Learning to Breathe

A/N: A big shout out is due to L170E and Stormshadow01 for their continued reviewing. And let's not forget to thank Red Witch for starting the whole Misfits ball rolling.

Disclaimer:"Never doubt the gut." Paulie Perette as Abby Shuto, NCIS.

Chapter Forty: The Big Blow-Up

Lance said not to worry; that she would leave by Wednesday. She would be out of their hair for good. Mystique would no longer be covering for Sabertooth and things would go back to normal.

Still, it never hurts to inform your boss. He heard three rings and then.

"What is it, Pietro?" A slightly irate Magneto said into the earpiece. The speedster gulped.

"I have some information." He said.

"Do tell." Magneto replied. "We cannot afford to be misinformed about the X-Men."

"Actually, it's about Sabertooth." Pietro said. "A girl showed up at school today. He dropped her off and picked her up, and before he ever got there I overheard her say to Nightcrawler that her dad was picking her up. Do you know anything about that?"

A long and pregnant pause followed. "No." Magneto said. "Tell me, Pietro, is she one of us?"

"Don't know, but she talked to Toad in his second period class." The silver-haired teen replied. "Didn't seem to mind him much. Nothing very extraordinary about her physique except her height, though. Do you want us to feel her out for you?"

Another pause. "Yes. Do that. If this girl is a mutant, then we must be the first ones to recruit her. After all, her father is one of us, so she is ours as well."

"We'll hassle her after school." Pietro said. "If you can keep the overgrown hairball busy, we can talk to her."

"Very well." Magneto said. "Good work Pietro."

"Nothing but the best for you, Father." The boy replied.

At school the following day, Kurt was on his guard. Somehow, he sensed that his sister, and possibly himself, was in danger of something. Of what, he knew not, but it had to be something important. Xavier told the students to keep their eyes open for Brotherhood activity after he informed the professor about "Mercy". He, more than the others, needed to protect her. Mystique, still licking her wounds from Sunday's battle, could not stop the boys from pinning Andi after school. It would be up to him to protect his baby sister.
Andi shuffled out to the drop-off station at Bayville high and waited next to a tree. Dad usually wasn't late. However, after five or ten minutes, she began to walk back to the office. Mom knew dad's number. Unfortunately, the Brotherhood had other plans.

"Look who's going back inside." Pietro cackled.

"What do you want?" Andi glared.

"We just wanna talk." Lance said. "But not here. Come on, let's go out behind the bleachers."

"I'm not going anywhere." She narrowed her eyes.

"Yes, you are." Pietro said. "Blob. Grab her."

Freddy gulped, mumbled a "sorry", then grabbed her by the wrist.

"You don't want to do this, Freddy." Andi said. "I can and will hurt you."

"I don't think so." He said.

"I know so." She glared, blinking her eyes briefly. He saw the blue on gold orbs and panicked.

"I can't do it." HE said. "I ain't gonna hurt a lady."

"Then allow me." Pietro said, lounging at her with his speed. He attempted to trap her in a whirlwind. However, that trick—a personal favorite of Vampira's—failed to impress Andi. She jumped and moved her leg to intersect his gut.

"Hi ya!" She cried.

"Uhmf." Pietro squeaked as the air blew out of him. He doubled over instantly.

"Any other takers?" Andi asked.

"Get away from her!" The group whirled to see Kurt running up.

"This ain't your business, x-geek." Lance growled.

"How little you know." Kurt hissed. "Step away from the girl and no one gets hurt."

Freddy did as he was told. Lance stayed put, but softened a bit. Toad had a revelation.

"I knew it!" He squeaked. "Yo' her... Aaaaahhh!" Kurt was on the smaller boy before Todd knew a wrestling match had been declared. During the fray, the other X-Men arrived on the scene in time to aid Lance in prying Kurt off of Todd.

"What's going on here?" Scott asked, looking over the scene.

"I'm still not quite sure." Lance said as Pietro got to his feet.

"What. The hell. Was that?" He asked as a crowd gathered.

"You were being an ass." Andi shrugged. "Kurt, why did you tackle him?"

Kurt shot her a warning glare as Mystique walked out.

"That's quite enough." She hissed. "Maximoff, Wagner, one week's detention!"

"Just following orders." The speedster stared.

"Then whoever gave them to you will be happy to pick you up late." Mystique said. "Move!"

Both boys grumbled as they trudged into the school again. The crowd seemed astonished.

"Nothing to see here!" Principal Darkholme shouted. "Move along before I hand out any more detention slips!" The other students were only too happy to leave the scene. The principal then turned to the other mutants. "Go home, all of you."

"What about Kurt?" Jean asked.

"Either he can find his own way home, or I can bring him by after work." Mystique said. "I get the strange feeling that if eight stick around there will be a war on the front lawn and I am not footing the view for this one."

Scott grumbled a few choice words under his breath before turning to the rest of his team. "Come on, guys. Kurt can get home on his own."

"No way am I staying around to take the blame." Lance said, backing to his jeep. "Let's go, guys."

Andi breathed a sigh of relief as she watched the others drive away.

"What are you grinning for, young lady?" Andi whirled around to see her mother staring down at her. "You have a lot of explaining to do."

"What the hell was that?" Mystique demanded. They were both now in the older woman's office.

"I don't know." Andi said. "I think your boss is onto me. I was just waiting for dad when they showed up and started bugging me. Quicksilver thought he could trap me in a whirlwind, but I got out."

"Wait, he used his powers at school?" Mystique asked. Andi nodded. "That idiot!"

"No arguments." Andi said. "I guess he thought he could scare me with his speed, but Kristen likes to pull stunts like that all the time, so I knew how to handle it."

"Why did Kurt attack Toad?" Mystique changed the subject.

"I think the little amphibian figured out that we were related." The blond sighed. "Although he never got the whole phrase out of his mouth."

"Whatever the case, it's become apparent that you cannot stay here any longer." Mom sighed. "I'll talk to your father and see if he can take you to the airport tomorrow."

"That soon?" Andi asked. "What about Kurt?"

"Listen, you might be able to stay for school, but you leave as soon as sixth period is over. Understood?" Mom asked.

"Yes." Andi said. "I'll tell him tomorrow."

"You can tell him on the way to the institute." Mystique said. "We're taking him home."

Fortunately, no one bothered her at school on Wednesday, so she was out of Bayville by five. Unfortunately, the layover at the airport lasted for an hour and a half. Add in a six hour flight, and that put her back in Florida at one in the morning. Zartan waited for her outside the gate.

"We were wondering when you would return." He said.

"Don't worry about me." Andi yawned. "I'm a scrapper."

"I see." Zartan said. "Come on, your teammates will be waiting for you."

"Cool." Andi mumbled, wiping the sleep out of her eyes. Not even a mile from the airport, she clocked out in the passenger's seat.

Andi's finally home with the team and Bayville prepares for the cauldron, but what will happen next? You'll have to read to find out.