The rest of that day was a blur for Shine and Wally--because of the lag.

They ended up going to bed as soon as they could, after a rushed dinner.

They thought the X-men were not sorry to see them retire. The whole thing was clearly still weird to them.

* * *

Logan was not happy--well, he was never happy, but more not so than usual. He didn't like that he was somehow the reason for this. He figured the others would have agreed to let these two jokers stay if they hadn't claimed he called them--and he knew Rogue and Gambit and Jubilee at least thought there was some truth to it after how he'd reacted.

He'd get to the bottom of this if it killed him.

At breakfast the next morning he actually showed up, which he rarely did, waiting for them to appear.

They did in good time, all things considered--and how long it took them to find the dining room. 

"We went into two wrong rooms first," Wally said. "This doesn't look like a dining room from the outside, you know."

"Never noticed," Beast remarked.

"So...you all live here?" Shine sat down expectantly. 

"Yes," Beast said. "Is that odd?"

"Oh...no." Shine eyed the place setting. "Just different than...well, nevermind. And you have no other students? Or are they home for summer? What month is it?"

"Well, it's June right now," Beast said. "A bit unusually warm for June, but then I'm sure for you, Mrs. West, it's mild."

Shine looked up. "You can just call me Shine. Mrs. West is my mother-in-law. And a very nice lady. I couldn't hope to imitate her."

"I think you're nice," Wally said, winking.

Shine reddened. "Not in front of the X-Men, hon."

Wally chuckled.

"Well, I suppose a rose by any other name would smell just as sweet, so if you prefer Shine, I will try to oblige you," Beast said.

"Which do you prefer--Beast or Hank?" Shine asked, grabbing some biscuits.

"Well, my friends call me Hank," Beast said, "but I don't really care. Or you can call me Dr. McCoy."

He paused for a second to see if they would react to that.

Wally just buttered some pancakes.

"This is a nice meal," Shine commented. "I usually just make toast and coffee--oh, is there coffee?"

"Right here." Rogue pointed, leaning on the counter. "You can thank Jean for the meal. She's the only one who really wants to put in that kind of time in the kitchen around here."

"Hmm, think she'd want help?" Shine asked. "I can do pancakes."

"Even if you can, Jean would probably not like it if you offered," Rogue said. "She don't like help in the kitchen."

"Oh." Shine looked disappointed.

"So, Dr. McCoy," Wally said to Beast, "where do you work, then?"

"Oh...ah, an institute for the blind, among other places," Beast said.

"Oh, that's cool," Wally said.

Shine nodded. "Not that it's the same, but I work with the Deaf sometimes. I think you can learn a lot from trying to see things from someone else's perspective--or hear things, perhaps."

"I suppose if you're here you must think so," Beast said.

Shine paused. "What do you mean?"

"Ah...well, forgive me, but are there mutants in your universe?" Beast asked.

"Nope," Shine said.

"Yeah," Wally said.

Silence.

"Oh, we're not from the same world." Shine saw their confusion.

"You...ain't?" Rogue was clearly having a hard time with all of this.

"Yeah," Shine said, "or the same time. Didn't we say yesterday? I don't remember. The lag was really clouding my brain."

She got up and got some coffee. "But no, my world has no mutants, not like ones with powers anyway. Just the old kind. People with diseases or mutated hair or eye colors sometimes. Like mine." She pointed to her eyes... They certainly were an unusual shade of green-brown. "But that's nothing to brag about. I just joke about it sometimes."

"You joke about being a mutant?" Jubilee said a bit tersely.

"In a world where it's not really anything people think of, it's more of a joke," Shine said, stirring some sugar into her cup. "I suppose here it wouldn't be wise, huh?"

"No, I don't think it would," Beast said. At least he seemed to see the humor in it.

"Well, where I live, not a lot of people are mutants, but there's a few," Wally said. "Most caused by scientific accidents, though. Not genetics."

"Well, to be fair, that could very well be the cause of our powers," Beast said. "We just don't know."

"Perhaps you'll never know." Shine sat back down. "Theories abound, even in the future, about mutation, but who knows? I can't think of any theory that really explains how diverse they are."

"I confess, Miss--Shine, if you have never seen a mutant before, your acceptance of my appearance is a little unprecedented," Beast said. "You don't find it shocking?"

"Not after my last mission," Shine said candidly. "I mean, would I have been a little caught off guard if I didn't know? Probably, but...I mean, after a 6 armed guy, a talking mouse, a lizard man, and...well, whatever some of the others were, I can't say your blueness is all that shocking to me."

She went back to eating. "Sorry, was that insensitive?"

"Where were you before?" Rogue raised an eyebrow.

"Oh...it was kind of like here, but way different." Wally casually sipped some coffee. When had he got it? Rogue hadn't noticed him move.

"Yeah, there, 80% of the population has powers like yours," Shine said calmly. "Growing every generation, too. And a lot of them are mutations. I guess it'd be about 100 years into the future here, but it wasn't just like our timeline, so I can't say if it's connected to this one. That can be a confusing and usually a pointless question anyway." She sipped her coffee.

"Imagine a world where 80% of the people were like us," Jubilee said enviously. "We'd never feel like freaks again."

Shine almost choked on her food, like she was stifling a laugh.

Wally looked pointedly down.

"Perhaps prejudice is everywhere," Beast mused. "But it does sound...nice... I can only hope we get there in my lifetime."

Logan had been silent this entire time--but glowering at them.

Shine finally looked up at him. "Nothing to add, Logan?" she said with deliberate gall.

Logan frowned. "What's it to me?"

"You seemed to be listening so closely, I thought you might have thoughts," Shine said, still with gall.

"Nothing I want to share," Logan grumbled. "Your story's pretty convenient."

"Huh...convenient?" Shine said. "I guess...I prefer to think of it as well planned. One thing leads to another." She sipped again.

"So mind if I ask how you know who all of us are if your future ain't the same as ours?" Rogue asked.

"You know, she's good," Wally said, around a mouthful. 

"Yeah, you guys aren't missing anything," Shine said, like she was impressed. "It's refreshing to not have to repeat all this...but I'm not sure how to answer you question just yet. Maybe you should wait to ask that till you know us better."

"But...what would that have to do with it?" Rogue said.

"Just...you know," Shine said, "some things are better left for later."

Vague...

"Perhaps it's a complicated explanation," Beast suggested, "but I think I could grasp it, if you were willing to try me."

"I'm sure you could if it was science," Shine said, "but it isn't exactly science...though maybe you could break it down into it. But...I don't know, the last time that happened, it didn't end so well."

"Ugh, don't remind me." Wally made a face. "I still have nightmares about it."

"Me too," Shine said. "Though it's gotten better." Her face clouded over for the first time. "I don't want to invite trouble."

"Trouble?" Beast said. "Would someone be angry at you if you told us?"

"No," Shine said. "But that doesn't mean there wouldn't be trouble." She got up. "I'm sorry, but it will just have to wait. There's no rush anyway." She began to rinse off her dishes and silverware.

"Check out how old that dishwasher is," Wally noted. "I think my mom had one of those when I was a kid..."

"You know, we didn't use ours," Shine mused, "not for years. My grandma didn't like it. Don't know why."

"We use it, so feel free to just put it in there," Beast said.

Shine did so.

"Of course, now what...?" she mused. "What should we do today?"

Jubilee shrugged. "Do you guys have a job or something?"

"Not yet," Wally said, "but could look into it. How would time traveler look on a resume around here?"

Silence.

"He's kidding," Shine said.

"Oh," Jubilee said, "Okay...uh...I mean, if you just want a part time job, you could always try Burger World."

"Or MacDonald's," Shine laughed.

"Hey!" Wally said. "Don't bring that back here! I just got rid of it."

"Sorry..." Shine was still laughing. "You should have seen the look on your face there though, babe. Classic."

"He don't like MacDonald's?" Rogue said.

"No...no, it's...uh, nevermind," Shine said. "We're supposed to be burying that joke." She waved her hands.

"I thought you two were here to help me," Logan challenged.

"Do you want help?" Shine asked.

"No!" he said.

"Then we can't exactly help you," Shine replied. "So until you want help, we need to do something useful. Anyone have any ideas?"

Rogue frowned. "Maybe you could tell us more about how you knew Logan needed help. Or how you're immune to our powers."

Wally stood up. His dish was gone... When had he moved it?

"Or, better idea," he said, "we could explore the grounds. That way we can't get lost again."

"Technically didn't get lost the first time, but I think that's a good idea," Shine said. "We're gonna have to know how to get around here, especially if there is an emergency like the Professor was saying. Do you all mind if we excuse ourselves?"

"But--" Rogue began.

"Great, thanks," Wally said. He bee-lined out the back door.

Shine smiled and waved before walking out also.

"They really don't like it if you ask them about that," Jubilee observed.

"This has something to do with that preacher," Logan growled. "I'd just like to know what."

"Yeah, they did mention Kurt," Rogue said.

She frowned. "What d'ya say we pay him a visit? Maybe he can clear it up. Kurt must know a lot of people we don't who're religious, if that's what their game is."

"I ain't going to no preacher to ask for help with my problem," Logan said strangely. "For all I know he's not gonna have a clue either." He left the room.

"How odd," Beast said. "Usually our friend Logan would follow any possible lead.... Could it be he is afraid of what Kurt, as you call him, will say?"

"I don't rightly know," Rogue said, "but I aim to find out for myself. If they know Kurt, maybe Kurt knows them. I'm going to ask Scott if I can use the Blackbird."

"But you can fly," Jubilee said.

"I know," Rogue said. "But it's a long trip." She left.

"I hope this Kurt can supply us with some answer," Beast said. "I confess, I am only more puzzled by our guests. But I must get to the office."

"Yeah...sure." Jubilee expected to be bored all day.

* * *

Scott was actually more than happy to let Rogue take the Blackbird if it meant turning up answers on the strangers. He was going to offer to come, but then Jean called him and said there was a minor disturbance a few towns away.

"We should be able to handle it," she said.

"Duty calls," Scott said. "Will you be all right alone, Rogue?"

"Oh, please." Rogue tossed her hair. "You think I can't handle some monks? They were real friendly last time."

Except the part where they had tried to kill Nightcrawler, but she didn't care to mention that.

"Well, still, it's far off. It might be best to take someone else," Scott said. "Hank is working today, but Storm and Jubilee are here."

"Oh, I don't know if taking more ladies to a monastery would be best. We're old friends," Rogue said.

And she wasn't sure she wanted Storm or Jubilee there if this ended up being a wild goose chase.

"I see," Jean said. "Well...Logan and Gambit are around."

"Logan already done turned me down," Rogue said. "And I get the feeling he ain't really in the mood to be patient with Kurt if I do find him."

Last thing she needed was Logan trying to scare Kurt again.

"Do you just want to go alone?" Jean asked.

"I told you I'll be fine." Rogue headed out--almost running right to Gambit.

"I couldn't help overhear, Chere," Gambit said smugly. "You need someone to go with you."

"No," Rogue said. "It's just a little errand."

"Gambit not doing anything else today," Gambit said.

Rogue figured trying to argue her way out of it was pointless. Scott would only take his side.

"Well, fine. Don't slow me down this time, then," she said, heading to the hanger.

"As if," Gambit sniffed--though last time he kind of had gotten knocked out by a tree.

* * *

It wasn't that long of a flight to Germany, but Rogue had to land a while away from their destination. She didn't want to scare anyone in the town.

Gambit wasn't so happy about the idea of walking through snow...

Rogue pulled on a jacket. Last time she'd been told to cover up more, and she didn't want to repeat that.

"Well, I guess it'd be easier to just fly there," she remarked. "I hope Kurt is in... We really should have exchanged letters or somethin'."

"Given that you're kin and all, why ain't you been in touch?" Gambit had a reasonable question.

"I dunno," Rogue said defensively. "We just didn't... I mean, there's not a lot we have in common other than our mother... Anyway..." She didn't finish, but she was thinking--if Kurt found out all the stuff she did while she lived with Mystique, he might not look so kindly on it.

She was kind of glad he hadn't asked about it before.

The monastery looked quiet enough when they got there.

"Maybe dey ain't home," Gambit joked.

Rogue wasn't in the mood for jokes... She was kind of not as sure about this idea now that she was actually there.

But she resolutely knocked anyway.

A monk opened the door.

"Hello? Fraulein? Do you need shelter?"

"Uh...no. We're...looking for Kurt...Wagner," Rogue said.

"Ah." The monk eyed her. "May I ask why?"

"I'm...his sister." Rogue decided this was this easiest to explain.

"Oh...well, family visits are permitted every second Friday," the monk said.

"It's kind of important," Rogue said.

"I will let him know," the monk said. "You can wait in the chapel if you like. Our other rooms are still being repaired..."

"That's fine," Rogue said.

The chapel was kind of cold though, and part of the roof was still not done.

Gambit shuffled his cards and eyed the crosses and candles with boredom. "Not very high class."

"I think that's the point," Rogue said. "I wonder how it's been here.... Maybe they're gettin' along better."

No comment.

Then they jumped when Kurt poofed into the room with no warning.

"Fraulein!" he said enthusiastically. "Or should I say, sister? How wunderbar to see you again. I have been praying for you often."

"Oh...that's sweet," Rogue said. 

"So to what do I owe this honor?" Kurt asked.

"You ain't gonna believe it," Gambit said.

* * *

"And they mentioned me?" Kurt said, about 10 minutes later after a haphazard explanation from both of them, which was really Rogue trying to explain and Gambit interrupting with comments whenever he thought of them.

"Yeah, at least, they must have meant you. No one else we met here had a tail," Rogue said.

Kurt rubbed his chin. "I'm afraid I have no memory of any people like this...unless they simply have seen me here. Or I did not recognize them. Without meeting them in person, I couldn't tell you. Are they of my faith?"

"Logan seems to think so," Rogue said, "but they never said. Just said you were there, and Logan gets all jumpy. He hasn't said a word to us about it other than he thinks they knew who you were."

"It's a mystery," Kurt said.

[From another world...eh?.... Right, I'll just keep writing.]

"So you can't help," Gambit summed it up.

"I wish I could." Kurt shrugged. 

"What if you came back with us, just for a bit?" Rogue said suddenly. "And saw them for yourself. Maybe then you'd remember. Or they'd have to explain somethin'.... Would you?"

"Well...considering you have helped me twice now on short notice, I would think I owed it to you, but I really can't promise I am of any use in this matter," Kurt said. "If you want me to try, though, how could I say no?"

"Really? That'd be mighty decent of you." Rogue seemed relieved. "Can you leave today? I really shouldn't keep the plane any longer than this, in case there's a real emergency."

"I don't have much in the way of belongings, and I don't expect I'd be staying very long," Kurt said, "so if you would like, I can be ready in 10 minutes...though, I must ask someone else to cover my prayers and service shift..."

"Can't forget that," Gambit said dryly, making Rogue shoot him a dirty look.

"Well, we don't want to put you out," she said.

"No, it's no trouble, I'm sure," Kurt said.

One of the monks who'd they met before was actually quite willing to cover for him. "Goodness knows you've done it often enough for all of us."

"Sure God will be okay with you skipping out?" Gambit asked Kurt, even as they were heading up towards the Blackbird.

"I'm sure Gott vould vant me to do a service for my friends." Kurt missed the sardonic tone. Or didn't care.

"Stop it!" Rogue hissed at Gambit.

"Stop what?" he said innocently.

"That. Stop trying to make fun of him," Rogue said.

"I ain't making fun," Gambit denied it. "He don't seem offended any."

"I never thought I'd be back on this," Kurt said, once they were on the actual plane.

"Well, sit tight," Rogue said. "We'll be home in two shakes as long as there's no turbulence."

* * *

Shine and Wally went all over the property till they knew it pretty well.

"So what will we do now?" Wally said.

"I don't know. The next step always turns up once they agree to let us stay," Shine said, stopping to take a rock out of her shoe. "I'm not going to worry about it."

"I'd feel better if I could go off into the town..." Wally said. "Why didn't you want to tell them about our powers?"

Shine bit her lip. "I felt it was a bad idea. I'm not sure why. But it's just not time yet...and you have to be more careful. I'm sure Rogue was noticing you moving things at breakfast."

"Well, I hate to waste time if I can do it faster," Wally said. "She's not gonna figure it out anyway.  They're more suspicious of you not being affected by their power than of me."

"Yeah...they already don't like me," Shine said.

"I think they don't know," Wally said. "Don't be so negative... Come on, you know they'll love you once they get used to you."

"Maybe...or they'll hate me more," Shine said.

"They don't hate you at all," Wally said.

"Scott didn't look overjoyed," Shine said.

"Oh, you're going to let Scott of all people get to you?" Wally snorted. "He's a huge prick in the movies. Why care what he thinks?"

"I don't really, but they do."

"They're mistaken," Wally said. "You've gotta try to be more like me--I think that people will just naturally fall for my charm and charisma." He gave her his Flash smile.

Shine snorted a laugh. "I don't have that. You know that. I have that instant stepping on their toes gift."

"Oh, come on, you're sweet, caring, and funny. They're going to like you tons." Wally rubbed her shoulders playfully. "You just need to keep telling yourself, 'The X-men are going to like me.'"

"The X-Men are..." Shine hesitated. "I can't."

"You can! Just try saying it once."

"I can't possibly take it seriously. I know it's not true," Shine said.

"Not with that attitude," Wally said. "Look at Wolverine. He's bound to end up liking you."

"I'm sure," Shine said dryly. "Speaking of which, do you think he followed us out here?"

"I hope not. That would be awkward." Wally looked around.

Luckily, Logan had not followed them closely enough to have heard any of what they said, and by the time they actually saw him, they'd gotten back to the house.

And by then, Rogue and Gambit had returned from their "errand".

Wally and Shine figured the errand was really a date, up until Rogue hissed something at Logan.

"You did what?!" he said.

"I figured he could help," Rogue said. "Now keep your pants on, Logan. Be nice to him, or I'll tear you a new one, mark my words." She frowned.

Logan sniffed. "Whatever. If he's here, might as well let him talk."

"He waiting in da hanger," Gambit said. "Didn't want to startle anyone."

"Who's waiting?" Storm looked in. "Who did you bring?"

"What are you guys looking at us for?" Wally asked. "We didn't do anything. We were just walking, I swear."

"Oh, it's not that," Rogue said. "We just...well, there's someone we thought you might like to talk to."

She pressed her communicator. "You can come in now."

A moment later Kurt poofed into the room.

He caught Storm off guard. She'd never met him.

"Oh, goodness." She jumped.

But the two strangers' reactions far outdid hers.

Kurt was looking at them a little uncertainly at first, but then Shine's whole face lit up.

"Oh my gosh, it's Kurt!" she cried, like it was a long lost friend.

"Whoa, for real?!" Wally said. "Hey, you're right. He's got the tail."

"Wally, stop it with the tail!" Shine said. "Oh my gosh." She ran up to Kurt, who jumped back. "I can't believe it... Rogue, did you go get him? That's so nice."

"Nice?" Rogue was totally floored.

"Nice?" Gambit echoed, confused.

"You know him?" Logan said, eyes narrowing.

"I'm sorry. Have we met?" Kurt latched on to the ceiling and looked down. "Forgive me, but I do not remember you."

"No, we haven't met, but we're huge fans," Shine said. "I mean, kind of... It's complicated. But we really wanted to meet you. This is so awesome. I thought it'd be weeks before we could get ourselves off to Germany and visit that monastery, but you saved us the trouble."

Blank looks.

"Your reputation proceeds you," Logan said to Kurt flatly.

"I didn't think I was famous," Kurt said, baffled. "How did you know of me?"

"How could we not?" Shine said. "You're our brother."

"What?" Kurt sputtered.

"You know, in the faith," Wally said.

"Oh...ohh!" Kurt seemed to brighten. "Really?"

"Duh, why else would we be here?" Shine said. "Why, you're part of the whole reason we came. Rogue, how did you know?"

"I...didn't..." Rogue sputtered. "You just mentioned him before..."

"Oh, I guess I did let that slip, huh?" Wally said. "But that's cool. Nightcrawler is one of my favorite X-Men... I mean he's not an X-men, but you know what I mean."

"Mine too," Shine said. "A real inspiration to us." She put her hands together. "This is perfect. And the perfect sign for us today too. I wasn't feeling so sure before, but this must mean we're on the right track."

"I'm confused.... How could I be a sign of this? I don't know you," Kurt said.

"And you have to know us to be a sign?" Shine countered.

"Well, no, I suppose not." Kurt relaxed a bit. "You are praying people?"

"All the time," Shine said.

"I guess dat answer our question," Gambit commented to Rogue in a low voice. "Dey are just like him. Delusional."

"Shut up," Rogue hissed.

"Well, you sure seem familiar with the preacher here," Logan said. "You're old pals."

"Ideally, we all should be," Shine said. "But...I think we're confusing you, huh? Sorry. We'll have to explain it all. Want to sit down?"

"Oh...vell, by all means," Kurt said.

"Wait, you're finally going to explain?" Rogue said.

"Oh, not to you," Shine said. "I'm sure you're not ready yet." She tugged her hair. "But Kurt is used to this sort of thing."

"I am?" Kurt was puzzled.

"Of course," Shine said. "It's just as the Word says. 'My sheep hear my voice' and 'all things are possible with God'...and so much more too."

This made no sense to the X-Men. But Kurt nodded solemnly. "I see. This is different than I expected.... Did you know I vould come somehow?"

"No, but it's like an answered prayer," Shine said. "You must know how that is."

"You will have to tell me more." Kurt sat down. "I'm not sure how to understand this."

"Yeah...would it be okay if we used one of the sitting rooms?" Shine asked.

"Wait just a minute," Logan said. "Ya want us to just let you tell him what you won't tell us? Ya expect us to do that?"

"This is a family matter, Logan," Shine said. "Surely you understand that. We may not be blood related, but we have a more important bond than that. We can't hide things from our brother. It's not right."

Silence.

"I don't vish to hide things from my friends," Kurt said. "But if it is important that you explain in private first, I vill respect your vish. I vant to know how you know me. If I have forgotten you, you must excuse my neglect."

"It's cool, bro." Wally gestured nonchalantly. "No harm, no foul."

"I guess I can understand it, kinda," Rogue said. "Maybe it's a sect thing...but... Well, Kurt wouldn't agree to anything bad, anyway."

"Oh, no," Kurt said. "I vould never hurt anyone."

"We don't want to hurt anyone," Wally said. "I think you're going to like our actual goal--but hear us out first."

"I do believe I owe you that," Kurt said. "I must hear any brother or sister of mine out. Is that all right, Rogue?"

"I... Yeah, sure," Rogue didn't look so all right with it, but she was enough in awe of their religion to not argue.

Gambit scowled but didn't argue either.

Logan sniffed. "Don't take too long about it, preacher."

"Wow, he's actually confident in you," Wally said. "That's awesome."

They headed to a sitting room.

Shine made sure no one had hidden outside the door before she sat down.

"Now please, tell me why you have found us," Kurt said. "What is your mission?"

[Tea?

Yeah, Nightcrawler is one of my favorite X-characters, no duh. 

Especially in the show, he's the best representation of  the faith I've seen in any media I can think of. Sad that it's so rare to find one not trying to make us look stupid or ignorant or delusional. You can tell he was written to be a mature take on it. So of course I had to use him here.]