-'Who Wants to Live Forever'-
Pairings: Scott/Jean. mentions of Kurt/Amanda, but well, you'll see
A/N: God knows you can't write more unless you get reviews. Speaking of reviews,
ananova: Of course Beast will run tests. Its what he does.
Scrawler: Hope this is soon enough.
TDK: I'm glad you liked everyone's reactions. I wanted to make sure I got them right. Hopefully I did here too.
Arin Ross/Arain Rowan: I'm very glad that you...or at least one of you, I'm not really sure, like it. But there is only one other thing I can say about your review, I am a man, i.e. BoxerMAN, I'm not really insulted or anything, but its just a little weird when the people reviewing you think youre a girl. Unless you're a girl in which case its perfectly warranted. I am not, therefore you see my predicament. Like I said, I'm not angry or anything, just a little confused.
Maikafuniel: Thanks for the review, and once again, thanks for letting have my story on your site. Let me know if there's anything else I can do for you.
A/N 1: Okay, this is going to make reference to the death of Stefan Szardos, Kurt's foster brother in the comics, I know that its been done to death in fan fiction, ha, I made a funny. The Seftons are in now way related to the Szardos family in this fic. I couldn't find their names, so I made them up. And as for the harshness of Joseph Sefton in this part, its understandable, he just lost his daughter. The main reason it took so long to update was getting the Seftons just right. I hope I did okay. Anyway, just letting you know.
A/N 2: Also, the reason I make reference to "Immortal," "the Game," etc, is because this is eventually, god willing going to be a highlander cross, and I don't want tons of hate mail for killing off the fuzzy one. If I wanted hate mail, I'd write...I dunno something stupid.....er.
A/N 3: If you like this story, do yourself, or more likely me, a favor and read and review some of my other stories. Now on to the story!
Disclaimers: I don't own anything relating to Marvel Comics or Highlander.
Dedicated to everyone that has ideas but doesn't think they're good enough
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Kurt sat motionless in the infirmary, inches away from a singular black bag that lay infront of him on the table.
He reached out with a three-fingered hand and slowly caressed the cold hard plastic. Only a soft touch, a feather of movement before his arm shot back to his side. He stared in place, his eyes cold and hard. A soft male voice echoed in the back of his head.
"It wasn't your fault Kurt."
Kurt almost laughed at the absurdity. 'Then whose fault was it?'
The bag sat undisturbed, a shallow monument to his cowardice. Was she really in there? Kurt felt his hands start to tremble as they slowly edges forward to the zipper of the bag.
His hand shot back to his side and he closed his eyes. His fur stood on end as he forced his hands by his side. The temperature in the room seemed to cool as he regained control of his body. He closed his eyes and took a few shallow breaths. He opened his eyes; half expecting the bag to disappear like it was all a trick.
His eyes rested back on the bag, the black shine contrasting the pale white walls and tiled floor. It lay there still as it was. Calling to him, tempting him, inviting him to open it.
He reached forward again with his right arm. Tentatively. Slowly. As his fingers neared the zipper, his vision began to cloud with memories.
-A young man's limp body as it fell to the ground. His curly black hair matted in the dirt and rain, blood covering the left side of his body, his neck at an impossible angle. -
Kurt's hand wavered over the zipper, slowly descending to the cold metal.
-A stone statue quietly crying in the corner of the room before falling just out of reach, and shattering. -
Whispers of cold air escaped the bag as he gripped the small steel tab with two of his pterodactyl fingers and slowly pulled the zipper down.
-Amanda's lifeless brown eyes as the rain fell, leaving false tears across her face. -
Kurt forcefully closed his eyes and stopped as the last image assaulted his senses. He could still feel the rain drip down on him as the life flowed out of his body. Kurt growled as he fought the images to the dark recesses of his mind, batting them away with the last few embers of self-control. He took a large shallow breath and opened the top of the bag.
Amanda lay there with her eyes closed and her mouth partially open. Her once lovingly browned skin was slightly pale; her warm lips were only a grim steel line.
Kurt turned away and began to choke on his own breath, fighting back the bile rising in his stomach. He cleared the tears from his eyes and closed his eyes and began to pray.
//////////////////////////////////////////
Xavier held his head in his hands. "Sometimes I wish that I never decided to start this school."
Logan walked out from the shadows. Xavier sighed and looked back at his friend. "You can't sneak up on me Logan, you know that."
Logan nodded his head and walked behind the professor's chair. He grabbed the handles and slowly started to push him towards his office. "I know Chuck, I know."
Xavier shook his head as they continued down the hall. "Have you informed the rest of the students?"
The grizzly mutant nodded and kept his eyes towards the door on the end of the passage. "Yeah, they all know the Elf's alive. I told them that he's starting to have a accelerated healing factor or something, I don't know Chuck." He looked down at the mutant as he pushed him down the hall. "What the hell is really going on here?"
The professor sighed. "I'm not sure my friend."
Logan growled almost imperceptibly in his throat. "The kid was dead Chuck."
Xander let out a small breath and looked down at the floor.
Logan 's voice became slightly more accusing as he continued to speak. "The kid was dead, Hank thinks it, Red and Shades are convincing themselves that it didn't really happen, but you and I KNOW it."
Xavier almost shouted back. "OF COURSE I..."
He turned around and did a quick mental sweep before speaking again. "Of course I know it, but what other explanation is there? Tell me Logan, How else could a man take six shots, SIX SHOTS, to the heart and the lungs, and still be alive?"
"That's just it Chuck, you said it yourself, the Elf wasn't alive."
"Then what, his mutation allowed him to 'come back from the dead?'"
Logan sighed. "I don't know. Its just..."
Xavier finished for him. "...that 'feeling.'"
Logan growled. "In the morgue, it came back a thousand times worse. My skin was on fire. All I could see touch taste, smell, it was all pointing at him. I _know_ that has something to do with it. It was never this bad."
"I know that you put a lot of stock into your instincts and intuition Logan, and maybe it _does_ have something to do with Kurt's... 'resurrection.' But the pieces still do not add up. All I know is that I had to call Kurt's parents back and tell them that their only son was dead, and then call them back and let them know he was alive. Do you know what that does to a person?"
Xavier sighed and looked back infront of him, staring off into space. "It already takes a part of yourself to think that you child has been taken from you. A parent should never outlive their children. It is just wrong. And then to call them back, and let them know it was all just a _mistake_?"
"It wasn't a mistake Chuck."
Xavier sighed. "It takes something away in a family. It takes away their innocence. They'll never be able to go a day without thinking the worst. Believe me."
Logan closed his eyes and exhaled. He knew about Xavier's own battle and loss with David.
"It wasn't your fault Chuck."
Xavier barely managed to hold back his tongue. They turned a corner in the mansion and went into the elevator. Logan leaned over and pressed the button for the first floor.
The elevator slowly began to rise. "I said the same thing to Kurt."
"About what?"
Xavier straitened his head. "That it wasn't his fault. That there was nothing he could have done."
Logan sighed as the elevator began to slow down and stop. "There _wasn't_ anything you could do either."
Xavier nodded once before turning back to his old friend. "Does that make it any better?"
Logan let his shoulder sag and waited for the elevator doors to open. "No it doesn't."
A faint *ding* sounded and the doors slowly opened. Logan pushed the wheelchair out into the hallway and made a left. Xavier closed his eyes and touched his forehead. "Logan, does that... 'sensation' come _every_ time you and Kurt are near each other?"
Logan nodded. "Yes."
Xavier slowly rubbed his temples. "He's still in the morgue. I think you should try and keep an eye on him, take him in the Danger room, train him, make him read a book, just talk to him." He opened his eyes and sighed. "I need you to keep him away from Amanda's body for a while."
Logan raised an eyebrow as they arrived in the front lobby.
"I have to take care of a few things."
"Like what?"
Xavier silently approached a window and saw a car's headlights approach the front gate. "Important things."
////////////////////////////////////////////
Joseph Sefton parked the car infront of the Xavier institute. He had driven past the huge mansion on his daily commute to work. Never really thought that the place was home to a bunch of mutants. You never know where they are.
Who they are.
What they are.
He sighed and replayed the whole conversation in his head. She said that she was just going to the movies with her friends. Could he really have known?
Part of him responded back. 'Hah, what friends?' Ever since they found out that she went out with that godforsaken mutie, all her friends left her. Now all she had _were_ her damn mutie friends. Keith and Andrea never called. They were inseparable when they were little. He could remember the three of them playing together in the sandbox when they were little, calling themselves the 'three Amigos'. He smiled inspire of himself. He remembered his wife chastising him for letting them watch such an 'idiotic and moronic' movie. He hadn't seen Amanda with anyone except that mutie freak and his damned mutie friends for weeks.
And now he was going into the lion's den.
He sighed and looked over in the passenger seat. Her short dark hair was still damp from the rain. There were no tears in her eyes. No sadness, no anger, no hate. Only a blank expression. She would answer a simple 'yes' or 'no' to his questions and just go back to staring at the wall, the door, her feet, anywhere. But she didn't look into his eyes. He understood why. Amanda had his deep brown eyes.
He pulled his arm up and grasped her hand. Her cold clammy hand sat limp in his embrace. He squeezed harder and felt a little tug back in return. He led her out of the car and up the steps. He would be strong for her.
The front door to the institute opened to reveal a bald white man in a wheelchair. "Mr. and..."
"Shut up."
The bald man looked at him with slight trepidation and sorrow. "I'm s..."
"Where's my daughter you damned mutie lover?" [1]
The man sighed and wheeled his chair around. "If you'll follow me."
Joseph squeezed his wife's hand a little and led her down the hallway following the bald man.
////////////////////////////////////
Logan approached the hallway leading to the infirmary. He took a deep breath and continued steadily walking towards the door. He knew it would come as soon as he got close enough. The slow tickling in his inner ear shuddered and expanded throughout his entire body. The electric shock coursed throughout his nerves as he staggered to keep his balance walking into the room. He heard a small German voice call out, "Lassen sie mich allein."
-Leave me alone. -
Logan huffed as he walked next to the kneeling mutant. "Chuck asked me to come check on you."
Kurt had his hands clasped together in prayer, his forehead resting on his thumbs as he prayed in German. "Gehen sie weg."
-Go away. -
Logan sighed and sat down next to the blue mutant. "You know I don't speak none of that Elf."
"Zhen let me spell it out for you." He turned and looked at Logan, his blue fur matted with tears. He bared his fangs and shouted. "GET OUT!"
Logan remained quiet as he let the grieving Nightcrawler bow his head back in prayer.
After a few seconds the elf spoke softly. "I could feel you coming."
Logan nodded. "Yeah...I could sense you too."
The elf kept quiet for a couple more seconds. "You know I cannot really pray while you are next to me."
Logan raised an eyebrow.
Kurt clasped his hands tighter. "It's hard to concentrate."
The grizzled mutant sighed. "I know the feeling...."
Logan tensed as he heard Xavier call out to him telepathically. 'Logan, the Seftons have arrived. I need you to take Kurt away from the morgue.'
'You sure Chuck? The kid aint gonna leave easy.'
'The Seftons have a right to grieve as well. Maybe if you take Kurt and distract him for a while, he might be able to deal better.'
Logan sighed and put a hand on Kurt's shoulder. "You know I aint all that good about tryin to make things better and stuff, right elf?"
Kurt muttered sardonically. "Ja? I couldn't tell."
"Well I aint gonna tell you what to do or how to grieve, but I will tell you this..."
Several seconds of silence ensued before Kurt took the bait. "What?"
Logan pulled the teenager up and led him out of the room. "Ya smell like hell. Go take a shower. You aint changed your clothes since you got back."
Kurt looked down at his dirt-encrusted clothes. They were still soggy with water and grime and blood. He could feel how matted his fur was underneath the torn fabrics. He chuckled to himself as he let Logan lead him down the hallway.
//////////////////////////////////////
Charles Xavier sighed in relief as he sensed the two mutants leave the back of the infirmary. He was leading the Seftons on a rather...long trip to the morgue. He was having trouble keeping his mental shield up with their grief at such a close proximity. He felt their sadness wash over him like a tidal wave. He concentrated harder so that he couldn't feel their thoughts despite the strength of the emotion. He held his jaw shut in concentration as they arrived at the door.
"I will stay out here and let you to your privacy. Let me know if you need anything."
Mr. Sefton leaned forward and grasped the handle to the door and opened it. He let his wife slowly walk in before turning back to the professor and spoke in a low distasteful voice. "You've done enough."
/////////////////////////////////
Logan sighed as he watched the elf walk into his bedroom. They hadn't spoken since they left the morgue. He didn't think Kurt noticed that they took a slightly less direct route than normal, so hopefully He'd just...
*BAMF*
Logan rushed over to the door and forcefully slammed into it with his shoulder. It opened to reveal a settling cloud of smoke. He turned to see a blue figure at the end of the hallway disappear again.
*BAMF*
"Aw, hell."
////////////////////////////////
Joseph Sefton watched as his wife gently stroked the face of their dead child. His wife did not cry or even look at her daughter's face. She only looked down at her hands repeating the same motion over and over again.
*BAMF*
Joe pulled his wife behind him as he turned to face the blue creature responsible for his daughter's death. "YOU!"
/////////////////////
Charles Xavier turned his head as he acknowledged the familiar sound from inside the room. "Oh, hell." [2]
Logan appeared at the end of the hall, sprinting towards his position. "Chuck, the Elf's..."
Xavier moved to the door to the morgue and opened it. "I know, I know."
////////////////////
Mary Sefton looked on with hollow eyes as her husband approached the young mutant. "Its all YOUR GODDAMNED FAULT."
The creature flinched and walked back towards the wall. "Mr. Sefton, I..."
"You fucking mutie."
The door flung open revealing the man in the wheelchair and a burly man with messy black hair. The bald man rolled forward. "Mr. Sefton, I believe it would be best..."
"Shut up you bastard. I'm talking to the mutie son of a bitch that killed my daughter."
The muscled man moved in between the bald man and Joe. "Listen here bub."
The blue creature stirred and looked over to Mary Sefton. The woman's eyes seemed glazed over as she stared off into space.
"What do you think you're going to do, Huh?"
The man grinned and unsheathed his claws. "Well, I got an inklin' of an idea."
"Logan, please. Mr. Sefton, there is no need..."
"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU FREAKS?"
Next to the table where Amanda Sefton lay, her mother spoke barely in a whisper. "Just stop it Joe."
"I don't think anyone'll mind Chuck. Just gimme a minute."
"Well come on you ugly monster."
"STOP IT!"
All of the occupants of the room turned to see Mary Sefton shaking with rage. Joe barely flinched as he felt her attach herself to his right arm. "Please Joe."
Joseph kept his gaze on the other three men in the room as he felt his wife pulling on his sleeve. "Please, I just want my baby. I don't care, I just want to leave and..."
The patriarch of the Sefton household looked on as his wife continued to sob in his arms. He looked back at the creature staring quietly at the two of them. "If I ever see you again, I swear to almighty God..."
The blue mutant moved over to where Amanda's body lay and spoke. "I know Mister Sefton. Just know that I wish, I truly wish I had died along with your daughter."
The creature gently reached out to touch Amanda's face. Joseph grabbed the creature's wrist and glared.
The burly man growled and took a step forward. The blue mutant raised his hand. "Nein, Herr Logan, please, leave us alone."
Logan shook his head and opened his mouth to protest when the bald man in the wheelchair put a hand on his shoulder to stop him. "Are you sure Kurt?"
Kurt nodded and looked back at Joe Sefton, who still held his right wrist. "Ja Herr Professor. I'm sure"
The professor nodded and leaded the other man out of the room. Logan turned to give one last glare at the Sefton male before they exited. "Let me know if you need anything Elf."
Kurt nodded once and turned back to face the Seftons. Mary Sefton was still sobbing in her husband's chest. Joseph slowly let go of Kurt's wrist. The young mutant gave a small smile of appreciation. "Danke."
Joseph Sefton's face continued in a grimace. "My daughter died because of you."
Kurt nodded and looked at his feet. "She was beautiful."
Joseph continued to glare at him. "No, she was _the_ most important and _the_ most beautiful thing in my life and you took her away."
They stood in silence for several seconds before Joseph's grimace contorted in pain. "Do you believe in God?"
Kurt unconsciously touched the crucifix he kept under his uniform. Joseph leaned closer and yelled in anger. "I SAID, 'DO YOU BELIEVE IN GOD?'"
Kurt's brow furrowed as looked up into the man's hateful eyes. "Ja."
Joseph leaned back and asked with disgust. "How can a freak of nature believe in God?"
Kurt sighed as he struggled to maintain his self-control. "God loves all of his creations."
Joseph Sefton unconsciously pulled his wife closer to him and spoke. "Even if God could love an abomination like you, you're still a murderer you mutie freak."
Kurt remained quiet, but kept his solid gaze on Mr. Sefton. Several seconds of silence permeated the room before Joseph kissed his wife on the top of her head and led her out.
Kurt hung his head and leaned back onto the wall. Logan rushed into the room. "You okay Elf?"
Kurt nodded meekly. "I shall take zhat shower now Herr Logan."
//////////////////////////
Kurt scrubbed his hair furiously in the shower. Most of the grime and blood had come off, returning his fur to its original blue sheen. He turned off the showerhead and grabbed a towel to dry himself. He walked by his blurred reflection in the fogged mirror and turned to face it. The distorted image cocked its head and stared back at him. He raised his left hand and slowly wiped the fog away.
The newer image was clearer than the light blue-tinted blur. Its wet hair clung to its darker blue body. The mirror-Kurt opened its mouth, baring its pearl white fangs and stifled a yawn.
Kurt stared in the pale yellow eyes of his double.
His reflection tensed its arms and leaned forward, imitating him. He reached over with his left arm and pointed at his double. The image in the mirror matched his movements with his right hand. Their fingertips slowly approached each other and softly touched. Kurt sighed as he felt the cold metallic texture of the mirror and stepped back. He grabbed a clean t-shirt and khakis he left draped over the towel hanger and got dressed. With one last look at his doppelganger he teleported and fogged up the mirror again with smoke and brimstone.
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[1] At this time, no one knows that Xavier's a mutant.
[2] Just incase you ask, Xavier turned up his mental shields so that he wouldn't be eavesdropping on the Seftons thoughts, so he didn't register Logan's thoughts or Kurt's presence.
Pairings: Scott/Jean. mentions of Kurt/Amanda, but well, you'll see
A/N: God knows you can't write more unless you get reviews. Speaking of reviews,
ananova: Of course Beast will run tests. Its what he does.
Scrawler: Hope this is soon enough.
TDK: I'm glad you liked everyone's reactions. I wanted to make sure I got them right. Hopefully I did here too.
Arin Ross/Arain Rowan: I'm very glad that you...or at least one of you, I'm not really sure, like it. But there is only one other thing I can say about your review, I am a man, i.e. BoxerMAN, I'm not really insulted or anything, but its just a little weird when the people reviewing you think youre a girl. Unless you're a girl in which case its perfectly warranted. I am not, therefore you see my predicament. Like I said, I'm not angry or anything, just a little confused.
Maikafuniel: Thanks for the review, and once again, thanks for letting have my story on your site. Let me know if there's anything else I can do for you.
A/N 1: Okay, this is going to make reference to the death of Stefan Szardos, Kurt's foster brother in the comics, I know that its been done to death in fan fiction, ha, I made a funny. The Seftons are in now way related to the Szardos family in this fic. I couldn't find their names, so I made them up. And as for the harshness of Joseph Sefton in this part, its understandable, he just lost his daughter. The main reason it took so long to update was getting the Seftons just right. I hope I did okay. Anyway, just letting you know.
A/N 2: Also, the reason I make reference to "Immortal," "the Game," etc, is because this is eventually, god willing going to be a highlander cross, and I don't want tons of hate mail for killing off the fuzzy one. If I wanted hate mail, I'd write...I dunno something stupid.....er.
A/N 3: If you like this story, do yourself, or more likely me, a favor and read and review some of my other stories. Now on to the story!
Disclaimers: I don't own anything relating to Marvel Comics or Highlander.
Dedicated to everyone that has ideas but doesn't think they're good enough
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Kurt sat motionless in the infirmary, inches away from a singular black bag that lay infront of him on the table.
He reached out with a three-fingered hand and slowly caressed the cold hard plastic. Only a soft touch, a feather of movement before his arm shot back to his side. He stared in place, his eyes cold and hard. A soft male voice echoed in the back of his head.
"It wasn't your fault Kurt."
Kurt almost laughed at the absurdity. 'Then whose fault was it?'
The bag sat undisturbed, a shallow monument to his cowardice. Was she really in there? Kurt felt his hands start to tremble as they slowly edges forward to the zipper of the bag.
His hand shot back to his side and he closed his eyes. His fur stood on end as he forced his hands by his side. The temperature in the room seemed to cool as he regained control of his body. He closed his eyes and took a few shallow breaths. He opened his eyes; half expecting the bag to disappear like it was all a trick.
His eyes rested back on the bag, the black shine contrasting the pale white walls and tiled floor. It lay there still as it was. Calling to him, tempting him, inviting him to open it.
He reached forward again with his right arm. Tentatively. Slowly. As his fingers neared the zipper, his vision began to cloud with memories.
-A young man's limp body as it fell to the ground. His curly black hair matted in the dirt and rain, blood covering the left side of his body, his neck at an impossible angle. -
Kurt's hand wavered over the zipper, slowly descending to the cold metal.
-A stone statue quietly crying in the corner of the room before falling just out of reach, and shattering. -
Whispers of cold air escaped the bag as he gripped the small steel tab with two of his pterodactyl fingers and slowly pulled the zipper down.
-Amanda's lifeless brown eyes as the rain fell, leaving false tears across her face. -
Kurt forcefully closed his eyes and stopped as the last image assaulted his senses. He could still feel the rain drip down on him as the life flowed out of his body. Kurt growled as he fought the images to the dark recesses of his mind, batting them away with the last few embers of self-control. He took a large shallow breath and opened the top of the bag.
Amanda lay there with her eyes closed and her mouth partially open. Her once lovingly browned skin was slightly pale; her warm lips were only a grim steel line.
Kurt turned away and began to choke on his own breath, fighting back the bile rising in his stomach. He cleared the tears from his eyes and closed his eyes and began to pray.
//////////////////////////////////////////
Xavier held his head in his hands. "Sometimes I wish that I never decided to start this school."
Logan walked out from the shadows. Xavier sighed and looked back at his friend. "You can't sneak up on me Logan, you know that."
Logan nodded his head and walked behind the professor's chair. He grabbed the handles and slowly started to push him towards his office. "I know Chuck, I know."
Xavier shook his head as they continued down the hall. "Have you informed the rest of the students?"
The grizzly mutant nodded and kept his eyes towards the door on the end of the passage. "Yeah, they all know the Elf's alive. I told them that he's starting to have a accelerated healing factor or something, I don't know Chuck." He looked down at the mutant as he pushed him down the hall. "What the hell is really going on here?"
The professor sighed. "I'm not sure my friend."
Logan growled almost imperceptibly in his throat. "The kid was dead Chuck."
Xander let out a small breath and looked down at the floor.
Logan 's voice became slightly more accusing as he continued to speak. "The kid was dead, Hank thinks it, Red and Shades are convincing themselves that it didn't really happen, but you and I KNOW it."
Xavier almost shouted back. "OF COURSE I..."
He turned around and did a quick mental sweep before speaking again. "Of course I know it, but what other explanation is there? Tell me Logan, How else could a man take six shots, SIX SHOTS, to the heart and the lungs, and still be alive?"
"That's just it Chuck, you said it yourself, the Elf wasn't alive."
"Then what, his mutation allowed him to 'come back from the dead?'"
Logan sighed. "I don't know. Its just..."
Xavier finished for him. "...that 'feeling.'"
Logan growled. "In the morgue, it came back a thousand times worse. My skin was on fire. All I could see touch taste, smell, it was all pointing at him. I _know_ that has something to do with it. It was never this bad."
"I know that you put a lot of stock into your instincts and intuition Logan, and maybe it _does_ have something to do with Kurt's... 'resurrection.' But the pieces still do not add up. All I know is that I had to call Kurt's parents back and tell them that their only son was dead, and then call them back and let them know he was alive. Do you know what that does to a person?"
Xavier sighed and looked back infront of him, staring off into space. "It already takes a part of yourself to think that you child has been taken from you. A parent should never outlive their children. It is just wrong. And then to call them back, and let them know it was all just a _mistake_?"
"It wasn't a mistake Chuck."
Xavier sighed. "It takes something away in a family. It takes away their innocence. They'll never be able to go a day without thinking the worst. Believe me."
Logan closed his eyes and exhaled. He knew about Xavier's own battle and loss with David.
"It wasn't your fault Chuck."
Xavier barely managed to hold back his tongue. They turned a corner in the mansion and went into the elevator. Logan leaned over and pressed the button for the first floor.
The elevator slowly began to rise. "I said the same thing to Kurt."
"About what?"
Xavier straitened his head. "That it wasn't his fault. That there was nothing he could have done."
Logan sighed as the elevator began to slow down and stop. "There _wasn't_ anything you could do either."
Xavier nodded once before turning back to his old friend. "Does that make it any better?"
Logan let his shoulder sag and waited for the elevator doors to open. "No it doesn't."
A faint *ding* sounded and the doors slowly opened. Logan pushed the wheelchair out into the hallway and made a left. Xavier closed his eyes and touched his forehead. "Logan, does that... 'sensation' come _every_ time you and Kurt are near each other?"
Logan nodded. "Yes."
Xavier slowly rubbed his temples. "He's still in the morgue. I think you should try and keep an eye on him, take him in the Danger room, train him, make him read a book, just talk to him." He opened his eyes and sighed. "I need you to keep him away from Amanda's body for a while."
Logan raised an eyebrow as they arrived in the front lobby.
"I have to take care of a few things."
"Like what?"
Xavier silently approached a window and saw a car's headlights approach the front gate. "Important things."
////////////////////////////////////////////
Joseph Sefton parked the car infront of the Xavier institute. He had driven past the huge mansion on his daily commute to work. Never really thought that the place was home to a bunch of mutants. You never know where they are.
Who they are.
What they are.
He sighed and replayed the whole conversation in his head. She said that she was just going to the movies with her friends. Could he really have known?
Part of him responded back. 'Hah, what friends?' Ever since they found out that she went out with that godforsaken mutie, all her friends left her. Now all she had _were_ her damn mutie friends. Keith and Andrea never called. They were inseparable when they were little. He could remember the three of them playing together in the sandbox when they were little, calling themselves the 'three Amigos'. He smiled inspire of himself. He remembered his wife chastising him for letting them watch such an 'idiotic and moronic' movie. He hadn't seen Amanda with anyone except that mutie freak and his damned mutie friends for weeks.
And now he was going into the lion's den.
He sighed and looked over in the passenger seat. Her short dark hair was still damp from the rain. There were no tears in her eyes. No sadness, no anger, no hate. Only a blank expression. She would answer a simple 'yes' or 'no' to his questions and just go back to staring at the wall, the door, her feet, anywhere. But she didn't look into his eyes. He understood why. Amanda had his deep brown eyes.
He pulled his arm up and grasped her hand. Her cold clammy hand sat limp in his embrace. He squeezed harder and felt a little tug back in return. He led her out of the car and up the steps. He would be strong for her.
The front door to the institute opened to reveal a bald white man in a wheelchair. "Mr. and..."
"Shut up."
The bald man looked at him with slight trepidation and sorrow. "I'm s..."
"Where's my daughter you damned mutie lover?" [1]
The man sighed and wheeled his chair around. "If you'll follow me."
Joseph squeezed his wife's hand a little and led her down the hallway following the bald man.
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Logan approached the hallway leading to the infirmary. He took a deep breath and continued steadily walking towards the door. He knew it would come as soon as he got close enough. The slow tickling in his inner ear shuddered and expanded throughout his entire body. The electric shock coursed throughout his nerves as he staggered to keep his balance walking into the room. He heard a small German voice call out, "Lassen sie mich allein."
-Leave me alone. -
Logan huffed as he walked next to the kneeling mutant. "Chuck asked me to come check on you."
Kurt had his hands clasped together in prayer, his forehead resting on his thumbs as he prayed in German. "Gehen sie weg."
-Go away. -
Logan sighed and sat down next to the blue mutant. "You know I don't speak none of that Elf."
"Zhen let me spell it out for you." He turned and looked at Logan, his blue fur matted with tears. He bared his fangs and shouted. "GET OUT!"
Logan remained quiet as he let the grieving Nightcrawler bow his head back in prayer.
After a few seconds the elf spoke softly. "I could feel you coming."
Logan nodded. "Yeah...I could sense you too."
The elf kept quiet for a couple more seconds. "You know I cannot really pray while you are next to me."
Logan raised an eyebrow.
Kurt clasped his hands tighter. "It's hard to concentrate."
The grizzled mutant sighed. "I know the feeling...."
Logan tensed as he heard Xavier call out to him telepathically. 'Logan, the Seftons have arrived. I need you to take Kurt away from the morgue.'
'You sure Chuck? The kid aint gonna leave easy.'
'The Seftons have a right to grieve as well. Maybe if you take Kurt and distract him for a while, he might be able to deal better.'
Logan sighed and put a hand on Kurt's shoulder. "You know I aint all that good about tryin to make things better and stuff, right elf?"
Kurt muttered sardonically. "Ja? I couldn't tell."
"Well I aint gonna tell you what to do or how to grieve, but I will tell you this..."
Several seconds of silence ensued before Kurt took the bait. "What?"
Logan pulled the teenager up and led him out of the room. "Ya smell like hell. Go take a shower. You aint changed your clothes since you got back."
Kurt looked down at his dirt-encrusted clothes. They were still soggy with water and grime and blood. He could feel how matted his fur was underneath the torn fabrics. He chuckled to himself as he let Logan lead him down the hallway.
//////////////////////////////////////
Charles Xavier sighed in relief as he sensed the two mutants leave the back of the infirmary. He was leading the Seftons on a rather...long trip to the morgue. He was having trouble keeping his mental shield up with their grief at such a close proximity. He felt their sadness wash over him like a tidal wave. He concentrated harder so that he couldn't feel their thoughts despite the strength of the emotion. He held his jaw shut in concentration as they arrived at the door.
"I will stay out here and let you to your privacy. Let me know if you need anything."
Mr. Sefton leaned forward and grasped the handle to the door and opened it. He let his wife slowly walk in before turning back to the professor and spoke in a low distasteful voice. "You've done enough."
/////////////////////////////////
Logan sighed as he watched the elf walk into his bedroom. They hadn't spoken since they left the morgue. He didn't think Kurt noticed that they took a slightly less direct route than normal, so hopefully He'd just...
*BAMF*
Logan rushed over to the door and forcefully slammed into it with his shoulder. It opened to reveal a settling cloud of smoke. He turned to see a blue figure at the end of the hallway disappear again.
*BAMF*
"Aw, hell."
////////////////////////////////
Joseph Sefton watched as his wife gently stroked the face of their dead child. His wife did not cry or even look at her daughter's face. She only looked down at her hands repeating the same motion over and over again.
*BAMF*
Joe pulled his wife behind him as he turned to face the blue creature responsible for his daughter's death. "YOU!"
/////////////////////
Charles Xavier turned his head as he acknowledged the familiar sound from inside the room. "Oh, hell." [2]
Logan appeared at the end of the hall, sprinting towards his position. "Chuck, the Elf's..."
Xavier moved to the door to the morgue and opened it. "I know, I know."
////////////////////
Mary Sefton looked on with hollow eyes as her husband approached the young mutant. "Its all YOUR GODDAMNED FAULT."
The creature flinched and walked back towards the wall. "Mr. Sefton, I..."
"You fucking mutie."
The door flung open revealing the man in the wheelchair and a burly man with messy black hair. The bald man rolled forward. "Mr. Sefton, I believe it would be best..."
"Shut up you bastard. I'm talking to the mutie son of a bitch that killed my daughter."
The muscled man moved in between the bald man and Joe. "Listen here bub."
The blue creature stirred and looked over to Mary Sefton. The woman's eyes seemed glazed over as she stared off into space.
"What do you think you're going to do, Huh?"
The man grinned and unsheathed his claws. "Well, I got an inklin' of an idea."
"Logan, please. Mr. Sefton, there is no need..."
"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU FREAKS?"
Next to the table where Amanda Sefton lay, her mother spoke barely in a whisper. "Just stop it Joe."
"I don't think anyone'll mind Chuck. Just gimme a minute."
"Well come on you ugly monster."
"STOP IT!"
All of the occupants of the room turned to see Mary Sefton shaking with rage. Joe barely flinched as he felt her attach herself to his right arm. "Please Joe."
Joseph kept his gaze on the other three men in the room as he felt his wife pulling on his sleeve. "Please, I just want my baby. I don't care, I just want to leave and..."
The patriarch of the Sefton household looked on as his wife continued to sob in his arms. He looked back at the creature staring quietly at the two of them. "If I ever see you again, I swear to almighty God..."
The blue mutant moved over to where Amanda's body lay and spoke. "I know Mister Sefton. Just know that I wish, I truly wish I had died along with your daughter."
The creature gently reached out to touch Amanda's face. Joseph grabbed the creature's wrist and glared.
The burly man growled and took a step forward. The blue mutant raised his hand. "Nein, Herr Logan, please, leave us alone."
Logan shook his head and opened his mouth to protest when the bald man in the wheelchair put a hand on his shoulder to stop him. "Are you sure Kurt?"
Kurt nodded and looked back at Joe Sefton, who still held his right wrist. "Ja Herr Professor. I'm sure"
The professor nodded and leaded the other man out of the room. Logan turned to give one last glare at the Sefton male before they exited. "Let me know if you need anything Elf."
Kurt nodded once and turned back to face the Seftons. Mary Sefton was still sobbing in her husband's chest. Joseph slowly let go of Kurt's wrist. The young mutant gave a small smile of appreciation. "Danke."
Joseph Sefton's face continued in a grimace. "My daughter died because of you."
Kurt nodded and looked at his feet. "She was beautiful."
Joseph continued to glare at him. "No, she was _the_ most important and _the_ most beautiful thing in my life and you took her away."
They stood in silence for several seconds before Joseph's grimace contorted in pain. "Do you believe in God?"
Kurt unconsciously touched the crucifix he kept under his uniform. Joseph leaned closer and yelled in anger. "I SAID, 'DO YOU BELIEVE IN GOD?'"
Kurt's brow furrowed as looked up into the man's hateful eyes. "Ja."
Joseph leaned back and asked with disgust. "How can a freak of nature believe in God?"
Kurt sighed as he struggled to maintain his self-control. "God loves all of his creations."
Joseph Sefton unconsciously pulled his wife closer to him and spoke. "Even if God could love an abomination like you, you're still a murderer you mutie freak."
Kurt remained quiet, but kept his solid gaze on Mr. Sefton. Several seconds of silence permeated the room before Joseph kissed his wife on the top of her head and led her out.
Kurt hung his head and leaned back onto the wall. Logan rushed into the room. "You okay Elf?"
Kurt nodded meekly. "I shall take zhat shower now Herr Logan."
//////////////////////////
Kurt scrubbed his hair furiously in the shower. Most of the grime and blood had come off, returning his fur to its original blue sheen. He turned off the showerhead and grabbed a towel to dry himself. He walked by his blurred reflection in the fogged mirror and turned to face it. The distorted image cocked its head and stared back at him. He raised his left hand and slowly wiped the fog away.
The newer image was clearer than the light blue-tinted blur. Its wet hair clung to its darker blue body. The mirror-Kurt opened its mouth, baring its pearl white fangs and stifled a yawn.
Kurt stared in the pale yellow eyes of his double.
His reflection tensed its arms and leaned forward, imitating him. He reached over with his left arm and pointed at his double. The image in the mirror matched his movements with his right hand. Their fingertips slowly approached each other and softly touched. Kurt sighed as he felt the cold metallic texture of the mirror and stepped back. He grabbed a clean t-shirt and khakis he left draped over the towel hanger and got dressed. With one last look at his doppelganger he teleported and fogged up the mirror again with smoke and brimstone.
///////////////////////////////////////
[1] At this time, no one knows that Xavier's a mutant.
[2] Just incase you ask, Xavier turned up his mental shields so that he wouldn't be eavesdropping on the Seftons thoughts, so he didn't register Logan's thoughts or Kurt's presence.