Disclaimer: All right, see the numerous bruises and burns on me! This shows I'm not Tabitha… even if I like to play pranks…so, now I think I'm maybe… Dani! Yeah, I love dreams!

AN: Happy Holidays everyone!

"…"- conversation

'…'- thoughts

(…)- extra facts/actions (some)

((…))- author's/my own thoughts

'blah…' -telepathy/what people say mentally

Chapter 21: Danger Room Siege- Part 5: Capture of X-Factor Men and another Hexing for Todd

Western Portion of Danger Room, Xavier Institute, Bayville, NY- May 15, 12:34 AM

When John was sure that all five men were completely unconscious, he turned off his flames and jetpack and walked over to the men. He knelt beside each one and checked his pulse, making sure he hadn't killed any of them, and when he was completely sure that they were all still alive, stood up.

Then, one by one he slung them over his shoulders, and when he had all five men slowly walked over towards Wanda, being careful to go slowly so as not to jolt the men enough to make them wake up and attack.

A few minutes and rest stops later, he made it to the southern side of the Danger Room and looked to Wanda for permission to approach, not wanting to risk getting hexed. After Wanda had nodded consent, John made his way to the cage, and one by one dropped the men inside, making sure not to crush any of the females present in the cage.

As he came out, making sure to close the door behind him, he happened to notice Wanda rubbing the back of her head (where Roberto had hit her) with one hand. After a few moments she stopped rubbing her head and started to rub her face, specifically her left cheek, where John was surprised to see dried blood. John then looked at himself and was surprised to see his uniform was torn in some places and his jetpack sparking a bit. He felt his face and was surprised to find that he now had a huge gash from the bottom of his left eye to the end of his nose.

He slowly fingered the gash, noticing that the blood was starting to dry, and then turned his attention to Wanda, and noticed that she didn't seem to notice him there. He moved to stand beside her, and discreetly stared at her, all the while not laughing, and after a few minutes Wanda started and turned to John, causing him to look away as he started to blush a bit at being caught.

"John, are you okay?" asked Wanda slowly, hoping to not let on to John that she was worried about the large gash she had noticed on his face and also the fact that he hadn't been laughing in the least since he had brought over the remainder of X-Factor.

"No reason luv," said John a bit distractedly as he looked at the fighting still going on, while thinking of what to do next. After a few minutes he asked "Hey, sheila, you ok? Oy mean, wot with that gash an' all."

John watched Wanda out of the corner of his eye as she blushed a bit, and then felt himself being forced backwards into the door of the cage. He felt his head hit on the metal bars, nearly going unconscious but resisting it as he fell to his knees and clutched his head in pain. John stood up a bit dizzily as he felt the majority of the pain subside, but felt the resounding ache still present.

As he stood there rubbing the back of his head where he felt one hell of a bruise start to form, he saw Todd hopping in front of a red-faced and pissed-off Wanda. John watched with a bit of amusement as Todd tried to win her over, even by telling her that he took out Scott (which was the truth) and tried to get her to congratulate him, as everyone in the Brotherhood hated Scott but liked his brother Alex.

Todd hoped that by taking down Scott he would impress Wanda and make her see him for what he was on the inside and would finally acknowledge his combat skills, which would be a step towards a relationship between them. Todd had seen Wanda's little blush as she talked with John and, getting jealous, had used his tongue, with the majority of his strength behind it, to send John into the door of the cage. He then hoped over from the other cages where the X-Men and X-Sword teams were being held and had tried to win Wanda back from the "firebug" that he felt to be a threat to his future with Wanda.

"Aww, c'mon snugglebunny, you can tell me what's wrong, yo. I'll kiss it an' make it all better," said Todd as he once more tried his puppy eyes, knowing for a fact that Erik was too distracted with Forge and the supervision of the battle between Jason and Xavier to notice him. What he didn't remember was that Wanda was oblivious to his puppy eyes and failed to notice Wanda's hands begin to glow dark blue, her eyes begin to crackle with psychic energy, and that she was getting ready to hex him out of existence. John did, however, and moved back a few steps to make sure he didn't get hit with any side effects that might result from Wanda's powers.

"Toad, for the last time!" screamed Wanda angrily as she stared daggers into Todd's eyes as she pointed her now glowing blue hands at him. "I do not like you at all, you filthy disgusting creature!" Wanda then used her powers to fling Todd away from her and into the bottom of the destroyed computer lab and watched him fall to the ground with a satisfied smirk.

She then turned to John, who was still rubbing his head in an attempt to get rid of his headache as he walked back up to stand beside Wanda once more.

"John, I'm ok. Thanks for asking," replied Wanda as John stood beside her and flashed him a small smile. John thought how for once he was glad he wasn't doing anything stupid because at least Wanda had acknowledged him, plus he had actually gotten her to smile, which, he thought, was rare for her. He could also feel his heart beat against his ribs, and he realized that he did love Wanda, because although they hadn't been out on a date at all, he knew, somehow, that they were made for each other.

John sheepishly returned the smile, and Wanda could feel her heartbeat speed up, and she blushed a bit more, but just then Pietro came speeding up with an unconscious Jean Grey-Summers in his arms. He flashed Wanda and John an evil smirk, which they returned, and they soon had not just dumped Jean on the ground and buried her under the rest of the X-Men, but had also chained her down to the bottom of the cage with shackles made by Wanda and John. These would prevent her from escaping, even if she woke up, unless Erik himself released her.

With a quick salute to the two mutants, which only John returned a bit too eagerly, and Wanda just glaring at her brother, Pietro sped off to round up more fallen mutants. John then caught Wanda's eye and grinned at her, telling her silently that her brother was an ass, and somehow Wanda understood. She smiled at him in agreement, and then they turned their eyes to the battle taking place where French swearing was heard coming from the northern part of the Danger Room.