I don't own the X-Men. They, and any other major characters in this story, belong to Marvel. I'm making no money off of this, either - blah, blah, blah, standard disclaimer stuff.

Just a Couple of Kids, After All...
by Sue Penkivech

Chapter 30
Epilogue

The Neo left on Thursday morning, taking with them Rogue and Remy and leaving Cailin behind, much to her delight and Hank's chagrin. Nonetheless, Kitty suspected they were going to hit it off just fine - Hank had finally found someone to talk with who always understood exactly what he was saying, and whose warped sense of humor paralleled his own. Cailin had already found his hidden Twinkie stash and re-hidden it elsewhere, reorganized his files into categories of "Spikes", "Flats", and "Others", and covered the eyepiece of his microscope with black paint. Needless to say, he was now walking around with a black monocle around his eye, contrasting nicely with his fur, but instead of being angry, he actually seemed rather proud of her. Kitty noted, however, that he did make her return his files to their original order.

Domina pulled Kitty aside and told her that she and Bobby were welcome to visit, leaving behind the address of their permanent residence and requesting that Kitty not share it with her teammates. Kitty diplomatically refrained from pointing out that they already had that information from the Neo's records and assured Domina she would not give the data she received "from her" to anyone.

Amarantha was more enthusiastic, hugging Kitty and assuring her that if her sister was anything like her she'd welcome her into the family gladly, which took Kitty aback until she remembered her discussion with Amarantha the day of the aborted meeting. Grinning evilly, Kitty realized she had the perfect ammunition to use against Jubilee in retaliation for some of her recent actions.

She'd gone back to class on Thursday afternoon, accepting the sympathy her classmates and professors expressed over her "accident" while answering their questions as vaguely as possible. When she left her last class of the day she'd found Bobby waiting for her in the hall, a sheepish grin on his face and a bouquet of flowers in his hand. Her classmate Sherri whispered that she'd gladly be in a car accident if it meant a guy that cute would bring HER flowers, and Kitty had felt her face grow warm.

Bobby's temperature was still fluctuating, but not as drastically, when they'd gone out the following night. He wasn't a half bad dancer, she had to admit, and what he lacked in ability he more than made up for in enthusiasm. Surprisingly, when the music had slowed he'd swept her into a more-than-adequate waltz. Her amazement must have shown on her face, because he'd laughed.

"My mom taught me when I was a kid. Said the best thing about having a son was that she'd finally have someone to dance with at weddings - my dad wouldn't dance if his life depended on it."

"What's she like, your mom?" Kitty asked while they'd danced. Aside from some grumblings about his relationship with his father, which apparently still had its ups and downs, he hadn't said much about his parents.

"Oh, she's ok," Bobby shrugged. "Well, more than ok, really. She was just awfully overprotective when I was a kid, and she hated the whole idea of me running around fighting super-villains when she found out about it."

"Can't exactly blame her," Kitty said, considering.

"I suppose not," he answered grudgingly. "How'd yours take it?"

"Couldn't care less," Kitty replied disgustedly. "Of course, that probably has a lot to do with Phoenix's intervention when I joined the X-Men. My parents hadn't wanted me to come to Xavier's, you see," she answered Bobby's puzzled look. "So Phoenix 'persuaded' them. As a side affect, they pretty much forgot all about me."

"Jean did that?" Bobby asked, amazed.

"No, Phoenix did, it was right after Jean died - oh, you know what I mean!" she said, not in the mood to delve into the whole "who was Phoenix when" issue.

"Damn manipulative telepaths," Bobby said sympathetically. "The Professor mind-wiped my parents so they wouldn't know I was with the X-Men when I joined. My mom nearly had a heart attack when she found out. How are things with them now?"

"Oh, I talk to my dad once in a while - he's in the witness protection program. He and my mom got a divorce quite a while back. My mom - hmmm, don't remember the last time I talked to her. We never got along all that well even before my powers manifested; I think I embarrassed her. I mean, instead of focusing on make-up and clothes, I was interested in science and technology. The only thing I ever did that she approved of was ballet - at least that was a 'proper, ladylike hobby," she answered, rolling her eyes.

Bobby'd laughed. "So, do I get to meet them?"

"Do you want to?" Kitty asked, amazed. Pete had never been interested in meeting her family; he'd complained that he had enough to deal with his own without "any bloody extras".

"I probably should," he'd answered, leaning in and kissing her. "I imagine they'd like to meet the guy who's dating their daughter."

"What about yours?" she'd asked, changing the subject. She wasn't really sure her mother would care one way or the other, but it would be kind of nice to introduce Bobby to her dad...she wondered if there was any way to work that out without exposing his identity.

He stopped for a moment and pretended to consider it. "I think they'd be kind of concerned if they met the guy who was dating their daughter, since they don't have one," he finally replied, and she'd laughed. "It sounds awfully Summers-ish, don't you think?"

"You know what I mean!"

"Umm...sure. Actually, I'd like that. But you need to take my dad with a grain of salt," he'd warned her. "He has a knack for getting off on the wrong foot with people."

Kitty'd chuckled. "I know - Rogue warned me," she admitted at his puzzled look. "Still, he can't be all bad - he stood up for mutants on national TV, after all."

"Still having trouble believing that," Bobby said, shaking his head as if trying to wake up from a dream. "He was the one who always wanted me to hide what I was. Well, Mom too, but mostly Dad. But he might actually like you," he said smiling, but she could tell he wasn't at all sure, both by the look in his eyes and the fact that his temperature dropped by several degrees. "I'll talk to them when we get back - maybe you could come over for dinner?"

"Sounds like a plan," she'd replied, hoping she didn't sound as nervous about the prospect as she was.

As promised, he'd called his parents the next morning, and his mother had been so thrilled about the idea of her son having a girlfriend whom he "wanted" them to meet that she'd invited them for dinner that evening. When Bobby'd explained that they already had plans, his mother had proclaimed herself crushed. Her disappointment was only lessened by a reminder that he'd be home the next day, and a promise that Kitty'd come over for dinner during the week.

They'd reluctantly split up for most of the day; Bobby had mentioned some "things" he needed to take care of, so she'd gone off to the computer lab with Seth, who'd come to visit Jubilee. While they worked on patching the few remaining security gaps in he'd noted during his hack of the system, Logan had stopped by, grunted, and commented that for the amount of work she did in there Jean should be paying her a salary. Which gave her an idea...

Resolutely, she'd gone down to Jean's office and knocked on the door.

"Come on in, Kitty," Jean had said, and it took Kitty a moment to realize that Jean must've had her inhibitor collar removed. Tit for tat, she'd phased through the door.

"What? Oh, hi Kitty. Come have a seat," Jean said, gesturing at the chair in front of her desk. She'd pulled her hand through her hair, dropped it, and shook her head.

"I don't know how the professor did it," she said exhaustedly. "I can't keep up with the paperwork, let alone deal with Scott's responsibilities as team leader."

"Well, the professor was never in his first trimester, either," Kitty pointed out, and Jean laughed, pushing into Kitty's mind an image of the Professor, his hand on an obviously pregnant stomach.

Once Kitty'd stopped laughing, she said, "Then too, you just said it yourself - you're trying to do his job and Scott's. Delegate Scott's to Ororo or Kurt, and do the Professor's."

"You make it sound so easy," Jean replied, mock-glaring at her, then sighed. "But you're right. An administrative assistant wouldn't be a bad idea either, if we're planning to re-open the school."

"Are you?" Kitty asked, surprised. "I hadn't heard anything about that."

"Ororo, Logan and I've been discussing it the last couple of days," she shrugged. "To judge by the news, the High Evolutionary's actions have awakened mutant powers in any number of adolescents who might otherwise have remained latent. They'll need a place to go, and that's what Xavier's was originally designed for, after all."

"True," Kitty agreed, remembering her conversation on that topic with Bobby. "You might want to look up Xi'an Coy Manh and see what she's doing these days; she did the job for the Professor at one point."

"A good idea," Jean said, cribbling a note and sticking it on her phone. "But I don't think that's what you're here to see me about, is it?"

"Can't keep secrets from a telepath," Kitty replied, laughing. "No, I had an idea. You know I'm planning on moving out of the mansion..."

"Yes," Jean replied, rolling her eyes. "You've got Logan's full support on that one, by the way. And mine, to be honest, though I'll miss you - and your work on our computer systems."

"Well, I'm sure I'll be stopping by," Kitty commented, thankful that Jean had given her the opening she'd wanted. "As for the computer systems..."

*************************************

"So she agreed?" Bobby asked, grinning at her from across the table.

"Without hesitation," Kitty said smugly. "In fact, she told me the Professor had some contacts who might be interested as well and that she'd get me their names. Warren *did* suggest they hire a professional, didn't he? Well, I certainly know the mansion's systems better than anyone they could find - I'd say that makes me a professional. Especially once I get some business cards printed."

"Congratulations!" Bobby replied, raising his glass, and she obligingly raised her own and clinked it with his. They were at a restaurant - Bobby had pulled in around six o'clock wearing a coat, tie, and pants that actually weren't wrinkled, and told her to get dressed up, they were going out. It was lucky for him that she still had the dress she'd worn to Scott and Jean's wedding in her closet, that it still fit, and that unlike many of the other women at the mansion it didn't take her hours to get ready. They'd ended up at a nice French restaurant; not the type she'd normally picture Bobby making reservations at, and her suspicions were confirmed when he self-consciously mentioned that he'd gotten the recommendation from Betsy. The food had been excellent, and Bobby'd already gotten the bill, so they were just sitting around, enjoying each others' company. When he didn't wince at the total, she pulled it out of his hand and glared at him.

"No insult intended, but your charge card isn't going to bounce, is it? You shouldn't have done this - I'd have been just as happy going to Harry's," she told him after he handed it and his charge card to the waiter. More so, to be honest, though she didn't share that with him.

"It won't," he replied, grinning evilly. "When Betsy gave me the recommendation, she also handed me Warren's charge card. I figure he kind of owes us, so I accepted - not that I wouldn't have paid for it myself," he clarified quickly, misinterpreting the look on her face, which was actually hysterical laughter trying to break out. "I'd planned to, but hey, who'd pass up an offer like that?"

"Not me," she'd agreed when she could finally trust herself to open her mouth.

"So, you were saying about your new business..." he asked, changing the subject.

"Yeah, well, the rate's enough, given the frequency with which the Xavier Institute has computer problems, to pay for a half of a shared apartment and whatever expenses my scholarship doesn't pick up, so there's one problem solved," she said, sipping her drink.

"Hmmm," Bobby had said noncommittally. "Got anything lined up?"

"Not yet," she admitted. "Though Sherri - she's the girl in my class I was with when you stopped by - said her roommate might be moving out next month. I'll have to see."

"Oh. Well you know, I had another idea," he said, fiddling with his napkin nervously.

"Really? What?" Kitty asked, hoping she knew where this was going.

"Well, you know you told Hank you'd make sure I went back to see him if my temperature kept dropping..."

"Yeah, I seem to remember that conversation," she replied leadingly.

"It seemed to me it might be a little hard to do that if you weren't there," he said, his eyes getting that mischievous sparkle she found so endearing. "I mean, I could LIE to you over the phone, right?"

"Hmm, you've got a good point," she replied, pretending to consider it carefully. "I'd pretty much have to be with you for the next couple of weeks to make sure you were telling the truth."

"That's what I thought," he said excitedly. "And I KNOW you wouldn't want to break a promise to Hank..."

"Of course not," she replied indignantly.

"See? And you know, once you were there for a couple of weeks, it might kind of feel like home, and moving's a real hassle..."

"Oh definitely."

"So...all joking aside, Kit - would you like to move in with me?" Bobby asked, taking her hands.

"I'd love to," she replied.

***************************************

After going out to the car, they got on the highway and began heading east, and Kitty hoped he hadn't decided to accept his mother's invitation after all. But he turned off near Port Washington instead, his fingers drumming along with Bare Naked Lady's "Falling for the First Time" on the steering wheel.

They traveled a few minutes longer before Bobby turned off the main road onto a residential street lined primarily with apartment buildings, and pulled up to the curb in front of one on the corner. Pulling her along like a kid in a toy store, Bobby dragged her up two flights of stairs, stopping when he began fiddling with a set of keys and unlocking the door on the right. They walked in, and she peered around the small apartment. The only light came from the traffic outside and a slight glow from the room down the hall. She noted that there were lots of windows - Lockheed would certainly approve.

"What do you think?" Bobby asked nervously, setting the duffel bag down on the counter and rummaging through it to produce a flashlight.

"It's nice," she replied, going over to the window and looking down onto the street, watching a fair amount of traffic going past.

"Liar," he laughed, "but it's mine, or it will be on the first anyway. I asked the landlord to borrow the keys for the night - I wanted to be able to show it to you if you said yes. Come on, I'll give you the grand tour."

Kitty laughed, trying to imagine how "grand" a tour you could make out of something she suspected consisted of a livingroom/kitchen, a bedroom, and a bath, but nonetheless enthusiastically followed along.

"The walls are being painted next week," he assured her as she glanced at those in the hallway, which were covered with knicks and black marks, probably leftover from when the previous tenants moved out. "Here's the bathroom," he said, pointing the flashlight into a small bath she guessed would be aqua in the daylight, and noted that it had a full size shower. "There are two bedrooms - kinda overkill, I know, but if we use one as an office neither of us will have to rent space somewhere else, at least not for a while. Here's the smaller one," he said, and she saw a room somewhat larger than the bath, and chuckled at the thought of cramming computer equipment inside. Oh well, she'd manage, she knew. After all, it was unlikely she'd have had any more room at Sheri's, and probably less. "And here's the other," he added, turning the flashlight off and opening the door.

"Oh, Bobby - this is beautiful," she said, taking in a dozen candles of various shapes and sizes, a bottle of something - she guessed champagne - and a still in-the-bag electric blanket.

"I got some help setting things up from Hank," he admitted, pulling her to him. "You know, this isn't how I expected my vacation to go..." he began, but she interrupted.

"Complaining?"

"Nah," he said, leaning in and kissing her. "Come on over here to the window - there's a great view."

"Bobby!" she laughed as she looked out, taking in the cars traveling down the road and the apartment across the street. She turned away from the window to look at him, and blushed, realizing he wasn't looking outside at all.

"Yup," he said, tilting his head and looking at her. "Even better than at the mansion. It's got a really great view.

There was no further conversation for a long time.

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Author's Note:  This is it, folks.  There WILL be a sequel, or rather, a series of one-shots, but I'm taking a break from writing Bobby and Kitty's adventures for a bit to catch up with real life.  I'd like to thank everyone who made this story possible, especially:

Harry, Wishful Thinking, KnowInsight, and Brightstar, for reviewing every chapter whether here or at Fonts of Wisdom and continuously asking for more.

Escaflowne for a lot of moral support.

All the people on Icekateers for answering a LOT of silly canon questions.

Everyone else who reviewed or e-mailed their feedback, positive and negative.

And most of all, Luba Kmetyk, for telling me that if I wrote it she'd archive it, for never letting me take the easy way out, even when I wanted to, and for correcting my many mistakes before they saw print.  Luba – you're the best!

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