Virago
Chapter Two
14 April 2009
She couldn't neither see nor hear, but she could feel It progressively and deliberately pursuing her. No matter how hard, how fast she attempted to outrun it, It remained right there. Behind her. She ran. It followed.
She risked a glance over her shoulder but could see nothing, not even a shape. Just darkness. But It was there, and It was relentless. And It wanted her. It wanted something back, something she had taken from It. And she would gladly return if only she knew what It wanted.
She ran. It followed.
She screamed. 'Ah don't have it!' Her accent had returned, stronger than ever. 'Leave me alone! Ah don't have it!'
She ran and ran and ran. It followed.
*
Warren heard, and he leapt out of bed. It was nothing more than a whimper, but he had heard. He covered the length of the room in a few long strides, throwing the door open, and rushing into Rogue's room across the hallway from his.
She was silent now, but he could see her figure struggling restlessly with the sheets.
Warren hurried to her side. He placed both hands against her shoulders and gently, but firmly, pushed her down to still her. 'Rogue, wake up,' he said softly, bending down close to her ear. 'Wake up. It's just a dream.'
Rogue grew calm at his words, and he released her. A distressed look marred her features briefly before her eyes fluttered open. 'Warren?'
He smiled down at her. 'Hey, beautiful.'
Instead of the usual reluctant smile he was used to, a frown creased her brows. 'It's getting closer. I can feel it.'
Warren pulled away, allowing her room to push herself up into a sitting position. 'It'll be okay, Rogue. Charles will help us.'
She moved and wrapped her arms around him. He held her, feeling her trembling slightly beneath his arms.
'I'm scared,' Rogue whispered, her breath hot against his neck.
He said nothing, knowing that there was nothing he could say to dispel her fears. Or his. As foolish as it seemed, the notion that Rogue's nightmare phantom had somehow penetrated the walls of reality and followed Rogue into wakefulness, and would seize her from his arms, crossed Warren's mind. He tightened his hold on her.
*
'I have changed a lot, haven't I?'
'I don't think you have any idea just how much,' Kurt said, grinning at her. 'It's like you're a whole new person. You're not our disagreeable and brooding old Rogue anymore.'
Rogue laughed. The two of them were having a late breakfast together. Or rather, she was having a late breakfast while Kurt claimed that it was brunch time. 'I didn't realise I was that unpleasant.'
'Not exactly unpleasant,' Kurt reasoned. 'Just…not always happy.'
Her mind drifted back to the several months she had been an X-Man, and admitted that she hadn't been the easiest person to get along with.
'But you seem very happy now,' he continued.
Rogue smiled. 'I am very happy, Kurt. Warren says that it's almost sickening at times.'
'I just wish that you had stayed. Or at least left us a note to tell us where you were going. We all missed you.'
She was touched at his words, but she refused to feel guilty. She knew that she had made a lot of mistakes, the biggest having been leaving her friends behind without a word of goodbye, and she regretted it deeply. 'I missed you all a lot. I know I should have kept in touch…'
'All we had was the Professor's word that you were alive.' The accusatory tone in his voice was unmistakable.
Rogue reached out across the table and placed a hand on his. 'I am sorry, Kurt. More than anything, I'm sorry for having hurt you all. But-'
'But you had to leave, I know,' Kurt interrupted, looking at her. He smiled again, the mischievous glint in his eye returning. 'Finding out that Mystique is your mother is not the best feeling in the world, is it?'
At the thought of Mystique's treachery, Rogue felt the accompanying wrench of resentment at the bottom of her stomach. 'No, it's not,' she agreed. Then she, too, smiled again. 'However, the bonus of having you as my brother more than makes up for any negativity associated with having her as my legal guardian.'
Kurt squinted at her. 'Are you sure you're really our Rogue? Because if you aren't-'
'So you really are back,' a cold voice interrupted. 'I heard, but I didn't want to believe it.'
Although the tone and pitch had matured, Rogue had no trouble recognising who had spoken. She turned, smiling. The girl had grown into a stunning lady. 'Hi, Kitty.'
Kitty Pride didn't return her smile. Her eyes were hard as she stared back. 'You should never have come back. We were happier without-'
'Kitty, stop it!'
'That's not true!'
The double reprimands did nothing to ease Rogue's remorse, the first from Jean who had entered the kitchen just behind Kitty. 'Kitty, I'm sorry…' Rogue trailed off as the young woman turned and walked away.
Jean sighed. 'I'm sorry about that, Rogue. We thought she'd be over it by now, but it seems as if she's still quite angry about…what happened.'
She shook her head. 'Don't be. I know that I wasn't going to be welcomed with open arms by everyone.'
'It's because of Lance,' Kurt said darkly.
Rogue looked at him, surprised. 'Lance?'
'Lance left soon after you did,' Jean explained. She walked to the fridge, took out a can of soda, and joined them at the table. 'Kitty had feelings for him, and she thinks he left because of you.'
She frowned. 'Lance left Bayville?'
'Because you left Bayville,' Kurt said as way of confirmation.
Rogue never realised that her actions would have such consequences. Although she knew she would never be sorry for having left, she began to feel the first twinges of guilt for having indirectly hurt Kitty the way she did. 'I still find it hard to believe that Lance would leave like that.'
'You meant a great deal to a lot of people, Rogue,' Jean said softly.
Her thoughts turned to Scott, and to the fact that he seemed to be actively avoiding her. Rogue could think of nothing to say.end part two.
Author's notes: First of all, thank you for the reviews. They are, as usual, very appreciated. And apologies for the short chapters - it was just the way it happened. And also apologies for the delay in updating. I'm currently working on my first fanlisting, which I'm very excited about, and have had little time for much else. And I was surprised that not many people picked up on the person with Rogue - I figured that the AN from the prologue would have made it obvious. :)
