Disclaimer: This is a work of fan fiction using characters, locations and concepts belonging to Marvel Entertainment. No claim of ownership is made or implied by me in using their property. No part of this work is intended for material gain of any kind. It is intended for the sole purpose of creative exercise and the entertainment of others.

Kitty resisted the urge to give a little victory cheer. She wasn't a kid anymore, after all; An X-Man didn't do such things. With a single, deep breath, she schooled her features into a proper state of seriousness. "Okay, stand right there and don't move," she said, holding up one hand as if she was swearing an oath.

"All right."

That settled, Kitty positioned herself at Peter's side, facing the same direction. They stood together like figure skaters preparing to start their routine. She had already phased, and with no further preamble she stepped over, her foot vanishing into his as if she were nothing but a holographic image. Another step and she passed out of sight completely. Anyone walking into the kitchen at that moment would have thought Peter was alone with nothing but the plate of buttered toast on the table to keep him company.

The next step was going to be the tricky part. Last time had been a life-or-death situation, and she'd improvised, mostly acting on instinct. Most of the discoveries she'd made using her powers had been accidents: airwalking, disrupting electronics, even the simple act of walking through walls. Consciously repeating the process wasn't always as simple, and considering her entire body was enveloped inside Peter's, there wouldn't be a second chance if she happened to miscalculate. There wouldn't be much of either of them, actually, and the mess they'd leave behind would be a horrible way to show their appreciation to Jessica Drew and Lindsay McCabe for letting the X-Men stay in their home.

Kitty sifted through the mental notes and observations she'd made during the battle, weeding out everything that didn't relate to the merge itself. Taking what was left, she further compartmentalized whatever could have been contaminated by all the distractions involved. She'd run through this process several times before, but having Peter envelop her as he was added a new perspective to it, and she worked through every grain of data to find the connections. This wasn't like swimming through the earth while she was phased. Peter's body was in constant flux, blood pumping through his veins, breath filling his lungs, every nerve and muscle sending and responding to an infinite flow of stimuli. She was aware of all of it, the atoms of her own body seeming to vibrate in response to sensations just beyond their reach.

An invisible smile grew as realization dawned on her. Could it really be that simple? Concentrating, she pushed out with her power, extending it as far as she could. Already she could feel the intangibility broaden, just as it did whenever she phased an object or another person. She increased her focus, sensing that she was close.

She felt a slight tingle as the merge completed, the sensation growing in a rush, overwhelming her, until she couldn't be sure where she ended and Peter began. She wasn't so much anchored to him as blended, dissolved into Peter like salt into water. Kitty would have gasped if it were possible, and then realized that she had.

Peter took a step back, blue eyes wide with alarm. "Kitty? Is everything okay?" He frantically patted himself like someone who'd just realized they'd lost their keys. "Has something gone wrong? Kitty!"

Kitty leapt out from him like a spirit being exorcised. Her arms were flung forward as if she were pushing her way through a fog. "Whoa!" she said, tumbling backward a step as she wheeled around to face Peter. "I'm okay, honest!" She wobbled slightly, and Peter stepped in to catch her.

"You do not seem okay," he said as Kitty steadied herself.

Kitty waved away his concern as she gently stepped out of his supporting grasp. "Just a little disoriented, is all." She walked carefully to the table and sank heavily in one of the chairs. "I could see what you were seeing," she said, lifting one hand and studying it as if seeing it for the first time. "It kinda took me by surprise."

Peter looked at her sharply. "Is that possible?"

"Seeing through your eyes or me getting taken by surprise?"

The tension in Peter's face and shoulders faded like a bleached stain. "If you can make jokes, you must be okay."

"Toldja. I remember that from the first time we did this, but in all the excitement I wrote it off as something I must have imagined. That isn't all, though. I could also hear what you heard, and when you breathed, my lungs filled with air. Sort of." Kitty's eyes grew wide with excitement as she processed the experience. Her words spilled out in an enthusiastic rush, nearly spilling over each other as she spoke. "I think my power must have created a symbiotic bond with your nervous system. Your circulatory and respiratory systems, too. I sorta became you… but I was still me, if that makes any sense."

"So that is what happened," Peter said. "I sensed something strange and feared you might be suffocating."

Kitty gave her head a quick shake to reassure him. "Nope. In fact, I bet I could go all day like that if I needed to." Her face suddenly lit up. "Just think about all the places I could smuggle myself into. I could be the ultimate spy!" She all but rubbed her hands together.

Quirking one eyebrow, Peter said, "Couldn't you just as easily bypass most security systems by phasing as you normally do?"

"Well, sure, but this would be way more 'James Bond.'"

Peter shook his head and chuckled. "I suppose you do have a point."

Looking pleased with herself, Kitty bounced out of her seat and stood in front of Peter expectantly. "So. Ready?"

"Again?" Peter's smile did a hard turn toward incredulous.

"Of course. I want to give this a real test."

"This hasn't been real enough for you already?"

"Not even close, big guy." She moved closer to Peter and gave one beefy arm a quick pat. "This time maybe walk around the apartment some, okay?" Not waiting for an answer, she dove into him.

"Kitty!"

Peter staggered back, staring down at himself with arms wide as if he'd been blasted in the chest with a shotgun. A moment later his hands fell to his hips and he heaved a beleaguered sigh. "We will talk about this later," he promised.

1 Yarbro Court was the first of a block of Queen Anne row houses, built when San Francisco was still a young city eager to prove its greatness, elegance and flair. The small, Ceder Heights neighborhood the house was a part of would ordinarily be a homeowner's dream, were it not also thought to be haunted. As Peter roamed the halls, Kitty wondered if any ghosts lurking about would consider her a new member of their ranks or an intruder and a phony.

Not that she believed there were any ghosts, of course.

The tour of Jessica's and Lindsay's home was haunting-free, leaving Kitty to her thoughts as she put her own mutant-powered spin on piggybacking. With the other X-Men out for the day, Kitty and Peter had the house to themselves. Kitty would have also been prowling the city if she hadn't chosen to quiz Peter over breakfast instead.

Sharing Peter's senses wasn't nearly as disorienting anymore. Instead she was fascinated by the different nuances of his perceptions and how they contrasted with her own. Not having to worry about breathing was an unexpected bonus. Walking around with Peter added a whole new dimension to her observations. No matter how he moved, or how quickly, she moved with him, as if her limbs were fused with his. For a fleeting moment she imagined herself the pilot of a powered suit of armor, as if she were in one of her favorite Anime shows. The feeling would have been even stronger had Peter been steeled up. She really should have done this sooner, she decided.

Lost in thought, Kitty nearly missed the sound of the front door opening, but Peter did not. He turned toward it just as the new arrival said, "Anybody home?"