The other members of the X-men stared as Rogue and Magneto walked into the dining room together, who happened to be last ones to arrive. Rogue quickly too her seat next to Jean, who sat next to Scott, who was closest to the professor.
Kitty looked confused as she looked first a Rogue, then to the empty chair next to her that Rogue usually occupied, before looking back at Rogue again.
Rogue studied it for a moment. 'The Prof sits at the front on his throne, Magneto, and Cyclops sit on his side, Logan and Ororo are across from me and Jean, I guess now that I think about it, it's like I've been accepted into the inner circle of honor.' Rogue thought, and before she could help it a small amount of pride bubbled in her chest.
"Well now that we're all here, I have a special announcement to make before we eat." The Professor smiled at Rogue briefly before turning back to the rest of the students.
'Here it comes.' Rogue thought nervously.
"As I'm sure you all know Jean and Scott now attend collage, and are doing quite well, but they are quite busy. Naturally collage takes up quite a bit of their time, and it's getting to the point where they simply cannot handle both collage and leaders of the X-men."
The other students looked at each other excited, they knew now what this was about, someone's status was about to be raised, and they were all hoping it would be them.
"We have all agreed we need a new leader of the X men to take some of the responsibility and weight off Scott and Jean's shoulders. A student authority figure."
Rogue fidgeted in her chair nervously and wondered for a moment if the Professor was doing this just to make it more dramatic. 'Get on with it!' Rogue thought angrily to herself.
"So who's it going to be?" Jubilee shouted out, impatient.
'At least i'm not the only one.' Rogue thought, relived to herself.
"Yeah, so who's going to be the next leader?" Bobby asked with a large smile on his face.
"Bit early for a promotion don't you think Popsicle?" Logan asked with a knowing smirk on his face. 'Bobby thinks it's going to be him.' Rogue realized. 'Won't he be disappointed.'
"As I was saying." The Professor stated loudly. Everyone got quiet and returned their attentions to the Professor.
"I have decided upon a person that has been through a great deal, and has more experience than the majority of the you combined." The Professor stopped and gave the new mutants a look that clearly meant none of them were getting promoted.
'Got that right.'
"I finally made my decision after quite a bit of consideration, and with that, I am officially naming Rogue a leader of the X-men, with all privileges and authority that go with her title. She will share leadership with Scott and Jean."
The room went silent.
Obviously no one had been suspecting Rogue of all the people, maybe Kitty of Kurt, or even Spike, but not Rogue.
"Rogue?" Bobby, Jubilee, and Jamie said in unison.
The rest of the meal was eaten in complete silence, though to Rogue it was quite clear why. The younger angrier mutants had held their tongue thankfully after a stern look from Professor X.
At the end of the meal a telepathic message was sent out to the leaders of the X-men about meeting in the smallest library directly after dinner was over and the dishes were washed.
Though, as Rogue helped the others clear the plates she was fully aware of the envious and angry looks she was getting and wondered briefly if it had been more than a look that had silenced them.
Rogue sat comfortably on the couch as she waited with Scott.
"Scott?" Rogue asked hesitantly.
"Hmm, yeah Rogue?"
"How do you feel about this? About me being leader at all."
He studied her quietly. "I think, after everything you've done these past three years, you've defiantly deserved it. Not just your accomplishments, but what you've done for the X-men. Like when Jean was out of control, or the countless other times you've put your own safety on the line for people."
Rogue smiled thankfully back at him.
"Cyclops is correct Rogue."
Rogue turned in the direction of the voice. Magneto, who had been standing by the window turned to face her. "It's not just your accomplishments that have elevated you to this position and rank, it is your experiences as well."
He moved closer before he paused and, ignoring the scowl Scott gave him, sat down on the opposite end of the couch. "A good leader must know what it like to be in a difficult situation or ordeal. You have faced your issues with your mother, you have been under the mind control, as well as many other things. A leader must understand important factors such as this."
"Knowledge is power." She finished for him. "And knowledge is what makes a strong leader."
"Exactly." He looked on her with a small smile. "Not to mention that business with Apocalypse."
"What about it?" Rogue demanded. 'Is he actually going to bring up how it was my fault Apocalypse had risen?' Rogue thought angrily. As though he read her mind he quickly explained.
"Rogue, I was referring to how you stopped him." Rogue calmed a bit at his words. "From what I can gather, your mentor, mother, and guardian were under the power of Apocalypse, and myself as well, some of the most powerful mutants on the planet."
He stopped and looked over her with a look she rarely ever saw in his eyes, astonishment.
"Yet while the rest of the X-men and Brotherhood members were lying on the ground either unconscious or unable to get up, it was you, and you alone that stopped Apocalypse."
"Now wait a minute-" Scott protested loudly.
"I had Logan with me." Rogue said quickly as she fiddled with her hair. Magneto chuckled. "Come now my dear you do not honestly expect me to believe Wolverine stopped Apocalypse? I know he can be strong but he is certainly no mach for Apocalypse."
"Ummm-Rogue?" Scott asked. "I never did hear how it that battle ended."
'Great, now he's got Scott interested too.'
"Well, short version, Logan got me in, I shut the power off, locked Apocalypse in his coffin, Logan sliced the controls and we got out of there."
"So Wolverine was nothing but a chaperon, correct?" He looked her in the eyes with a look that said, you know I'm right.
But before she could reply the Professor with Jean, Storm, and Logan trailing behind him came into the library. In the Professor's lap there was a small rectangular box.
Jean was carrying a bottle, while Storm and Logan carried the glasses.
Rogue looked surprised and raised her eyebrow. She wasn't even 18 yet, besides that Scott and Jean had barley graced the age of 19. "Before you say anything Stripes, it's sparkling apple cider." Logan told Rogue as he handed her a glass.
"Of course." She replied easily.
Storm poured cider into peoples glasses and set the bottle down before clearing her throat. She raised her glass. "To Rogue, the new leader of the X-men, whom we are all very proud of."
Everyone clanked their glasses together. Rogue smiled to herself as she sipped the cider. 'Look how far I've come.' She thought to herself. 'Never thought I'd be here of all the places.'
"But before you go to bed Rogue we would like to present you with this." The Professor handed Rogue the box that had been sitting on his lap.
Rogue's fingers hesitantly ran across it. "Thank you, Professor, wow, you shouldn't have."
"Go ahead." Jean urged. "Open it." Rogue carefully lifted the lid to find a uniform inside. One very much like her old uniform except for the lack of shoulder pads, and there was now no purple in her uniform, just green around her chest, green boots, and green gloves, other than that the uniform was black.
"Wow." Rogue said breathlessly.
"Part of the package that comes with the whole leader thing." Logan added. "And we would have given you your own room, but you already have one, so we added you your own bathroom."
"What?" Rogue asked. "Yep, Jean just got finished with it." Logan nodded.
"Now for the not so great part, while the students normally report at 5 o'clock, you will report at 4 o'clock to the danger room." Isn't that just like Logan? Here's the good news, but before you get to happy here's the bad.
BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! Rogue's alarm went off at 3:40. Angrily Rogue picked it up and threw in at the wall. "4 o'clock in the morning." She hissed. "Now I'm I'm not sure even my own bathroom is worth this!"
How's that? Sorry for the delay, if that ever happens again, please someone kick me. And a special thank-you to my reviewers and to Guitarhero097 who gave me the push I need to make me write this chapter.
We're sure to have some ROGNETO romance in the next chapter! YAY!
Tenchi13-Thanks for your review! Glad you liked it.
tx peppa-Glad your able to read Rogneto! Thanks for your review!
Marigab-Got that right Rogue rules! Thanks for reviewing, I wonder who will figure out her little secret indeed...
KaliAnn-Thanks, I try to make it detailed, and thank you for reviewing!
Batty QUEEN-Thanks you so much for the engorgement!
Sanny-Thanks for the review and for correcting me! I'll try not to make to many mistakes.
Angelpaint07-Yay you like my fic, thanks for reviewing!
Christa4ever-Thank you for reviewing!
Guitarhero097-Thank you for giving me that shove I needed to write the chapter, and you weren't being rude please tell me again next time I'm not updating!