The truth

~*~

I've been waitin' for so long

For somethin' to arrive

For love to come along

Now our dreams are comin' true

Through the good times and the bad

Yeah, I'll be standin' there by you

-Bryan Adams

~*~

Kitty walked down stairs smiling happily. Scott saw her and raised an eyebrow. "You seem to be in a good mood," he said. "Any reason?"

"Just had a goodnight," she said getting out some things to help him make breakfast.

"Ah, and the little kiss between you and Wisdom had nothing to do with it?" Scott inquired.

Kitty turned to him in shock. "How did you know about that?"

Scott smiled shaking his head. "Kit, this is a small mansion, you can't exactly keep things secret here."

"True," Kitty said. "I'm just surprised word spread so fast."

"Kitty, are you sure you want to be with a guy like him?" Scott asked beginning to make the eggs.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, Kit, he's not exactly young."

"I know, but after everything I've been through with the X-Men, I'm not exactly a child."

Scott smiled wryly. "Touché, I just don't want to see you get hurt."

"And I appreciate your concern, I really do, but I can take care of myself."

"Just be careful."

"I will, Scott. You don't have to worry."

"Not to mention, how are you going to act in his class?"

"The same way I acted when Ororo taught it," Kitty shrugged. "I'll sleep."

This caused a laugh from the team leader. "And how many times did you get punished for that?"

"I can't help it," Kitty said. "History is so boring." He shook his head turning his attention back to making breakfast. Fifteen minutes later Logan came in and sniffed the area.

"What're we havin'?" he asked sitting down. Scott read off the day's menu.

"You could make yourself useful, Logan," Kitty said. "Make the coffee, before Scott ruins it." Logan looking horrified at the thought of Scott making the coffee got up to do so. Rogue and Remy came in together and a few minutes later Pete walked in.

"It is way too bloody early," he muttered.

"We do have school this morning, Mr. Wisdom," Kitty said. He smiled seeing her.

"And are you wearing that?" he asked smirking when he saw that the others were already dressed and Kitty was still a tank top and a pair of boxer shorts.

"Kit, you might want to get ready," Rogue said. "Ah'll take over." Kitty nodded in thanks and went back up the stairs. She got into a baby blue blouse and a pair of jeans. Pete was standing at her door as she started to exit the room.

"Pete," she said surprised. "What's wrong?"

"Nothin'," he said. "Just wondering how we're gonna play this."

"Well, even if we wanted to hide it we couldn't, everyone knows. So are we together or was last night just a . . . um . . . impulse."

"Of course it was an impulse. I don't plan kisses, Pryde, that's something that just happens. But I don't regret it if that's what you think. Luv, I have to tell you, I don't know how much longer I can stay here."

"Why?" He walked in shutting the door behind him and sat down on her bed.

"It's a long story. To tell the short version, I'm not a teacher."

"Huh? So what are you?"

He chuckled. "Well. I'm a secret agent."

She raised her eyebrows. "Uh-huh."

"I worked for a agency called Black Air. That's all I can tell you and still keep you safe. I came here because they killed one of me best mates."

"I don't understand."

"I came here t' hide out. I killed the people who were responsible for his death and knew I had to get out of there. If I had stayed they would have killed me."

"Why the institute?"

"They never would `ave thought to look for me at a school. But that car last night, that was them."

"How do you know?"

"Gut feeling."

"This is a lot to take in."

"I know. I just had to tell you."

"Why don't you tell the professor? He'd help you."

"I can't let him fight me battle for me, Pryde."

"But you'll get killed. I mean; there are probably a lot of them. You can't go against them alone."

"I have to. These guys will tear the institute apart. I can't lead them here."

"When are you going to leave?"

"I don't know. I'm surprised you believe me."

"Well, I look at it this way, after everything that I've seen why shouldn't I believe that you're a secret agent running from a top secret organization?"

He smiled wryly. "It sounds silly when you say it like that."

"So why tell me?"

"I figured you deserved to know more than anyone."

"This means I have to keep it to myself."

"Until I leave."

"This figures."

"What?"

"This. I find I guy I start to have feelings for and he's going to leave. I just can't like a guy I can have."

"You can `ave me, Pryde, hopefully I won't `ave t' leave anytime soon." He slipped an arm around her.

"But you will have to leave." She sighed leaning into him. "We have to go downstairs. School starts in a few minutes." He nodded and stood.

"I'll see you in class, Miss Pryde."

"And I'll try to stay awake, Mr. Wisdom." He kissed her on the cheek before leaving. Kitty went down the stairs.

Jubilee rushed up to her. "What happened?"

"Nothing," Kitty said rolling her eyes.

"Kit," Jubilee sighed, "sometimes you disappoint me." Kitty stuck her tongue out at her friend. History was incidentally Kitty's last class; she found that it was a lot more interesting when she was listening to Pete's gruff voice.

Pete himself was about to go crazy by the time his last class walked in. This was insane. He was not a bloody babysitter. Then he saw Kitty walking in with Rogue and Jubilee. Kitty smiled at him before pulling out a notebook. The other two girls sat next to her as he pulled out a seating chart.

"Screw that," he said throwing it in the trash. "Sit wherever you want. Honestly, I don't give a damn." The class exchanged surprised and amused glances. "Now, my notes here tell me that you're studyin' the US government." He sighed deeply. "My condolences." He sat on the desk. "So, tell me what you know." They exchanged glances but no one spoke. "This figures. Come on, anyone." Kitty raised her hand. "Miss Pryde?"

"We have three branches, Executive, Legislative, and Judicial," she listed. He nodded with a brief smile.

"Teacher's pet," Rogue teased. Jubilee opened her mouth.

"Don't even start," Kitty hissed to her friend.

"Anythin' else?" Pete asked. Kitty raised her hand again sighing. He nodded to her and she began to talk about various facts from the history of their government. "Okay, obviously, Miss Pryde doesn't need this class," Pete said impressed. "Due t' that, she can tutor anyone who needs help."

"Don't I have to agree to that?" Kitty asked.

"No," he smirked. "Okay, so, now we know where we are."

"And we're leaving," Bobby said looking at the clock. "See ya, teach." The others filed out. Kitty waited until they had left before approaching Pete at the desk.

"Tutoring all of them?"

"I'm sure you won't have t' tutor everyone," Pete shrugged. "So, how'd you know so much about this?"

"Stuff I remember from other classes," she shrugged. He slid off of the desk stepping directly in front of her.

"So how'd I do?"

"Not bad."

"Thank you, Miss Pryde," he smiled. They walked out together. "So any homework tonight?"

"No," she said softly.

"Good, in that case would you let me take you t' dinner?"

"Yeah," she said smiling shyly.

"Six good for you?" he asked.

"That's fine." He smiled kissing her on the cheek.

"I'll see you then." He walked away.

Kitty smiled going up to her room. "He asked me on a date," she told Rogue excitedly.

"That's ten ya owe me," Rogue told Jubilee. She looked at Kitty. "Ah told her that you two were probably just talking, she opted for a make out session."

"Making bets on my love life?" Kitty asked sitting on her bed.

"I'm just hoping that I'll get to live vicariously," Jubilee sighed. The other two girls scoffed. "What?"

"Jubes, we can put two and two together," Kitty said calmly.

"You + Bobby = showers in the morning," Rogue said. "We just choose not to grill you on it."

"But," Kitty said. "Now that we're on the subject . . ."

"I hate you," Jubilee sighed.

"Well, spill," Rogue said.

"Fine!" Jubilee exclaimed. "Okay, what do you want to know?"

"First time," Rogue told her.

"Bobby's room," Jubilee said. "St. John was out with you two, watching a movie. We were in his room listening to a CD when he leaned over and kissed me. Things just escalated from there."

"So, how is he?" Rogue asked.

"Marie!" Kitty said surprised.

"Hush," Rogue said, "Ah know you were thinkin' about it too."

"Yes, but I wouldn't have said it."

"Yeah, Kit's a teacher's pet," Jubilee smiled.

"Do you think I should talk to the professor about transferring out of his class?" Kitty asked.

"Nah," Jubilee said. "The prof knows. He is psychic after all."

"So, what should I wear?" Kitty asked. The two girls grinned both grabbing one of Kitty's arms and dragging her up. They then proceeded to pick out her clothes for her.

"So where's he taking you?" Rogue asked.

"I didn't ask," Kitty admitted. Jubilee pulled out some of her tighter more revealing clothes while singing "Hot for Teacher" under her breath. "Jubes," Kitty said sweetly.

"Yes?" Jubilee asked sitting down a miniskirt and looking up just in time to be struck with a pillow.

"Hey!" Jubilee exclaimed grabbing the pillow and retaliating.

"This means war," Kitty declared approaching her friend with another pillow. The two pounded on each other with pillows as Rogue looked on in amusement. Looking at their other friend the two girls exchanged glances and threw their pillows at her. Rogue grabbed both of them and attacked the two.

"Ahem," a softly amused voice said. The three girls looked up from the sea of feathers.

"Hi, Remy," Rogue said blushing.

"Bonjour, chere," he smiled. "You three look like you were having fun."

"They started it," Rogue said.

"Jubes started it," Kitty corrected.

"You hit me first!" Jubilee exclaimed.

"You were singing that song!" Kitty reminded her.

"What song?" Remy asked.

"'Hot for Teacher'," Rogue smirked. "Jubes got that on a CD just for the two of us."

"Vraiment?" Remy asked raising an eyebrow.

"When we started datin' she played it over and over again," Rogue said.

"Can I help it if you and Kitty have a thing for older guys," Jubilee asked. Kitty rolled her eyes.

"Can we get back to what we were talking about?" she asked. "What am I going to wear?"

"Ah yes, Monsieur Wisdom told Remy that he was taking you out," Remy said walking over to Kitty's closet. He pulled out a fairly nice dress. "This will work for where you're going."

"Where is that?" Kitty asked looking at the dress.

"Remy has been sworn to secrecy, petite," he said calmly. "Chere?" Rogue smiled and took his arm. The two walked away.

"The boy has taste," Jubilee said.

"Remy?"

"No, your boy. Taking you to an actual restaurant."

"Pete? Have you seen the way he dresses?" she asked but smiled warmly. "Taste isn't his best trait." She put the dress and the other things away.

"`Ey now, it's not nice t' insult people when they `ave no chance to defend themselves," a gruff male voice said from the doorway. Kitty turned and a smile lit her face.

"I'm going to go find Bobby," Jubilee said. "You two have fun, all alone in this big room." She winked at Kitty before walking away. She shut the door behind her. Kitty shook her head patting the bed where she was sitting. He sat down beside her. "'No taste'?" he asked raising an eyebrow. Kitty smiled kissing him softly. "What happened in here?" he asked looking around.

"Pillow fight," Kitty said. "Jubes was singing "Hot for Teacher.""

Pete chuckled. He leaned closer leering at her. "Are you?" She shoved him away playfully.