TITLE: Slow Burn

AUTHOR: Dreiser

EMAIL: dreiser3@yahoo.com

WEBSITE: http://www.dreiser.net/

CONTENT: F/F romance. F/F sex. Phoenix/Rogue.

SUMMARY: Spoilers for X2 and possibly X3 depending on how closely Singer follows comic book history. Jean rises from the ashes to become Phoenix, losing herself to the temptations that her nearly limitless new abilities create.

DISCLAIMER: I own nothing but my longtime childhood silly school girl crush on Jean Grey. For me she IS the most loved X-Men of them all.

AUTHOR'S NOTE: Since this fic deals with the idea of Jean being transformed into the Phoenix it is fairly dark at certain points. You have now been duly warned. Although Jean has transformed into the Phoenix the X-Men, and Rogue, are not aware of this. Which is why when the story is told from Rogue's perspective she is referred to as Jean, not Phoenix. Make sense? I hope so. lol. As an absurd side note I wrote this somewhat dark fic while listening to the very perky Final Fantasy X2 soundtrack. Which is rather odd, even for me.

Slow Burn

By: Dreiser

Once upon a time there was a girl named Jean. Her life was a quiet and happy existence, she went to school, she spent time with her friends, she was even on student council… at the top of the high school social ladder.

Jean was special but in a good way. The sort that made her loved, perhaps envied by some not as lucky as she. All Jean knew was that she enjoyed her life and she was happy living it.

Then the voices came.

They weren't strong at first, merely whispers on the wind, stray thoughts

sneaking and slipping past weak barriers to sink deep into her brain. Each day they grew louder and louder until Jean could barely remember what it was like

to have whispers instead of shouts invading her mind.

It was during this time that her life became less than happy. Her grades slipped, she didn't spend time with her friends, and she hadn't been to school in so long that she almost forgot what it looked like. Worse yet, she didn't know what to tell her parents when they begged her, eyes filled with tears, to tell them what was wrong… asking how they might help her.

Because, after all, how could she tell them when she honestly didn't know?

That was during the rare period before mutants became common knowledge rather than something murmured about in the darkest corners of the government. All that Jean knew was whatever was happening made her miserable, so much so that she wasn't sure if she could keep going.

Certainly ending her life seemed a far easier option that putting up with the constant invasion of her mind. It was during this time that she first met him, Professor Charles Xavier, the man who would become her mentor. The person who would save her, and so many other mutants, from themselves.

He was the only one who could quiet the voices.

With a gentle smile and a tender touch of his hand on her forehead, the ever insistent voices left and once again her mind was her own. And when she opened her eyes to look at him in amazement and awe, the Professor smiled and said if she wanted, he could teach her more. Teach her to control her powers so something like this couldn't happen again.

But Jean never forgot what it was like in those early days. To be alone, isolated thanks to her mutant powers, to hear the voices constantly crashing and breaking into her mind, controlling her to such an extent she wanted to die. No, she never forgot and thanks to this she understood…

She understood Scott, she understood Logan, she understood Ororo, she understood the Professor, and most of all she understood Rogue. For it was Rogue who was alone most of all. Unable to be granted the simplest human contact out of fear for the harm she might do to others.

Before her rebirth, before she became the Phoenix, Jean sensed Rogue's sadness with all the force of a tidal wave, washing over her insistent and strong. And after? When she returned in all her absolute glory, shining and free… her powers set loose beyond the puny restraints of man and his morals?

The ache she felt for Rogue and her constant struggle was nearly endless.

Pain can be enjoyed, it can be erotic, something that skirts along the edges of sensual desire as a forbidden game but not this. Not Rogue. This just made her sad and Jean… no, Phoenix… did not like feeling that way.

It was not an emotion she particularly enjoyed and if the Phoenix did not enjoy something? Well, then that something, for its own safety, had better stay out of her way or be ready to lose its existence. Since discovering through Scott and Logan the absolute rapture of the physical touch, the joining of bodies, hearts, and minds, Phoenix studied the situation with Rogue all the more closely.

Searching the winding pathways that were her memories, Phoenix recalled her fondness for the girl and wondered if she was in love with her but it wasn't that. It seemed that only Scott and Logan could inspire such depth of emotion. No, it was something else entirely. Ah! Hidden in a dark corner all alone was the secret of her shameful desire that made her quiver on hearing a low Southern drawl. The part of Jean that she had thought went away when she left her best friend Beth and their practice kissing sessions that always led to so much more.

Funny how certain things never really go away. Especially for the Phoenix.

The sun was low in the sky, making everything a lovely shade of orange and red when she went to Rogue in the garden. Everyone else was either in classes or simply preoccupied with their own business. The girl stood, her head tilted up at the sky with her lean arms hugging her frame, stray thoughts told Phoenix the gesture was more out of comfort than a sense of the chill in the air.

Untouchable... alone in a crowd... miserable in herself... and wanting, always wanting so very badly for someone to help her. For someone to touch her but at the same time ripped and torn by the idea of hurting those she loved most, the ones that caused this desperate wanting in first place.

Coming to a stop and closing her eyes at the pain of Rogue's emotions, the tumultuous thoughts kept boiling so close to the surface, Phoenix murmured, "It doesn't have to be this way. I can help you."

"Jean?" Rogue whirled around to face the redhead, eyes wide. "What are ya--"

A low hush escaped Phoenix's lips and moving forward with all the grace and

skill of a fierce predator, she pressed her bare fingers to Rogue's lips before the girl had time to react to this gesture. Immediately after this was done, eyes grew wider and Rogue moved to pull away only to have Phoenix wrap her free hand around Rogue's arm to hold her in place.

"Shhh," whispered Phoenix, dropping her fingers down to trail across Rogue's skin, delighting in the desire she felt radiating from the girl's body. "You can't hurt me, Rogue. I can protect myself with my powers now... so you can touch me all you want. And I," a slow smile curled on her lips, "can touch you."

Brown eyes were now impossibly wide and Phoenix chuckled then ducked her head down, leaving their lips barely millimeters apart. Rogue was trembling now and the heat that she felt... the wanting... nearly made Phoenix climax then and there but she couldn't allow that. No, she had a far better plan.

She would take Rogue to heights of ecstasy until the girl knew of nothing but

her touch. Then she would listen and feel... oh feel the joy it would cause. That was her drug. Pure, unstifled, human emotion. And how much she needed

it was almost enough to cause Phoenix some alarm.

Almost.

Humans are restrained, bound tight by their never ending sense of right and

wrong. The small part of Phoenix that was still Jean Grey screamed at her to stop this monstrosity. To let Rogue go and forget this need.

Unfortunately for Jean, she was little more than a small part. An echoing faint voice in Phoenix's mind that was easily squashed. Particularly in the face of the delicious reality that Rogue was now hers for the taking. All she had to do was reach out and snatch up the tasty treat the girl made.

Which is exactly what Phoenix did, pulling Rogue close so that every inch of

their bodies were pressed together and forming a reassuring smile upon looking into fearful brown eyes. "You can't hurt me, Rogue," she whispered in soothing tones, her hand trailing down Rogue's cheek. "I promise."

"I know... I'm just..." Rogue swallowed deeply then averted her eyes, her face flushed with embarrassment and Phoenix smiled again.

"You're scared," Phoenix revealed, cupping Rogue's chin and turning so they could look at each other once again. When Rogue gave a small nod, she tilted her head and Phoenix revealed quietly, "It's all right. So am I."

Rogue's disbelieving reply was swallowed up by the oh so soft and glorious feel

of Phoenix's lips on hers. They were full and they were sweet and they were just everything she could have possibly imagined. Consuming her with a slow burning desire that make Rogue anxious for more and well aware, no... clinging to what Phoenix said earlier, Rogue jerked the taller woman closer and pushed an eager entrance into her mouth with her tongue.

Long and elegant hands drifted down, across Rogue's midsection feeling it contract as the girl gasped and moaned into Phoenix. This wasn't like with Scott, tender, soft, and loving... it wasn't even like with Logan, passionate, wild, and eager. This was something different.

Melting velvet kisses that made Phoenix lose all track of time and place, coming back to the softness of Rogue's mouth again and again. She hadn't been aware it could be like this. That kissing could be an addiction within itself.

Perhaps she simply hadn't been kissing the right person.

There was a low groan as the kisses deepened and Rogue hesitantly slid her hand up to cup Phoenix's breast, causing her to cry out, parting their lips as she looked at Rogue with dark eyes. They stood there, breathing heavy and looking at each other before Phoenix reached out with slow intent to pull Rogue's long gloves off of her hands.

Cupping them in her bare hands, Phoenix smiled slowly then raised them up to kiss their exposed palms. Smiling around the skin on feeling the slight shake and tremble of Rogue's body, she peered down at the girl.

"Don't worry, Rogue," murmured Phoenix. Pulling those hands down, she

pushed them under the skimpy cover of her black shirt to rest upon the warmth

of her flat midsection. Spreading Rogue's fingers over her skin as she moved

closer and into the girl, Phoenix wrapped her arms around Rogue's back, pulling

her closer. Leaning her head down for a kiss, her breath sweet and warm on

Rogue, she said with absolute conviction, "I want this." Phoenix tilted her head, eyes burning deep into Rogue to set her body aflame. "Do you?"

"God yes," Rogue said breathlessly in that slow Southern drawl that caused Phoenix to quiver just the tiniest bit on hearing it.

Then they were kissing again.

It felt so good that Rogue thought she might go mad from it. The honey sweet taste of Jean's mouth, the pliable warmth of her body, the intoxicating scent of her skin, it was better... more than she could have ever imagined. What solidified it more, perhaps, was the reality of the person who was in her arms.

Shortly after arriving at the mansion, Rogue discovered the very amusing fact of every resident possessing, at one time or another, some type of crush on the red haired doctor. Herself included.

No one really had to ask why they loved Jean, because they knew it had to be

for similar reasons. Her generosity, her kindness, her warmth, and her singular devotion to the task of caring for anyone who passed through their doors. Jean made whoever she was with feel like the most important person in the world.

Which could be addictive to say the least. She spread a healing balm on the battered souls of people who had been rejected a thousand times over simply for being who they were. For existing in a world that made no effort to understand that they were essentially no different than anyone else. Genetic code or not.

"I want to see you," Phoenix purred in Rogue's ear, painting kisses on the side of her face then giving her earlobe a teasing bite and tug. Smiling at Rogue's groan, she slipped her hands down to the large belt looped through jeans resting on one deliciously small waist. "Is it all right if I do this?"

"Please," Rogue practically begged, her hands moving with the Phoenix's to

unhook her belt. Then she stopped and Phoenix paused, because even now, with this horrible need eating at her she didn't want to take what wasn't offered freely. Especially with one as special as the girl before her. Cupping Rogue's cheek so their eyes met, she tilted her head in a silent question. "What if..." Rogue trailed off, nibbling her lip in a nervous gesture. "Someone might see us, Jean. Y'know I want this, god," she laughed frantically now, "I want this so much I think I'm gonna die from it but what about Scott... Logan...?" Peering up at Phoenix with confusion in her gaze, Rogue continued on, "I don't think we--"

"No one will see us," said Phoenix in level tones, calm and precise. "I've made sure of that. As for Scott and Logan," she smiled fondly just on saying the names of the humans she held dearest to her heart, "they would never deny you this. I doubt that any in our numbers would do such a thing." Trailing her fingers down Rogue's face, she murmured, "But I'll do as you would like. If you want to stop this now then we will, just remember that I want to do this for you."

In a slow and steady movement, Phoenix leaned down to press soft lips against Rogue's forehead. Pulling away, a smile still tugged at Phoenix's lips despite the terrible hunger that was eating inside of her, telling her to ignore the folly that was the girl's insecurities and to take her here and now. She surely wanted it just as badly if not even more. Only she would not do that, she could not do that. Though she needed this, needed it so very much, there would be no joy... no ecstasy in the taking of what was not freely given... it would only cause pain.

This had always been about giving the opposite of that.

Pure unadulterated happiness, that was what she wanted. The bliss of the sexual release combined with emotions such as love, want, gratitude, and all the others that were mixed in that one crucial moment which couldn't be defined. So with a sigh, she pulled away from Rogue then lowered the psychic shielding she put up to protect their time together, and began to walk away.

"That's all this was then?" Rogue asked quietly, her voice echoing of hurt and a vague sort of anger. Rage that was not yet fully formed. "Some kinda pity lay? Ya know, even with these powers of mine I'm not that desperate. Never was."

"Neither am I," replied Phoenix, pausing in her walk to turn and meet Rogue's hard brown eyes, reflecting a good degree of anger. "I did this because I've only just learned I could... and because I wanted to. I've always wanted to." Despite herself, a smile formed on her lips and she murmured, "I've wanted you since the first day I saw you. Scared and vulnerable but so open and honest and it tore at me what you had to go through. I wanted to hold you close and kiss you soft and gentle so you'd forget all that hurt and be happy again. I wanted that."

"Jean," breathed Rogue with wide and disbelieving eyes. "I never knew."

A quirky expression playing on her sculptured features, Phoenix arched an eyebrow and chuckled as she listened to Jean shouting inside her mind. Upset that she had revealed such a very secret part of her heart to the girl. Something she always wanted to keep hidden and to herself. "I know you didn't," she then drawled. "I didn't want you to know because I was scared of your reaction."

Rogue moved closer and as she did, Phoenix allowed a feeling of quiet triumph

to wash over her as she restored the psychic barriers that would grant them the privacy she knew they would soon need. Stifling the desperate pleas from Jean, she smiled softly as Rogue hesitantly reached out to encircle her waist and pull their bodies close together. Looking down at the girl who stared at her with eyes full of adoration and amazement, she was satisfied.

This was worth any wrongs she might have committed.

It always had been. Since the first second she considered it and as Rogue's lips reached up to devour hers, opening her up and tasting her deep, taking everything

that she was in the process, Phoenix knew that completely.

She knew that as she stripped Rogue of her clothing, she knew that as she let

the girl do the same for her, she knew it as she pressed Rogue down onto the soft green grass, she knew it as skin touched skin for the first time and Rogue closed her eyes, crying from the sheer pleasure of it.

Perhaps despite her hunger, her greed, her selfishness, this had somehow been the right thing to do. Maybe Jean was wrong, Phoenix realized as Rogue stared

up at her with wonder and gratitude before their lips met for a searing kiss. This wasn't hurting the girl at all, this was helping her, giving her something that only the Phoenix, with all of its horrible alien godlike powers could.

An honest human touch.

She was pressed deep into Rogue, snuggling their bodies together deliciously, making the girl groan from her need and the heat of combined skin. Blinking her eyes, Rogue forced them open, feeling dazed and almost overwhelmed from all these new sensations as she looked at the woman over her. Jean's red hair was tumbling down her shoulders, falling upon them like waves, making her look very much like an ancient goddess trapped amongst mortals. And maybe that's what she truly was, Rogue thought, crying out as Jean's soft lips captured a nipple in their honeyed grasp and a tongue bathed her skin. Because surely what she was doing now was a miracle worthy of such a creature.

"You taste wonderful," Phoenix purred in a chuckle as Rogue gasped when she moved her kisses lower, tracing a path down her abdomen to stop right above her over heated sex. Long fingers moved up Rogue's sides, tickling her slightly and the girl lifted a weary head to stare down at her in an erotic haze. "I'd like to taste something else though. Would you like that?"

"Jean, please," Rogue cried out, begging as one hand laced its fingers with

the Phoenix's and the other wound around soft red hair to caress the back of her head. "Please... I want you..."

Though she had expected that first touch, the feel of Jean's tongue on her and inside of her, Rogue still jumped when it happened. She jumped and she groaned and she squeezed her eyes, shaking and melting from it all, unable to grasp just how very good this was. The hand laced in Jean's tightened and the other wound around her head tighter still, pressing the redhead closer and she gasped upon feeling the reverberation of the woman's chuckles at this reaction.

Almost before Rogue realized, it was over, she succumbed to the velvet sandpaper touch of Jean's tongue inside her, tasting everything she was and still wanting more. The wetness and the heat and the suction... god the lovely suction of that mouth buried deep inside of her. Then somehow, unable to explain it, Rogue came again despite her exhaustion just from thinking this.

That was when Rogue's body convulsed a third time and with it, she finally knew just what was happening. Jean was a telepath and they were connected. She was feeling everything that the other woman was and it was so very much... the wanting that Jean felt, the joy from what they were doing, the pure ecstasy in this moment, Rogue arched her back, rising her up from the green grass and crying out the perfection of them being together.

When it was over, Rogue was faintly aware of Jean's presence because of the slight feeling of her long body shifting against hers and the softest murmurs of comfort that she provided. Opening tired brown eyes after a moment, she blearily looked upon the woman resting above her and smiled.

"Thank you," Rogue said in a bare whisper.

Shaking her head at this, Phoenix pushed back a sweaty lock of hair from

Rogue's eyes and murmured, "There's nothing to thank me for. I told you before, I wanted to do this." Rogue's only reaction was to smile sleepily up at her, causing Phoenix to smile fondly while she watched the girl drift off into slumber. Gently caressing Rogue's cheek, she sighed upon hearing Jean resurface in her mind and said in a steely resolution, "We both wanted this. Admit that Jean."

The only reply Phoenix got were great heaving sobs of regret.

-End-