MOIRA: "Charles, you've been working for the past two hours. You need to take a break and eat."
Xavier sets down his folder on the desk and turns to Moira with a soft smile.
XAVIER: "I know. I will, Moira. I just need a little more time to look over this report."
Warren stands in the open doorway, dressed in a turtleneck sweater and jeans.
WARREN: "What's going on? I thought you'd be with us at the teachers' lounge for lunch."
BEAST: "We got sidetracked with another project. We're currently reviewing a report I was faxed of a possible mutant attack last week in Russia."
WARREN: "What happened?"
XAVIER: "We're not sure yet. Ten guards and a dozen more doctors were found in critical condition in some sort of restricted containment room in a security compound. They seemed to be completely drained of their strength, their very life force."
WARREN: "Why did they take so long to report it?"
BEAST: "Apparently, the Russian government didn't want anyone to find out about this. Whatever was contained there had them so scared that they didn't confide in anyone about it for security reasons."
Xavier suddenly pauses, puzzled. Moira looks at Xavier in concern and sets her hand down on his shoulder.
MOIRA: "Charles, what is it? Is something wrong?"
XAVIER: "Something's happening in the cafeteria."
Beast and Warren look at Xavier, confused.
A few dozen seated students occupy the X-Mansion's cafeteria, with some still in the lunch line in the next room. Autumn sits at one table with two teenage girls and a boy with dark hair. Bobby sits with Roberto and two other teenager boys, one of which has spiky blue hair. Piotr sits at a table with Kitty, an 18 year old boy with glasses - JONES - and an 18 year old Asian girl - JUBILEE. Rogue walks out of the next room, dressed in a tank top and jeans and holding a tray of food in her hands. Rogue notices a vacant seat at one table and walks to it. A GIRL seated at the table quickly sets a bag down on the chair.
GIRL: "This seat's taken."
Rogue turns and walks over to another table. A teenage BOY notices Rogue look at a vacant seat at his table and sets his backpack down in it. Rogue looks away, hurt, and looks around the room. Rogue walks down the room, when one student sticks his leg out before her and trips Rogue. Rogue falls to the ground and drops her tray, sending her food splattering on it and on the shoes of the approaching Storm. Some students smile smugly, others try not to laugh, as Rogue looks up and sees Storm standing before her, giving her a stern look.
ROGUE: "I'm sorry. I just --"
STORM: (interrupts) "I suggest pay more attention to where you're going, Rogue."
Rogue nods and picks up her tray of ruined food.
ROGUE: "Yes, ma'am."
GAMBIT (O. C.): "Cherie!"
Rogue turns and looks over at Gambit, seated at a table for two across the room. Rogue picks up her tray, stands and walks away from Storm. Storm watches Rogue leave and sneers at her. Nearby, Piotr and Kitty notice this and exchange puzzled looks. Storm walks down the room to the lunch line and Gambit stands up. He walks over to Rogue and takes the tray from her. Gambit dumps her ruined food in a nearby trash can and sets the tray on top of it. Gambit reaches into his pocket and holds up some money.
GAMBIT: "Here. You take a seat and take my lunch. I'll get back in line and get myself something else."
ROGUE: "I appreciate it, Remy, but I can't do that."
GAMBIT: "Yes, you can. It's all right. Now go on and sit. I'll be back in a minute. Hope you don't mind spicy fried chicken."
Gambit sets his hand on Rogue's shoulder and walks down the room. Rogue sits on a chair and looks at the tray of spicy fried chicken and a salad. Rogue smiles and takes the tray, sliding it to her. Autumn walks to Rogue from behind and stands behind her.
AUTUMN: "Are you all right? You don't look so good."
Autumn sets her bare hand down on Rogue's bare shoulder and white energy flows from Autumn's hand into Rogue's body. Rogue flinches, stunned, and Autumn grins.
AUTUMN: "Why, you look positively famished."
Gambit stands in the lunch line to the next room and turns to Rogue. Gambit's smile fades, as Rogue starts to twitch. ROGUE IS CHOKING, barely able to breathe. Rogue stiffens and her body writhes from the energy. Autumn smiles, as Gambit hurries out of line and down the room. Storm notices this from her own place in line and looks at Gambit. ROGUE GASPS for air as Autumn holds both of Rogue's shoulders with her hands and Rogue shuts her eyes tight. Rogue throws her head back, her mouth gaped open in a silent scream. Gambit gets to Autumn and grabs her wrists with his gloved hands. Autumn struggles and glares at Gambit.
GAMBIT: "Stop it!! Let her go!!"
Gambit pulls Autumn off of Rogue and she falls out of her chair. Rogue hits the ground, shaking, and Gambit shoves Autumn back from her. Kitty and Piotr rise from their seats and run over to Rogue, crouching beside her.
GAMBIT: "What's wrong with you?"
Autumn grabs Gambit's wrist and he flinches, as her hands shine with energy. Autumn grins at Gambit, but he picks up a poker card and it shines with energy. Gambit tosses the card at Autumn's chest and it detonates, the close-range blast shoving both backwards. Storm gets out of line and walks to Gambit. She looks angrily at him.
STORM: "What do you think you're doing, Remy?"
GAMBIT: "What? You've gotta be kidding me!"
XAVIER (O. C.): "Rogue?"
Xavier, Moira, Beast and Warren walk into the room and Beast runs over to Rogue. Rogue lies shivering on the ground, curled up in a ball. ROGUE COUGHS and her breathing is shallow and hard.
BEAST: "Kitty, Piotr, help me get Rogue to the clinic."
Piotr nods, as he and Kitty takes Rogue by her arms. The two lift up Rogue and follow Beast out of the room. Rogue is still GASPING as Piotr and Kitty help her out. Bobby rises from his seat, but the blue-haired boy sets his hand on his shoulder and stops him.
BLUE HAIRED BOY: "Forget her, man. They can take care of her."
BOY: "Yeah, she'll be okay."
Bobby looks at Rogue in concern and then he sits back down. Gambit notices Bobby sit down and he sneers, as he stands up.
XAVIER: "I'd like to see you all in my office immediately."
Xavier sits behind his desk in his office, with Moira and Warren standing beside him. Gambit and Autumn sit on seats before his desk, while Storm stands behind the two students, her arms folded over her chest.
XAVIER: "We've just had a disturbance in the cafeteria and one of my students has been rendered ill by Autumn's famishing touch."
STORM: "I think we should give them detention, sir. Maybe an extra assignment for the weekend to..."
GAMBIT: (interrupts) "Whoa, wait a minute. You're punishing me too?"
STORM: "You're partly responsible for what happened in there."
GAMBIT: "I gave Rogue my spare seat, my lunch and saved her from the touch of Starvin' Marvin here. How is this my fault?"
STORM: "You used your powers against a student in the cafeteria."
GAMBIT: "Somebody had to help Rogue out in there."
STORM: "What is that supposed to mean?"
GAMBIT: "It means it's pretty ironic to be lectured by the teacher who did nothing to help her student."
XAVIER: "Remy..."
Storm steps before Gambit, upset.
STORM: "Who do you think you are talking to me like that?"
GAMBIT: "I think I'm talking to the only teacher here who forgot this place teaches mutants and humans to co-exist, not to stand around and do nothing when one of them gets hurt!"
XAVIER: "That's enough! Both of you!"
Gambit and Storm stop and turn to Xavier.
XAVIER: "Remy, you can go. You're dismissed."
STORM: "What?"
XAVIER: "Warren, take Miss Rolfson here to her room until I come up with a suitable punishment for what she's done. Moira, would you excuse us please? I need to talk to Storm alone for a moment."
MOIRA: "Of course."
Autumn and Gambit rise from their seats. Gambit walks out of the room and Warren walks with Autumn out of the room. Moira follows them out and shuts the door behind her. Storm stands before Xavier's desk.
XAVIER: "This isn't the first time you've been upset around Rogue. When I came back and she hugged me, your tone was quite upset when you said she had taken the cure."
STORM: "I don't hate Rogue, Professor."
XAVIER: "No, but I think you hate the choice she made. When the cure came out, you wondered what kind of coward would take the cure to change what they were. Rogue made a difficult decision by taking the cure."
STORM: "Did she?"
XAVIER: "Everyone lives their own life, Ororo. This change was her choice."
Storm looks away from Xavier, upset.
STORM: "She didn't need to change. There wasn't anything wrong with her."
Storm lowers her head and Xavier looks on in realization.
STORM: "I don't know why she didn't see that."
XAVIER: "You think you failed her, don't you? That's why you're so upset."
Storm pauses and turns to Xavier.
STORM: "We're supposed to teach these kids to accept who and what they are, Professor. I was the one assigned to teach Rogue with her studies, to help her come to terms with developing her mutant power."
Xavier leans back in his wheelchair and looks at Storm in concern.
XAVIER: "We've all done our best to teach Rogue and to be there for her when she needs our guidance. She may not have her powers, but she's still our student and still needs our support, Ororo. Are you still willing to give it to her?"
Storm pauses for a moment and looks away.
In the X-Mansion's lower level, Rogue lies on a bed in the clinic, with a blanket tucked over her. Rogue looks away, weak and pale.
LOGAN: "Hey, kid."
Rogue turns to her right and sees Logan standing in the open doorway. Logan walks into the room and the doors shut behind him. Logan sits on a chair next to Rogue.
LOGAN: "Moira filled me in on what happened. How are you feeling?"
Rogue looks at Logan a moment and lets out a weak smile.
ROGUE: (sighs) "Swell."
Logan half-grins.
LOGAN: "Moira's in the kitchen, making you some lunch. I just wanted to see how you were before I taught the next class."
ROGUE: "I appreciate you coming by, Logan. You and the Professor are the only ones who have so far."
LOGAN: "Huh. Thought your boyfriend would have tried to sneak down here by now before class starts."
Rogue pauses a moment and then turns her head aside.
LOGAN: "He's still been canceling plans with you, hasn't he?"
ROGUE: "He's just been busy, Logan. He hasn't had the time."
LOGAN: "He should've made time."
ROGUE: "I know you're concerned about me and I really appreciate it. But it's all right, really."
Logan looks at Rogue a moment and he sets his hand down on her shoulder.
LOGAN: "I've got to go back up and teach my next class. I'll check up on you later, kid."
Rogue nods and forces a smile.
ROGUE: "Okay. I'll see you later."
Logan rises from his seat, turns and walks out of the room. The doors slide closed behind him and Rogue weakly rolls over onto her side. Rogue shuts her eyes tight, trembling.
At 4:30 P.M., in the X-Mansion's living room, Piotr and Kitty sit beside one another at a table and each holds poker cards in their hands. Kitty glances at her cards and then looks up at Piotr.
KITTY: "What do you have, Pete?"
Piotr sets down his cards on the table face up, showing two jacks, a ten, an eight and a king.
PIOTR: "Two jacks. What do you have?"
Kitty smiles and sets down her cards on the table. She has four aces and a queen.
KITTY: "Four aces."
Piotr grins and takes the cards, shuffling them.
PIOTR: "That makes six games in a row you have won. Care to try again?"
KITTY: (shrugs) "Sure, why not? Seven always was my lucky number."
Kitty looks up and notices Bobby sitting at a nearby table for four, with the other seat vacant. Bobby is reading a History textbook.
KITTY: "Bobby?"
Bobby looks up and notices Kitty seated with Piotr.
KITTY: "What are you doing here?"
BOBBY: "I'm waiting for some friends. We're supposed to read Sections Two to Five of Chapter Eight."
KITTY: "Yeah, I know. I just thought that you'd be visiting Rogue."
BOBBY: "I can't see her now. I have to finish my work first."
KITTY: "It'll be here when you get back. She's missed you."
BOBBY: "I know. I'll check on her first chance I get."
PIOTR: "Do you not want to see her?"
Bobby looks up from his book and at Piotr, a bit irritated.
BOBBY: "I said I'm busy studying. And I don't remember asking your opinion, Pete."
PIOTR: "Katya has a point. Logan's already gone to see her. Katya and I have seen her. Remy's been sitting with her since class ended."
BOBBY: "Remy?"
PIOTR: "Da. Who do you think gave us the poker cards?"
Bobby looks away from Piotr and closes his book. Bobby pauses a moment and then rises from his seat.
In the X-Mansion's clinic, Gambit is seated on a chair next to Rogue's bed and he notices the tray set on a nearby table. Two empty bowls occupy the tray, as well as a plate with some crumbs scattered on it and an empty glass.
GAMBIT: "I heard Miss Danvers got you your lunch earlier. Three cans worth of tomato soup, two bags of potato chips, six tuna sandwiches and seven glasses of milk." (beat) "And yet you keep your girlish figure intact."
ROGUE: "I still feel exhausted, though. Autumn's touch really wore me out."
GAMBIT: "I heard you had a power that wore people out too."
Gambit sets his bare hand down over Rogue's and looks at her with a grin.
GAMBIT: "How does it work? There an on switch I need to flip or something?"
Rogue looks away from Gambit, upset. Gambit looks at Rogue in confusion and puts his hand under her chin. He turns Rogue's head and she looks at him sadly.
GAMBIT: "Hey. I sorry, cherie. Didn't mean to upset you. I was only foolin'. Didn't know I touched a nerve."
ROGUE: "I... I used to take people's memories by skin to skin contact. In the case of mutants, I also took their powers for a short time. When the mutant cure came out, I..."
Rogue pauses and lowers her head.
ROGUE: "I just didn't want to hurt anyone anymore. I didn't want to have a life without touching anyone safely. But since I came back, a lot of folks around here haven't been..."
Rogue stops herself and pauses. Gambit looks at her in concern and lifts her head back up gently to face him.
GAMBIT: "I'm sorry, girl. But it's all right. Looks to me like the only one who got hurt here is you." (beat) "I'll make sure you don't get hurt no more."
The doors slide open and Bobby walks in. He stops, noticing Gambit and Rogue. Rogue turns to Bobby and smiles at him.
ROGUE: "Bobby!"
BOBBY: "Am I interrupting?"
ROGUE: "No, of course not. We were just talking."
BOBBY: "So I see."
Gambit stands up and looks away from Bobby to Rogue.
GAMBIT: "Well, I see your boyfriend's here where he belongs. My pop always told me two's company and three's an eavesdropper. I'll scurry off and let you two walk."
Gambit walks by Bobby and the doors slide open, allowing Gambit to walk out of the doorway. Bobby looks from Gambit to Rogue and then turns to the doorway, as the doors slide shut.
BOBBY: "I'll be back in a minute."
ROGUE: "Bobby, wait."
The doors slide open and Bobby walks out, following after Gambit. The doors slide shut and Rogue shakes her head.
In the hall of the X-Mansion's lower level, Gambit walks down the hallway and Bobby quickly follows after him.
BOBBY: "Wait just a minute."
Gambit stops walking and turns around to Bobby.
GAMBIT: "What do you want?"
BOBBY: "That was going to be my question to you. I've seen the way you look at Rogue. She barely knows you."
GAMBIT: "That's why we been hanging out, so she can get to know me." (beat) "Don't tell me you're jealous, Ice-Cube."
BOBBY: "That's Iceman, LeBeau. And I'm not going to tell you to stay away from her again."
GAMBIT: "I think she can see whoever she wants, whenever she wants, mon ami. Except, of course, she hasn't been around the one person she wants to see most."
BOBBY: "And just what is that supposed to mean?"
GAMBIT: "It means she's your girlfriend. You're hot, polite, caring, wonderful, Southern girlfriend. If you love her so much, then why have I been down here all this time instead of you?"
Bobby steps forward and gives Gambit a grim look.
BOBBY: "You don't know anything about me or of my feelings for Rogue. I do care about her."
Gambit steps forward to Bobby, giving him an equally stern look.
GAMBIT: "Yeah, you know that. Does she?"
Gambit turns and walks off. Bobby watches Gambit walk off to the elevator and then turns back to the clinic. Bobby looks away, frustrated.
BOBBY: (sighs) "Damn it."