This is my second and probably last Xmen oneshot :D
Since i'm obsessed with Scott/Marie, or Cyclops/Rogue if you prefer, i've decided to make a little tribute to them. It's more friendship I guess then anything but if you squint you can see the blossoming romance. I was writing this without lyrics but then Sound the Bugle by Bryan Adams, from the Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron soundtrack, blared on my iPod and I thought it would apply to this pretty well.

And I dunno, I like John/Marie too so I might make them a oneshot. Depends if i'm in the mood to write more after this xD

Disclaimer: Dude, I wish I owned the X-men. I could do all kinds of horrible yet wonderful things to them 8D

Sound the bugle now,
Play it just for me,
As the seasons change,
Remember how I used to be,

She knew he was still recovering. He moped and dragged himself along the corridors of the school, a fake smile on his face. If anyone could see his eyes she would bet they were empty and sullen. But no one could see his eyes, which meant he was more or less safe from people asking if he was alright all the time. She knew a person could get tired of that after a while.

Another night of tossing and turning. She knew he needed to grieve but he also needed to be their leader again. He needed to boss everyone around, in the nicest of ways, he needed to fly in the jet again, he needed to rough up a few bad guys. All he ever did was teach classes and lock himself in his room. Storm brought him food and Bobby and John kept his motorcycle tuned, but Rogue didn't know how to help. Especially since someone she had loved was involved. She didn't know how to approach the situation.

In times like this she felt like tapping into her inner voices but she doubted any of them would have anything helpful to say, especially towards helping Scott. Half the people in her head couldn't stand the guy, three fourths of that half caused the problem. So that left her to figure out something herself. She could make cookies? People seemed to like the cookies she made, she figured it was because she was southern, and southern people knew how to make cookies. But then, she never saw as the cookie type. Plus, what the hell would cookies do? She wrote that off as inner Bobby's suggestion.

Sighing she threw her covers off and got out of bed. Putting her slippers on she made sure her gloves were secure but she didn't bother with her scarf. No one would be stupid enough to touch her in the middle of the night, and if they did they probably deserved to be sucked dry anyway. Besides, she was wearing her pajamas instead of her nightgown. So she probably didn't have anything to worry about.

Now I can't go on,
I can't even start,
I've got nothing left,
Just an empty heart,

Her feet led the way to the kitchen while her mind still buzzed. Maybe what they both needed was a night out? But again, she didn't see him as the type. Despite his motorcycles and leather jackets, he was still the responsible and, as Logan put it, stiff leader. She wondered if he had a personality clash or he just bought the motorcycles and sports cars just because. Those type of things she expected Logan to have, not Scott. Well actually, not the sports cars. Logan was more of a trucker, not a sports car owner.

She was getting off topic again. Her feet stopped just short of the kitchen while her enhanced senses, courtesy of Logan, kicked in. She could smell ice cream and the faint scent of soap and cologne coming from inside. She heard a spoon and someone eating the ice cream, then a sigh, but she needed her eyes to see who it was. Peeking around the corner she almost fell over of shock. It was Scott.

He seemed to be relaxing as his hands were behind his head and he was leaning back into his chair slightly, a half empty carton of Ben and Jerry's in front of him. She couldn't see his eyes but she assumed they were closed. She stifled a giggle. That was something else she didn't see him doing, yet there he was, seeking comfort in Ben and Jerry's. As much as she wanted to leave him to his own peace, she wanted to see if she could offer some sort of comfort that didn't make you gain 5 pounds.

I'm a soldier,
Wounded so I must give up the fight
There's nothing more for me,
Lead me away...or leave me lying here,

"Oh, hello Rogue." His voice drifted through the empty kitchen. It was low but not all together depressed. More like surprised.

"Good ev'ning, sir." She replied, walking softly to the refrigerator. She was unsure how to proceed. On the one hand she wanted to help but on the other she had no idea how to help. That part told her to go back to bed and forget it. The other part prodded her to ask if she could join him. That part she listened too. He looked surprised again at her request but gestured his ok. Perhaps he came to the kitchen often and wasn't disturbed before now? Nevertheless she grabbed a spoon and drew up a seat next to him.

Sitting in close proximity to him made her inhale his scent, soap and cologne that she smelled earlier. It made her nostrils flare pleasantly. The scent of ice cream joined and her mouth watered. She stuffed a spoonful of the creamy substance inside her mouth to calm it. Meanwhile it looked like he hadn't noticed anything out of the ordinary. He took another bite and stayed silent. Something she didn't mind. She found that even having another human being in the area while she was seriously depressed helped a little, as long it wasn't a crowd of people. Just someone to understand the need for silence.

Out of the corner of her eye she inspected him. He had slight stubble, which made him look older then he was, and his normal everyday black turtleneck and jeans looked loose on him. She wondered if he had lost weight during his depression. His shoulders were slumped but he did look slightly more alive then she had seen him look in a while. He had his visor on, as always, making it hard for her to see where he was looking but she assumed he was staring into space, as she usually did when she was depressed. Memories of probably filled his mind while he ate. She wondered if the ice cream they shared was her favorite.

Sound the bugle now,
Tell them I don't care,
There 's not a road I know,
That leads to anywhere,

"Couldn't sleep?" He shocked her out of her reverie with his question. For a second she didn't remember why she was out of bed but she recovered quickly and shook her head. "I hardly evah do. Nightmares an' all." She mentally winced at how southern her voice sounded. Her accent always became more pronounced when she was tired or nervous.

They fell silent after that. She was feeling awkwardly out of place. She just didn't know what to say to a man who's fiance had run off with the man she herself was disillusioned of being in love with. Should she tell him Jean wasn't worth him or would that just make it more awkward? She looked up at him briefly to find him looking at her, one eyebrow raised. She blushed a becoming pink and looked down into the carton. She hadn't realized she was muttering. Hopefully too low for him to hear.

Another surprise, he chuckled. She looked back and saw his lips turned upwards in a small smile, his eyes back in the direction of the ice cream. She wondered if he was laughing at her or at a memory. When he saw she was looking at him with her eyebrow raised this time his smile turned slightly bitter. "I wasn't laughing at you, don't worry. I was laughing because Jean used to mumble to herself a lot too."

She supposed mumbling would become a habit for a person if they were psychic. It was a habit to her only because of the multiple voices in her mind. Allowing him to enjoy his own little moment she got up and got herself some milk. Damn, they were out of milk. When did Storm go shopping last? She grabbed the jug of orange juice and sighed. Milk was a very good sedater for her. Orange juice worked too but milk worked better.

Without a light I fear that I will,
Stumble in the dark,
Lay right down,
Decide not to go on,

"How are you doing anyway?" He asked, breaking the silence again. She looked at him confused. How was she doing? How was she doing with what? Then she remembered, Logan. She hadn't realized her feelings for the feral man had been obvious enough for Scott to notice, let alone be concerned with. "Ah'm doin' fine. Ah thought ah loved him, but ah guess ah got over it." Neither of them believed it. She glanced at him and added, "How're you doin'?"

Silence again. She sat next to him again and looked at him. He seemed to be thinking about his answer. His visor was pointed towards her again but this time she looked for his eyes. They were visible beneath the red, pointed in her direction. She caught her breath in her throat. They were so lovely, even beneath a layer of plastic. She wondered how many people sought out his eyes or just looked at the visor. She hadn't realized she asked what color they were out loud until he cracked a smile and she blushed.

"They're blue actually. Not many people ask me that." She wondered why. But she reminded him he still hadn't answered her question. After a moment he said, "I don't know how i'm doing. I don't feel like jumping out of the jet with no parachute anymore, but I don't feel like running through a meadow yet either." She nodded, understanding. Without thinking she reach over and took his hand in her gloved one and smiled at him. "You're looking better then you have been at least."

Then from on high,
Somewhere in the distance,
There's a voice that calls,
Remember who you are,

He didn't even seem to notice their hands intertwined. His eyes were back on hers and he smiled a genuine smile. It warmed her heart as soon as it emerged. "I guess that's what happens when you share ice cream with a beautiful woman who understands." His low voice and warm smile made her insides melt and she almost felt like swooning before she caught herself. A blush spread up her neck but he didn't seem to notice, nor did he pull his hand away. He just took another bite of ice cream.

The Logan in her mind was roaring to rip Scott's personals off and John agreed to burn them, as was her inner Bobby, but in a more polite way, but she silenced them all with an inner glare. The only one who she allowed to speak was her inner Erik, who seemed to be amused with the entire situation. He claimed it was better the a soap opera. When he asked her when she was planning on jumping the "poor fellow" was when she silenced him as well. With a shake of her head she cleared all the confusing thoughts and noticed Scott looking at her with his bemused expression. Had she been mumbling again?

"What?" She asked, shifting around on her seat self-consciously. It was a good thing she was wearing gloves, her hand was getting sweaty. Not that she'd be able to hold his hand with her gloves off but still.

If you lose yourself,
Your courage soon will follow,
So be strong tonight,
Remember who you are,

Scott didn't say anything. He took another bite of ice cream and then sighed, albeit a more happy sigh then she had heard when she first walked in. They both looked into the carton and frowned when they saw there was nothing left. Rogue could already feel the pounds setting in. "I think it's time for bed." Scott said, not even bothering to pull his hand away when he stood up and started walking, thus Rogue went with him. After he felt the pull of her hand he stopped and looked down at their hands. He seemed surprised. She figured he forgot they were even holding hands. She moved to pull her hand away but he held tight.

She sent a questioning look his way, a look which she could have sworn he blushed at. They were standing in the doorway, rather closely as she could see his eyes again through the plastic. They shifted between her eyes, obviously searching for something in her eyes that she was searching for in his. She jumped when she felt bare skin on her cheek, his other hand, brushing her hair out of her eyes gently. It lasts barely two seconds, not long enough to do either of them damage but enough to make tears come to her eyes. No one has touched her like that since she kissed Bobby ages ago. No one's been brave enough.

Yeah, you're a soldier now,
Fighting in a battle
To be free once more,

He looks at her alarmed now, mis-reading the tears. She shakes her head and, shocking them both, wraps her arms around his middle and buries her head in his chest, sobbing lightly. The pain of Logan leaving with Jean, of never having him to be the one to touch her in a way that didn't help her stay alive, of Scott being so gentle and caring, all of it poured out onto his shirt. She felt the top of her head go damp and she knew he was crying too. Softer then she was but she still hugged him tighter.

When she was all cried out she felt more embarrassed then anything. She didn't look at him when she pulled away, but kept her head down so he couldn't see her blushing. Something she was doing too often tonight. Instead of her plan of avoiding his gaze, she felt two fingers under her chin, lifting her head up to meet his eyes. He even kept his fingers where they were for longer then two seconds to make her feel better. His own gaze was still slightly watery but he was smiling. A second later she gasped when his lips met her cheek, then her forehead, then her other cheek, each painfully slow and drawn out. He hovered over her lips but didn't close the distance, giving her powers enough time to calm down before pressing them together. It lasts less then ten seconds but to Rogue it felt like hours.

"Good night Rogue." He whispered, her name slipping from his tongue made her shiver inside. He smiled at her one last time before turning to head to his room. In her haze she noticed he was walking different then he had been that morning, but the lust in her mind coupled with the rage from her other partisans made her feel like sleeping as soon as possible. She fell asleep with a smile on her face, and her fingers to her lips.

Yeah, that's worth fighting for.

IS IT JUST ME OR DO ALMOST ALL THE SCOTT/MARIE FICS OUT THERE START WITH THEM COMFORTING EACH OTHER IN THE KITCHEN AT NIGHT?! It's slightly annoying that I apparently have no originality but I still like this idea -huff-

So, let me know if you like it please xD it's not the best out there but i'm rather proud of it.