For a second, my mind simply refuses to understand that he's there. "Oh, no", I grumble silently. "Not... you."

"I guess you're not OK then", he says, still grinning.

I groan, "What was your first clue?"

"You fell from a tree."

"...okay." Suddenly I feel this strange urge to put my hands around his neck and squeeze... But forget him. I cautiously stand up. Nothing seems to be broken...

"OW!"

My left ankle gives out, and I collapse... in Pietro's arms.

"Take it easy", he says. "You took quite a fall there." Before I know it, I find myself sitting, with my back against the stupid three I fell from. "Say, what were you doing there, anyway?"

I don't answer him. I put my hands around my ankle, and try to heal it. Suddenly, I have the same floating sensation I had earlier today when I healed Sam's arm; I see my ankle, and I know it's healing. And then, just as it started, it ends, and I'm back in my body. Pietro glares at me with an eyebrow so high on his forehead it seems like it wans to fly away. "What was that?" he asks.

"I healed myself. That's my power." That, and flying, but he doesn't need to know that.

"Oh. Well, back to where we were... what were you doing in the tree? More even, what are you doing here?"

"Well... what are you doing here?" I say with sudden inspiration.

"I asked you first."

I sigh, "Never mind." Then I stand up. "If you don't mind - I'm getting out of here."

In a split second, he's standing before me, a pleading look in his eyes. "Don't go! If... if I tell you, will you tell me then?"

I sigh. "Okay."

Pietro sits down again. "I came here to - to clear my thoughts from time to time. I mean, the Brotherhood are cool, but sometimes living with them gets too complicated. Take tonight for example. Todd and Lance got into a fight over the last burger left, and before I knew it the maniac rocked the house so bad I almost fell down the stairs. Meanwhile, Freddy found my secret popcorn reserve and ate it all up. And Tabby is anything but helpful in all this. So I decided to come here until things settle down." He takes in a deep breath. "Okay, your turn."

"Well, basically, I have the same problem you have. Okay, so the X-Men aren't that bad, but the Institute feels a little... crowded, you know? Back home, I used to have my own personal space, and here I can't go anywhere without bumping into someone. I share my room with Rahne, go to the showers with the other girls, have breakfast, lunch and dinner with everyone, hang around with the other kids - it gets to my nerves. I'm not exactly a socialite."

"Yeah, I can see what you mean. I'm not a socialite, either. You know, I feel that there aren't many people worthy of spending their time with me. I am, after all, the Speed Demon", he says with a grin.

"I hope you don't mean the first part", I say. "For your sake."

"I do mean it. But then again, you're cool. Cool enough to hang out with me."

"Oh. Should I take that as a compliment?"

"It wasn't intended as one, but now that you mentioned it... yeah."

Silence.

"So, how's it like living with the Geek Sq - I mean, X-Men? You know, Lance tried to join them once. Had a big time crush on Kitty. But he gave up in the end. He said it was too tough."

I shrug. "It is tough. I mean, the trainings are a nightmare, especially when Logan's in charge of them, and the food is definately not vegetarian. But I take it all as a challenge."

"Really? So do I! You know, one day I may join your side. The Brotherhood don't offer any challenges at all."

I glare at him. "You're not serious."

He grins.

"...are you?"

"Maaaaaybe", he trails off, a somewhat dreaming look in his eyes. "Okay, I'll do it."

"You're kidding!"

"Yes I am." He chuckles. "Gotcha'."

And so we chatter on, about what's it like being an X-recruits, a member of the Brotherhood, the son of a mutant villain (who, on Pietro's account, was blown up into space with his hyper-tech Asteroid M, whatever that stands for), and so on. I learn about Mystique, the woman who assembled the Brotherhood (and who was also blown up into space), and I'm given a detailed description of Bayville High, the place where Chuckles will definately enroll me. I don't realize how fast time flies, and, before I know it, it's almost six in the morning. The moment I see the glowing cyphres on my watch, I smack my forehead.

"What is it?"

I show him my watch, "This. If I don't get back to the Institute by six, I'll be in trouble with a capital L."

"From Logan?"

"Yeah."

"Okay. I'll take you there. Hang on!"

The next ten seconds or so pass in a blur. I realize that someone is carrying me, and I close my eyes from the sharp air current. And then, it all stops, and I'm standing outside the gates of the Institute.

"Well, gotta go. See you!" And before I have the chance to say anything, Pietro gives me a peck on the nose and zips off.

Wow. Where did that come from?

But I don't have time to think about that right now. I fly back to my room - thankfully, Rahne didn't notice I was gone, as she's still sound asleep - and I undress quietly. After that, I put on my PJs and pretend to be asleep.

Surely enough, a few seconds later, the door slams open.