Tabitha wandered in to Kurt's room. She smiled as she thought of her first night there, when she slept in his bed instead of that hard prison shelf that folded down off the wall.

I can't believe he ran off on me like that… He's with Kitty right now. I remember how he felt about her. And I know she's got to like him. How could any girl not like the strong, dark and fuzzy type?

She sighed. I wonder if he actually feels anything for me anymore. I wonder if he ever did… I mean… all we had was that one date and a few good times before…

We were kids then… Innocent. Now… He's a policy maker on the global stage. He's even outdone Xavier when it comes to making a real difference…

He's brought mutation out of the dark ages here. He's established a real source of trust for humans to put in mutants without a chance for it to backfire.

Of course I love him… With a thief for a father… How can I not be totally impressed with Kurt? My father could work for a living. Kurt really couldn't with the way he looked… But here we are… Dad's in jail and Kurt's an influential world leader.

She picked up his shirt off his bed. It was the one he discarded earlier because of the blood.

She hugged it close to her chest and took in his scent, reveling in the feeling. He makes me feel so safe…

She sniffed slightly. I'd love to marry him. Or someone just like him. She smiled. My life's so much better now. I can't imagine what it would be like if he really took an interest in making a life with me… if he had an equal input in everything…

She sighed.

I know he cares… But… does he love me?

She sighed out loud and Betsy stuck her head around the doorframe.

"What are you doing in here?" Betsy asked before seeing the shirt. "Oh…"

Tabitha tried to hide it by putting it down next to her on the bed. "I was just… missing Kurt."

Betsy leaned against the doorframe. "You've got it bad for him, don't you?"

Tabitha smiled reluctantly. "No one's… ever treated me better… not in my whole life. Not unless it's Jimmy, the guard from that Scottish jail… He's like the father I always wanted. Proud, decent, independent… All the things that Kurt's been since I first met him."

Betsy pushed off the doorframe and came to sit next to her on the bed. "If my opinion counts for anything, I'd say Kurt cares about you. A lot. I've never seen him so happy as after the two of you have had some playful little encounter together. And I've seen the way he beams when you've flirted with him… I think there could be a future there. And if anyone could make it happen it's you two. I mean… look at what you've accomplished here already – together."

Tabitha nodded slowly. "I know, we've had our fair share of good times and successes here in England." She met Betsy's eyes. "So much so that I'm afraid to ruin it. If we were together and it ended… I don't know how I'd face the next day… Of seeing him every morning… I'd have to leave or something. I wouldn't be able to do it."

Betsy sighed a bit. "Well… If you don't do anything… You might have to wake up to seeing him happy with someone else." She took a deep breath while Tabby reacted in shock. "Are you prepared for that?"

Tabby's hand froze half way between them in mid-reach as she considered that. "N-no… I… I…"

Betsy sighed. "Then I think you have to try going forward. The one thing that I've learned about life is that nothing ever stays the same. Everything evolves or decays. And unless you're willing to let what you feel for him decay… Then I guess it's time that it evolves."

Tabby shook her head. "I don't even know where to begin with something as huge as this…"

Betsy shrugged. "I learned a little trick from my baby brother…" She smiled. "Write down what you want to say. All of it. Maybe as a letter to Kurt or something. You don't have to give it to him, but it's definitely going to clear up that question of exactly what you want for yourself and from him… If it's good, then you can give it to him. If not, then you write a second one that's better, you know?"

Tabby nodded. "I guess it can't hurt." She rolled her eyes. "Do you have any idea how long it's been since I wrote a guy a note?"

Betsy laughed. "The classics never go out of style."

Tabitha took a last, long look around the room. "Well, no time like the present." She pushed off the bed and stood up.

"Yeah. I'd do it now too." Betsy shrugged. "You never know when he's going to come back."

Tabby bit her lip. "Yeah… I'd have to finish it before we kill him, wouldn't I?"

Betsy shrugged. "I'd take my time and get it right. Don't let other timetables rush you on something like this. If we kill him first then we kill him first. This letter is really about you and what you want anyway."

Tabby's head bobbed up and down for a moment. "You know… You're right. I need to get my head strait before I can expect him to take me seriously." She smiled. "Thanks Betsy." She hugged her friend quickly. "I need to find a pen."

"Brian's got several on his desk." Betsy added. "I'm sure he wouldn't mind. I'd take my paper from Kurt's study though. He's got a stack of yellow legal pads in the far corner by the window."

"Thanks again." Tabby said, bouncing down the hall towards the rooms in question.

Betsy looked around the room. Kurt is sexy, no doubt. I can see why Tabby's all hot for him. And it might even work out for them. She smiled, thinking of the two of them walking down a great aisle as a married couple. Kurt in his Tux with tails and Tabby in her lace gown.

They actually have the chance to be happy. She realized. I just hope that nothing screws it up… Our lives can get so complicated at times. Too much time or distance… and it could all fall apart.

She shivered slightly. Let's face it… If Kurt asked… I'd sleep with him.

I don't know if he knows it or not. Probably not. But still… I would. And if I'd do it… then there must be a whole forest of English women who would jump at the chance.

It's actually a good thing he's been so busy with work or he'd surely have found someone by now. It's not often that sexy, adventurer diplomats spend their lives single and looking.

Tabby had better snatch him up before I start thinking that way for myself.

Betsy glanced out the doorway towards the main room. From here she could just see the top of Wilson's head as he read through the textbook that Tabby had given him.

Now, really… if I hadn't seen him the way he was when he walked up… She considered him. Because he did clean up real nice. Another meal or two and he'll start to fill out a little more and be less 'skin and bones'… I have to admit... He's got potential.

Even if he can sleep through anything.

I wonder if her really does have a power. I know he said that… But Brian's such a sucker some times.

I guess… If I was willing to talk to Illyana anyway… and sacrifice reading Brian's journal…

Maybe I could help him out a bit. After all, making him wait for Brian to get back from hunting down Emma Frost… that's not right now it is?

Tabby gave him the book. That's got to count as helping him, right? So even if Brian could figure him out… The bet is really, already, tainted… Isn't it?

Plus… She blushed, recalling his comments from the bathroom door earlier. I think he might like my ...'look'…

She smiled at the mirror and stopped suddenly. I really do look different than I used to, don't I?

And I did promise Alistaire an answer. I should probably try to explain it…

Then she smiled slowly and slightly at first, but then it grew. Maybe… maybe Wilson wouldn't mind being a sounding board… I could work out the best way to say it … And he could learn a little more about the world of mutant relations...

She smiled at her own double meaning as she stood up. Well… He could learn a little more about me anyway. She decided as she stretched out, up to her full height.

She slipped quietly out of Kurt's room and slipped cautiously up behind Wilson as he sat cross-legged on the couch. She peered over his shoulder and was almost stunned to see how much of the book he had read.

He didn't seem to see her and he turned the page.

"Mutant Energy Projection?" She read questioningly over his shoulder.

He jumped and looked at her, then gave her a smile. "Yeah... I thought that maybe I could find something like what I do here in this book. Not much luck so far I'm afraid."

She shrugged. "I'm an energy projector." She lifted her hand and made a fist. Suddenly it flared purple and took the form of a wedge shaped blade that covered the back of her hand.

"WOW!" His eyes flew wide open and he stared at the energy form. "It's beautiful." He said softly. "It really suits you."

She smiled at the subtle compliment.

"What does it do?" He asked.

"It varies…" She said softly. "Normally I pull up one that disables all motor function in the brain. But if I'm mad, I can send out a field that disables and sets off all the pain receptors in the brain, so people feel as bad as they possibly could, because all the pain sensors go off at once."

He still looked fascinated but far more respectful.

"I guess that means I should touch it." He smiled as he spoke.

She quickly retracted the field. "Well... there is one other thing I can do…"

She closed her eyes and he could see the change in mood come over her. She smiled softly and looked very peaceful. Her eyes opened quickly and she lifted her hand again, this time letting the blade charge itself with a different emotional charge.

She lowered herself on to the couch next to him and held the 'blade' between them.

"Touch that and see if you can tell me what kind of energy I'm projecting. This one's safe. I don't use it much though."

Wilson examined her hand carefully. The blade had a moving, fluid could of energy that surrounded it – but even so, it did not seem to touch her hand. The main part of the 'blade' just levitated a little more than half an inch off the back of her hand.

He reached out slowly and discovered that his hand was shaking.

At first it felt like he was putting his hand it to static, like the build-up on the screen of an old TV that was still warming up.

But then he felt what was really there – not just in the air, but in the energy itself.

He lay his hand on hers, right in to the blade, and wrapped his fingers around in to her palm.

The energy pierced his skin, overlapping with the physical reality and energizing it.

The tingling feeling shot up his arm and then spread out through his chest and then down his body in to his legs and up his shoulders, neck and in to his head.

"Oh… wow." He said softly, his eyes fluttering slightly as he was overcome with the sensation.

"Can you tell what emotions I put in to this one?" She asked just as softly, obviously respectful of his 'condition'.

"It's… pleasure…or lust… or…" He quivered. "Satisfaction."

He broke off the contact and let go of her hand, half-embarrassed. "T-thank you." He said, slowly leaning back on to the couch. "That was amazing."

She smiled seductively. "We could always… experiment again later." She said suggestively.

"Oh? Really?" He asked, kind of stunned.

She nodded.

"Because I thought you were… uninterested." He said cautiously.

She shrugged slightly. "Actually, Brain and I had a bet. He was supposed to help you on his own, but he's got other responsibilities, and I didn't think it was fair to make you wait. So I'm …" She smiled. "Showing my actual level of interest now…"

He smiled at her. "Thank you for telling me that Brian was your brother. I might have said something… inconsiderate."

"Like what?" She asked, imagining Brian's reaction to a few comments that sprung quickly to her mind.

And he hesitated, only slightly, slowly realizing he was truly in the presence of a truly 'educated' woman.