AN: I do not own anything that is X-men.

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IMPERFECT ELEMENTS CH 10

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Pyro stepped in her tent, made sure the zipper was zipped shut, and pulled the chair in the corner over by her bed. He looked her over. She already looked worlds better than she had when he last saw her. The purple almost bruise-like circles under her eyes were barely there, and her skin had they healthy glow back to it. She curled over on her side facing him, but closer to the tent wall, so he vacated the chair and climbed in beside her after kicking his shoes. Pyro wrapped his arms around her and she curled into him, her face against his chest. She took a deep breath and sighed.

"John." she whispered, sounding happier than he had heard in weeks. A small smile lit up her face and suddenly it seemed like he hadn't seen her in weeks, that this was a reunion of sorts. Sure he had seen her every day, but they had not been together in any of that time. Their time had all gone to helping Magneto, and he wished he didn't have any news to tell her and that they could lay in the bed like this forever. He kissed her forehead, her eyelids, cheeks, nose, and then finally her lips. He let his mouth linger against hers for a moment, savoring the softness of her plump lips against his own. Her lips began to move against his and he smiled into the kiss. Her mouth opened, allowing him access to her sweet mouth. Raze curled her fingers around his collar and pulled their bodies flush. He broke off to kiss down her smooth skin, and she gasped. "Oh, Pyro." she called softly. "What a lovely way to be woken up." she speculated with a devilish smirk. He then stopped as he realized what he was supposed to be doing. She noticed his sudden change, and was immediately serious. "Johnny, what's wrong?" she asked. She was the only one he would ever let calm him that, just like he was the only one who could call her Aidan, it was an unspoken agreement.

"I have some bad news, but I want you to promise not to take it out on me. I am only the messenger, it's not my fault." he started and she was immediately on edge.

"Why do they always send you with bad news. Every now and then I would like for them to send an expendable messenger so I could blast them." she grumbled. "And no, you are not expendable." she said, answering his question before he even had time to think it. He grinned and placed a chaste kiss on her lips before pulling her into a soft hug.

"So you won't blast me?"

"Of course not, love."

"Well, we went to break Mystique out, and we broke the other mutant prisoners out as well. As we were talking to the last guy, one of the cops stands up with a gun and aims it at Magneto. Mystique sees this and jumped in the way of the bullet." Raze gasped and started to speak at this but he silenced her with a finger over her mouth. "But it was a cure bullet." He watched her, removed his finger so she could speak if she wanted to. She just frowned and looked up at him.

"So she's human." she asked and Pyro nodded, "She's human, and they are using the fucking cure AS A WEAPON!" She nearly screamed and Pyro nodded again. "Where is she?" Pyro licked his lips tentatively.

"I don't know. Magneto left her on the truck." he waited for the screaming and the yelling, for what seemed like forever, with his eyes closed. He didn't expect what he saw when he opened his eyes. Raze had her hands up over her face, covering them, though he could still see the thick stream of tears glisten on her cheeks. He frowned slightly and pulled her to his chest again. She grabbed on to his shirt and cried as he rubbed the back of her head, running his fingers through her hair. They stayed in that position even after her tears dried, neither wanting to leave the comfort of the other's embrace for very different reasons. Raze was the first to speak around the two hour mark.

"Why did he leave her there?" she asked softly. Pyro looked down at her and leaned his cheek on her head.

"He said that she wasn't one of us anymore." he muttered. Raze buried her face in his shirt and sighed.

"She was the closest thing to a mother I have had in so long." she whispered, he had to strain to hear what she said.

"I know, Aidan." he comforted.

"Johnny?" she seemed unsure of herself.

"Yeah babe?" he asked.

"You won't leave me right? If that happens? You won't abandon me?" Pyro pushed her back a little so he could see her face. Her cheeks were scarlet red and her eyes were bloodshot, but what he saw in her eyes was what bothered him. She was terrified. Terrified that he would leave her if she got shot by a cure gun. He cupped her cheek in his hand and smiled at her before giving her a soft kiss on the lips, so gentle and sensuous that it surprised even him.

"I couldn't leave you if I tried." he said just above a whisper as he wiped her hair out of her face. "I love you too much to leave you." She looked at him, her eyes wide and suddenly her face lit in the most beautiful smile he had ever seen.

"Really?" she asked, causing him to analyze his last sentence. Only then did he realize he had told her he loved her. It felt so natural to say it, that he didn't even think twice about it. He smiled at her.

"Always, Raze Aidan Claral Day" he replied. She looked up at him and smiled that smile again.

"And I love you, Pyro St. John Allerdyce." she replied. He felt his heart flutter as she said the words, as he kissed her again, his lips moving softly against her own. He knew in that moment, nothing else mattered except keeping her safe. He would help Magneto, as long as thats what Raze wanted, and he would protect her with all that he had. He closed his eyes, and gave in to her as she moved up to straddle his waist, her lips staying in contact with his and her hands on his chest. He felt her power shift out from her body and envelope them so he opened his eyes, and what he saw above him was so ethereal he though she had turned into an angel. Raze's skin turned a lovely shimmering ivory, while her hair a very pale honey gold. Her eyes were now a deep violet that faded into oddly enough a baby pink. She still had the gold rim around her pupil. He tucked a lock of hair behind her ear and smiled, when he suddenly noticed the roof of the tent was a lot closer than it should have been.

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Raze giggled at the look on Pyro's face. He was bewildered, and he had yet to notice that they were hovering off the ground.

"I know what my special power in air form it." she said softly, as she bent down to kiss his Adam's apple. She felt him shudder beneath her.

"Oh?" he asked. Raze smirked against his throat and she used her power to switch them around so he was hovering on top and she was on bottom. "Wow." he gasped and swallowed a couple times.

"I understand the relevance, do you?" she asked. He looked into her eyes and shook his head.

"When I realized I was in love with you, and my feelings were reciprocated, I felt so light at heart and carefree. Flying has been known to provoke the same feelings." she explained.

"So, in order to fly, you just have to channel your love." He stated and smiled. She nibbled his neck. Pyro groaned, and grasped handfuls of her hair and pulled her mouth to his. He kissed her hungrily, his tongue devouring every inch of her mouth. She smirked, they were in for a long night.

-The next morning-

Raze felt a warm arm over her bare waist. She turned over in the bed and looked up at a sleeping Pyro. He looked so sweet when he was asleep, perfect. She traced small insignificant circles on his chest before splaying her fingers out across it, basking in his warmth. His breathing picked up and she felt his gaze on her before she even looked up. She could tell exactly where he was looking, because his gaze felt just like a touch of warmth spreading over her.

"Morning, sleepyhead." she smiled up at him and he bent down to place a chaste kiss on her lips.

"Morning." their blissful morning was cut short by Psylocke barging into the tent.

"Morning, guys! Wow, Raze, you look ravishing. I told you a good night's sleep would do wonders for your color." she exclaimed, and Raze didn't miss the insinuating wiggles of her eyebrows. Raze chuckled.

"What is it, Psy, and why are you barging into my tent unannounced." Raze laughed out as Pyro made sure they was fully covered by the blanket. The shadow walker looked at her for a moment, she seemed stunned. "What is it, Psylocke?" she asked, a bit worried at her reaction. Psylocke laughed slightly.

"Nothing, it's silly." she replied. Raze quirked her eyebrow up and gave her a silent look that told her she wasn't getting out of that. Psylocke chuckled nervously before she remembered why she was here. "Oh! I almost forgot, Magneto came back, and he has a woman named Jean Gray, I thought you might want to know. He said she was a teacher of yours or something. And Magneto needs to see you both. I think it's got to do with the cure clinics. I'll leave and let you get dressed now." she winked at the couple for walking out.
"What's her deal?" Pyro asked. Raze shook her head.

"I don't quite know. Oh well, we can discuss Psycho later, what about Jean? I thought she died." Raze replied as she stood to pull her clothes on. Pyro shrugged.

"I guess not, but if Jean was the mutant Magneto was going after yesterday, she's freakishly strong. Class 5 mutant." he said and Raze's mouth dropped open.

"Oh wow. That's outrageous!" she exclaimed. "Okay, I'm gonna see if I can grab some food for us. I'll meet you at Magneto's den?" Pyro nodded.

"Sounds great." he replied as he stood and started to get dressed.

-0-

Pyro was waiting for Raze, just as he had been for the past ten minutes, outside Magneto's den. He had already spoken to Magneto, and had their orders. He was just waiting on Raze. He was starting to wonder where she was, and was getting very annoyed. Callisto ran over to him and stopped.

"You may want to go help your girlfriend out. Jean Gray, or should I say The phoenix has decided she doesn't like her."

"What'd she do?"

"Ask her how she's been." Callisto replied, and it was just dripping with sincerity.

"Good God." he muttered. "Tell Magneto we need him." He took off running in the direction Callisto had pointed until he saw fiery red hair whipping around and a earth transformed Raze slammed against a tree. "What's going on?" he asked, loudly enough so Jean would hear him, and not be startled by him. Jean didn't speak she only continued to glare at Raze, who turned her eyes to Pyro. He was trying to silently ask her why she transformed at all.

"The only thing that is keeping me from being ripped apart is this form." she yelled, and the force seemed to hold her tighter. Magneto was behind him in a moment and walking up to Jean.

"What happened?" Magneto asked, "Why are you attacking one of my best hands?" he asked and Jean glared at him but her hold released and Raze fell to the ground, her skin fading back to the normal, where Pyro rushed to help her up.

"I didn't know she wasn't Jean anymore." Raze said as she threw her arm around Pyro's shoulder and he helped her walk. She needed to transform into her water form, but there was no way he was chancing it this close to Jean. "No one told me that much, and Jean was always one who tried to help me with my other transformations, so I wanted to show her the progress I've made. I was going to show her my air form." she explained and then looked at jean, who was still glaring at her. Raze just looked down sadly and Pyro helped her away. "It's a shame. Jean was so nice." she muttered. Pyro rubbed her back.

"Transform now, I don't want you hurt." he said and she obliged. She swallowed a gulp of water that had formed in her mouth. That was one thing she couldn't get used to. She was constantly swallowing to get rid of the water that just spontaneously ends up there. She immediately felt any wounds or sore spots she had diminish and she saw Magneto coming over the hill. He locked eyes with Raze.

"Are you alright, child?" he asked.

"A couple more minutes in this form and I'll be good as new." she smiled brightly, as if to prove it. Magneto nodded.

"Now, we must not approach Jean. As you have figured out, she is most definitely not the self she used to be, she is someone else. Okay?" Raze nodded.

"It won't happen again." she swallowed again and rubbed her hand across her face.

"Good, I don't want to lose either of you." he said as he walked off. Pyro sighed and Raze transformed back into her air form. She drew Pyro into a hug.

"Come on, babe, we'll fly a little bit." she said as she lifted off.

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