Chapter 4

Awkward?

Lance, Max, and Griff walked around the mall, unaware of their stalkers sitting at the food court watching them. Rogue dropped the tray of food on the table, grumbling about how she had to pay for them. Luckily, Lance and the other two we're eating at the table behind them so they could hear and not worry about losing them. Pietro sat down next to Rogue and picked up a burger, unaware of all of them staring at him.

"What?" asked Pietro.

"What the hell is that?" asked Bobby, brow raised.

"A Bears sweatshirt..." said Pietro.

"... I hope you get jumped," said Kurt with a sigh.

"You spent the rest of your money on that, instead of buying us lunch... I officially hate you," grumbled Rogue, "You could have bought that on e-bay for probably a third of what you paid for it here."

"Yeah... but I like it," said Pietro with a shrug as they heard Lance's phone go off.

"Hey babe.... uh huh... me too..... food court.... Okay, love ya," they could hear the phone and either Max or Griff snorting.

"Love yah... babe... I just wouldn't believe it if I hadn't just heard it," chuckled one of them.

"Lance," came a voice to their right, causing Pietro to pull his hood up and the others to duck out of the way.

"Uh Kitty, this is Max and Griff," said Lance as Kitty sat next to him.

"Hey," said Kitty with a smile, and then looked at Lance, "Don't ask before you do..."

"That bad," Lance grimaced.

"Hate to inetrupt, but you we're telling us about the people you ditched us for?" asked Max.

"The Brotherhood?" asked Kitty.

"Yup..." said Lance, only to be cut off.

"If it ain't Pryde?" came a female voice, causing Rogue to peek through the small opening.

"That's Amy..." Jean's voice caused Bobby, Kurt, Rogue, Todd, and Pietro to jump.

"Don't ever do that again," said Pietro with a grumble.

"Nice to see you again freak... oh I meant geek," Amy laughed, "But does it really matter?"

"Amy, why don't you get lost," said Max before Kitty could retaliate.

"Yeah really," said Griff.

"Shut it Griff or I'll give Riley a call, someones late on child support," said Amy with a scowl.

"I feel now is the time to book it...." whispered Lance, as he and Kitty slowly began to slink to the side as the three began to argue.

"Should we do something?" asked Wanda.

"What?" asked Scott.

"How about follow the vanishing mutants," said Kurt pointing to where Lance and Kitty ducked into the book store.

"So... like, not as planned..." said Kitty with a chuckle as they walked down one of the isles.

"So not planned," laughed Lance as he picked up one of the bridal magazines that Kitty had at home, "I still like that cake..."

"So do I, but at the same time, it tempts Pietro too much to try his stripper act in progress..." said Kitty with a giggle.

"So true," laughed Lance, "But you have to admit, it would be hilarious."

"Until my grandmother drops dead in shock," said Kitty with a halfhearted glare.

"Fine, if not the cake... the name?" asked Lance.

"Hyphen..." smiled Kitty, "I mean, I like Kitty Alvers, but..." she was cut off.

"Lancey?" asked a blonde coming around the corner.

"Helen..." said Lance, his eyes wide. ยน

The blonde in front of them was roughly Kitty's height with wild blonde hair pulled back in choppy pig-tails and pink tips. Her brown eyes held curiosity in them, her lithe frame held tight and questioning. Her wardrobe looked like it had been jacked from a mixture of Rogue and Tabitha's closets.

"Who's she?" asked Kitty, her eyes narrowed.

"My ex..." Lance shrugged, as the X-men and Brotherhood watched with Max and Griff.

"Guys... does anybody..." Todd looked wide-eyed.

"Notice..." Pietro continued.

"That Helen and Kitty..." Jean muttered.

"Look... a LOT alike..." said Scott.

"They... look like sisters," said Rogue.

"This... won't end well.." said Bobby.

TBC

1. Cannon, she was Avalanche's wife in the original series... I just gave her a face...