DISCLAIMER: [1] I do not own the X-men or anything of the sort. [2] I have no money. I do have : a headache. Weigh your options very carefully.
AUTHOR'S NOTE: These events happen after some of the episodes. Not sure which ones. I plan on finding out eventually. If you'd be so inclined, please review, because reviewers are just angels without wings. I wanna know what you as the readers want to see develop. I have clear idea of what events are going to occur, but what do you all think about what should happen between Kitty and Pietro. AS ALWAYS: SUGGESTIONS WELCOME.
SPECIAL THANKS:
me: I know . . . it makes you feel kind of bad for the poor guy. Ah well, maybe he'll learn to be nicer to Kitty, doubt though. He's got a thick noggin.
evolutionary spider: well . . . I can't say, much right now about that. The specifics of the new mission is still up in the air for another chapter, so let's hear any suggestions that anyone has. But I have a some good ideas about what's going to happen during it. More chapters arrive!
todd fan: I'm sold! More Wanda! [chants maniacally]
Trunks-Girl: All will be revealed! Next chapter . . . not this one [muhahaha!]
[pokes everyone's eyes out] YES! Lime lip gloss. Shush, it will be further explained. Patience is a virtue. Add that to the fact that I like to drag things out across the expanse of many chapters until it doesn't enlighten me any more. So hold on tight, and I'll try to weave you through the twisted journey that is my imagination.
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"You're late half-pint."
Her head hung low, her eyes, glassy from the unshed tears, were hidden behind the chestnut strands of hair. Angrily, her thoughts rolled over one another, and her emotions brimmed. Yet another thing gone wrong today, another thing turned sour. She bit her lip, unable to find anything to say to the impatient man in front of her.
Logan sniffed the air, picking up something unsettling. In the back of his mind his senses signaled alarm at some unperceived threat. His mind raced, something wasn't right. He shifted, looking down the darkened hall for something or someone out of place. Nothing. This unsettled him even more.
Reaching out an arm to rest a hand on her shoulder, he hoped to maneuver the young girl into moving out of the hall, somewhere safer. He growled. "Ya didn't skip your session to meet up with that Alvers boy, did ya?" She lifted her chin, red-rimmed eyes unable to hold back the tears anymore. Then it happened.
Her lip quivered.
Too late Logan's instincts flared as he became conscious of what was happening. Although by the time that the realization struck him, he never had a chance to react, and she burst out sobbing. He tried to pull his arm back, but not even that could stem the overwhelming despair that his gruff inquiry had unleashed. He stood there as panic tainted his options, and his mind went reeling.
If this were a fight with Sabertooth, he would have been better prepared. Just punch the man until he couldn't fight any more. This, this 'situation', required skill, and tact, and a lot of feely stuff that he just wasn't good with. He grappled with the idea of calling Xavier psychically for assistance, but with the chance of the thought of him unable to diffuse this situation echoing through Jean's mind, or even getting around to the other teachers, was too much of a risk. No, as the most deadly mutant on the planet, he would find a way to handle an emotional teenage girl.
He extended his arm around her shoulder, patting her softly on the back. She sagged into him, sniffling into his shirt. He restrained from barking at her about that, and cleared his throat. She continued to sob, albeit more quietly, and Logan's waited nearly as patiently as one could expect when being clung to in a deathgrip by some teenager. With an emphatic roll of his eyes, he gave in, and stroked her hair while muttering small doles of soothing placations.
"I wasn't that mad."
"Mm hmm."
"Ya didn't need to start crying on me."
"I'm sorry Mr. Logan."
"It's alright kid."
She rubbed the tears from her face with the back of her hand. She took a step back and stared shamefully at the floor. He sighed and dropped a hand on her shoulder, turning her as he walked down the hall. She followed dociley, small sniffles punctuating the silence. He steered her towards the kitchen.
"Sit." He offered gruffly. She flinched, and he sighed, watching as she slowly obeyed his command. He swiveled a chair around on it's back legs, dropping onto to it as he leaned forward, his chest resting on the chair back.
"So what happened?"
"What do you mean?" Kitty asked ambiguously. She was still upset, but mostly embarrassed at her outburst in the hall.
"You can't lie to an old dog like me, Kitty. I've seen my fair share of 'em, and you're too green to make them believable. Something's wrong. Something must've happened at school. If you tell me here, you'll be better off. Otherwise, I'll have no choice but report it to the Professor and let him handle it."
Kitty was silent as she contemplated his offer. I mean, it's not like he was grilling her, like she had expected. And the likelihood that the professor would send Jean to watch after her to make sure that she was alright was a definite downside. She opened her mouth to speak, and after a hesitant pause, she agreed.
"Alright."
She pulled out the crumpled wad of paper from her pocket, setting it down in front of him. He raised a skeptical brow. She pointed to the paper.
"There. There's your problem."
He gave her a lowering glance, but she just crossed her arms over her chest, her still pink eyes staring straight at the menacing little ball of paper.
He began to uncurl the edges.
He saw her name typed across the top of the paper, and a wave of realization had struck him as he continued to unfold it. She had been up half the night working on her paper in the kitchen. She had came downstairs shortly after Rogue had fallen asleep in their shared room. Kitty strove not disturb her friend, wanting her to get the rest that she desperately needed.
Rogue had been slowly working to gain back the strength she had lost in her most recent ordeal involving her powers. She spent much of the day meditating with Logan while the other's were at school. Along with continued psychic monitoring by Xavier, Rogue was making excellent progress. However, the considerations of the other students seemed to be having the most impact. Kurt seemed fond of lavishing his 'sister' in good natured spoiling. He cooked most of her meals, enjoying the conversations she'd initiate about her fondness of southern food and his of german meals from home. Kitty had undertaken the task to keep Rogue's schoolwork and daily life from falling apart, plying eagerness to the task of organizing the goth girl's loose ends. Along with constant encouragement from the new mutants, and Jean and Scott's leadership, Rogue's recovery was as smooth a transition as one could hope for.
Kitty, however, had grown increasingly worried. Doubts had crossed her mind about the chance of her powers mutating again, such as had Jean's and Rogue's. She didn't voice this to the others, but it made her work twice as hard to make sure that she kept everything under control. That meant working twice as hard to make sure her grades were up to par.
She had set up her lap top at the kitchen table and been working for a steady hour and a half before Logan had came in for a snack. She had barely looked up from her book to acknowledge that he had entered. He knew that this paper had been important for her grade, and as he straightened out the paper, his brow creased in speculation.
Scribbled across the paper was a red marker stick figure. Adorned with two horns, that neatly mocked his hairstyle, this figure was being subjected to the most vile threats that Kitty's angered mind could formulate. Logan frowned.
"Something happened at school?"
Kitty averted her gaze, and nodded. "Yeah, Pietro was hassling me at my locker. I was late to class and I didn't get a chance to turn in my assignment." Her voice was low, but it couldn't hide the malice in her tone. "Even if I ace the rest of the class," she snorted expressing her thoughts at the possibility, "that still drops my grade down to a low, B-grade. The Brotherhood always has to go and ruin everything."
Logan nodded, hearing the frustration in the young girl's voice. "Well, Kitty, it's the harsh truth." He admitted gruffly. "There will always be the Brotherhood. And if not them, somebody else who gets the idea stuck in their head that we should all do what they say and behave how they want. And it's going to happen twice as much, because we're mutants, and nobody believes that we have rights. But you need to remember that they're all bullies. And you can't let them control you, or decide for you how your going to live. You have to learn how to handle them. You can't let them push you around. That's what we're teaching you here. How to stand up for yourself. Well, that and how to control your powers. But what you need to remember is that you have control over how people like that affect you." He looked earnestly at the young girl, hoping some of what he was saying was sinking in.
"I think I understand. You're trying to say that I have control over how I react. And if I let them walk all over me, then it's my fault for not standing up for myself."
He nodded in agreement. "It's a tough lesson kid, but it makes you stronger." He smiled at her and reached out to muss up her bobbing pony-tail. "And since you missed your session with me today, I suppose I should think of a suitable punishiment. . . hmm. . ." Kitty squirmed under his glare, opening her mouth to protest. He raised a hand to cut off any objections. "You have to spend your Saturday at the library checking out some research books with Stripes. She's got an English report due, and the Prof and I don't think that she's in any condition to go out alone, and she's sick of us hounding her. You'll help her, and carry her books, keep an eye on her," he growled.
Kitty nodded solemnly. It's the least she could do, and it'd be better than a one-on-one training session with either Logan or the Professor. She might even be able to get a little more ahead in her own studies.
"Agreed."
"Good, now that that's settled, get your jacket and print out a clean copy of your paper," he said, rising from his chair.
She looked up at him in confusion.
"Hunh?"
"I'm sure I can shed some light on the situation to Principal Kelly and that teacher of yours."
"Oh man, Mr. Logan you're the best." She leapt out her chair and hugged him. Logan smiled to himself, smugly satisfied at the way he handled the situation. He'd solved her problem, freed himself of chores for the weekend by having Kitty assist Rogue, and earned himself some praise for his efforts. Moreover, it wasn't a complete bust, he'd still get a chance to work out some frustration on Principal Kelly. All and all, he had to admit he was pretty damn proud.