Prom ends

.

I'm all out of faith, this is how I feel

I'm cold and I am shamed

Lying naked on the floor

Illusion never changed into something real

-Nathalie Imbuglia

.

A few minutes later Pietro rushed over to him. "Follow me," he said.

"Why?" Lance asked.

"There's something you need to hear." Lance followed Pietro over to where two jocks were talking.

"I bet him a hundred bucks," Jock # 1 said.

"How's he gonna do it?" Jock # 2 asked.

"How else?" Jock # 1 said. "He's going to drug her, hell, he probably already has. You know how Ron is." Lance froze hearing this and turned back seeing that Kitty and her date were gone. He went to Jock # 1 and slammed him against the wall

"Where is he taking her?" he demanded.

"Dude, chill," Jock # 1 pleaded.

"Alvers, back off," Scott said. Pietro wondered briefly if Summers had a tracking device on them.

"Where are they?" Lance yelled.

"Where's who?" Scott asked.

"Kitty's date drugged her," Pietro said. "These guys knew about it."

"I'm not going to tell you anything," Jock # 1 said. Scott punched him knocking him out.

"Damn it, Summers, you idiot!" Lance yelled. "How are we going to find her now?"

"Ron drugged Kitty?" Jean asked. Rogue also approached to see what was happening.

"They just left," Pietro said. "I'll run ahead and see if I can find her." Everyone looked at him in shock and he rolled his eyes looking at Lance. "If anything happens to her, you'll be twice as annoying."

"Right," Lance said. "Thanks." Pietro nodded and took off.

"What happened?" Rogue demanded. Jean quickly explained. "That bastard did WHAT?"

"Okay," Scott said. "We need to split up, whoever finds her first calls the institute." He looked at Lance.

"That's fine," Lance said and left. He walked out quietly listening for any sound. Then he walked out of the building and into the parking lot. He went to the parking lot. Ron's car was there but no Ron. "Damn it!" he exclaimed. He got into his jeep and drove slowly down the street. He pulled over seeing a Motel 6. "Bingo." He pulled over and jumped out. He went to the guy in charge. "Did a guy come in here with a sick looking girl?"

"Yes, but-"

"Which room are they in?"

"I'm not-"

Lance grabbed him by his shirt collar. "Which room are they in?" he repeated.

"180."

"Good boy." He released the man and went to find the room. He went to the room and tried the door. To his luck it was unlocked. Kitty was lying on the bed still trying to fight as Ron pinned her down and groped her. "Get away from her," Lance whispered not trusting his voice or his anger.

"You gonna stop me, Alvers?" Ron asked.

A smile that would have made Wolverine nervous touched Lance's lips. "I was really hoping that you wouldn't listen," he admitted. He went over to the bed and grabbed Ron tossing him into the wall. "I really want to hurt you." Ron got to his feet and Lance punched him.

He thought about using his powers but discovered that hitting the guy was much more satisfying. "You're really lucky that Kitty is so nice I want to kill you," he told Ron. He settled for punching Ron a few more times until the football player lapsed into unconsciousness.

Lance glared at the boy kicking him once more before going back to the bed. Kitty was sobbing and shaking. Apparently the drug hadn't worked very well. She was very much aware of what was going on. "Why didn't you phase through the bed, pretty kitty?" he asked pulling her to her feet. Kitty launched herself into his arms. He held her for a few seconds then stepped away noting that she wouldn't let go of his arm. "Come on, we need to get you back to the Institute."

"No," she said. "I don't want to face them."

"Kitty-"

"Just not yet."

"Why?"

"Duh, I mean, they'll be all like: 'we're sorry, do you, like, want to talk about it'?" She still clung to his arm. "Please, can we just go back to your place?"

/Okay, apparently she is drugged, she wants to go home with me./ He sighed. It was a dream come true, but now he couldn't let it happen. "You're drugged, you need to get checked out."

"I don't wanna."

"Kitten-"

She smiled at him through her tears. "I like that nickname. It's, like, really cute."

"I have to-"

She held onto his arm tighter and shook her head. "No. I don't wanna go!"

He sighed. "Hey, I have to call, we'll see what your professor says." He picked up the phone and dialed the Institute.

"Speak," a clipped male voice said.

"Wolverine?" Lance asked. He looked at Kitty who had moved so she had her head buried in his chest but was still clinging to him.

"Yeah, who's this?"

"Lance, I need to speak to the professor."

"This about half-pint?"

"Half-pint?" Lance asked.

"Mr. Logan," Kitty whispered against the jacket of his tux.

"Yeah, Kitty," Lance said.

"Just a minute."

"Lance, did you find her?" the professor asked.

"Yeah, she's at a Motel 6 with me."

"How is she?"

"She's trembling and she won't let go of me."

"She's bound to be terrified. And the young man?"

"I knocked him out."

"Good."

"What?" Lance asked confused.

"It took a lot of self-control not to kill him, Mr. Alvers. I'm impressed."

"There's a problem."

"She doesn't want to go home."

"You really do frighten me."

"She's telling me," Xavier explained chuckling.

"Oh. Should I bring her anyhow?"

"Where else would you take her?"

"Uh, my house?"

"Lance-"

"I know what you're thinking but I wouldn't touch her. She doesn't want to go over there so I figured that she could stay with me. Just for the night. I promise that she'd be safe."

"I believe you, Lance."

"You do?"

"Bring her home early tomorrow. Take care of her."

Lance couldn't believe his ears. "I will."

"Now, I must tell the others."

"And Pietro," Lance said. "He was looking too."

"Ah, tell him that we're grateful."

Lance smiled wanly. "I doubt that he would want to hear that. actually, I might tell him."

"We're grateful to you as well."

"It was no problem," Lance said. He hung up. "Okay, kitten, we're going to go to my house." She smiled up at him as he led her out of the hotel and to his Jeep. He drove back to his house. Todd and Fred were sitting on the couch watching South Park.

"Hey, you're back early, yo," Todd said.

"What happened to her?" Fred asked. Lance looked at Kitty who was still clinging to his arm. Her mascara had been running and she was still trembling.

"Long story," Lance said.

"Some guy drugged her," Pietro said walking in.

"Okay. . . or a short story," Lance said slowly.

"Listen, Rocky, I had to have the professor in my head!" Pietro exclaimed. "You owe me big!"

"I know," Lance said. "Thanks, man." Kitty yawned burying her head in his chest. "I think I should get her upstairs." He helped Kitty up the stairs. He showed her the bathroom and waited in the hall until she came back out. She came back and once again grabbed his arm. He led her into his room. He handed her one of his shirts. "Here, pretty kitty, get dressed."

"The zipper's in the back," she told him. He swallowed and stepped behind her unzipping her dress. He turned allowing her privacy so she could get into the shirt. She sat down on his bed watching him as he took off his tuxedo. He turned back just wearing boxers. For an instant he lost his breath. She looked so adorable sitting there in his shirt. She looked at home, like she was his girlfriend. He sighed. Like what she would never be.

"You can sleep in here," he whispered huskily. "I'm um, going to sleep downstairs."

To his shock, her eyes filled with tears. "Don't you still want me?"

"I want you a lot, pretty kitty," Lance said. "That's the problem."

"Then stay, please stay," Kitty pleaded. She stood and took his arm. "I don't want to be alone." He went back to the bed and climbed under the covers holding them open for her. She smiled climbing into the bed with him. She laid her head on his chest still clinging to him as she drifted off to sleep.

"I really hope you won't be pissed in the morning," Lance whispered. "Goodnight, Kitty."