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Rogue sighed heavily and bit her lip as Jean sympathetically stared at her. She was not sure of what going on in Rogue's head but hoped that perhaps she would know that she meant Rogue no harm. She had a long talk with the Professor who had asked her what was wrong. The conversation was drawn out since Jean refused to share Rogue's secret but the professor had respected that privacy.

She had rehearsed what she would say but now that she had a chance to speak her mouth seemed full of cotton. She was always so prepared but this situation was too difficult to deal with. How would she be able to contain herself? How would she be able to contain her hurt but be honest enough so that rogue wouldn't think she was lying? She decided to just tell the truth. No holding back.

"Rogue…I don't want you to think that I'm trying to take over…or be in control of what's going on…cause I'm not. I want to be honest with you and share how I feel. Just for a little while, please don't say anything or react too quickly. I'm not trying to hurt you; I'm trying to tell you where we can go from here…okay?"

Rogue said nothing, she merely nodded in concession and Jean licked her dry lips.

"Rogue…today I turned the news on and I could see Remy in full display with a bunch of beams chasing after him. There was no doubt in my mind that it was Scott and I wasn't sure why but then…then I heard Bobby and Roberto talking about how Kurt and Kitty wondered if it was Remy's baby. When I heard this I thought it made a lot of sense. But what didn't make sense was Scott running after him and trying to hurt him the way he did. Everybody was just happy that you were able to touch somebody, ya know…even if it was one time.

"Scott came home a little later after that, his face all torn and he wouldn't let me feel what he was feeling. I didn't have to read his mind to figure out what was going on Rogue…the second that he looked at me his whole face fell apart and I just knew. Rogue I feel so hurt. I love him, I love him with all my heart and to know that he cheated on me is painful. I wasn't sure on whether I should be angry or sad or what…I just wanted him to leave; I wanted him to leave so that I could think of what to do and how to feel. I left him in the room and went to find you but you weren't there.

"The professor called me into his office. Don't worry, I didn't tell him anything and he respected that sense of privacy. But I did ask him how I should deal with this confusion and he told me to take a walk, alone, with no sense of direction. So I left the house and took a walk through the garden. While I was walking I saw this tree that had a bunch to flowers all around it. Instead of being green it was almost all pink. And at the base of the trunk I saw a tiny branch that held a flower at its tip and on the branch a tiny bud and I thought of you.

"You see Rogue. People like to complain about their lives but until they see another's in a different light they will never understand how absurd it is. That flower was all alone with only a tiny bud to call its own and I don't want you to feel that way. I don't want you to pull away. Everybody is so happy to have you back. And even though we had our differences…I can't say that I was sad to see you come home. We were worried about you…Scott killed his self everyday with school and danger room sessions just to keep you off his mind. I know this now.

"I'm not gonna tell you that I'm happy about this news, because I'm not but I'm not sad about it either. I just want to do the right thing and that calls for me to put my feelings aside. I won't force you to tell Scott the truth, but I think it's the right thing to do. It will never come from my mouth. Rogue I'm here for you and I want to put this behind me. We can't change the past but we can change the future and I refuse to be bitter towards you over something that we can't change."

Rogue didn't say anything immediately. There was no way that Jean could phrase what she had told her better. It was the truth. She just wanted to move on and not allow herself to wallow in a sea of pity. It was easier to let him go fast then to try to hold on and watch him drift away because the way he found out who he was. He would never be the same again. It was the old Scott she loved, not this new person he had become. And she just prayed that he would go back to being the happy person he was, even if it wasn't with her.

"Ah can't tell ya that I'm gonna tell 'im. But ah promise ta think about it. Ah don't expect us ta end up being best friends but if you wanna be involved, then your welcomed ta be," Rogue responded. Jean smiled at her and Rogue saw the hidden tears and hurt smile but she also saw determination. All she hoped was that this awkward relationship will lose its craziness. The whole situation was too off to explain.

"Okay now," Jean said and stood up quickly. She turned around and wiped her eyes real quick before turning back towards the southern belle. "Time to eat and if I'm correct I'm sure our little comrade here is hungry too."

As if on cue Rogue's belly growled and they both let out shy, tiny smiles. They left the room and pretended not to notice all of the students that had run off down the hall ahead of them. They made their way to the kitchen and Jean started to check out the fridge. The smell of sulfur filled the air as Kurt popped into the room and peeked over Jean's shoulder.

"Oh Jean! Vill you please make ze delicious spaghetti that you are known for all over ze world!" Kurt asked excitedly. Jean turned around and gave him a dirty look but he just grinned back.

"Oh please Jean! Please! Please!" Kitty shouted, bouncing from one foot to the other. Jean sighed heavily and she suddenly heard a loud studio clap and figured the rest of the mongrels where there as well. She turned around and looked at all of them. They were suddenly looking at her as if she was their heroe. She then peeked at Rogue who was having a conversation with Sam who was rubbing her burgeoning belly.

"Hey Red," Logan called out to her.

"Get out the veggies Kurt, I'ma teach you how to make a mean spaghetti sauce," Jean said to him with a slight smile. Kurt gave her a surprised smile and Jean followed Logan out of the kitchen to the hallway, Rogue still talking to Sam.

"I'm real proud of ya Red," Logan said and Jean bit her lips as she held back tears. Logan found that after one set of parenting, it came easier to him and he pulled her into his arms. "It's all right kid. It's gonna get better. Ya did a real decent job."

Jean pulled away and wiped her face. She heard the door unlock and her chest felt as if an elephant had sat on it, heat rising up her neck. Logan looked behind her head and she could see on his face who had returned. She turned away and went back into the kitchen; she wanted to stay as busy as possible. Nothing messing with her thoughts.

Scott was half way up the stairs when he felt a looming presence behind him.

"Logan…I had a real rough day. I just wanna lay in bed," he said. He turned around and Logan saw the utter exhaustion. His complexion was sallow and it looked like he hadn't slept in days. Logan hardened his heart a little and decided that it had to be solved now.

"It'll only be a minute Slim. We have to have a serious conversation."