The Heart is a Lonely Hunter

THE HEART IS A LONELY HUNTER CHAPTER TWENTY THREE (NC-17)
Disclaimers Apply

A/N Goddess Foxfeather, Queen of Mad Plotbunnies, Dodo wants a pet eel. Can dolphins have pets? InterNutter, TC and Maxwell Pink are fanfreakingtastic for archiving and being shiny happy people. Readers/Reviewers: Killer Kitties (tm) are lurking, making me nervous...Every once in a while, I see a flash of fur dart by and the faint sound of claws on linoleum...I'd better hide my pets.




One of two things happens when a group of teenagers are confronted with immanent disciplinary action of the highest order: they either turn on each other or close ranks. The Professor had to own to his surprise that his own group was of the latter sort, despite the divergent personalities and often caustic interpersonal relations between the students. All those summoned to the downstairs study were silent as stone, glaring at the Matthews men, Principal Kelly, the police officer and, in the case of Todd and Lance, at Logan. The Professor tore his attention away from the teenagers for a moment and said to the still-prattling Principal Kelly, "You claim that you know for sure that my charges were responsible for the...damage...done to Mister Matthews Junior. How so? You can produce no security footage of the locker room, the parking lot, or the Matthews home, you only have hearsay for the fight this morning, which, I might add, Miss Pryde has discussed pressing charges over due to the ample witnesses on her behalf that the Matthews the younger attacked her first, and further, you have provided no grounds on which to warrant her suspension." He wheeled around his desk, passing the police officer with nary a glance and closing in on the Matthews and Kelly. Professor Xavier was tired of listening to their self serving attitudes and nonsense and decided to cut them off at the knees. "This invasion of our privacy, coming onto school grounds without permission or invitation and the alienation of my charges' civil rights, are grounds for a hefty lawsuit, you know."
Principal Kelly sniffed in defiance but it was obvious to all that he did not have a leg to stand on. "It's well known around school that the Xavier students are nothing but trouble makers and rabblerousers. There were hardly any problems until _they _ came on the scene."
Logan raised one brow and said gruffly, "Are you being derogatory because they're gifted, Kelly? I think I hear a hate crime being perpetrated..." He turned to the police officer and said in mildly concerned tones, "Officer, I think I'd like to look into pressing charges of discrimination against Bayville Independent School District vis a vis Principal Kelly; it seems our students didn't have trouble until he came on the scene..."
Scott bit the inside of his cheeks so hard he was sure he drew blood. Any one who knew Logan for any length of time could pick up on the sarcasm but as far as the non-Institute residents were concerned, he was serious as a heart attack. Scott said sadly, "I feel violated." Jean's sharp kick to his ankle was almost his undoing, but he kept a straight face through the rest of the meeting.
"That hell-bitch attacked me first!" Duncan howled, brandishing a finger at Kitty. "She was shoving her tits in my face, shaking her ass like it was for sale and then gets all pissy when I try and pick up on her. She hit me first!"
"Sit down," his father hissed, pulling Duncan back to the sofa. "Keep your temper," he added, though too late.
Kitty's fingers dug into Kurt's arm, partially to keep him from tearing Duncan's face off and partially to keep her hands off Duncan's throat. "There were, like, a dozen people out there! Ask any of them! I was with Kurt and Jubilee, waiting for Lance and Amara to finish...talking...and Duncan came up to me and was all, like, offensive. He slapped me _hard! _" She pointed to the bruise spreading down one cheek and her split lip. "I hit him in self defense!"
The police officer held up one hand to silence Kelly's sudden gasp of outrage. "Are their witnesses other than your friends, Miss...Pryde, is it?"
"Yes!" Kurt, Lance, Amara, Jubilee and Kitty said at once. What followed was a cacophony of names, five voices layering over each other at once in an attempt to be heard. Kitty finally shouted, "And Patricia Garrison!"
Amara's eyes shifted to Lance and she murmured, "How nice...your little girlfriend."
"Time and place, Princess...this is neither." Lance forced a bland expression to his features and stared straight ahead, ignoring Amara's glare.
Principal Kelly spoke slowly, choosing words as if his life depended on it, "I was unaware of other witnesses..."
"Bullshit!" Jubilee crowed, leaping to her feet. "You came charging into a _crowd _ of kids, man! What the hell-you think we can multiply or something?" Jamie, the one of the few mutants not included in the gathering, would get a kick out of that, she thought. _Have to tell him later...I owe him a Remy-free night anyway. _
"Jubilation," Storm said in a quelling tone, motioning for her to resume her seat. When she did not, the older woman shifted to put herself between Jubilee and the Matthews, half fearing that the girl would use her powers. "What our...charge...means is that she feels you perhaps failed to notice the other students present in your haste to break up the fight."
Principal Kelly narrowed his gaze at Kitty, no mean feat since he had to lean around Logan to do so. "I'll call in witns tos tomorrow and have one of the school district police officers1 question them for veracity. Will that satisfy you?"
Professor Xavier spoke up again. "What will satisfy us is a public apology by Duncan and yourself, the reinstatement of Kitty to class and assurance that the students of the Xavier Institute will not be harassed in any way, shape or form by your office, the sports teams, or any friends of Mister Matthews here."
"Now see here," Matthews senior said, florid in face and speech, "just because you freaks get picked on don't mean it's my boy or his friends doin' it! Kids are gonna be kids an' if you guys can't fit in like everyone else, then it's your problem, ain't it?"
Logan growled, a sound that did not go unnoticed by anyone in the room. The officer spoke, "I think we can dismiss the kids for the moment, have a little talk, just us adults..."
The Professor nodded, seeing the direction things were going in terms of temper. "Duncan, you may wait in the foyer. I ask my charges to go to the rec room and wait there." He did not need to send a mental command to let them know the extent of his displeasure should they rile Duncan in any way.

Mutants marched as a group towards the rec room, Kitty, Kurt and Jean bringing up the rear, Duncan dragging his feet behind them. Jean held Kitty back when they reached the rec room, waving Kurt on. "Kit, I want to talk to Duncan, find out what the hell he's up to."
"Jean! He won't tell you! Besides, you know what the Professor would do to you if you get Cro Magnon boy out there pissy? He'll make you have garage duty!" Kitty could not think of a worse fate than cleaning the garage on weekends.
Jean shook her head impatiently. "Duncan will tell me...Just keep Scott from coming out here. Tell him I had to pee or something. He'll believe you!"
"Jean, I don't like this..." Kitty shot a worried look over her friend's shoulder to where Duncan was peering into the valet mirror by the door, seemingly popping a zit. Wrinkling her nose, Kitty added, "Just let it go...it's just Duncan being Duncan."
"No, Kitty, this is something weird. He may be a world class jackass but he doesn't act malicious just for the Hell of it, especially not towards girls like you. Let me work my magic on him and you just keep Scott distracted." She winked at Kitty as she turned. "I have ways of making guys talk..."
Kitty groaned inwardly. _This can't end well... _ Kurt's hand on her shoulder made her jump. "Shit!"
"High strung, are we?" he asked kindly, following her gaze to Jean. "What is she doing?" He surged forward, Kitty finding and grabbing his tail despite his holo. "OW!"
Kitty pulled him into the rec room, smiling sheepishly at the sea of eyes and stilled conversation turned to them at Kurt's outburst. "As you were..." In Kurt's ear, she whispered urgently, "Don't say anything. She's trying to find out what Duncan's up to. And I'll kiss it and make it better later."
Kurt rubbed the base of his tail with a scowl on his face. "That wasn't nice."
"It was the first part of you I could grab!" Kitty pushed his hand away and took up the rubbing herself. Keeping her eyes on Scott, making sure his attention did not drift towards the doorway, Kitty kneaded and stroked Kurt's sore tail as she spoke. "We can't let Scott see her out there because he'll go ape about her not only talking to Duncan but doing it now. He thinks Jean is going to try and flirt with Duncan just to get him mad anyway, and this won't help matters..."
"Jealousy is running amuck," Kurt sighed, enjoying the feeling of Kitty's fingers on his tail despite the high stress of the evening.
Kitty frowned slightly but did not get a chance to respond as Todd approached them. "Logan knows, yo...he knows it was us! He's gonna kill me!"
Jubilee piped up from nearby, "Nothing gets past him, but he's not gonna sell us out to Kelly and them. We're just gonna have nasty KP or something for the rest of the year."
Remy grumbled from the vicinity of the floor at Jubilee's feet, "If Kurt didn' go tellin' us you got kicked out, Kit, dey wouldn' a done dis shit."
"Hey!" Kurt snapped, Remy's ire enough to ruin his enjoyment of Kitty's ministrations. "I did not make anyone do anything! They took it upon themselves to..." he took a breath, mindful of alien ears, "to do what they did!"
Rogue laid a hand on Remy's clothed arm. "Kurt's right. You're just worried about Jubilee getting' in trouble. Don't take it out on Kurt."
"I take it out on whoever I damn well please, chere," Remy snapped, rising to his feet and brushing off Jubilee and Rogue's hands trying to hold him back. He stalked up to Kurt and pressed his finger into the smaller youth's chest. "You go startin' everyone up 'bout Kitty here getting' kick outta school, you go getting' everyone mad. If Jubilee get kicked out, if she get in trouble, I comin' for you, homme!"
Kurt straightened and bared his teeth at Remy. "You're my friend, Remy, so I am going to let this go. Next time you talk to me, you had better calm down or I won't be so forgiving!"
Kitty could see the situation sliding rapidly out of control and wanted to scream with relief when Storm appeared in the doorway, despite the older woman's frown of concern and the deep furrow between her brows. "Kitty, Kurt, Lance, Todd, Jubilee...please come with me to the study. The rest of you wait here."
Kurt had such a tight hold on Kitty's hand that she lost feeling in her fingers. Lance and Todd shuffled behind them all the way to the study and Jubilee put on a brave front, popping her gum at Jean as they passed the red head sitting on the bench by the door. Duncan was already in the room, looking a little to smug to be trusted. The Professor looked annoyed, his lips pinched into a thin line. "Students, concessions had to be made in order for both parties to be happy. I hope you all realize this when you hear what had to be done."
Principal Kelly smiled his best snake oil salesman smile. Reading off a handwritten sheet of paper, he said "Duncan will apologize for striking Kitty provided she does the same. Lance Alvers and Todd Tolensky will not be suspended provided they admit to pulling the pranks on Duncan and accept detention for the remainder of this six week period as well as a weekly essay on the topic of my choosing, written during their lunch break. Jubilation Lee, you are removed from the gymnastics team and are forbidden to participate in any school related athletic groups from here on out. Kitty," Principal Kelly smiled at her, making her want to gag, "you are on half days. You seem to incite feelings of anger in some of our students so we, Professor Xavier and I, agreed to work out a schedule where you spend half the day at school and do home study for the other half of your classes. Additionally, you have lost any chance of being named valedictorian or salutatorian, you are removed from any school committees you are a member of, you are not allowed to tutor students from Bayville High School any longer and you are forbidden from attending school functions where Duncan Matthews will also be present."
Kitty managed a squeak of shock as Kurt put his arm around her, his own features grim. Professor Xavier saw the expressions on their faces, ranging from relief for Todd and Lance to absolute horror for Kitty, but the one that bothered him the most was the self-satisfied look on Duncan Matthew's face. "I feel that is the end of our discussions. Logan, Storm, please escort our guests from the grounds. Officer Nelson, thank you for coming out and I hope you forgive me if I say I'm rather glad you could not do your job this evening."
The officer nodded. "The institute has been quite...popular...for our officers of late. I'm just glad this call out was nothing. Gotta tell ya, I appreciate places like this. Need more people like you, Professor Xavier."
The older man blinked in some surprise and said, "Thank you. I appreciate that." Visitors were led out and mutants remained, silence pressing in all around them. Finally, the Professor said, "Tonight has been very...taxing. I suggest you all get some sleep. Kitty, we'll discuss your schedule in the morning but you will be attending school tomorrow. And please," he added in an undertone, "dress appropriately."
"Professor, with all due respect, how I dress isn't grounds for Duncan to harass me and get away with it!"
"I know this, Kitty, but people like him, like Kelly...they aren't as intelligent as we are, are they?" he winked at her. "Now, to bed. All of you."
Jean was still waiting in the foyer when they came from the study. Pulling Kitty aside again, she murmured, "I'll come to your room later. You're not gonna believe this." Kitty nodded somewhat distractedly and followed Kurt up the stairs. _ If Scott doesn't kill me for going to the dance with Duncan, that is..._

Outside, Logan watched as Principal Kelly drove down the narrow trail towards the gate, followed by the Matthews. Officer Nelson lingered, giving him appraising looks. "What?" Logan finally snapped.
"Nothing. You just look familiar is all."
"Yeah, well, I got one of them faces..." Logan sniffed deeply, Nelson's scent familiar but layered over with so much soap and cologne that any trace of his natural scent was almost impossible for even his sensitive nose to detect. "Night."
Nelson took the hint, getting into his patrol car and driving to the gate. When he was sure he was far enough away from Logan's sharp eyes, he shifted, red hair and blue skin instead of flesh colors and brown hair. "Thank heaven for small mercies," Mystique murmured under her breath, swinging the car onto the road towards the Boardinghouse.

1 Some ISD's have police departments. Go figure.