NOTE: This fic has had the ending re-written. I guess it was ok the way it was before, but I just wasn't happy about it. A bit too fanciful for my piece of mind (I say as I speak about a fanfic about young boys who can do things like run faster than a person can see or cause earthquakes just because he thinks about it =)
But still, all in all, I didn't really like it, and I just couldn't continue because of it. It made the rest of the chapters a moot point, not being able to end them like I wanted to.
And yes, the stuff I 'warned' you about will come soon =3

A Brotherhood Christmas

By Michiru

Pietro

Pietro waited until Lance was gone before zipping into the model shop. It smelled a mixture of

Pledge and wood, and was a bit crowded with displays, where trains were shown in full set up, to full advantage.

"Can I help you, young man?" a tiny, old man asked from beside a display of miniatures, his voice

full of amusement and strength, belying his appearance.

"I'm kinda sorta looking for a present to give to a really good friend of min. I know he'd love

something like this," Pietro gestured to the trains chugging along their tracks. "I'd like to know prices for a good set, or at the very least a good engine." He was a bit nervous, hoping that Lance wouldn't decide to turn back and actually come into the homey store.

"Is this friend you are kinda sorta looking for a present for a beginner," the old man smiled,

coming closer.

"Yeah, I guess, but I don't want some kind of cheap platicy thing, either," Pietro added. "I'd like

it to be something that lasts, you know?"

"Oh, I know, I know. Too many things these days are not made to last. I don't sell that cheap

junk in my shop, son. Is it a young boy?"

"No, actually, he's 17," Pietro told him.

The man's face wrinkled in a smile. "Quite young," he laughed.

"He really liked the one in the window," Pietro said, looking toward the window.

"That's definitely not a set for a first timer," the man laughed. We do have a really good starter

set for beginners, though. Not big expensive stuff, but something really good, that won't break," he said, going towards a display case. "It gives you a six car set, 15 feet of track, which is expandable, and a miniature farm set with house, barn, silo, cows and chickens. Plus it comes with 50 trees and a piece of plastic grass," the old man chuckled. "A full set, basically. Great bang for the buck, but there's only one left," he added apologetically.

Pietro stared into the case. It looked like an awesome little setup. Even had a small bridge, and

the farm had a little pickup truck in the driveway, itty bitty chickens scratching at the dirt around it. A tiny man and a tiny dog looked like they were walking to the truck.. The train went around the track, Small, but really nice looking old fashioned steam engine. "It looks great," he said quietly.

"Expandable, of course. We have plenty of miniatures in the scale needed for this. From houses

and people, to trucks and cars. It's $450, but I'll add in a couple of extra miniatures. Another package of trees, a tractor, and another house set. That'll come with a couple people, a car, and a small picket fence."

Pietro thought for 1 tenth of a second. "Can you hold it for me? I have to go home a get some

money, he said, coming to a decision.

"I suppose so, but I do close in half an hour, son." The man scratched his fingers through his

sparse white hair.

"I shouldn't be more than 15 minutes," he added hurriedly, assuring him.

"Well, then I'll hold it for you. But if someone comes in with one minute before I close, I'll have

to sell it," he chuckled, pulling a big box out from under the counted. He got a couple other boxes out while Pietro nodded.

"Thanks. Lance will love it. Be back really soon," he said, heading out.

Once on the street, he wasted no time. Running home, he caused a slipstream behind him, the

snow swirling in his path. Only 20 seconds later he was in his bedroom, rummaging through his thing. Finding the box he was looking for, he only hesitated for a full second. Lance was his true family now. This link to his father could be severed. Maybe there would be some pain, but nothing more than the pain of his father belittling him, and not taking him seriously at all. And that's when the man deigned to pay attention to him.

He sped back into the city, stopping at a pawn shop. Looking at his watch, he grinned. E had

been away from the train shop for 45 seconds.

The bell over the door of the chop rang as he walked in. He went up to the counter, and cleared

his throat, making the man behind the counter jump.

"Dang it, boy, where'd you come from?" The guy looked as if he badly needed a shave, his salt

and pepper 2 day old beard scraggly, and making him look older than he probably was. The smell of cigar smoke hung around him like a palpable miasma.

"From outside," Pietro shrugged with a small smile. "I have something to sell,"

"Don't y'all!" the man guffawed.

"Not like this," Pietro sneered. He pulled out the scuffed wooden box. Opening it showed

off a fairly large, silver pocket watch, tooled in gold. "One pocket watch, made with genuine

silver, 18k gold, year of 1900, still keeps perfect time. It even survived the holocaust," he

added softly.

The man reached for it, a smirk on his face. "Where'd ya get it, kid?" he sneered.

"It was given to me by my father," Pietro told him.

"I'll give ya 50 bucks for it."

Pietro laughed in the man's face. "You'll give me more than that for it."

"Oh, really," the man chuckled.

"You can sell it for a goodly amount. I want an ok amount for me first," Pietro said

stubbornly.

"200 bucks, then," the guy tried again.

"No sale," Pietro said, and made the watch disappear before the man could blink. He knew

he'd need at least 500.

"Alright, alright," he put his hands up in a pacifying gesture. "350."

"550 or myself and the watch are going to the next shop," Pietro's eyes were hard.

"Ok," the man sighed. "I'll give you $550 bucks, kiddo, but not a penny more.

Pietro nodded, knowing that if he had the time he probably could have sold it on eBay for

twice the amount... "Sold," he said.

The guy went over to his cash box and took out 550 dollars in cash. He gave the money to

Pietro, taking the watch in return. "Come back any time, kiddo," he snickered.

"Yeah, sure," he shook his head and pocketed the cash.

He headed out into the snow and looked up at the silvery-grey sky, snow falling in a

mesmerizing pattern.

He now had the money to get Lance a present he knew that the older boy would love. He

started back to the store, knowing he'd be back in plenty of time.

"Sorry, 'Dad'. But sometimes the people that do care about

you are worth more than true flesh and blood," Pietro murmured.

**Disclaimer**
I do not own any of the characters within this fic. This is just a fic, not gospel, and situations that may be within the show don't necessarily make their way here. And vice versa.