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Back in Westchester, upstairs in the third floor of Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters, Rogue was inside of her bedroom and had just finished changing into a special material of clothes, very thin and resistant. It would allow her to enjoy a sunny day outside without the suffocating under layers of protective clothes that made it safe for her and everyone else close by. Opening up the top drawer of her dresser, Rogue pulled out a pair of white gloves that was sitting on top of an envelope. She looked down at the envelope for a moment before picking it up and pulling out the test tube that contained the last sample of the mutant cure. Rogue looked at it almost every day since Hank had given it to her, and she really didn't know what it was that had been stopping her from taking it.

Rogue then put it back, pulled on her gloves and hurried out of the room. Closing the door behind her, she moved along the hallway until she accidentally ran into someone.

"Sorry."

Rogue was a little embarrassed as she looked up to see who it was. It was the new guy they had brought back with them after the fight against Dr. Nathaniel Essex and his Marauders. The guy smiled down at her as Rogue couldn't help but gaze at his red-on-black eyes.

"Hello, Chere." Remy then tipped an imaginary hat at Rogue. "I don't believe we've been properly introduced yet. My name's Remy LeBeau. You are?"

"Rogue," she smiled slightly. "How come you're not outside with everyone else?"

Remy shrugged a shoulder.

"I don't know. I guess I still feel a little awkward being here."

Rouge nodded. She could understand that because that's how she felt when she first arrived before others had made her feel welcome.

"Where were you before?"

"I was the best thief in New Orleans."

Rogue raised an eyebrow at the proud tone in Remy's voice. It was like he wore that title with a badge of honor. She then noted his accent.

"You're Cajun, aren't you?"

Remy nodded.

"Born and bred."

Rogue snorted and Remy cocked his head.

"Som'tin' wrong, Chere?"

"A swamp rat," Rogue muttered to herself.

However, Remy was far from looking insulted and beamed at her.

"You've already got a pet name for me? How sweet. And judging by your accent I'd say you'd be a river rat. Mississippi, right?" Rogue scowled but didn't respond as Remy grinned, knowing he guessed correctly. He then continued;

"The states of Louisiana and Mississippi share the great border of the mighty river. The way I see it we're kissing cousins."

Rogue stared at Remy's eyes that were concentrating completely on her, the message they whispered was almost...seductive. His gloved hand then moved a little closer towards hers but Rogue shook her head and moved her hand away.

"Keep your hands and your perverted thoughts to yourself."

"Of course. I'm sure I'll see you around. Nice ta talk with you, Chere."

He then spun on his heels and began to walk away when Rogue asked;

"Why do you keep calling me that?"

He stopped in his tracks.

"It means 'dear' in French."

Remy then turned his head back to look at her, winked, and then continued on till he turned a corner. Rogue couldn't help the smile that came to her face before she began heading for the staircase. But once she reached it Rogue only made it down one step as she heard three voices down below by the front door of the mansion. One belonged to her friend, Kitty Pryde, while the other two were that of Yushin and Asuka Lee, the parents of Jubilee. They had arrived from their home in Beverly Hills to collect their daughters belongings.

"I can't take this," Kitty said as she clutched the yellow jacket that once had belonged to Jubilee. It was her favorite one. She wore it almost every time they all went out, no matter what the weather was.

Yushin gave her a sad smile.

"In our culture, when someone close to us passes, we keep something personal of theirs," he explained. "She would have wanted a friend to have it. Our son certainly isn't going to wear it."

Kitty didn't want to cry, but she couldn't help it was tears began to drop down her cheeks.

"I'm so sorry, Mr. and Mrs. Lee."

Asuka came forward and hugged her. She too had tears in her eyes.

"She talked about the X-Men every time she visited us," Asuka said. "She wanted very much to a part of it. To use her powers to try and make a difference."

"She did," Kitty assured. "She died trying to save people."

After a few more moments, Mr. and Mrs. Lee said their goodbyes to the young teen and headed out. Rogue finished her descent down the stairs and carefully put a hand on Kitty's shoulder.

"Are you okay?" She asked. Rogue was sad about Jubilee's death just as much as anyone but Kitty was much closer to her as she and Jubilee joined the school around the same time, much like Bobby and John had. Along with Pitor, they had all once been a tight little group.

"I'll be fine," Kitty assured, drying her eyes. "Come on, let's head outside."

The rest of the kids were in the backyard of the mansion. A couple of the younger students were playing in the swimming pool, tossing a beach ball back and forth between each other. Bobby had taken to the grill and fixing the kids plates of food. Once he handed one off to Marrow, the last surviving Morlock he looked at the two girls who had just walked out to join them all.

"Hey, can you two take over?" Bobby asked.

"Sure," Rogue smiled as she took the metal spatula from him to flip over the burger patties.

Kitty continued to stand next to Rogue.

"Hey, remind me to call Mr. Worthington when we head back inside."

"You've been talking with Warren's dad?"

"Yeah, he's really worried about him. Ever since Warren lost his wings…" Kitty then shook her head. "I've talked to Jean about it. I thought maybe she could help him like she did with Scott and the Professor."

"Can Jean help him?"

"She said it was possible. Jean would have to regrow his wings, basically restore his mutation. She hasn't done something like that yet."

"I'm sure she can," Rogue said, trying to be give her some hope for the former Archangel.

"Mr. Worthington told me Warren isn't doing well at all," Kitty sighed. "He misses being able to fly so much."

While they continued to talk and watch the grill, Pitor Rasputin, Theresa Cassidy, Sam Guthrie, Jamie Madrox, and Tabitha Smith were on the basketball court, about to start a game up. Sam bounced the basketball and looked on to see Bobby getting a plate of food for himself before heading inside.

"Hey, where's he going?" Sam asked no one in particular. "I thought he was going to play with us."

"The teams are going to be uneven now," Pitor responded, glancing around at them all.

"That's not a problem," Jamie smiled as he formed a second copy of himself but Sam furiously shook his head.

"Oh, hell no. It's bad enough having just one of you on a team."

"Hey! What's so bad about me?" Jamie and his copy both spoke the words at the same time.

"Name one thing you do well."

"I...I try really hard."

"Screw your trying hard. It doesn't score any points."

"Why don't we ask Rogue to play?" Siryn suggested.

"Are you kidding?" Sam said incredulously. "She can't even dribble the ball."

"I don't think what Rogue does could even be considered dribbling," Tabitha spoke.

"It's okay, Jamie and his copy can be on opposite teams," Pitor said, trying to compromise. "That way they both have an equally bad player."

Jamie grinned.

"That's fine with me. I'll be on the winning team no matter what."

Pitor, Siryn, and Jamie were one team with the other team being Sam, Tabitha, and Jamie #2. Already having the ball, Sam traveled down the court with others heading after him. Once he got to the net, Sam rocketed up into the air as energy released itself from around his legs. It propelled him high up and he came back down, slamming the ball through the hoop.

"Hey! No powers!" Pitor shouted.

"Where's the fun in that?"

"So that's how it's going to be?" Siryn questioned.

"Yeah, and by the way it's make it, take it."

Sam went to take another shot but Siryn let out a scream, not ear-shattering but loud enough to throw Sam off his concentration and he missed. Jamie #2 picked up the ball and started to head to the opposite end of the court but he ended up running into the chest of a fully metaled up Pitor. As Jamie #2 went down, Pitor grabbed the ball and dunked it in, almost breaking the hoop in the process but evening the score. Pitor regained control of the ball and dodged when Sam came flying at him.

Suddenly, Tabitha concentrated and formed two yellow orbs, the size of two golf balls and sent them to the center of the court if the hope of stopping the larger mutant.

BOOM-BOOM!

The blast of mental energy propelled all of them off their feet. The sound attracted the attention of everyone else outside as they looked towards the basketball court, wide-eyed. Tabitha forced a smile as her face turned red with embarrassment.

"Sorry guys. I guess I didn't think that one through."

"Jesus, Boomer," Sam snapped.

"Hey! You guys were all using your powers!"

"Yeah, but we can't do...that!"

Tabitha sighed.

"So, I have issues. This is news?"

Rogue then called from the grill;

"Are you guys okay?"

"We're fine!" Pitor called back. He then looked to Jamie and his copy who hadn't gotten up. "Sorta..."

"He's better off that way, trust me."

Siryn frowned.

"Pitor, can you go get something for him please?"

"Sure."

Just as Pitor got up and headed inside for the infirmary, Bobby was walking back down to the lowest floor of the mansion. In the center of once unused basement of Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters, a six-by-six prison cell stood. The cell was black and had a small cot, a sink and toilet inside the bars. Pyro was lying on top of the cot, eyes closed, his hands behind his head and a mutant inhibitor collar around his neck. A security camera had been hooked up in one of the corners of the room to watch his every move. Pyro got up once he realized Bobby was standing in front of the bars. He handed him a plate with a hamburger on it and a can of soda, his favorite one.

Pyro ignored the burger but opened the cherry Dr. Pepper. He tipped his head back and drank as Bobby watched; both impressed and worried at the speed his friend drained the beverage. Pyro noted his expression and smirked.

"What? It's the greatest drink ever invented."

"How are you feeling?" Bobby asked.

"Oh, I'm just peachy Bobby. How about yourself?"

"I can't complain."

"Well, that makes one of us," Pyro snapped. "Just how much longer am I going to be in this damn thing?"

Bobby honestly didn't know. He had been told they were going to discuss whether or not to let Pyro rejoin them or turn him over to authorities. But with the funerals of both Hank and Jubilee, Jean's return, getting Scott's brother and the other new guy settled in and being in contact with the new Secretary of Mutant Affairs about mutant-related issues such as the importance of the upcoming Presidential election, Pyro really wasn't one of their top priorities at the moment. Not as long as he was stuck in this cell.

"We're still trying to get things back to normal around here. With what happened to Dr. McCoy, and Jubilee-"

"Oh, well boo-hoo for them."

Bobby's mouth slightly opened. For someone who called himself 'Pyro', he could be rather cold sometimes.

"Jubilee was your friend, John."

"She didn't like me. No one around here did."

"I did," Bobby assured.

Pyro rolled his eyes.

"You don't count, you like everyone."

"Maybe if you agreed to join the team-"

"Save the recruitment speech," Pyro said, rather forcefully. "I'm not wearing one of those leather body suits you guys seem to love a little too much. Tell the Professor to get a better uniform designer and then maybe we'll talk."

Bobby leaned forward and reached up, wrapping his hands around the bars. He then sighed heavily at the other boy's stubbornness.

"You said you left because I let you. Now I'm trying to help you but you don't want to be helped. We can start over, you know. We can forget things that happened before-"

"I don't want to go backwards," Pyro interrupted again. "And trying to forget things just leads to making the same mistakes. This is the last place that I want to be. I was doing just fine before I even agreed to come to this damn school in the first place."

"No you weren't, and deep down you know it. Stop trying to push us all away. Aren't you tired of it?" Bobby asked. "Aren't you tired of running?"

"Aren't you get tired of trying to save people?"

"I'm trying to save you."

"Don't bother. I don't have any interest in playing your damsel in distress."

Pyro then laid back down on the cot and closed his eyes. Bobby then looked to his neck and saw a bunch of red marks on either side and knew he must have been trying to pull the collar off. It had been on for almost a month and Bobby could only imagine how crazy it must be driving him. Not just having to wear it, but the inability to use his powers was the worst thing. Bobby knew that because it's something only another mutant could understand.

"I'm sorry, John."

"Don't be."

Bobby then let go of the bars and turned his head away slightly when Pyro spoke up again;

"You know I'm not going to spend the rest of my life in a cell with this thing around my neck. One way or another, I'm not."

"John, you're in this mess because you put yourself in this mess." Bobby then closed his eyes. "You became a criminal, a terrorist. No one made you do it."

Pyro looked over and glared at his best friend.

"I wasn't a terrorist. I was a soldier. I did what I had to do."

"Whatever helps you sleep at night. It doesn't justify the things you've done."

"None of us are saints," Pyro said as a smirk came to his face. "You might think you're a hero, but heroes are just myths."

Bobby ignored the remark and then looked at the burger that Pyro hadn't touched.

"Aren't you going to eat?"

"I'm not hungry."

"Fine. Come on, get up then," Bobby then said. "The mansion is clear so I can take you upstairs to get a shower."

Pyro continued to stare at him as he mauled it over. A shower did sound nice. He only got to leave the cell for a half an hour per day to walk around the backyard, under strict supervision of course. He then asked;

"You're not going to try and get in, are you?"

"Don't flatter yourself," Bobby couldn't help but grin as he unlocked the cell.

Exiting the cell, Pyro began walking as Bobby stayed close behind, just in case he did try anything. But once they had walked up the staircase and were now in the hallway, an angry voice then yelled out;

"Pyro!"

Pyro looked over and his eyes widened when he saw it was Colossus. Steel then began to cover Pitor's body and Pyro quickly noted the damage he had done when he attacked the other mutant with his fire down below in the Morlock tunnels. The once stainless steel had bright blue scorch marks on areas of it.

"Last time we met, you nearly killed me," Pitor growled. "Now I'm going to return the favor!"

Pitor ran at him so fast Pyro didn't even have a chance to try and get out of dodge as the larger mutant gave him a shoulder block so hard, it sent him flying backwards and he crashed against the wall. Bobby had just reached the hall from the staircase when he saw what was happening.

"Pitor, stop!"

Bobby grabbed Pitor but he was thrown off with ease. As he crashed to the ground, Bobby could see that Pitor wasn't going to listen and could possible kill John if he wasn't stopped. Pyro was still slumped against the wall when he shook his head and looked up to see Pitor coming at him, revenge clearly in mind. But before Pyro could possibly get up to try and run, a large wave of frost was thrown in the other mutants direction that completely incased Pitor in ice.

"Jesus!" Pyro yelled out.

Running past the now frozen over metal mutant, Bobby grabbed Pyro's wrist and helped him back up. Pyro stared at his friend, somewhat shocked by his actions. As he was led to the staircase that took them up the second floor, Pyro glanced back at Pitor's frozen body one last time before looking over at Bobby again, this time with his trademark smirk.

"He's gonna be pissed at you once he thaws out."

"It was self-defense," Bobby snapped. "I was protecting you."

"Whatever helps you sleep at night, Bobby," Pyro mocked, using the other boys words against him as Bobby glared at him. "You know that would have killed anyone else."

Bobby gave Pyro's shoulder a slightly rough shove forward as they kept moving but Bobby didn't respond to the other boy's words, as deep down he knew what he had said to be true.