yeah, okay, i know, i shouldn't start a new fanfiction this soon... but in my defense, i totally believe this would happen if not for that completely random and nonsensical crush rogue has on scott. besides, it's just a three part story, so i'm going to post all three at once.

so in this, that crush doesn't exist. rogue just feels like she can talk to scott, and then this happens. she feels nothing but platonic friendship and familial love for scott.

warning: vague mentions of abuse in chapter.

Scott couldn't help the swell of affection he felt for the younger girl as she fit the visor over his face. When he dared open his eyes, he saw her looking away from his gaze, unable to meet his stare. If he didn't know any better, he would think that the Rogue was developing a crush on him.

But he did know better.

"You are like an angel, Kate," he said, and she scoffed, a bitter little smile curving her lips.

"Mah name's not Kate," she admitted, "And Ah'm no angel."

When Rogue first joined the team, Scott realized they had more in common than he originally thought. Rogue reminded him of himself. Well, himself before a young Jean Grey brought him out of his shell. Like him, Rogue could not control her powers. Like he used to be, Rogue was quiet, withdrawn, and prickly. (Okay, Scott could still be prickly sometimes).

And come Christmastime, he found that both he and Rogue were orphans.

He had always known, vaguely, that Rogue was isolated from her family. During that first Christmas, though, he realized she truly had nobody to call family.

("What are you still doing here?" / "Where else would Ah be?")

After helping Warren out in the city, Scott walked into the living room, fresh from a shower, to find Rogue already sitting there, staring into space, still in her dirty uniform. Both the Professor and Mr. McCoy had retired early, right after the two teens had briefed them.

"Hey," he said hesitantly. Rogue blinked, her only outward sign of surprise. She didn't say anything. Scott hesitated for a second, then sat down across from her. "You are like an angel, Kate," he joked. Rogue's lips quirked up into the same, bitter smile she had given him all those months ago, after saving Jean from Blob.

"Ah thought yah saw today what an angel really looks lahke, Cyke," she replied quietly, smiling to herself. Scott shrugged, eyeing her closely.

"I thought you lived with your aunt?" He burst out after a few minutes, dying of curiosity. "Why aren't you with her for Christmas?" Too late, he saw the flash of hurt on Rogue's face at the mention of her aunt.

"None of yah're business!" She snapped, drawing her arms protectively around herself, her eyes glowing yellow suddenly with the residue of Magneto's touch. Scott raised up his hands defensively.

"Okay, okay."

They were quiet for a little longer.

"When Ah touched Mystique last year," Rogue started quietly, "Ah saw some o' the memories she guarded close tah her heart." She looked down, and Scott held his breath, not daring to say anything in fear of scaring her off. She had never been this open with anyone. "Mah Aunt Irene," she gave a bitter laugh, "Well, Ah always knew she wasn't mah blood aunt, but Ah considered her mah only family. An' it turns out, she was just th' mutant Mystique assahgned tah watch ovah meh, tah keep an eye on mah powers." She shook her head bitterly. "That's all Irene evah wanted meh for. Mah damn powers."

Scott was quiet. What could he possibly say?

Rogue scoffed angrily. "Ah was so stupid tah trust her!" She burst out. "Gawd, Ah'd only known her a couple o' years, an' Ah trusted her more than Ah've evah trusted anybody!"

Here, Scott could answer. "Trusting her didn't make you stupid, Rogue," he soothed. "She abused that trust, well, that's her loss. I know I'm glad to have your trust on the field. So is Jean, and Kitty, and Kurt, and Evan...the Professor...Storm..."

Rogue just smiled tightly. "Thanks, Scooter, means a lot."

"You know, I know what it's like to not have anyone." Scott confessed. Rogue sighed.

"Ah know yah do."

Scott looked down, and then back up at her. "What about your parents?"

Rogue shuddered. "Ah wouldn't know," she confessed quietly. "Ah think..." She trailed off, tears coming to her eyes.

"What?" Scott was alarmed by the sight of tears - he had seen Jean cry, he'd seen Kitty cry (quite often), he'd seen Jamie and Roberto and Amara cry, and on one occasion, he'd even seen Kurt cry. But Rogue? Never.

Rogue took a deep, shaky breath. "Mah momma died givin' birth tah me," she smiled bravely, her lip trembling, "And Ah don't think mah daddy took it well."

Scott's heart froze in his chest. "Rogue..."

"Ah've never told anyone this before," she commented, cutting him off. "He used tah beat meh, Ah think, Ah don't remembah much. Then Ah was put intah fostah care, and shuttled around." Her voice rose in pitch, her throat all choked up. "Nobody wanted me!"

"Oh, Rogue..."

"An' then Irene came, and Ah thought she cared, an' it was all okay, but then Ah fahnd out that she was jus' doin' Mystique a favor the whole tahme!"

Scott felt winded. He didn't know what to say.

Rogue looked at him with broken green eyes. "All Ah evah wanted was a family that wanted meh."

Scott scooted closer to Rogue, giving her a gentle hug, careful of her skin. She was crying silently now, not allowing a single sound to escape in her stubbornness.

He held her for a few minutes, until her silent tears subsided. Then he spoke, an idea popping into his head.

"What if I was your family?" He asked her. She stopped short and stared at him.

"Say what now?"

"Not like that, silly!" He said, gently swatting at her. She giggled.

"Well, how then?"

Scott grinned, proud of himself. "How about I am officially your brother?"

Rogue stopped laughing and stared at him, the same way Alex stared at him when they were children. For a moment, Scott was transported to a different time, when he had a younger brother who gazed at him like he had singlehandedly created the world (Scott had been only too happy to allow his brother to call him 'My Lord' until the poor kid figured out big bro wasn't God).

"You serious, Cyke?" She whispered, her voice gravelly. Her eyes were boring into his, hopeful and at the same time, not daring to hope.

"Yeah," he grinned. "I think we could pull it off, we have this whole 'friends who fight' thing going, why not make it official and become brother and sister?"

"Ah've nevah had a brother before."

"Well, I've never had a sister before."

Rogue smiled brightly, and for a minute, Scott thought he was seeing a little girl of six years, smiling up at him the way his little brother had as well.

"Alex is gonna be pissed," he joked. Rogue gained an alarmed look on her face.

"Oh, no, Ah wouldn't wanna intrude..."

"He's going to be upset that I get to spend more time with our sister than he does. Just wait til I tell him! He's always wanted a younger sibling, hated that I was older," now that was stretching the truth a bit, but Alex had always wanted a little brother or sister.

Rogue grinned widely and threw her arms carefully around his neck. Scott smiled. She really did remind him of Alex, and he was sure Alex would dote on her, taking his big brother duties seriously despite only being a couple of months her elder.

He glanced at the clock. Midnight.

"Happy Christmas, sister," he whispered in her ear.

"Happy Christmas, brother," she whispered into his shoulder.

please let me know what you thought!

love you!

-jules