Disclaimer: I don't own X-Men Evolution, or Shakespeare. I wish I owned both. But wishes aren't fishes…or some strange saying.

Well, here at last is the vaunted party scene that people have been waiting breathlessly for. Sorry about taking so long to get it up. I don't have any excuse except for an excess of laziness, and it IS a long chapter. Oh well. Hope you enjoy it!

Note: In this context Madonna is a term for beauty, purity…whatever. Just so you know, I was not referring to the singer/actress.

Scene V

"Aw, man." Bobby Drake sighed and put down the basket of dishes he'd been carrying. "How'd we get talked into playing servants?"

"Beats me," Ray agreed. "But next time I say we make Jamie do it."

Hear hear. Speaking of which, where is Jamie? I thought he was supposed to help us with this."

"I'm here!" Jamie appeared as if summoned. The slight boy ran towards them with a worried look on his face. "Sorry I'm late. I…whoops!" He tripped on a washcloth lying on the kitchen floor, windmilled for a second, and then went down. Bobby winced in sympathy and then looked at the four duplicate copies on the twelve-year-old now picking themselves up gingerly.

"Geez. You're such a klutz, Jamie. Jamies."

One of the Jamies visibly wilted while the others looked abashed. "I know. I'm sorry."

Ray let out a sudden laugh. "What are you talking about 'sorry'? This is great!"

Bobby looked at him strangely as the young boy blinked in surprise. "It is?"

"Hell, yeah. Now there's more of him to shoulder the work." And the blonde very deliberately stepped forward and handed his own armful of dirty dishes to one of the Multiples. "Enjoy."

That Jamie looked down at it, and then back up to the older boy. "But…that doesn't mean I'm going to do all the housework!"

"Oh no. Of course not," Bobby soothed. "We're going to help you. Isn't that right Ray?"

"Absolutely." They both managed to keep straight faces as they said this, but Ray's mouth twitched slightly. "Now why don't you start by washing those?"

Jamie heaved a great sigh and looked down at the bundle in his grip. "I guess so." He turned to his other selves. "Come on, guys. Let's get to it."

Bobby inched away. "Right. We're just going to…clean up some more in the dining room. See you later, Jamie."

Yeah, see ya." Ray waved and the two teenagers left the room. He chuckled as they reached the hall. "Man, I love having someone as gullible as Jamie around. Pretty soon I won't have to do any of my chores anymore!"

"Tell me about it. All the same, we ought to go help him out eventually. It's not fair for him to do everything…no matter how many of him there are."

"Bleeding heart," Ray teased. "All right. No problem. We'll help him. Eventually." He smirked. "In the meantime, lets see if there are any of those little party cakes left."

"Ah, now you're speaking my language!"

***

Xavier steepled his fingers and watched the dancing, laughing people gyrating in his living room. "Well, this isn't going too badly. Kitty seems to be enjoying herself." The lady in question was by the punch bowl, carrying on a gay conversation with a coterie of her friends.

Scott sipped from his plastic cup. "Yeah. It's a good party." They watched as Kurt walked over to her and swept the brunette a deep bow, overacting on purpose as he always did. It got the desired effect. Kitty stifled a laugh behind her hand, and when he raised his own she took it elegantly and allowed him to pull her onto the dance floor. "I'm glad she liked that mood crystal Jean and I bought for her. You have no idea how much we went through to get it."

"Oh, I have an idea. I saw your little spat with the Brotherhood, you recall."

"Mm. But afterwards the proprietor didn't even want to let us back into the shop, let alone sell us anything! We had to pay her double just to do business with us." The senior smiled wryly. "Apparently, we have very upsetting auras."

The Professor also smiled, but looked up at his student with serious eyes. "You would do well not to make fun of people's beliefs in such a fashion, Scott. Who knows what has validity and what has not? After all, if I were to announce that I was a psychic, nine tenths of the people in this room would think it a joke, but you can see how true it is."

Scott nodded, chastised. "Yes, Professor. I guess you're right. I just have trouble crediting things like that, I suppose. It all sounds so hokey."

"And with some people it undoubtedly is. But not with everybody, so try not to judge." Charles sipped some punch of his own and then looked down in surprise at his empty cup. "Oh dear. I seem to have run dry. If you'll excuse me." With a few experienced tugs he got his wheelchair turned in the right direction and headed towards the refreshment table.

***

The Brotherhood entered the mansion just then, unobtrusive in the press of bodies.

"We ought to split up so we're not so obvious," Pietro said. He then took his own advice and disappeared in a flash, moving so quickly they didn't see him leave. Fred shook his head.

"I wish he'd stop doing that."

Todd said nothing. He just elbowed Lance in the ribs and nodded towards the pack of girls at the punch table with a smirk, and then also lost himself in the crowd. Freddy looked down at Lance, shrugged, and walked away.

"Terrific," the senior muttered. "I don't even want to be here." He surveyed the girls Todd had pointed at for a moment and then shook his head and turned away. They were all young, immature, giggling little girls who acted like this was the first dance they had ever been to. For some of them it probably was. Why on earth would he want to spend time with them? Sometimes Lance honestly didn't understand his friend. Purposeless and yet feeling as if he should be doing something more than just standing in the doorway he wandered over to the punch table and poured himself a cup. Several of the girls, whom he mentally dubbed the sparrows, cast overly mascaraed eyes his way and tittered among themselves. Children. He took a sip of the red drink that was woefully lacking in anything resembling flavor and turned, idly watching the dancers. And that was when he saw her.

An angel was on the dance floor, twirling around with that freak, Wagner, in her arms. Her back was to Lance so he couldn't see her face, but he didn't need to to recognize true beauty. She moved with the gracefulness of a swan, rocking and flowing with the beat as if she were the muse of music, summoned by the gods for the delight of all. Her hair was a rich glowing brown, with glints of chestnut, and even fiery red, shining out of it when the light hit right. Her body was slender, delicate, and ethereal; it seemed to him nearly impossible that such perfection of form should exist in one woman. Such beauty should be reserved for the Gods. Tabitha was utterly forgotten as he stared, entranced, at this strange, mystery lady who had stolen his heart.

            Lance turned to two boys standing near him, pigging out on the little chocolate party cakes. "Hey," he called, catching their attention. "Which lady is that that does enrich that hand of that…person?" He nodded in the direction of his Madonna.

            Bobby craned his neck for a second, and then shrugged and turned back to the cakes. "Beats me."

            Ray rolled his eyes. "You moron. You mean the girl dancing with Kurt? That's Kitty Pryde. You know, the girl this party is for?"

            "Kitty?!" Lance said incredulously and turned to stare at her. Now she moved so that she was more or less facing him, still caught up in the dance. It was indeed Kitty Pryde. But now he saw her in a new light. When he had first met her he had noticed how pretty she was, but had dismissed the matter in light of his own petty ambitions. This had turned her against him and caused her to join this group, the X-Men. Since then he hadn't thought of her much. She had been a mild crush, easily taken up, and then easily forgotten again. Now he couldn't believe how stupid he had been. She was gorgeous, perfection. Her face shone with a happiness that could light the whole room.

            "Oh, she doth teach the lights to burn bright," he murmured. "It seems she hangs upon the cheek of night like a rich jewel in Ethiope's ear. Beauty too rich for use, for earth to dear! Did my heart love till now? Forswear it, sight! For I ne'er saw true beauty till this night."

            Ray blinked at him. "What? What are you babbling about?"

            Lance ignored him and walked out onto the dance floor. Bobby and Ray exchanged glances. Then they turned back to the food.

            ***

            "Professor!" Xavier turned at the sound of his title, holding his new punch cup in one hand. He saw a very upset Evan Daniels run up to him.

            "Yes?" He noted the teenager's expression. "What is it? Wherefore storm you so?"

            "That's why!" He stabbed a finger in the direction of the room in general. Xavier raised an eyebrow.

            "You have a problem with the party?"

            "I have a problem with all the Brotherhood members wandering around in it!" He shook his head in frustration. "I saw that Tabitha was invited. Kurt must have had a hand in that. At any rate, it's a good thing she didn't show or we wouldn't have a floor to dance on! You know she blows up whatever she touches." Xavier opened his mouth to reply, but Evan swept on without waiting for him. "And I saw Pietro flirting with a bunch of girls earlier. Pietro! It's disgusting the way he shows off. Who invited him, anyway?"

            Scott walked over, perhaps summoned by his friend's raised voice. "What's going on?"

            "Who invited Pietro?" Evan demanded again, turning to face him.

            Scott frowned. "I don't know. Maybe he crashed. Wait a minute! Rahne gave me the list when she was through with it." He searched through his pockets for a moment and then pulled out the tattered piece of paper. "Here it is." The senior scanned it. "Wow. What do you know. Someone did invite him. Weird." He looked up and saw Evan glaring at him. Scott raised a hand defensively. "Whoa! Don't look at me. I didn't do it!"

            Xavier took the piece of paper and frowned at it. "Neither did I. In fact, I don't remember seeing his name there before."

            Evan craned around to look at the names. Then he made a sound of disgust. "It's in his handwriting," he said. "I don't believe it. The little twerp invited himself." He looked up at his mentor eagerly. "Hey, does that mean I can I kick him out?"

            "No."

            "But…"

            "No. Whether we meant to or not, Rahne extended him an invitation and we're not going to go back on it now."

            Evan's mouth twisted and he shifted dissatisfiedly to watch the dance floor. Then his eyes widened. "By my troth, there's another one!" He gestured to the scene that lay before them; Lance slipping unobtrusively through the crowd, trying to get to Kitty without Kurt noticing. "I KNOW he didn't get invited. 'Tis he. That villain, Alvers!"

            The Professor followed his gaze. "I see you're right. What's your point? He's not hurting anything right now." He raised a hand to forbear the passionate outburst that seemed about to explode from the boy's lips. "I know that his group has often opposed our own, but none of them are doing that this night. They are simply trying to enjoy themselves. Why pick fights with them? What will that show about our standards? You're bigger than that, Evan."

            "It's not right. They've tried to kill us before, and now we're just going to let them in?! No way! I'll not endure him. I'm kicking Avalanche's ass!"

            Xavier fixed the teenager with his steeliest look. "He shall be endured," he ordered. "I didn't throw this party so you could get in battles with the Brotherhood. And as this is my school, you will follow my directions! Cool down, Evan!"

            "But, Professor…!"

            "No! I don't care to discuss the matter any more. But let me make something clear. Start anything this night and you will be cleaning the Danger Room for the rest of the year." And with those words he turned and very deliberately wheeled away, not looking in Lance's direction once. Scott shrugged fatalistically and followed him.

            Evan stood there, stewing in his own bitterness. "Fine. I can wait," he said. "For now. I shall withdraw, but this intrusion shall, now seeming sweet, convert to bitter gall."

            ***

            "Ah, come on, Kitty! Just one more?"

            Kitty laughed, unable to help herself. "NO, Kurt. I can't dance anymore. I've got blisters on my blisters!" She had to remind herself very hard not to succumb to his flirting. She was definitely mad at Ororo for trying to control her life, like it was any of her business in the first place! So Kitty had decided that the only thing to do would be to purposely not do anything Storm suggested. Only then could she be sure that she was acting on her own independence, and not just complying with someone else's will. Of course, just as she had come to this decision Kurt had to start being cute and charming. That was always the way. Under other circumstances…

            "Well, alright. But you know you enjoyed it! Do you want some punch?"

            "What?" Kitty blinked out of her thoughts and looked up at him, then felt her gaze slide away to the person behind his gesturing form. Lance Alvers stood there, looking cleaner and handsomer than she had ever seen him before in her life. He wore such a look on his face that it instantly riveted her. "Um…no. That's okay," she responded absently, not moving her eyes. "I think I'm just going to…go sit down for a while, if that's okay with you."

            Kurt nodded, oblivious to her distraction. "Sure thing." He glanced shyly down, and then looked up at her from under lowered lashes. "I…had fun tonight, Kitty. Thank you." He leaned forward and gave her a quick peck of a kiss on the cheek. Blushing deep scarlet, the elf turned and made his way through the crowd.

            Kitty moved forward a pace. "What are you doing here?"

            Lance stepped forward as well and took her hand in his. Kitty tensed her arm for a moment as unwanted memories filled her mind of the first time they'd met, the first time he'd done that.

            The senior noticed and looked at her with a bittersweet smile so full of tenderness it took her breath away. "If I profane with my unworthiest hand this holy shrine, the gentle fine is this." He leaned down and gently kissed her fingers, one by one. "My lips, two blushing pilgrims, ready stand to smooth that rough touch with a gentle kiss."

            Kitty blinked several times. She took a deep breath, and then managed to speak. "Is that some sort of apology for before?" She winced on the inside at the harshness of her words. No one who looked at her that way deserved to be the victim of such a bitter tone.

            "If you want it to be. It is an apology for any dire thing I have ever done to you, and the statement of my own heart's true mind."

            Kitty sighed dreamily. A mischievous smile teased her lips. "Good pilgrim, you do wrong your hand too much," she said. "For saints have hands that pilgrims' hands do touch, and palm to palm is holy palmers kiss."

            "And speaking of kisses," he breathed and stepped close to her, leaning down to catch her mouth with his.

            An endless eternity later they broke away again. Kitty breathlessly straightened her hair and looked up at him. "You kiss by the book," she teased, but her eyes belied her words. They were liquid chocolate light and sparkled like diamonds.

            ***

            "Will you look at that," Risty said appreciatively and looked over at her companion. Rogue leaned against the wall of the room with a bored expression on her face. Every now and then her eyes would pick out Scott Summers in the crowd and follow him for a while.

            "What?" she asked.

            "Lance and Kitty." Risty pointed as the two finished their kiss. She cocked her head. "They look cute together."

            "Kitty and Lance?!" Rogue also looked around. "Holy shit. How'd that happen?"

            "Well, in the usual way, I'd imagine. Boy meets girl. Boy likes girl…"

            "Yeah, but…Lance?! He's our en…I mean, he hasn't exactly gotten along with us in the past."

            Her friend ignored her slip of tongue smoothly. She was too busy hugging her arms and smiling cutely. "It's so sweet. I love it when people get together. And maybe this will get him over that funk with Tabitha."

            Rogue blinked at her. "What?"

            "Oh…um. Just something I heard around school." She cocked her head to look at the Goth, who had turned her gaze to the couple on the dance floor again and was staring as if they'd turned into purple elephants. "It doesn't bother you, does it?" she asked curiously. "I mean, even if he wasn't friendly in the past he's sure acting that way now."

            "I…no." Rogue shook her head, eyes still wide. "It's just weird, you know?"

            "What's weird?" They both turned to find Ororo coming towards them from the opposite direction, an inquisitive smile on her face.

            Rogue's face flamed. "Nothing. Just, you know, Kitty over there. We weren't gossiping."

            "Yes we were," Risty quipped cheerily. "It's fun too."

            The black woman turned to face the dance floor and picked Kitty out of the crowd. She and Lance were dancing now, a swaying slow song. The smile disappeared from the woman's face. "Rogue. Go and get her. Tell her I want to see her."

            "What, now? She's kinda busy. Can't it wait?"

            Sea blue eyes narrowed. "No."

            ***

            Kitty lay her head on Lance's chest and let him rock her to the beat. She hadn't been lying to Kurt when she claimed her feet hurt, but suddenly that seemed to matter a whole lot less. For some reason she couldn't explain the girl felt safe and warm in his arms, protected even. This was a feeling she'd never have expected to feel around Lance Alvers and it faintly surprised her, or would have if she hadn't been floating in bliss. Blisters or not, she could dance all night if it were only with him.

            Someone tapped her on the shoulder. Kitty looked up in annoyance to see Rogue standing there, looking very uncomfortable. "What?" the freshman said. It came out sharper than she had intended and she winced inwardly as her roommate flinched.

            "Madam, Ororo craves a word with you."

            The temperature around them dropped several degrees. "Tell her I'm busy," Kitty said firmly, and took a better grip on Lance's bicep. He was looking between the two girls in confusion.

            "What does Storm want?" he asked.

            "I don't care what she wants," Kitty said petulantly. Her voice came out slightly muffled as she buried her head in his chest.

            Rogue shifted uncomfortably again. Then she settled into her old standby; defensiveness. "It's an X-Man matter. I can't tell you. Why do you care anyway?!"

            "An X-Man matter," he repeated softly and looked down at Kitty. "O dear account," he murmured. "My life is my foe's debt."

            Todd came bounding over. "Yo, Lance. I just saw that Logan guy and he gave me the evil eye. I don't think we're welcome here any longer. Let's split." He tugged on his friend's arm.

            Lance hesitated. "But…"

            "Look," Rogue said to Kitty. "Ororo told me to come fetch you right away. She'll be mad if you don't come, and then I'll get in trouble for it!"

            "Come on, Lance!" Todd was tugging harder; casting nervous glances around as if he were afraid Wolverine was going to appear out of thin air.

            "All right! I'm coming," Kitty said crossly and straightened her dress, sending irritated glances in all directions. "Honestly, that woman sure knows how to get on a person's bad side, doesn't she?" She turned and stood on tiptoes, kissing Lance briefly on the lips. "Thank you," she breathed in his ear. Then she turned and allowed Rogue to usher her away.

            Todd finally managed to drag the senior a few paces as he looked mistily after the girls. "Hey, will you hurry it up?! I don't know about you, but I do not want to become a shish-kabobbed Toad tonight."

            Lance shrugged his arms off easily. "Hey, watch the suit! I'm coming already." And with that, they also left.

            Kitty paused when she reached the mansion stairs and watched him disappear into the crowd. "My only love sprung from my only hate," she whispered. "I must love a loathed enemy."

            "What are you talking about," Rogue said from right behind her and the freshman jumped. She had forgotten the other girl was there. "That's not love. You had one dance. That's barely even a crush. Now, come on." She started walking up the stairs. "I think Storm went to the library."

            Casting one last glance over her shoulder, Kitty followed her.

***

Well, how was it? Did I write the scene all right? Too much Shakespeare? Too little? Please, be kind to a poor author and review.