Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters, unfortunately.
Chapter One
Rogue didn't get nervous, she had faced some seriously dangerous situations in the past and barely flinched. To say she was used to putting her life at risk was an understatement, and if pulling death defying stunts could be considered an Olympic sport, then she'd be winning nothing but gold.
Yet here she sat, on her acid green motorcycle, practically hyperventilating at the sight of a stately home.
Just the driveway was intimidating, with the huge fountain statue and neatly paved flagstones. She'd barely made it through the main gate, and she wasn't quite sure how she was going to make it through the solid oak front doors.
The Xavier Mansion was as breathtaking as she had always imagined it would be.
If Rogue had any other choice, maybe she wouldn't be sat here trying to decide if knocking on those doors was a good idea.
But she needed help, and the only person that could help her was currently on the other side of said doors.
Rogue took a deep breath and shook herself. She was better than this, she had not been trained to flinch at the mere sight of an old stone building.
She flicked the kick stand on her bike and climbed off, straightening her leather trousers as she moved.
As she took the first step up towards the front door, one of them opened and she was greeted by a short, burly man with a gruff expression. He was wearing a plaid shirt that pulled against the muscles of his arms, course and dark stubble grew around his chin and cheeks and he chewed on an unlit cigar.
"Can I help you?" he all but growled.
Rogue cleared her throat, "Ah'm lookin' foar Charles Xavier."
The man eyed her suspiciously and she had to wonder if he recognised her. She had met a hand full of the X-Men before, usually on opposite sides of the battle lines. If one of them took a dislike to her before she reached Xavier's office she was sure she would be out on her ear without a second thought.
But from all she knew about the X-Men, they were taught to be above prejudice.
Or at least, she hoped.
"Why?" the mutant with the cigar finally asked.
"Ah need his help" Rogue hedged.
"Well, Chuck is all fer helpin' the needy" the gruff looking man rolled his eyes, "Come in, I'll take you to him."
He stepped aside and allowed Rogue over the threshold.
The interior of the Mansion was infinitely more impressive than the exterior, with the plush carpeted hallway leading to a grand double curved staircase.
Rogue's mouth fell open as she followed her new friend. He did not lead her up the stairs, but to a doorway off the right corridor which was filled with huge portraits and closed oak doors.
"You got a name, kid?"
Rogue glanced at the back of his head as she followed him down the corridor, "It's Rogue" she said quietly.
"Just Rogue?"
"That's right."
The mutant snorted, "I'm Logan" he informed her.
"Nahce tah meet yah, Mista Logan."
"It's just Logan" he said, twisting her words back at her.
"Are yah a teacher here?" she asked, deciding to attempt a conversation as he had given her an opening.
"Sorta."
"What do ya'll teach, Art?"
He stopped abruptly and turned to look at her. She half expected him to bite her head off, with the abrupt nature he had been displaying so far. Instead his eyes were twinkling with amusement and one side of his mouth was pulled up in a half smile.
"Close" he said, "I teach Gym."
Rogue nodded, "Shoulda guessed."
He cocked his head towards the door they had stopped outside, the golden plack shone with the words 'Headmaster.'
"Chuck should be in here."
Logan didn't even give her a chance to compose herself before he flung the door open without bothering to knock.
To make matters worse, they appeared to be interrupting something.
Rogue recognised the man sat behind the desk as Charles Xavier. His fingers were pressed into his temples as though he was attempting to push out a headache and his blue eyes were exasperated.
There were two other mutants in the room, both tall with built figures and dark hair.
"Jus' don't see what de problem is" one was saying, shrugging casually as though he didn't have a care in the world. His brown hair was flopped over one eye, he wore a long brown duster and black gloves and he was leaning with one shoulder shoved against a crook in the wall.
"The problem LeBeau, is that the students shouldn't have to see that sort of behaviour!" the other practically shouted. His brown hair was combed neatly back and his eyes were concealed by ruby tinted sunglasses.
Rogue had never seen him without a visor, but she recognised him immediately as Cyclops, the leader of the X-Men.
She had to swallow against a lump in her throat, because if anyone was going to have a problem with her inducting into their merry little band, it would be him.
"Perhaps it would be best-" Xavier started.
"T'was only a little firework display" the mutant in the long coat continued as if there had been no interruption.
"Thanks to you and Jubilee, the entire wreck room is going to need new curtains!" Cyclops burst out.
"Dey were lookin' pretty shabby anyway, yo' ask me" Remy shrugged, glancing casually at his fingernails.
"Gentlemen, please" Xavier sighed.
"We interuptin'?" Logan asked, trying to hide the amusement in his tone.
Three sets of eyes swivelled towards them, and Rogue had to straighten her back to avoid looking intimidated.
The mutant with the floppy hair glanced at her for a moment, his unusual red and black eyes appraising her in a way that made her want to lift her chin in defiance. Before she could comment, his eyes had flicked back to Logan.
"Didn't realise we could bring over special guests" he turned to throw a grin at Cyclops. "Yo' keepin' ol' Remy outta de loop?"
Cyclops' eyes however remained fixed on Rogue.
"I know you" he said finally.
"Yes, Rogue" Xavier said, quickly moving his wheelchair around the desk as though he sensed the danger of the situation. "Do come in."
"Rogue" Cyclops said, as though he was tasting the word in his mouth.
She stepped out from behind Logan and into the room. She expected her guide to leave the room and her to her fate, however he stepped in after her and closed the door with a snap.
Just as Cyclop's face lit up with recognition, "You're Mystique's daughter!"
It sounded like an accusation.
"Technically Ah'm her ex-daughter" Rogue defended herself, suddenly feeling extremely nettled in the middle to the room.
"Disownin' yo' family" said the mutant with the red eyes, tilting his head towards her in recognition. "I applaud yo', chere."
"Can it, Gumbo" Logan said from behind her.
"What a surprise, you two are on her side" Cyclops threw his hands in the air in frustration. "Do you know how many times she's tried to kill me?"
"Ah ain't never met yah before!" Rogue narrowed her eyes at his accusation.
Logan shook his head, "Damn, and I was just warming up to you."
"Perhaps if you three can't find your manners, you should leave" Xavier suggested, surveyed Rogue with his startlingly blue eyes. She didn't know if he was reading her mind, but just looking into those eyes gave her the feeling of being X-Rayed. "How about you take a seat, Rogue?"
He gestured towards the squashy brown sofa in the corner of the room.
As Rogue moved to take a seat, Cyclops practically howled, "You can't be serious, Professor!"
Xavier shot him a look that silenced him, before turning his eyes back to Rogue.
"I see you've already been acquainted with Logan here" Rogue couldn't help but throw him a smile which, to her surprise, he returned it. "This is Remy LeBeau, our in house French expert."
The mutant with the unusual eyes threw her a wink, "Expert at a lot more dan French, mah Cherie."
Rogue rolled her eyes but didn't respond.
"Scott Summers is the one who seems to have forgotten his manners" Xavier continued, "And I am Charles Xavier."
"Ah know who yah are, Professor" Rogue said, waving her hand at the formalities. "Ya'll must know that mah Mama is real interested in ya'll."
"I though she was your ex-mother" Scott said through gritted teeth.
"Are you here as a convoy from Raven?" Xavier asked quietly, completely disregarding Scott's comments.
"Ah ain't seen her in months" Rogue continued dismissively. "Ah came foar yoar help."
"Indeed?" Xavier nodded, his brows furrowing together. "And what might you need my help with?"
"What does that matter?" Scott burst out, seeming to have run to the end of his patience when it came to keeping silent. "You're not actually going to help her, are you?"
"Yo' ever consider anger management, mon ami?" Remy asked, cocking his head in Scott's direction.
"Why wouldn't I help her?" Xavier asked, turning his eyes on the indignant man.
"Do I need to remind you again, how many times she's tried to kill me?"
"I'd say that works more in her favour than yours" Logan smirked.
"You are not helping" Scott glared.
"Why?" Logan asked, raising an eyebrow. "Because I'm not a judgemental asshole like you?"
Rogue couldn't help but laugh.
"If you can't all be silent, then I will have to ask you to leave" Xavier said, his eyes sweeping the room.
The three men fell silent again.
"So, Rogue" Xavier turned back to her, "What is it I can help you with?"
"Don't cha already know?" Rogue asked with a half hearted smile in an attempt to lighten the situation.
"I make a habit of trying not to read a persons mind unless they have given me their express permission."
"Polite."
"Thank you" Xavier nodded, "So?"
Rogue cleared her throat and glanced at the other three people in the room, all of which were staring at her as if she was the most interesting person they had ever seen.
"Well, Ah ain't sure how much ya'll know about mah mutation..."
"Not much, admittedly" Xavier smiled at her in a friendly fashion, "Mystique was rather keen to keep you to herself."
"Don't Ah know it" Rogue muttered, rolling her eyes. "Well it's in mah skin, mah mutation, Ah cain't touch folk."
"What happens if you do?" Logan asked, his brown eyes trained on her.
"Depends how long Ah keep contact" Rogue shrugged, "Mostly they jus' pass out an' wake up with a headache, but Ah could easily put someone in a coma."
"Or kill them?" Scott suggested.
"And you can't control it?" Xavier asked, ignoring Scott again.
Rogue shook her head, "It ain't jus' that" she said quickly, before she was overcome with their pity. "After Ah've touched someone, it's lahke a little copy of them takes residence in mah head, an I copy their mutation for a while."
"For how long?"
"Usually depends how long Ah touch 'em for" Rogue shrugged, "But their voices never go away."
"What do you mean by that?" Xavier looked extremely interested in the situation.
"Well, Mama had me absorb Jon once, jus' tah test meh" Rogue said, knotting her fingers together on her lap. "Ah still get cravin's for a cigarette, an' Ah ain't never smoked."
The Professor nodded, "And it is control you need help with, both in regards to touching, and with these so called voices?"
Before Rogue could answer Scott spoke up again, "And I suppose you're going to give it to her, no questions asked?"
"Why shouldn't he?" Logan raised an eyebrow.
"I'll tell you why" Scott fumed, "Because what's to stop her from swanning straight back to her mother as soon as she's got control?"
"Are yah close with yah parents, Mista Summers?" Rogue asked.
Scott suddenly looked very uncomfortable, "They died in a plane crash when I was young" he said, clearing his throat awkwardly.
"So yah know how it feels tah be adopted?" she continued.
"I was an orphanage until I lost control of my powers" he said, looking straight into her eyes as though their was no one else in the room with them. "Then the Professor took me in."
"Why would he do that?" Rogue asked, her green eyes narrowed. "He musta wanted something from yah?"
"N-No!" Scott said quickly, his eyes darting to the Professor then back to Rogue. "I became the first one of his X-Men, but that was what I wanted."
"Then yah are lucky" Rogue said, standing up so they were on even footing as she glared at him. "Mah Mama wanted one thing from meh, an' it sure weren't a lovin' daughter."
Scott was finally silenced, his cheeks reddening.
"You gonna take that stick out of your butt now?" Logan asked.
"Am I to take that as your approval to Rogue staying with us?" Xavier asked.
Logan shrugged, "Her past don't got nothin' to do with her bein' here."
"An' anyone dat can shut Scott up is good wit' me" Remy winked.
"Good, because I do plan to offer you a room, Rogue" the Professor turned to her. "As for your powers, I will need some time to consider this" he watched her over the top of interlocked fingers. "There are other people I need to take into account."
Rogue glanced at Scott who was still stood looking extremely shell shocked.
"Of course" she said quietly.
"Excellent" the Professor clapped his hands together, "I'll call one of the girls to show you to your room."
Remy stood up and winked at her.
"Welcome t' de X-Men, chere."