Chapter 6
Just outside the common room the two Acolytes and the brotherhood members, plus Jamie, parted ways. With a smile and a few thrown jokes they promised to hook up in the next few days, they needed to make plans for when Mystique came back and for when Magneto found out about the vast defection within his ranks.
Heading back downstairs the three brotherhood members and a small X-man swung into the rooms and closed the door. Pietro fell onto the bed, and snorted sarcastically, "That went well."
Todd immediately snuggled into his side and looked as Jamie cocked one eyebrow, an expression eerily similar to Lance, "Okay, so how do you know Lance?"
Lance fell into one of the opposite chairs and Jamie immediately crawled into his lap unembarrassed wrapping his arms around Lance and smiled as he heard Lance huff and mumble, "I'm not a damn teddybear." But he didn't try to get Jamie off, merely got more comfortable as he began to explain.
"Well, as you probably already know this is Jamie, when I was on the street I took him in with my group, he had run away from his father..." Lance looked at Jamie, not sure how much of the smaller boy's past he should divulge, unsure exactly how much the X-men knew. "Jamie what do those X-men know?"
Jamie snorted, "Well, Scott and them have no clue they think my father is normal, loving, and all that crap, as if; and Storm and I haven't ever spoken, Logan thinks I'm weak and he kinda scares me, and the Professor probably has some clue because well ya' know." Jamie rapped his head with his knuckles as he said the last part, "There is a lot of crap up here that needs to be sorted through."
The bitter tone was not one that was expected from the two younger brotherhood members, earlier he had seemed like the quintessential kid, but now he reminded them of themselves, perhaps with some of his childhood left intact.
Right then Todd and Pietro were caught by the smile of the kid and immediately drawn in, adopted by him as he climbed off of Lance's lap and wrapped his arms around each of them, "If you are Lance's family, then you are my family." (A/N: I know, I know, sappy as hell, but this story needed a little sappiness, so long live me! )
Lance laughed as he looked at the two stunned brotherhood members and the smug boy, it was great to see that Jamie still had the same heart he had had when Lance first met him, his father had not destroyed it.
The four stayed like this for awhile, just enjoying the quiet acceptance they seemed to receive from each other, there were no masks down here, just four teenagers forming a family, not by forced blood, but by choice.
Eventually Jamie rose and gave the two on the bed a final hug and then turned and hugged Lance making his goodbyes for the moment, he had homework to do, and the idea that he just had some normal childhood task made Lance smile softly as he mussed his hair, "Don't be a stranger squirt, it's not everyone who can knock Pietro speechless."
Laughing at the tongue stuck out by the speed demon Jamie quickly ducked from the room heading back upstairs towards his own room and the awaiting homework. Lance glanced at the clock and saw it read 8:20 PM, he stood and walked towards his own room, "Guys, I gotta go upstairs, I'll be back later."
The other two brotherhood members threw him some looks as he closed the door to his room; Inside his room Lance quickly stripped off the clothes he had been wearing during the day, they were dirty and in need of a wash. Instead he pulled on a pair of chocolate brown suede pants that hugged him and a black snug sweater, combined, of course, with his black leather gloves.
Satisfied with his change Lance again glanced at the clock, 8:45, he could probably head towards Sir's room. Closing the door to his room Lance caught the elevator to the main floor of the mansion, as he headed towards the rooms he ran into the one person he least wanted to see, Scott Summers.
Scott looked up and sneered at the brotherhood member in front of him, "Well Avalanche, where are you headed, oh let me guess to sell us out to your master right?" Scott was slightly confused by the very well controlled flinch, they had thrown around harsher taunts in class then that one.
"No Summers, unlike some people I keep my word, I have a meeting." Lance carefully tried to step around the teen, he had told Sir that there he wouldn't fight; Scott quickly stepped in front of him and pushed him causing him to stumble back.
"You want to fight me Alvers? Well bring it on, I'll kick your ass everyday."
Suddenly Lance heard a startled noise, some yelling and a thump behind him, he quickly turned and ran back down the hall finding the rest of the older mutants standing around Todd and Pietro, seeing Todd nearly hide behind Pietro, and the tense line of Pietro's mouth he immediately turned ice deadly.
He slid effectively through the ring standing in front of the younger mutant, "What are you doing?" he said icily to the X-men standing around. Spike was the first to reply cockily confident that they had the brotherhood members outnumbered, "Just talking to our dear friends here. One big happy family."
Lance looked over at Pietro and spoke under his breath knowing he would hear him, "Todd de tomada e vai em baixo, está para quebrar para baixo" (Take Todd downstairs he is about to break down.)
Pietro looked at the small teen grasping desperately at his side and swore softly, he nodded as he picked up the small boy, knowing that he would be back and that Lance could handle himself in a fight.
With an assured nod from Lance Pietro sped down the hall and back towards the elevator that would take them downstairs. Lance was suddenly alone with a pissed Spike and an extremely perturbed Scott Summers that appeared at his side.
Scott sneered and Lance calmly went searching with his mind, "So, looks like your flunkies abandoned you, that is about all they are good for after all."
Ignoring the words for the moment Lance found the Professor's mind Excuse me Professor Xavier, I was wondering if perhaps you could break this up, I promised Sir that there would be no fig....
Before Lance could finish his explanation to the Professor, Scott buried a fist into his stomach, sending ringing pain all across the once healing bruises.
Scott pulled back his fist looking slightly shocked at what he had just done, but he quickly recovered, sneering as he stepped back and swung again.
Lance had promised not to fight, but that didn't mean he would just stand there and take it. Moving more quickly then anyone had seen before he ducked dodging the fists coming from the pissed teen. As Scott just seemed to get angrier and throw wilder punches Lance got calmer and easily dodged the fists that kept coming.
Out of nowhere Lance suddenly found himself being thrown against the wall with spikes. He could feel one slicing into his side and making a deep gash as it slid into the wall. Calmly he looked at Spike and Scott, "So, I see the idea of a fair one-on-one is out of your league."
Scott glared and got right in his face, "Shut up! At least I'm not Magneto's little lapdog, you might as run back to him, because that is all you will ever be."
Keeping his face expressionless lance could feel the internal war going on within him, parts of himself were agreeing with Scott, ordering him to return to Lord Magneto; and other parts were screaming in denial, saying he was more then that, better then that.
As Scott was about to swing again Rogue, and some of the younger mutants appeared and grabbed Scott, "Scott what tha hell are ya' thinkin'" swore Rogue as she restrained him.
He shook them off and his fist flew towards Lance, suddenly it was grabbed in a vice like grip and a voice came out in a low growl, "Cyclops, answer her question, what the hell do you think you are doing?"
Chapter 7
Both Lance and Scott looked up sharply at hearing the tone, standing in front of them was a seriously pissed off Logan. He dropped Scott's wrist pushing him back roughly at the same time still nearly growling, "I asked you a question and I expect an answer."
Lance shuddered at the tone as Scott merely rubbed his wrist and glared at the older mutant and said sullenly, "He started it."
Rogue snorted loudly, "Ah'm sure; that'd be why he's tha one pinned ta tha wall. Nat exactly a fair fight."
Logan looked like he was about to add something when a sharp voice with a hint of steel echoed through their heads, "Scott, Evan, Jean, my office. NOW."
Turning Logan walked over and pulled out the spikes pinning Lance to the wall, Lance hissed as the one on his side was tugged out roughly grating against the cut it had caused. Narrowing his eyes he pulled up the shirt and let out a shocked, "Hell Kid!" when he saw the deep gash. It was probably six inches long and at least an inch deep.
Evan's eyes widened as he saw the deep mark, he hadn't meant to, he paled as he was pulled after Scott and Jean who had appeared out of the group behind them as they walked nervously towards the Professor's office.
Lance looked startled at the exclamation and then watched as he shooed off all the other teens promising Lance would be fine. Once they were gone Logan grabbed his hand and pulled him towards the elevator, "Hank will be taking a look at that, and you won't give him any problems, clear?"
Lance let his eyes fall down as they neared the elevator, "Yes Sir" he whispered as they stepped inside. Soon they were at the infirmary and when Beast saw the dark staining on the side of Lance's shirt his eyes immediately widened, "What the hell happened?" he demanded.
"A little welcoming party met him in the lower corridor, Spike and Cyclops were the leaders, this slice is from one Pointy's spikes."
Beast quickly directed Lance to the examining table as he helped him to pull off the now sticky shirt wincing as he saw the deep cut on his abdomen. With a deep sigh Beast quickly numbed the area noticing that Lance didn't seem to wince at all at the sharp pain he knew went with the needle.
Lance calmly watched as Dr. McCoy stitched him up, as he cut the sutures Lance looked at the job, "Very nice Dr. McCoy, thank you, it should hardly scar."
Beast could hardly believe the tone, it was monotone and seemed utterly devoid of anything.
Turning to Logan he shook himself off and started giving orders, "make sure he does not aggravate the stiches, and make sure he takes both an additional Amytriptaline and a Vicadin if he is pain."
Receiving a nod in acknowledgement, Beast left intent on hearing just what the Professor had to say to the wayward students.
Walking to the cupboard Logan grabbed a blanket from the closet and threw it at Lance, "Here Kid, c'mon."
Lance took the blanket and wrapped it around his shoulders hiding the bruises and his collar standing up and following the older mutant out of the room and upstairs to his personal room.
Logan entered the room first and sat on the couch on one side of the room, Lance followed carefully folding the blanket and setting by the door, he then walked over and after glancing hesitantly at the couch he sank to his knees next to Logan.
With a sigh that sounded a lot like a growl Logan reached down and gently hauled Lance up onto the couch depositing him onto the soft cushions. He then rose and walked over to the door and grabbing the blanket and bringing it back to the couch, handing it to the shivering teen, "I doubt that Hank meant you to freeze and tear out your stitches."
Reaching over he drug a chair right in front of Lance and sat down, making it impossible for Lance to remove him from his line of sight, the teen shot him a nervous and scared look before trying to drop his eyes back to the floor.
Before he could a strong hand grasped his chin, forcing it to look up into his face, "Look at ME, not the floor, understood?" Lance nodded and Logan removed the hand, "What happened earlier Kid?"
Lance began to play with the corners of the blanket as he started to explain, "I was coming to see you Sir and I ran into Summers, he antagonized me and I was just walking around him, throwing a few verbal barbs when I heard Pietro, he sounded... anxious. I ran down to see what was going on, when I got there I found Evan taunting him, I stepped in between them because Pietro's control is not the best; especially he is protecting Todd."
Sending another hesitant glance towards Wolverine he saw no anger on his face so he continued the story, "I told Pietro to take Todd back downstairs and as they ran back downstairs Summers showed up. I tried to contact the Professor to break it up, as I was talking to him Summers punched me." The teen laid a hand on a spreading bruise that was just starting to appear on his stomach.
"I didn't fight Sir! I swear! I just avoided a few throws and then I felt myself being pinned to the wall by Spike. Summer's made s...s..ome comm....ments and then the others and then you showed up, that was all Sir." Lance hoped that Logan would skip over his stumbling, or dismiss it; no such luck.
"What did Cyclops say Lance?"
The teen ducked his head again, snapping it back up a few seconds later when he remembered Logan's order. He whispered the next words, his hands twisting the blanket around them tightly, "Th..a..at I was just Lo...MAGNETO's lap dog and that was all I ever would or could hope to be."
Logan heard the tremor in the teen's voice and smiled when he heard the teen correct himself on the name, he scowled at the thought of the younger X-men and looked at the earth shaker, "You are more then that, and have survived things that have killed better people. You are strong, and I believe that is why you are here, you are strong."
Lance smiled a real smile as he met the feral's eyes, "Do you really believe that?"
"Absolutely." Leaning back in the chair Logan surveyed the hope that seemed to have again appeared in the boy, "Now, the original reason why I wanted to talk to you, I will not force you to tell me about Multiple but I expect to know eventually understood?"
Lance nodded quickly, happy that he wouldn't have to decide between loyalties, "I want to see the three of you actually trying to succeed, I want you to do a danger room session tomorrow morning, is that too soon."
"No Sir, we will be ready." With that Lance rose from the couch and headed out of the room walking back downstairs to talk to the other two, it never occurred to him that he hadn't actually asked permission to leave.
Just outside the common room the two Acolytes and the brotherhood members, plus Jamie, parted ways. With a smile and a few thrown jokes they promised to hook up in the next few days, they needed to make plans for when Mystique came back and for when Magneto found out about the vast defection within his ranks.
Heading back downstairs the three brotherhood members and a small X-man swung into the rooms and closed the door. Pietro fell onto the bed, and snorted sarcastically, "That went well."
Todd immediately snuggled into his side and looked as Jamie cocked one eyebrow, an expression eerily similar to Lance, "Okay, so how do you know Lance?"
Lance fell into one of the opposite chairs and Jamie immediately crawled into his lap unembarrassed wrapping his arms around Lance and smiled as he heard Lance huff and mumble, "I'm not a damn teddybear." But he didn't try to get Jamie off, merely got more comfortable as he began to explain.
"Well, as you probably already know this is Jamie, when I was on the street I took him in with my group, he had run away from his father..." Lance looked at Jamie, not sure how much of the smaller boy's past he should divulge, unsure exactly how much the X-men knew. "Jamie what do those X-men know?"
Jamie snorted, "Well, Scott and them have no clue they think my father is normal, loving, and all that crap, as if; and Storm and I haven't ever spoken, Logan thinks I'm weak and he kinda scares me, and the Professor probably has some clue because well ya' know." Jamie rapped his head with his knuckles as he said the last part, "There is a lot of crap up here that needs to be sorted through."
The bitter tone was not one that was expected from the two younger brotherhood members, earlier he had seemed like the quintessential kid, but now he reminded them of themselves, perhaps with some of his childhood left intact.
Right then Todd and Pietro were caught by the smile of the kid and immediately drawn in, adopted by him as he climbed off of Lance's lap and wrapped his arms around each of them, "If you are Lance's family, then you are my family." (A/N: I know, I know, sappy as hell, but this story needed a little sappiness, so long live me! )
Lance laughed as he looked at the two stunned brotherhood members and the smug boy, it was great to see that Jamie still had the same heart he had had when Lance first met him, his father had not destroyed it.
The four stayed like this for awhile, just enjoying the quiet acceptance they seemed to receive from each other, there were no masks down here, just four teenagers forming a family, not by forced blood, but by choice.
Eventually Jamie rose and gave the two on the bed a final hug and then turned and hugged Lance making his goodbyes for the moment, he had homework to do, and the idea that he just had some normal childhood task made Lance smile softly as he mussed his hair, "Don't be a stranger squirt, it's not everyone who can knock Pietro speechless."
Laughing at the tongue stuck out by the speed demon Jamie quickly ducked from the room heading back upstairs towards his own room and the awaiting homework. Lance glanced at the clock and saw it read 8:20 PM, he stood and walked towards his own room, "Guys, I gotta go upstairs, I'll be back later."
The other two brotherhood members threw him some looks as he closed the door to his room; Inside his room Lance quickly stripped off the clothes he had been wearing during the day, they were dirty and in need of a wash. Instead he pulled on a pair of chocolate brown suede pants that hugged him and a black snug sweater, combined, of course, with his black leather gloves.
Satisfied with his change Lance again glanced at the clock, 8:45, he could probably head towards Sir's room. Closing the door to his room Lance caught the elevator to the main floor of the mansion, as he headed towards the rooms he ran into the one person he least wanted to see, Scott Summers.
Scott looked up and sneered at the brotherhood member in front of him, "Well Avalanche, where are you headed, oh let me guess to sell us out to your master right?" Scott was slightly confused by the very well controlled flinch, they had thrown around harsher taunts in class then that one.
"No Summers, unlike some people I keep my word, I have a meeting." Lance carefully tried to step around the teen, he had told Sir that there he wouldn't fight; Scott quickly stepped in front of him and pushed him causing him to stumble back.
"You want to fight me Alvers? Well bring it on, I'll kick your ass everyday."
Suddenly Lance heard a startled noise, some yelling and a thump behind him, he quickly turned and ran back down the hall finding the rest of the older mutants standing around Todd and Pietro, seeing Todd nearly hide behind Pietro, and the tense line of Pietro's mouth he immediately turned ice deadly.
He slid effectively through the ring standing in front of the younger mutant, "What are you doing?" he said icily to the X-men standing around. Spike was the first to reply cockily confident that they had the brotherhood members outnumbered, "Just talking to our dear friends here. One big happy family."
Lance looked over at Pietro and spoke under his breath knowing he would hear him, "Todd de tomada e vai em baixo, está para quebrar para baixo" (Take Todd downstairs he is about to break down.)
Pietro looked at the small teen grasping desperately at his side and swore softly, he nodded as he picked up the small boy, knowing that he would be back and that Lance could handle himself in a fight.
With an assured nod from Lance Pietro sped down the hall and back towards the elevator that would take them downstairs. Lance was suddenly alone with a pissed Spike and an extremely perturbed Scott Summers that appeared at his side.
Scott sneered and Lance calmly went searching with his mind, "So, looks like your flunkies abandoned you, that is about all they are good for after all."
Ignoring the words for the moment Lance found the Professor's mind Excuse me Professor Xavier, I was wondering if perhaps you could break this up, I promised Sir that there would be no fig....
Before Lance could finish his explanation to the Professor, Scott buried a fist into his stomach, sending ringing pain all across the once healing bruises.
Scott pulled back his fist looking slightly shocked at what he had just done, but he quickly recovered, sneering as he stepped back and swung again.
Lance had promised not to fight, but that didn't mean he would just stand there and take it. Moving more quickly then anyone had seen before he ducked dodging the fists coming from the pissed teen. As Scott just seemed to get angrier and throw wilder punches Lance got calmer and easily dodged the fists that kept coming.
Out of nowhere Lance suddenly found himself being thrown against the wall with spikes. He could feel one slicing into his side and making a deep gash as it slid into the wall. Calmly he looked at Spike and Scott, "So, I see the idea of a fair one-on-one is out of your league."
Scott glared and got right in his face, "Shut up! At least I'm not Magneto's little lapdog, you might as run back to him, because that is all you will ever be."
Keeping his face expressionless lance could feel the internal war going on within him, parts of himself were agreeing with Scott, ordering him to return to Lord Magneto; and other parts were screaming in denial, saying he was more then that, better then that.
As Scott was about to swing again Rogue, and some of the younger mutants appeared and grabbed Scott, "Scott what tha hell are ya' thinkin'" swore Rogue as she restrained him.
He shook them off and his fist flew towards Lance, suddenly it was grabbed in a vice like grip and a voice came out in a low growl, "Cyclops, answer her question, what the hell do you think you are doing?"
Chapter 7
Both Lance and Scott looked up sharply at hearing the tone, standing in front of them was a seriously pissed off Logan. He dropped Scott's wrist pushing him back roughly at the same time still nearly growling, "I asked you a question and I expect an answer."
Lance shuddered at the tone as Scott merely rubbed his wrist and glared at the older mutant and said sullenly, "He started it."
Rogue snorted loudly, "Ah'm sure; that'd be why he's tha one pinned ta tha wall. Nat exactly a fair fight."
Logan looked like he was about to add something when a sharp voice with a hint of steel echoed through their heads, "Scott, Evan, Jean, my office. NOW."
Turning Logan walked over and pulled out the spikes pinning Lance to the wall, Lance hissed as the one on his side was tugged out roughly grating against the cut it had caused. Narrowing his eyes he pulled up the shirt and let out a shocked, "Hell Kid!" when he saw the deep gash. It was probably six inches long and at least an inch deep.
Evan's eyes widened as he saw the deep mark, he hadn't meant to, he paled as he was pulled after Scott and Jean who had appeared out of the group behind them as they walked nervously towards the Professor's office.
Lance looked startled at the exclamation and then watched as he shooed off all the other teens promising Lance would be fine. Once they were gone Logan grabbed his hand and pulled him towards the elevator, "Hank will be taking a look at that, and you won't give him any problems, clear?"
Lance let his eyes fall down as they neared the elevator, "Yes Sir" he whispered as they stepped inside. Soon they were at the infirmary and when Beast saw the dark staining on the side of Lance's shirt his eyes immediately widened, "What the hell happened?" he demanded.
"A little welcoming party met him in the lower corridor, Spike and Cyclops were the leaders, this slice is from one Pointy's spikes."
Beast quickly directed Lance to the examining table as he helped him to pull off the now sticky shirt wincing as he saw the deep cut on his abdomen. With a deep sigh Beast quickly numbed the area noticing that Lance didn't seem to wince at all at the sharp pain he knew went with the needle.
Lance calmly watched as Dr. McCoy stitched him up, as he cut the sutures Lance looked at the job, "Very nice Dr. McCoy, thank you, it should hardly scar."
Beast could hardly believe the tone, it was monotone and seemed utterly devoid of anything.
Turning to Logan he shook himself off and started giving orders, "make sure he does not aggravate the stiches, and make sure he takes both an additional Amytriptaline and a Vicadin if he is pain."
Receiving a nod in acknowledgement, Beast left intent on hearing just what the Professor had to say to the wayward students.
Walking to the cupboard Logan grabbed a blanket from the closet and threw it at Lance, "Here Kid, c'mon."
Lance took the blanket and wrapped it around his shoulders hiding the bruises and his collar standing up and following the older mutant out of the room and upstairs to his personal room.
Logan entered the room first and sat on the couch on one side of the room, Lance followed carefully folding the blanket and setting by the door, he then walked over and after glancing hesitantly at the couch he sank to his knees next to Logan.
With a sigh that sounded a lot like a growl Logan reached down and gently hauled Lance up onto the couch depositing him onto the soft cushions. He then rose and walked over to the door and grabbing the blanket and bringing it back to the couch, handing it to the shivering teen, "I doubt that Hank meant you to freeze and tear out your stitches."
Reaching over he drug a chair right in front of Lance and sat down, making it impossible for Lance to remove him from his line of sight, the teen shot him a nervous and scared look before trying to drop his eyes back to the floor.
Before he could a strong hand grasped his chin, forcing it to look up into his face, "Look at ME, not the floor, understood?" Lance nodded and Logan removed the hand, "What happened earlier Kid?"
Lance began to play with the corners of the blanket as he started to explain, "I was coming to see you Sir and I ran into Summers, he antagonized me and I was just walking around him, throwing a few verbal barbs when I heard Pietro, he sounded... anxious. I ran down to see what was going on, when I got there I found Evan taunting him, I stepped in between them because Pietro's control is not the best; especially he is protecting Todd."
Sending another hesitant glance towards Wolverine he saw no anger on his face so he continued the story, "I told Pietro to take Todd back downstairs and as they ran back downstairs Summers showed up. I tried to contact the Professor to break it up, as I was talking to him Summers punched me." The teen laid a hand on a spreading bruise that was just starting to appear on his stomach.
"I didn't fight Sir! I swear! I just avoided a few throws and then I felt myself being pinned to the wall by Spike. Summer's made s...s..ome comm....ments and then the others and then you showed up, that was all Sir." Lance hoped that Logan would skip over his stumbling, or dismiss it; no such luck.
"What did Cyclops say Lance?"
The teen ducked his head again, snapping it back up a few seconds later when he remembered Logan's order. He whispered the next words, his hands twisting the blanket around them tightly, "Th..a..at I was just Lo...MAGNETO's lap dog and that was all I ever would or could hope to be."
Logan heard the tremor in the teen's voice and smiled when he heard the teen correct himself on the name, he scowled at the thought of the younger X-men and looked at the earth shaker, "You are more then that, and have survived things that have killed better people. You are strong, and I believe that is why you are here, you are strong."
Lance smiled a real smile as he met the feral's eyes, "Do you really believe that?"
"Absolutely." Leaning back in the chair Logan surveyed the hope that seemed to have again appeared in the boy, "Now, the original reason why I wanted to talk to you, I will not force you to tell me about Multiple but I expect to know eventually understood?"
Lance nodded quickly, happy that he wouldn't have to decide between loyalties, "I want to see the three of you actually trying to succeed, I want you to do a danger room session tomorrow morning, is that too soon."
"No Sir, we will be ready." With that Lance rose from the couch and headed out of the room walking back downstairs to talk to the other two, it never occurred to him that he hadn't actually asked permission to leave.