Thanks to:
Steph14Wales – I thought if the Prof could see the Phoenix, then Destiny probably could too. Thanks for all your reviews and mails!
Risty – Jean going crazy was so much fun to write! Thanks for all your reviews!
Rogue14 – Jean should learn not to mess with Rogue, but whether she does (or even lives, heh heh…)is debatable. Thanks for all your reviews!
X00001 – I've been dying to write a chapter where Jean really gets to kick ass! Thanks for all your reviews!
Wen1 – Rogue's not a very forgiving person, but she might learn a lesson about Jean at least. There my be some very warped and twisted Jott in the sequel…Thanks for all your reviews, especially when I know you'd prefer some Jott!
Enfant-terrible – Thanks you and thanks for all the reviews you've sent me!
Carol J – Uh, I nicked the TK shield stopping the optic blast from X2 (I cheated, I know) and, um, because Rogue put up the shield, she didn't do it as well as Jean would have and Kitty was able to phase through! Did I talk myself out of the plot hole? Thanks for al your reviews!
LadyEvils – Is Lance OK? Is Irene? You'll have to read on…I'm so evil. As to your other questions, a little from column A, a little from column B. It'll make sense at the end. Thanks for all your reviews!
DemonRogue13 – That's my fave Rogue line too and I had to use it somewhere. Thanks for all your reviews!
Oceanbang – I worked really hard on the fight scene, I'm glad you liked it! Jeans future could have been so different…Thanks for all your reviews!
Furygrrl – I've been dying to get this chapter up with the truly evil and angry Jean in it! Don't worry, I'm not gonna deprive you of Evil Jean in the sequel, she'll still be causing trouble somehow…
UniversalAnimeGirl – I remember Remy's coma, just after the Age of Apocalypse, right? I thought Kurt would recognise Irene from 'Rogue Recruit', when Logan and Kurt (and Kitty) first saw Rogue she was talking to Irene. I loved writing the action sequence, it was good fun! Thanks for all the reviews!
Lyranfan – I thought Kitty would have to be persuaded to help Jean after what happened to Lance. Hope you still like me at the end of the epilogue and thanks for the reviews!
XX-Goth-Gal – All the side effects revealed here! And the sequel will probably be set during the fourth series, but with some of the episodes I missed out thrown in too. The joys of AU! Thanks for all the reviews!
Disclaimer: I don't own X-Men: Evolution or any of the characters contained herein. I merely own the storyline and not even all of that.
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Rogue stood at the graveside, paying little attention to the empty words the vicar recited. The strong winds pulled her hair across her face and she huddled her coat closer around herself. Logan was by her side, trying to offer her moral support. It wasn't helping.
She had failed.
Irene was dead.
The coroner had called it "a massive brain haemorrhage". Rogue called it murder. Jean had caused Irene's death, had known exactly what she was doing when she tore into the woman's mind so viciously…
"Rogue?"
"Huh?" Rogue glanced around her and realised that the funeral had ended while she was lost in her own thoughts.
Logan rested a hand on her shoulder. "You OK Stripes?"
"Yeah." Rogue turned and put her hands in her pockets, glancing up at the sky. "Let's go back to the Institute. Ah'm done here."
She didn't look back.
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"Ah, Logan." The Professor looked up as the other man entered his study. "How did it go?"
"Well as can be expected." Logan took a seat on the couch. "What's been goin on here?"
"Kurt's up and about, he should be fine in a few weeks. Lance is begging to leave the infirmary. Kitty insists on preparing all his meals."
Logan grinned briefly at the news, then grew serious again. "And Jean?"
"No change. She's still in the coma and Hank doesn't believe she'll awaken any time soon – if she comes out of it at all."
"Rogue really did a number on her, huh?"
"Yes." The Professor frowned. "And that's what worries me the most. Rogue still has Jeans powers and they don't seem to be fading. I'm afraid the absorption may be permanent. There's no telling how this will affect her, especially considering what Jean did to Destiny."
"Still no luck reading her mind?"
"No, even with her blessing it proves impossible. She has Jeans advancements. I can't enter her thoughts at all."
"And I can't tell when she's in the same room as me, can't pick up a scent."
"We'll just have to hope that she hasn't picked up any of Jeans more – unpleasant personality traits."
"If she has, then we're in trouble."
Upstairs, Scott was sat on the edge of Rogues bed, looking at the floor. "I'm really sorry we didn't get there in time."
"Yeah. Me
too." Rogue brushed her hair out of her eyes and sighed. "But it's not your
fault. At least Kurt and Lance are OK."
"Must be hard on you, Jean
being in the mansion."
"Means ah can keep an eye on her at least." Rogue looked uncomfortable. "Ah don't know why ah held on to her so long. Ah knew what would happen, but…ah saw what she was doing to Irene and ah just lost it. Ah wanted to kill her – ah nearly did kill her…"
"It's alright Rogue. I understand. I'd probably have done the same thing."
"No you wouldn't. You've got that good-guy thing stopping you. But thanks for saying so."
Scott stood up. "Look, I'm gonna go grab something to eat before Kurt empties the fridge. If you need to talk about anything…"
Rogue smiled at him. "Thanks Scott."
After the boy had left, Rogue lay back on her bed, staring at the ceiling. Her eyes began deepening until they were almost green and slowly, a rather cruel smile appeared on her face.
Things were going to change around here.
Not right away perhaps – Xavier and Logan were watching her too closely – but if she continued to behave like the untouchable Goth she'd always been they'd start to relax, to believe that Jean Grey was safely comatose in the infirmary… and the absorption ability gave her the potential for limitless power. She was already a telepath and a telekinetic, true, but there was always room for improvement.
She began to laugh softly. This was going to be fun.
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THE END!
Author Note – Wow, writing the shout outs at the beginning felt a little bit like writing my own obituary! I've had so much fun working on this fic and making Jean Grey as evil as I could. I'd like to thank everyone who reviewed and gave me ideas for the fic. I'm really grateful to everyone and a little overawed that so many people liked it so much. I'm planning the sequel, which is tentatively called "Drowning In You" to be up at the beginning of August and I just hope it's as well liked as this one has been.
Again, THANK YOU!!