Piotr noticed over the next few days that while everyone else was celebrating the defeat of Magneto and his army, one person was nowhere to be found. 'You're a fool, Piotr,' he mumbled to himself. Why would she be sad? Just a few days ago she'd come out of a classroom looking like off-beat sunshine, happy as can be with her strange hair floating around her face like clouds and earth. So why couldn't he shake the feeling that something was wrong?

Probably for the same reason he couldn't ignore that Bobby and Kitty were constantly lip locked now: it was too blatant and out there for everyone to see. With Iceman and Shadowcat hooked up and Rogue nowhere to be seen, the school was starting to talk.

Letting out a rare frustrated sigh, he set down his charcoal pencil - and noticed that he had drawn Rogue as he'd last seen her, smiling broadly, once again. He was going to tear the paper out and throw it away, like he'd done with every other sketch he'd made of her over the last day or so, but something was just too perfect in this frame, something too soft and magnificent about that smile. 'I'm a fool,' he thought once more, and closed the pad to stand up and walk back to his room or the library. Something caught his eyes, though, and he looked over to see her, sitting in the window, knees bent and arms circling her legs, head down on them. The only reason he knew it was her was the shock of white hanging down before the brown.

She was crying. The knowledge brought a never-before-felt fury to his chest and he felt steel slide over his skin. Looking down, startled, he realized the sudden surge of emotion had overridden his control and responded by shielding himself. No, not shielding. Preparing for battle. He wanted to beat Bobby until there was a puddle on the floor. The thought shocked him even as he realized it was true. No man should callously toss aside someone like Rogue, or any person, like he had. She had loved him, it had been obvious to see. How could Iceman have treated her like this? The steel raced over his body and he felt it cover him from head to toe without warning. Taking deep breaths, he forced himself to find that calm center, a pool of spring water that was undisturbed, peaceful, tranquil. The metal disappeared and in it's place a quiet determination spread. He would make her smile again.