It's Harder Than You Think

            Tabitha glared at Brian, as they sat at the table in the kitchen, as he spoke to her, "I mean, this is what's going to happen; she's going to end up hating him in a week, or something will go wrong, and then, I'll have to be the one to pick up the pieces." Brian groaned.

            Tabitha rested her arms on the table, "Babe, why don't you just let the poor girl grow up? You can't be there to protect her for the rest of her life. You can't chase off any guy that comes near her just because you're afraid of her crying once in a while." Tabitha told him.

            Brian looked up at her, "I don't know, luv." He then sighed, and stood up, "I'll go talk to her." He said, as he turned to walk away.

*~*~*~*

            Elizabeth looked up from her desk, as she heard a knock at her door. "Come in, Brian." She said.

            Brian opened the door, and walked into the room, closing the door after him. "Look, we need to have a little talk." He told her.

            Elizabeth rolled her eyes, "That's for sure." She scoffed, as she placed her pencil on the desk in front of her.

            Brian crossed his arms across his chest, "Look, you just got hurt with your break up with Pietro. You shouldn't be rebounding on this guy."

            Elizabeth glared at him, "What is it to you, Brian?" She snapped, as she stood up from her chair. She then marched towards him, "I'm giving this time, to see where this thing with Nathan is going!" She growled.

            "Look, after dad passing away, I've made a vow that I'm going to be the one taking care of you! You can't keep getting hurt by bloody prats that keep coming your way!" He snapped.

            "Why don't you get stuffed, Brian! I'm trying to find some sort of happiness with someone! Pietro screwed me over, and someone that seems to be a better bet for me comes waltzing into my life! Why can't you handle that?" She told him.

            "Better? You just met the guy!" Brian hissed.

            "Brian! I told you! I'm taking time to see where this is going!" Elizabeth yelled.

            "Oh! Let me tell you where this is going, okay? In a week, you'll end up hating him, because, oh, I don't know, he has a weird way of chewing gum, or he doesn't like to eat cake! Or, he'll end up hating you, because you're too aggressive! Then, you'll fall apart, I'll pick you up, and magically, you'll be ready to move on again!" He snapped.

            Elizabeth's mouth dropped, as she glared at him, "Wow. So that's what you really think, Brian?" She waited for an answer, and only got a shrug from him. "Well, listen, I'm sorry that I've met someone that will probably be taking care of me in the future. I know how happy it makes you to see how miserable I am!" Elizabeth snapped.

            "Shut up, Betsy!" Brian growled.

            "No, Brian! If you can't handle the fact that I'm happy, because I am not going to be miserable for you, then you're more pathetic than I thought!" She yelled.

            "Piss off!" Brian snapped.

            "Go to hell, and get out!" Elizabeth growled.

            Brian scoffed, and turned, and marched out of her room. He then slammed the door behind him.

*~*~*~*

            Rogue dodged Brian, as he marched down the hallway, "Brian?" She called after him.

            Brian ignored her, as he ran down the staircase to the foyer below. She then looked towards Elizabeth's room, and walked to the door. She lightly knocked, and opened the door to peek in, "Betsy?"

            Elizabeth turned, and looked at her from her bay window. Rogue walked into the room, closing the door after her, "I knew this was going to happen." Elizabeth mumbled.

            "Betts what happened, hun?"

            Rogue sat next to her, and looked at her, waiting for an explanation. Elizabeth shook her head, "Brian and I just got into a fight." Elizabeth said. Elizabeth then sighed, and looked at her, "He's just way too overprotective of me; he's so scared that someone will come in, and shove him away and out of the picture. It drives me crazy!" Elizabeth explained.

            Rogue placed her gloved hand on Elizabeth's arm, "Betts, don't worry about it, okay? I mean, does Brian accept change easily?"

            Elizabeth shook her head, "No. Ever since our father passed on, he's just been more of a wreck than I was. He wanted to take my father's place, as he put it." She snapped. "So, being the already overprotective twin that he is, he figures that protecting me from any young man is protecting a way from me getting hurt. He thinks I'm rebounding off of my break up with Pietro." Elizabeth told her, as tears began to well in her eyes.

*~*~*~*

            Nathan sat on the stone bench in the atrium, smoking a cigarette. His elbows were rested on his knees, as he stared at the concrete ground underneath him. His eyes moved up to look at Scott, as Scott walked towards the atrium. He and Scott had barely spoken since he came to the institute. He sighed, wondering why Scott had not spoken to him. He glared at him, probing his mind. Two thoughts came to his view; one in particular, he was jealous of Nathan. Nathan shook his head, smiling at the thought. He turned, as he heard the door close from the mansion behind him. Jean smiled at him, as she walked towards the bench he sat at. "Hey, Jean." Nathan greeted her.

            Jean sat next to him, "I got you something you'll love for your birthday!" She smiled confidently, as she straightened her back up.

            Nathan glared at her, "Really?"

            Jean smiled, raising an eyebrow at him, "Don't bother probing my mind for it. It's well protected under some shields I've put up; just as a precaution." She smiled.

            Nathan grinned at her, as he turned to the standing ashtray to put out the cigarette. "Well, just in advance, thanks for the gift." He smiled as he stood up to walk away.

            Jean stared after him, smiling, "You're welcome!" She called.

*~*~*~*

            Rogue shuffled her feet into the kitchen, and looked at Tabitha, who sat at the table eating a sandwich, while watching the television that was propped up onto the wall. Tabitha heard her shuffle towards her, and turned to look at her. "You heard?" Tabitha asked.

            Rogue nodded. "Yeah. I hate it when those two argue! But, it's like, it's rare that they do!" Rogue sighed, as she pulled up a chair across from Tabitha.

            "Oh, I know! I mean, I don't know if I can live with Brian doing that! I mean, every time I try getting in the shower with him, it's like, Tabby, get the hell out!" Tabitha scoffed.

            Rogue grimaced, and glared at her. She shook her head, "Anyway! I have a feeling that if this goes on, this will be their breaking point. We can't let that go on!" Rogue told her.

            Tabitha nodded, "Yeah, that's true. We have to figure out how to get them in a room together without having to force them to do it." Tabitha thoughtfully said.

            Rogue looked up in thought, "Think, Rogue, think." She mumbled.

            "Pretend to think, Tabby, pretend to think." Tabitha mumbled, as she looked up in thought.

            Rogue looked up at Tabitha, "I got it!" She called out, "The danger room!"

            Tabitha smiled, nodding her head, "Yeah! Are you thinking, what I'm thinking?" She smiled.

            Rogue grinned, "I think so! Why, what were you thinking?" Rogue smiled at her.

            "What it would be like to have sex in the danger room!" Tabitha pointed at her.

            Rogue rolled her eyes, "Tabby, how many beers have you drank so far today?" She snapped, "No, you nitwit! We can con them into going into the danger room! And then, we'll lock them in there, until they work things out!" Rogue told her.

            Tabitha laughed, "Oh, we're still thinking about what to do about Brian and Betts?"

            Rogue put up her hands, mouthing in shock, "Okay!"

            Rogue stood up, and walked out of the kitchen, "Just get Brian, and tell him there's going to be a session in the danger room, okay?" Rogue told her.

            "Roger that!" Tabitha smiled, saluting her.