Black Air

Author’s note- the line that Wolvie uses is from the comic, it’s like his trademark phrase, just like “it’s a job wot needed doin’” is Pete’s.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Out of My League

~*~

I look in the mirror and all I see
Is a young old man with only a dream
Am I just fooling myself
That she'll stop the pain
Living without her
I'd go insane

Feel her breath on my face
Her body close to me
Can't look in her eyes
She's out of my league
Just a fool to believe
I have anything she needs
-Patrick Swayze

~*~

He arrived at the cabin at around ten in the evening. He threw one bag over one shoulder and lifted Kitty into his arms. He carried her inside and laid her down in the guest room, still covered in his coat. He went into his own room and lit a cigarette getting out his private cell phone and dialed a number. There were at least thirty missed calls only one voice mail, though.

“Wisdom, I swear to God, if anything happened to her I will rip you into small pieces. Call me, we need to know that she’s okay.” With a sigh Pete dialed Logan’s number. Logan answered on the first ring. “Wisdom, where in the hell is she?” Logan’s cold voice demanded.

“She’s with me,” Pete said. “I’m at me place away from London.”

This was unexpected. Pete wasn’t one to stick his neck out for someone. “Why?”

“They were gonna kill her. Mate, if you come, come alone, the whole spandex brigade is bound t’ draw attention.”

“How is she?”

“Not that great.” He told him briefly about what he had witnessed.

“She’s okay though?”

“As okay as she can be considerin’ what happened t’ her. She don’t look too good though, he really banged her up.”

“That bastard,” Logan growled.

“Couldn’t agree more, mate,” Pete said shaking his head. “God, just seein’ her. I should o’ just killed `im.”

“You didn’t?” Logan asked coldly.

“He won’t be wakin’ up fer a while. When he does, he won’t be walkin’ fer longer.”

“Ya still shoulda killed `im.”

“I know. Trust me, mate, if I ever see him again... God, if you had seen her...”

“I’m gonna be there in a day or so,” Logan said. “I’ll either go alone or with one or two of the others.”

“`At’s fine. Just be careful. Don’t lead them here. The bird is in no shape t’ fight.”

“I will. I’m the best at what I do.”

“We all know that,” Pete said with a wry grin. “I’ll talk t’ ya later.”

“Tomorrow,” Logan said.

“Fine,” Pete hung up. He stripped down to his boxers and stretched out on his bed. Every time he closed his eyes he could see her tear soaked face and the complete terror in her eyes. He kind of hoped that he would run into Scratch again. He really wanted to kill the bastard.

A few hours later

Kitty awoke gasping, shaking and feeling hot tears rolling down her cheeks. She clutched Pete’s jacket to her body breathing in the oddly comforting scent of cigarettes and alcohol. She got to her feet painfully, still trembling and stumbled into Pete’s room. He was lying on his back. She stood for a couple seconds just taking in Pete’s almost innocent face as he slept. She then climbed into bed with him, resting her head on his chest.

Pete had awoken as soon as Kitty moved onto his bed. He didn’t move though knowing that Kitty would feel embarrassed if she knew he was awake. After her breathing evened out he wrapped his arms gently around her waist holding her against him.

The next morning

“Mornin’, grasshopper,” Pete said as Kitty walked into the living room. “I’m afraid we’ll `ave t’ got t’ town fer breakfast. There’s no food in the cabin.”

“That’s totally fine,” Kitty said then hesitated. “But what about-” she gestured to her face. “I don’t want them thinking that you-”

“You were mugged when we were driving out of town,” Pete said he handed her something. Kitty looked down and raised an eyebrow. Inside a small box rested a wedding ring and an engagement ring.

“Pete, you’re a really nice guy but I just met you,” she said with a ghost of a smile. Pete grinned back at her pleased to hear her joking again.

“Just put it on,” he said slipping one on his own hand. She put on the ring. “Now, we’re the...” he paused thoughtfully. “I think the Jones’ll work for this.”

“Nice and nondescript,” Kitty said with a small smile.

“We’re here on our honeymoon,” Pete announced. “We got married last night, we were at a truck stop when a man mugged you.”

“You saved the day,” Kitty finished.

“Of course,” he grinned. “But alas your bag was stolen. Therefore we need t’ get you a complete wardrobe.” Pete was pleased to see Kitty’s eyes light up at that thought. “Let’s go t’ a store, get you properly attired. How do ya feel?”

“Sore,” she admitted, “but I can walk around, I don’t think I broke anything.” He slid his jacket on over her shoulders. They drove to a boutique that was thirty minutes away and he bought her several new outfits. The sadness that was in Kitty’s eyes vanished almost completely as she shopped. He loved seeing her like that completely lost in her own, happy little world. She settled on a simple pair of blue jeans and a red sweater to wear during the day, throwing the skirt and tank top in the trash with no shortage of happiness to see the outfit go.

“Ready?”

“Yeah,” Kitty said. “I’m starving.” He slid an arm around her shoulders feeling her tense under his arm.

“We’re supposed t’ be newlyweds,” he reminded her. “Remember that. It’s just an act.” God, how he’d love to believe that himself.

“I know,” Kitty said. They walked into a pub. He ordered for them only taking his eyes off of Kitty to speak to the waitress.

“Wisdom,” a man called. Pete looked up and narrowed his eyes.

“Sit down and shut the bloody `ell up,” Pete snapped. The man dropped down into a chair at their table. “That ain’t me name right now, mate.”

“Right,” the man turned to Kitty his mouth turning up in a grin. “Who’s this?”

“That’s Kitty,” Pete said.

“Ya obviously `aven’t been takin’ very good care of yer girl, Pete,” the man said carefully just using Pete’s first name.

“Hello, I’m sitting right here,” Kitty snapped crossing her arms. “Don’t talk about me like I’m not here.”

“Sorry, luv,” the man grinned. He extended a hand. “John Constantine at yer service.” Kitty took the outstretched hand noticing that John held it a little longer than necessary. Pete noticed too and snatched her hand away from his old friend.

“One question,” Pete said.

“Yes?” John inquired.

“Wot in the hell are ya doin’ here?”

“There was some activity nearby, had t’ take care of it. What about you?”

“Need t’ lay low a while,” Pete said simply.

“The bird?”

“I’m the reason he has to lay low,” Kitty said calmly. Both men turned to her, John bemused and Pete grinning. The waitress came by with their food and John ordered a straight scotch. Kitty practically inhaled her food, almost keeping up with the Londoner beside her. Thirty minutes later Pete stood and paid for the food and led the three outside. “It’s snowing,” Kitty announced happily. Pete watched her as she walked a little away from him staring up into the sky as the snowflakes fell.

“`Ow bad is it?” John asked.

“Black Air, all of Black Air.”

“Jesus,” John muttered. “Why would you even-?” The other Londoner wasn’t the type for self sacrifice.

Pete sighed watching her up ahead. “I needed t’ get out anyhow... if you knew some of the things they were doin’...”

“An’ ya fell fer a pretty face,” John grinned following Pete’s eyes to where Kitty was standing. “You always were a softie.”

“Never use that word again,” Pete growled.

John merely laughed. “Whatever, mate. If ya need help gettin’ out just call.”

“I will,” Pete nodded.

“By the way, the guy who did that to her...”

“Yeah?”

“Kill him. Very painfully.”

Pete smiled wryly. “Plan to.” One of the things the two had in common was their aversion to violence against women, unless she struck first. John nodded and walked away. Pete walked over to Kitty who was still standing watching the snowfall. “Ready t’ go, grasshopper?”

Kitty turned back to him. “Yeah,” she said. They got into the car and drove to a grocery store. Kitty watched as he bought nearly everything in the store with a high calorie content. “Jeez,” she said, “you’re going to die of a heart attack before you’re thirty.”

“Didn’t know you cared,” Pete grinned.

“I don’t,” she said diffidently. “I’m just not sure what’s, like, going to kill you first: your smoking, eating or drinking.”

“I `aven’t even drank since you came around,” Pete protested not knowing how she could know that.

“No,” Kitty admitted. “And thank you for that, but I could smell it on your jacket.”

“And quite honestly, I could really use a drink right now,” he admitted. “Now, wot do you want?” She led him to the fruits and vegetables. A while later they were back on the road, a thin layer of snow already covering the ground forcing Pete to drive slowly. By the time they got home there was almost an inch. They went inside and he started dinner.

“Anything you can’t do?” Kitty teased.

“Dance,” he said with a smile. “I can’t dance.” She laughed and Pete paused, relishing in the sound, realizing that this was the first time that he had heard her laugh. She winced a bit at the pain in her belly but still smiled. He served dinner, hamburgers for himself and a salad for her. As she was helping him do the dishes the power went out eliciting many loud expletives from Pete. Several that Kitty hadn’t even known that existed. “C’mon, I’ll start a fire before it gets too cold.”

They walked into the living room and he threw a couple logs into the fireplace using his hotknives to start a fire. She settled down in front of the fireplace as he went in search of a blanket. He came back with the comforter from his bed. He sat down next to her and drew the blanket around both of them, causing Kitty to have to lean against him. “Got t’ say, Pryde, this has definitely been interesting.”

He slid an arm around her shoulders. She tensed briefly before snuggling against him. “That it has,” she admitted.

“Kitty,” she looked at him in surprise when he used her first name for the second time since she had met him. “Want t’ tell me wot `appened that night?” He felt every muscle in her body tense. He squeezed her shoulder. “If you don’t want t’ talk about it, grasshopper-”

“No, it’s totally okay,” Kitty said relaxing slightly.

“You sure?”

“Yeah.” Leaning against him, almost seeming to be gathering strength from his presence she told him what had happened with Scratch. Now it was Pete who tensed. “Then you showed up,” she finished. “You saved me.”

“But you did really good, luv,” he assured her. “You did a lot of damage and you held him off until I could get there, an’ if I hadn’t put that collar on ya...” he sighed. “It was all me fault.”

“No. You didn’t think he would do anything,” Kitty protested. “It wasn’t your fault.” He hugged her tightly to his side and gently kissed the top of her head. Still cuddled together the two dozed off.