Hiya! Tis I, the great Heartsyhawk bringing just for your viewing pleasure the seventh chapter of 24 Hours. I know I should be working on Back in Diapers but this plot bunny keeps escaping the cage and locking the baby bunny away. And it stole my disk! Well, not according to Alix...She says I lost it...I think I need to investigate this to see who REALLY has my BiD disk... Anyways...I hit a mental stumble so maybe the disk going AWOL on me is good. This story is mutating from where it was originally headed but don't worry. I think it is a good evolution. My heart has really been into this lately and just as a clarification, I am not enjoying killing Pietro. I surprised myself with how attached to him I've become. I've actually made myself cry thinking about it. I love him just as much as the rest of you (well not romantically but you know what I mean). Ok. So On to the fic. But I swear I will not put BiD on the back burner permanently. But I have to work on this because it will leave me no peace. And I am sorry that my updates recently have not been regular but I can only write when the teachers step OOC and don't assign homework. Everything has been so busy lately, I just took my PSAT's and soon enough I'll have SAT's. But I will keep on writing.

DISCLAIMER- who exactly out there thinks that I own this? Lets see a show of hands on who thinks I am really Stan Lee just seeing how many people like my show? I thought not. I promise if I was, season six would be up already. And I'd be hovering over the story board directors and knocking out the nuts who keep messing up the Romyness.

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"Where's the baby? What did you do with him?"

"Ah beg yo' pardon?" Rogue raised an eyebrow in utter confusion. Tabitha and Evan's eyes widened comically as they looked at the older girl and then to the guy at her side.

"Woah! Girl you're a mom!" Evan gasped. And of course, absolutely everybody had to pick that moment to re-enter the infirmary. "I go away for a few lousy months and I come back and you're a mother?

Wolverine snarled as six adamantium claws sprang from clenched fists. "Mind repeatin' that Porcupine?"

"Where is he? You're-an-awful-mother-Rogue!"

"What's the speed bump going on about Stripes? If I were you I'd explain quickly before your boyfriend gets himself six navel piercings."

"Ah...Ah don' know what he's yowlin' about Logan!" Rogue frowned. "An' he ain' mah boyfriend." She scowled at Remy

"No! You-do-so-know-what-I-am-talking-about! What-happened? Where is he! That-baby-needs-you-right-now!"

"Excuse me?" Rogue frowned. "Ya delusional, Pietro. Someone who can touch, see if he got himself a fever o' a concussion?"

"Rogue explain what Maximoff is talking about..." Wolverine said tersely.

"Ah don't know! Ah don' know anythin' about any baby! Alright!" Rogue cried as she took a step backwards.

"He's-your-baby! How-can-you-be-so-callous!"

Rogue's eyes flashed in frustration.

"Baby! Whose baby? Who's being callous towards a baby?" Scott frowned as he re-entered the room.

"Rogue." Pietro frowned crossing his arms.

Scott's eyes widened in surprise. "Rogue's being mean to a baby? I don't believe it!"

"What is all the fuss about?" Jean asked cautiously.

"Y'all are nuts!" Rogue insisted.

"You're-the-one-who-abandoned-a-new-born-baby!" Pietro scowled.

"Woah! Time out!" Tabitha called. Rogue sent her a grateful look. "Rogue how long have you been a mother?"

Rogue's semi-smile melted into a scowl. "Ah never have been Blondie."

Wolverine still looked ready to gut the Cajun who was standing there next to her looking confused as anything, and nervous as the snarling Canadian advanced on him.

"Okay Bub. You got two minutes to explain. Then McCoy's gonna have one heck of a time finding something to get Swamp rat blood off his floor."

"Woah dere homme. Remy ain't knowin' nuttin' 'bout non babe." He held his hands out in a sign of peace. Unfortunately once he thought about that answer he realized it was trouble. "Non non non! It not Remy's! Really Remy swear on his life! Remy never...y' know...wit' her!" He cringed at the embarrassed flush on her face and the one starting to form on his own.

"That so? Where exactly were you say...ten or so months ago?" Logan growled as he pinned the Cajun to wall and raised his claws to stabbing position.

"Um...dat was 'round Mardi Gras...so N'Awlins..." Remy gulped nervously as he did the math and remembering as quickly as he could.

Unfortunately Logan just growled deeper. "You weren't alone down in that swamp, Gumbo!" Remy realized, too late, that the time he was being questioned on was right about the time he had brought Rogue to Louisiana at Mardi Gras.

"Logan let him go, please?" Rogue pleaded.

He turned to her scowling. "I never probed you about the time you were with him. I believed you when you stood up for him. This scum took advantage of you and now he'll pay in his own blood." The hand against the very frightened Cajun's neck tightened its grip and two claws assured he wouldn't move his head as the middle one pressed into the flesh at the location of his jugular very slowly.

"No he did not Logan!" Rogue snapped.

"You care to explain then?"

"It could not possibly be his kid that Quicksilver is talkin' 'bout." She said softly as she grew uncomfortably aware of the whole room watching her curiously. "Because he and Ah never...ya know. Did anythin' like that." She paused as her face grew redder as the moments passed. She fidgeted and twisted a lock of her white bangs.

"Well then if not Gambit, who?" Scott raised an eyebrow.

"Scott, look at her, she looks genuinely confused." Jean said softly. "I sense she's telling the truth. She knows nothing about this whole thing. I think this is just a misunderstanding."

"Well that isn't an accusation to take lightly." Scott leered. "Rogue just tell us the truth, what is Maximoff talking about?"

Tabitha rolled her eyes. Remy closed his and counted back the approximate time. He yelped in realization. "De badger be right! Dat was 'bout de time dat Remy an' y' were down in Blood Moon Bayou t'get'er!" He turned to Rogue with a betrayed face. "Y' weren't kiddin' 'bout y' an' Julian havin' somet'in' goin' on when y' told de Scarlet Witch were y'?" He sounded vaguely hurt.

Her eyes filled with mixed emotions. "Remy...Logan...Ah..."

"Save it Rogue." Remy frowned slightly. "Shouldn't have pushed fo' a relationship wit' a fille who had m' arch nemesis' petit."

"Oh would y'all just let me talk!" She cried. "Y'all ain't makin any sense! Ya know Ah can't touch! Y'all are jumpin' down mah throat cuz a somethin' Pietro Maximoff said after wakin' up from a stupid nightmare!" She looked bitterly at her gloved hands. "Ah ain' even kissable for cryin' out loud, how the hell could Ah have a baby? An if things keep on the way they are now Ah never will. So kahndly don't assume anythin' bout me."

Sympathy filled the room. She scowled and crossed her arms. "Ah'm disgusted y'all don't trust me more than that. Especially you." She looked accusingly at Logan and then Remy. "This crap is somethin' Ah'd have expected from Pietro or Tabitha or even Spyke but not ya two."

"Rogue...Chére..." Remy pulled her into a relaxed hug. He gently moved a strip of hair from her face. "Remy sorry. Got carried away."

She glared but made no effort to move from the embrace.

"Well, glad that's over with." Jean sighed uncomfortably.

Rogue was still glaring. "So now y'all gonna accept mah story o' what?"

Tabitha nodded. "Yep."

Pietro rolled his eyes and flopped backwards onto the pillows. This commotion had amazingly drained him. "It-was-just-a-nightmare?"

"Ok Maximoff, what the hell are you dreaming about Rogue having babies for?" Logan grunted, definitely calmed down, although the Cajun still eyed the clenched fists warily while absently rubbing his neck.

Quicksilver sighed in relief. "Definitely-not-a-dream. We're-talking-nightmares-of-heckish-varieties-Wolverine!" He turned away and his eyes scanned the Cajun who still had a protective arm draped around Rogue. His eyes lit up in excitement.

"Gambit-old-buddy-old-pal...Wanna-do-me-a-huge-favor?" Remy raised an eyebrow. "You-have-my-approval-to-date-her. Date-her-so-that-"

"Quickie, Remy don' need non permission ou datin' advice from y', daccord? (okay)."

At that moment McCoy reentered the room, followed by Xavier in his wheel chair, Magneto who looked paler than ever, and a few other people.

"Ah, he's awake, just on schedule." The fuzzy blue mutant smiled softly. "Everyone, I would love for you to meet a few other brilliant minds who will be helping with the crisis today. Meet Moira MacTaggart, Elizabeth Braddock, Lorna Dane, and I daresay you've had the pleasure of meeting Warren Worthington III and Forge."

Each of the people smiled and nodded as they were introduced. Few people noticed the dark look of shock that passed between Remy and Elizabeth Braddock. Rogue definitely noticed that both were soon scowling however and she looked vaguely puzzled.

"LeBeau." The woman said in a low tone.

"Braddock." Was his cold reply.

"Its been a while Remy."

"Dere was a reason fo' dat Betsy."

"Fine nobody tell me what's going on." Rogue frowed and stepped away from Remy.

He noticed her missing presence and pulled her back. "Hmph. Ex-girlfriend?" She scowled.

Elizabeth hesitated and then laughed. "Oh bloody hell no, luv. Just old...acquaintances. You couldn't even properly call us friends. We worked together once or twice, but I can assure you that we were more interested in dead slugs than each other."

Rogue contemplated this and smiled at the obviously British woman. "Ok." She decided that Ms. Braddock was okay.

"So you must be Rem's newest squeeze huh, honey?" The older woman smiled and Rogue's cheeks colored slightly. "Well, Ah don' know 'bout that...Ah don' really wanna git into a relationship right now...Ah don't wanna get in over mah head."

"Hmm." The older woman looked impressed. "Not bad. She's got a brain on her shoulders. Unlike those horrid girls he used to bring to head-quarters." She said mostly to herself. "Quite pretty, different than those wretched blondes but you have a natural almost hidden beauty...And with that blush of yours, I presume you're shy." She put a hand on her hips as if pondering something. "Five-eight...size six maximum...can't be more than 110 lbs...Have you ever considered modeling?"

"What!" Rogue blurted. "Yah gotta be kiddin' me!"

"Do I sound as if I am joking?"

Rogue looked very confused and backed away slightly.

Remy snickered. "Betsy don' scare de fille."

"Oh shut up LeBeau." Both women rolled their eyes simultaneously. Then Betsy smiled. "Sorry, I do sometimes get carried away. Betsy Braddock." She stuck out a hand. "Sorry but I didn't catch your name, luv."

"Cuz Ah didn' throw it. The name's Rogue." The two shook hands. Betsy grinned approvingly at Rogue's white stripes while Rogue noticed the other woman's hair was dark purple. Almost black so understandable why it wasn't noticed.

"That natural?" Rogue asked, knowing that with people these days you could never tell.

Ruefully Betsy shook her head. "Nah. Nature isn't so kind to all of us." She said nodding at Rogue's own unusual hair.

"Wait, you know mines natural?"

"Luv, that isn't too hard to tell for a telepath."

Rogue curled a lip in disgust.

"Oh dear, you've had some rather unpleasant telepath encounters haven't you. We're not all insufferable know-it-alls, luv."

Rogue snorted as the older woman nodded towards the doorway Jean had left from. Then she smirked. "Then why didn't you use ya powers to get mah name?"

"That would have been terribly rude, don't you agree?" Betsy waved the thought away with a smile.

The professor cleared his throat gently and Betsy grinned sheepishly. "Oh right, sorry. Not here to chit chat."

"Right, Elizabeth...now this is Pietro. He's the one whose condition requires immediate attention, though new friendships are welcome."

Elizabeth's eyes focused on him. She didn't seem terribly impressed. Lorna on the other hand, who could not be a day older than Rogue giggled as is common for females around Pietro. Several people rolled their eyes.

"We have summoned you for your minds, not your flirting potential or ability to make new friends Ms. Dane, Ms. Braddock," Magneto reminded the young women impatiently. Both nodded. Betsy shrugged but Lorna looked like a puppy that got kicked by its human. Her wide green eyes filled with shame.

"Sorry sir." She mumbled.

"New Recruits." Eric rolled his eyes. "Can't live with them, loose all my ranks to you, Charles, without them." He sent significant glances to Piotr who was quietly standing in the corner, with Kitty standing close, and Remy who was currently still casually holding Rogue close. The ice blue eyes briefly skimmed over Lance who felt his face color in shame. "Charles, you do know that the only reason any males remain here at all is you have the ladies in spandex right?"

Xavier chuckled slightly. "They are teenage males Eric. And well, it is best to know how to keep your troops interested, shall we say."

"Very well, that is why I decided to try a few female followers. Have to keep the ranks from defaulting here."

"Look we do need to get down to business." An older Scottish woman said sternly. "Young Pietro's life is critically on the line and we have absolutely no time to play around."

The woman glared at the younger two and rolled her eyes at Forge. "Juveniles. Let's do this. I have research to get back to in Scotland." She moved over to the computers and surveyed the data. "Hm...what precisely happened to create this condition?" She wrinkled a brow.

Magneto shifted his weight uneasily. "He was a test subject as a child. But he wasn't the first. The results never affected me or any of my underlings. I thought it would be perfectly safe to put him through the procedure. I had actually thought it had failed. Leading me to...well placing him in the care of a set of people who owned an orphanage and coincidentally owed me a favor. I feared he did not possess an x-gene."

Moira frowned. "Getting rid of your own child for something so stupid...When not everyone can have his or her own children...It is a horrible shame. Well, this is definitely a mess. We had best get to work on it. I need to know as much about the experiment as I can so that it can be reproduced and then remedied." She said in an authoritative voice.

Eric nodded and gestured to Lorna and Betsy to head to computer consoles. Lorna hurried, looking eager to please her new boss while Betsy rolled her eyes and was much more relaxed.

Remy followed her. "Why don' it s'prise Remy dat y' de fille on de wrong side o' de tracks still?"

"Hm, why doesn't it surprise Betsy that the swamp rat still doesn't know how to use first person reference and proper English correctly?" she said pointedly.

Remy scowled. And she gave him a superior smirk, much like the one that frequented his own face after getting the better of somebody.

"Y' never will change will y'?"

She frowned softly and put a hand to his face..."Who ever saw you going to the right side of the tracks, LeBeau?" She asked in a voice filled with awe. She read the emotion of his face perfectly. And then she followed the clues to Rogue who was looking confused and vaguely jealous.

"Oh." She smiled at the younger girl. Then whispered to Remy. "She must be something special if YOU are on the straight path of the law...fighting the good around in spandex being a vigilante...So can I start calling you Bruce?" At his sour look she chuckled. "Or would Mr. Wayne be more appropriate?"

Betsy deliberately allowed her voice to carry so the whole room got the reference. Rogue gained a sour look of her own. Betsy turned to her with a smile. "Maybe I should start calling you Selina Kyle, luv." The British woman winked at her. (Bonus points to whoever catches this DCish allusion.)

Magneto gave her a look and she strolled to the computer. Moira turned back to the group. "Charles, Eric, the boy is not a fish in a bowl for crying out loud. Can't you dismiss the other children?"

"Moira, that would not be fair. They are concerned with his condition." Xavier frowned.

The Scottish woman sighed. "Very well. But I need silence to help fix this."

"From what I know about the kid, he won't shut up when the others leave." Forge shook his head.

"Look, his condition shouldn't be restricting him to that bed anyway." Betsy argued. "Why not put a portable monitor on him and send him and the others away? That way we could work and solve this puzzle as quickly as possible. We could make sure one of the others is always around him to help if he gets too weak."

The others pondered this. "Well, I worry that he is too stubborn to admit when he is weak." Eric admitted gently.

"I'll know. I could use my powers to keep a proverbial 'eye' on him." Betsy offered softly.

"Yes but then you won't be much use to the research and work." Moira frowned. Betsy nodded with a tiny smirk

"I won't be much help anyway, luv. Warren would be the doctor of all of us. I am only here because the boss was desperate and I wanted to get out of the silver dome of doom." She shrugged. "And Lorna thought it would be fair that she should go if Pyro got to come. Our science knowledge is not quite the cream of the crop, though we do know some of the stuff."

Moira rolled her eyes. "This is wasting time. You two can just go then. We'll call you when we have the concrete data and need you to help work on the solution. Shoo."

Betsy grinned. "C'mon everyone. I want a tour of this lovely mansion." Pietro waited patiently as McCoy unhooked the machinery and winced with a pitiful yelp as the IV was removed.

"Now Pietro, I'm going to put a portable system on you. It will continue to transmit your vitals to the computer. It'll be just like a light back pack. But if you for a second feel weak or ill you must say something and come back immediately. Ms. Braddock will be psychically monitoring you so please don't make her have to report you. Do you understand?"

Pietro nodded and stood up. "Okay-I-will-be-fine-so-lets-go. Where's-Wanda? Why-isn't-she-here?"

Lance rolled his eyes. "Come on. We can go find her."

Pietro looked ready to go run off. "Not so fast Mr. Maximoff." Beast held him back with a blue fuzzy paw. His father used his powers to levitate a metal band from Forge's hands and clapped it around his neck like a collar. A wave of whitish blue energy crackled over Pietro's body, not hurting him. In reality it was more of a tickle but the point is that he felt it.

"Hey what's the big idea?" He snapped and scooted away. Halfway across the room he realized that he was traveling way too slow. "What the heck did you to me?" He cried. He screwed up his face in realization that his speech was not as fast as usual either.

"It's a power inhibitor." Forge spoke up proudly. "Designed to repress a mutant's powers to a manageable state that is preset for the individual. The one he is wearing is designed to completely negate any effects of his x-gene."

Pietro looked ready to kill. He immediately reached up to tug at it. He felt a key pad and groaned at the touch number keys. "What's the code? Get it off!"

"Sorry Pietro, but you need it." Forge shrugged.

"He is absolutely right child." Moira said snappishly. "Your power is just making this whole mess worse as that was what was mutated when you were younger. Getting rid of it temporarily will prevent your condition from speeding up and prevent you from exerting too much energy too quickly." She smiled maternally. "I'm sorry dear, I know mutants depend on their powers, but you could consider this a learning experience."

"I hate you. All of you." He pouted and crossed his arms. "I like my powers. I can't go at slow-mo speed! It's so...slow!"

"Hey...It really cuts powers?" Rogue's interest piqued as she looked at Pietro scowling, with obvious interest in her green eyes. "Forge...mah ol' buddy...ol' pal..."She batted her eyelashes flirtatiously causing the Cajun next to her to growl reminiscently of Wolverine. "Yah wouldn' happen ta have an extra one o' those layin' 'round that ya could give ta a certain southun (southern in a southern drawl...I think) gal would ya?" She smiled sweetly and clutched his hand in her own gloves.

Forge chuckled and grinned. "Well, I don't know..." he said playfully. "I think I have another one...but I did have someone in mind while constructing it..."

"Oh please sugah? It'd mean the whole wahde (wide) world ta meh..." She pouted.

Remy turned angrily to Lance. "Is it jus' Remy ou are dey flirtin'? Why she flirtin' wit' dat homme! 'E gotta be at least fifteen years older den her!" He snarled furiously. Lance shook his head. "That's part of who she is. She flirts with everyone."

"Not Remy." He sulked. To his surprise Lance started laughing. "Well duh! She actually has feelings for you. So she plays hard to get to be sure you really like her."

Rogue ignored the exchange and continued clutching the inventor's hand and using her southern charm on him.

"Well Roguey...do you really want it?" Forge smirked as she pouted.

"Mo' den anythang else." She pleaded. Remy scowled at the other man.

"Well, I dunno...you need to ask me nice...or I might just give it to Cyclops..."

"Give it to me ya cruel, evil, time-suspended, creep!" She cried.

He snickered. "You didn't say please...oh Scott..."

"Fine. Please may I have the power inhibitor ya kind, generous, young genious?" She pouted softly.

Forge chuckled and removed a box from the pocket inside his jacket. "Well it is the day before Christmas Eve...so what the heck..." He handed it to her. Her eyes lit up as she delicately ripped the black paper open and inside was a velvet box, like one you'd expect to have a diamond necklace resting in it Rogue gently opened it up and gasped in shock. The necklace was a pretty black collar with tiny silver studs. And hanging from the center was a ruby heart surrounded by pewter spikes.

"Oh mah...Forge its gorgeous!" She hugged him tightly, while carefully avoiding skin-to-skin contact.

He grinned. "The prototype was originally designed with you and Summers in mind. When placed on your skin it will not negate your powers, but it will allow you to control your powers at your will. It's designed that way so that if anti-mutant people get their hands on it, they can't use it against anyone."

She beamed as Pietro scowled. "Well why can't I use mine? And why did I get a cruddy regular silver metal while hers was obviously designed for her?"

"Well Pietro...Yours is controlled by Ms. McTaggart's will. And as to why hers is designed nicely, hers is for permanent use. Also, I figured that a young lady would be more particular about her jewelry." He snickered.

"Ah owe ya ma soul if this works Forge." Rogue grinned. She clipped it around her neck and was surprised slightly by the cool metal on her flesh. "Exhibit A:" She gently removed her gloves and placed a finger on Forge's hand. A spark of colored light flashed and she pulled away. "Wow, that was totally trippy man..." She wrinkled her nose as she spoke like she had been stuck in the seventies. Luckily since it was a two second tap, it only lasted about two minutes.

"Okay that was allowing mah powers to work...so now exhibit B." She looked around for a test subject. Her eyes settled on the Cajun who was still fuming about her hug of joy and flirting with Forge.

"Please let this work." She whispered to herself. She slowly stepped closer to him and hesitantly placed a hand on his cheek. She winced, expecting the flash of light and to start speaking like she had just sauntered out of the bayou.

To her utter amazement, and his infinite relief nothing happened. Rogue felt frozen in time, like she was spinning in an endless vortex. Tears started flowing freely down her face and she made no effort to stop them. "Ah can...Ah can...Ah can touch..." She said in awe as she stared at her hand, still unmoved from Remy's face. He smiled, not his typical smirk or grin, but a genuine smile. He pulled her into a tight hug and she held tight as if afraid her power would come back if she let go. She cried in her joy and happiness, burying her face in Remy's neck.

"I'll take that as a sign you like it, then." Forge broke the stunned silence with a gentle smile on his face. "Since your birthday is Christmas (My story I pick their birth dates so meh) Happy birthday Rogue. And merry Christmas, for about the next five years mind you."

Rogue pulled away from Remy and hugged Forge. "Thank you so much! Thank you...I owe you everything..."

He smiled and gently pushed her away. "Your gratitude is all I need in return, Rogue. Use it well."

Meanwhile, back at the gazebo, Wanda opened her eyes and pulled away from the person in front of her with a gasp.

"What just happened?" She asked him awkwardly as she scooted backwards a little.

"Oy...dunno...Sheila." He answered her, embarrassed. He looked away. "Not complaining but...Oy dunno." He nervously ran a hand through his disheveled red-orange hair. "This is bloomin' awkward luv."

She ran a hand through her short black hair and avoided eye contact with him. "This is all wrong...we can't..." She sighed and stared out at the horizon. The snow was falling steadily now. It had already put half an inch on the ground and trees around them. She smiled at the gorgeous tranquility of it all.

St. John noticed her smile and smiled himself, despite the fact that he was shivering in the frigid air.

"Are you okay?" She asked softly.

He nodded with his teeth chattering. "Y-Y-Yes." She gave him a sharp look and he shook his head. "N-n-not really. Oy'm used to w-warm weather. Never had any of this frozen garbage growing up..." He shivered and huddled into his warm orange uniform jacket.

"Maybe we should go in?" She asked as he rubbed his hands together.

He nodded and stood up. They trudged inside and he huddled close to her. "Mm. You're warm. How are you not freezing to death?"

"I don't know. I guess I grew up in an asylum with no heat." She shrugged. They got inside and removed their coats in the door as a warm blast of heat welcomed them.

"Do you think Mr. Xavier would mind if we went and had some hot chocolate?" She asked her companion hesitantly?

"Oy don' think so, Sheila." He shook his head. "He don' seem like the kind of guy who'd want two freezing people to catch pneumonia."

She smiled and they headed into the kitchen. Wanda looked around. "Um do you think they have any hot chocolate?"

"Wanda, Sheila, this is a mansion. Xavier's bound to have a whole cabinet with gourmet brands. At least yer father does anyway..."

Wanda frowned at the mention. At that moment, Storm entered the room. "Oh dear, you poor children." She gushed, seeing their faces pink with the cold. "Were you outside? You must be freezing."

They nodded and she frowned in sympathy. "Had I known that you two were outside I would have kept it a little warmer. Can I get you something warm to drink?"

Both nodded gratefully. "If it isn't too much trouble Ma'am." St. John smiled politely. "We were looking for something but this place is just huge."

Storm nodded. "What would you like? We have coffee, tea, and hot chocolate." She looked at them and smiled.

"Hot Chocolate for me please." Pyro said softly. Storm nodded and turned to Wanda.

"Um what kind of tea do you have?" Wanda asked shyly.

"We have just about every kind made." Wanda looked confused. "I'd recommend mint, child. It is quite soothing." Storm said kindly. Wanda nodded. The older woman smiled and opened a cabinet door revealing boxes of and canisters of every warm beverage available.

"Told ya." Pyro whispered to Wanda who grinned.

Storm set a teapot to boil on the stove and then took a seat with the two teenagers. "Don't look so shocked." She smiled. "Your teams may oppose mine but you are still children."

Wanda nodded. She didn't quite know what to say but she felt more welcome and at home than she ever had before.

"It's terrible about your brother Wanda." She said sadly. "I am dreadfully sorry this is happening. He's so young. Just seventeen."

Wanda nodded sadly. "Yeah...But I guess life just isn't fair..."

"Don't talk that way Wanda." Storm frowned. "Things'll get better."

"Yeah because they can't get much worse." Wanda said softly. Storm sighed.

"You're taking this situation with your brother harder than Charles anticipated aren't you?"

Wanda sighed and nodded. "Pietro's my twin, and yeah he drives everyone nuts but still...this is so hard."

Both St. John and Storm gazed at her with sympathy in their eyes.

"Would you like me to go and see if he's awake yet?" Storm asked softly, placing a hand on Wanda's shoulder. The young girl nodded and smiled weakly.

"That would be good." The older woman nodded and left the two teens with a hint of a smile on her face.

"Please don't cry again." Pyro said seriously. "The weather witch is right. Things can only go up from here, luv. When one door closes another opens." He gave her a lopsided smile to which she giggled. Then she grew serious.

"How do you know?"

"I don't Sheila." He answered truthfully with a shrug. "But I got me faith. And some bloke once said that faith is believing in what common sense says you shouldn't."

"Wow. Didn't know the clinically insane were so insightful." The young girl smirked. He shrugged again.

"Got a lot of reading time on me hands. What with yer Dad lackin' in the whole psychotic new world order routine in his old age, and everyone else going all x-men-y on me." He crinkled his nose at the last thought. The Gothic girl chuckled at his expression.

"You really took it hard when Colossus and Gambit chased Shadowcat and Rogue here huh?" She focused her eyes directly to his. He frowned and nodded. "They left me alone. Not even a goodbye from the Tin man and Gambit just up and walked out after packing his stuff." The red-head heaved a sigh.

"Had they told me, I coulda come too...that big ol' silver dome of doom gets real lonely lately. Even with the new recruits." He frowned. "But they left without even a bye." He shook his head and she frowned in sympathy. Then she looked confused.

"Magneto has new recruits?"

The pyromaniac nodded. "Yup. Psylocke and Magnetrix and White Queen. Better names would be Psycho, Maniac, and the Queen of Mean though."

Wanda raised an eyebrow.

"It's true!" Pyro frowned. " Psylocke's this Sheila from England. She's done time as a thief with me mate Gambit and she's a trained assassin. Did a bit of the double agent thing I guess. Anyway, her dad and twin brother are Super Heroes or something like that. She's another telepath only she has this insane knife thing that pops out of her hand! She had perfectly normal brown hair but she went and dyed it some violent shade of purple. She's dating the bloke with wings. And to top it all off, she was a super-model." He raised an eyebrow as if that should automatically decide her fate.

Wanda smiled. "So I guess you don't get along too well with her?" Pyro looked at her like she was crazy. "Okay...so what about the other ones?"

Pyro snorted. "Emma Frost, or White Queen. Boston Born an' with the personality fittin' for her last name. She's another telepath, real obnoxious one who don't hesitate to pry into your business. She's always with a different guy. Favors wearing white leather but you compliment her just once and you're just a waste of oxygen." He shook his head in disgust. "And the other one ain't much more than a little girl. Magnetrix...she's prolly just a li'l older than you, luv. But she's playin' the poor-helpless-lost-doe-eyed-Sheila. She was born with hair as green as yours is black. Dyed it brown to fit in with 'normal girls'. She's shy and stands at attention and is as willing to please the boss as your pip-squeak brother." He winced at his word choice as she flinched slightly at the reference. "Sorry, that was uncalled for." He looked down at his cup of hot chocolate.

"No...its okay...I know Pietro is like that. Unfortunately. Hey tell me more about Magnetrix or whatever her name is huh?" She brightly changed the topic.

"Well, 'er name's Lorna Dane. Kinda sounds like a cookie brand but whatever. Big kicked-puppy green eyes. Has a serious crush on Summers' li'l brother. She met the bloke in Hawaii where she lived."

Wanda raised an eyebrow with a small laugh. "Okay...so what are her powers?'

Suddenly Pyro looked very nervous. "Um...Oy dunno if Oy should tell ya much..."

"Why not?"

"Um...it might upset you...a lot." He avoided her curious eyes. When he made the error of looking up he met a pleading expression that he couldn't resist. "Fine. Oy'll tell ya but if ya fly off the handle remember it ain't me fault. Ya can't say Oy di'n' warn ya okay Sheila?" She rolled her eyes and nodded. "Well...her powers are...well the Sheila controls magnetism..." He winced as the connotations of that hit Wanda full force.

"But...how can that be?" She asked quietly.

"Well Wanda...there's a...really strong possibility that the Sheila's yer...yer...older half-sister..."

He closed his eyes as that sank into the younger girl's sub-conscious. He awaited an explosion or tantrum. He was shocked when none came. He cautiously opened his eyes, expecting a berating for further throwing her life into an abysmal torture.

"Um, Wanda...Sheila, ya okay?" He asked cautiously as she sighed and pulled her knees up to her chin.

"Yeah...I guess...after all I've learned today this doesn't surprise me at all." She smiled weakly. "Can I tell you something nobody else knows?" She asked quietly. He nodded and put a hand on her shoulder.

"Sure."

"Well, before me and Pietro were born, my mother left my father. We never knew him until we were four. That's when my mother found out she was dying so she went back to him to tell him about his children. He had never known about me or Pietro and he had us all move in with him so he could get my mother good medical care and be part of our lives. My mom lived until we were eight and a half but then the disease could resist treatment. She...passed away and it was really hard on all of us, and it was the second time my father had lost her so it was doubly hard for him." Wanda choked up as she struggled to keep her voice steady. "But anyway that first night when we were living with my father, after Pietro was asleep, I heard them argue about something. I'd never heard my mother raise her voice but she was with my father that night. They were fighting about why she had left in the first place and it had something to do with another woman...one of my mother's friends...and what he'd done..." Wanda looked up, tears in her eyes.

"Oh...you poor Sheila," John whispered sympathetically. "Who needs to hear anything like that about their parents, especially when ya were such a little bitty thing." He shook his head.

"They never knew I heard." She continued mournfully. "I never told Pietro either, but its not like I understood it then. I was confused but I felt that my mother was angry with my father so I had to be too, because my mother was my world when I was little. So while Pietro went out of his way to be Father's favorite, I clung to my mother. I never called him Daddy like my brother but I did respect him." Wanda sighed as the old memories flashed. "Maybe that's what sparked this whole thing between me and my father."

Pyro gently hugged her. "Oy...Oy'm real sorry Wanda. Oy shouldn't have told ya what Oy did the way Oy did it. It was heartless and mean."

"No...you only told me the truth." She mumbled into his shoulder sadly. "I think it was sweet."

At that moment in time the others had reached the kitchen in the process of their tour of the mansion. Psylocke was keeping an eye on Pietro, who rolled his eyes in irritation.

I'm fine doctor Braddock. He thought viciously as he felt her probe his mind again.

"And here we find the kitchen. Anyone hungry?" Rogue asked as she pushed open the door gently. However she quickly backed out. "Actually, ya know Ah think all kitchens look alike...ya know stove, sink, fridge, table, the works so lets skip the kitchen shall we?" She purposefully headed away. "And over here we have the recreation room where ya kin find..."

"Hang on Roguey." Pietro frowned. "I slept through breakfast...and lunch." He added as an after thought. "So I kinda want a snack. So lets just go in the kitchen. It won't take long." He turned and was about to enter the kitchen when Rogue was standing there blocking his entrance.

"Um no! Ya don' need a snack...don't wanna get fat do ya?" She asked panicky.

He gave her an annoyed look. "Rogue I need to eat. Why are you freaking out so much?"
"Ya sick Pietro. Ya...ya need a balanced diet. Not anythin' ya'll find in there...If ya really hungry lets order a pizza, the phone's in the rec room...Or we could order Chinese or go to McDonald's." She steered him away gently.

"Rogue..." He frowned. "C'mon, If it's that big a deal, I could just have a sandwich or something."

"Excellent idea, Ah'll go make ya one. Ya just sit here all comfy like an' Ah'll go git it fo' ya' okay Sugah?" She pushed him down on the rec room sofa and turned toward the kitchen.

Remy pouted and followed. He easily caught her and wrapped his arms around her waist to stop her. "Chère, why y' actin' so weird?"

"Weird? Ah ain't actin' weird Rem." She said in a higher voice than normal as she tried to twist away as a bewildered Pietro stood up.

"Oui, y' are too." Remy held her tighter. "Y' fussin' over Quickie like no t'morrow an' y' called 'im Sugah."

"No Ah didn'." Rogue frowned as she looked frantically at the albino speedster heading towards the kitchen. "Lemme go!" She pleaded and pulled away to everyone's confusion. "Pietro go sit down!" She hollered. He raised an eyebrow but continued to the door.

"Please don' trouble yahself Pietro!" She begged. "Ah'll make ya favorite...turkey with horseradish, butter, lettuce, grilled onion on the side an' no crust!" She yelled as he shook his head.

"Roguey, you're a little busy at the moment," he raised an eyebrow at Gambit who still did not allow her to go stop him. "Don't think I'm too frail to make my own food and don't for a second think my needs have to stop your relationships."

Rogue growled as Remy smirked. "Chèrie, listen t' de boy. He know what he talkin' bout." He cuddled her closer.

"Dang it Remy! Lemme go right this freaking instant!" She cursed as he smirked and whispered "make me, Chère" into her ear.

"Rem, Ah'm sorry..."She shook her head as a guilty look settled on her face. He had enough time to open his mouth to either ask what she was sorry for or to kiss her before she slammed an iron-toed combat boot onto his own sneaker clad foot.

"Merde!" He cursed in pain as he clenched his eyes shut and allowed her to escape.

"Pietro Eric Maximoff don' go into that kitchen!" Rogue yelled as she used everyone's shock to her advantage, practically flying at the younger boy. In her haste she nearly tackled the boy. She stopped suddenly before impact, afraid to hurt him as she did weigh a little more than the scrawny teen. Unfortunately her momentum was unable to allow a complete stop so she accidentally crashed into Pietro, and quite unintentionally they ended up in the kitchen after all.

"Geez Roguey what is up with you to...day..." His jaw dropped and he blinked repeatedly as he stared at the sight before him. It registered rather quickly that he was seeing his sister, sniffling a little into the shoulder of one of his father's acolytes. Their chairs were close and to have gotten the couple any closer without Shadowcat phasing them together was a physical improbability.

"Oh God, I...I think I have to hurl..." He said weakly as he stumbled backwards and lost his balance only to be caught from falling by Rogue, Tabitha and Remy, the former two just who had rushed in. Tabitha and Rogue's concerned faces were his last sights before blacking out.

Hey. 's just me again. So that was chapter seven. There was more Jonda in this chapter. And I brought in some characters I don't have much work experience with so you'll have to let me know how I did with them. Before a kazillion people hound me about how Psylocke, and Emma Frost did not work with Magneto, I'd like to point out that Gambit and Colossus didn't either (to any of the extensive research I've done anyway) other than in Evolution. So if they can do that so can I. However 'Magnetrix' did. Brownie points to whoever picks up who she really is, only hints are that she is NOT an OC and I'm using her in BiD. I'm trying to do this as accurately as I possibly can by using the limited sources I have. Oh and I finally came up with a solution for the Rogue's power problem that can't be used against others against their wills so yayish for me! But don't expect me to automatically have her throw everything aside and randomly elope with Remy. Oh and ETA if you say one word about anything remotely related to the IMing thing..., Peter gets it! Remember they've never even had a real date and she's not that reckless as she's still been denying him any affection. So lets see, that's the Tondaness, and the Romy boundary cleared up...next up...fixing the Lancitty issue. Anyone object to Piotr getting pecked to death by geese? Or getting hit by a bus? Hehehe...don't worry just joking I will do a better spectacle than that...The yicky Kiotr-yness will end and all will be right in the world of romance except the Tabbietro which is honestly more difficult than I thought it would be...And Pietro's little condition...poor thing, I honestly feel pain in doing this to him and all of you. I picked Pietro to do this with because I thought that I would not get emotional but darnitall I got attached to the scrawny albino anyway. Oh well, yeah...Anyway onto the reviewers...

ishandahalf- Oh believe me you have no idea how terrifying the Rogue/Magneto ness was to write...I nearly had to prevent myself from throwing up the past months' meals as I wrote it. It gave me nightmares for a week. Hey! I'm a Romy shipper all the way...of course it wasn't premonitional! Oh it has a purpose. A big one that will be revealed in time but for now lets just say it gives Pietro an excuse to encourage our favorite southerners that they belong with each other, shall we?

howlerdrode- Yep that's who she named him for. Yeah it really happened in some freakish alternate reality of the X-men. Terrified the bejeebers out of me to know that by the way. Um, I never said 10 years per say. More like 12. Yeah it is kinda optimistic but who really wants to admit they're dying. Besides anything can happen in dreams. And what on this planet gave you that idea 'bout Pietro? He's as anti-X-Geek as they come right now. Just because he was at the mansion when his little half brother was being born does not in any shape or form mean he wants to be an X-man. Nah...he's more suited to the Avengers anyway...Everything has its purpose...and do remember that this is an angst.

crazyspaceystracey- Glad you like it.

EviltwinAlix- okay girl from now on I'll just call you ETA like everyone else cuz you got a long name...Anyway I really do feel your pain. I hate Peter. I wish him nothing but ill. Wow that is a lot. I'm flattered. I feel so loved. Does insane happy dance In your face Bowen! laughs at crestfallen Peter

purple Rose swan- (times three) #1- I so totally did not steal this from ETA! The idea was hers but she didn't want to write it so she gave me the right to do it. The idea's hers but the story is mine, love. Yeah the morons who told my evil twin she couldn't write need to be shot, drawn, and quartered because all of them are idiots. You're right she is good but this one's on me okay hun? Numero dos: I'm the all powerful author, that's how I dare to put him on his death bed. Anymore silly questions? I told y'all its killing me but do you listen...nooo of course not. Oh the army...I'm shakin' in my Sketchers. I am protected by my military of magical creatures and the trained-assassin penguins THAT BOBTHEFERALBLOWERFISH DOES NOT AND WILL NOT EVER OWN UNLESS HE ADMITS HE'S MY VOLUNTARY UNDERLING! And I'm sorry you're so mad but you can't really stop other reviewers from talking to me. Review the third Aww, glad you like it. I'd love a book deal. If you can talk Mr. Big Shot Stan Lee into gettin' me one let me know cuz you'll be my best friend and I'll adopt you as a new sister.

waterlily- Ah don't worry. I'll presume your hostile cousin is purple Rose swan huh? Poor you. I gave Pietro 24 hours because otherwise this story wouldn't have a point...at the end it will have a nice little morally thing. Well, seeing the reactions I've gotten from others, and including one hostile psychotic water fowl of violet coloration slowly edges away from purple Rose swan, everyone has some emotional attachment to the scrawny albino. So the lesson I want to prove will be more effective than if I used the wanna-be-porcupine. Cuz no one except maybe his aunt (Storm) and his parents would miss him if he was dying. Um, who's Sam? Should I know who your talking about? The only Sam in these parts is Cannonball from Kentucky but what the blazes would he be doing writing this fanfiction story? Yeah and who is this Z? do you think I'm someone else? I think there is a little confusion somewhere...

Okay yes...Now that I have paid tribute to all my adoring fans, all of whom and more who will hopefully review again...onto other stuffs...First of all you are all invited ( more like demanded or at least firmly requested) to check out the story I am co-authoring with my good friend howlerdrode. It is called End of the World and its up under howlerdrode's name. If you want you can get to it by accessing his profile page...

h t t p : w w w . f a n f i c t i o n . n e t / h o w l e r d r o d e

that should get you there if you take out all the spaces. We are discouraged by the fact that only ETA has yet reviewed. Its an awesome story and some parts may be a little confusing right now but all will be explained later. Seriously if you like my stuff howlerdrode's should appeal to ya as well. And we both wrote that so I think its good. Yeah go be good little fans and read and review it will ya? You can do it now preferably over later...I could threaten that until we've gotten five new reviewers and no ETA my family does not count as new I won't write anymore in this or BID. Hm good idea...so y'all go address that problem now huh? BUT FOR THE LOVE OF PEANUT BUTTER REVIEW THIS FIRST PLEASE!