Chapter 4: Alek's Mourning

"I swear to you, though!" said Evan desperately. "I didn't do anything!"
"The evidence is there, Evan. It's all there in your mind," said the professor. Then, as if he thought no one could see him, Charles allowed a sinister smirk to creep across his face. The mood in the room turned into that of a cemetery; nobody talked, they just stared.
Evan was escorted out of the Institute and straight to a holding cell. The first person to break the silence of the room which contained the X-Men was Kitty.
"Professor," said Kitty. She paused, and continued, "Why are you smiling like that? You're kinda freaking me out."
"Bedtime, children," muttered the professor.
"Huh?" questioned Kurt. "But it's only seven thirt--"
"*BED*!" roared the professor. "Now--uh--please, children. I need some time to think. A lot has happened. And I, uh, have a stomach ache. Please, just depart to your rooms."
With perplexed looks and confused minds, the kids took off to their beds.
"I'm kinda affaid to sleep in my room, all by myself ." said Kitty, obviously apprehensive.
"If you'd be more comfortable, you could sleep in my room!" offered Kurt excitedly.
Kitty sighed. "No, Kurt ."
"You can sleep in my room, Kitty," rescued Jean. "I've got a blow- up mattress in my closet. There's plenty of room on my floor." Kitty accepted Jean's offered gratefully.
"Ahh, no one *ever* digs the blue, fuzzy elf ." said Kurt unconfidently. As Kurt reached his door, and said his goodnights, Kitty quickly pecked him on the cheek, said, "Thanks for the offer," and ran to catch up with Jean. Kurt's indigo cheeks flared red and he marched into his room triumphantly.
As Alek walked past his still opened door, Kurt's triumph faded into concern.
"Hey, man, are you gonna be all right?" said Kurt, realizing the stupidity of what he said. "Dumb question ."
"What am I gonna do?" said Alek coldly.
"What do you mean? There's nothing you can do. Evan was already convicted, so they just gotta prove he's innocent. The hearing is in a coulple weeks, so--"
"You think he's innocent?" fired Alek quickly.
"Of course! If you don't have faith in your friends, then who are you gonna trust?"
Alek said, with hope lost from his eyes, feeling lost from his voice, "No one."
He ambled off silently into the darkness of the hallway on the way to his room. The concern from Kurt's face hadn't escaped yet, and it probably wouldn't until he straightened things out.
A near-silent *bamf* took Kurt to the front of Jean's room. He knocked.
Jean, never leaving her seat on the bed, opened the door and said, "Yes, Kurt?"
"Hey, Jean, Kitty," muttered Kurt nervously. "I think we need to go have a chat with Alek. He's really not right." Kurt explained the whole scene to the two girls.
"Oh, God ." whispered Jean to herself. "Maybe you two should go; he knows you guys better."
With that Kurt *bamfed* over to Kitty, then *bamfed* out of sight, to end up at Alek's door.
A *knock, knock, knock* was followed by an obviously depressed, "What?"
"Hey, Alek," said Kitty in her nicest, happiest voice. "Do you, uh, wanna talk?"
"No," said Alek, with a cracking voice; Kitty and Kurt both picked up on the fact that he was crying. "Guys, I know you're trying to help, but I would *really* like to be alone."
"Yeah, well, believe me, this is the time where you should be surrounded by friends."
Kurt whispered to Kitty, "I've never been in his room, so I can't teleport in there ."
"No worries," Kitty smiled, "I know a little trick."
She latched onto Kurt's sleeve, focused, and pressed her hands on the door. Phasing though, she found herself and Kurt in a very, very dingy room. Things had obviously been smashed, paper torn and wrath unleashed. The only light came from a dim table-side lamp, making the room even seem depressing.
Alek, still sobbing, looked up to see his friends in the room. Rather then set his wrath on them, he just stood up, and said almost inaudibly, "Help ."
Immediately, Kitty ran over to him and hugged him. Alek accepted the hug generously and took use of Kitty's shoulder as a tear-catcher.
"I'm a wreck," Alek sobbed. "I--I loved her, yah know? I mean I really loved her ."
"Hey, man," said Kurt comfortingly, "we all loved her. I know it's not the same, but we feel your pain."
"I know, Kurt, and thanks. If I didn't have you guys, I'd have nobody. My parents have rejected my along with my whole family. Rogue's gone--"
"Woah, dude!" interrupted Kurt. "We don't know that she's dead!" "I do," muttered Alek. "Doctor McCoy told me this morning. He's gonna announce it tomorrow. He thought it would hurt me too much to find out with everyone around."
Kitty's face went through denial to anger. Kurt just looked at the ground, moping. Finally Alek broke the silence:
"But, guys, I want you to know that in time, I'll be OK. So please don't worry about me."
A sea of frowns filled the room along with a wave of mourning. The blow wasn't as hard to Kitty or Kurt because they were never *really* close to her; no one was close to her--no one except Alek. Besides, Kurt and Kitty had already let there tears shed when they saw Rogue laying on the ground.
"If it's no trouble, I'd like to get some sleep," said Alek with a weak but genuine smile. "Thanks a lot for comin' in here. You knew I needed it, and I appreciate it."
"No problem whatsoever, man," said Kurt, also with a weak smile.
"Yeah, we're always here for you," said Kitty, imitating Kurt.
Kurt put his hand on Kitty's shoulder, and the last that Alek some of them that night was a sudden poof of smoke. He ignored the mess in his room and laid on his bed. He closed his eyes, and sleep soon engulfed him.
The next morning, the news was told about Rogue, and tears were everywhere. After Dr. McCoy announced this, the professor also made an announcement.
"I know this will be hard for all of you. Rogue was definitely an important, admirable person. She is gone, but, of course, not forgotten. Now, I also know that what I'm about to say will not brighten the mood. Nor is it an attempt to replace Rogue, but I do have some good news. Recruitments are headed here tomorrow. Ladies and gentlemen, in a week we will be four people stronger."
Everyone listened to the professor, but none of them really cared. Mourning was apparently on the top of their priority lists.

*

Over the course of the next three days, the frowns seemed to evaporate from the cheerful sunlight outdoors. Now, everyone was excited for the new recruitments that were to come. Alek now hung around with either Kitty or Kurt because they seemed to be the only people that he felt comfortable with. From time to time, he would be caught smothered with happy memories of he and Rogue, but they would fade with some comforting.

Evan's hearing was in two weeks, and everyone was planning on attending. Even Alek was eager to go; it seemed that there was some hope in him after all.
The days seemed to slip by, and before they knew it, new students were scheduled to arrive the next day. After being absent for so long, excitement made a triumphant comeback. Sure everyone missed Rogue terribly, but everyone of them believe that she wouldn't want them to.

*****All right, there you have it! I know, I know, "What's taken you so long!?!?" Well the thing is, I had a tad bit of writer's block. But we can all thank my good friend QTK for helping me out! Remember I want your criticism! So don't forget to sock it to me, ok? Until next time, faithful readers!******