With Patience Comes Wisdom Sometimes

by Starsinger

Okay, I couldn't resist all the puns, it's that man's last name. Not his fault, granted, but there's no telling how much fun I'll have while he's around. If you're a Kete fan, here we go. If you're a Kiotr fan, well, I didn't write this stuff, originally, and still don't own this stuff, so don't sue me. Excalibur did not make it easy for him when he first came there. I'm not making it any easier on him.

Wisdom meant many things to many people. For some it comes with age. For others it came in the form of three men who visited a baby in Bethlehem many years ago. For Kitty, it was a British spy with whom Excalibur got stuck. Naturally, his name was Pete. "Why do I always get stuck with guys named Peter who happen to have foreign accents," she muttered to herself. Excalibur had been called to London, and she stood in the Parliament building waiting for Brian. She was also stuck with Wisdom.

Besides, if he were really wise he wouldn't smoke. Kurt strolled back into the room as Kitty sighed with relief, "I need some air," she muttered to Elf as she headed out the door. Unfortunately, Wisdom decided he wanted to join her.

"I need a smoke, Kit," he said with a grin. He knew he was getting on her nerves. They only got him to come along when he got in Moira's way one too many times and she threatened to sedate him so she could perform medical experiments using Shia'rian machines she'd never used before on him. This wasn't an empty threat considering what she kept in the basement. Kitty honestly didn't know he could run that fast. "I have a question, is MacTaggart always that harsh?"

"She must like you," Kitty mused. "She threatened to have Sebastian Shaw dropped into the middle of the Atlantic if he didn't come with her and Brian last year." She watched his face blanch as she kept her mouth shut. She didn't like to discuss the circumstances that brought them both here that time. The other newest team member was a much easier fit. Rahne tagged along beside them with a grin. With a grin he slung his arms around both girls' shoulders, their reactions were very different and very surprising. Rahne dropped his arm with a grin and told him not to do it again. Kitty nearly came unhinged, he watched her stop, breathe deeply for several minutes, and turn back the way they came, leaving him confused.

"Look, it's not my business to tell ye wha' happened to her. Let's just say that you shouldn't touch her without her invitation. One of our menfolk might do something you'll regret." He gave her a penetrating look, "I know ye dinnae do anything wrong. Just trust me when I say gi' her some time."

Pete knew what her actions meant, he'd seen the reactions of women who'd been abused by men. He vowed to be more careful in the future.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"All right, Kit, be blunt with me: rape or molested," he confronted her later that day.

"HOW DARE YOU! THIS IS NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS!" she yelled storming out of the room.

Meggan poked her head in, "Pete, leave it alone. If she's ever ready to tell you, she will. I will tell you that the perpetrator was begging her forgiveness not that long ago."

Unfortunately, he started treating her like glass. Kitty finally gave him an exasperated look, "Pete, I'm not going to break. I can take care of myself. I don't need you hovering over me all day. Just do me a favor and respect my boundaries, like my bedroom door," she said closing the door in his face.

"Wisdom, what di ya think ye're doin pesterin' the poor girl!" he heard behind him. He stiffened. MacTaggart was not someone to be trifled with. The fact that she had the only known case of human Legacy Virus didn't help her temper any. He walked, fuming. He'd never be part of the team, he knew. He worked for Black Air and he was just being tolerated.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The next few days abused him of any notion that he'd be accepted. They all went out drinking, leaving him in charge of the security guard in charge of the psychiatrist left in charge of the patients. Rahne was the only one who wasn't hostile to him, she was even sympathetic when she found him banging his head against a wall. "I'd invite ye out fer a drink, but I cannae pilot that plane, can ye?" He shook his head. They ended up going outside and watching the weather having its way with the world.

"Wisdom!" he heard Kurt bellow from the door, "You've got a call!"

Rahne walked him stalk into the com room and minutes later hurry out, "I need to borrow the plane, oh, and a pilot. I have business in London."

Kurt cocked an eyebrow as another voice sounded behind, "I'll take him, not like I have anything better to do." He turned to find Kitty standing behind him. She stalked toward the hangar leaving him to trail behind her. Hours later she wasn't at all surprised to find them sitting in one of the seedier bars in London. "One of your nicer hangouts, Wisdom?" she asked caustically.

"Tink should have been here by now," he muttered while he nursed a beer. She raised an eyebrow as she looked down at her watch nodding. "Ya know Pryde, I'm going to pester you until you tell me what happened."

"Well, I hope you enjoy not having your questions answered," came the reply. She looked up someone slipped a piece of paper on the table. "It's for you," she said tersely.

He read the paper, eyes going wide, "We're leaving."

Back aboard the plane they headed south. Kitty commented that it was as much in the middle of nowhere as you got for an island. Pete chuckled, "Look, we get in, get the info downloaded onto the flash drive you take everywhere with you and we get out, piece of cake."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Nothing was ever a piece of cake for a mutant. They got in all right, downloaded everything onto the flash drive, and just before he kissed her guards broke in and grabbed him. He yelled at her to go and that he would be all right. She shook her head, "Come on Pryde, job to do. That near kiss was just your hormones, and we don't leave anyone behind, even if he's Black Air."

Finding him was the problem, not getting him out. It seemed like it took hours to find him and rig the place to blow. The government was not going to be happy with her if they knew. She held his hand as they walked out, her power allowing flying debris to pass through them harmlessly. She started the plane and put it on auto-pilot before taking off her belt and gloves and turning to face him. He watched her intensely as finally the story came tumbling out of her mouth.

He approached her and gently put his hand on her face raising it to meet his eyes. "I'm sorry Kit, no one deserves that. If I'd been Brian I'd have dropped him in the middle of the Atlantic regardless. I stumbled across a picture of you while you'd been hurt and knew something bad…" his voice trailed off as he leaned forward and kissed her. Startled, she responded by reflexively opening her mouth to his probing tongue. "I'm not going to push you, if you don't…" she stood and wrapped her arms around his waist. He lead her to back of the plane.