This chapter is still in the editing stages.

Chapter ???
Taking place just after all the business with
"the darkness" is over. I'd say Rogue is about
four months pregnant at this point.
February 1999

"Bobby... Ah just wanted to say that Ah'm sorry... for everythin' that happened to ya... everythin' Ah did to ya..." Rogue's head was down as she spoke, her eyes instead focusing on the cluster of rocks at her feet that she was kicking absently.

Bobby stared down at the ground as well, trying to avoid her gaze. "S'okay," he finally murmured softly. "It wasn't your fault, we all know that."

Rogue stopped kicking at the pebbles and turned her head to look at Bobby. "But you don't believe that all the way, do you? The way you're not talkin' to me if you can at all get around it, the way you've been avoidin' me, the way you're not lookin' at me now -- Everythin' but the words comin' outta your mouth is tellin' me you still don't trust me."

"What do you expect, Rogue?" Bobby asked softly. "Yeah, I know now what was really going on at the time. I understand all that. But it doesn't make what happened go away."

He stood, shoving his hands into his pockets, and leaned against a nearby tree. His back to Rogue, Bobby stared out at the lake as he continued. "Do you have any idea how it feels to be beaten practically to death by someone who's supposed to be one of best friends? And while all your other friends are cheering about it? Hell, even Hank was cheering for you." Bobby's voice cracked. "Yeah... Hank and I -- We're best buds.... yup."

Rogue felt hot tears sting her eyes, and she busied herself with poking at the ground with a stick, hunching her back as she tried not to look at Bobby.

After a long pause, he continued. "And you know what the real kicker is?" He laughed shakily as he bent down to pick a rock up off the ground. "When I was laying there on the floor in the Danger Room, with Hank and Cece standing over me, I saw my life flash in front of my eyes. And you know what I saw?" He hurled the rock toward the lake and bent down to pick up another. "Absolutely nothing. For the second time in like the past year, it's been shoved in my face that my life has been totally worthless."

He tossed another rock into the lake. "Yep. 'Bobbo the clown.'"

Shoulders slumped, he leaned against a tree for support. Biting her lip, Rogue stood and approached Bobby. Tentatively , she placed a hand on Bobby's hunched shoulders. Bobby shrugged it off and walked down to the dock.

Tense, they maintained an uneasy silence for some time as Bobby stared out at the water and Rogue tried to avoid staring at his back. Finally, he turned around toward her, his face flushed but his expression stony and unreadable.

"Look, Rogue... It's not that I hate you or anything, 'cause I don't... I'm just... you know..."

Rogue closed her eyes and nodded her head. Bobby put his hands in his pockets and strode past Rogue toward the Mansion.

"Bobby?" Rogue said softly.

"Yeah?" He stopped still for a moment, just uphill from where Rogue stood, her back to him.

"If you ever... you know... Ah'm here..."

Bobby looked uphill toward the mansion. "Yeah... I know..."

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