Kurt was looking at my imposter-mother with mingled horror and confusion.
His tail lashed, and abruptly he vanished in a puff of smoke, only to
reappear behind her, tail snaking around her neck, attempting to wrench her
arms behind her back. Her gaze flickered to me, and I felt a burning
sensation across my cheek. I gasped, clapping hand to cheek and was
surprised when it came away bloody.
"Let me go, loverboy," the imposter purred, "or I'll slit your pretty little girlfriend's throat."
I felt myself grow cold. I had absolutely no doubt that she could do it. I watched a cloud of smoke form around her, then felt his arms around my waist. There was a lurch, and suddenly I was standing outside on the grass. My stomach heaved, and I dropped to my knees, trying desperately not to throw up. "Get the others." Kurt said. Then, he was gone again.
Later, I would wonder why he hadn't just ported himself and her somewhere else, but at that time I could only think of one thing. Whoever that was, it wasn't my mother. Which meant something awful had happened. I lurched to my feet and stumbled toward the front door of the mansion, praying it was unlocked. I slammed the door open and skidded into the foyer, letting it swing in the wind as I bolted up the stairs and down the hallway.
I didn't bother to knock, I simply burst into my sister's room, calling out for her and my mother. Mom was no where to be seen, and Theresa was a crumpled up on the floor. With a cry of horror I fell to her side, sobbing, fingers searching desperately for a pulse. There wasn't a mark on her, and I couldn't imagine she was dead. I found the pulse on her neck and cried with relief as it surged strongly against my fingers. Gently, I examined her, and found a huge knot on the back of her head.
"Morgan?" I heard Deena behind me, and heard her curse lowly. "Hey, help!"
There was a sudden flurry of activity; I could hear people rushing up the stairs, shouts, calls for asisstiance, and then Jean was there. "Morgan, what's goin on? What happened?" She asked.
"Kurt!" I gasped, and rose unsteadily to my feet. "Sweet Goddess, she's here! The killer! She's got Kurt!" I went for the door, and ran smack into Logan. "Logan, Kurt-"
He gripped my arms firmly. "Morgan, calm down. We'll get her. I want you to stay here with your family, okay? You're just going to get in my way otherwise."
I nodded dully. I had to help Kurt! But Logan was right, and I knew it. I wasn't a fighter. I watched as he shared a look with Jean, and she gave a slight nod. Then, he was gone, just like that. I went back to my sister, sitting down next to her, taking her hand in mine and holding it. Where was my mother? I shook my head, I wasn't going to think about that now. One step at a time.
I heard a loud crash, and the whole house shuddered. Footsteps that had been coming up the stairs suddenly turned and went the other direction. I saw Deena take a step toward the stairs and said "Deena, Riley, get in here."
They both groaned and came in. Ryan? Where was Ryan? As if the very thought conjured him, he slipped into the room and closed the door firmly. "Please, let me," he said, coming to kneel beside Theresa, and removing Jean's hands. I watched his eyes slide closed, his brow furrow with concentration. "She'll be fine." He said softly, "just let her rest for an hour or so, and she'll be right as rain".
A shadow flitted past the window, and I turned to see a woman fly past it. I rushed to the window, thinking I might be seeing the true face of the murderer. Down on the lawn, I saw bits of rubble, and the petite blonde that had tried seducing me was standing in the middle of it. Kurt was sprawled off to the side, I could see he was dazed. Logan was approaching Candy, claws out. I didn't see Scott or Storm.
The woman who was flying balled her hands into fists, and dove directly for Candy. I noted distantly that there was a thick white streak at the front of her dark, reddish auburn hair. Candy held up a hand almost negligently, and the woman stopped as if she ran into a wall. She was propelled backward, in the direction of the window I was standing it. At the very last moment I ducked, feeling glass rain down on me as she crashed through the window and bumped the ceiling.
"Oooh!" I heard her say. "She's gonna be sorry she did that!" the woman had a deep southern drawl, like honey and molasses.
"Rogue, do you need some help out there?" Jean asked.
"I can't get close to her." Rogue said, landing gently on her feet. "She sees me coming a mile away and next thing I know I'm flying through the air in the opposite direction. Only person that's managed to get close so far is Kurt, and he's bleeding like a stuck pig. Better call out the reinforcements."
There was a reddish flash from outside, and I looked to see Scott had joined the battle. Wolverine was standing stock still, I couldn't tell why, and Kurt was no where to be seen. A man in a brown trench coat darted out the front door, and tossed something bright and glowing in Candy's direction. She didn't see it coming, and it erupted with a loud bang, sending her flying backward.
"Pardon me, sugar," Rogue said. She tapped me on my shoulder, and I stepped aside the window long enough for her to fly through it again. I watched her descend gracefully to the earth.
I couldn't just stand her watching. I had to do something. That bitch knew what happened to my mother, and I wasn't about to let her get away with it. Anger flared through me, heated my blood and clouded my vision. I turned on my heal and stalked out of the bedroom, past a very startled Ryan and a speculative Jean. Deena and Riley were looking at me with wide eyes. I could feel power crackling down my skin, my hair stood on end. I caught a glimpse of myself in a mirror hanging above a table in the hallway.
I gaped at my reflection. Color swirled on my skin, shifting, a rainbow of light that shimmered like glitter. My lavender eyes glowed, my hair shifted in a breeze that didn't exist. Still the heat was rising, I felt like something was trying to burst it's way through my skin.
This wasn't getting me out there. I gave myself a shake and ran down the stairs and out the still open front door. Rogue was in the air again, Kurt in her arms. From the looks of things, he'd been tossed there and she'd caught him. The man in the trench coat was dodging a bolt of what appeared to be fire being shot from Candy's hand, and Scott was frozen just like Logan. Neither of them were moving so much as a hair.
Pain flared through me, intense, searing, a pressure began to build in my skull. I cried out, falling to my knees there on the steps, body shuddering. My skin physically rippled-it was no illusion that caused it. I would have stared in wonder, but I was too busy writhing in agony to be awed by what was happening to me.
I shrieked, long and loud, the pain overwhelming. I felt like I was dying, drowning, burning, as something burst free of my skin. A fine liquid sprayed outward as my clothes fell in soggy shreds from my body. I lay gasping on my side, trying to catch my breath, my heart hammering, my senses overwhelmed as if I were seeing everything for the first time.
The rich smell of the earth was the first thing I noticed. Deep, musty, full of the promise of growth. I could taste the wind, the rain, the storm that I knew was rolling in from the west. It stirred, bringing new scents. I smelled something acrid, a new instinctively what it was. Fear. Along with that, came other scents that I could tag with emotions, anger, rage, uncertainty. Blood. I smelled blood thickly, could taste the coppery sweetness of it on my tongue.
My eyes snapped open, and everything seemed so much more clear. Colors brighter, edges more sharp, as if I'd been given new eyes to go along with my new nose. I was disoriented, and tried to sit up, but my limbs didn't seem to want to work right. I growled with frustration, and lurched upwards onto my paws-
Paws?
For the first time I looked at myself. I looked at as much of myself as I could see. My front legs ended in large, broad, canine like paws. I turned my head and looked down the length of my body, and saw that it was rather canine-like. The whole of me was covered in a thick, snow white fur. I saw Riley come skidding to a halt in the doorway, shock and surprise evident in his expression.
"Morgan? Is that you?" He grinned, and then laughed abruptly. "Well, I guess sometimes there's just no escaping your birthright, is there?"
I opened my muzzle to speak, and emitted a series of growls and yips. Oh, lovely. I was my father's daughter all right, I wagged my tail, and turned my attention back to the battle at hand.
Rouge was locked into a death grip with Candy, her fingers extended, trying desperately to make contact with Candy's skin. Scott, Logan, and now the man in the trench coat were all frozen in mid action. Kurt was laying prone on the ground, with frighteningly large slashes of red covering his skin.
I felt the fur on my shoulders and neck stand on end. I growled, long and low, and then lifted my muzzle and howled. I dashed down the steps, my new body moving faster than I had thought possible. I actually made it all the way to her, and attempted to sink fang into her leg. I yelped in pain as my teeth encountered a substance more like steel than flesh. She aimed a kick at my ribs and I sailed a few feet away, landing somewhat hard. I heard something snap, and felt a stabbing pain in my ribs.
Kurt stirred, head raising to look at me blearily. I was only a few feet away. Whimpering, I crawled doggy fashion over to him, licking his face urgently. "Morgan?" he asked, and I nodded. "What happened to you?"
I yipped at him urgently, then turned my gaze back to the battle. Candy had twisted out of Rogue's grip, and now had the woman pinned face down on the earth. I whined again. Kurt turned and looked, eyes widening. Then, they narrowed. "I've had quite enough of her I think." He said flatly.
In a puff of smoke, he was gone. I coughed, the sulfuric smell even worse as a wolf. Kurt appeared behind candy, grabbed her by the hair, and vanished. He reappeared a few feet away and vanished again, and again, and again, and again. I lost count at the number of time's he vanished, never knowing where he was going to appear again.
Candy threw up rather noisily, and still Kurt ported her. The frozen men lurched suddenly back into action, standing in confusion in the front yard. After a few more teleports, Kurt finally stopped, shaking violently, dropping Candy to the earth. She lay prone, unmoving.
Kurt took a few steps away, and then collapsed to the ground, limbs twitching, chest rising and falling a bit to rapidly for my taste. I struggled to my feet and trotted over, wishing I had my hands again so that I could examine him.
I felt a cool rush, like water against my skin. There was the feeling of something popping back into place, and suddenly I was me again. I was naked, and I didn't care. The pain in my side was gone, and my skin was wet, slick to the touch. I pulled Kurt into my arms and held him close to me, feeling his body still shaking. "What's wrong with him?" I turned panicked eyes to Logan.
"Exhausted. Porting is draining, moreso with a passenger, and he did a lot of it just now." He produced a slim, silver, serpentine like cord from his pocket, and deftly clipped it around Candy's neck. "That'll take care of her."
"Is she dead?" I asked, worried. If Candy was dead, then I'd never know what happened to my mother. I felt fabric brush my shoulders, and turned to see the trench coated man slipping his trench coat around my shoulders. For a moment, I was caught by his eyes. The irises were red, and the rest black as coal.
"Unconscious more like." Logan said. "C'mon, lets get you all back inside."
I balked when Rogue came to take Kurt away from me, but reluctantly let her. I hovered anxiously as we went inside, Logan carrying Candy, the rest bringing up the rear. "We have to take him down to the infirmary, Sugar." Rogue said. "Get him stitched up."
"No." I said, and started frantically yelling for Ryan. I heard a clatter, and he nearly fell down the stairs to get to me. When he spied Kurt, he wordlessly nodded and took his head in his hands. I heard someone curse as the cuts began to vanish from Kurt's body, only to appear on Ryan's.
"Bed." Ryan ordered, and wobbled. "He needs sleep."
"But-"the trench coated man began to say.
"You heard the man Cajun." Logan said.
"Rogue, take Kurt up to his room." Scott ordered. "I've got to notify the professor of what just happened. Logan, Gambit, your on guard duty. Take her down and lock her up."
"Where is the Professor?" I asked Rogue as we ascended the staircase. Riley and Deena followed close behind.
"He had to go to Washington for a meeting." Rogue said. "He'll be back soon."
I paused at the top of the stairs, torn between caring for my sister, or caring for Kurt. It was a testament of how strongly I felt that I was even having the quandary. Deena took my hand and squeezed it gently. "Go, take care of Kurt. We'll stay with Tessa."
I gave my little sister a grateful smile, and followed Rogue. We went up the stairs to Kurt's room, and Rogue tucked him into bed, all the while I hovered over him. I toweled the remaining goo off of me as best I could, and slipped into some clothes, then pulled up a chair next to the bed. I wanted to be there when he woke up. Rogue gave me a sympathetic look, and exited wordlessly.
I sat down and rested my head in my hands. I wanted to scream, to cry, and to pass out all at once. I settled for crying, burying my face in my hands and letting the tears come. In short order, I was sobbing into my hands, trying to muffle the sound as much as I could.
It was too much. It was simply too much for me to deal with. Ever since Kurt had come into my life, my world had been turned upside down, and not for the better. My mother was missing, my sister was hurt. He'd exhausted himself to the point of near death, and this psychotic, murderous bitch had grudge. To top it all off, I'd manifested a new gift. Woo. Lycanthropy, just like dear old dad. I knew that I should call my father, but I couldn't bring myself to pick up the phone. I was wrapped in my misery, and couldn't seem to shake it.
The only good thing in the whole mess was Kurt himself. There wasn't a doubt in my mind that what I was feeling now could rapidly develop into full blown love. I had it bad, and I wasn't about to let it go. If being with Kurt meant having my life turned upside down on a near constant basis, would that be something I'd be able to handle?
I felt something warm brush my hand, and peeked through my fingers to see a very sleepy looking, very concerned Kurt peering at me. "Liebe? Are you well?" he asked me, and his voice was shaky. I spilled out of the chair and onto the bed, melting into his arms and feeling them encircle me.
"Kurt, I was so worried," I whispered, and buried my face in his chest. He stroked my hair and soothed me sleepily. I realized he'd called me Liebe again, and blurted out, "What does that mean?"
"Hmm?" He sounded as if he were still a little bit out of it.
"Liebe." I repeated awkwardly. "What does that mean."
"Oh," he said, and pulled me a bit closer. His tail snaked around my thigh, drawing my leg up over his. "Means love." He murmured softly.
I felt decidedly warmed by the comment. My eyelids were growing heavy, and I fought it. There was no earthly reason why I should be so tired. Belatedly, I realized that there was. Shapeshifting can be exhausting, and I remember distinctly that for those of us who could shapeshift, when the gift first came, it usually involved a lot of sleeping afterwards.
I didn't want to sleep. I wanted to find my mother. It seemed my body had other ideas though. I found myself drifting into slumber.
Before I lost awareness, I thought I heard Kurt say "Ich liebe dich." I had no problem understanding what he was trying to say. I felt the same way.
"Let me go, loverboy," the imposter purred, "or I'll slit your pretty little girlfriend's throat."
I felt myself grow cold. I had absolutely no doubt that she could do it. I watched a cloud of smoke form around her, then felt his arms around my waist. There was a lurch, and suddenly I was standing outside on the grass. My stomach heaved, and I dropped to my knees, trying desperately not to throw up. "Get the others." Kurt said. Then, he was gone again.
Later, I would wonder why he hadn't just ported himself and her somewhere else, but at that time I could only think of one thing. Whoever that was, it wasn't my mother. Which meant something awful had happened. I lurched to my feet and stumbled toward the front door of the mansion, praying it was unlocked. I slammed the door open and skidded into the foyer, letting it swing in the wind as I bolted up the stairs and down the hallway.
I didn't bother to knock, I simply burst into my sister's room, calling out for her and my mother. Mom was no where to be seen, and Theresa was a crumpled up on the floor. With a cry of horror I fell to her side, sobbing, fingers searching desperately for a pulse. There wasn't a mark on her, and I couldn't imagine she was dead. I found the pulse on her neck and cried with relief as it surged strongly against my fingers. Gently, I examined her, and found a huge knot on the back of her head.
"Morgan?" I heard Deena behind me, and heard her curse lowly. "Hey, help!"
There was a sudden flurry of activity; I could hear people rushing up the stairs, shouts, calls for asisstiance, and then Jean was there. "Morgan, what's goin on? What happened?" She asked.
"Kurt!" I gasped, and rose unsteadily to my feet. "Sweet Goddess, she's here! The killer! She's got Kurt!" I went for the door, and ran smack into Logan. "Logan, Kurt-"
He gripped my arms firmly. "Morgan, calm down. We'll get her. I want you to stay here with your family, okay? You're just going to get in my way otherwise."
I nodded dully. I had to help Kurt! But Logan was right, and I knew it. I wasn't a fighter. I watched as he shared a look with Jean, and she gave a slight nod. Then, he was gone, just like that. I went back to my sister, sitting down next to her, taking her hand in mine and holding it. Where was my mother? I shook my head, I wasn't going to think about that now. One step at a time.
I heard a loud crash, and the whole house shuddered. Footsteps that had been coming up the stairs suddenly turned and went the other direction. I saw Deena take a step toward the stairs and said "Deena, Riley, get in here."
They both groaned and came in. Ryan? Where was Ryan? As if the very thought conjured him, he slipped into the room and closed the door firmly. "Please, let me," he said, coming to kneel beside Theresa, and removing Jean's hands. I watched his eyes slide closed, his brow furrow with concentration. "She'll be fine." He said softly, "just let her rest for an hour or so, and she'll be right as rain".
A shadow flitted past the window, and I turned to see a woman fly past it. I rushed to the window, thinking I might be seeing the true face of the murderer. Down on the lawn, I saw bits of rubble, and the petite blonde that had tried seducing me was standing in the middle of it. Kurt was sprawled off to the side, I could see he was dazed. Logan was approaching Candy, claws out. I didn't see Scott or Storm.
The woman who was flying balled her hands into fists, and dove directly for Candy. I noted distantly that there was a thick white streak at the front of her dark, reddish auburn hair. Candy held up a hand almost negligently, and the woman stopped as if she ran into a wall. She was propelled backward, in the direction of the window I was standing it. At the very last moment I ducked, feeling glass rain down on me as she crashed through the window and bumped the ceiling.
"Oooh!" I heard her say. "She's gonna be sorry she did that!" the woman had a deep southern drawl, like honey and molasses.
"Rogue, do you need some help out there?" Jean asked.
"I can't get close to her." Rogue said, landing gently on her feet. "She sees me coming a mile away and next thing I know I'm flying through the air in the opposite direction. Only person that's managed to get close so far is Kurt, and he's bleeding like a stuck pig. Better call out the reinforcements."
There was a reddish flash from outside, and I looked to see Scott had joined the battle. Wolverine was standing stock still, I couldn't tell why, and Kurt was no where to be seen. A man in a brown trench coat darted out the front door, and tossed something bright and glowing in Candy's direction. She didn't see it coming, and it erupted with a loud bang, sending her flying backward.
"Pardon me, sugar," Rogue said. She tapped me on my shoulder, and I stepped aside the window long enough for her to fly through it again. I watched her descend gracefully to the earth.
I couldn't just stand her watching. I had to do something. That bitch knew what happened to my mother, and I wasn't about to let her get away with it. Anger flared through me, heated my blood and clouded my vision. I turned on my heal and stalked out of the bedroom, past a very startled Ryan and a speculative Jean. Deena and Riley were looking at me with wide eyes. I could feel power crackling down my skin, my hair stood on end. I caught a glimpse of myself in a mirror hanging above a table in the hallway.
I gaped at my reflection. Color swirled on my skin, shifting, a rainbow of light that shimmered like glitter. My lavender eyes glowed, my hair shifted in a breeze that didn't exist. Still the heat was rising, I felt like something was trying to burst it's way through my skin.
This wasn't getting me out there. I gave myself a shake and ran down the stairs and out the still open front door. Rogue was in the air again, Kurt in her arms. From the looks of things, he'd been tossed there and she'd caught him. The man in the trench coat was dodging a bolt of what appeared to be fire being shot from Candy's hand, and Scott was frozen just like Logan. Neither of them were moving so much as a hair.
Pain flared through me, intense, searing, a pressure began to build in my skull. I cried out, falling to my knees there on the steps, body shuddering. My skin physically rippled-it was no illusion that caused it. I would have stared in wonder, but I was too busy writhing in agony to be awed by what was happening to me.
I shrieked, long and loud, the pain overwhelming. I felt like I was dying, drowning, burning, as something burst free of my skin. A fine liquid sprayed outward as my clothes fell in soggy shreds from my body. I lay gasping on my side, trying to catch my breath, my heart hammering, my senses overwhelmed as if I were seeing everything for the first time.
The rich smell of the earth was the first thing I noticed. Deep, musty, full of the promise of growth. I could taste the wind, the rain, the storm that I knew was rolling in from the west. It stirred, bringing new scents. I smelled something acrid, a new instinctively what it was. Fear. Along with that, came other scents that I could tag with emotions, anger, rage, uncertainty. Blood. I smelled blood thickly, could taste the coppery sweetness of it on my tongue.
My eyes snapped open, and everything seemed so much more clear. Colors brighter, edges more sharp, as if I'd been given new eyes to go along with my new nose. I was disoriented, and tried to sit up, but my limbs didn't seem to want to work right. I growled with frustration, and lurched upwards onto my paws-
Paws?
For the first time I looked at myself. I looked at as much of myself as I could see. My front legs ended in large, broad, canine like paws. I turned my head and looked down the length of my body, and saw that it was rather canine-like. The whole of me was covered in a thick, snow white fur. I saw Riley come skidding to a halt in the doorway, shock and surprise evident in his expression.
"Morgan? Is that you?" He grinned, and then laughed abruptly. "Well, I guess sometimes there's just no escaping your birthright, is there?"
I opened my muzzle to speak, and emitted a series of growls and yips. Oh, lovely. I was my father's daughter all right, I wagged my tail, and turned my attention back to the battle at hand.
Rouge was locked into a death grip with Candy, her fingers extended, trying desperately to make contact with Candy's skin. Scott, Logan, and now the man in the trench coat were all frozen in mid action. Kurt was laying prone on the ground, with frighteningly large slashes of red covering his skin.
I felt the fur on my shoulders and neck stand on end. I growled, long and low, and then lifted my muzzle and howled. I dashed down the steps, my new body moving faster than I had thought possible. I actually made it all the way to her, and attempted to sink fang into her leg. I yelped in pain as my teeth encountered a substance more like steel than flesh. She aimed a kick at my ribs and I sailed a few feet away, landing somewhat hard. I heard something snap, and felt a stabbing pain in my ribs.
Kurt stirred, head raising to look at me blearily. I was only a few feet away. Whimpering, I crawled doggy fashion over to him, licking his face urgently. "Morgan?" he asked, and I nodded. "What happened to you?"
I yipped at him urgently, then turned my gaze back to the battle. Candy had twisted out of Rogue's grip, and now had the woman pinned face down on the earth. I whined again. Kurt turned and looked, eyes widening. Then, they narrowed. "I've had quite enough of her I think." He said flatly.
In a puff of smoke, he was gone. I coughed, the sulfuric smell even worse as a wolf. Kurt appeared behind candy, grabbed her by the hair, and vanished. He reappeared a few feet away and vanished again, and again, and again, and again. I lost count at the number of time's he vanished, never knowing where he was going to appear again.
Candy threw up rather noisily, and still Kurt ported her. The frozen men lurched suddenly back into action, standing in confusion in the front yard. After a few more teleports, Kurt finally stopped, shaking violently, dropping Candy to the earth. She lay prone, unmoving.
Kurt took a few steps away, and then collapsed to the ground, limbs twitching, chest rising and falling a bit to rapidly for my taste. I struggled to my feet and trotted over, wishing I had my hands again so that I could examine him.
I felt a cool rush, like water against my skin. There was the feeling of something popping back into place, and suddenly I was me again. I was naked, and I didn't care. The pain in my side was gone, and my skin was wet, slick to the touch. I pulled Kurt into my arms and held him close to me, feeling his body still shaking. "What's wrong with him?" I turned panicked eyes to Logan.
"Exhausted. Porting is draining, moreso with a passenger, and he did a lot of it just now." He produced a slim, silver, serpentine like cord from his pocket, and deftly clipped it around Candy's neck. "That'll take care of her."
"Is she dead?" I asked, worried. If Candy was dead, then I'd never know what happened to my mother. I felt fabric brush my shoulders, and turned to see the trench coated man slipping his trench coat around my shoulders. For a moment, I was caught by his eyes. The irises were red, and the rest black as coal.
"Unconscious more like." Logan said. "C'mon, lets get you all back inside."
I balked when Rogue came to take Kurt away from me, but reluctantly let her. I hovered anxiously as we went inside, Logan carrying Candy, the rest bringing up the rear. "We have to take him down to the infirmary, Sugar." Rogue said. "Get him stitched up."
"No." I said, and started frantically yelling for Ryan. I heard a clatter, and he nearly fell down the stairs to get to me. When he spied Kurt, he wordlessly nodded and took his head in his hands. I heard someone curse as the cuts began to vanish from Kurt's body, only to appear on Ryan's.
"Bed." Ryan ordered, and wobbled. "He needs sleep."
"But-"the trench coated man began to say.
"You heard the man Cajun." Logan said.
"Rogue, take Kurt up to his room." Scott ordered. "I've got to notify the professor of what just happened. Logan, Gambit, your on guard duty. Take her down and lock her up."
"Where is the Professor?" I asked Rogue as we ascended the staircase. Riley and Deena followed close behind.
"He had to go to Washington for a meeting." Rogue said. "He'll be back soon."
I paused at the top of the stairs, torn between caring for my sister, or caring for Kurt. It was a testament of how strongly I felt that I was even having the quandary. Deena took my hand and squeezed it gently. "Go, take care of Kurt. We'll stay with Tessa."
I gave my little sister a grateful smile, and followed Rogue. We went up the stairs to Kurt's room, and Rogue tucked him into bed, all the while I hovered over him. I toweled the remaining goo off of me as best I could, and slipped into some clothes, then pulled up a chair next to the bed. I wanted to be there when he woke up. Rogue gave me a sympathetic look, and exited wordlessly.
I sat down and rested my head in my hands. I wanted to scream, to cry, and to pass out all at once. I settled for crying, burying my face in my hands and letting the tears come. In short order, I was sobbing into my hands, trying to muffle the sound as much as I could.
It was too much. It was simply too much for me to deal with. Ever since Kurt had come into my life, my world had been turned upside down, and not for the better. My mother was missing, my sister was hurt. He'd exhausted himself to the point of near death, and this psychotic, murderous bitch had grudge. To top it all off, I'd manifested a new gift. Woo. Lycanthropy, just like dear old dad. I knew that I should call my father, but I couldn't bring myself to pick up the phone. I was wrapped in my misery, and couldn't seem to shake it.
The only good thing in the whole mess was Kurt himself. There wasn't a doubt in my mind that what I was feeling now could rapidly develop into full blown love. I had it bad, and I wasn't about to let it go. If being with Kurt meant having my life turned upside down on a near constant basis, would that be something I'd be able to handle?
I felt something warm brush my hand, and peeked through my fingers to see a very sleepy looking, very concerned Kurt peering at me. "Liebe? Are you well?" he asked me, and his voice was shaky. I spilled out of the chair and onto the bed, melting into his arms and feeling them encircle me.
"Kurt, I was so worried," I whispered, and buried my face in his chest. He stroked my hair and soothed me sleepily. I realized he'd called me Liebe again, and blurted out, "What does that mean?"
"Hmm?" He sounded as if he were still a little bit out of it.
"Liebe." I repeated awkwardly. "What does that mean."
"Oh," he said, and pulled me a bit closer. His tail snaked around my thigh, drawing my leg up over his. "Means love." He murmured softly.
I felt decidedly warmed by the comment. My eyelids were growing heavy, and I fought it. There was no earthly reason why I should be so tired. Belatedly, I realized that there was. Shapeshifting can be exhausting, and I remember distinctly that for those of us who could shapeshift, when the gift first came, it usually involved a lot of sleeping afterwards.
I didn't want to sleep. I wanted to find my mother. It seemed my body had other ideas though. I found myself drifting into slumber.
Before I lost awareness, I thought I heard Kurt say "Ich liebe dich." I had no problem understanding what he was trying to say. I felt the same way.