Magneto walked with his hands clasped tightly together behind his back, up the grass bank towards his new charge, Jean Grey. But she did not so much as turn her head or otherwise give him any indication that she had noticed his arrival.

"Do you remember when we first met?" He asked slowly coming to stand next to her, even just being near her Magneto was astounded at the power that just radiated from the Phoenix. "Do you know what I saw?" He carried on edging closer with a proud smile tugging at his lips "I saw the next stage in evolution, it was what Charles and I dreamt of finding."

He watched her closely for any twitch of acknowledgement, but her face remained an impassive mask, she didn't even blink, she just continued to stare down at the large groups of mutants that made up his Brotherhood, below them.

Magneto smiled "You know I just had the most interesting phone call from an old acquaintance."

The Phoenix remained unmoved by his conversation, her eyes flickered from one mutant to the next, seeming to pay little mind to any of them above a quick glance.

"A marvellously talented mutant by the name of Emma Frost, she called to tell me about a young girl in her charge calle-"

"Anna."

He nodded approvingly "Yes Anna. A mutant gifted with visions of the future."

The Phoenix side eyed him "The future is a fickle, indefinite thing. It changes with the slightest of choices."

"That's what so special about young Anna, she sees an inevitable future where other seers only glimpse at a changeable one."

"There's no such thing as an inevitable future." She replied shifting her glaze back towards his Brotherhood, her tone was even and low, unwavering in its certainty.

Magneto chuckled "Suspend your disbelief my dear, Emma is rarely wrong. Consider instead that the child see the mostly likely of all futures." He placed a worn hand on her shoulder "Besides it is her most recent vision that holds my interest. Do you know what she saw?"

The Phoenix tilted her head and stared at him for a moment before replying "The end."

...

Jubilee impatiently tapped her long, perfectly manicured fingers on her knee, absently humming Nirvana under her breath as she waited for Kitty to finally come out from Rogue's bathroom. "I'm telling you she'll pick the blue one, she keeps going back to the bloody blue one." She muttered to Rogue who was lying on her bed flipping through one of the many fashion magazines Jubilee had brought to her room for Kitty's makeover.

"If you don't like the blue one why did you give it to her to try on?"

"A girl needs options! And I didn't think she would seriously consider it, the dress looks like it belongs on Shirley bloody Temple!" Jubilee huffed, crossing her arms and getting up to pace around Rogue's bedroom.

"Well you certainly gave her enough options, how many dresses has she tried on 15?"

"Yeah and she keeps going back to the bloody blue one." Jubilee grumbled with a roll of her eyes.

Rogue glanced up at her glowering friend "If Kitty wants to wear a ridiculous blue table cloth then let her, it's not hurting anyone" she said trying to pacify the irritated girl.

"It hurts me! I can't let people think I sugges-"

"You know I can hear the two of you right?" Kitty's voice sharply called out from the bathroom making the other two girls wince.

"Sorry Kitty" Rogue sheepishly replied.

"Yes sorry Kitty" Jubilee parroted before continuing in one breath "But I'm serious we shall not be friends if you leave this room wearing that monstrosity, I will not have it said that I allowed my best friend to go out on a date wearing a picnic blanket!"

Rogue raised an eyebrow at the comment and the other girl shrugged her shoulders defensively "It's her best interest I have at heart"

"You are a true philanthropist." Kitty replied dryly as she emerged from the bathroom wearing a black strappy dress and the red heels Jubilee had insisted she pair it with.

"Well this is an improvement" Jubilee claimed and motioned for Kitty to twirl around.

"You don't think the red shoes are a bit much?"

"Oh of course not, they're a statement piece."

"And that statement is what exactly?" Rogue enquired from her place over on the bed.

"That my shoes are bright enough to stop traffic" Kitty responded and Rogue snorted in amusement while Jubilee stared disapprovingly between them.

"Joke all you want, I know what I'm talking about. We just need a little black handbag, a leather jacket and some red lipstick to balance it all out and you'll knock Peter's socks off"

"Is that still an expression?" Kitty asked smiling

"No I think it died out a while ago" Said Rogue with a deadpan expression on her face.

"Oh no! Not so trendy now are we Jubilee?" Kitty teased

Jubilee rolled her eyes at the two of them "The whole point of being of being a trend setter is that I can say and wear whatever I like and the rest of you copy, that's how fashion works."

"Ohhh is that how it works? I'll be sure to remember that." Rogue stated as she climbed off of her bed and made her way over to her wardrobe to fetch a leather jacket for Kitty to borrow. It took a second of rummaging to find it buried at the very back of the closet and she hummed in satisfaction that it wasn't creased, while Jubilee fiddled with the straps of Kitty's dress, trying to make them sit properly and symmetrically on her narrow shoulders until Kitty finally grew tired of her faffing and swatted her hands away.

Rogue handed her the jacket and she slipped it on quickly then wandered over to the full length mirror on the closet door.

"Okay you just need a little handbag or a clutch bag"

"I have a black clutch bag I could use" answered Kitty as she checked out the outfit, twirling left and right to see every angle.

"Good. Do you like the dress? Please don't say you like the blue one still" Jubilee questioned in a whine

"Yes I like this dress, I'll probably wear it tonight, I'm just not sure about the shoes"

Jubilee groaned throwing her head back in despair "Please just trust me and wear them they look great, just put on some red lipstick when you do your makeup to balance it"

"You look great Kitty, you really do" Rogue assured her as she sat back down on her bed.

Kitty then nodded to herself, checking her appearance once more in the mirror before inhaling "Okay, Thank you. Thanks both of you, I better go do my hair and face or I'm going to have no time, it's already nearly six." Kitty waved to both of them and hurried out of the room as the other two wished her good luck.

Rogue laid back on the bed, and threw her right arm over her eyes "God that took forever, I'm exhausted."

"Not too exhausted I hope?" Jubilee grinned "Because now it's our turn."

Rogue frowned and lifted her arm away, disliking the mischievous gleam in the other girl's eyes "What are you talking about?"

"We are going out on the town. A whole group of us actually"

Her frown deepen "Who's we? I don't want to go out Jubilee, not now"

"Oh don't be such a sour puss! It's you, me, Bobby, Graham, Theresa and that blue blooded looking kid Warren, we're only going to a bar that's at most 10 minutes away we won't even need to get a cab."

"I don't know, with everything that's happening right now it doesn't seem like a good idea" Rogue mumbled

Jubilee tutted as she ruffled through the messy pile of dresses Kitty had left on Rogue's floor "The bar is mutant friendly, it will be fine. Besides I could definitely use a drink and so could you. It will be fun" she then stopped what she was doing and turned to look at Rogue with mock seriousness "You do remember fun don't you?"

"Vaguely"

"Well, all the more reason to go and I have the perfect dress for you!" She exclaimed holding up a dark burgundy dress with a plunging neckline.

"I can't wear that!" Rogue gasped

"Jesus you're worse that Kitty" her friend muttered seemingly more to herself than to Rogue.

"Kitty doesn't have skin that can put someone in a coma"

"No but you can wear gloves, a jacket and some tights. It will be fine." Jubilee repeated and she brought the dress over to Rogue.

"What about the gapping neckline?" Rogue commented

"If someone is touching you there without your permission, then they deserve to be put in a coma."

….

They finally made it too the bar for eight, it had taken Jubilee twenty odd minutes to convince Rogue that she should come out and another thirty to convince her that she should wear that ridiculous red dress. However despite her initial reluctance Rogue would admit that she was having a good time. It hadn't been that busy when they first arrived but within an hour or so it was packed to the brim with mutants and humans alike, all getting along with relatively ease. The bar's notorious mutant friendly environment and zero tolerance for violence meant that Rogue and the others could relax in the knowledge that they would not be ridiculed or judged in this particular setting.

There was a lively atmosphere amongst the students, with Bobby and Theresa playing a very competitive game of darts towards the back end of the large bar and Graham trying desperately to put the moves on some of the blonde haired girls by the juke box with increasingly sleazy lines, making Jubilee cringe and snort in amusement.

Rogue was sat on the bar's tatty, green leather sofas with Warren and Jubilee opposite her, watching on at Graham's pathetic display with growing mirth.

"God it's embarrassing, you'd think he'd figure out that none of them are interested"

"I don't know, one of those ladies might find him charming, even if you don't." Warren put forth politely as he sipped at his scotch, his eyes twinkling at the girl sat next to him.

Jubilee nearly howled, throwing her head back in glee "Warren if Graham actually pulls a girl tonight I'll give you a hundred bucks!"

He smiled back at her and sweetly husked "A gentleman never takes money from a lady."

Rogue could have sworn she saw a blush tint her friend's cheeks, it was so unlike Jubilee to get flustered over a guy but within the few weeks since Warren had arrived at the mansion he had seemed to have developed an almost magical effect on Jubilee that with every smile and kind word reduced the usually self-assured girl into a puddle of nervous giddiness.

Not that Rogue thought this was bad, no if anything it was nice to see her best friend meet a guy that made her that excitedly nervous. She deserved some attention and while Jubilee had no shortage of male attention back at the mansion none of it had ever seem to garner any real enthusiasm from her. But Warren with his soft smile, compassionate eyes and gentlemanly manners had definitely won Jubilee's interest.

"No? Well how about this; if Graham gets a phone number from one of those girls before the night is over you own me a dance?"

He shook his head "No I'm afraid that doesn't suit me either."

"And why not?" Jubilee asked cocking a brow

"Because then I have to wait all night for Graham in order to dance with you."

Rogue smiled as Jubilee grinned and grabbed Warren's hand. "No you don't" she stated and she pulled him up to stand "Rogue can you watch my purse?"

Rogue nodded and watched as her friend skipped off towards the makeshift dance floor with Warren following eagerly behind. There was a dull pang in her chest at the sight of the two of them beaming happily at each other as they began to dance, it wasn't hard for her to figure out why, she was lonely, simple as that. The past few months had seen her lose both her boyfriend and his best friend, the boy she should have never allowed herself to fall for.

She didn't know if she had truly started to fall for John before he left, but it had certainly felt like it. She had been ready to leave Bobby, a boy who had only ever treated her with utter respect, for him. She had been completely consumed by John, entirely absorbed in way she never had been with anyone else, not even in her brief infatuation with Logan. Then when he left something inside her fell apart and no matter how she tried to move past it, that something remained in pieces.

She continued to observe her as friends dance together amongst a mass of others, all the while the pang in her chest continued to grow until she had to look away. She didn't want to turn into one of those people who became bitter at other people's happiness, her mother had been like that and Rogue stubbornly refused to become anything like her mother.

Sighing she rose from the low sofa placing both the small, black purses on the coffee table over her shoulder and picked up her, Warren and Jubilee's empty glasses and carried them over to the bar, gently shoving the heaving crowd out of her way with her elbows. She placed the glasses down as gently as she could and patiently waited for one of the five bartenders to serve her.

Rogue didn't have to wait too long as a tall, red haired barmaid sashayed over to her and smiled rather friendlily at her "What can I get for you honey?" her voice was almost overly light and bubbly making Rogue wonder just how much energy it took to keep it that way.

"Just another JD and coke please" she answered, her own voice sounding several pitches lower that the red head "Actually wait, I'll have a bottle of Budweiser please." A bottled drink she could take outside, and she was starting to crave fresh air.

"Sure thing."

Rogue nibbled on her lower lip as she watched the barmaid grab the bottle from one of the small fridges and pop the lid off placing it on the bar "There you go my lovely, that's $3.80"

She handed the money over with a mumbled "Thank you" and shook her head when the girl asked if she wanted a straw.

She took a long swig of the beer as she wandered out the front entrance of the bar. The outside was deserted as most of the bar's patrons used the back garden as the smoking area. Rogue walked down the sidewalk a little distance and leaned back against the cool brick wall of the establishment, closing her eyes and taking a deep breath. She didn't know what was wrong with her, why she couldn't seem to let herself go and have a bit of fun for more than five minutes at a time without needing to go off for little breaks.

There's nothing wrong with me she decided, she was just stressed and there was nothing wrong with that, everyone had been stressed recently and with good reason, this was just simply how she dealt with it. She would go back inside in a minute she just a moment to breathe.

"Not having fun?"

Rogue did not open her eyes, she didn't even move, she wouldn't allow him to think he had any effect on her anymore. She shouldn't have been surprised to see him not really, he always used to come to this bar with his fake ID before he left, but she was surprised. Perhaps because she never assumed that after everything that had happened that he would come back to a place so close to home.

"Come to burn down another building Pyro?" She asked, slowly opening her eyes and looking over at him. John was stood a few feet away from her with his hands in his pockets and his feet spread apart.

"Not tonight."

Rogue laughed dryly "No? No innocent people you need to scorch alive."

He didn't even so much as blink at her words, she didn't think she could be any more horrified at what he had done but the fact that he seemed so unperturbed by it was nearly terrifying.

John's eyes trailed down her form taking her in and Rogue glared at him. "Jubilee dress you?" He enquired with a nod to her outfit.

She looked away and he chuckled "I'll take that as a yes. I assume it was her idea for you to come out tonight too."

"She thought it would be good for a group of us to get out, have a little evening away from all the horror and destruction your boss has brought down upon everyone." She spit out harshly

"So who's in there then?" John asked completely ignoring her dig at Magneto, his eyes now locked on the entrance of the bar.

She wondered if he was worried that one of them would suddenly come out and give the traitor the greeting he deserved. He didn't look worried, in fact his face hadn't changed from the blank expression of indifference it had worn throughout their whole conversation.

"Bobby, Graham, Theresa, this new guy Warren and Jubilee of course." She watched in satisfaction as John's face twitched in annoyance at the mention of Bobby's name, the first bit of emotion he had shown since they had started speaking.

He took a step towards her and she flinched, which made him pause mid step, he frowned slightly before sneering "So it's like that now?"

"It didn't have to be, you made it that way"

John stared hard at her "You don't understand, you never did" and then he gave her that look again, the same disappointed glance he had thrown her as he left the jet.

Rogue felt a fury burn through her body at the sight of it and she launched herself from the wall at him "Yes I remember!" she hissed in his face "You're a god among insects isn't that it?"

He smirked "Yes. That's exactly it"

Her nostrils flared, she was trembling with anger and the urge to strike him across his smug face. The worst thing was she was doing precisely what she had sworn she wouldn't, she was letting him get to her. Frustration bubbled up inside of her. "Leave John, go back to your gang of criminals and stay away!"

"No, I don't think I will. Perhaps I'll go inside and see Drake, his probably missed his old friend" he side stepped her sharply and made to go towards the bar's entrance.

Rogue seized his arm firmly in her gloved hand forcing him to look back her. "You leave Bobby alone" she practically snarled.

John just proceeded to smirk infuriatingly at her, there was a stinging familiarity to it, a harsh reminder of times past, never to return. There was that pain in her chest again but she adamantly refused to acknowledge it.

"Don't worry I'm not going to start a fight with your boyfriend, I just want to say hi" he teased, his smirk growing in its cruelty.

She abruptly let go of his arm "Fine go say hello, it's not like you'd win in a fight anyway, there are dozens of mutants in there who hate you and your boss" and with that she turned, threw her beer into the dumpster and started hastily walking down the street. The sound of her high heels echoing loudly in her ears. She knew he'd follow her, however she experienced little satisfaction at being right as he stormed furiously up to her and roughly manhandled her into the narrow alley to their right.

Rogue shoved at him, frantically trying to break his hold on her as he pulled her roughly up against his body. "Let go of me" she growled locking her glaze with his. It was so much darker in the alley than it had been back on the street, but even in the darkness she could see the fire dancing wildly around in his eyes.

"You've always been so very good at playing the victim haven't you Rogue?" He taunted.

"Go to Hell!" She hated him, she really did and when he reached forward and kissed her she kissed him back with equal fervour. It was stupid, she was well aware of that, to even entertain the thought of kissing him after all he had done was ridiculous and terrible. But here she was acting like a total irresponsible idiot because despite everything, all the pain and betrayal and heartache it felt right, it felt like coming home.

John was unyielding in his kisses, each one feeling like both a punishment and a desperate plea for forgiveness, and she could feel her eyes becoming wet from the intensity of it all. It had to stop, she couldn't be this person, this selfish, reckless person, and she didn't want to be. Rogue knew she needed to leave, to get as far away from him as possible but she didn't know how. How to end it, to break away and make him keep the distance. He kissed her with a passion that made her head spin, with each passing moment she could feel her resolve slipping away far beyond her reach.

She became distantly aware of him walking her backwards until she hit something solid behind her. She broke away desperately gulping in lungful's of air as he stared back at her, his eyes trailing down her body appraisingly. His fingers lightly grazed her stomach making her quiver "Did Drake like you in this dress?" he asked roughly.

Rogue swallowed, her eyes flickering between his own dark ones "I..I don't know, he didn't say"

"Isn't that the type of thing a guy usually tells his girlfriend?" he groused.

He doesn't know she realised, but then of course he didn't, how could he? He had left that morning and she'd only seen him once since then and it had hardly been the right environment to tell him. Truthfully she wasn't even sure he deserved to know, what possible reason should she have to tell him? It wasn't like he was ever coming back. However it seemed wrong not to say now, given the fact they had been kissing all moments ago.

"Bobby's not…I mean..I broke up with him." The words felt heavy as they fell from her lips.

John's eyes widen slightly and he nearly stepped back "When?"

"The day after Alkali Lake, when we got back to the mansion." She took great satisfaction at the look that crossed his face then, a mix between surprise and stunned wonder.

"You never sai-"

"You never asked, you just assumed like you always do" she interrupted still enjoying how utter bewildered he looked. Good! She thought it serves him right, he had always thought that he knew everything, knew better than everyone else, well now she had proven him wrong and it felt just bloody wonderful.

"What did you tell him?" John asked, his hand sliding from her stomach to grasp her waist.

"I didn't tell him about what happened at the campsite, there was no point, you were gone and I didn't want to hurt him for no reason." Rogue stated firmly, staring at his chest almost afraid to look up and see his reaction, not that she thought that she was in anyway wrong, Bobby was a good guy it wouldn't have been fair to hurt him when it served no purpose. It wasn't like she and John had gotten together after, no John had just walked out on them.

She saw him nod and looked up, there was something akin to regret in his eyes but it was gone in an instant. But even the brief glimpse of it was so incredibly foreign on John Allerdyce's face that it was shocking. She didn't know what to say to him, there were many things that she would have liked to have said but nothing seemed appropriate in that moment, least of all the thing she found she most wanted to say 'come home'.

Rogue was startled to find she was crying, tears slipping delicately down her face to drop one by one onto her chest. John lifted his hand and used his thumb to brush away the wetness on her face with surprising tenderness. Her lips parted and with a shaky breath she whispered "I miss you."

His face was a riot of emotions, each one just as intense as the one that preceded it. He leaned forward then and kissed her once more with an urgency that his previous kiss had lacked. She wished she could say she hesitated, but alas she didn't, not even for a second. Their lips moved together in a frenzied dance that left her breathless and aching, her gloved hands running through his bleached hair as he pressed himself closer against her body.

All the while a small voice whispered inside her head that she shouldn't be doing this.