Disclaimer: I don't own the X-Men, I make no profit, please don't sue me! I hope you all enjoy this story; it's a fluff story between Jean and Scott about getting their feelings out and trying to keep their new private life PRIVATE. Believe me, that is not an easy thing when you live in the same building as Kitty Pryde.

LOL

ENJOY!

RedPhoenix1821

Chapter 1

Scott stuck his head into the kitchen and saw Jean sitting at the table, her coffee next to her, and her head down on her folded arms. He walked in quietly, walked around her, and then sat down next to her. Jean picked her head up immediately, and Scott was shocked to see tears running down her cheeks. He thought she had been asleep.

"Jean, what's wrong?" he said instantly slipping an arm around her shoulders. He hugged her close for a minute and let her finish her crying. When she did, she lifted her head and looked at him, thanked him and grabbed a tissue from the box in the middle of the table, blew her nose, and then tossed it in the trash. "You ok?" Scott asked gently.

"Yeah, I'm fine." Jean said wiping away a stray tear. "I'm just a little stressed out."

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"It's just all the classes I have to teach right now, and the classes I'm still taking. It's just too much right now, I need a break."

Scott looked at her for a moment and raised his eyebrows. "That's odd."

"Why?" Jean asked. She sniffed and reached for another tissue. "What's odd about it?" Jean asked then blew her nose.

"I was searching you out because I wanted to ask you something for your birthday."

"What?" Jean asked blowing her nose again. She tossed the tissue in the trash and looked at Scott.

"How would you like to go to the mountains for the weekend? Just the two of us; no teaching, no learning, and no stress. Just four relaxing days in the mountains."

"But-"

"No buts yes or no, right now."

"Yes then." Jean answered without hesitating. "I'll go."

"Good." Scott leaned over and kissed her forehead. Jean smiled at him and thanked him quietly. "Go upstairs and lay down for a while. You still have a couple hours before you have to teach anything."

Jean nodded and rose from her chair. She held Scott's hand until she had walked far enough away that she had to let go. She flashed Scott one last smile before she exited from the kitchen then she was gone. Scott remained sitting at the table. He let a long breath of air out as he stared for a long time at the door that Jean had disappeared through.

The next afternoon was when Scott had planned for them to leave. Jean had consented for the four-day trip, Friday through Monday. It was going to be a long, interesting weekend. He had rented a cabin with a deck overlooking a lake, and had a hot tub, any bonuses that would help Jean to relax. That was what the whole idea of the trip was about, to help Jean to relax.

Scott placed the last suitcase in the trunk and closed it. All he had to do now was wait fro Jean to back. She had disappeared early that morning and said she would be back in time to leave. Scott sat on the trunk for several long minutes pondering over what he had planned for them to do.

Long walks around the lake, nights out on the deck staring up at the stars and listening to the crickets, strolls trough the pine trees... His imagination could keep going with the endless possibilities of activities.

"Scott?" Scott jumped and looked up from the point on the ground that he had been staring at to see Jean standing in front of him. He looked at her, and noticed right away that something was different about her.

"Did you get your hair cut?" he asked bluntly.

"Yeah." Jean patted her straight, red hair that was now shoulder length. "I thought you might like it a little shorter." She said smiling.

"I do, I think you look beautiful."

"Thank you, Scott. Do you want to go now?"

"What? Oh, yeah, let's go, we need to get up there." Scott got into the driver's seat and Jean into the passenger. He started the engine and drove up the path and through the gate. Scott flipped the roof back on his convertible and Jean shook her hair out to let it blow free in the wind. Scott took his eyes off the road for a moment to look at her, and felt his heart leap when he saw the smile on her face. He loved seeing Jean happy, she was his life, and he would do anything to make her happy, he loved her. He was aching inside to tell her everything, but his gut told him, 'no, don't spoil your friendship with intimate emotions. Don't let your heart rule your head'. But every time Scott looked at Jean, his heart ached. She made him hurt, but it was a good hurt, the hurt he didn't mind having. He still wanted to tell her, though. Every time he found the courage to, something came along to blight it. He had tried telling her several times in the past, and whenever he managed to conger up the audacity to open his mouth, something made him pull back with second thoughts and doubts about what he was doing. Three little words could change his life forever.

I love you.

Author's Note: First of all, REVIEW PLEASE!! Secondly, I hope you all enjoyed this chapter and I'll post the next one soon.

RedPhoenix1821