Chapter 39

Downtown Bayville...

Usually this would be way past Clark's curfew, especially considering tomorrow...no wait later today now is Scott and Jean's graduation ceremony but when he heard her voice he knew he needed to put on the costume and deal with it.

He stands there in the middle of one of Bayville's main streets, wreckage all around him, his arm raised to shield his eyes as the electrical energy strikes out in all directions.

"Live Wire!" he calls out to the chalk-skinned woman.

Live Wire stops her random attacks and focusses in on him. "Hel-lo there handsome!" she greets him flirtatiously. "Been awhile."

In fact Clark hadn't seen her since that battle of Smallville. Considering her aid in that he looked the other way while she made her getaway. "What is this about Leslie?" Superman asks her bluntly. And he hopes her answer is beyond simply seeking attention for herself.

Live Wire shrugs. "I was bored...and I hadn't seen you in awhile. Needed to get your attention."

"By causing tens of thousands of dollars worth of damage?" he retorts, clearly unhappy with her.

"You're here aren't ya," Live Wire drawls with a triumphant grin. "So tell me, reconsidered my offer of a hook up yet?"

Superman groans. She can't be serious. She can't be causing all this mayhem in another attempt to persuade him into dating her. "In all honesty that has been the furthest thing from my mind," he replies.

And it so has. Live Wire is way down the list right now of things he needs to deal with. There's Apocalypse and trying to find that 3rd key and the location of his prison. Admittedly that's not going so well...or at least it's going slowly trying to wade through the historical information and interpret it.

Then there's the Metaleks and their Master. Jor-El hadn't been much help in that regard. The name Metalek meant nothing meaning so therefore it's entirely possible they come from so far away its beyond the 28 galaxies that Krypton has knowledge about. The closest thing Jor-El could do was teach Clark about other machine races they do know. Like the residents of Colu for example.

The bottom line is Clark has numerous other problems to deal with, all of them more important than Live Wire.

Live Wire's face shows she doesn't like that. "Well then I'll just have to make you put me to the forefront of your mind," she says, sounding rather menacing and serious. She taps her chin with her finger as she thinks. "I know!" she cheers. "What if I pay a visit to Bayville's main power supply station and drain it all for myself. Be hard to ignore me then!"

"Live Wire, don't!" Superman warns her.

Live Wire grins joyously. "Catch me if you can!" she challenges him as she transforms into her lightning form, strikes the power lines above and rushes off in the direction of the power station.

Superman takes to the air and zips off in pursuit of her as fast as he can go.

Stepping out of the shadows onto the street comes the hooded figure of Mesmero who chuckles darkly. That should keep the Star Child busy for at least an hour he reckons. He's not controlling Live Wire. He didn't need to. Her mutation has left her prone to random, impulsive bursts of behaviour. He just had to push her into one and used her feelings of lust for Superman as a trigger to make sure she came here.

Mesmero checks his watch. This should provide a long enough distraction for his 'partner in crime' to get the job done.

At the Institute...

It starts with a shadow stalking the halls of the mansion quietly and unseen. They push open the door to the Professor's room where he is sound asleep. He doesn't rouse...not even when the unseen figure gently touches his face and takes what she needs.

They exit the room and move on. Through the staff one by one repeating the same act before they start on the students. Jean is first. In her sleep she makes some pained noises.

Next door is Kitty who is woken up by the sounds. "Jean?" she queries sleepily. She slips out from under her sheets, being careful not to disturb the sleeping purple dragon curled up at the bottom of her bed.

Kitty walks toward the door on her bare feet and reaches for the knob to open it...only for it to rattle as someone on the outside opens it.

Kitty gasps and backs up as the door swings open to reveal... "Peter?" she queries, puzzled by the sight of her extra cute boyfriend. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm not here. This is a dream," Peter says back. "Though the real me will be intrigued by you having naughty dreams about me," he says with a roguish grin.

Kitty blinks. She supposes this has to be a dream. Peter couldn't be here otherwise. Her lips curl up and she stalks toward him, kicking her hips into a sway. When she gets to him she locks her hands together round the back of his neck. "I don't need to dream when I know the reality is so much better," she returns sultrily. "Why don't you show me again?" she suggests. Hey, if she's having a naughty dream she might as well enjoy it.

Peter's response is to lean in and kiss her, their tongues duelling.

Kitty frowns. This is...wrong. Peter doesn't kiss like this.

Before she can do anything though she feels her life being drained from her, her cry of pain muffled by the mouth covering her own.

Powerful arms grab her as she falls unconscious.

Arms which change, revealing the left one covered in tattoos. The person changes until Rogue is standing there, a dirty smile on her face. "Dang Kitty, ah nevah knew ya had it in ya," she jests about a couple of things.

Rogue picks Kitty up and takes the brown-haired girl back to bed, slipping her back under the sheets and tucking her in. Lockheed still doesn't stir. He's a heavy sleeper.

Rogue touches her lips with her fingers. Kitty's not a bad kisser as matter of fact but she can see from the memories she absorbed the phasing girl has been getting a lot of practise lately...amongst other things. "You're lucky ta get a boy who's that skilled with his hands," she observes. She brushes Kitty's hair back fondly. "Sleep tight, Kitty and tomorrow ah promise y'all will beh livin in a bettah world," she says softly.

Rogue turns to her left and using Kitty's power walks right through the wall into what turns out to be Jubilee and Paige's room. She absorbs them in their sleep too and moves on. She has to get finished before Clark returns. His senses are too sharp for her to have done this with him here hence the distraction with Live Wire.

By the time Rogue leaves she has taken energy from all of them...and brought forth Apocalypse's return that one step closer.

The next morning Clark is bemoaning his encounter with Live Wire the previous night around the kitchen table. He stopped her draining all the power in Bayville but 2 things annoy him. One; she got away. Two; she somehow managed to sneak a kiss.

Clark spent an hour gargling with bleach trying to get the taste out.

The problem is when you deal with someone who can transform into electricity and travel along power lines it's hard, even for him, to stop her escaping.

So there will be another day.

Oh goodie.

Someone shoot him. Preferably with kryptonite bullets so he doesn't have to deal with her again. Next time he'll send Bart or something and his roommate can put up with the snarky, loud-mouth former radio shock-jock.

So anyway back to the usual kitchen chaos. Ok, it's a lot less chaos this morning than normal as everyone looks like they had a terrible night's sleep. Coffee is being drunk by the gallon.

Jean and Scott are doing their best to utterly ignore each other.

In fact quite a few people have been giving Scott the cold shoulder lately ever since that night the girls spotted him with Emma.

Scott hadn't felt any need to justify himself beyond that he can meet up with any friend he chooses to and he doesn't care what they think.

Oddly this has helped patch things up with Alex, who was still seeing Roulette despite the near non-existence of a relationship with the Hellions currently. Bottom line is the Summers brothers basically were thinking the same way on things for once.

Jean makes her excuses and leaves. She needs to speak to the Professor. She finds him eating alone in his office, him looking a little worse for wear as well.

"Morning Jean," he greets her.

"Morning Professor," she greets him back. "I'm just here to check about the weather for graduation..."

Charles smiles. "I spoke to Storm and she promises a sunny day," he answers what she was going to ask.

Jean smiles. "That's good. My family's coming and I hate for them to get wet...though if Storm could drop a rain storm on Principal Kelly's head I wouldn't object," she says meanly...but he deserves it.

Last day of school he gave her a warning about wanting the school year to end on a good note. That other students had earned it. The implication being, somehow, mutants hadn't. Heck if anything they earned it more considering the hassle they take everyday and don't respond to. His last words were along the lines of not wanting any, and Jean quotes, 'Mutant Mischief'.

Jean's usually a really gentle soul but where Kelly is concerned he can go stick it up his...well you know what.

Charles smiles half-heartedly. It had been a very difficult year with a Principal who was clearly anti-mutant. If Kelly could have kicked them out he would have months ago. "So have you made a final decision which university you'll go to?" he asks. Jean had been accepted by several due to her great grades. All As across the board.

"No, not yet but I will study genetics and medicine. After all I know where there's a great tutor," she smiles, aiming a pointed look at the Professor.

"Well you'll find my rates quite reasonable," he jests lightly in return. "And I'm very easy to reach," he telepathically finishes his quip.

Jean chuckles. It's going to be different. University. More time spent away from this place. That's inevitable. But as the Professor says, life is about change. It's change that made her a mutant. It's change that has separated her and Scott. So her life is going to change but that's not a bad thing. Change should be embraced and perhaps a way to move on from Scott is for Jean to embrace this change.

Magneto's base...

Gambit knew something was wrong. Rogue was missing and he couldn't remember her leaving. This is not the 1st time actually since they become lovers. He has woken up a few times to find her gone.

That is why he is in the security room where all the recordings from the camera feeds are. Yes, Magneto is that paranoid to watch over his own followers with a security system.

Most of the people here didn't know it existed but Gambit is a thief for a living. He can spot hidden cameras easily. It's instinct, trained and honed by years of work.

Gambit frowns. For the camera covering the hallway outside his room there is no footage of Rogue leaving. It just shows an empty corridor.

He strokes his short beard as he rewinds it and brings up the logged details of the records. They have date codes and file numbers...and they're out of sequence. This has been tampered with...by a pro because it's almost unnoticeable. It takes a pro like him to see it.

In fact this looks a lot like his work if he didn't know better.

Unless...Rogue absorbed the knowledge and skill from him at some point and did this herself.

But it doesn't make sense.

Why would she do this?

Gambit would like to believe he knows her well enough to see this is out of kilter behaviour.

"Remy?!" a voice exclaims.

Gambit doesn't even look round. "Joanna," he addresses the superstrong mutant known as Frenzy.

"What are you doing here?!" Frenzy demands to know, clearly unhappy sounding at his presence. "Shouldn't you be giving it to Rogue?" she mocks that. Yeah, she knows about it.

"That's not jealousy Gambit hears is it?" he smirks because he and her this one time...long story, there was alcohol involved and lets leave it at that.

Frenzy snorts. "Don't flatter yourself," she refutes that sternly, folding her arms across her chest. "I've had better nights with my hand," she derides his love-making skills.

"Gambit is hurt, truly," he pouts.

Frenzy brushes off his damn distractions. "You're not permitted in here. You're not suppose to know this place exists," she says between gritted teeth. Magneto will have her head if he finds out Gambit has learned of this. She was of the few who knew it did. One of the few Magneto trusted enough to know.

Gambit chuckles. "Can't fool a thief, Cher."

Frenzy shakes her head. "You have 5 seconds to cut the crap before I throw you out of here, Gambit," she warns him, deadly serious that she means that.

"Rogue's missing," Gambit replies, cutting the crap. "And the footage has been tampered with to hide when she left."

Frenzy frowns and leans in to see what Gambit is doing. He's right. It's been messed with. Joanna likes to think of Rogue as a friend and that she knows the Southern girl fairly well. This makes no sense.

Frenzy leans over Gambit and types a few things, switching from camera to camera. She takes a moment to think. She snaps her fingers. "Magneto has a separate private system for a few key locations he likes to keep a personal eye on...and if he asks I never told you that."

"Gambit's lips are sealed," he vows. "You have access?"

"It's in his private quarters," Frenzy confirms that she does. A few others need to know because it has to be maintained and Magneto can't be here all the time so someone has to do the spying on his behalf...and if anyone questions why she would spy on her fellow mutants...well Frenzy would punch them in the face and tell them to mind their own damn business. It has to be done. A war is coming and humans are devious foes. Can't be too careful the humans haven't leveraged some mutant round to working for them against their own kind.

Gambit rises to his feet and follows Frenzy as she leads them to Magneto's private, sealed area of the base.

There's no codes to enter or handles on doors. Magneto uses his magnetic powers only...or in Frenzy's case superstrength and she slides the door back open.

"Don't touch anything," she warns Gambit before entering. "If you touch it he'll know and then I swear I'll leave you hung out to dry." She prods him hard enough in the chest to make him wince. "You got me?" she asks him deadly serious.

"Gambit got you, Cherie," he promises, rubbing the spot where she prod him. Much harder and he swears she would have left a bruise. Normally he might joke but his concern over Rogue is genuine.

He better mean that or Joanna swears that she will break him in half. She leads him through the area, keeping a hawk-like eye on him in any case.

Gambit notes a few things of interest but does what he said and touches nothing. Soon enough they come to a small room with a bank of monitors showing key locations as even Gambit might consider them. Entrances and exits, Sinister's lab, an...empty room? What the...?

"Frenzy, what is d'at?" Gambit asks tapping on the screen with the empty room. "De Invisible Man, perhaps?" he jests.

"No," Frenzy snaps. "That's..." She doesn't know why but she'll tell him. "That's where Colossus' sister was being held."

Gambit looks twice at her. "Was? Magneto moved her?"

Frenzy shakes her head. "No. She's vanished."

"Vanished?"

"It was last month. Teleported...someone took her...we think. One minute she's there, the next there's a bright flash and she's gone. Check the tape if you don't believe me," Frenzy tells him to be free to doubt her. "But don't you go and say anything to Colossus," she deathly warns him.

Gambit knows why. Magneto holding Illyana was the leverage to keep Colossus under control. If he knew she was gone Piotr would be gone like that. It's also interesting how much Frenzy knows about Magneto's secrets. It raises the question of what happened that made Magneto trust her this much. Could also be the reason why Magneto put her in charge of the Brotherhood.

Frenzy's eyes shift back and forth as she reviews the footage. Come on. Rogue had to leave somehow. Ah ha. There she is! Walking out the door...and meeting who?

Frenzy sits down as she zooms and enhances the image to see the 2 people Rogue is meeting with.

"You're good at this," Gambit notes with a puzzled look at her, wondering where she learned it. She's not really that old. 18...or at least that's how old she claims to be. She acts older.

"Interesting and varied life, Cajun," Frenzy gives her vague explanation. "Shit," she swears as she enhances the image enough to identify who Rogue is meeting.

"Is d'at Mesmero?" Gambit asks at the hooded figure in the image. Gambit was still sore over being used previously. He would love a chance at some payback.

"And your girlfriend," Frenzy says with a coy smile. She means Haze who is also visibly there.

"Also your lackey. Wonder what Magneto will say about you not keeping an eye on your charge, hmm Cherie?" Gambit hits back at her. Haze was in the Brotherhood. That made the blond teleporter Frenzy's responsibility and she clearly hadn't realised Mesmero had taken control of the girl.

Blast. Frenzy hadn't thought of that. Ooh, this could be bad. She's going to have to tell Magneto. With no doubt the video footage has been previously tampered with there's no way to know what the bald telepath has been getting Rogue and Alicia to do. Nor for precisely how long the 2 have been under Mesmero's control. Magneto's not going to be happy in the least.

It's going to be one of those days.

Bayville High...

Everyone is starting to gather on what is normally the playing fields for the graduation ceremony. Those graduating are in their gowns and caps. It's a beautiful sunny day for it.

Scott was off chatting with his friend Paul who is also graduating today,

Jean was chatting with her also graduating friend Taryn but she left when she spotted her parents leaving Jean rather lonesome for the moment.

"Good day you're getting."

Jean turns round to find Clark in a dress light blue shirt, top button open and black pants. He dresses up nice, you have to give him that. "No. It's a great day," she corrects him. "This is the day the whole future opens up ahead," she says, truly believing that despite her personal problems. "Just wait until you're standing here next year. You'll see," she tells him.

"Oh goodie. Can't wait," Clark dead-pans. "Another year with Principal Kelly. Another year of sitting, watching my friends get harassed for no good reason. Another year of..."

"Hi Clark!" 3 voices coo. Voices belonging to the 3 'IT' girls of Bayville High. The 3 blond lookalikes of Tempest, Tyler and Carly. They wave and wink at him before taking their seats in the stands.

"Another year of them," Clark says with dread of facing fending off their affections for another 12 months.

Jean giggles at his mortified expression. Though she can get what he means.

"At least this is the last you have to see of your ex," Clark tells her.

"Which one?"

"Oh sorry," he winces. "I meant Matthews," he says in reference to that ex.

Jean gets him. Indeed. This was very likely the last day she would ever see Duncan...the big lughead. "The future is about hope, Clark and that is what this day encapsulates. Nothing else matters. Not all the harassments or lost friends or all the fights. I worked my ass off to earn this day. Myself, Scott, the rest of you guys when those graduations come, we've all earned this. We probably earned this more exactly because of everything he have to endure. You too, you know. I know you get a lot of hassle for being our friend Clark even when everyone thinks you're human."

Clark smiles gently. He only really came over because she was looking lonely. He didn't expect a pep talk. He reaches up and fixes the tassel on her cap. "You're right...and you look amazing," he compliments her. "But that's your normal."

Jean grins at the compliment.

"Though as well as looking forward we do have to look back and acknowledge our mistakes so we don't repeat them," Clark offers some words of wisdom while giving Jean a certain look.

Jean nods. She has a feeling he's hinting at one thing in particular he's mentioned before. "Amara. I know what I said went too far," Jean acknowledges her error. "I let my temper get the best of me and by the time I wanted to apologise she was already gone. I hope, in the theme of the day, I get a chance to make it up to her," Jean does wish. It may not bring Amara back but it would be right for Jean to make amends for her cruel words.

Clark feels she is being genuine. "Yeah, well, I'm sure they'll be a day and an opportunity but lets not ruin your big day," he decides not to keep dwelling or harassing Jean on it. "Hey, now who is that I wonder?" he asks, pointing behind her.

Jean turns round and her a face splitting smile comes to her as she sees the arrival of her family, of her parents and brothers and sisters.

"Jean!" her father calls out to her

"Go on. I'm sure they've missed you," Clark tells her with a warm smile.

Jean runs over and hugs her father and mother and her siblings.

Up in the stands the staff and students of the Institute sit, all dressed up for the ceremony.

"Looks like the weather forecast is improving," Ororo says with a sly smile.

"Gee, can't imagine why," Domino comments with a wry grin.

"Yes, I think even Principal Kelly would have to appreciate your mutant abilities today, Ororo," Charles comments.

"Don't count on it, Professor. The guy's a fucking Grade A tool," comes the ever colourful view of Claire Selton.

"Honey," Martha warns her daughter...again for her language. Though she has to say she feels some pride at being here to witness Scott and Jean making this step into adulthood. She knows Jonathan feels the same.

Jonathan who had, by some small miracle, finally got Cypher to leave the Institute's grounds. Though the young, blond teen was clearly not entirely comfortable being around so many people. However, it was another positive step forward in Doug's rehabilitation, especially if they were going to get him to attend school in the fall which was the next target.

Claire smiles apologetically to her mother and pushes her own pair of glasses up her nose. Like her brother she has a secret identity...of a sort. For most people Claire Selton is not Volcana. She's just the long lost daughter of Martha Kent. She was dressed all in fiery red from her blouse to her pants to her flame motif boots. They were her very best blouse and pants.

Her girlfriend on the other hand had gone for a simple, elegant white summer dress. Marie sure could pull that off.

"Ye think Penance and Sooraya are alright?" Sean asks in his Irish lilt. The 2 girls were still concerned about running into their former teammates so hadn't desired to come. Ok, so Sooraya made that decision on Penance's behalf.

"I'm sure they'll be ok," Logan thinks. "You're keepin an eye on them right Chuck?"

"I am," Charles confirms. A telepathic eye. "And they're fine. We're not going to be gone that long."

"Just, like, think Kurt," Kitty says to her friend, in his usual holowatch human disguise. "Next year that'll totally be us," she says with a dreamy look as she imagines graduating. For Kitty that's something to look forward to. Going to university. If all goes to plan she's decided she'll go to ESU with Peter, assuming they're still dating and in Kitty's head they will be. After all she thinks they're great together and she has never been happier.

"I suppose so," Kurt says not as enthused as Kitty is but nonetheless it'll be an achievement to get his High School Diploma.

Amanda, sitting next to him, squeezes his arm affectionately. She dreams of them graduating together. She has a lot of dreams about her and Kurt because no matter what they have endured they're still together and she loves him and he loves her. To her that's all that matters. Not his looks(even if she personally thinks he's gorgeous), not any aggro they take from the anti-mutants bigot. Just them in an honest, happy relationship.

"Look who's here," Bobby suddenly mutters, making a face, as Emma and the Hellions show up. King Bedlam was graduating too. The rest still had another year to go at least.

Emma, was of course, dressed both elegantly and in a strapless white dress that defied all laws of gravity to stay attached. Whatever one thinks of her personally no-one can deny she is a drop dead gorgeous woman.

"Ignore them," James says as the huge native American expresses his view. They would be extremely unlikely to cause trouble here considering the previous effort they put in to make themselves look like heroes.

"Yeah? Tell that to our fearless leader," Bobby says back as Scott greets Emma openly, in front of everyone.

"Ass," Tabby mutters under her breath. He was. He was a total ass. "Wanda, will you hex him please?"

Wanda had gone for a gypsy-esque skirt and her best blouse to wear. It reflects her Romani heritage and with her ditching her usual dark make-up for something lighter it highlighted her uniquely exotic and beautiful features which were usually buried under all that Goth stuff. "Tempting but no powers allowed. Remember the rule," she has to refuse though it is so tempting.

"To hell with the rules," Betsy gives her view. Scott needed a serious attitude adjustment.

Logan shakes his head and growls. Slim's...not a bad kid but lately his head seems to be up his ass. He then sniffs the air as something familiar strikes his enhances senses on the breeze. He sniffs several more times. "Can't be," he proclaims in disbelief.

"Logan?" Ororo queries, hearing him behind her, turning to see what is happening.

"There," he says in a low growl, pointing.

Domino catches it first. "Oh she has some nerve," she comments in disbelief that this person would dare show up despite this person being her sister.

Everyone turns to look and many a jaw drops in sheer surprise at seeing who has showed up. A young woman in a black vest top and purple skirt split up the left side with knee high black boots on her feet. A young woman with tattoos up her left arm. A young woman with brown hair and a unique white stripe in it.

A young woman who makes a certain ex-boyfriend's jaw set hard as he speaks her name in a cold tone. "Rogue."

Author's Note: There's not a better distraction than Live Wire. Illyana's missing...now I wonder who could have possibly taken her? For anyone who knows her comic's history I'm sure you've already guessed it. Now what is Rogue up to? Part of the plan? Just Rogue's rebelliousness? Wait and see. Thanks to everyone who wrote reviews. Next up; Dark Horizons part 2 as Graduation gets cut short.