She strolls leisurely down the dirt lane lined with fried food and trinket stalls, the midsummer breeze catching the hem of her sundress and warming her bare arms. A trio of children race past her, shrieking with laughter, and she stops to watch them as they sprint for the carnival rides, the steady stream of people continuing their course around her. A country band plays in the distance as two ravens fly overhead. Rogue shields her eyes as she follows their flight when they disappear against the sun and everything turns to white.

She spins, looking for the festival, but finds herself surrounded by infinite white.

"Marie."

She whips around, "Cody." The first boy she kissed. And put in a coma. He stands, hands in pockets, looking precisely like he did the day she discovered her powers.

"Why are you ignoring me?"

"What?"

He reaches out, fingers almost brushing skin, and she shifts away, "I've been calling out to you. It's lonely here."

She shakes her head, confused. "I've never heard you."

He pulls his hand back, face contorted with rage, "you will now! You'll hear all of us!"

The whiteness fills with figures; X-Men, enemies, people she has known for years, strangers she only met once. "Rogue, stop ignoring us! We need you! Rogue!"

"Stop!" She clutches her head, falling to her knees as the horde presses closer, her name chanted from their lips. "Stop, please!" Forceful hands grab at her, pulling her, and she screams.

…

Rogue opens her eyes, chest heaving, to the dark of her room.

"Rogue…" a voice sighs against her ear. She turns on her lamp, but the room is empty.

…

"Morning." Kitty unenthusiastically drops her plate and coffee mug down on the overused marked and scored table, wincing at the squeak of her chair as she slides into it. She stifles a yawn and sweeps away a stray wisp of hair tickling her nose, eyes the runny eggs and soggy toast, "who made breakfast?"

Rogue sips at her coffee, nose scrunching at its bitterness. "Kurt again. I keep telling Charles we need to hire a cook but-whoa!"

Bobby looks from his jumbled lesson plan to Rogue, eyebrows raised, follows her gaze to Kitty and frowns. "You look like hell."

Kitty manages a halfhearted glare at the two of them as she absentmindedly traces the faded X on her mug, "thanks. That means a lot coming from you, scruffy."

Bobby scratches his recent beard, smirking, "like it or not, the beard's staying." Both girls raise their eyebrows expectantly. "The parents… keep thinking I'm a student."

Kitty snorts into her coffee while Rogue pokes his cheek with a silk finger. "Aw sugar, the world may think you're fifteen but we both know you're a man and that's all that counts."

"Mockery. That's what I get for being friends with you two." He glances back and forth between them. "Mockery and ridicule."

"That's just the price you have to pay for our exquisite company," Rogue's finger goes from poking his cheek to his chin.

He swats his girlfriend's hand away, feigning offense even as his lips form a grin, and shifts his gaze from her to Kitty. His eyes lighten with mirth, smile lines crinkling around them. She smirks back, a teasing remark on her tongue, when suddenly his eyes flash, arctic blue replaced by steel, mirth by boundless sadness, and her hand covers her heart as it physically aches, smirk falling from her lips. Rogue and Bobby's own smiles fade, concern marring their features. "What's wrong?"

She rubs at her eyes with her free hand, trying to physically scrub the other Bobby from memory. "It's nothing, just trouble sleeping." She shrugs a shoulder and sips at her coffee, index finger rubbing over an edge of the X. "Bad dreams, I guess."

Rogue nods, eyes suddenly distant, prepared to drop the subject, but Bobby presses on, unfinished lesson plans forgotten. "How long?"

She pretends to mull it over. "A couple of nights."

"What are they about?"

"They're about" 'you dying.' She tries to swallow away the unexpected lump in her throat as infinite ice fragments dance across her eyes. "Nothing, I'm just running. And then I wake up." She picks at her toast. "Who's got lunch duty?"

"Not Kurt, thank God." Bobby looks at his watch, "my trig class starts in ten, I'll see you two later?" He kisses the back of Rogue's hand and turns to Kitty, "maybe you should talk to the professor about it."

She waves the suggestion off, "they're just dreams. See you at lunch." He levels an even stare at her, unconvinced, and she sighs in defeat. "If they get worse, I'll see him. Promise." He swallows, ready to say something, but she cuts him off, "you're going to be late."

Bobby glances at his watch again, "damn it. Ok." He downs his coffee and heads for the doors.

"Bobby?" He turns to find Kitty and Rogue both smirking at him. Kitty points at his seat. "Lesson plans?"

"Right." He snatches them and disappears into the hall mumbling about agreeing to teach 8'oclock classes, the sturdy oak doors swinging shut behind him. Rogue watches him go then lets her head fall to the table with a thump. A few lingering students turn to stare as Kitty raises her eyebrows at them, "don't you all have classes to get to?" She watches them scurry out, heads down. "You don't look so good, either." The linguistics professor lets out a groan. "What's up?"

Rogue lifts her head to reveal one piercing eye. "Bad dreams, like you said."

…

Rogue makes her way through the crowded hall, dodging and weaving the growing throng of students as she struggles to reach her classroom.

She squeezes past Scott as he nods a greeting. "This is getting ridiculous."

"You said it."

He pauses, "said what?"

"Uh… nothing." His eyebrows raise and she knows that he wants more of an explanation, 'of course he does,' but fortunately they both have classes to teach and he lets her continue down the hall. 'That was definitely Scott's voice.'

…

Kitty drops onto the couch next to Rogue and starts in on her half burnt, half raw hotdog, courtesy of Logan and his terrible grilling skills. After a few bites she nods to Rogue. "So what are you two doing tonight?"

Rogue glimpses at her boyfriend, currently absorbed with whatever hockey game is on and munching on a worryingly pink burger, and nudges him. "Bobby."

He looks to her, eyebrows raised, then to Kitty. "What?"

"I said, 'what are you two doing tonight?'"

"Uh, us two?" He narrows his brows in confusion. "Where are you going to be?" His eyes keep darting to the game.

"She's going to the movies with Will, remember?"

Bobby glares, hockey and burger forgotten. "I don't like him."

Rogue rolls her eyes, irritated. "You've never met him."

"Yeah but," he leans forward to see Kitty better, "you have bad taste in men."

"Says my best friend."

"Exactly. Logan!" Logan looks over as he slides the glass door shut behind him, tray of burgers balanced in his hand. "Do you think Kitty should go out with some guy tonight?"

"Kitty should never go out with anyone. Ever."

Kitty sighs. "Thanks, Logan." She reaches over Rogue to steal one of his chips. "Are you done being overprotective?"

"Never. Rogue and I could go, too, it could be a double date." Both girls scowl and he throws up his hands, "kidding."

The game mutes itself as Scott's voice echoes over the intercom, "all X-Men report to the war room immediately, no uniforms."

…

She remembers when this room used to intimidate her; the cold metal of the walls and round table, the harsh lighting, the massive monitors. The sight of her old professors in uniform, faces serious. Now it feels as much a part of her home as the mansion above. She takes her seat in between Ororo and Hank, the former giving her a warm smile. "How's your first semester going, professor?"

Kitty bites her lip, reflecting. "It feels right… Like the front of the classroom is where I belong."

"That's because it is."

Scott stands and clears his throat, "there's been an update with the Mutant Registration Act."

CNN appears on the monitors showing Senator Kelly at a podium. "I am pleased to announce that the Mutant Registration Act passed the Senate this morning. We are one step closer to this essential bill becoming law. It is vital that the government knows who the mutants are, and above all else, what they can do, for the safety of our nation and its citizens."

The channel switches to a stern anchor, "pro and anti-mutant demonstrations continue to spread to new cities and are expected to increase with the progress of the Mutant Registration Act. Police are concerned that the demonstrations may become violent."

Scott mutes the monitors. "We're now on high alert. Magneto and the Brotherhood will see this, and they'll make a move, soon."

"They're hardly the only problem," Ororo motions toward the screens where footage of demonstrations is now playing, "no mutant will give up their identity voluntarily. These demonstrations will turn violent. Where does the President stand, Hank?"

"He is currently against it, but not strongly. An attack or riot could sway him in favor. A course that now seems inevitable."

Bobby nods to Scott, "so what's the plan?"

"As of right now we don't have one. We don't know Magneto's current location, so we have to wait for him or one of these groups to make the first move."

Kurt flicks his tail, "should we go to these protests? Gather information?"

Jean shakes her head, "we're too well known, we'd only act as a catalyst, and we can't appear anti-government."

Logan grumbles "so we're just going to sit on our asses."

Scott turns off the monitors and raises the lights. "That's all we can do, for now. Afternoon classes start in ten, dismissed."

…

Will's hands dance animatedly as he recounts the time he was fishing for trout and caught a "very big and very angry snapping turtle. I thought he was going to bite through the boat! So my dad's yelling 'cut the line! Cut the line!' But colossus there was already pulling himself up!"

Kitty cannot seem to stop smiling as she watches him. "So what did you do?"

"I grabbed the oar and managed to wrestle him out, but not before he bit through the thing. We had to paddle back with one oar, like a canoe. Took ages."

She laughs and steals a fry from his tray. "I've never been fishing."

He gently takes her hand, thumb brushing over her knuckles. "I'll take you. We can go next weekend, if you want."

"I'd like that."

He smiles. "Then it's a date. Date number four."

"Three people are hospitalized after anti-mutant protestors clash with mutants at a rally."

They both turn to the television at the other end of the food court where footage of people beating a little green girl flashes. Another mutant appears and pulls the people off of her, flinging them away. Will sneers, "mutants."

"What?"

He turns from the television to her, motioning at the screen, "they're dangerous. Abominations."

She pulls her hand away, his skin suddenly burning where it touches hers. "They're people."

He shakes his head, "no, they're not. That's the point."

"I can't believe you're anti-mutant."

Will holds his hands up, face sheepish, "I'm sorry. If it bothers you I won't bring it up again."

She stands, dazed. "I don't think this is going to work."

"No, Kitty, I'm sorry, ok? Look, I really like you. This isn't a big deal, no two people agree on everything."

She grabs her jacket, hand shaking. "It's a big deal to me."

"I get it; you have a friend that's a mutant, or a family member. Is it Marie?"

"It's… it's over."

Will stands, ready to follow, "at least let me drive you home."

She waves him off, already pulling her phone out. "I'm fine."

…

Bobby idly traces shapes into Rogue's shoulder as they watch Warm Bodies, or as she attempts to watch Warm Bodies over Hank and Bobby noisily debating whether there could ever be a mutant zombie.

"But would they be contagious or-"Bobby's pocket vibrates and he pulls his hand from around Rogue to fish his phone out. "It's Kitty. …Hey, what's up? …Yeah, I can come get you. Are you okay? You sure? Okay. I'll leave right now." He hangs up. "She needs a ride from the mall, do you want to come?"

"How does she sound?"

"Fine."

"I'm going to stay, call it an early night."

"Okay."

…

He studies her as she approaches the car. At first glance she looks fine, but he has dealt with an upset Kitty enough over the eight years of their friendship to know when she is not. She shuts the door with too much force, fastens her seatbelt, and stares ahead, only looking at him when he turns off the car. "Movie was that bad, huh?" She gives him a sad smile. "He was rude? Sexist? Hates dogs?"

She lets out a gruff laugh, "he's charming, polite, funny." She swallows. "And he hates mutants."

He reaches over and holds her hand, intertwining their fingers, and she finds comfort in the familiarity of his cool skin.

…

She is running, running, running. 'No, no, no, wake up. Please wake up." The location is different, a deteriorating skyscraper, but the stranger is the same. Instead of phasing forward they phase down, down, down, catching glimpses of mutants, some she knows, most she does not, fighting those giants.

…

They are in an industrial basement; all concrete walls and steel girders, and once again she is kneeling over the stranger's head. This time Bobby is at her side, his head buried in her neck, breath cool against her skin, her back pressed against his chest, his hands spread over her stomach where- 'oh God, it burns! It hurts so bad and I can't-' her hands start to shake as a sob escapes her pressed lips.

"Shh, just a little longer, you're almost there."

"Bobby…" When did dreams ever hurt this much? She feels like she is dying.

"I've got you." He presses his head closer, wraps his arms tighter.

The fire doors in front of them shake once, twice, and she feels him pull away. "Don't, please."

She feels him press a kiss to her head, hears him whisper words that she is not ready to hear, cannot hear over the all-encompassing pain that hits her when he pulls his hands away. She sucks in air through her clenched teeth as spots dance in her vision. Slowly her senses dull enough that she can focus, in time to watch him burn in fire.

"Bobby!"