First of all, I own nothing of the x-men. Just a really big fan! This story takes place after X2 and eventually mixes in with X3 when Jean comes back. This is a Scott/Marie, Rogue/Cyclops pairing.

I can't see them as kids anymore. They're still teachers and students, but Rogue is more or less 18-21. Plus, I don't really know how to type out her accent so I eventually just let it fade as she stayed up north longer. Sorry if that ruins the story.

**Thanks to those of you who reminded me it's Ororo, not Oro. :3

A Rouge's Curse

It had been almost a year and the mansion was still in shambles. No one seemed able to function…no one seemed able to do anything but sit there and stare into space.

Jean had been…well, everything. Jean had been the best teacher, an original x-men, a friend, a mother-figure…a lover.

Scott walked through the mansion in a daze, more like a ghost then an actual person. Logan was gone every other month, and every time he came back his mood was foul and his temper was never quenched. The professor went through the movements, but it seemed even he couldn't shake the gloom that covered his senses. Ororo tried as best as she could, but every so often the skies were dark and rain seemed insistent. The kids were lost. Many of them didn't know the entire story, but the absence of Jean was overwhelming.

The only person that seemed strong enough to move on had been Rogue.

The Untouchable.

Her emotions were as toxic as her skin. No one realized how much she blamed herself for Jean's death…no one understood. Oh, they didn't come right out and blame her, but she saw it in their eyes. If she hadn't gotten the jet stuck then maybe…maybe things would've turned out different. Maybe Jean would've lived and Miss. Perfect would still be there. She felt resentment and she felt guilt. Even Logan, the man who promised to always be there, had avoided her like she was the plague. That hurt more than anything.

Almost a year and nothing had changed. Mutants graduated, many left, many stayed. Bobby, Kitty, Rogue and Piotr were still here, staying to be part of the infamous X-men. John was gone…no one seemed to care that he joined Magneto. No one but Rogue. He never looked at her like she was to blame. All she ever saw in his eyes was a tenderness. If she had noticed that when she was with Bobby, then maybe…

Pfft, Bobby.

In the course of that year Bobby had left and Kitty had taken him. Rogue didn't blame him. Most people wanted a girlfriend they could touch.

Danger room sessions were monotonous and all that seemed to matter was to figure out how to get over this glitch.

The loss.

The pain.

The Agony.

The Jean.

The roar of the motorcycle brought her head whipping around. Her white strands smacked her in the face as the wind blew, but her heart started hammering on its own accord. She shoved her red-brown hair away from her face before climbing away from the edge of the pond on campus. She saw him flying up the driveway on Profess…Scott's bike. She had to remember that. She wasn't a student anymore.

She was Rogue, an X-men.

Logan never wore a helmet. It wasn't that he didn't care for his health, but when your mutation was quick healing the rules of man didn't exactly apply. She stayed crouched, avoiding his line of vision. He stepped off and pulled a cigar out of his jacket, turned toward the mansion before lighting it. He began to walk towards the big double doors until he stopped and turned suddenly. His claws came out and Rogue stifled a gasp. She never got used to it, no matter how many times she had seen him do it.

"What do ya want, one-eyed?"

"Nice you see you're alive."

"Like you care?"

"you're right. What brought you back this time?"

"I missed your smiling face."

"I wished you'd take something seriously."

"I have news from up north." Logan said, his voice grave.

"You found something?"

Rogue noticed the hope in Scott's voice as he stepped closer. Logan turned away before answering. "I don't know."

"Don't you dare hold back on me, Logan, or-"

"What? You won't do anything, Cyclops. Don't forget, we both lost something important to us."

"Logan-"

"Run on back to the professor so I can finish my cigar." Logan replied roughly, before turning away from him, ending the conversation. She watched as Scott trumped off and only hoped she wasn't caught spying. The wind lifted her ponytail and played with it before setting it back down on her back. Logan had turned to begin walking once more and stopped suddenly. His nose lifted to the sky and he said one word, "Rogue."

Once upon a time he would've found her and asked her what was wrong. She always hid out near the lake when something was wrong. But now, all he did was turn around and continue walking into the mansion. She closed her eyes for a moment and laid back down by the edge of the lake.

One freakin' year.