Author's note: Uh, so sorry.  Things really got out of hand and I completely
forgot I never finished updating this, and seeing that it's been almost a
YEAR and I'm still getting a few reviews, I decided to go ahead and post
the remaining bits.  So as one more note, the epilogues are not mandatory
reading.  The ending is fairly nuetral, epilogue one takes a more general
approach to how Xmen Evo was heading, and the 2nd epilogue is more slashy.

Inner Conflicts

Part 31

Lance slammed into the ground, his head swimming.

His powers weren't much help, since Red was using her powers to keep any
fallen objects away from Scott.  

And Rogue had both hands uncovered, ready to touch him should he try to escape
Scott.

The only blessing was the Scott wasn't using his optical beams.

As it turned out, his fists and feet were plenty enough.

Both boys rained blows on each other, one more offensive than the other.

Deep down inside, Lance knew he deserved the beating, and maybe that was
why he was allowing the shit to be beaten out of him.

The iron taste of blood was strong in his lips, and his jaw ached.

As did the rest of his head, his ribs, and his back.

Scott had even gotten one good kick to his chin.

Lance's fist connected once more to Scott's face, but even then he could
feel that it was done without much power.

The pain was weakening him, and pretty soon he was going to collapse.

He briefly wondered whether or not Scott was going to beat him into
unconsciousness or not.

Rogue, who had been rooting for Scott, was barely heard.

Her voice sounded muffled, and the edges of his vision was going grey.

Then it was over.

He felt himself fall, watched as Jean spoke to Scott, and then, joined by
Rogue, walked away.

At first he felt anger at having been beaten by Scott.

And the... he realized that he would be going home. . . alone.

And for some strange reason, that thought hurt more than what Scott had just
done to him.

X

"It wasn't enough," Scott muttered, his bruised knuckles showing as he gripped
the steeringel oel of his convertible.

"Scott, you asked me along to make sure you didn't kill him. Personally I'd
rather the authorities take over and haul his ass to jail."  Jean stared
out into the passing scenery.

She was seething, and truthfully, she didn't think Lance got what he deserved.
 But logic always took over, and she knew she had to stop Scott before
any permanent damage was done.

Rogue was sitting in the back, arms crossed.

"I'm glad you were able to handle it yourself," she said.

Jean gave her a curious look.

Rogue looked her in the eye.  "I really didn't want to touch him.  I
was afraid I'd see everything he did to Kurt."

Jean nodded.

Rogue had only gone for back-up, and fortunately wasn't needed.

And Jean was glad.

She knew that Rogue seemed to have a soft spot with Kurt.  They were
connected in a unique way, kind of like Scott and Kurt, only different.

For once, Jean felt left out.

Kurt was a friend, but she doubted they would ever share the same thing that
he and Scott had, or the one he and Rogue shared.

"They should be arriving at the institute soon," she said.

Scott pressed a bit harder on the accelerator.

X

Logan was the first one to sense them.

He nodded at the professor, and he, along with Ororo, went down the meet
their prodigal student.

X

Kitty, Tabitha, and Kurt slowly walked from where they had appeared.  

Kurt walked in silence, staring at the floor.  His tail dragged, having
removed his hologram after the port.

Both girls watched him in apprehension, and yet lost in their own thoughts.

Kitty couldn't believe how broken her blue elf was.

And Tabitha wondered if they had been too late to salvage Kurt's self-esteem.

Situations such as these were damaging... she knew first hand.

Kurt looked up as the mansion loomed closer.

Before they knew it, they were at the door.

Kurt glanced at Kitty and Tabitha, and with their prompting, opened the door.

Ororo was at the top of the stair case, and Logan was at the bottom.

Professor Xavier was at the door way, a small smile on his face.

"Welcome home, Kurt," he said in a soft whisper.

Kurt's  lips trembled as he tried to keep himself steady.  "I'm
sorry," he whispered.

A soft swish was heard as Ororo quickly made her way down the steps.  "Oh,
Kurt," she said.  "You don't have to apologize for anything.  We
do not blame you."

Xavier nodded.  "We're just glad that you're home."

Kurt's whole body shook as tears came to his eyes.  "Home," he repeated,
as if in disbelief.  

Ororo's maternal instinct took over, and she gently pulled him into an embrace.
 "Yes, Kurt.  "Home, with us, your family."

She pressed his face into her bosom, and with her free hand, gently stroked
the back of his head, running her fingers through his hair.

The gentle touch finally reached something deep inside Kurt, and the tears
he had tried so hard to keep back in front of the grown-ups finally fell
free.

His arms wrapped around Ororo's waist and held tightly, as if afraid that
she would disappear should he not hold her tight enough.

His body shook as he was overcome with emotions of shame, relief, guilt,
joy, anger, and frustration.  His sobs were loud and it looked like
he would collapse.

"I'm sorry," he cried again.  "I'm sorry I. . . I. . . I'm sorry I left
home."

Tabitha turned away, as if to give him privacy, and Kitty dissolved into
tears.

"There, there, Kurt," Ororo murmured, resting her chin on top of his head
and gently rocking her body to soothe the hysterical boy.

Her own eyes shimmered with unshed tears.

Xavier looked on in sorrow, and Logan slowly approached them.

Several students spotted the group, and seeing their sorrowful state, chose
to continue on without questions.  

They knew that something had happened that cause Kurt to run away.  And
now he was back, and that was all that mattered to them.

Ororo continued to console the blue mutant.  

A few moments later, his sobs grew softer, and his body grew heavier.

She looked at Logan for help.

The silent mutant reached over and lifted Kurt into his arms.

Kurt's eyes were closed, and his cheeks were wet with tears.

"Take him to the infirmary," said Xavier. "He'll be less disturbed there."

Kitty wiped the tears from her face as the door opened behind them.

Scott, Jean, and Rogue stepped in.

They spotted Logan making his way down the hall with  Kurt sleeping
in his arms.

Xavier glanced at them, then frowned and a disapproving way when Scott hid
bruised hands behind his back.

Jean and Rogue pretended not to notice.

Xavier shook his head and followed Logan.  

X

Lance stumbled into his home.

"Whoa, you look like hell," he heard Freddy say.

"Yo, your blue buddy disappeared on us, so we figured he was with you," said
Todd.

"Where's he at?" asked Pietro.

Lance was too tired to notice the looks of guilt on their faces.  "He's
back at the Institute, and he's not coming back," he said.  

"Oh."

Lance slowly made his way up the steps.

The remaining Brotherhood members looked at each other.

The guilt they felt was for betraying their own team member.  However,
they also knew that it was for the best.

X

Scott sat by Kurt's bed side for the rest of the day and was planning to
stay the whole evening.

Except for the one hour in which the professor demanded to have an explanation
for the apparent rough appearance he was in. During that time, Jean, Rogue,
Kitty, and Evan made their way in and out of the room.

Evan was left out of the details, but he knew that it was serious.

As for the discussion, Scott had answered the questions evasively, knowing
that the professor would never search for the truth without his permission.
 And there was no guilt about keeping the whole truth from the professor.

The need to have vengeance was stronger this time around, and Scott ined
ed
to keep it that way.

He brushed back the stray strands of hair from Kurt's face, marvelling in
the texture of the soft fur that covered him.

Faint anger coarsed through him again, knowing that Lance had experienced
the same thing, only a lot more intimate.  He had taken a wonderful
person and twisted him around to suit his needs.

And now Scott was basically left with broken pieces that he and the others
would try to put together.

Scott took Kurt's hand and held it up to his face.

"Kurt," he whispered.  "We'rl hel here for you."

X

Tabitha made her way into the Brotherhood.  

She was a bit nervous, but at the same time she still had a bit of anger
fueling her.

As soon as she entered, the first person she spotted was Lance.

"What are you doing here?" he asked, holding a bag of ice to his swelling
eye.  

"I sleep here," she responded.

Lance glared at her.  "What makes you think you're welcome here?"

"I don't see any of the others asking me to leave."

"They will once they find out that you fucking set me up and betrayed me,"
he hissed.

Tabitha yawned.  "I'm sure they'll love to hear my reasons for doing
so.  I mean, the great all mighty Lance,  corrupting an innocent
boy just because he could.  I mean, who might be next? Todd? Pietro?
 Yeah, whatever you say.  I'm going to bed."  With that, she
moved towards the stairs.

Lance remained silent, and Tabitha smirked to herself.

What was she doing here?  Why, keeping an eye on Lance from this end.

X

Rogue stepped into Kurt's room.  

It had only been a few days since he had come home, but the time seemed to
lag forever.

Kurt was now back in his room, spending a lot of time to think.

She knew that Xavier had asked him if he wanted to press charges against
Lance.

To the shock and dismay of all that knew, he declined.  His reasons,
however, were justifiable, and they were also as Scott and Rogue had predicted.

"I'm sure the media will make a big show about it, and I can't have you risk
being exposed just to bring me justice."

Xavier finally relented to defeat.  His last words were "You are too
forgiving, but we will accept your wish."

The only thing that Xavier had won on was having Kurt talk to a therapist.

The sessions were fairly long, and Kurt was usually quiet after each one.

And now he was sitting out on the railings of the balcony, staring out into
the waters.

"Kurt?" Rogue called out.

"Ja?"

"Mind if I just stand here."

". . .Nein."  

Both mutants were silent for a while.

Then Kurt spoke.

"There was a night I came close to killing myself," he confessed.

Rogue wisely chose to remain silent, listening to what he had to say.

"I know now it was a stupid thing to do.  I was afraid. . . ashamed.
 I should have told someone."  He looked at her.  "I would
say I'll know better next time... but I'll definitely work on there never
being a next time." He cracked a shaky smile.

Rogue only shook her head.  Kurt was attempting to make jokes...a defense
mechanism that she recently became aware of.  But it was what made him.
 And little ittlittle, she knew that he would come back.  Maybe
not one hundred percent, but he would be Kurt to them again, and that was
all that they wanted.

"So, what about Lance?" she asked, daring to broach the subject that no one
wanted to talk about.

Kurt took a deep breath as he turned away.

"As long as he keeps his distance, he'll be fine," Kurt bit out.  

Rogue nodded. &;"Yo;"You know we'll watch your back."

Kurt gave her a gentle smile.  "I know," he said.  "I know."

X

Kurt had excused absences from school for a few days.

Then he claimed he was ready to go back.

While Evan felt a little left out, he helped the others watch out for Lance.
 As far as he understood it, Lance had done or said something to pull
Kurt away from the Institute,  The truth had been exposed and he had
come back, feeling both betrayed and like a traitor.

Whatever happened, Evan would do his best to he

X

Lance felt like shit.

Not only did the bruises that Scott gave him left him sore all over. . .
but a strange pang in his heart left him unable to sleep well.

Each morning, for the past few days, he had woken up to a sense of emptiness.
 He automatically reached out for a body that was no longer there.

The bed seemed colder now, and the room quiet.

He was also afraid again of waking up to the sound of police banging on his
door.

The looks that Scott, Rogue, Jean, and Kitty gave him made him nervous, and
he hated that.

The absence of Kurt was even worse.

He remembered how he had felt when Kurt looked at him in utmost fear, and
the shame he had felt knowing that he had done that to him.

But he still had that bit of attraction he felt when he knew the power he
could hold over the blue mutant.

But that power was now gone, and by the look he remembered on Kurt's face,
no amount of apologizing would bring him back to him.

Lance paused in his journey to his first period class.

ft>
Was that what he wanted?  Kurt back with him?  

There was no denying he'd love to have him in bed, but now. . . well. . .
now Lance wondered what it would have been like had both he and Kurt come
together under different terms.

If he hadn't used the underhanded tricks . . . or the mind games.

Shit, thought Lance.  I think I really did fall for him.
 

He bit back a gasp when he saw a familiar face walk by.

Kurt was back in class, and surrounded by his team.

Their eyes met for a brief moment, and to Lance, the world stopped.

Kurt's eyes were showing signs of life, and at contact, it was as if everything
had been sucked out and left nothing but an obvious cold hatred.

Then it was gone as Kurt looked away and continued to talk to his friends
as if he hadn't seen him.

There's no way in hell he'll ever give me a real chance now.

X

The day flew by for Kurt.

Somehow, it was as if a veil had been lifted.

He hadn't realized how bright some of the classes where.  He looked
around and observed the faces of the people around him and wondered what
their stories were.

Did any of them have problems that others weren't aware of?

He looked at the teachers.

Did they even pay attention to their students?  Or did they just categorize
them by grades?

Some of his teachers hadn't realized there was a problem until his grades
dropped.

So what if he had been able to keep up his grades?  Would they have
ever noticed that something was wrong?

Kurt bly wly wondered if the school's guidance counselors were suppose to
take of such things.  Maybe he could take a look into it.  There
could be lots of kids like him with problems they were too embarrassed to
talk about with family and friends.

The few days of therapy had helped him open up  a bit more.  He
wasn't sure whether or not he'd ever tell the others the full details of
what had happened, but at least he didn't have to keep it bottled in.

Talking to the therapist was like talking to a live journal.

It responded back, and it would bpt apt a secret.

He found himself looking forward to the sessions.

They were a little awkward, but not like the first day.

Kurt finished the test for his last period class and turned it in.

"You may go to the media center if you wish," said the teacher, glancing
at the clock.

There was still half an hour till the bell rang.

She handed him a hall pass, and Kurt took ithoithout a word.

As he walked down the hall, he ran into someone.

His heart stopped as he looked up.

Tabitha smiled at him.

Kurt sighed.  "Sorry," he said.  "I thought you were someone else."

"I figured that.  You cuttin' class?!" she asked, looking on in disbelief.

"No.  Early release.  We were taking a test."

"Ouch, on your first day back?  Didn't they give you a chance to take
it another day?"

"I asked to take it.  I've been studying everything while I was home.
 I think I did almost as well as normal."

Tabitha shook her head.

"Well, since there aren't any more classes, why don't we just ditch?"

"I can't do that," protested Kurt.

"Sure you can.  We can just bamf away!"

Kurt sighed.

Tabitha's smile faded.  "Actually... I wanted to talk to you.  Have
you been doing okay?"

Kurt remained silent.  "Ja, I think so."

Tabitha reached out and brushed her fingers over Kurt's cheek, feeling the
fur underneath his hologram.

Kurt shied away.

"I. . . I wanted to thank you for letting me see the truth," Kurt suddenly
said, looking at the floor."

Tabitha gave a small smile.

"Anything for a friend.  Besides, I was there myself once."

"You were?" Kurt asked, shocked.  

Tabitha glanced away.  "Yeah.  Still hurts to think about it. .
. but. . ."

Kurt patiently waited.

"I got to know the difference between someone who just wants to own you,
and someone who cares deeply enough to let things be.  That's why I
was hoping we could leave.  So we can talk some more. Privately."

Kurt slowly nodded.

"Okay."  He took her hand, and both of them disappeared in a flash of
smoke.

tbc. . .