Hey! Sorry for such the long wait! The reasons are:

- I lost this chapter, so I had to re-write it.

I got writer's block.

My computer crashed, so I had to re-re-write it.

I've also stopped using first person for Amara; I kept changing it anyway, so I'm going to stay with third person. So, I hope you can forgive me for such a long update and I hope you enjoy it!

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Ever Watchful Angel

Chapter 5: A Nice Day, For Once

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Amara awoke at the brink of dawn, the first in many days, for she would sleep in to avoid her godfather. She pushed herself up onto her elbows and listened. Nothing. Not a sound coming from her godparents' room and the birds weren't singing, still asleep in their nests. A pin drop could probably be heard three houses away, it was that silent, that still. How early did I wake? She checked her alarm clock; 4:52 am was displayed on it. Amara couldn't believe that she was up this early! So she decided to get up and get out of the house before her godparents would wake up.

She pushed herself up fully, while throwing the covers off her. She flung her legs over the edge of the bed, being careful not to make too much noise when her feet landed on the ground. She walked to her window and pulled back a curtain, to look up at the sky. Still grey, good. She moved to her closet getting a hoodie, and a pair of comfortable jeans. Amara then rushed to her bathroom, while still trying to make no sounds, and got ready. Ten minutes later she quietly left her room, fully clothed, teeth and hair brushed, necklace safe in her bag, as well as her notebooks, pencils, sketches, and her camera. And not to forget all her homework she still hasn't done yet.

She crept down the stairs, heading toward the kitchen for a very early breakfast, as well to make a lunch. She got out her cereal, a bowl, spoon and the milk. She was pouring the milk into the bowl when she heard it, the creaking of someone coming down the stairs, and into the kitchen! Amara spun around expecting to see her godfather, only to find her godmother looking sleepily at her, to her relief. "You're up… early," she said through her yawns.

"Yeah, I wanted to get a head start on my homework today. I have barely three weeks left of summer break, before my last year," Amara said, sitting down in front of her bowl, placing the milk jug beside her on the table.

"Want me to make you a lunch?" She asked, taking the jug of milk and placing it back in the fridge.

"Uh… sure," Amara answered, looking away from her godmother. Amara still loved her godmother, but also hated how she wouldn't do anything to help her against him. Amara also hated that she would only be nice to her when he wasn't around, as well as acting like nothing was going on in this house. She knew that her godmother was afraid, but it was just… hard sometimes with one person angry and the other delusional.

After finishing her breakfast Amara left, taking her lunch with no words of thanks or of leaving. Her godmother understood, for she wouldn't expect anything less. Amara didn't know this, but she would die for Amara to be happy, it was just that she was too weak to do the right thing.

Amara rode full speed all the way to the park, without looking back.

---

To say Rogue was unhappy was the understatement of the year. Not only did she have to be up earlier than she normally had to be, for she needed to see Erik, but John and Remy were 'helping' her get ready. Well, really Remy was 'helping' her; John just stood in the way, sleepy eyed and disoriented. As Rogue was just about to take off her glove to 'zap' him, Remy grabbed one of her gloved hands, kissing it, before pushing her out the door. Rogue turned around to yell at him, to find the door slammed in her face. "Remy LeBeau, Ahm gonna kill ya when Ah get back!" Rogue shouted through the door, before storming off.

"Ya know you'll get a serious beatin' when she get back, roight mate?" John asked, most of his sleepiness gone from all that racket Rogue and Remy had made.

"Ah know mon ami, Ah know," Remy said, not caring what will happen to him when Rogue gets back. He believed that was how she showed that she cared. Especially since she called him by his real name twice in the past 12 hours.

Rogue cooled down about half way to the Leader's Hall. She passed Piotr on the way, giving him a small smile and a wave. Piotr, or Peter to most, was an angel with dark grey wings. He had short, black hair and ice blue eyes, though he was never a cold person. He was wearing a light blue buttoned up, long sleeved shirt with the sleeves rolled up to show off his very muscular arms, and dark blue jeans with paint splattered on them. He also had worn, black boots that were hard to see since he had his canvas on them to allow him to paint while sitting. Even though he was sitting, you could tell he was a very tall man.

Peter barely acknowledged her. He had become very distance since the incident just after the Last War. (That's the name of the war that brought the angels and devils together.) Peter's brother, Mikhail, was part of the faction that rebelled against both the angels and the devils, and their goal was to rule over all of heaven. Most of them were sent to the lowest depths of hell to serve the most excruciating painful punishment imaginable. Though Mikhail wasn't discovered to be a part of this faction until he tried to kill everyone in sight. He was stopped and sent to hell as punishment, but not before he killed their little sister, Illyana. Peter almost stopped functioning all together now, not even Kitty, who is his most cherished and closest friend, can bring him even the smallest bit of happiness back into his life.

Rogue knew how he felt; she had lost the closest thing to a mother during that war. Irene, the blind seer, took care of her since she came to heaven, and when she died, Rogue didn't know if she could live anymore. Though, through the help of Remy and John (though she would never tell them), and of the motherly support of Irene's closest friend in heaven, Raven, she was able to get through most of the pain. She also saw Raven and her son Kurt as her adoptive family now, and half of her time was spent with them.

Rogue wished she could tell Peter that there still was meaning left in his life, but right now he wanted to be alone. Anyone could tell when he wanted to be alone; it was when he was painting, which was most of the time now a days. She hoped he could start to heal soon, or there might be one less angel in heaven.

Rogue reached the Leader's Hall in a solemn mood, which was instantly noticed by Raven. "Rogue, what's wrong?" She asked, getting up from her seat to be closer to Rogue. It wasn't just Rogue that saw Raven and Kurt as family, Kurt and Raven felt the same and cared for Rogue as if she really was part of their family.

"Oh, hey Raven. Ah was just thinkin' 'bout Irene," Rogue answered, now realizing Raven was there. Raven gave her a comforting squeeze on the shoulder. Like most days, today Raven was a regal looking woman of late thirties. She had dark hair, though it wasn't necessarily black. Her eyes were a bright blue, though, depending on her mood, tended to change. She wore a commanding black suit, which extenuated her pale skin. Though, Raven was a shape shifter, and so, her shape was always changing, she leaving her true form to only those closest to her.

"Oh, Rogue. Are you alright?" She asked, keeping her hand on Rogue's covered shoulder.

"Ya, Ah have ta go see Magnus. Ahm a guardian now ya know," Rogue said giving a half smile. 'Magnus' was what those who weren't close to him called him, while his closest friends, like Xavier, called him Erik, his true name.

"That's wonderful! Tell Kurt and I all about it when you get back," Raven said, sending her off to the Leader's Hall entrance, devil side. (Last time she came she went through the angel side, since Xavier was the one who called her.)

Rogue entered the hall, door closing after her with the room lighting up for her. Having been through that before in the last 24 hours, Rogue wasn't as spooked by it. Rogue turned to look at the centre of the room expecting to see the outlines of Erik and Xavier sitting side-by-side. Though, even covered by the shadows, Rogue could tell that only Erik was there. Strange, thought Rogue. Ah've nevah thought that Xavier evah left th' Leader's Hall.

"Hello Rogue," Erik said his voice unemotional and unwavering as usual. Like Xavier, Rogue knew what Erik looked like by heart. Erik was also about fifty with pure white hair, and ice blue eyes, which actually portrayed his stature perfectly, cold and serious. He had shiny, silver wings that Rogue swore if she touched them they would be made of steel, like his gaze. He normally wore sweaters or long-sleeved shirts, with dress pants. He wasn't one known for suits, and he wore sturdy boots, like those in the army.

"Hallo Magnus, Ahm here rahght on tahme, so care ta tell meh what's goin' on?" Rogue asked, not caring how rude she sounded. She knew he didn't care, since his own children talked worse to him than she had.

"As Xavier told you, you will be the guardian to one Amara Aquilla, a seventeen year old who may die any day now," Erik started. Rogue was shocked, she didn't know that her child was gonna be some depressed, suicidal girl.

"Um, Magnus?"

"Yes?"

"Ah don' thahnk (think) that Ah can handle a suicidal gal," Rogue said not caring that she might be punished for her 'pickiness', if you could call it that. Erik chuckled, causing shivers to run down Rogue's spine. She had never heard him chuckle, it was rare to see him even smile, and she hope that she would never have to hear it again.

"Don't worry Rogue, we wouldn't give someone who was suicidal," Erik said. If there were proper lighting in the Leader's Hall, Rogue would've realize that Erik was smiling, which would have probably alarmed her to no end. She didn't know this, but Amara's first choice for a guardian was Jean, a very good-spirited angel, who was one of the very few who came to heaven without be born into heaven or dying. Erik was the one who suggested that Rogue be Amara's guardian, for Erik knew that Amara needed someone with a more pessimistic point of view toward life. Plus Rogue's life on earth didn't have a happy family life included, unlike Jean's.

"But- "She may die any day now, for her godfather, one of her legal guardians, beats her to no end." Erik interrupted. Rogue stopped talking, now totally interested in what Erik was saying, as he knew she would be. Erik was actually good with people and could read them well, despite his cold nature.

"She just lost her last of kin, and without her grandmother's protection, Amara is being beaten senseless by her godfather. She has an iron will, and is filled with such fire that she refuses to let him get to her." Rogue gave him a look. "You must be wondering why her godfather is doing this?" Rogue nodded. "It's her inheritance."

"Money? She is bein' beaten senseless all for money!?"

"Yes."

Something snapped in Rogue, for her eyes began to fell like they were on fire. Little did she know that she was calling forth an ability she had 'acquired' during the war. It was an angel, Scott's, ability of very powerful blasts that were fired from the eyes. Erik noticed this in time to use his ability of magnetism to force some metal from the walls in front of Rogue's eyes to block the blast until she regained control of herself.

Only seconds after the blasts were fired, Rogue quickly closed her eyes, and almost fell to the floor. She was trying very hard to control what was left of the 'Scott' in her. A minute or two passed before Rogue stood up, her wings looking more withered than ever. "Ahm sorry," Rogue muttered weakly.

"Yes, can I continue or should I take more metal to protect myself?" Erik asked. The metal he had used to block Rogue's optic blasts had melted almost completely through. Rogue shook her head. "Good, as I was saying, Amara's godfather is beating her because of the inheritance she gained from her grandmother's death," Erik paused to see Rogue's reaction this time. Rogue only squeezed her hands into fists, holding back her anger, and any powers that wanted to surface. Erik continued.

"We believe that the only reason the godfather ever took her in was because the grandmother's large fortune. I believe that his notion was that if he took care of her, when the grandmother died she would leave at least some of her fortune to him. That was not the case and now he beats her, thinking that if he punishes her enough and threatens her enough that Amara will give up her inheritance to him.

As I stated before, Amara has an iron will, meaning that she would most definitely let him kill her than let him have what he desires. So, what do you imagine we need you to do for her?" Erik asked after explaining the matter, waiting to see what she'll say, for if it wasn't the answer he wanted Rogue wouldn't became Amara's guardian.

"Ah thahnk ya want meh ta help 'Mara get through 'til she turns eightain (18), which is legal age now rahght? An' if that won' work, make sure she doesn' give inta his beatin's 'til she dies, rahght?" Rogue answered, even though she was asking questions.

"You don't believe she'll make it?" Erik asked, his eyebrow quirking.

"No, but Ahm bein' rahlistic (realistic). She may even die tomorra, who knows?" Rogue said shrugging, though she was actually hoping that Amara would make it through.

"Yes, then go to your child," Erik said, satisfied with her answer.

After Rogue left, Erik called out as if someone was there. "You may come out now." If Rogue had still been there, she would've been surprised to see two pairs of eyes, both ice blue, in the shadows.

"Don't worry, Father, we were just leaving," one of the pair said. Then both pair eyes disappeared, and without turning around Erik knew that he was now truly alone.

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Rogue ran all the way to the Looking Well. The Looking Well wasn't just for watching Earth; it was also a passage way to Earth. Rogue called out her child's name and the calm waters of the well swirled and changed, showing Amara sitting underneath a tree, writing in her notebook. Rogue gripped the edges of the well and jumped in. Instead of becoming wet or even hearing a splash, Rogue found herself standing in the park, right in front of Amara. Though she hadn't even realized Rogue was in front of her.

Rogue coughed, but had no response. Angered, Rogue coughed louder, nothing; Amara was too absorbed in her writings. "Amara!" Rogue yelled, finally get her attention.

"Huh! Yes!?" Amara exclaimed surprised, her head flying around looking for who called her. Amara finally noticed that there was someone in front of her, someone with wingsAmara, mouth open and hanging, just stared.

"Will ya stop starin'! Ahm not an hallucination, or Ah couldn' do this!" Rogue cried out, walking up to Amara and closing her mouth, just a little too forcibly.

"Ow!" Amara cried pulling her mouth out of Rogue's grip. That hurt, so I can't be asleep. Amara thought rubbing her chin, where Rogue grabbed to close her mouth. She eyed Rogue, noticing that her wings weren't the only thing strange with her. She had two white streaks in her hair, and dressed weirdly as well. Amara wasn't impressed with what she saw of this devil. Yes, Amara realized that this girl with the devil wings and an accent she swore she had heard before was a devil, something she had just come to terms with that these things didn't exist.

Rogue on the other hand wasn't impressed by Amara's looks either. Since Amara believed she had been alone, she had taken off her hoodie, for it was a nice warm day, showing off all her bruises and cuts. Rogue could tell that Amara was actually a very beautiful girl, but she looked like she ate less, and was close to dying. Rogue would love to get her hands on that godfather, but Rogue had only physical connections with Amara, meaning she could walk through walls, but not Amara. Amara was the only physical being she could touch, a precaution that tormented all guardians.

Amara finally broke the silence. "Who are you, and what do you want with me?"

"Ahm your guardian 'Mara."

"What!? Aren't I a little old for a guardian angel, or devil in my case," Amara said sarcastically.

Rogue quirked her eyebrow in surprise. How does she know that Ahm a devil? "No, 'Mara. Actually people your age are more inclahned (inclined) ta have a guardian than small children." Rogue answered, matter-of-factly.

"How do you know my name?" Amara asked now realizing that she had taken off her hoodie and was reaching for it.

"Ah know a lot 'bout ya 'Mara. Includin' th' beatin's, so ya don' have ta put that back on. Even though Ah can' feel it, Ah can tell it's a hot day out," Rogue said sitting beside Amara, her front facing Amara's side.

Amara picked up the sweater, anyway, placing it into her backpack. "So what's your name?" Amara asked, now taking out a sketchbook and a pencil to accommodate for the hoodie.

"Rogue."

"Rogue? That's a weird name," Amara commented on, while flipping her sketchbook to an empty page.

"If you're a good lil' gal Ah mahght tell ya my real name," Rogue said a mischievous smile on her face. Amara smiled in return, she may look weird, but Amara could tell that Rogue was a good person. "So what's wit' th' sketchbook?"

"I'm gonna sketch you," Amara said, starting the rough layout of Rogue. "I'm not the best when it comes to drawing, but I'm good enough to make you look decent."

"Ah may have ta get John ta burn that," Rogue said, smiling at her own joke.

"John? Who's that?" Amara asked, looking up briefly to help with her drawing.

"Ya really wanna know?" Rogue asked. Amara looked up again, nodded, then went back to her drawing. "Ah sure that th' guardian shouldn' be tellin' all 'bout 'er world."

"If you tell me about yourself, I might tell you my big secret," Amara said looking up, a similar smile on her face to the one Rogue had. Rogue chuckled.

"All rahght, but it mahght take all day," Rogue added.

"I've got all day."

"All rahght, all rahght." So Rogue began, and not really knowing where to begin she began with her death. Amara was a great listener, and by lunchtime Amara had stopped drawing all together. Rogue didn't mind, she was kind of glad to have an audience that didn't already know the story. Unless she wanted to talk to the angels she didn't like at all, especially since almost all of them were with her most of the time.

Rogue eventually stopped, much to Amara's displeasure, but the sun was setting and she knew that she would need to get home as well. "Listen," Rogue said, "Ah know that ya don' lahke where ya are now, but Ah'll be wit' ya a lot, so could ya bare th' night time by your lonesome?" Amara nodded, but Rogue could tell she didn't want for her to leave. Rogue then took something from her boot, and placed it into Amara's hands.

"What's this?"

"It's whatevah ya want it ta be. If lahfe gets ta hard for ya, just thahnk of meh an' Ah'll come, don' ya worry, 'kay?" Rogue said, standing up. Rogue and Amara watched as the thing in her hands grow and take shape to become a leather bracelet that had a gemstone of the deepest red in the centre of it.

"So you'll come whenever I call?" Amara asked looking at her new bracelet.

"That's th' point. See ya latah, 'Mara," Rogue said before disappearing like she was never there.

"See you," Amara muttered under her breath as she took her hoodie out of her backpack, while placing her sketchbook and pencil back in. She put her hoodie on, grabbed her bag, and began heading toward her bike at the bike rack at the front of the park. She walked to her bike in silence, as well as she rode in silence dreading what her godfather will do when she gets home, if she could call it that.

She got yelled at, and hit several times before being sent to her room without dinner. Good thing she was smart and saved half of her lunch, which she ate in the comfort and silence of her darkened room. Excluding the drunken yells of her godfather, of course. She placed her new bracelet, and her necklace, underneath the loosened floorboard, beneath her bed. Before getting from the floor, Amara made sure the floorboard looked exactly like the others, unloosened.

Amara then went to bed a smile on her face as she fell asleep. She had a good day today, and she couldn't wait to see Rogue again.

Little did Amara know that soon more aspects of her life would also make her smile.

---

Rogue arrived home just as the last bit of the sun sunk beneath by the horizon. Remy was sitting there waiting, and when he saw her he stood up, an almost serious look on his face. "Now chere, Remy would just-" Rogue interrupted him by what seemed like her jumping on him, which turned into an interesting sort of hug. "Chere? Are y'all rahght?" Remy asked looking down at the smiling beauty.

Rogue nodded, before realizing what she was doing. She let go, blushing. "Where's John?" Rogue asked, changing the subject. Remy smiled, not just from Rogue's outburst of emotion, but also where John was. He took Rogue's hand and led her to John's room. There was John, asleep and drooling, oblivious to his two roommates laughing softly to themselves, for John looked hysterical, goofy, and adorable all at the same time. Plus it was strange and very unusual to see John asleep before them, for John was the night owl in the house; he rarely slept more than five hours a night!

They left John alone to his sleeping, and were now alone. Rogue was about to say goodnight, and get away from Remy as fast as she could, but Remy grabbed each of her hands, putting one behind her back and pulling her other arm behind his head, over his shoulder, bringing them closer, forcing Rogue to go on her tiptoes. They were so close that Rogue could feel his breath on her face, causing her to turn a shade of red once more. "I lahke it t'at you're a gardien now, chere. I 'ope t' 'ave a 'ello lahke t'at every day, non?" Remy said huskily before brushing his lips lightly against hers. He then let her go and went into room leaving Rogue alone and blushing. Remy was alwaysserious when he talked in first person. Rogue went into her room, lightly touching her tingling lips.

Things could become very bad if Remy ever found out that Rogue now had complete control over her absorbtion ability.

To be continued…

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So, how'd ja like it? I hope it was longer, and I'm so sorry for such the long wait, you guys must think I'm dead! -- --' I told you some of the reasons, but there are just so many to name that I gave up trying. If any of you who are reading this read any of my other fanfictions, please know that some that I have already started may be delayed since I lost them. So sorry!

Reviews:

MasterBratten: angels are the more goodie two shoes kind of personality (like Jean and Scott) while the devils have more of a badass kind of personality (like Wanda and Rogue). Does clear it up for you a bit? If not, I can e-mail you a more in-depth explanation. Kay?

BlackTalon: Thanks for reviewing! And, yeah I'm still updating, but it's kinda hard when you don't have the internet anymore.

v son sayian: You'll just have to wait and see.

TheDreamerLady: don't worry about being late, it took me about a year and a half to finally update. Besides, you were the first to review this chapter, so don't feel too bad. I'm glad you liked the length, I hope this one meets your standards. Sorry that I didn't e-mail you, I thought you were on the author alert, I e-mailed you about this chapter though, so I hope that it makes up for not doing it last time. Your last line of your review mentioned some people, so I put one in the story, hope you like. Your review was interesting, and yet a little hard to read. Could you make it a little easier, please?

Angel of the Fallen Stars