Disclaimer: Marvel's are marvel's and Kit is mine. You can use her if you
give me proper credit. :-)
(((((This is a flashback))))
Author's Note: LOOK! I finally finished a sequal to "When Love Finds You".
I suggest reading that one first, or you'll have no clue as to who Kit is or
anything. I realize I don't write Excalibur very well, so they won't be
appearing much anymore. :-)
Warning! I was in a mushy mood when I wrote this, so it is extermly mushy in
parts.
Make a Wish
"Okay, Mr. Big Bad Superhero…what interesting things have you got planed
tonight?" Kit Braddock asked her boyfriend, the Russian hero known as
Colossus.
Of course, no one knew he was a superhero right at this moment. Dressed in
khakis and a blue button down shirt, Piotr Rasputin looked no less out of
the ordinary then anyone else. Well, maybe a little less ordinary…how many
guys did you see that stood nearly seven feet tall?
The strongman of the British super group Excalibur smiled warmly at her.
Taking one of her slim hands in his own he said, "Anything you want, little
one."
Kit looked up at him, a glint in her bright green eyes. "Anything…?" She
asked, a slightly naughty grin stretching her lips. Piotr raised an eyebrow
at her, his lips pulling up a one corner.
"Oh, promises, promises." Kit laughed, reaching up to wrap her arms around
his neck. He laughed with her, wrapping his arms around her back.
Kit squealed in delight as he swung her off her feet, and kissed her softly.
Pulling back she stared into his eyes for a long second.
"I'm glad you're here tonight." Kit told him seriously.
"I would not have missed it for the world. After all, how many times does
your birthday come around a year?" Piotr assured her, noticing the darkening
in her normally sea green eyes. He knew this to be a bad omen, a sign that
she was thinking of all the other birthdays, and other holidays that she had
spent alone, her family casting her off like so much trash.
It made him so angry. Kitrine had nothing to do with her mother's death,
but still her family shunned her like a murderess. Piotr stopped himself,
before he allowed himself to go too far in thinking about those people. He
was determined that Kit was going to have a good time tonight.
She was never going to have too feel like she was totally alone again. He
would always be there for her, he promised himself.
Kit looked up at him noticing the tightening of his jaw. Reaching up, she
caressed his face gently, her shrewd green eyes boring into his deep blue
ones.
"Hey! No brooding tonight, cutie. This is the first birthday celebration I
have ever really had, and I mean to live it up." Kit informed him, wrapping
herself up tighter in his embrace.
Piotr's eyes cleared after a second and he laughed deeply. "Your wish, my
lady…"
"Is your command." Kit finished for him, pulling away, and lacing her
fingers through his. "Let's party."
And party they did. The young couple quickly found that everything that was
said about the London nightlife was true. Several of the pubs were already
packed with the young and old alike. Kit shone like a star in her silver
silk tank dress, her hair flowing down to her middle back.
She had bought the dress on one of the many shopping excursions she had
dragged him on. She had laughed when she had picked it up, informing him
that they were going to match-he in his Colossus form, she in the silver
dress.
"You look wonderful, little one." Piotr whispered to her, as they danced at
a slightly less crowded pub, after they had clubbed for nearly four hours.
"You really think so?" Kit asked, a hint of her old lack of confidence in
her voice. Piotr was quick to reassure her.
"You always do."
Kit giggled softly, clutching Piotr tightly. "That's because you've never
seen me in the mourning."
"You would be beautiful to me, even then." Piotr assured her firmly.
"Really?" Kit asked.
"Da." Piotr whispered, kissing her softly. Kit smiled, and kissed him
back, reveling in the feel of his mouth.
Slowly they twirled to the music, holding each other tight. Kit laid her
head on his chest, closing her eyes. She'd never felt so safe, and so
protected in her life. She knew that Piotr would always be there to protect
her, even from herself. Slowly her mind drifted back into a bittersweet
memory…
((((Kit pulled her legs up to her chest, sobbing into her knees. Her body
hurt from crying so hard, blood ran down her fingers from where she had
ground her nails into her palms. A photo rested on the floor next to her,
of a family perhaps.
An older gentleman stood with three children around him. A slender,
beautiful woman with sea-green eyes stood next to him, gazing up at him
lovingly. All the children were beautiful, and smiling brightly. They all
looked like the perfect family.
They were the perfect family. They were Kit's family, before she had been
born. Before she had killed her beautiful mother. Kit began to shake
harder, rocking herself back and forth.
This always happened when she saw the picture. Why she kept it, she didn't
know. But she did…and fell into a deep depression every time she saw it.
A knock interrupted her sobbing. Jumping in surprise, Kit slowly stood up
to answer the door. It was probably the mailman. Or a maybe it was a bill
collector. She'd paid all her bills, hadn't she?
She didn't even bother to look in the mirror as she went to open the door.
Who would care what she looked like anyway?
Without even checking to see who it was, Kit pulled the door open…and stared
in shock. A massively muscled man stood on the outside, his black hair
hanging slightly in his face. His blue eyes studied her, worried.
"P-piotr…?" Kit sniffed, staring at him in amazement. "You're…here?"
"Da, little one. Are you alright?" He asked, reaching to put a hand on her
face.
Kit stared openly at him, her mouth hanging open slightly. Unable to make
her mouth work she nodded her head in. Finally though, she was able to make
her mouth work enough to say "Now."
Piotr reached out his arms to enfold her in his arms, running his finger
through her long dark hair. Sniffling, Kit clung to him like a frightened
child, her body trembling. For a long time they stood like this, taking
comfort in each other.
Stepping back finally, Kit asked, "What are you doing here? Not that I don't
want you here, that is." She hastily amended.
"You sounded troubled on the phone. I was worried." Piotr told her,
cupping her face with both his hands.
"You were?" Kit sniffed.
"Of course I was. You were crying." Piotr reminded her.
"You flew from Scotland to London because I was crying?" Kit asked, so
amazed that she quite crying.
"My Kitrine, I would walk through Hell to stop your tears." Piotr whispered
to her softly.
"You would…?" Kit said, her voice shaking.
"Da, I would. I love you." Piotr whispered to her.
"Really?"
"Yes, really." Piotr laughed gently. Kit giggled softly, leaning her
forehead against Piotr's broad chest.
" I love you too." Kit said against his chest.
Piotr held her close to him, inhaling the scent of her hair. Kit continued
to clutch him, afraid that if she let go, he would disappear from her life
forever.
They stood that way for a very long time.))))
"Kitrine?" Piotr asked.
"What?" Kit asked a little dazedly. Piotr chuckled softly, pushing a lock
of her dark hair from her eyes.
"What are you thinking about?"
"The happiest moment of my life." Kit told him sincerely. Piotr looked at
her a bit oddly, then smiled.
****
"Is it just me, or does that guy over there look really familiar?" Kitty
Pryde asked her teammates. The Excalibur, sans Meggan and Brain, were
relaxing in a pub in London. "The best pub in the bleedin' world" according
to Pete Wisdom.
"Wot guy, Pryde?" Wisdom asked, turning to look.
"That…omigod! It is!" Kitty squeaked, shocked.
"Who is, Katzchen?" Kurt asked, looking at her in confusion.
"That guy, over there. It's Piotr." Kitty insisted.
"Wha'?" Rahne asked, standing up to get a better look.
"Rahne, sit down!" Kitty commanded.
"Why? Lord, 'tis Piotr! And he's with a lass!" Rahne cried out.
"Really?" Kurt asked, standing up as well. "Mein Gott!"
"So the git has a bird. Wot's the big deal?" Pete asked, puffing on his
smoke.
"He has nae told us anything aboot her." Rahne said.
"Well wonder why? Yer all gapin' like it's the most amazin' sight ya ever
seen in yer lives. Can't imagine why Rasputin would wanna keep it a secret."
Pete said, sarcasm dripping from his words.
By this time, Kit had noticed that she and her date appeared to be the
subject of a great deal of scrutiny by a table full of people. And being
still slightly paranoid, it was beginning to bother her.
"Um, Piotr? There's a group of people over at that table staring at us."
Kit whispered into his ear.
Piotr looked at her and then shifted so he could see the people Kit was
talking about. At a glance he knew what group of people Kit was talking
about.
"By the White Wolf…." Piotr muttered under his breath. Sighing, he looked
up at Kit and smiled a bit ruefully. "Those are my teammates from
Excalibur."
"Oh…so why are they staring at you?" Kit demanded.
"They never expected to see me with such a beautiful woman?" Piotr tried.
"Yeah, right. Didn't you tell them what I look like?" Kit asked raising an
eyebrow.
"Ummmm…nyet?" Piotr answered uncertainly. Kit narrowed her eyes.
"You did tell them about me…right?"
"Not exactly." Piotr said after a long pause.
"Why…why not?" Kit asked, her eyes wide and beginning to fill with tears.
Piotr saw this and reached out to lace his fingers tightly through hers. He
could see the thoughts spinning through her head.
"To protect you." Piotr told her softly.
"Protect me from WHAT?" Kit demanded.
"From my life. There are people that whish to kill me, to break me, and you
would be a very good hostage for these people." Piotr tried to explain.
Kit obviously didn't understand from her expression. Piotr struggled to
find the words to explain it to her. "There are people out there, people
that would gladly use you to get to me. If they knew about you, then they
would use you to break me."
"Then why didn't you tell your teammates?" Kit asked, her fears still front
and center.
"Because, I have had far to many teammates turn against me." Piotr told
her.
"But…you trust them with your life." Kit pointed out, her eyes round.
"Da, I do. But YOUR life is an entirely different matter." Piotr answered.
"It is?" Kit asked, her eyes filling with tears again. Piotr reached out a
long fingered hand to wipe the tear that slipped down her cheek away.
"Da. Your life means more to me then my own." Piotr told her, rubbing a
finger over lips.
"Really? I thought you hadn't told them because you…you were like ashamed
of me or something." Kit said softly.
"Never." Piotr stressed to her. "I would never be ashamed of you."
Kit looked up into his eyes and smiled softly, her green eyes shining
brightly. Piotr gazed back at her, his eyes soft.
Suddenly he stood up, and extended a hand to her. "Would you like to met
them?"
Kit looked up in surprise. Slowly she nodded, lacing her fingers through
Piotr's. Grinning he steered her over to the table were the rest of
Excalibur sat, still in their collective state of shock from the sight of
Piotr with a young woman.
"Hello, comrades!" Piotr said as he walked up. Kitty was the first to
recover from their initial speechlessness.
"Piotr…uhh…who's your friend?" Kitty asked, gesturing at the brunette who
looked as if she was trying to decide whether she should stay or bolt.
"My friends, this is Kitrine Braddock. Kit, these are my teammates, Kitty
Pryde, Pete Wisdom, Douglock, Kurt Wagner and Rahne Sinclair." Piotr
pointed each person out as he said his or her name.
"Hi." Kit said softly, clutching Piotr's hand tightly.
" 'Lo." Pete said, lighting another cigarette.
"Hi." Rahne said smiling shyly.
"Hello." Kitty said, inspecting her closely.
"Expressions of greetings, Kitrine Braddock." Douglock intoned, smiling
brightly. Kit looked at him for a minute then looked up at Piotr. Piotr
shook his head as to say "don't ask."
"Hello, Kit." Kurt said, reaching out a hand. Kit shook it, still looking
at them with the deer in the headlight eyes.
"Have a seat." Kit suggested, pointing at the empty chairs. Piotr looked
over at Kit and she smiled and nodded.
"So...how'd you to meet?" Kitty asked after a few minutes of ideal chit chat.
"Well..." Piotr started, looking over at Kit.
"I was trying to jump off a bridge. Piotr wouldn't let me." Kit said
flippantly.
"Ye, ye were tryin' to jump off a bridge?" Rahne asked in amazement.
"Uh-huh." Kit nodded. "But don't worry, I'm better now."
"Oh, well, um, that's good." Rahne said, nodding her head.
"So when was this?" Kurt asked, looking up at the young couple.
"A few months ago. Before I joined Excalibur." Piotr explained.
"Ah. So, where you from Kit?" Kitty asked.
"Here. I grew up in London." Kit told her.
"What do you do fer a livin'?" Rahne asked.
"I'm a secretary."
"Are you a mutant?" Kurt asked, tilting his head.
"No, but I don't have anything against them."
"That's pretty obvious." Pete noted.
"How old are you?" Kitty asked.
"Twenty-one. Today's my birthday."
"Happy birthday!" Rahne smiled.
"Thank you." Kit smiled back.
"Have you ever been arrested?" Kitty asked.
"Kitty!" Piotr said, staring at her.
"What? I was just curious." Kitty defended herself.
"No, I've never been arrested." Kit spoke up.
"Oh, that's good." Kitty nodded. "Did you go to college?"
"What is this, twenty questions?" Kit asked Piotr, her lips quirking into a
smile.
"I believe so." Piotr agreed.
"Hey, I'm just curious. It's not everyday we get to met Piotr's girlfriend.
Who he's been dating for months. And hasn't told us about." Kitty said
pointedly.
Piotr sighed softly. Looking at his watch, he noticed that is was nearly
one-thirty in the morning. Kit looked up at him with a raised eyebrow,
looking pointedly toward the clock.
"Well, I'm sorry to have to leave so soon, but I've gotta work tomorrow."
Kit said, raising to leave. Piotr stood up as well.
"I will see you all tomorrow." Piotr promised, as he and Kit headed for the
door.
"It was nice meeting you Kit." Rahne called.
"Nice meeting all of you, too." Kit said pulling on her jacket.
After the young couple had left, Rahne spoke up.
"Well, she was nice wasn't she?" The Scot said brightly.
"Ja, she was." Kurt agreed.
"Yeah." Kitty said, her eyebrows knitted together. "She looked sort of
familiar though."
****
Piotr and Kit walked up the stairs to her flat. Reaching up, Kit wrapped
her arms around Piotr's neck and kissed him softly.
"I had a lot of fun tonight." Kit told him, after they broke.
"As did I." Piotr told her, holding her hand.
"Your friends were nice. Kind of inquisitive, but nice." Kit said
brightly.
Piotr rolled his eyes. "They are not normally that bad." He promised.
"Oh no?" Kit said, obviously relieved.
"Nyet. Can you excuse me for a moment?" Piotr asked.
"Where you going?" Kit asked as he walked toward his coat.
"To get something. I will be back soon." Piotr promised.
"Oo-kay." Kit said, watching him leave. He returned a few minutes later
with two wrapped objects. Kit looked at him in surprise.
"For me?" Kit asked, her eyes round.
"Da. Who else would they before?" Piotr said.
"I've never gotten a birthday present before." Kit told him. "What do I
do?"
"Well, you could try opening them." Piotr teased gently.
"Oh right." Kit nodded. Selecting the smaller gift first, kit turned it
around in her hands for a long second before peeling the tape off. Inside
was a black jeweler's box. Inside the box their lay nestled in a swath of
silk a beautiful bracelet. It was silver with emeralds inlaid through it.
"It's beautiful!" Kit cried, throwing herself into Piotr's arms.
"I am glad you like." Piotr laughed, hugging her tightly.
Kit smiled and then went to open her other gift. It was obviously a
painting, she decided. It was long and wide and flat. Looking over at
Piotr, Kit opened the package.
It was a painting. It was a portrait of herself. She stood on a hilltop
looking out across the ocean, the wind blowing her hair and dress about. The
sun was sitting in the background, and Kit herself had a serene look on her
face.
"Piotr...it's...stunning." Kit said staring at her painting.
"Do you really like it?" Piotr asked nervously.
"Like it? I LOVE it!" Kit cried, again throwing herself into Piotr's arms.
This time, Piotr didn't say anything. But the radiant smile on his face
said it all.
give me proper credit. :-)
(((((This is a flashback))))
Author's Note: LOOK! I finally finished a sequal to "When Love Finds You".
I suggest reading that one first, or you'll have no clue as to who Kit is or
anything. I realize I don't write Excalibur very well, so they won't be
appearing much anymore. :-)
Warning! I was in a mushy mood when I wrote this, so it is extermly mushy in
parts.
Make a Wish
"Okay, Mr. Big Bad Superhero…what interesting things have you got planed
tonight?" Kit Braddock asked her boyfriend, the Russian hero known as
Colossus.
Of course, no one knew he was a superhero right at this moment. Dressed in
khakis and a blue button down shirt, Piotr Rasputin looked no less out of
the ordinary then anyone else. Well, maybe a little less ordinary…how many
guys did you see that stood nearly seven feet tall?
The strongman of the British super group Excalibur smiled warmly at her.
Taking one of her slim hands in his own he said, "Anything you want, little
one."
Kit looked up at him, a glint in her bright green eyes. "Anything…?" She
asked, a slightly naughty grin stretching her lips. Piotr raised an eyebrow
at her, his lips pulling up a one corner.
"Oh, promises, promises." Kit laughed, reaching up to wrap her arms around
his neck. He laughed with her, wrapping his arms around her back.
Kit squealed in delight as he swung her off her feet, and kissed her softly.
Pulling back she stared into his eyes for a long second.
"I'm glad you're here tonight." Kit told him seriously.
"I would not have missed it for the world. After all, how many times does
your birthday come around a year?" Piotr assured her, noticing the darkening
in her normally sea green eyes. He knew this to be a bad omen, a sign that
she was thinking of all the other birthdays, and other holidays that she had
spent alone, her family casting her off like so much trash.
It made him so angry. Kitrine had nothing to do with her mother's death,
but still her family shunned her like a murderess. Piotr stopped himself,
before he allowed himself to go too far in thinking about those people. He
was determined that Kit was going to have a good time tonight.
She was never going to have too feel like she was totally alone again. He
would always be there for her, he promised himself.
Kit looked up at him noticing the tightening of his jaw. Reaching up, she
caressed his face gently, her shrewd green eyes boring into his deep blue
ones.
"Hey! No brooding tonight, cutie. This is the first birthday celebration I
have ever really had, and I mean to live it up." Kit informed him, wrapping
herself up tighter in his embrace.
Piotr's eyes cleared after a second and he laughed deeply. "Your wish, my
lady…"
"Is your command." Kit finished for him, pulling away, and lacing her
fingers through his. "Let's party."
And party they did. The young couple quickly found that everything that was
said about the London nightlife was true. Several of the pubs were already
packed with the young and old alike. Kit shone like a star in her silver
silk tank dress, her hair flowing down to her middle back.
She had bought the dress on one of the many shopping excursions she had
dragged him on. She had laughed when she had picked it up, informing him
that they were going to match-he in his Colossus form, she in the silver
dress.
"You look wonderful, little one." Piotr whispered to her, as they danced at
a slightly less crowded pub, after they had clubbed for nearly four hours.
"You really think so?" Kit asked, a hint of her old lack of confidence in
her voice. Piotr was quick to reassure her.
"You always do."
Kit giggled softly, clutching Piotr tightly. "That's because you've never
seen me in the mourning."
"You would be beautiful to me, even then." Piotr assured her firmly.
"Really?" Kit asked.
"Da." Piotr whispered, kissing her softly. Kit smiled, and kissed him
back, reveling in the feel of his mouth.
Slowly they twirled to the music, holding each other tight. Kit laid her
head on his chest, closing her eyes. She'd never felt so safe, and so
protected in her life. She knew that Piotr would always be there to protect
her, even from herself. Slowly her mind drifted back into a bittersweet
memory…
((((Kit pulled her legs up to her chest, sobbing into her knees. Her body
hurt from crying so hard, blood ran down her fingers from where she had
ground her nails into her palms. A photo rested on the floor next to her,
of a family perhaps.
An older gentleman stood with three children around him. A slender,
beautiful woman with sea-green eyes stood next to him, gazing up at him
lovingly. All the children were beautiful, and smiling brightly. They all
looked like the perfect family.
They were the perfect family. They were Kit's family, before she had been
born. Before she had killed her beautiful mother. Kit began to shake
harder, rocking herself back and forth.
This always happened when she saw the picture. Why she kept it, she didn't
know. But she did…and fell into a deep depression every time she saw it.
A knock interrupted her sobbing. Jumping in surprise, Kit slowly stood up
to answer the door. It was probably the mailman. Or a maybe it was a bill
collector. She'd paid all her bills, hadn't she?
She didn't even bother to look in the mirror as she went to open the door.
Who would care what she looked like anyway?
Without even checking to see who it was, Kit pulled the door open…and stared
in shock. A massively muscled man stood on the outside, his black hair
hanging slightly in his face. His blue eyes studied her, worried.
"P-piotr…?" Kit sniffed, staring at him in amazement. "You're…here?"
"Da, little one. Are you alright?" He asked, reaching to put a hand on her
face.
Kit stared openly at him, her mouth hanging open slightly. Unable to make
her mouth work she nodded her head in. Finally though, she was able to make
her mouth work enough to say "Now."
Piotr reached out his arms to enfold her in his arms, running his finger
through her long dark hair. Sniffling, Kit clung to him like a frightened
child, her body trembling. For a long time they stood like this, taking
comfort in each other.
Stepping back finally, Kit asked, "What are you doing here? Not that I don't
want you here, that is." She hastily amended.
"You sounded troubled on the phone. I was worried." Piotr told her,
cupping her face with both his hands.
"You were?" Kit sniffed.
"Of course I was. You were crying." Piotr reminded her.
"You flew from Scotland to London because I was crying?" Kit asked, so
amazed that she quite crying.
"My Kitrine, I would walk through Hell to stop your tears." Piotr whispered
to her softly.
"You would…?" Kit said, her voice shaking.
"Da, I would. I love you." Piotr whispered to her.
"Really?"
"Yes, really." Piotr laughed gently. Kit giggled softly, leaning her
forehead against Piotr's broad chest.
" I love you too." Kit said against his chest.
Piotr held her close to him, inhaling the scent of her hair. Kit continued
to clutch him, afraid that if she let go, he would disappear from her life
forever.
They stood that way for a very long time.))))
"Kitrine?" Piotr asked.
"What?" Kit asked a little dazedly. Piotr chuckled softly, pushing a lock
of her dark hair from her eyes.
"What are you thinking about?"
"The happiest moment of my life." Kit told him sincerely. Piotr looked at
her a bit oddly, then smiled.
****
"Is it just me, or does that guy over there look really familiar?" Kitty
Pryde asked her teammates. The Excalibur, sans Meggan and Brain, were
relaxing in a pub in London. "The best pub in the bleedin' world" according
to Pete Wisdom.
"Wot guy, Pryde?" Wisdom asked, turning to look.
"That…omigod! It is!" Kitty squeaked, shocked.
"Who is, Katzchen?" Kurt asked, looking at her in confusion.
"That guy, over there. It's Piotr." Kitty insisted.
"Wha'?" Rahne asked, standing up to get a better look.
"Rahne, sit down!" Kitty commanded.
"Why? Lord, 'tis Piotr! And he's with a lass!" Rahne cried out.
"Really?" Kurt asked, standing up as well. "Mein Gott!"
"So the git has a bird. Wot's the big deal?" Pete asked, puffing on his
smoke.
"He has nae told us anything aboot her." Rahne said.
"Well wonder why? Yer all gapin' like it's the most amazin' sight ya ever
seen in yer lives. Can't imagine why Rasputin would wanna keep it a secret."
Pete said, sarcasm dripping from his words.
By this time, Kit had noticed that she and her date appeared to be the
subject of a great deal of scrutiny by a table full of people. And being
still slightly paranoid, it was beginning to bother her.
"Um, Piotr? There's a group of people over at that table staring at us."
Kit whispered into his ear.
Piotr looked at her and then shifted so he could see the people Kit was
talking about. At a glance he knew what group of people Kit was talking
about.
"By the White Wolf…." Piotr muttered under his breath. Sighing, he looked
up at Kit and smiled a bit ruefully. "Those are my teammates from
Excalibur."
"Oh…so why are they staring at you?" Kit demanded.
"They never expected to see me with such a beautiful woman?" Piotr tried.
"Yeah, right. Didn't you tell them what I look like?" Kit asked raising an
eyebrow.
"Ummmm…nyet?" Piotr answered uncertainly. Kit narrowed her eyes.
"You did tell them about me…right?"
"Not exactly." Piotr said after a long pause.
"Why…why not?" Kit asked, her eyes wide and beginning to fill with tears.
Piotr saw this and reached out to lace his fingers tightly through hers. He
could see the thoughts spinning through her head.
"To protect you." Piotr told her softly.
"Protect me from WHAT?" Kit demanded.
"From my life. There are people that whish to kill me, to break me, and you
would be a very good hostage for these people." Piotr tried to explain.
Kit obviously didn't understand from her expression. Piotr struggled to
find the words to explain it to her. "There are people out there, people
that would gladly use you to get to me. If they knew about you, then they
would use you to break me."
"Then why didn't you tell your teammates?" Kit asked, her fears still front
and center.
"Because, I have had far to many teammates turn against me." Piotr told
her.
"But…you trust them with your life." Kit pointed out, her eyes round.
"Da, I do. But YOUR life is an entirely different matter." Piotr answered.
"It is?" Kit asked, her eyes filling with tears again. Piotr reached out a
long fingered hand to wipe the tear that slipped down her cheek away.
"Da. Your life means more to me then my own." Piotr told her, rubbing a
finger over lips.
"Really? I thought you hadn't told them because you…you were like ashamed
of me or something." Kit said softly.
"Never." Piotr stressed to her. "I would never be ashamed of you."
Kit looked up into his eyes and smiled softly, her green eyes shining
brightly. Piotr gazed back at her, his eyes soft.
Suddenly he stood up, and extended a hand to her. "Would you like to met
them?"
Kit looked up in surprise. Slowly she nodded, lacing her fingers through
Piotr's. Grinning he steered her over to the table were the rest of
Excalibur sat, still in their collective state of shock from the sight of
Piotr with a young woman.
"Hello, comrades!" Piotr said as he walked up. Kitty was the first to
recover from their initial speechlessness.
"Piotr…uhh…who's your friend?" Kitty asked, gesturing at the brunette who
looked as if she was trying to decide whether she should stay or bolt.
"My friends, this is Kitrine Braddock. Kit, these are my teammates, Kitty
Pryde, Pete Wisdom, Douglock, Kurt Wagner and Rahne Sinclair." Piotr
pointed each person out as he said his or her name.
"Hi." Kit said softly, clutching Piotr's hand tightly.
" 'Lo." Pete said, lighting another cigarette.
"Hi." Rahne said smiling shyly.
"Hello." Kitty said, inspecting her closely.
"Expressions of greetings, Kitrine Braddock." Douglock intoned, smiling
brightly. Kit looked at him for a minute then looked up at Piotr. Piotr
shook his head as to say "don't ask."
"Hello, Kit." Kurt said, reaching out a hand. Kit shook it, still looking
at them with the deer in the headlight eyes.
"Have a seat." Kit suggested, pointing at the empty chairs. Piotr looked
over at Kit and she smiled and nodded.
"So...how'd you to meet?" Kitty asked after a few minutes of ideal chit chat.
"Well..." Piotr started, looking over at Kit.
"I was trying to jump off a bridge. Piotr wouldn't let me." Kit said
flippantly.
"Ye, ye were tryin' to jump off a bridge?" Rahne asked in amazement.
"Uh-huh." Kit nodded. "But don't worry, I'm better now."
"Oh, well, um, that's good." Rahne said, nodding her head.
"So when was this?" Kurt asked, looking up at the young couple.
"A few months ago. Before I joined Excalibur." Piotr explained.
"Ah. So, where you from Kit?" Kitty asked.
"Here. I grew up in London." Kit told her.
"What do you do fer a livin'?" Rahne asked.
"I'm a secretary."
"Are you a mutant?" Kurt asked, tilting his head.
"No, but I don't have anything against them."
"That's pretty obvious." Pete noted.
"How old are you?" Kitty asked.
"Twenty-one. Today's my birthday."
"Happy birthday!" Rahne smiled.
"Thank you." Kit smiled back.
"Have you ever been arrested?" Kitty asked.
"Kitty!" Piotr said, staring at her.
"What? I was just curious." Kitty defended herself.
"No, I've never been arrested." Kit spoke up.
"Oh, that's good." Kitty nodded. "Did you go to college?"
"What is this, twenty questions?" Kit asked Piotr, her lips quirking into a
smile.
"I believe so." Piotr agreed.
"Hey, I'm just curious. It's not everyday we get to met Piotr's girlfriend.
Who he's been dating for months. And hasn't told us about." Kitty said
pointedly.
Piotr sighed softly. Looking at his watch, he noticed that is was nearly
one-thirty in the morning. Kit looked up at him with a raised eyebrow,
looking pointedly toward the clock.
"Well, I'm sorry to have to leave so soon, but I've gotta work tomorrow."
Kit said, raising to leave. Piotr stood up as well.
"I will see you all tomorrow." Piotr promised, as he and Kit headed for the
door.
"It was nice meeting you Kit." Rahne called.
"Nice meeting all of you, too." Kit said pulling on her jacket.
After the young couple had left, Rahne spoke up.
"Well, she was nice wasn't she?" The Scot said brightly.
"Ja, she was." Kurt agreed.
"Yeah." Kitty said, her eyebrows knitted together. "She looked sort of
familiar though."
****
Piotr and Kit walked up the stairs to her flat. Reaching up, Kit wrapped
her arms around Piotr's neck and kissed him softly.
"I had a lot of fun tonight." Kit told him, after they broke.
"As did I." Piotr told her, holding her hand.
"Your friends were nice. Kind of inquisitive, but nice." Kit said
brightly.
Piotr rolled his eyes. "They are not normally that bad." He promised.
"Oh no?" Kit said, obviously relieved.
"Nyet. Can you excuse me for a moment?" Piotr asked.
"Where you going?" Kit asked as he walked toward his coat.
"To get something. I will be back soon." Piotr promised.
"Oo-kay." Kit said, watching him leave. He returned a few minutes later
with two wrapped objects. Kit looked at him in surprise.
"For me?" Kit asked, her eyes round.
"Da. Who else would they before?" Piotr said.
"I've never gotten a birthday present before." Kit told him. "What do I
do?"
"Well, you could try opening them." Piotr teased gently.
"Oh right." Kit nodded. Selecting the smaller gift first, kit turned it
around in her hands for a long second before peeling the tape off. Inside
was a black jeweler's box. Inside the box their lay nestled in a swath of
silk a beautiful bracelet. It was silver with emeralds inlaid through it.
"It's beautiful!" Kit cried, throwing herself into Piotr's arms.
"I am glad you like." Piotr laughed, hugging her tightly.
Kit smiled and then went to open her other gift. It was obviously a
painting, she decided. It was long and wide and flat. Looking over at
Piotr, Kit opened the package.
It was a painting. It was a portrait of herself. She stood on a hilltop
looking out across the ocean, the wind blowing her hair and dress about. The
sun was sitting in the background, and Kit herself had a serene look on her
face.
"Piotr...it's...stunning." Kit said staring at her painting.
"Do you really like it?" Piotr asked nervously.
"Like it? I LOVE it!" Kit cried, again throwing herself into Piotr's arms.
This time, Piotr didn't say anything. But the radiant smile on his face
said it all.