A/N: My first multi-chapter story! Go me! Okay, down to business. Just to clear things up, I was messaging back and forth between a few of my gracious reviewers (hint, hint) and it occurred to me that I left out a few key details. Namely, where in the time line this story takes place. Obviously it takes place after Kurt finds out about Mystique being his mother and learning that Rogue is his adoptive sister. Duh. As for how long after. . . Well, I'll be addressing that in a flashback that will take up a good portion of this chapter. Obviously this is slightly A/U.

As for all you Kurtty fans out there, don't fret. I'll be throwing you guys a bone or two to pick over in an upcoming chapter or two.

One last thing. If you read this story, love it or hate it, please take a second or two to write me a review. As a long time reader, and a just starting out author, I never really realized just how awesome getting feedback can feel. So, even if you just say "So far, so good" or "This sucks, go die" (← Romy fans, most likely) please send me a few words. Thank you in advance, even the haters/flamers. Now on to the fun!

Scott and Rogue sat at the kitchen island; Scott staring at his hands, Rogue glancing out the window. They hadn't said a word since their encounter with Kurt. They had just blinked at each other (though obviously it had been difficult to discern in Scotts case), nodded and made their way to where they were currently pondering the recent event.

"I should have seen this-," Scott started at the same time as Rogue said, "I can't believe I didn't-." They shared a small, warm smile, realizing they had both been basically on the same page without having said a thing to each other until just then. Neither of them could have predicted how close they had become in the last several months.

There were the subtle hints at first. Scott refused to fight a holographic Rogue in a Danger Room exercise. Shortly after, they had gotten paired for that silly romantic dialogue for their English Literature class. It had seemed like harmless flirting at first when he called her Kate and told her she was an angel, even when she called him a charmer. Maybe the words would have held less meaning if he hadn't been speaking the truth.

Next, Mystique, as Principal Darkholme had forced the two of them together on a field trip that had almost cost Scott his life. "Worth it," he had thought, even back then, recovering in her arms on the flight back to the mansion, knowing he had gained at the very least, a new friend, after she had learned the truth from absorbing Mystique.

It wasn't long after that that Rogue, through memory recall from her absorption powers, had learned the truth about Kurt being Mystique's son. After the ordeal, they all sort of laughed when he had mentioned that that sort of made Rogue his sister, but that merriment was quickly subdued and the sentiment given more feeling when they all realized just how much having a family again meant to Kurt. Scott especially, who had become so used to playing the big brother, having once been one himself to someone else so long ago, smiled and welcomed the new found relation between Kurt and Rogue.

Not many people knew this, but he had cried, or what passed for crying, as his power denied him his tears, after Magneto had given him the ability to see colors again. He had been brainwashed, stuck in the mad clutches of Magneto's games to give full appreciation at the time, but he knew he had missed out on an amazing opportunity. What he couldn't help feeling even more guilty about was the fact that maybe so had Rogue.

It had been a terrifying experience for all concerned when Jean seemed to have lost control of her powers. Rogue couldn't help but feel a little bit hurt when she saw the worry, the love, the concern, that her Scott had shown towards Jean. Even as he distracted Jean with, to her, bittersweet words, it was only after she had absorbed Jean that she had learned the truth. Jean loved Scott. And Jean knew that Scott loved her. But their love was not the same. While Scott fawned over Jean, she only saw Scott as a dear friend. Jean was too caught up with the image of perfection to worry about true love. That was when Rogue's heart truly belonged to Scott Summers.

Of course, then he had to go and get himself lost at sea while vacationing with his brother in Hawaii. Scott thought it kind of odd that, as he floated in the abyss, near death once again, it wasn't a thought of red hair that flitted though his mind, but visions of green eyes, and streaks of white (or his distorted view, thereof).

Christmas only brought them closer together. Being the only two mutants without families to go home to hit them both equally hard, and drew them even closer together. Unbeknownst to them, the look Jean Grey had given them as she was escorted to the airport would only be the first of many. Not to mention the fact that Scott still feels bad to this day, and has worked diligently to make up for the fact, that he never got Rogue a suitable gift in return for what he now considers to be one of his favorite sweaters!

It was the minor things in between that made them notice each other more and more. Rogue was rather critical of Scotts treatment towards his seeming arch rival Lance Alvers, when Lance had tried and failed to join the X-Men. Scott at least had the good grace to admit that he had been wrong, though it did nothing to diminish the rivalry between him and Alvers. And Rogue didn't go without fault or blame. Her stint as one of the Bayville Sirens had him more worried for her than most of the other girls, as her power didn't lend itself to those kinds of antics. Truth be told his concern for her might have been more than that at this point.

Then it had been right before the Sadie Hawkins dance (And here, dear reader, is where we come to some of the actual A/U-ness), where Risty had egged Rogue on to ask her crush to the dance, never once believing she would go for it. And Rogue had finally relented, surprised that it was the cute little Taryn that she had beaten to the punch and not Jean. Of course, one quick glance over to the cool kids table had revealed that Jean was once again too busy fawning over that jerk-wad Duncan Matthews to notice her long time friend pining for her. Well, no more of that, Rogue had thought to herself, intent on showing Mr. Scott Summer what he had available to him right before his very ruby-quartz shaded eyes!

Bursting in front of Taryn, Rogue blurted out, "Go to the dance with me!?" It was a plea and a demand all in one. Taryn, shocked at the reclusive goth girls abrupt behavior, just sort of turned and walked away (Never to be seen again, as far as the author is concerned). Scott blinked (again, you wouldn't have been able to tell) then smiled that sideways smile that had melted Rogue's heart in the first place and nodded.

"I'd be honored to, Rogue."

Neither of them noticed, but a certain red head watched them from afar, furrowing her brow as she wondered briefly what might have been.

So it was that Scott found himself battling two battles at once. One, against the grotesque monsters that had found themselves crawling out of tears in dimensional space, courtesy of our friends Kurt and Forge during the dance. And another in his heart, as he quickly began to realize that his affections might have been misplaced all along; that there was a pretty, reserved, sexy little southern goth girl waiting for him. He also couldn't help but be impressed by Kurt who valiantly took on one of the vicious beasts as it went after Kitty, once he had realized that Alvers had ditched her, and even though Kitty could have easily avoided, or even taken care of the beast herself!

Further events would see them testing the limits of their slowly blossoming could-be relationship. Scott didn't handle the X-Mens defeat at the hand of the new Brotherhood recruit very well. This Wanda Maximoff would bear watching in the future. Scott abandoning Mystique at Area 51 caused quite a bit of tension between the two. Though Rogue was distrustful of her adoptive mother, she couldn't help but feel a small amount of sympathy; some nights staying up, unable to sleep as she pondered what they could be possibly be doing to the poor shapeshifting mutant.

Of course, those feelings are quickly put aside months later when a new and improved Mystique manages to kidnap Scott and strand him in the desert without his glasses or visor.

Rogue and Jean, each of them aware of the others' feelings for Scott, are forced to team up to rescue him. Together, the two are able to fend off Mystique and save Scott, but by this point, it's obvious who Scott has chosen. While Jean remained fickle and played with his heart, Rogue had been a constant friend and confidante. He proved his love, his trust, his faith in the woman he chose by fearlessly, blindly embracing her in a fierce hug that left Jean shedding tears, even as a dark frown crossed her lips. She wanted to be happy for them, but found herself hard pressed when she realized what a grave mistake she had made by choosing popularity over friendship and more.

It was Scott and Scott alone who managed to save Rogue from herself when she lost control of her powers at the concert, Scott and Rogue's first official date. He felt terrible for convincing her to go, even though it had been that Risty girl who had coerced her into wearing something so exposing. All of her fears, all of her worries, all of her concerns about trust and friendship and self worth; they were all laid to rest when Scott leapt off the roof of a three story building to grasp at her as she floated in the air and pressed his lips to her, allowing her to absorb him. He grinned as he saw clarity return to her eyes.

"You really are an angel," he had said. Her beautiful smiling face was blurred by the tears falling on his visor, and that was the last thing he saw before he passed out.

Now, months later, they sat across from each other at the kitchen counter, wondering what should be done.

"We have to talk to him." He said.

"How? Tha minute either of us gets close ta him he's gonna port off. . ."

"I know. . . But we gotta get close to him, we have to explain!" After a moments thought, he spoke again. "He's right, though!"

"Guh! Don't tell me he's right! I know he's right!"

"But is it weird?" He asked.

"Only ta him," she said. She closed the distance between them and he embraced her without fear.

"Okay," he said. "It's weird. We both agree. At least to him. Let's try to make it not so weird, huh? Guy's had it bad enough as it is!"

"I know. But how are we gonna get through to him?" She asked as she pulled back and glanced into his ruby-quartz covered eyes.

It only took a moment, as they glanced between each other, their intense glare turning to a playful grin.

Together, they spoke as one. "Kitty!"