"Whatever happens, stay close."
Kurt looked over at Mystique, whose eyes were darting back and forth. The boat was docking in Scotland, but Kurt hadn't seen the mainland yet. Mystique had assured him they should have by this point if that was where they were really going.
"I vill," he murmured.
"Keep it in Latverian," she murmured, "Let me do the talking, and don't go wandering off this time."
Kurt stiffened. Mystique was, as he suspected, angry at his sudden disappearance with Amanda. She'd been up, waiting, when he and Amanda had stumbled back to the main hold. Her eyes had been colder than usual, giving Amanda a look that could make fire grow frost.
Amanda had simply smiled at her before laying down next to Megan. The little girl had been up too, but, instead of the dark look Mystique had given him, greeted Amanda with light eyes and a cheerful grin. She'd flashed him a mischievous look, every inch the small troublemaker from fairy tales.
But that had been a night ago, and Kurt was starting to wonder if it had been a dream. For the most part, Amanda acted no different toward him. However, every now and then, there would be a quick look, a secret smile. Whatever it had been that had touched him on the top of that ship, that had sent his being racing in a thousand different directions, she had felt it too. He knew it.
Then again, to what degree had she felt it? Had she felt it like him, where it thrummed from the crown of his head to the tip of his tail? Or had it merely been a dull patter? Amanda was beautiful, and Kurt was no fool. A woman like her, with her rare smile, sharp wit, and sleek confidence could have had any man she wanted at the snap of her fingers. A man who looked like a gargoyle probably wasn't someone she'd snap for.
And yet, those smiles. Those looks. Was it just friendship, an acknowledgement that, in all likelihood, they were both in over their heads in their lives? He didn't know, but he wanted to. He wanted to know so badly what was going on inside her head that it ached.
Next to him, he saw Amanda bring Megan up, their hands clenched tightly together. Everyone had been ordered to the deck, but she had stayed behind to make sure Megan was properly bundled. Amanda gave him a small look, smiling and ducking her head. His heart leaped into his throat and he managed a smile back.
"Face forward," Mystique hissed.
He did, shrugging his shoulders into his coat. She moved a little closer to him, her face puckered together.
"So, you know what to do when we get to the island?" she asked.
"Yes," he said shortly.
She gave him a side glance.
"You know it's likely...you know it's likely we won't be coming back, right?" she asked.
"What?" he asked, alarmed.
"Keep your voice down," Mystique said.
Kurt looked at her, blinking several times. When had that become part of the plan?
"We go, and we pick out a landing site," she said, "We'll be there to greet the rest of the team when we start scouring the island to look for Moira. She should be fairly easy to find, and this is the only real place he can keep her for as long as he has."
"Yes, but-"
"We need to succeed. If we fail, we'll have tipped our hand," she said, "And Moira will have probably outlived her usefulness."
Kurt swallowed, his eyes fixed out on the horizon, and his insides growing chilled. Of course he wanted to rescue Moira. That was what this was all about in the end. She had been taken, mistaking another teleporter for him in the heat of battle.
But, to have had so little warning with his own feelings so mixed and confused.
"So I hope you've told your golden-haired darling whatever you need to," said Mystique, "Because we're not getting back on this hellhole."
Kurt gave her a desperate look. Her face softened slightly and she put a hand on his shoulder. It was so unexpected that Kurt flinched, and her hand quickly retreated to her side. Kurt bit his lip, ashamed.
"I just found out myself," she murmured, "And, for the record, it was a terrible idea getting attached to her. But...people in our position? We can't afford to waste time or by shy. Just so you know. Just so you remember."
He looked at Mystique, at how honest she seemed. He'd never seen her so unguarded and, for a moment, she seemed lost to another time. It was so oddly human that, like the attempted comforting touch of his shoulder, it was startling.
It would have held his attention normally, but her words were still echoing in his head. He looked over at Amanda, pointing out the shore to Megan. Amanda wasn't wearing her hat today, he thought it might be in her pocket. Her hair, as usual, was free. Her face was flushed, her eyes sparkling.
Her eyes raised to meet his and, in that moment, he tried to show his feelings on his face. It wasn't something he excelled at, no, but it was all he had to communicate with her. There would be no chance to speak soon, and it was unlikely the two of them would ever meet again after this.
She cocked her head to the side, frowning, but a noise filled the air. Kurt tore his eyes away from her and saw a boat approaching theirs. It was smaller, faster. The waves frothed behind it as it cut through the water.
Mystique moved closer to him, grabbing his hand. He looked from her to the boat, uncertainty growing. Someone had thrown down a ladder, and now someone was climbing up, her hair pulled behind her in a ponytail.
The young woman stepped onto the ship, looking tired and bored. Her eyes glanced over the group casually, and she began talking to one of the crew members. Mystique leaned closer so her words were impossible to miss.
"Just stay close, stay calm," she said, "We'll figure this out. If we get separated, you just head to the shore, or I'll find you. Got it?"
"Yes," Kurt said, still looking at the woman.
Mystique pulled him back, and Kurt glanced back at Amanda. To his surprise, he realized, she wasn't there any more. He swallowed, trying as hard as he could to remember the last glance he'd caught of her.
Some of the crew members began grabbing some of the passengers, roughly moving them near the woman. She smiled at them, shifting from one foot to another. A dazed look stole over their faces, and Kurt glanced at Mystique questioningly.
"I think we know what happened to the ones that disappeared," she muttered, "I think she's a telepath, but they're fairly rare. Whatever she is, she's close enough though."
Kurt glanced back, suddenly realizing that twelve mutants had been herded toward the woman. He swallowed and Mystique ducked her head, her lips pursed and her eyes narrowed in thought. It wasn't a good look.
A sudden commotion made him turn his head. Three crew members were coming back up, herding Amanda and Megan. He cocked his head. Had they tried to go back downstairs? They'd been ordered to the deck with threats for disobedience. Why had they decided to risk it?
The young woman turned and saw them. It looked as though someone had smacked her. Then, an unpleasant, insidious grin spread across her face. Megan moved behind Amanda, and he saw Amanda's hand tighten on Megan's shoulder. Kurt looked to her eyes, trying to figure out what was going on, and took a deep breath.
Amanda was terrified.
"What are the odds?" the woman asked, laughing and walking over to the two, "All these years. You know, I thought I'd never see you again."
Mystique looked at Kurt, but all Kurt could do was shrug. Amanda had never mentioned anything like this. But the woman wasn't looking at Amanda, he realized. No, her attention was focused solely on Megan.
She crouched down, still smiling that smile.
"My, how you've grown little sister," she said.
Megan ducked her head, burying it in Amanda's leg, and Amanda put an arm around her. The woman looked up, and Kurt saw the terror had fled from Amanda's eyes. Defiance and courage radiated as brightly as her hair, and fear continued to grow inside him.
"Do I know you?" the woman asked.
"Probably not," said Amanda, "But leave her alone. She hasn't done anything."
"Yes, more's the pity," the woman said, "But you look familiar for some reason."
The woman got up and peered at her, leaning close. Amanda didn't flinch.
"Oh, I remember you now," the woman said, "When we came for her, you were that little brat that kicked me in the shin, pulled my hair. You've grown up too Jimaine."
Jimaine? Perhaps he hadn't been the only one using a false name. He watched the two, watched the other woman's smile broaden. Amanda's fingers fisted into Megan's coat, the knuckles white.
The woman pulled her arm back, her fist slamming into Amanda's stomach. Amanda bent double and Megan shrieked. There was a murmuring, and Kurt moved forward as Amanda fell to the ground, her spare hand wrapped around herself.
Mystique jerked him away, her eyes giving him a warning.
"I can't just-" he hissed.
"Priorities," Mystique snapped back.
He snarled and then looked back at the two of them. Megan was weeping, her hands on Amanda's face. Amanda was trying to smile, let her know she was okay, but she was in pain. He could tell.
"Don't worry," the woman said, "It's going to be just the three of us from now on Megan. You can leave your babysitter. Regan will be here soon, remember how much fun she is?"
Panic flared in Megan's hand, and Amanda was trying to stand. The woman walked up, lighting a cigarette.
"Party time for everyone, isn't it?" she said, "Put them all on the boat."
A few voices were raised in protest, but the woman raised a hand. Kurt saw the glossy look return to their eyes as bile rose in his throat. A crew member moved forward, picked up Megan as though she were nothing. From his own experience, he knew she weighed about as much as a feather.
"Listen to me," Mystique said, "You can't do anything. We need to get to the landing site. We can't afford to let them know we're here before we're ready."
He looked over at Amanda, still trying to stand, at Megan, being led away. He thought of Moira, of the other X-men, of Kevin. He prayed for God to show him the way, because it felt like he couldn't save them all.
Kurt swallowed, trying to stay still. Moira. She had to come first. This mission had to come first. It was sick, but they could save Megan later. He hated himself for the thought, for not rushing forward, pulling Megan away, taking Amanda into his arms.
The woman reached into her jacket, looking at Megan.
"The thing is, you and your mother never learned that you shouldn't let other people into our family affairs," she said, "So I think you should pay very close attention to this."
She took her hand out of her jacket. It was a gun. She had a gun. Amanda was looking up, surprise crinkling her face, her blue eyes wide. Mystique's hand was still on his shoulder, a tight grip, no doubt trying to restrain him.
He jerked her grip away, and concentrated on the spot next to the woman. Kurt took a deep breath, and slipped into a realm of smoke and darkness.