Disclaimer ~ I don't own anyone from X-Men.

Revelations

'So, are you saying that you can't find him, Professor?'

Kitty Pryde had been sitting in Professor Xavier's study now for over an hour. Kitty quickly discovered that there was definitely something very mysterious about Professor Xavier. He seemed to be telling her something important but not directly.

'No, Kitty I am just saying that maybe right now he doesn't wish to be found.'

'What do you mean, Professor?'

'Is Kurt always happy around other people?'

This question took Kitty by complete surprise. This was the last thing that she had expected the Professor to ask, but she continued.

'Why, Yes. I believe he is, but I still don't see what this has to do with Kurt.'

'It has more to do with him than you think. You see Kitty; people are not always what they may seem on the outside. Have you ever seen anybody say anything to Kurt that made him upset?'

'No, never Professor. Sure, some people do crack jokes about him but he never seems to get upset by it'

'I am afraid that those "jokes" may be the reason Kurt has disappeared'

'You've lost me on this one, Professor.'

Professor Xavier studied Kitty's face hard. The poor girl didn't have a clue what was going on, or if she did, she was certainly hiding it very well.

'Listen, Kitty. All I am trying to say to you is to put Kurt's disappearance out of your mind, at least for now until I know more about his whereabouts.'

'That's just it Professor, I can't.'

'Try, Kitty, just try.'

'You will tell me if you find out anymore, won't you?'

'Of course I will, Kitty. Now may I suggest you go and have some dinner, it might help to settle you a bit.'

Kitty left the Professor's office. Running through her mind, she re- called all that had happened in the past few hours. Jade and Hilary's discussion, Ronnie's suggestion of the Professor and then the Professor himself. But she still didn't understand what he had meant by asking her if Kurt was ever upset.

She had never seen him upset, not properly anyway. She'd never seen him cry or anything like it but she had to admit, he had been looking rather more despondent recently. In fact he'd been like that ever since he'd had that familiar crack about his tail made by two boys in the year above. But it wasn't that that drove him away was it?

Kitty continued on this trail of thought for some time. She sat down on her bed, now completely immersed in her own thoughts
Finally the bell rang to signal dinner. Kitty got up from her bed and began to make her way downstairs when she saw two girls walking her way. She caught a snatch of their conversation as they passed.

'Yeah, have you seen that freak's hair? Completely yellow it was!'

The pair began to snigger. Kitty knew who they were talking about. A small boy had just started at the school and no one knew any of his powers yet. The first thing they noticed was his hair. Bright yellow, it stuck out like a sore thumb and even now as she recalled the boy's arrival, Kitty couldn't help but giggle slightly as she remembered what he looked like. Suddenly a spasm of shock flitted across her face as she clapped a hand to her mouth.

Kitty turned around and ran back down the corridors to her room. She thrust open her door and in her hurry, she trapped her fingers in the door. Cursing, she reached under her bed and grabbed some of the warmest clothes she could find. She but her T-Shirt and jeans hurriedly back into the drawers and pulled on a pair of tracksuit bottoms and a hooded fleece. Still putting on her coat she dashed out of the room.

How could she have been so stupid? That day, when Kurt had disappeared, a group of girls in the same year began to tease Kurt about his skin colour. They called him 'a freak' and 'a loser' but worst of all, she had laughed too. Kitty could not believe she had found her friend's humiliation even slightly humorous. As she remembered that incident, she could not rid herself of Kurt's expression of sadness and hurt when he had heard her laugh.

There was no reason to go back to the Professor now to find out where Kurt was for she had made up her mind.

'It's my fault' she sobbed.

'So this is my responsibility.'