Disclaimer and notes: The characters all belong
to Marvel, except for Adrian St. Simon, who belongs to me, and I'm not
making any money on this story so please don't sue. I want to thank Luba
for her all her help reviewing and archiving my stories, and I also want
to give my love to my lovely wife, Michelle. This is the last part of "Reunions."
The story will continue in the upcoming "Beginnings Anew." No MST'ing please.
Popups are ok with permission, and please feel free to archive, just send
me an email first. Feedback is greatly appreciated. Please send to
jsmit104@tampabay.rr.com
After getting out of the shower and drying himself, Adrian wrapped his towel around his waist and tied it. Picking up his scotch, he took a sip and went over in his mind the day's events. On the whole, it had been a busy, but good, day for him. His men were recovering nicely from their injuries, he had successfully recruited Kitty and Pete into British Intelligence and they were going to be his point team in tracking down and putting an end to Van Bock's operation, Kitty's father had been taken care of, and Emma seemed responsive to his proposal. His nose for trouble had told him that much more was going on here, but whatever it was didn't seem to be a threat to national security — it seemed more along the lines of a X-family squabble, and as long as it didn't affect his plans, he was more than happy to stay out of the way and let them handle it among themselves.
Emma's advise about visiting Delia's grave brought up old memories. Slugging down his drink, Adrian took out his wallet and looking at the photo of his dead fiancée, pictured her standing in front of him — her raven hair cut in her usual page boy style, her green eyes sparkling as if she were laughing inwardly at some private joke. He imagined himself caressing her smooth, alabaster skin and hearing her gentle laugh. Pouring himself another drink, St. Simon chugged it down and then, after pulling back the down comforter on his bed and putting on his briefs, he slid into bed and drifted into sleep with Delia's face lingering in his mind.
"Mmmmm...what was that for, love?" Delia smiled as she looked down on Adrian, still recovering from their intensive lovemaking.
"Do I have to have a reason to make love to my lady? Or are you complaining?" Adrian smiled back up at her, running his hand gently up and down her arm.
"Me? Never!" She laughed, then, taking his hand, pressed his palm to her lips and kissed it. A serious look then crossed her face. "You're going away again, aren't you?"
"What makes you think that?" His tone starts joking, and then became serious as he saw the expression on her face. "You're right, love, as usual, I am. How did you know — I was just about to tell you." An apologetic look crossed his face as he finished his remarks.
"Because, Adrian, you always, just before you go away on business, make love to me like this time would be the last time. Is the life of an import-export executive so dangerous?" Her green eyes sparkled with laughter as she smiled gently at her lover.
"You know how dangerous those cheeky executive secretaries can be — seeing as how you're one yourself, you tart!"
"Tart — Huh!" She looked at him with mock outrage, holding her head up high. "I'll have you know that you could never afford me you pompous old git!"
"Well, since I can't buy you with money..." Adrian laughed back at her, and then reached under the bed, "...I guess I'll have to bribe you with something else." He then opened his hand to reveal a small jewelry box. "Here, love." His smile barely hid his nervousness as he placed the box into the open palm of his lover.
Delia opened the box, surprise, shock, and happiness all crossing her face in turn as she saw the gold ring, set with a tasteful, but elegant and expensive, diamond. "Adrian..." She softly stammered as tears started rolling down her eyes. "Is this what I think it is?"
St. Simon looked at Delia, gray eyes staring into green. "Well?" Adrian's looked nervous as he gently laughed. "What do you say — you want to get married?"
Delia looked stunned, and for a brief moment, Adrian feared that she might reject his proposal. However, his fears were soon laid to rest as he saw her eyes sparkle and the tears of joy begin to roll down her cheeks. "Oh, Yes! Adrian!" Delia wrapped her arms around her fiancé and kissed him.
*****
Emma Frost had had a bad day. Putting up with Moira's coffee, then tedious phone conversations with Sean, Jennifer Walters, and Doc Samson had already started to fray her nerves, and then having to deal with Kurt's, Rahne's, Sean's, and Moira's reactions to old-chrome dome's mental game playing had just about stretched the White Queen's patience to the breaking point. The warm bath she had taken after her second call to Sean had helped calm her down some, as did the back and forth between her and Adrian. Emma had always enjoyed sparring with St. Simon; he was one of the few normals who could match her either in scheming or in wit. Slipping into calculating mode, Emma had to admit that his proposition made sense. Her and the school would profit, the 'donation' from British Intelligence would help in buying out Xavier's interest in the school, and the sharing of intelligence data could be crucial in the months ahead. British Intel would come out of it pretty good too. They'd have a reliable base of operations in the US, leads on newly discovered mutants, and a possible mutant recruitment source. It should shape up to be a mutually beneficial relationship — the hard part would be getting Sean to see that — especially the part about dealing with British Intelligence.
Thinking about the problem with Jubilee, Emma decided that it would probably be better to appraise Kitty of the situation and have her talk to her 'sister'. Jubilee would be less intimidated and it would help further the bond between the two of them. If it weren't for the damage caused, the whole thing would have been laughable in its absurdity.
Emma sighed as her mind picked up on the waves of passion coming from Kitty and Pete once again. As if picking up on their lovemaking wasn't bad enough, now she was forced to contend with the growing attraction coming from Nightcrawler and Carol. 'There's something about this place that seems to bring out the amorous in everyone.' As the emotions coming from Kitty and Pete grew more intense, the White Queen tore her sheets off her bed. 'I am not flying solo tonight!' As she put on her robe, she ticked off possible candidates, 'Nightcrawler — No, Carol has him staked out for herself and I don't feel like a confrontation. Adrian — No, neither one of us wants that. It'd ruin all our fun. Besides, he seems to be peacefully dreaming — oh shit — it's about Delia — I hope this doesn't turn into another one of those dreams!' Concern for her friend and sometime rival temporarily filled Emma's mind before she returned to her original train of thought. 'Moira — not a chance, besides, she's probably frigid. Rahne — tempting. I've always liked initiating the new ones. But I better not, her religious upbringing makes it unlikely that I could sway her without powers, and Moira would have a fit if she ever found out. The young hostage, Donna — tempting, but still a little fragile, I'd better pass on her for now — pity, she has such lovely eyes.' Emma then remembered the three men in the infirmary and licked her lips sensuously. 'The one, Sharpe, is in no condition, but I think a telepathic link might at least give him a little night of pleasure. The other two, though, Collins and Harper, should do quite nicely.' Smiling, Emma left her room to go down to the infirmary.
Harper looked across at his friend Collins, who had come down to visit him. "I tell you mate, I ain't ever been so bored in all me bloody life."
Collins nodded at his friend in sympathy. "I know what ye mean, old man. Three gorgeous birds and I can't get near either one of 'em. Wisdom and his chippy spend all their time in her bedroom. The redhead walks around all the time either cryin' or about to cry. Hell, I'd feel like a right heel tryin' to move in on her, I would! An' the flyin' blonde's got eyes only for that blue furred bloke what came in with the Doctor. 'Sides, I 'eard ol' St. Simon say that she used to be a Yank Colonel. That just leaves the other blonde, you know, the mind reader, an' I ain't seen her since we got 'ere."
As Collins finished his statement, Emma walked into the room. Both men looked stunned as they saw her approaching, wearing a white, terry-cloth kimono style bathrobe. The stunned soldiers then heard in their minds a clearly worded command. Don't — say — a — word. Then, their jaws dropped as the beautiful, aristocratic, blonde woman standing before them opened her robe and let it fall to the ground as she walked over to them.
Considerably later, Emma looked down on the gently sleeping forms lying on the hospital beds. Going to the nearby bathroom, she carefully washed herself and then returned. Smiling down on both men, she gently entered their minds and removed all traces of what they had just done from their thoughts, leaving instead, a pleasant, erotic dream in both of their minds. Putting her robe back on, she then quietly left the room, her irritations and frustrations forgotten for now, at least.
*****
Kurt woke up with a start, a loud roaring noise rousing him from his peaceful slumber. It was Carol Danvers, in a deep sleep and snoring so loudly that Kurt had at first thought that they were under attack by some alien menace. Looking up from the comfort of her breasts, he felt the warmth of the woman laying next to him, fully clothed, her lovely blonde hair tousled as she slept. Drinking in her beauty, Kurt laughed inwardly. 'How can someone so beautiful snore so loudly?' Then Nightcrawler remembered what had just recently happened — how Carol, Jean, and Emma had entered his mind and freed him from Xavier's hooks. He remembered how Carol held him as he cried when Mystique had thrown him over the falls, and he remembered how she kissed him and had told him that she was falling for him. Looking at her, he smiled and then snuggled back into her warmth, determined to ignore the noise.
He had just drifted back into sleep, Carol's snores now reduced to the level of even breathing, when both of them were awakened by a loud banging on the door. "Kurt, it's Rahne. It's almost time for our meeting with Reverend Waters — did ye forget?"
Kurt woke up with a start. "Come in Rahne. Danke, I'd forgotten all about it."
Rahne opened the door and came in as Carol was sitting up on the bed, wiping the sleep from her eyes. "Och, Kurt, Carol! A dinnae mean tae interrupt anything!" Her face turned red with embarrassment as she saw the two of them in bed together and caught, thanks to her enhanced senses, a faint wisp of arousal coming from both of them.
Carol gently laughed while Nightcrawler squirmed, "Don't worry, Rahne, you didn't come at a bad time or anything." Laughter then left her voice as she continued. "I just wanted to keep Kurt company after everything that had happened today." She then gave Kurt's hand a gentle squeeze before releasing it and getting out bed, Kurt standing up as well.
"See, Furtop..." Nightcrawler gently laughed. "...both of us are fully clothed, nicht wahr?"
Rahne's embarrassment faded as she realized that she didn't interrupt anything but their sleep. Carol and Kurt looked at each other, and nodded their heads. Turning again towards the young weregirl, Kurt smiled. "Rahne, before we meet the good Reverend, Carol and I have something important to talk to you about. Tell me, Furtop, how do you feel about reforming Excalibur?"
Surprise and delight both warred for dominance inside Rahne, as she looked first at Kurt's grinning face and then at Carol's nod and smile. "You're serious?"
Carol smiled and nodded. "Sure are. Well, kiddo — you in?"
Words escaping her, the only answer Rahne could give was to run up to the two of them and hug them — she wasn't going to be alone any more.
*****
Adrian turned over in his bed as he continued to dream — It was several months later and he was seeing her off to work before he went off on another mission.
They were standing near the entryway to the Tube near the office where Delia worked. "Call me when you get back, you rogue!" Delia laughed as she looked down at her ring and then kissed Adrian good-bye.
"I should be back in a couple of weeks, love. Just think about what you want to do to celebrate my homecoming!" Adrian laughed back and kissed her once again. He stood there watching her as she crossed the street and walked between two parked cars. That's when it happened. The Mercedes behind one of the cars she was walking between exploded. Adrian saw the flash before he heard the explosion and felt the crump and shock from the blast. Steadying himself, he saw the flames and shattered cars and bodies on the pavement. Then his eyes registered the still form of his fiancée, thrown sideways from the explosion on to the torn wreckage of a car, her clothes blown off by the concussive blast, her body covered by broken glass. He rushed towards her twisted body, tears running down his cheeks, and, upon reaching her still form, cradled her head in his arms, mumbling incoherently as the emergency services people rushed to and fro putting out the fires and seeing to the wounded, until they came to him. Two men gently pulled him away from her as other men put her on a gurney and covered her with a sheet. As they covered her head, Adrian woke up and screamed her name.
"DELIA!!" Adrian screamed as he woke, his body wet with perspiration. He flung the covers off his bed and reaching for the half empty glass on the nightstand next to him, hand shaking, he brought the glass to his lips and swallowed the warm scotch, its alcohol burning its way down his throat. "God damn it to hell!" Putting on his pants and a t-shirt, he gave up on sleep for the time being and left his quarters for the nearest bottle.
Adrian staggered to Kitty and Pete's door, carrying a bottle of single-malt scotch pilfered from Dr. MacTaggert's bar in one hand while he banged hard on the door with the other. "Get outta bed, Wisdom! I got some of that mad Scotswoman's good scotch here! Come on now! Open the bloody door! You can shag with your girlfriend all you want later!"
Pete reluctantly broke from paying attention to Kitty's breasts to turn to the door and yell. "Sod off, St. Simon! Go somewhere else, you bloody wanker!"
"I would if I could you bloody sot! I had another one — a bad one!"
Between St. Simon banging on the door and the raised voices, doors began to open. Carol, Kurt, and Rahne poked their heads out of one door to investigate what was happening. Seeing an apparently intoxicated Adrian, Kurt made a move towards him only to be stopped by Carol's hand on his arm. She gently shook her head, "No Kurt. Don't. Pete and I have both gone through this before with him, so has Emma. Come back in and I'll tell you all about it." Carol then turned to the young redhead. "Rahne?"
"Aye, Carol." The younger woman looked up to the newest member of Excalibur.
"Could you please do us a favor and fix some tea? I think we're all gonna need some before long." Carol smiled at Rahne, instantly liking her.
"A'll be glad tae." Rahne knew that the older woman wanted to talk to Kurt alone, but also recognized very quickly that it was going to be a long night.
"Bloody 'ell!" Pete sat up on the bed as Kitty pulled up the sheet to cover herself.
"What's wrong, Pete? Why is Adrian acting like this?" Kitty was totally surprised. Adrian St. Simon had always impressed her as being totally in control of himself. She wondered what could have caused this sort of action out of him.
"Delia." Pete mumbled.
"What?" Kitty barely heard him as he put on a pair of bright yellow shorts with blue polka dots. "Did you say 'Delia'?"
"Yeah. Delia was his fiancée. She was killed in a car bomb several years ago, and he was there and saw it." 'It was about the same time I got into that shite with the Wasp.' Pete remembered. "Sometimes he gets nightmares about it — bad ones." Pete then got up and looked to make sure that Kitty was covered before opening the door. Kitty shivered under the sheets as she remembered going through similar nights when Pete woke up from his nightmares.
"Get your arse in 'ere, St. Simon. You're making a bloody fool o' yourself." Pete grabbed him by the arm and pulled him into the room. Taking the bottle from Adrian's hand, he went to the dresser and taking out three glasses, poured drinks for the three of them. He gave one drink to Kitty, who reached for it gratefully, taking a sip, and another to Adrian before sitting down on the bed and taking a drink from his own glass. "You know MacTaggert's gonna think I swiped her bloody scotch. She'll 'ave me guts fer garters — thanks a lot mate!"
Adrian pulled up a chair and sat down. "Sorry to be such a bother." He seemed to have calmed down some, although his hand still shook as he slugged down his drink. "Haven't had one of those in months. Guess everything that's happened finally caught up with me tonight."
"It's ok, Adrian." Kitty spoke in the same soothing tone she used with Pete when talking him down from one of his nightmares. "Just tell us about her."
As Adrian was about to speak, they heard another knock on the door. "Bloody 'ell. Why don't we just have a party an' invite everyone!?" Wisdom sneered as he got up to open the door. "Who the soddin' 'ell is it now?!"
Carmen Pryde appeared at the door, worry and concern for his daughter etched on his face. "I'm sorry if I came at a bad time..." His eyes took in the scene before him. Pete at the door dressed in a t-shirt and an outrageously loud pair of boxers, St. Simon sitting down on a chair by the bed, looking somewhat the worse for wear, and Kitty lying in bed carefully clutching a sheet to her body. "...but I heard all the commotion and just wanted to make sure everyone was ok."
"It's ok, Dad. Adrian just had a rough night." Kitty looked up at her father, a delicate crimson blush beginning to form on her face.
"Occupational hazard." Carmen heard Pete mutter under his breath.
"Pete?" Kitty decided that it would probably be best for the two men to talk together while she took care of her father. "Why don't you take Adrian off somewhere while I talk to Dad, Ok?"
Picking up on Kitty's plan, Pete nodded. "Sure, luv." Helping his friend up, Pete growled. "Up and at 'em, mate. Let's go find us some place to talk private like. Figure I owe you one for pullin' me out. Come on." After putting on a pair of trousers, Pete grabbed the bottle of scotch and left the room with the still upset St. Simon, deciding that the monitoring room should be a quiet enough place for them to talk.
Kitty then looked up at her father after the two other men had left. "Dad, why don't you meet me in the lounge. I'll be there in a few minutes."
"Ok, Kit." Her father, knowing that the real reason she asked him to leave was so that she could get dressed, then left to spare both him and her further embarrassment.
As the two men walked down the corridor, they saw Emma walking towards them from the direction of the infirmary. Pete gave her a quizzical look as he noted that the ordinarily immaculate White Queen's hair was somewhat in disarray and that her eyes were rather heavy lidded. 'Looks like Emma's had 'erself a night.' Pete filed any comments he might have had away though — he had more important concerns for the moment.
Emma took one look at both of them and immediately sized up the situation without using her powers. "Delia?" Pete simply nodded his head. "Shit. You got him, or do you want help?" Emma took one look at her friend, and for a brief moment, the ice melted. She didn't have to cooperate with Adrian in taking down those IRA moneymen that time, the Hellfire Club didn't really gain much of anything from it — other than the use of a highly trained assassin — she did it as a personal favor for an old friend — and because he was a friend, one of the few that she had, Emma didn't have the heart to simply remove his memories of Delia — even though there were times like this when he suffered. Often she regretted not wiping out those memories when he asked her to, but she knew that the good memories he had of their times together more than compensated for the occasional night like this, so, every time that he asked, her answer was always the same — no.
Pete favored Emma with a rare warm smile. "It's alright. I've got 'im. Thanks anyway, Em."
"Yeah, Emms." St. Simon muttered, somewhat ashamedly. "Pete can take care of babysitting me for now. Thanks, though."
Emma nodded her head and placed a gentle hand on the back of the tormented agent's hand. "Take good care of him, Pete. You know how to reach me if you need me."
Pete nodded his head as Emma walked back to her quarters.
*****
Kurt sat quietly while Carol told him about how Adrian's fiancée was killed in the car bombing and of his occasionally recurring nightmares. As Carol finished, they heard a soft rapping on the door. "Come in!" Kurt called out and smiled as Rahne came in bearing a tray with a pot of tea and five cups.
"A ran into the reverend and his wife in the hall on the way to the kitchen. A hope ye don't mind my invitin' them to join us?" Rahne looked somewhat apologetic as she set the tea tray down.
"You're sure we're not coming at a bad time?" The reverend asked, not wanting to intrude on a private matter.
"Nein, nein." Kurt smiled at the couple waiting at the doorway. "Bitte. Come in. Please, join us for some tea."
The couple came in and sat down on the offered chairs as Carol and Kurt sat on the bed and Rahne sat on the floor. "Is everything all right now? A dinnae hear any more shoutin'."
Carol smiled down at the teenager. "Yeah. I think Pete's taken Adrian somewhere quiet to talk things through."
"Ja." Kurt added. "We were just talking about nightmares. They seem to be a part of the price we pay for our lives, nicht wahr?"
"From what I saw while a prisoner and after, I can understand now — a little bit, at least. Linda and I have had trouble sleeping ever since we've been back. We keep dreaming about those people taking us out and killing us, about doing the same things to Donna that they did to the others..." Virgil's shoulders shuddered as his wife put her arm around him and Rahne reached up on the floor to gently touch his arm."
"A dream aboot puir Dougie." Rahne brushed away a tear as her head drooped. "A keep havin' that same dream where he jumps in front o' that bullet. A never wanted him tae do that — I still wish it had been me and not him. For a long time after that, A had to ask myself why God let that happen tae him. A kept prayin' and prayin' for the answer, until A almost gave up. Then, while I was leading some o' the wee ones in the Bible class A teach, I finally understood. Dougie did what he did out o' love — for me, for Sam, Dani, for 'Yana, for all o' us. A still dream aboot him, an' the dreams are bad an' A wake up screamin', but when A wake up, A always remember why he did what he did, and that helps — a little."
Virgil smiled down at the young mutant, his faith in humanity renewed by the hope in those shy, young eyes.
Carol then shook her head sadly as she spoke. "I've had so many bad dreams that I'd make some shrink a millionaire. Before Rogue took my powers and memories..." Try as she might, she couldn't keep the bitterness out of her voice completely. She knew that her and Kurt were going to have to talk sooner or later about both Rogue and Mystique, but that was a conversation she wanted to put off for now. "...I used to have some really bad nightmares about Lubyanka. Now, I guess the worst nightmare I've had has been that commercial airliner. Except in my dreams, Iron Man and I don't prevent the crash, and all those people die, and I see all of their faces looking at me." Carol's voice trailed off as Kurt squeezed her hand while Rahne placed a comforting hand on her knee.
"Ich verstehe." Kurt sighed. "You've seen most of my nightmares, leibchen..." Kurt smiled wanly as Carol took his other hand in hers, "...but there are others. Remember when the Brood had implanted eggs in all of us?" Kurt asked, as Carol nodded her head grimly. She had little love for the Brood for all the pain they had put her through both then and more recently during the 'Contest of Champions.' "I used to wake up screaming night after night. I dreamed that the egg matured and I turned into one of those horrible things."
Carol smiled wanly at Kurt and gently stroked the fur on his arm with her hand as everyone in the room quietly sipped their tea, alone in their thoughts until the reverend reluctantly broke the agreed on silence with a gentle voice. "I think Linda and I should go now — we're both pretty tired now, and tomorrow's going to be a long day. But, the young lady asked if we'd say a prayer with her — you're more than welcome to join us if you'd like." Kurt agreed and joined hands with Rahne and Mrs. Waters. Carol had long ago ceased believing in divine intervention, preferring instead to rely on herself and her friends. However, not wanting to give offense, she took Kurt and Rahne's offered hands and listened quietly, lost in her own thoughts, while the reverend said his brief prayer.
*****
"Can I get you something to drink, Dad?" Kitty asked as she went towards the bar.
"Yeah, Kit. Whiskey and soda, please?"
"Sure thing." Kitty took out two glasses. "Ice with your drink?" Kitty then added a couple of cubes of ice upon receiving her father's confirming nod. She then fixed a scotch for herself and walked over to where her father sat. "Here you go." She handed the drink to her father and then sitting down next to him, curled her legs under her as she took a sip of her own drink.
"Since when did you start drinking the hard stuff?" Carmen looked at his daughter, surprised at her drinking hard liquor.
Kitty smiled at his parental concern. "I don't touch it that much. I'll drink some with Pete or with Remy or Logan, but usually I prefer wine or beer — when I drink at all, but sometimes I like something a little stronger." Kitty then took another sip. "While Excalibur was together up here, we had a tradition of going out a minimum of once a month to a nearby pub. It really helped relax the team and get rid of some of the angst that seems to build up whenever you wear an X."
Carmen took a sip of his drink. "Not bad. Dr. MacTaggert has excellent taste in whiskey."
Kitty then laughed. "Yeah, I guess that's why Pete always swipes it. I remember once Moira almost killed him when she found out that he'd gotten into her good single malt."
"I noticed the two of them don't get along."
"Most of it's an act — I think!" The smile on Kitty's face then disappeared. "I think Moira liked it and misses it. Their fighting gave her something else to think about other than the Legacy Virus."
Carmen took a quick drink as he remembered the faces of the people in the Legacy camps. "Is she anywhere near a cure?"
Kitty looked thoughtful as she sipped her drink. "I don't think so. She was working with Hank McCoy and Cecilia Reyes — they're with the X-Men — Hank's a biochemist and Cecilia's an M.D. But they've been sidetracked — it's been one damned thing after another — Hank's been spending more time fighting than he has doing research, and Cecilia and Moira have been spending most of their time patching us up." Her father looked at her, his concern for her lifestyle showing in his eyes and face as he digested that last bit of information. "It's Ok, Dad, really. I'm too fast and too ornery to get taken out by the dweebs we take on!" Kitty laughed and slapped her father playfully on his shoulder. "So, don't you worry, Ok?" Changing the subject, Kitty then asked him, "Are you sure about taking Adrian up on his offer? Are you comfortable about not being able to contact mom again?"
Carmen frowned as he took another drink. "Yeah, Kitty. I'm sure about the job. I'll be doing work I'm familiar with and I'll be helping you and Pete too. It'll also allow us to stay in touch — and I like that idea a lot." He grinned momentarily as he saw the smile on his daughter's face. "I don't feel good about your mother though. But Mr. St. Simon said that short of her joining me, and 'disappearing' as well, this was the only way it would work. And, Kitty, I don't want anyone going after Theresa to get to me. Now that everyone thinks Carmen Pryde is dead, they'll leave her alone so that she can get along with her life." Kitty nodded sagely at her father's words, realizing that this truly meant that her parents would never get together again. Carmen, instinctively knowing his daughter's thoughts, smiled at her. "Are you going to look your mom up when you get back Stateside?"
Kitty smiled back and finished her drink. "Yeah. Me and Pete were planning on paying her a visit once we get settled in — although it's even money whether she kills him or me for taking up with him!" Both father and daughter laughed at the picture Kitty created of her mother's first meeting with Pete Wisdom.
"It should be quite an experience!" Carmen laughed as he cried inwardly. 'I wish I could be there to see it.'
Sensing her father's thoughts, Kitty placed her hand on his thigh in a reassuring gesture and smiled. "I'll tell you all about it, and I'll let you know how she's doing."
Carmen smiled warmly back at her. "Thanks, Kit."
Their conversation was then interrupted by Moira's voice on the PA. "Kitty?"
"Yes, Moira?" Kitty looked up on hearing the Scottish doctor's voice.
"Logan's calling from the Massachusetts Academy."
"Thanks Moira." Kitty beamed at that. She was wondering how her surrogate father was doing. 'If he's in Massachusetts, he's obviously feeling much better!' "I'll be down there in a minute or so." Turning to her father, Kitty smiled. "Do you mind, Dad?"
"Not at all, Kit. Go on — we'll have more chances to talk." Carmen smiled as his daughter left the room, happy at how well the two of them were getting along.
Getting up, Kitty kissed her father on the cheek and left the room to talk to her other father.
*****
"Sorry to put you through all this, old boy." Adrian grimaced as he sat down on one of the seats in the security monitoring room.
"Hell, mate. I owe you one." Pete scowled as he took a swig out of the bottle that St. Simon had pilfered from Moira's private stock, then passed it on to the other man who took a healthy swig of his own. "You know she's gonna kill us both."
"Who, Kitty?" Adrian managed a chuckle.
"Her too." Wisdom laughed. "Nah, I meant that Scottish witchdoctor, MacTaggert — for scarpering off with her good scotch."
"Well, at least I got the Glenfiddich. If she kills us, we'll die happy." St. Simon then frowned. "I made an ass of myself — didn't I?"
Pete laughed. "Yeah, but no more than I've done recently." His laughter soon faded as he regarded his companion. "So, St. Simon, you gonna tell me about it?" Pete sat down and after taking another drink passed the bottle back to his friend.
"What's to say? Same dream I always have. We're together, everything's going along well, then I'm saying goodbye to Delia before she goes to work, then she walks in between those two cars and that soddin' bomb goes off and I'm holding on to her naked and bleedin' body, and I wake up sweating and screaming and needing a drink." Adrian took another drink from the bottle and then handed it back to Pete with muttered thanks.
"Hate it when it's the same dream over and over. With me it's Beirut. Remember when that Islamic Jihad type cult got hold of that damn book — the Necronomicon or something like that, and the bitch goddess sent me to take out the cult and get the book?" Adrian nodded his head in agreement. "One of them wankers began some sort of summoning incantation and before I could put a hot knife in his mouth, something started to come out. He didn't finish his spell, so whatever portal it was closed up before that thing got out, but I got a slight glimpse of it, and I'll tell you mate — that's all I ever want to get of whatever that thing was." Pete shuddered as he remembered the vague shape of whatever monster it was those lunatics were trying to bring across.
"Whatever happened to the book?" Adrian asked curious. "After your lot took down Black Air, we went through all the shite they had collected and couldn't find it anywhere."
"Damn right you couldn't!" Pete snarled. After I'd taken out all those pissheads, I called in ol' Conjob to take a look. He comes in, takes one look at that book, and without even opening it, tells me he's gonna put it someplace where no one'll find it in ten thousand years. I tell you, mate, that's the first time I've ever seen that old git scared. He didn't even want to touch that book — and you know how he is about shite like that!" Pete shuddered again as did Adrian — neither one of them wanted anything to do with whatever it was that could rattle John Constantine like that.
"We're a couple of prizes, aren't we, old boy?" St. Simon grimaced as he swallowed the last of the scotch.
"Someone's gotta get the job done." Pete grimaced. "And since no one else is stupid enough to do it, I guess it's us."
"Guess you're right. Thanks, old man." Adrian took a look around the room and laughed, the scotch and the conversation noticeably improving his mood. "If 'Q' saw this setup, he'd have an orgasm on the floor!"
"Kitty did a lot of the installation and work on it." Pete smiled, the pride evident in his voice. "Here, now! There was some psionic activity in the infirmary." Pete noticed the detector flashing. "Emma came from that direction — wonder what that's all about — maybe she had to calm one of your men." Pete, his curiosity aroused, pressed the playback on the video monitor for the infirmary. Both men looked on as they saw Emma with Harper and Collins. Eyes widening as it soon dawned on them what she was doing with the two soldiers. At first the two voyeurs merely smirked, but soon the room was filled with howls of laughter.
"Pete?" Adrian got out between laughs. "Is that the only tape?"
"Nah." Pete tried to hold back his laughter long enough to answer. "The master's digitalized on the computer."
"Can you do me a favor, then? Give me this tape and wipe or delete anything else." Adrian stopped laughing, a sly grin now showing itself.
"Why?" Pete looked at his friend wondering what he was up to.
"Emma's birthday's next week, and I just found one of her presents." Adrian's smile grew wider as he imagined the look on her face when she plugged it into her VCR. 'This should make up for my birthday.'
It then dawned on Pete why Adrian wanted the tape and everything else wiped out. 'They're still playin' that bloody game of theirs.' "Sure, mate." Pete then handed his friend the tape and deleted any other files or tapes made of Emma's encounter. "So, what're you gonna give her for her other present?" Pete asked, curious.
"I think this is worth a diamond choker." Adrian smiled. "I'd suggest we get an early start on tomorrow, before Emma's up and about."
"Right, you bloody wanker." Pete knew the rules of their little game and didn't expect Emma to do a deep scan on either one of them, but didn't want to take the risk of her picking anything up in their surface thoughts either. He then looked carefully at his old friend. "You alright now?"
St. Simon nodded his head. "I'm better now. Thanks, old boy." Getting up, he walked to the door. "We better get you back to your gal before she kills the both of us!" Both men laughed at that as they left the room, St. Simon carefully concealing his birthday present to Emma.
Adrian and Pete were slowly making their way to their quarters, the bottle of scotch pilfered from Dr. MacTaggert long emptied, when they heard the voice they had been dreading all night long. "WISDOM!! You and St. Simon get your Sassenach asses here — now!"
"I tol' you we were in for it." Pete whispered to his fellow agent as they turned around to face an infuriated Moira.
"Ye're a pair — ye two are! A knew it was a mistake to let the pair o' ye English bastards on my island!" The angry Scotswoman continued fuming at her helpless victims. "Which one o' ye swiped my good scotch, now — not that it matters — ye both were probably in on it?!"
""ey, you Scottish harridan! Don't blame me for this!" Pete barely repressed a snicker as he pointed to Adrian. "It were this wanker over here wot did it!"
"A'll deal with ye later, Wisdom! Right now A want tae be havin' a few words with this peacock over here!" She then turned her full fury to the hapless St. Simon. "An' as for ye — give me one guid reason why A shouldnae take that bottle an' stuff it up a certain part of yuir anatomy!"
"Thanks, mate." Adrian sneered at his now openly snickering drinking buddy. "Dr. MacTaggert..." The somewhat tipsy St. Simon tried to put on his most roguishly charming face as he regarded his tormentor; "...I promise I'll buy you an entire case of Glenfiddich if you'll let me go on to bed."
On hearing the drunken aristocrat's peace offering, Moira's anger temporarily subsided. "Alright, ye foul Sassenach. But A'm holdin' ye to yuir promise! I want the scotch ye pilfered replaced or A'll see to it that A'm appointed yuir personal physician! An' don't ye be thinkin' that it was yuir good looks that's getting' ye out o' this mess either! A'll be expectin' that case of Glenfiddich — an' it better be Glenfiddich an' not some watered down English sewer water in Glenfiddich bottles!" Seeing Adrian cringe at the fate that awaited him for not delivering on his promise, Moira turned from him back to her favorite English whipping boy. "An' what are ye standin' around laughin' for, Wisdom! A blame ye as much as A do him!"
""ere now!" Pete snapped back. "I didn't swipe your precious booze! I tol' you it were him!" Pete once again pointed towards his partner in crime.
"No, ye foul smellin' Englishman, but ye helped him drink it!" Moira fired back at him. "An' if he don't make good on his promise — A'm going to hold ye to it! An' A'll do worse tae ye than A'll do tae him — an' A'll answer to Kitty for it later. Now get back to bed — both of ye!" Moira stood looking like an angry schoolmarm as she watched while her misbehaving children walked sheepishly back to their rooms. Once they were safely out of sight and earshot, a small grin appeared on her face, soon to be replaced by howls of laughter as Moira figured that the entertainment she had gotten just now was worth the single-malt scotch that those two Englishmen had guzzled down.
*****
"Hey, Logan! What're you doing up in Massachusetts — visiting Jubilee? How's my little sister doing?"
The gruff Canadian laughed both at the enthusiasm of the greeting coming from the young woman that he had grown to consider a daughter and at her reference to Jubilee, pleased that both of his 'children' had resolved whatever jealousies they had and now regarded themselves as sisters.
"Jubes' doin' just fine, punkin. Yeah, I came up to keep her company while everyone was away. So, you take care of your business? You back with the kid?"
Momentarily taken aback, Kitty gathered herself and answered, her voice radiating her happiness. "Yeah. We're back together again. But how did you know — did Jubilee tell you?"
"Yeah, but don't blame her for tellin', Kit. I had an idea when you left that you were doin' somethin' important, and I also caught a whiff of Romany later on. Did the kid tell ya that I know his sister?" Kitty shook her head in answer. "I've known Romany for quite a few years now. There's a lot more to her, punkin, than meets the eye — don't ever make the mistake of sellin' her short."
Remembering how accurate Romany's tarot reading was, Kitty simply nodded her head at the sage advice her mentor gave her. "Logan, we've got a lot of stuff to tell you, and it's damned serious, but it'll have to wait until we get back, ok."
Cocking an eyebrow, Wolverine grunted. "Ok, punkin, I guess it'll have to keep 'til then. So, when are ya comin' back, and how's Fuzzy holdin' up?" Even though Logan had had his own crises to deal with recently, he knew that his old friend wasn't really adapting to life back with the X-Men.
Kitty gave Logan a look that mixed both happiness and sadness — on the one hand she was happy that Kurt seemed to be hitting it off with Carol, but on the other hand, she was sorry that her dear friend had had his mind violated as hers was. 'The bad news can wait until we get back, but I think I can share a little gossip with Logan.' "We'll be coming back in a few days. Pete and I have to see some people in London, and everyone else is going along to relax a bit before heading back, and Kurt's ok now, Logan." Kitty choked back somewhat at the half-truth, knowing that her mentor had picked up on it before continuing. "In fact, he's been spending an awful lot of time with Carol Danvers recently."
Logan did indeed pick up on Kitty's nervousness and debated on whether to press her on it, then decided not to as he saw the worry and concern etched on her face. "Yeah, I thought that was Ace that was with ya." Logan looked up. While Jubilee had never met Carol, she'd remembered her from Logan's hallucinations and had later looked at her files while she was staying at the mansion. "Jubilee told me that you were going to Genosha to rescue Pete and your old man, and that Jean, Emma, and Carol had went with you." Logan was somewhat surprised that Carol had come along. He'd thought it more likely that they'd have called in Meggan, or maybe Jenny Sparks — he knew that she'd been in the area recently, and that her and Pete were old friends, although not a lover of his as Emma and Carol once were. He didn't expect Ace to be in on the rescue. The last he had heard, his old friend, lover, and espionage partner was living in Seattle, earning a living as a freelance journalist-writer. 'Ol' Pete must have been pissing his drawers — Emma, Kitty, and Carol all together talkin' about him.' Logan felt a momentary twinge of sympathy for his old friend mixed in with amusement at his predicament, and then Kitty's other bit of news hit him. "You tryin' to tell me there's somethin' going on between the fuzzy elf and Carol?"
"Well, I've been kinda...occupied...since we got back to Muir..." Kitty blushed a deep crimson while Logan barely repressed a smirk, "...but yeah, Kurt and Carol have been almost inseparable since the two of them met."
Logan smiled. 'Both of 'em need this. Carol's been through the wringer recently and Kurt hasn't been doin' much better.' "So Ace is robbin' the cradle, eh? I'm gonna have to ride her about this when all of you get back here."
"What do you mean, robbing the cradle?" Kitty looked curiously at her mentor. She'd assumed that Carol and Kurt were about the same age — Carol maybe a couple of years older.
Logan let out a deep laugh. "You wouldn't know, punkin. Keep this under your hat now — and tell the runt to keep his mouth shut too — least 'til after I get my digs in, but Ace's a good ten years older than the elf."
"WHAT?" Kitty's eyes opened wide with surprise. This was gossip she didn't expect to hear. "Carol's TEN years older? Can't be!"
Logan smiled. "Yup. Now don't you go sayin' anything. Like I said, I want first crack at 'em."
"Ok, Logan." Kitty winked conspiratorially at her old teacher, "But after you get done with him, the first crack he makes about how much older Pete is than me..." She then started laughing hysterically as she imagined what she would say to him, and was soon joined by Wolverine in the good-natured laughter, both happy that old friends seemed to be coming together.
The gruff Canadian recovered first, laughter being replaced by concern. "Kitty, I got somethin' else to tell ya."
Seeing his expression, Kitty stifled her laughter, her face taking on a serious expression as well. 'What now — did the Professor find out what's going on?' "Yeah, Logan, what is it?"
"We're not really sure ourselves, Kit. It happened the night that you'd left for the Academy. It seems that someone had targeted your room with some experimental beam weapon. Beast managed to take readings of its discharge and of its effects on the plants and all that you had in your room. Best we can determine, it was some sort of de-aging ray. Hank figures that you would have been exposed to enough energy from the beam to have de-aged you to about 16."
"WHAT!?" Kitty was genuinely shocked. Going from 16 to 19 was hell enough for her — the thought of having to go through all that again was inconceivable to her. "Who could have been sick enough — perverted enough — warped enough — to want to do this to me?"
"I got people asking around, Kit. Best I can determine it was some sort of experiment. Thanks to the Widow, I got a lead on what it is and who makes it."
"Ok, Logan. Who made this piece of shit? When Pete and I get back, we're gonna pay the bastards a little visit."
"Count me and 'Tasha in on it when you go, punkin." Kitty nodded her head grimly, imagining the destruction the four of them were going to leave behind in their wake. "The Widow says that it's something called the Powers/Davis retroactive-continuity, or retcon device, and that some company called Claremont Industries produces it. It sounds like a nasty piece of work, Kit."
"Damn right it is! Tell Natasha that it's toast when we get back! Fucking de-age me to 16! How moronic can anyone get?!"
Logan nodded sympathetically with his old student, just as angry as she was. She had come a long way and had become quite the woman, and now, for whatever reason, someone had chosen her as a test subject for a new weapon. 'Well, I'll get to the bottom of this punkin. Don't you worry about that.' Logan thought to himself, and then said aloud, "I better let you go now, punkin, I'm sure the kid's getting worried about ya." He laughed as he saw Kitty's blush.
"Yeah, I better go now. You take care of yourself, and I'll see you in a few days."
*****
Kitty left the communications room both irate and confused. Why would someone want to de-age her? It just didn't make sense. But then the Professor mucking around in both her and Nightcrawler's minds to ensure their obedience to his vision of the dream didn't make sense to her either. She walked down the corridor trying to answer those questions when, out of the corner of her eye, she saw the Waters' daughter, Donna approaching. "Hi!" Donna smiled, somewhat uncertain. She hadn't had much contact with Kitty, even though they were about the same age, Donna felt more than a little intimidated by the young brunette standing before her. 'She's seen and done so much!' Donna's smile then turned downwards into a frown.
"Hi!" Kitty managed a wan smile back at the attractive young black woman. "Couldn't sleep either?"
"No." Donna confessed. "I can't remember when I've had a good night's sleep."
"I know what you mean." Kitty sighed in sympathy. "Tell you what, my man's probably still talking to his friend, so why don't we go into the kitchen and have our own conversation?"
Finding the kitchen deserted, Kitty put on a teakettle and motioned for her companion to sit down. "Chamomile tea? I find it helps me sleep — sometimes." Kitty smiled down at Donna as she took out a couple of cups and teabags from the cupboard.
"Thanks." Donna smiled as she relaxed in the chair.
"So you're going to college, huh? What college do you go to and what are you majoring in?" Kitty gently probed, wanting to give the girl an opportunity to open up, but at the same time not wanting to press her, figuring that small talk might help the other woman relax.
"I'm a student at Mississippi Valley State..." She began.
"Didn't Jerry Rice go there?" Kitty laughed, and was soon joined by Donna. 'Good. I got her to laugh.' "I'm sorry. Please, go on."
"I'm undecided right now, but I'm thinking about majoring in physics." Kitty's ears perked up at that. While she was madly in love with Pete, she thought it would also be nice to have a friend not involved in 'the business' who had interests similar to hers. She hoped that Donna could be that friend. The fact that she was female made it even better. 'Things are still pretty raw between us — it's better that he doesn't have to be worried about me talking to or spending a lot of time with some guy.' The specter of Rigby Fallon still hadn't gone away completely as Kitty realized that trust still had to be rebuilt, and that it would take time and a lot of work on both of their parts to restore that trust. "I took an entry level course before going to Genosha..." Donna cringed slightly as the bad memories returned, Kitty reflexively taking the other woman's hand in support. "...and I found out that I liked it. I'd like to take some more courses to see if it's really for me, you know?"
Kitty laughed gently as the teakettle whistled. "Yeah. I know what you mean. There's something to how the numbers and variables relate to each other — it's like — putting together an intricate tapestry — I guess. That's what I like about physics and computers. I've always been into numbers." Kitty then poured the hot water into both of the cups and steeped the tea bags for a couple of minutes before handing a cup to her companion. Taking the other cup, she sat down and sipped at the hot tea. "So, your university has a service requirement?"
Yeah. My father had arranged a while back to take leave from his church so that he and mom could go to Genosha to help 'People Without Borders'. He wanted specifically to go to Genosha because he's dead-set against this anti-mutant bigotry going around now and this was his way of telling the Klan and the FoH to take a flying, well you know what." Both women laughed. "And I think he wanted to show Magneto and his people that not all humans were bad. Well, he wanted me to come along with him — we've sorta drifted apart recently, and I figured that I could come along with them and complete my service obligation at the same time. You know, I had no idea how bad it was there. The Legacy camps are a nightmare." She could see Kitty shudder at the mention of Legacy. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to upset you."
"It's Ok. It's just — well I lost my best friend to the Legacy Virus and you know Moira's sick with it."
"I'm sorry." The two young women sat silently sipping their tea for a few moments, and then Donna spoke, changing the subject. "You seem to be getting along pretty well with your boyfriend — seein' as how we hardly see either one of you apart from each other — when we see you at all!" <>"Yeah." The warmth in her voice and smile seemed to radiate from the young mutant. "We separated for awhile, but now we're back together — and I'm not letting him go this time."
Donna smiled at her new friend. "I wanna tell you something. Your father was great. He kept those goons from hurting us. He said he wouldn't help them if they so much as touched a hair on our heads. Had to put up with a lotta crap from 'em too — but they left us alone."
Kitty's face beamed with pride as she heard about her father's courage. The two young women sat and talked for several minutes about little things — music, movies, college life — subjects that Kitty hadn't really had time to think about recently and that kept the other woman, for a little while at least, from remembering the horrors she had been through, until Donna's eyes grew heavy and she began to yawn. 'Looks like she's coming down now.' "Tell ya what, Donna, why don't you get some sleep. We'll talk some more later, Ok. And don't forget, I want your email and snail mail address — once Pete and me figure out where we're gonna live, I'll send you mine. Here's my email." Kitty jotted her email address on a piece of paper and handed it to her new friend who did the same for her.
*****
Kitty's mood as she returned to her room had improved somewhat. She had made a new friend in Donna and was back with Pete, and that, for now, was good enough for her. She quickly got undressed and slid her nude body between the cool cotton sheets of their double bed and waited for her man to return. She had dozed off into a light sleep when she heard the two men talking outside the door and then the door open. "Pete? Is that you?" Kitty softly called out to her lover.
"Yeah. It's me, luv." Pete called back in that low growl of his that always turned her on.
"You get Adrian straightened out?" Kitty asked with a note of concern in her voice.
"Yeah, luv. He'll be all right. We had us a good talk." Pete reassured her as he took off his clothes and slid into bed with her.
Nuzzling up to him, Kitty kissed him and purred while she nibbled on his ear. "Then why don't we continue the 'conversation' we were having before we were interrupted."
Kissing her back, Pete cupped her breasts and leered. "Sounds like a right good idea to me, Pryde. Now, I believe this is where we left off..."
TO BE CONTINUED IN THE NEXT STORY: BEGINNINGS ANEW