Bobby/John Drabble
Title: Captured
Author: oraclejenn
Pairing: Bobby/John, hinted at previous Bobby/Rogue. Logan, Mystique, Sabertooth, Avalanche, Jubilee and Arclight make an appearance/are mentioned too.
Rating: R (mostly at the end though there is profanity throughout)
Summary: John always said the passive approach didn't work. Unfortunately, no one ever listened to him.
Warning: Post X2, there are some characters from X3 mentioned and the cure itself, but no plot spoilers for the movie at all
Note: Written per a request by eternal_edge wanted to see one where Bobby gets captured by the government and John goes loony and rescues him. This is my attempt at it. And the ending is complete fluff just as an FYI
Bobby looked over at John as he zipped his pants up. "What? What are you staring at John? I have a training session with Logan in an hour. Can't miss it or he'll use me as a sparing partner in his next lesson."
"I know Bobby-boy. Was just wondering how long you think we're actually going to be able to keep this up?"
The lighter was out now, flicking open and closed in melodic repetition. Pulling on his shirt, Bobby sighed a little. "We're not doing anything wrong. I'm not telling you anything and you're not telling me anything. This... what happens when we're together... has nothing to do with the X-men or The Brotherhood."
John smirked before slipping out of the bed to get dressed. He kept his back to Bobby as he answered, a sure sign he was trying to brush it off. "Right. And I'm sure Xavier and Cyclops will fully understand when you tell them that it's just an outlet for you, a way to get off since you're not with the incredible Untouchable girl anymore. Keep fooling yourself Bobby. We both should just call it quits before someone gets hurt."
Bobby just stared at him. They'd talked about this before, about what each side would do to them if anyone found out about this. How the X-men would either start to question Bobby's loyalty or worse, think that one of the Brotherhood's telepath's was planting behavior changes. How the Brotherhood would use it to make an example of John, letting the bruises and cuts act as a sign to others that traitors aren't tolerated or else they'd try to have John use Bobby to get information. Both of them knew the risks and it hadn't seemed like anything they couldn't handle... up to this point.
Still, stopping wasn't something Bobby wanted to consider. After John had left them at Alkali Lake it had taken him two months to find him again. And then the bastard had made it easy for him by sending a post card of all things telling him he was alright and he was keeping Bobby's shirt. No return address, nothing. So Bobby had taken a chance and left a letter for him at a coffee shop in the Center that John had frequented. There was a reply for him two days later and things had gone from there, both using the same mailbox in the center to prevent any traceable address for John being given. They met now about once a week, only when they both thought it safe enough and they never talked about what each group was doing. They were just Bobby and John here, not Iceman and Pyro.
"... couldn't last." John was facing him now, arms crossed over his chest with the lighter in one hand. He looked like he expected a reply and scowled when he didn’t get one. "Fuck Drake, did you even hear anything I just said?" He pushed himself off the wall and past Bobby as he grabbed his jacket. "I said this was the last time. 'Stique has been asking where I disappear to and she's checking up on me. Wasn't really much for either of us other than a few fucks anyway. So... been nice knowing you Drake. See ya on the battlefield."
Bobby just blinked at him, noticing that John never once looked at him as he was talking. He couldn't believe what John was saying, that he was just giving up. John hesitated and moved back, kissing Bobby lightly before leaving the room. By the time Bobby had made his legs work, John was nowhere in sight. He didn't even bother to shower before the training session with Logan and the older man gave him a knowing look but didn't say anything. It was probably the first session since coming back from Alkali that Bobby had really given his all in the training.
****************************
Rogue caught up to him when he was walking back through the gate, her training with Logan (and the part of him that was still in her head) helping her to silently approach him. Then again, Bobby wasn't really paying attention to his surroundings. It had been a little over a week since he'd seen John and there were no replies to the two letters he'd left in the mailbox.
"Been looking for you sugar. Letter arrived for you today and I had to sign for it." She looked at him, concern evident on her face. A month after they'd gotten back to the school, Bobby had broken things off with her. He'd been pulling away since the lake, since he stayed on the jet with Rogue instead of going after John and they both knew whatever they had was gone. She hadn't spoken to him for two weeks and then things were back to how they'd been when she first arrived. She was the only one he'd told about John, knowing she'd keep the secret. "Bobby, it's postmarked from Boston."
He blinked at her, feeling his body temperature drop and his feet leave a wake of frosted grass blades as his pace quickened. "Is it just an letter? Nothing else?"
After his brother had called the cops on them, Bobby had taken one last look back at the house knowing he wouldn't be welcomed there again. Seeing his parents and Ronnie in the upstairs window together, he felt angry but understood their fear. That had been the last time he'd either spoken to or heard from them, despite one letter home telling them he was alright and he was sorry he hadn't told them sooner. Rogue's hand on his arm made him blink at her.
"It was a certified letter, I couldn't tell anything else. It's on your bed." She squeezed his arm slightly. "Was there..."
He shook his head. "Still nothing. He just hasn't had a chance to get down there, that's all it is." He kept saying that as if it would make it true if he said it enough.
Rogue nodded, not saying anything but thinking that John maybe had really meant he wasn't going to be in touch anymore. Instead, she put her hand on his arm again once they were outside of his room. "Come find me if you need anything, even if you just want someone to spar with in the Danger Room to blow off some steam." She hesitated a minute before kissing him on the head, the hair preventing skin to skin contact.
Waiting until she was out of sight, he entered his room and stared at the white envelope in the center of his bed. He locked the door and picked it up, ripping the end open before the single sheet of paper fell out.
Bobby,
I'm sorry for calling the cops on you man, but you're a mutant. I didn't expect that at all. Look, I didn't know things were going to get so out of control. Didn't mean for that to happen but you're their favorite and now you have powers, kind of hard for your kid brother to deal with, ya know? Anyway, I know you're not expecting a letter from me but mom and dad miss you. Neither of them want to upset me so they won't write you but I'm sick of them walking around on eggshells around me. Come home for a couple of weeks. Talk things out with them and explain this a little more to me ok? I'll try to be alright with it. Just... we miss you Bobby. Come home for a while.
Ronnie
He sank onto the mattress and reread the letter. That was not what he'd expected. Not a letter from his brother. His parents maybe. But it sounded like his parents hadn't written him off like he thought. Moving to his desk, he wrote a letter back, saying he would be there in two days then went to talk to Scott about taking some time off and to let Rogue know what he was doing.
Bobby left the mansion the next morning, heading first to New York City and then onto Boston on the bus.
****************************
"Marie, got a minute?"
She turned and smiled, "Logan, 'course sugar. What's on your mind?"
He paused as a couple students passed then hooked his thumb to one of the classrooms, motioning for her to head in. After closing the door behind them he folded his arms over his chest and looked at her with his no-nonsense look. "You heard from Drake?"
She blinked at him and leaned back against one of the desks. "No, not since he left to see his family two weeks ago. He told Scott and the Professor he was going sugar, you try calling there?"
Logan raised an eyebrow at her, "You sure that's where he went? No plans to go running off and meeting Pyro?"
Rogue's mouth dropped open slightly before she caught herself. "No, he said he was going to visit his family after getting a letter from them. He wouldn't go meet with Pyro."
"Didn't stop him before Rogue. You're not telling me somethin' Darlin. Fess up."
She tried to keep looking at him, knowing that lowering her eyes would be a sure sign he was right. But she'd still never been able to beat Logan in a staring contest and she glanced down. "He hasn't talked to John in over three weeks. He wasn't going to meet him at all, he went home to Boston."
Logan grunted and waited for her to look back up. "Should've told someone before Marie." Disappointment was clear on his face and he turned to go before he heard her moving.
"Why? What's going on? Logan... did something happy to Bobby?"
The man kept his back to her as he answered. "He ain't checked in like he was supposed to."
****************************
Opening the mailbox, her breath caught. The letters that Bobby had left there for John were gone. She quickly glanced around, trying to see him in the people walking by but she knew it was probably too late. She slid a letter in and locked it again, continuing to look around as she left and got into the car with Logan. "Don't tell the Professor or Scott about this place sugar. He's going to be mad enough that I told you any of it to begin with."
Logan growled slightly, his hands tightening on the steering wheel "Professor can find out on his own, you know that. Summers... has the right to know."
Three more days had passed without word from Bobby. All the members of the team had standing orders to check in on a secure line every ten days when they were away from the mansion for a long time. Bobby was late by a week. His cell phone was going directly to voice mail and his mother had told the Professor that she hadn't seen him since the incident with the police. She hadn't been lying and they were at a loss.
Cerebro was able to determine that he was alive, just not where and Rogue had finally told Logan how Bobby and John had been communicating. At a loss for anything else, she left a letter for John asking if he knew where Bobby was because he had gone missing. Nothing else was included. Not where he was going or how long it had been. Now they could only wait to see if John was still checking the mailbox and what he’d tell them if he replied.
Scott was waiting for them when they pulled into the garage. "Just where in the hell did the two of you go? One team member missing already and you’re out joyriding?"
"Can it one-eye. Took the kid to try to find information on Drake. Got nothing." Logan glared at him, ignoring the fact that they'd taken Scott's car without asking... again.
Scott turned to look at Rogue. "You know how to find him? Rogue, why didn't you tell us when we asked if you'd heard from him?"
She sighed, throwing Logan a look for not helping her out as he leaned against the car, ignoring Scott's frown at his actions. "I don't know how to find him. Just had an idea of someone who may have heard from him but I was wrong. It was a long shot so I didn't want to get anyone's hopes up."
"Regardless of whether it was a..." Scott trailed off, tilting his head before nodding. "The Professor has news. Might as well come with me, both of you, since you've decided to throw yourselves in this anyway."
****************************
"Logan. Logan wait." Rogue caught up to him as he reached the front door. "The Professor get them to give Bobby back yet?"
His eyes narrowed and he shook his head. "Sorry Darlin'. They're insisting he's a danger to the general public and keeping him under lock and key. One-eye agrees with the Professor, we try to talk things out and get him back." The visible tension in his body told her just how much he liked that plan.
When they had gone to see the Professor with Scott two days previously, he'd told them that a department within Homeland Security had used Ronnie to draw Bobby back to Boston and they were holding him for questions regarding the terrorist attack on the Boston police at his parent's house. Hank had gone to speak with them but even his connections in the government hadn't been able to secure Bobby's release. All told, Bobby had been in their custody for 20 days and the only new information the Professor had been able to get was that he was in a secure location in DC and would be held until he was determined not to be a threat any longer.
Logan knew what happened to people who were kept in government facilities. He knew what could be happening and the fact that they were just sitting there doing nothing was making his skin itch. "Goin' out for a bit kid. Need to get out of here. I'll be back before lights out. Stay outta trouble while I'm gone."
Rogue nodded and walked with him to the door, looking questioningly at Logan when there was a loud bang on the other side. The sound of Wolverine's claws sliding out was the only answer before the door was pushed open...
And John stood there looking between them.
He held up the letter Rogue had left for him three days ago. "What the fuck is this about Rogue? How in the hell can you not know where Bobby is and how the fuck did you know where to leave this?" He was ignoring Logan for the time being, his focus on getting his questions answered.
Logan grabbed his arm and jerked it roughly, turning John toward another room as Rogue walked behind them "Let's go Bub. We need to have a little talk."
John glared at the older man trying to jerk his arm out of the grip it was in. "Get the fuck off me Wolverine. I wasn't fucking talking to you."
Ignoring him, Wolverine flung him toward a chair, not really caring if he sat in it or not, before closing the door behind Rogue. "When was the last time you talked to him, Pyro?"
Rogue put her hand on Logan's arm, staring at him until he looked at her. "Sugar, maybe you should let me handle this for now?" Smiling at the shrug he gave her, she looked at John. "John, Bobby told me about you and him. He told me how he was communicating with you and that's how I knew where to leave the letter. He's gone. A letter came from his brother and he went to Boston thinking he was going to see his family and talk things out but that's not what happened."
John glared at Wolverine, his lips twisting up in a smirk when he gave into Rogue. "Should get you a leash for him, might work faster... though he might like it too." The hostility in his voice wasn't new but the intensity of it was. Narrowing his eyes at her he closed the distance between them. "What do you mean he thought he was going to see his family? Who the hell did he go see and that doesn't explain why you said you didn't fucking know where he is. Sounds like you were trying to fucking get me back here. Nice to see you being the puppet they always wanted you to be Rogue. Fuck this shit, I'm out."
Rogue's eyes narrowed to match John's and she pushed him back in the chair harder than he'd have expected her to be able to. "Bobby's been gone almost three weeks, John. I only left the letter for you because you were the only other one who might have known where he was. The Professor knows now so if you're going to be an ass, you can leave. Thought if you had any feelings for Bobby that you'd like to know he was in trouble. And if I were their puppet like you think, I'd have told them everything Bobby's told me since Alkali." She left unsaid exactly what she knew, but the look she gave John made him squirm slightly.
"Prof knows where he is, then why haven't you suited up and gone to get him? That's what you do still right?" He heard Wolverine cracking his knuckles but ignored it, his eyes focused on Rogue only as he stood up again. "Where is he? You said he was in trouble... what kind of trouble?"
Sighing, Rogue looked at Wolverine. The man just shrugged his shoulders and she pursed her lips together, nodding to the door and he glared at John as he left. "Try anything funny Pyro, and we'll find out how fast you are with the lighter when your intestines are around your ankles."
As the door closed, a flame leapt from the lighter in John's hand, forming a fist and extending the middle finger. Looking back at Rogue, he continued flicking it open and closed. "So what, now that he's in trouble he's not worth your time? Professor too busy trying to track down Magneto to go after his golden boy?"
"He's being held because of what you did at his parent's house." Rogue glared at him, pausing a minute to let the words sink in. "Homeland Security is calling it a 'terrorist act' and they're saying he's a threat and danger to others so they're keeping him. The Professor wants to try going through the proper channels and talking it out to have him released but that's not doing anything now. They used his brother to trick him into coming to Boston and we don't know what they're doing. The Professor can't get any information at all. Cerebro can't even find him." Rogue leaned against the table behind her and shook her head. "That's all we know and we didn't even find that out until after I'd left the letter for you. He hated that you'd written him off and I think he saw Ronnie's letter as a way to try to make things right with his parents... and maybe he thought if he could fix that, he could get back with you."
John's eyes widened slightly and then narrowed almost to slits. "You don't fucking know shit do you? I didn't fucking write him off, I told him that 'Stique was watching me and that it would be safer for us to stop meeting. I was doing it so that he didn't get fucking hurt, not because I... not because of anything else he might have thought." The flame from the Zippo moved to his hand, growing and changing shapes as he stared at her. "So what's the real plan? When are you guys going in and I'm coming. Don't give me any of the 'you're not an X-Men anymore' bullshit. He's my best friend and I'm going."
Rogue rolled her eyes. "Did you not hear what I just said sugar? We're not going in. The Professor wants to handle this their way and that's what we're doing. He's there until they let him go." There was a trace of fear in her voice, not knowing what they were doing to him or how long they might have him or if they even would let him go. "And for someone who was your best friend, you sure walked away easily."
The flame in his hand jumped out at her in the shape of a snake, striking at her but stopping just short of actually reaching her before he closed his hand over the flames, extinguishing them. "Didn't see him trying to stop me, you either for that matter. You fucking goodie-goodies can't even go in after one of your own. Fine, where the fuck are they holding him? You want to leave him there to rot, that's your business. I'm not letting that happen."
****************************
John paced back and forth outside the plaza, taking a final drag before tossing the cigarette onto the dirt and crushing it under foot. She'd left him another fucking letter and said to wait for her at four today. Why he was there he couldn't really say, other than the fact that Bobby had been gone for a month now and the last word he'd gotten from Rogue was that the Professor had been cut off from any further information as Bobby was an adult now and responsible for himself. Flicking the lighter, his eyes caught the movement of Scott's car but he didn't approach it.
"John. John come in, get in." Rogue was looking around, waving at him from the passenger window. "Now, we don't have much time."
Narrowing his eyes, he moved over to the car, slipping into the backseat before smelling the cigar and feeling the car speed up. "What the fuck is he doing here and where the hell are we going?"
"Can it kid and listen up. We can drop you off just as easy as we picked you up. Where am I turning Marie?"
Rogue pointed to an upcoming street then gave him more directions before turning to look at John. "They're moving Bobby. There're two places he could be going and the Professor still won't do anything. He says he doesn't want to cause problems with the government but this is Bobby and you were right. We can't leave him there."
"It took you a fucking month to decide that he wasn't getting treated to a Penthouse suite by the government? About fucking time. So what's the plan?" John sat forward, his hand flicking the lighter open and closed. He had some of his own information but wasn't going to tell them until he knew what they knew.
The car had turned onto the highway, moving through traffic like it was being pulled along by an unseen force and John gripped the door handle tighter as Logan just managed to avoid crashing. "Watch what the fuck you're doing Wolverine. Killing us before we get there isn't going to do any good."
"You wanna drive kid?" The growl in his voice shut John up and he looked back at Rogue who didn't look worried at all.
They drove on for two hours, Rogue explained where they could take Bobby and what seemed the more likely place. She tossed diagrams at him, showing the convoy set up and what security measures would be in place at each location. They were going to replace people who were going to be on the convoy they believed Bobby would be in and get him out from the inside. Pulling into a crowded parking lot of what seemed to be an office building, John pulled out his own schematics.
"The Leather Wonders aren't the only ones who can do recon. They're not going to use the one you think. Have it set up to seem the better option but that's a cover. Real holding area's underground. This is where they'll take him." He looked at both of them, waiting for them to argue with him.
Logan chewed on the cigar, squinting slightly through the smoke. "That's not the plan Bub. We do it like Marie said. End of story." He saw the defiant look on John's face. "You don't like it, I'll lock you in the trunk myself. This is how it goes down, with or without you. Now com'on before they get moving."
Scowling, John followed them to the building, slipping around the side and into what appeared to be a loading dock. One of Logan's claws slid out, slipping into the keyhole and turning with a click before the door opened. Inside, there were two 18 wheelers set up. The left hand side was the convoy Rogue had mentioned and they moved toward it as people were starting to load up.
They were all wearing the black uniforms and riot gear of three very unconscious people back in the dock as the two trailers rolled down the highway.
****************************
The monitor in his ear crackled. "White team leaving main road now. Red team, take prisoner to location and report at 13:00 hours." John smirked behind the riot mask's plastic shield, seeing the trailer carrying Wolverine and Rogue turn down a side road away from them. Something else they should have fucking listened to him about.
The trailer he was in contained about nineteen more men. Seventeen all dressed the same and sitting in two groups along the walls of the cab. At the front, there was a portable cell that had two armed guards in front of it. His hand moving to the side of the bench, John flicked the lighter open and keept it hidden only using it to raise the heat in the cab. Metal is a good container for heat and a part of him almost wished Magneto were there to just rip the can open. The guy next to him shifted uncomfortably, asking if it was hotter all of a sudden and John just shook his head as he increased the heat more.
It took only twenty minutes until the heat had knocked them all out. Sweating slightly, John stripped off the uniform and left it on the ground. Lighter slipping into the pocket of his jeans, he wiped at his forehead and approached the cell. There had been no sound from the cab in front and he hadn't seen any cameras so as far as John knew, no one up front knew he'd just taken out their guard. He pressed his hands to the outside of the cell for a minute before pulling back and hissing out a breath. The entire thing was ice, colder than he'd ever known Bobby to go. Gloves from the uniform he'd just taken off slipped back over his hands, he leaned up to see into the cell.
It wasn't very big, only enough space really for a cot and nothing else. Bobby was laying there, his hands crossed over his chest and some sort of... casing on them. There was a hood over his head too but he wasn't trying to remove either. "Bobby-boy... looks like you can't stay out of trouble huh?" John's voice was just about a whisper but there was no response from inside. Stepping back slightly, he looked over the cell and noticed that it was connected to two wires leading back into the main cab of the vehicle. Frowning slightly, he tried to figure out if removing them would hurt Bobby or alarm the people driving. He knew they had guns and would probably open fire before asking questions.
A crackle in his ear reminded him about the comm device. Ten minutes later, after some pretty convincing lying the trailer was pulled over on the side of the road and the driver and co-pilot were both unconscious. Luckily, the driver had known about the cell. Unfortunately for the man, he'd only been willing to tell John what he needed to do after he realized that John wasn't kidding about burning the man's balls off. They were still there, just wouldn't be much use to him for a long time if ever. Keying the code in, he felt an icy release of air as the door opened. John started to step in to get Bobby when he heard the click of a magazine being slid into a gun. Sounded like one of them wasn't as unconscious as he thought they were. Lighter already in hand, he turned and shot out a blast of fire, hearing the man scream at the same time as the explosion from the firearm.
So much for getting this done quietly.
Bobby still hadn't moved at all, even with all the noise and the heat jump. Frowning, John lifted the hood off his head, the material clenched in his fist when he saw what was there. It was still Bobby's face but his hair had been shaved off, leaving a military boot camp buzz cut and there were bruises all over his face. From what he could see, the bruises continued down Bobby's chest and his arms as well. "God damn it." Each flick of the lighter created a larger flame before John concentrated it on the casing over Bobby's hands. Focusing on the locks, he let the heat and fire melt them enough to snap when he pulled on the casings. Bobby's right hand had three broken fingers on it and his left was swollen.
Feeling the anger building in him again, John turned and jumped out of the back of the trailer. The men who had been inside were on the side of the road, behind the trailer and out of sight, with their hands and ankles tied together. Most were awake and just looking at him, their eyes darting to the fireball in his hand as he approached.
"I want to know what the fuck happened to him and who the hell beat him?" No one said anything and John started burning the soles of their boots, the lower ranking officers fully igniting as he moved down the line. He could see the fear on their faces and smirked. "That little incident with the cops in Boston... wasn't the guy you have in there that did, but I guess you've figured that out by now huh? Stupid fucking military."
The screams of the men he passed were nothing more than background noise competing with the fire. Standing in front of the last two remaining men and smirking at them he hooked his thumb at the charred corpses. "Your choice, you want to end up like them or you want to maybe get out of this alive?"
John watched them look at each other, one man shaking his head before he started screaming as the fire licked up his legs and around his neck. "Last chance. Your friend made his decision. Tell me what happened to him now."
Ten minutes later, it was silent around the trailer, the heavy smell of torched flesh drifting away and a scowl on John's face as he secured Bobby in the passenger's seat and drove the cab away from the trailer and the carnage.
****************************
Fifteen miles down the road he was watching the cab continue along as he sat in the driver's seat of an older model SUV. He hated having to call anyone but after the comm devise crackled to life at the five-mile mark and he was asked why they had been stopped for so long, he realized that they had GPS on the cab. That ruled out taking Bobby anywhere in it and hoping to keep it secret. Unable to both stop the cab and get them another vehicle, he placed a call he knew he'd regret. The knowing look Mystique gave him when she saw who it was that he was rescuing made him wish he'd called Sabertooth or Avalanche. Fucking bitch would use this to call in a favor at exactly the time he didn't want to repay her. Then she added to his belief that she had some telepathic abilities too when she slipped him money and told him of a few places further up, on various roads, that he'd be able to rent a room on a daily basis without much trouble.
Bobby still hadn't woken up and a quick glance in the rearview as they pulled back onto the highway showed him stretched out on the back seat. John shook his head, teeth clenching slightly. Even with what they had been able to tell him they couldn't explain why he hadn't woken up. You couldn't cryogenically freeze someone who controlled ice and cold could you? John hoped not, he knew fuck all about how that shit worked.
He'd backtracked into New York before his phone rang.
"St. John Allerdyce where the hell are you?"
Smirking, he rolled his eyes and still managed to sound pissed off. "Just got out of the fucking trailer I was in. So much for fucking staying together, Rogue. You got Bobby?"
The silence on the other end was what he had expected. Logan's voice coming on next wasn't. "He wasn't with the one you got on? Damn information we both got wasn't worth shit. Where you now kid?"
"Hitchhiking back, where the fuck else would I be? Brilliant fucking plan Wolverine, can't even make sure we got the right fucking transports. Another reason I'm glad I went to the other side, you wouldn't know your ass from your elbow."
John heard the snickt of the claws through the phone then Rogue's voice mumbling something to the feral mutant. "That the way you feel, stay on your own side, Pyro. We'll take care of getting' Drake back without you."
Flipping his phone closed on the dead line, John just laughed. "Yeah... good luck with that." Sometimes it was too easy to push the right buttons on Wolverine. This time seemed easier than before but that left John free to take Bobby with him and then find out what else had been done to him... and why the hell he wouldn't wake up.
****************************
"What the fuck do you want?"
There was a pause on the line then Mystique's voice. "Pyro, is that any way to speak to a friend? I trust that you and... Iceman have managed to keep a low profile?"
John looked at the shape of Bobby on the bed as he sat in the chair. The hotel was in a town Mystique hadn't mentioned and with the lights off, he could only see the outline of Bobby laying there as still as he had been seven hours ago when John had fried those guys. "Yeah, don't think they're gonna look for him with me. What do you want?"
He could almost hear the slow smile appearing Cheshire-like on her face. "It has been arranged that should they look, they will locate neither of you. Count that as part of your initial request. However, there is the slight matter of repayment that we need to discuss. It will be beneficial to both of us I believe. It involves the health of a certain Robert Drake."
Sitting up more, he flicked his lighter open and closed. "What do you know and what do I have to do?"
****************************
He leaned forward on the bike, accelerating and completely ignoring the traffic lights. No one was out at this time anyway and he had things to do. Not much time to do them in either. Two hours. That was all the time he had to get there, do what needed doing and get back. Leaving Arclight with Bobby hadn't been what he wanted to do but of all The Brotherhood, he trusted her the most not to kill him just to see how an Iceman bleeds. He'd left her with instructions not to open the door for anyone, not even Mystique and took the key with him. Threatening her hadn't been necessary but was expected and he'd made her very aware of what would happen if he came back and Bobby wasn't there and wasn't alive.
Whatever the fuck they'd done to him, it was reacting slower because of his lowered body temp. Exactly how Mystique had this information, he didn't want to know. Better if he didn't actually. When the Professor had been told they were going to release him when he was no longer a threat, they had meant it. What they hadn't told him was that their definition of 'no longer a threat', regardless of the fact that the cars had been fucking torched and not fucking frozen, was to give him what they were calling a cure for mutation. Something that would kill the X-gene in his blood and make him like them. Make him a Norm. Fuckers hadn't counted on what happened when they tried it on someone who ran a sub-normal body temp. Seems it wasn't the type of serum to work quickly regardless of temperature.
Pulling back slightly and cutting his speed, Pyro slowed down enough to slip into an ally and cut the engine. His eyes narrowed as he slowly walked the bike past the buildings. Third one in, he stopped and lowered the kickstand after moving it between two large trashcans. He needed the third floor. The security system was fried within seconds and the locks melted beyond repair. So much for learning what was needed in life at Xavier's, so far Pyro was only using what The Brotherhood had taught him.
The one security guard there was old and probably wouldn't hear one of Jubilee's firecrackers going off in front of him so it was no wonder he didn't hear John a half floor behind him in the stairwell. No sense in taking out an old guy who was just watching the building, he hadn't done anything to Bobby so far as Pyro knew. The man inside room 328 was a different story. He was bent over a table, microscope in front of him and he didn't hear Pyro come in. The specimen in the jar beside him burst into flame and he jumped before turning to see who else was there.
"Shouldn't leave the Bunsen Burner on when you're not paying attention. Never know what might catch." The sleeve of the man's lab coat ignited and he jumped back, running it under water in the sink. "Answer the questions I have, give me what I want and the only thing you'll need is a new lab coat. Fuck around with me or try to fucking lie, and you'll need a new suit and nice comfortable coffin. Understood?"
Pyro watched the man nod slowly as he closed the distance between them. His orders were simple. Get every completed vial of the serum, fry every disk and computer containing any information about the trials and find out of there were other locations that had the same information. From what Mystique said, she doubted there would be. Each office generally kept to itself so everything should be here. Including something to stop the serum from working. That's where it got tricky. He had to get that back to Bobby before his time ran out or Bobby's time really would run out.
Torturing the guy wasn't a problem. Destroying the computer files and records wasn't a problem. Turning over the vials that were there and not knowing what Mystique would do with them, that was a problem to Pyro. One last question before the guy passed out from the pain and Pyro took a few minutes to watch the fire behind the glass consume the vials, smiling at the pop of each one as he slipped the only vial that was leaving the room into a container and then his pocket. He even managed to smile and nod to the Security guard, commenting about late hours before starting back.
****************************
Arclight had left with an explanation that there weren't any vials stored there. Screw her if she didn't believe him. He'd given Bobby the shot and now just sat at the side of the bed, watching him.
The ringing of his phone made him jump seemingly minutes later. Glancing at the clock, he realized he'd nodded off and it was actually two hours later.
"There were no vials at all, Pyro? I find that hard to believe."
He did not need to argue with her now, glancing at Bobby he moved across the room toward the bathroom. "There was nothing to send to you. Any records were destroyed and there's no way it'll be traced back to you or The Brotherhood. That all you fucking wanted? I've got things to do."
"Things or an X-Men? As you answered your phone, I trust he has still not woken up? Perhaps we miscalculated on the time he had left. That would be a shame." There was a pause on the line, almost like she was expecting some come back. When there was none, she continued. "Your debt has been repaid. We are even on this matter. Now run along and play house... we will call should we need anything else."
John's hand tightened around the phone and he fought with himself not to throw it against the wall. He knew she was just toying with him. She liked to do that, mentally fuck you until you didn't know what was up or down. He looked back at the bed and set his phone for silent, screw her. She could wait if she wanted anything else.
He'd been staying in there with the lights off. When they were on Bobby just looked... too weird to deal with. Clicking the nightstand light on, he saw Bobby's eyes scrunch closed tighter and John smirked a little. Bobby's coloring was returning to normal and pressing his hand to Bobby’s neck, John could feel him warming up slightly. "Come on Bobby-boy, wake the fuck up so I can tell you how fucking stupid you are."
Silence answered him and he sighed as he sat back in the chair, watching his friend for any other improvement.
It took another two hours for Bobby to make any noise indicating he may be waking up and another hour before he was able to turn his face away from the light. Taking the hint, John turned it off and just moved the blinds enough to let him see movement. Sitting back in the chair, he just watched and waited.
****************************
John jerked awake, tense and lighter in hand. Fuck, he hadn't meant to fall asleep again. Sitting forward, he ran his hands through his hair and pushed out a breath. He heard the movement behind him then, moving to his feet faster than anyone would have expected and a fireball growing in his outstretched hand expecting Mystique or someone who had simply broken in.
Bobby was leaning on the doorframe for the bathroom and just looking at him. After a minute, he started moving across the room using the furniture to lean on. After he'd taken three steps John snapped out of it and moved over to help him.
"Don't... don't touch me. Just... need to get back... and lay down." Bobby's voice was hard, almost cutting and his words sounded forced but he kept moving without looking up at all. When he reached the bed, he moved slowly and obviously in pain as he slid under the covers. Only then did he look at John, confusion on his face.
John had moved back, almost like he'd been slapped for a minute when Bobby spoke and then the mask was back on. "Wasn't gonna fucking do anything wrong to you Drake. Just help you." The look Bobby gave him when the boy was settled in cracked the mask slightly. "You alright now?"
Bobby's eyes narrowed and the room's temp dropped twenty degrees. "How'd I get here? What... happened? Why're you here?"
The temp was still dropping and John flicked the lighter, adding to the ball of fire in his hand to combat the freezing temp. "Bobby, cut the shit. I brought you here after getting you out of that cell they had you in. You don't remember any of it?" He ignored the question of why he was there. It should be fucking obvious by now.
Blue eyes blinked at him, the cold falling back some. "Went to see Ronnie, woke up in some cell. Tried to freeze the bars and break them..." He trailed off, his eyes glazing over slightly before he looked at his hands. "They wanted to know where others were. What new security systems were in place at the school, where Logan and Rogue were... where you were. I wouldn't tell them any of it and they thought I needed my hands to ice them so they..." He held them up a little, John already well aware of what they'd done to his hands and the fire in his palm flaring for a minute. "Put casings on them too, make sure I didn't figure a way to use them even broken. Still wouldn't talk and started beating me. Temp dropped and the last thing I remember was a boot coming toward my face." He looked back at John, "Then waking up here with you snoring in the chair."
John frowned at him. "I don't fucking snore." He watched Bobby for a few minutes before sitting in the chair and closing his hand on the fireball, extinguishing it. "Homeland Security grabbed you, used Ronnie to get you to Boston and held you as a terrorist. Fucking Xavier wouldn't go in to get you back, wanted to play nice with them." He lifted his chin toward Bobby, "That's what playing nice with the government gets you."
"How'd you find out?" Bobby still looked confused and weak. He was trying to fight to get this all straight in his head but he didn't have a time frame to work with. "How long've I been gone?"
The smirk on John's face lacked it's usual snark. "Rogue told me. She left a letter in the mailbox we were using. Went to the school to find out what the fuck they were talking about and Wolverine and your ex told me what they knew." He shrugged one shoulder. "Started looking for any trace of you then. Eventually she left me another fucking letter when they stopped talking to Xavier and the X-men got word you were being moved. In total, you've been gone little over a month."
Bobby looked around a little, rubbing his hand carefully over his face before looking back at John. "So where are they and why are you still here?"
"They picked the wrong transport. Wouldn't listen to me because I'm just a fucking traitor and not on their side anymore. Saw no point in telling them I had you." Only John still wasn't sure he had Bobby. Yes, they were both away from the transport and they hadn't managed to kill Bobby, but that didn't mean they wouldn't try to get him again and John now with what he'd done. Not that he regretted any of it. Plus, he had no way to know if Bobby would want to stay with him or go back to the fucking idiots who hadn't wanted to get him.
Blue eyes still on him, Bobby reached toward the table to get the bottle of water that was there, frowning at the cover before putting it back. "Didn't answer my other question. Why you still here? Could have told them were I was and taken off, you're good at that. You said you’d see me on the battlefield, or did you do this to end it completely?"
John winced slightly at that, standing and opening the bottle before handing it back to Bobby. "Didn't want you going back to them since they let you sit in a cell for three weeks without doing more than petitioning for your release. They could have gotten you out without anyone getting hurt, that's what they do. Instead you got the shit beat out of you and your hands fucked up. Not exactly the type of friends I'd want to leave you to."
Drinking about half of the bottle and wincing as he did, Bobby kept his eyes on John. He took a few minutes to catch his breath before replying. "Since when did you start caring Pyro? Just a fuck, remember? I'm sure you can find someone else in the Brotherhood that has a heat fetish, add some ice in the mix and you'll be fine."
"My name's John, not Pyro." Hesitating a minute, he sat on the edge of the bed and narrowed his eyes at Bobby. "You really don't ever fucking listen when I say things do you? There's more to what I say than words Drake, or didn't you know that? I walked out of that room before because 'Stique had been watching me. She knew I was meeting with you and made a comment about having to remove distractions. You think I would have taken her seriously if I didn't give a shit about you? Fuck, walking outta that room was one of the hardest things I'd done. And you're too much of a stupid fuck to know why I did it." Something passed over his face and it softened slightly, his hand moving to take the bottle back and he let his fingers brush over Bobby's. There wasn't as much hostility in his voice as he continued, a softer tone being there instead. "I did it so that this... you getting the shit beat out of you for some shit I did... would never happen. Looks like I fucked that up too."
Bobby closed his eyes and leaned his head against the headboard. "Could have fucking told me that? Would have been fucking better than thinking you'd picked them over me again." He looked at John and lifted his head as he shook it. "This isn't your fault. You didn't set me up or do this to me. Can't blame yourself for this but if 'Stique was watching you then you'd probably go. She'll get pissed if she finds out what you did for one of the enemy."
John pushed out an annoyed laugh. "Why tell you that, so you could again go on about how I should leave them and go back to the fucking school? That's not my home Bobby, never really was. She's not gonna get pissed and she already knows what I did and for who. How do you think I got the information on who had you and where? Brotherhood knows I was leaving to get you back. 'Stique helped out a little and I don't fucking care what she thinks now. I'm square with her for now." He fell silent for a few minutes, just watching Bobby before rubbing his hands over his own face. "They tried to kill you Bobby. Injected something they're calling a cure into you, tried to take your powers but they didn't take into account your lower body temp. It was killing you instead of making you one of them. That's why you're so weak and why you were out from the time I got you until you just woke up. Those are the people Xavier wants to side with. Those are who he trusts more than his own. And he was gonna let you fucking die without doing a damn thing. If Wolverine and Rogue hadn't gotten back to me with what they were doing I wouldn't have reached you in time."
He watched John, his expression conflicted as he heard what happened while he was gone. Bobby didn't want to believe it and shook his head. "They wouldn't have left me. They wouldn't have just sat by and... ... Hank came in to see me once. Said they were working on it."
"No, I'm not lying about this Bobby. Blue might have come in to see you but that doesn't mean they weren't sitting around with their thumbs up their asses. Xavier sent him in to negotiate and they weren't having it. They were gonna use you as an example. But it won't happen now, not anytime soon at least. And you're gonna be alright." John moved his hand over Bobby's, resting it there lightly as he met blue eyes. "I'm sorry Bobby. I didn't... I'm just sorry."
Bobby didn't say anything for a few minutes then his hand moved slightly under John's, his thumb moving to stroke over the other man's hand briefly. "Not your fault. Let me call Rogue, let her know I'm alright."
Blinking at him, John stood up and scowled. "Even after all that you want to fucking call her to check in? Fuck's sake Drake, you're loyal to a fucking fault. Too bad they don't feel the fucking same about you." Tossing his cell on the bed beside Bobby, he turned to walk to the bathroom. Pausing before closing the door, he looked back at Bobby. "I'm gonna shower. I told her and Wolverine I didn't have you. They can't trace the call from that phone but tell them whatever the fuck you want. If they're coming to get you, let me know when I come out and I'll disappear again."
****************************
They'd moved to another hotel, this was the fifth one in as many weeks. When John had come out of the bathroom, Bobby was just hanging up. Neither of them said anything about Xavier's again. Bobby hadn't told him anything of the conversation other than he'd let them know he was free and he was recovering from what they'd done. Rogue had tried to talk him into coming back but he told her that wasn't where he needed to be anymore. He needed to recover from what had happened to him and figure some things out. She seemed to understand, but then she always did.
John had changed his cell number, trying to distance himself as mush as possible from Mystique and any more favors. The car was exchanged for another one under an assumed name through contacts John had from his time on the street. Bobby's mother had sent money to a Western Union office when he called home to tell her he didn't want another thing from the family. It was the money that had been put aside for his college tuition and the two boys used the money to pay for rooms and food, trying to keep a low profile.
That was how they had been living. Day to day and hand to mouth though neither of them complained. Bobby had a lot of recovery to do, even after his fingers were re-broken and set right. The bruises faded fast but he still stayed in the room more often than not. They'd been sleeping in separate beds since he woke up, neither of them wanting to make his injuries worse and John almost afraid to touch him. The hotel they were staying in now only had a single left available so they'd taken it. John threw himself down on the bed as soon as they'd closed the doors.
"Your fucking hands better hurry up and heal Drake, I'm getting sick of driving everywhere." One arm draped over his eyes, he didn't look at Bobby at all, the feeling he'd had in the pit of his stomach that this couldn't last growing every day.
The bed shifted as Bobby stretched out beside him, his hand moving over John's shoulder then moving John's arm. Before John could open his eyes, Bobby leaned forward and kissed him, his tongue teasing over the warm lips. "Never said you had to drive all the fucking time Allerdyce. And they're better."
John blinked at him, pulling back some before sitting up. "Good. You drive tomorrow. Watch some television, I'm gonna shower before you use all the fucking hot water again."
Frowning slightly, Bobby watched him go into the bathroom. They'd spent the last few weeks talking, about what it was like for John with the Brotherhood, about what other parts of the time he was captured were coming back to Bobby but never about them. Never about what this was or why the most they'd done since Bobby woke up was kissed. And Bobby didn't get it. But he knew he didn't want it to go on. Shedding his clothes, he quietly opened the door and let his body get used to the steam in the room before closing it again. He pulled the shower curtain back slightly and watched John for a minute.
The water was running down his body as he ran a bar of soap over his skin, his hand only pausing in the washing to stroke his erection. Seeing him like that made Bobby's mind up for him. Stepping in, he turned John by the shoulder and pushed him against the side of the shower, kissing him and pressing against him.
"Drake, what are..."
He didn't get to finish his question, Bobby's tongue trapped the words in his throat. Cold hand wrapped around John's cock, Bobby slowly stroked him as his other hand slid over the slick skin under him. "Talk too much John. And I want this... want you too much to wait anymore." Bobby's hand slid down John's side, soapy now as it massaged his ass cheek slightly. Moving more, he pressed a slick finger in John's ass drawing a grown from the other man.
"Fuck Bobby... You shouldn't..." John's hands moved over Bobby's arms, not pulling his hand away but encouraging him as his hips rocked toward the cool hand.
Bobby pushed another finger into John, nipping at his neck as John shuddered slightly. He wasn't going to debate this, he was going to take what he wanted, though he doubted John would protest. His hand released John's cock then he soaped his own erection and turned John around, pressing his chest to the wall. His finger's slid out and he pressed the head of his dick against John's opening. He could feel John pushing back against him, either to try to turn over or to help but he didn't let it change what he was doing. Slowly starting to push in, he leaned forward and bit John's ear lightly. "Wanted to fuck you for three weeks John, but you kept shooting me down. Thought I lost you before, not letting that happen again." One hand moved to John's waist, holding him as Bobby slid fully in groaning against the back of John's neck.
"Bobby... Fuck... That... Ahhhh!" John moaned, the water getting hotter for a minute before cooling down. "Jesus Bobby..."
Bobby pulled back, stroking John as he slammed forward, his hips finding a rhythm of their own and his hand matching it. "Staying with you John. I picked you, over all of them. Not letting you leave again."
John couldn't reply, moaning and panting as Bobby filled him and jerked him off. He just nodded, moaning Bobby's name as his hands moved back and grabbed Bobby's waist.
"Can't leave you John. Were always more than a few fucks to me." He grunted, thrusting faster into him, his hand slowing down. "Was that all I was to you John? Just a few fucks?"
John whimpered slightly, his head shaking as his hips rocked, torn between trusting into the cool hand or moving back to accept the cold cock. He moaned incoherently for a minute before shaking his head. "No, never just a few fucks... I... ahhh... fuck, I want you Bobby. Want you so... fucking... bad. I...l-ahh..."
Kissing the back of his neck, Bobby slowed his thrusts down, "What do you want John? Tell me and I'll let you cum. Tell me and I'll fill you as you cum over my hand." He moved his head next to John's, kissing over his jaw and waiting.
"Bobby, just... please... fuck don't stop." He rocked back and forth, trying to urge Bobby back into motions, growling when it didn't work then gasping when Bobby pushed forward hard, pinning him to the wall with his full body weight. He turned his head, nipping at Bobby's lips. His voice was just above a whisper. "I love you Bobby. Love you..."
The rest of what he was going to say was cut off by a scream as Bobby picked up his pace, thrusting in and out of John faster and faster. Both boys panting and moaning as Bobby's hand slid over the length of John. As John's breath was catching and Bobby felt him tensing slightly, he leaned forward and whispered in his ear, "Love you John... and you're mine."
John's head fell back, his body convulsing between Bobby's dick and hand. Cum coated the cool hand and wall in front of him as Bobby released in him. Both boys moaned, their body's writhing as the water fell over them and then slowly coming to a stop. Gasping for breath, Bobby kissed John's shoulder and slowly pulled out, turning John to face him and kissing him hard.
John returned with the same intensity and moved Bobby back under the water, washing him carefully before they got out and went to bed together. Slowly, they re-explored each other's bodies, taking time to gently kiss or caress muscle knots or bruises, allowing themselves to relish in the knowledge that they never had to be Iceman or Pyro again. They were just Bobby and John and they had each other.
Author: oraclejenn
Pairing: Bobby/John, hinted at previous Bobby/Rogue. Logan, Mystique, Sabertooth, Avalanche, Jubilee and Arclight make an appearance/are mentioned too.
Rating: R (mostly at the end though there is profanity throughout)
Summary: John always said the passive approach didn't work. Unfortunately, no one ever listened to him.
Warning: Post X2, there are some characters from X3 mentioned and the cure itself, but no plot spoilers for the movie at all
Note: Written per a request by eternal_edge wanted to see one where Bobby gets captured by the government and John goes loony and rescues him. This is my attempt at it. And the ending is complete fluff just as an FYI
Bobby looked over at John as he zipped his pants up. "What? What are you staring at John? I have a training session with Logan in an hour. Can't miss it or he'll use me as a sparing partner in his next lesson."
"I know Bobby-boy. Was just wondering how long you think we're actually going to be able to keep this up?"
The lighter was out now, flicking open and closed in melodic repetition. Pulling on his shirt, Bobby sighed a little. "We're not doing anything wrong. I'm not telling you anything and you're not telling me anything. This... what happens when we're together... has nothing to do with the X-men or The Brotherhood."
John smirked before slipping out of the bed to get dressed. He kept his back to Bobby as he answered, a sure sign he was trying to brush it off. "Right. And I'm sure Xavier and Cyclops will fully understand when you tell them that it's just an outlet for you, a way to get off since you're not with the incredible Untouchable girl anymore. Keep fooling yourself Bobby. We both should just call it quits before someone gets hurt."
Bobby just stared at him. They'd talked about this before, about what each side would do to them if anyone found out about this. How the X-men would either start to question Bobby's loyalty or worse, think that one of the Brotherhood's telepath's was planting behavior changes. How the Brotherhood would use it to make an example of John, letting the bruises and cuts act as a sign to others that traitors aren't tolerated or else they'd try to have John use Bobby to get information. Both of them knew the risks and it hadn't seemed like anything they couldn't handle... up to this point.
Still, stopping wasn't something Bobby wanted to consider. After John had left them at Alkali Lake it had taken him two months to find him again. And then the bastard had made it easy for him by sending a post card of all things telling him he was alright and he was keeping Bobby's shirt. No return address, nothing. So Bobby had taken a chance and left a letter for him at a coffee shop in the Center that John had frequented. There was a reply for him two days later and things had gone from there, both using the same mailbox in the center to prevent any traceable address for John being given. They met now about once a week, only when they both thought it safe enough and they never talked about what each group was doing. They were just Bobby and John here, not Iceman and Pyro.
"... couldn't last." John was facing him now, arms crossed over his chest with the lighter in one hand. He looked like he expected a reply and scowled when he didn’t get one. "Fuck Drake, did you even hear anything I just said?" He pushed himself off the wall and past Bobby as he grabbed his jacket. "I said this was the last time. 'Stique has been asking where I disappear to and she's checking up on me. Wasn't really much for either of us other than a few fucks anyway. So... been nice knowing you Drake. See ya on the battlefield."
Bobby just blinked at him, noticing that John never once looked at him as he was talking. He couldn't believe what John was saying, that he was just giving up. John hesitated and moved back, kissing Bobby lightly before leaving the room. By the time Bobby had made his legs work, John was nowhere in sight. He didn't even bother to shower before the training session with Logan and the older man gave him a knowing look but didn't say anything. It was probably the first session since coming back from Alkali that Bobby had really given his all in the training.
****************************
Rogue caught up to him when he was walking back through the gate, her training with Logan (and the part of him that was still in her head) helping her to silently approach him. Then again, Bobby wasn't really paying attention to his surroundings. It had been a little over a week since he'd seen John and there were no replies to the two letters he'd left in the mailbox.
"Been looking for you sugar. Letter arrived for you today and I had to sign for it." She looked at him, concern evident on her face. A month after they'd gotten back to the school, Bobby had broken things off with her. He'd been pulling away since the lake, since he stayed on the jet with Rogue instead of going after John and they both knew whatever they had was gone. She hadn't spoken to him for two weeks and then things were back to how they'd been when she first arrived. She was the only one he'd told about John, knowing she'd keep the secret. "Bobby, it's postmarked from Boston."
He blinked at her, feeling his body temperature drop and his feet leave a wake of frosted grass blades as his pace quickened. "Is it just an letter? Nothing else?"
After his brother had called the cops on them, Bobby had taken one last look back at the house knowing he wouldn't be welcomed there again. Seeing his parents and Ronnie in the upstairs window together, he felt angry but understood their fear. That had been the last time he'd either spoken to or heard from them, despite one letter home telling them he was alright and he was sorry he hadn't told them sooner. Rogue's hand on his arm made him blink at her.
"It was a certified letter, I couldn't tell anything else. It's on your bed." She squeezed his arm slightly. "Was there..."
He shook his head. "Still nothing. He just hasn't had a chance to get down there, that's all it is." He kept saying that as if it would make it true if he said it enough.
Rogue nodded, not saying anything but thinking that John maybe had really meant he wasn't going to be in touch anymore. Instead, she put her hand on his arm again once they were outside of his room. "Come find me if you need anything, even if you just want someone to spar with in the Danger Room to blow off some steam." She hesitated a minute before kissing him on the head, the hair preventing skin to skin contact.
Waiting until she was out of sight, he entered his room and stared at the white envelope in the center of his bed. He locked the door and picked it up, ripping the end open before the single sheet of paper fell out.
Bobby,
I'm sorry for calling the cops on you man, but you're a mutant. I didn't expect that at all. Look, I didn't know things were going to get so out of control. Didn't mean for that to happen but you're their favorite and now you have powers, kind of hard for your kid brother to deal with, ya know? Anyway, I know you're not expecting a letter from me but mom and dad miss you. Neither of them want to upset me so they won't write you but I'm sick of them walking around on eggshells around me. Come home for a couple of weeks. Talk things out with them and explain this a little more to me ok? I'll try to be alright with it. Just... we miss you Bobby. Come home for a while.
Ronnie
He sank onto the mattress and reread the letter. That was not what he'd expected. Not a letter from his brother. His parents maybe. But it sounded like his parents hadn't written him off like he thought. Moving to his desk, he wrote a letter back, saying he would be there in two days then went to talk to Scott about taking some time off and to let Rogue know what he was doing.
Bobby left the mansion the next morning, heading first to New York City and then onto Boston on the bus.
****************************
"Marie, got a minute?"
She turned and smiled, "Logan, 'course sugar. What's on your mind?"
He paused as a couple students passed then hooked his thumb to one of the classrooms, motioning for her to head in. After closing the door behind them he folded his arms over his chest and looked at her with his no-nonsense look. "You heard from Drake?"
She blinked at him and leaned back against one of the desks. "No, not since he left to see his family two weeks ago. He told Scott and the Professor he was going sugar, you try calling there?"
Logan raised an eyebrow at her, "You sure that's where he went? No plans to go running off and meeting Pyro?"
Rogue's mouth dropped open slightly before she caught herself. "No, he said he was going to visit his family after getting a letter from them. He wouldn't go meet with Pyro."
"Didn't stop him before Rogue. You're not telling me somethin' Darlin. Fess up."
She tried to keep looking at him, knowing that lowering her eyes would be a sure sign he was right. But she'd still never been able to beat Logan in a staring contest and she glanced down. "He hasn't talked to John in over three weeks. He wasn't going to meet him at all, he went home to Boston."
Logan grunted and waited for her to look back up. "Should've told someone before Marie." Disappointment was clear on his face and he turned to go before he heard her moving.
"Why? What's going on? Logan... did something happy to Bobby?"
The man kept his back to her as he answered. "He ain't checked in like he was supposed to."
****************************
Opening the mailbox, her breath caught. The letters that Bobby had left there for John were gone. She quickly glanced around, trying to see him in the people walking by but she knew it was probably too late. She slid a letter in and locked it again, continuing to look around as she left and got into the car with Logan. "Don't tell the Professor or Scott about this place sugar. He's going to be mad enough that I told you any of it to begin with."
Logan growled slightly, his hands tightening on the steering wheel "Professor can find out on his own, you know that. Summers... has the right to know."
Three more days had passed without word from Bobby. All the members of the team had standing orders to check in on a secure line every ten days when they were away from the mansion for a long time. Bobby was late by a week. His cell phone was going directly to voice mail and his mother had told the Professor that she hadn't seen him since the incident with the police. She hadn't been lying and they were at a loss.
Cerebro was able to determine that he was alive, just not where and Rogue had finally told Logan how Bobby and John had been communicating. At a loss for anything else, she left a letter for John asking if he knew where Bobby was because he had gone missing. Nothing else was included. Not where he was going or how long it had been. Now they could only wait to see if John was still checking the mailbox and what he’d tell them if he replied.
Scott was waiting for them when they pulled into the garage. "Just where in the hell did the two of you go? One team member missing already and you’re out joyriding?"
"Can it one-eye. Took the kid to try to find information on Drake. Got nothing." Logan glared at him, ignoring the fact that they'd taken Scott's car without asking... again.
Scott turned to look at Rogue. "You know how to find him? Rogue, why didn't you tell us when we asked if you'd heard from him?"
She sighed, throwing Logan a look for not helping her out as he leaned against the car, ignoring Scott's frown at his actions. "I don't know how to find him. Just had an idea of someone who may have heard from him but I was wrong. It was a long shot so I didn't want to get anyone's hopes up."
"Regardless of whether it was a..." Scott trailed off, tilting his head before nodding. "The Professor has news. Might as well come with me, both of you, since you've decided to throw yourselves in this anyway."
****************************
"Logan. Logan wait." Rogue caught up to him as he reached the front door. "The Professor get them to give Bobby back yet?"
His eyes narrowed and he shook his head. "Sorry Darlin'. They're insisting he's a danger to the general public and keeping him under lock and key. One-eye agrees with the Professor, we try to talk things out and get him back." The visible tension in his body told her just how much he liked that plan.
When they had gone to see the Professor with Scott two days previously, he'd told them that a department within Homeland Security had used Ronnie to draw Bobby back to Boston and they were holding him for questions regarding the terrorist attack on the Boston police at his parent's house. Hank had gone to speak with them but even his connections in the government hadn't been able to secure Bobby's release. All told, Bobby had been in their custody for 20 days and the only new information the Professor had been able to get was that he was in a secure location in DC and would be held until he was determined not to be a threat any longer.
Logan knew what happened to people who were kept in government facilities. He knew what could be happening and the fact that they were just sitting there doing nothing was making his skin itch. "Goin' out for a bit kid. Need to get out of here. I'll be back before lights out. Stay outta trouble while I'm gone."
Rogue nodded and walked with him to the door, looking questioningly at Logan when there was a loud bang on the other side. The sound of Wolverine's claws sliding out was the only answer before the door was pushed open...
And John stood there looking between them.
He held up the letter Rogue had left for him three days ago. "What the fuck is this about Rogue? How in the hell can you not know where Bobby is and how the fuck did you know where to leave this?" He was ignoring Logan for the time being, his focus on getting his questions answered.
Logan grabbed his arm and jerked it roughly, turning John toward another room as Rogue walked behind them "Let's go Bub. We need to have a little talk."
John glared at the older man trying to jerk his arm out of the grip it was in. "Get the fuck off me Wolverine. I wasn't fucking talking to you."
Ignoring him, Wolverine flung him toward a chair, not really caring if he sat in it or not, before closing the door behind Rogue. "When was the last time you talked to him, Pyro?"
Rogue put her hand on Logan's arm, staring at him until he looked at her. "Sugar, maybe you should let me handle this for now?" Smiling at the shrug he gave her, she looked at John. "John, Bobby told me about you and him. He told me how he was communicating with you and that's how I knew where to leave the letter. He's gone. A letter came from his brother and he went to Boston thinking he was going to see his family and talk things out but that's not what happened."
John glared at Wolverine, his lips twisting up in a smirk when he gave into Rogue. "Should get you a leash for him, might work faster... though he might like it too." The hostility in his voice wasn't new but the intensity of it was. Narrowing his eyes at her he closed the distance between them. "What do you mean he thought he was going to see his family? Who the hell did he go see and that doesn't explain why you said you didn't fucking know where he is. Sounds like you were trying to fucking get me back here. Nice to see you being the puppet they always wanted you to be Rogue. Fuck this shit, I'm out."
Rogue's eyes narrowed to match John's and she pushed him back in the chair harder than he'd have expected her to be able to. "Bobby's been gone almost three weeks, John. I only left the letter for you because you were the only other one who might have known where he was. The Professor knows now so if you're going to be an ass, you can leave. Thought if you had any feelings for Bobby that you'd like to know he was in trouble. And if I were their puppet like you think, I'd have told them everything Bobby's told me since Alkali." She left unsaid exactly what she knew, but the look she gave John made him squirm slightly.
"Prof knows where he is, then why haven't you suited up and gone to get him? That's what you do still right?" He heard Wolverine cracking his knuckles but ignored it, his eyes focused on Rogue only as he stood up again. "Where is he? You said he was in trouble... what kind of trouble?"
Sighing, Rogue looked at Wolverine. The man just shrugged his shoulders and she pursed her lips together, nodding to the door and he glared at John as he left. "Try anything funny Pyro, and we'll find out how fast you are with the lighter when your intestines are around your ankles."
As the door closed, a flame leapt from the lighter in John's hand, forming a fist and extending the middle finger. Looking back at Rogue, he continued flicking it open and closed. "So what, now that he's in trouble he's not worth your time? Professor too busy trying to track down Magneto to go after his golden boy?"
"He's being held because of what you did at his parent's house." Rogue glared at him, pausing a minute to let the words sink in. "Homeland Security is calling it a 'terrorist act' and they're saying he's a threat and danger to others so they're keeping him. The Professor wants to try going through the proper channels and talking it out to have him released but that's not doing anything now. They used his brother to trick him into coming to Boston and we don't know what they're doing. The Professor can't get any information at all. Cerebro can't even find him." Rogue leaned against the table behind her and shook her head. "That's all we know and we didn't even find that out until after I'd left the letter for you. He hated that you'd written him off and I think he saw Ronnie's letter as a way to try to make things right with his parents... and maybe he thought if he could fix that, he could get back with you."
John's eyes widened slightly and then narrowed almost to slits. "You don't fucking know shit do you? I didn't fucking write him off, I told him that 'Stique was watching me and that it would be safer for us to stop meeting. I was doing it so that he didn't get fucking hurt, not because I... not because of anything else he might have thought." The flame from the Zippo moved to his hand, growing and changing shapes as he stared at her. "So what's the real plan? When are you guys going in and I'm coming. Don't give me any of the 'you're not an X-Men anymore' bullshit. He's my best friend and I'm going."
Rogue rolled her eyes. "Did you not hear what I just said sugar? We're not going in. The Professor wants to handle this their way and that's what we're doing. He's there until they let him go." There was a trace of fear in her voice, not knowing what they were doing to him or how long they might have him or if they even would let him go. "And for someone who was your best friend, you sure walked away easily."
The flame in his hand jumped out at her in the shape of a snake, striking at her but stopping just short of actually reaching her before he closed his hand over the flames, extinguishing them. "Didn't see him trying to stop me, you either for that matter. You fucking goodie-goodies can't even go in after one of your own. Fine, where the fuck are they holding him? You want to leave him there to rot, that's your business. I'm not letting that happen."
****************************
John paced back and forth outside the plaza, taking a final drag before tossing the cigarette onto the dirt and crushing it under foot. She'd left him another fucking letter and said to wait for her at four today. Why he was there he couldn't really say, other than the fact that Bobby had been gone for a month now and the last word he'd gotten from Rogue was that the Professor had been cut off from any further information as Bobby was an adult now and responsible for himself. Flicking the lighter, his eyes caught the movement of Scott's car but he didn't approach it.
"John. John come in, get in." Rogue was looking around, waving at him from the passenger window. "Now, we don't have much time."
Narrowing his eyes, he moved over to the car, slipping into the backseat before smelling the cigar and feeling the car speed up. "What the fuck is he doing here and where the hell are we going?"
"Can it kid and listen up. We can drop you off just as easy as we picked you up. Where am I turning Marie?"
Rogue pointed to an upcoming street then gave him more directions before turning to look at John. "They're moving Bobby. There're two places he could be going and the Professor still won't do anything. He says he doesn't want to cause problems with the government but this is Bobby and you were right. We can't leave him there."
"It took you a fucking month to decide that he wasn't getting treated to a Penthouse suite by the government? About fucking time. So what's the plan?" John sat forward, his hand flicking the lighter open and closed. He had some of his own information but wasn't going to tell them until he knew what they knew.
The car had turned onto the highway, moving through traffic like it was being pulled along by an unseen force and John gripped the door handle tighter as Logan just managed to avoid crashing. "Watch what the fuck you're doing Wolverine. Killing us before we get there isn't going to do any good."
"You wanna drive kid?" The growl in his voice shut John up and he looked back at Rogue who didn't look worried at all.
They drove on for two hours, Rogue explained where they could take Bobby and what seemed the more likely place. She tossed diagrams at him, showing the convoy set up and what security measures would be in place at each location. They were going to replace people who were going to be on the convoy they believed Bobby would be in and get him out from the inside. Pulling into a crowded parking lot of what seemed to be an office building, John pulled out his own schematics.
"The Leather Wonders aren't the only ones who can do recon. They're not going to use the one you think. Have it set up to seem the better option but that's a cover. Real holding area's underground. This is where they'll take him." He looked at both of them, waiting for them to argue with him.
Logan chewed on the cigar, squinting slightly through the smoke. "That's not the plan Bub. We do it like Marie said. End of story." He saw the defiant look on John's face. "You don't like it, I'll lock you in the trunk myself. This is how it goes down, with or without you. Now com'on before they get moving."
Scowling, John followed them to the building, slipping around the side and into what appeared to be a loading dock. One of Logan's claws slid out, slipping into the keyhole and turning with a click before the door opened. Inside, there were two 18 wheelers set up. The left hand side was the convoy Rogue had mentioned and they moved toward it as people were starting to load up.
They were all wearing the black uniforms and riot gear of three very unconscious people back in the dock as the two trailers rolled down the highway.
****************************
The monitor in his ear crackled. "White team leaving main road now. Red team, take prisoner to location and report at 13:00 hours." John smirked behind the riot mask's plastic shield, seeing the trailer carrying Wolverine and Rogue turn down a side road away from them. Something else they should have fucking listened to him about.
The trailer he was in contained about nineteen more men. Seventeen all dressed the same and sitting in two groups along the walls of the cab. At the front, there was a portable cell that had two armed guards in front of it. His hand moving to the side of the bench, John flicked the lighter open and keept it hidden only using it to raise the heat in the cab. Metal is a good container for heat and a part of him almost wished Magneto were there to just rip the can open. The guy next to him shifted uncomfortably, asking if it was hotter all of a sudden and John just shook his head as he increased the heat more.
It took only twenty minutes until the heat had knocked them all out. Sweating slightly, John stripped off the uniform and left it on the ground. Lighter slipping into the pocket of his jeans, he wiped at his forehead and approached the cell. There had been no sound from the cab in front and he hadn't seen any cameras so as far as John knew, no one up front knew he'd just taken out their guard. He pressed his hands to the outside of the cell for a minute before pulling back and hissing out a breath. The entire thing was ice, colder than he'd ever known Bobby to go. Gloves from the uniform he'd just taken off slipped back over his hands, he leaned up to see into the cell.
It wasn't very big, only enough space really for a cot and nothing else. Bobby was laying there, his hands crossed over his chest and some sort of... casing on them. There was a hood over his head too but he wasn't trying to remove either. "Bobby-boy... looks like you can't stay out of trouble huh?" John's voice was just about a whisper but there was no response from inside. Stepping back slightly, he looked over the cell and noticed that it was connected to two wires leading back into the main cab of the vehicle. Frowning slightly, he tried to figure out if removing them would hurt Bobby or alarm the people driving. He knew they had guns and would probably open fire before asking questions.
A crackle in his ear reminded him about the comm device. Ten minutes later, after some pretty convincing lying the trailer was pulled over on the side of the road and the driver and co-pilot were both unconscious. Luckily, the driver had known about the cell. Unfortunately for the man, he'd only been willing to tell John what he needed to do after he realized that John wasn't kidding about burning the man's balls off. They were still there, just wouldn't be much use to him for a long time if ever. Keying the code in, he felt an icy release of air as the door opened. John started to step in to get Bobby when he heard the click of a magazine being slid into a gun. Sounded like one of them wasn't as unconscious as he thought they were. Lighter already in hand, he turned and shot out a blast of fire, hearing the man scream at the same time as the explosion from the firearm.
So much for getting this done quietly.
Bobby still hadn't moved at all, even with all the noise and the heat jump. Frowning, John lifted the hood off his head, the material clenched in his fist when he saw what was there. It was still Bobby's face but his hair had been shaved off, leaving a military boot camp buzz cut and there were bruises all over his face. From what he could see, the bruises continued down Bobby's chest and his arms as well. "God damn it." Each flick of the lighter created a larger flame before John concentrated it on the casing over Bobby's hands. Focusing on the locks, he let the heat and fire melt them enough to snap when he pulled on the casings. Bobby's right hand had three broken fingers on it and his left was swollen.
Feeling the anger building in him again, John turned and jumped out of the back of the trailer. The men who had been inside were on the side of the road, behind the trailer and out of sight, with their hands and ankles tied together. Most were awake and just looking at him, their eyes darting to the fireball in his hand as he approached.
"I want to know what the fuck happened to him and who the hell beat him?" No one said anything and John started burning the soles of their boots, the lower ranking officers fully igniting as he moved down the line. He could see the fear on their faces and smirked. "That little incident with the cops in Boston... wasn't the guy you have in there that did, but I guess you've figured that out by now huh? Stupid fucking military."
The screams of the men he passed were nothing more than background noise competing with the fire. Standing in front of the last two remaining men and smirking at them he hooked his thumb at the charred corpses. "Your choice, you want to end up like them or you want to maybe get out of this alive?"
John watched them look at each other, one man shaking his head before he started screaming as the fire licked up his legs and around his neck. "Last chance. Your friend made his decision. Tell me what happened to him now."
Ten minutes later, it was silent around the trailer, the heavy smell of torched flesh drifting away and a scowl on John's face as he secured Bobby in the passenger's seat and drove the cab away from the trailer and the carnage.
****************************
Fifteen miles down the road he was watching the cab continue along as he sat in the driver's seat of an older model SUV. He hated having to call anyone but after the comm devise crackled to life at the five-mile mark and he was asked why they had been stopped for so long, he realized that they had GPS on the cab. That ruled out taking Bobby anywhere in it and hoping to keep it secret. Unable to both stop the cab and get them another vehicle, he placed a call he knew he'd regret. The knowing look Mystique gave him when she saw who it was that he was rescuing made him wish he'd called Sabertooth or Avalanche. Fucking bitch would use this to call in a favor at exactly the time he didn't want to repay her. Then she added to his belief that she had some telepathic abilities too when she slipped him money and told him of a few places further up, on various roads, that he'd be able to rent a room on a daily basis without much trouble.
Bobby still hadn't woken up and a quick glance in the rearview as they pulled back onto the highway showed him stretched out on the back seat. John shook his head, teeth clenching slightly. Even with what they had been able to tell him they couldn't explain why he hadn't woken up. You couldn't cryogenically freeze someone who controlled ice and cold could you? John hoped not, he knew fuck all about how that shit worked.
He'd backtracked into New York before his phone rang.
"St. John Allerdyce where the hell are you?"
Smirking, he rolled his eyes and still managed to sound pissed off. "Just got out of the fucking trailer I was in. So much for fucking staying together, Rogue. You got Bobby?"
The silence on the other end was what he had expected. Logan's voice coming on next wasn't. "He wasn't with the one you got on? Damn information we both got wasn't worth shit. Where you now kid?"
"Hitchhiking back, where the fuck else would I be? Brilliant fucking plan Wolverine, can't even make sure we got the right fucking transports. Another reason I'm glad I went to the other side, you wouldn't know your ass from your elbow."
John heard the snickt of the claws through the phone then Rogue's voice mumbling something to the feral mutant. "That the way you feel, stay on your own side, Pyro. We'll take care of getting' Drake back without you."
Flipping his phone closed on the dead line, John just laughed. "Yeah... good luck with that." Sometimes it was too easy to push the right buttons on Wolverine. This time seemed easier than before but that left John free to take Bobby with him and then find out what else had been done to him... and why the hell he wouldn't wake up.
****************************
"What the fuck do you want?"
There was a pause on the line then Mystique's voice. "Pyro, is that any way to speak to a friend? I trust that you and... Iceman have managed to keep a low profile?"
John looked at the shape of Bobby on the bed as he sat in the chair. The hotel was in a town Mystique hadn't mentioned and with the lights off, he could only see the outline of Bobby laying there as still as he had been seven hours ago when John had fried those guys. "Yeah, don't think they're gonna look for him with me. What do you want?"
He could almost hear the slow smile appearing Cheshire-like on her face. "It has been arranged that should they look, they will locate neither of you. Count that as part of your initial request. However, there is the slight matter of repayment that we need to discuss. It will be beneficial to both of us I believe. It involves the health of a certain Robert Drake."
Sitting up more, he flicked his lighter open and closed. "What do you know and what do I have to do?"
****************************
He leaned forward on the bike, accelerating and completely ignoring the traffic lights. No one was out at this time anyway and he had things to do. Not much time to do them in either. Two hours. That was all the time he had to get there, do what needed doing and get back. Leaving Arclight with Bobby hadn't been what he wanted to do but of all The Brotherhood, he trusted her the most not to kill him just to see how an Iceman bleeds. He'd left her with instructions not to open the door for anyone, not even Mystique and took the key with him. Threatening her hadn't been necessary but was expected and he'd made her very aware of what would happen if he came back and Bobby wasn't there and wasn't alive.
Whatever the fuck they'd done to him, it was reacting slower because of his lowered body temp. Exactly how Mystique had this information, he didn't want to know. Better if he didn't actually. When the Professor had been told they were going to release him when he was no longer a threat, they had meant it. What they hadn't told him was that their definition of 'no longer a threat', regardless of the fact that the cars had been fucking torched and not fucking frozen, was to give him what they were calling a cure for mutation. Something that would kill the X-gene in his blood and make him like them. Make him a Norm. Fuckers hadn't counted on what happened when they tried it on someone who ran a sub-normal body temp. Seems it wasn't the type of serum to work quickly regardless of temperature.
Pulling back slightly and cutting his speed, Pyro slowed down enough to slip into an ally and cut the engine. His eyes narrowed as he slowly walked the bike past the buildings. Third one in, he stopped and lowered the kickstand after moving it between two large trashcans. He needed the third floor. The security system was fried within seconds and the locks melted beyond repair. So much for learning what was needed in life at Xavier's, so far Pyro was only using what The Brotherhood had taught him.
The one security guard there was old and probably wouldn't hear one of Jubilee's firecrackers going off in front of him so it was no wonder he didn't hear John a half floor behind him in the stairwell. No sense in taking out an old guy who was just watching the building, he hadn't done anything to Bobby so far as Pyro knew. The man inside room 328 was a different story. He was bent over a table, microscope in front of him and he didn't hear Pyro come in. The specimen in the jar beside him burst into flame and he jumped before turning to see who else was there.
"Shouldn't leave the Bunsen Burner on when you're not paying attention. Never know what might catch." The sleeve of the man's lab coat ignited and he jumped back, running it under water in the sink. "Answer the questions I have, give me what I want and the only thing you'll need is a new lab coat. Fuck around with me or try to fucking lie, and you'll need a new suit and nice comfortable coffin. Understood?"
Pyro watched the man nod slowly as he closed the distance between them. His orders were simple. Get every completed vial of the serum, fry every disk and computer containing any information about the trials and find out of there were other locations that had the same information. From what Mystique said, she doubted there would be. Each office generally kept to itself so everything should be here. Including something to stop the serum from working. That's where it got tricky. He had to get that back to Bobby before his time ran out or Bobby's time really would run out.
Torturing the guy wasn't a problem. Destroying the computer files and records wasn't a problem. Turning over the vials that were there and not knowing what Mystique would do with them, that was a problem to Pyro. One last question before the guy passed out from the pain and Pyro took a few minutes to watch the fire behind the glass consume the vials, smiling at the pop of each one as he slipped the only vial that was leaving the room into a container and then his pocket. He even managed to smile and nod to the Security guard, commenting about late hours before starting back.
****************************
Arclight had left with an explanation that there weren't any vials stored there. Screw her if she didn't believe him. He'd given Bobby the shot and now just sat at the side of the bed, watching him.
The ringing of his phone made him jump seemingly minutes later. Glancing at the clock, he realized he'd nodded off and it was actually two hours later.
"There were no vials at all, Pyro? I find that hard to believe."
He did not need to argue with her now, glancing at Bobby he moved across the room toward the bathroom. "There was nothing to send to you. Any records were destroyed and there's no way it'll be traced back to you or The Brotherhood. That all you fucking wanted? I've got things to do."
"Things or an X-Men? As you answered your phone, I trust he has still not woken up? Perhaps we miscalculated on the time he had left. That would be a shame." There was a pause on the line, almost like she was expecting some come back. When there was none, she continued. "Your debt has been repaid. We are even on this matter. Now run along and play house... we will call should we need anything else."
John's hand tightened around the phone and he fought with himself not to throw it against the wall. He knew she was just toying with him. She liked to do that, mentally fuck you until you didn't know what was up or down. He looked back at the bed and set his phone for silent, screw her. She could wait if she wanted anything else.
He'd been staying in there with the lights off. When they were on Bobby just looked... too weird to deal with. Clicking the nightstand light on, he saw Bobby's eyes scrunch closed tighter and John smirked a little. Bobby's coloring was returning to normal and pressing his hand to Bobby’s neck, John could feel him warming up slightly. "Come on Bobby-boy, wake the fuck up so I can tell you how fucking stupid you are."
Silence answered him and he sighed as he sat back in the chair, watching his friend for any other improvement.
It took another two hours for Bobby to make any noise indicating he may be waking up and another hour before he was able to turn his face away from the light. Taking the hint, John turned it off and just moved the blinds enough to let him see movement. Sitting back in the chair, he just watched and waited.
****************************
John jerked awake, tense and lighter in hand. Fuck, he hadn't meant to fall asleep again. Sitting forward, he ran his hands through his hair and pushed out a breath. He heard the movement behind him then, moving to his feet faster than anyone would have expected and a fireball growing in his outstretched hand expecting Mystique or someone who had simply broken in.
Bobby was leaning on the doorframe for the bathroom and just looking at him. After a minute, he started moving across the room using the furniture to lean on. After he'd taken three steps John snapped out of it and moved over to help him.
"Don't... don't touch me. Just... need to get back... and lay down." Bobby's voice was hard, almost cutting and his words sounded forced but he kept moving without looking up at all. When he reached the bed, he moved slowly and obviously in pain as he slid under the covers. Only then did he look at John, confusion on his face.
John had moved back, almost like he'd been slapped for a minute when Bobby spoke and then the mask was back on. "Wasn't gonna fucking do anything wrong to you Drake. Just help you." The look Bobby gave him when the boy was settled in cracked the mask slightly. "You alright now?"
Bobby's eyes narrowed and the room's temp dropped twenty degrees. "How'd I get here? What... happened? Why're you here?"
The temp was still dropping and John flicked the lighter, adding to the ball of fire in his hand to combat the freezing temp. "Bobby, cut the shit. I brought you here after getting you out of that cell they had you in. You don't remember any of it?" He ignored the question of why he was there. It should be fucking obvious by now.
Blue eyes blinked at him, the cold falling back some. "Went to see Ronnie, woke up in some cell. Tried to freeze the bars and break them..." He trailed off, his eyes glazing over slightly before he looked at his hands. "They wanted to know where others were. What new security systems were in place at the school, where Logan and Rogue were... where you were. I wouldn't tell them any of it and they thought I needed my hands to ice them so they..." He held them up a little, John already well aware of what they'd done to his hands and the fire in his palm flaring for a minute. "Put casings on them too, make sure I didn't figure a way to use them even broken. Still wouldn't talk and started beating me. Temp dropped and the last thing I remember was a boot coming toward my face." He looked back at John, "Then waking up here with you snoring in the chair."
John frowned at him. "I don't fucking snore." He watched Bobby for a few minutes before sitting in the chair and closing his hand on the fireball, extinguishing it. "Homeland Security grabbed you, used Ronnie to get you to Boston and held you as a terrorist. Fucking Xavier wouldn't go in to get you back, wanted to play nice with them." He lifted his chin toward Bobby, "That's what playing nice with the government gets you."
"How'd you find out?" Bobby still looked confused and weak. He was trying to fight to get this all straight in his head but he didn't have a time frame to work with. "How long've I been gone?"
The smirk on John's face lacked it's usual snark. "Rogue told me. She left a letter in the mailbox we were using. Went to the school to find out what the fuck they were talking about and Wolverine and your ex told me what they knew." He shrugged one shoulder. "Started looking for any trace of you then. Eventually she left me another fucking letter when they stopped talking to Xavier and the X-men got word you were being moved. In total, you've been gone little over a month."
Bobby looked around a little, rubbing his hand carefully over his face before looking back at John. "So where are they and why are you still here?"
"They picked the wrong transport. Wouldn't listen to me because I'm just a fucking traitor and not on their side anymore. Saw no point in telling them I had you." Only John still wasn't sure he had Bobby. Yes, they were both away from the transport and they hadn't managed to kill Bobby, but that didn't mean they wouldn't try to get him again and John now with what he'd done. Not that he regretted any of it. Plus, he had no way to know if Bobby would want to stay with him or go back to the fucking idiots who hadn't wanted to get him.
Blue eyes still on him, Bobby reached toward the table to get the bottle of water that was there, frowning at the cover before putting it back. "Didn't answer my other question. Why you still here? Could have told them were I was and taken off, you're good at that. You said you’d see me on the battlefield, or did you do this to end it completely?"
John winced slightly at that, standing and opening the bottle before handing it back to Bobby. "Didn't want you going back to them since they let you sit in a cell for three weeks without doing more than petitioning for your release. They could have gotten you out without anyone getting hurt, that's what they do. Instead you got the shit beat out of you and your hands fucked up. Not exactly the type of friends I'd want to leave you to."
Drinking about half of the bottle and wincing as he did, Bobby kept his eyes on John. He took a few minutes to catch his breath before replying. "Since when did you start caring Pyro? Just a fuck, remember? I'm sure you can find someone else in the Brotherhood that has a heat fetish, add some ice in the mix and you'll be fine."
"My name's John, not Pyro." Hesitating a minute, he sat on the edge of the bed and narrowed his eyes at Bobby. "You really don't ever fucking listen when I say things do you? There's more to what I say than words Drake, or didn't you know that? I walked out of that room before because 'Stique had been watching me. She knew I was meeting with you and made a comment about having to remove distractions. You think I would have taken her seriously if I didn't give a shit about you? Fuck, walking outta that room was one of the hardest things I'd done. And you're too much of a stupid fuck to know why I did it." Something passed over his face and it softened slightly, his hand moving to take the bottle back and he let his fingers brush over Bobby's. There wasn't as much hostility in his voice as he continued, a softer tone being there instead. "I did it so that this... you getting the shit beat out of you for some shit I did... would never happen. Looks like I fucked that up too."
Bobby closed his eyes and leaned his head against the headboard. "Could have fucking told me that? Would have been fucking better than thinking you'd picked them over me again." He looked at John and lifted his head as he shook it. "This isn't your fault. You didn't set me up or do this to me. Can't blame yourself for this but if 'Stique was watching you then you'd probably go. She'll get pissed if she finds out what you did for one of the enemy."
John pushed out an annoyed laugh. "Why tell you that, so you could again go on about how I should leave them and go back to the fucking school? That's not my home Bobby, never really was. She's not gonna get pissed and she already knows what I did and for who. How do you think I got the information on who had you and where? Brotherhood knows I was leaving to get you back. 'Stique helped out a little and I don't fucking care what she thinks now. I'm square with her for now." He fell silent for a few minutes, just watching Bobby before rubbing his hands over his own face. "They tried to kill you Bobby. Injected something they're calling a cure into you, tried to take your powers but they didn't take into account your lower body temp. It was killing you instead of making you one of them. That's why you're so weak and why you were out from the time I got you until you just woke up. Those are the people Xavier wants to side with. Those are who he trusts more than his own. And he was gonna let you fucking die without doing a damn thing. If Wolverine and Rogue hadn't gotten back to me with what they were doing I wouldn't have reached you in time."
He watched John, his expression conflicted as he heard what happened while he was gone. Bobby didn't want to believe it and shook his head. "They wouldn't have left me. They wouldn't have just sat by and... ... Hank came in to see me once. Said they were working on it."
"No, I'm not lying about this Bobby. Blue might have come in to see you but that doesn't mean they weren't sitting around with their thumbs up their asses. Xavier sent him in to negotiate and they weren't having it. They were gonna use you as an example. But it won't happen now, not anytime soon at least. And you're gonna be alright." John moved his hand over Bobby's, resting it there lightly as he met blue eyes. "I'm sorry Bobby. I didn't... I'm just sorry."
Bobby didn't say anything for a few minutes then his hand moved slightly under John's, his thumb moving to stroke over the other man's hand briefly. "Not your fault. Let me call Rogue, let her know I'm alright."
Blinking at him, John stood up and scowled. "Even after all that you want to fucking call her to check in? Fuck's sake Drake, you're loyal to a fucking fault. Too bad they don't feel the fucking same about you." Tossing his cell on the bed beside Bobby, he turned to walk to the bathroom. Pausing before closing the door, he looked back at Bobby. "I'm gonna shower. I told her and Wolverine I didn't have you. They can't trace the call from that phone but tell them whatever the fuck you want. If they're coming to get you, let me know when I come out and I'll disappear again."
****************************
They'd moved to another hotel, this was the fifth one in as many weeks. When John had come out of the bathroom, Bobby was just hanging up. Neither of them said anything about Xavier's again. Bobby hadn't told him anything of the conversation other than he'd let them know he was free and he was recovering from what they'd done. Rogue had tried to talk him into coming back but he told her that wasn't where he needed to be anymore. He needed to recover from what had happened to him and figure some things out. She seemed to understand, but then she always did.
John had changed his cell number, trying to distance himself as mush as possible from Mystique and any more favors. The car was exchanged for another one under an assumed name through contacts John had from his time on the street. Bobby's mother had sent money to a Western Union office when he called home to tell her he didn't want another thing from the family. It was the money that had been put aside for his college tuition and the two boys used the money to pay for rooms and food, trying to keep a low profile.
That was how they had been living. Day to day and hand to mouth though neither of them complained. Bobby had a lot of recovery to do, even after his fingers were re-broken and set right. The bruises faded fast but he still stayed in the room more often than not. They'd been sleeping in separate beds since he woke up, neither of them wanting to make his injuries worse and John almost afraid to touch him. The hotel they were staying in now only had a single left available so they'd taken it. John threw himself down on the bed as soon as they'd closed the doors.
"Your fucking hands better hurry up and heal Drake, I'm getting sick of driving everywhere." One arm draped over his eyes, he didn't look at Bobby at all, the feeling he'd had in the pit of his stomach that this couldn't last growing every day.
The bed shifted as Bobby stretched out beside him, his hand moving over John's shoulder then moving John's arm. Before John could open his eyes, Bobby leaned forward and kissed him, his tongue teasing over the warm lips. "Never said you had to drive all the fucking time Allerdyce. And they're better."
John blinked at him, pulling back some before sitting up. "Good. You drive tomorrow. Watch some television, I'm gonna shower before you use all the fucking hot water again."
Frowning slightly, Bobby watched him go into the bathroom. They'd spent the last few weeks talking, about what it was like for John with the Brotherhood, about what other parts of the time he was captured were coming back to Bobby but never about them. Never about what this was or why the most they'd done since Bobby woke up was kissed. And Bobby didn't get it. But he knew he didn't want it to go on. Shedding his clothes, he quietly opened the door and let his body get used to the steam in the room before closing it again. He pulled the shower curtain back slightly and watched John for a minute.
The water was running down his body as he ran a bar of soap over his skin, his hand only pausing in the washing to stroke his erection. Seeing him like that made Bobby's mind up for him. Stepping in, he turned John by the shoulder and pushed him against the side of the shower, kissing him and pressing against him.
"Drake, what are..."
He didn't get to finish his question, Bobby's tongue trapped the words in his throat. Cold hand wrapped around John's cock, Bobby slowly stroked him as his other hand slid over the slick skin under him. "Talk too much John. And I want this... want you too much to wait anymore." Bobby's hand slid down John's side, soapy now as it massaged his ass cheek slightly. Moving more, he pressed a slick finger in John's ass drawing a grown from the other man.
"Fuck Bobby... You shouldn't..." John's hands moved over Bobby's arms, not pulling his hand away but encouraging him as his hips rocked toward the cool hand.
Bobby pushed another finger into John, nipping at his neck as John shuddered slightly. He wasn't going to debate this, he was going to take what he wanted, though he doubted John would protest. His hand released John's cock then he soaped his own erection and turned John around, pressing his chest to the wall. His finger's slid out and he pressed the head of his dick against John's opening. He could feel John pushing back against him, either to try to turn over or to help but he didn't let it change what he was doing. Slowly starting to push in, he leaned forward and bit John's ear lightly. "Wanted to fuck you for three weeks John, but you kept shooting me down. Thought I lost you before, not letting that happen again." One hand moved to John's waist, holding him as Bobby slid fully in groaning against the back of John's neck.
"Bobby... Fuck... That... Ahhhh!" John moaned, the water getting hotter for a minute before cooling down. "Jesus Bobby..."
Bobby pulled back, stroking John as he slammed forward, his hips finding a rhythm of their own and his hand matching it. "Staying with you John. I picked you, over all of them. Not letting you leave again."
John couldn't reply, moaning and panting as Bobby filled him and jerked him off. He just nodded, moaning Bobby's name as his hands moved back and grabbed Bobby's waist.
"Can't leave you John. Were always more than a few fucks to me." He grunted, thrusting faster into him, his hand slowing down. "Was that all I was to you John? Just a few fucks?"
John whimpered slightly, his head shaking as his hips rocked, torn between trusting into the cool hand or moving back to accept the cold cock. He moaned incoherently for a minute before shaking his head. "No, never just a few fucks... I... ahhh... fuck, I want you Bobby. Want you so... fucking... bad. I...l-ahh..."
Kissing the back of his neck, Bobby slowed his thrusts down, "What do you want John? Tell me and I'll let you cum. Tell me and I'll fill you as you cum over my hand." He moved his head next to John's, kissing over his jaw and waiting.
"Bobby, just... please... fuck don't stop." He rocked back and forth, trying to urge Bobby back into motions, growling when it didn't work then gasping when Bobby pushed forward hard, pinning him to the wall with his full body weight. He turned his head, nipping at Bobby's lips. His voice was just above a whisper. "I love you Bobby. Love you..."
The rest of what he was going to say was cut off by a scream as Bobby picked up his pace, thrusting in and out of John faster and faster. Both boys panting and moaning as Bobby's hand slid over the length of John. As John's breath was catching and Bobby felt him tensing slightly, he leaned forward and whispered in his ear, "Love you John... and you're mine."
John's head fell back, his body convulsing between Bobby's dick and hand. Cum coated the cool hand and wall in front of him as Bobby released in him. Both boys moaned, their body's writhing as the water fell over them and then slowly coming to a stop. Gasping for breath, Bobby kissed John's shoulder and slowly pulled out, turning John to face him and kissing him hard.
John returned with the same intensity and moved Bobby back under the water, washing him carefully before they got out and went to bed together. Slowly, they re-explored each other's bodies, taking time to gently kiss or caress muscle knots or bruises, allowing themselves to relish in the knowledge that they never had to be Iceman or Pyro again. They were just Bobby and John and they had each other.