Disclaimer: X-Men Evolution belongs to Marvel and Kids WB. I don't own any of the songs in here, either.

Rating: R (Lots of angst and darkness…)

Summary: What if Lance and Kitty lived in a world where mutants don't exist? What would become of their relationship? (Evolution 'verse, AU)

Author's Note: Geez, that's an awful summary. The story's not as bad as that, I swear. Well, at least I don't think it is. I could be wrong. But then again, I'm never wrong. Except for that time I thought I made a mistake… Oh well, read my fic anyway. Also, seeing as this is an AU fic, there are discrepancies between it and the television show. Don't complain to me about them. I know, but I chose to make it this way for a reason.

Feedback and Archiving: Please. Send all feedback and archiving request to addie_logan@yahoo.com or sign on AIM or AOL and IM ChereRogueMarie.

Shameless Website Plug: I have a website. Wanna see? https://www.angelfire.com/scifi/addielogan

 

Love so Fragile

By: Addie Logan

 

Is love so fragile and the heart so hollow
Shatter with words impossible to follow
You're saying I'm fragile I try not to be
I search only for something I can't see

I have my own life
And I am stronger than you know
But I carry this feeling
When you walked into my house
That you won't be walking out the door

Lovers forever—face to face
My city or mountain
Stay with me stay
I need you to love me
I need you today
Give to me your leather
Take from me my lace

You in the moonlight
With your sleepy eyes
Could you ever love a man like me
And you were right
When I walked into your house
I knew I'd never want to leave

Sometimes I'm a strong man
Sometimes cold and scared
And sometimes I cry
But that time I saw you
I knew with you to light my nights
Somehow I'd get by…

*** *** ***

Her daddy says, "He ain't worth a lick
When it came to brains, he got the short end of the stick"
But Katie's young and man she just don't care
She'd follow Tommy anywhere
She's in love with the boy
She's in love with the boy
She's in love with the boy
And even if they have to run away
She's gonna marry that boy someday

Katherine Anna Pryde pulled into a parking space, then reached down to turn off the radio, silencing Trisha Yearwood. She turned off the engine, grabbed her book bag from the passenger's seat, and left the car, hitting the power lock button on her way out. She glanced at her reflection in the driver's side window and grinned. Maybe it was all in her mind, but she did think she looked older—as if all the aging that takes place between sixteen and seventeen had happened over night.

"Kitty!" she heard someone screech. She turned around to see her friends Rachel, Leah, and Miriam. "Kitty!" Rachel called again, running up to her with the other two in tow. "Where did you get this car?"

Kitty beamed. "My parents. They surprised me with it this morning. Sweet Sixteen present."

Rachel hugged her. "Mazeltov!"

Leah and Miriam stood behind Kitty. "It really is a nice car," Leah said.

"Yeah," Miriam added. "You're so lucky!"

"I know," Kitty said. "I about died when I woke up this morning and my parents showed it to me!"

The ten-minute warning bell rang inside the building, alerting the students that it was time to go to class. "Come on before we're late," Rachel said. "We can all gush over Kitty's new car some more later."

Rachel led the three other girls towards the school, with Kitty, Leah, and Miriam still talking about the car and Kitty's Sweet Sixteen party that was scheduled for that weekend. Kitty wasn't paying enough attention to where she was going, and suddenly, she smacked against something hard.

She looked up and immediately froze. She was staring into the face of who she thought had to be the most gorgeous man she'd even seen. Tall and muscular, with soft brown hair falling in front of deep brown eyes. Kitty thought he was incredibly too handsome for high school.

There was something else about him too, something Kitty couldn't quite hold on long enough to identify. She felt a sudden yearning, as if she was supposed to know him, supposed to have something with him.

It wasn't love at first sight.

It was the promise of love.

Lance Alvers almost yelled at the girl when she slammed into him. Almost. He looked down into big, blue eyes and the anger dissipated, being replaced by a knot in his stomach. They were the most amazing eyes he'd ever seen.

"Hello, like, watch where you're going! And don't you even have enough manners to say you're sorry?"

Lance and Kitty were both pulled back into reality by the sound of Rachel's voice. "Sorry," Lance muttered, suddenly forgetting that it was Kitty who had ran into him, and not the other way around. Kitty gave him a small smile, and Lance walked off.

"He is such a total loser," Rachel said before Lance was even out of earshot. "God, Kitty, I'd like, have to wash that sweater as soon as I got home. Some of his filth might have rubbed off on it."

Kitty looked back at Lance, saw him glance away quickly, and knew he'd heard what Rachel had said.

She didn't respond to Rachel, didn't tell her to leave him alone.

Lance heard that, too.

*** *** ***

Lance Alvers knew he should go back to the school and actually show up to his class—his truancy record was already enough to surprise even the social worker assigned to his case—but he was less in the mood to sit in a classroom than he had been that morning.

He wondered why he'd bothered to notice just how pretty Kitty Pryde really was. It's not like he'd had to look at her that long to know. She was popular, made straight A's, and was the daughter of well-respected members of the community. Everyone knew who she was. Everyone loved her. She was the kind of girl who would never give him a second glance. Of course she was attractive.

Lance kicked the rock at his feet. Why had one small girl gotten him so worked up? He'd seen plenty of women technically more beautiful than her that he'd barely noticed. But once glance at Kitty and he couldn't get her out of his mind.

It had only been a moment. She'd bumped into him, her friend had chewed him out, and they'd gone their separate ways. End of story.

So why was he still thinking about her?

It was her eyes, Lance decided. A man could get lost in those eyes. And when he'd looked into them, he hadn't seen disgust.

But then again, she'd gone right along with what the other girl had said, as much as if she'd verbally echoed the sentiments.

And Lance knew the other girl. Everyone did. Rachel Tabor, captain of the Deerfield High cheerleading squad. The Queen of Popularity—and fellow cheerleader Kitty Pryde's best friend.

She was also the biggest bitch Deerfield, Illinois had ever seen. Lance didn't know much about Kitty, but if she associated with Rachel Tabor, then she couldn't be worth his time. She was most likely snobbish, and bratty—probably thought she was a some sort of princess.

Lance hid until he knew the traffic cop at the entrance to the school would be gone, then left the campus. He figured by the end of the day he would have completely forgotten about that morning and Kitty Pryde.

*** *** ***

"Hello, Katherine—are you like, in there?"

Kitty looked up suddenly. "Huh? Oh, sorry, Rach—did you say something?"

"Yeah. I called your name like, five times. What is up with you today?"

Kitty took a sip of her drink. "Sorry. I've been thinking a lot, that's all."

"Well, come back into reality, girl. It's your birthday. You need to be cutting loose, not drifting off in the clouds. What have you been thinking about anyway?"

"Just random things," Kitty lied, not wanting to tell Rachel that she kept thinking about Lance Alvers. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't seem to get him out of her mind. There was something about him…

"You think too much, Pryde," Rachel said.

"And you think way too little." Kitty's eyes widened at her own thought. She forced the words from coming out of her mouth, taking a bite of her salad instead.

"So what's the game plan for tonight?" Rachel asked. "Are me, Leah, and Miriam still spending the night?"

Kitty nodded. "Yep."

"Trés cool," Rachel said. "And your party Friday night is going to be the greatest. Especially since I helped plan it."

Kitty smiled a little. "Thanks for all your help with that, Rachel."

Rachel waved her hand dismissively. "It was nothing. You're clueless when it comes to organizing social events, and I'm, like perfect at it!"

"I'm not clueless at it."

"Oh, you know what I mean, Kit," Rachel said in her usual loud and boisterous way. "You're too sensitive sometimes."

"Sorry."

Rachel looked down at her watch. "Hey, it's almost time for lunch to be over. Walk with me to my locker. I need to get a book out for my next class."

Kitty didn't even bother pointing out she wasn't quite through eating. It would be pointless with Rachel. She always got what she wanted. No one ever argued with her.

Kitty picked up her tray and followed Rachel.

*** *** ***

"And where have you been, young man?"

Lance groaned. She hadn't even let him get through the door. "School."

"Don't you fucking lie to me, you little piece of shit," the woman growled. "The school called. They said you were absent again."

All Lance could think was how grateful he was to be in such a loving foster home. "Yeah, well, maybe I didn't feel like going."

"And maybe I don't feel like keeping you around here anymore. Maybe I feel like sending you back to the state home."

"Why the hell should I care? I'll be eighteen in a couple of months, and then I'll be outta here."

"And you're already well on your way to becoming the bum you're sure to be. Just like the parents that got rid of you in the first place."

Lance's jaw tightened at that. "You know, you could make this a lot easier on both of us and just let me leave now."

His foster mother thought about it for a moment. "Pack a bag and get out. And don't expect me to help you out when you fall face first into the gutter."

Lance stormed into the room he'd been sharing with three other boys. In his six years of foster care, he'd learned that there were good foster homes, and bad foster homes.

This one was one of the worst.

The woman was the bad part. She was tolerable, as long as her husband was home. He was the one who wanted to take the kids in. He'd been a foster child himself—wanted to do something to help out others like him. His wife, on the other hand, hated kids and made that perfectly clear when he was at work.

He wasn't sure what she'd tell her husband when she got home and Lance wasn't there, but he didn't really care. It was her problem.

Lance didn't care if he didn't have a place to go. All he knew was he was finally going to be free.

He threw his few belongings into a brown duffle bag and walked out, not bothering to as much as glance back.

*** *** ***

Lance figured he didn't really need to be at school anymore. After all, he was sleeping on some guy's couch now, not living at the mercy of the foster-mother from hell. But when he woke up early enough to get to his first class on time he figured, why not? It wasn't like he had anything better to do.

He had himself pretty well convinced that it had nothing to do with wanting to see Kitty again.

He wouldn't even let himself think that was the reason he was standing behind her, watching her get her things out of her locker. After a moment he walked over to her, almost as if his feet were moving without his brain telling them where to go.  When he got to her, he didn't even know what to say.

Kitty looked up at him, her expression showing her slight confusion. "Um, hi."

"Hi," Lance said back. "Hey, sorry again about bumping into you like that yesterday," he added quickly, desperately searching for something else to say so maybe he wouldn't look as idiotic as he felt.

"It's all right," Kitty replied. "And it was probably me who wasn't paying attention anyway. I get sort of, um, lost in the clouds sometimes."

There was silence for a moment. "So, did you have to wash your sweater?" Lance asked.

Kitty's wince made Lance regret the words as soon as they were out of his mouth. "I'm sorry about what Rachel said," Kitty told him. "She can be...like that sometimes."

"Do you agree with her?"

"How could I? I don't even know you."

"I'm not the sort of guy girls like you ever want to know, Kitty."

Kitty looked up, catching and holding his gaze. "Maybe I'm not the kind of girl you think I am, Lance."

Lance couldn't break away from that ocean-blue gaze. Her eyes were so warm, so unlike what he was used to. Something passed between them in that moment, and Lance physically ached. He felt as if he was missing something, as if he should know her—that there should be something between them.

"What kind of girl are you then?"

"Why don't you find out?" she asked, practically purring.

Lance looked at her in surprise, and Kitty had to admit that she was pretty surprised herself that those words had actually come out of her mouth. What was it about this guy that had such an effect on her?

"I'd like to," Lance said, moving closer. He wasn't sure what game Kitty was trying to play, but he figured she'd bolt as soon as he upped the ante a little.

She didn't. Instead, she reached into her backpack and pulled out a small, hot pink flyer. "I'm having a party Friday night. I want you to come."

Lance stared at the piece of paper in his hands. Every member of the popular crowd had an invitation, and those on the outskirts had been vying for them like wild dogs over a bone.  Any party Rachel Tabor threw was sure to be the biggest teen social even around. It was also the last place a guy like Lance wanted to show his face.

But Kitty would be there. She'd asked him to go...

He folded the invitation and slipped it into his pocket. "I'll try to make it," he said.

Kitty gave him her most charming smile. "Great." She started to walk off, but threw one last glance over her shoulder. "See ya around, Lance."

"Yeah, see ya around."

*** *** ***

"Just go, dude. They'll be chicks there. Maybe you'll get laid."

Lance stared blankly as his friend, marveling at the guy's stupidity. If he didn't have such a comfortable couch... "I don't think I should, Jeff," Lance said. "Kitty's not my type. She's a cheerleader for crying out loud!"

"Dude, that's good! Cheerleaders are flexible!"

"Jeff, you have issues. Besides, I don't really like her. To tell you the truth, I don't think I'm even going to bother with school anymore. Probably would be the best way for me to keep out of another foster home anyway. It wouldn't be too hard for social services to find me there, after all."

"Lance, dude, they're not going to look for you. You'll be eighteen soon. They have better stuff to do than hunt you down—again. If you want this Kitty chick, then dammit, get her. She sounds like she'd be a good screw."

"I'm not looking for a screw."

Jeff looked at Lance as if he'd grown another head. "Dude, you feelin' okay?"

Lance wondered if it were possible for any human being to use the word "dude" more often than Jeff did. "I'm fine, really. But Kitty...she's a nice girl."

"Sometimes the nice girls are just playin' nice. She could be a bad girl underneath, dude."

"Somehow, I don't think she is." Lance sighed. "Honestly, I don't even want her to be. Her smile, he eyes, they're so...warm. I don't want her to be like all the other girls I know."

"I'm not gettin' ya, dude."

"I don't want Kitty to be one of them—one of the girls who like me."

"Dude, why?"

"Because, dude, she deserves better than me!"

"Can I level with ya, dude?"

Lance sighed, running his fingers through his hair. "Sure, Jeff."

"It's obvious you're hot for this girl. If you don't want to bang her, fine, don't. To each his own, I guess. But, dude, go to the party. At least give it a chance. Maybe she isn't like those girls, but she'll like you anyway, and she can like, be your girlfriend or something."

"No," Lance said, shaking his head. "It wouldn't happen, and I'm not going to waste my time going to that damn party."

*** *** ***

Lance went to the party. It was loud, teeny-bopped music blaring, way too much pink in the room.

"Oh. My. God. Like, what is he doing here?"

Lance cringed at the sound of Rachel's voice. He knew he shouldn't have come. He started to bolt when he heard Kitty speak up.

"I invited him."

"You what?!"

"I invited him," Kitty said, a little more forcefully.

"Why?" Rachel asked. "I mean, like, what were you thinking? Lance Alvers is so..."

Kitty cut her off. "It's my birthday party, Rachel." She walked past her dumbfounded friend and over to Lance. "Hi," she said with a smile. "Wanna dance?"

"Um, I don't dance to N*Sync," Lance said.

Kitty didn't let that stop her. "Well, this song's almost over. We'll dance to whatever's next." That song ended, a new song came on, and Kitty's eyes sparkled. "It's a slow one! You have to dance with me now. It's my birthday party—it would be rude if you didn't!"

Lance was going to tell Kitty that he couldn't because, well, he didn't dance to Britney Spears either, but by that time she had him on the dance floor with her arms resting loosely around his neck. He couldn't pull himself away. Instead, he put his arms around her waist and pulled her closer. Maybe the music wasn't so bad...

Dear Diary--
Today I saw a boy
And I wondered
If he noticed me.
He took my breath away.

Dear Diary--
I can't get him off my mind
And if scares me
'Cause I've never felt this way
No one in the world knows me better than you do
So Diary, I'll confide in you...

Lance took that back. The music wasn't just bad—it was terrible.  But feeling Kitty in his arms... She'd relaxed against him and nestled her head on his shoulder. He pulled her a little closer. Lance had never felt more content in his life. Holding her just felt so right. It was worth sacrificing his ears to the dying cat in a hailstorm dubbed Britney Spears.

Dear Diary--
Today I saw that boy.
As he walked by I thought
He smiled at me
And I wondered
Does he know what's in my heart?
I tried to smile,
But I could hardly breath.

Should I tell him how I feel
Or would that scare him away?
Diary, tell me what to do,
Please tell me what to say.

Listening to the words, Lance began to wonder if that was the way Kitty felt about him. Did she have a teenage crush on him that would lead to her pining away in diary entries? Lance hoped not. She was so sweet, so innocent. She didn't need to be mixed up with a guy like him.

Dear Diary—
One touch of his hand
Now I can't wait to see that boy again
He smiled and I thought
My heart could fly
Diary, do you think that we'll be
More than friends?
I've got a feeling we'll be
So much more than friends.

Lance knew he couldn't even be as much as friends with Kitty. He barely knew her, and he already liked her too much. He reluctantly pulled himself out of her arms. "I have to go. I shouldn't be here."

"Why?" Kitty asked. "Is it because of what Rachel said, because..."

"No," Lance said. "I just don't belong here." He looked at her full, pouting lips and wanted nothing more than to kiss her. Instead, he walked away without looking back.

Kitty forced herself not to cry.

*** *** ***

"What were you thinking inviting that to a party I worked so hard to plan?"

Normally, Kitty would've just apologized. Rachel was the kind of person who tended to make you want to go along with whatever she was saying, no matter what it was.

That time, however, was a different story.

"I guess I thought it was my party, seeing as it's for my birthday and all, but I guess I was wrong. So why don't you just stay here and run what has apparently become yet another party to honor the great Rachel Tabor, and I'll go someplace where I can actually have a good time." Kitty turned on her heel and started to walk away.

"Where are you going?" Rachel called after her. "You can't walk out of your own party!"

Kitty just kept going.

*** *** ***

Lance had gotten as far as his car before he stopped. He'd been sitting in the parking lot for close to fifteen minutes, staring out the window, taking inventory of the cars around him.

They were all nice, new or at least made within the past five years. Probably gifts from their parents. Lance had an old clunker that he'd bought with the money he'd managed to save from an array of part-time jobs. He told himself he should be proud that he worked for it—earned it.

Instead he was ashamed. He'd never fit into the world Kitty lived in.

He about jumped out of his skin when he heard someone knock on the passenger's side door.

It was Kitty. He leaned over and pulled up the lock, letting her in. She got in the car, shutting the door behind her. "Why are you just sitting in the parking lot?" Kitty asked.

Lance laughed a little. "Honestly, I don't know."

"I would try to convince you to come back to the party, but I'm not planning on going back in there myself."

Lance knew he had something to do with her leaving—at least indirectly—and felt guilty for coming. "Why?" he asked.

"Rachel's being a bitch." Kitty said with a sigh. "This is supposed to be my birthday party, and I didn't have a say in anything—apparently not even the guest list. I don't even like half these people." She looked down. "To be honest, you were the only person I really wanted here tonight."

Lance wasn't sure how to respond to that. He said, "You don't even know me."

"I know," Kitty said. "But I...I like you. I'm not sure what it is about you, but I can't stop thinking about you. Ever since my birthday, when we ran into each other in front of the school."

Lance forced himself not to tell her it had been the same for him. He was not good enough for her, and he knew it. She deserved so much better. "It can't be like that for us," he told her.

"I want to get to know you better, Lance. Please, at least can't we be friends?"

"I don't have friends, Kitty."

"You can't always be alone like this."

"Yes, I can." Lance didn't add what he was thinking. That he had to live that way. Staying alone was the only he could keep himself safe.

"Lance..."

"No, all right! I don't like you that way, Pryde."

His words would've stung if Kitty had believed them. She didn't. But she also didn't understand why he was lying to her. She tried to think of something to convince him otherwise.

When she couldn't come up with anything else, she kissed him. She'd kissed guys before, but nothing more than short, youthful kisses. With Lance, she threw her whole being into it, hoping her eagerness would make up for her relative inexperience.

For a moment, Lance was frozen in shock. But the shock was soon replaced by desire as he picked Kitty up off the seat and placed her in his lap, showing her with his example how kisses were supposed to be.

It was Kitty's turned to be surprised. Never in her young life had she felt such passion. Still, she'd never been one to give any less than she got. She tangled her slim fingers in Lance's hair, pulling him closer.

Lance held back a moan as Kitty unknowingly pressed herself against him. He wanted nothing more than to toss her into the backseat and make her scream his name. Instead, he broke the kiss. Despite what most people thought, he had more honor than that.

He moved her off his lap. "I think you need to go back to your party."

Kitty forced back the tears that threatened to fall at Lance's apparent lack of emotion. "But...I...didn't you like kissing me, Lance?"

"It didn't feel right," he said. After all, it was partly the truth.

Whereas before Kitty had been sure Lance liked her, now she was just confused. However, she was definitely feeling the pain of rejection. She got out of the car as quickly as she could and walked off, not wanting Lance to see her cry.

Lance drove off, telling himself he was doing the right thing.

*** *** ***

When Rachel found Kitty, she was sitting outside on the curb, crying. "Kitty!" she shouted. "Are you okay?"

"Go away, Rachel," Kitty said with a sniffle. "I just want to be alone."

Rachel sat down beside Kitty. "There is no way I'm going to let my best friend sit alone outside her birthday party, sobbing."

"I'd rather be out here than in there."

"Kitty, I'm really sorry that you feel like I took over your party," Rachel said. "I didn't mean to be like that. I just wanted to help, and, well, I guess I can be a little pushy sometimes."

Kitty had to stifle a laugh at Rachel describing herself as merely "pushy," but she really didn't feel like continuing their fight. "It's all right. I'm sorry I lost my temper in there. I guess I'm just stressed out."

"It's all right," Rachel said, giving Kitty a hug. Kitty hugged her back, although as more of a perfunctory gesture than anything else. "Come back to the party, okay? Everyone misses you."

Somehow Kitty doubted they'd even noticed she wasn't there. "I'll be in in a minute. I just need a little time to regain my composure."

"Okay," Rachel said, standing up. "But don't take too long."

"I won't."

Rachel walked off, leaving Kitty by herself.

*** *** ***

Lance flopped down on the couch. Jeff took one look at him and said, "That bad, huh, dude?"

"I don't want to talk about it."

"Too bad. We're friends, right, dude?"

"Yeah," Lance decided that after Jeff had let him come and stay in his apartment, it would be a little rude to tell the guy he found him unbearably irritating.

"The you gotta open up to me! C'mon, dude, tell me what happened at that chick's party!"

Lance sighed, figuring out that Jeff wasn't going to leave him alone until he told him something. "She kissed me."

Jeff got a dumb look on his face. "Duuude."

"It wasn't like that," Lance said. "It shouldn't have happened."

Jeff frowned. "She didn't bite your lip did she? Chicks are always doing that, and I hate it."

If Lance had been so depressed he would've laughed at the utterly serious expression Jeff had on his face when he said that. "No, she didn't bite," he said with a smirk. He sat up. "Actually, just the opposite. It was the most amazing kiss I've ever had."

"Lance, dude, if it was that great, why are you here? Go bag her!"

Lance thought he could probably die a happy man if he never heard the word "dude" again. "Kitty's not someone you can just have a quick fling with," he said, "but at the same time, she won't want me for long. She might think she likes me now, but sooner or later she's going to realize what a fuck up I am. I could never really have her, and I think with Kitty, it's going to have to be all or nothing."

Jeff stared at him blankly for a moment then said, "So when you were kissing her, did you get a boner?"

Lance fell back on the couch with a groan. "That isn't even important!"

"So you did!" Jeff said with his trademark dumb grin.

"No!"

"You're lyin' to me, dude."

"Why do you even care?"

"Because if you did, you should go back and try to get in her pants."

Lance just stared at Jeff for a moment, wondering if it was capable for anyone to be truly that stupid. Did the guy not listen to a word Lance said? "I don't want to."

"I thought you said she's hot."

"She is."

"Then what's the problem, dude?"

Lance didn't want to attempt explaining his feelings to Jeff yet again. He closed his eyes. "I want to get some sleep. I'm tired."

"Okay, but you really need to talk to this chick, dude."

Lance didn't say anything.

*** *** ***

That weekend, Rachel went over at Kitty's house after temple, and it didn't take Rachel long to pick up on the fact that Kitty was not her usual bubbly self.

"What's wrong with you?" Rachel asked.

"Nothing," Kitty replied.

"You're acting weird, Kit," Rachel.

"I'm just tired."

"This doesn't have anything to do with Lance Alvers, does it?" Rachel asked.

Kitty hated the fact that Rachel was only perceptive when Kitty didn't want her to be. "I don't want to talk about him."

"Kitty, he is sooo beneath you. I mean, he probably like, lives in a dumpster somewhere."

"Lance does not live in a dumpster. God, you are such a snob about him!"

"What, not having fantasies about slumming it with some gutter boy makes me a snob? Fine, Katherine. I'd rather be a snob than a slut."

Kitty gaped for a moment, then closed her mouth, her lips forming a tight line. "I think you better leave."

Rachel had never seen Kitty look quite that angry before. "Kitty, wait, I didn't mean..."

"Just get out."

"Fine!" Rachel grabbed her things and stormed out of the house.

Kitty didn't try to stop her from leaving.

*** *** ***

At school the following Monday, Rachel came up to Kitty, acting as if nothing had happened between them. Rachel Tabor never wanted to drop a friend unless it was her decision.

Kitty didn't even feel like continuing the argument, so she just accepted Rachel's warm behavior as the unspoken apology she knew it wasn't. Back at school, everything seemed so normal. It was like the week before had never even happened. As if nothing had changed.

But something had changed. Kitty felt it the moment she saw Lance, and she knew it was something real, something significant. A feeling deep inside her told her it wasn't a chance meeting.

She looked for him everyday for the next week, hoping that he'd come back to school, and somehow they'd fall madly in love, making everything perfect. At the time she thought she believed it was possible because of fate and knowing something was "meant to be." Years later, she'd chalk it up to the naïveté of youth.

Lance didn't show back up at school. Kitty stopped looking for him. Not so much because of a loss of faith that she'd someday see him again, but because her life was going on around her. She had classes, cheerleading, Saturday outings to the mall with Rachel, Miriam, and Leah. She went on being an average teenage girl, with yearnings for star-crossed love taking a backseat to other things.

Almost three months went by before Kitty saw Lance again. Even though he'd rejected her, as soon as she saw him again she couldn't stop herself from approaching him.

"You're the last person I'd ever expect to find working at a GAP."

Lance wheeled around, staring at Kitty in shock. "What are you doing here?"

"Shopping. The GAP is one of my favorite stores."

"Figures," Lance muttered. "So can I help you with anything?"

"No…I was just looking around." Kitty paused for a moment, then said. "Look, do you have a break coming up or something? Maybe we could talk a little…"

"I may be wearing khakis and working at the GAP, but I'm still not your type."

"Lance…"

"If you're not going to buy anything, just go. I have customers."

"Fine," Kitty said, storming out of the store. She refused to cry. She wouldn't give Lance that.

*** *** ***

Lance saw Kitty sitting in the food court sipping an iced coffee when he went out for his lunch break. Against his better judgment, he walked over. "Hey, Kitty."

Kitty looked up. "Lance?"

"Yeah. Um, could I sit down?"

"No, sorry. That seat's reserved for someone who's 'my type.' Oh look, a guy just walked out of J. Crew. Why don't I go hit on him, and we can be shallow preps together!"

"Kitty, that isn't what I meant. Look, I'm sorry if I seemed snippy back there. It's just, well, you're a nice girl, and I don't want to lead you on."

"Then why does it have to be just leading me on? You obviously like me. When  you kissed me in you car—that's not the way you kiss someone you're not in the least bit interested in," Kitty said.

"We're not right for each other…"

"Answer me honestly, Lance. In the three months since we last saw each other, how often have you thought of me?"

Lance stared down at his hands. "Every day," he admitted softly.

"But you're okay with letting me walk out of your life?"

"I'm not a nice guy, Kitty."

Kitty rolled her eyes. "Right. I forgot. I'm Little Miss Perfect and you're the Bad Boy of Deerfield."

"Kitty…"

"Look, I'm not stupid, all right? I know what I'd be getting into with you, but I don't care. I like you, and you like me. Why can't we at least give it a try? We may surprise you, Lance."

"You're too good for me."

"Why don't you let that be my decision?"

"You honestly like me that much?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"Just do."

"I'm off in four hours. Meet me in front of the GAP then if you're really interested."

"I'll be there."

"I won't blame you if you're not." Lance walked away.

*** *** ***

Kitty was waiting for Lance. He saw her and a lump grew in his throat. She was so perfect, way too much so for the likes of him. But he was drawn to her—like  mosquito to a bug zapper.

"Hey, Lance."

"You came."

"I said I would."

"You can still leave if you want to."

"I don't want to."

Lance stared at her for a moment, trying to decide if he should stay and let himself get in too deep, or run while he still could. "We could go somewhere else and talk for a little while—if that's all right with you."

"Know a place that's quiet?"

Lance thought for a moment. "Don't take this the wrong way, but we could go back to my apartment. I won't try anything, I swear. We just…wouldn't be bothered there."

The sensible part of Kitty's brain told her to walk away—or at least go somewhere where there would be other people—but she didn't want to be sensible. "Mind if I follow you in my car?"

Lance shrugged. "Works for me."

They walked off together, close but not touching.

*** *** ***

Lance's apartment was pretty much exactly what Kitty had expected—small, dark, and dirty. "Sorry it's not much," Lance said.

"It's fine," Kitty replied.

"What something to drink? I have, um, tap water and cheap beer."

Kitty giggled a little. "Water'll be fine.

Lance gave her a crooked grin, and Kitty had to keep herself from swooning. "You can have a seat on the couch," he told her.

Kitty nodded and walked over to the couch while Lance went into the small kitchen. Kitty sat down carefully, surprised to find that it was actually sturdy and comfortable.

"It doesn't look like much," Lance said, walking in and handing Kitty a glass of water, "But I got it second-hand for a good deal. And it pulls out, which saved me from having to buy a bed. Especially nice when the only other rooms in this place are the kitchen and the bathroom, too."

"It's comfortable," Kitty said, taking a sip of water.

Lance sat down beside her, downing half a glass of water in one gulp. He seemed to be shaking a little. Kitty raised an eyebrow. "Nervous?" she asked.

"No. Why?"

"You seem like you are," Kitty replied with a shrug.

"What would I have to be nervous about?"

"I don't know."

A long silence followed. Kitty looked down, tracing the rim of her glass with her finger. "So…how's school?" Lance asked.

"It's all right," Kitty said. "Just trying to get through so I can have a real life."

"Better than being a loser drop-out like me, I guess."

Kitty winced a little. "You're not a loser, Lance."

"Right. I'm just a victim of circumstance. Some people are born with upper-middle class bankers for fathers, and some people aren't."

"Lance, don't say that. It's not fair to either one of us."

"I'm not good enough for you."

"I swear, Lance if you say that one more time, I'm going to lose my mind! Do you like me?"

"Kitty…"

"Answer the damn question, Alvers."

"Yes."

"Okay then. I like you and you like me. Maybe it's not a picture-perfect match, but it's a match all the same. I want to do something about it, and if you were being honest with yourself and me, you'd admit you do, too."

"We'll only end up hurting each other."

"Not having you hurts, Lance. Every day since my party I've thought of you, and the idea that I might never see you again makes me ache. I don't know what it is about you, but from that moment we bumped into each other in front of the school, I knew you were meant to be more in my life than a mere acquaintance."

Lance sighed heavily in resignation. "I feel the same way."

"Then let's just see where this takes us."

"We're playing with fire."

"I'm not afraid of getting burned."

Lance didn't reply with words, instead he reached out and gave her hand a gentle squeeze. He wondered how long it would be until she realized she was making a mistake.

*** *** ***

For the past three hours, Lance had been doing nothing but talking to Kitty. They ended up sitting on the floor, eating a pizza and laughing more than Lance remembered doing in a long time.

Lance glanced down at his watch. "It's getting late," Lance said. "Won't your parents be worried?"

"No," Kitty replied. "My parents go off all the time. Dad has business, and mom takes the opportunity to get out of the house whenever he's gone. My theory is she has a boyfriend, but I've never asked her about it."

Lance raised an eyebrow. "Are things not happy at home?"

Kitty shrugged. "My parents have their problems. I just take care of myself, and everything's fine."

"When are they coming back?"

"Tomorrow night."

Lance was silent for a moment, wondering if he should say what was on his mind. He decided he might as well give asking a shot. "You want to stay here for the night?"

Kitty looked suddenly nervous. "I…I've never…I mean…"

Lance smiled warmly. "I know—and I'm not going to try anything like that, I promise. I just want you to stay, because, well, I like talking to you. It gets lonely over here."

Kitty smiled. "All right. I like talking to you, too."

Lance reached over pulled Kitty over to him so her head was resting on his shoulder. "What is it about you?" Lance asked. "I've tried to convince myself that we'd be better off apart, but I can't seem to believe it for long."

"Maybe that's because you know it isn't true."

"You've put a spell on me, Katherine."

Kitty sighed contently. Lance wasn't the only one bewitched.

*** *** ***

Kitty had agreed to stay the night with Lance, but the later it got, the more nervous she became. Despite what she wanted Lance to believe, she was very much the Good Girl. Even with her parents gone as much as they were, she'd never been one to sneak around behind their backs. She was home by curfew whether they were there to check on her or not. Now here she was, ready to throw away her perfect track record for what? Lance had promised he wouldn't try anything, but what would happen once they were actually in bed together?

"Kit? You look tired. Wanna go to sleep?"

"No, I'm fine." She was betrayed by a yawn.

Lance frowned. "You don't have to stay here, you know. You can go home, and I'll call you tomorrow."

Kitty shook her head. As nervous as she was, she didn't want to tell him she was having doubts. "I'll be fine."

"I'm not going to take advantage of you," he told her. "I'm not that much of a jerk."

Kitty smiled, his words making her a little more comfortable. "I know. I've been here all night and the most you've done is lightly kiss me."

Lance took her hand, stroking it with his thumb. "I just want you near me. I've tried to fight what I feel for you—I can't."

"I don't want you to fight it. I don't care what anyone thinks. I want to be with you."

Lance leaned down and kissed her forehead. "Want me to get you something to sleep in?"

"Yes, please."

Lance went to his small closet and pulled out a T-shirt. "This should be pretty long on you, but I can get you some sweatpants, too, if they'd make you more comfortable."

"This will be fine," Kitty said, taking the shirt. "Thank you."

"There's a spare toothbrush in the drawer in the bathroom. Feel free to use anything in there you need."

Kitty smiled. "Thanks. I won't be long."

Lance stared forward long after Kitty had already shut the bathroom door. What was happening to him?

*** *** ***

Kitty watched her reflection in the mirror. What was she doing? She was standing in the bathroom of a man who, in all honesty, she barely knew. She laughed softly, yet almost hysterically. She was looking at herself, but she certainly didn't feel like the same Kitty Pryde she'd always been. She was dressed in Lance's shirt, and it swallowed her whole, reaching down to her knees.

She looked like Lance's girlfriend.

She smoothed her hair before walking out into the main room. Lance had pulled out the couch and was standing beside it in only his boxers. Kitty swallowed hard, then blushed when she realized she was staring.

"Are you uncomfortable?" Lance asked.

"No," Kitty replied. "Just…tired."

"You can still go home if you want," Lance offered.

Kitty steeled her nerves. "I want to stay here." She walked over to the couch bed and sat on it. "You coming to bed or not?"

Lance responded by switching off the light, making the room dark save for the faint glow coming from the street beyond the window. He lay down and reached out for her. Kitty moved into his arms, all her apprehension fading away when he held her chastely. "Sleep tight, Kitty," Lance said, kissing the top of her head.

Kitty smiled, already drifting off. "You, too, Lance."

Lance held her throughout the night. It felt so good not to be alone…

*** *** ***

Kitty woke up feeling safe and warm. She stretched, then suddenly realized she wasn't alone in the bed. She tried to sit up, but a strong arm was wrapped around her waist, holding her in place. "Where ya goin'?" Lance asked sleepily.

Kitty relaxed when she realized where she was. "Nowhere. Good morning."

"Mornin'." Lance gave her a gentle kiss. "I don't have to work today until seven. I work at a garage some, and I work nights from time to time. Helps Rick—that's the owner of the place—get people their cars back quicker. Anyway, I was wondering if you'd like to do anything today."

"Sounds good," Kitty said.

Lance smiled. "You know, when it's just the two of us like this, I forget all the reasons I've come up with for us to be apart."

"Just keep forgetting those." Kitty kissed Lance, this time not letting him break the kiss after a couple of seconds. Lance pulled her closer, the passion he'd shown her that night in his car starting to rise to the surface again. Kitty whimpered and tangled her fingers in his hair.

Lance held her against him, wanting her so badly it hurt. He tore himself away. "Kitty," he said, trying to catch his breath, "we need to stop, or we're going to spend a lot more time in this bed than we planned."

Kitty gazed at him, her eyelids lowered. "Would that be so bad?"

Lance shivered, her husky words going straight to his groin. "I don't want to rush things with you," he said, reminding himself of just why he wasn't pouncing on her. "You're better than that. Every woman I've ever been with had been just sex. I don't want that with you."

"You don't want to have sex with me?"

"No! Er, um, I mean I want to have sex with you—just not now. If I'm going to be with you, I want to do it right. Relationship first."

Kitty smiled a little. "I guess that'll work."

Lance kissed her once more, softly. "Come on. There's someone I want you to meet."

*** *** ***

"So this is where you're working tonight?" Kitty asked as Lance pulled up to a place with a sign out front that read "Rick's Garage."

"Yeah," Lance said. "Rick is just about the nicest man in the world. He and his wife Linda have sort of taken me in over the past couple months. Linda's been helping me try to get my GED."

Kitty held Lance's hand as they walked towards the front door. A guy about Lance's age was sitting behind the counter. "Lance! Dude! I thought you had the late night shift with Mike tonight."

"Hey, Jeff," Lance said with a sigh. "I do have the late shift. I just came to see Rick. Is he here?"

"Yeah, he's in the back. Dude, aren't you gonna introduce me to your chick?"

"Uh, yeah. Kitty, this is Jeff, Jeff, this is Kitty Pryde."

"The Kitty Pryde?!" Jeff asked. "The one you were droolin' all over when you were sleepin' on my couch? Dude!"

"Yes. That Kitty."

"You were right, dude. She is hot. Bag 'er yet?"

Kitty's eyes grew wide. "Jeff!" Lance exclaimed. "Really, man."

"I was just askin', dude," Lance said with a shrug.

"I'm going back to see Rick. See you late Jeff."

"See ya, dude. You, too, dudette."

Kitty nodded a goodbye as Lance pulled her away from Jeff. "Sorry about him," Lance said once they were safely away from Jeff. "He has the I.Q. of a gnat. It's best to ignore ninety-eight percent of what he says." Lance paused for a moment and then added. "His heart really is in the right place, though. He's helped me a lot. Gave me a place to stay for a while and helped me get this job." Lance reached the end of the hall and knocked on the door in front of him. A voice from inside called for them to come in. "Hey, Rick," Lance said, opening the door.

Rick looked up and smiled. "Hey, Lance! And who's this pretty girl you're with?"

"This is Kitty Pryde. My girlfriend."

Rick broke out into an even bigger grin. "Girlfriend, huh? Well come over here and let me get a look at you."

Kitty let go of Lance's hand and walked over to Rick. "Well aren't you a pretty little thing!" Rick said. "Lance is sure lucky to have you."

Kitty blushed. "Thank you."

"You keep him in line now, sweetheart. Lance needs a good woman to make sure he behaves himself."

"I'll do my best," Kitty said with a smile. "I'm not sure if keeping Lance under control is a job only one person can handle."

Rick laughed loudly. "I like this one, Lance. Bring her by the house for dinner sometime. Linda would love her."

Lance put his arm around Kitty's arm proudly. "I'll be sure to do that."

*** *** ***

Kitty felt a warm feeling towards Lance. By introducing her to Rick, she knew he'd done the closest he could to introducing her to his father. As much as he told her they were wrong for each other, she knew he really did want it to work as badly as she did.

Lance took her hand again. Kitty smiled. She loved feeling her hand in his. "Anything you want to do?" he asked.

"Mind if we get something to eat?"

"Works for me. There's this little diner around here that I go to a lot. Wanna check it out?"

"Sure."

Lance drove her to the diner. "Lance!" the woman behind the counter exclaimed as soon as Kitty and Lance walked in. She was a hefty woman, probably in her late forties.

"Hey, Suzie. This is my girlfriend, Kitty."

"Well, hey, Kitty!" Suzie exclaimed. "Ain't you the lucky one, gettin' a cutie like Lance."

Kitty giggled. "He is pretty cute." She gave Lance's hand a squeeze.

"Let me get you kids a booth." Suzie walked out from behind the counter with two menus, then seated Kitty and Lance. "Just holler when you're ready to order."

"We will, Suzie. Thanks."

"People around here sure do like you," Kitty said once Suzie was gone.

Lance shrugged. "They're probably just nice to everyone."

"I don't think that's it. You don't give yourself enough credit, Lance."

"How do you know I'm worth anything? Dammit, Kitty, you barely even know me."

Kitty took his words like a physical blow. He'd seemed to be changing the attitude he'd had previously, but now he was falling back into it. "If that's true, it's only because you won't let me in. We could've been together months ago, but you ran. I obviously want to get to know you. You keep acting like you're the scum of the earth, but I don't believe that for a second."

"I'm not worth that much, Kitty. No one's ever wanted me. It's like I'm…broken."

"I want you."

"Why?"

Kitty gave him a wry grin. "Beats me." She sobered. "Seriously, Lance, you're handsome, funny, kind, and a lot smarter than you give yourself credit for. You've always carried around the label of the bad boy who doesn't care what anyone thinks of him, but the more time I spend with you, the more I see that isn't true."

"You really do like me, don't you?"

"Yeah, I do."

"I'll do my best to give you what you deserve."

"And I'll do the same for you."

Lance felt suddenly happier than he ever had before. For the first time in his life, he believed maybe he was worth something.

*** *** ***

"I don't want to leave," Kitty said, standing outside her car in the parking lot of Lance's apartment building.

"I don't want you to, either, but I don't think your parents would be too happy if you ran off with a juvenile delinquent."

"They'd find some self-help guru to help them cope," Kitty said with a laugh.

Lance chuckled. "I'm not working Thursday night. Wanna catch a movie or something?"

"Sure. Sounds great."

"I'll call you and get directions to your place. Unless you'd rather I didn't pick you up…"

"Why wouldn't I want you to?"

"I might be an embarrassment."

Kitty stood on her tiptoes and kissed him on the cheek. "Never, Lance."

Lance grinned from ear to ear. "See you Thursday then, baby."

*** *** ***

"So Kitty, are you like, going to the mall with us?"

"When, Rachel?"

"Thursday."

"Oh, sorry, Ray, but I can't," Kitty said.

"You can't!" Rachel exclaimed. "But you never miss mall night!"

"Sorry. I already made other plans."

Rachel frowned. "How can you possibly have other plans?"

"I hate to break this to you, but you're not the center of my social life."

Rachel raised an eyebrow. "Well, what's the all-important event then?"

"I have a date."

"A date?!" Rachel repeated, practically squealing. "With who?"

Kitty considered lying. She didn't. She held her head a little higher. "Lance Alvers."

Rachel's jaw dropped. "Lance? I thought you were over that."

"No. Lance is my boyfriend, as a matter of fact. You better get used to it."

"I was going to ask if he managed to get you in bed, but the answer is obviously no, since you seem to still think he has an interest in you."

"Lance isn't like that, Rachel."

"Oh no? He sure was with me"

"What?!"

Rachel looked almost smug. "Lance and I had a thing a while back. He took advantage of me, and then just left without as much as a good-bye. He's probably only with you to rub salt in my wound."

"I…I don't believe you."

"Kitty, I'm your best friend—I wouldn't lie to you about something like this. I'm only trying to protect you."

"But Lance wouldn't do that! He isn't that type of person!"

"Not when he's trying to seduce you."

"Why are you just now telling me this?"

"I didn't want to upset you. When I saw Lance was gone from your life, I thought you'd be safe, but now… Even though I'm humiliated, and I thought I could never bring myself to admit what happened, I have to tell you now. It's for your own protection."

Kitty didn't want to believe anything like that about Lance, but at the same time, Rachel was her best friend. "Ray, I…"

"I was a virgin," Rachel said, tears suddenly forming in her eyes. "He told me he really cared about me, and I believed him. He broke my heart—just like he's going to break yours."

"Rachel, I…" Kitty looked away. "I just don't know."

Rachel put her hand on Kitty's shoulder. "I know it's hard to accept, but you need to. For your own safety."

Kitty just nodded, the sick feeling in her stomach growing.

*** *** ***

Lance called Kitty that night. He could tell in the way she said "hello" that something was wrong. "Everything okay?" he asked.

"Yes…no…I don't know."

"Kit, what's wrong."

"I talked to Rachel today. She said…she said you slept with her." Her words were followed by a moment of dead silence. "Lance?"

"Yeah, I'm here."

"Well, is it true?"

"Yes."

Kitty felt the tears start rolling down her cheeks. "How?"

"We were at a party, and we ended up making out. She asked me if I wanted to go upstairs to one of the bedrooms. We did, and we had sex."

"That isn't what she told me."

"What's her version?"

"She said you made her believe you loved her, and it was the only reason she gave her virginity to you."

Lance snorted. "Rachel Tabor a virgin. Right. And I'm the pope."

"Lance?"

"Look, Rachel has a reputation with the…less-respected male population of Deerfield. To put it bluntly, she's a spoiled little rich girl who likes to slum it."

"I've known Rachel since kindergarten and she's never seemed that way to me."

"Come on, Kitty. Look at what she told you and compare it to what you know. Rachel said I convinced her I loved her? Has Rachel ever talked about guys she thought she was falling in love with before?"

"Yes."

"So don't you think if she'd been falling in love with me, you would've heard something about it?"

"I don't know."

"Kitty, please, believe me. Think about the other night. If I was what Rachel says I am, don't you think I would've done a little more than hold you?"

"I…I don't know."

"Katherine, I didn't do what she's saying I did. I did have sex with her—no point in denying that—but trust me, there was no deflowering of innocent virgins taking place."

"Why didn't you mention this before now?"

"I didn't want to go spreading Rachel's personal life around. I figured if she wanted you to know, she would've told you."

"I need to talk to Rachel."

"Kitty, don't…" Lance stopped. "All right. Fine. Call me if you ever decide I'm not scum."

"Lance, that isn't…"

The line went dead. Kitty started to cry in earnest.

*** *** ***

Kitty went over to Rachel's almost as soon as she regained her composure. She had to get to the bottom of things. "Lance says you aren't telling the truth about what happened between the two of you," she said as soon as she was sitting on Rachel's couch.

"Of course he said he didn't do it!" Rachel said, throwing her hands up in exasperation. "He wants to get you in bed, and he knows he can't do that by admitting he slept with your best friend."

"Actually," Kitty said, "he did admit to sleeping with you. He just said it happened differently that you claimed."

"Well he's lying."

"You don't even know what he said."

"It's a lie, whatever it is."

"How long were you with him?" Kitty asked.

"Um, about a month, I guess," Rachel said after a pause.

"And in that month you never told me—your best friend—that you thought you were falling in love?"

Rachel rolled her eyes. "Please. As if I'd admit to loving someone who probably lives in a dumpster."

"If you really loved him, you wouldn't have felt that way about him."

"What do you know?"

"Enough," Kitty said, heading for Rachel's front door.

Rachel jumped up. "You're not actually going to believe him over me!"

"I've known you for over ten years. I've learned to tell when you're lying."

"Kitty! You can't believe some guy over your best friend!"

"Best friend?! Dammit, Rachel, what kind of 'best friend' are you? You're selfish, controlling, manipulative, and dishonest! You want what you want, and you don't care who you step on to get it. You're just a bitch."

Rachel narrowed her eyes. "If that's the way you feel, Katherine, then this friendship is over. And I'm warning you now—I'm not the kind of enemy you want to have."

"I'll take my chances." Kitty stormed out the house, slamming the door behind her.

*** *** ***

"Lance, come on, I know you're home! Just open the damn door!" Kitty banged on Lance's door until it suddenly flew open.

"What?!" Lance snapped.

"I want to talk to you."

"Why? So you can accuse me of seducing another one of your innocent little friends?"

Kitty bit her bottom lip in an effort not to cry. "No. I'm sorry, okay? I don't believe Rachel."

"Why not? I'm just scum after all."

"Lance, please, don't start that shit again. I was confused, okay? I've known Rachel for a long time, and it was a little hard to accept that she's not the type of person I thought she was."

"But it wasn't hard for you to see me as that type of person?"

"That's not what I meant! Dammit, stop twisting my words! It was just a lot for me to take in, okay? I didn't snap to a decision on either side. I just…needed some time to figure it all out. I believe you, Lance."

"Yeah, well, I'm not sure if I believe you believe me." He stumbled a little.

"Lance, are you drunk?" Kitty asked, raising an eyebrow.

"No. Okay, maybe a little."

Kitty took his hand and led him over to the couch. She walked over to the door, shutting and locking it. "What are doing?" Lance asked.

"Taking care of you. Got any coffee?"

"Yeah. Instant stuff in the kitchen."

Kitty nodded, then pulled out her cellphone as she walked towards the small galley kitchen. "Who ya callin'?" Lance asked. She put up her hand, signaling for him to be quiet.

"Hey, Mom. I'm over at a friend's house. She called while you were out. She just broke up with her boyfriend, and she asked me to stay over the night and comfort her." Kitty stopped talking for a moment, rolling her eyes. "Yes, I'm aware of the fact that it's a school night. I won't miss any classes tomorrow, I promise. All right. You, too. Night, Mom." Kitty clicked off her cell and started making the coffee. "How much did you drink?" she asked Lance.

"How much isn't in that bottle."

Kitty did a double take when she saw the Jack Daniels sitting on the counter. "Lance, that bottle is almost empty."

"Yeah, well, I was depressed."

The microwave beeped, and Kitty took out the water and mixed in the coffee. "How do you take your coffee?" she asked.

"Black." Lance sighed. "I thought you hated me."

Kitty carried him the mug. She sat down beside him on the couch and brushed his hair out of his face. "I don't hate you, sweetheart." Lance's hands trembled, and she reached out to steady them so he wouldn't spill the hot coffee on himself.

Lance looked up and met her gaze. "You really are gonna take care of me, aren't you? No one's ever done that before. Not even my own mother. She…she just had me take care of her."

"I'm here for you, Lance."

Kitty helped Lance drink the coffee. He sighed. "You're an angel."

"It's the least I could do, seeing as I drove you to drink and all," she said with a small smile.

"No. No, never you, Kitty. You're so perfect."

"I'm not."

"Better than any other woman who's spent her time with the likes of me."

"You shouldn't be so hard on yourself."

"How can I not be? God, look at me! I'm a drunk bum."

"No, you're not." Kitty took the empty coffee mug from him. "Come on, let's get you to bed."

"You gonna stay with me?"

"Yeah."

"Good. I sleep better when you're here. I hate being alone."

Kitty helped him to his feet. "What do you have to do to get this bed out?"

"Take off the cushions and pull on it," Lance said, leaning against the wall for support. "Sheets are on it, and the pillows are in the closet."

Kitty fixed up the bed, then led Lance over to sit on it. She helped him get undressed, then guided his head to the pillow. She pulled the sheet over him and kissed his forehead. "I'm going to borrow one of you T-Shirts again, okay?" Lance nodded. "Be right back."

Kitty went into the bathroom, then came out a few minutes later and climbed into bed. Lance pulled her to him. "I don't want to be my parents," he said after a moment.

"What?"

"My parents drank all the time. Dad would hit me and Mom. And she…she'd just forget about me. I had to take care of everything myself, and I was always afraid. Social services came and took me away when I was eleven. I went into foster care. Things didn't get better. I was always alone."

Kitty held Lance tighter. She felt pain for the little boy he'd been, and couldn't believe anyone would turn their back on their own child. "I'm here for you now, Lance. Anything you need, I'm here."

"You don't need everything that comes with me, Kitty. You have a bright future."

"I'm not turning my back on you."

"You could have a boyfriend with so much more that me. Class president, captain of the football team, prom king—anyone of them would be happy to have you."

"You're what I want. Accept it."

"Hard to when I've always lost the good things in my life."

"I'm not going anywhere."

Lance didn't say anything else. He decided he better be grateful for what he had, while he had it.

*** *** ***

Kitty woke up to the sound of Lance paying the price for the night before. When she went into the bathroom, he was brushing his teeth. "Why don't you go back to bed? I'll clean up in here."

Lance rinsed out his mouth. "I can't ask you to do that."

"You're not. Get in the bed."

"Kitty…"

"Now, Alvers."

Lance decided his head hurt too much to argue with a woman. He lay back down on the bed. A little while later, Kitty came out, fully dressed, carrying a bottle of aspirin and a glass of water. "Thank you," Lance said as he took them from her.

Kitty smiled. "Thought you might need that."

"I did."

"I have to get going," she told him. "I'm already going to be late for first period."

"I'm sorry," Lance said.

Kitty kissed him lightly. "Don't be. I'll call you after school to check up on you."

"All right. Kit, could you do me one more favor?"

"Sure, hon."

"Call Rick and tell him I can't work today. It's my day off from the GAP, so I told him I'd come in during the day."

"What's his number?"

"It's over by the phone."

Kitty went into the kitchen and found Rick's number among a few others stuck to a cork board by the phone. She dialed the number.

"Rick's Garage, this is Ric speaking."

"Hey, Rick, it's Kitty—Lance's girlfriend."

"Well, hi, Kitty. Is Lance all right?"

"Yeah, he's just…he isn't feeling well."

"It's okay, Kitty, you don't have to try to cover for him. I ain't gonna fire the kid."

"I don't know what you mean."

"Sure ya don't. Look, tell Lance to call me when he can see straight again, all right?"

"Yeah, I will."

"Bye."

"Bye."

Kitty was frowning when she hung up the phone.

*** *** ***

Later that day, Kitty was over at Lance's house, eating the food she'd brought over with her. "You should've just let me pass out and wake up in pain," Lance said.

"I couldn't do that, and you know it. You needed someone to help you, so I did. Simple as that."

"But I did it to myself. I deserved anything that could've happened last night, Kitty."

"Knock it off. You are not evil incarnate."

"No, but I'm not the kind of guy girls like you end up happy with."

"Would you stop it!" Kitty yelled. "Dammit, from day one all you've said is how you're not good enough for me. It's insulting. I like you, and I want to be with you. If you're no better than pond scum, then what does that say about me and my judgment, huh?"

"Kitty, I…"

"No. I don't want to hear anymore about it. Either you're going to accept that you're good enough to be with me, or I am going to walk out that door. What's it gonna be?"

Lance reached over and grabbed her hand. "Don't go, please."

"You going to stop degrading yourself all the time?"

"I'll try."

"Try hard, all right?"

"I will."

*** *** ***

It didn't take Kitty long to learn just what being Rachel Tabor's enemy meant. Almost overnight she'd gone from popular girl to school pariah. People pointed and whispered whenever she walked by. Everyone she'd once considered a friend revealed that they were anything but. She decided people could say what they wanted about her. She wasn't going to crumble.

"Kitty, sweetie, can I talk to you?"

Kitty looked up from her math homework. "Sure, Mom. What is it?"

Theresa Pryde sat down on the edge of her daughter's bed. "Well, I'm worried about you. You never do anything with your friends anymore, except with a boyfriend neither your father nor I have ever met. Frankly, I'm nervous about the influence that Lance boy is having on you."

"What makes you say that?"

"I'll just be honest. I talked to Rachel's mom, and she said that her daughter isn't hanging out with you anymore because of your…promiscuity."

"You can't actually believe that!" Kitty exclaimed in shock. "I'm not Rachel's friend anymore because she lied to me in an attempt to sabotage my relationship with Lance, and then spread rumors about me all over the school."

"I know, sweetie, it's just…well…maybe if your father and I could meet Lance we'd be more comfortable."

"Lance has been over to the house several times. You and Dad have just never been home."

"Then why don't you invite him over to the house for dinner when both your father and I can be here."

"When will that be, Mom? Sometimes I wonder if you and Dad even live here anymore."

"Is that what this is all about? Your father and I aren't home a lot, so you think you need to find companionship in a boy's bed?"

"Mom! Lance and I haven't even had sex!"

"Have you…um…been intimate with anyone else?"

"No!"

"So you're still a virgin?"

"Yes!"

"Are you sure?"

"Yes! Geez, what type of question is that anyway? Look, talk to Dad about when would be a good time to have Lance over, and I'll see if he's free."

"All right, sweetie. Are you sure you're…"

"No, Mom. I have periods of blackout in which I throw myself at every man who walks by."

"Kitty…"

"Just leave me alone so I can finish my calculus."

Mrs. Pryde left without saying anything else.

*** *** ***

Kitty made sure to get the door before her parents. She smiled when she saw Lance. "You look nice, baby," she said, giving him a quick kiss.

"I figured if I bought something at work it would do for meeting your parents."

Kitty took his hand and led him into the house. "Well, you do look very nice. Not the Lance I know, but nice."

Lance chuckled. "Thanks, I think. You look as beautiful as ever."

"Thank you."

"Lance?"

Lance looked up. "Mrs. Pryde?"

Kitty's mother smiled. "Yes." She shook his hand. "It's a pleasure to finally get to meet you."

"You, too."

"Why don't you and Katherine have a seat, and I'll let you know when dinner is finished," Mrs. Pryde said, gesturing to the couch.

"All right, Mom," Kitty said, taking back Lance's hand.

No sooner had Mrs. Pryde left, than did her husband walk in. "Kitty, go help your mother in the kitchen. I'd like to talk to your boyfriend here."

"Dad…"

"Your mother needs your help, Katherine."

Kitty glanced over at Lance. He gave a small nod, and she rushed off into the kitchen. "When I found out that my daughter was as smitten with you as she is, I checked up on you," Carmen Pryde began. "I found a few people who knew your father, and a few who could tell me about you personally. You're not the kind of man my little girl needs to be with. You come from the wrong side of the tracks, and boys like you only want girls like my daughter so they worm their way into our world. Well, that's not going to happen as far as my Katherine is concerned. You want money, then I'll give you money, as long as you promise to stay away from her."

Lance stood to his full, impressive height. "What I want is for people to stop assuming that since I wasn't born to parents who gave a damn, I'm not worth anything either. I don't care about your damn money. If you'd talked to anyone who actually knew me, they would've told you that I've never wanted anything that I didn't earn honestly, and tricking sweet young women into handing over their trust funds is lower than I would ever even dream of sinking. I want Kitty because she's a wonderful person who makes me happier than anyone else ever has. If you can't see that someone would love your daughter because of the person she is and not because of the money attached to her name, you're a terrible excuse for a father."

"I take it that means you're not accepting my offer."

Lance made an expression of extreme disgust. "Tell Kitty I said goodnight," he said, walking out of the house.

Kitty ran into the living room when she heard the door slam. She looked at her father. "What did you say to him?"

"Nothing, I just…"

Kitty didn't wait for his explanation. She ran outside, calling to Lance. He froze, leaning up against his car. "I'm sorry, Kit," he said when she reached him. "I just couldn't stay and listen to that."

Kitty reached out and took Lance's hand. "What did he say?"

"He offered me money to stay away from you."

Kitty turned pale. "Lance, I'm so sorry."

"I'm gonna go, all right? I'm sorry I couldn't get along better with your parents."

"Lance, this isn't your fault. My father was way out of line. Let me come with you, please? I don't want to be here anymore than you do right now."

"I don't know if that's such a good idea tonight. Your parents…"

"Either you take me with you, or I follow you. What's it gonna be?"

Lance sighed. "Get in the car, Pryde."

*** *** ***

As soon as they were in the apartment, Lance sunk down on the couch, burying his face in his hands. Kitty sat down beside him, reaching over to gently kneed his shoulders. "It's all right," she said, her voice soothing.

"I never cared about money. Hell, I never even minded being poor until I met you, and now the only reason I care is because I feel like I should be able to give you more."

"Lance, you give me more than enough. I love you." She held her breath for a second, wondering if she should have said those words.

Lance looked into her eyes. "You really love me?"

"Yes."

Lance pulled her into his lap. "I love you, too."

Kitty moved so her knees were on either side of him. She put her lips right beside his ear. "I want you to do more than hold me tonight."

"Kitty, baby, I…"

"Do you want me?" she asked, pushing herself against him.

Lance groaned. "Yes."

"I want you, too. And I know what I'm doing. Nothing could make me regret making love to you."

"I want you so bad," Lance said, kissing her all over her face and neck.

"Then take me. I need you."

Lance's last bit of resolve broke as he lowered her down to the couch.

*** *** ***

Kitty woke up feeling incredibly happy despite the soreness between her legs. She snuggled closer to Lance, relishing the warmth of his body next to hers. She realized he was awake, too, when he kissed the top of her head and murmured, "Good morning, beautiful."

Kitty stretched. "Good morning."

Lance stroked her face. "You aren't sore, are you?"

"A little," Kitty admitted. "But it's all right. Reminds me of what it's like to have you that close."

"So you're okay with what happened last night?"

"I told you then I was."

"I know, but sometimes things look different in the light of day."

"It was so wonderful, Lance. How could I regret it? I love you."

Lance crushed her to him. "I love you, too. God, I love you. It wasn't too long ago that I didn't even believe in love. What have you done to me, woman?"

"I don't know, but whatever it is, you're doing it to me, too."

Lance gave her a leer. "Wanna see what I can do to you?"

Kitty reached down and took hold of him, making him moan. "I think I can feel what I do to you."

Lance pulled Kitty into his arms, knowing he could forget about everything but her, at least for a little while.

*** *** ***

"And just where have you been, young lady?"

Kitty had known it was coming as soon as she'd gone off with Lance the night before, but that didn't make the prospect of facing her mother anymore exciting. "Where do you think I was?" she snapped.

Mrs. Pryde threw her arms up in disgust. "I can't believe you'd actually go off and spend the night with some boy."

Kitty had had enough of her parents. She couldn't even remember the last time they'd shown any interest in her, and now her mother was pretending she was up for Concerned Parent of the Year. "Dad accused him of trying to sleep with me for money! I didn't feel like staying the night in a house with people who apparently think I'm a naïve little slut!"

"Katherine Anna Pryde! How dare you speak to me in such a way! You're grounded! And never, under any circumstance are you allowed to see that boy again. Just look at what he's turned you into!"

"I'm not leaving Lance."

"You will not live under my roof and keep this up with him."

"Fine," Kitty said, starting up the stairs.

"Where are you going?"

"To pack my things."

"You are not to leave this house!"

"I'm sick of living here!" Kitty yelled from the top of the stairs. "I'm tired of having to smile and pretend everything's great while I'm virtually ignored by two parents who obviously hate each other. And how dare you act like I'm a slut when you run off with every man that comes within sniffing distance of you!"

"Katherine! I am your mother!"

"You sure as hell haven't acted like it recently! The only time you've shown any interest in me lately was when you thought I might be tarnishing the precious family name. I was with Lance for a month before you met him, and that was just because you heard from the mother of the official town gossip that I might—oh heaven forbid—having a monogamous sexual relationship with the man I love, which is a lot more than I can say about you! Lance is the only person in my life these days who actually seems to care about me, and I'm not going to give that up for a hypocritical, self-centered bitch like you."

Theresa Pryde narrowed her eyes. "Fine. If that's the way you feel, get out of my house. Go live on your own—see how well you make it out there. Pack what you can and be out in an hour."

Kitty was happy to oblige.

*** *** ***

We are young
Heartache to heartache, we stand
No promises, no demands
Love is a battlefield

Lance tried to ignore the music blaring in the small garage. It would have been slightly easier if Jeff hadn't been dancing around, singing into a wrench.

You're beggin' me to go
Then makin' me stay
Why do you hurt me so bad?
It would help me to know,
Do I stand in your way,
Or am I the best thing you've had?
Believe me, believe me, I can't tell you why
But I'm trapped by your love
And I'm chained to your side

"Jeff, you think maybe you could help me with this car here? I mean, I know how Pat Benatar makes me want to dance around and sing into tools, but a little restraint now and then is a good thing."

"Lighten up, dude! Have a little fun once in a while. The work'll get done. You're always so tense. Gotten laid recently?"

"Damn, Jeff, is that your answer to everything?"

"Pretty much, dude."

We are strong
No one can tell us we're wrong
Searching our hearts for so long
Both of us knowing
Love is a battlefield

We're losing control
Will you turn me away
Or touch me deep inside?
And when all this gets old
Will you still feel the same?
There's no way this will die
But if we get much closer I could lose control
And if your heart surrenders,
You'll need me to hold

Lance grumbled as Jeff continued his musical number á la Grease. Sometimes Lance wondered if the guy really was more trouble than he was worth.

Jeff stopped in mid-song. "You hear knockin', dude?"

Lance looked up. "Yeah. I think someone's at the door out front. I'll go check." Lance rushed out, happy to get away from Jeff's musical performance.

Kitty was the last person who he expected to see. Her face was tear-stained and as soon as he asked her what was wrong, she started to cry again. Lance pulled her into his arms. "Shhh…it's all right, baby," he said softly. "Just tell me what happened."

Kitty took a deep breath and tried to stop crying. "I had a fight with my mom," she got out finally. "She said I could either break up with you or move out."

Lance felt his whole world shatter with Kitty's words, but he tried not to let it show. He'd known from the beginning he was going to lose her, after all—he'd just hoped it hadn't happened so soon, and especially after he'd really let himself fall in love with her. He forced a smile as he tilted her head up to look at her. He wished he hadn't. Her eyes were so beautiful… "It'll be okay," he said. "You'll get over me soon enough."

Kitty shook her head. "No, you don't understand. I told her I was leaving."

The prospect of being able to keep Kitty made Lance feel like he could fly, but he knew he had to put her needs over his own. "Kitty, don't do that. Go home. You'll be better off that way. You'll have a chance at a good life."

"I don't want to. I'd rather be with you. Please, Lance. Let me."

"Are you sure this is what you want, Kitty? You're young, and life is difficult out here."

Kitty tried to stand tall, even though she was much smaller than Lance. "I'm strong enough to make it, Lance. All I need is you."

Lance couldn't fight her on it. He wanted her too badly. "I'm here for another few hours. Then we can go home, and I'll get you settled in, okay?"

"You're going to let me live with you?"

"Well, yeah. Where else are you gonna stay? Unless you don't want to."

"Of course I want to. I just wasn't sure if you'd want me there."

"Kitty, I love you. If you need a place to stay, then my home is your home."

Kitty threw her arms around him, and Lance noticed she was trembling. He held her tightly. "I love you," she said, crying again.

"I love you, too. Oh God, I love you…"

*** *** ***

She rolls the window down
And she talks over the sound
Of the cars that pass us by
I don't know why, but she's changed my mind

Lance had thought it was bad enough to have to deal with Jeff alone with the music, but now Kitty had joined in. As soon as the latest song had come on the radio, she'd squealed "turn it up!"—a command Jeff had gladly obliged.

If Lance wasn't just so glad to see her smiling, he would've been annoyed at how quickly she took to Jeff. In the two hours she'd been there, they'd already formed an alliance against Lance, picking on him every chance they got. He figured Kitty could get away with it because she was cute. Jeff was lucky there was a witness…

Would you look at her as she looks at me
She's got me thinkin' about her constantly
But she don't know how I feel
And as she carries on without a doubt
I wonder if she's figured out
I'm crazy for this girl

Jeff grabbed Kitty's hand and started dancing around with her. She giggled as he spun and dipped her. Lance tried to pretend he was interested in the engine block he was working on, and not some other man dancing with his girlfriend.

"Hey, Lance," Jeff called. "Stop being so serious, dude. Your chick's a pretty good dancer."

She was the one to hold me
The night the sky fell down
And what was I thinkin' when
The world didn't end
Why didn't I know what I know now

"Lance is probably just scared he can't do anymore than a simple slow dance," Kitty said with a wink.

Lance looked up. "I dance better than that loser," he said, pointing his thumb at Jeff.

"Oh yeah," Kitty said with a grin. "Prove it."

And right now
Face to face all my fears
Pushed aside and right now
I'm ready to spend
The rest of my life with you

Would you look at her as she looks at me
She's got me thinkin'  about her constantly
But she don't know how I feel
And as she carries on without a doubt
I wonder if she's figured out
I'm crazy for this girl

Lance grabbed her and danced with her for the rest of the song, easily showing up Jeff. When it was over, Kitty stood in front of him, breathless. "Well, Alvers, " she said with a grin. "I stand corrected."

"Yeah, well, never doubt me again." He went back over to the car.

"Oooh…someone's cranky," Jeff teased. "Afraid I was movin' in on your girl, dude?"

Lance rolled his eyes. "Please. Kitty has me. I rock her world. Why the hell would she want you?"

"Rock her world? That is lame, dude."

Kitty wrapped her arm around Lance. "He does rock my world," she said, her voice almost a purr.

Jeff's eyes grew wide. For once he had nothing to say.

*** *** ***

"Well, welcome home," Lance said as he opened the door to his apartment.

 "Thank you so much for taking me in," Kitty said.

"I was happy to do it. I'm here for you, Kitty. Anything you need."

Kitty hugged Lance tightly. "You're all I need right now."

He kissed the top of her head. "I still feel bad, though. I feel like you've lost your home, your family, because of me."

Kitty looked up into his eyes. "No, Lance. Don't say that, please. If anything, I lost my family when my parents started fighting and stopped remembering they have a daughter. You're a lot more 'family' to me these days then they are."

"I'll take care of you, Kitty, I promise. I'll do the best I can to be there for you."

"I know, Lance. I know."

Lance leaned down and kissed her, and neither of them said anything else for quite some time.

*** *** ***

"Katherine?"

Kitty looked away from the computer screen and to the door of the small office where Linda, Rick's wife and now Kitty's boss, stood. "Yes?"

Linda walked over to her and handed her a pink envelope. "Happy birthday, Kitty."

Kitty took the envelope. "How did you know?"

"Lance said something about it last week. He told Rick he couldn't work tonight because the two of you are going out."

"He insisted," Kitty said with a giggle. "I told him I'd be fine with just staying home, but he said we had to do something special. It's the anniversary of the first day we met, too."

Linda smiled warmly. She had taken Kitty in as soon as Lance had introduced her, and had given her a job doing paper work in the office of her husband's garage in order to help Lance and Kitty make ends meet. She knew how hard it was for two young people just starting out to make it. She could remember when she'd first married Rick. "The card is from Rick and I," Linda said. "We thought you could use it."

Kitty opened the card, then stared in shock when she realized it held five hundred dollars. "Linda, I can't take this!"

"You can and you will, young lady."

"But it's so much!"

"It's your birthday, Kitty. It's a present. Just take it."

Kitty hugged Linda. "Thank you."

"Anytime, kiddo. Now you get back to work. Rick won't be happy if those bills aren't entered before payroll."

Kitty smiled as she went back to work.

*** *** ***

Kitty stared down. There were two lines. There weren't supposed to be two lines—couldn't be two lines. They'd been careful. This couldn't be happening, not to her.

Kitty sank down in front of the bathroom sink, sobbing. She heard the front door open, heard Lance call her name, but she didn't move. Lance came in a few moments later. "Kitty! Baby, what's wrong?"

Kitty tried to talk, but ended up just crying harder. Lance crouched down beside her, and she fell over on him. "Kitty, what…" He stopped in mid-sentence, seeing the empty pregnancy test box by the sink. "Oh."

"I'm sorry, Lance," she said. "I didn't mean to…"

"I know you didn't. It's not your fault. Come on, let's go into the other room so we can talk."

Kitty nodded, and Lance helped her off the floor. He led her over to the couch and sat down beside her. "I can't believe this is happening," Kitty sobbed. "We always used condoms…"

"Yeah, well, I guess we're in that fraction of a percentage that has a defective one."

That made Kitty cry more. "What are we going to do with a baby? I'm still in high school!"

Lance wanted to break down himself, but he knew he had to be strong for Kitty. "Well figure out something, I promise. It'll be all right."

"But how can we support a baby?"

"We don't have to, you know."

"What…what do you mean?"

"Just that you don't have to have a baby…"

Kitty jumped up off the couch. "How can you say that! I'm not getting rid of this baby, Lance!"

"And I don't want you, to! You just seemed unhappy about it, and…"

Kitty looked down. "I don't know what I want to do, but that's not an option for me. I just…couldn't do that."

"I don't want you to," Lance said. "I just don't want things to be any harder on you than they already are."

Kitty started to cry. "Lance, what are we going to do?"

Lance took her hand and pulled her into his lap. "I don't know. But whatever it is, we're gonna do it together."

*** *** ***

Lance looked over at Kitty as she sat in the passenger's seat of the car, crying into her hands. They were still in the parking lot of the doctor's office after having the pregnancy confirmed. The doctor had given Kitty all these pamphlets with names like "I'm a Teen and I'm Pregnant—Now What?" and Lance noticed they hadn't seemed to give Kitty any comfort.

"Kitty, honey, it's gonna be all right."

Kitty looked up. "How can you say that? Our lives are ruined, Lance!"

Lance tried his best to smile, although it came out as more of a grimace. "Our lives aren't ruined. We'll work it out. Look, we can get married, be a family. It'll be all right."

"Get married?" Kitty asked, looking up.

"Well, yeah."

"Aren't we a little young for that?"

Lance thought about pointing out that they were a little young to be parents, too, but he decided against it. "I think it would be for the best, though. You can still go to school the same as you are now. The baby's due in the summer, which is good, because you probably won't miss any classes. We'll work something out for childcare. It'll be all right."

"But how can we support a baby? And I don't think I'm ready to be a wife and a mother!"

"I'm not sure anyone ever really is."

Kitty looked back down at her hands. "I don't want you to feel like you have to marry me out of some sort of sense of obligation."

"I don't feel like that," Lance said. "I want to marry you because I love you. I wanted to wait a little while, but, um, well in light of recent events I think it might be better not to wait."

"But we can't even get married. I'm only seventeen. We'd have to have parental consent, and something tells me we aren't going to get that."

Lance shook his head. "Not if you're pregnant."

"How do you know that?"

"I checked it out earlier."

"You did?"

"Well, yeah. Figured I better learn the marriage laws around here before I proposed."

"So this is a genuine proposal?"

Lance blushed slightly. "Well, yeah. Sorry it isn't more romantic, but…" He reached into his pocket and pulled out a gold ring with an intricate design holding a diamond solitaire. "Will you marry me, Katherine Pryde?"

Kitty's eyes grew wide. "Lance, that ring…"

"It was my grandmother's," he explained. "She gave it to me before she died. I managed to take it with me when I left home, and held on to it, too. I didn't want my parents to have it."

Kitty's eyes glistened with tears. "Oh, Lance…"

"Please say yes, Kitty. Please."

Kitty made a sound that was somehow a mixture of a laugh and a sob. "Yes."

Lance's hand trembled as he slipped the ring on her finger. He vowed then that despite the odds against them, he'd make her happy for the rest of her life.

*** *** ***

Kitty had spent the time since she found out about her pregnancy debating about whether or not she should tell her parents. She decided that she should, especially since she was going to marry Lance. Wouldn't they want to know they were going to be grandparents, even if it wasn't under the best of circumstances?

Kitty almost hung up several times as the phone rang, but steeled her nerves. When she heard her mother's voice, she felt her heart jump. "Hello?"

"Mom?"

The other side of the line was silent for a moment. "Kitty?"

"Yeah, hey."

"Kitty! I…I wondered if I'd ever hear from you again. Are you calling to say you want to come home?"

"No. Actually, I'm calling to say, well, I'm pregnant."

More silence. "Pregnant?"

"Yeah."

"I suppose it's Lance's."

"Yes."

"You're not planning on keeping it and staying with that bum are you?"

"Lance is not a bum. And yes, I'm having the baby. Lance and I are getting married next weekend, as a matter of fact."

"Well aren't you miss grown up? You're not playing house here, Katherine. You're bringing a real person into this world. And marriage, well, it's not something to be taken lightly."

"You're one to talk."

"I want you to come home. You can be home-schooled until you have the baby, and then we can put it up for adoption. Everything will be fine then."

"No. I'm marrying Lance, and we're going to have the baby. I…I was hoping you'd at the very least come to my wedding."

"I'm not supporting this."

"I don't want your support! I want your love!" Kitty said, close to tears.

"Katherine, if you go through with what you're planning, then I wash my hands of you. I'm not going to stand by and watch you ruin your life with a smile on my face."

"Mom, please…"

"No. Remember all you gave up when you're in your forties and as miserable as I am." The line went dead. Kitty sat there for a long time, just staring at the phone.

*** *** ***

When Kitty had pictured her wedding day, she'd seen herself wearing a flowing white dress, with all her friends and family gathered around her.

She hadn't expected being in a auto garage, being married by a mechanic who just happened to also have the credentials to perform a wedding ceremony. Still, she was happy. She'd grown close to the people at Rick's Garage during her time with Lance, and she was glad to have them around at least.

She forced herself not to laugh at the sight of Jeff standing beside Lance, acting as best man. The look on Lance's face when Jeff had elected himself as the only true candidate for the position had been priceless.

Kitty decided to concentrate on Lance and the task at hand. She was getting married. It seemed almost surreal, even as she recited the words and slipped the ring on his finger. She had to keep reminding herself that it was actually happening.

"Through the power invested in me by the State of Illinois, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride."

The words were still ringing in Kitty's ears as Lance's lips touched hers. She was his wife, and soon to be the mother of his child.

She wondered when it would all really sink in.

*** *** ***

It didn't take long for the news to spread around Deerfield High that Kitty Pryde was pregnant by and married to former school bad boy Lance Alvers. People watched everything she did as if she was a curiosity, a science project. She wondered if it would get worse once she started to show, or if the novelty would have worn off by then.

"Kitty, can I sit with you?"

Kitty looked up from her lunch in surprise. No one had wanted to sit with her in months, especially not one of her old friends. "Um, sure, Miriam, go ahead."

"I just wanted to say that I'm sorry."

"For what?"

Miriam looked down at her own tray. "For goin' with Rachel the way I did. I really sided with you personally, but I'm too scared to go against Rachel. She has power around here, y'know."

Kitty smirked. "Yeah, I noticed."

"If it helps at all, I think you'll be a real good Mom. I remember when I got so sick at school in the second grade and you helped me."

"Thanks," Kitty said with a small smile.

"Are you and Lance happy?"

"Yes. I love him a lot."

"I don't believe any of the stuff Rachel's been saying about you or him."

"Thank you."

"Look, I need to get going before Rachel finds out I was talking to you. I just…I just wanted to say that."

"Thanks."

"Take care, Kitty."

"You, too."

Miriam left and Kitty felt more alone than she had in a long time.

*** *** ***

Kitty felt funny laying on a metal table, her shirt scrunched up and cold gel rubbed on her stomach. Lance squeezed her hand. "You okay?"

"Yeah, just nervous, I guess."

The ultrasound technician smiled brightly at Kitty. "There's nothing to be worried about at all," she said. "I've done this plenty of times before. And in just a few minutes, you'll be able to see your baby for the first time."

Kitty lay there, letting the woman roll some strange tool over her belly until the technician told her to look at the screen. "There's your baby," she said, her voice perky.

Kitty watched the screen for a moment before looking over at Lance. She'd never seen quite that expression on his face before. He looked…in awe.

"Would you like to know the gender of your baby?" the technician asked.

Lance shrugged. "Your call, sweetheart."

Kitty nodded. "Yes."

The technician examined the screen, moving the device around on Kitty's stomach a little more. "Yep. I'd say almost with certainty that we have a little boy on our hands."

Kitty stared in awe at the image of the baby—her baby. Her son. The technician handed her a printout. "Her you go. Your baby's first picture."

Lance leaned over to see. Then kissed Kitty on the forehead. "I love you," he muttered.

"I love you, too," she said. "And you," she thought, smiling at the picture of her child.

*** *** ***

Linda poked her head in the door of Kitty's small office. "You know Lance is running around showing all the other mechanics that picture you guys got the last time you went to the doctor."

Kitty giggled. "I never thought he'd be this excited."

"Lance is crazy about you," Linda said. "And this baby, well, it's yours and his. I really think despite the circumstances surrounding the pregnancy, that delights him."

"I'm just so glad he's being supportive. If he'd freaked on me…"

"I know. But he won't, Kitty. Lance is…he's a good person."

"I know."

Kitty rubbed her stomach, the bulge just beginning to show. "It's going to be rough, but I think we'll be able to make it."

Linda smiled. "I know you will. That child is going to have two parents that love it so much."

"Thank you for everything you and Rick have been doing to help us, too."

"Anything you need, Katherine. After all, a child needs grandparents." Linda winked.

Kitty laughed. She felt then that everything was going to be all right.

*** *** ***

"Lance?"

Lance turned around, his eyes growing large when he saw Rachel Tabor standing in front of him. She was the last person he ever expected to see traipsing into Rick's Garage. "What the fuck do you want?" he growled. He gestured towards the car beside him. "I'm trying to work. I need to get home soon."

"Right. To your wife."

"Yeah, to my wife."

"Are you the only one here?"

"I was. And I was happy that way, I might add."

"Do you always work alone Tuesdays?"

"If it's really any interest to you, yes. Although from now on I'll be doubly sure to lock the front door so you can't bother me anymore. Get out of here, Rachel."

"But I worked so hard to find you, Lance," she said with a little pout.

"Yeah, well, you wasted your time. Anything you have to say, I don't want to hear it."

Rachel walked over to him, standing mere inches away from him. "Maybe we don't have to talk then."

Lance pushed her away, causing her to stumble a little before regaining her balance. "Get out."

"Come on, Lance. You can't tell me Pretty Kitty is actually keeping a man like you satisfied."

"My sex life, as if it's any of your business, is perfectly fine."

Rachel walked back over, draping her arms over his shoulders. "Remember how good it was that night?"

"No."

"Want me to remind you?"

"Hell no."

Rachel pouted again, and Lance decided she must have been misled at some point into thinking it made her look attractive. She trailed her hand down, cupping him through his jeans. Lance grabbed her hand, yanking it off him. "Don't. I'm not cheating on my wife, especially not with you. How stupid did you think I was when you came in here acting as if I'd actually go for you? I know what you're trying to do, and I'm not going to let you hurt Kitty that way."

Rachel feigned innocence. "I don't want to hurt, Kitty. I just want you sooo badly, and I know you want me, too. Lance…"

Lance didn't want to hear anymore. He picked her up, ignored her screams, and carried her to the front of the store, where he pushed her out the door, locking it behind her. He went back to work, turning up the radio to tune out the irate pounding.

*** *** ***

"Hey, Kitty!" Rachel called to Kitty as she saw her walking across the courtyard between classes.

Kitty froze. She recognized Rachel's voice, and she didn't want to hear anything she had to say. She kept walking.

"Hey!"

Kitty stopped again when she felt a hand on her shoulder. She lifted it off. "What, Rachel?"

Rachel walked in front of Kitty in order to make sure Kitty could see her smug look. "I was right about Lance, you know. He's already tired of you. And that baby sure isn't making him anymore interested."

"Rachel, you don't know anything about my relationship with Lance. Just go away."

"No? Then how'd I get this?" She held up a business card for Rick's Garage. "He said to call him there Tuesday nights, when he'll be the only one working."

Kitty wanted to know how Rachel knew that and how she got the card, but she didn't ask, figuring it was more of Rachel's manipulation. Even if Lance was going to cheat on her, she didn't think it would be with Rachel. "You're lying."

Rachel shrugged. "Delude yourself all you want. But I was there last night. Lance couldn't keep his hands off me."

"Lance wouldn't touch you again, Rachel. He can't stand you."

"Sex is sex, Kitty. Most men don't care where it comes from, as long as they're getting it every way they can."

"Leave me alone. I have to get to class."

Rachel rolled her eyes. "Please. You're pregnant and married at seventeen. You might as well kiss any chance of further education out the window." Kitty tried to walk off, but Rachel grabbed her arm. "I wasn't through talking to you yet."

"Rachel, let me go. If a teacher comes out here and sees you like this, you'll be written up for fighting," she said, hoping to appeal to Rachel's need to always appear perfect.

"I'll just say I was defending myself against you—the bad boy's whore. They'll believe it."

"Get away from me!" Kitty tried to break Rachel's grip, but Rachel pulled her back—hard. Kitty stumbled, and the next thing she knew, she was laying on the concrete of the school's courtyard. She felt a sudden pain grip her.

Rachel backed away. "Oh my God, oh my God," she kept muttering. "Kitty…I didn't mean to…"

The other kids had started to gather around, watching the situation in awe. Kitty clutched at her stomach. "Just find a teacher or something, please," Kitty begged Rachel.

Rachel ran and grabbed the first adult she saw. "An accident," she babbled. "I didn't mean…" She led the teacher to Kitty. "I made her fall," Rachel said, pointing to her once-friend. "I didn't mean to make her fall."

"Someone get the nurse! This girl's bleeding!"

"She's pregnant," Rachel said, through tears. "Oh God, she's pregnant."

The rest of the events surrounding her seemed to blur around Kitty, and the next thing she remembered clearly was a doctor leaning over her, telling her she'd lost her baby.

*** *** ***

Lance sat out in the hospital's waiting room, head in his hands. Rick patted him on the shoulder. "Kitty's going to be fine, son."

Lance looked up, and his face made it obvious he'd been crying. "But the baby…our baby…"

"I know." Rick wanted to tell him everything would be all right, but he couldn't. What could you tell a man who'd just found out he'd lost his son before he even got a chance to hold him?

Lance stood up. "I…I have to go. I just can't be here right now."

"Lance, you can't leave," Linda said. "Kitty needs you right now."

"You guys be here for her, okay? Heck, I think the nurses think you're her parents."

"Lance, she's going to want you," Rick said.

"I can't. I'm sorry. I'll be back. I love her, but…I can't."

Lance got out and walked out of the hospital. "Should you go after him?" Linda asked her husband.

"He won't listen. Lance doesn't want to face reality right now, so he won't."

"But Kitty…"

"I know," Rick said. "Believe me, I know exactly what Kitty's going to have to face with him."

*** *** ***

Lance knew he should be by his wife's side. After all, she'd just lost a child, too, and it was probably even more devastating to her. The baby she'd been growing inside her had been ripped from her by a girl who Kitty had once called a friend.

But Lance couldn't handle Kitty's heartache then. His was too strong, and he had to make it go away the only way he knew how.

He sat on the floor of their apartment and drank until he couldn't remember anymore.

*** *** ***

Kitty wanted Lance. She didn't even know why he wasn't there. Linda and Rick were being evasive. Had she been feeling better, she would've demanded they tell her exactly where her husband was. Instead, she just mumbled something about needing him.

It was the following afternoon before Lance came back. He walked into her hospital room. Kitty took one look at him and rolled over the other way. "Kitty, baby, don't be mad," Lance said softly.

"You haven't wanted to be here before. Don't be here now."

"Kitty, I'm sorry, okay? I was just…upset."

Kitty turned back over, her eyes filled with tears. "What, and I wasn't? I didn't want to be alone last night, Lance! You could've been here. Where the hell were you anyway?"

"I just…had to get away for a little while. I'm sorry."

"You were supposed to be here for me."

"I know. And I feel bad, I do. I just…I don't handle loss well."

Kitty wanted to be more angry at him, but she needed him close to her. She tried to understand, to see things from his point of view. She reached out her hand to him. "Come here."

Lance sat down beside her, holding her hand. "I love you," he said. "I love you so much."

"I love you, too." Kitty looked away. "I'm sorry."

"Sorry? For what?"

"For losing the baby."

"Kitty, that wasn't your fault. It was that bitch Rachel Tabor. What happened anyway?"

"She was trying to convince me you two were having an affair. I wouldn't listen to her, and she tried to make me stay. She grabbed me, and it made me fall."

Lance's jaw tightened. "Why couldn't she just leave us alone?"

"Because she thinks she has to be in control all the time."

"Do you want to press charges against her?"

"Lance, please, don't ask me that right now."

Lance recognized that as a no. He already knew his wife well enough to be able to see that. "Kitty, her petty jealous behavior cost us our child!"

"There's nothing we can do to change that, either. Ruining Rachel's life won't bring the baby back."

"Kitty, she…"

"I don't want to talk about it! I just want to get out of the hospital, go home, and try to put this past us, okay? Dragging things out with Rachel—it'll only make it worse. Her parents will fight it with the best lawyer they can buy, and we'll end up with nothing anyway, except maybe more stress and debt."

"I wish you'd change your mind."

"I'm not going to."

"I know."

"I have to ask you something else."

"What?"

"Do you still want to be married?"

Kitty looked up at Lance in shock. "How could you ask a question like that at a time like this?"

"It's an important question, Kitty. We got married because of the baby, and well now…"

Kitty turned away from him. "Go away. I don't want to talk to you right now."

"Kitty…"

"Look, if you only married be 'cause you knocked me up, then fine, leave now. Here's your out."

"That isn't what I meant! I married you because I love you. I'd be lying if I said the baby had nothing to do with the decision, but it affected the timing more than anything else. I don't want to lose you, but I thought… Well, you're only seventeen, and…"

Kitty turned back over again. "Please don't start the 'we're not right together' shit again. I'm not in the mood."

"No! That's not what I'm saying either. I just wanted to know if you really wanted to be married so young. I mean, we could be together without the whole marriage thing."

"Would you rather we weren't married?"

"Honestly? No."

"So you don't mind being married so young? I mean, nineteen isn't exactly that much older than seventeen."

"You're the best thing that ever happened to me, Kitty."

"Then let's stick it out, okay? We said for better or for worse. I meant that, Lance."

"I did, too."

Lance sat on the edge of the hospital bed, and Kitty rested her head in his lap. They stayed that way for a long time, with Lance running his fingers through her hair, and neither of them speaking.

*** *** ***

"Today would've been my due date."

Lance looked over at Kitty. It had been several months since she lost the baby, but he could tell she was nowhere near over it. He reached his arms out to her, and she moved across the room into them without hesitation. Lance held her, trying to let her know that he was there, no matter what.

"I wasn't sure if I wanted it, the whole time I was pregnant. I just kept thinking, what was I going to do with a baby, y'know? Sometimes I'd wish—I'd wish I'd never gotten pregnant. I thought it would be better for us if we weren't parents so soon. And now, well, I feel guilty, Lance. Like I wished the baby away."

Lance held Kitty tighter. "It wasn't your fault, Kitty. You don't need to feel guilty about having doubts. Anyone would have. And you didn't make us lose the baby—Rachel did."

"I know, I just…I know."

"We'll be all right, Kit. We'll be all right."

*** *** ***

Kitty didn't bother to go to her graduation. She just picked up her diploma in the office and left high school behind. She gotten a large scholarship to the University of Chicago, and while she'd said she probably shouldn't go, seeing as they'd have to move and there would still be some tuition she'd have to pay, Lance had insisted she go to school. He didn't want to be what held her back from doing what she wanted with her life.

The move, while only to an apartment thirty minutes away, was hard to Kitty. She'd spent her whole life in Deerfield, and moving into Chicago seemed like a huge deal somehow. But Rick got Lance a job with a friend in the city, and Kitty was able to find part time work near the campus. It was like she was really putting her past behind her. Things were tight, but they were making it.

Kitty liked college life. She fit in better than she ever really had in high school, finding people she could really connect with. Lance was happy to see her doing so well, and was glad he'd convinced her to make the move.

Things were the best for them they had ever been.

*** *** ***

Kitty had decided by the second term of her freshman year that a computer science major was the route she wanted to take. She didn't mind being one of the few—and sometimes the only—girls in her courses, instead getting a thrill when she often outshone her male counterparts.

She was sitting in one of her computer courses the first day of her sophomore year when she heard someone ask if the seat beside her was taken. She turned around to see a tall man, with blonde hair and blue eyes smiling down at her.

"Um, no, have a seat," she said.

"Thanks." He sat beside her, then turned to smile at her again. "I'm Chris Marks, by the way," he said.

"Kitty Alvers."

"I know. We were in English 101 together last term. You probably didn't notice me. It's a big class, and I sat in the back. English isn't my subject."

"Are you a computer science major?"

"Yep. I'm just looking for my chance to make it out to Silicone Valley so I can make millions," he said with a laugh. "You?"

"Computer science major, too. Don't know what I want to do with the degree just yet though."

Chris started to say something else, but then the professor came in, and everyone grew quiet, listening to him speak. It wasn't until the end of the class that Chris turned back over to her again. "Enjoyed sitting beside you," he said. "You sure do seem to know your stuff. Everything you said in class was brilliant."

Kitty blushed at the praise. "I don't know if I'd say brilliant exactly…"

"I would."

"Thank you."

"Hey, would you like to go get a cup of coffee or something?"

"I can't," Kitty said. "I have to meet with my advisor after this class."

"After that then?"

"I can't. I'm sorry."

Chris frowned. "Let me guess, boyfriend?"

Kitty held up her left hand and showed off her rings. "Husband."

"Ouch." He smiled. "That's all right. You seem nice. Maybe we can talk sometime—just as friends. I'm really not the type to move in on someone else's girl."

"All right. Look, I really have to run. I need to get all the way across campus. I'll see you next time in class."

"See you then, Kitty."

Kitty nodded before grabbing her books and leaving the room.

*** *** ***

Chris sat beside her again the next time the class met. "How'd you do getting through the reading assignment?" he asked.

Kitty groaned. "I wanted to shoot myself in the head by page two."

"And you had quite a bit left," Chris said with a laugh.

"Tell me about it. Between school and work, I'm surprised I have time to breath, let alone read a hundred pages for one class. My apartment is a mess."

"What, you can't put the husband to work doing dishes?" Chris teased.

Kitty laughed. "He helps out, trust me. He works overtime a lot, though."

"Any kids?"

Kitty flinched. "No."

Chris caught her reaction. "I take it that's a sore subject."

"I lost a baby a couple of years ago," she said, not sure why she was divulging personal information to a virtual stranger. "It's still—difficult sometimes."

"I'm sorry."

"It's all right."

"You have any meetings after this class?"

"No."

"Still refusing to have coffee with me?"

"I don't know how good of an idea that is," Kitty said with a laugh.

"Is Lance the jealous type? Because I swear, I'm not hitting on you."

"As far as I know, he isn't. And it's not that. I just…don't have a lot of free time."

"That's okay. I'm used to getting the brush off." Chris winked.

"The professor's here," Kitty said, pointing to the door as their teacher walked in.

Chris gave her a lopsided grin before turning away.

*** *** ***

"Will you turn me down for a study date?"

Chris had been persistent in his attempts to meet Kitty outside of class, and apparently he thought the upcoming test was a good opportunity. "Study date?"

"Yeah. Look, Kitty, you're acing this class, and well, as my recent quiz grade indicated, I'm not doing so hot. I cant afford to blow this course, with my GPA on the edge the way it is right now, and I could really use some help. Please?"

"Okay, fine. When and where do you want to meet?"

"Library around five thirty?"

"Make it six thirty, and you have a deal."

"Done."

*** *** ***

As it neared time for Kitty to get off work, she called Lance to tell him she wouldn't be coming straight home. "Where are you going?" he asked.

"Library to study with a classmate," she said. "We have a major test coming up."

Lance was quiet for a moment. "Do I know her?"

"It's a him, actually. Chris."

"Oh. You've never talked about him before."

"I don't know him very well. Look, I need to finish up here so I can get out and meet him by six thirty. I don't want to be there all night. I'll be home before too long, I promise."

Kitty could tell from Lance's tone that he wasn't happy. "All right. Be careful, and I love you."

"Love you, too. Bye, hon."

"Bye."

Kitty couldn't figure out why she felt guilty when she hung up the phone.

*** *** ***

Lance waited until midnight to start getting worried. Kitty had studied in the library after work plenty of times before, but never this late. She was usually home no later than ten o'clock, and even that had been during finals week.

It was close to one in the morning when Kitty finally got in. Lance was sitting on the couch, looking less than thrilled. "Where the hell have you been?"

Kitty jumped, startled. "Lance! I didn't think you'd still be up! And I told you where I was going."

"Yeah, seven hours ago."

"I'm sorry, Lance. Chris and I got to talking and…"

Lance jumped up. "Dammit, Kitty, I don't like you staying out until the wee hours of the morning with another man!"

"It wasn't like that, Lance, I swear! He's knows I'm married."

"Yeah, like that's gonna stop him."

Kitty sighed in exasperation. "Don't be that way, Lance. I'm tired, and I have to get up early in the morning. The last thing I need is your freaking out on me over something that doesn't mean a damn thing."

"You could've at least called to let me know you were going to be later than usual. I was worried."

Kitty walked over and wrapped her arms around him. "I'm sorry. I really didn't mean to be out this late. It won't happen again, okay?"

"I hope not."

"C'mon, let's go to bed."

Lance nodded, and they went off towards the bedroom.

*** *** ***

Kitty's study dates with Chris grew more commonplace as the semester went on. Lance's patience began to thin. It seemed as if Kitty was spending more time with Chris than with him. Things came to a boil around finals when Lance came home to find Chris in his house, studying with Kitty on the living room floor. Lance didn't have to ask who it was.

"Kitty, can I talk to you in the kitchen for a moment, babe?"

Kitty looked up from her text book, "Lance, I'm sorta busy."

"Now, Kit." Lance stalked into the kitchen. Kitty looked up at Chris who just shrugged. She sighed, and went after her husband.

"What?"

"Make him leave."

Kitty's jaw fell open a little. "What? Lance, we have our final the day after tomorrow. I'm just helping him study."

"I don't care. I want him out of my house."

"I pay rent here, too, you know."

"I know. But I don't want him here. I don't like him."

"You don't even know him!"

"I don't have to know him. I saw the way he was looking at you when I came in. He's not interested in being just a friend, Kitty."

"You're paranoid."

"Either he leaves, or I leave."

"I'm not kicking him out."

"Fine." Lance started towards the door.

"Where are going?"

"Out." Lance slammed the door behind him.

Kitty looked over at Chris, who was sitting on the floor, obviously made uncomfortable by the scene. "I take it that was Lance."

"Yeah. I'm so sorry about that, Chris. Apparently he is the jealous type."

"Do you want me to go?" Chris asked.

"No. He'll cool off. He just gets in these moods sometimes. It'll be fine."

"He doesn't…hit you does he?"

"Oh God, no!" Kitty said. "Geez, Lance would never be violent with me. He just has…moments of petulance."

Chris chuckled a little. "You think you'll still be able to concentrate on this?" he asked, gesturing to the spread of books and papers in front of him.

"Yeah. I'm just going to make a cup of tea. Want some?"

"Sure."

Kitty smiled. "Okay. I'll be right back."

*** *** ***

Kitty could smell the alcohol on Lance when he finally got back and came to bed that night. He didn't say anything, just stripping down to his boxers and collapsing on the bed. "Where'd you go," she asked softly.

Lance moved, startled, and Kitty figured he'd thought she was asleep. "I told you, out."

"Out where?"

"None of your damn business."

"Lance, I'm your wife. When you're gone all night and come back smelling pickled, it's my business."

"You're a smart girl, Kitty. Figure out where I was."

"Geez, why do you have to be such an asshole sometimes?"

"Why do you have to bring some guy over here who's obviously sniffing after your cunt?"

Kitty was silent for a second. "You don't know him, Lance. We were studying together. That's it."

"Maybe that's all it is to you. I know men, Kitty. Constant studying with a girl is for a lot more than good grades in a class."

"Maybe for you. Chris actually cares about his education," Kitty snapped. She knew immediately she'd gone too far. Lance's one try at passing the GED had ended in failure, and Kitty knew his lack of even a high school degree had been bothering him, especially recently. "Lance, I'm sorry, I didn't mean…"

"Yeah, whatever. I'm going to sleep."

"Lance…"

"Good night, Katherine."

"Fine!" Kitty said, rolling over and moving as far away from Lance as possible. She didn't fall asleep for quiet some time.

*** *** ***

Lance was remorseful the next day, and Kitty forgave him. She always did. It was easy to just write the night off as an isolated incident, not one in a series.

Two days later, she took her final, then found Chris waiting for her in the hallway. "I never thought you'd be done. What, are you hoping the professor will grade yours by the pound?"

Kitty gave him a dirty look. "I just like to be thorough."

"Well, I'm sure whatever you wrote, it's better than mine."

"Don't say that," Kitty said, playfully slapping his arm. "You knew that stuff backwards and forwards. I made sure of it."

"What do you say we go grab a bite to eat to celebrate? I know you've got to be hungry. At least let me buy you a sandwich to say thank you for all your help."

Kitty knew she should say no, but she didn't want to. If Lance was going to be a jerk about her having male friends, that was his problem. "Sounds great," she said.

Chris smiled. "Then let's get out of here."

*** *** ***

As the next semester came and went, Kitty's friendship with Chris only grew stronger as the tension at home boiled near a breaking point. It finally snapped when Kitty was getting ready to go to a party.

"Since when did you even go to parties?"

Kitty sighed. Lance had been sitting behind her on the bed the whole time she was getting ready, pouting. "Look, I have some free time for once, and I want to go out. I asked you to come with me."

"I have better things to do than hang out at some frat party."

"It's not a frat party."

"Whatever."

Kitty turned away from the bathroom mirror, looking out into the bedroom at Lance. "I wish you would come. We never do anything together anymore."

"That's because you're always with Chris."

"I am not always with Chris. You're working late all the time these days. I'm asleep by the time you get home half the time."

For a moment, Lance looked almost guilty. "I'm sorry. I just need to work all I can."

"I know."

Kitty finished putting on her make-up and came back into the bedroom. She looked beautiful, and Lance wished she was going to stay there in his arms instead of go out and leave him alone. "He's going to be there, isn't he?"

"Chris?"

"Yeah."

"The party's at his house, Lance."

Lance jumped up. "What! You didn't tell me that."

"Yes I did!"

"No you didn't! I would've remembered that."

Kitty sighed. "Well, I meant to. Sure you don't want to come. Chris said to invite you…"

"He only said that because he knew I wouldn't come, and then I'd be the jerky husband who left you alone all night so Chris could have free reign of you."

Kitty rolled her eyes. "For God's sake, Lance, that's ridiculous."

"Trust me, Kitty. I know how men think. He wants you, and he's moving in for the kill."

"Dammit, Lance, I'm not a gazelle. Just come with me, okay?"

"No. And I don't want you going either."

"I'm going."

"Kitty, I'm serious. This 'friendship' with Chris Marks has gone on long enough."

"No, what has gone on long enough is you not trusting me! I'm not having an affair, nor do I plan on having an affair. You're my husband, and I love you—end of story."

"I trust you, Kitty—I just don't trust him."

"Trusting me should be enough, Lance. If Chris were to make a move—which he won't—I wouldn't just fall into his arms. I'm not that weak."

"You say that now."

Kitty threw her arms up in disgust. "Is there anything I can say to convince you I'm not going to go out and fuck another man?"

"Yeah, that you're staying here."

"Bye, Lance. I'll see you later tonight."

"Don't walk out that door, Kitty."

"I'll do whatever the hell I want, Lance. I'm twenty years old. I can go to a party if I damn well please."

"Fine, you know, what, just go. I don't want you here tonight anyway."

"Good, 'cause I don't want to be here!" Kitty stormed out, and Lance waited until he heard her drive off to leave, too.

*** *** ***

"I take it Lance couldn't make it?"

"He…he…" Kitty couldn't come up with a good excuse. "No."

"If you don't mind me commenting," Chris said, "You two seem to fight a lot."

"We don't always," Kitty said. "It's been…a recent thing."

Chris frowned. "I can't help thinking I'm causing a problem between the two of you."

"Don't feel that way," Kitty said. "Lance'll get over it as soon as he figures out there's really nothing going on between us."

"I can't really blame him," Chris said. "If you were my wife, I sure as hell wouldn't want any other men around you."

Kitty wasn't sure why that made her blush. "Thanks, I think."

Chris chuckled. "Hey, you want the grand tour of the place?"

"Won't the other guests miss the host?" Kitty asked.

"Nah, they'll live. Come on."

Kitty followed Chris as he showed her around his house. "This is pretty big for a college student," she said. "I think you're about the only person I know who doesn't live in an apartment."

Chris shrugged. "My parents own it. They were renting it out for a while, but when I started going to college, they gave it to me as sort of a present. It's more space than I really need, but I didn't want to turn them down." He opened another door. "Here's the master bedroom," he said.

Kitty balked a little. It was huge. She frowned. "Chris, how much money do your parents have?"

Chris shrugged. "A good bit, I guess. I never really thought about it much. Dad's CEO of a company."

"Wow. Must be nice."

"It has it's perks. Come here, I want to show you something." Chris took her hand and led her to a pair of French doors at the back of the room. He opened them, revealing a small balcony. "Come on out," he said, gently pulling her hand. "It's got a nice view."

Kitty stepped out, looking up at the nice sky. "It's beautiful."

Chris stared at the way her hair cascaded down her back in waves. "It certainly is."

"Chris I…" Kitty turned around and stopped short. He was moving closer and she could tell he was going to kiss her. She froze, unable to move, and not sure if she wanted to. She felt a sudden, overwhelming sense of curiosity. What would it be like to kiss Chris? Could he make her feel the way Lance did?

Chris's lips met hers, gently at first, but with growing pressure. Kitty found that she didn't dislike the kiss, and while it did thrill her a little, it wasn't like with Lance. She didn't feel the overpowering tumbling sensation she felt every time she kissed her husband. Chris pulled away, and she looked down. "That shouldn't have happened," she said.

Chris sighed. "I was afraid you'd say that."

"Chris, I'm sorry. You're a great guy, and maybe under different circumstances, this could go somewhere, but I love my husband."

"I understand." He smiled. "I just hoped…I don't want to lose you as a friend, Kitty."

"I don't want to lose that, either. But nothing more, okay?"

"Yeah, okay. Call me?"

"I will."

Chris nodded, and Kitty left the party. She wasn't surprised to find Lance gone when she got home, and she knew he'd be drunk when he got back. She went to bed and cried herself to sleep.

*** *** ***

"Mrs. Alvers?" Kitty's landlord poked his head out from the office when Kitty came into the building. "Can I talked to you for a moment?"

"Sure, John." Kitty walked over. "What's up?"

"Um, well, as you probably already know you're almost two months behind on rent…"

Kitty blanched. "What? No I'm not. Lance said he paid both this month and the month before."

John suddenly looked very nervous. He hated having to tell young wives things like this. "No, Mrs. Alvers, he didn't. I talked to your husband yesterday, as a matter of fact, and he said things were a little rough for the two of you, but that you'd have the rent soon. He seemed like he was in a hurry to get out of here, so I thought I could talk to you about it."

Kitty was close to tears. "There has to be some mistake…"

"There's not. I'm sorry. I like you kids, and I don't want to put you out on the street, but I have to have your rent."

"Can I…can I just pay for this month now? I'll get you next month's as soon as I can."

"Sure," John said, knowing he didn't have the heart to tell her otherwise. "Just try not to get behind again, okay?"

"I won't, I promise." Kitty pulled her checkbook out of her purse and wrote a check to cover that month's rent.

"Thank you," John said, taking the check. "Oh, and I think you might want to have a talk with your husband."

Kitty nodded tersely. "I will."

*** *** ***

Kitty called Lance at work as soon as she got back in the apartment. "Lance Alvers?" the man on the other end of the line asked. "Ma'am, he hasn't worked here for a few weeks. Who is this?"

"This is his wife. Why hasn't he been working?"

The man was obviously uncomfortable. "He got fired," he said after a brief pause.

"Why?"

"I'm not supposed to say."

"Tell me why my husband lost his job," Kitty said, her voice almost a growl.

"He…he wasn't showing up to work. And when he did, he was drunk."

Kitty resisted the urge to yell at the man just because he was there. "Thank you." She hung up the phone and waited for Lance to come home.

*** *** ***

Lance had never seen Kitty as furious as when he walked into their apartment that night. "How was work?" she asked, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "Oh, wait, you don't work anymore, do you? When exactly were you planning to tell me you got fired?"

Lance knew there was no point in lying anymore. "I'm sorry. I was going to tell you soon, really."

"Yeah, well, in the meantime, we're flat broke, Lance. After the rent check—which you were supposed to have already paid—clears, we'll have twenty dollars in the bank. I don't get paid for another week, and as of now, we're a month behind on rent."

Lance looked down. "I'm sorry."

"That doesn't do any good. I've ignored this for too long, Lance. You're a drunk."

Lance looked up, anger in his eyes. "I am not a drunk! My parents were drunks, I'm not."

"What do you call someone who loses their job because they can't show up to work sober?"

"I've had a lot of stress on me recently!"

"What, and being unemployed is going to make that all better?"

"I'm looking for a new job."

"Must be difficult to do that from a bar!"

"I don't need you nagging me!"

"I'm not nagging! We're poor, and you've drunk your job away!"

"Then why don't you go find some college boy to take care of you!"

"Maybe I will!" Kitty headed for the door.

"Where the hell are you going?"

She grabbed her purse. "For once, I'm going to be the one to leave." She slammed the door behind her.

*** *** ***

Lance was sitting on the couch when she got home. "Hey," she said softly.

Lance jumped up and moved over to her, pulled her to him. "I'm so sorry, baby. I'm so sorry."

"You're…you're sober," she said in surprise.

He nodded. "I…I feel awful. God, I hate myself right now. I kept being afraid you were with Chris, and it was driving me crazy. I won't drink anymore, I promise. I'll go out and get a job tomorrow—anything I can find. I'll be a better husband."

Kitty started to cry. "Something's gotta give, Lance," she said. "I can't live this way anymore. I can't live with an alcoholic."

"I know. I can stop drinking, Kitty. I can. Give me another chance."

Kitty nodded numbly. "Just hold me right now."

*** *** ***

He lasted exactly one week. Kitty came back from school one afternoon to find Lance gone. When he came back, the smell made his earlier whereabouts obvious. Kitty looked at him, her eyes sad. "You promised."

"I'm sorry."

"It's over, Lance."

"Kitty, no! I just slipped this once, baby. Just this once…" He sat down on the couch, clutching his head. The room was spinning. He heard the door shut a few minutes later, and knew he'd lost the only good thing he'd ever had in his life.

*** *** ***

Kitty didn't know where else to go. While she had friends, most of them lived with roommates in dorms on campus. She couldn't just show up on their doorsteps in the middle of the night, looking for a place to crash. The only person she could think of was Chris. She knew his house was big, and she had a good feeling he'd let her in.

Chris looked rumpled from sleep when he answered the door. He took one look at Kitty and frowned. "Kitty! What happened to you?"

"I…I left Lance," she said.

Chris wrapped his arm around her shoulders and escorted her into the house. "Oh my God, Kitty, I'm so sorry," he said, making himself sound as genuine as possible, despite the fact that he was thrilled that she'd left the husband Chris considered a deadbeat. He led her over to the couch. "Have a seat, and I'll get you a cup of tea to warm you up, okay?"

"Thank you," Kitty said. "I'm sorry for coming over so late like this. I just didn't know where else to go."

"It's all right. You're welcome over here, any time of day or night."

"Thanks."

Chris disappeared into the kitchen and returned a few minutes later with a cup of tea for Kitty. "You can stay here as long as you want, you know."

"I couldn't."

"Sure ya could. I have plenty of guest rooms."

"I'm not, I mean, I…"

"I know," Chris said. "And that's okay. I wouldn't try to make a move on you. I feel terrible for kissing you the other night."

"Don't feel bad about that."

"Look, it makes sense for you to stay here for a little while, all right? At least while you get back on your feet."

Kitty had to admit to herself, it did make sense. "Can I sleep on it?"

"Of course."

*** *** ***

Kitty came home looking dazed. Chris was in the kitchen, cooking dinner. "Hard day at work?"

Kitty shook her head. "The divorce…it was final today."

"Oh. I'm sorry, Kitten."

"I just can't believe it's really over. I mean, I loved him so much, and now…it's over. Just like that."

"You don't still love him, do you?"

"No! Of course not. After all he put me through…"

Chris frowned. "You seem pretty upset for someone who isn't in love anymore."

"It's just difficult to accept," Kitty said. "I'm moving on, but it isn't easy."

"Maybe if you had someone to help you, it would be easier."

"What…what do you mean?"

"Kitty, I know I promised you that our living arrangements would be strictly platonic, but I just can't deny how I feel for you anymore. I love you more than I even thought it was possible to love anyone. Please, at least let me try to make you happy."

"Chris, I don't know. I mean, you're a great guy and I care about you, but the timing…"

Chris grabbed her and kissed her, not wanting to give up yet. Kitty froze at first, but quickly gave in to his insistent caress. She wanted to lose herself in him, wanted to forget what she'd had with Lance. She pushed herself up against Chris more, telling herself that she could move on.

Chris reached over and turned off the stove before carrying her upstairs.

*** *** ***

Kitty watched Chris beside her, snoring lightly. She crept out of the bed, slipping Chris's discarded shirt on before going out onto the balcony. She thought about how Chris had first kissed her there, when she'd still be Lance's wife. Then, the kiss had disappointed her on the grounds that it held none of the knee-weakening passion every touch of Lance's instilled in her. That aspect hadn't changed. Kitty guessed she couldn't really complain, since Chris adored her and did everything he could to make her happy, but he just couldn't make her melt the way her husband had. She knew she'd never have that again. She'd made the safe choice, trading passion for comfort.

Kitty leaned over the balcony, tears rolling down her cheeks. She wondered where Lance was, and if he was all right. She'd tried so hard to be angry at him when she'd first left, tried hard to hate him for the direction her life had taken since she'd gotten with him. She couldn't. She'd known what she'd been getting into, or at least she should have.

She wondered if she should've just walked away when they first started getting together, and Lance had kept telling her that they'd be better off apart. She could've left, could've avoided all the heartache and pain she'd known over the years. If she'd only known…

Kitty shook her head. She would've done it anyway. If she'd known from the start how much loving Lance was going to hurt, she would've still loved him. She couldn't have helped it. She'd loved him too deeply from the start, and even now that she was with another man and no longer Lance's wife, her feelings for him hadn't died. She stroked the finger that once held his rings, and cried harder. She wished she could wake up, and find that it was all a dream—that she was still in Lance's arms, and that he'd chosen her over the alcohol.

It was a long time before she could go back in to Chris.

*** *** ***

Kitty hung up the phone, still in shock, hardly able to believe that conversation had actually taken place. She'd applied not expecting to ever be accepted. Could she take the job? She'd spent the past six months since her college graduation unemployed, but now…

"Chris!" she called. "Chris! Come downstairs."

Chris walked down to her. "What is it, Kitten?"

"I got the job!" she said. "They actually want me."

"Who?"

She furrowed her brow. "The FBI. They want me working in their tech crimes division right here in Chicago."

"You seem happy."

"Well, yeah. I mean, when I heard about the opening, I knew I'd always wanted to do something like that, but I never expected to actually get it."

Chris's expression was non-responsive. "When would you start?"

"Monday."

Chris sighed. "Kitty, honey, you're obviously very excited about this, but I think you need to think it through. The FBI is, well, a dangerous job."

"I wouldn't be a field agent," she said. "I would have to fly to Virginia for some training seminars and stuff, but I'd be basically in the Chicago office all the time, doing stuff from a computer."

"I don't like it."

"Chris, it's what I want to do. I can't pass up this opportunity."

"I don't even understand why you want a job. I told you we can get married, and you can stay home and take care of the house, and eventually, the kids."

"I don't want to do that!"

"Why not? You'd be completely taken care of."

"Because I don't want to be my mother!" Kitty shouted. "Being a housewife is fine for lots of women, I know, but I wouldn't be happy. I'm just too independent for that."

"I don't want my wife working for the FBI."

"Chris, we're not even engaged."

"Only because you keep saying you're not ready!"

"I'm not!"

"When will you be?"

"I don't know."

Chris met her eyes. "So you can marry a drunk high school drop-out, but you can't marry a man with a college degree and a good job?"

"Geez Chris, could you make me sound anymore like a bimbo?"

"I don't know! Hey, how about this—I knock you up and then see how quickly you marry me?"

Kitty stepped back a few feet, horror on her face. "I…I can't believe you said that."

Chris did look apologetic. "Kitty, I didn't mean…I'm sorry. I wasn't thinking when I said that." Kitty started upstairs. "Where are you going?" Chris called after her. She didn't answer with words, only with the slamming of the bedroom door. Chris ran up and knocked on the door. "Let me in, Kitty."

"No!"

"Kitty, please, darling. I'm sorry. I'm just worried about you, taking a job like that. Come out and talk to me, okay?"

"No!"

"Open the damn door, Katherine."

"Go away! I don't want to see you right now!"

Chris pounded harder on the door. Kitty could hear him trying to bust in, and suddenly she felt afraid. The door broke off the hinges, and he came barging in, grabbing her and slamming her against the wall. Kitty started up at him in shock. He'd never been violent, but now, with the look in his eyes, she was fearing for her life. "Chris…"

Chris's eyes changed, as if he suddenly came back to himself. "Kitty…"

He let her go, and Kitty started to cry. She slipped down the wall, sitting on the floor and sobbing uncontrollably. Chris sat down in front of her, and pulled her to him. "I'm so sorry, Kitten," he said, soothingly. "I'm so sorry…"

"You…you were gonna hit me," Kitty said.

"I wouldn't have," Chris assured her. "I never would've hit you."

"What happened, Chris?"

"I'm sorry. I thought…I thought I'd dealt with it."

"Dealt with what?"

Chris looked at the floor. "My problem."

"I deserve more of an explanation than that."

"I've had anger management issues ever since I was a kid. I just…snap sometimes. It's rare nowadays. Hasn't happened in a while."

"But it could happen again?"

"Yes."

"I can't live with that, Chris."

"Kitty, please, don't say that. I can work on it more, I swear. I love you, I really do."

"When you came after me, you were like another person," Kitty said. "You scared me. I can't just get passed that, especially when I know it can happen again."

"It won't," Chris said, his voice firm. "I won't let it happen."

Kitty pulled away from him. "No. I'm sorry, but I just can't put myself in this situation."

"I love you, Kitten. I love you."

Kitty turned away from him. She wasn't going to let herself fall into this type of relationship again.

It was time for her to be on her own.

*** *** ***

For the first time in her life, Kitty Pryde had her own place. She was making enough money at the FBI to comfortably support herself, and she was finding she liked independence. She finally knew who she was.

Still, sometimes late at night, she'd get lonely. She brought home a stray cat from the SPCA, but it wasn't the same. She'd often sit on the couch and wonder where Lance was those days.

It didn't surprise her that she never thought about Chris.

Her cat sat beside her, meowing for her attention. She scratched him behind the ears, and he purred. "Must be pretty nice to be a cat, huh, Stan?" she asked. "Never having any worries." The cat mewed.

At twenty-five, Kitty had been divorced for close to three years. Sometimes she couldn't believe that had ever been her life, and sometimes she couldn't believe it wasn't anymore.

She stopped petting Stan, and he nipped at her hand, trying to get her attention. She sighed, and started to stroke him absent-mindedly. Three years divorced, and she was still in love. She wondered what it was about Lance Alvers that made it impossible for her to just move on.

Maybe she'd find the answer someday and be finally free.

*** *** ***

Kitty stood on the side of the highway, kicking her car. She sighed. That wasn't helping. It had been working fine when she'd left work, but about fifteen miles up the road, her check engine light came on. A few seconds later, there was a popping sound, and she was just able to make it to the shoulder before it died completely.

The tow truck she called finally made it, loading her car onto the back. He helped her into his cab. "Where do you want me to take this, ma'am?" he asked.

"Whatever's closest," Kitty said.

The tow truck driver frowned. "There's a place five miles away, but I wouldn't trust them. Owner has a habit of jackin' up the price, especially when there's a pretty young woman involved. Now there's a place a little bit further up the road that's newer, but I think it's better. The guy who runs it is a real professional. He'll get ya fixed up, and for a good deal, too."

Kitty was inclined to take the man's advice. "All right, Take me there, then."

The driver nodded, and they took off.

*** *** ***

Kitty decided she hadn't been led astray. The auto shop the tow truck driver had taken her to was nice, with a friendly staff. The receptionist—Sandra—had been one of the most accommodating individuals Kitty had ever met, going out of her way to make sure Kitty was comfortable while she waited to find out what was wrong with her car and how long it would take to get it fixed.

Kitty looked out a long pane of glass to where her car was being worked on. She caught sight of one of the mechanics and blanched. It couldn't be… She wanted him to turn around, to show her she was wrong, but he didn't. "Who's that?" she asked Sandra, pointing to the man.

Sandra looked where Kitty was pointing. "Him? That's the owner. Lance Alvers."

"Can I…can I go out there?" Kitty asked.

"Customers aren't usually allowed," she replied. "Legal issues, you know. It's sorta dangerous out there."

"Lance is…my ex husband," Kitty said.

Sandra's eyes grew wide. "Wow. I saw you're name was Katherine Pryde, but I didn't think… Yeah, go on out. Lance'll want to see you, I'm sure."

"He's…he's talked about me?"

"Oh yeah." Sandra looked around, as if she was about to say something conspiratorially. "Most of us around here think he never got over you."

Kitty wasn't sure how to take what she was hearing. Lance talked about her to the point his employees believed he was still in love? It couldn't be real… "How long has he owned this place?" Kitty asked.

"Two years. He took out a loan to buy it from the last owner, and he runs it better than he ever did, if you ask me. He's a shrewd business man, Lance."

That didn't sound like the man Kitty had divorced. She'd certainly changed a lot in three years—was it possible he had, too? She stepped out into the bay. "Lance?"

Lance wheeled around, staring at his ex-wife in disbelief. "Kitty? What are you doing here?"

She pointed to the Honda behind him. "That's my car."

Lance smiled briefly. "I'm sorry to hear that."

"That bad?"

"It can be fixed. I'll go ahead and work on it, see what I can get done tonight." He started to walk away.

"Lance!"

He turned back around. "Yes?"

"That's it?"

"Yeah, Kitty, that's it."

"But, I…"

"You walked out on me three years ago, Kitty. Now let me see if I can get your car running so you can leave my life again."

Kitty turned around and went back to the waiting room.

*** *** ***

"I hope you know you're an asshole, Alvers."

Lance didn't look up from the car engine. "I don't want to hear it, Sandra."

"Your ex-wife is sitting in the waiting room sobbing hysterically."

"That's great. Now she can know some of the pain she put me through."

"Oh come off it, Lance. I'm sure she knew plenty of pain over your break up. You were a drunk, Lance. I'll bet good money that you put the poor girl through hell."

"Yeah, well, she could've stuck with me a little longer. I sobered up."

"Because she left your sorry ass."

"How much do you like your job? Look, tell Ms. Pryde her car'll be ready within the hour if she wants to wait."

Sandra's mouth was a tight line. "I'll do just that, Mr. Alvers."

*** *** ***

Lance's estimate on when her car would be done must've been overly optimistic, Kitty decided. It had been almost three hours since Sandra had told her it would only be an hour. She and Lance were the only ones left in the garage. Sandra had left regretfully, saying she had to pick her child up from daycare. Kitty tried to pretend she was more interested in the Car and Driver magazine she'd found on the table than the fact that Lance was standing only a few feet away, working in a white tank top and tight jeans.

She gave up with a sigh, and decided to concentrate on the view, no matter how much it ripped at her heart. She missed him so much, more than she'd even realized before. She wished she'd just stayed with him, although she reminded herself that the last part of their relationship was hell, and she'd been doing what she had to by leaving. Kitty noticed something that didn't seem quite right. She squinted. At first glance, it would look like Lance was working on her car, but at closer inspection, she realized he was just under her hood with random tools, not really doing anything at all. She frowned. Why would he be simply pretending to work on her car?

She got up and walked back out to the bay, shouting over his radio. "Hey, Alvers."

It's been a while
Since I could hold my head up high
And it's been a while
Since I first saw you
It's been a while
Since I could stand on my own two feet again
And it's been a while
Since I could call you

And everything I can't remember
As fucked up as it all may seem
The consequences that are rendered
I've stretched myself beyond my means

Lance jumped. "What?"

"Is my car ready yet?"

"No. Go away."

"Then why aren't you really doing anything?"

"I am! Go let me finish."

"I'm not dumb, you know."

Lance sighed. "I finished two hours ago, okay? I just didn't want you to leave."

"Why?"

It's been a while
Since I couldn't say that I wasn't addicted
And it's been awhile
Since I couldn't say I love my self as well
It's been a while
Since I've gone and fucked things up the way I always do
And it's been a while
But all that shit seems to disappear when I'm with you

Lance stared down at his hands. "I still love you, Kitty. Oh God, I love you. I'm just…hurt."

"I still love you, too."

"So where does it leave us?"

"I don't know."

And everything I can't remember
As fucked up as it all may seem
The consequences that I've rendered
I've gone and fucked things up again

Why must I feel this way?
Just make this go away
Just one more peaceful day

"I'm not drinking anymore," Lance told her. "I've turned my life around. Finally got my GED, and an associates degree, too. I've been doing well with this place."

"I'm working for the FBI," Kitty said. She chuckled at Lance's expression. "I'm investigating computer crimes."

"Wow. I'm proud of you, babe."

"I'm proud of you, too."

It's been a while
Since I could look at myself straight
And it's been awhile
Since I said I'm sorry

And It's been a while
Since I've sent the way the candles light your face
And it's been a while
But I can still remember just the way you taste

"You think maybe, if we'd met later in life, under different circumstances, things would've worked between us?" Lance asked.

"You mean like if we'd met now instead of then?"

"Yeah."

"We're meeting again now, Lance."

And everything I can't remember
As fucked up as it all may seem to me
I cannot blame this on my father
He did the best he could for me

 

And it's been a while
Since I could hold my head up high
And it's been a while
Since I said I'm sorry

Lance moved closer to Kitty, not even fully aware of his own movements. "Yeah, we are." He brought her to him, and kissed her, shuttering with the feel of her next to him again. Kitty wrapped her arms around him, melting at the touch. This was where she belonged—where she'd always belonged.

She'd never leave again.

*** *** ***

That's the end. Leave me feedback.
addie_logan@yahoo.com

 

 

 

Soundtrack:

Song: "Leather and Lace"
Performers: Stevie Nicks and Don Henley
Album: Belladonna

Song: "She's in Love with the Boy"
Performer: Trisha Yearwood
Album: Trisha Yearwood

Song: "Dear Diary"
Performer: Britney Spears
Album: Oops...I Did it Again

Song: "Love is a Battlefield"
Performer: Pat Benatar
Album: Live from the Earth

Song: "Crazy for this Girl"
Performer: Evan and Jaron
Album: Evan and Jaron

Song: "It's Been a While"
Performer: Staind
Album: Break the Cycle