I was really inspired for this chapter by the first comic in the House of M series, and the intesity of Pietro and Wanda's relationship. If you haven't read it, I highly recommend it to everyone. Good dysfunctional stuff. Anyway, that was my focus for this chapter, bringing the Maximoff twins closer together. Please review if you like what I'm doing here. Oh, and I don't own the song at the end which is Linkin Park's "With You". I just thought it fit well with what was going on, so please don't sue me. One last thing, see if you can find the reference to "Fragile" by Nine Inch Nails. I couldn't help it, that song is too good.
Pietro was able to drag himself into his room after talking to Gambit, and was just about to flop down on his bed for some much-needed rest when Wanda spoke.
"Pietro, why didn't you tell me?" she asked quietly. She was sitting on the edge of her bed, her gaze focused on the floor, and she seemed to have been lost in thought before Pietro came in.
Before answering Pietro laid down with his face buried in his pillow so that his speech was muffled.
"What?" he asked, wondering how he was supposed to run upstairs and tell her that he had been attacked when he had been knocked unconscious.
"About Magneto. You never told me," she continued, spitting out the name of her father as if it tasted bad. Pietro lay still for a moment as he decided how to handle the situation. Obviously she hadn't been talking about what happened in the Danger Room, and he was decidedly grateful that he had stowed the comlink away before he entered the room. Thinking that Wanda had nothing to back up what she was saying, Pietro chose to play it safe.
"What?" he repeated into his pillow.
"You know what I'm talking about," Wanda spoke slowly and deliberately, as if she had put a lot of thought into what she was going to say, "Rogue told me everything."
'Rogue!' Pietro thought as his mind started to race. How could Rogue know anything? Pietro never confided anything about his personal life with anyone, unless…That had to be it. Rogue had absorbed his powers once and along with his powers she must have picked up some memories as well. But that was a long time ago, so she couldn't possibly have any idea of what was happening now, could she? Pietro turned his head to the side to look at Wanda who was staring straight back at him, her blue eyes piercing straight through him, probing for answers. Under the pressure of Wanda's gaze it was hard for anyone not to confess every sin they had ever committed, but Pietro was not just anyone. More importantly he was also a Maximoff, and he stared back at her with almost identical eyes.
"What are you talking about Wanda?"
"You know what I'm talking about. Why didn't you tell me what he did to you?"
Pietro snorted, "You think that's something I walk around telling people?"
"You should've told me."
"Why? So you could feel sorry for me? You're the one who said I was 'just like him' after you called him a monster? I'm not supposed to have feelings, remember?" Pietro snapped.
"I, I shouldn't have said that."
"No it's fine. It's what everybody else thinks, isn't it? I do look just like the bastard don't I?" Pietro said with a mirthless laugh.
"Pietro…"
"No Wanda! You were the lucky one, can't you see that? Yeah you got locked away, but you were safe! I would've given anything for that!"
"Pietro! If you would just talk to me about it, then I could help you. We could help each other get over what he's done!"
"Done? You mean doing, Wanda," the words came out before he could stop them.
"What?" Wanda asked softly. But Pietro was trough talking, and he turned over on his side so he wouldn't have to look at her.
"Pietro what's going on?"
"Why don't you ask Rogue?" Pietro said bitterly.
"Pietro…what happened to your shoulder?"
"It's nothing…"
Wanda sighed and got up and Pietro thought that she hat left the room for good. Instead she returned with a damp washcloth, which she pressed gently on his bloody shoulder after returning to his side. Pietro's body stiffened when she touched him.
"Pietro," Wanda started again, but Pietro didn't want to hear what she had to say. His eyes were shut so tightly that his nose scrunched up.
"I know you think I won't be able to understand what you're going through, but he's my father too. You shouldn't have to be alone. We shouldn't have to be alone. You're my brother and I'm going to be there for you whether you like it or not."
Pietro rolled over onto his back and looked up at her with wide, curious eyes. Tears had started to stream silently down her face, and she bit her lip, concentrating heavily on tending to Pietro's wound. She was really trying to get closer, and Pietro didn't know how to handle it. None of the relationships he had were real, and he hadn't allowed himself to care about anyone for obvious reasons. Yet here was Wanda, and she was probably the only person who could even come close to understanding him. She knew there was a reason for Pietro's obnoxious behavior and she accepted it because she used the same reason to justify her anger. In this way they were the same and deep down she knew he was good, even if no one else could see it. As Pietro thought about this he realized just how much he appreciated Wanda. He hadn't seen it before, but now it was right in front of him; impossible to ignore. Pietro propped himself onto his elbows and moved her hand from his shoulder.
"Pietro lay down…" Wanda said, still avoiding his eyes. That was when Pietro pulled her into a hug. She sat stiffly for a moment, and let out a startled sob, but after the shock wore off she hugged him tightly back. Her body shook in his arms, and Pietro closed his eyes, his mouth an undefined line.
"I won't let you fall apart," he whispered, not caring whether or not she heard him because for the fist time he didn't feel alone. The Maximoff twins were never given the chance to lead a happy life, Magneto ensured this when he had chosen to put his desire for mutant domination over his family, but now at least they had each other.
"Is this a bad time?"
Pietro opened his eyes and saw Kitty in the doorway, holding the doorknob uncertainly. Wanda stopped crying at once and pulled away from her brother, trying to wipe away the mess her mascara had left on her tear-stained face.
"No of course not," Pietro said sarcastically.
"I guess I'll come back later then," Kitty said quickly as she started to pull the door shut.
"No, Kitty, what is it?" Wanda asked, her voice sounding surprisingly normal.
"Well…" Kitty started awkwardly shifting back into the room. Pietro saw that there was a bandage covering half of her forehead, form the battle in the maze he assumed.
"Yes?" Pietro asked impatiently.
"I, I just wanted to tell you that we won the scrimmage. And I wanted to say thank you for what you did," Kitty said.
Wanda and Pietro both stared at her. Pietro could tell that there was more that she wanted to say, but she looked uncomfortable.
"Do you want me to leave?" Wanda asked seriously, as she stood up from Pietro's bedside.
"No! I just…you don't have to leave!" Kitty insisted shrilly, but Wanda was already passing through the doorway and out of sight. Pietro watched her leave sadly; now that everything between them was so good he never wanted them to be separated again.
"Can I come in?" Kitty asked.
Pietro sighed and nodded, wondering why she was behaving so oddly. She came in and sat down on the edge of Wanda's bed, looking around as if she was uncertain whether she should be there at all.
"You got something to tell me Pryde?" Pietro asked, his blue eyes focusing in on her worried face.
"What made you do that?" she blurted out.
"Do what?"
"Push me out of the way. You didn't have to…"
"It doesn't matter, you still got hurt anyways," Pietro said airily.
"I know, but it could've been worse. Besides, I thought you only care about yourself."
"Oh yeah, that's right, you have me all figured out, don't you?" he snapped, glaring at the nervous girl in front of him. Who did she think she was, coming into his room and saying things like that?
"No, I just didn't understand…"
"There are a lot of things you don't understand."
"I understand a lot of things! What I don't understand Pietro, is you," Kitty said angrily as she stood to leave.
"Guess not. Bye now," Pietro said, turning on his side as a sign that he wanted her to leave. He heard Kitty huff angrily, and he sighed happily once he had thought that she was no longer in the room.
"Mr. McCoy is looking for you."
"Damn, you're still here…"
"You're impossible!" Kitty slammed the door behind her as she left, leaving Pietro very much alone. He picked up the washcloth Wanda had left behind and pressed it to his shoulder as he looked up at the ceiling. He felt no remorse for the way he had treated Kitty. She had assumed, just like everyone did, that there was nothing more to him then what he put on display, and for that reason alone he had no patience for her. What did she expect form him anyway? As he drifted off to sleep Pietro found himself hoping that whatever Magneto wanted from him could wait until he got better.
With You
I woke up in a dream today
To the cold of the static and put my cold feet on the floor
Forgot all about yesterday
Remembering I'm pretending to be where I'm not anymore
A little taste of hypocrisy
And I'm left in the wake of the mistake slow to react
Even though you're so close to me
You're still so distant
And I can't bring you back
It's true the way I feel
Was promised by your face
The sound of your voice
Painted on my memories
Even if you're not with me
I'm with you
You, now I see, keeping everything inside
with you
You, Now I see, Even when I close my eyes
I hit you and you hit me back
We fall to the floor the rest of the day stands still
Fine line between this and that
When things go wrong I pretend the past isn't real
I'm trapped in this memory
And I'm left in the wake of the mistake slow to react
So even though you're close to me
You're still so distant
And I can't bring you back
It's true the way I feel
Was promised by your face
The sound of your voice
Painted on my memories
Even if you're not with me
I'm with you
You, now I see, keeping everything inside
with you
You, Now I see, Even when I close my eyes
With you
You, now I see, keeping everything inside
with you
You, Now I see, Even when I close my eyes
No, no matter how far we've come
I can't wait to see tomorrow
No, no matter how far we've come I
I can't wait to see tomorrow
With you
You, now I see, keeping everything inside
with you
You, Now I see, Even when I close my eyes
With you
You, now I see, keeping everything inside
with you
You, Now I see, Even when I close my eyes