One Thousand Paper Cranes--part 7





" And zer, that's how you do it ok?" Kurt held out a trembling hand with a small paper crane in it .

"Like ok I think I got it" Kitty held up her own lopsided crane.

"Ja, good" Kurt reached out and placed it with the others that covered the small room. "Nine hundred and sixteen" he sighed "Just a few more to go then I get my wish."

Kitty tried to smile she sat down and hugged Kurt, "do you remember in the summer time when we'd pick wild flowers in the fields and lie in the grass and watch the stars at night?"

"Hmmm" Kurt nodded. " And we'd jump in the air like we could reach them"

"Look, you can see the stars out your window" Kitty smiled " there's Aries and that's the Big dipper and there's Pegasus and..."

Kurt stared up at the stars, it was if the world was in slow motion, he didn't understand a word of what Kitty was saying to him, but for him it didn't matter, he was perfectly content to just be next to her.

All too soon visiting hours were over, and Kitty had to leave. She said goodbye to Kurt giving him a quick kiss on the lips. Much to his surprise, then she when out the door.

Kurt sighed, he was alone again, he looked up at the stars and a smile crept across his face, "Vell at least I 've got za stars. The stars vill always remind me of you Kitty" he said closing his eyes.



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"Pietro Maximoff!!!!" Mystique's voice cut through the office, "you haven't been yourself lately..hmmmm... what's troubling you..?" She asked with all the kindness of a vulture..

Pietro sat on the hard wooden chair , unwilling to answer her. He'd been sitting here for almost three hours now, being abused in anyway Mystique saw fit. Most of it wasn't to bad, but being held so still for so long was torturing him.

"Well no problems?" Mystique snapped, Pietro's cheeks were wet from tears he'd cried but he uttered not one word. "You've been hanging around with Xavier's group quite a bit lately..why!!"

Pietro made no move.

"Answer me !!!!" she slapped him hard across the face ,knocking him off the chair and to the floor.

He look up to her a nasty red welt joining the others that covered his body, but still he said nothing.

"Maybe your problem is your sister hmmmm?" Mystique smiled holding up the old picture of Wanda . "I'm sure we can fix that" she pulled out a lighter and held it under the photo.

"NO!!!" Pietro screamed.

"Fuck off you heartless bitch!!!!" Lance roared as a tremor went through the room knocking Mystique off her feet. He and the others stood behind Pietro, as the white haired boy hugged his precious picture. "If anybodies got a problem it's you!!!!"

Mystique got back up to her feet, "How dare you!!!!" she cried.

"Oh for Fuck's sake" Lance raged "Your kids dying and you're here spazzing at Pietro"

"Un..yeah boss lady, the little fuzzball is ..well...kinda, excuse the expression croaking" Todd shrugged, at her.

"I'd want to see my son once before he died ....un..if I had one" Fred commented.

"You don't fucking care , that's it, that's been it all along!!! Well soon you won't have to worry about it anymore!!!" Lance stormed out of the office with Fred Todd and Pietro behind him.

"Hmph..those..those little!!!" Mystique snorted regaining her composure. "Rouge what do you think..of that.?" she asked the gothic looking girl who was walking to the door,

" ya know Mystique I think one day your gonna realize all you could'a had with him.......and your gonna regret it"



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"Left right and ...there" Lance sat the crane on the shelf.

"Thanks Lance, " Kurt smiled faintly, "that's nine hundred and ninety eight, just 12 more to go" he closed his eyes, " I can't make any more though"

"I know, " Lance said " but that's why you got us" he had come tonight with Pietro to visit Kurt and had soon gotten into the rhythm of crane making. They hung all over Kurt's room, like little magical beasts frozen in time.

Lance was admiring the little creatures when Pietro and Scott came back from getting coffee.

"Hey," Scott said handing Lance a cup. The other x-men had been in earlier and were out now getting something to eat, Lance knew they'd be back before visiting hours ended.

"Thanks" he said.

Scott sat on the edge of the bed watching Pietro make 4 of the paper birds in the blink of an eye. He looked at Kurt's sad expression, knowing his friend couldn't make the cranes his heart so loved anymore. His hands just wouldn't obey him. Scott swallowed, as he looked at the blue fur on Kurt's pillow, the chemo was causing startling amounts of it to fall out. The Doctor said that the tumor in his brain was starting to affect his coordination too, he wondered how terrifying it must be for Kurt to have his body betray him like this.

"Look," Kurt attempted to sit up, Scott turned to where his friend was pointing at the Tv. On the screen a bright flashy commercial played.

"Come to the festival folks, enjoy the rides the music and the grand fin ally fireworks.!!!!"

"Vow," Kurt smiled "I've never been to a festival"

"But Kurt, you use to be in the circus..!!" Scott said.

"Ja but I never could go on the rides or have fun, I just did my act ..and had to hide...and watch"

"oh man they are like so cool...!!" Pietro began.

Lance was still watching the Tv, "ya Pietro...great..." He mumbled " um... I gotta go...Kurt" he bid a quick farewell and dashed out the door.

"Well what was that all about?" Pietro inquired.

"I don't know?" Scott said " But the others should be back by now, I'm gonna go see ok?"

"Sure" Kurt murmured.

"Yeah no problem Slim," Pietro winked, pulling out a pack of balloons from his pocket. "Hey Kurt did I mention that I can make balloon critters?"

"No"

"Well I can"

"Ummm....alright....I want a poodle" Kurt smiled.

"..Well ...I can only do certain animals"

"Oh, like vhat?"

"Snakes. Here ya go" Pietro handed him a green balloon "snake".

"Gee thanks"

Scott smirked and left the two of them to their fun.



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Scott walked down the hall intending to locate the others. He saw the group of them sitting in the waiting room by the cafeteria.

He started to walk towards them, and was almost within talking distance when he heard the Professors voice. He was speaking with Moira about Kurt. Scott jumped behind a nearby soda machine and listened carefully.



"Charles ...I'm sorry I don't know what to say. The chemo gave him some time... but now.."

" Can't you give him more,... stronger doses perhaps?" Xavier pleaded.

"No...he's been getting the highest dosage possible ..and he's bodies reached it's limit, he can't handle anymore. Charles you tried, but it's over. I'm sorry"

"How long?"

"The tumor is causing massive pressure to his brain, ..." Moira wiped her eyes "given the speed of it ...possibly nine hours...or sooner"

"Will he feel any pain?" Xavier asked desperately

"No" Moira said sadly, " he'll just fall asleep "





Scott stared at the door, his breath coming in tiny gasps, he started to back away and was startled when he ran into ...

"Lance!!!" he let out a strangled yelp. "It's happening. Oh god his dying... he's dying ...not now...please...not now!" Scott was a basket case by this point, kneeling on the floor, the weeks of stress finally catching up to him. He may have stayed there all night, pressed against the cool tiles, if not for a pair of strong arms pulling him to his feet and dragging him to the cafeteria.

" Scott...Scott....snap out of it Summers!" Lance sat a warm drink in front of him.

Scott choked a little on the first swallow, "I thought it would be coffee"

"Oh no" Lance said " you definitely don't need any more coffee. Besides hot chocolate tastes so much better"

"Thanks" Scott sniffed as silent tears crept from under his glasses and slid down his cheeks.

"I heard the Doc tell your Professor too...I'm sorry" Lance shifted in his seat.

"I just wish there was something I could do for him, anything...just so he'd be happy ...one last time" Scott mumbled.

"Maybe you can" Lance smiled his mind already drawing up a brilliant plan. "He said he would love to see a festival right...well?"

'Pine gates festival is tonight," Scott said "I'd never be able to get tickets now, they sold out weeks ago.

Lance smiled .



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Scott still couldn't believe it, he was in his car with Kurt heading to the festival.

"Vow, I'm gonna really get to see a festival !!!" Kurt's smile shone, his green eyes sparkling .

"Yes Kurt, you are " Scott thought to himself. He knew he'd be in hot water with the Professor and the others but he was determined to give Kurt a last happy memory.

"Just remember Scott, you make sure he has the best time of his life got it!!!"

"Thanks Lance," Scott thought, he looked down at the two tickets to the pines gates festival the dark haired boy had given him. "That's a promise I intend to keep!!!"





to be continued.........