Hey guys! It's me! Obviously I don't own x-men evolution so it goes without saying. Lol. Set just after professor Xavier and storm were taken by apocalypse. Not going to mess with accents much, because we all know who speaks how. And spell check will go red and I just hate those squiggly red lines. many a thanks to FruitCase, who edited and tweaked my story, so now it's better! girl you are amazing!
Nothing lasts forever. That was what Rouge was thinking as she ran from the mansion under the blanket of stars.
She remembered what had happened earlier with a sad frown.
"This is all your fault! If it wasn't for you the Professor would still be here! Storm would still be here!" Jean screamed, her handS clenched and tears welling in her eyes. Scott stood beside her like a mirror image. "If you hadn't released Apocalypse, then the Professor wouldn't have gone to stop him! And then Storm wouldn't have gone with him and they would both still be here!"
"They knew this could happen, Red,' said Logan, standing beside Rogue. 'Both the professor and storm knew the risk."
"Risk? There wouldn't have been a risk if she hadn't released apocalypse," Scott whispered, pain evident in his voice. Behind his visor, a light coloured red glowed brighter.
"She was controlled by Mesmero, one eye. If I remember rightly, so was yeh girlfriend. I didn't see you blaming her."
"Don't pin this on me," cried Jean. "Don't you dare."
Enough, Rogue had thought. I don't want to be blamed. It wasn't my fault! Don't they realise how guilty I feel? If it wasn't for me ... They're right. What they're saying is completely right! It is my fault.
Engrossed in their argument, Jean, Scott and Logan didn't notice Rogue retreat from the Rec room. She was always good at being unnoticed. She sped down the hallway at full speed, receiving puzzled looks from the other students. She burst into her shared room and grabbed her bag, previously packed; she had planned to run away before. She knew it was her fault the Professor and Storm were dead. Kitty was nowhere to be seen, so she must have been out with Lance.
"That's good," the Goth mumbled to herself, tears falling down her pale cheeks, "that'll give me more time to get out."
That was where she was now. Running. Like always. She had stayed with this family for long enough. Nothing lasts forever, she reminded herself.
Climbing over the wall, her combat boots silencing her landing from the prying ears of the security cameras, Rouge started down the dark road, melting into the midnight darkness.
Careful to make as little noise as possible, Rouge opened the door to a road side gas station just outside of Bayville. The clerk, busy watching the muted football game on television, simply gestured to the back without turning from his seat. "Bathrooms are out of order."
"That's fine. I just need to know where the closest bus station is."
"Just over the next hill."
"Thank you."
0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0
A few minutes after Rogue had departed, Logan had had enough.
"Let's all just calm down!" he shouted over the yelling of Jean and Scott. "Rouge, are you –?" Logan turned around to find only empty space where his Stripes had been only a few minutes.
Jean snorted. "I knew she was a coward. She doesn't even have the guts to stick around and listen to the truth."
"Watch it, Red," Logan growled. "You're walking on really thin ice about now."
"Oh, I'm not done yet. She WILL listen to what I have to say." Jean turned and exited the Rec room.
"Jean!" called Scott following.
Logan sighed and followed. Jean was intent on letting out her misguided grief and anger over losing the Professor and Storm on Rogue. Even if she'd regret what she would say later, Logan feared the lasting effects it could have for Rogue. He jogged up the marvel staircase, Scott and Jean ahead of him, and watched as she telekinetically shoved Rogue's bedroom door open.
"Where is she?" Jean said. "Where the heck is she?"
Logan came into the room and found it absent of Rogue. Not only that, but Rogue's side of the room was bare compared to usual. Jean opened up her closet and found most of her clothes had gone.
"S-She's gone," said Jean.
Logan shook his head. "No way. She wouldn't have left."
"What's this about Rogue going?" Bobby entered the room, his face downcast. "She said she'd let me borrow her copy of Dracula."
"Don't you have a DR session to get to or something?" Jean snapped.
"Touchy touchy! Fine Ice Man out."
"Jean, listen to me. No matter what your feeling towards her right now," Logan began, "yeh have to find her. This ain't a good time for the X Men to fall apart. We're all the worlds got right now, and whether you like it or not, Rogue's a part of this family. She's strong and we need her."
It took a moment for the telepath to agree. She raised her hands to her temple. Logan watched her intently as she searched for Rogue.
"Try looking at the music store. She liked that place," said Scott, almost embarrassed.
"And try the Bayville Coffee Shop, too," Logan suggested.
Jean nodded and scrunched up her face. "I ... I can't find her. I'm looking everywhere. She's not in Bayville ... but I can't sense her anywhere else either." She removed her hands from her face and looked at the two men. "She's just ... gone.