Xavier's Institute, Thursday Mar. 7th 12:12 am

Rogue sighed, Joseph's hands around her waist. He had on a plain white shirt and jeans he'd found abandoned around the institute. He had on one of Logan's old discarded, leather jackets. It had now been 18 months since Logan or Scott had stepped foot at the institute. Since Jean had "died". 8 since Rahne died. Everyone had banded together, even in the strangest of ways...

Rogue stood on the roof, her long hair a little curly for a change. Joseph had told her it was the most breathtaking thing he'd ever seen. That made her sad because Remy had said the same thing. Slowly, but surely, she was coming around to it. Just like she was coming around to Joseph. She was wearing a plain white shirt and and jeans with boots. Her leather jacket was red and so were her gloves (that Joseph had gifted her).

"We're not supposed to be up here." He said after a while, inhaling the scent of Rogue's wavy tresses. 'Magnolias...' He thought with a sigh. Rogue smiled and leaned her head carefully on him, careful not to touch his skin. She wasn't sure when or why, but the mutant's presence really calmed her. Especially in Scott and Logan's absences. She found herself sneaking off to be with him much to the chagrin of her friends and teammates.

The wind blew between them and he tightened his grip around her slightly. "Ah know." She didn't care. She loved stargazing with Joseph after a Danger Room session concluded. She pointed as a comet streaked overhead, millions of miles away. "Wow." Rogue gasped, watching it. Joseph was watching her though, amused and bewildered by her.

He pulled away from her, causing her to frown. Rogue knew better than to put all her eggs in the basket of an amnesiac ex-enemy. She knew better than to bet on Remy, an ex-enemy who had kidnapped her before. And of course, Scott who has been hopelessly in love with Jean Grey since before she hit puberty. But as usual, she was having a hard time fighting her feelings.

"What's wrong," She drawled, her brow furrowed in worry. He smiled at her, holding his hands up.

"Anna, I want to try something." His hands began to glow a bright purple to Rogue's amazement. She nodded dumbly as he reached for her face.

"J-Joseph-"

"Trust me." He hesitantly placed his hand on Rogue's cheek. She gasped as she didn't absorb his power. "It's as I thought..."

"How are you-"

"Electromagnetic fields. We're not actually touching, though it feels so. Rogue..." Rogue had never dreamed she'd be able to touch someone without the suppression collar. A tear slipped from her eye unexpectedly.

"Is it hard?" He shook his head.

"For an ordinary mutant, maybe." He lifted his hand, the field vibrating. "But not for me." All Rogue could do was laugh at the tiny glimmer of Magneto she saw peeking through. It was entirely possible one day he woke up and was the same Magneto she'd always known. So Rogue promised to spend as much time with this Magneto as she could.

"How long have you been waiting to try this?" He looked away.

"Until it was the right time." He moved some of her wavy locks past her shoulder, staring into stormy eyes. "Is this the right time, Anna?" She nodded, paralyzed. His whole body radiating with purple energy, he leaned toward her. And she leaned on her tip toes met him with a kiss. No drain. No pull. No transfer of power. She shut her eyes and just kissed Joseph, on the roof, and forgot all her problems. Just for once kiss.

Suddenly a pulse of power radiated throughout the whole mansion. It was raw, unfiltered, psychic energy. It blasted through the school violently, ripping all those who were sleep awake with a scream. Both Rogue and Joseph crashed to the ground together, screaming as their minds were throttled by the psychic blast.

"ANNA," He cried out, reaching for her hand.

"J-Joseph..." She grabbed, squeezing tight as it felt like their minds were being juiced. 'What's happening...'

5 minutes earlier...

"They're probably together right now." Bobby complained, wagging a chocolate popsicle at Kitty as he spoke. She huffed, typing hurriedly on her macbook for school.

"What do you care, Bobby? You never even worked up the nerve to ask her to be your girlfriend." He suddenly turned red, flustered by the girl's uncharacteristic bluntness. "What? SAT prep... Hello?" He rolled his eyes, biting the popsicle.

"You don't care that your best friend is hanging out with Magneto?" He accused. Kitty sighed.

"Of course I do, but you know what else I care about?" She grinned. "Rogue seems kind of happy lately. She's going on missions, she might even officially become the X-Men's leader." She looked back at her laptop. "If the price of this is her and Joseph hanging out, well..." Bobby shook his head in disgust.

"No way. I don't trust him-"

"Bobby," Kitty began. The exasperation was evident in her voice. "He's harmless. She probably hangs out with him because he listens to her." She sent Bobby a smug smile and closed her computer, standing. He stuck his tongue out at her.

"Yeah, okay. Whatev-" Before he could finish a searing pain blared through his head. He dropped his popsicle, falling out of his chair on to the floor. Kitty's laptop dropped to the floor with a clatter as she moaned, falling to the floor too.

"B-Bobby..." She whimpered, clutching her head and writhing on the ground. 'W-What's happening?!"

"I-I don't know!" He bit out through clenched teeth. 'Help...'

Xavier turned from the window in his office when he heard a knock on his door. "Ah, come in." He called warmly, Joseph appearing, Only he had short, white hair again. And purple and red armor. "Joseph,"

"Erik, Charles. Tell me you've known the whole time. Amnesiac? Joseph? Charles, come on now." He frowned at his longtime friend and rival. "I thought you let me slide because of our relationship..." He crossed his arms. "How could you let the child die, Charles? Truly." Xavier jerked back in horror.

"Erik,"

"Her young blood is on your hands. Don't you get it?" He stepped forward menacingly. "The same fate awaits them. You failed them all, from the very beginning. With Jean-"

"Stop it, Erik!" Xavier cried, tears leaking down his face. "I tried-"

"You failed!" Erik boomed. "They're dead! They're all dead!" Erik dissolved into dust right before Xavier's eyes.

"Magnus, no!"

'Storm? Hank? Angel? Anyone? Kitty? Rogue? Are you there?' He called out telepathically and grew panicked when nobody answered. He rolled out of his office to a silent mansion. He took a ramp near the stairs down to the first floor, looking around. "Everyone?" He screamed when he rolled into the foyer and found Ororo, Angel, Hank, Rogue, Kurt, Kitty, Emma, Laura, Bobby, and Jaime all lying dead. "NO."

"Why didn't you protect us, professor..." Jaime moaned.

"The virus..." Kitty whimpered.

"Jean..." Kurt moaned.

"You failed us, professor." Rogue cried.

He held his face in his hands, sobbing. "I'm sorry... I'm sorry. I never meant-"

"WHY, professor!"

"Chuck, no..." He turned to see Logan and Scott standing there. In a fury, Scott ripped off his visor off.

"Scott, DON'T-"

Xavier awoke with a yell and unleashed a psychic flare so large it travelled throughout the mansion. He regretted it as soon as it happened but there was nothing he could do. The energy had set out, all he could do was hope it didn't murder one of his students and teachers. 'Gods, no...' He sat up, breathing raggedly. He wiped the sweat off his brow and tried to control his breathing. 'What have I done?'

Lights flickered on slowly in the mansion. Hushed moans turned into conversation. Then into near yelling. The pain, as quick as it had happened, ended. The incredible psychic pressure lessened and everyone could breathe again. Rogue shot into a sitting position on the roof with a yelp, looking around in confusion.

"W-Wha..."

"Anna!" Joseph rubbed his head in a fog, looking around. "What happened?"

"W-We... We were..." Rogue wracked her tired mind to think. "Oh no. The professor." Her stomach dropped. She stood suddenly and took off flying around the mansion and through a window she expected to be open. She didn't bother to land her feet when she was inside. She flew straight past concerned and confused students to the professor's door, whipping it open before knocking.

"Professor-" Hank, Ororo, and Emma were all already by his side. Ororo was sitting on the bed and Hank stood above them. Emma was stooped to the professor's eye level in her white, lacy night gown.

"Rogue," The professor began, trying not to sound tired.

"We've quite got it handled." Emma snapped, not taking her eyes off of the telepath in front of her. Rogue scowled.

"Is everything alright, dear?" Ororo spoke over her gently. Rogue stood in the doorway, embarrassed.

"S-Sorry... I w-was worried the professor was-"

"He wasn't attacked." Emma filled in with a sigh. She turned to Rogue. "That was him." She gulped.

"My apologies..." He murmured. "I feel foolish, but I had a nightmare. I must've expressed that... Telepathically." He explained, thinking about Rahne tiredly.

"You see, the professor is almost as strong as Jean but telepathically." Said Emma, a slight smirk on her face. "If he weren't such a disciplined and skilled telepath he would probably snuff our lives out at the slightest bit of provocation." Rogue looked between them in disbelief.

"I'm fine. Tonight was just a testament that I need to keep my training regimen up." He tried to smile but Rogue saw through it.

"There is always..." Hank began, but he cut himself off when he remembered Rogue. Xavier's face darkened.

"Hank, you would take her side? " Ororo murmured in disgusted shock. He sighed.

"It's not about sides, my friend. Unfortunately..." Xavier frowned.

"You know I can't do that." He said firmly.

"Can't do what?" Rogue stressed, looking around in confusion.

"I have a medicine here. A medicine that can block some of the professor's grand telepathic abilities." All eyes turned to Emma. "To prevent things like this from happening." Rogue looked at the ground uncomfortably. What an impossible decision. They needed and relied on the professor's powers a lot. But tonight showed that they were dangerous. And nobody could've handled a much worse attack.

"Please, Rogue. Get some rest. It's late. And clearly," He gestured around him. "I am taken care of." Rogue nodded, feeling like a child in front of their parents. She sent him a last look before wandering back to her room.

It was cold wherever Logan was. Nothing but ice and snow as far as the ice could see. He wasn't cold, though. Something about being over a hundred years old. He stared at her. The bane of his existence. The love of his life. Jean. But she wasn't right. She was all red and no green. Her X-Suit was red like her hair. Her eyes glowed white, flames spread around her like a cape.

"Jeannie..." He pleaded. She licked her lips, crawling off of the bloodstained ice.

"Honey..." She floated toward him again, a bloodlust in her eyes. 'Sknnt!' His claws flashed through her. How many times now? He was losing count.

"Jean, come on." She laughed, and it was so like Jean's but so wrong.

"I need you, Logan. I know through you I'll figure out all the rest..." She stalked toward him. He cursed to himself.

"You sure know how to use a guy up." He mused, thinking about the first time she went into his mind and brought him back from a beserker rage.

"I love you, Logan. I need you." He frowned. He knew it was just the Phoenix but it was still hard to hear.

"And is that you? Or the Phoenix?" His shoulders sagged tiredly. "Or do you even know anymore?" She chuckled.

"I'm always Jean. And I'm always the Phoenix." She played with flames around her like yarn. "When you stabbed me then I died, Logan. The Phoenix force used it's power to hold some of me together. It reached out and grabbed some back too, but not all." She explained, her face finally serious. "I scattered in a trillion different directions. When it'd done what it could I appeared in front of the White Hot Room. That's when I felt it... Some of me never came home. Even though I'm right here..." She examined her own glove quizzically.

Logan sighed. "I'm sorry, darlin'." He grunted as his claws jabbed through her again. She gasped, halfway in pleasure and halfway in pain.

"Logan-"

He awoke, dripping in sweat. He was on the Canadian border again, tracking his rival Creed's scent. He had been active. Very active. He didn't like that. He turned and stared at the fire as he thought about his harrowing dream. 'What did it mean...' he wondered, scrubbing a hand over his face. He knew but he didn't want to face. He was willing to bet he wasn't the only one having these dreams. Somehow, someway. Jean would be back.

Morlock Sewers, Saturday Mar. 9th 3:36 pm

Ororo smiled tensely. She had no problems with the Morlocks or their civilization below ground. She just missed her nephew. He was missed by the institute and his friends. But she understood why he felt he belonged there. Every time she managed to arrange a visit he had more bone plates growing in new places. She worried for him most of the time, but he was a young man now. He'd made a decision.

"You look wonderful, Auntie O." He said with a delicate hug. She returned it as gently as she could.

"My boy," She sighed. "I've missed you so much." They broke apart and she looked at him. "Your parents, they-"

"I know." He looked at the ground. His aunt was a mutant so she understood. They were not. It hurt but he didn't want them around the sewers. It was better for everyone. The rule was usually no top dwellers allowed. They both sighed.

"How are you doing? How is everything down here?" She tried to smile. Tried not to beg him to come home. He smiled tiredly.

"Alright. Been a lot going on up there." He looked worriedly at the mutants underground with him. "Hope it won't be comin' down here." Ororo nodded.

"Me too Evan. I hope we can have some period of peace." She looked around. "You kids deserve that." She wrapped a careful arm around Evan and hugged her to him.

Genosha Ruins, Saturday Mar. 9th 5:48 pm

Remy found there wasn't much to do around Sinister's main lab except skulk. He polished his sneaking skills and hung around, waiting for something to happen. Today was one of the days something happened. A naked, perfect, clone of the red haired telepath had been created. To scale. He stared for a moment, remembering what it felt like to be horny. He thought about tossing Rogue in the X-Jet and wished desperately to rape the dumb clone. The somber thought snapped him to reality for a brief moment.

'Rape... Whoa. Dis ain' you...' He shook his head, conflicted. 'But it is...'

"Like my creation?" He turned, Sinister standing in the doorway. "I shall call her Madelyn." Remy cocked an eyebrow. She looked like she was sleeping.

"Wha' she for?" He questioned. Sinister grinned.

"Breeding. Since Ms. Grey has moved on to bigger and better things." Remy whistled in place of saying something.

"Y'don say." He looked around, his mind racing a mile a minute. "Y'still got Rogue's DNA?" The grin spread form ear to ear on Sinister's face.

"I sure do." Remy looked away.

"You could make a Rogue I coul-"

"Touch?" There was a pause. "Maybe I already have." Remy's blood ran cold. He followed the white-skinned mutant to a further back part of his lab. There, naked in a giant tube was a clone of Rogue. Her auburn hair was slightly darker but her bangs were still white. He stared at her in awe. They could have sex and kiss even without the collar. "Be a good boy, Remy."

The red eyed mutant sneered. It would be easier than ever.

"Sure."

Xavier Institute Danger Room, Saturday Mar. 9th 6:22 pm

"The professor asked me to his office." Rogue smiled, adjusting her white scarf around her neck. "Joseph, could you close this session out for me?" He nodded and she hovered away, waving. He faced the chattering mutants.

"Well... Looks like we're all done!" He laughed as they burst into cheers. They zipped past the white-haired mutant in excitement.

"Well, I'm gonna say something to the professor..." He heard Bobby say. Kitty snorted, putting half her hair in a bun.

"Uh, after you take a shower I hope." She mumbled, waving a hand in front of her face. A few people laughed. He stuck his tongue out at her.

"I'm just sayin'... It's been over a year. Scott's gone." He looked at Kitty and whoever was listening. "We should make it official. If he does come back," He shrugged. "He'll have to follow her like the rest of us." New recruits murmured amongst themselves.

"Do you really think that vould happen?" Kurt questioned. "If Scott came back she vould give him back leadership, hands down." Kitty nodded. Bobby rolled his eyes.

"And you think that's fair?!" Kurt held his hands up defensively .

"I didn't say that. I just said she vould." Bobby looked at his uniform boots. He knew Kurt was probably right.

"Listen, Bobby. It's not always about fair." Said Kitty with her hands on her hips. "Rogue would be happy, Scott would be happy." She looked at him. "I would be happy." She walked past him.

"Ve should be so lucky." Kurt murmured, following after her. Bobby sighed. Whether or not Scott would return remained to be seen. Joseph hung back for a long while after the Danger Room cleared out. 'They want her to lead them... I've gotta tell her.' He flew up to the exit of the Danger Room looking for her. He found her right outside Xavier's office. His hands glowed purple and he reached for her, touching her without hesitancy.

"Anna, I've got to tell you something." She smiled at him, wondering what had him so giggly.

"What is it?" She asked, walking alongside him in the hallway.

"I heard your teammates." he faced her, placing his hands on her shoulders. "They want to talk to the professor about it, they want you to be the leader of the X-Men." Rogue's face fell.

"What?"

"Anna, it's amazing news." He assured. "Just from what I've seen you deser-"

"Deserve?" She pulled away from him in confusion. "Scott is our leader. He took an absence after his soul mate died." She paused, realizing she was digging her nails into her palms. "A lot of people would do the same." He shook his head. "It doesn't mean his spot is up for grabs!"

"But Anna, that's what they want. You're not grabbing anything." He glowered at her. "He might not ever come back. What then?" Rogue looked away.

"Ah don't know, okay?"

"Rogue, you're here. And you're doing the work anyways." She shook her head and pushed past him.

"Ah'm not a leader. Just drop it, Joseph." She stormed down the hall.

"But Anna,"

'I won't undercut Scott. I don't care if it's stupid.' She thought, her earlobes burning just the thought of him.

Kitty phased through a random wall, her eyes wide in shock. "There you are," She hissed. Rogue rolled her eyes.

"Not-"

"Scott is downstairs." All the color drained from Rogue's face. Joseph watched them helplessly as Rogue zipped down the staircase at mach speed. Joseph stood there, knowing there was no point in following.

Rogue tore through the front door, tears already building in her eyes. 'This is a prank,' She thought, knowing Kitty would never be so cruel. 'He's not really...' There he was. Sitting on a red motorcycle, of all things. He pulled his black helmet off and shook his longer hair, his chiseled jaw covered in stubble. Rogue's stomach somersaulted end over end.

His facial muscles relaxed suddenly at the sight of her. Kurt was at his side and he was grinning ear to ear. He had crushed small Kitty to him in a heartfelt embrace, so glad to see her in one piece in his absence. But Rogue. It had been hardest, somehow, for him to leave her in the first place. His hazy red and pink dreams often drifted to her.

He almost knocked his bike over to get to her, straining his eyes to pick up every new and different detail about her. 'It has been almost two years, you asshole...' He thought bitingly to himself. Her hair was long. Really long. He couldn't believe what he was seeing. Her face was clear from makeup (as far as he could tell). And it looked like her X-Suit changed to the flattering and mature pants and tunic version.

She hovered into his arms and he smashed her to him, letting out a strangled sob. "Rogue," He breathed, tears making their ways to the corners of his eyes.

"Scott," She tried to find a way to burrow deeper into her old teammate. He was a true sight for sore eyes. It'd been almost two years since she'd seen him but all her feelings rushed back. Some students resented him for leaving, but Rogue never could. She just missed him. "Scott, I... I missed you, so much!" She blurted out awkwardly. He pulled apart from her and looked into her shockingly... Beautiful face.

He had always known Rogue was attractive. Maybe not Jean attractive, which was obvious. He knew underneath the harsh makeup and harsher exterior was a diamond in the rough. It was his best kept secret. But even he, a constant cheerleader for Rogue, had no idea she could be this breath-taking. Her skin had color. Her eyes were actually a mystifying sage green, hiding in a sea of silver. He stared at the sea of freckles on the bridge of her nose and tried to think of words.

"Rogue... Y-You..." He placed a gloved hand on her face. "You look great." She almost teared up from hearing how much he meant it. And not just that she looked good. That she looked well. She could hear it all in his voice. She was faking it until she made it but it meant a lot to hear from him. Meanwhile, a little edge was doing a lot for the former boy scout.

She was inexplicably pulled to Joseph but now she was being tugged in two directions. She tried not to stare at his facial hair too long. "Scott. Thank you. Thank you." He watched a million different emotions pass at once through her eyes. He knew the fun part was coming to an end. It was time to come back and face the two years he missed. He sighed before he wasted more time staring into her eyes.

"C'mon," Kurt said. He sounded nervous and excited. "You should see everyone." Rogue's stare steeled over.

"Yes. We have a lot to talk about." Fear gripped Scott's heart but he covered it up like he always had, with a chillingly impassive facade. As quickly as he had mooned over seeing Rogue he was back to Cyclops. He followed Kurt and Rogue inside while Joseph watched from a second story window.

Rogue appeared in the common room with a glass of water for Scott. "The professor is tryin' to get this zoo a lil' organized." She explained, sitting beside him on the couch. He accepted the glass graciously and took a sip.

"Thank you." He set it down on the table and and faced Rogue seriously. "Be straight with me," He started. "How much have I fucked up?" She winced and he noticed. Even if she wasn't angry with him, something had happened.

"Scott..." He clenched his jaw, thinking about all the vulnerable students at the school.

"Just tell me, Rogue." She shut her eyes, wishing she were anywhere else. Her lip trembled.

"Scott,"

"Please. As my friend..." She blinked, her hands shaking.

"Scott... Scott, Rahne's gone." The air was sucked in a vacuum. He stood suddenly, the glass jostling on the table.

"W-What?" He breathed in disbelief. "N-No... Not Rahne." Rogue hung her head. The air whooshed out of his lungs like he'd been punched. She swayed and Rogue stood and grabbed him, stabilizing him.

"I'm sorry..." She whispered. Scott hook his head in disbelief.

"You're sorry? Rogue I was..." He threw a hand on his head as it dawned on him. Rahne was gone. Forever. She was a child. She hadn't even graduated school yet before she'd died. And for what? Scott tried to wrap his head around it, the room spinning. "When." Rogue took in a shuddered breath.

"A couple of months ago." Scott inhaled sharply.

"Rogue, what happened?" He placed a hand on her shoulder. She stifled a sob.

"There was a mission she was captured on. She... They infected her with a virus. A virus that targets mutants..." Rogue wiped at her eyes. Scott's skin paled.

"What?"

"Yeah. She just..." Rogue's voice trailed off. "Hank injected me with it and Logan's healing factor heale-" He grabbed her suddenly, his brow creased.

"Rogue-"

"I'm okay," She grabbed him back, staring straight into his eyes. "I'm okay, Scott. I'm here." He sighed, dropping his hands from her. "I was able to save Illyana but..." She shook her head. "Not Rahne. That's why I'm sorry." Scott placed a hand on her shoulder.

"No, you did what a leader does. You took care of everything here. Thank you-" She jerked away from his touch, angrily.

"You don't understand!" She screamed. "If I had gone on that shitty mission to begin with maybe this never woulda happened. Rahne and everyone else wouldn't have been captured and she wouldn't be dead!" She threw her hands over her face. "I dropped off the team when you left, Scott." He frowned. He filled with guilt. "I've been back since but... But... It doesn't bring Rahne back." Rogue sobbed helplessly. He moved closer to her.

"It's not your fault, Rogue. Especially when I abandoned you to deal with all of this." He looked at the ground, tears streaming down his face. "I don't even know why I cam back here..." Rogue touched his face hesitantly with her gloved hand.

"Jean died, Scott." She looked at him seriously. "You don't have to explain. Not anything."

"Maybe not to you." He smiled sadly. "But I know some people hold it against me. And they have every right-"

"You're our leader, Scott. My leader. nothing will change that." She wiped the tears in her eyes and leaned her head on his shoulder. She was so glad he was back.

Joseph watched silently from the doorway. Where was his Legacy? His Goddess? His hero? She was ready to hand the X-Men over to the deserter. It wasn't right. He made her a weak woman. Joseph hated that. That hate swirled around in his head, filling the empty space.

'Anna...'