Disclaimer: My sympathies to Ms Spears. It's not my fault she has no
musical aptitude.
Notes: Enjoy a laugh at my expense as I go embarrassing myself again by attempting to type German. I can speak it better than I can type it, honest.
Chapter 8: Sprechen Sie Amerikanish?
Kurt dreamed the blissful dreams of a man at peace. He had no idea what God had in store for Siobhan and himself, but he knew now he had to help her overcome whatever wrongs had happened to her in the past. Her mother was the key. Yet he could not overburden her with questions, not when she was feeling so vulnerable.
In his dream, he could hear Siobhan singing. In reality, Siobhan was awake and was indeed singing, but singing a Britney Spears song off key - even if anyone can sing better than that celebrity - isn't very pleasant to listen to. By contrast, a still sleeping Kurt thought Siobhan's voice was angelic.
When Siobhan's high pitched wail screeched "Hit me baby one more time!" Dream and reality clashed.
"Was?" Who is hitting you?" Kurt's groggily voice indicated he still wasn't fully awake.
"It's the words to the song, silly!"
"Song? But you were screaming, I thought you were in pain!"
Siobhan blushed with embarrassment, and then with her arms folded across her chest, striking an indignant pose, she pouted. "For that wisecrack, you can get your own lunch." She said in mock spite.
"Lunch?" Kurt looked at the clock. "Oh lieb! Es ist zwei Uhr?"
Siobhan figured it out. "Yep! Afternoon already, so rise and shine, blue boy! Hey, if you're gonna speak foreign, could you at least teach me too?"
"Only if you fix me lunch."
"Deal."
--
"Now without opening the phrasebook, what do you say when I ask Sprechen Sie Deutsch?
"Er... Um... ich versteche nicht?"
"Siobhan, that has been your response for every sentence so far! A simple nein could have done."
Kurt had been unsuccessfully trying to teach Siobhan some basic German for over three hours. He was close to giving up.
"Verzeihung, ok? Hey, I remembered that word!"
Well maybe not that close, besides, it was only her first lesson.
"Mr Wagner, have I been saying your name wrong? Cos you get your v's and w's mixed up."
"I do not! You do!" Kurt had felt like cringing earlier when Siobhan had insisted upon speaking every word as it was spelt. He felt uncomfortable with his name being mispronounced too. "Call me Kurt instead, please."
"Ok... Kurt. Whats the point of German anyway? No other country in the world speaks it, or even wants to!"
Now that was a good comeback. Kurt had to think a moment for an answer. "Many other languages are based off the Germanic language. Dutch, Danish and so on. Without Germany, even English would be spoken differently!"
"Ok, ok, but why isn't there some universal lingo? Besides English? Something easy to learn, y'know?"
"I think that was tried once, but it was even less successful than the Euro."
"Cool." Siobhan said, but perhaps really wanted to insert an insulting comment. "I'm bored."
"Go listen to the radio."
"I did! While you were in sleepyland! The batteries ran out."
Kurt mumbled something ineligible.
"Hey, hey, I heard the news and guess what! I'm officially a missing person! They missed me at school. Carlotta didn't even say to the police I was gone, so they raided her apartment and she's been arrested for possessing drugs! Isn't that great?"
"Er, ja... That is great... But wait, you should be at school." Kurt grinned malevolently. "Instead it's up to me to teach you. Ja, you will be speaking German when I am through with you!"
"Today's Wednesday." Siobhan smirked back. "I get gym class on a Wednesday."
Kurt guessed what she was going to ask next and beat her to it. "You... You want me to teach you the acrobatics..."
"You betcha."
--
Siobhan wished she had persevered with the German lesson. Right now her legs felt like jelly, but at least she couldn't feel the pain from earlier when she had banged her knees while attempting a cartwheel. There was no help to be offered from Kurt, he was doubled over, laughing.
She was holding a metal bar. Attached tightly to that bar were two long lines of rope leading to one of the roof beams. The contraption would have made a great playground swing if the metal bar was a seat and she was closer to the ground. Instead, she was expected to step off the ledge while holding on to the bar. "You will catch me, right? Even if I fall?
"You are perfectly safe."
Siobhan looked down at the complete lack of a safety net and almost upchucked her lunch.
"This is scary, Kurt!
"Nonsense! I could do it when I was even younger than you."
"Yeah, but you have a tail! I learnt on the Discovery channel that monkeys have tails to help them balance. I don't!"
"Are you comparing me to a monkey?"
"If I fall, well YES!" The last word turned into a loud, long squeal as Siobhan finally plucked up the courage to try the makeshift trapeze. Kurt had expected her to give up. He was ready though. On the other side, he had his own set up and swung, catching her midway.
Siobhan continued screaming, partially out of fright, partially out of delight. Kurt had caught her with both hands, his tail wrapped round the bar. "The incredible Nightcrawler has never missed a catch." He murmured, as he let go of the bar and using the momentum of the swing, spun a full circle and landed perfectly on the other side Siobhan had started off from.
Siobhan felt giddy, but that didn't stop her from asking "Do it again!"
Kurt was more than happy to oblige and Siobhan's laughter echoed all over the once abandoned building, the events of last night felt more like a distant memory.
--
This unique lifestyle went on for several days and Kurt was as proud as Siobhan looked when she could finally do the splits and other feats. He never gave any indication to his amazement at her endurance, she had shown previously she didn't feel the effects of Kurt's teleporting, most people were usually nauseous; vertigo didn't appear to be a problem either, as she had complete trust in Kurt and his abilities if she was ever to fall. Kurt had forgotten all about Siobhan's mother and Siobhan couldn't care less about missing her favourite cartoons.
She was coping remarkably well without electricity; she was having just as much fun, perhaps even more than before, not glued to a television screen. Her lessons in German and gymnastics, aka, make fun of Kurt's accent and let him do all the work, were progressing. Those lessons were more interesting than anything she could have ever learnt at school.
Religious studies were a different matter, until she lost her locket. Despite spending most of a day searching for it, the necklace was nowhere to be found. Kurt even checked out the stores where they restocked on Siobhan's fizzy drinks and other items.
As Kurt was checking out the hardware store where he had taken several padlocks to secure their home against any more intruders a few days earlier, he finally found the Saint Christopher locket.
Unknown to him, Siobhan had finally resorted to praying for its return. She felt embarrassed, for in her mind giving into Kurt's religion was just uncool, so had waited till he was gone.
Kurt ported in, looked around for Siobhan and of course, couldn't find her, never imagining she could be at the altar. Yet there she was. He didn't approach, deciding this should be a private moment for the young girl and when she turned round and saw Kurt with locket dangling from his hand, her expression of pure joy was one to remember.
"My necklace, my necklace! Oh, wow, He sure answers prayers quick!"
Kurt didn't say a word; he didn't want to mention he had found it and had never seen a child so happy. She put the locket back round her neck and he did up the catch. Then she opened it.
"Mommy's photo is still there too."
Kurt knelt down beside her and she showed him the small picture inside the locket. An older, paler version of Siobhan with straighter hair looked out.
"She is pretty, just like you. Tell me about her." He asked gently.
Siobhan nodded in agreement. She was ready.
--
Plot thickens. Yay. This is my longest chapter so far too. Double yay!
Keep checking for Chapter Nine!
Notes: Enjoy a laugh at my expense as I go embarrassing myself again by attempting to type German. I can speak it better than I can type it, honest.
Chapter 8: Sprechen Sie Amerikanish?
Kurt dreamed the blissful dreams of a man at peace. He had no idea what God had in store for Siobhan and himself, but he knew now he had to help her overcome whatever wrongs had happened to her in the past. Her mother was the key. Yet he could not overburden her with questions, not when she was feeling so vulnerable.
In his dream, he could hear Siobhan singing. In reality, Siobhan was awake and was indeed singing, but singing a Britney Spears song off key - even if anyone can sing better than that celebrity - isn't very pleasant to listen to. By contrast, a still sleeping Kurt thought Siobhan's voice was angelic.
When Siobhan's high pitched wail screeched "Hit me baby one more time!" Dream and reality clashed.
"Was?" Who is hitting you?" Kurt's groggily voice indicated he still wasn't fully awake.
"It's the words to the song, silly!"
"Song? But you were screaming, I thought you were in pain!"
Siobhan blushed with embarrassment, and then with her arms folded across her chest, striking an indignant pose, she pouted. "For that wisecrack, you can get your own lunch." She said in mock spite.
"Lunch?" Kurt looked at the clock. "Oh lieb! Es ist zwei Uhr?"
Siobhan figured it out. "Yep! Afternoon already, so rise and shine, blue boy! Hey, if you're gonna speak foreign, could you at least teach me too?"
"Only if you fix me lunch."
"Deal."
--
"Now without opening the phrasebook, what do you say when I ask Sprechen Sie Deutsch?
"Er... Um... ich versteche nicht?"
"Siobhan, that has been your response for every sentence so far! A simple nein could have done."
Kurt had been unsuccessfully trying to teach Siobhan some basic German for over three hours. He was close to giving up.
"Verzeihung, ok? Hey, I remembered that word!"
Well maybe not that close, besides, it was only her first lesson.
"Mr Wagner, have I been saying your name wrong? Cos you get your v's and w's mixed up."
"I do not! You do!" Kurt had felt like cringing earlier when Siobhan had insisted upon speaking every word as it was spelt. He felt uncomfortable with his name being mispronounced too. "Call me Kurt instead, please."
"Ok... Kurt. Whats the point of German anyway? No other country in the world speaks it, or even wants to!"
Now that was a good comeback. Kurt had to think a moment for an answer. "Many other languages are based off the Germanic language. Dutch, Danish and so on. Without Germany, even English would be spoken differently!"
"Ok, ok, but why isn't there some universal lingo? Besides English? Something easy to learn, y'know?"
"I think that was tried once, but it was even less successful than the Euro."
"Cool." Siobhan said, but perhaps really wanted to insert an insulting comment. "I'm bored."
"Go listen to the radio."
"I did! While you were in sleepyland! The batteries ran out."
Kurt mumbled something ineligible.
"Hey, hey, I heard the news and guess what! I'm officially a missing person! They missed me at school. Carlotta didn't even say to the police I was gone, so they raided her apartment and she's been arrested for possessing drugs! Isn't that great?"
"Er, ja... That is great... But wait, you should be at school." Kurt grinned malevolently. "Instead it's up to me to teach you. Ja, you will be speaking German when I am through with you!"
"Today's Wednesday." Siobhan smirked back. "I get gym class on a Wednesday."
Kurt guessed what she was going to ask next and beat her to it. "You... You want me to teach you the acrobatics..."
"You betcha."
--
Siobhan wished she had persevered with the German lesson. Right now her legs felt like jelly, but at least she couldn't feel the pain from earlier when she had banged her knees while attempting a cartwheel. There was no help to be offered from Kurt, he was doubled over, laughing.
She was holding a metal bar. Attached tightly to that bar were two long lines of rope leading to one of the roof beams. The contraption would have made a great playground swing if the metal bar was a seat and she was closer to the ground. Instead, she was expected to step off the ledge while holding on to the bar. "You will catch me, right? Even if I fall?
"You are perfectly safe."
Siobhan looked down at the complete lack of a safety net and almost upchucked her lunch.
"This is scary, Kurt!
"Nonsense! I could do it when I was even younger than you."
"Yeah, but you have a tail! I learnt on the Discovery channel that monkeys have tails to help them balance. I don't!"
"Are you comparing me to a monkey?"
"If I fall, well YES!" The last word turned into a loud, long squeal as Siobhan finally plucked up the courage to try the makeshift trapeze. Kurt had expected her to give up. He was ready though. On the other side, he had his own set up and swung, catching her midway.
Siobhan continued screaming, partially out of fright, partially out of delight. Kurt had caught her with both hands, his tail wrapped round the bar. "The incredible Nightcrawler has never missed a catch." He murmured, as he let go of the bar and using the momentum of the swing, spun a full circle and landed perfectly on the other side Siobhan had started off from.
Siobhan felt giddy, but that didn't stop her from asking "Do it again!"
Kurt was more than happy to oblige and Siobhan's laughter echoed all over the once abandoned building, the events of last night felt more like a distant memory.
--
This unique lifestyle went on for several days and Kurt was as proud as Siobhan looked when she could finally do the splits and other feats. He never gave any indication to his amazement at her endurance, she had shown previously she didn't feel the effects of Kurt's teleporting, most people were usually nauseous; vertigo didn't appear to be a problem either, as she had complete trust in Kurt and his abilities if she was ever to fall. Kurt had forgotten all about Siobhan's mother and Siobhan couldn't care less about missing her favourite cartoons.
She was coping remarkably well without electricity; she was having just as much fun, perhaps even more than before, not glued to a television screen. Her lessons in German and gymnastics, aka, make fun of Kurt's accent and let him do all the work, were progressing. Those lessons were more interesting than anything she could have ever learnt at school.
Religious studies were a different matter, until she lost her locket. Despite spending most of a day searching for it, the necklace was nowhere to be found. Kurt even checked out the stores where they restocked on Siobhan's fizzy drinks and other items.
As Kurt was checking out the hardware store where he had taken several padlocks to secure their home against any more intruders a few days earlier, he finally found the Saint Christopher locket.
Unknown to him, Siobhan had finally resorted to praying for its return. She felt embarrassed, for in her mind giving into Kurt's religion was just uncool, so had waited till he was gone.
Kurt ported in, looked around for Siobhan and of course, couldn't find her, never imagining she could be at the altar. Yet there she was. He didn't approach, deciding this should be a private moment for the young girl and when she turned round and saw Kurt with locket dangling from his hand, her expression of pure joy was one to remember.
"My necklace, my necklace! Oh, wow, He sure answers prayers quick!"
Kurt didn't say a word; he didn't want to mention he had found it and had never seen a child so happy. She put the locket back round her neck and he did up the catch. Then she opened it.
"Mommy's photo is still there too."
Kurt knelt down beside her and she showed him the small picture inside the locket. An older, paler version of Siobhan with straighter hair looked out.
"She is pretty, just like you. Tell me about her." He asked gently.
Siobhan nodded in agreement. She was ready.
--
Plot thickens. Yay. This is my longest chapter so far too. Double yay!
Keep checking for Chapter Nine!
