Disclaimer: I don't own X-Men: Evolution.
Sorry! Uploaded the wrong document! *headdesk*
Chapter Eleven – From the Ashes
January 2000
"What do we do?" Kurt hissed.
"I don't know." Kitty admitted, her gaze flitting to Scott. Please wake up. "Erm … you start by going to get the others back."
"Right." Kurt disappeared with a bamf and a cloud of foul-smelling smoke.
Kitty waved it out of her face and tried to figure out what to do as she made her way back to Anna/Carole.
"What happened?" Anna/Carole asked shakily.
"Well, it's a long story …" Kitty began slowly. What do I do?
"What happened, Kitty?" Jean asked from the doorway. Her eyes swept over the room, resting on Scott, but the sheer panic on Kitty's face seemed to deter her from running straight to her husband's side.
"Jean, thank God you're back!" Kitty hurried to her side, explaining the situation in an undertone.
"Oh damn …" Jean muttered, shaking her head. "I'll handle it, Kitty; you … Have you had that ankle checked yet?"
Kitty glanced down and flinched at the size to which her ankle had swollen. As she remembered it, the pain came back as well. "Not yet. To be honest, I'd forgotten about it."
"Come here, sugar; we'll get an ice-pack on that." Belladonna took her hand and led her over to one of the empty beds.
"You know," Kitty commented as she carefully pulled her shoe off, "I have a tremendous amount of respect for you."
"Why's that?" Belladonna asked, rooting in a nearby cupboard.
"Well, when I first got here, I was totally freaked out." Kitty elaborated. "And I actually am mutant. But you took everything in your stride. And I really don't know what we'd do without you."
"Aw, stop it; you're making me blush." Belladonna knelt in front of Kitty and pressed a finger against her ankle. "Does that hurt?"
"No." Kitty flinched as the woman's grip changed. "That does."
"Just a sprain." Belladonna concluded. "Probably fell awkwardly." She quickly wrapped a bandage around Kitty's ankle, tying an ice-pack against the afflicted area in the process. "There you go."
"Thanks." Kitty stood up and tested her weight. "Oh, that's better. Thanks."
"You're welcome, sugar." Belladonna responded with a smile.
"Jean?" Kitty called, turning her attention back to the original problem. "How's it going?"
"Well, we've got Anna back." Jean answered, with no shortage of relief. "But I don't know how long she'll keep Carole's powers?"
Kitty glanced over to where Anna was sleeping soundly. "And Carole? How long …?"
"I don't know." Jean admitted. "Could be weeks. Maybe months. If she even wakes up at all. Cody Robins is still in a coma after five and a half years, but then he's not mutant, so that could be an issue. I'm going to see if I can reach her telepathically; you go and sort the others out. Especially …"
"Roberto." Kitty finished with a nod. "I'll go and find him." She left the infirmary immediately, her mind preoccupied. She was so preoccupied that she ran right into someone, hearing an excited squeal as a hand gripped her shirt. A smile graced her face as she lifted her son out of his father's arms. "Hey sweetie!"
"You alright?" Lance murmured, kissing her softly.
"Sprained ankle." Kitty whispered. "I was right."
"Thank God." Lance kissed her again, first her lips, then her forehead. "Thank God."
Taking a deep breath, inhaling the scent of baby shampoo that seemed to hang around all babies but was particularly unique around her son, Kitty rested her head against Lance's chest as he held her and Liam close to him.
After a few seconds of closeness – and blocking the corridor – Lance exhaled slowly. "I was worried."
"I know." Kitty leaned back slightly. "You can't get rid of me that easily."
"I would never want to." Lance kissed her temple. "How's Roberto taking the whole 'Carole' thing."
"Badly, I should imagine." Kitty frowned. "I was just on my way to look for him. Take Liam?"
"Sure." Lance took their son back, tickling the boy gently. "I think I saw him heading upstairs."
"Thanks." Kitty took the nearest elevator straight up to the top floor, following her gut instinct.
Whenever anyone at the Institute was upset, it was a general rule that they went to the roof to think about things. So it was no great surprise that she found Roberto perched on one of the benches up there, staring out at the horizon.
Kitty approached him as silently as her namesake. "Robbie? You okay?"
For a few minutes, there was no response and she didn't push for one. She stopped behind him, standing perfectly still, the wind lifting her hair and playing with it lazily. She would not sit until he acknowledged her presence.
Eventually, he took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "What do you think?"
It was a rhetorical question and she didn't try to answer it, taking a seat next to him. He looked up at her, his face a palette of emotion, predominately hurt and pain, and she almost winced at the sight of it.
"I loved her."
The admission didn't surprise her, not now, and she'd actually been expecting it. But that didn't give her any more idea of what to say, settling for squeezing his hand comfortingly, silently prompting him to continue.
"I thought she loved me too." Roberto whispered in a broken voice. "I thought … She betrayed us … betrayed me …"
Kitty sighed heavily, unable to keep quiet any longer. "Look, I thought something was off about her from the beginning, Robbie – I went in suspicious and I still would never have believed this … even with my telepathy I would never have guessed …"
"She said …" Roberto closed his eyes, swallowing hard. "She said it was an accident."
"Well, let's wait until Anna wakes up." Kitty suggested awkwardly. In truth, she couldn't see how Carole could have 'accidentally' betrayed them, but she was reluctant to voice this belief right now. "She's got Carole in her head now – maybe she can throw some light on the subject."
"Oh, what does it matter." Roberto sighed dejectedly. "Either Carole stabbed us in the back or she's stuck in a coma for no reason. It's a lose-lose situation."
"No!" Kitty knelt in front of him, taking his hands and forcing his attention on her. "No, it's not. Maybe there's something we didn't know. Maybe she didn't betray us intentionally." She ignored the sceptical scoff at the back of her mind. "And we can wake people out of comas, Rob; the medical profession makes advances every day."
Roberto searched her eyes for a minute, before sighing and looking away. "Did I ever tell you about Juliana?"
Feeling her ankle begin to protest, Kitty returned to her seat on the bench, searching her memories of any mention of the name. "No, I don't think so. Who is she?"
"She was my best friend." Roberto answered, his eyes glazed over slightly. "Back home, I mean. We'd been best friends since we were in kindergarten, but …"
"You started having feelings for her." Kitty finished.
Roberto nodded. "I don't know if I was in love with her … or just in love with the idea of being in love with her … I don't know. When I found out I was mutant, she was the only person I told. I thought she'd stick by me."
"But she didn't." Kitty concluded in a quiet voice. She was suddenly thrown back to a cold day six years previously, when Lance had taken her to a secluded spot in Northbrook Park, and very nervously told her that he could make earthquakes.
But I'd only known him for a year and a half and I didn't freak out. This girl had known Robbie for ten years …
"She freaked out and ran away." Roberto told her shakily. "Didn't talk me for a week and then transferred to a different school. She didn't tell anyone though – out of respect to our friendship."
Some friendship, Kitty thought, but didn't say it aloud. "Come here, hon." She pulled him into her arms, holding him tightly.
How long they sat there, neither of them knew, but the X-Men were a family and all other things could wait – her brother needed her help.
"I love her." Roberto repeated into her shoulder. "More than Julie. I didn't know love was supposed to hurt this much."
"It does." Kitty whispered, rubbing his back. "It hurts so much. But it's worth it in the end, Robbie. It really is worth it in the end."
"Hey!"
Kitty glanced up to see Jean standing beside the hatch that led back inside, her expression unreadable. She released Roberto and stood up, lifting a hand to her eyes to shield the bright sunlight that threatened her vision. "Jean?"
Jean approached them slowly, putting a gentle hand on Roberto's shoulder. "You okay?"
"Been better." Roberto answered, attempting a smile.
"Yeah, I bet." Jean said, squeezing his shoulder sympathetically. "Anna's awake and has access to all of Carole's memories. She knows what happened."
"And?" Kitty prompted when Jean didn't continue immediately. "What did happen?"
Jean sighed. "Well, she ran into Magneto when she left her aunt's and took his offer to help her with her powers. Mastermind helped her with her telepathy – that's how her shields were so good."
Kitty groaned, knowing instinctively what had happened. "Oh, dammit!"
"What?" Roberto asked, confused.
Jean sighed again, sitting on his other side. "You see, Robbie, leaning to control telepathy takes time, patience and discipline."
"Especially discipline." Kitty put in.
Jean nodded in agreement. "It's like setting up a computer program and only you have all the passwords to get in."
"Thing is, when you have someone helping you, they have all the passwords too." Kitty continued flawlessly. "I doubt Carole even realised he'd been in her head until it was too late."
"Wait." Roberto held up a hand. "Are you saying that Mastermind read her mind for the security codes and she wasn't betraying us?"
"Yes and no." Jean grimaced.
Kitty rolled her eyes. "Thanks. You were a big help. She did betray us?"
"No." Jean assured them. "But she was going to."
"You've lost me." Kitty admitted.
"Me too." Roberto seconded.
Jean sighed a third time and beckoned them towards the hatch. "Come on."
Exchanging a curious glance, Roberto and Kitty followed her back inside and down to the infirmary. Scott was awake now, talking with Anna in a low voice, but Carole still lay unconscious in her hospital bed.
As if drawn by some unseen force, Roberto left Kitty's side and approached her, falling into the vacant chair beside the bed. He reached out and took her hand, but there was no response – no squeeze of her fingers, no movement on her face, not even a flicker beneath her closed eyelids.
A solitary tear made its way down his face, but he made no effort to wipe it away.
Kitty moved as though to comfort him, but Jean stopped her with a hand on her shoulder, nodding at Anna, who had broken her conversation with Scott and was watching Roberto, her green eyes awash with sympathy. "She loved you."
Though quiet, the unexpected statement caused Roberto to break his gaze away from Carole. "Pardon?"
Anna smiled and tapped her head. "All her thoughts, all her memories, all her feelings … they're in my head now. And if she was awake, she'd be telling you this, but she's not. Magneto sent Carole here to gain our trust and pass the security codes to Mastermind as soon as she had. But then she met you and Lorna. Lorna mentioned some things about Magsy that Carole didn't know and didn't like. So she decided to wait, and then she got to know you better."
She paused, rubbing her head with a grimace. "Sorry, she's getting rather loud. By Christmas, she knew she couldn't go through with it. She felt like part of the family and you two were dating and … yes, thank you, Carole; I don't need the details! Where was I?"
"You two were dating." Kitty reminded her, hiding an amused smile.
"Thank you." Anna rolled her eyes. "Although it was a rhetorical question." She sighed. "The problem is, because Mastermind was the one who helped her create her shields …"
"He could get in through a back door." Kitty finished quietly. "Damn it, Carole – why didn't you tell anyone?"
"And you're absolutely sure she's not playing you?" Scott questioned cautiously.
"Absolutely." Anna assured her. "She can't lie to me. Not like this." She turned back to Roberto, who was still watching her, desperate for something, anything, any sliver of comfort Anna could offer him. "But she did love you, Robbie. She does love you. More than anything."
Now Kitty rushed forwards, embracing him again as he dissolved into sobs, weeping for the girl who might never wake.
April 2000
"Anna, hold still!"
Lexa couldn't help sniggering. She was sprawled on the couch, supposedly reading a book, but she had long since abandoned it in favour of watching Anna suffer. They both hated shopping for clothes, so for Kitty to get Anna to try on as many dresses as she had to find the perfect bridal gown two weeks ago had been an achievement in itself.
Getting her to model it so Kitty could alter it was something entirely different.
"Shut up, you." Anna growled at her reflection as her maid of honour stuck yet another pin in her. "You're next!"
"Not until January." Lexa reminded her cheerfully.
"Yeah, well I'm not until August." Anna shot back. "And look where that got me. Ow! Kitty!"
Lexa sniggered again and was about to comment, when a soft tug on her sleeve drew her attention down to Lorelai, who was standing beside her with a piece of paper in hand. "Auntie Lexa, picture!"
Lexa took the picture with a smile. "Thank you, Lorie; it's lovely! Who's that?"
"That's you!" Lexa answered predictably – the small stick figure had brown hair and claws.
Bless her heart. Lexa gave the girl a one-armed hug. "And who's that next to me?"
"Uncle 'Tro!" Lorelai giggled, knowing that Lexa knew very well who was in the picture.
When the children began speaking, it had become very apparent, to Pietro's annoyance, that none of them could yet pronounce his name, so he was 'Uncle Tro' for the moment.
"Well, it's a beautiful picture." Lexa told her with a smile. "It looks like we're outside – we're standing on lots of green grass with lots of pretty flours under a lovely yellow sun and … What's that there, Lorie?"
"Stars." Lorelai told her proudly.
"Honey, you know the sun and the stars don't come out at the same time." Lexa reminded her gently.
"I know." Lorelai giggled. "Babies."
"Babies?" Lexa repeated.
"We were looking at pictures the other day and Lorelai asked where she was in the ones taken before she was born." Anna explained without turning around. "Remy told her she was a star."
Lexa nodded, understanding at once. "It's lovely, Lorelai. Thank you."
At the sudden tremor in her voice, Anna glanced over, earning another chide from Kitty. "Lorie, go and find Daddy please; do him a picture too."
"Kay." The little girl trotted out of the room, leaving the three women alone.
"You really need to stay still," Kitty was saying, "or I'm gonna end up …"
"Kitty," Anna interrupted quietly, nodding towards Lexa.
Kitty glanced over as well and straightened up. "Well, I think that's enough for today."
"Finally." Anna muttered, stalking towards the bathroom to change.
Kitty dropped the needle and pins she'd been using back in her sewing box and sat down next to Lexa. "You okay, hun?"
"Yeah." Lexa whispered, setting the picture to one side. "I'm fine?"
"You sure?" Kitty asked. "Because you don't sound fine." She glanced at the picture. "Are you and Pietro planning on having children?"
Lexa winced, having been hoping that Kitty hadn't picked up on Lorelai's words, or at least Anna's translation.
"Lex?" Kitty prompted gently.
Lexa sighed heavily. "Oh, Kitty, I'd love to have children. I never thought I would, but … I don't know … maybe it's all the kids around here …"
"Does Pietro not want children?" Kitty asked, sounding bewildered.
Lexa gave her a sad smile. "No, he'd love children as well. And you've seen him with the kids – he'd be a wonderful father." She got up and wandered over to the window, gazing out over the grounds at the spring day outside. "I can't."
"Lex, my mom was told she couldn't get pregnant …" Kitty began.
"It's not that." Lexa told her in a low voice. "I know that miracles can happen like that, but … even if I do get pregnant, I won't stay pregnant … my powers … I'd miscarry within a week."
Soft footsteps sounded behind her, but Lexa didn't turn around, even when Kitty hugged her tightly. "Does he know?"
"No." Lexa admitted. "Well, he knows I can't have children, but I haven't …"
"Why not?" Kitty questioned. "Lex, you're getting married in January. Miscarrying isn't that uncommon and …"
"But it's not really miscarrying, is it?" Lexa interrupted. "I know you all say that what happened with HYDRA didn't turn me into a weapon, but it did make me less of a human. My body would murder my own baby!"
"Oh, honey …" Kitty turned her round so she could hug her properly, as Lexa began to shake with the tears she refused to let fall. Another set of arms wrapped around her, signalling Anna's emergence from the bathroom.
The three girls stood in a comforting embrace for several minutes, until someone knocked on the open door.
"Everything okay?" Jean asked, sounding concerned.
"Yeah, I'm fine." Lexa assured her, wiping her eyes hurriedly. "Just … one of those days, you know."
It was a shaky excuse at best – Lexa nevercried, let alone over 'one of those days', but if Jean found it suspicious, she said nothing. "Well, I've figured it out."
"That's great." Anna commented.
"Congratulations." Kitty offered.
"Am I the only one who doesn't know what she's supposed to have figured out?" Lexa asked.
"No." Kitty replied, as Anna shook her head. "I've got no idea either. What were you trying to figure out, Jean?"
Jean rolled her eyes. "The power surges. You know, the fact that Lance, Kitty and I all had power surges in such close proximity and at the same time as the surges around the Sphinx."
"Coincidence." Lexa dismissed. "Right?"
Kitty gave her an odd look. "Lex, have you ever known anything round here to be a coincidence?"
"No." Lexa conceded. "So what was it?"
"Not 'what'." Jean smirked triumphantly. "'Who'. The Hellfire Club."
AN: First of all, having looked up the Hellfire Club, as far as I can tell, the Inner Circle changes quite a bit. So, for the purpose of this story, the White Queen is Emma Frost and the White King is Sebastian Shaw (I think that he's the Black King in some incarnations, or possibly most, I never did quite understand it). But he's the White King for this story.
Second of all, I apologise for the long wait and, to make up for it, I have a new oneshot from this AU on my profile entitled 'Never Again', in which Lance talks to Liam after waking up from the coma.