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Lara zipped up her last boot and stood, facing the Professor. She was outfitted in pure X-Men ensemble, with the clear rod hooked on her waist, full of energy and ready. She had spent the rest of the afternoon learning how to fly the X-Jet and she was ready to board. She checked her watch. 5 am.
"He obviously left the message for you, but the Jet might deter him away, as I don't think he wants to come back. Just try to bring him back, and if you can't…" Xavier left that hanging. Wild nodded and walked into the jet, the door closing after her. She took her place at the controls and flicked the switch to her left. The lights in the cabin came on and a faint roar was heard as the machine came to life. She gripped the steering handles and leaned back, the jet lifting off and into the sky.
Pyro kept to his plan and spent the next few weeks catching rides down to his destination. He had brought about a hundred dollars and that was for food. He stayed in campsites the rest of the time.
Then, there was that day, when he finally stepped into Maine's border and he entered a fairly large city. He grabbed a couple doughnuts from a shop nearby and found himself in the clearing of a medium sized forest. He leaned against a tree and watched the brook next to him, remembering…
Lara put in a CD in the radio part of the jet and flicked on the night vision as the sun set. She kept the radar on, though, still trying to find him. The first lines of the song came on in a soft, slow tune…
Pain, flows like a river, just keeps on livin'
With all them memories
Shame, you're so heartbroken
Now you're scared to open and give your love again
And now anticipation waits for love
Will it be everything you dreamed this time around
I know you have your doubts
But I won't let you down
Darlin' if, if we fall in love tonight
You're gonna be alright
Your heart is in good hands
Darlin' if, if we fall in love again
On me you can depend, if you could take a chance
Open your heart and let love, love again
Lara smiled softly. Even if John had killed another, there was something about him…something she couldn't quite put her finger on. She hummed quietly along with the tune.
The radar beeped a few minutes later and she looked down to spot an infrared image of a sleeping body on the screen. She immediately recognized the figure. Pyro! She smiled happily and found a spot to land near the area.
John was jolted awake by a muffled thump and stood up, lighter ready. He held a fireball in his hand and looked at the noise. He saw a shadow coming toward him. He held up the flames, ready to throw them, when he saw a matching ball in the person's hand…only it was made of electricity. The flames went out and he went running. Running straight to Wild.
Lara smiled as he came into view and she felt his arms go around her waist. He pulled her to him and ran his fingers through her hair, murmuring her name softly all the while.
You see, John had done some thinking over the past few days. He couldn't get Lara out of his mind, couldn't stop seeing her face. He had come to a conclusion after a particular thought process about Darren. You don't kill someone to protect another unless you love them. And that had been it. He loved her and he knew it.
Lara looked up at him, not sure what had come over him. She stared into his eyes and saw something she had never seen before. She wondered about this for a moment and then pulled away.
"Let's go back to the jet."
John watched her the entire time, wondering what was going through her mind. He followed her to the jet and looked around once he was inside. He had never been in the X-Jet before. It was wide, with a fairly tall ceiling. The seats didn't look comfortable until you got to the back, and then they were cushier. Lara had a large air bed laid out in the back corner, which he figured she had used over the journey. She opened the door to a portable refrigerator/cabinet and produced two sodas. Lara threw him one which he barely caught. She settled down on the floor, leaning against the air bed. He did the same and sat next to her like they would have done back at the school. He could hear a song softly playing in the background and he listened closer…
Stay away from my window
Stay away from my back door too
Disconnect the telephone line
Relax baby and draw that blind
Kick off your shoes and sit right down
Loosen off that pretty french gown
Let me pour you a good long drink
Ooh baby don't you hesitate cause
Tonight's the night
It's gonna be alright
Cause I love you girl
Ain't nobody gonna stop us now…
"What happened, John?" Lara asked him bluntly and looked deep into his eyes. She had never called him John before. He looked down and tapped the can absentmindedly as he retold his story…
Lara sat there dumbfounded, listening to that tale of John's. The way he presented Darren didn't sound real, but one look into his eyes and she knew that he wasn't lying. Darren had wanted her in vain. She didn't think he really liked her; he liked her looks. But, John…John had fought for her. Fought for her fate. She looked up again and met his gaze. She could tell what was in his eyes now. And what was in his, was in hers. She reached out with her hand and slipped it around the back of his neck. Lara pulled him to her and kissed him, just like that.
John had finished the story and sat in silence for a few seconds before she did that. He closed his eyes and roughly pulled her into his lap, still making out like teenagers. But that turned into something more and soon the two were sent spiraling in a whirlwind that lasted the whole night through…
Pyro: Best night of my life.
Lara: Shut up.