The Difference Between

Chapter XIV: Water Glasses and Lighters

While it wasn't exactly what Storm had expected to see after emerging from the X-Jet, it didn't exactly shellshock her. After all, she of all people knew how fast the weather could change – figuratively and literally. Nonetheless, seeing Kitty Pryde and John Allerdyce together as they were had startled her, but not to the point of being dumbfounded. She had halted mid-stride as she realized what they were doing: Holding each other caringly, the tips of their noses just touching. After hesitating, she had cleared her throat and the two had simply opened their eyes and looked at her, startled but obviously exhausted to the point of not being able to care.

Now, as she silently piloted the X-Jet back, she couldn't stop glancing back at the two teenagers. Something had clearly happened to John – he was immensely weakened. He now laid on the pop-out cot, and Kitty was beside him. Their hands were clasped, and her head was on his chest – they were sound asleep. It was a strange sight that Ororo never thought she would see, and she had her worries about it – but the scene before her was oddly touching, and she found herself softening toward John just by seeing the way his arm had gone around Kitty when she laid her head against him.

Storm knew the time for answers would come, but since being woken by Bobby and following Kitty's and John's trails, she had experienced an overwhelming need for answers and an overwhelming lack thereof. She had a strong suspicion that the house where she had found Scott's old motorcycle was Magneto's – the entire place seemed to be imbued with Erik's signature cold presence. Impatient for answers and hoping John hadn't done anything rash, Storm lowered the jet. Her instincts told her John was bad news… but they also danced around the possibility that he had changed – but if so, why would he lead Kitty to Magneto?

As she made the descent into the hangar, she sighed. She knew Bobby would want answers. And she had none to give.

---- x ----

It was early evening when Kitty woke up, back in her bed in her dorm room – alone. Her muscles ached even before she sat up, but she didn't let that stop her from sitting up. She examined herself. She was in a pair of her pajamas, and her skin felt tight as though she'd been in a hot shower. Kitty stood, grimacing slightly as her tired muscles protested. How long had she been asleep?

She halfheartedly picked up the glass of water on the table beside her bed and looked at it somberly. Life had gotten so complicated in the past few days. Standing, she sighed and wondered if John was all right. She paused at the wall she intended to phrase through. She wanted to see him more than anything. As she wandered down the hall, she could hear voices coming from downstairs. They sounded familiar, and she curiously followed them. She paused at the top of the staircase before descending.

"… were so worried about that girl."

"I can understand completely, Mrs. Pryde," Storm's voice said, and Kitty felt her jaw drop as she halted in the middle of the staircase.

Her parents? She stared unbelievingly at their familiar backs. How on earth had they managed to get there in several hours? And how did they know where to find her?

"Kitty!" Storm said, and her parents turned. Kitty could do nothing but look guilty as her parents looked at her with wide eyes. Her mother's face was tight with fury and displeasure, but her father looked relieved and concerned.

There was an awful silence. Finally, Kitty's mother spoke. "Katherine Pryde, how dare you do something like this to us?"

Kitty felt hollow and tired, and didn't feel like explaining. "I don't know." It was a lame excuse, but Kitty honestly didn't know why she had done the things she had. She knew she didn't regret doing them, though. She turned her gaze to Storm and her thoughts to John. "Is John okay?"

"John is fine, better than fine," Storm said, the reassuring wave of calm in her voice made Kitty breathe a little easier.

Kitty's mother looked from Storm to Kitty in incredulity as if she couldn't believe they were talking about anything but how bad a child Kitty was. She frowned and pursed her lips, pointing at the spot beside her. "Come down here right now."

"Theresa…" Kitty's father began, but a sharp look and word from Theresa cut him short.

"David."

Kitty uncomfortably avoided looking at Storm, mortified by her domineering mother and passive father. Storm gave a sad, understanding smile.

Theresa sighed, her expression softening a bit as Kitty reluctantly approached the bottom of the stairs. "Listen, honey. I think you should know this if you don't already."

She looked from Kitty to her father. Nothing could have prepared Kitty for the impact of the next thing she would say. "Your father and I are getting a divorce."

In all her years, Kitty had never felt so shocked or sick or beyond words. For a moment she couldn't even speak. "What?" She whispered, hoping she had misheard.

Her dad gave her a feeble smile that tried to be comforting. "Sweetie… I'm sorry."

Kitty looked at her parents in disbelief. She knew they had problems and were unhappy, but this? She always believed things would get better. Kitty looked at Storm despairingly, and the teacher had a heartbroken expression on her face. Kitty's heart seemed to hurt where it beat in her chest, and her stomach made her sick.

Her mother cleared her throat and sniffed, crossing her arms and huffing slightly. "You need to pack whatever things you brought and get ready. We have a flight home in an hour."

Kitty shook her head, feeling the familiar sting of tears in her already tired eyes. "No." She looked down at the glass of water in her hand. It was awkward and heavy and felt like it was slowly killing her.

"What?" Her mother's voice was dangerous and prohibited rebellion.

"I said NO!" Kitty screamed, throwing the glass she had been holding to the floor where it broke into a million angry pieces. Storm jumped and Kitty's parents both looked at her with surprise.

"Young lady, I have had enough of this!" Her mother shouted angrily after recovering from the alarm of the movement and noise. She took two steps forward, her heels crunching in the glass. She tried to grab Kitty's wrist, but her fingers went right through the skin.

Kitty backed up a few steps and regarded her mother with pure hatred. "I never want to see you again."

And then she turned and ran.

---- x ----

He had seen and heard it all from the top of the staircase where Kitty had stood moments before. He watched as Storm tried to reason with the upset parents. He watched as they adjourned to a smaller room. He watched as Bobby lingered outside of the closed door as the adults talked. John fingered the small, plastic lighter he had found in the kitchen. Now he could watch no more and he knew he had to go after her.

Bobby's eyes glittered darkly as he caught sight of John descending the stairs, and he quickly moved to block the bottom of the staircase, holding up a warning hand as he did. "Listen. You don't know anything about her."

John sighed and crossed his arms, ready for another one of Bobby's bullshit lectures. The Iceman was really starting to annoy him – especially because he saw right through John when it came to Kitty.

Bobby's voice lowered and his expression was melodramatically earnest. "Do you care that her favorite candy is Sour Straws? Did you know she's got the IQ of a genius? She loves dancing and old movies and she can't sing at all." His face twisted into a sickened expression, as if he were looking at a piece of filth. "You're too busy being self-absorbed to ever be what she needs!"

John took another step down the stairs and his voice lowered to a harsh whisper, ignoring the pretend care Bobby had for Kitty. John didn't play the bullshit game, and it was time to cut to the damn chase. "I've seen the fucking way you look at her when you think she's not looking. Asshole!" He was so angry he could have killed Bobby, but instead he drew back a bit, pausing for a beat.

"It doesn't fucking matter that I don't know which damn ice cream flavor she likes over the other or if I know how many times she went to see the frigging Star Wars movie in theatres." He pushed past Bobby roughly, turning to face him only partially. "There's more to her than facts and statistics."

It was true, and Bobby knew it. Kitty was a soul, not a housing for likes and dislikes – and while John did yearn, in the deepest part of him, to know stupid things like if she liked vanilla or chocolate better, the tears he had seen her cry, the words he had heard her say – they were the things that mattered.

Bobby was grudgingly silent, unwillingly astounded by the meaning behind John's words. John took the opportunity to give Bobby one last piece of his mind and a small, triumphant smile. "Kitty doesn't need you, Iceman."

There would always be that tension and anger between them, and Bobby's words echoed in John's head as he strode away.

"She sure as hell doesn't need you."

Bobby didn't have to say it – John knew it was true but wished it weren't. He knew he could never be good enough for Kitty Pryde.

---- x ----

Author's Note: This story is getting near the end, now. I have another Kyro story I'm going to be writing after this one – not a sequel and not in any way related, but I know you will all love it. Keep reviewing!