Author Notes: Thanks for all the reviews everyone. They are a great help in figuring out what everyone seem to be getting out of the story. One of the questions bring bought up is how on Earth Peter got involved with the Brotherhood. Well, I can't say right now cause that will be a surprise later on in the story, can't ruin it, can I? Another question is the way of romance. Now, I am all for pairing, but for this story I really don't know if I will pair Peter up with anyone. I might do some with Peter and Kitty, might not, might just be a good friendship. It is something that might happen awhile from now or never. Not sure ^^: I just hope everyone will just enjoy the ride...and I hope to improve on my grammar along the way. Something I am always working on.

And remember, I don't own characters, just the plot!

CHAPTER FOUR: TYPICAL HIGH SCHOOL ENCOUNTER

"Like, I don't get it," pouted Kitty as they sat down for lunch on a Thursday in the middle of December, "You are so for Rogue joining us, but you don't think Pete could be like the same."

This had been common discussion the last month between the X-Men. Ever since Peter Parker appeared at Bayville High and was found to be with the Brotherhood, it was something they talked about. Now, they all knew it would be highly unlikely that Lance, Fred, Todd or Pietro would come over to their side.

But there was proof Rogue didn't really want to be part of them, how she always keep away and even when she help them bring back Kurt and Forge from the Middleverse a few weeks ago.

"He is a thug, nothing but trouble since he came here," said Scott.

"Seriously dude, have you really met the guy," said Evan with a smirk, "'Cause I don't think we are talking about the same person."

With a look over the shoulder to the back of the cafeteria where most of the Brotherhood sat, Scott couldn't see what those guys were doing. There were the five of them, laughed it up at something that he couldn't hear. But Scott didn't see how while Peter sat with them, he was more focus on the book he had in hand and didn't pay attention to the others at his table.

"Doesn't matter, he still with them," he said.

"Scott, me think you are bit blinded by zhe fact he one up you to see zhat he isn't bad," said Kurt, "He doesn't seems to want to cause trouble."

"And it doesn't make sense why you keep trying with Ms. Doom and Gloom and not him," said Evan.

Scott just sighed as he ran his fingers through his hair, "You guys just don't get it. We know that Rogue wants to come with us. She helped us get Kurt back after all."

"She vas zhe one zhat put me in zhat mess."

"You didn't know that would and she still help us. Unlike Parker, who help the Brotherhood in trying to get it back."

One couldn't argued with those facts as they turned back to their lunch. Didn't even notice when Parker got up and walked away from the table in frustration.

He pretty much had enough.

Peter walked back to his locker to get his books for the afternoon. But mostly he just had to get away from the others. He could only take so much of their 'conversations' as it mostly involved insults to the X-Men, other students, and plots to cause trouble against teachers and other students. The longer Peter found he spend around them, the more of the bad reputation he got. Sure, teachers loved him; he answered questions, passed in his homework and paid attention. His classmates on the other hand, Peter noticed the looks when he wasn't around any other Brotherhood members.

God, he got a reputation of a thug, a bad person without trying…

Not that he was much of a good guy anyway, he never tried to stop the others when they caused trouble, just stay back and let them. Might as well be a thug.

So much for Uncle Ben's advice, about great power comes great responsibility. He should use his powers to help people, not tried and help those that want to cause a war. But if he didn't help out Magneto and the Brotherhood….Aunt May would…

Either way, Peter had to keep his mouth shut right now until he could find a way out of this mess by himself.

Once he got to his locker, there was a sight he could do without. There were a few jocks around as they bashed some redhead boy with glasses against it. This was a classic scene at any high school, one Peter had experience many times at Midtown.

Now a smart guy would just avoid the whole thing.

But Peter wasn't feeling smart right about now.

"Hey, what do you think you are doing?"

The attention slipped from the redhead to him as the jocks frown as their business got interrupted. Yeah, Peter could just paint a bull eye on his back now.

"None of your business, geek," sneered Duncan Matthews. Now, they never really met before but that didn't mean Peter didn't know who he was. After all, the others talked about him a lot how he was a pompous jerk and for a minder reader like Jean Grey not to notice, she was pretty stupid. Yeah, didn't need to meet him for Peter to know his type with all years he dealt with it.

"Well, considering you assaulting someone against my locker, kind of is," said Peter as he step up.

"Get loss, Loser," said Duncan if that would make him want to get out of here, "Unless you want to join your buddy Webby here."

Now, he knew that he could take on all three of them with ease, throw them around like rag dolls and not even get a scratch. The problem was that he was supposed to not show off, to keep his powers under control and not let others know about them. It would be pretty much known something wasn't right with him if a freshman science geek could take down three sophomore jocks.

But that didn't mean he was going to walk away and let someone get beat up while he was out number.

"What is going on here?"

The five teenagers turned their heads around to see that Dr. Connors stood there as he looked at them with disapproval. It didn't take the genius that no doubt Dr. Connors was to realize what was going on. But he was a teacher and pretty much couldn't do anything if they didn't see it first-hand.

"Nothing, we were just talking," said Duncan and he flashed a smile that would make any girl swoon and any teacher remember that he was their star football player.

"Well, the bell is going to ring soon so I suggest you all head to class," said Dr. Connors.

"Sure thing Doc," said Duncan as him and his friends took their leave.

"I suggest you two do the same thing, Mr. Torque and Mr. Parker."

"Yes. Dr. Connors," the two boys parroted as the science teacher walked the other way, left them alone for at least a bit until the bell rung.

"Ah…thanks for standing up for me," said the kid to put the end to the silence between them.

"No problem," said Peter, "It was the right thing to do."

"Not if it involves the football team, than that is suicide," the kid mumbled before he held out a hand, "Names Arcade…well, real name is Webber, but that just…"

"I get it," said Peter with a smile as he took the hand into his own and shook it, "Peter."

The bell rung as the two of them started walk to class and chatted away, as new found friends. After all, nothing like bonding over high school bullies to bring people together.

Of course, neither of them notice a pair of eyes watching as Rogue appeared from around the corner, a bit confused by what she had saw. But again, it wasn't any of her business after all.

The day seemed to slip by her as Rogue as it was soon enough dinnertime. The boys left for the night to make a raid on some all you can eat buffet in town and there was no way she was going to watch them. It was not a pretty thing to watch and she wasn't in the mood to lose her appetite.

That just left her alone in the large boarding house on a Thursday night. That just suited her just fine.

She sat in the kitchen, ate her own dinner of what was left in the fridge by herself. The loneliness bothered her though. It was something she was use to back home, before her powers appeared. Her style, personality, it scared people off, but she did have friends. But now…she couldn't touch anyone ever again.

The thought didn't even cross her mind how much she craved human touch, how much it would affect her to be careful to avoid other people skin. Then there were the X-Men and really she had to question if they were cruelly her enemy, but there was no she could talk to about it.

Ok, she could talk to Mystique, but the older woman was for sure that they were against them, kept on that fact whenever she had the chance. Then there were the boys, who pretty much said they were just losers.

Well…except for…

"Oh, you're still here Rogue?"

She turned up from her supper to see Peter walked into the kitchen. The boy was the only one here that seemed to have a brain in his head and the only one that didn't out tried to start a fight with the X-Men. Though, he was no better when he didn't stop them…but then there was this afternoon

"Yeah, Ah thought Ah was by myself tonight," she commented.

He merely shrugged his shoulders as he walked over to where the cereal was kept. It was the only thing in the house that was in supply. It's cheap and easy to keep in a place with five teenage boys, "Me too, but isn't like that a big deal."

"Right…" she said, "But why didn't ya going with the rest of them?"

"You saw how Fred eats? I went with them once to one of those places….never seen a grown man cry like that when we left," said Peter with a smirk.

That made sense.

"Ah get it," she said s she pushed her food around as Peter sat down with his bowl of cereal, "So ya made a new friend today."

"Hmm? You mean Arcade?"

"Yeah, Ah saw ya help him out with the football," said Rogue.

"Oh…yeah," said Peter as he looked down at his cereal, "It is ok, right? To hang around with Arcade?"

That confused her, "Ah don't see the problem in that. Why in hell wouldn't it be?"

"Oh, any number of reasons," said Peter with a wave of his hand, "Mostly causes he isn't one of us."

"Ah don't think that matters," she said, wondered why he would be so concern about that, "Why?"

His face pretty much screamed nervous as he shifted around in his seat, "I just want to make sure; I almost screwed on my first day…"

She heard about that and could see the point, "Ah guess…Mystique gets upset easily with them."

He nodded his head as he stirred his cereal around. Rogue couldn't help but noticed how different in the way of personality Peter was to everyone else. The rest of the Brotherhood were loud, fought and caused problems for not only the X-Men but everyone else. Peter, while he seemed to avoid the X-Men, she saw it today that he would help those that needed it. That confused her as it seemed the Brotherhood only seemed to serve themselves most of the time.

"Why did ya here anyway?" asked Rogue.

"Huh?" asked Peter as she was pretty sure he went a little pale at the question.

"Ah mean, why did ya joined the Brotherhood, what's your reason?" asked Rogue.

They all knew each other story, Lance brought down the roof at his old school and seemed to drift from foster home to foster home, Todd had his mother who was more focus on herself than him, Fred was a sideshow show on the monster truck circuit and Pietro with the thefts at his old school. Not to mention her own run in with the X-Men, but what about Peter?

He only showed up one night and Mystique said that he was a new recruit. Nothing else and he didn't really share his reason or show off his powers. Then again, she didn't go around and zapped the others. God, she didn't want their thoughts in her head. She could only image the disgusting thoughts of Toad.

The only thing she knew about the boy is that he had this aunt Pete called once a week without fail since he arrived.

"Why ask that?"

"Curious," she said, "Ya know about us, so why not-"

"Look, it isn't anyone business about why I am here or not," said Peter as he slammed his hand down and grabbed his bowl, "Just…don't ask."

"Ya don't need to shout," Rogue said, crossed her arms over her chest.

"Just because I am not edger to fight or am all human hating doesn't meaning anything, ok? I'll help if needed so don't worry about me," said Peter.

Why did he sound unsure about what he said?

"Ah don't care," Rogue said.

"Then why ask?"

"Just ya always hide in your room or school. Ya never really around and act like ya don't want to be here."

"Oh, like you?" said Peter with a sneer, "I hang out with the others more than you do, you just hide yourself away cause you never can really touch anyone without trying to killing them!"

Silence gripped them as they stared at each other. Peter slowly realized what he said as his face shifted to shame as he gripped his bowl tight in his hand as Rogue looked hurt before she became pissed.

"I'm sorry…that just came out wrong…"

"Oh, Ah see how it is," she said, "Fine, see like Ah care what ya do."

Peter sighed as he moved to leave the kitchen, "Rogue…I am sorry…" he said, "And…if you ask me, you shouldn't be here either. I might have to stay here, but you shouldn't. You are different and should get out while you can."

He left the kitchen as Rogue was confused by the comment and wondered why he meant by that.

Nor how both of them would think of the coincidence of the conversation to the events of the next day when Rogue would go on the geology trip to the caves and end up leaving the Brotherhood to go stay with the X-Men.