants people to understand us more and not be so scared all the time."
Laura kept her eyes on Kitty for a moment before speaking again. "I heal fast," she said, turning back to Susan. "I also have heightened senses and claws, but I'm supposed to keep them hidden at school."
"You sound like Mr. Logan," Susan said. "Kitty's told us about him. Are you related?"
"I... it's complicated."
"Complicated like never having gone to school before?" Tiffani, the girl who had originally asked about previous schools asked again.
Everyone had warned Laura she might be pestered with questions like this, being the new girl and from the Institute. Lunch was so far the first free time anyone had to really ask them, since their classes had been too busy earlier for people to approach her. She decided to just say as much as she could to stave off further questions.
"Logan's DNA was stolen from a government project known as Weapon X by the criminal organization Hydra. They wanted to clone him and reproduce the procedures Weapon X had performed to make him into a living weapon. I'm the twenty third attempt to clone him, and the only one that survived. They trained me to be a thief, assassin, whatever else they needed while mentally conditioning me to be a mindless tool, but I eventually broke out and destroyed them. Logan found me and brought me back to the Institute and with Professor Xavier's help I've been learning how to function in society. So far I'd say it's been moderately successful."
The four new girls stared at her at shock, while Kitty, Dani and Amanda continued to eat unfazed by Laura's history, having heard it many times before. Laura had finished half her sandwich before Tiffani choked out, "Are you serious?"
Laura shrugged. "I said it was complicated."
They looked to Kitty.
"What? You know I have a weird life. Laura's one of the weirder parts. She's cool though, just realize she doesn't get shoe shopping and probably never will and we'll be fine."
"Don't talk to me about shoe shopping," Laura said, shaking her head. Just the mention of it though seemed to summon the sometimes bane of Laura's existence as Tabitha bounced over, Amara right behind her.
"Laura, check out the football team checking you out. Nice work girl!"
"I don't care if they're checking me out."
"Psh, you should, there's some fine pieces of man meat on the team this year. Not too bright, but who expects that right? Speaking of not too bright, where's your boy toy Kitty?"
"You know, I don't know. He should have found Kurt by now. What did you need him for?" Kitty asked.
"Nothing much, just wanted to get on his case about letting you drive this morning."
"I'm not that bad!" Kitty protested loudly while her friends snickered behind her back.
"Whatever, I'll just find him later. Bye ladies! Be nice to my girl Laura okay? She can always use more friends." It was said in Tabby's typically brash way, but everyone could tell she really did care about what happened to Laura and the girl was oddly touched by it. Or the sandwich wasn't settling right, she still wasn't used to identifying emotions.
"Sorry about her," Amara said, grabbing Tabby's arm and pulling her away. "She's off her meds today."
Tabby's protests were soon lost in the racket of the crowded lunch room, and the other girls turned back to Laura. She sighed to herself, hoping something would come along and draw attention off of her for longer than Tabby's Laura-centered interruption.
-------------
On the other side of the cafeteria, a small group of mutants gathered in one of the back doorways to the room, looking into the mass of students.
"You ready for zhis?"
"Of course dude."
"You know, it's so much easier now that I'm sitting here watching you go through this."
"Shut up Bobby."
"Vhen do you vant me to start zhe music?"
"What music?"
"You're singing zhe song right?"
"Dude, that was joke idea when Bobby was asking Kitty out! I'm not going to that!"
"Vhat?! Zhat is zhe second time I've hooked up to zhe caf's speakers! Someone needs to sing one of zhese times."
"Maybe you should just sing to Amanda if you're that worried about it."
"Shut up Bobby, I'm not zhat crazy."
"Would you two both shut up? There's enough pressure as it is."
"I thought you had this all worked out. What happened to, 'No worries dude, it's gunna be like totally righteously sweet, just you watch broham. Like, cowabunga narlyness and radical killer waves, hang ten brah!' Don't tell me you're chickening out."
"First dude, I don't sound like that. Second, I'm just working out the right things to say to impress everyone. Gotta top that lame rose thing you did."
"That was the smoothest thing anyone has ever done, ever. And it totally worked, didn't it?"
"Yeah, which means I need to show these ladies what smooth really is. They've had to put up with second rate for far too long."
"Just go already. At zhis rate lunch vill end before you say anyzhing."
"Right, okay, I'm going in. Time for you too see what real cool is Iceman."
"Yeah, right. Good luck Blondie."
"Gott speed mein freund!"
"Hey guys, what's happening?"
"Hey Ray, Alex is going to ask Dani out."
"Ohhh, this should be good."
Alex could hear Ray and Roberto joining in to the whispered conversation as he made his way across the cafeteria. He remembered Bobby saying how nervous he was when he had made the walk months ago. Alex could help but smirk to himself about that, but quickly wiped it from his face before anyone could see it. It wasn't about smooth lines or cheesy props made of ice, it was about confidence. The confidence it took to stand up on a monster twelve footer was the same confidence needed to walk across the cafeteria and ask out a smoking hottie. He'd already done the hard work. True, Dani was one of the hottest girls at school, in any grade, but he'd already won her attention. Despite her being a mutant there were plenty of people still interested in her. Unfortunately for them, Alex had an admittedly unfair advantage over them by living with her at the Institute. Now all he had to do was make it official and he was in.
Not that he was looking at her as just some prize to win before the other guys. Like he had told Bobby, he was already totally into the girl. They had genuinely clicked in their time living in the Institute together and he enjoyed spending time with her more than anyone else
He sauntered up to the table Dani and Kitty's group was sitting at. Aside from the new addition of Laura, all the girls there were a combination of book smarts and fashion obsession, creating a group of rare, semi-popular nerds. That they were all attractive certainly helped them shake most of the nerd stigma. Amanda was the one who spotted Alex first and nudged Dani in the shoulder. The Cheyenne turned around at gave Alex a grin, though he could just barely make out the blush under her darker skin. "Hey Alex," she said, and it was soon chorused by the rest of the girls at the table, who aside from Kitty, Laura and Amanda, were looking at him the same way Dani was.
"Hi Dani, hello ladies," he returned the grin, his eyes quickly sweeping the table to acknowledge all the other girls but settling on Dani to make her know her was focused on her.
"Where's everyone else?" Dani asked, not seeing the usual gang of Kurt and Bobby.
"Skulking in the corner of there," he replied, tossing his head back lazily instead of pointing with his hand. That his long hair gave a little toss was just an added bonus.
Amanda and Dani glanced that direction, while Kitty merely sighed and turned back to her lunch. "What's my boyfriend up to now?" she asked with resigned dread.
"Nothing bad this time," he tried to reassure Kitty, "they're just waiting to see if I'm going to fall on my face."
"Doing what?" Dani asked with a confused look.
"This," he said with a smile. He took hold of her hand as he squatted down beside her. "Danielle Moonstar, you are one of the most incredible women I have ever met. You're smart, funny, caring, stunningly beautiful, and most importantly you're the one of the few things keeping me sane while I'm away from home. Would you please..."
Alex didn't actually finish what he had planned to say because Dani had launched herself of her seat and firmly attached herself to his lips with her own, causing Alex to fall back onto floor of the cafeteria with Dani on top of him. Around them were some cheers and wolf whistles, though plenty of disappointed remarks as there had been quite a few people with their hopes set on one of the two of them.
On the other side of the room, Kurt patted Bobby on the back. "Guess he showed you how to do it. He's definitely cooler zhan you mein freund." He left to go join his own girlfriend.
"He is not!" Bobby yelled out.
-------------
The rest of lunch passed without much fanfare for most of the group. Dani spent the rest of the meal molded to Alex's side, Kitty spent the time reassuring Bobby that he was still cool and how his asking her out meant the world to her, the four human girls of the group pestered Alex and Dani, and Laura was able to enjoy the rest of the meal observing the others without any questions directed at her. However, there was one whispered conversation between Amanda and Kurt that was fairly extraordinary.
"I can't believe I'm meeting vith your parents tonight," Kurt said softly.
"I'm pretty sure my dad knows it's you," Amanda said, a touch of nervousness in her voice.
"Vhat? How do you know?"
"When I told him I wanted to bring my new boyfriend to dinner for them to meet tonight, he gave me this look. My mom was excited but he just looked at me like he either knew we were together but I was bringing some other guy around to try and cover, or like he just figured out I was lying about it being someone new and was trying not to get angry."
"Vell, if it's the first one, zhen he knew and didn't say anyzhing, and he's angry about you cheating on me vhich means he kind of likes me."
"Or he hates you but hates that his daughter would cheat on a boy more."
"Or zhat. Aw man, eizher way zhis is going to suck."
She caressed the fur of his face through the hologram and placed a soft kiss on his lips. "We'll be okay. I don't care what they say, I'm not letting you go. I will fight them to make them see how great you are until I'm as blue as you are if I have to."
"Zhat might be interesting to see. Ve'd have to find a way to change your hair as vell."
"Maybe we can play around with one of you watches sometime, see what we can come up." She absently stroked the hand he had wrapped around her waist, brushing her fingers up against his watch. "Are you going to wear that tonight?"
"I haven't decided. It is easier for people to treat me normally vhen I wear it, but I always feel like I am lying to people who know. Vhat do you zhink?"
"I think you're sexy either way to tell you the truth."
Kurt blushed a bit and didn't bother holding back his smile. "Zhank you, I appreciate hearing zhat. But I don't zhink your fazher zhinks zhat about me."
"God I hope not!" she laughed.
He laughed with her a bit before settling back into thinking about later that evening. "I zhink maybe I'll vear it, but I have a feeling he'll ask me to turn it off."
"You're probably right. He's going to be angry enough at me for disobeying him, he's not going to want us pretending about anything else."
"He's going to rip me apart vith his bare hands, isn't he?"
"No he's not Kurt. I'm going to make sure he's angry at me. I'm the one who went against him, not you."
"Vell, at least ve die together."
-------------
The rest of the school day was a subdued affair for everyone, full of slogging through the afternoon classes and for some, worrying about Kurt's impending dinner with the parents of his secret girlfriend. When the day finally ended, Bobby gave everyone a break by driving them all home, though Kitty kept everyone nervous by occasionally making lunges towards the steering wheel from the passenger seat and cackling madly as most of the van flinched. Truth be told, Bobby felt a mix of pride and fear at Kitty's antics.
"So you really think I'm incredible?" Dani asked as she strolled from the van to the mansion's front door, arms clasped around Alex's right arm.
"Well yeah, who wouldn't?" he asked, as if he couldn't fathom it being false.
"I don't know. I am incredible after all," she said. She would have broke out into a grin, but the smile hadn't left her face since lunch time. "It's just a guy's never shown this much interest in me, at least a guy I liked."
"No guys in that cave hitting on you?" he asked her.
"Sadly no, it was a pretty boring cave."
"How about that vision thing you shared with Kitty, any of these guys I should be worried about after that?"
"That wasn't real, just something my mind and Kitty's memories made up. No one else was involved."
"Okay, that's good—"
"Still," she said, cutting him off. She glanced behind her, where Kitty and Bobby were walking back up from the garage after parking the van. "Dream Bobby did flirt with me a bit."
"Bobby, huh? Guess you can't trust anyone these days," Alex said with a smirk. "I'll just try extra hard to prove myself better than Bobby Drake."
"No need to try hard, it's pretty easy," she said and kissed him on the cheek.
"Hey!" interrupted Bobby, who was now close enough to hear them. "I'm happy Alex finally worked up the nerve to ask you out Dani, especially since it took months of me masterfully coaxing him out of his irrational fear of rejection. And I know that was a long time, and I'm sorry about that, but there's need to be mean."
"Sorry Bobby, I'm still a little upset that the dream you stopped flirting with me to stare at Kitty so much."
"He did not, brat!" Kitty yelled.
Dani turned to Alex again and spoke in a false whisper, "See, she liked him already then, but she was just so deep in denial that she didn't even notice it, or the little ways she would flirt back. Yeah, I've been crushing bad on you, but I was never as bad as those two were in that dream."
"Oh my god, I was not crushing on dream Bobby Drake!" Kitty said with a roll of her eyes.
"What's wrong with crushing on me?" Bobby asked.
"Um... well... he wasn't the real you?" Kitty said with a false smile.
Bobby scoffed "I bet you would have noticed and been fine with it if was dream Spider-Man," he muttered as he pushed past Alex and Dani.
"Oy vey! I am not getting into this again!" Kitty threw up her hands in frustration as she followed Bobby.
Tuning out the other two, Dani turned to Alex and her grin faltered a bit. "Just real quick for my sanity, how... what... where do we go from here?"
"I figured, dating, boyfriend / girlfriend. Slow as you want. It's just, I really like you, and I don't want to dance around like Bobby and Kitty did with their will they /won't they fighting/flirting thing they did. Totally lame."
"We can still hear you!" Kitty's yelled out the open front door to them.
"Just another couple then?" Dani asked with a grin, continuing to ignore her friend.
"Next hot couple at the mansion if I heard the rumors right," Alex responded, and leaned down to kiss his new girlfriend.
"Get a room!" Bobby added, ducking his head back inside the door frame to dodge the ball of plasma blindly thrown his direction.
-------------
After school Kurt spent an hour working on his homework before beginning his preparations for dinner. After a shower, thorough drying and changing, Kurt stopped down in the foyer of the mansion making some last minute nervous adjustments in the mirror.
"Going with the hologram?" a voice called out from the foot of the stairs, causing him to jump a bit. A turn of his head revealed Rogue, still clad in most of the extra covering she wore to school. Usually she relaxed a bit in the mansion since everyone here knew to stay well away from her, but at school she was constantly on guard and as covered as possible. Kurt was sometimes surprised she didn't wear a veil.
He smiled at his sister and went back to fiddling with his tie. "Amanda and I both zhink her fazher vill make me take it off, but it is a more pleasant sight to see vhen first opening zhe door zhen my real face."
"You sure ya want to do this Kurt? Ya don't have to." Rogue walked over and grabbed his tie, straightening it out for him and smoothing its length where it was bunching a bit.
"I do have to. Amanda's family is very important to her and I don't like making her sneak around for me. I'm not worth zhe risk."
Rogue's eyes flashed with anger and her hands clenched around the silk as she pulled to knot tighter around her brother's neck. "Don't talk lahke that Kurt. You're one of best people ever ta walk this shithole of a planet, stop making ya'self out ta be nothing! That girl is crazy about you an' she's luck to have you. She knows that and'll do whatever it takes to keep ya."
Kurt pulled her hands away from the tie she had turned into a noose, ripping at the cloth to loosen it. "Okay, I get it! No need to kill me over it." The tie's knot ruined, he pulled it off and began retying it.
"Sorry," Rogue muttered. "Ahm having some anger issues lately. Ah just don't want you to throw this away because it's getting harder."
"Believe me, I have no intention of letting her go, no matter vhat happens tonight." He again started to straighten the tie, slapping away Rogue's hand when she moved to try and help. "I zhink your anger issues have had enough time with my zhroat."
She shrugged. "Not mah fault guys think a noose is fashion."
"So vhat is zhe cause of your anger issues zhis time?" he asked, his clothes at last looking presentable.
"Little bit of everything, as usual," she said dismissively.
"Rogue, zhis isn't healthy," Kurt started.
"Ah know, believe me. Maybe Ah'll hunt down the Swamp Rat later and take it out on him." She moved to change the topic. "Ya ever think of introducing Amanda to your parents?"
"Oh, I'm sure Mystique vould be zhrilled with me bringing home a plain old human girl," he said with a roll of his eyes.
"Ah meant your foster parents," she said with a smirk. "Who gives a shit what Mystique thinks?"
"Oh, vell, I vas planning on going back to Deutchland to see zhem zhis summer. Maybe Amanda could come if I vin her parents over tonight."
"You could always see if the Professor will fly them out for graduation, Ah think he'd do that. She could meet them then."
"Graduation," he said with a bemused look on his face. "I had actually forgotten about zhat. Good idea sis." His smiled disappeared and he looked pensive.
She knew him, and what idea she had accidently put in his head. "Just ask Kurt," she said with a resigned sigh.
"Vhere do you think she is?" he said after a moment more of silence.
"Ah don't know. Irene... Mah Mother said she was on a mission for someone other than Magneto, but that was months ago. Ah haven't asked again since then. Would you talk to her if she showed up again?" He didn't say anything. "You would, wouldn't ya?"
"Probably," he said softly.
"Don't tell me you've forgiven her!"
"I haven't, but I vould at least listen. You know it's my nature to forgive people, to let old pains heal. It's been almost a year since ve saw her last, and much of my anger at her is gone. Vouldn't you at least hear her out now?"
"Ah'm not like you Kurt, Ah don't just let things go that easily. Not after everything…" she sighed again, and despite her words he could see her the anger she had just let build up slip away. "But Ah did promise mah Mother to at least hear Mystique out next time instead of just punching her lahke she deserves."
Kurt smiled at her. "So you are growing as a person, good to hear zhat."
"Shut up Kurt, don't you have to go humiliate yourself again?"
"Not yet, I've been so nervous zhat I got ready early. I still have an half an hour."
-------------
The siblings spoke for the rest of that half an hour until Kurt teleported away to his dinner date. They were interrupted only once as Kitty dropped down through the ceiling just before Kurt left to give her friend a hug and to assure him he would do fine.
Of course, as was Rogue's lot in life, the calm built up throughout her comforting conversation with her wise-beyond-his-years brother was ruined right after she watched him disappear in a burst of brimstone, because leaning against the banister of the grand staircase, in blue jeans and a tight black shirt, was Remy LeBeau.
"Swamp Rat," she grounded out slowly, "Ah swear to Gahd if you're listening in to mah private conversations, Ah will make Logan's little talk with you look lahke a tea party."
He smiled at her, that annoying, smug curl of his lips that made her want to pound him into the ground because of how damn delectable she found it. "You clearly have no' been to de same tea parties I've been to. But have no fear Chere, I have only recently entered into yo' presence." His black eyes twinkled a bit at her in silent laughter.
"We'll kindly exit mah presence while you're at it," she said, walking past him and heading toward the kitchen.
Remy pushed himself out of his lean and quickly matched stride next to her. Rogue pushed her way through the swinging door to the kitchen and tried to have the wood slam into the Cajun following her, but he nimbly dodged out of the way. "I t'ink I said dis before Chere, but it's always nice to see you out and talkin' wit' de folks 'round here. You spend too much time closed off, non?"
Stopping in the middle of the room, she spun on her heel to face him. "And Ah think Ah've told you Ah don't give a damn what you think."
"Now we both know dat ain't true Chere. When I go' here, you were hiding in your room as much as you could, listenin' to music and pretendin' de world don't exist. Now you back talkin' wit' your friends an' findin' dat happiness Gambit said you should."
She scoffed. "Please, you do not get to take credit for something that would have happened anyways. It wasn't the first time Ah've closed mahself off because of something bad shook meh up, probably won't be the last. And Ah always get over it."
"Admit it though, it happen much faster wit' Remy's help. You—"
"Help?!" she cut in. She had had enough of his smug attitude and unleashed on him. "Listen up Swamp Rat. Ah've had a lot of problems in mah life. Mah Mama turned out to be a manipulative bitch who had been using meh from day one. Ah couldn't play with other kids when Ah was a little because Mama and Mother said Ah might get hurt, so Ah never had many friends. And now Ah got no end of assholes out to kill me for either being a mutant or not being mutant enough for them. But of all mah problems, the only thing worse than not being able to touch someone without maybe killing them is you! You've been one of those assholes trying to kill meh, you've kidnapped meh, you've used meh just as bad as Mystique, and then to top it all off, ya waltz in here lahke ya own the place, pretended lahke you haven't done all that other shit to meh, acting lahke ya have all the answers to mah problems, generally pissing meh off every little way possible and worst off all, continually trying to get into mah pants! Which, by the way, would probably kill you even more painfully than me just touching ya."
He smiled again. "I'm no' sho' I see what you trying to say Chere."
"Ah'm saying you're an asshole, Ah'm sick of your shit, and Ah want to know what the hell you want from meh!"
"If I may address some of yo' concerns," he said with a nod of his head. "First off, our little tussle when we first met was hardly a death match, just a bit o' fun, no one got hurt. An' yes, Ah was less than truthful when I took you down to Louisiana, but as bad as Mystique? I may have made sho' you helped with my dad, but it not like I trew you under a bus to save my own hide like she woulda done. As fo' having all de answers, I just give my opinions. Maybe de help, maybe de don't. But just de udder day you say that I was right."
"The day you left in the middle of a training session?" she accused.
"Well, I never been much of a team player Chere. But you gotta admit I just been trying ta help wit' what I been sayin'."
"Why?! Why stick around here and help meh, but then piss me off all over again! You have to have something better to do with your life than hang around here because you're somewhat interested in me."
"Maybe. But it a bit more dan 'somewhat.' You frankly de most intriguin' girl I ever met. Dere ain't no one like you in de whole world Chere, and dat wort' stickin' around fo'."
She looked gob smacked. She knew that so much of what he was doing was all so..."So putting this into words ya tiny mind might grasp, ya like meh and since Ah don't have pigtails to pull you've just been making me angry?"
He frowned. "Dat make it sound a bit more childish den it is. I just like seeing dat passion back in you, instead of seeing you pain or being all depressed. If you gotta be angry at Gambit to be more alive, mo' yo'self, it a sacrifice I'm willin' ta make. Dis mask you wear, pretendin' you don't care, dat you don't need someone, it killin' you slowly Rogue. Dis ain't who you are."
"You have no idea who Ah am!" she yelled. "Ah'm not this made up thing in your mind, some girl with problems ya can just sweep in and fix and suddenly she's this… bubbly southern belle whose able to live her life just fahne and dandy even when she ain't able to touch. Well new flash for ya 'Sugah': that ain't me!"
"Maybe not, but you dat girl more den you t'ink. You keep pulling up all des t'ing's trying to convince me and yo'self you don't feel somet'ing too. When you t'ink about our little trip down South, I bet you t'ink more about Creole cookin' and Mardi Gras den my old man. You keep saying you ain't lettin' anyone in because you can't touch dem, but dat a lie, you don't let dem in because you're scared ta feel somet'ing. T'ings stay de way dey are, I bet if you could touch tomorrow you'd act de same way. You need dis."
"Ah can't have it! My powers..."
"Everyone have problems Chere. Scotty boy have dem glasses, yo' friend Kitty still fall through de floor when something spook her. Jeanie don't just get a song stuck in her head, she get everyone's song stuck in her head. Even Remy have to concentrate he don't charge up yo' shirt if he touch it," he said his last bit running his fingers down the fishnet sleeve of her shirt.
Rogue jerked away. "It's not the same for meh. Ah don't get a little trick to help my powers. Just cover up and never feel anything."
"How many times I need to tell you, feelin' is more den just skin. You tellin' me you feel nothin'? I know dat ain't true Chere. I know you feel somet'ing fo' me den just being angry."
"It doesn't matter," she murmured, crossing her arms tight against her torso, folding in away from him.
"Dat ain't a denial. We makin' progress. Let me in Rogue. No tricks, I want not'ing from you but you to be happy."
"Doesn't work that way Remy," she said, again her voice quiet and almost meek, resigned to her fate.
"Because you don't let it. Maybe you too far gone after all. Too scared to be happy." He turned to leave, his hands tucking into his pockets.
"You think you know me Remy," she hissed at his back.
Remy stopped, but didn't turn around as a smile crept onto his face. "I t'ink I know better den you want to believe."
"You think you understand what Ah am, lahke my powers don't change everything about my life?"
"Dey don't have to," Remy said slowly. He felt her hand grab his shoulder and spin him around.
She glared at him. "It doesn't matter, they do."
"Because you let dem. Dey ain't all you dere is to you."
"You don't understand."
"You keep sayin' dat like I might believe you."
"Fine."
Rogue reached up with both her gloved hands, pulling Remy's face down to her own and pressed her full lips to his. For a brief instant they both experienced that magical moment when a long awaited kiss begins, where time stands still and for that half second, everything is right in the world. Remy felt her tongue gently brush against his lips and he had just registered the sensation and was sending signals to respond in kind when that moment shattered. He had felt this new pain before, but never to this extent. What was once long ago a brief flash of pain and dizziness was now like a vacuum stuck to his lips that didn't pull on his skin but shifted the blood in his veins, reversing the flow and tugged on his very soul. The world spun around him but still he was pulled. His consciousness was slipping away, but something so much more was leaving as well.
Finally Rogue let go of his face and he collapsed onto the floor. He tried to move muscles that long stopped responding; his eyes struggled to stay open and look at the woman towering above him.
She looked down on him, the whites of her eyes turning black as if being soaked in murky ink. Her red pupils locked onto his, and as they regarded him they filled with contempt and a dash of pity as she searched to see if at last he understood her. He felt the darkness closing over him like a grave being filled with dirt, the last speck of light bringing her voice drifting down to him.
"This is what Ah am, mon Cher."