Hellfire's Pryde: Chapter Two

Once I had composed myself again, the question, “How do we protect Kitty from Emma when we can't protect Kitty from Emma?” was raised. The debate was rather lively. Wolverine suggested that Kurt take the place of whoever was my roommate in using his image inducer in order to keep and eye on me, but that suggestion was turned down immediately. I was the one who turned it down. The last thing that I needed was worrying about my brother-who-didn't-know-he-was-my-brother walking in on me either naked or half-dressed. I had enough to be concerned about.

“Look, I can link with one of you telepathically and be monitored that way. If I run into any trouble, the person that I form the link with can let you guys know and you can be there in an hour or less. Even Emma Frost isn't stupid enough to take on the entire team.”

The general reaction to my statement was murmured agreement. Storm, who had moved over to stand next to me and Kurt laid her hand on my shoulder. I could practically feel the motherly concern rolling off of her, and wondered how this woman I had only known for a short while could inspire more feeling in me then my own parent could. “If no one has a better solution,” she said quietly, “I think that this plan is the one we should use.”

I nodded. “As long as I keep my head down and don't give Emma's little Hellfire Club and reason to take action, I should be fine.” After the very first attack that had brought me to the X-Men, Xavier had told me a lot about Emma and Hellfire. They were kind of like The Brotherhood, only less obvious and a whole lot more rich and dangerous. One thing was for sure, me going there, was no coincidence.

“But you should not have to, “keep your head down” Katya.” Piotr said suddenly.

“I know. But what choice do we have, Piotr, truly? I'll be on my own with next-to-no backup. I doubt Frost will let me contact any of you without tapping into the phone or computer first, and it's not like my parents are going to do anything.”

“Why are they doing this anyway?” Scott asked. “I know they gave their reasons but it feels like there is something else, another piece to the puzzle.”

\“I wish I knew, Scott.” the Professor replied.

I sighed, knowing that this secret would have to come out sooner or later. Of course, I would have preferred later. I thought. This was one more thing in my life that I wished I could push to the back burner, but I never got that luxury.

“I know.” I mumbled, hoping they wouldn't hear me. No such luck, as I was standing in a room with a telepath and several mutants with super-hearing. Wolverine took hold of my shoulders, and I knew that he was looking into my eyes.

“What are you talking about, kid?”

“Ummmm.....” I stuttered, trying to stall for as much time as possible.

“Child.”

I turned to Storm's voice, which was directly to the left of me. “What are you talking about?” she asked me quietly. I sighed, brushing a few stray strands of hair out of my face. Yeah, I couldn't see them, nor did I need to see through them, but they irritated me anyway. As I turned around to face all of them, I squared my shoulders and braced myself.

“The real main reason I was sent here wasn't Jean's telepathic manipulations, or even my desire to join the school. My mom and dad let me come because it was a quick solution to a problem. Now that the problem is solved, I don't need to be here.”

“What problem are you talking about, Kitty?” Kurt's tone was full of confusion.

“The problem of me being in the way while they filed for divorce.”

The shock they all felt was evident.

“...Your parents have separated?”

“Yes Professor. Shortly after I came here, they started the proceedings. They don't know that I know.”

“And how do you know exactly?” Kurt asked me curiously.

“I got the mail one day shortly before I left, and my fingers brushed some raised letters on an envelope. I recognized the address, since my friend Jenny's parents had gotten a divorce about two years ago, and I tagged along with her to the custody hearings once or twice. I did a little digging into their phone records and email, which I know was wrong, but at the time I didn't care. A couple of hours was all I needed to confirm what I suspected.”

“And they still haven't told you?”

I shook my head. “I don't think they are going to until the divorce is completely finalized. They sent me here because it was the quickest solution. I wanted to go, you wanted me, and that way I wouldn't be around for the custody hearings. Now that they have come to an agreement they can move me somewhere of their choosing.”

“Why did you not tell us?” Piotr asked.

“I didn't want to admit it to myself, and a part of me believed that if I ignored it it would go away. I know better now.” I said with certainty. I'm never going to be stupid enough to assume something like that again. The room was quiet for a few minutes.

“Why don't you just tell them?”

It was Kurt who had broken the silence. And it was clear that no one understood what he was talking about. Storm was the one who actually voiced the question, however. “What do you mean?”

“Why doesn't Kitty just tell them exactly what that school is, who Emma Frost really is? That would solve all our problems, no?” I could hear the wheels turning in everyone's heads.

Scott was the first to speak. “That might just work. If they knew exactly what they were getting Kitty into, wouldn't they pull her out?” I turned my head from one direction to another as the others caught onto the idea and ran with it.

“How would we tell them?” -Piotr

“Just invite them here and show them for God's sake.” -Wolverine

“Logan, we cannot do it quite so suddenly. They have to believe us, after all.” -Storm

“We can just show them, yes? There's no way they wouldn't believe us.” -Kurt

“What are you going to do, Crawler? Turn off your inducer and port right in front of them?” -Logan

“Well, no Logan I will not be quite that crass. I would.......”

I cut in. “Guys.” Clearly I was not loud enough, as they continued their discussion without even a pause. I tried again. “Guys?” Still nothing. Sighing, I finally used my last resort option.My scream.

“GUYS!”

That stopped them talking, for which I was thankful. But was I thankful for having every single eye in the room on me? Not so much. “Maybe you would consider asking me about making decisions that directly affect my life before making the decision?” I quipped dryly, as I hoped they would all stop staring. Someone coughed, and I swore the sound was slightly sheepish.

“We're sorry Kitten,” Storm apologized. She had taken to calling me that ever since the Kate incident. I still don't know exactly why. “How do you want to tell your parents about Emma and the Hellfire club?” I turned my head to stare in a different direction then where they were.

“It's simple.” I said. “I don't.”

~*~

I spoke quickly before anyone else could shout again. “In order to tell them about her, I'd have to tell them about you, me, us. They still don't know that I am a mutant, or that this is really the base of operations for the X-Men. I'm not doing that.”

“But Kitten-”

“No Storm.”

“Kid, look...”

“I said NO Wolverine. And that's my final word. And if any of you go behind my back to tell them I'll say your crazy and then make you wish you were never born.” My glare was like ice. The one perk of being blind. Your glares are legendary.

A part of me wished that I wasn't wearing the contacts that turned my red eyes brown, but revealing that to them was something I wasn't ready for. The glare I could produce with them, however, was satisfactory.

“...You can be scary when you want to be.”

I turned to Scott. “More like, when I need to be. I mean it Scott.” My voice, somehow, grew even harder. “No.” Gathering myself together I shifted out from my position between Storm and Logan. I made my way over to the door, calling behind me as I went, “I'll be in my room if anyone needs me.”

I didn't even bother opening the door, making myself go intangible and walking through it like it wasn't even there. Ignoring the calls behind me, I held myself in my phase state and floated gently up the stairs. Only when I reached my room did I let myself down. Turning the nob, I pushed my way in.

I don't want to go, I thought as I stepped over a small pile of dirty clothes on my way to the bureau. I don't have a choice, but that doesn't mean that I have to like it. What are they thinking doing this to me? I know that they only want what is best for me, but what about what I think is best for myself? Do I even matter to them anymore? It's going to be so hard to leave. But what can I do about it? There's nothing I can do except...

As I reached towards the top shelf for my suitcases the solution hit me. Before I had a chance to really think about it, however, a knock came at my door. “Kitten?” Storm called out. “It's me. Can I come in.” Shoving the suitcase back onto the shelf and mumbling incoherently under my breath, I stomped back across the room to pull the door open again.

“What is it Storm?”

“Is this a bad time?” With her gentle question all my anger deflated.

“Yes. No. I don't know. I think I want to be alone right now.”

“Do you really?”

“...No.”

“What are you thinking right now?”

I lifted my eyes to the ceiling, trying to sort through my jumbled brain. “I don't want to leave. I don't want to go the the Massachusetts Academy. I don't want to be anywhere near Emma Frost. What she did the last time keeps going through my head. And I don't want to leave the team now that I've gotten used to our routines. And what will my leaving do to all of you? There are so many things running through my head now Ororo, that I'm honestly considering asking the Professor, Jean, or even Wolverine to knock me out for a few hours.”

Stepping into my room, she sat down on my bed and pulled me beside her. “Don't worry about us, Kitten. We will be just fine.” she said soothingly. Unfortunately for her, her words incensed me instead of calming me down.

“I know you will! You done it without me before, my leaving won't change anything!”

“That's enough of that.” she firmly replied. “We love you, and your leaving will change everything. Don't think for a moment that it won't. You're our little Sprite, and we will miss you very much.”

“At least someone will miss me.”

“What do you mean by that, child?”

“My parents clearly don't want me anywhere near them. I'm not going back to Chicago, I'm going to Boston for heavens sake!”

“Your parents only want what is best for you, Kitty. They wouldn't be doing this for any other reason.”

“That's a load of crap, Ororo, and you know it! I was sent here so that they could get a divorce, because I would have been in the way otherwise. If they really cared about me, I'd be at home in Deerfield, with them. But they're just being selfish...”

Taking me by the shoulders she shook me slightly, and when she spoke again her voice was a mixture of sadness and anger. “Now who is being selfish? If your parents no longer love each other it would be cruel to ask them to stay in a marriage that makes them unhappy, even if it was you asking. Things change, Kitty. People change. What is real one day may not be real the next.”

I shoved her hands off of me and stood up, pacing back and forth across the room. “But these are my parents, Storm.” I said desperately. “If they don't love each other then why did they get married and adopt me? If there is one thing that I have always depended on it's at the end of the day, we will all be a family not matter what. If I can't depend on that reality anymore, then please, tell me what I can depend on.” I begged.

She was beside me suddenly, pulling me into her arms. “You can always depend on me.”

“Will you ever stop loving me?” I asked timidly, feeling like a child, but needing to know the answer.

“Oh darling, perhaps when I die. But not a second before.” she reassured me in a mockingly stern tone. Pulling back slightly, she brushed my hair out of my face and I leaned into the comfortable familiar gesture. “Life is very lonely,” she continued softly, “and to live it well, you must be strong enough to trust, to risk, to...forgive. Your parents do love you child.”

“I suppose you're right, but it hurts, Storm. It hurts so much.”

“You're growing up, Kitten. I'm afraid that pain and suffering are a part of the process.”