Disclaimer: Those things that are Marvel belong to them. This is how things should have been handled instead of having Piotr decide that Pete Wisdom's face needed to be rearranged. Which it does, but only by a professional. Questions, comments? I can be reached at Don2530825@aol.com

Pete Wisdom was enjoying life for a change. He had a girlfriend who while younger than him could handle herself better than anyone he had ever met. She also could handle his typical demeanor. Or at least the one he normally showed the world. So what if her last serious boyfriend had been some Russian plonk? He was out in space playing lackey to Magneto's outfit. All in all, life was, if not good, looking better.

Piotr Nikoleivitch Rasputin was tired. He had come a long way. From the reaches of space, to New York, to here. It had taken the last of the money he had on him to get the fisherman to take him to Muir Island. All he wanted to do was see Kitty and Kurt. Then get some sleep. And start over.

It was a shock then when he came to where the buildings were and he saw Kitty kissing a short, dirty, scruffy looking man who smoked. Several emotions played through Piotr's head. Rage at Kitty's betrayal. But then, he knew it was not the first time that either had betrayed the other. Jealousy at the fact that Kitty had a relationship. When none of the ones he had ever had, except with Callisto when he was Peter Nicholas, ever seemed fated to last. But perhaps if he had tried harder to make them work, he wouldn't be where he was.

Then came acceptance. Kitty seemed happy. If Kitty did not like this man that had kissed her, she would have force-fed him his testicles. Then she would have gotten angry. He knew that he had to be better than the man he had once been. So he swallowed his rage and jealousy, and accepted that Kitty had moved on.

Piotr knew that the two had had a rocky friendship. He hoped that since they could no longer be lovers, then they could be friends. But first, he had to deal with this... creature Kitty was apparently dating. Some universal truths had to explained to this man. And Piotr Nikoleivitch Rasputin was the one to do it.

Pete wanted to go in. It was getting cold and the warmth from the whiskey he had had earlier was wearing off. Besides, he was out of cigarettes. Then he felt the presence of someone behind him. Turning he saw a man taller and more heavily muscled than that uptight git, Braddock.

"Excuse me, you were kissing Katya earlier, da?" the man asked Pete. Pete immediately noticed the Russian accent.

"Oh bugger. Oi'm a dead man." Pete whispered.

"I will take that to mean yes. I am Piotr Nikoleivitch Rasputin. You may call me Piotr. Who are you, little man?" All the time Piotr had been talking, he had been walking closer and closer to Pete Wisdom. All Pete could see now was Piotr's very broad chest.

"Pete Wisdom, mate. Not so glad to meet ya."

"Has Kurt told you what will happen if you harm Katya?"

"Him and that plonk, Braddock."

"Brian is back? That is good. They gave you a warning. Excellent. Allow me to add my own personal note to it. If you harm Katya in any way, I will..."

Pete interrupted. "Oi know, mate you'll kill me."

"Nothing of the sort. As I was saying.... Wait, perhaps a visual aid would be of more use in this matter." Piotr reached down and picked up two round stones, each about the size of a plum. Placing them both in his hand, Piotr then changed to his steel form.

"Allow me to start again. If you harm Katya, then imagine these two stones as your scrotum." Piotr then clenched his fist. With his other hand, he gently opened Pete's hands, made him cup them and then poured the rock dust into them. Pete's eyes got very big as his face got even whiter. No mean feat, that.

"Are we clear on this? Or do I have to find more visual aids?"

"Crystal clear, mate."

"Good. You want to show me where the others are at?"

"Roit this way."

Kitty knew something was wrong. Pete was in danger. She knew she had to get to him now.

As she got up and went to the door it opened. Pete was standing there. He didn't look good. He looked like he was going to vomit and then keel over and die. Actually, he looked about normal for him.

"Kitty, this... chap says he's a friend of yours." Pete told her, while moving to the side to allow the man standing behind him into the room.

"Hello, Katya."

"Hello, Piotr."

"I met your friend here. He seems... nice. Is there a place I can get some sleep? I've been awake ever since I left New York."

"Sure, Piotr. Follow me."

Kitty showed him to a spare room. "It isn't much at the moment. If you stick around, maybe we can get some of your things out of storage at the Mansion."

"Thank you. This will be fine. Will you stay for a moment, Katya? We need to talk."

"Piotr, please don't call me Katya."

"I... see. Ka... Kitty, when we saw each other last I thought that you and I could...."

"Take up where we left off? No, Piotr. The relationship we had is over. I can understand why you felt as you did. Your family died in the span of a month. Professor Xavier had you on a mission when Illyana was sick and you weren't there when she died. You had no closure with her. The whole month was a great shock for you. You had no time to adjust. Just one of those things would break most people."

"True. Kitty, we may no longer be able to have a relationship. I can see that is for the best. I would like to keep you as a friend. I have very few left."

"Piotr, we never stopped being your friends. You just stopped coming to us for help."

"Thank you, Kitty. I need to sleep now. You may want to tell the others I am here. I want no accidents to occur."

"I'll let them know. By the way, what did you say to Pete?"

"I gave him a visual demonstration of what would happen if he hurt you."

"What did you do?"

"I ground two stones together in my fist."

Kitty smiled. "It is good to see you, Piotr. Good night."

"Kitty, is he... good to you?"

"Yeah." Just like you were. Kitty then left the room.

Just like you were.

END