Moments
By: Kryptonite
*****
*One Year Eleven Months Four Days After*
" So is it okay for us to try?" Although the professor already knew what Rogue and Doc were planning to do, Rogue had outlined the plan for the slightly confused Scott and still overeager Kitty.
" Of course. If you agree, Scott." Scott sat on the bed silently, eyes tilted downward.
" Can I talk with Rogue for a moment. Alone?" Rogue nodded and the three other people filed out into the hallway, the metal doors swishing closed behind them.
" Hey Scott."
" Rogue-" Rogue smiled at Scott but couldn't seem to sit still. Suddenly she hopped up from her seat and set about straightening the already spotless room.
" It's been amazing weather the whole trip, of course it's much warmer in California but, August, not much of a problem, right?" Rogue was rambling, not sure she wanted to be left alone in his company.
" Rogue." Scott's hands came up to grip Rogues' arms and stop her from moving around and avoiding looking at him. " Why did you come back?" Rogue tried to fight the sudden feeling of a hole opening in the ground and swallowing her whole.
" Because I missed everyone and because I really think Doc can-"
" Why did you leave?" Rogue smiled sadly at him.
" Because I couldn't deal with losing someone else." At that moment the trio walked back in and Scott dropped his hands from Rogue's arms, digesting what he'd just been told.
" So, are we ready to get started?" Doc asked, almost able to feel the waves of sadness rolling off of Rogue.
" Yeah. We're ready."
*****
" What have you done to my fiancée?" Jean raged when the five people finally came back up from the lower levels later that evening. Scott was hiding behind the others, waiting in the elevator for as long as he could.
" They helped me Jean." Rogue was smiling, already back into her habit of hiding in the woodwork when Kitty and Doc stepped aside so Scott could come forward. It took everyone a moment to realize what was different. For once since he had discovered his mutation Scott wasn't wearing some form of sunglasses.
" Oh my god." Jean didn't seem happy with the development but she was able to control her, disappointment? Rage?, and she went to Scott, smiling happily. Just as her arms were about to wrap around his neck, Scott held onto her arms, pulling them away from him.
" Rogue, can we finish our discussion from earlier?" Cyclops wasn't glaring, or showing any emotion for that matter, but Jean could feel the anger radiating from his mind. He was no longer under her control. Jean turned to glare at the girl lurking in the shadows.
" Um, sure." Rogue shrugged at Cody and followed Scott up the flight of stairs and out of everyone's view.
" By the way, I'm Kitty. We haven't been formally introduced." Kitty smiled at the boy cutely as he grinned and shook her offered hand.
*****
" Why did you leave?" He asked as soon as the door to Rogue's room closed behind them. Rogue smiled, running her hands over the desk and across the end of the bed.
" You didn't change anything in here. I half expected there to be someone else in here when I got back."
" So you were planning on coming back?" Rogue turned a hurt face to Scott. He winced at the feelings of guilt that look evoked.
" Of course I was. I just needed to get help from someone who wasn't so close to the situation. We were just starting to connect as more than just friends and then Jean comes back and it's back to me being invisible." Scott walked up to her, forcing her to look in his newly uncovered eyes.
" Rogue you were never invisible. Ever." She smiled up at him.
" You were right." It was Scott's turn to be confused.
" What?"
" Your eyes are purple." Rogue laughed, actually examining the color of his eyes.
" They were blue before." He muttered, dropping his hands from her arms.
" I know. Must be a side effect, a way to tell your mutation's still there."
" Why did you leave?"
" I already answered that. I found out about this place in California which might actually have the technology to help me learn to control my powers." Rogue motioned to the obsidian collar around her neck. " Professor X, great as he is, couldn't help me as long as Logan was in the same house. And when Jean came back, you. You stopped. Before that day you wouldn't have just let me sit in my room. You would have sat outside that door talking to me until the sun came up. You also wouldn't have believed me when I gave such a pathetic lie as I wasn't feeling well."
" I'm sorry." Scott had plopped down on the bed and it was Rogue's turn to tower over him. Forcing him to look at her by placing her hands on either side of his head and tilting his head back she smiled at him.
" It wasn't your fault. Kitty told me about that conversation between the two of you and how four days later you were practically following Jean around like a lost puppy." Scott winced, not appreciating the description. He wrapped his fingers around her wrists, keeping her hands where they were.
" I shouldn't have-"
" We could play that game all year and it won't change a thing. As long as we fix what we have in the present so that we have a better future we don't have to worry about the past. Now come on, I'm sure someone's wondering what we're talking about… or eavesdropping." Rogue straightened up, her eyes clouding over slightly as her attention focused outside of that room. Her hands went limp as her back straightened out even more.
" Rogue?" At her name Rogue blinked, seeming to come out of a trance.
" Yeah?" She asked, thumb moving against his cheek.
" What just happened."
Rogue smirked, going to sit down next to him. " I blocked Jean from both our minds. Which means she can't take control of your mind ever again and she can't project anything into mine that I don't want there." Scott looked at her suspiciously.
" And just how can you do that if you aren't psychic?"
" Unfortunately the first two weeks I had this it didn't work right, the frequency was off. I… I um, accidentally tapped into a few more mutants." Rogue mumbled the last sentence, looking ashamed at the carpet.
" That wasn't your fault." Rogue snorted and rolled her eyes as she looked up at Scott.
" Jeez, eighteen and I'm still getting pep talks from the local Boy Scout." Rogue smiled fondly up at Scott from where she was sitting and Scott was able to see that behind the light-heartedness Rogue was showing she was still as lost and scared as she had been when she had jumped into that lake almost two years ago.
" So you're staying for a while?" Rogue got up from the seat to look out the window and stare at the grounds, the lake sparkling in the setting sun.
" Yeah I'm staying for a while. Doc's going home tonight though. He was just someone to drive with me and then look at your head. I'm glad he could fix the damage."
Scott smiled, deciding to bide his time for when he confronted Rogue and answered, " So am I. How's he getting home? Taking the car?"
" No," Rogue turned around, half sitting on the windowsill. " The car's mine. There's a girl back in California who can transport people and objects from a long distance away. She placed a… marker of sorts on Doc before we left. She should be picking him up relatively soon."
" Well, let's go down and wish the old boy good bye, shall we?"
" Alright. It's good to be home Scott."
" It's good to have you." Rogue broke eye contact first, moving towards the door.
Moments always come in our lives. Some people can see them and feel them as if they were a tangible thing while others can only guess. Friends are the living, breathing moments that are tangible and real. Never let go of those real, tangible moments when you run across them, even if it takes you a few shots to figure out what they are.
*****
A/N: Cake all around! I just got a hundred reviews (Thanks Barcode!) and I'm celebrating! So, cake, cookies, ice cream, soda, all kinds. Come, feast, pig out and have fun! Barcode, I'm glad you found my fic in your search and got hooked. Hopefully I can keep you hooked ;)
Rebel, just aim for the trampoline and you can bounce back up to the party okay? Lol. Veronica, Scott and Rogue have enough problems getting together without half a dozen other people entering into the mix. Anyway I think I'm going in a different direction for Cody…
I'm glad everyone loves my portrayal of Jean. At first I thought it was a bit strong but… *shrugs* Hey, y'all like it, I'm happy. SleepingBeauty, I'm glad you thought my story was good enough to add to your favorite's list, that really means a lot to me. Blue you must have had a lot of time to read this in all one sitting. I've never even been able to read any story this long that fast.
AC, yes they were back together but Cody's little fix to Scott's brain ended that nasty situation permanently (we hope crosses her fingers*). Roguechere did you really look up Rogue's nickname?
For all of those who didn't Aneko is Japanese for 'Older Sister'. Have a good life everyone, catch ya on tha flipside. Enjoy the party! Lol.