February 28, 1958
"I don't wanna go to sleep yet," Rahne argued, "It's way too early."
Kayla smiled at the girl. In the bed next to her Lorna nodded, frowning deeply. She remembered her own experiences having slumber parties with her younger sister. The age gap between them had been large and they were only half sisters, but they had been very close. Her sister couldn't stand Adrienne and Cordelia, their other sisters, and Kayla had no family after her mother died.
Her father had married and she was the product of one of his affairs. She hadn't even known who her father was until Christian had tracked her down. He'd heard rumors and then found out about the eighteen-year-old girl on a reservation whose mother had just died.
He was the reason she knew who her father was and had met her younger sister. When things got bad at the house, which they often did, he would bring Emma to her so she wouldn't have to deal with it. Emma would stay for weeks sometimes. Kayla made sure she didn't fall behind in her schoolwork, teaching her scraps of Blackfoot words and languages too. Their father never even noticed she was gone.
In the end she had lost them during one week in October. Her eyes closed and she remembered the night that Christian came into her house. She'd been with Emma there, braiding her hair and talking about the latest movies. At first he'd just told her that they had to go. Later he would explain the conversation he overheard between their father and someone on the phone.
Kayla had held her little sister close. They were the ones with the powers, the 'freaks' as her father called them. Christian wasn't a mutant, but he wouldn't put up with anyone harming his sisters. He was determined that nothing bad was going to happen to them.
For two years they had run and, in all reality, it hadn't been so bad. They hadn't been able to stay anywhere for more than a few months, but they managed. Kayla's power had allowed them to get anything they needed. They had survived on that, as well as a heavy dosage of hope and odd jobs.
On Emma's thirteenth birthday everything had changed. They'd thrown a small party for her, telling her that she was an adult. Then Kayla had left their hotel room for an hour. When she came back her siblings were gone. She had tracked them down as best she could, but Christian had already been killed. He'd managed to convince them that their data was wrong, that he was the mutant and that there wasn't anyone else. When they found out the truth they had pointed a shotgun to his head and splattered his brains on his younger sister.
That had been the first night that Kayla had used a gun. She'd killed five men, men who were probably going to go home to their families. It was because of them that she didn't have a brother anymore though. She didn't think it was so bad when she put it in those terms. Besides, it had allowed her to rescue her sister.
They hadn't gotten very far. They were surrounded in Pennsylvania. Kayla had told her sister to run and she would hold them off. She'd been shot three times, but one of the soldiers had made the mistake of getting within arms's reach. She had him kill all of the others. Using him as a support she had prepared to go after her sister.
The gunshots and scream in the distance had stopped her, as well as the next wave of MRD. She'd managed to get to a hospital and survive, a burning vengeance deep inside her. They had taken from her, and she'd be damned if they would get away with it.
So she'd killed the rest of the unit and gone back home. She'd gotten past security and had her father transfer all of his money to her. Kayla didn't give a damn about the money. She knew it would hurt him worse than killing him, taking the only thing he'd ever cared about.
Then, with trembling hands, she'd asked why he'd done it. His answer was still engrained in her memory, along with his casual tone.
"I was just pruning the family tree Kayla."
Something had snapped inside of her and she pulled the trigger. There had been no satisfaction from the act, and she'd just kept running afterwards. No one had heard the whole story, just bits and pieces. She didn't feel like it was something she could talk about.
"I still don't see why we have to go to sleep," Rahne said again.
Kayla snapped back to the present and smiled. The past was best saved for another time. She had Rahne to take care of now, the daughter of her dearest friend. That wasn't so bad. She was glad at the speed that the Lorna and Rahne had bonded. Sometimes she felt like they were ganging up on her though.
"Kid, listen to your babysitter," Logan snorted, "And the other one."
Charles shot him a look but said nothing. Kayla observed them both. The two girls had to be the best protected children on Genosha, probably in the world. Even a slumber party had to be attended by the prime minister, a bodyguard, and their guardian. The King and Queen would have been there too if there hadn't been a function.
The girls had never had a sleepover before, even before they came to Genosha. Now that they were there their planned party had been at the proposed school, two hours form the capitol. Kayla practically lived there, helping out with the plans. Rahne was due to become a student there when it was up and running. As such she and Lorna were the first children who got to test the facilities.
Lorna had been over several times, and had actually been the one to suggest a sleepover. Despite their closeness Rahne had never been into the palace. Kayla knew that Magnus was still wary of his daughter getting close to Rahne. Susanna embraced Rahne whole-heartedly, but hadn't quite convinced her husband. She also knew that the restriction irritated Charles, but it was Magnus' home. He would learn to trust his daughter's friend one day. She was sure of it.
Rahne tilted her head and looked over at Lorna.
"Don't mind him," Rahne said to Lorna, "He's just grumpy."
"Like the dwarf?"
Rahne gave Logan a calculating look.
"Yup."
Logan groaned and Kayla laughed.
"He's right though. It's time for you two to go to sleep now," she said
"I wanna talk to Charles about something first," Rahne said.
"You're just stalling for time," Logan said.
"No, I mean it!" she protested.
Smirking Logan shook his head.
"I wouldn't give in," he said, "These girls are crafty Chuck."
"Alright, alright," Charles said, getting up and sitting by her bed, "I think I can handle two children. I do help run the country you know."
Logan's smirk widened.
"Don't say anything," Charles sighed.
He turned his attention to Rahne.
"Just a few words, and then you go to sleep. Understood?"
"Understood," Rahne said.
Rolling her eyes Kayla left the room, Logan tailing close behind her. She switched the light off on the way out so that Charles wouldn't have to on his way out. She could feel Logan's footsteps behind her before he took her hand.
"Now that the kids are asleep…" he said, trailing off suggestively.
Kayla tilted her head up higher in challenge.
"I have no idea what you mean," she said, affecting innocence.
He leaned down and claimed her lips. They were rough against hers and she felt herself melting, just like she always did. Pushing him away she grinned.
"Not in the hallway," she said.
"What did you want to talk to me about?" Charles asked.
Rahne bit her lip.
"Have you heard from my mom?" she said.
Swallowing he clasped his hands together and looked down. When Rahne asked questions like that it made him feel selfish for missing Moira. He had no claim to her when it came down to it, only unspoken feelings and glances. It was hardly what you would call a bond, much less a relationship.
Meanwhile Rahne had lost her entire family when Moira had left her on Genosha. The child knew that being left behind was for her own good, she just had difficulty understanding why that was. He knew that she knew things were dangerous, and that her mother was deeply involved with that danger. The only reason she asked him was so that he would confirm that she was, indeed, alright.
"We had a report from her and her partner two days ago," Charles said softly, "We're getting an embassy together. You know what that is, right?"
Rahne nodded. In spite of her youth Rahne was rather knowledgeable; a perfect fit for the school. He wondered if it came from having a mother in the CIA.
"That means we exchange information quite frequently. She sounds like she's alright," Charles said.
She nodded again.
"Thank you," said Rahne, "I know I keep bothering you about it…"
"No, you miss your mother," he said, "I understand."
The trouble was that he really did understand. Better than she knew.
"Well, thank you," she said, "Night."
"Goodnight."
Giving him a small smile Rahne pulled the covers up and shifted onto her side. Charles got up and closed the door behind him. As soon as he left he heard her and Lorna whispering, probably determining not to go to sleep until another hour. He contemplated making sure that they got to sleep before deciding against it. No matter what had happened to them, they were still children and deserved to be able to act as such.
Sighing he walked down the hall, his hands folded behind his back. He was staying in one of the guest bedrooms a few doors down for the night. He believed it was to be converted into a teacher's room. The house really did have too many rooms. It quite reminded him of his home back in Westchester sometimes.
He was almost to his room when he heard a noise. Frowning he travelled further down the hall. He stopped in front of one of the doors, still hearing the noise. Charles couldn't remember the particular room it was, but he knew it wasn't supposed to be occupied. Kayla slept next door to the girls and Logan in the room next to that.
Steeling himself he jerked the door open. Logan looked up along with Kayla, her arms around his neck and her mouth open in surprise. Logan's arms were wrapped around her waist, pushing her up against the walls. There were other details to take in, such as Kayla's smudged lipstick, but Charles felt his brain shut down at one point.
He shut the door abruptly and continued down the hall. The door opened soon after he left but Charles kept walking.
"Charles!"
"I don't want to hear about it," Charles said, keeping his eyes on the hall in front of him.
He stopped in mid-step before turning on his heel to face Logan and Kayla. Kayla was adjusting her shirt and Logan had the dignity to look uncomfortable. Charles mentally marked the room in his mind and decided that, whatever else had been planned for it, it was going to be a supply closet. He wasn't about to have classes taught in there.
"This is not something I-" he began.
Another thought pushed his original ones out of the way.
"Actually, what were you thinking?" he demanded, "When did this start?"
"There's no need to take that tone-" began Kayla.
"Oh, really?" asked Charles, "Good God, you're taking care of a eight-year-old for the love of-"
"Give me some credit," Kayla snapped, folding her arms across her chest, "I never even held his hand in front of Rahne, or Lorna for that matter. And that was just…we were just kissing, okay? You really think I'd do that in some random room? I'm not some tramp."
Charles pinched the bridge of his nose.
"Of course, of course," he said, sighing deeply, "I'm very sorry…I just…oh, never mind. I'm sorry for opening the door and… "
He sighed.
"Both of you," Charles said, "it's just…well…I thought you two were at the other end of the hall. So I didn't-"
"Understood," Logan said, although he still looked uncomfortable, "Probably woulda done the same thing Chuck."
"That makes me feel a little better," he said.
Letting go of his nose he asked;
"When did this start exactly?"
"About a month ago," Logan said.
"You probably should have said something," said Charles, "I'm not disapproving it's just, well, he's sort of your bodyguard at this point and…Erik might not approve of course, but he should really start-"
"Erik?" asked Kayla, puzzled.
He shook his head.
"Sorry, Magnus," he said, "You're just new here Kayla. That's all."
She nodded, still looking a little puzzled.
"I think we'd best get to bed now," Kayla said, adjusting her shirt again, "I think we don't need to discuss this any further."
Charles nodded. Boosting herself on her toes Kayla kissed Logan on the cheek before going down the hall. Logan looked after her, his eyes intense. Making sure she was out of earshot Charles said;
"That woman is the best friend of one of our most important contacts. I sincerely hope you have good intentions."
He knew he sounded like the old fart Raven believed him to be, but he couldn't help it. Moira was important to their country and their cause. It wasn't just political though. It never was when it came to Moira. She was important to him and, by proxy, that made anyone important to her important to him too. He wasn't about to let anyone she cared about get hurt if he could prevent it.
Logan said nothing for a few minutes. He just continued to look after her.
"My whole life I felt like an animal," he said at last, "Then she came along."
For a moment Charles envied him, both him and Kayla for what they had. He shook it off long enough to say;
"Good."