-One month later on the outskirts of Bayville-
A flat white Challenger roared past a black Civic, and was the first across the finish line. The Challenger turned around and came back to the gathered crowd. The door opened and before the driver knew what was going on he was immediately tackled by a green blur.
Todd hopped up and down, "We won! We won! We won!"
Lance pushed the green teen away and got up. He paused for a moment the smiled, "Yeah we did!"
Pietro then sped up to the two, "Eight thousand dollars," he flipped the bills in his hand, "We have enough to open the shop."
Just then a very familiar person made himself present, "Alvers! I'm next!"
Lance turned to meet his new opponent, "Matthews? Daddy bail you out of jail?" Lance balled up his fists.
Duncan smirked, "Nice car. What do you say we make our race interesting?"
Lance eyed the blonde, "What? Two grand not interesting enough for you?"
Duncan chuckled, "You still think too small Alvers. Pink-slips."
Lance was caught off guard, but quickly regained his composure, "Why should I risk my Challenger, when I haven't even seen what you're racing?"
Duncan glared at the rock tumbler, "That's my baby," He pointed to a Gloss Black 1969 Nova. His features then twisted into anger, "What the hell are they doing?"
Lance turned to the car and saw Todd actually picking up the front end of the car, and Pietro speeding around it checking every nook and cranny, "Looks like they're checking to see if you're worth racing," Lance nodded at the speedster, "You're on Mathews. You and me half an hour."
Duncan smirked, "Deal," with that he walked back to his car.
Pietro and Todd walked back to Lance, "This ain't such a great idea yo. He's got you beat on weight."
Pietro nodded in agreement, "Yeah and I took a peek under the hood, his engine has some serious parts on it."
Lance nodded as his comrade told him everything. He crossed his arms and appeared to be deep in thought, "He's running a 396 with a blower on a car that has me by almost a thousand pounds," he smirked, "Pietro did you read that manual I gave you?"
Pietro nodded in confusion, "Yeah why?"
Lance smirked, "Run home. In the back of the garage there's a box marked 'Treasured Memories,' bring it here," Pietro nodded, "Oh and don't let Regan know what we're up to." In an instant Pietro was gone. Lance turned to his remaining comrade, "Todd pop the hood and help me strip down the intake manifold."
Todd only smiled and produced a socket wrench and screwdriver from his pockets.
-Several minutes later-
Pietro finally materialized in front of the car, "Lance you are the craziest person I've ever met," he pulled a Nitrous Oxide system from the box, "But sometimes you do things that remind me why you're leader."
Lance nodded and handed him the wrench, "It would take me an hour or two to do this, but if you do it, it'll be done in two minutes and I'll still have enough time to tune it and make sure it works."
Pietro nodded and suddenly went to work.
Todd stood next to his fearless leader, "You sure about this?"
Lance nodded, "Pietro can do it. I'd rather have you or me working on it, but between the two of us we can double check everything."
Todd smiled, "So what are you gonna tell Regan when we go home with two cars?"
Lance grunted, "Regan will believe what I tell her because she doesn't need to know anything about this."
Suddenly there came a very familiar voice, "Oh really?"
Lance slapped his forehead, then swung around to meet his very disgruntled wife, "Regan? Hi!"
Regan crossed her arms, as St. John and Freddy ran to the scene, "What are you doing?"
Lance's eyes darted back and forth, "Well you see… I uh…"
Regan glared at the famed leader of the Brotherhood, "You're street racing aren't you!"
Lance attempted to give her the patented Brotherhood smile of innocence, "Of course not," he looked to his side and noticed Todd was absent. He then turned around to the car and noticed Pietro was gone as well, "You see, Pietro is…" he finally located the speedster and saw him drinking a beer, "Is drinking, so…" he turned to the car again and finally noticed Todd's legs peeking out from under it. He reached down and picked him up by the pant's leg, "Todd is racing."
Todd looked at Lance from his vantage point, "This may be the blood rushing to my head, but are you drunk?"
Regan chuckled, "Todd is racing your Challenger?"
Lance opened the door and tossed the amphibian into the driver's seat, "Yes he is."
Regan shook her head, "Well you better teach him about four-speed."
Todd began to fidget nervously, "There are four speeds?"
Lance slapped his forehead again, "Todd, don't panic. Pietro quit drinking, and asked for you two," He pointed to St. John and Freddy, "I thought I told you two to keep her occupied!"
Freddy rubbed the back of his neck, "John can tell you why it didn't work out."
St. John was pushed forward, "Well you see Lance, the Sheila tricked us. She asked where you were, and we were watching moih stories and we accidentally slipped up," Through out St. John's explanation Freddy kept pointing to him trying to place the blame solely on the Aussie.
"Todd double check Pietro's work, I'll be right back," Lance sighed and pushed his way past his comrades, "Regan, why are you so upset?"
Regan glared at him, "I don't want you to end up in the hospital again."
Lance smiled, "I'm not gonna get hurt."
Regan balled up her fists, "Spoken like a true idiot. No one ever thinks they're going to get hurt. What makes you say that huh?"
Lance was beginning to get angry, "Cause I've been doing it for the past three weeks!"
Regan's eyes shot open in shock, "What! You mean to tell me that you lied about that night job, and you've been making Dingus and Wingus run interference so you could speed around?"
Lance smiled, "Well in my defense how else am I supposed to get you through college huh?" Regan's eyes began to soften, "And Wanda too. Plus with all the money we've been making racing, we can finally afford to open our own garage, and the boys will have a place to work."
Regan shook her head, "And I know why you didn't tell me…" she paused, "It would have taken an extra twelve seconds."
Lance smirked at her, "Come on, one more race."
Regan closed the gap and gave him a hug, "And you'll have enough?"
Lance held her tight, "No we've had enough for a while, I just really want to smoke that baseline."
As if on cue Raven showed up, "You better win this race Numb-nuts, I have three thousand in side bets on you."
Regan peeked an eyebrow in confusion, "Raven, you're here too?"
Lance rolled his eyes, "What did you think would keep her away? The drinking or the gambling?"
At that moment Duncan appeared, "You ready to hand over your car Alvers?"
Lance looked to his car and saw Todd giving him the thumbs up. Lance smirked, "Matthews, I hope you have a ride home."
-An hour later in the garage-
Lance was under the hood of his prized 1970 Dodge Challenger. Todd handed him a new socket for the wrench. And he removed the parts they added before the race.
Todd smiled, "Greatest race ever."
Lance nodded in agreement, "I thought he was gonna cry."
Todd crouched on the bench, "What now Lance? You promised not to race anymore."
Lance grabbed a rag and began cleaning off his hands, "I guess we restore the interior," he smirked, "But then again, I only promised to quit street racing."
-Two weeks later in Anna and Kitty's room-
Anna stood at the window looking out over the grounds, while Kitty sat on her bed staring at the Goth.
Kitty crossed her legs, "You should, like, tell him."
Anna crossed her arms, "Ah… ah just don't know anymore…" she trailed off.
Kitty leaned forward, "You don't know if you love him anymore?"
Anna smiled, "No, ah love him… ah just don't know if he could love me after everything we've been through."
Kitty snorted, "If he can't, then he's totally not worth your time."
Anna turned to meet the gaze of the younger girl, "Ah slept with someone…"
Kitty's eyes went wide, "Well… It is Pietro we're talking about. I know you don't want to hear it but he could have been with half the town by now."
Anna's features shifted to despair, "You're rahght… Do ya think he would take me back?"
Kitty sighed, "You'll never know unless you try."
-Meanwhile in the Med-Lab-
Hank wore his fully sterilized scrubs. He was hunched over Jean's sweating body. Charles and Ororo stood off to the side fully prepared to help in anyway Hank deemed necessary.
Hank shook his head profusely, "Charles, I can't do this. The children are premature, we do not have the necessary equipment to accommodate their arrival."
Charles nodded, "We must remain calm as to not disturb the other students. Ororo bring the limousine around," She nodded and quickly left through the door, "Hank bring her to the ground floor, Logan will be waiting to accompany us," Hank nodded and picked the panting redhead up as delicately as is mutant strength would allow.
He then reached into Jean's mind, "We're taking you to the hospital, please be strong."
Jean nodded, "Somebody has to tell Wanda," she paused for a moment, "Children?"
