A/N: Ooooooh here it is. An extra long chapter because I have been gone for so long. I hope you
still remember it.
Well I decided to rant some here…..you see I went on an X-Men: Evolution marathon when I got
back. and watched every episode…and I found some weird things that bothered me….
1. What color is Todd's eyes? One minute they are brown, then green and then when he is in
costume, they are red. Inconsistent aren't we?
2. Does Kurt have pupils? In the first few eps, he does, (I'm talking when he is blue) then in
later ones, he just has white/yellowish eyes.
3. Anyone else notice in Day of Reckoning, Gambit has white around his dark eyes? Then in
Stuff of Villains, he has his normal red on black eyes.
4. I realized I am one of the few that like Boom Boom and hates Amara.
5. Why does Mystique seem to miss and care about Kurt in Shadowed Past but in every
single other ep she seems to not even notice he is there?
6. I really really like the music that plays whenever Lance creates an earthquake.
7. Did Pietro have a voice actor change? Or did his VA go through puberty?
8. Why dear God, why do all the guys tuck in their shirts???
9. Isn't Amara and Amanda supposed to be blond?
10. You know, Jean could be like the strongest mutant. She could do anything!
Someone attacking her, fling stuff telepathically at them or fly away or levitate the
attacker or whatnot…that was just a random observation.
11. Where does Wanda get her make up in the institution? Do they hand it out while
they give therapy?
12. Same thing with Rogue, does she sleep with her make up on?
13. WTF happened with Mystique?? She was fine with her normal white outfit but
when she comes back….she is hideous! Purple lipstick on blue skin is wrong! And why
does she suddenly have yellow cat eyes?
14. Do all of the X-men have the same backpack?
15. Some explain to me Kurt's outfit. Is it a hologram and he wears the costume
underneath? Or does he actually wear the clothes and the holo just changes his skin?
'Cause it has happened both ways and I get confused easily.
16. Last one. Kurt and Lance's height. In some eps, Kurt is taller than Kitty and Evan
and Rogue but shorter than Scott and Jean (I'm talking blue form) then in others he is the
shortest out of all of them. And Lance, he is taller than Fred but shorter than Scott….but
Fred is always taller than Scott…weird.
17. Actually I lied, one more. Does Cerebro change in EVERY EPISODE??
Okay sorry about that, I've been brooding over those things….and here is the rest of my author's
note. Well in this I've started veering off in to Lance-ness, I like him. He may seem OOC but it is
because I decided to give him a brain and not have him sexually frustrated over Kitty or Pietro
like most fics do. And I am still not sure about a romance. I mean, it would have to make sense ya
know? Kitty doesn't seem to fit in this one though….hmm….any suggestions?
Disclaimers: Monkey. Oh and JFK all the WAY!
xxx
Part 7: Normal Thoughts, Abnormal Actions
xxx
Lance stared at the plush surroundings of the Institute. He remembered his brief stay at the
mansion several weeks earlier and it still was a major "culture" shock compared to living
conditions at the Brotherhood manor.
He was waiting for Scott to come back after speaking with the Professor. He was also wondering
about when Pietro and the others would get back with his Jeep.
"That hyper-active little freak better not do anything to trash my Jeep or I'll kill him." He began
to pace back and forth across the richly decorated room.
But he knew that he was just avoiding going over what had happened at the meeting. It was
funny, not too long ago he and the other Brotherhood members had wanted to reveal that they
were all mutants to the soccer game. But that was out of a need to stop hiding.
This was different.
In a strange way.
Now he wanted to go back to the few hours before when he was still blissfully hiding. To go back
to where his only enemies were the X-Men.
Lance found an ornament chair that looked more for visual aesthetics that for actual sitting. But
he shrugged off any doubts and sat down it. Pietro, Fred, and Todd were still safe though; they
were still able to hide. It was just himself, Summers and the Wagner kid that lost their safety.
He brought his hands up to rub the bridge of his nose. A headache still raged on behind his eyes.
The quake that he had caused to divert attention was the largest tremor that he had ever caused.
The headache still hadn't faded.
"You want some aspirin?" Lance looked up to find Summers staring at him through ruby quartz.
"Nah, that shit never really works on these." Lance looked down guiltily at the chair he was
sitting in and stood quickly up.
Scott nodded and sighed. "Here, you better get something to eat anyway. I can tell you what the
Professor said there." He gestured to him to follow into the kitchen.
"What do you got?" Lance asked eying the fridge that was larger than the Brotherhood's kitchen.
"Anything." Scott pulled out a box of cereal and simply ate from the box. Lance watched him,
slightly thrown for a moment. Eating out of the box and drinking from the milk carton seemed too
undignified for the up-tight Scott.
"Got Lucky Charms?" Scott smiled and nodded. Reaching back into the cupboard he threw Lance
the said box.
The two boys sat down at the table and ate silently from their respective cereal boxes. There was
too much on each of their minds at the moment.
"The Professor says that you are welcomed to stay here if you want to." Scott spoke up first.
"What about the others?"
"They're welcomed too." Scott pushed the cereal aside and winced as he moved his shoulder.
"Listen Lance, we need to put aside our fighting for the moment. We really need to work
together."
Lance looked up from his marshmallows, which he had been picking out from the other pieces.
Scott again shocked him. At the use of his name and not 'Alvers' or 'Rock Tumbler' or even
'Shake Down'.
"So what do you think?" Scott asked.
"I think it would be a good idea, seeing how things have been going." He shoved a handful of the
colorful marshmallows into his mouth. "Where's Blue?"
"Mr. McCoy had to sedate him, he is sleeping in the infirmary. He's taking this pretty hard."
"I figured he would."
Scott sighed again. "Yeah, this whole situation sucks."
"And things are getting worse." Jean's voice broke in from the kitchen doorway.
Scott leapt to his feet. "What's going on?"
"Well not to be slightly obvious here, but Duncan was a bit mad." Jean rolled her eyes. "And now
everyone is convinced that Kurt, and you two are evil mutants. They even contacted Principal
Kelly to inform him. They are out to stop you three from ever returning to school."
Lance rubbed his temples as his headache grew.
"And what about you guys and the Brotherhood? Do they suspect you guys?" Scott asked.
"No, Duncan wants me to move out of the Institute, he seems to think it is dangerous living with
a mutant."
"It seems to be more dangerous to be around humans right now." Lance spat. "This is shit. I don't
need to be afraid of that stupid jock. I can knock the ground right out from underneath him if he
tries anything."
"You may not need to be afraid of Duncan, but I would be careful of Duncan and his large group
of followers." Jean warned.
xxx
Kurt first became aware of a pain around his neck. It was burning. But it was nothing compared
to the burning that assaulted his eyes when he tried to open it.
"I'd be careful Furball, you took some major hits there."
Kurt was shocked to see who his visitor was. "Lance? What are you doing here?"
"I got tired of listening to Red spell out our doom to One-eye so I came to see how my favorite
plush toy was doing." He leaned back in the waiting chair.
Kurt raised an eyebrow. "'Favorite plush toy'?"
Lance laughed lightly. "Well actually I needed to check in with Big-Foot to get something for my
head. So how are you doing?"
Kurt rubbed the back of his head and winced when his hand came in contact with a large scabbed
bump. "I hurt."
The other mutant laughed again. "I figured you would be. But I couldn't tell with all that blue fur
you have."
"Ich weiss nicht. I am not sure how I feel." He shook his head, trying to clear it.
{I don't know}
"Well from what Big-Foot told me, you have a large gash on your head from that rock, and some
bruising on the arms and ribs, and some rope burns and bruises on your neck. Scott says he is
sorry for that."
"Why?"
"Well when he blasted that rope, it ripped away quickly so it left the burns." Lance threw his
hands up in the air with a disaffected shrug.
"So they all know about the three of us, huh?"
Lance turned solemn, "Yup, Blue, they do." He clenched his fist as the chair he sat in rattled. "It
pisses me off. That they can get away with this. Now don't get me wrong, school isn't my strong
point, but to not be able to go back…"
"It destroys any chance at being normal, huh?" Kurt looked down at the fur on his arms. "I fell
into a routine, it was simple. I was able to go to school and live a normal life. The biggest fear I
had was my watch going trippy. Now, it is whether or not I am going to be killed because I have
different genes."
"MY life has never been normal." Lance muttered bitterly. "Foster homes weren't the best way to
grow up."
"Neither was being blue and fuzzy."
"True. Funny, in a way you, me and Summers have a lot in common. Growing up sucked, our
powers cause problems, and now we can't hide anymore." Lance rested his head on propped up
elbows.
"Ja we all fell into a false normality and then we had it torn away."
The two boys fell into a contemplating silence.
xxx
[One Week Later]
"Kurt! Like I haven't seen you in awhile!" Kitty came in to the kitchen from behind Kurt.
"Ja that happens when you try to avoid people." Kurt was busy rummaging around in an attempt
to find something to eat.
"Why?"
"Well lots of reason, Katze." He continued to leave his back turned to her.
"And they are?" she continued to probe.
"Haven't really been up to talking to people. Then there was that comment made a week ago, you
know me being a freak and all."
Kitty looked down as red covered her cheeks and spread to her neck. "Listen Kurt, it is like, time
to talk about that. I didn't really mean it, I was just angry that night. It didn't excuse what I said,
but I am sorry."
Kurt turned away from his food search to meet Kitty gaze. "Look Katzchen," reverting to her
normal nickname. "I figured as much but it still hurt."
"Uh es toot mirror lied." She tried the German way.
Kurt let out a short but loud laugh. "Nein, nein, ist 'Es tut mir leid!"
Kitty smiled, glad that the tension was over. She sat down at the table and grabbed an apple from
the fruit bowl.
"So how has school been doing?" Kurt gave up and proceeded to hang contently from the ceiling
lamp.
Kitty groaned. "Oh man, it's totally a zoo now! Everybody has gone on this crazy witch-hunt.
Kelly has been talking to the Prof about letting you three back in. He is totally against it but the
Prof has been pressing it. But there has been more meetings at lunch and stuff, I haven't gone
yet."
"Well I meant about school work….how's the Hunchback of Notre Dame going?" Kurt swung
slightly, upside down.
"Same old, we are still discussing it, we had another essay assigned. But that's about it."
- Kurt can you, Scott, and Lance please come see me in my office? – the Professor's voice echoed
in his head.
Kurt gave Kitty an apologetic look, "Es tut mir leid, but I got to pop out of here. We'll talk later,
we still have things to discuss."
*Bamf*
Lance and Scott were already assembled when Kurt 'ported in. "Ja? Wie geh'st?" he asked
dropping down into his crouch.
{Yeah? How are you?/How's it going?}
"Hello Kurt, I was just about to tell all of you that my talks with your Principal Kelly are over."
The Professor steepled his hands.
Lance crossed his arms and glared. Not at Xavier but at a bust of John F. Kennedy beyond him.
"Let me guess, that old fart up in his high and mighty office told you hell no, no muties in his
school."
Xavier shook his head. "Quite the contrary. I just had to remind him of some certain civil rights
amendments and recite some well spoken speeches and in the end, the good man agreed to let you
three back in."
"' If we can not now end our differences, at least we can help make the world safe for diversity.'"
Lance quietly quoted.
Scott looked over at the other mutant in wonder. "Who was that?"
Lance slouched slightly and pointed to the bust behind Xavier. "JFK did. He was one of the few
people I paid attention to in history." Lance rolled his eyes. "He also said some cool lines like
'Our problems are man-made therefore they can be solved by man…for in the final analysis, our
most basic common link, is that we all inhabit this small planet, we all breathe the same air, we all
cherish our children's futures, and we are all mortal.'"
"Wise words." Xavier nodded.
"Yeah then someone went and shot him."
Xavier sighed and wheeled away from the three boys to look out the window. "I know things
seem difficult now, but things will get better in the end. Look at the change in everyone already. A
few weeks ago, the Brotherhood and the X-Men couldn't be in the same room without fighting
each other. Now you all are working together."
Scott, Kurt, and Lance all nodded. For the past week, Lance, Pietro, Fred, Todd and Tabitha had
given up living in the Brotherhood home in exchange for living in the Institute. It was a strange
adjustment for them all but things were slowly working out. Even though food seemed to run out
more quickly now. And it was interesting to have Boom Boom back.
"Ja we may be working together but is that a good price to pay for having three of us on
everyone's hit lists?" Kurt expression turned bitter. "Lance is right. This isn't fair."
With his back still facing the kids, Xavier sighed. "Yes, I know Kurt. Things are more difficult
now. But we must all stick together. You are able to return, now, to school. Take advantage of
that."
"So are we supposed to return tomorrow?" Scott tentatively asked.
"Yes."
"Great." Lance rolled his eyes. "At least they only think that Blue can use telekinesis and teleport.
Not that he is really blue and furry."
Xavier turned around and flashed Lance a confused look. "Telekinesis?"
"Ja, es ist sehr dumm, du weiss? Jean tried to help me and levitated a rock, they all thought it was
me." Kurt snorted.
{Yeah, it is very stupid, you know?}
Xavier nodded in acknowledgment. "I see, well all of you can return to your former activities. I
expect that you will go to school in the morning?"
xxx
Kurt decided that he wasn't going to go and find Kitty that night. He had some thinking to do. So
he returned to where his mind could always get some clarity.
The roof.
He sat in the night air as a cool breeze blew through his hair. It was a clear night out that belied all
the turmoil that was raging in his mind. There hadn't been a minute that had passed since the
fateful day that he hadn't thought about his secret being revealed. At times, however, he felt guilty
because he tended to think only of himself and not Scott and Lance. They had their secrets
revealed too. But somehow it was different.
Scott bounced back very quickly; being a mutant wasn't so much as a character flaw for him.
And Lance, well he had always been on the outside of the world. He could handle people hating
him and he could care less.
But himself? He loved the anonymity that his image inducer had allowed him. The strange thing
was, people still hated him even though they didn't know what he looked like. It was very strange
and confusing.
"Mein Vater, warum? Warum tun Sie dies? Ich bin ein guten Mann. Ich glaube an Sie. Unser
Vater, sind Sie im Himmel…" Kurt cut off his prayer and sighed loudly. God hadn't been too kind
to him lately.
{My Father, why? Why do you do this? I am a good man. I believe in you. Our Father, you are in
heaven….}
He pulled out his cross to stare at it. It looked so simple yet so complex. On the outside, it was
two intersecting lines of silver connected to a fine silver chain. But it represented so much.
Someone dying for what they believed in, what he believed in, a religion, a faith, and a force that
could bring life and end it. It was so small and so large.
"Nichts ist überhaupt klein…" Kurt whispered to the wind.
{Nothing is at all small…}
Silence was the only answer he received.
"Schule. Soll ich gehen? Die Luete hassen mich. Ich weiss nich." Kurt wrapped his tail around his
leg tightly. It was a comforting gestured that he still retained from his childhood. "Schule ist
Hölle."
{School. Should I go? The people hate me. I don't know. School is hell.}
Silence still reigned.
xxx
Scott, meanwhile, was doing his own thinking. After leaving the Professor, he had wandered
down to the empty rec room. He had thought it would be a good idea to watch a movie, to
distract him, but it was really the silence that he craved.
So much had happened, so much that it was mind blowing. If Jean were to try and read his mind
at the moment, her pretty red head would explode. Thoughts of the anti-mutant movement,
school, Kurt, the Brotherhood, and how his shoulder still hurt and the bruise on his face still
hadn't faded completely were all racing around in his head at Quicksilver speed.
"Okay lets do this in the orderly way. First thought first. The anti-mutant crap." The riots had
been slowing down and instead a push for a mutant registry act was being promoted. But it was
just a murmur at the moment but he had a feeling that it would be growing. Jean had been telling
him how rallies still appeared at the school, how Duncan was still leading the charge. "Hmm,
luckily that Storm has been in Washington, trying to get the mutant voice heard."
He was kind of embarrassed that he was talking to himself, but he didn't entirely care at the
moment.
"Next thought, school." Now out of the three revealed Bayville mutants, Scott was the only one
that really, really missed school. He loved learning; he missed German class, lunches with the
group, watching Jean out the German class windows. Now he had the chance of going back. But
would it really be worth it?
"Kurt and the Brotherhood now." It was kind of weird that he was organizing his thoughts like
this. But oh well. Kurt and Lance had taken a strange place as his closest friends. Sure he and
Jean were close, but Kurt and Lance shared a low point now in his life that Jean couldn't
understand.
It was strange, seeing as how he hated Lance not but two weeks ago. But he discovered that
underneath his 'I'm-a-badass-with-bad-rock-puns' exterior, there was a kid trying to learn too.
And Kurt had always been his closest guy friend but now, they were even closer.
Scott looked over at the clock that hung above the TV. It was getting late. After all, he had
school in the morning.
xxx
Lance wasn't lying when he told the Professor that he liked learning about John F. Kennedy. For a
human, he was pretty cool.
He was sitting in a very empty Institute library with a biography about the 35th president cracked
open in front of him. Of course if Pietro or Todd caught him, he'd have to bury them under ten
feet of rock.
"'History has shown that enmities between nations, as between individuals, does not last forever.'
Hmm I guess that is true." Lance mused to himself as he read over a speech. It was true in
essence. Look at himself. He hated that do-goodie Scott Summers but now, it all ended when they
faced a common threat.
He sighed in frustration as his thoughts strayed from the book and back to the 'problem' as he
referred to any thing dealing with the effects of Duncan's meeting.
"Argh. Shit. I just want to read this book! Not think about this shit storm we are in!" he
determinedly looked back down at the pages. "Hmm, the Cuban Missile Crisis? Sounds
interesting." He read on several pages. "Woah, that's intense. Simply talking to others prevented
nuke war? Didn't know that."
Lance leaned back in the chair that he occupied. "Then again, you never did pay much attention in
school, did ya? But at least you get a second chance though, huh?"
The book rattled on the table as a brief flash of anger ripped through. "Yeah some second chance.
A second chance to get my ass kicked." Again he forced his mind back onto the book. "Lets
see….JFK on civil rights? Hmm fighting for civil rights isn't something that I want to read about
at the moment."
He flipped ahead some in the book. "Ah ya, November 22, 1963. Assassination in Dallas." He fell
quiet as he read on. For some reason, he suddenly felt sad. It was sad in the fact that this guy did
some good things in his life, and admittedly bad things as well, all of these things that made him
human, he was human and someone killed him.
It was like how Summers and Blue were both good guys, admittedly, but people still wanted to
hurt them. Anger unlike he ever experienced before took over. All of the books around him
rattled and flew from their shelves as tremor shook the mansion.
Lance slammed the book shut and stood, trying to reign in his anger, but it continued to grow,
like the quake. He vowed in a low deadly voice to the shaking room around him.
"'Let the word go forth, from this time and place, that the torch has been passed….'"
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
I'm gonna answer reviews!
LeDiz: When I saw your review I serious was in shock, I fell off my chair and hit my head on my
couch. I've been lurking reading "I Always Do" and the glass memories (can't think of name….)
and you are my God. I felt honored. And yes, Amanda is evil.
Soul Eater: Amanda stinks. Here *hands you a Kurt doll* you play nice with him.
SoulOfFlame: I'm glad you think it is original. That makes me all Jell-oy inside.
Keebler-elmo: Hmm I should have had a fight….but…..intrigued….maybe in the future…
Katterree Fengari: I hope this continues it on as good. Hehe the Latin I got is from two movies,
Hunchback of Notre Dame and Thirteen Days. In Thirteen Days, JFK is in the church and they
sing "Kyrie Eleison"
Epona: In case no has guessed, I no like Amanda, so she will be a central antagonist.
Skip: YAY I updated!
Jinx: If you can get Kurt away from Soul Eater then you can play with him.
Tempest in Blue: Oh ja German is better hehe, and why do most forget that he is Catholic? I think
that it is a cool aspect of him.
Key: I always look forward to your reviews they make me really happy! You always have
something cool to say.
Arayah: Yeah I knew all that…but for the sake of my demented (and jealous) mind, I made her
evil and ignored the Jimaine aspect.
Ash: Don't you love how people can accuse but don't realize that they are doing the same thing?
Jaganashi: I heart Brad Swaile. I heart My Little Pony and Evolution…it works out great. Yeah I
knew he was a VA plus he is also a VA for Ramna ½, he is Mousse, my fav. Character!
Aqua*Drageen: Thanks for doing something new and reviewing my fic! I feel all honored and
stuff and I hope this next part prevents a napalm arrow!
Raven Fayth: here is more!
Nightrider: Yeah I know it took me longer but I wanted to make this part longer since I was
gone.
Taineyah: Kurt is alright……for the moment….(insert evil laughter)
still remember it.
Well I decided to rant some here…..you see I went on an X-Men: Evolution marathon when I got
back. and watched every episode…and I found some weird things that bothered me….
1. What color is Todd's eyes? One minute they are brown, then green and then when he is in
costume, they are red. Inconsistent aren't we?
2. Does Kurt have pupils? In the first few eps, he does, (I'm talking when he is blue) then in
later ones, he just has white/yellowish eyes.
3. Anyone else notice in Day of Reckoning, Gambit has white around his dark eyes? Then in
Stuff of Villains, he has his normal red on black eyes.
4. I realized I am one of the few that like Boom Boom and hates Amara.
5. Why does Mystique seem to miss and care about Kurt in Shadowed Past but in every
single other ep she seems to not even notice he is there?
6. I really really like the music that plays whenever Lance creates an earthquake.
7. Did Pietro have a voice actor change? Or did his VA go through puberty?
8. Why dear God, why do all the guys tuck in their shirts???
9. Isn't Amara and Amanda supposed to be blond?
10. You know, Jean could be like the strongest mutant. She could do anything!
Someone attacking her, fling stuff telepathically at them or fly away or levitate the
attacker or whatnot…that was just a random observation.
11. Where does Wanda get her make up in the institution? Do they hand it out while
they give therapy?
12. Same thing with Rogue, does she sleep with her make up on?
13. WTF happened with Mystique?? She was fine with her normal white outfit but
when she comes back….she is hideous! Purple lipstick on blue skin is wrong! And why
does she suddenly have yellow cat eyes?
14. Do all of the X-men have the same backpack?
15. Some explain to me Kurt's outfit. Is it a hologram and he wears the costume
underneath? Or does he actually wear the clothes and the holo just changes his skin?
'Cause it has happened both ways and I get confused easily.
16. Last one. Kurt and Lance's height. In some eps, Kurt is taller than Kitty and Evan
and Rogue but shorter than Scott and Jean (I'm talking blue form) then in others he is the
shortest out of all of them. And Lance, he is taller than Fred but shorter than Scott….but
Fred is always taller than Scott…weird.
17. Actually I lied, one more. Does Cerebro change in EVERY EPISODE??
Okay sorry about that, I've been brooding over those things….and here is the rest of my author's
note. Well in this I've started veering off in to Lance-ness, I like him. He may seem OOC but it is
because I decided to give him a brain and not have him sexually frustrated over Kitty or Pietro
like most fics do. And I am still not sure about a romance. I mean, it would have to make sense ya
know? Kitty doesn't seem to fit in this one though….hmm….any suggestions?
Disclaimers: Monkey. Oh and JFK all the WAY!
xxx
Part 7: Normal Thoughts, Abnormal Actions
xxx
Lance stared at the plush surroundings of the Institute. He remembered his brief stay at the
mansion several weeks earlier and it still was a major "culture" shock compared to living
conditions at the Brotherhood manor.
He was waiting for Scott to come back after speaking with the Professor. He was also wondering
about when Pietro and the others would get back with his Jeep.
"That hyper-active little freak better not do anything to trash my Jeep or I'll kill him." He began
to pace back and forth across the richly decorated room.
But he knew that he was just avoiding going over what had happened at the meeting. It was
funny, not too long ago he and the other Brotherhood members had wanted to reveal that they
were all mutants to the soccer game. But that was out of a need to stop hiding.
This was different.
In a strange way.
Now he wanted to go back to the few hours before when he was still blissfully hiding. To go back
to where his only enemies were the X-Men.
Lance found an ornament chair that looked more for visual aesthetics that for actual sitting. But
he shrugged off any doubts and sat down it. Pietro, Fred, and Todd were still safe though; they
were still able to hide. It was just himself, Summers and the Wagner kid that lost their safety.
He brought his hands up to rub the bridge of his nose. A headache still raged on behind his eyes.
The quake that he had caused to divert attention was the largest tremor that he had ever caused.
The headache still hadn't faded.
"You want some aspirin?" Lance looked up to find Summers staring at him through ruby quartz.
"Nah, that shit never really works on these." Lance looked down guiltily at the chair he was
sitting in and stood quickly up.
Scott nodded and sighed. "Here, you better get something to eat anyway. I can tell you what the
Professor said there." He gestured to him to follow into the kitchen.
"What do you got?" Lance asked eying the fridge that was larger than the Brotherhood's kitchen.
"Anything." Scott pulled out a box of cereal and simply ate from the box. Lance watched him,
slightly thrown for a moment. Eating out of the box and drinking from the milk carton seemed too
undignified for the up-tight Scott.
"Got Lucky Charms?" Scott smiled and nodded. Reaching back into the cupboard he threw Lance
the said box.
The two boys sat down at the table and ate silently from their respective cereal boxes. There was
too much on each of their minds at the moment.
"The Professor says that you are welcomed to stay here if you want to." Scott spoke up first.
"What about the others?"
"They're welcomed too." Scott pushed the cereal aside and winced as he moved his shoulder.
"Listen Lance, we need to put aside our fighting for the moment. We really need to work
together."
Lance looked up from his marshmallows, which he had been picking out from the other pieces.
Scott again shocked him. At the use of his name and not 'Alvers' or 'Rock Tumbler' or even
'Shake Down'.
"So what do you think?" Scott asked.
"I think it would be a good idea, seeing how things have been going." He shoved a handful of the
colorful marshmallows into his mouth. "Where's Blue?"
"Mr. McCoy had to sedate him, he is sleeping in the infirmary. He's taking this pretty hard."
"I figured he would."
Scott sighed again. "Yeah, this whole situation sucks."
"And things are getting worse." Jean's voice broke in from the kitchen doorway.
Scott leapt to his feet. "What's going on?"
"Well not to be slightly obvious here, but Duncan was a bit mad." Jean rolled her eyes. "And now
everyone is convinced that Kurt, and you two are evil mutants. They even contacted Principal
Kelly to inform him. They are out to stop you three from ever returning to school."
Lance rubbed his temples as his headache grew.
"And what about you guys and the Brotherhood? Do they suspect you guys?" Scott asked.
"No, Duncan wants me to move out of the Institute, he seems to think it is dangerous living with
a mutant."
"It seems to be more dangerous to be around humans right now." Lance spat. "This is shit. I don't
need to be afraid of that stupid jock. I can knock the ground right out from underneath him if he
tries anything."
"You may not need to be afraid of Duncan, but I would be careful of Duncan and his large group
of followers." Jean warned.
xxx
Kurt first became aware of a pain around his neck. It was burning. But it was nothing compared
to the burning that assaulted his eyes when he tried to open it.
"I'd be careful Furball, you took some major hits there."
Kurt was shocked to see who his visitor was. "Lance? What are you doing here?"
"I got tired of listening to Red spell out our doom to One-eye so I came to see how my favorite
plush toy was doing." He leaned back in the waiting chair.
Kurt raised an eyebrow. "'Favorite plush toy'?"
Lance laughed lightly. "Well actually I needed to check in with Big-Foot to get something for my
head. So how are you doing?"
Kurt rubbed the back of his head and winced when his hand came in contact with a large scabbed
bump. "I hurt."
The other mutant laughed again. "I figured you would be. But I couldn't tell with all that blue fur
you have."
"Ich weiss nicht. I am not sure how I feel." He shook his head, trying to clear it.
{I don't know}
"Well from what Big-Foot told me, you have a large gash on your head from that rock, and some
bruising on the arms and ribs, and some rope burns and bruises on your neck. Scott says he is
sorry for that."
"Why?"
"Well when he blasted that rope, it ripped away quickly so it left the burns." Lance threw his
hands up in the air with a disaffected shrug.
"So they all know about the three of us, huh?"
Lance turned solemn, "Yup, Blue, they do." He clenched his fist as the chair he sat in rattled. "It
pisses me off. That they can get away with this. Now don't get me wrong, school isn't my strong
point, but to not be able to go back…"
"It destroys any chance at being normal, huh?" Kurt looked down at the fur on his arms. "I fell
into a routine, it was simple. I was able to go to school and live a normal life. The biggest fear I
had was my watch going trippy. Now, it is whether or not I am going to be killed because I have
different genes."
"MY life has never been normal." Lance muttered bitterly. "Foster homes weren't the best way to
grow up."
"Neither was being blue and fuzzy."
"True. Funny, in a way you, me and Summers have a lot in common. Growing up sucked, our
powers cause problems, and now we can't hide anymore." Lance rested his head on propped up
elbows.
"Ja we all fell into a false normality and then we had it torn away."
The two boys fell into a contemplating silence.
xxx
[One Week Later]
"Kurt! Like I haven't seen you in awhile!" Kitty came in to the kitchen from behind Kurt.
"Ja that happens when you try to avoid people." Kurt was busy rummaging around in an attempt
to find something to eat.
"Why?"
"Well lots of reason, Katze." He continued to leave his back turned to her.
"And they are?" she continued to probe.
"Haven't really been up to talking to people. Then there was that comment made a week ago, you
know me being a freak and all."
Kitty looked down as red covered her cheeks and spread to her neck. "Listen Kurt, it is like, time
to talk about that. I didn't really mean it, I was just angry that night. It didn't excuse what I said,
but I am sorry."
Kurt turned away from his food search to meet Kitty gaze. "Look Katzchen," reverting to her
normal nickname. "I figured as much but it still hurt."
"Uh es toot mirror lied." She tried the German way.
Kurt let out a short but loud laugh. "Nein, nein, ist 'Es tut mir leid!"
Kitty smiled, glad that the tension was over. She sat down at the table and grabbed an apple from
the fruit bowl.
"So how has school been doing?" Kurt gave up and proceeded to hang contently from the ceiling
lamp.
Kitty groaned. "Oh man, it's totally a zoo now! Everybody has gone on this crazy witch-hunt.
Kelly has been talking to the Prof about letting you three back in. He is totally against it but the
Prof has been pressing it. But there has been more meetings at lunch and stuff, I haven't gone
yet."
"Well I meant about school work….how's the Hunchback of Notre Dame going?" Kurt swung
slightly, upside down.
"Same old, we are still discussing it, we had another essay assigned. But that's about it."
- Kurt can you, Scott, and Lance please come see me in my office? – the Professor's voice echoed
in his head.
Kurt gave Kitty an apologetic look, "Es tut mir leid, but I got to pop out of here. We'll talk later,
we still have things to discuss."
*Bamf*
Lance and Scott were already assembled when Kurt 'ported in. "Ja? Wie geh'st?" he asked
dropping down into his crouch.
{Yeah? How are you?/How's it going?}
"Hello Kurt, I was just about to tell all of you that my talks with your Principal Kelly are over."
The Professor steepled his hands.
Lance crossed his arms and glared. Not at Xavier but at a bust of John F. Kennedy beyond him.
"Let me guess, that old fart up in his high and mighty office told you hell no, no muties in his
school."
Xavier shook his head. "Quite the contrary. I just had to remind him of some certain civil rights
amendments and recite some well spoken speeches and in the end, the good man agreed to let you
three back in."
"' If we can not now end our differences, at least we can help make the world safe for diversity.'"
Lance quietly quoted.
Scott looked over at the other mutant in wonder. "Who was that?"
Lance slouched slightly and pointed to the bust behind Xavier. "JFK did. He was one of the few
people I paid attention to in history." Lance rolled his eyes. "He also said some cool lines like
'Our problems are man-made therefore they can be solved by man…for in the final analysis, our
most basic common link, is that we all inhabit this small planet, we all breathe the same air, we all
cherish our children's futures, and we are all mortal.'"
"Wise words." Xavier nodded.
"Yeah then someone went and shot him."
Xavier sighed and wheeled away from the three boys to look out the window. "I know things
seem difficult now, but things will get better in the end. Look at the change in everyone already. A
few weeks ago, the Brotherhood and the X-Men couldn't be in the same room without fighting
each other. Now you all are working together."
Scott, Kurt, and Lance all nodded. For the past week, Lance, Pietro, Fred, Todd and Tabitha had
given up living in the Brotherhood home in exchange for living in the Institute. It was a strange
adjustment for them all but things were slowly working out. Even though food seemed to run out
more quickly now. And it was interesting to have Boom Boom back.
"Ja we may be working together but is that a good price to pay for having three of us on
everyone's hit lists?" Kurt expression turned bitter. "Lance is right. This isn't fair."
With his back still facing the kids, Xavier sighed. "Yes, I know Kurt. Things are more difficult
now. But we must all stick together. You are able to return, now, to school. Take advantage of
that."
"So are we supposed to return tomorrow?" Scott tentatively asked.
"Yes."
"Great." Lance rolled his eyes. "At least they only think that Blue can use telekinesis and teleport.
Not that he is really blue and furry."
Xavier turned around and flashed Lance a confused look. "Telekinesis?"
"Ja, es ist sehr dumm, du weiss? Jean tried to help me and levitated a rock, they all thought it was
me." Kurt snorted.
{Yeah, it is very stupid, you know?}
Xavier nodded in acknowledgment. "I see, well all of you can return to your former activities. I
expect that you will go to school in the morning?"
xxx
Kurt decided that he wasn't going to go and find Kitty that night. He had some thinking to do. So
he returned to where his mind could always get some clarity.
The roof.
He sat in the night air as a cool breeze blew through his hair. It was a clear night out that belied all
the turmoil that was raging in his mind. There hadn't been a minute that had passed since the
fateful day that he hadn't thought about his secret being revealed. At times, however, he felt guilty
because he tended to think only of himself and not Scott and Lance. They had their secrets
revealed too. But somehow it was different.
Scott bounced back very quickly; being a mutant wasn't so much as a character flaw for him.
And Lance, well he had always been on the outside of the world. He could handle people hating
him and he could care less.
But himself? He loved the anonymity that his image inducer had allowed him. The strange thing
was, people still hated him even though they didn't know what he looked like. It was very strange
and confusing.
"Mein Vater, warum? Warum tun Sie dies? Ich bin ein guten Mann. Ich glaube an Sie. Unser
Vater, sind Sie im Himmel…" Kurt cut off his prayer and sighed loudly. God hadn't been too kind
to him lately.
{My Father, why? Why do you do this? I am a good man. I believe in you. Our Father, you are in
heaven….}
He pulled out his cross to stare at it. It looked so simple yet so complex. On the outside, it was
two intersecting lines of silver connected to a fine silver chain. But it represented so much.
Someone dying for what they believed in, what he believed in, a religion, a faith, and a force that
could bring life and end it. It was so small and so large.
"Nichts ist überhaupt klein…" Kurt whispered to the wind.
{Nothing is at all small…}
Silence was the only answer he received.
"Schule. Soll ich gehen? Die Luete hassen mich. Ich weiss nich." Kurt wrapped his tail around his
leg tightly. It was a comforting gestured that he still retained from his childhood. "Schule ist
Hölle."
{School. Should I go? The people hate me. I don't know. School is hell.}
Silence still reigned.
xxx
Scott, meanwhile, was doing his own thinking. After leaving the Professor, he had wandered
down to the empty rec room. He had thought it would be a good idea to watch a movie, to
distract him, but it was really the silence that he craved.
So much had happened, so much that it was mind blowing. If Jean were to try and read his mind
at the moment, her pretty red head would explode. Thoughts of the anti-mutant movement,
school, Kurt, the Brotherhood, and how his shoulder still hurt and the bruise on his face still
hadn't faded completely were all racing around in his head at Quicksilver speed.
"Okay lets do this in the orderly way. First thought first. The anti-mutant crap." The riots had
been slowing down and instead a push for a mutant registry act was being promoted. But it was
just a murmur at the moment but he had a feeling that it would be growing. Jean had been telling
him how rallies still appeared at the school, how Duncan was still leading the charge. "Hmm,
luckily that Storm has been in Washington, trying to get the mutant voice heard."
He was kind of embarrassed that he was talking to himself, but he didn't entirely care at the
moment.
"Next thought, school." Now out of the three revealed Bayville mutants, Scott was the only one
that really, really missed school. He loved learning; he missed German class, lunches with the
group, watching Jean out the German class windows. Now he had the chance of going back. But
would it really be worth it?
"Kurt and the Brotherhood now." It was kind of weird that he was organizing his thoughts like
this. But oh well. Kurt and Lance had taken a strange place as his closest friends. Sure he and
Jean were close, but Kurt and Lance shared a low point now in his life that Jean couldn't
understand.
It was strange, seeing as how he hated Lance not but two weeks ago. But he discovered that
underneath his 'I'm-a-badass-with-bad-rock-puns' exterior, there was a kid trying to learn too.
And Kurt had always been his closest guy friend but now, they were even closer.
Scott looked over at the clock that hung above the TV. It was getting late. After all, he had
school in the morning.
xxx
Lance wasn't lying when he told the Professor that he liked learning about John F. Kennedy. For a
human, he was pretty cool.
He was sitting in a very empty Institute library with a biography about the 35th president cracked
open in front of him. Of course if Pietro or Todd caught him, he'd have to bury them under ten
feet of rock.
"'History has shown that enmities between nations, as between individuals, does not last forever.'
Hmm I guess that is true." Lance mused to himself as he read over a speech. It was true in
essence. Look at himself. He hated that do-goodie Scott Summers but now, it all ended when they
faced a common threat.
He sighed in frustration as his thoughts strayed from the book and back to the 'problem' as he
referred to any thing dealing with the effects of Duncan's meeting.
"Argh. Shit. I just want to read this book! Not think about this shit storm we are in!" he
determinedly looked back down at the pages. "Hmm, the Cuban Missile Crisis? Sounds
interesting." He read on several pages. "Woah, that's intense. Simply talking to others prevented
nuke war? Didn't know that."
Lance leaned back in the chair that he occupied. "Then again, you never did pay much attention in
school, did ya? But at least you get a second chance though, huh?"
The book rattled on the table as a brief flash of anger ripped through. "Yeah some second chance.
A second chance to get my ass kicked." Again he forced his mind back onto the book. "Lets
see….JFK on civil rights? Hmm fighting for civil rights isn't something that I want to read about
at the moment."
He flipped ahead some in the book. "Ah ya, November 22, 1963. Assassination in Dallas." He fell
quiet as he read on. For some reason, he suddenly felt sad. It was sad in the fact that this guy did
some good things in his life, and admittedly bad things as well, all of these things that made him
human, he was human and someone killed him.
It was like how Summers and Blue were both good guys, admittedly, but people still wanted to
hurt them. Anger unlike he ever experienced before took over. All of the books around him
rattled and flew from their shelves as tremor shook the mansion.
Lance slammed the book shut and stood, trying to reign in his anger, but it continued to grow,
like the quake. He vowed in a low deadly voice to the shaking room around him.
"'Let the word go forth, from this time and place, that the torch has been passed….'"
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I'm gonna answer reviews!
LeDiz: When I saw your review I serious was in shock, I fell off my chair and hit my head on my
couch. I've been lurking reading "I Always Do" and the glass memories (can't think of name….)
and you are my God. I felt honored. And yes, Amanda is evil.
Soul Eater: Amanda stinks. Here *hands you a Kurt doll* you play nice with him.
SoulOfFlame: I'm glad you think it is original. That makes me all Jell-oy inside.
Keebler-elmo: Hmm I should have had a fight….but…..intrigued….maybe in the future…
Katterree Fengari: I hope this continues it on as good. Hehe the Latin I got is from two movies,
Hunchback of Notre Dame and Thirteen Days. In Thirteen Days, JFK is in the church and they
sing "Kyrie Eleison"
Epona: In case no has guessed, I no like Amanda, so she will be a central antagonist.
Skip: YAY I updated!
Jinx: If you can get Kurt away from Soul Eater then you can play with him.
Tempest in Blue: Oh ja German is better hehe, and why do most forget that he is Catholic? I think
that it is a cool aspect of him.
Key: I always look forward to your reviews they make me really happy! You always have
something cool to say.
Arayah: Yeah I knew all that…but for the sake of my demented (and jealous) mind, I made her
evil and ignored the Jimaine aspect.
Ash: Don't you love how people can accuse but don't realize that they are doing the same thing?
Jaganashi: I heart Brad Swaile. I heart My Little Pony and Evolution…it works out great. Yeah I
knew he was a VA plus he is also a VA for Ramna ½, he is Mousse, my fav. Character!
Aqua*Drageen: Thanks for doing something new and reviewing my fic! I feel all honored and
stuff and I hope this next part prevents a napalm arrow!
Raven Fayth: here is more!
Nightrider: Yeah I know it took me longer but I wanted to make this part longer since I was
gone.
Taineyah: Kurt is alright……for the moment….(insert evil laughter)