Disclaimer : I don't own X-Men

Rating : T

Pairing : Rogue/Pyro

Extra Note : Sublime Angel, is my amazing beta and muse for this story. This is not a songfic, although part of the lyrics are posted after every chapter. for more information about this story, please see my profile page

Reviews : make me smile and I cannot lie

Summary : The innocent can never last...(Rogue/Pyro)

Chapter 1

Rogue sat on the small bed in the middle of the not much bigger apartment. It was small, the wallpaper was hanging loose in some places, and Rogue was pretty sure she had seen a rat the first day. But it was their home. It wasn't a rich mansion with thousands of bathrooms and the equal amount of bedrooms for guests to stay in. It wasn't the most comfortable water bed that they could get either. The furniture wasn't inlaid with gold filigree. It was all old-fashioned, probably from the 18th or 19th century, and worn out from years of usage and being passed down the generations , but it gave the apartment a comfortable feeling. Just like it should. Her eyes took in his sleeping form next to her own.

His muscular chest rose up and down, letting her know that he was still in a deep peaceful slumber, something she wouldn't dare to disturb him from, considering what times were like. His chest was scarred from all the battles he'd been through as part of the Brotherhood. And he still was, which was something that made Rogue even more afraid for him than she already was, every time he was sent on a new mission.

She knew the risks of being in the Brotherhood; the odds were greater that you would get wounded, shot, or even killed. But John had always assured her that he would be fine, that he knew what he was doing. And while Rogue believed him, with her whole heart, she just couldn't stop worrying about those things.

The regular sound of gunshots going off right outside, made, her live her life with an edge of fear every day. Fear that one day, a bullet would miss its target and reach an innocent bystander or someone just passing by. Of course their apartment wasn't in the safest part of the city; it was a crime ridden area, filled with criminals and outcasts, like Marie and John themselves.

John didn't drink. But that was only because he'd already turned sober. And it wasn't just not because of Marie alone. It had slowly been killing him inside. But the after effects of being an alcoholic were still inside of him.

He suffered from depression every now and then, and Rogue was always worried, knowing that he had once been on the edge of committing suicide, John kept telling her that now that she was in his life, he had a purpose to live for, but Rogue knew how depressions worked, she herself having suffered from some serious ones of her own when she had just arrived at the mansion. John knew all of this but still preferred to be left alone during such dark periods of his life, even though that – according to Rogue – was not such a great idea.

Her long fingers were still decorated with the elbow length fingerless gloves. A small silver band adorned her finger, but it was hidden by the black fabric of her gloves which she still insisted on wearing even though she now had full control over her powers. Her explanation would always be, "Because they look good on this outfit," which usually made John laugh and shake his head before giving her a loving peck on the lips.

As carefully as she could, Rogue whipped some of his blond-brown hair out of his closed eyes while trying not to wake him up. God knows how much he needed his sleep at a time like this but she couldn't help it.

She suffered from insomnia. It wasn't often but just during times like these, when the war between the mutants and humans was raging even worse than before, so she couldn't help but worry to the point that it caused her to lose the will to sleep. Worry that they would be found in this small apartment at the edge of the city. Worry that they would be attacked in the middle of the night because they were mutants.

Pyro muttered something under his breath and turned his head away from her touch, still keeping his position on his back. Rogue smiled tiredly at him and planted a soft kiss on his cheek before she carefully slid out of the small but warm bed. Her feet touched the wooden floor, which was rather well kept, unlike other parts of the apartment. There was a guitar on the other side of the room, right next to the drawer. Rogue smiled and walked out of the bedroom, leaving Pyro in his peaceful slumber as she had a sudden craving for a cup of coffee.

Looking through the cupboards, Rogue found herself one of the usual cups they used for coffee, not that they had a lot of cups anyway. The grey cup was soon filled with the hot, steaming liquid. Rogue turned around, leaning her back against the wooden counter of their small kitchen. It was probably even smaller than their bedroom, but neither of them were home that much to cook in it every day anyway. They had most of their meals at the Brotherhood's base, where they spent most of their time during the day.

Rogue taught the newer recruits in their very own danger room, how to ensure that they wouldn't be killed in their first battle and how to use their powers to protect themselves. Pyro on the other hand, was skilled at hand-to-hand combat, and was therefore an excellent teacher in that area. He teamed up with Mystique to teach the mutants how to protect themselves, in case they were hit by the cure, whether it was accidental or because of an ambush. Rogue smiled sadly to herself. Seeing those younger mutants being touched by the elements of war and hate towards them made her heart ache from time to time.

While placing her empty coffee cup in the small sink, she felt a pair of bare, but muscular arms wrap around her tiny, thin waist. A knowing smile crept up onto her lips as Pyro planted a soft kiss in on her neck, making his way up to her cheek, and then finally ending on her lips as she had turned around in his arms before he reached them.

"Found you," he smirked as their foreheads touched and their eyes met each others gaze.

Shouting could be heard in the background. Probably someone being robbed again. It was quite a common occurrence during the day now, and in the night as well, in the area they lived.

"Oh no, now I'll have to find a better hiding place!" Marie smirked back before she placed a small peck on his lips and got out of his loose grip around her hips.

Pyro chuckled and turned around so that he was leaning against the counter while Rogue chose to go sit on the small table in front of him. While Rogue's eyes carefully watched him and monitored every move he made, Pyro grabbed his own cup and filled it with coffee before facing her again.

"You have a new mission don't you?" Rogue asked sadly, the emotion visible in her eyes as she looked John straight in the eye.

He looked shocked at first, briefly wondering how she could have possibly found out about the new mission that was in a couple of days. He had planned on telling her one of these days for sure, he'd just been waiting for the opportune moment.

"Your mood always changes days before a new mission. You sleep more and you're quieter, and you keep more to yourself," Rogue quickly added to her former sentence.

Seeing his shocked expression made her smile apologetically. John sighed sadly and nodded, his eyes closed as he didn't trust his voice nor his eyes. They showed too much emotion when she was around him. Somehow that caused a small smile to creep up on his lips.

Rogue wrapped her arms around her legs as she pressed them against her chest. She didn't cry, she didn't say anything, but John knew that she was worrying herself unnecessarily again. He walked over to her and placed his hand on her cheek, caressing her soft, almost porcelain-like, skin with his thumb. His hand felt warm against her cold skin.After all, it was in the middle of fall, going over to winter, so it was to be expected that it was almost freezing. Since the apartment didn't have such a reliable heat source on top of the bad state of some of the rooms, Rogue was glad that Pyro had high body heat, enough to warm the whole room when he walked in.

His thumb brushed away a lonely tear falling down her cheek. He smiled sadly at her and placed his hand under her chin, forcing her to look up at him. Rogue opened her legs, making it possible for John to stand closer to her and hug her as she placed her head on his bare chest and listened to his heartbeat.

"Listen...it isn't a dangerous one alright? I'll be fine, trust me!" Pyro said with a comforting smile, still forcing her to keep eye contact with him. Rogue smiled sadly and nodded, letting him know that she trusted him, even though she was still worried.

"I can worry can't I?" She asked, trying to lighten up the mood in the room by laughing a little. Pyro chuckled silently and under his breath. A nerve cracking silence broke in again, Rogue always believed that silences could speak for themselves sometimes. A look, a smile, even without speaking a single word to each other, John and Marie understood each other perfectly.

"I want you to stay in the Brotherhood's base during the period I'm gone." John said, breaking the silence again, He turned away from her, already knowing her reaction, he only smiled when she started to protest.

"John, I can take care of myself. I don't need protection from the Brotherhood every damn time you're gone on some special mission!" Rogue protested, waving with her arms to make it even more dramatic. John sighed and shook his head, turning around again to face her while he leaned with his back against the counter, crossing his arms in front of his bare chest.

"It would make me feel safer Ro- Marie." Rogue looked away, a little hint of anger visible in her brown eyes as she couldn't believe what he was saying.

"How's that?" She asked in such a soft whisper that he barely heard what she was saying in the first place.

"Because then I know you are in good hands." John answered softly, letting his arms drop next to his body as he walked closer to her again. Rogue finally decided to face him, throwing her arms around his neck and placing a kiss on his lips before she buried her face in his chest while listening to his heartbeat.

"I love you okay?" John whispered again, stroking her hair as she nodded softly. Marie was biting her lip, trying not to let the tears fall down her cheeks as worry took over her senses again. Fear, for his life, for the fact that he might not come back to her.

"Just remember that no matter what, you'll always have someone here for you. I'm never going to leave you...I love you..." Pyro whispered again, closing his eyes and rocking her back and forth in a comforting sort of way.

Summer has come and passed