When Peggy woke up, she was on the other side of the room. There were no lights, plunging the mall into a half-darkness. The constant noise had finally ceased. Everything was very still. She thought for a moment that she might be dead but when she drew in a breath, she inhaled a cloud of dust. As she coughed and spluttered, Peggy tried to sit up.
Her head swam and she groaned, closing her eyes again to help stave off the dizziness. Her head hurt like hell. Peggy tentatively placed her hand at the base of her skull where the majority of the pain throbbed. When she drew her hand away, there was thankfully no blood. A siren wailed in the distance, an alarm bell, growing louder and louder as she came to terms with consciousness.
Bits and pieces were slowly coming back to her. She was at the mall. Something had exploded. She was there with someone. Suddenly Peggy didn't feel any pain. Kurt. Where was Kurt? She forced herself to get to her feet. Her legs swayed beneath her but she stuck out her arm and grabbed onto the wall. Now she was upright, she could see more of her surroundings.
They were very lucky, the cinema had survived the explosion. The lights were all out but daylight flooded in through the glass dome in the ceiling and she could see people all around her. Fortunately, everyone seemed relatively unharmed. Most had got to their feet and were helping others up. A teenager who worked at the cinema was behind the snacks counter, frantically trying to reassure people whilst calling for help, but it appeared the phones were down. Peggy ignored all the commotion around her. She was only looking for one person.
"Kurt?" She tried to call out to him but her voice came out hoarse and stretched. She tried again but her cry was buried under the noise of the entire mall shouting and screaming. "Kurt!"
"Peggy?" She span around, her heart in her mouth, and saw her friend on the other side of the cinema. Kurt looked shaken and afraid but otherwise unscathed. With a relieved sob, Peggy hurried across the room, weaving through the crowds to fall into his outstretched arms. Kurt pulled her into a tight hug, burying his face in her hair. "Danke. Mein Gott, danke." He murmured against her neck, his warm breath expanding over her skin.
Peggy was pressed so tight against his chest, she could feel his heart hammering under her hand. He was just as frightened for her as she was for him. Kurt pulled away to get a good look at her, his scarlet eyes searching for any sign of injury. Neither of them had suffered any superficial wounds but Peggy hit her head when she fell and Kurt's left ankle twinged with pain from where he'd sharply twisted it. "Peggy, mein Liebling, bist du verletzt?" At any other time, the term of endearment would have had her heart somersaulting, but Peggy was just too shocked and disoriented.
"I'm fine. I think I hit my head but I'm okay. Are you alright?" Her hands squeezing the tops of his arms as she spoke, trying to get him to relax. She had no idea what happened but they were both safe and that was all that mattered. Kurt nodded quickly but didn't have a chance to speak. The teenager had given up on the phone and was evacuating the cinema. Somewhere in the mall, the alarm was still whirring. Peggy watched the flood of people seeping out of the theatre then turned back to Kurt. "We need to leave." She decided, having to raise her voice over the cacophony around them. He nodded his agreement but just as Peggy was about to join the crowds, he took her arm.
"The others." Peggy felt her chest squeeze. In all the confusion, she'd forgotten they weren't at the mall alone. Their friends were still out there. Were they safe? What if they'd been close to the explosion? Peggy shook those thoughts from her mind as quickly as they surfaced. She couldn't think like that, she had to be productive.
Peggy gestured for Kurt to follow her then joined the clamour of people evacuating the cinema. The escalators had all stopped as well as the tinny music that usually echoed through the shopping centre. Peggy wondered if the explosion had taken out the electricity. Mall attendants were herding people towards the stairs, asking them to move quickly but to remain calm.
They ducked and broke away from the crowd, keeping low as they hurried in the opposite direction. They passed unnoticed, the security guards were overwhelmed with people and they luckily slipped under the radar. As they ran along the length of the first floor, Kurt glanced back to see what had caused the explosion. The wall beneath the cinema had been completely blown away, blackening the floor and leaving a pile of rubble where a pizza place used to stand on the edge of the food court. The security guards were shepherding people towards the fire exit whilst others surveyed the damage.
Kurt tapped Peggy's arm and pointed to the detonation point. She gasped when she saw how close they were to the explosion. She thanked her lucky stars that the extent of the bomb hadn't reached the cinema, otherwise both she and Kurt would be goners. He scanned the crowds, searching for his friends. He was relieved to see Francisco amongst the fray, but there was no sign of Jean, Jubilee or Scott. Peggy took his arm and they began to run again, keeping away from the protective glass barrier that ran along the edge of the first floor, trying to keep out of sight.
They looked for their friends in every shop they passed but it was hard to do. Hundreds of people swarmed out of every store, heading in the direction the mall attendants told them. It was like looking for three needles in a haystack, exacerbated by the overwhelming panic that surged through the mall. They circled round to the other side without seeing a single sign of any of their friends. Just as Kurt was starting to worry, he thought he heard someone call their names. He grabbed Peggy's arm to stop her from charging off and waited with baited breath, straining to hear over the din.
"Kurt! Peggy!" The second cry was just as soft as the first but now they were listening for it, it was much clearer. Peggy craned her neck to see who was calling to them but Kurt tapped her arm and pointed over to an alcove in the wall. When she saw what he had, Peggy felt like a weight had been lifted from her shoulders.
"Jubilee!" She was crouched down behind the corner, her shoulders hunched up to make herself as small as possible. Her eyes were wide and frightened as she waved them over. Peggy and Kurt ran across the length of the mall whilst Jubilee fearfully kept watch over their shoulders. They knelt beside her, quickly asking if she was alright. Jubilee was unharmed but she was alone and terrified for her friends.
"It was a bomb. Someone set off a bomb downstairs. I saw the explosion." She told them, keeping her voice to a whisper. She tried to make out that it was because they were hiding but really Jubilee was scared out of her mind and her voice wouldn't work properly. Peggy glanced at Kurt and was somewhat relieved to see he looked just as alarmed as she felt. It wasn't an accident after all, someone had planted a bomb, someone wanted to harm them. But then again, they hadn't seen or heard of anyone being hurt. Who would seek to destroy a public building without injuring any of its visitors?
"Where're the others?" Kurt asked, trying to keep them all on task. Fear could keep you focused but it could also freeze you up. They needed to remember their training and keep calm. Jubilee shook her head.
"I don't know. I left them to go to the bathroom. They said they were going to the smoothie bar upstairs." She pointed to the escalators that led up to the next floor. All Peggy needed was to see the resolute expressions on her friends' faces to know that they were all thinking the same thing. They gathered themselves, mentally and physically, then straightened up. Most of the people had been evacuated but there were still hundreds dotted around the mall. Families, other teenagers, shop assistants, they were all terrified. They made sure they all knew where they were going just in case they got separated by the heaving crowds, then got ready to leave their hideout.
"Let's go." Kurt murmured, and so they did. The three X-Men kept low as they scurried across the mall, weaving through the crowds with ease. They kept close together for fear of getting separated, which came in handy when Kurt suddenly spotted a commotion down on the ground floor. He stopped Jubilee who stopped Peggy and they all crowded around the glass barrier to watch what was occurring downstairs. A woman screamed and suddenly all eyes were on the blast site.
A dozen men came marching through the hole made in the wall, all armed with enormous guns clutched in big meaty hands. Someone else screamed as more and more armed troops flooded the ground floor, and the orderly queues the mall attendants had worked so hard to maintain suddenly broke. The people scattered, running in a hundred different directions in primal panic. "We have to help." Kurt's eyes were wide as he watched the chaos unfold below. He prepared to teleport downstairs but Jubilee took his arm before he could.
"Wait, look!" She pointed to one of the fire exits that dotted the ground floor. Two of the gunmen were standing either side of the exit, guiding people through the door and out to safety. "They're letting them go?" Jubilee's bewildered tone matched Peggy's turbulent thoughts. These people looked nothing like police, they had no uniforms, they looked more like armed thugs, and yet there were at least two men at each of the exits, helping people get to safety. Some held a small black device and seemed to be scanning the crowds as they flooded by. Kurt narrowed his eyes but he couldn't see what the machines were for.
"There are so many." Peggy breathed as more of the armoured troops seeped into the mall. There had to be at least fifty of them now, all huge and scarred and terrifying. The crowds finally thinned, there were only a couple of people left milling about. One man barked an order and two small squadrons broke away from the rest, scattering around the ground floor. They raised their guns but didn't prepare to fire.
"What're they doing?" Jubilee wondered aloud as she watched two gunmen disappear into the chemist below them. They were looking for something, but what? The small group moved away from the glass and hurried closer to where the majority of the armoured people stood. The man who had given out the orders seemed to be the one in charge. He stood away from the others, talking into a walkie-talkie. Kurt strained to hear what he was saying as they ducked out of sight.
"They'll be here, boss." The man's voice was deep and gravelly. A long scar ran from his right eye down his neck where it disappeared under his bulletproof vest. The walkie-talkie crackled and whoever his boss was replied. Kurt couldn't hear what he was saying, they were too far away but they saw the man nod. The last evacuee left through the fire exit and suddenly there was an odd, uncomfortable silence in the mall. "We followed them from the school. They're here." The man spoke in a low voice, so low that Kurt didn't catch all that he said.
"What's he saying?" Peggy asked, looking between Kurt and the man below them. She knew that Kurt's hearing was far better than hers and Jubilee's and she hoped he'd be able to enlighten them. Kurt's mouth twisted as he concentrated on the man.
"They're looking for someone." He could only hear snatches of conversation which he had to piece together like a jigsaw. Jubilee shifted so that she was kneeling down and pressed her face up close to the glass, shielding her eyes so that she could see better.
"Who?" Kurt watched the man as he paced across the floor. He passed right underneath them and they shrank back. Peggy pressed close against Kurt's side, her heart thudding against her ribs. All her instincts were telling her to run but her friends were still nowhere to be found and she'd be damned if she left without them. The man paused as the walkie-talkie crackled. Kurt saw his chance and leaned right up against the glass, but the man merely gave a brusque 'yes, sir' and slipped the device into a pocket in his vest. He turned to the remaining group of soldiers and waved his hand. They'd scanned the crowds as they departed with tech provided by their benefactors. He wasn't sure how they worked but they could detect if they were the mutants they were
Frank Heaney turned to his remaining group of soldiers and waved his hand. They'd scanned the crowds as they departed with tech provided by their benefactors. He wasn't sure how they worked but the little machines could detect the mutants they were looking for. Frank hoped the technology would develop quickly so that one day, they could detect a mutant freak from a mile away but these prototypes would do for now. The kids hadn't shown up, they were still inside the mall somewhere.
"Sweep the building, make sure they're no humans left." Frank ordered and the people immediately sprang into action. His voice was so loud that it echoed through the mall. No one could have missed it, especially not the three teenagers sitting not far above his head. Kurt turned to his friends and saw that their eyes were as wide as his.
"Us." He realised, his voice barely above a whisper. "They're here for us." That's why the soldiers had helped the others out of the exits. They were looking for them in particular. These soldiers had blown a hole in the side of the mall, terrifying people out of their minds, just to get to them.
"We need to get upstairs now." Said Jubilee, fighting to stop her voice shaking. If they were scared before, the knowledge that they were being hunted had them downright terrified. Just as they were preparing to leave, there was a loud 'shunk' sound and all of a sudden, the lights sprang back on. The backup generator finally kicked in and brought the mall to life. The man below them hissed at the sudden brightness. The trio jumped away from the glass but they were too late. Their movement caught Frank's eye and he did a double-take. They backed away from the glass, hearts beating a mile a minute. Peggy hoped he would think it was just a trick of the light.
"Hey!" Frank cried, pointing right at them. Never mind. Not wanting to stick around to find out what he wanted from them, the trio turned and fled. They didn't really have a plan, they just needed to get upstairs and away from whoever these people were. They didn't look back. Down on the ground floor, Frank watched the teenagers until they disappeared from sight. He yanked his walkie-talkie from its holster and snarled into the speaker. "I think I found them, boss." He didn't have to wait long for a reply.
"You sure?" Frank's lip twitched. His boss' lack of faith was irritating but he held his tongue.
"It's the girl you described and the blue freak."
"Is there another guy with them, silver hair?"
"Nah, just some other mutie, I think."
"Bring them all in." Frank nodded then pocketed the walkie-talkie. A few men remained on the floor by the exits, just itching to start shooting. He waved them over and began to relay instructions, desperate to make his superiors proud.
The escalators still hadn't come back on, probably some sort of emergency safety procedure, so the trio had to find the stairwell on the opposite side of the mall from their attackers. The climb was long but they didn't see anyone else. They reached the second floor and Jubilee led them over to the smoothie bar where she hoped her friends might still be hiding. The stand was far off but Peggy was still worried when she couldn't see any sign of them straight away.
As they neared the smoothie bar, she thought she heard heavy footsteps below but she dared not look down. They kept to the inside, skirting close to the shop entrances and away from the glass barrier that would give away their location. But then, Peggy heard a voice, a voice she recognised. She stopped dead, her shoes squeaking on the polished floor. Her friends kept running, they didn't notice that she'd stopped.
Peggy listened hard, hoping she'd been mistaken, but there it was again, that voice. She crept to the barrier and looked down to find that all the militants had disbanded, leaving two lone figures on the floor below. One was Frank, short and lithe and grizzled. The other made her heart stop. Even without her mutation, how could she forget the formidable shape of Carl Kinnerman? She backed away from the barrier, her breaths coming short and fast.
"There!" Peggy looked around at the shout and saw that her friends had found Jean and Scott. Although the sight of Carl had shaken her, the relief of knowing that her friends were safe gave her strength. Peggy pushed away from the wall and ran to meet her friends. As soon as she was within arm's length of them, she pulled Scott and Jean into a tight hug. They complained initially but Peggy was so pleased to see them, she didn't care.
"What's going on?" Jean asked once Peggy had released them. She and Scott were unaffected by the explosion, although Scott had dropped his smoothie (which he was still complaining about). They wanted to look for their friends but when they saw the soldiers flooding the mall, they decided to hide while they figured out an escape plan. They had no idea what was going on, but when people with guns showed up, they were usually pointed at them. Jubilee quickly explained all that they'd seen, from the gunmen helping evacuate customers, to the man with the walkie-talkie. Peggy waited until she was finished to describe what she'd just seen downstairs.
"When we went to collect Carol, there were people after her. Mutant traffickers." She looked at Kurt and saw him nodding along. "We managed to get away but this man, Carl Kinnerman, he survived and he's after us. He's here."
"With a lot of guns." Added Jubilee. It wasn't the most articulate synopsis but it seemed to do the trick. Her friends looked appalled but mostly just frightened. Carl Kinnerman had blown up a mall to, what, get revenge? To try and capture them to sell? Each possibility seemed more terrible than the last.
"Oh, God." Jean breathed, her hands balling into fists at her sides.
"Should we tell the Professor?" Peggy suggested, looking around for a phone they could use. They couldn't possibly fight their way out of this one, the only way they would get out of this alive was to run. She felt an overwhelming need to tell their headmaster, just in case they couldn't escape. Maybe he could even send help. Scott shook his head slightly, chewing his lip as he tried to come up with an escape route.
"I think it'd be better if we just got out of here fast." He decided and Peggy had to agree. They were running out of time. Frank had seen them, it wouldn't be long before his armoured goons were upon them.
"They've blocked off the main entrance and they're guys all over the place. Is there another exit?"
"Yeah, by the Adidas."
"Let's go." Without another word, they took off back across the mall. The Adidas store was on the floor below them, they would have to be careful if they wanted to get out of there unnoticed. The X-Men trusted their training, they had done plenty of simulations just like this. What to do when you are outnumbered. What to do when you're trapped. How to work together to escape. Despite all her training, Peggy was terrified. She never thought anything like this would ever happen to her friends, they were too young, they were in a safe place. She blocked those thoughts from her mind, she needed to focus on the now.
They reached the stairwell and rocketed down it so fast that if she faltered once, she would've tripped and fallen. The X-Men stopped to get their bearings, the mall was enormous and difficult to navigate even though they knew it well. Jubilee pointed the way and they prepared to run again but there was a sudden, furious shout behind them.
"Hey!" They turned and saw a group of fifteen or so gunmen running at them from the opposite end of the mall, all armed to the teeth. They broke into two groups, planning to trap them in a pincer movement. Peggy felt her fear vanish. Suddenly, she felt strong. Perhaps it was simply the adrenaline, or maybe it was the knowledge that she had her friends beside her. Professor Xavier taught them that fighting was always a last resort, one should always try to find another way out first, but this wasn't one of those times. The troops were big, and fast, and probably very skilled with their weapons. But they weren't X-Men.
"Split up!" Scott roared. Without a second's hesitation, their group separated. Jean and Scott ran one way, Jubilee, Kurt and Peggy went the other. They ran to meet their attackers head-on, no longer just a rabble of teenagers.
Jean didn't slow down. While Scott slid to a halt to perfect his aim, she narrowed her eyes at the armed man in front of her and pulled his gun from his hands. He was so shocked that she was able to throw his gun to the side and make him kneel, then fall onto his back. Her nightmares haunted her but Jean was stronger than ever. On her way past the man, she swiftly kicked him in the side of the head, knocking him unconscious.
Meanwhile, Scott raised his glasses just enough to send a beam of red energy shooting towards his attacker. He aimed for the large gun in the woman's hand, melting it with practised precision. The metal grew so hot that the woman had to drop it, cursing under her breath and shaking out her hands. While she was distracted, Scott stepped up and knocked her to the floor, dealing with her in the same way Jean had.
On the other side of the mall, Jubilee threw a cloud of sparks into the face of the nearest attacker so that Kurt could knock him out from behind. Suddenly, a thick arm wrapped around her neck and she was yanked off her feet. The man held her tight but Jubilee was able to wriggle an arm free and set off a burst of energy next to his ear. The man yelped and dropped her so that she was able to disarm him and shove him straight through the glass barrier. It shattered and the man fell with a shriek. She straightened out her beloved jacket with an indignant huff before springing across the mall to help Scott with a particularly enormous gunman.
Kurt had just finished with an attacker when he felt a hand on his arm. He jumped and pulled away but saw it was only Peggy. She apologised for scaring him but they didn't really have time to stand around chatting.
"Take this." She shrugged off his jacket and handed it to him, then kicked off her shoes and socks. Peggy gave him a quick smile before she vanished. If he looked carefully, Kurt could just about see her outline as she crept around the broken glass that now scattered the floor but that was only because of his impeccable eyesight and because he was looking for her. No one else would be able to see her coming, which is exactly what Peggy was bargaining on.
Kurt grinned despite himself as he saw her creeping up behind two men heading their way fast. He didn't stick around to watch her fight, he had his own problems to deal with. A man ran at him and Kurt waited until the last second before teleporting away, leaving him lost in a cloud of blue smoke. Kurt reappeared above the man and grabbed him by the shoulders. Before he could even let out a squeak of surprise, Kurt teleported him up to the rafters.
He made sure the man had his balance then left him there, several feet above their heads. Once he was back down on the floor, Kurt spotted one attacker heading straight for Peggy, who was causing a stir with two of his accomplices. He turned sharply, whipping his long tail around the man's neck and pulled him back away from Peggy. Kurt span and slammed the man into the wall hard. He didn't get back up.
Peggy knew she should be taking this seriously but she couldn't help enjoying herself just a little bit. She and her friends were kicking some serious ass. She was still camouflaged, dealing punch after punch to two men at the same time who hadn't the slightest clue what was happening. One swung his fist out randomly and she ducked under it with ease, sweeping her leg around and knocking him to the floor. She jumped back to stay out of his way but accidentally stepped into the path of the other man. He swung his gun out wildly and managed to catch the side of her head. Peggy's teeth clunked and her vision went blurry for a second. She lost concentration and she shimmered into existence again.
She staggered back, her instincts kicking in and getting her out of the way whilst her head sorted itself out. The man swung for her and Peggy tried to duck but she slipped on the polished floor. She tried to catch herself but she lost her balance. Peggy fell, arms windmilling, right through the gap in the glass barrier. She heard herself scream as the patterned marble floor grew closer and closer.
Then suddenly, her whole body jolted so hard that she thought her eyeballs might pop out of her skull. All the air left her lungs and for some reason, her left leg was suddenly screaming in pain. But she wasn't falling anymore. Peggy let out a shriek as she dangled in midair, her breaths coming short and fast as her arms flailed about in panic.
"It's alright, Peggy! I've got you!" That voice, her favourite voice. Peggy twisted around so that she could look up and found Kurt hanging over the ledge, his strong hands gripping what remained of the barrier, his tail wrapped tight around her ankle. Peggy let out a relieved sob when Kurt smiled down at her. He began to swing her back and forth, building up momentum so that he could lift her up onto the ledge. Peggy flung out her hands and grabbed onto the barrier, hauling herself up with a groan.
She sat back on her hands, staring at the gap in the glass whilst she got her breath back. Kurt hefted himself up and over the ledge and immediately flew to her side. He leaned over her, one hand on her shoulder, the other cupping her cheek. "You're safe. You're safe." He kept muttering the words under his breath, she couldn't be sure whether he was talking to her or himself. Peggy's chest rose and fell shakily as she got her breath back, thanking every angel in heaven for Kurt Wagner. He was so close, he felt her breath on his cheeks. Peggy's wide eyes met his and she began to smile.
Before she could thank him properly, they heard Scott yell for them. The soldiers were all done with, they needed to keep moving. Kurt helped Peggy to her feet, making sure she was alright first before she pulled on her shoes and they followed after the others. There were more troops above and below them, they could hear their footsteps echoing throughout the cavernous mall, but they kept running, never once looking back.
"There's the exit!" Jubilee flung out her arm and pointing to a pair of double doors on the same side of the mall as Scott and Jean. They led to a long stairwell that would take them down to the parking lot. Hopefully, they could escape through there. Jean got to the doors first, followed closely by Scott and they disappeared inside. The mall arched so the others were a few steps behind them. Just as Jubilee reached the doors, they opened again, knocking her backwards and onto the floor with a groan. Kurt dived forward to help his friend, pulling her up and away from the doors just as they closed behind Carl Kinnerman.
"Hello, again." He grinned, showing off yellowed teeth. The trio took a couple of steps backwards away from the terrifying man. He wore a stab vest, under which they could see the butts of at least two large guns. Carl stepped out into the light, he was just as huge as they remembered. He chuckled at the horrified expressions on their faces as he twirled a long knife between thick fingers. "You kids have been a real thorn in my side, you know that?" He stopped spinning the knife and pointed it directly at Peggy. "You could've just let me take the girl and none of this would've happened." He swept the knife to point at Kurt. He snarled in response, baring his pointed teeth, but this only seemed to amuse Carl.
"So you could sell her into slavery?" Peggy scoffed. She wanted the knife away from Kurt. Thankfully, her plan worked and Carl's attention returned to her. He raised his eyebrows and slid the knife into his belt.
"You're being a little overdramatic, sweetheart." Carl took another few steps closer. His strides were equal to at least three of theirs, forcing them back away from their only escape route. Kurt heard a loud shout from behind the doors. It was probably Jean and Scott fighting with more soldiers. His every instinct told him to teleport to the stairwell, to try and help them, but Carl took another threatening step closer and his need to protect the people beside him took over. He knew Peggy and Jubilee could look after themselves, but he couldn't just abandon them. "That little girl cost my boss a lot of money and he was not happy when I came back empty handed, not happy at all." Carl went on with his spiel as two soldiers, one of them Frank, began to make their way over to them up the frozen escalator. "Now, you're gonna pay."
Kurt didn't have to hear another word. He stepped forward, ready to place a hand on his friends' shoulders and teleport them away to safety, but as soon as he got close enough, Carl unsheathed his knife again and held it right under his chin. Kurt froze, his breath stopping. He heard Peggy gasp but he couldn't turn his head. "Now, don't be getting any clever ideas about zipping out of here, freak show." Carl pressed the edge of the knife closer to Kurt's neck. He didn't dare move an inch, all Kurt could do was meet Carl's steely gaze. "I had a little chat with an old pal of mine." As he spoke, Carl pulled something from the inside of his vest. It was a circle of hinged metal, like one big handcuff. "He hooked me up with some impressive tech." Carl grinned and Kurt felt his stomach disappear.
He pressed a button on the side of the circle, all the while keeping eye contact with Kurt. Then suddenly, he dropped the knife and flung out his other hand, placing the device around Kurt's neck. It snapped shut with a heavy 'clunk' and began to hum. Kurt cried out and fell to his knees, clutching at the metal collar as a bolt of electricity shuddered through his body. Suddenly he was back in that box at the fight club. He could barely fit inside, there was hardly enough room to breathe. It was chained shut and rammed with an electrical charge, repressing his mutation somehow. Unable to escape, unable to breathe. Kurt pulled at the collar but it zapped his fingers and he cried out. He couldn't teleport. He couldn't move.
"Kurt!" Peggy shrieked. She tried to get to him but Carl stopped her with a wave of the knife that was almost as long as her arm. Jubilee whimpered beside her. Watching Kurt thrash and struggle was heartbreaking. He let out a groan and fell onto his back, still trying with all his might to pull the collar off but to no avail.
"Stryker says 'hi', by the way." Carl grinned down at Kurt, like he was pleased that he'd done him harm. His words meant nothing to Peggy but she felt Jubilee tense. Peggy could feel it, that anger, it was building up inside of her. This man had hunted them, frightened them, and now he was hurting Kurt and enjoying it. She stepped forward, trying her best to ignore Kurt's cries of pain. She was shaking with rage but she kept her voice level as she spoke.
"Move." She ordered. Even Carl seemed surprised by the venom in her tone but he recovered quickly.
"Or what, sweetheart?"
"Or I'll kick your arse again."
"I think I can handle two little girlies." Carl said, then began to chuckle. Peggy raised an eyebrow and exchanged a look with Jubilee. Was he forgetting who he was speaking to? She saw Kurt writhe out the corner of her eye and steeled her nerves.
"Jubilee?" She asked, not taking her eyes off Carl. Jubilee smirked and wriggled her fingers at her sides.
"Way ahead of you." She summoned her mutation then raised her hands and sent a bombardment of colourful sparks into Carl's face, gritting her teeth as she felt the power surge through her veins. They didn't even wait for him to react. Jubilee grabbed Kurt and pulled him to his feet. He was about twice her size but she somehow managed it, leaning him on her shoulder. Peggy ducked under his other arm and took half of his weight, dragging him away from Carl who was roaring in pain. Jubilee kept firing sparks over her shoulder, aiming for Carl and the two soldiers who rushed to his aid. Carl blinked, trying to regain his sight but the sparks just kept coming. He growled and shoved one of the soldiers in the direction of the teenagers.
"Get after them!" Frank looked decidedly nervous about chasing after three mutants, even if one of them was currently debilitated, but then Carl raised his huge meaty fists and he revaluated who he was more frightened of. Frank took off after the teenagers.
Despite their heavy load, Peggy and Jubilee had a good headstart. They were almost at the other end of the mall when they decided to stop. Peggy helped Jubilee carry their friend into the nearest store, a sweet shop filled to the brim with candy. They placed him down on the floor as gently as they could then Peggy turned to leave. Jubilee didn't have to ask where she was going. She'd seen the fire in her eyes. Carl was an unlucky man.
Jubilee watched her leave then turned back to Kurt. He was still gasping and struggling, his eyes screwed shut. Jubilee looked around them but saw nothing that would help so she decided to just throw caution to the wind. She reached for the collar and wrapped her fingers around the keypad, gritting her teeth when it shocked her. She didn't have time to mess around with four-digit codes but she had something better. Jubilee concentrated hard and focused on the keypad. A burst of sparks erupted from the collar and it fell open with a 'clank'. Kurt's eyes flew wide and he sucked in a breath so deep that his spine arched off the floor. He sat up and ripped the collar off, flinging it to the other side of the store. He pulled his friend into a tight hug, only just repressing a relieved sob.
"Thank you, Jubilee." The pain was excruciating but the dark memories it had awoken were far worse. Jubilee clutched him back just as tightly, drawing in a shuddering breath as she tried to settle her frazzled nerves.
"Think nothing of it, Blue." She whispered back. Kurt pulled away after a second or two and looked around. When he didn't find what he was looking for, he turned back to Jubilee with a concerned frown.
"Where is she?" He asked, his voice rising in panic. Jubilee's smile faltered slightly. She didn't want to tell him, she knew he'd only freak out and the last thing she needed was for Kurt to run straight back into danger.
"She'll be fine, let's go." Kurt sensed the hesitation in her voice but didn't question it. He concentrated on getting his muscles to work properly, he still felt very weak from the collar. Jubilee helped him keep his balance, all the while glancing out of the shop front, wondering where Peggy was. She was sure she wouldn't do anything stupid, but then again, Carl had injured Kurt. Jubilee worried her lip, knowing that Peggy wouldn't be thinking clearly.
She was right, Peggy's mind was a blur of panic and anger. She took out Frank with just a few punches, then threw his gun over the side of the barrier just in case. There was still no sign of Jean or Scott, they probably had their own problems fighting off the army that still remained. As she ran back across the mall, she hoped they were safe. She wondered if Jubilee had managed to free Kurt yet. Peggy looked back over her shoulder to see if she could spot either of them but no, they had yet to emerge from the sweet shop. She turned back to look where she was going and let out a shriek when Carl suddenly appeared as if out of thin air. She skidded to a halt about a meter from him just as he raised his gun.
Peggy dove to the side, barely avoiding a hail of bullets that ricocheted past her with an ear-splitting roar. Peggy pressed herself against the wall as she hurriedly kicked off her shoes. Carl was just lining up the shot again when she vanished. Peggy held her breath and tried to keep as still as possible. She could camouflage but she was not completely invisible. So long as she stood perfectly motionless, Carl should pass without noticing her. He growled, frustrated by her unfair advantage. He dropped the gun and began to walk towards where she had disappeared like an animal stalking its prey.
"C'mon, sweetheart." Peggy kept very still as he came closer and closer. Carl kicked one of her abandoned shoes with the toe of his boot, frowning slightly. "I want you to meet my boss. He's a real nice guy, he'll treat you right." Peggy barely held back a derisive jeer. She didn't know who Carl worked for but she certainly didn't want to find out. The enormous man grew closer and closer and Peggy began to breathe a little harder but then he passed her without a second glance. She refrained from breathing a sigh of relief, she wasn't out of the woods yet. "Don't be afraid. I'll take good care of ya. You and that blue freak." Peggy closed her eyes and shook her head slightly.
"Ah, fuck." She muttered. Carl flinched at the sound of her voice and she jumped away from the wall, keeping her camouflage just in case. She struck the man hard in the centre of his back, sending him falling forward with a surprised screech. He fell to his knees and the gun slipped from his hands, skittering across the floor. Carl tried to get up but Peggy kicked him in the side of the head and he groaned, falling onto his back with the momentum.
Peggy stood over him and shimmered into existence again. Carl looked quite frightened, she was pleased to note. She dropped down onto his chest, holding his arms down with one hand and her right knee. Carl was a lot bigger and stronger than she was, but he was hurt and Peggy was angry beyond belief. She gripped him by the collar of his shirt and pulled his head up. "His name is Kurt." Taking a deep breath, she released her hold on his arm so that she could slam his head back down against the floor with both hands.
"Peggy!" She looked up to see Kurt and Jubilee jogging towards her. Peggy's heart lifted at the sight of them, especially Kurt, who she was pleased to see had escaped his restraints. She left Carl on the floor, groaning and woozy, on the verge of consciousness. Jubilee raised her hand and sent a surge of energy right into the face of the second soldier who was running up behind Peggy. She didn't look back as the man fell to the floor, Peggy was just so pleased to see her friends. She hugged Jubilee first then Kurt. He wrapped his arms tight around her middle, burying his face in her hair and Peggy felt like she could hardly breathe.
"Are you okay?" She pulled away just enough so that she could look him in the eye. Kurt grinned back at her.
"A little dizzy." He said, but otherwise he was fine. Peggy caught Jubilee watching them with a raised eyebrow and cleared her throat awkwardly before stepping back from Kurt. He seemed disappointed but didn't say anything.
"Let's get out of here." Jubilee decided, and her friends readily agreed. Peggy made to follow them but then she remembered her shoes. She chuckled to herself and went back to gather them up. She found the right shoe with ease but the left evaded her before she remembered that Carl had kicked it somewhere. Peggy found her shoe under a bench and was just reaching down to grab it when she thought she heard something. Instantly, she dropped her shoe and concentrated her mutation. Fully camouflaged, she turned around to see that Carl was sitting up.
Kurt stopped when he realised that Peggy wasn't with them. He looked back and began to panic when he couldn't see her. Jubilee called out to her but there was no reply. They began to walk back the way they came, not bothering to be quiet when there was no one left to hurt them. They were meters away from Carl when they realised that he was awake and groaning in pain. Jubilee gasped as he suddenly pulled his second gun from the inside of his vest and pointed it straight at them.
They hardly had time to react but Jubilee gathered a handful of sparks and sent them in Carl's direction at exactly the same time as the bullet fired. The sparks hit the man straight in the face and he screamed, the gun falling from his grip. She ran towards him and dealt the final blow, knocking him unconscious. Kurt's heart was in his mouth. The bullet, it should've hit him, but he felt nothing. He looked down at himself just to make sure he hadn't missed anything but no, he was unharmed. He looked up again just in time to see the air shimmer in front of him. Slowly, a figure started to appear.
"Peggy?" There she was, standing with her back to him, her arms down at her sides. He took a few steps closer, wondering why she hadn't turned to look at him. He was just a few feet from her when she finally turned around. Peggy gave him a thin smile but he hardly noticed. His eyes were drawn elsewhere.
Strangely, Peggy felt fine. The wind had been knocked out of her and her shoulder hurt a little. All that mattered was that Kurt was safe. He was staring at her, his lips parted in shock. Peggy looked down and saw red beginning to bloom through her white T-Shirt. Her adrenaline-fueled defiance finally gave way to the injury staring her in the face, and suddenly it dawned on her. She'd been shot. "Peggy!" Kurt's cry fell on deaf ears as she dropped to her knees. He ran to her side, clutching her close to his chest.
"That wasn't very clever, was it?" Peggy groaned, trying to smile despite the agony in her shoulder. She whimpered when the pain suddenly sparked and she pressed her free hand over the bullet wound as more and more blood came seeping out. Jubilee yelped when she saw Peggy collapsed on the floor and hurried to her side.
"What do we do?" Kurt asked, his voice tight. He could hardly breathe as panic squeezed his lungs, but luckily Jubilee could always be trusted to keep her head in a situation.
"Take her back to the mansion, we'll meet you there." Peggy needed medical attention fast, she couldn't wait around. Jubilee would collect Jean and Scott and they would drive back to the mansion. Kurt didn't want to leave his friends but then Peggy let out another groan and he saw sense. Jubilee gave him a little nod and he returned it before closing his eyes and focusing on a specific room in the mansion.
When he opened his eyes again, he and Peggy were on the floor of Hank's lab. The room was empty but he knew Hank was never far from his work. "Help me!" Kurt yelled, not wanting to leave Peggy alone. He looked down at the girl in his arms and tried to remember how to breathe. She had her eyes closed but her deep frown and little moans let him know she was still conscious. "It's going to be alright. Ich habe dich, Peggy." He whispered, sweeping a hand over her hair to keep it out of her face. There was a crash as the door opened and Hank came stumbling in from the next room.
"What happened?" He looked around in bewilderment when he couldn't see anyone, but then Hank looked down and saw two students on the floor and a small puddle of blood.
"She's been shot! Help her!" Kurt spluttered, there was no time to explain. Hank immediately rushed to Peggy's side and gave her a quick once over which was difficult to do seeing as Kurt was clutching her so tightly. He didn't need to do much more than glance at the wound in Peggy's shoulder to know she needed help and fast. He asked Kurt to take them to the medical wing and he did so without hesitation.
They carefully laid Peggy down on the closest bed and Hank set about fixing her. Kurt wanted to stay by her side but Hank asked him to step back. He didn't want to get in the way but Kurt's whole body ached to be by her side. Peggy looked so pale and small, shivering as the pain only increased. Hank ran fluid into a vein in her left arm to revive her sinking blood pressure, but it worked too well. Peggy no longer felt on the verge of unconsciousness, but for the first time, she could feel the full extent of the pain.
She cried out and Kurt bit his lip so hard, he drew blood. Hank gathered all the tools he would need and promised both of them that everything was going to be fine. Kurt couldn't help stepping up to the bed. Hank was about to warn him about keeping his distance again when he saw Kurt take Peggy's free hand in his. As he slid his thumb across her skin, Peggy's violent shuddering finally eased. Hank decided to let Kurt stay throughout the procedure, for all their benefits.
Just a few hours later, Peggy was sitting upright on the bed and chatting with Hank as he dressed her wound. Her arm hurt like nobody's business but he promised he'd give her some painkillers as soon as he was finished stitching her back together. Kurt stayed by her side throughout the whole ordeal but went to get some dinner with his friends on Hank's orders. Scott, Jubilee, and Jean arrived back at the mansion not long after them thanks to some very reckless driving that Scott maintained was completely justified. They wanted to come see her as soon as they got back but Hank shooed them away. He was just putting the last stitches in when the clock struck nine.
"The bullet missed everything important." He said to Peggy, who was hardly listening. She knew he was trying to distract her from the pain and that was very sweet of him but all she could think about was her friends. "You're very lucky, another inch and your axillary artery would've looked like-" Peggy raised an eyebrow and Hank reconsidered. He cleared his throat and dropped his gaze back to the task at hand. "You'll be fine, but I recommend nothing but bed rest and OJ while you recuperate." Peggy hummed in agreement. That's certainly all she felt like doing right at that moment.
Hank tied off the stitches then sat back to admire his handiwork. He seemed pleased and got up to put away his tools. Peggy twisted her arm around, trying to see what her injury looked like but her muscles smarted and she thought better of it. Hank pulled off his gloves and chucked them into the disposal bin. When he looked up, he just so happened to glance through the window in the door to med bay. Peggy heard him sigh deeply and looked up to see him gesturing at someone through the window. A second later, the doors burst open and her friends surged in, all of them talking a mile a minute about a different topic. Peggy laughed at the sight of them, her mood lifting immediately.
"Well, hello there, lads." She greeted them with a wave of her undamaged arm. Scott's glasses had a crack in the left lens and Jean had a split lip. Beside her, Jubilee's hair was all over the place and Peggy could see a spot or two of her own blood on her shirt. She smiled sadly at them. "You're looking gorgeous as ever."
"You too." Scott shot back. Peggy snorted. She'd stripped down to her tank top and frankly, her shoulder looked gross under the unforgiving fluorescent lights above. Her face was still very pale and drawn and her make-up was all smudged. She looked a sight, they all did. Peggy looked over their shoulders at Kurt, who hung back from the group. He leaned against the doorframe to the hospital wing, his arms crossed over his chest. She tried to meet his gaze but his eyes were trained on the floor. Peggy was put off by his uncharacteristic behaviour but decided to question it later. Instead, she smiled at her friend.
"Jubilee, I think we need to go shopping again soon because my new scrunchies were in my pocket and well..." She reached over to the bedside table and picked up the accessories she'd bought. They were torn and frayed and drenched in her own blood. Jubilee felt a little sick looking at them but she held her nerve.
"You probably won't be able to return them."
"You're probably right." Peggy nodded and plopped them back down on the bedside table. They stayed for a couple more minutes. They didn't ask how she was feeling, sensing that Peggy would rather focus on more positive topics. Instead, they talked about what they had for dinner, Scott almost choking on a meatball and making them all cry with laughter, and their plans for tomorrow. All too soon, Hank gave a pointed cough and tapped his watch. They all deflated somewhat, disappointed that their conversation had to end so soon.
"We've got a briefing with the Professor." Scott told Peggy when she gave him a questioning look. Xavier wanted to know everything about the mall attack and would probably start putting together a plan to disassemble this trafficking organisation, whoever they were. Peggy brightened up and immediately began to get off the bed.
"Oh, okay, I'll just get dressed." But Hank rushed forward and stopped her.
"No, no, you should stay." He said in his best doctor voice. Peggy looked like she wanted to argue but when she shifted on the bed, her arm prickled again and she hissed. Hank gave her a meaningful look and she backed down.
"Don't worry, you won't be missing anything." Jubilee reassured her, though it did little to assuage Peggy's desire to go with them. She wanted to tell her story, to help in any way she could before anyone else got hurt. She couldn't do that from a hospital bed. She also just wanted to get out of the room, Peggy had always hated hospitals and although the medical wing was small and comfortable, it was starting to give her a headache.
Peggy wistfully watched her friends leave. Even Hank was going with them. Before he left, he gave her a glass of water and some painkillers which she begrudgingly thanked him for. Hank merely rolled her eyes at her stroppiness and left the room. Peggy sighed as she reached for the glass on the bedside table. She took a sip of water, closing her eyes as it soothed her burning throat. She looked round when she heard something move and was surprised to see Kurt still standing by the door. She looked him up and down. He seemed unharmed though a little dishevelled, just like the others.
He raised his head and met her gaze. His expression was stony and impassive. When she gave him a little smile, he didn't return it for the first time since they met. Peggy's smile faded and so did her confidence. She had never seen Kurt look so serious before, it was almost scary. He was angry with her, she realised. Angry with her for jumping in front of the bullet. Peggy scoffed and looked away. She shook a couple of the little tablets from the container Hank gave her and popped them into her mouth. As she swallowed them down, Kurt finally spoke.
"We need to talk." Peggy quirked her eyebrows as she swirled the water around in her glass, staring into it emptily.
"We are talking." She said but Kurt was in no mood for games.
"No, Peggy, don't..." His voice rose suddenly and she looked up in surprise. Kurt stopped himself and took a deep breath, trying to keep himself calm. He wasn't often angry, not like this, but Peggy had put herself in serious danger and he couldn't understand why. Peggy licked her lips and looked down into her glass again, then took another sip. "Why did you do it?" Kurt asked, his voice a lot calmer now. "That's twice. Twice you have put yourself between me and a gun. You could have been killed."
"But I wasn't."
"But you could've been!" His voice rose again and Peggy gripped the glass tightly. Kurt pushed himself away from the doorframe and approached the bed, his tail twitching angrily behind him. He watched as she put her glass back down on the table then slowly slid off the bed. He made a sound like he wanted to stop her but Peggy sent him a sharp look and he shut his mouth.
She went to a mirror on the wall and began to straighten out her appearance. If Hank was right, she would be leaving the med bay soon and she didn't want everyone to see her looking like this. Kurt was quiet as she wiped away the smudges of eyeliner from her face then ran a finger along her lips to clear up her smeared lipstick. As she was undoing her hair from its plait, he plucked up the courage to ask again, "Peggy, why? Why do you do it?" He saw her tense slightly but her movements never ceased.
"Back home, there are a lot of... Troubles." Peggy said quietly, her long fingers getting tangled in her hair as she tried to brush it out. She stared at her reflection for a moment before sighing and starting to put her hair up. "People I grew up with, people I've known all my life are beaten and threatened. My dad's mate was arrested. My friend's brother was killed." She glanced his way and saw that Kurt's angry frown had been replaced by a sorrowful expression she could hardly bear to look at.
She hadn't spoken about what people faced back home to anyone, not even her new friends. Why should she? It still haunted her wherever she went. Peggy stepped away from the mirror, somewhat happy with her appearance, and joined Kurt by the bed. "I couldn't just..." Peggy trailed off, unsure of how to explain herself. Kurt looked at her expectantly and Peggy shook her head before continuing. "You mean so much to me. I don't want to feel what they felt. If you got hurt, it would... The pain would be insufferable."
"Worse than being shot?" Peggy raised her chin, looking him dead in the eye.
"Yes." Kurt felt his chest squeeze but he couldn't let that change things.
"Peggy..." He wanted to tell her that he didn't want her risking her life for his, that she was far too important for that, but he sensed it would not go down well. Peggy took another determined step forward. Now they were so close that he could see each of the freckles on her nose and cheeks.
"I'm never gonna stop." Peggy's voice was soft but her words were firm. "Ever." Kurt could hardly believe it was him she was talking to. What had he done to deserve such stubborn adoration? Peggy reached forward and took the lapels of his jacket between her fingers, straightening it out for him and Kurt leaned forward subconsciously. "You've got a friend for life, alright? I would never hesitate. I'd do anything to keep you safe."
Kurt felt his heart skip. Peggy looked back up at him and heard his breathing hitch. Was he really so surprised? Did he really think that she would ever stand idly by if he was in danger? Peggy let go of his jacket but the distance between them had closed noticeably. Peggy's heart thumped so hard she was sure he could hear it. She opened her mouth then closed it again, suddenly filled with uncertainty. Her lips parted and Kurt swallowed thickly, his gaze trained on her mouth. "Kurt, I-"
The door to the med bay swung open suddenly and they jumped apart. Hank came striding into the room, immediately scolding Peggy for getting out of bed before he'd given her the green light. He asked if she'd taken her painkillers and she nodded, her voice suddenly evading her. Hank checked her vitals and saw that all was well, meanwhile Kurt and Peggy were doing their best to make it look like Hank hadn't interrupted anything important. "What did you and the Professor decide?" Peggy cleared her throat awkwardly when her words came out a little strained.
"We're not gonna solve anything tonight." Hank said with a small smile. He knew Peggy wanted to go get the bad guys but these things took time and careful planning. He checked her stitches one final time and nodded his approval. "Tomorrow we're gonna find out as much as we can about these guys, then we'll put together a team." He smiled at them both. "We'll get them, don't worry."
Kurt helped Peggy into her shoes. Luckily Jubilee had thought to bring them back from the mall, otherwise she'd be wearing thick black boots (her only other shoes) in the middle of June. Hank gave her some more painkillers just in case the soreness got any worse then sent them on their way. The hallways were dark and empty. Peggy wasn't sure of the time but she saw the moon high in the sky as they passed a window. Beside her, Kurt let out a long yawn and she smiled fondly. Of course, he walked with Peggy all the way to her door. He would have teleported them but he was far too tired and anyway, he didn't want to risk hurting her arm. Peggy turned to go inside but she stopped at the last second.
"I'm not sorry, you know." She turned around to look up at Kurt and found him smiling gently back at her.
"I know." She was pleased to see he was back to his usual self. Peggy didn't ever want to see him so angry ever again. He reached out and ghosted a finger over the stitches in her left shoulder. She would probably have a scar there for the rest of her life but she didn't care, so long as Kurt was safe. "Does it hurt?" He asked, keeping his voice low. They were alone but he didn't want to disturb anyone who might be trying to sleep.
"I've had worse." Peggy joked with a slight shrug. The movement made her shoulder sting and she hissed in pain. Kurt watched her wince with a slight chuckle.
"You're ridiculous, nachtigall." Peggy's heart fluttered at the name. She didn't think it would stick the first time she heard it but Kurt was relentless and now she responded to it as if she'd had it her whole life. Kurt studied the stitches in her shoulder again for a moment before he met her gaze. "You know, I would do anything to keep you safe too." His voice had regained some of the severity he showed in the med bay and Peggy's smile diminished, despite her heart doing cartwheels in her chest. "That is why I was angry. Why I still am. Not because you saved me, because you put yourself in danger." Kurt sighed and rubbed a hand over his tired face. "You scared me to death, Peggy." She looked down at her shoes.
"That I am sorry for." Peggy would be furious if he put himself in danger for her sake, and she could admit that she had been reckless, maybe even stupid. Kurt saw her looking downtrodden and sighed again. He reached out and gently touched her under her chin, making Peggy look up at him. He smiled to himself and moved his hand up to rest on the side of her face.
"I'm not." Kurt slid his thumb over her cheek, marvelling at how soft it felt and their contrasting skin colours. She was a little surprised that he was being so bold but she wasn't about to complain. "It made me realise what is important." Peggy raised an eyebrow despite herself.
"Oh, yeah?" She took a step closer, their chests almost touching now. Kurt dropped his hand and bent his head, his stomach suddenly in knots. His gaze fell to her lips again and Peggy's heart felt like it was going to implode, it was beating so fast. She raised her chin at the same time as Kurt leaned forward just a little, as if in a trance.
"Yes." He closed his eyes, trying to keep his breathing steady. Peggy smiled up at him, wondering what she'd done to deserve a boy as sweet as Kurt as she stood on her toes, her own eyes sliding shut.
"Oh." Peggy and Kurt both jumped and looked around to find Hank standing at the end of the corridor. He had one hand on the bannister and one foot frozen in mid-air as he stepped off the stairs. It appeared they'd surprised him. Kurt looked between Hank's shocked expression and Peggy, then decided it would be best to take a step backwards, stuffing his hands awkwardly into his pockets as he did so. Hank looked like he wanted to apologise but thought better of it. "You forgot this." He held up the shirt Peggy accidentally left in the medical wing. He finally gathered his wits and quickly met them outside Peggy's door. "I fixed the bullet hole." He added clumsily and Peggy smiled despite her frustration.
"Thank you, Hank." She took the clothes from him then turned back to Kurt. "See you tomorrow, gorgeous." She said, mostly just to make Hank uncomfortable, then she turned on her heel and walked into her room, shutting the door behind her. The two boys were left out in the hall, both in quite the state of shock. Hank looked at Kurt with his eyebrows raised but Kurt merely waved him off with an embarrassed smile. He teleported down to the second floor landing and began to make his way to bed. On his way down the hall, he found Scott waiting for him.
"Hey." Kurt returned the little nod, his eyes still trained on the floor.
"Hey." Without a word, Scott joined him and they slowly walked down the corridor. Their rooms were at the very end of the hall. Usually, they were laughing and joking and the walk didn't feel long at all, but tonight was different. A strange mood had fallen over the mansion. Those who knew what had happened were frightened. The students had been told they could live happily at Xavier's school, and they believed it, but some of their own had been attacked somewhere they ought to have been safe. The outside world had never looked more terrifying. Scott wasn't afraid, he was furious, but he kept his cool for Kurt's sake.
"Did you kiss her?" He asked, hoping to cheer him up. To Scott's relief, Kurt began to smile.
"Nein." Scott shook his head, disappointed.
"Shame. It would've been the perfect moment. Like in the movies, you know?"
"I know." There was silence again but it wasn't as tense as before. Kurt no longer stared at the floor. Scott knew he was thinking about Peggy, about what she'd done for him. He had to admit, it was quite the heroic act. But Scott knew that Peggy was neither a hero nor terrifically brave, she just wanted Kurt to be safe. Kurt knew it too. He supposed that was what occupied his mind, keeping him so quiet.
"Did you want to kiss her?" Scott asked as they neared their doors. He was pretty sure he heard Kurt scoff, which was funny because he'd never heard him be the slightest bit derisive before.
"I always want to kiss her." Kurt replied, surprising Scott with his honesty. He thought back to what had just transpired between them. Kurt was absolutely certain he would have kissed Peggy right there and then if it weren't for Hank's interruption. They were so close, he could feel the warmth of her body. The urge to touch her was almost irresistible, so much so that he had to bite back a groan at the thought of her soft skin against his, her waist under his hand, his lips against hers. He shook himself, trying to shake the thought of her from his mind, but it was no use. They reached their respective doors, Kurt on the left side of the hall, Scott on the other. Kurt went to unlock the door when his friend's voice stopped him.
"She jumped in front of a bullet for you, man." Scott said softly, not wanting to disturb anyone who might be trying to sleep. It was late and there were a lot of young kids on their floor. He gave a slight shrug, shaking his head. "If that doesn't scream undying devotion, I don't know what does." Kurt paused in the doorway as if considering his words. Then he unlocked his door and stepped inside.
"Goodnight, Scott."
"Gute Nacht, Kurt."
1. Peggy, my darling, are you hurt?
2. I've got you, Peggy.