A/n-okay folks, last chapter, but I'm planning on writing a sequel. I don't seem to have as many reviewers as I used to, but if you guys would actually read a second installment then I'll do it, even if it is for like two people. To me it just feels like I could write easier and update more frequently if I just started with a clean slate, you know? So I hope you guys like it and btw, if it doesn't really feel like a last chapter it's because it wasn't initially intended to be, it's just the more I thought about it the more it seemed to be a good idea.

P.s.-just want to give a nice warm thanks to all those who reviewed, they really do brighten up a writer's day. Hope you all stick around for Skin and Flame deux.

Flying High

Bobby felt a surge of panic flow through his body as he watched Rogue begin to tumble to the ground. He held his arms out and braced himself since he was about to serve as her landing pad. He squared his shoulders and squeezed his eyes shut, fully ready to absorb her impact, but nothing came.

He slowly opened one eye at a time, first the left, then right and let out a sharp gasp at the sight before him.

Rogue was suspended in midair, about a foot above his arms, both hands clamped firmly over her face.

"R-Rogue?" Bobby managed to squeak out.

Rogue slid her hands off her face and let out a small "oh" before closing the distance between her and Bobby, sending them both crashing to the ground.

00000000000000

John huffed down the hallways without a particular destination in mind. After he had regained his body movements after being completely blown off by Kitty, he had stormed into the mansion and had been roaming around ever since. He couldn't believe how light she was being on herself. Fine, if nothing actually happened then nothing happened, but the way she had been acting the other night told a completely different story. John had known her for too long to be lied to like that and be expected to take it with a smile.

John had been walking so purposefully that he had almost missed Bobby and Rogue entering through the front doorway. He stopped to watch Bobby assist Rogue to a nearby couch, his hand holding her elbow and his other hand planted firmly on her back. John's previous thoughts about Kitty fled his mind as he made his way over to where Rogue was sitting.

"Hey, you okay?"

Upon closer inspection, it appeared that Rogue was not okay in the slightest. Her face was drained of most of its color save a slight tinge of green that highlighted her cheeks.

Bobby looked up at John and answered for her. "She had a sort of an accident." Bobby then made a small jerking movement with his head, silently indicating to John to come behind the Rogue.

John made his way behind the couch, his eyes firmly planted on Rogue. He continued staring at her as Bobby whispered in his ear, but after the last couple sentences were uttered, John's eyes connected with Bobby's.

"She did WHAT!" his outburst caused several students to look up in curiosity before resuming their previous activities. He had also awoken the previously quasi-catatonic Rogue. She blinked several times and breathed in sharply, as if just remembering to do so. Her movements brought back the attention of both John and Bobby.

"Hey, are you okay?" John asked again in a soft tone. He squatted down in front of Rogue so that he could be eye level with her.

She swallowed deeply before answering. "I-I think, uh, maybe. I need to um…" Rogue bit her bottom lip and looked away from John, distracted. "I think I should go do something. I mean, see...someone…" her eyes furrowed together as she struggled to string together full sentences.

John looked questioningly up at Bobby, who was still standing behind her with a hand on her shoulder. "Maybe you should go get the professor."

"Took the words right out of my mouth," Bobby said as he turned and swiftly made his way towards Professor Xavier's office.

John returned his attention to Rogue who was still staring off to somewhere to his right.

"Rogue." John said softly, "Look at me, babe."

Rogue responded, but this time when she returned his gaze, her face gave full away what she was feeling. Her previous expression had been blank and hollow, now she looked like she was on the verge of a breakdown. She put a gloved hand over John's and squeezed hard.

"John…Oh, John I'm so sorry." Rogue said in a hushed tone, her voice barely audible. "I am so incredibly sorry." Her eyes welled up with tears and within several blinks of her eyes they were spilling down her cheeks.

"It's fine, it's fine," John said quickly, rubbing her shoulder with her free hand. "You didn't do anything wrong."

"Oh yes I did," Rogue's tears started to flow fast and her voice became increasingly thicker, as did her accent. She bowed her head down and sniffed mightily.

John pulled her into his arms; not being able to wipe her tears away hurt him more than words could express so he opted for the next best thing. "It's alright, everything'll be okay, I promise."

Rogue's next few words were muffled by John's shoulder, so he pulled back so he could understand her.

"What was that?" he asked gently.

"I said that you have to listen to me." Rogue wiped her eyes furiously and cleared her throat. "Just listen to me, okay?"

John nodded his head, his arms sliding down to rest around her hips. Rogue gripped John's arms tightly.

"It's just that I acted so horribly to you and you had every right to break it off with me. No," Rogue held up a hand to stop John's protests. "No, listen to me, I need to say this. I was being so selfish and childish a-and not just to you, everyone else too. I should have talked to you or someone but I didn't, I just wasn't thinking right. I'm so sorry," Rogue nervously licked her lips. "Can you forgive me?"

Without a moments hesitation, John smiled widely and kissed her quickly before she had a time to avoid contact. Rogue grinned and pulled him into a tight embrace.

"Rogue?" a familiar voice asked from behind her line of sight, interrupting their 'moment.'

She pulled away from John and quickly wiped her eyes before she turned to face the professor. "Yes?"

"Can I see you in my office for a moment?"

Rogue nodded and gave a swift smile to John and Bobby, who had been standing next to Professor Xavier, as she stood and followed the professor to his office.

"Bobby informed me on the…recent events that took place," he said as he pulled in behind his desk. He gestured for Rogue to take a seat. "May I ask what happened? I think I might be able to have a clearer view of what Bobby told me if I heard it from you point of view."

"Uh, yeah. Okay, well, I had just been climbing a tree and I guess I was a little higher than I should've been an-and I thought I saw Kitty and John but I wasn't really sure so I-" Rogue paused before continuing after Xavier gave her an encouraging nod. "Well, anyway that's when I lost my footing."

"After you fell, that's when you…?" Xavier left the question hang in midair so Rogue could fill in the blank.

"That's when I…floated. I guess."

"Can you tell me exactly what you were thinking as you were falling?"

Rogue laughed, "I don't know, I guess I was thinking what anyone would be thinking if they were falling from a tree, I hope I don't die."

"Hm…" Xavier brought his hand up to his face and rubbed his chin thoughtfully. He jotted down several notes before returning his attention back to Rogue.

"Well, it seems that you're developing a new power." He stated finally.

"Oh," was all Rogue could say. She was slightly dumbfounded by his simple answer, it was something that she probably could've come up with herself.

"As you well know, a mutant's powers continue to grow and expand as we get older," he explained." Becoming stronger and more disciplined. Sometimes we see new powers emerging that are often triggered in times of great distress or heightened awareness. It's much like how our original powers manifest when we are younger, only these secondary powers can emerge at any time in our later life. Most don't at all."

Rogue sat back in her chair and mulled over what had just been said to her. She had a new power. A new power. And one that didn't hurt anyone.

A sudden dawning washed over Rogue and a wide smile spread across her face. She could fly.

Okay, so maybe just hover. But hey, it's a start.