Disclaimer: I do not own X-men. This is purely for amusement, and no profit what so ever.
Summary: Rogue meets a woman who is like her, only it seems that she is more put together. However upon a second glance, it's easy to see how she falls apart.
Inspiration: A thought occurred to me. So many other mutants have similar mutations, in fact throughout the film series we catch glimpse of mutants with the same powers. I just thought what would happen if Rogue had someone who had the same powers as her, but had conquered them.
Haphephobia: Is the fear of being touch, or touching someone else. It is an acute exaggeration of the normal tendencies to protect one's personal space, expressed as a fear of contamination or invasion, and extending even to people who its sufferers know well.
Timeline: Set During X-Men: the Movie, mentions of X-men: First Class
Songs that helped inspire me:
"Losing Your Memory" by Ryan Star
"The Void" by Darkness Fall
"Shake It Out" by Florence and the Machine
Haphephobia
By ThroughtheMirrorDarkly
PART ONE OF TWO
"THE CARD"
It was startling.
So startling that it made Rogue's heart stop in her chest. How easily it had went from a quick trip to the mall to it being one of her worst nightmares. A cold sweat broke out along her skin, and she felt fear seep down deep into her bones as she stared down at the hand around her bare wrist, right between her glove and shirt sleeve. Skin against skin, something that hadn't happened in over a year. Something that Rogue had been conditioned to fear because when she touched someone…it all went bad. For normal humans, she drained their life force. For mutants, she temporarily drained their powers. But in the end, Rogue ended up hurting other people.
She held her breath, and waited. Waited for the inevitable reaction, waited for the other woman's face to go pale like death and her to gasp desperately for air.
But it never happened.
The brunette woman with pale green eyes blinked, her brows furrowed as if heavily in thought. Her rosy tint lips were parted in mute surprise before she looked up from where she held onto Rogue's wrist. "That's a shock," she murmured, a faint accent to her words though Rogue couldn't quite make it out. "I hadn't…well, I hadn't ever expected to meet someone like me. Sorry about grabbing you that away, I'm afraid at times I'm rather clumsy. Especially in heels."
Rogue reeled back, pulling her wrist free from the woman. "What do you mean someone like you?" Her southern accent thickened when she was in distress. Her touch hadn't hurt the other woman. Hadn't even phased her, and instead of any amount of relief, Rogue felt panicked. Her heart was thundering in her chest, and she felt her stomach twist into knots.
"A copycat basically," the woman said, simply. "Not the scientific term mind you, but I never really did bother to pay attention to all of that." Casting a wary glance at the bustling crowd around them, she had an uneasy smile on her face. "The mall is probably not the best place to have this conversation. Here," the woman reached into her jacket pocket and Rogue tensed, prepared for an attack. Instead of a weapon, the woman drew out a business card. She held it out to Rogue, and gave her a lopsided smile. "Here's my information. In case, you ever want to talk."
Rogue hesitantly took it.
"I can understand your fear," the woman said, her smile taking on a wistful kind of sadness. "It's understandable. I was like that, too, once." She cleared her throat, and cast a look over Rogue's shoulder. "I think your friends are worried about you."
Rogue blinked, and looked over her shoulder to see Storm standing there with arms folded over her chest, with a watchful eye on them. Rogue drew in a deep breath, feeling more comforted that Storm was watching over her. She turned back only to find that the woman had disappeared into the throng of people as if she hadn't been there at all.
"She said nothing else?"
Rogue was slumped slightly in the cushioned chair, feeling more than a little self conscious sitting in front of the Professor. Jean, Scott, and Storm were all there, too. "Yeah," she nodded, with a slight shrug of her shoulders.
"You're positive?" Scott stated, sharply.
"Ahm positive, alright?" Rogue gave him a look. "That's all she said. She told me that she was just like me then she gave me a business card. Told me that if I ever needed to talk and all that."
"May I see this card?" Professor X asked, quietly.
"Sure," Rogue put up no resistance and she pulled the card out of her pocket. She handed it over the Professor who examined the golden card with keen interest. He stared at the black words printed on the card. It was for a prominent gallery in upstate New York, and the name Nicole Gallagher with a phone number underneath it.
"I don't like this," Scott gave his opinion. "Someone who just happens to have the same powers as Rogue magically shows up at the mall? Doesn't that sound just a little bit too convenient?"
"Stranger things have happened," Jean mused.
"Not like this," Storm shook her head. "I agree with Scott on this. I think something is not quite right with this whole scenario. How certain are we that Magneto is truly out of the picture?"
Rogue felt a jolt of fear rush down her spine, and her eyes went wide. She had not forgotten everything that happened. That she had almost died for that man's machinations and had almost taken Logan with her…it would haunt her for a long time to come.
"This was no work of Magneto," Professor X said, ending the argument. There was a strange expression on the Professor X's face, as if he was confront with a ghost that he hadn't expected to find. "No. I do not believe that this work of someone with ill intentions at all. Tell me, Rogue…can you remember the woman's face?"
"I…" Rogue frowned because in all honesty she could not remember the woman's face. "No. It's all a blur. Like a far off dream," she murmured, with a deep frown.
"Just as I suspected. She did not want you to remember," Professor X stated, setting the card on his desk with the utmost care. "She was always so careful like that."
"Professor?" Jean looked startled. "Are you telling me…you know this woman?"
"I believe I do," Professor X nodded. "It has been many of years since we have spoken, but I would still call her friend if she so wished it. In fact, if I had known how to contact her when you first arrived to this school, Rogue, I would have. There is no one else in the world that can understand your mutation better than she."
Rogue felt a little flummoxed. She had pulled away from nearly everyone in this school, save for a hand full of people. She had drifted into isolation resigned to the fact that she would never learn to control her abilities and suddenly Professor X was telling her that was not the truth? "Why…why did you not say anything about her before?" Rogue couldn't help, but to ask.
"Because…some things are too painful to remember," Professor X admitted, with a heavy sigh. "And she is one of those things."
"Hold on a second," Scott pinched the bridge of his nose. "How do we really know this woman can be trusted? I don't mean to question your word Professor, but people do change. If you haven't seen this woman in years, who is to say that she hasn't?"
"Perhaps she has. Perhaps she hasn't," Professor X commented, quietly. "There is no real way of knowing. Not really. But I have faith that she is still the same Nicole that I knew long ago."
Rogue stared at the Professor and noted there was a hint of sadness on his face. Like they had just stumbled upon an old wound that hadn't ever quite healed, then a split second later the Professor wore a smile. "If that is all," he stated, and one by one with Rogue being the last, they exited his office leaving the Professor stew in his thoughts.
Professor X moved over to the window, and stared out at the clear blue sky thoughtfully. Why now? Why did you choose now to reappear, Nicole? Was it an accident…or is there something more you are after? He thought, half tempted to reach out through that old bond he shared with her. One he hadn't used in so long for he had given up on every reaching her. In the end, he didn't. Instead, he sat there lost in thoughts of the past and the many regrets that were there.
END OF CHAPTER!
I finally got around to watching X-Men: Days of Future Past, and I rewatched X-Men: First Class when this plot bunny hit me.
Rrs are appreciated.