A/N: I'm gonna cut the drugs a little bit beacause it was starting to get a little too overwhelming even for me. Another thing: I plan on actually plan on finishing this story. I will more than likely end up being a trilogy. So read and review.

Disclaimer: I own nothing except Kate. Kate is mine so dinna touch her.

"Are you sure this is a good idea?" The nervousness was evident in Kitty's voice as they stood across the street from the shoe store. The red brick building was a remnant of happier days. The wind blew and Kitty shivered despite the warmth of her leather jacket. "Lance?"

"Yes, Kitty?"

"Should we be doing this?"

"It's for a good cause," Lance said, giving Kitty his full attention. "We'll be able to buy food for the others and I'll be able to buy you that jacket you wanted."

"Sounds like a load of Robin Hood bull shit if you ask me," Tabitha said, taking a puff of her cigarette. Lance responded by giving her a look but Tabitha casually ignored it and instead tossed her cigarette out into the street. "How much longer?" Tabitha asked impatiently. "I've people to do and things to see."

"Sounds riveting," Pietro said sarcastically. He finished off his cigarette and threw it into the street. "Okay, I'm bored now," He said quickly. "Exactly how many people are in there?"

"Those were the last ones," Kate Werner quickly responded, facing the others. "We can go in now. Kit, Tabs – shall we?" She slipped in between them and linked arms with Tabby. "Kitty?" Kitty took a deep breath and wondered how she got in to this. She momentarily thought of walking away right then and there but instead she linked arms with Kurt's twin. The three women sauntered innocently across the street and entered the store.

"Whoa," Tabby exclaimed. "Check out the pumps." She sprinted over to one of the displays and picked up a very expensive pair of Italian leather boots. "I wonder if they have my size," she said as she browsed through the boxes. "Voila!" She immediately kicked off her own worn shoes and slipped into the new ones. "Watch cha think?"

"You need a hat," Kate said simply. "Something that screams Tabby-Abby-Smith." She did a quick inspection of the hat rack and came back with a very large, very floppy hat for Tabitha and a very wild looking scarf for herself. The X-men may have gone to the dogs but Kate was a Bohemian forever.

"Let's just get this over with," Kitty said anxiously.

Tabitha threw her old shoes aside. "Kit's right, besides, I have what I want." They walked up to the counter. "Give the signal to the guys," Kate whispered to Kitty. Kitty automatically walked up to the window and looked across the street while Tabitha and Kate argued with the cashier over how much imported Italian boots really cost. As soon as Lance caught sight of Kitty he started towards the shop with Todd,and Pietroin tow.

Robert Drake stood impatiently on the corner of two very crummy streets as he waited for his customer to arrive. 'Red Tommy' hadn't seemed pleased when he had called Bobby. Jubilee hadn't wanted him to go alone and he was now starting to regret that he didn't bring backup. Just when he was about to turn around and go home he felt something very hard collide with his face. He fell down hard and looked up to seen RT. "What the fuck, Red?" he said getting up. He forced a laugh and got back to business. "I've got this new stuff and you should really - "

"Don't act stupid," he snapped, "you know why I'm here."

"What do you mean?" Bobby felt himself being lifted up and then suddenly shoved against the brick building.

"You cheated me out of my money, Drake," Red said "and no one ever cheats Red Tommy." Before Bobby could respond, he felt the stinging pain of Red's large fist against his face.

"Hurry up before the cops come!" Lance yelled as he held the cashier at gunpoint. He would have used his powers but he preferred to keep the building up at least until they had the money.

Pietro was quickly snatching money from one register, dollar by dollar, while Todd was busily slapping the other cashier with his tongue. Tabitha formed a small cherry bomb and blew open as register. While she took fistfuls of money and shoved it into a bag, Kitty tried to keep up in all of the confusion. Adrenaline pumped through her body as she seized several ones, fives, tens, and twenties and deposited them into the bag Kate held.

"Done!"

"Got 'em!"

Kitty put the last of the money into the bag. "Let's go!"

Kate swiftly leaned over the counter, grabbed the cashier by his tie and planted a kiss on him. He immediately passed out onto the floor. "Hey, dudes, the coppers are here," Todd exclaimed.

"Get out!" Lance ordered.

They hurriedly ran out of the shop just as the police arrived. "Hands in the air!" Tabitha stopped in her tracks, turned, and threw an exceptionally large cherry bomb at them. It landed on one of the cars and exploded. Kate and Todd, who had gotten lost in the confusion of Tabitha's exploit, darted through the smoke.

"Hey, wait –," Todd didn't get a chance to finish as he was grabbed and shoved into the back seat of one of the cars. Kate gave an indifferent glance back at him as she ran with the others.

They ran in a group with Lance in the front, Tabitha gripping her floppy hat while running in imported Italian leather boots, Kate running just behind her, bag and scarf blowing in the wind, Kitty a little ways behind, and Pietro already at the corner.

Kitty panted as she tried to keep up in the confusion when suddenly she felt herself crash into the pavement. She cried out in shock as she was dragged into a police car. Kate slowed down for a moment and considered going back for her friend but gave up the idea when the others started to round the corner. Kitty heard the door slam shut and stared in horror out of the window as she driven away.

"Dammit!" Bobby swore as he limped down the hall. The X-men, if they still deserved that title, looked out of their doors to watch their teammate drag himself to his apartment. Somehow they had all managed to live on the same floor, it was Amanda's idea, and together they made up at least ninety percent of the poor souls who lived there.

"Bobby!" Jubilee said as soon as she caught sight of him. She ran over to him. "What happened?"

"Don't ask."

"You should know not to go out alone by now," she scolded. She sighed. "C'mon. You look terrible."

Jean, who had been leaning in one of the doorways, quickly walked over to him, her high-heeled boots clickingagainst the wooden floor of the hallway. "Hey, Bobby," she whispered. "Do you, you know," she silently slipped him a twenty.

"Just a minute, Jubes," he said tiredly. He reached in his coat pocket and pulled out a small bag of Jean's vice.

"Thanks," she said. Relief was evident in her voice and he vaguely wondered how long she had been in withdrawal. Probably all day he figured. He watched for a minute as she disappeared into Scott's apartment. They weren't going out. In fact, Jean slept on the couch. Ever since she started her crack addiction they had been steadily growing farther apart. Scott only let her live with him because he felt sorry for her and considered her a sister of sorts.

"Bobby!"

"Coming!"

"Did you get it?" Kurt asked anxiously.

"Yes," Jean quickly responded as she held up not one, but two bags.

"How'd you get that?" He asked curiously.

"He won't miss it," Jean said quickly. "Not after what happened to him today."

"Okay, okay, just chill out."

Jean tossed him a bag. "Scott's working late, he won't be back until ten. What time is it now."

"Ze clock says nine-thirty. Look, Jean, I have to go. Amanda is waiting for me."

"Don't let her know that you're on this stuff," Jean said reflectively. "You two are so happy together."

"Don't worry, Jean, I won't," he paused. Scott hasn't found another girlfriend yet."

But Jean was already getting high.