Hello all my beloved audience. Welcome to the fourth chapter of 24 Hours. I have had a few people state that it is not so overly sweet as my first claim to fame "Back in Diapers" I also understand that you people like this. So I shall keep writing.

Disclaimer-What do you honestly think? raises eyebrow Do any of you really have the naive notion that I, Heartsyhawk a lowly newbie author on FANFICTION, have any ownership claims to the X-Men, any other familiar characters or products used, or the internet? I hope not cuz I don't own any of that.

Rogue and Wanda sat in silence after Rogue's question. Both girls had a lot on their minds and a lot on their hearts. They just sat in the semi-comfortable silence, both staring off into the horizon.

Rogue sighed. "Are ya worried?"

Wanda jumped slightly and turned to face the other girl. "What?"

"Are ya worried...ya know about ya brother? And this whole situation?"

Wanda sighed and looked at her feet. "I'm worried sick. But I'm kinda mad at him but I never wanted him to die. Or maybe I did. I don't know. I don't know anything anymore." She shook her head in confusion.

Rogue nodded her head in understanding. "Ah was like that too when Ah was with the brotherhood. Mystique tricked me about the X-Men and Ah didn' know who ta trust. It can be a real pain, can't it?"

Wanda nodded. "Yeah. I want to trust my brother; he's my twin for crying out loud! But now I find out he lied and my father!..."She broke off frowning.

"Hm, must be crazy ta have a whole set of memories sayin' one thing an' then findin' out they ain' true at all." Rogue said sympathetically. "Believe it o' not Ah kin relate. Ah have a billion memories in mah head an' only a few of 'em are actually mahne. Gets a bit difficult sometimes ta keep mah mahnd knowin' that mahne are actually the ones of me an' not Miss. Perfect or Toad or somebody else."

"Really?" Wanda asked curiously.

"Yeah." Rogue nodded gently. "Takes a while ta git used ta. Gets a little noisy with all the past absorbed in mah head all the time."

"Wow. And I was just upset about two sets of memories..."

"Don' worry about it." Rogue smiled warily. "Besides, don' tell anybody or nothin' but Ah'd probably feel weird if it was quiet in mah head. Ah'd probably actually miss 'em or something." She made a face. "Well, Ah could do without some of them..."

"Like Jean or mah mother or or Sabretooth or Apocalypse."

"Aw Chére, Remy be touched. Since y' didn' mention Remy does dat mean dat y' enjoy m' presence?" A drawling Cajun voice purred as a set of heavily muscled arms wound themselves around Rogue's waist.

"Shove off Gambit." She snapped. "And don't talk in third person, it drives me nuts!"

"Oui, Remy has dat effect on lots of filles." He whispered into her ear and she rolled her eyes as he rested his chin on top of her head.

"Get off!" She struggled to push him away but he held tight. She looked to Wanda. "As to what I said earlieh, I meant to include especially Gambit."

Wanda smirked as she watched her fellow Goth twist so she was facing her captor. "Gambit, either, yah let meh go, or Ah'll break yah ahm." She glared up him with her eyes blazing.

"Aw Chére, yah wound Remy. He just tryin' t' comfort y'. Ran int' Stormy downstairs an' she said y' were a li'l upset."

"Keep callin' meh that an' Ah'll give ya a real wound, yah creep!" She hissed venomously. "Just let meh go an' leave meh alone!"

Remy tutted and shook his head. "Only on de condition dat Remy gets t' take y' out t' dinner. T'night."

"Ah'd love ta." Rogue said in a saccharine sweet voice with a superficial bat of her eyelashes. The effect seemed to momentarily mesmerize him just long enough for her to pull away. He realized she wasn't in his arms anymore and frowned slightly as he shook his head to clear his mind. "Onleh, Ah don' go out with strangers." She purred and ran a finger under his chin. "Or Magneto's henchmen."

"Hey, Remy not a stranger Chére. Y' got Remy inside y' head." The way he said that with his trade mark infuriating smirk made a faint blush creep to her cheeks. "B'sides, Remy's brought y' home t' his famille (Family in French). Y' met m' pére. Y' met de people Remy sees everyday. An' how could y' fo'get dat nice, relaxin' trip t' N'awlins Remy brought y' on? Remy t'ought it meant somet'in' special t' y'." He pouted and Wanda raised both her eyebrows in interest.

"He took you on vacation?"

"Wanda," Rogue sighed exasperatedly. "Ah'd hardly call it a vacation. He kidnapped me, dragged meh illegally on a train, an' got meh attacked by some creepy assassins called the rippers."

"But Roguey, y' fo'got de dinner, de romantic boat ride t'rough de bayou, de fun at Julian's house, an' de lovely swim we had as well!" He reminded gently making the whole experience sound as if had been rather romantic and fun.

Wanda smiled and Rogue snorted. "That's true an' Ah'm engaged t' that Julian guy."

Remy's demonic eyes widened in mock surprise. "Non! Remy t'ought it meant somet'in' t' y' but y' were jus' two-timin' Remy wit' his arch nemesis? De scandal!" He shut his eyes and dramatically put his hand over his heart. "Dat hurts, petite. Y' cut Remy deep. Real deep."

Rogue rolled her eyes. "Give meh a knife an' Ah will." She snapped. Wanda gasped.

"Really? But Chére...Remy gave y' de token of his amour (love in French)! De Queen of Hearts card!" He said in a dramatically pained voice and Wanda watched the exchange, naively believing it.

Rogue narrowed her eyes and crossed her arms. "Stop callin' meh that."

"What, Chére?" He said playfully.

"Yeah that! Ah ain' stupid. Ah'm fluent in French pal. Ah know what it means. An' Ah sure as heck ain' ya freakin' dear Swamp Rat."

"Why d' y' git t' use a pet name fo' Remy if he don' git t' use one fo' y'?" He asked with a grin.

Rogue's jaw dropped. "Wha..." She didn't finish because Remy took advantage of the moment of weakness and pulled her back into his arms. She snarled and demanded to be released but he merely smiled and held her tighter.

Rogue caught sight of Wanda, desperately trying not to laugh. She frowned and glared at the girl. "Ah s'pose ya find this funny." She said in an even tone.

Wanda bit her lip and shook her head, trying to make the smile go away.

"A li'l help?" Rogue asked irritated.

Wanda took a couple breaths to try and relax but as she let her guard down she burst out chuckling and giggling.

Rogue sighed and resumed the fight for her freedom. "Yah no help Wanda! But at least we got yah ta smile. Now Gambit...Let ME GO!"

"Let her go Gambit!" A mild earthquake started and knocked the Cajun's grip of Rogue loose.

He scowled at the slightly younger mutant and allowed Rogue to escape and retreat to the far side of the gazebo, glaring and scowling and cursing under her breath.

"Dis is between Remy an' de fille, rock head." Remy said coldly.

"Well here's a free lesson Gambit. Mess with one of the Brotherhood and you tangle with ALL of us." Lance grumbled in a warning tone. "Rogue may be with the X-men now but she was still one of my team."

Remy smirked. "Remy be wit' de X-Men aussi mon ami (also my friend). De contract will git written soon as dis mess wit' Quickie is solved."

Rogue emitted a pitiful wail and both boys rushed to her as she sank to the floor of the gazebo.

"Chére what de matter?" Remy asked in concern.

"Did he hurt you Rogue cuz I swear I'll burry him alive!" Lance growled.

"Mah life as Ah know it is over!" She wept. A set of brown eyes and a set of red and black gazed in concern at her as she put her head in her hands. "He's joinin' the X-men? Ah'm gonna die! Lance is there any room back at the Boarding House?"

Lance chuckled. "Hey Wanda, you mind sharing a room with her?"

"Sure." Wanda smirked wickedly.

"Not funny." Remy warned. "Really not funny. Y' deux (two) can' have Rogue! She be Remy's!" He whined.

"Oh grow up! Ah don't b'long ta anyone!" Rogue snapped. She stood up and groaned. "Hello Gambit, Good bye privacy and normalcy."

Wanda smiled gently and looked over to Lance. "So why are you here?"

"Hey rescuing damsels in distress is what heroes do. But as Rogue will slit my throat for calling her that, I acknowledge that she is not helpless and she can take care of herself."

Rogue smiled glad he had remembered her hating the fragile female treatment. "So why are yah here, really?"

"Wanda you looked really upset. And I wanted to make sure you were okay. I can relate to the parental betrayal thing slightly. And nobody should have to go what you went through."

Wanda rolled her eyes. "I'm fine thank you my valiant hero. The antics of the Southern lovebirds over here cheered me up slightly. Okay no I lied. They cheered me up a whole lot."

Rogue glowered at what she had just been called and frowned. "Ah ain't the only gal round here with a clingy guy." She said in a threatening tone. "So yah of all people should be sympathetic to having an amphibious slime secreting jerk flirting with ya and annoying ya ta heck when ya don' want him ta."

Lance snorted in appreciation of understanding what she had just implied.

Remy was seconds behind him in figuring it out but he frowned. "Did y' just compare Remy t' Toad?"

"Sure did Sugah!" Rogue smirked coyly.

Remy was stunned. First by the relevation and then by her choice of words. He chuckled and smirked a little too. "Sugah huh, Chérie? Knew y' loved Remy. Didn' know our relationship was t' de point o' pet names from y' yet."

"Why don't you go drown in the swamp bayou boy?" She rolled her eyes in frustration as he smirked.

"Y' an' Remy bot' know dat ain' what y' want, Chérie. Y' know y' love Remy."

"Yeah, like Ah love the plague." She grumbled.

Lance smiled and shook his head. "Well anyway, it looks like its going to start raining soon. We ought to head inside."

"Why?" Both girls asked curiously.

"Ah like the rain. An' we ain' sugah, we ain' gonna melt."

Wanda snickered. "Well, maybe you guys had better head in. Especially you Gambit. Cuz after all, YOU'RE sugar. According to Rogue anyway." Rogue shot her a nasty glare while Remy gave the girl an appreciative grin.

"Oui dats right, an' Remy gonna make sure his Cherie don' melt neit'er." With that he grabbed Rogue by the wrist and headed inside, much against Rogue's protest.

"That was mean." Lance commented to Wanda smiling.

"Yeah, you'd think he'd get the hint that she doesn't want to go inside." Wanda smirked with an eye roll.

"That's not what I meant." He smirked.

"I know what you meant. That's how I chose to respond." She replied with her own smirk.

"Sometimes you are so much like your brother it terrifies me." Lance shook his head.

"That is something he would say. I guess the playful teasing thing comes naturally." As soon as the words left his lips he regretted them.

Wanda sighed and looked away. "I'm not so sure being like them is a good thing anymore."

Lance sighed. "Come on. Lets go inside. Maybe they've figured out something for your brother."

At this Wanda burst into tears. Lance was immediately alarmed. "What? What'd I do?"

"I...you...He can't die Lance." She wailed. "He just can't! I don't know what I would do! I know he lied to me and he has a history of being a jerk but he's still my brother!" She fell into Lance's arms sobbing weakly. "I'm scared Lance. So scared. They won't let him die will they?"

Lance hugged her awkwardly and tried to console her. "Wanda, Dr. McCoy is a very good doctor. Xavier's a nice guy too. They won't let him die if they can help it."

Wanda looked instantly cheered up a bit. "They'll help him even though he's Magneto's son? One of the brotherhood?"

"Wanda they even took me in." She looked at him puzzled. "I briefly joined the X-Men. To get closer to...closer to Kitty." He explained with a sad look in his eyes. "And Xavier's to kind to just let him die. Besides, he and Magneto were once close friends."

Wanda smiled gently. "Come on. We should go in. Maybe there's been a change in Pietro's status." She untangled herself from his arms. "Um...Sorry. You know for, getting all clingy and emotional there. And hugging you. I don't know what came over me." She blushed slightly.

"Don't worry I won't tell Toad." He joked. She rolled her eyes.

"Maybe you should." She tilted her head to the side. "Maybe if I were dating somebody for real he'd lay off. Hmm." She pondered.

"Wanda the guy's infatuated with you. I doubt he'd leave you alone." Lance pointed out.

"Yeah. I should probably apologize to Rogue shouldn't I? I of anybody know what its like to have a guy you can't stand fawning over you at all hours of the day."

Lance laughed slightly. "Yeah. But...No I shouldn't say that."

Wanda raised an eyebrow. "Okay you got my attention."

"Well what I was going to say...I can't. She'd kill me for sure."

Wanda gave him a pointed look as if to say 'if you don't tell me I will'.

Lance sighed. "Well, don't let this get back to Rogue, but I am not so sure she hates him. I know she says she does, but I did live with her for a while. I know her and she's an expert at hiding emotion and disguising it."

"So you're basically saying..."

"I think she's head over heals for him." Lance frowned. "She's scared of rejection or being used so she acts as if she hates him. But I don't know what the heck she sees in him."

Wanda thought for a moment. "Well he is charming. And he's not hard to look at either. His eyes are intriguing and he's so mysterious." Wanda blushed a little. "Personally, if it was him instead of Toad I don't know if I'd be so...dead set against him kissing me or paying me flattering attention."

Lance raised an eyebrow and frowned. "Well Wanda, kissing is a huge issue with Rogue. Don't you know she can't control her power?"

"She can't?" Wanda asked horrified. "How terrible! So she can't touch without absorbing? Poor girl!"

Lance nodded. "Yeah. She pushes him away because she doesn't want to hurt him." Wanda looked at her own hands.

"I never knew that. I can't imagine life without touch. Is that why she wears gloves? I just thought they were part of her look."

Lance nodded grimly. "But its probably better for her with him. She can't get close so he can't do his usual love-her-and-leave-her routine."

"Wow." Wanda sighed. "Poor girl. No wonder she freaks out when he pushes the limits and gets so close and huggy. If I were her I'd go ballistic in that situation."

"Yeah but we really better get inside. Look, don't mention any of this conversation to Rogue. She tends to be a bit sensitive about the no-touch rule."

Wanda nodded and the two teens headed inside. They went down two the med-lab and both cheered up considerably. Unbeknownst to them the whole emotional scene had been watched.

They entered and were met with a few curious glances.

"Lance-you-keep-your-hands-off-my-sister!" Pietro growled.

"Huh? What are you talking about?" Lance asked in confusion.

"Don't-play-innocent-with-us-Lance!" Pietro snarled. "You-were-seen-out-in-the-gazebo-all-huggy-and-with-your-arms-around-her-and...When-I-said- move-on-I-did-NOT-mean-to-my-sister!"

"What? You have it completely wrong!" Lance said in a relieved tone.

"No-I-don't!" Pietro frowned. "Toad-followed-you-out. He-saw-the-whole-thing."

It was then that Wanda and Lance noticed Toad slouching in his chair looking devastated and depressed.

"I did yo." He said weakly. He looked at the two as if they had ripped out his very soul.

"Oh don't you act like I betrayed you." Wanda rolled her eyes. "We were never a couple. And Pietro, need I remind you that what I do and who I do it with is not any of your business? I have half a mind not to hex all of you into next week. There's nothing between me and him!"

Lance smiled weekly and sat down.

"Um what she said. So anything change while we were gone?" He asked McCoy.

The doctor's expression grew grim. "Yes unfortunately now we know for absolute sure that Pietro's cells are beginning to collapse. His immune system is weakening dangerously. We just got into contact with his father; Eric is on his way as we speak. Until we can get this sorted out, I'm afraid we won't be able to allow him to leave this room. It is a secure environment that is germ and bacterium free."

Pietro grumbled. "And-I'm-already-bored-out-of-my-skull. Lance-talk-some-sense-into-them! Make-them-let-me-go!" He whined.

Lance shook his head at his friend. "Sorry buddy. Doctor's orders." Pietro scowled and crossed his arms.

"Some-friend-you-are!"

A faint alarm began alerting the institute of the presence of a non resident of the institute entering the property.

"Ah I do believe Eric is here already." Xavier smiled gently. He closed his eyes and scanned the property. "And Tabitha, Kitty, and Piotr just returned from their excursion to the mall. Lance tensed visibly at hearing his ex-girl friend and her current boyfriend's names used together but he took a small note of pleasure in the fact that it couldn't have been a date because Tabitha had been with them. "I shall have them escort Eric down here."

Lance tensed and looked towards the door. He didn't know if he really wanted to stick around to see them.

Pietro rolled his eyes. "Lance-get-over-it. She-moved-on. Why-can't-you?"

Wanda rolled her own eyes. "Can't you see that its hard on him pea-brain?" She looked to Lance. "You don't have to stick around if you don't want to. I am sure my idiot of a brother would understand."

Lance shook his head. "No, I have to. I can't let this bother me so much."

Xavier looked at Lance in understanding. "Your breakup with Kitty was a hard one. We all understand if you are not ready to see her yet."

But Lance stubbornly shook his head. "I'll be okay."

He stared at the door and in a few moments Magneto rushed through the door, followed by Pyro, Tabitha, Piotr, and finally Kitty."

"He's here professor." Kitty said unnecessarily.

"Greetings Eric." Xavier said calmly.

"I have no time for pleasantries Charles. You were vague on the phone. What is wrong with my son?" The man asked warily.

Xavier sighed and wheeled out of the way, giving Magneto an uninhibited view of Pietro propped up on pillows, with all sorts of machines and hook-ups attached.

"What happened?" Magneto rushed to the bedside wearing a worried expression.

"Your son blacked out and fell down the stairs. After he failed to resume consciousness after twenty minutes, his sister called me frantically and ten minutes later Wanda and the rest of the brotherhood had him here in the infirmary where Hank discovered that his cells are collapsing."

"Rogue, having had previously absorbed you was able to recall that you had done something to him in his child hood involving the machine of evolution you used on Scott and Alex Summers and of course yourself, Sabretooth, and Mystique."

Magneto's face paled. "Yes. But from all test results, there were no negative side affects. And if there were, I'd have felt them a long time ago Charles."

"Perhaps, but your son's systems process everything much faster than normal beings. It is possible that this wouldn't have taken place until his eighties if he wasn't gifted with super-speed. I need to know what exactly that machine did to him. If I don't, there is a strong likely hood that Pietro will die as his cells and body continue to fail."

Magneto nodded. "I understand. My laboratory was in Poland. On the border near Germany. But all my equipment was destroyed years ago...to prevent Wolverine from getting the answers about what happened with Nightcrawler when he was an infant. And the machine itself was destroyed on asteroid m as you well know."

"Can you negate the effects?" Xavier asked evenly. "I hardly feel the need to push the consequence that it is your only son's life is on the line."

Magneto looked grim. "I don't quite know how. It could probably be done but I'd need to research and build another machine."

"Then that is what must happen." Xavier nodded. "I myself will help you, along with Hank, and I can call in a few favors with various other scientists. A colleague, Forge might be helpful and Dr. Moira McTaggart would be happy to help as well of course."

"The only problem with that idea," McCoy said as he poured over charts and various graphs and data tables on the monitor of his computer. "Is that we have to be done VERY quickly."

"Why? What is the time constraint?"

"For one thing," McCoy stated grimly. "Pietro's cells and systems are rapidly collapsing. We don't have very much time at all before the situation becomes critical."

"How long exactly is 'not very much' time?" Magneto asked the doctor sternly.

"If you give me a moment, I can compute the actual time we have." McCoy clicked away at his key board for a few seconds. When he finished he looked grim. "Given how fast the process is occurring, we had better work very fast. It is four o' clock right now. If the collapsing and failing continues without being stopped or slowed, by 6:30 PM tomorrow evening, the effects will be permanent and fatal."

"Wait a second!" Wanda looked futilely from her brother, to her father, to Dr. McCoy. "Are you saying what I think you're saying?"

"Yes Wanda." McCoy sighed grimly. "If it doesn't get resolved post haste, your brother has little more than 24 hours left to live."

Well there you have it. If you hadn't figured it out, Pietro is the one with 24 hours left to live. But I expect the majority of you knew that in the first chapter. If you just spent all this time reading it, kindly review and let me know what you are thinking about this story. I appreciate it very much.

Oh and don't think I don't respond to reviews anymore.

Howlerdrode- Scary huh? Well, I got a lot of people saying "Back in Diapers is too sweet so I am using this as a way to break that. No more dentist trips for readers of this story. Hmm, interesting opinions. You'll have to wait and see for a straight answer though. One thing, you mentioned Storm. I think you might have meant Mystique. Thanks for being reviewer number one.

ishandahalf- I am glad you like it. Yeah, can't be too fun for Pietro having this condition can it? I agree, poor Pie! Poor Wanda! And yes even poor Rogue! So did you enjoy the tidbit of Romy? I put it in there because you requested it. Snigger Okay so I had planned to do it. You know me too well. I can't keep the Romyness at bay. (Not like I'd want to though...) And Remy isn't just going to let Rogue suffer! Come on what kind of gentleman would he be?

EviltwinAlix- Aw don't cry sis. hands over the tissue box Leave me alone. You are the only person in the world who knows how this is going to turn out since you donated the idea. Yeah I am fully aware that its your guy whose gonna die but its a necessary sacrifice for the story. Don't worry he'll be well taken care of until the end. If anyone should be upset its me for what you plan to do to a certain character in your new story. So how are you liking the trip to angst shelf of my brain? And don't worry it will get worse and angstier and longer until the last chapter I promise. As for the other story. I know its sweet but that's what I do. And I offered to pay for the cavities I caused you. Not my fault you didn't accept.

ldypebsaby- First of all did I get your name right? Second of all I am glad you like the story. Just wait and see for the answer to your question.

witch-UK- I am glad you loved this story.