Shadows Do Bite (Zack/Kitty)

[katherinepryde]

Kitty frowned, pausing at the mouth of the dark alley. Alright, going out so late at night had been a bad idea. But she really wanted her latest book that came out at midnight in Barnes and Noble. So after an hour of debating, she'd slipped out for it. Zack had been busy training in the Danger Room and she didn't think he'd miss her. Now, the taxis were sparse so late at night and at this end of town. She was miles from the mansion and had no transportation but walking home. And her way home was the dark alleys of Westchester County.

Four men laughed darkly from the other alley behind her across the street. They stood around a bin of fire next to a homeless man. Her fear spiked and she headed down her alley, focusing on the sounds around her. She was a mutant, she'd be alright. Wouldn't she?

She shook her head, no, something wasn't right. She felt it inside. Kitty slipped her hand into her pocket and pulled out her blue phone, she needed to call Zack and ask him to come get her.

"Well, what's such a cute little thing like you doing out so late?" Kitty jumped and the phone dropped from her hands and splashed into the puddle at her feet.

It was a group of six men and the four men from the other alley were walking up from behind. She heard the shink of a blade freed from his sheath and she gulped. The government didn't permit use of mutations in the public, it was called unfair. But what if it was for her life?

"She's stunned silent, why don't me make he scream?" The men laughed together like a pack of hyenas.

[reaper]

Zack was training in the Danger Room. He had recently discovered that his Shadow abilities stretched beyond the Shadows. The Shadow World seemed to connect to all pieces of Darkness. He sighed as he held Kamikaze in his hand. He had one more Sentinel to defeat. He cracked his neck and ran forward. He jumped of, flipping an arc, swinging Kamikaze down so that it sliced the Sentinel completely in half. He was smiling and was about to head out when he felt strange. There was something wrong. ~Kitty~ He didn't know why but he sensed a fear emanating from somewhere. It was another ability he had gained, he was able to sense fear and when people were just about to die. He cursed under his breath, sinking into the darkness. He let Kamikaze fade away, summoning Grim. He emerged from the Darkness. "You alright, Kitty?"

[katherinepryde]

"No! Look out!" Kitty saw Zack emerge from the darkness right in the middle of the fight. She'd had no weapons on her and refused to use her gifts because of the government. Using her gifts would send her in handcuffs and to jail.

One of the men with the knives lunged toward Zack when he spooked them from the darkness. Kitty grabbed Zack and threw them aside, slamming hard into the dumpster. Behind them, the man swung his knife and missed.

"Oh, her name's Kitty. Pretty Kitty want to play?"

Kitty growled and turned, dropping her bag to the ground. "You pricks are in for it." The first man lunged at her, knife gleaming in the moonlight. She dodged and delivered a close line arm to his adam's apple before following it with a knee to his gut. Logan had trained her in martial arts, she wasn't without her talents. But six men against her with no powers was sketchy. She dodged a fist and slammed him against the wall, letting the bricks chew up his face. A third man grabbed her by the hair and jerked, hurling her to the ground. She skidded on the pavement and bounced her head, seeing stars as her breath caught in her throat.

[reaper]

When Kitty was hurled Zack lost control and became enraged. Fire lit in his eyes as the Darkness began to climb up the bodies of the Six Men. The Darkness climbed up like a hand clawing at their flesh. With each part the Darkness engulfed they would become cold, feeling lifeless and dead. The Darkness continued to reach up, now at their torso. The men screamed, asking for forgiveness. They begged for their lives, calling him a demon. They called him a monster, a freak, the Grim Reaper, and The Angel of Death. Yet their pleas landed on deaf ears as Zack was showing no mercy. However, right when the Darkness was about to consume the men Zack remembered Kitty. He let out a breath, remembering to calm down. He held up Grim and sliced through the Six Men. Grim absorbed the darkness inside of them as they passed out. They had chosen to repent. Zack had to struggle to keep up but he managed to do it. Once he was sure he was stable he ran over to Kitty, picking her up. She had a small bruise on her head. "Damn it, are you okay?" He helped her stand up, wishing for his life she was alright.

[katherinepryde]

Kitty stared agape at Zack and the men. She felt how the darkness in him slowly saturated all the light, all the warmth and ate him alive with it. The cold chill that ran down her spin continued to feather along her body, stealing away any heat in the alleyway. It felt so cold, she could see her breath when she breathed out, a little cloud of whispy vapor.

When Zack came to her side, she wrapped an arm around his neck and stood slowly. "Yeah, I've taken worse hits." She stared at the men. "What...what did you do to them?" She could feel his darkness, how cold he'd gotten. He needed her energy.

[reaper]

Zack sighed. He knew that he might as well tell her. They had promised to try to not keep their feelings hidden as much. "Grim "Reaped" them. He absorbed the Darkness in them and gave them a choice. They decided to repent and so got to live. If they had chosen otherwise..." He didn't want to finish the sentence. The second option wasn't so pretty and Zack was glad it rarely happened. He walked a bit with her and then when they were out in the open, he put her up against the wall and kissed her. It was long and slow. He needed her right now. She had already started affecting him in more ways than one. He knew if it hadn't been for her that he might have killed those men. A shiver went down his spine as they kissed. It made him shudder to think of the personalities. His hands held her face as he kissed her deeply. There were people waling by giving them looks but he didn't mind. He could have stayed like this forever.

[katherinepryde]

Kitty gasped when his lips took hers. Fire arced through her veins like lightning, illuminating every cell with sudden need. Her arms wrapped around his neck and she kissed him back. Their lips fused together, heat flooded her body, filling every nook with the need to kiss him deeper, to hold him closer. He tasted so perfect, a blend of shadowed delight. But as they kissed, she felt the heat he caused in her and the heat and warmth of her soul drain into him. His cold, shadowed body slowly seemed to feel warmer and warmer as she grew colder and colder. She was doing her job, giving him the warmth, the light.

Using Grim had stole away so much from him it made her heart weep in sorrow for it. She focused on the warmth in her and gathered it, sending it along to him in a rush. The rush sent her knees to go weak and she whimpered with the sudden loss of feeling.

[reaper]

Zack smiled as his lips left hers. He felt bad that he always left her so weak but she looked so adorable. He took her as he cradled her. With his strength she wasn't heavy at all. It did help that she was so small, something he found amazingly cute. He smiled at her as he carried her. He didn't mind any looks. At this point he was used to the constant noisy chattering. He looked down at her, she seemed to be some peaceful, so at peace. "Alright, what do you want to do now?"

[katherinepryde]

Kitty frowned, she was being carried. No one had ever carried her before. She shoved at his chest but was too weak to make a difference. When she sighed, her side ached badly. She rested her hand on the spot and felt warm slickness coat her fingers. Kitty brought her hand up to her face and stared. Blood.

[reaper]

Zack was abot to continue carrying her when he realized there were no immediate hnearby hospital and cursed under his breath. He kept moving, waiting till there was no one around and sunk into the Shadow. He looked at her in his arm. Sh didn't seem too comfortable but he was in a rush and didn't have much choice. He picked the nearest hospital and rose from a Shadow in the most discreet part, outside, that he could. He walked into the hospital carrying Kitty and checked in. They took her from him, bringing her to the ER. Before she was taken away he reassured her, "It's going to be alright. Don't worry about it. It'll be okay. I'm right her." He hopped that the fall hadn't caused much damage. There could be repercussions from the fall and he was afraid of that happening.

[katherinepryde]

The staff kept him in the waiting bay because he was not family. Reassuring him that they would let him know if anything changed, they ensured he stayed there.

Meanwhile, the nurses wheeled Kitty on a gurney, speeding towards the ER wing. Flashing a light in her eyes, their brown depths barely dilated. They attached a pump to her arm and checked her blood pressure while another counted her pulse and hooked in an IV. Kitty's body felt cold, the room was cold, the halls were cold. Her skin couldn't keep in warmth at all. The place smelled like sterilized death. Her lids wouldn't stay open and the nurses were asking her question after question.

The double doors swung open and a blond doctor entered researching his clip board. "What do we have?"

"Knife wound to the abdomen. A possible concussion and she's losing her responsiveness. patient is only able to mumble. We can't make out anything she's saying." Was she really not able to speak? No, she couldn't hardly feel her body anymore, it felt like it drifted away from her slowly. It was too distant. She was just a consciousness in a black abyss. She could hear the nursing staff, but she couldn't see or feel them.

'You're going to be here again soon.' Oh great, Eternity wasn't taking a break from playing disembodied voice. 'When the times come, you're the reason he holds onto the light. And you musn't forget that he's the reason you should too.' Why would she be in this position again? 'Because no Anchor helps a Shadow, saves a Shadow, without a Price. I cannot keep my sister at bay while you do so. You must choose to.' Right, choose not to die, sounds so easy. 'It's not.' Thanks for clearing that up, Captain Obvious.

Something loud began to beep insesently. Kitty would have cringed if she'd had a body to do so. The sound was so piercing, loud and obnoxious.

"Pulse is dropping." It was?

"She has internal bleeding, it's reached her lungs." Was that why she tasted something almost metallic in her mouth? Yes, she felt like her body was struggling to cough it up but it just kept coming. Why was this happening? It had only been a simple knife wound, she'd suffered much, much worse. Why was this escalating so?

'Think, Katherine.'

A lesson? What was she supposed to learn? Can't think. Can't remember. Why had she been stabbed? Who was she with?

'Focus. Remember.'

Trying to, keep forgetting. The images of her memory vanished before she could recollect them. What was she doing? She had a job, but what was it? As the questions raced in her mind and spun faster, more adding themselves to the chaos. Kitty tried hard to see the blurry images of her memory. She'd been alone in the alley fighting. No! That wasn't right, someone had been with her. Hadn't there been? Yes. She was sure of it, something dark and cold. But his lips tasted so wonderful against hers. What lips? There had been none. No!

Kitty growled in her mind, something black was clouding her memories, trying to make her forget. She felt the cold feather along her mind and shoved it back. Eternity was trying to help her, to teach her. Death didn't want her to help him. She didn't want Kitty to help her son, Zack. Zack. The reason for everything. The shadow that needed her light. She was his Anchor.

'I won't forget him you pathetic entity.' She felt the cloud thicken with anger. 'He will never belong to you. I'll see to that. And no matter of mind games would make her forget her place or who she cared about. 'I must be pretty damn important for you to try so hard to get rid of me. You know I can save him. You hate the idea of it and you'll do anything to make sure I don't get my chance.But I will do anything to save him. And no matter of playing with me will make me want to back down.' The cloud thickened more and enveloped her, robbing her of her breath and stealing away her determination with one, swift blow. Every shadow in her mind roared to life and held her down as the large cloud sparkled with hatred.

"We're losing her!" The nurse called for a Crash Cart and rubbed the paddles together, pressing them against Kitty's chest and letting the shock expand throughout her body. "No response, Again." She repeated and waited for a pulse.

The cloud squeezed Kitty's mind tightly in its grasp, reveling in the way she screamed in agony. Her body was broken, laying in a pool of her own dark blood. It smeared along her soft skin and dampened her hair to appear black. This wasn't how she was going to die. She was Kitty Pryde, the X-man Shadowcat. She would not die withering in a stretcher, she would go out with a bang, doing something great. Zack needed her. The X-Men needed her.

Kitty shoved back at the cloud and let out a long, harsh cry for freedom, shoving into it all her determination, all her love, her joy, her rage. The scream pierced the thick black cloud and it whisped at the edges, fraying to allow her a glimpse past it.

"I've got a pulse!"

Kitty's body rushed back to her suddenly, burning in agony all over. She couldn't breathe, there was a tube down her throat ensuring blood didn't get into her windpipe though some flooded her lungs. They were pumping that out now.

A nurse approached Zack in the bay, smiling hopefully. "She's fine. She's going to be alright, there was internal bleeding in her lungs and stomach and she has a mild concussion, but she's in a room now, resting." She gave Zack a pat on the shoulder and led him to room 213. Kitty lay cleaned and asleep, or looking like it in a bed by the window. There was no hint of blood or the struggle she'd been through. But she was there, alive and breathing.

[reaper]

During the moments before Kitty's survival was assured, Zack was enraged. However, this anger was directed specifically directed towards his mother. He knew she loved him and he knew she wasn't evil. After all, she had fallen in love with a human. But even so, he knew she was apathetic to the worries of man. He knew she wanted him to be hers. He also knew that it wasn't beneath her to try and take Kitty. He closed his eyes and dived into her plane. What happened next was very predictable. He screamed at Death, demanding her to let Kitty go. His mother claimed that she could not let Kitty go as it was her time. However, after much arguing, yelling and screaming, Zack finally got his way. He was brought forth back to the real world by the nurse. He entered the room and watched Kitty. He walked up to her, sitting on the edge of the bed. He wasn't really sure what to say;he was blaming himself. He couldn't even look her in the eyes. He was about to speak but then stopped. ~Why wasn't I there sooner?~ "I...I'm sorry."

[katherinepryde]

Her lips quirked to one side lightly and her cool hand rested on his gingerly. "Remind me...to get my books during the day." She tried to laugh and choked lightly. Kitty cringed at the pain and tried to smile again. "They said I can leave tomorrow but I have to be checked on at all hours." She frowned. "I'm the one who should be sorry...I shouldn't have done such a thing without taking you with me. And...I just ...I wanted to be a hero and play by the rules." She sighed in disgust with herself. "I'm sorry, Zack."

[reaper]

Zack frowned. "There's no point in blaming ourselves, alright?" He leaned down and kissed her. He wished there was some way to heal her. He didn't like seeing her in pain. He scooted over so that they were sharing the bed. He went on his side and held her against him. He wasn't going to let her go. "Alright, I'm not leaving till you're better. No complaining alright?" He kissed her slowly. He loved her. He wondered when he'd be able to tell her. They'd gotten to the point where they acted very much like couples but nothing had been made official. He was in no rush to have her make a decision. But even then, he felt bad since Pete didn't really know. It was her decision though, not his. He wold just have to wait and see. But right now he was perfectly content with having her beautiful body against his.

[katherinepryde]

Kitty frowned. "I don't need to be taken care of. I'll be fine. I am fine." She tried to reassure him, thought she knew it wouldn't work as well as she'd wish. She lay her head back on the pillow, staring at the ceiling. "I want to go train in the Danger Room again, immediately."