[OP: "Native Tongue" -- Switchfoot]

A couple days managed to go by without any fighting after that. Shine avoided Scott, which suited him just fine.

Storm didn't bother them about what happened anymore.

Strangely there were no more incidents for the X-men to deal with. It had been an unusually long amount of time without one.

Professor X said maybe it meant things were finally settling down.

But that sounded too good to be true.

[Knowing this author it is. ;)]

Kurt had to come to a decision though.

Shine predicted that Logan wouldn't hold out much longer against his curiosity, and Wally hoped she was right--he was getting so bored puttering around the house.

He kind of wished there would be a crisis just so he could do something--but then realized how crazy that sounded. He'd been a superhero too long if he was thinking that.

Kurt took three days to think about what they said before he decided.

He didn't make a big show of it, he just walked up to them while they were trying to figure out how to use the radio in the house and said, "I think I'm supposed to help you."

Shine looked up. "Oh?" She didn't even seem surprised.

"Ja...I was doubtful at first, but I think my feelings changed with prayer and thought. I decided this opportunity might be once in a lifetime. Maybe I should just take it, see what happens," Kurt said. "The Lord sends us chances. It's up to Him how it turns out."

"That's cool," Wally said. "I think I got the right station."

Static blared out.

"Maybe not..." Wally said.

"Welcome aboard," Shine said to Kurt. "Now that you've decided, we can actually take our next step."

"You have one?" Kurt said.

"It's not exactly about the X-men, but the two of us have been thinking we ought to find a church," Shine said. "Often we can't go on missions because they simply aren't available, but here there's a ton. And it's good to go if you can. We can get lonely.... I'm sure you know the feeling."

"I do feel lonesome without my brothers around to share my faith," Kurt admitted, "though I am grateful the two of you do."

"Just the same with us--but it would be good to have more people," Shine said. "A place to recharge...and to get away from the X-men, at least for a bit, since...to be honest, Scott is really getting on my nerves."

"It's a little hard to ignore his suspicious looks every time we're around," Wally said. "I try to smile and wave...but he's totally immune to my charisma!"

"He is...a very strict man." Kurt had his share of moments of thinking Scott really didn't want him there. "But he means well."

"Does he?" Shine said. "Well, anyway...how would you feel about helping us look for a good place to recharge?"

"I would be thrilled if somewhere would accept me, but it seems unlikely," Kurt said. "Not many even in the faith do."

"There're hundreds of thousands of churches in America," Shine said. "One of them is bound to welcome mutants, and I want to know what they teach there. It should be good research. My parents went to church in the 80s for crying out loud (that's when my mother got saved), so it has to be good."

"Wasn't your dad, like, in a cult?" Wally said.

"That was the 90s," Shine said.

"Oh..." Wally said.

"I think he was on drugs in the 80s," Shine mused.

Kurt gave her a strange look.

"Hey, do you think we all have perfect families?" Shine said.

"Uh...no, I just...you never mentioned your family," Kurt said. "I thought maybe the two of you were orphans."

"Ah, no, my mom is still alive," Wally said.

"Both my parents are alive," Shine said.

"I'm sorry about your father, Mr. West," Kurt said.

"I told you, Wally is fine," Wally said.

"Right...Brother Wally."

"It's cool," Wally said. "I mean...it's bad, but I don't remember him that well, so I guess it mostly stopped hurting years ago. Just sometimes I wish he was around to ask for advice, you know?"

Shine nodded. "At least we have a heavenly Father," she said.

"That is always a comfort," Kurt agreed.

"So, now we just need to convince the X-men to let us out of the house," Shine said.

* * *

"You want to look for a church?" Rogue said.

They figured Rogue would be the easiest person to convince. She was kind of impressionable about the whole thing.

"We're supposed to," Shine said. "It's in our Bible, after all. And we get lonely here too, you know."

"I guess I never thought about it," Rogue said. "I'm sure no one would stop you. But why do you need to ask me?"

"Well...you see, we figured Scottie won't let us out without a chaperone," Wally said, "and you seem like the kind of person who'd understand, so..."

"So you want me to watch you while you...uh..." Rogue looked weird. "Look, I know you guys are new, but I'm...not...well, I just..."

"What?" Shine asked.

Rogue couldn't think of anything.

"But...why me? I'm not religious."

"Do you have to be to watch us?" Wally said.

"No, but..." Rogue seemed nervous.

"If you don't want to, we not make you," Kurt said. "It's all right. Not everyone is comfortable in church, I know."

"But who else can we ask? Logan?" Shine snorted. "At least he's been in one before, I guess."

"Been in what?" Gambit looked in.

"The slammer," Wally said.

Gambit raised an eyebrow.

"He means a church," Shine said. "Same difference to you, right?"

Clearly she hadn't missed Gambit's little jabs at Kurt, as well as them, that he made under his breath, usually thinking they couldn't hear him.

Rogue frowned.

"Well, you said it." Gambit had the nerve to act unconcerned. "You dragging the old sinner dere now?"

"No," Shine said, "but if you want to volunteer to help us out, that ought to be interesting."

"No way," Gambit shot back.

"All right, fine," Rogue said quickly, afraid this would turn into a fight. "I'll help you out, but just for a bit.... I guess I could patrol too."

"Oh, really? Thanks," Wally said.

He got up. "Let's go now. Can we take the convertible?!"

"You know, that wasn't always a convertible," Shine said, following him. "Funny story--Logan actually..."

Kurt vanished also.

Gambit gave Rogue a look.

"What?" She got up. "They're getting restless being cooped up here. This will give them something to do. And they ain't done nothing yet. Besides what could be safer to let them do than go to a church? It's perfect."

"Yeah, perfect," Gambit said warily. "Dey roping you in."

"Don't be ridiculous," Rogue said. "Kurt's planning on sticking around. He probably just wanted somewhere to keep up his prayers and stuff. Don't read into everything so much." She shrugged. "Besides, they can't rope me in to nothing. I know what they think."

She walked out.

Gambit flipped a card. "Still..." he muttered.

[Not sure what he thinks they're going to do, but then again, given how prevalent cults are in superhero shows, maybe he has a reason to be worried.

I  feel that the religious elements of the old show were so out in the open that the best thing to do was to talk about it upfront. I can't exactly stay true to Kurt's character without it, or my OCs.

If it bothers someone...uh...well, better get used to it.]

* * *

Rogue's expectation of what "church hunting" would be like was not at all how it went.

Since it was not, in fact, a Sunday, none of the three seekers were going to a service.

Though Kurt said they could try mass.

This led to the first argument he'd had with the other two.

Shine and Wally were apparently Protestants.

Shine said that while she respected Catholics, she simply couldn't imagine going to a Catholic church.

Kurt said they were all one under God.

Shine said that it was closer to heresy for Protestants to go to a Catholic church than vice versa.

Kurt actually got angry about that for a moment.

"How can you say that about your own brethren?"

Rogue tried to make herself small in the driver's seat of the car.

"Okay," Wally said. "Let's stay calm. Shine didn't mean it like that."

"I'm sorry, Kurt," Shine said. "I could have said that nicer.... What I mean is, Catholics pray to Mary and to Saints, which is against our beliefs as Protestants, but they also pray to God the Father and Jesus, which is within our beliefs. Meaning that there's an overlap on that side."

"My brotherhood doesn't really stress praying to anyone other than God," Kurt said. "I believe it is up to us ourselves...but you shouldn't judge so harshly."

Shine swallowed back whatever retort she was going to make.

"So can we compromise?" Wally said.

"I think if we find somewhere that accepts mutants, it's not going to be possible to be more choosy," Kurt said.

"You know, he might have a point," Wally said to Shine. "That'll be the hard part."

"Y'all don't have to go the same place," Rogue said.

"No, but it'll be hard enough finding a place at all," Shine said. "If we have to find two or three...well, you know, it seems too much to expect."

Rogue shrugged.

At least that argument was put aside.

[Dodged that bullet.

I figure I had to acknowledge it, and honestly, I've seen religious people fight more with each other than with skeptics, so it was a nod to realism there. 

But I don't think any of these characters are the type to let it really drive a wedge in between them, so it's best not to put too much focus on it. I'm using it to paint a realistic portrayal, not to actually start a debate between sects.]

"What are we lookin' for? A church with a sign that says 'mutants welcome'?" Rogue asked finally.

"You think we'll find that?" Wally said.

"Maybe," Rogue said. "I ain't never seen one, but I ain't never looked either."

Shine smiled as they drove around. "You know, even in my time, there're still a lot of cities where you can see a church every other street corner, but there're even more here."

"So many," Kurt said. "At home, we don't have enough people to even fill this many churches."

"This is New York, buddy," Wally said. "You couldn't fit all of 'em into these churches, I bet."

"It's not the city, Sugar, but I reckon you're right anyway," Rogue said. "How long do you think this will take?"

"There," Shine pointed. "Let's try those few."

Rogue pulled up to the street.

"You know...I don't mean to be a downer, but...you shouldn't be surprised if...well, if Kurt isn't exactly given the welcome mat," she said. "The two of you would be fine, but..."

Kurt looked down. "I'm aware...but we have to try."

Wally looked around. "There's an office. I bet the pastor's in."

They walked up to it.

It was a quiet street no one else ever drove by.

Sure enough someone was in the office--just a pastor and probably a secretary.

"Our service hours are on Sundays," the secretary told them, "but you're welcome to take a pamphlet or set up a counseling session."

"Counseling?" Wally said.

"I'm assuming they just mean spiritual counsel. It is the 80s." Shine winked at him. "Still kind of a stigma about that."

"Oh," Wally said. "For a second I thought they thought we were crazy."

Kurt was not in line of sight at the moment.

"By the way," Shine said, "we had a question."

The pastor came out of his office.

"Yes?" He smiled nicely.

"We have a friend who's a mutant," Shine said, "but is looking for a good place to attend. How does your church feel about mutants?"

The pastor and secretary froze.

"Ah...well," the pastor said, "what kind of a mutant is he?"

Kurt poked his head in.

"Just a brother, like you," he said.

They jumped.

"Oh my!" the secretary cried.

The pastor stepped back. "Look...it's great that you want somewhere to...but our congregation is a little old fashioned, and...I'm afraid they would just find it too...unusual."

Wally frowned. "But he's the same as us."

"He doesn't look like it," the secretary said, none too nicely. "Are you sure he's a mutant?"

Kurt winced.

"I'm sorry, but we just can't take such a huge step at this time," the pastor said.

Shine's eyes flashed. "You should be ashamed of yourself," she said severely. "We're supposed to welcome all people, as believers. We wouldn't come here anyway. Let's go, Wally!" She stormed out.

* * *

"Well?" Rogue said as they came up to the car.

"Not the right place," Shine said.

"Did God tell you that, or did they just spook when they saw tall, blue, and tailed?" Rogue asked.

Rogue was little too smart for her own good at times.

"Let's just try the next place," Wally said.

* * *

Five places later they had gotten the exact same reception, in varying shades, as the first.

Kurt was finding a 6 in a row streak to be almost too much even for his courage and was close to tears.

Rogue was about ready to smash the stained glass windows in the next place.

"Maybe Logan is right," she said. "They don't accept us...just 'cause we look different."

Shine had her mouth set in a thin line. "It's unfortunate, but not unexpected. Christians are humans, after all, subject to the pressure of the culture. When you have so many, of course there will be a lot of people who just don't get it."

"Seems like everyone don't get it," Rogue said. "Ready to call it a day yet? I'm gettin' tired of this."

"Let's just try one more place," Wally begged. "I know we're going to find it just when we think it's hopeless."

"This ain't some movie, West, but fine, if you want to waste your time," Rogue said.

"Sister, this is not the right attitude to have," Kurt said. "Even if everyone else rejects us, there is no certainty the next person will. People are all different."

"Well, a trend like this makes me feel like it ain't worth the trouble to find the ones who are," Rogue grumbled.

"If I lived by that, I'd have quit my job years ago," Shine said.

Rogue pulled up to one more and sighed. "Just get it over with."

"You know, she's not gonna agree to do this again," Wally hissed as they walked up. "I'm not sure we're going to get another chance, unless we sneak out ourselves."

"Yeah, they'd love that," Shine said. "I don't know either, if this doesn't work."

Kurt shook his head. "You should have just looked without me. I knew it would be difficult."

"Kurt," Shine turned finally to give him a severe look, "don't make us out to be so shallow and selfish as that. You'd never do what you're suggesting, and neither will we. We're in this together."

Kurt smiled faintly.

This church had a modest, little chapel next to its main sanctuary, and it looked like some office space, possibly with classrooms for other activities.

"Well, they have a children's church." Shine noted some signs. "At least that's promising."

Wally found the office door was open already to let in some breeze.

The minister of this church was in the front office, using an electric fan.

"Oh...hello," he looked up. "Our normal service hours are on Sunday.... Did you have an appointment?" He looked at a clipboard.

"Uh, no, we're just looking for someone to visit," Wally said. "And, uh, you know it's been a long day, so I'm just gonna come out and ask--how do you feel about mutants?"

The minister did a double take.

"Are you...?" he asked.

"No," Shine said, wearily. "We have a friend who is. We're trying to find something we all can attend together. This will be our 7th stop today."

"7th?" the minister said.

"Everyone else turned us down as soon as they saw him," Wally said.

"They turned you down?" The minister took off his reading glasses.  "As in they turned you away?"

Shine nodded.

"Oh...I'm sorry." The minister stood up. "I have friends from college to this day who still hold the opinion that mutants are cursed individuals.... I'm afraid some very unfavorable teachings about them have gone out. But I assure you not all of us think that way." He looked around. "I don't ask my members about their biology when they come in. As long as no one is going to attack us, I don't think my congregation would much care."

"Ah, well, you see, you won't have to ask him," Wally said. "Come on in, Kurt."

Kurt nervously poked his head in. "Hullo," he said.

The minister did do another double take.

"I see," he said. "I think I know why they turned you away."

Kurt bowed his head.

The minister shrugged. "My name is Billings," he said. "Reverend Billings, if you like, or just Mike, if you don't. I have been urging my members to be kind to mutants. I certainly think it's our duty as Christians to be kind to everyone. But to the ones who look so obviously like mutants, I know it is always going to be harder to find a place in the world."

"Yeah," Wally said. "So...I guess that's a no from you too."

Shine crossed her arms. "How can you all be so spineless? If the church can't shelter the outcasts of the world, who can?"

"No, you're right, ma'am," Billings agreed. "It's a real shame how few of us are opening our doors to them. If it were up to me, I'd let anyone come here who wanted to...but the thing is, I can't speak for every single member of my congregation."

He picked up a brochure. "If you're willing to risk it, I'd welcome you to come this Sunday." He handed it to them. "I can try. But you know, we can only teach people what to do. What they learn is up to them."

Shine smiled suddenly. "You know, that is true.... Thank you."

"It's not like I'm doing anything special," Billings said. "You're the brave ones.... Coming directly here with a mutant, out in the open, not many people would do that who didn't have to. I'm sure you'd be welcomed any time in our doors."

"Well, this is the closest we've gotten to a nibble so far," Wally said, "so thanks."

"If it helps," Billings said, "there're not many of us here anymore. We lost many members to a new congregation a few years ago.... We might have to foreclose on this property anyway...so we're few, but I know the people who do still come are devoted. Good people. They might be willing to accept a mutant. Who knows? Maybe one of them is one. Like I said, I don't ask." He shrugged. "It's your call."

"I will think about it," Kurt said. "But even if not, I appreciate your kindness."

Billings nodded. "It's not much...but if you need anything, feel free to call. Here's my card also." He handed them one. "I get the idea you might be new in town. We have a potluck every month too. You're welcome to join us."

"Free food? We just might," Wally said.

Shine laughed. "You had us at potluck. Thanks, Mike."

"Anytime," Mike said.

They walked back out to Rogue.

"Another bust?" she said.

"Actually he gave us a pamphlet," Wally said.

"And invited us to come on Sunday," Shine said.

"And to his potluck," Wally said.

The look on Rogue's face was classic. She was speechless.

"He's a very nice man," Kurt said. "Even if I don't go, I feel better knowing there's someone like that out there."

Rogue was still speechless.

"For now, let's get back. I'm hungry," Wally said.

"And my feet hurt," Shine said, "mostly from kicking at the hard heads of those other people we ran into, but c'est la vie."

"Don't you start with the French now," Rogue muttered. "Jiminy.... Well...yeah, let's just be gettin' back."

* * *

"They actually found one." Logan was surprised later. The whole story came out after Rogue had to explain why she "borrowed" Scott's car for so many hours.

"I guess they got a bite," Rogue said. "I was gobsmacked when they told me. But I guess it was bound to happen sooner or later."

"If this place actually does accept mutants, I just might go," Logan said, "just to see if they're serious. I'm bettin' this guy was all talk."

"For someone who took to Kurt so much, you sure are cynical," Rogue said.

"And you aren't, country girl?" Logan said. "Tell me you weren't thinkin' the same thing."

"It...could be," Rogue said, "but maybe they're just decent people. There are some, Logan."

"Few," Logan said.

Rogue rolled her eyes.

"Can you ask next time?" Scott said crossly. "You can't just take my car whenever you like."

"It was just for a few hours, Sugar. I never thought you'd miss it." Rogue shrugged, tossing her hair.

"Well....just ask," Scott said.

"Thought you'd be more upset about them gettin' out of our sight," Logan said slyly.

Scott stiffened. "The way I see it, they should occupy themselves like this. They can be out of our hair then, and they can't do that much damage in a church."

[He needs to read more history if he thinks that's actually true.]