Worn Out chapter 17

FeatherWings- I can't believe it! this is the last chapter! I hope you enjoy it and I'm going to work on a sequel! I hope to see you again!

Pietro looked out the window to an old car. Now that Konnor was leaving he began to notice how different everything was. He realized he was about to get a second chance at a life he thought he'd never have and it scared him. The world was always changing with or without him as if he were nothing at all. Maybe that wasn't it. Maybe the world kept on changing in order to give someone another chance like Pietro was given. He smirked at this thought.

"Hey," someone said from behind him. Pietro turned around to be met with a fist in his face. The fist belonged to Leon. Pietro was no longer shocked by anything Leon said or did and was slowly wondering how he came to hate mutants so much so he decided to try and find out.

"Why do you hate me?" he said quietly. Leon didn't move. "What happened to make you hate me?" Leon became enraged and was just about to hit Pietro again before the staff discovered what Leon was doing.

"Leon!" Nurse Annett yelled. Leon shot his head in her direction then turned back to Pietro.

"It's all your fault...It's all your fault! I hate you! I hate you! I hate you!" Leon turned and left, not wanting to bother with the head nurse.

"Are you okay?" she asked Pietro after running up to him.

"Yeah. I'm fine." he was trying to brush off the pain in his cheek.

"I'm so glad." she smiled.

"About what?" Pietro raised an eyebrow.

"That Benji, Konnor and you are able to leave here." she frowned. "This place, though a hospital, imprisons one's soul and doesn't allow you to live your own life."

"What will happen to Hyram?"

"I'll try my best to help him as long as he's here." Pietro looked away. It wasn't the answer he had wanted. He wanted someone to tell him that Hyram would get out like the rest of them but no one did yet as if they had no faith in him.

"I leave tomorrow."

"You're a good person, Pietro." he snorted.

"Not as good as you think."

"Whoever you were before you're not the same now." he was shocked at hearing this but he smiled.

"Thank you." she then walked away. Pietro looked back out the window only to find that Konnor was gone. Pietro suddenly felt alone and was desperate for company; for his sister. But instead he found himself looking for Hyram. He searched everywhere but couldn't find him anywhere as if he just vanished like everyone expected him to. Then he remembered the empty room behind closed doors. Pietro walked over to it and saw it was a crack open so he peered in. An assistant held Hyram's arms behind his back while Leon hit him in the stomach. Then the assistant spotted Pietro.

Pietro fell back then started running in any direction while Leon ran out after him. He could hear the footsteps behind him but he didn't look back. He used his mutation to go to the art room and shut the door wishing he had some kind of way to block it so it wouldn't open. Giving up that idea, he then ran to the underground passage and closed that door behind him. He ran down the stairs trying not to trip without any source of light and then down the hallway which still held footprints from the last time they had come down here. He passed several rooms to come to the door which they had used to get out but it was now chained shut with new chain and lock.

"Where are you little mutant?" Leon called down the hall. Pietro guessed he had heard the doors shut since he hadn't closed them too softly and now wished he had taken more time to do so. Pietro ran into a room which had a few old beds in it. He slid under a bed just as Leon entered the room. "Are you in here?" Pietro looked frantically around to see an open air vent near the floor. He crawled into it even though it was a tight fit and he didn't know where it led to.

It was a long and tiresome way to the next opening and he now had a few scrapes where his skin had rubbed too much against the walls of the small space. Now he fell out of the vent and onto the floor of another room. The room was mostly empty only to hold a few discarded items people had just left. For a moment he wondered if he should just wait here awhile but decided not to because they would eventually find him if they were as determined as Pietro thought they were. So, Pietro ran to the exit of the room and cracked it open to look out trying to figure out where he was. There was no one around but there were stairs and maybe they would lead him somewhere where he could get help. Leon might actually kill him this time.

His surroundings were starting to get familiar and he soon found himself back on the floor which he had been staying at. Pietro thought he was safe at last but someone collided with him and they both fell to the cold, hard floor. Pietro felt himself get pinned down but tried to see who it was. It was the person who was holding Hyram while Leon punched him and then also before when Pietro had seen him beating Hyram in the padded room. How long had this been going on?

"Listen," he said with a cold voice. "If you tell anyone about this, consider yourself dead." he held a needle to Pietro's throat. "Understand?" Pietro nodded and the man let him get up. The mutant was cautiously moving away afraid that if he took his eyes off of him that he was going to get killed.

Pietro ended up in his room out of breath. 'What am I gunna do...?' he thought to himself.

"This has gone on for ten years." Hyram was in his room but he hadn't noticed until he spoke.

"Why didn't you say anything?"

"Same reason as you." his words hit Pietro. He knew what Hyram was talking about. He was talking about outside the hospital in his old life. He hadn't said anything because no one was listening. He wanted someone to reach out for him but no one ever did. Because no one was there, there was nothing for him and because he had given up on everything, everyone, himself. An empty, lonely world.

"I can help!" Hyram shook his head.

"Just let it go. I'm used to it. I've accepted my fate."

"You shouldn't have to be used to it! Don't give up!" Pietro thought about his own words. 'Don't give up.'

"We all are on this planet living a cyclic life bound by no time. There is no beginning, there is no end but there is the option to forget. But even then..." he paused. "There is no way out." Pietro didn't answer, he just starred at Hyram who started to walk out the door. "Don't tell anyone." he closed the door after he said that.

Pietro laid down on his bed to think. He starred up at the ceiling and watched shadows dance while the light slowly faded. The shadows faded with the light and the room was dark. He started hearing whispers which he couldn't understand so he sat up trying to focus on them or figure out where they were coming from. The voices were distant and echoed.

'My name's Benjamin, you can call me Benji.'

"Benji?"

'Why aren't you eating?'

"Konnor?"

'A new resident!'

"Hyram?"

'There is no such thing as time-I got you out!-You mean it's haunted?-Suicidal idiot!-What's so great about the outside?-' they started to blend together but Pietro could tell that these were things his friends had said in the past. 'Alone.-They'll all leave.-End it.- There is no end.-' Pietro held his head. 'Just let it go.-I'm so glad- Leave him-you okay?-He wasn't always like this-Lyle's dead.-Eat something will you!-Let's go...-disease-I want out...-ten years!-This is what you wanted, isn't it?-used to it-accepted my fate-as long as he's here.-shut up!-What good are you?-Stop it!-Calm down!-'

"What...What is this?"

'There is no way out-don't tell anyone-were before-not the same now.-we're not mad anymore-get out soon,ok?-the outside-...Don't give up...'

And then it stopped. Pietro's hands fell onto the bed and he lay limp on the soft surface. He fell back onto his bed. "I just want to sleep now. I don't understand..." he closed his eyes.

He saw nothing but darkness for so long. So long that he had forgotten how to open his eyes. He had gotten used to the empty feeling he lived with for so long. Now suddenly everything was changing and there were people who were there for him now. When was the last time there had been someone there for him? He couldn't remember and this troubled him. Had he always been alone? Had he always pushed people away? It didn't matter anymore. This was his second and maybe last chance. He had to reach for it and leave the past behind him.

Pietro opened his eyes and it was morning. He got off his bed and went over to his bag which contained his clothes and such. The Professor and Beast had brought some things that had been in his room at the Brotherhood house. He looked to the bottom of it to find a picture of him and his twin together when they were little. They looked happy which was something he always wished for his sister. He put the picture away as Nurse Annett entered.

"Ready?"

"Yeah." he picked up the duffle bag and slung it over his shoulder since it had one long strap. He walked out of the room and down the hall to the stairs with her. Before going down them he looked back at Hyram who shook his head. Pietro frowned and turned away. "I'm sorry, Hyram.' he thought as he walked down the stairs to the front door where Beast and Wanda waited for him. Pietro took one last look at the ward then turned to his sister and smiled who smiled back. They got in the limo together and started to drive away.

"I'll miss them." Pietro said while looking out the window.

"Maybe you'll see them again someday."

"I hope so. Besides, we said we would."

Pietro took out the picture again. No, he had never really been alone. He had just lost his way.

-End of Worn Out-

FeatherWings- thank you to all who reviewed!

Libster59-I hope you enjoyed it!

L'ange-Sans-Ailes- Leon had a big part in this chapter. maybe I'll put him in the sequel, what do you think?

AC-chan- yay! you'll read the sequel? that'd make me happy!

Lies-and-Truth- did you enjoy the end? thanks for reading!

FeatherWings- Hope to see you in the sequel!