Disclaimer: Marvel owns all the rights to X-men. I do not own anything and if I did there would be a whole lot of things that would have been different in X3.

Chapter 2

Logan tried to hold the funeral off as much as possible. Every time they tried to bring up making the arrangements he would stomp out of the room and wreck whatever came in his sights first. Logan lived everyday with the hopes that Rogue would just walk through the door. The Professor, Storm, Hank, even Scott tried to talk to Logan but in the end it was Jean who took it upon herself to convince him. "The students need closure Logan. All of them are afraid with the attack on the school and now losing one of their class mates. We need to give them the right to mourn, to grieve for her and then rebuild the school again. They need to feel that they are still protected."

"Listen Jeannie I don't give a shit what you say I am not letting you hold a funeral without a body. It ain't right to hold a funeral without a body and erecting a tombstone with nothing in the grave. You show me her body and I'll let you hold the funeral."

"Logan you are being unreasonable." Jean looked straight in his eyes "How do you think that this is affecting the rest of the students and her friends Logan when you continue with this ridiculous notion that Rogue's still alive! You raise all their hopes and crush them when you come back empty handed from your endless searches! Let her go and let the rest of us move on!"

"Just move on right Red! Forget that she was even here! Hell why don't you take her stuff out of her room while you're at it and have a big bonfire out in front of the school! That should help you MOVE RIGHT ON JEANNIE!"

The professor moved forward "Logan she is not saying that we should forget Rogue but we do need to establish some sort of normalcy here in the school again. The attack frazzled both the students and their parents and there are countless talks of them pulling them out. Do you think Rogue would like that? To have a place that she called home shut down and have her friends no place to go?"

It pained Logan to think that but he knew that they were right. Logan walked out of the room heading for the Danger Room ready to inflict some serious damage when Jean stopped him.

"Logan I know you miss her we all miss her but we need to move on." "You don't understand Red I told her that day on the train that I would protect her but as soon as the words were out of my mouth I couldn't even protect her from Metal Head. She almost died. Our next mission she flies out of the jet and I almost lost her there now I just lost her." Jean leaned in and brushes her hand on his face. Logan looked up and into her eyes. Jean concentrates on his mind and tries to push out some of those memories of Rogue and replace them with images of him and her in a passionate embrace. His feral eyes snap up to meet hers. Jean is breathing hard as Logan grabs her and holds her close to his body. He pushes her hair back to expose her neck about to kiss it when Jubilee bursts through the hallway and she sees Logan holding Jean. She runs to Logan and started beating on his chest. "So that's it for Rogue you son of a bitch. Rogue's not gone for even a week then you decide jump Jean. You were supposed to protect her. You always said that you would protect her. Where is she now! She's at the bottom of a lake dead because you couldn't protect her. She loved you and all she ever wanted was you and you couldn't even give her that! Always stuck on Jean when Rogue was right in front of you offering her love and you spit in her face and let her die you bastard!" Jubilee screaming brought the rest of the X-men out of the office and some of the students. She continued on and on beating him in the chest until Kitty and Bobby came and hugged her all three falling to the ground holding on to each other crying and mourning their friend.

Logan could only stand there his head hung low. He quietly walked out of the room hearing all the whispers of the students. Jean looked at Scott who gave her a disgusted look as he walked to Jubilee to take her to her room. Scott had heard everything Jubilee had said and knew that Jean still harbored some passion for Logan but did not think that she would be so low to flirt with him at a time like this. Jean just smiled at him and walked over to the Professor's side and led him back into his office.

Later that night as Logan lay in the dark on his bed he contemplated what Jubilee said. Logan knew that she was right. The crush that everyone thought was so endearing and sweet was more than that. Rogue had cared and loved him but all he could see was Jean. Jean was still there in the back of his mind tempting him but he knew where his heart was and always was at the bottom of a lake.

Logan turned to his side when a breeze from the window wafted in Rogue's scent. Logan stood upright and retracted his claws. A soft voice with a slight southern twang called out to him "Logan." Logan looked around and smelled the air all her could smell was Rogue. He heard that voice again "Logan help me." Logan stepped into the hallway as the rest of the X-men stepped into the hallway as well. The hallway window burst open as the warm air caressed the faces of all who stood there. The distinct southern voice whispered again "My friends, my family…help me."

Professor Xavier wheeled into the hallway and closed his eyes concentrating on the voice. Jean stepped forward "Professor I am sure it's nothing I think that it's best if everyone would just get back to bed."

"Shut up Red! Is it her Charles is it really Rogue?" For once in his life Professor Charles Xavier did not know what to think. He saw with his own eyes the death of one of his own students, a dear girl that he thought of as his daughter, but yet he could hear her and feel her asking for help. The Professor opened his eyes looked at his X-men and said "X-men suit up we're going to Alkali Lake."