Last night, after they had made out, Jean had caught Scott up on everybody in school. Ororo and Logan now went out and Bobby has been in a funk ever since the night of the dance because Rogue ran away before he could apologize to her. Everybody was worried about him and had visited him at least once, (Logan at least ten), but only Jean went down everyday until it was time for bed.

Until last night nobody knew, except the Professor and Scott, what had happened to Rogue. All types of rumors flew after the dance when Rogue never showed up for class. No one has stepped foot in the forest since then because the more lasting rumor was that Rogue had run away into the forest and lived deep inside, growing more and more savage with each passing day. Scott shook his head sadly and said nothing. Jean gave him a gentle look and then asked him about his coma.

"It was dark and cold all the time." Scott said, shuddering from the memory of the dark isolation. He shook his head to clear it. "But once," he said, looking up at Jean. "I felt you…in my mind. I could hear you calling my name, but I couldn't find you." Scott looked down at the ground.

"But now I can't feel you at all." Scott said, sighing as the corners of his mouth pulled.

*

A pang had shot through Jean's body as Scott's frown deepened. She reached out and grabbed Scott's hand gently and began to rub her fingers against his rough knuckles.

"What did the Professor say?" Jean asked.

Scott told her what Charles had said about his mind putting up a defensive barrier when he fell into the coma.

"Can you take it down?"

Scott shook his head. "Don't you think I tried that already?" he said, letting out a frustrated breath as he suddenly jumped up, pulling his hand away from Jean's grasp. "I don't even know how I put the stupid thing up!"

Jean had watched Scott pace around for a while before finally coaxing him into lying down next to her and getting some sleep.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Jean let out a soft sigh, breaking into Scott's thoughts. Her eyes fluttered opened and she blinked sleepily up at Scott.

"Hey, sleepyhead." Scott said softly, smiling down at her.

Jean smiled back. "Hey." She whispered back.

After a quick kiss, Jean sat up and stretched, while Scott got up stiffly and began to walk around, stretching his sleepy legs.

"Hey, Scott?" Jean called out to him.

"Mm…?"

"Why did you come to the School?"

Scott stopped walking and turned to face Jean. A slight breeze picked up and ran its comforting fingers through Scott's hair, cooling the warm, prickly feeling creeping along his scalp, results from Jean's question. The breeze made Jean's hair ripple like a fiery halo around her face and her eyes shone brightly in the rising sun's light, adding a pink glow to her smooth face. She looked like an angel sent from heaven. Scott's mouth went dry at the sight.

She deserves the truth, he thought.

"I came here, to the school, because…because I was tired of living on the streets." Scott said nonchalantly. Maybe if he spoke without emotion he could end the haunting memories of his past life…

"I was tired of bouncing from one foster home to another. I came here because I was tired of feeling different all the time and never fitting in with the people around me."

Jean mad a movement as if she wanted to comfort Scott, but decided against it and remained on the grass, blinking earnestly up at Scott.

"I came to the Professor because I thought he could help me." Scott continued. "I found the brochure on the sidewalk one day and thought to myself, He would know what's wrong with me…why I feel this way.

Scott could remember the day as if it were yesterday and not many months ago. As soon as he had read through the bright and encouraging pamphlet twice, he knew Charles Xavier and his school was the answer to all his problems. Soon, Scott hopped on the next bus to New York.

Scott blinked and the cloud of memories dissipated. Instead, Jean's face swam into view. Her eyes were red-rimmed from last night, but her expression was open and understanding. Scott took a breath and looked straight into Jean's eyes.

"All my life…I've felt so much different from all the other kids growing up in the foster home with me." Scott murmured. "I'm sorry, Jean, but these powers, being a mutant, hurting, no…killing people," Scott's voice caught and he swallowed hard to pushed down the lump forming in his throat. He shook his head. "I didn't sign up for all of this. I never wanted this."

Jean was quiet for a moment then she said, "Scott, don't you think that every mutant here wasn't scared or-or confused when their powers first emerged? I was terrified when I first got mine. I couldn't hear myself think for months!" Jean let out a shaky laugh, trying to shake off the ghost pains of the past. "The Professor is a good man. He will help you through this."

Jean stood up and stood next to Scott. Her warm scent tickled Scott's nose as she wrapped her arms around his body and leaned into him, hugging him tightly. Scott's mind buzzed feverishly. He could feel the barriers around his mind tremble before slowly falling away into nothingness. Jean's mental presence rushed into his head, warm and loving like an old friend.

"And I'll help you…" Jean whispered, her promise echoing softly inside Scott's head.