Okay this chapter totally got away from me but I had to do a bit of Rogan.
Hope the jumping back and forth between past and future isn't confusing. A good chunk of dialogue is obviously from the movie and I changed some stuff. Don't remember the abomination (XMEN 3) very well or Wolverine so I used them very broadly.
I own nothing...blah blah blah.
Enjoy...
Future - 2023
"How she doing?" the professor asked.
"She's lost too much blood, she can't keep going like this," Bobby replied. "I don't know how much longer she'll be able to hang on."
"We have no choice, Bobby," Magneto said.
"We can wake him up," Bobby snapped.
"No!" The professor stopped him.
Bobby knew that the professor cared about Kitty but he couldn't understand what it was to watch the woman he loved bleed to death and not being able to do anything to help her.
Reading his mind, the professor patted his arm. "I know its difficult but they need more time." Bobby was not convinced so the professor kept talking. "I had a glimpse into the past. If we wake Logan now we may set our fate on an even darker course. They need more time," he repeated.
Bobby had no problem abiding by the Professor's wishes but he wasn't going to sacrifice Kitty if he didn't have to and maybe another could be saved in the process. "There is someone else."
"No, no one has Kitty's power," the Professor said.
"Someone that could take her power, take her place. She took yours once," he told Magneto.
"Rogue," the older man replied.
"I'm sorry, Bobby, she must be dead. I haven't been able to make a connection with her in years."
"That's because they're keeping her in the one place your mind can't reach from the outside. She's in Cerebro. She's in your house, Professor. They experimented on her. Trying to tap into her power so they can take ours. Take all of ours," he looked at the two men willing them to understand that now was the moment to take big risks, they wouldn't have another shot.
"If you knew this, why didn't you go after her? Why didn't you tell Wolverine before he agreed to do this?" Magneto asked.
"Logan would have wanted to rescue her, it would have jeopardized the mission." The Professor said reading Bobby's less than happy thoughts towards the man being held in time by Kitty.
Bobby glared at both of them, "we tried. Its too heavily guarded."
"I may know a few things about that house they don't," the Professor said quietly giving Bobby a much needed dose of hope. "If we're going to go, it has to be now."
"Ok, let me tell Kitty. "
"Hurry, we don't have too much time." Magneto urged him.
Bobby nodded and eagerly went to his girlfriend's side, "Kitty, I'm going to get help. I'm gonna bring back somebody to help you."
Kitty looked up, eyes full of pain but still sharp enough to understand what he was proposing, "please bring yourself back."
Bobby kissed her in reply. She hung her head back down not bothering to blink back the tears. He wanted to reassure her that he'd be back but he didn't want to lie to her. Every thing they did was a suicide mission. They all knew it. He was just hoping he hadn't just given her a goodbye kiss.
Magneto and the Professor had gone on ahead and he ran all the way, stopping at the stairs of the blackbird to catch his breath, which allowed him to overhear Magneto and the Professor talking. "It's an unnecessary risk, Charles. We have no way of knowing if Rogue is still alive. We could be going to liberate a corpse."
"We have to try Erik. If not now when?"
"Ever the optimist." Magneto replied.
"Kitty will not last much longer, she needs help and if that means risking ourselves then we must."
"Ready to go?" Bobby asked uncaring if they knew he'd heard them.
"Let us rescue Rogue." The Professor answered.
They landed about a mile from the back of the mansion. "These tunnels will lead you to a steel enforced wall, once you get through that then you will be in the space right above the corridor that leads to Cerebro."
"Let's go." Magneto commanded.
"Bobby?"
"Yes, Professor?"
"No heroics, get in and get out."
"Of course."
Magneto and Bobby made quick work of the labyrinthine tunnels, apparently the Professor had been right and the sentinels had not discovered this part of the mansion yet. They came to the steel wall the Professor had mentioned and Magneto broke through it.
He and Bobby climbed through the hole and immediately the Professor's voice was in their heads. 'You're walking directly over the hall now.'
They walked further and Magneto shifted and lifted a chunk of the metal floor. He stepped onto it and Bobby followed then Magneto lowered them to the corridor below. They stepped off it and carefully picked their way through the hallway leading to Cerebro. It was badly damaged with exposed wiring ripped out of the walls, floors and ceilings.
Magneto got to the door first but scanning was not necessary as he manipulated the doors apart with ease. Three men dressed in white stood around a table, holding surgical implements in their hands, clearly working on the figure laying on the table before them.
"I've been on that slab. Let me show you how it feels," Magneto said and lifted all the remaining surgical tools off their tables and pointed them directly at the men.
Bobby ran past them and straight to the woman on the bed. "Rogue," he called gently shaking her shoulders. There was no response and he called out again, "Rogue, Rogue, come on. Wake up, please."
Magneto approached but Bobby was too focused on Rogue to even notice the men back away from their tools and run out of the room. Even with all the commotion, Rogue still didn't move and Bobby felt desperation kick in, "come on, Rogue, wake up. Wake up, its me."
'Hurry, Bobby.'
'I'm trying, Professor.'
"Perhaps..." Magneto began but Bobby didn't want to hear what the other man thought. He pulled his glove off and pressed his hand to her face, her pale and unresponsive face. Nothing happened and despair washed over him at what no pull of her powers meant. "No," he whispered.
But no sooner had the word left his mouth that he felt first a pinch, then a tingle, then the burning and familiar crippling sensation of having your life force being yanked from your unwilling body. He moaned and twisted in pain, resisting the desire to pull away.
Thankfully Rogue gave a weak gasp and he was able to separate himself from her. A breath of cold air escaped her mouth and she opened her eyes gingerly, "Bobby?"
"Rogue, it's okay, I'm here."
She glanced behind him and caught a glimpse of Magneto. "No, no!"
She struggled in the metal bindings around her but he soothed her, "Rogue, Rogue, Rogue, it's okay. He's with me. Were gonna get you out of here."
Magneto snapped the restraints from afar not wanting to scare her further and Bobby pulled her onto her feet, "can you walk?" he asked.
"Ah thinks so," she said and with one arm thrown over his shoulders, the trio walked out of Cerebro but as they hit the corridor, the Professor shouted. 'Erik, Bobby! Get out of there! Now!' All three mutants winced from the too loud mental voice in their heads but immediately moved to do as they were told.
However while Magneto had no problem striding away, Bobby was still trembling with the after effects of having had Rogue touch him and Rogue weak from whatever they'd done to her, was having a hard time keeping up.
Bobby tried supporting more of her weight, "come on, Rogue, just a little more."
"I know, Bobby." She said attempting to move faster.
He was just about to attempt putting down a layer of ice and picking her up when the corridor exploded. A sentinel burst through one of the panels of the floor, Rogue screamed and Bobby laid a quick blast of ice over the opening, freezing the sentinel halfway through it.
"Run, we can't fight them!" Magneto shouted.
Rogue and Bobby sidestepped an arm piercing the floor but the force of the blow brought them down in a tangle of limbs. Bobby got up first, turned and fired another blast then dragged Rogue up with him. Another burst and he created an ice wall which only slowed one down long enough for the other two sentinels to catch up.
"Leave me," she begged Bobby but he pushed her in front of him and to Magneto.
"Take her," he commanded and Magneto grabbed onto her waist and dragged her to him.
"Bobby!" she screamed fighting Magneto as he pushed her toward the hole in the wall he'd created earlier. "Bobby! No," she screamed as the first sentinel climbed up from the floor.
"I'm sorry," he said and transformed into his ice form and blasted the sentinel who'd broken through his wall. It crashed into him, Bobby hit the ground, dazed but not injured he got to his feet. "GO!" Bobby shouted as the sentinel opened its mouth.
In one desperate move Rogue swung back blindly and grabbed onto Magneto's face.
"Rogue, no!" Bobby yelled and lunged for her.
She held on long enough to get what power she needed then violently ripped up a metal panel and curved it so that the blast was directed back at the sentinel and away from Bobby. He got to his feet as another dropped down from the ceiling just behind him. Rogue pulled the cables from the walls and wrapped the sentinel up in them, severing one of its legs.
"Come on, Rogue, there's more coming."
Bobby grabbed the recovering Magneto and shoved him through the opening, followed right behind with Rogue bringing up the rear and closing the wall just in time to save them from the concentrated blast of the two remaining sentinels.
Charles saw the explosion and waited anxiously for his team to show. 'Lower the ramp Charles,' Magneto thought and Charles did so, happy to see Magneto climb up the stairs with Bobby helping up the exhausted Rogue.
"Professor," she greeted.
"That was dangerous," he said scolding her good-naturedly.
"So was rescuin' meh," she replied.
"I'm fine thank you," Magneto said from his seat.
"Sorry 'bout that," she said but Magneto ignored her, put on his seat belt while Bobby took the seat next to her and smirked.
"Are you okay?" she asked him.
He touched his shoulder gingerly, "I'll survive. How about you?"
"I'm good now. Where-"
A loud rumbling beneath the plane interrupted her.
"Get us out of here," Magneto said to the Professor.
The Professor moved the switches bringing the engines to life but the plane dipped forward and two glowing sentinel arms appeared on the nose of it. The sentinel opened it mouth wide but the professor flipped the engines and pulled the plane sharply to the left. The sentinel clung to plane briefly before falling away into the darkness.
"Logan?" she asked the Professor.
"It's complicated, my dear." Magneto answered.
"We'll tell you all about it once we get back," Bobby said beside her. "Why don't you try to get some sleep, you need it."
"Thank ya," she said. He smoothed the white streak behind her ear and she lay back in her seat and fell asleep.
"What are we gonna tell her?" Magneto asked the Professor.
"The truth."
Bobby fell asleep as well and didn't wake again until they touched down. "Bobby, Rogue, we're here."
Rogue lifted her head off his shoulder, stretched sleepily and Bobby popped his neck feeling the crick of sleeping at a strange angle. "Ah'm sorry, didn't meant to sleep on you."
"It's okay, I fell asleep on you too."
"So where are we?" she asked undoing her seat belt and following him out of the blackbird.
"China, the where doesn't matter."
"Are we safe?"
"As safe as possible."
They were greeted by Storm but aside from the weather goddess, she saw nothing but unknown faces. "Not many of us left," she said.
"We have dwindled." Storm replied.
"Kitty and Wolverine are here," Bobby said quietly and Storm looked curiously at them.
"Logan would have gone for you if he'd known," Storm said.
"Ah I know." Rogue said aware of how close she and Bobby stood next to each other. Storm's comment was not a judgment but it felt like it and Rogue felt shame at being so reliant on Bobby.
"Its good to see you, child." Storm said.
"Where is Logan?" Rogue asked.
"I think its better if we show you," the Professor said not letting Storm reply.
"I'll leave you to it," she said and continued on her patrol.
"Ah feel so tired." Rogue commented.
"You can lean on me if you need to," Bobby said sliding an arm around her waist.
Rogue knew that if she did it would look like she was falling back into old patterns, Bobby and her had always had a connection and she'd abused that in the past, they couldn't go back to deceiving themselves again.
However with the adrenaline having worn off and the drugs still working their way out of her system, Rogue knew it would be folly to try to do much on her own but she had to try. "Give me a second," she said and pulled away from him.
No matter how exhausted she felt, she had to show respect to Bobby's relationship with Kitty and her uncertain one with Logan. He understood and she squeezed his shoulder in thanks, knowing he'd offer help if she really needed it.
The Professor and Magneto led the way while Bobby walked alongside her and she glanced around their surroundings, grateful to be out of the hell she'd been in and having something to occupy her mind until she was reunited with Logan. She spotted another unknown Xmen atop one of the many pagodas and waved at him, he waved back and they continued on into the main building.
The building was surprisingly large and she was infinitely glad that Bobby was with her because she was already feeling tired again and had to stop a few times to lean against the wall fearful she would fall otherwise.
"I can carry you," he offered.
"Ah don't think Kitty would appreciate that," she said lightly.
"She'll be too glad we made it out to care," he joked.
"Ah missed you, Bobby."
"I missed you too," he said. "If you really need me..."
She pushed off the wall slowly and shook her head. "Let's just go slow."
Magneto and the Professor had gone on ahead of them but Bobby refused to push her and they talked as they caught up wit the others. "Tell meh what's going on."
"Logan's mind was sent back in time, fifty years back, to his younger body. He's gonna try to stop the sentinels from being made."
"How?"
"I don't know."
"What happened that you need meh?"
"Wolverine's mind is tethered to his body thanks to Kitty but something happened and he slipped between then and now, cutting Kitty as she tried to hold him still."
"Is she okay?" Rogue asked.
"She's lost a lot of blood. It's taking a lot out of her. I could bandage the wound and care for her if she could rest but we need someone to take her place."
"What happens when Logan gets back?"
"Whatever he has to do has to take root, hopefully it'll change the future and we won't be here."
"Sounds risky," she said.
"Its our only chance."
They approached another large doorway and he moved to the side where Magneto and the Professor waited. Rogue stepped into the room and immediately gravitated to the unmistakable form of Logan, his mind in the past.
She slowly made her way to him and not caring that they were all watching her, Rogue ran a hand along his relaxed arm. 'Ah missed you, Logan, so very much.' He looked the same as the last time she'd seen him with the exception of a few gray hairs at his temples as the only indications of his aging.
Kitty raised tear filled eyes and looked past her and to Bobby. "You came back."
"Thanks to Rogue," he said and went over to the injured woman's side.
"Thank you," she said sincerely.
"He saved meh first," Rogue replied softly not taking her eyes off Logan. She didn't want to think of what would have happened had she not gotten Magneto's powers in time.
Kitty leaned against him tiredly and he nodded to her. "Ah'll take it from here," Rogue said and put her hand over Kitty's. She touched the other girl and Kitty bolted straight up, her mouth open in a silent scream then tipped into Bobby's waiting arms as Rogue took over her spot.
Rogue looked over at the younger girl. "She'll be okay, " Bobby reassured cradling Kitty against him.
"Thank you for coming for meh."
"I'm sorry it took so long."
"You came, that's all that matters," she said.
"He was the one who kept saying you weren't dead. He said he would have felt it."
Rogue wistfully looked at the man she'd loved all her life, millions of emotions zoomed through her at that heartfelt comment. "Hello Logan," she whispered and the man in the past answered her.
"Rogue!"
Past 1973 – Bound for Washington.
Last night had stirred long dormant feelings that after the fiasco with Mystique, Wolverine had not been able to process, now that they had nothing but time on their way to Washington, it was all he could think about.
He knew that Rogue had been rescued from wherever she'd been, which was great since he'd known she was still alive somewhere. She had him in her, mentally and physically, he would have felt it if something had happened to her.
What worried him was why Rogue was holding him instead of Kitty. 'Had she been hurt?' That was the only reason he could think that they would switch people on him. It was a risky proposition since Rogue could only absorb a power as long as she held on.
He seriously doubted that Bobby would have allowed Rogue to touch Kitty for a long period of time unless it was absolutely necessary. All this time travel crap was starting to give him a headache and he was counting down to when this would be over and done with.
Not wanting to dwell on what he didn't know and couldn't do anything about, he glanced at the young Professor who was absentmindedly rubbing his leg and staring out the window. He looked sad and maybe just a little confused as well, like he was holding pieces to a puzzle that didn't belong.
"You alright?" Logan asked.
He had been watching Charles all morning. Wolverine knew that something very important had shifted in the young professor's mind and it wasn't just the fact that he'd spent the night with Mystique, something else was bothering him.
"Getting there." Charles answered looking out the window, his mind clearly occupied.
"You gonna be okay?" Wolverine had never felt anxious before except when Rogue had been chained to the Statue of Liberty and he'd been unable to do anything but hear her scream. But this version of the Professor made anxiety claw at him.
"Just a little distracted."
"I can tell." Wolverine replied.
"Last night with Raven-"
"Let me stop you there, Chuck."
"I'm not going to give you salacious details, Logan." Charles said annoyed.
"What about her?"
"She was different but the same, like a mix between the girl I knew and the woman she's become. It was strange to see how much I hadn't changed in comparison. How stuck in the past I'd been."
"You've gone through a lot."
"Yes, I suppose but haven't we all. It can't have been easy for her to leave all she'd known and commit herself to such a heartbreaking cause."
"She didn't commit, Charles. She was forced into it , unless Magneto was less of an asshole then."
Charles cracked a smile, "Erik can be quite forceful and it might have started out that way but in the end Raven made her own choices and I should have reached out. Even with all that's happened with us, I feel like I'm on the edge."
"Of what?"
"Of destroying our chance to change the future. I don't know that I can stop her."
"You said it yourself, you won't have to."
"I know but I wish I felt as confident right now as I did this morning."
"You will but whatever happens today, I need you to promise me something. You've looked into my mind and seen a lot of bad but you've seen the good, too. The Xmen." He leaned forward. "Promise me you'll find us. Use your power, bring us together. Guide us. lead us. Storm. Scott. Jean..."
"Rogue," Charles offered.
"Find me and you find her."
"Duly noted," the professor smiled.
Wolverine smirked briefly, "remember those names. There are so many of us. We will need you, Professor."
"I'll do my best."
"Your best is enough. Trust me."
The grounds in front of the White House were packed with reporters and high profile people curious to see exactly what it was that made the president want to make such a heavy handed demonstration.
Hank pushed Charles through the crowd outside the gates and to the line in front of the metal detectors. Beyond them, lawn chairs had been set up in front of a stage with a large banner behind it, Wolverine was checking the people near them. "Do you see her?" he asked.
"She'll be close by, no doubt keeping an eye out for us," Charles replied.
"We stop her then what?" Hank asked.
"I don't know yet."
They passed the metal detector and the guard asked,"can I see your invitations, please?"
Charles put his fingers to his temple and instantly responded, "yes you may. These two are with me."
"Go ahead," the guard waved them through.
"Thank you," he replied.
Wolverine passed and didn't set off the metal detector, "well that's new."
"Logan!" Charles called.
"Please, this way, sir." The guard directed him.
They placed Charles next to a group of injured servicemen and left to check the area. One of the men leaned over, "fourth infantry. Took a bouncing Betty. What happened to you?"
Charles recalled the beach and the awful terrible pain. "Friendly fire."
"The worst kind."
"Yeah."
Hank and Logan came up behind him. "Where is she?" Logan asked.
"I haven't found her yet, but she has to be here."
We're running out of time." Hank said.
"I know but somehow I can't seem to lock on her."
"Is she doing that? Hank asked.
"We should spread out," Logan interrupted.
The music started, people rose to their feet and cameras turned to the stage. "Ladies and gentlemen, the President of the United States."
"I'll keep looking," Charles answered shooing them away.
President Nixon went up to the podium, adjusted the microphone and began to speak. "My fellow Americans, today we face the gravest threat in our history...mutants."
'Come on Raven, where are you?'
I'm pregnant.
A woman a few rows up told her friend.
How long is this gonna take?
This was from one of the police officers.
Another long boring speech.
That was said by one of the men sitting two chairs over from him.
'Where are you?"
"We have prepared for this threat. In the immortal worlds of Robert Oppenheimer, behold the world will never the same again..."
A banner dropped and a row of sentinels stood behind the podium.
"Now I have become Death, the destroyer of worlds,"Charles said.
Future - 2023
Warpath stood atop one of the Pagoda's, squinted into the distance and shouted, "there's 12 carriers inbound, 10 Miles!"
"They've found us," Charles said.
Magneto looked at Rogue guarding Logan to Bobby comforting the wounded Kitty and finally to the Professor who was protecting them all with comforting thoughts.
'Erik?'
'Time to do our part, Charles.'
'Be careful, old friend.'
'I'm afraid I won't be able to do that this time. Its time we avenge our fallen brethren or die trying.'
And with a swish of his cape departed to be the last line of defense.
'Please let this work.'
Rogue shivered, "Professor?"
"Yes rogue?"
"If we don't make it. Ah'm glad that I can be here with you guys."
Charles wheeled closer to her. "Logan will accomplish what needs to be done."
"Ah know. "
Magneto stepped out of the building and into the fray.
"Here they come." Warpath warned them.
"Let them," Magneto replied.
Past - 1973
'This is for you, brothers and sisters.'
"Raven?" He read her mind and froze her in place, hand clenched on the gun still in its shoulder holster.
'I have her.' He thought to Hank and Logan. They rushed over both men looking around for the missing woman.
"Let me go, Charles," she hissed.
'No, Raven. Please think about what you're going to do, think about where you are and how many people will see,' he pleaded.
'I have thought about it and Trask has to be stopped.'
'Let me help.'
'I already asked for your help and you refused to give it.'
"Where?" Logan asked him.
"The tall man near the bushes. There. you see? Secret serviceman. Left of the stage." Charles answered.
"Got him."
"Go!"
'Damm you Charles.'
'I warned you that if I had to. I would stop you.'
'You haven't stopped anything yet.'
'Please Raven.'
'That is not who I am.'
'It is to me.'
'Still the same deluded Charlie.' she mocked.
'Do you not see?'
'See what?'
'Look at the sentinels. Something is going on, something is wrong.'
Raven looked at the stage and noticed the bewildered looks of the military personnel. Even Trask looked confused. The sentinels eyes light up and began to power up.
"What the hell are you doing?" Trask yelled. "I didn't tell you to activate them."
"I didn't," Stryker replied.
'They aren't in control of them, who do you think is?'
Whatever response Raven was going to give became lost in the sound of the sentinels lifting off their feet and hovering above the crowd. Unaware of what was going on the people clapped and cheered.
'Hurry, Logan.'
'Trying Chuck.'
The sentinels were now directly over them, arms raised and surveying the people.
'Raven, whatever is happening will go down here, we must get to safety, you're in danger.'
'Whose fault is that?'
'If I let you go, will you promise to leave?'
'I can't do that.'
'Raven, please, listen to me. We've been given a second chance to define who we are. Don't do this to us...not after what...'
'Stop it Charles.' She looked at the stage, her chance escaping as he wore her down.
'End this...for all our sakes.'
"Gentlemen, you cannot pass this point." The guard told Logan and Hank just few feet away from reaching Raven.
'We have a problem, Charles.'
'One at a time, Logan.'
'Raven?'
'I'm doing this for us, someday you'll understand.'
Future - 2023
"We can't stop that many." Bishop said seeing the sky full of carriers and the sentinels pouring out of them.
"No, but we can slow them down." Storm replied powering up and lifting up into the air.
Past - 1973
The sentinels lifted their arms then let lose a barrage of gunfire.
'Charles get out of here,' she said.
'Not without you,' he replied.
Then all hell broke loose as the crowd screamed and people ducked out of the way, knocking into him, breaking his concentration and allowing Raven to move. The sentinels ceased fire but remained floating, waiting for something to command them, Charles looked up as a large shadow overtook the white house lawn. The figure floating in the center of the stadium could only be one person.
'Erik!' Charles shouted but with his helmet on Charles could not reach him.
Raven looked up as well but Magneto was not her problem any more. 'I told you this war was gonna happen.'
Future - 2023
The sentinels ships approached and Storm with gale force winds broke them apart but it wasn't enough to stop them, there were still so many.
"Storm!" Bishop yelled.
The weather goddess turned and sent lightning his way charging up the man just as Blink opened a portal and he shot into it taking out more of the individual sentinels.
Past - 1973
'Raven.'
Raven heard him but she didn't dare break cover not when she was so close. She and the rest of the secret agents pulled Nixon and the other important men including Trask into the White House and down a series of corridors that ended in the Oval Office.
The seal of the carpet was pulled back, revealing a door to the secret bunker.
"Go,go,go." The head of the secret services shouted.
"Take us to deafcon 3," one of the general said.
"Mr president, we are Code Red." Another agent answered.
"What's our air defense readiness?" Someone else asked.
"All our air defenses are ready one."
"What the hell happened out there?" Nixon demanded of Trask.
Raven limped a little closer enjoying watching the scientist squirm as the president shouted in his face.
"I will fix it." Trask explained.
"You said that before. I wanted to make a statement. Now the whole goddamm world knows we can't protect them!"
"I will fix it." Trask repeated.
"You damm well better." Nixon said.
'You won't get the chance.' Raven lifted the gun, ready to put a bullet into the miserable bastard that killed so many.
Future - 2023
Magneto rose into the air, brought the blackbird around and flew it into the heavy cluster of sentinels. Storm seeing what he was trying to do sent a supercharged bolt right at the core of the plane, detonating it and taking dozens of sentinels with it.
Sentinels caught in the explosion rained shrapnel down on Storm and the others but they ducked down behind a wall in time. Colossus turned metallic and Magneto froze the pieces in mid air then dropped them to the ground, dipping in altitude a little.
Storm glanced back but seeing nothing wrong rose back into the air and their battle continued.
Past - 1973
Charles searched frantically for Wolverine and Hank. He saw the two mutants barely avoided the exploding car where they had taken shelter from the fully operational sentinels. Charles could do nothing but watch as Raven disappeared into the crowd of agents rushing to protect the president.
'Raven.' He called out but there was no answer.
The sentinels hadn't seen him, Hank or Logan yet thankfully but he still had to get out of harms way. He began wheeling himself off the grass until he saw the shadow grow bigger and in disbelief Charles stopped in his tracks, removed his glasses and watched as Erik brought down the stadium atop their heads.
He managed to see the light hanging of one the tiers fall, barely giving him time to push off his chair and dive to the side as Logan shouted.
"Charles!"
He landed hard knocking the air out of himself and scrapping his head against some bit of concrete. He tried to move but the light had dislodged more concrete pieces which landed around him, pinning his already injured his legs while the others pinned his right arm.
Logan and Hank tried to get to him but he told them, "I'm alright. Stop Erik."
They nodded and disappeared from sight.
Future - 2023
The last sentinel was ripped apart by Bishop and the rest of the group wearily retreated to the front of the building.
"Is everybody okay?" Storm asked.
Magneto felt his suit and pulled out the jagged piece of metal from his body.
Storm turned to help him when a sentinel they had not seen, climbed up wall, leaped up on the parapet and pierced her through the middle. It lifted her into the air and threw her over the wall and to the darkness below.
"Storm," Charles exhaled.
"Professor?" Bobby asked seeing the ashen face of their leader.
"Oh no." Kitty cried and buried her face in Bobby's shoulder.
Rogue kept her eyes focused on Logan."Please hurry!"
"No!" Bishop shouted and threw himself at the sentinel and exploded it before it could move in his direction. The sentinel fell back into the darkness it had climbed out off and Bishop glanced back at his team. "Look out the sentinel. Behind you," Bishop yelled at Blink and Warpath who got out of the way of another sentinel climbing down the mountain just in time.
Three more sentinels crawled over the parapets and spewed fire directly onto the surprised Bishop. He tried to absorb the blast but it was too much and he exploded like a supernova.
Sunspot took off and blasted several more as Magneto seeing their side being decimated took the remaining metal pieces of the destroyed blackbird and began plastering them to the door of the temple, backing up against the door as a last defense for those inside.
'This is it old friend.'
"What's happening?" Charles asked.
'We are dying.'
"Don't give up, Erik." Charles replied.
"We have to help him." Rogue said to Kitty.
"Bobby help me up!" Kitty spoke up.
"Why?"
"Help me," she said.
He pulled her to her feet and into his arms, turned into his ice from, created a ramp and disappeared down the corridor with her. He slid them to a stop and waited while she phased through the door grabbing hold of Magneto and dragging him inside.
"Thank you my dear."
"Sure," she said and the three of them hobbled back to the others.
Magneto slid to the ground and leaned against a pillar, "now we wait."
"We hope." Charles corrected.
Past - 1973
They cleared the top of the stadium but Magneto saw them right away. "Do what you were made for," he said to the sentinel.
The sentinel turned on them and Wolverine and Beast were forced to dodge a hail of bullets. Wolverine drew his claws and sliced at a bunch of wiring in its hand but the mechanism whirred and he hastily dragged them back just barely keeping the sentinel from sniping them off.
"Shit, no metal."
He dodged another spray of bullets which kept the Sentinel from seeing Beast who jumped up on top of it. "Go I got this."
Wolverine left Hank to it then ran after Magneto, claws out. Magneto lifted a sink, pipes, chairs and anything he could throw but Wolverine swatted it away, "no metal this time to control me, asshole."
"This time?" Magneto lifted a concrete block full of rebar and hit Wolverine on the back hard, knocking him to the ground. "Let's change that," he said and pulled the rebar from its moor, slithering it through the grass and to the winded Wolverine. The rods punctured his calf and he screamed as it pushed through his thigh. It crawled in and out of his body and Wolverine screamed in agony as he was dragged closer to Magneto.
Future - 2023
Wolverine shook against Rogue's hands and she fought to keep him calm.
"Oh, dear God, no." Charles said.
"What's happenin'?" she asked trying to keep Wolverine from bucking off the table.
"He's dying," Charles answered.
"Logan, it's okay." Rogue began whispering, his body spasmed and his metal claws broke through his knuckles.
"Rogue, watch out!" Bobby shouted.
Rogue ignored him and brushed her lips against his hair, "Logan. Ah'm with you, hon. Ah'm right here." Her words cascaded over him and though he continued to struggle his claws slid back in.
"Keep talking," Kitty said.
She bent low over him so only he would hear and whispered. "Logan, please hon. Don't leave your Marie here alone. Come back to me."
Past - 1973
'Ah'm right here.' Wolverine closed his eyes and heard the words willing the pain to subside.
"You have metal now, so much for being a survivor." Magneto said lifting Wolverine up into the air.
Wolverine opened his eyes, focused on the face that had whispered those words and through gritted teeth said, "fuck you!"
Magneto grinned then flung him into the Potomac. Wolverine gasped and chocked, the water rushing into his lungs, drowning him as quickly as he healed, keeping him stuck in a cycle of dying and healing.
'Logan, please hon.'
He saw her through the cage, she was pretty, very pretty and tempting but too young for the likes of him. She followed him throughout the fight circling the ring with soft but sure steps.
He liked that she liked what she saw even if he didn't intend to do anything about it. So he hit just a little harder, stretched his back a little longer than usual and she never broke eye contact.
"I'll have a beer," he'd told the barkeep after his fight and she'd turned away. 'Lot scarier out of the cage, darlin.'
She glanced at everything, those brown eyes taking it all in as deeply as he inhaled his cigar. He didn't look at her but no matter what she looked at her gaze kept wandering back to him. Wolverine almost asked her what she saw in him that was so interesting.
The TV was low but with his hearing the word Mutant might as well been shouted. His new little friend heard it also and they shared a look. 'What power you hiding?'
She'd climbed into his truck easily and he'd been calling himself a bastard for every mile he kept going with her at his side, "so what kind of a name is Rogue?'" he asked.
"What kind of a name is Wolverine?" She retorted.
He didn't take his eyes off the road but knew that she wouldn't give up until he told her his name, "my name is Logan."
"Marie," she introduced herself primly.
She rubbed her hands and he turned on the heater. He tried to guide her hands to its warmth but she pulled away skittish and wounded and he'd be dammed if that wasn't the moment he fell in love with her and the beautiful mess of it all.
The train had cemented it. "You running away?"
She was small but fit perfectly against him and he knew that the smell of her would always stay with him. She leaned against chest and she was the piece he didn't know was missing then she was stolen to be sacrificed by an asshole who couldn't stop taking shit that wasn't his.
He heard her screams, her cries and he'd had no problem stabbing himself if it saved her. His life flowed into her and it was a heroic death and he'd gone with a glimpse of brown and white and a sweet accent calling his name like a prayer.
So many things happened later to sour their relationship.
Things he didn't know how deal with. The Professor's death, Mystique seeking refuge in the mansion after being abandoned by Magneto, Jean and Scott's deaths. It had all been too much and when he'd finally realized that she was there through it all, she'd decided to leave it and him behind.
"Trying to sneak away?" he asked.
"Maybe," she said.
"Why?"
"I can't do this anymore, Logan."
"Do what?"
"This," she gestured at them.
"What?"
"Wait for you...to love me." She sighed. "I can't keep hoping."
"I do love you."
She turned, one hand on the door, the other holding her bag, "ah know but not like I love you."
"Marie?"
"See you around, Wolverine," she said and left.
He'd lasted two days before leaving, he tried looking for her but she'd vanished. He drifted, fought, screwed around and generally forgot that mutants weren't a secret anymore. He only returned because where else was he supposed to go and he had a silly hope that she might return if he did.
"You're here," he said surprised as she greeted him at the door.
"It's my home, Logan, where else would ah be?"
"Did you find it?" she asked.
"What?" he asked not looking away from the woman smiling at him.
"What you were looking for?" she asked.
"There were more important things," he said.
"Like?"
"I'm glad you came back, Marie," he said and pulled at her white streak.
She moved back to let him pass, "are you? Why?"
He dropped his bag and hugged her to him, "everything I need is right here. I should have told you sooner."
"Logan?"
"I love you," he said and kissed her.
"Ah know," she grinned.
'Don't leave your Marie here alone.'
"Do you know what he did?" Bobby asked.
"I don't care, let go of my arm." she hissed.
"He doesn't care about anybody but himself." Bobby said letting her go.
"He cares about meh, is that so hard to believe?"
"Rogue, he's gonna leave again. It's been what three years? He likes to roam, its what he does."
"I'll go with him."
"What if he doesn't ask you to come along?"
"Why are you saying these things?"
"Because everybody knows that he never got over Jean...if you go with him then you'll be leaving all of us behind and you'll be on your own with just him."
"Its how we started, him and I on a cold road."
Wolverine went back to their room and pretended that he hadn't just been thinking of taking a trip. Bobby had been right,he was planning on leaving. It was only for a while but he hadn't planned on asking Rogue to come with him. It dawned on him that he couldn't really offer her anything except constant wandering.
She was losing what few friends she had because of him, he had to go but he'd never be able to explain it without making her think it was her fault. He was a man of few words and it showed when he told her that he was taking off.
"You're home is here, Logan...with me. I can touch now."
"Its not that, Marie."
"Then what is it? Is it Jean? She's been gone for years."
"This was wrong. It shouldn't have happened," he said and got out of their bed.
"Why?"
"I'm trying to protect you," he said.
In the morning he'd packed his bags, "where you going?" she asked.
"I don't know but don't wait for me."
"Be careful," she said but didn't move closer.
"I will."
He ran to Japan but he couldn't outrun his past or the guilt he carried for Jean's death. Sure he lusted and maybe even loved the woman a little but it was not her face that Mystique had first chosen. It had been Rogue's and once that happened, he'd been unable to forget it and he carried that guilt too.
The girl because no matter how grown up she was, Marie would always be a girl compared to his many years. He'd returned once he'd gotten his head on right and by then it had been so easy to pick up where he left off. The gruff drifter that came and went like the breeze, pretending to care for no one, it was a good lie.
He'd begun teaching History alongside Ororo and Hank and it had been okay but the emptiness of the institute was still felt. The Professor's, Jean and Scott's presence was still missed and she haunted him.
Then she'd come back and it was a Rogue he didn't recognize. She'd been living in Shreveport, had dyed her hair honey blonde and wore clothing that covered everything but was tight and inviting to the touch and he had to remember that he'd burned that bridge.
"Marie?" he'd asked when she'd come in strolling through the front door.
"Sugah', how you been?"
"Not as good as you." he replied.
"I seriously doubt that," she said and sashayed to the kitchen to greet Storm, she didn't even offer him a hug.
She'd begun teaching others control, something that apparently she had mastered when away and spent most of her time in her classroom. He constantly found reasons to walk by it so he could talk to her.
"Marie?"
"Come on in, Logan. Ah don't bite."
He leaned against the door frame and watched her do her weird yoga then breathing exercises.
"You know that leaning on that doorway while watching meh stretch makes you look more like a pervert than if you just sat in here and talked to meh," she said enjoying the hilariously shocked look on his face.
"Ha."
"You're the one lurkin'," she replied and did another full leg extension.
He left after that, seeing her legs bend and twist in those familiar ways had been too much to handle after so many years apart and that night he'd slept with a woman that looked very much like the old Marie. When he got back to the school, the real Marie said nothing as he sat beside her reeking of sex and cheap whiskey. She had just patted his arm and gone to bed, pity for him in her eyes.
Then the Professor had come back in some miraculous way and he had to train new recruits and Rogue was always cool, nice and sweet but not letting him get close.
She joked and watched TV with him and even occasionally drank a beer with him but she never spoke of the time away from the mansion. Never spoke about them, so he respected it.
The attacks on mutants had gotten worse and the missions became more treacherous. They lost more and more recruits and soon all of them were haunted by the lost faces.
Rogue and Bobby took on more missions together and that set his teeth on edge but he'd made his bed, he had to lie in it now. He had taken his concerns to the Professor but Charles knew that nobody on their team had to be babied. They were all capable members.
"Professor, I was wondering if you..." she stopped as she spied him talking to Charles. "Did you?"
"I already told him the plan. It's too risky."
"You're the leader, Wolverine not our boss. Its important and you know it."
"Rogue, who would go?" The Professor asked.
"Kitty, Bobby and myself."
"It's suicide, Charles."
"Logan, we have no choice, the sentinels are becoming more than even we can handle."
"She hates Magneto."
"She is right here and Magneto has already contacted us, he is willing to help, he's lost people too."
"Alright but no unnecessary risks."
"Then I'm going."
"You aren't the only X-Men who can fight and win, Wolverine. The rest of us are just as important," she said and left the room before Wolverine could say anymore.
"She's changed."
"You have no idea, Logan."
They picked up Magneto and between the X-Men and the Brotherhood many sentinels were sent to the scrap yard. Raids went well until someone was followed and the mansion was taken. They all fought and he lost track of where everybody was then he was knocked out and by the time he woke up, he realized that Rogue was not among their group.
He was not allowed to go back, the mansion was overrun and they were already on the other side of the world.
Years later after no sign of her anywhere and more fruitless searching, the Professor broke the news.
"You have to let her go, Logan. Rogue is gone."
"If she were dead, I would know it."
"Logan."
"No, Charles. I would know it." He tapped his chest, "right here."
'Come back to me.' He heard it as if from far away, it was her voice, his rogue, his Marie.
"Marie," he gurgled. 'She would know too.'