Katie, Not Kate

Chapter 5: Strange Magic

With Katie sound asleep and with the promise of some time to himself, Logan let out a sigh and just took a moment to listen to the bustle of the mansion before he very quietly headed first to the fridge for a beer — and then to the garage to wrench on his bike for a little bit. It always helped him to think when he couldn't take the time to just go for a ride, and this — he knew he didn't have time to take off for a few hours.

It was there that Kurt found him, to ask with a smile how the movie had gone. But when Logan just gave him a look from the other side of the bike and kept right on working, Kurt frowned deeply.

"What happened?" he asked as he pulled up a crawler seat to sit across from his friend.

"Some creeps after Clint tried to snatch Katie," Logan said bluntly as he paused for just a moment in the middle of the oil change.

"Is she alright?" Kurt asked quickly, his eyes wide as he almost immediately jumped into alarm mode

"She's fine," Logan assured him, watching the oil catch in the pan. "She just — she got scared, but she was singing in the car on the way back and she's taking a nap right now, so I think she's alright."

Kurt watched Logan for a moment and sighed. "Well," he said at last with a bit of a sigh and an attempt at a smile. "She did have her guardbody with her."

"She spent all of about two minutes hiding in Clint's shoulder while I took care of the creeps."

"Did she see anything?" Kurt asked, a frown creeping into his expression at the thought.

"I don't think so," Logan said. "I told her to close her eyes before I hit the first one — and I'm pretty sure she did." He looked up at Kurt and let out a heavy sigh. "You know I always do that if there's a little one around."

"I admit, I'm surprised she listened," Kurt said, though he sounded relieved.

"She was scared," Logan told him. "Scared kids will listen quicker if they think you can help them."

Kurt's tail was switching behind him as he thought it over. "You said they were after Clint," he said, almost hopefully.

"Yeah, they were Clint's creeps - but they went right for her," Logan told him, smearing new oil on the filter before he put it on the bike, again half distracted as he tried to just — tinker.

Kurt looked irritated at the thought, his tail now suddenly still. "She shouldn't leave the mansion while she's like this," he said quietly.

"Not until we figure out how they found her, no," Logan agreed before he wiped his hands off and leaned forward onto the bike. "She's asking to go home again. And I put her off again. But that's not gonna work forever. Sooner or later, she's gonna get mad at me for telling her no on the one thing she wants."

"I wish we had something better to tell her," Kurt said with a sigh. He shook his head and then gave Logan a tight smile. "Well. Ilyanna and Doctor Strange are arriving in a few hours. Maybe we won't have to come up with anything at all."

"Maybe," Logan agreed. "I don't like lying to kids."

"If this goes on, she'll have to know the truth sooner or later," Kurt pointed out. "If only to make sure she stays in the mansion — and stays safe."

"I don't think you realize who you're dealing with here, Elf," Logan said frankly. "Same stubborn girl — just a lot smaller package. She won't go along with that, and you know it."

"I know," Kurt agreed with a long sigh. He shook his head and passed a hand through his curls. "It was easier to keep from worrying overmuch when I knew she could handle herself — but this one seems to get into all the same trouble with none of the training."