Edelweiss

Chapter 1: The Girl in the Photograph

"Pass the milk?"

"I can't believe she said that!"

"Jubilee totally has it in for me."

"Do we seriously have training tomorrow?"

"She might let me have a kitten! They are so cute!"

"I will never understand this stuff."

"It's so slick man. You have to try it out sometime."

"I like your bracelet, where'd you get it?"

It took Amanda a moment to realize someone was talking to her; her first dinner at the institute was more than enough to make a girl's head spin. There were so many conversations going on at the long table. Some people jumping from one to the other, Kitty of course juggling four or five. Kurt had been trying to draw Amanda into his conversation with Ororo, but the instructor had been pulled away by a phone call. "Sorry, what was that?"

"Your bracelet." It was Amara; the younger girl had shifted into Ororo's empty seat. Tabitha was swapping the plates with a sly grin. "It's really pretty."

"Oh. Thanks" Amanda smiled at the younger girl

"A bit overwhelming isn't it?"

"Yes" She glanced at her boyfriend, "I don't know how you can focus on one person with so much else going on."

"You get used to vit I guess." He replied, "vit used to ve a lot quietver before the juniors showed up."

"Oh please, Kurt!" Tabitha had tuned in and was pointing at the boy with a piece of garlic bread. "You're usually the loudest one!"

"Hey, at least I don't make ve juice explode!"

"I did that once! And besides, you've ported to the middle of the table just to ask Kitty something."

"You what?" Amanda grinned.

"He did." Tabitha nodded leaning in. "And at breakfast he'll hang from the ceiling to avoid interrupting Logan."

"No I don't!"

"Yes, you do"

"vell, not anymore, I've matured since you left."

Amara giggled. "You did that just this morning."

"Yeah, vell, he vas grumpy. You melted another coffee pot."

"Melted?" Amanda and Tabitha exclaimed together.

"I told the professor to get ceramic or glass. And it was a kettle not a coffee pot."

"vhatever. ve point is there vaz melted aluminum and no coffee."

"What about the time Kurt tried to tweak his image inducer and the Prof made him look like a girl?"

"Tabitha!"

"Come on Kurt." giggled Amara, "Your girlfriend is over, we get to make fun of you. That's how it works."

Kurt groaned trying to bury his head in his hands, hoping it would drown Amara and Tabitha out.

"hey someone pass the gravy!" Rahne shouted down the table

Ray grinned, picking the gravy boat up and hurdling it down the table just as Roberto threw the salt shaker to jubilee. The salt shaker hitting the gravy boat like a bullet over Amandas head, the boat smashing into tiny porcelain pieces and the gravy dropping all over Amanda.

"hey!" Kurt glared at the junior xmen who just shrugged at him and continued with their antics "here" Kurt handed Amanda a napkin to clean her face "I'm sure kitty haz zome clothez you can borrow"