Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters of this cartoon. The content of this story is not meant to offend anyone and is written purely for your enjoyment! So please enjoy it!

In the dimly lit room of his office the aging and tired form of Charles Xavier sighed and put his fingertips to his temples as he tried to sort out the newly digested information he had received from one of his newer additions to the Institute for Gifted Youngsters.
At his side, leaning gently back against the slick oak desk, Ororo Munroe made her first comment on the matter.
"The question is," she began softly "Can we trust her?" As she said this she looked pointedly at the white haired youth that had brought the break in to their attention. And also the relatively casual update that they were missing an instructor.
Pietro, who was lazily draped over the chair directly affront of Xavier, crossed his arms. With a somewhat amused snort he responded.
"Hell no!" he told them honestly, "Well...I mean we could, but we might have it bite us in the ass later."
"Language Pietro, please." Ororo told him with a sigh, obviously worried about their missing party. And sparing a glance at the silent presence of Jean Grey, she figured she wasn't the only one.
"Then why did you let her go...exactly?" asked Ororo straightening up with a small wave of her hand. Pietro stood up as if rising to a challenge. Which, in his eyes, he may have been.
Reaching into his bag he pulled out a small black address book. He waved it in the air so that they could see it clearly.
"This," he indicated to the book, "is what Mystique gave me to find Magneto. And though we may not be able to rely on her as an ally, I bet that her hatred for Magneto for whatever reason," here he waved his arm back, "For whatever cruel act he performed on Blue Boy,"
"Kurt." Jean and Ororo monotonously broke in at the same time before sharing a small smile at Pietro's hand waving their comment away.
"Whatever." He stated distractedly before continuing to the Professor, "I bet that whatever it was made her hate him enough to where she'd like to see him get his ass kicked....to see him get foiled. Just for once." He leaned on the Professor's desk and held up one finger and Ororo thought that he might consider taking up law.
"So I know that, in the time that she worked for him, she would've taken the opportunity to keep track of information that she could very well use against him. And who better to give that information to than you...his little arch nemesis or whatever it is you are." He told him finishing with a smirk. Obviously feeling that he had proved that Mystique didn't waste her time with the book.
"You didn't exactly answer my question Pietro." Ororo stated tiredly once again having never been to found of Mystique and wanted to know why Pietro, who she knew to have been treated less than civilly by the person in question, would let her walk away.
He shrugged his shoulders at her before saying, "She did me an obvious favor. And it was dangerous, but she did it. Plus, with me having had the upper hand it would've been easy to force her to stay but," here he paused and looked at Ororo instead of the ground, "There's a saying that says, 'If you truly love someone let them go...and if they come back the you know there yours forever."
He ignored the look he got from Jean that plainly said, 'What the hell does that have to do with anything?' and moved to explain.
"What I'm saying," he started now fully facing Ororo and no longer the Professor, "is that we can let her go and if she comes back with information again, we'll know she's got to be for real. Mystique strikes me as a 'to the point' person and fucking with people probably isn't that much fun for her."
Ororo nodded having approved of his analogy and didn't feel like commenting on his 'vulgar' language. "So what should we do with this information?" she wondered out loud, leaving the floor open to ideas. Once again, it was Pietro who spoke.
"Well this circle," he jabbed his index finger at a circled address in the book that lay flat and opened on Xavier's desk, "is where Magneto is supposed to be. And you said that you checked some of the other places before once and found them emptied or trashed, right?" he asked the Professor who nodded, actually looking intrigued with Pietro's rant thus far.
"This means that Magneto probably used them before. I think we should check every where but the circled area." He told them sounding quite confident. Yet at this point the remaining three looked at him as if he were incompetent. He had a feeling another explanation was in order.
"Well Mystique said that Magneto had more recruits and let me tell you his little 'hide out and plot my evil domination of the human race' spots are no fucking mansions. He couldn't possibly hold them all there." He explained, "Which leaves me to believe that some of the others would have to go to one of his former places."
Xavier nodded, "Yes that may be true but our stalling could give Magneto time to find a new place to flee to wouldn't you think?" he asked the young mutant.
Pietro shook his head quickly causing his already mussed hair to look more wind lashed, "I don't think fleeing is on his to do list any more. Besides you could break us up if you wanted. And who knows, with the low term shit that Magneto's holding these guys with maybe we could do a little recruiting of our own?" he suggested.
Jean spoke for the second time since they had started the discussion. "You seem pretty confident in your little game plans, Pietro." And she couldn't help notice that her tone sounded somewhat bitter.
She didn't know why she felt so irritated with Pietro at the moment. Maybe it was because he had let Mystique go? Or because he had so much confidence in her?
But when she looked at his somewhat startled expression, though he quickly hid it, she knew what it was. Could she be upset because Pietro was maturing as an individual? Was she really selfish enough to wish he still needed her help? Selfish enough to wish he were still in a wheel chair just so she could spend more time with him?
"Well, as you can plainly see Jean this isn't a fucking game anymore." He snapped at her. Though he wished he hadn't the moment he did. Jean looked as if she were really upset about something. And he really didn't want to add to her stress.
Xavier cleared his throat quickly, sensing the tension. "Pietro," he broke into the boy's train of thought, "Could I speak with you privately?" he asked only to get a nod from Pietro, who was still looking at Jean.
"Ladies? If you wouldn't mind," he suggested, nodding to the door. Jean promptly stood and rushed out, Pietro's eyes on her back. Ororo nodded to the Professor and put a gentle hand on Pietro's shoulder before following suit.
When the door clicked shut, Pietro turned to Xavier. The man motioned for him to sit once more before placing his hands on the desk and looking at him seriously.
"You made many good points in your previous argument. But one thing did strike me as odd." He pointed out to the young man.
Pietro shot him a quizzical look from his seat. "What's that?" he asked though when he was pinned by Xavier's stare he knew where he had slipped up. His eyes widened slightly.
"Ohhhhh...." He trailed off feeling incredibly stupid. The Professor pursed his lips in a tight smile and nodded his head.
"Yes..." he began wheeling out from his chair, "I was fairly sure that you, of all, people didn't know what had happened to Kurt as an infant. Rouge only found out because of the memories she absorbed from Kurt." Here he paused to see if Pietro would speak. When he did not, Xavier continued.
"Pietro, did you know that telepaths would be able to pick up each other's thoughts easily if we didn't guard them so well?" he asked. Pietro said nothing,
Xavier sighed. "Pietro, I as well as you know that you and Wanda have telepathic abilities. But lately have you found it easier to talk to maybe....Jean in her mind?" he asked the boy who looked like someone had just knocked down his newly built city. Perpetrated and looking at Xavier in disbelief as if to ask, "What else did I do?"
That look in itself was enough to answer Xavier's question. "What I'm trying to say Pietro," he paused to make sure the easily distracted boy was listening to him, "I believe yours, as well as Wanda's telepathy might be developing into powers more like mine, to the point where you receive....oh let's say flashes of memories? When they are not guarded well enough."
Xavier looked at the silent boy once again and decided to let Pietro tell him on his own...how he found out about Kurt. It was a somewhat personal issue to the boy, as could be expected, and though Xavier trusted Pietro, he wasn't quite sure how deep the trust of Kurt's was to not worry about Pietro telling another person.
Xavier wheeled over to the door and opened the tall oak slowly. He was just about to tell Pietro that he could leave when a voice spoke and tempted him to wait.
"It was Mystique," he said swallowing what could very well have been tears, though to this date Xavier had never seen the boy cry, "Mystique, when she was helping me.....I couldn't help but wander why. But I didn't have to. When I asked her why she gave me the book... I didn't really need to."
Xavier had a feeling he knew what was coming. Once upon a time the knowledge of another's memories had caused him much grief. Jean had never experienced that. And he was fairly sure Wanda hadn't either.
"It was like I was watching a freaking movie or something and all I could hear was Mystique calling my father a monster and a baby crying and she was running from someone. And the look on her face....it broke my fucking heart. And it made me realize that I wasn't the only one he'd betrayed. And that's how....I know we can trust her."
Pietro lifted his dark blue eyes and Xavier found it strange that he felt a feeling of understanding pass between the two of them. Pietro knew what he was doing. And at least now knew why he had seen what he saw.
Pietro stood up. He paused at the door, his hand resting slightly on the wood before turning to look at Xavier again. "And don't worry. I won't tell anyone."
And with that he zipped down the hall, leaving a confused look on Xavier's face. Because the Professor knew that he had not expressed those wishes out loud.

Pietro smiled as he caught sight of Jean in the place he knew she would be. Ororo's greenhouse. He didn't know why they hadn't gone back to school; although they both had a little on their mind.
Before having gone on his little hunt for Jean and her whereabouts he had stopped by a small convenient store. His first destination after he had left Xavier's office. The images of Mystique's were still fresh on his mind.
In his hand he clutched a small balloon with the scribbled words, 'I'm sorry.' on it. Courtesy of the Diamond Shamrock (A gas station if you don't have one where you live.)
And he was sorry. He was sorry that he had snapped at her and sorry that he had been avoiding her when all she had ever done was try to help him.
So sneaking quietly, which was quite the task, into the foggy greenhouse; he kneeled down and avoided being seen by Jean. He found himself tip-toeing right up to the same plant that had once before aided in the bonding of the two teens and the emergence and future control of his then newfound powers.
Smiling he knelt down so that he was covered by the thick leaves of the surrounding plants. Tilting forward somewhat he took the bottom of the balloon and set it into the plant, fixing the card with the note so that she could see it. It was her favorite plant and she would pass by it sooner or later. (I got this idea from Wonder Boys! Which is my favorite book! EVER!)
"Feeling guilty?" asked a familiar, smooth voice from behind him. Jumping slightly he turned to face the girl in question. She glided past him and set the watering can down. "You shouldn't."
She was decked out in a large brown poncho that was splattered with dirt from the plants and she had on a pair of mismatching gardening gloves. Her hair was tossed up in a sloppy bun to keep the hair out of her face.
He couldn't help but speak the truth, "You look so cute!" he gushed causing her cheeks to tinge pink as she reached past him and got the card.
He watched her emerald eyes scan the paper and a smile break out onto her face. She raised her eyes to meet his. "Pietro," she began with a snicker, "That's so sweet."
Pietro smiled at her and was about to initiate a conversation about how he had been missing her making his life miserable, though only to break the tension, when the door to the green house swung open and Cyclops bust in. Not Scott but, decked out and ready to kick some ass Cyclops.
"Sorry," he said breathlessly though looking anything but sorry, and was more than likely happy he interrupted Pietro just talking to Jean when the speedster in question had ran in on one of Rouge and Scott's dates, just so he could jump out the window to get away from Lance who was chasing him, and being chased. This of course had lead to disaster. So Cyclops didn't look too sorry.
"What's going on?" Jean asked taking off her gloves and poncho. There was agitation in her voice and Pietro wondered if she had contemplated what he had.
"Yeah," he said, "And why the Hell aren't you in school?" he asked the suited up mutant. By this point they were already locking up the greenhouse and Pietro and Jean still didn't know what was going on.
"The Professor pulled us all out. Brotherhood too." Scott answered handing Pietro the key to the plant sanctuary which he promptly gave to Jean. "It's seems about 20 minutes ago someone left a tip about where Logan is."
"Well yeah-" Pietro stated figuring that Xavier had already told them about his and Mystiques' encounter. Scott shook his head.
"Not your tip Pietro." He told them. By now they were inside the mansion and headed towards the 'basement.'
"You guys need to get suited up and get to the hangar." He told them referring to the X-jet. Pietro zipped in front of him causing both him and Jean to halt.
Holding up a hand he asked, "Just where in God's name are we going anyways?" Scot smiled and shrugged, "Ever been to Alaska?"
"You've got to be shitting me."

Wanda jumped when she saw Pietro in his regular battle uniform, save the silver X he had sewn on the front. It seemed he was proud to be on the team even though he and the Brotherhood were still close.
"Pietro you're actually going to go with them?" she asked in disbelief as he walked into the hangar, where she, the suited up X-men and the Brotherhood were.
"Yeah," he told her bluntly, "You're not?" he countered raising and eyebrow when she shook her head.
"I'm just not ready yet Pietro. To face him if he might be there. To fight some little meaningless fight with him-" but Pietro cut her off.
"It's different this time Wanda and you know it is!" he snapped at her obviously bringing his personal thoughts into the argument, "All these years he's bullshitted about doing one thing or another and I know that he'll do something this time and this might help stop him! Isn't this like your dream? To get an opportunity to fight him?"
Pietro sighed when she said nothing. But the fire in her eyes was still ablaze and he was probably lucky to be back on good terms with her. Had he been anyone else she would have ripped him a new one.
"If she doesn't wanna go you can't make her man. Just back off!" Todd snapped at him and Pietro said nothing. Wanda walked past Pietro.
"Shut the Hell up Todd." She hissed heading for the door. She stopped and hugged Pietro. "Be careful okay." And he nodded.
When Wanda left Pietro turned to Fred and Todd. "I guess you guys aren't coming either?" when they both shook their heads he glared. 'Probably for the best.' He thought bitterly, 'They'd get their asses kicked.'
He smiled, however, when he saw Lance decked out in his fighting gear. "Kitty?" Pietro asked smirking when Lance shrugged.
"One of the few reasons," Lance laughed as they began to board the plane with the older of the X-team, Dr. McCoy and Ororo (or Beast and Storm) included.
Pietro laughed, "Maybe I can convince you to join the other side." He joked to Lance, who snickered and held up his hand.
"Sorry Pietro, don't swing that way." He told him earning a playful punch in the stomach from Pietro.
"You know what I mean!" he laughed at him. (Note: I don't have anything against slash. I mean I even write it and read it. So I'm just joking around!)
Pietro saw Storm and Beast and paused. "Is Xavier not coming?" he asked, still not calling him the Professor like the other's had adapted to doing. Pietro had responded, "Professor of what? Where's his degree?"
Storm shook her head, "We don't want to risk something happening to him. Not after one of our last missions." She told him.
Pietro rolled his eyes. "Riight." He drawled, "Put the children in danger instead." Sitting down next to Jean he looked out her window.
"Speaking of which." He said pointing to the figure running towards them, arms flying and screaming, "Wait! Wait!" Looking closer Pietro saw the face. It was Bobby.
"Hey guys hold up!" Pietro shouted up to Cyclops and Storm whom had taken the controls. "What for him!" he shouted in defense of his friend.
"Why...exactly?" asked Nightcrawler slightly confused. Pietro rolled his eyes as everyone looked at him and Bobby boarded.
He grinned at Pietro and sat behind him, Pietro patting him on the back.
Pietro looked at them, "We're going to Alaska and you aren't taking the kid that controls ice?" he asked as if it were obvious.
Everyone nodded as they took off quickly. "Oh God..." Lance muttered putting a hand to his mouth, "I think I'm going to be sick"
There was a chorus of "Ewwwwww." As Kitty patted his arm in a comforting matter and they set their minds on what to do when they reached their destination.

The ride was smooth for the majority if the trip and Scott had announced that they were indeed above Alaska, but not quite at their destination. That was they started to receive a little bit of turbulence.
Pietro had immediately been glared at when the jet started to shake, though he wasn't quite sure why. And he had stated it wasn't him. And flicked off Spike who was muttering under his breath.
Jean stood and began to make her way to the front. "Jean don't it might like throw you across the room or something." Pietro said tugging at her arm to make her stay. She smiled and kept on going however. And it occurred to Pietro that she might be able to clearly receive his thoughts, like Xavier had once said he had.
Gliding up to the front Jean placed a hand on Storms shoulder. "I thought you could handle the weather if it was a problem." She whispered to her.
The African beauty frowned and gripped the controls. "That's just it." She said, "Whatever this is it isn't weather related." She informed the red headed girl.
"Then who or what's doing it!" Cyclops demanded as there was another huge knock to the side of the jet. And, just as Pietro predicted, Jean went flying towards the back.
In less than zero (a sad movie) seconds Pietro jumped out of his seat and snatched her into his arms. "Told ya." He said to her smiling. She smirked and thanked him.
"Who's doing this?" Kurt yelled up to the front. Pietro glared at him. "Who do you think you idiot!" He demanded, angry that no one had thought that they might get attacked by Magneto, or someone working for him.
Evan glared at Pietro. "Shut up man, I mean all I can think is that some one might be giving information to his daddy."
Pietro looked at him with an icy glare. "Shut the hell up if you know what's good for you." He began to say, which more than likely would have shut everyone up as a lot were slightly fearful of Pietro, especially those that had seen him action. But there was no need for a retort because as soon as the words left Spike's mouth he was ripped out of his seat and pinned against the wall by an invisible force.
Though many looked at Pietro they soon looked at Jean who was glaring at the boy. "Don't ever say that again. Pietro is here to help and don't you forget it!" And with that she let him slump back into his chair.
Pietro shook his head trying not to worry about it, because only a moment later Storm's voice echoed throughout the jet and to its passengers.
"We took a hit to the engine, were losing power!" She shouted her voice steady. Pietro stumbled to the front of the shaking aircraft and held onto Cyclops's seat.
"YOU MEAN WE'RE GOING TO CRASH?" he asked screaming over the scraping of the outside metal. Storm swallowed and nodded.
Pietro looked at her in disbelief before shouting. "SHIT!" he announced before looking back at the passengers, an idea in his head. But who to help him with it?
He had it! "Kitty," He called at Shadowcat who looked up and saw him motioning for her to join him up front.
"WHAT!" she yelled as she got the front.
"I need you to prepare to phase us through anything Kitty." He told her, "I have a feeling I might be able to use the metal to lift the jet up and hopefully land it somewhere safely. But if we get to the ground first I'm going to need you to phase us into the ground, jet and all, so that I can get it back up okay?" he asked and she nodded.
She knelt down grabbing onto his leg for balance and put her hand to the floor, ready for action at his word.
Pietro took a deep and looked out the front window where wind blew at them quietly, not knowing that it could kill them. He forced the jet to move and winced inwardly. It wasn't going to be easy. But it was this or they could crash.
So there he and the others were preparing themselves for what may or may not be, a very fatal landing. Stretching his arms out he breathed again.
"Here it goes."

DigitalAngel4U: I made them go to Alaska! Yay! But only because that's where some 'mystery' person said Wolverine was. Tell me who I should make the secret helper. And I think I'm going to use Omega Red, Emma Frost and a reviewer's OC. Because two people suggested the first two and the third one was really nifty! So if you know where I can get some info on them please tell me! And please review! Thanks to those whose reviewed last time! Let me know what you think!