The World is Not Enough

Part Two

"Oh dear God..." were the only words that Pete Wisdom managed to choke out before he fell on the floor, clutching his sides. The fall sent several books crashing to the floor off of the night stand next to the bed.

The noise brought Kitty Pryde out of the bathroom, her hair still wet from the shower. She stood over Pete, her hands on her hips. "What exactly are you doing, Mr. Wisdom?"

Pete looked up at her, and another new bought of deep laughs emanated out of his chest. Unable to squeeze any words out, he simply pointed to the photo album that was laying on the bed. Kitty looked over it and grimaced when she realized what was making him laugh so vehemently. It was a picture of the X-men several years ago, when she still called herself "Sprite." Unfortunately for her, this picture showed her in the first costume she designed by herself. The shiny gold spandex, the striped knee socks, the green skirt, the purple mask. Those ridiculous roller skates. "Oh for God's sake Pete. I was thirteen! What do you expect a thirteen year old to design?"

Pete stopped laughing. "You mean you actually CHOSE that? I thought you lost a bet." He started snickering again, and Kitty slapped him upside the head. "See, this is why I will never wear a costume. That way, I don't look like a bloody wanker."

"I'm so lucky to have found you." Kitty scoffed. She grabbed a towel, and began drying off her hair. It was a double blessing, as it helped drown out Pete's laughter as he periodically glanced over at the picture. The last two days were slipping by in a blur. Between the verbal tennis of their quips, and the debates over cigarettes, there was true affection between them. It was funny, Kitty was merely seventeen years old, but she felt much more mature, like the age gap really didn't exist. She was happy, and guessed Pete was also.

"So what do you want to do tonight?" Kitty asked absently, when they were sitting by the window, lazily watching the sun sink underneath the horizon.

Pete took a long drag off his cigarette. "I fancy a drink." The downside of living on Muir, is that it was severely lacking in the alcohol which Pete ran off of.

"That sounds nice."

After rounding up the team, the drunk-proofed Midnight Runner flew off for a night of booze on the mainland.

Several, several hours later, it returned, and everyone exited the plane, walking back up to their home. They laughed about the nights events, their inebriated motor controls giving way to many stumbles on the short journey, which exacted even more laughter. Little did these happy drunkards know, but they had an observer.

Piotr Rasputin had walked a very long way. He was tired, he was sad, he was lonely. He didn't know how he got to this remote part of Scotland, but he knew why. He wanted his Katya. He almost couldn't contain that want, as he walked up the pier where his boat had just landed. He saw some figures in the distance, they were laughing. He hoped someday soon he would laugh again. The island was a barren, desolate, rocky wasteland. It caused the Russian to frown. This place was not for his Katya. She belonged in lush green fields, dotted with flowers and leafy trees. This place would make her old. As old and tired as he felt now. He needed her to quicken him once again. He needed her. She was his.

They could pick up back where they left off. Back before Illyana died. Before he left on Avalon. Before Zsaji. They could work back on their dreams. They had talked of marriage once. He shifted the weight of his duffel bag, as he approached closer.

"I've fallen, Pryde."

"Your pride fell years ago."

"Same time as me morals."

Piotr stopped dead in his tracks. He had finally found his Katya, the one whom he had travelled across the globe for, and there she was, kissing some sort of scrawny man in a frumpled suit. He could do nothing but stand there, in complete shock. She wasn't waiting for him. The world was slowly fading away into confused darkness. Piotr could feel himself armoring up instinctively and instantly. His rage was mounting.

Pete watched Kitty walk inside, only turning away when he heard the door click into place. He reached into his shirt pocket, and pulled out his cigarettes. He light it, and pressed it to his lips, where Kitty's had been only a minute ago. He took a drag, and watched the smoke dissipate into the night sky. He felt genuinely pleased with himself.

Colossus moved up behind the scrawny man. He pulled back his fist, and let it fly towards the man's head. Much to the Russian's dismay, he ducked at the last second, and his fist hit the wall with a loud reverberation, which shook the entire building. He vaguely heard the man make some stupid, slurred comment about him being the terminator. "I am Piotr Nikoleivitch Rasputin," He bellowed, "And I have come halfway across the planet to find myself, to find my life, and to find my Katya, And..." He faultered angrily "And, I can't take anymore, and you have taken my Katya from me!" Colossus felt his fist sink into the man's abdomen and he roared, "you took her AWAY!"

Pete hit the wall. His body was shaking all over. One punch from this giant metal monster felt as if he had been hit by a double decker bus. And it kept coming after him. Pete barely had time to think as the onslaught continued. Hit after hit was lain upon his body, and he could feel it reaching its limit. The monster paused, which gave Pete enough time to get to his feet, and extend a hot-knife across the beast's eyes. That did nothing else but to enrage it more. "Oh God, Pryde... get out here soon," was the thought that crossed his mind before he was hit back to the ground. He raised his head and saw that, indeed, Kitty had come outside, and she was being threatened. "LEAVE HER ALONE!" Pete gathered all his remaining strength, and sent it out to protect Kitty. He hit the ground unconscious.

Kitty was sitting alone in a chair in the hallway. She wasn't happy anymore. Why? Why now? Why did he have to enter her life now that she had FINALLY moved on and found someone else? At the most inopportune moment. And he's ruined everything. She could never go back to Piotr now... and Now... Pete might die. He had been in the med-lab with Moira for hours now. She didn't have any update, no information whatsoever, only that it was critical. Meggan and Kurt had tried to offer her hope, but she didn't really hear them. She was in a daze. No matter where she went, she couldn't start with a fresh slate. Her past had found her, and was mucking up her present, her future.

Sighing, she slumped down in her chair. Not meaning to, Kitty slowly fell asleep, wishing with all her heart for Pete to pull through.

"Kitty? Kitty?" Moira shook her gently awake.

"Mmm? Moira?" Kitty rubbed the sleep out of her eyes, then, becoming more aware, asked more fervently "How's Pete? Is he going to be ok?"

"He's goin' to be fine, lass. He was conscious just enough to tell me he wanted a smoke," Moira chuckled. "He'll have to be in a wheelchair for a while. Lucky guy though. One more blow wouldae murdered him."

Kitty smiled widely, and wrapped Moira in a rib-cracking hug. "Thank you!"

"It's my job," Moira patted the girl on the head. "Besides, we wouldn't want to have him leave the team so soon, would we?" Kitty pulled away, wiping away a tear of relief. "Now... I think you should go give a talk to your old beau."

(A/N: I've been reading old comics. I'm not too sure if I like the Piotr/Kitty relationship when she was really young. It seemed really creepy. ESPECIALLY in the one where they have their first date. I dunno. It just creeped me out. Some times its good. I LOVE that dynamic in Astonishing. But Goddamnit... they had to delay it another month. Bastards. Do they know what their procrastination is doing to me?

This one came out of Excalibur 91 and 92. Great, great comics. If you want to see more about the hilarious drunken scene at the bar, and how Moira is an angry drunk... I suggest you pick them up. But I really liked this chapter. I dunno. Its fun. It's a little bit late, because I was busy writing the last chapter, because I had a serious... rush of inspiration for that bit.

OMIGOD. If the Eagles don't win the Superbowl I'm going to have to kill myself. Anyways... on to the shoutouts.

Lia Fail– Sheepishly grins Sorry. I guess I just wanted to try something new. Its like... how Eddie Murphy went into music. Not exactly good, but we'll get a laugh or two out of it. And maybe a video with Rick James (God rest his soul). I never watched Buffy, So I don't really know who Spike or anyone is. But I have heard that the last scene in Astonishing 4 is exactly like some episode of Buffy. I guess I missed out. Its become some huge thing, I suppose. That's what I get for watching Eureeka's castle instead. Ah well. I don't really like vampires. They're too angst-ridden. Its good to know that you aren't dead, though. I've been waiting on the edge of my seat for the next chapter of "The Knight and the Maiden."

A.J. Starhiker– Omigosh. I know what you mean. After Ellis left, the comic basically went to hell. Pete and Kitty broke up for really no reason at all, which irked me to no end (and shall be addressed later). And what the hell was with the bamfs? Worst Excalibur ever. Ugh. Why do people have to screw up a really good comic by changing it? Its like New Coke in comic form.

Dragonofash- Wow. Thanks. I'm glad I could make you like Wisdom. He's a really awesome character. If you don't want it to be really a sacrilege against Kiotr, you should read some X-Force. Pete appears in that for a while. Its good. I love Pete. He's such an ass.

The Uncanny R Man- Thanks. The songs I can see them walking around to the most are "Goldfinger" and "The World is not Enough" (Both of which are the best James Bond themes ever, in my opinion).

Harry2- wow. It would be such an honor to be on that site. I've been reading stuff from there for a while. Its so wonderful.

Angora– Yeah, the art in Dream nails wasn't really my favorite either. Pryde and Wisdom was my favorite art, I must say. That, and Excalibur 102.

Katzztar– Um... I'm glad you... liked it? I never really... liked Rachel. So its hard for me to accept a Kitty/Rachel future.

Stay tuned for next time: Something that I haven't decided yet!)