Katie, Not Kate

Chapter 1: Tiny, Purple, and Trouble

(Author's note: This is Volume 4 of the 714 Marvel Universe, cowritten with CanuckleheadCowgirl. All odd numbered volumes are on her account, and even numbered ones are on mine.)

Kate and Logan had been in Madripoor for about a week now, because really, they needed a change of pace and a vacation after the school year had ended and after the big push Kate had made with her company. It was time for a break — and that meant killing ninjas. Clearly.

They'd stopped somewhere for food after a particularly hard fight, and Kate was on the phone with Billy, who was checking in before he went off with the Avengers for some kind of space mission and lost service for a few days — which, for him, was world-ending, really.

"Seriously, Billy, this is the best way to spend a vacation," Kate said easily as she rested her feet on the empty chair that she and Logan weren't using at their table, holding up her phone so she could see the video feed of Billy. "Ninjas, good food — and Kurt's going to meet up with us later, and we'll head to Japan for more fun." She was grinning ear to ear.

"I've told you that you have a warped sense of humor, right?" Billy laughed on the other end of the phone. "Getting attacked all the time is not my idea of fun."

"Yeah, well, your idea of fun is picking out wedding colors ," she shot back with an easy smile. "Seriously, Billy. Set a date. It's never going to be just perfect. You're worse than Susan."

"Hey!" He laughed, and she could hear on the other end that Teddy was giggling, so he must have been in the room too.

"Hey, Teddy. Tell your fiance to get his butt in gear," Kate called out easily.

"Love you too, Kate," Teddy said between giggles as he finally poked his head in on the video.

Kate just grinned a bit wider and leaned back. "Of course you love me. I'm awesome," she teased.

"Uh-huh." Billy laughed a bit on the other end. "How's babysitting Wolverine? Isn't that what you called this little trip?"

"Well, he always needs a babysitter," Kate teased Logan's way, sticking out her tongue and knowing her friend had tried to throw her under a bus — though she was perfectly fine owning up to her Wolverine-teasing.

"Hey now," Logan rumbled. "That phone is going to take a swim if you keep spreading lies."

"Billy, he's threatening me," Kate said in mock horror as she heard the boys on the other line cackling. "Should I use my babysitting powers to take away his dessert?"

"You just want an excuse to eat all the dessert yourself," Teddy accused her.

"Yes, yes I do," Kate agreed. She grinned Logan's way as he shook his head and took a deep drink, both of them still in high spirits after the ninja fight.

"You know I ordered it for you anyhow," Logan replied with a laugh. "Since you couldn't pick."

"Well, everything just sounded so good ," Kate said with a pretended pout. "How could I possibly choose one ?"

"Enjoy it while you can. I doubt this place'll be in business next time we come through," he told her.

"Have to seize the moment," Billy supplied over the phone, laughing harder. "While you're young."

"Oh, please. I'll be eating dessert for dinner until I'm ninety-seven," Kate laughed.

"That'll take forever, seeing as you're still four and a half," Logan rumbled out quietly.

Billy and Teddy burst out laughing on the other end of the phone as Kate gave Logan a look, before she heard a little beeping noise on the other end of the conversation. "Oh, we gotta go, Kate," Billy said. "Getting ready to take off. But we'll call you again when we get back."