Disclaimer: These guys aren't mine, so don't send money. Author's note: sequel of sorts to the stories in the No Happy Endings plot line. It's a Miracle by Twist +++++++++ "Alright, Pryde, where're we going?" Pete asked for the fifth time in as many minutes as he stared out across the Scottish country side that sped by rapidly below. He didn't really expect an answer, he hadn't gotten one for the last three months. "I really wish you would stop asking that," remarked Illyana, from her position on top of the main console of the Midnight Runner. "There really isn't any kind of point to it," "One of these days, she's going to answer me." Pete shot back. "And I want to be ready when she does." Doug Ramsey smiled. Pete had been in a much better mood ever since he'd found someone to talk to. OR bicker with, as was the case with Illyana. "Dunno, Pete," he told the man. "I've been trying for years." As he spoke, Doug kept an eye on Lockheed, who sat curled on Kitty's lap. It seemed, although surely it must have been a trick of the light, that Lockheed was watching *him*. Unnerved, Doug glanced out the window. And paled. "What is it, Doug?" Illyana followed his gaze. "Oh dear," "What?" Pete was bewildered. "I know where we're going." "And?" "And you're not going to like it." Pete looked out the window, a rude remark falling silent on his lips. "Aw, shite." Up ahead was the graveyard where Pete was buried. It was a place he despised, and the Midnight Runner was headed right for it. +++++++++ "There's got to be something we can do about it." The three ghosts all sat around the table of the Muir kitchen, having just returned from their outing. "Like what? She's been depressed ever since the start of the season. Christmas does that to a person." Illyana was staring at the floor. "She'll get over it on her own." "Not if she keeps moping!" Pete was saying. "There must be *something!*" "There's *nothing* Pete. Nothing but sit and watch!" "I'm not so sure." Doug spoke up for the first time, having been lost in his own thoughts. "Maybe *we* can't affect things, but there is someone who can." "What are you talking about?" Pete and Illyana were, for once, in accordance. "Well, here's my plan..." +++++++++ "Not a friggin' chance." Lockheed glared out from his position under Kitty's bed. "C'mon, Lockheed, you're the only one who could do it!" "Look, jus' because I'm the honly one 'oo can see yer, don't mean I'm goner do yer dirty work." Doug thought for a moment. "Don't do it fro us, do it for Kitty." "What're yer talkin' about?" Lockheed looked suspicious. "We're just trying to raise her spirits." Pete explained. "You bloody purple aardvark..." he added under his breath. Lockheed raised a nearly invisible purple eyebrow. "Fine. Fer Kitty." Doug and Pete both sighed in relief. "But I still 'ate you!" Lockheed added quickly. +++++++++ 'Twas the night before Christmas, and all through Muir, a massive Christmas celebration was raging, with the entire island in attendance. Except for one. Kitty lay awake on her bed, silent tears running down her cheeks. She'd been hoping to spend this night with Pete, beneath the mistletoe, but she knew that was no longer possible. She rolled onto her stomach and sobbed into her pillow. If only... if only. But not. Slowly Kitty managed to cry herself to sleep. She woke with a start at midnight, as a faint humming began to grow in the room. Looking up, she was startled to see a bright light slowly coalesce into the figure of a young girl. "Huh?" muttered Kitty intelligently. "I am ther... achem." A deep, guttural voice quickly changed to a ringing falsetto. "I am the Ghost uv 'Ristmas Past." It said. "Well, aren't you something right out of Dickens. Here to taunt me with visions of my happy past? You'd think the spirits would know what religion a person is." "Look, a 'oliday's a 'oliday. Now shut yer trap an' listen." The spirit cleared its throat. "I take you back to a time, not so long ago...." The room flickered and faded into another room, in another house. Kitty watched silently as a scene played out before her, of happy times spent with her family and friends. As the scene switched to show her caroling with the New Mutants and the X-men, Kitty frowned. "Wait, that never happened..." ++++++++ Doug blushed. "Oh yeah. Quick, push the red button!" +++++++++ The scene, and the spirit, flickered out for a moment, then reformed to show a towering Christmas tree. "I told yer, dragons're color-blind.!" The spirit was growling. "What?" "Nothing!" the falsetto was back. "The holidays are a time for caring and remembering, not for-- " "I don't want to remember!" Kitty shouted, and she threw a pillow at the spirit. It flickered, then faded out, leaving her once more alone in her room. +++++++++ She was woken again sometime later. Glancing at the clock, she then glared at the large man that sat in the corner of her bedroom. "You're late." The spirit blinked. "Says 'oo?" "Says Dickens. You're supposed to show up as the clock strikes. Not fifteen minutes after." "Picky, picky. Anyways, I'm ther Ghost uv 'Ristmas Present." "Do all the spirits talk with a cockney accent?" "Yes. Now if yer don't mind..." "I thought you were supposed to be a kind-hearted--" "Scrooge never talked back to the spirits. Now, shut up, and get moving." With that, the spirit walked through the door not bothering to check and see if Kitty was following. After only a moment's pause, she did. The scene that was presented before her was a happy one, if one discounted the pained looks on the faces of Amanda, Rahne, and Meggan as they watched their boyfriends' attempts at performing Bing Crosby's White Christmas. Even Moira looked like she was enjoying herself, as she dragged a doped-up Piotr onto the dance floor. There was only one thing missing. "Yer should be up here, enjoying yerself with them." "Can they see me?" "No." ++++++++ "How'd you manage that?" Pete gave Illyana a devilish grin. "Kitty had the program installed after we started going out. Helped keep our... nocturnal habits from the public eye." +++++++++ "Shouldn't you be showing me how everyone is blessing and cursing me at the same time, because I've been such a tight-ass?" "Why ther 'ell should we do that?!" The spirit asked, incredulous. "Never mind." "As you can see, 'Ristmas is a time fer loving, an' celerbration--" "Only if you have something to celebrate." With that, Kitty turned and walked away. +++++++++ "Dammit, I thought we had her that time for sure!" Doug slammed his fist into the console. "If anything," Illyana commented quietly, staring at the monitor of Kitty's bedroom. "I think we made it worse." Kitty was just lying on her back in the room, not even crying anymore, just hugging her pillow to her chest and staring at the ceiling. "I guess we should set up the Ghost of Christmas Future...." Doug got to work, hurried telling Lockheed exactly what the program needed. +++++++++ Outside, the quiet snowflakes which had been falling for the last hour changed to sleet, as the wind picked up to a howl. ++++++++++ Doug let his head fall against the desk in front of him with what would have been a thunk if he'd had any mass. The screen in front of him was dark, as was the rest of the Muir complex. "Power outage. Wind must have wiped out the generators." He let of a groan. "Merry Christmas, everybody." "There must be something you can do," Illyana put a comforting hand on Doug's shoulder. "No, nothing." Doug raised his head to apologize to Pete, only to find him staring at the far wall. "Pete?" The man didn't answer, only turned and ran from the room. "What got inta 'im?" Lockheed wanted to know. Illyana and Doug only shrugged. +++++++++ Pete walked hesitantly into Kitty's room, glancing behind him. The three were still there. The Dark One beckoned him on, and the Small One spoke. "Go on." Pete nodded, reaching to caress Kitty's forehead. For the first time in three months, he made contact. Kitty opened her eyes, and without a single doubt in her mind, wrapped her arms around him. "Pete. I thought I'd lost you." "You should know better than anyone. Nothing is ever lost forever." "You still smell like smoke." Kitty murmured. Burying her face happily into his shoulder. "Don't see why, haven't been able to go near a fag in months." That was the last thing they said to each other for a long moment, as they simply reveled in the fact that they were once more touching. Finally, Kitty pulled away. "Does this mean you're coming back?" "Not in the way you mean, luv. I get the feeling that this is a one time thing. Best Christmas gift I ever got, though." "But, Pete, I--" "I know. Just remember, I never left in the first place. I've been hanging around the whole time. Just remember that." Pete took Kitty's face in his hand, wiping away the tears that slid slowly down her cheeks. "And no more moping around. Those guys up there need you, even Rasputin. You've always been the smart, cheerful, funny one. That's why I love you. Don't let me down, huh?" "I won't, Pete." With that, Kitty reached up and kissed him, maintaining the contact for as long as she could, even though he began to fade. When he was gone, she remained where she was, one final tear falling from her eye. Then, wiping it clean, she left her room, ready to go join her friends in celebration of the season. Pete watched her go, for once, not immediately following. He glanced at the three spirits who stood in the corner. "Thanks." He said simply. The Dark One nodded, the Large One laughed, and the Small One, in the grand tradition begun long before Charles Dickens ever even looked at a pen, said: "God bless us, everyone." The End. +++++++++ Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, and all that rot. Love, your local Twister addrianna@rocketmail.com