John was in bed twenty minutes later, with an eighth of a bottle of whisky and a Chuck Palahniuk novel when someone knocked on his door. He froze, hoping they’d go away, but they knocked again.

“Who is it?”

“It’s Kitty. Can I come in?”

Fuck. What was she doing here? She’d made it perfectly clear she’d prefer to spend time with that stupid psycho-bitch Jubilee than him.

“No.”

“Why not?”

“It’s locked. And my legs are broken.”

A hand phased through the door and turned the knob. He’d forgotten about that. The door opened, and she stood in the doorway, looking nervous.

“What do you want?” he sighed. Was it possible she’d changed her mind? He didn’t think she liked him much – if at all – but who wasn’t preferable to Jubilee?

“Jubilee sent me. We were um, at the party, there’s…” She was twisting around trying to get this out, contorting in awkwardness.

“What?”

“It’s freezing. We need a fire, so we were hoping you would…”

“Why would I?” He raised an eyebrow.

“Because… I don’t know. Never mind. It was stupid. I just…” She turned to leave.

“Wait. I’ll do it.”

“You will?” She turned back, eyes lit up.

“Yeah, sure. But you have to do something for me.”

Suspicion replaced her joy. “What?”

Just what was her opinion of him? What on earth did she think he wanted? “It’s nothing much.”

She waited, eyebrows raised.

“Help me break into Logan’s liquor cabinet.”

Her mouth dropped open. “No way.”

“Then no fire.”

John didn’t know whether it was for Jubilee or what, but within a minute she was stalking down the hall, her jaw set, ahead of him. They hurried up the stairs, to the hallway Logan’s room opened off.

“If he catches us…” Kitty was looking anxious.

“You’re here to make sure he doesn’t. Now check if his room is empty.”

Kitty ran lightly across to his door. She glanced at John, who waved her on, and knocked on the door. No reply. She hesitantly stuck her face in, expecting the worst. Nothing. It was empty. She waved to John, who dashed over, grinning. She grabbed his wrist, and they walked through.

Once inside, Kitty lingered nervously by the door as John set about searching the room.

“Keep watch,” he hissed to her, opening a cupboard and closing it again when he found nothing, then moving to the kitchen. He rattled around for a few minutes, then reappeared. He searched the living room again. Kitty was still hovering about the entrance. He didn’t see why she was so nervous. If Logan came back she could just run. He’d be stuck there with him. And no one in their right mind would see Kitty and John stealing liquor and accuse Kitty of being the ringleader.

“John…”

Oh god. She was about to start a serious conversation. He could tell. “What?”

“About... before. Outside. Why did you ask me to stay?”

Christ. Couldn’t she see he didn’t want to talk about it? Couldn’t she guess that, after he threw himself out there and she crushed him like an ant, he might not want to discuss it? What was it with girls? Why didn’t they understand how well ignoring things until they went away worked? “Kitty, this isn’t the time. Just make sure he isn’t coming.”

“He’s not. Look, I’m sorry, and I hope you didn’t read anything into my not staying because I like you and-“

“Kitty! Shut up or I’m not lighting your fire!”

Hurt, she turned back to sticking her head out the door and furtively glancing up and down the corridor.

She turned back impatiently. “Hurry up, John! Why are you taking so long?”

“Just shut up and help me- FUCK!”

“What?” Big, startled, innocent eyes. The eyes were the least of John’s worries. Between the coffee table and the couch, was the large, hairy, prone body of Wolverine. John skipped back, trying to get away from him, and tripped over the coffee table, landing on the ground with a crash.

“John, what are you-?“ Frantic hand signals shut Kitty up. John lay perfectly still, watching Logan to make sure he was still asleep. Or unconscious. Whatever.

Then Kitty, showing more courage than he’d thought she had, walked over to him.

“Oh, god.” She sounded more worried than scared, “John, he doesn’t look good.”

John glanced again at him, over his original panic, and had to agree. Logan was pale and his breathing was shallow. “Probably just drunk.”

“No, John… we have to do something. We have to wake him up.”

“And tell him we were here to steal his alcohol?”

“We can’t just leave him.”

“Why not? He has that super-healing thing. Besides, it’s self-imposed.”

“Look, you do what you want. Run away if you like. I’m waking him up.” This was new. Kitty, filled with scorn for him.

“Fine. But let me load up first.” Logan was like a liquor cabinet himself. There was a large selection of half-empty bottles around him. John took his pick, stuffing them into his shirt, and turned back to Logan. “So what do we do?”

“I don’t know. Let’s get him onto the couch.”

“What? You thing we can lift him?” The guy was about two hundred pounds of muscle.

“We have to try.” And try they did. With a lot of groaning, and a possible aneurysm, they hauled him onto his beaten brown lounge.

John turned to Kitty. “And?”

She leaned over Logan. “Professor Logan? Professor Logan, are you alright?”

He made no reply. Kitty glanced helplessly to John, who shrugged. She touched his face tentatively. “Wake up, Professor.” She looked back to John. Back to Logan. Then she grabbed his nose, held it.

“What are you doing?” John hissed incredulously.

“Waking him up.”

Beneath her hand, he snorted, flailed, and sat up. He squinted at them through bewildered, bloodshot eyes. “What are you doing in my room?”

“You were… you didn’t look well. We thought you might have-“ Kitty looked to John again. Why was she gong to do stupid things like this if she was going to rely on him for help and reassurance so much?

“She thought you were dying or something.”

“Ok.” He lay back down. “Wait.” Sat up. “Why were you in my room in the first place?” His glare ran across Kitty to John, picked out the bottle shaped lumps under his shirt, clinking as he backed away.

“RUN!” Kitty yelled, grabbing his hand. He bolted for the door, one hand protectively resting on the bottles, the other in Kitty’s. One of the bottles slipped, sliding down his front, and instinctively he yanked his hand from the girl’s and reached to stop it. Then thudded into the door, reeled back. Kitty reached through to pull him after her, and they dashed down the hall. Logan was after them, but very drunk, confused and lacking an ability to run through walls.

They wound up in the entrance hall. The Christmas tree was before them, hundreds of presents at its base, ornaments and lights glittering prettily. Someone else might find it charming. John found the whole thing too conspicuous and showy.

Kitty turned to him. “I think we lost him.”

“Great,” John replied quickly, hoping she wouldn’t use this opportunity to slip in her ‘important talk’. “We just have to drop these off at my room and I’ll light your damn fire.” Much as he hated Jubilee most of the time, it felt good to be needed. They relied on him for something he could do so effortlessly it was like breathing. It made him feel big.

“Yeah, about that…” Kitty paused, “We don’t have to, you know, go. I mean, they can cope without a fire. Do you want to maybe… do something?”

She looked at him hopefully. It was her turn. This time she was putting herself out to be hurt, laying everything out. And yes, he wanted to do something. He wanted to take her back to his room and drink with her, or talk with her, or go outside for a walk with her, despite the horrible wet, cold snow and biting air.

He looked at her, her eyes large and earnest. “No thanks, Kitten. Let’s just go get this lit so I can go back.” And the hurt and disappointment he saw in her eyes reflected the pain he felt himself, that his stupid pride wouldn’t let him just hang out with her.

Then he turned, and started up the hall toward the rec room, knowing, despite the fact that he couldn’t see her, that Kitty was watching him as he’d watched her earlier. But it didn’t offer any of the satisfaction he’d expected.

-----

So, I’m a lazy mofo and only got two parts done before Christmas. If you want closure, you’ll probably have to wait till next year. Sorry!