Once again, thanks so much to all you reviewers! Sorry this chapter took
so long, I rewrote it a couple of times and still I'm not very happy with
it
When he awoke, Kurt washed the salty tear residue from his face. It was time to let go, move on. He couldn't do anything about Kitty's death, but he was determined to fight for what was right, the lives still living, and all the values he had adopted 10 years ago. The past, yesterday, so long ago, so close, all at once.
After breakfast, Storm called a very important meeting. When everyone was there, she stood up and addressed the assembly, "I know someone who might be able to help us. Her name is 'Hourglass' and she has the ability to move people and objects through time."
"Well why the hell haven't you told us about her before!?" Logan broke in.
" Because, she's old and not powerful enough to move people through time long enough for them to do anything significant. But perhaps since Kurt belongs ten years into the past, when she puts him there he will stay. If she can send Kurt back and he knows how to prevent all this, he can shift the entire future and make sure none of this horrible present never even happens."
The assembly was silent at this new idea. Logan finally broke the ice, "It's a crazy idea. It could just work." Everyone started talking at once, everyone was exited about this plan. Logan shouted, "QUIET!" and everyone immediately shut up. Logan continued, "It might work but it won't be a piece of cake pulling it off. For one we need this Hourglass lady to cooperate, and secondly we need to find out exactly what went wrong and how Kurt can fix it. Storm, Boom Boom,, Kurt, and I will go and talk to Hourglass. Hank, Jean, Spyke and Bobby, you get to stay here and try to figure out what Kurt should do when he gets back into his own time."
* Later at the Mansion. Storm Tabitha, Kurt, Bobby, and Logan have already left*
Spyke complained, "Great greeeat, just find out how to alter the entire present, no problem boss! Its not like we're not omniscient or anything! Jeez!"
Jean sighed, "Calm down, I'm sure we'll find a way to get the information we need, we already know some of it ourselves."
"We remember some, yes, but it all happened so quickly, and all records were destroyed. We still don't know the heart of the problem, how it started, or how those in the past could stop it. " Hank pointed out.
"Yes, but someone does." Jean mused, thinking hard. Finally she said what was on her mind, "Deadshot. He used to be a freelance assassin before he joined Cyclops, so he would at least know something about inside controversies. He's always watching and evaluating everything, nothing happens too fast for him, and he sees into the core of things, reads between the lines, sees past the obvious; I would know I've been inside his mind. Also he's a cold analyzer, he never clutters his mind with superstition, bias, or emotion, and he doesn't forget."
"He also doesn't miss!" Spyke broke in, horrified by this idea, "He'll shoot us on sight!"
"Not unless Cyclops ordered him to."
"Which Cyclops probably did!"
"No, Cyclops would want to capture us first, have a little fun with us, THEN kill us."
"He could have been ordered to shoot us in the feet or something like that. And besides, why would he tell us anything anyway?"
"Why shouldn't he? He holds no love for his master, only duty. Besides we can bribe him or make him tell."
"Yeah Right. Two problems: One we don't have anything to bri-"
"Enough." Hank interrupted, "It's a dangerous plan. For now lets stick to looking over news articles and data banks."
Kitty and Lance stared at each other for a few moments, then Kitty sprung forward and locked him into a crushing embrace.
"Lance oh Lance you're alive! I'm so glad! I…I" Kitty broke down crying, a mix of emotions swirling through her head.
"Kitty? It really is you! What happened? You look the same! Where did you go? Why do you look so young? Could you please loosen up a bit I can't breath." Lance gasped.
"Oh sorry!" She smiled through her tears and released him.
"What's going on here mon ami?" a handsome man with red and black eyes leaned in the doorway. Behind and to the side of him stood a young lady with faerie style black hair, dark gothic attire, and sharp blue eyes.
"This is Kitty" Lance explained, "Somehow she seems to have come back from the past!"
He hadn't meant it literally.
Suddenly Kitty remembered what the fall, and seeing Lance again had made her temporarily forget. She blurted, "Kurt! Kurt's here too! And there were these men and they caught him in a net and he could be hurt!" Her eyes widened with fear and worry for her friend, she began to get frantic.
"Calm down chere and tell us where." Gambit said smoothly.
"Up there, on the cliff top, oh I do hope he got away!" Kitty spluttered.
"Don't worry Kitty. Toad, Hydra, Gambit, go try to find him." Lance ordered his team, he was clearly the leader of this group. He placed a comforting hand on Kitty's shoulder and she hugged him, hoping that Kurt was alright.
By the time Gambit, Toad, and Hydra had returned, Kitty had told her whole story to Lance, and Lance had explained that he had formed a group of supposedly dead people called the Shadow Force, who were laying low and keeping their existence unknown. He explained that the Shadow Force didn't want a part in this war between the government, New Mutanthood, and X Defenders. They would do small time things and work under cover until they saw an opportunity where they could act and truly make a difference. Shadow Force wanted peace, but they would not deceive themselves into thinking that humans would just accept them. There were sort of a gray factor, the middle line, the neutral.
When the other three Shadow Force members entered, Kitty looked up quizzically, hopefully, but their faces were grim.
"No one there, just some footprints and tire tracks." Toad said solemnly.
"He could be anywhere. Imprissoned, enssaved, dead. §orrow comess to the young one." Hydra spoke for the first time. She had a soft smooth hissing voice like the wind blowing through a slot canyon. Kitty's heart sunk, and she turned and buried her face in Lance's chest, where she proceeded to cry.
When he awoke, Kurt washed the salty tear residue from his face. It was time to let go, move on. He couldn't do anything about Kitty's death, but he was determined to fight for what was right, the lives still living, and all the values he had adopted 10 years ago. The past, yesterday, so long ago, so close, all at once.
After breakfast, Storm called a very important meeting. When everyone was there, she stood up and addressed the assembly, "I know someone who might be able to help us. Her name is 'Hourglass' and she has the ability to move people and objects through time."
"Well why the hell haven't you told us about her before!?" Logan broke in.
" Because, she's old and not powerful enough to move people through time long enough for them to do anything significant. But perhaps since Kurt belongs ten years into the past, when she puts him there he will stay. If she can send Kurt back and he knows how to prevent all this, he can shift the entire future and make sure none of this horrible present never even happens."
The assembly was silent at this new idea. Logan finally broke the ice, "It's a crazy idea. It could just work." Everyone started talking at once, everyone was exited about this plan. Logan shouted, "QUIET!" and everyone immediately shut up. Logan continued, "It might work but it won't be a piece of cake pulling it off. For one we need this Hourglass lady to cooperate, and secondly we need to find out exactly what went wrong and how Kurt can fix it. Storm, Boom Boom,, Kurt, and I will go and talk to Hourglass. Hank, Jean, Spyke and Bobby, you get to stay here and try to figure out what Kurt should do when he gets back into his own time."
* Later at the Mansion. Storm Tabitha, Kurt, Bobby, and Logan have already left*
Spyke complained, "Great greeeat, just find out how to alter the entire present, no problem boss! Its not like we're not omniscient or anything! Jeez!"
Jean sighed, "Calm down, I'm sure we'll find a way to get the information we need, we already know some of it ourselves."
"We remember some, yes, but it all happened so quickly, and all records were destroyed. We still don't know the heart of the problem, how it started, or how those in the past could stop it. " Hank pointed out.
"Yes, but someone does." Jean mused, thinking hard. Finally she said what was on her mind, "Deadshot. He used to be a freelance assassin before he joined Cyclops, so he would at least know something about inside controversies. He's always watching and evaluating everything, nothing happens too fast for him, and he sees into the core of things, reads between the lines, sees past the obvious; I would know I've been inside his mind. Also he's a cold analyzer, he never clutters his mind with superstition, bias, or emotion, and he doesn't forget."
"He also doesn't miss!" Spyke broke in, horrified by this idea, "He'll shoot us on sight!"
"Not unless Cyclops ordered him to."
"Which Cyclops probably did!"
"No, Cyclops would want to capture us first, have a little fun with us, THEN kill us."
"He could have been ordered to shoot us in the feet or something like that. And besides, why would he tell us anything anyway?"
"Why shouldn't he? He holds no love for his master, only duty. Besides we can bribe him or make him tell."
"Yeah Right. Two problems: One we don't have anything to bri-"
"Enough." Hank interrupted, "It's a dangerous plan. For now lets stick to looking over news articles and data banks."
Kitty and Lance stared at each other for a few moments, then Kitty sprung forward and locked him into a crushing embrace.
"Lance oh Lance you're alive! I'm so glad! I…I" Kitty broke down crying, a mix of emotions swirling through her head.
"Kitty? It really is you! What happened? You look the same! Where did you go? Why do you look so young? Could you please loosen up a bit I can't breath." Lance gasped.
"Oh sorry!" She smiled through her tears and released him.
"What's going on here mon ami?" a handsome man with red and black eyes leaned in the doorway. Behind and to the side of him stood a young lady with faerie style black hair, dark gothic attire, and sharp blue eyes.
"This is Kitty" Lance explained, "Somehow she seems to have come back from the past!"
He hadn't meant it literally.
Suddenly Kitty remembered what the fall, and seeing Lance again had made her temporarily forget. She blurted, "Kurt! Kurt's here too! And there were these men and they caught him in a net and he could be hurt!" Her eyes widened with fear and worry for her friend, she began to get frantic.
"Calm down chere and tell us where." Gambit said smoothly.
"Up there, on the cliff top, oh I do hope he got away!" Kitty spluttered.
"Don't worry Kitty. Toad, Hydra, Gambit, go try to find him." Lance ordered his team, he was clearly the leader of this group. He placed a comforting hand on Kitty's shoulder and she hugged him, hoping that Kurt was alright.
By the time Gambit, Toad, and Hydra had returned, Kitty had told her whole story to Lance, and Lance had explained that he had formed a group of supposedly dead people called the Shadow Force, who were laying low and keeping their existence unknown. He explained that the Shadow Force didn't want a part in this war between the government, New Mutanthood, and X Defenders. They would do small time things and work under cover until they saw an opportunity where they could act and truly make a difference. Shadow Force wanted peace, but they would not deceive themselves into thinking that humans would just accept them. There were sort of a gray factor, the middle line, the neutral.
When the other three Shadow Force members entered, Kitty looked up quizzically, hopefully, but their faces were grim.
"No one there, just some footprints and tire tracks." Toad said solemnly.
"He could be anywhere. Imprissoned, enssaved, dead. §orrow comess to the young one." Hydra spoke for the first time. She had a soft smooth hissing voice like the wind blowing through a slot canyon. Kitty's heart sunk, and she turned and buried her face in Lance's chest, where she proceeded to cry.