'That's it.'
'Whoa. What do you think you're doing.'
'I'm tired of this kid's-table shit, I'm going in there.'

'John they told us to stay here.'
'You always do what you're told?'

'John.'

Rogue sat up. Her heart was racing. She couldn't breathe; it felt like her lungs were collapsing. Something caught her eye. She looked out the window and saw a flash of light. She ripped the covers of her and hurtled of bed. She stumbled as she came down the stairs. She ran as fast as she could, knocking right into someone. Without a second glance she stood up and continued running. Her heart was practically about to burst out of her chest. As she stepped into the cool night she peered around anxiously. Nothing. It was pitch black outside. But she was so sure it had been…

'You saw it to?'

She whipped around. Scott was standing behind her. He was not looking at her but staring in the distance.

'Yeah.' She whispered.

He moved past her now. He seemed not to really notice her.

'I was so sure…I…her voice, all the time in my head…and…' he seemed unable to carry on.

'Jean?'

He nodded then finally tore his eyes away to look at her.

'You should go back inside.' He muttered.

Then he turned and marched back in. Rogue glanced back into the distance. Was it an angel? Could it be Jean? Or… She shook her head and went back inside. She wondered around not knowing where she was headed. She couldn't sleep. She found herself in the kitchen. Sitting carefully near the window she pressed her head against the cool grass. She didn't know why she felt like this. She loved Bobby that was for sure. But part of her really missed John. She was so used to having him around, even if he didn't like her that much. Well so she thought until she had touched him. A smile crossed her face. She had the vivid image of a memory she'd absorbed from him. It was John watching Bobby tuck her hair behind her ear. She had felt his jealously rip across his heart at that moment. A laugh escaped her lips. She closed her eyes remembering all the times he'd teased her. It wasn't a dream. At least right now she didn't want it to be.

'Rogue?'

Her eyes sprang open. She was shaking uncontrollably. She realised it was because she had fell asleep against the window. She looked up to see Storm standing next to her.

'Rogue, are you ok?'

'Yeah I just fell asleep. Sorry.'

Storm nodded but her forehead remained creased with worry.

'What?' asked Rogue.

'You…you said "John come back." Is something wrong?'

Rogue shook her head.

'It was just a dream.'

Storm stared into her eyes then sighed.

'Get back to bed, before you catch a cold.'

Rogue nodded then stood up. She moved slowly to the door. Suddenly something occurred to her. She turned around.

'Storm!'

'Yes Rogue?'

'Don't tell Bobby, please.'

Storm hesitated, and then nodded. Rogue smiled then dragged herself back to bed. She flopped down unable to sleep. Usually she would sneak into Bobby and Pyro's room when she couldn't sleep but right now she couldn't face the empty bed. She tossed and turned on her bed to wrestle down the emptiness. Finally she pulled out her cell phone and dialled the all to familiar number. She breathed a sigh of relief as it was ringing.

'Come on John.'

She bit her nails in anticipation. After a minute the line went dead. She closed her eyes and pressed redial. This time the line went dead before the first ring. She threw the phone across the room. She buried her head in her pillow forcing herself to sleep.

'Has anyone seen John?'

'Pyro?'

'He's with Magneto.'

Rogue felt her heart drop. No, disappear. She kept her eyes down avoiding Bobby's gaze. She couldn't show him how she really felt. There was noise all around but they were just a buzz. She didn't feel angry or betrayed. Once again she felt alone and unloved.

Rogue's eyelids fluttered open. Something was different. She felt a weight pressing down on her bed. She turned her head slowly to see Bobby sitting at the edge of her bed. He smiled at her. She tried to smile back but couldn't. Slowly she sat up.

'Time?' she mumbled.

'Twelve. Noon.'

She groaned and sat up. She had missed physics.

'What did the professor say?'

'Told me to check on you. Said your feeling unwell. Are you?'

He peered anxiously at her. She nodded, sitting up and climbing out of bed. She went into the bathroom. She heard Bobby rambling on about what she'd missed. She changed out of her pj's and into the clothes she'd worn yesterday. She tied back her hair and splashed some water into her face.

'Rogue?'

She sighed and dragged herself back into the room.

'Yeah, Bobby?'

'Are you sure your ok?'

She smiled and moved closer to him. Carefully she moved her arms around him. She put her head against his chest. He slowly put his arms around her. He pushed her away staring at something behind her. She started to walk away.

'Where you going?' he whispered

'Outside. You coming?'

He shook his head. She shrugged and walked out. She waved half-heartedly to people that passed her by. As she stepped outside she felt the sun warm her face. She moved automatically, her mind to preoccupied with memories. Finally she noticed she had stopped walking. She looked around her. There was brown, faded grass around. The place Pyro 'released' his energy. She sighed and sat down. She felt a hand on her shoulder. She looked up. Bobby was standing with a confused expression on his face. She noticed there was something in his hand. She looked closely. It was a picture of Bobby and Pyro. But the glass with missing. Rogue looked guilty at her hands. There were miniscule cuts on her fingers.

'It was an accident.' She whispered

'What happened?'

His tone was harsh. She flinched, and then buried her head in her knees. She felt his arms come around her. She kept still so that their skin didn't touch.

'Sorry.' He whispered.

'Everything's changing.'

'Yeah I know.'

He stood up again. He carefully placed the picture next to her. She didn't respond. She had another memory of John coming to mind. The first time she'd come to mutant high. When he'd shown her his power. She shook her head. It would take time but she'd learn to control this. She stood up slowly. She didn't want to fall asleep again. It hurt so much when she woke up and he was not there.

Rogue curled herself in the worst possible position, making sure she did not sleep. She had even left the window open so that the ice-cold air hit her face. She was shivering now and her throat felt dry. Her eyes felt heavy but she held them open. Her eyes started to sting. She turned her face lightly so that the ice breeze hurt her eyes. She heard something in the distance. She moved hesitantly towards the noise under her bed. It was her cell. She dove under to retrieve it cutting her hand on the shards of broken glass that lay scattered under her bed. She ignored the gash and pressed answer.

'John?'

'Stop calling me.' He whispered violently.

'John, wait!'

'It's Pyro now.'

'Come back, please.'

'I'm never coming back.'

His voice was softer. She felt tears run down her face. She knew she would never see him again.

'John…I mean, Pyro. I want you to remember something.'

'What?'

'I love you.'

There was silence. She heard a small sigh on the other end. She closed her eyes.

'Bye Rogue, Take care of yourself. What we had was never real.'

There was a click and then the cell went dead. Her finger lingered on the redial button but then threw her cell under her bed again. Her mind lingered on the sweetness of his voice. She would never see him again but right now that didn't matter. She pulled the first aid kit and cleaned her hand. She took out her scissors and pulled out the photo of Bobby and Pyro. She walked out her room, pen, photo and scissor in hand. She came to the fireplace. She cut the picture in half. On the side where Pyro was she wrote:

It was real to me. Never just a dream.

She smiled. She stared into the fire. Then she threw the picture in. She took Bobby's picture and tucked it into her pocket. She returned to her room and lay on her bed. She closed her eyes waiting for sleep to come. She felt familiar arms wrap around her.

'Hey Bobby.'

'Hey.'

'You sure about this?'

'I've missed you. But if your uncomfortable…'

'No! Just lie really still.'

He hugged her a little tighter avoiding her face. She relaxed, relieved that she was fully covered tonight.

'Rogue.'

'Yeah?'

'Are you ok?'

'Just perfect.'