Woo everybody! Speech is written, and only needs a few little adjustments, so I'm back in business with the stories, and a lot quicker than I expected.

Black-rose23 and Nari1, thank you for your reviews :D

X-fan and pyros-gal thank you for your reviews and for wishing me luck with the speech.

Black Kat Kisato – nope, nope, nope, nope and nope, 'fraid not. (That was basically a nope to each pairing you suggested) and I'm sorry but I don't know Pyro to write him! Lol.

Ok, I'm putting this in as chapter seven and leaving the authors note in so everyone knows that it's been updated, but after a while I'll take out the author's note.

After that random interlude, I'll get on with it…

DISCLAIMER: I owned a plate of sausage and chips for a short while earlier, but then I ate it and had to take the plate back to my mum, so I own nothing.

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--Chapter six—

The plan was simple, the bank had an alleyway along the side, Kitty would wait down there while the rest of the acolytes distracted the people in the bank. As soon as she got the signal (Pyro laughing – hopefully he'd manage to keep it in until the right time) she would walk through the wall, along a corridor and straight into the vault (they had the blueprints of the bank). She'd get the money and go out the same way, then walk through the wall at the back of the alley and the others would meet her round there.

Slipping into the alley to wait for the signal, Kitty was still nervous, still battling with herself. By the time the acolytes started their distraction, only ten minutes later, she had made up her mind, she would do it.

Unfortunately – or possibly fortunately, depending on your perspective – for Kitty, there happened to be a news crew doing a piece about the new shop just opened next door to the bank, and Rogue happened to be watching it, who had been watching the news with Lance every chance they got.

Her eyes were drooping, she guessed that if they were doing a feature about a new shop, there wouldn't be anything to help. But something kept her watching, so she was there to see Kitty slip down the alleyway at the side of the bank, causing her to sit bolt upright and shake Lance awake.

"Lance! Ah just saw Kitty!!" she yelled, and he woke with a start

"What!? Where??"

"On the news, she just went down that alleyway! Come on, we have to get down there!!"

"Uh…are you sure you're not just seeing things Rogue?" Lance looks concerned, and Rogue begins to look uncertain, until something on the screen catches her eye.

"Look! The acolahtes! We oughta get down there anyway, we can check out the alley whahle we're there…oh gawd, maybe she's with them!!!"

The two of them bolted out of the room to get whoever they could to come with them.

They arrived at the scene just ten minutes later, most of the group concentrating on stopping the acolytes in what seemed to be an attempted bank robbery. Of course the acolytes didn't care, it was just extra distraction.

Rogue headed straight for the alleyway, and Lance tried to follow, but got stopped by Gambit (who hadn't noticed Rogue),

"Can' let y'go down dere mon ami." The Cajun grinned, charging up a card, Lance gave up trying to get down the alley, to keep the attention away from Rogue, and turned to fight Gambit.

"Time to rock and roll." He smirks. ((A.N. Oh come on, Lance was there, bad rock puns!! It had to happen!))

As Rogue was half way down the alley, Kitty had her back to the entrance so hadn't seen her, Pyro started laughing maniacally ((A.N. Although I have it on good authority that he laughs no other way)) and Kitty turned to the wall, ready to phase through it.

"Kitty! Stop!!" Rogue yelled, sprinting the rest of the way, trying to grab hold of Kitty's now-insubstantial arm.

"Rogue!? What the…?" Kitty looks confused for a moment, stopping, but then she shakes her head "Go away Rogue, I have to do this."

"Hafta do what Kitty? Are…are you with the acolahtes??" Rogue drew her hand back, shocked, as Kitty nodded. "How could ya?"

"Because they….I have my reasons, just go away Rogue."

"No, ah won't, you can't do this Kitty, you know it's wrong!"

"I have to! I have to or they won't let me stay!"

"Whah would ya want ta??"

"Because I have nowhere else!"

"Ya have us!!"

"No I don't, not any more."

"What happened to ya Kitty?? Why did you leave?"

"Because…something happened, and none of you will understand, I had to leave."

"Kitty, how do ya even know if we'll understand if you won't fucking tell anyone!?!? Me and Lance have been worried sick lookin' for ya!"

"Y..you have?" she looks down, biting her lip. "I…I was just scared… I can't tell you, and you all ask too many questions."

"Kitty, it's not worth it, robbing a bank?? Just to stay with them! The acolahtes!!!"

"But...but,,," suddenly, Kitty realised none of her arguments made sense, tell the X-men, or rob a bank… But they'd never understand…

"Kitty, whatever it is, ya can tell us, we'll be there for ya…"

Kitty seemed reduced, weak and shy "You promise?" she whispers, Rogue nods fiercely "Ah promise."

Kitty nods again "OK, I can tell you, but not here…back at the mansion…"

Rogue nods, taking Kitty's now solid arm and leading her out the alleyway, back onto the street where the acolytes had already made their getaway.

They got back to the mansion, and Kitty asked that she could just talk to Rogue first, and explain it to everyone else later on… or maybe Rogue could explain it, she didn't want to have to go over things again, not these things…

So they went to the library and sat down in the corner, Rogue waiting patiently for Kitty to talk.

"Well…" she began, "It all started a few days ago…"

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Right, there you are, I think it's a little short so I'm sorry, but meh, if you would have rather had one long chapter than two short ones, blame Nari.

Please review, I want at least a few before I write the next chapter pleeeease! lol