Chapter 22

The Brotherhood House

"So, I see that you've taken up residence with the Brotherhood," Eli stated, trying to hide his disapproval.

"Temporarily," Ellie replied.

"Does that mean you're going to be leaving soon?"

"Well…no. Not exactly."

"Doesn't sound so temporary to me," Bobby added. Ellie rolled her eyes.

"Hey Bobby, I appreciate the help getting here," Eli began, "But can you please give us some privacy?" Bobby shrugged before walking to the end of the driveway.

"So you're following Bobby around now?" Ellie asked as she eyed the brunette boy at the end of the driveway.

"Just today really. I needed someone to help me find this place and he volunteered."

"Why would he do that?"

"Oh he has his reasons." Eli smiled down at his sister.

"Well I wish you would have asked Kitty or someone that I would actually be happy to see."

"Why don't you like Bobby?" Ellie gave her brother a look that indicated how stupid this question was. "Oh, right. The whole fire and ice thing."

"Bingo."

The two stood silently for a moment. Ellie tucked a piece of hair behind her ear as the wind pushed the majority into her face. Eli shifted his weight to his heels and placed his hands into his jean pockets before looking around the yard.

"Please come back to the Institute with me," Eli said, his eyes a bit glazed over as the spiked tips of his hair moved with the wind. Ellie gave him a sympathetic look.

"I can't," she told him. "I just…I don't belong there."

"And you belong here? Ellie you're living with four teenage guys. Excuse me if I'm being a little old fashioned, but that's not the life you want."

"What are you getting at?"

"Well, what do you think people are going to think? I'm sure it won't be anything good, especially considering the type of guys that they are."

"You don't even know what type of guys they are!"

Eli took a deep breath as he studied Ellie's angry expression. The anger in her blue eyes was something he had never seen directed toward himself before. He could sense that Ellie realized what she had just done when her eyes widened. An ashamed look crossed her face and she turned away from him, rubbing her arm as she did so. Eli gave her an understanding smile before resting his hands on her shoulders.

"You're right," he admitted, turning her to face him slowly. "I don't know them. But I do know that you deserve so much better than them."

"No I don't," Ellie told him. "Eli, I don't think that I have the makings of a hero. Do you remember the last two towns? Remember the fires I started just because I could? Heroes don't endanger the lives of the innocent, they save them. To be honest I was just thinking about torching Bayville too."

"Stop blaming yourself for what happened in the past. You couldn't control your powers then."

"Enough! Stop making excuses for me just because you're my brother. That just makes me feel worse."

"I can't just let you think that you're a terrible person Ellie, because you're not. No matter how hard you try to pretend like you're this tough and mean villain, it won't ever be true. Stop lying to yourself already!"

"Eli, go back to the Institute. Go run around the Danger Room with the X-Men and play the hero role that you were born to play. That's where you belong. But I can't be with you this time. I hope in time you will come to realize why."

Eli clenched his jaw as he stared into the eyes of his twin sister. He could feel his chest tightening with every passing second and he knew that his heart was breaking. He wanted to shake her until she understood where he was coming from, but he resisted. He dropped his hands off her shoulders and shook his head. He intended to tell her about the way he lost control of himself during the fight with Sabretooth, but Ellie obviously had no intention of returning, so there was no point. Eli reached into his pocket before slapping the X Communicator Ellie had left behind around her wrist.

"Eli, I'm not coming back," she said once more as he secured the communicator.

"Then at least keep in touch with me," he told her with a hint of anger in his voice. "Or am I going to ruin your villain image?" Ellie furrowed her brow as the grass beneath Eli's boots began to turn brown.

"Eli, are you alright?"

"Of course I am. Why wouldn't I be?" The anger was much clearer in his voice.

"Fine. I'll leave you alone. Just know that I'll always be here for you and that I love you."

"Right." Eli rolled his eyes and turned his back on his sister.

Ellie reached out for her brother but he walked away. Her eyes widened as she watched the grass die under each step he took. Eli didn't stop when he passed Bobby, but he did manage to exchange words with him in passing.

"I have to go meet someone," Eli said quickly. "Go ahead and go home. I'll see you later."

Bobby didn't get the chance to answer him because Eli began to sprint down the road. Bobby turned over his shoulder to see Ellie, looking defeated, standing alone. He rubbed the back of his neck nervously before he approached her.

"Hey there," he said calmly. "Are you alright?"

"Why wouldn't I be?" Although she meant for this to come off as a mean reply, her tone dripped with sadness.

"Hey, what's your favorite flower?"

"What?"

"You know, a rose, lilac, tulip or something else. What's your favorite?"

"I don't know Bobby." The brunette boy rubbed his chin before smiling to himself.

Ellie raised a curious brow as he began rubbing his hands together. A light mist began to slip through his fingers and he crushed his palms together in a circular motion. Bobby pulled his hands apart slowly, revealing a small, ice rose resting in his palm.

"You look like a rose kind of girl to me," he said with a wink before dropping it into Ellie's hand.

She stared down at the figurine, her tiny reflection staring back at her. Her eyes darted to Bobby's smiling face before they fell back to the perfectly sculpted rose. Her heart grew heavy as it began to melt on her palm. Bobby gave her a surprised look as the water began to drip over the sides of her hand.

"Aw man, I'm sorry," he apologized as he ran a hand through his hair. "I completely forgot about your power."

"You forgot?" Elli asked skeptically. It took her a minute to remember that Bobby didn't exactly understand her power, but he was aware of it. "You realize our powers are completely opposite, right?"

"Yeah I get that, but I guess I just think of you as the girl that can fly incredibly fast. Not as the girl with hot hands." Ellie searched his face for any hint of sarcasm.

"Why do you think about me at all?" Bobby felt his cheeks growing hot.

"It's not exactly easy to forget a girl as special as you."

"Then you aren't trying hard enough. Stop thinking about me or I'll melt you right here, right now." Ellie scowled as Bobby smiled.

"You better get to it then," he told her. "Because I can't do that." Bobby took a step closer toward Ellie, shrinking the space between them.

Meanwhile…

Pietro had been awake for about half an hour before he examined himself in the mirror. He slicked his light hair back before tucking is brown shirt into his jeans neatly. He grinned at his reflection, waggling his eyebrows a bit before turning his attention to his open bedroom door. Lance shuffled past with a glass of water in his hand. Pietro leaned out the doorway and called to him.

"Hey Alvers," he called. "Did you forget we're housing a chick? Put some pants on you bum!" Lance groaned before turning to face Pietro.

"Shut up Pietro," he replied. "My head is killin' me man. Besides, it's not like Ellie cares. She isn't even wearing pants this morning." Pietro stiffened.

"What do you mean she's not wearing pants?!"

"Seriously, stop screaming. I mean she's wearing an over sized t-shirt, but no pants. So if you wanna yell at someone for inappropriate attire, go find her."

"Fine, I will. She's downstairs right?"

"Nope. She had some visitors this morning. Last I saw her she was outside talking to them. Oh, but I'm supposed to let you know it's none of your business where she went."

Pietro felt his eyes narrow and he ran to the window in his bedroom. He threw open the curtains and pressed his nose against the glass, peering down into the foggy front yard. Surely enough Ellie was outside and she was not wearing pants, just like Lance reported. Pietro felt his pulse increase as he noticed Bobby Drake was talking to her.

His brow pushed together and his hand turned to a fist as he watched Bobby place an ice figurine into Ellie's hand. Exactly what was this recruit doing at the Brotherhood house? What was he doing with Ellie? Better yet, why was she even dealing with him?

Pietro noticed water falling out of Ellie's open hand and he smirked to himself. It was about time she put that kid in his place. He had no right showing up here, and Pietro was glad that Ellie was making that point clear. Or so he thought. His eyes widened as Bobby stepped closer to Ellie and his heart started to pound. Afraid of what could potentially happen next, Pietro used his speed to run out of the house and into the front yard.