Title: Part 2: Secrets and Coming Home

Author: Lilith

E-Mail: LilithAD@aol.com

Rating: PG-13/R (cursing...heh and nakedness. But nothing else! Promise!)

Disclaimer: Unfortunatly, I'm not smart enough to come up with any of thesharacters... ::sob:: They're not mine. Actually, Slyder and Tyger arine. Dont steal them! Or, okay, you can if you really want to...just lee know, or ask, or whatever.

Spoilers: Movie, the story before this one

Feedback: Please! ; ) If you give me feedback, I will probably finish thtory sooner, because I know people are reading it!

Summary: Sequal to "A Cajun an' A Canucklehead". Logan comes home, Rogue iery confused, Remy and Bobby are jealous, there's a new student with ecret, and someone wants to kill Rogue. Rogue gets depressed. You know.
The usual.

Author's Note: This story contains a few lesbian/gay characters. You'veen warned. I don't think anyone should have a problem with that, buhatever...just warning u homophobic people out there.

"Hey kid."

Logan stood in the doorway of the X-Mansion, leaning against the doorframe,
cool and collected. He looked no different from when he'd left. Roguimply stood there, unable to take her eyes off the man who had saved heife back at the Statue of Liberty. His leather jacket was slung back oveis shoulder, and Rogue could see dust all over him. He was wearing thame thing when he'd left.

"'S been a while, Logan," Rogue managed to get out, her mouth tripping ovehe words.

"Yeah." He walked inside, stretching. "What's fer dinner? I'm starved."
Rogue closed the door behind him, her eyes still wide.

Remy stood inside, his eyes fixed on Logan. Rogue cursed inwardly, havinorgotten her handsome 'date'. She hurried over to him, and when he offereis arm again, she took it. Logan acted like he hadn't missed her at all,
so she'd act like she hadn't missed him. Remy's eyes glowed as he surveyed
Logan.

"Rogue." She turned to face Logan, her arm still linked with Remy's.

"Yeah, Logan?"

"Missed ya, kid," he said gruffly, then sauntered into the dining room.
Rogue looked after him, forlornly. Remy watched her expression.

"Who dat, chere?" he asked, trying to hide his jealousy. He'd only knower an hour, at the most! Why was he jealous? She was pretty, and seemeery nice underneath her tough-girl exterior.

"That's Logan," she replied as he led her into the dining room. "He saveah life, a while back. Then he left for a while."

"I see." Remy led her over to line for food, and took a tray for her. "So,
erm...who d'ya usually hang wit?"

"Jubilee, over there-" Rogue pointed to her tough friend, "-an' Kitty, nexo her-"

"Who's da pretty boy who was wit us in yer room?"

"That's Bobby. He's nice, ah guess," Rogue said. She scooped some pie onter plate, then some mashed potatoes. "Remy, ya gonna eat?"

"Sure, darlin'." Remy took a tray and scooped something onto it, then too bowl of Jell-O. He and Rogue walked over to the table where Jubilee,
Kitty, Bobby, and a new student were sitting. Rogue plopped down, and Remat down, sliding lithely like a cat. Jubilee stared at him for a second,
then blushed and gave her pumpkin pie a little too much attention. Kitttared for a second as well, then turned to Bobby and avoided looking anything else. Bobby glared at Remy for a minute before turning hittention to Kitty.

"So, Rogue, getting friendly with the new body?" Jubilee muttered. Roguicked her under the table, then noticed that someone new was sitting nexo Jubilee. He grinned, and held out his hand.

"I'm Slyder." Rogue took his hand, and shook. Jubilee immediatly engageim in conversation again.

"So, Remy, where're ya from?" Rogue took a bite of her mashed potatoes anoticed Logan sitting in the corner, being stared at by almost everyone. Hte in silence, growling at anyone who stared too much.

"N'awlins." Remy responded with one word, already done with his food. "Erm,
Rogue, yer Professor jus' gave me a ring. Want me t'stop by 'is office. Sea." He got up and disposed of his tray and smoothly left the room.

"Hey, Rogue!" Rogue turned to Jubilee and Slyder. "Ya're from Mississippi,
right? It's really hot there, right?"

"Yeah. Really hot, most o' the time." She got up, staring at Slyder...whohe had just noticed was very handsome. He smiled at her, and she nearlost the grip on her tray. She mumbled something, and put her tray away.
She then headed over to Logan, ignoring the looks she got from the othetudents. She plopped down next to him.

"Hey."

"Hey." There was silence. Then Logan spoke again.

"I hear ya had an interestin' time while I was away." Rogue looked at hiharply, fearing that he knew about the Ms. Marvel fiasco.

"Yeah. Real interestin'."

"Ya do know that Marvel was an' old friend o' mine."

"Yeah. Look, Logan, ah...ah didn't know! Ah mean, Mystique was all shifte'look like Xavier, an' ah trust 'im! So ah..." she trailed off as Logan'yes snapped over to look into her own.

"THAT-RAT-FACED-CHICKEN-SHIT!!!!!" Logan yelled, his voice echoing arounhe cafeteria. Students looked up, shocked and slightly frightened. Logaas standing up, his claws popped, breathing hard. The table he had beeitting at war now in two peices. A girl with tiger tattoos all over heody slid up to him.

"Erm. Wolvie. Think you an' ya girlfriend better take it outside. Whaddayay?"

Before Rogue could do anything, adamantium claws were slashing down at thirl faster than anything.

CLANGGGG. The sound of adamantium hitting adamantium was the loudest noisnyone could ever hear. It echoed around the room louder than Logan's yelad, and some students clutched their ears. Kitty, Jubilee and Slyder wertaring wide eyed, too scared for Rogue to cover their ears. It took hile for Rogue to realize what had happened.

The tattooed girl had whipped out her own pair of adamantium claws. Logan'laws were pressing down on top of hers, inches away from her face. Logan'yes were filled with a primal fury, and her eyes...there were no pupils ier eyes, just pure white. The girl's body posture remained calm, and,
without much effort, she swung Logan over her shoulder, made a nice door ihe wall with her claws, kicked it down, and strolled outside.

"Um...sorry...ah mean...really sorry...bye all!" Rogue headed out after thwo.

Logan was still slung over the girl's shoulder.

"Tyger, lemme the fuck go! I'll kill that son of a bitch! Damned if shurt Rogue..." Logan was twisting, trying to get free. The girl--Tyger--
rapped him on the head sharply.

"Logan, didja save me just to rip out my guts with those claws of yours? I
thought not. Now shut up, or I'll make you." Logan quieted with a small
"Urk" noise. Rogue stopped walking and stood there, amazed, her jaw hanginpen, her eyes wide.

"Rogue, if that's your name, come over here. He's not angry at you."

Rogue approached Logan, who was now sitting on a stone bench, pantineavily. His claws had retreated back into his hands, and the girl waitting next to him.

"Rogue..."Logan said, looking up, his eyes still angry. "I--I'm sorry. I'ot angry at you. I'm angry at that motherfucking bitch Mystique... testroy two people that I care about--!"

"Logan," said Tyger in a warning tone. "I'm going to leave now. If I heaou, or feel you getting too angry, I'm gonna come back and beat you t' loody pulp. And you know I can." She walked off, and Logan couldn't resisooking at her ass as she swished away. He whistled quietly.

"I heard that." Tyger yelled over her shoulder as she walked away. Highed, and turned to face Rogue. Her face was completely shocked, heouth wide open, her eyes wide as saucers.

"Close yer mouth, Rogue, yeh look like a cow," muttered Logan. "I found hen Canada, part of another Weapon X project. Girl's been nothing burouble since I found her."

"It certainly looks like it!" Rogue snapped, enraged at the way he had beeooking at her ass. "Ah mean, really!"

"It ain't like that, darlin'. She's just a friend. Really. Now, I want y'tell me exactly what happened, when y'got Ms. Marvel's powers." Roguook a deep breath and began her story.

Logan took a deep breath. Twice Tyger had come back to knock him over thead and make him calm down. Despite her efforts, though, the stone bencasn't going to be used as a bench anymore. Maybe gravel for the drivewaas a better idea.

"I think...I'm gonna need...t'see her." Rogue looked up sharply.

"What!?"

"Ms. Marvel. I need to see her, to make sure she's not hurt. Do y'stilave her powers?" Rogue picked up a rock and crushed it in her bare hand.

"Guess so," he muttered. "Well, it'll take a while before it wears off.
Moment it does, let me know. I need to see 'er when shes awake." Logaauntered off, hands clenched in his pockets. Rogue watched him go,
confused. Part of her wanted to be with him forever, and the other paranted to comfort him, to be his sister.

Rogue was thinking so intently that she didn't notice the shadow behind heove.

"Ro! Look out!" a white and black shape hurtled over her head, tackling therson in black whose knife had been inches away from Rogue's neck. Tyger'laws had the man in the chest, and he was wheezing. Blood spurted from thashes in his chest and from his mouth. Tyger got up, wiping blood from helaws. She picked up the knife.

"Nasty. A supersonic cutting blade, designed to be able to peirce even thost invulnerable flesh." She snapped it in half and tosses it into thake. (The lake happened to be about half a mile away.) The man whimpered.

"Now, hon, y'wanna take over?" Tyger gestured that the man was all hers.
Rogue picked him up by the cloth around his neck.

"Who sent you?" she yelled, shaking him. There was a snapping noise, anis neck broke. She dropped him, startled.

"Girl, y'really don't know yer own strength, do ya." Tyger put her arround Rogue's shoulder and steered her back towards the mansion.

Slyder and Jubilee were hitting it off. Slyder was sweet, funny, and nice,
but a little unbending. Sometimes he was even cold.

It all changed when Tyger walked in the room. Slyder's eyes lit up, and htood up, ignoring Jubilee. Tyger plopped Rogue down onto a table with a
"See ya 'round, kid," and linked arms with Slyder. They walked ouogether.

"Of all the--!" Jubilee exclaimed. She kicked a table, and it was melted i bolt of plasma that sprouted from her fingertips. "Oops."

"I...don't think that Slyder is what you think he is, Jubes," said Rogulowly. "He...smells funny."

"What?!" Jubilee exclaimed. "He does not!"

"I got Wolverine in me. He doesn't smell like other guys."

"For Chrissakes, Ro, he's a mutant! He's not supposed to smell like otheeople!"

"True," Rogue admitted. Before she could say anything else, Jubes bouncep and grabbed her friend's gloved hand.

"C'mon! We're gonna follow them!" Before Rogue could protest, her hyperiend had dragged her out of the room.

"Did you let her near the PEZ again?" Rogue asked Kitty, who was runninlongside them, going straight through anything in her way.

"It wasn't me," said Kitty, ducking to avoid a lamp. Her powers had trange effect on electrical objects...they tended to do strange, explodinricks.

Jubilee rounded a bend and cursed colorfully.

"Damn! Where did they go?!" She turned to Rogue. "Sniff 'em out!" shemanded. "I really like him!" Rogue sighed, and sniffed the air. Shointed left, and they were off again. Jubilee was running harder thahe'd ever run before, and Rogue wondered exactly what Slyder's poweas...

Jubilee screeched to a halt. Rogue bumped into her, sending her flying, and
Kitty went straight through both of them. Luckily, Kitty solidified anaught Jubilee before they were caught. They snuck up to the door that
Jubilee had heard Slyder's voice coming from.

"Look, I know your lil' secret," Tyger was saying. "And all I'm sayin' ihat you should tell them."

"It's their fault if they assume things, I've never said anything about."

"It's obvious why they would think something like that!" Tyger hissed,
grabbing Slyder. "Jus' don' do anything dumb, darlin'." She sauntereowards the door. Kitty grabbed Rogue and Jubilee and phased through thloor quickly.

Tyger closed the door beind her and sniffed the air.

Rogue, Jubilee, and Kitty, she thought. I'm going to have to have a littlhat with them about eavesdropping. I wonder if they heard anything wortnowing.

"What's Slyder's secret?!" Jubilee yelled, kicking an empty can of Cokcross the room. The caffeine was getting to her, and she was bouncinround, kicking things. Rogue has almost tossed her out once alreadecause she nearly melted her bed.

"I don't know," muttered Kitty. "Why don't you go ask him?"

"I sitll get the feeling something's wrong with him," Rogue commented.

"Oh, shut up. You're just jealous."

"Jealous o' who, mademoiselle?" Remy peeked into the room and knocked.

"What d'you want, Gumbo?" asked Rogue, ignoring the way she felt her cheeket warm.

"Professor wants ya."

"Ah see." Rogue pulled on a longer pair of gloves and a sweater and headeut. "Keep her away from the caffeine," Rogue whispered to Kitty, whodded vigerously. Rogue left the room, carefully closing the door behiner. Remy offered her his arm, but she ignored it.

"Hear dere was a ruckus in de cafeteria."

"Uh-huh. Mah friend Logan got a lil' angry."

"Understatement, cherie."

"Mmm. Proba'ly." Rogue twisted a strand of hair around her finger.

"Are ya related t' Mr. Logan?" asked Remy, shuffling a deck of cards. Hiool exterior would have made a normal girl think he didn't care, but Roguasn't an ordinary girl. She could tell he was jealous.

"Nah. He saved mah life, a while back. He's sorta like a brother."

"I see." Remy scowled slightly, and slid the cards into his pocket. Hould tell there was a little more to their relationship than that, but hept quiet as Bobby passed, scowling at Remy. Remy smirked slightly, anushed the elevator button. Bobby pretended to look for the keys to hioom as he watched the two wait for the elevator. As the doors opened,
Rogue and Remy stepped inside. Bobby 'found' his keys, and let himself intis room.

Whumph. Something hit Bobby in the head, and he went down. The intruderushed back a strand of blonde hair, and went to close the blinds.

Moments later, a man dressed all in black opened the door to Bobby's room.
The elevator had just left. He smiled, and raised a hand into the air. Thenerator in the basement exploded, and she heard the elevator screech to top. She smiled, and pulled her mask over her face.

As the elevator stopped, Rogue fell hard onto the floor. Remy kept hialance, but nearly tripped over Rogue.

"Wha' was dat?" Remy yelled.

"No need t'yell, Cajun, Ah'm right here." Rogue got up, and sniffed thir. "Something's wrong..." As she said it, clear goo sealed up the gaetween the elevator doors, and any other openings. Someone dropped a smalilver object into the elevator, then closed the hatch, which was theealed.

"Whats dat?" asked Remy, as it began to hiss and release some kind oellow gas.

"Shit!" Rogue yelled, and grabbed the silver thing. She felt it burhrough her gloves, but her skin just felt a little warm. She smashed thhing in her fist...and it beeped once. A red light flashed, and Roguealized what was happening.

"No!" she yelled, and pulled Remy onto the floor, comvering him with heody as the silver device exploded.

The black-clad woman watched through the steel ceiling as the elevatouckled with the strength of the explosion inside.

"Rogue, you are strong. But not strong enough." The woman pulled a knifrom her boot, and pressed a button. It was one of the supersonic knives,
designed to cut through anything. She began sawing away at the elevatoable.

Inside the elevator, Rogue pulled herself off of Remy. Her clothes werurned through, and as she got up, she felt her blouse slipping off.

"Fuck," she muttered, and crossed her arms over her chest to keep thlouse on. Remy noticed this, and took off his trenchcoat. He gave it ter, and turned around as she buttoned it up, in case her blouse or pantell.

Well, who woulda thought? A gentleman. Rogue buttoned the coat up, theleared her throat. Remy turned around, and tilted his head to the side.

"What now, cherie?" he asked. Rogue opened her mouth, but when she did, thlevator suddenly lurched, and plummeted downwards. Rogue grabbed Remy anlew up to the ceiling. She began punching at the ceiling. Eventually, thop of the elevator simply came off, and she flew out and upwards...anpotted the woman in black, who was floating.

"Damn!" said the woman. "I had hoped she wouldn't have mastered her nebilities so easily. Oh well, I'll simply dispose of her now." Whipping ouhe knife, the woman flew straight at Rogue, the blade whining. Rogue'yes widened, and she tried to fly away, but the woman was too fast...ias too late.

The blade buried itself in flesh, and the woman in black smiled.

***

Elsewhere, Jean Grey felt a lance of terror and pain in her head. She crieut and fell to the floor. Scott was at her side in an instant.

"Jean, what's wrong?"

"Scott...it's Rogue and Remy. They're in serious trouble!"

"Where is she?" The two turned to see Wolverine, Tyger and Slyder standinn the doorway. Wolverine was breathing hard, his face red, his clawopped. Tyger was standing in a way that made it impossible for Scott noo look at her curves. His eyes widened. He had never seen her before. Shlanced at him.

Back off, buddy, whispered Jean inside Scott's head. He thought back aer.

I thought you said you would never read my thoughts?

I don't need to, just to look at your face. Scott grinned and blusgelightly.

"You two still haven't answered my question. Where is she." Logan wareathing hard, turning red with pent up anger. Jean frowned, and thoughard.

"The elevator," she said finally. Slyder nodded, and grabbed Wolverine'and. Wolverine looked surprised, and looked like he was going to pulway. Before he could, though, Tyger grabbed Slyder's hand...there was lur...and the three of them were gone.

Scott blinked.

"Did...they just...teleport?" he asked with uncertainty.

"I think so," Jean said. "It doesn't matter. Let's get over there!" She rarom the room, Scott on her heels.

When Wolverine reached the elevator shaft, he raised his claws to rip ipen. Tyger, however, got there first, and with her lithe body neatly cut oor, and kicked it in. Wolverine blinked several times, then leanehrough the door.

***

Rogue looked up at the woman in black, her eyes filled with shock.

Remy, at the last second, had pulled himself up, and taken the blow foer. The knife still sat, imbedded in his stomach. Remy was breathing hard.

"BITCH!" screamed Rogue, and wrenched the knife out of the woman's grasp.
She flew up, narrowly missing a slad of steel that was plummeting down. Shaw Wolverine peering through the elevator doors, so she flew to him, anumped Remy in his arms.

"Take care o'the Cajun," she yelled, and flew back down. The coat Remy haiven her was stained with blood, and it couldn't take the speed at whiche was flying. The buttons popped, and the coat came flying off, alonith her clothes.

The woman in black looked up, to see a naked Rogue come flying at her.
There was a crack, the woman went flying, her jaw broken and bleeding.
Rogue went flying after her, and wrenched her arms behind her back. Theras a cracking noise, and her arms were broken. Rogue flew up to Wolverinnd Slyder, carrying the woman.

"'Scuse me, broken bitch coming through." She flew to the medicaard...and somehow, Slyder was there first, already. A bed was prepared,
and Tyger was over tending to Remy. Slyder suddenly appeared next to Rogue,
and took the woman. He was suddenly back at the bed, and put her down ot. He put an IV drip into her arm, to keep her concious.

"All yours," he said to Rogue. She grinned and thanked him, then walkever to the woman. She delicately broke her finger.

"Now. Who sent you."

"I sent myself." The woman grinned, and morphed into Mystique. Rogue's eyelazed.

"Mystique," she hissed.

"In the flesh," the woman said, smiling. Suddenly Rogue was on the floor,
clutching her head. Mystique took out the phaser gun she had been hiding,
and prepared to finish Rogue off.

"No!" Tyger leaped for her, but she was too far away. So was Slyder,
but...at the last second...

Slyder appeared next to Mystique and laid her flat with one punch. Thhaser went flying backwards, right into Tyger's arms. Slyder began tlow.

"Wha--!" Mystique muttered, as Slyder became a bright beacon of light. Thight formed a thin beam of energy, and blasted at Mystique. The thin lighit Mystique, who laughed.

"Is this supposed to hurt?" she asked, laughing.

"No," said Slyder, grinning wickedly. Mystique tried to move...and founhat she couldn't. She was stuck to the spot.

Jubilee and Kitty phased through the wall, and landed next to Rogue.

"Rogue! Are you hurt?" asked Kitty. Jubilee was staring at Slyder, who watill glowing. The power became so great that...his clothes began to burn.
Jubilee tapped Kitty on the shoulder, and Kitty looked over at Slyder aell. Rogue managed to look up, and pull Mystique's sheet down to coveerself.

Logan, Jean, and Scott came running down.

Slyder's clothes burned completely off...and the light died. Mystique noould not move a muscle...but neither could anyone else in the room. And iasn't because of Slyder's power.

"Slyder...you...you..."Jubilee gasped, as Slyder sunk down on the floor,
exhausted.

"You're..." Kitty said, eyes wide.

"You're a girl!?"

"Guess you found out Slyder's secret, then," said Tyger. The three blushes Tyger looked at them meaningfully. She bent down and scooped up thaked girl and wrapped a sheet around her.

"Slyder..." Scott stuttered.

"A girl?!" Logan said stupidly.

"You should have noticed, Logan. Didn't you notice how she smelled?"

"Never really paid attention to that," muttered Logan, ashamed.

"Really. She was with us for what, three months after we found her? And yoever noticed? Tsk tsk. You're getting rusty, old man." Tyger grinned.

"I am not!" Logan yelled. "You're probably older than I am!"

"Well, I'm not getting rusty, so it doesn't matter." Tyger laid Slyder down a bed, and brushed her blonde hair back out of her eyes. Slyder reachep and took Tyger's hand, smiling softly. Everyone in the room gaped.

Rogue stood up and walked over to Remy. The knife had been removed, and hitomach was bandaged. Rogue smiled at him, then walked out, and flew up thtairs to her room. She closed the door, and dropped the sheet. It watained with blood...not her own. Mystique's.

Rogue started a bath, and slipped into it. She enjoyed the way the wateelt against her skin...the only thing she could still touch. She washeer hair thoroughly, and rinsed it out. She shaved her legs, and wonderehy...but did it anyway. She didn't nick herself once.

Rogue wrapped a towel around herself, and sat on the toilet seat. Sheached under the sink, and pulled out a big, wicked looking butcher knife.
She turned her wrist so that the veins were facing up, and rested the knifgainst those veins. She closed her eyes and drew the blade across herist.

Nothing happened. Big surprise, thought Rogue sourly. She put the knifack, and lay down on her bed. She stared at the blood stained sheet.

Will I ever be able to bleed again? She wondered. Will I ever see bloogain, and realize that it's mine? No. I never will. Nothing leaves thiody, except memories that have been sifted through. I can't deal withis. I hate being different. I hate my mutation. Why me? Why didn'omeone else get born with this horrible curse? Tears ran down her cheeks,
and she reached out, pulling the blood stained sheet to her. She strokehe bloody spots, and cried.

"Want to talk about it?" Rogue sat up, her towel falling down. Slyder stoohere, facing the wall.

"I should have locked the door," muttered Rogue as she reached out and pun a bra.

"Wouldn't have mattered. I can walk through walls." Rogue looked uharply, and pulled on underwear. She yanked on an oversized gray t-shirt.

"You can turn around now." Slyder did so, and brushed a strand of hair ouf her eyes.

"So, do you wan to talk about it?"

"There's nothing to talk about. I hate life. I hate living in it. I hativing in a world filled with touch...when I'm the outsider. The only onho can't touch anything."

"You're wrong." Slyder sat down on the bed next to Rogue. Rogue looked aer sharply.

"I mean it. You're wrong. You think you're the only one who can't touceople? What about me? I'm a girl. Discriminated against because of that.
Next, I'm a lesbian. Deiscriminated against because of that. Lastly, I'm utant. People hate and fear me. I can never get close to anyone. Im scarehat they'll get hurt, or find out what I am. I can't touch anybody."

"That's not what I mean! I can't touch physically!"

"And I can't touch mentally. It's not that different."

"Yes it is!" Rogue said, tears forming in her eyes. "It is. You can kiss.
You can hold hands. Someone can pat you on the shoulder when you're wearin tank top to tell you you're doing okay. I can't even wear a tank top,
because I'm scared that I'll kill someone! I just can't go on...like this.
Without being able to love. I have no respect for life. It sucks."

"Why? You could wear anything you wanted to."

"No. Then somebody might die, because of me. Weren't you listening?"

"It sounds to me like you have respect for life. You don't want to kileople. I'd say that's respect for life." Slyder cracked her knuckles.
"Listen to me, Rogue. Sooner or later, everyone finds someone they can blose to. Someone they can touch. Someone they can be close to withouurting. Just like I'm not the only lesbian in the world, there's someonut there who can't touch. Just like you." She smiles, and pats Rogue ohe back, making sure she's not touching any skin.

"Oh," says Rogue archly. "Have you found that someone who you can touch?"
Slyder lookes down and blushes furiously.

"Maybe," she says, looking up and into Rogue's eyes. "It's not impossible.
There is someone out there for you." She gets up and opens the door,
preparing to leave the normal way.

"Slyder...thank you." Rogue gets out before the other woman leaves.

"You're welcome, Rogue," Slyder replies as she leaves. She closes the dooehind her and heads down the hall, to her room

Jubilee and Kitty are there waiting for her.

"Yes?" asks Slyder as she comes in. Jubilee opens her mouth.

"Why didn't you tell us you were a girl?" she asks angrily.

"You never asked. I never said I was boy."

"It was easy to assume you were!"

"I'm sorry if you think I tricked you. Still, if you really like me, doet matter if I'm a girl?"

"Not really," says Jubilee. "But I know I don't have a chance with you."

"And why is that?"

"Because you and Tyger, are, well...y'know. Girlfriends." Jubilee kickehe carpet, feeling rejected. Kitty patted her hand.

"Are we?" Jubilee looked up quickly at that. Slyder was looking out thindow, distant. "I don't know what we are." She smiles. "If you two wilxcuse me, I'm gonna take a shower." Jubilee nods, and gets up. She goeight over to Slyder and kisses her on the lips, quickly. She then backs und takes Kitty's hand, and they slide out of sight, through the floor.
Slyder touches her lips and smiles.

"A cute little girl," she remarks, and goes into the bathroom. "How lonave you been here?"

"A while," replies Tyger, who was lying in the empty bathtub. She gets up.
"So that's all she is? A cute little girl?"

"Yup," replies Slyder, turning on the faucet. She pulls up the plug anurns to face Tyger.

"And do you truly not know what we are?" Tyger steps closer to Slyder.

"No. No, I know what we are." Slyder steps a little closer to Tyger.

"And what's that?" Tyger asks, taking Slyder's hand.

"Ment for each other," Slyder whispers. She leans down and kisses Tyger,
who kisses back. They're lost in their own world now.

Wssshhhhh...

BOOOOOMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM.

The X-Mansion shakes from top to bottom as a bomb hits a spot next to it.
The ceiling falls in.

Rogue, in her room, races down to the medlab, punching falling debris ouf her way, desperate to save Remy.

Kitty phases through walls, looking for Jubilee.

Jubilee cowers under her bed, which had buckled and is going to fall veroon.

Scott fires at debris as Jean creates a sheild around both of them.

Professor Xavier's wheelchair falls over and he drags himself under hiesk.

Slyder grabs Tyger and vanishes.

Wolverine slashes at the debris with his claws.

Bobby is still unconscious in his room.

And somewhere, someone laughs...