CHAPTER 10: THE REAL ISSUES
The past few days had been both pleasant and hard on Kurt it was great having his parents here to meet everyone for the first time and was glad they approved of Wanda. Although the little hints his mother kept giving him on his future with Wanda. But thankfully his father helped to keep her in line about that.
But the real major issue was keeping his biological mother and adopted one separate since both women didn't like the other. He knew it wouldn't be easy with them in the same house all the time and at the moment he was hiding out in Wanda's room just taking a break from it all. His head was on her lap as she was running a hand thought his hair listening to him vent.
It was times like this she was glad her own family and her weren't on speaking terms given what Kurt was going through. "And you know vhat zhe vorse part is? Zhey keep asking me if somezhing is wrong…"
Wanda stiffened at that anyone that knew Kurt could tell the change in him. "You haven't told them have you?" She said in a slightly silent tone.
He looked up at her the pain in his eyes evident, "How can I? Even though I can deal vith it more…It's just so hard."
"You think it isn't hard on any of us? Even me?" Wanda said to him with a little more edge to her voice pulled away and turning herself around. "You know what it was like to be so helpless and watch what that bitch did to you! You have any idea how sick I was to my stomach how we all had to turn away and yet still hear?"
She shut her eyes feeling the tears form up trying to push back those images and the sounds of those memories. "I can still remember the screams Kurt…when you were crying out in pain…" Kurt felt bad and hugged her from behind. "We all hurt after that, Kitty still has nightmares from and…so do I."
He should have known that other would have been affected he just never wanted to think about it although he had talked about it in therapy with the others. He just never thought about Wanda having to witness this or any of the others. "I'm sorry liebe I should have known you vould feel like zhis." He said softly to her nuzzling her neck.
She felt a bit better leaning her head onto his, "I know, but Kurt they deserve to know the truth. You can't keep this from them and you know how Xavier said all of us can't keep things bottled up you know how it's not healthy."
He sighed resting his head on her shoulder he really didn't want to tell them it was just really hard to bring up all those memories and emotions. He had already gone through that with Mystique and the thought of going through it again wasn't pleasant.
"Please Kurt they have a right," She pleaded with him and she hoped this would help him heal a bit more as well.
Kurt hugged her a bit tighter knowing maybe she was right he just wasn't looking forward to it at all. "I guess I do have to…Does it have to be now?" She turned around and hugged him close to her.
"Not at the moment," She said softly.
When Kurt was ready he had to leave her room and look for his parents he didn't want to do this but Wanda was right. He had found them and asked them to meet him in his room, both his parents had an idea that this was important but not sure what it was about.
He sat them down as he tried to get ready for this. "Kurt what is wrong son?" His father asked sitting next to him and put a hand on his shoulder.
"Yes zhere has been somezhing going on vith you and your fazher and I are getting worried," His mother told him.
Kurt nodded his head to them and he took a breath and started it all out. He told them the entire thing this time with Selene and when they had been captured. He told them what those that were first captured by the Hellfire Club had suffered through and later when their rescue had been stopped. He tried to get through it but some of the details were just too horrible. He did his best to get through it all even though it tore him up on the inside.
This was digging up a lot of old wounds and memories and by the end he was crying. Both his parents were hugging him close. They hadn't known that it had been so bad for him both of them trying their best to console him and both feeling the pain of what their son had gone through. Kurt told them the rest as he did when Jack had been killed sacrificing himself to save them all.
By the time he got through he was just so totally emotionally drained by it all. "Oh my poor little boy…Vhy didn't you tell us zhis?" His mother said crying herself her son had been through enough as it was in life it was unfair that he and his friends and family had gone through so much.
"I didn't vant you to vorry…"
"Son we would have been zhere for you," His father told him holding his son with his wife.
Kurt knew they would but he didn't want them to deal with this. But having both of them here and now holding him was something that he had needed back then. He couldn't answer his father at the moment he was just too choked up to say anything they all were. They just sat there holding each other giving each other warm and comfort.
-Later on that day-
In the gym in the mansion over the matted area Kitty was in black sweats and a T-shirt in a guard position facing off against Vince in his all white gi with black belt and his headband. That and the back of his gi held the clan symbol that was also tattooed on his chest.
Kitty was working up a bit of a sweat and was getting a little annoyed how Vince was taking this in stride. Lately she had been pushing herself to become stronger and a better fighter. She already took extra lessons from Logan, Sage given her SHIELD training, Betsy since she had the memories of a trained ninja and now Vince who was trained as a samurai since he was seven.
She went in for a punch but he just dodged so she turned it into a backhand strike. He ducked under it and with a leg sweep she hit the mat again. She rolled onto her stomach and pushed off getting right back into a fighting position.
Kitty didn't waste anytime and started out with a front kick which he deflected with a palm strike and she stepped into him with a side kick. He caught her leg and then flipped her onto the mat again. He watched her get back up as she was really pushing herself. "Okay let's take a five minute break."
"No I can keep going," She said to him not wanting to stop even though she was aching in a few places from hitting the mat several times in the same place and her muscles were getting that tired burning sensation. She did her best to push it aside as she was determined to get stronger.
"Listen take a break, rest up and get your head together," He said in the same tone his own teacher used to use on him. "You're not focused and all you're doing is finding new ways to land on your ass."
She sighed and went over to the bench and took a drink of bottled water that she had next on the floor. He did the same sitting next to her and gave a long hard look at the younger girl. There was this fierce determination in her that he hadn't remembered seeing. She was pushing herself hard maybe even too hard lately. He could see the strain starting to sink into her as well.
"Kitty what's going on with you lately?" He asked her in his usual soft and friendly voice.
"Nothing is like going on I'm just wanting to put more hours in my training is all," She told him without even looking at him.
He frowned looking at her, "Why is that? I mean you've been pushing everything aside that you can for more training and I'm starting to worry. Hell if it wasn't for all the drama with Kurt's family I bet more would notice this as well."
Kitty remained silent a moment as she started to pick at the labeling of her bottle.
Vince sighed and normally he didn't push but at this rate Kitty might hurt herself, "Kitty you can tell me I may understand."
She gave a small snort, "No offence but I like doubt it, you're one of like the strongest mutants there is and you don't feel weak. I mean I'm now the weakest member of the team I got no offensive powers and I feel that I'm not pulling my weight around."
"Kitty first of all I do know," he said and his voice was filled with a pain that caused her to look at him and his eyes had taken on this hurt look to them as well. "In case you forgot I grew up in a lab, they did things to me and the other children and I couldn't stop any of it…Then with Selene…" He trailed off looking down at the floor.
He still carried some scars from that woman on his body and inside of him. "You're not the only one that knows what it's like to be weak and helpless Kitty."
Now she felt a bit bad at this she had forgotten all about this. She had just been thinking about how helpless she had been in Selene's dungeon, then she felt a hand on her shoulder and saw him looking at her but his eyes were no longer filled with pain.
"Kitty you aren't as weak as you may think, you stood with us in every battle and have always been there. If you want to be stronger that's okay but do it for the right reasons and don't push yourself too hard. You can only end up hurting yourself."
She thought it over a bit. "You really think so?"
"Kitty no one here has ever doubted you."
She smiled a bit feeling a bit better she was just wanting to be a bit better at this. So that she or anyone she cared for wasn't put in that kind of position again. So she had started to push herself to become as strong a person as she was smart. She had always been 'frail' looking and before she came here she had been failing gym.
Over the years she got more confidence as she got more physical training but maybe she had overlooked that everyone had their strengths. She had been trying to push herself so hard that she had forgotten her other strengths like her mind. She signed now feeling a bit foolish.
"So if you want to get better you still can you can always improve just don't forget that physical strength isn't the only type of strength."
"Yeah I guess I kind of forgot that…But I still want to train a bit more just in case," Kitty told him.
He nodded his head, "Hey there are plenty of people here to help with that."
She smiled at him and gave a small nod, "Yeah…you mind if I go take a shower though I think I've had enough today."
"Sure thing Kitty," he said getting up with her he could use one as well. "You still want some personal training sessions?"
She thought about it and nodded, "Like sure, but this time maybe I'll just keep it to once or twice a week." She rubbed a sore part of her body, "Anymore and I would so totally be black and blue for the entire week." They both gave a small laugh at that.
-Kitchen-
After a very long talk with Kurt his mother was needed sometime to cope with all that she learned. Kurt was spending the time with his father as she was looking for something to drink. She found some nice tea and decided she needed a cup.
Thankfully most of the students were in that Danger Room at the moment or working on homework so the mansion was nice and quiet. She had already cried her heart out earlier and now she just feeling this numbness inside of her. She so wished she and her husband had been here when Kurt needed them the most. She didn't blame Xavier she knew the kind of dangers her son chose to face.
When mutants were exposed they had talked to Kurt scared for him but after awhile they came to see that he loved being here and doing what he was doing. And they didn't have the heart to take him away, here he found a sister, friends and an extended family. With them he would have to hide away from the world again and they couldn't do that to them.
By the time it was done and she was taking her first sip of tea she had been feeling better. At least until Mystique came in as she was looking for something to drink as well. There was a frozen moment of silence but Raven decided not to let this woman push her around and went to the fridge.
She got herself a glass of juice and then noticed the look on the other woman's face. She knew that deep thinking look as well as the pain in her eyes. It was the kind of pain she had seen a few times in the mirror. "He told you didn't he."
It wasn't a question more of a statement and she just nodded her head. Rave may not like the woman but she had to admit that couldn't have been easy on anyone. "I hate those bastards for what they did…I keep trying to help him though…"
She gave a small huff and muttered something in German. Mystique however caught enough of that, "Say that again to my face."
Jimaine looked daggers at the other woman, "You have some nerve, how many times have you hurt Kurt in the past? Fought him even or sent ozhers to harm him?"
"You think I enjoyed that?" She said growing angry at her. "You think it was easy to know my son and daughter were over here?"
"You sure have a strange vhy of showing it, Kurt would call me up and tell me how he had kept trying to find some good in you but I heard how heartbroken he was that he couldn't." She said and saw the blue woman visibly affected by those words.
"You don't think I regret that? What do you think I'm doing now then?" She put her glass aside and gripped the table feeling her anger rise up in her. "I'm trying to be a mother to him that I should have been."
Now Jimaine rose up and faced her, "If you had been zhen you vould have been zhe one who had raised him. Zhe vone zhat changed his diapers, sang to him, played vith him. Taught him how to read, to valk, who vas zhere vhen he fell and scrapped his knee vhen he vas six and was crying."
This hurt more then she thought it would hearing those words. She had missed practically all of Kurt's life missing all the little moments like his first words or his first steps. Her jaw clenched as she tried to keep herself from shedding even just one tear. "If you had any idea just how much I envy you for all of that, you were there for him. You got to do all that stuff with him while I missed out on all of it. I would give anything to have had just one regular day with him as a child."
"Vell you may have given birth to him but I am his mozher," She shot back, "I love him and raised him and you are not taking zhat away from me!"
There was a moment when even Jimaine was struck silent by that, she hadn't even meant for that to come out or that she was even thinking that. Mystique herself was surprised by that outburst as the other woman slowly sat down. 'Is this why she's so hostile?' Both women thought it over.
Raven because she was envious of the life Jimaine had with Kurt as she was scared that Mystique would place her as Kurt's mother?
Both women were silent as they just thought about it. Mystique spoke first, "I can never replace you…When I saw you and your husband taking care of my baby even with his looks I thought he was in a safe place away from Magneto. You raised him but even though I'm his mother he will always think of you first…" That's something that would hurt.
Even though she had made a lot of progress with her children she knew that in Kurt's heart his adopted parents would be first. They raised him and loved him since he was a new born, she couldn't compete with that. Yes Kurt was starting to love her too but given everything it would be impossible to have the bond he had with this woman across from her.
Jimaine didn't know what to say at first to that. It took her a moment to find the words, "But you are here for him vhen I can't be. It seems our roles are reversing slightly in his life and I just don't vant to be pushed away. Kurt is the best zhing zhat happened to me and my husband."
The just sat there in silence as they weren't sure where to go from here. They both managed to get out the core reasons why they didn't like each other. They slowly started to talk to each other a bit more it wasn't easy as both still had their reasons to not wanting to like the other.
But they both had seen how much Kurt had been put under pressure the last few days and they slowly came to an agreement to stop things for the time being if at least for the mutual love they had for their son they would at least try to get along, for his sake alone.
Later on Kurt was getting a bit worried looking for either of his mother, they hadn't been seen in awhile and he was getting a bit nervous. He found Betsy, Warren and Sage together walking as he went up to them. "Guys have you seen mien mozher?"
"Which one are you referring to?" Sage asked him.
"Yeah could you narrow it down a bit?" Betsy asked him right after Sage.
"Either vone."
Warren turned to his girlfriend, "Betsy you think you can do a little passive scan?" She smiled and nodded and then she went a little rigid and a strange look on her face. "What is it?"
She wasn't sure how to answer at first as she had only a surface scan but what she had found had been very confusing. "Well…I found both of them…They're in the kitchen, together."
"Vhat?" Kurt yelled as his eyes widened and he disappeared.
Sage sighed to herself thinking maybe she should get Hank an prepare the medical room, "This isn't going to be pretty."
"I think you may be wrong," Betsy said to her as she looked from Sage to Warren. "I didn't sense any malice in fact…They were having a nice time." That left the other two just as confused as she was. Given how cold those two women were what on Earth could make them actually be civil to each other?
When Kurt reappeared in the kitchen he was shocked to see both his mothers having a nice time. They weren't overly friendly they acted more like people that just knew each other. There was no coldness to them but they were still a bit separated.
"Vell you should have seen Kurti vhen he was two, it was so hard to get him to keep on clothing. He vould just take it off and run around vith nothing on." Jimaine stated with a smile at the memory and Raven couldn't help but laugh at that image.
Kurt was stuck between mortified that they were bonding like this and wondering how this came to be. "Vhat's going on?"
"Your mother and I have come to an…Understanding Kurt," Raven said to him with a smile still touching her face from that story.
Jimaine nodded her head, "Yes ve both have vorked out a few issues."
Kurt blinked a few moments as Jimaine Wagner went on to tell a few other stories on Kurt's youth, although he had wanted both his mothers to get along. Hearing the kinds of stories that she was telling was making him wise for them being cold and not talking to each other.
NEXT UP CHAPTER 11: MOTHERHOOD ISSUES