The Beginning

Chapter 2

Xxx

One is the loneliest number that you'll ever do

Two can be as bad as one

It's the loneliest number since the number one

No is the saddest experience you'll ever know

Yes, it's the saddest experience you'll ever know

'Cause one is the loneliest number that you'll ever do

One is the loneliest number, whoa-oh, worse than two

(Three Dogs Night, One is the Loneliest Number)

xxx

Westchester County,

New York

2017

She was a Rogue.

At one point, a group of highly questionable individuals aided in taming her, but now, she was just "Rogue". No one was around to help. No one was around to listen. Silence followed her wherever she went.

It was deafening.

It was loud.

It became her new "normal".

She had countless voices in her head, but speaking of those made her sound more insane than she actually was.

The X-Men, her former cohorts, had disbanded about three years to the day, if her incredibly cheesy cat calendar on the kitchen wall could be believed.

Today's cheesy motivational quote is "Follow the path most covered in animal hair."

Following the X-Men leaving, Charles Xavier-her mentor-had suggested she take a journey to Bhutan; specifically the Paro Taktsang Monastery. He'd spent many a year trying to help control her odd set of mutant powers, with barely any results to show for it. With both of them at a loss, her traveling to Asia was almost a breath of fresh air-both literally and figuratively.

There, she had been taught by the incredibly talented spiritual leaders about not only Buddhism, but meditation. It had been suggested that meditation was the key to controlling her powers; something that she had spent nearly seven years trying to control at that point.

It had taken six months of effort, but eventually she had learned the control that she had so very much strived for. Tears had fallen from her eyes the first time that she didn't absorb a visiting monk who had heard of her plight. His name had been Jinpa-which translated to generosity. She truly believed him to be the most generous man whom she had met while in Bhutan. At almost her wits end, her mental stability was hanging on by a thread when he gave her the motivation to give her task one more week of effort.

The few who had accidentally been absorbed with her powers had joined the psyches in her mind. Together, they aided in her control, which had been a truly unanticipated accident.

Two weeks into learning control, news of the death of Charles Xavier reached her. It was an easy decision-packing and leaving the Monastery. She had made powerful allies with those who inhabited the sacred building, but it would never be her home. Home was and always would be New York.

Charles Xavier was her home.

Charles dying meant that she was all that was left. She would be the only one to roam the sacred halls of the once packed mansion that had housed and taught generations of mutants. She was the last one to carry the name "X-Men".

The Professor had passed away following a massive stroke following breakfast one morning. He'd just had time to call for help before falling from his wheelchair. He was nearly ninety years old, and despite what many would have liked to believe, was not immortal.

She had no way to contact the other X-Men-former X-Men. She had refused to use any of the borrowed telepathic powers she had acquired over the years in order to do so, and refused to use the necklace the Professor had provided.

His death was a travesty, but it wasn't the end of the world, despite what it felt like in her heart.

She was alone. She wasn't going to make anyone suffer that with her.

She had eventually dug a burial for the Professor within the private cemetery behind the mansion. It was beside those of his two parents, something which she assumed he would have appreciated despite their rocky relationship. In his later years, she was regaled with tales of his youth, especially those following his meeting her mother, Mystique, or as he had known her as, Raven. His parents hadn't really paid the young telepath much attention following that, for whatever reason (He refused to delve into those details). With a stone that she etched on, a simple "Charles Francis Xavier. Teacher. Mentor. Guardian. Friend", his grave was forever marked with beautiful granite.

She thought it was fitting as the bald man had never been one for flashing decals. Despite wishing to build a twenty foot monument in his honour, she refrained. Charles Xavier, despite his immense wealth, was a simple man.

One flashy surprise came her way though in the week following as soon as she had his death certificate processed. Apparently, the Telepath had put into his will to pass along all of his substantial monetary accounts to her following his potential passing. It had been his final gift, according to his will. It honoured her for being not only loyal to the X-Men all of those years, but to herself as well.

After nearly fainting upon seeing an amount with nine zeros before the decimal, she had to give a small smile. The man truly took care of his family.

'Family.'

That's certainly what they had become, despite her attempts at solitude and locking him away; her days of self harm and self-loathing. He'd fully supported her traveling to Asia to gain control. He knew when someone was outside his realm of knowledge and help. She truly had been a special case.

Following Raven-Mystique's death, the kind professor had become a surrogate father to the young mutant. She adored him more than she was willing to express, especially after he put up with her all those years. She never knew her birth father-knowing Mystique, it could have been anyone-but she had known Charles.

He'd cared when nobody else did.

He was something special.

The man had invested well, due to the need of providing for his facilities. Connections around the world had also provided substantial monetary figures. The man had planned for the inevitable. She liked to think he had bigger plans that simply leaving everything to her though.

She had considered operating the school on her own-even offering room and board to mutants without safe housing. No one had accepted any offers. The world was still an incredibly scared place. Change wasn't likely to happen any time soon. Living in hiding and solitude was still the preferred method of life for most mutants.

Even the arrival of aliens two years prior had done nothing to sway the public to the side of mutants. Aliens, they could accept. Mutants? Bring out the pitchforks!

Being alone the previous few months had allowed her time to focus on power control. The internet had been a powerful tool; teaching her meditation and focus. It turned out, that once she was able to center her mind to a degree that she hadn't previously known possible, control was something which could be established.

She hadn't been able to share that information with anyone she loved. Remy had fled back to New Orleans as soon as family drama popped up while she was still healing from the Apocalyptic mutant phenomena; Logan informed her that they could never be together, one of the reasons which led to his imminent leaving; and Scott was happily repopulating the world with Jean on one of the smaller islands of Hawaii.

Love was overrated-or so she told herself.

She didn't need the comfort of another though. She was a rogue. She didn't follow general guidelines.

Xxx

She stood in front of the foggy bathroom mirror, wiping the mist away from the shower she'd just had. With all of the fire-related powers she had taken in over the years, she'd thankfully managed to keep her love of hot showers. If anything, she savoured them a bit more.

After throwing her hair into a towel and brushing her teeth, she closed her eyes...simply taking in the sounds of the radio playing from the window ledge.

Smooth jazz...good for the soul.

Her gaze eventually went to her body as she listened, still dripping slightly from her shower. She had a daily ritual that she hadn't been able to break in years, and it was right on schedule.

Over her years with the X-Men, she had picked up the occasional scar and broken bone-nothing too severe. It wasn't until the summer following her teammates leaving her and the Professor on their own, that she'd picked up the brunt of her scars.

Xxx

Rogue had just finished off an entire bottle of white wine and was simply reclining on the front porch of the mansion, embracing the rain storm that had swept the region. It was one of her more bitter nights, she would admit. The kind of nights where you let hatred and depression wash over you.

She was obviously more swept up in her thoughts then one would think, as the next thing she had known, arms were surrounding her, and a sock was being stuffed in her mouth, something which she quickly spat out.

Strong arms grabbed her from her position and began to drag her down the driveway, ignoring her pleas for release. It was as if she had completely lost control of her body. Despite the voices in her head yelling assistance and ideas, she was frozen. She was terrified. Years of training went out the window.

It was like she wasn't a trained killing machine.

She was alone.

It wasn't until they got to the end of the property, where a larger mob had formed, that they stopped walking. Each of them had something-a knife, a whip, a bat-and they all bore looks of hatred. She tried to bring forth a power-any power-but she found herself completely without means. The alcohol had hit her very hard, and none of her attackers were directly touching her skin.

Two of the strong bodies pushed her to her knees, each taking one of her thin arms in hand. Together, they'd torn her shirt down the back.

Sobs and begs filled the air, both of which were avoided and ignored. A deep voice behind her announced that her crime-as a mutant-was a lash across the back for each regular human's life that she'd specifically ruined.

Before she even had time to contemplate such insanity, the pain had begun.

Agonizing, blinding pain ran through her body; the smell of blood filled the air; tears coupled with the rain blurred her vision-it was all a nightmare.

She wouldn't let them hear her screams though.

She wouldn't let them hear vocalized proof of her pain.

She had one chance, she knew that. From their positions on the property, she knew that the defence systems that the Professor and Logan had set up during their time at the mansion would be able to reach her.

Biting through her lip as another lash struck her body, she screamed as loud as she could, "Code Orange. Initiator….Rogue!"

Instantly, silence filled the air and all movement halted. Her assailants all looked rapidly around themselves, assessing the situation.

They weren't expecting the bullet that struck each of them in the head though. After the twelve "pop pop's" had filled the air, she allowed herself to fall to the ground.

"Fuck me".

Xxx

She'd healed, eventually. Mostly. Her minimal healing capabilities from both Logan and Sabertooth guaranteed that. She still bore beautifully hideous scars across her back though.

She forced herself to look, everyday. It was a day of weakness when she had received the injuries. It was the type of day that she, as a mutant in this day and age, couldn't allow herself. The world was far too full of hatred to ever take your guard down, especially when you lived in a home where mutants were known to live.

I still think you look beautiful, Rogue.

Thanks, Jean.

She bore other scars-scars from her days of depression and anguish. Thin lines ran down her wrists, and a few marred her thighs. It had been years since she had added to them, but they were always there...reminding her of the journey that she'd risen along. Fingering one particularly thick scar on her wrist, she closed her eyes.

Taking a soothing breath, she pulled on the oversized sweater and slouchy socks that she had brought into the bathroom. Throwing her hair into a messy bun, she fingered her ever-present white streaks of hair.

You look like an old woman, yo.

Shut it, Toad!

A hot as fuck old woman.

Thanks, Toad.

"This is as good as it's gonna' get."

A brief tinkling sound could soon be heard, drifting in from the cracked window of the bathroom. Windchimes that had long ago been installed by Ororo still tinkled and provided moments of music when small movements of air came by.

Deciding to have her breakfast on the back porch that morning and listen to them, she set out for the kitchen, ignoring the sad-eyed girl in the bathroom mirror as she left.

Xxx

The second that she reached the bottom of the staircase, the tinkling sound from the chimes grew stronger. Glancing out at the back porch, the beautiful sight of the morning sunrise greated her. Soft gusts of wind could be seen blowing across the garden which took up a large amount of the property, while a large quantity of birds frolicked in the array of bird baths.

Quickly preparing herself a coffee, it didn't take her long to soon recline on the large hanging wicker chair in the corner of the patio.

Closing her eyes, she simply breathed.

Xxx

When she was a teenager after her powers manifested, she could never comprehend an encounter where large amounts of skin being showcased, and her housemates being around, could ever happen at the same time.

Countless events passed by where she had needed to sit out: pool parties, and manicure nights, and any event with alcohol: After the house party with the Arcade situation, where she had seen countless stupid teenager lose control of themselves, she had come to the conclusion that staying in her proper mental state, would aid everyone in the grand scheme of things.

Thusly, when she woke up one warm August morning when she was seventeen, sweat dripping down her face, an idea filled her.

The clock situated beside her bed read that it was just after five in the morning on a Saturday. Danger Room sessions wouldn't be starting until nearly seven that day, as there had been a mission the previous night and the Professor had elected that everyone receive an extra hour of sleep. No one would be awake for at least an hour.

It was her chance.

Bolting from her bed, she quickly ran to her roommate Kitty Pryde's dresser and opened the drawer for what she knew to contain swimsuits. Grabbing one that tied up on both the top and the bottom, as Kitty was a size smaller than her and that suit was the most likely to fit, she quickly stripped and forced the outfit onto her body.

It had been literal years since she had last worn a bikini, but she wasn't going to look a gift horse in the mouth.

Grabbing her towel from the hook on the back of her door, she quickly opened it and padded into the hallway.

Xxx

Waving her feet in silly patterns in the water brought a sense of calmness to the introverted goth. She had been born in Mississippi-swimming was nearly in her blood. Countless warm nights had been spent doing back strokes in the creek near Irene's home, or in her neighbor's backyard pools as a child. Irene once called her a "fish".

She hadn't been able to be a "fish" in a while.

Jumping off the side of the pool, her body soon was fully submerged in the cool, blue water.

This is freedom.

Xxx

Opening her eyes, she took in the entire property that she now owned. Owned. It was still a foreign thought to her.

Basketball counts which masked the hanger for the jets she had hidden in her basement; expansive gardens and a sparsely filled cemetery; pools and running tracks and trees for climbing-it was beautiful, and it was hers.

She took a sip of coffee, followed by another.

It may all have been hers, but it had barely been touched since she'd become the lone human occupant of the property.

You don't have to be by yourself, Rogue.

She nearly dropped her coffee at that voice. The Professor very rarely spoke to her. He preferred to let her figure things out on her own time these days.

I'm not going to beg the others to come back.

I didn't say you needed to. What I'm suggesting, is going forwards. There's plenty of other misguided, lost, lonely individuals out there who would likely welcome you with open arms.

How do you know?

Now isn't the time to be alone, young Rogue. Surely you can feel that.

She knew his words to be true. The Sokovia incident with the Avengers had escalated the hatred for mutants, despite the situation being dealt with and "forgotten". It was getting harder to go about her business and run errands without someone tossing an apple, or worse, at her head. Being with other people again would be ideal, but it would also mean leaving her semi-solitude.

Seeing the destruction of the poor country had inspired her to do good things with some of the money that had been left to her-A substantial amount had been donated anonymously from her accounts to help rebuild the small European country following that disaster.

It had made her feel slightly better about herself.

Xxx

Two nights later, she was sitting on her bed cross-legged in only a pair of workout shorts and a baggy shirt that she'd raided from one of the boy's old rooms. On her feet were her favourite pair of slouchy slocks. In front of her, was an old photo album. It was filled from photos mostly of her Senior year of highschool.

Various other albums and randomly placed pictures lay by her feet, perfectly placed for viewing should she need.

Soon, she came across a worn picture with she thumbed.

It was a picture of her and Remy that Kitty had taken, seemingly eons ago.

The two of them had truly tried to date-truly-but they simply couldn't connect. She was...hopeful that he was happy. They were better off as friends either way, which was something that took both of them a while to accept.

There were more photos-photos of laughter and dates and carnivals and youthful fun. They'd all truly tried to enjoy the free moments that they had-those that weren't filled with fighting and training.

She'd been told something once by Ororo, and it always came to mind when she contemplated if she made the right choice in staying.

You've been given a gift, Rogue. It may not seem like it, but it's your own incredibly beautiful and unique gift. It will be hard, but you've been given a way to help people. Embrace it.

Embrace it she planned.

Xxx

Here is the second chapter of my newly done, The Beginning. Please, do let me know what you think! :) There is more to come very, very soon.

-Tegan