It was dark. She couldn't see a thing in the shadows. Slowly she moved around trying to find something solid. Few steps to her right she found something hard and cold. It was rock. It formed a wall which went up few feet and ended somewhere up. She walked beside the wall carefully hoping she would find a way out wherever she was. Then she noticed that she stood in water. It just reached past her ankles. Beginning to grow more curious she started walking faster. Finally after few minutes she saw a white spot of light about hundred meters away from her. As she got closer she heard a noise. After few meters she was sure that what she heard were screams. Where was she ? She started to run towards the light sweating from fear. Finally she reached her destination. She was standing in a underground tunnel. It was mostly empty beside few bits of rubbish here and there. But it wasn't the view of the tunnel that scared her. Right in front of her she saw hundredths of bodies lying on the floor. Dead. Most of them had external damages and she turned her head around with disgust. It was then when she saw him. Kneeling on the ground over the bodies his hands were covered in blood. She couldn't work out his face from the angle he was at. She made a move to sneak behind him when he suddenly lifted his head. The moment she saw his eyes she screamed.

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO" shouted Betsy as she sprung forward on her bed. Breathing heavily she gulped as she looked around. She was in her room. It took her a while to figure out what had just happened. Finally it all came to her. It was only a dream. A dream of past. A dream which was true. Fear overcame her as she thought of what she found out. How could they not notice ? How could they be so gullible ? Everything they had know was a lie. She wrapped her sheets around her naked body as she began to sweat and tried to clear her mind and to figure out what to do.

Later

Joseph opened his eyes slowly. At first he saw black all around. He wasn't sure if he was alive or not. The pain in his chest told him it was the earlier. After lying there for what seemed like ages but was only few minutes he got up. Surpassingly he didn't feel pain anymore. Instead he felt like reborn. His whole body felt light as if he could just fly away. He could not explain that but he knew it had something to do with his transformation. ^Something to figure out latter^ As he walked up to the computer his face went white. The main computer that was the database for the machine was destroyed. He must have hit it with his powers somehow when he fainted. ^It's completely destroyed. All of it. What have I done ? This is the greatest creation I ever made and I destroyed it. Good going Magneto.^ then he smiled ^Then again no one else needs to use this^ With that thought he turned around and walked out of the lab. While walking through the Morlock tunnels he thought about his plans. It was Rogue's birthday tomorrow. He had a perfect gift for her no doubt about that. Now he had to think of a way to give it to her before Gambit would show up his ugly face. He was so deep in his thoughts planning for the next day he didn't notice he was already in the mansion. It was when he saw the gray walls of the Danger Room that he remembered where he was. He slowly sneaked in to the house. It was around midnight and even though he had been gone for not more than an hour someone might start asking questions. The way the X-Men were, they always asked questions. He made it safe to his room. When he fell into his bed with his clothes on and he fell asleep in a instant. His last thought was ^Big Day Tomorrow^.

Next Day

Remy looked at the ring in front of him. Was it worth it ? He was getting tired of competing with Joseph over Rogue. Especially when he was loosing. He and Rogue had been on the edge for weeks now. Remy started to doubt that it could get better. After all the arguments how could it ? This was his last struggle and he knew it. If he lost this one then he would loose everything. If he'd only say no that night... One such action had taken away his soul, his heart and his only love. How much he hated himself for that. He would never feel clean again. And he knew that if Rogue found out then she would never forgive him. Then how could she love him if she couldn't trust him. They had been down that road before. He just had to make sure that she never found out. Never. He grabbed the ring and stuck it in his pocket. He sighed before walking up to door and going to meet his destiny.

There was a smell of southern food in the kitchen. Joseph knew it was Rogue cooking, preparing some food for her birthday. When he entered the room he saw Rogue standing by the oven and Bobby sitting by the table, drinking his coffee slowly. Lately Iceman had to work undercover as a campaign agent for Graydon Creed from Cyclops's order. He wasn't taking it good. He was all against it, but he still had to do it. ^He's no problem besides he doesn't like Gambit^ thought Joseph as he approached Rogue. She heard him coming behind her and spined around. Her silky brown hair waved behind her with the white strip there as usual. ^How beautiful she is^ thought Joseph.

"Oh Hi Joe, how ya doin' ?"

"I'm good Rogue and you ?"

"Great." she said with a smile while keeping an eye on the food she was cooking. ^Here it goes^ thought Joseph. He stepped closer to Rogue.

"Happy Birthday Rogue" he said. He grabbed her face with his hands and kissed her on the lips. At first Rogue tried to struggle out afraid her powers would drain Joseph but no such thing happened. Instead she felt Joseph's soft lips touching against hers a feeling she had never experienced before. Going with her female instinct she wrapped her hands around Joseph and enjoyed the moment.

In that moment Remy entered the room. At the sight of Rogue and Joseph kissing his knees felt weak. You could see the moment his heart was broken. Poured in to the ground. It was an instant. After not more than a second Remy put on his poker face and turned around to walk out of the kitchen. He clenched his fist and crushed the ring he had been holding. His power did the rest. Mare dust was what was left from it. Slowly it eased to the floor while he walked off.

Rouge had seen him but the pleasure she was getting from the kiss stopped her from reacting. Finally she pulled back from Joseph looking up at him with amazement. She could see he was very happy about what had just happen, if not proud. For few moments she just stared at him unable to say anything. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Bobby walking out of the kitchen with disgust. She didn't care. Finally she spoke.

"Joe....whath......whath was that ?" she asked still trying to get her breath back.

Joseph touched her face and smiled. "Let's go to my room Rogue I'll explain everything."

After closing the door firmly Joseph turned around to face Rogue who was looking up at him. There was something in her eyes, he couldn't name it. Love ? "So sugah you gonna explain how ya made mah the most happy woman in tha earth ?" she said with a wicked smile.

Joseph gulped before explaining. "I had been doing some experiments. It's very complicated let's just say that I found a way to be immune to your powers, I run the experiment on myself and it worked."

Rogue's eyes grew large. "So yah mean that ya can touch mah now ?"

"Yes Rogue. I want to be with you. Let's get out of here. Leave X-Men. We can start a normal life just you and me." said Joseph as he walked up to her. He slowly kissed her on the neck.

She buried her face in his chest as he kissed her head gently.

"Okay." she said with tears of happiness in her eyes. She had been waiting for this moment all her life.

Joseph smiled as his hands slipped under Rogue's T-shirt and unbuttoned her bra. Soon her top was off as well and she stood semi naked in front of him. Carefully he picked her up and laid her on the bed. While he started kissing her she unbuttoned his shirt. Joseph's hands moved to her pants to pull them off. Moments later Rogue finally felt like a woman...

What is it that separates people forever but at the same time can pull some of them together ? What is it ?

End of Part Three