Disclaimer: i don't own x-men

Chapter 21: kissing in the cold

Vincent smiled as he stood next to his uncle, looking at the captured mutants. He looked at Stryker and to the other screens that were showing the other parts of the hidden base. It was carefully hidden under the Alkali Lake.

Nobody knew they were so cleverly hidden. Vincent began to think about Rogue, her beautiful smile, her magnificent jade eyes, her hair, he sighed, she hated him because he had hurt her but how does he explain it to her that he didn't want to do that.

From the moment he knew she was a mutant, he had contacted his uncle, wanted to show her what should happen to her and her kind. He knew that she was hoping he didn't know she was a mutant, but from the moment he had seen her school, he had know she had to be 'one of them'. He twitched his eyes for a moment; the thought of Rogue brought him back to his senses.

His uncle saw this and dropped a few drops of liquid on the scar in his neck, making sure all the thought of Rogue were banned out of his mind. He smiled again at his uncle; his eyes were empty and cold. Just like those mutants would be soon.

Rogue smiled at John, the plane landed and Storm began to explain certain things they needed to know. John and Rogue didn't listen to the conversation but were immediately one and all ear when they heard that they would have to stay in the jet. John's eyes widened and his lighter closed.

"What! Why?"

"Because you three are too young to fight in this" Storm said simply

"We can fight! We can defend ourselves!" Rogue defended

"It's too dangerous for you to go. You will stay here." Logan argued

"We want to fight." John glared at Logan, not agreeing with the fact that they couldn't fight for their cause

"You will stay here and that's final...this isn't your fight." Logan argued back

"Yes it is...we are mutants too, just like you guys. Don't we get a say in this? We're not kids anymore."

Storm sighed with Logan and just shook her head in a response. John sat down, pouting and crossing his arms in front of him. Rogue looked at Logan with pleading eyes but he didn't look in her eyes.

She sighed and copied John's position. Bobby sat there, not knowing what to say. Rogue tried to look into Logan's eyes but ended up glaring at him to make him feel guilty about it.

John had to fight a laugh from escaping his mouth at the silent conversation between Rogue and Logan but ended up glaring at Magneto because he didn't defend them. He sighed, knowing he couldn't do something about it.

John looked back at Rogue who was still glaring at Logan who was looking at her, one eyebrow raised.

The adult left from the moment they got message from Mystique, leaving the three teenagers alone in the jet. Bobby looked around in the jet, leaving Rogue and Pyro alone to pout in anger at the adults. Magneto had looked at Pyro before leaving the jet, hoping the boy would make the right decision.

"This is outrageous."

"Calm down John. Reacting like that won't do you any good." Bobby said calm, hoping John wouldn't burn anything

"Why don't they let us fight?"

"You heard Storm Rogue. It's too dangerous for us to be there."

"You pretty well know that's a lie Bobby, stop being such a goody-two shoes and open your eyes for a moment. They're holding us back!"

Bobby sighed, John always argued with him about the fact that the teachers would hold them back. And in some way, they did. He didn't want to admit it but when silence filled the room, he began to think about it, agreeing with John on this one fact. He heard John opening and closing his lighter the whole time, annoying him.

He looked at Rogue, she smiled at John. She didn't smile as much anymore. Not since she had been with Vincent. He knew that John and Rogue had a secret that only a few people knew about and was a little disappointed because they didn't tell him. After all, he was their best friend.

The sun was still up but John felt that it took longer than a day for them to rescue the other kids from the base and make sure Strykers plans were intervened. Evening came closer and still they didn't return.

John stood up "I'm tired of this kids stuff."

"John…they told us to stay here."

"You always do as you're told?"

"John…"

Rogue looked at John who walked down to the cold world outside the plane. She yelled after him but he didn't listen. She looked at Bobby whose eyes were cold. She didn't want to let John leave like that. She ran after him, cursing to herself that she had forgotten to grab a sweater.

"John! Wait!"

"Go back Rogue…"

"Not until I talked to you John."

"No need for that." John looked for which direction he should go while Rogue finally caught up with him. She grabbed his shoulder and turned him so he looked at her. His eyes were still the same as in the plane, her pleading eyes looked into his.

"Please John…don't leave us…don't leave me "

"You don't get it Rogue. I need to leave. I'm tired of how they treat us like kids, training to defend those who wish to destroy us, following their ruler, not even letting us fight for our kind. I'm tired of hiding in the school, of them wanting us to be good and control our powers."

"John…" She whispered

"No Rogue, I'm leaving…"

He placed his forehead against hers "Stop following me" he whispered softly and before Rogue could do something. John kissed her. It wasn't a soft kiss, it was a kiss filled with fire and passion. It was daring and loving at the same time.

Rogue tried to pull away when her powers began to take over John's memories, his power, and his ability to manipulate the flames. She pulled away yet he still held her in his arms, gasping for air but still smiling.

"Why did you do that?" She whispered in his arms.

John just placed his hand on her cheek and looked in her eyes, love filled them and sadness overtook it.

"I don't care Marie…you can't hurt me…you can never hurt me."

"Yes I can." She whispered softly

"You can never hurt me Marie…because my love for you is stronger than your power."

He kissed her again, this time a little softer. It wasn't a long kiss, but long enough to mean everything to Rogue.

She opened her eyes again.

A hug

John Leaving

Tears in her eyes

Walking back to the jet

John already gone.

Making sure they could escape

Losing Jean

Returning to the school

Everything was a blur; she didn't remember anything of the things after John left, only small memories, small shots of what had happened were in her mind. She looked at Logan, she had just told him the story about what had happened at the jet.

He smiled and hugged her. She had cried earlier, Logan had told her the story of Vincent escaping from his grip. He didn't like the fact that the kid was still out there, his mind on the same thing as his uncle…destroying mutants.

"So he didn't come back with you?" Logan asked

"No he didn't…" she whispered softly, looking at the sky.

Hoping John would return to her eventually…hoping he still loved her…for her love was still in her heart, her love for John. Her love would never fade away…. He would return to her…she was sure of it.

THE END

A/n : this is the end of this story…I'm glad with the way it turned out and I'm happy it received a lot of reviews…I didn't expect this story to be such a success but it became one of my favourites. I hope you will all keep tuned in for the first story is going to be my priority right now, making it a little better and keeping it a Rogan.

I want to thank every one who reviewed…

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And all the others that read this story but didn't review…thank you all so much for supporting me throughout the whole story…keep looking out for the other story.