I don't own the X-Men. They, and any other major characters in this story, belong to Marvel. I'm making no money off of this, either - blah, blah, blah, standard disclaimer stuff.
Thanks go out to Luba for the beta read and encouragement, and to everyone who's been so great about providing feedback!

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Authors Note:  One more chapter to go, so if you DO want a sequel, or you've been reading this story all along and haven't reviewed or e-mailed, here's your next-to-last chance!
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Just a Couple of Kids, After All...
by Sue Penkivech

Chapter 29
Bobby woke up disoriented the following morning with a vague feeling that something had changed. He thought about it for a few moments while he tried to reach an itch just out of reach on his back. His arm bumped a really warm body beside him, and he froze.

"Oh yeah, Kitty," he remembered and relaxed, then turned over to look at her. Her long hair was spread out around her head on the pillow, and he could see the back of her head and the bandage she still had on her left temple. A smile spread on his face, and he curled up behind her, slowly inching one arm under her pillow while he wrapped the other around her. She shivered a little, and pulled the blanket up higher, and he realized that she really felt very warm, then suddenly remembered the events of the previous day.

And night. He smiled even broader, and his hand began tracing patterns over Kit's stomach, incrementally working his way higher and higher until he reached her breasts. She made a sleepy sound of contentment and snuggled backwards until there was no space between them, and Bobby felt as if he'd rather like to stay in bed for the rest of his life.

Until an uncomfortable feeling reminded him that he needed to use the bathroom. And soon.

Grumbling to himself, he crawled out of bed, shivering in the cool morning air. Someone (he suspected Lockheed, as the dragon was stretched out on the foot of the bed) had opened the window during the night and declined to close it again.

"Hey dragon," he grumbled quietly as he pulled on the bathrobe he'd had the foresight to get from his room the night before, and Lockheed raised his head to peer at him from beneath half-lidded eyes. "Just because they call me Iceman doesn't mean I like to wake up cold. And I'm betting Kit doesn't, either. Not very considerate of you."

Lockheed made a sound Bobby interpreted as "Not very considerate of you to wake me up over it either," and dropped his head back onto the bed.

Chuckling silently over the exchange, Bobby closed the window and left the room, making his way to the bathroom in the other wing of the Mansion. While he knew he technically could use the bathroom on this side, given his status as a legitimate guest of someone with a room here, he didn't much feel like dealing with the consequences of walking in on someone who wasn't expecting him. He pulled his bathrobe tighter around him, shivering.

This was going to take some getting used to again, he thought ruefully. He just hoped it wasn't as bad as it was the first time around; he'd felt like he was freezing for months when his powers had first surfaced, until his body had adjusted to the cold. After that, he really hadn't felt it; he'd been able to control his body temperature easily enough until Loki had jumped up his powers, and he'd gone through the whole thing again. Luckily, Kit hadn't complained, just jokingly told him that no, he wasn't allowed to warm his cold feet on her. He'd done it anyway, quipping that if she wanted someone to warm HER feet on, she should have stayed with Pete Wisdom, and was rewarded with a pillow to the head.

He'd used the excuse to "warm" other portions of his body, as well, and if the process wasn't quite as rewarding as it had been a couple of days before, well, that certainly wasn't her fault. And he wasn't complaining, either. Apparently it made a "huge" difference when your partner was understanding.

Bobby sighed, making his way back to Kit's room, his mission to the bathroom complete. He sincerely hoped "she" wasn't complaining. He opened the door to her room slowly, and was disappointed to see she was no longer in bed, but sitting at her desk pouring over some papers. As she turned, he saw a blush on her face.

"What're you up to?" he asked, pretending to be suspicious.

"Umm, nothing," she said, standing up and coming over to him, then wrapping her arms around his neck.

"Uh huh, sure..." he replied, pulling her closer. Damn, she felt warm. His mind played with the idea of picking her up, carrying her back to bed, and staying there with her until he felt warm as well, however long that took. She pulled back, grinning, and phased out of his arms.

"You're freezing!" she accused him, and laughed as he reached out to pull her back and his hand went through her body.

"I KNOW I'm freezing! Want to warm me up?" he begged.

"Hmmm, I could..." she considered, and laughed as he tried to grab her again and she once again phased out of reach. "Start out at a warmer temperature, though, ok?"

He concentrated for a second, then shook his head. "Can't," he shrugged when he realized he'd only raised his temperature by a couple of degrees.

"Why not?" she asked, concerned, and he realized she thought he'd been joking around.

"I don't know. Don't worry," he added, seeing the look on her face. "I'll probably be back up to a nice, toasty 95 degrees in no time - my body's just adjusting. It's happened before," he added. "When I first manifested I was freezing for months."

"Months?" she gaped doubtfully, and he chuckled.

"I don't think it'll take that long," Bobby reassured her. "Probably a couple of days, though, considering my powers have been 'off' for nearly a year. It happened in the shuttle on the way home, too - everyone pooled their blankets and coats, they were complaining I was dropping the temperature in the shuttle. It's not that bad," he assured her, seeing sympathy in her eyes. "Worse for you than for me, actually - I'm kinda used to it, you know?"

"Yeah, I suppose," she said, and he could see her relax. "How about a hot shower? Would that help?"

A grin formed on his face. He had only a couple of days of vacation left; not much time, and he didn't plan on wasting any of it. "With company?"

Kitty grinned back. "Well, I DID say I'd help you warm up, didn't I?" She tidied up the papers she'd been looking at quickly, as he tried to catch a glimpse of them over her shoulder.

"What are those?" he asked, not understanding the diagrams.

"Oh, just something for school," she said quickly, putting the pile into her desk drawer. "Come on - let's get you warmed up."

"Might take more than a shower," he warned her, hoping he'd like her reply.

"Then I guess I'll have to come up with another idea," she said, grabbing her towel and shower kit and grinning over her shoulder at him. "I wonder if anyone around here has an electric blanket?"

"I like the way you think," he replied, and held the door open for her.

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

"Warmer now?" Kitty asked some time later, and laughed as Bobby stretched out on the bed, looking at peace with the universe.

"Ummhmm," he replied, then grinned at her. "It might happen again, though - probably will..."

"Guess I'll have to teach you some biofeedback," she answered, pretending not to understand his meaning.

"Screw biofeedback - come here!" he said, pulling her over on top of him. She considered phasing out of his grasp, but changed her mind, deciding to enjoy the shared warmth while he still had it to share.

"Lucky Rogue had an electric blanket," she said, propping head up by putting her elbows on his chest and looking down at him.

"I'll invest in one," he promised, and she laughed and then abruptly sobered, a thought passing through her mind. She rolled off and lay down beside him instead.

"What's wrong?" Bobby asked.

"When do you have to leave? I mean, I almost forgot you were only here on vacation..."

"I...well you see..." Bobby mumbled, and Kitty could tell he'd nearly forgotten as well. "I should leave by Sunday, at the latest," he admitted.

"Oh. That's it, then," she sighed, realizing that there was no way she was going to get her "present" working by then.

"What do you mean?" Bobby asked, confused. "It's not like we'll never see each other again - unless that's what you want? Look, I know the cold's a drag, but it'll get better...I really DO have an almost normal body temperature most of the time..."

"No! I mean, yes - I just..." Kitty stammered. Just then, there was a knock at the door.

"I quit!" Bobby yelled loudly to no one in particular and pulled the pillow over his head.

"Shhh!" Kitty said, pulling it back off again. "Who is it?" she asked, shrugging apologetically at Bobby, who looked really upset.

"Excuse me, mein freunds, but I have been asked to ascertain whether or not you plan to attend the debriefing slash meeting later this morning, and I thought that you would prefer I knock to the alternative?" she heard.

"Oh, hi Kurt. We'll be there in a bit, ok?"

"No we won't," Bobby grumbled, and Kitty realized that the temperature of the room had dropped again.

"I SAID in a bit, didn't I?" she replied, as Kurt acknowledged her answer and left, the smell of sulfur floating in under the door as proof.

Bobby took a deep breath before he answered. "Look, Kit, I understand. I mean, I'm gonna be leaving anyway - if you don't want to see me again, it's ok. I won't make a pest of myself."

She stared at him for a minute before answering, taking in his crestfallen look and the goosebumps that had formed on his chest and arms, then started giggling.

"Bobby, knock it off!"

"What?" he gaped.

"All I meant is that I'm bummed you're going to leave," Kitty answered, trying to stop laughing. "Of course I want to see you again - unless this is your way of telling me you're not interested in seeing me anymore?" she asked, more to get him on the defensive than because she believed it.

"No! That's the last thing I want! I just thought..."

"No, you didn't," she interrupted, leaving him with his mouth open. "You didn't think. But I'll forgive you. I'm not going anywhere, Bobby Drake - not until you want me to, anyway."

She saw his face brighten, and the air stopped growing colder, much to her relief. "Never happen," he said confidently, pulling her close. "What are you going to do?" he asked suddenly. "Are you going back to the X-Men? Or are you planning to stay in school."

"School, definitely. Beyond that - I don't know," she admitted. "Like I told you before - I really don't want to be a full time X-Man anymore. Or even a part time one. But I don't know..."

"C'mon, guys, get out of bed already!" Jubilee said from outside the door. "You gonna catch breakfast before the meeting or what?"

"We're coming!" Bobby and Kitty yelled in unison.

"That's WAAAYYY more information than I needed!" she yelled in reply.

"Gonna kill her," Bobby grumbled as he got out of bed and began getting dressed.

"Only if I don't do it first," Kitty clarified, as she went to the closet, pulled out a large NYCE sweatshirt and tossed it to him.

"What's this for?" he asked, his teeth chattering.

"I just spent an awful lot of time warming you up," she said, smiling. "Let's see if you can save some of it for later."

Bobby smiled his thanks and pulled it over his head, then walked over to where she was standing in front of the closet and wrapped his arms around her.

"What'd I ever do to deserve you?" he asked.

"Hmm. Broke your laptop intentionally, picked a couple of locks, applauded when I remembered to open the door, punched your friend in the nose...do you want me to keep going?" Kitty asked.

Bobby was laughing too hard to answer at first, but finally managed to answer, "Sure".

Kitty turned around to face him. "Stood up for me, believed in me, talked to me when you thought I was sleeping, faced down Moira to see me..."

"Well, actually, I waited until she was gone," Bobby corrected.

"Don't interrupt me with facts, I'm on a roll!" she protested, then continued. "Karaoke'd me - where did you get that song, anyway? - made friends with my dragon, and showed me I didn't have to be afraid of falling in love again. Hmm, I think that's enough," she concluded, smiling at him. "In any case, you're stuck with me now."

"You make it sound like you're a stray cat," he said, pulling her close, and she recognized it as something she'd said to him what seemed like years ago.

"It goes with the name, I guess," she replied, shrugging.

"Then I guess we're both lucky I love stray cats," he answered. "Or at least this one."

A few minutes later, Logan wandered by the door and sniffed to see if they were still there, thinking he'd stop and remind them that Hank wanted to see Kitty before the meeting. Smiling, he decided not to interrupt.

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

When they finally broke apart, Bobby looked down at Kitty and grimaced.

"Well, that's a look I didn't expect," she said jokingly.

"Nah, just remembered you said Hank wanted to see you this morning. We'd better get moving if we're going to stop at the medlab before the meeting."

"We could just conveniently forget?" Kitty said hopefully, but Bobby just glared at her.

"Uh uh. The big blue guy wants to see you; I'M certainly not going to argue with him."

"Thought you were supposed to be on my side," she grumbled as they walked out of the room.

"Only when you're right, hon!" Bobby replied, and laughed as she stuck her tongue out at him. She smiled sweetly, and he knew he was in for it.

"Maybe you're right. While we're there we can ask him about your temperature swings..."

"Oh, we don't need to bother him about that," Bobby said quickly.

"What, I don't get to worry about you?" Kitty retorted. "If you don't ask, I will. And maybe he can poke you with needles, and stick you in a spinning dryer vat, and..."

"Did anyone ever tell you you're vindictive?" Bobby asked, wincing.

"Well," she shrugged, "I AM Logan's daughter, for all intents and purposes. And my best friend growing up was a demon sorceress. What did you expect?"

Bobby just shivered, and this time it wasn't from the cold. They arrived at the medlab, and he opened the door for Kitty to enter.

"Ah, Katherine, I had begun to assume I would have to ascertain your whereabouts and compel you to keep your appointment once again," Hank said. Bobby grinned. It was nice to see Hank back to his typical furry blue self again. He just looked, well, "right" this way. "And Robert, you must apprise me of the events surrounding your encounter with the High Evolutionary yesterday. While Storm relayed a brief précis, I would welcome your more imaginative rendition."

"You need to check Bobby, too," Kitty said as Hank motioned her to an exam table and she hopped up on it. "His temperature keeps going up and down."

"Drastically?" Hank asked, glancing over, and Bobby shrugged in response.

"Seems to be varying between 95 and about 50," he replied.

"Hmm, not especially surprising, I suppose, considering that your powers were artificially augmented at one point. I myself have been shedding furiously all morning, and Betsy complained that while her telepathic abilities have been functioning properly, the quasi-teleportational abilities she acquired from the Crimson Dawn have been intermittently malfunctioning as well." Bobby had begun to get his hopes up; perhaps Hank wouldn't subject him to a battery of tests after all, when Hank continued. "Still, discretion seems best under the circumstances. Robert, please have a seat on the adjacent exam table. I'll be with you as soon as I complete my examination of your considerably more attractive companion."

"I see where I rate," Bobby grumbled, hopping up on the table, while Kitty said, "That's ok, Hank - you can skip me, I'm fine."

"All in their allotted time," Hank replied calmly. "As I told Piotr earlier, some things cannot and should not be ignored," he added, as he began taking a blood sample from Kitty's arm.

"Piotr? Is he here?" Kitty asked, sitting up abruptly.

"In the adjacent room," Hank said, pushing her back. "And I must ask that you remain calm, Katherine, or I will be forced to redo your examination to establish a baseline. If you have anything you wish to communicate to him, you may visit while I examine Robert." Bobby looked at Kitty's face, watching the disparate emotions wash over it.

"Maybe I will," she said finally.

"Do you want me to come with you?" Bobby asked, not really wanting Kitty in a room alone with the man he considered a psychopath.

"He is restrained," Hank assured her. "And, despite young Cailin's predictions, is still wearing an inhibitor collar."

Kitty seem to consider Bobby's offer for a moment, but shook her head.

"No, I think what I have to say won't take long. Don't leave without me though, ok?"

Hank chuckled before Bobby could answer. "Somehow, I believe Robert unwilling to leave your side, let alone the immediate vicinity. Returning to the reason for your visit, however, how are your headaches and other concussion related symptoms? Have you experienced any difficulties with the return of your phasing abilities?"

"Better," she assured him, sitting up. "Still a nagging headache, but the dizziness and nausea seem to be gone. Everything appears to be on the mend. I'm intangible by default, again, but I'm really not having any trouble controlling it. Am I done now?"

"Well, I'd considered repeating your favorite examination, but I suppose I can forego subjecting you to claustrophobia for now..." Hank replied, a mock serious expression on his face. "I had best examine Robert, before he develops a complex over my lack of attentiveness to his temperature fluctuations."

"Hey, I understood and resent that!" Bobby objected, laughing. "So, my best friend wants to ogle my girlfriend instead of me - I can certainly appreciate that! I'd rather look at her too. In fact, why don't you just forget about it - I'm fine..." he tapered off as he found both Hank and Kitty glaring at him.

"You dragged me in here," Kitty reminded him. "Now it's your turn. Sooner or later Rogue is going to want her electric blanket back, you know - and once you leave you won't have me to warm you up anymore."

"Maybe you could come with me?" Bobby said before thinking, and Kitty laughed.

"Sure, you only want me for my body heat," she said, pretending to be crushed.

"Perhaps you two could discuss your potential cohabitation arrangements later?" Hank asked, feigning irritation as he wrapped a blood pressure cuff around Bobby's arm and affixed another censor, which Bobby recognized as the one Hank used to monitor body temperature, to his forehead. "I am, after all, a very busy man, and would like to attend the assembly this morning, which, I believe, has already begun."

"Sure," Bobby answered, looking at Kitty and trying to decide how she felt about his impromptu offer. He wasn't sure, but he thought she looked almost pleased. It was encouraging, he decided, and felt his temperature increase again.

"Hmmm," Hank said, noting the change. "It would appear that these fluctuations are at least partially emotionally induced?"

"Translation?" Bobby requested, as Kitty hopped down off her table and made her way across the lab to the room Piotr was in. His temperature dropped again.

Hank sighed. "Never mind, you inadvertently answered my question. But, putting my next one in words you are less likely to take exception to, are you getting cold when you aren't upset, or only when you are?"

"Hmm? Oh, no, it happens on and off. Sometimes it's with my mood, sometimes not," Bobby answered, more interested in what Kitty could be talking with Piotr about than what Hank had to say.

"I'd like to do a lab workup on you," Hank said, and Bobby heard him sigh. "Bobby, please return your attention to your exam? Kitty is quite capable of taking care of herself."

"That's why she just spent a couple of days in here, right?" Bobby grumbled, but tried to pay attention to what Hank was saying. "I'm just worried, ok?"

"I noticed," Hank replied. "Your temperature has dropped approximately ten degrees in the last minute. Are you uncomfortable?"

"Not really," Bobby replied, though he was growing a bit cold. "It's irritating, but not really uncomfortable, if you know what I mean? I mean, I 'feel' it, but it's not really 'bothering' me."

"Hmmm. How cold do you get before you begin experiencing symptoms?"

"Shivering, you mean?" At Hank's nod, he considered it. "About 65 degrees, I think. Which is lower than it was yesterday; I started noticing goosebumps on the shuttle at about 75. Is something wrong?" he asked, growing concerned. "I mean, I've had this happen before..."

"I don't think so," Hank assured him. "It would appear that your body is just readjusting to the reactivation of your mutation. However," he added, holding up his hand as Bobby began to jump off the table, "if you should still be experiencing these symptoms two weeks from now, I would like to revisit the issue to determine if there is some other factor affecting you."

"Yeah, sure Hank, no problem," Bobby replied, relieved that he was getting off so easily.

"And to ensure that you follow through with my instructions, I will be relaying them to Kitty as well," Hank added smugly.

"Hey, that's not fair!" Bobby objected, and Hank chuckled.

"I know you too well, my friend. Now, before Kitty returns, may I ask you a question?"

"You will anyway," Bobby replied, but he leaned back against the table, still glancing occasionally at the door Kitty had closed behind her.

"Did my ears mistake me, or did you just ask her to move in with you?"

"Umm. yeah?" Bobby said self-consciously. "I didn't mean to - well, I did, but not here. It just slipped out."

"Well, just in case it escaped your notice," Hank replied, a grin forming on his face, "she didn't say no."

"She didn't say yes either," Bobby contested.

"So ask again later in a properly romantic setting," Hank said encouragingly. "And, if I may make a suggestion, be certain she knows you are serious, please?"

"Will do," Bobby said quickly, as Kitty came out the door, wiping a tear from the corner of her eye. She smiled at him, and he relaxed.

"Ready to go?" he asked her.

"You bet," she replied. "Are you coming, Hank?"

"I'll be there shortly," he replied, smiling. "And Kitty," he added, and Bobby cringed.

"Yes?"

"If he's experiencing excessive and unintentional temperature fluctuations two weeks from now, I want to see him again."

Bobby cringed as Kitty looked at him pointedly. "I'll make sure of it," she assured Hank.

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

When Bobby and Kitty finally arrived at the conference room, the meeting had already begun, but seemed to be taking a brief recess.

"Glad you could finally make it," Logan leaned over and said as they took chairs next to him.

"Oh shush!" Kitty said, blushing. She looked him over, and was relieved to see he looked like his old self again. "What'd we miss?"

"Nothin' really," he shrugged. "A lot of grandstanding. The Neo are pissed about Moran - don't seem like anyone's upset about Rax - and Domina wants to go back up and have a few choice words with the High Evolutionary, but if she does she'll be doin' it without us. Arakasi's acting weird - keeps looking around as if he's expectin' someone, but pretty much everyone's here. We had to call a break - Jean had to excuse herself for a few minutes."

"Morning sickness?" Kitty guessed.

"Got it in one, kid." Logan said, wrinkling his nose. "Times like these I could do without the enhanced senses."

"Rogue isn't here," Bobby leaned over and said.

"Yeah, she said she'd be late," Logan replied, shrugging. "Had a phone call to take - apparently Mystique disappeared from where they were holding her, and Valerie Cooper wanted to know if Rogue might have any idea where she went off to."

"I'll betcha any money that's who's Arakasi's looking for," Bobby said to Kitty, and she looked at him, confused.

"Why?" she asked, trying to figure out what the elderly Neo could want with Rogue.

"Bobby! Kitty! You're here!" she heard, and was nearly knocked of her chair by Cailin, with Diego trailing along in her wake.

"Hey kiddo, what are you up to?" Kitty asked, ruffling the girl's hair, causing her to giggle.

"Not much," Cailin answered between giggles as she tried to squirm away from Bobby, who had reached over and started tickling her. "I fixed that guy you were so worried about," she said, addressing Bobby. "I don't think he'll be able to switch forms any more, but he's in his normal one right now. Dr. Hank said it shouldn't be a problem."

Kitty looked up and tried to catch Bobby's eyes. She didn't realize he'd been responsible for getting Piotr help, and was surprised, under the circumstances, that he had. Piotr certainly hadn't seemed grateful. Still not acknowledging that he'd done anything wrong other than injure her, he'd spent several minutes warning her away from Bobby before rambling at length about how he would have preferred to be a dead hero than a powerless human. At least he'd mentioned that he'd be staying with the X-Men indefinitely, as Jean had insisted on regular therapy sessions with Dr. Samson. After listening to him complain incessantly, she'd taken her turn and warned him to stay away from her, and Bobby too. While she was sorry their friendship was over, she had her own life to lead, and she didn't want him in it. Not anymore.

Bobby avoided her gaze, however, and replied to Cailin instead.

"That's great, munchkin. And how about you, guy?" he asked Diego.

"Played a good prank on Jubilee," the boy grinned. "You might want to get a camera ready tomorrow morning for after her shower."

"What color?" Bobby asked hopefully.

Diego shrugged and grinned again. "Fluorescent yellow. What else? We figured it'd match her coat."

Bobby high-fived him, and Kitty and Logan laughed.

"What'd she do to deserve that?" Logan asked.

Cailin looked as if she were going to sulk. "Dumped us for my brother. We were having FUN with Jubilee while he was doing the computer stuff with you, but as soon as you guys finished she forgot all about us again."

"And now she just ignores us completely," Diego inserted. "Bet she won't be able to ignore this, though!"

"Not that it matters much," Cailin complained. "We're leaving tomorrow anyway. I don't want to go - I want to stay with Dr. Hank and learn everything he knows about flats and spikes. He says he's not a real doctor," she added, rolling her eyes, "but he sure knows a lot. But Domina says spikes don't foster Neo, so I've gotta go too. Anyway, I figured if Jubilee and Seth stay together we might see her again, so we thought we should make sure she remembers us."

"I'm guessing she won't forget fluorescent yellow hair easily," Kitty assured them, laughing. "Are you leaving so soon, then?"

"Yeah," Diego grumbled. "Domina's mad about Moran. Now she's gotta train a new successor, and that's a pain. Too many of the power absorbers either burn themselves out or blow themselves up, and there aren't a whole lot of them to begin with."

"Burn themselves out?" Kitty asked. "What do you mean?"

"You know - either burn out their gift or lose their control over it," Diego answered, shrugging. "Glad I'm not an absorber."

"What's your trick?" Logan asked.

"My...oh, you mean my ability? I'm a pyrokinetic," Diego said proudly, holding out his hand. His forehead wrinkled, and a small flame appeared in the middle of it. He made it spiral around a few times, and Kitty, Bobby, and Logan applauded politely as the boy closed his hand, putting the fire out.

"Very cool," Bobby said.

"Yeah, only he doesn't control it very well yet," Cailin teased. Diego opened his mouth to protest, but just then Jean entered, her face still tinged with green, and the room grew quiet. Cailin and Diego returned to their seats down the table.

"I apologize," she said, taking her seat at the head of the table. "Where were we?"

"Discussin' the news," Logan said, leaning back in his chair, and Jean looked at him gratefully.

"Thanks, Logan," she said. "As I mentioned before, it seems that the Legacy virus has been nullified in its victims, thanks to the joint efforts of our medical experts," she nodded at Moira and Hank, who'd come in while they were talking, and smiled broadly at Cailin, who blushed. "While the public response has been largely positive - the Friends of Humanity are calling it a hoax, of course - the political ramifications cannot be ignored. The remaining Genoshan mutates have flocked to Magneto's banner in droves, determined to turn the tables on the magistrates who took advantage of the recent situation to decimate them. With that kind of power behind him, it seems unlikely that Magneto will be content to remain in Genosha -"

"What business is this of ours?" Domina asked. "There are no Neo in Genosha, or in any of the areas that surround it. If you spikes wish to go spy on Magneto, it is your concern. Mine is the training of my next successor."

"Have you chosen her, then?" Ororo asked. Just then, Rogue and Gambit walked through the door.

"I have," Arakasi said, standing up and pointing at Rogue. "Will you accept your birthright among the Neo?" he asked, and all eyes in the room turned to stare at her.

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

Bobby was taken aback, but not half so much as Kitty, he realized, when she grabbed his arm and pulled him over so she could whisper in his ear.

"Did you know?" she asked.

"Not a clue," he replied. "I just knew he was interested in her for some reason, not why." He turned his attention back to the door, where Rogue was standing dumbfounded.

"Mah what?" she exclaimed, staring at the older man. "What do ya mean, mah birthright? Ah'm not a Neo. Am I?" she asked, less certain as she stared into his eyes.

"My child," he said, walking around the table to where she was standing. "You truly do not remember, then? I thought you feigning ignorance, having found a place for yourself here."

"Ah - ah really don't remember anything o' my life before Mystique found me," she admitted. "Or just bits and pieces, anyway - nothin' that makes sense."

Ororo looked at her, surprised. "I was unaware of that, Rogue. While you obviously shrouded your past in mystery, I did not realize you did not know it yourself."

"Yeah, well, it wasn't something Ah wanted to advertise, Storm. What y'all knew about my past was bad enough - who knows what worse is back there that Ah forgot? The Professor knew, though - he blocked out some stuff I was havin' trouble dealin' with, but Ah still don't know what."

Arakasi nodded. "I can detect the work he did there. May I link with you, and show you what you have forgotten?"

"How? Even the Professor had a hard time readin' my mind," Rogue asked skeptically.

"C'mon Chere, let's go," Remy protested, taking her arm. "This homme got you mixed up with somebody else, I'm thinkin'."

"Nor would he be able to read mine with any accuracy," Arakasi interrupted. "The minds of the Neo are different. I have similar difficulties reading the spikes here," he added, nodding at Remy.

Rogue shook off Remy's arm. "You're the guy in mah dream, aren'tcha?"

"Quite possibly," Arakasi replied. "I knew you well when you were a child; my sister was your mother. Do you want to see her?"

Rogue looked around the room at the assembled X-Men, most of whom were shaking their heads. She met Bobby's eyes, and he grinned and shrugged. "Can't hurt anything," he mouthed, and she nodded.

"All right, then," she conceded. "Show me her."

Arakasi reached out and touched her face, and she closed her eyes. "Ah - ah see her! She doesn't look much like ya," she added as she opened her eyes and looked at Arakasi. "But it was mah memory, wasn't it? How'd ya touch me, anyway? Ah didn't absorb your abilities at all!"

Arakasi nodded. "Your memories are there; I can sense them. As for how I managed to block your abilities, I have been dealing with power absorbers for far longer than you have been alive. It is possible to shield oneself against their touch, you know. Do you wish to sit down? I would be happy to help you regain your memories, and you should know the truth before you make a decision."

"What d'ya mean, a decision? There's no way I can lead the Neo!" she protested as she sat down.

"You may have to," Domina said, coming over to join them. "There is no other in my line who could assume the role."

"Rogue, are you sure this is a good idea?" Jean asked, looking suspiciously at Domina. "This all seems rather convenient, somehow."

"Convenient! I've spent the last twenty years training Moran as my successor, just as Jaeger had been training Rax. I assure you, there is nothing 'convenient' about this whole situation," Domina retorted.

"No Jean, Ah wanta know. If Ah am a Neo, it sure would explain a lot."

"Then sit back then, my child, and close your eyes. Picture a door unlocking..." Arakasi said as he lay his hands on her temples. The room was silent a few minutes, all eyes locked on Rogue, and Bobby watched as her face displayed a multitude of expressions as she relived her own memories.

"Oh, mah God - noooo!!!!" Rogue screamed, opening her eyes.

"What do you see?" Arakasi asked sharply as Rogue began to cry.

"Ah didn't mean to - Ah knew Ah wasn't supposed to, but he dared me," she rambled.

"Dared you do what, Chere?" Remy asked, putting his hand on her shoulder.

"His name was Zach. We were playin' with our powers," she continued, her face still looking appalled. "He was showin' off with his - makin' figures outta the flames an' all. Ah wasn't supposed to absorb his - mah Momma told me Ah wasn't ready for pyrokinetic abilities, they were tricky - but he was teasin' me, tellin' me Ah wasn't no better than a flatscan, and Ah got mad. Ah slapped him, and turned mah powers on, so ah absorbed his abilities. He passed out - Ah didn't have too good of control, mah Momma was always buggin' me about that, Ah remember. Said something disastrous was gonna happen some day, and it was gonna be mah fault 'cause Ah didn't concentrate hard enough."

"But Momma was right," she said in a haunted whisper. "Ah couldn't control 'em. Ah felt like Ah was burnin' up, so I pushed the flames out. The buildin' we were in caught fire..."

"Ah remember bein' scared, and ah couldn't turn the flames off. Zach was still out, so he couldn't help. Ah just ran, and ran, and ran, tryin' to get away from the fire, but it just came with me. Ah saw water up ahead, a river down below the cliff Ah was on, and Ah jumped..."

"What happened, Arakasi?" she looked up at him, her eyes haunted. "Ah don't remember no more, not until Mystique found me."

"You must have hit your head when you fell," he answered, shaking his head. "I don't see any more."

"To the village, ah mean," she persisted. "What happened to mah Momma, to Zach?" Arakasi lowered his head, and her eyes widened. "Did ah kill them?"

"Oh, no child!" he assured her. "The damage you did was not so bad, though I'm sure it seemed to you as if it was. No, that tribe of Neo was wiped out not so many years later by another, who call themselves the Shockwave Riders. Their deaths were none of your doing, though your mother mourned you as dead when they were unable to find you."

"But - when Mystique found me, Ah didn't have any powers. They didn't come 'til Ah hit puberty, a couple o' years later," Rogue puzzled.

"You burned them out, for a time," Domina replied. "They returned once you had healed, but you've forgotten all the training your mother taught you. I don't know if you still have the capability to be Domina, but it's imperative that we establish whether you do or not."

"An' can, can y'all teach me to control them? Y'know, turn them on and off?"

"Almost certainly," Arakasi replied, smiling gently. "Will you join us, then?"

"Doesn't seem Ah really have a choice, does it?" she replied. "Can Remy come with me?"

"A spike has -" Domina began irritably, while Arakasi answered, "Yes. If he wishes to."

"Will ya come, Gumbo?" Rogue asked.

"Don't know, Chere," he replied, shrugging. "Wha's there for a t'ief to do 'mong the Neo? But Remy come visit for a while and see, all right?"

"Hey, if they get to go with us, how come I can't stay with them?" Cailin protested.

"Why do you want to stay, little one?" Jaeger asked.

"Because I want to study with Dr. Hank," she said calmly. Bobby glanced over at Hank, and saw the look of surprise on his face. Apparently, Cailin hadn't discussed her idea with him in advance. Bobby couldn't resist, and before Domina could do more than open her mouth, he butted in.

"Well, that sounds fair. I mean, if Rogue's going with you, Cailin should be able to stay here if she wants to. I'll bet Hank would be happy to foster her - he'd love to have someone to talk to who can understand what he's saying," he said glibly, and saw Hank cast his eyes skyward.

"Rogue is Neo, she belongs with her people, as does Cailin," Domina protested, but Bobby thought she was weakening. His position was confirmed when Cailin ran over to her and grabbed her arm, and Domina looked down at her fondly.

"Please? You know I always wanted to learn about spikes, and what better chance am I likely to get? And Seth isn't that far away, and Kitty's here, and you LIKE Kitty..."

"You can't depend on Kitty being here though, Cailin," Jean said quietly. "She lives here, yes, but I was just going to ask her and Bobby if they would be willing to take a trip to Genosha." She looked at Kitty, the question in her eyes. "You have a better relationship with Magneto than most of us, and since I know better than to ask one of you to go without the other..."

"Sorry, Jean, I'm heading out this weekend," Bobby objected, and was gratified by her disappointed look. "I've got a business to run."

"And I have classes," Kitty said. "And I'm going to have to do some serious job hunting. I think it's time I moved out on my own. Not," she raised her hand as Ororo opened her mouth to protest, "that I'm not willing to help out when you really need me. But I think it's time for me to move on."

"Are you sure, Kitty? Maybe this isn't the best time - things will be tense with everyone's powers returning," Jean protested.

"I'm sure, Jean. And who knows, maybe Arakasi is right. Maybe, if more normal humans see mutants around them living ordinary lives they'll be less afraid of us. In any case, I'm positive it's what's right for me right now."

"Just figures, Bobby," Warren said snidely. "One successful mission, and the two of you run off without a thought to your responsibilities. When it comes down to it, you're just a couple of kids, after all."

Before Bobby could do more than open his mouth to protest, Betsy whacked Warren over the head with the magazine she'd been reading during the break.

"I think that's quite enough of that," she said coolly. Perhaps it's escaped your attention, but it seems to me that these two have done more for this team in the past two weeks - no, for everyone in this room" she corrected, looking around at the X-Men and Neo who were assembled - than anyone else you could name. Not too poor a performance, I'd say," she added, nodding at them, and Bobby saw Kit smile.

He smiled too, taking Kit's hand and thinking back on the last two weeks. Betsy was right - not too bad for a couple of kids.