Disclaimer: The x-men don't belong to me..well duhhhh

Author's Note: Thanks a lot to every single person who are reading this fic and reviewing too…I'll try to keep up with your likes and dislikes as much as I can. This is a looong chapter, sit back tight and enjoy.

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Waited for so long

by Samman

Part III

Jean folded the t-shirts and kept them on the bed beside the pile of the fresh laundry clothes that she had just brought. The birds in the bright afternoon chirped loudly that were flying past by her bedroom window.

She looks very unusually happy today, something's up for sure. Scott, who sat at bed flipping pages of the news paper peered his eyes curiously at her, he had an advantage of wearing the ruby glasses that no one could directly stare in his eyes, he smiled to himself. He stared at Jean who was busy thinking something, that was obvious, he thought as he saw the constant smile plastered on her face.

"Looks like someone's having a good day." Scott tried to look at his paper casually.

Jean stopped and looked at him. "Oh yes I am Scott." She went back to her work.

Scott looked at her and now he had her attention, he wanted to ask that something fishy was going on there. "Not that I don't like that lovely smile of yours but care to share something with me?"

Tilting her head, Jean sighed and smiled once again. She ran a hand through her hair and shrugged. "It's nothing. I'm just havin' a good day Scott."

He still was unconvinced. "I'm glad Jeanie. But I know something is there."

Jean looked at him and frowned. "I'll tell you when the time comes. Happy?" She twitched the corner of her lips and her irritated face disappeared.

"Whatever you say Jean." Scott yawned with his mouth wide open and slid in his covers.

"Scooott." Jean whined not wanting him to go to sleep on a Saturday morning.

"Okay okay, I won't asleep for long." He closed his eyes and wrapped a well build arm around the blanket covering himself.

Calm down yourself. You're a big girl now. Jean scolded herself, she couldn't stop thinking what Rogue would be doing right now. To her assumption, Jean sought out that Rogue would be in Remy's room right now. She had left the tv lounge half an hour ago…

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"Everyone come on. It's ready." Jean loudly said as she put a dish full with steaks on the table. Wearing an apron, she was running from the kitchen to the dining room and back into the kitchen as she set the food on the table for lunch.

Scott came down the front steps, buttoning his shirt and his wet brown hair was ruffled over his eyes as he had just gotten out of the shower. "Oooh I'm starving Jean."

He inhaled the smell of the yummy food that Jean had just made. He looked left and right as he approached the dining table. "Where is everybody?" Scott said to Jubilee as she came with a pitcher of water and glasses.

"Wolvie is busy as usual, fixing his bike in the garage." She rolled her eyes. "Last time I checked Remy was watchin' tv.  Bobby's in the kitchen helpin' Jeanie."

"Remy's taking a shower, he'll be here soon."

"Has anyone seen Ororo lately?" Scott pulled the chair out and sat.

"Yes, she just sent me a message through her COM badge that she was busy and will not be joining us for lunch." Professor wheeled the chair to his specific place and kept his hands on the table.

Startled, Scott looked up at Professor. "Oh Hi Professor. Isn't it strange? That we're the ones who are usually busy every single weekend but today it's the opposite."

"Yes, he actually got time to sleep today, and in the afternoon." Jean shook her head as she finally came wiping her hands with a towel and sat beside Scott.

"It's good to see that you took some time off for yourself Scott." Professor said who was setting the food in his plate.

Scott nodded and Jubilee sighed. "Bobby come on out! I already at last night's left overs-sorryyy!" She yelled at Bobby who was still in the kitchen doing something. "Hurry up now, I'm waiting for you."

Professor smiled, he liked how Jubilee always waited for Bobby during breakfast, lunch and dinner. Everything seemed to be so calm in the mansion nowadays.

"Where is Rogue?" Scott asked suddenly, his mouth filled with food.

Jean suddenly jerked her head up from where she had been looking down at her food. She quickly chewed and tried to swallow down the food but Jubilee was already up and ready to go to call Rogue's room to ask her for dinner.

"I'll go get her." Jubilee ran to the right of the room and quickly advanced her steps.

Loudly, Jean stood from her seat and gulped down her food. "No she said she wasn't hungry!" The shout escaped her lips involuntary and she tried to relax. She knew that Rogue was in Remy's room and no one knew about the news Rogue was going to share with the x-men and when was she going to do that.

Scott and Professor stopped eating and looked at Jean in astonishment. "Jean. What's the matter? She's just going to check on her." He pointed at Jubilee who stood and it was clear that she was thinking why Jean was acting so weird.

"Oh. Oh I was just saying that because then Jubilee wouldn't be here either. Because I want everyone to be together at the table on weekends and already, no one is here." Jean tried to act okay as soon as she sat down and focused on the food.

Jubilee came down and sat opposite to Jean. "Never mind, I guess I should start eating because I don't think Bobby's comin' any time soon here." Asshole. Jubilee cursed at him playfully in her mind.

Scott looked at Professor and shrugging, he continued eating. "Can you pass me the salad Jean?"

"Oh yeah sure. Here it is." Jean passed the salad did her best to ignore the Professor who was concentrating on something else as he looked down at the food.

[Umm excuse me Professor but since you're already thinking that why am I acting so weird but…let me tell you that Rogue told me of her new discovery.] Jean mentally nudged the Professor who nodded.

Professor sipped water from the glass. [Congratulations that you were the first person she chose to tell the great news. I am very proud of her.] "So Did you check on the new codes that Remy installed last week?" Professor asked Scott while he talked to Jean in his mind.

"No I didn't, actually I was just too busy checking on the new danger room security system that he fixed so I didn't get time." Scott swallowed the food down and continued. "I'll be doing that anytime soon."

"Oh then you do not need to hurry. It can be done anytime soon." Professor nodded. [Although it is none of my concern of when she will be disclosing the news to the x-men but do you know anything of her whereabouts today?]

Jean looked at the younger mutant in front of her, Jubilee who was playing around with her fork in the plate. "Jubilee why don't you take some bread?"

She handed the dish filled with bread to Jubilee who accepted it great fully. "Thanks."

Nodding, Jean concentrated on what Professor Xavier had just said. [She did tell me that she'd be telling the x-men soon but since she was too excited to not to tell it to everyone so quickly, I didn't really bother to ask her what she was going to do. Although I am planning to throw her a party.]

Professor chuckled in his mind. [It's good to hear that Jean.]

The four x-men ate the food in silence until the Professor jerked from his place and a frown appeared on his forehead. Jean, Scott and Jubilee looked at him with worry.

"You okay Professor?" Scott said as he stopped eating his food.

Jean quickly poured him a glass of water and set it on the table. "Professor are you alright?" She gave him a minute to reply when she saw he kept his hands over his temples.

"I…I am fine. I felt something…strange. Something unusual." Ge opened his eyes and looked at the stunned x-men.

He must be getting one of his headaches…after all he is a telepath. Jean stood beside him while Jubilee and Scott remained in their own positions.

"What was it?" Scott seemed to be fine, he figured it was nothing to worry about too much.

Professor looked at Jubilee who looked left and right and awkwardly continued eating. He then looked at Jean who motioned him to continue. "It is nothing serious. I believe it is one of my headaches. Can you do me a favor Jean?"

"Yes sure Professor, what is it?" Jean looked at him with concern.

"I know where my x-men are but I want to make sure they are all fine. Can you go and check on Rogue for me? I felt something from her but I am not sure what it was."

"Should I?" Jean nodded as she wiped her hands with a napkin.

"Please do." Professor nodded and eyed Scott who was running his tongue around his mouth nervously. "I am sorry I worried you." Professor shook his head at himself and Jean exited up the stairs.

"No problem, you just startled us a little. Something's up with Rogue?" Scott lowered his head to his plate.

Professor Xavier wanted to take a quick scan of what all the x-men were doing but he left them as they were. "I felt someone calling me and I believe it was Rogue. But that was just my assumption."

"Too much sessions with her I guess." Scott said. "You should really slow things down."

"I am trying to Scott. Do not worry." Professor smiled.

Jubilee who had been sitting there for a while had not interrupted the conversation for once but soon her laughter broke out when she heard Bobby yelling that he was finished cooking whatever he had been preparing in the kitchen. The professor and Scott joined her too.

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Jean went up the stairs quickly, frustrated that why was everyone so bothered about Rogue and Remy? After all Rogue had controlled her privacy. Couldn't these people give them some privacy? Jean thought, walked in the hallway where the x-women had their bedrooms.

Well the point was they did not even know about Rogue controlling her powers so whey would they bother about disturbing her? Well they'll find soon enough. A grin appeared on Jean's pretty face that was surrounded by red curls.

She came to a white door that belonged to Rogue. Jean raised a fist to the door and slightly knocked on it.

Knock Knock. Nothing. Jean chewed her lip and her brow furrowed. Part of Jean was tensed-The way Professor had oddly reacted downstairs in the dining room just minutes ago freaked her out.

Knock. Nothing again.

"Rogue, Are you in there?" Jean asked and she pressed her ear to the door listening for something but the room was pin-drop-silent.

Jean twisted the door knob absently and door was unlocked. She stepped into the room and rested her hands on her hips noticing that she wasn't in the room. Everything in the room was set perfectly and the light from the closed window behind Rogue's bed sent off sun-light shinning through the room.

She did see that the bed covers were in their place so Rogue was obviously not taking a nap. It was nothing unusual because Rogue was not much of a person who would take naps in the afternoon. She was not even in the bathroom…

What time is it? Jean looked at the clock placed on the night stand. 2:32, was the time on the clock. It is most likely for Rogue to be with Remy right now…l

Backing away slowly Jean went out and shut the door behind her. Instead of going downstairs, Jean made her way to the right that led her to the men's wing.

She quickened her pace as her mind whirled with confusion, Rogue had told her that she would stay at the mansion. Nothing would be so important to come up today so there was not a possibility of Rogue going outside.

Hmm..She brought a finger up to her lips as she passed by Remy's room and decided why not check in. She took two three steps back and knocked at the door.

Jean heard some voices and the door opened in two minutes.

"Oh." Jean's heart raced as she saw Remy standing in front of her without a shirt and with someone else other than Rogue standing behind him. Ororo. Jean hoped to God that it was not what it looked like to her.

"Hey chere. 's up?" Remy said, he smiled at her and grabbed his shirt from the corner where he had thrown, after putting it on he opened the door fully, a sign that seemed like he invited Jean to come in who remained outside.

"Umm nothing. Are you-err..Why didn't you come to lunch Remy?" Jean said hesitantly.

"That's what y' wanted t' ask me chere?" Remy raised his eyebrows at her, his behavior changed now from when Jean had seen him in the morning.

Licking her lips, Jean eyed Ororo at the back. "No. That's not all. Did I disturb you guys?" She looked at him suspiciously.

The woman who still stood beside Remy, known as Ororo indulged herself in cleaning and throwing items here and there in attempt to clean the room. She seemed embarrassed and blushed that Jean had caught them in Remy's locked room together with Remy without a shirt. She thought that Jean must have known what they were doing by her and Remy's condition if not by telepathy.

Ororo's silver hair hung loose at her back and she just wore a simple button down shirt and jeans. Remy on the other hand was wearing only rough jeans and his hair was in a mess.

"No y' didn'. I didn' feel like eatin'." Remy looked at Jean, very slightly annoyed that who was she to ask her such questions. "Is dere somet'ing y' be lookin' for chere?" He continued noticing a change in Jean's facial expression.

"I know I shouldn't be asking this question but is this what it looks like to me?" Jean cleared her throat, her composure much better.

Remy folded his muscled arms in front of his chest and smiled, Jean could not figure out whether his smile was angry or happy. "Yeah chere, I's 'xactly what it looks like."

Jean lowered her head a little to peer at Ororo who had stopped doing her work and was now standing in the middle of the room, her face in an expression of awe. "You mean Ororo and you are…?" Jean tried to confirm the meaning of Remy's words. "Oh never mind. I gotta go now."

"Wait what never mind? I know y' didn' come here t' check on us, did you?" Remy stopped Jean who was about to leave. Just then Ororo came up behind Remy to stop him from saying something rude, although she knew Remy never misbehaved with anyone.

Quickly wiping off the small beads of sweat forming on her face she brushed away the hair from her face. "You're right Remy. By the way have you seen Rogue?"

"Last time I saw Rogue was wit' y'." Remy's remark was sharp and quick.

"Yeah I mean-but—did you see her at all since morning?" Jean said as her heart started racing. The tiny incident that had just happened in the dining room where 'Professor had jerked from his place and he later told them that had heard a voice'…scared Jean more than anything.

[Jean, we're already finished, what's taking you so long?] Scott's voice interrupted Jean's thoughts.

[I can't come right now honey. I've got something to do. I'll be down there soon.] Jean sent him a mental reply.

"Since morning? I t'ought she was wit' you. How am I supposed t' know where she'd be right now?" Creases appeared on Remy's forehead, he tried to take in what exactly the situation was that Jean stood in front of him tensed up and all.

"Oh. This means you didn't see her. Did you see her Ororo?" Jean moved Remy out of the way and looked at Ororo who shrugged.

"Last night we had a danger room session together and I did not see her after 8. Is there a problem Jean? Why are you so panicked?" Ororo let her concern cover her aggravation over Jean who was asking them all sorts of questions after disturbing them.

"I..I can't get a hold of Rogue. I looked for her every where. Professor said that he heard someone calling him and he believed it was Rogue." Jean raised her hands to her temple to take a fast look for Rogue but she failed again.

Remy buttoned his whole shirt and folded the sleeves up to his elbows. "Did you check in her room?"

"Yeah I did. I looked for her through my psyche but I can't find her anywhere." Jean's breath was coming in short pants now.

Looking at her confusingly that he had just Rogue about an hour ago…where could she possibly go? "Did she mention t' you about goin' somewhere…dis mornin'-anyt'ing---?"

"Remy for God's sake I looked everywhere but since Rogue told me that she would---" The words slipped out of Jean's mouth when Jean tried to release the tension somehow and now she was going to end up telling Remy that Rogue had decided to tell him something.

Remy squinted his eyes at her. "Rogue…told y' what?" He pushed her trying to get the words out of her that Jean had stopped herself from saying. It was obviously something he had to do with, Remy thought.

"I-she told me she was going to meet you..and that's why I came to check if she was with y- you." Jean looked rested her hand against her waist, the pressure and worry growing every minute.

"What?" Remy asked her, not knowing a single thing Jean mentioned to him. "What are you talkin' about?"

Sighing, Jean looked to her right and started to move away from them. "I can't tell you right now Remy, but I think we have a problem."

"But Jean wait--"Remy reached for her but Jean was already walking fast. "'Kay den I'm comin' too." Remy grabbed his cards and went after Jean.

Ororo stood there and kept her eyes over her face. What was going on here? Her mind was a whirl right now. "I guess I'm going too." She went after Remy and Jean closing the door behind her.

Oh my god oh my god oh my god. Jean prayed to god and hoped that everything would be okay as soon as they found out where Rogue was. But what her mind told her was that Rogue must have seen Remy and Ororo together and she must have chosen to do something about it-may be leave the mansion or something….But Rogue would never do such a thing.

Remy walked as fast as he could beside Jean. His mind totally blank of Jean's awkward questions. He could hear Ororo coming up behind them but he decided that they shouldn't stop for any discussions right now seeing that Jean was worried about something they both didn't know.

"Would y' mind explainin' some'ting t' me?" Remy asked loudly, his voice stern.

"Would you stop asking me questions for once?! Because you can see very well that I'm not in the mood in explaining you things right now." Jean said as she jerked open Rogue's door. "See?! She's not in here."

"Y' blaimin' me 'cuz y' can' find Rogue?! What are y' so tensed up all 'bout? She might be here dere in her room. It's simple go do your head t'ing and *snap* you'll find 'er." Remy asked, more heated than Jean was.

Jean chose not to reply and she was already making plans on calling the x-men on alert in the dange-room. She stood in the middle of the room trying to think, just then Ororo entered the room.

"I's dere any way she would've gone t'rough de balcony?" Remy asked, who now stood near the balcony and was opening the door.

"I told you, no. She had some plans--" Jean was cut off by Ororo's scream…

"Goddess!" She stood there, her mouth open, blue eyeballs in stuck in her pupils…her hands shaking at her sides. Remy and Jean stared at her for a second, too scared to see the sight that made Ororo scream like that.

"'Ro….what's wrong?" Remy started slowly, not moving an inch.

"Ororo answer him…come on…" Jean encouraged her to say something only to have the same sight greet her that Ororo had seen as she moved to the front of the bathroom door that was slightly opened.

"Oh-my-God." Jean closed her eyes, her body shaking.

Remy walked with lightning speed and grabbing Ororo by the arm, he moved her out of the way. His heart thumped loudly…so loudly that he felt it was going to burst. He knew something was wrong…but never expected it to be so sudden.

He quickly came in front of Jean who stood aside and raised her hand to her head sending a certain x-man a mental note. [Beast I need you here right now. Hurry. Rogue's room.]

[I'll be right there Jean.] Beast said on the other line without asking for an explanation.

The red on black eyes that always had a brilliant shine in them flashed with luminous energy the moment they saw one of the most powerful and bravest mutant in the mansion sprawled on the floor with a pool of blood around her…Remy's mind was numb for a second until the words escaped out of his lips absently.

"What happened chere?"

To be continued…

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A/N: Don't get angry with me because there's more to come! Thank you very much for reviewing.