Summer's End
Fresh from the mall where they'd gone to get bikini's and bikini waxes, Betsy, Kitty, Rogue and Tabitha walked delicately into to mansion.
"If Ah have ta do this ahll tha tahme just ta go swimmin' Ah'm nevah getting' in tha watah again," Rogue stated as she stepped slowly toward the stairs, the jeans she wore turning out to be a very bad choice for post-waxing wear.
"Like, you're the one who had to buy the tiniest little string bikini to get Logan all excited," Kitty reminded, "it's practically against the law to wear one of those without getting a Brazilian wax."
Betsy, who had also gotten the full removal, slowly made her way to Rogue's side.
"Not to worry, luv, we'll be feeling good as new in just an hour or so and then it'll be all worth it when we're all drop dead gorgeous in our suits tomorrow."
"Yeah, it's the price of being as beautiful as we are," Tabitha winked and fluffed her short blonde hair.
They all laughed at the girl's preening as Amara and Jean entered the foyer.
"Did you find a suit for tomorrow?" the older girl asked Rogue.
With a wicked smile, Rogue waved the little shopping bag she carried.
"Boy, did Ah," the three girls who'd gone shopping with her giggled. "Ya really shoulda come with us, Red."
Smiling at the fact that she was again one of this fun group, even after her misguided play for Logan, Jean shook her head kind of sadly.
"I would have loved to, but I've still so much to do before I leave Wednesday."
"It's going to be so weird without you and Scott here," Kitty sighed at the reminder that in just a few days the two older team members were leaving for college.
At the mention of her boyfriend, Jean's gaze became troubled and dropped to the floor.
As if summoned by the mere mention of his name, Scott entered the scene with his hands pushed deep into the pockets of his khakis.
"I," Red began once she spotted the young man, "I've got more packing to do."
They all turned to watch the older girl rush up the stairs past Betsy and Rogue.
Out of the corner of her eye though, Rogue noticed the way Scott stared after his girlfriend and frowned at the way his shoulders slouched forward at Jean's quick exit.
~~ They still ain't worked it out? ~~
Betsy turned her attention to Rogue, who'd projected the thought to her, then looked over at Cyclops with a rather sad sigh.
~~ Afraid not, luv. They've not even been in the same room together for more than a minute with the exception of meals. ~~
Good mood dampened by that fact, Rogue sighed and shook her head.
~~ We've gotta do somethin' thare. They've only got five days left togethah and they shouldn't be spendin' it apart. ~~
Somewhat surprised that her friend would want to help the boy, Betsy blinked and started up the stairs with Rogue toward their rooms.
~~ You've become awfully forgiving of late, luv. ~~
~~ Happiness does that, it seems, and Scott had a lot ta do with mah findin' this happiness. He may have been a total ass about it, but tha fact remains he did help with yer plan so Ah could get Logan and be touchable. Its onlah fair Ah try ta help him fix tha mess he's made with Jeannie. ~~
"Rogue," Scott interrupted their mental conversation and halted their progress up the staircase with her name, "um … Can I talk to you for a minute?"
She turned to see the young man nervously rubbing the back of his neck as he waited for her answer.
"Sure," she answered without hesitation as she returned to the bottom of the stairs where he stood.
He looked around at the other girls witnessing this scene and wished they weren't present, but always keeping Logan's warning in mind Scott didn't want to actually be alone with the girl.
"I just wanted to say that I'm sorry," she sensed his eyes trying to look deep into hers through his ruby red shades. "I'm sorry I deceived you about Hank's serum, sorry I hit on you, sorry I told you about your skin the way I did and overall sorry for being such a jerk."
"You've been a total jackass, Summers," Tabitha said earning a silencing glare from the others.
"She's right, I have been a total jackass, Rogue. I want you to know that I truly regret my actions that have hurt you and I hope some day you'll be able to forgive me."
"Ah already do, Scott. Sure, thare were lots of bettah ways Ah coulda learned tha truth, but eventually Ah woulda had ta learn it and the longer the deception went on, tha hardah it woulda been ta accept. If not for yer help, Ah wouldn't be as happy as Ah am today, so Ah really do forgive ya."
She smiled gently and extended her hand to give his shoulder a squeeze.
He returned the smile and reached up to hold that hand for a moment.
"Thank you," he said rather quietly before stepping away and walking off toward the rec. room.
As soon as she was sure he was out of hearing range, she waved the other girls to huddle around her.
"Ok, we have got ta do somethin' ta get Jean and Scott back togethah."
~*~*~
Standing before the mirror in her bathroom, Rogue fiddled with the string ties of her bikini and wondered why the heck she'd felt the desire to buy something so revealing.
Sure, she wanted to knock her lover's socks off, but everyone would see her in this.
Frowning she tried to make the triangular patches of emerald green material cover more of her breasts and butt, only to find once again that it covered all it could possibly cover.
"Ya wanna hurry it up, darlin', we're set to leave in ten minutes."
With a look at the door Logan had just spoken those words through, she sighed and slid on the sundress she'd chosen to wear to Charles' end of summer party at his lake house.
If anyone gets to staring too much her man would just have to deal with them, she assured herself as she stepped from the room.
"Ready?" he asked as she emerged.
She went to the closet to get and slip on the sandals she wanted to wear then turned to nod that she was good to go.
Satisfied that they were on time, Logan slid an arm around her waist to pull her against his side before dropping a quick kiss on her lips and leading them from the bedroom.
They arrived downstairs to find the others all talking excitedly and waiting for the show to get on the road.
Hank was carrying the last of the coolers out the front doors to stow in the X-Van and when he put it in place everyone cheered knowing it was almost time to go.
Knowing her lover would be busy helping out the other adults while she played at the lake that day, Rogue gave him a quick hug and pulled his lips down to hers for a kiss.
"I don't why you two even bother to leave bed," Bobby joked from somewhere behind them.
Breaking the kiss, Logan turned to growl menacingly at the boy who gulped, shrugged then ran to join the others.
"Let's get zhis party started!" Kurt exclaimed as he saw that everything was good to go.
Smiling at her sorta-brother's antics, Rogue pulled away from her boyfriend to run and join the group of girls she was riding with.
~*~*~
Jean's SUV was the last of the vehicles to pull to a stop at the lake and all the occupants practically jumped from the vehicle before she'd even turned off the ignition.
While Hank, Logan and Ororo worked on unloading the items for the barbecue that was planned the boys were running around jumping in the lake of airing up rafts and beach balls to play with in the water.
Tabitha decided that they needed music stat and grabbed Kitty to rush into the house and haul out the stereo.
Amara and Jean went to sit at a picnic table set up along the shore of the lake, while Betsy and Rogue stood off to themselves observing the situation.
They saw Scott in a tank top in swim trunks leaning rather depressed against a tree and looking at Jean who rather pointedly ignored him.
Even through the goggles he wore to make it safe to swim in the lake, both girls watching could see how hurt he was by Red's snub.
"We all set?" Rogue asked her friend.
Immediately knowing what the girl meant, Betsy telepathically contacted all the players in the game to come and had them all report in with a good to go.
"Everything's in place, luv, they're just waiting for the signal."
Kitty and Tabitha finished setting the stereo up just outside the back door of the house and soon pop music was blasting through the speakers at a level that had Logan threatening to slash the thing to bits if they didn't turn it down.
Rolling her eyes at the man, the blonde turned the music down a notch then ran over to Amara and Jean to drag them to their feet.
"Come on girls, are we gonna let these fellas have all the fun?" she called out.
Laughing Amara responded to Tabby's challenge, stripped down to her one piece swimsuit then ran down the pier to dive into the lake near where Bobby and Sam swam.
"You go, girl," the blonde shouted after the younger girl.
Jean and Kitty rolled their eyes at each other before taking off their shirts and pants to reveal their bikinis.
Suddenly all the guys in the water were focused entirely on the shore watching each girl disrobe, which had Amara shaking her head in disgust and splashing Bobby.
The iceboy retaliated by diving under the water to grab the girl's feet and pull her down.
As the two played, Tabitha threw off her clothes down to her bikini then dragged Jean and Kitty into the water.
"Let's do this, luv," Betsy said with a smile at Rogue.
Nodding, Rogue looked over to where Logan stood watching and sent him a wink as she slid the thin straps of her dress down off her shoulders to send the light cotton garment floating down to pool at her feet.
Her lover glared at the revealing swimsuit she was now left standing in as the boys in the water hooted and hollered at the outfit.
Blowing her man a kiss, Rogue waited for Betsy to unveil her suit then the two ran down the pier to cannonball into the lake.
Swiping her long, now wet, purple hair back from her face, Elizabeth smiled and gave the signal to the others.
Responding instantly, Kurt ported from where he was playing in the water to the shore where Scott stood then he grabbed the older boy and teleported them both to a position over the water. Their combined body weights splashed down into the lake and sent water crashing over Jean and Kitty who were swimming next to the point of impact.
Shrieking, both girls began retaliating. Kitty drove both hands into the water to send a small wave smacking into Kurt while Jean smiled wickedly and used her telekinesis to dump a gallon or so of water on Scott's head.
Betsy and Rogue exchanged satisfied glances as they saw the couple forget their differences and begin playing in the water like a pair of children.
The two girls then looked over the water's surface over toward the adults on the shore.
Hank and Ororo were both in their swimwear, though neither of them approached the water yet and Logan was leaning back against a tree watching the kids play.
Rogue saw her lover look her way and she waved.
Rather than wave back, he straightened from the tree with a smirk on his face that she could see from across the distance and removed his shoes.
One by one, all the girls stopped their playing with the boys in the water to turn and watch the Wolverine slowly drag his tight white T-shirt up over his dark head. The movement mussed his silky black hair in a way that had them all wanting to smooth the soft strands back into place.
All eyes widened as the man, eyes still focused on Rogue, unsnapped his blue jeans and lowered the zipper.
Rogue was smiling at him with pride and possession as he pushed those pants off his muscular legs and straightened to stand there in nothing but a tight black speedo.
"Luv, you have definitely been withholding vital information from us," Betsy whispered beside her.
Still smiling, Rogue turned to look at her friend only to lose the smile as she saw where Elizabeth's blue eyes were focused.
"Hey," she exclaimed with a playful shove that sent the purple haired girl sputtering under the water.
Coughing slightly, her friend surfaced and blushed as she looked at Rogue.
"Sorry, luv, I couldn't help it. That," she peeked over at Logan again, "is just bloody irresistible to look at."
"Ah know," the girl gloated as her man finally stopped showing off his hot bod to the hormonal girls and did a running dive into the lake.
Though his adamantium coated skeleton made it difficult, he was a good strong swimmer and quickly cut down the distance between Rogue and himself. When he reached a point a few feet from her, he dove under the water for what she knew would be a sneak attack. Determined not to be the one attacked she took a deep breath and sank beneath the surface as well to await his move.
Betsy watched the pair suddenly pop back up for air with a laughing Rogue held tightly in Logan's arms. The couple proceeded to kiss and frolic in a manner the British girl decided she was too young to witness. Smiling once again with delight at that relationship, she swam off to join the others and focus on the other relationship she wanted to nudge along.
~*~*~
Hours later everyone was gathered on the shore enjoying hot dogs, hamburgers and chicken hot off the grill as well as the many dishes and desserts that had been unpacked from the coolers and set out on a table.
The table, a blushing Rogue thought.
She had almost died when Hank and Logan maneuvered the kitchen table from the house to outside next to the grill for the cookout. Remembering quite vividly what they'd done on that table the young woman's cheeks had been a nice shade of red for about an hour now and everyone was trying to determine the cause of the blush.
Everyone but Logan, who knew darn well why she was blushin' the smug lil yahoo, and Jean, who had seen those particular memories when she pried into Rogue's head when the girl got back from the lake last week, that is.
Jean, who everyone was thrilled to see sitting next to Scott, was having a very hard time looking at that table or the couple who'd done unmentionable things on it.
It had been one hell of a summer, they all agreed as their stomachs were filled and they just sat around talking.
Thinking of all the good things that had happened for them these past few days, Logan and Rogue snuggled against each other with smiles.
Amazingly, Scott placed his arm around Jean's shoulder and the girl raised her hand to hold his as she smiled and kissed his chin.
The whole team looked at those two, delighted that it appeared all had been forgiven.
Brian was sitting on the ground, reclining against a tree with Tabitha on his lap, while Amara flirted with a bold Bobby and shy Sam.
All the others, Betsy, Charles, Hank, Jamie, Kitty, Kurt, Ororo, Ray, and Roberto, just sat around watching them all and enjoying this last Saturday of their summer.
It had been a great day, they all thought when it finally came to an end.
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A/N: Yeah, this is pretty much the happy ending. I know it may all be kinda quick fixes, but go with it. :-P I have one or two more "Epilogue" type chapters planned for after this so we all get to see where the relationships go, etc. and then the series shall be finished. Yippee!
