Who We Are On The Inside

'...' - Thoughts

Italics - Psyches

Pretty obvious I own nothing.

xXx

Chapter 1

Remember Me.

Marie hated this day. Oh, don't get me wrong. It was, in fact, a beautiful day, a perfect day even. The most perfect day for a wedding. Bright blue skies with only the whitest wisps of clouds. Warm and soft winds, you know the kind only seen in the old movies where the actor and actress are in a convertible with their perfect hair blowing in all the right directions. Yup, it was that kind of day. Actually the perfect picturesque convertible couple was in front of her and it was them that made her hate this day.

The perfect couple with perfect wedding with perfect clothes and perfect settings. Especially her, always her. Her with the perfect hair, that perfect red freaking hair. The hair so beloved by him.

'Now Ah feel guilty. It ain't her fault. Ah should feel happy for them'

Remember Me.

And she did feel happy for them. It was kind of hard not to. Just looking at them made it seem like love was not just an emotion but an actual substance that you can taste, see, smell-

'But not touch. Never touch. Not when you have poisonous skin. Poisonous life sucking skin'

Remember Me. Please.

'There Ah go again. It's a perfect day. Ah should be enjoying mahself. Ah should eat the delicious food, which was also perfect, try sneaking a champagne, dance with Kitty and Jubilee.

But no. Instead what am Ah doing - sulking. Standing in a corner all alone and sulking.

Why? Because the man Ah love-

Or think you love.

- is brooding in another corner. Now as to why is he brooding? Not that it shocks anyone because he always kinda broods. God even while brooding he is sexy.'

He really is not that sexy. Control yourself girl or better yet, for the love of sweet lord in heaven REMEMBER ME!

'He is brooding because today, the most perfect of all the perfect days, is her weeding day. That's right boys and girls, today Jean 'the Perfect' Grey will become Jean Grey-Summers. Hence the brooding in the corner and sad to say the sulking in another corner.

'God Ah'm hopeless.'

Well at least you realize that. First step for solving a problem is that you acknowledge the problem. Want to know the next step - Remember Me.

A noise disrupted the cloud of self-despair roaming over Marie's head. So she turned around to see who would dare bring her back from her chasm of dark death and misery.

'OK. Perhaps this is not sulking, rather Ah'm depressed'

No, you are being pathetic not to mention stubborn. Why won't you remember me?

The source of the noise was Ororo, the maid of honor, who looked she like was one second away from murdering someone. Well truth be told she had been like that for the past three months, ever since Scott and Jean finally decided to put the ball and chain on each other. The very night Marie almost died the damn 300 feet Statue. Something about being surrounded by death and destruction, not to mention saving the world from a megalomaniac magnetic mutant, made one realize that they wanted a white picket fence, 2.5 kids and a dog. The blushing couple wanted to get married the very next day but Ororo put her foot down and said that her friends had a fairytale love and they deserved a fairytale wedding. She was so adamant on this that she took all the responsibilities for the entire thing on herself.

And boy have the last three months been fun. Not. Everywhere you go, everyone you talk to it is always about the wedding this and wedding that. Thus the perpetual murderous aura. And the brooding and sulking in the different corners of the mansion. Marie didn't know whom to feel more sorry for - the sulker, the brooder or the wedding planner.

Because even through her one-woman self-pity party Marie could see that Ororo was about to lose it. No doubt she would get her payback when Jean has to plan her wedding four months from now. If the fiancé survives that is. As it was her fiancé, the good old Dr. Henry McCoy, who was trying to placate the murderous weather goddess right now.

Manners dictated that if she was going to eavesdrop, then she might as well contribute to the conversation. So Marie left her sulking spot and walked over to the couple. Mostly because the blue doctor looked so lost.

"Hey guys."

"Ah Rogue, how nice of you to join us" said Hank. But somehow Marie knew that words couldn't even begin to express how glad he was of some additional help.

Hank's words momentarily distracted Storm, who was becoming befitting to her name with every passing minute, from her angry rant to notice Marie in front of her.

"You look lovely child." At the compliment Marie looked down at her attire. She was wearing a simple sundress with half sleeves and of course the ever present scarf and opera length gloves and stockings. "At least some people made an effort for today, unlike others I could name."

"Yeah, no one makes gloves fashionable like Ah do. So, what's wrong? Anything Ah could do to help?"

"Oh something is most definitely wrong. The best man, Scott's darling baby brother missed his flight." roared Storm with elaborate hand gestures of same intensity. "I told that irresponsible idiot to come at least a week in advance. But does he? Nooooooo. Mr. Hawaii Hot Shot books his flight on the day of the wedding and then misses it. Oh dear goddess, how could he?"

Marie couldn't help but feel a little smug. Ms. Perfect's perfect wedding had a glitch. Hee hee.

As soon as the thought formed in her head she turned cold with dread.

'Why am Ah thinking like that? Ah'm not that type of person'

"I did everything. And I mean everything to make sure this wedding will be a success"

How can you be so sure that you aren't a bitch after all? You don't' even remember me

"And no one is denying that my love. You truly have done a fantastic job on this wedding."

'Stop saying that. Ah'm not a bitch. You're a bitch'

"I did the sitting arrangements, foods, clothes, shopping, and guests' invitations. Everything. All he had to do was show up and he failed to do that even, the most simplest of all the tasks to do at a wedding. Show up."

Finally after an entire week of ignoring me, you answered back. OK, baby steps. Marie, listen to me very carefully you have to remember me and to remember me you have to accept me. It is very important that you do that. Remember ME. Please.

"Oh my stars and garters, you can't blame yourself for Alex's carelessness."

'No! You just want to take over. You are just another one of the psyches in mah head. Oh why do keep coming back. Professor taught me to built mental blocks. So why do keep coming back? Please go away'

"How can I not blame myself, Hank? I knew he would screw up. He calls me and tells me he can't make it to the wedding because he overslept, but will catch the later flight and come to the reception. Let him come I will fry him."

Marie, do Ah feel like another psyche in your head. Or do Ah feel like Ah belong with you. That mah presence is not like the others in your head, not something foreign but something completely different from foreign.

"Hey guys, why are all of you huddled together?" asked the groom, who had just walked upto the trio. He was dressed to the nines in his tux with a deep ruby red tie around his neck, which matched his glasses and of course his lady love's hair.

'But who are you? You seem familiar and it feels like Ah can trust you. Why is that?'

"Oh Scott, you look great. We were discussing your brother." said Hank.

"Yes, your darling little baby brother, whom I'm going to use as a lightening pole. If he shows up that is."

"Oh" was the only response from the fearless leader and even though nearly half of his face was hidden by the glasses, it was clear that he was quite befuddled.

Ah want to tell you everything Marie. But it will just put your entire system in shock. Ah blame my less than desirable oratory skills for that. No matter how many times Ah try Ah just can't find a way to tell you things without shocking you. Shocking you any less that is.

"Let me clarify. Alex missed his flight because-

"He overslept. OVERSLEPT. That's exactly what he told me. I have been working my ass off for the last three months on this wedding day in and day out and he overslept." The last word came out as a hiss.

'You're just making me confused.'

"I truly apologize on behalf of my brother." Scott thought that was the appropriate response as the African beauty was practically panting from anger. "But no harm done-

"No harm done. I have this day planned and accounted for to the last second and you are telling me that a missing best man is no harm done." said Storm all the while taking one menacing step after another towards the groom.

Ah know. But you have to trust me. Or else.

"Ro, please calm down. I don't want to die on my wedding day. What I had meant to say earlier was that the groom and the bride are there... an- and and you of course the maid of honor, the wedding still continues as it is. We just ask someone else to become best man... like Hank. Please Hank become my best man and save us from this disaster. I should have asked you in the first place but you know family comes first."

'Or else what? What will happen if Ah don't accept you'

"See, my love. Problem solved. The day continues as it is with me as the best man. Please calm down now."

"Oh thank the goddess. It is a brilliant idea. Well that's settled. You guys go and take your places and tell everyone we will start in an hour. I will go check on Jean." After saying that and calming down quite visibly, the weather goddess simply walked inside the mansion.

Or else you will lose the most precious person in your life

Both men took a sigh of relief at the sight of her retreating back. They were about to walk away when that noticed that their young student had been silent the entire time.

"Rogue, are you alright?"

Startled she quickly replied back, "Of course Scott. Ah'm completely fine. Ah just couldn't get a word in between Storm's rants on murdering your brother." She composed herself, while giving a nervous giggle.

"Ah, why yes my dear, there is nothing to be shy about. I love Ro to the bottom of my heart but even I can't help but be a little frightened when she becomes so ...um passionate."

"Nicely put, Beast. Now let's hurry up with her Ororoness's order before she comes back. This is my wedding not my funeral."

With this the three walked towards the open space the wedding was to take place.

xXx

And the day finally ended. The wedding went without a hitch. Ororo truly had planned the day to the last detail because it was perfect. With copious amount of brooding and sulking in different corners of course.

That is until the original best man finally showed up. And no the commotion was not Ororo trying to sacrifice Alex's head to the goddesses, as by this time Hank had put one too many drinks in her system for her to do the cumbersome task of murdering someone.

Alex Summers had started mingling in the crowd and enjoying glass after glass of strong liquor, when suddenly he got a blast from the past.

'Impossible. She can't be here. Why is she here?'

He was soon walking towards her to solve the mystery. But as he edged closer she wasn't there.

'Strange. Did I imagine her? No, I'm pretty sure I truly saw her. What is she doing here?'

Again he caught her glimpse. And again he rushed towards her, trying to catch her before she disappeared again.

"MARIE"

The shout was heard across the dance floor, where the newly married couple was swaying together, oblivious to the world. But the sudden shout halted not only them but also everyone present, despite being in various states of intoxication.

But the most shocked was perhaps, the Wolverine, who was still brooding in the corner with whiskey this time. See, it wasn't just the suddenness or the loudness that brought him out of this stupor but it was the name. Her name. The name that only he knew about. The name formed a bond between them, which goes beyond friendship. And he took that name. Not only did he know about the name, but was also moving steadily towards her. Something primal awakened in Logan at the sight of him being familiar to her. He slowly stalked towards him, like a predator ready to strike, to protect.

He had come close to him, who had come close to her. Even he hadn't been close to her, he would have heard her say those words with his advanced senses.

Alex.

"Alex." came out like a haunted whisper.

It was that whisper that stopped Wolverine in his tracks.

"So you do remember me. God it's been years since I saw you last. You still look great. Anyway what are you doing here? I never thought the X-Men were your scene though."

Alex's words confused Logan. How did this guy know Marie? And what did he mean 'years'? Did he meet her in Mississippi?

The entire wedding party was looking at Rogue and Alex. Just like Logan, they too were curious about the relationship between the two. And just when they thought things couldn't get weirder, the shy and quiet Southern belle jumped into Alex's arms and kissed him. Cyclops starting running towards his brother to stop him getting the life sucked from his body but soon stopped.

People didn't know what amazed them more. Rogue kissing a guy or Rogue kissing a guy and not draining him dry. Logan's jaw was hanging down near his stomach. After a few awkward moments Rogue finally let go of the now smirking Alex.

Finally, you remember me. Remember us. Remember yourself.

"I remember."

After saying those words Marie hugged herself as if in pain. And, yes it was pain. Her screams put the ones on the Statue to shame.

Pure agony, that Logan could smell coming off of his Marie. After the night on the Statue, he swore to himself that she would never be in pain ever again. And yet here he was, in front of her, helpless. Clueless. Hopeless. What could the animal with claws do to relieve pain?

The Professor, who too had been watching the event unfolding in front of him in shock, rushed to Rogue's side. Before he could get his fingers around her forehead to understand what was wrong, Rogue collapsed on the floor from exhaustion.

For a moment no one moved, too stunned.

Professor composed himself and turned towards Hank and said, "I don't know what is wrong with her, but we need to get her to med lab quick."

Hank had started to approach the unconscious young brunette and carried her towards the mansion, followed by Jean and Ororo. When they had finally disappeared inside the mansion the Wolverine turned towards Alex, who was just as confused.

"You have exactly one minute to explain what you did to her, bub." said Logan after he grabbed Alex's collar.

"Logan" shouted both the Professor and Scott, clearly alarmed by the feral's anger. Although the Professor being Professor added a please.

"Don't. You all saw what he did. One minute the kid is fine and the next she is screaming in pain like she was in buckethead's machine again. Something happened to her and I bet he has something to do with it. Now who are you and what did you do to Rogue?"

"He is my brother Logan. Let him go now. I don't know what happened to Rogue either but Alex is not responsible. Let him go" All the while moving his hands towards his glasses, if need be he was ready to shoot the feral down to protect his brother, no matter how careless.

"Why are you using Marie's codename?" came the young Summers' reply.

Bad move.

Again hearing that name just angered the Wolverine more.

"How the hell do you know her name? Who are you working for?" asked Logan, this time claws came out as well.

"Logan" again shouted the Professor and Scott. Only this time the telepath did not add the please. Scott had had enough. He grabbed Logan's hand and tried to set his brother free, but Logan wouldn't let go. In their struggle the three of them fell on the floor. Or more appropriately Scott and Logan fell on Alex. If having two large and muscular adult males landing on top of you wasn't enough, imagine one of the adults having an adamantium skeleton. When the two X-Men finally got up while being chastised by the Professor, they found that the young blonde had rightfully fainted.

"Great. Now who will give the juicy gossip?"

The complain had come from the mansion's resident gossip queen, Jubilee. When she saw the disappointing looks from the people around her, she said, "Oh, come on. Like none of you want to know what that was all about. I mean, why does he know Rogue, why did she kiss him, how does he know her name, and most importantly why wasn't he drained?"

Clearly everyone was curious about the events of the night as they continued their quite contemplation.

"They must have been quite close if she practically jumped in his arms and kissed him" said Kitty.

"Shut Up!" growled Logan, which sent the teenager whimpering behind Rogue's so-called boyfriend, Bobby.

"Shouting at the students will not help us. Clearly the night has ended, so all of you must retire now." Slowly the Student body and the other wedding guests left, leaving the Professor alone with Scott, Logan and of course the unconscious Alex.

"Scott, please take Alex to the med lab." sounding very tired all of a sudden. The new husband picked up his brother headed towards the mansion. "We should go as well, Logan. I know you want answers and believe me so do I. But there is nothing we can do other than wait for those two to wake up."

"What happened to the kid?"

"I don't know. I suspect some of her mental blocks being ruptured but I didn't sense another telepath's presence."

"How could her blocks just fail? She is supposed to be full control right?"

"Rogue has shown remarkable mental strength, the strongest I have seen from someone who is not a telepath. The speed with which she learned to form the blocks amazed me, it was almost as if she has done that many times before. But it was as if she had forgotten."

"So you think in the past Ma-.. Rogue learned all of that but forgot. After kissing the blondie she said that she remembered, do you think something happened to her and someone erased her memory?" This angered Logan more than anything. He knew exactly well what it means to not remember. But what worried him more was the possibility that his Marie might have been experimented on. Scientists would have done their little projects on her and then easily erased her memories. He was the living proof of the inhumane and screwed up side of humanity. He was angry at himself too. Why didn't he ask her more about herself when she got inside his camper, sure they were attacked by Sabertooth but still he could have tried to get in a word edgeways. He felt even more miserable when he realized that he didn't really pay attention to her in the last three months while he was at the mansion. Rather he spent his time brooding over Red. Logan was so busy with his guilt trip that he didn't even notice that they had reached the med lab.

"Let's go in. I'll try reading her mind and find if she has in fact broken any of her blocks. I'm afraid the psyches of you and Magneto can do much damage to her mind."

Logan just grunted and followed behind the Professor and closed the door behind him.

xXx

"What the hell do you mean you can't enter her mind? Aren't you supposed to be the strongest telepath in the world?" growled Logan as he continued to pace the Professor's office, quite endangering the expensive antiques in it.

"Logan, please calm down" said the Professor, who was the perfect picture of tranquility. "The mind is a complicated entity, not a box that one can open and close at will. And Rogue's mind is even more unique, with the added presence of the different psyches that were absorbed by her. I suspect that her mental blocks were damaged and her brain has entered a default defensive mode. As soon as I tried to enter her mind to calm her she attacked me."

"It is quite natural. Her brain must have developed some methods to deal with all the foreign elements inside of her. Fascinating. I would love to do some tests on her when she wakes up.

"You ain't doing anything to her, furball"

"Stop growling at the Professor and Hank, Logan. They are just trying to help." said Scott. "Anyways Hank is right to try to understand Rogue's condition, the more we know about her mind the more capable we are in helping her."

The X-Men had gathered in the Professor's office to trying to discuss the events of the night, while the only two people who could give them any answer were still unconscious in the med lab below. Trying being the keyword, as any suggestion made by them had to come face to face with a very growly Wolverine.

Suddenly their talks were interrupted, when Hank's and Jean's (who was still in her wedding dress) pagers went off collectively. For a moment everyone was quiet because they knew what the melodies meant. They were awake.

Soon everyone rushed out of the office and headed towards the elevators. The lingering students in the hallway described the scene as kids running when the recess bell rang.

When they finally reached the med lab their eyes became as big as saucers. Not because both Rogue and Alex were awake, but because of what they were doing in their recently awakened state, that shocked them. As Rogue was with Alex in his bed and kissing him. Again.

"What the hell is this?" asked a very confused and pissed Wolverine.

"Thanking him, sugah. Not to mention getting reacquainted."

"Thanking him for what, child?" asked a still wide-eyed Storm.

"For making mah 16 years old self remember me." Rogue starting talking while disengaging herself from the young man and standing up. "You have no idea how stubborn Ah am. An entire week Ah tried to open her up, but she kept blocking me. Well Ah could have forced her to surrender control, but Ah was worried Ah would put the body in shock, so Ah decided to take it slow. But it turns out that Ah had nothing to worry about cause even after seeing Alex so unexpectedly didn't do any damage. And Ah'm back."

Alex, who was adjusting his clothes and standing on the other side off the bed, noticeably away from Logan, started laughing. The X-Men had no idea what was going on. Why was Alex laughing and why was Rouge...saying whatever the hell she was saying? Arguing with her 16 years old self? Oh yes, and touch. How was she able to touch?

"Oh Marie, life is always interesting with you. Only you can say those stuff and still sound sane."

"Thanks, Alex. No, Ah mean really thanks. You saved me so much time by forcing mahself to remember. Cause now Ah can start looking for him."

"Him?" Logan said after finally rediscovering the ability to talk. "Who's 'him'? And more importantly how do you know One-Eye' brother?"

"Ah met him a few years ago."

"In Mississippi?"

"Yes, Logan. In Mississippi." came the sarcastic reply from Marie.

"Dammit Marie. Just give me a straight answer. What the hell is going on?"

"Let me tell you tell a story. Once upon a-"

"What the fuck, Marie? I told you to tell me what's going on and you decide to tell a story."

"Ah am telling you what's going on." All the while taking one menacing step after another towards Logan. And then as soon as the glare had come it was gone, which was replaced by a mischievous grin. "In the form of a story.

"Now no interruptions, from anyone. Once upon a time, there was a 16 years old girl in Mississippi, who was very normal. But one day, when she was having her very first kiss her mutation manifested. Her mutation was absorption and a strong one too. In a few seconds the girl knew everything about the boy, even more than his mother. She knew every thought, every emotion, every memory that he had and even the ones he forgot. She stopped just a little before she killed him completely, but it was still enough to send him in a coma for three weeks.

"After that she ran away. It was the South after all. You didn't have the luxury to be different. She wanted to go all the way to Alaska. Always had been her dream. Of course she wanted to go with her friends and with much more comfortable travelling arrangements and not as a lone hungry hitchhiker. But that was one of her first lessons, mutants don't have friends and people you meet on the road are very grabby."

No one knew where she was going with this. Except Alex, which did not comfort the Wolverine at all.

"That's why she was happy to have her own personal electric fence around her. But still some guys don't get the message and rather it made things interesting for them. You know, the-whole-staring-in-the-eyes-of-death thing and proving themselves to be a big macho man. For them it was all sport, touch the untouchable girl. They thought it was something like electric shock. So she did her best to stay hidden, didn't talk much to anyone.

"Until one day she met him. She knew he was different, because he was a mutant as well. So she approached him and he saved her, on so many levels. Well, as you all may have guessed by now the girl was me."

"Yeah, no shit. It still doesn't explain anything."

"On the contrary Logan."

"Listen, kid. Enough bullshit. Instead of telling us what happened here today you're telling us the story of how we met-"

"What made you think the story was about you?" interrupted Alex.

"Of course the story was about how we met. She described everything as it happened. Right kid?"

"Ah'm afraid Alex is right, Logan. Yes, we did meet in similar circumstances and Ah can't deny the fact that you have saved me on several occasions. But the man Ah'm talking about is not you."

She was greeted by silence by everyone.

"It all happened five years ago. And his name was Wade."