Disclaimer – Where did I put my pants?

This chapter is kind of short but still manages to include a ridiculous amount of plot points, future plot points and a stonking great big clue! Next chapter is longer and is called 'Heavenly Aid' I'm sure you can guess what happens;)

Enjoy the chapter:D

"You guys! That was incredible!" Said Kitty ecstatically as they returned to their cars, "Did you see Duncan's face?"

"Ah have tah admit it," said Rogue with a grin, "That was tight. Now every time Duncan tries tah start something, everyone will think he's trying tah get Scott's attention."

"I feel kinda bad for Scott though" said Kitty as she watched Jean drag Scott away from the tree

"I'm ashamed to be dating you!" said Lance jokingly "And as much as I shudder to think it, we may have inadvertently given One Eye a break from Duncan's relentless harassment...and Kelly got bit by dogs!" he added happily

"Wow...you're really in a good mood aren't you?" smiled Kitty as she wrapped her arms around his waist, "Don't suppose you feel like giving me a driving lesson do you?"

Lance put on a face of mock concentration "Hmm...no!"

"Please..." whined Kitty

"Get in the jeep Pryde" ordered Lance as he marched Kitty towards the passenger seat. Pietro and Wanda were in the back playing noughts and crosses with a permanent maker pen on an unconscious Toad (Wanda had hit him with the frying pan).

"Rogue you riding back with us or...?"

Rogue back away from the jeep "Ah think Ah'll just catch a ride with Bets, ain't no way Ah'm getting in a car with Pietro"

Lance smiled understandingly "See you at the mansion, just hope Wolverine ain't back yet..."

"Hey Lance can we stop for ice-cream?" asked Pietro from the back

"No"

"Can we go home for a few minutes?" asked Wanda, "I left my favourite choker behind"

"Ok."

"Why do you listen to her and not me?" asked Pietro indignantly

"Because unlike you, I actually like Wanda, and unlike you, Wanda can kick my ass to hell and back." Stated Lance matter-of-factly as he put the jeep in gear, turned on his radio, let Puddle of Mudd's 'Away From Me' blast at full volume and tore down the street.

x x

Lance steered into the drive of the Brotherhood of Bayville Boarding House and cut off the music.

"Ok Wanda we'll wait f-"

"Lance why does your bedroom window have a big hole in it?" asked Kitty cutting in

Lance got out the car and walked under the big whole that was his window. He stared at it in shock for a second before spinning around.

"Guys, why do I have a big hole in my window?" he asked in incredulity

Wanda walked out and stood next to him. "Well I threw a really big hex bolt at your Gage guy, he went through it, onto the bush and then he ran away."

"Huh" said Lance stoically as he stared at the hole. Something occurred to him which he should have realised earlier.

"Wanda when you first told me what happened, you said that you thought he had what he wanted...did you see what he took?" he asked slowly

Wanda shook her head, "He took something out of a box of yours I think, he put it in his pocket before I saw anything."

"A box?" rushed Lance, he grabbed Wanda arm. "He definitely took something out of a box?" he asked frantically

"I think so...Lance are you alright?" asked Wanda, before she could get a reply Lance had gone.

He stalked into the house and ran up the stairs, taking them three at a time.

He burst into his room and stood still in the doorway for a second, surveying the scene before him. It looked like it usually did, except this time the mess felt...foreign.

In one motion, Lance had crossed the room and was at the drawers, pulling out the box. He tipped it upside down, spilling the contents onto the floor.

"C'mon...where are you?" he muttered to himself as he searched through the pile, shoving the photographs to a side.

"Where's what?" asked Pietro as he and the others came to the threshold of his room.

Lance gave an exasperated cry and threw the empty box across the room, which was now trembling a little. "It's not here!" he said angrily as his mind went through the possibilities, the where's and the why the hell's.

"Lance are you Ok?" asked Kitty apprehensively from the doorway

"Yeah Lance, chill out!" said Pietro as he rushed over to where Lance was standing

The room stopped quivering but Lance gave no other indication that he was listening. He dropped to his knees and went though the pile again, thinking he may have missed it the first time.

It had to be here, he couldn't have taken it. Why would he even want it?

Lance sighed as his search once again turned up nothing. His head snapped up and his eyes searched out Wanda

"Are you sure you have no clue as to what he took?" he asked again

Wanda shook her head sympathetically "Sorry, weapon focus can be seriously distracting. But I'm pretty sure it was from that box, if it helps..."

"Crap!" muttered Lance angrily as he kicked out at his desk in frustration. Disappointment, sadness and anger coursing through his veins all in one go.

"What's so important about your lost trinket anyway?" asked Pietro as he surveyed the new dent Lance had added to his desk with his foot

"It was all I had left" snapped Lance as he began to shove his possessions back in their rightful places.

"Ok! I understand!" said Pietro hastily, "Maybe whatever it was is still around here somewhere, we could help look-"

"No!" Lance didn't want anymore people going through his stuff "You don't understand because you can't...and stop doing that!"

"Doing what?" asked a bemused Pietro

"Acting like we're still friends"

Lance walked towards the door and grabbed Kitty's hand. "C'mon lets get out of here"

Pietro watched the two of them leave with an unreadable expression on his face. Wanda could still tell that Lance's words had upset him. He noticed Wanda looking and his features instantaneously rearranged themselves angrily.

"What's his problem?" He muttered as he dashed down the stairs. Waiting for her at the bottom

Wanda sighed as she too made her way out the house, grabbing her choker off a shelf.

"I think he just lost something that meant a lot to him" she said quietly before closing the door of the Brotherhood of Bayville boarding house behind her.

I'm always afraid
That you're lost in somebody

I'm always afraid
That you're gone
Away from me

I'm always afraid
That you're lost

Away from me

Review, cos I would love to hear what you liked/loved/hated about this chapter.

Ciao

Soulstress