Faces, blinding faces, and lights, and movement were all around her, she couldn't make anything out. But there was a voice, a voice that screamed 'no', again and again with the rhythm of a dreadful march. The light swooped in, a flash of spilled red dappled in the light….

Rogue clutched tightly at her head, willing the visions, the panic, all the confusion to just go away. The night air whipped around her face as though trying to slap her back to her senses, but she couldn't seem to get a grip on herself. She had had visions before, dreams or nightmares or whatever you could call them, but never anything of this ferocity.

The road twisted like a snake before them, the cars speeding along in convoy. Pietro was sat beside her in the back of the car, the three new arrivals looming like ghosts behind her…

About half an hour ago, after Rogue had first collapsed and then announced that she was going to hare off to New York, there had been a general outburst of concern for her sanity (tactfully though it was made). Pietro placed a protective hand on her shoulder, and Lance looked down on her face with kind eyes.

'OK, maybe that was a vision that you just had, but why don't we give it a little while, let you have some rest, and then you'll be able to tell whether it really was.' He made himself sound reasonable, as though he considered her to be fully in possession of her wits.

She tried to stand, tried to let them know of the all consuming nature that was what she had seen, how it had taken over her mind and her senses and brought her to a whole other place and time, but instead she staggered and fell back into the arms of Pietro.

Scott saw this and nodded, the alliance to Lance reborn through need. 'It's true, nobody cares about Jean more than me (Lydia couldn't help but throw a look at him), in spite of everything that she did to us. But right now we can't risk making a trip like that, risk getting seen, and caught, when we're not sure.'

He looked around for support and everyone nodded. Rogue felt alien, unsure of herself, and regretted more than ever her inability to really force her role as leader upon those who needed leading. She didn't want this, didn't want any of it. But she also knew that her weakness, her collapse, had scared them all, introduced those little seeds of doubt in their minds that she just wasn't as strong as they hoped and believed her to be.

Vulnerable as she was, scared as she was, she couldn't let anyone see it, knew it would be the destruction of them all. They needed a hero, whatever it cost her. Almost unwillingly her eyes slid across to the three wrinkled, death-like strangers that were standing slightly in the shadow, and ironically it seemed that they alone believed in what she saw. The foremost of the group bored his way into her face, and she felt naked. Fear flooded into her and she fought to her feet through the claustrophobia it induced.

'No' she shouted, more at herself than anyone else. 'I know what I saw. If we wait, then he will take Jean, or he will kill her, and anyone else who stands in his way. We can't wait to be sure. I'm going to New York.'

They seemed to draw strength from her certainty. She felt the unfairness of the weight that this put on her, but knew that at this moment it could be no other way.

Toad, who had previously been pointing at his temple and rolling his eyes, was the first to rise with her.

'Right, who's driving then?' he asked, deliberately casual.

Rogue looked at him as though seeing him for the first time, and then shook her head. 'Just me. I can't drag anyone else into this. We can't lose anyone else.' Unconsciously she glanced at Evan, who visibly flinched.

Pietro gripped her hand tight in his, so close that she could feel the moisture from his clammy palms seep into her own skin. 'You're not going anywhere alone' he said, with a low voice and fierce eyes.

He turned them like beacons onto the rest. 'Ok, how about some of us stay here, set up base camp, and the rest of us will go and see if we can track down Jean.'

'No' Logan responded instantly, 'we all go.' He seemed to feel that it was about time an adult had a say in the discussion.

'We can't', Kitty said, facing up to Logan without fear. 'It would be stupid to try and sneak all of us across the country. If we are gonna get to New York in time, we're gonna need to catch a flight. Which most of us can't do if we're running from the law. We can't risk letting Apocalypse get to Jean, but we also shouldn't go out there asking to get arrested. Pretty soon they'll be bringing the army in. Some of us are going to need to stay here, just to be safe.'

Rogue seemed ready to fight the idea of anyone else going at all, but her features caved in on her. 'Right, well every second we spend here talking is wasting time, so fine let's just head out. Bobby, stay here, and look after the younger guys and Lydia.' Bobby started to protest, as did Lydia, but Rogue moved over to the first, and touched his shoulder in reminiscence of the friendship that they shared. 'I need you to protect them for me' she said softly, so that only he could hear it. 'The rest of us will go right now to New York' she said more loudly, indicating Kitty, Lance, Scott, Pietro, Todd, Tabby, Kurt, Logan and her mother. 'Lydia has to stay' she said, as much to the girl as to Scott, 'it would be insane to let you go up against Apocalypse without anything to protect yourself with.' In response, Lydia said nothing, but she seemed to hold on more tightly to Scot, as if it would prevent her from having to let go. 'Evan, you have to stay too,' Rogue said, a little more gently, 'I'm sorry, but you're just not ready to do it all again yet.' The boy across the clearing from her regarded her with a quiet dignity, and nodded his head in acknowledgement.

She looked around at all of those coming with her, even the adults, in the eye. 'Don't any of you go looking for a fight. I mean it. We all saw back at the mansion just what this guy can do. And you' she said, wheeling around to her visitors, who looked slightly indignant at being addressed in such a manner, 'I don't know who you are, why you are here or what the hell you are talking about, and at this moment in time I don't care. I will deal with you when I have dealt with this.'

She turned away from them and stormed off towards the car, her previous weakness all but forgotten with the need to fight. Behind her, those going and those staying made their tearful (in Lydia's case) goodbyes. Rogue looked at the parting couple, trying her best not to show the wretchedness she felt at tearing them apart. Instead, as she opened the door, she gave the three men waiting a dubious glance over her shoulder.

'Follow us if you want, but you'll stick out like sore thumbs in those cloaks, so I really suggest you change….'

All this had led to the speeding mass of vehicles that now thundered down the roads to New York though the cold night. Rogue let Pietro's arms brush around her like a blanket, but try as she might she could salvage no warmth from them.

As they arrived at the airport, miraculously without meeting any cops along the way, they hit the first big wall in their path. Though Mystique did have money, and could certainly buy tickets for herself and for Logan to travel in the passenger seats, there was the small problem of all the student mutants amongst the group being wanted by police across the country.

This problem was rather strangely solved by one of their new companions, who now looked only slightly less out of place in one of Logan's checked shirts and jeans. The man named himself as Cassius, and assured the others that he was highly skilled in the art of concealing himself. From behind him, there came a small snort from one of his companions. Cassius seemed to ignore it, and so did Rogue.

'Ok, well as we have no better ideas, and we don't have any time to think up any better ideas, we'll have to trust you. But I swear, if you do anything to convince me that you are not here to help us in any way you can, you will be in for a world of pain.' Cassius swallowed and nodded, but his companions seemed somehow satisfied.

They sent Logan and Mystique with the other two men to go and buy ordinary tickets for the next flight to New York, and then Cassius led them along the side of the airport building, round to a door surrounded by garbage bins, and then through a twisting labyrinth of corridors which opened out onto the back vista of the terminal, where they could see plane after plane lined up and ready to fly. Rogue looked at Cassius in newfound amazement.

'How do you know your way around like this?' she asked incredulously. 'I mean, no offence, but you don't look like the type who really gets out much.'

Cassius tried, unsuccessfully, to look modest. 'In my spare time I study the inner workings of many worldwide public buildings.'

The boast did not have the effect he had hoped for. Behind him, Kurt cocked an eyebrow and said 'you must have a lot of spare time.'

'About fifty years' Cassius replied.

Rogue was no longer listening to them, but instead was squinting into the distance. As her eyes scanned the horizon, she seemed to spot something. 'Ok, this is what we are going to do. Pietro, do you see that plane there?' she put her hand in his and guided it to point to one quite a distance away. ' I need you to run to it… with Kurt on your back.'

Both boys seemed to find this idea not to their liking, causing Tabby to smirk. Rogue rolled her eyes. 'Don't be stupid, we need Kurt to see the baggage bay so he can port us to it.'

Tabby looked at her. 'why don't you port us?' she asked quizzically.

'Why shouldn't Kurt do it?' Rogue's reply was so short, that nobody seemed to want to press the point that she hadn't really answered the question.

Instead she moved on. 'Right, you have to wait to go till I tell you to, we need to get you onto the plane just as they're closing the doors. Kurt, this means you won't have too much time to port us all on, think you can move us two at a time?'

'No problem' he nodded.

'Ok then, get ready.' Kurt hopped onto Pietro's back, unable to see the scowl on his carrier's face. Tabby couldn't help but giggle.

'Gripping him a bit tight there' Lance said, the corner of his mouth twisting up. 'You know Rogue, maybe your brother is planning on giving you a little competition……' He broke off as both Tabby and Rogue smacked him on the arm. Kurt gave a thank you.

The baggage attendants began to move away from the plane. 'Ready' said Rogue, 'Ready…go!'

No sooner had she said it than Pietro was off in a very literal flash. A few seconds later, they breathed a sigh of relief as they saw a glint of silver move into the closing door of the plane. If they had been nearer they would have seen the balding guy driving the baggage trucks scratch his head as if unsure of something, before shrugging and driving off back in the direction of the terminal.

A second later, Kurt blinked into view, falling about five meters away from them. He rubbed his ass gingerly. 'Man, I need to practice my blind porting a bit better.'

Rogue ran up to him. 'Never mind that now, let's go.' She and Scott held onto his arms, and disappeared from view. A minute later, a very tired and sore Kurt finished porting Tabby and Todd into the cargo hold of the plane. Cassius was still complaining bitterly that Kurt had ''accidentally'' dropped him onto a crate. Rogue had to tell him to shut up. They crouched amongst the suitcases and boxes and felt the engines of the plane grind around them, and the slow disconcerting shuffle that moved it down the runway and off in the direction of New York.

They landed only a couple of hours later, Kurt having to port them off the plane to a spot described telepathically to Rogue by Mystique. While it was still moving. Needless to say, Kurt was rather proud of himself as the last of the stowaways lay panting on the grass outside the airport boundary. Rogue smiled at him.

'Thanks'

He gave her his goofy grin in return. 'No problem sis.'

Kitty was helping Lance to his feet. Avalanche was still a little green in the face, he hadn't fared well travelling in the cargo hold.

Todd was still laughing at him for it. 'Honestly dude, no wonder your power is to make the ground shake, we take you off it and you fall to pieces!'

Cassius, on the other hand, seemed to have enjoyed it. He smiled broadly at the rest of the group, and exclaimed, 'lovely, my favourite way to travel.'

Rogue decided not to respond to this further outburst of weirdness, and instead led them all on a trek to the roadside, wondering all the while at the amazing ability of her friend to laugh no matter what the world threw at him. Just under an hour later, Mystique and Logan pulled up in what were in all likelihood stolen cars. Lance shrugged when he saw them, and climbed into the seat mumbling 'well, once you've broken one law….'

Rogue climbed in after him, her eyes full of purpose, focusing on the twinkling lights of the city that set the sky on fire ahead of them.

As they moved closer however, they saw that the lights of New York seemed slightly more active than usual. There were flashes, sirens, and with a sense of dread that struck them to the core, a thick billowing of smoke that trailed through the city and steamrolled the buildings from their line of sight.

Rogue gripped Pietro's arm. 'Oh my god, we're too late…'

He didn't reply to her, only indicated to Logan to drive the car faster, straight into the seething mass of smoke and light and noise that had clouded Rogue's consciousness since that moment so many hours ago in the clearing.

They emerged minutes later into a street alight with chaos. There were bodies, bodies everywhere on the ground, tossed about like flotsam from a storm at sea. Seen across the world through the cameras that hovered above the streets, seeing and yet seeming unable to do anything but see. Those who were alive ran as though their very lives depended upon it, which they did. They chased each other as wild animals do in the stampede, all desperate to escape the fret, and the hurt, and the pain of the slaughter that was taking place in this innocent city. None of those now caught up in Apocalypse's attack could have prepared themselves for the sheer and simple nightmare of it. Human beings- breathing, living and thinking human beings, killing other human beings as easily as though they were breaking twigs. The city around them, beautiful and alive, was being destroyed by an evil that was painfully real to everyone who could see, and who could give it no other name.

As they watched, unable to move in horror, a mutant with arms like tree trunks and a face carved from stone and hatred chased down a young mother and her baby, rushing to escape the path of destruction. He caught them easily, and the young woman gave one last, agonised plea before he tore the child from her breast, and threw it away like a discarded piece of rubbish. She barely had time to weep before he put an end to her misery. Mother and child fell side by side, inches apart from each other as death's merciless victims. Those around could only freeze for a moment of suspended, awful disbelief, before screaming again.

Lance clutched Kitty close to him, as though it could blot out the memory and stop the tears. Everyone knew now, for those entering this fight, not everyone would be coming back.

If the others around her had been looking at Rogue's face, and not the carnage taking place before them, they would have seen something break and shatter in her eyes, never again to be repaired. Nothing, nothing in the whole wide world would ever wipe the image of that mother and her baby now seared into her mind and soul. Fear, doubt, pain, suffering, all flooded into her head to erupt in a seething mass of fury and determination. She threw herself from the car, and raced towards the towering Apocalypse, seeing nothing now but the giant form in front of her. If the police and army forces that had gathered on the scene recognised her, she didn't care. She saw instantly that Apocalypse was quite indifferent to the general destruction being wreaked around him, and had quite a different target in mind.

As soon as she had sprung from the car, Lance followed, shouting 'to hell with this, this fight has been brought to us!' the others came after him, fierce as warriors on a battlefield, and cried to the night as the entered into the fray. Scott shot down the killer of the mother and child in a blaze of brilliant red, and he tumbled and fell to the ground where his victims now lay like tragic statues.

Tabby and Kurt worked together to stop a woman literally buzzing with electricity from looting and destroying a store and its owners. Kurt ported his girlfriend into a line of fire to hit him with a boom that blew her back behind the counter and out of the fight. They immediately raced out to join the others.

Rogue scanned the vista in front of her as she ran towards her goal, and realised that she wasn't too late to stop her vision, at the very, very least. She could see the shock of red that she now understood was Jean, backed up against the wall of a multi storey building, her eyes full of a defiant fear. Even though Rogue was too far away to hear her words, she knew that the other girl had refused the offer put before her, and she felt a renewed stab of respect for her once enemy.

Apocalypse seemed to shrug, before he raised his hands to deliver a fatal blow. At once Rogue dashed forward, light flashing from her hands and eyes. Beyond his control, the monster's hands flew up from their death stance and the bolts of energy soared from his finger tips, crackling in the flaming sky above.

Even before he turned, that gruesome face had twisted itself into a satisfied smile. Rogue didn't care. She motioned to a stunned looking Jean to run in the direction of the others, and faced down her nemesis with fire in all her being. Something seemed to sizzle in the air around them both, causing those who had before been bent on personal fights and destruction to pause and watch. Her friends broke away from their battles and gathered themselves around her, lieutenants ready as ever to defend their captain. The city, with its cameras and buildings and people, seemed to know that its fate would be decided in the fates of the two creatures that now faced off.

There were no words this time, no petty insults and bickering. Apocalypse fired the first shot, a blast of fire that scorched its way in a path around Rogue, but left her unscathed in its centre.

He tried again immediately, hammering his fist down like a clap of thunder. Rogue rolled, narrowly missed the killer blow, and let something akin to a sonic boom fly from her hands, making the giant stagger back a step or two. He recovered quickly, and sent a pile of rocks flying back at her. She grabbed them, not using her hands, metres before they struck. Her face dripped with sweat and concentration as though she really were carrying the load, before she hurled them mentally to one side.

And then she seemed to stop. She looked once more at Apocalypse, wanting to be rid of him more than anything else in her life. Her eyes closed, and her hands fell by her side. The pendant around her neck started to glow….

Apocalypse seemed to spy his chance. He looked incredulous, but nevertheless raised one more fatal load into the air, and tossed it at the still, little girl that stood before him. It soared through the air as though it were moving in slow motion, watched by the whole of New York, the whole of the nation, even the whole of the world, watched by everyone in fact except the person who it was aimed at.

But there was a flash before the rock could hit its target, as something very fast and very solid collided into Rogue and pushed her out of the way, letting the missile shake the ground and crumble to just at the impact.

Rogue looked disbelievingly at Pietro, who for his part glared back at her. 'What the hell do you think you are doing?' He screamed at her, his love spilling from his mouth in a terrified rage. 'You are not strong enough to do this now!'

'I told you not to get involved in this' she hissed back like a wounded tiger, too angry to control herself. She pushed him aside and hurled herself back towards Apocalypse, who had clearly found the disturbance amusing.

He did not wait for Rogue to regroup before he hurled lightning at her, which she bounced off with a force field. She tried to enter that moment of stillness again, willed herself as much as she could to once again move her mind away from the battle around her, but she couldn't force her eyes closed.

She swore forcefully, and aimed a piece of wreckage of her own at Apocalypse, hoping that for the time being she could get away with playing him at his own game.

He responded by picking up an overturned and smoking car from the street, and tossing it at her. She dodged it easily, but immediately had a feeling that she had done something unforgettably awful. Spinning away momentarily from the fight, she watched with a horrified inevitability as the car struck someone that had been standing behind, ready to protect her and brave to the very last….

And the city seemed to swim in a whirl around her, as Apocalypse sensed victory and walked away laughing.

DISCLAIMER: Characters you know about are property of Marvel and WB

AUTHOR'S NOTE: Dum dum dum! Who have we lost now? Promise that for definite will be updating a lot sooner for the next chapter! Apologies if this chapter ain't very good, have had a lil bit of trouble picking up the story, so continuity may be a tiny bit out! The next chapter will be a little less action too, and a lot more explanation, hopefully!