Hours later, they arrived. The sun had come up, it was about twelve o'clock in the afternoon. They had pulled up in front of Bobby's house. Bobby sighed. He was home. Leslie was still fast asleep on Pyro's shoulder. Man that girl could sleep. Gently, John tapped her. Nothing happened. This time, he not so gently shook her.
"Don't come near me-" she stopped when she realized that it was only a dream, and it was only John that had nudged her. Mumbling sorry, she got out of the car. The house reminded her of her old life, the life that she had when she was with her family. She scanned over the view. It was a cute home. Bobby swung the door open and they all walked inside the small hallway. He turned around to Rogue. "I'll try and find you some clothes.
John looked around his surroundings. Cozy, comfortable, and utterly picture perfect. It was almost sickening. Open, close, open, close. His lighter was still safe in his hands. Bobby faced John. "Don't burn anything." Then took Rogue upstairs. John watched them, envious that Bobby had and he, well, didn't. Leslie stood behind everyone, being extremely quiet and still. Logan mumbled something to himself as he walked away, leaving John and Leslie alone. Both quiet, both feeling left out and all alone. John turned around, his eyes trailing over Leslie's body. She only wore a sleeping tank top and sleeping shorts, and the same old checkered black and white shoes. Her arms hugged her body and she was shivering slightly from the cold. He walked over to her, and rubbed his hand on her arms in hopes to warm her up. Almost reflexively she flinched and pulled away. Raising an eyebrow he took of his jacket and wrapped it around her shoulders. Damn Bobby for offering Rogue clothes but not her. She gave him a weak smile and moved the main room, not in the tiny hallway anymore.
John followed her and stood right behind her, breathing deeply. She smelled good. He brushed passed her and over to the pictures hanging on the wall. All four of the family were smiling happily. No knowing then, and still not knowing, that Bobby was a mutant. No wonder they were so content. This was something that he had never experienced. Being pushed away as soon as your family realized you weren't like them. What if that happened to Bobby and his family? What if they didn't want him anymore? He had seen it happen so many times. It had happened to half the people at the school.
Feeling someone's breath lightly on the back of his nape, he spun around. Leslie stood in back of him, looking at the picture too. Tears flooding her eyes, probably remembering some horrific memory from the past. Blinking a couple times, she tried to regain her composure. No crying. Crying is only for wimps. Casting her eyes downward she stared at her shoe and sniffled a couple times. He couldn't stand it anymore. Not touching her was tearing him to pieces. He ran a finger over her cheek, brushing away a fallen drop. This time, she didn't jump away from him. Feeling that it was okay, he pulled her into a hug. His arms encircled her in a comforting embrace as she put her forehead against his chin.
They just stood like that for a while, both looking at the picture in envy. "John?" Leslie whispered.
"Hm?" He replied. She pulled away and looked up into his dark eyes.
"This is kind of making me uncomfortable." With that, she turned around and headed towards the kitchen, where Logan was.
"Shit." John murmured under his breath.
"John." A voice said from behind him. It was Rogue. She had changed into some slightly normal clothes now and had gloves on to keep her from touching and hurting anyone. "I wouldn't if I were you."
"What are you talking about?" He asked.
"I just heard some stuff about her." she told him. "About how she plays with guys. Never really likes them, just leads them on. Plus, she was a total preppy, party girl."
John shrugged. "Who cares? And, how did you hear about all that anyways?"
"Word gets around fast. Unlike other schools, most of the time it's true."
John snorted. That was true. Word did get around fast, and most of the time the things said were actually real. But, who really cared about what she used to be? She wasn't there anymore. She was with them, mainly at the school, but with them here now too. "Maybe you should stay out of it." He snapped.
Rogue put up her hands, defeated. "Fine, but I was just warning you. I didn't want you to get hurt."
"You don't know what you are talking about!" He yelled after her as she went up the stairs. Back to her lover, Bobby. Shaking his head and running his fingers through his hair he watched Leslie laughing through the doorway. She was sitting on the counter talking to Logan with a drink in her hands. Feeling his eyes on her she turned her head and smiled at him. He smiled back. Rogue was wrong, Leslie wasn't bad.
He heard the click of the door and flipped around to see three people walk through the front door. Ducking behind the couch the three walked passed him into the kitchen and stopped dead in their tracks, looking confusedly at Logan and Leslie. Bobby and Rogue clambered down the stairs, receiving only odd looks from his family, the mom, the dad, and brother Ronnie. They all made their way into the living room, where John was. He rose from his hidden position and gave an awkward smile.
Open. Close. Open. Close. Once again this repetitive motion that happened when he felt nervous or uncomfortable.
"So, uh, when did you first know you were, a, a-"
"A mutant?" John helped out, raising his eyebrows and flicking his Zippo.
Bobby's mother raised her eyes up to him, looking annoyed. "Would you cut that out?" She asked, referring to his obsession with his lighter. He tilted his head to the side and closed his lighter for the last time. This women was getting on his nerves.
"You have to understand, we thought Bobby was going to a school for the gifted." The father answered.
Rogues eyebrows furrowed. "Bobby is gifted."
"We know that." The father replied. "We just didn't realize-"
"We still love you, Bobby." The mother cut him off. "It's just…this mutant problem is a little-"
"What mutant problem?" Logan asked. Hm, seemed like people liked to cut people off today.
"Complicated." She continued with what she was going to say before, trying to ignore Logan's comment.
"What exactly are you a professor of, Mr. Logan?" The father asked. Logan took some time to think about this. After all, he had told them earlier that he was a professor at Bobby's school, to cover up for the real reason why everyone was at the Drakes house.
"Art." He said simply. John lifted hi head, glancing over at everyone. Leslie was extremely quiet, she had been the whole day. She sat unmoved in the corner, completely zoned out from the rest of life. She was in her own little world now, day dreaming about only God knows what. Her eyes remained unfocused and unblinking.
Rogue spoke up. "You should see what Bobby can do." Bobby's brother, Ronnie, sat on the edge of the couch, breathing heavily, trying not to freak out about the fact his very own brother was a mutant.
The mother put her cup of tea down in the saucer, still holding it in her hand. Bobby reached over, placing his pointer finger of the porcelain. The tea got colder, and slowly froze. She turned it upside down, letting the frozen liquid fall sharply onto the saucer. She set the items roughly down onto the coffee table, surprised at what her son had done. Everyone stared at it. John gave a small, silent laugh from his position against the wall. Idiots. Now they knew their son's powers. A meowing cat leaped up onto the table and began licking the Popsicle like tea. "I can do a lot more that that." Bobby said.
Ronnie couldn't stand it anymore it. He jumped up from the couch and dashed up the stairs. "Ronnie!" The mother called after him. "This is all my fault." She said, shaking her head.
"Actually, they discovered that males are the ones that carry the mutant gene and pass it on." John implied, pointing at the father. "So, it's his fault." The father glared at him. Leslie finally stirred. She glanced up at John and gave him a grin. He smiled back. Humans could be so dumb sometimes.
Everyone sat in silence as the minutes ticked away. They were sorted through their feelings, trying to fully comprehend what had taken place. The shrill beeping sound of that metal objects sounded through the room, disturbing everyone's thoughts. "Oh, uh. It's for me!" Logan said. Walking out onto the back porch.
The mother shifted in her seat. "Bobby. Have you tried…not being a mutant?" John raised his eyebrows. What was up with this woman? She should feel blessed to have had such a talented person in her family.
Logan answered the call. Ah, so this was a com device. Interesting. Now he was finally able to reach Storm and Jean. "No one's left Jean. Soldiers came." Logan informed them.
"What about the children?" He heard Storm say.
"Some of them escaped. I'm not sure about the rest."
"We haven't been able to reach the professor or Scott either." Jean said.
"Where are you Logan?" Storm asked.
"Boston. With Bobby Drake's family." He replied.
"Ok, we're on our way."
"And Storm." Logan said. "Make it fast." He wasn't sure how much longer he could stand being in there with those judgmental people. Turning on his head, he walked towards the sliding glass door, preparing to go inside. In the glass, he saw something. A cop car! They had been found. He rushed inside and slid the door shut and locked it.
"We have to go now."
"But Logan, why-" Rogue started.
"NOW!"
Rogue tried to remain calm, asking questions trying to get Logan to answer her. He wouldn't. He let his metal claws come out of his knuckles. Show time. John up righted himself from his leaned position and Leslie stood up. The mutants followed Logan onto the front porch. They were surrounded. Cops and their cars were on the lawn and in the street.
"Drop the knives and put your hands in the air." A policeman said to Logan, gun raised and pointed.
Logan turned his head so he was looking at the man. "What's goin' on here?" They all looked around frantically, sizing up their surroundings. Leslie shrunk back. She felt so small. Was this another side of the tough Leslie?
"Ronnie…" Bobby breathed. Ronnie. He must have called the cops of them after finding out about the mutant issue. His own brother was putting him into danger. What was this world coming to?
"Drop the knives!" The policeman repeated.
"This is just a misunderstanding." Logan said calmly.
"Put the knives down!!!" The man yelled.
Logan turned his head. "I can't" He raised his arm and pointed. "Now look-"
A bullet came flying out of the policeman's gun, striking Logan dead center in his forehead. Oh god. Rogue shrieked and Leslie hugged herself, her eyes darting around, taking in everything. Logan fell to the ground with a thud as he hit the wooden porch floor on his back.
"Alright. The rest of you. On the ground, NOW!" They were ordered. Everyone shrank to the floor. What were they suppose to do. They couldn't do anything, there were too many cops. John watched Leslie getting smaller and smaller. Eyes closed, breathing heavily, feeling totally and completely miniscule. This was it. It was over. They were all done for. He watched her helplessness. No. This wasn't suppose to happen. He swallowed, glaring daggers at the policeman. "Look kid, I said, on the ground!"
"We don't wanna hurt you kid." A woman cop said, also holding a gun.
His eyes were on her, Leslie. Eyes downcast, laying flat, overcome with fear. Seeing her like that made a knot form in the pit of his stomach. No one should ever make her feel like that. No one was allowed to.
His atoms apple bobbed as he swallowed one more time and began to speak. "You know all those dangerous mutants you hear about on the news?" He asked while lighting his shark Zippo. He removed his eyes from Leslie and looked at the policeman. "I'm the worst one." He took the flame into his hand. He lifted his arm an pointed it at him. The flame spiraled at him. He fell backwards, the blazes covering his entire body.
John spun around and flung the fire with all of his might at the woman at the other side of the porch. The flare enveloped her entire body. He shot some more out towards the front of the property, no true aim. Then flipped behind him and blasted through the door at the police that were inside of the house. He turned back forward and shot it at the every cop car. With each hand he flew flames, exploding cars and raising hell.
Memories flashed back in Leslie's mind. The house. The party. The fire. The police. Her fault. Gulping she continued to watch. John was out of control, he had let his anger get the best of him. He hit another vehicle, the fire causing the car to fly up into the air. Sirens could be heard of more people coming. John stopped it with another fireball. He licked his chapped lips and continued. Rogue lay quietly and confused. What could she do? She gasped as he continued to hurt more people. He was smiling now, like he was proud of his work. She couldn't take it anymore. She undid her white, satin glove and slid it off of her hand. Wrapping her fingers around his ankle, the fire burned out from his hand.
John took in a sharp breath. Was he dying? He stared at his hand wondering why his powers weren't working. All energy seemed to be being drained from him. He dropped to the floor. Rogue stuck out her hand, putting out the flames now that she had acquired some of John's powers for the time being. The bullet fell from Logan's head and his healing powers fixed him. He, as well as all of the crispy police awoke and sat up. A jet was landing before them. Everyone looked up to see it coming down onto the street. Leslie's head was buried in her knees, but she raised it to see what was going on. Now she saw, the same gleaming, gigantic jet that had picked her up in the first place. They all stood. John turned and stared at Rogue. Bitch. She had just made him look like an idiot and made him stop. He turned his head back to Leslie. Her eyes were wide as she watched. She looked so innocent and delectable that John was barely able to contain himself. He looked back at the jet, if he stared at Leslie any longer and might jump on top of her or something. Logan twisted his head and looked at John confusedly. John raised his eyebrows. Whoops, didn't mean to cause so much trouble.
The jet came to a complete stop and the engines shut down. All of the mutants went over to it and climbed on board. Bobby looked back one last time at his house, and his brother Ronnie who was watching in horror from the bedroom window.