The Rogue, The Rat, The Demon, and The Cat

Still own nothing and still seeking fanart contributors. FYI: if you're looking for a reference for Matilda, just check out young Natalie Portman from the Professional, and imagine her in a white dress or any of the other outfits she tends to wear.

Chapter One: Somebody to Love

Matilda curiously studied her surroundings. This place was simply beautiful: the mansion was huge and gorgeous, the grounds surrounding it were lush and green and had several lovely secret spots, and it was lazy June. How could people not fall in love in a place like this? Shaking her head with a disgusted sigh, she walked through the front doors of the mansion. “Time to go to work.” She said to herself.

Entering the main hall, Matilda turned her head left and right and caught a glimpse at a mirror hanging on the wall. Presently she could only be heard currently in subconscious thought, and as a result she cast no reflection. She grumbled and pulled out a heart shaped silver pocket mirror and looked at her own face. “Damn, I’m an adorable little kid. Not bad for almost seven thousand years old.” She replaced the mirror and headed straight down the hall. She pulled out her case file again, and stared at a page that she randomly opened up to; remarkably, it was just the page she was looking for. “Subject number one tends to spend his time flirting with girls, going to bars, stealing stuff, playing pool, poker, or anything else that requires gambling and/or chance, shuffling his cards, showing off, and… oh, this is probably where he is.” She looked inside a doorway and saw just the person she was looking for: Remy LeBeau was on his back in the garage. He was beneath a beautiful motorcycle and tinkering away on it. Matilda carefully walked beside his visible lower half and studied him up close.

“Wow, totally built body. I can see why he’s so popular with the ladies. He’s masculine yet he’s not big hulking steroid freak.” She said, more to herself. From what she could see of him, he was wearing an old pair of form fitting blue jeans and a dirty white short sleeve shirt; his body looked positively yummy. She crouched down beside him and waited. She didn’t have to wait long, as soon he pulled out from under the bike and sat up straight.

Remy wiped some sweat off of his brow with his arm and then took a sip from the bottle of beer that he had resting beside him. “His face is almost too handsome. And his eyes are just so cool. They’re dark and they kind of give him this aura of mystery and danger.” Matilda’s internal monologue was interrupted by the loud banging of the door from the house swinging open. She looked up and saw Scott Summers looking angrily at the man sipping the beer next to her. “Oh, it’s him.”

“LeBeau, you have five minutes to haul your ass out of here before I tell Logan that you’ve been drinking on campus.” Scott put his hands on his hips indignantly.

“Go right ahead. And while you’re at it, ask him if he still want to go wit’ Remy to Josie’s Bar after dinner.” Remy took a long sip of his brew, not because he was thirsty but because he wanted to piss Scott off some more. “I’m twenty one homme. It’s perfectly legal for dis Cajun to help himself to a cold one.” Neither of the men took notice of the subconscious spirit in the form of a child that was standing between them and watching the whole exchange… mostly because no one can see her.

“He’s got a roguish/bad boy/‘damn the man’ personality, a Cajun accent (which is unique in this area), he’s charismatic, and he can speak French in that sexy voice of his. This guy is every woman’s dream man.” Matilda said, smiling at Remy.

“Whatever. I need to work on my car and there’s no way that I’m going to do anything in the same room as you. So get lost.” Matilda scowled up at Scott.

“Now this guy is a different story. I’ve never liked him; he’s an excellent leader, but he’s just too arrogant, boring, and straight-and-narrow for my taste. I don’t need to worry about him; he and his soul mate have already found each other, and she’s just as arrogant, boring, and straight-and-narrow as he is.” Matilda had an amused smile on her face. “They should be perfectly happy together.”

Remy stood and it became evident that he towered over Scott (Matilda looked happy at the expression on Scott’s face that suggested he was briefly scared). “Done wit what I was doin’ anyway.” And Remy gracefully strode out of the garage with Matilda close behind him. She watched him enter the kitchen and pull another beer out of the refrigerator. He sat by the island of the kitchen and began to drink from his bottle silently.

Matilda walked up behind and pushed her little fingers through the temples in his head; they went through intangibly and he didn’t even feel a thing. Matilda smiled and said to herself, “He’s thinking about her. He thinks about her whenever he’s not preoccupied with something, during moments like this. That means he’s thought about her a lot. He thinks she’s beautiful, but he’s trying to convince himself that she’s just another belle fille. He’s confused by the things that he feels for her. He thinks that he shouldn’t feel that way about a girl he can’t even touch.” Matilda raised her eyebrows in surprise. “But that doesn’t scare him… not at all! He doesn’t care that she could kill him with just a touch. He wants to know what’s beneath the strong front that she puts on for the world.” Matilda smiled a little. “He thinks she’s pretty and brave and smart, and he feels admiration for her, and a little bit of sadness, and something that he can’t quite identify. It’s a seed; a seed, that I am going to water and watch grow.” She removed herself from his thoughts.

“He doesn’t seem to be going anywhere at the moment. I should go check on the other subjects.” Matilda walked out of the kitchen (Remy never even looked in her direction) and stood in the hall, looking at her file again. “Subject number two mostly spends her time by herself. She reads vampire novels, writes poetry, draws whenever she gets an idea, listens to angry Goth music, and broods in her room with the lights turned off. She does mostly everything by herself, including her workouts, which allow her to take her aggression out on inanimate objects instead of other people. These workouts include kickboxing and… oh, that’s what she’ll be doing.” Matilda closed the file and pranced out the back of the mansion to the outdoor pool area. She stood by the door and waited.

Before long, the girl known as Rogue strutted out in a form fitting, black, one-piece bathing suit with a large towel draped over her shoulder. “Wow, she’s beautiful. The fact that she’s a tragic heroine who still perseveres makes her more appealing. I can definitely see why he’s into her.” Rogue draped her towel over a lounge chair and then dipped one toe into the water. She sat down and allowed her legs to be submersed up to the knees. She looked distant as she gently kicked out her legs beneath the water. Matilda crouched down beside her and studied her profile up close. “She really ought to drop the make up, even though I totally see the purpose for her wearing it.” Matilda looked around and took note of the presence of no one. “She must come work out when she knows no one will be here, so that she won’t risk contact with people.”

Matilda walked around to the back of Rogue and stuck her tiny fingers through the temples of Rogue’s head. For the first time in a long time, Matilda gasped at the thoughts inside the girls head. “My God… she’s so lonely. And all that love that’s inside of her… she can’t show it to anybody. She knows that the people here love her, but she can’t show them her love in return so she makes herself distant. So she won’t hurt anyone and no one will hurt her. She doesn’t even trust them enough to let them know her real name. She cries almost everyday, but no one can catch her tears. She knows that they’re all afraid of her… except one guy.” Matilda smiled mischievously. “She’s just as confused as he is. She doesn’t want to admit that she likes this guy. She tries to deny her feelings about him to her friends and to him by being mean and not kindly receiving his advances. She’s even taken to calling him Swamp Rat. But she dreams about him; oh, they’re very naughty dreams too. She would love it if he could be the one who could touch her. My God, this girl is almost as horny as a teenage boy. That’s a rare case in females.” Matilda smiled genuinely at Rogue as she pulled her fingers out of her mind. There was a single tear running down Rogue’s pale cheek. Matilda felt an urge in her heart and did not ignore it; she wrapped her short arms around Rogue’s upper body and hugged her from behind. “Don’t worry Anna Marie. I’ll make sure you get some happiness soon.” As soon as Matilda released Rogue, Rogue wiped the tear off before it reached her jaw and then dove into the water to begin her laps.

Matilda sighed; she was a little more determined than she was before and could already tell that she was going to take a special interest in this case. She walked back into the mansion and pulled out her folder again. “Moving on: Subject number three is very studious and feminine, loves small furry animals, the color pink, pop and country music, dancing in general, and is a vegetarian. Subject number three is the roommate to subject number two, and best friend to subject number four.” Matilda closed the folder and thought aloud, “Now where could she be? Hmm… well, since Rogue is out here it may be safe to assume that Kitty Kat is up in her-“

Matilda made her way back to the hall and up the large stair case. She turned left and stopped in front of a door that had a glittery star shaped sign with stickers all over it that read “Kitty” in big cursive hot pink writing and beneath it was a piece of college ruled paper with a piece of scotch tape holding it there that just read “Rogue” in plain black sloppy print. “I think it’s safe to say that I’ve found their room.”

Kitty was sitting on her bed writing an email to her parents on her laptop. Matilda sat at the foot of her bed and watched Kitty concentrate on telling her parents her current thoughts. “She’s very pretty. She and Rogue are both different types of beauties though so there’s really no need to make any kind of comparison. She has incredibly shiny hair; it’s a shame she doesn’t wear it down more often. Her eyes are nice too; you don’t often see them get that blue.” Matilda cocked her head to the side. “She’s a good embodiment of the pretty girl next door. A classic yet unique kind of prettiness. You can get that sense just from her name; Katherine is a very common name, but instead of just calling her Katie or something, she chooses to be called Kitty. She’s the type of girl men fall for and love from afar. Just like our situation with her and Mr. Wagner. Speaking of which, let’s find out what she thinks of him.”

Matilda slid up beside Kitty who did not cease her rapid fire typing and slid her fingers into her thoughts. “Mmm-hmm. Mmm-hmm. Not surprising. She thinks that she is the one in love with her best friend who does not love her back. Typical. She thinks that she doesn’t deserve a great guy like Kurt after so many hits and misses with the men in her life, whom I might add couldn’t have been more wrong for her.” Matilda smiled. “And wouldn’t you know it, Kitty thinks Kurt is a handsome, sexy stud (I quote that from her by the way). She loves his tail the best and often fantasizes about it. But the main reason she will not tell him how she feels is mostly due to the fact that she’s scared. She’s scared of losing her friend if things go wrong, of him not loving her in return, or of truly being loved by someone else. Bottom line is she’s terrified.” Matilda removed her fingers.

After glancing at her computer screen, Matilda decided that Kitty was not going anywhere for a while so it was safe for her to look in on her last subject. Matilda rose from the bed and walked out of the room.

Once more, she studied the contents of the folder. “Subject number four loves to eat food, perform gymnastics and death defying stunts, have fun, watch movies, his favorite band is the Beatles, and is the best friend to subject number three. His dislikes include being chased through the streets by an angry mob with pitchforks and torches.” Matilda walked back downstairs and looked out a large window in the wall. “There you are you handsome little demon.”

Kurt Wagner was sitting in his favorite tree outside the mansion reading a copy of Grendel on loan from Doctor McCoy. Matilda was in the branch just above him and smiled; his book mark was a lovely picture of Kitty in a white dress under a cherry blossom tree. It was difficult to ignore a few periodic glances that he made at a curtained window that she happened to know was Kitty’s room. “He’s got it bad.” She said to herself; she didn’t even need to get inside his thoughts to be able to tell that. “But just for the hell of it, let’s see what he’s thinking.”

Matilda leaned forward to the point where she was laying on her stomach on the branch and she pressed her fingers into Kurt’s head. “Poor guy.” She said with a frown. “He so convinced that no woman could ever love him because of his appearance, especially Kitty! If only he knew what I knew.” She delved a little deeper. “My God… he is so madly in love with her. He would readily die or kill for her. He’s sad when she’s sad, and he’s happy when she’s happy. He’s so sweet, what a great guy! Of course they both have to be oblivious to how each other feels when they spend almost every waking moment together, except for this one. He would make any woman happy, but there’s only one that he really wants.” Matilda straightened up and dropped from the tree. “But of course, this is why I’m here. To make sure these four people get their happy endings.” Matilda quickly cracked her knuckles and said, “Okay. Let’s make some magic.”


***
“But the question is always ‘where do I start?’” Matilda said to herself, standing in the entrance hall of the mansion again. “But this is why I’m a professional! I am certainly no amateur and this is not just some mundane matchmaking. This is soul mate joining, and it’s much more meaningful. I have a lot to work with, and none of it’s really anything I haven’t seen before, but the hard part is beginning somewhere, always has been, always will be.” Matilda stroked her invisible chin beard again with her brows furred together. She finally sighed and said, “Well typically, men tend to fall faster than women do. So logically that would be the place to start.”

Since she was already inside, Matilda decided she would start with Remy. She peaked her small, adorable head inside the kitchen and saw Remy still sitting at the island. He looked preoccupied with spinning a now empty beer bottle in a circle on the counter. She saw the remnants of the beer label next to his elbow, except they were all singed and charred in pieces of confetti.

Matilda bounced casually into the kitchen and looked out the huge window directly behind Remy. “Wow, what a gorgeous day!”

Remy turned his head slowly and looked out the window, the beer bottle now lay forgotten on the counter. “The sun is shining, the air is not too hot, and I bet even little birds are chirping.” Remy allowed a smirk to form on his mouth (“So sexy! Matilda said to herself). “It would be criminal to waste all this time in this confining old house.” Matilda asked turning to look at him; it made no difference to Remy, as all Matilda was was a voice in the back of his head. “Why not go outside? Even better, see what’s going on at the pool. This would be a perfect time to go for a swim.” Remy squinted his demon eyes as though he was thinking and then without a word he stood and left the kitchen. “Damn, that guy’s got a nice ass. Now that I’ve nicely set up the Rogue and the Rat, I need to work on the Demon and the Cat.”

Matilda appeared in Kitty’s room again just as the girl was closing her laptop. “It’s too quiet in here, isn’t it?” Kitty looked around the room from her bed as though there was something missing. “How about listening to some music?” Kitty stood and walked to her CD player that was placed her on her dresser. Matilda bounded over there and watched as Kitty filed through her CD collection. Matilda brightened when she saw one that would be perfect for the occasion. “The Ella Enchanted soundtrack is always fun.” Kitty studied the CD case that she had stopped on before placing the CD into her stereo. A very poppy remake of “Don’t Go Breakin’ My Heart” began to play, but Matilda quickly said. “Why don’t you listen to number nine? That one’s much better than this song.” Without much thinking, Kitty skipped the CD forward to number nine. Anne Hathaway’s surprisingly pleasant vocals filled the room.

Kitty smiled; she had to admit she loved this song.

Can anybody
Find me
Somebody to
Love?

“Oh what a lovely way to start a song. Doesn’t this one make you feel like dancing?” Kitty smiled but it was bittersweet. “When was the last time you danced? I mean really danced. Not any of this clubbing, MTV dancing, like artfully dancing. Were you thirteen or fourteen?” Kitty looked as though she were trying hard to remember. “You were really good for a while. And this song was made for the kind of dancing you really love.” Matilda stepped closer to Kitty and practically whispered in her ear. “Why don’t you dance now? No one’s here to make fun of you, and this is a really great song.”

Without saying a word, Kitty closed her eyes and raised her arms above her head in a proper ballet stance. And then she began: swirling, twirling around the room, unconsciously phasing through any objects that may have gotten in her path, doing whatever move her body felt was appropriate with the rhythm of the song. Matilda smiled at how graceful she was. “She still is a great dancer. It’s too bad she doesn’t do it anymore. Now to make someone else feel that way.”

Matilda instantly appeared in the tree again, right next to Kurt’s ear. “Do you hear something?” Kurt’s pointy ear instantly twitched as it took in a slow melody coming from somewhere. It sounded like a girl with a soothing voice singing an old Queen song. He looked up from his book to try and determine the source of the music. He looked around until his eyes settled on the window that he had so often looked at when no one was looking. “What could Kitty be doing with music that loud?” She said, trying to sound as puzzled as he felt. “It wouldn’t hurt to find out now, would it?”

Kurt *bamfed* without another word and found himself outside of Kitty’s room. All he could hear was the music blasting from her stereo. He opened the door just a crack and his eyes widened to the size of grape fruits. Kitty was dancing; he had never seen Kitty dance like this before and it was the most remarkable, beautiful, amazing thing that Kurt ever witnessed. Matilda appeared beside him. “My God… have you ever seen anything so wonderful?” She asked. Kurt was in a haze; he couldn’t remove his head from the door and he couldn’t take his eyes off of Kitty. Kitty was completely into the song, and didn’t even glance in Kurt’s direction. Matilda looked between the two teens and felt that she had set them up quite nicely for the time being, and would check in on them again later.

“Time to see what the Cajun and the Belle are up to.” Matilda appeared instantly at Remy’s side and walked beside him and he strode towards the pool area. “Take your time, big guy, you’re in no rush.” She appeared back at the pool and saw that Rogue was still doing her laps. “Hmm. I better time this just right.” Matilda snapped her fingers and was instantly wearing a purple one piece bathing suit, a white swim cap, little yellow floaters on her arms, a small pair of black goggles over her eyes, and a set of nose plugs firmly set in her nose. “Safety first, I always say.” She disappeared and reappeared again, this time swimming right alongside of Rogue, who of course took no notice of her. “Wow, aren’t you getting a little tired?” Rogue flexed her arms in realization that they were feeling a little sore. “I’d say about one more lap should put you in pretty good shape for the day.” Matilda vanished and appeared again next to Remy, wearing her little white dress again and completely dry.

Remy was almost at the pool and Matilda smiled in gleeful anticipation about the sight that was waiting for him. Remy finally stepped out onto the pool deck only to be greeted with something more wonderful than all the jewels in the world. There was Rogue, climbing up the pool ladder, dripping wet, bathing suit clinging to all the right places, and the cool air hitting her so suddenly was doing some remarkable things to certain body parts. “Surely she must be a goddess who walks among mortals for some unknown reason.” Matilda attempted to lean in close to Remy’s ear but was unsuccessful because of his height. “Worship her.”

Rogue didn’t even see Remy until she (very sexily) brushed the wet strands of her hair from her eyes. When she did see him, she nearly fell back in the pool. “Swamp Rat, yah think that yah can let someone know when yah’re standin’ two feet away from ‘em. Ah’d prefer not ta have a heart attack before Ah reach twenty.”

“Je suis désolé chère. Remy was just… admirin’ de view from out here.” Remy replied handing her the towel, his eyes shamelessly traveling the length of her body.

As Rogue dried herself off, she looked at the clear blue sky that surrounded them. “The sky does look beautiful from out here.”

“Dat’s not what Remy meant, chère.” He replied, smirking as he admired her perky backside, which had just the right amount of flesh.

Matilda cocked her head as she studied their exchange. “Hmm. A little reminiscent of Fast Times at Ridgemont High, but still effective. I think these two can take it from here, and I need to see how Kurt and Kitty are doing.” Matilda appeared this time in Kitty’s room, where she was still dancing and Kurt was still watching with a look in his eyes that was borderline worshipful.

I just gotta get out of this prison cell
One day I’m gonna be free
Won’t somebody (somebody)
Somebody (somebody)
Can anybody find me
Somebody to love?

A portion of the song where the vocals became stronger began and Kitty actually pulled her hair out of her ponytail. Her hair sashayed and flipped with the motion of Kitty in ways that Kurt had only imagined during his more secret fantasies about her. Then the guitar solo happened: it was an absolute train wreck for Kurt and all it took was Kitty making a few thrusting motions in tune with the cords with her pelvis.

Find her somebody to love
Find her somebody to love
Find her somebody to love
Find her somebody to love
Find her somebody to love
Find her somebody to love

Kurt was amazed at the things that Kitty could do with her petite form. At one point she actually made a point with her leg outstretched (which Kurt’s gutter portion of his mind wonder about the limits of her flexibility) and then topped herself with not one, but two running splits. Kurt wanted to see more but could not risk getting caught by Kitty. “Oh just open the door a little bit wider, she won’t notice.” Matilda urged him. Kurt felt that only opening it a crack more wouldn’t be that big of a deal; famous last words.

Can anybody find me

Kitty was doing a few spins and wasn’t paying any attention to the invisible love spirit who had quickly said an enchantment for her to become tangible. Very quickly Matilda appeared beside Kitty and stuck her leg out. “Clumsy, clumsy me.” Matilda said, innocently enraptured with the ceiling. Later Kitty would say that she tripped her leg on the side of her dresser. But she wasn’t really thinking about that at that moment in time, as she was falling backwards really, really fast and would have fallen flat on her back… had there not been a furry blue elf there to reach out and catch her just in time. Both his hands were cradling her as she was leaned backwards. The two looked directly into each other’s eyes just as Anne Hathaway sang:

Somebody to love

Kurt pulled Kitty back up and they looked at each other. “Please, finish your dance.” Kurt urged, as the song was not over. Kitty regained her composure, briefly smiled at Kurt and then resumed her dancing, which was much softer as the song had calmed down. Kurt did not try to hide the awe that was evident on his face as he had nothing to hinder his view of Kitty dancing this time. It ended and Kitty took a breath in and opened her eyes.

“Kurt… exactly how long have you been standing there?”

Kurt shifted uncomfortably on his oddly shaped feet. “Long enough to tell you… that you dance beautifully Kätzchen.”

Kitty bowed her face quickly to hide the blush spreading on her cheeks. “Well, I used to dance really well, but I’ve gotten out of practice and I’m not as good as I used to be. But all I was doing back then was dancing. I was kind of obsessed. I wish you could’ve seen how good I was then.”

“Oh nein Kätzchen. Once the Russian Ballet came to Germany and my parents took me to see it. I believe it was Cinderella they were performing; I could tell no difference between their prima ballerina and you just now. You are probably better than she ever vas.” Kurt stepped further into her room.

“Come on Kurt, that’s the best ballet company in the world.” Kitty said, amused but shaking her head dismissively.

“Ja, I know that Kätzchen.” Kurt suddenly looked anxious about something as he sat down on her bed. “Vould you… vould you do another dance… for me?”

Now it was Kitty’s turn to look anxious; Matilda smiled wickedly at the girl’s obvious discomfort. “Well…” Kitty said slowly, obviously not sure.

“Oh come on, you know Kurt would never laugh at you.” Matilda said impatiently.

Kitty bit her lower lip and said, “Okay. I’ve just never been one for audiences.”

“Then pretend I am not here.” Kurt said leaning forward from where he sat.

Kitty walked over to her CD player and this time chose something more traditional. Very slow, haunting music filled the room as “Swan Lake” began to play. Kitty’s movements reflected the mood of the song, as she did a routine that she learned in her younger years. Kurt watched her dance with eyes that made Kitty feel like she was the only woman in the entire world. “And to Kurt she is.” Matilda said looking back and forth between the two people.

As Kitty became more and more involved in the song, Matilda felt that it time she took her leave of them. “Better see how Remy and Rogue are holding up.” Matilda appeared at the pool again, only to discover it entirely vacant. “Now where could they have…” Matilda poked her head back through the doorway and looked down the hallway; she could faintly hear the sound of water running.

Remy leaned his head back against the tile of the wall. The steam from the hot water was making the ends of his hair curl slightly. He sat on the bench just out of view of the showers in the girl’s locker room. His fingers gently caressed the towel that he held in waiting for a young woman. Not just any young woman though: the one girl that Remy could never fully get out of his head. He couldn’t even begin to describe the amount of bliss he felt when he saw her coming out of the pool, so he could only imagine how he would feel if saw her dripping wet and naked. And all it would take to have this moment was to only turn his head a little; it took all his will power to resist.

“If Ah didn’t know any better, Ah would say that you were stalkin’ meh.” Rogue called to Remy.

“Nah, just hopin’ for a chance to see y’ naked.” Remy said answered back.

“Oh that’s nice Remy. Make her think that you just want her for her body.” Matilda said. She was sitting right next Remy on the bench, with her arms crossed and her little legs dangling over the edge. “Is there any harm in trying to have a real conversation with her instead of hitting on her all the time? She might like that.”

“De truth is chère, Remy wanted to… err…” Remy ran his free hand through his hair.

If Remy could see Matilda, he would have seen an expression on her face that was a cross between annoyance and sympathy. “My God… this is actually difficult for you, isn’t it?” Remy’s response was scratching his head some more. Matilda rubbed between her eyes briefly. “Why is it always the pretty ones who are so stupid?” She leaned closer to him. “Listen, she’s not just some random bimbo that you’re trying to pick up at a bar; this is a girl you actually like. Get to know her. Try asking about her: what she likes, what she dislikes, what are her dreams?”

Remy sat up straight again. “Remy want to ask ‘y what y’ve been dreamin’ ‘bout lately.”

“Metaphorical dreams, you yutz!” Matilda yelled, and then leaned over Remy and looked at Rogue; she was standing under the stream of the shower and her entire body was flushed pink from the heat. She was looking in Remy’s direction with a look on her face that could only be described as a deer in the headlights.

“Uh… why do ya ask?” Rogue began to scrub her body a little harder than normal, but still retaining that fearful, anxious expression.

“I don’t get it? What could she be so nervous about-“ Matilda remembered the dreams that she discovered Rogue had been having about Remy as of late- the very graphic, naughty/bad/fun, surround sound dreams she had been having about Remy as of late. “Uh-oh. Bad suggestion.”

“Just wanted t’ know if y’ve been dreamin’ ‘bout dis Cajun.” Remy said, with his trademark smirk. Rogue was turning a deep shade of red now and it wasn’t because of the shower.

“That’s just perfect Remy. You’re back to hitting on her. I meant her dreams about the future, not literally.” Matilda rested her forehead in her palm.

You want to know if I’m dreaming about you? Rogue thought. “Almost every night.” Matilda said in unison with Rogue’s thoughts. Rogue shut her eyes as she stood directly under the stream of the water, letting it run rivers over her eyelids and forming drops of water on her eyelashes.


[*“My God, don’t stop!” Rogue was the definition of bliss as Remy delved into her wet folds again and slipped his tongue in and out of her hole. She tried to raise herself in order to see his head in the junction of her thighs, but then he sucked her clit into his mouth and she fell backwards screaming. It wouldn’t be long before she-*]


“Chère? Chère!” Rogue snapped out of her memory of her last dream and looked in the direction that Remy was sitting. “Y’ never answered Remy’s question.”

“Ah’m only dreamin’ ‘bout you in your dreams Swamp Rat.” Rogue replied coolly.

“So is dat a no?”

“Yeah, that’s a no.”

“Y’ wound dis Cajun chère, almost daily it seems.”

“Well, this conversation certainly didn’t go the way I had planned it. I had hoped that they would be honest and actually share with each other. I guess it was a bad suggestion on my behalf.” Matilda said thoughtfully.

“Dare Ah ask what you’ve been dreamin’ about?” Rogue said as she began to scrub her hair.

“Nice way to turn this conversation around.” Matilda looked intently at Remy as she allowed herself into his thoughts; she pulled her hands out looking surprised. “The only problem is that Remy doesn’t remember his dreams often. I wonder what he’s going to say.”

“Well chère, while y’ have not been dreamin’ of poor old Remy, he has been blissfully dreamin’ of y’.” Remy said, his smirk growing at the corners of his mouth.

“You liar.” Both Matilda and Rogue said at the same time (although Remy only heard Rogue).

“Non chère, it’s true. Why just la nuit passée, dere was dis wonderful dream ‘bout you wearin’ dat getup dat de belle femme wore in 9 ½ Weeks.”

“Who, Kim Basinger?”

“Oui, dat’s de one.”

Rogue looked like she was turning a little deeper shade of red, and it wasn’t from being embarrassed, but from being flattered. “Are you comparin’ meh ta Kim Basinger?” (Matilda looked very hopeful)

“Non, of course not chère.” Rogue’s face instantly fell (as did Matilda’s). “Y’re much prettier den she… and younger at dat. Y’ remind more of dat femme from Beetlejuice.”

“Winona Ryder?” Rogue asked, scrunching her eyebrows in disgust.

“Non, non, non, de other one. De one who was married to Alec Baldwin.”

“That was Kim Basinger.”

“Non, married to him in de movie.”

“Oh, you mean Geena Davis?”

“Dat’s de one. Oui, y’ remind me o’ her… sort of.”

“What do yah mean ‘sort of’?”

Matilda wasn’t sure and was tempted to call herself crazy, but she could’ve sworn that just then she saw Remy LeBeau, the ragin’ Cajun himself, blushing. “I mean de attitude dat y’ have is a lot like her’s, but other den dat… y’ are y’ own person. Plus y’ are ten times more belle den she is and more unique.”

“I wonder why saying that made Remy feel a little shy.” Matilda said. She slipped her fingers into his thoughts again (“I should just leave them in there!”). “He feels that this was the first time he was sincerely telling her that he thought she was pretty?! Dude, she’s never going to get that sense from you comparing her to Geena Davis!”

“Ah can’t say that Ah’ve never cared for her as an actress.” Rogue said, turning off the water to her shower.

“Really? Can’t say dat I’ve ever seen her in anythin’ else.” Rogue extended one arm from out behind the shower wall. Remy began to hand her the towel, but just as her fingers had barely skimmed the fabric did he yank it away instantly. He did this three times before Rogue got fed up and just grabbed it from him quickly. “So what actresses do y’ think are worth seein’?”

“Well, Ah thought Rose McGowen was the shit in Jawbreakers. Ah don’t really care for her on Charmed though.” Rogue emerged from the shower stall with the towel wrapped around her body; it was the second time that day that Remy LeBeau had seen Rogue dripping wet while scantily clad. It pained him to think about how all he would have to do is one quick yank to her towel and the great mystery that would be what’s beneath those layers of clothes would be solved… “Ah also loved Hilary Swank in Boys Don’t Cry, but that’s not a ‘watch for fun’ kind of movie.” Rogue walked over to her gym bag and slipped on a black cotton Victoria’s Secret v-string on under the towel (Remy crossed his legs to hide a certain problem that was growing in his jeans).

“Don’t want t’ watch dat den.” Remy said, as Rogue motioned for him to turn away. He complied as she dropped the towel and pulled on her bra.

Matilda leaned in closer to him and whispered in his ear. “If you want to watch a movie with her, recommend the sexiest one that you have ever seen. One that could practically be considered porn. That will put her in the mood.” Remy turned back to face Rogue as soon as she had some jeans on. All he saw was the back of her bra as she pulled an Emily the Strange t-shirt over her head. “Dear God, I hope he doesn’t say Showgirls.”

“Have you ever seen Y Tu Mama Tambien?” Remy asked with a perfect Spanish accent. Matilda and Rogue both looked at him surprised.

“I can’t believe he actually just suggested an artsy, deep movie.” Matilda said, with eyebrows raised. “No fair! Now he has looks and brains!” She laughed at herself.

“No, Ah haven’t. Ah heard that it was excellent though.” Rogue said, combing her wet hair out with her fingers.

“Do y’ want to watch it wit’ dis Cajun? Got it up in m’ room.” Remy stood, and jerked his head towards the door.

Rogue looked back at him, searching his face for any sign that he might try and pull something. Either he was a very good actor or he really just wanted to spend time with her. She sighed and finally said, “Why not? Ah got nothin’ better to do anyway.”
With that the two walked out of the locker room, not even recognizing the third figure in the room who watched them leave. Matilda gleefully noted the hand that Remy had placed in the small of Rogue’s back. She shook her head in happy amazement and said, “Amazing. They start out talking about wet dreams which somehow leads to a decently pleasant conversation about movies, and that brings them to watching an incredibly sexy movie in his room together.” She shrugged and slid off the bench. “That worked out better than I had thought it would.” Matilda looked up towards the ceiling thinking about the other couple that she had left upstairs.

Kitty had just lowered her arms as the sounds of an oboe solo ended. She turned around and looked at Kurt. He had the most content smile on his face as he looked at her flushed face and heard her light panting. She had danced to three different songs for him since “Swan Lake” (he didn’t even ask her to) and it had been pure heaven for Kurt.

“Kätzchen, I have to ask, do you own or rent?”

Kitty cocked her head confusedly. “Own or rent what?”

“Your vings, you angel.” Kurt said, as he lightly applauded her. Kitty giggled and did a light, mock curtsey.

“Oh my God, I haven’t danced like that in so long.” Kitty said, as she plopped down on her bed next to Kurt. “I forgot how good it can feel.”

“Vhy did you stop?” Kurt asked, looking at her intently. “You are a vonderful dancer and you seem to love doing it. I cannot understand vhat vould make you stop.”

Kitty shrugged. “I don’t know. Once I got into high school, my parents wanted me to focus more on my grades rather than dancing. I have to admit, it did take up a lot of my time.”

“Because of how often you vere performing?”

“Nah, it was more because I was taking like a different class almost every day. Even on the weekends.”

“Really? All for ballet?”

“No, it was for everything. Jazz, Jazz Tap, traditional African dance, ballroom dance, swing dancing, Irish Step dancing (Kurt raised an eyebrow at the idea of her doing a dance with Michael Flatley), hip hop, ballet of course, and…um… well, the other one’s not really that important.” Kitty said, blushing a little.

“Oh come Kätzchen. You can tell me.” Kurt said, a little too eagerly. What could this secret dance be?

“Yeah, what could this secret dance be?” Matilda said. She stood a little ways away from the two sitting on the bed. She stalked forward and stuck her fingers quickly into Kitty’s thoughts. She pulled them back out looking surprised. “Wow… yeah, I think I can understand why she doesn’t want him to know about that… yet.”

Kitty cleared her throat loudly. “Kurt, I’m kind of gross right now. I think I’m going to go take a shower.” She stood and smiled at Kurt. He looked a little surprised at her sudden eagerness for departure but he smiled at her anyway.

“Okay.” Kitty turned and began to leave the room when Kurt suddenly called after her. “Hey Keety?” She turned to face him. “Danke for showing me your dance.” She smiled and left the room. As soon as he was sure Kitty was out of earshot, he let out a deep sigh and fell backwards on the girl on his dreams’ bed.

Matilda got really close to his face and studied him intently. “He looks positively dreamy.” Matilda said with a giggle. “He’s definitely a unique breed of handsome but handsome nonetheless.” She noted the happy grin on his face. “I don’t think he’s going anywhere, and I already know what he’s thinking about.” She looked at the open door. “I know that he’s already fallen for her, but it’s the girl that I need to worry about.” Matilda collected herself and followed the path that Kitty had taken out the door.

If only Matilda had stayed in the bedroom a few minutes longer; then she could have prevented disaster to her seemingly flawless plan. As the god of bad timing declared that at that moment Scott had to walk by the door. He was startled to Kurt lying in a dazed mass on Kitty’s bed. He stepped into the room and looked at Kurt curiously.

“Kurt, what are you doing in here?”

Kurt sat up and looked at Scott happily. “Scott, the most incredible thing just happened to me.”

“Uh, Kurt…” Scott had just seen Kitty walking past him and she looked flushed and sweaty for some reason. “What exactly have you and Kitty been doing in here that was so incredible?”

Kurt’s happy expression faded to one of seriousness. “Scott, vhat I am about to tell you could potentially embarrass Kitty.” Kurt ported past him and closed the door. “I need your vord that you are not going to tell anyone else about this.”

Scott was starting to dread what Kurt was about to tell him. Great, now I’ve got to lecture him about using condoms and taking responsibility for whatever the consequences of his actions may be, Scott thought. “This secret dies with me. Now what is it?”

Kurt cleared his throat and looked excitedly at Scott. “Kitty just allowed me… to vatch her dance!”

Scott raised his eyebrows. “She danced for you… and then what?”

Kurt looked at him surprised. “She only danced.”

“Oh.” Scott looked slightly disappointed (he had, after all, just prepared a lecture in his head). “What was so exciting about her dancing? Was she naked or something?”

Kurt looked completely horrified. “Nein, it vas not like that!” Well, not all of it for most of the time, he thought to himself. “She only danced for me.”

“Kurt, you know you’ve seen her dance before.”

“Not like this. This vas… really special. Did you know that she danced ballet?”

“No, I didn’t, actually. She danced ballet for you? I’m still not seeing the incredible-ness of the situation.”

“It vas not just someone dancing ballet. It vas the most beautiful, graceful, pure thing I’ve ever seen. You should have seen the look on her face. It vas as though that all that existed vas her and the music. She told me that she hadn’t danced in a long time. She told me that she vas never one for audiences. And yet she vas villing to dance for me.” Kurt said, coming to a realization as he uttered those last words. Kitty had danced for him. She trusted him enough to show a part of herself that she had not been in touch with for a long time.

“I’m still not seeing what was so special about that. Was she wearing a pink tutu or something?” Scott said, obviously bored.

Kurt, broken out of his happy place, sighed. “I suppose you had to be there.”

“Probably.” Scott said, detachedly. “Listen, I’m going to my room now. See you at dinner.” Scott turned to leave.

“Okay.” Kurt said, still sounding disappointed that his so-called friend did not understand what he had seen. Then he remembered something. “Scott, don’t tell anyone. I think Kitty vould kill me if she knew that I told you.”

“Kurt, give me a break. I told you that I wouldn’t.”


“Hey Jean?” Scott said, as he passed his girlfriend in the hall leading to the rec room. “Did you know that Kitty dances? Like traditional ballet dancing and stuff?”


“No, I didn’t. How did you find out?”

“Kurt was going on and on about how she danced for him today. Crazy huh?”

“The things that you don’t know about your friends.” Jean said, shaking her head lightly. “So are we still set for the movie tonight?”


“Hey Amara!” Jean called. Amara was in her room reading the latest issue of InStyle. “Did Kitty ever tell you that she dances ballet?”

“Fascinating.” Amara didn’t even look up from her magazine. “Should I tell the media immediately or can I wait until after dinner to call the news?”

“No, the interesting part is that she did a private recital for Kurt today.”

Amara looked at her with renewed interest. “Really? Who told you?”


“Rahne.” Amara said indignantly. “Did you hear about Kitty and Kurt?”


“Jubilee, I have the most thrilling news to tell you…”


“Ray, you’re not going to believe what I just heard…”


“Bobby, dude, wait ‘til you hear this man…”


“Sam, I just heard that Kitty just gave Kurt a private lap dance in her room!”


“Alex, did you hear?”


“Piotr, listen to this…”


“Roberto, I still can’t really believe what people are saying…”


“X-23, I don’t know if you’d really care to know but…”


“Not that I care or anything Tabitha, but did you hear…”


“OHMYGOD, Jamie you haven’t heard about…”


“Mr. Warren, what’s a ‘strip tease’ sir?”

It took a whole fifteen minutes for the news of what happened between Kitty and Kurt to get around the whole mansion (that’s gossip for ya!). It happened without Kurt or Kitty’s knowledge as Kurt spent the rest of his day reading in his room and after her shower, Kitty went to her room to look at her computer some more. About the only students who hadn’t heard the latest rag were Remy and Rogue, and that was only because they spent the entire afternoon in his room watching their movie. Another person oblivious to the developments in the mansion gossip farm was a visitor that no one could see, and the only reason she didn’t know was because she was preoccupied with following only her subjects around.

As Kitty walked down the hall to the bathroom, Matilda jumped up and briefly stuck her fingers in her thoughts. When she got what she needed, Matilda quit following Kitty and just stood in the hallway and watched as she walked away. “She hasn’t danced in a long time, it’s true. She still can’t believe she was willing to dance for Kurt, only because he asked. She had never even danced for Lance. Not that he ever asked to see her dance. But she never really told him that she could. Even if he had asked to see her dance, she wouldn’t have done it for him. She knew he would have made fun of her love. Lance hated to dance. Just one of many indications that he was never good for her. She’s surprised herself that she only allowed Kurt to watch her dance. It’s because she knows she can trust Kurt with that part of her. A part of her has always wanted to show him her dancing, even though that would take some time for her to admit to it.” Matilda smiled at her satisfactory work. “I think I’ve done pretty good for about under an hour. At this rate, they should all be declaring their love for each other by nightfall.”

Still, Matilda couldn’t help but feel as though she had forgotten something. “What could it be?” Then Matilda smacked her hand to her forehead hard. “Crap! I forgot about the whole Hirane thing. I still need to figure out a way to get them up in his area. But how?” Matilda pondered silently a few minutes. She looked around at her surroundings: the narrow hall way that had the doors that led to each bedroom. “No wonder I can’t think straight. This place is too confining. I need some space, but I can’t go too far away.”

Matilda appeared downstairs and began pacing. She had yet to come up with something when she heard some deep male voices from down the hall. She turned her head curiously and looked down the hall. She followed the voices until she came to be inside a room that she recognized as the study of the headmaster at this curious school. Two men were in there presently that she recognized as Professor Charles Xavier and the ever so mysterious loner Logan.

“Logan, I really don’t see the purpose in forcing the students to do another survival training field trip.” The professor said, with as much patience as he could muster.

“You have to understand Chuck that these kids need to be prepared for anything and everything. These may seem pointless but until the kids can convince me that they can survive on their own in a near death no hope situation, I will keep suggesting these things.” Logan said, in his deep gravel in a cement mixer voice. “How about you come with me? Maybe that would give the kids the proper encouragement to try… well, actually try.”

The professor sighed; there would obviously be no convincing Logan of otherwise. “All right, all right. All the students?”

“All of them except two, if Hank and Ro come. Then two will need to stick behind and watch the place. I was thinking Summers and Jean might be the ones to stay behind, since they’ve practically passed the course already.”

“Fair enough. So all the students (minus two) and all the instructors. Where are you planning on taking us? That place where Hank took the students a while back?”

“Oh don’t take them there.” Matilda said emphatically to Logan. “How about that place around that small cloister of mountains up north? It’s new territory so it will keep the students on their toes. Plus there’s a variety of terrain there, so it could present a whole new slew of challenges for the students.”

“Actually there’s this place up north that I was thinking of. It’s been a while since I’ve been there, but the kids have never been, and I think it would actually challenge them nicely.”

The professor scrunched his eyebrows at Logan briefly. Matilda wondered what the problem was. She nearly wet herself when he looked from Logan to directly in her direction. She breathed a sigh of relief when the professor shook his head dismissively and looked back at Logan. “All right. When are you planning on leaving?”

“I’m thinking the day after tomorrow. I’ll tell the kids tomorrow at breakfast, that’ll give them the day to pack. Then we leave first thing Tuesday morning.”

Matilda smiled to herself. “Well done girl. Talk about good timing. Now they’re headed straight for Hirane. With all of them together they should be able to take down a pathetic demon tree no problem.” Matilda left the study and stretched her small arms in the hall way. “Let’s see, I’ve got Kurt and Kitty about to fall in love and the same goes for Remy and Rogue, and I’ve got them set on the path to Hirane. I’d say I’ve got this job pretty much in the bag.” She pulled a soft-cover book out no where and appeared in the living room. She plopped down on the sofa. “Now it’s time to relax until dinner when I can see the sparks fly.” She opened her copy of A Murder Is Announced and began to read.


Rogue was surprised that she had actually had a decent time watching a movie with Remy. She had been a little taken aback by the opening shot (Diego Luna’s butt!) but found herself enjoying the independent foreign film. All three of the main actors had done a wonderful job in their roles, and the sex scenes were sexy while being realistic. She didn’t ignore the fact that Remy seemed to be inching closer and closer towards her until their sides were pressed together. He even did the old stretching trick (stretch out his arms and then drape one over her shoulders) and she didn’t swat him away. During the infamous towel scene as Tenoch said “la toalla?”, Remy leaned over and whispered in her ear “la serviette?” Rogue giggled a little bit; she couldn’t really help it.

Rogue also didn’t seem to mind that whenever they aired an insanely graphic sex scene after another that Remy lightly caressed her clothed back with his fingers. Rogue seemed to smile just a little when this happened.

“She sure does cry a lot over a jerk off husband.” Rogue said aloud after watching another scene where Luisa was crying.

“Y’ find out later dat dere’s a very good reason why she’s cryin’.”

Rogue cocked her head in contemplation a little bit later as the close up showing Luisa dancing began. “Do yah think she’s pretty?”

It was Remy’s turn to cock his head. “She’s all right. Not really gorgeous, but appealin’ in her own way.”

Rogue nodded. “Good answer.” She noticed that Remy began to grin when yet another bedroom scene began. “What is it?”

“Dis scene puts all de other ones t’ shame as far as shock value goes.”

Rogue looked back at the screen and her eyes widened a little bit when it became obvious that scene was going to include a threesome. She hoped that Remy could not hear her breathing increase slightly as Luisa kissed the two handsome Hispanic young men very intimately. She looked at Remy, he just smiled at her and motioned for her to look back at the screen. She did and was amazed at the sight of those same two young Hispanic men kissing each other. Her mouth dropped open. Remy grinned wider at her expression.

“Ah cannot believe that they just did that!” Rogue said, half shouting, half laughing.

“Got a problem wit’ gay men chère?”

“No, Ah just wasn’t expectin’ that, that’s all.” Rogue looked at him and cocked an eyebrow. “Ah’m surprised that you’re so relaxed about it.” She looked at him suspiciously. “Are you by chance-“

“Non chère, m’ not gay.” Remy said, very firmly. “When y’ live in N’awlins as long as Remy did, den you see everythin’ an’ I do mean everythin’.”

Rogue returned her attention to the movie. She would never admit to Remy that she was actually moved to Luisa’s last words to Julio and Tenoch:

“Life is like the surf, so give yourself away like the sea.”

The final scene in the coffee shop began. When Tenoch revealed to Julio a huge shock, Rogue’s mouth dropped open. She looked at Remy and he only had a very knowing expression on his face.

“Now you know why she was cryin’ so much.”

“Mah God… everything she did makes sense now.” She felt her eyes begin to water as Tenoch walked away. “Dang… that’s so sad, yet incredibly beautiful.”

Just like you, Remy thought to himself. “What did y’ think?”

“Ah liked it. Ah thought at first that it might be all sex trying to cover up a lack of a storyline, but it definitely had a deeper meanin’.”

“And what do y’ think dat deeper meaning is?”

Rogue pondered for a second. “Ah guess… to live life to your fullest.” Remy arched his eyebrow. “Yeah, Ah don’t think that’s it either.”

“Remy thinks dat de reason dey kept showing the random stories about things dat de characters might not know is to show how unpredictable life can be, and dat y’ll never know how y’ll end up. Remy thinks de only certain thing you can do about life is to live each day as it comes and not regret anthin’. So you see chère, y’ weren’t wrong.” Remy smiled at her, and for once she smiled back.

“Not regret anything…?” Rogue trailed off as somehow she found her face as well as Remy’s inching closer and closer together.

They were just a few inches away from each other’s mouths when the door opened abruptly. They quickly pulled apart and tried not to look too guilty. Scott looked between the two of them angrily and said, “Dinner’s ready.”

Rogue was the first to stand and quickly pushed past Scott as she walked out the door. Remy stood and was about to leave his room when Scott stopped him.

“Stay away from Rogue. She’s had it really tough and she doesn’t need her heart broken by swamp scum like you.”

Oh the things Remy could have said (and done) to him right then, but somehow he restrained himself and took the high road for once. “Don’t intend on breakin’ her heart vous hybride.” Remy continued past a confused Scott down to the dining room.

Everyone was chattering away as they took their seats in the dining room. Remy took a seat next to Rogue and was pleased at the angered expression on Scott’s face. Rogue didn’t seem so unhappy as she might have usually been on a normal day, but she had seen a different side of the Cajun today and thought that maybe they could do the friend thing. Kurt kept looking at the entrance to the dining room as he did his best to save a seat for Kitty. She came in a minute later and briefly the chattering stopped.
Rogue, Remy, Kurt, Kitty, and all the instructors looked around oddly at this rare occurrence of a fully occupied room being silenced suddenly. Kitty shrugged it off and took her seat next to Kurt and began to help herself to some dinner.

Another person walked in at that moment, but no one seemed to notice this one. Matilda looked curiously at a school of young people that were usually loud were talking quietly amongst themselves. “Eh, kids these days.” She said to herself, and propped herself on top of a small table where she got a good view of all the goings on at the long table. She was pleased to see that her respective couples were talking to each other absorbed in their own conversations.

“Hey Ms. Kitty?” Jamie asked, as he walked up behind her. He had seemed absorbed in his own thoughts throughout most of dinner, but finally couldn’t take the question that was nagging him in the back of his mind. “What’s a ‘strip tease’?”

The silent chattering stopped immediately. Kitty’s mouth dropped open. Kurt nearly choked on the veggies he was chewing. Remy and Rogue simply looked at Jamie shocked as did the half of the table that included the instructors and some students. The other half of the table had to hold in their laughter. Matilda nearly fell off of her perch.

“Why do you want to know that Jamie?” Kitty managed to get out.

“Tabitha told me that you gave Kurt something called a ‘strip tease’ this afternoon, and when I asked Mr. Warren what it was he told me that he would tell me when I was older. But I thought since you were the one she was talking about that you might be able to tell me.” Jamie said, very innocently. He truly had no idea what kind of affect his words had on Kitty and the rest of the table.

“Oh. Tabitha told you that?” Kitty said. The entire table turned to look at Tabitha (Kitty unashamedly glared at her).

“Hey, I wasn’t the first one to say it. I heard those exact words from X-23 of all people.” Tabitha said putting her hands up defensively.

Every head turned to look at X-23. “Don’t look at me. I heard it from Roberto.”

All eyes turned to Roberto. “Piotr was the one who told me exactly that.”

“I heard it from Alex.”

“Sam’s the one who told me.”

“Bobby’s the one who told me she gave him a lap dance!”

All eyes immediately fell on Bobby. He looked a little sheepish and then said, “Okay, fine! I was the one who said she gave him a lap dance. But it sounded a lot more interesting than her just doing a little ballet recital for him.”

There were a lot of grumbles from disappointed students who had obviously been hoping that Kitty had given Kurt a lap dance.

Kurt looked angrily at Scott. “You said you vouldn’t tell anyone!” He shouted.

“I didn’t tell anyone Kurt!” Scott shot back defensively.

“Then how does everyone know, I didn’t tell them!” Kurt said, growing increasingly more angry.

“I swear I didn’t tell anyone, besides Jean.”

“Vhat?! That’s telling someone!”

“Kurt, I tell Jean everything.”

“You veren’t supposed to tell anyone!”

“You weren’t supposed to tell anyone!” Kitty’s voice brought Kurt to look back at her. The expression on her face was a combination of anger and hurt. It broke Kurt’s
heart right then.

“Kätzchen, I’m sorry. I know I shouldn’t have, but I just had to tell someone about how you dance.”

“I bet Scott didn’t even care, and now the whole damn mansion knows!” Kitty shouted.

“Kitty come on, there’s really no reason to get angry.” Jean said. Kitty and Kurt both glared at her.

“Why does she insist on saying the exact wrong thing at the exact worse time?” Matilda asked.

“Jean, it’s not something I want to share with everybody.” Kitty said, through gritted teeth.

“Kitty, honestly there’s nothing wrong with people knowing that you love to dance.” Kitty hated to admit that that was true. So the people she lived with now knew of her love of dance. So what? They had already expressed that they thought ballet was pretty boring. It could be worse, Kitty thought, they could know about the fact that I know how to-

“OH MY GOD! YOU KNOW HOW TO BELLYDANCE?!” Jean just had to scream at the top of her lungs for the entire table to hear with the most shocked expression on her face. As Jean realized the consequences of her reading Kitty’s thoughts just then, she squeaked a very small, “sorry.”

Kitty could swear to every god in every religion that her face was on fire. She didn’t dare look beyond the plate in front of her at the other people situated around the table (she would have seen one surprised face after another, including Kurt himself). She stood up and slowly and said, “You know what? I’m not really that hungry.”

As she turned to leave the room, Kurt made an attempt to grab her wrist. “Kätzchen…” He said earnestly, as she yanked her wrist away.

“Don’t talk to me Kurt.” She said firmly, as she disappeared from the room.

Kurt started to stand to follow her but Rogue quickly said, “Kurt let meh talk to her first. Ah don’t think you should try to say anything right now.” Rogue stood and followed after Kitty.

Kurt pressed his face into palms, not wanting to look anybody in the eye right now. Everyone at the table had been stunned into silence.

“She knows how to bellydance? That is… so hot.”

“Shut up Drake.” Logan said with a death threat in his voice.

The remainder of the dinner was incredibly awkward, Matilda was sure. She didn’t know because she had left soon after the girls did and was pacing around outside. She was convinced that the cool night air might clear her head… or at least calm her down.

“Damn! Shit! Fuck! Everything was going so perfectly too! It wasn’t even Kurt’s fault! It was stupid Scott’s doing! Because of that little douche bag, all that hard work was just tossed out the window! I can’t believe it! They were so close to getting together too! Now I have to practically start from scratch!” Matilda slumped down on the ground and rested her chin in her palm. This night had certainly not gone how she had planned it.

After a few moments of angrily venting, she took a few deep breaths in and out. “Okay, minor set back, I’ll admit it. But I’m not starting completely from scratch. They have too much history together to be mad at each other forever. Tomorrow is another day after all.” Matilda stood and began pacing. “I’ve played it from getting the men to ‘fall in love first’ angle, now I need to approach it differently tomorrow. Maybe I don’t need to get them thinking about romance. Maybe I need to get them thinking about the one thing that typically leads to romance.” Matilda frowned slightly. “It’s usually a cheap cop out way to go, but it proves to be effective almost every time.” She sighed and looked up at the bedroom windows that were going out one by one. “I need to get them all thinking about sex with each other.”

Kitty didn’t feel much like talking when Rogue first approached her, so the girls just called it an early night. Rogue didn’t want to let Kitty in on her new found feelings towards a certain Cajun quite yet since Kitty was kind of upset. As the girls drifted off to dreamland, they didn’t hear or see what appeared to be a little girl watching them sleep.

“Okay, dreams are usually the way to go when trying to learn about the subconscious desires of our hearts.” She walked to Kitty and slipped her fingers inside of her head.

[*“Come on, this way!” Mouth from the Goonies shouted at Kitty. Kitty looked down at herself and saw that she was wearing her old pink ballerina tutu and a gaudy glass tiara on her head and was surprised to find herself carrying a bowling ball. “What are we running from!” Kitty yelled at him. She turned around and saw a giant Stay Puft Marshmallow Man destroying New York City. Kitty let out a scream.*]

Matilda pulled out her fingers. “Okay, standard collage jumble of dreams fare. Sex is definitely not on the brain for you.” She turned to look at Rogue; there was a faint smile on her face. “Let’s see what Rogue’s dreaming of.” Matilda slid her hand into Rogue’s dreams.

[*The backseat of the station wagon was cramped and both Rogue and Remy were sweating buckets, but that didn’t stop them. “Cójame, usted hombre magnífico!” Rogue shouted at the top of her lungs. They were both naked and pressed together. Rogue sat on top of his lap with her legs wrapped around his waist. His hands gripped her hips and he was raising her up and down onto his huge rock hard cock. He gripped her hips harder as they both quickly approached-*]

Matilda pulled her fingers out abruptly as though she had been burned. “Geez, Rogue! I don’t have to do much work to get her thinking about sex with Remy.” Matilda shook her head and teleported to Kurt’s room.

There were two bed situated in an L shape. In one Sam slept, snoring contentendly, without a singled miserable thought hindering his dreams. The poor boy didn’t look like he was sleeping very peacefully. He looked like he was sweating through his fur and tossing from side to side in his bed. Matilda looked concerned as she slid her fingers into his brain.

[*“Kätzchen! Please, don’t let me burn!” Kurt was tied to a stake in the center of an angry mob, shouting for his death. The pile of dry straw and wood had just been set fire to. Kitty was directly in front of the fire; she wore a white cape with a hood placed on top of her head. Under the cape she was naked and beautiful in the light of the fire. Kurt looked at her face through the flames, and the light of the fire reflected off the tears that ran down her perfect cheeks. “I can’t save you Kurt.” She said sadly. Then she began to walk towards him, wincing as the flames touched her bare feet as she climbed up to him. The cloak was burning when she stood directly in front of him. “But I can burn with you.”*]

Matilda jerked her hand away from Kurt’s writhing head. “Geez, that’s f’d up!” She said shaking her head. “The dream has some sexual undertones, like with her being naked, but it’s too dark in order for him to think about her sexually. I’ll need to work on him.”

Remy had no roommate to worry about. He was motionless as he slept. Matilda couldn’t help but notice that he slept naked. Her eyes were directly drawn to the growing tent that was being created with the blanket and a vital part of Remy’s anatomy. “Yet another reason he is incredibly popular with the ladies.” She paused before sliding her hand into his dreams. “Do I want to know what goes on inside his head at night?”

[*“Ah been waitin’ for ya sugah.” Rogue said huskily. She was laying on a four poster bed in his favorite hotel overlooking the French Quarter. The only thing covering her naked form were strategically placed playing cards. In both hands, she held a pint of his favorite beer. Remy caressed her face gently with his hand; nothing happened. They smiled at each other and just before he reached her lips to kiss her, she said in that incredibly sexy voice of hers, “Oh and Remy?” She smiled, bit her lower lip, and looked at him with coy eyes. “Ah want ya to be rough with meh.”*]

“Heh. Fairly typical guy dream. I would say that I wouldn’t have to do much work on him either, except that he doesn’t remember these in the morning. Can’t figure out why that is.” Matilda tapped her foot as she thought for a moment. She disappeared and reappeared outside in the tree that Kurt was sitting in earlier that day.

Looking at the three windows that held her subjects, she puzzled and puzzled until her puzzler was sore. “Okay, out of the four, only one of them is blatantly fantasizing about sex night and day. I need to get all of them in that condition.” She rested her chin in her hand. “But how do I get them thinking dirty thoughts about each other when they don’t even want to?”

“What if I got them to catch each other in the throes of passion? That might do it, but I don’t want them in the throes of passion with other people.” She leant backwards and looked at the sky. “I need them to witness each other having an orgasm, so that they can imagine what they really look like while coming and so that the image of pure eroticism is stuck in their heads. Can I somehow persuade them to masturbate and have it perfectly timed to where their prospective walks in on them?” She shook her head quickly after entertaining the thought, somewhat annoyed at herself. “Who am I kidding? That won’t work. It would make them mad at each other and cause things to be more awkward than they already are. I need something that’s blameless, traceless, but sexy.” She closed her eyes thinking hard, going through every charm she knew, and dismissing one after another, realizing what wouldn’t work for the particular situation that she want to create.

Matilda sat in silence for nearly thirty minutes. Her eyes finally shot open and she looked up slowly. A smile began to grace her features. “Of course! That should have been the first thing that I thought of!” Her smile turned into a mixture of mischief and happiness as she uttered words that only made sense to her at the moment. “Passion fruit.”