Sympathy and Tenderness
"I'm not a bad man, am I Dorothy?" Kelly groaned.
"Of course not Edward," She told him, placing an ice pack on his head.
"I try to help people," Kelly continued. "I love small animals and children. Well at least I used to love children before I came here. I'm not a monster. I pay my taxes. Help out with charities. I'm not a murderer or sadist or even a puppy kicker so why does all the bad things happen to me? Why? Why? Why?"
"It's just one of those things Edward," Dorothy rubbed his back.
"It's been one of those things ever since I got here!" Kelly groaned.
"Do you want me to kiss it and make it better?" Dorothy asked.
"Okay," Kelly said in a small voice. They kissed.
Guyrich walked in. "Kelly I'd like to…" He looked at the scene. "Never mind I'll come back later."
"It's all right, Henry," Kelly broke away quickly. "What can I do for you?"
"I was going to give you a proposal for free flu shots to all the students next month but I can see this can wait," Guyrich said.
"No, no, no, no!" Kelly said. "I'll look at them now! That will be all Dorothy!"
Dorothy started to leave. "Oh by the way sir," She said. "That Get Smart Episode will be on tonight at 8."
"Get Smart?" Guyrich asked. "But hasn't that show been off for years?" He looked at Kelly.
"Uh…rerun?" Kelly gulped.
"Oh brother," Guyrich rolled his eyes.
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"We can't keep going on like this," Mr. Parker sighed.
"I know," Ms. Rafael told him. "Zartan already knows and the Baroness is getting suspicious. Told him I was sleeping with you to get information but I don't think he bought it."
"Falcon's getting suspicious too," He sighed. "We just can't do this anymore."
"Right. We have to break up," She said simply. "No more fooling around. Back to being enemies."
"Right," Mainframe nodded.
"Right after we do it for the last time in the storage basement," She led the way.
"Okay," He nodded as he followed her.
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"Kitty wait!" Lance came up to her.
"Why should I after what you did to Jean?" She whirled around and yelled at him. "So you know how embarrassing that was with all of them looking at her and then at me?"
"Listen I told you…" Lance pleaded. They didn't see Pietro behind them. He didn't look too happy.
"And of course everyone gives me the stupid lecture about you," She snapped. "Maybe they have a point!"
"Kitty I…" Lance began.
"Forget it Lance," Pietro growled. "She's not worth another beating!"
"What?" Kitty looked at him. "Lance what is he talking about?"
"Come on Lance why don't you show her?" Pietro sneered.
"Shut up," Lance snapped at Pietro.
"Show her Lance," Pietro snapped. "Show this spoiled brat what you have to go through because of her!" He whirled on Kitty. "You think you have it so bad because a few people say a few mean things to you about him. Let me tell you something, you pampered X-Geeks have it so soft! You have no idea what we go through!"
"Pietro just forget it! It's no big deal!" Lance snarled.
"Well then why don't you show her your back if it's not such a big deal?" Pietro snarled.
Lance froze in horror. He looked at Kitty then at Pietro. "Why don't you just shut up Pietro and mind your own business?" He hissed.
"I'm making this my business," Pietro snapped back. He grabbed Lance's arm and twisted it behind his back. "Come on Kitty, why don't you check out what Mystique did when she found out about you two?"
"Pietro get off of me!" Lance cried out in pain.
"In here!" Pietro snapped. He shoved Lance into an empty classroom. Kitty followed. "Lock the door behind you, Kitty."
"Cut it out!" Lance shouted.
"No," Pietro said coldly. "If this is what it takes to get you away from the Valley Girl reject then that's what it has to be. Now take off your shirt Lance."
"No," Lance said defiantly.
"Do it or I'll rip it to shreds," Pietro snarled. "And then the whole school will see. You know I can do it."
Lance glared at him. He looked at Kitty. "Look you're making too much of this. It's not that bad…"
"Do it!" Pietro ordered. "Show her!"
Kitty couldn't move as she watched Lance remove his vest. Ashamed he took off his shirt and revealed his back. He winced as he heard her gasp at the sight of his bruises and cuts. It hurt him more than Mystique's whipping. "Look, it looks worse than it actually is," Lance started to say, his voice trembling.
"Oh so when you're whipped like an animal it's supposed to look better?" Pietro snarled. He glared at Kitty. "You X-Geeks are nothing but trouble. It's bad enough we lose people to you but the people we have keep getting punished for your actions! If you care for him the way you say you do you'll leave him alone!" Pietro stormed out.
Lance looked at her. The look on her face shook him to his core. "DON'T LOOK AT ME LIKE THAT!" He shouted, hastily shoving his shirt back on. He turned away from her and sat in a chair, putting his head in his hands. "Please just don't look at me."
Hesitantly Kitty walked over to him. "Lance you have to get away from her!" Kitty pleaded.
"I can't," Lance said softly. "I'm sorry…"
"I'm the one that's sorry," Kitty said softly. Gently she took him in her arms. "Maybe we should give each other some space…"
"No!" Lance's voice choked back a sob. "Please don't! That's just what they want us to do. Please Kitty don't leave me. I'd go crazy if you did. I can handle getting knocked around. I'm used to it. Just don't abandon me. Please."
"Okay," She said softly, stroking his hair. "I won't. I promise."
"Could you do one more thing please?" Lance asked. "Don't tell anyone about this. Especially Summers. I don't want him of all people to know. It's humiliating enough that you know."
"But…" Kitty protested.
"Please!" Lance choked.
"Okay Lance, I won't tell," She held him close to her. "I promise. But please promise me if things get really bad…"
"They're already really bad," Lance told her. "Don't worry. It won't get any worse."
He had no idea how wrong he was.
