Chapter 4- Decisions

The argument would have happened sooner or later. Kurt, though, wished it had been later. He had no idea what they might do if they were against this -- he might even be barred from seeing Amanda altogether. And then he knew he would be breaking the rules more often -- that one in particular.

““Kurt, what is your opinion on all of this?”” the Professor asking in that calm, deadpan manner of his. Kurt’’s tail twitched behind him with nerves. He’’d rather not be having this conversation at all. ““I don’’t really think I have a legitimate opinion. I mean, she already knew I was a mutant. Knows I am a mutant. It wasn’’t exactly my choice to tell her or not. I mean, I don’’t think she’’ll have much of a problem with everyone else. But whether or not anyone else wants to divulge their secret isn’’t my choice to make.””

Xavier nodded. ““There’’s no chance that she’’s another mutant? That Cerebro missed her, somehow?”” Scott inquired.

““None. I’’ve performed every possible test with the exception of DNA testing, and unless her powers are extremely latent, Amanda Sefton is entirely human,”” Xavier shook his head. ““I must admit, Kurt, it is rather astounding that she simply accepted you for what and who you are, very nearly right away, and understood that it has to be kept secret.””

““If I may venture a comment? I don’’t think what ever occurred to her, herr Professor. Only who,”” Kurt, who was hanging on the ceiling, sounded perfectly serious. ““She is quite an astounding person.””

““I for one,”” Jean said, completely breaking what had been an intelligent conversation with her interruption. ““Don’’t want anyone to know. I mean, I’’m glad you can trust Amanda and all that, but there are too many dangers associated with showing what we are. Mankind fears what it doesn’’t understand and can’’t control. That’’s why we’’re here.””

““I don’’t know about you, but I had a loving, entirely human family for my entire life, who willing took in and raised what looked to be a baby demon and never once was I prejudiced against for how I looked and what I could do. The one time it did happen, I ended up here instead of the freak show. For my protection when they couldn’’t any more. And I don’’t know about you, but I was becoming tired of hiding from those who liked me.””

““But Kurt, we weren’’t all even half as lucky as you. You may have been willingly adopted, but I spent most of my childhood in an orphanage,”” bitterness shone clearly through Scotts normally neutral voice. Kurts protests fell silent.

““An’’ ye may look ta be a demon, Kurt, but if anything I’’m a werewolf,”” Rahne spoke up. ““Somethin’’ right out o’’ mankinds worst fears. I, like you, was raised by a loving adoptive mother -- but I still donnae trust th’’ world at large.””

Professor Xavier nodded. ““I believe, Kurt, that although you have every right to continue seeing Miss Sefton, the majority would prefer you not divulge the X-Men’’s secret.””

““So as far as ’’Manda’’s concerned, I’’m the only mutant at the Institute,”” Kurt sighed. ““Yes, Professor.””

““Not just at the Institute, Kurt.””

““The Brotherhood aren’’t mutants either, I know, I know. Is this quasi-meeting adjourned?””

““Yes.””

““Good. I have homework.””

BAMF.

““That sounded kinda final,”” Logans gruff voice commented. ““Although how he managed to make something as simple as an implosion of air sound final I’’ll never know.””

Xavier sighed as the other students dispersed. ““I think Kurt was upset by that conversation.””

““Well, sure, Chuck. I could smell him down the hall. He doesn’’t like that he’’s the only one who trusts his girlfriend. No guy would.””

““Jean hasn’’t had any of this trouble with Duncan -””

““’’cause Jeannie never wanted Duncan to find out she’’s a mutant.””

Xavier shook his head and wheeled over to Logan. ““I thought I was the resident telepath.””

““Yeah, but ya don’’t use your powers without permission. Not that I’’m protestin’’, but I can’’t help it. I’’ve got a nose fer emotions, literally.”” ““I hope we can sort this whole thing out.””

““We may have larger problems than Kurts love life, Charles,”” came Ororo’’s lilting voice from the doorway.

““Ororo?”” ““You have heard of the Friends of Humanity?””

““Yeah. That anti-mutant group who wants every mutant in a concentration camp -- with a kinder name, o’’ course,”” Wolverine answered.

““Well, they have far more sinister intentions than just that. There have been several recorded cases of suspected mutants being mobbed and beaten. One -- Professor, there is no proof, but I believe they have even killed one young woman.””

The stunned expression on both the Professor and Logans faces reflected their absolute astonishment. ““Killed -- Someone? Tell me they ain’’t got a group in this area,”” Logan growled. ““’’cause if they do, we may have at move.””

““I’’m not moving anywhere if I can help it, Logan. Anything else?”” Ororo sat in one of the many couches. ““Professor, there is a group in this area. It’’s fairly small, and I would not be worried, except --””

““Except.””

““Except that the local leaders son, Graydon, is trying to start a branch of this rather elite club at Bayville High.””

If Xavier hadn’’t been sitting down, he’’d have fallen into a chair himself. Logan, usually unshaken by anything, did lower himself into a chair. Danger to the kids he had come to watch over was the one thing he’’d never wanted to happen. And if it was actually at their school . . .

““Chuck, the New Mutants are pretty safe in here. We can’’t even send them to public school for the risk of their mutant powers. Is there any way we can protect the kids at school?””

““Without interfering with what in within the schools rights? No. We’’ll just have to warn them, and hope that if anything happens, they can take care of themselves. This is out of our league.””


*


““It’’s kinda, creepy, y’’know? I like, keep looking over my shoulder. I keep having to, like, remind myself to walk on the actual ground.””

The only Freshman of the group, Kitty was the most worried. She had enough to worry about without this added on top of it. ““Yeah, well, they can’’t be as bad as their adult counterpart. I mean, that group who might’’ve killed someone was across the country,”” Scott pointed out.

““Don’’t worry, Kitty. And if something happens -- to anyone -- give a shout. I’’ll get everyone together,”” Jean reassured her. ““And Kurt -- I know you don’’t like it, but keep an eye on Amanda. She could really be little more than pretty bait.””

Kurt growled.

““Hey, who’’s talkin’’, miss can’’t-make-up-her-mind?”” Rogue shot back in the defense of her foster-brother. ““Y’’all gonna be keeping’’ an eye on Duncan?””

““I will be,”” Scott muttered.

““No, because Duncan doesn’’t know I’’m a mutant,”” Jean pointed out. ““Just like I’’m not asking you to keep an eye on Ritsy.””

Rogue shook her head. ““Y’’all can be as hypocritical as yah want; Ah’’m keeping one eye on Ritsy. She’’s seen enough ta make her more than suspicious.””

““Most of our school has, Rogue,”” Jean pointed out sarcastically.

Scott pulled into a parking lot around the back. Kurt was the first to hop out and make his way into school, without so much as a backward glance for those still in the car.

Kurt . . . Calm. Down. You’’re only mad at Jean. Don’’t give everyone else the cold shoulder. And you know one of the reasons you’’re so mad at Jean is because she could be right. Now, you swashbuckling, heroic elf, go court your lady and pretend you don’’t have a mob out for your head, Kurt shuddered slightly. He’’d had, as he’’d said to Amanda, too many bad experiences with mobs and his unorthodox appearance. One of them, the last, had even involved a stake.

So don’’t pull a Winzeldorf, fuzz-brain, and flash your charming smile, ‘‘cause here she comes!

*


““There’’s something bothering Kurt.””

Those were the first words out of Amanda’’s mouth as she sat down at he lunch table with her usual group of friends. Their reactions varied.

Lee was annoyed, and something akin to anger sparked in her blue eyes. She’’d never understood why Candy and Amanda had gone and gotten themselves boyfriends. Colleen, sensible brown hair and eyes, just rolled her eyes and put up with it. She’’d had a crush on Scott for years, though as everyone but Jean and Teryn could see he was clearly taken, she kept it at the level of mild crush. Although she did happen to think he was stuffy. Candy pounded her head on the lunch table.

““Amanda, you’’re making me think it’’s a good thing I only see Warren on weekends! You’’ve been practically obsessing since you went to the dance with him. I’’m going to hear you out, but only because I’’ve done the same thing and I know it doesn’’t go away until you’’ve talked to your friends about it.””

““Was that what was with the incident last week where --”” Candy put a hand over Colleens mouth before she could finish her sentence. Lee stifled giggle. This time it was Amanda’’s turn to roll her eyes.

““I dunno. He was just a little -- jittery. More than usual, I mean.””

““That guy must have the metabolism of a hyperactive squirrel. He should be on Ridilin or something,”” Lee pointed out. ““He kinda twitches.””

““I love your opinion of my boyfriend,”” Amanda stated sarcastically.

““Yeah, well, tough.””

““But he was so, like -- word, word, I need a word . . .””

““Will distracted do?”” Candy offered.

““Yes!”” Amanda very nearly physically tried to pounce on the word. ““Why? How’’d you know?””

““Because Kurt’’s always walking around with some weird, I dunno, balance, like he’’s got some weird foot condition, but always manages to look really good and be really graceful. But he, uh, just ran into a table.””

Colleen and Lee stifled laughs, turning them into grunts, and Amanda stood a little to look over Candy’’s head. Yup. There was the hologram over the real Kurt Wagner, picking his tray off the offending table. Miraculously, it had managed to keep most of the food on it.

““Case in point,”” she gestured. ““He’’s never like this.””

““Says the girl who’’s known him for five days,”” Colleen pointed out.

““Yeah, but with some people you can just tell. And that’’s totally not like Kurt.””

““Can we please change the subject?”” Lee begged.

Colleen shrugged. ““To what?””

““Warren?”” Candy suggested, sitting up straight.

Lee pushed her off her seat in disgust.

*


Kurt walked into the mansion, absently humming ‘‘I’’m Blue’’ under his breath. ““Kurt. You have a one-on-one session with Logan today. Why’’re you so happy?””

““Because, as a last-request sort of thing, I took Amanda to a movie,”” Kurt explained, his tail bouncing jauntily in time with his humming.

““Good movie?”” Scott assumed.

““Good company,”” Kurt corrected. Then the alarm on his holowatch beeped, and he winced. ““Well. I suppose I should change for my death, shouldn’’t I?””

BAMF!

Scott sensed Jean behind him, and wondered for a moment why Kurt hadn’’t greeted her as well. Then he realized, to his astonishment, that she hadn’’t wanted the elf to know she was there. ““I’’ve never seen him -- or anyone -- that giddy before a match with Logan,”” he commented, hoping to get Jean to talk about whatever was bothering her. Because something was, or she’’d have greeted Kurt same as he did.

““He’’s been awful carefree, lately,”” she replied, almost darkly.

““Kurt’’s always been carefree,”” Scott pointed out.

Jean shook her head. ““Not like this. I mean, I don’’t know, but he’’s been not-Kurt-ish for a week now.””

““You’’re referring to the dance, and who asked him, who now knows he’’s a mutant,”” Scott clarified.

““Okay, yeah. I guess I am. I just don’’t think it’’s possible for anyone to get used to Kurt that quickly. It took us a week or more to get used to him, and we’’re both mutants as well.”” ““Who were living with him at the time, and who had to put up with him BAMF-ing in and out of places constantly. I think it took him longer to learn his way around the mansion than anyone else, because he kept teleporting places.”” Scott tried for a laugh. Jean’’s face remained stoic.

““Jean, this is his choice.””

““But he’’s putting the rest of us in danger as well! It’’s only a short hop from Kurt to the Institute to the rest of us. Even a stupid person could figure it out,”” Jean argued.

““Then maybe we should have told her, if she’’s going to find out about us anyway,”” Scott snapped, face flushed with anger. ““That would at least give her a chance to prove she isn’’t anti-mutant, and is really a good enough person to accept Kurt right away, even when we didn’’t.””

““And if she sees the rest of us and freaks? I’’m sure one mutant she can get her mind around, but a whole houseful?”” contended Jean, throwing back her red hair.

As much as I love Jean, she can be as stubborn as an ox sometimes, Scott thought, annoyed. ““And if she does, the professor can just mind-wipe her of the Institute. Kurt probably would prefer Amanda be able to accept us.””

““You know the Professor doesn’’t like to mind-wipe people.””

““That wouldn’’t stop him this one time, I think.””

Jean angrily tossed her hair behind her and rolled her eyes. ““I just don’’t like this whole situation!”” She declared before stalking off.

Letting out a breath, Scott slid down farther into his seat. When she’’s mad like that, I’’m thinking it’’s a good thing she’’s not mad at me!