A/N: I didn't get a lot of reviews on the last chapter, which I am attributing to the fact that I uploaded it at about 3:30 in the morning. I love hearing from the lot of you, but could you give more specific things than just "I loved it?" It will help me make the story more enjoyable if I get constructive comments. Also, make sure to let me know if Alee starts to seem to Mary-Sueish, that's definitely the last thing I want.
Pyro was alone when he woke up the next morning. Startled and cold, he sat up and looked around. She had left, had she? She said she was leaving today, but she'd of waited until he was awake at least, right? As soon as he was awake enough to think clearly, though, he heard voices in kitchen and fell back against the pillow, relieved.
He placed his hands behind his head and lay there, thinking. It felt like everything had changed in the past twelve hours and in a way, everything had. He knew that Magneto was going to be angry with him, furious even; he had been told to come right back from the store. He'd only been allowed out so that he could go buy some food…which he hadn't even managed to do. Besides that, the girl he'd been secretly dreaming about for five years was suddenly back in his life plus a son that he had never imagined he might have had. It was crazy…too much to absorb and not enough time to do it.
He wondered where she was going to go. He wanted to ask her to come with him, to join the Brotherhood, to be with him forever, but there seemed to be some bitterness between her and Magneto. Speaking of which, why the hell hadn't Magneto told him that he knew Aris, that he had a child? Why in the name of earth, heaven and hell, would he keep that from him?
Pyro trusted Magento and knew that he would have a reason for keeping it a secret, but still…that was the kind of thing a man deserved to know! Right? And where the hell were his pants! He wanted his lighter, it was like the stereotypical "safety blanket" to him. He sat up again, looking around and spotted his pants lying on the floor by the window. Stretching as he stood, he picked up his pants and slid them on, pulling the lighter out of his pocket and playing with it a bit. Click, swish, click. Click, swish, click. He shook his head and walked out of the bedroom.
Aris sat at the dining room table with her little boy. He was eating a bowl of cereal while she drank a cup of coffee. The kid had been in the middle of saying something, but fell silent when he saw Pyro. Silently the little boy glared at him.
"Morning, Sleepy." Aris smiled at him when she looked up to see why her son had suddenly fallen silent. "Pyro, this is Airen. Airen, this is Pyro…your Daddy." The little boy quickly looked over at his mother, but when he turned back t look at him, his gaze had softened, just slightly.
"Hey, kid…" The young man said, sitting down next to his lady. He wasn't usually shy, but this was a rather special case. The child was almost identical to him at that age…there was no denying that they shared blood. The little boy ignored him, continuing to eat his cereal. His eyes narrowed, looking at Aris questioningly. She shook her head; she'd explain when he wasn't around.
"Airen, love, go pack up your toys…the bags under your bed." The little boy picked up his bowl and dropped into the kitchen sink, walking off to his room with one last look at his Parents. She sighed, shaking her head as she watched the little boy walk off. "Shitty Coffee?" She turned to Pyro, offering him a cup.
"No thanks." He smirked, taking a hand full of cereal out of the box on the table. "So, what's the deal with him?"
"He's tired and grouchy. He was up too late last night…besides; he doesn't like it when guys stay over."
"Why not?"
"Remember how I told you how exactly I was able to afford to live here?"
"Oh…"
"Yeah…"
Both of them were quiet for a few minutes, lost in their own thoughts. He wanted to hold her and hug her and tell her everything was going to be okay now, but he'd never been very good at that kind of thing and to be honest, she didn't seem that upset about the course her life had taken. Maybe she was just use to it. Maybe she was lying to herself. Maybe she knew something he didn't. Whatever the case was, he couldn't comprehend how she lived the way she did. He had thought he had it bad at Xavier's, but that was nothing.
"Aris…?"
"Yeah, Babe?"
"Where are you gonna go?"
She thought about it for a second, biting her fingernail. "I'm not sure. Maybe I'll go back to the old town, see if I can fine any of our old friends. I dunno." She shrugged; planning was never something she was very good at. Usually, when it was time to go she just left and wound up where fate took her.
"Don't do that. Come with me."
"To Magneto?"
"Well, yeah."
"I can't do that." Being abandoned by Magento had hurt her…a lot. He had been like a father to her, some one to follow, but all that was gone now.
"He didn't let you die did he?"
"No, but I have a coupe theories about that."
"Like what? Look, Aris…he has his reasons for everything he does. It'll be fine, I swear. His voice was rising.
"Don't worry about it!" She yelled "That's exactly what I thought, but he doesn't care about anyone but himself!" Airen stood outside his room, watching them.
"Mommy?"
"It's okay, baby." She sighed, motioning for the little boy to come over to them. "Your father and I were just talking about where we should go when we leave here. Are your toys packed?"
"Yes, Ma'am."
"Great. Why don't you sit and watch TV for a little bit?" He walked around the corner and a second later they heard the sound of Spongebob Squarepants and Sandy Cheeks. Aris smiled softly before turning back to Pyro. "Look, I guess I can give it a chance. I…" Her voice dropped off as she looked at him.
"Can't live without me? Can't resist my sexy charm?" He offered her a cocky smirk and she laughed, looking truly happy for the first time since they'd met up last night.
"Yeah, something like that." She shook her head the slightest bit. "There's some bags in my closet, can you help me get packed? I want to talk to Airen for a minute.
"Sure thing." He made a face at her as he walked, clearly hinting that he didn't really feel like packing, but was only doing it because she'd asked. She rolled her eyes and walked into the living room, sitting down next to her son.
"So what's up in the world of Spongebob, today?" She asked him, draping her arm over his shoulders. John stopped to look at them for a second; she was nothing like the girl he remembered, but yet she was still exactly the same. Silently, he watched them for a few seconds before going to start packing her things.
"He's trying to be stronger than Sandy."
"Oh, we've seen this one before." She smiled as the little boy nodded. He yawned, stretching his arms over his head and laid down so that his head was on her lap. "Hey, kiddo…" She said, gently stroking his brown hair. "I want you to know that John…Pyro…isn't like the other men that come around. I actually like being around him. I was hoping you could give him a chance…he is your daddy. Maybe we can actually be a family now."
The little boy didn't answer, but he reached for his mommy's hand. They sat quietly for a few minutes, then "Alright, sit up, m'love. I've got to go help pack our stuff."
A couple hours later, the trio was on the road. Pyro had told said that where they were headed was a good hour away, but they could get there in about 45 minutes if they were lucky. Aris drove, he rode shotgun and little Airen was lying on the back seat, playing with an old Game Boy.
"I should get my license." The young man said, absent-mindedly, after a while.
"You don't have it yet?" She sounded genuinely surprised.
"Nah, I never had a chance to get it."
"Well, not having a license never stopped us from having a good time before. D'ya remember how we use to make Sean drive us around and then leave so we could make use of his back seat?" She glanced over at the nineteen-year-old boy, grinning as she remember how frustrated their friend use to get. Pyro, looked at her, then let out the weirdest sound she'd ever heard from the mouth of a human-being; a cross between hysterical laughter and maniacal giggles. She looked at him for a second as they came to a stop at a red-light, then joined him in a fit of laughter.
Airen looked up from his game; he'd never heard his Mommy laugh like that. Laughing without bitterness, or a trace of sadness. This was the first time that he remembered hearing her sound happy like the people on TV. Maybe this guy wasn't going to be too bad after all.
As silence settled in on the car, Pryo turned on the radio. A Nickelback son was just starting, one that Aris obviously knew, because she began to sing. Happily, smiling for what felt like the first time in ages, he watched her sing, thinking vaguely of how appropriate the song was/.
This time, This place On my knees, I'll ask So far away I wanted
Misused, Mistakes
Too long, Too late
Who was I to make you wait
Just one chance
Just one breath
Just in case there's just one left
'Cause you know,
you know, you know
That I love you
I have loved you all along
And I miss you
Been far away for far too long
I keep dreaming you'll be with me
and you'll never go
Stop breathing if
I don't see you anymore
Last chance for one last dance
'Cause with you, I'd withstand
All of hell to hold your hand
I'd give it all
I'd give for us
Give anything but I won't give up
'Cause you know,
you know, you know
Been far away for far too long
So far away
Been far away for far too long
But you know, you know, you know
I wanted you to stay
'Cause I needed
I need to hear you say
That I love you
I have loved you all along
And I forgive you
For being away for far too long
So keep breathing
'Cause I'm not leaving you anymore
Believe it
Hold on to me and, never let me go
Keep breathing
'Cause I'm not leaving you anymore
Believe it
Hold on to me and, never let me go
Keep breathing
Hold on to me and, never let me go
Keep breathing
Hold on to me and, never let me go