Everything Important

Chapter Four: Knowing Smiles and Wondering Eyes

Rogue lay, staring up in to Abair's eyes. The heat from his otherwise bare chest radiated through the fine silk sheet that separated them.

Their night in New York had been absolutely magical, and Abair – the perfect gentleman. So much so that she never wanted it to end. The play had been a love story set during the early stirrings of the French Revolution. It was a wondrously interwoven story of love, sacrifice, and moral dilemma. It was more than a show, it was an experience of theater – and they both left, visibly moved and affected by it.

They enjoyed a fine, late night dinner by candlelight and took the last ferry of the night out and around the Statue of Liberty in the New York harbor. A man on the ferry was playing Billy Joel songs on a piano – and they danced together on the deck.

They took the scenic route home and added hours of coastline and conversation to the trip. And when they arrived, they retired to the guesthouse and slept – only to awake, quite happily, in each other's arms.

What happened next was - and remains - none of your business.

"So this … Mystique … is Kurt's biological mother and your stepmother?" He asked, trying to keep it all strait – while looking down in to her eyes and stroking her hair.

She nodded twice and smiled, caressing his chest through the sheet.

"So – he's really family, isn't he." He said softly.

"Ah kind of waver on it sometimes." She admitted. "Ah love who Kurt is – and he's always making a real effort to be a better person." She hugged him gently. " Ah just have trouble – in mah head - forming a family based around Mystique."

"Better around than including." He told her softly. "I'm an only child." He told her "And I could have used a brother – someone who really understands what you're going through." He nodded. "And if I had found one after I left home, even a step brother, I would have been all for it."

She smiled up at him.

"Well, so far, Ah do seem to enjoy the things you're 'all for'. " She hiked her sheet up and rolled over on top of him, forcing him to lay back on the bed.

She smoothed the silk sheet over his chest. She was surprised at how muscular he was for being so thin.

"Ah feel like I can tell you anything." She said softly, laying her head down on his chest and listening to his heartbeat.

"I want you to tell me everything." He smiled, wrapping his arms and the sheet around her. "All your secrets." He whispered teasingly.

She seemed really thoughtful. "There is one thing Ah've never admitted to anyone." She said softly. "And you're definitely a good first." She told him. "But Ah don't know if you really want to hear this one."

"You were a man, weren't you?" He said, grabbing her so that she couldn't squirm away in protest.

She just slapped his chest and squirmed a bit for dramatic effect..

"What is it, really?" He asked, drawing her close.

"Ah thought ah was in love once." Once before … she stopped the thought from becoming a spoken word.

"With Scott, one of the older students at the mansion." She dropped her eyes away from his. "But Ah never did anything about it." She said softly. "And he found someone else."

"Tell me the story." He said, drawing her down to his chest and massaging her head through her hair.

And she did.

At the main house of the property Kitty found Kurt staring out the window.

"What's up fuzzy?" Kitty mussed his hair as she passed and dropped in to a convenient seat.

"Rogue's out at the guest house." He smiled. "I saw the car was there when I came back from the mall this afternoon."

"She didn't come home last night." Kitty told Kurt in a conspirator's tone.

"I know." He smiled again, this time embarrassed.

"I think they really like each other." Kitty supplied. "Rogue came in all excited after their first date."

"I could tell ven I saw them getting ready to go to New York." He seemed sad. "He opened the car door for her, and I thought …"

"What?" Kitty asked.

"I thought she belongs with him." Kurt said at last. "Seeing her that happy … no, that's not it." He shook his head side to side. "Seeing her … in love." The smile had returned to his face. "I would wish dat for everyone – for the rest of our lives." He shook his head. "But I vould miss her."

He tried to force a smile but it came out awkward.

"She told me yesterday morning that they're only dating while he's here at the mansion – he's like going overseas or something – and wont be coming back." She shrugged "Some kind of permanent job or something."

"So?" He smirked, "I've been thinking -maybe he's got room for one more? Wherever he's going?" He suggested.

Kitty fell silent. "That would be so cool." She said. "A mutant love story."

Kurt turned on her quickly. "Is he a mutant?" He asked.

"A-actually, I don't know." She realized. "I just assumed – because he was here to see the Professor."

Kurt shrugged, clasping his hands behind his back.

"You would think that Rogue would have mentioned it."

"Bah." Kurt told her with a wicked grin. "She does not care – not one bit." Me neither. He added mentally.

Kitty shivered. "How romantic is that?" She breathed in a husky tone. "I bet … it just never came up." She had a sparkle in her eye that drew Kurt's attention away from the window. "I mean, she's got a dangerous mutant power – one that makes romance almost impossible – and I bet they haven't even talked about it at all!" She grinned at the thought. "Too busy kissing …" She suddenly thought better of saying that last bit in front of Kurt. Far too late a thought, really.

"Vat?" He looked amused, or disbelieving – she couldn't tell, but she had his attention and he had cocked his head to one side, the way he does at times. "Kissing?"

He sat down on the coffee table and looked her in the eye.

"Vat do you know?" He mock intimidated her with a raised eyebrow and a suspicious glare.

Kitty laughed distractedly. Then confessed "She said – that she had never been kissed so much in her life." She pulled her legs up to her chest and shrugged. "He kissed her through a silk scarf."

"Do you know anything else?" he eyed her wearily.

"He knows someone in the band 'The Dysfunction' and they got to go on stage the other night and hang out with the crew." She said, hoping this would steer the conversation away from any secrets she might have promised to keep.

"Dat's pretty cool." Kurt said, the distraction complete. "The silk thing too." He confessed at last. "Vhatever makes her happy."

Of course, not everyone held that same view.

"Scott?" Storm asked after her second lecture of the day. "Did you ever find Rogue?" She asked "I couldn't help but notice that she's missed three lectures in a row."

"Me neither." He crossed his arms. "And two training sessions in the danger room." He looked like it bothered him. "We're supposed to be a team."

Storm nodded. "She will simply have to make up the work." She decided. "But let me know – if you hear anything. I must confess, I am becoming concerned about this boy's influence on her."

"Me too." He replied quickly. "Me too."