A/N- I love writing from John's POV, so here's another one. I hope you like!

P.S. School is starting on August 3rd for me, so updates will be slower, as I am grounded during the week. Don't ask. I will try to write during the week and post on the weekends. Don't lose faith!

Chapter 21

Please Talk To Me

John's POV

I had gone with Bobby and eaten a bag of Doritos or something to please him, but he and Rogue quickly disappeared afterwards to do God only knows what and God only knows how. I took my leave and quietly went up the stairs, following Bobby's directions to the guest room.

The door was cracked and I poked my head in.

Anna was sound asleep, clutching a book protectively to her chest. A purring cat was kneading her leg.

I sat down on the bed, and upon closer examination, I found that she was reading The Fellowship of the Ring.

I leaned over her and brushed her hair out of her face.

She looked really peaceful.

And then she grabbed my wrist rather painfully, digging her nails into the skin.

"Jesus, what the hell?" I shouted, pulling my arm out of her grip.

"John?" she said sleepily, her eyes focusing on mine. She sat up abruptly, scaring the cat. It scampered away and jumped onto a windowsill.

"What were you doing?" she asked suspiciously.

"You think every time someone touches you, they're gonna jump you?" I spat, rubbing my wrist irritably.

"I have good reason to do so." she said in a voice that was deadly calm. I figured if she wanted to explain that, she would. I hadn't figured out anything about 'Frank', but I suspected he had something to do with her wariness and distrust of people, guys in particular.

"I just came upstairs to check up on you. It's almost 4:00." I said, watching her closely.

She ran a hand through her blonde hair and lay back down on the pillows, throwing an arm over her eyes.

"Oh no you don't. You're coming with me and you are going to eat something. Bobby said the last thing you ate was chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream with him at midnight last night, and I don't feel like having you pass out. Again." I told her, reaching for her wrist, and then thinking better of it.

She groaned and sat up, and reluctantly followed me out the door, down the stairs, into the kitchen.

She opened the pantry and pulled out a box of PopTarts, brought them over to the table, and sat down across from me.

"You know, it's not exactly my fault I passed out last night." she said grumpily, violently tearing open the foil around the pastries. "And I'm sorry, killing someone really takes the edge off an appetite. How was I supposed to know?" she laughed bitterly, throwing her hands up over her head.

I raised an eyebrow. "You killed someone?"

"Yeah, some soldier last night. He tried to shoot Bobby-"

"You did what you had to. Don't think about it." I said casually, reaching over and breaking off a corner of her PopTart.

"John, it's not that easy. I know you're only trying to help, but it's hard to understand if you haven't killed someone yourself. I scared myself. I did it without thinking. Everything from training and the Danger Room literally disappeared, and all I could think of after I did it was if he had a family that he wouldn't be going home to because of what I did."

Anna's green eyes were filled with tears and she rubbed her eyes angrily. I realized that she hated crying in front of people.

She dropped the PopTart onto the table, picked up the box, pushed herself out of the chair and walked over to the pantry.

I stood up and followed her to the pantry. She slammed the door shut and turned right into me. I grabbed her shoulders to steady her.

I held her forearms gently and looked her in the eyes. "Please just talk to me." I said softly.

She regarded me for a moment, her eyes darting around the kitchen, and I knew she was looking for a way out.

"Tonight." she said to me before she pulled out of my grasp.

"What does that mean?" I asked.

"It means I'll talk to you tonight." she said in a tight voice.

"I'm sorry, I wasn't trying to force you-" I stammered, hating myself for making her upset.

"John, you think I'd do something if I didn't want to?" she asked, giving me a watery smile, before heading into the living room. "I need to talk to someone. And I think you're that someone."

End John's POV

------x------x-------x------x------

Whadja think? R & R!