Title: The Minister's Prayer
Date: Saturday leading into Sunday, begining of second week of class
Time: Midnight (So, officially Sunday)
Xavier's School for Gifted Youngster's - Tombstone's
Ororo was the master of keeping a straight face. After her breakdown in Logan's arms, she'd quickly apologized and wiped her eyes. Saturday, she dedicated to making arrangements for the funeral and held a meeting with the other X-men and Moira. Logan wasn't present as she told the others of Kurt's death and the threat on the school. Logan, Ororo noticed, had left the minute she parted from him, and hadn't been seen since.
As she calmly watched students silently find their seat, her inner self screamed. Kurt had touched her on such an innocent level. He saw the world through eyes that searched for the goodness in people.
"How can someone so beautiful have so much anger?" He'd asked her. He challenged her reasons, something no one else had done.
If Ororo could see the world through Kurt's eyes, perhaps she wouldn't be rough around the edges. She didn't truly try to be distrusting, but life had taken away her other choices. Orphaned, struggling, betrayed, Ororo had decided a long time ago that there was no grey area. There was only black or white. She hadn't been merciful when Jean last lived either. She hadn't hoped that perhaps her old teammate and friend was somewhere inside of the Pheonix. Logan had hoped. Logan, who had seen and been through far worse things then anyone else Ororo had ever known, had hoped. Logan...who was in love with Jean...had hoped.
Out of respect for Kurt, Ororo held the ceremony during the velvet dark sky of night. Students held candles to light the graveyard, mixing tranquility with sorrow. Since Kurt was a religious man, a stone cross stood just below the engravement of his name on the tombstone. A scatter of tea-lights circled the base of the piece, illuminating the symbolism. Wherever you are, Ororo silently said. I hope you're safe.
She took in an uneasy breath, too many had died in such a short time. Who would be next? Who would be viciously murdered and ripped apart limb from limb? Her eyes clouded with tears as she glanced from young face to young face. What if they'd lost one of them? What if Rahne was next, for being able to morph into a wolf? Or Angel, for his glorious wings?
The clouds started to to darken above, and Ororo rechecked her emotions. She was not going to allow rain on Kurt's funeral day.
"Everyone," her voice was surprisingly strong. The crowd looked up at her, some eyes full of tears, some full of fear. Ororo searched the crowd, the X-men sitting in the front. Rogue was crying softly as Bobby stroked her hand with his. Moira and Hank sat together, tired looking but sad just as the rest. Peter sat on the other side of Rogue, Kitty on the other side of him. Neither had known Kurt like she or Rogue and Bobby had, though to all he was a hero.
"I was fortunate enough to have Kurt Wagner as a friend and teammate." She tried her best to meet the eyes of each person in her audience. She had to let these children know that she was here for them, she was their shoulder to cry on. She could see Jubilee and Amara on either side of Ray. He had an arm around both girls, allowing them to sob into his chest. His own face was strained and serious - tightly trying to stay strong.
A lump built in Ororo's throat as she took in each of her students' reactions to Kurt's death. Some looked afraid whereas others were full of sadness. Only her X-men remained still, as if they were mentally visioning their own graves and preparing for it. She choked back tears, It should never have come to this.
She wasn't Charles. He was able to protect them all. He'd died to protect them all. She was...
"So was Ah."
Ororo snapped her head up, looking a Rogue. The young girl met her teammate's gaze as a tear rolled down her pale cheek. Ororo smiled smally, encouraging Rogue to go on.
"He saved mah life,"she didn't wipe her face as more tears fell.
"Yes," Ororo agreed softly. "Kurt was a believer of doing the right thing. He was a hero with beautiful morals, and high relationships with God. He -"
"He was my friend too," Bobby stood up, pulling Rogue with him. They held their candles in front of themselves, the light making their pained faces visible . "He was a part of this team, he helped shaped it. Shape us. Kurt was living proof that there was such a thing as hope."
Ororo's eyes rimmed with proud tears, "Yes."
"He was brave," Amara stood.
"Yes."
"He was sensitive," Tabitha stood.
"He helped us with our homework," Paige stood.
"Yes."
"He taught us it was okay to look different," Jubilee stood.
Ray, after Jubilee, "He gave us hope."
"Yes," Ororo repeated.
""He was an X-Man." Heads turned to the very back of the crowd where the voice had came from. Logan stood with his arms crossed in front of his muscled chest. He met and held Ororo's gaze, tilting his chin up slightly.
She kept her eyes on him. This was twice now, that she had come to find Logan to be her source of comfort and support. She knodded and whispered, "Yes."
At that, every chair that had been occupied found itself vacant as those who'd came to mourn stood. The shine of candles glowed gorgeously on the children, making each and everyone of them angelic. They watched as Ororo stepped from her appointed spot and stopped at Kurt's grave. She removed her eyes from Logan and found her audience again. "He was an X-Man. He was sensitive and a source of hope. He held a strong belief with God, and he never stopped loving." Tears rimmed her eyes. "And he loved each of you. All of you. For different reasons."
She received whimpers and sniffles of crying.
"Kurt Wagner believed in the youth. He believed in this school and in Charles Xavier's dream," Her voice was growing stronger. "If he hadn't met you before, he still believed in you. He still believed in your cause and what you stand up for every day of your lives. His death was unexpected and many of us will never get the chance to meet Kurt...never see...him smile..."
"Oh," Moira dabbed at her eyes.
"We don't have his body with us, but we have his spirit with us always," Ororo shakily reached a hand out and touched the top of the tombstone, her eyes on the cross. "We have his love."
Was it Jubilee who had started humming Amazing Grace? Or Kitty? Amara? It mattered not. The song was soft, just a breeze in the still air. Slowly the volume increased as more students joined in until the entire school, the X-Men team included, were humming the gospel tune. Logan, stood quietly in the back, his lips slightly parted in amazement. These kids had everything and every right to fear what could happen to them next. And yet, here they were...producing strength.
He glanced to Ororo. Her face displayed what he felt: Pride.
Note: This chapter was difficult for me to write. I couldn't until I stumbled upon "The Minstrel's Prayer" by Cartel on my ipod. I reccomend listening to it, it fits nicely with the mood I wanted for the chapter.