3.

The show had started as usual; Woodhead, the ringleader, came up with his usual routine of introduction and the tightrope walkers barely wobbled above his head. Amanda stood by the back entrance with her fellow performers waiting for their cue to go on. They hadn’t changed the show that drastically since Kurt left, however the new lead acrobat couldn’t present half the number of agile stunts Nightcrawler could have done.

“Alright,” Chester said to the group as he stepped aside. “You’re on.”

Amanda led the group to the pulpit that was set up in the center of the ring. Atop it were the Holy Bible and a foot tall cross. The actors each wore a white hooded robe and carried a white rose in their hands. Amanda kneeled before the pulpit as if to pray and the other five actors made a semi-circle around her.

Looking up at the cross, Amanda held up her hands and said, “Oh Holy one that reigns in the Heavens above…” The actors behind her made a low hum in their throats. “Show us mercy!” she cried. “Send your servants a sign that will lift our sins!”

Suddenly the lights dimmed down to darkness; a bang of a gong rang in the distance and one spotlight shinned on a figure standing at the top of one of the polls’ platforms holding a trapeze bar. Gasps from the audience came from all around and the lights brightened the inside of the tent once more.

On cue, one of the actors pointed to the “demon” on the platform. “We have been deceived!”

“The devil comes for us!”

Amanda looked up, acting if she was in shock. Then her eyes widened when she saw just who stood above them. “Kurt?” she said under her breath.

The demon figure stood proudly above them and held out his free hand. “Pray for peace, peasants! For the devil has come for you tonight!” With that, Kurt threw the trapeze bar forward and somersaulted into the air; his tail wrapped around the flying bar and he hoisted himself up so he’d hang by his hands. Two bars now swung back and forth giving Nightcrawler the ability to fling him from one to the other, showing off an array of mid-air flips and swings.

Then, in a sudden leap, the Incredible Nightcrawler landed next to Amanda as the other actors fled the scene. “Your God has deserted you, beautiful girl,” he said loud enough for the audience to hear. “Now you belong to me!”

Amanda knew the cue; when Kurt stepped towards her and wrapped an arm around her in capture, she hugged him tightly so she wouldn’t fall, but she knew he wouldn’t make the same mistake he did the last time.

“Forever you will serve me!” Kurt cried into the air as a trapeze bar was lowered for the two to be carried above. Kurt sat on the bar while Amanda sat on his lap; the bar was raised to the height of the platform letting the two stand high where the entire audience had their heads bent back to see them.

“You there!” came the cry of someone else on the platform across from where Kurt and Amanda stood. “You shall release her! She is a child of the Lord, not a servant to the devil!”

Nightcrawler let out a shrilled laugh as he jumped onto the now swinging bar. “You want her?” He said as he positioned himself to hang by his knees. “Then go get her!”

The part Amanda hated the most had come. She was relieved to see that the crew below had gotten the net rolled out…just in case something should happened like it did last time Kurt played the part. She let out a scream then held her breath as she let Nightcrawler grab her hands and pull her from her feet. The angel on the other side had now been swinging in range of the two; Kurt had let his own bar go back once more to give Amanda enough momentum to catch the angel’s hands.

“Oh God…” Amanda gasped as she felt the blue hands release her and she became air born for only a brief moment. Much to the relief of everyone below and above, the angel caught her hands and she was safe.

The spotlights shined only on them now as Nightcrawler disappeared from the audience’s sight. The trapeze was lowered low enough for Amanda to drop into the net, the lights only on her. The entire tent was dark around her as she climbed down letting her feet touch the hard ground surface. Another spotlight came to shine on another angel actor that had been waiting.

“Thank-you Lord,” Amanda said going down to her knees.

“Thou shall be rid of such evil. Thy Lord is with you,” he said as the lights dimmed to nothing.

The room was silent for a few moments, and once they were sure the skit was over screams, whistles, and clapping filled the area. The lights came back on to show the two angels, the five monks, Amanda, and Nightcrawler standing together holding hands. They took their repeated bows as the cheers continued on.

The rest of the night was extremely entertaining after such a perfect performance. The crowd adored the prancing ponies, the exciting elephant and her trainer, and finally a closing performance by the Incredible Nightcrawler.

When all was said and done, the circus crew went around the stands to clean up. Margali had congratulated Amanda with a hug when they found each other. “That was perfect!” She told her daughter.

“It was all Kurt!” Amanda said as she took off without another word. She ran around to the back to find Kurt sitting on a picnic table still dressed in his glittering yellow jumpsuit.

Kurt had just gotten to his feet when Amanda flung her arms around him. “That was so awesome!” She told him. “Alex was never that good while you were gone.”

“I was afraid I was going to drop you like last time,” he told her truthfully.

“I wasn’t,” she said softly. “I trust you with my life, Nightcrawler.”

Kurt stared into her eyes. He felt as if he could melt as she smiled, her cheeks full of blush and her eyes sparkling in the moonlight. She put the palm of her hand on the side of his face and let her thumb brush over the tip of his ear.

“Amanda…” he barely whispered. But her index finger silenced him when it touched his lips.

Kurt could feel his heart beating rapidly as Amanda leaned up to let her face go closer to his own. He had never been this close to her, except in his dreams. But all thoughts and dreams were forgotten as he felt her soft mouth rest against his.

The week seemed to go by rather quickly, in Kurt’s opinion; but it had been the best week of his life. Never had he felt so right with his existence, like he really did belong and was loved. Granted, Amanda hadn’t told him that simple phrase, but he knew she felt something for him. By the time the end of the week rolled around, they had begun to hold hands wherever they went.

If Margali was surprised she didn’t show it. Perhaps it was because she knew Amanda and Kurt belonged together, or maybe even the fact that she had raised both of them so she knew she could trust her daughter and her foster child.

The rest of the circus, however, had taken an immediate notice to the two’s romantic sightings. Woodhead would whistle whenever he caught the two within a range of a couple of inches, and Chester was constantly making remarks like “They’ve gotten so big!” or “Kurt and Amanda sitting in a tree….”

None of that, however, bothered either Amanda or Kurt. They spent their time together in public (the circus public, that is) or alone which was usually sitting around playing some board game, or Amanda reading while lying against Kurt. Either way, the two were happy.

Saturday, April 13^th had arrived. It would the last time the Munich Circus would perform in the North America. But this day had also brought a lot more than just a last performance; it also came with a decision, a decision that Kurt didn’t want to make.

Nightcrawler sat in his trailer, already dressed in his devil’s costume for his first appearance. He looked up to the small closet door, his eyes gliding over the suit he was going to wear for his solo. He was aware that his friends from Xavier’s school were coming that night, but that wasn’t the reason his heart ached as his thoughts, memories, and dreams played constantly in his brain.

A soft knock on the door made his tail twitch and he got up to open it. He smiled when Amanda stood in front of him wearing her white monk’s robe. “Hey there,” she said as he let her inside.

Kurt sat back down on the small chair he had sat on for the past half hour while he thought. Amanda sat on the little stool in front of him and tried to get a glimpse of his expression. “You alright?” She asked softly and concerned.

Kurt’s eyes gazed at her features from the shoulder-length red hair, to the smoothness of her fair skin, to her rosy cheeks, to her bright green eyes. But then he glanced down as he felt her hands take one of his own.

“Whatever it is, it’s okay,” she said. “If you’re worried about messing up in front of your friends, then don’t. They probably wouldn’t know the difference anyway. You’re good at covering it up.”

Kurt didn’t say a word in response. He didn’t even smile at first. But it was then he realized that he shouldn’t have to be making a decision. If he truly loved her, then he’d go back to Germany to be with her. The X-Men would understand.

“Kurt?”

“I’m alright,” he replied. “I am now. Thank-you, Amanda.”

“Ten minutes, you two!” Chester called as he banged a couple of times on the side of the trailer. “Now’s not the time to be making out!”

If Kurt’s skin weren’t such a dark blue, Amanda would have noticed he was blushing up a storm by now. They both left their seats and headed for the tent, hand in hand. Once they were at the entrance Amanda leaned up and gave him a kiss. “Good luck,” she said as she hurried to gather with the other five actors.

The skit didn’t seem to last nearly as long as it had for the past week. Once again it was a perfect show that received a humungous cheer from the sold out crowd, plus a standing ovation from none other than the students and teachers of The School for Gifted Youngsters.

As Kurt was changing into the sparkling white pants and red jacket, he kept telling himself that he’d do fine. For some reason he feared that he’d mess up in front of the entire school after they had all heard what an incredible acrobat he was.

“Kurt! Let’s go!” Chester called half way between the tent and the trailer.

“God, give me strength,” he said as started for the ring.

Kurt walked out into the center of the ring, waving to the crowd and noticing the stand-up cheers from the students he had gotten to know over the past six months. For some reason the audience seemed to be larger than it was fifteen minutes ago. Thankfully, though, the lights blacked them out moments later and the show was about to begin.

Torches that had been placed in a circle around the ring ignited by an electric starter and a heavy instrumental music began with the rolling of bass drums. Ribbon dancers appeared from the darkness and drew the audience’s attention with the twirling of their ribbons and batons as Kurt was raised into the hair by holding onto a rope.

Once Nightcrawler was standing on the high platform on the side of the ring, the two trapeze bars began swinging back and forth. Kurt took a deep breath as he lunged out, grabbing the white bar with his two hands and swinging absentmindedly, as if he didn’t know what to do. But that was all part of the act.

The torches gave a large burst of flame and the dancers skipped off to let the awe-struck eyes of the spectators gaze upon the demon-like man somersaulting and twirling his body back and forth. Nightcrawler barely used the same technique twice in his act. Just as it almost seemed the act was getting old, two high bars, about ten and twenty feet from the ground, were pushed into the center of the ring.

Nightcrawler landed smoothly on one of the platforms, a crewmember holding out a bottle of water for him to take a quick gulp as another member caught the bar. During the very brief rest Nightcrawler was taking, two men dressed and painted completely in either red or white came galloping from opposing sides of the tent. In unison both men held out what seemed to be a stick and in the blink of an eye they magically breathed fire from their mouths. With the sticks burning on the ends, they switched sides from where they were standing and each pulled out one more unlit stick. Finally they used the flaming end of one to light the other and soon both were swishing burning sticks.

After a brief showing of their fire handling, both men knelt down to one knee and lit the two support polls of the high bars. The fire engulfed half of each poll and the fire handlers retreated to the back of the tent.

Above, Nightcrawler held the trapeze in his hands and jumped from the platform. Without even allowing the trapeze reach the center of the tent, Nightcrawler released it, tumbling in a ball down to the flaming high bars below.

Numerous gasps could be heard from under him, and if Kurt were able to pick individuals out he would’ve seen Storm and Rogue covering their mouths with their hands and holding their breath.

But those breaths were exhaled when the Incredible Nightcrawler’s tail caught the higher of the two bars, spinning him around to fling to the lower. Zooming back and forth, Nightcrawler dove, soared, spun, and catapulted, the flames not coming in contact with his sparkling body suit in the least.

And then it was over. With one giant triple axle twirl into the air, he landed perfectly on his two feet, tail stiff, and head held high as his hands were extended to reach towards the heavens, finishing off a spectacular act.

It took a while for the audience to finish its cheering as the entire circus crew came out into the ring and offered their bows. Amanda had taken Nightcrawler’s hand in her own and squeezed as she gave him a gleaming smile.

After the crowd died down, Professor Xavier, the X-Men and the students gathered outside the tent to meet up with Kurt.

“An excellent performance, Kurt,” the professor acknowledged. “Very impressive indeed.”

“You have an amazing talent, that’s for sure,” Storm added.

Logan was idly looking around, not paying much attention. Until, that is, Scott jabbed him in the side with his elbow. “What?” He said looking at Scott, who just continued looking towards Kurt. “Oh, yeah. Nice job, kid.”

“Thank-you,” Kurt said. He noticed that the students were still taking in the circus environment while everyone else talked.

The X-Men’s attention was taken away, however, when Amanda casually walked over. She smiled shyly to them, giving a nod and then introducing herself. “I’m Amanda. I’ve heard all about you guys.”

“Like what?” Logan piped in, receiving another jab from Scott’s elbow. “Stop that!” He snarled.

“Now that this week’s shows are over, where does the circus take you next, Amanda?” Xavier asked.

Amanda latched onto Kurt’s arm. “We’re going back to Germany in a few days. I’m taking a guess we’ll stay there for a month and then head to Russia and China.”

Rogue’s large smile decreased a little as she looked at Kurt. “You going too?”

Everyone stared at him. It was almost as if someone punched him square in the nose. He had every intention to stay with Amanda; but now it seems by the looks on their faces, his new friends would miss him greatly.

“I…” Kurt started and then felt Amanda’s arm on him. “I would like to see my homeland again.”

“And spend time with you’re girl, right?” Logan asked. He quickly caught Scott’s elbow and shoved him away. “Not this time, buddy.”

“Ja,” Kurt replied looking at Amanda, who gleamed back at him. “But I’ll come back to visit,” he put in to reassure the look on Rogue and Storm’s face.

“You better,” Storm said with a wink. “Otherwise Germany will be seeing some pretty harsh winds.”

Margali had generously ordered pizza after inviting Professor Xavier and his students and teachers to stay. The circus members and the students mingled wonderfully, as did the X-Men. Chester and Woodhead had a great time embarrassing Kurt by telling the students stories of his childhood.

Amanda and Rogue sat next to each other, both laughing as Kurt tried to defend himself for the time he had tangled himself in the ropes that were hanging at the very center top of the circus tent and they had to bring a snorkel truck in to get him down.

“We wouldn’t let him forget that for weeks,” Amanda said as she took a sip of her soda.

Rogue held her head in her hand. “You guys grew up together then, huh?”

Amanda nodded. “I was a little over a year old when my mom found him. She told us that he couldn’t have been anymore than a few days old.”

“So that makes you twenty-one and him twenty, right?”

“Ja.”

Rogue gave a thoughtful look. “I know he thinks the world of you.”

“Kurt’s the best guy in the world,” Amanda told Rogue. “I was so stupid before. You can’t find a more loyal guy than him.”

“I know. And he’s one of the few mutants I know of that was able to accept who he was.”

Amanda chuckled. “Yeah, well it wasn’t easy at first. He was always asking why he was the only one who looked like him. But he got it eventually.” So far during this conversation Amanda hadn’t taken her eyes off of Nightcrawler.

“You love him, don’t you?” Rogue asked more softly.

Amanda blinked and looked at her then back at Kurt. “Yes. I love him more than anything. I just haven’t told him yet.”

“You should.”

The two girls’ conversation was put to an end due to Chester’s abrupt movement of jumping to his feet and knocking over his glass as he made fun of Woodhead, Margali and Kurt. “Fluch Sie es zur Hölle,” he shouted in German as he knocked over yet another glass while reaching for the first spilt one.

“And you make fun of us,” Margali said as she caught her breath from laughing. “Serves you right!”

Everyone laughed and enjoyed the show Chester had been putting on while he cleaned up the mess in a rather frustrated way. “Leave it to me,” he said referring to his own harassments backfiring on him.

“Well,” Professor Xavier said. “It’s been a wonderful night. But we really should be going.”

A wave of disappointed moans washed over the group of students and even the circus members. They were having such a great time. Good-byes were said amoungst everyone, but Kurt felt funny about saying goodbye to the people that had made him feel so welcome in life.

“Bye Kurt!” The students yelled.

“Come see us before you leave, alright?” Rogue said as she gave him a.

“I will,” Kurt promised as Storm gave him a hug as well.

Amanda and Kurt were able to escape the massive cleanup duty from the dinner. They went to sit under a tree a few yards from the trailers. Some of the crew had set up a campfire further towards the front of the tent, so they were able to sneak away easier. Kurt used the tree for back support as he held Amanda in his arms, the back of her head lying on his chest.

“Its such a clear night,” she said softly. “Look, you can see all the constellations tonight.”

“Ja,” Kurt replied. He found her hand and held it affectionately.

Amanda looked down and smiled. She was about to finally tell him that she loved him when he gasped and pointed to the sky.

“Amanda,” he said pointing. “A shooting star. Make a wish.”

“Hmmm,” she thought out loud. “I wish for the perfect guy—one who’s caring, loveable, fun, smart, playful, strong, and definitely cute in his own way.”

There was a brief moment of silence. Then she looked up at him. “Oh!”

“What?”

“I got my wish,” she said almost in a whisper. She moved to sit on her knees between his bent legs. She put her hand to his face and held his cheek with her palm. “I love you Kurt Wagner.”

Kurt was silent. He stared at her for the longest time even before blinking. Then his hand made its way up to cover her’s against his face. “Do you…mean it?”

Amanda laughed. “Of course I do, silly,” she said pulling her hand a way and giving him a playful shove. “I just wish it didn’t take me years to realize it.”

Kurt moved to sit on his knees as well and face her. “I’ve always been afraid to tell you how much I dedicate every day to loving you.” Amanda’s face softened as she felt her heart beginning to melt. “To me, you’re like an angel sent straight from the Lord himself. You’ve been the goddess I’ve dreamt of worshiping for an entire lifetime.”

“Kurt…you’re going to make me cry,” she said half sarcastically, half lovingly.

“Should I stop?”

Amanda leaned in and let her nose touch his. “No…please don’t.”

But Kurt didn’t have a chance to continue with his words, although his mouth was put to use when Amanda leaned in to kiss him. It was the most passionate kiss Kurt had ever experienced. Amanda crawled into his arms and wrapped her arms around his neck as he hugged her tightly. They both felt as if they were floating on a cloud somewhere in space, where no one could ever find them.

“Kurt…we shouldn’t do this here,” she said after a few minutes of sweet kisses from her blue mutant.

Kurt pulled away, seeming to feel very ashamed.

“Chester and Woodhead would have a field day if they caught us….” She got to her feet and looked down at Kurt’s almost disappointed and shameful face. “You coming?”

Kurt nodded as he got to his feet. Amanda took his hand in hers and the two walked to her trailer. She opened the door, then turned around to face the yellow-eyed German behind her. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing,” Kurt said. He stepped up and gave her a kiss on the cheek. “Sleep well, beautiful angel.”

Amanda’s face grew a little red as she stared at him. “Stay the night with me?” she said, almost half demanding, yet in a very sincere way.

“Stay? All night?”

“You afraid?” With that she went inside and started to change.

“No….” He said after he figured out what she was implying. He walked in to see her back to the door, just finishing pulling an oversized t-shirt over herself to match her pajama pants. He felt almost stupid standing there in the corner, not sure what to do.

“What’s wrong?” When he shook his head she just patted the bed for him to sit down as she hoped on and folded her legs. “You’re so cute when you’re nervous.”

“Who said I’m nervous?” He asked as he took a seat next to her. “What would you’re mother think if she found me here?”

“I really don’t think she’d care, to be honest,” Amanda replied. “I think she trusts us—especially you of all people. She knows you wouldn’t do anything dumb.”

“Me? Of course not! Perish the thought.” He laughed.

Amanda smiled as she leaned over and kissed him lightly. “Damn I love you,” she replied.

“I worship you,” he replied as he closed his eyes to kiss her back. Before continuing he took off his red performance jacket and tossed it to a stool, leaving him in a white, form-fitting, sleeveless shirt.

After a while they fell back on the bed to lay side by side, both fast asleep.

Neither of the two sleeping lovers heard the creak of the trailer door open, nor did they notice the flashlights beaming around the small area. It wasn’t until one of the three men dressed completely in black turned and knocked over a picture frame that sat on a shelf.

Kurt’s pointy ears twitched and he moved in his now lighter sleep.

The other two men looked at him and he held up his hands in apology. Then the man standing closest to Kurt and Amanda tossed his head towards them. The one who knocked over the frame reached into a cargo pants pocket and pulled out a thick silver collar. The middleman took off a four-foot chain that he had draped over his shoulder. The three nodded to each other.

Kurt heard the clanging of chains, causing his eyes to open slowly. The sleep he had been in was immediately forgotten as he jumped up, the three men grabbing him and pulling him forward.

Amanda was quickly woken by the commotion and she let out a shrilled scream. Quickly she jumped off her bed and went to the farthest part of her trailer, completely scared out of her mind. “Kurt!” she cried.

Amanda’s yells had broken Kurt’s concentration to teleport to her and then get the two of them out of the trailer. He felt cold metal harnessing his neck and chains being tied around his arms. Nightcrawler struggled, his legs kicking and his tail swinging; but hands had grabbed his tail and pulled it harshly, causing Kurt to yell out.

Amanda screamed yet again when one of the men in black punched Kurt in the stomach and brought a knee up to meet his bent over head. She knew by the slumping of Kurt’s shoulders that he had been knocked unconscious, or worse, killed.

“Get ‘em out of here,” one said. Amanda recognized a Russian accent.

“And her?”

The leader pulled off his ski mask and gave her a toothy grin. “I’ll get her.”

By the time Chester had figured out that he was hearing screams and got himself out of bed, put shoes and a shirt on, it had been too late. He found Amanda’s trailer door wide open. His eyes widened after he flipped on the lights with the entry switch. “Nein…”

Margali had slept through the screams in the night. Chester didn’t even try to be considerate of the other trailers nearby. He pounded on Margali’s door and called out her name.

“You do realize its 3 a.m. don’t you?” She said very sleepily.

“They’re gone,” he said, his adrenaline rushing.

“Who?”

“Amanda and Kurt. Someone took them…”

They had run back to Amanda’s trailer to find the door still open and the lights still on from when Chester was there only minutes before.

“Oh Heavenly Father…” Margali said wide-eyed and astounded. A picture frame lay shattered on the floor, blood droplets were visible on the extremely messy bed sheets, and Kurt’s sparkling red jacket lay thrown on a stool nearby. Neither her daughter nor foster son was anywhere to be seen.

“I’ll go call the police,” Chester said as he left the trailer and a shocked Margali.

Now alone, Margali picked up the red jacket and held it close. She could smell Amanda’s perfume on it. She knew the police would be of little help; they would file a report of missing persons and leave it as that. “Dear God…please take protect my babies….”

Translations: (Note, the translator I used was not entirely accurate with all of these—it kept changing its mind).

“Fluch Sie es zur Hölle”-Curse it to hell