Alternate ending to issue #120 of Excalibur

Originally posted to the Outside the Lines mailing list

Disclaimer: Excalibur is unfortunately owned by Marvel. It was, however, created by the sagacious Mr. Claremont, and the Splendiferous Mr. Davis. Pete Wisdom was created by the Wonderful, and much lamented ('cause he left Excalibur in the hands of the Raab) Mr. Ellis--all hail the great one!

I hated the way issue #120 ended. Of course, something had been wrong ever since Mr. Ellis left, but this was bad. Here's MY take on it.
(I'd also like to thank Belly for their album King. It was what I listened to, as this tumbled out.)

< I thought I did... > Kitty Pryde stared blindly out the window, ignoring the scalding tears flowing down her face. < Oh, God. It*hurts*. >

Distantly, she noted the boat arriving to pick Pete up. He was leaving Muir. And her.< He's leaving. I'm letting him go. I let him just walk out of here.. > Meggan was down there, talking to him. < I'm letting him go.. > she thought again.

The boat was getting closer. < Do I love him? Does it matter? At the first sign of trouble, Pete's running off. I looked at another man (well, boy , really--you can admit *that* to yourself, at least) and he's walking out. > Kitty noted that her thoughts were becoming rather circular in nature.

"'At bl'dy git. 'e's made ya cry."

"What?" Kitty turned, scanning the room. "Who said that?"

"I did." Lockheed crawled out of the closet, looking peeved.

Kitty felt astonishment well through her. Forgetting her heartache for the nonce, she exclaimed "Pete wasn't lying! You *can* talk." She winced, suddenly reminded. "And now he's left. And I don't even get a chance to apologise for doubting him."

< Why does it hurt? If I don't love him, then why am I crying? > Her mind was thinking logically by now. < Oh God. I*do* love him! It wouldn't hurt this much, otherwise. >

Turning, she stared out the window again. The boat was docked, and Pete was stepping on board. < You're not leaving *that* easily you bloody sod. Not without a fight! >

She gauged the distance, then backed up < right.> She ran, jumping, phasing through the window. Tumbling over and over, she controlled the arcing dive, landing lightly at the foot of the dock. Twenty feet away, the boat was uncoupling, and Pete was standing on deck talking to the captain.

"Kitty what--?" Meggan asked in surprise as Shadowcat ran past her, throwing herself at Pete. They fell through the boat, hitting the water with a splash.

Pete was the first to surface. "Wot the bloody 'ell?!! Wot the hell was *that* for, Pryde?" he demanded of her, as she treaded water next to him.

Kitty didn't answer--not in speech anyway--merely grabbed his collar, dragging his mouth to hers for a mind-searing kiss. She put everything into that kiss--her guilt at the pain she had caused him, her pain that he was leaving-- but most of all, her love.

Pete reeled under the intense emotions, kissing her back in answer. He kissed back in kind, with pain at her betrayal, at his leaving, and his love for her.

She broke off first, "Pete we need to talk. You have to talk this out before you leave." Realising she was babbling, she trailed off. "Please? Can we talk this out?" She searched his face, staring into his blue, blue eyes. He looked--confused?

"Pryde, I--"

"Kitty, Pete, would you like some help out of the water?" Meggan hovered over the two of them, fighting a grin (and failing). Clasping the hands they silently raised, she pulled them out of the sea. As she set them on the ground, her curiosity got the better of her, "So does this mean you're staying Mr. Wisdom?"

Pete looked at Kitty. "Yeah. For now."

Finis.

See? Much better. Well, OK, so they haven't ironed their problems out, but hey--that's life! Contact me

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