FicWad

Untouchable Rogue
Chapter 1: Lost Soul

**************************************************

AN: This is my first Scott/Rogue fic. I'm still a big Scott/Jean fan, but I've always had a soft spot for Scott/Rogue. I thought they had great chemistry in the show. This is my way of exploring it. This takes place along the lines of the episode "Rogue Recruit" and I have made a few changes. Hope you like it!

Pairings: Scott/Rogue.

'These mean character thoughts.'

AN: There will be two versions of this story, one watered down for fanfiction and one uncensored for adultfaniction. This fic has sexual themes so please heed this warning.

Please don't forget to review this story. Send it to me via email at slickboy444@aol.com or post it on the fanfiction website. This is my first attempt at Scott/Rogue so please give me some feedback. I hope you all like it. Enjoy!

**************************************************

'So confused...so lost. Who am Ah? What's happening to me?!'

Frantic thoughts and emotions ran through the head of a 17-year-old girl as she ran through the dirt roads of a Mississippi neighborhood. Her limbs were tired, her head was spinning, and she had no idea what was going on. She had pale skin, a full figure, and a distinctive white streak in her hair. She also wore a lot of makeup, giving her a Goth-like appearance. She didn't know where she lived or who she was. Her memory was fuzzy about what happened, but she could make out at least some parts to it.

"Come on, Cody! Just ask her, already?" said a boy in a football jacket at a party on a local dock.

"Ah don't know," said Cody, "Her? She hasn't said a word all year. Folks say she's weird, ya know?"

"Should make her a good challenge, eh?" quipped his friend, "Go on. Betcha twenty bucks you can't get her to dance."

"Fine," sighed Cody, "If it'll shut ya up."

Walking out onto the dock, star football player Cody Hawkins approached a lone figure looking out over the river. She wore dark clothes and loads of makeup, bearing an indifferent expression to the outside world.

"Hey," said Cody casually, leaning up against the dock rails next to her.

"What do ya want?" she muttered.

"Nothin'. Can't a guy enjoy the view too?"

"There are a million other places to enjoy it," quipped the girl.

"Ain't none of them near you," said Cody with a smile.

The girl rolled her eyes. Someone had to have put him up to this. Nobody just came up to the school recluse, let alone flirted with her. Either he was out to win a bet or was just looking for a challenge.

"What do ya want?" she said, getting to the point.

"A dance," he said, flashing her a winning smile.

"Ah don't dance."

"Neither do I, but this is a party so why not?"

"Dance with some peppy cheerleader then. Leave meh out of it."

"I'd rather dance with you," Cody persisted.

"Why meh?"

"Why not?" shrugged the boy, "Are you scared or something?"

"Ah ain't scared of nothing!" shot the girl, getting defensive.

"Okay...prove it."

He was a smooth talker and she fell right into it. With a disgruntled groan, the girl shook her head in exasperation. This guy had to have an agenda. Nobody would bother talking to her otherwise. But seeing as how he wouldn't leave her alone, she might as well shut him up.

"Fahne," she conceded, "Let's get this over with."

"Ladies first," grinned Cody.

Leading her back inside, Cody smiled. The girl was a challenge. Nevertheless, he got her to take the first step and that was enough. There were plenty of stories about this girl, but he ignored them for the sake of making good on his word.

Stepping out into the center area of a restaurant/bar on the dock, the music moved the crowd of high school students to the beat. It wasn't the booming rowdiness of the cities, but it worked well enough for them. Cody's friends cheered him on as he walked out onto the floor and started grooving to the beat. But his dance partner showed little enthusiasm for the festivities.

"Come on, girl! Start movin'!" encouraged Cody, enjoying the defeated looks he got from his buddies.

"You do yer thing, Ah'll do mine," quipped the girl, not dancing with the same energy.

She got plenty of strange looks. People weren't used to seeing her in the crowd. To some, it was weird. To others, it was humorous. But Cody got into it even though the girl was feeling increasingly out of place.

"Forget it, Ah can't do this," she said, turning to walk away.

"Aw, come on!" said Cody, "You didn't even try."

"It's not mah thing," she said, starting to walk away.

"Wait! Don't go yet..."

He reached forward and grabbed her hand. Then suddenly, he felt a rush hit them like no other. Both Cody and the girl froze, a wave of sensations bombarding them all over. Cody felt as though somebody was sucking the life out of him while the girl experienced a flash of new images in her mind. It was so overwhelming that the girl keeled over and groaned in pain. Meanwhile, Cody Hawkins went limp and collapsed.

"Cody!" yelled one of his friend as a group of people surrounded him.

"Nnn..." groaned the girl, leaning against a table for support, "What happened? Where am I?"

"Oh may gawd! Is he breathing?" said one of the girls.

Panic was setting in. Nobody knew what was happening. Their star quarterback was out cold and their only clue was the girl who started it all.

"You!" yelled one of Cody's friends towards the girl, "What did you do?!"

"Ah...Ah don't know!" she said, struggling to hold onto her mind.

"WHAT DID YOU DO?!" demanded the boy.

"Leave meh alone!"

He tried to stop her, but she pulled off a swift juke that left the bigger stronger boy in the dust.

"Whoa...I thought only Cody had moves like that."

And with speed worthy of a track star, the Goth ran out the front entrance and into the streets. She had no idea what was happening to her, so she ran.

It all happened so fast. None of it made any sense. Her head was throbbing. She couldn't remember anything. Waves of images surged through her mind and many of them were conflicting. She tried to think of her name, her family, and her home. But all she got was a mental blank. Answers to the most basic of questions eluded her and the more she tried the more it hurt.

"Ugh!" she cried, falling to her knees in the middle of the street, "WHO AM AH?!"

Suddenly, a voice from behind gave her the answer she craved.

"Your name is Rogue."

Startled at the presence, she turned around to see a woman with black hair, glasses, and a high end business suit. She didn't look threatening, but she looked strangely familiar. She took a few deep breaths to calm herself down and warily approached the mysterious woman.

"You...you know meh?" she said.

"Of course I do," said the woman with a smile, "I'm Raven Darkholme...your mother."

"Mah...mah mother?"

Suddenly, her form shifted into that of a blue skinned, red haired woman in a white dress. Rogue's eyes widened with shock. She may have been dazed, but she knew enough to understand that an appearance like that wasn't normal. Yet at the same time the sight of the blue skinned, yellow eyed woman triggered a wave of new memories.

"Don't you remember?" she said, affectionately cupping her chin, "I adopted you when you were four. You've been living here with a friend of mine, Irene Adler, for the last several years while I've been away on business. I call you every week."

"Ah...Ah don't know!" said Rogue, backing away anxiously.

"Think hard, Rogue. Try and remember..."

She forced herself to calm down. She closed her eyes and sifted through the jumbled mess of her mind. It was starting to come back to her. Memories of living in a quaint house with a blind woman hung stronger than the rest of the images going through her mind. She also began to recall other memories of another woman caring for her as a child. Part of her still thought she was a stranger, but something in the back of her mind told her this woman was much more.

"Wha...what's happening to meh?" said Rogue, desperate for answers.

The blue skinned woman smiled.

"It's nothing to be worried about," said Raven, "It's just your mutant powers manifesting."

"Mutant powers?" said Rogue in a confused tone.

"Yes, I suspected they'd arise soon. I just had no idea they would be so distressing. But now that I've found you I can help you."

"Ah...Ah don't know," said the distraught teenage girl, "Ah'm so confused!"

"I know you are, but I can give you the answers you desire," she said, extended her hand, "Don't you trust me?"

Looking up at the blue skinned woman, Rogue wasn't sure. Memories of her were getting clearer, but they were still sketchy. She knew part of what she was saying was true. But there was still a lingering feeling that there was more that she couldn't recall. She wasn't sure what it meant, but her desire for answers won out over suspicion.

"Yes..." said Rogue, taking the hand of the blue woman, "Ah trust ya."

"That's my girl," said Raven approvingly, "Come...let's go home. We have much to discuss, not to mention some travel plans to make."

**************************************************

It was early on Monday morning at the Xavier Institute for Gifted Youngsters. The weekend was over and school was back in session. And for Scott Summers, Jean Grey, Kurt Wagner, and Kitty Pryde restlessness quickly set in.

Sitting at the breakfast table, the young team of mutants known as the X-men prepared for yet another week living in a world that wasn't even aware of their existence. Having superhuman powers was difficult enough, but dealing with school on top of that left plenty of room for added stress.

"Man, zhis veek hasn't even begun and I'm already vaiting for it to be over," said Kurt, taking another mouthful of bacon.

"Oh, like, lighten up, Kurt," said Kitty, sticking to her vegetarian meal, "You make it sound as though high school is SO hard."

"So says zhe girl who's been getting straight A's since zhe third grade," joked Kurt.

"Hey, there's nothing wrong with being smart, Kurt," said Scott, sitting next to Jean as he ate his hash browns, "You could get straight A's too if you studied instead of plastering yourself to the couch and watching Pirates of the Caribbean."

"Sorry, but Captain Jack Sparrow garners vay more attention zhen Shakespeare!" said Kurt as he teleported up onto the chandelier in an effort to snag the last load of bacon.

However, Kurt's behavior didn't go unnoticed by some of the grumpier members of the table.

"Dang it, Elf! Knock it off or you'll be cleaning the danger room till ya graduate!" growled Logan, the X-men's burly, yet tough instructor.

"Sorry Herr Logan," said Kurt, teleporting back to his seat with a helping of bacon in hand, "It's hard to remember vhen you're hungry."

Kitty, Jean, and Scott couldn't help but laugh while Logan rolled his eyes and snatched up the last three sausages with his claws. It was a typical scene of breakfast table drama. Even with mutant powers, they still lived the lives of regular teenagers. But just as the last of the buffet was being digested, Professor Charles Xavier joined them with the institute's resident weather goddess, Ororo Munroe, following close behind.

"Good morning, students. I hope you all are well rested," greeted Xavier.

"Same here, Professor," said Scott, "Are we still on for the Danger Room this afternoon?"

"Not today, I'm afraid," said Xavier, "Something's come up that demands my attention and I'm going to need the lot of you alert."

"Oh boy," muttered Kurt to Kitty under his breath, "I vonder vhat zhis could be?"

"Is it anything that needs shredding?" grunted Logan, taking a big bite out of his sausage.

"Let's hope not," said Xavier with a light hearted laugh, "I just completed some upgrades to Cerebro last night and I've picked up on a few previously undetected signatures."

"Oh, so does that means more recruiting?" surmised Jean.

"Not exactly, Jean. While some may be worth seeking out, I have reason to believe that we may have some competition this time around."

Scott, Jean, Kurt, and Kitty exchanged glances. Recruiting had been hard enough when Jean visited Kitty at her school. Even though she came around, it still left some sizable damage that the Professor had to pay for. Plus, they lost their second prospect, Lance Alvers, in the process. Having competition would only make things a lot harder and it was something none of them were looking forward to.

"Let me guess this time," said Scott, "The Brotherhood?"

"Precisely," said Xavier.

Logan let out a grunt. Having already been in a major fight with Sabretooth, he was fired up for more combat and the Brotherhood weren't known for being pacifists.

"So what's the plan, Chuck?" said Logan, "Want me to do a little undercover work and scope out that place Mystique's been holding up in?"

"We're not at that point yet, Logan," said Xavier, "For the time being, we need to focus on recruiting as many of these new signatures as possible. Otherwise they may come to embrace the Brotherhood's less peaceful ideas."

"Zhat doesn't sound too hard," said Kurt optimistically.

"I hope you're right, Kurt," said Xavier, sharing his hope, "I've gathered a small list to start with. Logan, one of them is coming to town in a traveling rodeo. Perhaps you could pay him a visit."

"A rodeo?" said Logan, "Some cover story."

"Another has been coming up in New York frequently. It seems to be centered around the home of your nephew, Ororo, so when you go to the game this weekend, keep your eyes open."

"I will," said the former weather goddess, "But I suspect Evan may be manifesting soon. He's getting less effective at hiding it."

"Let's hope it doesn't get too serious," said Xavier.

Ororo's gaze shifted. She had long suspected her nephew was a mutant, but he was manifesting only in brief spurts. And if he went full blown, she wanted to be there before the Brotherhood got to him.

"What about us, Professor?" asked Scott.

"I'm glad you asked, Scott," said Xavier, taking a picture out of his pocket and putting it on the table, "I hoped to give you all a heads up before you left. It appears Mystique was already successful in recruitment last night. She's set to begin at Bayville this morning."

Gathering around the picture, the young team of mutants took in the sight of their latest challenge. She was a girl who looked to be around Scott and Jean's age, if not a year younger. Her face was pale, her eyes were lined with makeup, and she had a distinctive white streak in her hair.

"Who is she?" asked Scott.

"I couldn't track down any records," said Xavier, "But she goes by the name, Rogue."

"Rogue?" said Kurt with a slight chuckle, "Vhat kind of name is zhat?"

"The name she seems to identify with most, so I would advise you not to make light of it," said the Professor, causing Kurt to shift in his seat, "Her powers also warrant fair concern. She absorbs the life energy of others through skin contact, including mutant powers. And near as I can tell, she has no control over this ability."

"No control?" said Scott, "You mean..."

"Yes. She cannot touch," said the Professor, "So I advise against making close contact with her."

"But if she's already with the Brotherhood, why do you want us to work on her?" asked Jean.

"Because from what I could sense, she doesn't appear to be particularly passionate about the Brotherhood's ideas," explained the Professor, "I don't know the details of her recruitment, but she seemed...confused. She's lost in a world she cannot touch and I think we should reach out to her."

The four friends took turns looking at the picture. Rogue's predicament seemed tragic. Scott could relate and so could Kurt. As mutants, control was a major step towards fighting for peace. But for some, it came with a great deal of difficulty that few could understand.

"So you want us to try and help her?" asked Jean.

"Yes. Even if she doesn't join us, it would be beneficial if she saw us as friends and not enemies," reasoned the Professor.

"We'll do our best, Professor," said Scott, stashing the picture in his pocket.

"I know you will," said Xavier with a smile, "I'll keep you posted on further developments. Until then, have a good day at school. If there's an emergency, 'call' me."

With a new challenge before them, the four mutant youths got up and prepared to leave for school. It would be hard enough getting through the glory years of high school and dealing with recruiting others at the same time. But that's what being an X-man was about.

"Oh boy, I have a feeling zhis is going to be a challenge," said Kurt.

"And I though you were the optimist," laughed Jean, "We just have to stick to our pitch. Rogue's a mutant just like us. Hopefully, she'll hear us out."

"Yeah...hopefully," said Scott, not sharing the same optimism as they left for school.

**************************************************

The halls of Bayville High were as busy as they always were on a Monday. Every student was restless from the weekend and struggling to get back into the groove. But for one new student, it would be a much greater challenge.

"Ah don't know about this, mama," said Rogue as she sat in the principal's office with her shape shifting mother, "School was hard enough for meh back home. And now Ah've gotta worry about touching people and putting them into a coma."

"It'll be okay, Rogue," reassured Mystique as she printed out Rogue's schedule, "Just do as we discussed and you'll be fine."

Rogue shifted uncomfortably in her seat. New York was a great change of pace for her. She was used to the backwaters of Mississippi where she grew up. This school was at least three times as big as her old one and everybody seemed more hostile. It wasn't like she had any friends to leave behind, but the thought of fitting in with this new arrangement seemed like a long shot at best.

Looking down at her hands, she remembered what happened with Cody. It took her hours to get that mess through her head. Thankfully, Mystique called up an old friend, Agatha Hawkins, who did some strange mystic stuff that helped stabilize her powers. At least she had her memories back and could absorb powers without getting so confused. But she was still far from being in control.

"But what if mah powers go crazy again?" asked Rogue.

"Just do the techniques Agatha taught you and you'll be fine," said Mystique.

"But..."

"No more buts, Rogue," said Mystique with a touch of motherly scorn, "You need to be in school. You have to keep tabs on Xavier's students and prepare for taking on Brotherhood duties full time."

"But why do Ah have to be here to do that?" she asked, "What's so special about these X-men anyways?"

"They may be an obstacle in the future so you have to be prepared," warned Mystique vehemently, "They're the enemy so be on your guard."

It still didn't make sense to her. She didn't even know these people and they were already enemies. It didn't sit right and no matter what she did Mystique wouldn't tell her the full story. It left plenty of room for doubt.

"Ah don't know about that, mama," said Rogue, still full of uncertainty, "Bein' a mutant is hard enough. But bein' a mutant in some team that's supposed to advance us..."

"It's more than that, Rogue..." said Mystique strongly, "Much more than I can explain now. But like I said, you have to trust me. I promise I'll tell you when the time is right."

With a defeated sigh, Rogue let it go. As nice as her mother was in helping her move, there were still things she wasn't telling her. She was her daughter and she was keeping secrets from her. But for now, she placed her trust in this woman.

"Fahne," she said, "Doesn't mean Ah have to like it."

"I know," said Raven, shifting into her principal form, "Now go on and get to class. I have other matters to attend to."

"Right," she said indifferently, gathering her things and leaving with little hope of fitting in.

As soon as she was gone, Mystique collapsed in her seat in a fit of exhaustion. Being a shape shifting principal was hard enough, but being a mother was something else. It was hard enough that Rogue wasn't embracing Brotherhood ideas. She never was one to blindly embrace anything. It's part of what made her who she was. But as long as she was present, that was enough for her.

Suddenly, the paperclips on her desk began to move and swirl about via an unseen force. Not needing an explanation, Mystique didn't turn as the shadow of an imposing figure loomed over her. She already knew who this was and why he was here.

"She doesn't seem too passionate for our cause, Mystique," said a cloaked man in a deep voice.

"Give her time, Magneto. She's still adjusting," said the shape shifter, hiding her uncertainty.

"For your sake, I hope your right," said Magneto, letting the paperclips fall to her desk, "In the meantime we're stepping up our recruiting efforts. There's a traveling rodeo coming to town this week. I want you to attend."

"Oh what fun," she said dryly, "What about you?"

"I have my own efforts to take on."

"Is it that son of yours again?"

"I would advise against using such a tone with me, Mystique," said Magneto in a threatening voice, "You joined me because we both know Charles Xavier lives in a dream world. And I expect nothing short of full cooperation."

The metal in the room vibrated, but it was an act Mystique was used to. She may not have liked this man, but his vision was far more palpable than Xavier's.

"I always do my part," she said strongly.

"Be sure that it continues," said the master of magnetism as he made his leave.

With a cold gust of wind, the master of magnetism was gone. Mystique rubbed the temples of her head, knowing this was going to be a long week. But it was just another day in the life of a shape shifting mutant. At least she had her children close to her. She just hated the notion she had to keep lying to them.

**************************************************

The day progressed with little incident for Scott, Jean, Kurt, and Kitty. Aside from the usual Monday antics, it was a typical day in the lives of a bunch of mutants living in a world that didn't know they existed. And as the bell rang for lunch, they gathered at their usual table in the cafeteria.

"Like, how can you eat that stuff every day, Kurt?" said Kitty, gagging at his choice of lunch.

"Vhat?" he said, his mouth full of food, "Zhe cafeteria makes good burgers, but zhey're even better vith mayonnaise and ketchup! You should try it."

"I think I'll pass," said Kitty, going back to her salad.

"Scott? Jean?" asked Kurt.

"Uh...maybe some other time, man," said Scott.

"I'll stick to pizza and chips, thank you," said Jean.

"Suit yourselves," shrugged Kurt, "I don't get vhy you find it so disgusting. People put mayonnaise on burgers and fries all zhe time back in Germany."

"It's not that, Kurt," said Kitty, "I'm a vegetarian. Remember?"

"I know. But I just don't see vhat's so terrible about eating meat," said Kurt, taking another big bite of his burger.

"Like, do you even know what goes into that stuff?" said Kitty in an appalled tone.

"Easy Kitty," said Jean, holding her friend back, "Let's not make a scene of this."

"Whatever," she said, trying not to look as Kurt continued to chow down.

Scott and Jean exchanged looks and shrugged. It wasn't the first time Kitty made her vegan tastes public, but they clashed with Kurt's tastes so often that conflict were inevitable. More often then not, they found themselves as the mediators.

'And just imagine how rough it'll be when we get more recruits,' sent Jean through her telepathy.

'I can hardly wait,' replied Scott, not hiding his sarcasm towards the matter.

As the four mutant youths continued eating, a familiar figure passed by their table. She didn't make eye contact. She didn't take notice. She just weaved her way through, heading towards the door. And Scott immediately recognized her.

"Hey, isn't zhat..." began Kurt.

"It's Rogue," said Scott, watching as she walked out with her tray in hand and settled under a tree.

"Hey, you're right!" said Kitty as they all took in the appearance of the southern goth, "Think we should, like, try and talk to her?"

"Well the Professor did say we should try and reach out to her," said Jean.

"Zhen vhat are ve vaiting for?" said Kurt, finishing up his burger, "Let's go introduce ourselves!"

"Uh...sure, Kurt," said Scott, "But I'd wipe my chin first if I were you."

Feeling a little sheepish, Kurt rubbed the mayonnaise that had collected on his face from his meal. Making a good first impression was always key and this was Kurt's first shot at recruitment. However, this girl didn't look like much of a people person.

Walking out past the picnic tables where other students were eating, the four mutant youths approached the lone girl. She was eating a burger and reading a book, shutting out the rest of the world. She was covered from head to toe in a green outfit with a black skirt and boots. She also wore gloves, most likely to contain her powers. She didn't seem as hostile as Todd Tolensky or Lance Alvers, but she sure didn't seem open to company.

"Hey, you're new here," greeted Kurt.

"What do ya want?" she said indifferently, not even looking up to greet them.

"Vhy vould ve vant anything? Ve're just here to say hi," said Kurt, taking a seat next to her.

"Well hi. Now go away," she said.

It wasn't a very good start. The optimism on Kurt's face fell quickly, but Scott tried to keep it going.

"Look, I'm sorry about my friend. Sometimes he's too forward for his own good," he said, earning a scold from Kurt, "Let's start over. I'm..."

"Scott Summers, Jean Grey, Kurt Wagner, and Kitty Pryde," she stated, much to the astonishment of the X-men, "Ah know who ya are and Ah know about the whole mutant thing. So let's just skip the pitch and get to the point where ya make yer offer and Ah turn it down because Ah've already got mah place."

The X-men exchanged glances. It seemed as though Mystique got to her already and her opinion of them was already shaped.

"Wow, like she's more hostile than she looks," whispered Kitty.

"No kidding," said Jean, suspecting there could be more, "Fine, we're sorry for bothering you. But just know that we understand what it's like to be a mutant in this place. And if you ever need to talk..."

But Rogue didn't let her finish. She just gathered her things and stormed off.

"No. You DON'T understand. Ya obviously don't have a clue."

The four mutant teens were left speechless as she walked off, not even giving them a second look. She was different from other recruits, no doubt about it. There was a lot more to her than they suspected and she wasn't too eager to share it with anybody.

"Well that could've gone better," muttered Kitty.

"I'll say," said Kurt in agreement, "Vhat is vith zhat girl? She's more hostile zhen zhat Avalanche guy."

"Maybe she just needs some time," said Jean, sensing a lot of walls around this girl, "She's probably got a bad view about us from the Brotherhood. We just have to work harder to change it."

It sounded logical and Kurt and Kitty were inclined to agree with it. But for Scott, it wasn't that easy.

"Or maybe...she's right," he said.

"Huh?" said Kurt, looking confused, "Right about vhat?"

"We don't understand," he said, shaking his head, "None of us do. She's recently learned she's never going to touch another human being again. Can any of us even remotely relate to that?"

Nobody said a word. Scott would know. He had always struggled with issues surrounding his powers. Those who knew him well, like Jean, understood how difficult it was for him. It only took one slip-up and someone could get hurt. Such a possibility haunted him every waking hour much like putting someone in a coma must have haunted Rogue. And perhaps it was that understanding that would help him talk to this girl.

"I'm going to try and catch up with her," said Scott.

"Wait..." said Jean, grabbing his arm, "Are you sure that's a good idea? I don't think we should push her to join the institute."

"She doesn't need the institute, Jean," said Scott, "Right now, she needs a friend."

Letting go of his arm, Jean watched Scott pursue Rogue. And as he disappeared from sight, a worried look came over her.

"Man, zhat guy has guts," commented Kurt.

"Yeah, like, what is he thinking?" wondered Kitty.

"I honestly don't know," said Jean, her tone wrought with worry.

**************************************************

Rogue's mood was beyond bitter. Her mother had warned her that the Xavier kids would come onto her, but she didn't tell them they could be so annoying. They just walked up to her and expected her to embrace their friendship without question. How naïve did they think she was? It was just as Mystique had told her. They were just drones for Xavier's school out to recruit more mutants to their cause. Now she had one more thing to worry about other than putting people into comas.

'God, mah life sucks,' she mused.

Suddenly, a voice from behind broke her train of thought.

"Hey Rogue! Wait up!"

She turned around to see Scott Summers running towards her. Rolling her eyes, she let him waste his breath approaching her. Of all the people she had to deal with, uptight pretty boys were not her favorites.

"What do ya want?" she said, folding her arms in a hostile gesture.

"Look, I'm sorry about the others," he said, "You're right. We don't understand. And we don't have a right to say we do."

"Ya ran all this way just to tell me that?" she said sarcastically.

"No. I ran here to say I don't think you don't understand either," said Scott, turning the conversation back on her.

"Ah don't understand? All the sudden you have a right to tell me how Ah think?!"

"Well you don't," said Scott strongly, "You think you're the only one with problems? Well let me tell you about mine. You see these glasses I wear? They're not just for looks, you know. One slip-up and I could blow this whole school up just by looking at it. That means every hour of every day, I have to worry about who I could hurt just because they happen to be near me...just like you have to worry about hurting the people you touch."

Rogue took a moment to digest that. She was inclined to scoff, but she knew he wasn't lying about the powers. Mystique told her about all the abilities the Xavier kids had. But she never told her about this.

"So you and Ah worry about hurtin' people with our powers. Big deal," said Rogue, "Doesn't mean Ah'll come around and join yer institute."

"This isn't about the institute," said Scott, taking a step closer despite the risks of being near a girl who could put him into a coma with one touch, "This is about being alone in a world that sucks. You may think I'm just some agent from the X-men, but I'm another human like you. I may be able to understand things others can't. And if you want, we could talk. You can still hate me if you want, but..."

Scott trailed off, not knowing how else to phrase it. He had no idea what he was doing. This girl was already living with the Brotherhood, but she didn't come off as the kind of person who lived in the world Mystique saw. She was something else altogether and he was curious to find out more.

"Look...I'll leave you alone and so will the others. I promise," said Scott as he reached into his backpack and pulled out a slip of paper, "But if you ever want someone to talk to, call me at this number. It's my private cell number. That way you won't have to talk to anybody else at the institute. Okay?"

Holding out the slip of paper, Rogue debated whether or not to take it. She hesitated in making her choice, but for reasons beyond her comprehension she took it.

"I'll go now," said Scott, backing off, "You can tear it up as soon as I'm gone. Just know that even though you feel like you're alone, there are people out there who understand. You just have to give them a chance."

Scott didn't wait for her to respond. He just smiled at her and turned back to meet up with his friends.

For a moment, Rogue stood motionless looking at the slip of paper with Scott's number on it. There was a trash can less than 10 feet from her. She could easily rip it up and forget this moment ever happened. That way she could go back to being alone and isolated. But in the back of her mind, she knew that's not what she wanted. Pretty boy or not, his words did strike her as someone who just might be worth talking to.

"Ah hell," she sighed, putting the paper in her pocket, "Guess it couldn't hurt."

**************************************************

Up next: Rogue debates whether or not to take Scott up on his offer.