Another day, another chapter. This one isn't as plot heavy as the last chapter, so I'm going to break my promise and give you all the prequel series a few chapters early! It's called 'Full Disclosure' and you can find it on my profile page. Just like this main story, it'll be cross-posted so updates will happen around the same time. Unlike this fic though, updating Full Disclosure will not be my top writing priority unless there's a large demand or I'm not focusing on this fic.
The first chapter of Full Disclosure will focus on the Howlett family's move to Bayville and Anna meeting some important characters that will not play major roles in this main fic. Go read it!
Kitty laid her head against her laptop, cursing under her breath. Of course it had been that.
Damn duck solving everything.
She sighed, lifting her head up to glare at the offending rubber animal. It did nothing.
"Better get back to it before you lose that genius, Kit."
Kitty sat up and stretched out her back just as Skye walked past her corner of a working station, smirking over a glossy doughnut (her real name was Daisy, but the Chinese-American insisted on being referred to as Skye; Kitty noticed a pattern in her choice of friends).
"I have photographic memory." Kitty stuck her tongue out at the smug woman, who just shook her head.
"As if," Skye chewed, laughing between each mouthful, brown eyes sparkling. "You'd forget your head if it wasn't screwed on, Kit."
"Ha ha." Kitty drawled, rolling her eyes. "Go hack into the Pentagon or something."
"Who says I'm not already?" Skye laughed again and finished off her doughnut, ignoring the glare Kitty sent her way.
"You better not." Kitty warned in a lowered voice. "I'm serious, Coulsonor will be on your ass if he finds out."
Skye slumped down into an office chair next to another desk and spun around, staring up at the ceiling. "Coulsonor's got a personal parking spot there already. You make friends with Anonymous one time…"
Kitty was about to remind the older student about her close call with prison but decided against it. Coulsonor wouldn't be pleased about digging up graves or whatever. (Coulsonor wasn't a real name; one of Dean Fury's secretaries had suggested it a few years back, and college Counselor Coulson hadn't objected to the nickname, so it had stuck ever since with just about everybody.
It was just a testament to how huge a nerd Coulson really was. Vintage Captain America comics, really?)
Kitty sighed and pulled herself to her laptop again, typing down the new coding. "Don't you have the semester project to finish?"
"Already did it." Skye sang in a country drawl. Kitty grunted. Of course she had already finished.
"Shouldn't you be off campus being a Cheshire cat, then?"
"Nah, I gotta do extra projects." Skye shrugged and spun around again. "Just waiting for the prof to fix Arcade's never-ending problems."
Kitty glanced over to the other side of the room, spotting Professor Russo fretting over a jumble of code and disastrous graphics opened in another window, while the red-head 'Arcade' was trying to fix the problem. Typical idiot. How did he get through the first year again?
"Wonderful." Kitty bowed her head down, typing again.
"I wouldn't stress too much," Skye said, pushing back her short hair and holding up her van keys. "I just consulted the Holy Duck of Rubber and viola, all the work is done.
She squeaked her purple duck keychain. Kitty snorted and squeaked her duck as well. The rubber ducks didn't work exactly like that, but they made everything so much simpler.
"Ladies!" Professor Russo called, making Skye and Kitty yelp in surprise. Professor Henry Russo - a young-looking man with cropped blonde hair, a square face, and pale skin that hadn't seen the sun in days - strode over to their desks and peered down at Kitty's laptop screen.
"Good work, Pryde. Keep it up." Professor Russo patted the back of Kitty's chair. He looked over to Skye and clicked his fingers at her. "Johnson, head to your desk. There's new projects for you there."
Skye pumped her fist into the air and rolled her chair away, ignoring the groans over 'stolen property' and cheering silently. Russo shook his head, leaning against Kitty's desk.
"Pryde, you're doing good stuff, but you've been lagging behind lately." He started, crossing his arms. "Are you focusing on finals alright? Is the project getting in the way?"
Finals?
Goddammit.
"N-No, it's not like that." Kitty answered, rubbing the back of her neck. All of the recent drama over Remy and then her… 'disagreement' with Piotr had been distracting both her and Anna; she had completely forgotten about finals! They were oh-so screwed.
"What is it then?" The professor asked, waving his hand in the air. "My job description says I have to help ya or something something."
Kitty bit her lower lip, wondering what she could tell him without giving too much away. Piotr wouldn't be too happy if a professor knew the current situation. But Professor Russo would get Coulsonor on her if she refused information, and no one could hide anything from him.
"There's… stuff happening, personally." She replied at last.
"If it's affecting your work…"
"It won't be a problem for long," Kitty rubbed her arms slowly. "A friend is in a…bad situation, and we're trying to help him. I've just been distracted."
"Okay, I can appreciate that. But if it gets worse, you need to go straight to Coulsonor. I can't do much about finals, but I can make sure you don't lose your scholarship here." Professor Russo pushed himself off the desk and headed off, shoving his hands into his jacket pockets.
Kitty stared after him for a moment, mulling over just how Coulson could help any of them. He was just a college counselor! And it wasn't even a student in trouble. What can he do for a total stranger?
Wasn't that the million dollar question.
Remy was just a stranger. Why were they getting so riled up over him and his problems?
'Because I was raised to be a decent human being,' Kitty sighed internally, returning to her code work. She could ponder her personal philosophies after classes; she had too much to do right now.
0XX0
"Goddamn technology…" Anna muttered darkly as she thumped her fist against the grumbling printer for the tenth time. She growled when it beeped at her again, flashing an error message. Lies.
Anna bashed it again for good measure, creating an echo in the large campus library. She got a few glares from students around her but she paid them no mind.
With a growl, Anna pulled her USB stick out of the computer she had been using and quickly logged out before sulking up to the librarian's desk. Goddamn technology making her submit her goddamn research paper too goddamn late.
Goddamn.
"Is there another print close by Ah can use?" Anna asked in a hushed tone, staring over the desk at the casually dressed woman in charge of this most important room. "Ah gotta submit this 'fore ten thirty or Ah'll fail."
"I am aware." The librarian pushed her glasses up her nose, finally looking up at the Southerner with hard grey eyes… and still somehow looking down at her as well. "All the other printers are currently in use."
"Are ya kiddin' meh?" Anna's voice squeaked, glaring at the older woman.
"You could go to the computer labs."
"Ah've got fifteen minutes ta hand this in, 'n' the lab's a twen'y minute walk!"
"Shush." The librarian pulled back her red-dyed and brown hair, turning to stamp a book next to her arm. "You should know better than to print essays at the last minute."
Anna bit down hard on her tongue, reminding herself over and over that she couldn't graduate from prison. The nerve of some staff to just frigging assume stuff didn't happen in a student's personal life! The universe didn't revolve around college, dammit!
Anna turned away and snagged her bag before she could bite back at the librarian's stupidity. The had to be somewhere closer she could print off her essay in time…
"Anna!"
Said woman snapped to attention in the middle of tying her scarf, turning to a small office door where two women were hanging off the frame and waving to her. Anna smiled, despite herself. Amara and Tabitha, the deadly duo!
Amara, dressed in her well-worn white denim jacket, dark jeans and furry boots that only complimented her tan Venezuelan features, stood close to the pale, blonde Tabitha; she was wrapped up in an open winter coat, long red scarf and tall boots over her jeans, despite being in the warm indoors (Anna didn't blame her really; she hadn't taken her coat off all day).
Anna made her way to them, careful not to attract the librarian's attention. The three of them stepped inside the office quickly.
"Hey, guys." Anna greeted, briefly hugging both of her old friends. "Ah can't stay-"
"We know." Tabitha smirked, bringing out the laugh wrinkles that hid around her blue eyes. "Miss Cranky out there won't let you use the office printers we have back here."
"But we're in charge of this room, so screw her rules." Amara laughed with a slight accent, tinging her cheeks rosey red.
"Oh God, won'tcha get fired or somethin'?" Anna asked, clutching her USB. Landing this assistant job on campus had been one of the best things to have ever happen to Tabitha in all the years she had known the teenage rebel; it kept her busy, responsible and socialised. Her fast friendship with first-year Amara was proof of that.
"What she don't know can't hurt her." Tabitha chuckled, plucking the USB stick out of her friend's hand and heading to the computer. "English Lit or Gender Politics folder?"
"English. Ms Frost is super picky 'bout the e-mail system, you would not believe it. Physical copies only." Anna rolled her eyes at the thought of the two-time divorcee she knew as Ms Frost. She was a great teacher, but she had some seriously outdated standards on the college system. Technology is bad, fire is scary, Thomas Edison was a witch and all that.
"Everyone has that kind of professor, Anna." Amara said, crossing her arms over her chest and shifting on her feet.
"Is it the huge file 'bout children's books?" Tabitha asked. Anna confirmed. "Final draft in the spool for printing."
Tabitha stood straight and took off her scarf, revealing the Tattoos Of Regret from her high school era crawling up her neck. Black sketchings of large smiley faces, badly drawn dolphins and roses covered her chest and shoulders, though a few were more faded than others. Her dad was probably paying for them to be removed at long last, Anna mused.
"Thanks for the help." Anna said, leaning against an old filing cabinet to catch her breath.
"You can buy me another lunch if you wanna thank me." Tabitha smirked.
"We already had our lunch this month-"
"Which you spent all spaced out. Doesn't count." Anna pouted, embarrassed at herself for that day. The events of the night prior had been weighing heavily on her mind the whole time she was with Tabitha. She hadn't thought her state of mind had been so transparent.
"So, what'cha been up to, Amara?" Anna asked, watching the younger woman collect her essay pages as they came out one by one. The brown girl was more Kitty's friend than her's ever since she had transferred to Bayville from San Carlos, but she and Anna knew each other well enough to call the other a friend.
"Studying, working. The usual stuff." Amara shrugged, fiddling with a stapler on the desk.
"That's a lie an' y'know it." Tabitha said, elbowing Amara. "There was this huge drunk fight on her dorm floor last night."
"An' ya didn' tell meh?" Anna gasped, hand on her chest and looking deeply offended.
"I thought Kitty told you." Amara answered sheepishly, gathering the printed papers and stapling them neatly together without making eye contact. "There, all done. Bye!"
"Yer not escapin' that easy, youngin'." Anna swiped her essay and stuffed it between her textbooks in her bag. "But I gotta fly. Talk ta later."
"See ya."
"Don't forget lunch!"
The three girls waved goodbye as Anna fled out of the office, and then the library. She was lucky to have run across them as the right time, lest she face Ms Frost's infamous anger. Anna had only seen it from afar, but after her professor's insistent meddling the other day about her lack of paperwork, she knew it would be her next unless she got the essay in on time.
It would be the first time she hadn't handed in work early in her two years at Academy. Hell, the only reason she had finished it on time was because she had completely thrown herself into the essay to forget about Remy.
Swamp Rat. Dammit.
Unlike Kitty, the prodigy who could work through thunderstorms and blizzards, Anna needed an absolutely clear mind in order to do anything like research papers. That was something that had avoided her until she forced it down.
Though it had only been a few days since the incident, Anna had already seen boxes flow into the Rasputin apartment, and Illyana told them that her brother had spreadsheets or something over the walls.
The man was dedicated, if anything.
Anna sighed inwardly, rubbing her forehead. This had to blow over soon. There was no way this could be dragged out any longer than it needed to be, yet something told her it would be months until they knew any peace again. Great. Just… great.
Picking up her pace, Anna focused on the path ahead of her and pulled out her iPod. She could worry at home; she had too much to do right now.
0XX0
"I'll be back 'bout t'ree, an' make sure de house is tidy; I'm bringin' friends over."
"Oui, chérie. Who's comin'?"
"Jus' a couple girls from work." Belladonna hugged her wooly scarf to fit snug around her neck, blending in with her red coat and high brown boots. She smiled up at Remy, eyes practically twinkling.
Remy held up a brown knitted hat and pushed it down onto her head. Bella squeaked and swatted his hands away, fixing the hat herself.
"Careful of m' hair!"
"It's better den a bike helmet, non?"
Bella narrowed her eyes but smiled anyway, making Remy chuckle and smile back; she wouldn't have to worry about the bus if she stopped stressing over her hair so much. He sighed through his nose, watching his girlfriend double check her bag and pockets. He then held up a small bottle to her face. Bella frowned.
"Boo-"
"Chérie, y' gotta listen to y' doctor." Remy said, slipping the pills into her coat pocket. "You've been doin' so well."
"Not 'cause o' pills," Bella shifted on her feet, looking away. "Julien said I was doin' great, 'n' I wasn't takin' 'em den."
That explained Thanksgiving. "Belle, y' doc didn' spend six years in Evil Medical School t' be called 'Mister'."
"You an' dat movie." Bella rolled her eyes, crossing her arms and frowning more. "I hate bein' sick, Remy. I hate it."
"I know, chérie." Remy kissed her forehead and pulled her into a warm embrace. "You'll get better."
Bella hugged him back tightly and buried her head into his chest. "I don' know what I'd do wit'out ya, boo."
"I love ya."
"I know." Bella sighed and pulled away to peck him on the lips. "I gotta go catch de bus now. Call m' boss if ya need anyt'in'."
"Oui oui." Remy nodded, pushing back his thoughts of his still 'missing' phone, and opened the front door behind Bella. A chilly breeze blew in and he shivered harshly, despite his many layers of sweaters. "Have a good day."
"You too." Bella smiled at him one last time before heading out of their small house. Remy quickly shut the door and hurried over to the warmer kitchen.
He sighed shakily, rubbing his eyes and forcing down the pain in his chest that threatened to erupt in bile. He couldn't believe he was actually doing this to her. Piotr had said it would be for her own good, but what if it didn't work out? What if Bella just got worse once he left? There would be no one here to look after her; anything could happen-
A loud knock jolted Remy out of his thoughts and he turned to the back door on the other side of the kitchen. Piotr stood on the other side, peering through the window and waving to the Cajun. Remy unlocked the door and stepped back to let the Russian in.
Piotr glanced around, swiftly removing his gloves and taking in the sight. The kitchen was a simple design; white marble tops, wooden cupboards all over the walls, and a light grey tiled floor. very few utensils were scattered around the counter tops, and the oven door was open ajar.
"It's not that cold, Remy."
"My balls are freezin' off, y' damn polar bear." Remy grumbled and shuffled past Piotr into the living room. "I got a couple boxes for y' upstairs, Pete. Did ya get the ones from m' office?"
"All stacked in apartment and not paying rent, da." Piotr said as he followed Remy through the house, ducking to avoid low-hanging lampshades and doorways (What is this? A center for ants?).
"Good t' hear." Remy replied as he jogged up the spiraling stairwell with Piotr close behind. The Cajun led him to a bare-bones excuse for a spare room and knelt down next to the wiry bed frame, pulling out boxes and bags from underneath.
Piotr stood by the door and took his phone out, smiling at the photo Illyana sent to him of Lockheed jumping off her bed. He sent a smiley face back to her and then glanced over his newest messages, including one from Kitty.
[[just texting to say that anna and i totally forgot about finals coming up, so we might not be communicating with the outside world for a long while. bad timing, ikr?]]
[[and sorry about the other night, Pete. i got caught up in the moment and took it out on u]]
[[this is a super bad thing happening rn and its been a toll and my words arent working blurgh]]
[[once tests are over well go out to ur favourite place. my treat]]
Piotr couldn't suppress his smirk and quickly typed back:
[[I doubt you could handle the prices of MY favourite place ;) ]]
[[ohhhh do i hear a challenge?]]
[[More along the lines of your death wish.]]
[[Also, your spelling & grammar are as bad as Remy's. I'm almost embarrassed.]]
He chuckled, leaned against the wall and rubbed at the dark circles under his eyes, paying no mind to the rest of the world.
[[ALMOST? that's it, me and remy are gonna plot a bad spelling mutiny against you]]
[[well see who's embarassed then]]
Piotr snorted and bowed his head down to muffle the noise, smiling widely as his shoulders shook. Remy glanced up from his pile of boxes and gave him a look as he walked over.
"What'cha gigglin' over, mon ami?"
Piotr looked up and shook his head, smiling more. "Mutiny."
"...Y' lost me."
Piotr just held up his phone to Remy as he stood up straight, chuckling the rest out. Remy skimmed over the screen and sighed loudly.
"Oh, de fun love life of Piotr Rasputin." He turned on his heel, heading back to his job. "By da by, we'll be spellin' so bad, you'll wish you'd never met us."
"Bohze moi, whatever will I do." Piotr said flatly, sending a last farewell (and promise of study food) text. He strode over to the boxes, glancing over each one. They seemed to be filled with random junk one would just throw off to the side to clear up space elsewhere, though he did spot a few photos here and there.
Remy lifted up a packaging box that had been taped up and labeled 'attic', and dumped it into Piotr's arms.
"Dis is ol' high school stuff dat I've managed t' keep off Bella's radar." He explained, bending down to pick another smaller box up. "God knows she'd burn dese if she knew 'bout dem."
Piotr was tempted to ask why; Remy and Bella were childhood 'sweethearts', what could prompt her to burn anything from their teenage years? But he kept it in. He and Remy were best friends, but there were still many things he had yet to tell him about his earlier years with Bella. He'd find out eventually, probably. Maybe.
Remy gave the other box over, taking out a woven bangle from it and running his thumb over it. He smiled sadly, playing with the knotted ends.
"What is it?" Piotr asked, looking at the bangle curiously. Remy held onto it.
"A gift, from someone I really miss." He answered quietly, putting it back into the box. Piotr pursed his lips, only nodding as Remy lifted a bag onto the boxes. "You'll be okay walkin' with all dis?"
"Da." Piotr adjusted his hold on the items. Remy shoved the other boxes back under the bed before standing up to dust off his hands.
"If y' say so." He shook his head, taking out his phone and toying with it. Music began to play out of it as the two men walked back out, a male voice sang French lyrics to a fast dance-like beat. Remy smiled and bopped his head along, almost skipping down the stairwell.
"Cette fois c'était la dernière; tu peux croire que c'est qu'une crise; mate une dernière fois mon derrière, il est à côté de mes valises…"
Piotr groaned loudly and rolled his head back as he and Remy walked back through to the kitchen. The Cajun laughed and hummed the tune loudly.
"Bella never lets moi listen t' Stromae in de house. Gotta spend dis alone time well, non?"
Piotr mouthed a few words on his tongue before giving up and just nodding in silent agreement. They returned to the kitchen without any more fuss as the chorus picked up and Remy bopped his head to the tune.
Piotr stood at the door, turning to look at his friend. "I'll see you soon, da?"
"Yup." Remy nodded, rocking back on his heels and stretching the torn up ends of his jeans. "I'll try 'n' call y' if anythin' happens, and get some real sleep.
Once the door was shut and locked, the Cajun sighed heavily and glanced to the clock. Almost noon. He still had a few hours to himself, with nowhere to go and no work to concentrate on, so Remy left his phone blaring music on the counter and started working on lunch for himself.
Not like he had much else to do right now.
0XX0
Bleorp!
Upon hearing the Skype alert over the hustle and bustle of the campus cafeteria, Anna lifted her gaze up to the phone sitting next to her tray of barely-edible food stuffs. She swallowed her mouthful of burrito and opened the app.
Kurtus Wagnus: [1:32 PM] Yo, Anna!
The Uncanny Rogue: [1:34 PM] Hey, Kurt.
Kurtus Wagnus: [1:35 PM] You know you're my favourite sister in the whole world, right?
Anna narrowed her eyes at her phone and quickly glanced around her. Seeing that no one around her was paying any attention, she kept typing away.
The Uncanny Rogue: [1:38 PM] I'm your only sister. What do you want?
Kurtus Wagus: [1:39 PM] Tch, you accuse me! Can't I tell you how wonderful you are without wanting something?
The Uncanny Rogue: [1:41 PM] You COULD but then I'd know for sure that you had been replaced with an alien clone. Spill the beans.
Kurtus Wagnus: [1:42 PM] Your logic knows no bounds.
Kurtus Wagnus: [1:43 PM] The campus is closed early due to bad weather and Evan's already gone to his parents for the trip north. Can I stay with you 'til you go too?
Anna resisted the urge to slap her forehead and groan. Of course he wanted to bum on the sofa bed.
The Uncanny Rogue: [1:45PM] You big baby. Why don't you head back to Germany for the month?
Kurtus Wagnus: [1:46 PM] Ugh, as if I want to be around the 'father specimen' for a month.
Kurtus Wagnus: [1:47 PM] Besides, he and mother are spending the holidays on a couples retreat or some shit. I got nowhere to gooooo.
The Uncanny Rogue: [1:50 PM] Can you afford the trip north?
Kurtus Wagnus: [1:51 PM] Uhhh, dunno. Probably not?
Kurtus Wagnus: [1:52 PM] Could you even fit all of us in that cabin?
The Uncanny Rogue: [1:52 PM] No
The Uncanny Rogue: [1:53 PM] I'll text Kitty and let her know you're coming over, but you'll be expected to cat-sit while we're gone.
Kurtus Wagnus: [1:55 PM] Eh, nothing I can't handle. I'll pay for my food, as always.
The Uncanny Rogue: [1:56 PM] Good half brother~ You learn well.
Kurtus Wagnus: [1:56 PM] Har har, very funny.
Kurtus Wagnus: [1:57 PM: I'll see you tomorrow night then. Puff the pillows for me!
Anna sent an annoyed smiley face back and put her phone down, rolling her eyes. Having Kurt over for a couple of weeks wouldn't be the end of the world; he could probably help out with their last minute Christmas shopping as well, and Kitty would be happy to know her plane-phobic cat would be looked after while she was at home. It'd be easy.
She picked up her phone again and went to take a bite out of her burrito, only to find it had gone cold. Dammit.
[[Just to let you know that Kurt is gonna stay with us for a couple weeks. Campus is closed and he's lonely]]
Anna sent the text and put the burrito down, lamenting the loss of her lunch. Oh well, she still had her soda and a bag of chips to last her. Picking her things up from her table spot, Anna quickly made a bee-line to the exit of the over-crowded cafeteria (bumping a few elbows along the way) and began to wander aimlessly down the empty hallways.
She didn't have to be anywhere for another two hours when her shift at the store started, and all of her friends were either stuck in lectures or with teachers who didn't allow visitors; there was no point in heading home either, so she was stuck here until it was time to go to work.
Her phone beeped.
[[wtf anna?! we can't have gusts over rn! we have finals!]]
Finals? Those weren't until December-
Wait.
Shit.
Anna froze in her spot as her mind raced to pluck out her exam dates from memory. She knew that she had three exams on the days before she left for home (including her English Lit on the day of her flight), and there was the psychology exam she had to retake from last year the week before those… Were there any others that she was forgetting?
Why the frick hadn't she remembered?!
Oh right, drama.
Anna slowed down her breathing and started walking again, this time heading towards the counsellor's offices. Reaching out to them was her best chance at not missing any exam days at the moment, especially if her memory was failing her.
She and Kitty were going to be holed up in their apartment and the library for the next couple of weeks, that was for sure. Kurt was a grown boy; he could look after himself and keep out of their way for the time being. Help keep them sane in the midst of the studying madness as well (last year had been the first time either girl had wondered how far one would have to drop to fracture a leg bone; neither of them had wanted to take the Latin final). Anna briefly mused on how the Rasputins would occupy themselves if the conflicting schedules wouldn't allow for another proper conversation until they came back after New Year's, but a louder thought intruded on that.
The Swamp Rat.
Anna paused outside of Coulson's office and shut her eyes. No. She couldn't worry about him and his crazy bitch girlfriend right now.
She had to trust that Piotr could do everything and not bring her into it. She had to for the sake of her sanity.
'Hold my breath and count the days; I'll be graduating soon…' Anna thought as she knocked on the door and perked up when the staff member inside answered for her to come in.
'Not soon enough…'
So many song references in this chapter. Stromae and the Heathers musical are two of my most recent musical obsessions; I say everyone should check them out! I didn't add those certain Stromae lyrics for no reason (get an accurate translation if you can).
Sorry for any mistakes in this chapter: due to my beta's incredibly busy college life at the moment, I've given her a break from editing to focus on her grades, so the next few chapters will be mostly un-beta'd like this one.
Once again, thank you for all the reviews and kudos! Keep them coming, please! And go check out 'Full Disclosure' as well, you won't be disappointed.