Chapter 19. The fire within

Kitty opened the door to her bedroom, not bothering to be quiet, it was three in the morning and most people were in deep sleep. It had been a month since anyone had seen Pyro, after he had left. The professor concerned about his welfare, with no money, had sent Logan out to find him, to make sure if he was ok, had shelter, and was in a remotely stable frame of mind. Kitty had noticed that the mansion was no longer the fun bubbly place it use to be. All the new recruits were still in shock over what had happened to there friend Amara, and the Acolytes had also gone quiet, because of there missing team mate. Everyone in the mansion had been to see Amara, in her burnt form. Kitty saw many emerge from the med. lab with ether pail shocked faces, or tear stained ones. But if anything good could bee seen coming from this tragedy, was that the tension between the Acolytes and the rest of the x-men had subsided, with the team finally excepting the newest members.

Kitty for some reason was not tired to night, and after laying in her bed for hours looking at the ceiling, she decided to indulge in one of her favorite past times, late night ice-cream eating. Walking into the kitchen, not bothering to turn the light on as always, she headed straight for her target, the refrigerator. Opening the top half of the kitchen appliance, she quickly found her goal. Phasing the container out from the ice that had formed around it she turned to get a spoon, from the drawer, behind her and paused in her tracks.

"We have got to stop meeting like this", she stated to the figure sitting at the table.

Piotr did not reply to her. Kitty thought that was strange, until she looked closer and noticed two shimmering lines down the side of his face, he had been crying.

"Oh my god, Peter what's wrong?", she asked forgetting her spoon, and placing the ice-cream on the kitchen, bench forgetting all about it.

as she came closer to him, he seemed unable to look at her, and he placed his head on his arms, that were crossed on the table, supporting his head. She pulled up the chair next to him, sitting down beside him.

"What's wrong?", she repeated. Still she received no answer from him. Instead one of Piotr's hands slid forward, placing a folded piece of paper in front of her.

Kitty took the paper and unfolded it. It was a fax copy. And kitty recognized it as a medical notice straight away, with the hospitals name and logo, at the top left hand corner.

"Are you sure you want me to read this?", she asked, Piotr, who was still hiding his face her. His head moved slightly nodding, in answer to her question.

'Dear Piotr Nikolaievitch Rasputin', she read to herself, "we regret to inform you that mother, Mrs Rasputin. Condition has worsened dramatically. Your mother's brain has ceased in all activity, and it only because of the life support, that you mother continues to live", she read this part meekly aloud, and had to pause at that sentence to regain her composure. "being her eldest form of related family, and next of kin, we now await your decision, on weather or not to continue life support". Kitty finished the letter folding it back up.

Looking to the person that sat beside her, she noticed that his back was vibrating slightly, signaling that he was crying. Kitty did the only thing she could think of to comfort him, placing her hand on his shoulder reassuringly. To her surprise, the action made him cease in crying, and slowly he raised himself back up into a proper sitting position, turning so that he faced kitty once more.

Kitty felt a pang of pain, as she looked into his blood shot eyes. "What are you gong to do?", she asked barely above a whisper, but he could still hear.

Swallowing down the lump in his throat, he attempted to reply as best he could, "I ….must go back…to Russia…..so I can arrange all the documents,….be with my sister…and-" he broke off here, but Kitty waited patiently, for him to regain himself "And…be with her to comfort her, when they…..turn the machine off"

"But you don't have to turn it off, they could come up with a treatment later on, or something", Kitty offered, coming close to tears herself.

"No,…mother knew this was coming, she told us what she wanted, if… the worst should happen"

Piotr looked away from Kitty, unable to stand seeing her own blue eyes mist over.

"I must arrange the funeral, as well…. Perhaps it would be best if I stayed back at Russia", he added looking into space.

"So,…. you won't be coming back?", she asked meekly.

"I don't know, but it would be easier if I stayed"

"What if you had a reason to come back?", Kitty asked.

"What do you mean?", he asked, slightly confused, turning so that he could face her.

Kitty didn't answer, instead she leaned forward, bring her lips to meet his, giving him a sweet, lingering kiss. In his shock Piotr did not respond. Kitty pulled away, adverting eye contact, shy about her actions.

Piotr stared at Kitty for a while, "What was that for?", he asked slightly dazed.

"I thought it might help…..in giving you a reason to come back", she answered, staring down at the table.

"Well…", Piotr started, "I don't think it will work"

Kitty's head dropped further in disappointment. She was surprised, when she felt his hand on her chin. Gently he adjusted her head so that their eyes met.

"Because, you have to do it twice, for it to work"

With that he leaned forward, bringing their lips together once more, delivering a slow, lingering kiss. He broke the kiss, backing away only slightly, leaving their faces in close proximity. "You know, we should make sure it worked properly", he breathed. "Like, totally", kitty agreed in a whisper. Piotr leaned forward once more, kissing her sweetly. It was meant to be innocent, but unable to contain himself any longer, her ran his tongue along her lips, silently asking for permission. She opened her mouth in response. Piotr quickly deepened the kiss, but maintained a slow sensuous rhythm, that Kitty easily met. Kitty's hands found their way to Piotr's hair, intertwining her fingers in his short hair. In return, Piotr's hands, grasped the set of Kitty's chair pulling her closer to him. Eventually Kitty broke the kiss needing air.

"Like, wow", she breathed.

"I would have to agree", Piotr breathed, equally as effected.

"So are you going to come back now?", Kitty asked, regaining her breath.

"I believe I will, now that I have a very, very good reason to return"

XXX

AN: Something tells me he will return. This chapter is a bit of a break from all the anguish in my past two chapters, but don't worry I will jump back in to the main story line in no time.

Thanks to:

Schme (thanks honey)

v son sayian

EmeraldKatsEye (bugger?, r u Australian?)

Prowler-125 (I absolutely loved your review, don't be too mean to me, it could have consequences on the story line lol.)