Hi everyone. I know it's been a long time since ya've heard hide or hair from me, but I do have a legitimate reason. It's been chaos round my parts. I graduate the 22nd and teachers like giving extra homework in the last quarter because they didn't do what they were supposed to earlier in the year. So I've been up like all night, every night and I've had negative time in which to read fanfiction, let alone write. But fear not fellow ficcers! It's finally summer, meaning I just got a LOT of time (despite the accursed summer internship, but that's not gonna get in my way.)
So anyhow, I don't own the X-men. Mind you, if anyone wants to give em to me for a graduation present...I surely wouldn't mind.
♣♣♣
The movie had ended and now Wanda figured she had given Pietro enough time to sulk. So while Kitty and Rogue debated which movie to put on next, she excused herself and headed back to the infirmary. With all the fuss she hadn't been given any time to just talk to him as a sister. And she really needed to.
Just the thought of losing him made her heart clench painfully. He had always been there, even when she was locked away in that horrible institution. But now she had to face the painful reality that he probably wouldn't be there after tomorrow.
She sniffled at the thought. Her mother had died when she was young, only eight years old. But somehow, losing Pietro hurt her so much more. They had always been inseparable from early on, she could remember. They had shared everything, from the very start. When she had found him again, she silently vowed never to let him leave her side again, yet here was fate, laughing at her while dragging him away.
She paused outside the infirmary door, composing herself. She was going to barge in and tell him he was being selfish for keeping himself holed up all alone when other people were worried about him. But then she reminded herself that the news of his impending demise was just as shocking to him. He had never been very good at dealing with stress and this had to be pretty stressing to him.
"Guess I'm not the only one who wants to talk to him, huh?" Lance chuckled dryly as he strolled down the hallway. Wanda jumped a bit in surprise before turning to him and nodding quietly.
"Well, it's not like I had any chance to earlier, you know. It's been a while since our last sibling heart-to-heart."
Lance nodded in understanding. "I bet this whole thing is pretty tough on you too."
Wanda swallowed and nodded. "I...I just can't believe that he's going to die." She said sadly.
"We don't know that." Lance said encouragingly. "There's still hope they can fix whatever is wrong and put him right again."
Wanda shook her head sadly. "They have less than 24 hours to work in. In that time they need to recreate father's old machine from scratch, reprogram it to correct the problem, and put Pietro through it. I don't want to give up hope...but..." She choked back a sob. "What we need is a miracle."
He eased her into a friendly hug and rubbed her back. "Don't sell the professor and the others short. They've got the best people for the job working on this. We can't give up yet. Death isn't getting Pietro without a fight."
Wanda pulled away and smiled up at him. "I didn't know you were such an optimist."
"Eh, hanging with the X-geeks does that to you." Lance joked. "But seriously, this isn't over yet, don't condemn Pietro before his time."
"It's hard though." Wanda admitted reluctantly. "I lost him once; I don't think I can stand losing him again." She stifled her sob. "I'm sorry. I must sound so pathetic." She apologized.
"Not at all." He assured her. "It's completely understandable for you to be upset. Today you've been given not only one but two completely different but equally horrible truths." He smiled warmly. "I think you're holding up better than most people would."
She shuddered. "I shouldn't be such an emotional wreck. I should have better control than this. My emotions are what landed me in an institution for a good portion of my life."
Lance frowned and shook his head. "You can't keep it all bottled up inside. That's unhealthy."
She looked down. "Where I grew up that's the only thing that would guarantee you would get to eat and not get beaten by the guards." Her voice was hushed, timid.
His frown deepened. Before Magneto had her memories modified she never talked about the asylum. And after the brain washing she didn't know about it. But Lance supposed that right now a lot of things were laying heavy on the poor girl's heart. Today had been a tough day for all of them, but he couldn't imagine how she felt.
She had started the morning with a simple wish to go shopping for holiday presents for her housemates. She personally didn't celebrate Christmas, but there was nothing to stop her from buying presents for her friends, especially with all the sales. But before she had been able to leave, Pietro had collapsed and then the group learned he was dying. If that wasn't enough of a shock, she found out that everything she knew about her life was a lie and she'd been locked away at a young age.
"I'm sorry." He said uncertainly, not quite sure what he was apologizing for.
She seemed to understand though and nodded ruefully. "Don't be, it's not like you put me there. I have my father to thank for that."
"We have that in common, you know." He sighed. She raised an eyebrow questioningly. "Let's just say, my father wasn't who I'd pick if I had a choice."
"I thought your father died..." Wanda frowned.
Lance looked uneasily before shaking his head. "That was my adopted father. He died in a car crash." He admitted reluctantly. "My birth father drank a lot and made it very clear that he hadn't ever wanted me in the first place." He suppressed a shudder at the involuntarily triggered repressed memory of abuse.
Wanda knew better than to ask him to go into it any further. "Is it just me or do all of us in the brotherhood have wretched pasts?" She joked.
He chuckled. "It's a membership requirement. To join up you need a diploma from the school of hard knocks."
She nodded. "Makes sense."
"So what are you gonna talk about with Pietro, if you don't mind my asking?" Lance asked curiously.
She shifted her weight to the other foot and grew serious again. "First, I'm going to ring his neck for being such a selfish lughead and tossing all of us out so he can sulk. Then, I'm not too sure what we'll say exactly but I gotta talk to him..." Her voice cracked slightly. "This may be the last chance I have."
Lance nodded sadly. "I know. He's always been like a little brother to me and there's a few things I need to get off my chest with him." He paused. "And then I'm going to see if the group in there could use somebody who knows mechanics." He chuckled. "Admittedly I don't know jack about a machine like that, but I can try."
"It's the thought that counts." Wanda assured him. She paused and frowned. "Unless it's Toad. He's a lost cause." Lance chuckled but then they both grew solemn quickly. "Lance? What will we do if he...if he..." She trailed off, unable to complete the thought.
She looked up at him, emotion swimming in her wide blue eyes. She looked years younger, and terrified to boot.
"We aren't going to lose him." Lance said firmly. He wished he was as confident as his voice made it seem. "We can't think like that."
She sighed sadly and nodded. "I just...I don't want to. It's just that maybe the whole thing won't hurt so bad if I prepare for the worst and hope for the best."
Lance shook his head. "Wanda, you know that won't do any good. It'll hurt either way if it happens. Which it won't."
"I wish I was that sure." She said weakly. "What's your secret?"
Lance sighed. "We just have to have faith that he'll pull through."
"But what if he doesn't?" Wanda needled. "What if he doesn't make it? What will happen to all of us? Our team?"
He closed his eyes to think about her words. "I don't know, Wanda. I really don't. I wish I could answer your questions. But I can't see the future."
"I can't see a future without my brother in it." She admitted in a soft voice.
"Speaking of your brother," Lance smiled encouragingly. "You wanted to go talk with him, didn't you?"
"Yeah." She smiled wryly. She turned to the door and took a deep breath before opening the door and stepping inside.
Her heart stopped for a beat or two as she stared in horror at the bed. She turned on her heel and stared at Lance, horrified.
"He's...He's gone!"
♣
In another part of the mansion, a tall figure stood in the doorway of the rec room, watching the occupants carefully. After a short period he announced his presence by clearing his throat quietly.
The X-men bristled until they saw that it was one of their own.
"Ey Petey." Remy gave a nod. "Decided t' join de party?"
Pyro looked up expectantly at his friend.
"Perhaps later Remy." Piotr's deep voice commented idly. "I vas hoping to have a vord vit Katya." He looked at Kitty appologetically. "I am sorry to interrupt."
"Don't be silly." Kitty giggled and patted the vacant spot on the sofa beside her. "I always have time for you. C'mon over, there's plenty of room."
Piotr smiled but shook his head briefly. "I do not mean to offend." He said sincerely. "But I vould like to speak vit you in private."
Kitty looked surprised but she quickly slipped off the couch and moved towards him. She stepped into the hall with him and smiled nervously. "Is everything, like, ok?" She twisted her hands.
He lowered his eyes and shook his head. "Sadly no."
She bit her lip. "What's wrong?"
He looked up with a very grim expression. "I have received a telephone call from my mother."
Kitty immediately grew concerned. She could tell that something was wrong and it was something serious by the tone of his voice. "What is it?" She urged gently.
Piotr looked down, sadness wafting in thick waves off him. "It is my father." He sighed heavily, sounding ready to cry. "He has had a heart attack."
"Oh no..." Kitty brought her hands to her mouth in horror. "Piotr I am so sorry."
"He is in the hospital recovering." Piotr informed her, his voice soft and shaking.
"Oh. That's good then, isn't it?" Kitty brightened.
"Well it does look like he will live." Piotr nodded. "But it is also bad at the same time." She looked up at him with confusion written all over her face.
"But, aren't you and your father, like, really close?" She frowned?
The tall Russian nodded. "Katya, the hospital will charge a large fee. And if my father is in need of any additional medicines or care that will be expensive too. My family is just a simple farming family from Siberia." He explained patiently.
"Is there anything I could do?" Kitty asked softly. "I could send over a few checks or take up a collection from everyone or something."
He chuckled. "You are a very sweet girl, Katya." He grew solemn again. "The money is not the only problem. A small family run farm will always feed the family. But there is a lot of work to do on a farm. And if my father is in the hospital, he will not be able to do the things he's done since he was very young. My mother and Ilyana will be busy with their own chores and they wouldn't know how to do what my father manages."
He gave a half smile, filled with regret and apology. "So, like, what does all of this mean?" Kitty asked nervously.
Piotr sighed. "My family needs me at home."
"In Russia?" Her voice squeaked.
He nodded silently, confirming it.
"How long do you think you'll be?" Kitty bit her lip.
Piotr swallowed and set his large hand on her shoulder. "I am not very certain, Katya."
Kitty let a small silence pass before looking up at him resolutely. "I could go with you, to help and stuff." She suggested. But he was shaking his head even before she finished.
"I do not think that would be the best thing at this time." He said solemnly.
She looked confused. "But, why not? Don't you think I could help?"
He smiled. "Katya, you have a heart of gold. I will not lie to you. I considered asking for you to accompany me to my home in Russia. But the more I have thought on it, the more I do not feel it is at all fair to take you away from all of the people you love, and all of the people who love you so much."
Kitty's eyes shined with her forming tears. "Then, I'll like, wait here until you get back."
He shook his head again with a soft frown. He paused, thinking of how he should word what he wanted to say. "I do not honestly know how long that vould be. I may be away for a long time. Would it be fair to make you wait for something that might not even ever happen?"
Kitty opened her mouth to respond, to protest but he silenced her. "Katya, there is a big chance that I might never be able to return to the United States. My family needs me there. And yours...yours needs you here." He took her hand and squeezed it gently.
"So, this is...like, goodbye?" Kitty choked.
Piotr nodded once, emotions warring over his face. "I received the news of my father a week ago. I had hoped to wait until after the holidays to decide vhat to do. But my mother called this afternoon. My father vishes to see me again."
"I understand." Kitty said softly. "If it was my father, I'd have already flown out."
"I am leaving tomorrow morning." Piotr sounded deflated. But he cupped her chin in his hand and smiled weakly. "But maybe...maybe it is for the best."
A tear spilled from her eye but she didn't bother with it. "What do you mean?"
He sighed again. "Katya, I would give anything I have to see you happy. But," He paused awkwardly. "I believe your heart belongs to somebody else."
She looked horrified. "No! I'd never cheat on you!" She cried. "I wouldn't, I couldn't, I didn't! I-"
He smiled and shook his head. "I did not say you had. But, the truth is that I am very aware that there is another in this mansion that would give anything he owned just to see you smile."
Kitty stared at him for a moment, not comprehending. Then understanding dawned on her. "Do you mean...?"
"Da." Piotr nodded. "Avalanche. He cares for you very much, Katya."
Kitty was surprised by this news. "H-How do you know?"
"I have seen it since before you and I started seeing each other." the Russian admitted in a low voice. "I noticed the way he looked at you at school and in battle long before I even joined the X-men. You probably think me horrible for not telling you this, but I hope you can forgive me. I wanted to have the chance that he gave up. You are a treasure, Katya. And I value you more than all the gems in this world, which, as Gambit could tell you, is quite a large number. I realize that was selfish of me but I couldn't help it."
Kitty's lips curled into a soft smile. "That isn't selfish, it's sweet."
Piotr gazed at her silently. An uncomfortable silent beat passed between them before he spoke up. "I guess this is the part where I say good bye." He said decisively. "I leave tomorrow morning and I need to go pack my things."
"Do you think we'll ever see each other again?" Kitty asked softly.
"I do not know." he sighed heavily. "I would certainly hope so."
"Me too." Kitty agreed, taking his hand.
"Vell...Goodbye then Katya." Piotr said in a defeated tone.
"Please, Piotr...don't say goodbye." Kitty looked up at him sadly. "Goodbye sounds like forever."
"Vhat should I say then?" He asked, puzzled.
"I don't know." Kitty sighed. "How about...until we meet again, or see you later. Anything but goodbye."
Piotr nodded and smiled, taking her small hand into his. "You will always be in my heart Katya. I wish you the best of luck in everything you set out to do."
She smiled weakly. "Yeah me too." She noted how pathetic that sounded but she was essentially at a loss for words.
"Until we meet again then." He nodded his head once and shook her hand.
She blinked and threw her arms around him in one last hug.
"Farewell, Katya."
"You too Piotr." She replied and stepped back looking sheepish.
With one wistful sigh he turned on his heel and made the long trek back to his room and Kitty numbly turned and walked back into the rec room.
All the room's occupants looked up expectantly as she reentered.
"Right in time t' see Mr. Webber t' go up t' de surface, petite." Remy raised a can of coke up in a mock toast to her and gesturing to the television, where Blast From the Past was playing.
Kitty sat down, shell-shocked and staring blankly ahead of her. Rogue needed no time to spot her friend's distress. She muted the movie and stared intently at the valley girl.
"What's wrong Kit?"
That was all it took before Kitty broke down. She buried her face in her hands and started crying.
One look from Rogue and Remy and Pyro vacated the premises as quick as they could manage.
"What's wrong, Sugah?" Rogue asked again gently.
"It's...over...it's really over." Kitty managed to mumble.
Rogue restrained herself from emitting a surprised gasp. "Pete broke up with you?"
Kitty nodded, unable to say it. Rogue eased her into a hug, being careful the younger girl was not in any risk of touching her skin.
"What happened?" Rogue asked in a soothing voice.
"His d-dad had a h-heart attack." Kitty choked. "His f-family needs him home in R-Russia."
"Well that's understandable." Rogue commented. "Ah bet it's really tough on alla them."
Kitty nodded. "Uh huh. He doesn't know how long they'll need him at home. So he broke up with me." A fresh wave of sobs overtook her. Rogue just rubbed the younger girl's back until her shoulders stopped shaking and she calmed down enough to speak again. "He w-wanted to say g-goodbye." Her voice caught.
"Oh Kit," Rogue sighed.
"I cared for him a lot, Rogue." Kitty sniffed. "I wanted it to last this time."
Rogue nodded, she may be more inexperienced than the valley girl in the dating department but she knew that Piotr had made Kitty very happy. Yet, seeing them as a couple hadn't ever felt...right. Rogue had always felt that way, but she wisely chose not to share that thought at the moment.
"Kitty, not every relationship lasts." She said honestly.
Kitty sniffled again and looked up at Rogue sadly. "I know that, I just thought this time it would be different."
Rogue restrained herself from rolling her eyes. Instead she calmly asked, "Sugah, wasn't Pete just a rebound relationship after Lance anyway?"
Kitty froze. She found herself unable to answer. After a while she shook her head. "I don't think so. I thought I loved him, and I thought he loved me too."
"Kitty, right now you're being selfish." Rogue said evenly.
"I know." Kitty bowed her head in shame. "But...is it too much to want a relationship that works out?"
Rogue's eyes darkened. "Kitty, try an' be reasonable. Ya've had alla two relationships in ya life an' right now ya talkin' like a mid-aged divorcée."
"I'm sorry." Kitty apologized. "I know I'm like, being totally stupid. It's just frustrating, ya know? I really thought it would work out with Piotr."
Rogue rolled her eyes. "Dammit Kitty, ya only seventeen! Ya got ya whole damn life ahead o' ya ta worry about relationships!" She snapped, exasparated.
Kitty nodded and wiped her eyes. "I'm being an idiot aren't I?" She half laughed at herself. "I must sound so stupid, whining like this about something that only lasted, like, a month and a half, huh?"
"The word's ridiculous, sugah." Rogue said, partially amused and partly agitated. She sighed. "Look, Kit, Ah know he meant a lot ta ya but ya gotta let go'a him an' get past this, really. It ain' healthy fo' a gal to get hung up over an ex." She quirked an eyebrow. " 'Sides, ya don' need a man ta define ya anyway."
Kitty smiled ruefully. "I know that, but it's still nice to have a guy care about you sometimes."
"Ah wouldn't know." Rogue said bitterly, glancing down at her gloved hands. "Ah ain't exactly eva had a real relationship an' Ah ain' layin' bets on eva havin' one either."
"Rogue!" Kitty gaped, her own distress vanishing from her mind. "That's like, so not true! Don't think like that!"
"Why not, Kit?" Rogue raised her eyebrow again. "It's true ain' it?" She challenged. "Who wants a relationship where ya can' even hold hands without gloves? Ah don' even want that, what makes ya think that'd be enough for a guy?"
"Like, what about Remy?" Kitty asked shrewdly.
Rogue's face deadpanned. "Ah have no idea what yo' talkin' about."
"You are so totally lying!" Kitty smirked.
"What's the swamp-rat got ta do with anything?"
"Don't act so innocent Rogue, I've totally seen how he treats you since he started hanging around here all the time." Kitty grinned coyly. "And what's more, I've, like, seen how you treat him too."
"Then yah've noticed how Ah loathe him, an' how Ah beat him senseless outta necessity so often." Rogue pointed out.
Kitty giggled. "No, I must have, like, missed that part. But I have seen you flirting with him a lot, and letting him push boundaries you'd go nuclear on most of us for even approaching."
"Me? Flirt with him!" Rogue gaped.
Kitty nodded, smirking again. "All the time. You do it when you think nobody's watching, or in your own...special way, but the point is you do it."
Rogue stared at the younger girl. She worked her mouth but found herself unable to speak, unable to reply.
"You really can't deny it, Rogue." Kitty giggled. "Everybody sees it. We all know how he feels about you and you read like a book sometimes."
"That...that ain't the point." Rogue argued weakly.
"Oh then what is?" Kitty asked in her shrewd voice.
"He...We...I...Oh even if Ah was interested, which Ah ain't by the way, there's no reason whatsoever that it could work out!" Rogue blurted.
"Oh?" Kitty raised an eyebrow, patiently waiting for her friend to continue.
"He don' seem like the commitment kinda guy." Rogue said firmly.
Kitty laughed. "Tell that to him. You realize since he got back up from Louisiana he's been trying everything he can think of to get you to agree to go out with him. That's three months when he could have been sleeping around with anybody he chose, and he like, so, totally hasn't given up on you even though you've put him in the hospital with a broken arm, and given him enough black eyes that they might one day be permanent."
Rogue thought for a moment and blurted her last excuse. "Do you see him interested in a purely platonic relationship where he can't even get a good night kiss for very long Kitty? He may think he wants me but I'm doing him a favor and not teasin' him. He's a physical kinda guy, Kit."
Kitty laughed. "Well, that's just pure baloney and you know it. Now that you have this collar thing you can do anything anybody else can. Like hand-holding or hugging or kissing and stuff."
Rogue looked uncomfortable. "Ah dunno." She said hesitantly. "Ah'm not used to havin' it, but even still...Ah don' like relyin' on a device t' have control." She admitted.
Kitty tilted her head for a moment. "You've never been kissed before have you?"
Rogue looked thunderstruck. "Course Ah have!"
Kitty frowned and shook her head. "No, you blanched when I said the k word, like you never thought of the possibility."
"Ah...did not." Rogue defended weakly.
Kitty gave her a look. "Please Rogue, I may be like, many things, but stupid really isn't on the list."
"What're we talkin' bout this for anyway?" Rogue grumbled.
"Don't try and change the subject Rogue." Kitty scolded playfully. "You haven't ever been kissed, have you?" Her voice grew serious.
Rogue sighed and averted her eyes before shaking her head once.
"And would it necessarily be that bad if Remy was your first kiss?" Kitty pried.
Rogue's face coloured quickly and she glared. "Oh shut up, Kit!" She huffed, trying to pass off her blush as disgust and failing rather spectacularly.
♣
Pietro's lips met Tabitha's in a soft and at the same time passionate kiss that seemed to them to last for hours. Neither was aware of their surroundings, or the passing of time or anything at all until their frantic brains reminded them that they needed oxygen and they broke apart. Their eyes were wide, and they could see each other's breath on the chilly air. Neither moved until Tabby quirked a tiny smile. All of a sudden they became very conscious of their exact positions and each other. It was as if a burst of electricity shot them apart. At the same instant they both scrambled backwards with panicky looks on their faces.
"What just happened?" He demanded. His face was flushed but Tabby wasn't sure if it was embarrassment, horror, or the bite of the cold against his skin.
She bit her lip and shrugged silently. A wild thought of what she wanted him to say flitted through her mind before it was squashed.
He looked away uncomfortably and knelt to pick up the camera she had dropped when he'd collided into her. "You dropped this." He handed it to her.
She reached to take it and a slight shock passed between their fingers. Their eyes met again and this time the blush--or hers at least-- was pure embarrassment. She averted her eyes and distracted herself by examining Evan's camera.
"It's not broken." She muttered.
"Um...good." Pietro said uncertainly.
A few beats of uncomfortable silence stretched by and Mr. Yamahari saved them by skating over. "I believe we have all gotten plenty of fresh air, do you agree?" Tabby nodded, grateful for his intervening. "I shall call Kioko and Kenji inside then. The two of you can come by for a cup of tea and to see the children's pets, that is," He paused. "If you would like to."
Tabitha glanced nervously at Pietro who shrugged before accepting the invitation. The man called for his children who scurried over quickly. After Pietro and Tabitha returned their skates, the group headed toward the building the Yamahari's lived in. Kenji and Kioko were excited and talking very fast about their pets to Tabby and Pietro who were oddly quiet.
Mr. Yamahuri opened the apartment door and instructed everyone to remove their shoes on the mat by the door before ushering them into the warm living room.
"Would either of you like a cup of tea to warm up with?" The twins' father asked politely.
"Yes please." Tabitha smiled.
"Do you still take it the same way?" He asked her. She nodded, touched he remembered. The man turned to Pietro. "And you?"
"Oh, yes please sir." Pietro answered.
"He'll have it like I do, Mr. Yamahuri." Tabby interrupted.
"Yeah, that sounds good." Pietro nodded before hissing under his breath. "And that's how?"
"You'll see." She replied. "Don't worry, I promise you'll like it."
"Wanna come see Koko and Mimi and their babies now?" The little girl pulled on Tabby's arm.
"Sure, Kioko." Tabby laughed. "Coming Pie?"
Kioko didn't give him a chance. She raced over to him, slipped her tiny hand into his and started leading him. Her brother pulled Tabby along. Kioko reached a door and beamed.
"This is my room." She said unnecessarily as she opened the door. The walls were a lovely shade of lavender and the carpet was white and plush. Most of her furniture and bedding was either powder pink or white and the decorations, predominantly Hello Kitty, Pokemon, Barbie, and Disney Princesses, marked the room as belonging to a little girl. The young girl strode proudly across her bedroom and eased open the door to her walk in closet. She stood on her tip-toes and clicked on the light and six sets of glowing eyes blinked up at her.
A gray and brown striped cat lay in a shallow box, curled protectively around her five kittens. Kioko stroked the mother cat's head gently.
"This is Mimi." The little girl spoke up reverently. "She's real soft and pretty. And these are her little babies." She gestured to the kittens, who were starting to climb out of the box. "Mama and Daddy won't let us name them because they hafta find other homes." The little girl sighed. "Because our 'partment is too small for all of em and us and Koko's family too." She shrugged and looked up at Pietro and Tabitha. "Like 'em?"
"They're so cute!" Tabby resisted a squeal. "How old are they?"
"Eight weeks." Kioko's brother Kenji spoke up. "Koko had her babies two weeks earlier."
"Wanna hold one?" The little girl asked with a smile. "They're real soft and fluffy. But you gotta be gentle with 'em or their mommy gets cranky."
"Yeah and she scratches when you make her cranky." Kenji piped up, pushing his shirt sleeve up to reveal one particularly nasty scratch that looked about half healed.
"She's not a mean kitty." Kioko continued defensively. "She just loves her babies."
"I bet." Tabby laughed, crouching down to pet the kittens. The mother cat studied Tabitha warily and sniffed her hand before apparently deciding this new person wasn't a threat to her litter. Tabby gently ran her hand over each of the little fuzzy bodies. "They're so sweet!" She cooed as she heard their little purr motors start up.
The little girl nodded proudly. "Yeah," she agreed, reaching down to pet them herself.
"Here try this." Kenji handed Tabby a stick with a ribbon attached to it. "They like playing with this."
Tabby dangled the string and all five kittens leapt for it. She dragged it around the floor and the kittens went crazy for a few minutes. After a while the two orange striped kittens had enough of the excitement and curled up beside their mother again and went back to sleep. The little spotted calico grew bored soon after that and joined her brother and sister.
"It's past their bedtime." Kioko explained knowledgably.
Tabby laughed and continued playing with the two that were still interested. One was a little white kitten with gray and orange stripes and the other was all black. Eventually the black one wandered off and climbed out of the box sniffing around unnoticed. It scampered over to Pietro and mewed whilst rubbing against his ankles. He looked down at it in surprise. It looked up at him and chirped in its tiny mew and he hesitated before reaching down and petting it. It mewed and climbed clumsily into his lap to bat at the drawstrings around the neck of his sweater.
He chuckled and Tabitha looked around at him.
"I think it likes you." She said, clearly amused.
"He is kind of a cute little guy." Pietro admitted and picked the kitten up. It swatted the drawstring again with it's tiny paw.
"She." Kioko corrected forcefully. "That one's a girl kitty."
"Oh right." Pietro grinned sheepishly, not having checked. "Does she have a name?" He asked curiously.
The two kids sighed sadly before the girl answered. "No. Mama and Papa won't let us name 'em cuz they're gonna go live with other people. But we get to keep her!" She looked back at the kitten which was still pouncing the string. It was the little white one, with orange and black stripes. "Kenji and I decided to call her Bob." The little girl said proudly.
Tabby and Pietro exchanged a glance and suppressed laughter.
"Why Bob, Kioko?" Tabby couldn't resist smiling broadly.
The two little kids shrugged. "Why not?"
"Can't beat that logic." Tabitha grinned.
"Isn't it a good name?" The little girl needled, sounding a little less sure of her choice.
"It's a perfectly good name." Her former babysitter assured her. "You just don't see a lot of cats with that name."
"Well that's good." Kenji nodded. "Cuz our kitty's special."
"Definitely." His sister agreed.
Pietro chuckled. Seeing these two kids brought him back to his childhood, and not in the scary way he'd been flashbacking all day. When he and Wanda were this age, they were just as inseparable and carefree as this set of twins. That thought made his heart yearn for those days again. He felt he'd give anything to be seven years old with Wanda as his best friend again. A tear came to his eye and he hastily wiped it away.
Tabitha noticed and frowned softly. "Everything okay, Pie?"
"Oh yeah. I'm great." He lied weakly. "Never better."
"Pietro..." She looked concerned.
He couldn't meet her eyes. "I'll be fine, really."
The young twins noticed the tension and piped up. "Wanna go see Koko?"
"Yea, let's go." Pietro was happy to change the focus of the conversation away from himself. He set the little black kitten back in the box and stood up as Kioko turned out the light and closed the closet door, but not all the way.
This time the little boy led the way. He ushered them all into the hall and turned to face them with a smile on his face.
"This is my room." He said proudly. "But Koko and her puppies live in here for now. So we gotta be careful not to let them out or they'll run all over the house."
The others nodded, and he suggested they slip in one at a time. Kioko slipped into the room first, followed by Tabitha. Pietro sidled in after her and found himself in a room that was obviously for a little boy. The walls were pale blue and were decorated with race cars and pokemon posters. Pietro hadn't been in the room thirty seconds before his ears picked up the skittering of claws on the wood floor. Three small furry rockets of energy were yapping excitedly and hurling themselves up as high as their little legs could propel them, trying to lick every bit of the people who'd entered the room.
Kenji entered the room with a laugh. This prompted the mother dog, who'd been lying on the Dalmatian bedspread to give a joyous yap before flinging herself at the boy. He caught her easily and she preceded to bathe his face in slimy doggy kisses.
"This is Koko." He said unnecessarily. "And three of her seven babies. We already found homes for the other four." He explained. "They're happy to see us." He set the wriggling dog dow
n on the floor and she bounded over to the boy's sister and gave the little girl a facewashing as well.
"I can see that." Tabitha laughed, tickling the puppy that had been launching itself at her the most enthusiastically.
"They like playing." Kioko giggled as she pet the mother dog. "They don't like sleeping half so much as the kitties."
"They are pretty hyper." Tabby admitted, playing with the same pup. She got a mischievous look in her eyes. "I bet they have more energy than you, Pie."
He laughed and knelt to ruffle the little dog's ears. "In my defense, they're at least seventeen and a half years younger than I am."
She laughed. "Got me there."
Kenji grinned at the two teens. "Like em?"
"They're great, Ken." Tabby smiled at the young boy. "You guys must be taking great care of them."
The two small children swelled with pride on hearing that. "Yeah." Kioko smiled shyly. "I feed 'em and Kenji keeps em looking clean. We both take them for walks and play with them."
"Well you're doing a great job." Pietro told them.
"Are you keeping one of Koko's babies too?" Tabitha asked.
"Uh huh." Kenji nodded happily. "That one." He pointed to a pup with a black patch over one eye and a large brown spot on it's back. The puppy had given up in its attempt to lick every visible square inch of the newcomers and was instead gnawing noisily on a squeaky toy. "His name is Donald. Like the duck." The little boy said knowledgeably.
"But that wasn't what we called him originally." Kioko piped up.
"Oh?" Tabby asked.
"Yeah, we were calling him Princess until we found out he wasn't a girl." The little girl shrugged. "I wanted to call him Garfield but Mama and Daddy like Donald better."
"Well Donald's a great name anyway." Tabitha said with a smile.
"I think so." Kenji interrupted. "Even though I wanted to call him Bob but Mama and Papa said we could only name the kitty or the puppy Bob. So we picked the kitty."
"Oh." Tabitha nodded. "That makes sense."
Pietro raised an eyebrow, clearly not understanding how precisely that logic made sense, but then determined that it was probably something he would never get.
One of the other pups took the opportunity to trot over to her brother and attempt to seize his toy. The doggie duo playfully growled and tugged at either end of the toy.
This made Pietro smile slightly. He of anyone could relate to sibling sharing issues. After all, he was a twin. Suddenly a strong memory overtook him. He closed his eyes to relieve the pressure in his head.
A young woman with a weary face and dark hair tossed into a casual ponytail climbed out of her old car and stretched. Today had been a long day at work, but then, most Fridays were long and busy at the coffee shop where she worked and during the colder winter months business only increased.
With a soft smile she made like she was heading inside. A pair of indignant shrieks caught her attention and she laughed as she opened the rear door on the driver's side.
"Did you think I forgot my little angels?" She cooed at the little boy as she freed him from his carseat.
He pouted and crossed his arms, narrowing his big blue eyes at her. She lifted him out of the car, laughing. She held him up and kissed him on the nose. Suddenly she froze, staring at him with a haunted expression.
"Eric..." She whispered. She had never realized how much her son looked like the husband she'd tried to forget. She stared, transfixed for a long moment.
"Mommy? Mommy? Mommy!"
The young woman shook her head to clear it and looked at her daughter, her beautiful little girl who was also the twin of the baby boy she held.
"What is it baby?" She asked her little daughter.
"Lemme out!" The little girl howled.
The woman laughed again. She juggled her small son onto her hip and set about freeing his sister.
With a twin on each hip she made her way to the door of her apartment building. Her little girl held onto her purse and her son held the keys to let them into the apartment.
They boarded the elevator and there was a brief scuffle over who would push the button.
"My tuwn!"
"Nuh uh! mine, Wada!" The little boy snapped.
"Nuh uh! My tuwn, Paytro!" His sister growled.
"Mommy, make her let me!" Pietro whined.
Wanda made a furious stab toward the button with her tiny fingers. Her mother grabbed her hand and sighed.
"Why don't you both push it?"
"No." Pietro shook his head merrily and his mother sighed again. 'No' was Pietro's new favorite word recently, right up there with 'mine'.
The argument was interrupted when one of the other tenants of the building boarded and gave the young mother a knowing look before pressing the button for the floor they both lived on.
"Good evening, Maggie. Twins giving you a hard time?"
"You have no idea, Loren." Maggie smiled weakly.
"Very true, Maggie." She chuckled. "My one's quite enough for me ."
Loren was about Magda's age and she had moved into the building about four months before giving birth to her son. Tobias was about two months older than Pietro and Wanda, and their mothers had bonded during their pregnancies. Loren was a single mother, just like Magda, and unlike nearly everyone else, she understood enough not to ask questions about the whereabouts of the twins' father. In return, Magda mentioned nothing about the other woman's single status.
Eventually, Loren admitted she had no clue where her husband was, as he had just taken off with no warning. She had no idea why, but when she had returned from the appointment which confirmed her pregnancy, he was nowhere to be found. Magda hesitantly relayed her tale, of how her husband had been turning into a tyrant and she suspected he had been cheating on her. She was afraid her friend would be disgusted with her for taking off on her husband, instead the other woman understood her better than anyone else on the issue.
"So how's Toby doing? I heard him crying last night."
Loren sighed. "Stupid paper thin walls. I hope he didn't keep you up..."
"Oh no of course not, I was just hoping he was alright."
"Yeah, he's much better today, he's getting over an ear infection, but as you know, it could be much worse so I'm not complaining too loud."
"I know." Magda nodded with a small smile. She knew better than anyone. She could probably fill several books about childhood illnesses. Her own son was almost always sick. In fact, recently it was so bad Loren had to take little Wanda for two and a half weeks while Magda cared for Pietro who had caught chicken pox and a nasty cold as well as developing a double ear infection to top it all off.
"And yours, how're they?"
"They're both doing very well, Loren." Magda smiled happily. "Course, Wanda always is, but for Pietro, it's almost a miracle."
"That's wonderful. Poor little guy's sick so often it's rare to see him healthy."
"Tell me about it." Magda nodded and kissed her son on the forehead, to which he frowned and stuck out his tongue.
"So where's your little one?"
"Baby sitter's in the apartment." Loren smiled. "I just got in from work and had to do the grocery shopping." She held up the two bags of food stuffs. "You are so lucky your boss lets you take the twins to work."
Magda nodded and laughed. "Yeah, they stay in their playpen in the corner of the room and keep each other busy. A lot of our regulars love em. They say it gives the shop a homey feel." Magda knew very few bosses would let a coffee shop employee keep a set of almost two year old twins in a playpen in the main seating area of the shop, but her boss had actually suggested it.
"Got any plans this weekend, Maggie?" Loren asked as the elevator stopped at their floor.
"Nope. I'm just spending time with the twins, why?"
"Well, I was wondering if you maybe wanted to come on over one night for dinner or something. I mean, seeing as both of us will be spending the holidays alone and all."
"That sounds great, Loren." Magda smiled warmly. "When did you have in mind?"
"Well, the Saturday after Christmas, Jennifer's coming up so I'm free until then."
"Jennifer?" Magda asked, slightly puzzled.
"My older sister." Loren sighed. "Maybe this year she'll leave Clyde home."
"Oh, who's Clyde?"
"Her husband. He barely does anything that doesn't involve beer and pork rinds."
"Sounds absolutely dreamy." Magda said with a disgusted frown. "So how's Monday sound?"
"Works for me. Be there at six?"
"Sure thing. Want me to bring anything?"
"Sure, you and the twins obviously, and if you wanna take dessert that'd be great."
"I could do up cookies."
"Perfect." Loren stopped outside her apartment door. "See you later." With a smile she disappeared into her home.
Magda smiled after her and headed across the hall to her own door.
"Mama, door!" Wanda chirped.
"It's Pietro's turn sweetie." Magda apologized.
Pietro stuck his tongue out at his sister and put the key into the lock, turning it triumphantly.
"Be nice, little guy." Magda scolded.
He blinked at the reprimand and gave her an adorable smile, made even more endearing by the fact that he only had the beginning hints of his teeth.
She rolled her eyes and opened the door to their home. "Home sweet home you two."
She set Wanda on the floor and the little girl toddled over to the toy box and got to work building a tower with blocks.
Pietro was lowered next.
"You two are getting heavy." Magda told the twins. Pietro shrugged. He tugged on the leg of her pants.
"Mommy I oopsed." He whispered and she sighed. While Wanda had been a very easy potty train, her brother hadn't quite grasped the concept yet. He was still wearing diapers and not making much effort to even clue anybody in to his needs until it was too late.
"What am I going to do with you, baby?" She shook her head.
"Cween me?" He asked in a puzzled voice.
She sighed again and saw to getting him a quick change.
"Pietro, big boys use the potty don't you want to be a big boy?"
"No." The little boy shrugged.
A third sigh escaped his mother's mouth and she ruffled his hair. "Go play with your sister."
He nodded and toddled over to Wanda, immediately knocking over her tower and starting an argument.
Magda went into her room and changed out of her uniform. She grabbed two packages from her closet and headed back out to the living room.
"Pietro, Wanda, it's time to light the candle."
The twins scurried over to the fireplace where a menorah sat on the mantle. They didn't understand the ceremony, or why they did it, but they definitely understood that they got presents after their mother talked to them.
"Shall I tell you the story of Chanukah?" She asked playfully, receiving two blank stares in return.
"Pesnt." Pietro reached his arms out expectantly.
"Maybe next year then." She sighed. "You'll understand it a little more. Happy Chanukah, Pietro and Wanda." She handed them each a present.
She had found what she thought was the perfect gift: personalized Teddy Bears. The bears were essentially the same except Wanda's had a red ribbon and bow around its neck and said Wanda in black cursive on a little red heart stitched onto it, and Pietro's had a blue ribbon and bow and it said Pietro in white on it's blue heart.
Wanda ripped through the paper-bag wrapping first. (Her mother had learned that if you gave a child shiny wrapping paper that it was always more intriguing than the gift inside.) She pulled out her bear and squealed. Pietro stopped halfway and gave his sister a suspicious look. He dropped his own and seized the leg of Wanda's bear.
"MINE!" He yelled.
Wanda held her end of her bear tightly. "NO!" She hollered.
"Givit!" Pietro shrieked.
"NO!" She scowled at her brother.
"Wanit now!" He howled and yanked.
"S'MINE!" Wanda pulled fierecly.
"NO!" Pietro hollered, pulling the bear by the leg and head his way with all the strength he could muster.
"Pietro! No, that's Wanda's!" Magda called and hurried into the fray, trying to get him to let go. "You got one too, see Pie? It even has a blue ribbon, your favorite color, right baby?" She coaxed in vain.
She may as well have been urging Pietro's shoelaces to return Wanda's bear for all the good it did. Pietro tugged with one final sharp yank and there was a sickening rip as the bear's head and leg came off.
Wanda sat frozen in place holding three quarters of her precious bear, her bottom lip trembling before she threw her head back and started crying.
Pietro blinked and looked at the severed head of his sister's bear before he started bawling as well.
Magda hurried over, scolding Pietro and comforting her daughter. "It's okay, baby, Mommy can fix it, sweetheart." She picked up the pieces of bear and tucked them under her arm. She picked her little girl up and dried her tears before kissing the child's nose.
She set the twins on opposite ends of the couch before giving each of them a few gelt (chocolate coins) and then she sat in between them, sewing Wanda's bear back together.
Pietro shook his head to clear the after effects of the vision. Tabitha was looking at him nervously.
"You okay, Pie?"
"Um...I think so?" He said in a tone that could have been a question.
"It happened again, didn't it? Another vision?" She needled.
He nodded and massaged his temples. "I'm fine though."
"You sure?" She asked. He looked up and she wore a worried expression on her face. He nodded and smiled.
"I'm fine Tabby. Don't worry about me."
She was about to retort when Mr. Yamahari knocked at the door of his son's bedroom. "Children, your tea is ready."
"Coming Daddy." Kenji called. "Alright, lets go." He led everyone out of the bedroom and down the hall after closing the door on the puppies to keep them in the one room.
They entered the kitchen where four seats at the table had cups of tea and a chocolate chip cookie each.
"Enjoy." The father nodded his head.
The two little ones took their normal seats leaving Pietro and Wanda to sit opposite each other. She was still watching him in concern as she took her first sip of tea. She made a content noise and closed her eyes and suddenly he was concerned.
"Tabby?"
"It's just like I remembered it, Mr. Yamahari." She opened her eyes again, a smile on her face.
"That's good to hear." Mr. Yamahuri smiled back. "I am glad you still like it."
Pietro relaxed and tried his tea. It wasn't what he was expecting.
"It's a green tea with mint and chamomile, sweetened with honey." Tabby informed him when she realized he was trying to ID it. "Really relaxing, there's nothing that compares to it after a hard day."
Pietro nodded. "It's good."
Both Tabitha and Mr. Yamahari nodded, content with the reply, before they started chatting. In any normal circumstance Pietro would have felt slighly offended and left out, but as it was he was very distracted.
He knew what had happened next in that vision. His mother had tried to fix the bear and she had done her best, but it still looked like Pietro had killed it. He had felt really badly about it and when his mother had tucked them into bed that night, Pietro had given her the gelt coins and told her to buy Wanda another present.
Of course, since he was only approaching his second birthday he hadn't understood that chocolate coins weren't really money but he supposed the idea must have been sweet. His mother had kissed his forehead and said she'd take care of it. The next evening their mother had successfully told them the Chanukuh story before presenting Wanda with a beautiful baby doll and saying it was from Pietro. Wanda had loved that doll so much.
Also, the Monday dinner plans had never come to pass. That day, Loren had been heading to the store to pick up her groceries and a drunk driver had hit her full on. By all means she should have died, but she didn't. She was injured horribly and fell into a coma for nearly a month. By the time she woke up, she was healing, but she'd lost all her memory. Her son had been with the babysitter at the time of the accident but there was no way his mother could possibly take him: she had to be taught to brush her teeth, she was hardly fit to be the guardian of a baby. Loren's sister was given the baby, much to her dismay, and took him to live with her and her husband in their house on the outskirts of the city.
Shortly after that, Magda started getting sick. When it got to the point where hospitalization was required, the hospital staff traced her husband and contacted him. Pietro and Wanda were almost four when he came into their life and well past four and a half when they went to live with him when their mother was able to be discharged. He had loved finally having a daddy, like the kids in preschool. Wanda had been much less thrilled. She refused to call him daddy. The only thing's she'd call him were Mr. Lensherr, man, and if she was particularly forced into it, father.
He wondered if he should have recognized a problem with that early on. Why was Wanda, who smiled and got friendly with nearly everyone, so against her father at such an early age. Maybe if he'd been wary too, he wouldn't be in the position he was now.
The stress of that thought shot a stabbing hot pain through his head as another vision surfaced.
The large man with the 'M' tatoo scowled about him as Forge led the way to the Professor's office nervously.
He knocked as he opened the door and announced. "Sir, somebody to see you. He claims it's urgent."
"Life or death actually." The man spoke.
Charles Xavier turned in his chair and gave the man a questioning glance. "Thank you Forge."
Forge nodded. ((I'll be outside the door if you need me, Charles.)) He directed his thoughts to the leader of the school.
Professor Xavier turned his attention to his rather large guest.
"I am sorry, but we haven't been properly introduced." He said calmly.
To his immediate surprise, the man dropped to one knee in a very low bow.
"Please forgive my rudeness, professor. It is just that to see you in person-alive!- is an incredible honor." He raised his head. "I am Lucas Bishop, sir. I serve on the Xavier's Security Enforcers in my own timeline."
Xavier raised an eyebrow. "The Xavier's Security Enforcers?"
"Sir. We are mutant law enforcers. Our mission is to preserve the fragile dream born to Charles Xavier." He bowed his head once more. "Where I come from, you and your X-men are a legend. You took the first steps for the freedom our people are now guaranteed by law."
"Oh. I see." Xavier blinked, trying to take in all this new information. "I am to understand that you essentially come from a future, where...my dream has...come true?"
Bishop nodded and smiled. "Exactly, your excellency."
"Please, call me Charles." Xavier smiled, shuddering at the thought of being addressed so formally.
"Right sir...er...Charles." Bishop nodded again. "Anyway, I wish I had come through time for a pleasant chat. At the present though, there is a far more pressing matter-one of life and death for every mutant in your school."
Xavier paled and gripped the sides of his wheel chair. "What urgent matter do you speak of?"
"The fact, Professor, that a murderous traitor to your cause, can be found right here in this very school."
♣♣♣
Well that seems like a nice place to end this chapter. Which means that we only have two more chapters left of 24 Hours. The next two are whopping emotional roller coasters and if I put any more into this chapter, I worry it will take away from the power of those two. Woah...it's been almost six months since my last update to this one? Crazy stuff. I promise I'm going to try to get hearts desires up pretty quick and then comes bid before im back on this one, but don't worry it won't be Christmas again by the next update, I guarantee that. I'll be getting to the review responses as soon as possible. So until next we meet-----------REVIEW!
Chapter 14 completed June 18, 2006
♥HH♥