Second Thoughts

By: Kryptonite

*****

*Eleven Months Two Weeks One Day After*

" Is everyone listening?" Professor Xavier called the next morning during breakfast. Scott and Jean couldn't stop smiling at each other as they basically tried to sit on one another. " Thanks to some miracle from God, we have our beloved doctor back. And she has agreed to once more take on the job of lead Physician and act as our Biology teacher. Welcome back Jean."

People started clapping and whistling at the end of the announcement, everyone shouting their own good tidings.

" I'm happy to be back. And I know I'll be staying here for a while." Slowly the kids turned back to their own meals, topics ranging from skin blemishes to the 'pop' quiz in history.

Rogue stood in the doorway, back to being silent and aloof in one night.

" Rogue?" Once Rogue's attention was dragged back to the present she found Sean and two of his friends standing in front of her. Bending down she came eye-level with the little boy.

" What is it Sean?" His friend, Max, grabbed his arm and started backing up.

" No- nothing. He doesn't want anything." Hurt and confused Rogue turned from the dining hall, noticing Scott's lack of attention. It felt weird. After eleven months of his suffocating presence she didn't know what she'd do with out it now.

*****

" Where's Rogue?" Scott asked during his English class. No one spoke up, just looked around as if expecting her to show up.

" We haven't seen her." Kitty shrugged, a confused look on her face.

" Since when?" Scott asked, his usual concern showing up.

" I saw her yesterday morning, about lunch. She was watching the tots." Jubilee spoke up, popping her gum after. Scott frowned once more before the bell rang, dismissing the class for dinner.

" Are you coming honey?" Jean asked, popping her unnaturally red head into the room.

" I'll be there in a few. I just want to find Rogue. Make sure everything's okay." Jean walked into the room with a look of suffering on her face.

" Honeeeey," She dragged out, " she's fine. She's just a little shocked that I'm back is all. Probably got used to a nice looking man like you paying attention to her for once. She just doesn't want to share." Jean placed one hand on Scott's chest, the other snaking around his neck. Jean pulled Scott into a kiss, erasing all other thoughts from his mind.

Rogue turned around quickly, actually running into Logan.

" Going somewhere kid? You weren't in classes today. Where were you?" He questioned, backing her into the wall. Before she had a chance to respond, Jean and Scott walked out of the classroom.

" Oh there you are Logan. I was wondering if you'd be able to help me. I wanted to do a check-up on your mutation. Try to understand it." Jean smiled prettily up at him, instantly turning into a beautiful, meek doctor, just wanting to help a patient out.

" Why weren't you in class Rogue?" Scott asked, trying to ignore Jean and Logan by focusing on Rogue.

" I- I wasn't feeling well. A stomach ache. I just wanted to check in so you knew I was okay." Jean latched onto that statement.

" You made us all worry and you're just now checking in? At the very least you should have talked to Professor Xavier this morning or come to me. I am the resident doctor. I could have given you something."

" No, really, it's fine. Probably just that time of the month. I'll be in my room."

Rogue ducked past Logan, moving faster than ever, carried on adrenaline.

" I'd be glad to help ya doc. Just not too many needles, okay?"

*****

*Eleven Months Two Weeks Three Days After*

" Rogue?" Scott called, knocking on her door the next night. Everyone was asleep and he was keeping quiet.

" It's open." Rogue answered, not bothering to turn and face the door. Scott stood in the door, blocking the light from the hallway.

" Listen Rogue, I just wanted to make sure you were okay. The stomach ache and everything." Scott trailed off not sure what to say. " I know I haven't been paying a lot of attention the past two days but it's just, now that Jean's back…"

" I understand." Rogue sat up smiling, knowing she was doing the right thing even if it hurt, and that it was her doing it and not the sarcastic bitch who liked to run things having a laugh. " Now that Jean's back you have to give time to your fiancée. I'm a lot better than I was. And knowing that Jean's alive and well really helps take some of the guilt I felt away."

Scott audibly sighed, relaxing against the doorframe. " I'm glad."

" You want to go grab some ice cream from the kitchen or something?" Rogue asked, thinking that maybe, just maybe, she'd have her friend back.

" Nah. Jean's kinda waiting for me back in our room. I just told her I had to check on my laptop. That I thought I left it running." The excuse he had used hit her right in the stomach. " I didn't."

Sealed the deal. Rogue continued to smile until the door clicked shut behind him. She waited for his quiet footsteps to pad away before lying back down. A tiny voice in her head just kept laughing.

Second thoughts are better than no thoughts at all… aren't they?

*****

A/N: All right, so we have Rogue reverting back to her old self. And after all that work too. Anyway, Logan's still an ass (would I really paint him differently?) and Jean's still a conniving bitch who just wants what she can get her claws into… nope sorry, Jean is Jean. I'll let you all come up with your own ideas of what she is.

So what will happen to Rogue? Well, Veronica gave me a good idea that I could work with or not, I'm really not sure. If I do it'll mean an almost permanent end to the voices… or not, again, not sure. If I do use Veronica's idea it'll be a couple of chapters at least.

So I thought it was a good ending to this chapter to have Scott thinking of her, but only as an afterthought. Really a nice little sucker punch to the gut. Don't worry, Scott is still the good guy he's just a little… misled. Not thinking with his brain you know?

Cookies go out to Julia, Angel LeeAnn, Syd and Veronica. Have a good life everyone, catch ya on tha flipside.