Disclaimer: I don't own anything…I don't even really know anything.

Rating: PG-13

Okay. Hey, look at me updating and everything. Go me. Things are gonna start getting interesting again. Yay! Am very sorry for the lack of updates, and this one hasn't been beta'd so brace yourselves. I've been moving house and starting university…has been a little busy. Still…new chapter enjoy!

Thank you to all the wonderful people who reviewed…sun shone…birds sung…all good.

XXX

Professor Xavier nodded. "That would explain the use of Bobby's power. The baby you are carrying will have it, and since the child is currently inside of you. It follows that you currently have access to it."

Rogue nodded absently. She had already considered this and come to the same conclusion. It was something else the intrigued her, "Professor, when I was…" she paused, "When I was wherever I was, I could sense someone else…could it possibly have been her?"

Bobby raised his eyebrows. She? Was his child a she? Was he going to have a daughter? He grinned at the thought although he wasn't conscious of it until the Professor gave him an odd look, "Sorry, it's just…" he looked at Rogue, "Do you…I mean, do you think it's a girl?"

Rogue frowned, "I…I don't know why I said she. But…yes. I do think she is a girl." Her face broke into a smile, "I could be wrong, but I think we're having a daughter."

Professor Xavier watched as the two smiled at each other and wished that he could share their joy. He was very happy for them. Even as a mutant race, there was no reason why having a child should not be a happy occasion, but he was very concerned. Even thinking it, himself made him feel horribly guilty, but it was fact. The child was inside Rogue, inside pretty much the most powerful mutant in the school, and it; she could be the reason they lost this war.

xxx

Magneto watched the interplay between the two mutants. Pyro and Athena were checking food rations into one of the large warehouses that they had commandeered. They were giving clear and concise instructions on what was to be done and how everyone was to do it. Moreover, they were smiling at each other.

He had been afraid of this. It was hard to be alone at the best of times. However, when there was someone who you wanted to be with and the person wanted to be with you, there were no visible obstacles in the way and they were near to you every day it was damn near impossible.

He sighed. He couldn't allow Pyro's feelings for this girl to compromise his mission. And compromise it, they would. Magneto knew. Pyro's allegiance to him was based on a hatred of those who hated him, and of course his respect and admiration for Magneto. However, respect and admiration may not be enough to prevent Pyro from trying to help Athena if she asked.

xxx

"Is too."

"Is not."

"Oh this is ridiculous, you know damn well it is too."

"It damn well is not."

Athena stopped herself from saying 'is too' again and took a deep breath. Right, different tactics. She raised her hands as in defeat, "All right fine, if you absolutely insist then, all right."

Pyro smiled, "Thank you."

She smiled back and slid her arms about his waist, hugging her body to hers. She had to convince him, had to make him understand, "But, the problem is that even if I agree with you, my people don't. What do you want me to do? Make them think that it's not extreme I have no control over what they think."

Pyro took a deep breath, "Athena, they have always known that this was the plan. To take on the humans and, if necessary, carve out a place for us."

Athena laid her head on his collarbone; Pyro could smell the scent of her hair and feel it tickling him under his chin. He felt her take a deep breath, "I'm afraid."

That surprised him. She didn't strike him as the kind of person who was afraid of much. "What are you afraid of?"

She lifted her head and met his eyes, "They wont go along with this. I know that in the end they wont. While their grief over my father was still fresh it was possible for them to be angry enough to consider it, now…" she paused and Pyro could tell that she was fighting off tears, guilt coursed through him and he fought the urge to tell her the truth to tell her everything. "Now, they keep asking themselves what he would have wanted. The simple fact is; he would not have wanted this."

Pyro knew what was coming, for the first time in his life he began to pray. Don't let this happen. I can't stand it. I can't lose her, "What are you saying Athena?"

"Pyro…I…" she paused and then she took his hands in hers, "I love you. But I can't do this. I can't be part of this. I can't…I can't be involved in something that would lead to the slaughter of hundreds and hundreds of people. Maybe even thousands. It goes against everything that I have ever believed in my life."

"Athena…please…" Pyro's heart was pounding in his chest. God, what was he supposed to do? Was he supposed to tell her the truth? That he loved her? That he would do anything for her? That if she wanted him to he would leave all of this to be with her, just because the idea of being parted was worse to him than death? "Athena…what do you want me to say?"

Athena took a breath, trying not to start yelling. Trying not to scream out how much she loved him. How he meant everything to her. How she didn't know how it had happened in such a short time. How she wanted to leave this place, where hatred saturated the very walls and go somewhere where they could just be happy together.

Instead, she raised her hands to the sides of his face and kissed him, "You need to do what you think is right."

xxx

Rogue lay on her back on one of the sofas in the common room. She stared at the ceiling pondering the question which every parent to be has to ponder at some point or another. It was difficult. If she chose wrongly, her daughter would probably never forgive her for it.

Bobby flopped down next to her, "We could always just name her after you."

Rogue crinkled up her nose, "I think not. I've never liked Marie and I'm not inflicting it on the next generation."

Bobby grinned, "Wow, 'the next generation'."

Rogue smiled at him. He was completely amazed by the very idea of them having a child. It wasn't like that for her. It was something innate. She was going to be a mother and it felt as if it was the most natural thing in the world to be happening. She even felt an intense connection to the child inside of her. She knew it was even stronger because she had already felt her child's presence when she was in that place.

Bobby was excited and hyperactive active. Overjoyed and almost dizzy with it. Her happiness was rooted in contentment, a calm, maternal feeling that she suspected women had always felt. She stroked a hand down the father of her child's cheek, "We'll come up with something."

He nodded happily and then a sudden frown crossed his face. "You're not going to be part of the x-men fighting force now are you?"

She met his eyes, "Of course I am Bobby. I can't let you go out there to fight them without me. The idea would drive me crazy."

"But Rogue you're pregnant. You can't risk something happening to you or our daughter."

Rogue felt fierce and conflicting emotions battling inside of her. On one side of the argument Bobby had a point, and her urge to protect her unborn child was strong. On the other side, she was very powerful, she was valuable and single-handedly she had saved them all last time. What if something happened and she wasn't there to help them this time? She wouldn't be able to live with herself. If something happened to Bobby, she looked into his face, she wouldn't be able to live.

"Bobby I know that this is hard for you. However, you have to accept this as my decision, I'm not taking myself out of the fighting. You know damn well that I am needed." She saw that he was about to argue, "Would you let me go without you?"

Bobby thought for a moment and then a resigned look came onto his face. He knew that he wouldn't. And so did she. He curled up next to her on the sofa.

xxx

Professor Xavier sat in front of his desk with his head in his hands. They needed Rogue, whichever way he played it out in his mind. One way or another they were going to need her and she wasn't going to be available.

Without her, they couldn't take on an army of mutants and hope to survive it. Her power was unique. He had never seen another one like it, and it was needed. Without it, he didn't know what they were going to do.

His thoughts were interrupted by a knock at his door, "Come in Logan."

The feral X-man slipped through the door, "Rogue's just been to see me. She had some interesting news which I assume you've already hears."

The Professor nodded, "Yes," he repressed a smiled at Logan's obvious discomfort, "Finding it a little unnerving."

With a grunt Logan shrugged, "I can't say I'm overjoyed. She's still a kid to me."

The Professor smiled, "Of course, and now she's about to have one."

Logan scowled; the Professor knew that it was probably taking all of Logan's self control not to strangle Bobby for touching the woman he thought of as his daughter. "It's not so much that, though of course…" his mind seemed to drift up murderous stream again before he dragged it back kicking and screaming, "Will Rogue still be fighting now? She says that she is…in fact she was very clear on the subject. But I don't see how she can?"

It was a question, his eyes were piercing the Professor's, "Why is that Logan?"

"You know why."

The Professor thought he knew. Apparently, the same thought that had occurred to him had occurred to Logan too. In addition, from the sounds of it neither of them had had the heart to tell Rogue or Bobby about their concerns, "Rogue has powers capable of stripping the powers and life of any mutant. The round inhibitor on her back combats this. If she were too remove this she would kill her child. Without removing it, she cannot use her powers. Are we on the same page here?"

Logan sighed. "I was afraid you were going to say that."