Thank you very much for the reviews.  I figured I'll just post one chapter a week.  I don't want to post all four at the same time and then have you wait forever for the next one.  Suggestions are nice (thinking bout bringin remy into the story).  Thank you for the reviews (keep em comin).

Tuesday, 25 June 2002 - Wednesday, 10 July 2002

III. Inappropriate

The boy in the bright red shirt slid feet first against the ground into the base right before the catcher caught the ball. Another point for team two. I watched the game from my spot on one of the benches in the 'backyard' of Xavier's Institute. I needed the time to be alone. I bent forward, crossed my arms on top of my legs, rested my forehead on my forearms and closed my eyes. How everything had gone from normal to psychotic in five days had all started with two changes. Scott and Jean's breakup and Logan and Tess's arrival, and both had managed to strongly affect me. I signed realizing that just because I was out here did not change anything and everything would be waiting for me when I went back. I heard the grass shuffle and someone sat down next to me. Probably just some kid, I thought, which made me remember how I had become 'just some kid' to Logan so quickly. I sat up and looked at the person, and found myself staring at Logan. How typical it was of a man not to understand that I needed my space.

"Hey," he said. I leaned forward again folding my arms on top of my legs and then rested my top weight on them. I looked down at the grass between my feet.

"Hey," I replied. Silence.

"Are you and... Tess gettin' along?" he asked. I nodded. We were not fighting if that is what he meant. That had been a question better off being answered by Kitty or Jubilee.

"Marie," he started. He remembered my name. That is a way to get my attention, I thought as I looked up at him.

"When I left it might have taken a bigger toll on you than I thought, and when I came back with Tess, you might have taken it the wrong way, but the way you're handling your... feelings isn't exactly appropriate."

"What?" I asked confused.

"Your dating Scott... he's your teacher. And then... sleeping with John," he stated. I started to open my mouth. He cut me off.

"I talked to Kitty and Jubilee on my way down here; they told me about your being able to control your powers, but I think you should tone it down a little bit," he stated. I stared at him in disbelief. Of course, everything was about him. His leaving and his return had been the center and start of everything. Egotistical bastard. Yeah, go ahead and touch me, I thought. I glared at him, got up off the bench and walked away.

"Rogue," he called. Should have stuck with Marie. I kept walking and heard him following me. He grabbed my arm, which pulled me back off balance as I kept walking forward. And of course, he caught me. As soon as I could stand self sufficiently, I tried to pull away and received little success. I could not help the wetness in my eyes, but that is all it was, wetness. I avoided eye contact, keeping my back towards him.

"What?" I asked harshly.

"... Rogue," he said softly.

"What?" I asked again. I tried to pull away again. I sighed as I realized I was not going anywhere.

"I'm not trying to tell you what to do, but-" he started.

"Don't repeat yourself," I commanded facing him now and giving him a glower. How he had accepted those rumors as the truth pissed me off. Were Tess and Jean rubbing off on him?

"Do you have anything else to say?" I asked irately. He did not answer, just stared, then hesitated before speaking, "We need to talk."

We did, and it had been long awaited.

"Let me go," I demanded keeping my voice as calm as I could. He dropped his arm.

"Let's sit," he said. He stood in his spot until I moved ahead of him to the bench, and then he followed. I turned around stopping and he almost ran into me. I still needed my time alone.

"Let's not," I replied and immediately started walking away hoping he would not follow me. I went back inside and the hallway was empty and when I got back to my room, Tess, Jubilee and Kitty had gone. Most likely to Jubilee and Kitty's room. I spent the rest of the afternoon by myself. I laid on the side of my bed next to my dresser staring at the bottom drawer. I had anger and at the same time curiosity, so I pulled the drawer open and took the razor out. When I cut I always steer clear from my wrist. I am not suicidal and cutting is not my 'cry for help'; it is a way for me to let go. I cut lightly this time, grazing the skin and admiring the way the blood trickled over the well known scars for a while. I do not understand how some people cannot stand to see blood, much less their own. When I was done I wiped the razor and my arms, and pulled my sleeves down over them.

Dinner was starting and I did not want to stay in my room, so I left. I started walking down the hall taking the long way to the game room.

"Rogue," I turned around. Logan was going the opposite way, which was closer to the dining room. As much as I wanted to continue on the other way I did not. He came to me.

"You going to dinner?"

I shook my head.

"You eating with Scott?"

I shrugged.

"Where are you going?" he asked. I wanted to shrug and leave.

"Game room," I said. He looked confused.

"No one is down there," he stated. I nodded and looked at him.

"Did John say that we had sex?" I needed to know. He watched me for a second and shook his head.

"Bobby," he said.

"You heard both sides," I questioned.

He nodded.

"But you went with Bobby's?" I asked quietly.

Same response.

"Okay," I said and turned to leave.

"They got into a fight over you. You should give one of them a chance instead of Scott," he proclaimed. And what about him, did he not want a chance?

"I'm not dating Scott," I told him.

"Whatever you want to call it, it isn't appropriate," he stated.

"And why not?" I asked. Since when was he the tyrant of my life?

"He's your teacher," he stated. I knew the real reason had something to do with male dominance.

"It's only dinner. You do it every night with all the other students in this school," I replied. Why had I not kept walking?

"I wouldn't trust him. He and Jean just broke up and he's probably looking for a way to get some perverted revenge. You should stay away-" I interrupted his speech.

"I don't care! I don't care, Logan, whether you trust him or not. Other than Storm, I'm guessing that every female you've ever run into has been dependent on you or another man. I'm not one of those females looking for a male influence in anyway I can get it, so you don't have to worry about Scott using me for revenge sex! Or John!" I screamed at him letting all that anger out. "You're not my mentor, parent or guardian; you don't have to tell me what you think about everything I do, or anything you think I did and I rather you didn't. You have someone new to do that to now, Logan."

This felt almost as good as cutting, "Next time you think I slept with someone or did something 'inappropriate' and you feel protective, remember, Logan, that I! CAN'T! TOUCH! PEOPLE!"

My hand came up so fast, I think we both thought I was going to slap him, but it reached around my neck and grabbed the dog tags. As I took them off he tried to stop me.

"Marie, don't," he said succinctly, taking my wrist in his hand before I could move it over my head with the tags.

"No Logan. I think you need to go give these to someone," I said. That wetness came back and I knew it was more than wetness this time; and I desperately wanted to leave, but could not while he still had my wrist in his hand.

"Let go of my wrist, Logan," I demanded.

"Let go of the tags, Marie," he demanded in a low voice.

"Calling me that isn't going to change anything," I stated. Tess came down the hall calling Logan's name. Was she always following him when Bobby was not around?

"I was wondering why you aren't at dinner," she stated. She saw him holding my wrist, which he refused to let go and in my hand, the tags that I refused to drop, and looked curious.

"What are you doing?" she asked prickishly. I started to say something, but he talked over me.

"Nothing Tess. Go back to dinner," he answered. Yes, now, good girl. She did not move.

"Not until you come with me," she stated stubbornly. That could be a while and I did not want to be here for a while. I promptly dropped the tags and put them back under my shirt with my other hand. He did not let my hand go, but loosened his grip and let me drop my arm to my side.

"Tess, go down-" he started.                                    

"No," she cut him off crossing her arms. "Are you trying to seduce him up here?"

What was I now, the school's slut? No that was Bobby. I glared back at her.

"Fuck off," I snapped back. Maybe she had not actually meant to be insulting. He eyes widened a bit, she uncrossed he arms, then looked at Logan, me, and back at Logan.

"Marie watch your mouth," Logan stated disapprovingly.

"Now that'd be impossible, Logan," I retorted.

"Marie?" Tess stated confused.

"Tessalyn?" I replied.

"Logan, what's going on?" Tess demanded.

"Look, Logan. I let them go, now you let me go," I demanded. He looked at me.

"We're not done talking," he stated.

"I think we are," I replied.

"Logan!" Tess called to get his attention.

"Tess, go back downstairs," he requested. She shook her head in disbelief, narrowed her eyes, turned and walked away.

"Let me go!" I repeated. "There's nothing left to say."

"I didn't forget about you," he said. "You and Tess were supposed to like each other. She was running-"

"Logan, I'm over it. You don't have to look after me anymore," I told him.

"I wish you'd stop acting like this," he stated.

"Like what?" I asked taking umbrage.

"Stubborn," he replied.

"You should go, Logan. Go and eat. Tess seemed pissed. She's probably mad at you for ignoring her. You should try to break that annoying habit of yours," I proclaimed.

"I wasn't trying to ignore you. I don't know what the hell happened, but when I came back, you were different," he said. Oh, blame it on me. He let go of my wrist.

"Thank you," I replied harshly and turned to walk away. He stepped with me blocking my way. I started to say something.

"I'm not breaking that promise, Marie," he informed. How very sweet. I broke our eye contact and walked away. Maybe I did not have to be so bitter with him, but he did not have to be so aggressively persistent.

When I entered the game room it was empty. I remembered the last time I spent time in here was the day Logan left. I walked around for about ten minutes and slowly students started coming in. I walked into the kitchen and took a seat at one of the tables. Students taking the shortcut to the game room from the dining room walked through the kitchen and lounge. Bobby and Tess walked through and Tess gave me a skeptical look as she passed by. Jean and Logan came through and I looked away. When I thought all the students had left the dining room, I went in the dining room, got some food and came back to the empty kitchen and started eating. I had finished eating when Scott showed up.

He greeted me with a smile, "Hey."

"Hey," I said.

"I assume you've heard the new rumor?" he asked. I shrugged.

"You cheated on me with John," he stated grinning just as Jean walked in. She stopped walking.

"Yeah I'm sorry," I stated looking down at the table.

"It's okay, you can make it up to me," he stated catching on to my little game. "Tonight. Unless you prefer mornings or afternoons... or between classes."

I believe my mouth dropped as low as Jean's and my eyes went just as wide. Whoa, I did not know Scott had a perverted side; he was basically celibate in my mind. I got my act together quickly. Or tried.

"Um..." I started.

"I shouldn't be giving you a choice. You cheated on me." He stated.

"When do you feel I should make it up to you?" I questioned. He sat forward in his chair on the table.

I was leaning towards between classes," Scott answered. I nodded in agreement.

Jean walked towards our table and placed her fingertips on the edge.

"You better be kidding," she stated adding a small laugh.

"What?" I asked. She narrowed her eyes.

"This thing you do every night is not appropriate at all," she declared. "And is a very bad example on the students."

"Do not worry, Jean," I stated. "Scott's not using me for revenge sex."

She looked shocked then rather disgusted at Scott. Her eyebrows furrowed and her mouth opened slightly. That was what she was thinking, right? Even Scott seemed a little surprised. Oops.

"I'm not," Scott proclaimed somewhat defensively when Jean looked at him. Logan walked in the doorway, probably wondering where his beer was. Jean walked to the refrigerator and got a beer and walked back and handed it to him. I do not see why he cold not have gotten it himself since he was in the room. No one said anything for awhile and Logan watched us. I was hoping someone would leave before Tess came in looking for Logan, and Bobby came trailing along after her.

"So what are we doing?" Kitty asked popping up from the lounge. Most likely she had been sent.

"Nothing, so you can go back to the game room," Jean said. Kitty glared at her.

"Actually, I came for a soda," she stated walking slowly to the refrigerator as if to taunt Jean. She looked at Scott and smiled. She got her soda and stood next to the refrigerator as she opened it. Jean was staring at her incredulously. Kitty moved from her spot and walked over to our table. She pulled a chair out between us and sat down smiling.

"What are you up to?" she asked.

"Not much," Scott answered looking at Jean and Logan. She nodded.

"It's probably hard to talk when you got your ex and her new bf hovering over you trying to show off," she proclaimed stridently glancing over at Jean and Logan and shaking her head. "Rogue, did you know that Tess didn't even know Logan brought you here until dinner tonight when Bobby told her."

I shook my head. That explained the sizing me up earlier. Kitty took a drink from her soda.

"You and John friends now?" she asked but did not give me a chance to answer. "Bobby's definitely jealous. He and John got in a fight, and he used his powers. Cheater. He punched a whole in the door today when you left! I guess he was mad cuz he's tried since you first came here to get with you but never could. And when he sent John to ask you some questions bout you and Scott all of a sudden you're sleeping over! But you remember what Jubilee said about Bobby, 'he's in everything for the sex.' And Tess only lasted a day. She'll be heart broken when he dumps her. Logan'll kill him."

But Logan had left when Kitty had mentioned Bobby using Tess. I wondered what he was going to do. Jean stayed.

"Kitty, you got your soda. You should go back to the game room now," Jean suggested.

"I'm not bothering you!" Kitty snapped back and turned to us. "What's her problem? Why'd you two break up? Did you get sick of her nagging?"

Scott looked amused. Jean looked as if she wanted to drag Kitty out by the hair and hear Scott's answer.

"Wait, you don't have to answer. There was an obvious answer in that last question. Rogue, I heard that earlier Logan cornered you against a wall and wouldn't let you go. That seems a little aggressive for trying to make up."

I thought so, too. Jean walked out.

"Do you still have those tags he gave you?" Kitty asked me. Scott looked curious. I nodded.

"That's cute," she said. Cute?

"Does Tess know about these?" Scott asked. Kitty shook her head.

"Have you heard any of the rumors about you, Mr. Summers?" she asked. He nodded.

"And you're not mad?" she questioned. He shook his head.

"Bobby started them all. It's weird because mostly girls gossip, but he's like that," she proclaimed. "Do you like him at all, Rogue? Because if he knew I think he'd stop, but then if he found out, he'd start a rumor about how you used him."

She looked at us both. Scott was sitting back in his chair arms crossed casually. I was quietly listening to her. She puffed up a cheek and slowly blew the air out of her mouth as if she was bored.

"I'll see you later. Tomorrow," she grinned getting up and leaving with her soda. "Hope I don't run into Jean."

She disappeared around the doorway into the lounge. Back to Jubilee, Tess and Bobby to tell them what she had found out. I looked at Scott who was still sitting back with his arms crossed. We had spent a total of three minutes alone this time. He was watching me and being eerily quiet. 

I asked him for confirmation, "You were kidding about between classes, right?"

A faint smile played on his lips.

III. Inappropriate