Disclaimer: I do not own X-men or the Fantastic Four or any related characters. I wish I did, but don't we all? The beginning of this chapter was… hard to get right, to say the least. I guess as you read, you'll eventually get why. Slight Reed and Rogue bonding in this chappie, along with some Johnny/Rogue hints for you all. I guess I would like to take the opportunity to warn you that I have no idea where this story is headed. I have three main arcs in my head, but getting there may be a long time coming. I'm kind of just going with the flow at the moment. NaNoWriMo's almost here! Yay! Unfortunately, that means that I'll probably not update this story through the entire month of November. But fear not! I'll update again once it's over (you still have one or two updates before that point).

To: KitKat

From: whitestripes

Subject:

So Johnny apparently has a crush on me? Or I have a crush on him? Wow. I never knew that one. Please explain when the run-away-and-marry-Johnny plan came about. I am genuinely curious. He is extraordinarily good looking; I'll give you that.

What's going on here New York that I need to be careful of? Because nothing has happened yet. Plus, I can take care of myself.

Oh, and as for me and Bobby making up. I think that I'm going to dump him. I'm getting kind of sick of him, you know? What with him being a dirty rotten pig and all. I've got to go. See you sometime.

-

To: whitestripes

From: KitKat

Subject: Where The Hell Is Your Witty Subject?

Have you been lost for the past few weeks? Like, maybe you hit your head pretty hard. Have that gorgeous Johnny take a look at it for you (since when, by the way, do you admit that he's good looking). We've only been talking about this for the past, I don't know, week or two. With the whole New York thing, that is. Remember, evil mutants are coming. Magneto? If you don't remember this, then clearly I can't trust you to take care of yourself and will have to come over there and beat the crap out of you while saving your butt from the forces of evil. So you officially don't like Bobby anymore? I had sort of gotten the feeling that you were going to talk things out with him so that you would still be friends with him in the end. A dirty rotten pig, though? I mean, yeah he's a pig and he can be rotten, but dirty is a low blow. He's just a guy after all.

-

To: KitKat

From: whitestripes

Subject:

Bobby. Bobby. I guess you're right. It was kind of a low blow considering that at the moment I feel as though I don't even know him.

I guess I must have hit my head on something because I can't remember half of the conversations we've had. Especially not the ones about this Magneto dude. Who is he again? Evil mutants are everywhere, by the way. They can't really cause too much trouble.

By the way, I've always thought that Johnny was a supremely hot guy with the body of a god. I just never told you. I guess you can read us southern belle types like open books.

-

Rogue sat at a stool in the kitchen, eating an English Muffin and trying not to be sick. Johnny had brought home his latest girlfriend last night and they were currently acting all lovey dovy right in front of her in their underwear. OK, so maybe the girl was dressed in street clothes, but Johnny was wearing his boxers, which was something she did not need to see that morning. Or any morning, for that matter. She decided to discount the fact that he had totally amazing abs. Bobby had ones that were just as good. All right, maybe not. But Warren Worthington III sure did.

"So you're from the south?"

The redhead in front of her was smiling, trying to make conversation. Rogue wondered why she even tried. This was more than just a little awkward.

"No." Really she wouldn't dignify that with a proper answer. It was like one of those stupid 'Here's Your Sign' jokes that Bill Engvall did. In other words, her accent made it obvious.

Johnny rolled his eyes, "Yes, she is. Just ignore her. She can be a grump in the mornings."

"I'm Lisa," the girl said, ignoring the mutant.

"Rogue."

The girl frowned, "Well, that's an… interesting name."

Rogue didn't dignify that with an answer.

"Did you wake up on the wrong side of the bed," Johnny asked as he grabbed a jug of orange juice from the fridge.

"Is there a right side?"

"Apparently not for grannies."

"Whatever, Flame Boy."

"Hello, one-hundred percent pure man over here."

"Maybe in yar dreams."

Lisa seemed confused, as though she didn't know what to do, "Well, I've got work. So I'll so you later, I guess."

"See you, babe," Johnny replied, kissing her on the lips. Gross was the word that came to Rogue's mind.

"I'll see you, too, Rogue."

With that the redhead was gone.

"Hopefully not sometime in this century," Rogue muttered as she heard the door click shut and the elevator start.

Johnny turned to look at her with a small smirk playing on his features, "What do you have against Lisa? She did nothing wrong."

"The fact that she slept with ya was one point against her."

Johnny rolled his eyes, "You better make that ten."

If Rogue had anything in her mouth, it would have flown from her mouth and onto the opposite wall, "Eww."

He didn't look at her as he put the orange juice back in the fridge, "Hey, we've been dating on and off."

"Ah'm guessing that the relationship has mostly been off."

"Actually, its been kind of on, if you catch my drift," Johnny told her, complete with an eyebrow wiggle.

"Please excuse me while Ah go gag. Or maybe Ah'll hang mahself."

Johnny rolled his eyes and gave her a look like he would a child, "Chill, Rogue. Lisa's an old friend of mine. She slept on the couch."

"Erm… Ah'm kind of on the couch, so Ah think that Ah'd know if she slept on the couch."

"We have more than one couch here, granny. I guess your eyesight must be failing if you haven't noticed that."

Although she would never admit it, she kind of had forgotten about the other couches. There were at least two in Reed's experiment room and another one in the study. But Rogue hadn't made a point to go into either of those rooms since she got there, so no wonder she had forgotten.

"Do ya often walk around yar friends in your boxers?"

Johnny grinned, looking like he had just won a million dollars, "I know this may come as a shock to you, granny, but women generally like what they see. And most of the time, they prefer me out of my clothes, not in them."

One of Rogue's eyebrows lifted high at that.

"Sue's taking us out to dinner tonight. This place is night. She's getting an award for something or other. Dress nice," Johnny told her as he began to exit the room, "That is, if you own anything nice."

"Of course Ah own something nice!" She just may or may not have brought it with her.

-

To: whitestripes

From: KitKat

Subject: Still No Subject. I Need A Witty Saying.

Erm… are you feeling all right. I really do think that you need to be checked out if you can't remember what we've been talking about for the last… well, who knows how long.

Anyway, Logan totally made a move on Ororo without even realizing it! I was just sitting there in the kitchen, minding my own business, when Logan comes into the area. Ororo was making herself a snack and was putting some things back in the fridge and Logan saunters over, blocked her in between the fridge and the door to get a beer. Then, as he was leaning back up, he told Ororo, "Using new shampoo?"

I swear she went red, even though she hid it well. Logan really didn't seem to get what was going on because at my look he was like, "What?"

And I was like, "Nothing."

It was beautiful, really.

Since when do you actually admit that you think Johnny's hot?

-

Rogue tried to ignore the look that Johnny was giving her as she scoured the room, throwing pillows and blankets around, moving books on shelves.

"Are you looking for something?"

"Nope. Just decided that this place looked too clean," she gave him a look. She hoped that it struck fear into his heart. Judging by his grin, it didn't.

Johnny rolled his eyes, "What are you looking for? I'll help you."

Rogue gave him a look, "Don't you have better things to do?"

"Better than helping you? Never."

He was just as haughty as he usually was and Rogue couldn't help but give him a snide look. The mutant was really starting to get on her nerves.

"You can just take your sarcasm and shove it up your-"

"Now, granny, there is no need to curse."

With an inward screech, she turned around, taking long, even breaths. "My laptop. I'm missing my laptop."

Johnny placed a hand on her shoulder. She supposed that it was supposed to be comforting, but it did strange things to her arm that she wasn't sure she liked. Not at all. "Now that wasn't so hard, was it?" He breathed into her ear, "I think I saw it on the kitchen counter."

Giving the older man a strange look, she nodded, "Thanks."

"Any time, granny. Any time."

"Stop calling that. Or I'll be forced to kill you."

"Oh, like you could."

"Try me."

-

To: KitKat

From: whitestripes

Subject: Witty Sayings? Those Are A Dime A Dozen

What are you talking about? Of course I remember what we've been talking about for the past who knows how long! I'm not crazy or anything.

So Logan unwittingly made a move on Ororo, huh? That is amazing. Knowing him, he didn't realize it, either. He's just sort of clueless about the things that go on in the world. Really, I think that the only reason he's really crazy over Jean is the fact that she's drop-dead gorgeous. But, then, Ororo is, too, isn't she? Just her prettiness is more muted than Jean's.

Erm… I've never actually admitted that I think Johnny's hot. And that's because he's not. Overtly hot, that is. His whole cocky attitude thing completely throws that off. Besides, he's a total player. I wouldn't date him in a million years.

-

Rogue found herself watching the lines for the Cure with a sense of anxiety and curiosity. She had a choice to make and she knew it. For days she had been putting off getting the Cure, but it was closer and closer to the time when she needed to make her final choice.

"Quite daunting, isn't it?"

Rogue whipped around to find Reed Richards standing behind her. He was staring up at the building that was administering the Cure with an unreadable expression. His eyes seemed almost sad.

"It makes ya wonder whether ya really want to go through with this. What if the Cure turns out to be a hoax? What if Ah'm allergic to it or something?"

Reed smiled at her, "They have three full hospital staffs here doing the administering. I don't think that you'll have that big of a problem. Besides, I've looked over their formula. It's perfect. There's absolutely nothing wrong with it."

For once, Rogue realized that she didn't know Reed Richards at all. She had been crashing at his apartment for almost two weeks now and she knew nothing abut the owner.

"Ya seem almost bitter about it, Dr. Richards."

"Not bitter. Just disappointed. But it's time that someone created this thing."

Rogue took a final look at the long line, "Ah don't think that Ah'll be getting the Cure today."

"I'll take you home."

His car keys were already in hand and they headed towards the plain silver car that seemed understated for one as famous as Reed Richards.

"You never did tell us what your power was, Rogue."

She took a deep breath. She knew that this was going to be coming soon. She'd avoided it for a long time and kept herself well covered. Normally when people learned what her power was, they started to stay away.

"Ah'm not very proud of my power, but I guess that that's evident." Sshe looked down, "Ah have the power to absorb memories, life, and, in a mutant's case, powers, into mah body through skin-to-skin contact."

She could see Reed glancing at her out of the corner of his eye, "So what you're saying is that by touching someone, you could ultimately kill him?"

"Yes."

For a long while, the car ride was silent. Finally, Reed broke it, "I wish there were more options than just the Cure."

"Didn't ya once create a machine that could take away powers," Rogue asked.

Reed let out a bark of laugh, "Yes I did. That was a long time ago. Since then, we've discovered that it only works on those who got their powers accidentally, like the Fantastic Four."

"So ya have the choice of powers or no powers?"

"We ultimately decided that we would keep our powers. We made enemies and the only way to defend ourselves was to have them."

Rogue smiled, "At least ya had a choice."

"You have a choice, too."

"And the wrong one could ruin mah life," she told him as they pulled up to the valet.

"Choices shape who were are. No matter who you are, the option to ruin your life is there. You won't be the first one to make it, Rogue."

Rogue got out of the car and began walking to the elevator, "Sometimes, though, it seems as though Ah am."

Reed had nothing to reply to that, "Sorry I can't help you more."

"Thanks anyway."

He smiled and shook his head, "I'd advise, though, that you remember Sue's dinner tonight. She'd probably kill if you forgot."

Rogue couldn't help but laugh. No wonder Sue was in love with Reed. He was nice and, in an old guy sort of way, handsome. Sue couldn't have been luckier in love. Rogue wished that she could say the same.