Well this chapter im still a little disappointed with and MAY re-write if I get crappy reviews.. but I hope u guys like it and don't 4get to review!

ch16: bruises and lies

Kurt offered to drive everyone in the minivan as Remy refuses to drive anything other than his motorbike, the black bird and Scott's car. Amanda sat in the front with Kurt, while Scott, Remy and Rogue sat in the middle seats and Jean at the back. After following Remy's directions precisely, Kurt parked the minivan across the road from the club.

"Spark?" Rogue said aloud, reading the flashing neon sign outside the club.

"See, Remy told you he find somewhere cool," Remy smiled at Rogue, sliding his sunglasses on top of his head of long wavy hair. Scott, Jean, Kurt, Amanda and Rogue got out of the minivan and headed towards the back of the enormous line that ran along the walls outside the front of the club.

Remy slid his sunglasses back on, now that he was in the presence of 'normal people'. Remy stood on the sidewalk next to the entrance to the club and watched as the others walked to the back of the line. "Hey," Remy called out to the others. They stopped walking and turned around. "Who said anything about lining up?" Remy said, pointing to the bouncer.

The bouncer smiled as Remy walked closer. "Remy! How's it goin', man?" The large man greeted as he shook hands with Remy.

"It be good, Phil. How's Nadia doin'?" Remy asked.

"She's good, man. She's been saying she wants you to come over for dinner one night," Phil the bouncer replied. When he saw Remy slide an arm around Rouge, he smiled. "And bring yo' girlfriend too."

Remy saluted the large African-American bouncer and smiled, "You got it."

The bouncer laughed at Remy's salute and then unhooked the rope that acted as a barrier to the entrance of the club. He then gestured for Remy and the others to enter. "You kids have fun now." Phil smiled as he let the senior X-men into the club. Jean, who was the last to enter the club, heard the people lining up complain. She couldn't help but smile when she heard Phil yell "SHUT UP!"

Even though the night was still young, the club was relatively full. Jean walked at the back of the group, with Remy and Rogue in front of her, and Kurt, Amanda and Scott in front of them. The place was dark, as most clubs are. The lights were dim, with coloured spotlights flashing all over the dance floor. The walls were lined with purple wallpaper with silver paint splatters, as if someone went crazy and threw silver paint on all the walls. The dance floor was made of black vinyl, but the bar and lounge area was carpeted in dark purple and black swirls. Jean had heard Duncan and Taryn talk about this club, but they'd never managed to ever get in because it was the most popular place in town. Jean watched as Kurt pulled Amanda onto the dance floor. She smiled as she watched them dance together. She envied the relationship Kurt had with Amanda, and she couldn't help but think that if she didn't switch bodies with Rogue, she might be Scott's girlfriend at this very moment.

'God! I cant do this!' Jean thought to herself as she watched Scott walk over to the bar. Already at the bar, was Rogue and Remy. Remy had his arm wrapped around Rogue's waist. Rogue was leaning on the bar on one elbow as she talked to Remy. Jean couldn't hear them over the loud music, but she figured that they were talking about what drink to get because Remy then pulled over one of the bar girls and ordered their drinks. Jean watched Remy's arm, how it snaked around Rogue's lower back with his hand resting on her hip. She also envied their relationship, but for a completely different reason to why she envied Kurt's relationship with Amanda. For a split second moment, Jean forgot that Rogue was in her body. For that split second, Jean saw herself as that girl that Remy had his arm around. To anyone else watching them, it was Jean with Remy. Jean secretly admired Remy for staying with Rogue. She believed that Remy loved Rogue so much, that he could see past her new looks. It reminded her of how people stay with their spouses after they'd been disfigured by a horrid accident. And that's what it was, a horrid accident. And that's exactly what it was, a horrid accident, an accident that Jean wishes she never went through with.

Jean looked around the room and spotted a group of boys leave a booth on the far side of the room. She managed to get to it before anyone else had. She was thankful that she didn't have to fight for it, because she didn't feel like draining anyone that night.

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"So what d' ya think of this place, Chere?" Remy asked.

Rogue looked around at the dance floor then back at Remy. "It's pretty good. Ah don't usually go tah these sortah places, but its.. good," Rogue smiled.

"We can leave if you don't like it," Remy offered.

Rogue held up her hands defensively. "Nah, nah! Ah like it!" She smiled. The bartender handed Remy and Rogue their drinks. Rogue picked up her tequila sunrise and took a big squig.

"Whoa! Easy Chere! You don't wan' to get drunk too quickly!"

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Scott sat at the bar and moped. He did originally come out with the others to have a good time, but all he'd been doing for the last hour is mope at the bar and drink. He was now tipsy and depressed. He'd hurt Jean by going out with her best friend. He felt horrible and low because he didn't even like Taryn that much anyway! He felt like he'd cheated on Jean, even though they weren't even together! It was all very confusing for him. And he felt horrible for yelling at Jean and making her cry earlier in the day. Scott looked across the room and saw Jean sitting by herself. For Jean to be seated alone was a rare sight. Jean was always surrounded by people due to her popularity. She only sat away from everyone else when she was down. And it made Scott feel guilty because he wanted to sit with her, but after he yelled at her, he felt like he couldn't do that anymore. He was too embarrassed and he didn't know how she'd react. Judging by her reaction in the kitchen just before they headed out, she wasn't in the mood to talk to him.

"Suck it up, Scott!" He told himself. He took a deep breath. 'I gotta stop acting like a baby and talk to her.'

Scott ordered another scotch for himself and a vodka raspberry for Jean. He knew she liked that drink. The bartender handed him the two drinks and took Scott's money. Scott picked up the drinks and stood up from his stood. He looked over at Jean and froze. 'Now what?'

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Xavier sat in the library, reading 'Moby Dick'. He enjoyed sitting in the library. It was quiet and without wanting to sound like a typical British man, he enjoyed the silence.

There was a knock at the door. Xavier looked up from his book and saw Logan standing in the doorway with Hank. "Logan, Hank. What can I do for you?"

"We were just wondering if you knew where Rogue and Jean are. Hank needs them back in his lab," Logan pointed to Hank with his thumb. "But we can't seem to find them," Logan explained.

"We thought maybe you could use your 'skills' to locate them in the mansion," Hank suggested.

Xavier closed his book and placed it on the table next to him. "I'll give it a try," He explained. He closed his eyes and made a quick scan of the mansion. He opened his eyes and looked at Hank and Logan. "They're not here," He explained with alarm in his voice.

"Not here? The kids know they're grounded for the next few days," Logan growled. "Mystique could launch an attack on the mansion any day now!"

Xavier held out his hand in a 'stop' motion. "Now, now Logan. We'll find them." Xavier rubbed his chin in thought. "Remy came in here an hour or so ago to explain what he did in New Orleans. He then asked if he could take Rogue out tonight. Of course I told him he couldn't go out.."

"Ten bucks says that he went out anyway," Logan muttered.

"I'll use Cerebro to see where they went."

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Jean sat with her elbow on the table and her arm holding her head up. 'I shouldn't have come out,' she thought to herself. She'd gotten more and more depressed over the last two months. Everyone saw the switch as her fault. And it was her fault. For some reason, she figured that coming out would make her feel better. She rapped her fingers on the table along with the beat to the music.

"You don't have to look so bored."

Jean looked up. 'Great.' She thought to herself sarcastically.

"I got you a drink," Scott said as he placed the vodka raspberry in front of her, before sitting down opposite her in the booth.

Jean picked up the vodka raspberry and took a sip. "Thanks."

They sat silently for a minute. Jean continued to watch the dance floor, while Scott tried to work up the courage to say what he should have said months ago. "Jean, I.."

Jean turned her head and looked at Scott. "Don't apologise, Scott. We all know you were right," Jean said bluntly. She didn't say it with any anger, rather she seemed defeated.

Scott looked down at his glass of scotch. He held it with both hands and swirled the glass so that he could see the scotch swirling around the glass. "No. Actually, I was wrong," Scott said, looking up at Jean through his ruby sunglasses.

"Huh?" Jean said, confused. First Scott tells her that everything is her fault and now he says it's his fault?

"I've been a total ass. You have every right to be angry with me. I was selfish and I was a dog for going out with your best friend.." Scott said in remorse.

"Was?" Jean said, raising an eyebrow.

"Yeah, was. I'm not dating Taryn anymore," Scott explained with a weak smile. Jean remained silent. Unable to comprehend what Scott had just said. Scott figured he wasn't going to get a response from Jean, so he continued. "I realise now that I should have been less selfish, but I was just so angry. I should've stayed by your side, and not be so shallow. I should've been able to see past your new look and powers."

Jean was more shocked with what Scott was saying. She had no idea what to say. Sure, deep down, she too wished that Scott had stayed by her side, just like Remy did with Rogue. "Well.. I.. er.. you.." Jean was stuck for words.

"Wait," Scott said, sliding closer to Jean in the booth. "I want to show you how sorry I am. I want you to know that I can see past those powers because I love you."

Jean's green eyes widened as Scott moved over closer and hold her gloved hand.

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"Let's go dance, Chere."

Rogue looked over at the dance floor and smiled when she saw Kurt and Amanda dancing like complete goofballs. "Okay, swamp rat."

Remy held out his hand for Rogue to take and Rogue took it, smiling at the Cajun. Just as they were going to make their way to the dance floor, someone had put their hand on Rogue's shoulder and spun her around.

"Jean?" The young man said in shock.

"D..Duncan?" Rogue stammered.

"Jean? You're back?" Duncan smiled. He hugged Rogue, obviously not knowing it was really Rogue in Jean's body. After letting go, he looked at her, noticing how different she looked. "What's with the gothic look?" he asked. He then noticed Remy standing right behind Rogue, watching Duncan with a raised eyebrow. "And who's he?"

"Duncan! Oh mah god!" Rogue said, trying her hardest to lose her southern accent. "Wha- What are you doin' here?"

"What am I doing here? Why didn't you tell us you were back in Bayville?" Duncan asked back.

"Well, ah just got back tonight," Rogue replied. "And who's us?"

Duncan smiled and pointed to his left. Rogue looked over and there stood Taryn. Rogue's eyes widened in horror. 'Oh my God!' She thought to herself. Rogue, still holding onto Remy's hand, squeezed his hand in a sign of help.

"Come on, Chere. Let's go sit with Scott and.." Remy drifted off as he noticed what was going on at the booth where Scott and Jean were sitting.

Duncan and Rogue both noticed Remy drift off and the sign of horror on his face. They both turned to see what Remy was looking at and when Rogue saw Scott collapse, she couldn't help but cover her mouth in shock.

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Jean watched as Scott moved closer to her until their thighs were touching. "Scott, what are you doing?"

Scott let out a nervous smile. "I want to show you that I'm not afraid anymore."

It was when Scott's face seemed to be getting closer to hers, Jean knew Scott intended to kiss her. She quickly put her gloved hand over his mouth before he could get too close. "Are you nuts?" She said, her eyes wide open with shock.

Scott smiled and removed Jean's hand from his face, but he didn't let go of her hand. He smiled as he replied, "Maybe. Please, I need to show you that I can accept you for who you are."

Jean gulped and thought about it for a second. If she let Scott touch her, let alone kiss her, she'd end up absorbing his energy. She'd seen Rogue purposely absorb Scott's powers before. She'd seen how Rogue can touch him for only a second, allowing Scott to have enough energy to remain conscious and energetic enough to walk. "Okay, but just for a second," Jean replied. Scott smiled and began to move closer to her, yet again.

'Please don't absorb him. Please don't absorb him. Please don't absorb him.' Jean tried with all her might to control her powers.

She closed her eyes as Scott's lips were only inches away from hers.

'Please don't absorb him. Please don't absorb him. Please don't absorb him!'

Jean felt Scott's breath on her lips. He was hesitating, and she wasn't surprised. After all, if she touched him for too long, she had the ability to kill him! Jean put one hand on Scott's shoulder to let him know that she was with him on this. Scott took a deep breath before leaning forward enough to be touching Jean's lips.

'Please don't absorb him. Please don't absorb him. Please don't absorb him!'

And there it was. Jean could feel Scott's lips against hers. In any normal circumstance, she would be excited, thrilled, concentrating on his lips on hers. Instead, she concentrated on her ability to absorb. She listened in her mind for any sign that she was absorbing part of Scott's consciousness. But there was nothing. For a few seconds, she felt that she truly had control over her powers.

"Mph!"

'Oh no!' Jean thought to herself. She'd held on too long. She could feel her body absorbing Scott's energy. She quickly pushed Scott away from her, but it was too late. He collapsed on the seat next to her.

Jean closed her eyes and grabbed her head. Her mind was filled with Scott's thoughts and she couldn't suppress them.

'You're pathetic. Why couldn't you be a man like Remy? Why would Jean ever want to be with someone like you, especially after what you've done. After what you did with Taryn! She'll never accept me now!'

"Get out! Get out! Get out!" Jean screamed to herself.

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Outside the club, a loud Harley Davidson pulled up across the road from the club. Logan removed his helmet and sniffed the air. "Yep. This is the place."

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"What the hell!" Duncan yelled as he saw Scott kiss Jean. To Duncan, and to Taryn who was also watching, it was Scott kissing Rogue. "Scott's two timing Taryn!"

"Holy crap!" Rogue said aloud as she ran towards the booth as she saw Scott collapse.

Remy was right behind Rogue as they reached the booth. Rogue ran straight to Jean's side and placed a hand on Jean's shoulder. "Jean! Are yah alright?" Rogue asked, warily.

"The voices," Jean said painfully. "They wont go away!"

Remy ran straight to Scott's side and lightly tapped the young man's cheeks to wake him. "Cyc, you 'wake?" But when Remy received no response from the cycloptic boy, he looked at Rogue with a worried look.

"That dirty bastard!"

Rogue turned around to see who was standing right behind her.

"Let me at him!" Yelled Taryn. Duncan and Taryn were standing at the booth with glares scary enough to make a shiver go down Rogue's spine.

Rogue stood up and blocked Duncan and Taryn's path. "This is none of your concern," Rogue said, trying her hardest to hide her southern accent. In all that was going on, she'd forgotten that when she spoke to Duncan and Taryn, they were seeing Jean talking to them, and not Rogue.

"None of my concern!" Taryn said angrily. "My boyfriend just kissed Rogue!" Taryn yelled.

Remy put Scott's left arm over his shoulders and held Scott up with his other hand on Scott's hip. "Go away. T'is none of your business, rich boy," Remy said. Remy then turned to Rogue. "We got to get back to de mansion, Chere."

"And who the hell are you?" Duncan yelled, taking another step closer.

"What's wrong with my boyfriend? Why wont he wake up?" Taryn squealed. She tried to move closer to Scott, who was being held up by Remy.

Remy shifted himself so that he was standing in between Taryn and Scott, who was hanging limp off his side. "Stay back lady. This no time to panic. Scott here be back to his normal self by t'morrow," Remy explained. He didn't know what Scott saw in this annoyingly clingy girl, but he was sure going to have a long chat about it with Scott as soon as he woke up.

"How dare you!" Taryn yelled. She put her hands on her hips, pissed off that she was denied access to her boyfriend. "He's my boyfriend so it is my business, you.. you.. loser!"

Rogue ignored Duncan and Taryn's yelling and turned to Jean, who's eyes were still closed. It hurt Rogue to see how Jean reacted after absorbing some one. It was exactly how Rogue was when she first got her powers.

"Jean," Rogue put a hand on Jean's shoulder but got no response. Jean still had her hands on her head and was now rocking back and forth. "Jean!" Rogue yelled. She mentally kicked herself when she realised that it was loud enough for Duncan and Taryn to hear.

"Jean?" Duncan said. "Why are you calling her 'Jean'?" Duncan asked.

Rogue ignored him and kept her focus on Jean. She shook Jean's shoulder and yelled, "Jean! Look at me! Let me help!"

Jean, hearing Rogue's voice over all the thoughts that swept through her mind, turned her head towards Rogue's voice and opened her eyes. However, as soon as Jean opened her eyes, Scott's optic blast was thrown in the direction of Rogue, Duncan and Taryn.

It was by pure reflex that Rogue managed to put up a mental shield fast enough to block the oncoming blast. Realising what she'd done, Jean closed her eyes and put her hands over them. "I can't!" Jean yelled to herself.

Ducan and Taryn, along with everyone else in the club, looked on liked stunned mullets. Even the Dj stopped the music and watched on.

"You're.. You're.. mutants!" Duncan yelled. "You're all monsters!" He said in horror. He grabbed Taryn by the arm and pulled her backwards, away from the X-men standing before him.

"Oh my God!" Taryn said, putting her hand over her mouth in shock. Realising that Duncan was pulling her away, she turned and hid behind the shocked jock.

Kurt and Amanda, realising that it was time to go home, made their way to the booth.

Remy, not one to turn down a good fight, removed his dark sunglasses and slid them on top of his head. "Now, there no need to be mean," He smiled.

Duncan took one look at Remy's demon eyes and jumped back. "You're all mutants!" He squealed. Taryn was also slowly moving backwards. As they moved away, some of Duncan's friends (a.k.a. the rest of the football team) were moving closer to the booth.

By then, Kurt and Amanda had reached the booth. "Come on guys. Let's get ze hell outa here!"

Duncan pushed Kurt's shoulder. "Are you one too, freak?" Kurt resisted the urge to port Duncan as far away as he could.

Remy took a step closer, still holding Scott up. "Be careful what you say to us," Remy warned. "You don't know what will happen t' ya when y' insult a mutant."

Duncan, now cocky as ever, with his mates behind him, smiled at the ragin' Cajun. "Like what?" Duncan replied.

Remy only smiled in return. "Like how 'bout Remy kick all yo' asses without even breaking a sweat."

Duncan and his mates smiled. "Bring it on, bitch."

Remy grinned. He passed Scott over to Kurt. Kurt wanted to port out of there, but he was dying to see how the fight panned out. After all, Remy was training with Wolverine on a daily basis.

"Let's get them!" One of the jocks yelled. Remy stood in a defensive stance, waiting for the first jock to have a try at him. Rogue put up a mental shield around herself and Jean. Kurt took a few steps back to get out of the way, ready to port himself, Amanda and Scott as soon as things got too hairy.

Duncan and his mates ran towards Remy. Remy readied himself, but before the boys could reach the Cajun, Logan had jumped in between the feuding groups. Duncan and his friends stopped in their tracks, unsure of what to make of the middle-aged man standing before them.

"Stay out of this, old man!" Duncan yelled.

"No." Logan replied in his scruffy voice. He crossed his arms and stood his ground between the X-men and the jocks. "Get the hell out of here before I rip you TO SHREDS!"

The sheer tone of Logan's voice was enough to scare Duncan and his fellow jocks. But as soon as Logan unsheathed the blades from his left hand, they were running out of there faster than quicksilver.

"Logan! Zey know about us!" Kurt said in panic. "How can you let zem get avay!"

"Chuck's mind-wiping as we speak. Now, Let's get you guys out of here," Logan said, giving a glare in Remy's direction. "You," he said, pointing to Remy, "You're to see me and Chuck as soon as we get back!"

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As Kurt safely ported the X-men and Amanda to where they parked the van, Xavier back at the mansion, using Cerebro to wipe the minds of everyone who was at the club that night.

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