Chapter 12: Parental Comfort
A/N: Another Kurtty moment (YAY!) some Rogue/Wolverine father-daughterness, plus, Jean gets hers! And gets some sense knocked into that head of hers! Enjoy!
A/N: Okay, so I'm writing this chapter and guess what occurs to me? A whole new story idea! So please check out my new story 'Upbringings'. It's of Marie and Evan's childhoods with their respective guardian.
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You will always be on our minds and in our hearts, our fantastic Nightcrawler…
Kurt sighed and wiped his cheeks, reading the note that had been left by his parents always made him blue, no pun intended.
"Whatcha reading?" Kitty leaned against the stone railing of Kurt's balcony, the railing he was currently crouching on. "Huh? Oh…nothing." Kitty raised an eyebrow and hoisted herself up so she was sitting next to Kurt, her back to the view. She grinned when his tail, reflexively, wrapped around her waist to keep her from falling. "Then why are you in such a dark mood?" Kurt sighed, "Just… a note from a long time ago." He whispered. "What could it say that has you so sad?" she was worried now; her normally optimistic friend was only upset when something really bad happened.
Kurt sighed and ported them both back into the bedroom. He smoothed out the note and started to translate it, there was no doubt in his mind that he wouldn't get through reading it aloud without breaking down entirely.
Handing the paper, that was now covered in his re-write of the note, over to Kitty he settled in a chair and stared out in the distance, wondering, not for the first time, where his parents, where Arnold and Anna Wagner were. If they had adopted any more children, if they still thought about him.
~Shut up! Of course they think about you! You need to get it into your thick skull that they loved you, and they still do! They probably think about you every time the Circus comes into town, every time they go to church, or set up the Christmas tree. They probably cry on your birthday, they still love you! They're your parents! ~ Kurt sighed, but listened to the voice in his head that sounded like a pissed off Rogue.
A small warm hand became present on his shoulder and he turned his head to see a teary eyed Kitty smiling softly at him. "That's amazing." She hugged him around the shoulders, sighing softly. That note had touched her heart, but also brought to light that her parents hadn't thought about her in any way other than a means to become wealthier. She had told Kurt this, of course, and he had comforted her, but the thought still brought a wash of anger and sadness over her.
"What are you thinking about, Katzchen?" Kitty sighed, "My parents, I wonder if they miss me." Kurt's tail wrapped around her and gently pushed her so she was in front of him. He wrapped his arms around her, "I'm sure they do." He whispered in her ear. She kissed his soft cheek, "Thanks Fuzzy." He hugged her tight.
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[Flashback]
Rain beat against the window, blurring the outside world from anyone who looked. Nine year-old Marie watched with a heavy heart, she had been with Logan for nearly a year now, and she felt safer than she had ever felt with her birth parents.
Currently, it was 12:30 a.m., April 6, her ninth birthday, to be exact.
She sighed again, she and Logan, or Wolverine as he also went by, had traveled for some time, before they settled in a small town in Alberta. Logan had opened a garage and now worked fixing people's cars, trucks and motorcycles. It turned out that cage fighting paid well (at least when you won every fight), and he also had a few bank accounts that he was able to pull money from. They lived in a small, two floor and basement house, just up a dirt road, about a fifteen minute drive from the town boarders. Their house was surrounded by trees that shadowed the property and gave them privacy.
The top floor of the house was taken up by two bedrooms and two bathrooms. Marie's room back at her old house had been outfitted with pale pink walls, a single bed that was slightly too small, and thin, lacey curtains. A very girly room to be sure; but when asked what color she wanted her room to be by Logan, Marie insisted it be emerald green and dark brown. The four walls were now those two colors in alternating thin and thick stripes.
Logan had carved them both beds from trees he took down and the handmade, oak bed she had now was big enough that she'd be able to grow into it.
The deep green covers were currently askew as Marie had been woken by the thunder and lightning. Giving sleep up as a bad job, the girl had taken up her thinking place on the window seat. Her chin rested on her knees with the only sounds in the room being that of the rain, thunder and her slow, calm breathing.
Wolverine had found a way to adopt her, without her parents having to know, or sign anything, and she now proudly wore the name Marie Diane "Rogue" Logan. She loved the name and had introduced herself happily at her new school as Marie Logan, having dropped the Anna part as soon as possible.
There was a soft knock on her door and Marie turned to see Logan leaning against the door frame, a slight grin on his face.
"Hey Kid." "Hi Logan." "Couldn't sleep?" he came over and sat across from her as she shook her head. "You?" he shook his head, "Nightmares, not fun things." Marie giggled at the man's sarcasm.
Logan stretched his arms above his head, "Well as long as we're both up, I have a surprise for ya."
Marie hopped down from her seat and followed Logan down the stairs to the living room, simply furnished with a few couches, and two large armchairs, all centered around the fireplace, the TV hung above it. One of their favorite pastimes was settling down and watching hockey together.
Marie noticed something sat on the coffee table and walked over to find it was a small, ten cm by ten cm box wrapped in emerald green wrapping paper. She turned around to see Logan smiling happily, "Happy birthday, Marie." She looked down at the present; her parents had never gotten her something for her birthday since she was five. "Is it really for me?" he nodded.
She stroked the still wrapped present, "How'd ya know it was mah birthday?" Logan chuckled, "I noticed ya write it on yer calendar. Pretty glad actually, was worried I'd have to ask, then it wouldn't be a surprise. Go on and open it up."
She smiled and ripped the paper off, revealing a black box. Opening it, she found a silver necklace with three charms hanging from it; a silver charm in the shape of an "R", a black charm in the shape of a paw print and a small, oval shaped emerald.
Marie felt her breath catch and picked up the necklace, running her fingers over the charms. She wasted no time in clasping it around her neck and looking to Logan for approval.
The man was smiling softly, his eyes shining. "You look beautiful darlin'. I'm gonna have ta start beatin' the boys off with a bat!" Marie giggled happily and run over to Logan, jumping into his arms and hugging him tightly and kissing his cheek, they had found that, while Logan's mutation didn't completely eliminate hers, it definitely slowed it down and they were able to touch for very short periods of time.
"Thank you Daddy." Logan froze and for a second she thought she'd said something wrong, before he hugged her tightly, having her miss the two tears of happiness that fell from his eyes. "Yer welcome darlin'." He kissed her head and daughter and father sat there, listening to the rain that continued to fall from the sky.
[End Flashback]
Marie brought a hand up to touch the necklace, running her fingers over the familiar charms. The "R" for Rogue, the paw-print that represented Logan and the beautiful emerald that shone in every light.
The rain that fell today reminded her of that night and she smiled softly before getting up, suddenly wanting to see her Dad.
Marie traveled silently around the mansion, passing by the rec. room where Kitty and Kurt were curled up with mugs of hot chocolate and watching a movie, and by Ororo's indoor greenhouse, where Evan was helping his Aunt care for her plants. Finally, she came to the library and weaving in and out of the shelves, found her father seated near the window, the paper in hand and an empty mug on the table next to him.
She smiled and bound over, wrapping her arms around him from behind. Logan looked up in surprise, but smiled when he saw who it was. She unwrapped her arms from around him and came round to settle on his lap, her head resting on his shoulder.
"Hi." She greeted, giving him a quick kiss on the cheek. He wrapped his arms around her thin form, "Hey Kid. Whatcha bin up to?" she giggled. "Nothin' Ah just wanted to see ya." She closed her eyes and tuned herself into his heartbeat. "Good to know ya still want yer old man's company." "You're not old Daddy." She only called him that when they were alone. He chuckled, "Kid, I've lived through the Second World War, if that ain't old I don't know what is." She giggled, "Fahne, but ya'll don't look old." He shrugged. "True enough."
"How ya bin holdin' up?" he whispered softly, after they had come to the Institute, they hadn't really gotten any time to just talk. She smiled, "Good, Hank said he's workin' on somethin' ta control mah skin, and the Professor's bin working with meh to find an off switch on mah own." Logan knew this of course, but listened intently. "Kitty's bin tryin' tah get meh to go shopping with her." Logan chuckled, "She does know she'd have more success with Evan right?" Marie giggled again, "Yeah, but she's always insisting' on a girls shopping trip…Kurt's been acting weird, even for him." She whispered the last part softly.
Rogue looked up at her father, hoping to find some answer, "Ah'm worried about him." Wolverine sighed and stroked her hair, "I know, darlin', I am too." Rogue sighed, "Ah just wish I could help him, I've heard him get up in tha middle of tha night, he's worse than you." Logan nodded again, "I've actually seen him, some nights. I don't think it's simply insomnia or nightmares. I think the kid feels genuinely comfortable in the dark."
Marie sighed softly, "Ah know…but, after that Danger Room session, he's been off, ya know? It's like he's always remembering somethin' sad." She thought back to when the boy had come to the Institute, how thin and undernourished he'd been; a very weak and scared version of a sixteen year old boy to be sure.
She looked up at her Dad, "I just realized somethin'. We don't know when his birthday is!" Logan cocked an eyebrow before smiling; "You should ask the Elf then." Rogue smiled, before smirking evilly, "Ya know…Jean was beatin' on him the other day when he missed a class cause his watch was on the fritz, do ya think ya'll could help me?" she batted her eyes and Logan returned her smirk with one of his own. "We're goin' ta need pink hair dye, her shower schedule, Kitty, fish-net stockings, a leather shirt of some sort and a short, leopard print skirt. We are also going to need a camera or two, and Evan."
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~If this doesn't get Kurt out of the funk he's in, nothing will. ~ Evan thought as he used his spikes to seal Jean's door shut from the inside. Kitty had phased them both in when Jean got in her shower, and while he was doing his part, Kitty was replacing a few things in the bathroom.
Said brunette appeared through the wall with a bundle of towels and clothes. "All set." Evan smirked, "This'd better work."
Kitty giggled and dropped Jean's things on the bed; this included all the towels on this floor, as well as Jean's clothes and undergarments that she was going to change into after her shower. "Let's get downstairs." Kitty phased them both back out into the hallway and they sprinted down to find Logan and Marie waiting for them at the top of the stairs.
If Jean wanted a new towel, clothes, or anything, actually, now that her room was sealed; she'd have to go this way.
"Alright, now where's the Elf?" Evan grinned, "Bedroom, most likely hanging from his chandelier." "Or he could be vright above you, listening to every word you say." A German accented voice piped up.
Everyone looked up sharply to see Kurt hanging from the ceiling, just as Evan had guessed, "Vhat are you doing?" he questioned, swaying from side to side slightly.
Rogue raised her arms in exasperation, "How long have ya bin thahyre?!" Kurt chuckled and seemed to shrug, "Few minutes, long enough to see Keety and Evan come back from wherever zey just vere." He grinned slightly, showing off his fangs, but it still seemed forced.
Kitty smiled, "Good then, you have a perfect vantage place to watch the show." Kurt looked confused, "Vhat show Keety? Vhat are you all up to?" Logan chuckled, "Oh you'll see, Elf." The four on the ground dispersed to hide themselves in the shadows or behind decorative plants and busts.
A few minutes later, both Logan and Kurt's ears perked at the sound of a shriek.
~Okay, now I'm really confused. ~ Kurt thought.
He didn't remain that way for long though, because Jean came around the corner wearing extremely short, leather shorts, fishnet stockings, a tight leopard print shirt that stopped right beneath her breasts and had a plunging neckline. Black leather, stiletto, platform shoes adorned her feet while her still wet hair dripped down her back, but instead of its regular, deep crimson color, her hair was now a shocking pink. She looked like a drowned hooker.
Kurt's jaw dropped and he nearly lost his grip on the light.
Evan was the first to lose it as he started chuckling before laughing all out. Kitty fell down in hysterics while Marie leaned on Logan to stay upright. The Wolverine in question was laughing full out himself, keep one arm around his daughter while the other was against the wall to keep from falling. Kurt himself started laughing loud and hard, clutching his sides, he was shaking so badly he knew he wouldn't be able to hold onto the light and ported to the ground, where he fell to his back, still hugging his stomach, his tail flipping happily as he laughed.
Alerted by the sound of their hysterical laughter, Beast and Storm entered to find a blushing Jean standing in her hooker attire. Scott also came in, took one look at the former red head, and fainted.
The sound of their 'fearless leader's' body hitting the ground caused the guilty party in question and a certain fuzzy elf to laugh even harder.
Storm didn't know whether to yell or laugh, but taking one look at the happy elf that continued to laugh, she smiled and covered her mouth in an attempt to hide her giggles. Hank bit his lip, but he couldn't take it, laughing also at his student whose face now matched her previous hair color.
Jean blushed ruby before running down the hall towards the boys' hall closet for a towel; she had tried to get into her room to find it wouldn't budge. She was going to have to either climb the wall outside to get into her room, or have Kitty phase her in. The second option seemed to be out as the girl in question appeared to be in on the prank as well. From the look on Kurt's face, he had nothing to do with it, which proposed the question, since when did the "King of Pranks" not participate in a joke? Especially on her.
Storm's thoughts then came back to the teenager as she hid in the bathroom and dried herself off, grimacing at the color her hair had been turned. She had been relieved to see Kurt in a good mood.
~Maybe I'll let it go, just this once. ~ She thought.
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Tada! I give you chapter 12! Hope you liked it and please review!
