Disclaimer: Oh sure, I so own the X-Men. No sarcasm to be found here

Say what

It starts off with learning that he's back. Found out from one particularly awkward run in with Bobby in the hallway one evening. And though he had, and still is, far from being one of her favorite people in the mansion, for reasons not only obvious but make her insides ache, the very un-Bobby like frown etched into his features that day had made her stop despite herself, and curiously ask, just whatever it was that had the mighty Bobby Drake, mutant highs star pupil looking as if he had just witnessed his childhood dog get backed over with a truck? After realizing she sounded far more civil than she would have liked, Rogue added shamelessly, "Kitty didn't dump you did she?"

His jaw noticeably tightened a bit at her little remark once he had gotten over the shock that she was purposely engaging him in conversation. Something, Rogue had promised mere days ago would never happen again if she had anything to do with.

"Look Rogue," He started, but never quite finished once looking fully into her eyes. She supposed he had read all too well the "If you dare say your sorry again, lack of powers or not, I will personally kick your ass all over this hallway Drake." He coughed awkwardly, shifting his gaze briefly to the floorboards before willing himself to look at her again. "Its nothing really," Bobby said after awhile. Voice nauseatingly laced in the up most of forced pleasantness "Nothing important anyway."

She opened her mouth, ready to press him on it, make him tell her what's so clearly eating away at him like a parasite, but ultimately catches herself. Rogue bit her lip thoughtfully, that would make her seem eager she mused. And the last thing she wanted was to give him the impression she actually cared about anything going on with him, cause she soo didn't. Besides fulfilling her rightful role as jaded ex-girlfriend with an occasional biting remark towards Bobby, and on bitchy'er moments a shot or two at Kitty, Rogue was proud to say as of late she had avoided any confrontation with the two. A far cry from earlier actions. Rogue liked to think she was finally on that resting phase that usually came in the aftermaths of a sunken relationship. Where, after much raging, and voodoo doll sessions alone in your room, one finally enters that serene state of mind where moping pathetically about in zombie mode over your old boyfriend starts to get a little clich'e, and you go on with your life or whatever. That's what she grudgingly repeated in her head like a mantra anyway. Yup, she couldn't care less if she tried. Totally with the non caring-ness. So beyond not interested it was funny. Ha frikin ha. But damn it, Rogue spared a quick glance in Bobby direction, she had always been curious by nature, that's what got her in this mess in the first place, and his evasiveness wasn't helping counteract that in the least.

Rogue folded her arms over her chest in what she hoped reflected a rather bored uncaring manner. Totally in her center. Cool. "Nothing huh? It seems like something pretty extreme from over here."

"Well its not," He said, and the foreign edge she heard in his voice made her raise an eyebrow.

Bobby moved as if to walk past her, end yet another awkward confrontation with his ex, too bad said ex couldn't give a rats ass whether he was uncomfortable or not and effectively cut him off.

"You wouldn't get this worked up over nothing Bobby," She said hotly. Thinking she had a pretty good idea what…or more so whom, was getting so under his skin. And that only served to bring on the uncharacteristic boldness that was currently driving her on auto pilot.

Possible eagerness be damned. "Bet this nothings real big in the importance to you."

His eyes met hers, a great change of pace from earlier, and any cool composure Rogue had managed to work up when entering this conversation abruptly evaporated at the look on Bobby Drakes face.

"Important?"

My god was he sneering?

He's a worthless piece of shit," He spat, not quite yelling but the venom in his tone greatly making up for it, and Rogue from the sheer surprise of it all flinched back as if he had struck her.

She stared wordlessly at him as he breathed heavily. The sound of him taking deep gulps of air filling her ear drums yet barely registering in her bustling head.

Bobby didn't act like this she thought numbly. He just didn't. Simple as that. Hell, she should know better than anybody that he didn't. Couldn't even. If she had had any such doubts previous to the happy go lucky days of when they were a "we" instead of -well, not, that he was capable of such an intense reaction to….well anything, the days after their break up had only proved to confirm it. Rogue could remember all too well the countless times she had tried to provoke such a reaction from him. Practically goaded him time and time again to break from that boy next door exterior he permanently wore like a second skin, and give her a side of him that she could hate and despise properly like she so desperately needed to.

But no. Bobby, no matter how she resented and cried herself to sleep over him was just that. Bobby. And Bobby, when she had practically verbally abused him along with his dearest Kitty at every corner, of every hour for weeks on end, had only responded to her admittedly petty attempts with this pitying look as he took everything she threw at him. Only when her voice had gone hoarse from yelling so much and so long would he then walk away. Leaving her that much more bitter, and ultimately unsatisfied.

Rogue mentally shook her head. Going down that train of thought was bad. The last thing she needed was yet another emotional break down in front of Bobby. She frowned at a brief flash of memory that involved crying hysterically in the games room while throwing shredded pictures she'd once held sacred at a bewildered Bobby.

Oh, and of course what might as well have been half the mansion had conveniently all been there to witness the incident.

She shook off the memory with a small cringe and turned her attention back to Bobby.

Looking at him now, disgusted with himself for slipping so far from his norm, Rogue find herself on that same jagged road of confusion as before.

Why had he exploded like. Who had made him explode like that. And the question that high jacked her thought process far more than she would have liked to admit, why couldn't she ever get him to react like that?

None of this made any sense. Hence the spiraling question marks floating around her head.

Sure he evaded like hell when confronted with something he didn't want to talk about. That much was natural. That was typical Bobby. Avoiding saying or doing anything that could more than likely lead to conflict. But this…..She shook her head. He only got like this when- wait a second, did he say he? As in-

"John," She said simply, in a tone that didn't even remotely capture what she was feeling.

A/N: -gasp- Holy cliff hangers. Feedback would be nice :)