Title: The Glamorous Circus Life

Chapter One: A Lost Little Girl

Author: Inu-Mutt

Rating: T

Genre: AU Romance/Adventure

Pairing: Kurtty

Disclaimer: All I own is the plotline and yadda yadda yadda

Description: 20 year old Katherine 'Kitty' Pryde is tired of working a 9 to 5 office job and getting nowhere in life, so while looking for adventure she decides to use her background as a volunteer at a wildlife rescue to take a job at the circus as an animal handler, little does she know that she's in for the adventure of a lifetime.

'Where the hell is that office?' Kitty thought to herself as she wandered through the crowded circus, the thick air making it hard to breathe and the smells of cotton candy, sweat and animal musk nearly choking her. 'The fortune teller said to turn right at the hotdog stand, go until you smell the privies then turn left at the face painter's booth and continue straight past the bearded lady and man-eating chicken(1) or was it turn right at the privies and go straight past the face painter's booth?' Inwardly she sighed and started forward pasting games and food stands, fighting through thick crowds, listening to the laughter of couples and the crying of children when they lost at the games.

Kitty walked up to the nearest booth and waited for the man to finish with his customer. Suddenly she felt a tug on her sleeve looking down she saw a little girl no older than six looking at her with wide green eyes, kneeling down to look at her eye to eye the little girl smiled shyly at her " 'scuse me miss," the girl asked softly "can you help me find my mommy?" Sighing softly Kitty looked at the little girl's pleading eyes and stretched out her hand, "sure what does she look like?" A small hand grasped her index finger and her little companion dragged her towards the crossroads "my mommies real tall and pretty and she has long red hair but she wanted to sit down in the shade for awhile 'cause she gots a headache 'cause of all the peoples and she says it gets real loud in her head sometimes(2) I says I don't understand but then she says I will one day if I'm lucky and that just gets me more confused." Her eyes get bigger and she turns to stare at you. "I fr'got my names Rachel, what's yours?" Kitty was about to answer when she heard shouting coming from the direction of the pavilion, as quickly as she could manage she set Rachel on her hip and ran toward the noise hoping it wasn't what she thought it was.

The commotion drew in a crowd and Kitty didn't know if it was safe to bring Rachel into the mob but if the gathering was what she thought it was and if she pieced together what Rachel said correctly her mother could very well be in the center of the hoard. Resettling Rachel on her back she elbowed her way to the center of the crushing bodies thirsty for blood. Once she reached the center she almost wished she left Rachel outside of the hot suffocating bodies that were determined to make her claustrophobic. "MOMMY" her charge flew off her back, bearing down on the body of a woman lying on the ground, blood slowly oozing out of a gash on the back of her head making her ruby hair stick together. Rachel sat next to her mother, nearly hysterical with grief as she cried; clinging tight to her mother's hand watching her chest as it slowly rose and fell with each labored breath.

A man stepped out of the crowd, his tall stature looked intimidating as he walked toward the girl, his face ugly with rage his mouth set in a snarl as he reached for her. Kitty snapped out of her daze and stepped in front of Rachel; her small frame blocking the mother and daughter from the large mans murderous hands. "Step away and I might let you leave in one piece," Kitty's voice was steady and calm; she leveled a glare at the man when he had the gall to laugh in her face. "Me? Step away from finishing off that mutie and her devil spawn?" He grinned at her, "and who's going to stop me? You?" He didn't even see her foot as it smashed into the side of his face, effectively breaking his nose. Tears streaming down his face as he tried to stem the flow of blood. "I would be careful whom you piss off in the future," Kitty growled as she stepped up to be face to face with the large man, "if you want to go a round with me I feel it is only fair to warn you I was top of my class in martial arts and I have a black belt in karate." His eyes widened and in his hurry to back away tripped over his feet and landed at the edge of the stricken looking mob. Kitty crossed her arms "not that I wouldn't love to pound some sense into all of your racist skulls but I have a person(3) that needs medical attention and I have no need for you close-minded Homo Sapiens to clutter up my breathing space, so unless you are planning on restraining him," Kitty pointed at the large man "and calling 911 for the police and an ambulance I suggest you leave us in peace before I have to persuade you."

Kitty walked up to Rachel and put a comforting hand on her shoulder. "Don't worry Rachel," Kitty said softly "I'll get your mom fixed up good as new in no time." Moving over to the other side of the body Kitty started feeling for broken bones, "she has a few bruises and a sprained wrist." Kitty said, explaining everything she was doing as she went along. Carefully taking her patients(4) head in her hands and turning it slightly Kitty could see the gash that decorated the redhead's scalp. Sighing in relief Kitty looked at Rachel, "she doesn't need stitches(5), but a thorough cleaning with disinfectant should keep any infection at bay. As far as I can tell she doesn't have a concussion but I think she might have been knocked out so it might take awhile for her to wake up." Rachel nods in your direction and you see her eyes are brimming with tears. Kitty opens up her arms in invitation and Rachel doesn't hesitate to climb into(6) her lap and hugs her like one would embrace a much-loved stuffed animal(7) while hiding from the monster under the bed.

Kitty looked at Rachel's mother and knew that she couldn't be comfortable on the concrete floor of the pavilion even if she was, for the time being, dead to the world. "Come little one," Kitty said softly to Rachel "we have to move your mom so she will be comfortable when she wakes up." Nodding slowly Rachel untangles her arms from around Kitty and climbs out of her lap. Getting up Kitty grabs the body underneath the armpits and twines(8) her fingers along the ribcage leaning her head on her shoulder she start dragging her out of the pavilion and into the shade of a tree surrounded by soft grass. Rachel comes to help lay her out in the shade. "Should we call an ambulance?" She asks, her green eyes now rimmed with red from crying, you shake your head, "mutants aren't treated very well in public hospitals(9) and there are no mutant friendly clinics around here." A sudden thought surfaces in Kitty's brain "Rachel," Kitty asks as she takes out her cell phone, "is there anyone you can call to pick you and your mom up?" "Yes, my dad Scott, he doesn't work today and mommy thought it would be nice to go to the circus as a family(10)" Rachel replies as she ignores Kitty's cell and reaches in her pocket for her own(11). She grins sheepishly, "its for emergencies." Dialing quickly she put the phone to her ear as it started ringing. "Daddy, mommy's hurt." Kitty hears garbling coming from the speaker. "She's knocked out," More garbling. " No I'm ok, we're next to the pavilion under the big tree." Garble garble "ok daddy see you in a little bit." She slides her cell back into her pocket.

Five minutes later Kitty sees a man with red sunglasses charging towards them and before she can get into a defensive stance Rachel runs up to him and hugs him for all she's worth. "Where's Jean(12)?" Kitty hears him ask. Rachel grabs his hand and leads him right up to her. Scott grabbed Jeans hand much like Rachel did earlier and started whispering in her ear, seeing Kitty's questioning face Rachel kneels down next to her and watches as her mother's eyes start to dance under their lids. Suddenly her eyes flew open and Kitty could feel herself flying into a tree.

1) The man-eating chicken…. Sorry everyone a Little Rascals moment, Its basically a man eating KFC chicken legs…it probably sounded better in my head.

2) Yes I am talking about Jean and the reason she doesn't use her powers to find her daughter is because of all the people around, blocking the rush of thoughts can give even the most advanced telepaths a migraine and letting them in can get…awkward.

3) I wasn't sure with the terminology on this one since humans don't think of mutants as people but human beings don't normally care about others views and opinions do they?

4) I can't find a good place for Kitty to ask Rachel her mother's name.

5) Kitty was originally going to have to sew up the gash with a portable sewing kit. (I carry one of these around with me practically wherever I go.)

6) I didn't know if onto or into her lap was the correct adverb for this sentence. (If you happen to know the correct term would you tell me?)

7) Teddy Bear sounded a little racist against stuffed animals (animalist?) what kind of stuffed animal did/do you sleep with?

8) Is that what you call it when you lock your fingers together?

9) Insurance reasons, liability issues or just incredibly racist, take your pick.

10) Scotts not present at the moment because…um…'cause… he got lost on the way to the bathroom? Don't worry he'll find a map…maybe

11) Heck six year olds have cell phones nowadays don't they?

12) Kitty finally knows her name (w)

A/N: If you find any grammar or context mistakes review me on them so I can get them fixed ASAP. I'm always looking to improve my writing style J

Also if something about the story doesn't make sense and I don't explain it in the notes review or PM me about it and I'll see if I can clear up the confusion.

Question: Should I add Lockheed to this story, and if so as an exhibit or as Kitty's companion/pet.

Funny Fact: I didn't intend to add Rachel in this story at all but I thought about how easy it is for little kids to get lost in a crowd and she just appeared plus I wanted Kitty to have a hero moment before her meeting with the manager.

FYI: I am writing this by ear I have nothing written down, this plotbunny demanded I type up the first paragraph then ran away with it from there. So flame me if you will but remember this story flows as it wants and then floods my basement.

*IMPORTANT* I need names for the large man and an opinion on whether or not he should be the circus manager. (Poor poor Kitty wouldn't that suck.)

Sorry Kitty didn't meet Kurt in this chapter maybe in the next one. Stay tunes and don't touch that remote.

Love always,

Inu-Mutt