Please, Stay.

Rating - PG-13/ K+

Category - Drama/Angst/Character Death

Warnings - Character death, swearing, mild slash.

Summary - John asks Bobby to stay. Very short one-shot! Please R+R!

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Smouldering, smashed up cars. A small ruin in place of what was once a large building, a building where the 'cure' was invented.

I search frantically amongst the dead mutants and humans alike, the bodies that actually survived Phoenix's attack. I had to leave, had to help Kitty and Jimmy. I couldn't search whilst all hell was breaking loose around me.

A flash of short blonde hair in the corner of my vision, my breath catches.

Please, let this be him!

I turn, and what I see sends a wash of panic over me. It's Pyro. But he's covered up to his chest by a large chunk of a foot thick concrete wall.

"John!?" I yell, running over to him, I see his eyes crack open slightly, and of all things, he smirks at a time like this?! That's John. "I'll get help." I say, but his voice stops me, it's quiet and full of pain, and sounds nothing like the John I knew.

"Wait... Stay."

"John, you have a wall on top of you! You need medical help." I yell, my voice frantic. I could probably freeze the wall and shatter it, but it'd take time and a lot of concentrating. It'd be much easier for Pete to come and lift it off.

"No... I've been like this for a while... I can't feel anything from the neck down, man. I'm totally fucked up. Look..." He nods slightly, wincing at the pain that small movement creates, down towards his shoulders and top of his chest. I can see a small pool of blood, must be coming from somewhere under the concrete. "I'm hurt, bad. But I can't feel it... "

I don't know what to say, what to do. John is dying, he knows it, now I know it and I can't think of anything profound or even comforting to say! What the fuck am I supposed to do!? I hear distant shouts, possibly my name being called out, but it sounds like it's travelling through water.

"Please, stay." John murmurs, looking up at me. "I guess you think I got... what I deserve, right?"

Not long now, he's having to make a huge effort just to talk. "Not at all." I say honestly, looking back at him. I crouch next to his head, and attempt a smile. "You don't deserve this John. I'm sorry I didn't come to find you sooner but--"

"Bobby, don't." He interjects. "You came to find me, you could've just said good riddance to me."

"Never." I reply, putting my hand on his forehead. "I really think I should get some help--"

"No! No... Even if I lived, I'm all busted up...I'd rather die than be numb from the neck down." He looks at me firmly. I'd still rather be alive than dead, even if I was paralysed. But it was John's choice, not mine.

"Okay." I say, nearly choking on the word. I'm effectively agreeing to sit and watch my friend die. "I have to tell you something. Something I should have said years ago." I take a deep breath. This is so cliché... "I love you, I should never have left you get of the jet back at Alkali...Should never have let Rogue come between us." I say, I can feel tears welling in my eyes and my throat begins to ache. But I'm not going to cry in front of him.

"Couldn't you have realised that back then?" He asks, with a sad smile.

"I'm sorry." I reply

"Don't be. I love you too."

I lean down and press my lips to his. Our first kiss...and most probably our last. At that realisation, the tears I'd been holding in start to run down my face. I pull back and John's eyes are open, but they seem distant...

"John?" I say. No response. "John!" I yell this time. Nothing. "No...No!"

"Bobby!? Bobby!!" I hear a female voice yell. It's Storm. I don't care though, I can take my eyes off John's face.

"I love you." I whisper, closing his eyes, tears still streaming down my face.

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A/N: Reviews are like oxygen to me! Thanks for reading! x