Call and Answer

by lise

"May I please speak to Katherine Pryde?"

"Kitty? She's, uh..."

"Where is Katherine?"

"She's... out, right now. May Ah take a message?"

"Where. Is. Katherine?"

"Um. May I ask who's calling, ma'am?"

"Sam Guthrie, yes? This is Emma Frost, headmaster of the Massachusetts Academy. Is she out-out, out as in fighting with the forces of evil, out as in does not wish to speak to anyone, or out as in away in the shower, the Danger Room, or the bathroom?"

"Um. She's in her room, actually, asleep. We got in pretty late last night."

"Very well, Sam, and thank you for your honesty. Would you please leave her a message?"

"Of course."

"Would you tell her to telephone me? I have a matter I would like to discuss with her."

"Of course, ma'am. Should I, um... put it in her room, or the normal bulletin board?"

"There is no need to possibly wake her up, Sam. The board is fine."

"Alright, ma'am. It's just--"

"What, Sam?"

"... won't people wonder why you want her to call you? Ah don't mean to pry, but--"

"Samuel--"

"Sam, please, ma'am."

"Sam. Whether they wonder or not is not my concern. If Kit has a problem with it, she may tell the others that I want her opinion on one of the students. Otherwise, they may wonder."

"Right, ma'am. Anything else I can do for you?"

"... when she wakes up, would you tell her that I hope she got some decent rest?"

"Of course."

"Thank you, Sam."

~*~

"Kitty, there's a message for you."

"Oh, god, Sam. It's not even eight in the morning, I don't have any coffee, and you're already telling me about my day. Can it wait?"

"Well, it was Emma Frost..."

"... oh. What was it?"

"Just to call her, and that she hopes you got some sleep. She called last night, and Ah told her you were asleep after a long day."

"Thanks, Sam."

"Kitty--"

"Don't ask why she's calling me, Sam. I don't want to lie to you."

"Ah was actually going to ask if you were alright. You haven't seemed yourself lately."

"There's been a lot going on, Sam."

"If you want, Ah'm here to listen."

"I... thanks. I guess it's just-- well, have you ever started a thing with someone, and then it turns into more than just a thing, but you didn't really want it to because there's lots and lots of complications already, nevermind having things go in ways you weren't ready for them to?"

"The relationships Ah've pursued, Ah dunno. They seemed fairly normal. But Ah know what you're talking about."

"Well... that. And I don't really want the gossip pool to hear about it, because there's so much other crap going on."

"I understand."

"I just don't know what to do about it. This person and I are just casual. Or, we're supposed to be."

"And you're getting a little more than casual?"

"I dunno. I just don't know what to do about it so that it can stay between them and I."

"Well, Ah might not have had an international spy as a boyfriend, or have all the experience all the other guys around here have, but Ah'd say... just talk to them. If you can't figure things out, it won't work anyway, so talking about it won't hurt any."

"You're right, Sam. Of course. I think I'll go make that phone call."

"And don't forget to see what Miss Frost wants, too."

~*~

"Massachusetts Academy."

"May I please talk to Emma Frost?"

"She's rather busy right now. You may leave your name and number, and I'll make sure she gets your message."

"Um... this is Katherine Pryde--"

"Oh, Ms. Pryde. One moment, please."

"... Emma?"

"One moment, Katherine. I have to finish reaming out one of the children's parents for allowing them to bring alcohol onto my premises."

"Alright..."

<click>

"There. The child is being punished appropriately, but since it was the parents who got him the brandy, there's no reason they shouldn't feel some of it too."

"Makes sense, Emma."

"I admit. I got a lot of satisfaction from that."

"I bet you did. Listen..."

"What, Kit?"

"I'd like to talk to you. Seriously."

"Of course, Katherine."

"I'm not sure what I want to say, yet, really, but I know that whatever we've got between us, I just--"

"You want to talk about it."

"Yes, I do."

"Then I'd like to listen, Kit."

"Okay... I don't know where to start. I wish I didn't have to do this on the phone, but things are so busy, and I don't know when I'll get another chance, so--"

"It's alright, Kit. Just say what's on your mind."

"I-- are we casual?"

"In what way?"

"What we've got between us. Is it casual?"

"I always feel comfortable, and at ease, in your presence. There is rarely anything uptight involved."

"But... are you involved emotionally too?"

"Before I answer that. Do you want me to be?"

"Yeah, I, I do."

"Then I'll tell you. Katherine Pryde, you have my admiration, my affection, and my respect. I look forward to spending time with you, even though it's rarely possible. I wish there was a better way for our relationship to proceed, but unless you are willing to come to the Academy, since I am unwilling to give up heading Generation X, I don't see many other options."

"I didn't mean..."

"Do you want to know whether I love you?"

"... yes."

"Kitten, what other mystical, indefinable trace element is inherent for love?"

"I don't know. But love is... you just know."

"You can love a friend, as well. You can love family. You can love enemies, in a certain way."

"But love between people who--"

"I don't want to get into a semantics argument with you right now, Katherine. I will repeat what I said: I respect and admire you. You have my affection and my trust. At this moment, I have no intention of looking anywhere else for anything."

"I--"

"Furthermore, even if you continue this silly superhero business, I will continue to do so. Whether I agree with the lifestyle or not, I can't fault it's purpose. Just it's rationality."

"I love you too, Emma."

"Good."

"But I don't know what to do about being on the X-men."

"Neither do I."

"I thought you had all the answers!"

"It's not nice to laugh at me, Kitten."

"Well, maybe I was a little. Can I ask it now?"

"Ask what?"

"Where do we go from here?"

"We shall just have to see, won't we?"

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