This is a make believe story about make believe characters. This story takes place after X-Men 3 and with the idea that the scene at the end of the credits never occurred. Also after the second sex scene there isn't anything left, but lots of reading. X-Men - The Last Stand: The Last Days Of Peace Part 1 (mf) by Big Red Dope (bigreddope@hotmail.com) Cleanup on Alcatraz Island began shortly after the attack by The Brotherhood was quelled. Just as quickly as it started the cleanup of Alcatraz was stopped. Having more to do with feelings of guilt towards his son and less to do with a change in his attitude towards mutants Warren Worthington II abruptly stopped production of the mutant cure selling all remaining samples and research to another pharmaceutical company, Orion Pharmaceutical, for a price rumored to be upwards of nine figures. Orion Pharmaceutical then completed a deal with the Canadian government to start production of the current temporary cure and to restart research into a permanent cure as soon as possible at a newly build research facility one hundred miles north of where Alkali Lake Research Facility currently sat underwater. Among other things a higher profit margin and better security than was at Alcatraz was promised. It was approximately five months after the Alcatraz attack that the first reported rumors of cured mutants regaining their abilities began to surface. *** Five months after the attack on Alcatraz Island... "Does anybody have any good news for me today?" Thomas Gibson, head scientist at Orion Pharmaceutical, asked as he walked into the research facility. "Nothing new to report sir," a scientist named Dekins replied, "But we have something you might want to see." "Unless it's a real permanent cure then I don't care what you have," Gibson sighed rolling his eyes. "It's not quite as good as that, but you know how you've been saying that we need a high level mutant to experiment on and not one off the street?" "Go on." "We finally got one late last night." "We did? Are you sure?" "Yes, I'm sure. He was involved with the attack on Alcatraz Island. He was found near the water's edge shortly after the mutants were defeated and was in the hospital until a few days ago." "Take me to him." Dekins lead Gibson through a series of connecting halls and keycard doorways before stopping in front of one with an armed guard outside the door. Dekins exchanged some pleasantries with the guard and unlocked the door. "My, my Dekins. You have outdone yourself finally," Gibson replied grinning widely as he looked at the mutant known as Pyro bound and gagged to a steel bed. "Thank you sir." Gibson walked over to the immobile mutant and with a sneer on his face he punched Pyro in the stomach knocking the wind out of him. "Sir, I really don't think we should be causing the body any stress before we start experimenting on him." "You did a great thing by bringing this mutant here Dekins so please don't ruin my mood. I will need you to step outside for a moment while I have a chat with our friend here. We have a bit of history don't we Pyro?" "Yes sir." "Before you leave give me your keycard. I do not want any interruptions." "But sir-" "Give it to me!" Gibson snapped. Dekins nodded his head and quickly did as he was told. Once he was alone in the room with the mutant Gibson leaned over Pyro removing his gag. "We have a few things to talk about." "Fuck you!" Pyro screamed spitting in the scientist's face once his gagged was removed. "I swear to god once I get out of here I will kill you!" "I know we barely know each other," Gibson began as he wiped the spit from his face, "But I thought we were on better terms than this." "Mystique... What the..." Pyro began as Gibson's face momentarily morphed into that of the blue mutant. "I don't have time to explain right now, but I've got some things I'm putting together and having you along would certainly help. Be patient and I'll explain everything once we're out of here." *** Six months after the attack on Alcatraz Island... Though she had lost her powers Rogue stayed at Xavier's school taking on the role of student counselor and agreed to help set up orientation for new students whenever that time of year rolled around. She even came to become really good friends with a first year shape-shifting mutant named Sara who she spent almost as much time with as she did with Bobby. Little did Rogue know that things would quickly spin out of control for her one Tuesday afternoon around the mansion's pool. "I know you've said no before, but honestly do you ever regret getting injected with the cure?" Sara asked as she and Rogue sat at poolside with their legs in the water. "For the hundredth time no," Rogue replied annoyed with the slightest of smiles. "But sometimes I get the feeling that Bobby feels guilty and responsible for me getting the injection." "I'm sure he feels to some degree that you did this for him." "And that's probably why things get really awkward and uncomfortable when the two of us are alone. He's hardly touched me since I came back." Just then Rogue heard the laughter of Bobby and Kitty. Looking to her left she saw Kitty sitting on Bobby's shoulders chicken fighting with two other students. "Ah don't worry about her Marie. Sure Kitty's cute and all, but everyone knows Bobby likes you," Sara said trying to reassure her friend. "If he hasn't fooled around with you yet, then there's no reason to worry about Kitty." "I wish I could believe that," Rogue sighed. *** Bobby's eyes closed and he nearly nodded off several times as he tried to finish up a chapter in the book he was reading in bed. Finishing the last two and a half pages of the chapter Bobby slipped a folded up piece of paper into the book and set it on his nightstand. As he got up to turn off his bedroom light there was a knock at the door. "Hey sweetie, what's going on?" He asked her answering the door. "We need to talk Bobby." "Sure come in," Bobby replied shutting the door behind her. "What do you want to talk about?" "I want to talk about us," Rogue said sitting down on the edge of his bed "Ok... What about us?" Bobby asked sitting down next to her. "Bobby what's happened to us? Why are we so far apart?" "Nothing's happened to us," Bobby replied looking away when Rogue placed her hand on his thigh. "Then why won't you look at me? Why won't you allow us to get close?" Bobby sat there in silence still looking away. "The only thing I can think of is either you no longer want to be with me or you feel guilty about me giving up my powers." "It's not either of those Rogue... Sorry, I meant Marie. Everyone else around here calls you Rogue and sometimes I can't help it." "Bobby, you're stalling... Just tell me one thing okay?" "Sure." "Do you love me?" "Yes, of course." "That's all I wanted to hear." Rogue leaned in pressing her lips to Bobby's and kissed him. The two mutants kept their lips together exchanging an overwhelming passion that was starting to take over their bodies. When Bobby and Rogue broke their kiss they sat staring into each other's eyes. Then with a mischievous smile Rogue grabbed the bottom of Bobby's shirt and lifted it over his head. Bobby did the same for Rogue tossing her shirt to the floor next to his. As Rogue sat in her black bra Bobby couldn't help but stare at the girl in front of him. The two of them had been at each other's side for a long time, but this was the first time either had seen each other in this manner. "You okay Bobby," Rogue grinned breaking him out of his momentary trance. "I'm fine Marie," he answered as he started to reach around her to unsnap her bra. "I've got it," Rogue smiled unsnapping her bra and dropping it next to shirt. "God, you're gorgeous," Bobby said looking Rogue's body up and down as the two of them stood up to remove the rest of their clothing. "So are you," Rogue smiled pushing him onto his back onto the bed. Rogue climbed onto the bed and crawled over Bobby's body straddling him. Leaning forward she kissed him again and the lips of the two X-Men stayed locked for almost a minute before they were pulled apart. Rogue and Bobby stared at each other with content smiles on their face. For the first time they were able to be intimate together without fear of Rogue draining Bobby's life. "I love you Bobby," Rogue said still smiling as she moved down Bobby's body towards the end of the bed. "I love you too Marie." Bobby grinned and sighed as Rogue took his cock into her hand and slowly began stroking it up and down. As her boyfriend's dick hardened in her hand Rogue was so relieved and ecstatic to give him the attention he deserved. Bobby then moaned as Rogue wrapped her lips around his shaft. Feeling Rogue's lips move up and down his dick with her tongue slithering along his shaft put Bobby in the same euphoric state she was in. Rogue continued tonguing Bobby's cock for several minutes until it fully hardened and stood straight up in the air when she took her mouth off of it. "I've waited a long time for this," Rogue smiled as she straddled Bobby's body again this time letting his dick penetrate her. Bobby started to say something about Rogue doing all the work and not getting to eat her pussy when he saw the look on her face and decided to let it go. Bobby was in heaven as Rogue lowered herself onto him and her pussy engulfed his cock. His cock slowly began to throb and excitement coursed through his body as Rogue began to drive her pussy up and down Bobby's shaft. "This feels great," he smiled grabbing hold of his girlfriend's hips and helping her with the action. "I love you baby," Rogue smiled continuing to grind her hips onto his groin. Her pussy began to tingle and wet itself as she leaned forward letting her breasts sway in front of Bobby. Rogue leaned forward as best she could and smiled as Bobby took hold of her breasts and began licking them stimulating her nipples with his tongue. He continued licking her nipples switching from one to the other before planting his lips on her right breast and sucking on the pointy protuberance. Rogue closed her eyes getting ever closer to the ultimate bliss as she continued to ride Bobby's dick as best she could. As she inched closer and closer to orgasm Rogue's body began to tremble. Her pussy was burning up as Bobby's shaft continued to split her apart. "Marie..." Bobby moaned as his head suddenly feel back onto the bed. "Bobby!" Rogue screamed as she opened her eyes and looked down at her boyfriend. Spreading from Bobby's groin his body had started to change colors and die as Rogue started to drain the life from him through sex. "Please don't die Bobby! Please don't die!" Rogue begged as she quickly dressed herself, then attempted to redress Bobby ending up only successfully getting his underwear back on without touching him too much. Rogue raced out into the hall nearly knocking another student down. "Watch out Rogue. What's the rush?" "Have you seen Logan? Where's Logan?" "Last I saw he was in the kitchen drinking a beer I think." Rogue quickly made her way to the kitchen with tears running down her face and this time was successful into running into someone. "Hey slow down, what's the hurry?" Logan said after juggling his newly opened beer and spilling some of it on himself. "You've got to help Bobby! Please Logan!" Rogue said in near hysterics. "Hey! Calm down, now tell me what's going on." "My powers are back! I think I killed Bobby!" *** As Rogue packed her things to leave the institute yet again she began to think. Short of death there was no cure to being a mutant. This is who Rogue was and she was cursed with the ability to never be able to touch another person without hurting them. Perhaps Bobby would be better off with someone like Kitty. As she continued to pack Rogue's thoughts were interrupted. "You leaving?" Logan asked entering her room. "Yeah..." "Just thought you should know Bobby will be fine. He was already awake by the time we got him to the infirmary and he was asking for you." "Tell him I'm sorry, but I just can't stay here. This is no cure for being a mutant and as long as I'm here I'll be a danger to him and everyone else." "You should tell him. He's your boyfriend, not mine." "I know, but he'd just try and talk me into staying saying that it doesn't matter that I can't touch him without hurting him. I don't want to be in that kind of relationship and he doesn't deserve it. He deserves someone like Kitty." "What's going on?" Ororo asked knocking on Rogue's door as she entered the room. "Let's talk outside," Logan said. "Sure." "We'll talk about this in the morning," Logan said before heading into the hallway and closing Rogue's door. "What's going on Logan?" "It looks like the rumors about cured mutants regaining their powers is true." "But we already suspected that. What's it have to do with Rogue and Bobby?" "Rogue regained her ability tonight and inadvertently began to drain the life out of Bobby."' "Great. What more can happen to that poor girl? She's not planning on leaving again is she? I saw her packing her bags." "Yeah, she's is." "She can't leave, we need her. If she got her abilities back, then you know Magneto did and right now we're not ready for another battle against him and whoever he rallies to his cause." "I know. Let me talk to her and get this straightened out. Okay?" "Okay." "We need to talk kid," Logan said going back into Rogue's room. "We have nothing to talk about. I'm a danger to everyone here. I'll never fit in." "You should at least tell Bobby that you're leaving again." "No! I don't want him trying to talk me into staying and pretending like everything is all right." "I didn't try and stop you last time and I won't this time, but as a favor to me tell Bobby that you're leaving." "Fine..." Rogue muttered lying. As Bobby woke the following morning the first thing he could think of was Rogue. They were finally getting intimate after months of stalling on his part and their first night together Rogue's powers came back to hurt him while they were having sex. Rogue's powers weren't as quickly harsh on mutants as they were on humans, but Bobby still felt tired and out of it none the less. He couldn't remember much from the night before after she screamed her name, but Bobby knew Rogue had to have lost it after he passed out. Bobby slowly climbed from the infirmary bed and made his way to Rogue's room. "We need to talk," he said walking into her room without even knocking. "Oh no," Bobby muttered as he looked around her now empty room. "Where's Logan at?" He asked a passing student. "He and Ororo are in the office talking about what happened last night. You okay?" "I'll be fine. What do you know about last night?" "Nothing really. They haven't told us anything. All everyone knows is that you got hurt and Rogue left this morning." "She left? Why didn't anyone stop her?" "There's a rumor going around that she got her powers back and that's what hurt you. Logan and a few other students saw her getting into a cab this morning so go talk to them." "Okay thanks." Bobby made his way as quickly as he could to the main office of the institute slightly agitated that nobody tried to stop Rogue. "Why didn't you stop her?" Bobby demanded barging into the office interrupting Logan and Ororo. "What are you doing out of bed?" Ororo asked. "Why didn't you stop her Logan? You saw her leaving and let her go!" "She's not a kid. I can't make her do anything." "You let her go just like last time!" "Bobby, you need to lay down and rest. We know where she is and Logan's fixing to leave to go talk to her." "I'm going too." "No you're not. If she wants to come back she'll come back. I'll go find her," Logan said getting up and leaving Bobby and Ororo alone in the office. *** With her ticket in hand Rogue dropped her bags at the foot of a bench and sat down. She looked at the destination on the bus ticket and sighed. She didn't want to go home, she didn't want to leave Bobby and the X-Men, but after the events of the night before she had no other choice. "You leaving again?" A voice asked interrupting her thoughts. "Please don't try and talk me into staying Logan," Rogue asked not bothering to look up at him. "I won't. I was just curious what you were going to do now. Bobby's out of his mind right now without you." "I'm sorry I lied to you about talking to him. It's just better this way for the both of us. It doesn't seem like it now, but it will be." "So where are you going?" "Back home to live with my parents. I'll get a job somewhere and get injections every six months for the rest of my life." As Rogue and Logan continued to talk the woman behind the ticket counter who sold Rogue her ticket watched them with interest. After several minutes she closed her window and left the booth as she dialed a number on her cell phone. "She's going home. We're going to Caldecott County, Mississippi." *** Parking the motorcycle in the garage Logan made his way inside the mansion. He found Ororo once again in the office and the two of them began to talk. "I take it she's not coming back?" "Not anytime soon." "Have you told Bobby?" "Not yet." "And you couldn't talk her into coming back?" "Rogue's not twelve. I can't grab her by the hand and say you're going home." "If Magneto becomes the problem we think he will then we've got issues. Let's get the others and start stepping up sessions in the Danger Room." "It might be a good idea to think about adding others to the active team. If something were to happen now we'd be in no position to defend ourself." *** Upset over Rogue's departure and still weakened Bobby spent most of the day in his room either reading, listening to music, or sleeping. Once again Bobby found himself nodding off in bed as he read his book and once again he was interrupted as someone knocked on his door. "Who is it?" he shouted putting the book down. "It's me," Kitty replied. "Come in." "How are you feeling Bobby?" Kitty asked as she phased herself through his door. "Okay I guess. I'm still a little out of it." "That's good to hear," Kitty smiled sitting down on the bed next to Bobby. "If you don't mind me asking what happened last night?" "It was nothing. Rogue just got her powers back at a bad time." "So she tried to take your memories and abilities from you?" "She didn't do it on purpose." "Of course not, why would she? You're the only person she's ever really gotten close to despite the fact that she couldn't touch you for the longest time and when she finally does she nearly kills you." "It's not her fault she's like that!" "It's nobody's fault we're the way we are, but some of us are more of a danger than others." "Please leave Kitty." "Why Bobby?" Kitty asked leaning in to kiss him. "Don't you like being kissed?" "I love Rogue, now stop." "She can't do this like I can," Kitty replied pulling down Bobby's pants and underwear and feeling up his cock. "I said I love Rogue," Bobby grunted as his cock started to harden in Kitty's soft stroking hand. "You said that the same night you turned the fountain into a skating rink for me." "That was a mistake." "Was it really?" Kitty asked as she started to tongue Bobby's scrotum. "Yes..." He could barely squeak out without sounding like he was enjoying Kitty's attention. "I don't believe that." Kitty's tongue continued to slide back and forth over Bobby's balls occasionally moving to lick right down between them. Bobby gave in and let out a moan when Kitty took the left side of his sac into her mouth and began sucking on it tonguing the oval shaped object inside. "How did that feel?" Kitty asked standing up to undress. She smiled at Bobby's non-answer then got back onto the bed and into a sixty-nine position with him. "I know you like pussy Bobby. Did Rogue ever let you eat her pussy?" "No..." Bobby replied quietly as he grabbed Kitty's hips and brought them closer to his face. He tried telling himself he was feeling guilty as his tongue slithered up and down Kitty's slit, but Bobby wasn't completely sure he was. He absolutely loved and adored Rogue, but Kitty gave him the intimacy and the closeness that he craved and that Rogue couldn't provide. "God this feels great," he thought to himself as Kitty's mouth wrapped around his shaft and her head started bobbing up and down. Her tongue was working wonders on his manhood and the smell and taste of Kitty's pussy filled Bobby with delight as his tongue starting pressing into her cunt and wiggled around inside. As Kitty continued to slide her lips up and down Bobby's shaft she reached down and began fondling his balls giving them the slightest squeeze. "Oh god..." Bobby groaned as penis started throbbing near instantaneously. Kitty only grinned and continued sucking on Bobby's dick as precum started dribbling out. He meanwhile continued plunging his tongue into her pussy pressing against it's walls and licking up her juices. Kitty then brought her head up giving Bobby's shaft several enthusiastic jerks with her hand. She pulled her pussy from his face and turned around to face him. "You like me don't you Bobby," Kitty coyly asked him. "Very much," he answered desperately wanting to fuck Kitty and get some relief. Even as he watched Kitty straddle him and let his cock split her pussy Bobby couldn't help but think back to the night before with Rogue getting into the exact same position with him. Unbeknownst to Kitty the exact scene that played for Bobby the night before was playing for him again and as she rode him grinding her pussy down onto his cock Bobby wasn't thinking about her. He was thinking about Rogue. With his hands now on Kitty's hips Bobby began wildly thrusting into her. He desperately wanted Kitty to be Rogue, to not be cheating on his girlfriend, but he knew that she wasn't. "This feels great Bobby," Kitty grinned as Bobby continued to slam her down on this cock. "Come for me baby. Come for me." Bobby's dick was aching thoroughly as it continued to rapidly penetrate her warm pussy with ferocity. Having Kitty's juices dribble down and cover his shaft helped too. "Shit!" Bobby groaned "Fixing to..." Before Bobby could finish his thought Kitty quickly got off of him and began jerking him off. Several hard strokes later Kitty pointed Bobby's dick towards her mouth as he began to come. It had been several months since his last indiscretion with Kitty and Bobby was severely backed up. Seven thick loads of his semen erupted striking Kitty's tongue twice and the other five shots landing on her face. When Bobby finally went limp Kitty laid down on the bed next to him wiping each of his cum shots up with her finger and licking them off. "How do you feel know Bobby?" Kitty asked smiling. "I... I feel good. I feel relieved." "Good, and you can feel that way a lot more often if you wanted." "I shouldn't have done this Kitty, I shouldn't have cheated on Rogue." "Obsessing over her isn't healthy for you," Kitty said getting up and grabbing her clothes. "We did this for the same reason we did it last time. I like you, you like me, and Rogue can't give you what you need. You don't even call her by her real name. Not every relationship is meant to last forever. You've got to figure out what you want, because I'm not going to hang around if you keep pining over her after she walked out on you a second time." Kitty was laying some harsh words on Bobby, but she didn't mean them, at least not the threat. With a little patience and a few more nights together he would be eating out of her hands. As both X-Men dressed there was a knock at the door. "Bobby we need to talk." "Shit it's Logan!" Bobby muttered. "See you later sweetie," Kitty smiled before phasing herself out and disappearing through his wall. "Come in," Bobby shouted grabbing the book from his nightstand. "So how are you feeling?" Logan asked entering Bobby's room. "Fine I guess. Still a little sore and out of it, but I'll be fine in the morning. Did you fine Rogue?" "Yeah, I found her at the bus station with a---" Logan stopped as something in the air caught his attention and he sniffed a few times. "You found her at the bus station with what?" "Her name is Marie, and being her boyfriend I would think you would know that." "I know her name. It's just that everyone else around here---" "Shut the hell up Bobby. Maybe it's a good thing she left. She's gone one day and---" Logan turned and punched a hole in the wall. "You're an asshole. I know you're relationship can't be easy, but if you ever want a chance to work on it assuming she comes back into your life again you need to get your shit together. I don't care who you were with tonight, but you will not do this to Marie again." Logan punched one more hole in the wall next to the first one before leaving. "God damn it," Bobby muttered throwing his book to the floor and staring at the ceiling half in fear of Logan beating his ass and half pissed off at himself for having sex with Kitty. *** Rogue was nervous as she stepped off the bus in Caldecott County Bus Station. Her decision to leave the X-Men for good was very quick and maybe somewhat rash and she hadn't called her parents to let them know she was coming home. Rogue hadn't left them on the best of terms after all. After the storage compartment of the bus was emptied she grabbed her bags and headed towards a news stand. As Rogue made change one of the stations hanging tv's ran a news story about the explosion at Orion Pharmaceutical that leveled the entire place losing all known mutant cure research and samples. As Rogue started towards a payphone she ran into a familiar face. "Marie! Thank God I found you!" "Sara? What are you doing here?" "I overheard Bobby and Logan talking about what happened and why you left and Logan mentioned you going home so I asked my parents to fly me down here on their plane to see if I could find and get you to come back. Bobby's been miserable since you've been gone." "Don't take this the wrong way, but I don't want to talk about this with you or anyone else for that matter." "I guess I couldn't talk you into at least flying to my parents house in New York and staying in one of the guest rooms could I?" "No, sorry." "Well at least let my chauffeur drive you home." "As long as you don't try and talk me into coming back." "I promise I won't do that." "All right, I guess I could use a ride." Sara and Rogue made their way out to the parking lot and headed towards to the only car with a waiting driver. As they got closer to it Rogue began to think she recognized the driver and it was only when they were within shouting distance of him did she fully recognize the driver and she stopped dead in her tracks. "Something wrong Rogue?" "What's he doing here??? He's--- He's dead," Rogue stammered. "And you just called me Rogue! That's the first time you called me Rogue!" "It seems I finally slipped up," Sara admitted as she revealed herself to be Mystique. "Just get in the car. We're not your enemies this time." "I'm not going anywhere with you." "If you want a real permanent cure to her mutation, if you ever want to be able to touch your boyfriend again, and not have to worry about killing him then you'll come with us." Although she knew Mystique just had to be full of shit and up to something Marie was desperate enough to agree to go with her and Pyro. "You still leading Bobby by the leash?" Pyro smirked as the three of them got into the car. "Just shut up and drive," Mystique remarked. The trio left the bus station and drove for twenty minutes, before pulling into the parking lot of a motel ten miles outside of town. "Leave your stuff in the car. We're just going inside long enough to talk," Mystique said as everyone got out and Pyro unlocked the door to room 105. "Do you really have a permanent cure?" Rogue asked as the door was locked behind them. Mystique pulled a large metal briefcase and a leather briefcase out from underneath the bed and opened them. Inside the metal case were vials filled with liquids, bottles with pills, and various other medical items. Inside the leather case were numerous folders filled with charts, graphs, and page upon page of research and notes. "There's no permanent cure yet, but what I have for you right now are pills that can suppress your powers for a few hours at a time and the six month cure. And if you want to have your people look at it I've got every bit of research ever noted by the scientists at Worthington Labs and Orion Pharmaceutical. If there's a permanent solution to be found here's where to start." "What did you mean by we're not your enemies?" "Obviously the so-called cure didn't work. I have my abilities back and so do you, which means Magneto does as well. I have no doubt that he will rally other mutants to his cause and with Xavier dead and no army to back them up the X-Men don't stand a chance against him. As Pyro can attest to Magneto's talk about brother in arms and being better than humans is a load of shit. I took a needle full of that crap for him and he doesn't give a second thought to callously leaving me behind like he did. I will give you everything I have regarding the cure and all I want you to do is to kill him. I want you to drain his life and his abilities from him and make him suffer." "No chance! There's no way I can kill him on my own." "I could easily kill him myself, but he doesn't deserve a quick painless death. I want you to kill him, but I'm not going to try and force you." "You should know however," Pyro began, "that Worthington Labs gave all their research to Orion Pharmaceutical and that Orion Pharmaceutical blew up a few days ago. Everything that's left is in those two briefcases. Without them research would have to start over from square one." "But the X-Men have samples." "But they don't have the research," Mystique said morphing into Bobby. "And without the research there will never be a permanent cure. Without a permanent cure you and Bobby can never truly be a couple." "But me and Bobby can," Mystique said morphing into Kitty. "He could eat my pussy as much as he wanted whenever he wanted," She grinned evilly rubbing her hand between her legs. "If you really loved me you would help Mystique and Pyro," Mystique said morphing into Bobby. "Stop it! Just stop it!" "Something wrong Rogue?" Mystique asked returning to her own form. "Please just give me some time to think about it." "Okay, not a problem. You can even go back to your school and tell the others what I want to do, but you have one week to decide and let Sara know." *** With a confused and heavy heart Rogue got out of the cab, retrieved her bags, and headed up the walkway towards the Xavier Institute. As she entered the building and headed towards what she hoped was still her room Rogue was meet with murmurs and stares from the other students. She almost began to regret returning when she was met by a familiar face. "Hey Rogue you came back!" "For a little while Sara. I may not be staying long." "Why not? Where are you going?" The shape-shifter asking grabbing one of Rogue's bags. "You know where," Rogue mumbled. "You wouldn't happen to know where Logan is would you?" "Everyone's in the Danger Room, they'll be done soon though." A short while later as Rogue sat quietly alone in her room contemplating her decision she was interrupted by a knock. "Come in." "Sara said you wanted to talk to me," Logan said entering Rogue's room. "I do." "Should we plan on having your around or are you leaving again?" "I don't know." "What does that mean?" "Before you say anything please let me tell you the entire story." "Okay." "I don't know how, but Mystique managed to track me down while I was on the bus going home. She was right there waiting for me as I got off the bus and on top of that Pyro is alive and well. Bobby didn't kill him. Anyway Mystique is angry at Magneto for getting rid of her like he did when she became human and wants him dead. She said she could do it herself, but she wants him to suffer. She wants me to kill him and in exchange she'll give me all the samples of the various types of cures plus all the research ever made by both Worthington Labs and Orion Pharmaceutical." "Hmm..." "Well?" "Do you want to try and help Mystique?" "I don't know. She showed me the cases with everything in it and if a permanent cure is found I can finally be with Bobby... But to actively search for someone so I can kill them doesn't sound right." "Whether it be murder or self-defense once you kill somebody you're never the same. I suppose it all depends on how badly you want what Mystique and Pyro have." "What would you do?" "I can't make this decision for you. I didn't tell you what to do when you left and I'm not going to do it here." "All right..." Rogue said burying her head in her pillow. "I want to be alone for a while." Rogue would eventually fall asleep as she continued to contemplate the probable life-changing decision she was about to make. She was wakened by another knock at the door. "Who is it?" She asked yawning and stretching. "It's me," replied Bobby. "Can I come in?" "Yeah, come in." As he came in Rogue got up and hugged Bobby as best she could without making skin to skin contact. "I'm sorry I left without telling you." "I'm just glad you're back," Bobby smiled giving Rogue the quickest kiss ever. "Are you staying this time or are you going to leave again?" "I don't know. I haven't made a decision yet." "You haven't made a decision about what?" "About whether or not to help Mys--- Logan didn't say anything to you?" "No. Whenever I asked him about you at dinner he told me I should talk to you. What's going on?" "Things are a bit complicated right now, but to make a long story short Mystique and Pyro have the only samples and research on the mutant cure left and---" "Wait wait wait. John's dead. He died at Alcatraz." "No he's not. He's alive and well and traveling with Mystique. Just let me finish please. Like I said right now they have they only remaining cure samples and research left and they'll give them to me if I help them." "Help them do what?" "Kill Magneto." "And why would they need you?" "Mystique is pissed off at him at the way he abandoned her after she took a needle full of the cure to protect him. She doesn't just want him dead she wants him to suffer before he dies." "And she wants you to use your powers on him?" "Yeah." "You can't do it." "Why not?" "Because it's murder." "Do you not remember that he kidnapped me, had me strapped to a machine to make himself more powerful, and turn humans into mutants?" "Mystique was working with him then and now you're going to trust her???" "I don't want to live like this anymore Bobby! I want to be able to touch people without hurting them. You have no idea how much I hate feeling alone even when I'm with you." "I love you Marie, I just- Things are complicated for me right now. If you're going to do this then do it for yourself like last time." "That's it? You're just going to let me leave like that?" "Yeah, I'm in no position to give anyone an opinion on how to run their life." "What do you mean?" "The night after you accidentally hurt me Kitty came into my room and we started talking. And I let her talk me into sleeping with her." "What do you mean you let her talk you into it? She didn't make you do anything. You chose to sleep with her! How dare you lecture me on helping Mystique!" "There's a difference between murder and cheating!" "So it's okay for you to cheat on me, but I can't help Mystique kill Magneto and gain the chance to be able to touch another person without worry? Especially with his history with me and the X-Men?" "I didn't mean to say cheating was okay, but---" "Shut up Bobby, just shut up and get out of my room before you really upset me." Feeling as low as one could feel Bobby lowered his head and left Rogue's room who laid on her bed trembling with anger. Rogue's problems with Bobby were just the beginning, as she would find out a few days later sitting out the edge of the fountain and eating lunch with a student. "So are the rumors true?" a telepath name Olivia asked. "What rumors?" "That you had a big fight with Bobby and that you're leaving again." "Heh. Everyone wants to know if I'm leaving again. Me and Bobby did have an argument about some things a few nights ago, but it wasn't anything big. I don't know if I'm leaving or not." "If you want Bobby to be happy you'll leave," Kitty said walking up on Rogue and Olivia. "Olivia, why don't you go to the computer lab and I'll meet you there in a minute to help you." "Everything okay Rogue?" "Everything's fine. I just need to talk to Kitty for a moment." "Okay I'll see you there." "What do you want Kitty?" Rogue asked after Olivia asked. "The same thing you do; for Bobby to be happy and the only way that'll happen is if you leave for good. Bobby likes you, he may even think he loves you, but the fact that you can't touch him without hurting him is making him miserable not to mention the fight you two had the other day. I love Bobby and if you loved him like you claim to then you'd end your relationship and let him be with me." "You know," Rogue said getting up, "I really don't have time for your little tantrum and as far as you sleeping with him goes you're just an opportunist. Make no mistake I'm still upset with him, but it wasn't entirely his fault." "So he confessed? That doesn't surprise, but did he tell you about the night we went ice skating on this very fountain? I saw you in the window watching us." "So?" "I fucked him later that night." "Well good for you. Are you done?" "For now." "Good. You were starting bore me. Let me give you a piece of advice. Go find someone else's boyfriend to steal okay?" "And why is that?" "Because if you don't you're going to regret it." "Is that a threat?" "Take it however you want." "Well did Bobby tell about last ---" Kitty wasn't able to finish her sentence as Rogue's fist met the left side of her face. "You couldn't leave well enough alone could you Kitty?" "You bitch!" Kitty screamed lunging at her. A crowd quickly developed around the two girls as they rolled around punching and slamming each other's heads into the ground. Then wiggling from Rogue's grasp Kitty phased herself out. As Rogue got up Kitty suddenly appeared behind her and kicked her hard in the back before phasing out again. Kitty did this several times phasing herself in and out while taking cheap shots at Rogue and keeping her off balance. "You want to fight like a bitch, then let's fight," Rogue growled taking her gloves off. "To your left!" Someone shouted from the crowd. Rogue turned in time to catch Kitty's fist. Sara smiled as Kitty fell to her knees and Rogue began draining the life from her. Some of the students began screaming hysterically as Kitty fell completely down with death starting to overtake her and others yelled at Rogue to stop. Suddenly a hand grabbed Rogue's and ripped her and Kitty apart. "What the hell is going on?" Logan demanded as Ororo and Peter attended to Kitty. "Nothing," Rogue sneered as she started to walk off. "I don't belong here." Later that night as she packed to leave for the final time Rogue was visited by her "friend" Sara. "So I take it your answer is yes?" Sara asked smiling and already knowing the answer. "What the hell do you think???" Rogue replied glaring at her. "Fair enough. Just out of curiosity what did you mean by 'I don't belong here'?" "Let's not talk about this right now. I've agreed to help so let's go," Rogue said as she finished packing the last of her bags. As the two of them picked up the bags to leave Bobby entered the doorway. "We need to talk Marie." "What do you want Bobby?" "Why'd you try to kill Kitty?" "She's a bitch wouldn't shut up and got what she deserved." "Can you leave us alone for a few minutes Sara? I need to talk to Marie in private." "Rogue doesn't have time to talk. She's got places to be." "Please Sara? I really need to talk to her." "The answer is still no," Mystique replied revealing herself. "You! This is all your fault!" "How is it my fault? You're the one who cheated on her. I need her to do me a favor and she has the opportunity to live as she always wanted. If you hadn't cheated on her with that other girl, then she might be staying. Rogue leaving is your fault. Now if you don't mind get the hell out of our way. You ready Rogue?" "Yeah, let's go." "Don't worry Bobby," Mystique said morphing into Pyro as she and Rogue entered the hall. "I'll take good care of her. See you around." As Mystique and Rogue headed down the hall to the main doors leading to Rogue's cab, Ororo did a double take as she passed them. She then ran into Bobby still standing in Rogue's doorway. "Marie is confused and torn by what's going on in her life right. She's doing what she thinks she has to and it may be awhile before we see her again if we ever do." "I certainly didn't help things." "What do you mean?" "Nothing..." "I don't know what you what you did if you did anything, but if it's meant to be between you two then it'll happen." "Like Jean and Scott?" "Those were extenuating circumstances." "Marie and I aren't too far from getting to that point." "So why was Sara taking Pyro's form just now?" Ororo asked attempting to change the subject. "Sara's not real. That was Mystique." "What? Mystique's been inside here the entire time and nobody could tell? The group and the institute are in worse shape than we thought. She could have been influencing Marie the entire time." "Mystique had nothing to do with Marie leaving. I made the biggest mistake of my life and that's why she's leaving."