Disclaimer: you know how this is suppose to go.
Chapter 1
The screams filled Bobby Drake's ears as people ran past him, scrambling to cross the misplaced bridge, to escape being disintegrated by Dark Phoenix, torn at the cellular level. The horrible noise seemed faint and distant to Bobby as he dragged the unconscious body of St. John Allerdyce to safety. Despite John's betrayal, and attempt to murder him, insisting they had never been friends, Bobby refused to believe it or hate him, and so Bobby couldn't let his friend to be turned to scattered cells. Perhaps he was just being stubborn, and irrational, yet in the years he knew John, he had let down his guard before allowing Bobby to probe beyond his outer shell, to a fearful, abandoned, scarred John. And Bobby was determined to redeem him.
"I'm… sorry," whispered John without lifting his head so it was muffled into Bobby's shoulder. Suddenly Bobby felt reassured John could be redeemed.
"John?" Bobby asked, but John was already out cold slumping heavily.
Strom stared down at the body Bobby deposited at her feet, but said nothing. They had finally all regrouped at the mansion, where Rogue, Kurt, and Jubilee where waiting. No one in the room said anything, nor did they seem to notice Bobby and the unconscious boy in his lap. They were all too absorbed by Logan bringing in Jean's corpse, and Bobby couldn't blame them, he felt it was better anyway so as to not have to deal with any resentment they held against John. However, as Logan passed them he stepped on John's hand, whether consciously or not, Bobby did not know or care.
"Why'd you bring him here? Why'd you save him, after what he did to us, especially to you," inquired Kitty quietly, coming to sit beside Bobby on the floor.
"Because even if he actually killed me, he is still my friend," he replied tiredly.
"He'd probably claim otherwise," she said.
"John was never one to be very expressive of his feelings other than anger, and jealousy," smirked Bobby.
"They really did name you two wrong, your far more saintly then our friend on your lap, but do you honestly believe you can bring back to the X-men?"
"I can try, either way I want some truthful answers about the day he left, and what he's been up too," sighed Bobby glancing at the ragged body in front of him. Johns hair was untidy and burnt, the highlights fading, he was covered in dirt and clothes battered. Mostly Bobby fixated on the marks on John's wrists and forehead.
"St. Robert Drake," said Kitty and they smiled.
Kitty looked up and Rogue walked up behind him and placed her sleeved and gloved arms around his neck.
"Do you really believe there is more to his story then his lust for power, and hatred for humans?" asked Rogue gently.
"Yah, I do and he was your friend once. He is still mine I will forgive him," said Bobby leaning back into Rogues torso.
"I don't know if I can forgive as much as you, but I'm sure you can change him," said Rogue comfortingly. But Bobby knew she wasn't convinced.
"I can't really," said Kitty.
"Why not? Doesn't everyone deserve a second chance?" asked Jubilee from beside Bobby.
"You two and your morals," sighed Kitty at Bobby and Jubilee.
"We can question him when he wakes, I rather not talk to him just yet though" suggested Rogue.
"It probably be better to give him some space for now," said Bobby starting to wish the girls would leave.
"Should we cure him?" asked Kitty timidly.
"That's not human. We can't strip him of himself," protested Jubilee.
"I'm with Jubes," said Bobby not wanting to hurt John any further.
"Fine, but they won't let him stay here at the moment without restraints," said Kitty. Bobby nodded slowly; the world was still moving slowly around him as he hauled John's body up onto his shoulders.
"I hope you know what you're doing," said a voice as he carried John to the infirmary. He turned, coming face to face with Logan. Bobby just nodded and turned his back to Logan, he wasn't in the mood for his disapproval.
-X-
Three Weeks Later
"John… John Allerdyce!" yelled Rogue rapping on the door of Bobby and John's room. She knew that the pryonetic mutant was in there and was determined to confront him. Rogue had spent the last three weeks trying to avoid John, but for some reason she felt compelled that she ought to face him now.
But it wasn't John who opened the door, it was Warren, the shirtless mutant cocked his head curiously at her, and she couldn't help but look him over. Warren didn't usually wear shirts around the mansion as he had a habit of tearing them with his wings.
"Oh, hey Warren, is John in there?" asked Rogue composing herself guiltily.
"Yah, he's on his bed," answered Warren smiling as he let her in then left closing the door behind him. But not before glancing back curiously.
John's half of the room was unkempt and full of random junk and articles of clothing he had retrieved from the box Bobby had stored them in, in the basement. He had acquired more lighters having broken his flamethrower, and a bizarre collection of candles. John's pigsty was in stark contrast to the neat and orderly half that Bobby slept in. John was sprawled on his bed lazily playing with his Zippo as Rogue approached. He looked up grudgingly as though she had interrupted something important.
"What?" he drawled.
"What do you mean what? You think you could be a bit more polite. After everything you did, after trying to kill Bobby, your best friend! After deserting us, do you even appreciate the fact he stopped you from being designated?"
"I didn't ask him too, I wouldn't have."
"Of coarse your too selfish, you tried to burn his face off after you blew up those cops."
"So miss untouchable didn't enjoy sucking out my thoughts?" he laughed mirthfully.
"No you're a disgusting person, with a disgusting life. I didn't even want to think about it I didn't bother reviewing much of your damn psyche," she spat back, trying to prevent the memories of that day from reappearing in her mind.
"I'm only staying here because of Bobby, so go away prick," he spat at her.
"Like it matters he wanted a new roommate after that, only hell knows why he brought you back here and didn't shove you into another room. He probably is just trying to coddle you back in to protect John's precious ego, god know ever time someone pokes at that thing you try to kill your closest friend and old allies," John fell silent, his expression was hard to read, but she felt a wicked satisfaction she had made an imprint. She was just fighting the urge to punch his face in, in anger, when Bobby can through the door.
"What's up?" he said curiously, looking from on to the other.
"Nothing," said John. Rogue sneered at him and left, kissing Bobby softly as she made her way out the door, wishing she had a bucket of water to throw on John. But suddenly she stopped the conversation behind her drawing her to the door like a magnet. She hid behind the wall and listened.
"Why must you fight with her?" said Bobby exasperatedly.
"Because she's a prick," said John haughtily.
"You know you used to be friends," countered Bobby.
John Grunted.
"Look I'm your best friends how long are you going to block me out?" pleaded Bobby. Rogue saw John look Bobby over through a crack in the door, suddenly John's face softened and he looked more vulnerable than she'd ever seen him.
"I told you before I have issues with humans, because of my past, and what they did to us, to you. Anyway I left partly because of that and partly because I'm jealous of that whore," said John slowly.
"She's not a whore, but if you liked her why didn't you ever tell me?"
"I don't like her," snapped John anger flooding back into him tone.
"Then why…"
"Could you just leave me alone for a bit Bobby."
Rogue saw Bobby come back out through the door he looked at her knowingly. But he too leaned against the wall.
"He just needs time he'll come around I'll get through to him," said Bobby.
Rogue just shook her head in disbelief. John was violent stubborn, but Bobby was saintly stubborn. She saw less hope in John then Bobby obviously did but she couldn't bring herself to pop his hopeful bubble.
Straightening up, Rogue left down the hall her thoughts conflicting. As she turned the corner in the hall she though she heard something like a dry sob from behind her, and a door open and close, then a muffled voice, she figured whatever was up those two could work it out, but John wasn't the type to "hug it out", he was more of a violent venting type of person, but he had been different, more noticeably around Bobby, since Alcatraz. Maybe there was hope for him yet.
-X-
Ororo Monroe was teaching a history class when she spotted Bobby dragging John out to the courts with Rogue totting behind. Storm was the only of the original adult staff in the mansion at the time, and was the only one who taught the older kids collage classes. Hank and Logan only taught sporadically, except for danger room sessions, Logan loved those. Some days her job was hell. Luckily Piotr, Warren, and Kitty had chosen to become full time teachers, and adding Gambit and Jubilee to the X-men team helped ease the stress. Gambit was forced to teach French along with John, who Storm also had fill the empty chemistry position, neither was enthusiastic enough to teach more than a couple classes a week. Bobby taught physics and ethics but wasn't set to start for another week. Kurt had returned to the X-men so the school and team were running on full capacity.
Siryn, Tessa and Danielle would graduate this year and if they stayed with the institute she might run out of jobs. She smiled inwardly the school was continuing to fulfill Xavier's dream even after his death; she resolved to visit the graves after class.
"Ashida, Keller, Summers pay attention!" she barked at the kids in the corner, on of which was Scott's younger brother, codename Havok. The three jumped, and Siryn laughed.
Storm couldn't tell why but she had a gut feeling something terrible was brewing. As she turned back to her class the sky grayed, and storm made no move to fix it.
-X-
Logan was seated at a bar in Seattle with the two least likely people to be his company, one, a beautiful Asian, Yuriko Oyama, or Lady Deathstrike, the other a young women, Laura Kinney. All three possessed a vicious internal animal planted by torture and extortion. All three were infused with adamantium by the government due to a regenerative mutation. Yuriko now not under mind control was not such bad company, she was cold and rash like Logan and wanted answers, Laura, or X-23, as the lab files called her was that answer, or so they hoped.
Logan himself was shocked to find Yuriko had survived the adamantium injection, which should have killed her by reacting with her adamantium infused skeleton, as it happened the combination of her healing factor and a series of intensive corrective chemical and metal surgeries, saved her life without much physical evidence of any trauma.
"Why are we in Seattle?" asked Logan curiously.
"There is a weapon X scientist here according to Laura," replied Yuriko. Logan looked at Laura, he didn't like her, he sensed something slightly amiss, but couldn't place his finger on it.
"Did you hear the news? The cure has apparently failed, our immune systems fight it off, the stronger and healthier the mutant the faster it works," said Yuriko picking up a newspaper from the bar and scanning the headline. Logan saw Laura's eyes narrow.
"Ah, so our little friend doesn't like the news, I smell hostility," said Yuriko calmly.
"Perhaps I, unlike you don't see myself as blessed by the extortion on the weapon X project," she replied calmly, but there was an air of disagreement between the two women.
Not knowing what to say Logan kept silent. He wasn't used to being around so many people so similar to himself. But Logan's thoughts suddenly shifted, what if Magneto or Mystique were uncured by now, he was sure their escapes would make news but he was still uncertain.
"Who is this scientist we are after," asked Yuriko emotionlessly.
"Dr. Brent Jackson," said Laura flatly.
-X-
Magneto, Erik Lehnsherr, was seated dully in a park, he was alone and he was used to it, the seat across from him at the chess table was never filled since Alcatraz. He had lost it all, and the humans had won, he had no doubt this false acceptance of mutants would die off soon, and their kind would come to an end.
He looked up dully only to find young blonde women with and overly large nose seated across from him, she stared with her stern face, and he returned the look. Behind her was a purple haired girl and a decent looking man, had it not been his smudgy face and slightly slack jaw.
"So this is all that's left of us?" asked Erik He had heard the news of the failing of the cure, but he himself had not yet tested the rumors.
"Somewhat, we have others, we will find others. Multiple Man is also alive, I'm afraid he's the only one, other than Pyro whom has defected, again," said the blonde dully.
"As I expected, his connection to Iceman is still strong," replied Erik.
"I do not follow," replied the blonde.
"He is dark, and full of hatred for the race that destroyed his life, but beyond that he was not truly for our cause. He may have believed he was but there where other motives. He may never accept defending humans truly either, but despite its chaos, he has a deeply rooted relationship with the ice X-men," said Erik.
"It may be buried deep, but he still has an affiliation with the X-men, where he values them dearly. He's just too big an ass to realize it," smiled the telepathic Psylocke snidely.
"Enough of this it is pointless to discuss Pyro, if we see him you are all obligated to kill him," said the blonde women across from him, as she moved a knight absent-mindedly.
"Listen, I have no intention of trying this again," sighed Erick.
"I however do," said the blonde suddenly coldly. "However the plan involves the Cerebro. Psylocke may be able to use it, but I need the man who built it to get it working."
"She will be killed by the machine… but if we were to do this… the one you need is Emma Frost," smiled Erik standing up as the blondes skin peeled away leaving Mystique.
-X-
Back at the mansion, Bobby Drake was pleased that John at least was somewhat normal again, normal referring to the way he was when they first met, not so rebellious and rough around the edges, not that that was exactly cured. At least he was acting more human, which gave positive implications toward Bobby's redemption of John project.
At the time Bobby lay on the basketball court sweaty and out of breath, while John laughed himself silly that, Bobby, Piotr, and Remy LeBeau, a.k.a. Gambit lost to him, Jubilee, and Warren. As he so eloquently put it, the jock, the Russian building, and the Cajun gambler lost to a scrawny Aussie, the Asian mall rat, and an Angel.
Rogue didn't seem pleased with this comparison and pursed her lips, but the others all being guys, Jubilee had grown to become one of the guys recently when it came down to it, took the joke light-heartedly, though Gambit was clearly upset at the loss, having bet money with Jubilee and John on the outcome.
"I'll get you next time Jubes, and you too hothead," said Remy LeBeau taking out his wallet from a hidden coat pocket.
Bobby still felt a bit wary of John, but he wasn't going to let that dampen his mood. But despite overcoming most of his worries one desire still burned constantly in the back of his head. Since the day his brother called the cops on him, he had never returned home to face his parents again, he was scared, but he still knew he had to go back. He had voiced his concern to a number of people. Kitty was all for it, like Rogue, whom wished she could see her family again too. Her situation was rather different though. On the other hand John was totally opposed to the idea, though his reasons were unclear, Bobby felt it had some relation to his past. He seemed still envious of Bobby's family, whether they accepted his mutation or not.
"Bobby are you going to answer my question?" said Jubilee hotly bringing Bobby back to earth suddenly.
"Huh what?" he said.
"Never mind," said Jubilee exasperatedly. Who turned to a more entertaining pastime, watching Remy flirt.
"Ma chere, you are as beautiful as zis flower," wooed Remy producing a rose from another pocket and holding to Rogue, who smiled faintly. Bobby scowled.
"Don't worry, you know he flirts with everyone. On those rare times if he can't pick up a girl, he'll go after guys," said Jubilee, smiling at the look of indignation on Bobby's face. John, who looked rather pissed, was playing with him lighter hostilely. Bobby wondered why he was so angry. He left with Warren glaring at Rogue and Remy.
Undaunted Remy continued to pursue Rogue, who turned him away lightly. Finally disheartened the flower exploded in a burst of kinetic energy and he sped off after John hopefully.
"Its Gambit don't take him seriously said Rogue coming to stand beside Bobby, lacing her fingers with his reassuringly. Jubilee smiled mischievously, or so it seemed to Bobby. Piotr seemed also pleased with something, though he soon left mentioning something about seeing Kitty.
No one was yet truly aware of the threat that had been reawakened, nor that the Brotherhood may soon become the least of their worries.