Author's Note: And here it is. The last addition of NonExistent. A little later than I was expecting, because Finals kind of surprised me somehow, but here none the less. I hope you enjoy this chapter full of: sleepy Melaney, thoughtful and amused Kurt, and a little hint of what the sequel is going to contain.

Disclaimer: I do not own X-Men or any of the characters: I own Melaney and her plot line, so please do not use her without my permission.

The view from the mansion's roof was still one of the most beautiful sights I've ever seen. The late afternoon sun was warm and golden, and the soft breeze that smelt faintly of Ororo's garden gently wrapped around my body. All in all, it was very easily teasing me into a light doze – which is my excuse for why I jump when a familiar set of tri-digit hands settle on my hips.

Without turning, I lean back and rest my head against his chest, "Hiya, Blue."

Kurt dips his head down, and I can feel his grin against the side of my neck, "Hallo, Laney." His lips move against my skin: dry, warm. A shiver traces down my spine, and I relax into his comfortable embrace, smiling faintly. "Why are you out here, liebling, instead of inside with our friends?"

I like how he says that 'our friends' : only a month ago, they had been my friends, and there had been no Kurt. Now, there was Kurt, and our's, us's, we's. Not just me. "They are arguing again; about the trip and other stuff. Thought I'd get away from it all up here." Just long enough to rest a little, not a full nap or anything: cause there really were things to discuss about the trip, important stuff: but a little peace to clear my fuzzy mind.

"Why did you not go to your lab?" He knows me well.

"That's where they are," I know I am whining, but I feel justified, "They followed me when I went to patch myself up." I can feel the exact moment Kurt realizes what I implied, from the sudden stillness of his hands that had been rubbing soothing circles on my hips. Before he can worry, I raise my right arm, where a sloppy bandage is keeping the injury from sight. "It's nothing bad; it barely bled. The guy got me when I was helping this lady but he ran right after." Gentle hands pull me away from the safety wall, and somehow I am now sitting on the roof, in a part that had not soaked up the warmth of the sun. "Cold..." I mumble, running a hand over the cool concrete. There is a huff or chuckle of snort above me, brief silence, and then Kurt dumps my comforter around my shoulders. Smiling I murmur into the familiar material, "Danke, Kurt."

"You are welcome. Now, arm out."

Confused, I struggle to free my arms and offer them both up. He laughs again – such a nice, deep laugh – and takes my right arm, setting my other back inside the blanket. The sloppy bandage is unwound, and as he is carefully rewrapping the very shallow cut, he asks me, "How many hours have you been awake, shatzi?"

"How long were we gone?"

"Two and one half days."

"Then, two and one half days times by twenty-four hours."

There is a pause in his movements, and then he ties it off carefully. "You should not stay awake so many hours."

"Well..." I hum, peeking carefully over the cocoon I had constructed, "nightmares...and stuff... Plus Logan was driving." And really that was enough reason by itself. A soft touch to my hair draws my wandering attention back to him. His amber eyes are soft and glow in the afternoon light; he smiles softly, kindly, and understandingly.

"Sleep, engel."

Blearily, I explain, "I can't. Not yet. I need to research the vaccines and immunizations necessary for international travel, plus construct a list of detrimental figures for medica-" A blue finger muffles my next few words before I realize I'm not making sense anymore and then I stop talking, looking up at Kurt with a sleepy/annoyed glare.

"There is no reason that must be done tonight, Laney. You are drifting to sleep as you talk; this is not good for anyone if you can not think properly." I try to find a reasonable argument, something irrefutable, but most of my mind has already agreed with him. He must see the lack of fight in me, because his smile turns just a shade fonder, and he says quietly, "I will get you your pillow." He leaves in a burst of brimstone.

The thoughtfulness of my Kurt makes my heart grow warm.

.

By the time he returns, my cocoon has tipped onto its side. He laughs under his breath, easily slipping my pillow under my head, ensuring I do not develop a crick. See? Very thoughtful. He tells me, "The Professor knows of your hiding place, and wishes you a very deserved, peaceful rest."

I must know Kurt as well as he know me, because I can tell he is about to leave, probably thinking its the sun and open air that is finally making sleep a possibility. But I had had two nights alone, and I was not about to spend this afternoon like that.

His tail is the easiest part of him to reach when one is laying down, and, nicely enough I've discovered, it's always guaranteed to get his attention. When I can feel his gaze on me: feel because sleep has my eyelids weighing a ton each: I raise the edge of my cocoon, a silent invitation.

Kurt's familiar body settles beside mine, and it brings more comfort than the sun, the warmth, even my blanket. I curl into him, practically purring when his tail slips into the normal spot, wrapped around my ankle.

He whispers into my hair, "Sleep, liebling."

And, surrounded by the comforting scent of night and smoke, held by a warmth matched by none, and in the safest place from nightmares and memories, I can find no reason to object.

.

..

…

…

..

.

"Ma'am," the scientist pauses at the edge of the board room, wringing his hands in front of him. "You requested my presence?" He had been dragged away from his computer, only seconds after the monitor had finished its analysis, but requested seemed a much better option compared to commanded or demanded.

"The results." It wasn't a question. The scientist wasn't entirely sure she knew how to form a question.

He doesn't like the results, knows what the results mean, but he answers quickly, because she doesn't know how to be patient, either. "Positive, ma'am."

"That's unfortunate." She says it because she had had plans if the tests were negative, not because she felt guilty or upset for the path that would now have to be taken to reach her goal: the path that leads to - "Terminate her." - death.

The scientist can only watch in dismay and horror as the guard leaves to relay her order.

.

He prays that Melaney can hide well.

AN2: There you have it. The End. For, you know, now.

Keep an eye out for NonExistent's sequel, UnRemarkable , coming soon.

German Translations

Liebling - Beloved

Shatzi - Little treasure

Engel - Angel