Author: Elizabeth Wilde
Title: Change in Perspective
Distribution: Anyone who has my fic, anyone who wants it, http://www.geocities.com/aloysiusj/xfic.html [my site]
Disclaimer: Ah don't own the X-Men or the song "Out of Order" by Duncan Sheik. Just borrowin' 'em. Ah swear the people they belong to'll get 'em back in one piece.
'Ship: Bobby/Rogue
Classification: slight angst, romance
Summary: Bobby has doubts about Marie's feelings for him.
Rating: PG
Spoilers: none
Feedback: to wilde_moon@yahoo.com

Change in Perspective
by Elizabeth Wilde

I hear what you're sayin'.
I may seem out of order
Nothin's quite the same now
As it ever was before her,
And you're lookin' at me
With one of those sideways glances.
You say I'm giving too much
And takin' too many chances.

"Kitty, please-"

"You're my best friend. You expect me to not say anything?" The girl ran a hand through her thick brown hair and sighed. "She's been playing you for a fool for years now and you never even noticed! I can't just stand by and let you get hurt like that. Not now."

Bobby's shoulders slumped and he picked at the comforter on his bed. His voice was scarcely a whisper when he replied, "I-I did notice. I know she loves Logan. I've known that for a long time."

"Oh. God. I didn't..." Kitty's arm slid around his shoulders and she shook her head. "I'm sorry. I just sort of assumed that you didn't know. Why did you-"

"Hang around? Because I'm in love with her." He looked up at his friend. "Would you do anything different if it were you and Piotr? You wouldn't leave him. I won't leave Marie. I can't."

Just go easy on me
I'm feelin' out of order.
I'm beaten and I'm wounded
Like I never was before her,
And I know you're talkin' sense
But I can't forget about her.
You say I'm good as dead
If I keep it up much longer.

"Every time she pushes you away, I have to watch you walking around looking like someone ran over your puppy. It's not good for you." Kitty watched Bobby's face, hoping her words were getting through. "I remember when you had a joke for every occasion. Now I can't even remember the last time I saw you smiling. You're losing yourself in this."

Bobby nodded and sighed. "Yeah, I know. I know I am. The stupid thing is, the longer I hold on, the more I lose of me and the more I lose of her. Vicious damn circle."

"It doesn't have to be. Let go."

"I-I can't. I just can't." He searched silently for the words to explain how much Marie meant to him, how much he cared about her. "Even if she doesn't need me, I need her. I need to be there for her. I need to be the one she talks to about things."

"Even if it means you give yourself up?"

"Even if it means that."

But I won't believe you now
I've got to check this out,
And nothin' you can do
Will convince me otherwise.
You're just tryin' to be a friend.
I know the message is well meant,
But none of it does compare to her eyes.

"I'm supposed to meet her outside in a few minutes. I need to go."

"Are you-"

Bobby half-smiled. "I'm sure, Kitty." He kissed her cheek softly. "Thanks for listening. For tryin' to help."

"Anytime. Just... be careful. Okay?"

"Okay." He rose, hurrying from the room and down the stairs, out the front door without stopping and spotted Rogue sitting on a bench overlooking the reflecting pool. "Hey."

The young woman turned, beaming a bright smile at Bobby. "Hey yourself. Get over here already. Where ya been?"

"Talkin' to Kitty."

Rogue smiled, reaching out a gloved hand to take his as soon as he was close enough. "Should Ah be jealous?"

"Course not."

The woman smiled and nodded, then looked off across the pool as Bobby sat down beside her. "You've... Things've been kinda strange since Logan came back, haven't they?" Not waiting for a response, she continued, "Ah know they have. And Ah know why you think it is too." Large dark eyes turned to Bobby. "Ah don't love him, Bobby. Ah never did. A crush maybe right at first, but that's all. Ah've only ever loved one person, and you damn well better know that it's you.

"For some reason, Ah'm worse at talkin' about stuff like that than anything... maybe that's the Logan in me. Or Erik. Ah dunno. Point is, Ah love you, and Ah don't see that changin' anytime, say, ever. Okay?"

Bobby's mouth opened and then closed and he let out a short laugh. "I thought... I was worried that... I thought when you said you wanted to talk that... I was sure..."

"Ah swear, men can be complete idiots sometimes." Rouge shook her head and squeezed Bobby's hand. "Whatever you thought Ah was gonna do, Ah'm not. Unless you figured Ah was gonna do this." Carefully pulling her thin pink scarf across her face, Rogue leaned forward and pressed her lips against Bobby's. "Don't be so damn paranoid, okay?"

Smiling, he nodded. "Promise."

It may seem unwise
You may be right
But I don't mind
I just can't mind

THE END

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