Inappropriate

"Wow! It's almost night fall…" Kitty commented as she struggled to keep up with Jean, who marched through the difficult trail.

"Yep…" Jean responded shortly, her breath hitched as her tired legs forced her onwards, as the trail started to lead up a hill, a rocky one at that.

As Jean and Kitty marched onward, they could hear Storm's distant voice from up ahead, muttering encouragements to the visibly tired and sore campers.

"Are you as tired as I am?" Kitty called out, in an attempt to start a conversation with her clearly uninterested crush.

"Yes" Jean replied shortly, as she moved to the side in order to avoid the big mud puddle.

"You want me to carry something for you? Cause I can if you want"

"I'm fine!" Jean retorted in frustration, as she cleared the mud puddle.

As Jean stepped onto solid and dry earth, Kitty quickly caught up to the woman and began walking along side her, a happy smile spread across her lips as she couldn't help but watch Jean intently with her big brown eyes. Jean kept her focus on the ground ahead, trying to ignore Kitty's gaze, as she tried to out walk the smaller girl in an attempt to keep away from her.

"You're not wearing my gift…" Kitty stated sadly, when her eyes searched the area around Jean's neck to find that her necklace with the two silver rings weren't there.

"It was an inappropriate gift Kitty. How can you expect me to wear something from someone who can't take a hint and leave me alone!" Jean stated angrily, stopping to give Kitty an icy look.

"How is it an inappropriate gift?" Kitty asked with a look of hurt, before stopping when she realized that Jean had stopped.

Kitty turned around to watch Jean, who now stood behind her, giving her a look that startled Kitty.

"You gave me a commitment ring Kitty! Let me guess…I'm supposed to wear it and give you the other when we have sex? When I've finally given you what you want?" Jean stated harshly, as Kitty looked on with a hurt expression. "What did you think was going to happen? You flirt with me, black mail me, and give me two commitment rings-"

"Jean-"

"you actually expect me to fall in love with you! To sleep with you and return your feelings for me with feelings for you in a shape of a ring! Well that's not going to happen ok? I will not sleep with you-ever! Even if you were legal because I'm with Scott-a man! Not a small child-"

"Jean-"

"Stop calling me that! From now on you will call me by my last name like all the other children do! I don't want to hear another word about commitment or anything that involves me being with you-cause nothing will ever happen between you and me!" Jean stated, before walking away from a stunned and hurt Kitty.

"But I love you!"

"No you don't Kitty…its just a crush. You'll get over me…" Jean stated knowledgably, before adding. "Come on Kitty…we're behind, the rest of the group has gone ahead of us-we best not get left behind…"

Kitty fought back the urge to cry, as she leaned down on the ground in a crouch like position for a moment. She positioned her head against her knees, as she tried to control the hot tears surfacing from her eyes. After a few reflective breaths, Kitty slowly got up, brushed her forming tears away with her sleeve, and then quickly moved onward. Making her way up the difficult trail, she approached Jean with a cold expression. And as Jean practically refused to turn her head to even acknowledge the girl; Kitty quickly walked up to Jean and moved around her.

Oh no. She's crying… Jean thought to herself as she felt a twinge of guilt and a feeling of nausea in the pit of her stomach. Thinking that the girl would stop to walk along with her, since Kitty was in fact her hiking partner, Jean heaved a heavy sigh as she watched Kitty continue to walk further and further away from her. "Kitty wait up! You're walking a little to fast for me…" Jean called out to the girl, but didn't get much of a response, as she watched Kitty quicken her pace to move further away from Jean. "Kitty! I know you're not going to leave me behind…to walk all by myself" Jean called out, quickening her pace slightly so she could at least attempt to catch up to the now speedy teen. When Kitty continued to ignore Jean, the older woman sighed heavily as the exhaustion started to set in. "Kitty! Slow down will yeah? If you keep walking with that pace you'll tire yourself out…and then I'll have to carry you the rest of the distance" Jean called out, as she narrowly avoided another mud puddle.

"Fuck you…" Kitty muttered under her breath as she quickened her pace even more. Although Jean didn't hear exactly what Kitty muttered, Jean could pretty much guess what those two little words were, and stopped for a second, shocked that Kitty would actually say that to her.

"Kitty! You better not have said what I think you said-"

"what did I say Jean? Was it…fuck you?" Kitty responded sarcastically, her voice slightly shrilled and her eyes red from the tears. "Oh wait…it was! I did say that-wow! I'm in big trouble now!" Kitty added with even more sarcasm, as Jean stopped where she stood, her mouth hung open.

"Kitty, I know you're mad at me but come on! That's inappropriate language!"

"Does it really look like I give a shit?" Kitty replied, as she began walking backwards so she could watch Jean's expression. That's it Kitty, pretend that you're all tough and shit!

"Kitty…are you crying?" Jean asked randomly.

"What do you care? All you care about is being squeaky-clean Jean! Everyone loves Jean Grey! She's the most perfect mutant on the fucking planet! Falls in love with who ever makes sense and teases every heart that falls in love with her! Leads them on and then leaves them to die!" Kitty retorted snottily, before forcing her tired feet to run when she saw Jean begin to pick her tired feet up and make a run for her.

"Kitty, come here!" Jean replied, slightly hurt by Kitty's words.

When Kitty was convinced that Jean was no longer running after her, she soon stopped running. She turned around once again, walking backwards as she watched Jean with teary eyes.

"What's wrong Jean? Getting a taste of your own fucking medicine?" Kitty teased, before her attention was brought away from Jean when she heard Storm's voice calling out her name as well as Jean's. Before Kitty could react, Jean grabbed for the girl and held her in a close and secure hold. "Let go!"

"No!" Jean replied as she held the violently struggling Kitty against her. "Cry if you need to…I'm not going to let you run off and make a fool out of yourself!" Jean responded with gritted teeth, as she continued to struggle with the upset and still violently struggling Kitty.

"Let me go!" Kitty repeated her demand.

"No!" Jean responded strongly, before realizing that Kitty was no longer in her grip. Where did she go? "Kitty?" Jean called out, looking all around her, before turning to see Kitty running as fast as she could away from Jean. As soon as Jean saw Kitty, she picked up her tired feet and quickly ran after the girl. I can't believe she used her powers on me! She must have fazed right through me and then fazed through that rock thing on my left…and then reemerged back on the trail! Jean thought to herself, before turning the corner to find Kitty standing next to her friend, with Storm and the rest of the campers sitting together.

"Jean! Thank God! We were worried that you and Kitty got lost or something…" Storm responded with a look of relief. And as Jean struggled to catch her breath, she watched as the other campers rose from their seated position; flashlight in their hands as the closing darkness made things harder to see. "We're not that far away…about another 10 minutes and we can set up camp again!" Storm replied, looking as tired as everyone else did.

And as Kitty opened her backpack to retrieve her flashlight, Jean quickly moved beside her, and attempted to pull the girl towards her and away from the pack to speak to her in private. But, as Jean's hand grabbed hold of Kitty's arm, the young girl quickly fazed out of Jean's hold, and flashed her a disapproving look, before making her way to stand next to her friend, leaving Jean to stare after her.

"Ok, everyone stay close with your partner! The darkness is very dangerous to hikers, so we must work together and stay together! Lock arms to, so if your partner falls, you can hold them up!" Storm instructed, as Jean pulled out her own flashlight.

"Hey Kitty…is my hiking partner going to desert me?" Jean called out, but Kitty refrained from looking at the woman.

"Bobby! Why don't you be Jean's partner, and I'll stay with Steph…ok? Good!" Kitty asked as well as answered for the bewildered boy, who took one good look at Jean and instantly shrank an inch or two in fear.

Jean laughed in disbelief as she watched Kitty and her friend Steph walk away, leaving her with an equally not so thrilled Bobby.

Urrrgh! That girl is going to drive me crazy! Jean thought to herself as she eyed Bobby fiercely, before locking arms with him and slowly walking down the path. Bobby's head facing one way, and Jean's facing the other.

"Kitty are you ok? You look like you've been crying" Steph stated with concern, as Kitty shook her head from side to side.

"No! No, no…I haven't been crying. It's just my allergies are acting up" Kitty replied as Jean frowned guiltily, for she knew the truth behind Kitty's lie.

"Oh, ok…what are you allergic to?" Steph asked, as Kitty shrugged her shoulders.

"Phonies mostly…liars, players, and manipulative jerks!" Kitty replied making Jean's frown deepen since she knew whom Kitty was referring to.

"Oh, really? Whose the bastard that dare turn my friend's beautiful smile upside down?" Steph commented, making Jean shake her head as she listened to Kitty's laugh.

"Someone I thought was worth fighting for, worth having around despite what's considered moral or immoral…but I guess I have bad taste in lovers" Kitty responded, as Jean suddenly became aware of just how badly that last comment affected her emotionally.

"I wonder who would make Kitty that upset? Did she talk to you about it?" Bobby asked, in an attempt to start up a conversation with Jean.

"No…but I think I know who she's referring to…" Jean replied knowingly, as she let her eyes fall to the ground, while bringing her flashlight to help her see were she was walking.

"Well, whoever hurt Kitty must be an idiot! Cause that girl has to be the most amazing girl I have ever met…and if it weren't for Rogue-I'd be hot on her heels! I mean she's smart-an honor student for God's sake! Beautiful, funny, caring, fun to be around, reliable, and girlfriend material!" Bobby continued on the subject, his icy blue eyes shining when he went through the list of things that described Kitty Pryde.

Which didn't make Jean feel any better, especially when she heard the first part of the boy's comment.

"Bobby"

"Yes Ms. Grey?"

"You are hot on her heels…" Jean reminded as she sent the boy a memorable image from the conversation she had with him the day before.

"Oh yeah…how could I forget" Bobby replied as Jean turned her attention to stare at the back of Kitty's head.