--

The next day Magneto made an announcement at breakfast,

"I know you all have been getting a bit restless with this waiting- truth be told I, myself, have found it difficult to lay low these past weeks. But, Those of you who are new to our brotherhood…" his eyes found Pyro. "…should realize we are not as inactive as we seem."

Magneto motioned to Toad, who came forward and put a disc on the table.

"This hold the names and current locations of all known mutants-the ones the government knows about anyway. It was stolen, by us, from the Mutant Control Center."

A few of the newer mutants scoffed and gasped.

"Yes, It exists-or did." Magneto nodded to Aries.

"There are those of us who risked our lives to get this information, and I intend to use it. I want to recruit these brothers to our cause."

"And those we cant?" a girl asked in the back. She was one of the newer recruits as well. Magneto had gathered them at a local mutant community action meeting.

"Extend the offer-and if they refuse…" Magneto's smile was full of secrecy. "Politely ask them to stay out of our way."

"So, What?" Pyro asked looking up, with his signature cocky grin. "We going to go door to door? I'm not sure if I like the idea of becoming a Jehovah's witness for mutant-kind."

"I wouldn't worry, Pyro." Magneto said mildly amused-he liked the boy. "I have no intention of putting you in a recruiting position-after all we do want people to join." Pyro's grin fell slightly. "You shall stay here and guard the base-with Aries."

Pyro made to protest-he wasn't a fan of being left out- but then it dawned on him he would be alone in this huge mansion with Aries. He shut his mouth. Pyro looked over at her. When his eyes met hers, her stomach lurched.

Toad smiled at Aries-glad that Magneto had chosen her to stay behind in the manor home-safe.

"The rest of you-get ready." Magneto said and stood up. Aries right behind him.

"May I speak with you?" she asked. Pyro watching, not saying a word.

"Of course, dear." Magneto motioned her into the study. "I had a feeling you would ask."

Once the door was closed behind them, Magneto made his way to the desk and, using his powers, pulled up a chair for Aries.

"Go ahead." he said once seated.

"Yesterday, in the kitchen-Pyro and I-what you saw was…"

"I know very well what I saw." Magneto's voice cutting her off. "What I saw was unfinished business. However, whatever there may be between Pyro and yourself doesn't interest me in the least. You and Pyro are both powerful mutants, and my reasons for keeping you here are many. In your case, I suspect my old friend, Charles Xavier, has a vested interest in rescuing you from my evil clutches. I wouldn't doubt that he has some elaborate scheme planned to save you from me. And Pyro, well, he is far too hot headed to be useful to me in this circumstance-but strong enough to help protect you while I'm away."

"I apologize-I wont second guess your word again." she nodded and turned to leave.

"Toad tells me you've been having trouble sleeping." Magneto said as she reached for the door handle. "Apparently, the thrashing coming from your room at night was not what I suspected it to be."

"I'm handling it." she said not turning around to face him-for fear the anger she now felt at her secret being shared with Magneto.

"I still have faith in you, Aries." he added. She wondered if that was to imply he was one of the only ones who still did. She turned the knob and went back into the rest of the house.

--

She barreled down the hall way. Toad had told Magneto about her outbursts? How dare he? She was ashamed enough of losing control and scared of what was happening to her-without having to worry about who all knew about it. She couldn't wait to find Toad and give him a piece of her mind. It was a trust issue to her and if she couldn't trust him- then who could she trust?

As she was going too fast down the hallway in her mad rage, she turned a corner and smacked right into Pyro.

"Hey?" he said as he realized it was her. "You alright?" he added when he saw the redness in her face and the heaving of her chest.

"No." she answered truthfully, and made to pass by him.

"Want to talk about it?" he asked with a slight cock of his head. It made Aries stop to wonder. It wasn't like Pyro to be concerned about others at all, and his expression wasn't exactly compassionate, but right now she needed someone on her side-and he was it.

Her hand shoved Pyro back against the wall. He was wearing his fire starting wrist guards and his first reaction was to defend himself. A flame burst forth from his hand and was about to make contact with Aries, until her lips met his, then, the flame disappeared.

Though Pyro wasn't expecting the kiss, it took him no time to find his footing. Soon he had taken control of the kiss, his tongue finding his way into her mouth. Voices came from near by and Aries quickly pulled back. Trying to catch her breath, she looked in the direction the voices had come from. "To be continued." she said as she walked away-smiling to herself at Pyro's stunned look.

--

please reveiw...