Author's note- Scratch and Shrine were members of Black Air. For this story I'm saying that Shrine is still alive. If I remember correctly he's a psychic.

~*~

The Fight

~*~

There's another world inside of me

That you may never see

There's secrets in this life

That I can't hide

Somewhere in this darkness

There's a light that I can't find

Maybe it's too far away...

Maybe I'm just blind...

-3 Doors Down

~*~

"Who is this?" Scratch asked looking beyond Pete to the girl who was watching them confused.

"Pryde, listen t' me, this ain't safe," Pete growled when Kitty didn't move. She merely rolled her eyes.

"Like, duh," Kitty said. "I'm not leaving you."

"Awwe, that is so sweet!" Scratch smirked. "Your new girl, Wisdom?"

"Damn it, girl," Pete hissed as she stepped up beside him. "Just listen to me fer once, you don't know these wankers... or what they'll do you."

"Just one question," Kitty said. "Are you actually going to fight us in the middle of the street?"

"This is the sidewalk," Scratch pointed out.

Kitty rolled her eyes. "Thanks, Mr. State-the-Obvious, you know what I meant."

"To answer your question, Ms. Pryde, yes," the other man, who had stood back through the rest of the conversation, said as he stepped forward.

"Shrine," Pete spat.

"Scratch and Shrine," Kitty repeated dubiously.

"Gentlemen," Pete said. "And I use that term lightly. Could we please get on with this? If you want to fight then lets go."

Scratch pulled out a gun. "Who said anything about fighting?" He cocked the gun but the girl reached out and waved her hand through it lightly and it refused to fire. He turned a glare on her when he saw the bullets she was now dropping.

"Don't bother reloading it," she said lightly. "The gun isn't going to work." Pete looked at her impressed.

"Bitch," Scratch cursed softly.

"Now, now, you should know better than t' talk t' a lady like that," Pete said reprovingly. Kitty glanced at him surprised to see his eyes begin to glow slightly. She looked back at Scratch and saw that his hands were glowing. Both she and Shrine stepped away from the two men. The battle erupted fiercely. The men threw, bolts/hotknives at each other while trying to dodge the others attacks. Kitty watched horrified as the two attempted to kill each other.

She was so engrossed in the fight that she completely forgot about the other man... big mistake. She suddenly found herself against the wall barely able to breath. Shrine held his hand to her throat calmly. She tried to phase but found that she couldn't even move.

"I'll bet your wondering why you can't get away... well, actually I know that's what you're wondering," he said with an enigmatic smile. "You know it's too bad I have to kill you. You're really rather beautiful." She narrowed her eyes but forced herself to remain calm, as Logan had taught them to. She worked on the mental shields he had taught them and found that she was able to block him out enough to phase out of his grasp.

"Do me a favor, Mr. Shine," Kitty said brushing herself off, "don't touch me. You got dirt on my sweater."

"Impressive," he said approaching. She waiting until he was partially within her range and did a few forward flips the rest of the way before ending with a roundhouse kick, which sent him backwards into the building. She then touched his chest him halfway into the building.

"Not bad," a tired voice said. She turned and saw that Pete was leaning on the wall for support. She rushed to him.

"Pete, what did he do?" she asked seeing that one of his hands was sliced open. She then reached down to the skirt she had put on as a impulse and ripped a strip of it off not thinking about any of the passerby's, who had oddly completely ignored their fight. Her only thought was of Pete. She wrapped the piece of clothe around his hand surprised to see his face break out into a wide grin. "What?" she asked not letting him see how the site of the first real smile that he had flashed at her, affected her.

"Gonna sing t' me now?" he asked.

Kitty stared at him for a second before realizing what he was referring to and began to softly sing. "'I was feeling done in, I couldn't win'." Pete chuckled and placed a finger to her lips and began the walk home. "I didn't think my singing was that bad," Kitty pouted.

They reached the motel and he turned leering down at her. "If you want you can give me a private showing back in our room," he purred.

"Ha!" Kitty scoffed as they entered the motel. Kitty sighed as they walked into their room.

"Look at it this way," Pete said as they entered their room. "The bed is clean." He flopped down on said piece of furniture. "I suspect that most of the people who stay here don't use any of the other things."

"What do you mean?"

"Business men and... ladies of the night fer lack o' a better phrase."

"That's totally sick," she said scrunching up her nose. A half smile crossed his face at the cuteness of the gesture. He tensed realizing that he was referring to her as cute. He shrugged inwardly figuring that he had found her attractive since he saw her in the terminal. "So now what?"

Pete grinned looking her over obviously. "I `ave a couple thoughts on that."

"Take off your shirt."

"With pleasure."

"Don't get any ideas," Kitty said flushing. "I just want to make sure that you're okay." He sighed over dramatically and slipped out of the shirt exposing his chest to Kitty's inspection.

"Happy?"

She tore off another strip from her skirt and used it to dab at a small cut on his shoulder. She resisted the strong urge she felt to caress his exposed chest. She saw that he was surprisingly well muscled in a wiry way. "You got off pretty easily," she whispered. "No major burns and only one bad cut. Care to, like, tell me what happened?"

"Not in the slightest."

"Pete," Kitty said crossing her arms.

"Fine." He looked into her blue eyes. "They were from Black Air."

"And that is?"

"A secret government agency. Therefore I can't tell you any more."

"Pete-"

"I was a member, I did some things I'm not proud of, it's over now."

"Fine."

"I'm goin' t' sleep," he said standing and getting out of his slacks. Kitty squeaked almost humorously and looked away. "Calm down, Pryde, I `ave on boxers."

"And I thank God for that," she said.

"Sure," he smirked. He got under the covers. "You goin' t' join me, grasshopper?"

"Sleep with you?"

He chuckled. "No, in the bed. If you want t' though..."

"I'm going to get dressed." She grabbed her bag and went into the bathroom. She came back in a pair of sweatpants and an oversized t-shirt. She got into the bed on the opposite side. "Goodnight."

"`Night," he murmured.

That night

Kitty awoke hearing Pete gasping and feeling the bed move. She sat up and saw the ex-agent tossing and turning. He was sweating slightly and had grabbed the sheet in a death-grip. "Pete," she whispered shaking him slightly. He jerked upright and looked around frantically before his wide eyes settled on Kitty. "Are you all right?"

"Yeah, fine," he murmured. He was shaking, though; she could easily see the tremors going through his frame. She moved closer laying her hand on his arm.

"What was the dream about?"

"Nothing," he snapped. He sighed seeing her hurt expression. "The past, grasshopper, `at's all you need t' know."

"Pete-" He laid back down still shaking a little with whatever memory was haunting him for the moment. Kitty moved closer even laying her head on his chest and wrapping her arms around him. She felt Pete stir and thought for an instant that he was going to push her away but then his arms came around her and he hugged her to him almost desperately.

The next morning

Kitty woke up in the same position. She sat up and stretched before looking at the clock. With a yawn she shook Pete's shoulder. "Go `way," he murmured.

"Come on, sleepy head," she said sweetly.

"It's still morning."

"Yes, and Brian is going to be here in an hour. Now get up."

Mumbling to himself Pete got to his feet. "Fine, Kit." He stumbled into the bathroom. "There is no bloody way I'm showering in there."

"I know," Kitty said looking disgusted. "It's totally gross."

"All right, let's go get somethin' t' eat." They grabbed their bags and walked to the closest place, which of course ended up being a pub. To Kitty's hidden relief though, Pete just ordered a cup of coffee. Carol came in as they finished their breakfast.

"Hey," she said flopping down beside them.

"How did you find us?" Kitty asked surprised.

"Easy," Carol said. "I knew where you were saying and just thought: 'if I was Pete where would I go'? Then I came here."

"I'm not that predictable," Pete growled.

"Sure you are," Carol said cheerfully. A few moments later the group was in a cab heading back to where Brian had picked them up. Brian was standing outside of the plane looking at his watch impatiently.

"Hey, Brian," Kitty said.

"Who's she?" he asked softly, so the woman couldn't overhear.

"Brian, this is Carol Danvers," Kitty announced.

"Hi," Carol smiled extending a hand. The two shook hands as Pete and Kitty threw the bags into the plane. Soon the four were on their way. Pete and Carol talked on the flight, getting caught up. Kitty was surprised to find that she was jealous of the two.

"So, how'd it go last night?" Brian asked.

"Fine," Kitty said. "Although, we did have to, like, share a room together."

Brian winced. "My condolences."

"Go t' hell," Pete snapped.

"Now I have to ask," Carol grinned. "How'd it go last night?"

"Nothing happened if that's what you're asking," Kitty said.

Pete gave a suffering sigh. "Yeah, she's right."

"Let me get this straight," Carol said looking at Kitty. "You shared a room and judging by where you were staying: most likely a bed and nothing happened?"

"Yes," Kitty said.

"You don't know what you're missing, girl," Carol said grinning again. A couple hours later and they were back on Muir. Pete pulled Kitty aside before she could walk inside.

"Care t' tell me what's wrong?"

"No."

"Pryde, you've been cold t' me since we left and a bitch t' Carol since you met her. Why?"

"I..." she stopped now just glaring up at him.

"Last night I thought maybe we were I don't know connectin', like maybe we might actually start gettin' along. Then we left and... met up with Carol." He looked down at her in dawning understanding. "You're jealous."

"What?! I am not."

Pete smiled slowly. "Yes, you are. It certainly explains why you've been such a bitch t' Carol."

"I'm totally not jealous of her."

"Really?"

"I'm not."

"Okay, grasshopper. But just so ya know, you don't have t' be. Things between Carol and I have been over for years."

"That's nice," Kitty said. "But I was never jealous."

"Right, luv." He grinned inwardly at the pleased surprise on her face when he called her that. "Not at all?"

She smiled a little and held her index finger and thumb an inch apart. "Maybe a little. Just a tiny bit."

"I can deal with that. Let's get inside before they think we killed each other." Both feeling a little lighter they turned and walked inside.