Authors note: This is going to be a multi chapter story, set after X3, written mostly from John and Bobby's points of view, with the odd chapter from other characters. I hope I've done ok with staying in character. It's mostly past tense but I'm afraid it does switch occasionally to present tense – I hope it's not too confusing! I wrote this piece straight through from start to finish and am just going to post each chapter as I type it up. I'm typing it pretty much as I wrote it first time around...if I go and start changing it – I'll never be happy with it and it will never be posted! Anyway – eventual Bobby/John / Iceman/Pyro pairing. Not too much rudeness – just a lot of swearing and far too much fluff for a girl who calls herself Blackrose. Hope you like!

Chapter One: Flight Risk

P.O.V: Ororo Munroe / Storm

I always knew St John Allerdyce would leave. We always knew – the professor, Scott, Jean and I. When we first brought him here to the mansion, he had gone to great lengths to point out that he didn't stay in the same place for more than a couple of months. The professor had just nodded, smiled and put John into a room.

One year later, he was still in that room. He still wouldn't talk about his past, he still wouldn't socialise with the other kids, he was a bit scarce in turning up for classes...and he still played with his cursed lighter every five minutes. He had tried to leave – twice – but both times Scott had stopped him halfway out the front door.

And then another student had arrived. A quiet, polite, reserved boy – ages with John. This was Bobby Drake. I couldn't believe my ears when the professor had suggested we put this innocent and quite frankly scared new student in with the terror that had been aptly nicknamed Pyro.

"You can't do that!" I had exclaimed mentally, for the professor's benefit only. John had been through five roommates already...all had been quickly moved rooms with at least one precious personal item at the very least singed. And of course, John liked to pull these little stunts at night...setting the fire alarms off at three in the morning and making us all traipse outside in our pyjamas...

"Ororo...someone has to share with John. We're running out of rooms," the Professor had explained silently and calmly. It was true...the mansion was filling up fast, we couldn't afford to waste beds. "Besides, if John sets anything on fire, Bobby can put it out."

Again the Professor had a point. And a mischievous glint in his eye but I did not press the matter. Instead, I showed Bobby to his new room.

And indeed the Professor's judgement had proven wise. There were no more three AM fire alarms. John started turning up to all his classes – on time no less. Occasionally, you would catch the young man smiling and even laughing with his new friend. Despite his improvement, I was still most surprised when watching some of the kids playing outside one winter night, I had seen John come out and join in. That Bobby had dragged him out by one of the five scarves he had wrapped around his shoulders, neck and face was irrelevant. John hadn't been putting up that much of a fight... Unfortunately though, that night had somewhat backfired. It was one of the coldest winters I could remember, and despite wearing five scarves, two hats, three pairs of gloves (watching him try and play with his lighter had indeed brought a smile to my lips), two pairs of jeans, four tops and a snow jacket...the firebug caught a cold. And not just a little case of the sniffles either. John always had a higher body temperature than most, about three degrees higher. When it rose a couple of degrees above his normal temperature Jean got worried. When it rose a further three degrees and John was unconscious, she was very worried. To make matters worse, as John's body temperature rose he began simply radiating heat. The medical room was like a sauna and John's skin was getting too hot to touch.

"I need to give him something," Jean had fretted, burning her hand as she tried to medicate the teen. "And we need to cool him down! He'll cook his brain at this rate!"

Our solution? Bobby of course. Icy air circulated the medical room and passed directly over John's skin, making Jeans job infinitely easier.

"Why do I have to share a room with a fucking fridge-freezer?" John had muttered upon finally awakening. Bobby just laughed. John was fine.

We didn't keep such a close eye on him once Bobby arrived; we didn't think we needed to. John seemed to be settled at last, we genuinely believed he wouldn't want to leave. Besides, now he had Bobby to keep an eye on him.

When did it all change? When Marie arrived? I know my mind at that time was somewhat pre-occupied, what with Magneto starting his tirade and all the social and political turmoil...

There's no excuse though. I knew he had it in him to leave. I shouldn't have been surprised when he did. Had I stopped for even a minute to think, I would have seen it coming. John was never the type to share – he would never be happy to share his only friend. Especially with Marie – she just isn't John's type of person at all. Then again, is Bobby really John's type of person? Who is John's type of person? I dare say Magneto is. Strong, confident and full of that which John has made no secret of desiring; freedom and power. No...I should have seen John's desertion coming and stopped it. Then we wouldn't be in this mess.

Bobby's outside again. It's two in the morning and bitterly cold, but I dare say that doesn't bother the iceman. I don't think Bobby's had a proper night's sleep since we came back from Alcatraz. Not many of us have...

Marie told me that Bobby's still having nightmares of his encounter with Jo...Pyro, reliving the fight every single night since we returned. The dreams do vary slightly. Some nights, Bobby sees John die, there and then, from the head wound he inflicted. Some nights, he sees the unconscious John blown to smithereens in Jea...the phoenix's tirade. Other nights, the young pyrokinetic has simply vanished. I don't know what is worse for Bobby – thinking he has killed his one time friend or simply not knowing what has happened to him. I guess I'll find out soon.

This morning Hank came to tell me that over night, metal graves have appeared at the Alcatraz site. Magneto. There have been many reports of the cure failing – particularly in more powerful mutants, so I wasn't too shocked. Raven Darkholme has also disappeared; we have already speculated the return of Mystique. But then Hank handed me a list. A list of names of those Brotherhood members lost that night, a list of names on the graves. Second name on the list – Pyro.

I should never have let him leave; I should have kept a closer eye on him. I have to go tell Bobby. May as well get it over with...