Author's Note- The last chapter. The song for this one is Sarah McLachlan's "Hold On."
Hold On
"Hold on
Hold on to yourself
For this is going to hurt like hell."
"Duck!" Pete called. Immediately Kitty fell to the ground as Pete shot a hot knife at the man sneaking up behind her.
"That's the last of them," Brian announced.
"Thank God," Kitty sighed with relief. Pete smiled and hugged Kitty. "That seemed a little easy."
"They were just the foot soldiers," Pete shrugged. "The big bads will be back. C'mon, luv, let's get out of here."
"Hold on
Hold on to yourself
You know that only time will tell"
The team was walking back to the plane when Pete suddenly winced.
"What's wrong?" Kitty asked concerned.
"I don't know, I got hit with somethin'." Kitty reached out and touched his shoulder.
"What the...?" she handed him a dart. "Pete?"
"Let's get back home," Pete's voice was deceptively calm, but his mind was racing.
"What was it? What did they do?"
"I don't know, luv." They got onto the plane and Brian took off.
"What is it in me that refuses to believe?
This isn't easier than the real thing"
A week and a half later
Kitty woke up and looked around herself frantically. "Pete!" she called. No answer. She jumped up, not caring that all she was wearing was one of her lover's shirts. She rushed downstairs and didn't see him. "No," she whispered. She ran outside. "Pete!"
"My love
You know that you're my best friend.
You know that I'd do anything for you"
"Ya tryin' t' show yer stuff t' the whole world?" Pete asked cocking an eyebrow as he approached her and slipped his trench coat over her slender shoulders and pulling it shut. "That's fer me t' see, no one else."
"Oh, thank God," Kitty gasped hugging him before slapping his arm hard. "Don't do that! I woke up and you were gone. I was afraid..."
"I'm sorry, luv." He hugged her comfortingly. "But if you had looked you would have seen the note I left in case ya woke up."
Her cheeks colored. "Oh."
"Yeah, oh."
"And my love
Let nothing come between us
My love for you is strong and true"
"So what are you doing out here?"
"I couldn't sleep so I decided to go see the sunrise. Don't see many of these."
"You would if you, like, didn't sleep until noon," Kitty teased.
"Bite me, Pryde." He led her back to the blanket he had spread out on the ground. "Care t' join me?"
"Always." They sat in silence as the first rays of light touched the sky. Kitty glanced at her lover's profile and smiled a little. He looked so much better today. He had one arm wrapped around her shoulders, the other hand rested possessively on her thigh.
"Am I in heaven here or
Am I…
At the crossroads I am standing."
"You know, you don't have to stay with me, luv."
"I don't mind. It's not too cold, besides, you're keeping me warm."
"That's not what I meant."
"Pete, you know that I want to stay. There's totally nothing that I want more than to stay here with you."
He tugged her closer and buried his head in her hair not admitting to himself, or her, how much that meant to him. "Thank you," he whispered hoarsely.
Kitty felt tears fill her eyes as she leaned into his embrace. "I'm not going anywhere," she told him. Silence filled the air but it spoke volumes: "I love you enough to stay," "I never want to leave you."
"So now you're sleeping peaceful
I lie awake and pray
That you'll be strong tomorrow
And will see another day
And we will praise it"
"How do you feel?" Kitty asked gently.
"Great," Pete said squeezing her a little. "No pain, no headache. It's a good day." Silence stretched out between them. The air was nearly palpable with what neither would say.
"Are you cold?" he asked feeling the woman in his arms shiver.
"If I said yes would you hold me closer?"
Pete laughed and pulled her onto his lap wrapping his arms around her waist. "You don't even have t' ask." Kitty buried her head against his chest and breathed in his scent. Would she forget how he smelled one day? Would time rub away the memory of how it felt to be held in his arms?
"And love the light that brings a smile
Across your face"
"I don't want to lose you," she confessed in a whisper.
"Kit, there is nothin' that I want more than t' stay here with you forever." Her vision blurred as the tears she had been fighting rise to her eyes. He kissed one away as it rolled down one cheek. "Look at me, luv." Her eyes met his. "I need you to know that I love you. I have pretty much since I first held you as we danced."
"Back in London?"
"Yeah."
"Wow. That's... a long time."
He smiled ruefully. "At least ya didn't it's pathetic."
She grinned up at him. "That wouldn't be a nice thing to say to the man that I love."
"You love me?"
"I guess I do."
"Guess?"
"I think I may need help deciding."
The smile on his face was purely devious. "Do ya now?"
"Oh God
If you're out there won't you hear me.
I know that we've never talked before"
They made love slowly and silently. No words were needed now. Both had said all that was needed. Now was a time for love; pure, and simple, and beautiful. After, the couple dressed before collapsing on the blanket. The last thing they needed was for one of their teammates to find them in a compromising position.
"And oh God
The man I love is leaving
Won't you take him when he comes to your door?"
Kitty wondered as she laid in his arms, how long they would have now. Moira had estimated a month more, maybe two. But she was still searching for an anecdote and didn't rule out the possibility of him fighting off the poison indefinitely.
"Penny fer em, grasshopper?"
"Just that this was a great morning."
He smiled. "That it was."
"And I in heaven here or
Am I in hell
At the crossroads I am standing."
Pete had done his share of railing at the fates. He had gone from shock, to fear, to anger, then he simply accepted it. He supposed that after courting death so many times it was only natural that it would catch up to him sooner or later. Then again, he mused as he gazed down at Kitty as she began to doze off, he had never had anything to lose before.
"So now you're sleeping peaceful
I lie awake and pray"
"I love you," Kitty whispered as she began to fall asleep.
"Love you too," Pete told her kissing the tip of her nose. Now he only prayed for more time. He hadn't talked to God in a great many years but now he did every, and every night it was the same prayer: "Don't make me leave her." Kitty sighed in her sleep and snuggled closer.
"That you'll be strong tomorrow
And we will see another day
And we will praise it"
The sunrise was spectacular. The most beautiful he had ever seen in his life. The sky was painted with vivid reds, yellows, pinks, and oranges. Pete held Kitty in his arms afraid to let her go.
"And love the light that brings a smile
Across your face"
He knew in his mind that he should wake her so they could go inside and back up to bed, she was still only wearing one of his shirts and his trench coat. His heart wouldn't let him wake her. Besides, his head was starting to hurt again and his muscles were protesting the strenuous activity he had just put them through. A little sleep couldn't hurt...
"Hold on
Hold on to yourself
For this is going to hurt like hell."
The End- I know, pretty sudden but this was in the back of my head for weeks. I had to get it down.