Title: Tick Tock

Disclaimer: I own nothing. All characters used in this story belong to Marvel and the characters portrayed are those from the X-Men movies.

First fanfiction written- so hopefully I don't disappoint! Reviews are most definitely welcome! This story is after X-men: The Last Stand and is Rogue/Angel, Rogue/Logan. Enjoy!

Chapter One.

Xavier was dead. The wooden hallways of the school echoed with young whispers. Students murmured rumors that ripped into Rogue's head as she wandered to her room. She could hear all of the kids and their worries, she could hear their tears and hopes through the walls. It happened two weeks ago. The depression still lurked around the courtyards, it pressed against the gates of Xavier's school and threatened to collapse against the world. Rogue hoped it would crush it. Crush her. The days felt like minutes to her, time seemed to slow down as if he had warped time around her and made everything almost motionless- but just through her eyes.

Logan had said things would settle down. The school was planned to start up two days ago, but still shadows lurked the campus. Children screamed at night, their powers reacting to fear, sadness, and loss. Rogue touched her doorknob. Her fingers tingled and she looked down at her hand. It was bare, her naked skin felt the coolness of the metal and she twisted to open the door. She plopped onto her bed and stared at the ceiling. Her reaction was staring, counting time as it passed. Two weeks, how much longer would she have to wait for her not to miss him? To not miss Cyclops? To not hate Jean?

Rogue closed her eyes. The cure hadn't made her feel the way she wanted. She could touch, she could rub her skin against Bobby's, against anyone, but her insides felt empty. Her heart ached for reaction, for her powers to surge because of sadness, depression- because of loss.

Two days. Two days ago Bobby broke up with her. He said she changed. Though he could touch her, she seemed empty. Rogue agreed silently when he had told her he no longer wanted to be together, maybe just friends. She knew he was secretly seeing Kitty sparingly throughout the week. Maybe weeks. Rogue knew they had entered closets and kissed with lust, but Kitty, unlike her- was alive. The cure had done nothing but make Rogue feel as if something was missing. Her powers, though much like a curse, had given her a light that had guided her. She was lost, no longer a mutant.

The clock next to her bed clicked. Tick. Tock. It made her head ache. It reminded her of Xavier. It reminded her of the grandfather clock in his office on the back wall. How it would tick tock when she dazed off. How he would break into her head and tell her to pay attention. How when she was sleeping she would hear him whisper to her that she was gifted. Rogue opened her eyes. She looked down at her arms that were settled on both sides of her. She was gift-less, not gifted.

"Do you see something interesting?"

Rogue jumped up and quickly readjusted to the side of her bed. Her eyes darted towards her open door and she saw Angel, the newest student. He leaned against her doorframe, jeans wrapped around his legs and a white shirt with holes in the back for his wings. The wings which intruded her room. Rogue glared at him. "What're ya doin' in my room?"

Angel looked at Rogue, confused. "The door was open, doesn't that mean I'm welcome?" Rogue thought she had closed the door behind her, but she couldn't remember. All she could remember was the Professor, her powers, and Angel's blue eyes staring into her. Rogue rolled her eyes at the winged teenager.

"That don't mean nothing."

She laid back down on her bed and stared at the ceiling again. Her bed sank, caving in slightly to her left. She turned her head and saw Angel sitting next to her. Rogue raised an eyebrow.

"Leave."

Angel smiled slightly. "Leave? I'm just getting here."

He leaned back against her headboard and his feathers brushed against her face. He felt her move away slightly. "I heard you took the cure."

Rogue turned away from him and turned on her side. She faced the wall and decided it was much better to look at than the ceiling. "Yeah, so?" She really didn't want to talk to him. She wanted to talk to no one, not even Logan.

"I almost did." Angel shifted so he could see her without his wings feeling uncomfortable. He lifted his right arm off of his lap and poked Rogue's left arm. Nothing happened.

"Am I supposed to be impressed or somethin'?" Rogue moved her left arm away from him and pushed her hair out of her face and behind her ear. She didn't turn to look at him.

"You should always be proud of who, or what you are."

Rogue rolled her eyes. It was something the professor would say, but could they understand? She couldn't touch before. She couldn't hold anyone, be poked, be hugged, kissed, tickled. She had no sensations externally, only internally. She shifted and laid on her back. The ceiling was much more appealing. Her left arm rubbed against Angel's feathers again.

"I'd take it back if I could ya know. Juss sayin'." Rogue closed her eyes. It hurt to admit it. Just as much as it hurt to admit to missing Xavier, Cyclops, and even Jean. She hated admitting things. Just like how she disliked admitting to herself that she liked the tickle of Angel's feathers and his smell. It was peppermint, maybe.

Angel smirked sadly and moved his body down so he could lay alongside Rogue. "I'm sorry."

She felt him get out of bed. The mattress lifted when his weight left it. She looked towards her door, it was shut- almost closed but not quite- and Angel was gone. She glanced to the light imprint of his body embedded in her mattress. She could smell the light hint of peppermint and she felt relieved she wasn't imagining him. She turned onto her side again. Closed her eyes. Imagined Xavier telling her she was gifted. The whispering children sang his name throughout the hallways, they created a lullaby and before Rogue could eat dinner, she fell asleep.

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