~* NOTE-- The X-Men is copyright of Marvel Comics, I am but a mere pawn building off of their idea. Kia, Aurora and Willow, as well as this stories plot, are copyrighted to me. P.S.--I am the Queen of Typo's...so you will have to excuse all errors until I have time to correct them. *~
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Chapter 2-- Midnight Meeting
The hour of midnight was barely over when Rogue walked down into the kitchen. Bobby had long since abandoned his empty carton of ice cream and returned to bed. Rogue opened a cabinet, digging to the farthest reaches back until her hand hit a small pile of candy bars she had hidden from the younger mutants just a few days ago. When she pulled them down, two of them were gone. She smiled to herself, knowing that Logan must have sniffed them out. She took a couple herself before replacing them in their original hiding place, closed the cabinet door and ventured over to the window. As she approached the window, she absent-mindedly unwrapped a Twix bar and took a few bites. She looked out the window and up at the stars, before looking at the closest tree to the window. There, she saw what looked like a giant bat with a long, thin tail. She suddenly realized that it was Kurt, hanging by his tail from the tree branch. Finishing her half eaten Twix bar, Rogue put the rest in the pocket of her pajama pants and walked out the back door towards Kurt.
He was sound asleep, even snoring softly. Rogue just stared at the blue mutant for a moment, finally reaching up and tapping him on the shoulder lightly...forgetting about his mostly solitary life after the circus. Yellow eyes snapped open, and Rogue was suddenly engulfed in the strange deep blue mist his teleportation produced as Kurt teleported to a crouching attack position on the ground below where he had been sleeping, then behind Rogue. One of his arms restrained her shoulders, the other the lower halves of her arms, the sharp, blade-like side of his tail held close to her throat.
"Kurt!"
She gasped in fear.
"It's me! Rogue!"
His arms suddenly loosened their hold on her, his tail recoiling behind him again. He gently grabbed both her shoulders and spun her around to face him.
"Rogue?"
His voice was shaky, he obviously wasn't used to being waken up at one in the morning, and being tapped in an unfamiliar place had sprung a defensive cord in his mind. His eyes were wide with shock at his own reaction. Rogue gulped down her own shocked fear and nodded in agreement with his question, even though it had become more of a statement at the end. He released her shoulder, taking a half step back then stopped and moved forwards again, brushing her long hair behind her shoulders, eyes scanning for any blood.
"I didn't 'urt you, did I?"
He asked nervously. Rogue gave a weak smile.
"I'm ok...just a bit shaken."
Kurt gave a sigh of relief, then looked rather ashamed.
"This is all my fault too. I should 'ave known who it vas."
Rogue put her hand on his shoulder comfortingly.
"No its not. I snuck up on you, I'm sorry. There's no real harm done, just a little frightened, that's all."
Kurt nodded, not sure how to say thank you for her acceptance. Smiling a little more than before and looking up at the branch Kurt had been hanging from, Rogue pulled herself up onto the limb. Kurt waited until she was safely seated, then pulled himself up as well, though with less struggle than Rogue. Handing him a candy bar from inside, Kurt took it carefully, inspecting it with curiosity.
"Vhat is 'is for?"
"Nothing, I can't sleep, and I saw you out here so I thought I'd talk to you."
Kurt nodded, handing the candy bar back to Rogue. She took it without argument.
"Vhy can't you sleep?"
Rogue shrugged.
"Just thinking about all the things that have been happening lately."
"About Jean?"
"No...just everything. Logan being right there...he could have known everything about his past, but he gave it up to stay with us. And Bobby's family...and you. I still don't feel like saying thank you is good enough. You saved my life."
Kurt shook his head.
"I couldn't just let you vall to your doom. The Lord didn't vant it to end 'dat vay for you."
Rogue gave a sideways smirk.
"No, maybe not."
She looked up at the stars, searching through them with care, finding the big and little dipper quickly. Kurt followed her gaze, looking only at a bright star, but it was not a star at all, but the planet Venus. Rogue gave a heavy hearted sigh, one question plaguing her mind. She looked over at Kurt, seeming almost embarrassed to say anything.
"That stuff Stryker used to control mutants minds, and on you to make you try and kill the president...what did it feel like?"
Kurt reached back, touching the slowly healing circle on the back of his neck where Stryker had applied the mind controlling liquid. He was silent for a long moment.
"It burned terribly..."
He began, holding the back of his neck with care as if just talking about it made it burn.
"Zen I felt almost normal...I could see every thing just fine. I could see myself valking through 'de Vhite House, and attacking all 'de guards. Zen I remember seeing 'de President's 'orrified face, and holding a knife in my 'and. Zen every thing goes blurry, and I only remember racing back 'ome...to 'de cathedral...and 'olding my shoulder."
He stopped, looking away from the stars and Rogue, looking back at the Institute.
"Zen Storm and Jean came and found me. I thought for sure 'dat 'dey 'ad come to take me avay for 'de assassination attempt....or to kill me..."
Rogue watched Kurt carefully.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to make you talk about such a painful memory..."
"No, it is alright. You vould 'ave vanted to know sooner or later."
Rogue nodded, looking back at the Institute as a light flickered on in one of the rooms. The thicker curtain made it difficult to see who it was, but the location of the room was that of Logan's. Rogue smiled slightly, he still couldn't sleep. The light went back off, leaving the institute still and calm again. Kurt looked over at her, a question lingering on his mind as well.
"You vere afraid of me, veren't you?"
Rogue looked over at him, startled by the question. Kurt smiled.
"It doesn't matter to me now if you vere or not, but I vas just vandering."
"Well, at very first...yeah. It's not every day I meet a blue mutant who only has three fingers and a devil's tail."
Seeming hurt by the comment 'devil's tail', Rogue quickly tried to explain herself.
"I don't mean that your anything like you look, but that was my first impression of you before I had even talked to you."
"First impressions are 'de vorst to go by."
Kurt replied, still acting stung from the unholy remark. Rogue placed her forehead in her palm, what had she went and said now? She looked for a way to make it up to him, finally her eye was caught by a glint of silver as Kurt reached down to his side and picked up the little cross.
"Kurt, your the most dedicated person I've ever met, I didn't mean for it to be so personal. I know now that your not what you seem at first."
The teleporter was silent.
"Maybe I should just try and go back to sleep..."
She stated, starting to slide herself off the tree branch before she felt Kurt's hand wrap gently around her upper arm.
"It's ok Rogue. It vas stupid of me to take it personally. You don't 'ave to go if you don't vant too."
Pulling herself back up onto the limb, Rogue nodded.
"Alright then, I'll stay out here a little longer then."
It was not long before Kurt's attention was drawn towards one of the many doors. A soft squeaking proceeded a glint of red lenses as a shadowy figure turned and closed the door behind it. Rogue watched with only mild interest. The figure turned again, this time the red glint shone across both places were its eyes would have been in the moonlight. Kurt relaxed slightly, recognizing the red sun glasses worn by Scott. Scott wandered closer to the tree, having yet to notice that Rogue and Kurt lingered in the branches watching him. His pace was slow, steady, almost a trudge rather than a walk. A flash of worry shone in Rogue's eyes as she watched him walk right under them, hoping that he would just let his feelings out again, not bottle them up like this. Kurt could just sense the heavy sorrow in the air around Scott, and now in Rogue as well, and decided to speak up.
"Hello Scott. Out for a valk at one in de morning, eh?"
In one amazingly graceful mid air turn, Scott was facing them, his hands on the sides of his sunglasses.
"Who's up there!"
He nearly shouted at them. Rogue elbowed Kurt in the side lightly...the teleporter had forgotten the veil of leaves surrounding them.
"Rogue and Kurt."
She answered him. Scott looked for a long moment, but never removed his hands from his sunglasses.
"Prove it."
Scott found himself eating his words. No more than five seconds after telling the unseen voices to prove that they truly were Rogue and Kurt, his shoulders were suddenly grabbed from behind and he found himself sitting in the tree as the midnight blue mist slowly cleared.
" 'Dere, see? It is just Rogue 'nd me."
Scott was shaken, but slowly was able to make his hands move and removed his grip from the rims of his shades.
"Wha....what the hell are you two doing out here?"
He asked sternly, suddenly using his seniority against them in a vie for authority as well as privacy.
"I couldn't sleep."
"'Nd I vas thinking."
Scott nodded, an eerily parental nod that all children knew too well....the one that said 'likely story'.
"You know your not supposed to be out here."
He snapped. Kurt shrugged, slightly nervous.
"No one told me 'dat."
Scott shot his hidden gaze to Rogue, she only knew that he was looking at her when his head snapped in her direction.
"But you did know Rogue."
Rogue gave him a glare.
"Look, I couldn't sleep and there was no one else up to talk to inside, so I came out to talk to Kurt. And just what are you doing out here?"
She snapped back. Scott recoiled his neck slightly in surprise at her sudden harshness, but it didn't matter because he had no answer to offer her.
"I was.....well, just....erm...."
Rogue sent him a glare. Scott fell silent, her gaze more demanding of authority than his.
"At least we have good excuses."
"....Thinking....about Jean..."
Scott muttered a few minutes later. His voice had a defeated, over burdened sound to it, the kind of voice that might have been expected of an eighty year old who had been doing physical labor since he was 15, not a young, healthy person like Scott. Rogue was quick to drop her defensive attitude, making Kurt scoot over so she could sit closer to Scott.
"I know its hard for you, but you have to let her go..."
She reached out, placing her hand lightly on Scott's wrist. He responded by violently shaking his head, his face contorted into a pouting one as he forced himself to hold back his tears. He wrenched his arm away from her grip.
"How can you tell me to do that! She was the only one for me and you want me to just move on like she never existed!?"
He shouted in her face, suddenly becoming defensive himself and grabbing her shoulders, shaking her back and forth as she tried to free herself. A sound like a match being struck was emitted from behind Rogue, the bamf was quickly followed by Kurt's appearance between Scott and Rogue. Pushing out his shoulders, Kurt freed Rogue from Scott's hateful, mourning grip. Kurt placed his hands on top of Scott's shoulders, his grip surprisingly strong for having only three fingers. But it was his yellow eyes, staring sternly past Scott's sunglasses, were what forced Cyclops to look straight into Kurt's eyes and pay attention even through his sobbing and fighting back tears, not the firm grip.
"You never 'ave to let 'er go, but you must pull yourself out of 'is. Jean never 'as to leave your 'eart 'nd soul...she can live through you every day if you let 'er. But you must let 'er leave you physically. 'De Lord 'as a plan for 'er, 'dat is vay He took 'er from you. But you must not let yourself go like 'is, Scott. Jean vould never vant to see you like 'is...not even if you are crying for 'er."
Kurt slowly released Scott's shoulders, prepared to block an attack if necessary. But Scott never lashed out. Instead he let his gaze drop to the ground below, only the sounds of falling tears and choking back the full onslaught of his sorrow came from him in response to Kurt's speech. Rogue made a move to reach out to Scott, but Kurt caught her by the wrist. She gave him a desperate look, only to find stern golden yellow eyes holding their ground.
"Leave 'im alone, Rogue."
Before she was able to protest, Scott slide off the branch, landed on his feet upon the ground and began to speed walk back towards the door which he had come out of. Kurt watched him go and released Rogue's wrist.
"'Dis is something 'dat he must overcome on 'is own."
Rogue reluctantly nodded, and slide off the branch as well.
"I need to go and do some thinking too Kurt..."
She said, looking up at him before giving a weak smile.
"Thank you for letting me talk to you though."
"Any time."
She trotted back through the grass, trying to avoid most of the now thick dew laying on the blades of grass. Kurt watched her leave as well, finally drawing his knees up under his chin and glancing up at the heavens.
"You most certainly vork in mysterious vays...because I think I'm only making things vorse 'ere. But, you brought me 'ere...so I'll stay until you move me elsevere."
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Chapter 2-- Midnight Meeting
The hour of midnight was barely over when Rogue walked down into the kitchen. Bobby had long since abandoned his empty carton of ice cream and returned to bed. Rogue opened a cabinet, digging to the farthest reaches back until her hand hit a small pile of candy bars she had hidden from the younger mutants just a few days ago. When she pulled them down, two of them were gone. She smiled to herself, knowing that Logan must have sniffed them out. She took a couple herself before replacing them in their original hiding place, closed the cabinet door and ventured over to the window. As she approached the window, she absent-mindedly unwrapped a Twix bar and took a few bites. She looked out the window and up at the stars, before looking at the closest tree to the window. There, she saw what looked like a giant bat with a long, thin tail. She suddenly realized that it was Kurt, hanging by his tail from the tree branch. Finishing her half eaten Twix bar, Rogue put the rest in the pocket of her pajama pants and walked out the back door towards Kurt.
He was sound asleep, even snoring softly. Rogue just stared at the blue mutant for a moment, finally reaching up and tapping him on the shoulder lightly...forgetting about his mostly solitary life after the circus. Yellow eyes snapped open, and Rogue was suddenly engulfed in the strange deep blue mist his teleportation produced as Kurt teleported to a crouching attack position on the ground below where he had been sleeping, then behind Rogue. One of his arms restrained her shoulders, the other the lower halves of her arms, the sharp, blade-like side of his tail held close to her throat.
"Kurt!"
She gasped in fear.
"It's me! Rogue!"
His arms suddenly loosened their hold on her, his tail recoiling behind him again. He gently grabbed both her shoulders and spun her around to face him.
"Rogue?"
His voice was shaky, he obviously wasn't used to being waken up at one in the morning, and being tapped in an unfamiliar place had sprung a defensive cord in his mind. His eyes were wide with shock at his own reaction. Rogue gulped down her own shocked fear and nodded in agreement with his question, even though it had become more of a statement at the end. He released her shoulder, taking a half step back then stopped and moved forwards again, brushing her long hair behind her shoulders, eyes scanning for any blood.
"I didn't 'urt you, did I?"
He asked nervously. Rogue gave a weak smile.
"I'm ok...just a bit shaken."
Kurt gave a sigh of relief, then looked rather ashamed.
"This is all my fault too. I should 'ave known who it vas."
Rogue put her hand on his shoulder comfortingly.
"No its not. I snuck up on you, I'm sorry. There's no real harm done, just a little frightened, that's all."
Kurt nodded, not sure how to say thank you for her acceptance. Smiling a little more than before and looking up at the branch Kurt had been hanging from, Rogue pulled herself up onto the limb. Kurt waited until she was safely seated, then pulled himself up as well, though with less struggle than Rogue. Handing him a candy bar from inside, Kurt took it carefully, inspecting it with curiosity.
"Vhat is 'is for?"
"Nothing, I can't sleep, and I saw you out here so I thought I'd talk to you."
Kurt nodded, handing the candy bar back to Rogue. She took it without argument.
"Vhy can't you sleep?"
Rogue shrugged.
"Just thinking about all the things that have been happening lately."
"About Jean?"
"No...just everything. Logan being right there...he could have known everything about his past, but he gave it up to stay with us. And Bobby's family...and you. I still don't feel like saying thank you is good enough. You saved my life."
Kurt shook his head.
"I couldn't just let you vall to your doom. The Lord didn't vant it to end 'dat vay for you."
Rogue gave a sideways smirk.
"No, maybe not."
She looked up at the stars, searching through them with care, finding the big and little dipper quickly. Kurt followed her gaze, looking only at a bright star, but it was not a star at all, but the planet Venus. Rogue gave a heavy hearted sigh, one question plaguing her mind. She looked over at Kurt, seeming almost embarrassed to say anything.
"That stuff Stryker used to control mutants minds, and on you to make you try and kill the president...what did it feel like?"
Kurt reached back, touching the slowly healing circle on the back of his neck where Stryker had applied the mind controlling liquid. He was silent for a long moment.
"It burned terribly..."
He began, holding the back of his neck with care as if just talking about it made it burn.
"Zen I felt almost normal...I could see every thing just fine. I could see myself valking through 'de Vhite House, and attacking all 'de guards. Zen I remember seeing 'de President's 'orrified face, and holding a knife in my 'and. Zen every thing goes blurry, and I only remember racing back 'ome...to 'de cathedral...and 'olding my shoulder."
He stopped, looking away from the stars and Rogue, looking back at the Institute.
"Zen Storm and Jean came and found me. I thought for sure 'dat 'dey 'ad come to take me avay for 'de assassination attempt....or to kill me..."
Rogue watched Kurt carefully.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to make you talk about such a painful memory..."
"No, it is alright. You vould 'ave vanted to know sooner or later."
Rogue nodded, looking back at the Institute as a light flickered on in one of the rooms. The thicker curtain made it difficult to see who it was, but the location of the room was that of Logan's. Rogue smiled slightly, he still couldn't sleep. The light went back off, leaving the institute still and calm again. Kurt looked over at her, a question lingering on his mind as well.
"You vere afraid of me, veren't you?"
Rogue looked over at him, startled by the question. Kurt smiled.
"It doesn't matter to me now if you vere or not, but I vas just vandering."
"Well, at very first...yeah. It's not every day I meet a blue mutant who only has three fingers and a devil's tail."
Seeming hurt by the comment 'devil's tail', Rogue quickly tried to explain herself.
"I don't mean that your anything like you look, but that was my first impression of you before I had even talked to you."
"First impressions are 'de vorst to go by."
Kurt replied, still acting stung from the unholy remark. Rogue placed her forehead in her palm, what had she went and said now? She looked for a way to make it up to him, finally her eye was caught by a glint of silver as Kurt reached down to his side and picked up the little cross.
"Kurt, your the most dedicated person I've ever met, I didn't mean for it to be so personal. I know now that your not what you seem at first."
The teleporter was silent.
"Maybe I should just try and go back to sleep..."
She stated, starting to slide herself off the tree branch before she felt Kurt's hand wrap gently around her upper arm.
"It's ok Rogue. It vas stupid of me to take it personally. You don't 'ave to go if you don't vant too."
Pulling herself back up onto the limb, Rogue nodded.
"Alright then, I'll stay out here a little longer then."
It was not long before Kurt's attention was drawn towards one of the many doors. A soft squeaking proceeded a glint of red lenses as a shadowy figure turned and closed the door behind it. Rogue watched with only mild interest. The figure turned again, this time the red glint shone across both places were its eyes would have been in the moonlight. Kurt relaxed slightly, recognizing the red sun glasses worn by Scott. Scott wandered closer to the tree, having yet to notice that Rogue and Kurt lingered in the branches watching him. His pace was slow, steady, almost a trudge rather than a walk. A flash of worry shone in Rogue's eyes as she watched him walk right under them, hoping that he would just let his feelings out again, not bottle them up like this. Kurt could just sense the heavy sorrow in the air around Scott, and now in Rogue as well, and decided to speak up.
"Hello Scott. Out for a valk at one in de morning, eh?"
In one amazingly graceful mid air turn, Scott was facing them, his hands on the sides of his sunglasses.
"Who's up there!"
He nearly shouted at them. Rogue elbowed Kurt in the side lightly...the teleporter had forgotten the veil of leaves surrounding them.
"Rogue and Kurt."
She answered him. Scott looked for a long moment, but never removed his hands from his sunglasses.
"Prove it."
Scott found himself eating his words. No more than five seconds after telling the unseen voices to prove that they truly were Rogue and Kurt, his shoulders were suddenly grabbed from behind and he found himself sitting in the tree as the midnight blue mist slowly cleared.
" 'Dere, see? It is just Rogue 'nd me."
Scott was shaken, but slowly was able to make his hands move and removed his grip from the rims of his shades.
"Wha....what the hell are you two doing out here?"
He asked sternly, suddenly using his seniority against them in a vie for authority as well as privacy.
"I couldn't sleep."
"'Nd I vas thinking."
Scott nodded, an eerily parental nod that all children knew too well....the one that said 'likely story'.
"You know your not supposed to be out here."
He snapped. Kurt shrugged, slightly nervous.
"No one told me 'dat."
Scott shot his hidden gaze to Rogue, she only knew that he was looking at her when his head snapped in her direction.
"But you did know Rogue."
Rogue gave him a glare.
"Look, I couldn't sleep and there was no one else up to talk to inside, so I came out to talk to Kurt. And just what are you doing out here?"
She snapped back. Scott recoiled his neck slightly in surprise at her sudden harshness, but it didn't matter because he had no answer to offer her.
"I was.....well, just....erm...."
Rogue sent him a glare. Scott fell silent, her gaze more demanding of authority than his.
"At least we have good excuses."
"....Thinking....about Jean..."
Scott muttered a few minutes later. His voice had a defeated, over burdened sound to it, the kind of voice that might have been expected of an eighty year old who had been doing physical labor since he was 15, not a young, healthy person like Scott. Rogue was quick to drop her defensive attitude, making Kurt scoot over so she could sit closer to Scott.
"I know its hard for you, but you have to let her go..."
She reached out, placing her hand lightly on Scott's wrist. He responded by violently shaking his head, his face contorted into a pouting one as he forced himself to hold back his tears. He wrenched his arm away from her grip.
"How can you tell me to do that! She was the only one for me and you want me to just move on like she never existed!?"
He shouted in her face, suddenly becoming defensive himself and grabbing her shoulders, shaking her back and forth as she tried to free herself. A sound like a match being struck was emitted from behind Rogue, the bamf was quickly followed by Kurt's appearance between Scott and Rogue. Pushing out his shoulders, Kurt freed Rogue from Scott's hateful, mourning grip. Kurt placed his hands on top of Scott's shoulders, his grip surprisingly strong for having only three fingers. But it was his yellow eyes, staring sternly past Scott's sunglasses, were what forced Cyclops to look straight into Kurt's eyes and pay attention even through his sobbing and fighting back tears, not the firm grip.
"You never 'ave to let 'er go, but you must pull yourself out of 'is. Jean never 'as to leave your 'eart 'nd soul...she can live through you every day if you let 'er. But you must let 'er leave you physically. 'De Lord 'as a plan for 'er, 'dat is vay He took 'er from you. But you must not let yourself go like 'is, Scott. Jean vould never vant to see you like 'is...not even if you are crying for 'er."
Kurt slowly released Scott's shoulders, prepared to block an attack if necessary. But Scott never lashed out. Instead he let his gaze drop to the ground below, only the sounds of falling tears and choking back the full onslaught of his sorrow came from him in response to Kurt's speech. Rogue made a move to reach out to Scott, but Kurt caught her by the wrist. She gave him a desperate look, only to find stern golden yellow eyes holding their ground.
"Leave 'im alone, Rogue."
Before she was able to protest, Scott slide off the branch, landed on his feet upon the ground and began to speed walk back towards the door which he had come out of. Kurt watched him go and released Rogue's wrist.
"'Dis is something 'dat he must overcome on 'is own."
Rogue reluctantly nodded, and slide off the branch as well.
"I need to go and do some thinking too Kurt..."
She said, looking up at him before giving a weak smile.
"Thank you for letting me talk to you though."
"Any time."
She trotted back through the grass, trying to avoid most of the now thick dew laying on the blades of grass. Kurt watched her leave as well, finally drawing his knees up under his chin and glancing up at the heavens.
"You most certainly vork in mysterious vays...because I think I'm only making things vorse 'ere. But, you brought me 'ere...so I'll stay until you move me elsevere."
