Thanks for the feedback :)
Risty: Yep, it's Karma. I moved Mekanix out of Chicago because it didn't work for Lance's half of the story, and into Boulder, because I spent a year there trying out Grad school (The ChemE department. Loved the city, hated my thesis adviser).
Steven P. P: Morrison who writes "New" has a real fondness for huge events. Strangely enough :) despite the massive devestation, every character with a extended history who should have been in Genosha somehow survived. Emma Frost developed a secondary mutation that let her survive (I hate that plot device, it's just phrase for letting writers give characters new powers with no explaination). Polaris went nuts but managed to survive. Pietro had a falling out with Magneto and was out of the country. The only real character who definately died there is Kitty's father. I think the storyline shook up the X-Men's universe in a good way in terms of the stories produced.
sanna: Thanks for the feedback, there is a way to get automatice notification when a story updates.
Dusty: That was the plan, but my muse had other ideas. :)
Pandora: Sorry for the confusion. Xi'an is a mutant, her code name is Karma and her power is being able to possess people, she's spent some time at the Institute, but chose to leave to raise her younger siblings. I should have included mentions of Genosha in with the other 'cliff notes happenings'. Basically it was originally a country that used mutants as slave labor. There was a lot of chaos there after that government was over-thrown. Eventually Magneto blackmailed the UN into giving him the country to turn it into a mutant homeland (along the same lines as Isreal). The UN's hope was that dealing with a popluation that was having severe problems with Legacy would keep Magneto too busy to be a terrorist. In 616 Pietro joined Magneto there to act as his conscious (cause in 616 Pietro is definately one of the good guys), in my story Pietro would have gone because he never really broke free of his father's shadow.
Quick reminder I rewrote the end of the first chapter: Lance hadn't noticed her yet. Kitty found herself remembering a phone call out of the blue one day. She couldn't believe he was here, now, after all this time. She couldn't believe what she was going to do. She quietly slipped into the booth behind him and put her hands over his eyes. "Guess who?" she whispered in his ear.
When you waked up behind me and covered my eyes
And whispered in my ear, guess who
I rattled off names like I really didn't know
But all along I knew it was you.
Once they'd touched neither could bare to let go.
Lance's hands had come up to cover hers. It felt like a caress when he slid his hands up her arms. Kitty had shivered then giggled as he hauled her over the back of the booth and into his lap.
"Hi Kitty." His voice mixed delight and disbelief and a shyness that was totally at odds with his actions.
Kitty smiled up at him. "You forgot to call." She reproved gently.
Lance glanced away. His skin heated with embarrassment. "Becca told me you came looking. At first I thought it was better if I didn't. Then I thought it was too late."
"It's never too late." Kitty said as she reached up to cradle his cheek. Lance turned into her touch. For a moment they simply stared at one another transfixed.
"Don't tell me, we're seeing the reason why it practically takes blackmail to set you up on a date." Ricky commented watching the pair stare into each other's eyes. "Hey Lance, anyone home? Are you going to introduce us or just stare into her eyes all night?"
"That's Ricky, don't mind him he's an idiot. Carl, Morgan, Bill, Michael and Tony. Everyone this is Kitty." Lance said barely glancing away from the girl in his arms.
Kitty couldn't repress a grin at the information that Lance wasn't dating. "Hi." She said. "Nice to meet you. Lance you never did get around to telling me what you've been doing."
"Kitty?" Dylan called as he noticed the bar was unmanned. He saw Kitty and Lance and the way they were totally lost in each other. "Oh never mind, I can manage."
And the longer we talked the more we laughed
And wondered why we didn't last
It had been a long time but later last night
Baby we caught up real fast.
Moonlight glittered off the creek's waters as Kitty and Lance walked along the trail beside it. "So you really like fire fighting?" Kitty asked.
"I just kind of fell into it but yeah, I really love it." Lance said. "It probably sounds really strange to you, but I like helping people. It's nice to have the chance to use my powers for something good once and a while. I know it's not saving the world or anything, but…"
"I think it's really cool and totally you." Kitty interrupted. "You always did help when you saw someone in trouble. Remember Bobby, Sam and Jubilee's joyriding? Even though you hated planes and they were getting you into all sorts of trouble you still wanted to protect them."
"I still hate flying and insane pilots. I let one of the guys who does water drops give me a lift once." Lance said with a shudder. "How'd you end up here?"
"I'm attending college, for real this time. Well that's what it feels like. When I got my bachelors it was like all I did was show up for the tests. I still lived at Xavier's. Being an X-Man meant my schedule was totally nuts so I'd get most of my lectures on tape. Once we teamed up with the Fantastic Four and on the flight home I made Reed Richards help me with my homework. It ended up in this huge fight between him and my P. Chem. professor. Reed was right of course, but that wasn't what was in the textbook. Anyways I spent zero time on campus and I never got to know anyone or be, you know, a college student. This time I'm getting the full experience."
"And bartending in your spare time." Lance commented with a grin.
Kitty rolled her eyes. "What I want to know is why you didn't walk in months ago. Most of our clientele are firefighters or cop."
"The structural fire crews." Lance specified. "I haven't done that since Coos Bay, with Legacy it was better that way. I could use my powers on range fires without worrying so much about precision. You really fought Sentinels in Boulder? I was just telling Xi'an, my neighbor, that things were getting boring here."
"Xi'an Coy Mahn ? You know Karma? Oh my God, small world huh?" Kitty exclaimed. Lance nodded, he looked confused. "She studied at the Institute for a couple of months. We got hit by bad guys about three times while she was there then Nga and Leong got kidnapped. Xi'an decided it was better to live somewhere less exciting."
"I don't blame her." Lance said.
"Yeah," Kitty replied, "Xavier never promised us a normal life, or that we'd be safe."
Over the course of several hours they migrated back to Lance's apartment. "Umm, Kitty… do you mind if I grab a quick shower?" Lance asked blushing. "I'm kind of filthy. The plan was to grab some food and a few drinks, I wasn't expecting to end up on a date."
"So this is a date?" Kitty asked innocently.
"We could go out to dinner tomorrow or something. Like a real date." Lance stammered.
"Then that'll be two dates." Kitty said. "Which sounds good to me."
"Yes!" Lance exclaimed. "Umm, about…"
"Go ahead. You're a very cute mess, but I'm sure you're tired of being covered in dirt." Kitty replied. "I like the clay though, it's like when we first met."
Lance shook his head. "It took me forever to get that spray paint off. You're sure you won't get bored?"
"I've got all your stuff to snoop around in." Kitty said.
"Uh, sure…"
"I won't… much."
Lance ducked into his room. Kitty turned on the TV.
"Kitty?" Lance yelled several minutes later.
"Yeah?"
"Just checking that you're really here."
Kitty laughed delightedly.
Lance reappeared short time later. Kitty appreciated his lack of a shirt even if she did have to repress a shiver at the sight of the fading Legacy scars that curled around his arms and shoulders. They told her just how close he'd come to dying. For months after Pyro's death, she'd had nightmares where it was Lance who was summarily executed. Lance smiled and started to say something only to be interrupted by a yawn.
Kitty realized it was well past midnight. "I should go home and let you sleep." She said.
Lance caught her hand. "You don't have to go." He protested. He swallowed another yawn and tried to look awake.
Kitty slipped into his arms as if it were the most natural thing in the world. They stood embracing for a long moment. Kitty realized Lance was nearly asleep on his feet and pushed him toward the couch. He lost his balance but not his hold on her. They crashed onto the couch in a tangle. "You're sure you don't want me to go?" Kitty asked, she wanted to hear him say no again.
"I like you right here." Lance replied as they rearranged themselves to get comfortable. "I always crash after a fire, don't mind it."
"Yeah, when the adrenalin runs out…" Kitty said knowingly. She twined her arms around Lance's neck.
Lance smiled sleepily. "You work in a bar called 'Hell's Belles'." He teased.
"Aren't you over that yet?" Kitty asked lightly.
Lance thought about it for a moment. Either that or he drifted off, Kitty thought with a grin. "Nope." He traced the tattoo on her shoulder. "Shadowkat of the X-Men with a tattoo working in a bar called 'Hell's Belles'. Not going to be getting over that any time soon."
"I'm not an X-Man anymore." Kitty said pulling away slightly.
"It's a cute tattoo." Lance said by way of apology. "I didn't know you liked dragons."
"It's a long story." Kitty said. She relaxed back against him.
"I like those. Keeps you from going anywhere while you tell them." Lance murmured. Kitty chuckled quietly. There was no way he was going to be awake much longer. It didn't seem like a bad idea at all, Kitty decided. She felt happy and warm. Falling asleep right here was a much better idea than going home.
Well now I'm not saying that we solved overnight
Every way that we went wrong
Oh, but what I'm seeing I'd sure love seeing
Every morning from now on.
Light streaming in the apartment as dawn broke woke Kitty the next morning. Quietly she slid out of Lance's arms and went to stand at the window. Still asleep Lance made a soft sound of complaint as the cold morning air invaded the space where she's been. It was endearing Kitty thought as she pulled a blanket over him. So many years apart and still everything just seemed to click. Maybe even better than before. She liked the grown-up Lance. He seemed more comfortable in his skin, less defensive, not angry anymore. Despite being a mutant he'd been able to live like a normal person for years. Kitty made a face. She hadn't been in Boulder for a whole term and she'd already fought Sentinels and had been nearly blown up by Purity members. She wondered if she somehow attracted that stuff. Then she shook the thought off. It would take time, but she was going to build a life away from the super-heroing.
"Good morning." Lance said. He wrapped her in a hug. "I'm glad you stayed."
Kitty settled her hands over his and leaned back against him. Yeah, she thought, she could have a life of her own. A chance to accomplish something besides maintaining a status quo that no one was happy with. Here, with Lance, seemed like a very good place to start.
A/N: The song is "You look good in my shirt" by Keith Urban.