Thank you for reading and reviewing, rogue-scholar07 & Erikstrulove!
Sorry for the delay, and a belated Happy New Year. We'll probably update again soon to make up for the lateness of this chapter.

Chapter 32. Choice.

We've used to being forced into things.
We're used to being ordered around, blackmailed, and threatened.
We're used to taking what's left over because there's nothing else. We're used to taking what's left, discarded, unwanted by the rest of the world, because it's all we can get.
And we're used to the world telling us that even that's too good for us.

We're used to being the hoods.

We're used to being alone.
We're used to being left out.
We're used to being forsaken.
We're used to being forgotten.
We're used to being abandoned.
We're used to being hurt.

We are hoods.
We are the Brotherhood.
And for the first time in our lives, we're going to do something, not because we were ordered to, not because the circumstances have forced us to, not because there's nothing else we can do, but because we've chosen to.

We have chosen to fight against Apocalypse.

We had said we would not fight again.
We refused to be mere mutants, mere weapons.

We are not weapons.
We have chosen to fight.

I called the meeting.
We first gathered outside the door of the room Pietro and I shared before going to meet the X-Men.
Todd and Fred stepped out of their rooms to join me first. Wanda emerged from her room shortly. Pietro had not been the room with me. Tabitha had not been in her room with Wanda.
Neither came.

We started walking.

Wanda wordlessly hugged Pietro when we found him waiting for us outside the meeting room.

Tabitha did not come.

We opened the door and walked in.

"Logan, what is this meeting about? I thought we were going over plans in the evening after Evan, Alex, Angel and Colossus arrived."
"I'm not the one calling this meeting, Hank. I called this meeting because the Brotherhood asked me to."
"You mean-"
Logan nodded before Hank could finish. "Yeah, we're getting our answer," he confirmed as they walked into the meeting where the X-teens were already present.

A minute later, the door opened once more, and Pietro walked in, followed by Wanda, Lance, Todd and Fred.
Logan noted the absence of Tabitha, but did not say anything, waiting for the Brotherhood to speak.

Lance glanced one last time towards his friends in final confirmation as they sat down, and finally spoke.
"We will fight."

Logan was actually relieved. They needed all the help they could get, and the Brotherhood was powerful, even before their recent power advances. But he knew the reason for Tabitha's absence and as such had to ask.
"You're sure?"

Lance nodded. "We're fighting with you."

Logan nodded, looking around the five teens before making the formal announcement. "All right then. Avalanche, Quicksilver, Blob, Toad, Scarlet Witch, you're all onboard."

"Meltdown."

They all turned to the voice at the door, but Logan only nodded gruffly.
"You're late."

She only gave a slight smile, first to the man and then to her closest six friends.
"I'll fight. Codename, Meltdown."

"Logan."

"Yeah Boomer?"

"Logan, it's Meltdown."

"Give me time to get used to it," he replied seemingly uncaringly as he poured the coffee into the mug. But she knew enough to spot his slight smile as he handed her the mug, before moving to get a second mug for himself. She handed him the mug back however, just before stepping towards the door, pausing at the doorway.

"Badger?"

He couldn't help turning sharply in surprise at the return of the nickname, not having expected it, not in the least.

"...After we get back from fighting Apocalypse, I'm borrowing your motorcycle for a joyride."

He returned her smirk, though he knew it was bittersweet.
"Not a chance, Boomer."

My name is Lance Alvers.

I hadn't expected it, but then again, we had all known it on some level.

I am a mutant.

I know Tabby doesn't want to fight. I know Pietro doesn't want to fight. And I know even Fred's feeling a little unsure.

But in the end, we'll all fight, because we will stand by each other. We may not be the best, and we may not be the most powerful, but we will stand by each other.

I am a good person.

To stand by us. That's the only reason Pietro came. He's going to fight just to stand by us.
That's the only reason that moved Tabitha to come. She's going to fight just to stand beside us.

In a large part, we're all going to fight simply to stand by each other, to stay together as the Brotherhood.

I am a hood.

Because we are the Brotherhood, and we're the dysfunctional family that we've never had, the makeshift family that has been through hell together. We will stand by each other.

We are hoods.

We are the Brotherhood.