Summary: This is a story about Marie and Scott and how they help each other in hard times. Some Romance as well and some Angst a little later on when a couple of very important people return.

A/N: This is the first X-Men Fan Fiction that I have ever written I hope that you all enjoy and I love any and all reviews.

Disclaimer: Although I wish otherwise I don't own any of these characters.

Never Forgotten

She looked out her window and saw him; he was in the same place as he was every night at this time. It had been six months since Jean's death had torn into everyone's heart. And only two months since they had hired the new Doctor Hank McCroy, making everyone feel the lost of the beautiful red heads presents once again. The ones hit hardest from their lost of Jean was Ororo, Professor X, and of course Logan and Scott. Scott while though in obvious pain chose to move on, working and fighting in Jean's name, for what she had died for, the X-Men. Logan on the other hand, had left, not even able to promise that one day he would return. And it just two weeks ago Rogue had come to notice Scott's nightly routine of sitting at the fountain in the garden, he was usually there from midnight to around two in the morning. Over the months Ororo, Professor X, Nightcrawler and even Logan before he left had done there best to be there for him. And although Scott on the outside, during the day seemed to be getting better, it was this time at night, every night that Rogue saw different, she saw the side of Mr. Summers that he wanted no one else the see. The part of him that was screaming inside and barley holding on to what life he had left. She had been debating over the past couple of days if she should check on him, just to make sure he was ok, but she knew that he wasn't. He had just lost the love of his life and she was sure that nothing she could say or do would be of comfort to him. After all he barley even knew her, and if his friends couldn't help him with his grief, how could she? But sitting there watching him, night after night she knew now that she had to at least try. Scott was a good man, even though the Logan in her told her otherwise, and he did not deserve to suffer like this, at least not alone. So if anything she could at least sit beside him, just to let him know that he wasn't alone, that someone was there with him in the darkness. With that she slipped on her white slippers, pulled on her matching white silk robe and gloves before she headed out to the garden. It was a full moon so the garden was beautifully lit, and she was able to find her way to the fountain in no time at all. She turned the corner and saw him, his back to her and she just watched him awhile as he sat there with his head in his hands. She stood there a moment not quite sure what to say. Then slowly she walked over to the bench he was seated on and took the spot beside him. She laid a hand on his back and started rubbing lightly as she decided that if he wanted to talk he would, until then she would just let her presents tell him she was there when he was ready.

When he felt the soft hand touch his back Scott glanced up a moment and saw Rogue sitting beside him. He wasn't sure when she had got there but he was sure why she was there. She was going to tell him that everything was going to be alright, that time would ease the pain, she was going the give him the same bullshit lines that everyone else had the past six months. But they were all wrong, time wasn't healing the pain, in fact it was only making it worse. It was killing him, her scent was starting to fade from her pillow, the sound of her voice was starting to slip away, and the memories they shared were no longer filling his dreams, only to be replace by the nightmare of reliving her watery death. He was losing her more and more everyday and it was making it harder for him to breath. He waited, and after a good ten minutes had gone by and still Rogue had said nothing, Scott was relived, yet curious, so he had to ask. "So why haven't you asked me how I'm feeling, or told me that it's all going to get better?" He questioned her without even looking her way.

"Well, truth is. I already know your sad and in pain, so I don't need an answer on how your feeling. And who am I to tell you that it's going to get better, I can't see the future so why tell you something that I don't know is true." Marie confessed in her soft southern accent, pulling her hand from Scott's back and into her lap. She looked at him, with his face looking heartbroken and worn, if there was one thing she could give this man it was the truth and her mama had always told her that the truth can heal just as much as it can hurt, so why not give it a try.

Scott turned his head to look at the woman who was supposed to be only a girl. Sure she was eighteen, yes she was young, but those were the most mature words he had heard from anyone in the past six months. He was speechless, he didn't know how to respond to such an honest answer after having to put on a fake smile and assure everyone he was ok for so long. He was in pain and she saw it, in fact she had flat out called him on it. Not only that but she had also come out and told him that she wasn't sure it was going to get better or even go away. And it was there in that moment that Scott felt for the first time since Jean's death that he wasn't totally alone.

"And I'm not going to tell you I know how you feel either, because I don't. I mean sure I ran away from home, lost all of my friends and family, had to live on the street for months, got kidnapped by Magneto… died, Oh, ya and there the whole issue of never being able to touch anyone, and all of that was painfully for me, still is sometimes and I made it through it all, though I not quite sure how, but I did…Still working on the skin issue but that's not my point here. I guess what I am trying to say is everyone's pain is different, and it isn't up to me or anyone else, wither you are able to get over Jean's death or not. But it is up to me if I want to be here for you while you go through it and it won't do either of us good if you have to lie about the way you really feel, like you do with your friends. I'm worried about you sure. But you don't have to lie to me to make me feel better." Rogue didn't know where all of the words had come from. She knew she was a little nervous about talking to Mr. Summer's but she could believe she had just rambled on like some mindless twit. With that thought in mind she started to stand, when she felt his hand on her arm, to pull her back into her seat. She took her seat next to him once again and reverted back to her earlier plan to stay silent until him wanted to talk.

Sitting there a moment in complete silence with the young woman named Rogue beside him, he thought about what she had just said. After all this time he had prayed and wished for someone to understand, his prayer had finally come true. And although Rogue was the last person at the mansion he would have expected to get what kind of pain he was in, it was still nice to have her there beside him. Especially knowing that she wasn't going to ask him stupid questions or try to make him feel better by saying things that weren't true. "Thank You." He said not knowing what else to say, since her gesture had meant more to him than he could put into words.

Rogue nodded her head and they sat there in silence for another hour. It would become a route of theirs. Every night same time, same place, they would sit in peace together. Not a word spoken between the two, her giving him the comfort of knowing he wasn't alone and him being grateful for her presents and understanding. Then after two weeks for just sitting in each others company, something happen that had actually kind of shocked them both, he started talking.

"You know it was here that we shared our first kiss." Scott had stated remembering the way Jean had shyly blushed for days when she had looked at him for days after it had happened. "She was rambling on about something that had to do with a documentary she had watched and I really don't know if I did it more to shut her up or because I couldn't wait any longer to fill what her lips felt like against mine. But it was one of the few impulsive things I have ever done in my life, one of the best too. I just grab her, pulled her to me, and laid one on her." Scott could help but smile at the memories of Jeans reaction, she had kissed him but after it had happened she had just picked up where she had left off in her rambling.

"I wish I had thought of that when she started her rambling lectures in our biology class. Although I'm sure she wouldn't have liked me kissing her as much as she did you." Rogue said playing, getting another smile from him. It was really nice to see him smile, not one of those fake smile that he gave the others but a real smile. "Actually I think anyone would prefer you kissing them rather than me… you know with me it's all with the death and horror. I can honestly say I bring a whole new meaning to the words sucking face." She let out a giggle to let him know she was still kidding. She wanted to keep his sprits up as much as possible and if helping him meant she had to make a few cured jokes so be it. With all the Logan in her head it certainly wasn't that hard to do.

"I am pretty sure there are quite a few people who would disagree with that." Scott joked back with her, turning his head to meet another one of her smiles with his own. Looking at her, she reminded him somewhat of Jean. They both had a smile that could brighten up am entire room, and their laughter was like music. Scott suddenly realized why Logan had vowed to protect her and even put his life on the line more than once to save this lovely young woman sitting next to him. She was remarkable.

"You know, the one thing about Jean that I always admired was her grace. She always knew what to say, when it needed to be said. If it wasn't for her I don't think I ever would have given Bobby a chance or anyone else for that matter." She paused a moment and turned her head to look Scott in the eyes again. "She told something I'll never forget and will always be grateful for. She said to have a life, you have to live it. It's funny how a few little words can mean so much. But they did, they still do. And even though things didn't work out for Bobby and me, I still wouldn't trade anything for the memories we had together. Memories are funny that way, you know, they can either save you or kill you. You just have to choose which one." For the first time in a long time Rogue saw a clam come over Scott's faces, something that hadn't been there since Jean had died. He needed this to be able to talk about her, and with everyone else trying so hard to get over there own grief of Jean passing any time her name was mentioned it seemed the whole mansion became silent, like it was forbidden to talk about her, especially around Scott.

"You know you have that same kind of grace." He stated as he brushed back a strand of platinum hair out of her face. Looking away from her, he turned his head up to look at the stars and took a deep breath before looking back at the girl he had come to think of as his savior. "I miss her, I miss her so much."

"And you will always miss her, and that's ok. There is nothing wrong with you wanting her to be here Scott. She was apart of your heart and that is never going to change. But it is ok to be happy too. Just because you smile, laugh, joke, maybe even fall in love again one day, that doesn't mean that don't miss her any less than you do now. It just means that you understand that's how she would want you to miss her. She would want you to be happy, she always wanted everyone to be happy, it was kind of apart of her character, who she was, what she did, what she fought for." Rogue stood and held her hand out to him letting him know it was about time to go inside, he accepted and she helped pull him into a stand. Then she decided to add "Scott, I not saying that… that you have to happy to honor her or anything I just…." She was cut off as he held up a finger only an inch away from her lips to silence her.

"Your right, I know she would want me happy, and for her I will try. But don't except me to be a bed of roses anytime soon." He said jokingly. Her words had hit with a force, he didn't know why but it was almost as if Jean had sent Rogue to deliver the message. And she was right, he would always miss Jean, and she would always be apart of him. But it was time to start living the life that Jean herself had died to let him have. And just as Rogue told him that Jean had told her to have a life, you have to live it.

"Hate to break to ya mister but you were never exactly a bed of roses to begin with." She stated as they started walking back up to the house together.