Disclaimer: The characters and concepts of X-Men are owned by 20th Century Fox, creator Stan Lee and Marvel comics. I own nothing and this is just for fun!
- Chapter 4 -
Today was the first day John had been going to school and was not totally worn out afterwards. Sports had been a brake of cause. With his broken leg he could hardly play basketball like the rest. So he had just watched them running around.
Now he was sitting with Kitty in the library, trying to catch up a year spent with the Brotherhood. On today's agenda was history, of the humans of cause. Something about the civil war. He was not paying much attention to it and that was driving Kitty up the wall, or so to speak.
They were alone in the library, everybody else was out in the sun. John could not blame them. His own attention was elsewhere. Partly because the subject was not entertaining, partly because today could be the day his future was decided. And he was sitting here, learning history. What a joke.
The door opened and Storm came though it.
He could tell from her face that something was wrong. John sat up strait, waiting for her to speak.
"Kitty, could you leave us and please close the door, so that we are not disturbed."
John could see Kitty watching him. He hoped it was not pity he saw in that look.
"Yes of cause. See you at dinner, John."
John just nodded. That had to be seen. Maybe they would pick him up before dinner.
After she left there was a long pause. Finally John could not stand it any more. He had never been good at these silences.
"And, are they coming to get me today?"
Storm looked up.
"No, John. But I´m sorry that it is still not decided."
She was lost in her thoughts for a moment and John was relieved. And suddenly he realised that he wanted to stay here. That he was getting used to it again. That he wanted this second chance the X-Men were so generously offering. Even if he was by heart still Brotherhood.
"Hank told me that it was difficult. That the president wanted to sent his special forces to arrest you at once... Hank had to play heavily on the youth card. That your are just a little bit older then a minor and you had been seduced by Magneto when you still were. And how it would look to the mutant community if you would be sentenced to a lifelong imprisonment..." She made a short break. "And then there was this position, the President wanted Hank to take..."
She looked into the distance. Maybe wishing that the professor were still here, guiding them.
"He has not decided yet. He wants to think about it. But he has told his chief of security that you are here. They will already have started watching the school. So the cat is out of the bag."
"Then we wait?"
"Yes, there is nothing more to do than that. Maybe if he waits long enough your leg will be heeled... There are still some ways out of here that they know nothing about."
He was surprised. Was she suggesting what he thought she did? That she would encourage him to run, if it came down to it?
She stood up.
"When I know more, I will tell you what will happen. Hank will have to tell him about the position in a week, so maybe we will know then."
And then he was sitting alone in the library. He had about one hour until dinner would start. He looked out of the window, watching some of the others playing around.
Finally he sighed and took the history book. When he was going to stay around, he should at least offer his best efforts.
There was a knock on the door. Who would want to join him? But on the other side, this was the library of the whole school. Maybe someone simply needed a bock.
"Come in."
He looked up to see this kid, Jimmy coming into the room.
"Why are you not out there with the others?"
This kid had been hardly longer here then him. John doubted that he needed a book for a homework already. So why was he here with him?
"I saw them coming out of here and... I do not know many people in this house and you seemed nice."
Had he eaten something, he would have choked on it. As it were, he just gaped at the kid. Finally he found an answer.
"You know, Jimmy, I´m not a nice guy. On the contrary, I´m the bad guy around here. I even tried to kill you a few days ago. You should really stick to someone else."
The kid seemed to have no survival instinct, because he stayed right where he was.
"Why were you there to kill me? Nobody told me. I thought the cure was for the mutants that wanted it and it would make them happy."
Maybe that really was what they had told the kid. So that he would not hate himself. John considered his answer carefully. And asked himself why he was doing this in the first place.
"Maybe at first they invented it to do good... But nearly everything that is good, can also be used as a weapon. Look at our powers. Mine is the one to manipulate fire. I could be the best fire-fighter in the world. No fire could hold against me. But I use my abilities to hurt and fight and burn."
John paused for a moment. He knew this was right.
"As soon as the government understood the cure, they did put it in their weapons... We of the Brotherhood could not allow that."
John was lost in thought, thinking of Mystique and how she was faring now.
"The mutant who brought us the news that you were the source of the cure got shot shortly afterwards. Shot with a cure gun. It was hard to watch her transformation..."
"You were close to her?" Jimmy asked in a low voice.
"Yes, you can say that. She picked me up when I first got into the Brotherhood and showed me the way it went. And protected me from some of the others... I wonder how she is faring now."
"She is not dead?"
"No, I don´t think she is. But now she is just human."
They felt silent for a moment.
"But you like her just the same."
"Yes."
Jimmy got up, looking around for a book. After he got one, he sat down in an armchair across from John.
"Would you hurt me now?"
Now that he knew the kid and Jimmy was not some random stranger who stood in the way of the Brotherhood? Now that the kid had a name and a face and a voice? Yes, he had killed in the fight already. Killed the guy who had cured Mystique. Killed in rage over her turning.
But he had not reached this one point yet. The point of being a cold blooded killer.
"No, I don´t think I can."
"Good. I like you, too."
And with that he began to read. And after some moments John finally did the same with his history school book.
He was walking back to the dining-room. Jimmy had left a few minutes ago and he should be going there, too. He wondered a little where Bobby was today. Normally by this time he would be somewhere around.
He walked along the halls and suddenly he saw them. Rouge and Bobby.
In the first moment he thought nothing of it. He had seen them so often together.
And then it hit him. He had not seen her over the last days. As if she had not been at the mansion at all. And she was not wearing her gloves as usual. And then he remembered the day when he had blown up to clinic. Bobby had been there, looking for his girlfriend. The girlfriend who wanted the cure.
She had really done it. She had taken the cure, willingly.
John was shocked. And did not knew how to react.
She had been a kind of friend before. But how could she? How could she betray them this way?
Bobby and Rouge had recognised him and waited for him to do something.
John had it not in him to be nice, say hello and go back to business as usual. He just could not. So he walked past them. Out of the corner of his eyes he could see their hurt. And he nearly turned around to say sorry, but no, not to such a traitor.
So he went into the dinning-room and helped himself to something to eat as good as he could.
He sat down beside Kitty and wanted to start eating. Then he realised that the girl beside him was nearly crying. She had obviously heard the news before him.
He looked around and started to shift in his seat. This was too much for him. He did not like to be caught in the middle of such a chaos. But if he went to another table now, this would be too much of a cowardice. So he felt a little helpless.
And then they both were coming, walking right to their table without any hesitation.
Bobby was looking very grim and had his gaze directed right at John. As if John had hurt Rouge with his dismissal.
But why should she take it to her heart? He had never been her favourite, just allowed to hang around because he had been Bobby´s friend. And Bobby had always been the nice one. Not letting his friends down because he was in love.
John looked away, not wanting a confrontation with Bobby now. Not when he was not sure about his own feelings in this matter.
He cast a glance at Kitty again. Where was this Doug-guy when she needed him? And where had this thought suddenly come from? As if he cared for her.
He watched her smile a brave smile at Bobby and Rouge. Trying to appear not to be hurt by the sudden reunion.
"Rouge, how wonderful that you are back. How are you feeling?"
Rouge tried to smile, but she was not too sure of herself and her new position at the school. So she moved even closer to Bobby.
"I feel good. I can touch people now..."
Kitty smiled again but obviously found nothing to say to that.
The silence at the table was awkward. Everybody was focused on that little drama. Until Jubilee and her new friend Shiro came in to eat. She was amped at the sight of Rouge without any gloves, ready to touch and through her arms around her. Her friend did not seem to share the notion.
John could see what that was doing to Kitty and felt sorry for her. Out of a sudden idea he brushed her hand with his. As she looked at him in surprise he smiled. Just so slightly.
Then he turned back to his meal. Deciding that he was hungry enough to not care about the spectacle around him.
But he was sure that he was going to pay for his shunning of Rouge when he was back in his room. His relation with Bobby had been on the mend the last days. At least when they were in their room they nearly had been back to their old ways. It was quite possible that Bobby would voice his displeasure over Johns behaviour towards Rouge. And then what?
John did not know, but he was worried that he either had to cave in at one point or he would be ignored from now on. John did not know, which alternative would be preferable to the other. He hoped he had at least still his coaching with Kitty or he would have nobody to talk to any more.
