Author's Note: Here it is, the penultimate chapter … this fic has given me a lot of trouble *growls at fic* However it's nearly over. :-)

X3: :-) Thanks … poor John – and it ain't over yet.

Streetwise Girl: Not a Rogue-fan? Ah well … glad you're reading the fic :-) And as for Gambit … hehehe!

Rhiannon Merden: Thank you! Glad you hear you are enjoying it.

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The battle raged on the outskirts of the still-burning mansion. Magneto – with a brief hand movement – had taken out Logan; taking control of Logan's adamantium skeleton and rendering him motionless. Gambit found himself face to face with an enraged Jubilee – the Cajun had taken out her bedroom in the explosion.

Kitty – seeing Logan's predicament – came to his aid by charging at the man and breaking his concentration. He whirled, trying to catch her, but she was too fast for him.

Sabretooth had brought Storm to the ground, gasping for breath and clutching at her broken left arm. "You owe me that scream …" he whispered, reaching back a hand to strike … when his movement was arrested by Cyclops, who fired a powerful blast at it. Sabretooth hit the ground, clutching his arm. Cyclops – knowing the injury wouldn't hold him for long – yelled, 'Get out of there, Storm." Storm obeyed, stumbling away. Colossus srtuck Sabretooth hard as he started to move to follow her; in a second Sabretooth turned on him. Meanwhile, Nightcrawler appeared by Storm, before grabbing her and teleporting her out of the battleground.

But the main fight of the day was a more – personal affair. Bobby and John circled each other, warily, each easily blocking the other's attacks. "So Bobby," Pyro said, mockingly. "Where's Rogue, eh? Where's your girlfriend? She left you already, huh?"

Bobby's face hardened. "Rogue is dead." He bit back a sob.

"What?" Pyro said, momentarily loosing concentration. Bobby, however, couldn't take advantage of his opponent's vulnerability. He could barely see from the tears forming in his eyes.

"Mystique killed her," he said, forcing himself to continue. He shot a blast of ice straight at Pyro, who didn't even have a chance to melt it. He hit the ground, winded and gasping.

But his mind was working overtime. Mystique killed Rogue … Mystique killed Rogue … how? Why? I thought she wasn't meant to be harmed … He distinctly remembered Magneto promising him that Rogue would not be harmed … Hell, we need her, he thought, his mind struggling to comprehend. He vaguely noticed that Bobby had come to stand over him.

"You're lying!" he yelled, leaping to his feet and lashing out. Bobby easily dodged the blow.

"No. Mystique hurt her and left her in the bushes to die." His voice was ragged but harsh as he tried to block out the pain.

The other combatents stopped their fighting as they saw what was happening between the two boys. Magneto laughed and Pyro looked over to him. Magneto nodded, and understanding filled Pyro's eyes.

"That's what happens when you write letters …" Magneto said coldly, before turning and leaving the scene of the battle, followed by the other members of the Brotherhood.

Pyro stumbled away, in shock. Magneto ordered this … Magneto … he killed her … he killed her.

"John?" It was Cyclops.

Pyro pushed him away. He didn't need him … didn't need them … Oh God what's happening? He couldn't think properly, could comprehend. He didn't belong with the Xmen but – the Brotherhood had killed a girl he thought of as a sister.

"John? … You can stay …" Pyro started, before realising that the voice was that of Xavier inside his head.

"No …" he thought fiercely. "I can't … I've made my decision, and I have to stand by it … right or wrong."

He felt Xavier withdraw slightly. "Very well John. But you know, it's never too late to come back." Pyro felt the Professor withdraw from his thoughts.

He walked slowly down the grounds towards Magento and the Brotherhood, feeling the eyes of the Xmen upon him. But the worst was the look Bobby gave him … you betrayed me his eyes screamed at Pyro. Pyro kept walking, kept pretending … pretending it didn't hurt, pretending he knew what he was doing.

He knew he could never be an Xman … but could he be a member of the Brotherhood?

He kept walking. Kept walking towards the dream he had embraced on that fateful day at Alkali Lake … towards his destiny. At the last moment – just before he reached the helicopter – he paused … His eyes swept the battleground, taking in the tired but angry Xmen, watching him walk away. He closed his eyes, and stepped onto the jet.

Cyclops looked away. Nightcrawler sighed. "He has made his choice," he said philosophically.

The Xmen turned back to the mansion.

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Author's note: Sorry … this chapter is a little 'all-over-the-place' … but it's the second last chapter … the next (and final) chapter is the epilogue.

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