Rogue sighed as she entered the kitchen. He was right where she knew he would be. He was always in here at this time of night. A lot of their close memories were shared here. It was how they got together.

It was when she was sixteen. He was seventeen. They were both eating ice cream and talking when all of a sudden he asked her out. She had said yes a little to loudly. Then she has said a yes again, but a little softer. Soon they were both laughing together.

And it had been him and her until the day she had left, and here she was again. She couldn't seem to get away from him. She was drawn to him more so than she had been to anyone else in her life. He was kind, funny, gentle, loving, and gorgeous. As sad as it was to admit she already knew in her heart of hearts that she would never be drawn to anyone else ever like she was to him because there was only one Bobby Drake in the world. And there would always only be one Bobby Drake who could be that special one to her. She knew it was true. God, how she knew it was true. She would die before she admitted it though. He was part of her past. Rich was part of her future,

"Can I- can I sit down- here?"

"Sure."

They sat there for about ten minutes in an uncomfortable silence. Neither of them knew what to say to eachother. Lucky enough for them John took it upon himself to walk into the kitchen at that very moment. He smirked at both of them.

"I just knew I'd find you two in here. It's funny how some things never change. Who was that guy I saw you with earlier? I had a talk with him earlier. He's not your boyfriend is he? He really creeped me out," said John with a disgusted look on his face.

First Bobby rolled his eyes than he threw John a look that could either be interpreted as "You're not helping," or "Just shut up!"

"He's my boyfriend. We've been going out for four years. After the law was passed that granted us safety he helped mutants that wanted a place where they weren't feared. He usually sent them to Xavier."

"And the guy still has yet to ask you to marry him. Damn, if it had been Bobby here you would have been married a long time ago. You want to know what? Scratch that out. If it had been Bobby you would have Jr. Bobby or Jr. Rogue running around this place. Actually knowing how you two would be carrying on I could deffinitely see Jr. Bobby AND Jr. Rogue Oh well, it still not too late."

"Damn, John. Will you ever grow up? Leave the both of them alone. I talked to Rich earlier. He seems nice. I wish the two of you all the luck. I could deffinitely see little Richards and Rogues running around- somewhere," said Jubilee as she entered the kitchen.

"It's funny you should say that. I always imagined little Rogue's and Bobby's. I always imagined Rogue's children to have dirty blonde hair, blonde, or light brown hair not black hair," said John.

"That's real funny John. All right, Jubilee and John, both of you stop this nonsense. I would like a chance to talk to Bobby alone. I haven't talk to him in years. I hope the two of you don't mind," said Rogue.

Rogue watched as both of them walked out to the livingroom. Before either one of them were completely out of eyesight they both gave Bobby and Rogue curious looks.

"I thought about you each and every single day you were gone. I wondered how you were doing. I wondered if you were okay. Most of all I wondered if you still loved me. I always thought I had your heart no matter what happened. I never thought that you might give it to another."

"I wanted you to be happy. I wanted you to be with someone, someone who wasn't me. I wanted you to move on. I knew that would never happen unless I did the same. "

"Seeing the two of you together killed me. It was like a knife going through my heart. I know you love him. I can see that. Maybe he loves you like I love you. Maybe he wants you like I want you-"

"Bobby, don't do this. We are no longer teenagers. I am not the same girl you know. I don't blush when I hear girls tell me how lucky I am to have such a sweet boyfriend as you. I-"

"How come you never wrote me?"

"I did. I wrote to you each and every single day after my first month there. I just never had the courage to send them to you. It's hard to explain, well not really- I just couldn't send them to you. I couldn't do it," said Rogue.

"Why not?"

"I can't answer that. Good night, Bobby Drake. I'll be seeing you soon."

With that she left to her room. Bobby faintly smiled. He remembered those were the last words she had ever spoken to him before she had walked out of his life. That had been ten years ago.

**********************************

Rogue was an entirely different story. She was a wreck. She was crying so hard. She was not smiling like Bobby was in the next room.

She knew he had changed. People told her how so. She never expected for him to just sit there with her and pour out everything he was feeling. She thought things could change between them in years. She got out a pen and paper like she did every night before it was bedtime.

Dear Bobby,

This must be around the three thousandth letter I have written you through the years since I left the mansion. Out of all the letters I have ever written to you there has only been one I sent to you. I don't know what made me decide to send you that one. I don't know what made that letter different from the other ones. I really don't know. Oh, God, I can only tell this letter how I feel. I love you so fucking much that I can barely breathe. It's driving me crazy, being so close to you but being so far. Oh, Bobby I am so angry with myself for feeling this way. The truth is I know Rich is going to ask me to marry him soon. I don't know what I shall say to him. What could I say to him

"Sorry Rich by the way I was always in love with my highschool sweetheart,"

Oh, Bobby I am so scared. I am so scared that now that you're mad at me. I am going to die if you don't forgive me. I have to at least be honest with you in this letter. When I saw you again I couldn't breathe for probably a minute. The years have done nothing but make you handsome. Oh, I can't stop crying. I am crying like a baby right now. I just want to run to your room and have you hold me all night long like we would used to do sometimes when we were younger. You don't know this but I still have the necklace you gave me when I turned seventeen. As stupid as it is I still have all the little notes we wrote to eachother throughout the years in our various classes. I saved every picture we either took or someone took of us. I saved all the letters in the past ten years you thought I never received. God I can't believe I kept all of our memories safely tucked away in many boxes. I wanted to rewrite the first letter I ever write to you. I memorized it.

My first letter:

Dear Bobby,

I have been here for a month. It seems like so much longer than that. I still can't stop crying every time I think about everything I left behind. Every night I cry myself to sleep. I can't believe that I have made it as long as I have. I love you so much, more than you will ever know. No matter what happens I will always love you. I hope you do get married someday and have children. You deserve that. You would be a good father. I tell you this because I love you. If I didn't I would tell you to stay with me and never have children. I can't do that. Love is not selfish. I'm going to stay away from the mansion for awhile about four years to give you a chance to move on, but I will always love you. Love, Rogue

*****************************

Jubilee and John sat on the couch in front of the fire. They loosely sat next to eachother as both of them contemplated everything that had happened in the past.

"Why did you leave that day," Jubilee finally asked.

"I was tired of being treated like a kid. I felt like I was being left behind and no one saw what I was truly capable of. Then when I joined the brotherhood I was forced to grow up. I thought that when I joined them I would finally get the recognition I deserved but that's not what happened. When I joined them that day I didn't think of the possibility that I would be forced to hurt the people who mattered so much to me," said John.

"If you could go back to that day would you change what you did?"

"Yes. I would change my mind, if I knew what I know now. I know now that Professor X knows what we are capable of what we're not. He knows when we are ready. At that point in time I wasn't ready. It'll be a long time before anyone puts faith in me. I don't blame them. The only one who really knows that I have come back is the professor."

Jubilee smiled at him as she took his hands in hers. She leaned forward so he could here her soft voice. He had to lean even closer.

"I believe in you. I knew you'd come back to us one day. And I have faith in you, right here, right now. That faith never left. It was here than and it's here than," said Jubilee.

"Why? I was one of them. Why did I hurt the people I love?"

"I don't know John. All I know is you have now. You don't have the past and the future isn't guaranteed to any of us. All you have is now. And right now you have us."

"Do I have you too," asked John.

"Ofcourse," said Jubilee as she pulled him into a strong hug.

John held on tightly. He felt himself start to tremble. Then before he knew what was happening he was crying. He cried harder as she told him to let it out and whispered soothing words.

He felt her draw circles on his back as she layed with him on the couch holding him tightly as he softly cried. He had never felt more vulnerable than he did at the moment.

"I love you," he whispered.

She stared at him as if he was an alien which to mist people he probably was.

"What," she asked in complete shock.

"You're one of my best friends."

She relaxed when she heard him say this. She didn't fall asleep until he did.

**********************************

All the adults and their respective families were all eating at the same table that morning in the dining room. John was playing with his lighter and talking to Jubilee. He was trying to convince her to let him help teach art and she was telling him she didn't think it was such a good idea because he might burn everything. Jacinda and Soren were sitting next to their parents. Both of them were arguing about something. Jean was trying to convince both of them to stop arguing. Logan and Scott were talking about something or other, lord knew what. Rogue was sitting uncomfortably next to Bobby because she didn't know what the hell to say. The professor smiled at this scene. Everything was as it should be.

"Bobby, I want to come sit through at least one period at your class today. It turns out I will be staying two months. I talked to Professor X. He said you and I can both teach english class."

"Alright. That's fine. Why don't you come for the first few periods. I can show you how things are done. It will give you a chance to get to know the students," said Bobby.

Rogue felt hurt because of the way he was acting. He was acting indifferent to her. She mentally kicked herself. What else had she expected? He had poured his heart out to her and she had rejected him. Really, what did he expect her to do? She was practically engaged and then she came back. What? Did he think they would just pick off where they left off.

"Are you alright R- Marie," asked Bobby.

"I'm fine. I'm just looking forward to meeting your students. Do any of them give you too much of a problem," asked Rogue.

"Ah, you see, I don't let them give me trouble."

********************

"Sit down. I have taught a lot of you for three years. I would think after all this time you would learn to come in and sit down quietly. I want all of you to be on your best behavior. This here is going to be my partner for at least two months. Sometimes we will teach together and sometimes we will teach apart. If you have any questions for her now would be the time to ask her."

"What do we call you?"

"You can call me Ms. Marie."

"How long have you've known Mr. Drake?"

"I have known him for about thirteen years. We went to school her. We had all the same classes together. Are there any other questions?"

The students shook their heads. Bobby watched as one girl by the name of Christina raised her hand.

"Yes, Christina."

"Yesterday you asked us to write a letter to someone you love because they may never be around someday. I was wondering if were able to read them for the class."

Bobby was about to say no when Rogue interrupted.

"I think that is a wonderful idea. I am excited to see what the two of you have come up with. Today your essay is due though as Mr. Drake has had me informed. Tommorow after we review the essay then I think that would be a good time to review your letters. They aren't for a grade, if I am correct."

Tbc