First & Last

Kitty couldn't help but think it was a bad sign how Jean came into her room. Not just that she

did

—a rare occurrence for a student with a teacher. She certainly hadn't spent much time in Hank's quarters when she was a kid. But Jean didn't knock or anything. Her telekinesis unlocked the door and she just walked in, already talking.

"Hey, Kitty, did you know they made

another

Indiana Jones movie? Awesome, right? You wanna watch it with me? Just sit back, relax, I'll make the popcorn. I brought some grape soda, too, you like that, right? Don't worry about anything, I know how stressful this place is, I'm gonna pamper you, okay? Hey, who's Shia LeBeouf?"

Kitty took a deep breath and nodded to the door. Jean picked up her surface thoughts, closed it for her.

"What is it? What's wrong?"

Kitty bit her lip, wishing she knew what to say. The universe had turned her into Colossus, the bitch. What would

she

have said to convince herself that maybe twenty somethings and thirteen-year-olds shouldn't date?

Start small: "I'm not sure that's a good idea, Jean."

Jean deflected. "We can watch something else. I heard they made new Star Wars movies too. I know I'm not a nerd like you, but I'll give 'em a shot..."

"It's not the movie, it's us." Kitty hedged, putting her hands on the back of a nearby chair so she had something to do with them. "Wouldn't you rather spend some time with Hank or Warren or Bobby? You're kind of their boss—I'm sure they'd appreciate some facetime."

"Facetime? Kitty, I'm gonna spend the rest of my life with them. What there is of it. I'm not gonna remember any of this, so—can't I be with you a while?"

Kitty saw herself walking over to Jean, taking her hands, holding them tight and warm, a connection flowing between them as she said what had to be said, but would that make this easier or harder? "I don't think we should spend so much time together."

It snapped into place. Kitty saw it in Jean's eyes. The green caught the light like a knife's edge. "I didn't come here to have

sex,

okay, I just wanted us to be together!" She spoke harshly, her voice almost raised.

"Jean, that's not it—"

"Then what is?"

Now Kitty went to her. She took Jean by the arm—just her fingertips, a subtle touch on Jean's shoulder, but the girl went so willingly. She let Kitty sit her down on the couch and crouch beside her. Not touching, but able to feel each other's warmth. Or imagine it, at least—this close.

"Jean, what we did, it was—"

Wrong.

"Inappropriate."

It felt so good, I know—

"You liked it," Jean replied, almost an accusation. "I liked it, what's—what's the big deal?"

"I'm a teacher, you're a student..."

"I'm not your student! I'm some... refugee from the past who's stuck here. Everything feels wrong except for you."

"I realize that." Kitty saw the tears in Jean's eyes and knew she couldn't wipe them away. "What happened wasn't a bad thing, but it was a bad idea, and I should've known better. It's not your fault, it was just a mistake... that happened... and when you get the Professor to wipe your memories, it'll probably be for the best."

Inwardly, Kitty winced. Yeah, that hadn't sounded harsh at all. Jean was looking at her like she'd been poisoned.

"Was I not...

good?

"

"You were fine, Jean, better than fine..."

"Is it because I wouldn't let you do stuff? Because I'll let you! I could hear you in my head, thinking how much you wanted my ass—I could've known from the way you grabbed it—I would've been fine with it, really, we can still do it. You could be my first."

"Jean,

stop."

Kitty felt her voice go firm,

adult.

"This is not a healthy relationship and it's not going to continue. I want you to leave my room now and the next time you interact with me, I want it to be official X-Men business, am I clear?"

"Yeah... yes." Jean let herself cry, wearing the tears like warpaint. "Yes,

ma'am.

"

She stomped to the door. It flew open for her, telekinesis battering it into the opposing wall. She looked back at Kitty in the doorway, about to burst into flame.

"You know, sleeping with you was the one time since I got here that I haven't had a nightmare? Not even a little one. And fucking you was the only time I felt good."

Kitty's hand was at her waist, but the fingers were reaching out to Jean. "That's something you should have with someone your own age—"

"

Don't!

" Jean roared, and the door slammed shut. Cutting her off from Kitty.

***

"What up, Frosty?"

As a valued member of the team and faculty, Kitty had to interact with Emma Frost, politely and efficiently. That didn't mean she couldn't be annoying. Especially when Emma called her to her office like Kitty was her student and Emma was headmistress; the relationship Frost had always wanted with her.

"Sit down, Katherine." Emma gestured to the chair before her desk. Always just enough for however many guests she was expecting. Right now, it was one.

Kitty phased through the chair, then dropped back into it. Slouched. Got the raised eyebrow she was looking for her. In her simple blouse and pleated skirt, she looked as out of place in Emma's Neo-Classical design as a stripper would in the Philharmonic Orchestra.

Emma, on the other hand, wore stripper attire—no shirt but a white blazer, cigarette pants, maybe panties. And she made it look regal. She sat behind her desk, patiently waiting for Kitty's eyes to trace her breasts. Kitty wouldn't let it happen.

"What do you want, Frost? I've got a couple hundred students to manage, I don't have time for you to mindfuck me."

"It's what you

do

have time for that's the problem. I've heard some disquieting rumors."

"Rumors?" Sweat touched the back of Kitty's neck like a ghost.

"About a relationship between a member of the teaching staff and a student."

"You're not accusing me—"

"Not, of course not. I'm

saying

that you fucked Jean Gray."

Part of Kitty wanted to scream—she was sorry, it was an accident, please, please—but she kept a poker face, if only to not give Emma the satisfaction. "Have you gone crazy?

Again?"

Emma revolved her laptop, pointing it at Kitty. "As an educator, my highest priority is of course the health and safety of my students. I take accusations of this nature at the highest level of seriousness. And so, I took the liberty of planting a camera in the suspect's room."

The screen showed Kitty and Jean. One touch and the picture became a movie.

I could hear you in my head, thinking how much you wanted my ass—I could've known from the way you grabbed it—I would've been fine with it, really, we can still do it.

"Generous offer," Emma said, wryly victorious.

Kitty's jaw was clenched so tight, she wasn't sure how she'd ever get it open to talk. But she did. "Please... you can't make this public. It would

destroy

Jean. I'll go, I'll resign, I'll do whatever you want. But don't let this blow back on her."

"Resign?" Emma's brow furrowed as much as it was able. "Why? You're a gifted educator, Katherine. I would hate to lose a woman of your talents and enthusiasm. There's no need for you to leave the school."

"Then why—"

"You will have to be disciplined, however. This—relationship you've pursued speaks to a disturbed psyche. I'm very concerned with a woman in your present state of mind being on active duty, or around children."

Kitty's throat was tightening like it was in a noose. "I said I'd leave the school, what more can I—"

"You can allow me to treat you. To replace this unhealthy relationship you've embarked on with a sounder, more age-appropriate one. Please, stand."

Kitty stood, relieved at having Emma tell her something to do. Maybe if she did as Frost asked—let her get off on her power fantasies—this could be managed. Somehow.

"Good. Now strip."

Kitty was so off-balance she phased instinctively, even though there was nothing to pass through. She stood there, intangible. "My clothes?"

"Surely, you can't be that hesitate to part with them. I'm certain the local K-Mart can supply you with similar, so long as you have a twenty-dollar bill on you."

Kitty was a smart girl. She was quick to realize she had no choice. It was this or leave the school in disgrace, traumatize Jean forever. Emma smiled hungrily, reading the realization right off Kitty's brain.

Her eyes darting about as frantically as a hunted animal's, Kitty worked the buttons of her blouse. She tried to turn her back on Emma, but that was when she saw the floor-to-ceiling mirrors that covered the entire southern wall of Emma's office, even the door. Every facet of her was cruelly captured, either in Emma's eyes or in the crystal of her surroundings.

Kitty hung her head, undoing the buttons between her breasts. She wished she'd worn a different bra. White, lace, demi-cup—the one she had on now barely covered her nipples, turning her cleavage into a seductive valley and her breasts into exposed spreads of creamy skin. Emma licked her lips as she watched Kitty strip her blouse down her arms behind her, accidentally thrusting her chest forward.

Kitty felt hideously excited under the weight of Emma's gaze. She was half-sure it was Emma's telepathy—putting thoughts in her head. Making her think this was right, this was fair, her getting her just rewards for what she'd done to Jean. Her guts knotted with shame. She turned, giving Emma and the mirror her profile, knowing that all she was doing was teasing Emma even more. A real X-Man, like the mature Jean Gray that she had known, would face Emma boldly. She would take her clothes off just like she were getting into the shower.

But Kitty couldn't. She made it last and linger, like she wanted to build Emma's lust up as high as it would go. She didn't know if it was pride or—

She let her skirt drop. It slid down her shapely legs, and with her sneakers on, it took some effort to extricate her legs from the thing. But she did. In her bra and panties, she turned for Emma, posed for her, letting the desire in Emma warm her just as much as the skylight sunshine did on her bare skin. Emma's diamond eyes raked from the lacy bra to the small waist, the swell of her hips, the black shadow at the crotch of her panties.

"That will do."

Emma stood. She crossed from behind the desk to in front of it, approached Kitty as she would go to inspect a racing horse. Her eyes ran over Kitty's body as cruelly as a knife, the blonde circling Kitty, taking her from every angle. Until finally she was behind Kitty and her fingers pinched into Kitty's midsection. Kitty gasped.

"Not

too

much flab—finally jogged off that Thanksgiving weight, I see? And at least the underthings show some semblance of fashion. I suppose you believe your lovers deserve more effort from you than those who simply see you walking the halls? Put your hand on your cunt."

The harsh word in Emma's genteel tone sent a little shock coursing through Kitty's body. She hated it, but she was turned on. And the crueler Emma was to her, the more inhumane, the rougher, the harder... it did things to Kitty. It made her want to be... used.

She covered the crotch of her panties with her hand. She tried not to put any pressure on her sex, but her hand just moved in. Started a slow fire between her legs that she had no idea how to put out.

"Do you like that, Katherine? Are you imagining it's my hand doing that to you? Or would you enjoy my hand more? What if I told you to bend over?" She was at Kitty's side now, her mouth at Kitty's ear, her voice so cruel. It captivated Kitty, how cruel she could be. "I could take your panties off. I'm strong—I could

rip

them off. And while you touch your toes like a good little whore, I could start putting my fingers in your good little whore

hole.

Would you like that, Katherine? How many do you think I could fit inside before we'd need lubrication?"

"I... please, just don't do anything to Jean..."

What about your ass?

Emma hissed in Kitty's mind.

Has Colossus been breaking that sweet little ass in? Do you think I could get my fist in there? Which is bigger—his cock or my hand? I wonder how far you'd stretch before you gave in and phased away from me, little coward, little whore—

Kitty felt herself giving into Emma's lust, her power. Once she allowed Emma to use her, however she wished, things would be so easy. She just had to let Emma to do whatever she wanted. The only downside was how much she'd enjoy it. "Anything you want, Frost, I'll do anything."

Yes.

Emma was still in Kitty's head, but now her still lips were brushing against Kitty's.

You will. But not

now,

you have a class to teach.

Emma turned on her heel, promptly going to her office's minibar to fill herself a tumbler. "Introduction to Programming in ten minutes, Ms. Pryde. I believe it would be very discourteous to your students to be late. Mutual respect—that's the key to a good education."

Kitty felt her wet panties pressing against her harder than Emma's hand ever could. "But I thought..." She was almost begging.

"You will be taught a lesson, Ms. Pryde. Sooner, rather than later. But at a time and place of my choosing. No matter how much you might enjoy learning from me, the needs of our students must come first. But please, do get dressed first. The last thing we need is any

more

students fixating on you."

Kitty reached for her clothes with trembling hands. It wasn't relief that was shaking her so hard.

***

Kitty had a hard time getting to sleep that night. She kept expecting Emma to surprise her just as she was drifting off, slipping naked into her bed. And she recognized the feeling as one she had before a mission. A nervous excitement. God, had it been that long since she'd gotten laid? No. No, it hadn't. She'd taken Jean's virginity just the other night.

She finally nodded off, only to be awoken by some sixth sense. It felt so abrupt, like she hadn't slept at all, that she first glanced at her clock on the nightstand. It said that three hours had passed. Kitty looked around for the disturbance, finally finding it next to her. Jean had been so quiet, getting into bed with her, she had literally only

just

noticed her.

The girl was curled up in a ball, still in the jeans and T-shirt she had worn into the room, her bare feet poking out of her fetal position. She had laid down right on top of the sheets, not wanting to wake Kitty, not even touching her, but she seemed to be gleamed a measure of relief from being in her presence. It was only when Kitty looked at her, and the thought of kicking her out came to mind, that Jean started to tremble.

"Please... I know it's wrong, I'm sorry... I just couldn't stay in my room. It felt like my nightmares were

hunting

me. I dreamed that I was

burning

and I set everyone else on fire too. I dreamed we burned together."

Kitty said nothing. Her heart was hammering. The first thing she'd done when she'd gotten back to her room was find and disable Emma's camera, but she didn't know that it was the only one, or the only means that Emma had to monitor her. And no matter how depraved Emma was, if she found out that Kitty had done this again, she would have her out of the institute lock, stock, and barrel.

But Jean looked so pale and wet,

drowning

in sweat, far worse than she'd been on the first night they'd spent together. The way Kitty must've looked, her first few months in the mansion, when N'Garai and Emma Frost had ganged up in her nightmares, sending her to the comfort of Ororo's garden for some hot chocolate and long hugs under the same blanket. Was this so different? Would Ro have let her sleep in the same bed as her?

"Please?" Jean wasn't weeping, she was too strong for that, but tears were spilling down her cheeks like blood from twin wounds. "I know it wasn't right what we did, I'm not here for that, I just wanna stay with you. I won't even touch you, I promise, I

swear

—"

"Here." Kitty drew the covers back, phasing them right through where Jean lay. "You might as well be warm if you're going to sleep—in my bed."

Jean gratefully married herself to the other pillow on Kitty's queen-sized bed, shaking so hard that it was like Kitty was strapped to a motor. She put her hand on Jean's freckled shoulder, finding it sun-hot, like she'd just been tanning. A moment later, she combed her hand through Jean's hair. Jean stopped shaking.

"It's not a nightmare, though. Is it? No matter what happens, I'm going back. I forget all of this. And eventually, I become something horrible, I hurt people, kill people—"

"Not you," Kitty stressed. "The Phoenix."

"But it chooses me, right? It does that for a reason. And nothing I do can change that. Even if I did, it would just mean this... timeline wouldn't exist. You wouldn't exist... maybe you'd never have been born..."

"I'm not that young." Kitty kept stroking Jean's red hair. It actually felt a bit like she was touching fire, somehow—solid fire, kindling heat in her hands. She tasted something bitter, thinking of what she was doing. It was insane, criminal, but she had to... she could do it. Walk the line between comforting Jean and violating her. She

had to

—an irresistible force was pushing her down that road. "I know it's not much, Jean, but you're going to be a good person. Take comfort in that. Everyone's going to love you. Your memory is going to live on—probably forever. That's not a lot, I know, but it would be enough for me. I would at least try to be content with that."

She guided Jean's head over until it rested against her shoulder—tickling her hand through the embers of her hair until her fingers traced the curve of one small ear. Jean squirmed over until she melted against Kitty, like she was sharing her heat with a frozen woman. It didn't have to be a sexual gesture—but Kitty was awake of her rubbing her thighs together in a languidly orgasmic way, a move that seemed far beyond her years.

She tried her best to ignore it, holding herself resolutely still as Jean pressed her face into Kitty's arm. The girl fell asleep quickly, exhausted; having run away from a future she couldn't outpace. Her weight against Kitty gave the woman a leaden feel—she was too weighted down to let her thoughts outrun her. She fell back asleep, only to wake again, as near as a record needle skipping over a disc.

Emma Frost was in the room. Her corset, her panties, her cape—the white gleamed in the darkness, almost as bright as her pale skin. With a crocodile's smile, she sat on the bed. "My. Don't you two look cozy. I'm so tempted to join you."

"It's nothing," Kitty insisted, keeping her voice low—Jean was still fast asleep. "She had a nightmare."

"Oh, sweetheart... even

I

don't let Hellion sleep with me because he had a

bad dream

," Emma put a child's lisp on the last. "The same as I wouldn't let a dog into my room because he was barking... or Scott Summers, these days. Like you, he has to be punished." She reached behind her, taking out a pair of scissors that she had to have been keeping in her panties. "Hold still."

"We can do this

later,"

Kitty hissed. She tried to stay strong, even as her heart raced at the sight of the gleaming blades. "Not with Jean in the room. She's an innocent girl—"

"Not innocent anymore, Katherine... thanks to you. Now keep your mouth

shut

or you can explain to the whole school why there's a student

in your bed."

Kitty pleaded for mercy one last time. "Don't wake her... she's having a good dream.

Please.

"

"I won't wake her," Emma promised. "And if you don't want to either, I suggest you

shut up

and

hold still."