-An hour later at the X-Mansion-
Lance sat on the hood of his car staring at the gates of the estate, for what must have seemed like an eternity.
He clutched the ring in his hand as he spoke to himself, "I shoulda brought Todd, he'd be in and out before anyone could even smell him." He smiled to himself, "Having Pietro knowing about this is one too many people, let alone adding Todd." He finally hoped off the hood of his car and hit the buzzer for the speaker.
"What do you want kid?" Logan's voice startled him.
Lance dug into the ground with his shoe. "I came to talk to Kitty."
There was a long pause. "Get out of here," was all Logan had to say.
Lance placed the ring in his vest pocket for safekeeping. "You don't understand Wolverine, I'm gonna talk to Kitty and not you or any of those X-geeks are gonna stop me. You got that?" his voice was rather menacing and his statement was followed by a mild tremor.
There was another pause. "You got guts kid," Logan sounded mildly impressed. Then to Lance's amazement the gates swung open.
He walked up the driveway and was met half way by Kitty, but to Lance's annoyance she wasn't alone. Several feet behind Kitty stood Logan, Scott, and Anna.
Kitty glared at the rock-tumbler, "What do you want Lance?"
Lance opened his mouth to speak, but the words wouldn't flow. He simply closed the gap reached for her hand and into his pocket. He slipped the ring into her hand and closed her hand for her. He then turned his back and walked down the driveway.
Kitty watched as Lance retreated to his car and drove off. Then she opened her hand and looked at the small gift. Her diamond engagement ring gleamed in the moonlight. She instantly dropped to her knees and began weeping. Anna was by her side in an instant. Kitty showed her the ring, and spoke between sobs, "Does he… do you think… he still cares?"
-A few hours later at the Brotherhood House-
Lance sat on a stool in the garage at his workbench. He was looking through one of his magazines when a knock came at the open garage door.
He looked over to see his wife standing there. He couldn't help but stare. She was positively beautiful standing there in the moonlight. She wore one of his concert t-shirts; he assumed she was wearing her underwear. After all living with the Brotherhood of Evil Perverts one could never be too careful.
Lance stood up and spoke to her in a voice barely higher than a whisper, "Pietro told you?"
She nodded, "After some persuasion," she paused for a moment, "Why did you think you couldn't share this with me?"
He sighed, "It was just something I had to do."
"By yourself?" she was almost screaming, "What? Do you still love her? Do you care about her? What is it Lance? Please enlighten me!"
He closed the gap between them and held her. He held her for several minutes before finally speaking, "I don't love her, I don't think I ever did…" he paused," I don't know if I still care about her… I mean I don't want to see bad things happen to her but on the other… I don't really care…" he took a deep breath, "I just had to… close that chapter of my life."
Regan finally wrapped her arms around him, "I… I just don't want to lose you, Lance," she looked up into his eyes, "I love you."
He smiled, "I love you too, Regan."
Regan held him close, refusing to scan his mind. She trusted him, she trusted him more than any other human being on the entire planet.
Lance smiled as he held her, he often thought that he was the luckiest man on the face of the planet. He knew women like Regan were rare, in his honest opinion she was absolutely perfect.
They each thought back to the night they met, who could have possibly known that they would have built such a strong marriage together?
-Later that week in the Brotherhood house-
Wanda threw open her drapes and actually smiled at the day. She then walked out of her room and descended the stairs in a swift and elegant fashion. She stopped at the entryway to the living room and watched as her peers worked diligently at cleaning the entire house from top to bottom.
Regan was soon by here side, "Tell me again how you got them to clean the house," she asked.
Wanda smirked, and her hand suddenly became engulfed in her signature blue hex-flame. Upon seeing it the boys actually began cleaning faster, "By never letting them forget who can turn them into a cat."
Regan peeked an eyebrow in interest, "You can actually do that?"
Wanda shrugged, "Does it matter? They're cleaning."
Regan nodded, "Touché."
-After a few more hours of cleaning-
Raven walked into the living room from the kitchen, and looked down at the floor to see her boys laying around on the floor and various pieces of furniture. Each one straddling the line between sleep and consciousness.
Lance opened his eyes, "We just cleaned the whole house; can't we look for jobs tomorrow?" he groaned out.
Raven stood there for a moment, "Well it is Saturday, I assume one day off wouldn't impair your search."
Lance smiled then let his head fall back against his armchair. Raven almost chuckled as each of her boys began snoring. Just as she was about to head back into the kitchen, Regan promptly cut her off.
Raven looked at the blonde, "Can I help you?" she asked indifferently.
Regan smirked and crossed her arms; "You've been extraordinarily nice and considerate to the boys lately…" she trailed off.
Raven peeked an eyebrow, "What are you getting at?"
"You really care about them," Regan said with a smile.
Raven sighed, "I'm going to tell you this in the strictest of confidence," Regan nodded for her to continue, "The day I picked them up from the mansion… Lance said something that struck a cord with me."
Regan instantly remembered that day, "We're not the kinda people that become doctors or lawyers, we're outlaws, born and bred thugs. The world needs heroes, but heroes need villains, and I'm happy to fill that role," the words came from her mouth exactly as Lance had said them.
Raven nodded, "Precisely."
"But what does that have to do with you being kind?" Confusion was evident in Regan's voice.
"Why shouldn't they be allowed the opportunity to make something of themselves?" Raven asked, "The key difference between the X-Men and the Brotherhood, is that no one gave them a chance," She pointed to the sleeping Brotherhood boys, "So why don't I, their mother, give them that chance?"
Understanding hit Regan like Freddy hits the buffet line, "So that's why you became Mayor."
Raven smirked, "Of course, with me in charge of this entire town, they will have every opportunity to make something of their lives."
Raven then walked off leaving a stunned and smiling Regan, "She's a good mother."
-A few hours later-
Jean had promptly dropped off the twins. Wanda was visibly excited to have her children in her company once more. She placed a large blanket on the floor of her room and laid the brothers down. They smiled up at her and she couldn't help but smile back.
"I'll be back with a little food," she reassured them, "I just have to figure out how to warm it up."
She walked out of her room and down the stairs into the living room. She looked over the room and saw St. John still asleep on the couch, "I wonder where the rest of the idiots ran off to."
She shrugged, grabbed the twin's diaper bag, and walked into the kitchen. Upon entering the kitchen she opened the microwave and placed a couple of bottles inside. She set the timer and walked to the window.
She peered out of the window and studied what she saw. She saw Todd sitting atop an old bike, wearing pieces of safety gear, her twin brother was duct taping a pillow to the green teen's chest, while Lance seemed to be building some form of crude ramp, and Freddy appeared to be standing by to catch the young amphibian should something go horribly wrong.
Just as Todd took off towards the ramp the microwave timer went off. Wanda walked to it and removed the bottles checking the temperature as to not scold her children. She smiled satisfactory until she heard a loud crash. She rushed to the window and saw a dazed Todd upside down in Freddy's arms, and Lance and Pietro staring at the bike that was now lodged in the side of the garage.
She shook her head, and prayed to Odin that stupidity wasn't hereditary. She then picked up the diaper bag and opened the fridge. She placed the remaining few bottles away and closed the door. She then grabbed the two ready bottles and made her way back to the stairs.
She paused at the sleeping Aussie, "You got him mate," he snored out. Wanda examined his face and actually saw sorrow upon it.
She finally made her way out of the room and was about to place her foot on the bottom step, when suddenly the doorbell rang. She rolled her eyes and turned around to open the door.
Remembering that it could be one of Raven's associates she actually answered it politely, "Darkholme residence, how can I help you?"
She saw a relatively young man standing on the front step. He wore a long jacket and had the most vibrant blonde hair that almost seemed to glow, "Hi, my name is Gabriel."