Author's Note: I know it's a bit short but I wanted to break this chapter in to two and this just seemed the best place to split it. The next chapter is ready to go so it should be up soon! Oh...and I ain't a doctor. I'm an oilfield chemist. I know about burning stuff. I don't know anything about head injuries other than what I have read on the oh so reliable source that is the internet...so if I've got anything wrong – I'm sorry!

Chapter Fifteen: Never Underestimate Me: Part I

(I'm gonna leave the timescale open from here on in – it's after X-Men 3, but whether it's days, weeks or months is up to you!)

Hank McCoy made his way swiftly down the corridors, barely acknowledging the students as he made his way directly for Storm's office. Storm looked up startled as Hank knocked abruptly and let himself into the room.

"Hank!" she stood up and looked at him, concern growing instantly. "I wasn't expecting you. What's happened?"

"I'm afraid we have a situation," Hank handed Storm some photos – security camera photos. Storm's eyes widened as she looked at the pictures.

"But...you mean..."

"Mystique escaped," Hank nodded and slumped down into a seat as Storm just stared at the pictures of Mystique walking down the prison corridors, her blue scaly skin clear in the colour photos. "Killing several guards in the process," Hank sighed heavily as Storm too slumped back into her seat. "Apparently the cure is not as permanent as first thought. In lab conditions it permanently reversed the mutation but put into practice..." Hank shook his head. "Our bodies must have a way of re-mutating. The scientists are working on it as we speak but as soon as they take samples out of the body," he shrugged. "It seems we are further away from understanding mutation than we had hoped."

"But those who have taken the cure..." Storm frowned heavily.

"Those who voluntarily took the cure received a much higher dose. The scientists speculate that their cure will last much longer than Mystiques had. It may also depend on how powerful the mutant is," Hank shrugged helplessly. "I'm afraid anyone who wishes to take the cure and remain cured will have to get regular injections."

Storm nodded understandingly.

"We'd better tell Marie," she reached over to her phone to dial down to the dorms, but her hand paused over the receiver. She bit her lip before saying quietly; "This means Magneto will be back too."

Hank just gave a small nod. Storm gave a heavy sigh and pressed the speed dial. This was the last thing they all needed...

--- --- --- --- ---

Pyro sighed heavily as he stared up at the ceiling above him. He was so bored. And still stuck in the hospital. And people were starting to ask awkward questions. Like how he did he get the ice burns on his wrists? Or what was he doing on the Golden Gate Bridge? Or why wouldn't he phone his family? At least now he could sit up without throwing up. It was a start...

"How are you feeling tonight Taylor?" a nurse suddenly appeared at the foot of his bed. Pyro looked up at her, startled. He frowned slightly at the fact he didn't recognise her.

"Fine..." the pyrokinetic grumbled, leaning back and closing his eyes.

"Still dizzy when you try to stand?" the nurse flicked through his charts.

"A bit," Pyro sighed. The nurse raised an eyebrow, nodding slowly as she pulled the curtains around the mutant's bed. Pyro's eyes flew open just in time to see the woman climb swiftly onto his bed, straddling his hips and pinning his arms to the bed. "What the..."

"Oh...sorry," the nurse grinned as the pyrokinetic fell back, closing his eyes again, his face paling from the excursion of his protest. "Of course you prefer them a little less...well...feminine."

Pyro opened his eyes to see the nurses skin peel back to reveal a tall, muscular, dark haired male nurse. A small smile played at the fire mutant's lips as he looked into the yellow eyes in front of him.

"Mystique?"

"Hi baby," the shapeshifter returned to her natural form, letting go of the pyrokinetic's arms and leaning back into a less provocative position. "Did you miss me?"

"Not really," the fire mutant smirked, still squirming slightly as he settled back down. Mystique pouted and returned to the form of the female nurse, clambering off the bed as she heard voices approach. Peeking out from the curtains, she smirked as the staff wandered past, switching off the main lights as the ward settled down for the night. Turning back to Pyro, she held up the fire mutant's shark tooth lighter, having retrieved it from his personal possessions.

"You still carry this?" she asked. Pyro frowned slightly as he held out his hand, gesturing for her to hand him the lighter.

"Force of habit," he muttered, gesturing again to get his lighter back. Mystique just shook her head slightly as she flicked the lighter open, allowing the pyrokinetic to pull a small fireball into his hands. She couldn't help but smile as the flames lit up the fire mutant's eyes.

"Come on then Taylor," she smirked. "Let's get you out of here."

--- --- --- --- ---

Finally, Mystique drew the car to a stop outside a large, elegant home, set amongst acres of land and trees. A small smile played at her lips as she glanced at the pyrokinetic in the passenger seat, sound asleep thanks largely to some of the medication she had stolen from the hospital.

"Pyro..." she shook his shoulder gently at first before shaking it with more force. "Pyro!"

The shapeshifter smirked as the fire mutant grumbled an incoherent response. She just sat with her arms crossed, eyebrow arched as she waited for him to wake up properly.

"Where are we?" the younger mutant rubbed his eyes wearily. Mystique just rolled her eyes and climbed out of the car.

"Home," she replied, shutting the car door and waiting for Pyro to follow. Her expression softened as the pyrokinetic stumbled out, reeling slightly as he tried to regain his balance. With a small shake of the head, she rounded the car and took the weight of the dizzy mutant. Perhaps she had taken him out of the hospital too early...

After a couple more stumbles, the two made it into the house, Mystique lowering her charge onto the sofa.

"Do you need a bucket?" she smirked as the pyrokinetic paled to a funny shade of yellowy-green. Pyro frowned heavily and waved a hand dismissively. Mystique raised an eyebrow as the fire mutant desperately tried not to vomit. "Well if you throw up, you clean it up," she sat down on the single seat opposite the sofa. "Now. When you think it's safe to open your mouth – I want to know what happened at Alcatraz..."