Epilogue

Jean watched the service from a small hill in the distance. She sat on the ground and used a nearby tree to lean against. She saw the whole school gather for Scott's memorial in the back garden. There was no body, just a flame that was lit in the centre of the floor.

Summoning all the strength she had, she managed to get up. She was coughing from the smoke and covered her mouth with her hands. "Scott!" She called out. The building was demolished and debris was everywhere. With her powers back, Jean reached out with her mind to find Scott, but there was nothing. Using her TK, she searched in vain for Scott. Logan woke up to see Jean frantically lifting objects up, calling out Scott's name. He couldn't help but feel incredibly sad for her at this moment. "Jean!" He called out running to her.

"Logan !.. Help me look, we need to find Scott."

"Jean.. Scott.. Scott's.."

"DON'T ! .. Not another word.. now you can either help me or get out of my way !"

Logan knew well enough she was too upset to be thinking straight. He stepped aside and allowed her to continue. The wind started to pick up and rain started pouring from the sky. Ororo used the winds to gently lower her down. She set the Blackbird on auto pilot hovering above them.

Ororo heard Jean calling out for Scott. She went over to Logan.

"Logan, where.. where's Scott?"

Jean listened to Ororo as she spoke.

"He was and always be one of my dearest friends… but more than that, he was a person I cared for and loved like an older brother.. funny since I was older than him. Wherever we went, whether if it was in the classroom, or a class trip, or training, or in the field, there was something reassuring about having Scott there… because no matter what he would be there to help me.. to help us .. he always knew what to say, what to do, never hesitating.. that's how he lived …(sob).. and that's how he died.. a leader .. a hero.. a friend and mentor to us all."

"I.. I got there too late.. when I found them Scott was already shot.. we barely managed to get out before the explosion."

Ororo was in shock. It took her a moment for her to muster any words.

"He.. he can't be dead. He just can't."

"I'm sorry Ro, he died right there in front of me. I had to pull Jean off of him.. I'm sorry."

"Oh my God… oh my God.. JEAN !" She called out.

Storm ran towards Jean.

"Whatever Logan told you is wrong. He's not dead !"

"Jean !"

"He's not dead Ro.. he can't be… he can't be.. he can't.." Jean started crying and Storm went forward and hugged her friend. From the distance, the sounds of sirens could be heard.

"Jean.. I know.. but we have to go before the authorities come.."

"We can't leave him Ro.. we just can't !"

The people there in that memorial loved Scott. They respected him, honored him. Jean felt she had no place in such company. Everyone has taken the news of his death hard. The professor was beside himself. He saw Scott as a son. When they returned to the mansion, he already knew what had happened. That night, they went into his study and just saw him looking outside his window. He put a brave front on the outside for the kids, but inside he was a mess.

"I thought I saw you up here… We missed you at the service."

"Thanks Ro, but I didn't belong down there."

"What're you talking about Jean? You knew Scott better than any of us."

"How could I go down there in front of you.. the professor and those young faces and knowing full well that I killed Scott!"

"Jean!"

"I know what you're gonna try to say Ro but I killed him.. I may not have fired the gun but it's because of me he's dead."

"Jean, you're a telepath, not psychic. No one could've predicted any of this."

"You're not listening to me! He was knocked down on the ground, the gun was pointed at me but … he raced up.. and he took the bullet that was aimed for me… I watched him fall and held him in my arms as he died."

"Jean.. dear, you can't do this to yourself."

"He was going to leave the mansion.. did you know that?"

"Leaving?"

"Yes, he told me right before he died. That was supposed to be his last mission, because he couldn't be around me.. not after what I put him through."

"Jean.."

"You're being a friend Ro and I love you for it but I'm just telling you the truth.. and you know maybe you were right. None of us could've predicted this. I could've never broken up with Scott and this probably still would happen. .. but at least then he would've known that I love him.. that he wouldn't have to ask if he made him happy.. God Ro.. he asked me to marry him and I said NO… he died thinking I didn't love him.. he loved me so much.. the only thing that ever came close to his heart was this school and the mansion and because of me he wanted to leave this behind him. He loved it here. This was his home, he may not have said much about it but he had such a hard childhood until the Professor found him. He was so young when he lost his parents, this was the only sense of home he had and I drove him to leave it ! It should've been me ! ... I didn't pull the trigger, but I killed his spirit long before that bullet hit him."

Ororo tried to think of some words to help her friend, but there was nothing.

"And the worst thing of all .. was that he still loved me.. even till the very end. .. he .. he apologized to me .. could you believe him.. he apologized to me.. he thought it was his fault that we broke up.. God Ro.. his last words was him saying my name.." Jean tried to say more but she couldn't as tears engulfed and overwhelmed her. Ororo sat down next to Jean and she held Jean as she cried on her shoulder. It took sometime, but Jean finally managed to stop crying and she stayed there with Ororo, looking out over the garden.

There was a slight chill in the air and Jean wrapped her arms around her waist. Jean looked up at the sky. The sun was beginning to set and the bright blue sky was suddenly disappearing into an ocean of yellows, oranges and reds.

"Did I ever tell you Ro, he had the brightest blue eyes.."

The End

Author's Note: I wanted to finish "Start of Summer" by now but school and work have kept me pretty busy. Now with X3 coming out and certain news of Cyclops has totally killed my creativity. I hope to get some more stories out before I leave for the summer. This story is now complete. I have ideas of stories to do based off this story, but I like this story as is and if I were ever to write it, it would be under a different name.