Deep Silent Winter
Chapter Eight
Author Note: Oh poo, this chapter took forever for me to get to. Many apologies.
Special Thanks to Chapter Seven reviewers:
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On with it then.
He could feel the rage boiling within him, his pain seething. He had been betrayed again. Again, again, again! It was his own damn fault for trusting him. How could he be so stupid?
Like a jigsaw puzzle, his mind had begun to piece memories together although they were disjointed, memories still missing. That room, the darkness, those people – Mutant Hunters…his father. They all connected somehow, Pietro's mind wasn't certain how just yet. His heart on the other hand, knew everything.
Pietro wasn't much aware of what was going on in the real world any longer. All he could feel was the horrible aching in his chest, he was consumed – engulfed – in anger, loneliness, sorrow. It didn't matter who he hurt or what he destroyed right now, just as long as everything vanished.
His world was void of sound and everything seemed to slow down to him, blur, and fade. His vision told him there were other people around him but he could barely recognize them now. Who were these people? He didn't care. Were they going to hurt him too? Most likely.
They have to go away then. I'll force them away! I don't want them here! His mind was racing. So many thoughts. So many emotions. I don't need them. I don't want them. I'll force them away, I'll force them away, I'll force them away.
He tossed everything at these strangers that he could get his hands on from within the environment of the infirmary. Get away, get away, get away. I don't need you.
The white-haired teen paced back and forth shoving anything he could to the ground. Supplies, linens from the bed, medical equipment – it didn't matter what it was, he just wanted everything and everyone gone.
He found a glass of water placed beside the now disheveled hospital bed and picked it up. He was just about to chuck it at the others when a voice got through to his ears. It was faint at first but it sounded like his name. His name? What…was his name again?
"…Pietro…Pietro…Pietro!" The girl who called his name had short, dark hair. She somehow resembled himself. Her face was twisted in fear as a large blue beast held her back.
"Wanda, let the Professor take care of this!" The blue mutant said.
Wanda…
Pietro saw a bald man in a wheel chair, positioned in front of him but far enough away to prevent himself from being injured. Was he trying to talk to him? He couldn't hear…the world was so distant now.
Pietro's grip on the object in his hand loosened and the glass of water slowly slipped and then shattered on the floor. The crash emanated through his head. Wan..da…Wanda?
"Wanda?" Pietro finally spoke. He put a hand to his forehead. The Professor let his own hands fall away from his temples. The teen looked around the infirmary. It was a mess. What happened? His sister looked horrified. Beast and Jean were breathing sighs of relief. What did he do?
"Pietro? Can you hear me now?" Pietro closed his eyes momentarily. "Piet-"
"Yeah. I hear you." He shook his head, trying to get rid of the residual rage.
All parties present were silent a moment more before the Professor spoke again. "Would you like to explain?"
"Explain? Explain…what?" Pietro seemed genuinely confused but as his eyes continued to search around him he realized what his mentor meant. "I just…it hurt."
"What hurt?" The Professor asked. "Are you feeling ill again?"
"I don't want to talk about it." Pietro spat venomously.
"I think you should. Seeing as how you just destroyed the entire infirmary."
The teen thought for a split second and then his expression went blank. "I'm not going to talk about it."
Jean, who had been quiet the entire time, spoke finally seeing the Professor's frustration and stress levels rising at a dangerous rate. "Professor, may I have a moment with Pietro?" She knew the Professor felt under an extreme amount of pressure at the moment because of a certain new…situation. "You have a lot on your plate right now."
Jean's suggestion took Xavier off guard but a sense of relief washed over his being briefly. He thought a moment and with a smile, nodded his head to her. Xavier also gave a nod to Pietro in recognition. He then turned and left the infirmary.
"Wanda." Beast put a hand on the female twin's shoulder. She looked at her brother but soon also turned and left with the older mutant.
As soon as his sister was out of earshot, Pietro faced Jean, an odd look in his eyes. Was it anger or fear though? Jean knew the answer, of course. It was fear although it appeared as anger on the outside. "What? I get passed on to someone else? Am I too much trouble?" Pietro smirked. "Typical."
"It isn't like that, Pietro." Jean offered a friendly smile but she only received a glare in return. "Something's…happening."
"I know." His expression completely changed. Sorrow now?
"You know?"
Pietro rolled his eyes. "Of course I know! Look, Jean. The government is screwed up! We're fucked! Face it! All mutants are." He crossed his arms over his chest.
Jean closed her eyes, regaining her composure. "Listen, Pietro. I'm not going to discuss that with you right now." She paused and opened her eyes, looking directly at Pietro. "Tell me what happened. Why did you just have a breakdown?"
"You already know, don't you?"
"Actually, not really. Your mind processes things too quickly for me or for the Professor to follow. Tell me what happened."
Pietro hesitated. "I just remembered something, alright?"
"No, it isn't alright. If a memory can cause you to lose complete control of yourself then-"
"Then what?" He snapped. "Just leave me alone." Pietro turned his back on her.
"I'm not going anywhere until you tell me what happened." She said, remaining calm.
He snickered. "Magneto happened. It's always been him." Pietro slowly sank to the ground ignoring a few shards of glass the lightly scraped at his skin. "He sold me to them…I don't remember him doing it but I'm sure it was some sort of barter…and I was the prize for those people." He was still facing away from Jean but his voice became more and more quiet. Jean had to strain to hear him. "What human wouldn't want the most feared mutant's son as their toy?"
Jean approached Pietro and slowly placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. "Thank you for telling me this. It's going to be all right. I have a good feeling that everything will work out in the end."
"You're wrong." He said and Jean's hand began to ache and then transform. It was aging rapidly and it spread up her arm like a disease. "Go away."
Jean did not remove her hand from his shoulder, a look of determination in her eyes that Pietro saw when he finally turned to face her.
"Let go. Don't you see what's happen to you because of me?"
Still, Jean didn't let go. Pietro's eyes grew wide as it began spreading to her face.
"Let go, you idiot!" He was practically pleading.
"If you want to save me then learn to control it." Jean spoke, unafraid.
"You're crazy! I can't control it! Let go!"
She didn't. "Find a way."
Find a way? Find a way, find a way, find a way… Pietro racked his brain for the answer. What had his sister said once? Good memories, positive emotions. That's how he had momentarily un-aged the pane of glass those weeks ago. Positive, positive, positive. He closed his eyes.
When he opened them, Jean stood smiling from ear to ear, totally back to normal. "Nicely done." She helped him to his feet. Pietro seemed shocked that he had been able to reverse the effects on her caused by his mutation. "So, how did you do it?"
"I just thought of a good memory…Don't ask me which one!"
Jean put up her hands defensively. "Okay, okay. Just don't freak out on me again." They both fell silent. "You must be hungry. Why don't I go grab something from the kitchen? You haven't eaten much since you've been ill."
Pietro nodded and Jean began to walk off. "Jean?" He said, making her halt.
"Yes?"
"Do you think…I could ever…be happy?" He blushed while saying this, looking away.
"Hm? Of course." Jean giggled. "What's this about?"
"Nothing. The memory…it's just…it hasn't happened yet."
"If you felt happy in that memory and it hasn't happened yet, then there is no real question, now is there?"
He looked down. "I guess it's just hard to believe."
Jean offered a warm smile. "Let me go get that food. I'll be right back."
Pietro sat down on the bed and waited. He must have zoned out for a while because in no time, Jean had returned…along with Lance, Wanda, Kurt, Todd, Fred, Kitty, and Rouge all of them carrying some sort of snack.
"Yeah, man! Now it's a party!" Toad hopped about the room. "Dude, what did you do to this place?"
"Long story." Pietro said, his eyes on Rouge.
"Why are ya starin' at meh?" Rouge blushed and put her hands on her hips.
"Noreason." Pietro said his face slightly flushed as well, "Canweeatnow?"
"Only if you stop talking so fast!" Lance grinned, holding up a fist.
"I think I should get the most since I'm the biggest!" Freddy declared.
"That's what happens anyway, yo! You inhale food, you don't eat it!"
"Say that again!" Fred growled.
"Like, we should all have equal portions, right Kurt?" Kitty said.
Kurt shrugged. "Don't drag me into this, Kitty! I don't want to fight Blob for food!
The group of friends laughed uncontrollably. Fred's ears blew out steam. "I'll beat every one of you into the ground for that!"
Pietro looked over at Wanda and the twins smiled at one another, a mutual understanding between them. They would get through this together, no matter what.
"This letter is from the Department of Defense?" Beast growled at the piece of paper in his hand.
"So, the DOD is taking action against mutants are they? Keepin' taps on us all! I say we show 'em what mutants can really do!" Wolverine drew out his claws.
"Logan! That will only prove to them that we are dangerous and need to be controlled." Ororo sighed. Logan grumbled and retracted his claws.
"I'm afraid we have no choice for now but to go along with this new mandate." Xavier rubbed the sides of his head. "Everyone at the Xavier Institute, both students and instructors, must register their complete information with the Department of Defense."
The group grew solemn. No one spoke or moved for an amount of time. It was only when Xavier shook his head in thought that the other instructors began filtering out of the room.
When the last one of his colleagues was gone and the door latch clicked, Xavier turned to face out the window. "You knew this would happen, Pietro." He whispered to himself. "And so did your father, didn't he?"
Xavier put a hand to his face, closed his eyes, and let out a pained sigh. He was now the one that needed Pietro's help to make things right.
To be continued...
Author Note: Things are getting more and more tense! Join me next chapter to learn more!
~reedleonn
