The world didn't end that night and soon morning came upon the horizon. The few hours of silence that was granted to the mansion, changed with the sound of young mutants waking up from their beds. Some of them scrambled to grab the cereal and orange juice while others made their way to the couch to watch Saturday morning cartoons. The commonality that existed among them was the obsession over last night's slumber party and the infamous poker incident. Some of the kids were outraged by Rogue's behavior while others thought it was 'cool' the way she got the best of Jean. What everyone anticipated was the inevitable conflict between them and whether or not Jean was going to kick Rogue's butt or vice versa. They all agreed there was probably going to be a fight. What was strange about all this was that no one bothered to tell Scott about any of it. Maybe they felt it wasn't their place. Or maybe they were afraid to face either Rogue or Jean's wrath if they opened their mouths. Scott was blissfully ignorant, and to many of the young mutants who were concerned about the welfare of their fearless leader, it was probably for the best.

Rogue was the last to get up that morning. After spending much of the night contemplating her actions, she had fallen into a slumber that caused her to sleep in later than she usual. Kitty was already downstairs. Her bed was already made up and her nightgown was left hanging on the closet door. Rogue looked at her own closet, contemplating what clothes she was going to wear for her date with Scott this evening. She still couldn't believe it. She was finally going to get the date that she always wanted to go out on. But the weight of last night's concerns began to weigh heavily on Rogue's mind. She had yet to speak to Jean since last night and she dreaded the thought of having to. But she knew that it was an inevitable confrontation. This was not about Jean, but it was starting to become all about Jean. Rogue began to realize how deeply she cut Jean. Scott was her most vulnerable spot. Rogue was uncertain about how Jean would react. But she also knew that Jean's word was binding and would never worm her way out of a bet. She agreed to the conditions of the game and Rogue took full advantage, which was the plan all along. Jean was still unaware of Rogue's cheating, which would upset all the girls for certain, but Rogue knew that her request to date Scott this evening seemed like an act of betrayal to Jean. As Rogue got dressed, she began to run through her past actions in her head and was concerned about whether she had gone too far. Even if the date was fun and pleasurable, it might just make things worse for her, for Scott and for Jean. It's a horrible feeling to realize that something than so wonderful might end up being a limited opportunity and it may never happen again in your lifetime. All you would have left to look back upon are your memories, moments with that significant other, someone that made you feel that you could dance on air. And no other life experience that you have with anyone thereafter will match the joyful intensity of that time and place. But for Rogue, it would still be worth it, because in her mind, it would worse for her to never really know what might have been possible. When it came to Scott and her feelings about him, she had to know.

Rogue finishing dressed and made her way out the room to go downstairs for some breakfast. Suddenly, she felt a voice boom loudly in her head stating its words as if they were being spoken phonetically.

"We...need...to...talk!"

Rogue whipped around to see Jean in the doorway of her room leaning against the door frame. She seemed to have been waiting for Rogue to get up as she was alreadt dressed and freshened up. Jean stared intently at Rogue, not saying a word. Rogue was a little jarred by the tone of Jean's telepathic message. She wasn't accustomed to having her mind invaded by her. But she soon composed herself and matched Jean's frosty demeanor with one of her own.

"Alright, what about?" asked Rogue, leaning back against the opposing wall of the hallway.

"You know 'what about'." Jean responded intently.

"Yeah," Rogue said, smiling to herself "Ah do know. What ah meant wus, what aspect of 'what about' are you interested in?"

"I don't think you know the gravity of the situation," Jean stated, growing more intense with Rogue's flippant tone. "This is why we need to talk, so I can remind you about how serious this is."

"Oh, ah'm takin' it seriously," Rogue said, continuing her jocular manner. "Ah just don't take you all that seriously."

"You will," Jean responded, moving slowly to face Rogue. "But not here. They're too many eyes and ears. We'll go to the backwoods behind the mansion."

"And then what?" Rogue asked suspiciously, not knowing what Jean was up to.

"We're going to get all of this cleared up," Jean said in a matter-of –fact tone. "One way or another."

Jean then made her way downstairs with Rogue following close behind. As they made their way through the TV room and the kitchen, the two mutant girls drew the attention of the rest of the students (except Scott). They thought the Rogue and Jean were going to have it out right in the backyard. Kitty started to bite her nails nervously as she dreaded the prospect of Jean and Rogue fighting. Kurt was worried for her sister, but he still felt she was in the wrong in what she was doing to Jean. All the while, Scott was in the driveway, wiping down his car, totally unaware of the actions going on inside. Tabitha was attempting to get a betting pool going on who was going to win in Jean and Rogue's upcoming fight. Most of the guys were interested in getting in on the action, but not the girls. It was just a reminder of all the money they lost last night. All of them were getting ready to follow Jean and Rogue into the backyard. Then, mysteriously, Hank McCoy, better known as the Beast, intercepted the throng of young mutants by leaping in front the door, barring them from the exit.

"Move away people," Hank said, making gestures like a traffic cop. "nothing to see here."

As he was admonishing the students for attempting to encourage (then watch) a potential fight, he briefly turned to see Jean and Rogue walking down the hill, disappearing behind it. He gave them a look of concern even though they were not aware of it. Then he turned, warning Kurt not to teleport outside and Kitty from phasing. This wasn't going to be an easy day for Hank.

Jean was marching quickly down the trail of the backwoods with incredible speed. Rogue matched her speed and pace but was surprised at how quickly she was moving. They moved through the thick of the wood until they met a clearing. The wooded area was treated as a training area. But since it was Saturday, everyone was relieved that they didn't have to do any training whatsoever today. Which meant no one would be in the back spying on them. Rogue was a little worried. Why would Jean want to talk here unless she wanted to something other than talk? Rogue was going to keep her wits about her. She might be in for a long boring morning. Jean turned to face Rogue. Underneath her fixed expression bubbled an intense rage that seemed to radiate from her eyes. Rogue wasn't accustomed to this and she was unnerved. Nonetheless, she was not going to allow herself to be intimidated by 'Little Miss Perfect'.

"Well?" Rogue asked with impatience. "What now?"

"Now, we talk," Jean answered.

"Ah've got nothin' to say," Rogue said, folding her arms.

"Then I'll start," Jean said, and sat down on one the flattened tree stumps. "Sit down."

"Ah'll stand thanks," Rogue said in a defiant stance.

"Look," said Jean, softened her expression and voice. "I'm willing to be civilized if you are. The truth is, I'm really angry with you right now, but I'm hoping can talk to each other so we can at least talk this out. So, I'm asking you, to please sit down so we can talk about this, Okay?"

Rogue, unable to refute Jean's plea for reasonable dialogue, sat herself down on adjacent stump. She took a more relaxed pose and sighed.

"Alright," Rogue said. "Talk."

"I want to let you know that I'm going to honor your 'request'." Jean stated, showing her disdain for what she was agreeing to.

Rogue was taken aback. She didn't think Jean would be this accommodating. She was starting to feel guiltier.

"You will?" she said in surprise.

"Yes," Jean said. "But on two conditions..."

"Which are?" Rogue asked, figuring this was too good to be true.

"We discuss some of the ground rules...." Jean clarified.

"Fair enough."

".. and you give my some honest answers to some of my questions."

Rogue didn't like where this was going but if was going to end this conversation quickly, she'd better comply.

"We'll see."

"Okay, I won't stress anything right now. So let's at least discuss what we already agree upon. Okay, first off, the date will only last until midnight."

"Ah ain't Cinderella, Jean..."

"Fine, two o'clock."

Rogue thought about it and then conceded with a nod.

"Great. Ok. Second, you will pay for everything."

"That's alright by me," Rogue said as she made a gesture the wallet in her pocket. Then she flashed Jean a sinister smile. "Ah've got plenty of money."

Jean was irritated by that. She felt that Rogue was trying to provoke her with Rogue's win at the poker game. Jean didn't want to give her the satisfaction of getting under her skin.

"I know how hard it is for you to talk to me without taking a shot at me, " Jean continued. "So I'll let you continue to act like a child while we sort this thing out."

Jean's barb caught Rogue unexpectedly. She wasn't used to Jean being derogatory towards her. Jean sensed the unease she caused and unconsciously formed a smug and satisfied smile on her face. Rogue's eyes narrowed in loathing. She was not going to let Jean get the best of her.

"Oh don't worry about me Jean," responded Rogue. "Ah can fake niceness as long as you, but you do have more practice at it."

Jean had had enough of civility.

"Okay, that's it. I've tried to reasonable. I've tried to be nice. I've done everything humanly possible to understand where you are coming from. But all you do insult me and insinuate that I'm being all fake with you. Did I do something to you? Did I hurt you in some way? I don't know. All I know is that I've given all I can give. I don't care anymore. So I'm just going to say it: Why are you doing this to me?"

Rogue became more standoffish. She was getting ready to cut loose.

"Ah hate to break it to you, Miss Perfect," replied Rogue. "But some things are not about you. And this has absolutely nothin' to with you. It's something between me an' Scott."

Jean became angrier with this revelation.

"When it comes to Scott," Jean fumed. "It becomes my business. In case you've been too busy to notice, being all self-absorbed and everything, Scott and I are together. We are boyfriend and girlfriend. Get it?"

Rogue was ready to go all the way. Now she was really going to get under Jean's skin.

"Yeah," Rogue agreed. "For now..."

Jean couldn't believe what she just heard.

"What?!" Jean exclaimed. "You actually have the gall to admit you're trying to steal him away from me. Right to my face?!"

"Don't be stupid," Rogue said, secretly relishing Jean's loss of control. "Ah'm not stealin' Scott away from you. Ah'm just sayin', when I go out tonight, Scott and ah are goin' to have a fabulous time. An' all ah'm sayin' is that he might, all of a sudden get, ah don't know, second thoughts."

Jean was ready to take the gloves off.

"Yeah, I'm sure if Scott wants to be put in a coma, all he'd need is a goodnight kiss from you."

"Ooohhh, a cheap shot!" Rogue said, unimpressed by Jean's comment. "Guess you're not so perfect after all."

Suddenly, Rogue found herself being lifted telekinetically from the stump she was sitting on, only to be slammed back first into a nearby tree. Rogue was momentarily stunned. She winced in pain as her back was throbbing from the severity of the impact. As she slowly got up, Rogue gave Jean a look that could kill. But Jean was giving Rogue her own lethal stare with equal intensity. With both of their gazes fixated on one another, they both reached the same conclusion; the time for talking was over.

"No," Jean uttered as started as she made her way towards Rogue. "That was a cheap shot. And I hope you're seeing things clearly right now. If not, we can review. We've got plenty of trees."

"Sure Jean," smirked Rogue, as she was still hurting. "But ah doubt you could take me, mono a mono, without using your powers."

"That's where you're wrong Rogue," Jean answered as she moved closer to Rogue in a slow and methodical manner. "I don't care how I get the message through that thick skull of yours. I don't mind on bit. But I'm going to show you how wrong you really are."

"Okay," Rogue answered, as she sprang to her feet and raised her fists into a boxing stance. "An' while your busy talkin' about how your gonna kick my butt, ah'll be busy rearrangin' your face."

"Why?" Jean guffawed. "So I can look as ugly as you?"

"Ah think ah'll do the world a favor and close your mouth with my fist."

"Are you going to talk, little girl, or are you going to fight?"

"It's your show, princess, make your move."

The two girls circled each other as they continued to trash talk. They were just about to get into some serious conflict when they heard the familiar sound of adamantium claws extending themselves.

Out of brush, Logan appeared from out of the shadows of the trees and revealed himself in the light of the clearing. He gave both girls an intense stare that scared both of them back into complacency.

"Anythin' wrong? Stripe? Red?"

"Nothing's wrong, Logan," lied Jean. "Nothing at all."

"Yeah," Rogue lied, in turn. "We were just...talkin'."

"Yeah." Jean chimed in again. Both girls put on innocent and nervous smiles.

Logan looked at both of them skeptically. He retracted his claws and folded his arms. He began to slowly circle the girls, inspecting them closely, scrutinizing their every move.

"I see," Logan said. "Talkin's always good. What isn't good is an X-man fightin' an' X-man. Jean, hit the showers."

"But Logan..." Jean cried in protest.

"Now!" Logan growled.

Jean knew better than to test Logan, so she complied. Jean made her way back to the mansion. As she was leaving, she turned and glared at Rogue as she was leaving. She sent Rogue a simple telepathic message:

"This isn't over!"

Rogue met Jean's contemptuous stare with one of her own, only to be interrupted by Logan's angry expression. Rogue didn't need to be a telepath to know that Logan had heard her and Jean's entire conversation.

"How long were you listening?" she asked softly.

"Long enough," Logan answered simply. "If you don't want to answer Jean's questions, maybe you can answer mine."

"Logan...ah..." Rogue hesitated. "It's personal"

"Look kid," Logan said, as he placed a firm hand on Rogue's shoulder. "I don't make it my business t'interfere in the personal lives of the kids 'round here. But what yer doin' is bad for everybody. Bad fer Scott, bad for Jeannie, bad for you."

Rogue's face saddened. She turned her face away from Logan, feeling somewhat ashamed.

"Logan, do you trust me?"

"Yeah kid," Logan quickly answered. "yeah, I do."

"Then," Rogue continued. "If ah tell you that ah'm not tryin' to hurt anybody, that ah've soul searched this whole thing and ah feel this is the only way ah can work this out, would you believe me?"

Rogue then turned to face Logan. Logan saw that she was on the verge of tears. He saw the lines of sadness appear on her young and pretty face. Logan had lived lifetimes, existing as many men, at least as much as he could recall. In his life, he knew pain and suffering that most people would never really understand. And while he would never be accused of sensitivity, he couldn't stand seeing any of his 'kids' in pain. Logan was probably the person closest to Rogue. Logan had taken an interest in her early. They both had such adversity in their lives, forcing them to learn how to be tough as nails in order to survive. This edginess helped make them what they were, but it could do nothing to protect them from loneliness. Logan had many loves only to lose them all at some point. No healing factor or adamatium skeleton could protect him from the sting of heartache or the despair of loneliness. But at the very least, he was able to share intimacy with another. Even though it had been ages. But Logan at that moment saw an old soul in Rogue's eyes, one that was too world-weary for someone her age. At this time of her life, she should be happy, doing all the useless teenage stuff that Logan didn't care about. But Rogue's powers made that part of growing up impossible. She might never have real intimate relationship with anyone for the rest of her life. Maybe her powers could change. But that was all wishful thinking. Logan still felt that her interfering with Scott and Jean's relationship was wrong and unfair. But Rogue's life seemed just as unfair. She should be allowed to garner some happiness for herself. He just didn't approve of how she wanted to do it.

"Listen, Stripe," Logan said reassuring her. "I can't say that I know what it is to not be able to touch anyone without killin' em. I can't say that I know what's best for ya. All I can tell ya is to be careful about what yer doin'. Yer riskin' an' awful lot. Scott and Jean were a long time comin'. Life ain't always fair that way. They've had a hard time with this mutant mess too. I don't know what ya plan to do with Scott tonight but I think ya need to think a little harder on things. Not just yerself. But Jean and Scott. Ya may not care much for Jeannie, but if ya care about Scott, ya might reconsider what yer doin'. I ain't tellin' ya, I'm just askin' ya. Think."

Logan placed both his hands on Rogue's shoulders and looked her squarely in the eye.

"An' ta answer yer question, I do trust ya."

Rogue hugged Logan, careful not to place her face against any exposed skin on his body. The warmth of his embrace was reassuring. At least she felt someone understood what she was going through.

"Enough of that," Logan said, trying put on his gruff exterior. "what I want ya to do now is get back to the mansion and apologize to Jean."

"But she attacked me first!" Rogue protested.

"Mebee," Logan continued. "But you started this whole mess in the first place. I ain't goin' to stop this date, but ya got to go through Jean first. She gave ya her blessin'. So yer goin' be a straight shooter an' apologize fer givin' her a hard time an' agree to all her conditions an' let that be the end of it."

Rogue nodded reluctantly, but she knew not to cross Logan. She had to admit that it was fair, but it didn't make Rogue feel any better. She made her way back to mansion without any more incidents. Logan watched her disappear down the trail of the forest. Then he called out:

"Chuck?"

Professor Xavier appeared out of the shadows accompanied by Ororo.

"Aren't you going to ask how long we were listening?" asked Storm.

"Nah," Logan answered in a dismissive tone. "Heard ya breathin'."

"I'm disappointed," mused Ororo. "I thought I was getting better."

"Yer getting' better," Logan replied. "Yer just not on my level yet."

"Pleasantries aside," Professor X interjected. "We were eavesdropping on your conversation with Rogue."

"What were ya doin' hidin' in the bushes, anyway?" Logan asked.

"I sensed Jean was using her telekinetic powers in an aggressive way, Ororo and I came to investigate. You were already resolving the conflict when we arrived and, I'm ashamed to admit this, we listened on your conversation."

"Ya didn't read their minds did ya?" asked Logan, being more inquisitive than usual.

"Of course not," Professor X answered, a little annoyed at the insinuation. "I never read anyone's mind against their will. At least, not without cause."

"Well," Ororo said, as she began to construct a thought. "What are we going to about this?"

"Exactly what we're doin' now," Logan responded. "Absolutely nothin'."

"But you saw how they were acting, "Ororo persisted. "There's still a danger of another fight breaking. Those two could seriously hurt each other."

"No chance," Logan stated plainly. "Rogue'll behave."

"And I think Jean will too," chimed the Professor.

"Still," continued Storm, unable too hide her concern. "I find it hard to believe that Rogue would even attempt to put a wedge between Scott and Jean."

"She says it ain't about that," said Logan. "An' I believe her."

"I too, agree with Logan," the Professor stated. "I don't think Rogue's intentions are meant to be harmful. Nonetheless, I am concerned about some of the dissention this situation has been causing among the students."

"Hank's got it covered," Logan assured the Professor. "I'll cut any loose ends there might be. Curiosity will kill the cat"

"I'm sure you will be successful," said the Professor, wary of the undertones of Logan's statement. "But I am even more concerned about Scott, Jean and Rogue. It's important for the sake of the team that things do not get overly complicated. All of this could end very badly. For all of us."

"Chuck," said Logan. "It really ain't our business. These kids are goin' to college soon. They gotta go out into the world and make their mistakes. They've gotta figure some things out fer themselves. All we can do is pray that some of what we've taught 'em will stick and they won't do anythin' too stupid."

"All I want is for everyone to come out of this unscathed," said Ororo. "But I fear these things end up with someone getting hurt."

"Sometimes that's the only way to learn somethin'," Logan said simply.

"Yes," agreed Professor X. "It's true, I agree with you Logan and you too Ororo. We can only hope that they all learn something from all of this. I hope it isn't too hard, but I'm afraid that I'm hoping against hope."

"Yeah," Logan said in dismay. "Me too."

All of them stood awhile in the peace of the forest, contemplating the futures of three of their students, their children.