~Love is Death~

Chapter 1: Risen

Pietro Maximoff leaned against the hard wall of the Bayville High gymnasium. He let a small sigh escape from his lips. Not that it would have very much mattered if he had shouted his head off; he would still be alone. Always alone. Not even Evan would ever accept him. Evan was straight. Straight as a toothpick, and as unbending as a sword. Pietro could admit he was gay, but he had a hard time accepting it.

So, on this cold January morning, Pietro once again tried to figure out why he was gay. Was it always in him? Or did something turn him this way? So he didn't get turned on like Lance, Todd and Fred when they watched the Victoria's Secret models, but he didn't really get turned on looking at guys either. Not even Evan. Pietro shook his head. No, the feelings he had for his rival was more like a love-hate relationship. Pietro tried to think of ever falling for a girl, but could recall nothing. But then again, he could never think of a time a girl fell for him.

They all thought he was too arrogant, too immature, too skinny, too pale, too weird. Living with a bunch of sloppy misfits didn't help any. But Todd, Lance, Fred, and hell, yeah, even slutty little Tabitha who made him glad at times he didn't like girls, were his family. The only real type of family he'd had, and he would've left any Playboy model for his "family". Well, maybe not Tabitha...

"All right, listen up everybody!" Pietro snapped out of his daydreams at the barking voice of his Phys. Ed. teacher. He looked at the hair coated arms and legs and gave a halfhearted smirk. He could never get turned on by him.

"We've got an exchange student from Russia. Her name is Jascha Sharansky." the coach announced. Pietro looked up and felt his heart do a back flip into his stomach. Standing next to the coach was a petite, frail looking girl. She was almost all skin and bones. He took in her dark chocolate brown hair that was braided down her back. Strands of hair were loose and hung on the sides of her almost ghostly, but beautiful face. He wanted to reach out and brush them away. Just then a dark figure approached her. Evan Daniels. Pietro felt his temper flare, but he was confused. Was he mad because Evan was talking to the girl, or because the girl was talking to Evan? He almost gave out a relieved sigh. He was checking out a girl. Maybe he wasn't gay after all. Then the coach's whistle blew.

"All right, let's play some basketball!" Pietro let out a small smirk. His best sport. Boys were to play first.

*

"Well, talk to you later Jascha." Evan said to the new girl. She gave a weak smile as he ran onto the court. She watched intently through slanted hazel eyes. A white-haired boy quickly took control of the ball and dribbled it down the court with Evan right on his trail. The pale, slim boy stopped abruptly and put up a shot. It sunk in, all net. With a smirk he turned and ran right into Evan. Suddenly the scoreboard mounted on the wall began to spark, a spike sticking out of it. Although it had all been so fast, she had seen the spike seem to grow out of Evan's arm and lodge itself into the scoreboard.

Everybody moved to look at the strange spectacle, but she kept her eyes fixed on the chocolate-skinned boy who lay on the floor clutching his arm. As everybody crowded around the scoreboard she saw the fair-haired boy zip over to Evan with lightning-quick speed. He said some words but Evan cast him an evil glare and she could make out a four-lettered word beginning with 'f'.

She walked over to the two boys. They both looked up at her, but she kept her eyes locked with the blues ones of the pompous, swift mutant.

"People like you are jerks and deserve to burn in hell. I know you're a mutant, but so am I. I challenge you to a one-on-one at the old park outside of town." she said coldly, helping Evan to his feet. Pietro offered a lopsided, forced smile.

"I... accept your challenge." he said. Jascha nodded curtly and led Evan toward the lockers.

"So... you're a mutant too?" Evan asked. The girl looked at him, then back ahead before replying.

"Yes." Evan paused as she helped him to sit on a bench. As she cleaned the scrap on his arm he talked again.

"That was so un-Pietro like. He usually leaps instantly at a challenge."

"Pietro? Is that the stuck-up snob that pushed you down?" she asked. Evan nodded.

"That's him... but I've never seen him act that way..."

*

Pietro stood stalk still, his eyes fixed to the spot where the girl and Evan had disappeared. He felt sick in the stomach. Every word she had spoken to him had been a blow to him. It had taken him a while to recover, to accept the challenge. She hated him, but how could she? This was the first time he'd ever felt this way... She couldn't hate him, she just couldn't. He sighed. And how had she known there was a park out of town if she had just moved here??

*

Todd gobbled down his food using both hands and his long tongue, but Fred still beat him.

"Aw man, yo, that's not fair. You practice all the time." he protested as Fred held out his hand for payment.

"I still beat you so pay up." he ordered. Grumbling under breath Todd handed over five bucks.

"Hey Pete, what's eating you?" Todd asked his friend who was looking more pale than usual.

"Nothin'" he muttered, twirling the spaghetti noodle on his fork but not eating any.

"Woah, check out the babe." Fred muttered, looking at the line of students.

"Yo, she is hot!" Todd added. Pietro looked up and saw they were looking at Jascha. He felt his cheeks burn so he quickly looked down, but Todd had caught him.

"Hey-" he started, but then Lance and Tabitha came up.

"What's everyone looking at?" Lance asked, sliding his tray down and taking a seat. Todd glanced at the speedy mutant who kept his head down, twirling his fork.

"Just a new chick..." Lance looked over and whistled.

"A fine new chick." he added. A look of irritation crossed Pietro's face and he stood up abruptly.

"Igottagonowseeyouaround." he sped, and left, his lunch tray containing a large ball of spaghetti wrapped around his fork.

"Geez, what's his prob?" Tabitha muttered watching him race out.

*

"You really think you can beat me?" Pietro inquired. Jascha met his gaze dead on.

"Speedy and quick doesn't always win the race." she retorted. He shrugged, but looked skeptical.

"You can use your powers, but I guarantee you, you won't be able to even touch me." she vowed. He took in her fair features, shocked at the lack of color in her skin. Even with her white long-sleeved jacket and khaki pants her skin shone bright and colorless.

"Go get her Pete!" Tabitha called from the side where she was sitting with Lance, Todd, and Fred. Next to them were the X-freaks; Scott Summers, Jean Grey, Kitty Pryde, Rogue, Kurt Wagner, and Evan Daniels.

"Let the game begin." Kurt said, appearing in front of them with the ball in his hands. He threw it up into the air and disappeared. Jascha gained possession of the ball and began to dribble down the tough gravel court. Pietro sped towards her, but when he reached for the ball jolts of electricity shocked him. With a yelp he backed off and she made an easy lay-up.

Pietro discovered her power the hard way: Lightning/Electricity. Just then shouting erupted from the sidelines and the ground began to shake as Lance engaged in a battle with Scott. Soon, it was an all-out war. Tabitha took out Kitty with a series of bombs Kitty couldn't walk through. But then Rogue teleported to Lance's side with the help of Kurt and drained Lance of his power. Pietro raced to Jean who was holding Fred back with her powers. He circled around her like a tornado, causing her to get dizzy and lose her psychic ability. But then Scott sent a flurry of blasts from behind his ruby sunglasses. With a cry Pietro fell to the floor in pain. Then Evan came.

"This is for all the shit you put me through!" he shouted, readying a spike and aiming it at a stunned Pietro.

"NO!" Jascha suddenly shouted, running in front of Pietro as the bony spike was let loose. It pierced her abdomen and came out the back.

"JASCHA!" Pietro screamed, racing to the now even paler girl and catching her as she fell back. She grasped the spike between her hands but said nothing.

"You fucking shit! Look what you did to her!" he bellowed at a shocked Evan. Everyone had stopped fighting and stared at the girl who was staring at the sky in shock. Pietro reached to touch her ghostly white face, but she jerked her head away from his touch.

"Don't touch me!" she screeched, but not at him. She was looking past him to some invisible phantom. Pietro looked down and saw the spreading blood stain her hands.

"I... I'll get her to safety." he said, looking up desperately at the others.

"Your hood ain't safety." Evan snapped.

"You're the one who fucking did this to her!" Pietro hollered. Evan looked away hurt. Pietro eyes roamed wildly from face to face, then he was gone with the girl in his arms.

*

The figure approached like a dreaded plague. There was nowhere to run, no where to hide. No use screaming because he would get more mad, and no one would hear your cry. The looming fist came and all you could do was stand and let it hit you. The shocking impact sent jolts of pain through her face, numbing it. Bruises on top of bruises. She went down, crashing to the ground. The steel-toed boot slammed into the small of her back, blood spraying from her mouth, splattering her cheeks, painting her lips. Then the beer bottle came crashing down, smashing onto her head. Glass was everywhere. The large hands came reaching for her. Grasping her small wrists and shaking her violently. Slapping her face hard.

"Don't touch me!" she screamed.

*

Jascha jerked up in bed to see a figure reaching out for her.

"Don't touch me!" she shrieked. She stretched out a hand and let forth jolts of electricity into the oncoming shadow.

"Jascha!" the figure cried, flying back from the attack. She blinked twice.

"Pietro?" she muttered. She quickly leaped out of the rickety cot and stopped at his side. Uneasily she touched his neck feeling for a pulse. His eyes fluttered open.

"Jascha..." he whispered. Just then Lance, Todd, Fred and Tabitha walked in.

"Dude, what's going on here?" Fred asked. They stopped at the sight of Jascha over Pietro.

"Hey, here I was think you two were in some sort of trouble when all you two are doing is banging around, yo." Todd said.

"It's NOT what you think!" Jascha shouted, scrambling away from Pietro. Fred yawned and turned to head back to his room.

"Whatever you say." Todd said sarcastically.

"Just keep it down you two." Lance muttered irritably.

"Told you we didn't need another girl." Tabitha's voice said.

"Shut up Tabby," Fred sighed. All the voices faded away and doors slammed shut.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to embarrass you." Pietro apologized. Jascha turned to him with those haunting eyes that sent chills but also a warm feeling through his body. A ghost of a smile fluttered across her lips.

"It's all right." she whispered. "I'm sorry for, um, shocking you. I... don't like it when people touch me." Pietro offered a warm smile.

"And I guess I judged you too fast... you're not a jerk after all." Pietro almost sighed out loud. It was a relief to hear that.

"That why you saved my ass back there?" she shrugged.

"Guess you were just different from other guys." Pietro wrinkled his nose and crossed his thin arms, watching the girl closely, almost afraid this angel would escape from him if he looked away.

"You a sexist or something?" a menace flashed in her eyes, but it wasn't directed to him.

"Men are asses." she stated.

"Pardon?" he asked, taken back by the answer.

"Men are asses." she repeated.

"Why? What makes you think this way?" he inquired.

"Men are like wolves. they trick you by befriending you, then tear you apart when you least expect it."

"Who did that to you?"

"Everyone. My father was an alcoholic. Fucking drunk beat me whenever I was in the same building as him. Fucking chronic brother beat me whenever he didn't. Thought the only guy I could trust was my boyfriend... until he tried to rape me. I ran away. But men will always be there. Waiting to pounce on the next unsuspecting prey." Pietro stared at her in shock.

"Jascha, I'm sorry..." was all he could say. She nearly spat at him.

"You can't help it. Nobody could. Fuck men. Fuck life. I hate them both."

"But they're not all that way."

"They ALL are." she stated, then plopped on the cot and turned her back to him signaling the conversation was closed. He sighed and walked to the door.

"Maybe;" he began, pausing in the doorway. "I could probe you wrong." then he left.

"Don't count on it," Jascha whispered after the door closed. "Don't count on it."

*

Dude, pass the cereal before you eat it all yo!" Todd protested, watching Fred down the frosted flakes straight from the box.

"Ugh, sugar city. Stick to nutritious foods." Tabitha said, crunching into a juicy red apple.

"Yo, you sit there talking about nutritious-whatever crap, while I, oof! Mmmfh!" Todd was muffled as Fred stopped him from getting to the cereal with a hand to the face.

"Fred, let him go before he gets slime all over the place." Lance ordered. Fred let Todd go and wiped the slime from his hand on his overalls. Tabitha rolled her eyes.

"Total slob city." she sighed, tossing the apple core into the trash can and grabbing another.

"Yo, what is up with all your cities? Sugar city, slob city, you're inventing your own little town Tab," Todd said.

"Well, I know which one you're from. Loserville!" Tabitha said, sticking her tongue at him with a sneer and making an 'L' on her forehead with his thumb and pointer finger. But Todd licked her face with his long slimy tongue.

"AUUGGHH!" Tabitha screeched, running to the sink and splashing water over her face trying to wipe away the slime. Todd and Fred snickered. But then Tabitha got hold of a butcher knife and chased him around. With an irritated sigh Lance shook the foundations with his power.

"Cut it out!" he barked. Instantly everyone sat down, except for Pietro who had remained seated through the whole event.

"So Pete, how was it?" Todd finally asked. The pale boy looked up. Bags under his sky-blue eyes showed his lack of sleep and he looked more pale than usual.

"How was what?" he said at an actual normal speed.

"You know, you and little miss hot chick upstairs." Tabitha said.

A flush of color stained his alabaster cheeks, but it was caused by anger, not embarrassment.

"Nothinghappenedallright,justdropit." he snapped. Everybody blinked, slowly deciphering his fast speech.

"Yeah, right. Hot gal plus a guy, in a bedroom, and nothing happened. "Don't tell me you went so fast in the bed you don't remember!" Lance teased. Todd smirked.

"We even caught her on top of you, yo." Todd added. Pietro's eyebrows began to narrow dangerously.

"Fuck, off." he hissed. Just then the light bulb flickered, then blacked out.

"Aw, shit." Fred whined. "I'm afraid of the dark okay?" he mumbled. Then, the light came back on.

"Woah, what just happened?" Todd muttered. Then they saw Jascha in the doorway sending volts of electricity into the light bulb.

"Thank you!" Fred cried. "I am eternally in your debt." he cried, offering the cereal box. Jascha looked at him uneasily.

"Hey, yo! That's my cereal!" Todd said, snatching the box away with his tongue.

"Jascha, what are you doing up? You're supposed to be resting." Pietro said. An almost smirk crossed her pale features.

"I'll survive." with that she picked up her bag and walked out the door.

*

Jascha shuffled the books around in her locker when a hand came and touched her. She spun around quickly, fist surrounded with electricity, and came face to face with the dark skinned, blond haired face of Evan. She quickly relaxed.

"Hey, um, glad to see you back. Look, I'm sorry about what happened." she offered a small smile.

"It's all right, I know you didn't mean to." There was an awkward silence.

"Are you, part of the Brotherhood?" Evan asked, unable to meet her eyes, afraid of the answer. He could feel her eyes on him, searching for his motive.

"No." she finally answered. He felt his heart lighten considerably.

"Then... why not join the X-Men?" he asked hopefully, chancing a glance into her captivating eyes. He saw a look of hurt, a deep sorrow filled her eyes. It looked almost as if she were hurting physically.

"I... I can't." she whispered. Evan scrunched his eyebrows in confusion.

"Why no?" she knit her brows in frustration as if she wanted to make him understand, but couldn't.

"Maybe if I had met you earlier... things would be different." Evan felt like screaming in confusion.

"You... you're talking about the past, look to the future!" Genuine sorrow clouded her eyes and a sad smile graced her thin face.

"You don't understand Evan, today is my future. So was yesterday."

"What? What do you mean Jascha?"

"Evan, let's go, the Prof needs us to-" Scott Summers stopped short at the sight of Jascha. With him was Jean, Kurt and Kitty.

"See you later Evan." Jascha said, and disappeared.

"Like, nice to meet you too." Kitty said sarcastically, staring after the girl.

"You can't exactly blame her." Scott said.

"How can you say that? She completely ignored us!" Kurt protested.

"Well, the only time we've seen her is when we attacked her friends." Jean concluded. Kitty made a face.

"Friends? Is that what she considers those jerks?" she asked. Kurt tut-tutted at her, wagging a finger in her face.

"Ah-ah... as I recall, there's a certain Lance Alvers..."

"Hey, like, leave Lance out of this okay?" Kurt grinned in satisfaction at Kitty's reaction.

"She did save Pietro..." Scott reminded, then regretted it, seeing Evan stiffen and a spike begin to protrude from his arm.

"Yeah, well it doesn't change the fact that she's living with him and those other jerks." Evan snapped and stalked off.

*

"Well, I like her." Fred said, taking a large bite of a cheeseburger.

"Hot chick in the house? No complaints from me, yo." Todd added.

"She saved my life. I owe her mine. Why are you so uptight then Lance?" Pietro asked, irritated at the superior boy's attitude.

"She's not Brotherhood." was all he would say.

"Well, I don't like her." Tabitha said. Fred rolled his eyes.

"That's just 'cause she's another girl." he muttered.

"Hey, she's a mutant, not one of the X-freaks and she lives with us! What more do you need to accept her!?" Pietro demanded.

"She's only here because you took her here." Tabitha snapped.

"As I recall, you were one of the X-freaks, and you came here on Lance's non-serious proposal!" Pietro retorted.

"Just because she's not one of them, doesn't mean she's one of us." Lance said. Pietro began to fume and clenched and unclenched his fists.

"WellmaybeifshewereoneoftheX-freaksyou'dlikeherlikeyourlittleditsyX- bimboKitty." Pietro snapped. Lance turned on him, but could say nothing but,

"Don't call her that." Just then Jascha walked in with two boxes of steaming pizza and plopped them on the counter.

"Got some spare change, decided to get some grub. Pepperoni okay?" she said. Fred and Todd dived for the boxes.

"I definitely like her!" Todd said with cheese hanging out of his mouth. Even Tabitha took a slice saying,

"Oil city here I come." Lance sighed and picked up a hot slice as well. Guess she is one of us... he thought, looking at her with the others.

*

"I'm telling you, she'd be, like, great if she were one of us!" Kitty said, walking into the mansion with the others.

"Naw, ah just think she's too attached to them." Rogue disagreed.

"Or, to Pietro at least. Why else would she save him?" Kurt asked. Evan quickened his pace.

"Let's stop talking about her." Evan said, through clenched teeth.

"Well, I was just saying-" the teens continued to bicker as Professor Xavier watched them from the top of the balcony. He turned to Logan in his wheelchair.

"Who are they talking about?" he asked. Logan let out a low growl.

"Some new mutant who's hanging with the Brotherhood." he replied. The Professor raised a dark eyebrow at the use of the other mutant's lingo.

"Funny, I haven't picked up her reading, mentally, or with Cerebro."

"How is that possible Charles?" Logan asked.

"I'm not sure, gather the others into the computer room." he ordered.

Soon, all of the main X-Men were in the computer room, crowded around Professor X and the main control panel.

"I've gathered you here because there is something unusual, about your, new acquaintance." he said, choosing his words carefully.

"Now, what is her name, power and origin?" he questioned.

"Her name is Jascha Sharansky, her power is lightning or electricity and she just moved here from Russia to Bayville." Evan recited before any of the others could. He ignored stares from his colleagues and focused on the computer screen as Professor X entered the information. One match was found. He clicked on the link and a picture of the ghostly girl came up.

"That's her!" everyone shouted. It was Professor X's turn to turn white.

"That's impossible..." he said.

"What? Why?" Evan demanded.

Silence fell over the room, and everybody looked beneath the picture of the girl.

Jascha Nadya Sharansky

August 9, 1986 - January 9, 2001

Everybody's hearts were pounding. Today was Wednesday, January 9, 2002.

~End of Chapter 1~

Note: Do you like it? Please send me your reviews. If you like it I'll continue it. Thank you for reading!