More than Existing
Author's note: Okay, this chapter is a little long, but Janine's secret is finally revealed...though I'm not sure I matters, cause I think I'm being ignored.... (Oh and just in case you don't know what I mean when I said "Courtyard" I mean that outside place where they eat lunch, as seen in Middleverse and Shadow Dance)
Disclaimer: Strangely, I still own nothing
Chapter 6 – "Blonde Bombshell"
Kitty laid down on her bed and thought about the day's strange events. Why had Janine been so sick? Were the fainting spell and bloody nose simply the after effects of the stomach bug from last week? Or was it something more? Why had she been so tired? Was there something really wrong? If so, why hadn't Janine said something? These questions raced through Kitty's mind as she stared at the ceiling. 'Will Janine be okay?'
Meanwhile in the kitchen, the same questions flashed through Kurt's mind as he made himself a sandwich. He and Kitty had come home after dinner and he was making himself a snack. He looked down at his plate, and found himself completely unappetized. He wasn't hungry at all. All he could think about was what had happened at the mall. He couldn't help but think of how fragile Janine had felt as she collapsed into his arms. All Kurt could think was 'Will she be okay?'
"Kurt?" a voice in his head said, "I'd like to see you in the library."
Kurt shivered slightly, no matter how many times the professor did it, Kurt would never get used to hearing his mentor's voice in his head.
"You vanted to see me professor?" Kurt said as he entered the library.
"Yes. Kurt, it's about your new friend Janine." Professor Xavier began.
"Vhat about her?"
"How well do you and Kitty know her?"
"Pretty good I guess. She's from a military family, she's moved around a lot; she's really nice. She even knows we're mutants she thinks it's cool." Kurt answered with a smile. He was sure that the professor would be happy some people were beginning to accept mutants. The professor's reaction wasn't what he expected. A look of worry was reflected in the professor's eyes. "Is everyzing okay, Professor?" Kurt asked seeing the man's concern.
"I'm afraid not. Today, when I met Janine I found out that-"
"Kurt! Your Mom and Dad are on the phone from Germany." Bobby said poking his head in the library. Kurt looked at the professor, unsure if he should go. The man nodded. Smiling at the idea of being able to talk to his parents, Kurt turned and followed Bobby out of the room. The door made a slight click as it closed behind them. Charles Xavier sat silently in his chair. Was he doing the right thing? Should he tell them? Was it his place to tell them? This was something that the professor had been struggling with for a while. There were times for honesty with his students, and there was a time for secrecy. As of late he had been having difficulty telling those times apart. This was Janine's secret. Maybe, he should let her tell them...
Janine looked at herself in the mirror the next morning. Yesterday had been a close call. They almost found out. She shivered at the thought. She didn't want them to find out, but she especially didn't want them to find out by accident. She had to tell them. Would they still accept her if they knew? 'No. They'll react just like everyone else. They'll forget I'm still a person. They'll give me that look. I'm not sure it matters anyway. I'm going to have to tell them sooner or later and I suppose its better to find out sooner from me now, than by accident later.' Janine thought. She sighed heavily and said, "Well it was nice having friends while lasted."
"Kurt!" Janine called as she made her way over to him in the crowded hallway. He was taking books from his locker. When she called out he looked up and a look of relief crossed his features. 'She's okay' he thought.
"Kurt, I need to talk to you and Kitty. It's really important. It's about yesterday-"Janine started, but she was suddenly interrupted by the late bell.
"Can it vait? I haf got to go. If I'm late to Mr. Bryant's class one more time, I'll get detention." Kurt replied.
"I guess it can wait. Just meet me in the courtyard after 3rd period." She said as he turned to leave.
"Got it. See ya." He said calling over his shoulder.
"And don't forget to tell Kitty!" she said after him. Kurt said nothing but nodded in understanding. Silently, Janine turned and began walking toward her own first period.
For the next few hours Janine rehearsed in her head what to say. She completely ignored her teachers, and she'd gotten in trouble for not listening a few times already. She was nervous, but she knew she was doing the right thing. They'd really hate her if she kept this secret from them for much longer. Finally, after what seemed like years, the bell sounded, releasing them from 3rd period. Janine's heart was in her throat as she made her way to the courtyard. Standing alone in the courtyard, Janine was having second thoughts. She couldn't doubt herself for very long because suddenly, she was shoved from behind. Janine fell to the round, banging her knee. 'That'll be a bruise tomorrow' she thought as she turned to see her attacker. It was Duncan, and a few or his goons. 'Great, I don't have time for this dope.' She thought.
"Who do you think you are?" Duncan said in a cocky tone. "Well the last time I checked, I was Janine Strong." She said in a smart aleck tone as she got off the ground.
"Very funny mutie lover. I don't think you realize what we do to people that like mutants around here."
"You know Duncan, I heard from a reliable source that you liked a mutant once...that is until she dumped you." Duncan's face grew red with hate. Janine was getting more confident by the second, "And as much as I'd love to talk to you about your failed relationships, I really don't have time for this."
Duncan grabbed her by the collar of her shirt and pulled her close. His breath smelled horrible. "Make time." He said. Janine was a little frightened but she couldn't let it show. She knew that he could easily kill her in her condition, but she hoped that he wouldn't hurt her that bad. She turned her head to avoid his eyes. Just as she did, Janine heard a familiar sound behind her. Bamf . Duncan unexpectedly let her go. Not completely surprised Janine turned to see Kurt walking out of a cloud of smoke. Relief crossed her mind for a brief moment.
Kurt was mentally kicking himself for not following Janine today. Because of yesterday's events, he'd totally forgotten Duncan's threat. There was no time to beat himself up for it now, he had to help Janine. "Duncan, picking on a girl? Zhat's low even for you." Kurt said as he assumed a fighting stance. The blonde boy had been temporarily taken back by the mutant's entrance, but now he was ready. Duncan swiftly grabbed Kurt by the throat and slung him across the courtyard as if he'd been a rag doll.
"Kurt!" Janine screamed as she ran toward her fallen friend. But before she got to Kurt's body, Duncan had her by the arm.
"You know what? Mutie lovers like you are even bigger freaks than the mutants." He said squeezing her arm hard as he jerked Janine toward him. Since the beginning of the fight, a crowd had formed, and they all heard the same teeth clenching crack as Janine's arm broke under Duncan's force. The jerk wouldn't have broken a normal person's arm, but in Janine's condition, her arm broke like a twig. Stunned at the fact that he'd actually broken her arm, Duncan let go of Janine. But the momentum of the original jerk kept her moving. She couldn't stop. A loose rock in the courtyard quickly sent her to the ground. Before Janine could put her good arm out to catch herself, her head hit the pavement and for a moment, everything went black.
Janine slowly blinked her eyes open. Her arm was throbbing horribly and her head hurt. Several people were standing around her, but she only recognized a few of them. One was Kurt, and another one was blonde, so she figured that one was Duncan. Next to Kurt she could see Kitty who must have just walked up. Out of the corner of her eye she could see something blonde lying on the ground. Everyone for some reason was starting at her head. Janine could suddenly feel a light breeze on her scalp. She at last realized what they were staring at. Her good hand rushed to her head, and just like she suspected, in place of feeling a head of hair, all she could feel was skin. Her wig had fallen off when she'd hit the ground, and now everyone knew. It didn't take a rocket scientist for hem to realize that they were staring at a cancer patient. The circles under her eyes, her week out of school, the bruises, the fatigue and bloody nose. It all fit. The baldhead was the last confirmation in a series of puzzled events. They were all giving her the look now. The look that said they were afraid, it was a look that said that they weren't looking at a person anymore, just a corpse. They already saw her as a dead man. Janine avoided Kurt and Kitty's eyes, afraid of seeing their expressions.
Janine couldn't help it, but she was feeling the tears welling up in her eyes. She slowly and painfully picked herself up off the ground. Her arm ached and her head hurt, but she did the only thing she could think of, she ran.
Author's note: Okay, this chapter is a little long, but Janine's secret is finally revealed...though I'm not sure I matters, cause I think I'm being ignored.... (Oh and just in case you don't know what I mean when I said "Courtyard" I mean that outside place where they eat lunch, as seen in Middleverse and Shadow Dance)
Disclaimer: Strangely, I still own nothing
Chapter 6 – "Blonde Bombshell"
Kitty laid down on her bed and thought about the day's strange events. Why had Janine been so sick? Were the fainting spell and bloody nose simply the after effects of the stomach bug from last week? Or was it something more? Why had she been so tired? Was there something really wrong? If so, why hadn't Janine said something? These questions raced through Kitty's mind as she stared at the ceiling. 'Will Janine be okay?'
Meanwhile in the kitchen, the same questions flashed through Kurt's mind as he made himself a sandwich. He and Kitty had come home after dinner and he was making himself a snack. He looked down at his plate, and found himself completely unappetized. He wasn't hungry at all. All he could think about was what had happened at the mall. He couldn't help but think of how fragile Janine had felt as she collapsed into his arms. All Kurt could think was 'Will she be okay?'
"Kurt?" a voice in his head said, "I'd like to see you in the library."
Kurt shivered slightly, no matter how many times the professor did it, Kurt would never get used to hearing his mentor's voice in his head.
"You vanted to see me professor?" Kurt said as he entered the library.
"Yes. Kurt, it's about your new friend Janine." Professor Xavier began.
"Vhat about her?"
"How well do you and Kitty know her?"
"Pretty good I guess. She's from a military family, she's moved around a lot; she's really nice. She even knows we're mutants she thinks it's cool." Kurt answered with a smile. He was sure that the professor would be happy some people were beginning to accept mutants. The professor's reaction wasn't what he expected. A look of worry was reflected in the professor's eyes. "Is everyzing okay, Professor?" Kurt asked seeing the man's concern.
"I'm afraid not. Today, when I met Janine I found out that-"
"Kurt! Your Mom and Dad are on the phone from Germany." Bobby said poking his head in the library. Kurt looked at the professor, unsure if he should go. The man nodded. Smiling at the idea of being able to talk to his parents, Kurt turned and followed Bobby out of the room. The door made a slight click as it closed behind them. Charles Xavier sat silently in his chair. Was he doing the right thing? Should he tell them? Was it his place to tell them? This was something that the professor had been struggling with for a while. There were times for honesty with his students, and there was a time for secrecy. As of late he had been having difficulty telling those times apart. This was Janine's secret. Maybe, he should let her tell them...
Janine looked at herself in the mirror the next morning. Yesterday had been a close call. They almost found out. She shivered at the thought. She didn't want them to find out, but she especially didn't want them to find out by accident. She had to tell them. Would they still accept her if they knew? 'No. They'll react just like everyone else. They'll forget I'm still a person. They'll give me that look. I'm not sure it matters anyway. I'm going to have to tell them sooner or later and I suppose its better to find out sooner from me now, than by accident later.' Janine thought. She sighed heavily and said, "Well it was nice having friends while lasted."
"Kurt!" Janine called as she made her way over to him in the crowded hallway. He was taking books from his locker. When she called out he looked up and a look of relief crossed his features. 'She's okay' he thought.
"Kurt, I need to talk to you and Kitty. It's really important. It's about yesterday-"Janine started, but she was suddenly interrupted by the late bell.
"Can it vait? I haf got to go. If I'm late to Mr. Bryant's class one more time, I'll get detention." Kurt replied.
"I guess it can wait. Just meet me in the courtyard after 3rd period." She said as he turned to leave.
"Got it. See ya." He said calling over his shoulder.
"And don't forget to tell Kitty!" she said after him. Kurt said nothing but nodded in understanding. Silently, Janine turned and began walking toward her own first period.
For the next few hours Janine rehearsed in her head what to say. She completely ignored her teachers, and she'd gotten in trouble for not listening a few times already. She was nervous, but she knew she was doing the right thing. They'd really hate her if she kept this secret from them for much longer. Finally, after what seemed like years, the bell sounded, releasing them from 3rd period. Janine's heart was in her throat as she made her way to the courtyard. Standing alone in the courtyard, Janine was having second thoughts. She couldn't doubt herself for very long because suddenly, she was shoved from behind. Janine fell to the round, banging her knee. 'That'll be a bruise tomorrow' she thought as she turned to see her attacker. It was Duncan, and a few or his goons. 'Great, I don't have time for this dope.' She thought.
"Who do you think you are?" Duncan said in a cocky tone. "Well the last time I checked, I was Janine Strong." She said in a smart aleck tone as she got off the ground.
"Very funny mutie lover. I don't think you realize what we do to people that like mutants around here."
"You know Duncan, I heard from a reliable source that you liked a mutant once...that is until she dumped you." Duncan's face grew red with hate. Janine was getting more confident by the second, "And as much as I'd love to talk to you about your failed relationships, I really don't have time for this."
Duncan grabbed her by the collar of her shirt and pulled her close. His breath smelled horrible. "Make time." He said. Janine was a little frightened but she couldn't let it show. She knew that he could easily kill her in her condition, but she hoped that he wouldn't hurt her that bad. She turned her head to avoid his eyes. Just as she did, Janine heard a familiar sound behind her. Bamf . Duncan unexpectedly let her go. Not completely surprised Janine turned to see Kurt walking out of a cloud of smoke. Relief crossed her mind for a brief moment.
Kurt was mentally kicking himself for not following Janine today. Because of yesterday's events, he'd totally forgotten Duncan's threat. There was no time to beat himself up for it now, he had to help Janine. "Duncan, picking on a girl? Zhat's low even for you." Kurt said as he assumed a fighting stance. The blonde boy had been temporarily taken back by the mutant's entrance, but now he was ready. Duncan swiftly grabbed Kurt by the throat and slung him across the courtyard as if he'd been a rag doll.
"Kurt!" Janine screamed as she ran toward her fallen friend. But before she got to Kurt's body, Duncan had her by the arm.
"You know what? Mutie lovers like you are even bigger freaks than the mutants." He said squeezing her arm hard as he jerked Janine toward him. Since the beginning of the fight, a crowd had formed, and they all heard the same teeth clenching crack as Janine's arm broke under Duncan's force. The jerk wouldn't have broken a normal person's arm, but in Janine's condition, her arm broke like a twig. Stunned at the fact that he'd actually broken her arm, Duncan let go of Janine. But the momentum of the original jerk kept her moving. She couldn't stop. A loose rock in the courtyard quickly sent her to the ground. Before Janine could put her good arm out to catch herself, her head hit the pavement and for a moment, everything went black.
Janine slowly blinked her eyes open. Her arm was throbbing horribly and her head hurt. Several people were standing around her, but she only recognized a few of them. One was Kurt, and another one was blonde, so she figured that one was Duncan. Next to Kurt she could see Kitty who must have just walked up. Out of the corner of her eye she could see something blonde lying on the ground. Everyone for some reason was starting at her head. Janine could suddenly feel a light breeze on her scalp. She at last realized what they were staring at. Her good hand rushed to her head, and just like she suspected, in place of feeling a head of hair, all she could feel was skin. Her wig had fallen off when she'd hit the ground, and now everyone knew. It didn't take a rocket scientist for hem to realize that they were staring at a cancer patient. The circles under her eyes, her week out of school, the bruises, the fatigue and bloody nose. It all fit. The baldhead was the last confirmation in a series of puzzled events. They were all giving her the look now. The look that said they were afraid, it was a look that said that they weren't looking at a person anymore, just a corpse. They already saw her as a dead man. Janine avoided Kurt and Kitty's eyes, afraid of seeing their expressions.
Janine couldn't help it, but she was feeling the tears welling up in her eyes. She slowly and painfully picked herself up off the ground. Her arm ached and her head hurt, but she did the only thing she could think of, she ran.