Well folks, here's the prelude to my next bit of Excalibur fan fiction, Spiral Chase. This is basically the bridge between Spiral Chase and my previous story, Reunions. I'm not sure when I'll get to the next part, but hopefully it will be soon. Joe ***** _Face it, Kitty, you've lost another one._ Kitty Pryde stabbed a cucumber slice with a viciousness it didn't really deserve. After all, it wasn't her fault that the guy she had her eye on was falling for Rachel. Again. Mark Writhson sat across the table from her, staring at his own salad. "So, how have you been?" Kitty ventured. "I haven't seen you since that day...with Peter." "Yeah," Mark said, barely glancing up. "I...figured you'd need some time to yourself. That..wasn't a good time." "No, it wasn't." They lapsed into silence again. After a moment, the door to the Women's room opened, and Rachel bounced out. "Sorry," Rachel said, sitting down after working her way back to the table. Mark looked up at her and smiled...was that _relief_ in his expression?! Kitty fumed, her jaw locking shut with an audible click of teeth. -What's wrong, kiddo?- Rachel sent telepathically, as she began pratteling to Mark about something. Kitty didn't even bother to turn her emotions into words, she just sent a wave of anger/dissapointment/loneliness/resentment/forgivnessforrachel/resignation through the mental link to her friend. Rachel sputtered into her drink and let out a quick burst of laughter. "Sorry," she said to Mark. "Strange thought process." "Right," Mark said, glancing at Kitty. -Oh, come on Kit. Even you've had enough armchair psych to recognize a desire supression complex in its inital stage. I mean, you had to deal with it for long enough with Peter.- Mentally, Kitty slapped herself. -Hey, watch where you're sending those things,- Rachel sent. -But seriously, why do you think I stood around in the bathroom so long. It certainly wasn't to admire the decor.- -I'm an idiot,- Kitty thought. -I'm dense, I'm blind, I'm-- - -You're befuddled. Most people are in the first stages of an attraction. Don't worry about it. That's what I'm here for, to set you straight. But still, I didn't think I had too. He's practically broadcasting it, in his body language _and_ his thoughts.- -_Rachel!_ You did _not_ go rooting around his mind for that information!- -No I didn't,- Rachel sent, while making some little comment that put Mark in stiches. Kitty really envied her ability to have two conversations at once. -I didn't even do a surface scan. Well, maybe a couple :) But seriously, I have trouble screening him out sometimes. It's like he's broadcasting to me. But enough of this girl, get to work!- Lunch went a bit faster after that, although Kitty didn't quite have the boldness that the mental image Rachel sent with her last statement implied. * * * -Well,- Kitty thought to herself -at least I was able to talk to him through the rest of lunch, and not clam up in frustration every time he looked uncomfortable.- Kitty leaned back against the tree on the London streetside, watching the people go by. "So how have you been, Mark. Real answer this time." Behind her, Mark snickered softly. They had lost Rachel to yet another botique, and the two of them had decided to wait outside. "OK, really. Life on the base is strange, with my dad away on another of his diplomatic missions. But other than that, things are normal. Taking a couple courses at University to keep my hand in, but nothing catches my attention. You?" "Oh, the usual. Saving the universe, stopping the bad guys. Crying a lot." "He's very important to you, isn't he?" Mark asked, from the other side of the tree. "He....he was. I don't know anymore. It used to be he was my center. But, after the X-Men "died"...I don't know. It hurt for a while. But I moved on. I guess I fell for Alistare cause he was safe, as well as cute. I knew I'd never--" "Wait a minute, Kit, you're losing me. Alistare?" "An old friend of ours. He's working with the Warpies as they get used to the loss of the Matrix energies. Haven't seen him in a while." "Right." "Any way, even once we knew the X-Men were alive, and once Peter got dragged back from New York by the Shadow King...we never even talked, more than once or twice. And now....I don't know what we have left. I don't know if there's any chance of us ever feeling the same way for each other. He'll always be important to me, but I've decided I'm not going to spend my life wondering. Until he decides to come back from Avalon..._if_ he decides to," Kitty said the words like they were a painfull admission, "I'm not going to worry about what our relationship could be. I need to get on with my life." She'd decided all this a couple days ago, but it felt good to finally say it. It made it irrevocable, in a way. "I'm glad to hear _that_," Mark muttered. "What was that?" Kitty asked, working hard to keep the smile on her face out of her voice. She'd heard him perfectly. "I...said I'm glad to hear that," he said, the different inflection changing the meaning of his statement. But Kitty didn't doubt either version. -Kitty, come here! And bring Mark!- "Come on," Kitty said, standing. "Miss Quick Change wants our opinions." The two moved into the boutique, and found Rachel standing in the back. She was holding up two dresses, one black strapless thing that didn't look like it would come down to her knees, the other a slinky red evening gown that looked to be cut all the way down the back. And she was wearing an indecent green thing that looked like a combination of the two. "What do you think?" "Wow," Mark said. "Thank you, Mark, but not terribly helpful. Which one should I buy?" "Why do you bother buying any of them?" Kitty muttered. "Just put the things on, 'feel' them with your TK, and recreate them at your leisure." -True, Kiddo, but then they don't let you come back. Besides, buying things is just such a thrill.- "Well, Mark, I can't decide, and Kitty's voiced her opinion, looks like it's up to you." Mark's eyes looked like they were having trouble focusing. "Umm, I don't know...the black one I think." "Black it is." The fire of the Phoenix force flared, covering the green dress on her body and the pile of her own clothes just visible in the changing room. When it died away, she was dressed in the light blouse and jeans she had worn in, and the green dress was on a hanger in the same hand as the red evening gown. Rachel turned and started up the aisle to the register. Mark stared as she went. "Wow, she just...transformed the clothes..." "I know how you feel," Kitty said. "Rae's a great friend, but even I get scared by the way she just bends reality sometimes." "Yeah." The two walked to the front of the store, where Rachel was talking to the saleswoman. "Matching stockings and garter belt? Where?" But the sounds of a growing commotion outside diverted Kitty. "She went this way!" a voice cried, which was about two octaves too high to be that rough. "Oh no." The woman in the doorway stopped and screamed. She tried to dart to the side, but was too late--a figure ran between her legs, small claws ripping a hole in her skirt to let their owner through. "See, I told ya!" More figures pressed around the woman in the doorway. Some flew over her. They were all about three feet tall, and wore some rather outdated costumes. "Oh no," Kitty said again. One of the figures in the air stepped forward, her long black cape trailing behind her, the all-white eyes looking just a serene as those of the woman's the emulated. "We are sorry to be so abrupt, Katherine, but we need your help. We have to rescue Rita!" Rachel, Mark, and the others in the shop looked on, amazed. Kitty just looked stunned. "Oh no," she said again. The X-Babies had returned. *****