Five Ways Astonishing 18 Won't Deal With The Aftermath

By Madripoor Rose

Disclaimer: Marvel Entertainment's, not mine.
Spoilers for Astonishing 17, Bloodline

1: Kitty kept her eyes away from them both as she shoved clothing into the suitcase, shaking with rage and loss. Her stomach knotted as Piotr tried again, part of her wanting to ease the pain in his voice. Most of her not giving a damn.

"Katya...it wasn't real."

"I know. I know that, y'know? But it was real for me. And I can't even look at you right now. I know it isn't fair. I'm leaving the school shorthanded, and it isn't fair to you because you didn't do it, but damn it. I lost my faith in my husband, and I lost my baby...and Lockheed...I can't even begin... I just...I have to get out of here for a while. Logan?"

"Yeah, Kitten?"

"Look after Piotr for me. Piotr...as much as I hate him right now, I still love you. I'll be back when I can stand to be here." She didn't think it was a lie, but she wasn't sure.

She drove west after leaving the Xavier estate. It was as good a direction as any.

2: When it was over and done, the real Emma rescued, the Hellfire Club dealt with, Lockheed explained...and how startling was that, that her little dragon-baby was sapient after all, and a freaking double agent all along with SWORD holding the MiB over his head to deport him off Earth as an 'illegal alien', Logan and Beast restored to what passed for normal, and she was starting to get used to seeing Scott unvisored...it was then Piotr turned to her, raised an eyebrow, and asked, "our son?"

It was such a relief to spill it out, to take the false memories out in the light of day and examine them, that she didn't notice the closed look coming over Piotr's face.

"You believed I would do this? After Illyana, you thought I would hand over our child to be experimented on, after Ord, you thought I would allow our son to be confined? You believed I would betray you?"

She looked into his eyes, and thought wildly, I should have hit him with the axe. It would have been kinder. And let the words come tumbling out, trying to find the ones that would assure him that the dreamworld had been manipulated to that very level, that noone in it was acting the way they would, and the only reason she didn't notice it wasn't real until it was too late was because she wanted that life with him so much.

3: Kitty was breathless with kisses when Piotr rolled off of her, onto his back and sighed, "this isn't working."

"huhn?" she pushed herself up on one elbow and started to tug the covers down. "Okay, spread your legs a little, I'll..."

Piotr chuckled. "That would work, I like that very much. But not if you're offering out of guilt."

She froze, and then settled into the crook of his arm, resting her head on his shoulder. "God. I need therapy!"

"You were manipulated cruelly, Katya. I do not blame you for believing it, it was so very real to you."

"I know. I just...I can't believe I bought into it. I should have sensed it was a bad dream."

"Am I crowding you enough, or do you need more time?" Piotr suddenly asked.

"What?"

"Tell me about Michael. If it would help to talk..."

"...you took the Blackbird to Chicago and got me a Donatelli's deep dish with the works once when I had cravings. I quit the team and didn't phase while I was pregnant...Emma made this joke about stretch marks..."

4: Piotr reached over and pulled her close as soon as she got into bed. She reached up and lay her hand flat on his bare chest to deflect his kiss. "Piotr...wait."

"Michael?" he asked softly, settling back against the headboard. "Katya..." he said her name almost helplessly.

"I know. I know you didn't take our baby away from me." She took a breath, licked her lips. "But you can give him back." She looked up at him, at the shocked look on his face. "I stopped taking my birth control pills, don't wear a condom and..."

He was shaking his head.

"I know it wasn't real! But I miss him, Piotr, I miss him so much. I want to be a mother, I..I'm ready to be now. Damn it, you did this for Nereel and Fahe and you barely knew them, why not..."

The pity and sorrow in his eyes stopped her. "Katya...after I returned from Russia and learning about what happened to my cousins, about Rasputin...you went to Japan, and from there England. While you were away...before we...I decided I couldn't let the bloodline continue. Katya, I had a vasectomy."

5: Kitty lay back on his bed with her eyes closed, letting a jumble of images pass through her mind. Looking down at the little person in her arms. His first spoonful of food. His first step. His first word. The smell of talcum powder and mashed banana. The way his tiny hand curled around one of her fingers.

She gritted her teeth as Piotr entered her, and thought of the frantic few minutes she'd spent in his bathroom with a straight pin. It wouldn't be long. She would have to endure his touch until she got her baby back and then this time she'd get him far away from the X Men, to somewhere safe.

End.