Lucky Me

Chapter 046


"Kurt, you suck!" That's right, no 'Mr. Kurt' for this guy. I swear he lived to interfere!

"So you've said," he smiled back at me, flashing white fangs.

"I just don't want you to forget it," I grumbled and another five seconds went by. I thought about what had happened, and then "You suck!"

"I'm with her on this one, man, you really suck." Hejoined in; Kurt's smile got bigger and added a shrug.

"It is a curse! I don't mean to interrupt!" He went into dramatics, "It is a horrible second mutation that the two of you shall never enjoy each other's company!"He got a double glare from me and from him.

We were so close! A split second later and we would've..!

"What do you want?" heasked, as we all trudged through the forest back to the mansion.

"I told you, Jean wanted to speak with our engel," He thought about it, then turned to him, "Or is she exclusively yours now?"

Hisscowl turned into a smirk.

"Couldn't it have waited?" I muttered under my breath. He looked over at me—must have heard. Sheesh, I sounded like a typical teenager with the 'raging' hormones and all.


I thought that being interrupted after waiting over half a year to finally kiss him would be the most aggravating part of the night. Apparently not.

Jean

and I had a huge fight about it.

Scott was at the mansion instructing a Danger Room session when Jean and I were all but tearing down the boathouse with our voices and tempers. I got there about ten and by ten-thirty I was slamming the door and wishing my wing was healed so I could fly away from this place.

Let me go back. When I got to the boathouse, the conversation started off friendly enough, but when she put on her 'mother crown' and started to tell me 'what's up', it quickly swirled into a teenager-always-wrong-adult-always-right fight. I never pictured Jean as much of a shouter, but she was…to some small extent at least. I was the one who raised their voice first.

She

found the nerve to say inner-school romances were not promoted and my focus shouldn't be on guys, but on school and mastering my mutant ability. I was floored by what she had to say, and then I was mad by what she had to say. I pointed out that her and Scott had an inner relationship, of course that garnered a long-time-ago,-times-are-different argument from Jean.

"We are only thinking about what is best for you," she tried a couple of times. "I know you've been distracted by a certain someone, and it would be best if you didn't concentrate on that right now."

I glared at her. I hated her at that moment. I was at this school to learn to adapt to being a mutant and how control my powers so I wouldn't accidentallykill anyone (what was I going to do, pluck a feather and tickle them to death?).

"I don't remember signing anything that handed over my life to you."

She bristled under that, "By law, I am your guardian."

"But you're notmy mother."

"No, I'm not bloodthirsty enough."

I was about to fly through the roof with the steam billowing from of my ears. I was reallyjealous of Scott at the time because I wanted to eye-beam this lady through the wall (several walls). Instant regret surfaced on her face, but mad people didn't tend to react to this in the happiest of manners. What, like I was supposed to say, 'oh, I see you're sorry, so it's okay.'

"Kerry, I-I'm sorry, I didn't mean-"

"Then why don't you just cut and clip my memories, you don't have a problem with that," I was referring back to Kenney. She must have really done something with his head; he didn't chase any of the girls anymore, was quiet in class, and actually studied for his tests instead of cheating. Not to mention she just really irritated and hurt me.

Again, the fiery eyes, "I did what I did to that boy to protectyou."

"When I need it, I'll ask for it," I snubbed. "I only asked for a ride." And those dang tears started to burn at the end of my eyes.

"If that's the way you want it, Kerry. Fine."

"Fine." I did the complete bratty I-am-better-than-you head motion, "Thanks."

I made sure it was soaked in sarcasm so she'd completely ignore the way I just been stabbed in the heart. I was just starting to trust this chick and then she turned around and brought up a very painful subject.

With that, I slammed the door and started to march to the mansion (too bad I was going the wrong direction). There was no one strong enough on earth to ever make me apologize to that woman. I had a severe problem with 'mother'figures in my life.

I was just happy to get away from her before I started to cry, it wasn't that I was sad, just hurt.


"I'm so stupid. I'm so stupid. I'm so stupid."

It was my mantra as I walked along another barely worn path going somewhere I hoped was either to the mansion or to a place where a cave was located…something! I stomped off into the night like a mad girl and of course it decided that night to start to snow!

Not only was it cold but it also brought along wind. And so, I was stuck on the ground, freezing, and not having a clue where I was going. I thought I was headed in the direction of the mansion when I left Jean's but apparently I wasn't and I'd been wandering around in the woods ever since.

There were two options, one was to try and find a surveillance camera and attempt sign language (there was no audio, only visual), option two was to 'call' Jean on the 'brain wire,' swallow my pride and ask her for her help.

That

wasn't very likely.

In fact, it wasn't going to happen!

Surely Arty or hewould notice I wasn't back and bring it to everyone else's attention.

Maybe.

Why did the telepath have to go and tick me off?

Okay, so that's not very nice, but neither was the whole 'bloodthirsty' mother bit.

It was a cheapshot.

And what right did she have to tell me how to run my life? I was sick of everyone trying to tell me what to do and everything without asking me what I thought first, or at any time for that matter! I wanted to be closer to him because he wasn't all that bad. He had his moments where I'd like to hurt him, but there were other times, like right before Jean'slittle 'come hither' call interrupted us.

And because 'inner' relationships were not looked upon happily (for me or everyone I didn't know) they were going to take away those happy moments as well!

No, I couldn't contact Jean. I'd yell at her (in my mind) so hard I would hope it gave her a big bloody nose.

Then another gust of wind ruffled my damp feathers, I was going to die out here! If not, I was going to kill someone back there. Not literally, just in my mind. Many, many times in many, manycolorful ways, and I would want them to 'experience' it all with my 'loud thoughts'.

When'd I become so sadistic?

Must be my 'mother Summers' coming out in me.

At this thought I smiled like a wild cat. Wouldn't she love to hear that!


I found the mansion, finally,a little past three. I was shivering and wet and by the time I was able to open the door my teeth were chattering so hard I thought they'd break. I walked into the mansion and made a bee line for the fire place in the first floor 'family' room. I would really avoid anything with the word 'family' on it, but it had instant heat and this ball of frozen Kookie dough needed the thawing!

I thought everyone would be asleep, but there was one of them in the family room. Knocked out cold with a blanket half draped over him with an arm over his eyes. Helooked cute when he was sleeping, if you totally ignore the fact that he was snoring.

Again, I was a frozen Kookie who was also sopping wet, so I shrugged off my coat and dropped to my knees in front of the fire. This must have woken him up (I guess hearing a 'plop' and a whamwould do that) because the snoring stopped.

"Kerry?" No, it's Mr. Warren, just extra crispy. "Where the hellhave you been?"

Then the couch squeaked and he was beside me, giving me the whole 'concerned look' by putting his hands on my shoulders and forcing me to face him. "You're like ice!"

No, really? Ya think?

I would have answered him out loud with all the smart aleck comments that were running through my mind, but I was too cold to waste energy on that. I was more than thankful when he pulled me close (not like earlier kind of close, like 'here's some body heat before you turn Dr. Hank's color and get him jealous' kind of close) and began to rub my now naked arms.

"I thought you were at Jean's. Where have you been?"

"W-w-w-woods," I chattered out, trying to steal more of his heat and the fire's. "Got lost."

"Dummy." Thanks for your compassion! "Why did you do that? I called Jean when you didn't come back, and she said you walked out 'needing time to think' or some other chick explanation." Why do I have the distinct feeling that Jean knewI was in trouble and wanted me to rot out there in the woods?

"I didn't get lost on purpose," I corrected once my teeth stopped knocking together and the shivering subsided a bit. "And I have a good hunch that Jean let me stay out there, going the wrong way and freezing my rear end off."

"Jean wouldn't do that," He defended. Must be the default mutant ability for guys to go ga-ga all over her and do whatever it was she wanted. I pushed away from him.

"You don't believe me?" I was completely astonished and in a major way I felt betrayed. Helooked at me in the eyes for about ten seconds and then looked away.

"I don't think Jean would do that is all." He was so dumb! I started to get away from him as quickly as I could, pushing him away. "Hey, where are you going now? You're still half frozen!"

"I'm going," I climbed to my feet, "to go complete freezing for much as you care." I was getting sick of this fighting and 'misunderstanding' crap that kept floating around in my life. Of course when I was trying to make a grand exit with my nose stuck up in the air, I should have first made sure about not tripping over my own discarded coat!

Wham

!

"Looks like your legs are still frozen." Leave it to himto be there when I embarrassed myself.

My pride was quickly burned out with the deep red blush going from chest to cheeks. Then I felt the tears start to well up again, I had missed the time I was supposed to take my pain killers and my hurt wing was now throbbing with sharp pain.

I hated being weak.

What was worse was that I had to get his assistance to get up, and not only on my feet but he didn't let go and walked me up the stairs and past my door. This confused me a lot.

"Where are we going?" I asked, looking at my door and then him again.

"I don't know about you but I'm not going to explain to your Grandmother why I am bringing you to your room when you are half-dressed and soaked." And extremely cold, really extremely cold. "Besides, you weren't the only one who got the lecture about how wrong it is for us to be –interested in each other."

He led me to his door, opened it, and guided me to his bed (no funny ideas now, I mean that!).

"So why risk ticking them off?"

Grabbing one of his shirts and pair of shorts, he threw them at me and he gave me that knee-weakening smile (making me completely forget about the whole Jean thing for a nanosecond).

"What? Miss an opportunity to tick everyone off who is getting their feathers ruffled? Excuse the expression." Afterward, he said he was going visit Dr. Hank's lab and try to get me something for the pain. He added before leaving, "Not to mention, if Jean let you wander about for so long, this will really make her regret it."

I guess he had a point and I had to get dressed.


If the sirens going off (again)at four in the morning hadn't woke me up, my adoring Grandma's reaction to them sure would have!

"There are easier ways to kill an old woman than scaring her to death! What are you trying to do? Give me a heart attack so you can give me mouth to mouth?" There was a rapid succession of 'No!' some with the word 'heck' in front of it, and then there were grunts which meant the same thing.

I didn't know what was going on except that there was trouble and this was the X-Men P.A. system to let everyone (in this house and the next!) know to get their hinnies down to the hanger in less than two seconds.

"What" I yawned, "what is it?" I asked, dragging myself up in a sitting position.

"What else? Trouble." He looked back at the annoyed face I was giving him. "Hold on a sec, I'll find out." He then disappeared. I grabbed the defluffed Stitch, which took up residence under his pillow, snuggled down in his bed, and attempted to go back to sleep.

"Where is my Ker-kitten?"

Oh, crap.

She would notice I was missing when I was in his room, wearing his clothes, and sleeping in his bed.

"I think she spent the night at Scott and Jean's." Thank you!

"Oh, darn, I was hoping you took a hint!" I slapped my hand against my face. This is how he found me when he returned to the room before slamming and locking the door.

"Its big trouble apparently, everyone but you and your 'Granny' have been called into action." Whoa. That was a big problem then. If they were calling D-M out, too….ouch, I would hate to see that morning girl having to hit someone. Knowing how completely odd she was, she'd probably ask them if she could hit them, and then end up apologizing for it!

That was just the type of girl she was.

For being a 'Daisy-Mae' it would be more fitting to call her 'Pansy-Mae' when it came to physical conflict.

While all my musing was occurring, apparently he had no problem strippingin front of innocent girls such as myself.

"Hey!" I yelped, clenched my eyes shut, grabbed the pillow I was using (smelled like him, yum—uh, well—nevermind) and buried my face in it. Not that it was a bad sight, just one that I didn't feel comfortable with seeing at the moment.

"Sorry about that."

I didn't say anything.

"Oh, come on, it wasn't like I was completely nude ya know."

Still no response. Then I felt weight on the bed and my pillow being removed (trust me I fought it!). "You are so stubborn." He grumbled after successfully taking my pillow away from me. I felt my cheeks go scarlet and my memory of what was under his black suit come rushing back to me. I blushed even more.

"Was it that bad to look at?" heasked, smiling down at me. I didn't want to say 'yes' for fear of him going all closed case on me again, and I didn't want to say 'no' encase I boosted his ego so much he didn't fit through the door. "Come on, get up. When I leave you can sneak out. I think you're Grandma followed Gambit down to the hanger. At least that's where I think her drool trail led."

I rolled my eyes, "Whatever."

"Or," he leaned over me, our noses almost touching, "you can stay here and wait for me. I don't mind."

I sucked in and bit down on my lower lip.

"I—I don't think I should push my luck," I whispered low, the urge to sit up a little and close the gap between our lips grew in strength with every heartbeat.

His lips tweaked to the side, giving a soft smirk before he pulled back.

Helping me on my feet, we walked to the door and he peeked out again. "Coast is clear; I'm going to get an earful about being late. But if it's such 'big trouble' they'll wait." He smiled once and turned to go.

I grabbed him, hedidn't seem to understand so I felt bold (or was still half asleep and thinking I was in a dream) and tried to make him understand.

"I just-" I felt the blush creeping across my cheeks as I looked down at my feet, "be careful is all." I felt so stupid at this point.

He

went to say something, or do something, and then, like always, we were interrupted. This time it wasn't a blue teddy bear with a pointed tail.

"Has anyone had contact with Blyt?" Came Scott's voice through the comm. link hewore, "If anyone sees her, or has enough guts to wake her up, and then bring her down to the war room."

I snorted at that remark, I wasn't that mean when I woke up. Tapping his comm. link before he could, "I heard that!"


"Why isn't Kookie coming with us?" D-M asked innocently enough.

"She's hurt you idiot!"

"So?"

Chris rolled his eyes, and Adrian sighed. Adam stood silent in the corner watching the little tête-à-tête between the people he called his team.

"Adrian is correct, Blyt will not be coming with us as she needs time to heal."

"Let's not forget to also babysit Grandma," Bobby-Jerk chirped in.

"So she's a little—excitable," I commented flippantly.

"She's not excitable, she eccentric," Stacey snapped. I glared at her, she smirked at me and the Professor shifted uncomfortably in his chair.

Thankfully, Scott began explaining the mission, which I still didn't know why I had to be down there to hear it; and was falling asleep leaned up against a counter when I locked eyes with that woman.

Jean

looked at me for a brief second before looking away with an angry expression. Oh too bad for you! I was just as ticked as you were, sweety. I 'humphed' and leaned back as much as I could on the counter top.

"For the newer students, your leaders' example should be followed." Storm cut in after everyone started to leave.

"And what exactly is that? To get shot and play hooky from school for a week?"

"Chris! You are so lame," D-M muttered.

I glared at him long and hard. He only smirked, stuck out his tongue, and then when he turned to go-bam! Right into the door frame!

I burst out laughing at his little stunt as he constantly told me to shut up (with a swelling tongue that made it even funnier), "At least I got hurt on the fieldand by a gun instead of by myself and losing to a door."

"Thut-up!"


"Grandma?" I asked as I staggered into the kitchen. I didn't care what they thought I'd do, but no one was home and that meant this Kookie wasn't going to school! I might have to 'set examples' by being the 'leader' but I'd be danged if I wasn't going to be a teenager who skipped school when given the opportunity on a silver platter!

So back to me in the kitchen, once I was there, Arty was buzzing around.

"What are you doing?"

"I'm making breakfast for you, kitten." She smiled and then got that 'run for it men!' wistful look about her, "I wouldn't mind if I was making it for one of those fine gentlemen for a breakfast in bed deal."I shuddered to think about her and the Professor feeding each other grapes and looking lovingly into each other's eyes. I would have said Gambit, but I know my Grandma would have been six feet under before the first grape was plucked thanks to the ever possessive Miss Rogue.

"Of course," I muttered, dragging myself over to the breakfast table."By the way, where were you last night?" Oh no, she got the adult voice thing going. "I swear I thought I heard you come in, but then when they tried to kill me earlier," when the alarm sounded, "You weren't there.

"I, uh, spent the night with someone."

She got that look in her eye. I should learn to keep my big mouth shut!

"Oh really? Well it's nice to know that one of us had a warm bed last night."

"It's not like that! He slept fully-" Crap!

Arty didn't say a single word, only smiled and started to whistle something that sounded suspiciously like 'Love Me Tender'.

"Of course I don't want you ruining the plans for the end of this week, missy."

"I don't think we need to-"

"Oh, like fire we do! Think about it, sweetheart, if you let him think he has you wrapped around his finger, then you will be. Play hard to get and he'll hold you by the hand instead.""You sound like a country song, Grandma."

Arty tipped her head and smiled.

"As long as it's by that cute, tight-butted George Straight, then I'll start singing my advice."

I rolled my eyes as she put the food in front of me. It was better than cereal or another stinkin' banana. Grandma's chocolate-chocolate chip pancakes were to die for.

"Oh and kitten, I won't be here for about two days. I forgot something in another state and have to go pick it up before they ship it back."

"You're leaving? When?" I didn't mean to sound tooexcited.

"In a few minutes. Don't you worry though, I'll be back by Friday so our little plan will work out!"As I sat there munching on my food and praying I didn't end up with two million cavities, it hit me—I was going to be all alone in the mansion for the first time since I got here.

What else could that mean but-revenge!