Author's note- Semi-sequel to "Smoke."

Disclaimer- Don't own X men.

"Ah used to have a dog, his name was Hewey, dumbest thang Ah ever met... kept runnin inta walls."

Taking a drag he nodded," yeah, I never had a dog. My foster Dad hated them- was allergic or something, I used to play with this one stray though. I used to sit talking to him for hours, I talked to a fuckin' dog, that's just how lonely I was. I thought his parents abandoned him, just like they did me."

"I never knew my real parents," she murmured more to herself than anyone, she snatched his cigarette from between his fingers and let the nicotine soak into her lungs," funny thing is, I wish ah never met my foster ones either, they were alright... Until they found out Ah was a mutant, then they kicked meh out so fast Ah though mah head was gonna fall off."

He stole the stick back from her, it had become a ritual. Marie and John would meet out here, almost every night and used tobacco to temporarily cure their insomnia. They would talk, sometimes they would say nothing at all, but it didn't matter as long as they happened to be there.

Tonight they only had one cigarette, all the others had been wasted away, so they shared.

"I hate humanity."

Marie blinked a couple times," Ah can't, even after all they've done to me... It seems that mutants have done so much worse ta me, Magneto and Liberty Island..."

He was about to speak up when she choked out a phrase,"Johnny, can ah tell ya somethin?"

"Shoot."

"Ah thing they're still after me, Ah can feel it. Magneto's talkin in my head, and I just know they want me for somethin."

"I won't let them take you," he inhaled, not even looking at her after he said these words. A rush tingled through her body at the thought of someone caring about HER.

She grinned and he looked over at her" what are you smiling about skunky?"

"Nothin."

"Got strings tugging at the corners of your lips or something then?"

"You promise?"

"Promise what."

"That you won't let them take me away," she replied, and he paused, blowing out a cloud of smoke.

Then he turned.

"Not as long as I'm here they won't, and if they somehow do they'll have to take me with you."

"Why do you care?"

"Marie are we REALLY getting into all this gushy feeling stuff?"

"Ya didn't answer mah question."

"Because I'd be lonely."

"That's it."

He looked straight ahead, refusing to meet her eyes," that's it."

"Okay."

They sat like that for a few minutes,not speaking, just taking breaths from the sweet drug. Then Marie squirmed a little, shifting her position a few times as if she was uncomfortable. John sighed,"what is it?"

"Nothin, Ah just... uh, can I...can Ah try something?"

He stared at her curiously, trying to read her expression. She seemed almost bashful, and Marie NEVER seemed bashful. He wanted to know what she was thinking, so he did the only thing he could think of; he nodded.

And she seemed to light up the dark brighter than the moon. She moved one leg out from the other, rolling herself unto it's weight in order to perch herself up. He watched he actions, trying not to show his intrigue. Then she got close. So close he could feel her breath against his nose, tickling it lightly. With one hand she propped herself against the ground, and with the other she grasped his sleeved wrist that held the cigarette down slowly.

Time seemed not to be passing at all. Her large eyes looked at his own and she smiled,"I learned a new trick."

Then the gap between them began to collapse as she went in further, her eyes closing slightly as she brushed her lips against his. It was light a bolt of electricity spiraling throughout his body, and as a reaction his eyes snapped shut. The now forgotten Marlboro slipped from his hand as he grasped the back of her neck in order to deepen it. She seemed to freeze up for a moment, but he gently pried her lips open with his tongue, allowing him entrance to her mouth. She mad a small sound as he massaged her tongue with his, revealing an entire new set of sensations to her. And at the moment they forgot everything.

He even forgot the fact that her powers should be kicking in right about now.

It had been 20 seconds of blessed contact between the two.

21 seconds, he drew her unto his lap.

22 seconds, she bit his lip and ground it between her teeth for just a moment.

23 seconds, the most adorable noise he had ever heard in hi lfe came from her throat.

24 seconds, she made a move of her own and slipped her tongue into his mouth.

25 seconds, he liked it.

26 seconds, the battle for dominance began, he one.

27 seconds, he pulled her up every so slightly and she smiled into the kiss.

28 seconds, they were starting to get the hang of this.

29 seconds, her powers started to work.

30 seconds, they pulled apart tp breath, not even noticing that her powers had turned on.

And John sincerely smiled, looking at Marie like she was the greatest thing on Earth , and her cheeks tinted red.

"What happened to yours powers?"

"I told ya I learned a trick Johnny, thirty seconds of contact, no powers."

He chuckled, had it only been thirty seconds? It felt like a lifetime.

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Author's notes- Tada! There you are, the second piece in the series I hope you like it.