Well, I am FINALLY back from vacation and have another chapter up. Thank you SO MUCH to my reviewers. I love you! -Smooches- haha I'm so glad you liked that part I had at the end. I don't know how I came up with it because I'm usually not funny, but I was actually proud of it myself :D Read on! (This chapter...boring, but necessary Sighs and nods) Oh, as a note. I love Bobby. I ship Rogue/Bobby like nuts (so yeah, why DO I keep writing Rogue/John fics? I have no clue. I just love that couple too, although Rogue/Bobby is my main one. And it brings more interesting plots) but yeah, haha, just to be clear I was putting Bobby as how John sees him as stupid, not myself. Snugs Bobby and John

He had been searching for what seemed like hours. Standing amongst the crowd, trying to catch a glimpse of her. Her jacket, her gloves, her trademark white stripes that ran through her hair. Still, as Bobby tried to move through the protesting mutants, he couldn't find a sign of her anywhere. Frowning, trying his best not to scream in frustration, he wondered why she was doing this. She didn't need to do this. He loved Rogue the way she was, untouchable if it had to be so. It's what made him love her more. Her innocence, the way she managed to capture him in a way no one else ever had succeeded in. Never before had he thought he could fall in love with someone who he couldn't truly show his affections to.

Perhaps that was what made his feelings for her so true. He loved her even when he knew they could never have something like that. That is, until that moment. If she took the cure. But was it what he wanted—what she wanted? He knew he could love her, no matter what. Yet could she want him?

Sighing, he found himself stretching as tall as he could to see over the small cluster of National Guard members. Yet even as he saw the line of mutants slowly progressing into the building, he didn't see her anywhere. There's no way he could have missed her. He had borrowed one of Cyclops' cars—although now under circumstances, it couldn't actually be labeled as borrowing, he thought with a sudden sadness—and he had a very appropriate feeling that the car would be much faster than any vehicle Rogue took. Unless she had stolen the X-Jet, which he knew for a fact wasn't true.

Turning away from the line, he found himself filled with self-loathing. It was because of him, he knew it. He was the reason she had left. To change who she was, because she thought it was what she wanted. Or at least, he thought that was it.

Before he had a chance to head back towards the end of the line, however, a familiar voice cut him off.

"Hey Popsicle."

The only sign that Bobby had heard was how he stiffened suddenly before turning around, facing his old friend.

"You here for the cure?" John asked, trying his best to find as neutral of voice as he could. Inside, he wanted to burst out with the idea he had had while piloting the jet in. Shouting 'Guess what! I got to tie your girlfriend up before you did!' however, was not keeping a low profile.

Although, he was tempted to. The expression on Bobby's face would be too good. Unfortunately, the one on Magneto's would not. Mentally sighing, he waited for Bobby's response.

He didn't, however. Bobby, that is. Instead he clenched his fists, staring straight ahead?

"Or maybe you're just looking for someone," pausing, he took a note of Bobby's expression. He was irritated, slowly growing to the point where he would attempt to rip John's face off. Good, it would only give an excuse to melt the icicle. "Hrm, I'll take that as a 'yes'. I bet it's your girlfriend? Figured as much. She's just as pathetic as you are."

He nearly laughed as he saw Bobby's hands form a fist, glazing over slightly with ice. He smirked instead, bringing forth a flicker of flames.

"C'mon, Iceman," John beckoned forth in a voice full of challenge, giving a look of invitation. "Make a move."

His eyes clearly stated what he was thinking. 'I dare you.'

Shaking his head, not taking the bait, Bobby walked off with a look of discourage, turning instead back towards the building. John felt a panic building in his chest. He knew very well that Bobby would wait for Rogue…and would get very confused when she never showed up. Not only that, but he was most likely in contact with members of the X-Men. As if his situation could get even more screwed up.

"I wouldn't waste my time looking for her if I were you. You're not going to find her."

Or perhaps he was wrong.

He just screwed himself big time.

Bobby turned around within two seconds flat, an enraged look in his eyes. "What did you do to her?"

Shit. Think, Pyro, think. You've gotten yourself out of worse situations. Just say something, anything. You can do it.

Pulling on his best sneer, John shook his head. "What would I want with her for? No, it's just because no one's going to come get the cure when there's no building left."

With no other choice left, he sent a burst of flames at the building, grinning with satisfaction as he hit his mark and it slowly caught on to a blazing fire. Sure, it hadn't been an initial intention of his, but he couldn't help but hold pride in his achievement while the building that contained the bane to all mutant's existence was caught up in the flames.

"You idiot!" he heard Bobby call from behind him. "Rogue could be in there!"

Not even bothering to turn back, he smirked, speaking thoughts to himself under his breath. "No, she couldn't," he held that thought with satisfaction in his heart. "Unless she stole Jamie's power…which can't have happened…there's no way she could be in two places at once."

He walked away content, complimenting himself on a job well done. He was beyond positive that they wouldn't figure it out, wouldn't have a chance at piecing his original words together. Yet as he walked towards the jet, something in his plan would go terribly wrong.

If he had looked behind him, however, he would have noted the look of suspicion and confusion on Bobby's face, masking any trace of panic he had had before. In Robert Drake's heart, he knew that something wasn't right. He never knew John to be like that…so rational. Not in a situation like that, that is. And as his eyes followed his ex-best friend, filled with hatred, he knew instantly that something was not right about John Allerdyce.

There it be! Tell me what you think, drop me down with a little R/R. Let me tell you, you will NOT believe what John gets back to the Island to. For real, haha.