A/N: Ugh, I'm sick. I ate like a pig tonight, decided to drink a ton of water, and spent the next hour puking it all back up. It was gross.

Course, everyone could care less.

A/N 2: "Keep It Together" is a Madonna song. She was so cool, even though she's old now.

Disclaimer: I, as usual, do not own the X-Men. I wish I did, cuz then I'd...hang on, gotta puke.

That's better. If I owned the X-Men I'd have them wait on me hand and foot during my time of need.

Chapter Fifteen: Drive Away

Germany, 1986

Kurt sat against the wall of the upstairs floor, near the staircase, curling his arms and tail around his knees. Caroline and Emmett were downstairs, and he could hardly believe that it was happening. After years of enduring her taunts and torments, she was actually leaving. She and her fiancé had packed up all of her belongings, save the ones in Kurt's room, shipped it to his parent's large mansion in America (he had picked up all of this by listening carefully), and tomorrow, finally, finally, they were leaving. There'd be an ocean between them, the entirety of the Atlantic to separate them. She wouldn't ever hurt him again.

But since they had been at the house for the past few days, he hadn't eaten anything for a while. Kurt felt dizzy and weak, although he knew it would be worth it. Maybe he would stay in the house for a while, until the family who had bought it moved in. From then on he wasn't sure, but he didn't care. He ran his fingers over the light scar on his forearm he had gotten when he was four – he could still remember that afternoon - and smiled. No more.

Kurt suddenly felt a strong wave of shakiness pass through his head, and he moaned softly. He was waiting until he heard Caroline and Emmett come up the stairs to her room to get something to eat, but it was taking a lot longer than he expected.

"Mmnnnnn," he murmured, and gently let himself rest on the floor, right side down and his back against the wall. Another wave hit him, and he gritted his teeth in pain. His stomach felt like it was doubling up on itself. He closed his eyes, trying anything to take his mind off it.

It was happening. It was actually happening. Caroline squirmed in her seat, careful not to let her wine spill over the edge of her glass. She felt Emmett put his arm around her shoulders, giving her a gentle squeeze to silence her movement. She stopped budging, letting her head rest on his shoulder.

"I'm so excited," she whispered, grabbing his free hand and squeezing it.

"Me too," he muttered into her ear, squeezing back and planting a soft kiss against her cheek.

"Tell me again," she said, sitting up and grinning at Emmett. He groaned.

"No, Carrie," he replied, sitting up as well and laughing.

She set her wine on the table beside her and tucked her knees under her legs, facing him.

"Please?"

He sighed. "1005 Vandram Street, New York, New York."

Caroline laughed and hugged him. "Home," she giggled, nuzzling his neck. "It'll be wonderful."

He laughed too, and kissed her on the mouth, quickly. She smiled at him, and kissed him back. "Love you."

"Love you, too."

They remained like that, until Caroline's lips were buzzing and numb with exhilaration. When she was with Emmett, everything was perfect.

"You wanna-" she paused, grinning, and nodded her head in the direction of her bedroom.

He grinned back.

Kurt was floating fast between reality and the unconscious, feeling nauseated. He couldn't register anything; it moved before he could get a hold on it.

So when he heard footsteps on the stairs, it hovered in his mind for a few seconds too long before fear finally gripped him.

They were coming.

Kurt jumped up, feeling sickness ring through his head as hard as possible. His door was close, and he grabbed the knob and pushed it open, stumbling in. The footsteps were at the top of the staircase now, and he slammed the door shut, knowing as he did that he was dead.

He sank down against the wall, running his hands through his hair and sobbing once, dryly. He could hear Emmett's voice.

"Carrie – who's that?"

"Emmett, no, don't, there's no one-"

"I saw the door close."

"Emmett, NO!"

The door was pushed open roughly, and Kurt pressed his head against his knees. He could hear Emmett breathing loudly, with Caroline shifting around behind him. She broke the silence, finally.

"Emmett, he's- I never wanted him here in the first place, Raven just brought him and-"

Emmett turned around. "Is that a mutant?"

Kurt felt the corners of his mouth press down, as he held back frightened tears.

"Caroline, what are you doing wi- what's happening?" He suddenly sounded confused and scared. Kurt glanced up, forehead wrinkling with dread.

Her hair stuck out from all sides, as if someone had rubbed a balloon all over her head, and her eyes seemed to crackle with electricity. She looked scared, very much so, and as she moved, the air sputtered with energy.

"Oh my God," she said, staring at her hands, wincing as they were shocked. "What- what-" She glanced up, and the small lit light bulb in the lamp on the table beside the bed grew impossibly bright, then exploded. A few pieces of glass hit Kurt, but only one scratched him. He screamed from surprise, though.

Caroline's eyes were wide, as were Emmett's. "What's happening?"

He stared at her, then said accusingly: "You're a mutant, too!"

"Emmett, no, no, I don't know what it is, but-"

"This place- how many more of you are there?" He sounded disgusted, and Kurt began to whimper quietly.

"Emmett-"

"Freak."

With that final word, Emmett began to walk out of the room, shoving past Caroline and not even stopping as he received a shock that Kurt could hear from the other side of the room. "FREAK. Don't follow me. Leave me alone."

"Emmett!" Caroline began to run after him, her hair calming down a bit.

Kurt couldn't hear much after that, but he knew that Emmett had left for good when Caroline reappeared in his doorway, no longer electrified. She only looked like she was burning with anger. Her focus was all on Kurt.

She walked over to where he was huddled in his little ball, and held up a key, grinning maliciously.

"Game's up, freak. You made me lose Emmett. Now you're gonna pay."

She gripped his arm and pulled him up so hard that he jerked to the side, but he managed to stand up straight. He looked sadly at Caroline, who was slipping the mysterious key into her dress pocket.

"You ready?"

Kurt started to cry.

A/N: UH-OH! What's gonna happen? Stayed tuned, my little minions!

Oh yeah, and review. I've been forgetting to remind people.