Her eyes took in the sight of the dingy wooden door, that had a crooked 23 nailed onto it. Her hand had curled into a fist, ready to knock. The door swung open, revealing a startled John Allerdyce to an equally startled Kitty, who had jumped back away from the door to John's apartment, and further into the small, run-down hallway.

"What are you doing here?" He spat, trying to maintain a tough, heartless exterior.

His question received no reply. Kitty gently pushed past him, inviting herself into his apartment. Her brown eyes glanced over the small kitchenette, dirty dishes piled into the sink and an empty pizza box littering the countertop. A smile tugged at her lips as memories of John having to do the dishes at the Institute as punishment for never bothering to clean up after himself when he cooked in the kitchen. Her gaze shifted to the small living area, where a large couch had been set, with two mismatching end tables sandwiching the couch.

"It's not much, but it's a roof over my head."

Kitty jumped at the sound of his voice, and she turned to see John standing in front of his closed apartment door, his hands shoved deep into the pockets of his jeans.

"What are you doing here?" He repeated, his voice barely a whisper.

Kitty shrugged as she unbuttoned her winter coat and scarf, tossing them onto the couch.

"I missed you, John." He winced at the sound of his name, but she didn't notice and continued on. "There's rumors going around that Magneto's going to make a comeback, and I just…" Her voice trailed off as she folded her arms across her chest, hugging herself.

"You thought that I could come back to the X-Men instead of returning to the Brotherhood." He said, finishing the sentence for her. "You know that I can't Kitty. Too much has happened. Too much blood has been shed. There's not a chance in hell that I could go back, or the X-Men would want me back. The Brotherhood's the only place that I have left to go."

Kitty shook her head, as she took a few steps closer to him. "You can't go back to them John. Magneto's a wanted man, powers or no powers. The government's out to get him, along with the X-Men, and I don't want you to fall down with him."

"Well that's too fucking bad Kitty. You can't always get what you want. The Brotherhood's been more to me than the X-Men have ever been, and I'm not about to turn-"

"Turn your back on them, like you did to the X-Men? To Bobby, and Rogue. To me?" Kitty gave a hard, short laugh. "Like you give a shit what you did to us when you left. Bobby didn't come out of his room for weeks, Rogue walked around in an angry daze, and I was in pure denial." She snatched her coat and scarf off of the couch. "I don't know what I was thinking, coming here. Like you'd come back when your precious Brotherhood's waiting for you with open arms." She angrily pushed past him, reaching for the doorknob. "What's going to happen once they find out that you where cured John? You think Magneto's arms are still going to be open? Mystique was his most faithful follower, and one of his closest friends besides Xavier, and he tossed her aside like she was shit." Again Kitty gave a small cold laugh. "No what? I'm tired of caring about what's going to happen to you. I've cried too many tears over you, lost too much sleep, and wasted too much of my time hoping that you'd come back, not even come back to the X-Men, but come back to me. I must be a fucking idiot for having any hope in you, when all you care about is your stupid Brotherhood. Well this is the last time you'll have to deal with my stupid pleas John. I'm through."

John watched as she threw open the door and slammed it close behind her. He stood there, taking in her harsh words, knowing that they where true. It took him a moment to get his mind straight enough to yank open the door, and run down the dingy staircase, taking two, sometimes three steps at a time as he ran after her.

"Kitty! KITTY!" He called, spotting her small form on the crowded New York City sidewalk. She turned at the sound of her name, but after recognizing John's voice, took off down the street, pushing her way, and sometimes phasing through the crowds, though it was no use seeing that he caught up to her in about a minute or two. He reached out to grab her arm, but it was useless seeing that she simply phased through his grip.

"Kitty…" His voice was hoarse, lacking the usual cockiness. "Kitty don't go. Don't give up on me. I'm shit, I know, but just don't loose hope."

"I'm sorry John, but I physically and mentally can't handle this. John I'm – "

"No. No your not. You can't be. You just can't." His voice quavered slightly as he tried to fight the hot tears that where threatening to pour out of his eyes. "No, not you, anyone but you."

"I'm sick John. I have some new mutant virus. I'm dying John."

He shook his head, unwilling to believe the hard reality. His life was fucked up enough with being cured, and the war, he couldn't loose Kitty. Not now, not ever.

"You can take medicine, or some treatment. That furry government guy can find a cure for you." John pleaded, desperate to find a loophole.

"Dr. McCoy's already tried to find an antidote for the disease, but there isn't one, and I don't have much time left John. Hank thinks maybe a week at the most."

John opened his mouth, but found himself unable to speak. All of his energy seemed to have been drained, and tears where falling fast down his cheeks. He pulled Kitty into a hard embrace, trying to hold onto her with everything he had.

"I love you." She murmured into his chest. "Ill never stop loving you no matter what."

"I love you too."

They pulled away from eachother, and Kitty rubbed at her eyes, trying to wipe away the tears. John grabbed her hand and began leading her back towards his apartment building. Tonight nothing would matter but the two of them, and their love for one another.