Unlikely

Chapter Thirteen: Horror Flicks and Scary Chicks

At this moment, Pietro could readily say he hated Lance.

Why had he agreed to go to the stupid horror movie? He hated horror movies. They were either corny, or completely fake. Then he remembered why.

"You've gotta come," Lance had complained, "Kitty's bringing that Mia chick. C'mon man, I'll buy."

So what? Pietro reasoned practically now, as he and Lance stood in the lobby at the movie theatre, waiting for the girls. He didn't like Mia or Kitty, and even if the movie was bad, Lance was paying. A free movie didn't come along that often, and he had actually gotten Lance to pay for something. How much that must be burning Lance! – Pietro thought now with a small smirk.

Then he saw her coming through the doors and his small smirk faded.

Rogue! Why had Pride brought Rogue of all people? Jean Gray would have been worse… but Rogue? And where was- whoa. Since when did he care if Mia came anywhere? Hadn't he been avoiding her these past two weeks anyway?

Despite all his confused thoughts, Pietro scowled as the two girls walked over. Rogue also scowled, obviously not happy about the company.

"You didn't tell me they would be here," she grumbled as they stopped just in front of he and Lance.

Kitty put on a bemused expression. "Like, what are you talking about, Rogue? It's not like I knew they were gonna be here either." Rogue glared at her, but as her eyes turned away, Kitty sent an apologetic look at Lance, who glowered at her momentarily, before shrugging it off indifferently. "So, what movie are you guys seeing?" She continued the act.

Lance shrugged again. "Night of the Zombies," he mumbled then sighed – his way of agreeing to play along.

Kitty must have understood the message because she beamed. "Really? Us, too!"

"Great. Then how 'bout I save you guys some money and pay for the four of us?" Lance said, obviously straining to keep his tone light.

"Um," Kitty hesitated. "How about the five of us?"

Pietro glowered at her. This was just great. Had she brought Jean along after all? Or had she gone totally insane and brought Scott? Or maybe she had just miscounted and both had come along! How wonderful – Anyone for some fried speed demon? – Pietro thought sourly.

But just then he saw whom she meant, and he gritted his teeth in frustration.

It wasn't fair. No matter where he went, he just couldn't escape her! What? Had she come to Bayville just to annoy the hell out of him? Appeared out of nowhere just to piss him off? Pietro would bet all his money – all five dollars and fifty-eight cents – that she was a stalker… a stalker from Hell! He would also bet that she had lied about her powers, that she really had implanted her image in his memory – copied and pasted it there.

Mia strolled up to them calmly, glancing at he and Lance, and then looking about her unconcernedly. She had changed into tight light blue jeans – obviously borrowed from someone at the Xavier Institute – and a loose gray long-sleeve shirt, with dark blue gloves.

What was with that, Pietro wanted to know. Not even a frown or glare at him?

"Mimi!"

That got everyone's attention, especially when the twelve-year-old nearly tackled Mia with a fond embrace around her slim middle. Mia took a second to recover, and then smiled affectionately down at the girl as she returned the hug warmly.

"Maggie, there you are! Where's Amara?" Asked Mia softly.

"In the bathrooms. The movie was great!"

"Really, hun? Which was your favorite part?"

"The end," Maggie giggled. Mia snickered gently also.

"I'm glad you enjoyed yourself."

"Oh, hey Mia, Kitty, Rogue." Said a girl Pietro easily recognized as Amara as she also walked up. "What're you guys," she glimpsed Pietro and Lance, "doing here?"

"Hey, Amara," greeted Kitty happily. "We were just going to see Night of the Zombies."

"I want to come," interrupted Maggie, looking into Mia's identical pale violet eyes with a beseeching expression in her own. Mia smiled warmly at her but shook her head as she brushed aside a strand of the child's chestnut-brown hair.

"Sorry, sweets. PG13, and you're only twelve. Besides, you've already seen one movie tonight. But we'll rent it for your birthday and watch it together. Deal?" Maggie looked downhearted, but nodded. "Oh," Mia seemed to comprehend something and looked over at the boys. "Maggie, this is Lance and Pietro – Kitty's friends. Lance, Pietro, meet my younger sister, Maggie."

The two boys exchanged glances, then looked to Maggie and nodded stiffly in greeting.

Maggie smiled happily at them. "Hi," she greeted enthusiastically.

Again the two boys exchanged glances and Pietro smirked, but catching the warning flashing through Mia's eyes, he said nothing. Amara touched Maggie's shoulder gently.

"Well, we should go, Maggie. Logan doesn't like waiting in the car too long, especially when it's raining. See you guys at home," she added to the three girls, who nodded and smiled – or smirked in Rogue's case – back in answer.

Maggie hugged her sister once more, and then left with Amara.

"Well?" Rogue snapped at Lance when the two had gone. "Are ya gonna pay or not?"

With a bit of a frightened expression, Lance nodded and turned and went to pay, with Pietro following quickly in his wake while the three girls followed idly behind.

Author's note: Eh… this could have been better. But I still have a head-cold, so I'm in a grumpy mood. Speaking of grumpy, I just watched Snow White… hm, that came out of nowhere.

Preview of Chapter Fourteen: Swift Wisdom

Pietro just shrugged. "You could have given a guy some warning – or at least kicked me somewhere else." She looked back ahead of them and didn't answer. They reached the lobby and Pietro looked back to her. "Just popcorn?"

"Two popcorns and two cokes," she murmured, walking towards the counter.

In a rush of wind Pietro disappeared then reappeared and grabbed Mia's gloved left hand and kept running, this time back towards where they had come from. He stopped abruptly in the corridor, released her hand, and handed Mia two bags of popcorn and two soft drinks, keeping one bag and one soft drink for himself. She observed this then looked to him in mild surprise.

Disclaimer: I don't own X-Men: Evolution. I only own my original characters and this plot.