"KITTY!" Pete yelled, surprised. He stood in front of her, wanting to hug her, but knowing how she’d react if he did. Lately, she didn’t like being touched. Lately, she didn’t seem to like much of anything.
She turned to face him and her face suddenly fell.
Pete’s heart felt like someone had taken it, thrown it off a skyscraper, driven over it with a truck, and stomped on it.
She ran to him, and hugged him, and cried.
"Wot?" Pete uttered, then shutting up. He realized that she wasn’t sad to see him, she was just sad. He didn’t know why, and he didn’t care. He hugged her back fiercely and let her cry. He vowed to never let anyone hurt her again. Ever.
The tall, strong, half-naked blond man was surprised to see them. "Who are you?" Andre asked.
"I am Ka-Zar," Ka-Zar answered. "But, if you don’t mind me asking, how the hell did you get here? One moment I was talking to Kitty here, the next...."
"The next moment I teleported us here," Illyana answered. "This is the Savage Land, correct? That is where Moira’s computers said this was. It is so...so...beautiful." Illyana wandered around the jungle, smelling things and touching them.
"Be careful," Ka-Zar said. "You never know what might jump out at you."
Almost on cue, Illyana moved aside a leaf, and a tremendous stomping sound filled the air. "Did I do that?" she said. "I’m sorry, leaf."
"No, it wasn’t you," Neophyte piped up.
"What was that sound?" Andre inquired.
"Oh, nothing," Ka-Zar answered. "Probably just a Tyrannosaurus Rex or something."
Andre’s eyes lit up. "What?! Where are we, Jurassic Park?! What is this Savage Land?!"
"It’s a very special place," Ka-Zar answered. "No other place is like it."
Pete let go of Kitty. "D’you think you’re ready to go?" he asked gingerly.
"Let’s get out of here," she said desperately. "Thank you for you help, Ka-Zar."
"Anything for a friend," he said, beginning to walk off and waving. "See you around, eh?"
"Hopefully not too much," Pete muttered.
"You have no idea how much I hear that," Ka-Zar laughed. With a mere thought, they were teleported back home.
"I’m glad you’re back," Pete said.
"Thanks," Kitty grinned. "Me, too. Now I can get on with life."
"Um, that’s not all, Kitty," Pete began. "Illyana, Andre, Lars? Could you leave us alone for a jot?" They left, quickly, knowing exactly what Pete was about to tell Kitty.
"What is it, Pete?" Kitty queried.
"Well, Pryde, I’ve got a helluva lot of bad news for ya. Peter…..Peter gave his life fighting Exodus. So did Amanda Voght."
Kitty looked at him, and then breathed, quickly, to make sure she was still alive.
She was.
"Oh, god," she cried. She fell into Pete’s arms and sobbed.
"I know, Pryde," He comforted. "I’m sorry......"
And he held her, as he would do for forever.
To Be Continued
Next: Hey, remember that fuzzy guy and that flight attendant? I wonder where they are......
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