By Trynia Merin
Disclaimer: Excalibur and its characters are property of XMEN. This is a work of fiction, and is not meant for profit or to demean the characters. The events here take place after my first story Dreams Nailed. Please R and R. This part has no R rated stuff, but I'd put it a PG for language and some tense situations. As for adult material, they'll be marked in upcoming individual chapters.
Chapter 1
This takes place after Excalibur 92:
Colossus had left Magneto's acolytes to go in search of Kitty. Somehow he felt she was the answer. Unfortunately she had moved on from him years ago... into the arms of a man named Pete Wisdom.
Peter Wisdom was an Ex Black Air agent. His lack of a costume hid the fact he had mutant talents of his own, the ability to generate hotknives, spears of energy the temperature of the sun's surface. Years of smoking and drinking combined with his curt, nobody cares attitude, giving the man in his mid twenties a haggard appearance. That surly gleam in his blue eyes belied his good and caring heart. Kitty had gotten to know him during Excalibur's mission to Genosha, and then a private vendetta Pete Wisdom undertook to help a fellow agent named Culley. It seemed Culley had been betrayed by Black Air, and a secret project called Dream Nails was the reason. Together he and Pryde broke into Dream Nails and deleted all data, seeking revenge for Culley's death and termination.
Love had blossomed from the love-hate relationship. It was tentative, and secret to the others in Excalibur. On their return, Kitty and Wisdom had invited Excalibur to a pub Moira knew from her youth, the Chalk and Cheese. Amidst alcohol and friendly company Kitty and Pete announced their relationship, and Pete's desire to join Excalibur. That met with mixed reactions, varying from shock to amusement. Meggan's empathic abilities allowed her to see past his unpleasant exterior to his good nature, while Amanda Sefton aka Daytripper thought Wisdom had possibilities. Among the skeptics were Kurt and Brian naturally, Rahne and Moira. Douglock's fascination was merely that of a techno organic.
Little did Pyoter know. Five years ago Pyoter Rasputin, during the Secret Wars, he had fallen in love with another woman. An alien healer named Zsaji. When he returned to Earth, he admitted to Kitty Pryde that he was no longer in love with her. Miserable, Kitty had accepted his answer. Her heart broken, she struggled to move on, and then ended up in Japan. She faced hell over there, falling under the spell of Ogun, who twisted her soul inside out and remade her in the image of a deadly Ninja. Only Wolverine's intervention saved her from a life of servitude under his former master.
Now, years later, Pyoter had joined the Acolytes, disolutioned by Xavier's dream. Illyana, his little snowflake, little sister had succumbed to the Legacy Virus, dying a senseless death. That was the last straw that prompted his 'defection' to Magneto's side. Later on,Kitty Pryde had called to him, saying she needed him. That she wanted to join the Acolytes along with him because she still had feelings for him.
Unfortunately it was a trick by Xavier. To lure him back to the X men. Colossus had spent far too long in his steel organic form, and required treatment. The sort he could only recieve in Xavier and Moira's care. Outraged, he still underwent the treatment, and demanded to return to his companions. They had faught Excalibur, consisting of Rachel, Kitty and Kurt, to retrieve him. Touched by their devotion, he left again with them.
Months later, he eventually left the Acolytes in search of familiarity. They had let him down, and he wanted to go home. To the only home he'd known, and the arms of the one woman he felt still understood and loved him. His Katya. Surely she was still waiting for him on Muir Island with open arms and open heart to give him the purpose and reassurance that life was worth living. The Russian X man undertook the arduous trek to Scotland.
That night, right outside Muir Island's complex he stopped, hearing her voice and that of another man. His face twisted into livid shock and rage when he saw the sickly man kissing Katya. HIS Katya. The bottom dropped out of Pyoter Rasputin's soul. Kitty had gone back in, leaving Pete Wisdom to smoke a last cigarette. Before he knew it, things had gone eeriely quiet. Out of nowhere a fist slammed him into the wall.
"Am I smashed, or are you the Terminator?" Wisdom slurred.
"I have come THOUSANDS of miles, to see you taking my Katya away from me!" Colossus roared. Metal gleamed cold in the moonlight. Both men squared off, Wisdom's hotknives versus Colossus' incredible strength and vulnerability.He broke like cheap glass under the Russian's fists. Blows rained from all sides before Pete could get a sense of the strength of the hulking metal giant.
The next thing Kitty remembered was racing out of the Chalk and Cheese that night to see her ex boyfriend beating the living daylights out of her current boyfriend. Wisdom had seen Colossus turning to Kitty in shock, and rammed the last bit of his energy into a hotknife that cut Pyotr Rasputin down.
Only through the combinated efforts of the rest of Excalibur could Colossus be subdued. Slapped in an inhibitor collar, and placed in a cell, he was a prisoner of those who were once allies. All because of a simple misunderstanding.
So far the last twenty-four hours had been an emotional roller coaster, and Kitty Pryde couldn't believe that the two men in her life had fought over her like two Neanderthals, especially Piotyr. Moira had done her best, and only time could wait. Now after a whole night of piecing together two injured parties, Moira was focusing her attention back to Piotyr. Douglock helped Brian prepare a strange holding cell with bars, and when Rahne had seen them move Piotyr's bed there, she panicked and raced form the lab in a blind feral rage, leaving Douglock to ask Brian for a treatise on social behaviors.
Kurt immediately called a team meeting of the older members of Excalibur, keeping Douglock to watch over Piotyr while they conferred.
It was Rahne who had vehemently stood up for Piotyr, saying he had every right to feel cheated and angry in light of his recent set of circumstances. Kurt had challenged her by saying that Piotyr had acted in a manner unbecoming of an X man, causing physical harm to someone he knew nothing about. The X men had been sworn never to use their powers in a lethal manner, and Piotyr had crossed the line.
"If it HAD been Professor X, he would have acted in the same manner," the German born mutant snapped.
"Aye, but put yerself in his shoes, will ye Kurt!" Rahne cried. "He's like a brother t' me and t' ye, and you can't have SOME compassion Kurt! He's lost his sister n' family and now the woman he loves has betrayed him! He's only jest come round tae us fer help t'woud be wrong to chastise him fer that!"
"Even so," Kurt said firmly. "It does NOT excuse him for lethally attacking a member of our team in a violent rage..."
"Kurt, he's been through so much, ye must understand his whole wuirld is torn apart!" Rahne cried. "Ye canna stand here and expect me t' believe you have nae compassion for a man ye considered a BROTHER!"
"She is right," Amanda Sefton said slowly, sitting near Kurt. "Colossus... Piotyr is our friend, and he was once your teammate. We must show him mercy and compassion. Doesn't he deserve a second chance... now beating Wisdom to a bloody pulp was wrong... but we have to consider both sides..."
"Amanda, liebchen, I have considered this, but we MUST restrain Piotyr. There is no telling what psychological damage being an Acolyte has done..."
"Ye speak of him like he was a monster!" Rahne cried hotly. "Tis NAE fair..."
"Rahne..." Kurt said softly. "I know what you're going through. It pains me to that we must resort to this, but we must consider Kitty and Pete's safety, and that of the team... if we are to help Piotyr we must resort to touch love, ya?"
"Yes," Amanda nodded. "What do you think, Brian?"
"I think he needs to be watched carefully," Brian Braddock agreed.
"He's in so much pain," Meggan sighed. "I can feel it... so much torment, but so is Kitty... Wisdom might die. Can we turn our backs on Piotyr, and Kitty? How do we help him, and her?"
"No question we have to help him," Kurt said. "But I am the leader of Excalibur, and as such I've heard all your arguments. We will help Piotyr no question, but we also must consider our own safety. Perhaps if he is confronted with the reality of what has happened... he will see that..."
"But to lock him in a cage!" Rahne wailed. "Hasnae he suffered enough?"
"Tell that to the man who's dying," Brian said with a sigh.
"Ye dinna understand!" Rahne wailed.
"WE all want to help him," Kurt said, approaching Rahne. "It hurts me to have to do this... but we must consider Piotyr's safety to. As long as he runs free in a rage, it's as bad to him as it is to any of us. We are his friends and he IS our responsibility. And since he is our responsibility, we must help him. And that means we must be tough when he needs it. Professor X would expect no less..."
"But we're nae the X men..." Rahne firmed her jaw, shifting to her lupine transition and growling.
"No, but we live by the rules he set up," said Brian with a sigh. "Kurt as I recall was VERY tough on me when I had my alcoholism. If not for that I'd still be in a drunken stupor. We have to be firm with Piotyr if he has any help of recovering..."
"He's NAE a drunk, tis NAE the same thing!" cried Rahne hotly.
"She's right," Meggan said, standing by the changeling.
"True," Nightcrawler nodded. "But the decision has been made. Moira is in agreement, and as leader I have made my decision..."
"Nae!" Rahne cried angrily. Just then Moira MacTaggert emerged into the dining room, clad in a labcoat, her eyes pale and weary.
"Rahne, I need yuir help in the medlab," she said sharply.
"Mum... they want to put Piotyr in a cage"! Rahne shouted as she rushed to Moira's side.
"And I think tis the safest thing," Moira said firmly. "And that's me final word. Now are ye goin tae help yer mother or nae?"
"But it's nae fair," Rahne protested.
"Rahne Sinclair, that's our decision," Moira said with steel in her voice. "As his physician, and as yair mother, I must insist. Now I'll hear nae muir word about this..."
Rahne, sick with worry shut her mouth in response to her mother's sharp tongue, and hung her head, shifting back to her human form. Slowly she cast Kurt an agonized look and fell in behind her mother and guardian to offer her help. Kurt stopped her and said softly, "It's only because we love him like family... I hope you come to understand in time..."
"I understand but I still dinna like it, Kurt," she snarled under her breath as she followed Moira into the medlab.
"How are you holding up?" Amanda Sefton asked Kitty Pryde, who sat at Pete's bedside clutching his hand. Moira had done her best to piece Pete Wisdom's battered body together, and it was touch and go. So many tubes snaked into his body, infusing him with livegiving blood and medicine that he hardly seemed human and more resembling Douglock. The former Phalanx was observing Rahne and Moira at this time, having offered his assistance before. It was all Amanda could do to keep him away from pestering Kitty with questions, so she'd suggested he go and help Moira with any computer monitoring.
"How do you expect," Kitty said bitterly. "The man I love is flat on his ass cause the man I ONCE thought I loved was a raving LUNATIC!"
"I know," Amanda sighed, pulling up a chair and sitting next to Kitty. "I'm more worried about YOU. I mean I AM your friend remember... even if it's been a long time since we've seen each other..."
"I'm sorry Amanda," Kitty sighed, looking at her friend in apology for her angry outburst. "Look, I'm really upset. Could you expect any less? I HATE Piotyr for this!"
"I'd be worried if you didn't," said Amanda, putting a hand on Kitty's arm. Kitty flinched, flushing still in anger at the whole situation.
"Dammit, why couldn't he leave it alone?" Kitty snapped. "He has the damn NERVE to come here and say that I'm HIS after he rejected me. What the HELL happened to change his mind?"
"Maybe you're mad cause he rejected you, and you've moved on, while he hasn't," Amanda said. "Man I'd be pissed to."
"How can you understand?" Kitty asked her.
"Hello, Kurt and I have broken up before," Amanda said firmly. "I mean he rejected ME as I recall. I mean when he was staying with me before that whole thing with Arcade and that Elfburg girl... we had a NASTY break up. He actually accused me of using witchcraft to make us fall in love. I was PISSED. So believe me I know what it's like to be angry at an ex."
"But have any of your ex'es come back and attacked Kurt?" Kitty asked bitterly.
"No... but I know what it's like to be rejected by an ex, and then have him try to get back into your life," Amanda said. "You think Kurt and I have had a perfect relationship?"
"Nope," Kitty said ruefully. "Sorry..."
"It's okay," Amanda sighed. Kitty winced, thinking of Cerise, the alien aviatrix who had a relationship with Kurt only months ago, wondering if Amanda would ever know, and when she did what would she think.
"Yeah,' she mumbled. "I just want to know why... and what will happen..."
"What will happen?" asked Kitty. "I can't just forget what he did..."
"Kurt's thinking of letting him join the team," Amanda said.
"Is he NUTS?" Kitty cried.
"I thought it was crazy too, but you know Kurt..." Amanda nodded in understanding. "But you can bet Fuzzy will give him an earful."
"He'll have to stand in line," Kitty snapped.
"You'll get your chance," said Amanda. "Believe me..."
"Amanda, I was wondering... since you know magic and all, isn't there anything you can do to help Pete?"
"Hmm, I can make sure that he gets his rest," Amanda said. "And I've put protective wards to fend off any further disease. But it's up to Moira's medical magic. That's why he's been taking this..."
She pointed to a flask, which contained a strange greenish brown liquid, at Pete's bedside table, and said, "It's a healing elixir. Unfortunately if you push his body too fast to heal itself it will work against his body and nature. I infused some of it earlier... but the rest will have to wait when he wakes up..."
"If he wakes up... he's got to..."
"He will," Amanda said. "He's too stubborn and you're too stubborn to let him give up without a fight. And even though I'm not Catholic, I know Nightcrawler would say prayer is the best medicine of all..."
"I've prayed," Kitty mumbled. "Believe me..."
"Then just do what you're doing. Pete knows you love him. Just stay with him."
"Thanks Amanda," Kitty sighed as Amanda reached out to hug her friend. The two women embraced slowly rocking each other as Kitty felt hot angry tears form.
"Rahne?" Meggan asked as she came to sit on the dock by the young lycanthromorph.
"Och Meggan me senses must be goin," the were-girl jumped. "I didnae see or smell ye..."
"When you're an elemental like I am, you can be very quiet," Meggan apologized. "I wondered if you were all right... I can feel your conflict, your hurt..."
"Aye. I wish Kurt understood," Rahne said bitterly.
"I do," Meggan said, dipping her toes in the chilly water of the bay. "He's a member of your family, and you hate to see him reduced to this..."
"He's no a monster..."
"I know. People have thought I was one..." Meggan said.
"I read the file," Rahne said, glancing at Meggan. "How ye were raised n' all. Hope ye didnae mind me takin' a peak. Ye and me have a whole lot 'n common... both misunderstood n' all..."
"Both considered monsters and both chased like wild animals, yes," Meggan nodded. "Maybe that's why you hate seeing Piotyr like that... in a cage... I hate cages..."
"He's got the heart o' an artist... he only loves Kitty," said Rahne plaintively. "And he deserves better..."
"I wish Kitty could see how much he cares for her," Meggan reflected. "I feel the love he has, the hunger... it pains me..."
"Ye can really feel 'motions can ye?" Rahne asked her. "Right now I wish I didnae feel cos I hurt..."
"He'll need us all," Meggan said. "You're on his side. And I am to... but you have to see Wisdom isn't what he seems."
"He's a right sassinache... I almost WISH Piotyr had... saints preserve me f'r sayin such sinful things..."
"I know," Meggan nodded. "I think we all wished we could see two people fall in love. It's a fairy tale... like Brian and me. When I heard Kitty tell me about how they used to love each other..."
"But he did leave her... but who's t' say he doesnae love her still, and he's sorry for leavin' her?" asked Rahne. "If Wisdom were nae here do ye think they could..."
"Maybe, maybe not," said Meggan. "Who can say... love is powerful... and when two people seem made for each other like me and Brian..."
"I wish I had what ye twa hae," said Rahne.
"We've fought the battle so long," Meggan sighed, glancing up at the silvery moon. "And the war still rages within Brian. I'm still scared he doesn't want to marry me..."
"He'd be an idjit not tae," Rahne laughed. "I wish ma Richter was here... but he's nae... and then... Ssh... someone's coming..."
Both women looked at each other, knowing the gait and the inhuman scent of someone approaching, and they turned in unison when a slightly electronic voice asked, "Query, why are you female units sitting in solitude..."
"Jest havin a wee bit o' girl talk," said Rahne, looking at Douglock.
"Your emotional tone suggests emotional stress, related to the recent physical altercation... between former teammate Rasputin unit, and the Wisdom unit..."
"You can say that again," Meggan half chuckled, trying to hide her mirth despite the gravity of the situation. Douglock had the innocence of a child, and the nature of Data from Star Trek, Next Generation. Perhaps that was why he was so endearing to her.
"Is it correct to hypothesize that Rasputin will be incarcerated pending his actions?"
"Aye," Rahne mumbled.
"Is it common for previous bonding units to act in an aggressive manner towards the new mating patterns?" Douglock asked. "I have researched the subject of mating in the natural world, and it is a common element..."
"Unfortunately it is," Rahne nodded.
"Or is it the ritual of physical interaction post ethanol consumption?" Douglock lifted a gold toned eyebrow. "As in subject Pryde... drinking and sitting on unconscious humans..."
"NAE!" Rahne groaned. Meggan giggled.
"I did not think so," Douglock slipped into a more colloquial expression. "Did I express that negation correctly, Unit Rahne?"
"Ye said it foin," Rahne nodded as Douglock sat between the girls, and dangled his toe in the water just as Meggan was doing.
"Query, the immersion of pedal units in aqueous condition is said to be calming, even though the loss of the thermal biotherm is sufficient to induce... what you call 'Goosebumps'? What is the logic in this activity, Meggan?"
"Oh, just something to do... when I'm thinking," she said with a smile. Rahne began to chuckle, her brooding mood broken by Douglock's eager questions. They started to hear his examples of what he'd observed as idle behavior, and he surmised that Meggan's toe dangling was similar to humans twiddling their thumbs or drumming on tables. At least it took their minds off brooding over Piotyr and Pete.
Tense hours dragged by as Kitty felt her eyelids slowly drooping. She leapt up instinctively as someone's hand landed on her arm and phased, the hand passing through her vaporous body as a voice sad, "Katschen?"
"Oh damn Kurt, why didn't you TELL me you were there!" Kitty swore.
"Es tut mir leid Katschen," Kurt apologized, glancing down at her with soft gold eyes. "I just thought you should know, Piotyr has awakened, and I am about to tell him what happened. Moira has just finished and I figured you might want to tell him how you feel..."
"How I feel?" she began, her fury boiling in the pit of her stomach. Affection had turned to loathing and she was all set to deliver a harangue when Kurt cut her off.
"I mean how ANGRY and hurt you must be. It's TIME you told him to his face..."
"Is that part of your tough love, Kurt?" she asked resentfully, walking out with Kurt behind her.
"We are considering letting him be on the team, if he behaves himself.
"Are you NUTS?" Kitty exclaimed.
"Katschen, as much as I'm angered and outraged, he IS a teammate... Professor X would expect no LESS of us..."
"SOD Professor X!" Kitty snapped, phasing through Kurt, as she often did when she was pissed at him.
"Nein," Kurt said firmly, teleporting before her in a cloud of brimstone stench when she phased through the door of the lab.
"God DAMN it Kurt how could you even THINK..."
"Hear me out," Kurt said firmly. "I said IF he behaves himself... and I didn't mean WHEN, and right now we're all shocked. But you MUST understand..."
"How the hell can I understand what you're suggesting!" she shrilled.
"Save it for Piotyr. We'll talk about this other matter later..." Kurt said with a sigh. "I'm sorry to have even MENTIONED it Katschen..."
"You'd better be, Fuzzy," she mumbled as they grimly strode down the hall to another chamber of Moira's labs, the holding cells. Many mutants had been interred there, including Moira's own son, Kevin, also known as Proteous, the mutant Piotyr had ironically ended up killing in his effort to save the others.
"I've already spoken to him. It's your turn. Tell him HOW you feel Katschen... tell him..."
"That part I can handle alone..." she sniffled grimly as Kurt pressed the button to open the door. It slid aside, and revealed Piotyr sitting alone on a bed, behind bars. He huddled there with his head in his hands, resting on his knees, and even had the good grace to look ashamed. So pathetic he looked, for a split second Kitty forgot her anger and felt sorry for him.
"Katya!" he cried happily when he saw her stride in, her chin firmly set, invoking her ire. "I can't understand what my comrades tell me... my Katya I've walked halfway across the world to see you..."
"I'm NOT your KATYA!" she shrilled at him. Sighing Kurt let the door slide shut, and left the two alone and wondered if this was a good idea. Despite his own anger and the sermon he'd delivered before, he still felt great sympathy for what his friend was going through.
Sighing Kurt turned away and walked down the long hallways, not bothering to teleport. Had he been mad to offer Colossus a spot on the team? It was what Professor X would have done, he reassured himself. And yet was Professor X always right?