The Secret

Chapter Six: Jean and Kurt

Kurt walked, on his hands, up the wide concrete railing that ran along the back patio of the Xavier mansion. He had seen Jean stroll out and seat herself a few moments before.

Technically, she was waiting for Scott. But rationally, she was just enjoying the clear morning air, as a wonderful contrast to the dark, rain filled skies of the dream. Maybe later I could get in a little flying . . .

"Hello!" Kurt waved with the spade of his tail as he passed before cart-wheeling down on to his feet. "Happy Thanksgiving." He bowed politely.

"Happy Thanksgiving Kurt." She smiled genuinely.

He cocked his head. "Penny for your thoughts?" He ventured.

She eyed him warily. "Why did you ask that?"

"You looked very far away just now." He nodded once and smiled. "My mirror gets that look sometimes when I'm not around." He told her.

She pursed her lips in good humor. "I was thinking about flying. That maybe later on I would go flying."

Kurt spun on his heel and cast his eyes up toward the sky. It was clear and empty. "Dat vould be something." He breathed at last before tossing her a dashing smile. "No amount of acrobatics can teach a person vat it's like to fly." He said dreamily.

He seemed to wake from that dream slowly. "Dey do teach you how to fall though." He smiled. "Mostly, down." He turned a backward handstand on to the railing.

"You're certainly in a good mood." Jean noticed.

"It's been a good day so far." He shrugged – which meant he did an upside-down pushup. "and it's my first Thanksgiving."

"It is?" Jean hadn't known.

"American holiday." He said, taking a few careful steps (still on his hands) down the rail. "But I hear it's delicious." He smiled and vaulted back on to his feet before easing down in to one of the lounge chairs that faced Jean. "I saw a whole show about it on the learning channel." He said. "About how the Puritans outlawed decadent Christmas dinners and so they moved the old English menu to the new holiday."

"Really?" Jean said "I never heard that."

"Da." He smiled. "The smell inside is already making me crazy." He sighed. "I'll dream well tonight." He nodded. "A full belly does it every time." He thumped his thick finger on his taught stomach, making a hollow sound.

Jean smirked. The elf certainly was good company.

"I did all my dreaming last night." She said absently.

"Hows dat?" He asked, almost distractedly, but showing her his undivided attention.

"I had this dream last night." She shrugged. "I think I have the same dream every year."

"Really?" He sat up, kind of surprised.

"Yeah." She bit her lower lip. "But I'm not sure it's a dream." She shook her head "This morning I thought . . ."

"Thought what?" He said quietly, sincerely interested.

She looked at him, directly in the eye. "I was sure it was a memory." She said "Someone else's memory. Maybe Wolverines."

"Vat vas dis dream?" He asked slowly.

"I was falling, in the rain, without my powers." She found herself amazed at how easy Kurt was to talk to. "I couldn't stop myself." She swallowed. "I thought I was going to die."

Kurt nodded. "So you vanted to go flying later." It was a statement, not a question.

"Yeah." She agreed before continuing "And then I always wake up."

Kurt seemed to process this.

"And I have this dream every year" She suddenly looked exhausted. "And if I had gone back to bed this morning, I would have gone right back in to it, and spent the morning running through the woods from the lights in the distance."

"And you don't know what it's about, or who's memory it really is?" Kurt was surprised.

"No clue." She surrendered.

"Wow." Wheels were spinning in his head without anything to take tread on. "So you've been up since early this morning?" He realized.

Jean yawned. "Yeah. Too long." She shook her head. "I'll need a nap before dinner."

"Did you ever ask Wolverine if the memory was his?" Kurt suddenly wondered.

Jean looked shocked at the idea. "You know, I never thought about it before, but I never really mention it to anyone." She smiled at him. "You're really easy to talk to."

Kurt smiled and shrugged. "It's a gift." He told her, thinking of Rogue. "And a curse." He added, realizing that Jeans honesty and her confession of fear, were entrusted to him, and that he could pass them no further.

"Where's Scott?" Kurt suddenly wondered out loud.

Jean laughed. "He's trying to help the caterers set up the expresso machine." She shot his a sly smile. "But I wouldn't go in there. It's probably not safe."

Kurt smiled down at her as he stood up. "Sleep sweet Jean." He told her.

"Thanks Kurt." She smiled back. "I will."

Kurt bowed again politely and did a ferocious back flip up in to the air. He landed soundlessly on the railing, this time on his feet before bending backwards far enough to grab the rail and letting his legs rise up in to the air, before walking away on his hands, and waving goodbye with his tail.

Jean giggled at him. "Happy Thanksgiving Kurt." She called after him.

"Yeah." He smiled and upside-down grin at her. "You too." He called back.

Kurt took two more hand-steps down the railing before vaulting on to the walkway below.

Rahne ran by in her wolf form, soaking wet and casting devious glances from side to side as she walked.

"Don't look now." Kurt whispered out of the side of his mouth. "But Jubilee's sneaking from tree to tree over there, down-wind of us." He motioned with his eyes.

The little wolf girl broke in to a wide grin. She lowered her head politely and woofed once, soflty.

"You're velcome." Kurt bowed back.

And Rahne turned on a dime and took off on a run, pounding the earth beneath her toward the distant trees.

A moment later there was a shriek, a chase, a burst of light, and a flurry of growls, barks, and playful snapping – Followed by another shriek and the kind of splash that can only be made by a girl in a yellow coat falling in to a pool.