Author's notes: this is a reworked version of something I originally wrote a long, long time ago.
SHARING
Part I
Jean opened her eyes... and gasped in surprise. Just enough light was filtering through a window for her to make out bare details, and Jean knew immediately that she wasn't in her bed. But even then, Jean was so disoriented that it took her a moment to realize exactly where she actually was.
She was in Rogue and Kitty's room. In fact, she was in Rogue's bed. The clock on the nightstand said it was just past three in the morning.
Across the room, Jean could see Kitty curled up in her bed. She was asleep and cuddling her green-and-purple toy dragon. That stuffed-toy was one of Kitty's few acknowledgements that she was younger than her friends. Asleep, she looked even younger than she was.
The long, knee-length, t-shirt that Jean normally wore when she slept was gone, leaving her completely naked.
There were two other people in bed with Jean. Rogue, of course. And Scott.
The covers had been kicked off of the bed and the other two students were just as naked as Jean. Scott wasn't even wearing his glasses.
Completely shocked, Jean stared at the others. She didn't have the vaguest idea how this had happened.
Last night...
Yesterday...
There had been a surge of her psionic powers - they went out of control. Jean was overwhelmed by the storm of thoughts that surrounded her at school. She almost collapsed at the school assembly where she was being given an award as the captain of the soccer team. At the track-and-field tryouts, Jean finally did collapse. Scott got her back to the mansion, but then her telekinetic powers ran amok until the others saved her.
According to the Professor, surges like that were a normal part of how her powers would develop as she grew up. That scared the hell out of Jean.
Scott stirred in his sleep. Then he opened his eyes. Jean flinched in response - expecting a blast of energy from his eyes - but nothing happened. Smiling at Jean, Scott turned onto his side and lazily reached over to gently caress her body.
"Go to sleep," he ordered quietly. "You had a tough day and we've got a lot to do tomorrow."
Unable to think of anything to say, Jean grabbed Scott's hand. She had intended to shove it away, but instead Jean found herself holding his hand tightly.
Scott and Rogue had been the ones who saved her. Oh, the others had helped, but mostly it had been those two.
It was too dark for Jean to make out the color of Scott's eyes. That bothered her. Jean knew that Scott's eyes were green - he had a few pictures of himself as a boy. One day, as part of a class project, he'd shown them to the other students.
But still, she actually wanted to see them.
"Scott... what..." Jean stuttered.
Scott's smile became a grin, he gently disengaged his hand from Jean's and then touched Jean's lips with the tips of his fingers.
"Beautiful..." he whispered.
And then he was gone. Now, it was just Rogue and Jean together in the bed, with a man-sized space in between them.
Jean licked her lips. She could still feel the tingle of Scott's touch.
"You scared him off," growled Rogue sleepily. Reaching over the side of the bed, she fumbled for a second or two before finding the blanket on the floor next to the bed. Then Rogue dragged the blanket up over herself, holding it open invitingly so Jean could slide under it and next to her.
And then Jean finally understood.
"This is a dream," Jean said - partly to herself and partly to Rogue.
Rogue cocked one of her eyes half-open.
"Of course it is. Now stop being silly and get under the covers," she said in a half-amused, half-grumpy tone. She was still holding the blanket open for Jean.
Jean hesitated for another second, and then she slid next to Rogue. Rogue covered them with the blanket and curled her bare body around Jean.
Although she knew this wasn't real, Jean held her breath in anticipation of the electric-like impact that was the first sign of Rogue's power draining Jean of her strength and thoughts. Jean had felt it just yesterday afternoon and it wasn't a pleasant experience.
Nothing happened. Jean started breathing again as her body molded itself against Rogue, filling all the space between them. They were spooned together, Jean's back pressed against Rogue's front.
Rogue sighed in pleasure and ran a hand along the length of Jean's thigh. Then she kissed the back of Jean's head.
"You smell good..." Rogue whispered sleepily.
Jean closed her eyes as her body relaxed. "Rogue, do you know what's happening?"
A warm, sleepy chuckle came from behind Jean. "Like you said - it's a dream. A damn good dream. I wish we could have recorded it."
Jean blushed.
Rogue laughed aloud. "Hey, I'm the one who's the innocent virgin here, Jean. Not you. So stop pretending to be shocked."
Jean took a deep breath before answering. "Rogue, this really is me. You've dragged me into your dream."
Jean felt Rogue's body suddenly stiffen.
"What do you mean?" Rogue asked hesitantly.
Jean turned around to face Rogue. There was a space between them now. Rogue shifted slightly so even her feet weren't touching Jean's.
"You still have some of the telepathic abilities that you absorbed from me today," Jean said urgently. "They're not very powerful and they aren't functioning consciously, but they're still with you. That's why Kitty hasn't woken up, and how you could tell I was blushing when you couldn't see me. And how you know that I'm not... Uhm..."
Rogue shook her head. "But... but why are you telling me just now? We've been going at it all night long!"
Despite her best efforts, Jean's red-headed temper finally began to rise. "That part really was all just a dream! Your dream! I wasn't here for that! You must have fallen into a deeper sleep-state after... after all the activity. That triggered the remains of my telepathic abilities and you reached out and linked your mind with mine! The kink-fest part of this dream was all yours! I just came in at the end!"
Rogue stared at Jean. Then she flopped onto her back, staring up at the ceiling and shaking her head slowly from side-to-side.
"Okay," said Rogue, "Okay. I... Uh... I'm sorry. You'd best be going."
"God-DAMMIT, Rogue!" Jean exploded. "I can't go! I've been trying to go ever since I figured out what was happening! You have to let me go!"
"How the heck do I do that?!"
"Well... wish for it! Concentrate!"
Turning her head to look at Jean, Rogue said thoughtfully, "Concentrate. Right. Okay, then. Go away, Jean. Get lost. Go. Scram. Sayonara. Aloha. Hit the road. Don't let the door hit you on the ass on the way out."
"It's not working."
Rogue faced the ceiling again and put her hands over her face. "Sorry."
"Rogue. Let me go. Right now. I mean it!"
"Look, I'm trying! It might help me concentrate if you would lose the attitude!"
Realizing the that Rogue was right, Jean shut her mouth. She had to grit her teeth to do it, but she managed.
In the cold, angry silence that followed, Kitty suddenly murmured, "I'll have a Coke and a hotdog, please."
Neither Jean or Rogue was really sure who started giggling first. But it went on for an indecently long time.
Finally, Jean wiped tears from her eyes and said between hiccups, "Does she talk in her sleep all the time?"
Rogue stifled a laugh, coughed, and then nodded. "Yeah. It's usually just screwball stuff like that."
"Ever hear anything interesting?"
"Well... There was this time she sat up in her bed and said 'vagina!'. Then she lay back down and went back to sleep."
This time, the laughter approached the point of cackling.
"I shouldn't have told you that," said Rogue seriously once the laughter died down again. "Kitty's a good kid and she's in a tough situation. She doesn't need to be teased about talking in her sleep on top of all of the other pressure she's getting here and at the school."
"I won't tell. I swear." Jean promised.
There was a long silence. It stretched out for over a minute.
"Still here?" Rogue asked uncertainly.
"Yes."
Rogue sighed, "I'm trying."
"No, you're not. But that's okay."
Rogue turned her head to look at Jean. "What d'ya mean?"
Jean shrugged, "Something I forgot. We're in a dream - your dream. So your subconscious is really running things. And I don't think it wants me to go. So I'm still here. It's not really your fault. The subconscious is pretty selfish."
Rogue looked back up at the ceiling. "Jean..."
"Yeah?"
"My dreams... They... they were pretty normal. Well, I suppose they were. It was after..."
Rogue ground to a halt.
"It was after your powers kicked in and it became dangerous to touch anyone," Jean finished for Rogue. "After that your dreams got steadily more... exotic."
"Yeah," said Rogue quietly. "Look, I'm not asking for you to feel sorry for me. And I'm not making excuses. But that's the way it happened."
"It's okay, Rogue."
Rogue sighed, "So what do we do now?"
"Sooner or later that last of the telepathic power you borrowed from me will wear off. That should break the link between us. Unless..."
Jean suddenly stopped.
"Unless what?" asked Rogue nervously.
"Nothing."
"Oh, c'mon, Jean!"
"Look, I'm not Professor Xavier. I don't know as much as he does about how telepathy works."
"Oh, for Pete's... Spit it out, Jean!"
"Okay! Well, it just occurred to me that I'm now a part of this dream. It's not just yours anymore. We're sharing it."
"Which means?"
"I said the problem was that your subconscious didn't want me to go. Maybe my subconscious doesn't want me to go either. So separating might not be that easy."
Rogue thought that over for a few seconds, "Jean, do you ever dream about Scott? Or me?"
Silence.
"Dammit, Jean! You've been stomping around this dream of mine in size 13 combat boots! So you can damn well tell me about your dreams!"
"Yes," answered Jean through gritted teeth.
"Yes, what? You've dreamed about Scott? Or you've dreamed about me?"
"Both."
Rogue blinked, "Both? You mean like this? All of us at the same time?"
"Yes! Wow, you sure want all the details, don't you?"
"Hell, yes!" exploded Rogue. "Tell me everything! I don't see what you're worried about. After all, I'm sure you would never dream anything near as bad as my - what did you call it? - oh, yeah, 'kink-fest'."
Jean winced, "Look, I shouldn't have said that. It was way out of line. I'm really sorry."
"Apology not accepted until I hear some details about your dreams."
"Look, Rogue..."
"Details."
"This really isn't the..."
"Details. Now."
"YouandmeandScottandLogan!" Jean spat out in one long breath.
Rogue stared at Jean in stunned silence.
"Wow," said Rogue, slowly shaking her head.
"You tell anyone and you're dead," threatened Jean.
"Wow," repeated Rogue, still shaking her head.
"You'll be worse than dead! I'll have you doing a strip-tease on the 50 yard line during the next football game!"
"Hey! Take it easy! I wouldn't tell. Heck, I'm not sure anyone would believe me."
Despite herself, Jean laughed.
"I mean, look at you, Jean," continued Rogue in a distracted tone of voice. "Well, of course, maybe not right now, what with you being all naked and in bed with me. I'm talking about the Jean Grey that everyone else sees. The honor student. The captain of the state-champion soccer team. The girl dating the bigshot football player that every other girl in school wants. Heck, you'll probably end up being the prom-queen."
Jean sighed, "Rogue, I think everyone has a kink or two - or three - they're hiding."
"Yeah. You're probably right. But it's still kind of hard to imagine a good girl like you having the same kind of fantasies as me. Hey, I've got an excuse for being bent!"
Jean turned on her side to face Rogue. "'Good girl', huh? Look, why don't you tell me what it is about the doing good at school that bothers you? "
Rogue pursed her lips and idly scratched one of her breasts as she considered Jean's question.
Eventually, she answered, "Jean, what's really important to me is to someday be able to kiss someone, and hold their hand, and maybe even make love to them. Compared to that, I don't give a damn whether or not I got a good grade on my History test, or if the team wins the big game, or if people think I'm a part of the cool crowd at school. None of that is important by comparison. In fact, it's all kind of silly."
Jean nodded, "Okay, I can understand that."
"Well, good. So why is all that stuff at school so important to you?" Rogue asked. "Nobody else here at the Institute worries about it - they just try to keep their heads down and not be noticed. So why are you so into it?"
Jean looked off into the distance. "I like sports. I like getting good grades. And my Mom and Dad are happy that I'm good at things like that - it's important to them. So why shouldn't I do stuff that I want to do that also makes my parents proud of me?"
Rogue nodded, "Okay, I can see that. But where the heck does Duncan fit in?"
Jean hesitated before answering, "You know, Duncan can really be sweet sometimes, Rogue. You guys don't see him at his best because of the way he and Scott drive each other crazy."
Rogue locked eyes with Jean and said nothing.
Jean looked away first.
"Duncan is my chance to pretend that I'm normal," Jean said quietly. "When I'm with him, I'm just a high school girl dating a high school jock - end of story. I'm not a mutant. I don't have unexpected things happen with my powers that threatens everyone around me. And I don't have a lot of enemies just because of who I am. For a little while, I can pretend that I'm just another kid."
"Jean, believe me, I really do understand wanting to feel normal," replied Rogue carefully. "But are you sure that dating Duncan is the best way to do that?"
Jean didn't reply.
"Actually, I guess it doesn't really matter," said Rogue matter-of-factly. "Duncan won't be with you much longer. And you'll end up with Scott once Duncan is gone."
Jean blinked in surprise, "What did you say?"
Rogue shrugged, "You heard me."
"Why do you say that?!"
Rogue sighed and rolled her eyes heavenwards. "I have strange powers of the mind, and they're telling me that Duncan is a selfish jerk and that Scott really loves you. You're just a trophy to Duncan, Jean. But eventually every trophy goes up on a shelf and it's time to go get the next one."
Rogue looked over at Jean, a strangely resigned look in her eyes, "And you'll get Scott because that's what you want. And I've noticed that Jean Grey always gets what she wants. Every time."
Jean wasn't sure if she was supposed to be angered or flattered by what Rogue had just said.
"So what about you, Rogue? What do you want?" asked Jean.
"I want a lot of things, but I don't think most of them are going to happen. But for right now, I'd really like this freaky dream - or whatever the hell it is that's going on - to just stop."
Jean was about to agree when her eyes suddenly narrowed.
"Uh-oh!" Jean exclaimed.
"What's wrong?" asked Rogue, suddenly worried by the look on Jean's face.
Jean licked her lips nervously, "Uh... Well... We're not in your dream anymore, Rogue."
"What do you mean?"
Jean closed her eyes in resigned embarrassment as the bed gave a sudden lurch.
"We're in my dream," said Jean.
And then Logan and Scott started laughing.
Part II
Vigorously toweling water out of her hair, Kitty phased through the door and into the room she shared with Rogue. To her surprise, she saw that Rogue still wasn't out of bed. That was unusual, since Rogue was usually up and about well before Kitty. In fact, this was the latest that Kitty could ever remember Rogue sleeping in.
Curled up under the covers, the only visible part of Rogue was a disorderly shock of brown hair with a distinctive white streak. Otherwise, she was completely covered.
Rogue had been through a rough day yesterday, but as far as Kitty knew she was still supposed to be going to school today.
"Rogue?" Kitty called softly.
Nothing.
"Rogue!" Kitty said louder. Nudging Rogue to wake her up would be a mistake. Rogue tended to react poorly to any kind of physical contact.
The heap of bedding stirred. From underneath a veil of brown and white hair an eye blinked open and looked up at Kitty skeptically.
"Wha'?"
Kitty grinned and nodded towards the clock on Rogue's nightstand, "Are you getting up?"
From underneath the morass of covers, an arm appeared and reached over to pick up the clock on nightstand next to the bed. After reading the clock, Rogue groaned and slammed it back down onto the nightstand.
Obviously concerned, Kitty asked, "Are you feeling okay?"
Rogue began slowly levering her way out of bed. "Yeah. Yeah. I just didn't get much sleep last night. Thanks, Kitty."
It was an ordinary morning scene in the Institute's kitchen. Conversation and laughter made for a cheerful hubbub. Everyone was bustling around the kitchen: grabbing food from the buffet on the kitchen table, talking, going over school assignments, or watching the news on television.
Most of the people who lived in the mansion were present, although there were some prominent exceptions. The Professor almost never took breakfast with the others. Ororo was out of town. And for some reason, Jean, Scott, and Logan were running even later than Rogue this morning.
Rogue took a tense sip from a cup of tea as she tried to reconcile the cheerfully mundane morning with the events of last night.
It was just a dream, she told herself again.
Then Scott walked into the kitchen, rubbing his eyes and looking bedraggled.
Rogue's mouth went dry as she suddenly remembered the slender yet strong smoothness of Scott's body and how it was such a tremendous contrast to Logan's hairy musculature.
Rogue put down her cup of tea and covered her eyes with both hands. Just a dream, she told herself. It was just a dream.
Scott seemed to make a point of not looking at anyone as he headed straight for the coffeepot.
"Guten morgen, sleepy-head!" called Kurt - it was the same thing he had said to Rogue when she appeared in the kitchen a few minutes earlier. Other students joined in with equivalent teasing. Scott merely smiled and shook his head in response.
Rogue kept her eyes on her breakfast. She used a fork to push her scrambled eggs around in an effort to look like she was concentrating on her food.
Out of the corner of her eye, she could see Scott picking up a plate with his right hand. Rogue remembered that hand grabbing her by the hair to hold her steady as Scott roughly pressed his lips against hers. And with his other hand he...
Rogue shook her head to clear it as Scott began loading his plate with bacon and eggs.
Just keep your mouth shut and mind your own business, Rogue thought desperately. And don't blush. Whatever you do, don't blush...
*You're blushing,* Jean 'said' telepathically to Rogue.
*Jean! Get down here!*
*Ow! Darn it, Rogue, turn down the volume!*
Rogue sighed, keeping her eyes focused on her plate as she pushed her eggs around some more.
*I'm sorry. When are you coming down?* Rogue asked.
*Soon,* Jean answered hesitantly. *I just, uhm...*
*You chickenshit!* snarled Rogue, *Don't you dare make me go through this alone! Get down here!*
*Okay! Okay. Calm down. I'll be right there,* replied Jean.
Jean broke telepathic contact. But her control was still ragged and Rogue received an involuntary psychic image of Jean using her slender hands to open Rogue's thighs very wide...
Rogue licked her lips in what she told herself was just a nervous reaction. Scott wandered away. She could hear his voice on the other side of the room. He was talking to Kurt and Evan as he ate.
Rogue risked a glance upwards.
Scott was staring at her as he talked to Kurt. Of course, it was impossible to look Scott in the eye, but he and Rogue came as close to doing so as was humanly possible.
His eyes were green behind that visor. She now knew that for a fact. Rogue had even seen her own reflection in them, with her own eyes half-closed and her mouth open in a shuddering moan...
Rogue and Scott simultaneously looked away from each other.
Stop it, Rogue told herself. It was just a dream. Try to remember that it was just a dream.
"Rogue, are you sure you're all right?" asked Kitty quietly as she sat down next to Rogue.
Grateful for the distraction of having someone to talk with, Rogue replied, "I'm okay, Kitty. I guess I'm just feeling a little out of it this morning."
That wasn't quite true. Yes, Rogue was very tired, but she actually felt far more alive than was usually the case.
Kitty frowned, "Well, things got pretty intense with Jean down in the lab yesterday. Maybe you shouldn't go to school today. Do you want me to go get the Professor?"
Rogue shook her head, "Thanks, Kitty, but I'll be fine."
Kitty nodded, but Rogue could see doubt in her eyes.
Jean entered the kitchen next, her eyes briefly making contact with Rogue's. Only Rogue noticed how Jean was resolutely refusing to look in Scott's direction.
Jean got a lot less teasing than Rogue or Scott. In fact, everyone mostly just wanted to know if she was feeling all right. After assuring everyone that she was fine, Jean sat down next to Kitty and Rogue.
"Are you going to school, Jean?" asked Kitty.
Jean shook her head, "The Professor told me to stay home today. He wants to run some tests."
Kitty made a face, "Oh, great. That's definitely not my idea of a fun day-off from school."
Jean made an inconsequential reply - she was actually busy communicating telepathically with Rogue.
*What do Scott and Logan know?* asked Rogue.
Jean continued responding to Kitty's on-going chatter with vague "uh-huhs" as she replied to Rogue's question.
*Scott just thinks he had an unusually vivid dream. And actually, that's sort of true when you think about it. He's a little embarrassed and really turned on and he's trying to hide that. Also, the... uh... the stuff in the dream that happened between him and Logan is bothering him a lot. Scott's pretty conservative about that sort of thing.*
*What about Logan? What's he thinking?*
*I don't know. The same as Scott, I suppose.*
*Jean, this is really weird. What we did to them wasn't right.*
Jean winced, *Well... yes, but they aren't completely innocent. A lot of what happened last night was based on their own fantasies. Fantasies about us.*
*They didn't know it was really us!*
*I know. And that's why they were so aggressive and inventive. They didn't feel the need to show any restraint.*
*Jean, I don't remember either one of us trying to put on the brakes.*
*Yeah,* Jean admitted. *We really, really got into it.*
Rogue sighed aloud and said, "And we're always accusing guys of thinking with their dicks."
"What?!" said Kitty, looking at Rogue in shock.
"Nothing," Rogue said hurriedly as Jean gave her a disgusted look.
Logan threw the last of his clothes into his travelling bag. It wasn't a very large bag, but Logan always traveled light.
Glancing around his room, Logan did a quick inventory. Yeah, everything he needed was packed and ready to go.
Logan sighed. The Institute was the closest thing to a home and a family that he'd ever known. And the strange feelings that were now welling up inside of him were ones that he'd never felt before. He was going to miss this place, these people.
And the kids. He would miss them most of all.
Logan had found a sense of purpose at the Institute - a feeling that he was doing some good. But just as he knew that the time he had spent at the Institute was right, he knew that leaving was for the best.
He didn't belong here any longer.
Logan half-grunted and half-growled to himself and then picked up his bag. Then he walked out of his room for the last time. Standing in the hallway, Logan considered his options.
He wished he could say goodbye to Ororo, but since she wasn't around, that wasn't possible. He'd have to make do with a phone-call later on. And what the hell was he going to say to her?
But he couldn't just leave without talking to Charles. And while he couldn't bring himself to admit why he was going, he should at least tell Charles that he was leaving. He owed the man that much courtesy.
Logan began walking towards Professor Xavier's office.
Looking out the window of her room, Jean caught a glimpse of Logan racing out the mansion's front gate on his motorcycle.
*Jean,* the Professor called.
Jean blinked in surprise. Professor Xavier had told her that he wouldn't start testing the status of her psychic abilities until after ten - he had some important calls he had to make before then.
*What's up, Professor?* she replied.
*Could you please come to my office?*
The door to Professor Xavier's office opened.
Professor Xavier looked up from the paperwork that was sitting on his desk. He wasn't really doing anything with it. No matter how hard he tried to concentrate, he couldn't force himself to actually read the words.
"Hello, Professor," Jean said as she stepped inside.
There was a short silence as Professor Xavier examined Jean's face. Professor Xavier strongly believed in the principle of not invading another person's mind except in the most extreme of circumstances. But now he was considering bending that rule for the second time that morning.
Professor Xavier leaned back in his wheelchair. "Good morning, Jean. Thank you for coming down."
"Are you ready for those tests, Professor?"
"No, something else has come up and it is rather important. Logan just stopped by. He said that he is leaving and he will not return. He did not give a reason why. He just said that it was for the best."
Jean lifted her chin slightly, her eyes now locked on the older man's face. Professor Xavier was startled at the determined look he suddenly saw appearing on Jean's face.
"Jean," said the Professor softly. "Is there something that I should know?"
Slowly nodding her head, Jean said, "Yes. But we'll talk about it later."
Jean turned on her heel and left the Professor's office, leaving an astonished Professor Xavier staring at her receding back.
Logan's second bike was still in the garage. Jean knew where Logan kept a spare set of keys for it.
Straddling the bike, Jean kicked it to life as she checked the gas gauge. The bike had a full tank - which was good. She was going to lose some time stopping at Bayville High and she didn't want to lose any more time gassing up the motorcycle.
Jean used telekinesis to punch the button that caused the garage door to open. When the door was halfway up, Jean roared out, leaning the bike far to one side so she cleared the bottom of the door.
Her red hair flying behind her like a banner, Jean raced into town.
Rogue was in the library, trying to come up with an outline for a history paper. The paper was due at the end of the week.
She was getting better, Rogue told herself. She even managed to take some notes in her first class. They weren't very good, but fortunately Kurt was also in that class. His notes would be better. At lunch, Rogue would borrow them.
The four-way was the hardest thing for Rogue to keep out of her mind. It just kept popping into her head. She was on her hands and knees, with the others all around her. The feeling of all that skin pressed against her bare body was utterly indescribable...
The pencil in Rogue's left hand suddenly snapped.
Just a dream, she desperately repeated to herself for the hundredth time. It as just a dream. It wasn't real. It would never be real.
It would never be real, could never be real, because...
The first of the tears that Rogue had been fighting off for the entire morning appeared in her eyes.
*Rogue!*
Hurriedly wiping at her eyes, Rogue replied, *Dammit, what? I don't wanna talk right now!*
*Logan just quit. He's left the school.*
*What?!*
*I've got Logan's other bike. Meet me in the parking lot. We're bringing him back.*
Rogue left her books on the library table as she sprinted out the door - drawing surprised looks from the other students and an angry half-yell from the librarian.
Jean came around the curve and raced towards the parking at a good twenty miles-per-hour over the speed limit. A police officer in a cruiser that was going the other direction blinked in surprise and reached for the switch that controlled his siren and lights...
Jean looked back at the police car. The police officer suddenly forgot about Jean and her bike. Taking a sudden right turn, the cruiser drove off towards the nearest donut shop.
Rogue was waiting for Jean in the parking lot entrance. Seeing that Jean was bare-headed, Rogue quickly 'borrowed' a pair of helmets from a couple of motorbikes that were parked nearby.
After tossing a helmet to Jean, Rogue pulled on her own helmet and then mounted the back of the bike.
Deciding that it wouldn't be a good idea to touch Jean, Rogue reached behind herself and grabbed the sissy bar on the back of the seat.
*Put your arms around me,* Jean ordered Rogue curtly.
*That might not be a good...*
*Do it!* Jean replied firmly.
Rogue grabbed Jean just above her hips - and took a deep breath as she fought off the urge to do something unacceptable with her hands. Then Rogue leaned her body into the other girl. The front of Rogue's helmet clicked against the back of Jean's helmet.
Jean spun the bike around and headed for the highway.
*Where did you learn how to drive a motorcycle?* asked Rogue in surprise.
*From one of the best teachers I've ever had,* said Jean.
*Do you know where Logan is going?*
*No. I'm guessing north.*
They were going over a hundred as they cleared the city limits.
The bouncer frowned as the two girls walked into the bar. They were both cuties, but there was no way they were old enough to be in there. Normally, the owner didn't worry about that, but they'd been getting a lot of heat from the cops the last few weeks. Because of that, they were trying to be more careful.
The bouncer decided to check the girls' IDs first, then he'd throw them out.
Jean looked at the bouncer. And the bouncer suddenly forgot about Rogue and Jean and decided that he needed to phone his girlfriend, confess about gambling away the rent money, and beg her forgiveness.
"You keep doing that and the Professor is gonna to give you detention for the next ten years," said Rogue with a shake of her head as she watched the blank-eyed bouncer turn away from them and head for the phone on the back wall behind the bar.
"There he is," said Jean quietly, nodding towards the far corner. Squinting her eyes in the bad light, Rogue could make out Logan standing in front of the jukebox. He had a beer in one hand and couple of quarters in the other.
Of course, Logan saw them coming towards him. He had noticed their presence the moment they walked into the bar.
"You two ain't old enough to be in here. Get the hell out," Logan growled at them. Then he finished putting the quarters into the jukebox and punched in a selection. Led Zeppelin's "I Got a Woman" began booming out of the jukebox's speakers.
"Hello to you, too," said Rogue. Her growl wasn't as deep as Logan's, but she made up for it with determination.
"Aren't you supposed to be in school, Rogue? And, Jean, I thought you had some sort of test thing that you're doing with Charles?"
"Cut it out, Logan. You're coming home," said Jean.
"Hmm. Not 'Mr. Logan'? What's changed, Jean?"
Jean didn't even hesitate, "That dream last night? Remember? I think it's a bit silly to be formal with you now that you've taught me all of those interesting tricks I can do with my tongue."
The glass of beer Logan had been holding crashed to the floor and shattered.
Rogue managed not to laugh at the stunned expression on Logan's face. Instead, she leaned over to Logan and whispered into his ear, "Oh, please, Daddy, spank me again. I've been a very, very, bad Rogue."
Logan stiffened and stepped back. Rogue looked into Logan's eyes - and any trace of the amusement that she was feeling instantly vanished. It was hard to put into words what she thought she saw on the Logan's suddenly rocklike visage. But a sizable part of it was shame.
"I'm sorry," said Rogue quietly. "I shouldn't have said that."
Logan's eyes flicked back and forth from one girl's face to the other's.
"You woke up this morning after a wild dream," said Jean calmly and with an assurance that was far beyond her years. "And that dream frightened you. Professor Xavier's trusted you in a way no one else ever has. He trusted you with his life and with his students. But that dream... it was too vivid and too strong. After that, you weren't sure if you could be trusted around us. So you took what you figure was the best choice - you left."
Logan was as still as a statue as he examined Jean through half-closed eyes, "You reading my mind, darling?"
Rogue snorted, "Oh, for Pete's sakes, Logan! We already know about the 'dream'! Where were there! And as for all the rest... Hey, on some things, you're an open book."
"We need to talk," Jean said to Logan. "You have to know exactly what happened and why."
Logan shook his head stubbornly. "I was never much of a talker."
"We've noticed," said Rogue as she pointed to a nearby table. "So just be still and let me and Jean do all the work."
All three of them winced at the image that was called up by Rogue's words.
"Sorry," Rogue said in a small voice.
The Professor was waiting for them on the porch as the two bikes braked to a stop.
Logan pulled off his helmet and looked at Jean as she did the same.
"I told him about it as we were coming back here," Jean said.
Logan nodded. Then he got off his bike and walked over to face the Professor.
Both men nodded to one another in a spare greeting. Then Professor Xavier said something to Logan in a foreign language. Logan nodded expressionlessly in response, but something in his stance seemed to suddenly relax.
The Professor pivoted and wheeled his way back into the mansion.
"What was that?" asked Rogue in a puzzled voice.
"Japanese. A real old form of the language," said Logan calmly as he pulled his traveling bag off of his bike.
"Uh, okay. But what did he say?"
Logan stopped what he was doing and looked off into the distance as he tried to translate across a language, a culture, and a millennium.
"He said that he fears for those who are most precious to his heart, when I am not here to guard them," Logan said quietly.
Then Logan shouldered his bag and walked back into the mansion.
Jean and Rogue looked at one another.
"Must be a guy thing," said Rogue.
Jean nodded.
Ororo took Logan's hand in hers. They had spent the entire evening in conversation. Logan had said more to her in the last few hours than he had in the previous year.
"What are Jean and Rogue going to do about Scott?" she asked Logan.
"They were going to come clean to him about this entire mess, but Charles asked them to let it slide. He figure's it's better if Scott thinks that it was just a dream."
Ororo frowned, "I'm not sure if that is the right decision."
Logan shrugged, "Charles told me the same thing. We're groping our way through things people have never had to figure out before. The best way ain't always going to be obvious."
"How will you deal with Jean and Rogue?"
"Pretend it didn't happen - and probably remember it forever."
"Do you think Rogue and Jean will be able to handle this?"
"I think so. They're different now, Ororo."
Ororo arched an elegant eyebrow.
Logan caught the look on Ororo's face, "No, I'm not talking about the sex - although it does turn out that Scott and me are a one hell of a team. It's because of what Jean and Rogue did today. They did the right thing instead of the easy thing."
Ororo smiled and reached over to gently brush some hair away from Logan's eyes, "You never cease to surprise me, Logan."
The kiss that followed was long overdue.
There was a soft knock on Rogue and Kitty's door.
Kitty frowned - it was getting kind of late - and yelled, "Come in!"
Jean opened the door. Kitty wasn't completely surprised. Something had happened today that had involved Rogue and Jean. But they weren't talking about it and that was driving Kitty crazy.
Rogue was sitting cross-legged on her bed, an open book before her.
"Hi, Jean," Rogue said.
"Hey. I was wondering if we could talk? In my room?"
"Sure," said Rogue as she got to her feet.
Kitty angrily opened a notebook and began reviewing her Geography notes. She had a quiz tomorrow. And it wasn't like she had anything else to do - like be a part of important conversations.
Rogue looked at Kitty, and then smiled slightly at Jean. As Rogue walked past her younger roommate, she reached around the notebook that Kitty was hiding behind and gently squeezed her shoulder.
"It's getting late. Go to sleep, little sis," Rogue said softly.
The notebook in front of Kitty's face quivered indignantly. Otherwise, there was no response.
In Jean's room, Rogue looked around, trying and failing to hide her nervousness."There's one more thing that we have to deal with," said Jean.
"And what is that?" asked Rogue cautiously.
"You."
And then the world changed.
There was pool, filled with cool water and fed by a sparkling waterfall. Tropical plants bloomed around the pool. The air was clean and fresh and edged by scent of flowers. The sky was a dome of deep blue, with a scattering of clouds on the horizon. It was a warm day, with a low sun suggesting the transition from afternoon to evening. Off in the distance, there was the crash of surf and the sound of seagulls calling back and forth.
Jean and Rogue were naked. Rogue stood on a patch of large, sanded-over rocks on the edge of the pool and looked around herself in shock. Jean was sitting beside her, with her feet dabbling in the cool water.
"Wow!" said Rogue, her eyes wide as she examined her surroundings in astonishment.
"Thanks," Jean said aloud as she got to her feet.
Their eyes met. Jean reached out and cupped Rogue's face in her hands. Rogue flinched - and then relaxed when nothing happened.
"So, Rogue, do you know what I learned in school today?" Jean said with a smile.
Rogue smiled back and then reached up to gently touch the hands resting on either side of her face.
"What?" Rogue asked.
"Sharing."