Of Queens and Demons

The next morning, Rogue rose early. Last night’s dream made it clear that if things were to be solved with Emma Frost, she would have to confront her immediately. Thus, Rogue marched right up to Emma’s suite and shoved the door open without warning. “We need to talk,” she said.

“That’s the understatement of the century, darling,” Emma purred and spun her office chair the intruder. “I’ll ignore the fact that you didn’t knock only because I find that look of surprise so satisfying.”

‘Of course she’d know it was me,’ Rogue groaned inwardly. ‘God damn telepaths. If only I could know what she was thinkin’. It ain’t fair.’

Emma tilted her head and smiled like a cat that had just lapped milk from a golden saucer. “Well, darling, you best tell me what it is you want to say. As you can see,” she paused to indicate a flickering computer screen, “I’m busy.”

What did she want to say? Last night I… what? Dreamt you licked all my naughty bits like an ice cream cone? Dreamt you could touch me without dropping dead? Or did it go farther than that? Lately I’ve been havin’ thoughts about you naked – about your iridescent skin wet with sweat…? I can’t walk by a jeweler’s without imaginin’ the diamonds in the window as your hard, puckered nipples? ‘No!’ Rogue told herself. ‘Don’t think about that right now.’

“Perhaps it would be best if I began with an apology. After all, it was my dream that you saw last night.” At this, Rogue exhaled a breath she did not know she’d been holding in. “Oh come now, don’t look so relieved. Do you mean to say that what you witnessed did not… please you in some way?”

Rogue blushed and turned even redder when she saw Emma’s approving smirk. Why was it that whenever White Queen made some suggestive remark the sullen, tough-as-nails façade Rogue wore dissolved within seconds? No one, not even Remy LeBeau, caught her off guard the way Emma Frost did.

“You don’t have to answer,” Emma said, “but I know that you have something on your mind. Why don’t you take a seat and we can discuss things like two civilized adults?”

“Right,” Rogue replied with a hard gulp. She looked around the room for a chair. Emma definitely hit the jackpot. The place was huge – large enough for a Queen-sized bed (what a surprise), a cream-colored, Victorian loveseat, a large desk, a television, and two towering bookshelves. Staring in wonder, Rogue barely heard Emma’s voice in her head urging her to sit down. The younger mutant crossed to the sofa, still surveying the impressive boudoir. “Privacy and space,” she murmured pleasantly.

“Xavier is very accommodating,” Emma explained. “I need space to work.”

“Work?”
“I’m an instructor here. In fact, I’m just working on the rooster for Telepathy 101.”

Rogue shot Emma a bewildered look. “I though Jean was teachin’ that class.”

“It’s a joint effort, though I don’t suppose Miss Grey is too happy about the arrangement.” Emma glanced out the window, deep in thought.

“Does that mean I’ll have to start callin’ you Miss Frost?”

Emma grinned mischievously. “Well, I daresay I enjoy the way that sounds. But you needn’t be formal with me, Rogue.”

She blushed again and averted her eyes. “Am I in the class?”

“Of course. With your powers, the class is an absolute necessity.”

“What do you mean?”

“You’ve used telepathy before.”

“That’s true…” Rogue suddenly remembered how Jean’s powers made her feel when she had first absorbed them. “But with that logic, I should be in a class about optic rays or teleportation as well.”

“Have you ever wondered why you can’t control your power, Rogue?”

She looked up, surprised. “Of course I have.”

“When I was thirteen, my telepathy first manifested itself in the middle of history class. I can still hear the thoughts of some boy sitting behind me. He was not thinking of Napoleon – he was imagining me going down on him. Mary Lions was fantasizing about the new Porsche her Daddy promised to buy for her birthday. I thought I was going crazy. I got migraines every day and had to go to the doctor, but even he couldn’t figure out what was wrong with me.”

“What happened then?”

“It’s simple really. I began to notice that whenever I discussed the thoughts I picked up, the person seemed very surprised and upset. So I knew that it was real and not a figment of my imagination. After that, I practiced blocking thoughts and tested the limits of my telepathy.”

“And that helped you control your power?”

“Of course. Haven’t you ever heard ‘practice makes perfect’?”

Rogue looked down at her gloved hands and frowned. “Hurtin’ other people is not somethin’ I really enjoy practicin’.”

“But you’re never going to get better at controlling your power if you never use it,” Emma chided. She moved the office chair so that she was a mere inches away from the younger girl. “Every mutant has the potential to harm others with their gift. Even I must be careful to cause no permanent damage when I invade the minds of others.”

“That’s different.” Rogue moved back in the sofa. Emma’s proximity concerned her. Even though she was fully clothed, Emma’s skimpy outfit left many opportunities for skin-to-skin contact. “I nearly killed the first guy I ever kissed. You can’t call that a gift.”

“Give me your hand,” Emma instructed, holding out her own.

“No.” Rogue folded her arms across her chest defiantly. “I ain’t gonna touch you. I’ll only hurt you.”

“If you’re going to be stubborn about it…” Emma sighed and closed her eyes. Even though Rogue was hard to reach telepathically, at this distance it would be relatively easy to influence the girl’s thoughts. She opened her eyes to meet Rogue’s. ‘You will hold your right hand out and keep it out.’

Rogue found herself captivated by Emma’s deep blue eyes and slowly complied. ‘Good girl,’ Emma’s voice cooed in her mind. ‘Don’t be scared.’ The blonde slowly peeled the leather glove from the girl’s slender fingers. Once she fully removed the garment, Emma tapped the girl’s bare skin ever so lightly.

Rogue moaned unconsciously at the tiny thrill that bloomed from her palm and moved through her entire body. Her first instinct was to jerk away, yet Emma’s voice urged her to stay absolutely still. “When I use my power, it feels exhilarating, empowering,” Emma said. “Tell me, Rogue, how does using your power make you feel?”

It was hard to think when images began to flood Rogue’s consciousness. Emma’s brief fantasies involving the gothic girl bound and gagged flashed before her eyes. She wanted to let go. If she held on to long… But she remembered again how exciting it felt to control Jean’s telepathy or to fire Scott’s optic rays at will. Then Rogue thought once more that she really should let go.

But the transfer of memories and power stopped suddenly as Emma’s skin hardened to diamond form. “How does your power make you feel?” Emma repeated.

Terrible. It hurts people. It hurts me. Confusin’. I lose track of myself. But when her mouth moved to form the words all she said was, “It feels… good.” She wanted to take it back, but it would be a lie. Feeling Emma’s skin like that… knowing her thoughts and memories… it was an intimacy that both thrilled and terrified her.

“I thought you might say that,” Emma said softly.

Suddenly the reality of what had happened struck Rogue. She nearly leapt from the loveseat. “Oh Gawd, Emma, I’m so sorry. Are you okay?”

“I’m fine,” she assured her while rubbing her temples, “just a little tired. You took a lot out of me.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Don’t apologize.” Emma smiled sadly. “It was my fault. But I saw your thoughts when you touched me. You’re very lonely, Rogue, very sad. Don’t apologize. I’m the one who should apologize. I didn’t know how deeply you hurt.”

“Emma…” Rogue whispered, wide-eyed. The blonde, still covered in diamond-like substance, leaned in closer. “Emma, don’t.”

“Let me kiss you, Rogue,” she murmured. “You won’t hurt me when I’m like this. Please, Rogue. If we’re ever going to solve this tension between us...”

Rogue squeezed her eyes shut as Emma’s lips covered her open mouth. The second skin was thin enough that her lips were soft and flexible. It almost felt as if there was nothing between them at all. Rogue found herself returning the kiss in earnest and accepting the tongue that White Queen thrust in the deep cavern of her mouth.

“Oh, Rogue,” Emma moaned, grabbing a handful of the other girl’s hair, forcing her closer and kissing her harder. She broke the kiss and smiled wickedly. “How does it feel, Rogue?”

She couldn’t even find the words. Rogue simply panted, looking at Emma’s beautiful face in wonder and confusion. ‘She’s so innocent,’ Emma thought, and Rogue, having briefly inherited the older girl’s telepathic prowess, picked up on it. ‘I’d love to teach her a thing or two.’

“Did Cody kiss you like this?” Emma inquired aloud. Rogue blushed at the mention of his name. Emma’s tongue traced the outline of Rogue’s lips and the girl simply melted. “I want to fuck you so hard,” she whispered harshly. “I just can’t help myself. Just knowing that I am the only one who can do this to you…” Emma didn’t finish her sentence but emitted a low growl that made Rogue’s heart leap.

“How would you like to make last night’s dream a reality?”

“Emma- I-I-”

“Miss Frost,” she murmured, her lips tickling Rogue’s earlobe. “Call me Miss Frost.”

“Miss Frost… this is all so confusin’. I never even knew I could like a girl like this… I never even expected to like you as a friend.” Emma gave the girl’s slender neck a long lick that caused Rogue’s voice to tremble slightly. “You can’t ask me to just…”

“Just what?” Emma drew back and looked at Rogue seriously. “Don’t tell me you don’t want this… that you don’t crave this kind of intimacy every second of the day.”

“I do… I just…” Rogue sighed in frustration. ‘Out with it,’ she told herself. “I’m just… scared.” Her eyes searched Emma’s in earnest. “Besides, you like Scott and… and what would the rest of the team think if they knew–”

“No one has to know,” she interrupted. “It would be better for me as well if we kept our relationship a secret. As for Scott…” She rolled her eyes. “You know better than I do how off-limits Mr. Summers is.”

“Then… why me?” Rogue had to admit the girl’s sudden interest worried her. Emma was gorgeous. She could have any guy – any girl for that matter – in the institute. So why choose the sullen, stubborn, untouchable Rogue?

“Why not you?” Emma shot back. “Is there any reason that I shouldn’t be sexually attracted to you, Rogue?”

“My sk –”

“Don’t say it,” Emma snapped. “Just. Don’t. That excuse doesn’t work for me.”

“Yeah, but… even now you have to use a barrier. We still can’t touch without somethin’ between us. You satisfied with that?”

“For now… but I’m working on a solution to our little problem.”

“How?” Rogue asked, a little fiercely. She hated when people talked about “helping” her with her powers. It never worked. There was no help for someone like her. “Even the professor can’t help me, and he’s a better telepath than you.”

“Yes, well, though it pains me to hear myself insulted, even a sub-par telepath can help you if they’re willing to part with the one fault of Xavier’s plan.”

“And what’s that?”

“He wants you to control your powers without you actually using them. On the battlefield, you’re completely useless unless the team needs an element of surprise or information. Am I right?” Rogue averted her eyes, and Emma knew that what she said was the truth. “Haven’t you ever wondered why you are not asked to use your powers more frequently? Your power is a great asset, yet everyone fears it. Xavier’s solution is to go into your mind and box up all the people you’ve absorbed, which is great, because Lord knows no one likes floating personalities messing with your mind. But that doesn’t help you control your powers so that he doesn’t need perform routine clean-up on your brain. He doesn’t want you to use your powers in or out of battle. He accepts your solution of wrapping your body in layers. But you’re only running away from your problems that way, Rogue.”

“You think I like using my powers?” Rogue asked with a hard edge in her voice.

“But you just stated a moment that you found the act pleasurable.”

“Yeah, maybe it does feel nice. Like a rush or a high. That’s true. But that doesn’t matter when after that momentary high all I feel is pain. I hurt people without meanin’ to. And it hurts me because I’ve always been a nice person, really… I never even liked squashin’ spiders. So I guess I feel like it’s a sacrifice when I don’t use my powers. It keeps me from hurtin’ people and then feelin’ bad about it later. It’s… worth it.”

“Is it really?” Emma retorted with an arched brow. “Your strategy makes you lonely, irritable, and sexually frustrated. Do you like feeling that? Do you like making yourself suffer just so other don’t pass out for twenty minutes?”

“I could kill –”

“But you don’t. You never have killed. That’s because you have enough control to stop it before it goes too far. Just think of how much more control you could gain by practicing?”

“You know that I’ve been on the other side before,” Rogue suddenly murmured. “I know Jean or the professor told you. I’ve got a dark side. I’ve let hate consume me. My own mother… I killed her… Someone brought her back, but that hardly matters because I… I pushed her off a cliff. She’d been turned into stone and was completely helpless. I shattered her to pieces because I hated bein’ used. I hated the way she made me hurt my friends and teammates just to find out she herself had been used by Apocalypse. So don’t tell me I have enough control! She could’ve really… and Kurt would’ve never forgiven me. After all, she was his mother, too.”

Emma placed a hand on Rogue’s shoulder, but the younger girl just shrugged it off. “I make mistakes too, you know,” she said after a few minutes of absolute silence. “I never finished my story earlier. My parents took me to see doctors, but with each puzzled physician they started to treat me like a freak. Even when I told them the power I had was real, they refused to believe me. They thought I was crazy. They’d finally settled on some half-assed explanation they got from a shrink. They told me I had schizophrenia and that I was incapable of making my own decisions. They sent me to college. I was supposed to study law, but my power created problems for me there as well and I barely graduated. The day after my graduation ceremony, my parents had me committed to an expensive psychiatric hospital.”

“What did you do?”

“I stayed there for a year. The doctor prescribed anti-psychotics to help with ‘the voices,’ which left me physically and mentally exhausted. And after a while, I began to accept his diagnosis and wondered if I actually was insane. But deep down I knew it wasn’t true. I knew I was sane. I knew a piece was missing from the puzzle.” She looked around the room and sighed. “That’s when I first heard of Professor Xavier and his school. He appeared on Channel 10 one afternoon. The patients always watched news at four in the common room. It was the first time I’d ever heard the word mutant, and it seemed as though he was speaking directly to me. I had no doubt that I too was a mutant. So I began experimenting with my powers once more and found ways to evade medication. At first I tried to influence the staff to give me good reviews so that I might be released early. But the head psychiatrist just thought I was manipulating them and continued to monitor me. So… I had to use force.”

Rogue sat silently. No once had opened up to her quite like Emma. And she wanted to kick herself for being so rude. She thought that Emma, like Jean, had never been looked down on or treated like some dangerous monstrosity. Jean seemed like a distant goddess, perfect and always loved, and Rogue had likened her to Emma. But Emma was human, and, like Rogue, had her fair share of trouble.

“One night,” Emma continued, “I used my powers to force a guard to unlock the front doors for me. I hadn’t thought about the head nurse who often patrolled the halls at night and was surprised when she stopped us. I panicked and immediately invaded her mind, but she resisted, and so I tried harder. In the end, I killed her. I ran away and never looked back – never even felt sorry for what I had done. I never wanted to feel so powerless again. I didn’t want to be controlled. But I was so hungry for power that I turned to anything. Shortly after my twenty-first birthday, I ran into an organization called the Hellfire Club. The leader took a liking to me because I was beautiful and said that he wanted to help me hone my power. I believed him, and he did, in fact, help me with my powers. Unfortunately, I hurt a lot of people in the process. The Hellfire Club was evil and ruthless. They sought power through any means necessary. They forced me to rob banks, to erase memories, even to murder. I stayed because I wanted the power and desperately needed the money. I used the Hellfire’s blood-stained money to buy out my family’s shares so I could gain control of Frost Enterprises. After two years of working for the organization, I finally felt the wrongness of it. I escaped to the first person I could think of… Charles Xavier, the man who first told me I was a mutant. That is why I am here now.”

“I- I didn’t know.”

Emma frowned. “None of that matters. My point, Rogue, is that even I have been the ‘bad guy.’ Even I have hurt people with my powers, and even I have acted on feelings of revenge, of hate, and did things I now regret.” She tilted Rogue’s chin so that she could see the girl’s expression. “Even so, do you think that I would have avoided all that pain and sorrow if I had stayed locked up in that hospital room? Professor Xavier is a good man, but even he can be wrong sometime. He treats you like a sickness and believes it necessary for you to avoid using your powers. In my opinion, he’s no better than the parents who locked me up and called me crazy.”

Rogue didn’t know how to respond. Despite how much she wanted to argue that it was different, she knew that Emma was right. Xavier “locked up” Rogue’s power and asked her to deny who she truly was.

“Think of everything you’ve sacrificed.” Emma began to count them on her fingers. “Not only have you given up physical intimacy, but you’ll never be able to get close to anyone emotionally. You can’t wear anything with short sleeves and suffer summer after summer through sweatpants to ensure the safety of the X-Men.” She paused at her ring finger. “What else am I forgetting?”

“I think you’ve pretty much covered it,” Rogue mumbled grumpily.

“And also completely ruined the mood,” Emma noticed. “Here I was thinking that I could finally woo you, and I only succeeded in depressing someone who really doesn’t need to be anymore depressed.”

“It’s okay,” she replied. “I’m glad you told me about your past. I had assumed that you were some spoiled, rich brat. I had no idea that you suffered because of your powers. Because of Jean, I guess I always figured that telepathy was a ‘nice’ power. I was talkin’ to you like you had no idea how I felt. Now I’m apologizin’ again because it appears I was wrong.”

“Not entirely wrong. Even with telepathy, I can never truly know how you feel.” She smiled. “But it is my duty as your friend… and as Miss Frost…” The corner of her lips twitched slightly at the last words. “To listen and to offer any advice I can. That said, I was the thoughtless one when I pushed physical intimacy on someone who clearly isn’t ready to take that step. What can I say? I’m not used to being turned down.” She winked at Rogue, who chuckled. “But I truly do want to help you, Rogue, because I have felt powerless and used. I have also felt isolated and alone.”

Brief images of the hospital cycled in Rogue’s mind. She knew all about Emma’s experience. Her powers, unlike Emma’s, allowed a unique element of empathy so strong Rogue sometimes had trouble separating herself from the person she absorbed.

“Besides,” Emma added, “even if it doesn’t work, it never hurts to try.”

“I would like to work with you,” she said quietly. “And I would like…”

“You don’t have to finish that sentence,” Emma teased. “I know you’re too embarrassed. If you project it anymore, I’m going to feel just as mortified.”

“Sorry.”

“Don’t be.” Emma, still clad in her suit of thin diamonds, leaned in and planted a chaste kiss on the girl’s forehead. “But next time we meet I fully intend to take advantage of my status as Miss Frost. I take my role as teacher very seriously.”

Rogue shivered pleasurably, wondering what kind of lessons Emma Frost had in store.

x x x

Although Jean hated the idea of working with Emma Frost, she hated the idea of her rival claiming all the glory even more. Xavier had effectively shoved the redhead into a corner. It was the class with Emma or no class at all. Defeated, Jean agreed to finally team up with the newest member. And because of the new agreement, she found herself alone with the woman she loathed most as they worked to synchronize lesson plans.

“Why haven’t you added Rogue to the roster?” Emma was asking, leaning over the desk and snapping her fingers to get Jean’s attention.

“Huh?” Jean looked up from her notes and blinked. “Oh… well, I don’t know. She has enough to deal with already. She’ll be graduating soon.”

“Yeah, from high school,” the blonde returned with a snort. “From what I remember, senior year was a breeze. Rogue can handle a class that meets once a week.”

“What makes you so sure?” Jean shot back. “I’ve known her longer than you have. Just because you’ve been hanging out with her lately doesn’t make you two best friends. Besides, she’s been ignoring you. Don’t think I haven’t noticed. What’s your deal with her anyway?”

“I don’t see how that’s any of your business,” Emma said tightly. “I notice the way the rest of you treat her. Like she’s the enemy. Like she’s dangerous. Even after all this time. It makes me sad, that’s all.”

“It’s not like I haven’t tried.” Jean clearly had made several efforts to talk with Rogue, to create a relationship. But her crush on Scott created envy and animosity that wasn’t easy to get past. “Sometimes talking to Rogue is like talking to a brick wall. An angry, sarcastic, brick wall.”

“And why don’t you and Scott incorporate her into battle plans more often?”

At this, Jean faltered. “What are you talking about? Rogue is an essential member of the team. She’s one of the original X-Men. She’s always part of the plan.”

“What plan? To roundhouse kick Avalanche when she could flat-line him in seconds? To tap a guard on the shoulder so that the rest of the team can navigate a compound more easily? The plan in which Rogue suddenly materializes because the rest of the mutants’ powers are ineffective on the enemy?” Emma tossed her head back and laughed theatrically. “No wonder Rogue pushed her mother off a cliff. It seems like everyone, even the X-Men who ‘saved’ her, ends up using her.”

“We don’t use her,” Jean returned defensively. “We’ve never played tricks on Rogue the way Mystique has.”

“That’s not true. You all hypnotize her with false fairy-tales. Xavier has manipulated her into joining the X-Men by promising that he would help her control her powers. And has he succeeded? Hell, has he even lifted a finger in the direction of the cause?”

Jean’s green eyes flashed with fiery passion. “You can just stop it right now. I don’t care if you talk to Rogue. I don’t care if you flirt with my boyfriend or manage to snag my class. But I do care when you say those things about the professor. He is a good man. He would never manipulate anyone.”

“You’re so sure,” Emma commented, amused.

“Of course I’m sure!” Jean exclaimed. “The professor has helped all of us.” She glared directly at Emma. “He’s even taken criminals in. People like you.”

“Ooooh, I’m impressed. Little Jean Grey has done her homework.” She examined her perfectly manicured nails with a bored expression. “Well, I hate to break it to you, sweetie, but people will do crazy things in desperation. Not that you would know anything about that. You’ve always been praised and coddled. Rogue was right.”

“Rogue said that?” Jean couldn’t help but feel a little hurt and betrayed. Emma was right to say that the pair had a strained relationship, but Jean felt that they had finally become friends over the years. Rogue had even forgiven Jean for pursuing Scott and said that Jean and Cyclops were always meant to be together. What had caused the sudden step backwards?

“For a telepath, you sure seem oblivious to other people’s feelings. Rogue has always been jealous of you. Not just because of Scott, but because your powers earn you praise and respect. More importantly, no one fears that you would hurt them.”

“No one is scared of Rogue,” Jean said, but immediately regretted the words. Everyone was scared of Rogue. The incident with Apocalypse only made those fears a reality. She had been possessed, yes, but Rogue had also taken all of her teammate’s like a thief in the night. Not to mention that some mutants had experienced Rogue’s powers first-hand. Jean remembered the first time Rogue had absorbed her. She came to feeling a little hung-over and ashamed, as if she had drunk too much and possibly said something terribly embarrassing. It wasn’t a pleasant feeling. It was like telepathy, but scary. Rogue didn’t just witness people’s thoughts and memories… they became hers. Still, she would not admit that to Emma. Never to Emma. She clenched her jaw. “Why are you so obsessed with Rogue anyway? Aren’t you just using her to get under my skin? So you can steal Scott from me just like this class?”

“Don’t flatter yourself, Red. First of all, we’re sharing the class. I have no intention of sharing Scott with you. Second, I’m not using Rogue to get to you. I actually like Rogue. I find her interesting and also respect her power instead of fearing it.”

“Rogue’s power is dangerous. Even she can’t control it.”

“That’s because none of you will let her use her power!” Emma nearly screamed. God, were all of the X-Men this dense? “Would you be able to lift a retaining wall with your mind had the professor not given you the chance to practice and experiment with your powers?”

“That’s different –”

Emma slammed her notebook shut and stood abruptly. “I can’t believe you would say that. No wonder Rogue feels so alone.” Jean tried to respond, but White Queen would not let her get a word in. “I’m adding Rogue to the class. And, furthermore, I’m going to offer her private lessons. I’m going to teach her how to control her powers since apparently every telepath in this mansion feels they have more important things to do.”

Jean watched the buxom blonde exit. She was speechless and confused. Helping Rogue with her powers… what was it all about?

x x x

After a quick run in the Danger Room, Scott had returned to his girlfriend’s room to find her sleeping nude as the day she was born. It had been a hot day in May, and the professor didn’t want to turn on the air conditioning until the temperature exceeded 78 degrees. Thus, Jean Grey, sweaty and tired, had collapsed naked on her bed with the window open to let in the breeze. Scott became aroused instantly at the sight of the slumbering girl. Feeling a bit naughty, he quickly undressed and crept on the bed just behind Jean. A few kisses in the right places roused Jean and the two began making love. Scott, a little guilty from the mess he made concerning Emma Frost, decided to give Jean the five-star treatment.

That had been thirty minutes ago. Scott was still leaning on his elbows with his face buried in his girlfriend’s hot, wet pussy. He was a little tired and more than a little bit frustrated, because the heavy breathing and occasional soft moans Jean responded with differed drastically from her usual enthusiastic mews and cries. Cyclops didn’t need telepathy to know Jean was distracted.

“Okay,” he said finally, raising his head, “you’ve gotta tell me what’s wrong because I think my jaw is going numb.”

“Huh?” Jean down and blushed. “I’m sorry. I’m a little distracted.”

“Geez, that seemed obvious. Care to tell me why?”

“Emma asked me why I hadn’t added Rogue to the class. She also accused me of keeping Rogue on the side-lines because I, and the rest of the team, feared her powers.” Jean sighed. “It’s not what she said that bothers me so much as the fact she’s taken an interest to Rogue.”

“Why should that matter?” Scott asked. “Rogue is a big girl. She’s always been able to take care of herself.”

“Yes, I know. It’s just that… there are a lot of things you don’t know about Emma. She used to work for an organization called the Hellfire Club. The professor trusts that she has severed ties with them and has no desire to return to a life of crime, but I can’t help but wonder where her true loyalties lie. What if she was only interested in Rogue as a weapon? I mean, Rogue does have an amazingly powerful mutation. What if Emma wanted to use her for Hellfire’s purposes?”

“You’re jumping to conclusions,” Scott reasoned. “Rogue was once on the bad side, too. But she has never done anything to make us doubt her true colors. Don’t you think it’s unfair to not treat Emma with the same courtesy? Everyone messes up once or twice. And, besides, even if you can’t trust Emma, you should be able to trust Rogue’s determination to use her powers for the good of mutant and humankind. I don’t think she’d let herself be taken advantage of so easily.”

“I hope so,” Jean murmured. She placed both hand on Scott’s face and smiled. “Now get up. I’m sorry you’ve been doing so much work for no reward. I’m too tired to return the favor, but I promise tomorrow that I’ll be less of a worry-wart.”

Scott put his arms around her and sighed into her hair. “Okay. But you totally owe me.”