In Fear of Three Little Words

Chapter 13


“Now isn’t this better than studyin’ in your stuffy old room?” Rogue asked.

Kurt nodded. “Yes, much better.”

He and Rogue and Kitty sat on a blanket on the lawn, enjoying the late afternoon sunshine. The younger students were playing frisbee, taking some time out to enjoy the day before settling down for homework.

Kurt lay back and stared up at the sky, watching the high thin clouds float along above them. They had walked around the grounds to get some exercise and now his muscles ached a bit, bruises complaining, but it had felt good to walk in the open air...to be free.

“You’ve got an Advanced Comp. paper due next Wednesday,” Rogue said. “Write about something adventurous you’ve done.”

Groaning, Kurt pushed up to his elbows and gazed at her.

“Great, how do we narrow down that category? Anything adventurous we’ve done will freak out a class of non-mutants. I’ll have to make something up.”

“You went to Germany this summer,” Rogue stated. “Isn’t that adventurous enough for any teacher?”

“I’m from Germany, Rogue,” he mused. “The teacher won’t think it is too adventurous. I’ll think of something that won’t be over the top for the general public.”

“You feelin’ okay, bro?” Rogue asked. “Need anything?”

Kurt smiled. What was there to need...a pretty girl on either side of him, wanting to help him in any way possible? If it wasn’t for the circumstance by which this situation had come about he’d be enjoying the attention.

“I’m fine...really.” He lay back again and watched a frisbee sail over then turn to flames in mid-air. Before it hit the ground it was encased in a thick layer of ice.

Rogue frowned and lightly touched a gloved finger to Kurt’s stitched arm . “Man, those people are like Frankensteins or something. I’d like to put them in a coma except I wouldn’t want to have their thoughts inside my head.” Rogue started counting stitches.

Kitty had been unusually quiet, scanning Kurt’s homework assignments and prioritizing them. She glanced up at Rogue’s words. “Has the Professor heard anything back from Logan?”

Kurt’s heart sped up at the mention of Logan’s name, memories battering at his defenses. Only a couple of days had passed since Logan’s departure, but it seemed forever. He cleared his throat. “The Professor heard from Logan this morning. He says he’s all right.”

“Good, I worry about him. You know, after everything that happened to you two,” Kitty said.

“Yes, you are like a mother hen, Kitty,” Kurt replied.

“And you are a brat.”

Kurt put a hand over his heart and feigned hurt feelings.

“Twenty two,” Rogue declared. “And they call us freaks. Man, I didn’t know the skin beneath your fur was blue too.”

Kurt gave a sigh. “Now you know. And before you start counting the stitches in my forehead, there are ten.”

“What did you get hit with?” Rogue asked. “A two by four?”

“I have no idea. I was quickly unconscious,” Kurt replied, his discomfort level starting to rise. But Hank had warned him. These were his friends, his team mates. They needed some answers, some explanation. If he could just answer the easy questions, they’d probably understand when he backed off the harder ones.

“But this was deliberate, right?” Rogue said, pointing to his arm.

Kurt slowly pushed up to sit and brushed the hair from his eyes. “Yes. It was done with a very sharp scalpel. They wanted...to see how quickly I would heal.”

Kitty’s eyes were wide open, full of shock. Rogue’s eyes, on the other hand, were slits of anger.

“Creeps,” Rogue muttered. “Low-life cretins. If I ever get my hands on them, their minds are mush.”

“Why do they want to hurt us so much?” Kitty said, obviously disturbed by the turn in the conversation. “What hae eve ever done to them?”

Kurt gazed off across the lawn, remembering how he’d asked those questions repeatedly while his tormentors ignored his cries of pain and his pleas for mercy.

“We don’t have to do anything,” Kurt replied, his own voice sounding distant to him. “We exist and they intend to find a way to control us, or use us or destroy us.”

“Well, I for one, have no intentions of lettin’ them do any such thing,” Rogue stated crossing her arms against her chest.

“I hope nothing so horrible happens to either of you ever,” Kurt murmured.

“Oh Kurt,” Kitty said. “They chained you up, didn’t they? That’s what rubbed the fur and skin from your wrists.”

Kurt’s fingers involuntarily touched one damaged wrist and gently rubbed. “Yes,” he whispered, bowing his head and swallowing hard against the memory.

“And you couldn’t teleport because of that collar t?” R?” Rogue asked.

He nodded without looking up. Kitty’s arm wrapped around his shoulders and Rogue’s hand slipped into one of his.

“It’s goin’ to be okay,” Rogue said. “I never believed it when, ya know, stuff happened to me, but it gets better, Kurt.”

“Yeah, we’ll help you through it,” Kitty added.

“You both are such good friends. Thank you,” Kurt replied.

In the distance, the roar of a motorcycle caught Kurt’s attention. His breath thickened in his throat and a tingle of excitement raced down his spine. It drew closer and stopped at the gate. He watched the gate open and in roared Logan.

Yes! He was back. Logan was safe!

“There’s Logan!” Kitty shouted. She jumped up and waved. Logan gave a mock salute and rode on to the garage. “You want to go meet him, Kurt?”

“Uh....” He wanted to see Logan, but he didn’t know how he’d react with the others around. His heart throbbed in his chest, banging loud enough for everyone to hear. “I think I’ll just “pop” up to my room right now. I’m feeling kind of tired.”

“Okay,” she said and took off running across the lawn.

He took his time, gathering up his school books with Rogue’s gaze on him.

“You sure you’re okay, Kurt?” Rogue asked with a gloved hand falling gently on his shoulder. “I mean, you’ve been through hell.”

“Uh, yeah. I know.”

“We all know this cut on your arm is probably the least of what was done to you. I just want ya to know, I’m here...if ya need to talk. No pressure. Just an open invitation.”

“Thank you, Rogue. But I’m really tired. I think I’ll rest before dinner.”

She gave him a knowing sad smile. “I understand. See ya at dinner.”