Setbacks

By: Kryptonite

*****

*Eleven Months Two Weeks After*

" Oh my god." Rogue was still staring wide-eyed at the woman in front of her when Xavier cleared his throat, jerking Rogue back to the present.

" Did you need something?" Rogue felt everything she had clung to in the past eleven months drop away and the only feeling she had was to bolt for the nearest exit, which she did. " Rogue? Rogue!" Xavier called, staying where he was since he knew he wouldn't make it to the door before Rogue was out the front door.

" I take it I'm a surprise then." Jean asked, a smile in her voice, as she was still not fully caught up in everything that had happened since she died.

" Yes, you are quite a surprise."

" Come now Professor. You had to know I was coming back at least." Jean let out a small laugh; mirth untainted shining in her eyes. Xavier just sighed, trying to sense Rogue's presence but being once more shut out.

*****

" You needed to see me Professor? If this is what Rogue wanted to talk to you about-"

" Rogue hasn't talked to me yet, actually. Do you know what it was?" Xavier asked, quirking an eyebrow at his prodigal son.

" That's for her to tell you. Can't you read her mind though?" Scott asked, still confused on the behavior of the owner of the school.

" No I can't. Some element in Rogue's mind blocks my telepathy even when she lets me in. No, the reason I called you here is because-" It was Charles's turn to be interrupted as Jean stepped back into the room.

" Is because I'm back home." Scott forgot in that instant everything that had happened in the year since Alkali lake, stepping towards his fiancée and wrapping his arms around as the tears slipped silently past his ruby visor.

" I missed you so much Jean." Scott whispered fiercely, hugging Jean to him tighter.

" I know." She answered, wrapping her own arms around him, neither one wanting to let go. Xavier watched in silence as Rogue's support slipped away from her in one fatal second. May God watch over her cause he sure as hell ain't.

*****

" Jean's back! You guys, Dr. Grey's back!" Jubilee's excited voice called from down the hall long before she made it to the Rec. Room. Every one of the students gave her a skeptical look until Jean Grey herself walked through the door. " Next time you'll believe me." She said snootily before sitting herself down on the arm of the couch near Bobby.

" Jean!" " Dr Grey!" Everyone, students and teachers alike, crowded around their fallen comrade back from the grave. Or at least from the lake.

" Hey everyone. Relax, I'm going to be here for a long time to come." Scott agreed, wrapping his arm tighter around her waist, smiling the biggest, brightest smile he had since she died.

Rogue slipped through the front door, closing it soundlessly behind her as she ran lightly up the stairs, all her evasion tactics back on full alert. She was caught though. Logan pressed her up against the wall, one arm holding her in place by her neck.

" Hello Rogue. Looks like now that Jean's back you'll have a lot more time for me." Logan planted a sloppy kiss on her lips as she struggled to breathe. Releasing her suddenly Logan turned to go down the stairs, skipping the last two to come to a halt behind where Jean Grey was standing. " Jeannie?" Logan's voice drifted up to Rogue as she lay crumpled on the landing, tears threatening to overflow. His voice sounded just like a little kids' and then Scott's rang out.

" Back off Logan."

" I can talk to her if I want." Rogue could just see Logan get in Scott's face before the beautiful, intelligent, wanted Dr. Grey came between the two.

" Now stop it. My first night back and you're already fighting. Can't we just wait until tomorrow when everyone's had a good night sleep to get back to the bickering?" And of course when Jean Grey spoke, everyone listened. Rogue crept to her room, holding her arm to her body, trying to stop the bleeding from the scratches she had received.

Digging around in her room she came up with the bandages and did a quick, sloppy job wrapping her arm up. Locking the door just as she heard footsteps coming up the corridor, Rogue got changed for bed, not bothering to answer the knocks on the door.

" Scott she's probably sleeping. Let's go." Rogue's eyes clenched in pain as she heard Jean's voice outside her door but it was Scott's reply that killed her.

" Yeah, you're right." The two walked down the hall, passing Scott's new room and going to their old one. Rogue fell asleep listening to the rain outside.

*****

*Eleven Months Two Weeks One Day After*

Biting back a scream Rogue woke up eyes wide in terror.

" It was just a dream. It was just a dream." She whispered, rocking herself back to sleep in the fetal position as tears slipped unheeded down her face. " Just a dream."

Rogue's alarm woke her up three hours later and Rogue groggily slapped at it, moving to get up but her body wouldn't respond.

" She's back and now you really don't stand a chance."

" Let me up." Rogue whispered, frightened beyond belief.

" Heh heh heh heh. Give me one good reason."

" You don't control me. I control you."

" That's what you think. Now be a good little girl and go take a shower. Don't want anyone to worry about pwecious wittle Wogue, now do we?" With another evil laugh, the voice in her head released her, allowing her to stand up. Racing to the shower Rogue hopped in, turning the water on as hot as she could stand before sliding to sit on the bottom, still clothed in her pajama's.

Tears poured from her eyes as she realized she was once again alone.

Advances without setbacks aren't advances. They are a person going in circles until someone realizes they aren't getting anywhere.

*****

A/N: No, Jean can't stay dead, least not in my stories. But unlike my other story *plug* And Move On, Jean's presence will not be resolved in one or two chapters. These people are going to have to struggle; man I'm evil hehehe. Not to mention she acts like such a nice wrench in the works, don't you think? But why does everyone hate Jean so much? I mean, I know a lot of fanfics have her as really evil and I guess she can be portrayed that way in the movies… course I never liked her in the first place so it's not important.

So was this enough problems for the 'happy couple'? It'll take a while before Scott comes back to his senses and I think for the time that this story is going to go pretty straightforward from here. I'm trying to avoid getting confused again, which is really easy in this story. *plug* And one more thing, will everyone go review my latest story Concentrate? It's another X-men fic, which I like but I'm not sure I'll continue.

And cookies go out to Snooboostoo, Roguechere, Julia, silverCross, and Angel LeeAnn. Roguechere gets another cookie since I missed her last time. Sorry! To everyone who is reading without reviewing… REVIEW! But seriously, tell me what you think I'm always happy to hear people's opinions and flames keep me nice and toasty during these cold winter nights *sarcasm*. Have a good life everyone, catch ya on tha flipside.