Children

By Kourin Lucrece

Disclaimer: I am hoping to one day be a cartoonist. Until that day, however, I own nothing of the kind.

Author's Note: Ooo! Random-ness is fun!! Anyway, this just kind of jumped up and said "write me down!", so I did. It is mostly movie universe, but slightly AU in terms of Scott's age and his relationship with Jean. I always thought he was supposed to be around 18 or 19 in the comic books and so that's how old I have made him here. Wow, now he's only around 1 or two years older than Rogue! Jean is his friend in here, and someone he has a crush on, but not his fiancé/girlfriend/lover/etc. I hope you all like it! (Please review??) Oh, and for anyone who has been reading my other stories: I swear that I will finish those up as soon as my muses return from their vacation to that limbo known as "Writer's Block". (Just where the hell is that block, anyway? New York? Boston? Chicago, maybe? Haha) And now: on with the show!!

"Oh! You li-ike her, don't you?" Rogue's teasing voice was the first thing to reach her ears as Ororo walked outside. It didn't take her long to spot Rogue and her companion, and the black woman could not help the smile that crept onto her face.

Rogue was sitting under a tree on the grass, clad in a pair of cut-off shorts and a tank top in an attempt to avoid sweating too much in the summer heat, although she still wore a white pair of gloves that matched her shirt and the stripe in her ponytail. Her helpless victim looked distinctly less comfortable. He was wearing jeans and a long-sleeved t-shirt, but warmth wasn't the problem; an embarrassed flush across his cheeks was.

"I do not!" Scott protested, pushing his ruby glasses further up his nose.

"Yes you do! Yes you do!" She told him cheerfully. "Scott likes Jean! Ha! Ah knew it!" Her expression turned to one of mock consternation. "Isn't she a bit old for you, Slim?"

He made a face at her, pretending to be angry. Unfazed, Rogue simply poked her friend in the side until he started to laugh. Soon, the two of them had dissolved into the spontaneous and cheerful laughter that seemed strictly the domain of teenagers.

Storm was glad that they had something to laugh about. So many of the children at Xavier's school had been forced to grow up far too early, especially Marie and Scott. Watching them joke and laugh, she felt an odd combination of sadness and anger building in her chest.

So this was what humans were so terribly afraid of? A girl who would never be able to just touch someone, go out on a date and get kissed, or even just the casual skin-to-skin contact that people to for granted. Who had run away from home afraid of what would happen if people found out? Someone sweet and innocent, who was afraid of being close to her peers? And a boy who would never see color again? Who could never take off his glasses without risking hurting people, couldn't go out into the sunlight without experiencing paralyzing migraines? A boy who had been abandoned by his family without a second thought because he was different? The whole world was frightened and out to eliminate children who woke up screaming from nightmares, wanted nothing more to be normal, to be accepted, and to be able to live their lives without a constant feeling of dread. It didn't seem fair.

"Ororo!" Rogue had noticed her, and was cheerfully racing over to talk, Scott close behind. "When'd you get back? The professor said you and Logan would be in the city for another few days."

She smiled at her. "We just got back. Did the two of you manage to stay out of trouble while we were gone?"

To her surprise, it was Scott who answered with a mischievous, "We can't promise anything!"

All three of them chuckled. "Not exactly aimed to comfort, is that?"

"Nope." Scott's grin faded and stilled suddenly, and they waited, knowing someone inside was calling him. He looked back up in a second, smiling apologetically. "The professor wants to talk to me. See you both later!."

Storm gave a nod. Rogue grinned.

"Sure, and if you see your girlfriend, be sure to give her a kiss, Slim!"

Scott stuck his tongue out at her, but laughed and hurried off to see the professor. Ororo turned back to Marie with an amused smile and raised an eyebrow. "Slim?"

She giggled. "Ah told him that if he wants to get Jean's attention, he's gonna have to gain a few pounds. Going by her interest in Logan, Ah don't think she's into scrawny guys. Besides, Logan came up with it!"

They both laughed a bit more as they took a walk around the school grounds and Rogue filled her in on the school's activities while they'd been out of town. It was getting rather late when they headed back inside, but since it was the summer none of the students were in bed anyway.

"'Night, 'Ro," Rogue told her, as she headed off to find Scott or Kitty to see if they wanted to get together a group to watch scary movies.

"Sleep well, Marie." She frowned slightly as she walked off. All she and Logan had managed to discover in New York was that acceptance was still a long way off. It wasn't right, but all she could do was hope that one day the rest of the world would see inside the "mutants" sweet children like Rogue and Scott. After that, how could they refuse to see their humanity?

Well then... What did everyone think? Click the little review button, okay?

PS-Thankies to Carmilla for pointing out that this worked much better from 'Ro's POV. You're right- Logan is way too gruff for such musing.