AN:/ As promised here is the next chapter, sorry for the delay but we had our Uni summer ball on wed and didn't get to bed until most normal people get up on Thurs.
Chapter 4 – the final horseman
A couple of days had passed since Betsy had left for England and Lance was fed up, Pietro had been moping around and complaining non-stop and it was starting to get annoying. What didn't help was that Kitty wasn't around to distract him, as Jean and Amara had dragged her off to the mall and that didn't help his mood. Eventually it got too much.
"Pietro, will you shut up. I understand that your girlfriend isn't here right now, we all realise that, but you're getting annoying."
"But Lance, she wouldn't let me go with her. Now I haven't got anyway to relieve the boredom, and I miss her, and why hasn't she phoned and…"
"Pietro," Lance interrupted, "she said she'd call when things were more settled, she has her reasons for this, remember."
"I know, but it's been 2 days, she should have called. 2 days is a long time, what if something's happened to her and I don't know, what if…"
Lance's temper continued to rise throughout this, and a mild tremor started, "Pietro, if you don't shut up or leave my sight I will not be responsible for my actions."
"OK then. Where's Pretty Kitty shouldn't she be here with you, making me annoyed with her stupid likes and totally and… Ack," came the response, before Lance leapt at Pietro, the Speed Demon so distracted that he didn't realise what was about to happen until it was too late. Quickly freeing himself Pietro said, "OK, OK maybe I shouldn't have said that but, Lance get off me, I'll tell my father you were beating me up again, you know he doesn't like that."
"At the moment I don't particularly care, you're annoying me."
"But Lance we're pals, best friends. Do you really want to hurt this gorgeous face?"
"Yes," came the answer as Lance pounced again and the two boys started to fight.
So intent on fighting each other, the two combatants didn't realise that they were no longer alone in their room.
"Like, what the hell is going on here? You can feel the ground shaking outside"
"Your boyfriend is trying to beat me to a bloody pulp, that's what Kitty Kat."
"I am not, he was being annoying. He made some comments and…"
"Stop it. You're agreeing that you started it."
"Yeah, but…"
"Lance you're his best friend, his girlfriend is in another country and he's worried about her, try and be supportive."
"Why are you taking his side? I'm your boyfriend, and I thought you were going to the mall."
"I was, but I forgot my purse and came back for it. I'm not taking anyone's side Lance, but…"
"But you're sticking up for him, it's annoying and I don't like it."
"Oh, you don't like it. I'm sorry, I didn't realise I had to do everything you said. I thought I had a right to free speech, or am I living in the Stone Age."
"That's not what I meant."
"No, you never mean it do you. You've always gotta be right, and you don't care about anyone but yourself. If you can't spare a bit of attention and learn to compromise, maybe we should take a break, see if our relationship will actually work."
"Kitty, I love you. I don't mean to be like that. I promise to try."
"You say that every time Lance. Maybe you believe it, but I've yet to see you try. I'm starting to think we really should split up for a while."
"But…"
"No, Lance. We need to take a break, maybe you should leave. I have to go, Jean and Amara are waiting for me."
"But…"
"Sorry Lance," came the reply as Kitty walked out, no one noticing her eyes flash yellow as she did so.
Back in the room both Lance and Pietro was stunned at what had just happened, neither boy speaking for a couple of minutes, until;
"Did Kitty just break up with me?" asked Lance
"I think so, I'm sorry. Man I didn't see that coming."
"Me neither, if you'll excuse me I think I need to get away for a bit, calm down, take this all in and stuff."
"Sure. I think Xavier has a place you can go when you wanna get away. Just go there, he won't mind."
"I think I'll do that. See ya Pie."
With that Lance went to see the Professor and after obtaining his permission to use the cabin retreat, went up to his room throwing a few things into a bag and left the Institute.
Xavier's Retreat, Pennsylvania (AN:/I'm from England so I'm not sure on US geography or how long it takes to get places)
Lance finally arrived at his destination a couple of hours later, having had a couple of near misses whilst driving there. This was largely due to the fact that rather than concentrating on the road he had been mentally reviewing his relationship with Kitty to see where it had gone wrong. Walking towards the door, he noted that it was already unlocked and that it was slightly ajar.
"That's odd," he thought, now moving cautiously, "I could've sworn the Professor said no-one was staying up here at the moment, that I'd have the place to myself. What's going on here?"
Entering the cabin, Lance quietly headed towards the front room, placing his bag in the hallway. When he entered the room, he was surprised to find Tabitha sitting on the couch, feet propped up on the coffee table and apparently fast asleep. Silently berating himself for his suspicions, he moved towards her tapping her on the shoulder, "Tabby, wake up."
"Hmmmm, Lance?" came the sleepy reply, "what are you doing here?"
"I could ask you the same question. I thought you were at the Institute, and the Prof said this place was empty at the mo, and how did you get up here, I didn't see another vehicle?"
"Me, I had to get away so I hitched a ride up here. Needed some piece and quiet to get my head together, sort out some shit and stuff. You?"
"Argument with Kitty, we kinda broke up, I think, I'm not sure it was a very confusing conversation."
Whilst Lance and Tabby were talking, neither of them noticed the figure that was concealed in the shadows, waiting for the opportune moment to strike their target.
"I can't believe Kitty would do that to you, I mean you can be an ass at times, but you're nowhere near as annoying as Pietro can get, it's one of the traits that makes girls like you. Despite being a bad guy you always had some good in you, you had morals," replied Tabby, who noticing that Lance currently had his eyes shut and was looking up at the ceiling made a motion to the figure standing behind Lance.
The figure then stepped out of the shadows, walking towards Lance, tapping him on the shoulder and startling him.
"What the…? Betts what are you doing here? You're supposed to be in England looking for your brother, man Pietro's worried about you, why didn't you call…?"
"Shut up!" came the harsh reply, "we have a job for you."
"What's wrong Betts, you don't sound like yourself. Are you sure you're all right."
"I am fine, but that is not the matter in hand. We have a proposition for you."
"We? Tabby, do you know what she's talking about?"
"Yes, our Lord wishes to see you, he has a request of you Avalanche. We require your services."
"Who does? Why the hell are you two acting so weird, snap out of it." By now Lance was stating to get slightly freaked out by the girl's behaviour.
"I have informed you, our Lord Apocalypse wishes to…"
"APOCALYPSE! No way am I doing anything for him, he's evil. Why are you two working for him?"
"We serve our Lord for the good of all mutants. If you do not come with us willingly, we will be forced to use other means of persuasion, and we would hate to do you any damage for it would anger Apocalypse."
"I'm not going with you, what have you done with Betsy and Tabby" Lance shouted, trying to figure out a way to escape past the two mutants that looked like his friends.
"I am Tabitha, just as that is Elizabeth. We have seen the errors of our way and joined with Apocalypse."
"No," he whispered, "that's not true, for all their faults they'd never go willingly, you're under some sort of mind control.
"I am a telepath Avalanche, do you know how difficult it is to put a telepath under mind control."
"But Apocalypse has done it before, he did it to the Professor, don't you remember?"
"I grow tired of this, you will obviously not come willingly, Psylocke do it," said Tabby.
At that order Psylocke moved behind Lance, and put her psychic knife through his head knocking him out.
"Excellent work, now to get him to Apocalypse," came another voice from the shadows, this time male, "now we are four and can begin his work."
AN2:/ OK, there it is the next chapter. Sorry for the delay. I'll post the next chapter as soon as possible.