It's a few weeks later when she finally asks. "Can we go to the school yet?"

I shrug. "Ah don't rightly know sugah. Do yah think you can handle the questions? Scott is likely to come forward right fast to find out if you're allright."

She nods. "I believe I am prepared to speak with them. I cannot say whether or not I can regain the relationships I once had with them, but I will not know until I encounter them. Parts of me love Scott Summers. Other parts have never met him. It is something we will have to explore."

"You know darlin', you took onto this faster than ah ever managed to."

"You are attempting to control within you people that don't belong, I am not. Jean Grey is a part of my past. After this cycle, I will be a part of the next Phoenix. It is a process I am not eager to repeat."

"You may not have a choice sugah." I remind her softly. "Ah can feel her. She's worried about the same things you are."

"How is your own struggle progressing?"

"Its easier when ah'm more connected to Marie. Ah explained that to yah. They all still shout, and whine, and want out, but Marie is better at shuttin' them up."

"Why do you not let her have control more often?"

I smile. "Marie is…she's young. She doesn't understand the control as well as Rogue does."

"Of the skin mutation?"

"That'd be the one sugah."

"You have never used the gifts the one Magneto provided you with."

"And ah hope to never have to." I admit. "The others; Ah chose to touch them all. Eric, he pushed himself upon me. Ah deal with Carol and her mutations because Ah was the one who took her so far into me."

"I have not seen you fight with her in the past days."

"Ah haven't been near you when Ah have. You have enough issues of your own sugah. You don't need mah shit too."

"We should return so that you can find comfort with Logan."

I smile at her. "Ah told you before Phoenix. If you're ready, we'll go. Mostly because Ah can't be trusted to drive if I'm switching to Rogue. She don't have near the influence on Carol and yourself that Marie does."

"Then we shall begin our journey now."

I nod, and close my eyes. Professor.

Rogue? Is that you?

It is. Why do you ask?

We'll discuss it another time. Are you returning with the Phoenix?

Ah am. Will you gather the others when we arrive? She'll have a few things to tell them.

Is this true Phoenix?

It is. I will need in particular to speak with the one Scott Summers.

I'll make sure to tell him. How long do you expect you'll be traveling, Rogue?

Phoenix will be doin' the drivin'. Should take us just under a day. Professor, would you tell Logan that Marie says hello?

Are you certain? That could be presumptuous.

He needs to know before Ah get there professor. Ah'm goin' to need him.

I'll be sure to speak with him. Safe journey.

"Why did he not realize it was you seeking him out?"

I smile tightly. "I'm one of the few people in the world that Charles can't track Phoenix. He can't lock onto my thoughts because he's never really sure who to look for, what combination of personalities is dominating me just behind the mask of the Rogue."

"You have begun to control the one Marie."

"I have." I lead her to the car. "Identity: Rogue." I say calmly, and cross to the passenger side of the car and climb in. When she takes her seat, I smile. "You'll have to tell it you're Dr. Grey. It's a smart car, and the professor hasn't had the chance to log you in as yourself yet."

She nods. "Identity: Jean Grey." She says, and her eyes go wide as the seat and mirrors re-adjust themselves to her personalized settings. "Impressive." She comments idly.

"I'll be meditating much of the way. If you need to get my attention, be sure not to touch my exposed skin, I can't control the mutation when I do this."

She nods, and pulls away from the small motel to take us back to Xavier's School for the Gifted.

The sun has long since set when we gather in the large briefing room well below the school. "What's going on professor?" Jubilee asks him carefully. "All the intel I've reviewed since the brotherhood attempt on Rogue indicates that they've gone into hiding."

He nods. "You are correct. I have gathered you tonight because Rogue has sent word that she and the Phoenix should be entering the grounds within the hour."

I stare at him. "Jean's coming home?" I ask thickly.

"The Phoenix will be making her first excursion to the school, yes. And she has asked to speak with you Scott, but do not make the mistake of treating her as though she is still entirely Jean. She has regained Jean's memories, but in the process of doing so, has embraced her full mutation. You must allow her to explain this to you."

I nod. "She's changed that much?"

"She no longer speaks as Jean Grey. She is the Phoenix. The reasons I have gathered you early are not related, however, to the Phoenix."

"How many times?" Logan asks gruffly, and I realize that he's speaking about instances of Carol surfacing in Rogue.

"As I understand it, Wolverine, the instances have been minimal to date. She asked me to tell you that Marie says hello." I see Logan nod as the professor pauses. "In regards to Rogue as a member of the team, please, all of you, be on your guard. Carol Danvers may attempt to interfere in her day-to-day life. More likely, however, I believe the appearance of the Phoenix will be more prominent, and I am of the impression Eric Lenscher has been causing her problems as well. She has been in a meditative state for most of her return journey, and hopes to have regained the level of control she boasted before her trip quickly."

"Does the Phoenix have access to Jean Grey's medical knowledge professor? She was working on a rather complex formula when I took over, and I've been hoping to hear her thoughts on the directions I took with it since we discovered her re-animated form." Hank asks.

The professor nods. "She might just consent to help you with that Beast."

"In fact, I will consent to help you with that." Her soft voice sounds from behind me and I turn. She's stunning. Her hair reaches her waist, and her form is more sculpted than before.

"Welcome, Phoenix."

She nods. "I am glad to be here." She glances around the room, examining each person, before meeting my gaze. "Hello Scott." She whispers.

I nod carefully. "Hi."

"Interesting choice. We will discuss it later." She says calmly. "I have asked you all to be her so that I could explain to you the most noticeable differences between myself and your Dr. Jean Grey."

I swallow, and follow her with my gaze to the front of the room. "I am not a different person entirely. There are many parts of me that remember each of you, but many again that have never met any of you. I do indeed have all of the memories of my former life, and the sentiments attached to those memories. I also have the memories of my current life, fire forged out of sacrifice. Please remember that not only might these parts of me may have conflicts with you, but you may also have conflicts with them. Just as I do not know you, you do not know me."

The professor nods. "Is that all you needed?"

"It is."

"Ah'm goin' to need a few minutes." Rogue comments from the shadows in the back of the room. I hadn't even noticed her presence. She glides to the front of the room, and I notice sharply that she's not walking.

"Marie." Logan growls. "You're flyin'."

She nods. "Ah'm well aware of that sugah."

"You're the one that told me to remind you when it happened."

"And Ah appreciate the heads up, but in reality, Ah'm not flyin' so much as floatin'." She stops at the front of the room. "Ah know the professor talked to y'all about me not havin' as much control over Carol as Ah did before Ah left for Alkali. He's right. Ah…Ah lost the control when Ah had to drain Phoenix here to get us away from Eric.

"Y'all were surprised when you found out Ah didn't just have Carol in me. 'Specially you Bobby. Ah'm sorry Ah didn't tell you." I watch her steady herself as she lowers slowly to the ground. "Ah'm not goin' to be around much for a while. Ah need to work through this. Ah got some good advice from Phoenix, and in listenin' to it, a lot of what some others have said started to make more sense. When Ah come back, Ah promise to answer all those questions flittin' around the room in your heads right now." She falters, and I watch Logan spring to his feet to catch her.

"Let's go darlin'." He says calmly, scooping her up and carrying her out of the room.

After they're gone, I turn to the professor. "How many people does she have in there?" I ask softly.

"Nine, by her count." Phoenix replies. "Though I have the memories of Jean Grey within me, I am but one person, the full realization of my mutation. Marie mentioned last week that I was 'Dr. Grey, unconflicted'. I believe this assessment to be true."

"We should all be going to bed." The professor cuts the conversation off, and nods to me as the others file out, leaving me alone with her.

"Unconflicted?" I ask carefully.

She smiles. "Much of me is still in love with you Scott. And you are still in love with the parts of me that are her. Now we must discover if the rest of me is compatible with that love."

I move closer to her and sit in the chair next to hers. "So you're saying, see where it leads us?"

She smiles. "Partially. You must know, that the parts of me that were drawn to the Wolverine in my previously were not drawn out of love. They were drawn out of a thirst for knowledge of the unknown. I no longer have that thirst. It is why though I will provide the new doctor with insight; I will not work with him. I desire to explore life now, not science. Will you experience life with me Scott Summers?"

I nod, and take her hand in mine. "I think I can do that Phoenix. I really think I can."

I curl closer into his body, inhaling his scent. "Ah'm scared Logan. What if Ah can't do this?"

I feel his lips brush the top of my head. "You can darlin'. We'll take it step by step, just like the last time."

"Am Ah going to have to do this every time? Lock mahself into a room and not leave for weeks, months even?"

He pulls me into him tightly, lowering onto the bed of the room we share. "I don't know darlin'. But whatever happens, we'll face it together."