Authors note: Ok...we have reached the second film. Now I'm gonna go out on a limb here and say that I presume that you have all seen the film and so I don't have to go and write all the scenes from it? I may lift bits but will add in thoughts and maybe little scenes in between but I don't wanna go writing the whole film out again...
Oh, and where I have lifted bits straight from the film, I've tried to get them accurate, but there's only so many times I can pause the film without getting bored!
Disclaimer: Some of this chapter is lifted straight from the film, so obviously not even the plot is mine. There.
Chapter Eight: Nothing To Lose: Part I
(X-Men 2 – the morning of the visit to the museum)
The street was quiet. It was midday, midweek; the men were at work, the women were doing their chores and the children were in school...or all except two.
In the back garden of the Allerdyce household, two boys sat with beers in hand, throwing their recently obtained report cards and detention notices into a small bonfire of garage junk and lawn mower petrol. The taller of the two – older by a little over a year – threw his last report into the fire, pulling a face as he mockingly imitated the teacher handing it out to him. The younger boy laughed heartily, almost choking as he took a swig of his beer. Neither noticed the small fire next to them flare up briefly. Having finished mocking the teachers, the older boy moved quickly onto moaning about his girlfriend. His friend just nodded and agreed with whatever it was he said about the busty bimbo. That's what straight mates do isn't it? Because that's what he was, after all, they'd only kissed twice...
"How's your neck?" the older boy broke the silence that fell over the two, reaching across and running his hand under the other boys hair, along the base of his neck. John let out an uneasy laugh, taking another swig of beer as he shrugged, trying to cover up the shiver that ran down his spine.
"Oh, it wasn't as bad as it looked," he mumbled. "What about you? My dad go see your dad?"
Taylor laughed.
"Yup, but I'm bigger than my dad," the older boy's hand lingered on John's neck as he smirked and finished his beer, throwing the bottle into the fire. The smirk faded as he looked back at the younger boy, his bright blue eyes growing concerned. "Things alright now?"
"As alright as they'll ever be," John mumbled. "Although he says you're a bad influence and I am to stay away from you from now on."
"Oh really?" Taylor raised an eyebrow, running his hand down John's spine, leaning forward to whisper in his ear; "Well, I guess we'll have to be more careful in future then."
The smaller boy had no chance to reply as the hand on his back ran up around his neck, pulling him back into a deep, passionate kiss. John let out a moan as he turned and slipped one arm around Taylor, the other awkwardly still holding his bottle of beer. Smiling into the kiss, Taylor reached round and grabbed the bottle, throwing it into the fire as he pushed John to the ground, allowing the other boy to wrap both arms around his neck, pulling him down on top of him. As he pulled however, the smaller boy flipped the two over, grinning down at the surprised face below him.
"Just because you're bigger," John leant over and ran his smirking lips across Taylor's neck. "And just because you're older," his lips travelled up towards the other boys ear. "It does not mean you get to call the shots."
"Oh does it not?" Taylor too grinned, grabbing John's hair and bringing his lips back to his. He allowed the smaller boy a couple of minutes on top before easily flipping him back onto his back, straddling his hips and pinning him down completely. "See I think it does."
John's objections were easily cut off by yet another kiss.
"Fine..." he muttered as they parted, Taylor's lips moving swiftly to the base of John's neck, coaxing a soft moan.
"Did I tell you I dumped my girlfriend?" Taylor asked suddenly, his mouth never moving from John's neck. John opened his eyes, staring up at the sky above as he tried to quell the flutter in his stomach.
"No, you never mentioned it," he replied as casually as he could.
"Well I did," Taylor stated absently, running his hands down John's sides, his lips running up his neck. "I told her I'd found someone else."
"Did you now?" John suppressed a gasp as Taylor's breath tickled over his ear. "And what did she say to that?"
"Oh, she tried to guess who it was," warm lips traced along John's chin. "She had it her head that it was some blue eyed, blonde haired bimbo."
"Really?" John's voice was little more than a moan as he involuntarily closed his eyes, Taylor's lips finding a rather sensitive spot where his neck met his shoulder.
"Yeah, but I set her straight. Told her I have my eye on a brown eyed brunette," finally Taylor lifted his head, running his hands through the other boys floppy brown hair. John opened his eyes to find Taylor smirking down at him mischievously. "I didn't argue with her about the bimbo part though."
"Dick," John muttered, but a smile graced his lips as he ran his own hands through Taylor's hair, reaching up and capturing the other boys' lips. Neither noticed the small bonfire next to them flare up, doubling in size, nor did they notice the small fireballs jumping away from the bonfire, drawn towards the younger of the two, dissipating before they actually reached their target. With each jump however, the fireballs got bigger...and closer...
John's eyes flew open, sweat beading down his face, Taylor's cries of pain still echoing in his ears. Throwing back his covers, he sat up, running his hands through his hair as he tried to calm his breathing. Finally, he collapsed back onto his bed, staring up at the dark ceiling. Reaching his arm to the side, he instinctively took a hold of his lighter, flipping it open and running his fingers through the hottest part of the flame. Nothing. He didn't feel a thing. Just like he hadn't felt a thing that day...
John threw the lighter the side, scowling as he sat back up, shuffling over towards the wall that separated his room from Bobby's. Leaning against the ever so slightly cooler plaster, John glanced at the clock. Three AM. It was going to be a long night. He'd had this dream for the last three nights – the three nights since he and Bobby had spent the night together.
Sighing heavily, the pyrokinetic curled back up in his covers. He'd barely spoken to Bobby the last few days, between his detentions and various other distractions he'd only seen the ice mutant in public. Not really the best opportunity to ask why the hell haven't you dumped your girlfriend yet? Then again as John thought back to the last guy who had dumped his girlfriend in favour of him...maybe it was for the best...
--- --- --- --- ---
Bobby threw his towel into the laundry basket at the base of his bed and turned to leaf through the neat stacks of T-shirts and shirts in his chest of drawers. As he pulled out one of each, he heard a quiet knock on the door. Pulling the T-shirt on quickly, he made his way to the door.
"Hey John," Bobby stepped back to let the other mutant in, glancing at the clock. Eight O'clock? What the hell was John doing up – showered and dressed no less – this early in the morning? "What brings you through here?"
"Couldn't sleep," John replied quietly, shrugging absently. "Just thought I'd pop through and see you," he looked up at the ice mutant. "It's been a bit hectic the last few days."
"Yeah," Bobby nodded as he pulled on his shirt. "Tell me about it."
"So, what you been up to?" John cast his eyes around the room, the courage he had built up to come through and bare his sole fading fast. It was just a nightmare...he'd be fine...
"Oh, not much," Bobby shrugged but bit his lip nervously, having spent the majority of the past few days with Marie. "Has Summers been keeping you busy then?"
John nodded.
"Yeah. I swear, he must spend more time with me in detention than he does with Dr Grey," John laughed, but it was not at all convincing. The fire mutant sighed and rubbed his arm anxiously. "Bobby, can I talk to you about something?"
"Now?" Bobby frowned slightly. "John, I'm kinda running late."
"What for?" John asked, a scowl quickly spreading over his face at Bobby's dismissive reply, his arms crossing defensively.
"Eh..." Bobby ran his hand through his hair but was prevented from replying by a soft knock on the door.
"Bobby?" Marie's voice drifted through the closed door. "Are you ready?"
John's eyes darkened over instantly as Bobby looked at him pleadingly.
"I should have fucking known..." the fire mutant muttered.
"John..." Bobby said quietly, moving closer to the smaller mutant, but John held up his hand to stop him. "Look, can we talk about this later?"
The pyrokinetic clenched his jaw, his eyes narrowing dangerously.
"Whatever," he managed to mutter, stepping back out of view as Bobby made his way to the door, leaving with Marie. Balling up his fists, John glared at the door, finally let out a wry laugh, shaking his head as he muttered to himself; "Idiot."
With a heavy sigh John wandered out into the hallway, scowling as he saw Scott heading towards him.
"Oh. You're up," the older mutant stopped in his tracks, glancing quickly down at his watch. "Wonders will never cease. I just wanted to remind you to behave today."
John glared back at the teacher, shaking his head slightly at the shear predictability of the situation.
"But being a screw up comes so naturally to me," he replied in a fake sweet tone before scowling and making his way past the other mutant.
"I mean it Allerdyce!" Scott's voice followed him down the corridor. John smirked.
"So do I!"
--- --- --- --- ---
Bobby cast his eyes around the museum food court, wondering absently how they had managed to sneak off without any of the teachers noticing.
"Hey you two," a smirking John took the seat opposite Bobby and Marie. "How's the Xavier institute's favourite lovebirds?"
Marie rolled her eyes and pursed her lips at the fire mutant as Bobby glared at him. John just looked back into the icy blue eyes with a far too innocent expression, pulling his lighter from his pocket and flicking it open and shut, open and shut...
"I would'a thought Scott would have you on a leash," Marie smiled. John laughed as he leant back in his seat casually.
"Oh, he's easy to slip away from," the pyrokinetic waved a hand absently, looking up at two boys who suddenly appeared next to him.
"Hey mate, can I have a light?" one of them asked, pulling a cigarette out from behind his ear. John looked down at the lighter in his hand and smirked.
"No," he replied simply, twirling his lighter round in his fingers, ignoring the glare from the ice mutant across the table. The two boys just looked at him for a moment before realising he was being serious.
"Please, can I have a light?" the first boy asked again, a little agitated. John didn't bother to reply as he kept his eyes on the lighter in his hand.
"My brother asked you a simple question," the other boy entered the conversation.
"Why are you being such a dick?"
"Yeah, why are you being such a dick?"
"Because I can," a slight smirk played at the fire mutants lips. Across the table both Bobby and Marie rolled their eyes.
"Can. I. Have. A. Light?" the boy asked again, more forcefully than before. John flicked his lighter open and gazed thoughtfully into the flame before snapping it shut again.
"Sorry, can't help you out pal."
"John, knock it off," Marie chastised. John sniggered and continued to play with the precious lighter in his hands.
"Will you stop showing off?" Bobby snapped. John's eyes finally rose from his lighter to look at the agitated ice mutant.
"Oh, for her?" John smirked. "I can't help it if your girlfriend's getting excited."
"I don't think she's getting excited," Bobby replied through gritted teeth, his normally calm blue eyes storming over as he glared at the pyrokinetic.
"Hey," John held his hands out slightly as if in retreat, but his smirk widened slightly as he returned an equally fierce glare. "We're just trying to have a good time here, alright?"
"I think you're the only one having a good time."
A momentary silence fell over the two as they glared at each other. The boy seized his opportunity, grabbing John's lighter from his hand.
"HEY!" John leapt to his feet as the boy lit his cigarette, his brother stepping between them. "That's real cute man."
"What you gonna do?" the boy inhaled from his cigarette. John smirked as his eyes were instantly drawn down to the bright red flickering embers burning at the end of the tobacco. "Suddenly you're not so tough."
A grin broke out over the pyrokinetic's face, and with a quick wink, flames shot from the cigarette up the boys arm. John's hand rose to his lips as he took a slight step back, giggling at the chaos in front of him. Behind him, Bobby reached out a hand and froze the flames. Around the three mutants, everything slowed, time coming to a complete standstill. John frowned, waving a hand in front of the brother's stationary face as Bobby and Marie looked around them.
"Bobby, what did you do?" Marie asked quietly.
"I didn't do this."
"No, I did," Professor Xavier wheeled himself into the food court. He turned and looked at John sternly. "Next time you feel like showing off...don't."
John scowled and turned away from the professor, only to meet with Scott Summers' disapproving face.
"We're coming to you live from Washington where there's been an attack in the oval office of the White House," the voice of the newscaster on the nearby television drifted clearly over the now quiet museum. "Details are still coming in but we have been informed that the president and vice president were not harmed. Sources say the attack involved one or more mutants..."
"I think it's time to leave professor," Scott cast his eyes concernedly at the television.
"I think you're right," Xavier turned and ushered for the teachers to lead the children towards the exit. John turned to speak to Bobby, only to find him already walking away, holding Marie's gloved hand. Gritting his teeth, he grabbed his lighter back from the iced over hand of the boy on the ground and moved to catch up with the group.
"Allerdyce."
"I know, I know!" John turned briefly to look into Scott's glasses. "Damn it, I'm already in detention for the rest of the year anyway."
Scott turned to the professor as the fire mutant stomped away.
"We really need to do something about him," he muttered. Xavier watched the retreating mutant thoughtfully.
"I know."