Ah HA! What's that I detect? Doubt?! Did you doubt me?! I TOLD you I'd have the last chapter up asap. ;)
And here it is. FINALLY FINISHED. oy vey.

16

Johnny paced back and forth in front of the door, replaying the scene over and over again in his mind. He should have just incinerated the guy while he was going on with his big speech. As soon as he opened that big mouth of his, wham, fire ball to the head. He clenched his jaw, looking over at Lily who sat against the wall, hugging her knees.

"She's gunna make it right?" She sniffled "I mean, she's gotta…"

Kerri had her arm around her, nodding silently, but the look on her face told a different story. She didn't have any more hope in the situation than Lily did.

Rogue sat in a chair across from the door, staring blankly at nothing. "It's mah fault." She whispered. "Ah shouldn't have left… if ah'd have stayed-"
"He would have shot you too." Johnny finished her sentence for her.

Rogue squared her jaw in an attempt to hold back her tears as she nodded; trying to convince herself that Johnny was right.

Hank immerged from the room first, followed by Professor Xavier. The grim look on their faces was answer enough.

Hank shook his head silently.

Lily sobbed loudly into Kerri's shoulder.

Hank looked Johnny in the eye "Would you like to see her?"

The question threw Johnny off guard. He hadn't expected to see her unless she was alive. But there was something in the way Dr. McCoy looked at him firmly that made him nod.

He opened the door and Lily jumped to her feet. "Take me with you!"

Henry began to protest but Professor Xavier held up a hand. "Kerri, would you like to say goodbye as well?"

The girl nodded silently through her tears and Dr. McCoy opened the door for all three.

"Go ahead."

They stepped into the room; the eerie silence of the machines that should be beeping caused a lump in Johnny's throat. They headed over to the closed off area, giving one another one last look for strength.

"All together?" Johnny asked, holding onto the curtain. Kerri nodded, still holding onto Lily.

He slowly pulled the curtain back, noticing Lily had her eyes squeezed shut.

"It's ok Lily." The familiar voice whispered. "You can open your eyes."

The three of them stared at her, sitting up in the bed. "I'm sorry you guys had to go through that. It wasn't my idea."

A wave of relief came over Johnny. Lily pushed passed him and flung her arms around her sister, sobs racking her small body.

"I told you," She patted Lily's back gently. "This won't be over until I'm dead."

Lily pulled back and looked at her. "I don't understand."

Alex let out a breath. "As far as everyone out there is concerned, I am dead."

Kerri furrowed her brow "What? You're… faking your own death?"

"It's the only way this problem will go away Kerri."

"But…" Kerri looked at Johnny "Derek is dead."

Alex stiffened a bit, squaring her jaw "I know."

"So then why?" Lily stood.

"Because Derek was just the tip of the iceberg. And especially now that he's gone… they'll be out for blood." She looked down "So I'll lay low for a while."

"For a while." Kerri rolled her eyes. "And if you knew they'd be after you, then why would you kill him!"

The two girls stared at one another before Alex shook her head "I don't know."

"So where are you going to go?" Kerri shook her head "How are you going to hide?"

"Dad needs someone to take care of him. I'll be his nurse."

"And you don't think they'll find you there?" Kerri's frown deepened. "If they're as-"

"Kerri…" Alex held up a hand, tugging the IV that was plugged into her flesh. "We'll take care of it."

Lily's lower lip quivered "I don't want you to go…"

"You'll still see me! I'll just be with Dad Lily." She hugged her little sister "Don't cry Lil."

"But you won't be my sister anymore." Lily pulled back. "You'll be someone else."

"Technically." Alex gave her a weak smile. She looked up at Johnny "Are you ok?"

He let out a dry laugh "Yeah Alex, I'm fine."

Kerri took Lily by the hand "Um, we'll go out into the hall… let you two… have a minute."

He moved over to her side, sitting on the edge of the bed. "Why would you do that Alex? You could have died…"

She looked at him, her big blue eyes causing his heart to break. "I killed him Johnny."

"It's ok." He took her hand "He had it coming."

"You don't understand…" She looked away "I didn't heal Johnny. I just… walked up to him, and drained the life from him."

He stared at her. He hadn't thought of that. She hadn't healed, had she.

"It felt so good." There was a look in her eyes he'd never seen before. "I killed a man… and I liked it…"

Her eyes met his, the strange look had disappeared, replaced with the sad twinkle of tears forming. "I'm sorry."

He shook his head. "Don't do that. None of this was your fault."

He really wanted to believe it too.

Putting his hand on hers "I'll see you around right?"

They sat in silence, knowing full-well what the answer to that was.

"I can come visit you." He offered her a sad smile. No, he couldn't.

She nodded "You can meet my Dad." She let out a laugh, causing the tears to trickle down her cheeks.

"See?" He wiped away a tear "It'll be ok. A few months away until this whole thing dies down… and you'll be back. Right?"

She nodded again. That was the plan after all.

"I'll see you in a few months then." He kissed the back of her hand.

"Okay." She whispered.

As he walked away from her bed, he worried about not looking upset enough when he saw the others. The thought quickly left when he realized he was upset enough.

Just like she'd said…

To everyone else, she really was dead.

Ah yes, let's leave it on a high note shall we? :) I will post the next installment up within the next few days. It's not really over. LOL