A/N Alright guys, so here's the thing, I don't like it when authors straight up ask for reviews but right now I'm going to do just that. You don't even have to write anything about the story, but if you're reading please put something. A smiley face or a hello or something, I don't really care. I'm just having so much trouble writing this story and it's been getting worse because I feel like no one's reading. I don't want to abandon this story and I know that if I can confirm that even one of you is still riding this crazy train I can work up the motivation to see it out to the end and do it right. Thanks!
The months had flown by before Hank's eyes and to his great surprise it was now Thanksgiving. It was incredible, how things had changed so much over the course of the past few weeks. Lex and Piotr had grown to be nearly inseparable and there was a whole subsection of mansion gossip devoted to their relationship.
Marie and Remy were only slightly less obvious about their clear affection for each other, and this only because they couldn't make out all over the place like Lex and Piotr. They did, however, spend good portions of their time making gooey eyes at each other which was almost worse. The sexual tension was beginning to get unbearable.
Lizzie had grown somewhat depressed in the past few months. Although he had spoken with her on many occasions the source of her decline was unclear. She refused to speak on many personal issues and he couldn't and wouldn't force her. While he was concerned about her condition, she and Rahne had been spending time with each other lately and he was confident that this budding friendship was a good sign for her recovery.
The last of the four sisters was a different story. Alkali had grown increasingly distant in the few weeks prior to the holiday and just days ago she had run. The full team had been sent to search for her but with no luck, she had vanished. The situation was quite distressing to Hank who was still attempting to study Rogue's condition as well as the girl's own potential health risks. At the same time he was less than shocked by her sudden disappearance, Alkali had always been an outsider much like Lizzie, but unlike her redheaded sister she wasn't one to sit around feeling unwanted.
"Stop thinking so hard Hank, you might blow a fuse." Ororo teased from her desk, drawing him back to reality and prompting him to realize he'd been staring out the window for a considerable amount of time.
"My apologies Ororo. I was merely contemplating how different our lives have become in these last few months." He explained.
"Yes. Change has swept away the old and brought in the new, for better or for worse." The woman admitted with a sigh.
"Worse is what I'm afraid of." Hank said with a hollow laugh and a shake of his head.
Piotr looked around nervously as he approached the mansion's front gate with the large shopping bag clutched to his chest. He could hear children's voices on the front lawn and panicked. He couldn't afford to have anyone catch him sneaking back in to the mansion, the orders not to leave the grounds without permission still stood and he didn't think this was a reason good enough to keep him from severe punishment if caught. He crept around some of the Professor's large hedges and peered into the courtyard. A few children at play could be spotted but no adults were to be found. Quickly he squeezed into the space between two of the large plants and emerged onto the Institute's front lawn. He made his way up to the garage where he found Remy working on his bike and Marie perched on a table against the wall watching.
"Hi Peter." Marie called out to him with a wave as he came through the garage door.
"Hello, mon ami. Where have you been?" Remy asked, looking up from his work.
"I have been…around." He answered. Remy quirked an eyebrow.
"And by around do you mean sneaking around?" He asked with a smirk, pointing to the bag in Piotr's hand.
"No, I have been here." Piotr insisted with a blush. "Have you seen Lux?" He asked nervously.
"No, why?" Questioned Marie.
"I have somezhing for her." He admitted.
"What is it?" Marie asked excitedly.
"The better question Cherie, is do we want to know?" Remy laughed. Piotr blushed again and stammered through a vehement denial of this.
"Then what is it?" Remy asked.
"It is just…this." He said holding out the bag. Remy took it from him a peered inside.
"A dress?" He asked.
"What?" Marie questioned, she jumped down from her perch on the table to peer into the bag herself. She gasped then reached in and pulled out what was indeed a dress. A beautiful electric blue colored dress in some sort of shimmering fabric. It was floor length and had a long slit up one side, the neckline was a sweetheart style but with black lace reaching up from it and down the mostly exposed back. "It's gorgeous." Marie said breathlessly.
"I ask her to go vith me to the art gallery opening but she said she could not go because she had nothing to vhear." Piotr said, in his embarrassment his accent thickened making his English almost as bad as when he'd first come to the mansion.
"So you just bought her a dress?" Remy asked, dumbfounded. What had happened to his Russian friend who had once been too shy to acknowledge the existence of the opposite sex?
"Vell now if she does nought vant to go she vill have to think of better reason, da?" He explained.
"True." Marie said with a smile.
"Do you zhink zhat she vill like it?" Piotr questioned nervously.
"I think she'd be crazy not to love it! It's beautiful Piotr." Marie assured him.
"If you vill excuse me then. I vould like to find her before dinner." Piotr said. Marie handed him back the dress which he concealed inside the bag once more and went throught the door connecting garage to mansion.