Title: Day To Day
Author: PrincessOfQuestionableMorals
Characters/Pairings: Rogue/Gambit, Logan, Storm, Kitty, Bobby, Jubilee, Piotr, Hank McCoy, Emma Frost, the Professor
Genre: Drama
Note: Canon with all four X-Men movies, but uses the alternative Rogue ending for X3.
Summary: The battle had been won. Peace had been made. And so they started to rebuild.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
"Ah…Ah'm sorry, Bobby," Rogue said. "Ah couldn't do it. It's just who Ah am." She smiled sadly, holding out a gloved hand, and Bobby took it, pulling her into a hug.
They broke apart when they heard someone clearing their throat. Logan stood in the doorway, raising an eyebrow at the pair, and without hesitating, Rogue crossed the room. She stopped in front of him, reaching up and touching his face, ignoring the question in his eyes as he felt the familiar texture of the glove.
"Ah heard about Jean," she whispered. "'M sorry."
She wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him into one of their hugs. He hugged her back tightly, because she was all he had left, because, against all odds, he had come to think of her as his daughter, regardless of what he had said to her.
"Logan, Bobby, Rogue…" Storm's soft voice drifted off from down the hallway, and Rogue drew back from Logan, wiping her eyes and smiling bravely. "We're meeting in the office."
"Why?" asked Bobby. "We just won the battle. Isn't that enough for now?"
Storm smiled kindly at him. "The battle may be won, but the new school year is starting soon and there are things we need to discuss."
"Storm, Ah…" Rogue started. She bit her lip. "Ah'm sorry."
Storm looked confused. "Whatever for, child?"
"For even considerin' the Cure, for not bein' there at the final battle…" Rogue trailed off.
Storm's eyes widened. "Rogue, you have nothing to be ashamed of. You are a strong woman, but everyone needs touch—even you." She shuddered. "I can't even imagine it—and everyone came through the battle, without you there."
"Except Jean," murmured Logan.
That was met with silence, which Bobby broke by grabbing Rogue's hand and leading her towards the office, the two older mutants falling into step behind them.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
"You want us to do WHAT?" shrieked Kitty, her expression a mix of horror and surprise.
"As the oldest and brightest at the school, I want you to become teachers at the school," repeated Storm calmly, regarding the mutants in front of her. Kitty and Bobby were sharing the couch, staring dumbstruck at the white-haired woman. Rogue was nervously playing with the hem of her shirt, while Piotr Rasputin sat silently in a large armchair, face impassive. Jubilee, a pretty Asian girl, popped her gum obnoxiously as she leaned against the wall. Logan leaned against the doorway, arms folded, with one eyebrow raised.
"Storm—" started Hank, from his position of hanging off the ceiling. "They have no experience, no schooling beyond high school—they're teenagers—"
"Teenagers who have proven themselves," interrupted Storm. "This is first and foremost a school, Hank, and there aren't many who will understand our way of life. We cannot run the school with only three teachers."
There was silence at that, as everyone processed the information—a silence broken only by Rogue.
"Miss Munroe…" she drawled, "if we're gonna be teachers, does that mean we get to be X-Men?"
Logan snorted. "No way." Storm shot him a look. "You can't be serious."
"Why not?" demanded Bobby. "We fought with you, we've all learned to use our powers, we've had combat training." He glanced at Rogue and Jubilee. "Even those who weren't at the battle have worked in the Danger Room." Jubilee rolled her eyes and Rogue's line of sight dropped back down to her hem. "We've earned it."
Storm sighed. "You're too young—all of you. We'll see if, and only if, you prove you can work as a team, you will be inducted.
"Meanwhile, Rogue—you'll be taking over English. Your grades in that area were always excellent, and I have no doubt you will be able to handle the position." Rogue nodded. "Good. Kitty—you'll take over physics classes and computer classes—as I recall, you're quite the computer whiz. Jubilee…you'll split chemistry classes with Hank. No blowing things up." Jubilee grinned mischievously. "You'll also split the math classes with Bobby." Jubilee groaned.
"Now go, you have lesson plans to draw up. The students are returning in three days." Storm ushered the younger mutants out of the room, leaving her alone with Hank and Logan.
"It's too soon," burst out Logan as soon as the newest teachers were gone.
"Is it?" asked Storm, crossing the room and taking a seat behind her desk. "They've all faced death and destruction, and they're all still here. They've all saved lives—don't you think they earned it?" At Logan's look, Storm sighed and began to tick off their fingers. "Rogue—dragged you out of the dark—don't even deny it, Logan—and remains good even with the cards she was dealt in life. Jubilee—she watched over and protected the children when they were kidnapped by Stryker, and has the scars to prove it. Kitty, Bobby, and Piotr were all at the battle of Alcatraz, and they proved themselves there. So—maybe it would be too soon. But I think they're ready."
Logan's expression darkened. "I'll judge that," he growled. Sparing a nod to Hank, he stalked out of the room.
"Ororo—" began Hank.
"Don't you start too, Hank," said Storm, holding up a hand. "I have gone through all the other options."
"Emma?" tried Hank.
"Emma joined the Hellfire Club—don't look at me like that—and I don't think we can trust her," Storm said.
"We should call her anyways. We need a telepath, Storm, and right now we don't have one. Emma may be the only other one strong enough to use Cerebro."
"Maybe you're right," said Storm. "I'll think about it." Hank inclined his head and left the room, leaving Storm in an office that she would never be able to think of as hers.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
"I don't get it," announced Jubilee, falling down onto her bed in the room shared by her, Kitty, and Rogue. "Who lets a bunch of eighteen-year-olds become teachers?"
"Actually, Ah'm nineteen," said Rogue softly. "And they probably couldn't find mutant teachers willin' to work in such a famous mutant base. So they find five mutants with their G.E.D.'s who're already here. It's logical."
Kitty snorted. "And they totally can't not let us be X-Men. That is so unfair." Kitty sighed. "I mean, like, Bobby, Piotr, and I were actually there, in the battle at Alcatraz. How can they keep us off the team?" She didn't notice the flashes of irritation and guilt clouding her roommates' eyes. "You guys don't understand how frustrating it is and did I mention not fair?"
Jubilee rolled her eyes, and Rogue got up from where she was sitting. "Life's not fair, Kitty, and even you'll have to learn that sometime," she said frostily. "Now, if y'all would excuse meh, Ah've gotta go research American literature." She walked to the door, slamming it behind her.
"What's with her?" asked Kitty, sitting up.
Jubilee patted her on the back. "Some day, you'll learn how to think before you speak. Until then…" she paused. "Until then, just keep your mouth shut." She followed Rogue out of the room, leaving a trail of golden sparks behind her, as Kitty watched her go, openmouthed.