Disclaimer: I don't own X-Men, but Ana is mine.
Next chapter. I know, I know, the first chapter wasn't that great but I'm trying…really I am. Like I said before, watch out for the Russian dialect. It gets kind of tricky, but you're smart. You'll figure it out. I hope. Moving on, I'm playing around with this story so only god knows how long it will take me but like I said I'm trying.
Chapter 2: Reunion
The collective grew larger and larger as it came into full view. There were small modest cottages, each with their own chimney billowing with smoke. Modest barns and stables with farm yards connecting most of cottages into one small but sound community.
"Nikolaievitch? NIKOLAIEVITCH!" shouted a voice from somewhere inside of a near by barn. Peter turned just in time to see a girl a few years younger than him run out of the barn and almost knock him to the ground. The strange girl hugged him tightly around the waist, then pushed upward on her heals to kiss him once on each cheek and laughed. "It's you Nikolaievitch. I thought I'd never see you again. I'm so happy you've come back. Zo much has happened and…" she paused and let go of him enough so that she look could look up at him "Vell zhere vill be time to talk. I'm just zo happy to see you again." She said with relief in her voice.
The rest of the X-Men looked at Peter with confusion. Kitty's eyebrow was raised with discontent at the rather 'friendly' girl.
"Who is this Peter?" asked Kitty breaking the moment of silence. "and why is she calling you 'Nikolaievitch?'"
Peter's surprise quickly gave way to laughter and then to a bright smile as he looked at his friends' faces and placed his own arms around the girl to give her a hug. "This is my good friend Anastasia. She and I grew up together here in the collective. I guess you could say we have allot of history together." Kitty's face still held its distain. Peter's smile faded slightly at her reaction. "My middle name is Nikolaievitch. Ana has just always called me that."
"Come, come you must all come in a get warm. Nikolaievitch, you must come see my parents. They have not zeen you in zo long!" said Anastasia, cheerfully ushering everyone to one of the cottages. The group shuffled their way into the small home in a quiet manner. None of them had expected such treatment. They were there for a reason, for a mission, not for a homecoming. Scott shot Peter a warning glance. They were not to be here long. There was something dangerous going on around them, and they couldn't afford a family chat.
"Mama! Piotr! " shouted Ana once the team had managed to tightly squeeze them selves into the small sitting room of the cabin. "I'll be back in vone moment. Zhey probably can't hear me." She said still smiling as she left the room and disappeared into another part of the house. Peter smiled shyly as Kitty continued to scowl.
"Piotr" said a short but round woman with a rosy face and graying hair half covered by a scarf as she came rushing into the room with arms wide spread. She tightly embraced what she could get of her arms around him and then pulled him down to her level to kiss him once on each cheek. "мы так радуемся, что Вы дома. мы тосковали без Вас так. мы читали о ваших путешествиях и очень гордимся Вами. Вы вернули хорошее название к коллективу." She spoke in russian with a raspy voice that was aged and tired, but never the less drained of any enthusiasm.
"Я имею честь вернуться и сделать Вас гордыми" Peter answered in Russian as well. The rest of the x-men looked at Peter almost oddly. They knew he was Russian and had always had a little trouble with his English, but never had they actually heard him speak in Russian. "где - ваш муж?"
"он был болен в течение некоторого времени теперь и не может подняться с постели. Вы можете видеть его достаточно скоро. Они должны быть удивительными x-мужчинами, о которых я слышал так." She said.
Peter, still smiling nodded his head and then almost seemed to jump as if he'd forgotten something. "Sorry everyone. I suppose I should translate. This is, well you can call her Mrs. Vasnieack. She says hello. She also says her husband is ill so he is in bed, but she is happy to meet the famous X-Men."
Most of the team smiled and nodded their heads at the old women. They had no idea what to say, and most defiantly no way to say, so silence just seemed the best way to handle the situation.
"Peter. I'm afraid we can't stay long. We have a job to do." Scott said quietly to Peter as he placed his hand on the tall Russian's shoulder. Once again Peter nodded in response.
"I'll tell them we have to go." He turned to look down at the small but happy looking woman. "я сожалею, но мы должны пойти. мы должны вернуться все же. Сказать Ana я буду говорить с нею снова, как только я могу."
"No, take…Ana…vith you." Replied Mrs. Vasnieack painstakingly. As she finished her sentence she smiled broadly at the now confused group. Peter's jaw lay open.
"I've been teaching her English. Didn't you notice me speaking it vhen I first saw you?" said a voice from the door way into the next room. Everyone in the room turned to see Ana leaning against the woodwork of the doorway with a gratified look on her face. She seemed much calmer than before. "I've been teaching myself and now I started teaching Mama. I thought it might be a good thing to know."
"Peter we can't take anyone with us." Said Scott concerned with what the old woman had said. He turned to look at Ana. "We're here on a matter of protection to you and your country, we can not take on new member's"
"She doesn't vant you to make me an X-Men, she vants me to help you vith your mission as vell as finding your vay about the area."
"That's why we have Peter, and I'm sorry but it would just be too dangerous for you to come and-"
Ana almost seemed to become agitated. "Zhere is a snow storm coming you'll never be able to go out in a Russian snowstorm. Zhere's no vay you'll be able to go out tonight." Ana smiled a bit but her eyes were serious. "At least stay the night. Like I said the veather is getting bad, and you can leave first thing in the morning vith fresh supplies." She was grave and solemn, as if something was bothering her deeply. Peter looked to Scott with question. He wanted badly to stay and be with the people that lived so dangerously in his memories. He wanted to walk through the old collective and remember what it was once like to live simply as a normal person. He just wanted to be home. Scott's face registered a contemplative look, as he feverishly thought through his decision. It was obvious he didn't really want to stay, but he realized the dangers of snowstorms and the longing desires of being home.
"We have to leave FIRST thing in the morning." He said sternly. Ana's face perked up along with Peter's at Scott's approval. She smiled at him from across the room as the rest of the team began to clear the room at the command of the small, strong Russian woman, in preparation for where they were going to sleep. As Peter started to aid the rest of the group, Ana approached him.
"You and I have allot of catching up to do Nikolaievitch." She said quietly.