Disclaimer: I don't own the X-men and all that stuff…I just do this for fun, not money. Weird huh? By the way as far as the romantic pairings go, I am trying to stay as close to the show as possible. Just keep that in mind when you read later on.
Brotherhood Winter
A light snow was falling over Bayville. It was late night and everyone was settling down for a quiet night's sleep. Well, all except the inhabitants of a certain boarding house.
"Snowball fight!" Pietro whooped flinging snow everywhere.
"Die Speedy!" Tabitha shouted throwing another snowball.
"We've got him now Tabby!" Todd whooped.
"You slowpokes are no match for me, Quicksilver, King of the North!" Pietro threw more snow.
"The only thing you're gonna be king of is the King of Bruises!" Fred flung more snow.
"Pietro I told you, no snowball fights in the house!" Lance shouted as he came downstairs. He saw a huge pile of snow was in the middle of the hallway. The remaining members were covered with snow. "Now it's going to be colder on the inside than it is on the outside!"
"Lance," Tabitha made a face and threw a snowball at him. "Lighten up!"
"Yeah it's gonna snow all night and that means school is gonna be closed tomorrow!" Todd hopped up and down excitedly.
"Really?" Lance raised an eyebrow. "I thought that you guys weren't going to go anyway."
"Yeah but this way it'll be legal for a change," Fred nodded his head happily.
"Well," Lance looked out the window. "It is coming down out there and since there probably isn't gonna be school anyway…" He grinned wickedly and grabbed a handful of snow. "Snow Fight!" He thwacked Tabitha on the back with a snowball.
"Yeow!" Tabitha yelped. "Okay Rocky, you are so dead!" With that the first annual Brotherhood indoor snowball fight got off to a start. It was nearly midnight when they finally went to their beds, exhausted. Fred had to carry Todd and tuck him into his bed.
However they all somehow managed to wake up a few minutes before six in the morning. It was instinctive. A primal urge to see if they would be spared the rigors of the school day. They all huddled around the television, hearts racing with anticipation and anxiety.
"Come on Bayville," Todd hopped up and down. "Come on Bayville!"
"Bayville…" The announcer said.
"WHOO HOO!" They all cheered. Todd and Pietro grabbed hands and danced around. Fred did a cabbage patch dance while Lance and Tabitha gave each other a high five and jumped around and screamed with delight. "No School! No School! No School!"
"And it's a Friday!" Pietro sang. "Which means….long weekend! Yahooo!" He sped off upstairs, changed into his clothes at lightning speed and ran outside into the snow.
"Come on let's go out and play in the snow too!" Tabitha whooped and Todd followed her upstairs.
"We really should go back to sleep," Lance yawned and stretched.
"Aw man I can't go back to sleep," Fred scratched his head. "Why is it on days you can sleep in you can't, but on days that you can't sleep in you always do?"
"One of the great mysteries of life Freddy," Lance shook his head.
"Well might as well join in the others and play in the snow!" Fred grinned.
"Why not?" Lance smiled. For once he decided to relax and enjoy the brief holiday. He hadn't played in the snow since he was little. He decided it would do him some good to have some fun and goof off a little.
"Guys help!" Todd yelped. Fred and Lance came to the door of Todd's room and couldn't help but giggle. Todd was standing there helplessly while Tabitha was putting layers upon layers of sweaters on him. "Tabby!"
"Now Toddy you know you always get cold," Tabitha put another sweater on him. "These will keep you nice and warm. Now for your coat, and a hat, and a scarf and we'll just put up your hood there and your mittens. There you are! All nice and toasty!"
"Hmmmmmphh!" Todd moaned, unable to articulate clearly, as well as lower his arms. All one could see of his face were his eyes that blinked rapidly in order to convey a coded message that translated roughly: HELP!
"Uh Tabby something tells me you over did it just a bit," Lance laughed.
"Okay Toad I'll help you," Fred snickered. "Tabby why don't you get ready?"
"GAHHH!" Todd gasped as Fred removed the scarf from his mouth. "AIR!"
"Come on Lance I'll help you get ready!" Tabitha grabbed his arm.
"NO YOU WON'T!" Lance broke free and ran for dear life to his room.
Todd and Fred laughed. Soon Todd could move his arms again. Fred got dressed and so did Lance without the help of Tabitha. They all went downstairs. "I wonder where Pietro went?" Lance asked.
"Hi guys!" Pietro ran in, knocking them all over. "GOT BREAKFAST!"
"Cool, what'd you get?" Fred rubbed his hands together.
"Doughnuts and coffee!" Pietro smiled. His cheeks red with the cold. He looked like a mischievous imp. "And hot chocolate!"
"Oh boy!" Todd hopped to the table. "Breakfast!"
"Where did you get…?" Tabitha began to ask. "Never mind," She shrugged and sat down.
"You didn't steal these from the cops did you?" Lance asked.
"Maybe," Pietro snickered.
"Oh brother," Lance rolled his eyes and sipped on some coffee. "Well at least they know where to get good coffee."
"Hey let's go to the park this afternoon!" Tabitha squeaked.
"I dunno," Lance shrugged. "It always gets kinda crowded and it's kinda far to walk."
"Maybe we'll see Kitty there?" Pietro suggested.
Lance gulped down a doughnut. "Well what are you guys waiting for? Let's go to the park?"
Some time later the Brotherhood found themselves at the park. "I can't believe you made us walk all this way," Todd grumbled, his teeth chattering slightly.
"It's too dangerous to drive," Lance said. "Look at it this way, the sun's finally come out. It's stopped snowing!"
"Man look at all the kids!" Tabitha looked around. "Every one in town must be here! I'm gonna see if I can find Blue Boy!" She ran off.
"Yeah you do that," Todd shook his head. "Hey Pietro wanna…? Pietro? He was here a minute ago? What happened?"
"Hey guys look what I found!" Pietro drove by on a snowmobile. "Woo Hoo!"
"Come back here you maniac!" Duncan Matthews chased after him.
"Hey Freddy," Todd elbowed him. "Wanna make a snowman?"
"Yes I do," Fred made a broad grin. "Wanna come?"
"Nah," Lance's attention fell towards something more interesting. "I got other stuff to do."
He walked over to the pond. It had frozen and a lot of kids were skating on it. Including one particular X-Man.
"Hey Pretty Kitty!" Lance waved from the sidelines. "Great moves!"
"Hey Lance!" Kitty skated over to him. "How's it goin?"
"Okay I guess," Lance shrugged. "Wow, you're really great out there!"
"Yeah when I was little I did a lot of skating," She shrugged. "Wanna join me?"
"Uh, first of all I don't have any skates," Lance gulped. "And second…I'm not really very good on the ice remember? But I don't mind watching you."
"It's okay," Kitty started to untie her skates. "I've been skating for like an hour already. Wanna go for a walk?"
"Sure!" Lance got her boots and patiently waited as she put them on. He offered her his arm. Giggling she took it. Lance felt his temperature go up fifteen degrees as she walked with him. He looked around him at the beautiful scenery. "Wow, I've never seen the park so beautiful before," Lance breathed. "It's like out of one of those picture books."
"I know," Kitty smiled as she took in the scenery. "All the kids skating, making snowmen…"
"YEEEEEEHHHHHAAAAAA!"
"Running for their lives from Quicksilver," She continued.
"Pietro covering Daniels with snow," Lance groaned describing the scene. "Daniels shooting spikes at Pietro."
"Kurt teleporting and grabbing Pietro as he drives right into a snow bank," Kitty continued.
"Pietro and the Fuzz ball going at it," Lance sighed.
"Tabitha and Jean getting into a screaming argument," Kitty pointed out.
"You wanna get outta here before it gets ugly?" Lance asked as he saw Tabitha shove Jean.
"Let's," She turned around, ignoring the fact that Jean was shoving Tabitha back. They walked only a little ways when they saw Scott and Rogue walking toward them.
"ALVERS!" Scott shouted.
"And hello to you too," Lance sneered.
"What are you sleaze balls doing here?" Rogue asked.
"Hey, we're just hanging out at the park, minding our own business," Lance huffed. "Not that it's any of yours!"
"In other words you're starting trouble," Scott folded his arms.
"No they're starting trouble," Lance jerked his thumb in the direction behind him. "I'm just taking Kitty for a walk. Gotta problem with that?"
"Yeah I do," Scott got in his face.
"Scott chill!" Kitty snapped. "It's okay. Besides I think we have a bigger problem."
They looked over and saw Tabitha and Jean punching each other in the snow. "Oh man!" Rogue's jaw dropped. "They're really going at it!"
"Probably fighting over the title of the Most Annoying Person," Lance snickered. Kitty glared at him. "What?" He asked. "Okay, okay I guess I gotta go break it up!" He sighed as they went back.
Pretty soon Scott and Rogue were trying to pull away Jean while Kurt and Lance were trying to pull Tabitha off. "Tabitha cut it out!" Kurt snapped.
"Hey Red here was getting in my face," She snapped. She then softened a little when she saw Kurt. "Come on Blue, I was only defending myself. Please don't be mad at me. Be mad at her!" She pointed.
"Tabitha like cut it out," Kitty made a face.
"Like make me," Tabitha mocked.
"Tabitha don't make fun of her!" Kurt blocked Kitty from Tabitha.
"Hey whose side are you on?" Tabitha asked. "I thought you liked me?"
"I do!" Kurt blurted out. "I mean. I like Kitty too. I mean I like both of you…um…" He looked back and forth at the two girls confused.
"Let me help you out fur-ball," Lance growled. "You like Tabby! I've got Kitty!"
"He does not!" Pietro sped up and got into Kurt's face. "Stay away from Tabby!"
"Speedy don't tell me who I can or can't see!" Tabitha shouted.
"You okay Jean?" Rogue helped Jean up.
"Yeah fine," She snapped. "I could have taken that blond bimbo!"
"Who are you calling a bimbo you red headed hussy!" Tabitha snarled.
"You bimbo!" Jean balled her hands into fists. "You just want all the guys to fight over you so you'll be the center of attention!"
"I think you're confusing me with yourself," Tabitha snickered.
"Okay will all of you just cut it out!" Scott shouted. "Alvers will you get her out of here?"
"What makes you think I can do that?" Lance asked.
"You wouldn't know it the way she always makes goo-goo eyes at you," Kitty folded her arms.
"For the last time, she likes Kurt not me!" Lance groaned. "She's only doing that to get your goat Kitty!"
"She does not like Kurt!" Pietro shouted.
"I can like whomever I want!" Tabitha told him. "Just like Kitty can like whoever she wants and Rogue can like whomever she wants! Right Rogue?" She smiled sweetly. "You and Scooter make a nice couple by the way."
"Um…" Rogue's face turned paler than usual. She and Scott looked at each other.
Jean glared at them and stormed away. "Jean!" Scott called after her.
"I'm going to find Duncan now," she said angrily. She walked away from her friends and their bickering with the Brotherhood. She didn't get very far when she noticed the other two members of the Brotherhood playing in the snow.
"I'm making a snowman with my friend Freddy!" Todd sang out as he and Fred were putting the finishing touches on a snowman. A rather odd looking snowman.
"Guys have you seen…DUNCAN?!" Jean gasped. "STOP THAT?" She brushed snow away from Duncan's dazed face as Todd and Fred ran off laughing. "Duncan, Duncan are you okay?"
"Sure Ginger," Duncan replied in a dazed voice. "Good to see you babe."
"Ginger?" Jean's voice was icy. "Who's Ginger?"
"Huh?" Duncan was brought back to reality abruptly. "Oh uh…I mean…um…From Gilligan's Island?"
"Nice try," Jean replied in a cold tone, her mind picking up on what he really meant. She picked up some snow and threw it at him. Then walked away in a huff.
"Uh," Duncan looked down. He was trapped in the body of a snowman. "A little help here? Jean? JEAN!"
Meanwhile Todd and Fred had come upon the Brotherhood and X-Men having a rather heated discussion in the snow. They stood on the sidelines and watched them.
"Stay away from Tabitha!" Pietro snapped at Kurt.
"Get out of my face!" Kurt snapped.
"You keep your slimy hands off of her Alvers!" Scott shouted at Lance.
"Don't tell me what to do!" Kitty snarled at Scott.
"Why don't you just make up your mind on who you want?" Rogue snarled at Tabitha.
"Why don't you mind your own business?" Tabitha shot back.
"Why don't you butt out Summers?" Lance snarled. "Kitty can make up her own mind."
"What's going on yo?" Todd asked Evan who was also just standing around looking very confused.
"I have no idea," Evan shook his head. "Okay I'm confused. I know Kurt likes Kitty and Tabby and Tabby likes Kurt and Lance but since when did Pietro enter the picture?"
"News to me," Todd shrugged. "Hey since when were Shades and Roguey a couple?"
"I dunno. Something happened over Christmas Vacation," Evan shrugged.
"Well I thought Summers was going out with Taryn," Fred said. "Even though he's got the hots for Jean."
"Yeah well Jean's with Duncan," Evan said as they watched the others argue. "And Scott and Taryn have been dating but nothing too serious yet. I think."
"Well Jean's got it for Summers," Todd said. "She may say she likes Duncan but her eyes say she likes Summers."
"She's just playing her stupid games," Fred grumbled folding his arms.
"You're not still hung up on Grey are you?" Todd asked.
"No that's over with thank goodness," Fred said. "But now it seems like Pietro's hung up on Tabby!"
"I thought Pietro liked Risty?" Todd asked.
"Well you know what a flirt he is," Fred told him.
"Well Tabitha ain't exactly stable is she?" Evan said. "Man this is getting nuts! I am so confused!"
"Yeah you can't tell who's in love with who around here without a scorecard," Todd shook his head.
"Well at least we all know Lance is nuts about Kitty," Fred said.
"Yeah we all got that," Todd said. "And it seems like Kitty likes Lance over Kurt."
"It's become a regular soap opera around here," Fred said.
"Kitty does not like Lance over Kurt!" Evan snapped.
"Yeah she does," Todd rolled his eyes.
"Does not!" Evan said.
"Does too!" Todd shot back.
"Does not!" Evan got into Todd's face.
"Does too!" Todd got into Evan's face.
"Here we go," Fred rolled his eyes as the two went at it.
"Oh come on," Evan shouted. "How can she like that no talent earthquake maker over Kurt?"
"Hey fuzz ball ain't exactly the most desirable guy around you know," Todd snapped. "At least Lance has the looks!"
"Please, Kurt looks much cooler than Lance," Evan shouted.
"Maybe on Planet Weird but not where I'm standing pal!" Todd shouted.
"What would you know about good looks and girls anyway swamp breath?" Evan snapped.
"Well I don't exactly see you being mobbed with girls either bonehead!" Todd retaliated.
Scott then shoved Lance and Lance shoved back. Soon Lance was fighting with Scott while Rogue and Tabitha started to shove each other. Kitty was throwing snowballs at both Scott and Lance. Pietro and Kurt were fighting again as well. Fred looked down and saw that Todd and Evan were fighting.
"Okay it's official," Fred said to himself. "This little winter outing has gotten totally out of control. Oh well. Might as well join them." He grabbed Evan and tossed him into the snow. Then he grabbed Scott. "Get outta here Geek!" He snarled.
"Put him down!" a voice shouted and sparks exploded in front of Fred's face. The newer mutants from the institute had now joined the fray. Fred dropped Scott as Jubilee's fireworks nearly blinded him.
"Whoa!" Todd hopped, barely being fried by Ray's energy bolt. "Hey we're outnumbered yo! No fair!"
"Time to go guys," Pietro sped by, covering Evan with snow. "Move it!"
Lance grumbled under his breath. As much as he hated to retreat, there were just too many X-Men around. "This ain't over Summers!" he snarled. "We'll be back!"
"Yeah and we'll be waiting to kick your butts again!" Evan shouted, even though he was still trapped in the snow.
The Brotherhood managed to escape to the edge of the park. "Stupid X-Geeks!" Lance kicked at some snow. "Everything was going great with Kitty until they came along and ruined it!"
"Yeah I didn't even get to make snow angels," Todd pouted. "Stupid chumps think they own the park!"
"We would have had them if they hadn't called out the reinforcements!" Tabitha snarled. "There's too many of them! They don't fight fair!"
"You realize of course we must retaliate," Pietro said.
"Yes we must!" Todd nodded his head rapidly.
"I got a couple of ideas…" Lance grinned wickedly. "Come on, we gotta get ready for Operation Payback!"
The rest of the day the X-Men were not quite on the best of terms with each other. Professor Xavier was not pleased that they had lost control and used their powers so openly. Luckily no one saw them. "But they started it!" Kurt protested.
"It doesn't matter," Xavier shook his head. "You all should have known better. You are all supposed to learn how to control yourselves. If you all get into a battle every time you cross paths with the Brotherhood you've learned nothing from your training. You are all confined to the Institute for the rest of the weekend."
They went to sleep rather in a bad mood. The next morning, Jean woke up early and went to the bathroom. She noticed that her feet were rather cold. She looked down and yelped.
"THERE'S SNOW ALL OVER THE HALLWAY!" Sure enough, about two feet of snow was in the hall.
The other X-Men came out of their rooms. "Who shut off the heat?" Rogue shivered.
"Three guesses who," Scott sneered.
"How did they get past our security systems?" Jean hopped from foot to foot.
"What the heck is on the lawn?" Evan peered out. "Oh man that is so disgusting!" On the lawn were several snow figures representing several of the X-Men. They were in various states of unusual death or dismemberment. A shark was eating Scott. Another looked like Jean was melting. Evan was being eaten by a dinosaur and so on and so on. It was like a scene out of Fox Trot.
"Oh that is it," Scott fumed. "They are so dead!"
"They're out there!" Jean felt their presence.
"Let's go!" Scott raced to get his coat on.
"Scott no!" Kitty said. "This is just what they want you to do! Can't you just like ignore them and maybe they'll go away. We're already in enough trouble!"
"Oh no," Rogue snapped. "Nobody crosses an X-Man and gets away with it! Call out the troops, we're going out!"
"Here they come!" Pietro spied through binoculars. "X-Geeks at twelve o clock!"
"My watch says seven thirty," Fred said puzzled.
"Just make with the catapult!" Pietro groaned. "Fire!"
As most of the X-Men ran out the building, they slipped and fell on the ground. "Those jerks iced the ground!" Rogue snarled, rubbing her butt.
"We'll just have to heat it up," Amara used her fire abilities to melt the snow. Suddenly little sparks ignited underneath her feet. "YEOW!"
"They hid mini firecrackers under the ice!" Scott snarled. "They knew we'd…Look out!" Before the X-Men could react, a huge snowball barreled toward them. It hit the ground with a whump and knocked Jean into the snow. At the same time, Pietro ran back and forth throwing snowballs at rapid speed, hitting several of them.
"Where did they get a catapult?" Evan asked, barely ducking another snowball.
"Who cares?" Scott snapped. "They're not gonna have it for long!" He readied his visor.
Scott shot out an energy beam. "NOW QUICKSILVER!" Lance shouted. He pulled on a rope at one end and Pietro pulled on a rope on the other. A huge line of mirrors sprung up out of the snow. They reflected Scott's energy beam back at him, knocking him down. The same happened with the newer mutants when they used their energy/fire blasts.
"How do you like a taste of your own medicine Summers?" Lance cackled.
"Snow Twister!" Pietro cackled as he made a twister and covered the X-Men in snow.
"I told them not to go out there," Kitty shook her head watching from the window.
"They are getting more inventive. I'll give them that," Xavier sighed.
"Storm can't you help the kids out or something?" Logan asked.
"No," She shook her head. "I think it's best that the children work this out by themselves. At the very least this will teach them not to rush headlong into battle."
"Professor we really do need to upgrade our security system," Hank moaned.
"I still say we should get some tanks," Logan growled.