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phasing_catCharacters: Kitty Pryde, Carmen Pryde (X-Men) and John Myers (Hellboy)
Setting: Bump In The Night ‘Verse, several years after HB2.
Rating: PG
Word Count: 2,522
Myers stood outside Kitty’s door, nearly as nervous as he’d been before their first date. He pulled the ring Jack had helped him select out of his pocket and looked at it again. It was a platinum band and setting housing a flawless round diamond, perfect in its simplicity, beautiful in its lack of adornment – just like Kitty. He snapped the box shut and tucked it into his breast pocket before knocking on her door.
She didn’t respond. He could hear movement inside, and he knocked once more, then opened the door slowly.
“Katie, are you ready to go?”
She was bustling around the room, the skirt of her black A-line dress flaring out each time she spun between the open suitcase on the bed and her closet. She was ignorant of his presence, and though confused, he was also struck by how beautiful she looked. Her hair was curled and pulled up loosely, her makeup perfect – and her feet bare. After a minute or two she saw him and gasped, startled.
“John! You scared me!”
She shuffled his freshly shined shoes. “I’m sorry, you didn’t answer when I knocked.” He took a few more steps into the room. “Where are you going?”
She resumed packing, opening and closing dresser drawers without really looking in them. “My dad called. My mom is sick – really sick. He said to hurry.” He could hear the fear in her voice, but her eyes were dry. He’d have expected nothing else from her.
He reached out and grabbed her hand, pulling her to a stop in front of him. “Do you need me to come with you?”
She looked at him for a moment, so many wheels turning in her mind she had a hard time processing his question. She shook her head.
“No, we can’t both leave. With Liz and Jack both working desk jobs now, they need all the agents they can get. I’ll be fine, really.”
He sat down on the bed, tugging her to him and placing his hands on her hips. “If you’re sure. What time does your plane leave?”
She closed her eyes and cursed. “I didn’t even think about how I was going to get there!”
He smiled and tucked a stray curl behind her ear. “I’ll take care of it. You finish packing, and I’ll have them get a plane ready.”
She hugged him tightly, sighing with relief. “Thank you, John. I’d be lost without you.” She kissed him softly, then disappeared into the bathroom.
He reached into his pocket for his cell phone, and grimaced when his fingers brushed against the small velvet box. How many times in their relationship had he finally been ready to take the next step, only for something unforeseeable to happen that stopped him? Why should this step, the most important one of all, be any different?
He pulled out his phone and started dialing, just as Kitty walked back into the room her arms full of bottles. She dumped them all into the suitcase, then looked around wildly, trying to figure out what she’d forgotten. She was more frazzled, more confused, and more scared, than she could ever remember being. And to him, that vulnerability that she so rarely showed, made her even more beautiful.
“Hey,” he said. She turned her head.
“You look beautiful.”
She tilted her head slightly and smiled. “I love you.”
___________________________________
She’s gone. I didn’t make it in time.
As soon as he received Kitty’s text, John started packing. He knew better than anyone what was going through her mind – and though she was too proud to ask, she needed him. He quickly called Jack.
“Jack? I need a plane.”
“Again!? Why? I just got you one for Kitty last night!”
“Her mom didn’t make it, Jack.”
Jack paused, then sighed. “It'll be ready in 10 minutes. Call me when you get there. If she needs us there, let us know.”
“Thanks, Jack. I will.”
___________________________________
The next day, the house was crowded. Kitty had never understood the tradition of visiting the grieving family. Perhaps it was her difficulty showing sadness, and in a way, weakness, in front of others, that caused her disdain for it. Her father was handling his grief well, she thought. Then again, he’d had nearly a year to prepare for the end.
“We didn’t want to worry you,” her father had said. “The doctors kept giving us hope that the next treatment would work.” He’d apologized over and over, but still she held onto her anger because it was easier than acknowledging her pain.
She was wearing the same black dress she’d arrived in, covered with a sensible black sweater. She’d pulled her hair up in a bun, mostly because her mother had told her it looked elegant that way. She played the gracious hostess and dutiful daughter, answering the door every time the bell rang, taking whatever gift of food the person had brought with them (and there always was one), and ushering them inside with a sad smile and a thank you.
She carried the latest casserole into the kitchen and set it on the counter next to the dozen or so others. I’ll have to freeze these, she thought, Dad and I will never eat them all before they go bad.
She turned around and started for the living room. She paused in the doorway, leaning against the jamb as she watched her father. Carmen Pryde sat in his chair like a king receiving his subjects. She smiled a little, realizing this was probably the most attention he’d gotten since he’d married her mother. Her mom had always been the star – the center of attention, the ideal hostess and homemaker. She lit up a room the minute she entered it, and when she left there was a palpable sense of deflation, like a balloon losing its air. Now, without her shining light, Kitty noticed just how old her father had gotten. When had his hair turned gray? She could have sworn it hadn’t been there yesterday.
Her parents had Kitty later in life, both of then nearly 45 by the time she was born. Now, four months away from turning 23, Kitty saw for the first time how short the time she had left with him was becoming.
The doorbell rang again, and she swallowed past her heart in her throat. Her father started to stand, and she stopped him with a hand on his arm. “Don’t get up, I’ll get it.” He patted her hand. “Thank you, sweetheart.”
She quickly crossed the room and opened the door. Her hand fell off the doorknob and her breath caught. John set down his suitcase and smiled before taking her hand. Like watching a house of cards collapse in slow motion, Kitty’s façade broke down. Her chin trembled, her eyes filled with tears, her brow furrowed. She took one small step over the threshold and he swept her into his arms. She buried her face in the shoulder of his nicest suit and sobbed.
He pulled the door closed behind her and walked her onto the porch, to the side of the house where no one would see. They sat in the porch swing and he held her until he lost track of time, one arm wrapped around her thin shoulders, the other smoothing her hair and wiping the tears from her cheeks. He did his best imitation of Jack’s hypno-voice, reassuring her that he was there and that she could let it out.
Visitors began to leave, and Kitty’s sobs began to subside. She struggled to catch her breath, clinging to the lapel of John’s jacket like it was a life raft. She sighed heavily and looked up at him, her head resting on his arm draped across the back of the swing.
“I should have called on the way here,” she choked out. “I could have called from the plane. Just to, to tell her that I loved her. Now she’ll, she’ll…”
He put a finger to her lips. “Shh, stop that. She knew, Katie. You told her lots of times; I heard you myself.”
She shook her head. “It wasn’t enough. Just like Professor Broom, and Professor Xavier. I should have told them, and now it’s too late. Again.” Her shoulders shook with restrained sobs. He pulled her close again, and told her what she already knew inside, but still needed someone to tell her.
“They knew how much you loved them. Your actions before they died spoke louder than words ever could. Just like you knew I loved you long before I said it, didn’t you?”
She nodded and grinned slightly, sniffing. “I think I knew before you did.”
He chuckled. “Apparently everyone knew before I did.”
She leaned into him and sighed, pulling her legs up onto the swing. He rocked them gently, still caressing her hair in a way she found indescribably soothing. She didn’t even realize she’d closed her eyes until the sound of the side door opening caused her to open them.
“Kitty, you out here?” Her father stepped out onto the porch and stopped when he saw them.
John jumped up out of the swing so quickly he nearly dumped Kitty on the ground. She wasn’t mad – she had to resist the urge to laugh.
“You must be John. Kitty’s told us, er, me, so much about you.” Carmen extended his hand, the sadness flashing across his eyes.
“Yes, sir.” John shook his hand firmly. “John Myers, it’s a pleasure to finally meet you. I wish it were under better circumstances.” He helped Kitty off the swing, and though he tried to extricate his hand from hers, she was having none of it.
“My condolences for your loss.” John did not feel comfortable with such displays of affection around her father. He was a traditionalist, and felt it was disrespectful. However, he did love Kitty, and she needed him now. HE reminded himself that was what marriage was about, putting the other person’s needs before your own.
“Thank you, John. Why don’t you two come inside? Everyone’s gone, and there’s enough food to feed a third world country in the kitchen.” He ushered them inside just as the skies grew dark and a rumble of thunder broke the October silence.
___________________________________
John woke early the next morning, his internal clock still set for New Jersey. He peered out the window to see the evening’s storms had knocked most of the leaves from the trees.
He put on a t-shirt over his flannel pajamas pants before making his way downstairs to start a pot of coffee. He was surprised to discover Carmen already in the kitchen. He was sitting at the window, cup held between both hands, his bathrobe loosely tied around traditional pajamas. Kitty would call them ‘old man’ pajamas, he thought.
“Good morning, sir.”
Carmen’s head turned. “Good morning, John. Help yourself to some coffee.” He gestured toward the steaming pot.
“Thank you, sir.” He saw Carmen had already set out some cups, and he filled one, inhaling the scent of the brew.
“There’s milk in the fridge if you want it. And enough with the ‘sir’ business. Carmen works just fine.”
John added some sugar to his coffee, then milk straight from the carton, before joining the older man at the table.
“I can do that.” He smiled across the table, then nodded in the direction of the window. “What were you looking at?”
Carmen’s gaze returned to the window. “Oh, just the birds at the feeder. Theresa and I used to spend mornings here, watching the birds and doing the daily crossword together.” He sighed, his shoulders slumping. “I knew this day would come, but it’s even more difficult that I’d imagined.”
John stared into his cup, unsure what to say. He wasn’t the most eloquent of speakers at the best of times. First thing in the morning, before a cup of coffee? No chance.
“How long were you married?”
“Nearly 45 years. We were high school sweethearts, but waited until after college to get married. We’d all but given up hope of having children when Kitty came along.” He paused to sip from his cup.
“It wasn't easy to let her go so young, especially for Terry. But we knew we weren’t equipped to help her with her ability. So we let her to go Xavier’s school. I hope we made the right choice, she seems happy. She is, isn’t she?”
John nodded. “Yes, si- I mean, yes, I believe so. And she’s very good at her job, you should be proud of her.”
He chuffed into his cup. “It would be easier if she ever talked about what she does. You work for the FBI, I’ve gathered that much.”
“I’m sure she’s just trying to keep you from worrying about her. Some of what we do can be pretty dangerous, though with her ability, there’s not much that can hurt her.” John spun his cup around in his hands.
“Surely you know what that’s like, wanting to protect those you love from a truth that might frighten them.” He looked Carmen in the eye, sure that he grasped what John was implying.
Carmen gritted his teeth and breathed deeply before responding. “I’ve apologized to Katherine, and that’s all I can do. I wanted to tell her sooner but her mother insisted. You may not understand this, but once you’re married, things are different. You have to learn when to stand for what you want, and when to concede. Compromise is an ideal that is not always possible. When you love someone more than your own life…” He stopped and turned away to hide the tears in his eyes.
John’s heart ached for the man. “I do understand,” he said softly. “I love Katie, and I’d do anything for her. I would die for her.” Just like she nearly did for me, before we were even together.
“In fact… I know this isn’t the best time, but I didn’t think I’d get the chance to ask you this face to face.”
Carmen turned back to the young man, curious.
The attention made John nervous, and he wiped his hands on the legs of his pajama pants. He wasn’t surprised Kitty’s father had the same effect on his palms that she did.
“I – I plan to ask Katie to marry me, and I’d like your blessing. I was going to ask her a few nights ago, but now… I don’t know when it will be the right time. But I want you to know that I love her with all my heart, and I hope to spend the rest of my life showing her that. If she’ll have me.”
Carmen smiled, silent for a few minutes. Then he stood, walked around the table, and embraced the young man.
“If Kitty loves you, that’s all I need. Whenever you do ask her, do it with my blessing.”
He held John at arm’s length. “God indeed works in mysterious ways. Just when I’ve lost my wife, he’s given me a son. Welcome to the family.”
Setting: Bump In The Night ‘Verse, several years after HB2.
Rating: PG
Word Count: 2,522
Myers stood outside Kitty’s door, nearly as nervous as he’d been before their first date. He pulled the ring Jack had helped him select out of his pocket and looked at it again. It was a platinum band and setting housing a flawless round diamond, perfect in its simplicity, beautiful in its lack of adornment – just like Kitty. He snapped the box shut and tucked it into his breast pocket before knocking on her door.
She didn’t respond. He could hear movement inside, and he knocked once more, then opened the door slowly.
“Katie, are you ready to go?”
She was bustling around the room, the skirt of her black A-line dress flaring out each time she spun between the open suitcase on the bed and her closet. She was ignorant of his presence, and though confused, he was also struck by how beautiful she looked. Her hair was curled and pulled up loosely, her makeup perfect – and her feet bare. After a minute or two she saw him and gasped, startled.
“John! You scared me!”
She shuffled his freshly shined shoes. “I’m sorry, you didn’t answer when I knocked.” He took a few more steps into the room. “Where are you going?”
She resumed packing, opening and closing dresser drawers without really looking in them. “My dad called. My mom is sick – really sick. He said to hurry.” He could hear the fear in her voice, but her eyes were dry. He’d have expected nothing else from her.
He reached out and grabbed her hand, pulling her to a stop in front of him. “Do you need me to come with you?”
She looked at him for a moment, so many wheels turning in her mind she had a hard time processing his question. She shook her head.
“No, we can’t both leave. With Liz and Jack both working desk jobs now, they need all the agents they can get. I’ll be fine, really.”
He sat down on the bed, tugging her to him and placing his hands on her hips. “If you’re sure. What time does your plane leave?”
She closed her eyes and cursed. “I didn’t even think about how I was going to get there!”
He smiled and tucked a stray curl behind her ear. “I’ll take care of it. You finish packing, and I’ll have them get a plane ready.”
She hugged him tightly, sighing with relief. “Thank you, John. I’d be lost without you.” She kissed him softly, then disappeared into the bathroom.
He reached into his pocket for his cell phone, and grimaced when his fingers brushed against the small velvet box. How many times in their relationship had he finally been ready to take the next step, only for something unforeseeable to happen that stopped him? Why should this step, the most important one of all, be any different?
He pulled out his phone and started dialing, just as Kitty walked back into the room her arms full of bottles. She dumped them all into the suitcase, then looked around wildly, trying to figure out what she’d forgotten. She was more frazzled, more confused, and more scared, than she could ever remember being. And to him, that vulnerability that she so rarely showed, made her even more beautiful.
“Hey,” he said. She turned her head.
“You look beautiful.”
She tilted her head slightly and smiled. “I love you.”
___________________________________
She’s gone. I didn’t make it in time.
As soon as he received Kitty’s text, John started packing. He knew better than anyone what was going through her mind – and though she was too proud to ask, she needed him. He quickly called Jack.
“Jack? I need a plane.”
“Again!? Why? I just got you one for Kitty last night!”
“Her mom didn’t make it, Jack.”
Jack paused, then sighed. “It'll be ready in 10 minutes. Call me when you get there. If she needs us there, let us know.”
“Thanks, Jack. I will.”
___________________________________
The next day, the house was crowded. Kitty had never understood the tradition of visiting the grieving family. Perhaps it was her difficulty showing sadness, and in a way, weakness, in front of others, that caused her disdain for it. Her father was handling his grief well, she thought. Then again, he’d had nearly a year to prepare for the end.
“We didn’t want to worry you,” her father had said. “The doctors kept giving us hope that the next treatment would work.” He’d apologized over and over, but still she held onto her anger because it was easier than acknowledging her pain.
She was wearing the same black dress she’d arrived in, covered with a sensible black sweater. She’d pulled her hair up in a bun, mostly because her mother had told her it looked elegant that way. She played the gracious hostess and dutiful daughter, answering the door every time the bell rang, taking whatever gift of food the person had brought with them (and there always was one), and ushering them inside with a sad smile and a thank you.
She carried the latest casserole into the kitchen and set it on the counter next to the dozen or so others. I’ll have to freeze these, she thought, Dad and I will never eat them all before they go bad.
She turned around and started for the living room. She paused in the doorway, leaning against the jamb as she watched her father. Carmen Pryde sat in his chair like a king receiving his subjects. She smiled a little, realizing this was probably the most attention he’d gotten since he’d married her mother. Her mom had always been the star – the center of attention, the ideal hostess and homemaker. She lit up a room the minute she entered it, and when she left there was a palpable sense of deflation, like a balloon losing its air. Now, without her shining light, Kitty noticed just how old her father had gotten. When had his hair turned gray? She could have sworn it hadn’t been there yesterday.
Her parents had Kitty later in life, both of then nearly 45 by the time she was born. Now, four months away from turning 23, Kitty saw for the first time how short the time she had left with him was becoming.
The doorbell rang again, and she swallowed past her heart in her throat. Her father started to stand, and she stopped him with a hand on his arm. “Don’t get up, I’ll get it.” He patted her hand. “Thank you, sweetheart.”
She quickly crossed the room and opened the door. Her hand fell off the doorknob and her breath caught. John set down his suitcase and smiled before taking her hand. Like watching a house of cards collapse in slow motion, Kitty’s façade broke down. Her chin trembled, her eyes filled with tears, her brow furrowed. She took one small step over the threshold and he swept her into his arms. She buried her face in the shoulder of his nicest suit and sobbed.
He pulled the door closed behind her and walked her onto the porch, to the side of the house where no one would see. They sat in the porch swing and he held her until he lost track of time, one arm wrapped around her thin shoulders, the other smoothing her hair and wiping the tears from her cheeks. He did his best imitation of Jack’s hypno-voice, reassuring her that he was there and that she could let it out.
Visitors began to leave, and Kitty’s sobs began to subside. She struggled to catch her breath, clinging to the lapel of John’s jacket like it was a life raft. She sighed heavily and looked up at him, her head resting on his arm draped across the back of the swing.
“I should have called on the way here,” she choked out. “I could have called from the plane. Just to, to tell her that I loved her. Now she’ll, she’ll…”
He put a finger to her lips. “Shh, stop that. She knew, Katie. You told her lots of times; I heard you myself.”
She shook her head. “It wasn’t enough. Just like Professor Broom, and Professor Xavier. I should have told them, and now it’s too late. Again.” Her shoulders shook with restrained sobs. He pulled her close again, and told her what she already knew inside, but still needed someone to tell her.
“They knew how much you loved them. Your actions before they died spoke louder than words ever could. Just like you knew I loved you long before I said it, didn’t you?”
She nodded and grinned slightly, sniffing. “I think I knew before you did.”
He chuckled. “Apparently everyone knew before I did.”
She leaned into him and sighed, pulling her legs up onto the swing. He rocked them gently, still caressing her hair in a way she found indescribably soothing. She didn’t even realize she’d closed her eyes until the sound of the side door opening caused her to open them.
“Kitty, you out here?” Her father stepped out onto the porch and stopped when he saw them.
John jumped up out of the swing so quickly he nearly dumped Kitty on the ground. She wasn’t mad – she had to resist the urge to laugh.
“You must be John. Kitty’s told us, er, me, so much about you.” Carmen extended his hand, the sadness flashing across his eyes.
“Yes, sir.” John shook his hand firmly. “John Myers, it’s a pleasure to finally meet you. I wish it were under better circumstances.” He helped Kitty off the swing, and though he tried to extricate his hand from hers, she was having none of it.
“My condolences for your loss.” John did not feel comfortable with such displays of affection around her father. He was a traditionalist, and felt it was disrespectful. However, he did love Kitty, and she needed him now. HE reminded himself that was what marriage was about, putting the other person’s needs before your own.
“Thank you, John. Why don’t you two come inside? Everyone’s gone, and there’s enough food to feed a third world country in the kitchen.” He ushered them inside just as the skies grew dark and a rumble of thunder broke the October silence.
___________________________________
John woke early the next morning, his internal clock still set for New Jersey. He peered out the window to see the evening’s storms had knocked most of the leaves from the trees.
He put on a t-shirt over his flannel pajamas pants before making his way downstairs to start a pot of coffee. He was surprised to discover Carmen already in the kitchen. He was sitting at the window, cup held between both hands, his bathrobe loosely tied around traditional pajamas. Kitty would call them ‘old man’ pajamas, he thought.
“Good morning, sir.”
Carmen’s head turned. “Good morning, John. Help yourself to some coffee.” He gestured toward the steaming pot.
“Thank you, sir.” He saw Carmen had already set out some cups, and he filled one, inhaling the scent of the brew.
“There’s milk in the fridge if you want it. And enough with the ‘sir’ business. Carmen works just fine.”
John added some sugar to his coffee, then milk straight from the carton, before joining the older man at the table.
“I can do that.” He smiled across the table, then nodded in the direction of the window. “What were you looking at?”
Carmen’s gaze returned to the window. “Oh, just the birds at the feeder. Theresa and I used to spend mornings here, watching the birds and doing the daily crossword together.” He sighed, his shoulders slumping. “I knew this day would come, but it’s even more difficult that I’d imagined.”
John stared into his cup, unsure what to say. He wasn’t the most eloquent of speakers at the best of times. First thing in the morning, before a cup of coffee? No chance.
“How long were you married?”
“Nearly 45 years. We were high school sweethearts, but waited until after college to get married. We’d all but given up hope of having children when Kitty came along.” He paused to sip from his cup.
“It wasn't easy to let her go so young, especially for Terry. But we knew we weren’t equipped to help her with her ability. So we let her to go Xavier’s school. I hope we made the right choice, she seems happy. She is, isn’t she?”
John nodded. “Yes, si- I mean, yes, I believe so. And she’s very good at her job, you should be proud of her.”
He chuffed into his cup. “It would be easier if she ever talked about what she does. You work for the FBI, I’ve gathered that much.”
“I’m sure she’s just trying to keep you from worrying about her. Some of what we do can be pretty dangerous, though with her ability, there’s not much that can hurt her.” John spun his cup around in his hands.
“Surely you know what that’s like, wanting to protect those you love from a truth that might frighten them.” He looked Carmen in the eye, sure that he grasped what John was implying.
Carmen gritted his teeth and breathed deeply before responding. “I’ve apologized to Katherine, and that’s all I can do. I wanted to tell her sooner but her mother insisted. You may not understand this, but once you’re married, things are different. You have to learn when to stand for what you want, and when to concede. Compromise is an ideal that is not always possible. When you love someone more than your own life…” He stopped and turned away to hide the tears in his eyes.
John’s heart ached for the man. “I do understand,” he said softly. “I love Katie, and I’d do anything for her. I would die for her.” Just like she nearly did for me, before we were even together.
“In fact… I know this isn’t the best time, but I didn’t think I’d get the chance to ask you this face to face.”
Carmen turned back to the young man, curious.
The attention made John nervous, and he wiped his hands on the legs of his pajama pants. He wasn’t surprised Kitty’s father had the same effect on his palms that she did.
“I – I plan to ask Katie to marry me, and I’d like your blessing. I was going to ask her a few nights ago, but now… I don’t know when it will be the right time. But I want you to know that I love her with all my heart, and I hope to spend the rest of my life showing her that. If she’ll have me.”
Carmen smiled, silent for a few minutes. Then he stood, walked around the table, and embraced the young man.
“If Kitty loves you, that’s all I need. Whenever you do ask her, do it with my blessing.”
He held John at arm’s length. “God indeed works in mysterious ways. Just when I’ve lost my wife, he’s given me a son. Welcome to the family.”
