I don't know how this chapter happened. I have a strange mind. One couple finally does get together, but it's not the couple you're thinking of!

Talks and a Truce

Back on the beach there were three separate groups of mutants sitting apart from each other. The X-Men, the Brotherhood and of course Toad, Althea and her siblings. Each group hated the other two with a passion right then.

"This is nuts!" Rogue snapped. "We're not gonna get anything accomplished by sitting around here staring at each other!"

"Rogue's right," Scott said. "As much as we hate each other right now we all have to pull together to get through this. One of us has got to be the one to start talking to each other."

"Then why don't they be the ones?" Ray snapped.

"No," Scott sighed. "We have to do it. The Professor taught us better than that."

"I think one of them has beaten us to it," Kitty pointed.

Sitting on their side of the beach the Brotherhood moped. "Let's follow the X-Geeks he says," Fred muttered. "What could happen he says! Great! Now we're stranded here with not only the X-Geeks but Toad and his psychotic mermaid girlfriend."

"Oh shut up!" Pietro doodled in the sand with a stick. Something climbed up on his leg. "WAHAAA?"

"What is it?" Lance looked over.

"What the heck is this?" Pietro looked over and saw Claudius peering up at him with curious eyes.

"Whoa! Man check out those flippers!" Fred said.

"Cute little guy isn't he?" Pietro marveled. He bent down to pick him up.

"Don't even think about it!" Todd snarled as he hopped over, grabbing Claudius. "Little C you shouldn't be over here. Who knows what kind of diseases you could pick up."

"Well if it isn't the Toad himself," Lance sneered. "GI Joe's newest little pet."

Todd's eyes turned cold. "I ain't the one on a short leash."

"Awww," Pietro drawled. "Whatsa matter Toad? Miss your master?"

"Roadblock's my dad, not my master," Todd snapped. "Although Quickie I can see how you'd confuse the two!"

"Magneto is just trying to protect mutants from humans!" Pietro snapped. "He's doing what he has to in order to give mutantkind the future it deserves!"

"And what about what he did to me?" Todd snapped. "Did I deserve that?"

Pietro tried not to turn away from him. "It's not our fault you were weak," He said. "Magneto did what he thought he had to do to make us strong. To keep us from failing in the future."

"Yeah Pietro," Todd said. "Whatever helps you sleep at night."

"Damn it Toad you think we wanted you gone?" Fred shouted. "We never thought…we didn't …Pietro tell him! Tell him how you tried to make Magneto go back for him! Tell him!"

"Save your breath Blob," Lance said. "He ain't listening."

"Oh I'm listening," Todd said. "I'm listening to all of you spout Magneto's garbage. He doesn't give a damn about anyone but himself and his glorious cause with him as ruler of the world!"

They stared at each other. "You don't know anything," Pietro snarled. "You've been brainwashed by the Joes. They manipulated you and now you're their slave."

"That's funny talk coming from you," Todd snapped.

"Those humans have clouded your mind!" Lance snapped.

"My mind has never been clearer!" Todd snapped. "Unlike Magneto they don't fool around with my mind trying to hide things that aren't true!"

"You know I didn't think you could get any more pathetic Toad," Pietro snapped. "But you've sunk to an even new low. Hanging around those soldiers, always seeking their approval, waiting for them to throw you a bone! And you're stupid enough to believe what they tell you! Bunch of mutant tamers is what they are!"

Toad glared at them. "Don't you ever say that about Roadblock and my friends again! You hear me! The only reason I'm alive is because of them! No thanks to Magneto!"

"So now you're their pet Toad?" Lance sneered.

"You losers have no idea what I've been through!" Todd snapped. "And Magneto's more responsible than you know!"

"What do you mean?" Pietro asked.

"I don't know why I'm even telling you this," Todd said. "But I guess even I can't let you fall for his lies. There's something you gotta know."

"What's going on?" Althea came up with Kitty and Scott. "Are they giving you grief Toad?"

"Nothing I can't handle," Todd told her, handing Claudius back to her.

"Look," Althea said. "We all hate each other. That's obvious, but like it or not we're all stuck here unless we work together. So how about we forget our differences for now and work on finding a way to get help?"

"She's got a point Pietro," Lance said.

"Fine," Pietro sniffed haughtily. "Truce. For now. Not that we really need your help but I suppose we could work together. Since you're so desperate for our help."

"Wonderful," Scott said. "Come on."

"Kitty wait," Lance called out. "I…I need to talk to you for a minute." He glared at Scott. "Alone."

"Fine," She sighed. "You guys go ahead. I'll be okay." She waited until they walked away. "What do you want Lance?"

"I wanted to talk to you," Lance said. "I'm sorry I haven't called you lately. But there aren't exactly any phones lying around where I live now."

"What makes you think I would want to talk to you Lance?" Kitty snapped. "Especially after what you did! You destroyed the school and nearly killed people! Including me!"

"Kitty it was an accident!" Lance said. "I didn't mean…"

"That's what you said the last time you destroyed a school! That's the problem with you Lance! It's always some kind of accident!" Kitty snapped. "First there was our old school, then at Bayville High all the stupid things you and your friends did before you trashed it! I'm sick of it! You're out of control! Everywhere you go you cause trouble!"

"I ain't the only one!" Lance snapped. "Refresh my memory Kitty, who's responsible for letting interdimensional dinosaurs trash the Sadie Hawkins dance? Who did joyrides in the X-Jet? Whose powers nearly skewered the track team when they went berserk? Who not only took in a guy wanted by the police, but also let him loose now and then terrifying the city? Face it! You X-Geeks cause just as much trouble as we do! The only difference is you hold yourselves to a different standard!"

"Well we know better that's all," She snapped.

"Didn't stop you from attacking an army base," Lance pointed out.

"So did you!" Kitty snapped.

"I had no choice!" Lance told her. "You have no idea what I've been through!"

"What you've been through?" Kitty snapped. "What about what I've been through? After you destroyed the school nearly the entire town turned against us! We couldn't even leave the Institute because everyone was so against us! Do you know what it's like to be afraid to even get your mail? Do you?"

"Do you know what it's like to be scared of going to a training session, knowing if you don't pass you'll be beaten?" Lance snapped. "Do you have any idea of what it's like to be isolated from the one person in the world you care about the most? To have everybody try to force you to forget her? It's not exactly a piece of cake you know!"

"What? Now I'm like supposed to feel sorry for you?" Kitty snapped angrily. "You chose to stay with Magneto!"

"I didn't exactly have any other choice!" Lance shouted. "It's not as if I had anywhere else to go! We both know that!"

They stared at each other. "If I had stayed behind, do you really think that Xavier would have simply let me stay with you? That the other X-Men would allow it? They couldn't accept me the last time I was there, and I didn't even do anything! And don't say they wouldn't have thrown me to the wolves because you know that they would have done it! Do you want me to end up in some lab someplace, being used for some kind of experiment? That's what they do to mutants they catch you know! They don't just lock them up and throw away the key! They do worse things…horrible things. Magneto showed us this tape he found of…" Lance shuddered. "I…I don't want to end up like that Kitty. I can't."

"So that's why you hang with that creep?" Kitty snapped. "Even though he treats you badly?"

"I'm not saying he's perfect!" Lance snapped. "But at least he doesn't have any self delusions about humans!"

"Oh yeah he just wants to destroy them!" She snapped.

"Hey! They're the ones who want to destroy us!" Lance snapped back. "If we don't do something about it, they'll kill us all without a thought!"

"Not all humans want to do that!" Kitty said. "If you'd just open your eyes and trust some of them…"

"You can't trust any of them!" Lance told her. "It's too dangerous! Especially those soldiers! What you think they're just going to let you go? No way! They're going to keep tabs on you for the rest of your life if you allow it! Or worse!"

"So what?" Kitty asked. "You're just going to go through your whole life not trusting anyone?"

"I never had any reason to trust them," Lance said softly. "If you lived the life I lived, you'd understand."

"Sorry Lance," Kitty snapped. "But that line is getting a little old."

"Kitty please," Lance pleaded. "I…never wanted to hurt you. You have to believe me! I would never hurt you!"

"I wish I could believe that Lance," Kitty said softly.

"I'll prove it to you Kitty," Lance said as she walked away. "Somehow."

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The mutants quickly managed to set up camp again. Fortunately there was an ample supply of food and water as well as blankets. The tents had been washed away but it was very warm out, even when the sun went down. So the kids decided to make the best of a bad situation.

"It's Luau Time!" Pietro crowed. Several kinds of fish and fruit had been grilled on the bonfires. Not to mention other food that had survived the trip. Soon anger was replaced with hunger. The kids became more concerned on how much food they could stuff into their bellies rather than how they got stuck on the island in the first place.

After their bellies were full everyone was in a better mood. Kurt, Todd and Fred grabbed some leaves and pretended to dance the hula as entertainment. This caused raucous laughter from everyone. Then everyone started to break off into their own groups to talk. Jean nudged Scott over to the side so they could talk.

"I think we should kind of act as chaperones," Jean said.

"What protect Kitty from Lance?" Scott asked.

"Kitty's not the one I'm worried about," Jean said. "I know her. She's not the one we have to worry about. Besides Scott, do you really think Lance could do anything to her if she didn't want to? Considering her powers?"

"You have a point," Scott said. "And that goes for Remy and Rogue too."

"It's Althea and Toad I'm worried about," Jean said. "Not to mention Ray and Tabitha."

"Yeah those guys do tend to get a bit," Scott was searching for the right word. "Out of control."

As to illustrate his words Althea tackled Todd and started to tickle him wildly. Their eyebrows raised as they also started kissing each other. "Hey cool it you too!" Jean said.

"Us cool it?" Althea looked at him. "Who died and made you guys the moral majority?"

"Look we just think you guys shouldn't you know, get out of control," Scott said. "I mean what about the little kids?"

"You'd better be only talking about the baby," Jamie overheard the conversation.

"Look we just don't want anyone to take advantage of the situation that's all," Jean said.

"Oh give me a break!" Rogue rolled her eyes heavenward.

"Some of you aren't exactly what I call trustworthy," Scott glared at Lance.

"Oh yeah," Lance snapped. "Like I'm really gonna attack Kitty with all these people around! I do have some self control you know!"

"Since when?" Scott snapped. "You Brotherhood maniacs are never in control! All you do is cause trouble!"

"Here we go again!" Remy groaned.

"Oh really?" Pietro smirked. "Hey Tabby, can I borrow a couple of your little time bombs?"

"Be my guest," She made some and handed them to him. Pietro ran over to Scott and dropped them down the back of his bathing suit.

"YEOW!" Scott screamed, running into the water. Everyone on the beach laughed at the episode.

Well almost everyone. "You should be ashamed of yourselves!" Jean shouted as she ran after him.

"Well that was fun for everyone!" Todd laughed.

"I have to admit," Kurt chuckled. "Those two did have it coming to them."

"Yeah I mean did they really think we'd all be so horny we'd all go jump on each other in the bushes?" Tabitha laughed.

"That was priceless!" Lance laughed.

"Just like the old days!" Todd agreed.

"Remember the water fight we had when Tabby overflowed the bathtub?" Fred said.

"That was fun!" Todd said.

"Well if it's water fights you want," Althea said mischievously. She caused a small wave to drench Fred, Lance and Todd.

"AGGH!" Lance yelped. "That's cold!"

"Hey that's not funny!" Fred snapped.

"Why did you drench me?" Todd wailed.
"Can I help it if you're so cute when you're wet?" Althea smiled sweetly.

"That's it!" Todd tackled Althea and they splashed in the water for a bit. "How do you like them apples! Huh!"

"Meanie!" Althea laughed as they splashed.

"Hey she's turning blue!" Fred notice.

"Yeah well," Althea looked at herself. "I have a slight chemical reaction that takes place when my skin hits salt water. Doesn't hurt. In fact, it helps camouflage me in darker waters."

"Like freaky!" Kitty laughed.

"She's not the only one!" Kurt pointed. "Look at Toad!"

Todd stood there, his skin a light green, pouting. "Not one word fuzzball!" Todd snapped. "Not one word!"

"I'm not saying anything," Kurt smirked.

"Ha! I am!" Pietro stuck his tongue out. "He looks more like a frog now than a toad!"

"You know Pietro you should cool off," Althea began to form a water globe using the water from the ocean.

"Wait!" Tabitha said. " It would be a shame if he got his uniform wet."

"Not a bad idea!" Jubilee snickered. "That goes for the other guys well!"

"Uh oh!" Pietro gulped.

"Run for it!" Evan shouted.

Everyone was chasing each other. Even baby Claudius got into the act, running around laughing, chasing people at random. Soon everyone chased everyone into the water for a huge water fight to end all water fights.

************************************************************************

Scott had taken refuge in a grove near the waterfall. Jean came to see if he was all right.

Scott grumbled. "Remind me to kill the Brotherhood if and when we get rescued."

"We'll get rescued," Jean told him. "Don't worry." She had brought a blanket as well as some medical supplies. "Let me take a look at you," She indicated that he lie down.

"Look I'm fine," Scott told her. "Aside from my butt being sore."

"Well then let me look at it," She reached for his bathing suit.

"WHAT?" Scott yelped. "No way!"

"Oh for crying out loud Scott," Jean rolled her eyes.

"I don't want you to look at my butt!" Scott snapped. "It's too embarrassing!"

"So you'd rather suffer instead of being helped?" Jean snapped.

"Yes," Scott flinched at the pain.

"You are so stubborn!" Jean snapped.

"Yes now go away!" Scott said.

"Look what's it going to take to let me help you?" Jean asked.

"Nothing!" Scott said. "If it was you in this position you wouldn't be too thrilled!"

Jean raised an eyebrow. "So if I was hurt and had to be undressed, you'd undress me?"

"I did not say that!" Scott said quickly.

"You had a very interesting mental image for a second," Jean said.

"I can't help that! I'm a guy!" Scott snapped.

"Okay," Jean sighed. "If this is what it takes for me to help you fine," She started to unhook her bathing suit top.

"Uh, Jean what are you doing?" Scott's voice grew higher.

"If I take off my top and let you look at me, then you won't be embarrassed about me looking at you," She said.

"NONONONO!" Scott waved. "Don't do that!"

"Why not?" Jean asked.

"Jean that's going to make me feel even more embarrassed!" He yelped. "Okay! Okay! I'll do it! Just don't…Just keep your bathing suit on!" He lay down on the towel and reluctantly pulled down his bathing suit enough to expose his butt.

"Well I didn't think I was that unattractive," Jean frowned as she checked him over.

"You're not! It's just…that's not how I pictured our first time would be," Scott groaned. "Seeing each other I mean."

"Ah so you have had fantasies about us having sex!" Jean smiled.

"Geeze Jean! How am I supposed to answer that?" Scott groaned. "Of course I have… I mean if I have a girlfriend I'm going to have…I mean! Are you done yet?" He was clearly embarrassed with this conversation.

"Scott will you calm down! It's not like I haven't had fantasies either!" Jean snapped. "And your butt's fine by the way!"

He pulled up his bathing suit and got up. He looked at her. She blushed. "I mean, it is normal. We are dating. And…Haven't you ever wanted to…look?"

Scott nodded. Jean turned red. Then she removed her top. Scott stared at her. "Maybe being stranded wasn't such a bad thing after all," Scott said. He sat back down next to her.

Jean smiled. "I did have this one fantasy about us stranded on an island."

Scott blinked. Okay I take it back, He thought as she pulled the blanket over them. Getting stranded is the best thing that has ever happened to me!

Up in the trees Polly chuckled to himself as the young lovers united for the first time. "Who's chaperoning the chaperones?" It giggled as it flew away.