The grand staircase that lay in the entrance to the Xavier mansion was polished and pristine, and though inviting, it was impossible to have even the slightest bit of fun with. It was under the constant surveillance of Ros' all-seeing eye, the head maid. She was probably as old as the mansion itself, with tight curls and a look that could make a drill sergeant weep.
Many students had tried throughout the years but no one had managed to slide along the bannister or slip down the steps on a makeshift snowboard without getting into trouble. But that was the grand staircase. The side stairwells were another story. They corkscrewed through the mansion, skewering every floor so that the main staircase was never too crowded. This was where the students got their kicks.
Hazeem stood at the top of one of these stairwells. He was fourteen and a good student, but like most teenage boys, he felt an unquenchable desire to do dangerous things. His friends all stood at the bottom, staring up at him through gaps in the spiral with wide, excited eyes. If Hazeem made the slide all the way to the bottom, he'd be a hero. If he fell, they had a good story. The boy's gaze followed the sharp twist in the bannister and gulped. One of his friends called up a rallying cry of encouragement which was followed by a rowdy cheer from the rest.
He took a deep breath to settle his churning stomach then placed two hands on the bannister. Hazeem jumped and twisted so that he was sat sideways, one hand firmly planted either side of him. He closed his eyes for a second as he gathered his courage, then with one last cheer from his friends, Hazeem let go of the bannister and shuffled forward.
He began to slide but teetered to the side almost instantly. He would've fallen if it weren't for a tail whipping out and wrapping tightly around his middle. Hazeem gasped and looked round to find Kurt Wagner on the stair beside him. Of course, Hazeem knew the older boy. He fought Apocalypse last year, he was one of the X-Men, a hero. He stared up at Kurt in awe and he smiled back.
"I won't tell if you won't." Kurt said quietly, nodding down to Hazeem's friends on the bottom floor. The boy followed his gesture and realised he was talking about his little fall. So long as he promised to be more careful, he would be allowed to continue his daredevilry. Hazeem grinned and nodded. Kurt made sure the boy was steady before he stepped back and released his hold. Hazeem sped off with a whoop of joy, rocketing down the bannister while his friends roared like a crowd at a football game.
Kurt shook his head fondly as he climbed the rest of the stairs to the top floor landing. He reached Peggy's door and, after making sure no one was watching, he tugged his shirt into place and ran a hand through his hair. Happy with his appearance, Kurt knocked three times and waited, hands folded in front of him. After a few moments with no response, he knocked again a little louder. Kurt hadn't seen her downstairs which could only mean that Peggy was still in her room. He knew she liked to sleep in late but his knock had been loud enough to wake her.
A moment passed and there was still no answer, so Kurt carefully turned the doorknob and found that her door was unlocked. He slowly pushed it open, just in case he surprised her but when he opened the door fully, Peggy was nowhere in sight. Kurt stepped into the room, still feeling a little bewildered, but just as the door closed behind him, he heard the shower running.
He immediately took a step backwards, intending to leave and give Peggy some privacy, but something on her nightstand caught his eye. Kurt began to smile as he crossed the room and slid his photograph off the bedside table. Fortunately, Peggy thought to leave her bag behind before they left for the mall, otherwise she might've lost it and the photograph in all the confusion. Kurt hadn't been so lucky with his gift from Francisco, which he accidentally left behind in the cinema.
Kurt sat down on her unmade bed, studying the picture with a little smile. Peggy said she would keep it on her nightstand but he thought she must be kidding. It warmed his heart to know she cared for it as much as she said she did. He was so caught up in his own thoughts that he didn't hear the water shutting off. Kurt carefully placed the picture back down on the nightstand beside a rotund lamp and a handful of hairbands. He looked up when the en suite door opened, his heart stopping when he realised Peggy was done with the shower. She stepped into her room, absentmindedly tucking a corner of her towel under her arm.
"Peggy!" Kurt abruptly stood up and Peggy jumped about a foot in the air.
"Bloody hell!" She shrieked, her hand flying to her mouth. Kurt stumbled away from her, aiming for the door but tripping over a pile of dirty laundry as he went. He kept his gaze very firmly on the floor as he stammered through an apology, all the while blindly trying to get to the door.
"Oh, mein Gott! I did knock but there was no reply! Es tut mir leid. Ich kann nicht- Es tut mir leid, vergib mir." Peggy's hand slipped from her mouth to rest over her heart which was thumping like a piston. Kurt had scared her, that's for sure, but she couldn't help giggling as she watched him trip across her room. She closed her bathroom door and shook her hand at him, trying to get him to calm down.
"Kurt, it's alright. It's not like I'm starkers or anything." He stopped trying to escape then. Kurt finally raised his eyes to look at her and really wished he hadn't. There was Peggy, beautiful and smiling, wrapped only in a towel, her skin damp and her hair a mess. His heart was still racing but for an entirely different reason now. Peggy laughed again, shaking her head at him affectionately as she readjusted her towel.
Then Kurt realised the terrible, embarrassing truth. He'd only experienced the feeling a few times but ever since he met Peggy, it was becoming more and more familiar. His heart was beating unusually fast, his breathing was all over the place and his skin felt hot, not to mention the sudden tightness in his jeans. Kurt swallowed hard and tried not to stare but it was near-on impossible. His gaze travelled from her bright eyes, down the length of her neck to her chest, hidden by the towel apart from a heart-stopping amount of cleavage. He swallowed hard and met her eyes again. Peggy wore a strange smile, almost like a smirk. She knew he was staring and somehow that only made the feeling grow.
"I'll wait outside." Kurt decided quickly, dropping his gaze to the floor again. His face was burning and he knew his cheeks were turning purple. Before he could get too far, Peggy called after him.
"No, it's okay." Although a part of her was very, very aware that she was alone in her room with a boy wearing only a towel, Peggy was determined to have a level head. One of them had to keep their cool and it clearly wasn't going to be Kurt. She held her towel close to her body, making sure it wouldn't slip away, which was really more for Kurt's benefit than her own. Peggy feared he might actually pass out if he saw any more of her. "Did you need something?" She asked with absurd nonchalance as she crossed to her dresser and started pulling out clothes. Kurt tried to avert his gaze out of politeness but it was like trying not to look at an eclipse.
"I want..." He tried to explain why he had dropped by but suddenly he could barely remember his own name. Kurt watched as she pulled something red out her drawer, perhaps a shirt or a dress, then a pair of tights. "I want to..." To his astonishment, Peggy then selected a bra and underwear. She didn't even try to conceal them. He couldn't decide if she just didn't care, or if she was doing it on purpose to tease him. Either that, or she didn't know he was looking. Kurt felt the latter was the most likely and he respectfully turned his face away. The magazines that Scott "accidentally" left in his room were very informative, if only Kurt could remember any of it and string together a coherent thought. "There is a meeting." He said finally, just as Peggy slid her drawer shut again. "The Professor wants to see us all."
"To talk about the attack?" Peggy asked, though she supposed she already knew the answer. Hopefully the Professor had a plan, the thought of Carl going free after what he'd done to her friends made her blood boil. "When?"
"At twelve."
"Und wie spät ist es?" She asked, slipping between German and English with ease and making Kurt smile. He liked it when Peggy spoke his language, it made him feel at home, even more so than he already did with her. Although, it was also very attractive and this could sometimes be problematic, especially if by some stroke of luck Peggy was only wearing a towel. Kurt pressed his lips together in irritation when he felt his face begin to burn again. He checked his watch as an excuse to look away.
"Es ist fünf nach elf." The watch had been a Christmas present from Jubilee. He remembered the nervous look on her face when she passed him the little box, neatly wrapped up with a yellow ribbon. It wasn't the most impressive, it was all Jubilee could afford, but it was the first gift she'd ever given him and to Kurt, it was beautiful. Peggy bundled her clothes together, making sure she had everything she needed, then smiled at Kurt.
"Well, then. I think we have time for breakfast first." It was late in the morning so they wouldn't be serving hot food in the dining hall anymore but there would still be some cereal left over or a couple of pastries if they were lucky. Kurt had already eaten breakfast with Scott and Jean but his stomach grumbled. "I'll just be a tick." Peggy excused herself, gesturing for him to take a seat on her bed whilst he waited. Kurt initially declined but she insisted and he decided it was time to get over his fears. Peggy watched him sit down on the very edge of her bed, his hands clasped in his lap, and shook her head faintly. She left him to it and returned to the bathroom, unintentionally giving Kurt a good look at her bare back as she went. He groaned softly as the door shut behind her and let his head fall into his hands.
"Wieso? Wieso, folterst du mich so?" He grumbled, sending a weary glare heavenwards. It wasn't right to think about Peggy inappropriately, and yet he was constantly thrust into situations (such as this) where the temptation was almost too much to bear. He began to knead his forehead in frustration as the bathroom door reopened and Peggy poked her head out.
"Did you say something?" She asked, just in time to see Kurt drop his hand. He shook his head hurriedly, making his new, short curls bounce. Peggy was so distracted by this, she didn't notice the embarrassed look on Kurt's face.
"Nein, I was just... Singing to myself." He winced. Kurt seldom lied, which he supposed was a good character trait to have, but it also meant he was spectacularly bad at it. Peggy frowned but didn't question him further. She chuckled and slipped back into the bathroom, closing the door again. Kurt waited until he was sure she wouldn't come back out to tap himself on the forehead. "Dummkopf." He muttered, shaking his head, disappointed in himself.
The room was quiet but a plethora of sounds drifted in through the wide window. There were kids playing a game on the lawn below and Kurt could hear two birds sharing a conversation in a nearby tree. An aeroplane soared overhead, rumbling quietly a thousand miles away. Kurt looked back down at his photograph, smiling fondly at the memories it stirred.
He sat back a little further on the bed, getting himself comfortable. As he settled down, he nudged Peggy's pillows, accidentally exposing something that lay beneath them. Curiosity got the better of him and Kurt lifted the corner of the bottom pillow. Another one of Peggy's bras was stuffed there, dark green and lacy. Kurt froze, his eyes growing wide. He knew Peggy was untidy but he hadn't expected to find her laundry in her bed.
"How is everyone?" Kurt jumped and dropped the pillow. He scuttled down the bed, putting as much space between him and her underwear as possible before he realised Peggy was talking to him through the bathroom door. "I didn't get much of a chance to talk to them last night." Peggy was pleased that she'd been able to see her friends, if only for a little while, before they were swept away for a debriefing. She wondered what they'd discussed while she recuperated in the med bay. She hoped they were alright, she couldn't remember any of them being badly hurt.
"Everyone is fine." Kurt's voice was muffled. She would've cracked the door open but she didn't want to risk giving the poor boy a heart attack. "Jubilee wanted to go back to the mall today but we managed to talk her out of it."
"I would've thought it'd be closed."
"That wouldn't stop Jubilee." Peggy laughed as she pulled on the last of her clothes. It was warm outside already but it was going to be a scorcher as soon as the sun hit its peak. She didn't have very many summery clothes, she'd have to go shopping soon. Peggy scoffed out loud to herself when she remembered there was nowhere to go shopping, at least not until they reopened the mall. She fluffed up her hair in the mirror, turning her head left and right to make sure she looked presentable. She hung up her towel on the wall before she forgot, then left the bathroom.
Kurt looked up when she opened the door and his attention was immediately stolen. Peggy wore a short red dress that moved nicely as she walked. Her dark hair was still a little damp but it bounced around her shoulders in loose curls. She looked incredible. Kurt's parted lips twitched into a smile he was too astounded to try and repress. "Wow." He breathed, his wide eyes meeting hers when Peggy began to laugh.
"Cheers." She said brightly, her bottom lip caught between her teeth as she smiled. She wasn't sure if she was more flattered or flustered by his monosyllabic praise. Kurt watched Peggy drag her teeth over her lip and wished it was his instead. She moved towards him, making Kurt jump, embarrassed to be caught staring. Peggy reached over to her little radio sitting on the windowsill and switched it on. She shot him another soft smile as she turned and walked to her dresser. The radio fizzled and buzzed as it searched for the right frequency, meanwhile Peggy gathered her make-up and began to get ready.
Kurt sat and watched her with flagrant fascination. The ladies and some of the men in the circus would paint their faces: lipstick and rouge and powder and an all manner of others he couldn't name. They used it to exaggerate their expressions in the low light of the circus tent. Peggy's make-up was far more elegant. Her hand moved slowly and deftly, like she was painting a masterpiece.
Kurt leaned forward to get a better view. She only had a little mirror to work with, which she propped up against her shared TV. He watched as she leaned in close and drew a black line across her eyelid, then another underneath in pencil. She repeated this process on the other eye but tutted when the line wobbled. As she searched for something to dab at it with, the radio adverts finally ceased and a lively tune began to play. Kurt turned his head to look at the little radio, his ears pricking when he realised he knew the song.
"I like this." He murmured, too quiet for Peggy to hear. She made a noise and frowned slightly, asking him to repeat himself whilst she finished off her eyeliner. Kurt looked back just in time to see her drawing a deep red line around her lips. He was momentarily distracted but managed to gather his wits enough to repeat himself. Peggy looked over at the radio, her nose scrunching up as she wracked her brain.
"I don't know it."
"It's called 'Magic Man' by Heart." When Peter found out that he loved music as much as he did, he decided they were kindred spirits and lent Kurt a couple of records and tapes he thought he might like. This was one of them. The rhythm changed and Kurt nodded his head along with the guitar solo.
"You see!" Peggy turned around just enough to grin at him, lipstick in one hand, blotting tissue in the other. "You'd be great in that record shop." She still thought Kurt would be an outstanding addition to Francisco's. He was kind and polite and hardworking, but most of all, he loved music with a passion that she'd never seen before. Kurt's little smile faded and he shrugged his shoulders.
"If it's still there." He said gravely. Peggy felt her stomach churn. Whenever she thought about the attack, it felt like a bad dream. But no, it was all real. They were hunted, almost killed, and a place they thought was safe now looked like a war zone.
Peggy cast her mind back to the moment she fell through the glass barrier. If it weren't for Kurt, the impact might have proved fatal. She barely repressed a shudder. Kurt saved her life. She hadn't even thanked him properly. How could she forget to thank him? She supposed she'd been so caught up in everything, there just hadn't been time. Peggy brushed the dark thoughts from her mind, choosing to focus on the friendly chatter of the radio instead. A jingle played, announcing the name and frequency of the radio station, then a woman began to read the latest news.
'Today, President Reagan has arrived in Normandy where he will give a speech celebrating the fortieth anniversary of the D-Day Landings at the site of the U.S. Ranger Monument at Pointe du Hoc. Much more to come on this in our later report at twelve. In other news, we're getting more and more reports about the Galleria Mall attack in Westchester yesterday afternoon. Two people were killed with many more injured.'
Peggy turned to Kurt to see him staring at the radio, his expression forlorn. The mall was his favourite place in the whole world, hearing it on the news hurt him deeply. Peggy felt her chest squeeze at the mention of the two deaths. In all the confusion, she hadn't seen anyone seriously hurt. Perhaps they were close to the blast? Or maybe Carl and his men had found a couple of other mutants and… Peggy grimaced.
"You don't think Francisco..." She murmured, glancing between Kurt and the radio where the newsreader was still talking. His shop was on the ground floor, not far from the explosion. Francisco was a nice man, Peggy couldn't bear the thought of him being hurt in an attack meant for them. She thought about what he'd said. He had a daughter. Thankfully, Kurt shook his head.
"No, I saw him leave." He said quietly. Peggy closed her eyes as she drew in a relieved breath.
"Thank goodness."
'Police are saying the bombs may have been planted by a terror group but urge the public to remain calm. If you were involved in the attack or have any information that may be useful, please do not hesitate to call the following number...'
Kurt listened to them reading out the telephone number then reached over and turned off the radio. Peggy didn't protest. They both stared at the little device in solemn silence, letting the news sink in. At the eye of the storm, their only thoughts were on getting to safety. Suddenly, it all felt a lot more real.
"I still can't believe it." Kurt said, voicing what they were both thinking. He'd moved from a dark place of grime and despair to America, bright, shining, colourful America, where there was money and food and cars and so much promise. Surely nothing bad could ever happen in a place like this? At least, that's what he'd thought. Peggy hummed her agreement.
"I can't believe I got shot." She added, hoping to lift his mood a little. Kurt didn't seem to find it at all funny. He twisted around on the bed to face her, his brow furrowed.
"Yes, well, we both know my feelings about that." His gaze fell to her shoulder. Kurt could just see the edge of the gauze covering her stitches poking out of her sleeve. His anger flared whenever he thought about it, Peggy jumping in front of a bullet for him. Scott said it was an act of devotion, Kurt thought it meant he wasn't doing his job properly. He should've been more careful. Peggy should never have had to put herself in that situation. It was his fault she got hurt. But Peggy didn't see it that way.
He met her gaze. She knew what he was thinking about. Kurt watched her bite her lip again and found it soothed his bristling anger. He'd do anything to bite her lip like that. Would it make her moan? Would she sigh his name? His mind drifted back to the way she looked in nothing but a towel. Would she have stopped him if he kissed her right then? Or would she melt into his arms, gripping him tight?
Kurt felt a familiar twinge and forced himself to think of something else, lest Peggy see the effect she had on him and they were suddenly stuck in a very awkward situation. His last thought before he changed the subject was that he wished he was braver, maybe then he wouldn't have to daydream. "Are you ready? We should go, we haven't got much time." Kurt asked, getting to his feet. His voice sounded a little tight and he cleared his throat, praying she wouldn't notice how stiffly he moved. Peggy checked her reflection in her little mirror and, happy with what she saw, she nodded.
They left her room a moment later. Kurt offered to teleport them down to the dining hall but Peggy declined. It would be a shame to waste a nice walk. Like Peter, who constantly whizzed about at dizzying speeds, Kurt's mutation had made him somewhat indolent. He could travel anywhere in the blink of an eye, why on earth would he ever walk? But Kurt didn't argue with her. Peggy had taken a bullet for him, he could walk down a few staircases.
They stayed close to each other, practically hip to hip as they strolled down the corridor. Kurt's tail curled behind their feet as they chatted easily, trying to keep their minds away from yesterday. When they arrived in the cafeteria, they found Jubilee waiting for them. Kurt had asked her if she wanted to have a late breakfast with them, seeing as Jubilee liked to sleep in just as much as Peggy. She'd been waiting for over ten minutes but when Jubilee saw how close the two of them were, there was no explanation necessary.
"Hey." Peggy greeted her friend with a soft smile. She wasn't sure how Jubilee was feeling. When she spoke to her yesterday, she seemed bright and bubbly as always but now the adrenaline had worn off, Peggy was very conscious of how shaken she might be. But just as Kurt said, Jubilee was feeling calm and happy, although she felt sick whenever she dared to think about yesterday.
"Hey, you two." Jubilee decided she just didn't have the energy to antagonise them yet, but she did wink at Kurt who rolled his eyes at her implication. They didn't stop to chat, Jubilee simply joined them and they ambled across the cafeteria at their own leisurely pace. They grabbed a tray each, ignoring the bare hot food counter in lieu of the breakfast bar.
"Where are Scott and Jean?" Kurt asked whilst they gathered their food. He ate with them earlier but he hadn't seen either of them since.
"Well, Jean has actually gone jogging." When both her friends grimaced, Jubilee nodded her agreement. "I know right." She pulled a disgusted face and led them over to the little island where the cold food was kept. She raised her eyebrows, indicating that she was about to relay juicy gossip. "And a little birdie told me that Scott is regaling Annie with tales of yesterday."
"I thought it was Nancy he fancied?" Scott was always chattering away about Nancy this and Nancy that. Peggy had yet to meet her but Kurt said she was very nice and extremely pretty, so of course, Scott acted like a complete idiot around the poor girl. The trio stopped and gazed miserably at the breakfast bar.
The trio stopped and gazed miserably at the breakfast bar. Usually, there were all sorts of fruits and pastries, but it was almost lunchtime and the platters had been picked clean. There was still some cereal left over and a few slices of cold toast. Peggy twisted her mouth at the dismal sight but her expression brightened when she managed to excavate two croissants hidden behind the empty fruit bowl.
"He does like Nancy." Jubilee reached across Peggy to snatch up a rogue banana and a cereal bar that had somehow gone unnoticed. "But I think he likes Annie too." Peggy saw Kurt selecting his cereal so she wandered to the end of the breakfast bar to grab him the milk.
"Why can't he just pick one?" Peggy asked when she returned with the jug. Kurt thanked her and she smiled in response. Jubilee dropped her tray into the depository with a careless clatter, she wouldn't be needing it now she only had a few items. When she was sure she had everything, she raised her eyebrows at Peggy meaningfully.
"You're awfully hypocritical. You of all people know how difficult affairs of the heart can be."
"Why're you talking like that?"
"I dunno. I just woke up in one of those moods, you know?" Jubilee shrugged, already peeling her banana. She was suddenly ravenously hungry and couldn't wait to be seated before she tucked into her breakfast. Peggy put away her tray, choosing to carry her breakfast herself instead, and Kurt grabbed a spoon for his cereal. Peggy saw that he'd poured himself a glass of juice and offered to carry it for him but Kurt merely smiled.
He left the breakfast island, starting to follow Jubilee across the cafeteria but before Peggy could comment, he reached out his tail and wrapped it around his glass. Peggy's jaw went slack. She knew Kurt was good with his tail, he'd likened it to having a third arm, but she didn't know he had such control. After all this time, her friends still managed to amaze her. Peggy stared after him until she realised she was being left behind. She hurried after her friends, all the while wondering what else Kurt might be able to do with his tail and blushing like an idiot.
The dining hall was practically empty, it was only them and four kids studying in the corner. Their group had been allowed a day off from classes, to give them some time to recover and because of their meeting with the Professor at midday. They sat down at a table close to the door so that their friends would be able to spot them. When Jubilee saw Kurt's loaded tray, she raised an eyebrow. "Second breakfast." Kurt shrugged as he sat down in the seat across from her. Peggy instantly took the seat beside him without really thinking about it, though Jubilee certainly noticed and had to stop herself rolling her eyes.
"Where do you put it all?" Peggy asked, beginning to laugh as she set about buttering her first croissant. She was pretty pleased with her find, usually the pastries were the first to go at breakfast and she was stuck with cereal. Not that she was complaining, but if she had to pick between a warm croissant and muesli, the choice was clear. Kurt didn't often eat two breakfasts but he felt it was rude not to when his friends were eating. That and he was hungry.
"I am an X-Man, I must stay strong." He sat up and made a show of flexing his arm, making the girl's laugh. It wasn't that Kurt was skinny, he was toned enough to keep Peggy's mind wandering for days, but he was hardly Arnold Schwarzenegger either. He grinned, making his friends laugh always made him happy. Peggy took a huge bite of her croissant and was consequently showered with flakes of pastry but she'd only just woken up and didn't care very much.
"My brother's like that." She said, nodding towards Kurt as she took another bite of her breakfast. "You have to be careful otherwise he'll eat everything in the house. I didn't see any fruit for weeks once, I almost got scurvy."
"I've always found conversations about nautical diseases to be the key ingredient of any brunch." Said Scott, suddenly appearing beside their table. They'd been so caught up in their breakfast, they hadn't seen him approach. Jubilee smiled up at him and patted the seat beside her.
"Good morning, goggles."
"Good morning, treasured friends." Scott replied in the same airy tone. He was used to taunts about his glasses, for the most part, he took it on the chin because he knew it was more of an affectionate nickname. Scott pulled up a chair and settled down with a slight grunt. He was still a little sore from yesterday. Hank gave him the all-clear last night when he debriefed them, but fighting off a hoard of armed gunmen hadn't exactly been a party and now he was covered in cuts and bruises. Jubilee propped her chin up on the heel of her palm and leaned close to Scott.
"How's Annie?" She asked, drawing out the girl's name in a sing-song voice. Despite his visor, they could tell the look Scott shot her was an exasperated one. He reached around Jubilee and grabbed her cereal bar. Before she could protest, he'd already opened it and taken a huge bite.
"She's good. Very good." Scott replied, grinning at his friends across the table and displaying all the granola caught in his teeth. Jubilee snatched her breakfast back then whipped her banana skin round, catching him full in the face. Scott recoiled, letting out a disgusted grunt as he wiped strings of banana from his face and glasses. While he cleaned himself up, Peggy thought it best to change the conversation before they were embroiled in a food fight she was too tired to compete in.
"Are you gonna ask her out?"
"What? No! I like Nancy." Scott protested, flicking the last scraps of banana from his fingertips with a scowl. Despite his protests, Peggy thought she could see his cheeks starting to go a little pink. "Annie's just..."
"Really nice?"
"Super kind?"
"Very pretty?"
"All good arguments." Scott interrupted them before they could say any more. He gave them all a sarcastic smile, thanking them for being so unhelpful. "But no, I'm not- It's not like that." It was only when the words left his mouth that Scott actually thought about it. He did like Annie. She was definitely pretty and they always had fun together. Scott remembered all the times he'd teased Peggy about Kurt over the last few months. She would always say the same thing: 'it's not like that', but he could tell she was just avoiding the question. Now he was telling the same lie. When he told Annie about the attack, she asked a million questions, clearly worried about him and his friends. She cared about him, and Scott supposed he cared about her too. "At least, I don't think so." He murmured, mostly to himself.
"You should probably choose, Scott. It is not fair to the girls." Kurt said as he thoughtfully poked at his cereal. He was about halfway through the bowl but he'd lost his appetite and his muesli had almost reached critical mush level. Scott raised his head, his lip curled.
"Get off your high horse, Kurt." He muttered, though he was only joking. Not everyone was lucky enough to fall for a girl who liked you back. Scott was about to go back to stealing some of Jubilee's breakfast but an idea struck him. "Or rather, your high rope." He added, raising his eyebrows at his friend. Kurt just about held back a groan but he couldn't help rolling his eyes.
"He is making a pun." He told Peggy. He'd seen her confused frown and knew he'd have to explain Scott's jibe. He gave Scott a look. "A bad one."
"Is that what you did in the circus, then?" Peggy asked, finishing off her first croissant. She clapped her hands together to shake off any stray crumbs and Scott tutted when some of it landed near him. Peggy narrowed her eyes and blew on the table, sending the crumbs straight into Scott's lap. Kurt thought it would be best to continue before a fight began.
"I was… I'm not sure how you say... Ein Akrobat?" He fumbled as he tried to remember the English word he was looking for, but his mind had gone blank. Luckily, Peggy was always there to help him.
"Acrobat, that's right." She said with a smile, nodding at him encouragingly. Kurt grinned, pleased that the word was a cognate after all.
"Ja! Und ein Turner, ein Seiltänzer, ein Jongleur…" Kurt remembered his years with the Munich Circus fondly. Even when days were dark, he had a home and people who cared about him. That was until the crooked owner sold him. To him, Kurt was just another expendable mutant. He missed his friends sometimes but tried to honour their memory by enjoying every second of his new life. Kurt wasn't afraid to brag about his skills, he'd been one of the headlining acts after all. People would come from miles around to see him perform, but if he was being completely honest, the only reason he was still talking about it was that he wanted to impress Peggy. Judging by her excited expression, he'd succeeded.
"That's incredible!" She babbled, so excited that she missed the weary look Jubilee and Scott exchanged. Peggy's head was suddenly filled with a million questions but before she could decide where to start, Scott was speaking.
"That is incredible." He mimicked Peggy's eager voice. Jubilee snorted and ducked her head. "Tell me, Kurt, how do you manage to accomplish such impressive feats?" Scott glanced Peggy's way to make sure she knew he was teasing her. She scoffed and looked down at her plate, shaking her head ever so slightly.
"A lot of practice and natural magnificence." Kurt shot back, his mischievous smirk displaying his fangs. "And I am very flexible." Scott mentally punched the air. That was exactly the answer he was looking for. Just as he'd suspected, Peggy's eyes went wide. However, he couldn't have predicted that she would accidentally knock her plate and send it clattering across the table whilst choking on her second croissant. While Peggy coughed and spluttered, her face bright red, Scott grinned impishly.
"Jackpot." He said under his breath, just loud enough for Jubilee to hear him over the sound of Peggy choking and Kurt asking if she was alright. When she caught her breath again, Peggy was still very red but for an entirely different reason. Kurt was sitting right next to her so she tried to push every bawdy thought from her head and change the subject as quickly as possible. She reached across the table and tapped Scott's glasses with her index finger.
"Bet Hank wasn't pleased about these." When Jean and Scott ducked through the door to the emergency stairwell, they did not find the easy escape they were hoping for. They were met with twenty or so troops, some scaling the stairs below them, some dropping down from above. Luckily they managed to escape unharmed, but somewhere in the confusion Scott was struck with the butt of a heavy gun and there was now a tiny but still very obvious crack in his glasses.
"Actually, he hasn't noticed yet." Scott mumbled, his good mood suddenly gone. Hank was very precious about his equipment and if someone was unfortunate enough to break something, they got an hour-long lecture. "I'm trying to find a good time to bring it up."
"You could sell it to him as an upgrade opportunity." Jubilee suggested, then she grinned. "That's what I say whenever I break something in the Danger Room."
"You could ask for huge ones like those glasses Mr. Jefferson wears." Kurt put in his two pennies' worth. He raised his hands in front of his face and touched his fingers and thumbs together to make circles, mocking the enormous glasses of their geography teacher.
"Even I'm not cool enough to pull those off." Peggy finished the last of her breakfast then tilted her head to the side, narrowing her eyes slightly.
"You? Not cool? Never."
"Tough talk from a girl who listens to ABBA."
"I'll have you know ABBA are still very big in Ireland." They all laughed much to the annoyance of the kids trying to study across the cafeteria. Their good-natured argument went on a little longer until everyone had finished eating. Kurt glanced at the clock above the cafeteria doors and saw that it was almost midday. They would have to start thinking about leaving, their meeting would start soon.
He felt his stomach twist anxiously. He had every faith that the team would be able to track down these mutant traffickers and bring them to justice, but despite all their experience and training, Kurt couldn't help worrying about his friends. He looked around at them all, laughing and joking as if nothing were amiss. But there were bruises along Jubilee's cheekbone, and Scott's knuckles were cracked and raw. Peggy looked as astounding as ever, but he could see her wince as pain bloomed in her shoulder whenever she moved.
Kurt was afraid they wouldn't be so lucky next time. Of course, he always worried before they went on a mission, but this time was different. His sharp eyes caught movement by the dining hall doors and he saw Jean standing there wearing different clothes than earlier after her jog. She gave him a wan smile that he tried to mirror, but Kurt knew she felt just as anxious as he did.
"There's Jean." They all turned to look where Kurt nodded and simultaneously realised how late it was getting. The jovial tone immediately disappeared as they came to realise, as Kurt had, that they were about to come face-to-face with the people that had tried to kill them.
The trio cleaned up after themselves and joined Jean at the door. She greeted them with as much enthusiasm as she could muster but they were all too nervous for their usual high spirits. On their way to the Professor's office, they met Ororo and Peter, who had been called in especially. Hank explained everything over the phone and Peter immediately offered up his services. He was older than his fellow X-Men and despite appearances, he felt quite protective of them. Peggy was pleased to see him. She felt safe with Peter and although she thought him rather ridiculous at first, she trusted him with her life. For once, he wasn't joking about and being a complete nuisance, all he did was greet his friends with a smile and lead the way towards Xavier's study.
When they arrived at the polished mahogany door, it opened before they could knock. The Professor could probably hear their collective anxiety a mile away. Hank stepped aside to let them enter and they marched into the office single file. Peggy had only been into Charles Xavier's office once, when she first arrived at the Institute. She had never been a shy, retiring sort of person but standing there, alone in a new country where she would be attending a school like no other, Peggy was practically quaking in her trainers. One of the administrative staff had shown her to the right room then invited her to sit while she waited for the Professor.
The office was undeniably messy, so much so that it made Peggy feel a little better about her own chaotic room. There were books on every available surface and knee-high stacks of paper on the floor. It smelt old but in a good way, it was comforting. Perhaps it was a little messier but otherwise the only thing that had changed about the room since she last saw it was that Xavier was already there to meet them. He was seated behind his desk, elbows resting on the arms of his chair so that his fingertips pressed together.
"Please take a seat, everyone." Their headmaster greeted them with a small smile. He knew they were all tense, their minds were abuzz with torrent, negative emotions but Xavier wanted his students to know they had nothing to fear. Ororo and Jubilee found seats on the edge of a cabinet and a writing desk, while Peter chose to remain standing by the door, his fingers drumming incessantly against his thigh. Kurt, Scott, and Jean took the three chairs that sat in front of Xavier's desk. The Professor asked them how they were all doing and Peggy was about to join them when Hank addressed her.
"Peggy, how are you feeling?"
"Good, thanks." She absentmindedly tapped her fingertips against her bandaged shoulder. The pain spiked if she moved too suddenly or put her arm under too much strain but apart from that, Peggy felt right as rain. Hank had done a good job. "Who knew you were so handy with a needle and thread, eh?" Hank looked less than pleased.
"You're making fun of me."
"Yes."
"Not only am I your teacher but I also saved your arm."
"Are you going to give me detention?"
"Very possibly."
"So I'll shut up then."
"Good idea." Peggy grinned. Hank rolled his eyes and told her to go sit down.
"Did you find out anything about these people?" Peter asked once Hank joined the Professor on the other side of the desk. Peggy stood behind Kurt's chair. When he realised she was there, he immediately offered his seat but Peggy placed a gentle hand on his shoulder to keep him seated. She smiled when she saw his disgruntled expression. Peggy didn't take her hand away from his shoulder.
"We did some research on Carl Kinnerman." Hank said, and they all leaned forward in anticipation. "He was a difficult man to find but we have the advantage." By that, he meant the Professor, who had been searching for Carl ever since his students brought Carol Brown back to his school. They hadn't been able to find much at first, but then they spoke to Moira MacTaggert and she managed to delve undetected into CIA files they weren't able to reach.
Hank placed a small stack of papers down on the desk, the pages filled to the brim with small black type. A photograph of a man was paper clipped at the corner. They instantly recognised the snarling face. "Carl Lionel Kinnerman, born 13th December 1945 in Helena, Montana. No living relatives. Throughout the years he has been a… Very active member of the community."
With every word, Carl Kinnerman gradually became more and more real. It was strange to think of him as a person rather than the Bond villain figure Peggy had in her head. She didn't want to think of him as an ordinary guy, he was supposed to be a cruel and vicious monster. Making him human inspired empathy, and Peggy didn't want to feel for the man who had hurt her friends. Scott flipped through the pages Hank placed on the desk. His brow furrowed with each page.
"Yikes." He muttered, then passed the booklet to Kurt. Peggy peered over his shoulder to read what Hank had gathered on the man. There were lists of all Carl's various accomplishments and photographs of him in action. One that caught Peggy's eyes was of a young Carl amidst a sea of people, all holding banners or picket signs printed with anti-mutant slogans she shuddered to read. The photograph was in black and white but Kinnerman's twisted, manic expression hadn't changed throughout the years.
"Rallies, pressure groups, fundraising, protests. You name it, if it's anti-mutant, he's been a part of it." As the Professor spoke, his thumb circled against the back of his other hand. Was he nervous too? Perhaps just concerned for his students, who he cared for as if they were his own children. "But a couple of years ago, he dropped off the radar."
"That's when he met Stryker." Kurt finished looking through the pamphlet and handed it to Peggy. She barely glanced at it before she passed it on to Ororo.
"Who is Stryker?" Carl had mentioned him at the mall right before he slapped the electric collar around Kurt's neck. Jubilee and Kurt knew the name but Peggy had never heard it before.
"William Stryker is a fanatic with a military history and an unequivocal hatred of mutants, so you can imagine how dangerous he is." The Professor's grave tone spoke volumes, and a quick glance around the room let Peggy know her friends feared this man just as much as they did Carl. "He believes his true calling is to ensure the eradication of all mutants." Peggy felt her stomach twist. Sometimes she forgot just how much people hated them, hated her, just because of the strands in her DNA. She was no different from anyone else, not really, but this man would kill her on sight.
"But he and Carl have developed something new." Hank went on. The pamphlet had travelled around the room and ended back in his hands. He flipped through the information until he arrived on the last page. "We found some worrying reports about a group who call themselves The Purifiers, the people who attacked you at the mall." Hank held up the page for them to see. The word 'confidential' was stamped across it in broad letters but they could just about read the text. "They're a paramilitary terrorist organisation hell-bent on, you guessed it, purification."
"They want to kill us." Scott said in summary. His voice was gruff and low. Peggy knew he was bristling with anger but trying to keep calm. Hank looked like he wanted to agree with him but he also didn't want to worry them all.
"Well, with new government legislation protecting mutant rights, they can't just go around terrorising people anymore, but as always, they've found ways to keep their organisation going in secret. Now they mostly capture mutants and sell them on for profit, sometimes here in the States but mostly overseas."
"That's what Carl said he wanted with Carol." Said Kurt, speaking for the first time since he'd entered the room. He looked up at Peggy for confirmation which he got in the form of a little nod. "He bought Carol from her uncle and intended to sell her on." At the mention of the young girl, Peter's jaw clenched. He cared about Carol, she was close to being his third little sister. He visited her as often as possible, just as he promised he would. She was so sweet and cheerful despite her bad start in life. It was difficult to hear about Carl without getting angry.
"We're gonna stop them, right?" Peter spoke up, his eyes trained on the floor. His arms were crossed tight over his chest and his feet were flat against the floor. Peggy didn't think she'd ever seen him so serious or so still. Hank knew how much he cared for the girl, so when Peter looked up and met his gaze, he gave him a determined nod.
"Yes. Yes, we are." Charles let out a long sigh as he sat back in his chair. He ran a hand over his mouth then rested his chin on curled fingers. He knew his students could handle anything, this mission was no different from the countless others they had completed. Charles' gaze travelled across the young faces in front of him. When they entered his office, they were just frightened teenagers. Now they knew what they were up against, they were X-Men. None of them looked afraid, not anymore.
"Suit up." Xavier said at last. He glanced at the pamphlet in Hank's grip then looked back at his students. "This one could get a little… Violent." They took that as their cue to leave.
Hank led them out of the Professor's office and down the corridor. They all had a considerably bigger spring in their step. If they had any doubt before that Carl, Stryker and their followers could be stopped, it was long gone now. Peggy realised Hank was leading them towards the lock-up, a room next to the aeroplane hangar that housed their armour and all their equipment. She felt a twist of exhilaration despite her nerves. She and her friends were going to bring down a paramilitary organisation and save the lives of hundreds of people. It was hard not to be excited.
Hank typed in a four-digit code beside the lock-up door and it slid open with a hiss. Peggy hadn't been in this room yet. It was small and square but definitely not ordinary. A number of flight suits hung from one wall while on another were row upon row of weapons, though none of them particularly lethal. They captured and detained, never killed. On the other side of the room was a long, black block, similar to the lockers Hank kept in his lab. Each compartment door had the name of a student above it.
The team piled inside and scattered, heading to different corners of the small room. Peter was just a blur as he ran to grab his uniform then left the room to get changed. Peggy looked around whilst everyone else pulled out their armour until she found the locker with her name stencilled on top. The words 'Lyre Lyre' gleamed in the artificial light above, filling her with pride. She reached for the door but jumped when someone suddenly called her name.
"Peggy? What're you doing?" It was Kurt. He already had his clothes draped over one arm as if it were an ordinary suit instead of battle armour. Peggy looked between him and her locker.
"What do you mean?" She wondered if she'd done something wrong but her teammates were opening their lockers and grabbing their suits just as she had intended to do. Kurt's scarlet eyes were wide, it was making her a little nervous.
"You're not coming." He said, shaking his head slightly. Peggy's smile slowly disappeared. Around her, she could tell that the others were listening intently even if they were polite enough not to gawk. Peggy thought maybe Kurt was pulling her leg so she laughed, but his anxious expression never changed. She trailed off when she realised he was being completely serious.
"What? Yes, I am." Now Peggy knew everyone was listening. Beside her, she saw Jubilee raise her eyebrows but she didn't say anything. Kurt looked appalled. He stepped forward, fretfully clutching at his suit.
"But you're hurt!"
"Only a little bit." Peggy shrugged but made sure to only use her right shoulder, accidentally proving him right. She didn't know why he was making such a fuss. Her shoulder hurt but she could still run and fight and protect herself. Peggy knew he was only trying to look out for her but she'd be damned if she had to stay behind whilst her friends ran head-first into danger.
"Hank said you almost lost your arm."
"Yeah, almost." Kurt scoffed, looking over his shoulder for some backup but Hank pretended to be very interested in the keypad beside the door. Peggy turned back to her locker and began to gather up her armour. "Kurt, I'm fine. Honestly." She tried to keep her voice quiet and calm. At any other time, she would love that he was trying to protect her but not today. Too many people she loved had been hurt, too much was at stake. Peggy wasn't going to let anything stop her. She thought Kurt had given in but when she looked over her shoulder, he was even closer and his expression was drawn in a frown.
"I don't think it is safe." Peggy slammed her locker door shut and wheeled around, surprising Kurt with her sudden vehemence.
"For crying out loud, you're not my mother!" The tension in the room increased and the others all simultaneously decided they better get out of there sharpish. Kurt and Peggy hardly noticed as their friends grabbed their stuff and hurried out of the room. Peggy had never shouted at Kurt before, she'd never even been the slightest bit cross with him. She regretted yelling but she could feel her anger rising in her chest, feel the heat pushing out her skin that made it impossible to apologise. Kurt gritted his teeth, trying to keep back his own anger. All he wanted was to keep her safe, why did she have to fight him when he was only trying to help?
"I don't want you to get hurt." He said in a low voice that would usually get Peggy's heart racing but she was too upset to be flustered.
"I've already been hurt."
"Exactly!" At that moment, Peter suddenly appeared in the doorway. When his friends hurried into the changing room with wide eyes, he was immediately curious. When he heard that it was because Kurt and Peggy were fighting, he had to see it for himself.
"Is there a problem?" He asked brightly, grinning at the pair of them.
"No!" Kurt and Peggy shouted in unison. Peter's smile only grew.
"Okie dokie." He disappeared from sight and Peggy rolled her eyes. Peter was annoying but he'd managed to disperse the tension in the room, whether that was his intention or not. She closed her eyes for a second, trying to reign in her anger. She didn't like arguing, why couldn't Kurt understand that she had to do this? Peggy drew in a long breath then exhaled deeply, opening her eyes again. She could tell from Kurt's expression that he didn't want to argue either. He wasn't standing in her way, he was just worried about her. Peggy hugged her uniform close to her chest, trying to summon a smile and failing miserably.
"Kurt, it's lovely to know that you care but, and I cannot stress this enough, nothing is going to stop me." She had that look in her eyes again, that dogged, unyielding fire. Kurt loved that look but right now, the stress was making his stomach twist. "Not you, not Hank, not the Professor." Peggy held his gaze, silently asking him to let her do this. Kurt looked torn.
"Peggy..." Finally, he sighed and rubbed a hand down his weary face. He held her gaze for a moment but it felt like hours to Peggy, who was beginning to feel guilty about upsetting him. "Why do you have to be so stubborn?" She knew that meant he was letting her go, not that he would have been able to stop her anyway.
"Because-" Because they hurt you. Because they shot at you and put an electric collar around your neck and because they frightened you. Peggy wanted to rage and burn against the ones who hurt her best friends, the people she loved. She couldn't possibly wait behind when Carl was out there, just waiting for her to punch his lights out. Peggy wanted to tell Kurt all these things but she couldn't find the words.
Peggy sighed and bent down to grab her boots then walked past him to the door. "Forget it." She muttered. "I'm going, that's that." Kurt watched her leave with a heavy heart. He knew there was no stopping her, but that didn't mean he couldn't worry. He would just have to do a better job of protecting her than he did yesterday. He gathered his belongings then followed her towards the changing rooms next door.
When Peggy pushed open the door, she found that her friends were almost finished getting ready. She smiled fondly when she heard the boys in the room next door whooping and cheering like players before a game. Jubilee moved her clothes out of the way to make room for her on the bench. Peggy thanked her and began to get changed, rushing to catch up with her friends.
"Kurt didn't look too happy." Jubilee said as she sat down to pull on her heavy boots. Peggy hummed in agreement. She reached up and tied back her hair so that it wouldn't get in her way while she got changed.
"He hasn't been all that pleased with me lately." Behind her, Ororo frowned curiously.
"Why's that?"
"I keep doing stupid things." Peggy gave a short, scornful laugh as she pulled her dress up over her head. She hissed when her shoulder stung but tried not to draw attention to it, just in case they tried to convince her to stay behind too. Ororo chuckled, snapping the last of her armour in place.
When they were all dressed, they jogged down the hall to the hangar entrance. The boys arrived just a few moments later. They looked a formidable team altogether. Peggy ghosted her fingers over the yellow X on her shoulder. She was proud to stand amongst her closest friends. As she boarded the jet, Peggy couldn't help wondering what her parents would think of her. In her letters, she had told them all about her lessons, her friends, the school, but she thought it best to leave out her extracurricular activities.
She was so lost in her thoughts, she buckled herself into her seat in a dreamlike state and barely even noticed when the jet took off. What happened if she got seriously hurt? Would Xavier have to tell her parents? Would they want her to come home? Peggy couldn't imagine ever leaving this wonderful new world. She looked up at last, her gaze travelling over her teammates as the jet rocketed through the bright blue summer sky. Kurt was sat next to Jean on the opposite side of the plane, a couple of seats down. His head was bowed, his palms pressed together. She watched his lips move but couldn't hear what he was saying over the rumble of the engines.
If she left, she would probably never see him again. That thought scared her more than anything. For his sake, she wouldn't do anything reckless. Kurt opened his eyes at last and caught her gaze. Peggy couldn't look away. He gave her a slow, sweet smile and she knew she was forgiven. Peggy returned it just as the jet began to groan and whistle, a sign that they were slowing down.
"Where are we?" Peter had to yell over the roar of the engines. The plane dipped and Peggy knew they would be landing soon. Her stomach rose like she was on a rollercoaster, she had to grip the sides of the seat to stop herself falling out of it.
"Syracuse, New York." Hank called back. She could only just hear him through her headset. "That's their building there." They all looked around at their pilot to see him pointing down to the city below them. They couldn't see where he was indicating but a few minutes later, the jet landed and they realised Hank had parked right on top of it. Peggy released her hold on her seat, splaying and curling her fingers to relieve the tension in her muscles.
"Are you okay?" She looked around to find Jubilee watching her with clear concern. Peggy realised she must look as nervous as she felt.
"Terrified." She thought about lying but knew it wouldn't make either of them feel any better. Jubilee nodded. As they waited patiently for Hank to give them the all-clear, Peggy turned her head and asked, "Are you?"
"Scared?"
"Yeah."
"I've been on hundreds of missions just like this." Peggy smiled slightly and dropped her gaze to the floor. Her friends were wonderful and so brave, but she was still relatively new to this. Of course they wouldn't be frightened. Peggy felt Jubilee nudge her arm. When she looked up, she was smiling. "Yeah, I'm scared." Jubilee whispered, and Peggy felt instantly better. If her friends could do this, so could she. They looked around when the door to the jet slid open and Hank gave them the signal.
The X-Men filed out of the plane and immediately took cover behind the enormous, tubular exhaust vents that funnelled cold air into the building. Their plan was simple: get inside, find Carl and as many of his cohorts as possible, then detain them and bring them in, the police would do the rest. Scott led the way to the door to the roof. Jean did a quick scan to make sure there was no one on the other side and found that the coast was clear. They hurried inside without a backwards glance.
The floor below them was as empty as the roof. In fact, they didn't see anyone until they were three floors down. Two men stood at the other end of the hall, talking quietly. They had guns but they were pointed down at the floor. Clearly, they weren't expecting visitors. Without a word, Peter slipped on his goggles and zipped down the corridor. The two armed men were standing one second and groaning on the floor the next. Peter grinned and gestured for them to follow him.
As they delved deeper into the heart of the Purifiers' building, the endless, twisting halls grew darker and grimier. It looked like no one had used this building in years, it had clearly been abandoned. The organisation must have leapt at the chance to have a real headquarters, it was a big step up from how they'd started, preaching out of the back of vans and handing out anti-mutant propaganda to anyone who would listen. They met a few more men on the next floor but they were dealt with as expeditiously as the first couple. They travelled deeper and deeper into the building but the only sound was their own ragged breathing.
At last, they arrived at an intersection and Jean came to a sudden stop. She held up her hands, gesturing for them all to halt. She'd caught voices floating through the air. The others kept silent, their eyes wide as they waited for her signal. Jean closed her eyes to help her concentrate and allowed her mutation to latch on to the voices. They drifted through the dark corridors, leading a trail towards a hum of activity. They weren't far now.
"There's a room." Jean told her friends. She could see it forming in her mind's eye. The room was buzzing with life. "It must be their control centre. There are ten bodies and two more on every door. They're all armed." Jean's mouth twisted into a grimace. "Carl, he's there." She opened her eyes again and pointed in the vague direction they ought to be travelling. Scott followed her gesture, chewing his lip as he tried to figure out a plan. So far things had been going eerily well for them but they couldn't be lulled into a false sense of security. These guys didn't fool around, they had to be careful.
"We should split up." He decided at last.
"Is that such a good idea?" Peggy asked uncertainly. She didn't want to second-guess Scott but she also didn't like the idea of them getting separated. When they were cut off from Scott and Jean at the mall, they were much weaker than if they had all been together. The idea of being divided from her friends also made a swell of anxiety rise in her chest.
"There are three doors to the control room. If we can get to two of them, we can trap them." Jean said with a soft smile. She couldn't help overhearing Peggy's worried thoughts and thought it best to assuage her while they still had time. Peggy knew they were right. Although she certainly wasn't completely comfortable with the plan, she nodded her agreement. Scott immediately set about splitting them into two teams. There were seven of them altogether but even in smaller groups, they would be an intimidating adversary for simple goons with guns.
"Okay, Jean, Peter and I will take the left." Scott decided, pointing down one corridor, then the other. "You guys take the right." They exchanged a short goodbye, wishing each other luck but not much else. They would be seeing each other again very soon. Scott, Peter and Jean took off in one direction, while those leftover headed the opposite way.
"He's so bossy." Ororo muttered, rolling her eyes. Peggy thought she must be trying to diffuse the tension. She looked around at her friends and saw matching anxious expressions on their faces but they softened at Ororo's jibe. The four of them began to jog down the corridor, their footsteps barely making a sound thanks to Hank's footwear modifications. Peggy was just beginning to think their task wasn't as daunting as she thought it would be when the inevitable happened.
They heard a furious cry and skidded to a halt. There were at least six people at the end of the corridor, their faces hidden behind balaclavas and masks. They looked like something out of a cheesy action movie but Peggy didn't have time to criticise their dress sense. She immediately camouflaged with the wall behind her, having to remind herself to move slowly and carefully lest they spot her outline. The soldiers ran at them, guns drawn and raised.
Kurt vanished in a flash of smoke and reappeared behind one of the men, grabbing him and swiftly throwing him against the wall to knock him unconscious. Jubilee kindled a ball of colourful sparks in the palm of her hand then lobbed them into the face of the nearest attacker, who screamed and staggered back. Peggy helped pull a man off Kurt then span around to wrench the gun from a woman's hands and kick her in the stomach so that her back hit the wall. Just as she was about to deal the final blow, Peggy heard thunderous footsteps echoing through the dank halls and looked around to find at least ten more guards racing towards them.
Glass shattered behind her and Peggy whipped around to see Ororo raising her arms above her head. The girl's eyes were milky white, her teeth gritted in concentration. She moved her arms about wildly, building up a gust of wind so strong it had blown in the windows. Ororo bellowed and sent the wind crashing down the corridor towards the other attackers, sending them sprawling as they were knocked back by a gale stronger than any hurricane. When she was sure they were all neutralised, Ororo lowered her hands, her eyes turning back to their usual dark brown. Peggy stared at the girl in awe.
"Woah." She'd never seen Ororo use her mutation before. It was just as incredible as her friends described it. Ororo grinned, she always got a kick out her powers and she didn't mind the admiration from the others that came with them either.
"Thank you." She said brightly, a stark contrast to how fearsome she looked just a moment ago. Jubilee grunted as she flattened the last man. Looking around the corridor, they realised they were alone again. Just as Peggy was about to suggest they keep moving, Ororo's eyes flew wide. "Look out!" Immediately Peggy camouflaged, her instincts kicking in at the first hint of danger. She turned on the spot and found that the woman she'd been fighting was on her feet again.
Peggy dashed forward to knock her down but she was so startled, she forgot her training. The woman spotted her outline flitting against the wall and blindly grabbed for her. By some stroke of bad luck, she managed to wrench Peggy's arm back, splitting her stitches and tearing her flesh. Peggy shrieked, suddenly overwhelmed with pain as she tried to wriggle free.
"Peggy!" She heard Kurt cry out but she couldn't see him. Peggy managed to elbow the woman in the gut and pull away just enough to punch her nose then sweep her legs out from underneath her. Only when she was sure the woman wouldn't get up again did Peggy allow herself to stagger back. Her arm screamed in pain, clouding her mind and making her vision blur. She wobbled on uncertain legs as she clutched at her arm. When Peggy sank down to the floor, Kurt was by her side in an instant. His hands hovered over her body as if he wanted to help but didn't want to do her more injury. Peggy saw the horrified look on his face and immediately tried to get a grip on her pain.
"I'm fine!" Her head was spinning, she could barely think straight, but she couldn't let it beat her. She was not leaving. Peggy tried to get to her feet despite Kurt's protestations but the movement made her arm twinge and she whimpered. She took her hand away from her shoulder and saw that there was a dark bloom of blood seeping through her uniform. Kurt felt like all the breath had left his lungs.
"Peggy-" He tried to speak but she wasn't having any of it. Peggy groaned as more pain swarmed in her shoulder but she gritted her teeth and forced herself to fight through it. She tried to get to her feet again but Kurt immediately moved to stop her.
"I'm fine, Kurt!" Peggy tried to push him away but she moved too sharply and the bullet wound stretched. Peggy gasped, the pain leaving her breathless. She stopped trying to get up, instead she wrapped her hand around her shoulder, trying to put some pressure on her gushing wound. Kurt looked up at Ororo and Jubilee who were both watching on nervously. He knew what he had to do but Peggy wasn't going to like it. He pulled out his communicator, a small walkie-talkie-like device that connected them all to the jet. Kurt jammed his thumb down on a button on the side and waited for it to stop crackling before he spoke.
"Hank?" The device fizzled for a moment before he got a reply.
"Copy." Kurt glanced at Peggy. She was watching him closely with a resigned expression. She knew what he was going to do. Peggy opened her mouth to speak but her words were replaced by a long groan as more pain flooded her body. Kurt sighed before he pressed the button on his communicator again.
"Peggy is hurt. I'm taking her back to the mansion." Peggy shook her head, silently begging him not to do this.
"Is she okay?" Kurt held her gaze then let his eyes drop to her shoulder. The dark cloud in her uniform was growing bigger and bigger. He couldn't let her go on like this, no matter how much she wanted to.
"She'll be fine but she can't stay here." Hank agreed to his plan and Kurt slipped his communicator back into his pocket. He looked up at his two other teammates who were still watching on, waiting for him to make a decision. "Will you two be okay?" Jubilee and Storm exchanged a smirk.
"I think we can handle ourselves." Jubilee said. Between them, they had enough power to take on a small army. Kurt knew they would be fine without him. He nodded and looked back down at Peggy. She shook her head desperately, her eyes wide and beginning to shine with tears. Kurt reached out to her, his large hand wrapping around her waist.
"No, please!" Peggy whimpered. "Kurt, don't you d-" BAMF.
1. I'm sorry. I can't- I'm sorry, forgive me.
2. And what time is it?
3. It's five past eleven.
4. Why? Why must you torture me like this?
5. Yeah! And a gymnast, a dancer, a juggler...