Title: Can I call you Mother?

"Kurt!"

Mystique was shocked that it was from Kurt. She held onto her seat and slumped into it. Is this what she is hoping for? There is only one way to find out. She unfolds the letter and read it out loud.

Dear Mystique,

I was wondering if you are free after school today. I know you are very busy but it is really important that I see you. There are things I want to talk to you about; I really hope we can meet up. Maybe after that, we can have dinner together? Meet you at the Lakeside, where you were at yesterday. See you there.

Yours truly,

Kurt Vagner

Mystique finished off the letter with endless thoughts in her head. He wanted to talk to her, and it is important. Kurt also stated that maybe the both of them can have dinner together. Is there finally hope? Has he finally have a change in heart? Or is there something else? But something struck her, how did he know that she was at the lake yesterday? If he was there, did he hear everything she said?

Mystique placed the letter on her table and stared at the letter. Her mind is being raced around with endless thoughts and her heart seems to be very confused. It's hard to explain how she feels but under all those worrying thoughts, she really wants to see Kurt again, no matter what. Mystique then gets up and walks out of her office. She opens her door and spoke to her secretary. "Allison, cancel all meetings today, I got something very important to do."

"Yes ma'am." Allison replies.

Mystique then re-enters her office and stared outside her large window and then at the clock. Right now, she wishes that time would fly by as fast as it can.

In a small classroom, a teacher captures the class attention as she points them out about the cause of World War II. However, there is this certain mutant in the class that doesn't seem to pay attention at all.

Kurt looks out the window, thinking about what will happen when he meets up with his mother. Would sparks of fury fly? Would things work out smoothly or would the road to forgiveness start out as a rocky journey?

Back at the Institute, the X-kids were being home schooled but since because Jean and Scott have to settle some things for professor Xavier and Logan is out to check Juggernaut, they had Storm only. However, Storm decided to go easy on them and let them do what they want, as long as they don't destroy anything.

"I'm going to cook lunch so all of you can do whatever you want as long as you don't destroy anything. Got it?" Storm asks.

"You bet!" Bobby said giving a thumbs up. After Storm enters the mansion, the kids were out doing their own things.

"Man….isn't this great? Bobby asks.

"No Jean, Scott or Logan and Beasts are still doing some research! And Storm rocks!" Jubilee shouted.

"Yeah, now we can have the day off!" Roberto exclaims.

Peprica stands among them not knowing why they were so happy. "Why are you guys celebrating? Doesn't training help you to be more prepared for the future?" Peprica asks.

Jamie, Bobby and the rest of the X-kids look at her with an awkward face on their face. Then all of a sudden, they burst out laughing.

"Umm, maybe you don't know the rest of the Professors well enough to know." Jamie replies.

"Jean and Scott are like the nerd couple. They are super smart and they excel in training. Jean trains us to be academically well while Scott makes sure we work well as a team during battle training. Logan…well, he is okay cause he let's us use our powers to fight but he does push hard on us during battle training too." Amara says as she lights up her hands in flames.

"Scott's not as harsh as Logan but sometimes, Scott tends to extend training hours. Logan disappear at times…Beast, well, actually, he teaches us chemistry and other subjects like Literature and English. Some of us find it boring but Chemistry is cool." Bobby says.

Peprica looks at them in an awkward way. "I haven't seen Scott but Jean is really nice and she's seems very elegant and decent. I don't think there is anything wrong with teaching and trying to get you guys to do well academically."

"But it gets boring you know and we kids just want to have fun." Jubilee says.

"Jean and Scott are like the perfect nerd couple, definitely fit for one another." Ray says as he laughs.

"Wouldn't it be cool if summer holidays were extended for another month?" Bobby laughs.

While the others are laughing, Peprica feels upset. All her life, she always wanted to attend school and now, these kids who got everything are talking bad about their teachers. Don't they know that these teachers are striving to make them understand about the world today?

"How can talk about them like that? There could be other reasons why they are together and you guys don't even know it! Besides, just be happy you even have school! All my life, I have never been to a school and today, I feel happy to even be in one even if I have not learnt anything yet! Just be happy that Jean, Scott and all the other professors are even bothered to teach you! They could just dump you guys aside and not even care!"

The others stood there quiet speechless. They could see tears coming out of Peprica's eyes. Her face displayed desire of a wish but that wish never came true. Her eyes glittered as the tears welled up and trickled down her face. Peprica then wipes her tears away and tries to keep her anger and pain inside but the more she thinks of it, the more she wanted to cry her heart and soul out.

"My parents never could get a steady job and they couldn't send me to school. Everyday, I look out onto the streets to see little boys and girls happily strolling with books in their hands. Do you know how much I would love to have those books in my arms? And in school, you get to have friends whereas I don't have any! The only friends I have are the people at the church and the sparrows that live in the Bell tower, you guys just don't know how fortunate you are."

Upset, Peprica turned away crying and walked towards the mansion leaving the others behind.

As Peprica entered the mansion, Storm walked past her and saw that she was crying.

"Peprica? What's wrong?" Storm asks.

Peprica stops halfway up the stairs and realizes Storm caught her crying. She quickly wipes her tears away and tries to put on a smile. Peprica turns around and brushes her silky hair aside.

"Oh, nothing, nothing at all. Just got something in my eye. Thank you for asking." With that, Peprica turned around and continued walking up the stairs.

Storm looks at Peprica feeling worried. Storm could see she was pretending to be happy but deep down, she's hurting. Storm then turns her sight towards the X-kids who were walking back from the outside. She could see their faces showed regrets but she doesn't know what happened. All of them just headed to the kitchen, not uttering a word or sentence. That is something new.

End of a dreading school day arrives and the kids are happy to return home. However, there is this one person who is not willing to go home just yet. He turned towards the car park to see the Principal's Car not there. He thought that she must have driven off to meet him.

"Kurt!"

Kurt turns around to see Rogue running towards him.

"Hey, come on! Storm's making Lasagna back at home, let's go! Lance is giving us a lift." Rouge smiled as she placed her hand on Kurt's shoulder.

"Um…later, I got to meet someone somewhere." Kurt said uneasily knowing Rogue won't be very happy to know what he is actually doing.

"Oh, alright then, see you later then!" Rogue pat his back and then walks off. Kurt looked back at Rogue a bit surprised. "She seems happy?" Kurt says as he walks off.

At the Lakeside, Mystique as Principal Darkholme form sits on the bench and stares at the water feeling quite uneasy. What is she going to say to him when she sees him? What would she do? Would he still consider her his mother? Is he actually here to talk about one another or what? Mystique's mind is so full of endless train of thoughts that she doesn't know that Kurt is standing behind her.

"Mys…Mystique?" Kurt says.

However, Mystique is too busy thinking that she doesn't hear Kurt calling her. Kurt then places his hand on her shoulder. The moment Mystique comes back to her senses, she sees Kurt's reflection in the water. She immediately gets up as Kurt took one step back.

"Kurt! Oh…sorry, I was…in such deep thought that I didn't hear you." Mystique said with her heart beating faster than anything else. To her, this is it; this is the time she should let him know what has always been in her heart. If she misses this chance, it will be even harder the next time.

The two just stared at one another for a while, a moment of silence. Then Mystique decides to take the first step. "Kurt…I know…you must be thinking why I am here…as Principal…I…I am not here to do anything for Magneto or cause any trouble. I'm just here for my job…you know." Mystique stopped for a second, taking in a deep breathe.

Kurt himself could see and feel how much his mother is trying but he just keep quiet and listens to what she has to say. Deep down this time, all he wants his to hug his own mother and be with her. He had time to think of what Peprica said and under all that soul searching, he finally realized that he will forgive her because he loves her, his mother.

"I never meant to…well…I just…I just want you…back, to have your trust is all I want. I know that…after all I have done, it's impossible to trust me again and I…" Mystique slowly trailed off, feeling that nothing she would say would convince him.

Kurt looks at his mother and takes a few steps towards her. Mystique face was down, her eyes to the ground, frightened of what he might say. "The reason why I ask you to meet me here is because an angel talked to me about the Story of Forgiveness." Kurt calmly says.

Mystique looks up when she heard the word 'forgiveness'. She could see a smile spread across his face.

"Can I call you mother?"

Mystique eyes shot open with a shock. Her heart leaped with joy when she heard this and unexpectedly, Kurt runs and hugs her. Her heart is warmed with her son's love as he hugs her. Tears slowly trickled down her cheek as she hugs him back.

"Yes, yes you can. Oh Kurt, you can always call me mother and I don't care at all…you don't know how long I hope to hear you say that…" Mystique said as she hugs Kurt back tight, never wanting him to leave her again.

"I thought I would never be forgiven and I don't care if others don't forgive me or even accept me. It's you I want…" Mystique said crying her happiness out.

Kurt then looks up and sees Mystique smiling and wiping her tears away. Kurt then switches his image inducer off and his real form is revealed. "You know, I got your eyes and skin." Kurt says tryingly.

Mystique let out a small laugh of happiness. For once in her life, she has finally something far more worth than gold or any jewel or diamond in the world.

Mystique finally has her son…who has finally called her mother.

Kurt then looks up and turns his image inducer back on and smiles sweetly as his mother who loves him dearly. "I love you mum, forever and ever." Kurt says as Mystique places her hand on Kurt's cheek, feeling his fur. The Kurt returns a warm hug. Nothing could make Kurt any happier than to finally have his mother.

"Love you too son." Mystique whispered but enough for Kurt to hear.

In the distance, a pair of teary silvery blue eyes of a girl watches them as her deep sea blue coloured hair flows gently in the wind. With a flap of her slivery blue wings, she flies off into the sunset sky.

Next chapter: A Story of a Girl