Disclaimer: I don't Marvel characters and comics history.
Summary: AU (kind of). The mansion is not a school but a multi-issue rehabilitation center. All the students are patients with multiple issues. Rogue's a drug attic, Remy is an alcoholic, Kitty is bulimic, and Jean pops sleep pills. Still mutants. ROMY and others.
Xavier Rehabilitation Center for Gifted Youngsters
Chapter 1: A Rogue's Tale
Rogue Darkholme looked out the car window of the passenger seat into the moving scenery. All she saw was suburbia. There was grass, trees, flowers, everything was so damn green. All the houses had nicely cut lawns, with nicely paved driveways, and certain peacefulness that made Rogue want to puke. It was nothing like the city she had gotten used to for three years. She had lived in the south for most of her childhood with her Aunt Irene. Her mother was too busy to take care of two children at the time. Sure the south was fine when Rogue was a kid but as the years passed the little country town of Caldecott County, Mississippi became exceedingly boring. Nothing to do, nowhere to go, just plain dull. Then her mom had some sort of maternal revelation and came back to whisk her plus her older brother to the wonderful land called New York City.
She had just turned thirteen when she arrived to Manhattan for the first time. She quickly fell in love with the busy life of the city. What was even better was the fact that she had friends. There were so many weird people in the city that being a mutant was normal. Rogue loved the smog, the loud traffic sounding daily through her bedroom window, the dirty subway that could take her anywhere she needed to go, the abandon warehouses where sometimes she and her friends got fixes, the endless supply of drugs, but most of all she loved the freedom. Raven Darkholme was nowhere near a motherly figure and Rogue could careless. She went anywhere she wanted and came home (if she did) anytime she wanted. She never had that kind of freedom when Irene was breathing down her back all the time. She hadn't looked back at the suburbs since. It's not that Rogue hated the blind lady but more around the lines of hating life there in general. She also hated certain people there. The people there were cruel to her especially due to the fact that she was a mutant. No one was as cruel as Cody Robins. Just thinking about his name made her skin crawl. Her brother had different feelings about NYC. He hated being there just because it was too crowded for him. After a month Kurt went to live with his father in Germany leaving Rogue behind.
Rogue shifted in her seat to return feeling into her leg. She rubbed her sweaty palms on her black jeans and sighed with agitation. For some odd reason her mother decided not to turn the air conditioning on in the car which was odd since it was mid June. Her black converses seem to weigh a ton on her feet in the heat so she kicked them off and sighed again. Raven eyed this but didn't say a word. Rogue shifted again and moved the white long bangs behind her ears. She was annoyed that her bangs were long and in her face but two short to accompany her long red hair in its loose ponytail. She wasn't used to sitting in a car for so long. She'd been in the car for at least two hours but it seemed like a century.
"You shouldn't wear all black in the middle of summer." Raven finally said after two hours of driving in silence. Rogue just shrugged out of irritation. She hated the fact that her mom made her go on this useless car ride. Getting expelled from school for drug possession calls for punishment but this was just cruel. It wasn't even her heroin. Sure she was going to buy it later that day but it really wasn't hers. She was just holding it for her friend… at the time. When she figured out whoever it was that snitched on her there will be hell to pay.
It was funny when her mom had found out, though. Rogue had passed out after a fix in the morning and got lazy with the needle. Raven came home early from work and found it along with a lot of other things Rogue didn't want Raven to see. That got Raven fired up and she started flipping out like crazy. Of course this led to the question of why she wasn't in school in the first place. Rogue told her about the expulsion and Raven flipped out even more. The next day for some reason her mom wanted to visit a colleague in the boonies and had forced Rogue to come. Now she was sitting in the car wishing she hadn't been so lazy with the stupid needle. Unfortunately, it wasn't the first time that Raven caught her with drugs. There was that time when she was fourteen and Raven found a joint in her laundry. Then, there was the other time when Raven found a couple brown bags in Rogue's dresser. There was also the time Raven had been called to the hospital because Rogue overdosed on cocaine while at a party. The list goes on and on. Of course, Rogue promised to quit each time it happened. Raven didn't do anything and Rogue never kept her promise. For some reason Raven decided now was a good time to do something about Rogue's drug addiction. But a forced road trip? What was she going to do? Drive her to death?
Rogue finally turned away from the open car window and looked at her mother, "Raven, its hot! Can yah at least turn the air on?" Rogue finally asked out of agitation.
"No." Raven answered simply.
"Great. Ah will just sweat tah death." Rogue replied heatedly wiping her brow.
"A little heat won't kill you."
"Where are weh?" Her mom usually was the talkative type, well to Rogue the nagging type. But for some reason she was quiet. Too quiet.
"We are in Bayville, New York."
"Why in the world would yah want tah visit a colleague all the way out here?" Rogue whined. She hated car rides. She hated the suburbs. She hated being hot. But most of all she hated her mom for making her go on this useless journey.
"Because he's an old friend and he helped me a long time ago when I needed it the most." Raven answered.
"That's good for yah." Rogue said sarcastically. "But why yah had tah drag meh along?"
Raven sighed before answering, "Because I can't trust you alone and you know why."
Rogue rolled her eyes and answered bitterly, "How could yah? Yah don't even know meh."
Raven eyes flashed with anger. She hated when Rogue accused her of slacking as mother. She knew she wasn't there for her most of her life but she had been trying to make up for that. "Rogue, don't turn this on me. You fucked up. Don't expect me to trust you after you messed up… more than once."
"Ah didn't mess up. Lahke Ah said. It ain't mah drugs. It was Shelly's. It's not mah fault Principle 'Stick up the Ass' wouldn't listen tah meh!" Rogue shouted.
"Anna, when are you going to start taking responsibility for your own actions!" Raven yelled back.
"Ah told yah nevah tah call meh Anna, again! That is not mah name, anymore. It's Rogue! That name disgusts meh and Ah don't want any parts of it." Rogue lashed out.
"I am your mother! I can call you any name I damn well please." Raven said through gritted teeth.
Rogue snorted, "It's funny how yah keep calling yerself that. To meh yer everything but!"
"How long are you going to keep throwing the past in my face?"
"How long are yah going to keep thinking yah have any say in mah life?"
Raven had her last straw. She suddenly swerved to the side of the road and hit the breaks hard bringing the car to a screeching stop. She turned angrily to Rogue, "I know I fucked up when you were younger but I came back and I tried to fix our relationship –"
"Some job yah did…"
"I am talking right now and don't you dare interrupt me!" Raven snapped. Rogue rolled her eyes and folded her arms over her chest while Raven continued. "Now, I don't know what's gotten into you that you think you have to drown yourself in drugs but I got news for you young lady. You are not going to throw your life away if I have anything to say about it."
"Lahke Ah said! Yah don't have a say in mah life!"
"I don't give a damn what you think, Anna. You lost all your privileges to even consider arguing with me. Just remember, this time you fucked up not me. And I do have a say in your life whether you believe it or not."
"Whatevah, just hurry up and get there. The sooner Ah can get out of this car the bettah." Rogue spat before turning to the window again. That was the end of that conversation. Raven sighed and began to drive toward her destination. She had to get Rogue help before she ruined her life. She knew Rogue wouldn't go if Raven told her the truth of where they were actually going so she had to lie. If anything this will ruin the ties that Raven had tried to salvage with her daughter. She just hoped Rogue would understand why she did this and forgive her.
Raven drove up to the gates of Xavier Rehabilitation Center for Gifted Youngsters. The mansion looked the same way she remembered it. The gravel driveway winded through the spacious front yard up to the front porch of the mansion. Raven looked down at Rogue and was relieved to find her sleeping. She knew all hell was going to break loose right then and there if Rogue read the welcome sign at the front grate. If that did happen Rogue would have jumped out of the car. Raven wanted to get Rogue close enough, preferably inside the mansion, so that she didn't have a chance to get away. Raven frowned at thought of what was going to happen. It wasn't going to be easy but Xavier convinced her it was the right thing. She wished it hadn't come to this. Her little girl that was always happy had turned into an angry dark person overnight. Rogue was on a fast track to destruction and Raven never paid attention. It wasn't until Rogue overdosed that Raven even knew her daughter had a problem. She thought Rogue had learned from the experience but she hadn't and now Raven was forced to do what she should have done a long time ago. Of course to Rogue there was no problem which made the situation even more difficult.
Raven sighed and looked at Rogue's sleeping form. "I'm sorry Anna, I hope you forgive me but I don't want to lose you." Raven whispered. The gates opened and Raven drove up to the front porch. As she pulled up she saw Charles Xavier sitting in a wheel chair. The elderly man sported a business suit and bald head. Next to him was a man Raven knew all to well. He was short gruff man with bushy hair and an intimidating exterior. Raven had worked along side Logan many years back and well, let's just say that Raven has a secret she hasn't told Logan. Or Rogue for that matter.
Raven leaned over and gently shook Rogue's shoulder to awaken her. Rogue popped her green eyes open and took in a deep breath while stretching. She was surprised that she fell asleep in such a hot car. She looked out the window and peered at the two people standing at the front door. She definitely had never seen them before and found it weird that two elderly men would be leaving in a mansion. Her mother had some interesting colleagues.
"Let's go." Raven said opening the car door to her side. Rogue reluctantly obliged and followed her mother up the stairs of the porch to meet the people waiting at the door.
"It's a pleasure to see you again, Raven." Xavier greeted when the females reached them.
"It's good to see you too, Charles." Raven smiled lightly leaning over to hug him.
"Raven." Logan grunted not happy to see the woman in the least bit.
"Logan." Raven replied curtly. Rogue looked back and forth between the two. She almost wanted to laugh feeling the tension between them. Apparently, there was someone who disliked Raven Darkholme almost as much as she did.
"This must be Anna." Xavier replied grabbing Rogue's attention.
"The name's Rogue. Anna doesn't exist" Rogue replied rudely. Raven gave her a disapproving look that Rogue readily ignored.
"I see. Well, Rogue, would you like to bring your bags inside?" Xavier asked noticing she had no bags in hand. Raven turned white. 'Oh God! Here it comes.'
"Bags? Ah ain't bring no bags. Why is he asking for bags, Raven!" Rogue questioned suspiciously.
Xavier quickly turned back to Raven, "Did you tell her?"
"Tell meh what?" Rogue's voice was growing dangerously with anger.
Raven shook her head ignoring Rogue, "I couldn't. She wouldn't have come if I told her."
"Raven, what's going on!" Rogue demanded.
"Why don't we go inside, kid?" Logan took a hold of Rogue's arm only to have jerk away from his grip.
"Ah am not a kid! Somebody start explaining tah meh what's going on, rahght now!" Rogue screamed.
"Rogue, I am Charles Xavier. Founder of the Xavier Rehabilitaion Cen–" Xavier began only to be cut short by a screaming Rogue.
"Rehab! Yer putting meh intah rehab!" Rogue's eyes widen with anger and fright. "How dare yah!"
"Rogue, you need help!" Raven pleaded. She tried to reach out for her but Rogue jumped out her reach.
'Yah sneaky bitch!" Rogue snapped. She couldn't believe that Raven would enlist her into a rehab center. She wasn't that bad off. She didn't even do that much of drugs and she could stop whenever she wanted. This was outrageous that Raven would even consider putting her in a place filled with junkies and lunatics. "Can't Ah decline this? Don't Ah get a say in any of it?" Rogue looked from Logan to Xavier.
"I'm sorry Rogue but you're only sixteen. You're still a minor and if your legal guardian consents there is nothing you can do about it." Xavier explained.
"Fahne! What is it? Two days to get clean. Ah can do that and then Ah'm out of this joint, rahght? Rogue asked frantically. No one dared answer, "RAHGHT!"
"Apparently, your darling mother didn't explain to you what kind of program we do here at the rehabilitation center." Logan said lowly glaring at Raven.
Raven exhaled deeply, "It's a two year program. You will be here until you're eighteen."
"Yah have got to be joking meh!" Rogue screamed.
"No, Anna, I'm not kidding! You need help. More than I can give you."
Rogue felt tears well up in her eyes. "Yer gonna make meh leave mah home and mah friends tah be in some stupid rehab clinic with a bunch of lunatics! Over mah dead body!"
"Anna!" Raven cried sharply.
Logan frowned at the scene and talked into his communicator, "We have a Code Sixty-six." He knew exactly what was going to happen. Every person who came here unwillingly needed a Code 66 to be called.
"On my way." The voice responded.
"Ah can't believe this. Yer getting rid of meh, again!" Rogue accused.
"I'm not! I'm trying to help you the best way I know how." Raven replied.
"Bullshit! Yah just don't want to deal with meh anymore. Was Ah too much for yah, Raven?"
"No, you weren't. But when I saw you in that hospital bed I thought I lost you! I don't want to lose you, Anna. I can't see you destroy yourself." Raven asserted feeling the tears sting her own eyes.
"Lahke yah care what happens to meh!"
"I do care, Anna."
"Then, let's go back home. Ah promise Ah will quit heroin. Ah will go cold turkey from now on. Just don't leave me here." Rogue's green eyes were pleading with Raven.
"You're promises are empty, Anna. I can't trust you to stop on your own. You need professional help that I can't give." Raven said quietly.
Rogue subtle pleading eyes were quickly replaced once again with anger. "Ah hate yah! And Ah'm getting the hell out of here." Rogue made a dash for the car only to have strong hands grab both her arms. "Let meh go!" Rogue screamed. She tried to wiggle free but the person's hands were too strong and she was dragged unwillingly toward the inside of the mansion.
"Take her to an empty room, Piotr." Logan ordered.
"Yes sir. It would be much easier if you cooperate, small one." Piotr grunted.
"Fuck yah!" Rogue cried. She then turned to Raven with angry tears streaming down her face. "Fuck yah, Raven! Ah never want tah see yah again. Yah threw meh away for the last tahme!" Rogue screeched before the door was clothes.
Raven's heart sank with her last statement. Her daughter hated her. "This was harder than I thought."
Xavier sighed. "These things can be difficult. But you did the best thing for her. She will get the physical and mental help she needs here and in time she will heal."
Raven nodded solemnly, "I know. I will go get her bags from in the car." Raven hurriedly went down to her car to get Rogue's bags out of the trunk.
"She's going to a handful chuck. I can smell it. Any girl who would rather be called Rogue is nothing but trouble." Logan growled.
"I sense that. That's why you are in charge of her." Xavier responed.
Logan snorted. "Chuck, you know I don't get to close to those kids. That's Ro's and Cyke's job."
"There are new students coming in tomorrow. Ororo and Scott will have their hands full. Besides, you might relate to her more than you think. Any guy who would rather be called Wolverine is also some signs for trouble."
"Fine, chuck but if she gets unbearable with those girly emotions I'm handing her over to someone else."
"Very well." Xavier nodded.
Raven came up to them carrying two duffle bags and a picture frame. "Here's her stuff. This is a picture of her brother she always keeps by her bed. Oh, and this bag has some of her favorite foods she likes to eat." Raven handed the stuff to Logan.
"If the kid didn't know she was on her way here how did you pack her stuff?" Logan raised an eyebrow.
"Rogue was too high to realize anything going in the house." Raven explained. Logan grunted and then he stalked into the mansion.
"Please, Xavier, take good care of my baby." Raven said sadly.
"We will, Raven."
"When can I see her?"
"You can't visit until next week. She will not be fully adjusted until then."
"Alright then. I will be back next week." Raven walked down toward her car. Tears sprang from her eyes.
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