Title: Come Back Down

Author: Jessi O (aka rogantech12297 and blushingbride)

Rating: PG-13

Genre: Angst/Romance

Pairing: Rogue/Scott

Summary: Inspired by the song Come Back Down by Lifehouse; Rogue POV; Takes place a year after X2; Jean never came back; After grieving about Jean, Scott finally opens up to Rogue... in an angst-romantic way.

Disclaimer: I don't own X-men... I just like writing about them. I don't own Ben and Jerry's either... lol

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Maybe I was trying too hard to fall asleep, because my eyes could not muster the strength to close themselves. I was freezing and the moonlight was shining right through my curtains. It was even difficult to get comfortable. I had stopped crying myself to sleep, and now, this was my nightly routine.

Ever since Jean's death, everyone moped around the school, even Logan. I always thought that I would have some sort of opportunity with him, but I would always be a kid to him.

So, I told him to leave. I'm glad that he did leave; maybe he would be able to calm himself down a bit, and its been a year since he left.

I grunted and turned to my alarm clock. It was 2:34 in the morning; I should have been sleeping 2 hours ago. I kicked my sheets off and slipped out of my room, grabbing my silk scarf and gloves on the way out.

Boy was I glad that no one was in the hallway as I made my way down the stairs and into the kitchen. I was only wearing the long nightgown that covered me from neck to toe, including my pale arms. I looked like something gone horribly wrong as I added the scarf and gloves to my wardrobe. I entered the kitchen, swiftly walking to the refrigerator, and I opened the freezer. A smile crept on my lips, eying my favorite pint of Ben and Jerry's ® ice cream. I grabbed the cold container, closed the door, and went in search of a spoon.

Just as I grabbed one, I unconsciously glanced out the window over the sink, surprising myself as I saw a shirtless Scott with a pair of loose sweats sitting outside in the patio chair. My face softened at his demeanor, his facial features expressing misery and grief.

So, I grabbed another spoon.

I could tell that he was spaced out as I opened the back door to the kitchen. His shoulders were slumped, his head in his hands as he sighed deeply.

He has separated himself from the rest of the people inhabiting the school after Jean's death, including Professor Xavier. I sometimes sat with him in the kitchen in total silence and just shared leftover food.

He would smile at me in appreciation for not being like everyone else – hounding him with questions and trying to push him out of his grieving period.

Though his eyes were unreadable through his ruby shades, I could tell that he enjoyed the quiet moments we partook in.

"Need some comfort food?" I announced myself before sitting beside him. He turned his gaze from his hands toward me, his glasses catching the moon's shine. His lips curled upward and nodded. I handed him a spoon as I sat down next to him, and I pulled the lid of my ice cream, discarding the cap on the floor. We sat there for what seemed hours, just digging the spoon into the pint numerous time. I could feel he was holding something back when he sighed sharply.

"I'm trying to move on, you know," he began, his voice so hoarse that it was barely recognizable to my ears. He twirled his spoon in his fingers, breathing heavily as I sat the ice cream down on the floor. It was the first time in months since he directed his attention to me in our quiet moments.

"I know you are, Scott," I soothed, scooting closer so my gloved arm could drape over his shoulders. He tensed, but immediately relaxed at my friendly gesture. He just continued to stare forward, the spoon still in his hand.

My heart was swollen for his loss, but that was the least of my troubles. I know, I sounded selfish, but I was glad that he wanted to move on. I wanted him to know that I was there for him, no matter what could happen, that I was there to love him.

Yes, love him. I, Rogue, was in love with Scott. I had been in love with him since our quiet encounters began, which was soon after Jean's death.

Then again, I felt that by falling in love with Scott, I was betraying Jean. They were going to get married, for crying out loud! So, I made my inner Logan tell me everyday that Scott didn't think of me in that way, but that I was allowed to have 'crushes'. After a while, my love for Scott grew stronger, but my hope of ever having anything diminished to nothing.

Though Scott constantly lashed back at everyone and skipped some classes, there was always that 'look' in his face whenever we made eye contact, kind of expressing a deep respect for me. Then his expressions became soft, and after that, he did not speak to me again, until now.

"I think I'm ready to move on," Scott declared, turning to look at me with determination. I smiled at him and lowered my arm. "I want to stop grieving about Jean. I want to let her rest in peace."

"That's great," I replied as my smile widened, "I'm proud of you. I'm always gonna be here for you, sugar. You know that, right?"

"I know you are, Rogue," he stated and smiled. The old Scott was back again and all it took was a small smile. "I know that you've been here with me ever since I started going downhill, and you have no idea how much I appreciate that."

"Well, it doesn't stop there, Scooter," I reminded him, my inner Logan adding the impish nickname. Scott smiled again, making my insides turn upside down as I continued, "I'm always gonna be here, no matter what happens. You'll always have a shoulder to cry on."

"I'm tired of shutting my friends out, especially you," he confessed hesitantly and sighed heavily. He turned his body toward me, coming face to face as he dropped the spoon on the floor, and suddenly, my stomach decided to twist in knots.

"You didn't shut me out. On the contrary, you let me enjoy many silent times with you," I argued, taking his hands in my gloved ones. He sighed again. I could tell that he was struggling to tell me something.

"That's the point. I never spoke to you, Rogue. I never opened myself up to you when I could have. Instead, I bottled up my emotions and I can't hold them any longer," he declared, which confused the crap out of me. He stared right at me, his grip on my hands tightening. His expression softened, just like his respectful stares.

"I know how you feel, Scott. I've had to let go any grief for Jean," I murmured, still unsure of what he was talking about. I had never been so clueless in my life, or maybe it was my inner Logan kicking in. He was definitely clueless, despite his enhanced senses and constant rambling about anything and everything.

Or maybe it was my inner Bobby, who was too innocent to realize what was going on.

Maybe my inner David and St. John were inattentive to realize Scott's context.

Even my inner Erik was confused.

Man, I have to put mental blocks on these people's thoughts and emotions. What a way to wreck my mind.

"Yeah," Scott whispered, looking down at our hands before dropping mine. He stood up, his gaze still upon me, and shook his head with a deep sigh leaving his lips. I furrowed my eyebrows; was that a frustrated sigh?

Scott walked back into the mansion, leaving me alone outside at 3 o'clock in the morning. I furrowed my eyebrows even more, determined to demand answers.

"Scott!" I called after him before he entered his room. He stopped abruptly, his hand on the knob, and turned to face me. I was at the foot of the stairs, his room eight doors down; anyone could have been awaken by my yelling out. Luckily, Xavier didn't even flinch from his sleep; he would have sent mental screams at me. I even felt relieved that my ex-boyfriend Bobby didn't run out of his room.

"What is it, Marie?" Scott asked, his voice so tender when he said my name.

My real name.

My vulnerable name.

I walked up to him, crossing my arms over my chest, and stopped close just enough to whisper to each other. Scott opened the door, and motioned me to come in. I took the offer, strolling inside and toward the window to look out into the back woods. I heard the door close with a soft click and Scott's feet on the wooden floor. I felt him standing behind me, his stare burning holes on my back.

"Tell me what's going on, Scott. I can feel that you're not telling me something," I declared and turned to face him. He raked his fingers through his hair and slumped down on the bed with a loud thud as I turned back to the window.

The room suddenly was too hot for my own liking. My thin scarf felt like think wet cotton, clinging to my neck. I could smell Scott's tension and frustration and... arousal? That couldn't be right! 'It's arousal, alright,' Logan spat in my mind, and I couldn't help but smile at his jealousy as he continued to rant about how he was probably thinking about Jean. Sure I laughed at Logan.

My long nightgown felt heavier that usual when I heard Scott stand up and walk up to where I was. His hot breath attacked the small hairs on the back of my neck, sending wild chills down my spine.

"I always thought that I would always protect the ones I loved because if I lost them, I knew that I would end up like this like I was – shattered," Scott whispered, his lips inches from my ears. "I lost Jean and I didn't know how to live life again, how to truly love someone, but you came into the picture."

His hands grazed my arms and slowly turned me to face him. I almost melted at the sight of this man. Sure, I sometimes checked him out, but right now, I could see every muscle ripple in his body. I couldn't breathe at all.

"I know you're grieving, too, Marie," he mumbled as he picked up a piece of my scarf, covering his hand enough to cup my cheek. "I know how hard it has been for you without Logan."

"I can't say that I didn't love him, because I did and I still do, but," I sighed as Scott brought his arms around me, pulling me closer to him, and I placed my gloved hands on his bare chest. I was completely nervous at his gestures. "It took me a while to realize that my heart doesn't belong to him. My love for Logan is more of a friendly love, fraternal love, and I will never be nothing but his little sister."

"Marie, you're beautiful," he murmured, his right hand grazing the back of my neck with my silk scarf as his face inched closer to mine. His left had rubbed the small of my back and pushed me closer to him. Our noses touched slightly and my mutation kicked in, my skin pulling on his as a quick flood of Scott's thoughts seeping into my head, and he pulled away slimly, enough to hold me close. I closed my eyes as I felt a slight burn in the back of my head. His thoughts upset the other inhabitants in my mind, which actually made me smile.

His thoughts were scrambled yet organized in my mind as they pushed the other thoughts for more room.

His soft voice echoed in my mind, whispered sweet words, and then his thoughts played his vivid dreams, steamy dreams...

Dreams of learning each others' bodies with having to worry about my lethal skin or his deadly vision.

Then small thoughts of having a life with him made my eyes water with tears. I opened my eyes when I felt that his optic blasts had disappeared and raised my eyes to meet his ruby glasses, my lips parting as I gasped for air.

"Your eyes are blue," I gasped a whisper and Scott smiled widely as he nodded. "Do you-?" I struggled my words out, "-love me?"

I could hear my inner Logan screaming that he was going to say no, and for the first time in a while, I told him to shut up.

Scott leaned in close enough for his lips to hover over mine without grazing them. His right hand tugged on my silk scarf and cupped my cheek. "More that words could say." With that, he slipped the scarf over my lips and pressed his mouth against mine.

At first it was soft and sweet, and I loved the feeling of his mouth on mine, even if there was a thin barrier between us. I smelled his arousal thickening, his frustration gone as his kisses became more demanding.

My hands went to the back of his head, fisting up in his hair as he backed me up and pushed me against the wall. His body presses against mine sent the biggest chills down my spine.

"My sweet Marie," he whispered when we parted, the scarf dropping to my chest. "You have no idea how much I've wanted this, to let me love you."

"I love you, too, Scott," I whispered back, a fresh batch of tears appearing in my eyes, "I've loved you for a while now." He smiled warmly at me and wiped my tears with his hands. My heart skipped a beat at his soft touch; he was not afraid of me.

"Stay with me tonight," he pleaded, walking backwards and pulling me with him until we reached the edge of the bed. "Just to sleep, " he smiled, "I promise. I would never in my life do anything to hurt you."

"I'm just afraid of touching you," I stated defeated as Scott placed one arm under my knees and swiftly picked me up. He then turned around and softly put me down on the mattress. He casted a warm smile down at me and moved around to the other side of the bed, grabbing a worn out long sleeve shirt he had on the floor. He slipped it on and sat down, his ruby shades transfixed on me.

"Now you don't have to be," he assured me as i turned to my side, bring my knees up halfway ans smiled shyly. He returned the smile with equal emotion and pushed himself down, his body laying extremely close to mine.

"I think I'm dreaming," he murmured as he pulled me closer to him, his breathing becoming regular soft, slow patterns. I snuggle closer to his chest, sleep overcoming my body.

"I guess we'll find out in the morning," I slurred before I also gave into sleep with a smile, Scott's soft snoring the last thing I heard. It was the first time that we both slept soundly. This was too good to be true.

I think its time to just move on

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Fin

Sequel or no Sequel? That is the question.