FicWad

Untouchable
Chapter 6: Damage Control

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

The next day, Scott confronted the Professor about what had happened. He couldn't keep something like this a secret, especially from the world's most powerful telepath. He didn't sleep a single wink last night. He kept thinking about Rogue and what they had done. It was hard, not to mention embarrassing to reveal to the Professor, but he had to get it off his chest.

"And that's how it happened," said Scott upon finishing his story, "I gave Rogue the bracelet, we kissed, and then we had sex. I...I don't know what more I can say."

Diverting his gaze to the floor, Scott couldn't bear the look of his mentor. Professor Xavier was obviously shocked. He knew Scott had developed a strong friendship with Rogue, but he had no idea it would go this far. And with this most recent development, things were sure to get more complicated.

"I'm sorry, sir," said Scott in a low tone.

"It's alright, Scott," assured the Professor, "You've done nothing wrong. But I am disappointed. You do realize there may be consequences to this."

"I know. But Rogue told me it was okay. She said she knew her cycle so I don't think she'll get pregnant."

"There's still a chance she could be wrong," warned the Professor.

"If she is I'll be there. You know I will."

Scot was dead serious. Xavier didn't need telepathy to know that. But there were other concerns that weren't so simple.

"You must also realize that this may complicate things with the Brotherhood," he went on, "Rogue is Mystique's daughter. If she finds out..."

"She won't," said Scott, "Rogue's not stupid."

"And neither is Mystique. If she senses something amiss, she won't hesitate to act in an extreme manner."

"I know, but..."

Scott rubbed the temples of his head at a loss for words. Everything was happening so fast. He was now sexually involved with a girl who just happened to be the daughter of one of their greatest enemies. It didn't sit well for a minute, but there was no turning back. He embraced a moment with Rogue and what he felt could never be forgotten.

"I'm not going to lie to you, Professor. I have feelings for this girl," said Scott, his tone wrought with confusion, "I didn't expect it to happen, but after what we did I just...God, it was so amazing. I honestly don't know how to put it into words."

Xavier cast his eldest student a warm smile. Even though Scott was a staunch leader and student, he was still a teenage boy and he was going through all the drama that came with growing up.

"Emotions are always complicated, Scott. Take it from someone who senses them regularly," said Xavier with a light hearted gesture.

"So what should I do?" he asked.

"Mutants I can grasp. Relationships on the other hand...I'm afraid that's up to you," sighed the Professor, "But if you really do care for this girl, I recommend you confront her. There's enough potential for conflict already. Lay the easy things to rest so you can better handle the more difficult challenges that are sure to come."

The Professor may not have been in high school, but his wise words made sense. With an exasperated sigh, Scott ran his hands through his chestnut hair. He had a lot to work out with this situation. But he owed it to Rogue to face it.

"Thanks Professor," he said, managing a smile.

"Anytime my boy," smiled Xavier, "I'm glad you were responsible enough to come to me."

"Well to be fair, you would have found out anyways," he said, tapping his temple.

"True, but it's easier this way," said the Professor with a laugh, "Just promise me you'll be careful with Rogue and whatever may come between you. I would also advise you talk about this with the others."

"Yeah, that may be tough," said Scott nervously, "Especially with Jean. You won't tell them, will you?"

"No, your secret is safe with me," assured the Professor, "Just remember, Rogue is in a precarious position. If complications arise, it's important you be there for her."

"I will," vowed Scott, "I just have a lot to work out."

With plenty to dwell on, Scott made his leave. His life had taken plenty of turns with the death of his parents and finding out he was a mutant, but Rogue was definitely something he never expected. Images of last night danced across his mind and emotions came rushing back. She was so beautiful and passionate. Scott couldn't help but be drawn to her. There was no denying he felt strongly for this girl. And with the memories of last night still fresh in his mind, he was determined to see where this strange new twist in his life would go.

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

After his talk with the Professor, Scott decided to get some fresh air. Outside, thinking was easier and wasn't as tense. Images of Rogue and the memories of their first time kept dancing across his mind. Every sensation from that fateful night was etched in his mind. At the same time, he was feeling things he never thought he'd feel before.

Sitting near the pool, Scott went over every possible detail. It was all so sudden. He had strong feelings for a girl he just met. What was happening to him? What did it mean? And how would he confront them?

"Scott?" came a voice, breaking him out of his thoughts.

Turning his head, he saw Jean standing before him. He swallowed hard, putting all his mental shields up to keep her from learning what had happened between him and Rogue.

"I was looking all over for you," said Jean, taking a seat next to him, "You had me worried."

"Sorry," he said in a monotone.

"Well are you going to tell me or am I going to have to read your thoughts again?" she said, sounding light hearted.

Scott tensed, not wanting Jean to see what he had done. He had no reason to feel ashamed. It's not like he and Jean were dating and he had cheated on her. But he still felt so guilty.

"I...don't want to talk about it," he said honestly.

"Why not?" said Jean in a frustrated tone, "Scott, I saw you come in last night looking like a zombie. Is everything okay?"

Scott hesitated. He was still reeling from what had happened and didn't want to confront it now. But he hated lying to Jean. Unfortunately, he didn't have a choice.

"Everything's fine," he told her honestly, "I just...I had a long night."

"I thought you just went out for a burger," she said, folding her arms.

"You knew that was a lie, Jean," quipped Scott, "You can read me better than that."

Jean let out an exasperated sigh.

"Fine. Then where did you go?"

Scott took a deep breath. He didn't want to lie, but he didn't want to tell the whole truth either.

"I went and saw Rogue."

"Oh..." said Jean, her expression falling, "I see."

There was an awkward silence between them. Scott didn't go into details, but Jean didn't probe any further. She was tempted to look into his mind, but she didn't want to betray his trust. Scott valued his privacy a great deal. And there was no way she was going to break it. Yet still, she couldn't help but be curious.

"So what happened?" asked Jean, breaking the silence.

Scott swallowed hard.

"Nothing," he said, "We just...hung out until the Brotherhood got back. Then I had to ditch."

"Is that all?" said Jean, not convinced for a second.

"Yes, that's all," said Scott, trying to sound honesty.

"Scott, I may be psychic, but I don't need to read your thoughts to know when you're lying."

Scott hung his head low, diverting his gaze out onto the smooth waters of the pool. Jean kept staring at him, sensing a great deal of conflict. Something was clearly bothering him a great deal.

"Come on, Scott. You can tell me anything," she said, taking his hand, "I promise you, I won't judge."

Scott gave her hand a squeeze. Jean had always been there for him. She was the best friend he ever had. He hated keeping secrets from her. But there was so much he had yet to process. He couldn't confront it now.

"I'm sorry, Jean," he said in a low tone, "I just can't talk about it right now."

"Why not?" she pressed, "What is it about Rogue that has you acting like this? Why is she so special?"

"Because she and I have something, Jean," said Scott defensively, "We understand each other in a way I can never put into words."

"Oh? So you're saying I don't understand you?" she said with a hurt look on her face.

"No, but..."

"But what, Scott?" she said, getting more upset, "Just come on out and tell me why!"

"That's just it, Jean! I don't know!" said Scott in an exasperated tone.

Now Scott was the one getting upset. He rarely showed emotion, but this was clearly tearing up his heart. Jean wanted to keep pressing, but she didn't want to cause her friend any more pain. Real friends didn't do that to each other even when they were upset.

"I wish this was easier, Jean," said Scott in a low tone, "But this is something I have to work out on my own."

"I understand," said Jean, swallowing hard, "I'm sorry."

"Don't be," sighed Scott, "That's what friends do for each other."

"I know," she said, holding back her emotions as she got up.

Scott felt terrible. He hadn't told Jean the whole truth. He hadn't told her that he and Rogue had sex. But this was something that needed time. He didn't want to shut Jean out, but he had to make sense of all this. Sooner or later he would have to tell her, but now just wasn't the right time.

"I'll leave you alone," said Jean as she turned away, "But don't forget that I'm always here for you."

"I know," said Scott with a slight smile, "Thanks."

Jean managed to smile back as she left her friend, hiding a conflicted look as she retreated to her room for some alone time.

Scott Summers was in a hell of a pickle. On one hand he had Jean and on the other he had Rogue. His life was officially in chaos. He had to do something about this. He couldn't let it stand. He just wished he knew where to start.

'Way to go, Summers. You just lied to your best friend. I need to do something about this and I need to do it soon. I owe Jean and Rogue that much.'

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

The weekend passed in a blur for Scott. He kept to himself most of the time, his mind always running at full throttle while he tried to function normally. But as hard as he tried, it did show. Logan was already scolding him for lapsing in his command during a Danger Room session. He pressed him to resolve whatever issues were bothering him. But that was easier said than done.

Monday came all too quickly and Scott was still restless. He hadn't spoken to Jean since their chat by the pool. She too was distant, but kept the details to herself.

"Man, I am SO not ready for this trig test tomorrow," said Kitty in her usual valley girl tone, "Why do there have to be so many formulas to memorize?"

"You'll do fine, Kitty," said Jean as she and Scott walked with her through the halls, "You always do."

"Gee, thanks for the enthusiasm," remarked Kitty, "Is everything okay? You two have been like a walking cloud of gloom all weekend."

"We're fine, Kitty," said Jean, sounding tired and annoyed, "It's just been rough."

"Right," she said, completely unconvinced, "Well if you'll excuse me, I think I'll go find happier faces in English Lit. Later guys."

"Yeah, later Kit," said Scott.

Scott and Jean exchanged looks. Clearly, they weren't very good at hiding conflict. But now was not the time to dwell.

"I've...gotta go," said Scott, putting his books in his locker, "I'll see you later, Jean."

"Yeah...see you," said Jean in a low tone.

With an exasperated sigh, Jean watched her friend walk off into the crowd. She hated having this distance between them. They were supposed to be best friends. She couldn't keep this up. It was tearing her up inside. It was time to do something about it.

'That's it. Come lunch, we're going to lay this to rest, Scott Summers. You can count on it.'

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

The morning passed by without incident for Scott. He remained distracted by his thoughts, barely remembering any of the lectures his teachers gave. When the lunch bell finally rang, it came as a great relief. And hopefully, it would give him a chance to lie this matter to rest.

Instead of meeting up with Kurt, Kitty, Evan, and Jean like he usually did, Scott waited outside near a picnic table. He had a tray of food with him, but he wasn't hungry. He just swirled his potatoes with his fork, waiting for the source of all his confusion to arrive.

"Ah thought you'd be here," came a familiar voice.

Scott's ears perked as he turned to face Rogue. The last time he saw her, she was lying naked on the floor of the Brotherhood basement. Seeing her again even in such a casual setting felt different, but it put a smile on Scott's face.

"Hey," he said awkwardly.

"Hey yerself," she said, sitting down next to him, "So are we gonna make small talk or are we gonna cut to the chase?"

Scott let out a deep sigh. Rogue was not one to beat around the bush. She was much better at confronting things. But that didn't make it any easier.

There was a strange silence between them, keeping their eyes on their food for a while. Neither one of them had been in a situation like this before. It was more awkward than they had imagined. But Scott had spent an entire weekend going over it and he wasn't going to cut and run now.

"Rogue, you and I had sex," he said bluntly, "We've known each other for less than a month. And if memory serves me right, you insulted me and my friends when we first met."

"Ah know," said Rogue distantly, "Hell of a change, huh? Should we regret it?"

Scott set his food aside and turned to face Rogue.

"No, not for a second," he said strongly.

Rogue kept her gaze diverted, but Scott didn't let her ignore this. He took her hand, giving it a firm squeeze to let her know he meant it. This got her attention as she turned to face the handsome man who had given her so much.

"Rogue, when two people have done what we did it changes things," said Scott awkwardly, "And I guess the big question now would be where do we go from here?"

"Ah don't know," said Rogue distantly, "That's what Ah've been rackin' mah brain with all weekend."

"Me too," he said, giving her hand another squeeze, "The thing is, I think it means a lot more than we realize."

"Funny, Ah thought Ah was just thankin' ya for givin' me this bracelet," she said.

"You did," he said, managing a smile, "But is that the only reason?"

Another silence fell over them. Scott and Rogue were at a crossroad. They shared a moment of intimacy that went beyond anything they had imagined. At the same time, they felt something. It was so profound they couldn't put it into words.

Looking down at the bracelet that started this ordeal, Rogue's heart started pounding as memories of what she and Scott did played out in her mind. She had been thinking about it all weekend. It was difficult to make sense of it all. But feeling his skin against hers again made her realize just why it meant so much.

"Scott, Ah'll level with ya," she said in a low tone, "Ah like ya. Ah like ya a lot."

"I know. I like you too," said Scott.

"No, Ah mean I 'like ya' like ya," she reiterated, now blushing profusely, "You're unlike any boy Ah've ever met. You reached out to meh when nobody else would. You understand meh in a way nobody else does. That means more to meh than Ah'll ever be able to tell ya."

Scott's heart raced. Rogue really liked him. The sex wasn't the only clue. The way she looked at him made his knees weak and his heart soar. He was never very good at showing emotion, but as he looked into this girl's eyes it was all but impossible to keep them bottled up.

"Ah know it's strange, a gal like me likin' a guy like you," she stammered.

"No it isn't," said Scott with a reassuring smile, "In fact, I think it feels right."

Rogue cast Scott a curious look. With her bracelet safely on, Scott reached up and tenderly caressed her face. His touch sent her emotions soaring. Warm sensations coursed throughout her body. His touch was every bit as sweet as when they had sex.

"You're a very special woman, Rogue," said Scott, struggling to get the words you, "I've never met anybody like you before. You're more to me than just a friend. And I...I don't know how to make sense of these feelings. I've been trying, but..."

Scott trailed off, unable to finish. Diverting his gaze, he now felt embarrassed. But his sweet words made Rogue smile. And she managed to finish what he couldn't.

"It's okay, sugah," she said in a soft tone, "Ya don't have to say another word. Ah understand."

"You...you do?" said Scott, still racked with doubt.

"If ya doubt meh, maybe this will convince ya."

Forgoing cumbersome words, Rogue slipped her arms around Scott's neck and pulled him into a deep kiss. Scott was shocked at first, but quickly sank into her warm embrace and kissed her back. No girl had ever brought out this side of him. No girl had ever made him feel this way before. But as he tasted her sweet lips, he knew once and for all that this girl was truly special.

When the kiss ended, Scott and Rogue sat together in a surreal moment. They couldn't stop themselves from smiling. Everything they had tried to articulate was simplified by this one act. For all the confusion that fateful night had caused, so much of it made sense through a simple kiss.

"Wow," said Scott, breaking the silence.

"That all ya got to say, lover boy?" said Rogue in a sassy tone, her arms still draped around his broad shoulders.

"Haven't we established by now that I'm not good with words?" he shrugged.

"Ah to hell with em! If ya really like me and Ah really like you, does it really have to be that complicated?"

"No. I guess not."

"Then why don't we stop overthinkin' and just let things happen as they ought to?"

Scott laughed as he traced his hand down Rogue's face. This girl was really something else. All his usual inhibitions went out the window when he was with her. It was strange given how structured his life was, but he wasn't afraid to embrace this new feeling. And while holding Rogue in his arms, he was eager to explore it.

"You're a real piece of work, you know that?" he grinned.

"They don't call meh Rogue for nothin', sugah. Now shut up and kiss meh again."

Scott didn't say another word as they met in another deep kiss. All the confusion and chaos that had plagued him over the weekend melted away. It all made sense now. He had feelings for this girl and he wasn't afraid to embrace them. It was a major development in his life and there was no telling where it would lead. But now was not the time to worry about it. His attention was completely focused on this enchanting girl.

But just as Scott and Rogue were sinking into the feeling, an unexpected presence approached and froze at what she saw.

"Scott?" gasped Jean, her eyes widening at the sight of her friend lip locked with Rogue.

Immediately, Scott was jolted from his daze as he turned to see Jean standing there in a state of pure shock.

"Jean?"

Jean's face contorted with anger. She was so enraged she nearly broke her plastic lunch tray. She left Scott alone to deal with his issues and now he was kissing Rogue. It made her blood boil in a way she couldn't describe. She was so upset that the table shook under the power of her telekinesis.

"Jean, I..." began Scott.

"Don't say a word, Scott!" shot the angry redhead, "I don't want to hear it!"

"Jean wait!" said Scott, getting up and trying to go after her.

But Jean was already gone. She didn't even give Scott a second glance.

Dazed by what just happened, Scott slumped in a state of distress. He finally confronted one issue, but now he had another to deal with. Jean had found out in the worst way possible. She saw him kissing Rogue at the moment when it was most damaging. Once again, he had messed up.

"Oh man," he groaned.

"Uh, Scott?" said Rogue, getting up with a disgruntled look, "Ah thought ya said she wasn't yer girlfriend."

"She's not!" said Scott, "I...I don't know why she reacted like that! I swear it Rogue, absorb me if you don't believe me!"

"Whoa, calm down, sugah," said Rogue, putting her hands on his shoulders, "Losin' it ain't gonna help."

Scott groaned. His life was a mess. One moment he was happy kissing a beautiful girl. The next thing he knew his best friend was yelling at him. It was like the universe was out to get him.

"I've gotta fix this," said Scott.

"You will, Scott. And Ah'll help," said Rogue.

"I don't know if that's such a good idea, Rogue," he sighed.

"Do ya think Ah care?" she said strongly.

Scott was at a loss. His life was upside down and inside out. Nothing seemed right. But Rogue wouldn't let him face it alone. She owed him as much for helping her in her time of need. Now it was time to return the favor.

"It'll be okay, Scott. Ah promise ya," said Rogue, running her hand down his face.

"You don't know Jean like I do," said Scott.

"Maybe not," she conceded, "But Ah don't wanna be the one that comes between you and your friends. Like it or not, Ah'm involved. And if Ah have to do this in order to be with you, then so be it."

Scott was amazed that Rogue was willing to go this far for him. She really did understand. And despite the complications, she was willing to go above and beyond to see where this new relationship would take them.

"Are you sure?" said Scott, still full of uncertainty.

"Scott, if Ah'm sure enough to have sex with ya, then Ah'm sure enough that Ah can help ya," she grinned, "Just leave it to meh. Ah want to make this work."

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

Up next: Scott, Jean, and Rogue lay some things to rest.