Pietro sped through the streets of Bayville with a determination that bordered on desperation. He maneuvered through the town until he finally made his way down a secluded road and stopped at the tall iron gates of the X-Mansion.

Pietro shoved his hands into the pocket of his hoodie as he looked up the driveway toward the mansion and scoffed as he saw the New Mutants holding a training session in the front yard.

"No challenge," he said taking several steps back and speeding over the wall.

-Pietro's speed-

Pietro took a moment to look over the New Mutants knowing that by the time they noticed he was there, he would be safely within the confines of his room. With that he sped around the mansion and up the wall to Jean's balcony. He leaned against the wall to peek inside to see if the coast was clear. To his surprise he saw Jean actually wearing his jacket. But before he could make a move she made her own move toward the door.

-Jean's room-

Jean sat at her vanity staring into the mirror. She stared at her reflection, a reflection that currently wore the jacket of one of her most dangerous enemies. She reached to the collar and held it to her nose.

"Hair gel and body wash…" she said slowly, "No wonder Logan didn't believe me."

Jean was quickly lost in thought until she was snapped back to reality by a knock at her door. She made her way to the door and opened it to reveal Scott Summers, her oldest and dearest friend.

"Scott? I was going to talk to you…" Jean said but quickly silenced herself when she saw the blonde bombshell standing behind her oldest friend.

"Jean I wanted to tell you before you heard it from someone else…" Scott said trying to close the gap between himself and the redhead.

Jean deftly avoided him and put even more distance between them.

"Why won't you hear me out?" Scott asked almost pleading with the redhead.

"You brought her with you," Jean said turning her back to the couple.

Scott sighed in defeat, "You can still count on me," he said as he left the room.

"I don't think I can," Jean said sitting on the edge of her bed.

"I'd apologize but I didn't do anything wrong," Emma said with an air of superiority.

"You know, I never considered you a threat… even with your taste in clothing," Jean said taking in the blonde's strapless top that showed off ample cleavage and hip huggers that threatened to show more than they covered.

"Of course I'm a threat. Why? Did you think for a moment that I wasn't?" Emma asked crossing her arms over her perfect chest.

"Why are you still here?" Jean asked closing her eyes in frustration.

Emma took the briefest of moments to examine Jean's outfit, "Tell me…" she started making her way to the door, "Is the owner of that jacket the same man you stayed with last night?" she asked leaving the room before Jean could answer.

Jean threw herself onto the bed and sighed, "Life used to be so much easier when it was just us against the Brotherhood," she said clutching the jacket to her chest.

She was torn from her thoughts by a second knock, this time coming from her balcony. She sat up and looked to the double doors to see Pietro Maximoff standing on the other side waving at her. She focused on the doors and caused them to open allowing the speedster entry into her sacred confines.

"Nice place," he said actually walking into the room.

"Why are you here?" she asked with mild curiosity.

"Well you just took off this morning…" he said still examining her room, "Just wanted to tell you that you could keep the jacket."

"Really?" she asked skeptically, "I can sense that you have a deep attachment toward the jacket."

"You can sense that from me?" he asked in surprise.

"I can sense that from the jacket," she said rubbing the jacket against her chest with her hand.

Pietro nodded his understanding, "You should keep it," he said returning to examine her room, "It looks good on you."

"That's uncharacteristically kind of you," she said giving him a playful smile.

Pietro leapt onto the bed, "Believe it or not that's not the first time I've heard that today," he said with a sly smirk.

-A few hours later in the Boarding House-

Pietro stepped out of the Brotherhood Bathroom wearing a pair of basketball shorts and a towel around his neck. He made his way to his room and threw open the door. What he saw next didn't surprise him in the least.

Wanda sat on the edge of his bed starring at him, "I see you're still jacketless," she said slowly getting to her feet.

"No big deal," he said pulling on his signature red long-sleeved shirt.

"No big deal!" she repeated, "You wouldn't let me wear it when it started snowing!" she exclaimed poking her brother in the chest.

"Yeah… I'm more into redheads," he said his famed smirk on his face, "And besides I got you home before the blizzard hit."

Wanda took a moment to study her brother, "Don't do something stupid Pietro," she said in a low tone, "Mystique's been weird and this could be the thing that sets her off."

"Don't worry about me Wanda," he said putting his hand on her shoulder, "By the time things go south I'll be long gone."

Wanda shook her head, "Mystique's been meaning to talk to you. If I were you I'd get it over with," she said leaving the room and her brother.

"Well I had a good run," he said pulling a pair of pants from his closet, "I don't want to die!" he exclaimed throwing his shorts on the bed pulling his pants and hoodie on and speeding out of the window.

-Meanwhile in the living room-

Raven sat on the couch staring into space apparently deep in thought, when Wanda descended the stairs and made her way past her.

"Wanda," Raven said snapping to attention, "You're brother ran off."

Wanda nodded, "He tends to do that when something scares him," she said continuing her journey to the kitchen.

Raven leaned back into the couch, "Quicksilver, if you insist on doing this you're going to need me in your corner," she said in a low tone.

-An hour later in the sleazy bar-

Pietro sat in a booth fingering the rim of his glass while he read the sports section. He threw the paper onto the table when he saw a rather familiar shade of red.

"You never told me how you got in here," Jean said as she slid into the booth.

"You walk in with confidence and no one will mess with you," he said flashing the redhead his million dollar smirk.

Jean gave him a skeptical look.

"My sister is dating the bartender," Pietro said waiving at the bartender.

Jean turned to see a chesty woman in a black leather vest waving back at the speedster, "Wanda and…" she trailed off in amazement.

Pietro shrugged, "At least they'd have pretty babies," he quipped.

Jean couldn't help but laugh, "It feels good not to force a smile," she said softly.

Pietro leaned forward, "Stick around I'll make more things come naturally."