So I'm sure many of you noticed an alert saying I had uploaded this a couple of days ago and clicked on it only to see there was nothing there. Well I had actually posted something but realized I actually needed to add more to a section so I deleted it quickly. This is the new version. Again, I'm so sorry about that lol. Enjoy~ :)

-x-

Chapter 6:

Speeding down the road, Logan's thoughts were blessedly silent. He didn't think he could handle dealing with what had just happened - what he had just let happen.

His tags burned a hole in jeans where he had stuffed them in his pocket. He couldn't bear to put them back around his neck. They were only tiny pieces of metal, but he swore he could still smell her on them. It made his heart ache and it's that very thought that made him want to bury every emotion and run away.

He didn't do this type of shit. He didn't do feelings. Not like this.

It never ended well.

When she had asked him if he loved Jean, the answer was an obvious one: of course he didn't. Jean was a good woman and very attractive, but he didn't like her like that. She was with Scott anyway, and he fucking hated the idea of sharing so that made her extra off limits.

He may have flirted with her, but it was harmless. There was nothing on his end except admiration and friendship.

And yet, nothing came out when Marie had asked him. His voice caught in his throat and he had to swallow it down like bile.

When she ripped his tags off, he felt a similar tug in his own chest and that scared the shit out of him. So he got out of there without looking back.

It didn't matter how fast he walked, he could still smell her tears as he made his way down the hallway. Everything in him screamed for him to go back but he couldn't.

He just couldn't.

He told himself it was because he needed to do this. He needed to be useful. He's never had purpose in his life and this was his chance to do something right. But of course he had to fuck up before he could get there. He knew he was doing the right thing but it still didn't feel like that yet.

Maybe when he brought Jean home, stopped whatever Buckethead was planning, he could fix it somehow.

Hopefully Marie wouldn't hate him too much by that point.

-x-

"Boys are stupid."

Kitty looked up from where she and Jubes were lounging on the couch in the rec room. Rogue stood above them, her expression morose. Kitty felt a prickle of fear at the base of her spine.

Was it about Bobby?

Jubilee was the first to respond: "Where have you been? They've always been dumb. What's up, girl?" She patted the seat between them for Rogue to sit down. Rogue considered it, before shaking her head.

"Actually…do ya mind if we go somewhere to talk privately? I need to talk to ya'll." She looked at Kitty, her gaze unreadable. "Both of ya'll."

Kitty gulped.

As they walked down the hallway to their room, Kitty kept repeating 'it was a mistake' over and over in her head, ready to defend herself. She honestly didn't think Rogue would mind and she had been so lonely and hurt and Bobby reached for her and-

Rogue sat on her bed and smiled at them softly.

"Kitty, I know what was happenin' between you an' Bobby and I'm not mad."

Kitty didn't dare to breathe.

Rogue wasn't finished though, cocking her head to the side as a thought hit her. "Well, not at you at least. I get why ya did it, but Bobby…well, Bobby was a bit of a dick about it."

Kitty shook her head, finally unfrozen, "But you should be mad at me! I helped him cheat and I am so sorry, Rogue, I don't know what came over me- why I thought it was okay! I just-" she floundered, her hands fluttering about her, "I just felt so awful still and Bobby was his best friend and I guess I just needed to hurt him back in some way. But that doesn't excuse my actions because I hurt you too and you're my best friend and you don't deserve that and I am so sorry, Rogue…"

Rogue smiled at her in response, "I'm honestly not mad at you, Kitty. I knew all that. I get it…" she trailed off, her mouth pursing. She sat on the ground, gesturing for both of them to do the same, waiting for them to comply. Jubilee had been quiet this whole time, studying her two best friends and trying to see where this was going.

"I was doin' the same, in all honesty," Rogue finished. "I was using Bobby to…to be normal. To feel like a normal girl. It wasn't right of me either, but it's true."

Jubilee butted in at that moment. "It still doesn't excuse Bobby for initiating the physical act of cheating though - don't forget that, ya'll. I know you're trying to be the better person, but don't let him off the hook for that."

Rogue laughed, "Oh, I'm not. Trust me. I broke up with him this mornin', actually."

Kitty raised her eyebrow, "Really? Why?"

"I did see ya'll last night," Rogue confessed. "I saw ya and it just hit me how much I wanted that- how much I wanted to touch someone, be normal…," she hesitated, "and I almost went and got the cure."

Jubilee and Kitty's eyes widened. The room filled with tension.

"I decided, however, that my mutation is a part of me. And because it's a part of me, I can probably figure out how it works and manage it. I owe it to myself to try, at least. So step one of tryin' to get my shit together was to break up with Bobby. So I did."

"What's the next step?" Jubilee asked.

"Step two was to find ya'll and have a talk. You guys are my best friends and I don't want any secrets between us. I wanted to clear the air." Rogue's brow was furrowed, the vulnerability shining in her eyes as she gazed at them. She nervously tugged at her gloves.

Kitty reached over and grasped her hand. She smiled reassuringly, "I'd like that too."

Rogue returned the gesture, turning to Jubilee and grabbing her hand too.

"I'm really glad I met ya'll. I don't think I would've gotten through all this without ya."

"Same, girl," Jubilee grinned.

Rogue squeezed her friends' hands and then let go.

"So," Jubes started, "Was that what prompted the whole ' boys are stupid' line? Bobby's stupidity?" She studied her friend's face. "Or was it something else?"

Rogue chewed her lip. "Well…that's step three. Figure out what the hell I'm gonna do about Logan." Her shoulders slumped forward.

"What did Wolvie do this time?" Jubes rolled her eyes, her mouth curling in humor. She expected to hear something dumb that Logan had done, but the frown that crossed Rogue's face dispelled that idea.

"He loves Jean," Rogue bit out.

Kitty's eyes widened. "What? Did he really tell you that?"

"That's the problem," Rogue scowled. "I accused him of it and he sure as hell didn't deny it."

"So you don't know for sure?" Jubilee clarified, leaning forward with her knees on her elbows.

"Well, no…" Rogue trailed off. "But would it have killed him to have said somethin'? He didn't say anythin' at all before taking off after her!" she gestured wildly. "And it ain't even her, but does that matter to him? No, it don't!" She paused, her eyes fixed on the ground in front of her. "That's why I accused him of bein' in love with her…why else would he go through all this trouble?" her voice turned sad as she plucked at the fingers of the other glove.

"Wait…he left? He's gone?"Kitty murmured.

Rogue nodded, her brow furrowing. "Yea," her voice cracked.

"Oh, honey," Jubes cooed, scooching over to place an arm around Rogue. "I'm sorry."

"Me too," Rogue whispered, leaning her head on Jubes's shoulder.

Kitty placed a hand on her arm."Boys are stupid," she proclaimed.

And all three nodded at the obvious fact.

-x-

The crowds were loud and aggressive. People were swinging signs above their heads and shouting obscenities across the street. Most were against the cure, but he knew there were anti-mutants in the bunch.

John smirked as he slowly made his way through to the front. No one paid him any mind. He was just another face in the crowd here. Despite the anonymity, he was supremely aware of his strength and his importance above them all. He felt the power in his veins as the details of his mission ran through his head.

He was a god amongst insects.

Xavier would have never allowed this. He wouldn't have tolerated the thought of what John was about to do.

And that was why he was weak, John told himself. It's all about evolution and the strongest will survive. You need to adapt or you will perish. And Xavier refused to adapt, refused to allow himself be stronger and that's why he was gone. If mutants stayed silent, their fate would be the same. It would be like this all the time. Chanting and anger hurled at them, people confused and defensive, ready to take action against what they didn't know.

People were dangerous. Mutants had to take precautions and make the first move - before they were victims.

John refused to be a victim.

He gazed across the street at the building that held the cure - the bane of every mutant existence.

He smirked and flicked a finger against his palm. The click of his machine was drowned out from the crowd and no one paid him any attention as suddenly, with a swish of his arm, a wave of fire was sent at the building.

And it exploded.

No one looked as everyone flew into a panic, not even as he stood there with a giant grin on his face, a manic look in his eye.

No one glanced at him when he turned on his heel and escaped into the chaos.

No one paid any attention to John.

He was a ghost.

-x-

After grabbing a bite to eat in the kitchen, the girls were about to go outside when suddenly everyone was running to the rec room. Sharing a confused look, they followed. Everyone was surrounding the television set that was running a breaking news story.

"Magneto Threat Issued."

Kitty felt like she couldn't breathe when she saw the arch of fire. She knew who's handiwork that was and she felt her legs give out as she collapsed onto the couch. Jubilee and Rogue helped her down, their eyes firmly planted on the screen, their expressions grim.

"Today's attack," Magneto spoke to the masses, "was only our first warning. So long as the cure exists, our war will rage. Your cities will not be safe; your streets will not be safe - you will not be safe."

Rogue glanced around her at the people surrounding the set. This war would affect them. The majority of them were children, they wouldn't be able to fight should it come to that. Her eye caught Storm's, who stood in the back of the room. The older woman looked tired but determined as she listened to the megalomaniac's speech. Magneto's next words caught her attention and Rogue narrowed her eyes.

"And to my fellow mutants, I make you this offer: join us or stay out of our way. Enough mutant blood has been spilled already."

Then the message was cut off and the room was filled with the anchorman's prattle. One child reached over and turned the TV off and silence permeated.

Jubilee was the one to break it: "Well, crap."

-x-

Well I guess that amazing writing inspiration only lasted for a certain amount of time haha I'm so sorry ya'll. But hopefully this chapter is alright. I'm finally on summer break so fingers crossed that I'll be able to write a bit more :) Again, thank you so much for continuing to read this and being patient with me xD it means a lot :)