An Ice Cream shop. That was where they ended up. When Rogue had finally slowed down, flipped on her signal and started to turn into the parking lot, for a moment, he almost started to laugh, of course that was stopped when Jubilee, who seemed to know what he was about to do, turned her head around, looking past the passenger seat as she gave him a haughty look, her mouth twisted her eyebrows pointed.

Jubilee then preceded to jump out of the car, not allowing it to fully stop, running forward she opened the glass door to the place, practically sprinting to the counter where she sat down on a stool, grabbing the woman's attention behind the old fashion counter as she looked to be ordering.

Yet John remained, for one, Jubilee had done something to the chair in front of him, the thing would not bend downwards, and since Rogue happened to still be seated, he was virtually stuck in the back.

"Coming in John?" Rogue looked at him from the car's mirror, giving him a small smile. He saw at some point she must of put gloss on, for her lips were shiny. The smudges that had been on her face earlier, were also gone. "They have great hot fudge sundaes."

'You're kidding me right? I mean ice cream? This is the safe place!"

She angled around in her seat after she turned the car off, and opened her door. John immediately felt the wind, some rain landing on his jacket sleeve.

"Are y'tryin' t'say somethin' is wrong with ice cream?" She stared at him for a minute, almost as if studying him.

There were so many ways to answer that, all of them negative. Living with a roommate during his teens who inhaled the stuff more than oxygen was enough to make him hate the sight of it. Having a training session where Magneto had left him in a cold locker, surrounded by cartons of the stuff, telling him he was to get out of the place without melting an ounce of the stuff; a condition that left him stuck in the cold for a good hour and forty minutes, and had him feeling so numb that when he did finally get out of the human freezer he couldn't even activate his mutation for two hours- was yet another good reason for him hating the ice cold desert.

"This is where you guys meet?" He asked, blinking away the memories, not even going to the one that involved Alaska, a place that really had nothing to do with ice cream, but everything to do with him nearly freezing to death.

Before she could answer, another car pulled up alongside them; a rather dull looking Saturn that had seen better days. When Gambit jumped out of the driver's side, followed by Quicksilver on the otherside, he couldn't help but chuckle at their pathetic ride.

"Well Chere?" Gambit ambled immediately over to Rogue, opening her door wider as he offered her a hand. "What'cha say we get y'out of de rain, dis is not place for a femme t'be sittin'. Might catch your death."

He listened to the Cajun's tone, surprised there was no mockery or hidden innuendoes, only true concern, John was somewhat curious why he was showing any at all. The girl seemed quite capable of taking care of herself. Hell, she had even outdone him that night.

Rogue studied the outstretched hand for a couple long moments, Quicksilver glancing at John as he rolled his eyes.

"I can get out myself swamprat, I ain't an invalid."

Gambit backed up, motioned with his hands for her to go right ahead. Grabbing her keys, she got up, her gaze going to her coat that was bunched up behind her. She pulled the sleeves back, ones that had been resting on John's shoes. He found something strange in her actions, but before he could think anything further about it, she was leaning the chair forward allowing him to get out.

"Kinda cramped back dere isn't it?" Gambit said, eyebrows rising as he smiled wide. John ignored him for a minute as he leaned forward, now that Rogue was out of view, he had his own mission to perform. Stretching a ways he touched the panel to the cd player, ejecting the disk, the same one he had seem Jubilee put in earlier. He shook his head as he looked down at the thing, noticing that it was indeed the girl band he thought it was, just hearing it, even at low volume that Rogue had turned it down to, was enough for him to spontaneously combust. It was more than a little pleasing for him when he used it as a Frisbee, as he tossed the thing out the car.

"Y'do know de petite has plenty more of those."

"Well at least that is one less."

The Cajun shook his head, dark red eyes burning with mirth.

"Y'havn't seen de petite's collection."

John got out of the back seat, looking at the coupe, it took him a couple second to realize that no longer was the coupe the ostentatious yellow that he had first seen, but now it was a gleaming dark green. His vision drifted to the trunk, knowing Rogue's bike was folded neatly inside it, he had never seen a motorcycle collapse like that, nor actually been able to life one up all by himself, something that was asked of him by Rogue before they drove away.

John was really starting to envy the way the X-men had so many gadgets and tricked up vehicles, he hadn't been around so many advanced and technical things since he left Magneto. Yet even his inventions had been more subtle, more of something that would be of advantage to certain mutations, or prevent problems arising from their weaknesses.

Hearing Gambit walking away from him, he followed after, his thoughts still active as he wondered just what kind of metal the bike had been made of, and if it was as durable as Rogue boasted it was. Perhaps, before he left he would obtain one of the things for himself. Along with a couple other items he was starting to add to a list in his head.

From where he was John could see the Pietro had opened the door wide, he hadn't even noticed the guy leave, but there he was holding the glass thing for Rogue, or so he thought, just when she was about to go through, he let go of the door as if he had lost his patience, the action causing the Southerner's nose to almost get swiped.

Rogue stood there for a moment, hands clenching into fists before she reached forward once more, harsh words muttered under her breath. Gambit made a show of getting the thing for her, but she swiped his hand away, actually growling at him as she grabbed on the door herself, disappearing inside.

Gambit just shrugged. A smile lifting on the corner of his mouth.

"Femmes." He said, eyebrows lifting on his forehead. He caught the closing door deftly with his hand, throwing it wide they walked through. Both watched as Rogue walked behind Pietro, neither surprised when she slapped him hard on the back of his head, as she passed by him.

"Hey! What did you do that for?" He rubbed the back of his head, fingers lost in white hair.

"For bein' a jerk and not holdin' the door open for me!" She lashed out over her shoulder, stopping she sat down next to Jubilee, twisting on the stool until she faced her offender.

"I can't help it if you are slow!"

"Yeah? " She huffed. "Do that again and they'll be callin' y'Stumpysilver."

The argument was forgotten when Rogue started to place her order. Once again John felt bitterness rise up in him when Gambit quickly sat down on the stool beside Rogue, sideswiping John as he did so. The long leather jacket trailing behind the Cajun was almost too much temptation, especially since a well maneuvered step could tug on thing, causing some sort of chaos he was sure. But he didn't. Probably because somewhere in between that almost acted on impulse, Rogue had glanced at him, eyes sparkling, mouth crinkling as she laughed at whatever Jubilee had just said.

Yet, the violent desires resurfaced again, when John realized he was stuck next to Pietro, for just watching the guy eat was enough to make someone dizzy not to mention nauseous. He looked behind him, realizing that the speedster showing off in such a way, was definitely not good for any of their health, but John saw that the four of them were the only ones there, and that the sign was turned to open, which meant closed was displayed to everyone else outside.

"Did you want something?" The waiter, a plump middle aged woman, one with droopy eyelids and thin lips asked John. "Well honey?"

"Got anything besides ice cream?"

"Sorry Hun, but the soda machine has already been cleaned out for the night, and the grill closed an hour ago, I can put together a ham sandwich for you if your hungry."

His mood overshadowed with even more grumpiness, and it didn't help that Pietro kept trying to monopolize the waitress's attention, as he kept waving at her, pointing at his sundae.

"Nothing. I don't want anything." He grumped.

"Good." Pietro cut in. "I'll take another double fudge Julie, and add a little cocoanut to it this time would you?"

The woman smiled, wrinkles disappearing momentarily. She grabbed one of his empty bowls.

"Sure thing Sweety."

John twisted in his chair, glaring.

"What?" The speedster asked, his spoon going quickly across the bottom of the second sundae bowl as he tried to get the liquidly remains on the utensil.

"You disgust me!" John spat, jumping off the stool he crashed at one of the empty tables. His attention drifting out the windows, bitter contemplations starting. He hated being stuck, and stuck at an ice cream shop frustrated him to no end. He had actually traveled past the same restaurant before, and knew that not even a mile past there was a bar where many F.O.H. members frequented, probably because their building was just up the street from it. Yet, the place he was seated in was considered safe?

"Here."

A plate was slid in front of him, one that held a cheeseburger and fresh onion rings, something he had always preferred to french fries, but of course, Rogue who had brought it to him, knew that.

"Thought the grill was closed."

Rogue smiled lightly.

"Nothin' a little charm can't change."

He waited for her to sit down, waited for her to say something more to him, but instead after one long glance out the clouded over window, she walked towards the back of the place, probably to the bathroom.

Grabbing ketchup, his spirits suddenly lighter he dug into the food, letting the others fade away as every once and a while he checked to see if Rogue had returned. The others were talking loudly, joking and fooling around. He saw Jubilee shoving french fries down her throat, Pietro working on his forth sundae and Gambit, the last he had seen of him he was talking on his cell phone back in the grill area.

Putting down his last onion ring, he stood to his feet. He has seen a water fountain at the back when he first arrived and didn't feel like asking for a glass of water. Running a quick hand through his hair, small flakes of debris sticking to his fingers, he figured he could probably clean up a little as well.

John didn't know why he felt tense as his feet took him forwards past the counter, yet he found himself, after rounding the counter, coming to an abrupt stop, backing up a ways so that he couldn't be seen.

It was Gambit and Rogue.

She was leaning against the wall, and the Cajun was right in front of her, right hand resting above her waist, the other holding her gloved hand. Rogue tried to tug away every once and a while, but she was held firm and she really didn't seen that intent on getting away. They were both talking frantically, Rogue was shaking her head firmly, something that sounded like an explanation or reason flowing out of her. Gambit stepped closer to her, his voice low as he whispered.

For a moment John felt it, stronger and bolder, a feeling he had felt many a time in his life, but never so pronounced or unmistakably there.

Jealousy.

He barely managed to backup and make it back to his table unnoticed when the two came back, the Cajun's hand resting familiarly against the back of Rogue's elbow.

John watched as she went to Jubilee, a couple words exchanged as the Asian stood up, she walked back with Rogue, her and Gambit trading glances before he went to one of the back tables. He looked agitated and worried, his jaw set firmly, attention still directed at the Southerner. Pulling out a carton of cigarettes, he put one in his mouth, only to take it out and put it back in the box.

The two walked out then, Jubilee seemingly tugging Rogue forward, she reached into the Southerner's pocket pulling out a bunch of keys, pressing a button the doors unlocked. Both got into the car and then with a wailing of the tires, the vehicle was thrown in reverse by Jubilee who was now driving. The car screeched once more as they came to a quick stop, the pyrotechnic putting a small headphone on her ear, which she was already talking into, rather exasperated by the look of it. Before John could focus on Rogue, they were gone.

He threw the rest of his cheeseburger down, getting up he walked to where Gambit was now seated, flopping down in front of him.

"And that was?"

The Cajun was obviously distracted, his gaze out the window, it was still drizzling, a soft downpour that made the night almost seem alive.

"That was about?!" He repeated again, enunciating his words, his tone louder than before.

Gambit turned to him, the worry disappearing expertly from his face as he smiled wide. He slipped his cigarettes into one of the many pockets that lined the inside of his jacket, tugging on his collar he stared lazily in John's direction.

'Nothin' y'need t'worry about Johhny boy, dey just have a couple tings t'take care of."

John rolled his eyes as he left out a puff of loud air.

"Yeah right. They just suddenly had things to do. When Rogue herself said we were to wait here?!"

"Like Gambit said, nothin' t'concern yourself 'bout." His words were more firm, and there was some sort of threat behind them as well, but that didn't stop John. Nothing usually did.

"Really? They just run out of here like their late for someone's funeral and you say nothing to worry about!" He snickered, fingers clenching on the edge of the table. He felt his blood pressure rising, felt heat pressing underneath his skin.

The Cajun straightened in his seat, shoulders rising and staying in a straight line, his eyes narrowed, mouth set firm before it opened.

But no words followed. Especially not when Cyclops came bursting in the small restaurant, Jeza following behind, along with an elderly black woman in a F.O.H. uniform.

The minute Scott walked in, Pietro rushed off his stool, going behind the counter he pressed a button, the windows suddenly covered with thick blinds that slid down.

Scott surveyed the room quickly, obviously noticing that Jubilee and Rogue weren't there, but it seemed he knew why, for he said nothing.

It got very quiet in the room, the waitress made a discreet exit, and Pietro went blindingly fast back over to the stool, his view immediately re-directed at the old woman, who was just now taking her hat off, followed by her jacket which she unzipped and then threw on the back of a nearby chair.

"Jeza?" Scott whispered.

The name was said as some sort of a request, and for a moment John didn't know what was going on. But then Jeza stepped toward who he believed was the rescued informant, placing her hands against the person's temples.

"Are you ready?" She asked the woman, her response given by the quick uplifting of the woman's chin. Jeza's eyes started to glow for a moment, before she tightly closed them.

And the elderly woman started to change. Slowly she became taller, her back not so crooked, hair growing out until it was long and stretched out behind her, fingers becoming longer, nails extending, body firming up. It wasn't until the hair started to change color, from the dark grayish black to an intense white, that John realized who the woman actually was.

The person turned, opening her eyes and practically smiling as she looked down at her fingers, her hands then going slowly down the sides of her body as if it was unfamiliar territory.

"Storm?" He said to no one in particular, his old instructor standing just a couple feet away from him, now wearing a loose uniform, that most definitely no longer fit her. "We did all that to rescue Storm!?"

Jeza smiled at him, walking over she sat down on the table between him and Gambit, making sure her arm brushed against him as she did so. But John didn't notice, he was far too busy staring at the scene in front of him.

"Well that was certainly the longest couple of months of my life." Ororo said, her words directed at Scott, who she went over and hugged. "Remind me to think twice before volunteering for something like that ever again."