Hello everyone! I'm back! I know it takes me forever to update, but all I can say is that I just haven't had the time to do so (and sometimes I get writer's block and add to that the fact the I lost my outline of chapters grrr). I do apologize profusely.

Oh, I have good news/bad news depends on how you interpret them:
1. This story is getting to its end. I believe it has 2 or 3 chapters to go, plus an epilogue and that's it folks.
2. I have another story on the works! It is also AU so be on the lookout for that.

Disclaimer: I owe nothing but the plot!

Chapter X

"Behind the Looking Glass"

I sat down on the edge of the bed and took off that annoying death trap called a tie. In all honesty I didn't know where I was going with "the plan", whatever the heck that plan was right now. What was I going to do with Rogue? What was I doing with her? At first things were simple: make her fall in love with me; marry her (using her to get rid of the family curse); and then get rid of her just like she did with me all those years ago. After that I could get back with Jean… or not (I still haven't forgotten her little affair with stupid La Beau), have the company merger that will avoid bankruptcy, and live my life without inhibitions or being careful, like I have till this day.

But what happened? Rogue Darkholme had to go poke her pretty little head on other people's businesses and listen to my conversation with Jean, and, well, I had to make her stay one way or another. So what did I do? Act like an egocentric pompous jerk, threatening her, and making her my little puppet… that went well. On the bright side, after she 'remembered' part of our story and talked with my father about our family situation, we got together? No, not quite, but we did get on better terms at least.

If only, she was not theone. If only, this stupid curse didn't make me vulnerable to others. If only, I didn't hate her this much… Who am I kidding? I don't hate her. I can't hate her. I love her to a degree that makes me sick. I can't see her with anyone else, I can't stop thinking about her; I wish I could lock her up in a room and have her to myself the whole time but at the same time having her as far away as possible. She makes me show that side of me that I hate the most, the needy and obsessive side, that is. Enough about her, this has to stop! I try so hard at keeping myself busy with work or whatever the heck comes up so I don't have to be with her at all, because the moment I spend time with her I know it will be too late to let her go. I know I won't be able to lose her again, not again, and not to Mystique.

That mother of hers, I just hate her with a passion, this all happened because of her. If she had not taken Rogue with her that first time things would be so much different now. Rogue and I would have started a normal relationship when she was of age, gotten married a few years after, and I wouldn't have develop this sick obsession of her now. Ok it's not that stalker-ish type of obsession, where you hold the person captive or have pictures of the person's every move (Ok, ok, I have some pictures, like graduation or prom, of her. Where did I get them from? It isn't anybody's business). My obsession is slightly different, I just want her to be mine, that's all.

I heard a knock on the door and Alex's voice asking to come in.

"What brings you here this time at night?" Alex is not the type to knock on your door at two in the morning, so this must be something important.

He hesitated for a moment and sat down beside me, "How's it going?" Seriously, you go to your brother's room at two in the morning just to ask " howhe'sdoing?" I don't think so.

"Go to the point" I told him tiredly.

He scratched the back of his neck in embarrassment, "You always knew how to read people."

Heh, how ironic, "Not as good as people can read me."

He purposefully ignored my comment, knowing full well I didn't like to talk about the effects of my curse, " How far are you going to take this?" I knew what he meant by that question.

"As far as it needs to go. I think she almost falls for me." I said as cockily as I showed myself to be in front of others, even though it was not the real me, but this was the type of guy I had become.

"That's what I'm afraid of. You shouldn't use her like this. The company merger can wait for now, I'm sure our father, you, and I can seal the deal with Mr. Grey. You don't need to do this anymore." He paused and took a deep breath, "Tell me, do you really want to spend your life with Jean? No, no, wait. Answer this, do you truly love her?"

Damn, he always knew his way with words; I stayed silent for a moment. Was it really worth the trouble, lying to my brother? I guess I could try, "Yes, I lo—"

"Shut it. You know as well as I do that what you were about to say is NOT true. If that were the case, Rogue wouldn't be here in the first place."

"If you knew the answer, why do you even ask? I do with my life what I please. It's my life, so stay out of it."

"You're my brother I care about you, but if you hurt her I will not forgive you and I'm sure neither our parents nor Kitty would either."

I didn't say anything because I knew he was right.

"What did she do to you that you want to hurt her this way?"

"None of your business." I couldn't tell him just yet.

He sighed, "Just don't let it get to the point of no return. If you keep this up you'll regret it." After saying that, he left.

"I think it's too late to back down now little brother."

{-}

The clock showed it was 6:03 AM, I couldn't sleep, great another sleepless night. I stood up and went to my bathroom and turned on the lights, I saw my reflection in the mirror, more specifically my eyes. I always wondered what color they really were. They were of a dark green color at the moment, confusion. [Refer to Ch. 2] As if I wasn't confused already with this whole situation. I dressed up in my sweats and a t-shirts and went out for a jog to clear up my head.

So many options went through my head. I could be the loving man, the charmer, the jerk -the last one has been working out pretty well (notice the sarcasm).

"Son," my eyes flashed from gray and back to dark green. I heard my dad call me from behind one of the trees. Apparently insomnia was another one of the traits we shared. "What's on your mind?" I turned my gaze elsewhere. "I don't need to look at your eyes and have you transmit your emotions to me to know that something is bothering you."

Sometimes I swore my father had the ability to read minds. "Dad, have you ever done something you weren't sure about?"

He smiled, "You know son, in business we are faced with many choices, but we usually select the one that yields more profits and is less risky." He paused and placed a hand on my shoulder, "In life things are so much different. There is a higher level of uncertainty, so you cannot be sure of the outcome you're going to get. Especially in matters of the heart son," how did he do that? He really knows me better than myself at times, "you can't base your decisions on profits, or the lowest risk choice. If you really want something out of life, you have to risk it all Scott and fight for what you want."

"But dad, what if I lose everything?" I lost myself so long ago.

He smiled at me as a reassurance, "It's a risk you are going to have to take. You can either be the man I know you to be son or keep pushing her away."

"Dad how did you—"

"I know a lot more than you think. For either better or worse we are bound to love forever."

"Us dad, not the partner our stupid heart has chosen."

He sighed, "That is true, but…" he looked towards our home, to Rogue's balcony in particular, "I'm sure she loves you."

Sure she does, she's head over heels for me I'm sure anybody could tell. "I don't really think so."

"Well, you haven't exactly been honest with her either. If both of you are waiting for the other to take the first step then you will never get anywhere."

As always he's right. It's time to man up Summers and start cleaning up the mess you started. I'm pretty sure that after yesterday Jean will have had the talk with her father about dissolving the merger with the company, so I won't have to worry about her, at least not right now. But will I really be able to forgive Rogue? How can she not remember the rest of the story? Well dad did say we had to be honest with each other… It's time we both share our side of the story.

{-}

11:30 AM, okay so the plan is invite her to lunch and clear things up, we hug, we kiss, we make up and everyone lives happily ever after. Good, I like that. Oh god, she's coming this way. Okay Scott deep breath, act cool and go with the plan.

"Hello darling," I saluted her a little more arrogantly than intended. Wait, why is she glaring at me? She's holding her scarf a little too strongly… oh, oh the hickey that's right.

"Hello jerk." Cute as always, she's a sweetheart. "This better fade off quickly." She said while pointing at my little gift.

"Oh don't worry about it," I placed a strand of her platinum stripes behind her ear. "I'll make sure to replace them."

She blushed and pushed me away. I should have learned by now not to tease her, in my defense… it's fun! Sue me for having some fun. She was about to walk away but I grabbed her hand before she left.

"I'm sorry, I was just teasing. It won't happen again." "Unlessyouwantmeto." Good, she wasn't glaring at me anymore. "What do you say we go have some lunch together?" Cool, she didn't notice my nervousness, I hope my hands aren't sweaty or anything.

She looked at me skeptically, I wasn't expecting any less, "I don't really feel like dealing with your business friends and pretend to be the perfect fiancé" she tried to pull away but I didn't let her go.

I smiled at her "Only you and me." Is the corner of her mouth twitching into a small smile or is it me?

"On one condition,"

"What is that?"

"You take those awful shades off."

I nodded and promised to it as soon as we arrived to the café. She walked towards the door and turned around to see me. "I warn you though, I'm not a salads girl, I like my meat." She grinned at me.

Was it normal for my heart to skip a beat at her smile?

{x}

X-men c: Thank you so much! I'm glad you like alternate universes because many people don't. I was scared of that before publishing this story, but thanks to people like you here I am now.

Nikki-4: Oh there was to be some jealousy here or there. I think it spices things up sometimes. You are always so nice, thank you. These past couple of months have been quite hectic but I'm fine thankfully. Hope you have a great time as well.

xmen4life:Really? Thank you! (It's hard to write in first person so I never know if I'm doing it right lol) I hope you liked this update too. Ah, life has been so busy with ups and downs but I'm alive and healthy =) I know! Rogue is also one of my favorite characters and I really don't like her to feel sorry for herself or anything, so I totally get you.

Oh you're making me blush! Thank you for the support!

nakala: This Scott is very different from the one we all know. Well he's crazy because he has a distorted view of what has really happened, blame Mystique, she's really the bad guy from the story (even though I don't really mention her). In time you will see what really happened. Add to that distorted view, the fact that because he was away from her he got a little obsessive over the years (as you see in this chapter)… you get a bipolar Scott lol.

I know, it sure has, but here is another update.

Unfortunately I'm not so sure about that, but I promise I'll try.