Title: A Dance

Author/E-mail: galaxykat@hotmail.com

Part: 1/1

Warnings: Completely G rated.  No naughty bits.

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the existing X-Men characters from the cartoon X-Men: Evolution, no matter how much I wish I did.  The four members of the Future Tech Team are my own original creations and may not be used without my permission.

Summary:  Hank observes Whirlwind helping Kurt get over his depression, and takes some of her words to heart.

Distribution: In the Corners of My Mind@ http://www.dreamwater.net/art/galaxykat/Index.html , fanfiction.net author search for glamourcat and if anyone else wants to house it, just ask.

Notes:  If you want to know what Whirlwind looks like, since I'm horrible at physical description, go follow these links:  http://www.dreamwater.net/art/galaxykat/Images/WindHair.jpg and http://www.dreamwater.net/art/galaxykat/Images/Whirlwind_cartoon.jpg

               Hank went looking for Whirlwind when he finished that analysis for her of the blood work he'd taken.  The results were very intriguing.   He found Whirlwind standing on the balcony overlooking the pool.  Walking up to stand behind her, he caught a glimpse of what she watched.

            Young Kurt sat in a pool chair, his face in his hands, tear streaks tracked down his blue fur, and a melancholy look on his face.

            "Whirlwind?" Hank said gently, not wanting to startle the woman.

            "Oh please, call me Auroara – Rory for short.  I'm only Whirlwind when I'm on duty."  She straightened up from where she'd been leaning on the balcony railing and turned to face Hank.  She sat down on the rail.

            "Thank-you Auroara – I consider it an honor." Hank smiled at her briefly then schooled himself to a neutral expression least his fangs upset her.

            She smiled back to Hank's relief, not a bit disturbed by his appearance.

            "You're always so polite and urban.  I wish you could giv3e my kid brothers a lesson or two about manners."

            "You have siblings?" Hank asked, mildly surprised that she offered the information so readily.

            "A younger sis about his age," She nodded her head in Kurt's direction, "And two brothers each younger then that.  Half-sibs, actually.  I'm from Dad's first marriage.  Trish and the boys are from the second.  That's why there's such an age gap."

            "Fascinating.  I grew up as an only child." Hank answered forgetting the reason he'd come in search of her, "I often wondered what it would have been like to have brothers and sisters."

            "A lot like living here I suppose." She replied, shrugging her shoulders.

            Her answer would be something Hank McCoy would turn over in his mind for hours latter.

            "What's with him?" Rory asked.  "My blue fuzzy friend's normally so cheerful and willing to help me prank Badlands.  He's not himself today."

            Hank looked past her to where she pointed at Kurt.  Moving up to the railing, he leaned on it and sighed.

            "A seemingly terminal case of the 'just got dumped' blues.  Kurt's girlfriend broke up with him yesterday – and tonight is the big dance." Hank explained.

            "Ah, so of course the situation is hopeless and he'll never love again, right?"

            "I hate to laugh at his misfortune but you almost quoted him exactly from an earlier proclamation of his."

            Rory slid off the railing and turned to lean on it next to Hank.

            "When you're young love is easy to fall into and hard to fall out of.  When you're older, it's the other way around.  But at no time is it ever truly painless."

            "Truer words were never spoken my friend."

            "Oh, I can't stand this.  Hurts too much to watch him act like I did when I was a stupid kid."

            Without warning, she put a foot up on the railing and launched herself into the air. 

            Reflexively Hank reached out to catch her before she fell but he stopped himself when he remembered she could fly.

            Gliding softly down, Rory's feet touched the ground next to Kurt's chair.  She sat next to him.  Their voices drifted faintly up to Hank's lookout.

            "Hey Kurt.  I have a problem.  I thought maybe you could help."

            "Me?  Help you?  But…"

            "Just hear me out.  You know that Storm was supposed to chaperone the dance tonight?"

            At the teen's bewildered nod she continued.

            "Well she's unable to go – she and Glow are going over something and I got nominated to take her place."

            "You're going to be chaperoning the dance tonight?"

            "If I can find a date.  I hate showing up to those things without someone to talk to.  Also, I happen to like to dance – and I look awfully stupid doing so by myself."

            "So how can I help with that?"  Kurt was confused.

            "Well, you're the hip cat who knows everyone.  Got any single male teachers my age at your school?"

            Kurt like any teen, preened at the thought of himself as the person in the thick of things.  He paused and considered it, distracted from his previous misery.

            "No, not that are going to be there.  What about Mr. McCoy?  Or Logan?" The boy finally answered.

            "Two words: Logan and Dancing." She smiled ruefully.

            "Ach, you're right – defiantly not his speed.  But surely Mr. McCoy would…"

            "Kurt you know he hates wearing an image inducer and he's not going to go as himself.  His loss – I'm a great dancer."  Rory sighed.

            Hank wondered at the dig in her statement, clearly directed to him.

            "Oh well, I guess chaperones were meant to be wall flowers anyway."

            "I could be your date."

               Kurt spoke so softly that Hank didn't catch it. 

            "What was that?"  Apparently, Rory didn't either.

            "I could be your date," Kurt repeated more strongly.  "I don't have one for tonight and it would be funny to see the look on her… I mean the looks on everyone's faces when we get down and boogie!"

            Kurt grew excited and more like his animated self as he planned.

            "Well, if you don't mind dancing with an old maid like me, then sure, sounds fun." Rory agreed to his idea.

            "You're not an old maid…ACH! It's getting late!  I need to get ready."

            "I'll be waiting for you."

            "See you in a bit."  Kurt popped out with a BAMF and a pink cloud of smoke.

            Rory smiled and flew back to the balcony and Hank.

            "That was very kind of you."

            He told her.

            "It's a small thing.  I can't stand seeing a kid in pain."  Rory answered.

            "But how are you going to arrange everything that you told him?"

            "It's already done.  I was double-speaking."

            "Double speaking?"

            "Talking to The Mezmerizer with my mind while I talked to Kurt out loud.  Mez trained us all to double-speak.  It's saved our lives on occasion."  Rory explained.

            "Incredible.  I wasn't aware that the human mind could be trained to do such a thing." 

            "Well, it can and it has.  Mez talked to the professor and he arranged everything.  Now if you'll excuse me, I need to go get ready."

            "Of course." Hank bowed and moved out of her way.

            She stopped a moment and kissed him on the cheek, lingering long enough to say, "I'll save a dance for you when I get home tonight."

            Rory…Auroara the Whirlwind left the balcony, striding inside leaving a bemused Hank McCoy in her wake.