[AN: Oh my gosh! They keep making me come in super early for more training, so I can make copies and stuff, and fix computers as well... So I'm going to do everything in the whole store except manage! Whew! Anyway, I know I left it in a tense place, so let's jump back into it! I hope you enjoy it, feel free to review, message me, or just read!]

Helenia's eyes hazily looked up at him. "I didn't make it... I got as far as I could... I tried... I know it's all pretend... my life... but... at least I... gave it... to... save... him..." Helenia took a shuttering breath, gasping for a second, her muscles tensing and spasming before her head fell back limply.

Logan held Helenia as the scene of what had just happened went through his head again, not sure what to do with her. "She's dead." He shook her. "Kid, Kid! You still there?!" He shook her again.

Helenia's form didn't move, and Hank put his hand on his shoulder. "It- it was the body that died..." Logan glared at the lifeless body in his hands. "You know she would have- that she would have wanted to- to save him," he told him, and they looked up as the door opened and Xavier entered.

"What's happened?" He asked.

"Helenia- Kerri- They're dead," Cyclops told him, taking Jean's hand.

Jean pressed herself against him, looking down at Helenia's body as Logan stood and laid her on an empty bed.

"She's gone, Prof," Logan said, turning away and glaring angrily at one of the pools of blood.

Xavier bent his head and was silent for a moment. "How is Kurt?"

"He's in a rough patch, but it looks fairly good, thanks to-" Hank stopped, looking down.

"She- she did her best to save his life, she got the bullet out, even," Jean said, looking over in time to see a shiver of image pass over Kerri's body so she looked like herself again. She stepped closer, putting her head close to her face, but there was still no breath and she didn't move.

"At least she'll be able to look like herself when she's buried," Cyclops commented, not sure what to say.

They all looked around, not sure what to say or do with the puddles of blood on the floor, the lifeless and the teetering on the edge bodies in the room.

They spent a silent moment as Cyclops got the mop and bucket, starting to clean the floor. "Don't want anyone to slip," he said to no one in particular, putting the cleaning supplies away after the floor was clean and rejoining Jean in the group as they took a moment of silence for their fallen comrade.

Suddenly, Kerri's body shot up, her eyes wide open as she gasped. Her body moved as she heaved in breath after breath of air.

"Kerri!" Hank said, closing the distance and taking her hand, feeling her pulse in her wrist. "You're alive!"

"Kid! What the hell were you playing at?!" Logan growled.

Kerri continued to gulp air as though she'd just been pulled from a pool where she'd been drowning. "Helenia?" She asked, looking from side to side. "Helenia?" She asked, again, her expression becoming confused, and her hand touched her head, shaking it a little like you'd shake someone's shoulder. "Helenia, where are you?"

"Of course," Xavier said quietly. "Helenia died." They looked up to him in question. "When Dr. Randalf implanted Helenia, he created another body as well, but contained within Kerri's powers. When Helenia died, her body died as well, but when the false body died, Kerri's powers didn't have any reason to keep a dead body around, so she changed back to herself, who hadn't died. And she woke up as her body started all of it's processes again."

They looked at each other, not sure if that made as much sense as he thought it did, but nodded, as none of them had any theories.

Kerri looked over at Kurt, trying to get up, her leg still half numb, ending up holding onto the edge of his bed. "Kurt," her hand ran down his face, leaving a flaky trail of dried blood. She looked up at the monitors. "She did it, she saved you," she whispered, laying her head on the bed next to his arm, inexplicably exhausted.

Everyone but Hank left, leaving them to be alone, Hank having to stay to watch over Kurt. "Welcome back to the world of the living," he told her.

Kerri looked up at him. "Huh?"

"You were technically dead for a few minutes as you changed back," he told her, gesturing to the blood down her body.

"Oh." She decided to ignore the total meaning of this comment for now and looked back to Kurt's monitors. "His blood pressure is low... And so is his heart rate..."

Hank looked to the machine. "It is," he agreed.

"Kurt," she whispered to him. "I love you, you have to stay here. Stay with me. I came back to life for you," she told him. "I couldn't leave you behind, now you have to return the favor..." She leaned up and ran her hand down his cheek, kissing next to his lips since he had a breathing tube in. Her hand tightened around his as she kissed him again. "I love you."

Her eyes jerked up as the machine beeped more, fear about him coding filling her head. She smiled, though, seeing that his heart was speeding up to an almost normal pace.

Kerri stood, her legs tingling, asleep after sitting in the same spot for so long.

She leaned over Kurt, kissing him against the side of his lips. "You stay right here, don't go anywhere, ok?" She smiled when his heart seemed to beat faster, walking to the sink, filling her glass and bringing it back to the chair with her.

The door opened and Hank walked in, staring at a stack of papers. "Oh, hello, Kerri. How are the two of you today?" He asked, looking up.

"Ok... Do you have any idea how much longer he's going to be... out?" Kerri asked, looking back to Kurt. "It's been two days already..."

"Well, he did lose a lot of blood, I don't know how long it will take for his body to catch up to its own needs so he can wake up," he told her.

Kerri tried to read, as she had for the entire time she'd been there, but she was distracted, feeling almost lonely now that Helenia was gone.

She'd given her life, or what there was of it, to save Kurt.

Kerri couldn't help but feel a little jealous. When Kurt had been dieing, she had done nothing but cried, not knowing what to do, but Helenia had stepped forward, ready to put her life on the line, killing herself to save Kurt...

Kerri wondered if she could have done the same thing. 'It's just another reason why she was perfect... And that Kurt deserves someone else... Someone who will do anything to save him, not just stand there and cry like a selfish idiot...'

Those thoughts had plagued her for as long as she had a moment alone, knowing that she had failed Kurt in his greatest time of need.

It was later, much later in the night. Kerri's head rested beside the book she'd been reading, her hand still tangled in the pages.

Kurt's tail twitched, then moved slowly, sliding over to her and wrapping around her arm. His hand haltingly made it to her other hand, taking it in his.

Kurt and Kerri laid in the grass against the wall of the school, watching the clouds- or, stars, as they suddenly were.

A song was playing in the back ground, something he'd heard many times before, and the words and rhythm flowed through the fabric of reality as Kerri cuddled closer to his side. He wrapped his arms around her, holding her as tight as he could.

They were at the club, that first year when Kitty had put up a fight until they'd gone. The lights changed colors and flashed all around them as Kerri, wearing a nice, if a little short, skirt and a one-armed shirt, danced with him to the music, the faceless crowd around them far enough away for them to have plenty of room to dance. She was laughing and smiling, having a good time like no one was there. She tripped, landing against his chest and their lips were close, almost touching. Her eyes closed as she inched closer, but her chin turned at the last second, blushing as she couldn't kiss him, yet.

Kurt was sitting in a booth in a dark room, looking up at a spotlight lit stage where Kerri was dancing, dressed in a pair of almost knee-high black boots, a short, black skirt, and a thin black tank top that showed off her stomach. She was dancing only for him, looking at him the whole time, turning around the pole in the middle of the small stage and swaying to the music. She was so sensual that he couldn't help stare at her body as she swayed to the music, her tailed form fluidly moving back and forth as she moved from a crouch to standing, raising her hands over her head. She pointed at him and smiled, still moving to the beat of the song, jumping onto the pole and spinning around, her hair fanning out around her as she spun in slow motion.

They were laying on the ground, it was mostly littered with leaves from the trees above where the high wire was. Kerri was on top of him, straddling his hips, kissing him as her hands moved up his chest, running through his fur. One of her hands moved up to his hair, holding the back of his head close while the other still drew patterns in the fur on his chest. She kissed him harder, her hips moving against his and-

He was on top, now, reliving the two nights they'd spent together, giving themselves to each other.

Kurt was on top of her, both of them fully clothed. He'd just graduated and he was telling her the good news. He'd teleported over her and dropped onto her, she'd rolled, trying to pin him, he rolled to be over her again, his hand accidentally going under her shirt. He pulled back, but she pulled him to her again, his hand staying under her shirt. They kissed, and he grew breathless as her hand slipped under his shirt as well.

It darkened until only the stars and moon were out, and Kurt felt his forehead against Kerri's. He pulled back and looked into her eyes, feeling a tug in his chest. He took her hand in his and bent one knee to the ground. He was asking her to marry him. She said yes, and-

They were in the jewelry store, picking up the sized ring. He slipped it onto her finger and she pressed against him, neither able to contain their smiling.

Kurt watched Kerri laying on the bed in the med lab, her back burnt, coughing and losing anything in her stomach into an air sickness bag. He was worried about her, worried that she might be too sick to make a full recovery, that she might- He had to stop thinking that. He looked over at the child on his hip, the one they'd rescued from the burning building, but suddenly-

It was his child on his hip, he didn't know what the child looked like, but he knew it was his, his and Kerri's. He turned and looked at Kerri, the child gone, and saw her holding out a sonogram picture. He put his hand on her belly, amazed at the miracle of life-

Holding her close after they lost the baby, comforting each other for the loss-

Kerri had taken off her shirt, overjoyed to be outside, and Kurt watched from the ground as she flew around. She landed and pulled him against her, so happy to be with him again. Kurt tried to cover her skin so she didn't freeze, but she was more interested in telling him how much she loved him, needed him, how much she'd thought about him when she'd been locked away in her own mind. She pulled him closer and kissed him-

Flashes. Flashes and memories of every kiss they'd shared, every single one, every time they'd touched from the first time they'd almost held hands, on Valentines day after going to the movies, to the quick kiss he'd given her right before he'd left the jet with the others.

The words of the song were on the edge of Kurt's lips as he opened his eyes and wrapped his tail around Kerri's arm, wanting to be close, and his hand covered hers, holding it gently. He looked down at her, her head laying on the bed, her face toward him. He could see the dried tear trails down her cheeks and her words came back to him; "Kurt, I love you, you have to stay here. Stay with me. You stay right here, don't go anywhere, ok?"

He felt his heart throbbing and closed his eyes.

Kerri woke up, feeling a little stiff as she sat up slowly and looked around, blinking. She moved her hand to rub her eyes, but felt something on it. She looked down to see Kurt's hand on hers.

Her eyes flew open and she looked around, trying to see if Dr. McCoy was there. He entered the door as she was looking, and she called to him, "Look! Dr. McCoy!"

He looked over, seeing Kurt's tail and hand on her. "Did he do that himself?" He asked.

Kerri nodded, looking back to Kurt, smiling as she whispered into his ear. "Kurt, you're going to be ok, you're doing good, now just wake up, so I can kiss you!"

The machine attached to him started beeping, and the two looked up to it. Hank watched it for a moment, then went to Kurt's side, preparing to do something with the air tube. Kerri watched as he slowly pulled it out, making Kurt cough, even though he was still unconscious. "He's breathing on his own, this is causing problems now," he told her.

He took the thing and unhooked it, moving it out of the way.

Kerri ran her hand down his face, her thumb moving to his lips. They were dried and a little cracked after the air passing them for a few days straight. Kerri reached into her pocket and pulled out her chap-stick, tilting her head as she thought about how to put it on him. She smiled, applying it to her own lips and leaning over him, taking his head in her hands. She kissed him, a few times, making sure to get every part of his lips covered.

The machine started beeping again as his heart rate rose again. Kurt let out a soft groan and his tail tightened around her arm.

Kerri smiled, leaning down to whisper to him again. "I told you I'd kiss you. Now wake up, it's not as much fun if you don't kiss back," she told him.

Hank had come to check the machine, which was still going off, but it soon calmed down. He looked over to her. "What happened?"

"I- just- kissed him," she answered.

Hank looked back to the machine, which read normal now. "Well, now we know how to get his heart rate up if we need to," he teased.

Kerri had pulled her shirt off, throwing it in a pile on the med lab floor. She pulled off her pants as well, adding them to the pile her bra soon joined. She pulled the pajamas towards her, shaking them out, finding that she had the pants in her hand, she pulled them on.

She thought she heard Kurt move behind her and looked behind her, covering herself out of habit, even though it was just the two of them. Everything seemed fine, so she reached for the shirt, letting herself go as she turned back around.

The heart monitor started beeping and she hurried toward it, managing to get her shirt over her head, staring at the monitor and Kurt, trying to figure out what was happening, since it said his heart was beating fast, but he looked fine.

Kurt's tail curled, going over the edge of the bed as it reached toward her.

Kerri put her hand out, and it wrapped around her, pulling her towards him. She realized that his eyes, while still looking like they were closed, were open, and a smile was trying to spread across his face. "Kurt!" Kerri rushed closer. "You're awake! Why was your heart rate going up thou- Wait a second... Were you spying on me as I changed?" She questioned suspiciously.

Kurt had opened his eyes, looking through his eyelashes, his arm hitting a pole next to him. He heard a noise on his other side and looked over blearily, only to see Kerri standing there, topless. His pulse started racing and something beeped as she moved toward him. He felt the smile on his face, his tail reaching out to take her hand, and she realized he was awake. He felt his smile try to widen as she questioned what he'd seen.

Kurt ate the dinner Kerri had brought him, watching as she finished hers as well. "So, liebling, vhat is zhe drama class doing vhile I'm in here?"

"Watching a movie, something classy, classic... The best I could do was the remake of Romeo and Juliet with Leonardo DeCaprio," she laughed. "Pretty sure it's just the girls watching it."

Kurt's tail wrapped around her leg, and she looked up to him. He had a strange look on his face, as though he was trying to commit this moment to memory.

"Kerri, I love you," he told her.

Her brows tightened a little. "I know, I have the ring," she teased, fingering the stones. "I love you, too... Are you ok, Kurt? You're acting kinda... Odd..."

He pushed his tray away, sitting up more comfortably. "Liebling, I-" he paused, thinking of how to say what he was thinking. "I zhink... I understand vhat you vere saying about seeing zhe vorld anew," he told her.

She raised her eyebrow. "When did I say that?"

"Vhen- after you voke up vhen zhey- um..." He paused, not wanting to set her off by reminding her that Jean and the professor had done something with her memories.

"Oh, you mean after my memory-ectomy," she said, pushing around the last bits of food.

"Ja," he told her. The look on her face was schooled to be neutral, but he knew it still irritated her.

"Well, there are more things I don't remember..." She pushed the tray away, then stood and gathered the two trays together, setting them aside. "I remember being happy to see you, and flying, but that's really it from that day..."

Kurt's tail wrapped back around her as she sat next to him again. "You told me zhat you vere happy to see me, and zhat it vas like seeing zhe vorld for zhe first time, because you hadn't seen it in so long, somezhing about being bogged down by it... I feel zhe same vay," he told her, pulling her closer, getting her to stand up and come closer.

Kerri was almost leaning over the side of the bed when she told him worriedly, "Kurt, stop, you'll pop your stitches."

He just pulled harder until she was kneeling on the edge of the bed, smiling. "I don't zhink so," he told her, his hands catching her and pulling her down to kiss him.

Kerri had to move one knee between his so she didn't fall off the bed, and as he held her against him, she felt something in the kiss. It was hot, full of the same kind of heat that had made them lose their minds when they'd ended up in his bed together. She pulled back, hearing the monitor beep as his heart started racing. She looked back to him. "W- what are you doing?"

"Liebling, don't be naive, ve have gone farzher zhan zhis before," he told her, kissing her cheek and trying to make his way to her neck.

"B- but-" Confusion was evident in her voice. He was the one who had pushed her away when she tried to start something, now he was trying to instigate it? He wanted to wait until they were married, as he'd said they should have the first time. He nipped her collar bone, making her jump, and she pulled back, looking at him uncertainly.

There were footsteps in the hall, and Kerri hurriedly climbed down from the bed, blushing a little as the door opened and Hank walked in. She grabbed the dinner trays and headed out through the door, muttering that she'd be right back.

Kurt had shifted quickly and was relaxing against the bed, looking up at the doctor as he looked through the monitors. He wasn't pleased that he'd have to worry about the monitors beeping any time his heart beat rose, but he supposed that he could wait, maybe just a tiny bit longer. "So, vhen am I going to be out of here?" He asked.

"Well, you do look like you're doing well, but I want to keep you overnight, just to make sure everything's ok," Hank told him.

Kerri had Kurt's arm around her shoulder, supporting him as they walked to his room. It wasn't that he was incapable of walking, just that it still hurt to move those muscles too much, and she worried about his stitches.

They got to his room, and Kerri helped him to the bed, sitting him down on it before turning and shutting the door. When she turned back around, his shirt had moved to be in a pile at the side of the bed and his image inducer was off. Her cheeks heated a little and she bit her lip, trying not to let her mind run too wild.

He motioned for her to come closer, and she did, keeping her eyes on his. He laid down, and she moved to tuck him in. "Kerri," he said, stopping her hands with his. "Vill you lay here vizh me for a vhile?" He asked.

She took a breath, wanting to run her hands over his chest, and looked away, letting it out. "Sure," she told him. She went around to the other side of the bed and climbed next to him. She laid down and he made sure they were on the same level of bedding, so there wasn't any blankets between them.

He smiled and reached forward, his hand running down her cheek. She smiled as she looked into his eyes, feeling relaxed.

They laid like that for a few minutes, and Kurt wrapped his arms around her, pulling her tight against him. He held her close, and after a few minutes, Kerri realized that he had fallen asleep. She cuddled against him, running her fingers across his fur, taking in the feel of it. It wasn't too long after that she fell asleep as well.

Kurt woke up, wrapped around Kerri. He frowned and pulled her closer. He hadn't meant to fall asleep, he'd wanted to hold her close for a little longer, then start kissing her...

He shook his head slightly and nuzzled into he neck. Kerri moved, a moan that was supposed to be a giggle slipping from her mouth.

Kurt rolled her over a little and kissed her, waking her up slowly as his tongue ran across hers.

Kerri felt the warm lips pull away from her, feeling the want for them back. She was panting a little, and slowly opened her eyes, only to see Kurt's yellow eyes close, his face next to hers. "Oh... Good morning, Kurt," she mumbled.

Kurt smiled, leaning close and kissing her again, his hands holding her close against him. She felt his hand slip under her shirt, moving up her back to the edge of her bra, and a quiet moan left her mouth. He deepened the kiss further, and her hands clung to him.

Suddenly the alarm went off, and they pulled apart, Kerri a little dizzy from the kiss.

"Ah, it is Saturday, ja?" Kurt asked, turning the alarm off and rolling back to Kerri.

"Yeah, it is. Oh, yeah, it is, I should probably go do the shopping," she answered, not quite pulling away from him. Kurt smiled, pulling her closer for another kiss, but after a moment, she pulled away, running her hand down his arm. "I have to do the shopping, the sooner I go, the sooner I'll be back," she told him.

"Ja, but-" he stopped himself before he could say what he was thinking next; 'but then you won't be next to me in bed.' "Can I come vizh you?" he asked instead.

"Sure, I could use the help," she told him.

Kerri tossed another loaf of bread on top of the heaping cart Kurt was pushing.

"Do ve really need all of zhis bread," he asked, counting ten loaves as she tossed another.

"Yep, you'd be shocked at how much bread is used at the mansion," she told him.

They went through the line and got the carts to the van, starting to pile the groceries in. When they finally finished, they climbed into the front and Kerri turned on the van, laying her head on the steering wheel for a minute before doing anything.

"Vhat's wrong, liebling?" Kurt asked.

"Nothing," she answered, sitting up. "Just resting for a second before taking off again."

They drove back home, and as he looked out the window, Kurt said, "Let's go out somevhere tonight."

Kerri glanced over at him. "Ok, where do you want to go?"

"Let's go to zhe movies," he told her, his lips turning up in a mischievous grin.

"Sounds nice, we can see what's playing when we get back," she agreed.

They got all of the groceries put away, and were looking in the paper for movie times when Hank walked in.

"Hello, you two," he greeted. "Kurt, do you mind if I take a quick look at your stitches while I'm in here?"

"No, zhat's ok," Kurt told him, pulling up his shirt and turning off his image inducer.

Hank poked at them a little, and stood back. "They look good, I think I'll take them out the day after tomorrow. So after classes, come to the med lab, ok?"

"Ja," Kurt agreed, letting his shirt drop and turning his image inducer back on.

Hank got the drink he had gone there for in the first place, and left them.

Kurt smiled at Kerri, leaning close to kiss her as she blushed, realizing that she'd been staring at his abs.

As Kerri walked down the stairs, she wondered if her outfit was ok for the movies; she was wearing a pair of knee length boots, a loose skirt that almost reached her knees, and a cute, if a little low cut, shirt that was laced up the back like a corset.

She paused to tug at her shirt as she stepped into the entryway, but Kurt smiled as soon as he saw her, dressed in a nice pair of jeans and shirt. He met her at the bottom of the stairs and pulled her close for a kiss. "Are you ready to go, liebling," he asked. She nodded and they were off.

As they stood through the line, Kerri could swear that she felt something playing with the edge of her skirt, but never saw anything, and when she looked at Kurt, he wasn't even paying attention, looking up at the movie posters

They got their tickets and snacks, and made their way into the theater, Kerri wanting to get a spot in the middle, but Kurt pulling her toward the back.

"Why are we sitting here?" She asked.

"It's a nice spot," he told her, and as the previews started playing, she found he was right; it wasn't too loud, but it wasn't too quiet, either, and they could see the whole screen without anyone's head in the way.

The movie started, and they watched as the hero swam through a raging storm, trying to make it some place safe.

Kerri felt Kurt put his arm around her and leaned against his chest, still watching the movie.

A few minutes later, Kurt's lips nuzzled her cheek, and Kerri turned to look at him in surprise. Kurt took advantage of this and kissed her, his mouth pressing against hers until she let him in after a nip to her lip.

Kerri felt Kurt's arms around her as he pulled her closer, letting his tongue run wild in her mouth, tasting everything. She started to feel warm, and as he continued, her hands ran over his chest.

There was something rubbing against her thigh, sneaking under the hem of her skirt, and Kerri's hand moved to feel it, finding that it was Kurt's tail. His hand took hers and guided it back to his chest, though, making it so his tail could continue it's actions.

Kurt held Kerri against him. She was practically laying against him as he kissed her, and his tail's movements against her skin were making her let out soft moans that he could feel against his lips, but not hear.

Kerri suddenly pulled back, looking up to the screen in surprise as an explosion shook the theatre, and Kurt almost growled in disappointment.

After the movie, they headed back to the mansion, Kerri again walking Kurt to his room since the muscles in his side were still sore.

He pulled off his shirt and laid down, patting the bed beside him. "Come here, liebling," he told her. "Let's relax togezher and talk, ja?"

Kerri bit her lip, but joined him, and they, again, soon fell asleep.