So I'm back…thought I was gone forever did you? Well you were wrong!

X-Men Evolution does not belong to me. Jamie can be mine though…Cutey… :)

The Calm Before the Storm

*~*~*~*~*

The day of Wendy's party had come. Not soon enough, Jamie thought, recalling the very many near misses he had suffered over the past five days.

First, Bobby had returned, finding his curiosity over the mysterious package too hard to resist. Jamie had to ward him off with threats of blackmail, some as serious as memories of Bobby in Rogue's clothing. That shut him up quite nicely -- for the moment.

Then Kitty had let it slip to Rogue over breakfast the next day, and almost ruined his plans. Jamie had come down the stairs just in time to the overheard conversation.

*~*~*

Hearing their (or rather just Kitty's) excited voices, Jamie waited outside the doorway for Rogue and Kitty to leave the kitchen. He wasn't sure how well Kitty's friendliness was willing to extend once back inside the mansion.

"So yeah, then Jamie was like 'How do you know about Wendy?' It was so cute to see him like that!"

"Ah can just imagine." Rogue's voice drawled. She did not seem overly enthusiastic. "How're ya gonna get him outta here?"

"Well you know that this Saturday, Rick was having that party and Lance said he might be there so I thought– "

"Aw Kitty, not again," Rogue said with a groan. "Could ya just forget that loser?" It sounded as if this was a topic of much dispute. From his vantage point, Jamie noticed a movement further down the hall. The distinctive squeak of the Professor's un-oiled wheels announced to Jamie the worst possible presence imaginable.

"Whatever, Rogue." Kitty said, brushing aside any of Rogue's comments. Evidently, she had heard this conversation enough times to know where it was going. " As I was saying, this Saturday is Rick's party and I was going to sneak--"

Thinking desperately, Jamie threw himself into the kitchen and directly into the conversation. "Hi Kitty, what's up, I heard you talking to Rogue and I said 'Jamie you should go say hi to Kitty cause she was nice to you before and it would be nice to say hi back and its always nice to be nice', so I did and now I'm just gonna grab some breakfast cause Logan has to drive me to school and I don't want to bother you any more but I thought it was important to say hi and ask you how you morning has been, so tell me all about it, huh?" All one breath, pretty good, Jamie thought.

Kitty just gave him a look. Specifically, the Look that made her appear as if the world had just blindsided her and ran off with her sense of reality, or more accurately, Jamie had. Rogue's face mirrored her features, but with a hint of amusement thrown in. Then, in the awkward silence created by Jamie's outburst, they heard the wheelchair's approach. A knowing look appeared on Kitty's face and she mouthed "Whoops" across the table to Jamie.

Jamie heaved a sigh of relief. Safe; for now.

*~*~*

In addition to that very near miss, Kurt had accidentally bamfed right in the middle of Jamie's hiding place for Wendy's gift, and naturally couldn't be placated with a simple fit of yelling. That had taken another explanation and required placing trust in the mansion's resident troublemaker. Jamie couldn't imagine what he had been thinking.

By the time Friday came around, Jamie was sure the entire mansion, with exception to Logan and the Professor, knew about his plans. Kitty was always giving him these secret smiles when they passed in the hall, and Bobby had a somewhat malicious grin plastered on his face every so often. Even Rogue was acting strangely around him, making an effort to notice him rather than simply look around him when they were in the same room together.

Jamie didn't know what had caused it, but he had suddenly gone from the least appreciated member of the team to a mini-celebrity. He wasn't sure it was such a good thing after all.

*~*~*~*~*

Saturday morning, Jamie had woken up to a relatively quite mansion, as was to be expected. After all, the residents were all more or less of the teenage years and quite unwilling to see the sun when it could be helped. Jamie though couldn't sleep with all the excitement – or nervousness – coursing through his body. So in an effort to calm down, he began to make himself a large breakfast from the reserves of food to be found in the mansion's refrigerator.

It wasn't long though before the smells of cooking food roused someone from their bed. Rahne, who appeared as if sleepwalking, stumbled into the kitchen.

"Food," she croaked, and Jamie pondered whether or not she was really a brain-eating zombie in disguise. She staggered forwards a few more steps before slumping into a chair at the table. Unsure of the danger of this new presence proposed, Jamie held his spatula before him, ready to fend off any attacks. Rahne's sleepy eyes caught sight of the cooking implement and one eyebrow raised in amusement.

"Whatcha gonna do with that? Fry me up in a pan and eat me for breakfast?" She gave a wide yawn before turning back to Jamie. "If your going to go around cooking stuff this early in the morning for anyone to smell, then you're just going to have to accept the consequences of such actions," she said with a slight mocking tone in her voice.

Jamie just stood there, at a loss of what to do. He didn't want to be rude and ruin any chance he had at being accepted, but in the other hand he just wanted to be left alone. Every time he tried to hang out with the next oldest group of mutants, he always ended up being the brunt of their jokes. I don't want to make her breakfast too! Why can't they all leave me alone like they used to?

In the end, his desire not to outcast himself won over his love for isolation. Feeling defeated by the situation, Jamie turned back to the stove, shoulders slumped and head down. Seeing this, Rahne was instantly taken aback.

"Jamie, what's wrong? I didn't mean anything by it!" She shook off her tiredness and jumped out of her chair, almost upsetting the table in the process, and running to his side. "Really, I didn't!" Her face was a mask of concern and Jamie found it hard to judge what her thoughts were.

"I swear I didn't mean anything by it! I wanted to get to know you; maybe be your friend. Don't you want a friend?" Rahne's eyes were hurt as she stared at Jamie. "I don't really know you and you've been living in this house for, like, half a year now or so. None of us understand you. You never talk to us; you never talk, at all. I just wanted to be friends, that's all. I thought you would like a friend." She seemed crushed that her plans were not being reciprocated.

Jamie thought about it. He really didn't have any friends here or at school. It was a very lonely position, being the youngest member of the X-Men. They'd always make cracks about him during the danger room sessions and he was never allowed to hang out with them outside of training. So why would Rahne take such an interest in him now? Being perhaps a bit naturally paranoid, Jamie didn't believe her intentions to be one hundred percent trustworthy.

But, he decided, he would make an effort to be friends, even if it was only to find out what she (and everyone else in the mansion as well) was planning.

"I'm sorry, Rahne," he said with a some-what forced smile on his face. It's not that he was against the idea of being friends with Rahne. But who would want to be used and lied to? "What do you want for breakfast?"

Instantly a smile lit up Rahne's face. "Oh! How about some bacon? And sausages! Mmm! And eggs with ham, yeah! Ooh, this'll be good!" Rahne was jumping around the kitchen by this time before rummaging excitedly through the fridge, think about all the possibilities Jamie could cook for her.

A small smile could perhaps been seen on Jamie's lips while he watched her. Even if it wasn't real, it was still nice to be liked.

*~*~*~*~*

After cooking Rahne and himself two very large breakfasts Jamie returned to his room, trudging slowly up the stairs. Rahne had hastily eaten her breakfast, making various happy sounds all the while, before zipping off with new-found energy. Where she had gone was anyone's guess. Jamie had no idea, and was only mildly curious.

Once back in his room, Jamie took Wendy's present down from its hiding place and just held it. Oh, how she would love it; he was sure of it. After all, Kitty had picked it out and she had been an eleven year old girl at one point in time.

Absentmindedly, Jamie rubbed his fingers over the gift wrapping. Perhaps he was assuring himself it was real. Wendy had really invited him to her party. After living the life he had, there should be little that amazed Jamie, and yet his present circumstance was beyond any he could have believed.

Through the open door to his room, he spotted Kitty trudging towards the kitchen for what Jamie could assume was a late breakfast, or perhaps more accurately, an early lunch. Her sleepy eyes spotted him and she immediately gave him a warm smile.

"Heya, Jamie! How long have you been up?" she asked, giving him a small, half-hearted wave.

"Since about eight. I couldn't sleep much later." He put the present back in its place before moving closer to where Kitty stood.

"Augh! Eight o' clock? I can't imagine getting up that early on a Saturday!" The very idea of the time Jamie woke up seemed to cause her even more fatigue. "What did you do with all that extra time?!"

Jamie shrugged. "I made breakfast for me and Rahne. I think we cleaned out the refrigerator of breakfast foods. Or at least Rahne did. Who knew she could stomach so many different meat products for breakfast?"

Kitty laughed. "I thinks it's a wolf thing. Haven't you seen her at dinner? And the foods she mentions from her home, you'd think she ate nothing but meat." Kitty paused for a moment in thought. "You know, it might just be a Scotland thing."

Jamie laughed along with her. It was nice to laugh again; he couldn't remember the last time he had had the occasion. Too many months of only himself to talk to was finally taking its toll on Jamie. He needed a friend. Rahne was right; it wasn't entirely everyone else's fault that he was alone. He never made any effort to connect with them in any way.

Perhaps it was time he did. Perhaps today he would. Today he would try to be part of the mansion rather than a ghost which skirted the edges of everyone's vision. With a resolve Jamie had not felt before, he joined Kitty in the hall and together they walked down to the kitchen.

*~*~*~*~*

In the solitude of an empty kitchen, Jamie and Kitty discussed in hushed voices the plans for that evening.

"Jamie," Kitty began, "How long can your copies stay before they disappear?"

"Depends. Sometimes if I'm exhausted they don't last long at all, maybe ten minutes tops. But usually they stick around for hours especially if I'm not exerting myself and even longer if there's only one."

"Great, that's just one more thing in our favor for tonight." Her eyes were lit with anticipation. "I can't wait! Lance said he'd definitely be there! And as long as he ditches those losers that he always hangs around with I might be able to finally talk to him aside from all this X-Men Brotherhood junk!"

Jamie had not actually had to do any real life fighting against the members of the Brotherhood with the X-Men but had heard enough stories to understand what Kitty was talking about. His inexperience in the real-world division of his training he chalked up to his age, as per usual. After all, the Professor used it to explain away every other experience that Jamie was not permitted to partake in. Why not this one as well?

Kitty seemed to notice the turn of his thoughts. "What's up?" she asked with concern.

"Noth – " Jamie paused. I said I'd stop pushing them away. I said I'd try to make friends. He began haltingly, unsure of how to start. "It's just that, well, I'm tired of being the youngest." He sighed. "I'm tired of being the brunt of everyone's jokes. I'm tired of being told I'm too little. But most of all, I'm tired of being alone." Jamie rested his chin on his arms, which were crossed on the table. He had never been so open with anyone. The effort it took to overcome his reservations was wearing him down; every word was a battle to say aloud. "And the professor doesn't help, cause he's always trying to hold me back when what I really want to do is just move forward and be part of the group." His voice was strained with emotion. Kitty was waiting patiently, listening as no one else had ever done for him. She may have had a reputation as a ditz but she could be a good friend when need be. And Jamie needed one now.

"I always feel alone even when we are all together. No one talks to me or even notices me. And I don't talk to anyone. I'm so tired of being alone," he repeated. "So tired." He closed his eyes and let his words fade away. A slight wetness had accumulated in the corner of one eye and Jamie hastily rubbed it away with his sleeve.

Kitty was shocked. It had never occurred to her how lonely Jamie might feel. After all, there was that whole group of new X-Men that had joined at the same time. Why wouldn't they all get along? Even if not perfectly, well enough to create some connections. But here Jamie was opening up to her, to anyone, for the first time since he had arrived six months ago. What could she say but how dense she had been?

"Jamie," she said, her voice soothing. Jamie opened his eyes, expecting perhaps detestable pity for his miserable story, but finding instead Kitty's kind face smiling back at him. "I'm sorry I never realized what it was like for you here, but you don't have to be alone anymore. You'll have a friend in me. I promise." There was a genuine smile on her face and Jamie couldn't help the edges of his mouth curling up in happiness.

It felt so nice to be noticed.

*~*~*~*~*

So I noticed my story strayed a bit into angst-land…it was originally intended to be humorous and well…"general" but what can I say…I just finished watching "Fruits Basket" and if that isn't angst-ridden then nothing is. Soooo angsty…yet sooooo gooood…

But I'm still not sure how everything will pan out for Jamie and Wendy's party. I never intended to put Rahne or Kitty really in this…especially Kitty. I have no clue where that one came from. I have no overabounding love for her and yet, she weasels her way in…tricky little cat…Where is that bell collar?

Something tells me though that the party may not go as smoothly as everyone had hoped; after all, Jamie is an X-Man…When does anything go the way they want?