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 <luba@lubakmetyk.net>

Epilogue

It was really late, long past midnight. Their internal clocks still somewhat confused by the recent trip across the Atlantic with its very noticeable time change, Pete had woken up in the middle of the night, unable to get back to sleep, and his restlessness had roused Kitty in turn, which inevitably led to some gentle and reassuring lovemaking after the stresses and strains of a full day visiting with the X-men.

After a few moments to recover, however, they were both still wide awake, and hungry to boot. Their meals during the day had been sporadic and dinner in particular had been quite unsatisfying, with the various confrontations occurring damping their appetites considerably. So they headed down to the deserted kitchen to see what they could scrounge.

Too lazy to get completely dressed at this late hour, Wisdom had pulled his pants on but was bare above the waist, since Kitty had simply pulled on Pete's shirt as a robe, using his discarded tie as a belt.

Kitty had happily raided the refrigerator, reminiscing to Pete about similar raids during her student days at the mansion, living on snacks while studying with Illyana. She found an assortment of vegetables and a thawed steak, all of which Wisdom started chopping up as soon as she found him the various tools and implements needed. They were planning to make a stirfry, one of the few dishes on which they'd worked out a compromise, putting in lots of extra meat that Pete got as his fair share, while Kitty was happy with mostly vegetables.

While he was chopping up ingredients quickly, Kitty leaned on the counter next to him, smiling up at him and saying, "Well, I think today went really well. You got on better terms with several of my old friends, with Betsy and Rogue, especially, and Scott and Jean too, it seems, and maybe some of the others... And even Storm apologized, she said welcome you, and us being together..." She ignored his muttered snort of "Yeah, pull the other one, it's got bells on..." as she went on happily, "and we had some really great times together today, too, just the two of us, just like always..."

Pete found her usual bubbly enthusiasm raising his spirits as always, even while he didn't take as positive a view of the day as she did, unable to shake the memory of his encounter with Xavier. But he wouldn't ruin Kitty's mood with his vague forebodings, so he just smiled back at her as she continued chattering away to finish up with, "I'm glad you're making so much. I want you to eat a hearty snack now, get your strength back for another session."

He looked over at her, raising an eyebrow skeptically. "Wot, again? Don't take this wrong, love, I'm well chuffed to have you so eager for me special services, but just how much do you want in one flamin' day?"

"But it's not today anymore, it's tomorrow by now, so we start from scratch," she riposted smoothly. "Besides, it's to help me win a bet."

Pete stopped his cooking preparations and stared at Kitty. "What?!"

Kitty had an innocent look on her face, and was trying hard not to laugh at him. "Meggan and I bet that, if she wins, I have to teach her all about computers and using them to surf the Internet and post to Usenet and navigate the World Wide Web and stuff like that and, if I win, she has to buy me a brand new computer workstation, with my choice of really great state-of-the-art hardware and software. Well, it would really be Brian buying it, of course, but he can afford it..."

Pete interrupted her, with a stunned look on his face. "And to get this brand-new, super-duper computer, you an' Meggan bet what?!"'

Kitty couldn't keep the giggles in anymore. "I bet her we'd make love more than they do, and obviously she bet they would more..."

Pete was speechless, but only for a moment. "An' how the bloody hell are you goin' to know who wins?"

Kitty grinned at him. "We're going to keep notes, of course, and compare, and we both trust each other not to fib or cheat. Now, I agree, we certainly wouldn't trust you or Brian to keep score..."

Pete resumed chopping ingredients viciously. "That's the most ridiculous thing I've ever 'eard. If you want that soddin' computer so much, I'll just buy you one, an' you tell Meggan to forget that stupid bet..."

Kitty was laughing at him, and shaking her head. "Oh, no, it'll be much more fun this way, trust me. What's wrong, you worried about losing? I'm not, I'm sure we'll win."

Pete interrupted again. "First, what's all this "we'll win"" stuff? I don't want a bloody new computer, you'll just spend all your time playin' with it instead o' with me. Second, I thought the point of this trip was to just relax an' have a fun vacation with your old friends, an' a really fun time I'm having here, too..."

Now it was Kitty's turn to interrupt. "Are you seriously trying to tell me that having a woman want you to make love to her all day and night, whenever you want and as many times as you can, isn't your idea of a perfect vacation? You weren't planning on us doing any fooling around anytime during this visit?"

That made Pete pause, and a reluctant grin began to appear on his face. "Now that you mention it, that does sound like my idea of heaven on earth... so long as it's you, of course, an' not just any old woman..."

"Hah!" Kitty snorted at that really subtle compliment.

Pete continued, still with a wide grin. "But I don't know, knowin' how much me performin' means to you could make me nervous..."

Kitty just snorted at him again. "Nothing could make you that nervous. I told you, I'm positive we'll win. After all, Brian's really nice, but he's only human. Well, otherworldly, but you know what I mean... You, on the other hand, may be a louse, but you're also a super mutant sex fiend. I learned that our first day together after getting back from Dream Nails."

Pete plastered an injured look on his face. "Wot, have you got any complaints you ain't been tellin' me?"

Kitty had to laugh again. "No, I'm just telling you why I'm sure I'll win this bet. And I'll show you why I'm so sure..."

Kitty unknotted his tie which she was using as a belt, and the unbuttoned shirt fell open. Pete gazed appreciatively at the view, his cooking forgotten, as Kitty approached him slowly, hips swaying and breasts gently bouncing. She stopped just in front of him and looped the tie around his neck, pulling him to her.

Pete's arms came around Kitty. He lifted her as he kissed her, and bore her back against the tabletop. Wisdom started working his way down her body, kissing her neck, lingering on her breasts and moving down her stomach to between her legs, his stubble as always tickling her skin. She was open, wet and ready, aroused just by the conversation. He pulled her off the table and down to the floor as she grabbed his pants to phase them off him. She pushed him over so he was flat on his back as she straddled him. Wisdom was fully erect and Kitty mounted him eagerly. They were just beginning an accelerating rhythm when a piercing scream went off, sounding like it was just next to their ears.

It was. It was the smoke alarm in the kitchen, reacting to the neglected stirfry which had begun merrily burning while Pete and Kitty had become distracted. They scrambled apart, and tried to find something to douse the fire and some way to turn off the alarm. They just were getting things under control when the others started bursting into the kitchen, half-awake and half-dressed but ready for battle with whatever foe might have attacked.

THE END (kissing the ground in thanksgiving for getting here)