Everything Important

Chapter Fourteen: The Friend

"Rogue?" Beast peeked hesitantly through the doorway. Storm had said that she was 'dealing', but he really didn't want to press her.

Rogue smiled at him. She had been staring out the window, waiting on someone to arrive.

"Is this a good time?" He asked, and immediately wished he hadn't. He chided himself harshly. There are no good times right now!

"Good as any." She said sadly and leaned in, eyeing the envelope in his hands.

"I developed the film in Abair's camera." He said. "I didn't think there would be anything personal on it." He explained.

Rogue smiled at her shaggy friend.

"Let me guess, me, blue silk?" She smiled honestly – and it was a wide grin. "Ah'm not embarrassed. Ah'm wearing less now." She stood up and spun once, showing off her dress.

"Wow." Beast eyed her from an arms length. "You are indeed." He smiled and handed her the envelope. "I love the one of you in the graveyard." He smiled. "It shows the real you."

Rogue looked at him. "That's what Abair said – when he took it." She tried to recall his exact words. "That it would show the world how he saw me?" She was sure it had been something like that.

Beast took back the envelope and counted through the pictures to the snapshot in question and then handed them back.

Rogue gasped softly.

It was the best picture of herself she had ever seen. She hadn't been posing or even considering the camera, he had just snapped it on a whim.

She looked sultry and seductive.

But the amazing part was the angle and background. He had managed to take the picture while she was standing in front of an angel statue.

And the angel's great stone wings appear to sculpted off her shoulders..

Tears welled up almost instantly and she cocked her head to one side, hugging the photo's to her chest. "Beast …" She said softly. She was trying to say 'thank you' but he interrupted her.

"You were his angel." He said softly.

"Thank you." She forced the words out.

"You are always welcome." He told her.

Meanwhile, in the next room, the doorbell rang once and Scott opened the door.

He was stunned to see a giant man, almost seven feet tall, wearing a black leather jacket and matching leather chaps over his jeans. His hair hung like a full lion's mane from the top of his head. He wore the classic mirrored 'motorcycle-cop' sunglasses.

His face was a contorted and twisted display of emotions.

"Stevie!" Rogue called out, having followed the sound of the bell. Scott turned and looked at her as she pushed past him to get to the door.

She was stunning. Her dress, while tasteful and appropriate was also very revealing. It was low cut in the front and slit suggestively high up each side – and very short.

Scott's breath caught in his throat and he felt himself begin to flush. She's practically out of that dress. He thought.

Rogue ushered Scott aside and threw her arms around the giant's waist. "Ah'm so sorry Stevie" She buried her head in his chest, careful not to let him touch her face. ." Ah just didn't know who else to call."

He pulled off his sunglasses and wrapped his arms around her and pulled her in close and tight to his chest.

And Scott felt something he never felt before – something a lot like arousal – and possibly a bit like jealousy – over Rogue.

"Thank you … for calling." He whispered. "He was my …" He began to choke up. "My oldest friend." He said quickly. "Sometimes." He choked on the words. "My only friend." He lowered his head and held her close.

Rogue turned away, just enough to see Kurt and Kitty lurking just beyond the doorway in to the next room.

"Kurt." She called and he and Kitty began to approach quietly. She kept one arm around Stevie and laid her other hand on his chest as she spoke. "This is Stevie. He's the bass guitarist for The Dysfunction. He grew up with Abair." She looked up at the broken hearted giant. "This is mah little brother Kurt and our friend Kitty."

Stevie raised a hand in friendly greeting and dropped it again. "Hi." He said simply.

"Kitty, would you take Stevie in to the lounge? I want to get the Professor."

"Sure Rogue." She smiled across the distance at him. "Come on in and have a seat."

"I'll be right back." She told him as she pulled away. "I promise."

He nodded several times, fighting back his tears, and allowing himself to be led in to the next room.

Rogue spun and saw Scott standing behind her. He was still holding the door open. His jaw hung slightly slack. She walked past him, eyeing him oddly but taking no real notice of his condition.

Scott turned and watched her walk out of the room. He could feel his heartbeat pulsing in his throat. And it was all he could do to close his mouth, then the door, and exhale when she was out of sight.

It was then that he heard the man talking from the next room. "I called a few people who would want to know." He was saying.

Scott closed the door and went to see if there was any way he could help.

"My band is on the way. They're hoping that we can play at the service or the wake."

"I'm sure that can be arranged." Scott told him. "I'm Scott."

"Stevie." He shook Scott's hand.

"Were you a friend of Abair?" Stevie asked.

"He got in my face, called me stupid and proved it." Scott smiled. "But I think we were on good terms."

Stevie nodded. "Sounds like him. Did he hit you?"

"No." Scott shook his head. "Grabbed me up by the shirt and made me hold up a wall." He shrugged.

Kitty looked at him in disbelief. What? She wondered. When? … and … Why? She and Kurt exchanged glances and Kurt shrugged to demonstrate his ignorance of the event.

"Yeah, then he liked you." Stevie wiped his nose. "He really didn't mind throwing a punch."

Scott smirked. It felt like a compliment, anyway.

"But, you know," Stevie smiled just a bit "I never saw him hit anybody who didn't deserve it. He never really wanted to hurt anyone …"

Rogue gently wheeled Xavier in to the room and it seemed for a moment that they were exchanging a glance.

"I am Professor Charles Xavier." He said. "And I'm sorry about your friend."

Stevie took his hand but looked like he might tear up again.

"He's the bassist for The Dysfunction." Scott supplied. "He wanted to know if they could play at the wake."

"Certainly." Xavier nodded. "When can we expect the rest of the band?"

He sniffed once and tried to focus through his sorrow on the Professor. "They're trying to contact a few other friends of his. We made …the mistake … of calling … his parents …"

The Professor sat up strait, his anger clearly visible on his face. "Yes. I too contacted his … father." Xavier spit the word distastefully.

"He drinks." Stevie told him. "That's why Abair left home." He said weakly.

"Much to his credit." Xavier told him with a supportive and sympathetic smile.

"He really loved them." Stevie's eyes shimmered pleadingly. "They just didn't … ever … want … a kid." He finished quietly

"But they're coming to the funeral, right?" Rogue asked before seeing by their expressions that they were not. "Oh." She said, very softly, to the now quiet room.

"I offered them plane tickets." Xavier took a shallow breath and shook his head.

"Wouldn't matter." Stevie was staring strait ahead, pained and hurting.

"No." Xavier agreed. "It didn't."

"Abair always said – that people could work out any real problems they had – so long as they were just people, being people." Stevie looked between Xavier and Rogue, almost as though he was seeing them for the first time. "And he said his parents – they just weren't even trying – to be people."

"That's a very accurate assessment." Xavier agreed.

"How …" Rogue hesitated, but had the attention of everyone in the room. "Sad … for them." She finished at last.

Xavier reached out and squeezed her gloved hand once.

"I just saw him at the concert." Stevie said sadly. "He looked happier …" His voice wavered. " Happier than I had seen him look in a long time."

He looked to Rogue and Xavier. "Was he happy here?"

He drew a shaky breath. "Because … he was my friend – and I'm kind of … successful now. And I … could have – I should have – looked out for him – more… or better."

He closed his eyes and the tears ran down his face, and yet he forced himself to speak. "But if he was happy … then it wouldn't … really… matter … anyway …"

The room hung silent.

No one seemed to find the right words.

"I never saw him any other way." Scott said finally, staring strait at Rogue. "And I'm sure of it."