*Sniffle*...this chapter gets to me. I'M SORRY KURT!!! REALLY!! Ok, right...*ahem*
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Kurt stared at the car door handle and swallowed. Scott had driven him since his ankle would have been a problem to drive with. He picked up his crutches and Scott held the door open for him. He was dreading this. He made his way up to the school with Scott and Evan flanking his left and Jean and Kitty his right.
There was a lot of whispering. He could handle that. He had expected as much. It had been like that for the others. If that was as bad as it was going to get he would kick himself though. He could have gone through it with all the others at the same time.
A few girls yelped a little as he passed. He could handle that too. It wasn't like they knew him or anything.
It seemed eerily quiet as the student's eyes followed Kurt up the pathway to the school. He brushed it off. 'They'll get over it. They did with the others. Just keep telling yourself that Kurt, keeeep telling yourself that.'
"KURT! Oh my gosh Kurt you're here! The one morning I didn't go to the institute before school and you're HERE!" Amanda's voice filled the hallway as she ran toward Kurt. Dropping her books she put her hands on his shoulders and inspected him. "Oh my gosh your ankle! And your shoulder! And your eye! Oh you poor thing!" She wrapped her arms around him and clung to him.
Kurt tried his best to hide his wince as she gripped his scraped up back. Evan raised his eyebrows, looked at the others and shrugged. "Hey man, we're gonna go to class. We'll be around if you, ya know, need us for anything."
The four mutants walked away slowly, casting odd glances at the over excited Amanda. They didn't go far though. Scott intended to follow Kurt to his first class. The others had worked out a system so that the blue elf wouldn't be in a hallway with out him between most of his classes.
"How are you? I was so worried." Amanda pulled away from Kurt. He was about to answer her when she suddenly dove in for a kiss.
Slightly annoyed, Kurt casually guided her away from his threatening fangs. He mentally rolled his eyes. 'I wonder if this is better than Rogue's position. At least if she could kiss she'd be able to enjoy it! Besides, does Amanda even care what my answer is? I'm not ok, and I really need you to listen to me for once not just act like you are all concerned and then not bother to hear my side of the story! I want Kitty, I want Rogue, I want ANYBODY who will just let me talk to them about how scared I am!'
He broke the kiss gently and looked down at Amanda. She smiled and he smiled back. He couldn't help it. 'I'm tired, and I'm really not thinking straight right now. That's all, yeah, that's it.'
~*~
The morning wasn't terribly bad. The worst of it had been during second period. The teacher was late and it gave a few of the braver bullies a chance to act.
"I hear you've got a tail, freak. Let's see it."
Kurt ignored him and headed toward his seat.
"Oh no you don't." The jerk lunged for Kurt and nearly knocked him on the ground. Kurt steadied himself with his crutches and automatically unwrapped his tail from around his waist for more balance.
The class let out a small gasp. Kurt wanted to punch himself. 'Idiot.'
The boy roared with laughter. He grabbed at Kurt's tail and gave it a slight tug. This time Kurt did loose his balance. He silently thanked God for his circus training and spun out of the jerk's grasp, landing with his weight on his good arm.
Evan, who was in the class with Kurt, stood up abruptly. His spikes made their way through his clothes and he glared at the kid who was now on the ground from the force of Kurt's spin.
The teacher walked in then, and everyone went silent. Kurt wrapped his tail back around his waist and helped himself up. He sat down and stared straight ahead, ignoring the eyes that were on him.
The teacher looked nervously at Evan.
"Um, Mr. Daniels?"
Evan winced as he strenuously retracted his spikes. He sat down and cast a glance at Kurt, who was sitting quietly at his desk.
The guy behind Kurt poked at his bad shoulder with his pencil as soon as the teacher started writing on the board. Kurt smiled a little despite the sharp pain and turned around. He and the guy were friends; his name was Josh.
"Hey, man, how ya been?" Kurt whispered.
Josh narrowed his eyes and looked straight past Kurt. Kurt turned around, his smile fading. The pencil jabbed him in the back again, harder this time. Kurt clenched his teeth. Josh leaned forward and got really close to Kurt's ear.
"Fuuuur-reak," he hissed.
Kurt closed his eyes as the pencil was jabbed into his shoulder again.
~*~
Kurt drug himself to lunch, his spirits at an all time low. He sat down and put his head on the table.
"You ok, Kurt?" Jean asked.
"Hmm? Ja, I'm ok," Kurt plastered on a fake smile, "Jest tired I guess. It hasn't been zat bad."
Jean looked at him skeptically. "Mmhmm."
"Shoot, I'll be vight back. I left somesing in my locker."
"Do you believe that he's just tired?" Jean said to Scott as soon as Kurt was out of earshot.
"Not a chance." Scott answered.
Kurt headed slowly toward the hallway his locker was in. He really wasn't in any hurry. His ears pricked up and he could have sworn he heard a muffled squeal...
...................................
Amanda struggled against Duncan's overbearing strength. He had her up against a locker and was laughing along with his buddies.
"Aww, what's wrong? Your mutant freak boyfriend isn't here to save you? What a shame."
"Let her have it Duncan!"
"Yeah, we don't need our race tainted by his kind. You may wanna remind her that!"
"Hmm, seems I need to give you some education doesn't it?" Duncan said smirking. "So liste...OW! Hey! You little mutant loving slut!"
Amanda had bit Duncan's hand and elbowed him hard in the ribs. He loosened his grip just long enough for her to break free of his grasp and she started to run.
Duncan grabbed her by the hair and pulled her down to the floor. He raised a hand to smack the defenseless girl, muffling her squeal of protest with his free hand.....
..............
"Get off of her!" Kurt's voice boomed throughout the hall way. His blood burned and he clenched his fists.
"And if I don't?" Duncan smirked again, but let Amanda go anyway. She scrambled to her feet and backed away from the group of jocks now focusing on Kurt. They herded around him and forced him to back out of the hallway and into the school yard.
"So how do you hide it?" Duncan scanned Kurt and rested his eyes on the watch. "Hmm..."
Kurt tried to get out of the way, but with his broken ankle, it was useless even trying. Duncan swiped the image inducer off of Kurt's wrist. The fur covered Kurt lowered his head.
"Hey!" one of the jocks shouted to a few people who were eating their lunch outside. "Come check out the freak show!"
"No one wants your kind here," Duncan whispered harshly into Kurt's ear, "Especially not the ones that look like you."
"Leave him alone!" Amanda's voice was panicked, but she kept her distance from the group of goons.
Kurt wanted more than anything to just port out of there, but he probably would have passed out if he even tried. He was still too weak to be porting.
A rather large crowd was growing around the jocks. Duncan grinned and grabbed Kurt by the back of his neck. Kurt gagged as Duncan and his fellow football idiots hoisted him off the ground by his fur.
"So who wants a piece of the freak!?"
Many of the teens in the crowd cheered. Duncan stood back and the remaining jocks yanked Kurt's arms behind him. One clutched Kurt's hair into his fist and forced Kurt's head back.
Kurt was getting frantic. He couldn't move. Some other kid from the crowd had grabbed his tail and with the help of a jock, pinned it down. His broken ankle was useless and his other was being held by yet another student.
Duncan pulled his arm back and punched Kurt in the stomach. Kurt had never felt anything like it. The jocks dropped him and he landed on his hands and knees, retching. He felt a kick to his ribs and someone else jerked his tail. The crowd was closing in. The screaming was all he could hear as he felt his body welt up and bruise as punch after punch, kick after kick, was aimed at his already weak body. He felt the blood pounding in his head and forcing its way out through his mouth. The ground spun from under him and he clenched his eyes shut in an attempt to stop the swirling scenery. He tried to get away, but some kid grabbed his tail and held him down. He felt chunks of his fur being ripped from his back as his shirt was torn down his spine. He curled into a tight ball, trying to block out the screaming.
"GIT THE HELL AWAY FROM MAH BROTHER!"
'Rogue?'
Someone screamed and the crowd was beginning to widen the circle around Kurt. Rogue stood over him, her left glove missing.
"Ya know what happens when ah touch someone? Ah suck their life force! Now if any of ya'll eva try and touch mah brother again you can say hello ta a hospital bed and a comma for the rest of your teenage life!"
"She's full of it," Duncan sneered.
"Care ta test that theory, sugah?" She stretched her bare hand out dangerously close to Duncan's face. "Or maybe you'd rather ask your friend over there." She gestured to her side where one of the jocks lay motionless on the ground.
The other X-men had shown up and were forming a protective circle around Kurt. They didn't bother to hide their talents either. Evan had rows of spikes all along his shoulders, his breathing ragged as he struggled not to release them. Jean was levitating books, bags, and rocks around her; threatening to knock anyone out with them if they came one step closer. Bobby had iced his fists and was sending death stares at anyone who looked as though they might continue the fight. Even Lance joined the circle, causing the ground to tremble slightly.
"Aw come on Jean, you know you don't belong with these losers," Duncan still hadn't lost his nerve and was advancing toward the group of mutants. The rest of the crowd however was not following suit.
Jean dropped what she was levitating and walked over to Duncan. Smiling, he put his arm out to her. Jean gave him a sickeningly sweet smile and punched him.
Stunned, Duncan staggered back and Jean hit him again. She leaned close to the now doubled over Duncan.
"Don't you ever *Stomp* come near me, or any. *Punch* of my. *Kick* friends. *Slap* again." She grabbed him by the shoulders and brought her knee up to his groin in one swift motion. Duncan inhaled sharply and he doubled over even further. He stared at Jean in shock.
Scott and Evan were already headed to the parking lot with Kurt held between the two of them. The rest of the team trailed behind them, hard, cold, glares across each ones' face.
"Move." Scott's low voice sounded more like a growl than a command. The crowd parted without a sound and the line of mutants walked through.
Scott and Evan set Kurt gently in the back seat of the convertible and got into the front seats. Kitty and Rogue sat either side of the trembling Kurt as Jean led the other students to her S.U.V. a few spaces down.
Lance, now joined be the other brotherhood members watched as the two vehicles sped out of the parking lot. Todd looked at the crowd of teens trying to get away from the hoard of teachers trying to figure out what had happened.
"Should we call the police or something, yo?"
"No. We're going home. This place is making me sick."
~*~
Kurt couldn't control himself anymore. He curled into a tight ball and sobbed into his arms. His entire body shook as he coughed and gagged through his tears. He didn't care that Scott kept glancing at him nervously in the rearview mirror; that Evan could hear every gut wrenching sob, or that Kitty and Rogue were both had silent tears running down their faces. He couldn't think, couldn't formulate a single syllable in his head. So he just sobbed; hiding his face in his arms and knees.
He felt Kitty pull him to her and wrap her arms around him; felt Rogue's gloved fingers run through his hair comfortingly. He heard Evan swearing at the dashboard, and heard the engine strain as Scott pressed his foot harder on the accelerator.
But he didn't care. He couldn't care. All he could focus on was the pain, the welts, the bruises, the aches, and worst of all the emotional anguish that was threatening to consume him.
The car slowed and Kurt knew they were at the mansion. The professor was trying to talk to him telepathically; trying to calm him. He couldn't listen though. He felt dizzy and weak and somewhere far away he could make out Kitty's panicked voice.
"He's going to hurt himself! Please Kurt, it's ok. You're safe! Please!"
It was true, he was going to hurt himself. He was practically convulsing now with sobs, but he couldn't stop. He tried to speak, but couldn't. He wrapped his tail around Kitty's wrist, something he subconsciously did for comfort fairly often, but he couldn't stop. His chest hurt and he realized he couldn't breath. He was vaguely aware of being placed on a sofa. Far away, he could hear the kids pleading with him to calm down, to breath.
"GET HANK! NOW!"
He had never heard the professor talk like that.
He gasped as air filled his lungs briefly, then they were closed again, choking tears out rather than letting air in. Moments later he felt a large hand on his arm and his sleeve being rolled up. A felt a dull prick under his fur and tried to get away from it. Everything started to slow down. He felt the air rushing to his lungs again. He opened his eyes for a brief second, taking in the terrified expressions on the faces of his peers. The girls were crying while the guys tried their best to comfort them, even though they too seemed to need some comforting themselves. He wished Bobby and Evan would stop staring.
Logan was trying to get the students out of the room, but they were ignoring him. He could sort of make out the concerned faces of the professor, Hank, and Ororo standing over him but his already tear impaired vision was beginning to blur.
He closed his eyes. He couldn't watch any more. He couldn't think; everything was going so slow. He drifted into an odd sort of sleep, escaping the sobs and panic.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Kurt stared at the car door handle and swallowed. Scott had driven him since his ankle would have been a problem to drive with. He picked up his crutches and Scott held the door open for him. He was dreading this. He made his way up to the school with Scott and Evan flanking his left and Jean and Kitty his right.
There was a lot of whispering. He could handle that. He had expected as much. It had been like that for the others. If that was as bad as it was going to get he would kick himself though. He could have gone through it with all the others at the same time.
A few girls yelped a little as he passed. He could handle that too. It wasn't like they knew him or anything.
It seemed eerily quiet as the student's eyes followed Kurt up the pathway to the school. He brushed it off. 'They'll get over it. They did with the others. Just keep telling yourself that Kurt, keeeep telling yourself that.'
"KURT! Oh my gosh Kurt you're here! The one morning I didn't go to the institute before school and you're HERE!" Amanda's voice filled the hallway as she ran toward Kurt. Dropping her books she put her hands on his shoulders and inspected him. "Oh my gosh your ankle! And your shoulder! And your eye! Oh you poor thing!" She wrapped her arms around him and clung to him.
Kurt tried his best to hide his wince as she gripped his scraped up back. Evan raised his eyebrows, looked at the others and shrugged. "Hey man, we're gonna go to class. We'll be around if you, ya know, need us for anything."
The four mutants walked away slowly, casting odd glances at the over excited Amanda. They didn't go far though. Scott intended to follow Kurt to his first class. The others had worked out a system so that the blue elf wouldn't be in a hallway with out him between most of his classes.
"How are you? I was so worried." Amanda pulled away from Kurt. He was about to answer her when she suddenly dove in for a kiss.
Slightly annoyed, Kurt casually guided her away from his threatening fangs. He mentally rolled his eyes. 'I wonder if this is better than Rogue's position. At least if she could kiss she'd be able to enjoy it! Besides, does Amanda even care what my answer is? I'm not ok, and I really need you to listen to me for once not just act like you are all concerned and then not bother to hear my side of the story! I want Kitty, I want Rogue, I want ANYBODY who will just let me talk to them about how scared I am!'
He broke the kiss gently and looked down at Amanda. She smiled and he smiled back. He couldn't help it. 'I'm tired, and I'm really not thinking straight right now. That's all, yeah, that's it.'
~*~
The morning wasn't terribly bad. The worst of it had been during second period. The teacher was late and it gave a few of the braver bullies a chance to act.
"I hear you've got a tail, freak. Let's see it."
Kurt ignored him and headed toward his seat.
"Oh no you don't." The jerk lunged for Kurt and nearly knocked him on the ground. Kurt steadied himself with his crutches and automatically unwrapped his tail from around his waist for more balance.
The class let out a small gasp. Kurt wanted to punch himself. 'Idiot.'
The boy roared with laughter. He grabbed at Kurt's tail and gave it a slight tug. This time Kurt did loose his balance. He silently thanked God for his circus training and spun out of the jerk's grasp, landing with his weight on his good arm.
Evan, who was in the class with Kurt, stood up abruptly. His spikes made their way through his clothes and he glared at the kid who was now on the ground from the force of Kurt's spin.
The teacher walked in then, and everyone went silent. Kurt wrapped his tail back around his waist and helped himself up. He sat down and stared straight ahead, ignoring the eyes that were on him.
The teacher looked nervously at Evan.
"Um, Mr. Daniels?"
Evan winced as he strenuously retracted his spikes. He sat down and cast a glance at Kurt, who was sitting quietly at his desk.
The guy behind Kurt poked at his bad shoulder with his pencil as soon as the teacher started writing on the board. Kurt smiled a little despite the sharp pain and turned around. He and the guy were friends; his name was Josh.
"Hey, man, how ya been?" Kurt whispered.
Josh narrowed his eyes and looked straight past Kurt. Kurt turned around, his smile fading. The pencil jabbed him in the back again, harder this time. Kurt clenched his teeth. Josh leaned forward and got really close to Kurt's ear.
"Fuuuur-reak," he hissed.
Kurt closed his eyes as the pencil was jabbed into his shoulder again.
~*~
Kurt drug himself to lunch, his spirits at an all time low. He sat down and put his head on the table.
"You ok, Kurt?" Jean asked.
"Hmm? Ja, I'm ok," Kurt plastered on a fake smile, "Jest tired I guess. It hasn't been zat bad."
Jean looked at him skeptically. "Mmhmm."
"Shoot, I'll be vight back. I left somesing in my locker."
"Do you believe that he's just tired?" Jean said to Scott as soon as Kurt was out of earshot.
"Not a chance." Scott answered.
Kurt headed slowly toward the hallway his locker was in. He really wasn't in any hurry. His ears pricked up and he could have sworn he heard a muffled squeal...
...................................
Amanda struggled against Duncan's overbearing strength. He had her up against a locker and was laughing along with his buddies.
"Aww, what's wrong? Your mutant freak boyfriend isn't here to save you? What a shame."
"Let her have it Duncan!"
"Yeah, we don't need our race tainted by his kind. You may wanna remind her that!"
"Hmm, seems I need to give you some education doesn't it?" Duncan said smirking. "So liste...OW! Hey! You little mutant loving slut!"
Amanda had bit Duncan's hand and elbowed him hard in the ribs. He loosened his grip just long enough for her to break free of his grasp and she started to run.
Duncan grabbed her by the hair and pulled her down to the floor. He raised a hand to smack the defenseless girl, muffling her squeal of protest with his free hand.....
..............
"Get off of her!" Kurt's voice boomed throughout the hall way. His blood burned and he clenched his fists.
"And if I don't?" Duncan smirked again, but let Amanda go anyway. She scrambled to her feet and backed away from the group of jocks now focusing on Kurt. They herded around him and forced him to back out of the hallway and into the school yard.
"So how do you hide it?" Duncan scanned Kurt and rested his eyes on the watch. "Hmm..."
Kurt tried to get out of the way, but with his broken ankle, it was useless even trying. Duncan swiped the image inducer off of Kurt's wrist. The fur covered Kurt lowered his head.
"Hey!" one of the jocks shouted to a few people who were eating their lunch outside. "Come check out the freak show!"
"No one wants your kind here," Duncan whispered harshly into Kurt's ear, "Especially not the ones that look like you."
"Leave him alone!" Amanda's voice was panicked, but she kept her distance from the group of goons.
Kurt wanted more than anything to just port out of there, but he probably would have passed out if he even tried. He was still too weak to be porting.
A rather large crowd was growing around the jocks. Duncan grinned and grabbed Kurt by the back of his neck. Kurt gagged as Duncan and his fellow football idiots hoisted him off the ground by his fur.
"So who wants a piece of the freak!?"
Many of the teens in the crowd cheered. Duncan stood back and the remaining jocks yanked Kurt's arms behind him. One clutched Kurt's hair into his fist and forced Kurt's head back.
Kurt was getting frantic. He couldn't move. Some other kid from the crowd had grabbed his tail and with the help of a jock, pinned it down. His broken ankle was useless and his other was being held by yet another student.
Duncan pulled his arm back and punched Kurt in the stomach. Kurt had never felt anything like it. The jocks dropped him and he landed on his hands and knees, retching. He felt a kick to his ribs and someone else jerked his tail. The crowd was closing in. The screaming was all he could hear as he felt his body welt up and bruise as punch after punch, kick after kick, was aimed at his already weak body. He felt the blood pounding in his head and forcing its way out through his mouth. The ground spun from under him and he clenched his eyes shut in an attempt to stop the swirling scenery. He tried to get away, but some kid grabbed his tail and held him down. He felt chunks of his fur being ripped from his back as his shirt was torn down his spine. He curled into a tight ball, trying to block out the screaming.
"GIT THE HELL AWAY FROM MAH BROTHER!"
'Rogue?'
Someone screamed and the crowd was beginning to widen the circle around Kurt. Rogue stood over him, her left glove missing.
"Ya know what happens when ah touch someone? Ah suck their life force! Now if any of ya'll eva try and touch mah brother again you can say hello ta a hospital bed and a comma for the rest of your teenage life!"
"She's full of it," Duncan sneered.
"Care ta test that theory, sugah?" She stretched her bare hand out dangerously close to Duncan's face. "Or maybe you'd rather ask your friend over there." She gestured to her side where one of the jocks lay motionless on the ground.
The other X-men had shown up and were forming a protective circle around Kurt. They didn't bother to hide their talents either. Evan had rows of spikes all along his shoulders, his breathing ragged as he struggled not to release them. Jean was levitating books, bags, and rocks around her; threatening to knock anyone out with them if they came one step closer. Bobby had iced his fists and was sending death stares at anyone who looked as though they might continue the fight. Even Lance joined the circle, causing the ground to tremble slightly.
"Aw come on Jean, you know you don't belong with these losers," Duncan still hadn't lost his nerve and was advancing toward the group of mutants. The rest of the crowd however was not following suit.
Jean dropped what she was levitating and walked over to Duncan. Smiling, he put his arm out to her. Jean gave him a sickeningly sweet smile and punched him.
Stunned, Duncan staggered back and Jean hit him again. She leaned close to the now doubled over Duncan.
"Don't you ever *Stomp* come near me, or any. *Punch* of my. *Kick* friends. *Slap* again." She grabbed him by the shoulders and brought her knee up to his groin in one swift motion. Duncan inhaled sharply and he doubled over even further. He stared at Jean in shock.
Scott and Evan were already headed to the parking lot with Kurt held between the two of them. The rest of the team trailed behind them, hard, cold, glares across each ones' face.
"Move." Scott's low voice sounded more like a growl than a command. The crowd parted without a sound and the line of mutants walked through.
Scott and Evan set Kurt gently in the back seat of the convertible and got into the front seats. Kitty and Rogue sat either side of the trembling Kurt as Jean led the other students to her S.U.V. a few spaces down.
Lance, now joined be the other brotherhood members watched as the two vehicles sped out of the parking lot. Todd looked at the crowd of teens trying to get away from the hoard of teachers trying to figure out what had happened.
"Should we call the police or something, yo?"
"No. We're going home. This place is making me sick."
~*~
Kurt couldn't control himself anymore. He curled into a tight ball and sobbed into his arms. His entire body shook as he coughed and gagged through his tears. He didn't care that Scott kept glancing at him nervously in the rearview mirror; that Evan could hear every gut wrenching sob, or that Kitty and Rogue were both had silent tears running down their faces. He couldn't think, couldn't formulate a single syllable in his head. So he just sobbed; hiding his face in his arms and knees.
He felt Kitty pull him to her and wrap her arms around him; felt Rogue's gloved fingers run through his hair comfortingly. He heard Evan swearing at the dashboard, and heard the engine strain as Scott pressed his foot harder on the accelerator.
But he didn't care. He couldn't care. All he could focus on was the pain, the welts, the bruises, the aches, and worst of all the emotional anguish that was threatening to consume him.
The car slowed and Kurt knew they were at the mansion. The professor was trying to talk to him telepathically; trying to calm him. He couldn't listen though. He felt dizzy and weak and somewhere far away he could make out Kitty's panicked voice.
"He's going to hurt himself! Please Kurt, it's ok. You're safe! Please!"
It was true, he was going to hurt himself. He was practically convulsing now with sobs, but he couldn't stop. He tried to speak, but couldn't. He wrapped his tail around Kitty's wrist, something he subconsciously did for comfort fairly often, but he couldn't stop. His chest hurt and he realized he couldn't breath. He was vaguely aware of being placed on a sofa. Far away, he could hear the kids pleading with him to calm down, to breath.
"GET HANK! NOW!"
He had never heard the professor talk like that.
He gasped as air filled his lungs briefly, then they were closed again, choking tears out rather than letting air in. Moments later he felt a large hand on his arm and his sleeve being rolled up. A felt a dull prick under his fur and tried to get away from it. Everything started to slow down. He felt the air rushing to his lungs again. He opened his eyes for a brief second, taking in the terrified expressions on the faces of his peers. The girls were crying while the guys tried their best to comfort them, even though they too seemed to need some comforting themselves. He wished Bobby and Evan would stop staring.
Logan was trying to get the students out of the room, but they were ignoring him. He could sort of make out the concerned faces of the professor, Hank, and Ororo standing over him but his already tear impaired vision was beginning to blur.
He closed his eyes. He couldn't watch any more. He couldn't think; everything was going so slow. He drifted into an odd sort of sleep, escaping the sobs and panic.
