~*~
Scott sat on the bed letting his right leg hang off the edge while his left leg propped up the book he was reading. A light knock at the door interrupted his thoughts, which were on other things than the book. Slowly he dropped the book and answered the door.
Nikki looked up at Scott nervously. "Hi." He said in a tiny voice.
Scott smiled softly down at him, "Hey Nikki, what's up?"
"Uh..." Nikki fidgeted. "How's Lance?"
"Good," Scott said hesitantly, then held open the door a little wider, "Do you want to come in?"
Nikki nodded, then crept in, chewing on his jumper cuff. He went over to the bed and sat on it, turning to watch Scott in silence, his cuff still in is mouth.
Scott turned to him tilting his head to the side, "You alright?"
Nikki was going to nod from habit but stopped and shook his head instead. "I can't sleep on my own, I'm scared." He whimpered. "I want Luke back."
"I know," Scott frowned slightly, "But you know he can't come back... right?"
Nikki nodded. "Like when that kid at the asylum slit his wrists and he never came back."
Scott nodded slowly, "Yea, like that."
Nikki pulled his knees up to his chest and rested his head on his arms, which he crossed on top of his knees. He couldn't think of anything to say. "C'n I've a hug?" he asked quietly
"Of course." Scott smiled sadly as he walked over to Nikki and pulled him into a hug.
Nikki lay in Scott's hug like he was dead. He felt like he couldn't cry anymore so he just sat there, shivering slightly from shock. "Kitty's not my mummy." He said eventually.
Scott pulled back and nodded, "I know." He said softly, "Did you talk to her?"
Nikki looked round panicked, thinking Scott was referring to his mum. "No! Mummy's not here, they took her away!"
"Whoa, whoa!" Scott held up his hands defensively, "I was talking about Kitty, did you talk to 'Kitty'?"
Nikki relaxed slightly, but still looked like a nervous cat. "Yes. She's doin' laundry."
Scott snickered in his head while maintaining a blank look, "Oh, that's nice." He smiled slightly, "So what do you want to do? Huh?"
Nikki shrugged. "I don't know. What were you doing before?"
"Eh, reading." Scott pointed to the book lying on the bed.
"Will you read to me?" He asked cautiously.
Scott glanced at the book, 'Alice in Wonderland.' and nodded, "Sure," He smiled picking up the book, "It's called 'Alice in Wonderland…' "
~*~
Thick gray clouds rolled over the sun as the group of mutants walked across the lush green lawn to the casket awaiting it's burial.
Kitty held the Kleenex she had clutched in her hand up to her face as she glanced over at Logan, stoic as ever. She sniffed slightly and turned back to the man in black speaking monotonously to them.
Scott watched the proceedings, dressed in a black suit, as was his boyfriend, whose hand he held tightly throughout the ceremony. Luke's death had only made him more aware of how short life was and he had told Lance last night, between fervent kisses, that he loved him and appreciated him. He looked down to Lance's other side and gave Lance's hand a squeeze. Lance looked at Scott, who nodded down and Lance turned his head down to look at Nikki, who was clutching his spare hand, presses against Lance's leg as if it was the only thing holding him up and staring with dead intensity at the coffin which held the body of his best friend, brother, short-time lover. The kid hadn't said a word all day and Lance was worried that this had finally broken the younger boy.
Xavier tented his hands under his chin and frowned, he could feel the wave of emotions roll of his students as they watch the proceedings of the funeral. Kitty was doing her best not to cry anymore, it had after all, been only a short time ago that Luke was holding her in his arms trying to sooth her worries. Her throat tightened and she had to look away, turning she bumped into Logan who had moved behind her and caught her in his arms.
"Hey." He said softly as she broke into tears into his chest.
Todd felt uncomfortable in the suit, as it was so foreign to him. He stood shifting and watching in silence, turning his head to watch Kitty fall into Logan and start crying. He knew that she'd need time to get over this. He looked to where Nikki stood with Scott and Lance in the front and wondered if the crazy boy would ever get over it. He shuddered, remembering the thing that spoke to him from inside Nikki, and hoped that Luke's death wouldn't make it break out or take over. He shifted his feet again and tried to pay attention to the service.
Ororo, lifted her eyes from the little man speaking and glanced to Kitty and Logan. Logan was trying to quiet the sobs coming from Kitty's trembling form by rubbing her back and whispering things that only they could hear. She turned back and sighed softly, such a young life to loose. Not only one life did they loose that night, she noticed looking back at where Nikki stood clutching to Lance's leg, but two lives.
Slowly the casket was lowered into the ground and a handful of dirt was tossed in, "Ashes to ashes, dust to dust..." The man said softly.
Kitty clutched Logan closer feeling suddenly weak, so many of these funerals had she already gone too.
~*~
