Disclaimer: I don't own no character, no singer, no song used in this fic.

RockStar

Chapter 3: Fallin'

Kitty sighed in content as she sat on the living room couch, opening her laptop to begin her latest letter to her parents. For the first time in weeks, the Institute was quiet and peaceful. Most of the original team was out with Wolverine and Storm in a mission while the New Mutants were in another nature walk with the Beast.

Everything was peaceful, that is, until Gambit waltzed in as if he owned the place. "G'morning, petite," he grinned lazily at her.

Kitty's jaw dropped open, not because she was surprised at how easily Gambit had evaded their new and improved security system, but because of what he had tucked in his arm.

"Unhand me, you mutant freak!"

On his right him, held on the waist, was the Rogue, kicking and swearing furiously. "She's manifesting," he told her in a mock-whisper, which served to agitate Rogue more.

Rogue's lips then burst out with a colorful language that a proper southern lady shouldn't know.

Gambit merely grinned at the girl as he continued his leisurely pace out of the living room, away from Kitty's shocked gaze.

It took a few seconds before Kitty was able to jump up and follow Magneto's Acolyte though the kitchen and out into the backyard. "Like, hey!" She cried out. "What on earth you think you're doing?"

"The fille needs a time out." Gambit replied easily as he now stood on the edge of the mansion swimming pool.

Another string of curses poured out of Rogue's mouth.

Without preliminaries, Gambit tossed the enraged girl into the pool.

"Rogue!" Kitty cried out as she hurried towards Gambit. "Like, what did you do that for?"

Gambit merely grinned at her.

Seconds later, Rogue's head broke the surface of the pool, coughing and spluttering. "What the—"

"Thought you needed to cool off, my sweet little river rat,"

Rogue's head turned to where Kitty and Gambit was standing. "You!" She growled. "Wait till I get my hands on you, you—"

Gambit's grin grew wider. "I'd be waiting for the day, chere," with that, he bowed dramatically before running out, laughing all the way.

Rogue groaned as she began to swim towards Kitty.

Kitty extended out a hand to help Rogue. "You know what? I, like, really think he likes you," she mused, then yelped as Rogue pulled her in the pool. "Rogue!"

With a snarl, Wolverine rushed forward so fast that all the younger mutants saw was a blur of colors. When he stopped meters away from where he was originally standing, he now had the exhausted Rogue in his arms.

It began as a sparring lesson between the original team and the New Mutants. The girl had once again manifested, this time the Master of Magnetism's abilities, among others. One by one, Wolverine ordered the original team to side with the New Mutants until only Rogue was left in the other team. She then took to the skies, keeping all of them away. It took the combined effort of the original team and the New Mutants to tire her out. And when she finally fell in exhaustion, Wolverine was there to catch her.

Wolverine gave another intimidating growl. They were able to tire her out but not to bring her down…

An extension of danger room sessions might be in order. These kids were getting soft.

From inside the building, Xavier's mouth was in one thin line.

"I thought you completely erased the psyches in her head," behind the professor was Ororo Monroe, teacher, mother-figure, friend.

Charles shook his head sadly. "I cannot, not without damaging her own. I simply quieted them. But you would notice that they don't try to take over anymore. She only has the manifestations of their powers."

"There must be something we can do to help her," she hated to think that she would lose another one of her kids. "I know how hard it is to try and stay in control of my emotions, and she is just a teenager."

Charles Xavier briefly touched his temple with his right hand. "Music relaxes her,"

"Just as my gardening relaxes me."

Charles pried his eyes away from the window to turn to the goddess of the wind. "But here's where her powers differ from yours. While your emotions make your powers out of control, her emotions are the key to controlling her manifestations. More often than not, the powers that she calls out whenever she's distressed that the ones that would be most convenient to use in whatever situation she was in."

Ororo's eyes widened. "You mean—"

Charles shook his head. "It's wholly possible that she would be able to control her manifestations, yes."

Ororo knew the unspoken continuation. But to control her original powers was very much uncertain.

"Once she controls her manifestations, can you imagine how powerful she would become?"

Ororo gave a small gasp as reality sunk in. Once Rogue was able to control her powers, she would be an army by herself. "But Jean herself showed such potential when her powers went out of control."

"Yes, but she has Jean's powers inside of her, along with some others."

Ororo was about to argue when the professor interrupted her.

"Ororo, with Jean, all they needed to do was to distract her so that Rogue would be able to absorb her."  Charles closed his eyes. "With Rogue, surely you remember that you, Scott, Kurt, and Jean attempted to stop her, take her out, but she merely turned your own powers against you. She can even control as many as three at a time, maybe even more."

"And when she attacked Logan, she even made copies of herself," she gave a small gasp. "And if Rogue would have complete control and…" She can't bring herself to finish her sentence. She must trust in the girl. She must!

"Magneto's very interested in her. That's why Gambit's presence alarms me greatly." Charles continued as he once again touched his temple. "She's beginning to get attached to him." He sighed. "But I'm getting ahead of myself. Such things may not happen for a while. For now, we have the temporary solution to her problem,"

Ororo nodded. "Just as Evan needs to drink milk everyday, Rogue needs her music." Her eyes were just a little sad with the remembrance of her nephew.

Rogue bit back a groan as she saw the black and silver choker she was admiring on the magazine for months. It was waaay expensive and had in fact, resigned herself to the fact that she was never going to have one. But it was now sitting innocently in her locker.

OK, maybe not so innocently. She had no doubts as to who placed it there. Damn the Cajun.

Internally, she debated whether to take it or to throw it away. She slammed her locker shut with a groan, opting instead to leave it there. Maybe the weekend would clear her mind and she would come to decision come Monday.

She mechanically walked outside to where Scott parked his car and met her friends.

She hated that Cajun at first sight. Rogue grimaced. Alright. Maybe not at first sight, but she swore that he used some sort of mutant power on her when they first met. She does not act like a schoolgirl with her first crush around anyone. She does not stare at guys with a glassy look in her eyes. And most especially not in the middle of battle. She was just glad that Wolverine wasn't there to witness such a humiliating scene.

But then, just as she decided she hated him with a vengeance, he just had to stand up for her and Evan against those school bullies. Alright. She was still more suspicious then, but she had to admit that she there was the beginning of—well—something positive, she doesn't know what to call it. And then he just had to call her chere, hadn't he?

His stalking her had cemented her belief that the two of them were going to be like Pietro and Evan. Only to have her thrown off the loop again when he started to bring her gifts. Oh, sure she acted disgusted and put out, but if she was going to be totally honest to herself, she had to admit that she liked the attention, even a little. Alright. A lot. Especially coming from a cute guy like him    (Did she just say cute? The Rogue does not do cute!).

Then he just had to provoke her into manifesting one of those Friends of Humanity guys just to have him dunk her into the pool.

And as if to make up for his behavior the day before, he got her the choker she had been eyeing for months. Well,  he had stolen it is more like it.

The ride home was a blur.

She hadn't realized that she was now entering the Institute Doors, her feet subconsciously taking her some place.

I wonder what's on TV.

I need a burger!

Hmmm…what to where? What to wear?

Maybe I should check on the reservation in the restaurant later. I want everything to be perfect for Jean…

Rogue shuddered. She was manifesting Jean's telepathy. Great. She refused to turn and find out which thoughts belonged to whom. She just wanted it out of her already-muddled brain.

Had she been paying attention, she would have noticed that one of her friends was exactly in the same mood as she.

Rogue was outside piano room, disappointed. Someone had beaten her to it. She was about to turn away when she realized that only three people in the mansion knows how to play the piano. Her, Ororo, and Kitty. And since Miss Monroe was out somewhere…

She pushed the doors open. "Kit?"

Kitty shot a glance in her direction. "Argh!" She cried out as she furiously jabbed the ivory keys with her fingers.

"Hey, hey, easy Kit!"

"Men!" Kitty spat out.

"You, too, huh?" Rogue went over and sat beside Kitty, but Rogue's back was to the piano. "Lance?"

Kitty nodded as she stopped playing. "He, like, doesn't own me, you know?" Then, her brows do together. She paused and drew a breath, stopping her tirade on Lance. "Wait, what do you mean 'you too?'" She demanded. "You mean Gambit—"

"Is still bothering me," Rogue finished. "Anyway, are you gonna play, or can I take my turn?"

Without answering her, Kitty started to play the piece that was left on the piano. She then stopped to look at Rogue with a raised eyebrow.

Rogue smirked. How appropriate. And then she began to sing.

I keep on fallin' in love with-a you.

Kitty laughed appreciatively as she began playing again.


Sometimes I love ya', sometimes you make me blue.
Sometimes I feel good, at times I feel used
Oh baby you know darlin' makes me feel so confused

I keep on fallin in and out of love with you
I never love someone the way I loved you
Ohh Ohhh ohhh I-
I never felt this way
How do give me so much pleasure cause me so much pain
Just when I think taking more would a fool
I kept fallin' back in love with You ohh..
I keep on fallin' in and out of love with you.
I never love someone the way I loved you.
I I I fallin' I I I I fallin'

Fallin' (fallin') (fallin') (fallin') (fallin')

I keep on fallin' in and out of love with you
I never loved someone the way I loved you

After the final notes died, Rogue and Kitty fell silent.

Until Rogue shuddered and Kitty snorted.

"Like, did we just have a moment there?"

"Nope." Rogue said with finality. "This never happened."

Kitty nodded in agreement. "Like, what never happened?"

Rogue rubbed her aching head.

Meetings with the professor always left her feeling that way.

And that infernal music was getting on her nerves!

Walking up towards the boys' wing, she sought out the room Sam and Bobby shared, intent on giving the boys a piece of her mind.

But she opened the door, she only saw Bobby there. He was jumping up and down the bed, running around the room, falling on his knees, and strumming his loud electric guitar. All done with his eyes closed so he was unaware of his audience.

Half-amused, half-disgusted, Rogue Walked over to the amplifier connected with Bobby's guitar. She jerked the cord off, causing Bobby to pause in mid strum.

And turn as red as an apple.

"Er—Rogue!" He immediately straightened up and placed his guitar on his bed. He scratched his head, laughing nervously. The Rogue was in his room!

"Sugah, it's nine in the evening. People are trying to study,"

Bobby reddened even more. "S-sorry, Rogue."

Rogue turned around and was about to leave the room when she turned to him again. "Oh, and about your little band," she told him. "The professor and I had a talk and he thought it would be good for me if I dabble into it a bit." Without waiting for an answer, she was gone, shutting the door behind her.

"She called me sugar!" Bobby thought out loud. He then started to do a strange little dance.

Sam took that inopportune time to walk in the room. "What the—"

"She called me sugar!" He announced in euphoria.

A distinct scream was heard from one of the rooms in the mansion. Wolverine whipped around, determining where the sound came from. He started running without so much as thinking.

It was Half-Pint who screamed and it came from their room. It was midnight so he knew that Stripes was with her.

If he learned that the thief had done anything to his girls…

He kicked the door to their room open.

"What happened?" He growled.

Two heads whipped around and stared blankly at him. Half-Pint and… "Stripes?" He sniffed. It was her.

But he was staring at a redhead. With only the slightest hint of lipstick and blush. And she was wearing a powder blue long-sleeved shirt. Wolverine sniffed again, just to make sure. The perfume was wrong but he was certain it was her.

The blush deepened.

"I heard a scream."

This time, it was the brunette who blushed. "Like, sorry, Mr. Logan. That was me," she admitted. "I was, like, just so proud of my creation," she gestured at Rogue.

Wolverine didn't answer, but that was to be expected. Internally, he made a mental note to learn to distinguish between the excited screams of a female teenager from the terrified one.

"Like, I told her that if she wears the wig and not wear her, like, disgusting make-up, like, nobody would recognize her. And because of her icky purple eye makeup, nobody even notices her green eyes, so we don't have to hide them," Kitty beamed. "And, like, I was so right!"

"Pipe down, Kit," Rogue scowled at her.

"And smile, don't scowl," Kitty admonished her. "That scowl is, like, so Rogue. Everyone would, like, know it's you in an instant. And, like, don't get me started on the glare." She took a deep breath and turned to Wolverine. "It's for, like, the gig Bobby set up next week," she made a face. "For some reason, she, like, doesn't want to be recognized."

"It's midnight." He told them with a glare, interrupting Kitty's monologue. "Get some sleep." He then left them, muttering something about silly girls who scream too much.

Wolverine, now wide awake because of the adrenaline rush, walked outside to begin his nightly patrol.

As he leapt over Ororo's flower garden, his face couldn't help but break into a scowl. Since when did he begin to think of those two as his girls?

~tbc

P.S.

The song used in this fic, Fallin', is by Alicia Keys. As if you didn't know!

Thanks to Rogue Warrior Spirit (lookie here, no angst! ^^), Ev1ta (you and me both…but whenever I think about the story, it seems that it goes in a thousand different directions!), penguin walk (a thousand thanks for the compliment!), jskullguy (thanks for the correction. I already took it into consideration and redid chapter 2), Yumiko (girly's good! Hope I updated fast enough for ya!), Girl number 1 (I'll take your songs under advisement), ishandahalf (If all stalkers are like Remy, then I want a stalker too!)  Lady Starlight so kiss my ass (well, you're luckier. I still talk like her at times.)

And I'm still accepting reviews! The more the merrier!