Note: Hey guys, sorry for not updating this story in such a long time. I kind of hit a hard wall of writers block for it, but I've decided to try my best and shove through it. Forgive me? Still love me? Of course ya do!

Also, the stuff I have Piotr say about his past most likely doesn't go along with the comic books, but, well, I haven't really read the comic books, so I apologize. This is just my imagination, lol.

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After a while, Taryn saw her parents walk out of the building.

"Guess the meeting with Professor Xavier is over." She said. "Mom! Dad! We're over here!" She called out. Mr. and Mrs. Lewis saw them all and smiled. They walked over to the teens. Taryn realized she was still sitting on Piotr and quickly stood up, thinking her parents, although all right with him, wouldn't approve of her sitting on him. "How was the meeting?" She asked.

"It was all right." Mrs. Lewis said.

"Well, that's great. Do you guys want to go get something to eat in the dinning hall?" She asked.

"Sure, that sounds good." Mr. Lewis said. Everyone else stood up and they all made their way to the dinning hall. Rogue and Bobby went to sit off somewhere alone. Piotr was going to go follow them but Mr. Lewis put a hand on his shoulder.

"Why don't you join us?" He asked. Piotr cast a look at Taryn who silently told him to do so.

"Sure." He finally said. They went to get some food and all sat down together.

"So, dad how's the new job in Philadelphia?" Taryn asked. Mr. Lewis took a bite of his food and waited to swallow before answering.

"Well, it's a lot like my old job, you know, answering phones, making sure there's no disasters going on." He said.

"Your sister seems to be enjoying her new school." Mrs. Lewis said, casting a look at Leona.

"That's great, Lee." Taryn smiled.

"It's all right. I mean, I'm still getting the whole 'new girl' treatment." Leona said.

"Something tells me you're not exactly minding the attention." Taryn smirked. Leona and her parents laughed. Taryn looked over at Piotr and saw how quiet he was being. She nudged him slightly. Piotr looked at her. She gave him a look that said 'say something'. Piotr looked at the Lewis family.

"So, uh, Mrs. Lewis…Taryn's told me you're, uh, into gardening." He said, trying to make some sort of conversation. Mrs. Lewis looked at him.

"Why yes, I am."

"I've always….uh…..admired the uhm…..dedication it is needed to plant a uh……fruitful garden." Piotr said. "And, uh…"

"Piotr, dear," Mrs. Lewis said, trying her best to hold back a chuckle.

"Yes, ma'am?" Piotr asked.

"You don't need to suck up." She said. Leona, Mr. Lewis and Taryn chuckled. Piotr looked down.

"Uh, noted." He said, feeling a little embarrassed. Taryn reached over and took his hand in hers. He looked at her. She gave him a soft encouraging smile.

"So, Tar, any cute single guys in this place?" Leona asked with a smirk, causing everyone at the table to stare at her. "What?" She asked innocently.

"My dear, dear sister with her one track mind. Oh how I've missed her." Taryn laughed.

"What?" She looked at her parents and sister. "Tar gets to date a guy who can become like some sort of Hercules and I have to settle for ordinary Joes?" Piotr suddenly became very interested in the food on his plate.

"Can we please change the subject?" Mr. Lewis asked.

"It doesn't hurt to ask." Leona said softly. Taryn rolled her eyes.

"If I find out any of the guys are single…and of course acceptable for my baby sister, I'll let you know." Taryn said.

"Wait, that's not fair. You pick who I can date, yet I have no say in who you're with?" Leona asked in jest. She looked at Piotr. "But of course I would have approved of you, Pete." She added with a smile. Piotr laughed softly.

"Thanks, Leona." He said.

"So, Piotr, if you don't mind us asking, how did you find out about your abilities?" Mrs. Lewis asked.

"Oh, I don't mind at all." Piotr said. "Well, I always knew I was a little stronger and bigger then other kids my age, but I always figured it was genetics, like maybe I had some great uncle somewhere who was a seven foot lumberjack or something," he joked, chuckling slightly, "and it just passed to me. The first time I saw myself actually…..well, armor up, I guess was when I was eleven. Some of the kids in my school were bullying me and calling me names and were throwing rocks at me. Suddenly my body was covered with this steel like substance and then I realized it was me, I had put that up as a defense mechanism. I ran away and hid out from school and my parents for a couple of days, trying to understand what had happened. After that, I went home and when I got there I saw Professor Xavier talking to my parents about a school for gifted children that he thought I should attend." Taryn looked at him. This was the first time she was hearing about all of this. She felt bad for never trying to ask about his past.

"Did your parents know?" Mr. Lewis asked.

"They knew I was different. My father thought I should use it for sports while my mother wanted me to hide it. I remember my father wanted me to join the peewee football leagues when I was little, but my mom wouldn't let me go. She was afraid I'd hurt someone."

"So, your parents just let you leave home with the professor just like that?" Leona asked. Piotr sighed.

"The parents of the kids who were bullying me called my parents and told them about what had happened and they demanded I be sent away because they thought I was a threat to everyone else. After I left with the Professor, my parents just……went on with their lives." Everyone was silent for a while, unsure what to say.

"I…..I'm sorry." Mrs. Lewis finally said. Piotr looked up and put on a smile.

"It's all right. I mean, I'm happy here. I've got friends and everything." He cast a look at Taryn. He frowned when he saw she was looking down.

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After they finished eating, Mr. Lewis took the boxes of Taryn's things from the car and Piotr helped him take them to the girls' room. It was getting late so Taryn's parents and Leona decided it was time to head back. Taryn hugged them all goodbye and promised she'd call them later as they got in the car. She watched them drive away. Piotr went over to her and put his arm around her waist.

"You okay?" He asked. Taryn looked at him and nodded.

"Yeah." She paused and looked down for a bit before looking back up at him. "Pete, I had no idea….About your past…I mean, here I am complaining about my life and-" Piotr held up a hand to silence her.

"It's okay." He said. "Taryn, I meant what I said to your family before, I am happy now." He smiled, wrapping both arms around her waist. "Very happy." He said. Taryn smiled. She put her arms around his shoulders. "Come on, let's go see what the others are up to." He said, letting her go. He took her hand and they went to walk back into the mansion. Taryn looked up at him.

"Can I ask you something?" She asked. "When those kids teased and hurt you..I mean, well, you were stronger then them, why didn't you just….Fight back?" She asked. Piotr looked down at her.

"Because I knew if I did, it would just confirm my fears that I was a danger to people around me." He said. Taryn looked down.

"Is that a backhanded way of saying I have no restraint since I hurt Andy?" She asked.

"No." Piotr said. "You didn't know your abilities could hurt someone, I on the other hand did." He paused. "And, actually, there was another reason why I never fought back." He admitted as he stopped walking. Taryn stopped and looked at him. "I never fought back because I thought they were right. I was a freak." He said. Taryn looked at him with sadness in her eyes. She reached up and placed a gloved palm on his mouth. She then got on her tiptoes and kissed the back of her hand. After she did that she got back down and took her hand away.

"I guess we've got more things in common then I thought." She whispered gently. Piotr sighed and hugged her.