[OP: " Your Winter" -- Sister Hazel]

Sabretooth was back in the chair, now in a different room, waiting for them to come and get him.

Mystique wandered back in there.

"Come to gloat?" Sabretooth said bitterly. "Or did you finally decide to break me out? You heard 'em--they're going to put me in the slammer."

Mystique regarded him coldly.

"Well, say something!" Sabretooth said.

Mystique was silent for a maddeningly long time, until she finally said, "Did you beat him?"

Sabretooth took a long second to figure out who she was talking about.

Then he snarled. "You already know the answer to that. You've seen what he is."

"And what are we?" Mystique said.

"Don't pretend like you care all of the sudden," Sabretooth said. "I put healthy respect into the kid. You abandoned him. You're no angel."

"I may not be," Mystique said, "but I left him with you so he would be taken care of. You were his father. It was half your responsibility, not just mine."

"Where's your half, then? I fed the kid, put a roof over his head," Sabretooth said. "After he up and left, wasn't none of my problem anymore. Now look at him."

"Yes, I have," Mystique said. "He's willing to kill me, because of you." She curled her lip. "I never realized how similar the two of you were."

"What?" Sabretooth said. "Oh, come on, about that? You'd have done the same if you were me... That's what you do. You ought be proud. Anyway, they'd have let ya go eventually. I just needed a quick escape."

"You b-----d," Mystique suddenly said cuttingly.

"What, sore that you took a few hits? You've had worse." Sabretooth didn't get it.

Mystique looked down at him contemptuously. "Maybe I have. But at least I didn't pity them. I don't think I pity you anymore either. You can get yourself out of this. Don't expect my help anymore."

"Over a few scratches?" Sabretooth said.

"'Hell hath no fury'," Mystique quoted harshly. "I don't care about the rest, but the next time you try to pin child-murder on me, I'll scratch your eyes out myself." She glared at him.

"You draw the line there?" Sabretooth said. "Here I thought you didn't have a line."

He made a nasty face there.

"She was a mutant!" Mystique was almost shouting now. "One of our own, and she was helping you, you SOB!"

"Just because you like taking in little strays like that doesn't mean I do," Sabretooth said. "It's everyone for themselves, in my opinion."

"I suppose so," Mystique said. "Then it's you for yourself here too." She walked back towards the door and then looked back. "You know, Sabretooth, I've never been delusional enough to think I'm not just as dirty as you, but I think there is a difference between us after all. I do what I'm told, but I never said I liked it. I don't go out of my way to inflict things on other mutants who didn't ask for it, and even if I betray people, I don't usually bite the hand that's currently feeding me, even while it's still holding the spoon. So perhaps I am just a little bit smarter than you. You could have had it good, had you acted like a decent man enough to not touch their people. Spite has changed you."

"Maybe you've gone soft," Sabretooth said contemptuously.

"I'm smart enough to know if I want to get out of here, I have to play nice," Mystique said. "And you're going to prison because you couldn't let a little girl go free after she helped you escape. Think about that."

She shut the door and then sank down against it.

Why was she shaking? That had felt so...strange.

She looked up and saw Wolverine was standing there, looking like he'd just overheard that entire thing.

Mystique said nothing. Just looked at him warily.

Wolverine just shrugged and walked away.

"What, nothing?" she said.

"I was goin' to have a little chat with old Creed," Wolverine said, "But I think ya said it all. Never thought I'd be agreein' with you, lady. Hope it doesn't be a habit." He walked on.

Mystique shook her head and headed up the hall.

What has possessed her to do that? She'd just cut ties with Sabretooth. He wouldn't forget a slur like that...

But...

The whole thing disgusted her.... It was almost a relief to feel that bridge was burned after all.

[Hmm.]

https://youtu.be/axlK4QHPevU

["High Horse" -- The Crane Wives

* * *

Logan actually felt a little better after that. Who knew even that blue wench had it in her to be done with this? Maybe there was hope for them yet. Not that she didn't have her own selfish reasons for being mad, but still, whoever wasn't against them was for them when it came to this matter.

He'd have felt more guilt about it if he didn't know Sabretooth so well, but though he knew Sabretooth was sometimes reliable, he couldn't get past his targeting kids. It was going too far... Back in the day, he wasn't like that... Bitterness and cowardice changes a person into a monster.

But his anger wasn't so great as in previous times...maybe because it seemed like the others were finally on his side about it. [Amazing how much that will quell anger, feeling like you're not alone in it.]

Apparently not everyone was as at peace about it as himself, though. He found Storm crying on the front steps of the mansion.

Storm tried to hide it at once.

"Oh...sorry, I thought I was alone," she said.

"What's wrong?" Logan asked, lighting a cigar.

Storm sighed. "I know what I voted for, but the idea of it still bothers me. I don't know why. I feel as if I am betraying something."

Pause while Logan smoked and collected his thoughts.

[By the way, to anyone who objects to me portraying smoking...I only am okay with it because it obviously doesn't hurt Logan's body. Otherwise, while it's not a huge deal for me, I do think it's unhealthy, and I don't condone it, but it's a part of his character, so I kept it in.]

"He left us no choice," Logan said finally.

"Yes...I know," Storm said quietly.

More silence.

"Perhaps it's not only that," Storm said. "For a moment, I was really going to disagree...and then I realized I was about to defend his actions...which were abominable. And I wondered if I have before, and how many atrocities I may have overlooked and thought nothing of it. Even this recent business with Magneto...were we too easy on him?"

"I wasn't," Logan sniffed contemptuously.

"I know, but was I?" Storm wondered.

"I doubt anyone who knew ya would think ya were easy on anyone," Logan said. "It's a tough question, how much to stick together. Personally, I think Sabretooth has no honor towards other mutants, so why should he get any back? Maybe that's the old anger talkin', but today they agreed with me. Must have got somethin' right about it."

"I don't think it was your sense of justice they ever disagreed with," Storm said, "just the application. But I saw the look in Shine's eye--I disappointed her today. And even if I changed my mind, I know I lost some respect."

Logan leaned on the side of the railing of the stairs, pondering some more.

"I did that, once," he said. "Similar situations, ya remember."

"It was not that long ago," Storm said, "though I had almost forgotten, I admit... No one has brought it up."

Of course they were talking about when Logan had messed up royally in an incident concerning Mystique and had Shine's anger kindled at him for at least two days, which was miserable enough.

Storm had finally smoothed the whole thing over by talking both of them into just having it out finally, and Shine had commended her level-headed thinking and loyalty.

And she'd never bothered Logan about it since, so at least she did not hold a grudge.

Thinking this, Logan shrugged. "She'll forget about it, just like with that."

"I'm not so sure."

"Did she say anythin' to ya about it?"

"No, no need to."

"Then she's not angry," Logan said. "I can't pretend to understand that woman, but I think it's pretty clear, if she's angry, she'll tell ya."

"Perhaps not angry, then, but disappointed nonetheless," Storm said.

"One mistake isn't goin' to change their opinion of ya," Logan said. "Though maybe it changed my opinion of them a little. Never saw that side of West. He was like another man."

"I understood," Storm said. "This is the sort of thing to outrage him. But it was quite a change. Even so, I did not think he was brutal."

"Neither did I. Doubt the guy has it in him to be a real bully," Logan said. "Must be nice, bein' like that."

"Well, we all have a dark side," Storm mused. "But I cannot conceive of them giving in to theirs... I hope I never have reason to fear that they will. I wonder, though, at how easy it was for them to reprove us also. There are times, I wonder, if they would turn on us all if we did something they perceived as wrong."

"They would." Logan chewed on his cigar. "But they should. Ain't no one should do somethin' they think is wrong."

"It makes it a bit precarious for us," Storm said. "They are hard teachers at times. So certain, so determined to fix on one course of action."

"Aren't you like that?" Logan said.

"I suppose, perhaps that is why it startled me to be disagreeing." Storm folded her hands. "But I see now, of course...we must not show favoritism... I wonder if it is hard for humans like them to live with us at times. Perhaps we often treat things differently due to being mutants. How do they feel about us not trying to avenge them to Magneto?"

"They made the same choice," Logan said. "We can't take on the whole army of Mutates. They know that."

"Did any of us even think to ask them if that disturbed them?" Storm said.

"They made it pretty clear it did. Enough said, I thought," Logan said gruffly. This was not his comfort zone.

"But did we confirm? Did we reaffirm that we knew they were different?" Storm said, distressed. "I do not think so. In a way, did we condone his prejudice against humans?"

"Humans can be scoundrels," Logan said.

"And they can be good, just like mutants," Storm said. "Think of that Trinity girl. What does she get out of it? But she wants to learn...and The Way members...hundreds of people... No, now that I think of it, we are just not fair. I've said it myself that there are hundreds of humans who are better than the ones who mistreat us. But I never considered the other side of that, that that means there are some mutants worse than the average unpleasant human also. I took no responsibility for that, yet I ignored that they carry the responsibility of being human, in our eyes. We hold them to some standard they must measure up to, or else they are disqualified. This is not fair."

Logan hadn't thought of it this way, certainly.

"So there's good and bad," he said. "Ya realize it, and ya move on. Keep goin'. Anyone can make a mistake."

"I have a feeling," Storm mused, "that I'd be getting reminded of something about pressure right about now, if I were talking to Shine... Ah, well, even if she'd not care, I still care about letting them down, for my own reasons."

"You've grown to hold them up a lot," Logan noted. "Can't bear the thought of fallin' from grace."

Storm shrugged. "Perhaps it's silly...but I do wonder..."

"It's silly, all right. You're their most trusted student." Logan said this without flattery--it was just obvious. "They ain't gonna let ya go that easy. Shouldn't be worried about it."

"Perhaps I worry about my own standards," Storm said. "I had imagined I was better than this."

"We all have blind spots." Logan finally tossed his cigar onto the ground and stepped on it. "Even you."

"Yes...well...I certainly can count on you not to fool me about it," Storm said dryly. "I suppose I should be grateful."

"If ya realize yer mistake, ain't nothin' more to do about it. Just to be better next time." Logan gave advice he ought to have followed himself. 

"Yes..." Storm mused. "This is true... Thank you, Logan. I suppose I needed to hear that out loud, is all. At least it will be over soon, once he is gone..."

"Happy to help, Ro," Logan said blandly. It was supposed to be humorous. 

"Ro?" Storm puzzled.

"Short for it," Logan explained.

"For...oh, for my name," Storm said.

"Ya mind that?"

"No, no, I was just caught off guard," Storm said. "Actually that's much easier to pronounce--for Americans... It seems they do not like three-syllable names."

[Ever notice that we really rarely ever use more than one or two syllables to refer to people we know well?

You know, it takes more brain power to use more syllables, so it's likely we nickname people because we see them so often, we want to cut back on the brain fuel it takes to say their names. Makes sense why we feel more relaxed around people we refer to by nicknames, even if they are derogatory ones.]

[Also, this is a reference to a thing in the comics. Logan actually refers to Storm as Ro, which you might know already, of course, if you're a big X-men person, but if, like me, you have only seen the movies and show, you probably had no idea. Cute, right? And much, much easier to write, I must say.]

* * *

The next day, the other teens were shocked to hear what had happened to Kitty, who hadn't slept a wink the rest of the night and was in a sour mood.

Xavier asked her if she wanted to call her parents--surprisingly, she said no.

Perhaps also surprisingly, Ryan also opted not to do this.

For Jubilee, it was all in a day's work, fighting bad guys, and whether they were adopting her attitude or just had their own reasons, the other teens didn't want to be the first to call home.

But Shine and Wally actually thought Kitty's refusal was a little concerning. Much like Trinity's.

"We cannot hide from their parents that people have almost killed their children," Shine said. "Trinity was not our fault--we had no idea she'd come over without telling us first--but Kitty was. We should have warned her."

"I know." Wally was stress eating. "I can't believe I forgot. I guess I never saw him, since it happened while we were gone, and it slipped my mind. They have weird people in the basement all the time."

"Yes, but there's a huge difference between Raven and Sabretooth," Shine said. "We knew he was violent and tried to kill Jubilee before. She hasn't, on record, really attempted to seriously harm any of them herself, though she set them up, but that was in the past."

"She doesn't give off a really violent, bully kind of vibe," Wally said. "Man-eater maybe..."

Shine gave him an odd look.

"Wally, I really don't think you need to keep being afraid of her."

"Sorry...I can't stop thinking about the movies." Wally winced.

Shine sighed. "Maybe we should tell their parents ourselves."

"We can't do that without the kids' permission," Wally said. "They'd never trust us again. And what if they lied to cover up? Who would their parents believe? Maybe us, but that's a problem right there."

"Yes...you're right. We'll have to visit Trinity ourselves," Shine said. "But the X-men won't like it."

"Not sure I really care what they'd like right about now," Wally huffed.

"Hon, you have to let this go," Shine said. "It was hard for them to make this decision for reasons we can hardly imagine. We've never been in this position."

"Because the League wouldn't put us in it," Wally said. "We're not a gang, we're freely chosen superheroes."

"And you didn't join the League out of desperation, you joined freely to help people," Shine said. "It's different. Free people think differently than oppressed people. The X-men could be free, really, most of them, but they feel it's disloyal. It's a vicious cycle. Those other mutants demand that all mutants be like them, self chosen outcasts. Like the Morlocks, like the Mutates, and all the others. But look what choosing to be less than human on purpose makes you do...things like Sabretooth. Still, it's hard to rise above what the world expects of you."

"What about Kitty?" Wally asked. "Her parents barely agreed to this. They'll never let her stay. Not sure I blame them. If it was my kid, I'd want her to be safe."

"But yet she is safer here than she'd be at home," Shine said. "This sort of thing doesn't happen that often, but at home, she's unprotected. We can take steps to make it safer here, but can they?"

"They still should know," Wally said.

Shine sighed, because she agreed deep down.

* * *

Accordingly, they did visit the Grayson house, which Shine was able to find easily enough.

They talked to Trinity.

It wasn't that hard to convince her that honesty was important. She knew what the Bible said about it.

"But aren't there exceptions?" she said.

"To save someone's life," Shine said, "there can be one. Rahab...the high Priest and David...but this is just to save our embarrassment... I don't like it, but I don't think it's an exception."

Trinity sighed. "My mom and dad won't understand."

"Maybe let us help you explain," Wally said. "Sometimes it's easier coming from a stranger."

Trinity was not anxious to face them alone, so she agreed.

That was not a pleasant conversation.

Mr. and Mrs. Grayson, or Ted and Pam, as were their first names, were shocked to hear that some ruffian in the woods had attacked their daughter.

(Shine and Wally's consciences did not feel they had to go so far as to explain it was Sabretooth. The X-men keeping their identities a secret was their own business.)

Of course they were furious that Trinity hadn't told them.

Trinity, honestly admitted that she'd been afraid they wouldn't let her visit Jewels anymore.

"And it wasn't her fault," she said, now crying from the stress of the whole conversation. "I just snuck in over the gate. I should have called first..."

Ted seemed a little pacified by her tears.

"Well, we can understand you not wanting to admit you were careless, but that's no excuse. What if you hadn't been okay? Would we just have never known what happened? What if this man comes back? We've heard of these killers who go after young girls."

Shine winced. That was just the sort of thing her dad would have said to her.

"You don't have to worry about that," Wally spoke up. "Our friends personally are making sure he gets booked. He'll go to prison for years."

He was glad they had settled that before coming over here. How else could he have looked the Graysons in the face?

"So they caught him?" Pam said.

"Yes." Shine nodded.

They looked a little relieved.

"Does this sort of thing happen often in those woods?" Ted asked sternly.

"No," Shine said. "These things happen sometimes, but, over all, it's safer in the country than in the city, I think." She shrugged. "But we're going to talk to the Professor about installing some better security in the gates. So this can't happen again."

They nodded.

"It wasn't their fault," Trinity said tearfully. 

"We don't want to be too unreasonable..." Pam said slowly. "Of course...ruffians are bound to live in the woods sometimes...but we don't want Trinity taking undue risks either. She's still a child, you know... And I don't like that you didn't tell us."

"I guess we were too close to it," Wally said. "We just wanted to get her home and deal with the problem, but we figured that wasn't fair to you, so we wanted to follow up."

"And make sure Trinity is okay," Shine added. "I mean...that's a scary thing to happen. And...not to be able to talk about it..." She glanced at Trinity "...makes it so much worse."

Trinity stared at her uncertainly.

Ted studied them for a long moment.

"I appreciate your honesty," he said. "A lot of schools hush this kind of thing up, don't want to look bad. I've read all about that. It's a dishonest world out there. Still, it happened... We're gonna have to think about it."

"That's fair," Shine said. "Though, if I could offer up one point for consideration...ministry is not exactly safe. We know there are risks, going to rough places and hanging around people who've had a rough life... It could be a school is still relatively much safer than the streets or the ghettos. I'd prefer it, anyway. And...to be blunt, I don't think it's our call to tell what is, and is not, someone's calling. Even if they are young. This is important enough to Trinity to risk things on. That's a good sign she's got a gift. She might lack the wisdom of experience, but squelching her wish to help altogether could be a worse crime than a moment of indiscretion on her part."

"That is blunt," Ted said, frowning. "Not quite sure I like it. It's our daughter and our decision."

"Of course," Wally said. "It's just something we deal with a lot, helping people figure out what's the right path for them."

"And you're sure you always know?" Pam said tightly.

"No, but God does," Shine said. "That's how we try to decide. The signs were there, that's all I'm saying. But it is your call. We know that. And it should be. I've seen the damage parents letting other people make decisions for their kids' well-being can do. It's sad. My parents were Christians also, and they kept me out of the public school system itself because of what they saw there. I'm glad of that...but they didn't keep me out of ministry, even when it could have been dangerous, because they taught us there are more important things than security when it comes to God. I've never regretted that they did that. That's why I'm careful about telling people it's too big of a risk."

Ted and Pam exchanged a look and then looked back at them. 

"You've made your point," Ted said. "We'll have to talk about it ourselves."

Shine and Wally knew this was their cue to leave.

As they walked out, Trinity caught up to them.

"I don't know if that went well," she said. "I might not be able to visit for a long while. Could you give Kevin this?"

She held out a gift bag. "It's kind of a thank you gift... I was going to give it in person, but..."

Shine and Wally exchanged a look.

"Just hold off on it," Shine said. "I'm not sure you're ruled out yet, but in the future, we may need a better system if you're going to visit. And I know that hearing about Kitty was a big deal, and we're glad you tipped us off. Turns out we weren't a minute too soon to pick her up--someone else was already looking for her...but you can't risk everyone's security like that every time. Next time, call first. We can come get you. One thing we weren't glossing over was, even if it's not someone like Sabretooth, those woods could have other people in them, and they have bears. You shouldn't have tried walking through them alone at all."

Trinity swallowed. "All right...fine...I guess I was kind of stupid to do that... I just got excited, you know? About helping another mutant...so... Did she decide to join the school?"

"Actually, yes," Shine said. "Maybe you can meet her later. You two have some things in common."

"Really? Cool," Trinity said. "Well...here's hoping I guess..."

She slowly headed back to her room where she was still being grounded.

Shine and Wally left.

"Well...that wasn't so bad," Wally said. "I kind of felt like they were thinking about shooting us, but other than that..."

"They took it better than I thought," Shine said. "They may be strict, but they take the faith seriously, clearly. I think they'll be okay, but it's hard to know. Either way, though, I feel bad for letting things go this long. What about the Prydes?"

"I don't get the feeling talking Kitty into telling them will be nearly as easy as it was there," Wally said.

* * *

He was right. It wasn't.

Kitty could be as stubborn as a mule, apparently.

"They'll pull me out of here," she insisted. "I can't go back home after two days! I'm still phasing through tables! I dropped plates today! Jean said she has to get paper plates for me! What about my parents good china?"

"What does china have to do with it?" Wally asked.

"Kitty, we can just tell them that he came out of the woods," Shine said, "and that we've turned him in."

By now this was true. Though the X-men had been very somber about it and had hardly said a word since.

"Even that," Kitty said. "My father will flip out, I'm telling you. I think if they even know how many men were here they'd be upset."

Shine winced. "I assure you the X-men are all respectable people, Kitty. I wouldn't stay here myself if they weren't"

"And I wouldn't let her," Wally said.

"Yes, but try telling that to my parents," Kitty said.

"Kitty, it comes to this," Shine said. "Either you tell them, or we will."

Kitty stared at her. "You'd do that, even after I said not to?"

"You're not 18," Shine said. "Legally, we can't allow you to make this decision on your own. And, emotionally, it's rather brutal to your parents. I'm sure you are worried about what it will mean for you, but, if you tell them right off, they will trust you to do so if it happens again. If you wait to be exposed, they will assume you'd do that again. In the long run, it's damaging. A smart girl like you should see that."

"You don't have to talk down to me." Kitty crossed her arms. "I get it. It's bad... I'd tell them if I thought they'd let me stay."

"They might," Wally said. "He's gone now. We could explain too. Maybe the Professor could..."

"Unless he could just mentally convince them to, I don't think so," Kitty said dubiously. "And where do you two get off telling me what to do? This isn't even your school."

Wally frowned.

Shine narrowed her gaze. "Excuse me, young lady, but is this how you speak to adults? I assure you, we are quite capable of convincing the X-men to go along with our actions, if you want to play that card. They have us to thank for this whole situation to begin with, and you wouldn't be here if it wasn't for us making friends with the church that a young lady we know goes to, whose brother tipped us off about you. So I think we have every reason to decide you should go home, if the school is going to be put at risk of being sued when this whole thing comes out, which it will sooner or later. Now are you going to sass me again, or are you going to do the mature and responsible thing, like an actual adult would?"

Kitty gaped at her.

"Not to mention it was partially your own fault for not checking with us before you bought into what Sabretooth told you," Shine added brutally. "I wasn't going to tell your parents that, but, by all means, play that card." She frowned. "You want to start questioning our authority? Then we can question yours. Who gave you the right to interfere in our affairs?"

Kitty leaned away from her.

 "All right, all right," she said sullenly. "I get it, you'll bust me if I don't bust myself, is that it?"

They nodded.

"Fine!" Kitty said. "But this is so unfair! I didn't even do it on purpose, and the whole thing looked wrong, and, FYI, I think you two are overstepping your bounds here. You're not even mutants."

"And that's strike two," Shine said, a warning in her voice. "If you disrespect us one more time, you can expect to be disciplined for your actions. All we gave you was a slap on the wrist. If we're going to take the same risks as mutants, we might as well get the same amount of respect. And FYI, kid, how many evil, crazy men have you defeated in your life? Has it been more than 5?"

Kitty gave her a strange look.

"I didn't think so," Shine said, standing up and looking down at her sternly. "We're veterans of this sort of thing, and you'd better keep that in mind. I don't care how smart you are, you're the new girl. You have to earn your stripes, same as the rest of us. We put in the work to get this far, and you've been here for two days. That can be the extent of your stay if you're going to have a problem going along with team decisions about who we keep as prisoner while you're still green."

Kitty swallowed. "All right," she said more compliantly. "Fine...you win."

"Good," Shine said. "I think we'll come to understand each other in time. Now, let's call your parents."

She wasn't going to give Kitty a chance to wiggle out of it, obviously.

Kitty knew she was beaten.

The phone call ended up going a little differently than she thought.

Her parents were upset to hear she'd been attacked on her first day, but as she gave them the version that was agreed on and didn't mention who Sabretooth was and told them he'd been turned in, they reluctantly agreed that the situation was handled.

But her mom still asked if she wanted to come home.

"No, it was a one time thing," Kitty said. "Some loser just came in from the woods and attacked us, that's all. They'll make sure it doesn't happen again, okay? We just live out in the middle of nowhere, that's all, so stuff happens, but they handled it. I'm not even hurt, really."

She had bruises on her ribs from being slammed into the floor, but they were mild. Hank thought she must have phased part of the way without knowing it as some kind of reflexive response to being threatened.

"Are you sure, honey?" her mother said. "It's really not so bad... We can work something out. You don't have to live with other mutants if you don't want to."

Kitty swallowed. "No, I'm fine here. It's a nice house, really. I mean my bedroom is bigger than our living room, so...and it's even safer than school. I don't have to ride the bus, so...It's fine. I want to stay."

"All right," Mr. Pryde said reluctantly. "But if this happens again, I want you to call us and come home. End of story... Can't we come visit to make sure you're okay at least?"

"No, Dad, they won't let you do that," Kitty said. "We talked about that. Look, Dr. McCoy can send you my medical scan or whatever if you want proof, but I'm really fine. He barely got a chance to get close."

This was not quite true, but they accepted it reluctantly.

"If it wasn't for this being our only option that didn't sound like some weird cult, we'd never let you stay," Mr. Pryde said severely. "Be careful. Don't take any stupid chances. Just avoid any suspect characters if you see them again. All right?"

"Right," Kitty said. "Planning on it."

She finally managed to hang up after some more reassurance.

Shine and Wally had watched the whole thing.

"Happy?" Kitty said sullenly.

Shine nodded. "Yeah...you were real convincing, too. I almost believed you when you said you wanted to be here."

She shrugged and walked away.

Wally shrugged too. "It is how it is, kid. I'm sorry, really. But it'll get better, just give it a few weeks." He walked away too.

Kitty leaned on the wall and sighed--and then she fell through it and had to struggle to get free again.

[I'd not judge Kitty too hard. I think a lot of her snippiness is from stress and shock...but yeah, she is being kind of a brat about it.

Still she's a young teen, and she's being asked to make adult decisions. That's never easy. I'm not sure I'd handle it any better than she is.]