Disclaimer: I do not own the X-Men, Marvel does… damn them…
Chapter 6
Kitty took a deep breath to calm her nerves and silently phased through the front door. Her clear blue eyes surveyed the entire warehouse as a sense of déjà vu settled over her. Determining that the coast was clear, she quietly unlocked the front doors and let the boys in.
Upon entering the room, Lance immediately searched for a door that would lead to the basement, he had decided to accept Jean's information. He needed to get his teammates back; he didn't think he could last living with Toad all by himself.
Piotr was the first to spot the door partially hidden by crates. He quietly approached the door and cracked it open to spot a flight of stairs leading to a lower level. He raised his hand to motion to the others that he found the location.
Lance clenched his jaw in anger as Piotr once more beat him to the chase, he hated losing and if he didn't up his game, he would lose Kitty forever.
Kitty wordlessly slipped in between the two boys as they crept down the stairs. In front of her was Piotr, strong, silent, polite, a perfect gentleman. And behind her was Lance, the rebel who pretended to be tough when he was really a softie on the inside. She bit the inside of her cheek so as not to sigh out loud in frustration. It wasn't fair that this choice was presented to her, she still had no idea who to choose. Although her mind told her Piotr would be safer and that he'd never hurt her, Kitty's heart pulled for Lance whose passion always seemed to consume her. Reminding herself that this was not the time to be preoccupied with such troubling thoughts, she held her breath as they reached the bottom of the stairs and Piotr gradually opened the door.
The door opened to reveal a dark, dreary room devoid of all warmth. Kitty's eyes widened in shock when she saw the curled up figure of the young girl shivering in the corner of the room. The young child raised her eyes to stare at them in fright before she used her mutation to become invisible. Lance quickly slammed the door shut and Piotr metaled up in his form. Kitty stared at the two boys in disbelief, when Lance raised his hand to begin shaking the ground Kitty let out a loud screech, "What the hell is the matter with you two? She's just a child."
Both boys looked at her guilty and began toeing the ground in embarrassment. Lance seemed to want to say something back, but kept his mouth closed at Kitty's angry look. "Get out, both of you," Kitty sternly ordered and pointed to the door.
"You can't be serious," Lance muttered in disbelief as he was pushed out of the door with the Russian.
"Now you two stay out here," Kitty commanded, "and play nice."
Kitty let out a sigh of relief as the door closed and she timidly walked back into the center of the room, praying that the girl didn't sneak away. "Hi," Kitty began cheerfully, staring at the empty space in front of her, "my name's Kitty Pryde, we've already met… sort of, you see, I was with a group of friends that came to meet you today. Although, I don't think we made the right first impression, we all acted immature and frightened you away. I'm not here to hurt you, I just want to talk."
Kitty paused in her speech, gazing at the empty space around her. "I have powers like you too," she confided, phasing her hand through the solid metal pole to her right, "it took me like forever to gain control over my powers, and in fact, I still don't have them completely under control. But I go to this school, a school for mutants, and they helped me control my powers. They could help you too."
The young girl shyly appeared in front of Kitty, staring up at her suspiciously. "How do I know you're not lying to me?" the young girl questioned, maintaining a safe distance between herself and the stranger.
"You're just going to have to trust me," Kitty responded, holding out her hand to the girl, "I'm Kitty."
The girl hesitated once more, before firmly grasping her hand and replied, "I'm Penny."
"So Penny what are your powers? I already showed you I can phase through solid objects," Kitty smiled and comfortably sat down on an empty crate across from Penny.
"Well," the girl giggled, "I don't really know… they just keep growing. At first I could only disappear, and that was pretty cool. Then I realize I could see through solid objects… like walls and stuff. Those two boys that came with you are really close to the door, I think they're eavesdropping."
Kitty smirked when she heard a loud noise thump against the wall followed by a string of colorful curses in Lance's voice. "But what about that bright glow you produced today, do you know what that power is?" Kitty pressured on, watching the girl with hopeful eyes.
Penny lowered her eyes meekly and started twirling her thumbs anxiously. "Well," she began timidly, "it was because of that power that I left home. I think that when I get angry, I accidentally put people to sleep. I did that to my foster mother. But I woke her up right away… it was an accident."
Kitty rushed over to the girl's side and swooped her into a tight hug. "I'm sure it was an accident," she whispered, soothing the young girl, "then what happened?"
"She called me a freak and threatened to turn me over to the authorities… so I ran away. I've been hiding here for about a week now," Penny sniffed as tears slowly rolled down her face.
"Don't cry," Kitty hushed her, wiping her eyes with the pads of her thumbs, "I don't think you're a freak. Do you think I'm a freak?"
"No, you're really nice," the girl admitted, raising her wide amber eyes to meet Kitty's searching gaze.
"Then do you trust me enough to come back to the school I live at because my friends need your help, and only you can help them. Will you do that for me?" Kitty implored the young child in her embrace.
Penny quickly nodded her head in acceptance and grabbed Kitty's hand as they made their way to the exit. "Out of the way boys," Kitty warned as they opened the door to find the two guys silently glaring at each other.
Both guys smiled sheepishly at the two girls as they made their way past them and up the stairs. Kitty led Penny to the backseat and carefully buckled the young child in before climbing into the driver's seat herself. "Um Kitty, are you sure you're the one who should be driving," Lance hesitantly asked his former girlfriend.
Kitty shot him a glare as she started the ignition and slowly drove out of the parking lot with her carload of people. Piotr had never seen anyone drive so cautiously in his life. It was a welcome change from her previous driving skills. In no time, the van pulled up in front of the mansion and the four stepped out of the van. "Now Penny, my friends are sleeping and I need you to wake them up for me," Kitty explained to the young girl as she led her through the mansion.
"You live here?" the girl asked in awe, staring at the fine furnishings and the large rooms.
"You could too," Kitty reminded the young girl and slowly led her into the med lab.
Penny's eyes widened in shock when she saw the six immobile figures on the bed. She didn't realize she had hurt so many people. She hurriedly ran over to the closest pair near her, a young man with red sunglasses and a large man in overalls. She held her tiny hands over their heads, closed her eyes, and concentrated.
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Scott gleefully pushed Fred's large frame into the swan boat, he had successfully distracted the large boy with enough food to trick him into riding this attraction. Scott quickly pushed the button to start the ride and sprinted into the boat, cuddling close to Fred. "Scott, I already told you, I'm not gay… stop trying to get in my pants," Fred shouted as he squirmed away from Scott's tight hold.
"Me thinks he doth protest too much," Scott grinned as the boat slowly glided into the dark Tunnel of Love.
Fred continued to squirm out of Scott's hold until he finally let out a frustrated shout and placed his hands over Scott's skull, praying to god that he had enough strength left in him to squish Scott. A warm tingling sensation settled in Fred's fingertips as he uncontrollably began to apply even more pressure to Scott's skull. Fred quickly withdrew his hands in shock and examined his hands in awe. He no longer felt drained, in fact he felt strong, very strong in fact. Fred gripped the side of the boat and neatly ripped the wooden wing off of the swan boat they were riding.
Scott, meanwhile, was completely obliviously to Fred's discovery and had leaned over to steal a kiss when a sharp pain pricked his eyes, causing him to shut them in pain. He opened his mouth in a silent scream and slapped his hands over his eyes. Fred nervously moved to the side of the boat, scared shitless. Scott slowly lowered his hands and opened his eyes. His orbs glowed an eerie red as they pulsated in power. The two boys let out a loud scream when the red from his eyes unleashed in the tunnel. As the two boys blacked out, a surprising warmth settled over their bodies and it felt like they were being lifted…
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The towering clown lunged at Wanda, who at his assault, let out a loud scream and chucked the building block she was holding at its head, causing the clown to get off course and crash into a pile of blocks directly to her right.
Wanda tried to steady her shaking limbs as she held the water gun in front of her. She really hated clowns and this one scared the shit out of her. The clown slowly emerged from the pile of blocks and once more began its attack on Wanda. The young girl immediately began firing her water gun at the clown, who surprisingly stopped at her attack. The clown looked down at its now wet costume in disbelief before raising its bloodshot eyes to stare at her in humor. "Tell me child," it cackled at her, grinning at her trembling figure, "is that water suppose to stop me?"
Wanda speechlessly began backing away as her eyes searched the room for the next available weapon. Her hands flew behind her body, searching for something to throw at it. Instead of a solid object, cooling hands slid into hers, pulling her into a tight, comforting hug. She raised her wide lavender eyes to meet the caring azure gaze of her brother. "Don't worry sis, I'll protect you," he forced a smug face onto his visage, although his wavering eyes gave away his true thoughts.
Pietro quickly placed his sister behind him and grabbed a plastic bat from the floor. Taking in a deep breath, he raised the bat and charged at the clown running as fast as he could… though in his opinion, the speed he was running at was slower than a snail. As he neared closer to the crazed clown, an odd tingling sensation traveled throughout his legs, triggering his mutation and adding real speed to his sprint. Pietro let out a shout of joy and charged at the unsuspecting clown, running quick circles around the dazed creature, repeatedly smacking it over the head with the bat. He was about to encourage his sister to join in on the fun, when the clown quickly stuck his foot out, successfully tripping Pietro, causing the young boy to crash into the wall.
While he tried to regain focus, the clown seized Pietro by the neck and tightened his grip, cutting off the boy's air supply as he strangled him. "Get off of my brother," Wanda ordered, hexing all of the toys in the room and sending them at the clown.
The clown's eyes widened in fear as he was pummeled into a nearby corner and knocked unconscious by the hard impact against the wall. Wanda smirked and hexed the toy trunk onto the immobile clown, locking the crazed creature within. She hurried to her brother's side and helped him to his feet, unconsciously brushing the dirt off of his shoulders. The siblings smiled at each other, each happy to be alive and happy to have finally resolved the tension between them. They felt a warm feeling wrap around their bodies and were lifted into the air as they both simultaneously lost consciousness.
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Remy slowed the horse to a stop at an enclosed glade when the couple had traveled a while throughout the forest. Rogue had at this time given up seducing Remy into stopping the horse and fell asleep against him when he threatened to turn the horse around and head back to the castle. "Chere, wake up," he whispered over his shoulder, slightly nudging her awake with his back.
Rogue gradually opened her eyes blearily and wiped the thin line of drool off of her chin with the palm of her hand. She then stared at her now drool covered hand, clearly confused, before wiping it on the back of Remy's coat. Remy watched all of this with an amused grin, "Chere, its at moments like dis when Remy realizes why he's so attracted to y'."
Yawning, Rogue muttered a teasing, "Ah know," and motioned for him to help her off the horse.
"What is dis, de Rogue asking for assistance," Remy mocked as he slid off the horse and turned to wrap his hands around her waist, gently lowering her to the ground.
"But in this dream I'm not just Rogue sugah, Ah'm a princess," she smirked and placed a light kiss against his lips, leaning into his touch.
Chuckling at her response, Remy slowly slid his hands up her arms teasingly before leaning down to capture her lips with his own. Rogue winced against his mouth when he accidentally brushed against the sore spot on her arm.
Remy immediately broke away from the kiss, looking at her questioningly before gently raising her arm and pushing her sleeve back to reveal five large, finger sized bruises marring her pale skin. Rogue glanced at his line on vision and shrugged out of his hold, "It's nothing Remy, the Duke thought he could prove his manliness by squeezing my arm. Ah'm fine, the bruises will heal," Rogue reassured him, reaching to tug the sleeve back down.
Remy halted her motions and raised her arm to his lips, placing a light kiss against her bruise, clenching his jaw in anger. He had no idea the Duke had hurt her in any way; if he had he would have killed him on the spot. "Ladies should never be treated dis way," Remy muttered against her soft skin, carefully covering the bruises with her sleeve, and raising his angry eyes to meet her worried gaze, "if I see that man again, I will kill him."
Rogue felt her heart momentarily stop for two reasons. One, she had never heard Remy ever use "I" in a sentence before, and the fact that he cared so much for her well-being brought a contented smile to her face. And secondly, it was at this moment that his irises once more rekindled to their original crimson color as the whites of his clouded into darkness once more. "Remy," she smiled, caressing the side of his face, "you're eyes have finally gone back to normal."
"Really," he grinned, pulling her closer to him, "Remy takes it his chere enjoys his eyes den."
"Remy guesses right," she mocked his manner of speech, ignoring a sense on dread that flooded her senses.
Remy smiled down at the young girl in front of him, running his fingers through her tangled strands of silky hair. Wondering to himself how it was possible that he fell for her as fast as he did. His eyes widened in shock when the two familiar white streaks magically blended into her chestnut locks. "Chere," he murmured holding her now white streak in front of her eyes to see.
"Oh no," Rogue whispered, jerking out of his embrace and pulling her dress to cover as much as her skin as possible.
"Rogue," he began, stepping forward to pull her shaking form in his embrace, draping his jacket over her bare shoulders.
Rogue quickly hid her bare arms and hands within the coat pockets and once more began pulling out of his embrace. "Dammit Rogue," Remy snapped, grasping onto his jacket to haul her back.
The jacket suddenly flashed a bright, glowing red as Remy unconsciously started to charge it before quickly un-charging it, all of his mutations had officially returned… which meant it was only a matter of time before the same happened to Rogue. "Enjoy this chere, before it goes away," Remy ordered, grasping her bare hands within his own, holding onto to them tightly, running his fingers over hers in a soothing manner.
"No," she began and tried to tug out of his firm grip, but somehow only managed to get pulled closer to him.
Remy reached out and leaned his bare forehead against hers, framing her beautiful face with his hands. "Ah don't want ta hurt yah," Rogue whispered against his skin as a silent tear rolled down her cheek.
"Y' could never hurt Remy," he reassured her, pressing a soft kiss against her forehead, "unless of course, y' knee him in de balls again. Den he'll take that personally."
Rogue found herself chuckling despite the approaching dire events. She tenderly reached up and caressed his face with her bare fingers one last time, memorizing the texture and feel of his firm skin. "Rogue," Remy murmured softly, leaning down once more to softly kiss her tempting lips.
She sighed softly against his lips, at first ignoring the tugging sensation associated with her powers. It wasn't until she heard his breath catch in his throat that she opened her eyes. Rogue jerked back from the kiss in shock and leaned forward to catch Remy before he collapsed to the ground. She bit her bottom lip to stop the tears from starting and stared accusingly at her poisonous skin. A strange warm feeling began to settle over her body as she was suddenly lifted into the air. Her eyelids slowly closed as she made her way out of the dream and back into the real world.
A/N: First off, the reviews have been amazing. It's so nice that people actually get and understand my story and you're leaving such supporting and detailed reviews. I love it, thank you. Now to clear a few things up, I know the whole Fred/ Scott thing is extremely bizarre and well, just plain sick. But its all in good fun, so I hope it makes you smile. I know I do when I think of skinny Scott trying to jump not so skinny Fred.
And as for this chapter, I know, I didn't want them to get their powers back yet, but it really adds to the whole story and stresses the strong relationship between Rogue and Gambit. I kinda lean more towards the comics in my stories and it makes the banter so much more amusing. And just wait for the new Kitty scenes... who will she chose... and don't forget about that surprise character! Don't you just wish there was a real guy like Gambit out there... although I've been told every cartoon character has been inspired by a real person... so ladies, there's still hope.