Awww, you guys!!! You made me feel better!! Love and pink champagne to you all. *Fizzes up the bottle and aims into the middle of the room*

Hailey - No, breathe, BREATHE!!! *shouts Pietro over* Give her mouth to mouth! *winks at you*. Thanks for the crowd control.

Dark Whispers, Eliza and Heather - Thank you x 100,000,000. I really don't know what else to say. You're all too nice to me!!! *kisses*

your worshipfulness - Aha, some fun with Lance/Rogue coming up, courtesy of Pietro's meddling. Hope you like it!!! Must admit, I had some fun writing it.

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Lance looked around the corner, took a deep breath and tried again. He walked to the girl's room and raised his hand to knock, but panicked and almost ran back around the corner.

He couldn't believe it when Pietro had told him that Rogue wanted him to take her to the dance. Part of him suspected that the younger boy was lying, but he had decided to take the chance anyway. He had tried to knock three times, each time retreating to a joining corridor and trying to calm himself down.

'It's not a date. Why would I even think that it is? Pietro was probably lying and anyway, it's not like a date or anything. Just a friend asking another friend to hang out a social event, not a date.' His mind was rambling, and the sensible part of his brain noticed how often he was using the word 'date'.

'She probably just wants to feel safer. She doesn't cope well in crowds.' He reasoned, finally getting enough courage to go and knock on the door.

Kitty was just putting the finishing touches to her make up when he knocked on the door. She looked at it in the mirror and watched Rogue stagger out of the bathroom, trying to fasten her sandal and get to the door at the same time.

"Just a second!" The older girl yelled. She buckled the strap and straightened her dress. Shooting Kitty a dirty 'Why the hell couldn't you answer it?' look, she opened it.

Lance stood in the door way, looking slightly lost.

"Lance. What are ya doin' here?" Rogue asked, noticing his suit and the fact that he kept fiddling with the cuffs.

"Um, Pietro said that you wanted me to go to the party with you." He managed to say. He saw Rogue raise an eyebrow and nearly ran again.

Rogue was slightly shocked, and making a mental note to kill Pietro, she lied quickly, "Oh, he got it a little wrong. Ah asked if ya wanted tah come with me an' Kitty. Like a group thing, ya know?"

Lance looked visibly relieved. Rogue stepped back and he went in.

"You look great." He said. Rogue smiled at him and started to pull on a pair of long emerald green gloves that matched her dress. Her hair was up in a French twist with her white bangs hanging down.

"Thanks, ya don't look so bad yaself. Ah didn't know ya owned a suit." She said, trying to check her reflection around Kitty.

"There are a lot of things about me that you don't know." Said Lance. Rogue looked at him, and for an intense few seconds they held each others gaze.

Kitty broke it, unknowingly. She stood up and span round in front of the mirror. The dress was as wonderful as she remembered. And with her hair twisted up like Rogue's, light, but elegant make up and high heeled sandals, she felt like Audrey Hepburn.

Lance noticed her and was awestruck, "Wow! Kit, you look gorgeous."

Kitty smiled and curtseyed, "Thank you. I guess I'd better say thanks to Pietro after all." She realised who she was talking to, "Lance, what are you doing here?"

"I thought you and Rogue wanted me to go to the dance with you." He said, he knew that Pietro had lied.

Kitty caught Rogue's glare and head shaking, as she stood behind Lance, the younger girl corrected herself, "I mean, What are you doing here this early? We've only just finished getting ready."

Lance felt the tension leave him. He was relieved that he hadn't made an ass of himself.

"So, shall we go?" He asked, standing up. The three teens left and made their way down to the ball room. It was already half full. They grabbed a glass of champagne each from a waiter and stood looking around.

Several people had started to look at Kitty and feeling self conscious, she looked at Lance and Rogue, "Are you sure I look OK? People are staring at me."

Lance answered before thinking, "You look beautiful, and older too. They're probably either jealous or trying to get the guts to talk to you." He realised what he had said, and thought, 'Shit.'

Rogue's hand tightened around her glass, but she managed to smile at Kitty and add, "He's right, don't worry."

Kitty straightened her shoulders and, out of nerves, drained her glass. She looked around for a place to put it, when someone took it from her and said, "Allow me."

She looked up to see group of guys hovering nearby. One of them handed her another glass. She looked back at Rogue and Lance, smiled and went to stand in the middle of her admirers.

Rogue stood stiffly. She had tensed up when she heard Lance praise Kitty for the second time that night. It really irritated her, but she couldn't figure out why.

Lance nodded towards Kitty, "She's having fun."

"Ah'm surprised ya aren't right in the middle with her." Snapped Rogue. 'Where the hell did that come from?' She thought. She caught the look of confusion on Lance's face and added in a gentler tone, "Ah mean, didn't ya have a thing for her?"

"Once," He replied, "But, she's really immature at times."

Rogue felt nothing, but relief. She nodded, "She can be a bit much, but she's got a good heart. An' ah thought ya would be used tah immature. Ya live with Pietro."

Glad that Rogue didn't seem angry anymore, Lance started to say, "Touché! Wait until you see his highness. He's managed to get a ."

"What's goin' on over there?" Cut in Rogue, watching a crowd of women by the door, who were murmuring excitedly.

Pietro strode through them and Rogue's jaw dropped. It seemed he had got hold of one of the official crew uniforms. Hanging onto his arm was the ever simpering Melissa.

"Bloody hell!" Rogue said, in a low voice. She had never known what all of the girls at school saw in him, she knew him to be sarcastic, rude and a womaniser. But he looked incredible in the pristine white suit.

"What?" Asked Lance, defensively. When he saw her reaction, he wanted to punch Pietro, "It's just a uniform."

Rogue snapped herself out of it. She looked back and saw the same silver haired Casanova she always had, surrounded by women and lapping the attention up. The uniform was an illusion.

"Just took me by surprise. He's still Pietro. Still annoying, rude, nasty." She said, looking apologetically at Lance.

"Not to mention pig headed, vain, a clothes hog and completely in love with himself." Added Lance quickly.

They grinned at each other. Rogue looked away, blushing. She hated the feeling of her cheeks burning. She downed her drink and said, "Oh, I need another. I'll go and find the waiter." Glad for something to do, she dashed across the room and returned with two full glasses. She handed one to Lance and drank half of the contents of hers.

"Be careful! I remember the last time you got drunk." Said Lance, teasingly. Rogue coloured up again and put her glass down. She was desperate to get the attention off of her.

"So, what's up with Kitty an' Pietro?" She asked, laughing nervously.

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

Pietro was bored.

Sure, he was surrounded by women, but it was only because of the uniform. He recognised the red head, from the first day, amongst the crowd of adoring faces. It seemed the 'womanising playboy' comment could be overlooked after all.

He had paid one of the crew member's to lend him the suit. The guy was staying in his cabin all night anyway. Something to do with one of the waitresses.

He looked around, and finally saw Kitty. He thanked whatever it was that had made him the dress in the first place. She looked mature and sophisticated, unlike Melissa who was wearing a low cut red dress, with a slit up the leg to her thigh. He thought she looked like a cross dressing hooker.

Desperate for something to do, he dragged Melissa onto the dance floor. Being a formal affair, all the music was slow and boringly adult. He gritted his teeth as Melissa droned on about how many other women were staring at them, and that she alone had him to herself.

He noticed that Kitty had begun to dance with some chinless wonder, he deliberately turned Melissa so she would see them and started to count in his head.

He reached seven before she squealed, "Oh, look, Pietro. There's that girl you saved."

He turned and pretended to be surprised, "Oh yeah. I ought to go over and see how she's doing."

"You are such a gentleman." She simpered. Pietro turned and rolled his eyes.

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

Kitty was bored.

She had been having fun at the beginning. The attention, the drinks and the way they kept complimenting her were great. She started dancing with a guy named Alexander ("Not Alex, so terribly common, don't you think?"). He was nice enough to look at, but all he talked about was the family estate and how he was in his second year at Harvard Law.

She smiled at the right times and nodded. She even managed to make some kind of neutral reply, when he started pestering her about coming to stay with him next summer.

She was waiting for the song to end, so she could go and hide in the bathrooms.

'If I have to put up with him for another minute, I'll scream.' She thought, as he trod on her foot for the fifth time. She gritted her teeth and tried to smile at the same time.

Someone tapped Alexander on the shoulder. They turned to see Pietro and Melissa. Kitty's eyes widened when she saw what he was wearing.

"Mind if I cut in?" Pietro asked. Alexander was about to protest, but them caught sight of Melissa.

"Not at all." He murmured, walking to the giggling blonde, who had already clocked the fraternity ring and designer suit.

Kitty shook her head in disgust and began dancing with Pietro. She avoided looking at him. The uniform was distracting her and she couldn't think straight from the champagne anyway.

He bent his head down to her ear and said, "You look great."

Kitty pulled back sharply and replied, "It's a popular opinion tonight. You look nice too. Mug a crew member?"

"It seemed that the owner would rather spend the night with one of the waitresses, so he didn't need it. I like to make an impression." He said smugly.

"And what would that impression be? Bachelorette party stripper?" She couldn't resist asking.

"You want me to strip? Dream on, Pryde." He grinned.

Kitty scowled, "Nightmares, more like. Why would I want you to strip?" Pietro opened his mouth to answer, but she stopped him, "Answer that and sharks will be picking you out from their teeth."

Pietro remained quiet, but Kitty found that it was worse than his usual motor-mouth self. He kept gripping her tighter, pulling her closer to him. She looked around trying to find a source for conversation.

Salvation came in the form of Rogue and Lance, who had started dancing, somewhat awkwardly.

"So, do you think those two are ever going to just admit it?" She asked.

Pietro loosened his grip and looked at the older pair, "Probably not. Lance is completely retarded when it comes to the opposite sex and Rogue, well, she's as approachable my father."

Kitty felt it her duty to defend her friend, "Hey! She's just had it rough. They just need some help."

Pietro felt an idea forming. 'Maximoff, you are a genius!' he thought. Smiling at Kitty, he said, "How about we do it?"

Kitty looked scandalised, "I beg your pardon?" She asked hotly.

Pietro looked droll, "Mind out of the gutter, Missy. I meant, how about we get them together."

Kitty blushed at her mistake, and glanced at her best friend. Despite what Rogue knew, or thought she knew, Kitty could tell she was crazy about Lance.

"And how do you propose we do that?" She asked.

Pietro grinned and said, "C'mon. I'll show you." He took Kitty's hand and pulled her from the room.

Lance and Rogue watched them leave.

"It's about time!" He said.

Rogue laughed, "Amen!"

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Pietro locked the cabin door and yelled, "Try it now."

Kitty, inside the boy's room, twisted the door handle. It didn't budge. She phased her head through the door, "There's no way they're getting out. It wont move."

Pietro unlocked it and pushed the door open. Kitty phased through it fully and crossed her arms worriedly, "Are you sure this is a good idea? What if there's a fire?" She asked, biting her lip.

"Well, I have super speed and you can phase through solid objects, I think they'll get out in time. Stop worrying, Pryde." Pietro replied.

Kitty looked at the door handle. Pietro had removed the little catch that allowed someone to lock or unlock the door from the inside. The lock still worked, but could only be operated by the key from the outside.

Pietro's plan was to trap Lance and Rogue in there and leave them.

"Let's go. Remember the plan." He said, heading back to the ball room. Kitty sighed. She hated what she was about to do, but it was for the greater good. They stopped outside the door to the room and looked at each other.

"Ready?" Pietro asked.

Kitty nodded, "Remember, count to ten like a normal person. Not as Quicksilver OK?"

Kitty pushed the doors open and spotted Lance and Rogue immediately, she dashed up to them, "Oh, thank god! Help!" She cried.

Rogue looked at her in surprise, "Kitty, what's wrong? Are ya OK?" She asked.

The younger girl managed to say, "Pietro's started .." Before, right on cue, Pietro appeared behind her and said, "Babe! There you are!"

"With his stupid act again!" Finished Kitty, doing her best desperate impression, as Pietro wrapped his arms around her waist.

"It's not an act. I love you." He said.

Rogue and Lance exchanged a look. Lance was about to say something, but Kitty said, "Pietro, will you get me a drink?"

"Of course, my love. Anything for you." he replied. Turning to leave he elbowed her in the back.

Kitty gritted her teeth, which only served to back up their act. She looked at the older two, "You've got to help. He was fine, we were going to watch a film and, all of a sudden, he starts up again. And he was very persistent. The only way I can make him stop is if you two come back with us."

She looked at Rogue, "Please?"

Rogue looked at Lance, who looked confused. Pietro returned and hugged Kitty again. The older girl sighed, and said, "OK. But you owe me."

Kitty shoved Pietro away, "Oh, thank you. Come on." Rogue and Lance led the way out of the room. Pietro put his arm around Kitty's waist and they followed.

Kitty tried to ignore the fluttering in her stomach, 'I'm just nervous, in case they see through us.' She thought. Fairly convinced that that was her problem, she felt slightly relieved.

It was short lived however, as her heart almost leap into her throat when Pietro bent and whispered, "Do you think this is going to work."

"I don't know. If not, then be grateful we can make fast exits.." She replied in a hushed tone.

Arriving at the cabin, Lance unlocked the door and he and Rogue went in. Pietro yanked the door shut and locked it.

"And we're not opening the door, until you sort this out!" He yelled, pocketing the key. Grabbing Kitty's hand, they were outside her cabin within seconds.

"So what do we do now?" Asked the brunette, unlocking the door.

"We wait." Smiled Pietro.

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Hoped you like this. Wonder where Pietro's gonna stay?!!!