Title: Being Human

Author: S J Smith

Rating: Teen

Summary: Maybe it's a little lonely after she took the Cure, but Marie isn't going to let that get her down.

Disclaimer: Seriously, if I owned any of this, I wouldn't be struggling to pay for my internet.

Note: Post X-Men III, and for Leni, again.

There was a shadow on the wall that reminded Marie of a song her momma used to play when she was little. Something about counting shadows and playing Solitaire with a deck without enough cards, and she remembered the men had really nice voices. A part of her thought she could still sing that song. It's a part she recognized, not someone else's memories, or even someone else's voice in her head. Just a bit of her past.

Since she took the Cure, and stopped being Rogue, there'd just been her in her head. Marie wouldn't say it was lonely, but after hearing those voices, and having all those extra memories crammed in there, it was strange. Now, if she had to second-guess her decisions, there wasn't someone mocking her for it. Well, not in anyone else's voice, at least.

She'd decided to leave the school, not feeling right there any more. She wasn't a freak, couldn't be an X-Man, not without her powers. But how amazing was it to be able to touch – to not have to shy away from people and an inadvertent brush of skin to skin? How amazing was it to just be human again?

Marie exhaled through her lips, making a motor boat sound. "Damn boring, that's what," she muttered, "when there isn't anyone to share it with." Living alone was different. Very different, after sharing a mansion with, well, she wasn't sure how many kids and adults. Marie could be sure of two things here in her own place - her fridge was always stocked when she went to peer into it, and she could actually have beer. Not that it seemed as good as it used to. It'd always tasted better when she'd sneaked it away from Logan.

Shaking her head, she decided to not think about Logan. Yeah, she missed him, like a little ache under her skin, and those times when he'd suddenly drop by were like a special treat. There were other people she missed, too, but she'd made friends here, in the outside world. She didn't have to worry about bare skin, and turning sideways when someone tried to pass by her in the halls. Okay, so she kind if missed the gloves and scarf, but it was nice not having to wear them all the time, too. Marie rubbed her hands together, reveling in the sensation for a few seconds, then stared at her palms in realization. "This works better if I'm touching someone else," she reminded them, and dropped her hands to her sides. "And I really need to get out more if I'm gonna be talking to my hands."

She turned around in a slow circle in the center of her room, catching sight of herself in the mirror. Wistful dark eyes, a white streak in her hair. A smile quirking up the corner of her mouth. Marie went to the hall tree, grabbing the white scarf off it and looping it around her neck. The fedora went on top of her head, and the denim jacket fit almost as nice as a leather one she once wore.

Making sure she had her keys and wallet, she locked up, and headed out for the night. She didn't have to be a shadow any more. She could be a real girl, and Marie thought that was a pretty good deal.

- end -