A/N: Thanks to everyone for their wonderful reviews for "We're All Scared." Also credit and thanks to DamnBlackHeart for the title, because I'm awful at them. It was the one that seemed to make the most sense to me.

Chapter 1

I pushed open the door to my apartment then reset the alarm system. It was late, Logan's training session had lasted longer than normal and I was tired. I dropped my purse down on the counter and didn't bother with turning lights on as I headed toward my bedroom. All I wanted was to crash.

I was struggling out of my shoes and jacket when a sharp knock sounded. Pausing in my efforts to dress down and get in bed I listened to see if I had heard right. Another rapping came from my door and I frowned. It was way too late for some to just be popping in; not that anyone ever just popped in. I walked back over to the door, flipping on the living room light. Squinting through the peep hole I found Rogue on the other side.

Opening up quickly, I wondered what was going on. She usually called if she was going to stop by.

"I'm sorry." She said before I could say anything. "I know it's late, and…but I was hoping you'd let me stay the night."

I stepped back as I nodded. "Yea, of course. What's wrong?" And there was something wrong. If I didn't know any better I'd say she'd been crying.

She shook her head as she came in. "Nothing. I just needed a night away."

"Okay." I said slowly, locking back up.

"I won't bother you. I know it's late and you probably want to get some sleep."

"It's no bother." I assured her. "But for real, what's going on?"

Rogue raised her gloved hands. "This." She said like that explained it all.

"Your powers?" I asked, a little confused.

"Yes. No. It's Remy."

My eyebrows shot up as I followed her to my couch where we both sat down.

"God. I just want to kill him." She looked ready for murder too.

"What happen?" I knew Gambit got on her nerves, did it on purpose most of the time, but I'd never seen her so angry with him before.

She went from murderess to looking deflated. "I caught him coming out of Kitty's room."

"Oh." I responded surprised. I thought about that for a moment. Kitty and Bobby had broken up from what I heard about a month ago, making her free game, but most everyone considered Gambit and Rogue as each other's…even though neither one had ever made claim to the other one. I mean they hadn't even admitted to there being anything between them, but everyone just knew.

"I know. This is so stupid. It's not like he's my boyfriend or anything, but…I just…I don't know." Rogue looked so sad.

I felt terrible for her.

"I don't know why it's affected me like this. I know there can't be anything between us, despite what he says." Oh, so there had been romantic talk between the two of them that I hadn't known about. "I can't give him what he needs."

I didn't know what to say. It was so unfair and my heart ached for her. "I'm sorry Rogue." I said, leaning in and gave her a sisterly hug. I hoped a little contact might make her feel better.

"I'm sorry. None of this is your fault." She said as I patted her back before setting back. "I'll be okay once I get some sleep."

I nodded, hoping she was right. "We can talk about it, or you can just vent for awhile. I won't mind."

Rogue sighed. "Thanks, but I think I'd just like some sleep right now."

"You can take the bed, it's more comfortable." I offered, wanting to make her feel better even though I knew there wasn't much I could do.

She shook her head and tried for a smile. "That's okay. I know you had some bonding time with Logan today. You look like you're about to fall over."

I snorted. "Yea, bonding time. That's what we had." I stood up. "I'll get you some blankets and stuff. You know where everything is if you need something. Help yourself if you're hungry or get thirsty."

I brought her back some blankets and a pillow and she insisted that she'd be okay and that I should just go on to bed. Which I did, and waited for sleep.

Since coming to Xavier's School for the Gifted a more than a year ago Rogue had become my best friend. The fact that I was a couple years younger didn't bother her and her being a mutant didn't matter to me. What a turnabout that was from before I had come. Things had certainly changed; some good, some not so good.

I mean you wouldn't count being kidnapped by the Brotherhood a great thing, but in the few months since then things haven't been that bad. The weather, for one, had warmed up. These New York winters were just too cold for me so I couldn't complain about the summer heat. My brother was at the school now too, and while we weren't really on speaking terms I didn't have to worry about him the way I had before. For the most part we avoided each other and didn't talk if we could help it, but at least I knew he was alive. I was running the library like I had before my abduction, and enjoyed it. The Professor had talked me into applying to the local colleges in the area and I was waiting for word back. I had recently gotten a car; not new, but it was nice. Logan had looked it over and okayed it for me before I'd bought it, and it was running fine.

The Brotherhood seemed to be leaving me and Otto out of their agenda, for the time being at least. No one had tried to kidnap me lately. A fact I was very grateful for. I'd managed to push most thoughts of Pyro out of my mind, every once in awhile the Brotherhood would be mentioned in the news and he'd pop up to the front of my mind and stay there for the rest of the day. A few times I'd thought about asking Rogue about him, but didn't want to clue her in on anything. My little, twisted crush was something I wanted to keep to myself.

Before I knew it I jerked awake to my alarm clock going off. It was one of those really loud and annoying ones, because I'm not a morning person and I need something that will get me moving, if only to shut it up. I stumbled out of my bedroom like I did every morning, not really awake but moving, feeling like a zombie.

"I made coffee." Rogue said from the kitchen area.

I glanced over at her as I mumbled something that sounded like thanks. She was already showered and dressed, eating a bowl of Captain Crunch (none of that healthy granola cereal for my house, it was all sugar and food coloring for me please).I kept shuffling along until I got into the shower. I woke up after I'd been dowsed in water. I came back out and fixed myself a cup of coffee, with lots of sugar and cream, and a bowl of cereal.

"Thanks again for letting me stay." She said as she closed one of my old Cosmo magazines that had been lying around.

I waved my hand at her. "No problem. You're welcome to stay anytime." I shoved a big spoon full of Crunch Berries and milk in my mouth, and started chopping down on it. "Feel better?"

A bitter smirk crossed her face. "I'll survive."

I nodded. I guess that was the best one could hope for. The closest I could relate to her situation was being dumped, and that had sucked, but for her it had to be a hundred times worse. We finished up breakfast and getting ready. I stopped and picked up my mail on my way out. Rogue said she was going to run a few errands before going to the school, but she'd meet up with me for lunch.

After opening up the library and setting out the daily newspapers and the other little things that took about an hour each morning, I remembered my mail. I pulled it out of my purse and flipped through it. Mostly bills but there were two envelopes from two of the schools I had put applications in at.

I thought about waiting to open them later, with Rogue around, but the not knowing was going to kill me. So I ripped into the first one and from the first line I knew I hadn't been accepted. I felt like a failure, I didn't open the second nearly as enthusiastically. It was about the same thickness as the other one, and I kept kicking myself. Wishing I'd had the sense to have done better in school, been a little less worried about my friends and what party I was going to, and tried out for an extracurricular. I would have been perfect for cheerleading, for goodness sakes, and it might have helped with my coordination. I berated myself as I started reading the second letter for all my stupidity but forgot all about it when I read that I'd been accepted. Then to make sure I'd read it right, I reread the whole letter three more times. A stupid grin spread across my face, because I couldn't believe that I'd done it. I jumped out of my seat and put up my "Be back in 15" sign and rushed to the Proffesor's office to tell him. I was too excited to keep it to myself.

I knocked on the door and got a come in. He had a smile and a congratulations for me before I could even say anything.

"I got in." I said anyway.

"I knew you could." All encouraging.

"Thank you." I grinned at him; he was probably the only person who knew me that would say that. I couldn't even have said it about myself, but he'd been telling me that since he'd first brought up applying to college. No one had ever counted on me continuing my education, or even being able to with my average to below average grades. Not that I was stupid, I just hadn't cared. Well, okay, I take that back. Otto had told me if I had wanted to go to college I could. He'd told me it wasn't a question of my intelligence, just a lack of interest on my part. When he'd tell me that I'd roll my eyes and say he was right, I hated school.

There was a sharp knock on the open door and I looked back to see Otto. My smile slipped.

"You wanted to see speak with me?" He asked the Professor, barely giving me a glance. There really was no hiding our family resemblance. We both had the same dark brown hair, hazel eyes, but his skin was a couple shades darker than mine, making him seem tan, something I'd always been jealous of. Looking at him made me miss him even more.

"Yes." The Professor nodded to Otto, welcoming expression on his face.

I thought about telling Otto about being accepted to college, but didn't. I wasn't sure if I'd get a disinterested congrats or an insult or even worse, no acknowledgement at all. I decided I didn't want to dim my excitement anymore than it had been by not feeling able to tell him. I glanced down at the letter in my hand and carefully folded it.

"I'm going to head back to the library." I said, summoning up a smile for the Professor.

The Professor nodded, and gave me another congratulations. Otto raised a curious eyebrow at me as I passed by him, but didn't say anything.

I went back to the library, and stayed busy until lunch rolled around. Gambit came in a few minutes before my lunch hour started. I couldn't see those odd eyes of his, because as normal they were behind a pair of sunglasses, but his mouth was set in a straight line, no devilish curve to it at all. I felt guilty for not wanting to throw him out because I knew he was waiting for Rogue, but the truth was even if he had hook up with Kitty I couldn't hate Gambit. I felt like a terrible friend, but I gave him a sad smile as I set up my "at lunch" sign. Gambit nodded once at me, then turned his head as Rogue came in. She glared at him before spinning on her heel and walking back out.

"Wait Rogue!" Gambit was up and out the door after her.

I shook my head, deciding I'd visit with Kurt for lunch.

He was welcoming as usual when I found him, and when I told him about my getting accepted to one of the schools I'd applied to he was thrilled. The Professor might have been the one who encouraged me, but it had been Kurt who'd helped with filling out applications. I'd start in the fall semester, which was quickly approaching, much to my displeasure. I hated to see the summer drawing to a close; I enjoyed the warmer weather.

About an hour after my lunch Rogue stopped by to apologize for ditching me. I told her not to worry about it, and asked her what had happened. Rogue just shrugged and said she'd tell me later. I knew the real problem wasn't Gambit, not to say that hadn't hurt, but it was more centered on her inability to control her powers. I got the feeling she just didn't want to talk about it. So for a change of subject I showed her my acceptance letter. For my benefit she tried to be enthusiastic.

Before she left I told her if she wanted to stay another night at my place she was welcomed to. I closed the library up and headed out at my normal hour. Traffic was light thankful and I made it home in one piece after picking up some take out. When I home the first thing I did was hang my acceptance letter on my refrigerator, like a little kids art work, and grinned proudly as I did it.

Dinner and a movie I'd checked out from the school's library were my plans for that night. I should have been out jogging while there was still day light left, something I'd taken up on the days I didn't train with Logan. I needed to be in shape - something that was coming very slowly for me - to keep up with him; another something that was not my strong point. But I reasoned this was my celebration for getting into college and I'd be okay if I skipped one day.

After the movie was over, and I'd taken a hot bath to ease muscles that were still sore for the day before's training I went to bed. However, I the moment I laid down, there was a sharp knock on the door. I got up and headed for the door, knowing it was Rogue.

"Hold on, I'm coming." I told her.

I unlocked the door without looking and opened it up to find it wasn't Rogue.

A/N: Ya'll are smart people so I know this wasn't much of a cliffhanger, but I hope you enjoyed the chapter anyway.