Stray Thoughts

Rating: PG13ish

Summary: Scott senses something from Jean.

Scott was working in the garage like he usually did during his spare time. Jean went inside and could see Scott's legs, while the rest of his body was underneath his car.

"Hey Scott." Jean called out and she could distinctly hear something fall and Scott going saying "ouch."

"Next time a warning please." Scott said as he rolled out underneath his car.

"Sorry.." Jean said as if she was breathless, which she sort of was. For Scott had no shirt on and was covered in grime. She couldn't help but feel flustered at the sight and scolded herself for thinking such thoughts. Scott was her best friends and she shouldn't think of her best friend like that.

"So.." Scott asked.

"What?"

"Are you okay Jean?"

"Yeah… sorry I .. I got distracted.. I just wanted to ask you if you can drive me to the mall on Friday, I have to buy something."

"Yeah, sure no problem."

"Thanks Scott." Jean said, quickly leaving the garage. She was turning red and was embarrassed. She just hoped that Scott hadn't notice. Unfortunately for Jean, Scott did notice, well rather he felt something.

As soon as Jean left the room, Scott felt something odd. He looked down to notice that he was indeed covered with dirt, but why would he care, he tried thinking to himself. A weird idea popped in his head but he quickly tried dismissing it. "Jean was checking me out." The idea almost made him laugh. Scott thought he'd been smelling too much gasoline and decided it was time to pack it in for the day. He wrapped up what he was doing and went back to his room.

Friday came and Scott was running late. Track practice took longer than normal and he raced back to the mansion to shower and change. Jean saw Scott's car parked outside and wondered what was taking him so long. He was never the one to be late. She decided to go up to his room and investigate.

Jean saw his door slightly ajar and went inside his room.

"Hey Scott.." Jean called but her words were cut short. There in front her, was Scott buckling his belt, his hair still wet, and very much shirtless.

"Oh hey Jean. Sorry, I was running a bit late.. I'll be down in 10." Scott said casually as he picked up his towel and continued to dry her hair.

Jean stood there frozen at the doorway. She wanted to the burn the image in her mind, something quite easy to do for a telepath. She quickly came to and said. "Oh yeah, no problem. I'll be waiting downstairs." Jean turned right around and headed down the stairs. She couldn't believe this was happening again. Thinking back on Scott, she felt hot and she was flustered. Embarrassed, she felt like a typical teenage boy who needs a cold shower. She felt a sinking feeling as she slowly began to realize that she was indeed falling for Scott. She put her head down in shame and wondered what else could go wrong.

Scott put on a shirt and suddenly thought about taking a cold shower. He thought it was odd that he would think about going back to the shower when he just took one. Something felt odd and the feeling Scott had a few days ago came back to him. Instead of dismissing it, Scott quickly became curious. He started to think for a moment. He remembered Jean saying that she could pick up other people's thoughts, especially when they "project" it. But Scott was not a telepath, at least he thought he wasn't. "Don't tell me I have another power." Scott told himself. Then he thought what if Jean was projecting to him?

Scott came down and he drove Jean to the mall. The ride there was silent, as was the trip going back. When they arrived back at the mansion, Jean thanked Scott and quickly left. The next few days, he felt as if Jean was avoiding him. Scott knew something was wrong. Jean and him were best friends, she never avoided him before.. well except the time she barrowed his car and put a dent on it.

Scott decided to take matters into his own hands and find out himself. He saw Jean walking around the back patio. He quickly went out and scooped his arms in between hers. She had done that to him numerous times to him and he never really minded. But the way Jean had been acting, he was going to make sure she wasn't going anywhere.

"What're you doing?"

"Oh hey Scott. .. I was just umm going to go read somewhere.. like in the garden or something."

"The garden!? .. on this fine day.. I have a better idea."

Jean tried separating from Scott, ever so slightly, but Scott refused to let her go. They continued walking and Scott began making small talk. Jean eventually gave up and started talking back to Scott. They continued walking and the nervousness she felt about being around Scott all but melted always. Jean felt relieved. Maybe she was just imagining things. She admitted to herself that Scott was a cute.. a very cute guy and a girl can be friends with cute guys. It's just hormones she concluded and she felt comfortable in the lie that she did not have any feelings towards Scott.

"Um.. are we.. are we going to the lake."

"Yeah.. how'd you know?"

"Because it's right up ahead."

"Oh yeah, duh haha… come on." Scott let her go and ran up ahead. Jean followed and now they were standing on the pier on the lake.

"Yeah, Scott.. too much light here, I think I'm going to go by the trees and read in the shade."

"Who said anything about reading." Scott said as he quickly took off his shirt. Jean almost dropped her book and that feeling she thought she dismissed off as just hormones quickly came coming back. "But I didn't bring a bathing suit." She protested.

"Yeah, that didn't stop you before when you used to drag me here last summer… so come on." Scott said as he kicked off his shoes and dropped his jeans. When the jean's fell, so did Jean's jaw, as she couldn't believe that Scott was standing in front of her in just his boxers. Scott made sure his glasses was fastened and jumped in the water. He came up and called on Jean to come on in.

While he waded on the water, the feeling he felt something in the back of his mind and this time, it was much stronger. It turned from feelings to actual words. In his mind he can hear Jean. "Why why why is he in his boxers.. just walk away now .. ahh.. but if I don't then he'll know somethings wrong .. I have to jump in." Scott received his confirmation, Jean was checking him out and for some reason that made him happy. His mind was going in a panic. He didn't have feelings for Jean, he tried telling himself. He didn't like Jean.

Jean hesitated at first, but decided that if she backed out Scott would know something was definitely up. She took a deep breathe and pulled her shirt up above her. As her shirt fell on the ground, so did Scott's heart. His eyes were fixed on her and he couldn't move. She removed her pants and was only in her underwear. She jumped in the water and got up close to Scott.

"Hello.. earth to Scott.. my god you asked me to jump in and now you go all Cyclops on me !"

Scott couldn't look at her. "Oh I guess you're right .. maybe this was a bad idea." He quickly swam back to the pier, gathered his stuff and started to quickly walk away.

Jean didn't need to be a telepath to sense something wrong. She used her powers to lift herself from the water, hovered over the pier and stopped right in front of Scott.

"Hold it Summers. What's going on?"

"Nothing."

"Don't give me that.. you know something is so just tell me.. you know I'll find out sooner or later." But Scott remained quiet. Jean looked down on Scott's waist and saw the problem. She immediately turned as red as her hair.

"Oh my God, maybe I should jump back in the water." Jean thought.

"Maybe you should." Scott said.

"What did you say?"

"I said maybe you should go back in the water." Jean suddenly became even more confused and realized that he was reading her thoughts. Scott sensed her thoughts and the two of them looked at each other. Scott scared intently at Jean and although Scott's glasses hid his eyes, she somehow always knew where it was. No more words were needed at this point at their melded together.

They continued to look at each other in silence as they both realized something that were both too shy or scared to say. Scott wanted to kiss Jean and Jean wanted him to. Like reflex, he went in and gave Jean a deep and passionate kiss, their minds now truly synchronized. They couldn't explain what was going on but at this point they didn't care as the barriers that held them apart were now gone. They smiled and kiss each other again. Jean took Scott's arms as they jumped back into the lake, playing and laughing.

A short time later, they were back on the pier, with Scott resting his back against one of the columns, with Jean firmly nestled in his arms. They didn't speak a word to each other and they didn't for their thoughts swirled around their minds. Scott finally broke the silence. "I'm sorry you didn't get to read your book."

"And I'm sooner, I didn't do this sooner." And she turned her head around and kissed Scott again.

The End.

Note: With so many writing projects still going on, I just wanted a quick one shot story that wasn't so complicated. I wrote pieces of the story quite a while ago, but never really got around to finish it. Somewhat inspired by a scene from the season 3 premiere of Roswell. Feedback welcomed.