Notes: The sequel to Return To Chaos. At the end of that story the Black Cat
was worried about a fresh hell breaking loose. This is the beginning. It
revolves around the main charecters instead of the new recruits, although Kurt and Evan don`t appear.

Characters © their respective owners

                                Pre-Apocalyptic Stress


    It was late when Scott stumbled upstairs and into his room. What he saw
when he turned on the lights shocked him beyond words.
    Sarah was laying across his bed in a red lace negligee. In front of her
was a plate of strawberries dipped in chocolate. She picked one up and
started sucking on it. "Want some," she purred. "You`re dead," he said.
"Yeah, you`re not gonna hold that against me, are you?" She licked the
chocolate off one of her fingers.
    Devoted as he was to Jean, Scott couldn`t help but wonder what it must be
like  to be with Sarah. "This is a dream, Scott. Anything can happen in a
dream," she said. He knew what she wanted by the way she acted. "Let yourself
go," she whispered.
    He woke up sweating."I just slept with a dead girl," he said to himself.
He didn`t get back to sleep that night
                        *           *           *
    Morning...
    "I shouldn`t have read Scott`s mind. It was wrong," Jean said bitterly.
"Yeah, but then you wouldn`t have known that he was having X-rated dreams
about Marrow," Kitty told her. "It had to be her. I hate her. He knows that,"
Jean ranted. "We all know that," Kitty said. "What`s that supposed to mean,"
Jean snapped at her. "Nothing." "Well, what`s the deal with you and your
mystery man," Jean asked. Kitty sighed. "He went back to London," Kitty said.
"Well, that sucks. My boyfriend is having sexual fantasies about a dead slut
and your`s runs halfway across the world," Jean said. "Yeah we suck at
romance," Kitty said. They shared a collective sigh.
                                *           *           *
    Rogue somehow got herself into being forced to make cookies with Kitty
and Jean. Kitty kept whining about how her boyfriend had ditched her all of a
sudden, while Jean was completly silent, obviously angry about something.
Finally Rogue got tired of Kitty and snapped, "Alright, I get it. The guy
left you. Get over it already and stop complaining to me." Jean glared at
her. "You`re just jealous of her because you know that you`ll never be able
to have a relationship with a guy," Jean said angrily. Rogue stood there for
a moment, shocked by Jean`s words. Then she ran  out of the kitchen.
    The mood of the room went back to normal, instantly. Then Jean threw down
the stirring spoon in her hand and announced, "I`m going to have a talk with
Scott." She left.
    Jean used her powers to fling Scott`s door opened. "Why are you having
sex dreams about Marrow," she yelled at him. "You went into my mind. What
makes you think you have the right to do that!"
                            *           *           *
    Rogue never liked Jean, and now she hated her even more than before. She
buried her face in her pillow, still hurt by what Jean had said to her. She
decided right then and there that she was going to get back at Jean somehow.
                            *           *           *
    London, England...
    Pete`s doorbell rang incessantly, growing more obnoxious with every ring.
"Bloody hell," he mumbled rolling out of bed. What possible reason would any
one have to ring his doorbell at this hour of the morning. He went to the
door and opened it. Kitty stood there. "I ran away," she said.

                                    The End