FicWad

Sinister Secrets
Chapter 2: Homecoming

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In the late evening hours over the Xavier Institute for Gifted Youngsters, a red convertible pulled up in front of the main entrance. The two occupants of the car looked tired from the long ride, but excited and relieved to be back at this place that had come to be their one true home.

"Man it's good to be back," said Scott Summers as took in the sight of the institute, which he hadn't seen in six months, but felt as though he hadn't seen it in a lifetime.

"Amen to that...I can't wait to see everybody again. It feels like it's been forever," replied Jean Grey, who was sitting in the passenger side of the car.

"That it has," said Scott and agreement as he drove his car around towards the garage.

Scott Summers and Jean Grey had just finished their third year of college. Scott was studying to become a teacher while Jean was in the midst of medical studies and hopefully would earn the title of doctor by the end of this year. They had lived together in an apartment near Columbia, the college they both attended. While they did return to the institute for holidays and emergencies, lately it had been a rarity for them to visit the place that they had spent so many years in. With their hectic college schedule, it was hard to find time to make the three and a half hour drive back to Westchester. But with the summer here and only one year of college left, this would be a great time for the both of them to relax and unwind for a change. A lot had happened since they graduated high school. But even though times got pretty tough with Apocalypse and the Phoenix, they still stayed together. It had been over three years since they finally hooked up after nearly five years of close friendship before that. But through the tribulations they had faced, the bond that they shared had grown so strong. And with a relaxing summer now awaiting them, they both looked forward to some quality time with each other.

As Scott parked his car and stepped out to take a long overdue stretch, he let out a tired yawn.

"What a drive..." said Scott whom had been behind the wheel for four hours straight.

Jean just smiled as she walked over to him and wrapped her arms around his waist from behind and kissed along the side of his neck.

"Aw, poor baby...Is Scottie tired," cooed Jean in a playful tone.

Scott simply smiled as he took her hand and spun around in her embrace to plant a soft kiss on her lips.

"I'm not tired...Just a little sore," replied Scott with a grin as his fingers entwined with Jean's hands.

"Well...I think I have the remedy for that," said Jean in a somewhat sultry voice as she kissed back.

"I'll bet you do Firebird."

No matter how many times Jean heard it, she couldn't help but grin when he called her that. Since the Phoenix, it had become his pet name for her. Even though some people would laugh or chuckle at things like this, it was an expression that she had come to treasure. While their hands were entwined, Jean took note of the diamond ring that she was wearing. She couldn't help but smile to herself, feeling relaxed already even though they had just got here.

"So when do you want to tell everybody the big news?" asked Scott as they finally parted.

"As soon as possible," answered Jean with a grin, knowing what he was talking about, "I can't wait to see their reaction."

"Yeah, like they didn't see it coming," commented Scott as they made their way over to the trunk to get their bags.

"I know," admitted Jean, "But still..."

They had packed two large suitcases each for their long summer stay. With only a year left in college, they both had hopes of returning to the institute permanently as instructors. Even though they had enjoyed the relative quiet of living together in a simple apartment in the city, deep down they still missed the institute. As they both took their heavy luggage in to the hallways and towards the steps, they noticed that there were few residents around at this hour.

"You think anybody is still up?" asked Scott as they made their way in to the main hall.

"It house full of teenagers Scott, of course they're still up. But with a week of High School still left for most of them, I wouldn't be surprised if some of them are out cold already," replied Jean.

Just then, a new presence came from the kitchen.

"Oh my god...Scott, Jean you're back!" said young Kitty Pryde in delight as she ran over to her friends and hugged them both after having not seen them since Christmas. "How are you?"

"Kitty...Can't...Breathe," said Scott, who was unprepared for the young valley girl's welcome.

"Sorry...It just seems like it's been so long!" she said as she let go.

"Yeah, six months can do that to you," said Jean with a smile, happy to see her friend again. "So how have things been around here?"

"Quiet for the most part. Everybody's been busy stressing over finals lately. You two are lucky that your classes are over. What about you guys? How's college life?"

"Great for the most part...But stressful. I'm glad that summertime is finally here," replied Jean.

"So am I! Well come on, I'll help you unpack. We've got a lot of catching up to do," chirped Kitty as she took one of Jean's bags.

"You ladies go ahead," said Scott, "I'm going to find the Professor and say hi."

"Suit yourself," shrugged Kitty, "Come on Jean! We've already got a room set up!"

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Professor Charles Xavier had been in his study for hours now. With most of the students tired from the danger room session after dinner and the looming final exams, he had chosen to busy himself with his books. In a house full of super-powered teenagers there was seldom a dull moment. So when those rare times of quiet came, it was always a time to savor given the unpredictable nature of the world around them.

The Professor finally chose to close his book and turn in for the night. But as he prepared to wheel himself out, he was greeted at the door with a very familiar face.

"Scott...My word is that you?" said Xavier as Scott stood before him.

"It's me sir. It's great to see you," replied Scott as he walked over to his mentor.

"The feeling is mutual, Scott," said the Professor as he shook hands with his first student, "So tell me my boy...How goes college?"

"It's been great. We've only got a year left to go."

"Then I guess I won't be the only Professor in this mansion for much longer," said Xavier with a grin.

"I guess not...And Hank won't be the only doctor either."

"So I suppose that means you both plan to return here on a more permanent basis after you graduate?"

"Of course...This is the only place that ever really felt like home for me," said Scott as they headed out of his office.

"I'm honored you feel that way Scott. And we definitely could use more help around here with all the new students that are scheduled to come in within the next few years."

"It's the least I can do after you took me in sir," replied Scott as they made their way across the foyer over the main staircase.

As they talked, the Professor noticed something on his hand...Which for some reason he had been keeping in his pockets for most of the time. Upon closer inspection, he quickly realized that it was a gold wedding ring. In seeing this, he didn't have to be a psychic to know what it meant. And he couldn't help but smile to himself, happy that his first two students had fallen in love.

"So tell me Scott...When is the wedding going to take place?" asked the Professor with a grin.

Scott stood mildly shocked at his realization and stopped cold in his tracks.

"Am I thinking that loudly?" asked Scott somewhat baffled.

"No...I just happen to see the ring."

Scott just rubbed the back of his neck, feeling slightly foolish at that...But laughing none the less.

"Well...We haven't exactly set a date yet. But, we were hoping to have it here at the mansion if that's alright with you...Seeing as how this is where we first met."

"Of course you can have the wedding here," assured the Professor whole-heartedly, "You and Jean were my first two students...And I couldn't be happier for the both of you."

"Thank you sir, it really means a lot to me," said Scott to the man that he looked upon as a father.

And with that the first wedding at the Xavier Institute would have to go in to planning.

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The hour was getting late as Rogue pulled in to the institute garage. Her little 'date' with Remy had lasted a lot longer than she had planned. And while she didn't have any regrets about that, she knew that Logan probably wouldn't like it being the overly protective man that he was. But that's the way he was towards everybody at the institute. She only hoped he wasn't prowling the halls waiting for her.

As she walked over towards the hall entrance, she noticed a red convertible parked near the door. Recognizing it as Scott's car, she assumed that he and Jean had finally arrived for their long summer stay. She hadn't seen either of them in quite some time and being in a good mood after hanging around Remy, she decided to go up and say hi. But as she entered through the hall and towards the main stairway, she heard a gruff voice come from behind her.

"Back kinda late aren't ya stripes?" said Logan as he leaned up against the wall casually smoking a cigar.

Startled, Rogue turned around to face him having anticipated the standard interrogation that he often subjected her to.

"Logan don't do that!" said Rogue, "Yer gonna give someone a heart attack someday."

"Sorry," he said flatly as he got up and walked over to her, "But ya didn't answer my question...Why are ya back so late?"

Rogue just sighed. She never liked lying to him because she knew he could probably smell it on her. And she really didn't have a choice for Remy's sake. Ever since he kidnapped her over 3 years ago, the Wolverine had developed somewhat of a distaste for the Cajun mutant to say the least.

"Well the movie was long and afterwards I was hungry, so I just went out for a bite to eat and lost track of time."

Logan took a brief whiff of her breath...But she had covered her tracks with breath mints. And he couldn't pick up any other scent on her due to the use of perfume. While she sounded like she was telling the truth, his gut instinct was telling him otherwise.

"Come on Rogue, no movie could be THAT long for you to have left at five only to come back this late. And where did you go to eat that made you lose track of time anyway?" said Logan, continuing his little 'interrogation.'

"God dammit Logan! Do ya always have to do this EVERY time I go out and try to have a life? I am a legal adult now!" said Rogue in an annoyed tone.

"It's still dangerous out there Rogue," said Logan sternly, trying to make his point.

"In case ya forgot, I can control my powers now!" said Rogue.

"That doesn't mean it's any less dangerous for ya out there. We're all still mutants here last time I checked," quipped Logan.

"Come on Logan, I can look after myself," said Rogue turning back towards the stairs, not wanting to continue this argument any further, "Remember...You trained me."

And with that, she made her way up the stairs. Logan wanted to call her back, but he knew that if he did that would only make things worse. Every time they had one of these little squabbles about where she went in her free time, it always ended in a fight. It had been going on for over a year now since her senior year of high school. And while Logan wanted to believe her, he still felt that she was hiding something.

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In a large bedroom upstairs in the resident quarters, Kitty helped Jean as she unpacked her stuff for the long stay. She and Scott would be sharing this room, so it was a bit bigger than the others. It had its own private bathroom and a larger king-sized bed. It was definitely bigger than the room they shared in their apartment back at Columbia. And the prospect of such a setting only added to the appeal of sharing this room with her fiancé for a nice, relaxing summer.

"So Jean, how have things been between you and Scooter lately?" asked Kitty with a smirk as they continued to unpack the last of her stuff.

"They've been going great, Kitty. College life can be very stressful, but we help each other with things like that. And since we've already been living together since we were twelve, it wasn't a huge shock to the system when we moved in together."

"That's good to hear. You two are, like, so perfect for each other!" chirped Kitty as she sat on the large bed, "So...Exactly how serious are you and Scott at this point? I mean, you two have been dating for three years."

"In retrospect Kitty...We've been dating a lot longer," replied Jean jokingly.

"Very true, but that doesn't answer my question," quipped Kitty, "How serious are you two?"

Jean bit her lip, wondering if she should tell her. Part of her felt that if she did, everybody in the mansion would know within the hour. But another part of her was just too excited to hold it in.

"Well...Kitty can you keep a secret?" asked Jean wearily.

Kitty's eyes then lit up like the sun as she now seemed more eager than ever to hear what she had to say.

"Oh gosh! Of course I can!" said Kitty sounding very excited.

"Kitty...I'm serious," said Jean, hoping to calm her down a touch, "You can't tell ANYBODY...Understand?"

"I understand Jean, now tell me!"

"Kitty...You have to swear on this."

"I swear! Cross my heart! Now come on! Don't keep me in suspense!" said Kitty who looked as though she was going to explode.

Knowing Kitty wouldn't be able to contain herself much longer, Jean just smiled and showed her the diamond ring on her finger.

"We're engaged," said Jean simply as her smile grew wider.

"Eeeee! That's awesome Jean!" cooed Kitty a little louder than Jean would have liked. "When did he ask you? Have you two set a date yet? Where are you going to have it?"

Kitty was unable to contain herself as she kept on firing question after question at Jean. She just couldn't get over the excitement that her friend was going to get married. However, if Jean didn't want the whole mansion to know within the next five minutes, she knew she would have to calm the young valley girl down.

"Take it easy Kitty...Remember, you promised!" said Jean and a quieter tone.

Upon hearing that, Kitty forced herself to calm down, but was still consumed with a great deal of excitement in wake of this revelation.

"Sorry Jean, but I just can't help it! I mean, you're getting married!" said Kitty in a quieter, yet still excited tone.

"I know, and I appreciate your enthusiasm. But please try and keep this to yourself! Because when everybody finds out, I want to come from me and Scott."

"Don't worry Jean, my lips are sealed," said Kitty with a grin.

"Good...Because I'm going to hold you to that."

"Have no fear girlfriend...It'll be our little secret," assured Kitty as a brief silence fell over them, "So do I get to be a bridesmaid?"

That just caused Jean to laugh more, knowing how crazy Kitty went when it came to clothes and dresses.

"No you get to be the stripper at the bachelor party...Of course you get to be a bridesmaid!" said Jean jokingly as she unpacked the last of her stuff.

"Thanks Jean, I owe you one!" said Kitty.

"I'll remember that at your wedding," replied Jean.

"Deal! Well, I'd better get some sleep for finals tomorrow. You guys may be on vacation now, but it hasn't even started for us," said Kitty as she made her way towards the door.

"Okay, thanks for helping me unpack. Goodnight Kitty."

"Good night Mrs. Summers," said Kitty as she made her way back to her room, still with a smile on her face.

After she left, Jean just sat on the side of her bed and stretched her tired muscles.

'Mrs. Jean Grey-Summers...I like the sound of that,' thought Jean as she began to prepare for bed.

But as she found some sleeping clothes to put on, she heard another knock on the side of her door.

"Jean?" said a distinctly southern voice from behind.

The young redhead turned around and quickly recognized the source of the voice. It was none other than Rogue, but Jean noticed something different about her. While she hadn't seen her much last Christmas, there was definitely a noticeable change within her. Her hair was longer and somewhat more curled and still had the distinctive white streak along the front. Her skin wasn't as pale, for it looked like she had actually gotten some sun. The clothes she was wearing were a lot different compared to what she wore just over a year ago when she first started controlling her powers. That and there was just some strange sparkle in her eye that could not be described with words.

"Rogue? My god is that you?" asked Jean taking in her new appearance.

"The one and only," said Rogue with a smile that seemed uncharacteristically grand in Jean's opinion. "Welcome back Jean."

"Thanks!" said Jean as Rogue walked over and gave her a surprising hug that seemed to only heighten Jean's suspicions. "Man, you look great! I hardly recognize you!"

"Yer too kind," joked Rogue.

"No I'm serious," said Jean, "You look...Different. Almost as if you were glowing or something. Did something happen while I was gone?"

"No, why would ya think that?" asked Rogue, not know what she was getting at.

Rogue definitely looked different and Jean didn't need to be psychic to know it. The smile on her face and the look in her eye were just too...Strange to ignore. However, it was a look that seemed all too familiar to her. It took a moment, but she soon realized what it had to be.

"I don't know...Are you in love or something?" asked Jean incredulously.

Rogue just blushed, not knowing how on Earth Jean could have picked something like that up. She didn't know if she had used her powers or if there really was something different about her that she just couldn't see. But either way, her sudden blush seemed to have given away.

"What? No, what made ya think that?" she said quickly, with the redness in her face not fading.

Jean just smirked at her friend, feeling as though she was dead on. But from the looks of her mental shields, she was really guarding something that she didn't want others to know.

"Oh...No reason. It's just that it seems as though it's been so long," said Jean, as she backed off much to Rogue's relief.

"Yeah well, I know I wasn't around much last Christmas. But, better late than never I guess. So when did you and Scott get in?" she asked.

"Less than a half hour ago."

"Well, I'm glad I caught ya. Yer lucky ya came at a quieter time with finals eatin' away at all the others. Makes me feel glad that college ends sooner than high school."

"Definitely!" said Jean in agreement.

"Well, ya must be tired from the trip. I'll leave ya be fer now. I think I'm gonna stay up and watch a few movies."

"Thanks Rogue, it's great to see you again," said Jean as Rogue began to leave.

"Same here Jean. See ya in the morning!"

And with that the southern belle made her exit. Even though Rogue had never been the best of friends with Jean when she first joined the institute; her views towards her gradually changed after she and Scott graduated. Her old crush on Scott had eventually waned as she finally learned that his heart belonged to Jean. And after the Phoenix incident, it became clear that they had a connection that was a lot more profound than she could ever understand. She had grown to accept that now that her sights were set elsewhere on a certain red-eyed Cajun. But as she made her way down to the living room she briefly contemplated Jean's words. Somehow, she had sensed something different about her. Whether or not she knew about her and Remy, it still hung over her. And the more she thought about it, the more asked herself the same question.

'Is it that obvious? Am I really in love?'

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After Rogue left, Jean wasted no time letting herself sink in to the soft mattress. The life of an aspiring doctor had been quite stressful to say the least. She had been working and studying non-stop for months and now she finally had a chance to just sit back and relax. Both her and Scott had been feeling somewhat overwhelmed with their hectic college schedule, but now that it was over she couldn't help but smile at the prospects not having to worry about so many things at once.

As Jean felt herself begin to nod off, she suddenly felt another presence slip in to the bed beside her. Knowing who it was, she simply rolled over and wrapped her arms around his warm body and rested her head on his strong, bare chest.

"Sweet dreams Firebird," said Scott softly as he kissed his soon-to-be wife on the forehead.

"Sweet dreams Scott," she replied softly.

"Love you."

"Love you too."

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Things were now calm outside the mansion as most of the residents turned in for the night. The crisp summer air blew across the vast trees under the crystal clear sky. But as all seemed peaceful within the mansion, outside the boundaries of the gates...A lone presence stood watch. Concealed within the trees and armed with a pair of binoculars, the lone observer had watched every move within the mansion since Scott and Jean's arrival. The observer snarled in an animalistic fashion as the final lights went out. Then, the strange observer then retrieved a small and began to speak in a low, growling voice.

"This is Sabretooth checking in. Essex, that other brat with the glasses arrived just like you said."

"Excellent," said a dark sinister voice, "He's precisely on schedule. Everything is coming together. Return to base Sabretooth...The time has finally come to put my plan in to action..."

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AN: Well, now Scott is a target as well. Why do you think that is? Why Scott and Remy? Stay tuned to find out some of the answers! I know that this chapter didn't have a lot of action in it, but I just wanted to do it in order to set the tone for future parts. There's plenty of story left! There is still a lot of action, mystery, and romance to go around! The Romy and the Jott isn't over yet! So what do you all think so far? Do you want to read more? Please let me know what you think! Send your feedback to me directly via email or post it on the fanfiction website! I'd love to hear your comments! Well, thanks for reading everybody! I'll try and update as soon as I can, so until next time I wish you all the best!

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