Disclaimers on chapter 1

Chapter 10

"Class dismissed" Kurt said half-heartedly when the bell rang signalling the end of the period. It had been nearly two days now since the mission and he was amazed that nobody had asked him what was wrong and from the look of it he might be able to get through the day without anyone asking.

"You okay Kurt?"

Scratch that.

"I've been better" Kurt answered Rogue's question as he turned to the younger girl. "Returning to places that hold the horrors of one's past tends to open old wounds as well as make new vons"

Rogue shuddered as she remembered what had happened the last time. She could barely handle seeing Jean sacrificing herself to save them yet the person in front of her had been able to return to the very place that started the events that had happened over a month ago twice and was only now starting to feel the negative effects.

"On the subject, do you know how Katzchen is coping?" Kurt asked. "I've barely seen her since ve got back vhich is a surprisen und I'm starting to vorry"

Rogue snorted before jerking her thumb at the back of the room. "See fer yerself"

Looking in the direction Rogue pointed out Kurt raised his eyebrows as he saw Kitty sleeping peacefully in her seat her face buried in her arms.

"Ever since the morning after ya'll got back she's been stuck in the lahbrary whenever she ain't got classes, something about a punishment exercise"

Kurt groaned. "Und she is sleeping now because she spent the night finishing it off I presume"

He knew she would have put the punishment to the top of her to do list but he did not know that she would have gone to such lengths to finish it. Walking over to the sleeping beauty Kurt carefully pressed the tip of his prehensile tail into Kitty's lower back directly on her spine before dragging it right up her back. The act made Kitty arch her back so quickly that she nearly toppled backwards off of her chair only prevented so by Kurt grabbing her feet and pulling in the opposite direction bringing Kitty's chair back onto four legs whilst the girl herself looked round trying to figure out where she was.

"As much as ah'd like to see the girl get punished by her favourite teacher" Rogue grinned as she walked to the door of the classroom. "Ah promised Bobby ah'd help him with something after class"

"Try not to absorb too much of him during your studies" Kurt jokingly advised making the girl blush before she vanished out the door.

Kitty meanwhile had managed to get her bearings and was able sneak away through the back wall whilst Kurt was occupied. Unfortunately when she emerged on the other side she saw Kurt leaning against the wall on the opposite side making the girl blink before quickly poking her head back through the wall to see an empty class. Pulling her head back through she turned to face a blank wall and no Kurt.

"Looking for somevon?" Kurt asked from directly above her making the girl gasp out loud as she took several steps back whilst looking up to see Kurt hanging from the rafters by his tail.

"For someone who is supposed to be a man of god you sure have a devilish side" Kitty joked before realising what she said. "I'm sorry I didn't mean-"

"No offense taken" Kurt interrupted as he teleported to the ground before turning more serious. "How are you coping vith your acceptance over vhat you did the other day"

Kitty shrugged. "I haven't really thought about what happened at the lake since we got back, haven't had much sleep either"

"So your actions in class, or lack thereof, have told me" Kurt said as he walked off towards his quarters. "I suggest an early night und finish vhat's left of your assignment tomorrow"

"Not gonna happen" Kitty said making Kurt stop in his tracks.

He barely had time to turn round before Kitty had pushed both the book he gave her and several sheets of paper into his chest. Quickly browsing through it Kurt saw that she had translated it word for word.

"Well?" Kitty asked nervously as started fidgeting with the hem of her jumper.

"Very impressive" Kurt admitted as he finished leafing through it. "A few grammar errors but othervise a perfect translation"

"That's not what I meant" Kitty whispered.

Kurt looked up at the girl to see that she was closer than before and looking at him with a hopeful gaze in her eyes. He chuckled weakly.

"I vas hoping you vould take longer to finish this so I vould have more time to prepare myself" Kurt said sounding slightly nervous himself.

Kitty giggled slightly before she slowly placed her arms round Kurt's waist thankful that the corridor they were in was now empty. "Sometimes its best not to prepare and just jump right in"

"You are the expert on leaping vithout looking I'll give you that" Kurt said as he gently pulled himself out of the girls grasp. "However some things, like our...relationship, require time"

Kitty, who had started to feel upset at Kurt pulling away from her, felt elated when Kurt spoke of them having a relationship before suddenly realising why Kurt was being so uncomfortable. "You've never had someone like you for who you are let alone love you"

The next thing she knew Kurt's tail had wrapped round her ankle and was then teleported into his room landing softly on the bed whilst Kurt landed on the bedpost crouched like a gargoyle.

"I apologise for the sudden trip" said Kurt as he jumped off the post and sat down on the edge of the bed. "But I figured you vould vant an explanation somevhere more private"

Kitty nodded before getting herself more comfortable beside Kurt waiting patiently for him to explain. Kurt took a deep breath before starting.

"As far back as I can remember I've been all alone in this vorld. I vas abandoned on the steps of a church not long after I vas born und grew up following the teachings the reverend of that church showed me hence my peaceful nature.

Vhen I vas fifteen the reverend passed avay und I vas forced to flee from those he had protected me from eventually running into the Munch circus who gave me my nickname and shelter in return for the audiences I gathered during their shows. Unfortunately four years later ve vere forced to disband vhen a bunch of mutant haters disrupted our show trying to capture me, I vas able to escape them und managed to find shelter in a torn down church vhich I called home until not long ago.

The first person to like me vas Frau Munroe who saw me as somevon trying to go through life peacefully like herself, she became mien first real friend. The next person vas your best friend Rogue, after I saved her life she alvays looked up to me for comfort und guidance especially vhen she felt that her powers vhere stopping her from having a more intimate relationship vith her boyfriend, she became mien loving sister in a sense. Und then there is you..."

Kitty, having found herself on an emotional rollercoaster as she listened to Kurt's tale, felt her heartbeat quicken as she looked into the glowing yellow eyes that were focusing on her.

"Ever since ve first met you have tried to get to know me better than both Frau Munroe und Rogue, on a more personal level if I may be so bold" Kurt added causing Kitty to blush. "You vant to know the real me und at the same time make me feel that I am not alone. Yet despite how close ve are getting I am afraid of vhat might happen"

Kitty smiled softly as she sat beside him leaning against him whilst he draped his arm round her waist.

"I guess I can cope with a slow relationship seeing as it's you" Kitty said as she took Kurt's other hand in her own. "But if we ain't in a real relationship by the time I'm eighteen I'm hooking up with Piotr"

Kurt chuckled as he took his hand out of Kitty's and stroked her cheek gently. "Just because I'm not truly ready for a relationship does it mean I can't start von"

Kitty's face went beet red at his statement before feeling bold and started to move in as Kurt lowered his head closer to hers.

~ Could all X-men please head to my office immediately~ The Professor spoke in their minds causing them to jump apart as if electrocuted.

[For the love of God!] Kitty cursed in German. [We were so close!]

[Now you know how I feel when he does that] Kurt stated making Kitty jump again as she remembered who the language teacher was at the mansion. "However if he is asking all of us to meet then it must be important"

Sighing in frustration Kitty made to leave for her own room before Kurt caught her shoulder. "He said all X-men liebchen"

The two of them laughed at her forgetfulness before Kurt teleported them away. The next second they were both in the Professor's office where the rest of the team minus Logan was waiting.

"I apologise for the sudden announcement but there is some pressing matters I have been alerted to" The Professor began. "Cerebro has detected two mutants both using their powers to cause havoc. This was further proved when I received two calls from separate police forces in the areas where they are.

"The first one, James Madrox with the power to duplicate himself, has taken the Brooklyn Bridge and is planning to blow it up with explosives he had stolen earlier. The second one is former student John Allerdyce who is currently setting fire to a power plant several states over"

"I'll handle John" said Bobby as he stepped forward. "I'm the only one who can stand against him"

"I'll go with him" Ororo said as she stood beside him. "As backup if needed"

Kurt sighed heavily before speaking. "I shall go to Brooklyn to take care of Herr Madrox"

"Whilst I focus on taking care of the bombs that he's already set to blow" Kitty finished. ~We're the ultimate infiltration team cause of our powers~

~I have to agree with you on that Kitty~ The Professor said before addressing them all. "Be careful all of you, there has been enough lost already and I'm sure none of us wants to lose someone else"

*#~#*

Logan sighed in frustration as he finished off another batch of guards. He had wound up in Japan near some fortress but had to get off early before he was noticed so was only just arriving.

~On your own again Logan~ The Professor's voice sounded in his head. ~Have you learned nothing from our time together? ~

"Deathstrike's a link to my past, the only one left" Logan explained sounding slightly desperate. "I've gotta do this"

~At what cost? We need you here~

Logan breathed deeply before looking ahead as if imagining the Professor was standing right in front of him. "I promise, Chuck, I'll come back and help when all this is finished"

With that he set off towards the castle whilst the Professor pulled his mind back. He knew Logan was a man of his word and, if he was not mistaken, he had made a promise to someone else that was special to him that he was also going to keep.

#~*~#

Quick side note: my profile page has been updated to provide several MC stories that will be started this year that said

R&R

& 'til next time

Watch this space & peace out