AUTHOR: Wic

WEBSITE: http://www.oocities.org/x_unleashed/Index.html

DISCLAIMER: The X-Men and all other Marvel characters belong to Marvel Entertainment and Fox.

RATING: PG-13 for less five or six mild objectionable words.

SUMMARY: Rogue and John go out on their first date with disastrous results as Bobby deals with his feelings regarding her and John's budding relationship. The X-Men learn more about what Wanda Maximoff may be up to.

FEEDBACK: Any constructive feedback or suggestions anyone may have would be greatly appreciated. .

CHARACTERS: Pyro/Iceman/Rogue main focus of story with Wolverine, Cyclops, Jean, Storm, Professor X, Wanda Maximoff, Fabian Cortez, Lance Alvers, Kitty, Jubilee and Colossus also featured as plot devices.

AUTHORS NOTES: This fic is movieverse and therefore any discrepancies with characters from the X-Men comics is asked to be forgiven. Also thanks to everyone who provided feedback on the first chapter. It was read and very much appreciated.

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Scott and Ororo sat in the ready room looking over reports, newspaper clippings, and news footage of recent government break-ins that Xavier had told them about earlier. So far two installations had been broken into by suspected mutants with unspecified materials stolen from each. The information they had been able to collect so far suggested Mystique was involved, impersonating high-ranking military personal in order to infiltrate areas of restricted access. It was very unlikely that she was working alone and given Wanda's convenient arrival it wasn't hard to put two and two together.

The cause for the greatest concern was not knowing what these mutants had taken. Apparently it had been important enough to leave three people dead and god knows how many more in hospital, but so far all information pertaining to that matter had been too hard to get their hands on so they were left to rummage through any public evidence that existed.

The door behind them opened and Charles, Jean and Logan entered. "Good you're both here." Charles said wheeling into the center of the room. "I just finished speaking with one of my contacts in Washington with regards to the break-ins and it appears both these complexes housed confidential research laboratories.

"From what I have been able to find out the purpose of these labs were to engineer a vaccination of sorts that would cure mutants."

"Cure mutants?" Scott asked notably disgusted by the idea.

Xavier nodded and Logan spoke up. "Well it makes since why Magneto would want to get his hands on it, then."

"The vaccination didn't have the results they expected." Xavier continued. "It's fatal to mutants and possibly humans in some cases. In the last six months scientist have been working to determine why human are affected and essentially retooling the vaccine."

Scott stood causing the chair he had been sitting in to loudly scrape across the floor. "Why would the government ok a project like this. Neutering mutants."

"It is not clear who actually knew of the project, who authorized it or who was in change. In any event for right now our concern needs to be focused on learning who precisely is behind the break-ins and what they plan to do with the materials they have stolen. Jean will look over the information on the vaccine I have collected along with a couple of colleagues to see if we can get anymore information by going that route." Charles finished.

**************************************

Bobby Drake sat alone in his dorm room starring up at the white ceiling. He was still upset over the whole Marie situation. It was one thing for her to turn down his invitation to the movie because she had to study, but it was entirely different to blow him off so she could go out with John. If that's what she had wanted then why hadn't she just told him that instead of inventing an excuse. Sure it would have still bothered him but not as much as it was now.

The room door opened and Peter stepped inside, a think English novel in his right hand. He looked flustered. "What's wrong?" Bobby asked from his position on the bed.

"This." He said flinging the novel onto the desk. "It was going pretty good but then the trees suddenly got up and started having conversations with one another and walking around. In Russia trees do not talk!"

"Pete they're not trees they're like… tree people."

"Whatever." Peter commented as he slumped into a chair. "What are you doing? Are you still sulking?"

Bobby sat up starring at his roommate. "Excuse me?"

Peter cracked a small grin. "Look I just came from Kitty's room. Rogue asked me what was wrong with you. Apparently she tried to talk to you couple of times today and you brushed her off, rather rudely from what I understand."

"…"

"So what, you're going to ignore her because she ditched you to go out with another guy. Come on Bobby. I know you're upset but frankly, too bad. You had your opportunity and you blew it. You can't be pissed off at Rogue because a guy asked her out and she accepted."

Groaning Bobby pulled himself off the bed. Peter was right as much as he hated to admit it. He had blew his chance and he couldn't be mad at Marie because she was going out with John. Whatever he may be feeling it wasn't worth ruining his and Marie's friendship over. "She upset?" He asked.

"I do not know if I would say upset but definitely miffed."

****************************************

"Bobby!" Kitty cried in surprise.

"Is Marie here?" He asked quietly.

Nodding Kitty opened the door wider so he could see Rogue sitting at her desk pouring over some books. "Rogue, Bobby's here." The young girl said grabbing her jacket and heading for the door. "I'm going to go see…umm… about… something."

Bobby watched her leave and then breathing deeply he stepped into the room. Marie had turned the chair around and was now facing him, an unsure look about her. "So I guess I owe you an apology." Bobby began.

The look didn't fade from Marie as she stared intently at him saying nothing. "Look I had a really bad day today and I ended up taking it out on the people around me, including you. I shouldn't have and I'm sorry."

"Ok." She said simply a smile spreading across her lips. "Do you want to talk about it?"

"No!" He blurted before composing himself. "I mean Peter already beat you to it. You can't really argue with a guy who can punch a hole through three feet of concrete when he tells you you're being a jerk."

"Ah suppose not." Marie laughed.

Bobby started to speak again but a voice from the door stopped him. "Hey guys. You ready to go Rogue?"

Stepping aside Bobby watched as John came into the room and stood beside Rogue. Bobby could feel his gut churn as he watched Marie smile at the new arrival and then nod with a little uncertain as she looked back at him. Not wanting to be there any longer he excused himself and returned to his room.

**************************************

Rogue was seated in a small brown leather sofa in the basement of The Edge, watching John and Lance play pool. They had ended up here after a rather surprising but pleasant date. The whole evening had been a little odd… in a good way that is. When she had first gotten into the car with him she had been nervous because it had been a long time since she had been out with a guy on a date. But John had put her immediately at ease with some humor and quiet charm. They had dinner at a small French restaurant, then took in a movie and then went for a walk along the beach. If she had to rank them she would have easily said the walk on the beach was the best part of the night. She got to see the young man in a new light and he really wasn't the way everyone perceived him to be.

"Is John ignoring you already?" Wanda teased as she took a seat next to Rogue, a drink in hand. "That's the problem with males, they see a way to prove their manhood, in this case pool, and they can't help themselves."

Rogue smiled slightly. "Ah guess."

"I'm glad to see you back tonight. John mentioned that you weren't big on crowded places so I thought maybe--"

Rogue's eyes widened "He did?"

The older women nodded as she took a drink. "I can't blame you, I get the same way sometimes but I suppose if I wanted to avoid such situations I should have went into another line of work."

"Does he come here a lot?" Rogues asked letting her curiosity get the best of her.

"I guess." Wanda offered. "He's usually in here hanging out with Lance or helping Fabian with the supplies at the warehouse."

At that moment Fabian Cortez appeared from the staircase and joined the two guys at the pool table. Rogue and Wanda continued to talk but something Lance said immediately drew her attention. "Come on... Pyro show the man what ya got."

At first she though maybe she had just misheard but John's sudden glance in her direction told her she hadn't. If they knew his code name, what else did they know?

Lance and Cortez followed John's eyes and the room grew awkwardly quiet causing Rogue to feel terribly exposed and extremely uncomfortable. "Is something wrong?" Wanda asked concerned.

"What? No. Ah... ah just... it's late... ah'm tired--" A sudden rumble caused Rogue to stop.

The room began to shake, as the floor seemed to move in ripples like a series of waves lapping the shore. A few items on shelves hit the floor with a loud thud. Beside her she noticed Wanda quickly turn and give Lance a sharp look. The rumbling and shaking stopped.

John was not staring angrily at the man as well. When he finally looked back to Rogue there was a pained expression evident on his face, almost apologetic.

She had no idea what exactly just happened but she also wasn't keen on sticking around to find out. Getting to her feet she started edging herself toward the stairwell as fast as she could without it looking too obvious. "Rogue?" John called to her.

"Ah gotta go." Rogue replied as she fled up the stairs.

Behind her she could hear footsteps but she ignored them as she crossed the dance floor and headed for the exit. She was stopped when she felt a strong hand grasp her arm. "Rogue wait." John pleaded as he stepped in front of her.

"What the hell is goin' on John?" Rogue fired at him.

Casting his eyes to the floor he spoke. "Calm down Rogue you're going to make a scene."

"I'm goin' to make a scene!" A deep red coloring her face as she exclaimed in disbelief. "He called you Pyro. How did he know that?"

"Because I told them." He explained ignoring her dumbfounded expression. "They're mutants too. They understand what it's like. They're not the enemy."

She had no idea how to respond to that as a thousand thoughts flooded her mind, but none of them made any sense. "John you've know these people for like five minuets. There's no way you can know whether these people can be trusted. What did you tell them?"

"Everything." He whispered.

There was no way to hide the betrayal or hurt she felt at that moment from him. John had exposed her and the entire school to a group of strangers and was unwilling to acknowledge the potential damage that could cause. "Why would you do that?" She screamed.

"You wouldn't understand. The school has been the answer to your prayers. You found a place where you feel accepted and free, where everyone understands your mutation and aren't scared off by it." He spit bitterly. "I don't feel any of that. I feel chained down by all of Xavier's stupid rules and confined by the walls of that school. We all have these amazing abilities but they don't want us to use them. It's like they're saying we should be ashamed of what we are but I'm not. When I came here and I found out who these people were I finally found a place where I felt free to be who I am and not have to worry about conforming to rules or regulations."

"It's not like that." Rogue sighed trying to come to terms with what John had just told her.

"Yes it is."

Behind her Rogue could hear two sets of faint footsteps. "Rogue I understand your apprehension to trust given the ordeal you went through but--"

"Ordeal? What ordeal?" Rogue asked turning to the women who had spoken.

"With Magneto at the Stature of Liberty. Look--"

Again Rogue cut her off and turned to John, "You told her about that." The anger evident in her voice.

Confused the young man looked from Rogue to Wanda, "No. I didn't."

Wanda came closer, "He didn't tell me I already knew."

"That's impossible. There's no way you could know anything about that unless..." Her voice went silent and she felt John's hand grasp her arm protectively.

"No it's not what you think. I am not working for Magneto he's--"

"Wanda!" Cortez urged.

Ignoring him she continued "My father".

***********************************

Rogue had almost laughed. The idea that this woman, the woman John had introduced her to, was the daughter of the man who had almost succeeded in killing her and turning the humans of Manhattan into engineered mutants was insane. It had to be some sort of cruel joke. But no one was laughing or looked the slightest bit amused, and Wanda appeared more serious than Rogue had ever remembered seeing her before.

Before she had time to move John pulled her behind him. She watched as he reached inside his pocket and pulled out the lighter he always carried with him. It was how he triggered his mutant gift. John was able to control and manipulate fire, but he couldn't create it, that's what the lighter was for.

With a flick of his thumb the cover of the zippo popped open and a second later a flame shot out of the lighter transforming into a small ball of flame that seemingly rested in the palm of his hand.

Cortez rushed to Wanda's side, an act of concern and protection, but she didn't seem in need of his aid. Despite the possible threat John's powers possessed, she seemed unconcerned. "At least hear me out before you convict me of my father's crimes." She said almost pleading.

Rogue didn't care what the woman had to say, she just wanted out of there. Wanted to be back at the school with the people she knew and trusted. "Rogue whatever happens when I tell you to go, do it." John said quietly tilting his head toward her but never taking his eyes from the two people standing in front of him.

"John ah--" She started to protest.

"Rogue just do it." He ordered not bothering to hide his impatience.

The fire suddenly began to grow and take on a life of it's own. Twisting and folding in on itself until a massive wall of flame was erected separating Rogue and John from Wanda and Cortez. "Go." John shouted at Rogue over the roar of the inferno he had molded.

With a great deal of hesitation Rogue did as she was told. Turning quickly she ran to the exit but was forced to stop when the door swung open abruptly. Standing there, in the doorway, was a slim blond woman with a disturbing look of amusement on her face. The clothes she wore just covered all the right areas and didn't leave much room for imagination. Staring at Rogue for a moment she shifted her icy gaze to John who was still unaware of her arrival. "Didn't anyone ever tell you not to play with fire?" She scolded with pleasure.

John didn't have time to face the woman. He felt a sharp excruciating stab of pain in his head like someone had used a knife and driven it fast and forcibly into his skull. Immediately his hands went to his head as his knees buckled underneath him and a terrifying cry of agony escaped his throat. The wall of fire collapsed.

John was on the floor. His face contorted in anguish. His body ridged. Then it all just stopped. All the mussels in his body relaxed, his breathing slowed and his stained facial features turned calm.

Rogue, who had been watching with horror, fell to John's side. "John? John?" She repeated in desperation but he didn't respond.

A sensation of panic mixed with dread consumed her. All the hours she had spent training with the other students at the school learning to deal with situations just like this and she couldn't remember a damn thing. Her eyes flicked back to the blond who was now inside the doorway. She seemed to be almost daring Rogue to do something but there wasn't much Rogue could do. She didn't have the powers like most of the others students had, she couldn't walk through walls, control fire, turn her body into organic steel or control the weather. She could only absorb other mutant's powers but that involved making skin to skin contact with someone and then trying to get a handle on the powers she had "borrowed".

It didn't matter. The odds were stacked against her and she had to make a decision and do it quickly. It was quite simple actually she either left John here and try to make a run for it with the hope she'd get to the school, find help and return to help John. Or she stayed and hoped nothing happened to herself and John before someone noticed they were missing. However both these options had their drawbacks, but the biggest influence was whether she could leave John to get help.

Around her she could hear people talking or yelling she wasn't sure. Glancing around she saw Wanda heatedly talking to Cortez. The blonde was now behind the bar pouring herself a drink. Time was up. The exit was clear and she made her decision.

*******************************************

It was shortly after four-thirty in morning and Bobby was headed back up the school main staircase toward his room after an late night raid on the kitchen's refrigerator when he was startled by the outside door to the school slamming open quickly followed by the inside one. Whirling around in a defensive stance he was stunned to see a disheveled Marie. "Marie!" He yelled rushing to meet her.

Stopping just in front of her he reached out his hands to steady her. She was breathing heavily and she had a small scrape on her forehead that he was tempted touch out of concern and love. "John." She gasped. "We need to help him."

"Slow down." Bobby said placing his hands on her shoulders while trying to keep control of his own emotions. "What's going on Marie? Where's John?"

She took a deep breath in an attempt to collect her thought and ease her emotions. But it was all too much. The last hour had been some terrible nightmare. "Bobby I had to leave him He was hurt and need help I had to get help. I had to." She said as tears fell onto her cheeks.

Pulling Marie close to him, careful not to touch her skin he wrapped his arms around her drawing her tight to his body. "It's alright. You did the right thing." He tried to assured her. "Are you ok? Are you hurt?"

She pushed him away shaking her hear and wiping the moisture from her face. " We need to get to him Bobby. I don't know what's wrong with him. I don't know if he's…"

Behind them Scott and Jean appeared followed quickly by Ororo, Logan and a few of the students. "Rogue? Bobby? What's going on?" Jean asked concerned by what she saw before her.

Marie tried to explain the events of the evening but it all came out in a mad jumble. Jean stopped her, offering a reassuring smile and guided her over the sofa. "Alright it's ok. Just relax everything's going to be fine. Now just take a deep breath and tell us what happened."

Using her telepathic powers Jean reached out to the girl in an attempt to reduce her chaotic thoughts and restore some peace to the Rogue's mind. "John and I were at this place he's been hanging out at lately called The Edge and…"

She went on to explain the rest of the story including Wanda, the blonde women and John's painful collapse.

"I'll get the jet ready." Ororo said heading toward the hidden elevator.

"Rogue." Jean said trying to offer comfort to the girl. "You did the right thing, there wasn't anything more you could do."

"What do you think?" Scott asked his fiancée as she walked to where he and Logan had been standing.

Shrugging she said. "I don't know. It sounds like some sort of physic attack."

"Is the kid going to be ok?" Logan asked but she wasn't sure if he meant Rogue or John and she didn't know.

"Alright," Scott said assuming his role as leader of the X-Men. "Let's go."

"I'm coming too." Rogue spoke up.

"Not this time darlin'." Logan and then assured her." Don't worry we'll get him back. I promise."

****************************

The X-Men had managed to find a slightly concealed spot to land the black bird but it was still quite a distance from their target, The Edge. They hiked the distance and eventually found themselves at the entrance Rogue had described and took a brief look around for an alternate way in. They found none so they were only left with one option, the front door. Checking the door to make sure it was indeed locked Cyclops stepped back and placed his hand on his visor. A sudden burst of red energy appeared and blew the steel door from its hinges and into the club.

Inside, the room was quiet and almost completely dark except for a few lights over the bar and along the walls. Cyclopes, like the rest of the team, figured either Magneto's daughter and her crew were waiting to ambush them or they had already left taking John with them. It didn't take long to discover which theory was the correct one.

Without warning all the lights flashed on causing the group to become momentarily valuable to an attract as their eyes adjusted to the sudden blinding light.. Instinctively Wolverine released his claws and Cyclops threw his hand up to the side of his visor ready for anything that may pop into view. Then as the glares soften a figure appeared from what had to be the stairs leading to the lower level of the building. It was a women and within a few moments Cyclops recognized her from the picture Professor Xavier had shown to them earlier, Wanda Maximoff.

"I hope you plan on paying for that." She said coolly gesturing toward the door Scott had blown onto the club's dance floor that now was seemingly rusting before their eyes.

Wolverine looked on in amazement as the door finally fell like dust to the tile beneath it and raised an inquiring eyebrow to the women standing across the room. One thing was for certain Magneto's daughter was turning out to be full of surprises.

"Most people usually try knocking first, you may want to look into that next time Cyclops. It cuts down on the property damage." Wanda suggested cordially displaying no signs of insincerity.