Disclaimer: Own Toby. Yadda yadda. As if you haven't heard this a million times.

A/N - The next part! Ooh how exciting! Some real stuff is gonna happen now.

The X-Men sat about the dining table consuming their large dinner. Outside, the X-Mansion's expansive gardens were cloaked in darkness. A sudden blur, barely visible, sped through the gardens and back to the gate.

Pietro grinned as he shoved the gates open. "All clear guys. Their snacking at the moment so no chance of getting caught."

"Right," Lance nodded grimly. He turned to the rest of the Brotherhood. "Men, we are now entering enemy territory. It will be dangerous and some of you may get caught. But it's a sacrifice, I, am willing to make."

"What!?!" Pietro hissed.

"Gotcha," Lance grinned.

"Ha ha very funny. I've never heard a joke so dry in my life," Pietro snorted.

"Shut up."

"No really. If there was a King of dry jokes, you, would be it."

"Okay Pietro I get the picture."

"If I was the ocean, and you touched me - "

"SHUT UP!"

"Just proving a point."

"Well you don't need to," Lance snapped. "Now you made me loose my place." He thumbed through a small bundle of cards he had produced from a pocket in his costume.

"Are those cue cards!?!" Pietro asked.

"Noooooo," Lance said slowly as he avoided eye contact.

"They are!" Pietro snatched them out of Lance's hand. " 'We may be seen as the 'bad guys' but we know that we deserve better' oh my god would you look at this. It goes on for ages."

"Look," Lance snapped, grabbing the cards back, "so you want a pep-talk or not?"

"Not," the rest of the Brotherhood chorused.

"Fine," Lance sniffed. "I was going to tell you how wonderful you guys were and how I was proud to have you in my team and - "

"Actually, a pep-talk is sounding pretty good," Pietro grinned, "especially the part about how wonderful we are. Well about how wonderful I am. Especially me. Forget the others. "

"Thanks," Todd said dryly.

"Let's just kick some X-Geek tail!" Freddy whooped.

"Alright!"

"Not so loud!" Toby hissed.

"Oh relax Coal," Pietro grinned, slapping Toby on the back. "We do this all the time. It'll be a breeze. And you will have fun. Trust me on that one."

"Brotherhood ready?" Lance asked.

"Yeah!" Todd shouted.

"YAAAAAAAAHOOOOOOO!" Pietro yelled as he sped up the path ahead of his comrades.

"Right," Pietro whispered as he and Toby sat crouched under one of the large bay windows that were placed around the X-Men's dining room. "First, firearms."

He reached across to the sling bag Toby had over his shoulder and pulled out a number of firecrackers. Quick as a wink he sped about, placing a set at each window along the South side of the building. He skidded to a halt beside Toby's still crouched form and gave a wicked grin. "Now the fun starts."

"Pietro....." Toby whispered.

"What?" Pietro frowned, glancing at Toby.

"Are you sure we won't get caught?"

"Of course I'm not sure!" Pietro hissed, "that's what makes it so much fun! Now come on."

The two boys rose to light the first set of firecrackers when a shadow passed over the window.

"Shit!" Pietro yelped, shoving Toby to the ground. The two mutants held their breath as the shadow stopped at the window, and looked out into the night. The stature told them that the person hadn't seen them but was merely looking out into the darkness. One small move from them however would cause them to be sighted.

Toby glanced at Pietro as they lay in the dirt. Quicksilver's upturned face was bathed in the light from the house, his eyes focused on the shadow. Toby could feel the speed demon's muscles tense, ready to rush off if it became apparent that they had been spotted. Pietro's right arm lay across Toby's shoulders, keeping him down. At this close proximity, Toby could smell Pietro's cologne, icy and inticing despite the subtle aromas of the earth about them.

Pietro cast a sharp glance and Toby, his sapphire eyes glinting. "Stop it," he hissed through clenched teeth.

"Stop what?"

"I know you're having dirty thoughts."

"I am not!" Toby blushed bright scarlet.

"Oh yeah, well why do you sound like a dog on heat? You can't tell me I'm not getting you hot."

"You.......arrrrgh," Toby snarled.

"Ha! So you where having dirty thoughts."

Toby cast a glance up at the window. The shadow had moved on so he sat up and looked Pietro full in the face. "I didn't say that!"

"Toby you dirty little slut," Pietro grinned wolfishly.

"Slut!?!" Toby yelled. "ME A SLUT!?!"

"SHHHH!" Pietro slapped a hand over Toby's mouth.

"Did you hear something?" Jamie asked, looking up from his dinner.

"No," Scott frowned, looking up. "What's the matter Jamie?"

"I swear I just heard something," Jamie said.

"Don't be silly," Xavier smiled patiently at the youngest mutant, "now eat your dinner Jamie or it'll get cold."

"I can't believe this," Lance sighed in bliss, "I'm in Kitty's room. Kitty's!"

"Yes, you've said that about 10 times now," Todd rolled his eyes.

"I can't believe they haven't heard us," Freddy shook his head in amazement. "What, do they have sound proof walls or something?"

"I can't believe they just left that window open," Todd said. He looked around the girl's room and glanced back at Lance who was lying on Kitty's bed in a state of bliss. "I'm going next door Lance, you coming?"

"Hmmm?" Lance looked up dreamily.

"Are. You. Coming. Next. Door?"

"Sure, why not?" Lance smiled and he leapt to his feet.

The three mutants entered the room next door. "Ooh, looks promising," Todd grinned, rubbing his hands together. He glanced at the first bed. A picture of Jamie with what appeared to be his mother was placed on the table beside it. "Three guesses who this belongs to," Todd grinned.

Lance opened the desk of drawers and rummaged through them. He paused suddenly and a small smile spread over his face. "What have we here?" Lance grinned. "Cigarettes? Naughty, naughty Jamie!"

"Where!?!" Todd hopped to Lance's side. "Oh-ho! Nice!" Todd grinned. "Wouldn't Cueball be impressed if he found out about this?"

"He'd blow his top that's for sure," Lance said, pulling out a cigarette and lighting it. He pulled out four more then stuck the rest of them back into the sock drawer.

"Whatcha do that for?" Todd frowned. "Why don't you just take the rest yo?"

"Because," Lance shrugged. "It probably took him ages to work up the courage to try buy them. That or he asked someone else too. Either way it was too much work for me to just take them all. Besides, an X-Geek that ain't such a geek? I'm not gonna stop that trend."

"Too true," Freddy nodded wisely.

"Now let's see what else...."

KRRRACK-BOOOOOOOOOOOM!

The thundering sound made ever member of the X-Men jump. Jubilee gave a little squeal and Kurt teleported in an uncontrolled reaction to the loud sound.

"What in blazes was that!?!" Kurt yelped from his new position on the other side of the room. Outside each window was a multitude of shimmering light.

"It's thah Brotherhood boys ahgain," Rogue growled. "Ah thought thay'd learned thah're lesson."

"Again?" Bobby frowned.

"Yup," Evan said, "they do this all the time. Last they tried it was the 4th of July."

A strong whirlwind hit the stunned X-Men at full speed and suddenly, as if appearing out of mid-air; Pietro stood on the dinner table.

"Awww, you guys started without me," Pietro sniffed.

"Darn it Pietro get off our table!" Scott yelled.

"Tut tut tut," Pietro wagged a finger, "it's Quicksilver, Shades. Ooh and what are you having for dinner? Chicken! Good choice! Mind if I help myself? Course you don't."

"I'll teach you to steal our food," Jubilee growled.

"Yipes!" Pietro yelped as a multitude of tiny hot sparks exploded at his feet. His yelp was quickly met by a returning one.

"Oww," Jubilee rubbed her rear ruefully, "that hurt!"

She turned to see Toby leaning against the door frame. He had one hand extended towards Jubilee in the shape of a gun, the index finger smoking a little.

"Hey," Toby smiled brilliantly.

"Toby what are you doing!?!" Jean hissed, rising from her seat.

"It isn't Toby Red," Pietro said, zipping to her side and wrapping an arm around her shoulders, "it's Coal. And this is our party so please: sit down." He gave Jean a shove that sent her straight back into her chair.

"Don't shove her Pietro!" Scott growled, turning towards the speed demon. A wolfish grin spread over Pietro's lips.

"X-MEN LOOK OUT!" Xavier shouted.

Too late.

In a flurry of silly string, party hats and duct tape Pietro sped about the room. The end result had each X-Man sitting duct taped to a chair, wearing a happy party hat or a mop of silly string. Logan had a small, pink whistle stuck in his mouth.

"That's better," Pietro said.

Kitty phased through the tape easily, and gave an angry little stamp as she pulled the silly string off her head. "Pietro you jerk!" she snapped, "that was like, so not funny!"

Logan spat the whistle out of his mouth and growled low in the back of his throat. Kurt teleported in a puff of smoke only to reappear swearing and cursing.

"OWW! O GOTT! WHY DID I DO THAT!"

"Aww, poor fuzzy," Pietro grinned, "did the duct tape stick to your fur?"

"No,"Kurt said, feeling slightly embarrassed that I hadn't thought that that exact thing would even happen.

"Enough!" Logan growled, "ELF! GET ME OUT!"

"Right away mine Herr," Kurt gulped, teleporting to Logan's side.

"Eeep!" Pietro gave a small squeak, "Wolverine on the loose. Coal let's scram!"

"Wait Pi - " Before Toby could finish the sentence Pietro had snatched Toby up and sped out of the room.

Logan cut the X-Men's bonds quickly, then turned in the direction Pietro and Toby had just taken. "X-Men, lets fan out."

"ALRIGHT!" Jamie whooped.

"Not you Jamie," Xavier placed a hand on his shoulder.

"But Professor," Jamie wailed.

"None of the new students are going," Logan growled. "I don't want to have to be watching your backs. Now X-Men, let's go."

- - -

Next chapter will be coming shortly! Sorry, I know I don't normally do this in chapters but I've got a ton of school work and I've already had enough lunchtime detentions for not doing it. I hope you don't mind too much. It's better than nothing anyway! Ciao, Becs ^_^