AN: Long time, no post. Sorry about that, I had a bit of a difficult period in my life there. Nothing too serious, it just made feel really blah about writing.

But now I am over that (I hope) and I am trying to push out as much work as I can. So here is the next installment in my X-4 series. This one is a bit different from the other chapters, some new but familiar POV characters and this chapter isn't that dark, so yay.

As always this is my vision of a fourth movie and how to fix all those things were I thought they were going wrong and me shoving in as many references to the old cartoon as I can.

Warning: Talk of canon character death.

Chapter 3: Mall rats

The mall was already bustling with people by the time they arrived and they could barely find a spot to park. Thankfully Kitty had found out that Rogue had an uncanny ability to squeeze the car in the most impossible looking spots, so she had let her drive.

As they got out Jubilee held the box containing her latest victim protectively against her chest and Kitty couldn't help but roll her eyes at that.

"They are not going to be able to fix that, you know." She tried for like the seventeenth time. She looked to Rogue for back up on this, but the other girl just shrugged indifferently.

It was still weird to her, seeing Rogue walking around without being covered in layers of clothing, though nothing was as weird as the 80's disaster phase Jubilee was currently going through. Kitty had no idea where you could even buy a yellow trench oat or big pink sunglasses, but she wouldn't be surprised if it was a shop owned by super fashion villains.

Jubilee pushed that pink monstrosity back into her hair and jutted her chin defiantly forward.

"You don't know that. This might not that badly damaged."

That drew a chuckle from Rogue. "Sugar, you fried that one good."

Jubilee pursed her lips at that and stalked towards the mall.

"Yeah, we're going to be stuck here for a while." Kitty sighed.

"Might as well do some shopping." Rogue added cheerfully. "I bet I can find the ugliest item."

"You're on." Kitty shot back, following her into the Mall.

Life at the Mansion had been weird for a while. With the Professor, Jean and Scott dead and Wolverine off to who knew where, it was like someone had punched a great big hole into all their lives.

The place that had once been the closest thing Rogue had to a home after running away suddenly felt cold and empty. She had felt like she hadn't belonged there anymore, not after getting the cure, abandoning the team when they needed her the most. But Storm had promised her that if she still wanted it, the Mansion would still be her home. Powers or no powers.

After the funerals, after months of emptiness where everyone kind of drifted past each other as if in a trance, things started happening. Kids started laughing again. Teasing each other as always. One sunny afternoon most of the older kids decided to play no power basketball. Of course someone cheated and then all bets were off. She had teamed up with Kitty to kick some ass and it had been fun. Actual, normal fun.

The Mansion became a home again, Storm their strict but caring mother and Hank their quite quirky uncle that checked up on them often.

The X-men were needed as always and with the help of old friends and new recruits they won many a battle. Despite being powerless Rogue found she could help, by piloting after a literal crash course from Hank and acting like central command now that the Professor wasn't there anymore to guide them telepathically.

It was like life had returned to them and Rogue embraced it gladly. Even if that did mean having to drive Jubilee to electronic repairmen every week or so and playing big sister to Theresa and Dani.

Kitty appeared beside her just as she was browsing through some racks of really gaudy jewelry. She showed her a pair of enormous earrings and they both giggled. This was now they favorite game to play, as they waited for Jubilee, finding the ugliest thing in a store.

Her relationship with Kitty had been a little strange over the past few months.

Rogue had taken the initiative and broken up with Bobby. She never forgot the way he had looked at Kitty that night in the fountain and even though she had been able to touch him after the cure, it hadn't been the same. Their love had dwindled and while it broke her heart, she had to cut him lose.

So yeah, it had been awkward after that, especially when the doofus actually got the hints Kitty had been dropping and he finally asked her out. But being the X-men, having done so much together, face so much danger, so much death, well it had made their bond too strong to be pulled apart by teenage love drama.

So while it might have stung and it might have taken her a month to be able to look Kitty in the eyes again, they became friends again. And that was good. It made Rogue feel like her old self again, the person she was before her touch could kill. Just a fun teenager.

Besides she was really starting to appreciate the fact that Peter worked out shirtless nearly every day.

Maybe it was a good thing that there weren't any more telepaths in the Mansion, because boy she could have made them blush.

Jubilee entered the store looking glum. Rogue already knew what she was going to say.

"It's dead?" Kitty asked sympathetically.

"As a doornail." Jubilee sighed.

Rogue exchanged a look with Kitty, who simply shrugged as if to say, hey what can we do about it.

Rogue touched Jubilees arm, which still felt weird to do, and gave her a sisterly look.

"You know what honey, Imma buy you a new one."

Jubilees face light up instantly.

"Really Rogue?"

"A cheap one, though."

One hug and a lot of OMGs later they were leaving the mall with a brand new dvd player and one very excited teenager and walked right into a group of anti mutant protesters beating up a kid.