Author's Note - The text in the [Braces] are a flashback of an earlier event. And the italics represent the character thinking. Well Enjoy.

Chapter 8 – Emotions Taking Me Over

Lance stood in front of the bathroom mirror, staring at himself in his sleeping clothes, a wife-beater and boxers. He'd never seen Nicole so upset with her sister. Scott's reaction to discovering Nicole and Claudette's secret overwhelmed the girl. The exhibition between the two girls in the truck cab keeps replaying in his head.

[Nicole and Claudette were at each other's throat in the cab of the white delivery truck. They sat in between Wanda, who watched them go back and forth, and Lance, who was driving. Nicole sat next to Wanda, Claudette next to Lance. And Nicole was so mad with her sister her face was red hot.

"What were you thinking, Claudette?!" Nicole snapped at her sister. "You know what... Forget it. I know actually what you were thinking. You wanted him to find out about us so things could stay like it was...Am I right?"

"No you are not right!!!" Claudette barked back her sister. "Nicole, Why would I do that to you, you're my sister. And you have no proof that I purposely did that."

"HELLO?!!! We were merged together, we shared each other's thoughts!!!"

"Well, excuse me for trying to keep things like they should be. We are not supposed to interact with them. They're the bad guys!!"

"Not supposed to interact with them. Then what the hell do you call us doing when we're with Damia and Rouge??? Huh, Smart ass?!"

"Shut up, Nicole!!! You what I'm talking about!"

"Claudette, how could you do that?! You're my sister, sister's do not sabotage each other's relationships!"

"Unlike you dear sister, I was thinking of the team. You see what we just did. The X-Men found out what was in those crates. Then we just relocated them somewhere else. Now we're on our way back to the house and we have to report this to Mystique. And we're all going to stick in this together. Which you obviously were not thinking of. This is not the time to be worried about your little boyfriend."

"Well at least I do what I'm supposed to be doing when I do it, and I act appropriately in public. Unlike you who can't seem to understand the concept of right time, right place."

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

"You actually what I mean. Who that ditches 4 and 5th everyday to roll in the hay with Speedy Gonzales back there?! It damn sure isn't me, Claudette."

"Don't give me that. You're just jealous because I have a boyfriend who cares about me. And your little laser boy can't get his red eyes past Pristine Perfect, and her shiny red hair."

"What did you just say to me?"

"You heard me. You're jealous because Summers is smitten with Jean Grey, and he's using you as a crutch to get her to notice him. And not only that Nicole, you've gotten so much like Monet that it's not even funny. You're snobby, you're a smart ass, and when you're around Pietro you act like an ice princess, a real cold, heartless bitch."

Nicole was so hurt by her sister's comment to her she couldn't speak. Small tears started flowing down her warm cheeks. Nicole put her head down to hide her face, and started whimpering, more and more tears began streaming from her eyes. Claudette glared down at her sister, but her anger began to fade as she heard Nicole's sobs. Claudette hated to see her sister cry, it reminded her of how much they used cry at night after their mom died, and how they wished she'd come back to them. Claudette put her arms around Nicole and began rubbing her back "Nic.Nicole, I'm sorry. I'm really sorry I didn't mean it like that. I'm really, really sorry. I didn't mean to do it."

Nicole looked up at her sister and began wiping her tears, "Yeah, you are sorry. But you not gonna be as sorry as I am after choke the living shhh..." As soon as the word 'after' came out of her mouth Nicole jumped on Claudette and started choking her. Nicole had a death grip on her, Claudette has turning a bright blue color, and Nicole was literally trying to kill Claudette. Lance was swerving the truck around on the road, trying to move out the two girls' way. Wanda was on Nicole's back trying to pull her off of Claudette. Lance had to stop the truck, and it took Freddy to pry Nicole off of Claudette. Nicole had to switch places with Pietro. While in the back, she punched at least five holes on the left side of the truck, and nearly kicked off the back door. Nicole had gone crazy, and it was all Claudette's fault.]

Lance still stood in front of the mirror, splashing water from the faucet in his face. What the hell did Claudette think she would accomplish by doing that? I never knew Nicole could be so violent. Lance heard more noise coming from Nicole and Claudette's room, and it sounded as if someone were storming down the hall. When he left the bathroom, he went to take a peek in the two girls' room. He saw their door and it was completely ripped off the hinges! (Obviously done by Nicole) He took a glimpse inside and saw Pietro sitting on Claudette's bed comforting her, and Nicole was nowhere in sight.

Lance then went back down the hall and into his room, looking down as he shut the door. He looked and on his bed, and there was Nicole lying in the middle of it, in very short boxers and tank top, holding a bottle of Barcardi in her hands. She took a swig from the bottle and started smiling. She was swaying a little; this informed Lance that Nicole was drunk and still upset. Nicole just sat there and stared at Lance. She took another swig from the bottle, and said to him slightly slurred, "Ya know, I never noticed but you sir, have nice body. Ya kinda have that Brad Pitt in Fight Club meets Ashton Kutcher in his male modeling days type of thing going on there. Hats off to you, Lancie Wancie."
"Nicole, why are you in my room?" He asked her calmly, not know what to do with her.
"I came in here to be wissh' youu." She answered. Nicole took yet another swig, and motioned with her fingers and told him, "Come here, you sessy, sessy boy."
Lance walked toward her and stood in right in front of her, "Nicole, you're drunk."
"I know that silly. That's why I'm here." She patted a next to her, "Have a seat ole, buddy, ole pal."
Lance sighed and sat down next to her.
"Ya know, Lancie. I've noticed you've been watchin' me."
"How do you know that?"
"I see you staring at me. Like that night before that party. You were thinking of what I would like naked."
Lance took the bottle from her.
"Hey man, don't be such a par-tay pooper."
"Nicole I think you need to go to your room."
"I can't go in there with that little traitor. That Witch." She began giving the evil eye to the adjacent wall of Lance's room and the girls' room. "Besides I want to be here wit' you big boy."

Nicole got on her knees in the bed and crawled closer to Lance, she began kissing his neck and feeling him up.

He began pushing her away, "Nicole, stop. I can't do this. You're drunk. It just wouldn't feel right."

"Oh C'mon, Lance. You know you want me. Why fight it?" She moves in on him again.

He pushes her off of him and stands up and faces her. "Nicole, I don't want to do that with you now. You're wasted. This not the Nicole I know. The Nicole I know, is smart, witty, and a good person all-round. I don't want this Nicole, I want the Nicole I know."

She looks at Lance very annoyed, she waves her hand and the door opens and then slams shut. "Ya know Lance, I have powers that can actually force it out of you. I can make you do exactly what I want to do, and you can't do a thing about it." Nicole stood up, staggering as she got on her feet. She tried standing up straight but ended up falling into Lance. Lance helped her stand back up, but when she stood, she grabbed his top and pulled him into her. She spoke gruffly, "No guy, has ever turned me down. And I have the feeling the more you resist the more I will want you. If you want to know, what Claudette and me have in common with each other, we always get everything we want, and I do mean everything. But since you are being nice about it, and not being a jerk, I'll stop and let this slide. Although keep in mind, that after I've sobered up. Ya may not have another chance at this."

Nicole pushed him on his bed and staggered out the room. Lance just shook his head, and lie back on his bed. He looked up at the mirrors on his ceiling. It hadn't been a minute after he lied back, that Lance heard a loud thud in the hallway, followed by the sound of a rolling glass bottle. Lance rushed out his door to see what happened. He looked down the hall to see Nicole lying on the carpeted floor, halfway between the bathroom and her room, with another bottle in hand. Lance hurried over to her to see if she was hurt. He leaned over her, and listened as she snored sound asleep. He shook his once again at her, removed the bottle from her hand, picked her up and carried her back into his room. He took her over to his bed, placed her down, on his bed and wrapped her up. He just stood over her for a while. She looked so peaceful sleeping. She had a smile plastered across her face as she snuggled in Lance's bed like a baby. He thought she was completely adorable, despite the fact that she drunkenly hit on him; Lance could now say that he was smitten with her. He was growing tired as well, so grabbed the extra sheet off his bed, went downstairs, and slept on the couch.

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Meanwhile, at the X Mansion, Scott sat in his room staring at the wall. Thinking about how Nicole's secret, completely blew his socks off. How could she do this to me? I should have listened to Jean to begin with. I can't believe she was right again. God I hate it when she does that. At that time, Rogue walked past Scott's room, and noticed that he wasn't looking very happy. So she thought she'd stop and see what was the matter. Rogue lightly wrapped on his open door, "Knock, Knock." She said stepping into the room. "Is it ok if ah come in?"

Scott looked up and muttered, "Yeah, sure come in?"

She pulled out the chair from under his desk and sat in front of him. "That date didn't go too good, huh?" She stated.

"No, No. It was great. We had an amazing time." He replied. "But the post-date show was what didn't go over so well."

"Wha' happened, sugah?"
"I forgot you weren't in that room with me an hour ago."
"Oh, so ya found out who Monet really was huh?"
"Yeah. I blasted her clear across the building and she split into two. And there was Nicole, lying there in Monet's battle gear."
"Ah'm sorry ya had ta find out like that, Scott."
"It's ok. Wait a minute…you knew about this? And didn't tell me? Rogue how could you do that? You know how I feel about things like that."
"Oh Scott, Come on. Ya know ya like her. Ah just wanted ta make things work between ya two. Ya guys are like made for each other. Ya two have so much in common. And ya love talkin' ta her, and bein' around her. Besides, the rest of us were kinda gettin' sick of watchin' ya pine over Jean all tha' time."
"I know that. But she's in the brotherhood. I didn't even know she was a mutant. Now, I know she's a bad mutant, and very dangerous. I can't be with somebody like that."

"Scott, listen to what u're sayin. Ya sound really stupid. Ya've known her longer than ah have, and ya know damn well that she's not a bad mutant or a bad person. Yeah, she can be a lil' stuck up at times, but she's a really sweet girl. U're givin' up on a really good thing here. Ya've got to get past that, she's only doin' a job. Ah mean, Scott, has she once came ova' here and been up ta no good? No. Ya've got to really stop thinkin' like that. Ya've done this ta me and Remy, ya've done it ta Damia and John, and now u're doin' it to yaself. Does it make much sense ta ya?"

Scott just sat in silence, letting Rogue's word sink in.

"Scott, Nicole really likes ya, sugah, and ya like her too. Give her a chance? If not for her, then do it for us." Rogue got and left the room, leaving Scott to really think. As soon as Rogue stepped out of his room, she saw Damia standing by his door, with a smile across her face. She just looked at Rogue, Rogue looked back at her, and Damia said softly and simply, "Eucharisteo Artemis. (Thank Artemis.) A job well done, Rogue." "Thanks." Rogue replied as they walked down the hallway together. Damia smiled, "I couldn't have said it better myself."

About an hour later, Scott had really thought about what Rogue said. Her words really did the trick. Though, he wasn't still over it, he was going to give it another shot.

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The next morning, at the Brotherhood's boarding house, Nicole awoke to a the sun beaming in her face and feeling somewhat refreshed. Though she knew as soon as she had breakfast she'd feel the true aftermath of her one-girl drinking party. She looked at the clock; it read 1:45, Ugh. Make that lunch. And she was completely lost as to why she was waking up in Lance's room. Oh My God! Did Lance have his way with me after I passed out?! She then looked around the room and Lance was nowhere in sight. She was relieved, so she got out of bed, and went to her room. As she entered the vacant room, she looked on her bed and noticed a letter with her name on it. She opened it up, and skimmed through it; it was a letter of apology from Claudette. Then she noticed that her cell phone, was lighting up. She flipped it open, and it read 'YOU HAVE 2 NEW VOICE MAIL MESSAGES.'

She listened to the first one, Lance spoke. "Hey Nic, It's Lance. Um… We went out for lunch. So we'll bring you something back. And before I go, I wanted to tell you that nothing happened last night. You passed out in the hallway and I put you in my bed and I slept on the couch. So you can't say I took advantage of you. Well, see ya later. Bye. …And by the way, I do intend on getting another shot at you."

Nicole just laughed at his statement, remembering what she had said to him the night before. Then she listened to the second, "Hey Nicole, it's Scott. Listen I really think we should talk. Call me back whenever you get this. I really think that we should give this another shot…"

Nicole fell backward on the bed squealing and kicking her legs up in the air.