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  o    Kristen's collection                                         o
  o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o

 
  This is the Super Hero Archive. These stories were sent to me by
  friends. I did not write these stories. 

  Many have no author name attached. If you are the author of the
  enclosed work please let me know and I’ll remedy the situation.

  This story, and all the stories in this archive are meant to be
  free. They where sent freely and should remain public domain.


                Excalibur/X-men:  YOU CAN'T GO HOME AGAIN
                           Luba Kmetyk

Introduction

     The Westchester mansion belonging to Charles Xavier was even more
crowded than usual.  Many of the X-men were present, X-Force was still in
residence, and now a number of Excalibur had come over for a visit. 

     Moira MacTaggart had stayed behind to continue researching the Legacy
virus, not wanting to take any time off away from her lab for this trip. 
They could easily transfer data electronically between her Muir Island
research center and Westchester, and, while the time difference between
New York and Scotland made conference calls occasionally inconvenient for
one side or the other, she could continue to work while still remaining in
contact with Professor Xavier and Hank McCoy.  And she was looking forward
to a brief period of peace and quiet, a welcome vacation from riding herd
on the kindergarten Excalibur sometimes seemed.

     Brian came to spend some time with his sister Betsy, and because
Betsy wanted Warren and Brian to get to know each other better.  Meggan
came along with Brian as a matter of course, with a bubbly enthusiasm for
the outing, looking forward to this brief exposure to new places, new
people, new experiences, even though she knew she wouldn't really like
living so near urban civilization and pollution for any period of time.

     Rahne wanted to visit with Sunspot and Cannonball, and she'd had
brought Douglock along to meet them and let them get acquainted with him,
since they'd both started at the mansion as team-mates of hers and Doug
Ramsey's in the New Mutants.  Rahne and Tabitha had been teammates for a
short time, also, but they weren't particularly close.  Back then, BoomBoom
had been jealous of Rictor's interest in Rahne, and right now Tabitha was
insecure enough in her relationship with Sam that she didn't particularly
want another girl around who had had a longer history with Sam, especially
after Sunspot had primed her for the upcoming visit by telling her all about
Rahne's crush on Sam when they first joined the New Mutants.  Of course,
Bobby had conveniently neglected to tell her that Rahne had had a crush on
Bobby before Sam, and later on every other boy in the New Mutants in turn.

     Nightcrawler had come to discuss developments in general with his
old teammate and fellow teamleader Cyclops, and to get to know Iceman,
Gambit and Bishop better.  However, he knew he would end up spending most of
the visit with Wolverine and Storm, his oldest and best friends on the team.
Amanda had taken off on her own to check out some old haunts and old friends,
leaving all his time free to visit with the X-men.

     Kitty had brought Pete Wisdom to meet her old team, to get to know her
friends and to let them meet him.  She had worried a little whether he might
feel out of place or unwelcome, but neither of them wanted to be apart for
the several days planned for this visit, and she knew they'd have to get
the introduction over with sooner or later.  She just hoped that the people
important to her would be able to get along, that she wouldn't be forced to
choose.

     And, of course, Colossus had come along also.  His presence was still
a bit awkward, after his apparent betrayal of Xavier and the X-men when he
left to join Magneto after Illyana's funeral, and his refusal to stay with
the X-men after their confrontation with Gene Nation.  Moira, Kurt and the
rest of Excalibur had managed to keep confidential the details of his attack
on Wisdom, but a few rumors had leaked out, adding to an overall feeling
of unease.  But the X-men intended to make every effort to make Peter feel
welcomed back to the fold, accepted back to his place among them.

     It promised to be a very interesting visit, indeed.




DISCLAIMER

Pryde and Wisdom, the X-men and Excalibur all are trademarks of Marvel
Comics.  This story is an unauthorized work done purely for my personal
enjoyment, and is not intended to infringe on any of their rights in or
profits from these characters.  But this story is copyright to me.

WARNING:
THERE WILL BE EXPLICIT SEX IN THIS STORY.  I will mark those sections
clearly in the individual section headers.  If reading sex scenes would
offend you, please don't read this story.

If you want to comment, send email to <LubaKmetyk@worldnet.att.net>

                Pryde&Wisdom/X-men:  YOU CAN'T GO HOME AGAIN
                           Luba Kmetyk

Part 1  Dinner Scenes 

     Dinner that first evening was to be a slightly more formal affair
than usual at the mansion, in honor of the visitors from across the Pond. 
Normally, any meal with the X-men would be more of a catchall affair, with
the large number of people the household always seemed to have around.

     Most of the mansion's residents were in attendance that evening,
gathering early for pre-dinner drinks and refreshments and conversation,
although the members of X-Force had decided to go out instead to miss 
the expected flood of catching up from the old-timers, taking Rahne and
Douglock with them, and with Cannonball dragged along by Tabitha.  Cable
and Domino had tagged along to keep an eye on the boisterous crowd, which
several observers privately characterized as a disaster waiting to happen.

     The women had seized eagerly upon the excuse to dress up for dinner,
while the various men had been reluctantly persuaded by the ladies to
abandon their usual comfortable jeans and sweats for button-down shirts
with ties, slacks and sports jackets or, for a few unfortunates, suits.

     As dinnertime approached, everyone stood around in small groups,
talking, munching on various hors d'oeuvres laid out on plates in several
convenient locations, and drinking from a wide selection of nonalcoholic
beverages laid out next to a fully-stocked bar.  Small groups shifted,
forming and reforming as conversations began and ended, allowing more
varied contact that would be possible later while seated at the table.

     Pete Wisdom was nursing his drink, taking slow, deliberate sips,
giving the liquor time to roll around his mouth and tongue.  Kitty had
been quite graphic about what she intended to do to him if he had the
audacity to become drunk and disorderly, or even drunk or disorderly.  
He regarded the gathering with a jaundiced eye, trailing along dutifully
behind Kitty as she flitted from one old friend to another.

     Kitty had on a new dress, a royal blue crepe with a short skirt that
was tight at the waist and flared out at the hips, sleeveless, with a
halter neckline that left much of her back and shoulders bare, and dressy
gold sandals.  Her only jewelry was the Star of David she always wore on a
chain around her neck.  Pete wore his usual black suit, white shirt and
black tie, but somehow still didn't look dressed up, probably because the
numerous wrinkles, stains and worn spots ingrained in the very fabric
clearly indicated it was not anything saved only for special occasions.

                       *   *   *   *   *   *

     Shortly before dinnertime, Betsy and Warren came down.  They were both
dressed up to the nines, with plans to go out for the evening with Brian and
Meggan, who were already waiting for them.

     Warren wore his tuxedo with an air of elegance and finesse none of the
other X-men could have matched, part of his natural inheritance as a wealthy
socialite from a prominent family.  Brian wore a tuxedo also, but had had to
be bullied into it by Betsy and Meggan.  His suit was just as elegant,
fitted just as well as Warren's, but Brian lacked that ineffable sense of
comfort that Warren had.  It was just too apparent to any observer that he
couldn't wait to get the monkey suit off again.

     Meggan however adored dressing up, but seldom got the opportunity, 
as Betsy knew.  Meggan and Betsy had spent an enjoyable hour earlier that
afternoon fixing each other's hair in elaborate styles, with giggly help
from Jean and Rogue and Kitty.  Meggan, of course, wore her favorite color
and her rich green brocade dress had long sleeves and a long skirt, the
heavy fabric draping and trailing the floor so that casual passerbys
couldn't see that she went barefoot beneath it.  She glowed when Pete
tossed out a casual  "Looking great, Meggan."  She had accepted Pete more

quickly than some of the others in Excalibur, her instinctive empathy
subtly reassuring her as to his true nature, and he had opened up in turn
to her friendship, her generous spirit, almost without realizing.

     Betsy had on an Oriental-style shot silk evening gown, in a shade of
mauve carefully selected to compliment her unusual hair color, with large
cutouts showing most of her upper chest and back, and with high side slits
showing a lot of shapely leg, the curve of ankle and calf accentuated by
thin-strapped, high-heeled sandals.  Her purple hair was piled atop her
head, with some artistically arranged tendrils escaping the arrangement
and trailing along her cheeks and neck.  Heavy evening makeup, more than
most women would dare try wearing, emphasized her slanted eyes and high
cheekbones dramatically.  

     She'd been out shopping for that outfit earlier that day, when the
visitors had arrived in the Midnight Runner.  Now, when Kitty introduced
Betsy to Pete, he did a double-take, saying  "You're Brian's sister?  You
sure don't look anything like him..."  as he glanced over at the blond,
blue-eyed Brian.  

     As Kitty dragged him away with a deathgrip on his arm, they could hear
him muttering to her  "Looks like the Braddocks' mum may have had some
interestin' adventures 'erself..." followed immediately by a muffled yelp as
Kitty kicked him in the shin, hard.  

     Betsy glared at their retreating backs imperiously while Brian started
after them, fully intending to throttle Wisdom, only to be stopped by Meggan
hanging onto his arm and pleading with him anxiously,  "Please, Brian, I'm
sure he didn't mean anything, really.  He just makes these awful jokes..."

     "He is an awful joke..."  Brian growled, then looked at Meggan's
woebegone face and smiled at her.  "But you're right, love, he's not worth
ruining our evening.  I'll have many more excuses to kill him later..."

                       *  *  *  *  *

     Wolverine had been out also, when the overseas contingent had first
arrived.  He had ignored all strictures from Jean and Rogue earlier, and
now showed up comfortable in his customary jeans, western shirt and boots,
although he had honored this reunion by adding a bolo tie and an elegant
silver-chased belt buckle.

      A hush fell over the room as he came in, ignored everyone else, even
his best friend Kurt, and headed straight for Kitty.  She squealed in
delight at seeing him and rushed forward to throw herself into his arms,
hugging him and kissing him.  Both the hug and the kiss were returned
enthusiastically, literally lifting her off her feet, although some of the
interested bystanders thought they could detect a hint of an embarassed
blush on Logan's face.  Pete stood still where Kitty had left him to greet
Wolverine, an inscrutable look on his face.

     After a brief moment, however, Kitty drew back a little, disengaging
herself from Logan's embrace.  Very obviously steeling herself and taking 
a deep breath, she reached back to take Pete's hand and pull him forward,
saying  "Logan, this is Pete Wisdom, my... umm... boyfriend.  Pete, this is
Logan, Wolverine, one of my dearest friends.  I've told you about him..."

     Her voice trailed off uncertainly as the two men just stood there,
staring at each other with equally indecipherable expressions.  They were
almost equal in height, neither being particularly tall, and they could
easily look each other in the eye without either having to incline his
head.  However, you could easily make two of the thin, wiry Wisdom from
the bulky, muscular Wolverine.  

     The silence in the room deepened as Logan extended one arm slowly,
his left arm.  As it came up near Pete's chin, Kitty gasped audibly and
Nightcrawler and Cyclops belatedly began to move, to try to interrupt the
confrontation.  Before either of them could cover any distance, however,
Logan abruptly shifted his arm to roughly ruffle Pete's already unruly
hair, as they clasped right hands tightly.

     "Been a while, mate..."  Pete grinned cockily at him.  "Last time was
fighting off Coy's goons in that bar in Madripoor, remember?"

     "Figured you might grow up into a decent human being someday, kid..."
There was a hint of approval in Logan's deep, raspy voice.  "Glad to see 
I was right.  So you finally managed to end up on the side of the angels?"

     Kitty was glaring at both of them, fists clenched in inarticulate
rage that her momentary alarm had proved entirely unnecessary, and Pete
couldn't resist the opening Logan had provided him.  "One angel, anyway,
if she don't kill me dead any minute 'ere..."

     "You noticed she's a feisty little thing?"  Logan chuckled, enjoying
the stunned expression on Kitty's face.

     "Yeah, I noticed that...  I try an' make sure she takes it out on 
the other guy..."  Now they were both snickering at her, a joint male
conspiracy in the last place she had expected such an alliance.

     "Heard you were comin', I went out and stocked up on booze and fresh
cards."  That explained Wolverine's absence when they had first arrived. 
"Thought we could have some of those all-night card games, catch up on 
th' happenin's..."

     "Sure, if I don't get a better offer."  Pete leered as he glanced
sideways at Kitty.  "I may need somethin' else to do nights, if somebody
'ere can't learn to take a joke."

     Everyone in the room began to shift and stir again as the realization
gradually sank in that, not only was the expected confrontation averted,
but another reunion of sorts was underway.  Interrupted conversations
picked up, and new conversations began, more than one of which involved
creative speculation on the past history between Wisdom and Logan.  

     Colossus unconsciously relaxed, where he was standing partly hidden
in a corner talking to Kurt and Storm.  He'd had a forlorn little hope
that Logan would be on his side, and could help him get Kitty back by
convincing her she was making the biggest mistake of her life.  A deeply
buried wish that Logan would help him more directly, by simply eliminating
Wisdom somehow, rose briefly to the surface of his mind, before returning
again to the depths of his subconscious.  But that wasn't to be, at least
not here and now, and he didn't want to think about what might have been.

     Logan and Pete were both talking now, quietly enough that the others
had trouble hearing, almost tripping over each other in their mutual rush
to explain their previous contacts on various of Pete's missions to the
still furious Kitty.  They had both had enough experience with her temper
to not want to be on the receiving end.

     "So that's why you didn't freeze Wolverine telekinetically?"  Scott
whispered to Jean.  "I wondered why I didn't feel any warning from you..."
She nodded back, saying quietly  "I could tell Logan wasn't really mad or
upset, wasn't going to attack.  And I certainly wasn't worried about him
getting attacked."

     Meanwhile, Logan was taking advantage of being out of the center of
attention to issue the inevitable challenge that the others had expected
from him earlier, but now in at least partial privacy.  "You do realize,
don'cha, kid, that even though you're a pal o' mine, if I ever hear
you doing anything to hurt Kitty, anything at all, you're dead meat?"  
he growled at Pete.  "I'll rip your heart out and feed it to a pack o'
wolves I know..." He was tempted to flex his claws to emphasize his point,
but opted not to, to avoid drawing attention back to their threesome.

     "Then you're gonna have to wait in the bleedin' line."  Pete snapped
back.  "Wagner and Braddock already got dibs on tearin' off me head."

     "Oh, I think they'll agree I get first shot."  Wolverine smirked.

     "Yeah, well, I tell you, mate, if I do anything to hurt Pryde, you're
all welcome to any piece of me you want.  I couldn't go on without her..."
Pete stopped talking suddenly as he realized he'd just said too much, then
realized he'd said just enough as Kitty reached out to him, her pique at
their little deception forgotten, her eyes shining brightly with a hint of
unshed tears at that unromantic but heartfelt declaration.

                       *  *  *  *  *

     Wisdom breathed a sigh of relief that Kitty didn't seem too mad any
longer about the little scam he and Logan had played on her.  Considering
that they hadn't discussed it ahead of time, or had any chance to rehearse
the encounter, it had gone very smoothly, obviously a perfect example of
great, albeit evil, minds thinking alike, he thought to himself smugly.

     Although he'd made his scotch last far longer than he would have
thought possible before tonight, he'd finished it at last and now decided
to indulge in a cigarette before getting another drink.  Ignoring Kitty's
disapproving frown, Pete pulled out a battered pack from his pocket and
lit up.  He then started putting the pack away, but paused in mid-motion
and offered it to Logan, looking over to Kitty, expecting to be rewarded
with a pat on the back for remembering his manners.

     Wolverine shook his head at the silent offer, eliciting a surprised
look from Pete.  Before Logan had a chance to say anything to explain his
refusal, a large mass of blue fur materialized next to them.  "Your
pardon, honored and esteemed visitor,"  Dr. Henry McCoy said politely. 
"Perhaps no one has yet had the opportunity to inform you that the entire
interior expanse of this mansion has been declared a smoke-free zone for
some time now, in the interests of personal health and hygiene, not to
mention air quality improvement and overall household cleanliness.

     "Oh, God, not another bloody body fascist..."  Wisdom looked up at
the looming bulk, and blew out another cloud of smoke.  However, being
dutifully mindful of Kitty's earlier threats and entreaties for good
behavior, he did manage to refrain from sending it directly into Hank's
face, which would otherwise have been his normal reaction.  "Y'know, that
friggin' Scots sadist MacTaggart keeps tellin' me the same thing about her
soddin' lab, an' I keep tellin' 'er, get some extractor fans..."

     A suppressed snigger could be heard in the growing silence in the room
at this new disputation.  It came from Kurt, covering his mouth with his
hand, trying to hold down his laughter at the recollection of some of the
more memorable battles between Wisdom and Moira, stifling himself into 
a coughing fit while Rogue held him up and pounded helpfully on his back.

     Hank was accustomed to a somewhat more respectful reception of his
pronouncements, especially on medical matters.  "I crave your indulgence,
kind sir.  However, perhaps you can finally satisfy a lingering curiosity
on the part of this humble student of human behavior, psychiatrist though
I do not claim to be...  How can a supposedly otherwise rational and
intelligent adult human being continue to deliberately indulge in an
obviously counterproductive activity which has been conclusively shown to
be hazardous to the health of both the individual and the environment,
resulting in a greater than twentyfold increase in the likelihood of dying
from lung cancer?"  

     A long-suffering groan could be heard from someone in his captive
audience, as McCoy gamely plowed on with his harangue.  "A disease which,
while amenable to treatment in the early stages, I note in passing that
said treatment would primarily consist of eliminating intake of further
carcinogens before precancerous changes resulting in abnormal bronchial
cell growth accumulate sufficiently to produce symptoms such as persistent
cough, bloodstained sputum and persistent chest pain, symptoms which do
not appear until too late to allow intervention by other than radical
means such as surgery, radiation therapy or chemotherapy..."

     Wisdom was just looking up at Beast impassively, not saying anything,
having heard it all before from other interfering dogooders.  It was Bobby
Drake who interrupted his best friend's diatribe with the heartfelt plea, 
"Please, Hankster, that's so disgusting, not right before dinner..." 
Bobby was miserable enough in his old brown "CPA-in-training" suit that
Jean had bullied him into wearing, he didn't need his meal spoiled also,
and Hank's graphic medical expositions were one of the few things that
could ruin his appetite for any length of time.  Sighing, Beast reluctantly
abandoned his sermon on the horrors of smoking, realizing it was having no
palpable effect on its intended beneficiary anyway.

     Pete had finished his cigarette during Beast's lecture, and now
deliberately started to light another one.  McCoy took a deep breath just
before he lit up, and tried again, a different approach scaled to his
target's apparent intellectual level.  "One simple question then, if you
will allow.  Do you feel you alone are immune, that it cannot happen to
you?  And what if you are wrong, and it does?"

     "That's two," Wisdom smirked up at him.  "But, ok, if you really
wanna know.  Sure, it can happen to me, it happened to a mate of mine not
too long ago.  And if it does happen to me, well, I'll go look 'im up and
see if 'e can get me fixed up the same way..."

     Hank shook his head in perplexity, having no idea whatsoever what
Pete might be referring to.  Kitty knew because she had already heard the
story and interrupted to say casually,  "I don't think a world-renowned
scientist like Dr. McCoy would automatically think of making a deal with
the devil as an approved cancer treatment, Pete, even if it did work out
fine in one special case..."

     Jean Grey-Summers had been observing Beast's intervention attempt
from the sidelines, as was everyone else by this time, waiting for an
opening to join the debate.  Now, as Hank stayed silent, not sure how to
cope with the total illogicality of that last exchange, Jean came up to
join the group, with her husband Scott accompanying her.  Her cascade of
gloriously fiery hair glowed against the midnight blue satin of her gown,
dress and hair and flawless skin accented with pearls at neck and ears.
At her insistent persuasion, Scott was dressed up also, in a brown Harris
tweed jacket with a faint maroon line in the weave, with a blue Oxford 
button-down shirt, a maroon knit tie, charcoal slacks and a maroon silk
handkerchief in his breast pocket.

     The spectacular redhead graced Pete and Kitty with a brilliant smile.
"If our Dr. McCoy cannot convince you to stop smoking for your own sake,
Mr. Wisdom, then perhaps you wouldn't mind obeying the house rule out of
simple, common courtesy, instead?"  Kurt had to choke down another snigger
at that, this time joined by Logan, and by Kitty in spite of herself. 
Jean ignored them loftily.  She had seen Hank get nowhere with logical
medical arguments, and was determined to try charm and gentility instead.
She continued,  "Among others here, I find the odor of tobacco clinging 
to my hair and clothes, and even the furniture, to be quite nauseating."

     "I dunno, I find it a bit of a turnon, meself..."  Pete reached over
to wrap an arm around Kitty and pull her close to his side.  "The smell
of booze and fags...  reminds me of some of the best times of me life..."

     Jean was rapidly discovering that any effort to charm Wisdom was
doomed to get absolutely nowhere.  She switched gears smoothly to an air
of brisk practicality instead.  "And it is a very persistent odor, hard to
get out even after significant washing and airing-out..."

     All the response that approach elicited was an indifferent shrug. 
"From the looks o' this place, you can afford to have it fumigated after
we leave, several times over if you want."  Trapped at his side, Kitty
squirmed in embarrassment at that crass observation, rolling her eyes
heavenward.

     "My wife made a polite request of you, Mr. Wisdom,"  Scott drew
himself up stiffly, coming to his spouse's defense.  "While we do try to
make allowances for different customs on the part of our visitors, it
would be only polite of you to agree."

     "Your old lady can't speak for herself, then?"  The longer this
discussion went on, the more cantankerous Pete felt.  He desperately
needed to go get himself another drink, but excusing himself to do so
would have seemed like backing down in front of Kitty's stuffy friends.
"At least my woman can fight 'er own battles."  There was an unmistakable
note of pride in Pete's voice mingling with the equally undisguised note
of put-upon aggravation as he stared up at Cyclops, unintimidated by
either Scott's fearless-leader persona or by the opaque ruby-red lenses
which made it impossible to see his eyes.

     Kitty sighed.  It never failed.  Every single time, whenever she
began wondering yet again why on earth she kept putting up with Pete's
boorish behavior, he reminded her with some little gesture or comment, all
the more affecting because they weren't consciously directed at her, at
seducing or beguiling her, but completely unpremeditated on his part.

     She decided that this particular discussion had gone on long enough. 
Wisdom was just digging himself in deeper and deeper, and she knew such
concepts as peaceful coexistence, graceful acceptance of defeat and seeing
the other side of the argument didn't exist in his idiosyncratic worldview. 
"Yes, I can,"  she said forcefully, reaching up and yanking the cigarette
out of Pete's mouth, ignoring his protesting squall.  "And I've told you
before, Wisdom, I'll be perfectly happy to stub your cigarettes out on
you, if I have to..."  She might be willing to occasionally tolerate his
smoking around her, even though she disapproved on general principle,
because she believed any successful relationship required some compromise
on both sides, but she normally drew the line at his insistence on smoking
in small or crowded, forbidden places, and smoking just to aggravate her
friends went way over the line.

     Wolverine stood quietly to one side.  A huge grin had been gradually
spreading across his face as he watched the whole debacle.  He'd given in
to Hank and Jeannie and the others on the indoor smoking issue after a
brief tussle, first smoking his treasured cigars outside or in his room,
more recently having quit while his healing factor had been acting up.  He
couldn't really become addicted to nicotine or be damaged by it as long as
his healing factor functioned as expected, but he missed the smell, the
feel of burning tobacco in his lungs, and had been happily inhaling Pete's
secondhand smoke while enjoying his losing battle.  Logan had tensed up 
a little when Jean challenged Wisdom and Pete had snapped back, but he'd
decided to let Jean and Scott handle it, and he was impressed with how
adroitly Kitty had diffused the situation.

                       *  *  *  *  *

     With the sudden release of tension in general laughter as Kitty put
an emphatic stop to Pete's smoking, the small group that had formed around
them broke up, Hank and Jean and Scott moving off together.  Wisdom seized
the opportunity to go find himself another drink, figuring he deserved it
for surviving the gathering so far and would need it to get through the
rest of the evening.  Kitty followed along after him.

     "You gonna take my drink away, too, Pryde?"  he snarled.

     "Actually, I was going to join you..."  She smiled up at him, too
used to his rudeness and moodiness to take it seriously, or personally. 
"I think I may need a drink to help me get through the rest of the
evening."  Pete's scowl disappeared as he smiled involuntarily at how 
the same thought had run through both their minds at the same time.

     Gambit was at the bar, and he offered to fix their drinks for them.
Remy was quite the dandy tonight in ash grey slacks and a navy blue
corduroy jacket with leather buttons and a tattersall shirt, with a dark
blue knit tie that picked up the blue in the tattersall.

     He'd been watching the earlier exchange with distinct sympathy for
Wisdom.  Another smoker who'd been forbidden to indulge his vice except in
the great outdoors, which was definitely not Remy's preferred habitat,
he'd heard the argument about stinking up her hair and clothes frequently
from Rogue whenever he started a cigarette anywhere near her.  And he was
still occasionally treated like an outsider, an interloper, by many of the
others, even though he'd been an X-man for some time now.

     "Don' worry, mon ami, it not be jus' you,"  he said to Wisdom as he
handed over a large amber-colored scotch.  "Dey don' wan' Gambit 'roun'
much, either, an' it been a while now..."  Pete worked on puzzling out
Remy's Cajun patois as Gambit fixed Kitty a gin-and-tonic at her request,
eyebrow lifted at her choice but not questioning her further as he handed
it to her with a murmured "'ere, p'tite..."  He continued, in an amicable
manner,  "You an' Logan, you get up dat card game, you call ol' Gambit,
too, neh?"

     Pete looked interested.  Kitty laughed at him as she thanked Remy 
for her drink.  "But, remember, you said only if you didn't get a better
offer..."  She exchanged a meaningful look with Wisdom as Gambit smiled
down at them, touched by their obvious affection for each other.

     Logan had stayed near Kitty and Pete, and now commented,  "You gotta
watch 'im 'round cards, kid, like a hawk.  He's too sharp to be honest." 

     Gambit was torn between preening at the compliment and bridling at
the insult.  "Jus' b'cause a man be a t'ief, mon ami, it don' mean he can'
be trusted."

     Wisdom put the accent together with that last comment, and guessed
"Guild?"  A surprised look crossed Gambit's face, until Pete explained
briefly,  "Black Air did business with 'em sometimes...  and with the
Assassins' guild too..."  Remy nodded at that.

     Before Wisdom and LeBeau could get into shoptalk on some mutually
fascinating subject such as comparing preferred methods of breaking and
entering, Kitty turned to Gambit, struck by his earlier comment.  "But
you've been a member of the team for a long time now."  She didn't know
Remy well, but she would have liked to think of some way to show him her
appreciation for his friendly overtures, as she began to relax and enjoy
this nonconfrontational conversation.

     He nodded at that, explaining  "But only b'cause Stormy want'd me..."

     "So why don't the others want you?"  Pete asked Remy bluntly.

     Rogue answered for him.  "Lord, sugah, X-men always been slow to
accept new blood, 'specially anyone not handpicked by th' Professor."  
She threw Kitty a mischievous glance.  "Y'know, Kit, Ah mind when Ah first
come ta the X-men, ya were one a' the wors', ya wanted me thrown out, 
or thrown in a jail cell."  Rogue had easily overheard their discussion
where she stood at the end of the bar, lovely in a wine-red dress with a
high neck, long sleeves and a calf-length skirt, delicate black lace
covering the bodice and sleeves, sheer black stockings and red heeled
pumps, an antique cameo on a choker around her neck and short black silk
gloves covering her hands.  She might be ignoring Gambit blatantly most of
the time, but she still tended to hover around within his vicinity
whenever possible.

     Kitty flushed, uncomfortable at that reminder.  Pete glanced at her,
lifting an eyebrow in silent enquiry, and she nodded back, acknowledging
Rogue's not-so-subtle jibe.  "Yes, and I also remember how everyone else
told me at the time how childish and unfair I was being, that everyone
deserved a fair chance."

     Rogue smiled at her.  "But Ah'd been runnin' with th' Brotherhood
some time before, an' fought wi' th' X-men more'n once."  She went on to
try to reassure Pete,  "But ya face a few monsters together, couple o'
aliens, some Sentinels, y'all get t'be good buddies pretty fast."

     Wisdom looked over at Kitty for an explanation, and she reminded him
"Remember, I told you, Rogue used to be in the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants
before coming to the Professor for help controlling her powers."

     "Oh, yeah, how could I forget a classy name like that?"  he guffawed,
earning himself a punch in the side, while Logan and Remy joined in the
laughter.  Rogue herself had to chuckle, as she shook her head at Kitty to
leave Pete alone, she wasn't insulted, she'd enjoyed his little dig too.

     As the laughter died away, Pete said sarcastically,  "So, I should
feel better that they treat me lower 'n spit?  Because they didn't want
an evil mutant or a thief either, right?"

     Kitty protested  "But Rogue isn't an evil mutant, and Gambit isn't
bad because he was a thief..."  

     Rogue shook her head at Kitty again, and told Pete  "It's a trust
thing.  Dey think people from th' wrong side like us, from th' outside
like you, can't be trusted..."

     Gambit nodded in agreement, and repeated his earlier comment.  "An'
jus' b'cause a man be a t'ief, or a spy, it don' mean he can' be trusted."

     That particular interjection proved to be a mistake.  Rogue gave
LeBeau a dirty look, then turned her back on him ostentatiously, as she
continued, to Kitty and Pete and to Logan, who had been listening also,
"Jus' so long as y'aint got a wife hid away someplace y'aint got 'round 
to tellin' Kit about yet, sugah..."

     Pete gave her a dumbfounded look.  He hadn't been sure what to expect
from Kitty's friends, most likely not a welcome with open arms, but this
was certainly not anything he'd thought to be accused of.  Kitty and Logan
both snickered, a little unkindly, as Remy tried to wheedle Rogue in a
saccharine tone,  "C'mon, chere, I 'splain dat t'ya..."  Pete looked over
to Kitty yet again for an interpretation, and she mouthed at him quietly 
"Long story.  Later..."

     Still ignoring Gambit, Rogue continued talking.  "...or you ain't
hidin' secret ties t'any of our worst enemies..."

     "Like you an' Mystique, chere?"  Gambit snapped in aggravation, to
her back.

     Rogue didn't respond to LeBeau directly, but did say to the others,
"At least Ah didn't try hard ta keep that a secret..."  

     As the initially amicable conversation threatened to degenerate into
a series of mutual accusations between Rogue and Gambit, Kitty interrupted
to pick up on one of Rogue's comments.  "But everybody knows about Pete
and Black Air, he hasn't tried to hide his association with them."

     "S'long as that's all there is, don' fret, Kit, it'll work out fine."
Even while trying hard to be friendly because she remembered how she'd
been ostracized on her arrival, Rogue still couldn't help showing a hint
of the paranoia usually pervading the X-men.

     "I ain't playin' true confessions for the telly 'ere."  Wisdom was
normally a private person, not accustomed to open up to anyone.  He could
force himself to share with Kitty, he wanted to share with Kitty, but he
wasn't sure he wanted to be accepted into her extended family if this were
the price.  "There's lots of other stuff, an' it ain't anyone's business,
except Pryde's."

     "S'long as Kit knows ev'rythin', it's fine by th' rest of us,"  Rogue
assured him breezily, as Kitty reached over to take Pete's hand and give
it a squeeze.

     Bishop had been standing alone and silent nearby, watching Wisdom and
Gambit getting along reasonably well, which just made him more, rather
than less, suspicious.  Bishop had talked to Peter Rasputin already that
evening, and Colossus had told him he didn't trust Wisdom.  Bishop had 
no particular reason to value Rasputin's judgement, but he did know him
better than he knew Kitty, since they'd been teammates for a while before
Illyana died and Peter left.  Bishop didn't know Kitty well enough yet to
trust her judgement.  He was concerned that she could be taken advantage
of, unconsciously equating her youth to inexperience.  And Bishop didn't
really trust anyone's judgement but his own, anyway.

     He'd already made the mistake earlier today of consulting Beast and
Iceman on appropriate attire for the evening, and had been gulled into
wearing a tuxedo.  Discomfort warred with resentment in his soul every
time he saw Hank and Bobby glance over at him and hide snickers, even
though Storm had assured him it was a most elegant and suitable outfit,
and he did have to privately admit that his formal dress provided an
excellent backdrop for Ororo's striking white hair and brightly-colored,
red and green and gold, cotton dashiki.  His main complaint, however, was
not being overdressed or fooled by those two champion practical jokers,
but that he hadn't been allowed to bring his favorite gun along, and he
felt quite naked and vulnerable without it.

     Bishop could no longer refrain from entering the discussion, once
he'd heard Rogue's last offhand remark.  "You are wrong, Rogue.  It is not
acceptable or sufficient for any one person to be the only one informed 
of matters which could potentially affect the well-being of the group,
it is essential for everyone to be fully informed, in the interests of
security."  Bishop took his position as security officer very seriously,
as seriously as he took his self-appointed crusade to identify and thwart
the internal traitor who'd destroyed the X-men in his past, their future. 
"And it is equally incumbent for anyone else aware of such undisclosed
matters to report them to the group, or to responsible individuals
therein..."

     Bishop's interfering officiousness reminded Wisdom of everything he
had hated most about working for Black Air, even back when he'd believed
the job needed doing.  "You expect Pryde to turn nark on me, you wanker?  
Well, bollocks to you..."  Pete's hand tightened convulsively on Kitty's.
He loosened his grip immediately when he heard her gasp in pain, but she
kept hold of him, stepping in closer to his side so they could face down
Bishop together.

     Bishop could not be easily intimidated, or deflected.  He might not
have understood Pete's exact terminology, but the overall hostility and
defensiveness were unmistakable.  "You have demonstrably already betrayed
one organization, your erstwhile employers in Black Air, to Excalibur. 
Why then should we trust that you will not betray us in turn?"

     Wisdom had no intention of attempting to defend himself to Bishop.  
As he remained silent, Kitty leaped to his support.  "Pete didn't betray 
Black Air, not the way you mean, they betrayed him, they killed his friend
Culley..."  She was outraged at Bishop's interpretation of recent events,
as was Logan, who growled  "Kid's ok, Bish, he got in with the wrong crowd, 
he was smart enough to get out again."

     Nightcrawler had also been drawn to the conversation, having heard
snatches of it where he stood still talking to Peter and Storm.  He might
not like the man personally, but he knew Wisdom deserved better than this.
"You are being unfair, Bishop.  Black Air tried to take over Britain,
together with the London Hellfire Club, first covertly, then overtly,
attacking Excalibur several times in the process.  We were fortunate to
have Herr Wisdom join with us before that, to have the advantage of his
insider knowledge, his professional contacts, in the recent conflict."  
As Kurt looked over to Colossus, Peter gave a small grudging nod in
confirmation.

     Wisdom didn't welcome Wagner's support much, and strongly resented
Kurt attempting to get Rasputin to defend him.  Htely, catching up to him to
slip her arm around him and walk by his side as she murmured comfortingly
to him in an inaudible, crooning voice.  They ended up by themselves in a
window embrasure, the others leaving them alone for the moment.

                       *  *  *  *  *

     Eventually, everyone sat down to dinner.  Professor Xavier was in his
accustomed place at the head of the long table, and Kitty and Pete had
been directed to seats on one side of him in places of honor, with Kurt
and Ororo directly across from them, allowing the Professor to talk to the
visitors easily.  Logan sat just past Kitty and Pete, having grabbed the
seat next to them for himself, with Peter across the table next to Storm,
who had been working hard all evening to help him feel welcome and accepted.

     The seating continued with Jean and Scott on the other side of Logan,
and Rogue and Gambit next to Peter.  The table was completed by Beast at
its foot, where there was more elbow room for his massive frame and he was
in less danger of jostling any neighbors, with Bishop and Iceman on either
side of him.  Bishop had automatically selected the seat next to Gambit,
of course, from which he could also watch Wisdom across the table while
occasionally glaring at Drake and McCoy for their earlier sartorial advice.

     The long, wide table itself was covered with a custom-made lace
tablecloth, with candles burning in wrought silver holders and small floral
arrangements spaced along its middle, each place laid with heirloom china
and crystal and heavy antique silver flatware.  The food had been arranged
buffet-style on a long credenza at the side of the room.  There were no
appetizers, those had been set out and eaten earlier, but several soups
were set out, a large freshly-tossed salad with various dressings and
garnishings, beef and chicken and pork entrees with assorted vegetables
and pasta selections for the vegetarians, bread and rolls, and a variety
of desserts waiting on a separate, small cabinet.

     Talk mixed with dining, but the large expanse of table required for
this big a group made conversation difficult except with near neighbors,
one of the reasons for the predinner gathering.

     Professor Xavier had not come down early for drinks and snacks,
eschewing such casual mingling, but instead made his appearance at the
dinner itself.  He felt no strong need to speak with the X-men whom he saw
regularly, and knew the visitors would be within his easy reach during the
meal.  He held court at the table in a three-piece suit custom-tailored in
dark blue with a faint white pinstripe, with a white broadcloth shirt with
a pin collar and French cuffs, a dark red silk tie with tiny white dots,
and a white silk show hankie.

     After questioning Kurt and Kitty at length about the contretemps with
Black Air, a discussion into which he endeavored to draw Pete Wisdom and
Peter Rasputin also, both with equally limited success, the Professor
turned to other topics.

     "Since you are here, Mr. Wisdom, we will take advantage of this
opportunity to set up an evaluation and training test series for you, to
judge both your current physical conditioning and the extent of your
mutant powers, as well as your proficiency in using them.  The danger room
will of course be made available as required.  I would suggest beginning
early tomorrow morning."  Looking at Wisdom's thin frame doubtfully, the
Professor continued,  "We have a variety of training uniforms on hand.  
I am sure we can find one for you to use..."

     Pete gave the Professor an unbelieving stare.  "Not bloody likely," 
he said.  "I didn't come over 'ere to play silly buggers.  Especially not
first thing in the friggin' morning."

     There were several indrawn breaths from around the table at that
blatant defiance.  Sitting between Xavier and Wisdom, Kitty winced at the
prospect of yet another confrontation.

     Storm spoke up where she sat across the table from Wisdom, in support
of the Professor's suggestion.  "But we must be able to see you in action,
to see whether and how you could fit into our team, to determine if, in
fact, you are qualified to join.  Without such direct observation within 
simulated combat scenarios, we will be unable to determine whether you
might not jeopardize the others by some unrevealed weakness or some
unanticipated error in judgement in an actual combat situation."

     "I don't see as it's any of your soddin' business."  Pete snapped back
bluntly.  "I joined Excalibur.  It's Wagner's place to judge me, not yours.
I can see where he might want to consult with that tosser Braddock, mebbe
even with that Scots harridan who wants my guts for garters.  An' Pryde
I'll take orders from anytime.  But it's all naught to do with any o' you.
I never said I wanted any part o' you X-men.  And I don't."  

     "I ain't goin' to dress up in some bloody fool Guy Fawkes costume,
and call myself some stupid friggin' code name, and make a soddin' idiot
of myself going out like that in public."  Wisdom thought about explaining
how the X-men's in-your-face penchant for leaving mayhem and disruption in
their wake didn't exactly suit his own personal preference for a peaceful
low-profile existence but, looking around the table at his audience, he
decided to save his breath for someone who cared about his opinions.

     Much like Beast's reaction earlier, Storm also was not accustomed 
to having her pronouncements questioned at all, much less challenged so
forcefully.  She gave Wisdom a look eloquent of outraged dignity, then
looked over at Kitty with an air of sweet reasonableness rudely rebuffed,
tacitly inviting Kitty to join her in denigrating Wisdom's crude, boorish
behavior.  Kitty shrugged.  She recognized Ororo's little game, and had 
no intention of cooperating.

     Smiling at Storm in a vain attempt to head off further head-butting,
Kitty said  "Well, Ororo, he does have a valid point.  We didn't come here
to make Pete into an X-man.  And you really don't have to worry about him, 
we work out together quite a bit on Muir, and I can vouch for his physical
condition."  An instant later, she blushed at stifled chuckles from Kurt
and Logan and Rogue and Gambit at her unintended double-entendre.  Jean
and Bobby also joined in that not unkind laughter, and even Scott couldn't
help smiling.  Professor Xavier, however, frowned at both her comment and
the resulting levity in disapproval, as did Storm and Bishop and Colossus.

     Red-cheeked, Kitty plowed ahead gamely.  "Are you thinking of running
Kurt and Peter and me through your test simulations, also, Ororo, Scott,
to see if we're all still in shape?  And what about Rahne, and Douglock?"
She deliberately ignored the Professor's own part in introducing this
particular issue, hoping not to antagonize Xavier into attempting to give
a direct order.

     Scott responded before Ororo could say anything.  "Of course not,
Kitty, only if any or all of you decide you want to work out with us for
exercise or for fun, for old times' sake.  There's no question of our
doubting any of your abilities, your training or preparedness, for any
member of your team..."  He frowned at the Professor and Storm, worried 
at how Kurt would take their usurpation of his position as team leader.

     Beast contradicted him from his position at the foot of the table, 
"However, oh great and fearless leader mine, I would be most definitely
interested and highly appreciative at being permitted to run an extensive
physical examination and other experimental evaluations on the visiting
Douglock, to augment any extant data transmitted by Moira and to have an
opportunity to observe for myself the functioning of a most likely new and
unique intelligent lifeform, as I have been desirous of doing ever since
our erstwhile encounter with the Phalanx entity, to compare his various
current readings to archived recordings of similar test data for both his
apparent deceased antecedents, to wit, Douglas Ramsey and Warlock, taken
during their tenure with the New Mutants before each's untimely demise..."

     "Douglock is not a laboratory specimen brought here for your study,
mein freund, and neither is Herr Wisdom.  I expect neither of them to be
subjected to any tests during their stay here, especially not without
their consent."  Nightcrawler felt it was past time to assert himself.  
He had stayed quiet when the Professor and Storm had first brought up the
question of testing Wisdom, and of his potential rejection, but Cyclops'
instinctive fellow feeling had been correct, Kurt did feel his leadership
of Excalibur being ignored, if not being actively challenged, as often
seemed to happen when the teams worked together.  And he'd been surprised,
but pleased and touched also, at Pete's acknowledgement of his judgement
and authority just now, especially publicly in front of this group.

     Kurt wondered fleetingly if the X-men treated Cable's leadership of
X-Force in the same off-hand manner, as he continued  "You are correct,
Cyclops, you should all indeed trust me, and Brian and Moira, also, to
ensure that all members of our team are held to the highest standards. 
And do not mistake me, we have all agreed that Herr Wisdom is a full
member of our team.  That decision is not open for question or debate."

     "We're not questioning your leadership or your decisions, both of
which have been exemplary, Kurt."  Scott replied, while the Professor and
Storm both remained silent.  Jean nodded vigorously in agreement.  She
could easily sense Kurt's discomfort at having his old friends and former
colleagues seem to challenge his position and, implicitly, his judgement. 
Kurt looked at them gratefully, while Kitty smiled warmly at Kurt and Pete
nodded at him brusquely, both acknowledging and appreciating his fairness.

     Bishop again could not remain silent.  "You cannot mean to agree,
Cyclops, to accept a completely unknown quantity without ensuring adequate
testing and evaluation, merely upon someone else's unsupported word,"  
he blustered, returning the argument directly to its starting point as he
reiterated Xavier's and Storm's initial stance.  Beast and Iceman nodded
their agreement with them and with Bishop, Hank driven by his scientist's
curiosity and Bobby simply taking advantage of someone else being the
center of the X-men's critical attention for a change.

     "P'haps, mes amis, jus' a li'l challenge match 'mong friends, wit' a
few bets on th' side?"  Gambit offered a compromise approach, promptly
ignored by the warring parties, although he felt adequately recompensed
when Rogue threw him an approving look for at least trying to diffuse the
situation.

     "Told you already, Bish, the kid's ok,"  Logan launched himself into
the fray.  "Trust me on this, if you don't wanna trust the elf, Pete can
handle himself just fine when the goin' gets tough, better'n you might
think t'look at him.  Black Air training wasn't any cakewalk, I know some
o' the guys set it up, an' their missions were no picnic, either."

     He gave Wisdom a feral grin as he continued,  "Lots worse things than
a guy doesn't go looking for trouble, would rather try to sneak off or
bullshit his way out of a fight than jump in an' mix it up right off the
bat, s'long as he's got what it takes to get the job done in the end run.
Lots less people get hurt that way, long term."

     Kitty couldn't help snickering at Logan's assertion that Pete didn't
go around looking for trouble since, in her experience, every time she'd
accompanied Wisdom anywhere away from Muir all kinds of oddly assorted
people kept showing up trying to kill them.

     Ignoring her reaction, Ororo commented sardonically,  "It seems most
peculiar, Wolverine, hearing you praise such a minimalist battle style,
when one would think such an approach to be completely at odds with your
own usual preferred tactics of taking the battle to the enemy."

     "Ain't talkin' about me, darlin', talking 'bout the kid here."  Logan
wasn't backing down any.  "Seems t'me, best thing is to know what works
for you and stick with it, rather than be a cheap copy of somebody else..."

     Kitty and Pete exchanged exasperated looks, accompanied by a pair of
long-suffering sighs.  She reached over under cover of the tablecloth to
give his thigh a surreptitious squeeze, and he reached down to cover her
hand with his, both giving and taking comfort with that simple, warm touch.
It was shaping up to be a very long evening.

                       *  *  *  *  *
DISCLAIMER

Pryde and Wisdom, the X-men and Excalibur all are trademarks of Marvel
Comics.  This story is an unauthorized work done purely for my personal
enjoyment, and is not intended to infringe on any of their rights in or
profits from these characters.  But this story is copyright to me.

WARNING:
THERE IS EXPLICIT SEX IN THIS SECTION.  I marked this clearly in the
individual section header.  The sex is graphic, but all loving and
consensual (and not that much worse than a typical romance novel).  If
reading sex scenes like that would offend you, please don't read this.

If you want to comment, send email to <LubaKmetyk@worldnet.att.net>

                Excalibur/X-men:  YOU CAN'T GO HOME AGAIN
                           Luba Kmetyk

Part 2  Lectures

     Kitty came into the guest room they were sharing, slamming the door
hard enough to cause Wisdom to spill the drink he had been nursing.  "Took
you long enough...  Did you get to chattin' up some of yours friends?" 
Pete couldn't keep the bite of jealousy out of his tone.

     "Sort of.  It was very one-sided, though...  The Professor decided it
was time he and I had a little talk, except he did most of the talking..."
Kitty was too upset to settle down, but paced around the room as she
recalled the last hour, filling Pete in on what had happened...

                       *  *  *  *  *

     Kitty had been in the mansion's kitchen, rummaging around in the
refrigerator.  Changed out of her dress into jeans and a comfortable old
sweater right after dinner, heels exchanged for sneakers, she'd gotten an
assortment of drinks earlier.  Now, she was after some snacks.  Pete was
staying in their room as much as possible, unwilling to wander around the
mansion and take the chance of running into any of the X-men again.  The
atmosphere during dinner earlier had been tense and uncomfortable, the
conversation stilted, and neither she nor Pete had felt much like eating. 

     Kitty was just remembering one time when Magneto had caught her on a
food trip for herself and Illyana, when he had been headmaster, when the
Professor's telepathic summons resounded in her head. It was strong enough
to make her jump, so that she dropped the food she was carrying.  She
wondered to herself resentfully whether he knew just how "loud" his mental
voice could be on occasion, and did it on purpose to enforce obedience.  

     Kitty thought about ignoring the summons, either completely or at
least long enough to stop by their room and tell Pete where she was going.
But she figured she should get this over with, and she didn't want the
Professor in her mind again while she was with Pete.  She reassured
herself it shouldn't take too long.  She was tired, from the trip over,
from the time change, from the excitement and tension of the day, and just
wanted to get to bed soon.

                          * * * * * * *

     Kitty lost that hope as soon as she came into Xavier's study, and saw
him sitting behind his desk, with a stern look on his face.  He motioned
her to a chair just in front of the desk, and said he'd been waiting ever
since her arrival for them to have a long, serious talk.

     Professor Xavier began by expressing his surprise that she had
brought Wisdom with her on this visit, instead of coming by herself to 
visit with the X-men.  Xavier noted pointedly that, if the X-men had 
been interested in meeting Wisdom, he would have been included in the
invitation, but that it had been intended for Kitty alone.

     Kitty replied that they had been planning to visit soon anyway, she
wanted Pete to meet Storm and Logan and the others, and this invitation
seemed to offer a convenient opportunity for just that.  She reminded the
Professor that Colossus, Nightcrawler and Wolfsbane had been invited to
visit also, so it certainly hadn't seemed like an invitation for Kitty
alone.  It had never occurred to her Pete wasn't to be included, and neither
of them wanted to be apart for the time planned for this visit.  Professor
X simply repeated that he had not been expecting Wisdom to come with her. 
Peter, Kurt and Kitty were all X-men invited to return home, as was Rahne
as a former New Mutant, while Wisdom was a stranger and an outsider.

                       *  *  *  *  *

     "Mebbe he was right...  mebbe I shouldn't have come along."  Pete
interrupted Kitty's recital.  He was sitting slouched in the armchair,
staying out of her way as Kitty paced around the room, knowing she had a
habit of hitting out at things when she was upset.  Lockheed stayed out of
her way also, perching quietly up on top of the dresser where he'd been
amusing himself baiting Wisdom while they waited for Kitty to return.

     Hearing the doubt in his voice, Kitty interrupted her pacing to come
over to him, leaning over to wrap her arms around him and hug him.  "No,
they need to get used to the idea that we're a package deal, that they
can't have me around without you too...  If you stayed away once just
because they didn't want you, they'd just expect you to stay away next
time, also, and things would never get better.  Just give them time..." 

     Pete wrapped his arm around her waist and tried to pull her down into
his lap, but Kitty was too worked up to settle down yet.  She straightened
up instead, to resume her pacing and her story.

                       *  *  *  *  *

     Xavier went on to reproach Kitty for insisting on their arrival that
she and Pete would share a room, or would leave.  Kitty had to admit that
she had reacted badly to his suggestions that she either share Ororo's
room, to have lots of time to talk and renew their friendship, or stay
with Rahne.  She tried to explain to the Professor that she had felt she
was being treated like a kid again.  She had felt a need to establish her
independence from the start, she resented the obvious ploy to separate her
from Pete, and she hadn't wanted to leave Pete alone and unsupported among
the X-men during this visit, as was obviously the Professor's intent.

     The Professor didn't respond to her comments directly, but instead
told her that her obvious insistence on bedding with Wisdom had made a
bad impression on everyone.  Kitty couldn't help laughing at that -- Brian
and Meggan were quite pleased at Betsy and Warren getting together, Kitty
and Kurt both kept hoping things would stabilize between Ororo and Forge,
and Kitty had heard a lot of stories about Sam's volatile relationship
with Tabitha.  Angered by her flippant reaction, Xavier finished up by
expressing relief that Jubilee was no longer living at the mansion to be
tempted to emulate Kitty's irresponsible and rebellious behavior.

     While her mouth was still hanging open from that observation, too
stunned to come up with any response more coherent than an amazed sputter,
Professor X began to reproach Kitty for being insensitive to Peter's
feelings by making such a public parade of her relationship with Wisdom,
not just here at the mansion but also back on the island.  He questioned
whether she wasn't flaunting being with Wisdom to punish Colossus for
breaking off with her, and went on to imply that Pete might have deserved
Peter's beating, and that Kitty's inappropriate behavior had contributed.

     Kitty jumped up at that point and tried to interrupt, not to accuse
Colossus in turn but to defend Pete, and herself, but the Professor told
her to sit and listen.  When she didn't, he repeated the order mentally,
forcing her to reseat herself and remain silent.  He had been sharp with
her in the past but she didn't remember him ever running roughshod over
her will, or anyone else's, quite as blatantly as this before (although
she could remember Illyana mentioning some similar incidents).

     Xavier could sense Kitty wondering why he seemed so set against Pete
Wisdom.  In the past he had usually seemed very open-minded in giving
others the benefit of the doubt, had been willing to accept Wolverine and 
Rogue and Magneto and Sabertooth.  The Professor asked her, more gently,
if she had never wondered whether Wisdom was still working for Black Air,
gathering information for them using his affair with Kitty as an excuse
to remain on Muir to spy on Excalibur, whether the entire Dream Nails
affair hadn't been staged for her benefit.

     To that, at least, Kitty was able to answer, without an instant's
hesitation, that such a thought had never once occurred to her, and that
she'd never believe it to be true, but again the Professor ignored her
response and just continued talking.

     He asked her why she thought  Wisdom could possibly be interested in
a young, inexperienced girl, average in appearance and not accustomed to
male attention, what about her in particular could attract an older man
used to a sophisticated world.  Apparently noticing that his last few
questions had made Kitty wince, Xavier paused to apologize to her for
hurting her by being too honest, claiming his bluntness was meant for her
own good.  Look at Jean or Storm, Betsy, Rogue, Lorna or Dazzler, he said.
It might be believable for a man to be attracted to any of them, but...

                       *  *  *  *  *

     Wisdom couldn't take the saddened look in her eyes or the depressed
tone in her voice at this portion of the recital.  It was quite obvious to
Pete that Xavier had very carefully designed his comments and questions to
exploit Kitty's self-doubts and destroy her self-confidence.  He jumped up
and grabbed her by the shoulders to make her look straight at him.

     "Now, you listen, Pryde...  You are the most wonderful woman I have
ever met, and the only one I want.  An' you are too beautiful, he's just
too spaced to see it.  I can't believe every bloke you've ever met with
'alf a brain hasn't fallen for you, an' I'm always afraid someone better
will come along and take you away from me..."

     Kitty smiled at him tremulously after that passionate declaration,
feeling a comforting warmth spread through her at his touch and his words,
but then pushed him away and resumed pacing.  "Let me finish..."

                       *  *  *  *  *

     Kitty pointed out to the Professor that she wasn't inexperienced,
she'd met gods and aliens and demons, been out in space and to other
dimensions, and lots of other situations unimaginable to others her age. 
Xavier shook his head and said that wasn't what he was talking about.

     He went on to remind her that she had been a tomboy and a bookworm,
spending more time with her computer than with boys her own age, that she
had had very few interactions with boys at all compared to normal girls'
growing up.  Except for Doug Ramsey, she'd shown no interest in any of the
boys in the New Mutants or Hellions.  The professor contrasted that with
what he considered more typical girls' behavior, such as Danielle's
intermittent interest in Warpath or Amara's extended interest in Empath
(ignoring the fact that de la Rocha's powers had had a lot to do with 
that interest), or even Rahne's crushes on everyone in turn.

     Kitty wondered briefly if the professor would give her some credit
for being a normal teenage girl if she told him about her hopeless crush
on Alistaire Stuart, who had never noticed the young Kitty's interest in
him because he in turn had had an unrequited passion for the older, more
flamboyant Rachel.  Looking back, it struck Kitty as a perfect example of
the kind of experience Xavier was now accusing her of lacking.  However,
she had never felt comfortable sharing personal things with the professor
even back when she lived at the mansion and certainly was not encouraged
to do so now, after their time apart and his current critical attitude.

     Apparently unaware of Kitty's wandering attention as she recalled a
few other long-ago incidents, the professor continued his animadversion by

reminding Kitty that the only relationship she'd ever had was with Peter
Rasputin, when she was 14 and he was 19, and that that had not been a
real, physical relationship.  According to the Professor's version of
events, after Peter had ended their romantic relationship, Kitty had moped
after him for years, hoping to recover her true love, and now that Peter
wanted to reconcile with Kitty, she was ruining her chances with him.

     He worried, the Professor said, that Kitty had had no experience to
help protect her against flattering advances from a smooth, sophisticated,
older man with ulterior motives.  Ignoring Kitty's amazed snort at hearing
Pete characterized as smooth, Xavier noted that she had had no older women
friends with such experience, such as Storm or even Stevie Hunter, near
her to provide guidance and advice in such a situation.  Xavier expressed
disbelief that either Moira or Kurt could possibly have approved of
Kitty's relationship with Wisdom, assuming instead that they had forbidden
it and that Kitty had disobeyed their orders to stay away from him. 

     Professor X suggested that Illyana and Rachel, Kitty's two best
friends, had not been good examples for her or influences on her, both
having had definite problems themselves precluding anything resembling
normal relationships, and both always taking any male attention away from
Kitty, by their looks, their dress and their behavior.  He said that he
did not consider Meggan or Amanda appropriate confidants or role models
for Kitty, asking if she had felt obligated to take up with Wisdom to
match Meggan's relationship with Brian or Amanda's relation with Kurt.

     Kitty sat there, in that deliberately uncomfortable straight-backed
chair in front of the Professor's desk, listening to him twist everything
around, inside out and and upside down, to be something different than it
was, with a growing sense of alienation.  In a funny way, he was defeating
his own ends by his vicious attack on everything about her and Pete.  The
doubts he was trying to sow were dying stillborn, strangling each other.

     Misinterpreting her silence as a growing acquiescence, the Professor
concluded by recommending Kitty return to the X-men permanently, where he
and the others would provide her with the proper guidance she should have
while growing up, something Moira and Kurt seemed to have failed at.  They
would be happy to take Peter back, also, and Kurt if he agreed, and it
would be just like old times...

                       *  *  *  *  *

     "So, why do they all want you back with Comrade Terminator, anyway? 
Is he so bloody wonderful, or am I so bloody awful, or wot?"  Wisdom was
getting really fed up with having Peter Rasputin's supposed prior claim on
Kitty shoved in his face all the time.

     "Well, you're usually pretty horrid, at least around most people, and
you've been even more bloody-minded than your usual lousy self on this
visit, not that I blame you that much, the way they've been treating you..."  
Kitty responded.  "But I don't think they all want me back with Peter. 
Yes, a few of them really do, but the rest probably don't give a damn one
way or the other.  Anyway, I bet it's more for Peter's benefit, because
they think it's what he wants and needs, after everything he's been
through, not because it's what I want or what would be good for me..."

     "How do you figure that?"  Pete wondered if she was simply trying
to make him feel better, or if she really didn't see them all ganging up
against him.  Kitty had, in fact, noticed who had been particularly
distant and hostile to Wisdom during dinner.  He was pretty good at
pretending he didn't care what people thought of him, but Kitty had seen
through that particular facade of his back during their first trip to
London together.  And she knew he wanted to be accepted by her friends,
for her sake if not for his own.

     "Well, you have to remember the background..."  Kitty kept trying to
fill Pete in on X-men lore, whenever an opening came up in their various
conversations, but there was just so much of it and it was so complicated
that getting him up to speed was taking a long time.  He had no trouble
memorizing villains and their powers and organizations, that fit in with
his background and interests just fine, it was the convoluted internal
relationships and the comings and goings (not to mention deaths and
resurrections, time travel and cloning) that he found hard to follow.  
She had gotten used to interrupting ongoing discussions to explain things
that either she hadn't covered yet, or that Pete had forgotten or gotten
confused.  Oh, well, time for another history lesson...

     Now that she had finished telling Pete about her recent one-sided
confrontation with Professor Xavier, Kitty was able to calm down a bit. 
She stopped pacing around the room and perched on the arm of Pete's chair,
resting one hand on his shoulder, waving the other around in a vain effort
to disperse the cloud of cigarette smoke surrounding him before picking up
and sipping at her drink.

     "My team, when I joined, was Storm and Wolverine and Nightcrawler and
Colossus.  Scott, Cyclops, had just left because that was when Jean died...
I mean Phoenix, not the Jean you just met here...  not Phoenix who was
Rachel, you remember, I've told you about Rachel, I mean Dark Phoenix,
the Phoenix force that took Jean's place while she was regenerating in a
cocoon in the harbor where the shuttle crashed, that merged with Rachel
later..."  Kitty started getting bogged down in the background herself.

     "An' you wonder why I can't keep all this straight?"  Pete interrupted
her, with a pointed look.

     Kitty had to admit he had a valid point there, but she was determined
to brief him sufficiently that, if he continued to put his foot in his
mouth in conversation with her friends, it would be because he meant to
and not merely by accident.  

     "Hush, you...  Anyway, Scott had just taken leave, even though he
still got involved in a lot of things with the rest of us, like fighting
Magneto and the Brood and the Hellfire Club...  And Rogue joined soon
after me.  We were a big family, just like Excalibur is now, and I was the
baby of the bunch, and they all took care of me..."  She smiled to herself
as she recalled some of those early missions, going out into space with
Lilandra and the Starjammers, visiting Arkon's dimension and Asgard and
Limbo, all awesome and terrifying experiences but equally fascinating and
exhilarating at the same time.

     "The New Mutants showed up later.  They were all closer to my age but
I never had that much to do with them once I convinced the Professor that
I belonged with the senior team, except for Doug Ramsey and Illyana.  She
was just about my age when she got out of Limbo and my best friend, but
she wasn't exactly your normal teenager, either...  the teenage mutant
demon sorceress and the teenage mutant ninja hacker were a great match. 
And Doug spoke computer like me, which nobody else did..."  Kitty felt
herself wandering off the point again.  She certainly didn't want to get
into a discussion with Pete right now about other old boyfriends, she was
having enough trouble with her past with one particular old boyfriend.

     "So Storm, Wolverine and Nightcrawler, and Rogue and Cyclops later,
that was the group that knew me and Peter as a couple, the skinny nerdy
kid in love forever at fourteen with her big, strong, pure knight in
shining armor.  Peter was nineteen then, not long off the collective farm.
He was always very idealistic, first believing in Marxism and Leninism
wholeheartedly, and then embracing Professor Xavier's dream of mutants and
humans coexisting just as strongly.  He was big and strong and gorgeous, a
real hunk, of course, and sensitive too, a real artist..."  Kitty had been
staring off into space while reminiscing but, feeling Wisdom's shoulder
tense under her hand, she glanced down and noticed the increasingly sour
look on his face as she seemed to be singing Colossus' praises.

     Kitty gripped Pete's shoulder, hard, then reached over to run her
hand through his unruly black hair as she leaned over to kiss him quickly.
"Now, don't you start sulking, I'm just trying to explain...  I can't help
still caring about Peter, but these days I feel more sorry for him than
anything else.  I'm just saying that nobody should have been surprised 
I fell for Peter back then.  He was a teenage girl's dream come true.  
I may have had a genius IQ, but I still had perfectly normal hormones... 
And it wasn't as big an age difference as it seemed -- Peter was pretty
naive and inexperienced for his age compared to a typical American kid,
maybe because of growing up on that isolated farm, and I've always gotten
along a lot better with older people than with anyone my own age...  and
being with the X-men makes you grow up pretty fast..."

                       *  *  *  *  *

     "And you still have perfectly normal hormones, and you're still into
older men, this dirty old man in particular, I hope..."  Pete ran his hand
up her back under her sweater, sending a delicious shiver down her spine. 
Kitty had overheard the dirty old man crack earlier, but hadn't been sure
whether Pete had heard also.  His using that phrase now told her he had,
and had been hurt by it, even though he had been able to mask his reaction
to that comment back then.  

     Kitty leaned over to kiss Pete again, running her hand first over the
perpetual stubble on his chin and cheek, then up into his unruly black
hair.  She was tempted for a minute to drop the conversation, ignore the
problems this visit was creating, accept the diversion he was attempting
to create, and just slide down onto his lap and do what came naturally,
but she wanted to finish clearing the air between them first.

                       *  *  *  *  *

     "So, it was Ororo and Logan and Kurt and Rogue and Scott who were
there when Peter dumped me because he'd fallen in love with someone
else..."   Kitty returned to the point she was trying to make but she
didn't straighten back up.  She remained leaning against Pete's shoulder,
enjoying the comforting warmth of his hard body under hers.

     "Bloody stupid idiot."  Pete muttered under his breath, still
caressing her bare back under her sweater.  "His mistake, the dumb sod,
why the hell should I have to pay for it..."

     Kitty ignored that subtle bit of flattery, and simply continued, 
"At first, I was devastated.  All I remember is trying to put a good face
on things in front of the others, but crying a lot in private, or with
Illyana.  I didn't want anyone else to see me crying, especially Peter... 
I took off for a time, ended up in Japan with Logan, that's another long
story, for another time..."  She was trying hard to keep to the point, not
to get distracted by any further background history lessons.

     "Logan told me once that he thought Peter had subconsciously used
his feelings for Zsaji (that was her name), and my growing friendship with
Doug Ramsey, because he was afraid of starting a real relationship with me
and needed an excuse to back away...  Anyway, after Peter broke off with
me it was hard for a while, still being on the same team.  But it got
better with time, I got used to it, we even started being friends again. 
We were team-mates for quite a while after we broke up, there were lots of
chances to renew our relationship if it really had been love, if it was
meant to be, but somehow that just never happened..."  

     Pete wondered briefly if Kitty did protest a bit too much, but the
sincerity in her voice, the way she leaned against him confidingly while
she bared her soul for him, went a long way toward reassuring him that she
didn't harbor any lingering yen for Colossus or any suppressed regrets at
ending up with Wisdom.

     Remembering what happened next, Kitty's eyes and voice got softer. 
"And then Kurt and Peter and I were injured pretty badly fighting the
Marauders, and we were taken to Muir Island.  Peter got better pretty
fast, and went to rejoin the X-men, and we all thought that he had died
with them in Dallas...  Kurt and I stayed in Britain, and we started
Excalibur with Brian and Meggan and Rachel...  But the X-men weren't dead,
they were in Australia.  Colossus was there with with Storm and Rogue and
Wolverine and Psylocke and Dazzler and Longshot and Havok..." 

     Pete's eyes were glazing over, and he was getting fidgety, so Kitty
figured she'd downloaded enough history on him for this session.  He
seemed to be able to take in only so much at any one time, of either X-men
history in general, or Kitty's history with Peter Rasputin in particular,
before tuning out.  Besides, she hadn't told Pete anything yet about being
trapped in her phased state, how she'd almost died and almost killed
herself, and she didn't want to get into that particular story during this
discussion.  She decided yet again to try to get to the point.

                       *  *  *  *  *

     "So, you see, first Ororo and Logan and Kurt were all really close to
Peter and me when we were both X-men, and then Ororo and Logan were really
close to Peter after Kurt and I were gone.  They were all with Peter a lot
longer than I was, and through some very bad times.  The others, like
Gambit and Bishop, Beast and Iceman, Jean Grey and Archangel and Psylocke,
have some history with Peter, yes, but more recently, and they haven't
interacted with me much at all.  Why should they care who I'm with?"

     Kitty started counting the others off on her fingers.  "Rogue spent a
lot of time with us both, but she seems wrapped up in her own problems
with Gambit, and Magneto, with little time or attention left over to worry
about others, especially us...  

     "Logan, well, I don't think he objected to Peter breaking up with me,
he mostly objected to how Peter did it.  And you knew he wouldn't mind
about you, you louse, and you let me worry about it anyway, and just you
wait, you creep, I'll get you for that sometime..."  She swatted at Pete
lightly, thinking about how concerned she'd been about introducing Wisdom
and Logan, and how wasted that concern had turned out to be.

     "So, of all the X-men you've met here so far, besides the Professor,
Storm is the one who really wants things between me and Peter back the way
we were years ago.  Ororo always called Peter her little brother, just
like she always called me her Kitten.  She's never admitted that Peter and
I have just grown apart, and don't have anything much in common anymore..."

     Pete was nodding now at the validity of Kitty's extended analysis. 
He had felt Xavier's disapproval of him, but it had been Storm who had
made a number of cutting and belittling comments since meeting him, whose
patronizing air of superiority rubbed him the wrong way and made him say
things he regretted later, who kept blatantly pushing Kitty toward
Colossus while attempting to ignore Wisdom's presence.

     "Now, Kurt was with us in the X-men, but after recovering from the
fight with the Marauders he ended up in Excalibur with me instead of
returning to the X-men like Peter.  So, Kurt's been closer to me than to
Peter for quite a while now, and he has no trouble thinking of me as my
own person, separate from Peter and the X-men.  And Kurt's not pushing me
to go back with Peter, he's accepted you, and accepted us..."

     "Yeah, right, with open arms..."  Pete muttered under his breath.

     Kitty just grinned at him.  "No, now be fair, Kurt did agree when I
said I wanted you to join Excalibur permanently, so we could be together. 
I know you told me later Kurt and Brian played big brother a bit, but it
didn't sound like a really serious confrontation."  Pete winced a little
at the recollection of that abortive trip to the men's room at the pub,
but then reluctantly returned Kitty's smile, since he did have to admit
that he had been expecting a lot worse.  He was still surprised at how
easily he'd been accepted into Excalibur.

     "Kurt's been very disturbed by Peter's recent behavior, just like I
have.  I think Kurt understands why I'm not completely comfortable around
Peter now, why I can't think of him the same way as before, why there's 
a small part deep inside me that's afraid of him and what he might do... 
The others, the X-men, still think of Peter as the gentle giant who could
never hurt anybody deliberately.  Kurt, all of Excalibur, we know better. 
We saw Peter attacking you in a rage, attacking a complete stranger who
wasn't doing anything wrong or threatening except being in Peter's way
when he wanted something, refusing to listen when Kurt tried to stop him
beating you, hitting out at Kurt and Brian and the others."  

     Kitty shuddered at the recollection of that horrible night, hugging
Pete to her in an unconscious bid for reassurance.  Pete winced also at
the reminder but his memories of that fight were blurred, with only a
single sharp, clear stab of fear for Kitty left lighting a confused haze
of alcohol and pain.  Kitty had no such filter.  She still had nightmares
of Colossus standing over Wisdom's broken and bloody body.

     Kitty had worried often since then about the possibility of another
confrontation between Colossus and Wisdom.  As usual, Peter had bottled 
up his feelings and refused to discuss what had happened, other than
proffering a formal apology for the 'misunderstanding' while Wisdom was
convalescing, leaving Kitty and Kurt to try to explain.  Peter acted the
old friend with her when Wisdom wasn't around, but otherwise ignored her
being with Pete, and tended to take as little notice of Wisdom's existence
as he was able in their microscopic little society on Muir.

     "That doesn't mean we don't, I don't, still care about Peter, or
understand some of what's been eating away at him.  Peter's country, his
whole society, that he had idealized, has been dying an ignominious death
for years.  We don't know how much that affected him, but he always talked
about wanting to back to his family and the collective farm.  

     "Remember, I told you a while ago, Peter thought his brother died
years ago in a launch accident, then he found his brother was alive in
another dimension.  Before they could go back home to Russia to see their
family, to break the news that Mikhail was alive, he thought he saw his
brother die, kill himself actually, while destroying the remaining
Morlocks.  Right after that, his parents were killed by government agents
who'd come after Illyana.  And that was all after he'd already watched his
baby sister grow up by magic and turn into a demon sorceress, and then
turn back into a little girl again."

     Kitty could only hope that she could bring Wisdom to make allowances
for Peter and enlist his cooperation in avoiding further conflict.  She
wasn't really sanguine about her chances of success in getting Pete to
understand and sympathize with Colossus, even a little, but she felt she
had to try.  And the X-men's obvious disdain of Wisdom, and their overt
support of Colossus, wasn't making her self-appointed task any easier.

     "After that, Peter seemed to be losing control more and more,
especially when Illyana got sick.  We were there when he turned his back
on all of us and went to Avalon with Magneto at Illyana's funeral.  Next,
we heard Peter had turned around again and effectively betrayed Magneto
and Avalon, by not sounding an alarm when he found the Professor and the
X-men boarding Avalon to fight Magneto.  So Peter lost Magneto, too, when
the Professor mindwiped him into a vegetable, and I'm sure he feels it 
was partly his fault.  He insisted on staying on Avalon to take care of
Magneto, but as a former X-man he must have been unwelcome, an outcast,
among the other Acolytes, most of whom were Magneto's devoted followers."

     "Then he took the Acolytes on a space walk, he was the only one with
any experience in space, and they brought Holocaust in from drifting in
space, wherever he came from, and Holocaust destroyed Avalon.  It wasn't
Peter's fault, it was Exodus' command and Peter was against it, but I bet
he blames himself, anyway, for not trying harder to stop them...  So Peter
ended up back on earth, after trying to save Magneto's comatose body but
losing it in re-entry, and was rescued and told by Callisto his brother
hadn't died after all but was responsible for creating Gene Nation.  He
fought with the X-men against those mutant terrorists, but wouldn't stay
with them.  And it was right after that he showed up at Muir."

     Kitty had heard parts of the Avalon story when Xavier had consulted
Moira about Wolverine losing his adamantium.  However, most of her
information came from Ororo.  Besides her determination to engage Kitty's
lingering concern about Colossus, Storm and Kitty shared a long and
involved history with the Morlocks, albeit Storm mostly through Callisto
and Kitty more with Caliban.  And, although Peter still refused to talk
about his sojourn on Avalon, Cyclops had spent a lot of time with several
of the other Acolytes while rescuing them after the fall of Avalon and,
while they were still loyal to Magneto and didn't want to say anything to
betray him, they were usually willing to talk about Colossus during rest
periods, most of the Acolytes feeling little loyalty to him because they
still saw him as an X-man, an intruder.

     Pete remained silent, but he didn't stop Kitty or push her away,
letting her talk.  He did not enjoy hearing Kitty plead Rasputin's case,
but knew she felt obligated to defend Colossus.  One of the many things 
he loved about her was her fierce loyalty to her friends, even when he
believed it was misdirected and undeserved.  He continued running his hand
along her back slowly, a sensuous gesture which also offered comfort, but
otherwise seemed content for the moment to just let her keep talking.

     "It's not just his attacking you that we worry about.  On one of his
courier runs to Muir Island, Bishop told us about Colossus' attack on
Fitzroy in Dallas, how Peter kept beating him even though Storm and Jean
tried to hold him back, how Peter hit out at Archangel when Angel tried to
stop Peter, how Peter tried to justify that beating.  I can understand
fighting in the middle of a battle, of course, but Bishop said Fitzroy had
given up and Peter kept attacking him. Apparently, that's the only way he
can express his anger, his hurt, his frustration, but it's not enough to
give him any lasting relief, it just starts building up again..."

     Pete also knew Kitty wouldn't listen to him if he tried to explain to
her that Rasputin was a walking time bomb, guaranteed to explode again,
over and over, until he faced up to his inner demons.  Wisdom recognized
the signs because he'd been through a similar state himself before he'd
learned to accept what he'd done and move on.  Pete knew Kitty thought he
was concerned about losing her to Colossus, but he hesitated to tell her
bluntly that he was actively afraid of Colossus actually hurting Kitty.

     "I knew it was really over with me and Peter long before I met you. 
I think what finally drove it home was Illyana dying, and her funeral.  
I had come over to be with her near the end, and I was with her when she
died.  She was my best friend, even though she was little again and didn't
remember a lot.  Moira and the Professor and Jubilee and I were with her
when the final crisis came, and I was the one who had to argue with him
about letting her go.  Peter got back just after she died.  When he heard
about Illyana, he just walked away from us, away from me.  He wouldn't
show his feelings, wouldn't share his feelings, with me, with anyone."

     She leaned against Pete's shoulder, absently running her fingers
through his hair, as she continued,  "I went to him later, I tried to hold
him, comfort him, be there for him, but he didn't want me.  I found him
burning all his paintings.  I managed to rescue on just as much as
he was, she was his sister but I spent a lot more time with her, and he
didn't want to share my grief or let me share his... If we couldn't talk
then, be together then, then there really was nothing left..."

     Pete reached up, wrapped his arm around Kitty's waist and pulled her
down into his lap.  This time she came into his arms willingly, eagerly.
He didn't say anything, and didn't do anything except hold her close in a
tight embrace as she recalled Illyana's death.  She dropped her head on
his shoulder and buried her face in his neck, letting the feel and scent
of him comfort her as she tried to regain control.

                       *  *  *  *  *

     After a few moments, Kitty straightened up, rubbing at her eyes. 
Her throat was dry from all the talking she'd been doing, and she decided
she needed a drink.  She reached over to the table and picked up Pete's
empty glass.  Gesturing at him with it and receiving a confirming nod, she
got up and went to fix him a fresh drink at the same time as getting
herself one.

     When she came back over with his glass, he'd taken advantage of the
brief break to light another cigarette.  Kitty frowned at him, but didn't
feel like starting another argument about his smoking.  She perched on the
arm of his chair again.  Pete did try to blow the smoke away from her, but
that didn't help much.  Kitty just hoped that Pete realized her putting up
with his smoking was a sign of how much he'd come to mean to her.

     Pete had been thinking about Kitty's description of her meeting with

Xavier and their subsequent conversation, and thought he noticed a major
hole.  "You haven't mentioned Xavier much so far."

     "Actually, he wasn't always around while I was with the X-men, he
kept going off into space with Lilandra a lot.  Or we'd be out in space
without him, or off on missions without him.  I may have spent almost as
much time with Magneto running the X-men as with the Professor around. 
And, those times he was around, he would try to run everything, order
everyone around, like he always knows everything better than anyone else,
just like he acted with me tonight."

     "The original X-men, Scott and Jean, Angel and Beast and Iceman,
tried to leave quite a few times, to go to normal schools, to try to lead
independent lives, join the Avengers or the Defenders or the Champions or
X-Factor, but they always kept coming back.  X-Force, Cannonball and
Sunspot and BoomBoom, I mean Meltdown, they used to be the New Mutants,
they left with Cable, but now they're back, too.  And most of the other
senior X-men, like Storm and Rogue and Wolverine and Banshee, have left at
various times also, and then came back.  I guess that's why the Professor
still expects Kurt and Peter and me to come back..."

     "So does everybody always come back?"  Pete interrupted her.  Kitty
was making it sound like a foregone conclusion she'd end up rejoining the
X-men.  "Nobody's ever left and made a go of life in the real world, away
from this bedlam?"  Kitty frowned disapprovingly at that description.

     "Well, Longshot and Dazzler left for Mojoworld, and Alex and Lorna
are in X-Factor.  Karma's in Madripoor, I think, and I don't have any idea
where Dani or Amara are now."  Kitty was surprised herself at how many of
Xavier's students ended up returning, some over and over.  "Gambit and
Bishop and Psylocke have never really left since joining...  Jubilee's at
Emma's school now, with Banshee, does that count?"  She tried hard, but
couldn't think of many others who'd left and not come back.  "Thunderbird
died, so did Doug and Warlock, Illyana and Jamie Madrox.  Rachel's in the
future, according to Scott and Jean and Cable..."

     "Don't get stupid, Pryde."  Pete snorted at her last few examples. 
"Dyin' don't count, that's not how I want to get you away from these
clowns, and I happen to like living in the here and now, thank you very
much, especially from what you've told me of the futures you've seen. 
Bloody hell, no wonder he thinks you'll come crawlin' back again as soon
as he tells you to..."

     Kitty felt obligated to defend the Professor and the X-men, even
though she privately agreed that they did live in a very closed, almost
incestuous, private little world.  "Well, it's not just being a family,
it's hard for mutants to live in the outside world, what you're calling
the real world.  There's a lot of prejudice around out there, I've seen it
kill mutants..."  She winced, remembering Larry Bodine's suicide long ago.

     That drew another snort of derision from Wisdom.  "Did it ever occur
to any of these wankers that dressing up in silly suits and calling each
other dumb names and showing up just to blow things up and then vanishing
mysteriously with no explanation or apology just might make most normal
people nervous?  Or mebbe plain scared?  I've lived in the real world all
my life just fine, thanks, but I try to fit in, not stick out like a ruddy
sore thumb..."  Kitty might have her personal crusade to get Wisdom to
understand and accept Colossus, but Pete had his own personal agenda also,
to get Kitty living a normal life with him, with her friends if possible,
but without them if necessary.  "I can just imagine what my mates would
think if I showed up at the pub wearing red longjohns and calling meself
`Deathfinger' or some such, blew down the door, blew apart the bar, blew
up the jakes...  Think they'd stand me a drink then?  Or play darts with
me?  Not bloody likely..."

     Kitty bristled at Pete's attack on the X-men's lifestyle.  "Well, the
Professor didn't gather us together to go down to the pub and play darts...  
He started the X-men to teach us to use our powers for good.  Storm told
me once he picked both the original X-men and the second X-men out of a
lot of other mutants available because he examined our minds to find
personalities especially suitable for his planned mission..."

     "So, did he look inside your head again, tonight?"  Pete snarled at
her.  "Is that why he's so sure you want to be back here, back together
with Comrade Nutcase?"

     "No!"  Kitty exclaimed.  "Is that what you've been so worried about?
Do you really think I've been lying to you all this time?"

     "No, I don't think you've been lyin' to me, not on purpose anyway. 
I'm afraid you might be lyin' to yourself..."  Pete's voice was flat now,
as he put his deepest fear into words.

     Kitty could hear the doubt in his tone, see the question in his eyes. 
She came back over to him and climbed astride his lap, embracing him as
hard as she could, kissing him passionately.  He remained stiff in her
arms, his mouth closed to her, not rejecting her advances but not
responding either.  She sat back but stayed on his lap, running her
fingers through his hair and along his face as she stared into his deep
blue eyes, trying to project reassurance with all her willpower.

     "I don't think the Professor actually went into my mind.  If he did,
he knows I don't want to be back with Peter, he knows I want you, I need
you, not Peter.  But he's always made a big point of privacy and ethics,
of not using his powers casually.  I think he's just so used to being able
to read someone's mind when he needs to that he's become overconfident, he
thinks he knows what everyone's thinking and feeling, knows what's best
for them, without having to read their minds.  That's the only explanation
for all the situations he's misread in the past..." 

     Pete interrupted her again,  "So you're tellin' me he treats all the
others like he treated you tonight?  An' they stay and take his shit, or
they leave then keep coming back for more?"  Wisdom was having trouble
imagining the regal Storm or the independent Wolverine or the erudite
Beast putting up with Xavier's preaching and lectures and mind games for
long.  "Bloody 'ell, talk about stayin' in your basic sick relationship..."

     Kitty winced at the hard core of truth in that blunt observation.
"Pretty much, except maybe he feels he has to be more diplomatic with
some of the others.  This was more like he used to treat the New Mutants.
You see, the other thing is that I was just about fifteen when I was
injured in that fight with the Marauders, and went to Muir Island, and
then stayed with Excalibur. So the Professor and Ororo still think of me
as about fourteen years old, and treat me that way too..."  

     That still rankled Kitty whenever she thought about it, how the
Professor had used her to lure Peter down from Avalon to Muir Island, and
then how he had wanted to use her friendship with Caliban to rescue
Jubilee.  She'd heard a lot lately about how worried everybody'd been when
they found Tabitha spending time alone with Sabertooth while he was at the
mansion, but the Professor hadn't hesitated to send her down into the
Morlock tunnels alone with Sabertooth.

     As she continued brooding over her recent confrontation with Xavier
in his office, the recollection made her jump up and begin pacing around
the room again.

                       *  *  *  *  *

     "So... you want I should leave, and let you stay with the X-men?" 
Pete tried, unsuccessfully, to hide just how much that idea worried him. 
He was already afraid they would succeed in turning her away from him even
with him present, but with him gone...

     Well, it was one possible solution, but a solution that made Kitty's
spirits plummet, much more than the Professor's lecture had.  She looked
over at Pete, who was slouched down in his chair again, and asked him
"Would you miss me?"

     Moving a lot faster than she expected, Wisdom jerked to his feet,
came over to her and caught her up in a tight embrace.  He just managed to
growl  "You stupid, bloody, idiot..." before his mouth came down hard on
hers, cutting off any further conversation.  He shifted his grasp, one
hand tangled in her hair to keep her in the kiss, the other running down
her back to her buttocks, pressing their hips together.  The close contact
let her feel just how fully aroused he was.

     Kitty was a little surprised at Pete's abrupt reaction to her
half-joking question.  He'd stayed pretty still and mostly silent while
she'd recounted her encounter with Xavier.  She had pretty much ignored
the overtures he'd made early in their subsequent conversation, wanting to
talk, and later he'd gotten progressively colder and more distant as their
conversation began to deteriorate into a fight.  It could have turned into
a serious argument, until Kitty had recognized the true extent of Pete's
fear of losing her to Xavier and the X-men and Colossus.  She quickly
decided that this particular discussion had gone on long enough.  She'd
made the points she had wanted to make, and now talking further wasn't as
important as responding to Pete, reassuring him.

     He had his hands under her sweater now, pulling up on it, trying to
get it off.  Kitty just phased her clothes so that they fell in a heap
around her feet, a new use of her mutant talent with which she'd had
considerable practice recently.  As soon as Pete felt she was naked, he
picked her up in his arms and carried her over to the bed, maintaining
their kiss the entire time.

     Pete laid her down gently on the bed.  Still kissing her, he
supported his body above hers with one hand and knee on the bed while
tearing at his tie with the other hand.  He didn't seem willing to let go
of her long enough to remove his clothes.  Kitty managed to break out of
the kiss long enough to say,  "Let me...", and reached up to phase his
clothing also, so that it fell by the side of the bed.

     Kitty wrapped her arms around Pete's bare back, pulling him down to
her on the bed.  She felt his body come down hard on hers as his mouth
reclaimed hers.  His hands were roving over her breasts, stroking, teasing
the nipples, which were already hardening.  A short time later, his mouth
moved down her neck to replace his hands on her breasts as his hands moved
further down her body.  He sucked on each nipple in turn, as he slid one
arm under her arched back and ran his other hand in between her legs,
which she spread automatically at his touch.  The perpetual stubble on his
jaw tickled her soft skin as he nuzzled at her breasts, a sensation always
guaranteed to send shivers up and down her spine.

     Kitty ran her hands down his back to his buttocks, drawing her nails
along his skin, causing him to arch his back in reflex.  She started to
shift one hand down around his hip to grasp his shaft, to play with him in
turn, while running the fingers of her other hand into the crack between
his buttocks.  Before she had had time to get hold of his erection or
tickle his asshole, Pete twisted away and grabbed her hands.  Holding both
her wrists in one hand, he pulled her arms up and pinned them to the bed
next to her head, throwing his leg over her hips and holding her down with
his weight.  Recognizing the unspoken message, Kitty realized he wanted
her to stay passive this time and let him keep control.

     Feeling her relax back onto the bed, making no effort to move her
arms from where he held them, Pete shifted his body back slightly.  The
fingers of his other hand played with the curls in the little bush of
hair between her legs, then slipped inside her.  He was thrusting deep
into her with first one, then several fingers, while simultaneously
stroking her clitoris.  Kitty's shivers were building up into tremors
wracking her entire body.  She was getting aroused very quickly, both by
the localized response his fingers were creating in her, and by the
overall feeling of his wiry strength holding her, controlling her.

     Kitty was surprised by Pete's loving, both its speed and its silence,
neither of which fit in with what she considered his usual style, which
was much more playful and leisurely.  However, she found his intense
concentration upon her extremely arousing, and had no trouble responding
just as strongly and rapidly.

     Wisdom could feel that Kitty was hot, open and ready.  He thrust her
legs farther apart with his knees, and went into her with one powerful
stroke.  She arched up to him, wrapping her legs around him tightly.  He
let go her wrists and his hands returned to fondling her breasts as he
began to move within her, at first slowly but then increasing rapidly in
tempo.  Released, her hands lifted to hold him again, running up and down
along his arms and chest, his back and hips, but she made no more overt
move, letting him have his way.

     They both climaxed so nearly together as to be simultaneous, Kitty
muffling her cries by biting into Pete's shoulder while hearing his hoarse
groans next to her ear.  She felt his body collapse back upon hers briefly, 
before he gathered up enough strength to shift to the side.  He stretched
out on the bed and pulled her over into his arms, pillowing her head on
his shoulder.  She threw her leg over him, cuddling close.  Wisdom kissed
her again, but lightly this time, murmuring "Love you, Pryde..."

                       *  *  *  *  *

     They both lay there for some time, recovering from the intense
loving.  Eventually, Pete lifted his head and looked at Kitty, who was
drifting off into sleep.  She felt his regard and, languidly opening her
eyes, looked up at him with a questioning "Mmm...?"

     Pete hung his head sheepishly and said, "Well, if I was worried about
leavin' you to the affections of Comrade Colossus and the advice of the
others, I didn't help any by actin' like such a selfish bastard, did I?"

     Kitty hadn't particularly noticed the odd look on his face until
that unexpected question shocked her awake.  "What on earth are you
talking about, Pete?"

     Pete wasn't used to trying to explain his actions, his feelings, but
he tried hard, for Kitty's sake, only to produce a jumbled whelter.  
"When you talked about stayin' 'ere, and asked if I would miss you... 
I just saw my life without you.  It felt so empty...  I grabbed you like 
that could force you to stay with me, and then I didn't even try to love
you before takin' you...  So I took advantage of you again... I don't
expect it'll help any, but I'm sorry..."  

     Kitty was even more surprised by that confused explanation.  "But,
Pete, it wasn't anything like that.  I was just as ready as you were, and
enjoyed it just as much.  And I really don't believe you would have gone
ahead so quickly if I hadn't been ready...  And you've certainly never
taken advantage of me, that's just ridiculous..."
     
     Wisdom was shaking his head, the troubled look still in his eyes. 

Kitty realized it would take a lot more than her simple statement to
reassure him.  She wasn't the only one feeling off balance by this visit. 
The various comments from the X-men questioning his trustworthiness and
the validity of their relationship, both directed at him and overheard by
him, together with her description of her meeting with the Professor and
his accusations, had all done a lot more damage to his confidence, in
himself and in her, than she had first thought.

     Kitty pushed herself up in the bed and sat cross-legged next to Pete,
reaching out to hold his hand.  She looked down on him, wondering how to
convince him that their relationship was fine, that they were fine, no
matter what anyone else said or thought.  Their lovemaking had reassured
her, completely, but he was obviously still perturbed.

     "Pete, do you remember our first time together?"

     Well, at least now he looked more puzzled than troubled.  "What do
you mean...  Genosha?  What the hell does that have to do with anything?"

     She smacked him lightly.  "No, you idiot, I meant our first time
making love, after we got back from Dream Nails, remember?"

     "Well, of course I remember.  How could I possibly forget one of the
high points of me life?"

     "Stop being sarcastic and pay attention, I'm trying to make a point
here..."  Pete muttered  "I wasn't bein' sarcastic"  but Kitty just kept
on talking.  "So, do you remember the lecture you gave me then?"

     "I never gave you any lecture, well, at least not any time we was
makin' love."  Pete issued that vehement denial still with no idea where
Kitty was going with this conversation, but she was pleased that she had
managed to capture his attention and divert him from the groundless guilt
he seemed to be trapped in.

     "Yes, you did.  Remember, we started fooling around in the Runner on
the way back..."  Pete remembered that time vividly, as Kitty kept on
talking...

                       *  *  *  *  *

Continued in Part 3  Reminiscences
So what really happened on the way back from Dream Nails?




DISCLAIMER

Pryde and Wisdom, the X-men and Excalibur all are trademarks of Marvel
Comics.  This story is an unauthorized work done purely for my personal
enjoyment, and is not intended to infringe on any of their rights in or
profits from these characters.  But this story is copyright to me.

WARNING:
THERE IS EXPLICIT SEX IN THIS SECTION.  I marked this clearly in the
individual section header.  The sex is graphic, but all loving and
consensual (and not that much worse than a typical romance novel).  If
reading sex scenes like that would offend you, please don't read this.

If you want to comment, send email to <LubaKmetyk@worldnet.att.net>

                Excalibur/X-men:  YOU CAN'T GO HOME AGAIN
                           Luba Kmetyk

Part 3  Reminiscences

     They had gotten out of Dream Nails successfully, with information on
Black Air's alien research program, and were heading back to Muir Island. 
Their growing mutual attraction during the mission was now acknowledged,
and there finally appeared to be an opportunity to act upon it without
interruption.

     Kitty found the first-aid kit and handed it to Pete before getting
into the pilot's seat.  She took off quickly, keeping a careful eye out
for the return of those helicopters.  He cleaned the drying blood off his
face, deciding that, luckily, none of his assorted cuts and bruises seemed
to be major problems.

     As soon as they were well clear of the area, she put the plane on
autopilot and moved to the back of the plane, where the passenger area
offered more comfortable seating and where an inadvertent move wouldn't
hit an instrument or control.  Wisdom quickly joined her there, taking off
his coat in the warm interior of the Runner and dropping it on the floor.

     Their first kiss was even better than Kitty had been anticipating
ever since the guards burst in on them when she was hacking into the Black
Air computer system.  Pete pulled her up out of the seat, took her place,
and pulled her back down onto his lap.  

     Kitty wrapped her arms around him and kissed him again, deciding that
her childish crush on Colossus had had no relation to the real thing
whatsoever.  Not only did it really help if the other party participated
enthusiastically, which Peter never had in the few times she'd tried to
kiss him, but somehow Wisdom just felt different to her, more alive, more
electric, than anyone else she'd ever touched. 

     Pete's lips were pushing at hers, opening her lips so that his tongue
could enter her mouth and find hers.  She responded so quickly and so
strongly, bringing her tongue to meet and wind around his, that Pete
wasn't aware of her initial surprise.  That kiss seemed to go on forever,
as Kitty revelled in the new sensations, but she slowly regained notice of
other things Pete was doing to her.

     Wisdom held her tight to him with one arm while running his other
hand over her body.  In the beginning, he just stroked her back, her hair,
her face, her leg, but then he moved on to caressing more sensitive areas,
like her breasts.  The gloves and belt were easy to take off, but then he
was fumbling with the rest of her outfit while mumbling  "How the bloody
hell do you get this thing off?"

     Kitty was more than willing to continue further, but she couldn't
help being nervous, and apparently her uncertainty caused her body to
tense.  Noticing this, Pete stopped after a short time, pulling away and
looking at her quizzically.

     "Somethin' wrong, Pryde?"

     "No, of course not..."  She tried to pull him back into their
embrace, but he held back and continued to study her.  Afraid she had
somehow inadvertently spoilt things and determined to get him to resume
their lovemaking, she reached up to begin taking off her costume, but Pete
caught her hands and held them.

     "Wait just one bloody minute...  Is this by any chance your first time?  
Is that what the problem is?"  

     Every part of her he could see went fiery red with embarrassment, as
she looked away.  Almost immediately, however, Kitty looked back at him
defiantly.  "If I said yes, would you stop?  Does it really matter to you?"

     Pete put his arms back around her, but he didn't immediately resume
his aggressive foreplay.  He just rubbed his cheek against her soft hair
as he held her close again.  "No.  I'll stop, if you tell me to stop.  But
I'm not a bloody saint, and I'm not a bloody idiot.  I still can't believe
you're interested but, if you are, I ain't about to give up the best thing
that's ever come to me."

     As she realized he wasn't backing off, just slowing down in an effort
to make her more comfortable, Kitty started relaxing again.  She nestled
down into his arms confidingly, willing to let him set the pace as long as
they ended up where she wanted to go.

     Wisdom paused to kiss her again, deep and long enough to reassure her
he was fully committed to pursuing their new relationship, then continued 
"But, yes, of course it matters.  I don't think your first time should be
a quick roll in the back of a plane -- you rate a lot better than that.
Besides, I ain't exactly prepared..."

     That confused Kitty for a moment.  "What do you mean, Pete?  You sure
seemed ready and eager a minute ago..."

     "I mean, you little innocent, I didn't think to stick a rubber in me
pocket when we left for London.  I wasn't really expectin' to need one..."
Pete grinned at her, squeezing her tightly.  "And I didn't see any in the
med kit, I'll have to twit Wagner an' Braddock about that sometime..."

     "Oh..."  Kitty blushed again, bright scarlet.  "You mean a condom..."

     "Yeah.  I ain't worried about any bugs in either of us, mind you,
what with all the soddin' physicals that bloody MacTaggart witch insisted
on running on all of us when we got back from Genosha.  But I don't want
to 'urt you, ever, and that includes not taking a chance of getting you
knocked up 'cos my body got ahead o' my brain..."

     Kitty was squirming a little where she sat in his lap, embarassed at
the unexpected turn the conversation had taken, but touched and warmed by
his concern for her.  "Well, actually, Moira's had me on the pill for
quite a while... just to regulate my system, you know, what with all the
physical activity and stress and traveling and all..."  Her voice trailed
off uncertainly.  This wasn't something she'd ever imagined discussing, in
any of her many romantic and vaguely erotic fantasies and daydreams.

     Pete figured teasing her any more would just make her even more
nervous.  He raised a hand to brush a few stray strands off her flushed
face, enjoying the softness of her skin and the silky feel of her hair,
then kissed her again, her mouth opening to welcome him and her body
melting against his.  "Ok, so we'd be safe, even without the rubber.  
But I still vote we wait. There ain't any really nice, big, flat, soft
spot in this crate here, and I don't want to be rushed, either.  How much
longer will the flight be?"

     She got up off his lap reluctantly, and went up front to check the
instruments.  "Only about five more minutes, unless we stop somewhere..."

     He had followed her up front.  Coming up behind her, he put his arms
around her again.  She leaned back into his embrace, enjoying the feeling
of his hard, wiry body pressed against hers.   "No, let's just go back to
the island.  Then we'll have as long as we want, I promise..."

                       *  *  *  *  *

     Wisdom had relaxed slightly, smiling reminiscently as Kitty recalled
their trip back to Muir Island from Dream Nails.  Now, however, the
troubled look was back in his eyes and he let go of her hand.  "So, what's
your point, Pryde?  I should have backed off way back then?"

     Boy, those recent comments from the Professor, Storm and the others
really had rankled.  Kitty had thought she was starting to get through to
him, but apparently she still had a long way to go.  She got up from the
bed, motioning Pete to remain, and went over to the table to get his
half-finished drink.

     She handed him the glass, and Pete took several thirsty swallows,
with a low-voiced "Thanks".  Kitty went into the bathroom next, washed
herself off quickly, wet a towel in cold water, and came back to the bed
with it.  Pete had finished off the drink, and set the glass down on the
bedside table.  She settled back down next to him, and began rubbing his
sweat-soaked skin with the damp cloth.  He lay back, enjoying the cool
moisture, turning over to let her get to both sides, then stretching out
with a sigh. She dropped the towel on the night-table, and reached out to
recapture his hand, bringing it up to her mouth for a kiss before replying
"No, of course that's not my point.  Are you going to listen, or not?"

     He pulled his hand away again but, when Kitty started to protest,
he reached over to pat her, saying "Hang on just a sec..."  He got up in
turn, and started rummaging through the pile of clothes on the floor. He
found his cigarettes and lit one, dropping the pack down on the bedside
table.  He took his glass over to the cabinet, got out another glass, and
fixed two fresh drinks.  He brought them over to the bed and handed her
one of the glasses as he lay down again.  He took a few more swallows of
his fresh drink before setting the glass down and turning to face her. 
She sipped at her drink, then set it down.

     Pete reached over to touch her face and hair, then held her hand
again.  "Ok, I'm listenin'..."

     Well, at least he seemed to be relaxing more and more, Kitty
reassured herself, as she continued  "When we got back to the island..."

                       *  *  *  *  *

     When they got back to Muir Island, they were planning to head
directly to Kitty's room, since Pete joked that seeing the mess in his
quarters would scare her off him before he had a chance to demonstrate 
why she should keep him.  Of course, it didn't work out that way.  

     They ran into Brian, Meggan and Kurt as they came into the building. 
Kitty and Pete just had a second to stop holding hands and move apart, as
they heard the ongoing conversation in the hallway when they opened the
door.  The cuts and bruises on Wisdom's face and the dried blood on his
clothes were enough to tell the others something had gone wrong.  Meggan
went off to fetch Moira.  Brian mostly wanted to know if the Runner had
shown any problems, but Kurt demanded to know everything that had happened.

     By unspoken mutual agreement, both Kitty and Pete kept any mention of
personal incidents or feelings out of the story.  It wasn't that they were
ashamed of anything, their feelings just seemed too new and too private to
share with anyone yet.

     Kitty tried to keep the account short, citing Wisdom's injuries as
the reason.  However, when Kurt heard that Black Air was involved somehow
with the Phalanx and the Brood, not to mention the Hellfire Club, he went
into full leader mode and wanted all the details he could get, immediately
if not sooner, complaining she should have reported in from the plane on
the way back.  Kurt was appalled by her description of the Uncreated, an
alien race they had never encountered before, and concerned about the
potential danger those aliens represented to life on earth if loose.

     Moira was much more interested in hearing about Wisdom's encounter 
with Shrine, particularly about the Blood Eagle virus Black Air had
created.  While Kurt kept questioning Kitty, she dragged Pete off to her
lab for an examination, telling him he looked like something the cat
wouldn't bother dragging in, and hoping she could recover some of the
virus from his system for study.  

     While confirming that he had sustained no major damage and collecting
a large number of assorted tissue and fluid samples for later analysis,

Moira treated Wisdom to a lengthy harangue on dragging Kitty into his
problems.  She also wondered audibly why he'd bothered returning to the
island at all instead of going off to join his dubious friends, as she'd
been expecting and hoping he'd do ever since they got back from Genosha.

     Pete had a hard time dodging Moira's repeated questions about exactly
how he had been primed for the virus' attack.  The incidents Shrine had
pulled out of his memories were all intensely personal and painful, and
MacTaggart was the last person he wanted to know such things about him. 
Wisdom also had no intentions at all of sharing with Moira his growing
long-term disillusionment with Black Air's methods and goals, or his
current probable persona-non-grata status with them given his recent
activities at Dream Nails (not to mention that earlier assassination
attempt in London).

     When Kitty had tried to follow Moira and Pete, Kurt had detained her.
He and Brian kept returning to the question of why she had accompanied
Wisdom instead of simply dropping him off in London and being rid of him,
as Brian had expected.  Kitty had to explain how at first she wanted to
keep an eye on Pete because she didn't trust him.  She fudged over later
events by saying she went along to satisfy her growing curiosity about
Black Air's activities, rather than admitting she wanted to help and
protect Pete because she was growing to care about him.

     Just as Kitty was hoping to get away from the inquisition, Kurt

insisted she come to the communications suite and repeat the entire story
for the Professor.  Some of the X-men had encountered the Brood years ago,
while Kurt and Kitty had been active members, and all of them had recently
battled the Phalanx together.  It turned out that the Professor had just
heard about the Uncreated from Lilandra, about their attack upon the
Shi'ar empire and their defeat by the Starjammers.  There was also a lot
of speculation on the possible relationship between the Hellfire Club in
London, which appeared to have some connection with Black Air, and the
Club in New York, which the X-men had fought repeatedly over the years.  

     Moira joined them after a while, which led in turn to a prolonged
discussion on the Blood Eagle virus, its possible uses and potential
countermeasures.  Pete didn't come into the communications room with her
and, when Kitty asked about him, Moira just shrugged and said he was ok
and she'd sent him off with a flea in his ear.  The long-distance

conference with Westchester seemed to last for hours, and Kitty finally
escaped only by pleading exhaustion.

                       *  *  *  *  *

     Kitty quickly checked the med lab, just in case, and some of the
other common living areas, all of which were empty, and then headed to her
room, expecting Pete would be waiting for her there.  They had had no real
opportunity to talk together since they had first been intercepted on
their return to the island, but they had been planning to retire to her
room when they first arrived.  However, he wasn't in her room, and there
wasn't any sign he had been.

     Kitty dug around frantically in her closet and dresser, trying to
find something she could change into that would seem, well, enticing (not
to mention grown-up).  About all she could find besides jeans, sweats and
teeshirts were some nice, warm flannel nightgowns and some nice, cool
cotton sleepshirts.  Somehow, that wasn't quite the image she wanted to
project.  Muffling a curse, she shoved everything back in any which way. 
Then, with a silent apology, she went through some boxes of Rachel's
stuff.  The problem there wasn't finding something revealing, it was
finding something Kitty wouldn't feel too ridiculous in.

     Lockheed joined her where she knelt on the floor surrounded by
Rachel's clothes, sniffing at the discarded piles and warbling softly at
the familiar, long-absent scent and feel of Rachel in her belongings.
Going through her friend's things made Kitty wish yet again that she had
Rachel, or maybe Illyana, to talk to right now, to help her decide if what
was happening between her and Pete was a good thing or not.  

     Kitty had a strong feeling that Ororo definitely would not approve. 
Storm, like most of the X-men, still thought of her as her Kitten, the
innocent young girl who had lived at the mansion during her early teens.
Ororo seemed oblivious to the passage of time since the Morlock massacre,
to Kitty's growing up and away during her time with Excalibur.  Also,
just as Xavier himself, Storm felt strongly about not letting personal
matters or feelings interfere with functioning as an X-man, as witness her
own dilatory and distant relation with Forge.  Kitty thought that Ororo
probably expected Kitty and Colossus to get back together someday like a
nice, traditional fairy tale, but she also thought that Storm might be
just as happy if that reunion were indefinitely postponed, to keep their
duties to the X-men their highest priority.

     However, sitting there surrounded by Rachel's things, Kitty felt she
could hear Ray encouraging her to go for it.  Most of the X-men believed
that Rachel avoided relationships in the present because of all the
traumas she had undergone.  However, Kitty had enough memories from her
experience with the adult Kate Pryde to realize that Rachel's aloofness
was mostly because she had loved Franklin Richards so much in her own time
before coming back in time and losing him, although she'd never discussed
it with Rachel.  And Illyana had certainly not been one to believe in
following the rules or playing it safe, she would have approved of Wisdom
just because no one else did.  Illyana might have hoped Kitty and her
brother would get back together someday, but she had known better than
anyone how deeply Peter's actions had disillusioned Kitty, and had watched
them growing apart over a long time period.  Illyana had wanted Kitty to
be happy, with her brother or without him.

     Most of Rachel's outfits were even more outlandish than Kitty had
remembered, but she did manage to find a beautiful slip and matching wrap,
short and low-cut, apparently never worn, a bit on the conservative side
for Ray but quite daring enough for Kitty.  She also found matching
panties but, after a lengthy internal debate with herself about modesty vs
convincing Pete she was serious about this, she elected to skip those.

     Kitty studied herself in the mirror, and was surprised at how well
the lingerie fit, and how sensuous the clinging silk and lace made her
feel.  She started redoing her usual minimal make-up but, after she
had jabbed herself twice in the eye with the mascara, she looked at the
way her hands were shaking and figured she'd better quit or she'd most
likely just end up looking like a clown, or worse.  She brushed her hair
until it floated in a brown cloud around her, dabbed on some perfume, and
decided that was the best she could do.

     After changing, she puttered around her room for a while, wondering
if she had somehow misunderstood.  Her earlier nervousness was starting to
come back, strongly.  Kitty didn't want to go back out and get caught by
any of her team-mates, especially the way she was dressed, but she really
needed to be with Pete before she went from simple nervousness to either
sheer panic or total paralysis.

     Lockheed hissed at her in disapproval from where he'd been watching
her fidget around the room from one of his customary perches, on top of her
bookcase.  "Thanks for that encouragement, dragon,"  she muttered at him.  
"Look, just stay here and behave yourself, ok?"

     Deciding that waiting any longer wouldn't help any, Kitty went into
the hallway and down to Pete's room.  Considering herself lucky she hadn't
run into anyone on the way, she didn't want to press her luck by knocking
and calling out, so she just phased through the door and into his room.

                       *  *  *  *  *

     The first thing she noticed was that he really had made an
exceptional mess in his room, especially with the relatively short time
he'd been there, and the few possessions he had along.  Dirty glasses,
empty bottles, overflowing ashtrays and wastebaskets, and more cigarette
ashes in dirty dishes.  The bed was unmade, and clothes were scattered
all around.

     Pete was slouched in one of the armchairs, surrounded by a grey
miasma of cigarette smoke.  There was a bottle on the table next to his
chair, and he had a drink in one hand, swirling the liquor around slowly
and looking down into its depths.  She had come in so quietly he didn't
notice her at first.  Kitty stood there for a minute, trying to decide how
best to get his attention.  But she must have made some kind of noise,
because he suddenly looked up.  When he did register her presence, he set
the drink down and made an effort to sit up straighter in the chair.

     She took several hesitant steps forward and stopped again.  Part of
her wanted to run to him, crawl into his lap, wrap her arms around him and
kiss him, picking up where they had left off in the plane.  Another part
wondered if she had misinterpreted everything that had happened earlier,
why he wasn't getting up to come to her and hold her in his arms like
before, whether she was making a complete fool of herself.

     Kitty almost turned around and bolted from the room in a funk.  But,
just before she did, Wisdom reached out his hand to her in an odd,
tentative gesture, as if he sensed her preparing to leave and wanted to
stop her, but wasn't sure whether to or how to.  That aborted little
movement was enough to make up Kitty's mind for her.

     She came up the rest of the way to him, and reached out to take his
hand.  He still sat there, looking at her, but his hand tightened on hers.
Kitty smiled at him and said  "I thought we had a date back at my place,
but if you prefer yours, that's fine with me..."

     Wisdom got up suddenly and jerked his hand free.  Walking away a
short distance and looking away from her, he said "I looked for you...  
I thought you changed your mind, you were avoiding me by stayin' with the
others..."

     "I kept trying to get away, but I couldn't tell them why, and anyway
you could have joined us."

     "Not bloody likely, after MacTaggart's sermon, not to mention
everyone asking why you bothered bringin' me back..."  Still not looking
at her, he continued  "I heard you tellin' the others you only went with
me to keep an eye on me, because you didn't trust me...  Did you bring me
back here just so you all could keep an eye on me?"

     Oops, Kitty thought, she hadn't thought about the chance of his
overhearing, especially that part.  "Well, what did you expect, I was
going to tell them I went with you because I was falling in love with you
and wanted to be with you?  I kinda thought I should tell you that first,
but if you really think I should go tell the others instead..."  Her voice
trailed off, as she realized what she had just blurted out.

     Wisdom had turned around now, but was still keeping his distance. 
Staring intently at her, he asked  "Are you?"

     "Am I what?"

     "Are you falling in love with me?"

     Kitty could feel herself blushing furiously, and her desire to bolt
returned stronger than before.  Taking a deep breath, she started to turn
away, saying  "Could we just forget this whole thing, please?  Or would
you rather I just die of mortification right here on the spot?"

     Before she could turn away, however, Pete had covered the distance
between them and taken her in his arms, and was kissing her.  Kitty
stiffened again momentarily in startlement, but then mentally kicked
herself to relax, this was what she had wanted all along.  As he continued
to hold her and kiss her, she could feel the warmth from his chest and
arms through the thin silk much more than she had been able to through her
costume on the plane, and feel his legs pressed against hers.  He had
slipped one arm under the wrap and that hand was caressing her bare back
above the low-cut slip.  Her arms were around his back, her hands running
up and down from his waist to his shoulders.  That bulge in the front of
his pants that she had first felt pushing against her buttocks in the
plane was now pressing into her in an even more sensitive place, and
recreating that same feeling of combined anticipation and trepidation she
had had then.  Yes, this was very definitely what she wanted. 

     Wisdom lifted his mouth from hers and said, smiling  "So, you still
want to forget this whole thing?  Or die right now, and miss this great
opportunity?  It took us a while, but we're finally alone, for as long as
we want, in a nice comfortable bedroom...  messy but comfortable..." 
Kitty figured those were not meant to be serious questions, since he
immediately sealed her mouth with his again before she could answer.

     She was tugging up at the bottom of his shirt, trying to get to his
bare skin.  He let go of her to remove first his tie, then his shirt. 
Reaching out to her again, Pete put his hands on Kitty's shoulders, under
the silk wrap, pushing it off her as he ran his hands down her arms.  He
pulled her against his bare chest, kissing her neck and her shoulder and
the tops of her breasts above the low-cut slip, and then reached down to
run one hand up her leg under the short bottom of the slip until he was
cupping her bare bottom.  

     Wisdom grinned at her again when she jerked back in surprise at that
intimate touch, taking a moment to run his gaze over Kitty appreciatively
and observing  "Nice outfit...  definitely easier to get in and out of
than your fightin' clothes, and easier to get me hands under, too...  
but maybe not quite what I would have figured your style..."

     Kitty was getting really tired of blushing all the time, and she
wondered if Pete meant to make fun of her trying to dress, or undress in
this case, to attract him.  Wearing one of Rachel's outfits didn't give
her Ray's body or Ray's confidence.  Sensing he'd made her self-conscious
again, even though he wasn't sure exactly how or why, Pete hugged her to
him, hard, and kissed her again, then leaned back again and assured her 
"You look fantastic...  You feel fantastic, too..."

     He led her over to the armchair and, setting himself down, pulled her
onto his lap.  "Now, where were we, before we got sidetracked?"

     Kitty looked at him in surprise, and asked  "Aren't we going to go to
bed?"

     Pete nuzzled at her neck, his persistent stubble tickling her skin. 
He was running one hand up and down her bare leg, his fingers brushing the
softer skin on the inside of her thigh, then coming up under the slip to
caress her hip.  His other hand reached around her back to cup her breast,
fingers rubbing at the nipple through the thin silk.  He rocked back for a
minute, and asked her  "Why the rush?  Ain't you enjoyin' this?"

     "Don't be an idiot, this is wonderful...  But I thought...  You said
it didn't matter..."  Her voice trailed off again, as she couldn't think
of any way to ask him what she wanted.

     "No, I said it did matter.  Because I want to be sure your first time
is special, just like you are."  Pete tightened the arm he had wrapped
around her waist, and then continued  "Listen and learn, grasshopper... 
("Not another lecture, not now", she groaned.)  There are lots of ways of
makin' love -- fast and slow, rough and gentle, straight and kinky,
standing up or sitting or lying down, in bed or on planes or in all kinds
of other places...  We'll try them all, and decide what we like best... 
But I'm an old-fashioned bloke, I want your first time to be slow, and
easy...  I want you to enjoy it, to enjoy us...  It'll hurt some, I can't
help that, but the longer you warm up the easier it'll be, I hope...  
And I want to go slow for me too, to have time to enjoy you..."

     He held her to him with the arm he had around her back, while he
reached over with his other hand to pick up his abandoned drink and take a
few swallows.  Setting the drink back down, he reached up to stroke her
face and slip his hand around her neck so he could kiss her again, running
his tongue into and around her mouth for a long time as his fingers
continued to tease her nipple.  If she had thought about it ahead of
time, Kitty would have expected the lingering taste of the liquor in his
mouth and on his tongue to be a turnoff, especially combined with the
smell of cigarette smoke in his hair and clothes, an odor which she 
normally disliked.  Instead, she found the scent and the taste of him
combining with the feel of his body into a unique flavor that she welcomed
and wanted because it now meant Pete to her.

     "You really think I need that much warming up?"  Kitty asked him as
he returned to kissing her neck and the tops of her breasts above the
slip.  She gasped and arched her back as he ran his hand inside the silk
to caress her, feeling his warm, roughened palm stroking her bare breasts.
Pushing the slip down to her waist, he leaned over and took the erect
nipples in his mouth, first one side and then the other.  Pete licked at
and sucked on her nipples for some time, as his hand supported each breast
in position for his attentions.  Her breasts were small and firm, and he
thought to himself that they fit his hand perfectly.

     Wisdom couldn't resist the tempting idea that had popped into his mind
at her last question.  He leaned back from Kitty a little, reveling in 
the look of her flushed face and tousled hair, and replied  "Y're right,
y'know, maybe you need some coolin' down, instead..."  He reached over and
dipped his fingers into his drink, then wiped the liquid off on her
nipples.  She gasped again, this time at the cool feel of the liquid
evaporating off her skin.  Pete watched in delight as her nipples crinkled
up even more, then licked off the remaining drops of liquor as he returned
to sucking her breasts at the same time he resumed running his hand in
long smooth strokes gliding over her leg and hip and buttock.

      Kitty was squirming around in his lap now, the slip riding up high
on her hips.  "You're doin' remarkably well, for a beginner..."  Pete
chuckled, as he reached down and pulled the slip up and over her head,
dropping it on the floor, leaving her naked.  He ran his hands up and down
her bare back and buttocks, over her hips, and around to caress her
breasts again, then ran one hand down her stomach and between her legs as
he held her with his other arm.  He felt her legs opening to welcome his
touch, and thought to himself that she was indeed warming up nicely.  Then
he slipped one arm under her legs and the other around her back, and stood
up with her in his arms.

                       *  *  *  *  *

     Pete carried her over to the bed and laid her down gently.  She was
lying on her side, her legs slightly bent.  She looked so vulnerable lying
there, a beautiful child-woman.  His eyes lingered lovingly on her naked
body, then he lowered his body down on hers, full-length, kissing her
deeply.  Kitty thrust up against him in reflex.  Then he lifted up on his
hands and knees.  She started to rise up to follow him, but he pushed her
shoulders back down on the bed, murmuring  "Just relax, lay back, let me
do all the work this time..."  Pete started kissing her down her body
again, starting up at her neck, down the valley between her breasts and
further down to her stomach, lingering once again on sucking her breasts.  

     She held him to her, running her hands up and down his back.  Wisdom
reveled in her touch, in the taut, silky feel of her firmly muscled body, 
the electric softness of her skin, the warmth and fullness of her lips. 
He wanted her so much he ached.  He had never thought he could feel that
way about anyone.  And he wondered if she felt the same way about him.

     He could feel her spreading her legs again, responding to the warmth
beginning to spread from deep in her center.  Things were going so well
Pete was really tempted to jump ahead to the inevitable conclusion.  But
he reminded himself that perhaps the reason that things were going so well
because he was trying so very hard to be careful and sensitive and go very
slowly and gently, so maybe he'd better continue the same approach.  He
thought to himself that it was fortunate for him that Kitty didn't have
any experience, because that meant she really didn't know how to speed
things up.  He was enjoying her responses and her disjointed comments
urging him on, but that wasn't quite enough to make him lose control. 

     Kitty felt Pete lifting himself off her again.  Waiting impatiently
to see what would happen next, she was surprised to hear him telling her
turn over.  He straddled her legs as he stroked and kneaded her back, a
massage that aroused her more than it relaxed her, then lay down upon her
to bury his face in the silky scented mass of her hair, and to kiss and 
lick her shoulders and back, always moving downward.  As he got down to
her waist, he again sat back.  Pete kissed the back of each of her legs in
turn, starting behind her knees and moving up, which tickled and made her
giggle and squirm again.  He massaged her buttocks, small and firm like
her breasts, noting how well they fit his hands also.  Pete kissed her
buttocks lightly and quickly, afraid she might be shocked or upset by more
serious attention there, promising himself he'd return to that area in a
future session and resolve that concern, sometime very soon.

     Pete slapped Kitty on her bottom lightly, and told her to turn over 
again.  He leaned down to run his tongue around her navel, and felt her 
spreading her legs again, still in unconscious response.  He pushed her 
legs up and apart, and sat back on his heels between them to leave a trail
of kisses up her inner thighs.  He pushed her legs further apart and 
licked at and sucked on her lower lips, thrusting his tongue in deep 
within her, finding and licking at her clitoris, learning the flavor of 
her.  As he'd worried about her reaction to his kissing her buttocks, 
Pete wondered briefly if Kitty would accept this oral sex or be turned 
off by it, but he quickly discovered he needn't have worried.  She was
writhing and panting at his touch, grasping at his hair, all she could
reach, twisting around and attempting to draw him even closer to her.

     Wisdom pulled free, got up and quickly shed the rest of his clothes. 
Kitty had cried out a wordless complaint when he released her and stood
up, but when she saw what he was doing, she smiled in anticipation.  But
then her eyes widened as she got her first look at him naked and aroused,
and he saw her body tense, trying to imagine what would happen next.  

     Seeing him hesitate as she flinched, Kitty held out her arms to him
and pleaded  "Please, Pete, I need you to come hold me, love me..."

     Wisdom couldn't hold back any longer, couldn't resist Kitty's
proffered body or her pleading words.  He had done all he knew to make her
ready.  Again, he lowered his body down on hers, but now with nothing left
as a barrier between them.  He slid one arm under her back to hold her to
him and kissed her again, first her mouth, then her breasts.  Still sucking
on one breast, he reached down to spread her legs apart further, and then
pushed his finger up into her, causing her to cry out.  She was open and
wet inside, and began moving on his finger as he thrust it into her in a
slow and even rhythm.  He pulled his hand away and, as she arched up to
maintain that contact, thrust himself into her with a deep-throated groan.
Kitty cried out again, calling Pete's name, clutching at his arms as he
braced himself above her.  She was tense again, bearing him within her but
wincing at the stretching, the penetration.  

     He paused to whisper to her  "I love you, Kitty..."  Hearing him
through the pain, Kitty wrapped her arms around him tightly, kissing him,
holding him to her.  She wanted him clo to maintain his slow strokes, Kitty's own
movements became increasingly more frantic.  Pete had dreamed of Kitty in
orgasm, but had not dared hope he could succeed in bringing her off on her
first time.  Now, he found the reality even more exciting than his dream,
and could relax and let himself go, to climax almost immediately with her.

     They lay entangled for a brief time, both sweaty and sticky.  Wisdom
was exhausted and tempted to just fall asleep, but he wanted to finish as
he'd begun, trying to take proper care of Kitty.  He rolled off her,
pausing to kiss her lightly as she reached after him, saying "Hang on just
a sec..."  He went into the bathroom and washed himself off, and came back
to the bed with a wet facecloth.  He wiped Kitty down with the damp cloth,
watching with pleasure as she turned and stretched to enjoy the cool
moisture on her hot skin.  Pete threw the towel in a corner and got back
into bed, taking Kitty back in his arms.  She cuddled up to him, kissing
him, murmuring  "I love you, Pete Wisdom"  as they drifted off to sleep.

                       *  *  *  *  *

     "Well, Pryde, that's a great bedtime story...  just about put me to
sleep..."  Wisdom was stretched out comfortably now, on his side, one hand
supporting his head, the other running casually over Kitty's body wherever
he could reach easily.  She was pleased to see his troubled look had faded
as she reminisced.

     "I do pride myself on my bedtime fairy tales, thank you very much... 
The point is, Pete, can you tell me which particular part of that time you
think you took advantage of me?  I came to you, I wanted you, just as much
as you wanted me.  The only difference was your experience.  You knew
exactly what it was you wanted, maybe I didn't.  But I wanted you just as
much after we were done as I did before..."

     "Yeah, you sure did, considerin' how we stayed in bed and, y'know,
did it over and over next day."  He leered at her.  She blushed, and
punched him in the side lightly.

     Kitty continued, in a more serious tone,  "In fact, with the benefit
of my current, much greater experience, all thanks to you, of course, I'd
say you do the exact opposite.  You always try so hard to make sure that
I'm satisfied, that I'm happy...  You should sometimes let me worry about
satisfying you for a change.  I wouldn't mind that, I'd like to do that
for you.  Remember the grasshopper lesson you read me back then?  You told
me that there were lots of different ways of making love, and that we'd
try all of them.  Maybe we should add 'selfish' to your list.  It's ok for
you to sometimes be a little selfish or needy, like just now..."

     "Come on, Pryde, I need you all the time...  That's the problem..."

     "I don't see that as a problem."  She smiled, snuggling closer to him.
"And I hope we never solve that problem."

     "It is if it makes me do dumb things,"  he answered seriously, 
"because I'm afraid of losin' you, to the X-men, to that lurking Russian."

     "You are a dummy, if you're still worried about that..."  The
resulting kiss put a halt to conversation for quite a few minutes, but
Pete couldn't give up his anxiety easily.

     "So, are you going to obey Xavier?  Can you disobey him, even if you
want to?"  Normally, Pete would trust Kitty implicitly in any situation,
trust her judgement, her self-confidence, her abilities, but he still had
horrible visions of Xavier using his mental powers to coerce Kitty into
obeying him.

     Kitty was amused at his continued concern.  He was far more worried
about her confronting one elder, crippled man, than he'd ever been worried
about her in fights against seemingly overwhelming odds.  Of course, Xavier
was arguably one of the most powerful men on earth, but he was supposedly
also her teacher and mentor.  "Hey, after going up against characters like
Loki or the Beyonder, the Professor isn't that intimidating."

     Every time Pete thought he'd gotten the conversation under control, it
took another unexpected twist.  "Loki?"

     "You know, Thor's brother, the Norse god of evil... well, the god of
trickery and deceit, really... up in Asgard..."  Kitty had no idea whether
Pete knew anything about Norse mythology.

     "You faced a god?"  Pete propped himself up on an elbow to give her a
skeptical look.  He knew Kitty had lived through an amazing number of
incredible experiences in an unbelievably short time, he really did, but 
she still managed to surprise him with the things she'd drop in casual
conversation.

     "You betcha...  See, he'd kidnapped Storm, back when she lost her
powers, and bewitched her and wanted to make her the new goddess of
thunder, in Thor's place, you know, so he could take over Asgard, and the
New Mutants went to rescue her, and the X-men went to rescue the New
Mutants...  Well, it's another long story, I'll tell you the whole thing
some other time..."  It was getting really late, and Kitty had no intention
of beginning another history lesson.

     "Loki.  Right..."  Pete was looking stunned again.  "Who was that
other guy you mentioned...  No, never mind, I don't really want to know. 
The important thing is, what do we do now?  The X-men are your friends,
your family...  I'll go along with whatever you want."  Pete held Kitty
cradled in his arms, both of them exhausted from the long day but unable
to sleep until some resolution was reached.

     "I guess I'll have another session with the Professor tomorrow, and
see if I can get through to him.  If not, then we'll leave, because there
would be no point in staying.  We'd both be miserable, but with no gain. 
We can go back to Muir Island, ahead of the others, or maybe take a trip
by ourselves someplace.  The important thing is, we'll be together."

     And, with that answer, Pete Wisdom could fall asleep content.

                       *  *  *  *  *

Continued in Part 4  Confrontations
Early the next day, it's Kitty vs Xavier, round 2, and Pete vs Storm











