Chapter 21

"So you're really staying?" Kitty is asking Amanda later that morning as she, amongst others, hang out with the new mutant in the sitting room. Kurt is sitting next to her, his tail wrapped around her waist in his usual protective manner.

It is Sunday by the way which is why no-one is at school.

Amanda nods. "Yep. My parents agreed," she confirms the result of her parents' final decision. She's staying at the Institute to help discover her new abilities. "I mean I still have to go home and pack my things and I think there's still a room to sort out," she lists the unresolved issues she'll have to get to today.

"You'll be sharing one most likely," Jubilee mentions as she blows a large pink bubble out of her bubblegum before it bursts and she sucks it back in.

"Yeah, we're seriously short of space these days," her boyfriend, Bart, says, nodding along.

"Is that what all that construction work is for?" Amanda asks. She had noticed it when he was coming here from the hospital. The construction work at the side of the mansion.

"Zhe Professor is adding a new ving," Kurt explains. "We're going to need it if all zhese new mutants keep coming to District X."

There's another thing Amanda has missed in the last month.

"Though my bet is that you're just happy you get to live with Blue," Tabby suggests mischievously.

Both Kurt and Amanda blush.

"Well I would say that's a bonus, yes," Amanda confesses.

Kurt would say the same. He's just too embarrassed right now to form any words.

There are quite a few chuckles around at that.

"Know what we should do," Marie suddenly speaks up.

"What?" Roberto asks.

"Celebrate Amanda's new stasis as one of us with a makeover!" Marie cheers her own idea.

Many of the girls eyes light up at that suggestion. "That's a great idea!" Jubilee cheers her agreement. "We'll make it a day out. Go to the mall, get new clothes, our hair done, nails...Bart so needs his nails done," she adds mischievously.

Bart groans and sinks into his chair, wishing somehow he could vanish into it. He likes Jubilee lots but like most boys his age not the sort of things she is suggesting.

"Ooh how about we invite along Illyana?" Kitty suggests. "I don't know about you guys but so far she only seems to have one set of clothes."

"Vell is zhat surprising?" Kurt proposes. "From vhat Clark says she's been lost in anozher dimension for a decade or something."

"That just goes to prove it," Kitty says as if Kurt's words just reinforce her argument. "The girl needs to get out, get reacquainted with the world."

"She seems plenty acquainted with Clark from what I saw this morning," Bart mutters.

Jubilee's head snaps round. "What did you see?" she asks, her blue eyes alight as always with curiosity when there's a chance with gossip.

"Uh...um...erm.."

"Spill it, Bart," Jubilee tells him, not letting him 'uh', 'um' or 'erm' his way out of this.

"Clark's goin to kill me for this," he mumbles. He takes a breath. "When I woke up they were in his bed, together," he spills. What he's not mentioning is the demon/devil thing that made him need a change of underwear because that would just ruin his macho image.

"Well dayumn," Tabby remarks. "That boy has got game."

"You think Piotr knows?" Roberto wonders.

Jubilee bursts out laughing. "Wow, oh man, his face...can you imagine? He must still see her as that 9 year old he was always going on about," she thinks.

Tabby snorts with laughter too because that would be funny as hell.

Several people join in the laughter.

"Well maybe we can invite him along too," Kitty suggests with a huge smirk as she gets to her feet. "I'll go see if I can find Clark and Illyana and ask them if they want to come," she informs them as she heads for the exit.

"Shopping?" Illyana queries as if this is a foreign, unfamiliar word.

Kitty had found her and Clark in the kitchen exploring Illyana's new love for tasting new foods and made her proposal. "Yeah, you know for clothes."

Illyana looks at the brown haired girl with a slightly blank expression and blinks.

Clark clamps his hand over his eyes and shakes his head.

"What?" Kitty asks, completely unaware of what she's done wrong.

"Kitty," Clark addresses her. "Do you know how long it took me to persuade Yana to dress in that?" he asks her since Illyana was still in the same black shirt, jeans combo from yesterday.

"Well...no."

"3 days," Illyana answers as she licks some melted chocolate off her fingers. "Hmm...I'd forgotten how good chocolate was," she mentions with a pleasured moan.

"3 days?!" Kitty cries.

Illyana shrugs. "I never saw what was wrong with what I was wearing."

"What you were wearing was fine for that...place," Clark chooses his words carefully. "It would stand out like a sore thumb on Earth," he argues with her.

"That's what you said back there."

"And I got you to agree with me," Clark reminds her.

"Only after you cheated," Illyana accuses him.

"I did not cheat," Clark defends himself. "It's not my fault you have an Achilles heel." Though it was more an Achilles tail...in fact the base of her tail...or if she's in her human form the spot where her tail emerges from. Turns out it's one of Illyana's most sensitive erogenous zones. Who knew right?

"You so cheated," Illyana huffs. Not that it wasn't enjoyable...because it was so enjoyable. Still she doesn't like to lose.

Clark smirks. She looks absolutely adorable when the huffy teenager emerges. "Tell you what if you agree to go shopping I'll reintroduce you to junk food, my treat," he offers.

Illyana's blue eyes light up so much for a moment Kitty swears they glow. "Junk food?" she queries, very interested.

Clark nods. Truth is Kitty's not wrong. Illyana needs a wardrobe which is why he's resorting to bribery.

"And shopping. You, like, need to find some style...and I mean that in the nicest possible way," Kitty argues.

"Hey! I chose that outfit," Clark protests with a frown.

"And it shows," Kitty says with a cheeky grin.

"Which means what, precisely?" Clark asks.

"Clark...you wear plaid," Kitty says as if that hammers home her point.

"It's simple and functional. You know the problem with you women is you overcomplicate things."

"No we don't. You men oversimplify things," Kitty retorts.

Illyana snorts with laughter as she chews on another piece of chocolate.

"Care to share what's funny, Yana?" Clark asks.

"It occurs to me you're both wrong," Illyana reports before explaining. "Technically Clark's not a man...and I've seen inside your head sweetie. It would take me an hour just to begin to explain how you overcomplicate things."

"You're enjoying this far too much," Clark reflects.

"Yes. Yes, I am," Illyana dead-pans as she merrily bites into her piece of chocolate.

So long story short is that a whole bunch of them decide to make it a day at the mall...including Piotr who sees it as a chance to spend time with his sister. When Illyana steps outside she suddenly realises this is the first time she's been outside since she got back. She shades her eyes and looks skyward.

"What is it?" Clark asks her in her native Russian.

Illyana replies in Russian. "It just occurred to me. I haven't seen the sun in 10 years. I had forgotten...it never occurred to me before to come out and see it..." her voice trails off. Why would it occur to her? It's not been a part of her life in so long.

Clark puts an arm around her waist. "Feels nice, huh?"

Illyana nods. It does.

"And tonight, if it's clear you can see the stars," Clark suggests.

"Stars..." Illyana breathes. She hasn't seen them in a long time either. Then it occurs to her how long it has been since she last saw Earth...really saw it. Not just the decade spent in Limbo but even before then she has been Magneto's prisoner for 18 months.

Clark smiles gently at her. "Come on," he encourages her as they walk, along with the group of others, toward the gate.

Bayville Mall...

"What is the point of this place?" Illyana asks as her blue eyes take in the multi-storied interior of the structure lined with shops of all kinds.

"It's a temple to all those who worship their credit cards," Clark rattles off a scathing social commentary.

Illyana cocks her head slightly.

"Don't, like, listen to him," Kitty says, aiming a frown in Clark's direction.

"Yeah!" Jubilee agrees, jabbing a finger in Clark's direction.

"This is a wondrous place," Marie adds...missing her girlfriend's eye rolling response.

Claire was here for 2 reasons. Being a good girlfriend...and keeping an eye on her brother. She had felt some guilt when he vanished that she hadn't been able to prevent it. Now he's back from some sort of bad dimension she's equally keen to keep an eye on him. Though, saying that, he does seem less burdened. Happier, more laid back...like a mountain has been lifted from his shoulders.

"All of life is here!" Kitty declares, sweeping her hand out to illustrate her point. "No matter what burdens you face, no matter your mood, you can find what you need here. It's more one of life's experiences than merely buying clothes."

"So you buy things you don't need?" Illyana queries. "What's the point in that?" she wonders. Getting things you don't need in Limbo was simply a waste of time and effort.

"Finally, someone asked it," Bart grumbles.

Kitty rubs her ear. "Well I wouldn't say you don't need them."

"Definitely not!" Jubilee insists.

"I would say it's more like...an embellishment. Yes. That's it. Sometimes you just need to look pretty even when you may not practically need something."

Illyana stares blankly at the brown haired girl and then looks at her boyfriend. "I don't get it."

"Finally! Someone who agrees with me!" Clark proclaims because he doesn't get it either. He gives her a kiss. "You are the perfect girlfriend," he declares her to be.

"Well that's stating the obvious," Illyana dead-pans.

Clark chuckles with a fond shake of his head.

"Come on," Kitty says reaching for Illyana...who recoils backward.

"I don't like to be touched," she states warningly.

Kitty frowns and looks at Clark and then back at the blond young woman because Clark touches her plenty.

As if reading Kitty's mind Illyana says, "Clark's different. Trust me when I say few others are capable of surviving it."

Kitty's even more confused. She looks at Clark again.

"Yeeaaah," he says rubbing the back of his neck, drawing the word out. "I'd rather not discuss that which should remain private."

"I don't think I want to know," Claire says, making a face because she has an inkling what it is they're talking about. Nope, definitely as Clark's sister she doesn't want to know.

Piotr, on the other hand, is clueless as to what they're on about...which is almost certainly for the betterment of his own mental wellbeing.

"I would!" Tabby enthuses, getting what this is about easily enough. Tabby's mind often goes right to the dirty end of taking the meaning from something.

"And this is a surprise how?" Marie asks teasingly, making several people snort with laughter.

Tabby sticks her tongue out at the French girl.

Sam rolls his eyes. Loves Tabby sure, loves their nights together even more but still she could be...oh who is he kidding. He loves her childish brashness.

Kitty clears her throat. "Ok, well what I should say is that you may want to leave Clark for awhile so you can get the more delicate items of clothing."

Illyana just looks confused.

"Underwear," Clark says hastily.

"But you've seen me naked," Illyana points out. "And I've seen you."

Clark slaps his hand over his eyes and shakes his head.

Piotr's eyes go wide. He didn't need to know that! He's been trying really, really hard not to imagine what his little snowflake and Clark get up to.

Bart snorts with laughter. "Little blunt your new friend there big blue."

"I didn't need to know that!" Claire whines, expressing in words what Piotr was just thinking.

"Why not?" Illyana asks. "He has nothing to be ashamed of. Far from it."

"I'm pretty certain we discussed acceptable etiquette in public forums, Yana," Clark reminds her. Before they returned he did try very hard to remind her of quite how things worked on Earth. Seems he's got more work to do on that front. Not that he's really annoyed. Slightly embarrassed perhaps due to the way he was raised but not annoyed at her at all.

"I only pretended to listen" Illyana tells him.

"Pretended to...what am I going to do with you?" Clark wonders aloud.

"I have some ideas...but I don't think they fall under acceptable etiquette in public forums," Illyana responds with that evil little smirk of hers.

Piotr so, definitely, does not want to know.

Clark just gives her a look for that. "Still it might be better if you do go with Kitty," he gets back around to where this started. It'll be good for Yana to try and get to know other people, beyond him. All part of reconnecting to the world.

"If you think so," Illyana says, not sounding very enthused.

"I do," Clark says softly. "We'll meet up later," he promises her and seals it with a kiss on the corner of her mouth as his thumb gently brushes her cheek.

"How's it going Amanda?" Marie shouts into the changing rooms as Amanda tries on a few new outfits.

"Good. Give me a minute!" Amanda shouts back.

Marie nods in acceptance as she peruses through some tops and picks one up she likes. "Oh my gosh this would look so cute on you!" Marie gushes as she holds up a colourful top against her girlfriend.

Claire gives her a look that could literally melt steel.

Marie rolls her eyes. "You know there are other colours beyond flame-coloured," she points out what she can guess is the obvious problem. Wrong colour.

"Nooo. Really," Claire drawls sarcastically.

"See this is why you don't get invited normally to Kitty, Jubilee and I's weekly shop," Marie casually comments. She loves Claire sure, but Claire is not a person who finds shopping therapeutic like she does.

"Oh dear, however do I live with myself?"

"I don't know," Marie says with a genial smile in her peppy tones. "But your air of mystery is what keeps me coming back for more," she says, tongue firmly in cheek.

"Air of mystery my ass," Claire retorts.

"I happen to be very fond of your ass," Marie points out genuinely.

"Well duh," Claire responds dead-pan style.

Marie snorts with laughter. See. This is what no-one else really gets to see with her girlfriend. This is the part only she gets to see.

It's at this point Amanda emerges. "Well?" she asks as she gestures at her new look.

"Absolutely fabulous!" Marie enthuses.

Amanda looks down at herself. "You think Kurt will like it?" she wonders.

"He's male isn't he," Claire states like that answers everything.

Marie throws her hand over her mouth as she snorts with laughter.

Even Amanda finds it funny.

Claire rolls her eyes and shakes her head. Why are they laughing? She was being dead serious.

"So...don't you need to pay for things? Illyana asks Kitty and Jubilee. "I remember you need to exchange money."

Kitty and Jubilee...who were in the middle of picking Illyana's entire new wardrobe pause and look at the Russian girl.

"It was a long time ago for me," Illyana explains why she's asking.

"Right," Kitty says, recalling that. "Uh, yes, you need to pay for things."

"How am I paying for these things?" Illyana asks.

"The Professor pays your brother a wage so technically your brother," Kitty explains. Don't worry, she's arranged it all. She'll pay for it all now and Piotr will pay her back later.

"Oh," is all Illyana can say. This is all very strange to her. Earth...her life before being taken to Limbo all seems close to a dream. Cars, people, the things you take for granted everyday...virtually new to her, strange and exotic. She can't say she's enjoying it to be honest. Though that just may be because she's uncomfortable being around so many people. She's use to dealing with demons, not humans. This was a terrible idea. She should never have let Clark persuade her into doing it.

Jubilee blows up her bubblegum into a bubble as she peruses her phone for a bargain. Apps...so handy. How did people live in the age before them she'll never know.

Jubilee's bubble bursts and she sucks the gum back in...which is when she suddenly notices Illyana right in her face, staring at her. Creepy!

"What's that?" Illyana asks.

"What's what?" Jubilee asks, puzzled.

Illyana points at Jubilee's mouth. "That."

"Bubblegum?"

Illyana cocks her head to the side. "Bubblegum," she rolls her tongue round the word.

Jubilee pulls out a stick from her pocket. "Want to try it?" she offers.

Illyana takes a stick and pops it into her mouth and begins chewing...

You know what the last several weeks in Limbo have given Clark perspective on. The little things you miss.

Like dipping a fry in those little ketchup packets that never have enough of the red sauce.

Weird huh.

And Bart's looking at him from across the table they're sitting at.

Finally Clark gets fed-up of it. "What Bart?" he asks.

"Nothing," Bart says too quickly.

Clark's blue eyes narrow. "No, it's something," he can plainly see. "Is this about this morning?" he wonders. "Because Illyana was just playing a joke on you. She has a bit of a dark sense of humour."

"Oh that. No. I totally get that," Bart says, his voice too high and his eyes darting back and forth.

Clark can tell he's lying but know what, he's letting it slide out of friendship. "So what's troubling you?"

"I don't get it."

"Get what?"

"How you can just sit there after what you said happened to you."

Clark pops a fry in his mouth and chews. "Bart...I don't want to dwell on it. It was not a pleasant experience. In fact it made me appreciate all the more moments like this. I've missed just sitting here with my friend. You must remember that for me it's been several weeks."

"The hair and beard give that away," Bart points out. "By the way when are you getting rid of those?"

Clark shrugs. "Not sure. Whenever the Professor decides I have to go back to school I suppose," he says as he scratches his beard. "He wanted to make sure I had a few days to recover. On the plus side it's a useful disguise right here and now," he remarks. He hasn't even had to really bother with a pair of glasses. After all who'd recognise him right now? He barely recognises himself in the mirror.

"Ok. So, you going to talk about it?"

"About what?" Clark asks what Bart is referring to this time.

"You know what," Bart accuses.

"Really don't. Not a mind reader."

"Ok here's a hint. Hot, blond, Russian."

"And her brother is sitting two tables over," Clark points out. In other words he hopes to Rao Bart chooses his words carefully...ok, so that's a forlorn hope.

"Dude, you're killing me here," Bart complains with a pout.

Clark shakes his head. "I don't know what you're wanting Bart. If you want to ask things about her, ask her...though I don't promise anything about how she'll respond."

Bart folds his arms across his chest and thinks. "I heard a rumour."

Clark sighs. The Institute and its rumour mill. "Which one?"

"That your new beaux tried to kill you."

Clark frowns. He had been forced to tell that to his family...Claire. It had to be Claire. She must have told Marie and Marie told either Kitty or Jubilee and the rumour spread. Clark sighs. "It's complicated, Bart. I was taken for the whole purpose of containing me in another dimension so that yes, I could be killed but it was all a massive set-up courtesy of Patricia."

"Yet let me summarise this. Hot, blond and Russian went from trying to kill you to becoming your girlfriend."

"That just about summarises every relationship I've ever had," Clark quips.

Bart chuckles.

"Or is it the other way round?" Clark ponders. Do they go from being his girlfriends to trying to kill him.

Bart laughs some more. "You know my point. How the hell do you do it?"

Clark shrugs.

"I would love to know your secret."

"It would involve things you don't possess. You know, charm, charisma, wit, manners...that sorta thing," Clark says with an enormous smirk.

"Ha ha," Bart dead-pans.

Part of Clark would love to share but he's not ready. Illyana's not ready...and speaking of his girlfriend here she comes, mountains of bags in hand, barely looking like she's straining to carry the weight of them at all, chewing away on something. "Have fun?" he asks her as she puts the bags down.

"Fun?" Illyana queries with a stern expression. "No. I wouldn't say fun...but I did discover a new thing I liked."

"Really?"

Illyana nods. "Did you know about this bubblegum? It's really good!" she enthuses.

Clark aims an arched eyebrow at Jubilee who is bringing up the rear with Kitty. The half-Chinese girl just smiles unabashed. Clark turns back to Illyana. "You know it comes in a whole array of flavours," he mentions, deciding to encourage the fact she's found something that seems to bring out a positive response in her despite the fact he hates that habit of bubblegum chewing.

Illyana's eyes light up. "Really?" she enquires.

Clark nods.

"Show me!" Illyana demands as she pulls Clark to his feet.

Clark lets her and takes her to the best place he knows in the mall while shouting to her brother where they're going so he doesn't get all worried.

Kitty and Jubilee sit themselves down with a sigh.

"Hard work?" Bart queries.

Jubilee and Kitty shake their heads simultaneously.

"Seriously that girl is like totally impossible to buy for," Kitty complains.

"She doesn't seem to have any particular tastes," Jubilee adds. It was weird. Everyone has preferences right? Everyone favours one look over another...except it seems Illyana who just didn't seem to care. And she's so distant...and odd...and just a little creepy.

"Well we don't know exactly where she's been have we," Bart points out.

Jubilee looks at him in surprise.

"What?" Bart asks at the look he is getting from his girlfriend.

"You're being considerate," Jubilee says in shock...before her lips begin to curl up showing she's teasing him.

"Hey!" Bart complains. "I'm very sensitive to other people's feelings."

Jubilee snorts.

"I got you to go out with me didn't I," Bart argues in his defence.

"He's got you there," Kitty has to say.

Jubilee aims Kitty a dirty look in response.

Kitty smirks. "Amazingly he's also right about we don't know exactly where she's been or has been through. I guess we do have to give her some slack."

"Don't say that," Jubilee whines. "Telling him he's right only makes him insufferably smug."

"I'm not sure whether to be insulted or take that as a compliment," Bart remarks.

Jubilee leans over and gives him a kiss. "Don't boast and you'll get more of those," she offers.

"Deal!" Bart agrees instantly and for that he gets another kiss.

"Talk about feeling like a 3rd wheel," Kitty grumbles. She should have called Peter and invited him along.

Suddenly the lights in the mall flicker.

"That's odd," Kitty remarks as she looks up...though Bart and Jubilee don't hear her, too busy making out.

Clark really does hate that habit of chewing gum but to see the way Yana's face lights up as she tries new flavours in the shop they're currently in he'll pretend he never had a problem. It's the oddest thing how bubblegum is the thing that brings more humanity out of her than he's seen so far.

"What flavour's this again?" Illyana asks before she blows it up into a bubble.

"Water Melon," Clark informs her.

The bubble bursts. "Water Melon," Illyana repeats. "I think this my new favourite."

"That's what you said when your tried the raspberry...and the lemon...and apple...and banana," Clark points out.

"I know but this time definitely, Water Melon is my favourite!" Illyana declares.

"You're a strange, strange woman."

"And yet strange rocks your world," Illyana retorts, using a phrase of his he has used on her, with an enormous grin.

Clark can't help but smile back at the sheer fact he's got her smiling. Something so far he has rarely gotten out of her. That's when the lights flicker. Clark's head snaps up. It could be nothing but...he's seen this before. Oh no. It can't possibly be...not her. Not today.

Outside in the main open space of the mall is a giant screen...which fills with static...and a loud piercing screech emerges from the PA system.

"Hello! Hello!" a horribly familiar voice that grates on Clark nerves speaks.

Clark steps out the shop as on the big screen a face appears. A chalk white skinned face with sticky up blue hair and a shit eating grin on her face. "You have got to be fucking kidding me," Clark swears in despair.

"Hey Bayville! Guess who?! That's right! Live Wire in back on the air!"

Clark looks to the heavens. "You couldn't just give me one day could you," he complains to a higher power.

Illyana cocks her head to one side curiously...all the while still chewing her new favourite thing.

Author's Note: It may just be me but for some reason one of the things I think Illyana would miss was all the great food you can get. Imagine not having chocolate for a decade. So it's her current little obsession. Nope. Clark just can't get one day. Thanks to everyone who wrote reviews. Next up; Live Wire's back baby!