Disclaimer: I don't own a single one of them, just borrowing them for my own evil purposes....BWAHAHAHAHAAA! Uh, don't sue me, ok? All I own are my two sons, my husband's heart, my stories, and my artwork! Unless...Marvel would like to buy my artwork or stories? Ok, ok, keep on dreamin'. Sheesh!
An apology to those who have awaited my end and prequel to "Letting The Cables Sleep." A BIG!!!! apology to mean spleen...I can't get this verdammte story out of my head!!! This happened to a friend of mine recently...plus I read some stories on Luba's fic site, plus some of her own, about Kitty being preggers by Peter. But this is a "WHAT IF?"...as in, "What if Kitty found out she was pregnant by one dead(?) Mr. Pete Wisdom, and how would her friends and family act?"
Good, now I can finally get back to other projects! :-P
Beware: Swearing and sexual matters....
indicates thoughts
Something's Cookin' In The Oven
By: Ruth Richter-Woytsek
aka (when she is writing) Kat
She watched him leave Muir from behind the safety of the big picture window in Moira's den. Her heart was breaking, but she couldn't find the strength to run to outside and call him back...to snuggle in his arms, if for the last time, to tell her he loved her.
Perhaps, part of her was still angry that he had yelled at her and then threatened to slap her....ah, but she knew better! Silly little fool, you broke his heart! You took advantage of the first guy your age you'd known in a long time, and what did it get ya, ya stupid git? A meaningless kiss has gotten you sad. And lonely. Why don't you run to him and tell him you love him?? Why don't you apologize?!
She stood her ground, and slowly shook her head. Because you're a scared little girl, after all these years. He is not Peter! He hasn't left you for anyone else! You pulled a 180, and did the same damn thing that Peter did to you! You played "kissy-face" with the first person just like you.... Suddenly, she felt cold, hungry, and nauseated all at the same time, but pushed the feeling aside. She hugged herself, trying to calm herself down before all her defenses were down, but couldn't.
Moira was the first in the room. "Katey? Are ye cryin', lass?" Moira carefully paused and accessed the situation before coming forward and placing a warm, friendly arm around Kitty's shoulder. "Ye ARE cryin'. That bleedin' English bastard--"
"I did this to him, Moira, " she sighed. "I broke HIS heart, and now, as it is said, you reep what you sow."
***********************
After Pete left, the rest of Excaliber was not far behind. Brian and Meggan moved back into Braddock Manor to enjoy each other privately, Rahne, of course, stayed with her Lady Moira with Douglock close by, and Peter, Kurt, and she had decided to go unwillingly back to the X-Men. Kurt just didn't want to lead anymore, and he got his wish, since no one asked him to be. Peter had some hope of reclaiming his lost relationship with her now that Pete was in X-Force, and not bloody likely to return. He hoped foolishly that the mansion would drudge up old feelings, and that she would agree to be his again. But I belong to no one. No one but Pete.
She was moody, and she knew that everyone could tell. They all were being extra cautious around her because of mixed feelings for Pete. Secretly, she knew that many wanted to see her and Peter back together so she could mend his tortured soul. Gee, how easily some forget that he hurt me.
She spent most of her days alone, or sometimes with Jubilee when she was visiting from the Massachusetts Academy. They had "girl talk" sessions which lasted hours, and thanks to Jubes, she was starting to feel more like herself again.
"So...who do ya like more, Peter, Logan, Bobby, or Angelo?" Jubilee cracked her gum.
"Um, Jubes? Angelo?"
Jubilee turned scarlet. "Uh, yeah, like SO?"
She smiled and sang in a child-like voice, "Someone likes Angelo! Someone likes--"
Jubilee waved her arms in defense. "Ok, OK! So I like Angelo. So like, sue me already!" She blushed. "If you can get past the droopy-skin-yick-stuff, he's not that bad of a guy. He's sweet."
"That's good--" and suddenly, she interrupted herself by grunting. Her stomach twisted in knots, and she felt like she was going to throw up. "Jubes, I don't feel so good." Jubilee stared at her in confusion. "I need your trash can! Now!"
"Why?" Jubilee asked, but Kitty ignored her and brought the trash can to her mouth. Jubilee turned around in disgust. "Oh, like, so GROSS!"
She vomited into the trash can for what seemed like an hour and could take no more. She passed out, remembering a terrified Jubilee saying something like, "Oh man, her belly has gotten HUGE!"
***************************
She woke up in the medlab. Frustrated and embarrassed, she remembered what she had done to Jubilee's trash can. The young girl was sitting beside her, rocking back and forth. When Jubilee realized that Kitty was awake, she stammered, "Oh, man, I am SO glad you are ok."
"I am so sorry about your trash can," she whispered.
Jubilee shrugged. "Ah, ya know this shit happens. Forget about it, ok?"
The door opened slowly, and the two girls watched as Hank and Moira entered the room, whispering back and forth. Their faces were unusually pale and worried. Moira noticed that Kitty was awake now and went to hug her. "Ye know, Katey, I'd like ta think of ye as me own daughter, just like Rahney..." her voice slowly faded away, and her cheeks flushed. She seemed to be thinking of something to say.
"What is it?" she sighed, fearing the worst. "Legacy-positive?"
Hank coughed abruptly, and Moira hysterically laughed, "Oh, it's 'positive', all right. Just not like ye'd think." She put a hand on Kitty's shoulder, just like she did when Pete had left. "There's nae easy way fer me ta tell ye this. I ken ye had a little fling with Wisdom." She grimaced at the taste of that name on her lips. "The bloody bastard! If I evah get me hands on him--"
"Moira!" Hank pleaded. He turned away from everyone, and studied a set of her charts. "My dearest Katherine, you are twenty-one weeks into your gestation period."
"WHAT?" she and Jubilee screamed at the same time; her because she didn't believe his words, Jubilee because she had no clue as to what was just said.
"In English, McCoy! What are you talkin'--"
She shook her head at Jubilee. "I know what he's talking about, I just don't BELIEVE it!"
Jubilee looked blank. "Someone throw me a bone here? Like, what the hell is going on?"
Moira laughed at the young girl's expression of total bewilderment and then crossed her arms. "It means, me dear, that she is expectin', warmin' something up in tha oven, with child, pregnant--" Those last words hit Jubilee like a ton of bricks, and she snorted. "Aye," Moira continued, "I guess me birth control treatment dinnae control much after all."
Hank raised a weary eyebrow. "Birth control treatment, Moira?"
Moira shrugged and looked at the floor. "Well, I have ta, what with all the young men around. Ye never know." But alas, they did know.
She fought back tears of happiness and fear, and monotonously asked, "What am I going to do? What will everyone think?"
*************************
Hank had left them alone so that Moira, Jubilee, who would not be left out, and she could talk. Jubilee was excited finally, after getting over her previous shock. "Like, cool! A little baby to play with!"
She smiled weakly. Well, everyone will get a kick out of this. Or they'll want to kill me. It's not as if I'm a little kid anymore. I'm eighteen... But she couldn't believe herself. She knew what everyone was going to say. "Moira, how do I tell Pete?"
Moira winced at those words. "Och, Katey, I dinnae know how ta tell ye."
Dismay engulfed her. X-Force had been on a dangerous mission in Genosha for a while, and she had prayed constantly that everything would turn out all right. Now. Especially now. "No."
Moira wiped at the tears falling down her ruddy cheeks. "He dinnae make it home, lass."
Tranquillity overcame her because she refused to be herself anymore. She knew what was right, and what must be done. "Moira, I'm keeping our baby."
**********************
Everyone had gather round to hear the news a half hour before she got there herself. She knew Professor Xavier was not happy, but he was putting on his usual airs of "professionalism' in front of everyone. She sat between a very protective Jubilee and Moira, and Hank stood behind her with his hands pressed gently on her shoulders. "Everyone," he announced, "may I have your undivided attention, please?" Everyone quieted down, and he cleared his throat to continue. "It has come to our observation why Katherine became ill and fainted last night."
"Indeedy-do, Henry," Moira said sarcastically, not wanting to face Charles and admit that she had let Kitty and Pete have their little "sexcapades" behind his back.
Hank continued. "We have tested her and concluded that--"
Xavier interrupted him. "She is pregnant."
Everyone gasped and looked at her. Part of her wanted to phase through the floor and just run until she was exhausted. Part of her was angry because she had no time to grieve over losing Pete. Yet she sat there stoically, daring them to say something to her or about Pete. Then she realized that a lot of them didn't know Pete. She also realized something else; some were looking at Peter in hope that it was his. Some glared at him because they thought it was his. Those who knew her best looked at her in bafflement. There were several, "How did this happen?" by the older X-Men followed by, "Duh!" from the younger crowd. Some yelled, "Wow!" or "Congrates!", and the rest just merely stood there, not knowing what to say or do. Like Peter, who was flabbergasted.
Ororo spoke first. "Kitten, how can this be?"
Jubilee rolled her eyes and laughed, "Puh-LEEZ! Hello? Does the word 'duh' mean anything to you? She had to screw a guy to get pregnant!"
Ororo glared at Jubilee, who, in return, sunk in her seat a little. "I am aware of that, Jubilation. I just do not understand how you could do this, Kitten. You are so different from the girl we all knew."
Before Kitty could manage to reply, Moira jumped to her defense. "Oh, bullocks and balls fer breakfast, Ororo! Ye all left her and Kurt in my care while ye pretended ta be dead. Evah wonder why they're different?" Ororo shook her head. "Of course nae! Ye broke their hearts and spirits. They wanted ta remember as little o'ye as possible. So they grew apart from ye to maintain sanity as they know it." Ororo began to say something, but then stopped, having thought better of it.
Rogue softly remarked, "It'll be nice ta have a baby around here. Maybe Ah can baby-sit?" Her green eyes sparkled with longing.
Remy put and arm around Rogue. "Non, chere, we will both watch le infant." He grinned, and his red eyes glowed. "Happily," he added.
Xavier wasn't moved. Kitty prepared herself for a long lecture, but instead he simply said, "I am not pleased, but it is not an entirely unhappy situation." He smiled then turned on his grim frown of professionalism again. "You will keep the baby because after all, it will be a mutant and need to be trained in the proper use of its ability. We must know who the father is, however."
Did he just grin happily to himself? Does he like torturing me??? She sighed heavily as people were looking to Peter, who was looking more drained than she did. He shook his head. "It's not Peter's. I know what everyone's thinking. It's my ex-boyfriend's, Pete, and if you'll excuse me if I don't want to hear the rest of this shit," she stood from her chair defiantly, "but I just found out that he is dead, and I haven't had time to cry or even think about this. Or even call my parents." A tear fell from her cheek to the floor. "I just realized my baby doesn't have a father." Sobbing, she phased through the wall.
*******************************
She fumbled through an old, shabby address book, looking for her mom's phone number. When she finally found it, she grimaced as she realized she hadn't called her mom in about a year or two. I am so afraid she'll hate me, but I can't do this alone.
A trembling finger dialed the number, and the line began to do its familiar ringing sound.
After four rings, she was about to give up when a voice on the other end muttered, "'Lo. This better be good."
"Mom?" she whispered.
The phone made a sound of being dropped on the floor, and then after a great rustling, her mom said, "Kitty?!" She paused briefly and then whispered back, "How have you been? I haven't heard from you in a long time. I don't even remember what you look like..."
She cried; she never knew what she put her mother through all the time, and here she was, being gentle and devoted, just like they had never been apart. "Mom, I found out something today...I...I'm pregnant." She exhaled, relieved that she had told her.
"WHAT?" her mom barked. "My little baby?" Then she paused again and laughed softly. "Well, I guess eighteen is hardly a baby. I was nineteen when I had you." Kitty heard the sound of a drink being poured in the background. Is she drinking now?? "Are you still in London, like the last time you called?"
"No, I'm back in New York. At Xavier's."
"I'm calling your father. Then I'm coming to take you home."
There was no denying her. Kitty shoved her head into her hands and moaned.
*******************************
After she got off the phone, Logan was waiting for her by her bedroom door. "Pun'kin, I know yer leavin'." He grabbed her tenderly and embraced her. "Ya know we'll take care of ya, no matter what. And fer what it's worth, I'm sorry 'bout Pete." With that said, he left her to her thoughts again.
She tried to sleep because she didn't want to feel the pain of Death gnawing at her soul. She was plagued by awful dreams though. Ones where Pete found out she was pregnant, and then laughed at her. Or he was joyous, but he kept rubbing all the men she'd ever loved in her face just to see her cringe. Or like reality, he was dead. And she was so alone. Afraid and alone.
A knock at her door startled her from her nightmares, and she asked shakily, "Who is it?"
"It's me," Peter answered.
"Go away," she moaned, not wanting him to gloat over her misery. Or worse, he'd feel sorry for her and would try to help her. "I don't need sympathy."
The door flew open, and he walked in. "That's where you are wrong, my Katya." He took her hands in his and kissed them. "You need us more than ever. I hope you need me," he whispered and blushed, "and I need you also."
The tears came freely, and she clung to him for support. Like it or not, it IS nice to have Peter around to lean on. He held her the entire time that she wailed about Pete being dead. Then she cursed herself for getting pregnant, and cursed Moira for insisting that the procedure to reverse her fertility was effective. She cried and screamed until her voice was hoarse and dry. She looked up into his piercing ocean-blue eyes, and smiled to herself about how much they looked like Pete's. "Thank you, Peter, for being here for me."
He beamed and kissed her forehead, making her feel warm and secure. She began to rekindle the flame that had gone out when he had announced his love for Zsajii to her, but then she grew angry when she remembered how he had treated her so many times, and now...now he was being nice. "I want to be here for you," he replied lovingly.
Now or never. "Peter, why did you treat me like you did when you came back from the Beyonder's? What's so different now?"
He sighed. "I was a stupid fool then. I was frustrated at you for being young, and at me, for loving you in the first place. We had so little in common that when I met Zsajii, I was captivated by the fact that she was my age and from a similar background. But I never stopped loving you. When I finally realized what an idiot I had been, you were with Wisdom." He lowered his eyes. "If you want a father for this child, I will be more than happy to be him since poor Wisdom cannot be,"
That's the first time he's ever used "poor Wisdom" and not meant it as an insult. He means what he says. "Are you proposing to me?"
He reddened. "I suppose that is what you call it."
She smiled and looked at the floor. "That might be nice, but my mom wants to take care of me right now, and I need time alone to think." He suddenly looked depressed. She hugged him close to her. "That doesn't mean 'no', it just means 'not at this moment.' You can come we us on the day I go to my appointments. You can be there for everything, if you want. This little girl's going to need all the love she can get."
"Shto? 'Little girl?'" He stammered, "How...how do you know right now?"
"Hank and Moira got a close view on their special ultrasound equipment. It's really only used to discover mutant abilities or appearances. It's too early for that yet, but it's the only machine on hand, so...a little girl," she breathed happily.
"A little girl!" he exclaimed. "Can I name her?"
She grinned. "I've already got the name picked out." He nodded. "I want it to be, 'Illyana'." He took her in his arms and was careful not to squeeze too hard. Maybe I still do have feelings for the big lug, but I'll always love Pete more. Sorry, Peter, there's just no comparison. But her heart nearly burst with all the love he was finally showing her. He was so different.
Yet so was she. Hadn't Moira said that earlier?
She could learn to love again, for the baby's sake.
************************
The next day, her father called; first angry to the max, then sad, and finally happy. Ready to have a family again, he had told her. Then Betsy had called Brian and Meggan, and they were ecstatic, of course, especially Meggan, who had begged and pleaded with her to some to visit them. Graciously, Kitty agreed to.
Then around four o'clock, her mother had shown up, exhausted and soul-tired, but determined to take Kitty back home to Deerfield. Ignoring the protests of others, she told Kitty to say her "good-byes" so they could leave and relax. Kitty noticed that even stern, her mother still looked at her with the same awe and love she always had. She even said good-bye to her daughter's friends and teammates before promising to be back soon and then shoved Kitty out the door.
Peter followed. "Katya..."
"It's ok, Peter," she reassured him. "I'm happy."
"I love you, you silly goose!" he called as she got in her mother's Buick.
Her mother nodded her approval and said, :"He's turned out to be such a nice man." She elbowed Kitty in the ribs. "Good looking, too."
She observed Peter watching them leave and smiled to herself. And I love you, Pete, wherever you are, and I guess, you too, Peter. I guess you can be one and the same person to me, but I'll never let either of you know.... She laughed.
"What's so funny?"
"Nothing," she replied, as she rubbed her growing belly, happy and content. She could still be afraid, and she was.
But she wasn't alone.
*Ok, ok, so it was kinda sappy, but this was a dream I had, and nanna-nanna-boo-boo, I had to get it out of my system!!!* ;)
An apology to those who have awaited my end and prequel to "Letting The Cables Sleep." A BIG!!!! apology to mean spleen...I can't get this verdammte story out of my head!!! This happened to a friend of mine recently...plus I read some stories on Luba's fic site, plus some of her own, about Kitty being preggers by Peter. But this is a "WHAT IF?"...as in, "What if Kitty found out she was pregnant by one dead(?) Mr. Pete Wisdom, and how would her friends and family act?"
Good, now I can finally get back to other projects! :-P
Beware: Swearing and sexual matters....
indicates thoughts
Something's Cookin' In The Oven
By: Ruth Richter-Woytsek
aka (when she is writing) Kat
She watched him leave Muir from behind the safety of the big picture window in Moira's den. Her heart was breaking, but she couldn't find the strength to run to outside and call him back...to snuggle in his arms, if for the last time, to tell her he loved her.
Perhaps, part of her was still angry that he had yelled at her and then threatened to slap her....ah, but she knew better! Silly little fool, you broke his heart! You took advantage of the first guy your age you'd known in a long time, and what did it get ya, ya stupid git? A meaningless kiss has gotten you sad. And lonely. Why don't you run to him and tell him you love him?? Why don't you apologize?!
She stood her ground, and slowly shook her head. Because you're a scared little girl, after all these years. He is not Peter! He hasn't left you for anyone else! You pulled a 180, and did the same damn thing that Peter did to you! You played "kissy-face" with the first person just like you.... Suddenly, she felt cold, hungry, and nauseated all at the same time, but pushed the feeling aside. She hugged herself, trying to calm herself down before all her defenses were down, but couldn't.
Moira was the first in the room. "Katey? Are ye cryin', lass?" Moira carefully paused and accessed the situation before coming forward and placing a warm, friendly arm around Kitty's shoulder. "Ye ARE cryin'. That bleedin' English bastard--"
"I did this to him, Moira, " she sighed. "I broke HIS heart, and now, as it is said, you reep what you sow."
***********************
After Pete left, the rest of Excaliber was not far behind. Brian and Meggan moved back into Braddock Manor to enjoy each other privately, Rahne, of course, stayed with her Lady Moira with Douglock close by, and Peter, Kurt, and she had decided to go unwillingly back to the X-Men. Kurt just didn't want to lead anymore, and he got his wish, since no one asked him to be. Peter had some hope of reclaiming his lost relationship with her now that Pete was in X-Force, and not bloody likely to return. He hoped foolishly that the mansion would drudge up old feelings, and that she would agree to be his again. But I belong to no one. No one but Pete.
She was moody, and she knew that everyone could tell. They all were being extra cautious around her because of mixed feelings for Pete. Secretly, she knew that many wanted to see her and Peter back together so she could mend his tortured soul. Gee, how easily some forget that he hurt me.
She spent most of her days alone, or sometimes with Jubilee when she was visiting from the Massachusetts Academy. They had "girl talk" sessions which lasted hours, and thanks to Jubes, she was starting to feel more like herself again.
"So...who do ya like more, Peter, Logan, Bobby, or Angelo?" Jubilee cracked her gum.
"Um, Jubes? Angelo?"
Jubilee turned scarlet. "Uh, yeah, like SO?"
She smiled and sang in a child-like voice, "Someone likes Angelo! Someone likes--"
Jubilee waved her arms in defense. "Ok, OK! So I like Angelo. So like, sue me already!" She blushed. "If you can get past the droopy-skin-yick-stuff, he's not that bad of a guy. He's sweet."
"That's good--" and suddenly, she interrupted herself by grunting. Her stomach twisted in knots, and she felt like she was going to throw up. "Jubes, I don't feel so good." Jubilee stared at her in confusion. "I need your trash can! Now!"
"Why?" Jubilee asked, but Kitty ignored her and brought the trash can to her mouth. Jubilee turned around in disgust. "Oh, like, so GROSS!"
She vomited into the trash can for what seemed like an hour and could take no more. She passed out, remembering a terrified Jubilee saying something like, "Oh man, her belly has gotten HUGE!"
***************************
She woke up in the medlab. Frustrated and embarrassed, she remembered what she had done to Jubilee's trash can. The young girl was sitting beside her, rocking back and forth. When Jubilee realized that Kitty was awake, she stammered, "Oh, man, I am SO glad you are ok."
"I am so sorry about your trash can," she whispered.
Jubilee shrugged. "Ah, ya know this shit happens. Forget about it, ok?"
The door opened slowly, and the two girls watched as Hank and Moira entered the room, whispering back and forth. Their faces were unusually pale and worried. Moira noticed that Kitty was awake now and went to hug her. "Ye know, Katey, I'd like ta think of ye as me own daughter, just like Rahney..." her voice slowly faded away, and her cheeks flushed. She seemed to be thinking of something to say.
"What is it?" she sighed, fearing the worst. "Legacy-positive?"
Hank coughed abruptly, and Moira hysterically laughed, "Oh, it's 'positive', all right. Just not like ye'd think." She put a hand on Kitty's shoulder, just like she did when Pete had left. "There's nae easy way fer me ta tell ye this. I ken ye had a little fling with Wisdom." She grimaced at the taste of that name on her lips. "The bloody bastard! If I evah get me hands on him--"
"Moira!" Hank pleaded. He turned away from everyone, and studied a set of her charts. "My dearest Katherine, you are twenty-one weeks into your gestation period."
"WHAT?" she and Jubilee screamed at the same time; her because she didn't believe his words, Jubilee because she had no clue as to what was just said.
"In English, McCoy! What are you talkin'--"
She shook her head at Jubilee. "I know what he's talking about, I just don't BELIEVE it!"
Jubilee looked blank. "Someone throw me a bone here? Like, what the hell is going on?"
Moira laughed at the young girl's expression of total bewilderment and then crossed her arms. "It means, me dear, that she is expectin', warmin' something up in tha oven, with child, pregnant--" Those last words hit Jubilee like a ton of bricks, and she snorted. "Aye," Moira continued, "I guess me birth control treatment dinnae control much after all."
Hank raised a weary eyebrow. "Birth control treatment, Moira?"
Moira shrugged and looked at the floor. "Well, I have ta, what with all the young men around. Ye never know." But alas, they did know.
She fought back tears of happiness and fear, and monotonously asked, "What am I going to do? What will everyone think?"
*************************
Hank had left them alone so that Moira, Jubilee, who would not be left out, and she could talk. Jubilee was excited finally, after getting over her previous shock. "Like, cool! A little baby to play with!"
She smiled weakly. Well, everyone will get a kick out of this. Or they'll want to kill me. It's not as if I'm a little kid anymore. I'm eighteen... But she couldn't believe herself. She knew what everyone was going to say. "Moira, how do I tell Pete?"
Moira winced at those words. "Och, Katey, I dinnae know how ta tell ye."
Dismay engulfed her. X-Force had been on a dangerous mission in Genosha for a while, and she had prayed constantly that everything would turn out all right. Now. Especially now. "No."
Moira wiped at the tears falling down her ruddy cheeks. "He dinnae make it home, lass."
Tranquillity overcame her because she refused to be herself anymore. She knew what was right, and what must be done. "Moira, I'm keeping our baby."
**********************
Everyone had gather round to hear the news a half hour before she got there herself. She knew Professor Xavier was not happy, but he was putting on his usual airs of "professionalism' in front of everyone. She sat between a very protective Jubilee and Moira, and Hank stood behind her with his hands pressed gently on her shoulders. "Everyone," he announced, "may I have your undivided attention, please?" Everyone quieted down, and he cleared his throat to continue. "It has come to our observation why Katherine became ill and fainted last night."
"Indeedy-do, Henry," Moira said sarcastically, not wanting to face Charles and admit that she had let Kitty and Pete have their little "sexcapades" behind his back.
Hank continued. "We have tested her and concluded that--"
Xavier interrupted him. "She is pregnant."
Everyone gasped and looked at her. Part of her wanted to phase through the floor and just run until she was exhausted. Part of her was angry because she had no time to grieve over losing Pete. Yet she sat there stoically, daring them to say something to her or about Pete. Then she realized that a lot of them didn't know Pete. She also realized something else; some were looking at Peter in hope that it was his. Some glared at him because they thought it was his. Those who knew her best looked at her in bafflement. There were several, "How did this happen?" by the older X-Men followed by, "Duh!" from the younger crowd. Some yelled, "Wow!" or "Congrates!", and the rest just merely stood there, not knowing what to say or do. Like Peter, who was flabbergasted.
Ororo spoke first. "Kitten, how can this be?"
Jubilee rolled her eyes and laughed, "Puh-LEEZ! Hello? Does the word 'duh' mean anything to you? She had to screw a guy to get pregnant!"
Ororo glared at Jubilee, who, in return, sunk in her seat a little. "I am aware of that, Jubilation. I just do not understand how you could do this, Kitten. You are so different from the girl we all knew."
Before Kitty could manage to reply, Moira jumped to her defense. "Oh, bullocks and balls fer breakfast, Ororo! Ye all left her and Kurt in my care while ye pretended ta be dead. Evah wonder why they're different?" Ororo shook her head. "Of course nae! Ye broke their hearts and spirits. They wanted ta remember as little o'ye as possible. So they grew apart from ye to maintain sanity as they know it." Ororo began to say something, but then stopped, having thought better of it.
Rogue softly remarked, "It'll be nice ta have a baby around here. Maybe Ah can baby-sit?" Her green eyes sparkled with longing.
Remy put and arm around Rogue. "Non, chere, we will both watch le infant." He grinned, and his red eyes glowed. "Happily," he added.
Xavier wasn't moved. Kitty prepared herself for a long lecture, but instead he simply said, "I am not pleased, but it is not an entirely unhappy situation." He smiled then turned on his grim frown of professionalism again. "You will keep the baby because after all, it will be a mutant and need to be trained in the proper use of its ability. We must know who the father is, however."
Did he just grin happily to himself? Does he like torturing me??? She sighed heavily as people were looking to Peter, who was looking more drained than she did. He shook his head. "It's not Peter's. I know what everyone's thinking. It's my ex-boyfriend's, Pete, and if you'll excuse me if I don't want to hear the rest of this shit," she stood from her chair defiantly, "but I just found out that he is dead, and I haven't had time to cry or even think about this. Or even call my parents." A tear fell from her cheek to the floor. "I just realized my baby doesn't have a father." Sobbing, she phased through the wall.
*******************************
She fumbled through an old, shabby address book, looking for her mom's phone number. When she finally found it, she grimaced as she realized she hadn't called her mom in about a year or two. I am so afraid she'll hate me, but I can't do this alone.
A trembling finger dialed the number, and the line began to do its familiar ringing sound.
After four rings, she was about to give up when a voice on the other end muttered, "'Lo. This better be good."
"Mom?" she whispered.
The phone made a sound of being dropped on the floor, and then after a great rustling, her mom said, "Kitty?!" She paused briefly and then whispered back, "How have you been? I haven't heard from you in a long time. I don't even remember what you look like..."
She cried; she never knew what she put her mother through all the time, and here she was, being gentle and devoted, just like they had never been apart. "Mom, I found out something today...I...I'm pregnant." She exhaled, relieved that she had told her.
"WHAT?" her mom barked. "My little baby?" Then she paused again and laughed softly. "Well, I guess eighteen is hardly a baby. I was nineteen when I had you." Kitty heard the sound of a drink being poured in the background. Is she drinking now?? "Are you still in London, like the last time you called?"
"No, I'm back in New York. At Xavier's."
"I'm calling your father. Then I'm coming to take you home."
There was no denying her. Kitty shoved her head into her hands and moaned.
*******************************
After she got off the phone, Logan was waiting for her by her bedroom door. "Pun'kin, I know yer leavin'." He grabbed her tenderly and embraced her. "Ya know we'll take care of ya, no matter what. And fer what it's worth, I'm sorry 'bout Pete." With that said, he left her to her thoughts again.
She tried to sleep because she didn't want to feel the pain of Death gnawing at her soul. She was plagued by awful dreams though. Ones where Pete found out she was pregnant, and then laughed at her. Or he was joyous, but he kept rubbing all the men she'd ever loved in her face just to see her cringe. Or like reality, he was dead. And she was so alone. Afraid and alone.
A knock at her door startled her from her nightmares, and she asked shakily, "Who is it?"
"It's me," Peter answered.
"Go away," she moaned, not wanting him to gloat over her misery. Or worse, he'd feel sorry for her and would try to help her. "I don't need sympathy."
The door flew open, and he walked in. "That's where you are wrong, my Katya." He took her hands in his and kissed them. "You need us more than ever. I hope you need me," he whispered and blushed, "and I need you also."
The tears came freely, and she clung to him for support. Like it or not, it IS nice to have Peter around to lean on. He held her the entire time that she wailed about Pete being dead. Then she cursed herself for getting pregnant, and cursed Moira for insisting that the procedure to reverse her fertility was effective. She cried and screamed until her voice was hoarse and dry. She looked up into his piercing ocean-blue eyes, and smiled to herself about how much they looked like Pete's. "Thank you, Peter, for being here for me."
He beamed and kissed her forehead, making her feel warm and secure. She began to rekindle the flame that had gone out when he had announced his love for Zsajii to her, but then she grew angry when she remembered how he had treated her so many times, and now...now he was being nice. "I want to be here for you," he replied lovingly.
Now or never. "Peter, why did you treat me like you did when you came back from the Beyonder's? What's so different now?"
He sighed. "I was a stupid fool then. I was frustrated at you for being young, and at me, for loving you in the first place. We had so little in common that when I met Zsajii, I was captivated by the fact that she was my age and from a similar background. But I never stopped loving you. When I finally realized what an idiot I had been, you were with Wisdom." He lowered his eyes. "If you want a father for this child, I will be more than happy to be him since poor Wisdom cannot be,"
That's the first time he's ever used "poor Wisdom" and not meant it as an insult. He means what he says. "Are you proposing to me?"
He reddened. "I suppose that is what you call it."
She smiled and looked at the floor. "That might be nice, but my mom wants to take care of me right now, and I need time alone to think." He suddenly looked depressed. She hugged him close to her. "That doesn't mean 'no', it just means 'not at this moment.' You can come we us on the day I go to my appointments. You can be there for everything, if you want. This little girl's going to need all the love she can get."
"Shto? 'Little girl?'" He stammered, "How...how do you know right now?"
"Hank and Moira got a close view on their special ultrasound equipment. It's really only used to discover mutant abilities or appearances. It's too early for that yet, but it's the only machine on hand, so...a little girl," she breathed happily.
"A little girl!" he exclaimed. "Can I name her?"
She grinned. "I've already got the name picked out." He nodded. "I want it to be, 'Illyana'." He took her in his arms and was careful not to squeeze too hard. Maybe I still do have feelings for the big lug, but I'll always love Pete more. Sorry, Peter, there's just no comparison. But her heart nearly burst with all the love he was finally showing her. He was so different.
Yet so was she. Hadn't Moira said that earlier?
She could learn to love again, for the baby's sake.
************************
The next day, her father called; first angry to the max, then sad, and finally happy. Ready to have a family again, he had told her. Then Betsy had called Brian and Meggan, and they were ecstatic, of course, especially Meggan, who had begged and pleaded with her to some to visit them. Graciously, Kitty agreed to.
Then around four o'clock, her mother had shown up, exhausted and soul-tired, but determined to take Kitty back home to Deerfield. Ignoring the protests of others, she told Kitty to say her "good-byes" so they could leave and relax. Kitty noticed that even stern, her mother still looked at her with the same awe and love she always had. She even said good-bye to her daughter's friends and teammates before promising to be back soon and then shoved Kitty out the door.
Peter followed. "Katya..."
"It's ok, Peter," she reassured him. "I'm happy."
"I love you, you silly goose!" he called as she got in her mother's Buick.
Her mother nodded her approval and said, :"He's turned out to be such a nice man." She elbowed Kitty in the ribs. "Good looking, too."
She observed Peter watching them leave and smiled to herself. And I love you, Pete, wherever you are, and I guess, you too, Peter. I guess you can be one and the same person to me, but I'll never let either of you know.... She laughed.
"What's so funny?"
"Nothing," she replied, as she rubbed her growing belly, happy and content. She could still be afraid, and she was.
But she wasn't alone.
*Ok, ok, so it was kinda sappy, but this was a dream I had, and nanna-nanna-boo-boo, I had to get it out of my system!!!* ;)