Disclaimer: X-Men Evolution belongs to Marvel and Kids WB. I don't own any of the songs in here, either.
Rating: R
Summary: What if Lance and Kitty lived in a world where mutants don't exist? What would become of their relationship? (Evolution 'verse, AU)
Author's Note: Geez, that's an awful summary. The story's not as bad as that, I swear. Well, at least I don't think it is. I could be wrong. But then again, I'm never wrong. Except for that time I thought I made a mistake… Oh well, read my fic anyway. Also, seeing as this is an AU fic, there are discrepancies between it and the television show. Don't complain to me about them. I know, but I chose to make it this way for a reason.
Feedback and Archiving: Please. Send all feedback and archiving request to addie_logan@yahoo.com or sign on AIM or AOL and IM ChereRogueMarie.
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Love so Fragile
By: Addie Logan
Is love so fragile and the
heart so hollow
Shatter with words impossible to follow
You're saying I'm fragile I try not to be
I search only for something I can't see
I have my own life
And I am stronger than you know
But I carry this feeling
When you walked into my house
That you won't be walking out the door
Lovers forever—face to face
My city or mountain
Stay with me stay
I need you to love me
I need you today
Give to me your leather
Take from me my lace
You in the moonlight
With your sleepy eyes
Could you ever love a man like me
And you were right
When I walked into your house
I knew I'd never want to leave
Sometimes I'm a strong man
Sometimes cold and scared
And sometimes I cry
But that time I saw you
I knew with you to light my nights
Somehow I'd get by…
*** *** ***
Her
daddy says, "he ain't worth a lick
When it came to brains, he got the short end of the stick"
But Katie's young and man she just don't care
She'd follow Tommy anywhere
She's in love with the boy
She's in love with the boy
She's in love with the boy
And even if they have to run away
She's gonna marry that boy someday
Katherine Anna Pryde pulled into a parking space, then reached down to turn off the radio, silencing Trisha Yearwood. She turned off the engine, grabbed her book bag from the passenger's seat, and left the car, hitting the power lock button on her way out. She glanced at her reflection in the driver's side window and grinned. Maybe it was all in her mind, but she did think she looked older—as if all the aging that takes place between sixteen and seventeen had happened over night.
"Kitty!" she heard someone screech. She turned around to see her friends Rachel, Leah, and Miriam. "Kitty!" Rachel called again, running up to her with the other two in tow. "Where did you get this car?"
Kitty beamed. "My parents. They surprised me with it this morning. Sweet Sixteen present."
Rachel hugged her. "Mazeltov!"
Leah and Miriam stood behind Kitty. "It really is a nice car," Leah said.
"Yeah," Miriam added. "You're so lucky!"
"I know," Kitty said. "I about died when I woke up this morning and my parents showed it to me!"
The ten-minute warning bell rang inside the building, alerting the students that it was time to go to class. "Come on before we're late," Rachel said. "We can all gush over Kitty's new car some more later."
Rachel led the three other girls towards the school, with Kitty, Leah, and Miriam still talking about the car and Kitty's Sweet Sixteen party that was scheduled for that weekend. Kitty wasn't paying enough attention to where she was going, and suddenly, she smacked against something hard.
She looked up and immediately froze. She was staring into the face of who she thought had to be the most gorgeous man she'd even seen. Tall and muscular, with soft brown hair falling in front of deep brown eyes. Kitty thought he was incredibly too handsome for high school.
There was something else about him too, something Kitty couldn't quite hold on long enough to identify. She felt a sudden yearning, as if she was supposed to know him, supposed to have something with him.
It wasn't love at first sight.
It was the promise of love.
Lance Alvers almost yelled at the girl when she slammed into him. Almost. He looked down into big, blue eyes and the anger dissipated, being replaced by a knot in his stomach. They were the most amazing eyes he'd ever seen.
"Hello, like, watch where you're going! And don't you even have enough manners to say you're sorry?"
Lance and Kitty were both pulled back into reality by the sound of Rachel's voice. "Sorry," Lance muttered, suddenly forgetting that it was Kitty who had ran into him, and not the other way around. Kitty gave him a small smile, and Lance walked off.
"He is such a total loser," Rachel said before Lance was even out of earshot. "God, Kitty, I'd like, have to wash that sweater as soon as I got home. Some of his filth might have rubbed off on it."
Kitty looked back at Lance, saw him glance away quickly, and knew he'd heard what Rachel had said.
She didn't respond to Rachel, didn't tell her to leave him alone.
Lance heard that, too.
*** *** ***
Lance Alvers knew he should go back to the school and actually show up to his class—his truancy record was already enough to surprise even the social worker assigned to his case—but he was less in the mood to sit in a classroom than he had been that morning.
He wondered why he'd bothered to notice just how pretty Kitty Pryde really was. It's not like he'd had to look at her that long to know. She was popular, made straight A's, and was the daughter of well-respected members of the community. Everyone knew who she was. Everyone loved her. She was the kind of girl who would never give him a second glance. Of course she was attractive.
Lance kicked the rock at his feet. Why had one small girl gotten him so worked up? He'd seen plenty of women technically more beautiful than her that he'd barely noticed. But once glance at Kitty and he couldn't get her out of his mind.
It had only been a moment. She'd bumped into him, her friend had chewed him out, and they'd gone their separate ways. End of story.
So why was he still thinking about her?
It was her eyes, Lance decided. A man could get lost in those eyes. And when he'd looked into them, he hadn't seen disgust.
But then again, she'd gone right along with what the other girl had said, as much as if she'd verbally echoed the sentiments.
And Lance knew the other girl. Everyone did. Rachel Tabor, captain of the Deerfield High cheerleading squad. The Queen of Popularity—and fellow cheerleader Kitty Pryde's best friend.
She was also the biggest bitch Deerfield, Illinois had ever seen. Lance didn't know much about Kitty, but if she associated with Rachel Tabor, then she couldn't be worth his time. She was most likely snobbish, and bratty—probably thought she was a some sort of princess.
Lance hid until he knew the traffic cop at the entrance to the school would be gone, then left the campus. He figured by the end of the day he would have completely forgotten about that morning and Kitty Pryde.
*** *** ***
"Hello, Katherine—are you like, in there?"
Kitty looked up suddenly. "Huh? Oh, sorry, Rach—did you say something?"
"Yeah. I called your name like, five times. What is up with you today?"
Kitty took a sip of her drink. "Sorry. I've been thinking a lot, that's all."
"Well, come back into reality, girl. It's your birthday. You need to be cutting loose, not drifting off in the clouds. What have you been thinking about anyway?"
"Just random things," Kitty lied, not wanting to tell Rachel that she kept thinking about Lance Alvers. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't seem to get him out of her mind. There was something about him…
"You think too much, Pryde," Rachel said.
"And you think way too little." Kitty's eyes widened at her own thought. She forced the words from coming out of her mouth, taking a bite of her salad instead.
"So what's the game plan for tonight?" Rachel asked. "Are me, Leah, and Miriam still spending the night?"
Kitty nodded. "Yep."
"Trés cool," Rachel said. "And your party Friday night is going to be the greatest. Especially since I helped plan it."
Kitty smiled a little. "Thanks for all your help with that, Rachel."
Rachel waved her hand dismissively. "It was nothing. You're clueless when it comes to organizing social events, and I'm, like perfect at it!"
"I'm not clueless at it."
"Oh, you know what I mean, Kit," Rachel said in her usual loud and boisterous way. "You're too sensitive sometimes."
"Sorry."
Rachel looked down at her watch. "Hey, it's almost time for lunch to be over. Walk with me to my locker. I need to get a book out for my next class."
Kitty didn't even bother pointing out she wasn't quite through eating. It would be pointless with Rachel. She always got what she wanted. No one ever argued with her.
Kitty picked up her tray and followed Rachel.
*** *** ***
"And where have you been, young man?"
Lance groaned. She hadn't even let him get through the door. "School."
"Don't you fucking lie to me, you little piece of shit," the woman growled. "The school called. They said you were absent again."
All Lance could think was how grateful he was to be in such a loving foster home. "Yeah, well, maybe I didn't feel like going."
"And maybe I don't feel like keeping you around here anymore. Maybe I feel like sending you back to the state home."
"Why the hell should I care? I'll be eighteen in a couple of months, and then I'll be outta here."
"And you're already well on your way to becoming the bum you're sure to be. Just like the parents that got rid of you in the first place."
Lance's jaw tightened at that. "You know, you could make this a lot easier on both of us and just let me leave now."
His foster mother thought about it for a moment. "Pack a bag and get out. And don't expect me to help you out when you fall face first into the gutter."
Lance stormed into the room he'd been sharing with three other boys. In his six years of foster care, he'd learned that there were good foster homes, and bad foster homes.
This one was one of the worst.
The woman was the bad part. She was tolerable, as long as her husband was home. He was the one who wanted to take the kids in. He'd been a foster child himself—wanted to do something to help out others like him. His wife, on the other hand, hated kids and made that perfectly clear when he was at work.
He wasn't sure what she'd tell her husband when she got home and Lance wasn't there, but he didn't really care. It was her problem.
Lance didn't care if he didn't have a place to go. All he knew was he was finally going to be free.
He threw his few belongings into a brown duffle bag and walked out, not bothering to as much as glance back.
*** *** ***
Lance figured he didn't really need to be at school anymore. After all, he was sleeping on some guy's couch now, not living at the mercy of the foster-mother from hell. But when he woke up early enough to get to his first class on time he figured, why not? It wasn't like he had anything better to do.
He had himself pretty well convinced that it had nothing to do with wanting to see Kitty again.
He wouldn't even let himself think that was the reason he was standing behind her, watching her get her things out of her locker. After a moment he walked over to her, almost as if his feet were moving without his brain telling them where to go. When he got to her, he didn't even know what to say.
Kitty looked up at him, her expression showing her slight confusion. "Um, hi."
"Hi," Lance said back. "Hey, sorry again about bumping into you like that yesterday," he added quickly, desperately searching for something else to say so maybe he wouldn't look as idiotic as he felt.
"It's all right," Kitty replied. "And it was probably me who wasn't paying attention anyway. I get sort of, um, lost in the clouds sometimes."
There was silence for a moment. "So, did you have to wash your sweater?" Lance asked.
Kitty's wince made Lance regret the words as soon as they were out of his mouth. "I'm sorry about what Rachel said," Kitty told him. "She can be...like that sometimes."
"Do you agree with her?"
"How could I? I don't even know you."
"I'm not the sort of guy girls like you ever want to know, Kitty."
Kitty looked up, catching and holding his gaze. "Maybe I'm not the kind of girl you think I am, Lance."
Lance couldn't break away from that ocean-blue gaze. Her eyes were so warm, so unlike what he was used to. Something passed between them in that moment, and Lance physically ached. He felt as if he was missing something, as if he should know her—that there should be something between them.
"What kind of girl are you then?"
"Why don't you find out?" she asked, practically purring.
Lance looked at her in surprise, and Kitty had to admit that she was pretty surprised herself that those words had actually come out of her mouth. What was it about this guy that had such an effect on her?
"I'd like to," Lance said, moving closer. He wasn't sure what game Kitty was trying to play, but he figured she'd bolt as soon as he upped the ante a little.
She didn't. Instead, she reached into her backpack and pulled out a small, hot pink flyer. "I'm having a party Friday night. I want you to come."
Lance stared at the piece of paper in his hands. Every member of the popular crowd had an invitation, and those on the outskirts had been vying for them like wild dogs over a bone. Any party Rachel Tabor threw was sure to be the biggest teen social even around. It was also the last place a guy like Lance wanted to show his face.
But Kitty would be there. She'd asked him to go...
He folded the invitation and slipped it into his pocket. "I'll try to make it," he said.
Kitty gave him her most charming smile. "Great." She started to walk off, but threw one last glance over her shoulder. "See ya around, Lance."
"Yeah, see ya around."
*** *** ***
"Just go, dude. They'll be chicks there. Maybe you'll get laid."
Lance stared blankly as his friend, marveling at the guy's stupidity. If he didn't have such a comfortable couch... "I don't think I should, Jeff," Lance said. "Kitty's not my type. She's a cheerleader for crying out loud!"
"Dude, that's good! Cheerleaders are flexible!"
"Jeff, you have issues. Besides, I don't really like her. To tell you the truth, I don't think I'm even going to bother with school anymore. Probably would be the best way for me to keep out of another foster home anyway. It wouldn't be too hard for social services to find me there, after all."
"Lance, dude, they're not going to look for you. You'll be eighteen soon. They have better stuff to do than hunt you down—again. If you want this Kitty chick, then dammit, get her. She sounds like she'd be a good screw."
"I'm not looking for a screw."
Jeff looked at Lance as if he'd grown another head. "Dude, you feelin' okay?"
Lance wondered if it were possible for any human being to use the word "dude" more often than Jeff did. "I'm fine, really. But Kitty...she's a nice girl."
"Sometimes the nice girls are just playin' nice. She could be a bad girl underneath, dude."
"Somehow, I don't think she is." Lance sighed. "Honestly, I don't even want her to be. Her smile, he eyes, they're so...warm. I don't want her to be like all the other girls I know."
"I'm not gettin' ya, dude."
"I don't want Kitty to be one of them—one of the girls who like me."
"Dude, why?"
"Because, dude, she deserves better than me!"
"Can I level with ya, dude?"
Lance sighed, running his fingers through his hair. "Sure, Jeff."
"It's obvious you're hot for this girl. If you don't want to bang her, fine, don't. To each his own, I guess. But, dude, go to the party. At least give it a chance. Maybe she isn't like those girls, but she'll like you anyway, and she can like, be your girlfriend or something."
"No," Lance said, shaking his head. "It wouldn't happen, and I'm not going to waste my time going to that damn party."
*** *** ***
Lance went to the party. It was loud, teeny-bopped music blaring, way too much pink in the room.
"Oh. My. God. Like, what is he doing here?"
Lance cringed at the sound of Rachel's voice. He knew he shouldn't have come. He started to bolt when he heard Kitty speak up.
"I invited him."
"You what?!"
"I invited him," Kitty said, a little more forcefully.
"Why?" Rachel asked. "I mean, like, what were you thinking? Lance Alvers is so..."
Kitty cut her off. "It's my birthday party, Rachel." She walked past her dumbfounded friend and over to Lance. "Hi," she said with a smile. "Wanna dance?"
"Um, I don't dance to N*Sync," Lance said.
Kitty didn't let that stop her. "Well, this song's almost over. We'll dance to whatever's next." That song ended, a new song came on, and Kitty's eyes sparkled. "It's a slow one! You have to dance with me now. It's my birthday party—it would be rude if you didn't!"
Lance was going to tell Kitty that he couldn't because, well, he didn't dance to Britney Spears either, but by that time she had him on the dance floor with her arms resting loosely around his neck. He couldn't pull himself away. Instead, he put his arms around her waist and pulled her closer. Maybe the music wasn't so bad...
Dear Diary--
Today I saw a boy
And I wondered
If he noticed me.
He took my breath away.
Dear Diary--
I can't get him off my mind
And if scares me
'Cause I've never felt this way
No one in the world knows me better than you do
So Diary, I'll confide in you...
Lance took that back. The music wasn't just bad—it was terrible. But feeling Kitty in his arms... She'd relaxed against him and nestled her head on his shoulder. He pulled her a little closer. Lance had never felt more content in his life. Holding her just felt so right. It was worth sacrificing his ears to the dying cat in a hailstorm dubbed Britney Spears.
Dear Diary--
Today I saw that boy.
As he walked by I thought
He smiled at me
And I wondered
Does he know what's in my heart?
I tried to smile,
But I could hardly breath.
Should I tell him how I feel
Or would that scare him away?
Diary, tell me what to do,
Please tell me what to say.
Listening to the words, Lance began to wonder if that was the way Kitty felt about him. Did she have a teenage crush on him that would lead to her pining away in diary entries? Lance hoped not. She was so sweet, so innocent. She didn't need to be mixed up with a guy like him.
Dear Diary—
One touch of his hand
Now I can't wait to see that boy again
He smiled and I thought
My heart could fly
Diary, do you think that we'll be
More than friends?
I've got a feeling we'll be
So much more than friends.
Lance knew he couldn't even be as much as friends with Kitty. He barely knew her, and he already liked her too much. He reluctantly pulled himself out of her arms. "I have to go. I shouldn't be here."
"Why?" Kitty asked. "Is it because of what Rachel said, because..."
"No," Lance said. "I just don't belong here." He looked at her full, pouting lips and wanted nothing more than to kiss her. Instead, he walked away without looking back.
Kitty forced herself not to cry.
*** *** ***
"What were you thinking inviting that to a party I worked so hard to plan?"
Normally, Kitty would've just apologized. Rachel was the kind of person who tended to make you want to go along with whatever she was saying, no matter what it was.
That time, however, was a different story.
"I guess I thought it was my party, seeing as it's for my birthday and all, but I guess I was wrong. So why don't you just stay here and run what has apparently become yet another party to honor the great Rachel Tabor, and I'll go someplace where I can actually have a good time." Kitty turned on her heel and started to walk away.
"Where are you going?" Rachel called after her. "You can't walk out of your own party!"
Kitty just kept going.
*** *** ***
Lance had gotten as far as his car before he stopped. He'd been sitting in the parking lot for close to fifteen minutes, staring out the window, taking inventory of the cars around him.
They were all nice, new or at least made within the past five years. Probably gifts from their parents. Lance had an old clunker that he'd bought with the money he'd managed to save from an array of part-time jobs. He told himself he should be proud that he worked for it—earned it.
Instead he was ashamed. He'd never fit into the world Kitty lived in.
He about jumped out of his skin when he heard someone knock on the passenger's side door.
It was Kitty. He leaned over and pulled up the lock, letting her in. She got in the car, shutting the door behind her. "Why are you just sitting in the parking lot?" Kitty asked.
Lance laughed a little. "Honestly, I don't know."
"I would try to convince you to come back to the party, but I'm not planning on going back in there myself."
Lance knew he had something to do with her leaving—at least indirectly—and felt guilty for coming. "Why?" he asked.
"Rachel's being a bitch." Kitty said with a sigh. "This is supposed to be my birthday party, and I didn't have a say in anything—apparently not even the guest list. I don't even like half these people." She looked down. "To be honest, you were the only person I really wanted here tonight."
Lance wasn't sure how to respond to that. He said, "You don't even know me."
"I know," Kitty said. "But I...I like you. I'm not sure what it is about you, but I can't stop thinking about you. Ever since my birthday, when we ran into each other in front of the school."
Lance forced himself not to tell her it had been the same for him. He was not good enough for her, and he knew it. She deserved so much better. "It can't be like that for us," he told her.
"I want to get to know you better, Lance. Please, at least can't we be friends?"
"I don't have friends, Kitty."
"You can't always be alone like this."
"Yes, I can." Lance didn't add what he was thinking. That he had to live that way. Staying alone was the only he could keep himself safe.
"Lance..."
"No, all right! I don't like you that way, Pryde."
His words would've stung if Kitty had believed them. She didn't. But she also didn't understand why he was lying to her. She tried to think of something to convince him otherwise.
When she couldn't come up with anything else, she kissed him. She'd kissed guys before, but nothing more than short, youthful kisses. With Lance, she threw her whole being into it, hoping her eagerness would make up for her relative inexperience.
For a moment, Lance was frozen in shock. But the shock was soon replaced by desire as he picked Kitty up off the seat and placed her in his lap, showing her with his example how kisses were supposed to be.
It was Kitty's turned to be surprised. Never in her young life had she felt such passion. Still, she'd never been one to give any less than she got. She tangled her slim fingers in Lance's hair, pulling him closer.
Lance held back a moan as Kitty unknowingly pressed herself against him. He wanted nothing more than to toss her into the backseat and make her scream his name. Instead, he broke the kiss. Despite what most people thought, he had more honor than that.
He moved her off his lap. "I think you need to go back to your party."
Kitty forced back the tears that threatened to fall at Lance's apparent lack of emotion. "But...I...didn't you like kissing me, Lance?"
"It didn't feel right," he said. After all, it was partly the truth.
Whereas before Kitty had been sure Lance liked her, now she was just confused. However, she was definitely feeling the pain of rejection. She got out of the car as quickly as she could and walked off, not wanting Lance to see her cry.
Lance drove off, telling himself he was doing the right thing.
*** *** ***
When Rachel found Kitty, she was sitting outside on the curb, crying. "Kitty!" she shouted. "Are you okay?"
"Go away, Rachel," Kitty said with a sniffle. "I just want to be alone."
Rachel sat down beside Kitty. "There is no way I'm going to let my best friend sit alone outside her birthday party, sobbing."
"I'd rather be out here than in there."
"Kitty, I'm really sorry that you feel like I took over your party," Rachel said. "I didn't mean to be like that. I just wanted to help, and, well, I guess I can be a little pushy sometimes."
Kitty had to stifle a laugh at Rachel describing herself as merely "pushy," but she really didn't feel like continuing their fight. "It's all right. I'm sorry I lost my temper in there. I guess I'm just stressed out."
"It's all right," Rachel said, giving Kitty a hug. Kitty hugged her back, although as more of a perfunctory gesture than anything else. "Come back to the party, okay? Everyone misses you."
Somehow Kitty doubted they'd even noticed she wasn't there. "I'll be in in a minute. I just need a little time to regain my composure."
"Okay," Rachel said, standing up. "But don't take too long."
"I won't."
Rachel walked off, leaving Kitty by herself.
*** *** ***
Lance flopped down on the couch. Jeff took one look at him and said, "That bad, huh, dude?"
"I don't want to talk about it."
"Too bad. We're friends, right, dude?"
"Yeah," Lance decided that after Jeff had let him come and stay in his apartment, it would be a little rude to tell the guy he found him unbearably irritating.
"The you gotta open up to me! C'mon, dude, tell me what happened at that chick's party!"
Lance sighed, figuring out that Jeff wasn't going to leave him alone until he told him something. "She kissed me."
Jeff got a dumb look on his face. "Duuude."
"It wasn't like that," Lance said. "It shouldn't have happened."
Jeff frowned. "She didn't bite your lip did she? Chicks are always doing that, and I hate it."
If Lance had been so depressed he would've laughed at the utterly serious expression Jeff had on his face when he said that. "No, she didn't bite," he said with a smirk. He sat up. "Actually, just the opposite. It was the most amazing kiss I've ever had."
"Lance, dude, if it was that great, why are you here? Go bag her!"
Lance thought he could probably die a happy man if he never heard the word "dude" again. "Kitty's not someone you can just have a quick fling with," he said, "but at the same time, she won't want me for long. She might think she likes me now, but sooner or later she's going to realize what a fuck up I am. I could never really have her, and I think with Kitty, it's going to have to be all or nothing."
Jeff stared at him blankly for a moment then said, "So when you were kissing her, did you get a boner?"
Lance fell back on the couch with a groan. "That isn't even important!"
"So you did!" Jeff said with his trademark dumb grin.
"No!"
"You're lyin' to me, dude."
"Why do you even care?"
"Because if you did, you should go back and try to get in her pants."
Lance just stared at Jeff for a moment, wondering if it was capable for anyone to be truly that stupid. Did the guy not listen to a word Lance said? "I don't want to."
"I thought you said she's hot."
"She is."
"Then what's the problem, dude?"
Lance didn't want to attempt explaining his feelings to Jeff yet again. He closed his eyes. "I want to get some sleep. I'm tired."
"Okay, but you really need to talk to this chick, dude."
Lance didn't say anything.
*** *** ***
That weekend, Rachel went over at Kitty's house after temple, and it didn't take Rachel long to pick up on the fact that Kitty was not her usual bubbly self.
"What's wrong with you?" Rachel asked.
"Nothing," Kitty replied.
"You're acting weird, Kit," Rachel.
"I'm just tired."
"This doesn't have anything to do with Lance Alvers, does it?" Rachel asked.
Kitty hated the fact that Rachel was only perceptive when Kitty didn't want her to be. "I don't want to talk about him."
"Kitty, he is sooo beneath you. I mean, he probably like, lives in a dumpster somewhere."
"Lance does not live in a dumpster. God, you are such a snob about him!"
"What, not having fantasies about slumming it with some gutter boy makes me a snob? Fine, Katherine. I'd rather be a snob than a slut."
Kitty gaped for a moment, then closed her mouth, her lips forming a tight line. "I think you better leave."
Rachel had never seen Kitty look quite that angry before. "Kitty, wait, I didn't mean..."
"Just get out."
"Fine!" Rachel grabbed her things and stormed out of the house.
Kitty didn't try to stop her from leaving.
*** *** ***
That was only chapter one, so there is more to come. Let me know what you thought of this part while I work on the next, okay?