Back in Diapers

by heartsyhawk

A story about growing up, even though sometimes people have to grow down a little first. Forge made an oops with a time machine and now 12 mutants are reliving their childhood...literally read and review svp!

13. A POWER TRIP

Aloha! How's it goin'? In case y' didn' know dis be chapter 13 of Back in Diapers. Technically it should be chapter fourteen but decided chapter one was "an illegal author's note". Thus, they pulled it offline. So the 13 party from last time was a little early. Anyway... If you meant to end up here, cool beans. Enjoy the story. And if you accidentally clicked the link why not stay a while and check it out. I love getting reviews (new readers are ALWAYS welcome). Its been quite a while since my last update and a lot has happened. For one thing the much-welcomed escape from the prison/school/whatever has ended and they made me go back. My new classes are not as understanding about this as one might hope but I do have a few of my teachers on my side. So I will do this when I can.

This is something I've never done. A friend of my family just passed away. This chapter is in remembrance of Pam Sarrubbi's heart of gold. We miss you, Pam.

In memoriam, the trained assassin penguins come back for this chapter. Pam's favorite animals were penguins.

So thank you for reading.

EviltwinAlix- Glad you like it. smirks Luv ya too sis.

Ishandahalf- Yeah that would've been cute...Glad this endlessly amuses you. And it is my pleasure to warm your heart to kids.

bobtheheadlesschicken- Glad you like it. Hah. Not too sad, I try and make it understandable. By any chance are you in any way associated with Bob the feral Blowerfish? He's a friend of mine...

howlerdrode- I'm getting better? That's good to hear. I love writing this. Yeah, I gave the poor corner a break from Jean. After all how much can one place take? Hmmm, maybe, maybe not....Yep Nice and slow on the front of discovery. What three-year-old WANTS nightmares? The kid's had a pretty rough life. She has her nightmares. With Mystique as a mother, who wouldn't? And she has reasons to fear the dark. Her routine of fearlessness has always just been an act. Yep, Superman. I did honestly consider Silver Surfer but I don't know much about him or his costume and I felt more people would recognize Superman. Pietro will make a comeback. (At least in THIS story anyway) Do not worry about him. Wanda's memory wasn't stimulated. The explanation being that Mastermind only messed with the memories of what happened from the time Magneto left her in the asylum and on. So any childhood or the rare infancy memory actually happened. Or at least it did cuz I say it did. I don't know much about the Maximoff twins' childhood from the comix. Oh yeah, stress levels are at an all time Maximum. Oh what I have planned will be soooo much better than camp for them...Glad its losing the saccharine edge.

xmengirlzrule- Glad you like it. Thank you.

Lance Avalanche Alvers- I left out a lot last time. Thanks for catching that. I'm a wee bit scatter-brained on occasion...OO

Thessaly D- Glad its getting better.

ldypebsaby- Glad you like it. Which cat? smirks mysteriously Hmmm, interesting? Wait and see.

allie- I liked that too. You should read more.

Panther Pendragon- Glad you like it. Yea, that's Mystique for ya.

Hawkgal- I adore your name. Glad you like it. Maybe I'll try it with Jean but not too much. I like doing the pre-K Romy. More baby Toad and Wanda? You got it! That seems to oddly fit Lance doesn't it? Well neither does she. Yeah but it makes ya love her all the more when she's being a sweetheart, doesn't it?

X2P3- Glad you love it. I'll work on faster updates but no promises. Don't worry I ain't stoppin'. I'm having way too much fun.

SickmindedSucker- Yeah probably. Adults ALWAYS find out...Thanks for the tip. Glad you liked it.

Allie- Glad you like it.

BellaKat- (x 2) Glad you like it. You work there? Cool! I'm sorry. I didn't mean to offend anyone who works there. The girl I based Becky on got on my nerves and that was just my way of taking revenge on her for not showing up for team practice. I know the employees are much more friendly and helpful than that. I really did not mean it to be offensive.

Aqua Angel 11223- Glad you like it.

SperryDee- Glad you loved it.

Persephone- Yeah the power choice thing is a tough choice. No they didn't have to be from the already present mutants. Its fine to make 'em up. Mine personally were shape shifting, computer speed brain, and empathy. I'm glad you liked all the special 13 stuff. Thanks that means a lot to hear. Glad you like it. Rogue seems to be voicing my opinions on a lot of things. I've never been fond of the Cinderella fairy tale myself. I've always seen her as a pretty blonde who fell for a guy for his looks and royalty. I mean, the major conflict of the movie is she can't go to a party. Come on! Girls are not that shallow! Or at least not ALL girls. No you're probably right. She probably didn't give the local woodcutter the time of day. Same goes for the local butcher and baker and candlestick maker. Oh I know Barq's and Sunkist sodas are high in caffeine, but the three I used were slightly more caffienated and not many people would believe that root beer and orange soda would have caffeine.

jamais-jamais-terre: Glad you like it.

Mandevilla- Glad you like it.

the Borogroves- Glad you like it. Sorry about the lot of French. English is my native tongue too but I just adore the French language (not to mention the very beau Remy LeBeau who speaks it...)

Buteo Jamaicensis- Hiya Red-tailed-hawk. Of course I know what that means! That is my favorite bird in the world and the basis of my pseudonym! Glad you like the story.

Lunarious- Thanks for lettin' me know. Glad you like what you saw.

Boom-Boom13- Lol. Glad you like it. Oh yeah things will be funny when they aren't pip-squeaks any more. I already have some fun stuffs planned. Ah, we've found another Pietro fan I see. Don't worry he's okay. (Well in this story anyway). I have a soft spot for him too, but I don't much like him for his looks. He really is a scrawny teenage albino. How many girls would really be interested in a guy who could pass as like, 60 and in awesome shape? And oh yeah Rems and Johnny definitely top him. You have good taste. Glad you like the story.

Masau- Oh I didn't mean to get you in trouble. But I'm glad you like it and find it that funny.

someone- Okay...

EmeraldKatsEye- Yeah they are as cute as buttons. I've always wondered though, how are buttons cute? Puppies or penguins or monkeys sure but I've never seemed to see the cuteness of buttons. Actually, if you wanna know the God's honest truth, I'm still playing that by ear. I'm torn between the pluses and minuses of them knowing and not knowing. So y'all know as much bout that as me at this time. Hey that's my reviewing phrase! LOL.

cris the black cat of the black rose- Cuz I'm the author, that's why. Glad you like it.

Black Cat of the Black Rose- Glad you like it. Hey, thanks for the compliments. I wanna do that someday. But I couldn't do this. Whispers To find the answer to why, read the disclaimer...

Aphrodite- Oh a Greek Goddess among us eh? Why can't ya see Rogue in poetry camp? She does poetry...well, I haven't exactly explored that aspect of her character in this I suppose but it does work while staying in Evo-verse character. Glad you liked the Versailles references. And the crayon fight. They were fun to write. And of course it had to be a black crayon. Naturally. Glad you liked it.

Disclaimer: I'm serious. The pink sock is still missing. Hence, I don't own the X-men or any other idea that was conceived by somebody else. So if you recognize it, chances are it isn't in my possession.

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Last time on X men Evolution: Pietro gets tossed out of the jeep and stands there looking thunderstruck. "Doggie!" Kitty squirms out of Lance's arms. "Don't tell anyone but...I'm kinda worried about him..." Wanda looks miserable "Hi Ms Monroe... Lance gulps. "Camp?...Yeah I'll drive them..." the kids eat pizza and then get put to bed after a struggle ""Lance! Johnny gotta go potty!" "Lance! Remy firsty (thirsty)!""Wanda! Tabitha frowed (throwed) a piwow (pillow) at me!" "Jean lyin' Wanda!"

Wanda and Lance both sighed in agitation. They trudged to the rooms they were staying in and addressed the problems.

Wanda first dealt with the Jean and Tabitha argument by firmly telling them that it was bedtime and she didn't want a peep out of them unless it was important.

"G'a (gotta) go potty." Tabitha frowned. Wanda sighed and helped the girl to the bathroom. After ten minutes, the young blonde decided she didn't have to go anymore so back to bed she went. And naturally two minutes after she had been re put into bed she was whimpering to go again.

So Wanda resorted to slowly counting the prime numbers to soothe herself as she led the child back to the downstairs girls bathroom.

Once inside the bathroom, the bubbly little blonde started singing. She was two and didn't quite know the words so she was just making them up. "Mary had a li'l fan. Li'l fan, li'l fan. Mary had a li'l fan and its fleas were white like snow! Wanda? How can a fan get fleas? And why are they white?"

Wanda gritted her teeth. "One...two...three...five..."

"Twinkie twinkie (twinkle twinkle) liddle (little) cars. How I wonder what you are...Do peebles really wonder what cars is?"

"Seven...eleven...thirteen..." Wanda frowned, pausing slightly to think about the next prime number.

"One, two, give Tabby a shoe. Free, four, on the floor. Five, six, little chicks. Serven (seven) eight, open the gate...What comes after eight?" The girl called as she turned on the sink and Wanda hoped that meant she was done goofing off and singing.

"Oh well...um...eleventy, two, Tabby no see you. Sixteen, fourty-eleventy-billion, I no know words that rhyme wif billion!" The girl said in a singsong voice.

"Nineteen...twenty-three...twenty-seven-no-twenty-nine..." Wanda held a hand to her temple. Tabby opened the door and skipped out.

"All done." She grinned and skipped back to her bed. She was tucked in for the third time and stayed there. She yawned and Wanda sighed in relief as the little girl shut her eyes and started breathing evenly.

Wanda yawned herself. The other teenage girls had fallen asleep already. And it was late. She got ready to climb into her own bed as she looked around warily. She was never used to sharing a room, except when she was a baby but that was her twin brother, not a whole lot of other girls she didn't really know too well or a bunch of girls who were her age and older who were now infants.

She shook the unease off and sat on her bed. She surveyed the room one more time only to catch a glimpse of a set of emerald eyes studying her curiously. Rogue was sitting up in her bed and gazing around just as uncomfortably as Wanda previously had been.

"What is it Marie?" Wanda asked gently. The girl shrugged gently.

"Ah can' sleep." She looked down as if ashamed.

Wanda moved over to the young girl and smiled. "Are you scared?"

The young girl frowned and shook her head, but not before a moment's hesitation. Wanda knew she was being fed a line so she raised an eyebrow.

"Well, maybe a teeny li'l bit." The girl admitted and moved a loose strand of her hair out of her face and tucked it behind her ear. "But ya can' tell nobody."

"Secret's safe with me." Wanda smiled gently.

"Pinky promise?" Rogue raised an eyebrow. She held out her hand with a solemn expression.

Wanda laughed and shook. "Okay. So what are you afraid of?"

The little girl looked edgy. "Bad things."

The seventeen-year-old waited for her to elaborate. "Mama says that if Ah ain' careful an' if Ah let mah guard down, bad things'll happen. An' she says that a lots a peoples want me cuz of mah skin curdition. An' she says she don' wanna lose me like she losed my li'l brother." She paused. "Ah never meeted him. He gotted dropped into a river in anover country. He was jus' a new baby. An' then Mama 'dopted me when Ah was two."

Wanda nodded. She was well aware of the story, as she had heard it before. She found it curious that this girl didn't even know her little brother was sleeping in the next room over. Or that she had been seeing him all day. On thinking about Kurt, she vaguely wondered why nobody had really freaked out about the blue fuzziness. She wondered if little kids were generally more unconcerned with things like that, or they thought he was cool.

"Well, You do have to go to sleep Marie." Wanda smiled. "You don't want to be cranky do you?"

The little girl frowned gently. "Mama's not here. Ah can't sleep. Somefin' bad might happen."

"I promise you nothing bad will happen Marie." Wanda sighed. "The boys are all in the next room. And nobody bad will get into the mansion."

Rogue closed her bright eyes halfway. "Ah juss gots a feewin' (feeling) tha' somefin' bad could happen at any time. Ah don' feel right..." She mumbled hesitantly.

Wanda was concerned. "What do you think might happen?"

"Dunno." Rogue shrugged. "Jus' gots a worry feelwin'."

Wanda figured that she should worry a bit about strange unexplained fear but she said nothing to the toddler. Instead she just tucked Rogue under the blanket.

"Don't worry kid. Just sleep. I promise everything will be fine tonight."

Rogue nodded and closed her eyes slowly. "G'nahght. (good night)." She mumbled sleepily.

Lance on the other hand was ready to scream. Some of the boys were being as difficult as possible.

First he decided to address Pyro. He escorted the boy to the bathroom and waited for what seemed like forever before the child discovered that he didn't have to use the bathroom at all.

On the way back to bed, he decided he wanted food. So Lance brought the whining red-head up to the kitchen and let him have a few crackers while he got Remy a glass of water.

They got back to the room to find Piotr trying to coax Kurt to come down from the light fixture on the ceiling. Lance groaned and realized that the boy had probably inadvertantly teleported up there.

He was apparently having a blast. He seemed to like heights and he found it very funny that nobody else could reach him. He chuckled and then slipped. He cried out in fear and accidentally teleported himself closer to the ground. With a muffled thump he landed in his bed and clapped.

"Fun! Do it 'gain!" He grinned impishly.

Lance released his breath. "No you won't do that again." He said sternly. "That was not funny. You scared me. Its bed time." He frowned and the boy looked down.

"I sowwy. (Sorry)." He pleaded for forgiveness as he turned large, pupil-less yellow eyes at his caretaker. "Was real fun. Didn' mean to do suffin' (something) bad." He crawled back under his blanket and lay his head on the pillow and grinned an adorable grin at Lance.

"Just go to sleep." Lance shook his head gently and smiled. The child frowned.

"Why?"

"Because its bed time."

"Why?"

"Because it's late and you need to sleep so you won't be tired." Lance said as his agitation rose.

"Why?"

"Because I said so." Lance snapped in a finalizing tone.

Kurt frowned and stuck out his tongue but he dealt with it and lay back down with a scowl.

Lance sighed and turned to Remy to hand the Cajun child the glass of water. The kid took it and drank it, but half ended up spilled down his front and all over the bed. As the cool water soaked through his pajamas, Remy yelped with surprise.

Lance groaned and led the kid to the bathroom to dry off and change his pajamas to the second set he had bought. He shuddered as he realized that tomorrow he was on laundry duty. A whole lot of toddlers made for about six times the usual amount, which was considerably a very large amount with close to thirty people living in the mansion.

Once Remy was all set, he wanted a snack. So Lance brought the kid up to the kitchen and gave him some crackers. The child happily munched away on his snack while Lance searched franticly for a bottle of Tylenol or Aspirin to relieve the headache that was building with the stress of this whole ordeal. He found none and made a mental note to stop at CVS tomorrow when he was out.

Finally he led Remy back to the room in which they were sleeping and helped the boy into the bed.

"Please go to sleep?" He begged.

Remy pondered the idea. Then He frowned. "Remy gotsa sneeze." He scrunched up his nose.

Lance hurried to the bathroom and brought back some tissue. "Here. Don't tell me you're getting sick on me. You're enough of a handful healthy."

The four-year-old blew his nose and then threw the tissue on the floor. "Not sick." He said defiantly. "An' don' y' git no ideas 'bout feedin' Remy no cod liber oil." He warned.

Lance laughed. "Cod liver oil?"

The boy nodded. "When Remy getted sick back home, Tantie Mattie uset' make Remy have nasty cod liber oil. An' broccoli." He frowned at the memory. "Promise Remy ain' sick. Just sneezed."

Lance smiled and affectionately ruffled the boy's hair. "Okay I'll take you're word for it."

"Don't!" Remy snapped as he threw his arms onto his head. "Remy not a chien. (dog). Y' ain' got no right t' pet him. Y' messin' up Remy's hair."

Lance chuckled. "Okay now please get to sleep."

Remy frowned. "Could Remy have anot'er drink? Won' spill dis un."

Lance nodded and turned to head to the kitchen. He returned with a sippi cup of water and smiled as he realized that the young boy had fallen asleep while waiting. So he shook his head and pulled the blanket over the toddler. He set the cup on the floor near the boy's bed and then headed to his own.

Just as he was about to fall back onto his pillows and drift into unconsciousness, a soft whimpering caught his ears. He immediately sat up and looked around in panic. He hurried over to Todd's bed turned crib and lifted his teammate up.

"Shh." He soothed. "What's wrong Toad?"

The infant hiccupped and spat up a little bit of the sickly green slime that came as part of his mutation. He looked up to the older boy with a look of confusion.

Lance sighed and frowned. This was going to be a little harder now that he would be secreting slime hourly. But breathing couldn't be too easy with his throat clogging with the stuff.

"You were enough trouble when you weren't a baby Toad." Lance sighed. The young boy in his arm burped and expelled a little slime with minor difficulty, all the while looking frustrated. Lance pondered what could help and then decided a bit of decongestant might help.

Gently, he transported the unfortunate child to the bathroom and fished around in the medicine cabinet for cough syrup while juggling his friend in the other arm. Triumphantly he headed back up to the kitchen.

He placed Todd in a high chair and searched for a baby bottle. He found one and poured some milk into it from the jug in the fridge. He stirred in half a teaspoon of cough syrup into the contents in hopes of decongesting the child's throat.

He gently held his friend and helped hold the bottle as the young boy drank greedily.

"You like that?" Lance asked, amused. The reply was a quiet burp and a smile. "Careful, don't make yourself sick." Lance laughed. When the boy finished, Lance made his way back to the danger room. "Now be a good little menace and go to sleep." Lance smiled and placed the child back into the blankets and turned to go back to bed. The only issue of that was after half a bottle of milk, a fresh diaper was a necessity within a half-hour.

In the morning, Wanda woke up to a baby crying. For a moment she was disoriented.

"Pietro? How long has there been a baby here?" She mumbled as she pulled her pillow over her head. "Shut it off!"

Jubilee giggled. "Wanda, Pietro isn't here and we can't shut Amara off. She's hungry."

Wanda blinked the sleep from her eyes and rolled into a sitting position. "Oh...I'm not at the boarding house?" She felt vaguely stupid as her brain caught up with her. She smiled sheepishly and climbed out of bed.

She sighed and slowly trudged out of the planning room and made her way up to the kitchen. She got up and was halfway through making herself a cup of tea before Lance entered the room with a bewildered expression.

He shook his head. "Nice outfit Wanda."

Confused she looked at what she had come upstairs in. A bright blush crawled to her cheeks as she realized she was still wearing her red silk pajamas.

Lance smirked. "I'd recommend changing."

Wanda frowned a little and then she caught a glimpse of herself in the chrome of the refrigerator and noticed her short hair wild and unmade up face. "Okay. I get the point."

He chuckled, as he had seen her in pajamas before back at the boarding house. But it was still weird.

Wanda shrugged impishly. She took her cup of tea back downstairs to change and help get the little kids ready.

The older girls were all up and dressed and working on the little ones. Rahne had young Amara sitting in her lap drinking tentatively from a sippi-cup with help from the older girl at occasional intervals. Jubilee was playing with Jean's hair, while Kitty sat watching intently. Tabitha was up and attempting to untie her shoes on her bed.

Wanda raised a questioning eyebrow as she looked for the other girl.

Jubilee rolled her eyes and nodded to the lump of blankets on Rogue's bed that hadn't yet moved. "Good luck with her." The Asian girl smirked as she twisted Jean's red hair into a loose braid.

Wanda shook her head and took her clothes to the bathroom and quickly changed. She reentered and Kitty was giggling as Jubilee pulled her thick brown hair into pigtails. The tiny girl played with the bottom of her pink t-shirt and then toyed with the hem of her denim shorts. Tabitha was now up on Rogue's bed gently prodding the other girl.

She nodded her blonde head with a grim expression. "She be dead."

Rahne sniffed. "Nah she's breathin' Tabby." The Scottish girl assured the toddler.

Jubilee frowned. "We have to get her up soon. Lance has to take us to camp and we have to be there by noon."

Wanda purposefully strode over to the sleeping girl's bed. She gently put a hand on Rogue's shoulder and gently shook her. "Ro-Marie, its time to wake up."

"Uh-uh." A muffled reply sounded from under the blanket and pillow.

"You have to get up Marie." Wanda shook the girl a little firmer.

"Ah don' wanna go ta peacoo (preschool)." The child pleaded.

"Come on Marie. You have to get up. I won't make you go to preschool but you have to get out of bed." Wanda said sternly. She pulled the blanket off the girl and the child hissed as the light met her face so she stuck her head under the pillow.

"Ah don' wanna. Ya can make meh!"

Wanda smirked and gently tickled the girl's side on impulse. The result was an instantaneous shriek and Rogue squirmed away while giggling.

"Hey knock it off! Quit it! Ah'm up, Ah'm up! See Mama? Ah'm gittin' up!"

Wanda froze mid tickle and the girl sat up in her bed with wide green eyes.

"This isn' mah room...an yah mos' definary (definitely) naht (not) ma mama..." Confusion dripped from the girl as she tried to figure the whole ordeal out. She suddenly remembered yesterday and who this was.

"Sorry Ah called ya ma mama Wanda." She frowned. "Ah fo' gitted where Ah was." She cast her eyes down as if expecting to be hollered at.

Wanda smiled and half-hugged the young girl soothingly. "It's okay. I've been called worse than mama." But vaguely she pondered if it was a good thing to be confused with Mystique.

She helped the girl get up and dressed and when she went to brush the girl's soft hair, she was met with a new shock. Wanda felt her jaw drop. She turned to Jubilee and Rahne with a shocked expression. "How long has Rogue's hair been curly?"

Both girls turned and looked at the three-year-old who put a small hand to her hair nervously.

"Mah hay's (hair's) alays bin like this."

"No. As long as I've known you your hair has been straight." Wanda said in confusion. She looked at the other girls who confirmed it with a nod. Not that they had known Rogue much longer than she did but they'd never seen her hair curly.

"Maybe she straightened it?" Rahne suggested with a disinterested shrug.

The little girl shrugged nonchalantly. Wanda frowned and tentatively brushed it out. Then she and all the other girls headed up to breakfast.

The boys were already mostly there. Most of them looking haggard and exhausted from the crying infant they had shared a room with. Suddenly Sam entered the room, cursing lightly.

"What's wrong?" Jubilee asked in concern.

Sam gave her a glare that would make Rogue proud and scowled at Scott who had come in after him and sheepishly climbed into the vacant chair next to Jean.

Ray laughed. "Well Jubes, seems Summers was a chronic bed wetter as a kid."

Sam glowered. "Well, I wouldn't call twice chronic Ray." Roberto smirked.

"Ah hate all o' yah." Sam frowned. "Ah can' believe that kid. First in the middle of the night...then again this mornin'." Jubilee chuckled. "Yah laugh Jubilee. But yah didn't have to clean up after the rotten brat."

"Come on guys, you know he can't help it." Rahne scolded. "He did get brain damage after all. That's why he can't control his powers."

The boy from Kentucky gave her an agitated glance. "He's never had bathroom problems before."

"He's only four." Jubilee commented.

"So? Who isn't potty trained at four? Mah sisters were all trained before they were two."

They couldn't talk about it any more because the kids were getting fussy and demanding food.

So Lance, yawning every few minutes, threw on some instant oatmeal (the instant ginger and maple kind (LOL ten points to whoever gets the allusion)). And then gave each toddler one of the bowls that somebody had washed after the fiasco of lunch yesterday. He slumped into his chair after sliding each teen a bowl. He put his head in his arms and hovered between consciousness and sleep while the children patiently waited for Piotr to hand them a sippi-cup or bottle of orange juice.

Lance stifled a huge yawn. "I hate Forge." He declared as his eyes appeared, disappeared and reappeared at half-mast. "Somebody call the stupid professor. I am too tired."

Then an idea occurred to him. His eyes fell on the empty coffeepot. "Caffeine!" He murmured and trudged like a zombie toward the countertop. He had a fiendish gleam in his eye as he brewed it. Everyone in the room watched him curiously. When it was finished he cackled and went to take a gulp.

"Caffeine good. Coffee has caffeine...Lance need caffeine!" He murmured and brought the mug of black French roast coffee to his mouth.

Everyone moved slightly away with looks of mild fear. Most of the toddlers looked at him with wide eyes. Pyro was giggling and Todd was ready to cry again.

Rogue leaned over to Remy and whispered in his ear. "Does dat scare yah ta?"

Her friend nodded slightly. "Yeah dat is a li'l scary. Mais y' ain' seed nuttin' til y' seed mon pére in de mornin'."

As the liquid entered the older boy's mouth a comical scene unfolded. The look on his face was priceless. He mumbled something that vaguely resembled 'please excuse me' and spat the coffee unceremoniously into the sink.

"Dat was de nastiest t'ing I eber done." Lance informed them as he continued to spit. "God only knows how Wolverine and Rogue can even put that junk into their mouths."

Ray snickered. "Dude, three words for you...cream and sugar."

Lance frowned and shook his head. "I doubt that even fifty bags of sugar would help that junk." He stalked over to the fridge and grabbed a can of Coke that had been left over from the party.

He chugged the whole thing in a few gulps and smiled. "Now there's a good caffeine fix." He nodded in content.

Wanda chuckled and shook her head. "And you say I'm crazy looking in the morning, huh Lance?"

"Did you have to put up with a shrieking infant at all hours of the night Wanda?" He gave her a pointed glower.

She shook her head, still vaguely amused. "No. Geez I pity Pryde if she ever marries you. Waking up to that display of insanity might scare her soul off."

Lance glowered. He ignored the statement and turned to look at the toddlers who had grown bored and decided breakfast was more important than the crazy person who served it to them.

As usual, Freddy had dug in enthusiastically. Kurt too was gulping down the oatmeal as if he'd been starved for the past week. Bobby had used his powers to freeze it into one block and this apparently amused him very much. Tabby was dropping gobs of the stuff on the floor, and every third handful made its way to her mouth. Occasionally she'd randomly throw a little at Jean, Scott, or Piotr. Pyro had shoved both his hands into the mushy cereal and was attempting to sculpt it like clay. He decided he was hungry and shoved a small handful into his mouth and then went back to building a tower with it. Piotr was patiently attempting to spoon at least a little into Toad's mouth. Wanda had given up and was still wary of feeding him lest she be used as target practice again.

Jubilee had Amara quietly accepting the food though half of it had ended down the child's bib. Jean sat so straight it was unreal as she acted like a lady from colonial times and never slurped the oatmeal from her spoon. Her elbows never touched the chair or her tray and after each bite, she daintily wiped her mouth with a napkin, while throwing the occasional sneer when a bit of food hit her or landed near. Scott was likewise eating with the spoon as opposed to his hands and fingers but he wasn't quite so robotic.

Kitty was apprehensively stirring the food. It wasn't that she wasn't hungry but she was used to her mommy feeding only cinnamon apple oatmeal when it was oatmeal for breakfast.

Lance noticed this and looked over at her. "What's wrong, pretty Kitty?"

The little girl bit her lip in concentration. "I neber eated vis stuff afore." She admitted. He smiled.

"You never had oatmeal?" She shook her head.

"No, I have it jus' vat Mommy and Daddy omwy (only) gib me abble an cninamint (apple and cinnamon)."

"I bet you'd like this one too." He smiled. "Just try it."

He offered her a spoonful and she timidly accepted just a small bit of it. "What do you think?"

She shrugged and took the spoon to feed herself. He smiled and affectionately ruffled her hair. Unlike Remy, she smiled and didn't reprimand him for messing up her hair.

Lance turned to the final two. He was just in time to witness Rogue handing Remy her bowl. He intercepted it and placed it back onto her tray.

"Marie, you have to eat." She raised an eyebrow and frowned. She shook her head stubbornly.

"Not humgry. (hungry)." She crossed her arms.

"You can't just give all your food to Remy Marie." Lance sighed.

"Why not?"

"Because you need to eat it."

"Why? Ah don' wan' it."

"You'll get sick. And I don't want that."

"Why?" Rogue asked with a superior smirk.

"Because, you're my friend and my responsibility."

"Ah ain' ya sponsitivity." She scowled. "Remy's mah fend not ya."

Lance frowned. "Marie, like it or not, I am taking care of you. And you can't give all your food from every meal to Remy, whether he is or isn't your friend."

Rogue frowned. "Why can' Ah give it ta Remy?"

"Because its your food."

"But Ah don' want it."

"Do you want to make Remy sick?" He challenged and she froze.

"How could food make 'im sick?"

"Well, not so much sick as overweight. You don't want him to get fat do you?"

Rogue shrugged and looked over to her friend who seemed scandalized by the thought. "No..." Rogue sighed.

She reluctantly took her spoon and went to eat but she stubbornly dropped it.

"What now?" Lance asked irritably.

"Can' make meh eat." She taunted in a singsong voice.

"Please?" He tried pathetically and received a giggle in response. He looked to Wanda who was smirking. "You're a girl, you make her eat."

Wanda looked affronted. Rogue giggled and shook her head. "Ain' gunna eat no matteh what."

"C'mon Wanda, she's going to starve herself and I don't want to explain her death by self inflicted starvation." Lance begged with wide eyes.

Wanda rolled her eyes. She moved the bowl off of the tray and removed the tray from the highchair. Rogue looked triumphant, thinking the older people had given up. She was surprised when the older girl didn't set her on the floor, but instead sat down and pulled the chair closer to the table where the bowl sat.

"Ah wanna be down." She said sternly and tried to wriggle down to get away.

Wanda held her firmly. "If you spit up on me like Todd did, I will personally ensure that you are forced into a frilly pink Cinderella dress Marie." She threatened playfully but the look on the little girl's face showed absolute repulsion and fear because something told her Wanda was 100 serious.

"Much better." Wanda commented as Rogue sat still. "Now you have to eat." She gripped the spoon and filled it with a little cereal and brought it to the young child's mouth, fully expecting resistance or a tantrum. But to her great surprise, there wasn't even a dirty look thrown her way. After three bites, Rogue took the spoon on her own and fed herself. Wanda raised an eyebrow. She turned to Lance and the others, all of whom were shocked. She felt her heart go out to the child who kept sending terrified sidelong glances at Wanda as if wondering where on her body she could keep a dress.

When the bowl was empty, which happened considerably quickly, she cast wide eyes up to Wanda.

"Good job Marie." She smiled and the toddler gave a half smile.

"Kin Ah be scused now?"

Wanda nodded and released the girl. The three-year-old hopped down and stood by Remy's chair until he was done. When the kids were done, Lance ordered the ones who were going to camp to head out with their stuff to the X-Van. Then he had Wanda and Piotr shepherd the kids back down into the danger room to watch a movie or something.

Irritably, he headed out to the garage and hopped into the driver's seat of the van. Roberto sat in the passenger side, Jubilee and Rahne were in the next seat back, and Sam, Ray, and Roberto had the seat in back of that. Their gear was all stuffed into the two way back seats. They were color coded so nobody ended up with the wrong bags. And Lance tried to arrange it so the colors that were together were the ones going to the same place.

"Okay, First stop, Ray and Roberto, sports camp. Electric blue with yellow trim for Ray and black and orange for Roberto?" Lance verified as the two boys nodded. "Okay and then Jamie and Sam, Boy Scout Camp? Spiderman bags, Jamie and blue and yellow for Sam?" Both boys thought and grinned while nodding. "So that leaves Jubilee and Rahne for Girl Scouts? Yellow bags Jubilee and gray for Rahne?" The girls nodded. Then Lance took off.

In the mansion, the kids were pretty much subdued. They watched Lady and The Tramp and Pokémon the first movie and Wanda was elected to read them a story.

"C'mon Wanda!" Tabitha pleaded. "We love you! We do anyfing for you! Just read us story!" The girl bounced around while Wanda looked frightened. The kids really wanted her to read them a story. But the whole flocking around her terrified her.

"Why not Wanda?" Evan asked gently as he lounged on a chair. "They seem to really like you, girl. And they want a story."

Wanda shot him an annoyed look. "You read them a story then."

Evan shrugged. "They want you to."

The toddlers pleaded and all twelve simultaneously turned on puppy dog faces. They knew before she said anything that she had given in. She sighed and lowered her eyes and they sent up a crazed cheer. "What story?" She asked weakly.

The troupe of toddlers quickly told her any story would be cool. She looked through the collection of books that Piotr and Jamie and Evan had bought for the amusement of the children. She finally grabbed a stack of choices that looked good and moved over to the center of the danger room and sat on a pillow off one of the guy's beds. She was amazed at how quickly they flocked around her and sat in a semi-neat, semi-circle. Toad and Pyro curled up at her sides and Rogue climbed into her lap to see the pictures.

Wanda was definitely shocked at this motion. But she didn't say anything. She started reading the story of Beauty and the Beast to the kids, each of them being a proper audience and oohing and ahhing at appropriate intervals.

By the end the children clapped and calmly waited for the next story. Wanda sent Evan and Piotr futile look. They shrugged and she sighed and picked up a Dr. Seuss book. It was the one called "Are you My Mother?" This seemed to catch the interest of the toddlers. She felt vaguely like a kindergarten teacher but she didn't seem to mind.

Piotr smiled gently at the sight.

"It seems so natural doesn't it?" Evan asked quietly.

"What?" The tall Russian asked with mild confusion.

"Wanda and the kids, man. Dude, she's like their mother or something. She's a natural at it." The seventeen-year-old stated in awe. "And somehow, she looks awesome doing it..."

Piotr's cornflower blue eyes widened in surprise as a smile of amusement appeared on his face. "You like her, yes?"

Evan was shaken from his staring session. He looked vaguely startled. "Huh! What?! No way! She's...she's Pietro's twin sister! I grew up knowing her before...well, she went away to that asylum! There is no way I could like her!" He panicked. "But...you have to admit, she's grown up gorgeous..."

"Are all Americans such bad liars?" Piotr raised an amused eyebrow.

Evan choked and looked away. "I knew her when we were kids. Not much older than Toad over there next to her. She was always the third wheel because she's a girl. There is no possible way I could like her. It would be weird you know?"

Piotr nodded. "Yet you are still taken with her looks and you want to like her." Piotr said shrewdly.

"Aw go back to being the silent tin man, big guy." Evan scowled. He went back to watching Wanda read the short book. Nerves danced around his stomach. Did he like her?

After the story was done she looked up to find him staring. "Its your turn Daniels." She stood up after gently removing the toddlers from her lap and depositing the books into his hands.

"You're better with kids Wanda." He whined. "You make it look so easy...but they like you."

She raised an eyebrow. "Well, maybe they like you better. Don't you like Evan kids?" She asked the toddlers who were still flocking around her feet.

Jean immediately frowned but then thought for a moment and nodded. Scott shrugged. Most of the kids didn't care much for him but if he was going to read to them or play with them they'd judge on that.

Tabitha grinned. She threw herself to the older boy and hugged his knees. "Lub Eban!" She giggled.

Evan looked nothing short of terrified of the tiny girl's response. "See? She gets all weird around me." He said pointedly.

Wanda smiled softly. "Daniels, she's just being affectionate. Its her way of saying she likes you." She gently lifted the two-year-old onto Evan's lap where he proceeded to look confused as she giggled and cuddled close while sucking her thumb.

Wanda shook her head in amusement as she knelt to pick up Todd who was pulling at her pant leg for attention. "Don't act so scared. She can't hurt you. She's just a little girl."

He gave her a disbelieving look.

"Ouch!" Wanda cried as baby Toad decided her dangling cross earring was a toy. He yanked it really hard and of course it caused its wearer pain. "Toad, my earrings are not for you to pull. And neither is my hair." She said sternly as the infant reached a fist up to her head. She gently frowned and put him back on the floor, but not before he managed to tug a handful of her hair on the way down.

"Oh yeah, I see what you mean. Little kids are completely harmless. Right." Evan rolled his eyes as Wanda rubbed the back of her neck where the amphibious infant had pulled her hair.

"He's younger than she is."

"Oh and that makes me feel a whole lot better. With age comes better aim and stronger grip. Plus she's insane." He gestured to the girl in his lap who was now contentedly humming some unfamiliar tune.

"They aren't all so bad." Wanda argued as Pyro held up his arms with a look that pleaded to be picked up.

"Up peez!" He begged. She smiled and picked him up and he squealed with joy.

Then he cuddled close with his head under her chin, babbling softly.

"See?" Wanda insisted. "They can be little angels."

"Aww-how-cute." A sneering voice came from the doorway. "If-it-isn't-the-happy-Mommy-and-Daniels-the-Daddy. How-revolting."

"Pietro?" Wanda asked shocked.

"Well, who-else-would-be-here?" He smirked. "Were-you-expecting-maybe-Elvis?"

"I don't know whether to hug you or strangle you." Wanda warned. She walked over to him, fury in her eyes. "Where exactly have you been? Gone all night long, no note, no call! All I know is you and Lance got into a fight and you were too pig-headed to even let us know you weren't dead in some ditch because of some psychotic mutant-hater!" Her voice raised furiously.

"Wanda, I'm-sorry. I-was-pig-headed-and-stupid." He looked down. "I-needed-some-time-to-think. Things-have-been-totally-crazy-lately."

The look of anger on her face softened slightly to one of concern. "Where were you?"

"The-old-boarding-house." He mumbled as if ashamed. "I-spent-the-night-in-my-old-room, going-through-some-of-the-junk-that-got-left-behind. Anyway-where's-Lance. I-need-to-talk-to-him?"

"He's out, bringing the kids to camp." Wanda smirked at the expression on his face. "Don't tell me you forgot." She laughed teasingly.

"Camp? They-went-to-camp? With-the-crisis-we-have-right-now?" His voice was somewhat hysterical.

"Yeah. Six of them. Berserker, Sunspot, Jamie, Cannonball, Jubilee, and Wolfsbane." Wanda sighed. "And as you can obviously see, the situation still is chaotic and completely the same." She gestured to the two year old in her arms.

Pietro raised an eyebrow. "You-look-a-little-too-at-ease-with-kids, sis. And-why- are-you-holding-that-one?" He wrinkled his brow in confusion as he cast an eye to Todd who was randomly crawling around.

Wanda shrugged and shifted the red-head's weight in her arm. Evan answered for her. "Because, man, that one isn't interested in forcefully removing her earrings or giving her bald spots. And he's being a little angel."

"This one has a name." Wanda frowned. "How would you like to be referred to as that one?"

Both boys shrugged. "Sorry," Evan looked at his sneakers.

"Why-are-you-apologizing-to-her?" Pietro scowled. Evan carefully avoided eye contact with a shrug. Pietro blinked in confusion until realization hit him with a mallet. "Oh-for-the-love-of-pixie-stix! You-don't!.... You-cannot-be-serious! I-think-I'm-going-to-be-sick..."

"What?" Wanda asked in confusion. "What's wrong?"

"Wanda-its-better-if-you-don't-know...for-your-sanity." Her brother shook his head. "You-really-don't-need-to-know."

She turned to Evan for an explanation but he was carefully concentrating on Tabitha's hair. So she turned to Piotr.

"Do you know what's up?"

He merely smiled. "Я не могу сказать Вам, моему другу. Я поддержу(обслужу) тишину, пока Эван не решает сказать Вам непосредственно.» (okay I know probably no one can read that. Its Russian for I cannot tell you, my friend. I will maintain silence until Evan decides to tell you himself. Well actually I have no clue if that is accurate or not. For all I know it could say anyone who uses free expecting English looking letters and stuff is a total moron. But freetranslation says it means what I want it to mean.)

Wanda looked at him, complete and utter confusion washed over her face.

Evan smiled. "Dude, I have no clue what you just said, but thanks...I think..."

"Daniels, you-know-he-could-have-just-blown-your-little-secret-out-of-the-water-and-called-you-a-fat-talentless-wannabe-porcupine-and-you-wouldn't-have-understood-him-right?" Pietro smirked.

"Yeah, but the key thing is she didn't understand either." Evan smiled. Pietro shook his head in exasperation.

Wanda rolled her eyes. "Boys! And they say girls are the psychotically mysterious ones."

As she walked to the group of kids Pietro hissed at Evan. "You...are...not...allowed...to...have...any...interest...in...my...sister...kapeiche?"

Evan rolled his eyes. "Yes sir. You as my mortal rival have every right to say who I can and cannot like."

"I...can...when...its...my...sister!" Pietro spat through his clenched teeth. "Act-on-this-little-crush-of-yours-and-you-may-find-yourself-in-the-middle-of-the-Indian-Ocean, Daniels."

"Oh yeah, I'm so scared...I'm shaking in my sneakers." Evan stood up to his full height, which was within an inch of Pietro's. "Maybe I'm going to ask her out. What'll you do then. What if she says yes?" He taunted. "You know she's going to grow up someday. She's not a nine-year-old Pietro. She doesn't need your protection. Face it Pietro, your twin doesn't need you!"

Quicksilver growled. "You-don't-know-anything. She-does-need-me. I-am-her-brother! It-is-my-job-to-make-sure-that-she-stays-away-from-slime-like-you!"

"Right...sure...She's seventeen Pietro, not nine. She can make her own decisions. She's almost a legal adult. And you think I'm slime? Yet you don't even try to stem the obviously unhealthy obsession with her that Toad has? And I bet you don't even know that she and Kurt have met without you knowing it. Oh and don't get me started with your own best friend...You can't tell me that you have not ever noticed how protective he is with her and how they're always talking and smiling. What right do you have to forbid me from liking her Pietro? I don't govern your twisted love life and neither does she. You can't decide what she does Pietro...face it...your sister has grown up."

Pietro snarled and raised clenched fists as if to hit the boy in front of him.

"Um...ascuze me, are you gonna kill each other?" Tabitha asked from her forgotten place in Evan's arms. Both teenage boys blinked. "Cuz if ya are, can Tabby get putted down first? Gotsa go potty."

Evan set her down on the floor as he cooled down a little. Pietro was still however fuming. While Evan was distracted, he slung a sharp punch at his rival's face. Evan only just had time to look and turn his head.

Pietro's fist collided with Evan's jaw with a muffled thud.

"Sh!t" Evan cursed as the sharp taste of iron rich blood flowed in his mouth. (Evan swears I don't so tip the ! upside down.) Without thinking, he threw a punch of his own that hit Pietro in the nose. Instantly the blood poured from the other boy's nose.

"Daniels, rot in He-" He lunged towards the other boy snarling but was stopped as both he and Evan were pulled apart. Colossus had Evan by the collar and Wanda had used her powers to paralyze her brother's feet and hands in place.

"What on earth has gotten into you?!" Wanda asked furiously.

"There is no need to be killing each other." Piotr said sternly as the younger children looked on in curiosity.

"What the heck is going on in here?" Lance's voice bellowed as he entered the room, arms crossed and face contorted into a frown.

"Maximoff was going to attack me!" Evan snarled.

"Not-before-you-decked-me-in-the-face!" Pietro hissed.

"You threw the first punch Pietro!" Evan snapped.

Both attempted to move toward the other threateningly but Wanda and Piotr held on tight.

"Would both of you just shut up and tell me what you two are fighting over now?!!!" Lance roared causing many of the younger set to whimper, while most of the girls (led of course by Jean) started crying. "Now look what you made me do!" Lance groaned and tried to cheer up Kitty, Jean, Amara, and Tabitha.

The two boys looked as though their blood had ceased boiling. But both were still clearly ticked off and fuming.

"He-had-no-right-to-say-what-he-did." Pietro scowled.

"What did you say?" Lance asked Evan curiously. "Must have been pretty harsh if it got him that mad."

"I was just kidding around and then he went ballistic on me." Evan shrugged. "Don't look at me. He's insane."

"You-had-no-right-saying-what-you-did-about-my-sister!" Pietro snapped.

This caught Wanda and Lance's attention and curiosity.

"You said something about Wanda?" Lance groaned, knowing this was not going to be easy.

"Hey man, I was just pointing out the truth." Evan crossed his arms.

"What truth? And why does it involve me?" Wanda frowned. "What did you say? I think I have a right to know." She locked her eyes to his in confusion.

It didn't take a genius to notice the blush that raced across his face and neck. He gulped and looked desperately to Piotr who merely shook his head. He wasn't going to say it.

"Well," He muttered hesitantly, nervously rubbing his neck. "This is hard...I don't really think I should tell you..." She glowered at him and threw her arms in the air.

"Whatever! Talk about me all you want. See if I care!" She scowled in frustration. "It'll get back to me eventually."

"Wanda..." Evan mumbled weakly. "It wasn't anything bad about you...I couldn't really say anything bad about you...There's nothing bad to say..." He stumbled over his words in embarrassment. Lance caught on to what the problem was with a small smirk and then a frown.

Wanda fumed. "Well what did you say?" Pietro scowled and crossed his arms.

"I kinda-sorta-in-a-way-might-just-um-like-you." Evan mumbled quickly. Actually he spoke faster even than Pietro. The albino speedster barely understood him but he growled anyway. Wanda blinked.

"Did he just say what I think he did?" She asked Lance who smirked and gave a half nod.

"Oh." She tilted her head to the side.

"Oh?! That's it?!" Pietro snarled. "That's-all-you-have-to-say? This-is-a-crisis!" He whined hysterically.

"Is it really that big a deal?" Wanda asked her brother in confusion and shifted the red headed toddler in her arms as he pulled his head up to her shoulder. "You're acting like he did something awful..."

Evan seemed torn between relief and humiliation. Wanda turned to him. "Do you really like me?"

He shrugged and looked away. She rolled her eyes. "Well, when you decide, let me know, okay?" She grumbled in agitation . "I'll just go on living my life..."

"Its-not-so-much-that-he-likes-you..." Pietro groaned. "But-its...its-Evan! He-can't-take-my-sister-away! I-don't-want-you-to-not-need-me!" The boy whimpered.

Wanda blinked. "Awww, Pie, is that what's wrong? You think I don't need you?" She frowned softly as he nodded sheepishly. "You're my brother, silly. Nobody can take your place...believe me I tried to find replacements."

Pietro frowned. "That wasn't funny." Everyone gave them questioning looks so he continued. "When we were two, she wanted the tree in our backyard to be her new brother. And then when we were four, she decided that the gorilla at the zoo was a better choice, so she tried to convince our father to ask the zookeeper to switch me with the gorilla." He frowned as the others chuckled.

"Of course, Father said no." Wanda sighed heavily. "I still think Big Jim would have been a better brother."

"Yeah, he looked more like you." Pietro smirked. His sister playfully slapped him.

"Don't forget about that kid who said the polar bear was your cousin."

"Wanda, that was you." Pietro rolled his eyes and she smirked.

"You're the idiot who believed me." She snorted.

"I was four!" He grumbled and crossed his arms, immaturely sticking out his tongue.

"Um, is this a bad time?" Amanda's soft voice broke up the twin's playful banter.

"Hey Amanda," Wanda smiled. "Glad you're here; I've been feeling slightly outnumbered."

The other girl nodded and tucked her long dark hair behind her ears. "So no change?"

Lance gave an exasparated sigh as he held Kitty in the air and spun in a small circle. She squealed in delight and smiled. "Nope. Well if by that you mean are they still kids. Their powers are coming in full force. So far its Gambit, Iceman, Boom Boom, Nightcrawler, and Toad. The one's I'm really worried about are Kitty's, Summers', Jean's, and most especially Rogue's. Blob's won't really be too bad, he's pretty easily managed. Pyro's shouldn't be a problem unless Magma's come in at the same time...but when Rogue gets hers, all hell will break loose." He sighed gravely. "We just have to keep her as unstressed as possible."

Amanda smiled. "Then I have a perfect plan. Its a beautiful day out and I think we should take them out to the park. Let them run around and be carefree, maybe take them swimming. We could bring a picnic lunch or something so its a day out. I think they'd like it."

Lance rubbed the back of his neck in thought. He pondered the possibilities, pros and cons. "It could be nice to get out of the institute..." His thoughts traveled to the heaps of dirty laundry that awaited him and groaned. "Ugh, and it would be nice to get away from doing laundry for a few hours...I wish it was someone else's day."

Amanda thought for a moment. "There's a park near my house that is across the street from a plaza, I think they have a coin-op laundry place there. Yeah, its between the Chinese restaurant and the drug store." She nodded. "You could bring it and do it there, then it'll take less time."

Lance grinned. "Awesome idea. I'm game, anybody object?"

"Aw man, who wants to spend such an awesome day babysitting a bunch of pre-k brats?" Evan whined.

"You know Evan, there's a skate park there."

"Skate park?" His interest piqued.

"Yeah. And the owner of the Laundromat is this awesome basketball player. He was star player at PS 105 (a/n made up school if it really exists cool, if not, it does now) in his high school days."

Evan was practically drooling. "Hey Daniel's," Lance smirked. "Trade you, the chance to meet this guy and get out of baby watching...if you don't mind doing the laundry."

"Sure. Why not?" Evan smiled eagerly. "You can have my day, tomorrow."

Lance nodded and the two shook hands. "Well lets get going. Shall we?" Evan asked in excitement as he grabbed his skateboard and headed to the basement to fetch the bags of laundry.

"One-teeny-little-problem." Pietro pointed out. "If-we-are-taking-the-beasts-out-to-go-swimming-don't-they-need-swim-suits?"

"Two steps ahead of you." Amanda smiled gently. "Boys can wear shorts and for the girls, I borrowed five from a community swim class for little kids. I have a friend who works there and as long as they get returned before Thursday the boss doesn't mind. And yes they are clean, I threw them in the laundry this morning." She opened the beach bag she was carrying, revealing the swimsuits, and some other stuff. "I have until ten for curfew tonight. I told my parents I was going to help a couple friends babysitting at the park." She smiled.

"Okay." Lance shrugged. "So what should we bring?"

Amanda looked to the toddlers and scooped Kurt into her arms as he crawled by. He struggled down and continued toddling after Bobby when she released him. "Cute...I see how it is." She said jokingly. "Anyway, probably sun block, and lunch, a change of clothes per kid, and towels." She thought.

Lance nodded and smiled. "Okay, then we should be able to go in five minutes."

And so, five minutes later they were wrestling twelve toddlers into three cars. Lance had Remy, Rogue, Tabby, and Kitty in his jeep. Amanda brought her yellow SUV and had managed to fit Amara, Bobby, Kurt, and St. John in the rear seats and Wanda up front. Piotr had Freddy, Jean, Scott, and Todd in the X-van along with Evan and the ton of dirty laundry in the back. Pietro flat refused to share a car with Evan so he ran. And waited a whole five minutes for them at the park.

Lance unlocked the baby seats and opened the doors and three of his charges tore off to the others like bats out of heck. Kitty on the other hand got her overalls caught in the seatbelt and pulling the knot only made it tighter. She whimpered for Lance's aid and he sighed.

"How'd you do that Kitty cat?" He asked as he gently untangled her.

She gave him a look that suggested it was idiotic to ask. He hugged her and then freed her. She ran towards her friends as fast as she could, squealing in delight. Lance grabbed the backpack and the duffle bag that held lunch and towels and headed over to the others on kids...settle down. Its time for lunch." The kids ignored Lance and continued running around screaming like banshees and chasing each other.

Lance looked hopeless screaming himself hoarse as the others set up a blanket to eat on. Wanda shook her head. She threw a hand towards the mass of children and the blue energy from her powers surrounded them and forced them to hover back to the blanket and sit. They weren't too happy and they struggled but her powers held them firm. "Hm, you hafta love chaos magic." She mused as she examined her nails.

The kids were obviously not that interested in the sandwiches but surprisingly, not even Rogue made a fuss about it. She sat as far away from Wanda as she could and ate quietly and quickly.

"Look! Duckies!" Kitty squealed. She toddled to the bank of a little pond and pointed to them.

"Careful girls." Lance warned as Tabby scurried over and threw her bread crust to attract the ducks. It seemed to amuse her endlessly that they came waddling over.

Rogue smiled and joined the littler girls in throwing bread at the ducks. Most of the toddlers joined in, laughing and having a grand time. Lance sat back on the blanket with a small smile.

"Aren't they just too cute when they act so young?" He asked Wanda who was gently rocking Todd's baby carry seat and humming softly to him.

"Uh huh." She grinned and wiped a tiny bit of slime from the infant's nose as he sighed and fell asleep. Pyro turned to her and approached her with the bread from his lunch.

"You wanna feed the duckies?" He asked sincerely.

Wanda chuckled and shook her head. "No, its okay hon, you feed them." The two year old beamed and moved back to the water's edge. Wanda grinned and lay back, propping herself up on her arms. She closed her eyes, enjoying the peace and quiet.

"Why look at that...A mother at her age, why that girl couldn't be a day older than your Melissa, Jane." A middle aged woman loudly whispered to a companion.

"I know Mildred, dreadful isn't it? Barely a baby herself. But then look at the way she dresses! And hanging around with all those hoodlums. She's just asking for trouble. Fortunately, my daughter has morals." The two women passed by and Wanda looked upset.

"Excuse me, ma'am?" Lance called politely. "I think you got the wrong idea about my sister..." He rose from his laid back position. "We're just babysitting the family kids during a family reunion." He smiled gently. "None of these are hers." He bowed his head humbly.

Mildred and Jane looked surprised. "Is that so young man?"

"Definitely." Evan jumped abandoning his lunch. "She isn't that kind of girl and we aren't that kinda guy."

The older women smiled and nodded while walking away. "Such polite young men, but I really do think they were covering up for her. She's much to maternal with those darling children to not be their mother." Jane sighed.

Wanda sighed as they got out of ear and eyeshot. "Thanks for trying guys. I guess I just physically scream "loose" or something." She shrugged and looked back to the kids.

Everyone sent her a sympathetic glance. "Hey quit this. No pity." She frowned. "Lets just drop it. In a little while we can go swimming. We should go get changed." She stood up and grabbed her duffel bag and called for the girls to come. Obediently they toddled after her and Amanda. Lance and the guys headed into the locker rooms too.

A few moments later, Lance was paying for the group and they were waiting for the girls. They entered the pool area and discovered Wanda and Amanda setting up a towel to sit on a patch of grass near the kiddie pool and the main pool. The little girls were standing near the baby pool comparing swimsuits.

"Mines is nice." Jean smiled and twirled. Her rental swim suit was a shade of red that identically matched her hair. The straps were yellow and crossed in the back. It wasn't too fancy but she seemed to like it. "But yours is nice too." She nodded at Rogue.

"Yah think so?" Rogue scrunched up her nose and glanced down at her bright green swim suit with curiosity. It had a single purple heart on the upper left hand side and other than that it was fairly plain. "Thanks."

Amanda was holding the dark blue and gold clad Amara and she laughed in amusement as Kitty and Tabby compared their nearly identical suits.

"Hey." Lance plunked down near them. The young boys followed hesitantly.

Wanda blushed a bit as Lance raised an eyebrow at her attire. She had worn a red tankini ( tank top bikini bottom for the uninformed) and wrapped a black sarong (those beach skirt thingies ? ) around her waist.

Pietro snarled a bit about the way his best friend was looking at his sister. "Keep-your-filthy-eyes-to-your-precious-Pryde." He snapped his fingers in front of the older boy's face.

Lance's ears turned red as he looked away. He was just in time to see somebody rather unpleasant approaching.

"Hey Alvers." Duncan Matthews nodded with a sneer.

"Matthews." Lance frowned.

Duncan raised a blond eyebrow at Wanda who had sat up in confusion. "New babe on the block? Nice choice. So much better than that Katie Proud chick you were dating in high school."

Wanda flushed scarlet and Lance glowered. "Its Kitty Pryde." He said tersely.

"Aw whatever, that little bookworm was such a geek. And she hung around Summers so you know she was a loser." He shrugged and smirked at the giggle the petite girl on his arm gave.

"Scott? Yeah he's such a jerk."

"Truer words were never spoken Taryn babe." Duncan chortled. His beady blue eyes chose that moment to fall on the little kids. They widened in recognition.

"Woah! That one looks like Pryde! How old is she?"

"That is none of your business." Wanda sneered.

"Look girlie, you're just there to make your boyfriend look better. Your opinion does not count." Duncan leered.

"Hey-Matthews, leave-my-sister-alone!" Pietro snarled.

"Huh? Pietro? You have a sister?" Taryn's jaw dropped. "I've never seen her around..."

"Well maybe you don't look properly." Wanda frowned. The ex BHS soccer player thought for a moment.

"Hey I've seen you before, on the news..."

"Yeah, so?" Wanda challenged as the color drained from the two non-mutants' faces.

"You're that mutant who was in the red trench coat and knocked a sentinel onto that guy..." Duncan gulped.

"Uh huh. That's me. Scarlet Witch is what flat scans like you can call me." Wanda scowled as she recognized the fear in his voice. "I can't exactly say meeting you has been a pleasure...So you can leave my sight now, okay?"

Taryn and Duncan were about to do just that when they noticed a few of the other kids. "Oh gross! Someone actually allowed that little vampire to reproduce?" Taryn shrieked as she examined Rogue.

The three year old raised an eyebrow. "Who ah (are) y'all?" She wrinkled her nose and stepped back because something about these new people made her edgy.

"Ew, she talks like that creep too!" Taryn squealed.

"That your kid too?" Duncan frowned.

"What the heck kind of question is that?" Lance scowled. He gently moved both girls to stand behind him. "Mind your own business."

"Well, I'm just saying, that little vampire lived with you once. This brat could be anyone's; yours, Maximoff's that fat blob guy, or even Toady Tolansky. So who is it mutie?" Duncan taunted.

"None of your business flatscan." Lance growled as Pietro scowled and crossed his arms.

"Yours then." Duncan shrugged with a cackle. "After all, only another mutie could love that chick. She wasn't exactly the best girl in the world, isn't she the one that had the poison skin? I guess that changed. Only another misfit could love her."

Lance clenched his fists. He could easily beat the guy in a fight, even without powers, but he didn't want to get all mutants everywhere in trouble. "Leave Rogue out of this." He whispered coldly.

"So why are you on babysitting duty Alvers? Someone with your temper, around children? Tsk Tsk. Only an unfit mother would leave a baby in your care." Taryn sneered.

Lance scowled and evaded eye contact. Taryn's eyes lit up in recognition. "They aren't here anymore are they?" His refusal to respond answered plain enough. "Hah that's a laugh! You got ditched with the Rogue's brat and Pryde's? How fitting!"

Duncan laughed brainlessly. Lance was ready to throw a punch but Wanda grabbed his fist. "Lance no! It'll only make things worse!" She pleaded and her expression shot flashbacks of Kitty reeling through his mind.

Duncan stared hard at the other kids. Rogue and Kitty felt like they'd been talked about and they were afraid. Jean stepped up to both of them and put a soothing hand on their shoulders. " It'll be kay. Don't worry." She smiled.

"Hey wait a cotton picking second..." Duncan's jaw dropped as Scott and Remy stepped in front of the girls.

"Leave us 'lone!" Remy scowled.

"Yeah we didn't do nufing (nothing) to you guys!" Scott glowered.

"So go 'way fat crayons!" Tabitha jeered at the jocks, using Lance's word for them-or at least attempting it.

"Well, I guess we know how you losers stayed occupied when you had to live in that hole under your old mansion." Duncan smirked.

"You don't know anything!" Amanda growled at her fellow non-mutant.

"Shove it Sefton." Taryn rolled her eyes. "Mutie lovers are to be seen, unfortunately but you don't have to be heard. You're a traitor to your species."

"I'm a human being. They are too." The girl crossed her arms. "So they have a few extra genes, so what?"

"Hey is there a problem over here?" A female voice that rang a bell in Lance's memory called over.

A familiar looking life guard followed the voice. Dark hair. Red stripe. Curious eyes. Carmen. Lance's ears turned pink as he remembered his encounter with her yesterday.

"Huh? Oh no. Just talking." Duncan shot her a winning smile.

"Really now?" She tilted her head to the side and continued with a sweet as honey voice. "Well, whatever are you talking about so hostilely?"

Duncan grinned sheepishly. "Just guy stuff."

"Sure." Carmen nodded and ran her hand down his jaw line. "I'm going to have to ask you to leave. You and Miss. Fujioka are not allowed to cause problems with any other pool patrons Duncan. You know that." She batted her eye lashes and pointed towards the door. Taryn and Duncan left grumbling about how they didn't really want to swim in the same water as mutants anyway.

Carmen rolled her eyes. "So, how's it going? Long time no see, ya know." She said with a smile on her face and a twinkle in her eye.

"Its okay. I guess." Lance nodded. "Just a perfect summer day for a day at the park with some friends."

"Em hm." She grinned. "Definitely. That's why I work a few days a week as a life guard. I live for days like this." She closed her eyes as if basking in the glory of the day. "Its too bad that losers like Duncan and Taryn have to come ruin it for everyone." She rolled her eyes.

"Yeah, thanks for that." Lance smiled softly.

"Aw you can't listen to anything that goon says." She waved it off as nothing. "He just likes brewing up trouble. Sorry if anything offended you."

"I'm used to it." Lance groaned. "Its just he was getting on my case about a few of my friends who aren't here, and hitting on who he assumed I was dating. I try not to let him get under my skin, but he is such a jerk."

Carmen nodded sympathetically. "Well, I better get back to my post, but you and your posse have fun okay?"

Lance shook his head to clear it as she walked away. He felt like when she was close that thinking was a difficult task.

"Okay kiddos." He smiled brightly at the kids. Kitty and Marie still looked edgy and Remy and Scott were positively fuming.

"Remy non like dose deux bullies." The kid Cajun scowled menacingly.

"Not me either." Scott narrowed his eyes.

Lance chuckled at how similar the two seemed at that moment. Then he realized that part of it was both of them had glowing red eyes.

"Oh crap!" Lance fished around his pocket for the goggles for Scott. While getting the boy into a swim suit, he had realized that the optic beams were not active and decided that the kid deserved to see something other than the shades of red he always did see. And the formerly brown eyes were now glowing nearly identically to Remy's.

"Scott...close your eyes." Lance said as calmly as he could. The boy did and grimaced as Lance clipped the goggles back over his ears. Nobody had noticed anything wrong except Scott but he tolerated it out without much complaint.

Colossus quietly attached water wings to the group of anxious kids' arms. The kids were then led into the kiddie pool area, where the water was no more than eight inches deep. Wanda set Todd into it and he splashed around joyfully. The kids took to it gladly. The teens watched in amusement as they got into splash fights and squealed in happiness. Fred could even float a little bit and he seemed happy enough. However, Pyro seemed frightened the whole time and Marie clung to the edge of the wall in terror.

"Hey Marie? Are you kay?" Scott asked hesitantly as he paddled past her. She shook her head and clung to the railing at the stairs.

"Don' be afaid." Jean frowned gently. "The water's nice. It feels like a big bath." She coaxed trying to get the other girl to have fun. "Only you wear cloves (clothes)."

Kitty and Tabitha were splashing around and accidentally hit Rogue. She whimpered and closed her eyes and gripped the railing tighter.

"Hey! Quit it!" Jean told them sternly. The two younger girls shrugged and continued their splash fight with the boys on the other end.

Remy, who by this point had been in the splash fight with the boys and was soaking wet, came over curiously. "Marie? 's okay. De water is fun. An' it ain' cold ou nuttin'!" He grinned and held a hand out to her." She shook her head.

"Go 'way! Ah wan' out!" She whimpered and looked to the older teens with a pitiful expression.

"Remy kin teach y' t' swim." He offered. "C'mon Marie. Remy won' let y' git hurted."

Hesitantly she reached out and took his hand. "Promise?"

"Remy never lie t' a fille." He said solemnly as he pulled her to where he was. He released her hand and showed her how to do the dog paddle. She awkwardly attempted and after half an hour she was splashing around and swimming pretty well for someone her age.

"Fank You Remy!" She laughed as she made a move as if to hug him. He smiled and prepared himself to receive the hug. But at the last second she surprised him and splashed him right in the face and knocked him down. He scowled up at her and moved quickly to get up. But she was leaning down to help him at the same moment so they both found themselves with their faces a little too close. He blinked and they ended up hitting their foreheads together.

"Ow!" They rubbed their heads simultaneously as Remy sat fully up in the water.

Lance and the other older set were almost in hysterics. It had been the absolute most adorable scene they had ever imagined and Lance had managed to snap a picture. Several other parents had cooed over how cute it was but they had no idea the whole situation.

"Are you okay Remy?" He chuckled to the boy who indignantly glared at his best friend.

"She hit Remy in de head." He pouted. "Kin Remy git ice cream?" He added as an afterthought.

Lance rolled his eyes.

The older kids began to converse among themselves about what had almost just happened. Remy climbed out of the pool. "Remy wanna swim in de big pool. Remy knows how."

Lance grimaced and agreed to take him over to the regular pool and keep an eye on him. Though Pietro was over in that area already, he was a bit preoccupied with flirting with anything female and bikini-clad.

"Okay kid. Lets go." Lance gestured for Remy to follow him. "Anyone else?"

To his surprise, Jean and Scott hurried out of the shallow pool to join him. "I had simmy (swimming) lessons afore. I can sim pretty good." Jean grinned. Lance noticed that her brattiness must come and go because there hadn't been much of an issue today.

Lance nodded. "Alright, Scott? Can you swim too?"

"Uh huh. Dad teached me. He's in the ear force." The four-year-old smiled proudly.

"Do you mean air force?" Lance chuckled, impressed nonetheless.

"Oh yeah, that." Scott smiled sheepishly.

So Lance and the three toddlers entered the big pool area. The two boys jumped in and Jean stepped in at the stairs.

"Okay pip squeaks, here's the rules. I don't care if you are Olympic champion swimmers, you can't go past the four feet mark. Its just too hard for me to keep an eye on you. Understand."

"Ouais. (French for yeah)" Remy waved the older boy off. "Don' worry."

The three kids started swimming around playing some game where Remy was a shark and the other two had to stay away because if he tagged them, they were the shark.

"Hm, they have quite the imagination don't they?" Carmen's accented voice met Lance's ears. He turned to find the girl in question standing near him. "Kids, I mean." She smiled. She sat down beside him and dangled her feet into the pool. "You're so good with them." She followed his gaze to the kids who were shrieking in their amusement.

He didn't seem to hear her but he nodded anyway.

"So your girlfriend here?" She cast an agitated look to Amanda who was laughing and splashing the little kids.

"Huh? Her? Nah." Lance said shortly as he got the flashbacks of when he and Kitty were first formally introduced back in their home town.

"So then she isn't around?" Carmen smirked coyly. "Perfect, only true love ruins my powers..." She whispered to her self. Lance didn't hear her and he nodded absently.

"Wanna come for a swim with me?"

"Nah. I have to keep an eye on them." Lance frowned and gestured to Remy who was really close to tagging Scott.

"Oh come on, what do you think they pay life guards for?"

"You should know." He mumbled coldly. He felt confused and in a haze, almost as if he couldn't think for himself.

"Yeah. And I do. My shift's over." She batted her eyes at him. She pouted seeing him shrug nonchalantly. "The sun's bright today. Could you maybe help me get this sun block on my back?" She pouted and blinked at him.

Lance wanted to say no. He tried to picture Kitty but he was fading fast. She ran a gentle hand up his arm with a small smile.

"Sure." He said in a dull voice. He took the bottle of sun block from her hands and helped her apply it.

In the kiddie pool area, Rogue was twisting a lock of her wet hair sadly. She felt left out even though the others had invited her to play Marco Polo with them. The kids her age were all in the big pool. She didn't want to feel like a baby. So while all the older kids were preoccupied with the littlest ones she climbed out of the water and opened the gate and went to the big pool.

"Hey Marie." Jean smiled. "Come an play wiv us! Scott is the shark. Don' let him touch you."

Marie smiled and looked at Lance. "Wha's wrong wif him?" She wrinkled her nose. "Did his eyes alays go pink?"

The three others looked and appeared puzzled. "Non, Remy t'ink we'd'a noticed dat afore." The oldest mini-mutant raised an eyebrow.

The four observed their caretaker with great confusion. He was practically drooling over the girl in front of them, and they recognized her from the store from yesterday. "Ah don' like her." Marie frowned as she turned and leaned up as if to kiss Lance. "An Ah'll neber understand growed ups." She sighed.

"Aw fo'git dem." Remy grinned. "C'mon in!" She looked hesitant.

"'S awful deep." She gulped.

Her friend shrugged. They turned back to watch their guardian and this strange girl. "Ewww!" Scott covered his eyes. "They're kissing!"

"Yuck." Jean frowned.

"Its like a soap opera on'y worser." Remy looked away. "Acuz y' can' shut it off!"

"Lets go over there. Ah don' wanna watch Lance tryin' ta eat her mouth off." She rolled her eyes and beckoned the others to follow.

"We can' go pass four feets deep." Jean cautioned.

"Ah know. We can go to the other side of the pool though." She walked and the other three swam. People looked at them curiously as if wondering where their parents were. Marie sat at the pool's edge and dangled her feet in.

"Ya havin' fun?" She asked the other kids with a smile on her face.

The others nodded. They continued their game from earlier. Rogue looked around at her surroundings. From here she could see the parking lot and the plaza where Evan was doing laundry. In the gates of the pool, she saw a lot of people she didn't recognize, the group with the little mutants still playing baby games, Pietro flirting like crazy with a blond life guard, and people doing tricks off the diving board.

"That looks cool." She nodded as one teenage girl did a graceful dive into the water. She continued watching and witnessed a rather large guy do a canon ball and then somebody did a back flip. The person behind them managed to do a belly flop and of course it hurt but it looked like great fun to the three-year-old. "Lets go watch!"

"Remy no know..." The boy looked worried. "Y' can' swim too good...an' Lance said we gotta stay in de t'ree feets section."

"Come on! We won't go in the water, silly! Ah jus' wanna watch the people go off the divie board." She pouted and he had to agree.

"Okay but we gotsa be careful. De water can be dangerous." Remy warned. They all climbed out and headed over to the diving board.

They watched in amazement as the people dived. "Remy could do dat." He bragged. "Wanna see?" The two girls nodded impressed.

"Wait, you don' wanna get us all in trouble do you?" Scott pleaded.

"Don' worry, Remy a big boy." He said proudly. "Water ain' dangerous fo' Remy. Remy kin swim tres good."

The kid stood in line and climbed on the board when it was his turn.

"Hey honey? Are you sure you should be up there?" The lifeguard took a moment away from giggling at Pietro's flirts to call to the four-year-old in concern.

"Remy be okay!" He grinned and to prove it he bounced twice and gracefully dove into the water and popped back up after he was done with a grin and a 'ta da'.

"Show off." Jean frowned.

Suddenly Duncan came barreling back in. "Hey kid move it," he pushed past Rogue in his haste to get to the wallet he had left on the bench. But as he was a big bulky football player and she was a petite three-year-old, she lost her balance and slipped on a wet patch, into the pool.

If I was feeling malicious, I'd end it here but I'm in a good mood...

She screamed as she fell. Her water floaties fell off as she flailed her arms around. Before she knew what was happening she was under the water. On the side, Jean and Scott shrieked with horror. Remy, who was still in the water, tried to get to her but he was just four and tired very quickly. He reached her and tried to pull her up but it was hard cause she was panicking. She breathed in some water and screamed again.

The lifeguard pushed Pietro off and dove from her chair into the water. In two strokes she was at the toddler's side. She pushed Remy to the wall and held Rogue as the panicking girl calmed down. But she was scared and really tired so she was crying and still panicky.

Lance heard the commotion and was instantly snapped from his spell. At the first shriek he was up and running. So were all the other teens. And everyone else in the pool area.

Lance saw the problem as it happened. Almost as if it was in slow motion. The small girl was at an impossible distress level. She was a mutant with poison skin. A lifeguard who was wearing nothing but a swimsuit was holding her. When the girls' skin touched horrible flashes of light blinked in many different colors. Both screamed in pain and fear.

"Carol!" Some of the other life guards called franticly. The young women could swim well. She was on the Olympic team. But that made no difference. All of a sudden her blue eyes rolled back and her grip on the crying child slipped.

Carmen was in the water and speeding towards her fellow life guard. She was reaching inhuman speed and getting very upset. "Carol! Come on girl, what's wrong?" She got her friend to the wall, forgetting about the hysterical three year old. "Carol! Oh God! come on! Breathe!"

Pietro noticed Rogue still floundering and pulled her out with his speediness. Lance took her and held her close while Wanda handed him a towel with a worried expression. "Shh, Marie calm down." He pulled the warm fluffy towel around her and looked at the blond who lay looking lifeless at the pool side. "Is she going to be alright?"

Duncan gaped. "I...I...didn't mean for that to happen..." He stammered as the crowd glared daggers at him. "Hey don't blame me for the brat being mutie scum." He scowled. "She gets it from at least her vampire mother." The crowd turned to Lance who tightened his grip on the exhausted toddler.

"What are you doing back anyway Matthews?" He growled in disgust. "Didn't you get kicked out?"

"Yeah for causing a disturbance," Carmen agreed.

The head life guard looked upon everyone. "What I am curious to is why this child was near the deep end when obviously she cannot swim."

Lance flushed in embarrassment. He remembered very well what he was doing instead of watching her and he was very ashamed of it. He was about to reply when Carmen took her opportunity.

"It was my fault Cassie." She hung her head. "I was watching her and she and her siblings were told not to go beyond the four feet mark. I turned to talk for one second and then she was over here. With all due respect, she was wearing floaties on her arms until the bully over here" she shot a nasty glare at Duncan "Pushed her."

"Carmen, I am surprised with you. As a life guard you should know better. I am going to have to put this in your file, the other woman shook her head sadly and turned back to the girl everyone was franticly checking for signs of life.

"Is she breathing, does she have a pulse?" Cassie demanded as they tried CPR for the third time.

"Yes, she's got a pulse on her. Its faint though." Brendan, a male life guard called desperately. "And Jake just got her breathing but she's unconscious."

"Turn her to her side, let her body force the water out naturally if you can't pump it out." Cassie turned to Lance who was gently rocking the child who'd fallen asleep in his arms. "If you don't mind my asking, what the Hell just happened?"

He was spared answering again but this time the person had no interest in helping. "The brat's obviously a mutant. She's got powers like that witch Rogue." He jeered. The crowd gasped as one single unit."

"Look kid, I'm going to have to ask you and your friends to leave. I don't want any trouble. I'm not anti mutant but this is a difficult time." Cassie frowned apologetically.

Lance nodded mutely and gestured to the others to get their stuff and come on.

"Is Marie alright?" Remy pouted nervously. "She non gunna die right?" He pleaded.

"Remy please shut up." Lance sighed.

"I'll get Carol to the hospital." Carmen volunteered.

"You see to it that she's okay." Cassie nodded. "Okay show's over everyone go home. Pool's closing NOW! Shoo!" And everyone left.

Carmen gently picked up her fellow lifeguard. "Bayville General right? I'll be back in three shakes of a lambs tail." Then with a red blur, she was gone.

"What just happened?" Lance gaped. "If I didn't know better, I'd say that was Pietro." He looked at Wanda who was staring at him with worry.

She rolled her eyes and then turned a sympathetic gaze to the small girl Lance held close. "Will she be alright?"

"I don't know. She absorbed that girl. It obviously exhausted her. When she wakes up, it won't be fun." He frowned in sadness. "Who knows what will happen from here?"

"Poor little thing." Wanda sighed and looked at the girl once more.

"I feel bad for that girl. I've never even seen her before." Amanda looked ready to cry.

"I-know-her." Pietro offered in a strange voice. "Her-parents-died-about-three-years-ago. A-drunk-driver-hit-them-on-their-way-her-graduation-in me-and-Daniels'-freshman-year. She-was-valedictorian-at-the-school-Daniels-and-I-went-to."

"Oh." Lance sighed. "Do you know her name?"

"Yeah-its-Carol. Carol-Danvers."

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

Hello, 's me again. I can't wait for the comments this one is gonna bring in. This chapter covered a whole lot of stuffs. Pietro is back, some of the dead weight is gone to camp, a few new powers developed and lots of things were taken care of. Little longer than I originally planned but its probably for the better for everyone. Okay, now its time to sit down and have a serious talk.

I don't want anyone rolling their eyes or acting childish. This is a talk that everyone needs to have. But remember, I'm doing it because I love each and every one of you.

Reviewing. Its a serious matter. One that effects my life and yours. Every time a chapter is posted, a war of two little voices in your head happens. The evil devil on your shoulder voice tells you not to review. But this could be severely dangerous to your health. Well, perhaps not your physical health, but your mental health. There is a strong likelihood of the self esteem of the author failing if they don't get reviews. Do you really want somebody else feeling like their work is junk to be on your conscience? Of course you don't. That is precisely why you should listen to the good angel voice on the other shoulder telling you to review. Even a one word review brightens an author's day. I for one don't even mind negative comments, as long as I know people are reading. So you know where the li'l purple/blue button is. Just taking time to hit it and say what's on your mind can stop many problems. Use the button's ability to your advantage. Remember reviewing: its the anti-depressant.

Okay yeah. Oh and as a part of my free advertising campaign. I am co authoring a story by Howlerdrode. Y'all should really check it out. Its called End of The world and its under his name. Its a crossover with DC's legion of Superheroes and the evo-verse. It is a sister story to this one. And seriously like no one has reviewed it. Come on and go check it out people! This is nuts! Go now. Luv ya, peace out, don't forget to review-it goes to a good cause: the supporting of the Swedish ninja-like monkeys.